No Power but of God And yet a Power in every Creature.  
OR, A word in season, to all Men not void of Grace, or deprived of Reason.  
Where in is beld forth, That the Almighty God is not wanting to us, in impowering of us; but we are wanting to him, in not improving our talon for him. The Almighty gives to every man some talon or talents, viz. To some Natural, to others Spiritual talents or gifts: But there is no man that improves his talon so well as he might, in point of obedience to him. Which appears, In our not doing so much good, and refraining so much evil, as by the power he hath given us we ought and might have done.  
And, That the Ordinances, Institutions, & appointments of Christ held forth in the Gospel, are still in force: so that to slight them, is to slight our own privileges; and to forsake them, is to forsake our own mercies. The abuse of Gospel-Ordinances by some, doth not take away the lawful use of them to others.  
By ROBERT PURNEL.  Isa. 28. 7. 
The Priests and Prophets, they err in vision, and stumble in judgement.  Psal. 140. 11. 
Therefore let not an evil speaker be established in the earth.  Isa. 28. 11. 
But wi●…h a stammering lip, and another tongue speak to thy people.  
London, Printed for Samuel Newton, dwelling in Wine-street in Bristol. 1651.   

THE EPISTLE to the Impartial READER.  
Courteous Reader,  
TIme is one of the most precious Herbs in the Garden of the World; so that there is nothing more precious; and yet by most men, there is no one thing more slighted: Wherefore, if I shall here give thee the fruits of a little redeemed time, think not hardly of me, but let it have acceptance with thee; I must confess, that I am the most unmeet of many, which this Age doth afford, to write or speak of things of so great concernment: Yet I suppose this will be granted by all men rational, that he which hath but a little strength, and improveth that to the uttermost, to do good withal, is more acceptable in the sight of God and sincere-hearted men, than he which hath ten times the strength and useth it not. And although in me there is the least Candle that ever God enlightened, yet I shall not put it under a Bushel; and although I have but one Talon, I will not hid it in a Napkin; it's true, the Candle of the Lord cannot burn with a more dim light then in myself. (Though a little truth liveth in me, yet clouds and darkness are round about me.) So that I have but a little of the Spirit, in abundance of weakness; Wherefore if any of the glory of Christ break forth, in the ensuing discourse, let him have the glory, who hath chosen the weak things of the World to confound the wisdom of the wise; and although these things be not broug●… forth in the painted Dish of Human Learning, varnished and coloured over with the wisdom of man; yet if the fruit be good in the taste, though the Tree be not so beautiful in the eye, reject no the fruit for the Trees sake, but rather consider that which is most unpleasant in the eyes of men, is for the most part most pleasant in the sight of God; for man is apt to love that which God abhors, and to abhor that which the Almighty loves.  
For this Treatise, as much as in me lieth, I have avoided the crying up of any party or opinion, and endeavoured to own truth, and deny untruth wheresoever it is found, either in noble or ignoble, old or young, weak or strong, learned or unlearned; wishing with my whole heart that there were but only these two names under Heaven to know the sons and daughters by, viz. Saints and Sinners; for there is but light and darkness, heaven and hell, truth and error, sheep and wolves. But the muddy waters of Babylon have run so long in the channels of our understanding, that it hath blinded our judgements and disordered our affections.  
Understanding Reader! the things that I have written of are many, the method which I have observed is familiar and plain, the rule which I have endeavoured to walk by is the word of truth, the end I have aimed at is the glory of God, in the good of his people; and wherein I have come short of my end, attribute that to my weakness, and not the truths asserted. The fore named considerations have inflamed my desires, and winged my endeavours to cast in this mite also into the Cabinet of thy soul. And although I have met with some discouragements already, and do suppose I shall have many more when this comes to public view: Yet if any man do reap any spiritual benefit by it, though I may suffer reproaches for it, I have not lost my end in it: I have endeavoured according to the measure of light and strength that is in me, to speak the words of truth and soberness unto thee. But that I might not spin out my Epistle beyond the staple; I will endeavour to give thee a brief sum of what I have written, and leave the farther enlargement of these things to every one that shall read this book: I have written these things, not as so many Infallibilities, but under correction, with submission to  judgements I have given mine, and that, I hope, without a preingaged affection, honouring the things of God, as well in those under one form, as those under another. And as in every place, and amongst all sorts of people, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him; so I would endeavour to love any, in whom I see the least appearance of Christ, let them go under what name or notion the Prince of darkness and his children please. The sum of what I have hereafter written, in brief is this; First, I have laid before thee the several Temptations that do surround thee on every side; next I have exhorted thee to put on all the armour of God to defend thyself, and offend thy enemies, and that thou mightest so do, abide in the Doctrine of Christ, which is a City of Refug●…, and then love in the will of God, which is the strong Castle of content; Improve thy power whether natural or spiritual for him who gave it thee, ●…n whom are all our springs, from whom are all our supplies; yet let our omissions and commissions be charged upon ourselves, that God may be true and every man a liar. There is darkness in the Prophets, and gross darkness in their Flock●…; and but a little light in any of the Saints. A few words to the preiended Ministry, with a brief Epistle to the World, whom they have deceived, with a discovery of them, and how thou mayest easily know them; Of our fall in the first- Adam, and of our recovery by the second- Adam: The glorious state of those restored; the deliverances they have already had are great, and greater than these be at hand; only, the Saints be too sudden in their expecting these deliverances. These with many other particulars are laid before thee, and commended unto thee: Now although these things are not brought forth in the golden dish of humane Learning, painted and varnished over with arts, parts, and wisdom of man, but in an earthen vessel; yet despise not the meat for the dishes sake. Remember that Christ called those men Scribes, Pharisees and Hypocrites, because they looked so much upon the outside, and so little on the inside; even so now, in these days most of the s●…ns and daughters of men, do look more upon gifts then upon Grace, upon Law then upon Gospel, upon the form more than upon the power of godliness; viz. If a man come and speak with the tongue of men and angels, the people are presently saying as once was said of learned, eloquent, yet wicked Herod; it is the voice of a God, and not of man: but if another come unto your Assemblies, though well grown in grace, yet if he doth not equal you in natural gifts, you say he is an illiterate Mechanic, etc. But if I might be thought worthy to advise you, I should beseech you to call no man ignorant, whom God hath taught; nor no man learned, that hath not been taught at the School of Christ.  
Grace is more excellent than Gifts, yet both in their places are good: Gifts do adorn the outward man, and Grace doth beautify the inward: The outward man may be adorned, and the inward man be left naked: And I think experience in these days doth abundantly prove it; and for my own part, if I am censured for it, I doubt not but I shall consider I am not better than my Master, for his doctrine was despised, and that of the learned, and well may mine: but I hope thou wilt try me before thou judge me, lest I should say to thee, as it is said to some in the same case, Pro. 18. 13. He that judgeth a matter before he heareth it, etc. But I hope better things of thee, though I thus speak. So I wi●● hold thee no longer in the porch, but invite thee into the house, and such as I have I will set before thee, desiring thee to taste of every dish, before thou dost spend thy judgement of the feast: For what is wanting in the first Course, may be made up in the second; and if there be not such varieties as was expected, yet let it have acceptance with thee, seeing it is according to my ability. 1 Pet. 4. 10. As every man hath received the gift, so let him administer the same. Thus do, and thou wilt engage him, Who is,  
Thy Friend and Servant, R. P.   

The Contents of the most principal things handled in the ensuing Treatise.  
THere are three things for a Christian to do, which are of great concernment, as to the well being of a Christian, viz.  

1. To put on the Armour of Christ.  
2. To abide in the Doctrine of Christ.  
3. To live in the will of God; For there is no power but of God.   
The several temptations that lie before Christians.  
The way to withstand them, is not only to put on this armour, but to keep it on also.  
And so to abide in the Doctrine of Christ, as in a Castle of Ref●…ge against all storms.  
And wait upon God in the use of Ordinances.  
Nine arguments to prove that Gospel Ordinances are still in force.  
What the Doctrine of Christ is.  
What it is to abide in the Doctrine of Christ.  
That there is no power but of God, and yet a power in every Creature.  
Of our fall in the first Adam, and of the subtlety of Satan therein.  
Of our Restoration by the second Adam, in whom we have gotten more than we lost b●… the first Adam.  
A Dialogue between the Law and the Gospel.  
Of what we are delivered from by Christ, and what he hath restored his Elect unto.  
Wherein many men and women do deceive themselves, thinking they are something, when they are nothing.  
A few words of Faith.  
A word to the pretended Ministers, or a few words to some of those that have taken to themselves the name of the Ministers of England.  
A brief Epistle to the World.  
Ten Characters of a false pretended Minister by which he may be known.  
Fourteen Characters of a faithful Minister of the Gospel, whom we shall do well to honour.  
A brief Epistle to all the Lambs, that through a providence have not been devoured by the Wolves.  
A brief Prophecy of the glorious state of the Church Militant that will be shortly.  
There be glorious deliverances coming for the Saints, but the Saints be for the most part too sudden in their expecting these deliverrances.  
There be many other things held forth in this Treatise, very seasonable and useful, and worthy our serious consideration. The heads of which, for some reason I forbear to mention in this Table.   

The several Temptations that lie before us.  
THere are three things that be of absolute necessity for a Christian to do at all times, but more especially in these dividing times: I say, of absolute necessity, if not in point of being, yet in point of well-being as to Christians.  

First, To put on the Armour of Christ.  
Secondly, To abide in the Doctrine of Christ.  
Thirdly, To live in the will of God.   
First, Put on the whole armour of Christ. Before come particularly to speak of this point, I shall endeavour to lay before you the necessity that we have to arm ourselves with this Armour at this time. For now Satan in more than an ordinary measure hath transformed himself into an Angel of light, and comes to us by his ministers in sheepstloathing, though inwardly we find him to be a ravening wolf. He is subtle, and knows that those former ordinary snares, gins, and baits will not take with many men: wherefore now, though he can deceive but few with the history, yet he endeavours to deceive many with the mystery of iniquity. You will and may easily see him with those that call themselves our Joshuas, in the Pulpit, not only at their elbow, but sometimes in their Explications, and most frequently in their Applications: Nay, there is scarce one Ordinance of the Gospel, but he will  himself withal. If he cannot keep people from the practice or use of Ordinances, he will as much as in him lies cause them to rest upon Ordinances: in a word, he will veil himself under any form or forms, under any order, or ordinance Again, he hath his gins, pits and snares for all sorts of men, in all administrations The Parliament is not free, but they do o●● may see Satan among them, and sometimes in them, improving all opportunities 〈◊〉 deceive them: Our Armies both in Englan●… Ireland and Scotland call one upon another to stand upon their guard, to make ready present, and to give fire not only upon their bodily enemies, but upon their spiritual enemies. Methinks I hear many of the Soldiers speaking one to the other in the language of Paul, 1 Cor. 16. 13.  
First, Watch what comes in.  
Secondly, Watch what goes out.  
1. Watch what comes in: You shall find thoughts arising one after another in your hearts; call them all to ●…n account, saying, Who art thou? for if thou art for Christ, give me the word, thou shalt freely pass; if thou art not for Christ, and hast not his word, Stand, ●…f thou comest up one step further, I'll fire at thee.  
2. Watch what goes out: Take heed to thy words, let them be such as may administer grace to the hearers; remember what S. James saith, Jam. 3. 5. 6. The tongue ●●s a little member, and boasteth great things; be●…old how great a matter a little fire kindleth! and ●…he Tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, it defileth ●…he whole body, & setteth on fire the whole course ●…f nature, etc. Wherefore watch what goes ●…ut; remember, the Lord thy God hath ●…et a double pale to rule that little mem●…er.  
Again, as he tempts Parliament and Army, ●…o he tempts Magistrates and Ministry; high ●…nd low, rich and poor, old and young; ●…e hath his temptations suitable to all con●…itions: He will tempt you when you ar●… praying, hearing, reading, meditating, eating, drinking, waking and sleeping; he improves all opportunities, he takes all advantages, for he lies in wait to deceive, and winnow you, as Christ told Peter; He is a great traveller, he roves up and down the earth, as he told the Lord in the book of Job; He is a great Philosopher, he is acquainted with all natures; he hath his Logic and his Rhetoric as perfect as the Heathen Philosophers, or the National Ministers, nay he outstrips them, for he often deceives them: You know he was too subtle for the first Adam, he engaged him and overcame him, and gave Adam and all us in him the fall: Again, he employs all his policy, improves all his subtlety, to foil the second Adam as he did the first, Mat. 3. 4, 5, 6, 7, etc. 
Note these two things:   
1. The Devil suits his temptation to our Lord Christ's present condition: Christ had been fasting forty days, why, saith the Devil, Command that these stones be made bread The Lord answers him from Scripture, and tells him, Deut. 8. 3. it is written, Man shall 〈◊〉 live by bread alone, but by every word that p●●ceedeth out of the mouth of God. The Devil seeing there is no dealing with Christ, unle●● he could bring Scripture, he hastens and prepares his next temptation, as you may see Mat. 4. 5, 6. he entreats Christ to cast himself down from the pinnacle of the Temple, and endeavours to ground his temptation upon Scripture, and citys Psal. 91. 11. For he shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. The Devil citys this Psalm and this verse to Christ: but mark his policy, he leaves out somewhat most considerable in that 11. verse, and adds somewhat that was not in that verse, as you may see, if you compare Mat. 4. 6. with Psal. 91. 11. Again, this subtle Serpent will bring pride into our hearts under the name of decency and neatness, and covetousness under the name of good husbandry; nay he will cloth drunkenness with the garment of good-fellowship, and gluttony with the robe of hospitality, nay he will hid frowardness under the name of zeal; he will promise you peace, and bring you into trouble; he ●●ll promise you honour, and bring you into dishonour both with God and man; he will promise us liberty, and bring us into bondage; In a word, (to add no more) he will promise us life, as he did our first parents, and bring us to death, The wage●… of sin is death.  
2. O Christians, consider, that we have a deceitful heart within us, a map of misery which is more destructive to us then all the wiles of Satan; it is desperately wicked, saith Jeremy in his 17. chap. v. 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wick●● who can know it? There is a magazine of filthiness within us, in thine and mine heart; we have seen much of it, and there is a thousand times more than we have seen, Who can know it? There is nothing called sin in the Word of God, but thou and I may find in more or less, taking up its lodging in our hearts; it doth mischief us more than Satan for he can but tempt, but our deceitful hearts do yield; it will make us believe that it is plodding for our good, when it is contriving our ruin; it will cheat us in our obediences to God, it will tell us we have done well when we have done ill; in a word, the Heart is the sole troubler of the times, see Eccles. 9 3. The hearts of the sonn●… of men are full of madness, for evil and madness are in their hearts. Now there are three thing by which a mad man may be known.  

1. mischievousness to himself and others.  
2. unsensibleness, they feel not th●… smart.  
3. Wilfulness; there is no persuading of them.   
First now, O Christian, deal impartially; dost not thou find that thou hast mischiefed thyself and others many a time? and yet thou wouldst be ready to spit in the face of him that should say thou art mad.  
Again in the next place, hast not thou been insensible at the present what misery thou hast brought upon thyself? And then  
Thirdly, for wilfulness: There are characters of wilfulness to be seen in those that do look on themselves as the chiefest Saints, and yet they would take it as a rash expression, if one tell them that there is madness in their hearts.  
3. Consider, O Christians, there is not only a Devil without thee, and a deceitful heart within thee, but also there be all thy carnal Acquaintance before thee, which do claim an interest in thee, wherefore they will not forsake thee, but lie persuading of thee to run with them to the same excess of riot; and if thou begin to refuse to comply with them, they will say, You begin too soon to be precise: What, a young Saint! lose the best of your time, the flower of your age! what, whither your body with grief for a few petty sins! what, spoil yourself with studying and poring upon books! what run into corners to weep and pray, when thou mightest be singing and dancing, eating & drinking with the rest of thy friends what, must you be so precise? shall no body be saved but you, and a few such as you b●● what is become of our forefathers, think you, which made no such ado? I hope you will not say but they be saved, etc.  
Wilt thou see now, O man, what is the cause that the sons and daughters of men are multiplying their iniquities, committing sinne●… with greediness: why, herein lies the cause; there is a devil without thee, and a deceitful heart within thee, and there be all thy carnal acquaintance before thee, all pretending love unto thee, and they all bending together and improving all opportunities to cheat, delude, and deceive thee. Hence it cometh to pass that the whole world lieth in wickedness: hence it is, that when thou comest into the City, thou shalt see it swim●… with pride before thee, and abound with covetousness behind thee: on thy right hand, as thou go●…st along the streets, thou shalt hear them swearing, and on thy left hand in their shops lying; go out of the streets into any by-place, thou shalt heard some cursing, and others backbiting, and all almost (unless here and there one) in the City, bond their forces together against the Lord Christ's Kingly power.  
Me thinks I see now and then a sincere-hearted Country-Christian come walking along the streets of the City; and when he sees these abominations before him, behind him, on his right hand, and on his left, he begi●● to say, Lord, what is the cause of this great wickedness in the City? And if he receive no answer from the Lord, he inquires for the Lords people, and through God's goodness he finds here and there a Christian following of Christ, and a pretty considerable party enquiring after Christ; well, he comes to one and asketh him, why doth sin so abound in this City? it is true, sin reigns much in the Country, but it exceeds in the City. Why (saith the Citizen to him) we have more Temptations living in the City, than you in the Country. Well but the Countryman is not fully satisfied, he goes to another, and demands a reason, Why doth sin reign in this City? have you not godly Magistrates, and godly Ministers, and other godly Officers in your City? Me thinks I hear the Citizen answering him and saying, Why through the Lord's goodness it is much better with us in that respect than it hath been here to fore.  
Q. What then is the cause of the abounding of sin?  
A. Sir, I think one or both of these following reasons may be given for it; either first we have slighted the means of gra●● more than others, or else (as I have said before) we are under greater temptations in the City, than you in the Country.  
But shall we see a little farther, and inquire into the cause why both City and Country, not only in this Nation, but all the Worldover is so overspread with all manner of abominations both in Principles and Practice; which is the reason so many thousands that would be looked upon as Saints and servants of Christ, are fallen off, one to this error, and another to that faction. Some deny Ordinances, others deny the Scriptures, and some deny both: Some will acknowledge God, but deny the Son; others acknowledge both the Father and the Son, but despise the Spirit; others will acknowledge Father, Son and Spirit, in word and in tongue, but deny all in their practice And here I am sure is the state of the greatest part of the English Nation, but the Lord (blessed be his name) is beginning to destroy this darkness by his own light. But is not this the cause why the whole world lieth in wickedness, as John saith? There is a Devil tempting, and a deceitful heart yielding, and carnal friends persuading; the one comes and takes thee by one arm, the other by the other arm, the third ties as it were a string about thy middle, and all three saying, Come along with us.  
Thus much of the cause of our divisions, backslidings, deadness, dulness, formality and infidelity. Now I shall in the next place lay before you the Cure, and therein speak of two things.  

The first is concerning the being,  
The second is concerning the well-being of a Christian.   
First then, if thou wouldst be preserved in these perilous times, Put on the armour of Christ, and abide in the doctrine of Christ.  
Secondly, for thy well-being; learn this lesson, There is no power but of God, who will turn all these things to his glory and thy good: Or, Abide in the will of God.  
First of the first, Put on the whole armour of Christ, and abide in the doctrine of Christ. The one is laid down by way of command in Ephes. 6. 11. the other by way of trial and prevention, in the 2. Epist. of John, v. 9 To each of these Scriptures, as far as I have light witnessed with experience, I shall hold forth briefly and plainly.  
Ephes. 6. 11. Put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles 〈◊〉 the Devil. The armour here spoken unto 〈◊〉 not a temporal, but a spiritual armour and what this spiritual armour is, you ha●… it laid down distinctly in this Epistle o●● Paul to the Ephesians, viz.  
1. To gird them with the girdle of truth▪ Eph. 6. 14.  
2. To put on the breastplate of righteousness, ver. 14.  
3. To be shod with the shoes of the Gospel o●… peace, v. 15.  
4 To take the shield of faith, which is a most victorious weapon, v. 16.  
5. To put on the helmet of salvation, v. 17.  
6. To take into thy hand of faith the sword of the Spirit, v. 17.  
Beloved, I dare boldly say, that man o●… woman that puts on this armour, ma●… march forth into the field, and challenge al●… the Devils in hell, and all the wicked men in●… the world, and rout them all. What mad●… David go out against Goliath? Why, he saw himself armed, not with saul's armour, but with this Spiritual armour. What was that that made him so confident, Ps. 27. 3. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear, though war should rise against me●… ●…n this will I be confident. What made him ●…reak forth in such words, Psal. 3. 6. I will ●…ot (said he) be afraid of ten thousand of people ●…hat have set themselves against me round about. ●…ov. 28. 1. The wicked flees when no man pur●…eth, but the righteous is as bold as a lion.  
Q. Why be the righteous so bold as a Lion?  
A. They be armed with the armour of God.  
Q. What is meant or understood by the girdle of truth?  
A. To be rightly principled, & through●…y doctrinated in the doctrine of Christ. Again,  
Q. What is meant by the breastplate of righteousness?  
A. A good conscience, or innocence of life etc. and so for the shield of faith, what is it but the righteousness to Christ, able like a brazen shield to protect and cover us from the darts of the world, the flesh and the devil? Nay I suppose it to be not only a desensive, but an offensive weapon, I Joh. 5. 4. This is the victory that overcommeth the world, even our faith. Heb. 11. 33, 34. Who through faith subdued Kingdoms, wrought righteousness▪ obtained promises, stopped the mouths of Lions, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the Aliens, etc. If we should see an Army of men marching into the field, where their Enemies had placed themselves in Battalia 〈◊〉 I say, if we should see them march toward their enemy unarmed, why, we would presently conclude that these men will be put to the worst, they will receive the rout, they will be either taken, or else return hacked and hewed and terribly wounded.  
What is the cause that we be so easily and so often routed by Satan? why, he comes and finds us unarmed; hence it is that we have so many cuts and sores in our inward man, we do not consider the strength and subtlety of our enemies; and hence it is that we do not put on the whole armour of God. Nay, how many thousands of men and women be there, nay of those that would be accounted pious Christians, that are so far from putting on the whole armour of God, that they ne'er put on a piece of it; Nay, it is a rare thing to find a Professor that can tell one what this armour is, and the right place of every piece: hence it is that some do put the piece behind, that should be before, and that upon the foot which should be on the head; and so though it be the armour of Christ, you cannot fight in it, it will be to thee as saul's armour was to David, unfit for service. Surely Christians, ●…f I see any thing of God, this (I do know) ●…s one of the greatest evils that now reigns ●…mongst Professors, their disordering what God hath ordered. Take a thing that is ●…ood, it is good but in its place; put it a ●…ittle above, or something beneath its place, ●…he thing that is good in itself becomes evil ●…o you, etc.  
Again, let us examine what necessity there ●…s for the sons of Zion thus to arm them●…elves. Oh consider, consider these ensuing ●…criptures. Eph. 6. 11, 12. Put on the whole ●…rmour of God, (there is the precept:) For we ●…restle not against flesh and blood, but against ●…rincipalities and powers, against the rulers of ●…arknesse, against spiritual wickedness in high ●…laces, (there is the reason.) Take heed that no ●…an deceive you, saith our Lord Christ, Mat. ●…4. 4. For we be living in those days spoken ●…0, v. 24. There shall arise false Christ's and false Prophets, showing great signs and wonders. These are the days spoken to, 1 Tim. 4. 1. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the ●…ater days some shall departed from the faith, giving ●…eed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, etc.  
Oh what troops of men and women is Satan driving before him! Look up a little, entreat the Lord to take the vail off thy spiritual eye, and thou shalt see a great rode-way exceeding broad, and very populous, and drove after drove passing on, not softly, but swiftly, they all ride post. Mark diligently, and thou shalt see Satan that great Prince of the air, bravely mounted, and richly clothed, as their General marching before them, and his Angels bringing up the rear: Take a view of the Droves as they pass by thee, and thou shalt see some of all ranks of men amongst them. Me thinks I hear thee saying, look, look, methinks I see a Parliament-man there, me thinks I see here and there one of the Army, and abundance of the Clergy there; but they march more honourably than the rest, for Satan their Prince hath made them File-leaders. Look, look, what an innumerable company of men and women, old and young, high and low, rich and poor, are posting away to hel●… Now I see the words of Christ be true, Mat. 7. 13. For wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Now I see what is the meaning of that text, Mat. 7. 22. Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name have done many wonderful works! Depart from me ●…aith Christ, I never knew you. How! not know us, and we have taught in thy streets, and eat and drank in thy presence! Depart, saith Christ to them. How! departed! Dost thou speak to us that have done so many wonderful things in thy name? Lord, let the word depart be given to the Ign rant, and not to us that are Scholars! Why, saith Christ, many of those whom you call Ignorant, are the greatest Scholars in my school, 1 Cor. 1. 26, 27, 28. Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are ●…alled; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound ●…he mighty, and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea and ●…hings which are not, to bring to nought things that ●●re, that no flesh should glory in his presence. Oh how doth flesh glory in his presence! if a man can speak scholastically, though ●…he be not authentic, how is he admired of men! if he can speak eloquently, and lay down things methodically, (which be but the gifts of nature) how doth this flesh glory in his presence! Methinks I hear a voice from heaven saying, Come down thou proud selfseeking Flesh! Thou hast set thyself in my Spirits place, and hast caused the people to admire thee, saying of thee as once it was said of Herod It is the v●…ice of God, and not of man. I will smit●… thee, and the worms shall destroy thee, saith the Lord. In a word, we may clearly see that Satan hath his pits, gins and snares for al●… degrees and degrees and ranks of men, under all administrations, form or forms: He endeavours to cheat us in all things, at all times, and in●… all places. But me thinks I see him lay the closest siege, and raise the strongest batteries, and plant his greatest pieces against these two things:  

