h >»•••••«•»■■»'» (• m I • "> ■» • » «* -fw • JV- f y\/ / /' \ t . LIBRARY OF THE Theological Seminary, PRINCETON, N.J^^^j. j^^,^^ C««e, Diyjsion...sI^.V=^/r:rr:-. -S/*e7/, Section, ,.J.p4»^.CJ. Book, No, , i/ ^ •: .^ ♦ ♦. /^ ^1 SEVERAL SERMONS AND DISCOURSES O F William DelJ, MINISTER of the Gofpel; Sometimes Attending both the Ge- nerals in the Army : AND Now MASTER of Gonvil and Cam CoUedge in Cambridge. Heretofore Publiflied at Several Times, and on Several Occafions y and now gathered in One Volume, for the Benefit of the Faithful, and Convidtion of the World. LONDON: Printed in the Year 1^52, and now Rc-printcd by y. Sowle in Whiti-Hart'CoHTti in GracioHt'Strnt^ ' 1709. !_: L J jT f-. « i'> V A %THS0L0GI0;2: Preface to the R E A D ^^^5siHi?.t^ W£ are almoft at the end of Books ^^ thefe Paper Works are now preaching their own Funerals \ whiljt they are holding forth thefpirit^ the letter is grown old and is dy- ing into the newnefs of the fpirit^ and there looks to be founds into zvhich all things fhaU be refolved^ being reftored out of their enmity^ as Into their Original whence they came ^ even Preaching and Preachers., Apoftles^ Prophets, Evangelijis, Pa- ftors, andTeachersy given for the perfecting of ^pj^gf/^ the Saints, for the edifying of the body of Chrift, ", i^i ^h till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a per- fed man, unto the meafure of the ftature of the fulnefs of Chrift *, till we come into afpiritual uni- formity in Chriji, beino all filled and c loathed with him^ beyond all external forms, which are the ru- diments and elements of children, with which fiat e there is no uniformity confiflent, there being in it fo 7nany fever al features and ages-. And the De- fign of Uniformity upon that is from none but Satan, to kill Chrift whiljl he is a Child, andfiijie him in his fwadling cloaths, though the pretence be with Herod to give him honour and worfhip. But how vain arc thefe plots upon him, who fhaU fubdue all things to himfelf and fwallow up death, or the vail (a part whereof external forms are) into viSory, and bring forth judgment toith triumph? He fhall fwallow UP ail, and rife up out of that which hath fwallowed him and been hts Grave, and that have we been, and tnade every thing to be^ who are now giving up our dead, expelling to live in the liber- ^^^- *5' 7* ty of our prifoner^ whom we fee at lafi to be our a 2 Lord^ A Preface to the Reader. A.O.S E Lord^ and Life, We are now by an earthquake and the Jloaking of the prifon beginning to awake ^ and to 7nake to our Brifonerts feet^ as the J ay lor at Phi- lippi, did to Paul, and Silas his, looking for Sal- vation there, and waiting when he will lead h^ Captivity Captive, and convert J4s from being Goals ^ andTombs, to be h^City^ and Temple, built of precious /tones, in whom he will live and walk, and cdufe us to live and walk in him. We are giving up our own life, which is death, finding in thefe prefent earthquakes the true lije which hath been buried in us, now riftng, and are with the whole Creation groaning to be found in him giving up all that we thought gain oi lofs, and rejoycing in our decreafe feeing his encreaje^ and our dying dayly becaufe be lives. And we glory in him who hath wrought us to this, to be content to lofe our lives that we might find thefn, now that the day is coming when all that will find th^ir life, fhall lofeit^ and whatjoever tomes not into him, the fire ofdeflruBion JhaU take hoidofitycenditfhall be thrown with death and 'hellinto the lake, *■' ^he enfuing Treatifes, have begotten this in me, cf drive n> it forth into a Preface or Epijile, for mhich the book came into my hands, by a Friends ^direUion, which Office of love 1 could not rdfufe^ "however ^'onfcious of my own unworthinejs. And, 'T cannot difmifs it mthfojhort a Preface, having the Author kM book in my heart, and that ven- ting it felfviit of its abundance, yet not Oi Solo- mon% f 00^1 who h'^th hhhe^tt in his mouth, pow 'ring out all that is' i>n it, or more than is convent" '^ent for: an EpijUlary Defign, ^which is only to' be a fign to dc^ttaint the Reader of what good eMcr- tainment there k to be found > within. It h time now for us to. hear of power which is in the Spirit^ i^hofolong have been oppofing it, and ^.; languifh- A Preface to the Reader. ianguijhing in Fkjh^ in man^ in forms external^ in wifdom of words^ in Minijhrs^ Preachers^ Writers^ Bvoks^ Univerfities^ Moralities^ Coun- cels^ Synods^ Afjemhlies^ Civil and worldly Power^ inflead offianding upright and being Jfrong in the Lord^ and the power of his might ^ we have only exibited a Ihell and carcafe of Religion^ and have held out our f elves the generation which theje laft Times by the exprefs prediBion of the fpirit were to bring forth. Having a form ofgodlinefs, but denying the power thereof. // hath been the hour and power ^/^Darknefs; the man of Jin h^ revealing, tf;?^' fitting in the Temple of God, and holding forth himfelf to be God •, The Spirit hath given this Man large Rope, he hathjuffered this'^'^"^-^'^* Abfolom the underminer of his Father David, his hair to grow, and is now coming forth the firong andfpread and taU Oak ziohere this man is han- ging^ and iwifiing himfelf for his deftruBion •, He hatb^ b€en contented to become the ftone, though precious tfW;/?^ head of the Corner, to be rejeded by the builders, that Satan and all his Kingdom ^ " might fall upon him, and dafh themfelves to pie- ces ', and he is plea/ed to make his way through thefe clouds, and to rife more glorioufly the King of Ifrael, from under the fluff, ^ higher by the head, and fhoulders than any, annointed with the oyl of gladnefs above his fellows ^ This is theChfld fet tor the fall and rifing of many in Ifrael, and a figa to be fpoken againft ^ Chrifl the power of God, and wifdom of God, the fooliftinefs and weaknefs of man. What deflrudions do we fee already made^ what heaps upon heaps by a Jaw-bone of an Afs? the weaknefs of God ftronger than man, and the foo- Iilhnefs of God wifer 'than man ^ Bow far is the day df the Lord already rifen upon r^^tall Cedars ot .Lebanon anithc Oaks of Balhan, and the high mountains / A Preface to the Reader. ifa. 2. i2.iyiountains and Hils, upon the high Towers and. ^' fenced Walls? what ridne upon thefe^ how many gallant Ships wrackt^ how many p leaf ant Vi^iures defaced.^ And yet the refi of the trees and/hips and Towers^ the high things zvhich yet fland^ do not fear nor lay to heart, nor begin to ftoop and bow of the mf elves ^ but fay we. fit as a Queen, and ihall fee no forrow ^ they fee not who is rife n -^ They bribe their own confciences a^ they did the ^ Soldiers^ /eafi they Jhould fpeak the truth •, they are far from asking the quefrion^ What ay led thee O fea that thou fleddeft, and thou Jordan that thou waft driven back ! 3re mountains* that ye skipped like Rams 1 Tremble thou earth at the prefence of the Lord ^ Power belongs to Gody he pulls down one, and fets up another ; How hath he broken the ftafF of the wicked^ the Scepter of the rulers ? how hath hell enlarged her /elf! and what glory and pomp is fcnt down thither ^ which Jiand expe^ing thofe by whofe hand^ they were thrown down, to come to them^ and have taken up iia» !4. 9. a Proverb to entertain them with I Hell from be* neath is moved for thee, to meet thee at thy co- ming ; it ftirreth up the dead for thee, and all the chief ones of the earth ^ it hath raifed up from the thrones all the Kings of the nations -, all they ihall fpeak and fay unto thee, art thou alfo become weak as we ! art thou become like to tfs I The worm is fpread under thee, and the worms cover thee, ijc, ew. 4$». 5. Human Learning, the excellency of power and ftrength created, thou Ruben my firft born, the head of this world^ thoufhalt be made the tayl \ thou that wilt comprehend Chrifl^ thou that wilt bring God into thy compafs and under thy fpan^ and weigh him in thy ballance, thou that knoweji ncfpirit nor wifdom befides thy f elf ^ thou that con^^ demnejl that which is not th^f^ for folly and weak* nefs'^ A Preface to the Reader. nefs i thou Lucifer fon of the morning, that haft /aid, I will afcend into heaven, and fet my Throne above the Stars, I will be like the inofl: high ^ thou fpirit of the world that wilt acknow- ledge none above thee. Thou Ihalt not excell be- caufe thou didft afcend into my bed ^ he went up to my couch-, I will rife out of the weak and foolifti things to confound thee-, / w/iZ ordain ftrength out of the mouth of babes and fucklings to undo thee*^ I will fight againfi thee in the Car- penters Son and the Fifhermen : Judah Ihall have the Scepter, binding his Foal unto the Vine, Gen. 4^. and his AfTes Colt unto the choyce Vine : The^"^* "' King that rides on the Afs, and the Foal of an Afsy who?n the Boys and Girls follow with the voyce of Hofanna, fhall defiroy your place and Nation : O ye Scribes, Fharifees, Lawyers, Rabbles, after that you have mocked him, and crucified hi?n, done to him whatever you lifled, he will rife again, and fear will take hold of you as forrow upon a wo- man, and you will call to the Rocks and Moun- tains to fall upon you, and fo go unto your own Place. Jnd thcfu Independency, the fair ejl Form, the mofi beautiful Face of yet that the Sun hath look- ed on. The world hath thrown dirt on thee, and difguifed thee, which thou hafi wafhed off-, take^?^' heed thy Father fpit not in thy Face ^ that will Tuake thet afhamed indeed: Thou art Rachel, thou hafl with great wreftlings prevailed, and brought forth G^iA, a Troop, aridhafl routed, purfued^ de- fir oyed, taken \ if thou lift up thy f elf againfi thy Root that hears thee, that Spirit that hath lifted thee up, thoufhalt he fo dealt withal, in thy^ high mindednefs, if thou work not out tbj falvation in fear and trembling. And thou Righteoufnefs that derive fl thy pede- ireeffom Adam, ^ni fiandefi imhcLaw^ and walkeft I2« A Preface to the Reader. walkeft like a ^een in mans wijdom and Forms of Religions^ fhinejl in th^ outward Court that is given to the Gentiles to be trodden under foot, thou haft a beauty cls if it were of the holy place ^ andlookeji like the Spoufe and Bride of the Lamb ^ but thou fhalt he dif covered a bafe Harlot and Strumpet, whilji thou fetefi^ up thy felf againfl the Rightepufnefs of the Spirit : And when thou fhdlt fight againfl him (U a Blafphemer, and thin k- ejl to deftroy him, a^f thou haft Epifcopacy and Frefbytery, when thou fhalt look that Jerufalem ^, r.^fhouldidW before thee, as the gods of tht Nations, KfiVj? i2.Qozan and Haran and Refeph, and the Childrea of "Eden, which were in Te]^{r3.r ; when thou Jl?alt £ome to lay hold on Chrift oi a blafphemer^ and fhalt go forth like Sampfon thinking to do as thou haft done at other times ^ when thy zealfhall gather an Army that goes upon the breadth of the Revel. 20, earth, and thou compaffeft the Camp of the Saints ^ about ^ and the beloved City, thenfl:>aU fire come down from God out of Heaven and devour thee. Then fhalt thou find that /word of the Lord which hath drunken blood, and eat fie fh, to fall out of shy hand, and fhalt fee a battle fought in a way of war that thou never knewefl, having only known carnal weapons, a battle not with confufed noyfe 1^9* 5. and Garments rowled in blood \ but thisfhaU be soith burning and fuel of fire-, for his name is wonderful, who hath the Government oii his flioulders, in the day of his begetting, which ii his manifeftation or declaration with power ^ Ihen no more Iron againft Iron, flefh againfl flefh, the A&13. 32'potfherds^^j/;?j? the potlherdx of the earth -, The naked power of the Spirit j the holy arm of the Lord made bare, fh all make fl /upper to the Fowls of the ay r, of the flefh of Kings and Captains^ and mighty men and horfes, and them that fit thereon^ \aml there fhMtbe beaft be fahn and the falfe Pro- A Preface to the Reader. Prophet ^ No more carnal weapons thenceforth •, they /ball all be beaten into mattocks and pru- ning hooks, when the earth Ihall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea*, then I looked and every Ifland fled a- way, and the Mountains were not founds I faw none but the Lamb Handing on the Mount Sion, and with him a hundred, forty and four thoufand, having his Fathers name written on their foreheads, and I heard the voyce of Har- pers harping with their Harps, and they fung a ne w Song. This manner of War^ God wa^ plea fed to come forth //?, in the Apoftles^ and Primitive Chrijii- ansy who had laid the world on its backy and made it like Sodom and Gomorrah, had not the Trum- pet yi?;/;7i^rf a retreat y and that power which wai abroad^ retired again^ that the world might re- cover its deadly wound, and get up upon his legs again, that the man of fin might be niUy revea- led, in the return of this power to be utterly confumed when it fhaU come in the brightnefs of its glory. And thou Rule, authority and power earthly, that wilt not acknowledge the Lord; thou earth that doft not tremble at the prefence of the Lord, his day will be on thee to put thee down: if the ^* Hoft of Heaven, thofe rowers be fhaken^ thou fnuji not look for a priviledge and exemption j and though thou haft been made like Nebuchadnez- zar, the fervant of the Lord to pull down thofe heavenly powers^ that kept not their firft eftate^ and haft been a fcourge upon the Powers of the Earthy and f mote them in wrath, though thou Uift been a feUer among the Cedars of Lebanon, thou that haft broken the Gold and Silver, andthehtsiik mththy Iron feet 5 remember that the Iron is mix- Om# a. S cdwitbcUy, that Jhews thy weaknejs^^ thoujhalt (b) il A Preface to the Reader. be jhattcred to pieces by that ftone cut out of the mountain without hands, when Satan JhaU lead thee againji him as again/i a Blafphemer, Therefore, you Heavens and Religious Forms that are put' ting for the Government of the roorli^ and. fadling iQngdoms md I^epublicksy and making them the Beaft to carry the falfe Prophet, which now begins to kicj: and winch, and look upon thee thatrideth' And you Mountains of the earth 'y worldly Powers that fay inyour hearts, We will afcend into Heaven and fet our throne above the Stars of God ; tbat will exercife a Judica- ture in Heaven, and determine of things of the Kjngdom of Cod, which the Spirit hath kept in his own hands ; you may break one the other, earthen potjheards ; But if you joyn againji the Spirit, and be one as ^ew and Gentile, Herod and Pilate againft Chrifi, it will be your everlafti?7g breaking ; fo that a man cannot gather a. Sherd of you to take fire firom the hearth, €r water out of the Pit', for God hath fet his King upon his holy Hill; and you are ^wt (heaves againft a hearth of pre. 7he rower of Chrift U coming forth ^ happy they that wait for it. The Lord fhall fend the rod of his Power out of Sion ; be thou Ruler in the midft of thine enemies : PfaU loo* 10. ^» ^' ' M "Forms and Shadows (hall flie away ; and the new crea- ture only abide ; and they that walk after this I{ule, peace be Ptklm. 148.^^ them, and mercy, and upon the Jfrael of God. Jhefpiritual Church fhall rife and be eftabliJhed in the beauty of holinefs. Thefe axe the tidings of this Book ; And I heard a voyce faying Hallelujah, Praife the Lord from the Hea- vens, praife him all ye heights, praife him all ye Angels of his ; all the wifdom of man ; Praife him Sun and Moon, all worldly Magijirates^ praife him all the Stars of light, all Miniflers, Paftors^ Teachers ; praife him ye Heavens of Hea- / vens ; all Forms and Churches, and whatever of you excell, and ' '- are lifted up above others; exalt the Lord, not your felves^ *3- H- fQj. }^J5 j^ame only is excellent, his glory is above the Earth and Heavens ; he alfo exalteth the Horns of his people, the praife of all his Saints, even of the Children of Jfrael a people neer to him. Thy part be among thefe, whoever art the J(eader, it is the de fires and prayer of him who knows no greater, no O" tber happinefs. Who Is thine as to it Chrijlopher Goad, THE THE CONTENTS. CH Frists Spirit a Chrijitm\ Strength, Or, A Plain Difcovery of the Mighty and Invincible Tower that all Believers receive through the Gift of the Spirit, Page £ Vniformity Examined j whether it be found in the Gofpel, or in the Tra^ice of the Churches of Chriji. P« 5 ^^ the Building, Beauty, teachings and Eftablijhment of the Truly Chrijiian and Spiritual Church : J{eprefented in an ExpO' fition on Ifaiah 54. from Ver. 11. to 17. p. 65 B^ght Reformation ; Or^ the Information of the Church of the New'Tefiamentf J^frefented in Gofpel-Light ; in a Sermoii preached to the Honourable Houfe of Commons, on Wednef- ^^j', November 25 r^, 1646. Together with a REPLY to the Chief Contradiilions of Mr, LoveV Sermon^ Preached the fame Day, P« 115 The Way of True Peace and Vnity in the True Church of Chriftf in all Humility and Bowels of Love Prefented to them, p. 171 The Crucified and J^ichelfed Chrijiian, Or, a Difcourfe on Calatians ii. 19, 20. p. 309. The Stumbling'Stone \ Or, a Difcourfe touching that Ojfencs rohicb the World and Worldly Church do take again] f, 1, Chrifi Himfelf. 2, His true Word, 3. His true Worjhip, 4. His true Church. 5. His true Government, 6. His true Mini' ftry. Wherein ths Vniverfity is reproved by the word of God, P- 3<^3 "Bti'rlifiJMV ^li'A')^, Or, the DoBrine of Baptifms, I^du* $sd from its Ancient and Modern Corruptions i and ^eftored The CONTENTS. to its primitive Soundnefs a?jd bitegrity ; according to ths Word of truthy ths Subfiancs of Faithy and the Nature of Chrifls Kjne^dom, p. 423 7he Trial of SpiritSy both in teachers and Hearers ; therein is held forth the clear Difcovery and certain Downfall of ths Carnal and Antichriftian Clergy of thefe Nations, Tefli fed from the word of God to the V?iiverfity Congrega" tions /» Cambridge. Whereunto is addedy A Plain and Necejfary Confutation of divers Grofs Errors Delivered by Mr, Sydrach Simpfon, in a Sermon Preached to the fame Congregation at the Commence- Tnenty Anno MDCLIII. Wherein (among other things) is declared That the Vniver^ fities (according to their prefent Statutes and Pra^ifes) arc not (as he ^firmed) anfwerable to the Schools of the Prophets in the time of the Law j but rather to the Idolatrous High flaces* And that Human Leamingy is not & Preparation appointed by Chrift, either for the ^ht Vnderftanding, or Right Teaching the GofpeL With a Brief TejHmony againft Divinity''Degrees in the Univerfities. As alfo Luthers Teflimony at large upon the whole Matter. And Laftlyy The Flight Reformation of Learning, Schools md Vniverfitiesy according to the State of the Go/pel, and the Light that Shines there in> p. 4^1 THE Chrifts SPIRIT Lhnjhans ^m^k A Plain Difcovery of the Mighty and Invincible Power that all Be- lievers receive through the Gift of the Spirit. Firft held forth in Two S E R M O N S, on T^l' 'a ^'"- ^"^ ^^^^'^ Publifhed for the Inltruaion and Ufe of thofe that are Spi- ritual, Jnao MDCXLV. \ J r^ ^ymmmw 3DeE, Minifter of the Gofpel of Jefus Chnjl ^ at Telden in the County of Bedford, -^ I Cor. IV. 19 20. / win come unto you Jhonly if the Lord ^lil, and will know not the fpeech of them that are puffed up, in Iw/r'""''' ^'' ^^' Ki^igdom of God is not in word bin ^ 'I'ZJnfh: ^^''^^g^^fom ofGodlinefs, but denying the power of It ; from fuch turn away. LONDON: Firft Printed in the Year, 1551. To the Right Honourable the Lady Elizabeth^ Countefs oiBuUinghrook. Right Honourable, THE Form of Go Mine fs is very common in thefe days of ours j but the Power of it is very rare. How fe^v Perfons JhaH we find in the Vifible Church, who Live and A^ in the Strength of God? But generally Men do^ whatever they do^ in their owa Strength^ and that not only in Humane things^ hut in Divine. How feldom do we fee either in Minifters or Chriftians, in the difcharge of their Duties in their fever al flaces^ more than the Power of Men? T/;^ greatefi part by far^not only of thofe who are called Chri- flians, but alfo of forward Profeflbrs, being Ignorant what it isj to be Strengthned with Might in the In- ner Man, according to the Glorious Power of the Great God. How little is there (among all our plenty) cf that Preachings which is not in the plaafible Words of Mans Wifdom^ but in the demonfiration of the Spirit find Power } How few Congregations (among the many that are in the Kingdom) are gathered together in the Spirit and Power of our Lord Jefus Chrift f How few of thofe Chriflians are there^ in whom is the ex- ceeding Greatnefs of Gods Power, together with the effedual Working of it f But the Form of Godlinefs is nowbecome^ almofl the CovQUn^oi 3\\ Flefh. And in thefe Days of Light and Knowledge^ it is accounted by all (that are not down-right Atheiftsj a great (harne^ not to feem to be Religious, And when Men^ and Fa- vnilies^ and Congregations itre gotten into this Form, they think themfelves both Safe and Happy, as being near the Suburbs of the Kingdom of God^ and clofe Neighbours to the Saints. And this Form of Godli- nefs, as it is of very eafie compliancy with Flefh and A 2 Bloody The Epiftle Dedicatory. Bloody in this particular^ in that according to this^ Men only make their A(-lions new, retaining ftill their Old Natures ; lb »> ^ alfo of Great Credit and Efteem with Cirnal Gofpellers. But the Spiritual Man Judgeth all things, and yet he himfeif is Judged of no Man: jind he being partaker of the Power of God himfclf^ can tn jome meafrre difcern both the prefence and want of it in others^ both which he knows in his own experience*' Now this Form of Gpdlinefs, is when Men are Godly without God^ and anointed without Chrifi, and regenerate^ not having the Spirit \ that is^ when they have a femblance of Hollnefs^ bm not the thing it felf : a femblance of Grace, retaining their Old Natures. And fitch Chrifiians as thefe^ pfr/orw Spiritual Duties with Natural Strength^ Heavenly Duties with Earthly j Strength^ the Works of God with the Power of Men: I In the Religion of thefe Men there is the Outward i Duty done^ and it may be very fpecioufly and Plaufibly, if but there is none of Ghrift nor the Spirit in the Duties, | There is their own working towards Gody which if | faint and faithlefs^ and not Gods own working in i them towards himfeif ^ which is Lively and Mighty i t j^nd all the ReligicAs AEls they do^ are only their own ! Operations^ and not the Operations of God in them, [I This Form of Godlinefs, how pleafing foever it bs to a Mans felf, and of what reckoning foever with o- thers, who are like himfeif yet is indeed of very Evil and Woful Confequence, whether we regard the Do- ing or Sufferings unto which this Form neceffartly engages. For fir fi^ when Men by occaflon of this Form are cal- led forth to do the Great Works of God j and yet are deft it me of the Power of God^ their Duties ^r^ above their Strength, and their Strength bears no proportion to their Duties. And jo^ fooner or later^ meeting with Difficulties, they Faint and Languiflj as a Snail-, their Works being too high for their Faculties. F<?r Nature being firained above its Power^ and offering at that which The Epiftle Dedicatory. Splotch is beyond its Abilities^ by degrees grows weary, 4ind returns to its Old Temper again. And he that fought that Glory which was noE his own^ at lafl lies down in his own Shame. Again^ the Form of Godlinefs rxpofes a Man to thofe Evils that are incide?7t to the faithful becaufe of Godlinefs. Now when a Man hath the fame Evils •with the laithfid^ and not the fame Power to prippart him under thofe Evils ^ when Men have the fame Evils ^'« r/jf Fleih, but not the fame Power in the S'^'int^ the fame Burthens on their jhonlders^ bnt not the fame Everlafting Arms underneath them^ they fall Sadly and Defperately, to the Great Scandal of the Ways of (jod. However^ if Men he not called forth to fuch Eminent Doings and Sufferings ^ and fo fcape fnch M^inif^ft Dif- coveries and Downfalls-^ yet the Form of Godlinefs hath this Evil in hs^ that it brings a Man only to the troublefome pan <?/ Religion, bnt not to the comfort- able^ it engages a Man in the fame Duties with the Codly^ but fnpplies him not with the fame Strength '^ it involves him in the fame Bitternefs of Flefh, but doth not furnijh him with the fame Joy of Spirit. For as fnch a Mans Religion doth not reach above Flefl) and Bloody nomore doth his Strength <«;z^ Comforts. And fo he performs Duties at alovi Rate \ yea^ and his bare and empty Form cajls a Black Vail upon Religion, and utterly ohfcures its Beauty and Glory, and makes the World judge meanly of it^ and to think it ts a mat^ ter only <?/ Singularity ^«<3^ Humour, and not <?/Power. Whereas when a Chriftian walks in the Strength of the Spirit, Doing and Suffering the will of Godj beyond aU Strength and Abilities of Fhih and Blood, the World oftentimes Wonders and Gazes at him^ and many are provoked to Glorifie God, who hath given fuch a Power to Men. For this Power of Godlinefs, among other things j hath thefe three Advantages, 1 A3 !• ^^ The Epiftle Dedicatory. 1. It makes a Man do every Duty Strongly and Mightily. And whatever might take a Man off from h's Duty^ or diftraSi and difturh him in ity all falls to nothing before this Power. There is that Strength in each Dmy^ performed by the Power of the Anointing, which declares it to be the operation of God himfelf z« Ma?i^ and nothing elfe but the very Power of God, that isy Jefus Chrifi himfelf^ in aBion in us, 2. It snakes a Man Inflexible in the ways of God^ that he fliall neither turn to the right Hand nor to the left^ but take (IraighC fteps towards the mark fet be^ fore him. No Fear^ nor Favours^ nor Frowns^ nor Flatteries^ nor Temptations^ nor Infinuations^ nor De* jlgns of other Sy nor Ends of his own^ can turn him aftde. j He carries fuch Strength in his Spirit^ as he can ne^ vsr be Bended, and fo far forth as he partakes of the Power of God, u as Unmoveable and Unchange- able as God himfelf 3. It makes a Man invincible, by all Evils and Enemies. Becaitfe all the Power againfl him^ is but the Power of the Creature \ but the Power in him^ is, the Power <?/ God. And the Power «>/ God, eafily overcomes the Mightiefi Power of thh Creature ^ but is never overcome by it. And if this Power in a Chriflian, fijould be prevailed againfl^ God himfelf^ who IS that Powerj jhould be Conquered^ which is im* pojfible. yi i To Conclude^ The Power of Godlinefs is the BoeY I of every Dutyj in Gods Kingdom^ the Subduer of every Sin^ the Conqueror of each Tribulation arid Temptation^ the Life of every Performance^ the Glory of each Crace^ the Beauty of a Chriflians Life^ the Stability of his Converfation^ the Lufire of his Reli- gion^ his Great Honour and Excellency both in Doing and Sufferings yea it is the very Glory of God him- felf^ in the Church of God ; for by Faith the Lord arifes on us^ and by this?OWQV of Godlinefs, his Glory ■IS Jien upon us* Thefe The Epiftle Dedicatory. Thefe Conpderations^ Right Hononrahle^ moved tns to difconrfe of the Power of the Holy Spiric coming on all Chriftians, Minifters and People, j^nd^ be fides the importunity of fome other Friends^ your earneft de fires of thefe Note s^ hath efpeciaiiy prevailed with me to pihlijh them. Not that I am worthy to pHbliflj any things but that the Truth of God is worthy to he piblijhedy be the Inflrument never fo menn and unworthy. And although I well hnow^ the doubtful Succefs of fuch Vndertahngs as thefe^ yet in this matter I am not at all careful, beirg mofi willing to be bound up in one condition with the Truth of God, and to have with it., the fame common Friends and Enemies -, Be- fides^ if Chrift dwell in my Heart by Faith, / carry in my bofom already my Reward, out of whom I neither regard FvaKQ or Difpraife, Good or Evil. Now I was bold to prefix your Name to thefe Notes J becaufeyofir Defire of them hath made them yours y and alfo your many Noble Favours are aftrong and continual Engagement for me to ferve you^ ac- cording to what God hath made me. Efpecially I re- member your extraordinary CompalHon, and Bowels towards me^ in the Day of my deepeft Diftrefs, when my Soul drew near to the Pit^ and the fhadow of Death fate upon my eye-lids ^ and I had not the leafl drop of Comfort either from Earth or Heaven ^ Tou then fljewed me the' Kindnefs of the Lord, and en- compaffed me both with your Pity and Goodnefs \ though then J through bittemefs of Spirit^ 1 tafted it not. Wherefore when I remembred the Wonderful Goodnefs of God to me after fo great Sorrow and Darknefs, / cannot forget that part of his Cood^ nefs^ which he woi pleafed to adminifler to me by your hands *, And the remembrance of this., caiifes 7ne to pray that God would double the fame Goodnefs on yoUy and that he would pour forth upon my Lord, your Honour, your Noble Offspring and Family, A 4 ^-^^^ The Epiftle Dedicatory, ^c. this Power of the Holy Spirit^ here treated of: Which ' pjall render yo^ ^ thoufand times more precions and excellent^ bt fore Go6 and his SaintSj tha/j all World- ly Hmour and Nobility whatfoever. And by this mtans {hall Ileligion flnne in yonr Family^ in its na- tive Beamy and Ltifire \ and the Kingdom of Cody which ftands not in Word, but in Power, jhall ap- . pear in its Bright Glory among yon^ till the Kingdom of the Son firfi fit yoa^ and then after deliver yon tip to the Kingdom of the Father, and God be all in all^ immediately : Which is the earnefl Prayer of your moll Humble \ and Faithful Servant, William Dell^ CHRIST'S J THE CONTENTS. HE Context. The Explication of the Words. Three General Doftrines. 1. That Chrifl gives his own People fufficient flye>?gth for their implojfme?its ; his own Jirength for his own Works* 2. That when Chrifi leaves hU People in regard, of Senfe, he never leaves them without a Promife ; and in that Pro-, mife his Spiritual Prefence, 3. That the pouring forth of the Spirit is the means whereby God both increafes and governs his Church* The more Special Do£lrine from the words, is, That the receiving of the Spirity is the receiving of Power, For the Spirit itfelj is Power- 1. Ejfentially in it felf, 2. Operatively in «5. By being in m* 1. A Spirit of I^owkdge, 2. Of Truth, 3. Of Wifdom* C To dOy 4* Of Faith f Vfhich inahles m^ Indure the fame things with ^ Chrift himfelf C Deftroying Sin* 6* Of ^hteoujnefsy zn^ C Imparting Grace* ^. Of the Fear of the Lord* 7. Of Love and Vnity, The Ufe, Twofold. j; Exhortation^ toinforce this; T i. To Minijiers^ ;|!r mce 4 2, To all Chrijiians. (*) I. Minifters . ,- , f I. To the necejfny of having this < Power is urgedy in reference i 2. ToallChriJiians. The CONTENTS. 1. Minifters flund in ncii of ths Power of the Sfu'n ?a corns upon them* 1. Becdufsf without thej hrjs this Power, they are defcitute of ill Power. 2. Without this Power, thy are infufficient for the Work of the Mi-fiiftery ; as being unable, 1. to preach the Word, that is, the true Spiritual and Jiving Word of God, 2. To Preach it ^ealoufly and powerfully ; But without this prefence of the Spirit of Power, 1, Their Mi^iiftry is cold and hath ?to Heat in it. 2. Weaky and hath no Strength in it* «. te per f ever e in their Miniftery, and to carry it onagainji allOppofition and Contradi^ion. 4. To reprove the World of Sin, For the Spirit of ^uJg" ment, muft needs be accompanied with the Spirit of might. to incounter and overcome the Devih 6, To inabk them to be comfortable and invincible agaitifl all Evils and Enemies. 2. Chriftians *, this Spirit of Power, and Power of the Spi- rit is necejfatyfor all Chrijiia7tSy as well as Mi7iiflers. Ov)eil* But do all Chriftians receive the Spirit of God, as well as Minifters ? Jyijw» Yes, equally and alike 5 without any Difference. Now this Spirit of Power is necelTary for them, 2. Todijlinguijh them from Reprobates and Devils. 2r To exih them above all the reft of l^UvmJ who Arc deJH- tn^e of the Spirit. 5. fs Vnit4 them unto Chnft, And The CONTENTS. And the Power of the Spirit isneceflary for them, 1. To chuvge their Natures ; vohich is the daily work of the Spirity till all be renewedm 2. To work Grace in them ; and each Grace ^ is fo much of the power of the Spirit in the fie fo, 3. To inahle them to mortifie Sinj and the Poroer of the Ci. The whole Body of Sin in ail its Parts Spirit mortifeiy «? a7id Members, and ^2. Each Particular ftrong Corruption, 4. To Perform Duties. For no more firer.gth in any Duties than of the Spirit in them, 5. To confefs the Word before JQngs, and M.igijhates* Ci. In private, 6. To Publijl) the wordi and that both, «^2. In publick, 171 (jafe of necefflty, 7. To fuffer and overcome affii^ion. Natural ftrength, withdra'ws it felf from the Evil. Spiritual ftrength, ftands to it, and overcomes it. The Second Vfe, is for Information, and Inftruflion; fhewing that, the way to obtain this Power, is to ob- tain the Spirit; and to encrcafe this Power, is ta cncreafe the Spirit. Now that we may obtain the Spirit^ we muft firft pre- pare our felves. Wherein this Preparation doth not confift. Wherein it doth confift \ that is, i. In emptying us. 2. The Work of the Spirit after he hath emptied us, is tofiUus. The Means through which the Spirit is conveyed to us. The CONTENTS. 1. By the iVird. ; and this Word, the Word of the Gofpeh 2. By Fdthy which carries us toChrift's Fkjh to receive of bts Spirit, Through the Word and Paith, we are born of God, and fo partake of the Spirit of God. g. Prayer : And in Vrayer we may ash the Spirit either of the Father or the Son, Again that we may encreafe the Spirit, 1. Wemuji be conflant and continual in the Vfeof the Word, 2. We muft daily encreafe Faith. 3. Mujl be much in Prayer, 4. Mufh wuhdraw our felves from the Creatures, and live loofefrom them, 5. Muji ceafe from our own Works. 6. Muft give our felves up to the Spirit that he may work his Work in us. 7. The Works of the Spirit we muJi attribute t9 the Spirit, and not to our Flejb* Chrift's CHRIST'S SPIRIT, A Chriftian's Strength. A6ls I. 8. But ye JhaU receive 'Power ^ when the Holy Ghofi is co?ne upon you^ and ye Jhall be wltnejjes unto me^ &c. Or, Tou Jhall receive the Power of the Holy Ghojl coming upon you, THESE Words are the more Remarhtble^ becaufe the very lafl: Words in the Con- ference between the Son of God, and his Beloved Afoftles^ immediately before his Afcen- fion into Heaven. Now, you know, when dear and intimate Friends are ready to part, as their Love then runs flrongeft, and their jlffcUions are moft intire and vehement, fo then alfo they efpe- cially difcourfe of thofe things, wherein moft of all they defire to be fatisfied and refolved. Thus was it between Chrift and his ji^oftles ^ Never was there fuch dear and intimate Friendfijipj and fuch lincere and burning Love between any, as between them. The jipoftlesj all of them loved Cbrifi moft truly, and paffionately j and Peter^ who had three times denied him, three times profefled his Love to him , and being forry that Chrift fhould queftioa his Love the third time, he thus anfwered, Lor^, thouknowefl ill thivgs^ thoit knorveflJoK^.ig, that I love thee. And Chnfi viifo loved them dear- Joh, 13.1. iy j yea, he loved them fifft^ and having loved his 9Von^ he loved them to the endj and fo he was noE difcontented 2 Chrijl's Spirit^ a Chriftians Strength. difcontented with them, for their leaving and forfaking him, through Humane Infirmity, whea he was led away to Judgment, and to Death : For though Death quite puts out all Natural Love, yeE Sfiritual Love is not exunguiliied^ but enlarged by Death. Now when fuch loving Friends as thefe, were even now ready to take their laft leave of one another, in regard of Bodily Prefence, who would not moft willingly have been prefent, to have beard what Difcourfe pafs'd between Cmfi and his Difciplesj at this their laft parting. '^r^^^V^ Now Luke acquaints us with the whole Sum and ^j,-r^^|^S/Subftance oi Chrift's Difcourfe with his Apoftles, roithhis all the time he lived together with them, after Difcipks, his RefarreBionj till the day wherein he Afcended after bi^ j^to Heaven : In the third Verfe of this Chapter-, ^T7ill ^^ ^^^^^' ^^ ^^^ Difcourfe with them, de Regno his Afcsn- ^^h touching the Kingdom of God* That is, not [ion, only touching his ^firitaal Kingdom^ which he fets up in each particular Chriftian, and which begins at our Regeneration^ and is confummate in Glorifi- cation: But alfo touching his Mediatory and Mo- narchical Kingdom j which, in the time appointed of his Father, he fhould ^tt up in the World \ P al. 2. 8. When he jhould have the Heathen for his Inheritance^ P^"*7*H- and the utmofl ends of the Earth for his Pcffsffion^ and "' * ' all People J and Nations^ and Languages jhould ferve him^ and he fhould Reign from Sea to Sea^ and from, the River to the Worlds end. This was the Sum of Chrift's Difcourfe with them, and the Apoftles were fully fatisfied touching the thing, only they were unfatisfied touching the time. For befides, that the fetting up of this Kingdom of the Mejfias in the Power, Beauty, and Glory of it, was at thai time the common difcourfe and expedation of all Ifrael ', the Apoftles themfelves remembred many Prophecies and Promifes of the Old Tefta- Rient, for the Reftoring the Kingdom of David ; and ehriJFs Spirit a Chriftians flrength. and this they thought Chrifi would have done, in the days of his flejh : But frefently^ all their hopes were blalled by hn death. But when they faw him rifen again from the dead^ then prefently their k/«rrj were revived, into their ioxmtv hofes"^ but yet again, feeing nothing done, all the time he converfed with them after the RefurreElion^ when now he was ready to Afcend into Heaven, they defire him, fir ft ^ to Refolve them this OHeftlon^ whether or no he would at that time, rellore the Kingdom to //r^f/^ Lord (fay they) Wilt thou at this time reflore again the Kingdom to Ifrad t Now Chrift doth not deny the reftoring of the Kingdom to Ifrael^ but denies to acquaint them with the time when it fhould be done. He tells them, it was not for them to know the times and feafonSy which the father had put in his own power ^ ver. 7. The like Jnfwer to the like Demand^ Daniel re- ceived in his time. For when the Angel had re- prefented to Daniel^ the total deftruction of the Image oi worldly Monarchy^ together with the rife and reign, and xmnto^ Antichrift^ and the fetting up of Chrift s Kingdom in the World, in the Head of the two former, Daniel faid. Chap. 12. 8. And 1 heardj but I underfiood not *, then faid /, O my Lord-, what jhall be the end of thefe things? And hs \aid^ Go thy way Daniel, for the words are do fed Hp and (ealea till the time of the end. So that the Angel, whodii- covered the things themfelves to Daniel, refufed to difcover to him plainly and exprefly the time when they ftiould be done ^ but that was to be dofed andfealed up till the time of the end. And fo here in like manner, C^r/y? who had difcourfed largely and clearly to the Difdples touching the Kingdom of God, yet denies to difcover to them the time when it fhould be fet up in the world. And the r«afon why he denied this to them, to whom he had not denied himfelf, was not for want of l^ove^ bus CbrijVs Spirit a Chriflians firength. but becaufe the leather had kept the time and fea- fon, whereia all this fhould be done, in his own fower. Had this been placed in Chrifts power, he had no doubt made it known to them, as well as he did thofe other things^ which he had heard from his Father-, but the Father had not placed this in his Sons power, but had referved it in his own ; and the Apoftles were not to fry after, that which was hidden with God, but were to content them^ felves with what he had revealed. But though the Son did not reveal to them whali the Father had kept in his own power, yet he tells Ehem, what the Father had promifed unto them, and what he had alfo put into his power, and what he would certainly perform e'er long, and that was the gift of the Spirit cf power ^ faying. But ye [halire' ccive power when the Holy Ghofi ts come upon you^ ' and yoit fljall be witneffes to me^ &c. As if he fhould have faid, Do not you trouble your felves abouc ftcret things, which fhall not be accomplifh'd in the world, till many years after you are fallen a-t ileep \ but do you mind your prefent bufinefs, wherein you are to ferve God, in your Genera- tion *, your prefent task is to be witneffes unto me. In JerHfalem,y and ail Jndea^ and in Samaria^ and to the utmoft parts of the Earth ^ to declare and inake known^ what you have heard^ and feen with your eyes, and looked upon, and your hands have handled of the word of Life : You are to teflifie to the World my Incarnation^ DoEirine^ Miracles^ Life-, Deaths Refiirre^ion^ and my Kingdom and Gloryy that is to come : You are to make known to the IVorld^ the high and deep, the great and glo- rious myftery of Chrifi and of the Gofpel ; and thaC you may be fit for this great and weighty work, you fhall receive the power of the Holy Ghoft : Ton fiiall receive power ^ when the Holy Chofi is come upon yotty &c, Which Chriirs Spirit a Chriftians Jlrengtb. Which words alfo may be an j^nfwer to ano- ther Qiieftion which the Difciples did-i or might make, after this manner. Our dear Lord and Mafler^ \^hy wilt thou leave Qnefi^ us, thy poor DifiipUs^ among fo many Evils and Enemies in the World, which our wealnefs mult of neceflity fink under ? We well remember now ' fearfd and fooli{h we have been, whilfl thou waft' yet with us *, but how much more timorom and trembling fhall we be, when thou art gone/r^w2Us ? When thou waft apprehended by the armed power of the Magiftrates^ thou knoweft how we all for- fook thee and fled ^ and I, faid P^rtr, denied thee, and forfwore thee, at the voice of a fimple Maid. And therefore if thou now cfHite leave us, whac Witnejfss are we like to be unto thee, and whac Preachers of thy Name^ among the obftinate Jews^ among the angry and inraged Rulers^ and People, who will be ready, for thy Names fake, every day to deliver us up to a new death ? And how fhall we be able to fland amidft fo many difficulties, troubles, diftrefles, oppofitions and perfecutions, when thou haft left us ? Surely, we are fuch xceak and infirm Creatures, that we fhall never be able to hold out, but fhall lie down both in jhame and forrow. To this Chrifl anfwers in thefe words, jiccipi* Anfw. etis virtutem^ Ton jhall receive the power of the Holy Ghofl coming upon yon. As if he fhould have faid. You have a hard task indeed, buB you fhall be furnifhed with proportion ^hle power. The bufinefs you are to undertake, is not Humane^ but Divine -^ the things that you are to teach, are not carnal^ but fpiritnal ; the work that you are to fct upon, is noc mans work, but Gods : You are to ad among men for God'^ you are to ad in the worlds agaiaft the world ; you are to ad againft the Devilj in the very raidft of the JDmls Kingdom, You are to Convert ChrijFs Spirit a Chriftians Strength, Convert Infidels'^ to make of Heathens Chrijhans ', to bring them near unto God, who are now with- oHt God in the world ^ to carry the light of Heavtn up and down this dark world, among the People thac fit in darknefs^ and ftiadow o{ death, to fhew them the way to life and falvation ; ybu are to turn the ioorld upfide down \ to change the maners and en- ftoms of the People, to bring them off from the Idolatry of their Forefathers, to worfhip the true God in ffirit and truth ; you are to reduce the earth into conformity with heaven, and fee up Gods Kingdom, here in this prefent world. And all this you fhail not do, m eafe and quletnefs, and frofperity, and pleafetre', but whilfl you are thus im- ployed and bulled, you Ihall have the whole world rife up againft you, and the Devil profecuting you with his Htmoft power through wicked Men, and you fhall not only be hated of all Men, for my names fake, but you fhall be even overwhelmed with reproaches, obloquies, flanders, oppofitions, perfecutions, prifons, torments, deaths. And therefore that you may be able both to do and to ftffer all thefe things, Ton jJmll receive the power of the Holy Ghofi coming upon yon. Now from thefe words, we fhall note fome- thing generally, and fomeching more particularly. Ingeneral three things. The firftis this : 1, Gene- i. Vhat as Chrifi will not fuffer his Difciples to ral Do- be tempted above their power, fo neither to be im* chine, p/o^f^ above their power*, but he furniihes them with ^OWQV fifficient, both for their temptations, and for their imployments -, for thdr ftfferings, and for their dowgs. And as Soldiers, that are under a wife and careful Commander, when they are near an ingagement, are not fuffered to run ra^iily upon the En'emy, nor permitted to go forth to Battle till they are armed, and monnted -, fo Chrift would not fuffer his Difciples to go forth in hi^ warfare, to ChriJVs Spirit a Chrijiians ftrength. to encounter fo many evils, and oppofitions, and perfecutions, and the whole power of the voorld^ and of the Btvil^ till firfl he had a^- med them with the power of the Holy Spirit ; Te {hall receive power when the Holy Chofi is come ufon yoHj 6cc. Chrift always gives unto all thofe whom he fends forth and imploys, of his own power ^ for his own works \ heavenly power for heavenly works, fpiritual liOVfQv for fpiritual wovkSj the power o/C?