FIrst, against the Doctrine of Christ.  
Secondly, against the Discipline of Christ   
1. Against the Doctrine of Christ, which tells thou art freely justified by grace, Rom. 3. 24. in comes Antichrist, and tells thee it i●… partly by grace, and partly by works: And so though thou dost not seek to be justified by the Law, yet it is as it were by the works 〈◊〉 the Law, Rom. 9 3. 2. Wherefore? because the sought it not by faith, but as it were by the work●● of the law, for they stumbled at that stumbling stone Consider these ensuing Scriptures, which speak of justification by grace; and if thi●… point were well understood, men woul●… not so easily be led away with the error of th●… wi●…ked. Ephes. 2. 5. By grace are you saved, a●● freely quickened when you were dead in your sin●● and v. 8. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Rom. 11. 6. And if it be by grace, than it is no more of works, etc. And in Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ. In a word: Creation, Election, Redemption, Justification, and Sanctification are all of Freegrace, to which both Old and New Testament speaks abundantly: And for want of understanding this point, the Papists err in seeking salvation by works; For want of understanding this point, the Arminians err, saying, Election and Salvation in effect depend upon Qualification; yea, for want of the true knowledge of this point, doth that error of  and General Redemption so abound at this day: In a word, for want of the knowledge of this point, do so many at this time in this Commonwealth make a hotchpotch in mingling and interweaving Law and Gospel, in joining their obedience with the obedience of Christ, to patch up a salvation. 2. Here is another cheat of Satan, wherein he endeavours to cheat thee and me in the Doctrine of Christ. The doctrine of Christ tells thee, that Christ came to reconcile thee to God, 2 Cor. 5. 23. When this point is held forth a little, in creeps Antichrist, and declares that Christ came also to reconcile God to thee; and so endeavours to make the immutable God mutable, or the unchangeable God changeable. You might trace him in every branch of the Doctrine of Christ, and find him either endeavouring to make thee to deny it, or if he cannot prevail in that, than he endeavours to make thee add something to it, or take something from it. Wherefore put on the whole armour of God, stand upon thy guard and watch: Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God.  
2. Again, as first he endeavours to cheat us in the doctrine of Christ, so secondly he endeavours to cheat us in the discipline of Christ. Now Discipline, though it be not of absolute necessity as to the being of a Church of Christ, yet it is absolutely necessary to the well-being of a Church: for as a City without walls, a Sea without banks, a Vineyard without hedges, so is a Church without discipline: For a Church without government is as a ship without a Pilot, or a Commonwealth without a Magistrate, or a World without a Sun. Hence it is that you shall find the Apostles so frequently exhorting, persuading, and entreating the Church of Jesus Christ to walk by rule, to observe order: The Pastor is commanded to walk as a Pastor and Teacher, that both by his doctrine and conversation he might win others to Christ: the Teachers, Elders, Deacons have all their rules laid before them, how they ought to build up one another in their most holy faith, and to watch over the flock, etc. And so every member in the Church in his place is to observe order, in endeavouring to be useful to the whole body. Nay hence it is, that one quarter part of the New Testament is spent about treating of the several gifts of the Spirit to several men, to several ends, viz. He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, some Pastors, and some Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, etc.  
Now that Ordinances were the appointments of Christ, I suppose that all rational men will easily grant; And that they be now in being, and aught to be in use, will be easily proved.  
The first is granted by all hands, viz. That there were Ordinances, appointments and institutions given forth by Christ unto the Churches in the Apostles days, accompanied with God's presence, and confirmed ●…y miracles, and extraordinary gifts of the Spirit. But the question is, whether these are still to continue? are they now in being as to us? Prove that. For answer hereunto consider these things.  
1 ORdinances are not of humane, but of divine institution, 1 Cor. 1●…. 28.  
2. Consider, the Saints both in Old and New Testament, under the greatest discoveries, living in the greatest enjoyments, even these waited upon God in the use of Ordinances; and Paul saith, Phil. 3. 17. Ye ought to walk so as you have us for an example: and in another place he saith, Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ, etc.  
3. We have not only commands of God and the examples of the Apostles, but w●… have experience that God hath done u●… good by them: it is our Father's walks, i●… which our souls do often meet with ou●… Beloved.  
4. Consider, the Lord of glory doth blame those that neglect making use of Ordinances. Mal. 3. 7. Ye have gone away fro●… mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Is no●… this the state of this Nation? Luk. 19 27 Those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them, bring them before me. Compare this 27 verse with the 13. and 14. an●… you shall see that there were a people who●… Christ threatened to punish for not submit●…ing to his appointments, nor improving their talents. Not to wait upon God in the use of Ordinances, is to be careless to ●…hearken to his voice; and so the Lord may justly complain of thee and me, as once he did, Psal. 81. 11. But my people would not heark●…en to my voice, etc.  
5. Consider, while we are in a body we be in a form, and therefore cannot altogether live without forms, unless we will be monst●…rs, and neglect our own mercies. God hath given us an external body, as well as an internal soul, and will be waited upon, worshipped and glorified by both, 1 Cor. 6. 20. Glorify God in your bodies and in your souls, which are the Lords.  
6. Consider, that these appointments, institutions and ordinances, when they were appointed and instituted, were to continue in the Church till the Saints were perfected. Ephes. 4. 11, 12, 13. And he gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. In which there be four things considerable: I will but name them.  
1. Here is the giver, and that is the Lord Christ, the Fountain in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, from whom we receiv●… grace for grace.  
2. Here is the gift, and that is his Spirit in its measures, according to the measure of the gift of Christ.  
3. Here is the end why God gave such gifts, v. 12. For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, etc.  
4. Here is the time, how long these institutions, offices and ordinances are to continue, and that is in v. 13. Till we all come i●… the unity of the faith into the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure●… of the stature of the fullness of Christ.  
Now if there be any Church of Christ o●… Congregation o●… Saints that be completely come up to this state spoken unto in that verse, why then all that I would say to them is, Cast not a stumbling block in thy brother's way, speak not so disdainfully of those paths which thou●… thyself hast gone through; must not thy brother that is weak eat milk, because thou dost eat strong meat? must not he speak as a child, because tho●… dost speak as a man? must he see by thy eyes, o●… else wilt thou say he doth not see at all? Tho●… that dost think thou standest, take heed lest thou dost fall. Think not of thyself above what thou art, Ro. 12. 3. Remember thy sister-Church, Rev. 3. 17. Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with heavenly enjoyments, gracious discoveries, and unspeakable manifestations, and art perfect and complete, and come to the fullness of Christ, and hast need of nothing, neither Ordinance or Administration, helps nor governments. Dost thou think thus of thyself? why, so did that Church of Laodiceans, Rev. 3. 17. which was the most barren and unfruitful of all the seven Churches of Asia. Reason thus with thyself: Was that Church so exceedingly deceived? then why not I?  
7. Consider, that in the last age of the Church, and in the most glorious times of that age, when both Jews and Gentiles shall have one Shepherd, and one sheepfold, when knowledge shall cover the earth as the waters the sea, when the Law shall be written in our hearts, and Babylon fallen, and the mountain of the Lords house established upon the top of the mountains; Even in these most glorious days of light and knowledge, freedom and liberty, shall the Saints wait upon God in the use of Ordinances, and call one upon another so to do, Isa. 2. 2. 3. Mic. 4. 1, 2. Again, if there shall be Ordinances in th●… most glorious times that are to come, whe●… there shall be a full pouring out of the Sp●…rit of God upon the children of men; the●… certainly they are to remain now: And you look upon the last of Isa. Jer 3. Zac. 1●… or upon other Scriptures where mentio●… is made of the most glorious times that an●… yet to come, ye shall find that there is me●…tion also made of Ordinances in tho●… times. Let us look into Rev. 11. 15. T●● seventh Angel sounded, and there were gre●● voices in Heaven saying, The kingdoms of th●… world are become the kingdoms of our Lord an●… of his Christ's, and he shall reign for ever and eve●… Here are plainly the glorious times spoke●… of that are yet to come. Well, shall there b●… any Ordinances then? Yes: for, v. 19 An●… the temple of the Lord was opened in heaven, an●… there was seen in his ●…emple the Ark of his Test●…ment. What is this but Ordinances? Th●… Ark, the visible sign of the presence of Go●… in way of Ordinances, and the Temple opened, though it was shut before.  
8. Consider, if the ministration of th●… Gospel be still to continue, than surel●… the Ordinances of Christ are still to abid●… 2 Cor. 3. 11. For if that which is done away w●… glorious, much more that which remains is gloriou●… The Apostle here makes this difference be 〈◊〉 ●…he ministration of the Gospel, and 〈◊〉 ●…he Law; that the one is to be done 〈…〉 d the other to remain. Now if the 〈◊〉 were not to continue, what 〈…〉 rinse would there be as concerning ●…his matter, between the ministration of Moses, and the ministration of the Gospel? ●…ut the Apo 〈…〉 here plainly speaks that ●…his is the therence; The ministration of ●…he one is to be done away, the ministration ●…f the other doth still continue. Therefore ●…he Ordinances of the Gospel do still re●…naine.  
9 Consider, if that the word of the new ●…estament, as commanding to believe, and ●…romising to give the Spirit; I say, if this Word do continue, than the Ordinances of Christ are still to continue; if the Ordinances of Christ be not still to continue, ●…hen the Word of the New Testament, as ●…he commandment of believing, and the promise of giving the Spirit, do not continue: There is the same reason for the one ●…s for the other. You say you are bound to believe: (How prove you that?) Why, Christ hath commanded me, say you. But 〈◊〉 answer you with your own answer, You ●…ue to wait upon God in the use of Ordinances. (How prove you that?) I answer Christ hath commanded you. If Satan 〈◊〉 get us to lay down but one Ordinance 〈◊〉 the Gospel, he will never leave tugging an pulling till he hath brought us out of lo●● with all Ordinances; and then he w●● teach us to deny the Scriptures, and then 〈◊〉 deny God, and last of all we shall be denie●… of God, and so fitted for destruction.  
The Commonwealth of England doth 〈◊〉 bound of two sorts of men and women and both in extremes:  
The first will have no Ordinances at al●…  
The second do rest upon Ordinance●… or idolise them.  
The first will have no Ordinances at al●… call the Ordinances of Christ dead form beggarly— and those that wait upon God in them, Legalists, Heaven-drivers Formalists, and Duty-mongers: And fo●… themselves, they are taught of God, we have n●… need of the teachings of men, we be rich and f●… and want nothing; not knowing they be poo●… blind, miserable and naked.  
Secondly, there be another party that d●… rest upon Ordinances, and they be not a few●… you shall know them by their fruits: D●… not you hear them crying and pleading i●… City and Country, Give us Ordinances, or e●● 〈◊〉 die! And this they plead for unto and ●…ongst a Congregation of people, which 〈◊〉 not capable of it, but for one Ordinance, ●●d that is to stand under the droppings of the ●●spel, and the powerful preach thereof, the ●●eanes appointed by Christ to work faith 〈◊〉 their souls, Rom. 10. 17. For until this ●…ord doth come to them in power, they 〈◊〉 not fitted for Fellowships and Commu●…ons: they must see their union with God, ●●fore they can have true communion with ●●s people. The Ordinances, or at least ●…any of them be children's bread, and must ●●t be given to Swine. Those Ordinances ●●at be ordained for Conversion and Re●●neration are to be held forth to all, to the ●●d as many as be ordained to eternal life may ●●lieve. All other Ordinances belong to ●…hildren, and they have right to them as ●●ible members of that body whereof Christ ●●the head. He who was the Son of God, came the Son of man, that we who be the these things were well considered, methinks it should abate the practice both of ●●inister and People in City and Country, ●●ho (for many of them) yet being in the ●●d man, and having spent their days in the ●●vice of Satan, yet forsooth they would known by the name of Christians, or least Apostle-imitators; though they cann●● but know they want the power, yet th●● will cry up the form of godliness. Now whe●… the Ministers of our times, or at least so●… of them, have gathered a parcel of th●… Rabble-rout together, (I do not style th●… so because they be the poorest; no, no, s●… they be such a people as David speaks 〈◊〉 they flourish as the green bay-tree, their eyes st●● out with fatness, they go clothed in the choice array, and be the most honourable men in th●… Parish: and they want but two thing●… which are, the knowledge of God, and obed●● to his will.) When the Minister hath gather●… a parcel of these together into fellowshi●… up he springs into the Pulpit to feed 〈◊〉 Flock: and truly so he doth; for he giust them such food as is both pleasant to th●… palate, and easy for digestion, for he kno●… well the state of their bodies: And if 〈◊〉 chance to see any poor Dove come in 〈◊〉 mongst these fat Turkeys, he will no●… leave throwing of stones till he hath gall●● her forth. (Had I not seen this with my 〈◊〉 I had not written it with my pen.) An●… when this poor Dove is frighted forth, 〈◊〉 flies up and down from one Congregati●● to another, and it may be finds no rest 〈◊〉 ●…he sole of her foot: then she retires into ●…ome private Assemb●…y, and there refresheth ●…er self. Well, the public Teachers hear ●…f a company of Doves gathered together 〈◊〉 such a place, and their carriage to be such ●…hat it is like to draw away some of their Congregations; they lift up their voices, ●…nd tell their hearers, that these be not Doves, but Wolves, Sabbath-breakers, Blas●…hemers, factious Sectaries, creeping into cor●…ers, and leading silly women captive: Often ●…aying of them as once the enemies of Christ ●…id, Have any of the Rulers believed on him? ●…o, none but this ignorant people that know ●…ot the Law.  
Are there Private Meetings, and doth that ●…ffend you? Let me ask you, Are not you ●…he cause of their meeting in private? Have ●…ot you deprived them of their expectati●…ns in public? They came to be instruct●…d in the Gospel, and you preach the Law: They came to be refreshed, and you sent them way sorrowful: They came to hear of ●…hrist, and you told them of Moses: They ●…ame to know their freedom, & you brought ●…hem into bondage: They came to be instructed in their Union with their Father, ●…nd you told them of Communion: They ●…ame to be instructed in the Doctrinal part of Divinity, and you told them of the Pracctical part of Divinity: they came to hear of Grace, and you told them of Gifts: in 〈◊〉 word, we and you have looked more upon Gifts then upon Grace, upon Law then upon Gospel, u●…on the form more than the power of godliness. Alas, what is the shadow without the substance? what is the Letter without the Spirit? what is an Ordinance without the presence of God in it●● Oh then make use of all Ordinances, bu●… rest upon none: Look upon them as th●… path to walk in, but not the pillar to re●● upon; look upon them as the way, but no 〈◊〉 the cause of your acceptation with God account not thyself the better when tho●… hast made use of them, unless thou hast m●… God in them. Labour to be well informe●… in these four things, and then thou wil●… establish Ordinances in their right place viz.  

1. Consider what is the ground of a●● these Ordinances.  
2. Consider what is the end of all Go●… spell Ordinances.  
3. Consider the time of them, how lo●● they be to continue. Eph. 4. 13.  
4. Consider the proper use of them, th●● so thou and I may not abuse them in 〈◊〉 use of them.   
〈◊〉 much concerning idolising or resting ●…pon Ordinances.  
Now than the way to defend and preserve ourselves from these or other like extremes, is, to abide in the doctrine of Christ: ●●d without this, let no man boast of his ●●terest in the Father, or of his relation to ●●e Son, or of his evidence by the Spirit. ●●t us then a little consider the mind of ●…od in that Scripture written for our learning, 2. Epist. of John, latter part of vers. 9 ●…hosoever abideth in the doctrine of Christ, hath not the Father and the Son. The whole verse ●●ns thus: Whosoever transgresseth and abi●●h not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God; 〈◊〉 whosoever abideth in the doctrine of Christ, ●●th both the Father and the Son. From the ●●tter part of this verse, let us consider of ●●d inquire into these two things.  

What this Doctrine of Christ here meant, is.  
What it is to abide in this Doctrine.   
First, what this Doctrine of Christ here ●●ant, is. Surely if ever it were needful for ●●ristians to inquire into this, now much ●●ore: For in these latter days there be ●●ny Doctrines that are presented before ●●u, and all in the name of the Doctrine of Christ, saying, Lo here is Christ! lo here 〈◊〉 Christ! And if we look upon their habi●● they be clothed in sheeps-clothing; ca●● your eyes upon their heads, and they ha●● horns like a Lan●…b, only they speak as 〈◊〉 Dragon: as in Rev. 13. 11. And I beheld a●● other beast coming up out of the earth, he 〈◊〉 two horns like a Lamb, and he speaks as a Drag●● Surely these Lamb's horns, and Dragon●… tongues are not always in Monarchy, bu●… sometimes in Ministry. Let us then enquir●● what this Doctrine of Christ is: for the●● be many Doctrines with which people h●● taken, that have no relation to Christ.  
1. We read of a Doctrine of vanity, Je●● 10. 8. Their stock is a doctrine of vanity. The●● be many taken with this doctrine in the day●…s, but this is not the doctrine of Chri●●  
2. There is the Doctrine of the Scribe and Pharisees, Mat. 15. 9 But in vain do th●● worship me, teaching for doctrine the comman●…ments of men. Mat. 16. 12. Christ bid the beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees.  
3. We read in Scripture of another d●…ctrine, called the doctrine of Balaam. Re●● 2. 14. Who taught Balack to cast a stumbling bl●● before the children of Israel, to eat things sa●● ficed to idols, and to commit fornication.  
4. We read in Scripture of another d●…ctrine, called the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, Rev. 2. 15. So hast thou them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. And their doctrine was this, To uphold the common use of women, that is, that women might be common; much like to those new upstart wantoness of our times.  
5. There is another Doctrine, which includes all the former, spoken of 1 Tim. 4. 1. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall departed from the faith, giving ●●heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils. But none of these is the Doctrine of Christ ●●here spoken to.  
6. Lastly, we find another Doctrine frequently mentioned in Scripture, which if we abide not in, sad is our case, miserable ●…is our condition, 2 Ep. john 9 He that transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, (mark that man, mark that woman) they have not God. Let them talk of God, and make their boast of God, as it may be they do, they be without God in the world.  
These things being well consider d, we cannot but see the necessity we have to be well acquainted with the Doctrine of Christ. Which leads us to the first thing here to be enquired into, What this Doctrine of Christ here spoken unto is.  
A It is a doctrine of Grace, and a doctrine of Freegrace. I know what be the judgements of many knowing men concerning this thing: If you ask them what the doctrine of Christ is, they will tell you it is a doctrine of Faith and Obedience: but this is the effects of the doctrine, rather than the doctrine itself: For the doctrine of Freegrace being preached to a soul, and having gotten entrance to lodge in the inward man, than it works faith and obedience as the effects or fruits of that Spirit of grace. Hence it is that when Christ sent forth his Disciples to preach this doctrine of Grace, he commands them saying, Into whatsoever house you enter, say, Peace unto this house. Lo, peace is the first word, which word is full of grace: Christ doth not bid them fire the people out of their nests by preaching the Law, and then heal them with the balm of the Gospel; no, they must first preach peace, for God is in the still voice, that so the love of Christ held forth in the doctrine of Freegrace, Tit. 2. 11, 12. might teach them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and constrain them out of a principle of love to live godly and soberly in this present world. Now that the doctrine of Christ is a doctrine of grace, it will appear by these and the like Scriptures which I shall but name. Act. 13. v. 39 & 43 compared together. Act. 20. 24. Rom. 3. 24. Rom. 11. 6. Ephes. 2. 5. & 8 compared together. In a word, (as was said before) Creation, Election, Redemption, and Sanctification, ●…it is all of Freegrace.  
Now me thinks I see most men in a sense give their assent and consent to the truth of this, that the doctrine of Christ is a doctrine of grace; and they will tell you further, that they do abide in this doctrine. Now then let us examine ourselves a little by the effects of this doctrine: for as a tree is known by his fruit, so is this doctrine by its effects.  
First then, it is a doctrine of grace enlightening the soul.  
Secondly, it is a doctrine of grace working faith in the soul.  
Thirdly, it is a doctrine of grace workin love in the soul.  
Fourthly, it is a doctrine of grace working upon the will and affections to will and affect the things of God.  
1. The doctrine of Christ is a doctrine of grace enlightening the soul. Luk. 2. 3 2. A light to lighten the Gentiles. This is spoken of Christ and his doctrine. Luk. 1. 79. To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to guide our feet in a way of peace. Joh. 1. 9 That was tha●… true light that lighteneth every man, etc. Now if thou dost abide in the doctrine of Christ, thy soul is enlightened by Christ: hence it is that the children of God are called the children of light, E●●. 5. 8 hence it is that they be exhorted to walk●…s children of the day. Are you enlightened? You will say, I am. What mean these works of darkness then?  
2. The doctrine of Christ is a doctrine of grace working faith in the soul. Joh. 14. 1. Ye believe in God, believe also in me. Joh. 6. 29. This is the work of God, that you believe. Joh. 14. 11. If you will not believe me for my words, yet believe in me for the very works sake that you have seen me do. 1 Joh. 3. 23. And this is his commandment, that we believe on the name of his Son Jes●…s Christ. No obedience like unto the obedience of faith; no disobedience like unto that of unbelief, for it makes the God of truth a liar. 1 Joh. 5. 10. ●…e that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself; He that believeth not God hath made him a lia●●, because be believed not the record that God gave of his Son. But most men and women will say they do believe: but there be but few that can show their faith by their wor●…s; for faith without works is dead, Jam. 17, 18, etc.  
3. The doctrine of Christ is a doctrine of grace working love in the soul.  
First to God. Mat. 22. 37. Christ told the Lawyer that came to him to know (at least ●●s he pretended) what was his doctrine, and what was the most principal part of it: why, saith Christ, Mat. 22. 37. Thou shalt love ●●he Lord thy God wi●…h all thy heart, with ●…ll thy ●●treng●…h, and with all thy soul.  
Secondly, it works love to the people of God. Joh. 13. 34. A new commandment give I ●●nto you, that you love one another as I have loved ●●o●…. I loved you when you were in your ●…lood and filthiness; my love was free, let yours be so: I loved all mine, do you love all the Saints: I laid down my life for the ●…rethren; you ought to lay down your lives for the brethren: I loved you with a constant love, having loved my own, I loved them to the end; so do you: My love carried me forth to become servant to all, even to wash your feet; you, if you will be followers of me, and be known to be my disciples, aught to do so too.  
Thirdly, as the doctrine of Christ is a do●…trine of grace working love in the soul, first to God, secondly to his people, so thirdly to our enemies. See and well consider that place. Mat. 5. 44. But I say unto you, love your enemies, do good to those that ha●… you, pray for those that despitefully use you a●● persecute you. Never think that you contin●● in my doctrine, unless you observe my commands: My commands are, that you shoul●… not only love God, but also your brother and it must not be limited only there, bu●… you must love your enemies, or else yo●… will not be like unto me and my Father Mat. 5. 45. That you may appear to all th●… world to be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to arise 〈◊〉 the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust: For if you love only th●● that love you, the vilest man in the world goeth so far, this is no character or badge o●● my servants, the Publicans and Harlots did 〈◊〉 much as this.  
Fourthly, it is a doctrine of grace working upon the will and affections, to will and affect the things of God. First it works upon the will, it resigns it up unto the will of God, nay it makes him live in the will of God. 1. By doing his will. 2. By suffering his will to be done, though it cross thy will. Again, it works mightily upon thin●● affections: thy affections are taken off the creatures, and fixed upon the Creator: thou seest more and more beauty in God, and ●…nd less and less beauty in the creature. ●…he things of the world would satisfy thee theretofore: Now thou criest out, None but ●…hrist, none but Christ! Nothing will satisfy ●…ut his presence, nothing will make thee ●…d but his absence.  
THe second Quaerie is, What is it to abide in the Doctrine of Christ. For the scripture saith, 2 ep. Joh. 9 He that abideth in the ●…ctrine of Christ, hath both the Father and the ●…onne. Now there be several discoveries or ●…haracters of one that abideth in the do●…rine of Christ.  
First, there be some inward evidences.  
Secondly, there be some outward evi●…ences.  
For the inward evidence, Call a counsel 〈◊〉 thy own heart, silence thy own thoughts, ●●ll all the faculties of thy soul and mem●…ers of thy body to the bar, examine thy ●●ill, thy affections, thy judgement, and me●…ory, Who are you for? what are you doing? ●…ow are you employed all day long? Search for ●…hat White-stone that hath a Name in it that ●…ne can read but he that hath it. See whether ●…e Spirit of God doth witness with thy spirit ●…at thou belongest to God. Doth the presence ●…f Christ rejoice thee? doth his absence grieve thee? See whether thou art like un●● Christ in thy desires, and in thy endeavours whose work it was to do the will of his F●●ther, etc.  
Secondly, there be some outward evidences: I shall name a few.  
1. He that abideth in the doctrine 〈◊〉 Christ, is one that is not easily withdraw●… from the truth that he first received. 1 J●● 2. 24. Let that therefore abide in you which y●● have heard from the beginning: If that whic●… you have heard from the beginning shall remain 〈◊〉 you, you shall continue in the Son and in th●● Father. 1. Tim. 4. 16. Take heed to thyself 〈◊〉 unto the doctrine; continue in them; for in 〈…〉ing this thou shalt both save thyself and such hear thee. Be not carried about with every wi●● of doctrine, saith Paul, Ephes. 4. 14. Beware 〈◊〉 you fall from your steadfastness, saith Peter, 2 P●● 3. 17. If you continue in my words, then are y●● my Disciples, saith Christ, Joh. 8. 31. Oh the continue in the faith to be grounded an●… settled, rooted and established: Be ye stedfo●● and unmoveable, always abounding in the wo●● of the Lord.  
2. He that abideth in the doctrine 〈◊〉 Christ, may be known by this; He is a ver●… fruitful Christian. What is the reason ther●… is so much barrenness, coldness, deadness●● ●●lity, lukewarmness, evil furnish and ●●liperings? Why, behold the reason, ●●y abide not in the doctrine of Christ: that abide in that doctrine do bear ●●ns, there is none barren among th●…m; ●●y be planted in his house, they abide it; doctrine, therefore they flourish in his ●●urts. Joh. 15. 4. The branch cannot bear ●●t except it abide in the vine; no more can you, ●●ept you abide in me.  
3. He that abideth in the doctrine of ●●st may be known by this also; He stands 〈…〉 and contends for the faith and obedience 〈…〉 he Gospel against all opposers; he envours by sound doctrine to convince all ●…nsayers; He doth not so much plead for ●●mane learning, as he doth for the mind God in the Spirit; he knows the spirital learning can easily foil the humane ●●rning that wants the spiritual. See that ●●ce Judas 3, 4. That you should earnestly contend 〈◊〉 the faith that was once delivered to the Saints; ●●n he brings the reason of this con●…enti●●, v. 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares, turning the grace of God into lascivious●●se. And surely this is one of England's sins this day: There be many men and wo●●n puffed up with a high conceit of their ●●n knowledge; and when their principles and practices are a little examin●● they be but as clouds without rain, and 〈◊〉 without water, as here Judas speaks.  
4. He that abideth in the doctrine Christ, continueth steadfast in the doctr●● of the Apostles. Act. 2. 42. And they contin●● steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellows●… and in breaking of bread and prayer. Not th●… the Apostles doctrine was one thing, a●● the doctrine of Christ another thing; 〈◊〉 whosoever abideth in the one, could n●● but abide in the other: And they abode fr●● fast in the Apostles doctrine, that is, they co●…tinued steadfastly in the doctrine of Chri●● for they delivered that unto us which th●… received from Christ. They continued in 〈◊〉 Apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in break●… of bread and prayer. Let us examine a litt●● how many men and women, that be god●● (for I do not speak of others) I say, ho●… many have we, that do walk together Fellowship? 2. How many are there, that enjoy that Ordinance of the Lords Supp●● here called Breaking of Bread? 3. How ma●● have the Spirit of Prayer? Are they not fe●● yea very few? And yet all be ready to sa●… that they do abide in the doctrine of Chr●● Go from one man to another through●… a whole Shire, and ask them one after 〈◊〉 ●●er, Do you abide in the doctrine of Christ? ●●ou do not, you have not God. Yea, saith the 〈◊〉, I do abide in the doctrine of Christ.  
Q. How prove you that?  
A. I do, saith he, for I have reform ●●y things that were amiss in me. So did ●●od, that enemy of truth, Mark 6. 20. For ●●od heard john, knowing he was a just man: 〈◊〉 when he heard him, he did many things.  
Q. Come to a second and ask him, Do 〈◊〉 abide in the doctrine of Christ?  
A. I do, saith he; and I know it by this, 〈◊〉 free from many gross sins that others ●●my neighbours are guilty of. So was ●●t Pharisee, Luk. 18. 11, 12. O God I thank ●●e that I am not as other men are, I fast twice ●…eek, and give tithe of all I do possess.  
Q. Come to a third and ask him, Do you ●●de in the doctrine of Christ?  
A. I do, saith he, and I prove it thus: ●●ontinue waiting upon God in the use of Ordinances, which others neglect. So 〈◊〉 those hypocrites, Isa. 58. 2, 3. Yet you seek daily, saith the Lord, and delight to know my ●●es, as a Nation that did righteousness, and ●●ook not the ordinances of God. And yet for this the Lord rejected them and their ●●ices.  
Q. Come to a fourth, Do you abide in the doctrine of Christ? If you do not, have not God.  
A. I do, and I prove it thus: I know will of God, that many others be ignor●● of, and I approve of his ways. Rep. So those castaways, Rom. 2. 18. And knowes●● will, and approvest the things that be more ex●●●lent, etc. Yet we see the Lord rejects the upon this ground, They did not prac●● themselves that which they knew & taught to others.  
Q. Come to a fifth, Do you abide in 〈◊〉 doctrine of Christ?  
A. I do, and I can make it good, saith 〈◊〉 by this: I have humbled myself for all●● sins before the Lord. R. So did wi●● Ahab, 1 King. 21. 27, 28, 29.  
Q. Come to a sixth, Do you abide in 〈◊〉 doctrine of Christ?  
A. I do abide in it, and I think there but few that do outstrip me: for I am 〈◊〉 so cold and lukewarm as most be, doing Lords work by halfs; I am zealous for 〈◊〉 Lord, I have had my hand in pulling do●● the Images and Crucifixes and Altars t●● the Idolaters had set up, nay I have b●● chief in this great Reformation. R. So●● Jehu, whom the Lord rejected, 2 King. 〈◊〉 27, 28, 29.  
Q. But I do abide in the doctrine of ●…hrist, saith a seventh: If none of the for●●er, yet I am sure I do outstrip them all; ●●r I do keep the commands of God, and ●●at from my youth.  
A. So did that young man, Mat. 19 20. ●●ll these things have I kept from my youth up. ●●hou art not fully in my doctrine, saith ●…hrist; thou must go sell all that thou hast; ●●ou hast abundance of self-righteousness, ●●at must be sold.  
Q. But I do abide in the doctrine of ●…hrist, saith an eighth; for I do confess ●●y sins both unto God and to his people, ●●d I do pray for pardon, and desire them 〈◊〉 pray for pardon also.  
A. So did Pharaoh, whom the Lord was ●…leased to get him honour upon, in overthrowing him and all his host in the midst ●…f the sea, Exod. 10. 16, 17.  
Q. But I do abide in the doctrine of ●…hrist, saith a ninth: for I am merciful ●…nd pitiful to those in want, yea I have ●…elieved the Lords Prophets.  
A. The heathen did as much as this to ●…aul, Act. 28. 2. and Ananias and Sapphira did ●●ore than this, and yet perished, as you may ●●e Act. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4.  
Q. But I go beyond all that you have mentioned before, saith a tenth man. Wh●● what hast thou done? I have (saith he) n●● only heard the Lords word, but I ha●● heard it with delight, and it takes root 〈◊〉 my heart, and grows within me both 〈◊〉 knowledge and obedience.  
A. So did those mentioned by Christ 〈◊〉 those parables, and yet were castaways Mat. 13. 22. Mark 4. 16.  
Q. But (saith another) I abide in th●● doctrine of Christ here, and shall dwell in 〈◊〉 holy hill hereafter; And that I am assured 〈◊〉 by the testimony of Scripture, for I have kep●● mine oaths and promises, yea sometime●● although it hath been to my hurt: and I fin●● my name registered in the book of life. An●● if that fail me, then farewell all. I say, I hav●● kept my vows, oaths and promises, thought sometimes to my loss; and David tells 〈◊〉 this is a sure mark of a son of Zion: see el●● Psal. 15. 1, 2, 3, 4. The Psalm gins thus Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who sh●● dwell in thy holy hill? There is the question Then for answer, v. 2. He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh th●● truth in his heart, he that backbiteth not with 〈◊〉 tongue, nor doth evil to his neighbour, nor taket●● up a reproach against him; in whose eyes a vi●● person is contemned, but he honoureth them th●● ●●re the Lord; he that sweareth to his own hurt ●●d changeth not, etc.  
See what a Catalogue of Evidences here for Heaven: and if I have not more, I am ●●re I have the last; I have kept my promises ●●d vows, though to mine own hurt. Now if ●●u can find in Scripture any man left up●● record that hath gone so far as I have ●●ne, and yet a Castaway at last, then speak, otherwise with silence give your consent this mine Evidence for Heaven.  
A. I could even say to thee, O man, as ●●ce our Lord Christ said to that learned ●●derate Scribe, Mark 12. 34. Thou art not from the Kingdom of God.  
But for keeping oaths and promises, ●●ough it be an excellent ornament for a ●●ristian, yet let me tell thee it is no indelible mark of a true Saint: and that will ●●pear, if thou a little consider that in Dan. 29. & 16. compared together: the sum that Chapter is this. Belshazar had seen hand-writing on the wall, and it troubled ●●m: He sends for the Astrologers and soothsayers to give the interpretation to ●●e King: They could not do it: He hears Daniel by the Queen's information, he ●●ds for him, Daniel comes to the King; ●●e King desires two things of Daniel, first to read the writing, secondly to ma●● known the interpretation: which if Da●● could or would do, the King promiseth 〈◊〉 three things: First, that he should be cl●…thed with Scarlet; secondly, that he shou●● have a Chain of gold about his neck; thi●…ly, that he should be made the third ruler his Kingdom. Well, Daniel read the w●●ting, and gave the interpretation, and to●● the King plainly and boldly, it tended his ruin, and the ruin of all his hou●● Yet this heathen King kept his oath, vow●● promise in every tittle of it, as you may●● Dan. 5. 29. Then commanded Belshazzar, 〈◊〉 they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a 〈◊〉 of gold about his neck, & made a proclamation 〈◊〉cerning him that he should be the third ruler in●● kingdom. In that night was the King slain, v. 3 Oh how may this condemn many a ma●● Shall a Heathen keep promise, and a Christian break his promise? What, shall we●● outstripped by Heathens? Doth not the Scriptures say, Mat. 5. 20. For I say unto you, th●● except your righteousness shall exceed the righ●…eousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, you s●● in no case enter into the kingdom of God. Is not a great shame for a Christian profess●● godliness, to be outstripped by Heathens Truly I have been at a stand many time when I read of Conversations of heathens, etc. The Gentiles had a law to themselves, and ●●t of God.  