^^, to do the works of God. Indeed Chrift gives unto fome z greater meafure^ of power, and to fome a lefer^ according as he intends to ufe fome, in ireater works and difficulties, and fome in lejfer ^ but flill they have of Chrifts power^ whether more or lefs^ who are imployed by Chrift • and a little of that power that is communicated by Ck//?, will enable a Man to do great things, far greater than the world fufpeds, or imagines. So that we may judge of our calling to any bu- linefs, and of our employment in it, by the power we have received from Chrift for it. If we have none of the power of Chnft^ we were never fet on work by Chrifi ^ for Chrifi never fets any on his workj without communicating unto them of his power. And hereby we may certainly know and conclude, that thofe in the Miniftry that arc loofe and vicious, and idle, and negligent, and infufficient for that work, were never called to it, nor imployd in it by Chrift^ but they rm of their own heads, when they were not fent^ and Mi- nifter in the Church for the gain of Monty^ and Treach only that they might live. Whereas if Chrift had imployed them in that Calling, he would have furnifhed them with ^^///>/>i for it ; and they being deftitute of fuch Abilities, it is niolt evident, they were not fent by Chrift\ Judge 8 ChrijVs Spirit a Chrijiians ftrength, ■lis • -____^ . Meim eft Judge then what a kind of Reformation this mUnmhX'Q}^^^^)^ were like to have, if fome Men mighE ^f^rikt^^^^^ their minds-, who would have ignorant and imimpum^^f^ff^i^^^ ^^"^1 Y ^^ loofe ^nd frophane Mcn^ toleia- ij fcekra-ted in the Miniftry, under pretence of keeping up turn mini- Ordinances \ when yet fuch Men were never im-^ JhuMy i^^pioyedby Chrifl, nov fnppUed with any power from M r/'^ ^^^ • ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ Ordinances (I pray) are thofe w.zto ^IJke to be, which are kept up by Men that are prda-t, fi- Carnal^ not having \\\q Spirit f But you fee here Hit fur '^d i\\2it Chrifls way and wifdom was different from Luth 'de In- ^^^^ ' ^^^ ^^ ^^fi ^^^^^ ^^^ ^f^^ft^^^ the Powcr of ftir.Miniiir. the5p/V?>, and then /^«r them to Preach, when he ^^^^' had firft enabled them to Preach. 2 General 2. You fee here, that Chrifi being to leave his DoMne, Vifciplesi, in regard of his bodily prefence, yet leaves behind him the promife of the Spirit of powcr \ and this was fome eftablifhment to them, who before had their hearts filled with forrow, Chrifls though fome time he leave his People ia regard of fenfe^ yet he never leaves them with- out a promife. The Soul fometimes in the hours of temptation and defertion, may want the fenfe and feeling of Chrift, but it never wants a pro- mife from Chrifl ; and the promife makes Chrift prefent^ in his abfenee. For Chrifi himfelf is fpiri'- tually prefent in the promife^ and not Chrift only, but the Holy Spirit alfo ; for Chrifl and the Spirit are never afmder^ but as the tather and the So7i are one^ fo is Chrifh and the Spirit one^ and all are in the promife. And fo the promife is able to uphold the Soul in any condition, not becaufe of its own nature^ but becaufe G'tf^ and Chrifi and the Spirit are prefent lathQ Promife j and they are in- finitely able to fupport the Soul through the Pra^ wife, under the greateft evils either of Earth ot HelL Now this enjoyment of God in the Promife^ is the enjoyment of Faith^ ai;d not of Scnfe-^ and this CbrijVs Sph^it a Chrlllians firer^gth. this eiijoyirieni: of Fait h^ is the moll: excellerjt and iritimate en joy men t of Chriil. And thus may the Soul enjoy GhrilLS prefence in hhahfence j his pre- fcnce according to Ftith^ in, his abfence according to Senfe, And therefore Chrifi departing from his Difciples ia regard of his i7p^/7j prefence, leaves wich them the promife of the Holy Sflrity and in thaE ■ promife, his fpiritnd prefence. And this is the worft Condition that Chrijt ever leaves his true Church in; he leaves them his prefence h\ a Tro- tnifcj when in regard of /^/i^^ heforfakes them. 3. Note, that Luke being to fpeak in this Book 3 Gemni of the Achs of the Apoftks^ of l{^Q propagating ^vid Doclri'iK* enlarging^ ?iXid governing the C^r//?/,'?;? Church, doth firji niak€ mention of the pouring forth of the Spirit^ and thac both upon the ApoflUi^ and afcerwards upon the Difciples. Signifying hereby, that there is nothing fo necejfary^ for the increafe and well or- dering of the true Church of Chrid, as the pouring forth of the Spirit, And therefore they are altoge- ther deceived, and walk in the light of Natptre^ and not oiGod^ who think the increafe^ and pro- pagation^ and prefervationj and eftahltjhmem^ and order^ and ordering of the Ck^rc^ of God, depend efpecially upon t\\Q'Coitncels^ and Decrees^ andCt???- ftitutions of Men *, and that without thefe^ the Church of Gf?^ would foon come to woful difor- der^ yea to utter mine and confafion y as if Chrifi and his Spirit fate idle in Heaven, and had left the whole bufinefs of his Church to Men^ and the Sa- cred Power confirmed with the Secular^ were abun- dantly fufficient for the increafe and well ordering of the Church. In the mean time, not regarding the promife of the Father.^ or the pouring out of the Spirit by the Son, And this is the very myftery^ of the myftery of iniquity among US, and the very head of Antichrift, which is yet to be broken. And Jherefore le5 us know, that as t;he Pfalaiifl; faith, j^ ~ Except TO ChriIVs Spirit a ChrijliLins ftre;2gth. Except the Lord bitild the Houfe^ they labour in vain that build it ^ and except the Lord keep the City^ the watchman watcheth but in vain *, fo alfo except: the Lord through his V/ord^ pour forth the proniife of the Spirit^ arid by that Spirit of his, in and through the Word enlarge and govern the Church, they la- bour in viin that undertake thefe things of them- felves. For it is the Spint alone, that through the faithful miniPay of the IVord^ makes the m- creafe of the Church, and lays hold on aii the Electa and brings them through Faithj into the Unity of the Son and of the Father^ and teaches them, and orders them, and governs them, and preferves them. And therefore you fee here, that the Fro- mife of the Spirit is firft performed, before the Church of God hath any Enlargement^ or Government, The par- And now from thefe General things we proceed ticular |-q i\,^q words more particularly, Te fljall receive handling, p^^^y, ^i^^^ ^y jL[jly Qljofl is come upon yon, vvorcb. And here we may note two things. 1. What he Fromifes t\\tm^ and that is Forver, you fljall receive Fower. 2. How they fhould be made Fertahrs o( that Power, and that was, by the Holy Spirits co- ming Hpcn them. The Foint we will infifl on from both^ is this. 7k DoHr. That the receiving of the Spirit^ is the receivittg of Fower \ till wc receive the 5/?/m, we are altoge- ther without Powers and when we receive the Sfi- ritj then firfl of all, do we receive Power j Forver from on high. By Nature^ we are all without flrength^ weak, impotent Creatures, utterly unable to do any thing that is truly and fpiritually righteous and good. For by nature, we are nothing bufi flefli, for that rvhich is born of flep) is flefli^ and all jicflj is grafsy a fading, withering and decaying thing, together with all the flowers of it, that is, the perfcdions and Chrift's Spirit a ChriJUans firength, 1 1 and excellencies of it. So that by naturg^ we are all without power, becaufe we are nothing but flefh^ of which, weaknefs is an infeparable adjunct. But when we receive the Spirit^ we receive TheSpi- pwer J for power is an infeparable adjund of the^i^^^^^w- Spirit^ as weaknefs is of flejh \ yea the Spirit it felf^^^ ^f*^ which is given us, is poiver^ and that both ejfemi' ' ' ally and operarively^ in k fclf, and in us. 1 . The Spirit is power ejfemally in it fclf ; for it i. is one God with the Father imd the 6V, co-eirential,f#^^^'^^(>' co-equal, co-eternal ^ and fo as Chrifi is the power ^^^ ^^J'^-i' of God, fo alfo is thsfpirit^ the power of God ; yea ihQ fvirit is the God of power, as well as the power of God. So that the Spirit is power in him- {df ejfemiallyy and he that partakes of the power of the fpint^ partakes of that power, which is God^ and no creature, 2. The Spirit^ is power operativdy in us, h'j be- 2, ing m us. operative- I. A 5p/m of Knowledge, for the Holy Spirit fj^'"'^-;^-^ teaches us to know ?^f things that are freely given uu to MS of God', yea, he teaches us to know, what i. finis, and v/hat righteonfnefs-, what death is, and -^^P^^^^ ^f whaz life 'j what heaven is, and what ^7^//; what^"^^' our fehes are, and what God is, and thefe things ^^^* he teaches us to know, otherwife than other Men know them. In a word, the Spirit teaches a Chri- fitan to know all things, that is, to know God, and the Kingdom of God, and all the things of both, all other things being ^or^/;/^ in companion of thefe. Thus the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of knowledge in us, and fo of poiprr ^ for knowledge is the ftrength of ^ Man. Whereas an ignorant Man is a ip^^^y^ Man, you may carry him whether you will ; but know- ledge renders a Man flrong and unmoveable. And in all things, wherein the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of knowledge in us, he is alfo a Spirit of ftrength. . „ ^* . r The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of P^^^^ r ia us, by be- p.^^^^'^' '•'' B z ing ' 1 2 Chrijl's Spirit a Chriftians ftrength. ing in us a Sfirit of Truth. And fo the Spirit is, be^ caufe ic doth not only lead us nnto the Truth (that is unto the word which is the only Truth, as it is written, SmHifie them through the Truth ^ thy Word is Truthy but alfo the Sprit leads us into the Truth \ it leads ^ into theT?7///;, and the Truth into m^ till we and it, become ow^ by an iafeparable Uni- on. The HJy Spirit takes a Believer, and leads him into one Truth after another^ till at lafl: ic leads him into all Truth. Now wherein the Spirit, is a Spirit of Truth to US, it is a Spirit of power *, for through the Truth we learn from the Spirit of Truths we are altogether y?^^^y? and unmoveahle^ among variety of different and contrary winds of DoEirine. And this is the very caufe, that among fo many divifionsy ^nd faElions^ and errors^ and herefieSyWhich woefully prevail in thefe prefent times of ours, the People of God are not f educed and overcome^ to wit, becaufe they are all taught of God^ of God and not of Menj and have the Spirit of Truth, to lead them into Truth ^ the Spirit I fay, and no6 Men ^ and {o it is impoffible that they ?no\Ad fully and finals ly be deceived. For wherein we are taught by the Spirit of God, it is unpoflible we fhould be per- averted by Men. Whereas on the contrary, the true ground why fo many are feduced and overcome by the Errors and Herefies of this Age, is becaufe they have taken up their Religion only from Mans teaching, and have received their Opinions or Do- drine from Men ; and fo what one Man hath taught us, another Man can Hnteach ; yea if we be led to the Truth it felf, only by Man^ Mm can agaia lead mfrom it. For all the world cannot lead any Man into the Truth, till the Spirit lead him into it ; and when the Spirit doth lead us into the Truth, all the Men in the world cannot lead us eut of it •, but we are fo fure of thofe thijjgs,where- m the Spirit hath beeu a Teacher to ^3, that if all th§ ChrijVs Spirit a Chriflians j\rength, 1 5 the Comcds and Churches in the world, yea all the Angels of Heaven Ihouid teach us contrary, we would hold them 'acatrfed. But a Man that hath not been taught of the Spirit^ every day you may win him into new Opinions, by the porp^r and au- thority oiMen^ together with the flrength of other advantages: But he that hath been led into the Trnth^ by the Spirit of Truth, \% unmoveahle and invinfible among all Dodrines. And thus alfo the Holy Spirit by being a Spirit ofTrmh^ is alfo a SpiriE ofF£?ir^r inus. 3. The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of Fower in us, ^Y j^pfritof being in us a Spirit of Wifdom-^ and fo it is, be-Tj^^'^,^^, caufe it makes us wife with the voifdom of Godj wife upon £^rr^, after the rate of //^^^^-z/^;;, wife to Salvation. There is no Man wife without the Spirit of God, for the wifdom of carnal Men is but fooU ijJmefs before God, yea before Angels and Saints , but the wifdom of the 5pm is mofl: gracious and Heavenly wifdom. And this wifdom of the Spirit, is the ftrength of a Chriftian^ the more he hath of .it, the more mighty he is, both in all his ^f?/??^^ ^nd indfirings. It is faid, Ecclef. 9. 15. That there was a poor wife Man^ delivered afmall City from the power of a mighty King^ and therefore Solomon con- cludes that wifdom is better than ftrength^ for it can do greater things than flrength can. When Ba- 'z/i^ carried himfelf tpZ/e/y, 5^/^/ a great King was afraid of him \ he thought himfelf too weak to deal with David^ and David too mighty to deal with him, becaufe of his wifdom-^ and Solomon asked Wifdom of God above all things^ for the ftrength of his Government ; all Government without this, 2 Con iT being but weak and brittle. Thus wifdom contri- 1^. hutQs ftrength to us, whereas we fay of a Man that wants wifdom^ he is a weak Man ^ and fo the Holy Spirit being a Spirit oi wifdom ia tts, is alfo a: SpirieofPwrr, 14 Chrifl's Spirit a Chrijlians jlrength, 4. 4. The Holy Spirit^ is a Spirit of Power in us, by A spirit being in us a Spirit of Faith. For Faith is a work ^ Faith, ^^ j.|^g ^^^y^-^ ^y^ Pomr \ and no /^/j Power would *^*^^' work Ki/f.^ in us, then that which raifed up Chrifi from the dead^ when he lay under all the fin of tntfij and all the wrath of God^ and all ihtforrows cfdeathy and all the p^iwj ofhell^ it muHbe a w;^^- ty power indeed, that mull raife Chrift then, and that power was the power of the Spirit \ and no lefs power will work Faith. So that v^hoever truly believes by this faith, of the operation of God^ is fenfible in his own Soul, of the [elf fame power, that raifed Chrifl: up from the dead. And thus the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of Faith in us, and fo of Tower. For mhelief keeps a Man in himfelfj but faith carries a Man out to Chrifi: ^ now there is no Man weahr than he that refls on himfelf and there is no Man fircnger^ thsn he that/(?r/^^tfj himlelf, and refls on Chrifi, And fo a Man through the power of Faith^ is able both to do and indnre the lelf fame things whichCm/? himklidid and indnred. \ — . ^ ^^ I . He is able to do the fame things that Chrifi him- erofFaith/^^/^^^) ^"^ therefore faith Chrifi, all things are inables wspoffible to him that helieveth ^ fo that a Believer hath I. to do a kind of o?nnipotency^ and all things are poffible ^]v ^^^ ^^ ^^*" ''> ^^^^^^^ ^y ^^^^^ ^^ ^^y^ ^^^^ "p^^ ^^^ Chrfit power of God^ and all things are poUibie to the hiiiifelf p^TP^r of God^ and fo all things are poffible to a did. Believer^ who is partaker of that power of God. And hence Pad faith, / can do all things through V\\i\.d^A'^. Chrifi that fir engthneth me ^ this Chrifi that Itrength- ned him, was ihQ power of God^ and this power of God, is not aj^Wfff power, but an infinite^ not a particular power, but aji mivcrfal \ and fo can do, not fome things only, but all things ; and fb al- io can all they, who are truly partakers of it by Faith. Yea Chrifi himfeif hath a greater expref- fion ihan this, yea fuch an one, that I never durfl have C brill's Spirit a ChriJUans flrength, j^ have fpoken, if Chr ift himfelf bad not firll fpokcn ic, and chat is this, John 14. 12. He that believeth in me J the works that I do^ Jhall he do^ and greater works than thefe^ becanfe I go to the Father. Where Chri/l faith, a Believer (hail not only do the fame works with himfelf, (which alfo had been a greaE thing) but alfo greater works than himfelf^ and this indeed is altogether admirable and wonder- ful, that a Believer fhall do greater works than Chrifl: But how is this made good? Why thus* Chrift he overcame the Law, and Sin, and Death, and Hell, and the whole power of the Devil m a Body and Soul free from lin*, (his humane nature being the immediate formation of the Holy Spirie in the womb of the Virgin Mary^ and fo had not the leaft fpot of fin in it.) But now Believers overcome the fame evils, even the Law, Sin, Death, Hell, and the whole power of the Devil, in corrupted and polluted nature, in Bo- dies and Souls, at the firll full of Sin, and after- wards defiled through many corruptions. The Devil came to Chrift, and found nothing in him, and To he overcame; but he comes to a Believer and finds much in him, and yet he overcomes. And this truly is a greater work than Chrift did, and thefe works we do, but not through our owa power, but through Chrifts, of which we truly partake, through Faith. 2. A Chriftian, through the power of Faith, is 2, able not only to do, but alfo to fuffer the ^^m^To fuS^*" things that Chrift himfelf fuffered. Now the Suf- ^f. f^'''^^ ferings of Chrift were the moft grievous and iii'lf^fchiji tolerable to nature, that ever were. For how /,/w/e// did Chrift for the prefent, as it were lay afide his fujfsrcd* Divine Nature, that he might fuffer in his Hu- mane I and how did he fuffer in this, the whole weight and condemnation of Sin, to the very ut» moft, and the whole wrath of God to the utmoft, B 4 and 1 6 ChrijVs Spirit a Chri\lians ilrength. and all the forrows of death, and the pains of hell, to the very iitmofl! And among all the Suf- ferings, had not the leaft drop of Comfort either from Heaven or Earth ^ and yet through the pow- er of the Spirit, he indured and overcame all. And {o each Chrifl:ian is able to indure and over- come the fame evils, by the fame power ^ and phil 3«"^C) j;herefore Vnul defired to know Chrift tndy^ and noE only the power of his refurrcUlon^ which any one would deiire to know, but alfo the fellowftiip of liis Sufferings, which fiefii and blood trembles at, yea and to be made co-aformahlc to his 'very death. Yea I add yet further, that if a Chriflian fhould chance to fall down into Hell (as we believe Chrifl defccnded into Hell, and fo alfo many of his Saints "have done, as David^ and Hez^ekiah^ &ic.) yet a Chriiliao, through the power of the Spirit, were able to overcome both the Sins and the Pains of Caru S, Hell ; and therefore faith Solomon., Love (which is ^' ^" the power of the Spirit) is too ft rang for death and too hard or too cruel for Helh^ as is evident in that Godly Woman (for I will name but one inftance inftead of many) who thinking of the torments of Hell, and of the hatred and biafphemy of God, which reigned in the Damned, did earneflly en- treat God, lit etiamfi damnaretirr^ tamen Deum di- ligeret *, that thbijgh fhe were damned, yet ftill flie might love God. Here Love was too hard for Hell indeed. And thus a Believer through Faith, is inabled, both to do and indure the felf fame things which Chrifb himfelf did and endured; and the Holy Spirit, by be:.ng a Spirit of Faith, is a Spirit of Power in us. «;. 5. The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of Pow^rin us, Jfpirhofby being in us a Spirit; of Righteoufnes ^ and fo rigbteouf lie is two ways. ^^•^^' I, In regard of mortifying Sin. For the Spirit of 17 ChrijVs Spirit a Chriftians ftrength, of God dwelling in ns, is not idle in us, but con- i. tinually adive; and fo from day to day mortifies ^''^^'^- Sin. And this is the proper work of the Spirit in ^^^ *^^^" our Flefh, to dellroy out of us, whatfoever is con- trary to ic feif^ and that is, every Sin, Luft and Corruption. Now our Sins are our Weaknefs, a Mans Pride and Paffion, and Envy, and Govecouf- nefs» and Luit, and Intemperance, and every Sin is his VVeaknefs. Now the Holy Spirit, by being in us, a Spirit of Righteoufnefs mortifies and de- ftroys all our Sins,and fo takes away ourWeaknefs. 2. Again, as the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of Righ- 2.^ teoufiiefs in us, in regard of mortifying Sin, fo^'^P^^^^^i alfo in regard of imparting Grace to us; for all^'^'^^^* Grace is the fruit and operation of the Spirit ia our Flefh ; and as all Light is from the Sun, fo i» all Grace from the Spirit. Now every Grace, is fo much flrength in the Soul ; Faith fo much ftrength, Hope fo much flrength. Love fo much fbrength ; and fo Humility, and Patience, and Temperance, and Godlinefs, and Brotherly Kind- nefs, and all other Graces, are fo much flrength ; and according to each mans raeafure of grace, fo is his meafure of flrength ; and according to each mans raeafure of the Spirit, fo is his raeafure of Grace. And thus the Holy Spirit, by being a Spirit of Righteoufnefs, is alfo in us a Spidt of Power. 6. The Holy Spirit, is a Spirit of Power in us, 6, by being ia us, a Spirit of the fear of the Lord ; and ^ ^P^'^* fo he is,by reprefenting God to us in his Glory and ^fj^^^f^^^ Majefly, according as he hath revealed himfelf to ^^^^^ ns in his word j from which Knowledge of God fprings his fear. For what is the reafon that the men of the World fear not God, but Sin fecurely, againft the great and glorious God every day ? Why, the reafon is, becanfe they know not the Lord. Now the Spirit comes and reveals the Fa- |her ia the Son, and prefents God to the Soul^ - through 1 8 Chrifi's Spirit, a Chrifitans Strengths through his word, in bis Innnice and Eternal Power, and Jailicc, and Wifdom, and Truth, and FaithfuLieis, and Love, and Mercy, and Goodnefs, &c, and fhines to the Soui in each At- tribute of God V and now, when a Man fees God by his own Light, and knows him by his own teaching, then firll doch he begin truly to fear God, and the fear of God is his ftrength. For he that fears God, is free from all other fear ^ he fears not Men of high degree, nor Men of low de- gree, nor the united power of all the Creatures ; he fears not the fear of other Men in their Evils, but in the midll of all fearful things, he is with- out fear, becaufe he janBifies the Lord of Hbfis i?i Jf2L,S,i2»himfelfj in his hearty and makes him his fear ^ and his dread. And by this means, amid ft alL evils, he hath admirable confidence and allurance ; be- caufe he knows, that no evil can befall him from any Man, or from any Creature, till firft it be the will of God ; and alfo, that whatever evil befalls him, according to the will of God, it fhall work for good imto him in the end. Thus the fear of the Lord is a Chriftians confidence, and a Believers ftrength •, whereas, he that fears not God, fears every thing, yea, not only real, but imaginary evils *, and as evils multiply his fears, fo his fears again multiply his evils, till at laft he be fwallowed up of both. But the Holy Spirit be- ing in us a Spirit of the fear of the Lord, is alfo in us a Spirit of ftrength. 7. 7. The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of Power in ijs, ^Spfr:> by being in us a Spirit of Love and Unity. The fndvllty ^'^'^-^y Spirit, is a Spirit of Love and Unity in the *^' Godhead ^ for the Father loves the Son, with the Spirit^ and the Son loves the Father with the Spirit 5 and the Father is one with the Son in the Spirit ; and the Son is one with the Father in the Spirit j and the Spirit is both the Bond of Love and Unity between the Father and the Son •, and God ChnlVs Spirit a Chriftia/is ftrerigth. 1 9 God being moil: Love, and moll one, is alfo moH ftrong. Now vvhaE the Spirit is in the Godhead, he is the fame in the Church ofGod, which is the true Temple and Habitation of the Godhead, and that is, a Spirit of Love arid Unity : For why is there fuch conftant Love and Unity between the members of the fame body, but becaufe one Spirit runs through them all ? and fo there is fuch con- llanc love and unity between all Believers, be- caufe one Holy Spirit runs through them all. And hence we may take notice of a Remark- able difference between Nacure and Grace, for Nature, of one m^akes many ^ for we all, who are many among our felves, even a whole world of Men, were but one in Adam^ omnes erAmmille units homo -J but Grace, of many makes one ^ for the Holy Spirit, v/hich is as fire, melts all the faithful into one mafs or lump, and makes of ma- ny one Body, one thing, yea it makts them one, in the unity of God, according to that of Chrifb, John 17. 21. that they all may be one ^ as thou Father art in tncy and I in thee-, that they alfo may he one in Hs \ mark the words, for they are wonderful ^ that they all may be one^ that is, that all Believers, who are many among themfelves, may be all made one •, one ? How one ? As thou Father art in me^ and 1 in thee j that is, as thou and I,being two Per- fons, are yet but one God ; after this highcfc ex- ample of Unity, let them be made one in us, as long as they remain in themfelves, they are many ; and how much they remain in themfelves they are many, for their Unity is not in themfelves, but they are one in us who are one ^ that is, how much the Saints by the Spirit are carried into the Father, and the Son, who are one, fo much alfo are they made one, not only with the Father aad the Son, but alfo with one another. You may fte in the ^cis how the multitude of Believer?, afier they had received the Spirit, fo far forth as they had received 20 ChnjFs Spirit a Chnftians ftrengtl\ received the Spiric, were of one heart and of one mind. And this Unity of Believers is their flrength *, and when God (hall take away all thofe prejudices, and fufpicions, and jealoiifies, and particular ends and interefts, and divilions, and feparations, and Schifms, that are among his owa People, and the People of God fhall be reduced into this blefled Unity among themfeives, and the Lord be one, and his Name one, among them all, then fhall the Church alfo be of admirable and invincible power. So that all they that firive with it J fijill perijh ^ and all they that war againft it^ jhali be as nothing ^ yea thenjhall the Lord make the Church f ^2^.41.1$. ^_f a figxp jharp threjhing injlrumenty having teeth^ and it (hall threjh the Mountains (that is the Kingdoms of the world) and jhall beat them fmallj and fljall make the htlls^ (that is, the lefTer Commonwealths) as chaffe. But till the Church of God attain to this Unity, it fhall not do any excellent thing, ic fhall not work any notable deliverance in the Earth, neither fhall the Inhabitants of the World fall. When the Spirit of God fhall be a Spirit of Unity in the faithful, and fhall heal all the fad differences and diflentions that are now between them, then alfo fhall it be a Spirit of admirable Power in them. And thus much for the explication of the Point. I vfe, The Vfe is two-fold. ■• I . The firfl is, to exhort all Men, every where, to endeavour to partake of this Supernatural, Spi- ritual and Divine Power of the Holy Spirit, which is certainly communicated to all the Faithful, and Eled in Chrifl Jefus. And let no Man think it is a thing indifferent, whether he have this Power or no, but know, that the having of this Power of the Spirit, is ofabfolute neceffity, and thae Uncceffity both for Miuiflcrs, and for all other Chriflians. t^ hate "he* ^ ' Tl^^re is a neceflity of this Power of the Holy power otthe Spirit for Miniflers, and to them, this prefenc **^'^' place doth chiefly relate. " " .1. For CbrilVs Spirit a Chriftians firength, 21 T. For firil, if they have not this power of the i. Holy Spirit, they have no power at all. ForOdier- Chrift fent them, only as his Father fent him^J'^'^'f ^^^^T and fo Chrifl never gave unto them any Eartlily ^l^^^\^ or Humane or Secular Power, no Power of Swords all, or Prifons, no Power of outward conftraint and violence. Chrifl gave them no fuch outward and worldly Power, for the inlargement of his King- dom, as not being ai; all fuitable to it. For his Kingdom is Spiritual, and what can Carnal Power do in a Spiritual Kingdom.^ His Kingdom is Hea- venly, and what can Earthly Power do in a Hea- venly Kingdom ? His Kingdom is not of this World, and what can Worldly Power do, in a Kingdom that is not of the World ? and though Antichrift and his iVlinillers, have arrogated and ufurped fuch a Carnal and Earthly and Worldly Power to themfelves, in their pretended mana- ging the Kingdom of Chrifb, yet the faithful Mi- nifters of Chrifl cannot. And therefore feeing the Miniders of the Gof- pel have no Power from beneath, they mnfl needs have Power from on high \ feeing they have no Fleflily Power, ;they mull needs have Spiritual Power \ {&€m'^ they have no Power from Earth and from Men, they muil needs have Power from Heaven, and from God ^ that is, the Power of the Holy Spirit coming on them, or elfe they have no Power at all. 2.- The Miniflers of theGofpel mull needs have 2, this Power of the Holy Spirit, becaufe otherwife Without they are notfafficiem for the Minifiry, For no Man ^^^^ f^^ is fufficientfor the Work of the MiniHry, by any ^[ent for natural Parts and Abilities of his own, nor yet the work by any acquilite parts of Humane Learning and of the Mir Knowledge, but only by this Power of the Holy ^^^^ Spirit-, and till he be indowed with this, not- IvittyjaQding all hi$ other Accompliihments, he h altogethei: 2 2 Chnji's ^Spirit a Chriftians Strength, akogether infufficienc. And therefore the very Apofcles were to keep filence, till they were in- dued with this Power ; they were to wait at 'Je- nifalem^ till they had received the promife of the Spirit^ and not to Preach rtiil then. Yea, ChriH: bimfelf did not betake himfelf to the Work of the iMiniilry, till firll the Spirit of God came up- on him, and anointed him to Preach. And there- fore for thirty years together, iiedid not Preach Publickly and Ordinarily till at Johns Baptifm, he received this Power of the Spirit coming on him. Now if Chrift himfelf and his Apoftles were not fufficient for the Miniflry till they had received this Power from on high, no more are any other Miniflers whatfoever. For as I faid, it is not ^ Natural Parts and Abilities, and Gifts, and Learn- ing, and Eloquence, and Accomplifhmeacs, that make any Man fufficient for the Miniftry, but only the Power of the Koly Spirit coming upon him. So that who ever is deflicute of the Spirit of Power, is infufficient for the Work of the Mi- niftry, and that in thefe regards. ^« I. Without this Power of the Spirit, Minillers They are g^g utterly unable to preach the Word-, that is, breach ^^ the true, fpiritual and living Word of God. For theWorci. CO preach this Word of God, requires the Power of God. One may fpeak the word or Man,by the power of Man, but he cannot fpeak the word of God, but: by the Power of God. And Chrift himfelf, in all his Miniftry, fpake nothing of himfelf in the ; lirength of his Humane Nature, but he fpake all he fpake, by the Power of God *, and without this i Powet of God, he could not have fpoken one ; word of God. And fo in like manner, no Man is able to preach Chrift but by the Holy Spirit, which is the Power of God. For Chrift is the I Power of God, and can never be reprefented buE by the Holy Spirit, which is the Power of God. For as we fee Lighc in his Light, that is, the Fa- ther ChnjVs Sph'tt a Chriftians jlrength, 25 ther wlio is Light, in the Son who is [.ighc \ or elfe the Son who is Light, in the Holy Spirit who is Light ^ fo we know Power in his Power, that is, the Son who is Power, in the Holy Spirit wiio is Power. And Chrifl; v^^ho is the power of God, can never be made known to the Church, but by the rainilLration of the Spirit, which is the power of God. So that it is not an eaile thing to preach Chrilt the power of God ^ yea none can do ic aright, but by the power of tiie Holy Spirit co- iiiiiig upon him. 2. Without this power of the Spirit, Miniflers 2/ are unable to preach the Word powerfully. They^^"^!^^^ may, it may be, happen upon the outward word, ^^^^^.^^^1. yet there is no power in their Miniftry, tiil they ly. have received this power of the Spirit coming up- on them. Otherwife, their Miniftry is cold, and there is no heat in it ; it is weak, and there is no Hrength in it. 1. It is cold, and there is no heat in it. With- i» out Men have received the power of the Spirit, '^Jp ^^'' there is no fire in their Preaching. Their Mini- ^^l^^]j.j^^. flry, is unlike the Miniilry of Eiias^ whofe Mini- out this flry was as fire ^ and unl'ke ^ohn Baptifis^ who in Power, his Miniflry was a burning and fhining light ; and unlike Chrifts, whofe Miniilry made the Difciples hearts burn within them*, and unlike the Apo- Hies, who having received this Spirit, were as Men made all of fire, running through the World and burning it up. Without this Spirit a Man's JMiniftry is cold, it v/arms the hearts of none, it inflames the Spirit of none, but leaves Men ftiil frozen in their Sins. 2. It is weak and hath no might in it. There 2. is no ftrength in a Miniflry where there is no^^^^* Spirit. Wiiereas when Men have received the Spirit, then Eheir Minifl:ry is a powerful Miniflry, as Pa^il^ I Thef. i. 5. The Gofpel came to yon not in word 24 ChrijVs Spirit a Chrijlians flrength, —>■■■■ mmm ■■— IK** ■- ■ ■■■■.■—■■■■» . I . ■ ■ ■■■■■ — ■■■.- ..^ I. ,. , .^ — ^— ^ xoord oniy^ hut in pcwer and in the Holy Ghoft j and therefore in power, bccaufe in the Holy Spiric. And again, i Cor. 2. 4. M^ J'peech a-ad f reaching was not with the cntijiKg words of mans wifdom^ bin m demonftration of the Spirit and Power, Where you fee the Spirit and Power in the Work of the Mi- niftry, are always conjoyiied, as the Sun and Lighc are -^ and that Miniilry that is in the Spirir, is always in power. And being in power, it is always effedual, either to Convert Men, or to inrage them \ and tUt inraging of men, is as evi- denn a iign of the Spliic of power in a mans rai.ii- ftry, as the Converiionof men. Whereas a cold and dead miniilry, that is dellituce of this power, doth (as we ufe to fay) neither good nor harm, neither converts nor inrages, neither brings in Righteonfnefs, nor deflroys Sin, neither kills nor quickens any, but leaves men in their old temper, for many years together, and never ilirs them. But the miniftration of the Spirit and power, is operative and mighty, and carries ail before it. And though evil and carnal men will ever be murmuring and wrangling, and oppofing, and contending againfl fnch a miniilry, yet they are never able to refifl the wifdom and Spirit of it ; Afts(5. 10 as the Libertines, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, were not able to refiit the Wifdom and Spirit by which Stephen fpake. And therefore let them that will needs be flriving againfl fuch a miniflry, know, that they drive againfl more than a meet man, they flrive againfl Power from on high, againfl the greatefl power that ever God put forth *, againfl the power of Chrifl himfelf, and his Eternal Spirit, and fo they fhall never be able to prevail againfl this power, but fhall furelf Unk under it. But to retDrn from whence wq have a liule digreffed. 3. Withj ChrilFs Spirit a ChriJUans ftrength. ^ > 3. Without this power of the Spirit, as Mini- 3, flcrs are not able to preach the Word, nor to^^^^leto preach it powerfully, fo neither are they abJe to i|^^||J^^j[^^^ hold one in their miniftry, and to carry it on^ji^^y, flrongly againfl all oppofition and contiadidion. Peter and John Preached the Gofpel, but prefeiit- ]y the Rulers and Elders and Sciibes convented them-, and ftraightly threatned them, and com- manded them, not to fpeak at all, nor to teach in the name of Jefus. And now if the Apoflles had ^^^ ^* wanted this power of the Spirit, they would pre- ^^' ^ fently have been nib'd and awed, and would have fheaked away, and you fliould have heard no more of them. Buc they having received this power, all the threatnings and fcornings of the Rulers and Magiflrates could not deter them from thedifcharge of their Office, and that Miniftry they had received from Chrift. But though be- fore, they were fearful, and trembling, and daunted aE the apprehenfion of the leaft danger, yet now having received this power, they are al- together undaunted, and faid to the Rulers and Elders, Whether it be right in the fght oj Cody to hearken unto you^ more than mJtoGod^ judge ye. AsA6l34.i9i if they fhould have faid, O ye Rulers and Elders of the People, our Cafe is a plain Cafe, wherein we are moft: willing that even your own felves fliould be Judges. For we have received a Com- mand from God, to preach the Gofpel of his Son Jefus Chrift, and you forbid us to do that, which God hath commanded us. Now do you your felves be Judges, who is fitted to be obeyed, God or you ? the great and glorious God of Hea- ven and Earth, or poor wretched men, fuch as your felves? Nay, what God hath commanded us, we muftand will obey, againfl; all your threat- nings and punifhments, and whatever you can fay or do. We canaot; conceal, but nigft publifh C ' " whas 26 ChrilFs spirit a ChKJftians flrength. what we have ktn and known of our Lord Jefus Chrifl, of his Incarnation, Life, Death, Refurre- dioQ, Afcenfioa, Kingdom, Glory, and of that greac Redemption and Salvation, which he hath wrought and purchafed for all the Eled of God. Now 1 would to God, that the unjufl Com- mands of all Magidrates, and Secular Powers whatfoever, migiic be no otherwife obeyed, thaa this unjuil Command of the Rulers was by Peter and John ^ and that no man would dare to yield more obedience to the Creatnre, than to the Lord of all. For no Princes or Magiftrates in the Worlds have any power to forbid the preaching of the everlafting Gofpel, which God hath commanded, fhould be pubiifhed to all Nations for the obedi- ence of Faith. I fay, they have no power at all to forbid the preaching of this Gorp€l, or of any one truth of it, though never To crofs to their de- signs. And if they Ihould, yet herein ought we to know no more obedience, than Peter and John did here. We ought to obey God^ and not them, and to make knov/a the whole mind of God, though it be never fo contrary to their mind ^ af* ter the example of Peter and John^ who having received this power of the Holy Spirit, held oa their Minidry againft all the countermands, and threatnings, and punilhmentsof the Magiftrates. Whereas, without this power, they had foon fainted and failed, and had never been able to have gone through with it. 4. 4. Without this power of the Holy Spirit, Mi- Unabictonifters are not able to reprove the World. Fof reprove every man by nature, leeks the amity of the thevvorkl. y^j^^j^^ and no man by his good will, would provoke the enmity of it againft himfelf. And therefore flelh and blood will never reprove the World of Sin, but allows it, and countenances It in Cbrift^s spirit a Chriflians jlre?7gth, ' 27 in Sin. But now the Spirit when hs m come^ be will reprove the world of fin. When a Man hath this power of the Spirit in hiin, then prefently he re- proves and argues the World ot Sin, and ib by his Miniflry, bids defiance to the vvhole World, and provokes the whole World agaiafi; himfelf. And this no man either can do, or dares do, excepE he be firil indued with this power of the SpiriE coming on him. And therefore faith Mtcah, Ch. 3. ver. 8. / am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord^ and of judgment and of mighty to declare unto Jacob his sranfgrejfion^ and to Ifrael his fm. The World, of all other things, cannon indure the reproof of Sin, and the declaration of its evil ways. And therefore it is exceedingly offended, yea, and extreamly rages againfl the faithful Teachers of the Word, with ail forts of punilh- ments and perfecutions, as the Examples of all the Prophets, Apoftles and faithful Teachers of the Word of God in all Ages do declare. Yea. and Chrift himfelf, teftifies touching himfelf, therefore, the world hates me^ becaafe 1 t eft i fie of ity that ths^ works thereof are evil. But now, they that will connive at Sin, and flatter the World in its owa ways, thefe are the only men of reckoning, andl live in all Worldly Honour and Profperity. And all Ages can witnefs, that all Teachers are not of that ftrength and rcfolution, to contemn the ha- tred and fury of the World : Nay, the moll: are quite overcome with the profperity of this pre- fect Life, and with the defire of Friends, and Riches, and Preferment, and fo wink at the Sins of the World, and are Minillers in whofe mouths are no reproofs, though the whole World lie in wickednefs. For, thus they efcape the rage and violence, and obtain the favour and love of the men of this World. And thus weak and unwor- thy are thofe men, who are only indued wich C 2 their 28 ChrijVs Spirit a Chriftians ftrength. their own Spirits. But now (faith Mlcah) 1 am fall of power by the Spirit of the Lord^ and of judg- ment and of mighty to declare nnto Jacob his tranf- gyejfion^ and to Ifrael his fin. As if he flionld have faid, the power of the Spi- rit of the Lord dwelling in me, puts forth it ielf two ways, in Judgment, and in Fortitude. I. In Judgment, and thisfignifies the reproving and the condemning Sin and Wickednefs, as the Prophet himfelf explicates, faying, that / r/jight declare unto Jacob his tranfgrejfton^ and to Ifrael his fin. But feeing their being full of judgment doth not want danger, but expofes a Man to a thon- fand evils, in as much as the World can indure nothing lefs then the reproof of Sin, therefore I am, by the power of the Spiric, not only full of Judgment, butalfo Secondly, full of Might*, and as the Spirit of Judgment expofes me to danger, fo the Spirit of Might inables me to contemn thofe dangers. So that though the World, becaufe of the Spirit of Judgment, threatens never fo many evils, yet the Prophet is not frighted from his Office, but thro' the Spirit of Might, difcharges it faithfully, in defpight of all thofe threatnings. And whatever Minifters want this Spirit of Might, though out of danger, they may be con- fident, yet at the very firft incounter of evil, they will bend and yield, and fpeak and do all things for the favour of the World, rather than for the Truths fake, they will cxpofe themfelves to the hatred and oppofition of the World. w 5* Without this power of the Spirit, they are wreftle'^ unable to wreflle with, and overcome the Devil, with and whofc fubtilty, and wrath, and malice, and pow- overcomeer, they muft needs encou»ter with, m the work theD:vll, of the Miniftry. Chrift, as foon as be was indued with ibis power, and anointed by the Spirit to Preach, ChrijFs Spirit a Chnftians jlrength, 29 Preach, was immediately led into the Wildernefs, to be tempted of the Devil, who would fain have taken him offfi om the Work of the Miniflry, if It had been polTible : But Chrift being indued with this power, overcame the Devil. And Chrift, before he fent his Apoftles to preach the Kingdom of God, as you may fee Luke 9. i. called them together, md qav^ them power and authority over all Devils ; and when they returned, they told him, that the Devils themfelves^ were fubjed to them. But now the feven Sowsoi Sceva^ who were deltitute of this power, when they took up- on them, to call over one who had an Evil Spirit, the name of the Lord Jefm^ and to fay, we adjure ymhy Jefus whom?au\ preacheth : The Evil Spirit anfwered and faid, Jefta I know^ and Paul Iknow^ hut who are ye ? and To, the Man in whom the Evil Spirit was, leaped upon them, and overcame them, and prevailed againit them, and they fled away, naked and wo nnded^ Ads 19. So that they being deltitute of this power from on highythe Devil was prefently too hard for them, and they were overcome by the Devil. But now, they that are invelled with this power of the Holy Spirit, are able to wreflle whh principalities and power Sy and the rulers of the darknefs of this worlds and to out' wreflle them, and to tread Satan himfelf under their feet. Sixthly, without: this power of the Holy Spirit, 6. they are uuMg to fuffer perfecution for the [f^^jr^f *, ^^l^ble to bus the kail touch of evil, caufes them to pull in j^^^J^j^^^/^ their horns, and each reproach, and oppofition, ^^ ^he and perfecution (hakes them down. Whereas Word, this power, makes them confident, couragious, comfortable, and invincible, in the midft of all evils. See this in fome Examples. Our Lord Je- fus Chrift being anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, did not only preach the Truth C 3 ia ?o Chrifr's Sprit a Chrijhans firength. in his Life, but alfo witnefled a good confefllon before Vcntim Pilate^ and fealed to the Truth with his death, ^aul^ who was indued with the ill me power, when jigabtu foretold him by the Holy Spirit his Bonds at Jentfalem^ and the Bre- thren hearing it, came weeping to Paid^ and be- fought him to keep himfelf one of bonds, by not going up thither, Paul reproved them, and told them that he was ready not only to be hoimd^ bnt to die at Jentfalem for the Lord Jefm. Chryfoftome v/as indued with the fame power, and fo refol- ved to preach the Truth, and not to depart from the Truth, though the whole World fhould wage War agninft him alone ; and profefled, that he dellred nothing more, than to Suffer for the Caufe of Chrifl ^ and that if it were offered to him of God^ whether he would immediately go to Heaven^ or fiay on Earth and fitffer for Chrifl^ he would a thou- [and times rather chnfe this latter^ than the former, Becaufe in going immediately to Heaven,he fhould feek himfelf \ but in flaying on Earth to Suffer for Chrifl^ he fhould wholly deny himfelf^ and feek his honour alone. Ltither was indued with the fame Spirit of powcr^ and fo when he was call'd toVVormes before the Emperor Charles the Fifth, and before all the Eftates of the Empire, to render a reafon * Mihi vsro of his Dodriae, and fome of his Friends (percieve- %ln'^^^^c!^Mz i^ndue dealing among his Adverfaries) per- tHm\y cer- fwadcd iilm not to go, to expofe himfelf to danger^ ^gfediurhm^^'''^^ lic aafwcrcd with a mighty Spirit, ^ 1 ha-ue in nomine decreed and am refclvedt becaufe 1 am called^ ^^ ^^ OrT-i'efu^ ^»r<» the City in the name of our Lord Jefis Chriji^ chrifti. It i- though I kncw there were fo many Devils to oppofe me^ zxmfi fcinm^^^ fiJ^/'f are Tiles on all the Houfes of the City. And mihicppofi- when he was called to return to Wittenberge by the m, quot People, which he could not do without moflevi- ai onuiihrn deut aud apparent danger, he being already con- tothis urbk. ciemned bv the Edids and Authority both of the Pope Chrift's Spirit a Chrijlians jlrength, 51 Pope and Emperor, and fo in regard of them, could exped no lefs than a violent death every day, yet for all this, he was refajvcd to return to his Charge*, and upon this occaflon hath this Paf- fage to the Duke of Saxony. "^ But what fljali I dot * Verum unavoidable Ci^ifgs urge me^ God hlmfelf calls and ^i^hl f:ic:^ compells me^ a-nd here / will turn my back to no crea-^''^^^^''^^^'^ tiire. Go to then^ let me do it m the name of lefus ; , ^-^y:^ Chrift, who is Lord both of life and death. Again, /.-j-, X>.>;^^ in his Anfwer to the Dialogue o{ Sylvefter Pnerioi^cogn^ who had threatned him, he faith, / have nothlvir vocut, hie that 1 can lofe^ I am the Lordsj and if Jam lofl^ ^'^ [ "^^^' am lo(i to the Lord^ that is^ I am found, v^W' 'a'w , therejore Jeek jome body clje to j right ^ for me you eft, jgs cannot. Again in his Anfwer to Ambrofms Catha-fjit igimr rinm^ he faich of the Pope and his Inftruments, in Tiomint They feek not to overcome me with Scriptures^ but f^(i-'t-% deftroy me out of the earthy hut I know and am fure Domivvi. that Ghrifl our Lord lives and reigns. And beingvix^ [5" even filled with this knowledge and confidence^ I wUl mortis, not fear many thonfands of Popes. For greater is he f' ^^'^^ ^^' that is in m. then he that is in the World. And a- ^%, ^"^ gain, in his Epillle to his Father, he hath this re- If^v.- x^o. niarkabie Paflage. What if the Tope fl) all kill me ^ or mini ego condemn me below Hell? he cannot ralfe me up again J '^''''^ '■> A when lamflain^ and kill me a fecond and third time.^f^'^^'''-^^' And having once condemned me.. I would never have f'' )F\,u. him abjolve me. Fur I am confident that the day is iwenior. Aliurii er- go qiure ({iLiM terrs.vs, Verurn cgofio Cs certus fum^ j^fur/i Chrijium JDo^ minum- nojirum vivere S> rcgnare ; ({lu fciernld '>S fiducia i'fiflatm, iion ti^ mebo etiMa rnuh^t millii P.ip.irum, Major eft enim lui in Kohis^ qiutm qui in niunio efh j^dd fi me occidat Pap.i dut diranct ultra ttirt.ira ? Cjci- fur/i vo-n fufcitibity lit bis ^ itefura occidit : dimnaturn vero ego volo ut nunqium abfoh.it, Confido enirtiy injtare diem ilium quo dejhuetur reg" nuni illiid abominMionis <^ perditionis, Vtin^M nos primi digni fnnus, vel exuri yel occidi ah ed, quo ftngiiis nofier r/ixgis chmet, ^ urgent iudi- cium iilius accelerxri, Sed fi digninon fumus fanguine tcjiif^iiri, kir,o fihem oremus '^ impl&remus mifericordiam^ ut vita ^ voce teljemuryouoi Jejiis Chrifrus foUis eft Dorainus "o DcKS noder, Benedi^iis in jecuh fc^ culorim. Luther in Epill. ad Patr. C 4 At \ 2 2 ChnjVs Spirit a Chriftians ftrength* at loand^ wherein that Kingdom of abomination and deflrafliony (ImH be it felf deftroyed. But voonid I might firft be counted worthy either to be burned or (lain by him^ that Jo my blood might cry the lowder^ and urge hts jadgrnent tobe the morehaftned. But if I am not worthy to tefiifie with my bloods, let mt at leafi intreat and implore this mercy ^ that I may tefiifie by my Ltfe and DoElrine that Jefus Chrill alone is W our Lord., and God blejfed for ever and ever. Calm A<felan[ion was indued with the fame Spirit of power, and fo when his Enemies threatned him HOt to leave him a place in all Germany where^ on to fee his foot, he faid, avido & tranqmllo ani- mo expctto exilia, I expedt Banijhment with a defi" Tons and peaceable mind. Many more Examples might be produced, to fhew that when Minfters are indued with the power of the Spirit coming on them, then they are ilronger than all Oppolltion and Perfecutioa whatfoever j otherwiie, when thefe evils encoun- ter them, they v;ith Dernas leave the Work, and imbrace che World. And thus you fee, what necefllty all the faiths ful Minifters of the Gofpel have of the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon them-, and v/ith- out this power, tho' they be called Minifters, yeti they are none. For without this power, they are unable to preach the Word, to preach it powerfully, and to perfevere and hold out in the courfe of the Miniilry ^ they are unable to re- prove the World, to vvreftle with and overcome the Devil, and to fuffer that Perfecutioa which necelBrily attends that calling. And fo withouE this power, they may minifter to themfelves, buc cannot minifter to others, the manifold graces of God ^ they may do their own work, but they cannot do Gods work ; they may feed themfelves, but not the Flock of Chrift j they may domineer over Chrift's spirit a Chriftians flrength. 3^ over the Sheep, but cannot drive away the Wolf, they may build up their own Houfes, but cannoc build up God's Houfe. ^ The Holy Secondly, as the Holy Spirit and the power of ^P"^'^^ the it is neceflary for Minifters, fo alfo for all other neTenLVor Chriltians whatfoever. aiichri- Buc fome here will be ready to fay, yea, h\M ^Ijuq^j^ do all Believers receive the Spirit of God, and the power of the Spirit, as Minifters do ? Yes, Equally and alike with them, without any Anfmr. difference. This is evident, AEis 11. 15. where Teter tells the Jews, who contended with him for converfing and eating with the Gentiles, that when he began to fpeak the word to them^ the Holy Spirit fell on them (faith he) as on us at the begin- ning. And again, ver. 17. For as much then as God gave unto them the like gift as he did unto tis^ who believed on the Lord Jefpu Chrtft^ what was /, that I could withftand God, So that God gave the Holy Spirit to as many Gentiles as believed, in like manner as he did unto the Apoftles thera- felves, and they received the fame power of the Holy Spirit coming on them, as the ApoUksdid. Whereby you may perceive that not MiniHers only are Spiritual men, and all others Temporal, as the Papills have taught, and many Ignorant People among our felves are Hill perfvvaded *, buE all true Believers are Spiritual, as well as they, being born of the Spirit, and Baptized with the Spirit, equally as they are. And fo all true Believers as well as MiniHers being indued with the Spirit, are alfo indued with the power of the Spirit, and fo have more than an Earthly power m them. They have all of them power of another nature, than the power of the World ^ they percake of Spiritual, Heavenly and Divine power, even of the rery power of Ciullt / / ^4 Chriji's Spirit, a Chrijlians Strengths Chrift himfelf, which infinitely tranfcends all the power of che Creature. You fee then clearly, that all faithful Chriflians have the Spirit of power, and the power of the Spirit coming on them, as well as Minillers. And they (land in need of both thefe, for thefe Caufes. d ti^^ I. They Hand in need of the Spirit of power. Spirit of ^^'^ ^^ difference and diftinguifh them from Re- p'cwer. probaces and Devils; for without the gift of the Spirit, there is no difference between us and them. For Michael doth not differ from the De- vil, nor Gabriel from Belzebub, but only by the Spiric. And Mojes differs not from Pharaoh^ nor ^hel from Cdin^ nor Jacob from Efai4y nor Peter from jMcias^ in regard of their fubftance, but in regard of che Spirit, which the one received, aad the other were counted unworthy of. 2. To advance them above the condition of fiefh and blood, and above all thcfe, in whom is none of Gods Spirit. The excellency of each Creature is, according to its Spirit •, for the more excellent the Spirit of the Creature is, the more excellent is the Creature it felf ; and each Crea- ture, is valued and rated according to the Spirit of it. How excellent then mufi: thev be above all the World, who have received the Spirit that is of God? Surely thefe are People of the moft ex- cellent Spiric ^ and hence it is, that the righteot4s is more excellent thxn his neighbour^ bccaufe his Spirit is more excellent than His neighbours. 3. To unite them unco Chrifl. The Spirit is the bond ot Union between the Father and the - Son in the Godhead ; and the Father and the Son, are one in the Spirit (as we fpake before.) And now, the fame Spiric, is our Bond of Union with Cnrill, and makes us one with ChriH", as Chrill fs one with God, and unites us unto Chrilt, in the unity Chnjl^s spirit a Chrtftians ftrength, 7,% unity of God; forasChrifl is one with the Fa- ther, in the Spirit, fo are we one with Chrili in the Spirit : For he that is joyned to the Lord, is one Spirit \ and he that is not one Spirit with the Lor3, is not joyned to him. 4. All faithful Ctirillians ftand in need of ^\^^ '^^'\l'^,r power of theSpiric,as well as of the Spirit of power. ^^ ^l^ svi- I. To change their nature, which is impofliblem. to all power, but the power of the Spirit. It i* would be a great power, to change Clay into ^^ /^-'•^^'S* Gold, and a Pebble into a Diamond, but it is ^^I^J^^ ^^^^ greater Change that is wrought in a Chriftian, and requires a greater power. For the power of the Spirit, when it comes into our flefh, changes the nature of it. For it finds a man Carnal, it makes him Spiritual *, it finds him Earthly, ic makes him Heavenly •; it finds him a Drunkard, it makes him Sober; an Adulterer, it makes him Chafl j a Swearer, it makes him fear an Oath ; Proud, it makes him Humble ; it finds him darknefs, makes him light in the Lord ; in a word,it finds him nothing but a lump of Sin, and makes him the Righteoufiiefs of God in Chrift. Thus the power of the Spirit changes our whole corrupt nature, and makes it conformable to the Divine nature ; as Fire makes the Iron in which it prevails, like unto it felf, communicating its own nature to it. After this fort, the power of the Spirit changes our nature, and our nature cannot be changed without it. But without this power of the Spi- rit, we fhall always remain the fame we were born, without any Cn-nge at all. Yea, our Corruption will by daily ufe and exercife, encrcafe in us, till at lafl ifi quite e^.t cut that common na- tural goocU -fiicii God l.ath given to every one of us, t'^ V , cor'-aoii beotfit of mankind. • 2. All Cnrifti^iis huvre need of the power of . ^* the S;:::iu to woij;; grace ia them. For our ^^'' JrZZ' tures ?<> ChnjVs Spirit a. ChrifUans ftrength, tares are wholly carnal and corrupt: \ and no- thing caa implant grace in them, buc the mighty power of Gods Spirit. And it is as great a Mira- cle, to fee the grace of God dwelling in the cor- rupt nature of man, as to fee the Stars grow upon the Earth. And yet the power of the Spirit dotli Pial. 2^. this, as it is written, Truth ^h all faring ont of the iAw Earthy and again, ^r^^f and precieu4 promi/es are lA^"' * ^"^^/^ to ui^ thiit we jhonld he partakers of the Divine nature \ and again, he hath predefiinated us that we fiould be conformable to the Image of his Son, That is,as in other things,fo alfo in all his Vertues. So that the power of the Spirit, implanEs Grace in our Nature^ and each Grace, is ^o much of the power of the Spirit in our Flefh, as was faid be- fore. Wherefore we mufl needs learn to know, whofe power, the power of Grace is. For thongh Grace be a power in our Flefh, it is not the power of our Flefh ^ for Paul faith, in me^ that is in my flefi}^ dwells no good thing *, but and if any good be in my flefh, it dwells not in my flefh, but in Gods Spirit which dwells in me. As Light, is in the Air, but dwells in the Sun, fo when Men are regenerate, good is in the Flefh, but dwells m the SpirJE. For grace in the Soul,is nothing but fo much of the power of the Spirit immediately dwelling and working in us^ and when the Spirit is gone, all grace goes along with him, as all light with i\\Q Sun ; but it dwells in him, and is infcparable from him. ^ '^' , 3. All Chriftians (land in need of the power utt Sin. ^^ ^"^ Spirit, to enable them to mortine and de- ilroy iui. There is no power in our flefh againil iia, but all the power of our flefh is for \x.\ and therefore it muffc be another power, than the power of our flefh that mull deftroy fin, and that can be no other, than the power of Gods Spirit. And Chri/rs Spirit a Chriftians firengtb. 57 And the power of the Spirit de/lroys the whole body of Sin, and each parcicuiar flrong Cor- ruption. J. The whole Body of Sin, in all the parts and j* members and branches of it: each feveral infiu- ,J^\^% ence and operation of the Spirit, being a ^<'^veral^|!^^^^|*^ deflrudion of Ibme fin or other. For as the Spi- rit that is in us, lulls after envy, or pride, or vain-glory, or covetoufnefs, or uncleannefs, or the like *, fo the Spirit we have of God, according to its mighty power, deftroys all thofe fintui works of our corrupt Spirit, and mortifies all the deeds of our fiefh, according to that of Pafd^ if ye R^^'^^n* mart i fie the deeds of the fie fh by the Spirit ye fJjall ii've\ ' ^^* the fieih will never mortifie its own deeds, but the Spirit muft mortifie the deeds of the f^efli-, and this will mortifie them, according to the whole Latitude of them. 2. Again, as the power of the Spirit fiibdues 2. the whole body of Sin, fo alfo it over-powers each ^^ait^fcis- particular iirong Corruption, and keeps a Chri- ^^^ ^^f"f llian ftraight and upright in the ways of God. q!^^^'^^^^' Every man hath fome one Corruption, to which by nature he is more inclined than to another, and this is the byas of a man ; but the flrength of the Spirit will over- power this. A Bowl, if ie be thrown with ftrength, knows not its byas, but is carried on ftrait, as if it had no byas at all. So the Godly have itill fome fielli in them which is their byas, and carries them from God to them- felves and the World, but the ftrength of the Spirit takes away this byas, and makes us take flraitfteps to God. 4. All Chriftians fland ixi need of the power of ^, the Spirit, to inable them to perform Duties, to To per- perform them aright, that is, Spiritually. Forfo^"»^i Du- Spiritual Duties may be performed, for the out- ^^^^•. ward jvork carnally j and ia fuch Duties there is no 38 Chrift's Spirit a Chrifrians Strength. no flrength but weaknefs, becaufe there is none of the Spirit in them. For there is no power in any Duty, except there be fomething of the Spirit ia the Duty. There is no more power in praying, nor in preaching, nor in hearing, nor in medica- tion, nor in reading, nor in refilling evil, nor in doing good, nor m. any Duty of fandification, or of mor tinea lion, than there is of the Spirit in them. And according to the meafure of the Spirit, in each Duty, is the meafure of power in the Duty. If there be none of the Spirit in a Mans Duties, there is no power at all in them, but only weaknefs and deadnefs, and coldnefs, and nnproficablenefs. If a little of the Spirit, there is a little power ^ if abundance of the Spirit,there is great power *, and that Duty that is mofl Spi- j ritual, is the moll powerful. And therefore faith j Vaul^ 1 wilier ay with the Spirit^ and 1 will fing with \ the Spirit ; and all the worfliip of the faithful is in the Spirit. Phil. 3. 3. IVe are the Qrcumcifion which worjhip God in the fpirit^ and have no confix dence in the fleflj. So that there is no more power in any Duty, than there is of the Spirit in it ^ and there is no more acceptance of any Duty with j God, than there is of power in it. I To Inable Fifthly, all Ghrillians (land in need of the pow- them to pj. Qf ii^Q Spirit, to enable them to the ufe of the I the word. ^^^^' and that both in private, and in publick, ; laprivateas occafion ferves. I. In private, for no man can fay, that Jefiu is the Chrifi^ hut by the Holy Spirit. No Man can fpeak of Chrifl: fpiritually, but by the Spirit *, and without this Spirit, which fearches the deep things of God, and reveals them to us, Chriftians are unable to give the fenfe of the word of God in their Families, and among their Friends and Acquaintance, and are alfo afnamed to do it. Whereas ChrijVs Spirit a Chr'ifiians flrength. 39 Whereas the Spirit of God gives both ability and boldnefs j as AqniU and Pn [cilia his Wife, did Ail. 18. not only fpeak the word in their Family, but-<5. alfo took jdpollosa Minifler home, when they per- . ceived him fomewhac ignorant in the myftery of Chriil, and indrucled him in the way of God more perfedly. 2. They have need of the power of the Spirit^." ?^h- to inable them to fpeak the word of God in pub- ^^''^" lick, as every Ghriftian may do, if he come where People are ignorant of Gods Word, and there be no Miniiter to do it. This I fay in fuch a Cafe he may do by vertue of his anointing with the Spirit ^ and for this you may fee the praftife of Stephen and Philips who were but Deacons, and not Elders or Miniflers, and yet publiflied the Word, where the People were ignorant v yea you may fee j^5ts 8. how all the Difciples excepc the Apoflles, were by reafon of a great perfecu- tion fcattered throughout the Regions of Jndea and Samariay and they that were fo fcattered^ went every where preaching the word^ becaufe the People among which they were, were ignorant, and there was no body elfe to do it. And God, ha- ving made known Chri/l unto them, they could not but declare him unto others^ the Love both of Chrifl, and of their Brethren conftraining them. But this is in cafe of neceffity, and where other faithful Chriftians are abfent ^ otherwife when Chriftians are prefent, no man can take that to himfelf, without the confent of all, which belongs to alb Sixthly, all Chrillians Hand in need of this To inabk power of the Spirit, to inable them toconfefs thethem to word before Kings, and Rulers, and Magiftrates,^!^^''^^^ when they arc called thereunto. Whereas with-^^^ ^ out this power they would tremble, and bite in the truth, la Ih^ \Qth Chap, of AUth. Chrift tells 40 Chriji's Spirit a Chrijiians ftrength. tells his Difciples that they jhotild be brotfght before Governors and Kings for his names fake. But faith he, ver, 19. When they jhall deliver yon Hp^ take no thought how or what ye jhall fpeak^ for it (hall be gi- ven you in that fame hour^ what ye jhall fpeak. Far it is not ye that fpcaky but the Spirit of yonr Father that fpeaketh in yon. Hf re Chrilt tells his Difci- ples that they fhould be 'Tought before great men, yea, before t\\Q greacell in the world, to give teltimony to ins truth. And furely, it is a very hard thing for s man not to be daunted then, but to be unmov^eable. before all worldly power and glory, and all the terrible frowns and threats of mighty men. Now faith Chrift at fuch a time, "when you are to fpeak before the armed power of the World, be not troubled beforehand, how, or what to fay. For if you have Chrift and his Spirit in your hearts, you cannot want words in your mouths. And the truth which you profefs is mofl glorious, when it is moft naked, and de- Hitute of the garnifhings of humane Eloquence and Wifdom. And therefore be not fearful be- fore hand, no nor yet careful, touching what you fhall fay, for it fhall be given to yon in that fame honr^ in that fame moment^ you (hall have mofl prefent help. How fo ? for it is not ye that Jpeakj bm the jpirit of your Father that dwells in yon, "ThQ Spirit ofirmh that dwells in you, fhall inable you to fpeak the words of trmhj when you are called to it. And though you, iD may be, are plain and mean men, and your lips would trem- ble, and be quite clofed up before fuch an Affem- bly of Power and Majefty, yet Gods Spirit (hall give you a mouth to fpeak, even then. And be- caufe, if you were only fupplied with a mouth to fpeak at fuch a time, you would be ready to fpeak rafhly, and fooliflily, to the great prejudice and difadvantage of the truth, therefore will he give you ChrijFs Spirit a Chriftians ftrength, 41 you not only a mouth hut voifdom too^ and he him- felf will manage his owncaufe with your mouths. And you fhali fo fpeak, as ail your Adverfaries (hall not be able to refift the truth that youfpeak, but fliall be fo convinced \i\ their Confciences, that their Tongues (hall not know what to fay. You fhali have a mouth, and wifdom, and they Ihall want both* And thus, have many poor mean fimple Chri- ftians, when brought before Rulers and Magi- ftrates, been able to carry out the truth in that ftrength, that all their Adverfaries have been put to lilence and fhame, as you may fee in a multi- tude of Examples, in the Book of Martyrs. And all this they did, by the Power of the Spirit coming upon them* Seventhly, and laftly, all Chriftians ftand in 7. need of the power of the Spirit to overcome Af-I^^ ^^'^^^ flidions and Periecutions, from which it is im- ^^^{^j^^j poffible they fhould be free in this World, they ^^^^i p^r- being contrary to the World, and the whole fecutions. World to them. A natural man, who hath no ftrength in himfelf, but his own ftrength, faints and fails under affliction and perfecution *, but the faithful have in. them, ftrength above natural ftrength, ftrength above the ftrength of men, even the ftrength of the Spirit coming on them, and fo they indure and overcome. Our Spirits are weak Spirits, and are Conquered by every evil ; but when they areftrengthned by the power of Gods Spirit, they are, over all evils, more than Conquerors. And this is one thing obferve- able, between Natural and Spiritual ftrength, in the overcoming of evil. Natural ftrength feeks always to throw ofFthe evil, and fo it prevails ; but Spiritual ftrength never leeks the removing of the evil, but let the evil be what it will, it ftands to it, and overcomes it. For the ftrength of the D Spiric 42 CjrifVs Spirit a Chnftians ftrength. Spirit is eafily able to overcome all evils that can happen to ^^?n and blood, whether they arife from Earth or Hell. And tlius thofe blefTed Mar- tyrs, mention'd //f^. ii. and thoufands and ten thoufands of their Conforts fince, have overcome, cruel raockings and fcourgings, and bonds, and imprifonment, and ftoning, and fawing in funder, and flaying with the fword, and all the woes of poverty, and want, and banifhment, and of li- ving in wildernefRs and caves, and dens of the earth *, thefe and all other evils, they havemigh- tily overcome, by this only power, of the Spirit coming upon them. Thus we fland in need of the power of the Spirit, to overcome afflif^ion and perfecution ; and how much power w^e have in iitlli»ftion and perfecution, to indure them and overcome them, juft fo much of the power of the Spirit we have, and no more. And thus alfo, have 1 declared unto you, what necelTiiy all Chrillians have, of the power of the Spirit, coming on them as well as Minifters. And this was to ftrengthen the Ufe of Exhortation. Ssconi The fecond life is for information and Inftru- ' '^p. dion, after this manner. If the receiving of the Spirit be the receiving of Power, then it clearly informs us, that the way to partake of this pow- er, is to obtain this fpiritv ^^d the way to in- creafe this power, is to increafe this fpirit. I fhai) endeavour to fpeak to both thefe things, and fo (hall conclude. The xfiay to I. The Way to obtain this Porver^ is to obtain getth^pou^-^Yie Spirit. tr^ 16 TO get fc^^^/n^. th^Sfirit. And that we may obtain the 5j5m>, we mule- fo h- d ^^^ prepare our felves to receive the Spirit, ;:/ "muftfre- . Now this Preparation doth not fland (as Pa- y"/.!^"'^ pifts teach, and many ignorant Perfons among our felves think) in fweeping the Soul from Sin^ irhfreinsind then ftrewing it with graces, that fo we may iota cQnjiji. be fie to receive the Sfmu For Chn/Fs Spirit a Chrijhans ftrength. For firft, thefiveeping of the Soul from iTn, is not a Work of our own, before the coming of the SpYit^ but a work of the Spirit it fclf, after ic is come. For no ^z^ can clear the Soul of one Sln^ it is the Spirit muil do that. And fecondiy, tor the ftrewing of the Soul with Grace, neither is this a work of our own, but a woik of the Sprit it {^V(^ after it is come. For the Sprit it felt brings all Grace with it, and before the coming of the S^rit^ there is no Grace at all. So that we cannot, byany adsof ourown, pre- wherdn pare our feives to receive the Sprit \ but only by h doth. the Spirit we prepare our feives to receive the Spirit. For it is not any work of our own, upon our feives, but the immediate work of thQ Holy Spirit upon us, that can make us fie to receive him- felf. U lies wholly in his own power and good- nefs, firft to prepare in us a place for himfelf, and then after to receive and entertain himfelf in that place he hath fo prepared. Now the Works of the 5p/m, whereby he firft prepares us for himfelf, and then entertains himfelf in us, are thefe two efpecially. I. He empties us •, and 2. he fills us with him- felf, whom he hath made empty. I. He empties us : And this emptying, is the i. firfl: and chief work of the Spint upon the Eled, The Holy whereby he prepares them to receive himfelf. "^Z^^^^?^ For the more empty a man is of other things, the^^^"^^^"^' more capable he is of the Spirit, If you would fill a Vefiel with any other Liquor than it holds, you mufl: firfl empty it, of all that is in it before \ if you would fill it with Wine, you mult firft empty it of all that is in it before j if you would fill it with Wine, you mull empty it of Beer or Water, if any luch Liquor be in ic. For two material things cannot pofilbly fubfiftin the fam^ D 2 place. 44 Cbnft^s Spirit a Chrijiians ftrength. place, at the lame time, the fubftances of each being fafe and found. And fo if the Holy Spirit who is God, muftcome into us, all mortal and unliable Creatures, together with fin and our felves, and whatever elfe is in us, mull go forth. Humane reafon, and humane wifdom, and righ- teoufnefs, and power, and knowledge, cannot receive the Holy Spirit j but we mult be emptied of thefe, if ever we would receive him. A Camion We mult thus fuffer our felves to be prepared by the Spirit, to receive the Spirit ^ but with this Caution, That when the Spirit of God hath wrought this in us, we do not attribute it to our felves, as our own work, nor think any thing of cur felves, but defcend into our own meer no- thing. Otherwife we Ihall be a hinderance to the Spiric, that he cannot work in us after a more excellent manner. 2. And when a Man is thus empty of himfelf, and Pills us. Qf other things, then he becomes Poor in Spirit, and fuch the Spirit always fills, and defcends in- to with a wonderful and unrefillible power, and fills the outer and inner man, and all the fuperior and inferior faculties of the Soul with himfelf, and all the things of God. ^ The And this is the fecond work of the Spirit, to iTieans fill thofe whom he hath emptied. Now the ufual ^^^' and ordinary means, through which the Spiric doth this, are thefe three. 1; The I. The hearing of the Word Preached. But hearing of here we mnft diftinguilh of the Word. For the the Word £aw is the word of God, but St. P^/// faith, that by that word the Sfirit is not given j but by the word of theGofpel. And therefore hoxv heautifnl are the feet of them that bring the Gofpel of peace ! for nothing is fo fweet and precious as the word of the Gofpel, which brings with it the Holy Spirit. This you may fee A^s lo. 44. where it is faid, I - i1 Chrijrs spirit a Chriftians ftre/igth, 45 ;, faid, that whilfi Peter yet fpake^ the Holy Ghofl fell on all them that heard the word. And therefore alfo the Gofpel is called the minifiration of the Spi- ritj becaufe as it proceeds from the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit gives utterance^ fo it alfo conveys the Spirit to the faithful. Now the gift of Tongues and Miracles, and other fuch like gifts are at the prefent ceafcd in the Church \ but the gift of the Spirit is not ceafed \ and this, the Lord flill joyns with the Miniftry of the Gofpel, that he may keep np in our hearts the due refpeft ' of this ordinance, and may preferve us from the ways of thofe men, who feek for the Spirit with- out the Word. 2. Means, is Faith in the word heard, For it ^• is not every one that hears the word, that re- ^^ ceives the Spirit, but only they, that hear with the hearing of Faith. For if thou hear the word of the Gofpel athoufand times-, and wantefl Faith, thou (halt never receive the Spirit •, for unbelief Ihuts up the heart againft the Spirit, and ever op- pofes and refifts the Spirit, and never receives it. But Faith opens the Heart to receive the Spirit. By Faith, we lay hold on Chrifl: in the word % and through our Union with Chrift, we obtain the Spirit. For we have not the Spirit immedi- ately in it felf, but in the flefh of Chrifl. And when we, by Faith are made the flefh of Chrift, then we partake of that Spirit, that dwells in the flefh of Chrift. Now through thefe two things, the Word and Faith, the Spirit communicates to us a new birth, it begets us unto God ; and fo we partaking of the nature of God, partake alfo of the Spirit of God. They that are born of Men, have nothing in them but the Spirit of Men, but they that are born of God, have the Spirit of God. Th^t which D 3 u TT ■ I I I illll I I ■■IIBI III! I III --- n - ■KIIWUMKI „^,,^, 46 Chrijl's Spirit a Chnftians ftrength. is horn of the flefh is flejh^ and hath no Spirit in it ^ but that which u horn of the fpiritj is fpirity and hath Spirit in h. So that there is no means to partake of the Spirit of God, but by being born of God ^ and the means by which we are born of God, are the Word and Faith. 3« 3. Means is Prayer. For Chrift hath faid, the Frajsr. ^^^^-^ ^ given to them that ask. And the Difci- plcs when they were to receive the promife of the Spirit, continued with one accord in prayer and fiipplkation^ Ads I. 14. For God who hath pro- mifed to give us his Spirit, hath commanded us to ask it :; and when God hath a mind to give us the Spirit, he puts us in mind to ask it ^ yea God gives us the Spirit, that by it we may ask the Spirit, feeing no man can ask the Spirit, but by the Spirit. Now in asking the Spirit, there is no difference, whether we ask it of the Father or of the Son, feeing the Spirit proceeds from both^ and is the Spirit of both. And therefore Chrift promifeth the fending of the Spirit from both. From tlie Father, Joh. 14. The. Spirit which the Father will fend in my name. From himfelf, Joh. 16. Except IgOy the Comforter will not come \ hpit if ] gOy I will fend him to you. So that both tie Father and the Son give the Spirit, and it is no matter whether we ask him, either of the Fa- ther, or of the Son, ^o we ask him of the Father in the Son, or of the Son in the Father. And thus you fee the way to obtain this power, is to obtaiii the Spirit, and alfo by what means this is done. 2. 2. The way to increafe this Power, is to in- TheWaycreafe the Spirit. And therefore it is as needful ^^JJ;, . for us, to know the means to increafe the Spirit, *^4wer. ^^25 ^o receive it. And they among others, are thefe : I. To ChrijVs Spirit a Chrift'ians flrength, 47 I. To continue \\\ the life of the Word. As the Spirit is firft given by the word, ^o by the fame word ie is increafed ; and the more any Chriftian is in the ufe of the word, the ftronger and more vigorous and mighty is the Spirit in him ; buG the negled of the word, is the quench- ing of the Spirit, Let a Chriftian that is ftrong in the 5/7/V/f, negleft the word a while, and he will foon become weak, and as a man without ftrength. For thQ Spirit is not beftowed on us, but through the word, neicher doth ic dwell in us, but by the word^ and the more the word dwells in our hearts by Faich, the more the Spirit dwells in our hearts by the word. And according to the mea- fure of the word in us, is the meafure of the Spirit. 2i To increafe Faith. For the more we believe, the more we receive of Chrift ; and the more we receive of Chrift, the more we receive of the Spirit in Chrift. For Faith doth not apprehend bare Chrift, but Chrift with his Spirit^ becaufe thefe are infeparable. Now always according to the meafure of Chrift in us, is the meafure of the Spirit ^ and according to the meafure of Faith, is the meafure of Chrift in us. 3. To be much in Prayer. For the Prayer of the Spirit^ increafes the Spirit. The more we have the Spirit^ the more we Pray, and the more we Pray, the more we receive the Spirit, So that when we have the Spirit in truth, we fhall have daily a greater and greater increafe of it, till we be filled with the Spirit, For the Spirit comes from Chrift, in whom is the fulnefs of the Spirit^ and carries us back again to Chrift, that we may re- ceive ftiU more of the Spint, And fo by the Spirit that is in our hearts, we lay hold on the Spirit that is in Chrift, and receive more and more of it. D 4 4. To 48 Chrifl's Spirit a Chri^ians jirength* <M. , .'11 I I I I ■ ■ 4. To turn our felves daily from the Creature to God. For the more we inlarge our hearts to- wards the Creature, the lefs capable are we of the Spnt of God, For to live much upon the Crea- ture, is to live much according to the flefh, and this quenches and llraitens the Sfirit in us. And therefore we muft live abftradedly from the Creatures, and fo ufe them, as if we did not ufe them ; and fo mind them, as if we did not mind them; and abandon the contents and fatisfadions of flelh and blood, and wean our felves from all things but the necefTities of nature. And the more free and loofe we are from the Creature the more capable are we of Gods Sprite and the operations of it. He that lives at greateft di- ftance from the World, and hath leaft commu- nion with the things of it, hath always the great- eft proportion of Gods Spirit, For as the Apoftle faith, if any man love the world, the love of the Fa- ther (that is, the Holy Spirit) is not in him \ fo, if any man love the Father, the love of the world is not in him ; now the more any one loves the Father, the lefs he loves the world ^ and the lefs he loves the world, the more the Spirit dwells in him. 5. To ceafe daily from our own works. The more we ad our felves, the lefs doth the Spirit aft in us. And therefore we muft from day to day, ceafe from our own works, from the opera- tions of our ov^n minds, and underftandings, and wills, and affections, and muft not be the Authors of our own actions. For we being flelh our felves, whatever we do is flelhly, feeing the effect cannot be better than the caufe. And if we min- gle the works of our He^j, with the works of Gods Spirit, he v;ill ceafe from working in us. But the lefs we ad in our felves, according to th? Principles of our corrupt nature^ the more will ChrijVs Spirit a Chnftlans ftrength, 49 will the 5pn> ad in us, according to the Princi- ples of the Divine Nature. But our own Works, are always a mighty impediment to the opera- tions of the Spirit, 6. To increafe the Sfirit in us, we mufl give up our felves to the S/?/m, that he only may work in us, without the leafl oppofition and refiltance from us. That, as the Soul ads all in the Body, and the Body doth nothing of it felf, but is fub- jed to the Soul in all things •, fo the Sfirit may do all in us, and we may do nothing of our felves without the S^irit^ but be fubjed to the Spirit in all its operations. For the Spirit of God cannot work excellently in us, except it work all in all in us. And in fuch a man, in whom the Spirit hath full power, the Spirit works many wonderful things, that he according to humane fenfe is ig- norant of. For as the Soul doth fecretly nourilh, and cherifh and refrefh the Body, and difperfes Life and Spirits through it, even when the Body is afleep, and neither feels it, nor knows it , fo the Holy Spirit dwelling in the Soul^ by a fecret kind of operation, works many things in it, for the quickning and renewing it, whilll it often- times for the prefent, is not fo much as fenHble of it. 7. The fetenth means to encreafe the Spirit^ is to attribute the works of the Spirit to the Spirit^ and not to our felves. For if we attribute to the ^ff//?, the works of the Spirit-, and take from the Spirit the glory of his own works, he will work no longer in us. Wherefore we muft afcribe unto $he Spirit^ the whole glory of his own Works, and acknowledge that we our felves are nothing, and can do nothing •, and chat it is he only, that is all in all, and works all in ail; and we our felves, among ail the excellent works of the Spi" rit ia us, mull lb remain, as if we were and wrought |o Chrifl^s Spirit^ a Chriftians Strefigth. wrought nothing at all \ that fo, all that is of fieih and blood, may be laid low in us, and the Spirit aione may be exalted ^ firll to do all in us *, and then, to have all the glory, of all that is done. And thus you fee the means to encreafe the 5/7/nr, and fo confequently ftrength, as well as to gee in. And by the daily ufe and improve- inent of thefe mean*;, we may attain to a great degree of Spiritual flrength, that we may walk and not be weary, and may run and not faint, 2nd may mount up as Eagles, yea, and may walk as Angels among Men, and as the Powers of Hea- ven upon Earth, to his Praife and Honour, who 5rll communicaces to us his own ftrength, and t\\tn by that ftrength of his own, works all our works in us : And thus is h^ glorifisd in his Saints^ and admired in all them that believe^ Unlforratty Uniformity Examined, Whether it be found in the 9 O R, In the PRACTICE of the Churches of CHRIST. By MiUimi aDell, Minifter of the Gofpel. 2 Cor. iv. i^. Tf^e having the fame Spirit of Fahh^ according Oi it is written^ I believed^ and therefore have I fpoken : we alfo believe^ and therefore fpeaL ^u6lit!)eD acco3&tns to S)iUt. ^%% LONDON: Firft Priaced la the Year, 1551. 5? Uniformity Examined, Whether it be found in The gOSPEL, ace. OBSERVING that our Brethren of 5r^?- land^ together with the JJfembly of Di- vines^ and the reft of the Presbyterian judgment, do often both in their Difcourfe and Writings, exceedingly prefs for Vmformity ^ I have been urged in my Spirit, to think upon the matter, and to confider whether there could be any fuch thing found in the Word of the New- Tefiament^ or in the pradice of the Churches of Chrift. And for my part, 1 ingenioufly profefs, I cannot yet difcover it, and would be glad if any would inftrudt me further in this Particular, y fo he do it from the Word. Now Vniformity^ what is it, but an Vnity of Form ? and the Form they mean, no doubt is out- ward \ for the inward Form, as it cannot be known by the outward Senfes, fo neither can ic be accomplifhed by outward Power. And there- fore (till I know their meaning better) I conceive that by Uniformity, they underftand an Unity of Outward Form in the Churches of God. Yea, fome of them do declare fo much calling the thing they would have. External Uniformity. Now fuch a thing as this (after fo much me- ditation and recolledion, as my other imploy- ments, and the many diftradions that neceflarily attend my prefent Condition, will permit me) I cannot difcern, in the Word of the Gofpel. For thrift fpeaking of the Church of the New-Tefta- ment. 5^ Umforjnity Examined. ment, faith, 5^5^.4.23. The hour comsth andnovs^ /V, vohsn the true worjhippers (Ira II worjhlp the Father in Spirit and Truth ^ fcr the Father feeketh fnch to worjhip him, God is a Spirit^ and they that worpnp him^ muft worjljip him in Spirit and Truth, In which words ic is moft evident, that the Worfhip of God in the time of the New-Tellament, is in- ward and Spiritual, confiding in Faith, Hope, Love, and i^ Prayer, which is the operation of the three former, &c. And fo, is fo far from Uniformity, as it hath been explicated, and as they underhand it, that it is not at all capable of it. And therefore I cannot but wonder at the ftrange workings of darkaefs in the minds of Men, who would have an external Uniforraicy in a Worfliip that is Inward and Spiritual-, and of which, the Outward Form is no part at all, but is meerly accidental, and fo abfolutely various. Again, as I find not this Uniformity in the Dodrine of the Gofpel, fo neither in the Pra-" dice of the Saints, who had the Spirit of the' Gofpel, as that- Pradice is reprefented to us, in the Word. In A^s 1. 14. I read how the Apoftles being together with the Women, and Mary the Mother of Jefus, and his Brethren, continued ouo^vy.AJ^ov, with one accord or mind in prayer and fuppllcation ; and Atls 2.1/. 44. & 46. how ail that heliiV:d were tooether^ and continued daily oiJ.o^vyLa.J^ov with one mind in the Temple^ and did break bread from honfe to honfe^ &c. And in all this there was; ! Unity, but no external Uniformicy, neither name' ' nor thing. Again, AB:s 4. 23. Veter and 'John being let go by the Magiflrates, went to their own company) (which many of our Clergy would | term a Conventicle) and reported all that the Chief \ Tr lefts and Elders had [aid to them \ and when they. | heard itj they lift Hp their voice to C7dj oy.Q-^vy,:iJ''ovy With ■ I Uniformity Examined. 