First, for Temperance.  
Secondly, for Obedience.  
Thirdly, for Mercy.  
Fourthly, for Justice and upright deal●…ng.   
1. For Temperance: King Ahasuerus a ●●eathen King made a law, Hest. 1. 8. And ●●e drinking was according to the Law; none did ●●mpell, for the King had appointed to all the ●●fficers of his house, that they should do accord●…g to every man's pleasure.  
2. For Obedience: when King Abimelech ●●ok Abraham's wife, although he was a ●●eathen King, he obeyed the voice of the ●…ord; for no sooner did the Lord com●…and him to deliver Abraham his wife again ●●t he did it: Jonah preached at Niniveh a●…ong the Heathen, and no sooner did they ●●ar him, but the Text saith of them, they ●●d believe and repent.  
3. For Mercy: The barbarous heathen●● people were very merciful to Paul and ●●e rest of the company, Act. 28. 22. And the ●●rbarous people shown us no little kindness; 〈◊〉 they kindled a fire, and received us every one, ●●ause of the present rain and because of the cold.  
4. For Justice and upright dealing: Th●● King of Sodom a heathen King, when Abraham had overcome the four Kings, and brought home the Sodomites, the King o●● Sodom said unto him, Give me the men, and take the goods for thy pains, Gen. 14. 21.  
Oh then were Heathens taught by th●● law of Nature the sweet principles and pr●…ctice of Temperance, Mercy, Obedience an●… Justice; and shall we who do think of ou●…selves far beyond them in matters natur●● and spiritual, shall we (I say) be outstrip by them and come short of them? Shall 〈◊〉 thus requite the Lord for all his love? shal●… shall we dishonour him, that hath so high●● honoured us as to call us his fervants, h●● brethren, his members, his Bride, his Body his Temple! Oh let not Heathens outstrip us in obedience! let us outstrip them, y●● let us endeavour to outstrip the most for ward Saints in the world; Labour to exc●● all the Saints in love, in patience, in meekness, sobriety and temperance: impro●● all thy spiritual strength for him who ga●● it to thee; Thou hast enjoyments of hi●… improve it for him, yea let all thy know ledge of him bring thee nearer to him, an●… make thee more like him: Let thy longing desires and endeavours be more to grow grace then gifts. 1. Cor. 12. 31. But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet I show ●…n●…o you a more excellent way. This more excellent ●…way here spoken of, is the grace of Love, as you may see 1 Cor. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Now it will be useful a little to inquire how many sorts of gifts there be, seeing the Apostle saith, Covet earnestly the best.  
For answer hereunto in general, There be but two sorts of gifts:  
First, there are gifts of Nature, or gifts Natural; and they are many.  
Secondly, there are gifts Spiritual, or gifts given by the Spirit; and they be several.  
1. There are gifts of Nature, or gifts Natural: And by these a man may do many excellent things, and yet not have one grain of grace. If a man should preach as never man preached, and though he should pray as never man prayed, and though he confer and discourse of all things as never man did; may if he should speak with the tongues of men and Angels, and have gifts of Prophecy, and understand all mysteries: yea, though he be so pitiful as to give all his goods to the poor, & his body to be burned; nay though he hath all the gifts, arts and parts that ever were in man, only grace excepted, all this avails him nothing. It is true, such a man is a little honoured of men, they cry him up for a brave Churchman: if he be given to covetousness, of drunkenness, or any other vice, Oh (say the people) he is a brave Scholar, there is not a man more deeper learned in all the City! And such is the gross ignorance of this Commonweal, (to your shame be it spoken) that most of you do think and say, That he that is a Scholar cannot but be acquainted with Religion; and when you hear him preach, he is so scholastic, and so eloquent, and so pleasing, that you are apt to say of him as once the people did of Herod when he made his oration, It is the voice of God, and not of a man. Act. 12. 21, 22.  
What excellent wisdom had graceless Achitophel? 2 Sam. 16. 23. And the counsels of Achitophel which he gave in those days, was, as if a man had enquired at the oracles of God; so was all the counsel of Achitophel both with David and Absolom. Here were gifts in the highest nature, but for want of grace he perished: and it is apparent that he was cried up in those days, as our Achitophel's be now adays.  
What wise and discreet answer did that Scribe give unto our Lord Christ, Mar. 12. 33, 34. And when jesus heard his answer, he told him, he was not far from the kingdom of ●…od. There were but three things required, ●…nd this Scribe had gotten two of them, ●…nly he wanted grace: he had gifts in aundance, the least dram or grain of grace ●…ad made him happy for ever.  
Oh then, (in a word, and so to close up ●…is) would you live and abide in the doctrine ●…f Christ? Oh then live out of yourselves, 〈◊〉 the Spirit, upon Christ! let him be high●●t in thy thoughts, dearest in thine affecti●…ns, constant in thy purposes! See him once 〈◊〉 be the chiefest of ten thousand, and then ●●ou wilt have no need of any man to bid ●…ee inquire after him. Read and well ●…on●…der this Scripture, Cant. 5. 9, 10, etc.  
This is all at present that I have to say of ●…e Armour of Christ, and of the Doctrine of ●…hrist. The next thing to be considered, ●…hich nearly concerns all Christians, is this, ●…iz.  
3. To live in the will of God. For, There is no ●…wer, but of God.  
In this third particular, here are two ●●ings to be enquired into.  
Q. 1. What is it to live in the will of ●…od?  
A. 1. To be doing the will of God.  
2. By suffering the will of our Father.  
Q. 2. How are we to understandth is, tha●… there is no power but of God?  
A. 1. We are to consider, there is n●… power but of and in God, essentially or originally, habitually or virtually etc.  
2. And yet there is a power in ever●… Creature, distributively and by participation.  
Now then to live in the will of God, it is t●… be doing his will, and suffering his will. But o●… this I shall speak or write afterwards, and s●… enter upon the second Quaere.  
1. There is no power but of God originally and essentially; He hath his being in himself, and he alone gives being to al●… creatures: Of him, from him, and to him are al●… things. There was no motion, vigour or action, life or growth, until he created and enlivened the creatures: so that all things centre in him, as having their being from him, who hath his being in himself, and gives being to them: He made all things for his own glory, who alone is worthy of al●… glory, honour and praise, and he will be glorified by every living thing in the whole creation, either by their salvation or destruction; He will magnify the attribute of his mercy on the one, and the attribute of his justice on the other: yea, the whol●… Creation is a book wherein we may read God, every thing doth utter its voice, the ●…e●…vens, the Stars, the Sun and the Moon, ●…o all in their kind declare the handy work ●…f God; nay every thing above us, beneath ●…s, on our right hand, and on our left, do ●…ll speak saying, Behold the wonderful ●…orks of the Lord God Almighty, from ●…hom I had my being, in whom I centre, ●…y whose life I live, by whose strength I ●…ove: his power may be seen in creation, ●…edemption, vocation, justification, and ●…anctification. Yea, by him all things con●●st, 1 Col. 17. The Fish cannot swim in the ●…ater, but by his power; the Bird cannot ●…y in the air, but by his power; the Spar●…ow cannot fall to the ground, saith the ●…criptures, without his providence. Mat. ●…2. 29.  
The attribute of his Wisdom is seen in ●…he variety of Creatures that he hath made, ●…nd the sweet harmony that there is among ●…hem, each of them doing after his kind, ●…nely M●…n excepted, which in his creation ●…as made the most bless●…d of all creatures, ●…ut by his fall in the first Adam, and not im●…racing the second Adam, is become the most ●●rsed creature of all: so that we may say ●…f all men and women fallen in the first Adam, and not restored by the second, as on●… our Lord Christ said concerning Judas, Ma●… 14. 2. Good were it for that man, if he had neve●… been borne.  
So the attribute of his Power may be see●… in the upholding the whole Creation; an●… the attribute of his Mercy, in the preserv●…tion of his Creatures.  
All that we are, have, or do enjoy, ar●… gifts of God; and if we act and move b●… the power of God, than it is impossibly tha●… we should perform any spiritual duty o●… ourselves without his assistance. Christ telleth Pilate, that he could have no power at a●… against him, unless it was given him. A ma●… can receive nothing (saith the Baptist) excep●… it be given him from heaven, Joh. 3. 27. It i●… God (saith Paul) that worketh in us both to wi●● and to do: what have we therefore which w●… did not receive?  
So then all things be from him, but al●… things are not him, (as some ignorantl●… imagine) I say again, all things are from hi●… but all things are not him: He is the Creator, we be the creatures; He hath his being in himself, we have our being from him▪ He was from everlasting before time, we ha●… our being from him in time; He is immutable, we are all mutable; He is Alpha an●… Omega, the beginning and the ending, which 〈◊〉 and which was, and which is to come. The 〈◊〉 mighty, he can bring good out of evil, 〈…〉 ht out of darkness, strength out of weakness, hobour out of dishonour. If the first ●…am be deceived by the Serpent, he will ●●rn it to his glory; if the second Adam be ●…trayed by a Judas, he will turn it to 〈◊〉 Glory: If the first fall by unbelief, he 〈◊〉 raise us in a second by faith: in a word, 〈◊〉 is the head of all principality & power, 2 Col. 〈◊〉. All power is in him habitually, vertu●●y, primitively, originally, essentially.  
The Scriptures are so full in setting forth ●…s, that there is no power but of God, almost every book from the beginning of Genesis 〈◊〉 the end of the Revelation, that I suppose ●…ere is no man, if he be endued but with ●●mmon reason, will or can deny it: where●…e excuse me if I am silent and speak no ●…ther to it.  
2. The next thing to be considered is, 〈…〉 e power that is in every Creature. If there be 〈◊〉 power but in God, (as hath in some ●…asure been proved in the former express 〈…〉 ns) Tell me then, without any evasions, ●●w there is a power in every Creature?  
A. There is no power but of God, ori 〈…〉 ally and essentially, habitually, primitively, or virtually: But there is a power 〈◊〉 every Creature distributively. The pow●● is in God as in a fountain, it is in us●… streams flowing from that fountain, but n●… essentially, habitually or virtually.  
There is a twofold power that is distributed or given forth to the Creature; t●… first is common to all, the second is prop●… only to some.  
First there is a natural power, as one tale●… which we ought not to hid in a napki●… given forth to all men and women, wi●… several commands from the Giver to i●…prove that.  
Secondly, there is his blessed Spirit giv●… forth with a spiritual power only to som●… by virtue of which they can pray in the Sp●…rit, rejoice in the Spirit, worship God wh●… is a Spirit in spirit and truth; they can re●… and understand the L●●●er in the Spirit, th●… can discourse of spiritual things unde●…standingly and feelingly: further, by th●… power they can bring down strong holds, th●… can cast down imaginations and every high thin●… they can bring more or less their though●… into captivity unto the obedience of Christ. Re●● and well consider 2 Cor. 10. 3, 4, 5, 6.  
1. First of the first: There is a nature power given forth from God to the Creature, 〈◊〉 Talon; which the Creature is not to hid in drapkin, but to improve. Now ●…hough this ●●wer was not ours, but Gods, in whom 〈◊〉 power dwells: yet (he having given this 〈◊〉 us) it becomes ours; for a man may as properly call that his own which was given ●●m, as that which he bought with his ●…ony. Christ tells Pilate, that he could have 〈◊〉 power either to release him or to condemn him, ●…les it were given him, Jo. 19 10, 11. But there ●…as a power given to Pilate, even a natural ●…ower; and Pilate judged him and con●…emned him.  
If there be no power given forth from ●…od to the Creature, than there is no pow●● in the Creature; and then all those ex●…ortations, persuasions, entreatings and ●…eseechings are in vain. But that there is a ●…ower in the Creature, I say a received pow●…r, a derivative power, it will appear, if you ●…ill answer seriously to what follows, ●…iz. Tell me, O man, whosoever thou art, ●…hat dost read or hear these lines, Hast thou ●…er done so much good, or refrained so ●…uch evil, as thou mightest have done? Consider of it, and see: what knowledge, ●…hat wisdom, what comfort, what full ●…ssurance mightest thou and I by this time ●…ave risen unto? What means that Scripture, Heb. 5. 12. Where as by this time you mi 〈…〉 have been teachers of others, you have need to taught yourselves what be the first principles religion. You might have been teachers 〈◊〉 others, if you had improved your talen●… Did Paul speak truly or falsely, O ma●… when he broke forth into these words, 1 C●● 9 4, 5, 6. in v. 4. Have we not power to e 〈…〉 and to drink? and have we not power to lead 〈◊〉 'bout a sister or wife as well as others? v. 6. Agai●… have we not power to forbear working, etc. There is a place worth our noting, Jer. 3●… 6. & 18. 19 compared together. In v. 〈◊〉 there is mention made of one Jonadah whic●… commanded his sons that they shoul●… drink no wine: and in v. 18. & 19 we fin●… that they in obedience to the command 〈◊〉 their father did forbear to drink any during lif●… Insomuch that the Almighty took noti●● of this their obedience to their father, i●… improving their natural power in a wa●… of temperance. Just as Paul: I have power t●… eat and to drink (saith he) and as oft as 〈◊〉 pleased he could forbear eating and drinking fo●… a season. Oh how much is God blamed, an●… man excused by denying this! Solomon saith Wherefore is there a price put into the hands of 〈◊〉 fool to get wisdom? Mind, first here is a pric●… or talon given; 2. Where it is put, into th●… hands of a fool; 3. For what end it is put in●…o his hands, to get wisdom, etc. 4. The rea●…on why he hath not wisdom, he hath no ●…eart to mind it, no desire to it. Some would ●…ave God not only to give them ability, ●…ut to perform the action; and then indeed ●●ey might say it was the will of God it ●●uld be so, when they did evil; for then ●●ey would be carried on as the Sun, Moon ●…nd Stars are without resistance. But God ●…aving made man a rational creature, and ●…iven him power to act, he requires him to ●●t by virtue of that power given him, and 〈◊〉 commends him for acting well, & blames ●…im for acting ill. And though our ability ●…e but small at first, yet if we improve that ●…ccording to the strength we have, God hath ●…romised to increase it, and we shall grow ●●om strength to strength: But if we be unfaithful in that which is least, he will not ●…ust us with more. It is good therefore to ●…o what we can, and ask and seek for what ●…e cannot do. It was possible for the son's ●…f Jonadab to obey their father's command, 〈◊〉 not drinking wine: and it was as pos●●ble for Israel to obey their Lords com●…and; for God reproves them by that ●…xample, Jer. 35. 14. I suppose that the righteous God never commands impossible things. The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth a●… in thy heart, saith Moses, that thou mayest do 〈…〉 Deut. 30. 13, 14. Therefore (in the book) 〈◊〉 bids them choose life. Choose (saith Joshu●● whom you will serve; as for me and my house, 〈◊〉 will improve ourselves to the utterm 〈…〉 to serve the Lord, Jos. 24. 15. And therefore the Lord complains, because they did n●● choose the fear of the Lord, Pro. 12. 9 The●… want of ability is not once mentioned as a●… excuse.  
Again, let me ask thee O man whosoever thou art that readest these lines, Dost tho●… not think and believe that God hath give●… everyman power and ability to do so muc●… as he requires of him? For the proof har●… of read understandingly Rom. 1. 19, 20, & ●… For the Lord is so just, and his ways 〈◊〉 equal, that he never requires impossib●● things of his creatures: He dealeth wit●… man according to what he hath, and co●…mands what he knows he may perfor●… He is not like Pharaoh, to command Brick 〈◊〉 be made without Straw. He gives forth h●… Talents, and commands the Receiver 〈◊〉 improve that: and when he comes to ca●… them to an account, he doth not dema●● five talents where he gave but one; only 〈◊〉 blames that servant for not improvi●● that one; he that was not able to bring ●…old or Silver, Silk or fine Linen to the ●…ilding of the Temple, if he brought ●…asse, or Goat's hair, or such as he could, ●…tha willing heart, it was accepted; Again, 〈◊〉 find that he that was not able to bring ●…amb or a Kid for his sin Offering, must ●…ing two Turtle Doves or young Pigeons; ●…he could not bring those, than the tenth ●…rt of an Ephah of fine flower should serve. 〈◊〉 where the Lord gives much, he requires ●●ch; and where he gives little, he re●…ires but little.  
Now is the Lord so tender of the people, ●●t he would not have them to stretch themselves beyond their abilities in point 〈◊〉 Sacrifices; and is not he as tender of ●●ir weakness in other points of obedience; Doth he command impossibilities? ●●n the Creature may have a just execuse at 〈◊〉 last day; when every man shall be judged ●●●ording to his works, saying; If thou 〈…〉 st given me power to do that which 〈…〉 u gavest me a command to do, than I 〈◊〉 done it; and so his disobedience is cast ●…on his Judge, for not giving strength to ●…e that he required: If this be true, than ●●me not those that say, that God is the au 〈…〉 r of sin.  
But shall I ask thee again, O vain man hast thou done so much good, and refrai●…ed so much evil that thou mightest ha●… done? Put this question to thy Conscienc●… saying, Conscience, I do charge thee in t●● presence of the Lord to deal truly with me●… Have I done so much good, and refrained 〈◊〉 much evil as I might have done? me thin●… I hear thy Conscience saying to thee, a●… mine hath often to me; No, no, thou ha●… been a slothful servant in the Lords Vin●… yard: O poor  man! art thou like t●● Bruits, that do not know their ow●… strength? Why, dost thou not know, 〈◊〉 vain man! that God that made thee, ha●● endued thee with power and abilit●… suitable to thy state and quality? Hat●… thy wise Creator given forth a power t●… the Fishes of all sorts to swim, and to t●● Fowls of the Air to fly, and the Beasts 〈◊〉 the Earth to go from place to place; ye●… hath he given wisdom and power to t●● meanest of Creatures, the Ant and Pismi●… Crane and Swallow, etc. and thou O ma●… whom the Lord of Lords hath made Lo●● over all these things, hast thou no ability, a●… thou a mere dead lump, doth God call, a●● canst thou not hear nor answer? wilt tho●… tell him when he shall judge thee, that 〈◊〉 d●…d not empower thee? Wilt thou charge ●●y Omissions and Commission upon him? ●…ilt thou make him worse than wicked ●…haroah, which made the Children of Is●●el make Brick without Straw? let me tell ●…ee O man! thou art able by the power ●…hat is given thee according to God's com●…on Providence, I say, thou art able by ●…ertue of that power received, to speak or 〈◊〉 hold thy peace, to go or to sit still; and ●…hen thou and I shall both appear before ●●e Tribunal Seat of God at the day of ●…udgement, thou and I shall not be charged ●…ith what we could not do, but for lea●●ng undone that which we ought & might ●…ave done. Now that I might not be mista●…en, I shall make or propose these few exceptions, or limitations to what hath been said.  
1. There is a power in God incommunicable, I do not say, there is any such ●…ower in us; there is a power also in him ●…ommunicable, which dwells in us, according to the measure thereof communicated, etc.  
2 We are to consider that this power in ●●e Creature, as it was given forth from ●…im, so it is limited by him.  
3 I do not say or affirm, that natural ●●wer can act in supernatural things; for I know the contrary, that it cannot, bu●… only in natural.  
4. Although I do affirm that all me●… have a natural power; yet I do not sa●… that every man natural hath it in the sam●… measure; for I see men transcending o●… another in gifts natural; as men excee●… and go beyond one another in gifts Spiritual.  
Truly friends, it is worth our consideration a little to study or inquire into our natural abilities, that so we might improv●… them to the b●…st advantage; for natura●… improvements shall have natural rewards, a●… spiritual improvements shall have spiritual rewards. If Ahab repent with a natural r●…pentance, Ahab shall receive a natural reward, as you may see, 1 King. 21. 27. It wi●● further appear, that a natural man hath 〈◊〉 natural power by this also; look upon th●… whole Nation of men and w●…men natura●… and you shall see great differences in thei●… improvements; the one will avoid sin fo●… sear of punishment; another will avoi●… sin for fear of shame; another will run o●… in sin, fearing neither punishment no●…●●ame; some men merely natural they wi●● speak soberly, and answer to things i●… their clement difinctly and wisely.  
Some men natural are so punctual in ●●eeping their promises, and so faithful in ●…he trust reposed in them; that they endea●…our to do as they would be done unto▪ ●…nd truly these things are to be commended 〈◊〉 men natural and in men spiritual.  
And that a natural man may do more ●…hen he doth by his natural power, will ●…asily appear by these four things:  
First, Because I have seen, and so have ●…any others, that man merely natural hath ●…mitted evil, and set himself about the do●…ng of that which in itself is good, when ●…he eye of the Magistrate hath been over ●…im.  
Secondly, I have seen men, and that not 〈◊〉 few, refrain from sin, as Drunkenness, ●…wearing, and Sabbath-breaking, because ●…he Law of the Nation constrains them ●…hereunto. A man could not for these ●…any years walk along the Key of this City, but he should hear the Porters and ●…alliers cursing and swearing, as men that ●…ad never learned to speak any other language; and so with the Butchers, you ●…ould not walk along the Shambles, but ●…our heart would even tremble to hear the ●…ame of God so often, and fearfully taken ●…n vain; Now, through the wisdom of our Parliament to Enact, and the diligence 〈◊〉 our Mayor to Execute (for the life of th●… Law lies in the due execution thereof) yo●… may now walk the Key and Shambles, in th●… midst of the Porters, Hallie●…s, and Bu●…chers, and hear them speak with ne●… tongues: Yea, you shall through the goodnesse of the Lord in the care of the Mag●…strate scarce hear one man, woman, o●… child from the beginning of the week t●… the end thereof, either swear or curse. No●… from what power is it that these men a●… able to forbear swearing, being so accust●…med unto it, some twenty, some forty, som●… fi●…ty years? is there not a natural power i●… them which they did before abuse? or els●… will you say with our new Novelists or up●… start wantoness, that it was God that di●… swear, and so swearing is no sin?  
I shall close up this point giving you m●… judgement therein, which is, that as the lo●… of Christ doth constrain some, so the fear o●… punishment doth compel others; the o●● to improve his spiritual parts, the othe●… his natural parts.  
Thirdly, That there is a natural powe●… in a natural man, which he may and ough●… to improve in all natural things, as wil●… appear in this; if you take notice what change there will be in a man's actions when ●…e fear of death possesseth him; his wick 〈◊〉 company, and his wicked practices, ●…e gins to complain of them both; and ●●en he gins to acknowledge there was a ●…ower in him, and promiseth the Lord in ●●e presence of all his friends, if the Lord ●…ill spare him a little longer time, he will ●…ever be drunk, & swear, and lie and blas●…heme as he hath done; he will now read & ●●arn to pray, and come amongst the Lord's ●…eople, whom he hated; and wait at the ●…oole of Bethesda till the Angel move the wa●…ers.  
Fourthly, Come to a Natural man, that ●…s sitting still, and if thou wilt know whe●…her there be any power in him; tell him ●…f he will travel to such a City, and do ●…uch and such business for thee, thou wilt give him so many pounds for his labour ●…nd pains; see now how he will improve ●…ll his natural parts to effect this business; ●…e will employ his tongue to inquire the way, and his feet to carry him on in the way, and he will employ his memory to keep account of the miles; yea, every part ●…n the whole man shall be employed in his ●●ace to accomplish this business; and the ●●st wheel that sets all the rest on going is 〈…〉 hope of gain.  
Oh, what pains and care do men tak●… for the hope of gain; they will rise early, a●… lie down late, and eat the bread of carefulness they will observe time and tide, and a●● things conducing thereunto, to accomplish their desires, they will improve all opportunities, make use of all means, depri●… themselves of sleep, and sometimes of the●… food, to get a little gain; they scrape an●… pull, and rake to make their Dunghill higher than their Neighbours; and the●… they get upon the top of their Dunghill and stand with their arms a Kimbo, an●… look so big and so lofty, that if any of hi●… neighbours whose Dunghill is not so high as his, ●…hance to come to speak with him he must bend his Knee and take off his Ha●● and stand bare before him, or else he shal●… have but few words with him; and if thi●… man whose Dunghill is so high come once to be enlightened by the Spirit of God, h●… presently with Solomon, Eccles. 2. 11. writ●… unity upon all his treasure, or else break●… forth with Zacheus, Luk. 19 8. Beho●…d, th●… h●…lf of my goods I give to the poor; and if 〈◊〉 have wronged any man, I will restore him fourfold.  
See the wisdom and policy of the un●●st Steward, and his improvement of both ●…o the best advantage, as to himself, Lu●…. 16. 〈◊〉 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. and for his policy the Lord ●…ommends him, Luk. 16. 8. but for his unfaithfulness as to his master the Lord blames ●●m, Luk. 16. 10. and in the 11 v. the Lord draws this conclusion from the former ●●position, If therefore you have not been faith 〈◊〉 in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit your trust the true riches? As if he had said, 〈◊〉 you have abused your natural power, ●…hich is the lesser, who will give you spiritual power, which is the greater? Read ●●d well consider these Scriptures, viz. Cor. 11. 14. Doth not even nature itself teach 〈◊〉 other things? Rom. 1. 26, 27. There you all find that both men and women are ●…arged by the Spirit of God for not improving nature, and for doing things con●…ary to nature So again, Rom. 1. 19, etc. ●●d Rom. 7. 14. and 1 Cor. 11, 15, 16. 〈◊〉 loved, if these things be well considered, 〈◊〉 will appear that there is given forth by ●…e Creator to the creature a power natu●●l; and our abuse of this power must be ●●d upon ourselves, and not upon God. ●●m. 1. v. 13, 14. Let no man say when he is 'dopted, he is tempted of God, for God tempteth no man: But he is drawn aside of his own l 〈…〉 and enticed.  
2. There is a Spiritual power; a●● and that is not given forth universally 〈◊〉 all, but those, and those only to whom 〈◊〉 hath given, and in whom he hath plant●… his Spirit, by virtue of which these men a●… women can pray in the Spirit, rejoice 〈◊〉 the Spirit, and in some measure worsh●● God who is a Spirit, in spirit and in trut●… These can read and understand the letter 〈◊〉 the spirit, they can discourse of spiritu●● things understandingly and feelingly; b●… this power they can pull down strong hol●… cast down imaginations. Read for the proof 〈◊〉 this, 2 Cor. 10. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. By this power th●… can keep down their natural or corrupt●…ble body, as Paul, 2 Cor. 9 27. But I ke●● under my body and bring it unto subjection, left should be found to preach that to others that should not practise myself.  
Now this spiritual power, as it was r●…ceived from God, so it is to be improv●… for God: which if we be faithful and di●●gent so to do, than  
First, the Lord will have the glory, M●● 5. 16.  
Secondly, it will redound to our greatest good, Mat. 21. 22, 23.  
And that there is a spiritual power, it ●●ll further appear from the several com●…ands from the Lord to his people to be ●…ing in spiritual things; which were all 〈◊〉 vain, if there be no ability given forth to ●…e Creature to do that which is required. ●…ight instance in as many places as there 〈◊〉 Chapters in the Bible, to prove it: but ●…r brevity's sake I shall mention but a few. ●●t. 11. 23. Barnabas exhorted them all, that ●●th purpose of heart they would cleave unto the ●●rd. They did not answer him and say ●…at they had no power, they could not do it. ●…il. 2. 12. Work out your own salvation with ●…re and trembling. These people did not ●…y, there was  in the Text. As King ●…AMES once said upon the like occasion, ●…ere was Treason in the Text: when a ●…inister that preached before him had taken Text of Scripture that did treat of the a●…se of Kingly power, the King burst forth 〈◊〉 a passion and said, There was Treason in the ●●xt. But if Kings will not cast down their ●…rowns at the feet of Christ, Christ will ●…uck them off and lay them at the feet of ●…en.  
If there be no power in man Natural, nor 〈◊〉 man Spiritual; then away with all the ●…dmonitions, Instructions, Informations, and so with the whole Bible! cease to tea●● Man! As good go teach the Sun, Moon an●… Stars which way they shall go, the Wind 〈◊〉 blow or the Sea to ebb and flow; go tea●● the Fish to swim, and the Bird to fly; f●● they have power, but man hath none.  
And indeed, if man regenerated, if ma●… spiritualised have no power to act; go an●… race out these ensuing Scriptures, as requ●…ring that of man which man hath no ability to do. Luk. 13. 24. Strive to enter in at t●● straight gate. Many shall seek to enter, & ●… Rom. 15. 30. Now I beseech you brethren f●● the Lord jesus Christ's sake, and for the love 〈◊〉 the Spirit, that you strive together with me yo●… prayers to God for me. H●…b. 12. 4. You have n●● yet resisted unto blood, striving against si●● Heb. 12. 1. Let us lay aside every weight, and t●● sin that doth so easily beset us; and let us 〈◊〉 with patience the race that is set before us. 2 Pe●… 1. 5, 6, 7. And besides this give all diligence, ad●… to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, a●● to knowledge temperance, and to temperance pa●●ence, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity, etc. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give all diligence 〈◊〉 make your calling and election sure. 2 Phil. 1●… Work out your own salvation with fear and tre●…bling. Jer. 4. 14. O jerusalem wash thine he●● 〈…〉 m wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. ●●r. 18. 11. Return from your evil ways, and ●…ake your ways and do good, saith the Lord. ●…at. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and ●…e heavy laden, and I will give you rest. J●…r. 3. 13. ●●ly acknowledge thine iniquity, & I will pardon it. Now as many as have received this spiritual power, are able according to its mea●●re to do the thing required. As to in●●nce: The Lord said to David, Seek my face. ●…avid's heart being enlightened and im●●wered by God, makes this answer to the ●●rds command, Lord, thy face will I seek. ●●d sometimes God conveys the power together with the precept, to enable them 〈◊〉 do what he commands them to do. And ●●en if a man do it not, or do the contrary, ●…e Scripture tells thee, thou art slothful, ●●d dost not use thy power; or covetous, ●●d so abusest thy power. 1 C or. 9 18.  