55 Ttith one mind^md grayed. Here was in wardllnicy ia Faith,and love aiidJoy,ancl Spiritual Prayer,biit no External Uniformity, and ver. 32. The multitpide of them that helieved^ were of one hearty and one Soul. Unity ftill, but nothing of external Unifor- mity. Further, we read >^^/^i Chap. 7. and Chap. 8. that Stephen and Philips who by the Church were ordained Deacons, and were to ferve only for the Miniflry of the Table, yet by vertue of the Anointing, preached the word of God freely ^ and powerfully ^ and how all the Members of the Church of Jernfalem, who were neither Minifters nor Deacons, being fcalcered abroad by Perfecu- tion, went Preaching the Word every where, where they came, in that cafe of neceffity^ the Undion of the Spirit of v/hich all Believers par- take alike, being one fundamental ground of fuch Min^llry, where there are no Believers to call to the Office : And in this, though there was Unity cf Faith, Spirit, and Dodlrine, yet I am fu re they will fay, there was no fuch Uniformity as they would have. Again, A^ls 20. Panl the firft day of the Week, preached to the Difciples of Ma* cedonUj from the Evening till Midnight (which Dr. Pocklington in a Printed Sermon iaith, was out of order, that is, out of Prelatical Order, or Presbyterial Uniformity) and after brake bread, and did eat, and talked with them a long while, till break of day ^ and going from thence, he arrived at Efhefm^ and there called the Elders of the Church together, and appeals to them after what manner he had been with them, to wit, ferving the Lod with all humility of 7mnd^ and with many tears and temptations^ S:c. and how, he had held back nothing profitable for them^ hut had tat/ght them publichly^ and from honfe td- houfe (which I wifli were more in ufe now-adays, if it might obtain fo much leave from Uniformity) md had Preached 56 Vniform'ity Examined, Preached to them Repentance towards God^ and Faith towards our Lord Jeftis Chrift-^ our chief Work to- wards God fmce our Fail and Corruption being Repentance, which is the change of the Creature towards God, through Gods own work in the Creature: And this is not done without the for- row of the Flefh ^ and our chief Work towards Chrift, who is given to us as a Head, being Faith or Union* And in the end, exhorts tht Presbyters to take heed to them/elves (who according to the Church Principles of this Age, want no admoni- tion themfelves, feeing they are become a pe- remptory Rule to ail others) and to the flocks over which the holy Spirit (and not Patrons) had mad^ thsm Over jeers^ to feed the Church of God^ which he had ^Hrchafed with his own bloody &c. But in all this, neither pradices himfelf, nor preaches to them, nor commands them to preach to others, ! or impofe upon others, any fuch kind of thing ' as external Uniformity. And fo furely, they j that fo vehemently urge this thing, that they ; make it all in all, in their Reformation, have fome i other Teacher than the ApoHle, who being taught j of Chrill, as Chrift was taught of God, yet knew i no fuch thing at all, in the Worlhip of God, as [ Uniformity. • ! And yet further, that the World (ifitbepof- i fible) may be the more convinced, obferve a little more ferioufly the pradice of Chrifl and the Saints, in reference to this point, and you fhall fee nothing lefs than External Uniformity. See this in the Prayer of Chrift, (Prayer for the Duty it felf, being nothing, but fo much Spiritual Wor- (hip, as being the voice of the Spirit in the Flefh, both in Head and Members.) This, Chrifl: fDme- times performed, with his Eyes lifted up to Hea- i ven, fometimes being proftrate with his Body on the Earth, and fo feveral times, feveral ways;| and' Un'ijor7mty Exa?mned. 57 ^ ' '' .11. 11-^ and as he, fo the Saincs have ; fome prayed Hand- ing, and lifting up their hands, as Mofes\ foine kneeling, and lifting up their hands, as Solomon ^ fome Handing, and not lifting up their eyes, as the Pmblicati^ &c. And what External Uniformity in all this? And as for Praying, fofor Preaching, Chrift fometimes Preached in a Ship, fometimes on the Shoar, fometimes in the City Jernfalemy fometimes in the Temple, fometimes in the De- fart, fometimes early, fometimes late, as if he in- tended on purpofe to witneis againft that piece of the Myllery of Iniquity, which in after Ages Ihould be called Uniformity. So Pad preached fometimes on the Jews Sabbath, fometimes on the firfl day of the Week, fometimes each day ot the Week, fometimes in the day, fometimes in the night ^ fometimes prayed in the Houfe, fometimes on the (hoar •, he circumcifed Timothy among the weak, refufed to circumcife Tttu^ among the perverfe; became as a Jew to the Jews, as a Greek to the Greeks, to the weak as weak, to the ftrong as ftrong, all things to all men, that he might win fome^ and what External uniformity was here ? And then for the Sacraments, Chrilt adminillred the Sacrament of the Supper, imme- diately after Supper, Paul at Midnight, and it may be others in the Morning, or at Noon ; and what External Uniformity in all this ? And for Government •, fometimes the Apoftles met toge- ther into a Councel, and in that Councel ordered things, not of their own heads, or by plurality of Voices, but by the' Word and Spirit •, and what they ordered by the Word and Spirit, they put ia execution by the power of the Word and Spirit, and not by the power of the World. At other times Minifters and Believers, did things by the Word and Spirit among themfelves, by the mutual confeat of both jor QlkBelievsn alone among them- E felves. 58 V Uniformity Examined, felves, if there were no Miaifters prefent. And where the number of Believers were more, they flood in need of more Officers^ and where fewer, of fewer Officers ^ and all thefe things, are the free ordering of the Churches, who have Chrifl, the Spi- rit, and tl>e Father among them, and in them, and fo are taken out of the Bondage of Men, into the Freedom of God. That truly I fee not the Gofpei more fetting its Spirit againft any thing of Anti- chrifr, than againll this point of External Uni- formity. For if we have one Lord, Chrift, Spi- rit, Faith, Baptifm, and God, all other things are free to the Churches, as God Ihall order by them, and no otherwife \ and the reafon, and wifdom, and prudence of Man, have no place in this World, where the Sun of Righteoufnefs Ihines as the only light } But againft this that hath been fald, do lie fome Obfedions \ as lirf!:. The Prophet foretold that the Lord fhould be one, and his Name one j and doth not this imply External Uniformity ? 1 anf'/ver, nothing lefs ; for the Apoflle expli- cates plainly and clearly, what it is to have the Lord one, and his nam.e one, among Believers, f pk 4. ch. 4, 5, 6. where he faith, there is in the Spiritual Church, one Body^ and one Spirit^ one hope of our callings one Lordy one Faith^ one Baptifm^ one Cod and Father cf allj who is above ally through ally and in all Where you fee, that among Believers, there is a manifold Unity, but no External Uni- formity^ yea the Prayer of Chrifl the Son, for the Church, unfolds clearly the promife of God the Father to the Church, ^oh. 17. Chrift prays, that they, all (who are ?;j^«?^ among themfelves, ac- cording to the^f//;) may he one oa thou Father art in me^ and I in thee^ (that is according to the Unity of the Spirit, not External Uniformity) that after thi4 mmntr they alfo may b§ one in m* i3uC Unifor?n'iiy Examined. 5:9 But again it is Objected out of i Cor, 14. that the Apoftle requires that all things may be done in the Church decently and in order •, and doth not this imply External Uniformity ? I anfwer, that they will hardly admit in their Parifh Churches, fuch a Decency and Order as the Apoftle there means, neither are they capable of it. For he faith before. When the whole Church is come together into fome place^ that all may prcphefie one by one^ that all may learn^ and all may be com- forted'^ and that during this exercife of Prophecy- ing, if any thing be revealed to another^ the former to give place ; and he muft fpeak that hath the cleareft light, feeing the Spirit, to whomfoever ic is given, ic is given to profit withall. And that though all may Prophefie one by one, yet all may not Prophefie at once, for then it wrould not be Order, but Confufion, which the Apoftle would have avoided, faying. Let all things he done decently and in order. And this decency too, he perfwades to by the word, he doth not enforce by Secular Power: And if they will call this Uniformity, for Believers to Prophefie one after another, ac- cording to the variety of the gifts of the Spirit, and not many, or two or three at once, or the fame time, we willingly agree with them^ but how far this thing is from their fence, every one knows. ' Thus you fee, thefe Objeftions anfwered, and I am confident there are no more can be brought, but may as clearly and eafily be anfwered as thefe. And therefore, I fay, I wonder, and wonder again, that we having covenanted and agreed to- gether lolemnly, to endeavour for a Government moft agreeable to the word of God, fliould in the mean time, be left fo void of the Spirit and LighE ' of the Gofpcl, as to fall upon External Unifor- E 2 mity, So Ujiiformity Examined. micy, which is no where to be found in the Go- fpel, nor in the pradife of Primitive Ghriftians. Yea» wliile I confider more ferioufly of the Matter, methinks External Uniformity is a mon- ftrous thing (how glorious foever in their eyes) and not to be found either in Nature or in Grace, either in Chrilt's Kingdom, or the Kingdoms of the World. In Nature is no External Uniformity extended to all the works of nature ^ for look into the World, and fee if there he not variety of forms \ Heavenly and Earthly Bodies having feveral forms, and in the Earth, each Bird, Beaft, Tree, Plant, Creature, differs one from another in outward form. If the whole Creation fliould appear in one form, or External Uniformity, what a monftrous thing would it be, nothing differing from thefirfl Chaos ? But the variety of forms in the world, is the beauty of the World : So thac though there be a moll admirable Unity among all the Crea- tures, yet there is nothing lefs Chan External Uniformity. Again, as there is no External Uniformity fpread over the great world, fo nor yet over the little world, or Man. For look upon a Man, confiding of Head and Members, unto which the Apoftle compares the Church, and you fliall not find all the Members like one another, neither in regard of their outward forms, nor operations j for the hand, doth not move as the foot, nor the foot adf as the hand ^ and if all the Members Ihould appear and adt in one form, what a Mou- Ifer would a Man be ? And yet among the Mem- bers, though there be no External Uniformity, yet there is admirable Unity. And yet again, look into the Kingdoms of the World, and you fhall fee no fuch thing in them as External Uniformity. Here ia England you ihall U/iJformity Exafnined. 6i fhall obferve that Tork is not governed as //«//, nor Hull as HalUfax^ nor that as Briftol^ &c. nei- ther is one County governed uniformly as ano- ther*, there is no uniformity in the government oi Kent and EJfex'^ nor one Town governed like another •, in GGdmanchefier^ the youngefb Son In- herits, in Huntington the eldefl ^ nor one Corpora- tion govern'd like another, nor one Company in the City governed as another; and yet between all Counties, Cities, Towns, Corporations, Com- panies, there is Unity, though no external Uni- formity. Yea, look upon the famous City of London^ and there arc, it may be, an hundred thoufand Families, or more in it, and each one governed after a fcveral manner, and among all thefe Families, there is no External Uniformity, and yet they all agree well enough, in the Unity of a City. Nay further, to bring but one Man to an Uni- formity of Life and Pradtice, by an outward Law, would be the moft abfolute Tyranny in the world, and make his life worfe than death. To compel every Man by a Law every day in the Week, or every Monday^ Tnefday^ &c. in the Week, to an Uniformity of Life,that he (hall rife at the famefet lime, ufe the fame poftures, fpeak the fame words, eat the fame food, receive the fame Phyfick, fit^ and ftand, and walk, and lie down at the fame fed times, who ever heard of fuch a cruel Bondage ? What an abfurd and intolerable thing then is Uni- formity in the life of a Man, taking away all free- dom of the Soul? But how much more evil and intolerable is Uniformity in the life of a Chriftian, or of the true Churches of Chrilt, taking away all freedom of the Spirit of God, who being one with God, works in the freedom of God, and is noE to be bound with any authoritative or coercive power, of poor, dark, ignorant, vain, foolifli, proud, and fmful Men ? E 3 Wiiat 62 Uniformity Exa7?iined. What now then do the Presbyters mean by Unitormicy? Would they have the Word prea- ched, and the Sacraments adminiilred, and the name of God called on, and all this done in Spirit and Truth in the Churches of Chrifl? this truly is Unity and not Uniformity, and fuch an Unity as no Man can compel. Biic would they have the Word preached, the name of God called on, Sa- craments adminillred, the Spiritual Difcipline of the Spiritual Church managed, the Vercues of Chrift, and graces of the Spirit in the Saints ex- erclfed, and all this in one and the fame outward form or uniformity > This is the burthen of the Saints., the bondage of the Church, the (Iraitning of the Spirit, the limiting of Chriil, and the eclipiingthe glory of the Father. And how wife foever thefe men may be, in natural and carnal things, yet their wifdora is but foolifhnefs in Spi- ritual things, in which there is no more unifor- mity, than m the workings of the Spirit, who works feverally in feveral Saints, and feverally, in the fame Saints, at feveral times: And therefore they that would tye the Church to an uniformity, which works not of iE felf, but as the SpiriE v/orks in it, let them firfl tye the Spirit to an uniformity, and we are contented. But thefe men feem to run a fad hazard, who would thus reduce the workings of the Spirit in Chriflians and Churches^ to an outward uniformity, accord- ing to their own mind and fancy, and fo vv^ould rule and order, and enlarge and llraiten the Spi- rit of God, by the Spirit of Man, feeing it is worfe to iia againfl Chriil in the Spirit, than a» gainll: Chriil in the Flefh. And therefore, till I be otherwife taught by the word, I cannot conceive that there ought to be, or ispoflibleto be any fuch external unifor- mity in the Churches of Chrifl, as thefe men Ilriye, wrellie. Uniformity Examined. 6? wreftle, fvvcat, contend for, I will not fay are ready to fight for*, but that feveral Churches of Chrifl, having unity of Dodrine, Faich, the Spirit, Ordinances, &c. may have divers forms of outward adminillrations, as God and Chrift by the Spirit fliall lead them ^ and that every Church is in thefe things to be lefc free, and no Church forced, by any outward power, to follow or imitate another Church, againll its will, noE being freely led unto it, by the Spirit of God. Neither do I think, that God hath fet up any Company of Men, or Synod in the world, to fhine to a whole Nation, fo thae all People fhall be conltrained to follow their judgment, and to walk by their light, feeing other Miniflers and Chriflians, may have more Light and Spirit than they. Neither bath Chrilt promifed his prefencc and Spirit, to Miniflers more than to Believers, nor more to an hundred, than two or three ; and if two or three Chriflians in the Country, being met together in the name of Chrift, have Chrift himfelf, with his word and Spirit among them, they need not ride many Miles to the Aflembly at London^ to know what to do, or how to carry and behave themfelves in the things of God. And therefore,for any company of Men,of what repute foever, to fet up their own judgment in a King- dom, for a peremptory rule, from which no man niufl vary, and to compel all the faithful People of God, who are the very members of Jefus Chrift himfelf, to fall down before it, upon pain of be- ing call into the burning fiery furnace of their indignation, heated {^^^xv times more hot than ordinary, through the defired accefs of Secular power to their power, is a far worfe work, ia my eyes, than that of King Nebttchadnezzars fet- ting up a Golden Image, and forcing all to fall down before iE j feeing Spiritual Idolatry is fo £ 4 much 6 4 Uniformity Examined, much Wsvr^f thaa Corporal, as the Spirit is better than the Fkih. And therefore I do think (let them teach me better by the word that can) that Uniformity (the great Diana of the Presbyterians, and the Image that falls down from the Brain and Fancy of Man) hath no footing in the Scriptures, or in the pradifeof the Churches of Chrift: And that the Presbyterian Uniformity, is neer a-kin to Pre- latical Conformity, and is no other than the fame thing, under another word, after the manner of Prelacy, and Presbytery ; and do conclude, that Unity is Chriftian, Uniformity Antichriftian. And this I have only hinted, and that briefly, among many occaiions, to difcover to the faith- ful, that fome of the very dregs of Antichri- flianifm (liil prevail and domineer, under the very name of Reformation *, and alfo to give occafion to Men of more Spirit, and Abilities, and leifure to difcourfe rabre fully to this Point, that the Serpents head of Formality, which is fo carefully nourifhed by Humane Reafon, may be crnfhed iu pieces by the power of the word. 1 John 2. 27. The anointing which ye have received of him^ abi* deth in yoit^ and ye need not that any manfijonld teaoh yoUj hut as the fame anointing teaeheth you all things^ and is truths and is no lye^ and even as it hath taught yoH^ you fiall abide in him. The Spiritual Church is taught by the Anointing^ the Carnal Church by Ccmcels. the The Building^ Beauty^ Teaching^ and Eftahltfhment of the truly Chriftian and Spiritual Vj li. Cj Jrl« Reprefented in an EXPOSITION On JfaUh 54. from Ver. ii. to 17. Preached to his Excellency Sir Tho. Fairfax^Rnd the General Officers of the Army^ with divers I other Officers^ and Souldiers^ and People, At Marjio/i^ being the Head- quarter at the Leaiiger before Oxford^ June 7. 1646. By Ciaililf am 2Dett, Minifler of the Gofpel. Attending on his Excellency Sir Tho. Fairfax in the Army. Together with a faithful Teffimonj?" touching that Valiant and ViU:oriom Army, in the Epiftle to the Reader, Matth. "J. II. Blejfed are ye rvhsn men JJjall revile you, and perfecute you, and fiall fay all manner of evil againfi you faljly, for rnyfake* Verf. 12. l^joyce and be exceeding gladj for great ii your reward in Heaven : forfo perfecuted they the Prophets rohich were before you* Pfal. 69. 9. the reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon me* #u6IIfl)et» accojDtng to €)aDerr' LONDON: Firfb Priiicef^ in the Year, 1551. 67 T O T H E READER. j4vi'/7(r obtained this Grace from God^ to he called into fome Friefidlliip and^dLimh^nvj with Jej^^ Chrifl^ among the refi of his poor Saints ^ foj as to hear and receive from him, (bme* thing of the mii\6. and bofome of the Father, ac- cording to his Free grace, who hath mercy on whom he will ; and having after many tears and tempta- tions (not unknown to many yet in the body J oh' tained this further ^r^c^, to fpeak /l?^ Word of God with boldnefs : / have alfo though mofi unworthy, been counted worthy to be taken into fotne fellowjhip with Chrifij in his Sufferings, and to endure the con- tradidioa of Sinners, and oft-times to encounter the rage and madnefs of men ^ yea^ and to fight with men after the manner of bealls, altogether bruitifli and furious. j4nd thus it hath fared with me of- ten, efpecially at two remarkable times. The one at Lincoln, upon occajion of two Sermons preached thercj on thefe words of the Prophet^ Ifaiah 9. 7. Of the encreafeof his Government and Peace there ihall be no end. Wherein^ ^^'^^^i '^"^^ Chrift his own proper due, many were angry I had taken too much from men, to whom yet nothing belongs^ but ini- quity, fhame and confufion ; they could not bear thisj that the Lord alone fliould be exalted. But that. DoEirine 0/ Truth beirg the Lords, and not mine, the Lord himfclf hath ftrongly upheld with the right hand of his righteoufnefs, and /^^ glory of it hath Jince fhoae into maay hearts in thU Kingdom, much Contrary to their defire* 7hc 68 To the Reader. The other time^ wherein I met with remarkable oppojitior?^ was lately at Marfton, the Head quarter at the Leauger before Oxford j whither fame coming out of the City 0/ London, in all probability out of fame fpecial deiign (feeing the old malignity now ad^s in a new form, and is daily comivg forth^ in a fecond and more plaulible, cunning, and deceive- ing Edition) became exceeding angry and heady a- aainfi the plain and clear Truth of the Gofpel, de- livered in this following Expofition (wherein the whole truth and fubftance of what was then deliver^ ed^ is exadly fet down^ and nothing abated \ but rather fome things farther preffed^ adding (as Jere- Jer.36.32 miah /« the fecond roll) many like words to the former. Now fome ofthefe men^ feeing themfelves, and their new defigns, eiearly difcovered by the lighc of the Word, and made altogether naked, fuddenly they grew fierce and furious, contradiding and blafpheming, yea^ fome of them fpeaking the Ian- Toh. 8.4i.£^'^<^^ ^j/Hell upon Earth (of which there are fome ' ^ witneffes) as became* >?itf« 0/ fuch a generation. Thefe men, according to the operation of that Spi- rit which works mightily in the Children of difobe- dience, come and fill the whole City with Lyes and Slanders, laying to my Charge, things thafi I knew not; the falihood ^«^ untruths ipW^^?/, r/j^r^ ^r^y^wf hundreds, and fome of them^ of great and eminent worth and piety ^ ready to witnefs, iVhere^ fore of meer neceflity / was conflrained to publiflf this Expofition, as a witnefs to this prcfent and the following generations^ of thefe mens refifting the Spirit, and ading againft Chrill himfelf in the Word. A}2d though the Difcourfe be very plain, vot favouring of any accuratenefs of humane wifdom and learning, yet they that are themfelves Spiritual, TP/7/ acknowledge yowff/?/^^ of the Spirit in it^ and for that caiife will relifh and love it \ though others will theretorc be at the greater enmity aginfl it* But for To the Reader. 69 for my part, / have fet down my refolution in the Lord, in this Gaufe of Jefus Chrift, not to weigh all the power of Earth or Hell, one feather ^ to ta put it to the utmoft tryal, whether the Truth of the Gofpei, or the Slanders and Lyes o/men jhall pre- vail ; whether the fmoak of the bottomlefs Fk^thae comes forth out of the month of thefe and many others, fmll be able to blot out or darken the brightnefs of Chrifls comings in the Miniftry of the Gofpel ^ yea, and whether the power, and malice of the Devil a^id the World, ^all he ftronger than the love and pro- tedion c/ Jefus Chrifl. jind J doubt not^ but the more the World ads in the Spirit of the Devil, the more will Chrift enable us, to ad in his own Spirit, till all at lafi^ fiall be forced to acknowledge, that the Spirit that is in us, is flronger, than the Spi- rit that is in the World. And what now have all thele men^ obtalnei by all their malice and fury, but a greater and more open difcovery of the truth? and to caiife^ that that light of the Gofpel, that only jhone in one Congregation, ^onld^ through the print- ing of it^ have its b^ams feat t ere d in m?Lny parts of tloe KXngdiOm^. and where ever the Truth ccmes^ the Children of the Truth will entertain z>, and ask no body leave. And thm through the over- ruling power of Gods wifdom, do thefe men betray their own and their fellows caufe, and overthrow their own, an4 their ends ; and whilfi they thi?ik to opprefs the trmh^ propagate it the more^ and thus jhali tnnhs Ene^ mies pcrifh, and the truth it felf flourifli *, yea^ flonrijl)^ through flanders, oppofitions, contradi* dions, blafphemies, and all the vilenefs and villany in the world. And all this confidence in tts^ arifes hence, hecaufe Chrift is not as a dead man, but is rifen and afcended, and fits at the right hand of -God^ and fills all things^ ^w^doth all things in hea- ven and in earth, in the World and in the Church, among hu friends, and amonc his enemies, till thefe h 70 To the Reader. bs made his foot-flool ^ which is the very thing we are now in expectation of. Now one thing more which 1 think ^t to acquaint^ the world withali in this Epiflle, is this^ That none j ofthefe thorny hearers J diirfl after come roDifcourfe with me^ or to look me in the face *, hut one among them^ that feemed of a better temper than the reft, Hpon the urging of a godly Citizen then prefent, did ■ fpeak with me ^ and the queftion he asked of me^ was this^ Whether I thought that all Presbyterians, were carnal Gofpeliers ? / told hlm^ I was far from thinking any fuch thing ^ for J knew fome of them very godly ChriftianSy and did. acknowledge the grace of God in them ^ and that for mifie ewn part^ I did not allow any fnch difhnEiion of Chriftians^ as Presby- terians^ and Independents, this being only a diflin^ fiion of mans making, tetiding to the divifion of the Church J and added^ that as m Chrifis King^dom^ nei- ther circHmclfion availeth any things nor uncircumci' fion^ but a new creature , fo in this fame kingdom of Chrifl;^ neither Fr^sbyzcry availeth any things nor in- dependency, bm a new creature j and that the King- dom of God, fiands not in Presbytery or Indepen- dency, but in righteoufnefs ^w^ peace, and joy in the holy Spirit; and that if Ifaw any thing ofGody or Chrij}^ or the Spirit in any ont^ I reckoned him oi a Br other y not taking any fuch Opinion into confidera^ ; tion\^ and that the unity of Spirit, and not <?/ Opi- nion is the bond of Peace in Chnfis Kingdom, The Man then pretended to bs fiitisfied, and to rejoyce in his fatisfaction ; but fine e (as is related) hatb (Ijewed his flomach again ; but becaufe he feems to be a Chriftian, the Lord lay it not no his charge. And truly Reader, it is a fad things that ever ; the fe names 0/ Presbyterians ^«^ Independents^r^n?' ftp to this height in the Church ; and that thefe Opi- nions fiiould be reckoned more in a man^ than the prefence and dwelling of God himfelf, and the Spirit' To the Reader. 71 Spirit in him, l^or my pan^ I mterly di [claim all fuch diBin^ions of mans makings and will allow of no diflinBion of men^ hut what God himfelf hath made \ and that is this, The world, and they that are ta- ken out of the world ^ or. The Church, and they that are without ; and in the Churchy the Children that are born after the fiefh, and the Children that are born after the Spirit ^ or, which is all one^ Carnal and Spiritual Chriftians. This diftindion cf mtn^ God hath made^ and this I do and miifb needs nfe^ though the world (as it appears) likes this voorfe than the other. For the difli?jilion of Seeds in the Churchy is the true difiintlion ; and the more this is brought about by the Word and Spirit j the more glo^ rioHS will the Church be. Now fame Spiritual Chri^ fiians may be among thofe that are called Presbyteri- ans, and fome among thofe that are f^//^^' Indepen- dents ; and all thefe^ though called by different names^ are of one Spiritual Church : And again j fome Carnal Chrifiians may he among thofe that are called Inde- pendents, and fome among thofe that are called Fver- byterians ^ and ^11 thefe, though called by different ttamesj are of one Carnal Church. And there] ore I could wiflj^ we had obtained fach wifdom from God^ as to l:t the difiinEiion and divipon ofmen^ lie only there where God hath made it^ and not where fie fh and blood hath made it \ and fo jhall the true Spiritual Church be delivered from thefe di^iinUions offle[h and bloody and he feparated from the worldy and he gathered together in it felf and he at unity with it felf tvhich will be Cods great glory ^ and its own great (Irength^ comfort and happinefs^ and the great terror and dread of all frophane men and Formal iff s. Another things which I find my heart flirred up within me to do^ is to teftifie to the world what I know in mine own experiences^ touching the Army under the Command of that mofl faithful and worthy Gene- raly Sir Tho. Fairfax j and that becanfe 1 am not ignorant To the Reader. ignorant of the great undervduing^ and defpijing^ and reproaching of it^ by many^ even of thofe^ whofe blood runs warm in their veins j and. who enjoy all the com- forts they have in the world^ through the faithfulnefs^ diligence^ activity ^ labours^ hunger^ thirfi^ cold^ wea- rinefsy watchingSj marchings^ engaements^ ftormings^ wounds and blood of thefe men^ inflrnntents in the hand of God for the fnbduin^ that malignant power that rofe up agalnfi the State and Saints of God '^ yea Infiruments of Cods own choofing and calling forth to his footj for this great and gloriom Service^ which after ages will wonder and fiand amazed at^ as welU as at the vile in(rratitnde of this age^ to fnch Infiruments as thefe ^ for which God will not hold it gitiltlefs. This then for mine own party I am mofi confident on^ that there are^ as many gracious and godly Chriflians in it^ as in any gathering together of men in all the world again \ men fnll of Faith and the Spirit y and the admirable endow- ments of it. More particHlarly^ there are thefe Six things mofi remarkable in this defpifcd Army. 1 . Their Vnity^ which u admirable ^ it being more the Vnity ofChrifiians than of Men ^ more a Vnity in the Spirit than in thefiefh ; in the Father and Son^ than in themfelves. And this hath been one great means oj their great fuccefs^ they being ally both in Counfel and ^tiionj bnt as one man. The Lord hath taken them^ and knit them up in one bmdle^ and fo their Enemies could not break them^ but have been broken by them* Many of their matters of great eft moment ^ have been carried in Conncel with that Vnity^ that fometimes not fo much as one hath contradicted. 2. Their Humility *, which hath been admirable^ as Well as the former. For after great and glorious ViUo" ries^ to the wonder of the Kingdom^ and of the Worldj when Kings of the Army did flee apace^ and the Aien of might ran away as Women. I have never heard any of the worthy and godly Commanders or Officers ever to fayy 1 did thisy or thatj or to boaft of his own comfel^ ' To the Reader. 73 connfel or his own firengthj or to attribute any thing to himfelf^ or any body elj'e^ of what God had done ^ but every one tofay^ This was the Lords own doing,and it is marvellous in our eyes ^ and it was not our own Sword, or Bow, htit ttoe Lords right hand, and his arm, and light of his countenance. And they have been mofi willing to be nothing themfelves, thAt God might be all. And this hath been one means to hep them bumble, hecanfe though God hath been much with them, yn the world hath been much againfi: them, not for their own fakes, who have done the work of the Kingdom faith- fully and honeflly, but for Gods fake m them\ be- caitfe there is more of God among thefe men, then a- iiiong other men ; therefore are they fo maligned by many men. For the world always moft hates^ where there is mofl of God ^ and yon may have a (hrewd guefs, where there is mofl: of God, by obferving where the greateft hatred of the world lies, 3. Their Faith ^ There are many in the Array, tnen of great and precious Faith ^ through whichy they have wrought righteoufnefs, obtained promifes. Hopped the mouths of Lyons, quenched the vio- lence of fire, efcaped the edge of the fword, out of weaknefs were made ftrong, waxed valianE in fight, turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens, IhroHghthi^Faithy they have purfucd their Enemies and overtaken them, and turned not again, till they had confumed them •, they have beaten ihem fmall, as the dull before the wind, and caft them ! out as dirt in the Streets. Through Faith they have j entred ftrong Cities^ and lean truly and particular- ' J fay (let them that will needs be cffendedy (tumble , ind fall at it) that Briltol (among other places) was I Conquered by Faith, more than by Force \ it was \ Conquered f>z flje hearts of the godly by Faiihj before ever they G:v etched forth a hand againft /> j and they ■vent notfo much to ftorm it, as to take it, in the af- F furance 74 To the Reader. ^■^— W— — ^1 N. ■Ill I ■■ I ■■ l..^. -■■. ■— — . .1 ,■■■»- > ,■■■_■■ , ... , I, II.,, IMIII^^ furance (?/Faith. Through Faith , one of them hath chafed ten, and ten pn an hundred to pght^ and an hundred a thoufand. And this was performed in the very letter ofit^ at that famous ^w^j/ memorable battle at Nafeby. . Many more inftances / codd re- • late of the power of faith in this Army, hitt that 1 fljonld thereby grieve andaiRidi many too much. 4. The Spirit of Prayer ^ and this the Lord hath poured forth ii^on many of them in great meafure ^ 7iot only upon many of the chief Commanders, but on very many of the inferior Officers, and common Troopers *, fome oiwhom^ J have by accident /?^^r<af praying, with that faich and familiarity with Godj that J have fiood wondring at the grace. We never undertook any thing of weight, but God was always fought to^ of us again and again^ and we have found Cod near to us^ in ail things we have called upon him for. . Tea^ God hath been found of hs^ whilft yet we have been {cQking him^ and hath given us the anfwer of our Prayers into optr bofoms. 5. The fpecial prefence of God with them. / havefeen more of the prefence of Cod in that Army, than amongft any People that ever I converfed witKf in my Life. There hath been a very fenfibie prefence of G<?^ with us^ we have feen his goings, and obferved his very foot-fleps, for he hath dwelt among us^ and marched in the head ofm^ and counfel'd wj, and led tis^ and hath gone along with fss ftep by ftepy from Nafeby to Leiceller, and from thence to Langport, and Bridgewater,<2;7^Batb,<^;?^Sherborn,G7- Briflol, and the Devizes, and Winchefter, and Bazing, and Dartmouth,^;?^^ Exeter,^w^ into Cornwal, and back again to Oxford, and all along his prefence hath gone along with us^ and he hath been our ftrength and glory. How often hath fearfulnefs and trembling taken hold upon the Enemy ? and the ftout men been at a lofs for their courage, and the men of might for r&r/r hands, bscmfe of the prefence of God with usi To the Reader. 7^ us? yea^ becaufe of this, they have melced away in their flrong Holds, and delivered up their fenced Cities into our hands *, and every place we have come againft, we have taken in, and every baEtel wherein we have fought, ws have prevailed, jind bscaufe God huth been in the niidil of its ^ we have not been moved our felvesj and onr Enemies h.ive perifhcd {not by our valour, and weapons, ^d flrength j hut at the rebuke of his countenance. This Ihall be written for the generation to come (feeing fo many of this pveient generation fo little regard it) and the People that are to be born (hall praife the Lord. 6. The Sixth Remarkable ^Z?/;?^ ;>z the Army ^ isj their faithfulnefs to the State. How, have they gone tip and down in wearinefs and labours, and dangers, and deaths, to do the Kingdom.s work .? when tr^j it^ that f/jf)> fate idle? have they not^ as foon as one field was foughf, prepared to another ? as foon as one City was taken, advanced to ano- ther.^ and fo gone on^ from one fivong hold of the enemies to another, ?/7/ali have ^fff» reduced? that peace might be haflned to this Kingdom, if it were the will of God^ and not come as a Snail, bat as on Eagles wings } ysa^ have they not been adive, evtn all the winter long^ in a mofi cold and frofly Seafon^ that contini4ed fo for two months together^ beating the enemy out of the field, and talking their Strong Holds, when other Armies nfe to lie (till ? Have they taken the pay of idlenefs, or lived the life of luxury, itpon the State-maintenance? Have they fought to lengthen the Wars for their own advantages ? Have they not made even a fhorG work ? I challenge all the foruKT GQntX2iX\ou% of the worlds to fiand forth andtoihcWj fo much work of this kindy done in fo little time. And farther, by all this fuccefs, have they ever been lifted «p, fo much as to Petition the Parliament in any things or to remonllrate anything proudly ^w^undutLfully to themy as fome People furfeited with Peace and f 2 Plenty 76 To the Reader. Plenty have done ? Or^ thongh the Kingdom, next under God and the Parliament, owes its protection, and deliverance, and freedom from Tyranny and Popery, to th\% worthy Army, have th^"^ for all this ^ ever appeared to conteft againft the Kingdom for any things or tofiand with their Swords in their hands to make demands? Nay^ I declare f/?/j to all the Kingdom, that^s God hath made them glorious in doing, fo he hath made them contented to he per- fedled /?y fufTering, if it be the will of GoA, And mofl confident / am^ that though fome Men for pri- vate ends and interefts are murmuring, and others fpeaking out againft this Army, as the perverfe If- ^-nt 33, raelites againft Mofes and Aaron, yet the Lord in his -9^ due time, will take away the reproach of all his People therein *, and that we fhall hear fongs from aH the ends of the Kingdom^ even glory to the righte- ous. This I have fpoken in Truth and Sincerity to ri^5 Kingdom: And to that Army Jfljallfay^ Who is like unto thee, O People? faved by the Lord, who is the (hield of thy help, and the fword of thine excellency ^ and thine enemies ftiallbe found lyars unto thee, and thoullialt tread upon their high places. / have been longer in this Epiftle than 1 intended j bm feeing there was fuch a caufe as this^no ingenuous Man Will blame me, Chriftian Reader, / ara Thine to ferve thee in the Lord^ and in the Coffel of his Sort^ W. 2). J7 AN EXPOSITION Of the 54th Chapter of Ifaiahj From Yerfe 1 1. to the end. The Words are thus : Verf. II. Oh thou afflWed, toffed with tempefl^ and not comforted •, behold I will lay thy J f ones' with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with Saphires, Verf. 1 2. And I will make thy windows of Agates^ and thy gates of Carbuncles, and all thy borders of plea/ant Jlones, 8cc, TH I S Place of Scripture is very ufeful to the Church of God^ in thefe Times wherein we live*, yea, verily this Pro- phet did not fo much Prophelie to his own Age, as to ours, nor to the Jewifh Church as to the Chriftian. For unto them it was revealed, that not i pet. i, unto themfelves, but unto us, they did minifier the 12. things which are now reported unto you. The Prophet Ifaiah, Prophefied in the Spirit, touching the Kingdom of Chrift, which ftands not in the Fiefh, but the Spirit^ and delivers from the Father by the Spirit, many excellent Promi- fes, to be fulfilled in the Son Incarnate, Head and Members. The firft Promife in this Chapter, is touching the great increafe of the Church, in the days of the New-Teftament -, that whereas before, the Church was to be found but in one Kindred, and F 3 Tongue, 78 The Buildings Beauty^ Teachings &c. v'- ^>^e.?i: Tongue, and People, and Nation ^ now it fliould ^-'J;'^-/^// be gathered out of every Kindred, and Tongue, tuii^^^^^' a^i^ People, and Nation. And this is fo defira- cbunb, ble aad comfortable a thing,that in the beginning Rev. 5. 9. of the Chapter, he calls upon all to rejoyce at this*, verf. i. SivgO hdner?^ thou that difi not hear ^ break forth mto ft'tgirig^ and jhotit doud^ thou that didfi not travel iJHth child ^ for more are the children of the defolate than of the married wife^ faith the Lord, Enlarge the place of thy tent^ and let them fir etch forth the curtains of thy habitations. Spare 77ot^ lengthen thy cords^ and flrengthen thy ftakcs j for thou jhalt break forthy on the right hand^ and on the lefty atid thy feed fljall inherit the Gentiles^ and make the defolate Cities to he inhabited. So that there fliall certainly be, a mofl wonderful and nume- rous increafe of the faithful, in the Chriftian Church, till they become as the Stars of Heaven, and as the drops of the morning dew, that cannot be told, all ot them aflembled in the beauties of hclinefs. ifs. And therefore let us not be over-much trou- bled, though at prefenc we fee, in a numerous Nation, but few true Children of the Spiritual Church : for God fhall blefs thefe few, and bid them increafe, and multiply, and replenifh the Earth ^ fo that though the Allemblies of the Saints be now but thin, and one comes from this place, and another from that, to thefe Aflemblies, and in many and moft places of the Kingdom, thefe tew are fain to come together fecretly, for fear of the Jcws^ that is, the People or the Letter ^ yet through the pouring forth of the Spirit, it fhall come to pafs at laft, that they fhall come in flocks^ and AS Doves to their windows. And it fhall be faid to the Church by the Lord, Lift up thine eyes round ahouty and behold^ all thefe gather themfelves together and come to thee : ^s J llve^ faith the Lordy thou of the truly Chriflian and Spiritual Church. 79 thou fhalt furely cloath thee with them all^ as with an ornament^ and bind them on thee as a bridle dcth^Scc^ till aE laft the Church fhall fay in her heart, Who hath begotten me thefe^ feeing I have lofi my children and am de folate^ a captive^ and removing to and fro ? and who hath brought up thefe f Behold^ I was left a" lone ; thefe where had they been ? Yea, thefe very Promifes, are now in the very aft of accomplifhing among us ; for the Spiritual Church hath received a very great increafe within thefe few years •, and God hath many faithful Peo- ple in many places of this Kingdom ^ and of this, my felf, and many more in this Army are witnef- fes ; for having marched up ^and down the King- dom, to do the work of God, and the State, we have met with many Chriftians, who have much GofpeHight, and (which makes is the more Itrange) in fuch places where there hath been no Gofpel-Miniftry ^ which puts me in mind of that Prophecy, Ifa. 66.8. Who hath heard fuch a thing? who hath feen fach things f Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day^ or fjall a Nation be born at once ? For as foon as ^on travelled^ nay^ before jhe travelled^ (lie brought forth her children. There was no outward Miniftry of the Gofpel to travel or take pains with them, and yet Sion brings forth her Children, And one thing that is remarkable touching the increafe of the Church at this day, is this ; Thai where Chrifl: fends the Miniftratioa of the Spirit, there many young People are brought in to Chrifl:, as being mofl: free from the Forms of the former Age, and from the Doftrines and Tradi- tions of Men, taught and received inftead of the pure and unmixed word of God •, whereas many old Profeflbrs, who are wholly in the form, prove the greatefl: Enemies to the power of Godlinefs ^ and thus, thefirft arc the laft^ and the laft firft, F 4 Noy2 So Tloe Beauty^ Building^ Teachings &c. Now this great and fudden increafeof the faith- ful, is that which doth fo exceedingly trouble the World, and makes them angry at the very heart. For, it they were but a few, mean, contemptible and inconfiderable Perfons,whom they might eafily fupprefs and deflroy, they would be pretty quiet ^ but when they begin to increafe in the Land, as Jfrad did in Egy^t^ and notwithftanding all the burthens of their Task^mafters, wherewith they are afflided and grieved, do yet increafe abun- dantly, and multiply, and was exceeding mighty, till they begin to fill the Land^ and when they confiilt to deal wifely with them, leaftthey mul- tiply too much, do yet fee them grow and mul- tiply the more, that they know not at what Country, or City, or Town, or Village, or Fa- mily, to begin to fupprefs them •, this is that which doth fo exceedingly vex and inrage the world, and makes them even mad again, as we fee this day. For the increafe of the faithful, as it is the glory of the Church, fo it is the grief and madnefs of the world. But thefe Men in vain attempt againft this inweafe of the faithful, as the Egyptians againft the increafe of the Ifrael- ites ^ for none can hinder the increafe of the Church, but th^^that hinder God from pouring out his Spirit ;;yid according to the meafure of God pouring forth the Spirit, is aud muft be, the increafe of the Church, in defpight of all the cppofition of the world. And thus much touching the firft promife of ti\Q Churches increafe. Now in the words I read to you, the Lord C^omes to another promife ^ fo that the Lord be- caufe of the Churches weaknefs, adds one Pro- inife to another ; and thefe Promifes are nothing but the out' goings and manifeftations of his Lovej &f the truly Chriftian and Spiritual Church. 8i Love, through the Word Chrill. But to look more neerly upon the words. Verf. II. Oh thoit affliEhed, AfRiiftion in theWorld,doth fo infeparably attend tk affd- the C/;;^rcil7,that thtChnrch even takes its denomina- ^^ion of tion from it. Oh thou affii^ed. The condition of the ^^''^ ^"^i^^^^* Church, is an affli^ed Condition. For the Church ^^^^^ycy, being born of God, and born of the Spirit, is put into a direct contrariety to the world, which is born of the fiefli, and is alfo of its father the De-^ vil. And ^o^ the whole world is malignant, a- gainfi; the Faithful and Spiritual Church ^ and all that are not regenerate, fet their faces, yea their hearts and their hands againfl: the Saints \ and the unregenerate world, is againfl: the regenerate ; and the carnal world, againfl: the Spiritual *, and the finful v^rorld, againfl: the righteous \ and all the People and Nations in the world, are againfl that People and Nation, which the Apofl:le calls a holy Nat ion J and <« pecidiar Veofle, As the world cannot endure God in himfelf, fo neither can it endure God in the Saints ^ and fo the more God dwells in the Saints, the more doth the world afflict the Saints \ for they oppofe not the faithful for any thing of fleili and blood in them, but becaufe that fie ill ^nd blood of theirs is the habitation of God, and fee very prefence of God himfelf is thetvv, as he farth, / wUl dwell in them^ and walk in them. Agreeable to this, is that of Chrifi:, wliere he faith, jill this fhall they do to yoH^ for my names f^.kv ; that is, whcii the Name of Chrift is called upon us, and we are taken into his Name, that is, into his righteoufnefs, and life, and trir.h., and v/ifdom, and holinefs, and into his N.sure, which comprehends all this-,, then, when the world perceives the Name of Ciod in iihe Sons of Men, and the Nature of God ia Uie Natures of Men, then prefently they fall a perfecuting t2 The Buildings Beauty^ Teaching^ Sec, perfecuting the Saints, for this Name and Natures fake ; and he that ftrikes at God in his Saints, would if he could, ftrike at God in himfelf. And therefore let the world take heed what they do in this point, for while they perfecute the Saints, they are found fighters againlt God himfelf, be- cause God is one with them, and they are one with God in Chrift. And lea the Saints be ad- monifhed, fo to hide and retire themfelves into God through Chrill, that whoever is an Enemy to them, and oppofes them, may rather be an Enemy to God, and oppofe God than them, they living and ading in. God, and not in them- ielves. Now this affljdion the Church meets with in the world, is profitable for the Church ^ it is good for it, that it fhould be afflided ; for the more it is afflidted in the fiefh, the more it thrives ia the Spirit ^ this aiflidion flirs us up to the exer- cife of our Faith and Prayer ^ yea, then is our Faith mofl adive and vigorous, and our Prayers mofl fervent, till they fill the whole Heavens a- gain ^ then are we mofl in the ufe of the Word 9 then are we fee off furthefl from the world 9 then do we keep clok[b to God ^ then have we neareft intercourfe and communion with him 9 fo that we could better want Fire, and Water, and the Sun, than want Afflidion, which God out of his meer love, through his over-ruling power and wifdom, caufes to work unto us for good. So that we who are placed in the hand of Chriff, are fet in fuch a Condition, wherein nothing; can do us any harm for ever, but Evil it felf mull work Good unto us. But we proceed. Tcjfed with Tempefi, The Spi' Where we fee that the Church is not only chufch ' ^ffl^^^<^? ^^^ violently afflicted j one wave comes viokmiy ag^infl it after another, as in a tempeft , and the of the truly Chriflian and Spiritual Church, 8 ^ more Spiritual the Church is, the more doth the world become as a raging Sea againll it ^ becaule the more Spiritual the Church is made, it isfet ia the more contrariety to the world, and the world to it. The Pfalmifi defcribes this temper in the world againfl: the Churchy They came upon me like a ramfing and a roaring Lyon : And again, They came itpon me^ to eat tip my flepj-^ as they would eat bread. Wlien the Saints have appeared in the Spirit, and aded in the Spirit, how violent and enraged hath the world been againft them ? Ie would tofs them, as in a tempeft, from place to place, from poll to pillar, as they fay, till ic hath quite toll them out of the world. Yea, men naturally meek and moderate,how fierce have they become againfl: the Saints, when there hath ap- peared any glorious difcoveries of Chrifl: in them ? For the enmity, that is in the Seed of the Serpent, againfl: the Seed of the Woman, will be fl:ill breaking forth : And though it may for a time be covered, under many Moral Vertues, and a form of Godlinefs, yet when God leaves them to them- felves, and lets them ad outwardly, according to their inward Principles, how cruelly, and mali- cioufly, and fiercely, and defperately do they ad againfl: the Saints of God ? Yea, there is not that enmity between Turk and Jew, as there is be- tween Carnal Gofpellers, and Spiritual Chrifl:i- ans*, the former hating thefe, and being angry a- gainfl: thefe to the very death. And when ever the Lord (hall fuffer thefe, to exercife their enmi- ty 'againfl: the Church, then fliall the Churches Condition, become fuch as it is here defcribed, af- jl^ ^^i^.-, fiitledj and tojfed with tempeft. tudChunh jind not comforted* in affliflh The Church of God in all the evil it meets on^kxtb m withal in the world, hath not one drop of com-^i'^/^'? fort from the world-, it hath afflidion, tribula-^'^';!)]^ tion, ^ 84 The Building^ Beauty^ Teachings Sec, tion, perfecution from the world, but no com- fort. This we fee in Chrifl the Head ; you know what he fuffered m the world in the days of his flefll ; he was defpifed and rejeBed of men^ and fo full of forrows, that he took his name from them, and was called, A man offorrows^ and acquainted with grief '^ At lall, ouC of meer envy and malice, they apprehended him, bound him, buffeted him, Ipit on him, crucified him ^ and all this would liave been but a fmall matter, to have fuffered from the Heathen, but he fuffered all this from the only vifible Church of God in the World, who put him to the mofl painful and fhamefui death of the Crofs, between two malefadors, to bear the world in hand, that he was the third, and the chief. And in all this evil, he had no body to pitty him, or have compallion on him ^ but they laughed at him, and derided him, and mocked and jeered him, but no body comforted him. And as it was with Ghrift the Head, fo it is with Chrift the Body and Members ^ they in all the evils, and woes, and forrows, and oppofiti- ons, and perfecucions they have from the world, bave no body to comfort them, or take compaf- fion on them. Refuge failed me ffaith David) no man cared for my Sod, Lover and friend haft thou fptt far from me^ and mine acquaintance into dark' nefs^ faith WQm^LWy Pfal. 88. i8. Brethren and Beloved, ye that are partakers of the Heavenly Calling, and of the Divine Nature, if ever the Lord fuffer the World to prevail a- gainft you, to afflid you, and tofs you, from one evil to another, as in a tempell, to reproach you, throw you out of your comforts, banifli you, im- prifon you, &c. you (hall find no body to com- fort you, no body will take notice of you, or re-, gard you, or own you, or pitty yon, or be fo fenfible of the truly Chriflian and Spiritual Church, ^> fenfible of your Condition, as to fay, ^las my Brother, You mull look for afflidion in the World, hut you mud: look for no comfort there. When God fliall caft us into forrows and fufferings, ht us noE look for one worldly man to Hand by us, no noc of thofe thac now fmile upon us, and pretend friendfhip to us; no nor yet of our near Relati- ons ; but then that fhali be fulfilled, / xvas a flranger to my brethren^ an alien to my mothers chil- dren. Nay yet further, they that are weak or worldly Chrillians, will ftand aloof from thee, and will be fliye to own, and countenance, and encourage, and comfort thee publickly. The Dif- ciples of Ghrift, when he was led to the Crofs, they all forfook him, and fled, and hft him to tread the wine j>refs alone. And fo if you fuffer, ia the righteoufnefs and truth of God, you fliall find little comfort from men. O thon affiiEied^ toffed with tempefiy and not comforted. Now this the Lord doth in much mercy to his Saints, he leaves them deflitute of earthly Com- fort, that they may look for heavenly \ he leaves them deflitute of all comfort from men, that they may look for comfort from God alone. And therefore when thou art brought into fuch a cafe, to be ajfliEied and not comforted^ lift Up thy hearE to God, and exped all from him. Saith Chrift", *joh, 1 6. The world ^ all hate you and perfecate yon, and jhall put yon out of their fynagogues^ and i^jall kill yoH\ and in doing all this, Ihall think they do God good fer vice : Bm^ faith he, / will find you the com- forter, Chrifl knew well enough, that among all thefe evils, they (hould have no Comforter on Earth, and therefore promifcs to fend them one from Heaven. And therefore, when thy Soul is placed in af- fii^ion^ never look after any earthly or fenfual, or creature 86 The Buildings Beauty^ Teachings &c. *■ II .1 ■ ■ " ■ — — — — — — creature comforts, for they will prove poiPon to thy Soul ^ buE only look for heavenly comforts, fuch as the Spirit brings, (iich as flow immedi- ately from God , for thefc are pure, and fweet, and unmixed, and refrelhing, and fupporting, and fatisfying, and enduring comforts^ comforts than are able to make thee rejoycc, not only in ful- nefs. but in wants ; not only among friends, buc in the midfl of enemies ; not only in good re- port, but in evil rej^ort •, not only in profpcricy, but in tribulation •, not only in life, but in death \ they will make thee go fiiiging to Prifon, to the Crofs, to the Grave-, they are mighty Comforts, infinitely ftronger than all the Sorows of the flefh ; and hence it is that many Saints and Martyrs have gone cheerfully to the ftake, and fung in the very hamesj the comforts of God in their Souls, have ftrengthned them to this. Thou that art a Believer, and in Union with Chrift, never doubt of this comfort in thy great- eft forrows. WhenChrift had none to ftand by him and comfort him, God fent an Angel from Heaven to do it : And fo when we are left alone in the world, rather than we fhali want comfort, God will fend us an Angel from Heaven to com- fort us \ yea, the Spirit it felf, which is greater than all the Angels in Heaven^ and we fhall cer- tainly be comforted by God, when we are af- flitled and tojfed with temfefty and not comforted by Men. Beholdy I will lay thy flones with fair colours^ &C. The sfin- Xhe Lord feeth the Church in its afflidion, rSf^ h ' without all comfort m the world, and then the Maion^ Lord comes and comforts it himfelf, and this he comfoned doth by a Promife. They are the fweeteft com- hy d pro- forts, that are brought to us in the Promifes. '^ifi' The Promifes are the fwadling-clothes of Chrift, they carry Chrift wrapt up ia them ; and Chrift reprefeated of the truly Chriflian and Sp'mtual Church, 87 reprefented to the Church, hath been the com- fort of it, in all its evils, outward or inward. And therefore whatever afflidion cakes hold oa thee, have recourfe to the promifes, to draw thy comforts from Chrifl through them. Oh how fweet is that life that is led in the promifes ! a life led ia the promifes, is the beft life in the world. Men that have Eflaces in Money or Land, depend on thofe things for their mainte- nance, but a Chriflian may have little or nothing of thefe in the world, but he hath a promife, which is a thoufand times better, and makes his life more comfortable : / am God All-faff cie?it \ and, / win not fail thee nor for fake thee ^ whereupon he comes to this refolution, 71?^ Lord is my por-^ tiop^ faith my foid^ 1 will trnfl in him, O how fweet a life is this life, that knows no cares, nor fears, nor troubles, nor difquietments 1 here, faith a Believer, lies my Eflate, and Living, and the Lot of mine Inheritance^ and this is a thou- fand times better and more certain Eflate, than all the Mannors and Lordfhips in the Kingdom ; for, my bread fljall he given we, my waters jhall he fure j 71?^ Lord is my jhepherd-f and Ifiall not want ; no not then, when the Lyons (the great Men of the Kingdom, to whom every poor man is a prey) pfjall lack and fnffer hunger. He that hath given me his own Nature and Spirit, will nos leave me deflitute of food and cioathing. Take another Inflance. A Man feeling the bitternefsofafflidion toflefh and blood, is ready to think, Oh how fnall I ever be able to fiifier this or that, or to part with my Relations, with my Eflate, with my Life, and all that is near and dear unto me ? Why, when a Chriflian lays hold on the proraife, Gcd is faithful^ and will not fuffer Hs to be tempted above that which we are able. O, faith a Chriflian, God will never bring me to an/ 88 The Buildings Beauty^ Teaching, Sec, any temptation or trial, but he will give me ftrength proportionable to it, or above it; and fo lives facisficd with the truth, and goodnefs, and power of God. And thus you fee in thefe inftances., that a Life led in the promifes, is the fweeteft and befl Life; when a Man can draw all from God himfelf, through a promife. And this in general, That God comforts his Church by a Promlie. But to come more particularly to the words. Behold^ 1 will lay thy fiones with fair colonrs^ and lay thy foundations with Saphires. Verf. 12. And I will make thy windows of y^ga* teSj and thy gates of Carbuncles^ and all thy 'borders of pie aj ant jl ones, jlefpechl The Promiic relates to the Spiritual Church of promife the New-Teftament ; and this you fhall obferve, ikt con- J5 Qfj. j^^ Scripcure compared to a Building, and Cyurcl h ^^^^ ^^ ^ ^^^ ftately, fumptuous, magnificentE that aWand glorious Building, as being all built of pre- hmfelf cious ilones, and fo more glorious than the firlt fiall build Xemple, which was ^uilt up of common Ilones ; ^^ T^^^'and it was Propbtiied, that the glory of the fe- ^ cond Temple fhould far exceed the glory of the firll. The firfl Temple was Solomons^ which was indeed filled with the outward prefence of God ; but the fecond Temple is the humanity of Jefus Chrift, or the flefli of Chriil, both Head and Members*, this is the living Temple of the living God ; the Temple that God hath built by his Spi- rit, for his own Habitation, wherein God dwells truly, really, fpiritually, and moft neerly, by the way of the mod near Union, whereby God and the Creature are knit together ; and this Sp> ritual Temple is more glorious than the firft ma- terial one, either according to the firll edition of it by Solomon^ or the fecond edition of it by the Fathers, in the days of Cyr^, Dmns^ and Artax^ erxes. Here of the truly Chriftia/i and Spiritual Church. 89 Here then you fee, that the Lord promifech to build up the Church of the New-Teflament, viitlx ftones of fair colours^ with precious floues. i will not fland to enquire particularly into the natures of the feveral ftones here named; for the Jews themfelves do not fully agree about them. It fhall be fufficient for us to attain to the mean- ing of the Spirit in this place, and that is this. That the Spiritual Church of the New-TcHa- ment, is not to be built with common, but with precious ftones. Now the full fenfe of thefe words I Ihall give you forth in feveral Particulars. I. You fee here the matter of which the Church % ^^^^^^ of the New-Teftament is made \ and that is not ji "^'^A^ of common, but of precious ftones ; eled and [[^^i ^^ precious ftones *, and fuch are the faithful : For, church h 1. They have a more excellent nature than o- maU» ther men have ; for they are horn of God^ and fo partake of the nature of God ; and fo in this {kn^Q may be faid to come forth from God, as the Child from the Father; and the Lord Jefus did not more truly partake of the nature of Man, ^ than thefe do partake of the nature of God ; and therefore faith Teter^ Great and preciow promifes are made to hSj that we fljonld be partakers of the di" vine nature. Others have only the nature of men in them, or which is worfe, the nature of the De- vil \ but the faithful, have in them the nature of God, communicated to them through a New Birth. 2. They have a more excellent Spirit than o- thers have \ as it was faid of Daniel^ that there was a more excellent Spirit found with him, than with all the other wife men. Now the excellency of each Creature, is according to the Spirit of it, but the Saints have the Spirit of God, even the Spirit of the Father and the Son dwelling in them ^ G they 90 The Building^ Beauty^ Teaching^ Sec, they have the fame Sph'it of God dwelling ia their flefh, as Chrift had dwelling in his flelli *, fo that the very Spirit of God is found in the faith- ful, and therefore they are more glorious than the reft of che world. 3. They have a more excellent luftre than o- ther Men. One thing that appertains to the ex- cellency of precious Itones, is the luftre of them. Now tills luftre in the Faithful, is the glory of God upon them : The Lord jhall arife upon thee^ and his glory jhall be feen upon thee^ faith Jfaiahj Ch. 60. And Paid faith, fVe all^ beholdi?7g as in a glafs^ the glory of the Lordj are changed into the fame image^ from glory to glory^ even as by the Spirit of the Lord, So that as Chrift was taken into tht glory of the Father^ fo are we taken into the glory ofChrifi^ as he faith, J oh. 17. J^nd the glory which thou gaveji me^ I have given them *, for the Head and Members are taken into the fame glory, according to their proportion. 4. They have more excellent operations ; for the Faithful are not fuch precious ftones that are only for (hew, but they have alfo fomeof Vertue In them, even the very Vertues of Jefus Chrift; for they having the fame Nature and Spirit of God as he had, are able according to the meafiire of the gift of Chrift, to do the fame works that he did ; and fothe Saints are excellent, in the ope- rations oi Faith J Hope^ Love^ H^imility^ Meeknefs^ T^tiencCy Temperance^ Heavenly - mindednefs^ &:c. And in this regard alfo are more precious than the reft of the World. And therefore the Lord calls them his jewels \ In the day wherein I make up my Jewels '^ and elfewhere they are called the precious Sons of Sion, The People of God are a moft precious People, IMen arid Women of a pre- cicHs anointing ', though fome wicked and fcurri- ious Libellers, againft the Spiritual Church, will 110$ of the truly Chriftian and Spiritual Church. 91 not allow them this Name \ but (according to ^ the anointing they have received from Satan) re-' pioach it. And yet ftili it is a truth, that the gates of Hell (hall not prevail againfl. Tliat the truly Faithful are pr^ri^/ii jtonts in the building of the Church, partaking of the Nature and Spirit of God, and of the luftre and operatiou of both. Whereas, on the contrary, other People are the vile of the earthy the tiUQ filth and off-fcourlvg of all things, Vfd. i 5. In whofe eycs^ a vile Terfon is contemned ^ a Man that is a natural man, a [tri- lul and imregenerate man, who hath no other nature in him, but that corrupt nature he brought into the world, though in this prefent world he jnay be a Gentleman, or a Knight, or a Noble- Man, or a King ^ yet in the eyes of God and his Saints, he ..is but a vile Perfon ; and a poor mean Chriftian that earns his bread by hard labour, is a chouiand times more precious and excellent than he, according to the Judgment of God and his Word. And thus much for the firft thing, the matter of which the Church of the New-Teftament is made, that is of precious flones. 2. Now the next thing obferveable, is the va- 7hs vmg: riety of thefe precious ilones. For the Spiritual (y 4 ths Church is not built up of precious ilones of one |^*^^^'^"^ fort only, not all of Saphlres^ or all of jigates^ ^^ thrLiU^ .ill of CarbimcUs \ but of all thefe \ both Saphlres^ i;.,g 0} th^ jigates^ CarhnncleSf and many other prcciofts ft ones spiritual of fair colours. Church* And this notes the diverfity of gifts in the Saints of God. For though all of them are pre- cious ftones, yet they are of diverfity of colours, and luftre, and operations : And this alfo make,s for the greater glory of the Church-, for the va- riety of luftre adds to the Beauty and Ornament G z of 9^ The Buildings Beauty^ Teachings Sec, of it. In the Body of a Man, there is not one member, but many. If the Body were all but one member, it would be buc a lump of flefh, but the variety of members, with their feveral gifts and operations, are the glory of the Body. And fo it is in the Church, the Body of Jefus Chrift, wherein are divers members, with diverlity of gifts and operations, ex'cellently fct forth by Faul^ I Cor, 1 2. 4. &C. Now there are diverfities of gifts ^ hut the fame Spirit : And there are differences ofad- miniflratlons^ but the fame Lord ^ and there are di* verftties of operations j but it is the fame God that worketh all in all. But the manifefiatian of the Spirit is g^iven to every one to profit withal : For to one.^ is (Jtven by the Spirit^ the word of vrifdom \ to another ^ the word of knowledge^ by the fame Spirit '^ to another^ faith by the fame Spirit ^ to another^ the gift of heal- ing by the fame Spirit ; to another^ the Working of miracles ; to another^ prophecie \ to another ^ difcern- ing of Spirits ; to another^ divers hinds of tongues ; to another^ interpretation of tongues \ but all thefcj worketh that one and the fame Spirit^ dividing to every man^ feverally as he will. Here you fee, are di- verfities of gifts, and adminiflrations, and opera- tions in the Faithful, but all proceed from one and the fame Spirit *, and whatfoever gift pro- ceeds from the Spirit, there is an excellent beau- ty, a Heavenly luflre in it. And therefore labour to diflinguifh between thofe gifts that are co-natural to thee, and flow from thy own Spirit, and thofe gifts that arefu- pernatural, and flow from Gods Spirit. In all the operations of thine own Spirit, in all thy na- tural abilities, parts, wifdom, learning, actings, there is nothing but iinglorioufnefs, deformity, darkuefs, death, how fpecious foever they may appear to the world ^ but in tlie gifcs and opera- tions that flow from Gods Spirit, there is a Hea- venly of the truly Ch rift Ian and Spiritual Church, 9^ venly beauty, and luftre and glory; yea, even in weak Chriflians, thac are true Chriftians, you (hall ofE fee and difcern an excellent beauty in fome gift or other, wiiich they have received from the Spirit, which fhines not forth fo clearly, m fome flronger Chriflians. And therefore let us not expeft all gifts in all men, and that every man lliould excell in every gift \ for then one would be faying to another, I have no need of thee. BuE God hath given diverfity of gifts to divers Saints, that each may acknowledge fomeching in ano- ther, which he hath not himfelf, and may reckon bis perfedion to lie in his Union and Communion with them ; that fo the Communion of Saints may be kept up in the world, in defplght of the world. One Chriftian hath the gift of Faith, a- nother the gife of Prayer, another the gift of Utterance in Preaching, another the gift of Cou- rage, another the gift of Meeknefs, and the like ^ and no man hath all things in himfelf, that every man in the fight of his own wants, may be kepc humble. And this is a glorious thing in this Building, that the luflre of each flone, adds to the luftre of all *, and the luftre of all, is commu- nicated to each ftone ; and fo in the Spiritual Building, what one hath from the Spirit, it is for all \ and what all have, is for each one. If thou haft the gift of utterance in the miniftration of the Spirit, it is to build up me*, if I have the Spirit of Prayer, it commends thee as carefully to God as my felf ; one watches over another, as over his own Soul ^ and if any be weak, the llrong fupport them •, if any be doubtful, they that have the gift of knowledge dired them. If one be troubled, the reft mourn with him; if one be comforted, the reft rejoyce with him; and they are all fo linked together in the body of Chrift, thai the good and evil of one extends to all. G 3 Where 94 The Building^ Beauty^ Teachings See. Where thou canflfind fuch another Communion, there joyn thy felf^ but if this be -the only excel- lent Communion in the world, who would noc willingly joyn himfelf to that Spiritual People, where no man calls his grace his own, but all gifts are in common among all, every one having a diare in the faith, hope, love, prayer, peace, joy, wifdom-, ftrength of all ^ and all having a iliare in thefc gifts and graces, that are in any . brie? And thus much for the diverfity of the (tones, as well as the precioufnefs of them. 7k sfi- 3. The third thing, that reveals the fenfe of the riiuil Words, iSjto obferve, that this Spiritual Building of Church IS 'ti-ieChurch of the New Teftament.is made up all of tvhof^ pr^a(?^ ftones^ v;ithouG any mixture of common precious itoties *, is made up of S^pkV^;, jigates^ Carhnndes^ Jio/'cs. and adds, ^??d ail thy borders of^leafantftones. . Here then mult be no mingling, of the precious land the vile, the holy and the prophane, the faithful'and the unbeliever, the fpiritualand the carnally biit all mufl: be precious. If a Man had a Jev^^el, that had here and there only a precious 'ffoiie in it, and all the reft common pebbles,there Jwbuld be no great glory in fuch a Jewel •, but the cdrnmon ftones, would take off from the luftre of the precious ones : And fo the Church, is God's Jewel in the world, and it mull be made up only of precious flones, as you fee here. And where are their eyes,' that perceive not this? There be feme that talk much againft New Dodrine, which is the old reproach of the Gof- pel .; but furely there was never newer Dodrine than this. That the Spiritual Church of the New Te^ .fiamsnt^ pjould be made up of all the Feople that live '.in,.a\Kingdorn '^ and that all that are born in fuch a JSTation^ jhoiild veceffarily be flones for the building Hp the New Jeriifalem, This is a new Dodrine in- deedj which neither the Old nor the New Tella- menl of the truly Chnfttan and Spiritual Church. 95 ment owns \ but was conveyed into the World by the Spirit of Antichrifl. For God doth not now make any People, or Kindred, or Nation his Church ^ but gathers his Church out of every Peo- ple, and Kindred^ and Nation^ and none can be ftones of this Building, but thofe that are firfl Eled, and after made precious, through a new Birth, and the gift of the Spirit. And this Do- dtrine, the Word will juflifie againit the World ; for ?iid writing to the Churches of Ephefas and Corimhj &c. doth he mean all the People that lived at Ephefm or Corinth f' No, but the Faithful and Eled, Children by adoption. Saints by call- ing ^ and faith, So it was meet for him to jitdge of them all. And if any were miitaken for a baint that was none, furely he carried himfelf very like one ^ he was outwardly in fheeps cloathing, or he had not been reckoned among the flock ^ and fo, if a Hone be taken into this Building, that is noE truly precious, yet it is fo like one, in fhew and colour, that it can hardly be difcerned to be the other, but by a very skilful Lapidary. And in- deed, fuch a miftake there may be in Chrifl's Kingdom here, that a few counterfeit ftones may be taken up among many precious ones ; but that is the miftake of a falfe Church, where a thou- fand Icounterfeit ones are taken in for one truly precious •, wherein for one faithful Chriftian,there are many Formalifts, and many more prophane. This is not fuch a Building the Prophet fpeaks of, for this is all of Eled and Precious ftones. But I cannot enlarge on thefe things, becaufe this Ex- ercife, I intend chiefly as an Expofiiion; only I will add one or two things more, touching this particular, and fo go on. I. If the Church of the New Teftament, is to be built all of precious ftones, what a Building is that, wh^re the only care is, to keep thefe G 4 ftones 96 The Beauty^ Building^ Teachings &c. ftones out of the Building, left by their glory and iuftre, they Ihould darken the reft. 2. Confider, when the Church Ihall be built up all offuch precious ftones, what a glorious Church will that be, when the glory of the Lord fhall fhine forth in every ftone of this Building? How will there be then glory upon glory, till the glo- ry of the Church, firft darken, and then put out all the glory of the World ? 3. Confider, what great Enemies they are to the true and native glory of the Church, that would have every man in a Kingdom, a member of the Church, and would have thofe taken into the flock, that are none of Chrifts fheep ; and thofe taken into the Church of God, that are mot of God ; and would gather up any ftones, to make up this Temple of God. Thefe are the Men, that would keep off thofe glorious things from being fulfilled in the Church, which are fpoken of it, in the Word. /^' f "'/* 4- ^^^ 2^^ ^° ^^^^ notice,whois theBuilder of fuch spimuaf ^ Strudure as this, all made up of precious Stones ; ^kurch is 3nd you fhall find in the word, that the bmlder and i;od, maker of it^ is God, I will do it^ faith the Lord; behold, / will lay thy ftones with fair colours^ and J will lay thy fomdations with Saphires^ and I will make thy windows ofjiggates. It is all God's Work, from she beginning to the end *, for who can build unto God, a living Temple to dwell in, but himfelf ? This the Prophet ipeaks plainly, where he faith. The man whofe name is the branchy he Jhall bnild the Temple of the Lord^ even he fhall build it. It lies in the power of no man, to make fuch a building as this is : What wild and woful work do men make, when they will undertake to be building the Church, by their own humane Wifdom, and Pru- dence and Counfcl? when they think, we will liave the Church of God, thus and thus ; and we will ^J the truly Chrijhan and Spiritual Church, 97 will make it up, of fuch and fuch Men , and we will govern it, by fuch and fuch Laws, and we will get the Power of the Magiftrate to back ours *, and then, what we cannot do by the Power of the Word and Spirit, we will do by the Power of Flefh and Blood : Poor men! that think that thefe new Heavens, wherein the Lord will dwell, mud be the Work of their own Fingers ; or that the New Jeriifalem mufl of necefTicy come out of the Aflembly, which is to come down from God out of Heaven ; or that they can build the Houfe of God, all of precious ftones, whereas this muft be God's own work, and his own doing ^ and no State or Counfel in the World, can bring this a- bout; and after much Trial, and Pains andWea- rinefs, the Lord will at lafl teach his own, that the gatherings and laying thefe precious ft ones together ^ muft be the Lord^s own doings even his own doing. When the Building of the Church is left to men, how wofully is it managed ? why faith one, we mud needs admit fuch an one, he is the chief Man in the Parifh, or he is a Man of good Efteem in the world, or he is a Noble Man, or he is my near Kinfman, or is thus and thus related to me, or he is a good civil fair dealing man, and we muft needs admit him ; and thus will Flelh and Blood be ever making a Carnal Temple for God to dwell in •, butXjod'strue Habitation can never be framed but by the Spirit, And therefore, for the building of the Church, let us look higher than the higheft Inftruments ; for it niufl: be the Lord's own work, by the Word and Spirit : And though every man beagainft it, and oppofe it, yet the Lord will do it ; when there are no hands to build it up, he will build it up without hands. I will lay thy fiones with, &c. ll follows. Ver. 1.. •.' V qS I he Building, Beauty, Teaching^ 8cc. Ver. 13. ^nd thy Children fhall he taught of the Lord^ and great foall be the peace of thy Children, 'ih^Tctch- See here, how the Prophet by the Spirit, car- er of ^^thc ries up the Saints above all viable and fenlible spiriuul things, even as high as God himfelf ^ God (faith Church is i^Q 1-0 i-he Church ) fhall build thee, and God fhall ^^ ' teach thee*, all thy children fhall he ta^tght of the Lord-^ The Note is this, That all the true and genuine chil- dren of the Churchy have God^s own teachings in all the things of God \ they have the Father and the Son to t^ach them by the Spirit. This Truth, Chrifl; himfelf confirms, where he faith, It is written^ that they fliallbe all taught of God ^ he therefore that heard and learned of my Father^ ccmeth to me. And again, The fpirit when he is come^ he fliall lead you into all truth : Which Dodrine John after preached thus, J Joh, 2. 27. The anointings which ye have received of him^ abidtth inyow^ and ye need not that any man pjould teach yoUj but as the fame anointing teacheth you all things. Hereby now we perceive, how few true Chil- dren of the Church there be, among thofe who are commonly called Chriflians ^ for among all thefe, how few are there who have the teaching of God ? but mofl have theix> teaching only from men, and no higher. Confider therefore I pray, whether the Know- ledge you have, be from the teaching of God, or ., the teaching of Man •, you all pretend to know, that Chrifl is the Son of the living God^ and that Redemption and Salvation is by^him alone ; but how came he by this knowledge? did you read \t in the letter? or did fome body tell you fo? or hath God himfelf taught you this ? For no man knows the Son but the Father^ and he to whom the Fa- ther will reveal him'j and therefore when Peter faid, thou art Chnfi the Son of the living Gody Chrifl; aafwered, fiejh md blood hath not taught thee this, bm of the truly ChrijVian and Spiritual Church. 99 but my Father which is in heaven. And fo, though all of you profefs your felves Chriftiaiis, yet none of you know Chrilt truly, but only fuch as are taught of the Father. And this holds in all other points, as touching Calling, and Faith, and Union, and Juflification, and Sandilication, and the Gifc and Sealing of the Spirit, touching the Spiritual Kingdom of Chrift, and the Government of it ; oh coniider, whether you have the teaching of ! God in thefe things or no ; and li you have not he teaching of God, you are none of the Chil- dren of the Church j whatever Truth thou know- [1 from the letter, if thou haft not the teaching j of the Spirit, it will do thee no good ^ thou know- ! eft not any thing Spiritually and Savingly, where- I in thou haft not the teaching of God, All thy Chi- ! dren jhall be taught of the Lord. And therefore, what a fad thing is it, when Men look for their teaching no farther than men ? they only look to the Minifter, pr to fuch an able learned, Orthodox Man, as they phrafe it; or at the higheft, to the JJfembly *, and what they (hall teach them, they are refolved to ftand by ic, and build upon it, for their Foundation ; in the mean time, never regarding in truth, the teach- ing of God : But fay, what can fo many grave, learned, godly men err? and (hall not we believe what they determine ? why now thefe are none of the Children of the Spiritual Church 5, for they neither have Gods teaching, nor care for it; but the Spiritual Church is all taught of God. OhjeUion. But you will fay, doth God teach, without means? Anfwer. I Anfwer, no \ God teacheth, but it is by the Word, and that chiefly Jn tlie Mi- niftry of it ; and be that pretends to be taught of God without the Word, is not taught of Cnd. And therefore no Man is to defpife the I GO The Buildings Beauty^ Teachings Sec, the Miniftry of the Word, which is God's own Ordinance, and to depend upon I know not what Revelations, and Infpeakings without the v/ord; feeing God teacheth all his Children by the word, and none without it. And therefore it is not the Prophets meaning, when he faith, all thy Children ^all he taught of the Lord^ that they fhould negled: and defpife the Word, and the Miniftry of it \ but that we ought fo to ufe the Word and the Means, as not to look for our teaching from them, but from God himfelf, in and through them ^ and when you come to hear, not to think, 1 will hear what Mr, ftch an one^ or lAv,fHchone ■will fay, but with the Pfalmiil, / will hear what the Lord God wilUfay. And truly, I would not care to hear what any man in the world would fay, in whom Chrifl: himfelf did not fpeak. Now much more might be faid of this teaching of God (but that I intend brevity in all) as name- ly, that this teaching, 1. Is a clear and evident teaching, that you fhall have certainty in what you are taught ^ and fnall be fo taught of God, that no Man or Angel fhall be able to unteach you again. 2. It is an inward teaching, though by the out- ward Word \ reaching to the inward Soul and Spirit, to the hidden man of the heart. 3. It is a fuccefsful teaching ; he fo teaches as men learn \ he that hath heard and learned of my -father ^ hearing and learning go together s he teaches Faith, and we believe j Humility, and we are humble^ Patience, and we endure, &c. But I cannot enlarge any farther in this point. .^^^-^^'-It follows. ^Church be. ^^^ great fljall be the peace of thy children, i?ig taughr That is, when men are taught of God^ then 0/" Goi, tj there is nothing but peace among them; when peaceable ^^^ comcs, and teacheth thee, and rae, and ano- f^^^J^^j. ther. ther, of the truly Chrijlian and. Spiritual Church. ici ther, and many, then we all agree, becaufe voe are all taught of God^ and fee all things, by the lame light, and apprehend all things, by the fame knowledge, and perceive all things, by the fame Spirit, becaufe all have the fame teaching. And fo, they that are tanght of God, though one come out of the Eafl, and another out of the Weft, and another out of the South, and never had any former communion together, yet they all agree in the fame truth, and think and fpeak the fame things; and fo there is Love and Amity, and Peace and Unity among them, becaufe they are all taught of God, and have learned the truth, not as it is in this or that Man, or Aflembly of Men, but as it is in Jefus. And truly, this is the true ground of all the differences and difrentions,and heats that are in the Kingdom at this time, to wic, becaufe fbme are taught of God^ and fome are not taught of Godj but men only *, the Carnal Church is only taught of Men, and goes no higher ; but the Spi- ritual Church, is truly taught of G'W. Now they that are taught of God, and they that are taught of Men, fee the fame truths with a great deal of difference, and hereupon arifes the Controverfie and Quarrel ; for one will have the truth, as he fees it in the light of God, and another will have it, as he apprehends it in his own fancy -, and the Carnal Man, will not yield to the Spiritual ; and the Spiritual Man, cannot yield to the Car- nal. Saith one, this is the mind of Cod, and I have learned it from his own teaching •, faith ano- ther, this is not the mind of God, for^uch a learned Minifter, or Minifters, tcUight-me~other- wife, and fo I apprehend it •, and thus as the fiefli and Spirit are contrary, fo are their teachings, and hence our divifions and troubles. But when Men, are all taught of God, then they aie all at peace I02 The Building^ Beauty^ Teaching^ See. peace one with another, and all do agree in the l| fubftance of the truth of theGofpel^ and if Tome do not know, the fame things they do, they can wait with patience, till God alfo reveal that un- to them ^ for they know with all their hearts, that they themfelves could never have known thofe things, except God had taught them j and fo they cannot be angry at others, whom the Lord as yet hath not vouchfafed to teach ^ and ib they are meek, and gentle towards all, as befeenis the Spirit, as well as at peace among themfelves. ,-^11 thy Children fh all be taught of the Lord^ and great Jhali he the peace of thy children: For they know, that no man is higher or lower than another, in the Kingdom of God, but all are equal in Jefus Chriftj they know that no man can challenge Chrilt, more to himfelf, than another, but ail liave equal intereft in him, and Chrift is alike neer to all, in whom he dwells ; yea, they all as willingly communic^t • their own things to the Brethren, as they themfelves do partake of Chrids things, and fo there is nothing but peace. When Men know, that no Man is any tiling in himfelf, but every one is all that he is, in Chrift ^ and when Men love Chr iff, meerly for himfelf ^ and where they fee moft of Ghrifl, there love mofl, and if Chrift be more in another, than him- felf, can love fuch a one more than himfelf, noli for his own fike, but for Chrifts fake ^ then there h nothing^ bat peace. Great jljall be the peace of thy children, Verf. 14. In righteonfnefs (Ijalt thou he eftabliflied &c. 7k ejlt' This Spiritual Church had need of eftablifh- Ui]hne?it ment; for, when God hath done all this for it, %fritiial ^"^^^^^ ^^ '^'"^^^^ '-^"^^^ ^^' ^^^^ taught it himfelf, it clmrch. ^"^^^^ "^^ vj^vx trouble and oi^pofition, and contra- diction, andperfecution in the World, and there- fore of the truly ChrijVian and. Spirit u a I Church. i o:^ fore it ftands in great need of eftabliflimenr. Buc how fhall chis be done ? Why faith he, In righteoufnefs fhalt thou he eftabltfJied. That is, not by any outward power or force, or armies, or fortifications, or faclions, or con- federacies^ all thefe are buc a itaffof reed ^ but in righteoufnefs *, and that is, both in the righte- oufnefs of Chrifl received by us, and working in us: The firit is, tht righteoufnefs cf jnfltfication \ the fecond is, the rigloteoufnefs of [anclijlcmion^ and our eftablifhment lies in both, 1. In the rhhteoiifnefs of^uftification^ which is called the righteoufnefs of Faith^ or Chrifc's own righteoufnefs, received into us: And in this fenfe it is faid. Except ye believe^ ye jhall never he efta- bliihed : For by Faith we partake of the righte- oufnefs of God through Chrift *, and this is an in- finite, and everlalting righteoufnefs, that hath neither fpot nor blemifli in it ^ this is able to ella- blifh us for ever and ever; fo that the Church, hath no more eflablifhment, than it hath of the righteoufnefs of Chrift by Faith \ and as the Church goes from Faith to Faith, fo it goes from EUa- blifhraent to Eflablifnment. 2. Our Eftabiiiliment lies in the righteoufnefs of our Sandification ; which is nothing but Chrilt working in us, as the former was ChriH dwel- ling in us •, for the fame Chrift that is the righte- oufnefs of our jultification, is the righteoufnefs of our fandification. Now the eftablifhment of the Church is, when we let the righteoufnefs of Chriffc work all in us, and we work all in the righteouf- nefs of Chrift-, then are we eftablifiied mightily and invincibly indeed • and how much the Chri- ftians fwerve from this Rule, fo much they be- come weak and unfetled : Sometimes Chriftians will be living out of Chrift in themfelves, and Ihey will be movingj and afting, and w^orking according 7 G4 The Bialdingy Beauty^ Teachings Sec. according to humane wiPdom and prudence, and the counfels and devices of flefh and blood, but ia all this they have no eilablifhment at all. And therefore ye that are Faithful, fee to it, that ye turn not afide neither to the right hand, nor to the iefr, through any worldly hopes or fears, buE do ye live and a^ in the righteoufnefs of Chrilt ^ and as the Lord lives, though you have King- doms and Nations for your Enemies, you fhall not be moved, but fliall be eltablilhed more firnily than the Earth. And therefore I pray confider your Eftablifh- nient, where it lies, and that is in Righteouf* nefs, and in Righteoufnefs only. Some truft to this flrength, and fome to that*, fome to this aid, and fome to that, but the Spiritual Church fcorns to truft to any Creature for eftablilhment, but looks to be eftablifht only in righteoufnefs ^ and becaufe of this, neither Men nor Devils fhall pre- vail againft it. And therefore you that are of this Temple and Building which is made by God, feeing you have lb many enemies on all hands^ pray look to your eftablifhment, which is in righ- teoufnefs : In righteoufnefs [halt thou be efiablijhed. Thou jljah be Jar from opprejjiorj^ for thoH (Ijalt not fear\ and from terror^ for it [hall not come near thee, the spu '^^^ f^^^ 3"^ terror he fpeaks of here, is inward rituil fear and terror, from which the Church fhall be church be- (yqq^ m the midft of all outward evils-, for tho' ^^'5*^'^^'^ the Church be full of Danger and Perfecution ^•{l^^j/^ ^^ without, yet it is free from fear and terror with f^xr ani «« 9 N^Y? the Church hath trouble without, but terror, peace within -^ afflidion without, joy within j weaknefs without, ftrength within*, Imprifon- ment without, liberty within*, perfecution with- out, concent within: Againft all the Sorrows and Sufferings on the Flefh, they have refrefhings, comforts. of the tT'uly Chrijlian iuid Spiritual Umrch. \o% comforcs, hopes, fvveetneflcs, rejoycings, tri- umphs in the Sj)irit; and fo in the micllb of evil, are free from evil ^ and in the midll of fufierings are free from pain \ vea, they rejoyce in tribula- tions, and in the midltof evil, are fiil'd and f^if- fied with good. Verf. 15. Behold they fhall fnrely rather together^ hnt not by me: whofoever jliall gather together againfl thee^ jhall fall for thy fake, A very ftrange thing it is, that the Spiritual 7/^c? tfor/ii Church, being thus builded, and taught, and e-^^"!