Now let me ask thee (O thou enlighten 〈◊〉 Christian) hast thou since thou wast enlightened by Christ, done as much for Christ thou mightest have done? Doth not thy ●…nscience tell thee thou hast been negligent ●●d slothful, and left undone those things ●…hich thou oughtest to have done, and done ●…ose things which thou mightest have left ●…done? In a word, hast thou avoided so much evil, and done so much good as th●● mightest have done? What thou wilt 〈◊〉 now, I know not: but when thou an●… shall appear before the Searcher of all hea●● at●… the last day, we shall not tell the Lo●● we wanted power to obey him in his co●…mands.  
Surely if there be no life, vigour & pow●● in men and women regenerate, then in va●● are all those stir, perswafions and i●… treaties in Scripture: as to instance in a fe●● 2 Tim. 1. 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembra●● that thou stir up the gift of God which is in th●… 2 Pet. 1. 13. Yea I think it meet as long as I 〈◊〉 in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you remembrance, etc. 2 Pet. 3. 1. This epistle (〈◊〉 loved) I now write unto you, in which I sti●● up your pure minds by way of remembrance, & ●… Heb. 3. 13. But exhort one another daily whil●… is called to day, lest any of you be hardened thro●… the deceitfulness of sin. Heb. 10. 24. Let us 〈◊〉 cider one another to provoke one another to l●● and good works. 1 Cor. 4. 16. Wherefore I seech you be ye followers of me. 1 Pet. 1. 15. 〈◊〉 as he which called you is holy, so be ye holy in manner of conversation. 2 Tim. 2. 19 Let e●●● one that nameth the name of the Lord depart fr●● iniquity. Ephes. 4. 22. That you put off the 〈◊〉 man which is corrupt. Mat. 5. 16. Let your l 〈…〉 ●…shine before men, that they may see your good 〈…〉 s, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Tim. 4. 13. Till I come, give attendance to ●●ding, to exhortation, to doctrine, etc.  
Now if there be no power in a man renewed to do what is commanded, then raze ●●t all the Commands, for they be all in ●…in; they be worse than Pharaoh, they re●…ire heavenly bricks to be made of earthly ●…aw.  
Away with all exhortations, perswasi●●s, entreatings, and heavenly strive, if ●…ere be no ability in the creature to whom ●●u speak. Hath the Lord indeed made ●…n an empty creature and void of reason? ●●th not man many members in his body ●●d faculties in his soul? cannot the Eye see, ●●nnot the Ear hear? cannot the Legs go? ●●nnot the hands work, etc. And for the ●…ule, is there not an understanding to understand? is there not a mind or memory to ●●nde or remember? is there not a judgement to judge and determine of things? is ●…ere not a will to will the thing, that the ●●dgment doth judge as good? Are there ●…t Affections to affect that, which the ●●dgment presents as good? Or else doth ●●d speak to man as a stock or a stone? ●●th the most righteous God require impossibilities of his creatures? doth he ca●… and cannot man answer? or will he not a●…swer? or doth he call, and we hear him, r●…quiring many things to be done by us, a●● threatens us if we do it not, and giveth 〈◊〉 no power to do it? No, no, this is not t●● administration of the Gospel: for either 〈◊〉 doth impowre them before he command them; or else, with the command the●… goes forth a power and a promise to enable his creature to the performance of what 〈◊〉 requires; only thou and I do many tim●… resist that Spirit and power as much as w●… can; we are not faithful to the Spirit, w●… grieve it, and sometimes in a sense quen●… it: yea, the Lord calls once, yea twice, an●… we do not not, nor will not hear him; an●… if we cannot but hear him, instead of goi●● to him, we run to Elie, See 1 Sam. 3. 5, 6.  
Surely Joshua had a power as well as a r●…solution, when he spoke these words, Jos●… 24. 15. I and my house will serve the Lord: an●… those whom he there spoke to in tha●… chap. Jos. 24. 14, 15. I say, those people ha●… also a power to do what he command them to do, or else his commands are i●… vain: He exhorts them to fear the Lord, a●● to serve him in truth and sincerity: and in th●… 31. verse, we read, that they did as Josh●● ●●d commanded them; for the Text saith, ●…at Israel served the Lord all the days of Io 〈…〉 t, and all the days of the Elders that overlived ●●shua, etc. So also in the twelsth of the ●●mans, we have in that Chapter at least six ●●d twenty particular duties that we are ●…horted unto. Now if there is no ability 〈◊〉 a Christian to perform or practise that ●●ich there is recorded, than all those ex●●tations are in vain, and Paul had been good have spoken to the men and wo●●n that were laid in the graves, as unto ●●se he then spoke unto.  
If there be no power given forth from ●●d unto his people, lay aside as needless useless all those precious directions, injections, persuasions, exhortations, and accepts mentioned in Scripture, and so ●●u wilt at once lay aside half the Old and ●●w Testament, as many deluded souls do ●…his day; and then thou liest open, as ●…ing no guard to further temptations: ●…en in comes Satan, and gins to reason 〈◊〉 case with thee: Why (saith he) if half Bible be useless to us, why not all? And ●●e will undertake to teach thee, and in 〈◊〉 so he will, for he is one of the most la●●ious Schoolmasters in the world; he ●●l improve all opportunities, and take all advantages to fasten his doctrine up●● thee: he will wait on thee continuall●… when thou liest down, and when thou ri●● up he will be at thy elbow: he will prom●… thee great things, and give thee little; 〈◊〉 will promise thee honour, and bring thee disgrace; he will promise thee pleasure, a●● bring thee to pain; he will promise th●● riches, and bring thee to poverty; he w●● promise thee life, and bring thee to d●…a●… Oh then, remember that bless●…d wor●● Jam. 4. 7. Resist the Devil, and he shall flee 〈◊〉 thee.  
Ob. But thou wilt object and say, I h●● not faith to resist him: And it is not in 〈◊〉 power of man by nature to believe, as y●● may see I Cor. 1. 23. & 2. 14. Rom. 8. 7▪ John 40. & 44. Mat. 23. 37.  
An. It is true; I have affirmed bef 〈…〉 that a man merely natural cannot ac 〈…〉 supernatural things: but I am not sp〈…〉ing a man natural, but to the recei 〈…〉 power of a man spiritual, and the improvement of that.  
Obj. But before you proceed further 〈◊〉 desire satisfaction to this one question:  
Q. Why doth God promise eternal 〈◊〉 only to those that believe, and threatene 〈◊〉 nal death to those that do not, seeing 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ot in their own power by nature to be●…ieve.  
A. First, that he might by his promises ●…nd threaten work us unto that which ●…y nature we are averse to 2 Cor. 5. 11. & 20.  
Secondly, that we might appear more ●●excusable, when neither promises, nor ●●reats will move us to embrace free mercy. ●…ct. 13. 46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed ●…ld and said, it was necessary the word of God ●…ould first have been spoken unto you: but seeing 〈◊〉 put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy 〈◊〉 everlasting life, lo we we turn to the Gentiles. ●●d in the 51. verse. And they shook off the dust 〈◊〉 their feet against them, and came to Jerusalem. ●●r the further proof of this see Act. 18. 〈◊〉 7.  
Thirdly, that the grace of God might as ●●ll appear in giving power to believe, as giving Christ, and in him forgiveness of ●●nes to be believed. Rom. 9 16. So than it ●…ot of him that willeth nor of him that runneth, 〈◊〉 of God showeth mercy. Rom. 11. 6, 7. ●●d if by grace, than it is no more of works.  
Fourthly, that we might apply ourselves to God in the use of those means that ●…hath appointed for the working of faith ●●s. Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that ●…sheth, but for that which endureth to everlasting life, etc. Isa. 55. 3. Incline your ear an●… come unto me, hear and your soul shall live, ●…c▪ Rom. 10. 17. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  
Fifthly, that we might wholly deny ou●… selves, and search, and by seeking find in th●… Covenant of grace matter of free conveyance of power to believe whatsoever is required to be believed. Rom. 4. 16. Rom. 3. 24▪ & Psal. 119. 104, 105. Joh. 5. 39  
Again, when we look into the Old o●… New Testament, and there find a comman●… wherein thou art required to be acting an●… doing something for God.  
1. Consider, thou hast a power alread●… given forth to thee, by which thou art 〈◊〉ble to do the thing required.  
2. Or else with the command the Lor●… conveys a power to enable thee to do th●… thing commanded.  
3. When thou lookest upon the Co●…mand on thy left hand, then look upon t●● Promise on thy right hand, wherein t●● Lord God hath promised to assist thee, a●● not to fail thee nor forsake thee. For I d●… know no precept but hath its promis●… though not always in the same chapter 〈◊〉 verse.  
4. For our more careful practising, 〈◊〉 ●●g and observing all the commands of our God, consider these three things.  
1. As he hath promised to enable thee,  
2. So he hath promised to reward thee ●…or doing thy duty: so that to every pre●●pt there is two promises, the one to en●●le thee, the other to reward thee, and ●…oth to encourage thee.  
3. And in case of slothfulness and neg●…gence in leaving undone what we ought ●…nd might have done,  
1. The Lord complains on us.  
2. He exhorts us, Be not slothful in business, ●●t servant in spirit serving the Lord.  
3. He threatens us, saying, Because I have ●●lled and you have refused, you shall call, and I ●…ill not answer.  
4. He tells us that we have forsaken our own ●…ercy; He put a price into our hands, but ●…e as fools had no heart to it; and so our ●●struction is of ourselves: O Israel, thou ●…ast destroyed thyself.  
Oh then, that all the Lords inheritance, ●…aints by calling, Sons of Zion, would take ●●e Lords advice in these and the like com●…ands, yea in all the will of God Phil. 2. ●…2. Wherefore my beloved, as you have always ●…eyed not only in my presence, but now much more 〈◊〉 my absence, work out your own salvation witle ●●ar & trembling.  
Q. How shall I do that? (thou wilt say.) A. Peter, being filled with the Holy Ghost, shows thee and me how we ma●… do it. 2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, etc. And besides this, giust all diligence; add to your faith virtue, and 〈◊〉 virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and t●… brotherly kindness charity: For if these things b●… in you and abound, they make you that you sha●● neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord jesus Christ; but he that lacketh the●● things is blind and cannot see afar off. Wherefor●… give all diligence to make your calling and elect●● sure, for so an entrance shall be ministered unto yo●… abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of 〈◊〉 Lord and Saviour jesus Christ.  
Wherefore I will employ my power saith Peter, vers. 12. I will not be negligen 〈◊〉 put you always in remembrance of these thing yea I think it meet aslong as I am in this tabern●…●…le to stir you up by putting you in remembranc●… Now if Peter had no spiritual strength, ho●… could he stir them up to spiritual things and if the people to whom he spoke had n●… power, how could they be doing the thing commanded?  
Now thou, O most excellent piece of a●… God's workmanship, Man and Woman whosoever thou art that readest these lines, ●●deavour to know thy own strength, that ●…ou mayest employ and improve it for him ●…at gave it. Study thyself; examine, what 〈◊〉 I able to do by virtue of that power ●…hich I have received from God? Surely I ●…ave left many things undone for this very ●●ason, I was unable to do it. It is true, I saw ●…n the one hand, that I could of myself do ●…othing; but I did not see on the other and, that I could do all things through ●…hrist enabling me.  
It is a blessed thing to improve the power ●●ceived, in making use of the present op●…ortunity; and it is a dangerous case to ●…eglect it.  
1. Because it may be thou mayest not ●…ave another opportunity. Prov. 1. 24. 26. ●…at. 23. 37, 38.  
2. Because if he give another opportu●…ity, thou art not sure to live to see it.  
3. Because, if he doth give another op●…ortunity, and thou live to see it, yet thou ●…aving slighted the Spirit at first, thou art most like to do so still, Heb. 3. 13. Act. 7. 51. 〈◊〉 Tim. 3. 8.  
4. Because if the Lord doth give thee an●…ther opportunity, and thou live to see it ●…nd embrace it, yet thou hast hindered thy self exceedingly, and hast lost thy sight o●… Christ for many days. Joh. 20. 24, 25▪ A man that knows not his own strength is like unto a man that hath a great summ●… of money that lieth in a corner, and he dot●… not improve it, and so gets nothing by it for he knows not of it; he hath a Talen●… but it is hid in a napkin and buried in th●… earth.  
1. I do but ask thee (O man) whosoeve●… thou art that readest these lines, dost tho●● not think in thine own conscience, tha●… there is many a man and woman belongin●… to the Election of grace, that do die in d●…spair (as it were) and without assurance i●… point of manifestation, that might have r●…signed up their souls to God in full assurance, if they had obeyed God in giving 〈◊〉 diligence to make their calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10.  
2. Again let me ask thee, whether tho●… dost not think in thy conscience that mo●● men and women, with Martha, are trouble about many things, whereas they might wit●… Mary, choose the better part. Luk. 10. 41, 42.  
3. Again, I do but ask thee whether tho●… dost not deprive thyself of thy comfortabl●… well-being here in this life, by thy not looking more narrowly to thy conversation 2 Cor. 1. 12.  
Many things more might be here recited 〈◊〉 the confirmation of this truth, That ●●re is a power natural, and a power spiritual; ●●d the neglect of the improvement of each is sincell. But at present I shall be silent to make ●…y further progress therein, only I shall ●●deavour to answer some objections that ●●ply may arise against it; and then I shall ●…e you a few reasons why I have written ●…is, and show you the necessity that we have 〈◊〉 knowing this power, by the danger of ●●t knowing it.  
First I shall endeavour to answer a few ●…bjections that haply may arise in the ●…oughts of some against it; and so much ●…e rather, because I know that we live in 〈◊〉 age wherein some men make it the great 〈◊〉 peace of their Religion to lie at catch, ●●d to esteem very highly of themselves and ●●eir own judgements, and undervalue o●…ers, as the proud Pharisee, Luk. 18. 11, 12. ●●d quite contrary to the command of ●…od, Phil. 2. Let each esteem others better than themselves. But to proceed.  
Ob. 1. If there be a natural power in all, ●●d a spiritual power in some, by virtue ●…hereof they can act and do act: then I ●…umbly conceive, that you must either by ●…olding this dostr●…y Freegrace, or else hold ●…ree-will.  
A. I answer: In all that I have said 〈◊〉 done concerning the natural or spiritu●● power, I have endeavoured to fail b●…twe●● these two rocks, that I might not deny t●● one, nor hold the other: for if my 〈◊〉 should sail against either of these two roc●● all hopes of coming safe to land would 〈◊〉 taken from mine eyes.  
First, I have not destroyed Freegrace neither undervalved it in any measure; 〈◊〉 I have said before, that all our springs a●● in him, and all our supplies are from hi●… and that all power centres in him as t●● Fountain from whence all small streams 〈◊〉 power do flow. I have affirmed furthe●… that as this power was given freely to 〈◊〉 from him, so it is limited in us by him; a●● when the creature hath improved his po●…er to the highest, he hath done but his dut●… Luk. 17. 10.  
Our salvation is of Freegrace notwit●…standing: I have not said that our impr●…ving, or not improving our power, c●● save us, or damn us: But this I have affir●…ed and do affirm, that by our non-improv●…ment it will exceedingly harm us; for 〈◊〉 shall lose much of our outward, and pe●…haps inward joy and comfort both in 〈◊〉 and death; I do not say, our eternal we●● being doth depend upon it. All our salvation is of Freegrace from God through 〈◊〉 redemption of the Son, and evidence of Spirit.  
1. So that our obedience is not the cause 〈◊〉 our salvation; for God's love was the 〈…〉 fe. Joh. 3. For God so loved the world, etc.  
2. Our obedience and good works is 〈…〉 t the way; for Christ is the way, the truth 〈◊〉 the life.  
3. Our improvement of our power in 〈…〉 y of good works, is not the evidence as 〈…〉 ourselves, for that is the work of the 〈…〉 irit of God in us.  
4. But our good works do glorify God 〈…〉 d inform and edify our neighbours.  
First they glorify God, Mat. 5. 16.  
Secondly it doth inform our neighbour; 〈◊〉 he cannot judge of us but by our fruits, 〈◊〉 shall know a tree by its fruits, saith Christ.  
Thirdly, it doth edify our neighbour, ●●en every step of our conversation is an ●●●truction to him: and the Apostle saith, ●●t some are won to God by the good ●…nversation of others.  
2. And as for  in man, I know ●…ne, unless it be such a  as was 〈◊〉 Paul, Rom. 7. 18. For to will is present with 〈◊〉. and ver. 13. When I would do good, evil is present with me. I know no  th●● unless it be a freewill to sin. A man naturally cannot act in things supernatur●… as to instance, a man cannot believe, unl●● the Spirit of God work faith in the sou●… and yet a man according to common providence may bring his body to the Ordnance of Hearing, which is the means ordinarily by which the Lord doth work fai●… Rom. 10. 17. But he, the Lord God 〈◊〉 mighty, is the Author and finisher of Heb. 12. 2. And he makes us willing a●… desirous to have it wrought in us: so t●● he doth not work it whether we will no. So the Holy Ghost, that works fai●● is not said to believe; Man is said to ●●lieve.  
Now though man cannot believe of hi●… self, without the power of the Lord; 〈◊〉 man is to attend upon all means, as hearing reading, meditation, conference: for th●… be his appointments, and he hath promi●● his presence in, and blessing upon the us●● these means to make them effectual. H●●● it is that the Lord commands us to wait him in the use of means. Prov. 20. 22. 〈◊〉 wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee. Isa. 〈◊〉 Blessed be all they that wait for him. Isa 〈◊〉 31. 〈…〉 y that wait upon the Lord shall renew their 〈…〉 gth. Isa. 49. 23. For they shall not be asha 〈…〉 that wait for me. Lam. 3 25. The Lord is 〈◊〉 unto them that wait for him, to the soul 〈◊〉 seeks him. Isa 64. 4. Eye hath not seen, 〈◊〉 hath not heard what the Lord hath prepared ●…hose that wait for him.  
Now a man cannot be said to wait upon ●●d, unless he wait upon him in the use of ●●ans, to which he hath promised his pre●●ce, which are his appointments and ●●lks, wherein he hath been, now is, and 〈…〉 eafter will be found.  
Next I shall come unto the Reasons why ●…ave written of the Natural and Spiritual ●●wer, viz.  
First, I have heard many say, They ought 〈…〉 to pray, read, meditate, confer, or assemble themselves together, to the practice of any known 〈…〉 y, until the Spirit by its fresh gales and move●…s put them upon it; And I am mightily mi●●●ken, if some have not stayed so long for 〈…〉 se fresh gales and move of the Spirit, ●…till they have quite forgotten to pray, or ●…ar, or confer of any spiritual thing, un●●●se it be in a carnal way: Now it is true, ●●at is the principal time in which a Soul ●●ght to act, but not the only time; I say ●●ain, It is the principal time, but not the only time. First, that it is the princ 〈…〉 time, I have no need to prove; for all 〈…〉 tional men will and do grant that: 〈◊〉 then, secondly, It is not the only ti 〈…〉 for we find that the command lies up 〈…〉 us as well at one time as another; ne 〈…〉 there is no time, in which we are not 〈◊〉 want, and therefore need still to seek. ●…gain, we find in Scripture, written for 〈◊〉 learning, that the Saints acted sometimes 〈◊〉 their greatest deadness and coldness, as D●…vid and others; When they found the●…selves dead and dull, cold and slothful, 〈◊〉 we find they stir up themselves as men, s●●sible of their state: to instance in one 〈◊〉 all, Psal. 119. 25. Quicken thou me after 〈◊〉 loving kindness, so shall I keep the testimony thy mouth, etc. Again, Psal. 119. 170. I 〈◊〉 afflicted very much, quicken me O Lord, accordi●● to thy word: So vers. 159, etc. so in Psal●… 153. verse 11. Quicken me, O Lord, for t●● name sake: so in another place, he praye●● Renew a right Spirit within me; and agai●… Restore again to me the joy of thy salvation. In word, let me ask thee O man, who is it tha●… doth let us see our unfitness, luke warmne●… and coldness? Doth not God discover thi●… by his Spirit? and doth not the same Sp●…rit that doth enable us to see our want●… move us to seek for supplies from the fountain; as it is said in Job, The Lord speaketh ●●ce, yea twice, and man perceives it not. So I ●●ow by experience in myself and others, ●●at we have many movings and stir 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God within us; and either ●●e take no notice of it, or if we do, we question in ourselves, whether it be the stir●●ngs of the good Spirit, or proceeds not ●…om the evil Spirit? And so we cease to ●●t, because we be unsatisfied. But in some ●●ses the Spirit that doth move us to it, ●…ill undoubtedly carry us forth to the do●●g of what it moves us to; What are we, ●●ith the Scriptures, that we could withstand ●●e Spirit?  
But in other cases we are said (as in the ●…cts) to resist the Holy Ghost; and in another ●…cripture, Quench not the Spirit, and be not un●●itfull to the Spirit of God; and grieve not the ●…pirit of God, whereby you are sealed to the day 〈◊〉 Redemption. It will be of singular use ●…hen to Christians, to endeavour to dis●…ern between the motions of the Spirit of God from the motions of our own spirits; ●…hat when we find a motion begin to arise ●…n us, before it come to action, we may ●…ither suppress it, or cherish it: if it come ●…rom our own spirits, then to quench it, and bring it into captivity to the obedien●● of Christ; If from the Spirit of God, th●● let the motion arise, let thy will will t●● thing, let thine affections affect it, that 〈◊〉 that motion may end in action.  
Object. But how shall I know, when t●● motion doth arise from the Spirit of Go●… and not from mine own spirit?  
Answ. 1. The motions of the Lords Sp●…rit doth move thee to that, and only tha●… which is agreeable to the spiritual sense 〈◊〉 the Scriptures.  
2. The true Spirit doth move us to tha●… which doth tend to the denying of ourselves, and the exalting of God alone in th●… person of Jesus Christ; See Joh. 16. 13, 14.  
3. The motions of God's Spirit are no●… carried on, but with abundance of oppos●…tion; opposition within you and without you, on the right hand and on the left.  
4. When two motions arise within yo●● together, as it were, and both seem to be a●…cording to the Scripture, and both seem t●● exalt God, and to deny self; then befo●● thou prosecute either, consider as in th●… presence of God, whose servant thou ar●… which of these things that I am moved unt●… will be most for the honour of God? the●… that do: If the Mistress command the Se●…vant to clean such a room immediately, and 〈◊〉 to touch any thing till that be done; 〈…〉 isles the Maid is in the midst of her 〈…〉 rk, the child falls in the fire; the servant 〈…〉 ves the work, and runs and takes up the 〈…〉 ide, and is commended of her Mistress 〈◊〉 so doing: So that which doth make 〈…〉 st for the glory of God, and for our spi〈…〉 val advantage, is first to to be done, and 〈…〉 th' undoubtedly proceed from the Spirit 〈◊〉 God. I might instance in many other 〈…〉 ticulars, as to examine the rise of the 〈…〉tion, next the prosecution, and thirdly 〈◊〉 ends, but I forbear: So than the first 〈…〉 son why I have endeavoured to prove 〈…〉 re is a power natural, and a power spi〈…〉 val, is, that we might so know it, as to 〈…〉 ploy it to the best advantage.  
A second reason is, to prevent as much 〈…〉 n me lieth, the further spreading of 〈…〉 se gross and dangerous errors that 〈…〉 l follow, if there be not a power in the 〈…〉 ature which he hath received from the 〈…〉 eator, either in his Creation or Rege 〈…〉ation to prevent those evils.  
First, if there be not a power in men 〈…〉 ther natural or spiritual, but only 〈…〉 d in them; then all the creatures abuse 〈◊〉 nature, laid to the creatures charge in the first and second Chapters of the Rom 〈…〉 must be taken off the creature, and laid 〈◊〉 on God.  
Secondly, if there be no spiritual po 〈…〉 in a man spiritualised; then it is no sin 〈◊〉 him to neglect all spiritual duties, and he may charge all his omissions, and all 〈◊〉 commissions upon his Maker. For he wo●●● have done whatsoever he had been commanded, if he had received any power: Y 〈…〉 might have been teachers of others by 〈◊〉 time, if you had improved your pow●● saith Paul, Heb. 5. 12.  
This people did not answer the Lo●… and say they had no power: and so for th●… commissions they did not charge them 〈◊〉 on God, as our Ranters do at this day; a●● that they be liars, St. James will testi●● 1 James 13. 14, 15, 16. in the 13. verse. 〈◊〉 no man say when he is tempted, he is tempte●… God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, nei 〈…〉 tempteth he any man; v. 14. But every ma●… tempted when he is drawn away of his own 〈◊〉 and enticed. v. 15. Then when lust hath concei●● it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is fini●● bringeth forth death. v. v. 16. Do not err my 〈◊〉 ved b ethrens. Whosoever then doth cha 〈…〉 the most ighteous God with our unrighteous actions, doth err in the highest 〈◊〉ture.  
I have admired at the subtlety of Satan, ●…nd the simpleness of men, to say, That ●…od is the author of sin; these be liars, ●●ke their father the Devil who was a liar ●●om the beginning. Let me tell thee, O ●●in man, let me tell thee, That the Al●…ighty God cannot commit sin if he ●●ould: for if thou didst know what God is, ●●d what man is; if thou didst know what is ●●e nature of God, and what is the nature 〈◊〉 sin, thou wouldst know that they can●●t dwell together.  
Now sin is a transgression of a Law, but ●…od is under no Law, and therefore cannot ●●nsgresse; there is none above God to give ●…ule to him by which he should walk; ●●erefore his own will in his rule; he is ●…odnesse itself, and therefore cannot do ●●y thing but what is good.  
So that which is justly called sin in us, ●●nnot be called sin in him, if he should do 〈◊〉 same thing, viz. If thou kill a man ●●ou hast sinned against the Law of God, ●●d the Law of Nature, and against the ●●ws of men: if God overthrow Pharoah ●●d all his host in the Red-sea, he hath done ●…evil, he hath broken no Law; if he send the ●…tilence and slay every man in the City, hath not sinned; if he drown all the world at once, he hath committed 〈◊〉 evil.  
If thou or I should take any thing that another man's, from a thread to a shoo●… latchet, we have sinned by thest:  
But if the Lord command the Isra●…li●● to borrow Jewels of silver, and of gol●… and raiment of the Egyptians: the Lo●● hath not sinned in bidding them do it, n●● they in taking it, Wherefore let God be true, 〈◊〉 every man a liar. Canst not thou be content●● to father thy sin upon thy brother or siste●… or neighbour, as thou dost many times; b●… must thou father it upon the most ho●● Lord? dost thou know what thou dost 〈◊〉 in this thing? will he not be avenged 〈◊〉 such a wretch as thee? Oh remember fr●● whence thou art fallen and repent.  
And now to wind up all that I shall at pr●…sent say to the Power of the Creator given fo●● to the creature. Let me tell thee, if thou find●… any thing required of thee to be done, & h●● no ability to do it; consider there was ab●…lity once given thee in the first Adam, whi●● thou hast lost by thy fall in him, and it●… just with God to require that now of th●… which once he gave thee: then consider t●● as thou hast lost by the first Adam, so th●… hast gotten by the second Adam; so th●… 〈◊〉 enabling thee, thou canst (with Paul) 〈◊〉 all things.  
〈…〉nd that will be the next thing that I shall 〈…〉 deavour to lay before thee; Thy fall in 〈…〉 e first, and the manner there of; and thy 〈…〉 stauration by the second Adam, and the 〈…〉 ory there of. And do desire, that some 〈…〉 e or other that hath a greater discovery 〈◊〉 the mind of God in these things, concerning The power of God, and the power of the ●…eature; concerning the power Natural, and ●●e power Spiritual: I should entreat them to ●●ld it forth to public view; for I am ●…re there is great necessity of it, that man ●…ight know his own strength.  
For I am confident, that I myself and ●…any others have left undone many things ●…at we ought and might have done, for ●…ot knowing our own strength where with ●…od, even the God of power had strengthened us. Wherefore I do in the presence of 〈…〉 y Maker declare unto the whole world, ●…hat I was not straightened in him, but in ●…ine own bowels; That he hath not been ●…anting to me, first not only to give me ●●ength, but secondly to supply me in renewing that strength day by day. Wherefore let God be true, and I and all neglecters, if 〈…〉 e charge God with not enabling us, liars. Rom. 3. 4. Let God be true and every man a lya●● Oh then, let not the righteous God 〈◊〉 charged with your unrighteousness! an●… let not the most holy God be charged wi●● your unholiness! But stir up the talon th●… is in thee, as in 2 Pet. 1. 13.  
Do as Jacob did, wrestle with God, l●● him not go till he bless thee; give him n●● rest till he make Jerusalem the praise of t●● whole earth. Isa. 52. 1. Awake, put on t●● strength O Zion, put on thy beautiful garment●… O Jerusalem, thou holy City, open to hi●… for he now knocks; fly to this City of r●…fuge, and thou shalt be safe: For the name 〈◊〉 the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to 〈◊〉 and are safe. If thou didst but see him, tho●… wouldst admire him, and count all thing●… vanity in comparison of him: if thou did●… but know him, thou wouldst be so ravishe●… with the love of him, that many waters co 〈…〉 not quench it: If thou didst but taste hi●… thou wouldst hunger and thirst after hi●… more than doth the Hart after the water●… brooks. Oh taste and see that God is gracious Its life to know him, it's heaven to behol●… him, it's melody to hear him, it's endless●… happiness to enjoy him. Let it be our ca●… to obey him, and improve all our strengt●… for him: let us not spend our money for th●● which is not bread, and our pains for that which ●●l not profit. Let us run the ways of his commandments, for he hath enlarged our heart, and ●●d, that he that doth these things shall never ●●moved. Improve thy power for him, part ●●th thine estate for him; give, and it shall be ●●en thee again, Luk. 6. 38. Good measure pressed ●●n and shaken together and running over.  
Me thinks I hear the voice of thy Saviour 〈…〉ing to thee: O thou obedient son, come, ●●e, thou hast been faithful in a little, I will ●…e thee more; come, enter into thy Master's joy; 〈◊〉 thine obedience to me did arise from thine in●…est in me, manifested to thee by me.  
NOw I shall speak to our Fall in the first Adam, and of the subtlety of Satan ●…erein.  
There be two things of absolute necessity ●●r a Christian to be well acquainted with, ●●z.  