^^^>>^' Itdbliflit, any fliould yet befo blind, and mad,f^^.;;|^^^^^^^ as to ingage againfl it^ and yet the world, andc/;«r^^, the carnal Church efpecially doth this^ yea, the tim buih^ more pure and Spiritual the Church is, the more ^'^"^^^M^^^ enmity the world and Formaliils have againll it. </^'^^"J"^' Behold they (hall fnrely gather together. When they fhall fee the Churches gathering to- gether into the true Communion of Saints, then will they gather themfelves together againfl the Churches; And why do thele men blame the Churches, for gathering together unto Chrifl, when they themfelves gather together againfl; the Church, as we daily lee? Indeed thegatheiing ' together of the Saints, the v;orld doth moH hate of all other things : Oh, this is a dreadful and terrible thing to them ; it makes their hearts ake within them, and loofeth the joynts of their loyns-, they think, their exaltation, will be their own abalemene; and their gathering together, their own fcattering •, and their glory, their own /hame, and their ftrength, their own undoing ^ andout of thefe Conceits the world ads, fo flrong- ly and furiouily, to fcatter abroad again^ Chrifts own gatherings together. But the Lord hath de- creed and promifed, to hew that little flone of Chrifls Spiritual Church, out of the moHntam of the worlds withQHt hands-i and will certainly accomplifli H ic. io6 The Building^ Beauty^ Teaching^ 8cc, ic, and is now about thai very bufinefs •, bue ihe world, that never looks beyond fenfe, they think this is furely a Plot of ours^ and that we have a great Dcfign in hand ; and fo we have indeed, bi3C the Defign is notour Defign, but Gods, con- trived in Eternity, and difcovered to Daniel^ chap. 2. and this is the fetting up a Kingdom of Saints in the worlds under Chrifi the King of Saint Sj wherein the People (hall live alone in point of Spiritual Worfliip and Communion, nnd fhall have nothing to do with the reft of the Nations, This coun- fel of God begins to be accomplilhed, and the world thinks that we are fubtile, and we are mighty, whereas they are clearly miftaken in us; for the wifdom and ftrength, whereby this is doiie, is Gods and not ours. For it is the Lord muft build this Spiritual Church, and fet it up in the world, and preferve it againft the world, and caufe it to increafe, till it fills the world j ib that the defign and the accomplifhment of it, belongs to God, and not to us ^ and they that are difplea- fed at it, let them go and quarrel againft God ; and fo they will certainly do, through the ope- ration of the Devil ^ Behold^ faith he, they Jhall furely gather together: As foon as ever the Church feparates from the world, the world gathers to- | gether againft the Church. i Yea, this place is not only to be underftood of i thofe that are open Enemies without the Church, but of a Generation in it, that are not of it ; and fo the gathering together againft the Church, ihalj be in the Church, and fo Calvin interprets and fuch a thing will affuredly come to pafs, that the Church as well as the Kingdom will haveDo- meftick Enemies ; it hath been fo in all Ages, and what wonder will it be, if it be fo in this?! The firft Divifion in this Kingdom, was between i commcn Profeffion^ and ojen Frofhancnejs j and if ever' ; of the truly Chrijhan and Spiritual Church. 107 ever there be another^ ie is like to lie becweeu the form and the power of Godliiiefs ^ and the Children that arc born after the Fiejh^ will lip mid bs terfcCHting them that are born after the Sprit ^ and the deepeji wounds ive jhali receive^ will be in the houfe of oar friends '^ not our friends indeed, biic of fuch who feem to be fo^ for they pray as well as we, and preach, and hear, and receive the Sacraments, and ufe the fame Ordinances wich us, and yet their enmity, of all other, will be the greatefb againft us j and we fhali receive deeper wounds in the houfe of thefe friends ^ than ia the fircets of our enemies. They iliail gather to- gether in thee, againft thee. But not by me. The Saints gather together by God, having the Spirit of God to bring them into Union and Communion •, but the Carnal Church gathers to- gether, againft the Spiritual, not by God, but without him, for worldly bafe ends and interefts, and profits, and advantages. But mark the end of fuch gathering together. Whofoever jljali gather together againfi thee^ (Jjall fall for thy fake. We have feen the accomplifhment of this pro- 7*/;^ ^orU mife with our eyes •, even a great Party, of the ^^^^^^ Z^" .^ greateft Men in the Kingdom, as well as of mean{)5^^y „^. ones, gathered together againft the Church, hut deruking all fallen: What is become of the great ?owQr^ agiii?j ft rhs and Armies, that were in the Weft and the-^ij^'^^'^"'^^ North, and other parts of the Kingdom? are^^"^ chey not fallen through the ftrength of this Pro- mife ? and if any new Party fhall arife up again, they fliall alfo fall in like manner. For thy fake. For the Lord loves the Church, the Body of Chrift, even as he loves Jefus Chrift himfelf j thou hafi loved them^ as thou hafi loved me 3 he loves H 2, Head io8 The Budding^ Beauty^ Teachings Sec, Head and Members, with the fame love. Jhe Lords People are his portion on Earth, as he is theirs in Heaven, and fo he will give Nations and King- doms for them^ and hath laid, the Nations and Kingdoms that will not ferve thce^ jhall periflj ^ yeay thofe Nations {hall be utterly wafted ; Oh that this Kingdom in it felf, and in its reprelentation,would avoid this evil, as they would efcape this end. The four Monarchies for oppofing the Spiritual Church, have fallen for its fake ^ and fo fhall eve- ry other Kingdom and Common-wealch, that un- dertakes againfl it ! Ver. I 6. Behold I have created the Smithy that blows the cnais tn the fir e^ and that bringeth forth an inftru- mcnt for his Work-) and 1 have created the Waftcr to dejt^oy, Verf 1 7. B^t no Weapon that is formed again ft thee Jljall prufpcr^ <Scc. Thou art, faith God to the Church, a fmall, weak, defpifed, contemned, perfecuted People j buc ihy fafety, protection, blefling, lies in me, and in my power, and wifdom, and love. Behold I have created the fmith^ ^TC. That is, I have formed him that makes the Sword, and Gun, and Pike, • and that prepares the Ammunition ^ and both he that makes the V eapon, and he that ufeth it, are in my hands, and chey fhall only do what I would have them to do, and no more-, and fo. No VVrapon^ that is formed againfl thee^ fljall prcfper, God blunts the edge of the weapon, and wea- kens the hand, and puts fear into the heart of him that iift^tb it; and fo no weapons that have been u:ed, have profpcred hitherto, and if any more wt;a|)ons fhall be ufed hereafter, they fhall be as unproipercusas thcl>. ^nd every tongue ^ that flj all rife agaifjft tkee in jn^^g' ment-i ^^^^^ f^"'^^^ condemn. Two 1 of the truly Chriftia/2 and Spiritual Church. 109 Two ways you fee the Enemies of the Church affault the Church ; by their hands, and by their tongues ; and this latter way is the more danger. rous of the tvvo^ by the former, they fcourge the Church, with Rods^ by this latter, with Scor- pions. This weapon of the tongue, is the niofl: dangerous weapon that ever was ufed againft the Church in any Age, and the laft refuge of the De- vil, and his Inftruments, to annoy the Church. And thus when the Enemy fails at the flrength of his weapons, he undertakes again with the mah'ce of his tongue 5 and with this, the Enemy flrikes againil the Saints, that profefs the truth, and a- gainft th.e truth it felf, profelTed by the Saints. Againft the Saints, that profefs the truth; cloathing them with odious names, and loading them with bafe afperfions, Independents, and Sed- aries, and Schifmaticks, and Hereticks ; and fome fuch, there are indeed in the Kingdom ; but they abufe the precious Saints of God, with thefe and other reproaches, and fo crucifie Chrill again in his Body ^ not between two Thieves, but between ; two hundred Thieves, thatfo it may be the greater difficulty to difcern him: Their tongues rife up in judgment againft them \ it intimates, they ihail have fpecious pretences againil the Church •, Oh thefe are the men that would turn the world npfide doron^ that make the Nation full of tumults and uproars, that work all the difturbance in Church and State ; it is fit fuch Men and Congregations (houid be fup- prelled, and they fliould have no Imploymentin Church or State ; it will never be a quiet World, till fome courfe be taken with them, that we may have Truth and Peace and Government again. And thus they have fair pretences againft the Godly, and ufe the glorious Names of Truth, Peace and Government, to the deflruction of them all. And this is the knk of thefe H 3 words, I T o The Building, Beauty^ Teachings &c. words, for their tongues to rife uf in judgment ^- gawfl the VI. Yea, methinks this Phrafe intimates thus much, as if they would call ia the aid and power of the Secular Magiftraces, agaiaft the Spiritual Chri- ftiaas ; and then their tongues rife up in judgment agaiaft them indeed ^ and except they engage the IVlagillrates power againft the Saints, they think they can never do them mifchief enough. And thus their tongues rife up in judgment againft the Saints, that profefs the truth. 2. As the Enemy flrikes with their tongue a- gainft the Saints that profefs the truth, fo alfo a- gainft the truth profeifed by the Saints; and this, chey call by way of reproach, new Light, as their Predecellbrs, at the beginning of the breaking torch of the Gofpel in this Kingdom, called ic new Learning ; yea, they call the Truth, Error ; and the very mind of Chrifl: in the word, Herefie^ and the power of Godlinefs, Independency; and the contending for the faith once given to the Saints, Faction, and Sedition, and the like; and this grieves the Saints a thoufand times more than any Perfonai reproaches, to hear the Truth, and Light, and Life, and the Spirit of the Gofpel, de- ipifed and fpoken again fl, and blafphemed ; that is that, that fetches not only tears from their eyes, but even drops of blood from their hearts ; the Truth of God, being much dearer to them, than cheir Eflates, or Names, or Lives. But fee how God conquers this weapon of the Enemres Tongue to the faithful, as well as the former weapons of their hands ; every tongue that rijcth lip in judgment again fl theCy thou jjjalt condemn. All that fpeak, and rage, and rail, and reproach and flandcr, and vllilie and abufe the Saints, either by their Tongues or Fens, thou by thy Upright- nefs, Integrity, Innocency, Truth, Faithfulnefs, fhalE of the truly Chrifiian and Spiritual Church^ 1 1 1 (halt condemn them ; thy ways, and thy works, that are led and aded in Chrift and his Spirit, fhall be the condemnation of all thine Enemies \ and their mifreports and (landers fiiall be done a- way as a mift: before the Sun, and thy righteouf- nefs, and integrity fhall break forth in that clear- nefs, and brightnefs and ftrength, that they fhall fit down afloniflied and amazed \ and they fhall be condemned, not only by the word, and by the Saints, but by all the common morality of the world, yea, and by their own confcience \ fo that they fhall carry their guile with them night and day, and fhall not be able to look the Godly in the face, whom they have fo reproached ^ the very prefence of the Saints, fhall be the con- demnation of their Enemies, who have before fo unworthily judged them *, yea, the whole world (hall fee the faithfulnefs and integrity of the Saints of God, and fhall juftifie them, and condemn their Enemies ^ and fhall fay, lo, thefe are the Men that the world judged for Sedaries, and Schifmaticks, and what not ? fee how faith- ful they have been to God, and the true Church of God, and to the States and furely they muft needs be bad Men, that are Enemies to thefe. And thus, while our Enemies judge us, they fliall be condemned themfelves. And this fhall cer- tainly be done, as fure as the word of God is true, and as fure as the Lord lives, to make good his word. For, TWis is the heritage of the Servants of the Lord, That is, you fhall have this by as fure right, as any man hath an inheritance, that is entailed upon him. This is your heritage, O ye fervantsof the Lord, to make void the force of every Wea- pon that is ufed againft you, and to condemn every tongue that judgeth you. This promife is our portion, and the Lot of our inheritance -^ H 4 and 112 The Beauty^ Building^ Teachings Sec. and in this we rejoyce, that While we ferve the Lord, truly and faithfully, neither the bands nor tongues of the Enemy iliall hurt us, but in the end we (hall be more than Gonquerous over all. Let my portion fail in this pleafant place, and I Ihall have a goodly heritage. And their righteoHJnefs is of me faith the Lord, That is thefe fervants of mine, are not men of a humane and morall righteoufnefs only, but they partake of the righteoufnefs of God in Chrift ; Their righteoufnefs is of me ^ or thus, though they are llnners before the World ffor as the world reckons their own fin, for righteoufnefs j fo it reckons Gods righteoufnefs , for iin ) yet they are righteous before me; and in my eyes. So that however the World reckons us evil doers, and not worthy to live in the world , yet God reckons us righteous, and our righteoufnefs is before him. To conclude, feeing God hath engaged himfelf, to fecure us, in his wayes, both from the Weapons and tongues of men. Go and tell the Foxes^ that we will walk without fear in the World, both to day and to moYYow-i ^^dthe third day We^jal} ke perfected* ight , "Kight "^Reformation, OR, THE Reformation of the CHURCH OF T H E- NEW-TESTAMENT, Represented In GOSTEL-LIGHT, In a SERMON Preached to the Honour- able Houfe of COMMONS, on Wedmfday November 2 5th5 1646. Together with a REPLY to the Chief Contradiftions of Mr. LOVE'*s Sermon Preached the fame Day. j4!lPiibliJlidfor the good of the Fakhful^at their defire^ By (IclliEf am 2Dell, Minifter of the GofpeL Atiendhig on his ExceVe'/icy Sir Tho. Faiifax. John vii. 12. And there voxs much murmuri/ig among the Peo- ple concerning him ; for fome [aid. he u a, good man j others fciy ndjif but he deceiveth the people. John xvi. 3. Jnd thefe things will they do unto you, becxufe they have not known the Father, nor me. Credo me Theologum effe Chriftianiim, & in regno verita- tis vivere ; ideo me debitorem efle, non modo aifirmand* veritatis, fed etiam ailerendae, & defendendse, feu per fanguinem, feu per mortem, Luth, LONDON: Firll Printed in the Year, 1551. 115 1 ; •»- T O T H E HONOURABLE COMMONS Aflembled in PARLIAMENT. Honour able and Worthy y S the Lord repreJented thefe Truths to yoa before^ in t\\Q Miniftry of the Word 'j 1lo now agaitiy He offers them to your fecond Co nfi deration, iw this Primed Book % becaufe he hath a mind^ you fhould tah notice of them. And I muft needs fay, it is the Lord's voice to you •, and I hope he will move your hearts to regard it ^ though Satan hath mightily beflir'd himfelf, by cafting an ill Vizard upon the Truth, to make you diflike it. But if you like Chrifl the worfe for a Face fpit on and bfiffetedy you may want 3. Savionr, And if you like the Truth of Chrift the worfe for a fcratcht Face, you may make your dwelling place, with Error and Humane Dodrines, which are all one. Micajah had no fooner delivered the Truth of God, but there was a lalfe Prophet to fmite him on the face j the Lord no fooner prepa- res Inftruments to reveal his Truth, but Sacaa hath his laflruments ready, to tnm the Truth of Cod imo a Lye. Arid this God fulfers to be done, to exercife your skill and wifdom, that you might learn, not to be offended at the Truth with the World j but to receive and love the Truth, not- withltanding 11 6 The Epiftie Dedicatory, withftanding all the indignities and reproaches of IVlen. When you read what you have heard, you Riufl needs acknowledge it to be the mind of God, if you have received the anointing of the Spirit ; and the Truth herein contained, fiiall prevail with all that belong to God. For my part, I am not careful couching the fuccefs of it, 1 can trult God with that, vvhofe Word it is. For, as the Dodriue of the World, hath the weak power of the World to carry on that, fo the Dodrine of Jefus Chrill, hath the mighty power of God to carry on that; and the power of God in the World fnall as foonbe made void, as the true Do- ctrine of the Gofpel, though called Error, Herefie, and Schifm, and have all the mifguizes of Hell put upon it. The Truth you then heard deli- vered, and may here read again, fhall carry all oppofition, and oppofers before it, and none fhall be able to ftand againft it, that engage againfl: it j and of this, both your felves and this Generation ihall be Witnefles. if any think that I gave too much power to Chrifi, in the Reforming of the Church, his own Body, let them confider again, that too much cannot be given to Chrill in God's Kingdom, fee- ing he is ail in all in it. Neither is that exalta- tion the Gofpel gives to Chrift in this Bulinefs, any diminution to your felves *, neither by making Chrifla!) 'm the Kingdom of God, are you made ever the lefs in the Kingdoms of this World. But v/hatevcr power the word of God hath given you, 1 will deny you none of it ; nay, I will be among the firll, that fnaii attribute it to you. And do deflre, you would no more, any of youbedifplea- fed, for attributing the Reformation of die Church toChrift alone, than the Redemption, Juflilica- tion, Sandtification, or Glorification of it, to Chrift alone : The former being every whir, as great The Epiflle Deeicatory, 117 great and glorious a work of ChriH:, as the latter. I do moil willingly allow you, your Thrones in the Kingdoms of this World •, but only deiire to referve to Ghrifl: his own Throne, in the King- dom of God. There are thofe indeed, that would lift you up to this Throne, not becaufe they would have you lit there, but place them there *, they would af- cribe to you, the power only due to the Son of God, not becaufe they would have you uie ic, but would ufe it themfelvcs ; they would deiive power from you to do that, which they fay you cannot do \ and the power they attribute to you in the things of God, they fay, is not well in. your hands, but in theirs. And here I would defire yon, to take notice of the working of the Myflery of Iniquity, from the Head, to the very Little-toes of the Man of Sin: At firft you know, the Pope interefted himfclf ia the Emperor, and Powers of the World (for his own advantage and fupport no doubt, rather thaa for theirs) after, the Prelates fuccefTively, faid to worldly Kings, lend us your Tower ^ and we will lend yon ours *, let our Spiritual Power deal in Temporal things, and your Temporal Power fhall deal in Spiritual things^ andflill the Clergy-pow- er (which call'd it felf Spiritual) fo linkt it felf with the Temporal, that the Power that was not of God, might be upheld by the Power that was of God; and (having got this advantage) they cried, Deflroy one^ Deflroy both \ and fo the Pre- lates were wont to fay, No Bijhop^ no King. And their Succeflbrs in the Kingdom of Antichrill flill cry, N') Minifter^ No Magiftrate ; and fo flill mingle Interefts and Powers with the Civil Magi- ftrate; that under the Magiftrate, the Power of God, they might cunningly fhrowd that Power that is not of God, And thus chey flill, under the 1 1 8 The Epillle Dedicatory, I ^ . - , I, - ■ - -» the Name of the Magiftrate, feek themfelves, and the drawing off chat Power that is only his, from him to themfelves, to whom ic doth not belong : Being, in the mean time, really againft Magiflra- cy, further than is ferviceable to their own ends. Whereas, we reckon Magiflracy, not lefs Magi- ftracy, no lefs the Ordinance of God, though we fuffer under it, and by it. This Clergy- Antichriftian power wherever it is, will llill fit upon the power of the Nation, the power of Antichrifl, fo domineering over the powers of the World, that none but the power of Chrifi: can call it off^ that will ftill be uppermofl, what power foever is fupream. Beiides, all the experience of former Ages (which is the greatefl: wonder in the World, that Men confider not) God gives you fparklings enough of it in this Age ^ fome preaching, That the Government of the Church (which they make outward and vifi- ble, and over Mens Eflates, Bodies, and Lives,) belongs not to King nor Parliament, but to th^ Minifrers and their Elders \ and better it is, there Ihould be no Government at all (fay they) than not in their hands by whom it fhould be. And here lies the Myftery of Iniquity in this. That they make the whole Kingdom a Church, and then require a Power, Authority and JurifdiSion in their Church-Kingdom, which the Magiflrate is not to deal withal, but themfelves. Whereas we acknowledge the whole Power of the King- dom, to belong to the Magiflrate, and only give unto Chriil the Power of his ow^n Kingdom, which is not of the World, but Spiritual and Hea- venly. And here alfo, fully to deliver my felf from nufapprehenfions, 1 underltand not by the Church of Chrift, any Company of Men whatfoever, who The Epjflie Dedicatory. i j ^ who under the Notion of a Church or Saints, or any other Title, may plead Privilege or exempti- on of their Lives, Liberties, or Eftates, from the power of the Civil Magiflrate, for that were to juftiiie the Papal, Prelatical, or any other Go- vernment of a newer name, which under pretence of "jus Dlvinum^ fhall fee up and exercife an out- ward and vifiblc power and jurifdi6:ion, free and exempted from the Authority and Power of the Civil Magiftrate \ which I utterly both deny and detefl, as Antichriflian. And therefore, I humbly reprefent, how pre- judicial this may prove to you in the end, to fuf- fer a Generation of Men in the Kingdom, under the name either of Church or Clergy, whofe Power, Preferment, and Intereft is different and excentrical from the Power, Welfare, and Inte- reft of the Kingdom ; and what a Ballance they may prove againft the State where they live, in turning and tumultuous Times, as they themfelves know, fo (I hope) you clearly perceive it, as well as they. How they already dare lift up the Head againft you, who fees not? How do they manifeft their difcontents againft you in Pamph- lets and Pulpets, in their Sermons and Prayers, becaufe you have not fetled the Government, they have ftudied ou6 for you, as "jus Divlmim^ and ihe certain and unchangeable mind of God, though they can neither make it out, to your felves, nor to any body elfe, by the Word, that it is fo ? And how do they labour to inftill into the People their own difcontents, perfwading them, you have done nothing at all, becaufe you have not done all that ever they would have you do, though you can fee neither Scripture nor rea- fonforit? And for this Caufe, rendring you eve- ry where odious to the People. Many other things befides, do they fcramble up, and ufe a- gainll I20 The Ep I ft le Dedicatory. gainll yon, which they conceive may make for your difadvantage, and difintereft la the People^ becauie they thiak they Ihall never get much high- er, except they make you a little lower ; for they mull (according to the Law of Antichrilt)ret their feet on your power, to get up to to their own. Some difcoveriesof this Spirit you might fee in Mr. Love's Sermon, telling you before your faces, and before the People \ That fame called yon a mun- grel Parliamem : Indeed the King (as I underftand) cali'd the Parliament at Oxford io^ hut Mr. Lovs was the firfl: (for ought I can learn) that ever na- med you fo, and I wifh he may be the iafl, (but any Dodrine is Orthodox, out of a mans mouth of his Order (farther threatning you with a dif- cerning People, to look into your Adions, and to fpy out your boundlefs Privileges ; as if you muft do juftice, not out of the love of Righteoufnefs, but out of fear of Mr. Love\ difcerning People. Telling you aifo, the Clergy had done as much Service for you in their Pulpits, as your Regi- ments in the Field ; that by this means he mighl mind you, what they can do againflyou, as well as for you, if you be not Servants to their defigns; for they that have heretofore been for you, can (if they pleafe) turn to others againfl you, who Ihall be more for themfelves. And in many other things flying out againfl your worthyCommanders in the Army, upon fufpicions of his own ; and a- gainfl the Articles at Oxford^ &c. for it is no pro- per Presbyterial Dodtrine, that does not (atleafl) meddle with the affairs of the State, v/hich in time they may hopefully come to order. In thefe and divers other things, he took his full fwing, all of them (no doubt) deeply appertaining to the My- ftery of theGofpel. The other things, he fpake, to thedifadvantagr of the ignorant and weak^and neither to the Truths difadvantage, The Epiftle Dedicatory. 121 difad van cage, normine, i fhall clear ina IhortRe- piy, feL after the Dircoiure, and fo iliall trouble you no fatther with any fuch fluff, buE only with a fmart expreflion^ from one (it feems) of fomenote in the Affcmhly^ who faid, If the Parliament approved Mr. Deil'^ Sermon^ it were no Blafphemy to fay^ they were no Parliament, So that it feems yon fhali be no longer a Parliament, than you approve what the Aflembly approves j but the Kingdom hopes you are built upon a better foundation. And to him (who hath been fo bold with you)I fliall only crave leave to reply in your prefence, If the AHembiy (which I hope they wiil not) fliould condemn that Doctrine of the Gofpel for the fubftance of it, de- liver'd then by Mr. Dell^ it will be no blafphemy to fay. They are the enemies of the truth ofChrift ^ and J hope, the lafi prop of Antichrift in the Kingdom. For your felves, Honourable and Worthy, I be- feech you conilder, that God is wonderful in comfel^ and excellent in workings and that all Power is given to Chrift, in Heaven and in Earth, that he mighe give free paffage to the GofpeL And therefore I take heed, after God hath bleft your Power and Forces in the Field, and lubdued that malignant j Power that was againfl: you, and hath given you a I little peace and quietnefs in the Kingdom, you do not now begin your affairs with difcountenancing, difrelilhing, much lefs condemning the faithful and true word of God, witnefled in the Scriptures^and confeft to by the faithful and Martyrs ofChrift in all Ages; and with the fetting off from you, that Miniftry that hath moft of the Spirit in it, left the Lord withdraw his prefence from you, and your latter end be not anfwerable to your beginnings. It might be eafily (hewed unto you, how many great and wife Kings and Magiftrates, ading ac- cording to humane wifdom and prudence, and de- fifing or negleding the wifdom of the Word, 1 ' have 122 The Epijlle Dedicaton^ Sec, have with all their own wifdoQi, prudence, and defigns, deflroyed themfelves, and their King- doms : For it is written, He rakes the wife in their own craftinefs : And again, The Lord knows the thoHchts of men^ that they are but vain. And therefore renounce the wifdom of the world, with all its fleOily Counfels, and cleave clofe to the True, Faithful and Sincere Dodrine of the Gofpel, and then, though you have many Enemies and Kingdoms againfl you, you fhall no£ be moved, but God will yet eilablifh you, in all the fhakings of the World, and your Enemies fhall be as a thing of nought. I fhall no longer detain you, but only defire this, in the behalf of the Faithful, God's peculiar Portion in the Kingdom, That you would not fuffer us to be opprefled by our Adverfaries, who would ufe your power a- gaiiift us, not for you, but for themfelves ^ neither would fuffer them, thus publickly and fhamelelly to call us Sectaries, and Hereticks, who do believe and profefs the truth of the Gofpel in fincerity and fimplicity of heart, according to what we have received from God^ but that you would fuffer, yea, procure us to live quietly and fafely under you, in the Faith and practice of the Gofpel, we in all things obeying you, as becomes ChrilHans. The Remainder, is toaflure you, That there is no Man fhall ferve the State more fincerely, ac- cording to his Place and Calling, nor in more faithfulnefs and humility tender the Truth of God, either to your felves or the Kingdom (as occafion ferves) according to tlie meafure of the Gift of Chrilt, than 0 Tour Servant in the Gofpelj W, DELL 12^ T O T H E RE ADE Chrifliaa Reader, f' g "^ HE Times we live in^ are dangerous Times j it is dagger om to conceal the Truth , and danger otu to Publiih the Truths if xoe Pu bl I fh /k Tr/^f^, God hath taughE us, and we have heard and iearnd from the Father, xoe fall into the hands of men ^ //iPtf conceal />, voe /^//««f(? f^^ hands of God. And therefore^ in this cafe^ in a contrary choice to David, J reckon it much better to fall into the hands of mQUythan into the hands ofGod'^feingthe wrath o/men can hut reach the body, but the wrath ofGod^hoi^and foul. / fhall therefore xvilUngly confefs Chrift^ amidfi an adidterotts and fin- ^\lll generation^ not doubting but Chrifl will confefs me^ i' e f or e his Fzthtry and before his Angels. And for ?^ff reproaches <?/men, it is bejt conquering them^ as VxiihQTwas wont tofay, Silendo & contemnendo., by ftlence and contempt of them^ feeing a man may as eafily retrain Satan himfelf^ in his various workings^ as itop the mouths of his inftruments. And there- fore it is good for us Chrillians, to do the work of God, without fo much as taking^ notice of ftch men^ and if fometimes we are fenfible ofthefe things y becaufe we are fie [h^ yet as we are ChriflianSj we are above them in the Spirit, and fee already in certain faiih and hope, all evils ^w^ enemies under our feet: And therefore for Mr, Love, and other men of the fame mold and mettal^ I am refolved neither now nor hereafter, to take them into any more conf- deration than f^c buiinefs. it y^// neceflariiy re- I 2 quires : 1 24 * To the Reader. quires : and where they may be omitted, without prejudice to the truth, to let them quite alone ^ being every day through the ufe of afflidion, enabled to patience, and through patience brought to ex- perience, and fo to a fropotionable meafure of ho])C : J u4nd this carries me above the Ihame (?///;^ world, * in the ftrerigth of the love of God. Icor t^e Dodrine contained in this Difcourfc, thou fhalt not find it New light ( as feme men flan- deroufly affrm ) but the ancient light, that fprang forth in the firll morning of the Gofpel, bm was fince obfcured, by the New darknefs of Antichrift, which thefe men love better than that old light, and will by no means exchange the one for the other. Bur this light, f to XiOVi after aXon^m^t^ breaks forth again^ in fome of its firft glory, let thefe men fet thetr hearts at refl^ for they fljall never be able to obfcure it again', and the fire of the Spiric that God hath kindled in the Kingdom, they {l}a(l never be able to quench, with any fire either of EsiYih or Hell, j^nd therefore we fear them not, though they breath fnrth threatnings now, and tre long, are like to breath forth blood .- For by all their fubtile and induftrious aBings, in the end, they fhaU n ot work the truthj ruine, but their own. jind thefe, as well as their forefathers, of the fame race and lineage, in whofe ftead they are now rifen up, {hall in due time become a reproach and a fhame, and their name fhall be for ^ curfe to all Cods chofen. Reader, It is my earneft defire, that the Lord would deliver thee from this new form of the My Iter y of Iniquity, which in every Age puts onafcwevalform^ when the old one is difcovered by the light of the Word. And tnthis prefent Age, it is become, fi Exceeding cunning, and fo furnifhed with all de- ceiveablenefs <?/ unrighteoufnels, under the form of Righteoufaefs, that it ferns to be the lall and fob- tilefl To the Reader. 125 tilell rvork of Antichrift, that is now in hand ^ and he that prevails in this encounter, hath Antichrift under his feet, for ever : but none are Like to pre- vail here, but the Faithful and Eled alone. And therefore hold fail that which thou had, that no man take thy Crown \ and confider Chrifls encouragement to this work in the following verfe ^ ^Him that overcometh, will J make a ip'illav inthe'R-^y-z-ii* Temple of my God^ and he fhall go no more out, and J will write upon him^ the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God^ which is New jcrufalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my Cody and I wiU write upon hhn^ my New Name. ] Chriflan Reader^ 1 commit thee, and the Word now offered to thee^ in this Difcourfe^ to God, and his powerful bleffing, and wonderful working^ Remaining^ Thine in the Difficult, and Defpifed Service of "jefiis Chrift in the GofpeL W. DELL. I 9 Right 126 Right Reformation; O R, The Reformation of the Church of the New-Tellament^ reprefented in Gofpel-Light. Keb. ix. 10. Until the time of Reformation. |r I ''I HE Natural Man (faith Faid^ i Cor. 2.) I knows not the thi??gs of the Spirit^ neither jj^ can he^ for they are Spiritually difcerned. Now, a Man that is not bom of God and his Spirit^ with all his Parts, Abilities, Reafon, Wifdom, Prudence, Learning, is but a Natural Man ftill, and fo hath no right Knowledge of the things of God, and his Spirit. And hence it hath come to pafs that the things of God and his fpirit have been fo grofly and dange- roufly miflaken, by the World, and the carnal Church. For all the fpiritual things of God they have underilood carnally : and have apprehended the whole Scriptures, not according to God's mind, but accoiding to their own \ not according to the fenfe of the Spirit, but according to the Anxh fenfe of the ^^^'[i. And thus was Antichrifls chri^s ^ kingdom firil fet up, and thus it hath been kept MJ>p% "P ^^^ continued even by the carnal under/landing fL 6vz/-;7^;of the Scriptures. For they have underftood the widcrfim- Churchy the kingdom of God in the world, car- ding cfths jially - the rock on which it is built, carnally ^ the ^.->-/>wr,f J. ^QQj. ^f this Kingdom carnally j the Laws of it carnally i Right Refer 7nat ion. 127 carnally ^ the Liberties of it carnally ^ che Power, Authority, Government^ Glorj/j Officers, 2s:c. all arnally. And to this very day, which of the things of God doth not the carnal Church under- ftand carnally ? Faith, hope, love, it underflands carnally^ Redemption, Adoption, J uflifi cation, Sandiiication, Glorification^ Union with Chrilt, Communion of the Spirit, Accefs to the father, together with Chrifl the head, and the Church the Body, in their joint union and offices and all other things, they underftand carnally, and have aflefhly ^Qn^Q and apprehenfion of them. And as they underftand all e^r^er things of Gods Ti^?.^^/"^* kingdom carnally., fo alfo the Reformation of it^"!'^^^'^ ^f And there are not greater and gropr Miflakes ^^/^^/^J^ about any of the thi^ags of Gody then about this '^carmlly* men imagining the Reformation of the Churchy which is altogether afpiritnal and heavenly Kin^- dom, after the manner of the Reformation of Worldly States and Commonwealths which only ftands in outward things, and is brought to pals by humane Counfeis and humane power. No7/ becaufe this is not only a grofs, but a general Error, in all Sorts of People, both of high and of low degree : I Ihall indeavour at this time, according to the good hand of God with me, to reprefent ia fome Gofpel light to this Honourable and Ghriftian Auditory, the true Reformation of the Church of the New Tcftament: And blefled is he who fliall not be offended at it. For this purpofe I made choice of the words, now read, Vntll the time of Reformation. For the better underltanding of which, we niufl read the Context. Ver. 9. The fir fl Tabernacle was a figure for the time then prefentj in which were offered both gifts andfacri^ ficesj that could not make him that did the fervice fcrfe^ as pertaining to the confiiencc* I 4 VerC / 128 Right Rej or 7nat ion, Ver. lo. Which flood only in meats and drinks^ and divers rvajhings^ and carnal ordinances (iE fhould be nahteoufnejfes or jiiftifications of the flejh^ S'rAaicHy.AO-i aa^Ko^,) impofed on them^ /^^X?' Kttifi S'lo^^toTic^ij hn~ til the time of Reformation. rhsimper-^ In which words, the Apoflle fhewsthe imper- j'etlion o/fe(3:ion of the worlhip of the old Law, becaule it f^f, T^/ ^^°^ ^^^ outward Rites, Ceremonies, Duties, per- •jJI^^/^^^^^formances, and fo could noimake him that ufed them, and was bulled in them, perfeU as pertaining to his confcience ; and therefore God did not limply and abfolutely impofe thefe things on the Church, to continue for ever, but only until the time wherein all things were to be reformed, not only evil things, but imperfed. And then, all that outward Religion was to be abolifhed. Kq oiiu Now if the Law of Aiofes could not make Men ip^ari Uw perfed, as pertaining to the Confcience, much ea7t'Viik^c j^.j-g ^^^ gj^y j^^^ L^^g invented Now. And if ^S^ij!e';-3ny fuch Laws fhould be impofed on the People tainivg to of God now, the Gofpel hath the fame flrength tk co??fci' in it felf to make them void, as the former, and e?Ke, and g|(Q ^j^g f^^-^Q ground from them, becaufe all fuch ipdahii-^^^^ and Ordinances devifed by Men, cannoE jkes all niake them that obey and pradife them perfeB as fuch out-' pertaining to the confcience -^ and therefore are all Tvard laws to be at'an end, when the time of Reformation l'"P'l'^^'^'^ comes, ^ i^dT' Slf^fi- Now if you ask me, when this time of fiorv, as Reformation was ? heritofore, Anfx9, I Anfwer : It was when Chrift came \ not a Servant, as Mofes^ but the Son out of the bofom of the Father, the great Prophet of the New Teflament, whofe Doftrine was not letter as Mofes was, but Spirit and Life. And now when Chrift the Minifter of the New Tellament, came with the Miniftration of the Spirit, now was the iime of Reformation, la Right Reformation, 129 In the time of the Law there were outward Du- ties, and Performances, and Ceremonies, and Sa- crifices, and jftrid Laws to enjoyn the obfervatioa of thefe things, carrying along with them the fe- verity of death ^ and yec notwithftanding all this, there was no true Reformation ^ but under all that outward Religion, Men were inwardly as corrupt and wicked as the very Heathen ^ for all their Circumcifion in the fleih, they were uncir- cicumcifed in heart ; for all their outward wafli- ing, they were inwardly unclean ; for all their Blood of Bulls and Goats, their Sins remained in their Natures and Confciences -^ for all their ftrid forcing of Men, to the Duties of the outward worfliip of God, the People ftill remained far from God, even in all thofe Duties. So that notwithftanding the outward worfhip of Mofes Law, the People remained inwardly corrupt, fil- thy, and unclean, and without any true Refor- mation before God ; till Chrift, who was God in the flefh, came with the miniftration of the Spirit^ and then indeed was the time of Reformation. Vn* til the time of Reformation. The thing then the Spirit would have us take notice of in thefe words, is this, That the time of the Gofpelj is the time of Refor- Dotir'm^ mat ion. When ever the Gofpel is preached in the Spi- rit and Power of it, that is aat^oi S'to^^uauou the time of Reformation. For our more orderly proceeding in this Point, we will obferve this Method. I. Show what true Gofpel Reformation is, and how [ic is qualified ^ that fo you may the better dijflinguifh it from Political and Ecclefiaflical Re- formation. Now both thefe I joyn together, be- <:aijfe the Carnal Church hath always interefted and i:^o Right Reformation. and mingled it felf with the Power of the World, as being able to do nothing without it. 2. I will indeavour to fhew, to whofe hands the Work of Gofpel-Reformation is committed. 3. By what means he to whofe hands it is com- mitted, brings it about. 4. The Advantages of fuch a Reformation, where it is wrought. 5. The Vfe, 'The firfi General. What true Gofpel Reformation is, and how qualified. Gofpel lie- I. What it is. It is the mortifying, deftroying, formxtwh^ii^ utter abolifhing out of the Faithful and ufn^f/f£lg^^ all that Sin, Corruption, LuH, Evil, thaE did flow in upon them, through the Fall of jidam. ft is the taking away and deflroying the Body of Sin out of the Faithful and Eled, by the pre- fenceand operation of the Righteoufnefs of God, dwelling in their hearts by Faith. This is true Gofpel-Reformation, and befides this, I know no other. This the Evangelical Prophet Ifaiah de- fcribeth, Chap. i. 27. 2ion (Jjall be redeemed with Judgment^ and her Converts with Righteoufnefs . Chriji Now Chrifl dwelling in our hearts by Faith, J«i^r/z??;t as he difcovers, reproves, condemns, and de- ftroys Sin, fo he is called Judgment. And thus is Judgment to be underflood in the Gofpel-fenfe, and not terribly, as in the (tn(Q of the Law : And this Judgment (hall at lad break forth into vido- ry •, that is, though Chrifl in us hath to do with many flrong Corruptions, and Lufts in the Soul, yet at lafl he prevails againfl: them all, and Judg- ment breaks forth into viftory •, becaufe Chrill, the Judgment of God in the Soul, mufl needs ia the end prevail againll every Sin of Man. Again, Right Reformatio??. 131 Again, ChriH the Righteoufnefs ot God, as he chnjts makes us Righteous with his own Righteoufnefs, KliMeouf ■2nd makes us the Righteoufnefs of God iti him,^^-^'"' To he is called Righteoufnefs, not in himfelf only, but ia us •, he is the Lord our Righteoufnefs^ and by this Judgmene and Righteoufnefs is Zion 2nd her Converts redeemed and reformed. And fo true Gofpel Reformation is the defrrudion of Sin one of the Faithful, by the preience of Righ- teoufnefs, And therefore you fee how grofly they are miC- taken, who take Golpel-Reformation to be the making of certain Laws and Conflicutions by the Sacred Pov/er or Clergy, for External Conformi- ty in outward Duties of outward Worfhip and Government, and to havethefe confirmed by Ci' vil Sandion, and inforced upon Men by Secular Powers when in. the mean time, all that inward Corruption and Sin they brought with them into the World, remains in their Hearts and Natures as it did before. After this manner the old Pre- lates reformed, who were wont to fay to the Kings, We will fludy out the Faith^ and yon fhali maintain it\ and the Faith, they ftudied and brought to the Kings, the Kings mufl maintain, and not queflion but that it was "jHre Divino. And thus you fee in general what Gofpel-Re- formation is, and that it is a clear differenti thing from Civil Ecclefiaflical Reformation. 2. Now in the next place let us fee how thh^^f^'^^ Gofpel Reformation is qualified, whereby the (^''"^'^^'^'^ difference between this and the other will appear ^^' yet more clearly Firft then, in is a Spiriuial Reformation. For ^*^P^i^^'. as the Kingdom of ChriH: h a Spiritual Kingdom, fo all the things that belong to it are Spiritual things, and fo the Keformadon of it. A Carnal Reformation is not fuitable to a Spiritual King- dom. 1^2 Right Reformation. m — ' dom. And Spiritual it is, becaufe ii: proceeds from the Spirit, and ftands in Spiritual things, as you fhall fee more fully anon. But now the Reformation of the Civil and Ec- clefiaftical State, is but a Carnal Reformation, wrought by the Powers of Flefhand Blood, and Hands in outward and flefhly things, as you fhail prefently fee. T^Inrntrd. Secondly, it is an inward Reformation. For as the Kingdom of God is an inward Kingdom, (the kingdom of God is within yon ) fo the Refor- Biation that belongs to it, is an inward Refor- mation. This true Gofpel reformation, lays hold upon the heart, and foul, and inner man: and changes, and alters, and renews, and reforms that*, and when the heart is reformed, all is re- formed. And therefore this Gofpel Reformation doth not much bufie and trouble it felf about outward forms, or external conformity, but onely minds the reforming of the heart; and when the heart is right with God, the outward form cannot be amifs. And therefore faith Chriil touching the worfhip of the New Tefta- ment, God is a Sprite and they that worjhip him mufl worjlnp him in fpirit and in truth'^ but fpeaks noE one word of any outward form. So that God in this Gofpel Reformation aims at nothing but • the heart, according to the tenour of the new covenant, Jer. 31. 