1. Our fall in the first Adam.  
2. Our restauration by the second A●…am.   
Upon these two points do the two ●…estaments frequently treat; insomuch ●…hat thou canst hardly read one Chapter, ●…ut (more or less) thou shalt find the Pro●…het, or Apostle speaking to one or both states, or something conducing thereunt●… and some Chapters speaking and treati●● wholly of that two fold state, as Rom. 5. & ●… Nay, I have observed, that when I ha●● heard a Gospel-Sermon, wherein were m●…ny particulars; or when I have heard go●● lie men in a long debate about the principles of religion; I have (I say) observ●● that the sum and substance of their d●● course or teaching hath for the most pa●● been to show what men were in the first 〈◊〉 dam, and the misery of all in that state; 〈◊〉 else what they be in the second Adam, a●● the glory of that state. And when my m●…mory hath been too weak to comprehe●… the abundance of particulars that I ha●… heard, I refer all that I have heard 〈◊〉 these two particulars, and found singul●● benefit thereby, viz. What do I know mo●● now by all that I have heard this day, th●… I did before, of the state I was in, a●● of the state I am now in?  
First then of the first Adam, the Scriptu●● speak of him in a two fold state.  

1. The first is the state of innocence b●…fore he fell.  
2. And secondly of his state of mise●● after he was fallen.   
Of the first of these states I shall say n●… thing, it being well known to most men; ●●d of the second of these states, I shall speak ●●r write but a very few words.  
Adam and Eve being in Paradise, and ●●oking upon themselves as indeed they ●…ere the most excellent pieces of all the ●…reation, bearing the Image of their Crea●…or; the Lord left them a Law, and left them ●…o the freedom of their own will; if they ●…id obey, to live; if they did disobey, to die. ●…ut through the temptation of Satan, ●…hey both soon cast off their Maker's pre●…epts, and through the temptation of Sa●…han they transgressed the commandment ●…f God in eating the forbidden fruit, and ●…hereby fell from the state of innocency ●…herein they were created, and so brought ●…pon them and all their seed, the loss of ●…ommunion with God, and his displeasure, ●…nd obtained a curse, so as we are by nature ●…he children of wrath, bondslaves to Sa●…han, and justly liable to all punishments ●…n this world, and that which is to ●…ome.  
O thou Adam, what hast thou done? for ●…hough it was thou that sinned, thou art ●…ot fallen alone, but we all that came of ●…hee! O the infectiousness of Sin, ten ●…housand times more infections than the Plague and Pestilence; for many have live●… in the City when the noisome Pestilen●… hath been, and yet have been free: but b●… hold this original transgression hath sprea●… itself into all the corners of the earth; 〈◊〉 that no man, woman, or child, that eve●… was, now is, or hereafter shall be, is fr●● from that infection; and that original sin●● as the root, bringeth forth actual transgre●…sion as the branches; sins of omission, o●… commission, as the fruit.  
Oh thou Adam, what hast thou done? 〈◊〉 though it was thou that hast sinned, tho●… art not fallen alone; but we all that came 〈◊〉 thee, as being then in thee, are infected b●… thee: O miserable men that we are, who shall 〈◊〉 liver us from this body of death!  
Thus much of the nature of the Fall: no●… of the manner of the Fall, and of the subtil●● of the Devil, that old Serpent therei●… He himself being fallen, comes to the Ga●…den in the form of a Serpent, out of env●… to man's happiness, he board's the woma●… thus: Hath God said, Ye shall not eat thereof as if he should have said, It is a likely ma●…ter that the Lord cares what you eat; wha●… do you think that he stands upon an apple●… hath he created all things for you? then d●… ye use them. This is the first assault, whic●… 〈◊〉 woman weakly resisteth, beginning at 〈◊〉 first to yield: whereas God had said, ●●ou shalt die; she answereth doubtfully and ●●th, Lest I die: Then the Devil perceiving ●●e woman to stagger, and the ground of 〈◊〉 faith to shake, plants all his pieces, and ●●epares his Army for a storm; for his name region, and he had beleaguered the wo●●n before. So the word was no sooner ●●t of her mouth, Lest ye die: but he re●●es, Ye shall not die at all. What? die, with ●●ing so fair an Apple? Can there be any ●●rt in it, O  woman! Ye shall not die ●●all.  
God he affirmeth, Ye shall die certainly.  
The woman saith, Lest ye die.  
The Devil that old Liar, saith, Ye shall 〈◊〉 die.  
Than not giving the woman any respite 〈◊〉 be think herself, or to reply: Oh saith he, ●●od knoweth that your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods: as if he should 〈…〉 e said, God envies your happiness, and ●…ove you so well, that I cannot but tell ●●u of it; for he knows very well, that if ●●u should but eat of that Tree, you should ●●e that which you never faw before, and ●●at you shall be as gods. Oh impudent ●●ar▪ for by eating, both Adam, and all we his posterity became more like unto Sath●… then like unto God: Behold, O  w●… man, saith he, what a goodly Tree this how pleasant to the eye, d●…licate to t●… taste, divine for use; can it do you a●… hurt? would any but fools abstain? go 〈◊〉 eat, and fear not, I will warrant you 〈◊〉 harm. Then the woman seeing it was go●… for meat, pleasant to the eyes, and a T 〈…〉 to be desired after to get knowledge; 〈◊〉 took of it and did eat, and by these or 〈◊〉 like reasons, persuaded her husband, a●… gave him, and he did eat. O all ye sonn●… and daughters of Adam, put on all the A●●mour of God; If it be possible, stand up●● your guard; Set forth your Sentinels; Ma●… ready for an Enemy which hath slain yo●… Father, deceived your Mother, cheated a●● almost undone all your Brethren, defil●… your Sisters, wounded your Childre●… and plundered all your Kindred to the sk●● and left them all as poor as Job; never be peace with him, maintain a continual w●… against him; acquaint all the men a●● women in the world of his base deceit's cheating tricks, that his ill savour m●● stink in the nostrils of all men and wome●… under the Sun, that they may loathe hi●… and stand upon their guard to oppose hi●… though his name be Legion, fear him not, ●●is a conquered Enemy: If he meet but ●●e poor Saint in the field clothed with ●●t a little faith as a grain of mustardseed, ●●s poor Saint will challenge all the devil's ●…hell to give him a meeting; and if they ●●rst to appear, he will but resist them with ●…ittle faith, James 4. 7. Resist the devil, and will fly from you.  
For he is a base cowardly beggarly Ene●…y; he is subtle, but there is one that takes ●…re of thee, is wiser than he; he is ancient ●●d experiences, but thy friend is more an●●●nt than he; he is a Prince, but thy friend 〈◊〉 King of Kings; he is swift of motion, 〈◊〉 can fly in the air, but thy friend hath the ●…avens for his Throne, and the earth for his ●…otstool, filling heaven and earth with his ●●essed presence; though his presence is not ●…anifested to all, yet he is present in all pla●●s at all times, beholding all actions. Oh ●●en keep the word of his patience, that he ●…ay keep thee in the hour of temptation; ●●ld fast the word of God, for with that ●…hrist put Satan to the worst, Matth. 4, 1, 2, 〈◊〉, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.  
Next stand upon thy guard at all times, 〈◊〉 all places, in all companies, in all duties, ●●eep up faith (for thou and I fell in the first Adam through unbelief, and we be rai●… again in the ●…econd by faith;) so the D●● is foiled, he thought to conquer us who●● by unbelief, but we shall overcome him faith; Wherefore above all things take the shi●● of faith, whereby ye shall be able to quench all 〈◊〉 fiery darts of the Devil, Eph. 6. 16. & Jam. 4▪  
NOW I shall speak to our Restaurati●● by the second Adam, and of the glorious state of all those that are appointed the Father to be restored by the Son, a●… sanctified by the Spirit.  
If I had the tongue of men and Angels, a●… understood all mysteries, I could not give th●● a full and complete description in each pa●…ticular of the happy and blessed state of t●● Elect by the Father, that are redeemed 〈◊〉 the Son, and are or shall be sanctified by t●● Spirit.  
They were servants, but now they 〈◊〉 Sons and Heirs, they shall be shortly inh 〈…〉 ritors and enjoyers; they once knew no●… thing, they do now know in part, they shall shor●● know as they are known.  
They were dead in sin, they now a●● quickened from sin; they are or shall b●● quite freed from sin.  
They were naked, they be now clothe with the robe of Innocence, and they shall 〈◊〉 clothed with Immortality.  
They were enemies, they be now recon●…led, and shall be saved.  
They once with Adam hid from the pre●●nce of God; they now take delight in his forefence, and shortly they shall abide in it ●●r ever.  
They were Satan's slaves; they now are ●●e Lords Freemen, and shall dwell in Zion: ●●ey were like a beast, they be now like a ●…rince, they shall shortly be like the An●…els.  
They did glory in their shame; they now ●●e ashamed of their sin, they shall shortly ●●e with out and shame.  
They were like the dirt and mire most ●●thy; they be now like the Moon in her ●…eauty, and shall shortly be like the Sun in ●…is glory. Oh the depths of the riches boath of ●●e wisdom and knowledge of God Oh how un●…archable are his judgements, and ways past ●●●ding out!  
What is man that thou art mindful of him, or ●●e son of man that thou shouldest regard him!  
As in the first Adam we died; so in the second ●●e are made alive.  
In the first we lost an earthly Paradise; ●…y the second we have gotten a heavenly Paradise. This is that seed of the woma●… spoken of by the Father to our first Parent●… that should bruise the Serpent's head.  
This is he that is called, The repairer 〈◊〉 the breach, and the restorer of paths to dwell in.  
So that what we lost in the first, we hav●… made good to us by the second Adam, wi●● many additions, as in Rom. 5. Much mor●… Much more, Much more; five times in th●● Chapter is that word, viz. in the 9, 10, 1●… 17, 20 verses, which is there laid down 〈◊〉 declare that our gains by Christ is mo●● than our losses by our first Father, thought that was very great.  
The first Adam brought us under t●● breach of the Law, and the curse due ther●… unto; the second Adam, being the Lord J●…sus Christ the Lord of glory and King 〈◊〉 Saints, hath delivered us from the La●… viz.  
First, from the curse of the Law.  
Secondly, from the condemning pow●● of the Law.  
First, from the curse of the Law, For 〈◊〉 was made a curse for us, as you may see 〈◊〉 large, Gal. 3. 10. & 13. v. compared togethe●… So also upon him was laid the iniquities of us a●… Isa. 53. 6. and not only our sins, but a●… the punishments due to us for them, of wh●… nature, kind, and quality soever, as you 〈…〉 y read at large in that fifty third Chapter 〈◊〉 Isaiah, from the first verse to the last: 〈◊〉 that whole Chapter, Rom. 6. speaks of 〈◊〉 sufferings for us, and our freedom by 〈◊〉. It would make a larger Volume then contend to make of this whole Book, if I ●●uld but only name the Chapters and 〈…〉 ses in the Old and New Testament that 〈◊〉 speak to this thing. So I shall end this 〈◊〉 point with the words of Pa●● He was 〈…〉 de sin for us, that knew no sin 〈…〉, that we 〈…〉 ht be made the righteousness of God in 〈◊〉.  
Secondly, he hath freed us from the con●●ning power of the Law, to which the scriptures speak abundantly; I will men●●●n but one or two for all, Rom. 8. 34. Who ●●e that condemneth it is Christ that died, etc. 〈…〉 o shall lay any thing to the charge of God's ●…ct? it is God that justifieth. Rom. 8. 1. There is condemnation to them that are in Christ; (and you desire to know who they are) th●…y 〈◊〉 those that walk not after the flesh, but after 〈◊〉 Spirit. Nay in a sense, being warily underwood, we are delivered from the moral Law Christ Jesus the second Adam.  
There is the Ceremonial Law, and the ●●itical Law; the Judicial Law, and the Moral Law: that we are delivered from 〈◊〉 two former, most of us do know; a 〈…〉 that in a sense being warily understood, 〈◊〉 are delivered from the two latter, very 〈◊〉 do know.  
If the Scriptures do say we be not un●●● the Law, why is it thought such an i●… proper word for a Christian to say too?  

A Dialogue between the Law and th●… Gospel: Or between a Believer, and the Law.  Law. 
THe Law saith, If thou wilt 〈◊〉 these things, thou shalt live 〈◊〉 them, Leu. 18. 5.  Gospel. 
Not he that doth this, but 〈◊〉 that believeth in me shall live, Joh. 11. 26.  Law. 
A man is justified by works, a●… that I will prove, Jam. 2. 21. & 24.  Gospel. 
A man is justified by faith, wi●● out the works of the Law, Gal. 2. 19 Rom. 4. 5.  Law. 
If thou wilt not do these thing●… require of thee, I will curse thee, and there ●…ave thee, Gal. 3. 10.  Believer. 
But Christ was made a curse for ●●e, and so freed me from thee, Gal. 3. 13.  Law. 
Thou hast committed such and ●●ch sins, but not brought a sacrifice for ●●em.  Believ. 
Oh, but take notice of that Scripture, Matth. 9 13. I will have mercy, and not ●…crifice.  Law. 
But thou hast gone beyond the ●●unds of mercy, for thou hast committed ●●ch sins, which God will not accept sacrifice for.  Believ. 
But what sins are those that ●●ere is no sacrifice to be accepted for?  Law. 
First, there is no sacrifice that will 〈◊〉 accepted for presumptuousness, Num. 〈◊〉. 30.  
2. No sacrifice to be accepted for negle●●ng Circumcision, Gen. 17. 14.  
3. No sacrifice for breach of the Sabbath ●●y, Exod. 31. 15.  Believ. 
Oh but my faith lays hold on ●●e that promised to cleanse me from all ●●y sins, saith the believing soul, 1 Joh. 〈◊〉. So, O Law, I have nothing to do with ●●e in all these things.  Law. 
But thou shalt know that I will have to do with thee; for I am thy Schoo●… master, Gal. 3. 24. And Christ himself sait●… Matth. 5. 17. He came not to destroy me; a●● Paul saith, He doth not make void, b●… establish me, Rom. 3. last verse.  Belieu. 
It's true, thou wast a Schoo●… master, and in some sense thou art so stil●… but he that is come to Christ, Is not und●● a Schoolmaster, Gal. 3. 25. And the Lo●● Christ came to fulfil thee, Matth. 5. 17. a●● if fulfilled by him, what dost thou requi●● of me? and whereas Paul saith, He do●● establish thee, that i●…, in thy place and roo●… and so the Law is good if a man use it la●… fully, 1 Tim. 1. 8.  Law. 
But saith the Law, Dost thou ma●● no account of me? Dost thou not know i●… deed that tho●… act under me?  Believ. 
I am not under thee; the Lo●● tells me so by the mouth of Paul, Rom. 10. Christ is the end of the Law to all that believ●… Again, Paul tells me from the Lord, Ro●… 7. 6. Thou art dead: and I find it writt●● in 2 Cor. 3. from the 11. vers. to the 〈◊〉 four times in that one Chapter, Thou a●… done away.  Law. 
Dost thou think, saith the Law, I were at an end, or dead, that Ministers a●● Preachers would preach me up in almo●● every Pulpit as they do, and set me up as a ●●le to the people? yea and most of the ●●ople of this Nation do stand for me, ●●ough they do not obey me.  Believ. 
O Law, see the Lord speaking by ●●l, and answering this question for me, Tim. 1. 7. There be many that do teach the ●●w, understanding neither what they say, nor ●●at they affirm. And further I find in ●●ripture these things of thee, viz.  
Thou art weak, Rom. 8. 3. Thou art unprofitable, Heb. 7. 18, & 19 compared together. Thou art dead, Rom. 7. 6. Thou art ●●ne away, 2 Cor. 3. 11.  Law. 
I pray answer to these ensuing ●…ueries, saith the Law: if not, let me ●●ll thee, Thou shalt know that thou art ●…nder me.  
First, what shall convince thee of sin, if I ●●all not?  
Secondly, what shall work sorrow for ●●n, if not my Threats and Judgements?  
Thirdly, what shall cause thee to forsake ●●n, if I shall not?  Believ. 
First, the Spirit shall convince ●●e of sin, Joh. 16. 8.  
Secondly, the looking upon Christ ●…hom. I have pierced; or if you will, Christ ●…ooking upon me after my sin, as he did upon Peter, will cause me to weep and r●…pent, Rom. 2. 4. The goodness of Go●… leads to repentance.  
Thirdly, the sweet love of God is no●… become my Schoolmaster to lead me int●… the paths of all righteousness, Tit. 〈◊〉 11. 12.  Law. 
Christ was made under me, an●… did observe me, so as to obey me, and h●… commanded thee to learn of him, Matt●… 11. 28. and to walk as he walked, 1 Jo●… 2. 6.  Believ. 
If Christ was made under th●… Law, and did yield obedience to the Law why, it was for me, that he might set m●… free, Gal. 5. 1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath set us free, and b●… not entangled again with the yoke of bondage O Law, wilt thou turn Extortioner, to take thy due in my Surety, and impriso●… me too; when Christ hath paid the deb●… that I owed thee to a penny, and hath take●… up the bond and can celled it? Col. 2. 14.  Law. 
But saith the Law, I would have thee to know that the dearest servants o●… Christ, as well as Christ himself have been under me: what fayest thou of David? Psal. 38. ●… I having showed him his sin, and pronounced his terrors; he cryeth out, My sin●… are too heavy for me to bear. And Jeremiah 〈◊〉 Prophet lay a long time under me, 〈◊〉 the whole book of the Lamentations doth abundantly testify. I could instance in al●…ost all the Saints in the Old and New Testaments, that lay under me: And dost thou ●●ink thyself wiser than they, and so make ●●e also of none account?  Believ. 
The Lord for bid, that I should ●…ake myself wiser than they, or co●…pare ●…y self with them! David and Jeremiah, they ●…ere both glorious instruments to set forth ●●e praise, power, and wisdom of God: ●●t, O Law, this let me tell thee, I have now ●…eat cause to praise, magnify, and admire ●…od in his wonderful love to me, in that he ●…ave me a being in this latter day, wherein ●●ere is greater light, and a clearer manifestation of his free justification by saith, ●…ithout the works of the Law, Rom. 3. 28. ●…nd that he hath freed me from thee, O ●…aw, and spirit of bondage, that I and o●…hers have a long time lain under, Rom. ●…0. 4. & Gal. 4. 4, 5. & Rom. 6. 14. & Rom. 〈◊〉. 6.  Law. 
But wilt thou not own me so as ●…o take me for thy rule of life?  Believ. 
No, by no means, and that ●…or these reasons:  
First, thou art dead to me, Rom. 7. 6. an●… I am dead to thee, Rom. 7. 4.  
Secondly, because thou wouldst be u●… profitable to me if I should observe the for save me thou canst not, for that is 〈◊〉 grace, Eph. 2. 5. 8.  
Thirdly, I will not serve thee, because am not under thee, Gal. 3. 25. but after th●… faith is come, I am no longer under Schoolmaster.  Law. 
Well, for all this, mind what ho●● and heavenly David said of me, Psal. 119. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have resp●●● to all thy commandments.  Believ. 
He that believeth on him, as t●● Scripture saith, shall not be ashamed, Rom. 1●… 11. 28. Isa. 16.  Law. 
Though thou and others do 〈◊〉 little esteem of me, because you do not 〈◊〉 the excellency that is in me; yet let me t●● thee, that I am glorious, so that the chi●…dren of Israel could not behold the face 〈◊〉 Moses when he received me, 2 Cor. 3. 7.  Believ. 
If that which was done away w●● glorious; much more that which remai●… is glorious, even the Gospel, 2 Cor. 3. 11.  Law. 
But saith the Law, If thou ca●● clearly prove by Scripture that the Lo●● that gave me to Moses, did limit me a tim●… and that I was not to continue to the end 〈◊〉 the world in my full power, force and ●●rtue, I will be silent.  Believ. 
That I will presently prove, Gal. 〈◊〉 19 Wherefore then serveth the Law, faith ●●ul? why, it was added because of transgression till the seed should come, etc. Now this ●●ed is Christ, and this Christ is come: wherefore, O Law, give place.  Law. 
Have I been so strictly observed in ●…ll ages, ever since I was given forth, and ●…hat by those men that were accounted the ●…ost religious men upon the face of the ●●rth: and dost thou, O sally m●…n, and a few ●…uch as thou, that art ignorant, and dost ●…ot know the Law; dost thou, I say, think ●…o make me void?  Believ. 
I do not make thee void, but ra●…her establish thee in thy place and room, ●…om. 3. 31. and so in 1 Tim. 1. 8. But we ●…now that the Law is good if a man use it law●…ully.  
Again, if I had lived in those days in which thou wast in force, I had been under ●…hee as well as those you name before; and 〈◊〉 do conceive that thou, O Law, wast in full ●…orce, power, and virtue from the time that Moses received thee upon the Mount, until Christ came in the flesh.  
Nay, and after he came in the flesh, tho●… waist in force, until the Lord Jesus had su●…mitted unto thee in all thy demonstration●… and obeyed thee in all thy precepts; so th●● there was not one thing that thou require●… to be done, but he did do it, till at lengh●… there was no more required; so Christ d●…clares it was finished, Joh. 17. 4. I have finis●…ed the work that thou gavest me to do, etc.  
Nay, O Law, he did not only yield ob●…dience to thy commands, and so fulfill●● thee, but he did suffer all thy torments an●… judgements, as if he had broken thee. Tho●… couldst but require a complete and inti●● obedience both in principles and practi●● and in case of disobedience, to suffer t●● punishment due to such a sin or sin this was all▪ thou hadst to say. Now t●● Lord Christ took man's nature, and wa●… made under thee, and in all things obse●…ved thee in point of action, and submitt●● to thee in point of suffering: And if tho●… ask me how this obedience of Christ th●… second Adam, is become mine? Let me as thee, O Law, how was the transgression 〈◊〉 the first Adam imputed to me? was I not 〈◊〉 his loins, and so partaker of his sin 〈◊〉 natural generation? and am I not also 〈◊〉 the second Adam by spiritual regeneratio●… a●…d so partaker of all his obedience and righteousness by communication? Read understandingly, 1 Cor. 1. 30, 31. & 2 Cor. ●…1.  Law. 
If thou, and a few such as thou art, 〈◊〉 wind and twist yourselves out of my ●●wer, as not to hearken to me in my pre 〈…〉 s, nor fear me in my threaten; yet let 〈◊〉 tell thee, O man, That the greater part ●…en and women that ever have heard of 〈◊〉, are yet under me, and shall be judged 〈◊〉 Christ according as they keep me, or ●●ak me.  Believ. 
That the greater part of men ●●d women that ever heard of thee are still ●●der thee, I have granted before in what I ●●●e said in answer unto thee. And where●…hou sayest, they shall be judged by thee, 〈◊〉 by Christ, according as they keep or ●●ak thee; there is something in it, though ●●nnot fully grant it. First, there is something in it: for our Lord Jesus Christ ●●aching to the Jews which were under 〈◊〉 Law, Joh. 5. from the 17. verse to the 〈◊〉 of that Chapter, you may read many ●●●ngs to be considered; and in the 40. verse ●●rist tells them, You will not come to me that might have life. And when Christ takes 〈◊〉 leave of the unbelieving Jews in the 45 verse, he tells them, that seeing they wou●● not be brought off the Law to the Gospel he speaks to them saying, Do not think t●● I will accuse you to the Father for not imbrati●● me in the Gospel; no, no, there is no need of th●… there is another that is sufficient to condem●… you, even the Law of Moses in which you t●● As if Christ had said to them, th●… needs not mine accusation to comple●… your condemnation; that very Law th●… you seem to stick to, will condemn yo●… but had you understood that Law in t●● Spirit as you did in the Letter, you wou●● not have rejected me, for Moses writ of 〈◊〉 verse 46.  
For aught I know, those that do live a●● die under the Law of Nature, shall 〈◊〉 judged by the Law of Nature. Rom. 1. Rom. 2. both those Chapters do spe●● much this thing.  
And so for those that do live under t●● Law of Moses, they shall, for aught I kno●… be judged by that Law, as in Joh. 5. 45. A●● whereas I said, I could not fully grant 〈◊〉 these be my reasons or Scriptures; Thi●… condemnation, saith Christ, that light is co●● into the world, and men love darkness rat●●● then light: And again, they be condemn●… for unbelief, He that believeth not, is conde●●● ●●d already, Joh. 3. And again, in the He●●ws, They were shut out because of unbelief●●t I have not said, that the Law in the spirit did not lead them to faith.  Law. 
I must indeed confess, that there is greater and clearer light held forth in the ●…ospel then in the Law, and a better Co●●nant established upon better promises, ●…eb. 8. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.  
But if I may not go before, doth it therefore follow that I may not come after? If ●…ay not sit in Mases Chair at the upper ●●d of the table, must I not therefore sit at 〈◊〉? Pray, if thou canst, tell me where is my ●●ace?  Believ. 
Thou must not have any Tabernacle built for thee, for a greater than thou art 〈◊〉 here, Mar. 9 7. When Peter saw Moses in ●●s glory, he would have made a Tabernacle for him; but the Lord took away ●…oses, and answered Peter to his foregoing ●●quest to Christ, touching a Tabernacle 〈◊〉 Moses, saying, This is my beloved Son, ●…ar him, Mar. 9 7.  
But the Law in the spiritual substance of 〈◊〉 I suppose is still in force; for the Law in ●●e Spirit, is the Gospel; for the Gospel ●…oth hold forth those things in substance, 〈◊〉 the Law did in types and shadows: as we do receive light from the same Sun w●●● he is under a cloud, as we do when 〈◊〉 cloud is over, and he shine in his brig●●●nesse; the light is the same for quality a●● nature, but not for quantity or measure. F●● the Gospel doth not teach any other Religion than the Law did; but there is a m●● glorious administration, and a more clamorer dispensation of the love of God in t●● face of Jesus Christ under the Gospel, th●… was under the Law, I Cor. 12. 5. Now th●… are differences of administrations, but the fa●● Lord, and there are diversaties of operations, 〈◊〉 it is the same God which marketh all in all: 〈◊〉 that for the substance we have no oth●● Gospel now then that was preached to o●… first parents in Paradise after their fall, 〈◊〉 you may see Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the wom●● shall break the Serpent's head. Here is the s 〈…〉 stance of all Law and Gospel included a●● contained in these words. But this Gospel was preached something darkly, and y●● not so darkly, but that many believed a●● were saved. Well, in process of time, th●… Lord gave forth the Law, wherein we●● orders and ordinances, types and shadow held forth in several administrations; 〈◊〉 that now there was a far clearer preachin●… that Gospel, Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the w●… man shall break the Serpent's head. Then shall ●…ou find all the Prophets rising up one ●●ter another speaking of Christ, and the ●●ory of his Kingdom; and as one did ●●cceed after another in process of time, so ●●e latter did exceed the former in their ●●owledge of this mystery; and at length 〈◊〉 the fullness of time, Christ, whom all ●●ese had spoken of, and many believed in, ●●me into the world; then sprang up a ●●eater light than ever was before, for here ●…as come the substance of all the former ●●pes, so that never man spoke as this man, ●…ither were there ever such miracles done 〈◊〉 any as were done by him: well, Christ ●●s the people, That those that did believe in ●●n, should do the same works, and greater than ●●se: And after his ascension, what wondered things were done by the Apostles, ●●ry day? the love of God in the face of 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ, was more and more held ●●rth; and so through the goodness of ●…od unto this day, and at this present me, is the Lord displaying the banner of ●…s love in destroying our darkness by the lightness of his appearing. Now then, O ●●w, thou in thy time and place wert glorious, but the Gospel is much more glori●…s; the spiritual substance of thee doth remain, but all thy rudiments and beggerl●… elements must tumble down.  
And for my part, I am commanded b●… my Father, Col. 2. 21. 22. saying of the●… Touch not, taste not, handle not, for all are 〈◊〉 perish that use them. v. 23. Which things ha●… indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship. Sha●● I run to the ●…ight of a star, when I may ha●… the light of the Moon? Shall I run to th●… light of a candle, when I may enjoy th●… light of the Sun? Shall I cry up shadow●… when I may enjoy the substance? Shall abide under the Law, when I may be und●● the Gospel? No, Law, no; I have not so lea●…ned Christ. I desire now, with Paul, to kn●● nothing but Christ and him crucified, 1 Co●… 2. 2.  Law. 
Well, saith the Law, as thou ha●… dealt plainly with me, so shall I do wit●… thee; give me leave then, and I will tell th●… that the fault li●…s not in me, that I am 〈◊〉 much cried up, and held forth at this da●… the Clergy and the Laity will not go 〈◊〉 Christ, till (as they say, not I) I say they wi●● not go to Christ until I have prepar●… them for Christ: they preach me in the le●…ter, and understand me in the letter; whe●● as if they understood me in the spirit, should lead them to Christ, if Christ did n●● ●●●d them to me: yet these men in their ●●rds, will many of them deny me, as to ●●e any hand in their justification or ac●●tation; but though they deny me in ●●rds in these or the like things, yet they ●…nowledge me in their deeds, just as those ●●rds of Paul, Rom. 9 32. Wherefore? because 〈◊〉 sought it not by faith, but as it were by the ●●●ks of the Law, for they stumbled at that 〈…〉 bling stone. Now this word (as it were) ●●t were unfolded, as now it lies sealed; 〈◊〉 should find most men seeking righte●●snesse, if not absolutely by the Law, 〈◊〉 as it were by the works of the Law, 〈◊〉.  Believ. 
In this that thou hast said, O ●●w, I have nothing to except against, for ●●e we both agree, though there was a misunderstanding between us at first; yet it true, the fault is not in thee, O Law, that ●●n put thee in the room of Christ, no ●…ore than the brazen Serpent was in fault ●●om the people did Idolise; the fault ●●s in the people, and not in the Serpent: at this day, men's seeking righteousness 〈◊〉 thee, becomes their own evil, not thine; ●●d as thou hast said, though men will not knowledge that they seek righteousness 〈◊〉 the Law, yet they do seek it as it were by the works of the Law.  
Now here lieth one of the greatest 〈◊〉 ferences between the Law and the Gospel both speak of working, and both speak resting; only herein lies the difference, ●●der the Law before Christ was come, 〈◊〉 people were to work first, and rest afterwards; that is, they were to work six day●… and rest the seventh; when they had d●● their work, then enter into rest: n●● under the Gospel, we are to rest first, 〈◊〉 work afterwards; for as the Sabbath of 〈◊〉 was the last day of the week, so our Lo●● day of rest is the first day of the week: 〈◊〉 are first to receive a Kingdom that cannot moved, Heb. 12. 28. and then next to se●● God acceptably with reverence and godly f●● We are first to believe, and then in then●… place, to show our faith by i●● works; 〈◊〉 are first to see our interest in the promis●… and then to cleanse ourselves from all filthi●● of flesh, and spirit. Into what soever house 〈◊〉 enter, we are to say, peace be to this house, first, fore we are to shake the dust off our feet as a w●…nesse against them. So much concerning fr●●dome from the Law by Christ that fulfil the Law, etc.   

What Christ hath delivered us from, and restored us unto.  
Shall only speak of two things more 〈◊〉 briefly, viz.  
First, what we are delivered from by ●…hrist.  
Secondly, what we are restored unto.  
First, what are delivered from, and here 〈◊〉 I might instance in many things; I shall ●●ely make mention of two.  
First, we are delivered from sin.  
Secondly, from death the wages of sin.  
First, we are delivered from sin, Isa. 〈◊〉. 6. it was all laid upon him, and so we came free. Rom. 6. 18. & 22. verses compared together. 1 Pet. 2. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 21. ●…atth. 8. 17. Rom. 6. 11. Col. 1. 22. 1 Thess. 〈◊〉 13.  
Secondly, those, and only those that ●●e in Christ are delivered from death the ●●ges of sin; O death, saith Christ, I will ●●thy death, Isa. 25. 8. He hath swallowed up ●●th in victory. 1 Cor. 15. 55, 56, 57 O death ●●ere is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory? ●●e sting of death is sin, and the strength of ●●e is the Law. But thanks be unto God who ●●eth us the victory through our Lord Jesus ●…rist, etc. So then by Christ a believer is ●●ed from the Law: First, from the curse. Secondly, from the condemning powe●… Thirdly, from sin; and Fourthly, fro●… death.  
Secondly, let us a little consider, as wh●● we be delivered from, so what we are r●…stored unto. I shall not undertake to 〈◊〉 forth this in the height and breadth, dep●● and length, but only give a hint to it, 〈◊〉 I have ability and time, knowing that I a●● straitened in both:  
Ye were servants, you be now friends 〈◊〉 Christ's, Joh. 15. 15.  
And if that be too little, ye are Sonn●… and Daughters.  
If that be too little, are calls you his Brothers, and Sisters, Heb. 2. 11.  
If that be too little, he calls you h●● Chosen, Spouse, and Wife, Rev. 21. 9  
If that be too little, he tells you that yo●… be members of his own body, 1 Cor. 12. 12▪  
If that be too little, he tells you that yo●… be heirs with him, Rom. 8. 17.  
If that be too little to express the abu●…dantnesse of his love to you, he tells yo●… That the glory which the Father gave to him, 〈◊〉 hath given to you, that you may be one, as 〈◊〉 Father and he is one.  
If that be too little, he tells you, Tha●… you be joined to the Lord, you are one spirit, 1 Co●… 6. 17.  
If this be too little, he tells you indeed, ●…hat all these things , are ●●t a taste of what you shall shortly be, Joh. 3. 12.  
Oh thou most noble overcoming Saint, ●●rvant of the most High God, heir of pro●…ises, and Son of Zion! Consider what ●●ou art come from, and now by Christ ●●me to, Heb. 12. 22, 23, 24. But ye are come ●●to Mount Zion, and to the City of the living ●…od, the heavenly Jerusalem, and unto an innu●…erable company of Angels, to the general assembly and Church of the first born, which are writ●●n in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to ●●e spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus ●●e Mediator of the new covenant, and to the ●…ood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then ●●at of Abel.  
Now manifestly and truly mayest thou ●…ay, I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine. ●●e that toucheth me, toucheth the apple of his ●●ye. My Father is so tender of me, that he ●…akes all the wrongs done to me, as done ●…o him●…elfe; he that persecutes me, perse●…utes him, Act. 9 4. And he that hath pity ●…nd compassion on me, the Lord takes it as ●…one to himself, Matth. 25. 40.  
David said, Who am I, that I should be son in ●…aw to King Saul! but I may say, Who am I that I should be Son and heir, yea coheirs to the King of Kings. I was a dry a●● barren tree fit for nothing but burning, b●● I shall flourish like a tree planted by t●● rivers of water.  
O how often did he call, how earnestly did he knock, how powerfully did 〈◊〉 strive, how long did he wait upon me b●…fore my stubborn heart would yield! If 〈◊〉 had never loved me, I had never loved hi●… If he had never drawn me, I had never r●● after him: If he had never sought me, 〈◊〉 had been straying in the wilderness of in●…quity, and feeding in the fields of vanity, 〈◊〉 most are: but now he hath avouched himself to be mine, and I have avouched m●… self to be his, Hos. 2. 19 I will betrothe thee 〈◊〉 me; So I became the Bride, the Lamb●… wife.  
First, Christ comes and woes me, 2 Co●… 5. 20.  
Secondly, he gets my good will, and became his, 1 Joh. 12.  
Thirdly, he makes my soul fruitful Joh. 15. 5.  
Again, as he is a husband to all hi●… people, in that he performs all offices o●… love as a husband, he comes not short i●… one thing, but transcends and goes beyond a husband in every thing: as to in●●●ce, Death or poverty, imprisonment, ●●ke a separation in part or in whole be●…een a man and his wi●…e; but none of ●●ese can make a separation between Christ ●●d my soul. Again, in other marriages a ●●n seeks to marry one that is rich, but ●●rist seeks for no riches, but takes the ●●or to make them rich.  
In other marriages a man looks for ●●auty, but Christ marries those that are 〈◊〉 their blood, that he may beautify them ●●ith his own beauty. Again, in other ●…arriages, infirmities in a wife do many ●●mes abate the love of the husband to the ●…ife; it is not so with Christ to his Spouse. ●…gain, if the wife play the harlot, the man ●…ill put her away, it is not so with Christ, 〈◊〉 you may see, Jer. 3. 1. But thou hast played ●●e harlot with many lovers, yet return unto me, ●●ith the Lord.  
Well then, saith the soul, let friends for●…ake me, let enemies deride me, let all ●…orldly comforts leave me; If I can but ●…njoy Christ for my husband, it is enough. ●…any more glorious things might be spo●…en of the blessed st●…te of a Christian resto●…ed by Christ: but I leave it to those that ●…ave greater enjoymen●…s of it, and shall wind up all with this word of consol●…tion, Blessed, yea thrice blessed is the man, sai●● David, whose sin is covered: If Satan se●● for thy sin, and wicked men seek for th●… sin to lay it to thy charge, Who shall lay 〈◊〉 thing to thy charge, saith Paul. Thy fin●… shall be sought for, and shall not be fou●● saith the Lord by the Prophet Jeremy, J●● 50. 22.  
Sin may break thy communion, b●● not thy union with God.   

Those that have the enjoyment of their Restoration, may be known by their Conversation.  
THere be many men and women th●… will give their assent and consent 〈◊〉 the foregoing truth, That the Lord Chr●●● hath done many and wonderful thing yea such things, that eye hath not seen, e 〈…〉 hath not heard, neither, say they, hath it ent●● into the heart of men to conceive or understand, 〈◊〉 comprehend them. Nay, they can tell you●… large story of the blessed state of the Sain●… after death, how they shall be for ever in t●● presence of the Lord their God; In wh●… presence there is fullness of joy, and pleasure at his right hand for evermore; then sorrow a●● sighing shall fly away, and then the Lord ●…o●… ●●pe away all tears from their eyes; and there ●…ill be no more death, neither sorrow, or ●…rying ●…ither shall there be any pain.  
But, O man, whosoever thou art that ●●th thus speak of the joys of heaven, dost ●…ou see thy own interest in these mercies? ●●st thou see thyself to be a child of this ●●ther of mercies? canst thou say, My spirit ●●th rejoice in God my Saviour? canst thou ●●y with Thomas, My Lord, and my God? or ●…ost thou suppose it to be so, as the Church ●…ev. 3. 17.  
O consider, most do deceive themselves, ●●inking they be something when they are ●…othing: nay let me tell thee, most of the ●…ith, hope and assurance, that men have ●●ken up, is not the faith, hope, and assu●…ance of the Gospel of Christ: It will not and thee in stead in the time of need. There ●…e many will come to Christ at the last day, ●●ying, Lord, Lord, open to us, for we have eat & ●…unk in thy presence, Luke 13. 25, 26, 27. but ●…e shall say, I tell you I know ye not whence you ●…re. Why call you me Lord, Lord, and do not the ●●ings that I say?  
O if thou art a servant of Christ indeed, ●…hen it is thy meat and drink to do his ●…ill.  
Doth the Lord love thee? what evidence hast thou of his love in thy soul? doth h●● Spirit witness with thy spirit that tho●… art his? or hast thou that white stone wit●… in thee, that hath a name that none can re●● but thyself? how shall I and others kno●… that the Lord loveth thee, and that tho●… hast this evidence of his love in thee, unle●● I see thee walk as one of those? Gal. 5. 25. 〈◊〉 thou dost live in the Spirit, then walk 〈◊〉 the Spirit; if thou say thatthou dost wa●● in the Spirit, than thou dost not fulfil th●… lust of the flesh, Gal. 5. 16. How shall I kno●… that thou art one of the disciples of Chr●●● but by thy love to Christ and his people Joh. 13. 35.  
Now, O man, wherein doth thy love 〈◊〉 Christ appear? what dost thou do for him●… Again, wherein doth thy love to his people appear? 1 Joh. 5. 1. Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of hi●… if thou sayest that thou dost love them, ask thee whether that love of thine be su●● a love as Christ requireth, Joh. 13. 34. Do●… thou love them as Christ doth love the●… with a free and an universal and consta●● love? Again, dost thou know God? if tho●… dost not, than he will come in flaming fi●● taking vengeance against thee, 2 Thess. 1. 8.  
If thou say that thou dost know him; 〈◊〉 thee, how doth it appear? 1 Joh. 2. 4. He 〈…〉 t saith he doth know him, and keepeth not his ●●●mandements, is a liar.  
If thou say, But I look upon myself as a ●●dly man, and others do account me very ●●lous and religious! But I say again, why ●●en do so many unsavoury speeches pro●●d out of thy mouth? Jam. 1. 26 If any man ●…ong you seem to be religious, and bridleth not 〈◊〉 tongue; mark that man, his religion is ●●ne.  
If thou object again, Oh but I am accounted a very wise man, and a knowing ●●n! But I say again, as in Jam. 3. 13. Who 〈◊〉 wise man among you, and endued with knowledge, let him show out of a good conversation his ●●rks with meekness of wisdom. Doth thy ●●●versation evidence to me thy regeneration? Thou art a tree; how shall I know thee ●●t by thy fruit, Matth. 12. 33.  
If thou art grafted in the true Vine, why ●…est thou bring forth wild grapes? Isa. ●…4.  
It is true, thou dost say that thou art ●●e of Christ's: but then I say thou oughtest 〈◊〉 walk as he walked, 1 Joh. 2. 6. If Christ 〈◊〉 thy King, where is thy subjection to his ●●ll? If Christ be thy Prophet to teach ●…ee, why art thou so ignorant? If he be thy Priest to offer sacrifices for thee, wh●… is thy faith to evidence thy trust in hi●… if thou sayest that thou hast faith, 〈◊〉 doth it not appear by thy works? J●● 2. 20.  
But wilt thou know, O vain man, T●● faith without works is dead? thou believest 〈◊〉 there is one God, thou dost well; but the de●… go thus far, Jam. 2. 19  
But I am the Lords servant, for I enfavour to forsake sin.  
But let me ask thee, O vain man, fr●● what principle dost thou endeavour leave sin? dost thou refrain from si●… for fear of punishment or shame, or beca●● thou wouldst avoid hell, or obtain heaume let me tell thee, the veriest hypocrite in 〈◊〉 world may do as much.  
When thou art tempted to sin, d●● thou with Joseph say, How shall I do this th●… and sin against my God? Gen. 39 9 Or 〈◊〉 dost thou not rather in thy heart refra●● sin upon that account as once Tamar d●● 2 Sam. 13. 13. If I should do this thing, sa●… Tamar, whither shall I cause my shame to g●● Joseph he refrains the evil, because 〈◊〉 might bring dishonour to his God: Tam●● she endeavours to refrain the evil, because it might bring shame to herself. O ma●… ●…hou wilt not deceive thyself, Examine ●…m what principle doth thy refraining ●…m sin arise; from nature, or from ●●ce? if from nature, than thou dost no ●●re than any wicked man may do by the ●●provement of nature: but thou shouldest 〈◊〉 Christ saith, Matth. 5. 44, 45, 46, 47. Love ●●●e enemies, overcome evil with good, in do●●g good for evil as Christ did; examine ●●ne inward man, is sin in thee as the ●●ne in the bladder, or as the wind in the ●●ly; thou hadst rather, ten thousand times ●●her it were out then in. Now when a ●●n is troubled with the stone in the bladder with the in the blad●…r, or overmuch oppressed with wind in the ●●lly, he will seek to the Physician, s troubled and ●●rt with that that is as dear to him as his ●…wne heart, to wit, gold and silver, to have ●●cured: Dost thou deal thus with the sin 〈◊〉 thy soul? d●…est thou go to the spiritual Physician the Lord Jesus Christ? and ●●ilt thou indeed part with that that is as ●●ar as thine own heart, to wit, thy beloved sin? dost thou wait upon him in the ●●e of all Ordinances, without preferring ●●e before another? Dost thou seek the ●…ingdome of heaven, and the righteousness ●●ereof, in the first place? Shall, or is all ●●y worldly employments brought into subordination to that? doth thy calli●● as a Christian take up its time in the 〈◊〉 place? doth thy particular Calling w●● upon thy general Calling as it ough●… dost thou indeed live out of thyself up●● God in the Spirit above the world? If 〈◊〉 than the enjoyment of thy restoration evidenced by thy holy conversation.  
But there be many that do boast of th●… deliverance by Christ, and of their interest 〈◊〉 Christ, and yet are ignorant of him, & ha●● no part in him. See the Church of t●● Laodiceans, Rev. 3. 17. Because thou sayest am rich, and increased with goods, and have n●● of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretch and poor, and blind and naked. I dare boldly s●● that this Text doth reach a quarter, if n●● half of the professors of religion at this da●… Nay where is there one assembly free, th●● can say they have never such a man amo●● them? can our Parliament in general f●● they be free? can our Armies say the●… be free? can Presbytery, Independenci●● Anabaptism say they be free? Nay is an●… City or Town free from men and wome●… that are making their boast of God, and ye●… they be like those that are spoken of i●… Rev. 3. 17. or at least like those Rom. 2. 17▪ Behold thou art a few and restest in the Law, and ●…akest thy boast of God; and yet in the 23. verse ●●d the 24. you may read at large what ●…retches they were.  
How do many boast of their gifts, arts, ●…nd parts, and enjoyments, calling o●…hers that wait upon God in the use of Or●…inances, Duty-mongers, Heaven-drivers, For●…alists, and Legalists? these be the men that ●…ould come forth in the last days, as the ●…criptures speak, 2 Tim. 3. 2. Covetous, boasters, ●…oud, blasphemers; but let them expect the ●…me doom as their elder brother received, ●…ct. 5. 36. For before those days risen up one ●…heudas, boasting himself to be some body, to ●…hom about four hundred men joined, who ●…e s●…ain, and all as many as were deluded by him ●…ere scattered and brought to nought.  
They have but a little member, it is true, ●…ut it boasteth great things, Jam. 3. 5.  
In a word, read the the second of Peter, ●●e second Chapter, from the first verse to ●●e last, and there thou shalt have a whole catalogue of these new upstart Wantoness: ●●at Chapter doth speak of  
First, their rise.  
Secondly, of their prosecution, and  
Thirdly, of their miserable end.  
●…nd all to forewarn us, upon whom the end of the world is almost come to be wear of their dangerous and desperate princ●…ples and practices; and yet these men wil●… boast of their deliverance by Christ, and 〈◊〉 their interest in Christ, and yet are ignorant of him, and have no part in him; an●… to speak after the manner of men, as 〈◊〉 was the design of Christ to take away sinn●… in the sight of God, and as it was his desig●… to take it out of the conscience, that the●… might be no more conscience of sin, as 〈◊〉 Heb. 10. so also it was the design of Christ 〈◊〉 take away sin in the conversation, 1 Pe●… 1. 15.  
Now there be many men that will bo●● of the former, that their fins be done 〈◊〉 way in their consciences, when their co●…versation gives them the lie, for Chri●● hath undertaken the latter as well as t●● former, see 1 Joh. 3. 6. & 9 verses.  
Now he that nameth the name of Chri●● ought to departed from sin, 2 Tim. 2. 9 And 〈◊〉 that saith, he abideth in him, ought so to walk Christ walked, 1 Joh. 2. 6. He that saith he know him and keepeth not his say, is a liar, 1 Jo●… 2. 4. Those that are Christ's, have crucified 〈◊〉 flesh with the affections and lusts, Gal. 5. 2. What profit is it unto a man if there be pr●…mised an immortal time, whereas he ha●… ●●ne the works that bring death? and that ●…ere is promised us an everlasting hope, ●…hereas ourselves being most wicked are ●●ade vain? And that there are laid up for ●…dwellings of health and safety, whereas 〈◊〉 have lived wickedly? And that the glory the most High is kept to defend them at have led a holy life, whereas we have ●●lked in the most wicked ways of all? ●●d that there should be showed a Paradise ●…ose fruit endureth for ever, sith we shall ●●t enter into it.  
Oh friends, what are all the sweet promi●● in Scripture to thee and I, unless we do 〈◊〉 faith see our names in the promises? ●…hat are the general declarations, without ●●rticular applications? what will it avail to hear that God is gracious, and long-suffering, pardoning iniquity, transgression ●●d fin, unless by faith thou and I see ●…n to be so also to us?  
What will it profit us to hear and read, ●●at sorrow and sighing shall fly away, and that tears shall be wiped from the eyes of his, and 〈◊〉 there shall be no more sorrow nor pain; ●●ereas thou and I have (it may be) neither patience to wait, nor faith to believe our 〈◊〉 interest in these things?  
There be four characters of a servant of Christ, that I lately received from a frien●●  