33. This fhall he the covenant that 1 will mcike with them after thofe dayes^ faith the Lordy I will put my Law in their inward partSj and write it in their hearts : fo that they fhall not only have the word of the letter in their books, but the living word of God in their hearts : and God intending to reform the Church, begins with their hearts, and intending to reform their hearts, puts his word there j and that r' ■ — I Right Reformation, 122 that living word put into the heart, reforms it indeed. But now Civil Ecclefiaftical Reformation is only outward, and bufies it felf in reforming the outward man, in outward things ^ and fo is very induftrious and elaborate about outward Forms, and outward Orders, and outward Government, and outward Confeflion, and outward Pradice ; and thinks if thefe be put into fome handfomnefs and Conformity, they have brought about an ex- cellent Reformation ^ though the heart in the mean time remain as finful, vile, and corrupt as ever, and fo altogether unreformed. Andlo this Reformation is like that Reforma- tion of the Scribes and Pharifees^ notorious Hypo- crites, who made clean only the out fide of the cup or^^^^^^*, flatter^ leaving them all filthy and unclea-a within ; ^' ^' and whited over fepnlchreSy to mahe them heautifHl oHtwardly-f when inwardly they were full ofrottennefs and corruption. So Civil and Ecclefiaftical Refor- mation makes a Man clean outwardly, with aii outward Confeflion of Faith, &c, when inwardly he is all filthy through Unbelief^ and whites him over with a few handfom forms of Worfhip, when inwardly he is full of ignorance of God, and Atheifm. QbjeEl, Now if any ask, Bufi mull there be no change of outward things, in the Reformation of the Gofpel ? yinfw, I Anfwer, yes \ an outward change that flows from an inward ^ but not an outward change without an inward •, much lefs an outward change to enforce an inward. 3. It is a thorow Reformation, for it reforms 3. T^a»-5w; the whole Man ; it reforms not the Soul only, but the Body too, and the very Spirit of the Mind *, the Spirit, as it animates, and quickens, and afts the Body, is called the Soul, as it is in it ^ ' fclf, 134 Right Reformation, felf, in ics own nature and effence, fo ic is called thQ Spirit of the Mtnd\ and this Gofpel Reforma- tion reforms all •, that is, both inward and out^ ward, and outward and inward man *, yea, the inwardefl of the inward man ; and not only the operations of the Soul in the Body, but of the Soul m ics felf. But Civil Ecclefiaftical Reformation reforms by halves, it reaches the Body, and orders that, but attains not to the Soul, much lefs to the Spi* fit of the mind. Again, Gofpel Reformation reforms Sin wholly^ as v/ell as the Man ^ it reforms all Sin whatfoever, Ira. 1.25./ ^iii ti^y^ j^y loand fiponthee^ (faith Goa by this Gofpel Reformation) and will purely furge away thy drofs^ and take away all, thy tin. It reforms a man not only of outward Sins, but of inward. Ie reforms him of thofe Sins that feldom come forth into the view of the world, as Atheifm, Ig- norance of God, Pride, Vain-glory, Self-feeking, Hypocrilie, Carnal-mindednefs, and all the evil delires of the flcfh, and of the mind. Yea, it doth not only reform all evil things in us, but all imperfed things ; doing away imperfeft things, by the coming of perfed things ^ doing away our own llrength, by the coming in of C/o^jftrength, and our own wifdom and righteoufnefs, by the coming in of Gods wifdom and righteoufnefs. But now. Civil Ecclefiaftical Reformation re- forms Sin by the halves, as well as the Man j and fo only reforms outward and grofs Sins, fuch as run into the eyes of the World, which are the lead by a thoufand times, of the evils that a man hath and acls*, but thegreatell part of Sin, itftil] leaves within as it was. 4. Tower^ Fourthly, it is a powerful and mighty Refor- i«^« mation : It is wrought in a Man by th£ very power of Gody even by the right hand of his Righte- oiifneji. Right Reformation, 135 oiifrefs. And fo no Sin, Lnft, Corruption, though never fo mighty, is able to refill this Work of Cod by the Gofpel^ but it makes the whole Body of Sin, and the whole Kingdom of the Devil fiie in pieces before it : The Power of God in Crea- ting and Redeeming the Eled, may as well he refilled, as the Power of God in reforming them ^ for ic is a Power above all Power, that Cod puts forth in this Work, and fo is not to be made void by any Creatine. In every ftroke of this Work, the Power of the Lord God Almighty is put forth, as every rightly reformed Chriftiaa knows. And if the love of God had not puE forth this Power in the Soul, a Chriftian bad ne- ver been reformed, no not from one Sin. Now the Power of this Reformation eminently "appears, in that it changeth the very Natures of Men ^ it finds them Lyons, it makes them Lambs ; it finds them Wolves, it makes them Sheep ^ it finds them Birds of Prey, it makes them Doves •, it finds them Trees of the Forelt, it makes them Apple-trees : In a word, it finds them Flefh, it makes them Spirit ^ it finds them Sin, it makes them Righteoufnefs, Mighty indeed is the power of this Reformation. But now, as this Gofpel Reformation is migh- ty, fo Civil Ecclefiaftical Reformation is weak j for as the former hath the power of God engaged in it, fo this latter hath only the power of Man, and fo can do no fuch works as the former. I appeal to all that are Spiritual, what Heart or Nature was ever changed by this fort of Reforma- tion? For, there is that Corruption in the heart of every man, that is able to ftand out againfl all the Reformation that all the powers in the world can. undertake. And fo, the Reformation managed by the mightieft and fevereft Power of Man, is weak as water in thisbufinefs of change- ing 1^6 R ight Rejormation. ing Natures ^ and can only change fome outward Forms and Poftures^ and the like, leaving in the mean time a mans Nature the fame it was before ^ it only puts Sheeps Cloathing upon Men, which is eafily done j but it (till leaves them Wolves underneath. <^. Coy> Fifthly, It is a conflant Reformation \ a Refor- fiiinu mation which being once begun, is never inter- mitted again, till all be perfeded. For as long as Gods Nature dwells in ours, it will ever be re- forming our Nature to it felf, till it be altoge- ther like it. As long as the Spirit of God dwells in the Flefh, it will flill be reforming the Flefh to the Spirit, till the whole Body of Sin be de- flroyed, and the Natural Man be made Spiritual. So that the whole time of this life that is lived in Faith, that is, in Union with Chrift, is a time of continual Reformation \ and a Ghriftian is dail7 wafhing, cleanfing, and purifying himfelf, till he furifie himfelf even m Chrifi is pure. But now Civil Ecclefiaftical Reformation at firft makes a great noife and tumult in the World, and after lies as ftill as a flone. For fuch Refor- mation reforms States and Kingdoms to Mens own Profit, Honour, Power, Advantages ; and fo to thenxfeves, rather than to Chrift. And when Men have once attained to their own ends, their adivity ceafes. Again, it brings Men to certain outward Or- ders and Conformities, and then runs round as in a Mill, and goes no farther. Again, It reforms for a time, and not conflant- ly, becaufe the outward Power being taken away. Nature returns to its own courfe again. For State-Ecclefiaflical Reformation only changes fome outward works, leaving the Nature the felf fame that it was (as you have heard.) Now Right Reformation, i :»7 Now where the Works are contrary to Na- ture, Nature by degrees returns to ic felf again, and puts an end to thofe works ; and fo there is an end of that Reformation. And thus you fee what Gofpel-Reformatlon is, and how qualified, whereby you fee it clearly differenced from Civil Ecclefiallical Reformation. And oh that that Prophefie might here be ful- filled, Ifa. 32. 3. The eyes of them that jee jlo^llnot he dim^ and the ears of them that hear (Jja/l barken. The fecond General. To whofe hand this work of Reformation is com- Chriji ths tnitted. Bzformer, Now that is only to Jefus Chrifl-, the great and only Magiftrate in the Kingdom of God \ and who only, is to do all that is done, in the Church of God : He is the Dominm fac totum (as they fay) If the Church be to be redeemed, Chrifl: mufl redeem it 5 if it be to be governed, Chrifl muft govern it ^ if it be to be protected, Chrifl muft proted it ; if it be to be faved, Chrifl; mufl; fave it: All that is to be done in the Church of God, Chrifl; only is to do it; and fo among other things to reform it ^ that is, to wafli it, fandlifie it, puriffe it.' Chrifl then is the only Reformer of the Church of Note, God. For, Firfl, God hath committed the care of theiThecare Churches Reformation to Chrifl; only, and to^f ^he^ no body elfe: and this is a thoufand times bet- rj^^g^^t^ ter for the Church, then if he had committed chrift. it to all the Princes and Magiilrates in the world. All things- are given to me of my Father, faith Chrifl;-, and the Church above all other things: Thine they were, and thou gavcfl: them me % thine they were by eledlion, and thou gavefl: them me,' that I might redeem them, and re- K form 1^8 Right Reformation. obedi- form them, and prefent them to thee again with- out fpoc. So that the Father hath committed the care of the Reformation of the Church to Chrifl. 2. Chrift Andfecondly, Chrifl hath taken this care upoa takes it. himfelf out of obedience to his Father, and love to his Church. I. Out of j^ Qyg Qf obedUnce to his Father: for he faith, 1 came not to do my own willy but the will of him that fern me: and this is the will of him that fent me^ that of all that he hath given me 1 fhould lofe none. And fo Chrift reforms all, that he might lofe none,, out of obedience to his Father. 2. Love. 2. Out of love to his Church he takes this care and charge on him. For fuch is the love; of Chrift to the Church, every where fo glori- oufly difcovered in the Gofpel, that he doth not onely give himfelf for us, to redeem us ^ butalfo gives himfelf to us to reform us. Chrift dying for us, is our Redemption i Chrift dwelling and li- ving in us, is our Reformation. 5. The Thirdly, This work of Reformation, is only work of fuicable to, and convenieat for Chrift the Head, Reforma-gg having fo near and dear intereft in the Church fukabktohis Body. And fo he is full of love, and bowels Chriftl and tender companions to the Church: he will not deal roughly, ruggedly, and boyftroufly with the Saints, he will not grieve them, and vex them, and opprcfs them, and crufh them in pie- ces ', but he being their Head, will deal meekly and gently with them j he will not break the bruifed reedy nor quench the fmoahng flax. When he is reforming the Sins and Corruptions of the Faith- ful, he deals with them in the very love and goodnefs of Cody and will not put them to more forrow than needs muft ^ and when he muft needs put them to forrow in the flefh (for flefh cannot chufe but mourn to part with it felf utterly ia [ Right Reformation, _JL12_ ^ in this reformation) yefi he is prefent with the ' Comforts of his Spirit, and when he hathfmittea them, is ready to heal them, and to bind them up as foon as he hath broken them. He deals with every Chrillian in this reformation, as ten- derly as a man doth with one of his own members that is in grief and anguifh ^ he regards and han- dles him as his own Body, as his own flefli. And , fo the reformation of Ghrift is altogether for edi- i fication, and not at all for deftrudion •, for it is i his own Body he reforms, and {o doth it with the love of the Head. But when ftrangers, whofe the Church is not, I fet upon reforming it, what havock do they make I of the Church of God? how do they wound, and I threaten, and punilh, and dellroy h^ and have ' I no regard at all to the weak, infirm, forrowful Saints, that are wreitling with many doubts, fears, agonies, corruptions, temptations, till ' they are overtaken with the very fliadow of I death? how do they perfecute them that are f ! already fmitten, and grieve them more that arc I already wounded ? ' And fo you fee, that he only that hath an inte- s^ reft in the Church, as being the Head of the I I Church, is only fit to reform it ^ whereas the ^ j reformation of ftrangers, hath more Cruelty ia ' ! it than Love, and more Deftrudtion, than Edifi- ' j cation. ! I Fourthly, Chrlft is only able for this Work ; 4. cklfi i I for the Reformation of the Church is as great a only abis. 15 work as the Redemption of it ; and he only that/^^^ ths !• ! could do the one, can do the other. Chrift muft^^;:^' ^^ J I die to redeem the Church, and he muft live to^^^^^^^^^ H reform it •, and fo as the Government of the i Church only lies upon his (boulders, who is the I Head ^ fo the Reformation of it only lies upon \] his hands, and his hands only are fufUcient for it. K a If 140 Right Rejormation. If all che Angels of Heaven fliould undertake the work of Reformation, they would fink under it ^ how much more the powers of the World? For, the taking away tranfgreilion for us, and from us, which is the only Reformation of the New TeHament, is a work agreeable to none but the Son of God *, as it is written. His Namejhail be called Jefus^ for he fiall fave his People from their fins ; where you have, both the Reformer, ChriH, and the Reformation, pi all fave his people from their fins : Now he mull needs be the Righteoiifnefs of God^ that mufl fave People from Sin. And he mud needs be God in the fleftj^ thsit mull: reform the fiefh ^ none elfe can do it. To conclude this : None but the Power of Godj and Wifiom of God^ and the Righteoiifnefs of God^ which is Jefns Chrifl-y can reform the Church, which is the Kingdom of God ; and the power, wifdom, and righteoufnefs of Men have no place at all here, except they will turn the power^ wif- dom, and righteoufnefs of 6*0^ out of his Office^ for fo fpeaks the Spirit by the Frophct JjMah^ Chap. 2. 17. The loftinefs of men fljall be bowed down, and the haughtinefs of men jhajl be made loWj and > the Lord alone fhall be exalted. Now what is the ! loftinefs and haughtinefs of riien, but the power, wifdom, and righteoufnefs .of men? and all this, faith the Lord, fhall be bowed dowa and' laid ^ low \ and the Lord alone jJjall be exaliedy that, is, Chrifl alone, who is the power, wifdom,, and righteoufnefs of God ^ and that in the day ^of th€ Churches Reformation, aS; well as in tliq'day of the Churches Redemption.'. And thus you fee that Chrid; is the Reformer of the Church, hi? Bo- dy, which is the City and Kingdom ofGoU. . And therefore the Reformation of thedhurch is certain^ for Chrift will'as fljrely reforni it, as f' he hath redeemed it ^ and all that the Father tiath j given Right ReJoDuation, \^\ given him he hach redeemed *, and all that he hath redeemed, he will reform, that he may make them fie to prefent to God\ That fo all that the Son hath received from the Father, having re- deemed and reformed them^ he may give them back to the Father again. So that I doubt not of the QX\vcc(:\\q.'^ Reformation^ becaufe it is Ghrifts owa work/ and he hath un- dertaken the doing of it. And as none of the Powers of the Earth could help him to reform the Church, fo none of the Powers of Hell fhall be able to hinder him : but as many as he hath redeemed unto God by his blood, in his due time he will reform them all by his Spirit, as belonging to his Care and Charge. And therefore let us look to Chrifl for the reformation of his Church, that is, of his faithful People ^ the reft of the world that lies in wickednefs, he lets remain in wicked- nefs, as not belonging to his Care and Charge. This Reformation is the work of Chrifl's Care and Love \ and he being faithful in this Bufinefs, I am at reft and quiet, feeing Chrift is as able for the reformation of the Church, as for the re- demption of it. And therefore (Honourable and Beloved) I fay to you touching this work of the reformation of the Spiritual Temple of the New Teftament, as God once faid to David^ touching the building of the material Temple of the Old Teftament, r Kings 8. 18. fVhereas it was in thine heart (faid God) to bmld an Houfe to my Name^ thon didfi well it was in thy heart. NevertheUfs^ thou jhalt not hiiild the Houfe^ hm thy Son that jhall come out of thy loyns^ he jloall build an Houfe unto my Name. And elfewhere he renders the reafon of it, why T>avid fhould not, and Solomon fhould build this Houfe, becaufe, faith he, thou hafl been a man of fpar^ and hafl jhcd mnch blood: But Solomon-, he K 3 fiiail 142 Right Reformation , fhall live and flourifli in peace, and he fhall do it. So fay I to you, touching this work of Refor- tnaticn. Ton did welly in that it was in your hearts to reform the Kingdom of Godj and the Spritual Churchy which is Chrifts own dear body, Neverthe- Icfs you jhall not reform it^ for you have been men of war J that is, you have managed a great and mighty war againfl great and mighty enemies^ and have fhed much blood :, for the Lord hath gi- 'ven yon the necks of your enemies^ and hath fnbdned themy under you that rofe up againft you, and you have trod them down as mire in the ^ ftreets. I . And therefore you fhall not do this work, ha- ving been men of war*, but Chrifl the Prince of Peace, he (hall reform the Church of God ^ for this is not a work of men of war, but of the Prince of Peace, feeing this is not a work of humane might or ftrength, but of the Spirit. So | that you did well, that you thought to reform j the Church j but when you fhall underftand, that i the reformation of the Church, is as great a ; work as the redemption of it, you will acknow- ledge the work is too great for you, and that it- i' belongs only unto Chrift, feeing the Father hath committed the care of this work only to him^; and he hath taken this care and charge upon ' himfelf, and it is only fuitable to him, as being the Head of the Church : And he only is able for it, as being the Son of God, and equal to God* I The third General. I By what Means Chrifl brings this Reforma- tion about. And that is, by thefetwo, and them only 5 to wit, the [Vord^ and the Sprit. The P ■ II I ■ .■■■—ii I I I I I I m ^^—11 II Right Ref&rmat'wn. 14^ The firft means v;hereby Chrift reforms the 1. 7ke Church, is the Word. ^^^^d. By this Chriil doth all that ever he doth iii bis Kingdom ; by this he calls and rejcds ; by this he binds and loofcth ; by this he comforts and terrifies ; by this he enlightens and makes blind ; by this he kills and quickens ^ by this he faves and damns ; and all that ever he doth in this Kingdom, he doth by his word, and wiih- onc this, he doth nothing of all that he doth. Chriil doth all in his Kingdom by the word only i but Antichrill: doth all things without the word, even by the Decrees and Conftitutions of men. Now as Chrift doth all other things in the Church by the word, fo he reforms too : Now are ye clean through the word that I have fpohen to yoH, All the powers in the world cannot reform the Church as the word of God can do •, for this is quick and powerfuiy and jharfer than a two-edged fwordy piercing even to the dividing afmder of fonl I and fpirity and of the joints and marroWy and is a idifcerner of the thoughts and intents of the hearty and : doth change and reneWy and reform all, I And therefore Chrift, when he comes to re* ; form the Church, comes with no worldly power or weapons, but only with the word in his mouth, I yea, though God fet him King upon his holy hill I of Siony yet he reforms not by outward power, but by preaching, faying, / will pHblifh the decree n^hereof the Lord hath faid unto wif. Thou art my Sony this day have 1 begotten thee. And again, Tht Spirit of the Lord is upon iwf, for he hath anoint fd me to preach the Cofpd, And again. The Redeemer jhalicome to Sion\ and then follow the Covenant of God with the Redeemer y My word (h^ill never depart out of thy moHthj Ifa. 59. 10. and in Pfal. 45. the Church faith by the Spirit to Chrifiy Ride on profpe* K 4 roujly 14-4 Right Reformatio/!, roHJly in the word of truths mee\nefs^ and rightcoiif- nejs^ which is the word of the Gofpel. And fo Chrift^ when the time of Reformation was come^ went up and down preaching the word. And thus he brought to pafs the gloriopts Reforma- tion of the New Teftament^ by peaching the Cofvd of the Kingdomy and nothing elfe. And when he was to leave the world, he fenE his Difciples to carry on the work of Reformation^ as he himfelf had began it, as he faith, As my Fa- ther fent me ^ fo fend I you -^ not with the power of the world, but with the power of the word ; and fo he bid them^o teaeh all Nation^ ^ and peach the Gofpel to every creature ^ and by teaching and preaching to the world, to reform the world ^ and fo accordingly they did, Mark i6. ver. 20. ney went forth and preached every where^ the Lord working with them. So that Chrift fent them noE forth with any power of Swords, or Guns, or Prifons, to reform the world, or with any power of States, or Armies; but fent forth poor, illi- terate, mechanick men, and only armed them with tht power of the word', and behold what won-* ders they wrought by that power alone : They turned the world uplidedown *, they changed the Manners, Cuftoms, Religion, Worfhip, Lives and Natures of Men ; they carried all Oppofitions and Difficulties before them ; they won many in mod Kingdoms unto Chrifl:, and brought them into willing fubjedion and obedience to him ; and all this they did (I fay) not with any Earthly or Secular Power, but by the Miniftry of the Gofpel alone, Chrifts great and only Inltrument for the Conquering, Subduing, and Reforming of the Nations. And fo the Power appeared to be Gods only, and not the Creatures. And thus you fee how the word is one means Chrifl ufeth for Reformaiion. ~ '' ^' ., And Right Reformation, 145 And this word only works a right Reforma- tion: For this reforms truly and indeed^ all other power reforms but in appearance. So thac there is no true reformation of any thing but what is wrought by the word : but what ever evil is refornjed, and not by the power of the word, it is not truly reformed ^ it is only refor- med in the flefh, and not in the fpirit : it is only fufpended in the outward operation of it, but the feed and nature of it ftill remains in the heart, to grow up and work again,as opportunity ferves. And therefore what ever evil or corrup- tion is reformed in thee, fee it be reformed by the power of the word : if the word hath killed it in thee, it is killed indeed-, if not, it is alive in thee, though it feem to be dead. The out- ward power of the world may fet up an image of Reformation, but ic is the word only cau work true Reformation. And therefore let us learn to rely on the word for the Reformation of the Church. For this is much for the honour of the word ( which God hath magnified above all his Name ) when we can negled the power of the world, and leave the whole work of Reformation to the power, working, and efficacy of the word alone, which is Almighty, and able to bring off the heart from all things to God, As on the contrary, it is a great dilhonour to God and his word, when men dare not rely on the word alone to reform the Church, though it be H onger then men and Angels and all the creatures^ butt will needs be calling in the power of the world, and reft and rely on that, for this work, as if the power of the word were not fufficieut. But let fuch men l^novv, thac if the power of the word, v;ill not reform men, all the power of the world will ^ever do ic. And therefore wsU faid Luther pra- dkarej 1^6 Right Reformation* dlcarcj annuntiare^ fcrihere volo ; ntminem autem vi adigam. I will preach, and Teach, and write . buc 1 will conflrain no body. Oh therefore thaE our Civil and Ecclefiaftical powers would fo much honour Chrifts word, as to truft the reformation of his Kingdom wich it •, and that, as it is fufficient to reform the Church, fo yon would be pleafed to think it fufficient •, and thus fhali you give Chriffc and his word due honour, as well as declare your own faith. And if you would commit this work to the power of the word, to which only it belongs, you (liould foon fee what the word would do. There is no fuch glorious light under heaven as to fee the word, in the fpirit and power of it, come in to an unreformed world, and to obferve the changes and alterations it makes there. And thus you fee that one means that Chrift ufeth for the Reformation of his Church, is the word. TleGofpd But here Imuft further declare to you that ^efomsy |.|^J3 yjQ^^ by which Chrift reforms the Church, is not the word of the Law, for the Law made nothing perfedt, but the word of the Gofpel ; This, this, is the only word, that works Refor* mationy For firll, T^Worh J. This word works faith; and therefore it fAhb» is called the word of faith, becaufe faith comes by hearing of this word, Rom. lo. ver. 8. and *ifer^ 17. Now as the word works faith, fo faith apprehends the word, even that word that was with God and was God *, this living and eternal word, dwels in our hearts by faith, as the Apoflle faith, That Chrift may dwell in your hearts by faith : And this word dwelling in us by faith, changeth us into it it's owa likenefs, as fire chan- geth Ri^ht Reformation. 14-7 getli the iroQ into it's own likenefs, and takes us up into all ic's own vertues. And Co the word dwelling in the flefh, reforms the flefh, and it dwells in us through faith, and faith is wrought by the Gofpel. So that the word whereby Chrifl reforms, is not the word without us, as the word of the Law is ; but the word within us, as it is written, The word is nigh thee^ even in thy mouthy and in thy heart \ and this is the word of Faith : If thou live Under the word many years, and if it come not into thy Heart, it will never change thee, nor reform thee. And therefore the reforming word is the word within us, and the word within us is the word of faith, 2. The Gofpel reforms, becaufe it doth not 2/ only reveale Chrifls righteoufnefs, as it is writ- Communis ten, the RlghteoHfnefs of God is revealed from Faith '^'^^"^^' to Faith ', but alio k communicates it to us ; And ^^^"J^^-/^* therefore it is called the word of righteoufnefs, becaufe it works righteoufnels. So that Chrifi:, the righteoufnefs of God, is conveyed to us through this word of righteoufnefs. And when the righteoufnefs of God, revealed in the Go- fpel, comes and dwells in us, what Reforma- tion of fin doth this work? all fin perilheth, at the rebuke of his countenance : For the righte- oufnefs of God will endure no fia in us ; And fo the Gofpel reforms by working righteoufnefs in us. 3. The Gofpel reforms, becaufe it fhews us 5, Chrifl:*, and by (hewing vs him, it changeth us-^^^^^ . into his Image j the more we fee Chrifl in the^*"^*^*^' Gofpel, the more are we made like unta him, that as we have born the Image of the earthly, fo we may bear the Image of ihe Heavenly z. Yea 148 Right Refor7natwn. mr — . 2. 2. Yea the Gofpel fhews us God in Chrill in all his glory, and changech us into that glory of God which is fhewen us j we all faith Paid^ with ofenface., beholding as in a glafs ( and this glafs is the Gofpel ) the glory ^ of the Lord^ are changed into the fame Image from glory to glory ^ even as by the Sfirit of the Lord : fo that the Gofpel by fhewing us God, changeth us into the Image of God ^ and God through the Gofpel, arifeth Oii us, till his glory be feen upon us. And thus you fee the grounds oftheGofpels Retormation. So that i^ow the word of the Gofpel^ is the only Reforming word : and if there be never fo much preaching, if it be but Legal, it will reform no body aright^ becaufe there can be no wor- king Faith, nor comm'-racating righteoufnefs, nor changing men into Gods Image, and fo there can be no true Reformation. And thus much for the firfl Means of Refor- mation which Chrift ufeth, which is the word, and this word the Gofpel. 2. Means, the Spirit. thefecond For the Spirit accompanies the Word in the me^ns Miniftry of the Gofpel ^ and therefore the Gofpel Chnfl: jg called the Mimfiration of the Spirit^ that is, the reform the ^^^^ ^"^^ Spirit in union and operation. In the Church Law, there was the Letter without the Spirit, withxl, and fo that could do nothing, but in the Gofpel^ the Word and the Spirit are always joyned ^ and therefore, faith Chrill, The words that 1 [peak arc Spirit and Life \ that is, they come from the Spirit, and carry Spirit wich them. And this Spirit that is prefent in the word of the Golpel^ and works in it, and is given by it, re- forms mightily ^ and therefore it is called the Spirit of judgment and burning : And the Lord looking to this time of Reformation^ promifed long V'—-" ^ II Ri^bt ReJor?f2atwn. 149 long before to four out his Spirit upon all Flefij^ and fb to reform all FleJJ?. Now the Spirit poured forth upon the Flefh, reforms it two ways. 1. By taking away all evil out of the flefh. 2. By changing the flefh into its own likenefs. 1. The Spirit poured forth upon the flefh, re- forms it all, by taking all evil out of the flefh; as firfl: J a\] Sin a?7d Corrupt io?7^ faith PW, If yen mor- tifie the deeds of the Fleflj by the Spirit^ ye jhall live ; the deeds of the fiefli are not to be mortified by any power^ but by the Spirit *, all pride and envy, and Infi and covetoitfnefs^ and carnal mindednefsy and a]l other evils of the flefh, are reformed by the pre- fence of the Spirit in it, and no other way. 2. The Spirit reforms not only all Sins in tlie ?. Churchy h\Mz\\ Errors J and Here ftes^ and falfe Bo^^^^^^^rers^ ^rinesy as is evident by that oiPauly i Cor. 3. 12. Jf any man^ hmid upon this foundation^ gold^ filvery precious flones^ woody hay^ JluhbUy every mans work flmll be made mmifefl ^ for the day [hall declare ity hecaufe it jhall be revealed by fire, and the fire fliall try every mans work of what fort it isy &c. So that a Man may lay Chrifl for a Foundation, and yet build wood, hay, and flubble upon him, that is, Humane Dodrines, and the inventions of Men, and falfe and wicked Opinions. 2. The deftructiou of this hay, wood, and ftubhle, that is. Error, Herelie, and Humane Do- drines in the Church of God, that is, the Teople built on Chrifl-y fhall not be by Laws of States, or Conftitutions of Councels, but by the Holy Spirit which is as fire. The Spirit fhall come into the Saints, and burn up all that corrupt and falfe Dodrine that will noE indure the Spirit; and Error Ihall never be de- flroyed, but by the Spirit of Truth. So that the Spirit reforms all Error, as well as all Corruptions in the Faithful. 2. The 15^0 Right B.ef or mat ion, 2. The Spirit doth not only reform the Flefli, by taking away all evil out of ic, whether Cor- ruptions or Errors, but alfo it changeth the Flefh into its own likenefs : For the Spirit is as fire, that changeth every thing into its felf^ and fo doth the Spirit in the Flefh, make the Flefh Spiri- tual J like Heavenly fire, it changeth men into its own likenefs, and makes them Spiritual, Heaven- ly, Holy, Meek, Good, Loving, &c. And thus the Spirit reforms indeed i When the Spirit is poured forth upon a Man, how wonder- fully doth it reform him? this works a change in him in good earneft \ and no Man is ever truly re* formed, till he receive the Spirit* And thus you fee the means that Ghrifl; ufeth to work this Reformationy and thefe are Ihe only Means. OhjeU. Object. Yea, but I hope you will allow Secular Power too : May not the Spiritual Church ofChrift be Refcrrned with worldly and Secular Power ? jinfw, j^nfw. I Anfwer, by no means j and that for thefe Caufes. ^« I. Forceahle Reformationy is unbefeeming the T^GoT?/ ^'^^^^^ '' ^^^ ^^^ Gofpely is the Gofpd of feaccy and <?/P^ * not of force and fury. Civil Eccleflajlicd Re for ma- ^^. , tlon reforms by breathing out ThreatningSy Tmijh- the truth ^^^^-^7 PrifofiSy Fl*ey ZXid Death 'y but the Gofpel by carry its Preachhg Peace. "^ And therefore it is moll un* evidence befeemiug the Gofpei, to do any thing rafhly and in it j'elf, and the'lVorJ. o^God is greater than all the Teflimonies of Me?', yet for their fakes that are weak, I have iniertid the judrx^ienrs of fome Godly Men (as I have accidentally met with them) who have fpoken of thefe things in the Spirit; thatfo you may lee the truth, though it hath but few followers, yet it hath fome. Mehm^lonon Pfah no. v. g, • BuhebU popidumy voyi cQXiiiim ghdiOy fed verbo coUeftum^ CS" Ltto cordi AmpU^entcm evingeliiim, ^ ie fp9?ne cekbrantem* Difcernit igitur ecckfiiiM ab imperit^ mund.ims, ^ extcrnam fervitntem a cuhibxi cordis^ Aceenfis voa evingdii ^ n fpiriiufxncio,^—''-^Ag* I{eligio cogi nan vuhy violently, Right Reformation, 1 5 1 docerl expetit. ImmAnitite non fixbilhur^ fei evcriitur, Polan.- This Chirks to whom Leo gave the Title of Tk wo/f Chrifiiati Kjvg^ was a great Conqueror, and overcame many Nations with the Sword ; ami as the Turk compelleth to bis Faith, lb he compcUeii with Vioknce to tks (xith of Ckrift \ but alas, the true faith of Chrift whereunto the Holy Ghoft draws mens hearts, through preaching the word of truth, he knew not, ^w TindxI. FideSf fux fvo?ne., noncoAcls agers viih. Luth. Chrl" Jius non voliiit vi CS*" ig?ie cogere homines ad fidem* Luth. Ilisreticos fomburerey eft contrx vbjmnatem fpirims. Luth. He hath given in the Churchy the Sword of the Spirit to inforce with, and not the Sword of t\\Q Magiftrate. Trorfus divcrfx ratio eji regvi Chrijii ^ mundi. Miin^ dn'rii lAigijiratiis qux volunt imperanty ^ fubditi coguntur obediemiam pritjJ^re, At in F^egno Chrijii^ quod non efi mundiva aut pontijicia Domi-' nxtioy fed fpirituxle regnum^ nihil fimih: gerimr, fid ([uivis aherim yu- dexy ^'([uiUbet: alteri fubjsclsa efi* At tyranny ^S animicidiZ illiy nihil morantes vocem Ckrijiiy regnuyn meum 'non eft de hoc rnuudo, ex Ectlefia^ Folitiarn, civileniy feu potins Fomif-cium imperium corftituerunt. Luth. ^are ipjamfedem Befttje negOj nihil moratui fa ne bonm vel mjt" lusy qui in ex fedet, Sedes inciuam ^u^fitfuperomnes fedes, 7iuUx eft in Ecclefixfuper terram jure divino, fed omnes funt xc^uiles, quia um fideSy unum baptifmXy unus Chriftus, d^c, Luth. Where there is no rvorWy fuperiority over one another, there is no icorldly compulfion of one another. In the natural Body, there is no convocation of many members to govern one, or of more members to govern fewer, but the foot performs its office without being under the authoritative power of the hands, yea each member performs its of- fice aright, without being in fubordination to another, by the guide- ance ot that head to which it is united, andof that Spirit that dwells in it ; each member having an immediate influence of the head upon it felf, though it may outwardly feem to be further from the head thaa another member. And thus it is in Believers and Congregations. ■ ■ guti autem vi ^ cox^ione opus vobis eft, qui hujufmodi cerumen decertati4j in quo c9gi nemo debet ? Ulrichus ab Hutten, to the Coun- ccl of Pr lefts. What need you the Power of the Magiftrate to defend the truth, who have fo many Scriptures to defend it ? the truth of God being to be defended by the I ford of God, and not by the power o^men. Idem. I could produce many moreXeftimonies ; but thefe are fulficient to fhew, that I am not alone in this Point, againft forcible Reformation, but have the Armory oi David, to defend it withal, on which there hang a thoufand bucklers, all Ihields of mighty men, violently, for the advancement thereof ; for the Gofpd of Peace J is not to be advanced by violence •, and therefore violent Reformers^ live in contradi-* ftion to the Cofpei of Ft^a^ and cannot be truly reckoned i 152 Right Reformation. reckoned Ghriflians, but Enemies to Chrillia- nity^ Ikh Chriltianity doth ali by the Power of the Anointing ; but Antichriltianicy, doth all by the Power of the World. y r 2. Forceable Reformation isunfuitable to Chrift's tochrtfis Kingdom \ for Chrifls Kingdom ftands in the Spi- jQyigdom, fit ^ and the force of iiefh and blood can contri- Jhisflmdshxitt nothing to this. in tk spl' 2. Again the Faithful^ the Subjeds of this King- riu 2. dom, arc a Spiritual People, and fo they are Jhe'^Suh' without the reach of any outward Force; you je3s of it niay as well go about to bring the Angels of Hea- araaspi' ven under an outward and Secular Po»ver, as the nmi/Pe(?-p2i|-[^ful^ who being born of the Spirit, are more ^"' Spiritual than they. And what hath Flefh and Blood to do with them that are born of the Spi- rit, in the things of the Spirit? And therefore touching this Kingdom which is Spiritual, and beyond not only the power, but the cognifance Ifa. ii.p.of the World, God hath faid, There fh all be none to hll nor hurt in all my holy mountain. And again, Jii»oo.i^, yiQlgfjcg Jljall no more be heard in thy ftreetSj wafting nor dejirnHion within thy borders, A \inz ^' ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ fpiritual people, fo alfo a reopkl willing people ; and what needs outward power to force a people made willing by the Spirit f y^diU iiQ.T^hy people jhalf be willing in the day of thy power: 3. The very dty of Chrifls power^ is not to force men againfl: their wills, but ro make them willing. The Spirit of God that brings them to this King- dom, makes them willkig to obey God there, and gives them plea Hire in that obedience, by ihedding abroad the love of God in their hearts. They that are not a willing people, belong not to Chrifts Kingdom, bat to the world. 3' 3. By this FoYcihle Refdrmation^ hnmane JnfiitH- mmane ^-^^ j^ ^^j. ^p .^ ^'^^ ^^.^ power of the world reforms isfaTip^'^^Y the prudence of the world; and men never ufe Right Reformation. i ^ ^ life humane power in fihe Church, but they firit make humane laws in ic •, and humane laws are the rule of humane power. And fo by this means, the authority of men, is made to have power, not in the things of men, but in the things of God : which is the great diihonour of God and his Authority. 4. It brings men into blind obedience, and 4. makes them obey what is commanded on pain^^ ^r//?^^ of puaifhment, though they know not whether ^^!^Y^^^f, it be right or wrong ^ with the word, or againft iil^^^^ the word : So that a man fiiall fay, that which I do I am conflrained to do^ and therefore I do it becaufe I am conflrained. I read in Frithes Anfwer to the Bifl)Op of Roche fle^'^ that a youth being prelent at his fathers burning, the officers feeing him, refolved to examine him alfo, to try if they might find him a Senary or an Heretick : but the youth difmaied at the fad light of his fathers death, and fearing the like end himfelf, being asked of one of them, how- he believed ? Anfwcred, Sir I believe even as it pleafeth you. And fo, the more outward and violent power is ufed upon men, the more of this kind of faith and obedience you (hall have : when men fhall fee prifons, and banifhments, and lofs of goods, and death, walking up and down the i Kingdom for the Reformation of the Church, I you fhall at laft have men fay. Sirs, we will be- I lieve and do, even as it pleafeth you : we will believe as the State pleafeth, or we will believe I as the Gouncel pleafeth \ And let them make i what confefTion they will, we had rather believe them, then indure them. And thus by fear and punifhment, may men be brought to fay and do, that which they neither believe nor underftand: and how acceptable fuch popifh faith and obedience is unto 6W, all fpi- L ritual " 1 5:4 Right Reformatio?!, ritual Chriftians know, and every mans confci- ence, methinks, fhould be convinced. ^. 5;. It makes men Hypocrites and not Saints; Jtm^kes for it forceth the body, and leaves the heart as By^ocriKs '^^ vvas ; tor the heart cannot be forced by out- v/ard power, but by the Inward efficacy of the truth : Now the hearts of men being corrupt, v/hat are all outward duties, they are forced to^ but fo much Hypocrilie ? So that forceable Re- formation makes only Hypocrites and gilded Se- pulchres, putting a form of godlinefs upon the outward man, when there is no power of god^ linefs in the inner man, but a power of ungod ■ linefs. That Reformation^ with which the nncleannef; of the heart ftands, is none of Ghrill's Refor- mation. What is the Reformation of the outward man, when the heart is full of Atheifm, Ignorance of God, Adultery, Pride, Murther, &c, and all the corruptions of Nature ? Call you this a Reforma- tion o^ the Church of Chrifl ? This Reformation makes none Saints, but all Hypocrites, forcing mens adious contrary to their natures. ^' . 6. ft caufes difturbances and tumults in the .^^"p"^^^' World ; when menare forced by outward power, ^.ii.^o{Lnces,^^ ad .igainfl their inward Principles, in the things of God, what difturbances and tumults this hath bred in States and Kingdoms who knows not ? So that they that lay hold on the power of men, and go about to reform Hearts and Confciences, by outward violence, are never the caufe of Refor- mation, but always of Tumult : And this renders the caufe of the Gofpel grievous and odious to the World, rather than commends it. And therefore, let all that love the Gofpel of Chrift, abftain from outward violence j for they that nfc tliC Ri^ht Reformation. 1 5 5 the [wordy in this kind, fhall in the end ferilh by the fword» A Man when he fins not againO; the State, may juflly ftand for his State freedom^ and to deprive a 'Man of his State Liberties for the Kingdom of Chrifts fake, as it caufeth dilliirbances in the World, fo let any man lliew me any fuch thing in the Gofpel. 7. Chrilt ufeth no fuch outward force himfelf, 7. for he is meek and lowly in Spirit j and not boyfte-^^y/^ «• roiis and furious in the Flefh. And it was fore-|^^ ^^ ^ told of him, that he fhould noty^r/z^^, nor cry ^ " w^r/for'e lift lip his voice in the fireets^ to call in outward and lecular aid and power. He never ufed the power of the world,but did all by the power ofthe word J even his very puni(hments and defirudions, he executes by the Word *, He jhall [mite the earth with the rod of his mouthj and with the breath of his lips he jhall flay the Wicked : And ADtichrift himfeif, his greateft Enemy, he dejftroys, by the Spirit of his moHthf and the hrightnefs of his comings 2. Neither did Chrifl command his Apofllesto ^^ ufe any fuch outward power, but he fent his Dif- Keithr ciples to Preach, and bid them fay, into what command- Houfe foever they entred. Peace he to this Honfe^^'^ ^^^f ^' and if Men would not receive Peace, and the Do-^^-^^ '^^' dtrine of Peace, not to force them, but to de^ part thence^ and to fljake off the ditji of their feet^ as a witnefs againfi them^ that they had been there^ according to the will of Chrifl and the Father, and offered them Mercy and Salvation, which they refufed. And this is all that the Miniflers of the Gofpel can do, to any that refufe their Do- dlrine*, and not to go prefently to the Secular Magiftrate to ask power ko piinifh them, or im- prifon them, or fell their goods, as is now pra- difed in fome parts ofthe Kingdom, even upon the Saints : And if Men b« wicked, is it not mi- L 2 fcry i 15:6 Right ReJ or mat i 0/7. fery enough for them to reftife eternal life, except aifo they inflict on them temporal death ? is it noE mifery enough for men to refufe the good things of Heaven, except they alfo deprive them of the good things of this prefent life ? and yet as Luther faid of the Clergy, Q^andononinvocat brachium fe^ cnlare^ C^ morte ntraqite terret mHndum f When doth ic not call upon the Secular Power, and ter- rific the World wich both deaths ? Surely Chrift and the word approve not thefe ways. For^ Mtt. 18. Chrift impofeth no other punifhment 011 them, that would not hear the Church, than that he fljodd be reckoned as a heatheny and P^;//, Ti- tus 3. Tcdchethus after once and twice admoni- tion to avoid an Heretick^ but not to imprifon him, or kill him, orbanifli him ^ and again, they that do thefe things ^ jljall not inherit the Kingdom of God J and again, he that believes not fiall be dam- ved ^ but not one word of outward or corporal punifhment, in all the Gofpel. 3. Yea, Chrift reproveth his Difciples, for dif- covering fuch a Spirit of Tyranny, as to punifli men for not receiving him, Litke 9. when the Apoftles of a Prelatical and Antichriftian Spirit, in that particular, defired fire to come down from Heaven upon them that would not receive him, Chriftdidfeverely rebuke them, faying, T& know not of what Spirit ye are ^ not of Chrifts Spi- rit, which is meek, hwi oi Sathms^ whowas amHr-> therer from the beginnings and of Antichrifts, his firft begotten in the world ^ and he adds, the Son of man came not to defroy men livesy but to fave them ; and therefore to go about to turn the Go- fpel, not to fave mens lives, but to deftroy them, and fo to cliange Chrift himfelf, from a Saviour, into a Deftroyer, this is Antichrift Triumphant. All thefe things (hew that worldly power hath no place at all in the reformation of the Cofpel. No\Y Right Rejormat'wn. 157 Now I fhould have proceeded here to Anfwer fome Objedions, as namely: I. That of Luke 14. compeil them to come in \OhjeU:* this, I forgetting, named not. May a Chriftian then live as he lift ? 2 OhjeEi, No, by no means ^ for he hath the Word ^nd j^nfw. Spirit in him, to keep him from living as he lift , and he knows that no man in Gods Kingdom, may live as he wills, but as God wills. But would you have no Law ? ^.Ohjicl, No Laws in Gods Kingdom, but Gods Laws*, ^^/^^ * and thefe area thoufand times better than ail the Laws of men, and they are thefe three: The Law of a new-nature. The Lavp of the Spirit of Life that is in Chrifi, The Law of Love. -^ But would you have no Government ? ^..OhjeSl, Yes, but the Government of Chrift the Head, ^nfw, and the Holy Ghofl: the Spirit, in and over the Church the Body, They that would govern the Faithful, the Members of Chrids own Body, make themfelves the head of thofe Members -^ and fo Antichrift may as well be found in a combination of men, as in one fingle^erfon. BuE would you have no order ? ^.ObjeB. Yes, the beil that is *, even fuch an Order as is ^r^fw. in the Body of Ghrift; where every Member is placed by Ghrift, and none by it felf •, the Order of the Spiritual Church is a Spiritual Order, and not a Carnal. But would you have Sin Suffered ? S.ObjecI: No, but more truly and throughly dellroy- Anfw. ed, than any power of the world candeftroy It ; even by the Spirit of judgment and burning. But would you have binners fuffered ? ^.OhjcTt. No, but punifhed more feverely, than any Anfw, powers of the world can punilh them \ For he Ihall fmite the earth with the rod of his mouth, L 3 and 1 5' 8 R{^bt Reforma/io/7. and with the breath of his lips he ihall flay the wicked. And as for thofe that are outwardly wicked, the Magiftrace is to keep them in order, for the quiet of the State, he having power over their perfons eftates, and lives. 1 fhould alfo have proceeded to the next thing. The advantages of frch a Gofpel Reformation where it IS wrought • together with the llfes : but becaufe 1 would not be overlong, I pafs by thefe things, and fo proceed no farther in this Difcourfe. Bn now being brought hither by an unexpefted Providence, I ihall crave liberty to fpeak a few v;ords to you, in the behalf of two Kingdoms, that is, this Kingdom, and Gods. I. That which I have to requeft of you for this Kingdom is, that you would regard the offrejfion of the fooY^ and the (igh'wg of the needy : Never waS there more injuftice and oppreOion in the Nation than now •, I have feen many opprefled and crufh- ed, and none to help them. I befeech you con- fider this with all your hearts-, for many who de- rive power from you, are great Oppreflbrs. And tlierefore I require you in the name of God, to difcharge the truft that God hath put into your hands \ and fo to defend the poor and father lefs^ to do jitflice to the affiiEhed and needy^ to deliver the poor and ncedy^ and to rid them out of the hands of the wicked-^ This is your Bufmefs, difcharge your Duty ^ ii: you will not, then hear what the Lord fiiich, PfaL 12. 5. for the oppreffion of the poor\ for the fighpg of the necdy^ now will I arife faith the Lord\ 2L\\(iGo(^s riling in this cafe, would prove your ruine. If you will not do Gods work in the Kingdom, which he hath call'd you to, he will Pial. 72. do it hinirclf without you*, as it is written, Hs IS. fhall ddiver the needy when he cryeth^ the poor alfo, • and him that bath no helper-^ he (h*ill fave their Souls from Right RefoDnat'ion. 159 from deceit and violence, the common evils of the Times. And this is all that I have to fay for this Kingdom. 2. I have a few more things to fay touching -- Gods Kingdom^ and thefirlt is this: ^^^^ , 1. That as Chrifts Kingdom, and the King^^'""^'"' doms of che world are diilind, fo you v/oiild be pleas'd to keep them ^o^ and not mingle them to- gether your felves, nor fuffer others to do it, to the great prejudice and dillurbance of both. 2. That you v^ould be pleafed to think, that Chrifls Kingdom (which is not of this world) hath fufficient power initfclf^ to manage all the affairs of it, without ftanding in need of any aid or help from the World ; feeing the power of Man is of no place or ufe in the Kingdom of God, which is not a Temporal, or an Ecclefiaflical Do- minion, but a Spiritual. 3. That you would fuffer the little flone of Chrifls Kingdom to be hewn out of the Mountain of the Roman Monarchy, whereof this Kingdom is a part, without hands, even by the power and efficacy of the word and Spirit, feeing the hands of men cannot help, but hinder this work, which is to be done without hands : And that your might, and your power, would pleafe to let God do this work of his, without might and without power, and by his Spirit only. 4. That you would be pleafed to fuffer the aflemblings of the Saints, both publikly and pri- vately, as occalion ferves, feeing this can be no prejudice to the State, but a great advantage \ in as much as they meet peaceably, and make no tumults, and in their aflembling pray for the peace and welfare of this divided and diltraded Kingdom. And alfo, that you take heed of fcat- tering thofe Churches, that meet in the Name and Spirit of Jefus Chrift, (which are Chrifls L 4 owa i6o Right Rcjcrmation, own gatherings together ) leaft Chrifl To fcatter you abroad, that you never be gathered toge- ther again. 5. That you take heed, you do nothing to the prejudice of the faithful, Gods own people ; as he hath warned you by the Spirit, faying, Touch not mine ancyated^ and do my Prophets no harm j This Place hath been miferably miilaken *, for the Kings of the Earth, and the Clergy have fhared it between themfelves, whereas indeed it belongs to neither^ for Gods anointed are the faithful, that are anointed with the Spirit, the oyl of God, and fo are anoynted as Chrifl was anoynted. And thefe anoynted ones, are the Lords prophets, and the Lord hath no prophets, but fuch as are anoynted with the Spirit. Thus Chrilt was made the Lords prophet. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me^ for he hath anoynted me to preach the Gofpel ^ and thus arc all his Brethren made prophets •, being fellows with him in his Undion. And therefore take heed how you meddle with the Lords anoyn- ted ones, and with the Lords prophets ^ for as it is faid. He fuffered no man to do them wrong, yea he even reproved Kings for their fakes, fay- ing. Touch not, &ic. So the Lord hath Hill the fame care of the fame people, and will ftfer no man to do them wrongs but will reprove Kings and Parliaments, and Kingdoms, and Cities and Coun- ties, and Committees, he will reprove them all tor their fakes, and fay, Touch not mine anoynted^ and dorny Prophets no harm: for they that are an- oynted with the Spirit, are th^ fiefii of Chrifl, and the Prophets of God, and therefore touch them and harm at them your own peril. It grieves me to fee, the reft of the Kingdom, touch- ching thefe anoynted ones of God, and doing barm to thefe his Prophets, abufing, and fpoyling and imprifoning them *, It would grieve me much more Right Reformat 1077. l6i more if 1 fliould fee you doing the fame ^ for this would bring you as well as the Kingdom under Ooils own reproof'^ and the reproof of God who can indure> Sixthly and laflly, Take heed you do not hin- der the free paflage of the Gofpel. When God hath put his Spirit into the hearts of men, take heed how you refift the word in thofe mens mouths ; for the word of God in the meanefb inftrument, can never be refilled, but will cary all before it*, The Honour, Power, Dignity, Authority, Nobility, Magiftracy, of the King- dom, if they fhould once fland up, to hinder the Word of Gody the Word of God would carry them all before it. And therefore it grieves me, to fee how the City, Countrey, Counties, Towns, Villages, do all rife up for the moft part againfl the miniftra- tion of the Spirit^ for this is a certain fign of the undoing of them all : God will fuller and endure any fin long, but only the contempt and oppofitioa of the Gofpel: but when men, once rife up, againft the Gofpel, in the Spirit and power of it, they are fure to be undone by it, and to be fhattered all in pieces ^ for this brings fwift Ven- geance. And therefore when I fee, the generality of the people of all forts, rife up againft the Mi- niftratiju of the Spirit (which God hath now in thefe days of ours, fee up even in every County for falvation to his people, but for a ftone of Humbling and a rock of ofience to the reft) I am then exceedingly diflrefied, and pained at the ve,ry heart, for thee O England^ and for all thy Cities, and Towns and iiihabitants ^ foi thcu that dafiiell againft the Spirit in the Gofpel, how (halt thou be dafhed in pieces thy felf, and there fliall be no healing for thee. I could 1 62 Right Reformation. I conld hope for Peaces again and good days, fuddenly in this Kingdom, but for this fin of the contempt and opofing the Gofpcl, and this makes my hopes even at an end ; and the day of my fear^ is come forth Ptpn me. But oh you honourable and beloved Chriilians, let not your foul enter into thofe mens fecrets, neither yet v»ralk in their open and publick waysi^ for ruin and deflrudion are in their pathes^ and the way of peace they fhall never know, feeing God is about to enter into controverfie with all fiefh, for their rifing up againft the Miniftration of the Spirit. And therefore be wife here I be- feech you, that in the (battering of the Nation ( if there be no remedy ) you may be kept together as a blefled remnant and a hopeful feed of the fol- lowing generation. To conclude, Honourable and worthy, we will be willingly contented, to do and fuffer all things with you J we will cheerfully run through honour and difhonour with you ; fame and infamy, gain and lofs, trouble and quietnefs, war and peace. Life and»Deach^ and do defire to referve nothing to our felves, N't ft unicHm 'verbnm dominiy but only the word of God, in its own purity and liberty, to preach it, and to pubilfh it^ and to profefs it, and to praftife it, for the glory of God and his only begotten Son, and for the good of his King- dom, and this Kingdom, jind tints mHch unto yon from the Lord. i6? E P L Y To Mr. LOVEh CONTRADICTIONS, S I R^ BECAUSE I would noe wrong you in any meafure in what you faid, I went to one who took your Notes in Short-Hand ; and he gave me what I here fet down for yours, which I well remember are the things you then fpake, for the fubftance of them : To which, I give you this following Reply. Mr. LOr£. Cafl your eyes upon the begun Reformation^ though peradventnre cried down with Confidence^ No fitch thing as the Reformation of the Churchy &c. Reply, I taught indeed, that the Kingdom of Chrifl is a Spiricual Kingdom, and the Reformation of it is anfwerable •, and that Chrifl himfelf, who is the Lord, the Spirit, is the Reformer of this Spi- ritual Kingdom, by his Word and Spirit ^ but little thought that any man would have been fo blind or worfe, as to have affirmed, the Preach- ing of this Spiritual and Glorious Reformation, was to Preach againft all Reformation. Is the Reformation of Jefus Chrifl, which he worl:f by his V/ord and Spirit in all the Faithful, and ia 1 64 ^ Reply to Mr. LoveV Contradi^l'ions, m all the Churches of the Saints, no Reformation at all? How durlL you affirm this, \Ax: Love .? Mr. LOVE. As if all were encomfajfsd within the narrow heart cf man. Reply. Yet I faid plainly enough, When the Heart is reformed, all is reformed *, and Gofpel- Reforma- tion, though ic begins in the inward man, euds in the outward. Did you, Sir, accufe me rightly then, or no ? xMr. LOVE. If this he foj Race out the firfi Article of the Co'^ venant. Reply. I had rather the whole Covenant raced out, than the leaft truth contained in the word of God : Though I like the Covenant well enough, according to the true intention of ic. Again, if the thing be truly confidered, it will appear, that you are more againft the Covenant than I \ for the Covenant engages us to reform, accorMng to the word of Godj but you (it feems) would reform without, yea againft the Word, with Outward »and Secular Power; which you will not fuffer in the MagiHrates hands neither, but will needs have it in your own. Mr. LOVE. If this Doctrine be true^ That Cofpel- Reformation he only Spiritual^ then I wonder how Paul was fo outy who faid^ When I come^ 1 willfet all things in Order f [nrely that was a Church-Order* Reply. But pray. What Outward or Secular Power had Pady (who fuffered not only much from the World, but mod from the falfe Apoftles) to fet the Church in Order ? Did Taul (think you) ufe aay worldly power to fet the Church in Order ; or only A Reply to Mr, Lo ve'j- Contradidions. \ 6 > only the power of the Word and Spirit ? But thefe men think, if the Church be to be fet in order by the word and Spirit only (which were fufHcienC in Pauls time) it's like to be out of order for them. Mr. LOVE, To cry down all kind of Government under heart-go^ *vernment^ and all Reformation Oi carnal^ hecanfe you have the Civil Magifi rates hand to it^ is againji that place of Paul, i lim. 2. 2. Pray for Kings^ and aH that are in Authority^ that we may lead a quiet and a paceable Ufe in allgodlinefs and honefiy. Reply, Well argu'd now indeed. Babes and SitcJiUngs^yon (hall come forth and anfwer this Mafter in Jjrael, The fenfeof this place is evidently this: That Chriftians fhould pray for Kings and Governors, that God would fo incline their hearts, that whilft we live in godlinefs under them, they would fuf- fer us to live in peace ^ and not make us fare the worfe in the world, for our intereft in the King- dom of God. And what one drop can Mr. Love fqueeze out of this Scripture, to cool the tip of his tongue ? For the meaning is not, That the Magi- flrate fliould enforce godlinefs, but proted us iti godlinefs. Mr. LOVE, To jnfile out the Magijlra; cs power^ is to jitflle out thefirjl Article of the Covenant \ (What agam ?) and they that jitflle out that J will jttftle out you [Ijortly, Reply. Good Sir, afcribe not your own work to our hands. The juftUng out the Adagiflrnte^ have you not made it the chief part of your bufinefs now for a long while together ? and are you not flill fo diligently ading it every day, that now you think your work is in fome forward nefs, and you are pretty well able to deal with him ? And now 4)ecaure you would not be miflrufted yourfelves, you publickly (lander us with it. We fee clearly thorow all your flender difguizes. Mr. 1 66 A Reply to Mr, LoveV ContradiUions, _ It Mr. LOrE. Ezra w.ts of another mindy Ezra 7. 26. Whofoever will not do the Law of thy God^ and the Law of thy Ktngy let 'judgment he exeented fpeedlly upon him^whe- ther it he unto death^ or nnto hanifljmcntj or to conff" cation of goods ^ or to imprifonment. Reply, Well, Sir, will you ftand to this place, and {hall this end the Gontroverfie ? Pray mark then j this was part of the Decree of Artaxerxes^ a King of the Nations, touching the Jews^ for the rebuild- ing of the material Temple ; that they fhould have liberty to do it, and not be molefted in the doing of it, but Ihould have what aiTiftance the State could afford. The Decree was this : Ez.ra 7, 1 3. / make a Decree^ That all they of the People of Jfrael^ and of the Friefls and Levites in any Realm^ which arc minded of their own free willy to go up to Jerufalem^ go with thee J Forafmuch as thou art fent of the King and his feven Councellors^ to enquire concerning Judah and *Jerufalemy according to the Law of thy God that is in thy handy &c. And ver, 21. / Artaxerxes the King do make a Decree to all the Treafurers heyond the River, That whatfoever Ezra the Prtefi JhaH defire of you^ it he donefpeedily unto two hundred Talents offilver. And then, ver, 16 follows ; Whoever will not do the law of thy Gody and the law of thy King^ Let him be fo and fo punilhed, as you have heard. 1. Here then you fee, that Artaxerxes made no Decree to enforce all the Jews to go build \ but as the Text faith, Thofe that were minded of their own free will. See you not here, that even a King of the Nations thought it unreafonable to force any man to go build Gods material Houfe, againft his will.? 2. And fecondly, you fee, how he gave them no Laws how to build, but permitted them to do it, according to the law of their Cod that was in their hands. ' 3* And A Reply to Air, Love'j Contradictions. 167 3. And thirdly, you fee, how he deterred any from hindring them from this work, upon pain of death, banifhment, &c. Do you not perceive now by this time, how yoa then deceived the People, by giving them the let- ter of the Word, without the true fenfe of it, as Satan dealt with Chrifl in his temptations ? Such Sermons bring an Honr of Temptation upon the People. This then is the force of the Place : I. Firft, That the Magiflrate may make a De- cree, for all that a.w minded of their own free wili^ to build the Spiritual Temple of JefusChriil-, and to gather up into a Commmion of Saints. z. Secondly, That he ought to permit this to be done, according to the law of oar God that is in our hands^or rather according to the law of the Spi- rit of life that is in our Hearts^ and not to enforce upon us any Clergy Qonftitutions. 3 And thirdly, That he may deter you, and the reft of the Kingdom that are of the like mind with you, from refifting and hindring this work, which hath its Authority from Heaven. That fo the Saints (the Kingdom of Chrill) may pray for the Magiftrate ^ and Chrifl (the King of Saints) may blefs the Magiflrate, and make him profper- ous. And pray now what is all this to your pur- pofe? * Mr. LOP^E. If it woi good in yonr Hearts to think to Reform^ its much better to do it. Reply, Does not God fay. It was well^ that David thought to build a Temple ; and yet for all that^ he jlwidd not build it ? And do you now dare to blame this very thing ? Cannot the Scripture it felf be quiet for you? Mr. LOFE. Ton need not fear lofipg a Party, Refly. 1 68 A Reply to Mr. Love V Contraditlions. Reply, Yea, but how if God be ia that Party? What then, Sir? Is icnoE better keeping a little, poor defpifed Party, that hath God in it ^ than a greac and numerous Party, without God ? Again, Did you Preach before the Parliament, to make or call offParties? Doth this appertain totheMyftery of Chrift and the Father? Reader, thefe men are h over-bu(ie in making and marring Parties, that I much fear, they will, in the end, throw the Kingdom into more mifery and blood, than their Predeceflbrs have done. Mr. LOFE, Reformation is no forcing Confcience^ it meddles vot with Cvnfcience^ it reflrains Pratlice : If a Jefuite come from Rome to kill a great Perfun^ he does it in Confci^ gnccy bm I meddle not with his Confcicnce^ Irejlrain his FraEiice. Reply. Does not your Reformation meddle with Con- fcience, Mr. LOP^E? Did you fpcak this of your felf, at random, as the reft, or is this the fence of your Brethren? And doth your Reformation only reflrain outward praifkice ? Then to tie up mad Dogs, and Bears, and Tygers, is your moffc cxellent Reformation. You thaE will not meddle with the Confciences of men, it is no wonder you are making fo many Iron yoaks for their necks, and fo many Snares and fetters to hamper the out- ward man, the proper fubjed ( it feems ) of your Reformation. And thus taking upon your felves the Reformation of the outward man, you do in- deed put the Magiltrates work to an end ; And then the Affembly may ferve, in the place of the Houfe of Commons ; and Sion-Colledge in the place of the Lord may or ^ Aldermen^ and Common- Councel, See you not yet, O ye powers of the world, how the Ecclefiaftical powers would eat you out ? And A Reply to Mr. LoveV Contradiciions. 169 Sr I II '' '■' ' ■ , -■ I r ■ - , II.,. -ilitf And for your Jefuiie, Did you ever hear me fay or hint, That the Magiftrate (hould not re- ftrain and punifh outward wickednefs? I wifh therefore you would unriddle your felves, and tell truly, if you dare, how far you would limit the Magiftrate, and enlarge your felves upon the out- Ward man. But cerrafnly, if the Magiftrates power hath under it ^ne whole outward man, as indeed it hath ! And if Chrifts power have under it, the whole inward rnan, as indeed it hath ; what place then (I pray) is there left for your Ecclellaftical power, when the outward and the inward man are difpofed of before ? Sure, when the Magiftrate takes his own proper power to himfelf, and Chrift his own proper power to himfelf, your power will be found to have no place, either in the worlds Kingdom, ox GODS \ but you muftfind out fbme third place for it ; for I will affign yoii none, left you prove too angry. Mr. LOFE. The Chnrch of Thyativa might thinijhehaj Nc0 light J and yet God faithy 1 have a jSexP things againft theej becaiife thsu ptfferefi the woman Jezabel, &C* Refly. Truly Sir, when God fhall make you a new Creature, you will be glad of New Light ; for behold (faith God) / make all things iSIeWy evea the light as well as the creature : the Old Light will lerve the Old man well enough* And for the Spirits reproving the Angel of the Churchj for fuffering falfe and erroneous Teach- ers \ doih this prove as you undertake, that the Angel of the Church had or exercifed, Civil and Secular power in the Church of Chrift? You err, not underftanding the Scripture; for then any thing is fuffered in the Church, when it is not re- proved and condemned by the word •, the word M of lyo A Reply to Mr, LoveV ContradiEiions. of truth, taught and publifhed in the Churchy will fuffer no error there: but you underftand this fuffering, of outward and violent power. Do you not remember, that I faid at the beginning, that the carnal Church underftands the whole Scriptures carnallv > Mr. LOVE. . ^nd now to hear fuch Sermons preached^ and Boohi printed J if it had been at Anifterdam, it had been n9 marvel : Bnt at London, and at Weftminfter, &c. Re fly* Truly, fuch a Sermon as mine, might have been preached at Amflerdam^ or any where elfe where the Gofpel hath free paflage: and fuch a Sermon as yours, might have been preached at Romey or any where elfe, where the precious word of GO D is under reftraint, and Ecclefiafti- I cal power exalts it felf, both above the power of the word, and the power of the Nation* your Ser* mon favours as ill to the Faithfully as mine to the world. Many other weaky fajfionate^ inconfderate^ err one* its things, fell from Mr. Love^ neither worth the troubling the Reader with, nor my felf j and fo they may perifh and rot in their own grave ( if they will) for they Ihall never receive a Refnrrehi^ §n from me. And now at the cJofs of all, I defire the Reader to obfervc the difference between our Enemies and ourfehes^ in this great point of Authority and furifdi^iony which is this : That IVe exalt ^efus Chrift alone in the fpirituxl Church ; and attribute to the Magiftrate, his full power in the world ; But they exalt themfelves in Chrifts ftead, in the Church'^ and let under their feet, the MJ^giflrates power in the world. And this is fo evidenty that there is fome operation of Satao> ffiore or lefs, upon him ihdit fees it not. Trjcfens male \udicA% c^USj Judiciim melius Fojierltms srih THE l\ X OF TRUE PEACE and UNITY In the True CHURCH of CHRIST, In all Humility and Bowels of Love Prefented to them. By WILLIAM DJSLL, One of the leaft and unworthieft of the Ser- vants of God, in the Gofpel of his dear Son. Pfahn cXx. 7. I am for peace •, but when I fpeak^ they are for war. Utrum nos Schifmatici fumus an vos, nee ego, nee tu, fed Chriftus interrogetur ut indicet Ecclefiam fuam, Augufl, center, liter, Fetil, L 2. r. 85. LONDON: Firft Printed in the Year, 16$ t Ml 17? T O T HE HONOURABLE THE Commons of ENGLAND, AfTembled in PARLIAMENT. IT is written^ that the Kingdoms of the World fhall become the Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Chrill : And now when all alrnoft^ that is Great and Honourable^ and Noble and Royal, and Wife and Learned, is found againft this Counfel and Deftgn of Cod, how highly are you Honoured of him^ and how Happy are you, that you are yet found for itf Tou after a manifold Apofiacy and defeEiion of many of your Members, feem yet to remain as Pillars in the Houfe of our God ', yet you feem to be, among thofe called and chofen, and faithful ones, that now continue with the Lamb, who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, in his engagement againfi, and con- ^uefi over the Ten-Horned Beafi : And to turn afidc from this work, would be, to give up your felves ta double ruine, to wit, both from Heaven and Earth, And therefore the Lord make you faithful, that yon may do this work for God, and to fulfill his Word 5 and not for your felves, and to fulfill your own Ends. And now as you are hufie about the Peace of the Kingdom, to fettle and eftablijh that upon a right and fure Foundation -, fo Cod hath engaged my heart, ta mditate the Peace of the Church. And though I have M 3 excluded 174 The Epiftle Dedicatory. excluded your Tower from having a hand in this Work^ yet I have not^ in any me afure wronged you^ as yon jhall ferceive^ hnt rather endeavoured to preferve you^ from dashing your felves againft that Rocky againjt whichj all the ignorant and unwife Rulers, and Kingdoms of the worlds both have and yet (hall dajh themfelves in meces. It jhall he your wifdom to be built upy together with the Churchy on Chrifl y but it would be your-con- fufiony to go about to build the Church on your felves^ and your Power ^ feeing this Building is too weighty for any Foundationy but Chrifi himfelf Tour Power will do well in the Kingdoms of the Worldy but tiot in Cods Kingdomy which U Chrifi s Inherit ancCy from the begin- ning to the end, Tou (hall be happy y to bejubjc5t in it^ hut none muft be Lord or Law-giver hercy but Chrifi: himfelf Let not the Dtvily who in thefe laf^ times^ hath in many places tranfldted the Myflery of Iniquity from the Ecclefiafiical Kingdom of the Clergy^ into the Temporal Kingdom of the MagiftratCy any longer keep it there y feeing it will be as pernicious in thiSy 06 in that \ for it will be no lefs dangerous an evily for the Jllagifirate to make himfelf Lord and Lawgiver in the Churchy than for the Popej or General Councely in all the Kingdoms called Chriftiany or for the Archbiflwpy or National AJfembly in particular Kingdoms. Men have commonly thought y that to preferve the Godly in world" ly peace and profperityy is to preferve the Church *, where- asy to preferve them in faith^ hope, lovcy in union and communion with Chrifi: and the Father y in and through ^he Spirity this only is to preferve the Church \ and this oft'timesy is better done by Chrifty whofe work only it zsy in affli^iony than in profperity. U^erefore do you look to the care of the StatCy and trufi Chrifi with the €are of his Churchy feeing he is both faithful and able to fave it perfeBly, The peace of the Church lies in Chrifi only, and no part of it out of himy no not for a, moment ^ and this their peacey Chrifi is able to pre- ferve m himfelf y in the midfi of the mofi cruel ^nd def perat^ ■ I III I I '^ II — ■— ^ ^Mi^JP^H^— — The Epiftle Dedicatory. 175 I ferate evils of the world. Now what the true Church \ ofChrifl is^ and wherein its Peace and Unity lies^ is here in fome meafure declared^ for the good of the Fjithfrl every where j and particnlarly for your good ^ left yon being gloriom infiruments in the hand of Cody for one workj fl)ould mifcarry in another. And this I have done^ through God^ not becanfe I wo* worthy to do it J but heeanfe it was worthy to be done. For why fhould the Church any longer be ignorant of the things that belong unto its peace ? and why fliould the Mem" hers ofity any longer lie as fcattered bones ^ dry and deadj and not gathered up into the unity of a living body ? and who could longer indure^ to fee unshlfuU Phyficians^ under pretence of healing the Churchy wound itfiill deeper ^ and under pretence of procuring itspeace^ hurry it into endlefs diffentions and diviftons ? In this cafe ofneceffity^ 1 could not but fpeah^ both out of Duty and Love J and I hope none of you will defpife to hear^ who confider^ that Gody when he lays afide the wife and prudent J choofes Babes and Sucklings^ to perfe6h hit praife^ out of their mouths ^ that fo he himfelf^ may be the more glorified and admired^ in his weak and mean Injiruments. Now let his praife be above the Earthy and the Heavens ^ and let him give you the honour that all his Saints have ; and this is his hearty defire^ who humby writes himfelf, ^Your Servant in the Gofpel, mHiam Del M 4 TO ^■)b T O H I S EXCELLENCY THE Lord General FAIRFAX, And the Honourable Lieutenant General CROMlVELy Together with the Cpuncel of W A R. TH E prefence of the Lord having turned your Courfe backward like Jordan^ from what it was a year ago; and all former inchantments and divinations ufed againll you, be- ing difTolved, through the renewing of the fame prefence of God with you, after a manifeft with- drawing of it 'j and You through a blefled necefliiy, being now doing that work of God, which once you had little minde to^ viz. The Procuring the Peace of the Kingdom, by fubduing the great ene- mies of peace, and removing all the enmity a-^ gainfl: peace,that was in-wrapped in oi;r very Laws, and degenerated Conftitution of the Kingdom ; I thought good, whilft you are thus bufie about the peace of the Ktngdonty which is a peace withoutt you, to put you in mind of the true peace of the true Church, which is a peace within you, and an etei £ai peace, as the former is but a temporal j for what advantage will it be for you, to have peace The Epiftle Dedicatory. 177 peace among men, and to want Peace wich God ? to do the work of God in the worlds and to be de- llicuteof the work of God in your own hearts ? to deftroy the enemies to worldly peace, and yet to maintain in your own hearts the corruptions of unre- newed natHrcy which are the enemies of heavenly peace ? Take heed therefore, that your prefeni employments^ do not fo over-ingage you in this world, that you negUEh the world co come : take heed, left by feeking your felves, you have your reward here : but do the work of God, for God ^ and whilft you ad for God, live in him, and let him be your reward, and not the creatnre. And now here in this Difconrfe^ fhall you fee a better peace and Agreement^ than you arcftriving for, ( though your work alfo be excellent and glo- rious) even fuch a peace and yigreementy of which Chrift himfelf, is the immediate Author and prince, and which he communicates^ not to the world, but to them he choofes outof the world, even the peace of God in Jefus Chrift, by the Spi- rit, which hath its foundation in Chrift •, and its in- fluence into each Communion of Saints, all the world over : And this peace can no more be brought a* bout by your Sword^ than by the Magiftrates Scep^ ter-y and therefore take heed, left you now, ha- ving power in your hands, to another purpofe, fhould fo far forget your felves, as to do that your felves J which you have condemned in others. Therefore fuffer the word only, to be both Seep- ter and Sword in the Kingdom oiGod^ and let the true Church remain free, in the Freedom which Chrifi hath confer'd upon it ; or elfe, the Lordj whofe own the Church is, will as certainly, in his due time, take the fword out of your hands, as he h^ch done the Scepter out of the M^gifirate*Sy and throw you, into one deftrudion with him. But I am perfwaded better things of you, though I thus ) - 1-78 The Epiftle Dedicatory. thus fpeak, and even fiicli things, as are fuitable to the light of the Gofpel^ aad to the vertnes^ and graces o^Chrift^nd his Spirit^ which have been hi- therto(and I hopc,will yet ftill be)very m^tnifeft^not only in Ton Honour ableOnes^Vi\\0 have the chief Con* Aitcl^ but alfo in very many of the Councel and Army befides. And upon fuch a gathering together of Gods people, and Saints^ (let the world ( if ie pieafe ) dill Uug'^i at that word ) who can but think, he hach foine choice and ftngdar work in hand for his own glory? The Lord God Almighty hath ^Z- ready done great and wonderful works by you, and is yet doing greater, if you will continue to believe and obey •, and in all thefe things he only is to be exalted^ and not Ton. For hath not that Day of the Lord of Hod davcned ? yea the morning of it is al- ready gone forth^ which is upon every one that is prond and lojty^ and upon every one that is lifted upj and he is to be brought Igw^ and the Lord alone is and miifi be esc- 0lted^ in this day. Mow the Lord caufe you to dwell and continue in that Church, which is the body o( Chrift-^ and ha- bitation of God^ and give you peace with thofe that are reconciled to God by Chrift^ and tO one another in Chrifi, by the Spirit'^ in wliKh mion and comma f f2ion^ i remain. your aflured Servant, T O 179 T O T H E READER. Chrillian Reader, SUCH are the noifes of waters, and thun- drings, and earthquakes among ms^ and fo great ^w^continued are our (hakings and con- tulions, through hatred and love, hopes and fears, joys and forrows, triumphs and indignations, that there is no (ilence in heaven, forfo much as half aa hour. Wherefore^ though 1 difcourfe here^ touching fo fweet and glorious a thing as Peace, and do declare from the very word ( or elfe I had f aid nothing ) where- in the true peace of the true Church conffis ^ and alfo^ how the faithful, and Churches, may preferve that peace, in their Communion with one another, which they have, in the Son, and in the Father ; yet mens heads and hearts are nowfo full, that it if to be doubt- ed, but few will regard it. Notwithftanding, co«- fidering that there is among us, an eledion of grace, and a flock of Chriil, who both know, and wiQ. hear his voyce at any time ', 1 thought good to fpeak this in their behalf, for whofe profit all the creatures c/God were made in the world, and all the gifts o/Chrift are given in the Church, And though lam very confcious, of my rudenefs of fpeech, in this Difcourfe, as alfo of my weaknefs and infirmity in many things, having not yet attained to a perfect man, and to the meafure of the ftature ot the fulnefs of Chrift \ andfo dare not fay, that every joC and tittle here, is of the pure river o/ water of life, without any humane mixture ; yettheythatare^^mtxxaX, <i«^ able ^o judge, wiilov/n all in ipf that is ofth^ word and fpirit <>/ truth, and a i8o To the Reader. will not rejeci filver tryed four or five times^ hecanfe it is not tryed feven times. And what is weak and im- perfect in it J the true Church of Chrift (for whofc dear fake and love / have fpoken all this) feeing it is^ as ]Mt\\^^ fpeakesj The Queen of mercy, whofe very bowels, are meer compaflions and forgive- nefTes of fins, will eajily pafs it by^ and forgive it. jind as for men^ haughty and high in their own/pi- n>, contemning and difdaining any thing that agrees not to their palate \ J do as eafdy defpife their ccn- fare, as they lightly pafs it. It is enough, thatJfeek the glory ofjdm Chrift, the Son of the living God, and the welfare of that Churchy that is his body; and for the reft, let me become as vile as the Apoftles were made to the world, who were connted the filth and ofF-fcouring of all things \or as Mr Baily,Ruther- ford. Baft wick, Pryn, Love, or any other of my old enemies in Parliament and City, not worth the na^ rning^ have fought to make me. All whom^ unlefs God give them repentance to life, Icite, as once ]e- rome of Prague did his enemies^ in the like caufe^ To appear within a few years, before the moft high and righteous Judge, Jefus Chrift, todin^v^Qvallthat they have done wickedly J if not malicioufly, againfi his Name, Truth, Gofpel, Spirit, People, and that under the form and Pretence <?/godlinefs. jind now well knowings that the more anything is <?/ Chrift, the more enmity and oppofition it will meet with from the world, and from the worldly Churchy I commit Chrifts own word and caufe to his own care and pro- tedion, ip^(? lives ^«i^ reigns /or this •z;^}^ pwrpo/r, to uphold his own defpifed truth^ again ft the glorious, hnt deceitful doBrines of men ; and to make all his enemies his toot-ftool. Andfo waiting in this aflu- red hope^ ifihon love Chrift, I remain^ Thine in him, WILLIAM dell; i8i THE Way of True Peace and Unity, In the True Church of C H R I S T. HAVING now for a long time together obferved with a fad Heart and troubled Spirit, the grievous Differences and Dif- fentions, among the Faithful and Churches of Chrift, and perceiving alfo, that there is yet no healing of this Error, many or mofl of them not clearly underftanding, wherein their true Peace and Unity ought to confift; and fo, are ftill pro- fecutlng former, with later miftake's, till their wound is become almoft incurable •, I found my heart inclined and engaged by God, to propound to others, that way of Peace, which my felf have learned from the word. And this I defire to da, not that I might feem to be fomething, or be ac- counted of, any more, than the meaneft of all Gods People, being indeed unworthy to minifler fo much as a cup of cold water, to the Church the Spoufe of Chrift, much left fo incomparable a Treafure as the word of God is, in comparifoa of which, all the world is not to be mentioned ; but raeerly out of love and compaflion to the in- firmities of my Brethren, whom I fee walking ia the light of their own fire, and in the fparks, which they themfelves do kindle, whereby they are in great danger to lie down in forrow; whilfl tntheraeaa time they negleft the true light, which alone 182 The Way of true 'Peace and Unity alone is to fhine in the Kingdom of God, till all ig- norance and darknefs be done away. And as my end and fcope is, to bring all men, from all hnmane Doftrines and Conceptions of carnal VVifdom and Prudence, to the word of God; ^o I defire all men that are Spiritual, and able to judge, to allow of no more in this Difcourfe, than they (hall find agreeable to this word *, and whatever the word of God in the true fenfe and meaning of it, fhall difapprove or condemn; ib far let them alfo dif-^ approve and condemn with it, as I my felf alio do ; knowing well, that no word ought to have any place in the Church of God, but the word 6f God, which alone carries Ligiit, Life, RighteouP- nefs, Wifdom and Power, fufficient and enough in it felf, to do the whole mind and work of God in his Church. Wherefore what I have freely learned, I fliall freely communicate, defiring every one to regard his own Salvation, feeking now after fo clear a difcovery of Truth, he can have na Cloak, nor the ieaft excufe for his Sin. Now that he that reads may underftand, it is" neceflary for me, fpeakingof the Unity and Peace of the Church, to tell you now at firft, that I in- tend not to propound any way of Peace, either between the Church and the World, or elfe be- tween the Carnal and Spiritual Children of the Church, as having learned no fuch thing out of the word of God. Tfe# veace firft, Not betwccn the Church and the World j fr.p.««rf.4.£^^ the Lord never intended any Reconciliation u Not be- and Agreement between thefe, in the Spiritual c^rcfe'laand Eternal things of the Kingdom of God v for Heivorid. thefe, are two diftind Seeds, and forts of Peo« pie ; the one from beneath j the other from above ^ the one the Seed of the Woman, the other the Seed of the Serpent ; and between thefe two, God hath put fueh an enmity, that ng man can lak^ ^riAiwi in the true Church of Chrift,' jQ:> take away. Wherefore they, who never mind- ing thele two different Seeds, between whom God hath put fueh irreconciliable enmity, would make all the People of one or more whole Kingdoms a Church at ouce^ and would reconcile all of them together, in the things of God, and in the ways of his Worfhip, according to devices and me- thods of their own •, thefe men know not what they do, for they walk in the darknefs of their own hearts, and not in the light of the Word ; which (hows us clearly, that it is as poflible to reconcile Michael and the Devil, as the Angels of both. 2. Neither fecondly^ do I find any way in the 2. Norb^. World, to reconcile all thofe together, who are J.^^',"/''^,,^ commonly called the vifible Church, feeing even spiritual among thefe, there are two diflind forts of Chil-^^^^j^^Jurcfo: dren, asP^/// teach eth. us ^ one fort of thofe, that are born after the flefh, as Jjhmael and Efan •, and another of thofe, who are born after the Spirit, as Jfaac^ and Jacob : And there is as great enmi- ty between thefe in the Church, as between the former in the World j for they that are born af- ter the Flefh, are always perfecuting them that are born after the Spirit, but never agreeing with them. Now of thefe two forts of Chriftians, one makes spirituji tjp the Body of Chrift, the other the Body of^fj^^^'j,"^^^^ Antichrift. The Spiritual Children, make up stdy of Chrifts true Body, as it is written, He gave him^^*'^'^* to be the Head over all things ^to the Chnrch which is hk body •, for thefe being born of the Spirit, do alfo partake of the Spirit, and fo are the true flefh of Chrift, as all that flefh is, in which the Spirit dwells^ and thefe all rvorpnp God in the Spirit^ and have no confidence in the Fle(l) ^ that is, in no flefhly Forms, CeremoQies, or Worfhip. Thf 1 84 The Way of true Peace and Unity Carnal chri' The camal children of the Church make up ^BodiofAn- Antichrifts true body : For as Chrifts body con- tichrif}, nils of fpiritual Chriftians, fo Antichrifts of car- nal j For Antichrift fees up in the temple of God, as well asChrift \ and as Chrift got his body toge- ther of fpiritual Chrillians; fo Antichrift gets his body together of carnal Chriftians: and thefe have a form of Religion, or godlinefs, but they have no Spirit or power \n that form : yea, under the form of godlinefs they exercife the greater power of ungodlinefs : And Chrift and his Spirit, and all their things, are no where more oppofed, than by thofe in the Church, who have the letter of the word, but want the fpirit of it, being taught of men only, and not of God. So that, all that part of Chriftianity, that is deftitute of the Spirit, and hath the name only, and not the anointing of Chriftians, this makes up the body of Antichrift, And now there can be no more agreement, be- tween thefe two bodies, of Chrift and of Anti- chrift^ that is between fpiritual and carnal Chri^ ftians, than between Chrift and Antichrift them- felves, the heads of thefe bodies. And as 1 find nothing in the word, fo neither do 1 propound any thing for an agreement here : for to go about to reconcile there, where the Father never inten- ded, nor the Son never undertook any reconcilia- tion, would not be a work of wifdom, but of weaknefs. tween^he' ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ °^ pcacc I fliall fpeak of, is be- chudrenof tween the Children of peace, touching whom God peace. j,ath promifcd, Thdilhe will give them one hearty and one way ^ and for whom Chrift hath prayed^ That they all may be one^ as thou Father art in me^ and 1 in thee^ that they alfo may be one in hs : And thele are the eled made faithful, called to be Saints, and fandi- lied through their calling*, and thefe are the true Church of God. The in the true Church ofChrifL 185 The Peace then I feek by this Difcourfe, is the Peace of the true Church: Wherefore I (hall firft declare the Church it felf, whofe peace I feek ; and theii after declare, wherein this Churches true Peace and Unity lies ; and alfo how it may be preferved among themfelves, it being firlt wrought by Jefus Chrift. For the Church it felf ; what I have learned touching it, I (hall fpeak plainly, and fomething largely, becaufe the right underftanding hereof is fo abfolutely necefiary to our prefent bufinefs, and yet there are very many, and very great mi- Hakes and mif-apprehenfions touching it, even a- mong the Faithful. The Right Church then is not the whole ^^\\'.,Z^rt!li J r t 1 11 till i igntChUien titude of the People, whether good or bad, that is not, joyn together in an outward Form or Way of Worftiip J for in this Church there are Whore- monger Sj Idolater Sy Thieve Sj Murderers^ and all forts of wicked and unbelieving Perlbns, which are fo far from being the Church of ChriH, that they are the very Synagogue of Satan, and Chil- dren of the Devil, and therefore I fhall not fpeak of this Church. But the Church I fhall fpeak of, is the true Church of the New Teftament, which I fay is not any outward or vifible Society, ga- ^^^^ '^ *« thered together into the confent or ufe of out- ward things. Forms, Ceremonies, Worfhip,