1. What is highest in thy judgement.  
2. What is dearest in thy affections.  
3. What is strongest in thy will.  
4. What is the most constant thing thy resolution.   
So much shall serve at present to written of the temptations of the wor●● flesh, and the devil; and of the Armour Christ, wherewith a Christian may defe●● himself, and conquer his enemies; and 〈◊〉 of the power natural, and of the po 〈…〉 spiritual, which is our duty to impro●● and all our remissness to be charged up ourselves, and not upon God; and how serious consideration of this, would be 〈◊〉 bar to stop that blasphemous princi●●● saying, God is the author of sin: Of our in the first Adam, and of our recovery by second Adam, and how we may know th●● that are restored; of Ordinances, how t●● they be still in force. Next I shall spe●● of Faith; and then a few words to the ●●nisters. An Epistle to the world. Another to those chosen out of the world. Of 〈◊〉 deliverances of the Saints, and of their 〈…〉ing too sudden in expecting deliverances   

A few words of Faith.  
FAith is as it were the wings of the soul, whereby the soul doth fly to heaven, and bring down its evidence under hand and seal, Heb. 11. 1. 〈◊〉.  
Now this grace of Faith is of singular 〈◊〉 to Christians; it is that first and princi●● wheel that makes all the other wheels ●●move: But most men be mightily (as I ●●ppose) mistaken in the true definition of ●●th. Seeing then it is that whereby we live grace, and it is that whereby we are ●●ried on to glory; that we might not be mistaken in that that is of such rare use to Give me leave to tell thee, there is a Faith the History, and a Faith of the Mystery, ●●re is a Legal Faith, and a Faith of ●●racles, dead Faith, and a temporary ●●ith, etc. There is an Evangelical Faith, ●●ing the Faith of the Gospel. Now men 〈◊〉 various in their thoughts of the true na●●re of this Gospel Faith. I know one man, 〈◊〉. Mr. H. D. that saith, that this is the faith the Gospel, to believe that Jesus Christ is 〈◊〉 Son of God; and another saith that this the true faith of the Gospel, viz. Faith is a holy and humble persuasion ground upon the word of God, and witnessed his holy Spirit. In a word, most men 〈◊〉 give too general a definition of Faith. 〈◊〉 general definition of the history, with●● a particular application of the myst●●● will stand the soul in little or no stead the time of necessity. Therefore I humb●● conceive, that the faith of the Gospel th●● we are commanded to contend for, Judas is such a Faith, viz.  
Faith is a gift of God, begotten in 〈◊〉 creature by the powerful preaching of 〈◊〉 word, whereby the understanding is 〈◊〉 lightened, whereby he believeth to be 〈◊〉 whatsoever is revealed in the word; 〈◊〉 cepting, receiving, and resting upon Chr●● alone for justification, sanctification; wi●● a particular application of Christ, and a●● his benefits unto his own soul.  
I say, Faith is a gift of God begotten in the creature by the powerful preachin●… of the word, whereby the understanding enlightened, so that he believeth to be tr●● whatsoever is revealed in the word; 〈◊〉 cepting, receiving, and resting upon Chri●● alone for justification, sanctifieation, wi●● a particular application of Christ, and 〈◊〉 his benefits unto his own soul, etc.  
Now the life of all lies in the particular application, Psal. 18. 2. The Lord is my 〈◊〉 and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, strength in whom I will trust, my Buckler, and 〈◊〉 horn of my salvation, and my high ●…ower, ●●al. 118. 28. Thou art my God, and I will praise ●●e: Thou art my God, I will exalt thee. Luke 46, 47. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify 〈◊〉 Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my ●●viour. Joh. 20. 28. Thomas answered and ●●d unto him, My Lord, and my God In the ●●xt verse Christ pronounceth him to be a ●●iever. Gal. 2. 20. The life that I now live, ●●ive by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me ●●d gave himself for me. Phil. 3. 8. For the excel●●cie of the knowledge of Christ my Lord, etc. general declaration, without a particular application, will not assure the soul of ●●lvation. Is not faith the first stone in the spiritual building, and the first step in a ●…hristian race, the first link in our golden ●●aine of Christianity, the first act of our ●…ew life, that first degree of our holy con●…ersation, the first round in our jacob's lad●●r, whereby we ascend up into the presence ●…f our Lord?  
First, there is in a true believer an assu●…ance of understanding.  
Secondly, there is an assurance of rejoy●…ing, 1 Pet. 1. 8.  
Thirdly, there is an assurance whi●● carrieth forth a soul to powerful a●● ings.  
A Christian believeth that he who ma●● man, was made man himself; he believe that no man hath seen God at any time, an●… yet he believeth that Moses talked with his face to face; he believeth him to be borne 〈◊〉 time who was from everlasting, and him be shut up in a narrow room whom heave●● and earth could not contain.  
Religion is a mystery in every part of 〈◊〉 Faith believeth strange things, Hope w 〈…〉 for the accomplishment of that which re●…son cannot comprehend; and so for lo●● and patience, and all other graces, there 〈◊〉 a great mystery in the actings of each 〈◊〉 these; as to instance in one for all, a littl●… look upon faith, and see what it believe concerning the Trinity, and Election, Justification, and Sanctification, and Repentance.  

First, concerning the Trinity.  
He believes that the Father is not th●● Son, and the Son is not the Spirit and yet the Father, Son and Spirit are a●● but one.  
He believes that God is Alpha and Omeg●… the beginning and the end, and yet he be●● ●●ves that God had never a beginning, and all never have an end.  
He believes that the Father sent forth the ●●nne, and that the Son sent forth the ●●pirit, and yet he believeth they were never ●●parated the one from the other.   

And concerning Election,  
He believes that God is no respecter of ●●ersons, and yet he believes that God elected ●●me, and left others, when he found no ●●fference.   

And concerning justification,  
He believeth that his qualifications doth ●…ot cause God's love; yet he would question ●…hether God loved him, if he were not ●…ualified.  
H●… works not for wages, yet hath an eye ●…o the recompense of reward.  
He believes that the most just God, hath ●…unished the most innocent person; and to ●…ave justified himself, though a sinner: he is often in prison, yet always at liberty, and a freeman though a servant.   

And concerning Sanctification,  
He believes that he goes not to heaven for holiness, and yet he believes that he cannot go thither without it; he liveth on earth, but his conversation is in heavenly things; he is careful for nothing, and yet none so careful as he. He esteems his nam●● as a precious ointment, yet he cares no●… who reviles him.   

Concerning Repentance.  
He often weeps for sorrow, and yet h●● doth rejoice when he weeps.  
He is of all men most humble, and yet n●● man hath a heart so lifted up as he, 2 Cor. 7. 〈◊〉.  
He is one who lives to die, and dies t●● live; yet he is dead whiles he liveth, and live when he dyeth.  
He believes himself to be precious i●● God's sight, and yet he doth loath himself 〈◊〉 his own fight.   

And concerning the Scriptures.  
He believeth that the Scriptures wer●● written by men subject to error, and yet he believeth there is no error in them.  
Nay he believeth there is no error in Scripture; and yet he findeth that which is commanded, Gen. 17. 12. to be forbidden Gal. 5. 22.  
Now there is a great controversy among men, whether it be Christ's work or th●● creatures work to act faith. But I shall say nothing to that here, having spoken o●● laid down my judgement concerning it be●…fore. But a word or two of these things.  
First, how Faith is wrought, or by what ●●eans usually.  
Secondly, some lets to be removed.  
Thirdly, some motives or considerations move us to believe.  
First, how faith is wrought, or by what ●●eans ordinarily; and that is by the mystery of the Word. Rom. 10. 17.  
1. The soul is enlightened to see itself ●●ful, miserable, and naked, polluted in its ●●ood.  
2. Then the soul searcheth to find, if it ●●ere possible, a promise should be made to ●●ch a sinner as he is: well, at length he ●●deth it.  
3. Then the soul beginneth to inquire ●…hether with out presumption he may lay ●●old on the promise: Well, he finds it is ●●o presumption to believe, but rebellion ●…ot to believe.  
4. The soul gins to consider what he that hath made these promises: Well, he ●●nds him to be God, that cannot be worse ●…hen his word, as man will.  
5. He inquires further, and finds that his God is a most faithful God; so faith●…ul, that not one ●…ot or tittle of his word ●●all pass, till all be fulfilled. Then when ●●he soul sees his sin, and a promise of pardon, and that it is his duty to believe, an●… that it is God that hath made these pr●…mises, and that to the worst of sinners, an●… that this God is a faithful and a true God than the soul roots itself upon Christ, an●… saith, There will I venture my soul; if perish, I perish: But I shall not perish; 〈◊〉 I never did read of any man that went the far, and miscarried. And this is the fai●● of adherence, which soon grows up to 〈◊〉 faith of evidence.  
Now the soul saith, It may be I shall be 〈◊〉 in the day of the Lords wrath. But shortly will say, The Lord hath saved me, he doth s●● me, and he will save me; I will not be afraid ten thousands of people that have set themselv●● against me round about.  
Q. Why wilt thou not be afraid, Christian?  
A. Because I know God, (saith he) an●… I know him to be able, and not only so, b●… I know him to be willing to help me: 〈◊〉 my name in Scripture, and God speakin●… to me by name.  
Oh then (ye sons and daughters of me●● consider, that he that was the Son of Go●● became the Son of man; that we who we the sons of men, might become the sons God.  
Wouldst thou believe thine own interest this?  
First, gather up and establish thy thoughts ●●on the object of faith, the Freegrace 〈◊〉 God, in the righteousness of Jesus ●…hrist.  
Secondly, claim thy common interest in 〈◊〉 the promises which be made to sinners: 〈◊〉 the promises be made to sinners, and as sinner thou hast an interest in them.  
Thirdly, consider the terms on which ●…hrist is given; he is not given upon terms ●…f qualifications, but upon terms of acceptation and believing; which believing is ●●s gift also.  
Secondly, there are some lets to be re●…oved as hindrances of faith.  
1. The first let is, Ignorance of thine ●…wn misery, and God's mercy.  
2. The second let is; If thou dost know ●…hine own misery, to despair of mercy.  
3. A third let is, Carnal reasoning to ●…onsult with flesh and blood, which will ●…ell us either that it is well enough with us ●…lready, or else it is impossible to have it ●…etter.  
4. A fourth let is, our harkening to ●…he motions of Satan; and you shall know ●…hem by these three things.  
First, they drive a soul from God, as 〈◊〉 dam hid himself after he had sinned, he we●● as far as he could from God.  
Secondly, the motions of Satan may 〈◊〉 known by this; they tend to the weakenin●● of that little that thou hadst before.  
Thirdly, the motions of Satan m●● be known by this also, they tend to bre●● and destroy the soul, that is bruised 〈◊〉 ready.  
5. The fifth let of faith may be thi●… when the Lord by his word gins to di●…cover our sins, than we begin to cove●… them; and hence it is that we do not pro●…sper in our souls, Pro. 28. 13.  
Now as I lately heard from a servant 〈◊〉 Christ, a man may be said to cover his sinn●… three ways.  
1. When we do not draw it forth to th●… hand of justice, when we let alone that tra●…tor that doth lurk in our souls: the Lon●… comes and calls for our pride, and covetousness, and frowardness, saying, Brin●… it forth to justice! Then we concea●…e o●… hid it.  
2. When we do something to cover i●… by lessening it: we should rather aggravat●● then extenuate our sins.  
3. We hid our sins, when we preserv●… ●…ur sins. Now a man may be said to preserve his sin three ways.  
(1. When we nourish it and feed it, as it ●…ere.)  
2. When we do defend it: it may be we 〈◊〉 a great blow coming to wound, striking 〈◊〉 the head of our beloved sin; and we ●…efend the blow with all our strength and ●…olicie.  
3. When we take no notice of it: perdventure a man will take notice of gross ●●ns, but not of secret sins: we say, This is ●●t a little one; The Lord be merciful to me in ●…is thing. This is all I shall say at present ●…oncerning the lets of Faith. Next of those Considerations, as so many motives to ●…ove us to believe.  
Thirdly, let us a little consider what en●…ouragements have we to move or prevail with us to set about the beginning, or go●…ng on and growing up in this grace of ●…aith.  
1. Consider, that to believe in God, is ●…he greatest obedience that we can give un●…o God; for in so doing, we are said to set ●…o our seals that God is true. This is the most acceptable work with God. See Joh. 〈◊〉. 29. and the first Epistle of John, chap. 3. ●…er. 23.  
2. This is the way to become fruitful our conversation. What is the reason the is such barrenness among men and wom●● professing godliness? why, the reason 〈◊〉 there is little fruit, because there is so litt●● saith. Joh. 15. 5. Ye are not planted in 〈◊〉 house by faith, therefore ye do not flour●● in his courts. You want faith; hence it 〈◊〉 that you have no works. Thou hast a 〈◊〉 body, but a lean soul: Thy soul without faith, is like a Dove without wings; 〈◊〉 cannot fly to the storehouse for meat, therefore must needs be lean.  
3. By this thou shalt be able to over come all the fiery darts of the World, Flesh and Devil.  
First, it overcomes the world, Joh. ep. 〈◊〉 5, 4.  
Secondly, it overcomes all the Devil, 1 Pe●● 5. 8, 9 & Jam. 4. 7.  
Thirdly, it overcomes all the fiery dart of the wicked, Ephes. 6. 16.  
4. Again, this is the way to be established, Isa. 7. 9  
What is the reason that men are carried about with every wind of doctrine? Why they do not believe, and so they are no●… established. Oh then, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, rooted and grounded upon the rock ●…hrist, and so sickleness and instability will 〈◊〉 done away.  
5. Faith will reach forth her arm as far heaven, and fetch in to thy soul things ●●at are absent, and make them present, ●…eh. 11. 1. & 13.  
6. This is the way, by believing, to ●●tain that joy, that unspeakable joy, 〈◊〉 Pet. 1. 8.  
What is the matter that Christians do 〈◊〉 hang down their heads under a spirit of ●…ondage? Why, they have but little or no ●…ith; the more faith, the more joy, 1 Pet. 〈◊〉. 8.  
7. This is the way to have our hearts plurified from that map of misery or store●…ouse of filthiness, Act. 15. 9  
8. This is the way, namely to believe, 〈◊〉 overcome that unprofitableness that is 〈◊〉 thee and me. How many a Chapter hast ●…hou read, and learned nothing from it? ●…ow many a Sermon hast thou heard, and ●…earned nothing? What is the reason? why, ●…hou hast no faith. Heb. 4. 2.  
9 And again, this is the way to obtain ●…hat spiritual strength, to do the will of God, although it be against our own wills. Faith will endeavour to please God, al●…hough we displease ourselves and others. See what a piece of self-denial Faith ha●… wrought in Abraham, who followed 〈◊〉 command of God in whatsoever he r●…quired, as in his departing out of his o●●● country, and there trusted upon God's ba●● word, notwithstanding all improbabilities in nature: he was willing to departed wit●● the most dear thing for God, as in offerin●… up his only son; and gave God his ow●… time for the accomplishment of his ow●… promises. To add no more.  

1. Consider, that whatsoever you 〈◊〉 without it, it is sin, Rom. 14. 23.  
2. We cannot please God in any thing without it, Heb. 11. 6.  
3. We cannot pray without it, as 〈◊〉 ought, Mar. 11. 24. jam. 1. 6.  
4. We cannot be saved without it, M●● 16. 16. Ephes. 2. 8.   
When a soul gins to consider the grea●● necessity he hath of it, and the willingness of Christ to work it, these two wings wi●● carry thee to the treasury of faith. Wha●… nccessity thou hast of it, is laid before; an●… as concerning the willingness of Christ 〈◊〉 have thee believe, I might instance in all th●● it more (almost) speaking something 〈◊〉 it more or less. Let me instance in one fo●● all. Joh. 14. 1. & 11. 12, 13 verses. In th●… 〈◊〉 verse, Believe in me: and in the 11. verse, ●●ieve in me for the very works sake. Then, that ●●s precept might not be slieghted, he ●●mes in with both his hands full of pro●…ses, verse 12. He that believeth in me, the ●●ks that I do shall he do, and greater: and then ●…he 13. verse, Whatsoever you shall ask in name, that will I do for you. As if he had ●●d, O ye sons of men, I do but require 〈◊〉 thing of you, and that is for your ●…n good too, That you would believe in me; 〈◊〉 is the one thing that I desire of you, 〈◊〉 if you will do but this one thing for 〈◊〉 I will do two things for you:  
〈◊〉. You shall do the works that I do, and great 〈…〉 Joh. 14. 12.  
〈◊〉. You shall but ask, and have what in ●●on you desire, Joh. 14. 13.  
〈◊〉 had thought to have written many ●●gs more concerning Faith: But for ●●e reasons I forbear.    

A word to the Ministry, or a few words to th●● that have taken to themselves the name of the Ministry of England.  
BEloved, it may be thought strange you, that a man so mean as my 〈◊〉 should so presume as to speak a word you, or to think that you should vouch●● to spend so much time as to hear or 〈◊〉 what my thoughts are of you. But (O y●● learned Clergy) I will cast myself dow●… at your feet, and earnestly beseech you give me audience for one quarter of hour, for my heart doth burn within 〈◊〉 and though I have been silent this ma●… months, yet now the words will burst o●… and let me indeed prevail with you 〈◊〉 your attention a little; for I will ass●● you, I have road on horseback, and run●● foot many miles, yea and many times hear a few words from you; yea many storm and shower, heat and cold, hav●… gone through to learn something of 〈◊〉 from you, and I do not repent of it, 〈◊〉 should do it if it were to be done agai●… wherefore let me entreat your patience little, if it be but to give you a brief count of what I have heard and learn●● ●●m you: And although mine eyes have 〈◊〉 been enlightened at the two fountains, 〈◊〉 trust that they have been anointed ●●th a little clay, for I see men like trees ●●king If I do falter a little in my speech, ●…re with me, for I do want the Hebrew 〈◊〉 Greek tongue, which is so excellent, ●●t a man would part with any thing 〈◊〉 it unless grace, but I would not give the ●●st grain of grace, if I had any to spare, ●●not the third part of a grain for all 〈◊〉 tongues, arts, and parts under the ●●mne.  
The first would that I would whisper in ●●ur ear is this, by way of Query con●…ning these times. My brethren, if I may ●●so bold to call you so, let me ask you ●●tly, Have you not seen nor heard of ●…ose great and wonderful deliverances ●●th in England, Scotland, and Ireland? or if ●●●u have heard of it, do you not believe 〈◊〉 that you be so silent in your thanks to mighty God the Father of these mercies? ●●t it may be you have heard of it, and do ●●leeve it, and yet you cannot give the ●●ory to God; why? because, these mercies ●●d deliverances came in, as I have heard ●●me of you say, by a blasphemous Secta●●n Army.  
Oh what pride and selfishness is this mon! that when the Almighty doth se●● in deliverance after deliverance, one tu●…ling in after another; yet if these mer●● come not in by such instruments as 〈◊〉 please, we will not take it as a mercy: 〈◊〉 mercies no mercies, if they come not to by our own means, in our own time, ●…a●… in our own way? why, shall not that G●● that gave them freely, reach them forth us by what hand he pleaseth? hath t●● Lord appeared in his Almighty power, 〈◊〉 companied with his blessed presence in 〈◊〉 head of our Armies? And yet are they blasphemous and Sectarian Army!  
When they and we have been in 〈◊〉 greatest straits, and at the farthest distan●… from all humane helps, hath not the Lo●● appeared for our deliverance? And yet blasphemous Sectarian Army!  
Hath not our Army asked counsel 〈◊〉 God, and advised with his people, befo●● they have entered upon the work? And yet blasphemous Sectarian Army!  
Hath not our Army had many day's 〈◊〉 fasting and praying? and have they not sen●● their letters to the well-affected both i●● England and Wales, to entreat them to see unto the Lord to clear the way befor●… ●●em? & yet a blasphemous Sectarian Army! Are not the greatest part of the Officers 〈◊〉 the Army, men so well doctrinated in 〈◊〉 doctrine of Christ, that they can and are ●●dy to render a reason of their hope in 〈◊〉? & yet a blasphemous Sectarian Army! Do they not endeavour to punish Swear 〈◊〉, Stealing, Sabbath-breaking, and all ●●er things punishable by the Law of God 〈◊〉 man, to the utmost of their power? 〈◊〉 yet a blasphemous Sectarian Army!  
Do they not look upon the Scriptures as 〈◊〉 rule, and the Holy Spirit as their ●●de? and if any Presbyierian, Independent, 〈◊〉 Anabaptist come and bring not this do●…trine, they bid him not God speed? 〈◊〉 yet a blasphemous Sectarian Army!  
Do they not in all their deliverances ●●re and endeavour to give the glory to ●●d, and lay themselves at his feet, as poor ●●ruments in his hand? And yet are they blasphemous and Sectarian Army!  
Do they not grow and thrive daily more 〈◊〉 more in the knowledge of God, teach 〈◊〉 one another in psalms and hymns and spritual songs? And yet a blasphemous ●●arian Army!  
●●h not the Lord God Almighty crowned ●●r endeavours with blessed successes, and unheard of deliverances? and yet a blasphemous Sectarian Army!  
O my brethren, my brethren! Is the 〈◊〉 indeed dark to you, that you cannot 〈◊〉 Is that fallen upon you, that was threat●● upon your Tribe, Mic. 3. 6. Therefore 〈◊〉 shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vi●● and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not vine; and the sun shall go down over the Proph●● and the day shall be dark over them, etc. Is 〈◊〉 this your state at this day? Examine a li●● are you not guilty of those sins mention in this chapter, for which these plague●… darkness were sent. Examine your se●● by the Spirit of God, in the 5. vers. of 〈◊〉 third of Micah. Thus saith the Lord to Prophets, that make my people earn; that with their teeth, and cry peace; and he that 〈◊〉 teth not into their mouths, they even prepare 〈◊〉 against him. Now I do but ask you, whe●● you have not caused the people to 〈◊〉 Again, I do but ask you, whether you 〈◊〉 not bitten sorely with your teeth, of la●● Again, I do but ask you, whether you 〈◊〉 not war in your hearts against him 〈◊〉 putteth not into your mouths, or pa●… not his deuce, as you call it? Now I do 〈◊〉 ask you whether these things be so, or 〈◊〉 You do not as yet hear me charge you 〈◊〉  
Now if it be so with you, lo then here the ground why you do not behold nor ●●nnot see the Lord in all these mercies. ●●hy, it may be you have caused the people 〈◊〉 err, and bit at the Saints with your ●…eth: there is your sin (it may be) & the day dark unto you, and the sun is gone down; there the punishment.  
Many other things I might say to this: ●●t I call to mind to whom I speak; A ●●ord to the wise is or should be enough. ●●t indeed bear with me a little, for I am ●●our weak brother, and you have offended ●●e, contrary to the command of Christ, ●…ho saith, Thou shalt not offend thy weak ●●other. If you ask me wherein you have ●…ffended me? I tell you, in many things; will instance but in a few.  
First, you have caused me to stumble and ●…lmost to fall, To see you fasting, and praising, when you should be rejoicing and ●…raising; and again sometimes to see you ●…ejoicing, when others are weeping. Oh why do you call these days of deliverances ●…nd glorious appearances, suffering days, ●…uffering times!  
What, is Zions King on coming; and ●…et sad and suffering times!  
What, is the Sun rising with healing in his wings; and yet sad and suffering times  
What, hath the Enemy ceased to spoil●● and now is he spoiled? and yet sad an●… suffering times!  
Hath the Lord God brought back th●● outcast of his people, and caused them 〈◊〉 sit under their own vine? and yet sad an●… suffering times!  
What, hath the Lord made his people praise and a fame amongst and in the mid●● of those that had them in scorn and reproach? and yet sad and suffering times!  
What, is the Lord reducing Magistracies and Ministry to their primitive institution and yet sad and suffering times!  
Doth not the sword of Justice, without respect of persons or partiality, begin to be drawn out of that old scabbard, wherein it hath lain and rusted for many years? and yet sad and suffering times!  
Do we not live in an age, wherein men and women may be as good as they can, but not so wicked as they would? and yet sad and suffering times!  
Did we not lately live in such times, wherein it were safer to commit sin then to reprove sin; and now it is safer for a man to reprove sin then to commit it? and yet sad times!  
Indeed I have admired, when I have con●●ered of this, that you that should have ●●en calling upon the people to take no●…e of the wonderful incomparable good●●sse of God to this English Nation of late, ●●at so they might give the glory to God: ●●u have endeavoured either not to suffer ●●e people to take notice of it, or if you ●●uld not prevail in that, than you would hotelling the people, that this which they 〈◊〉 Mercy is no mercy, if (say you) that you 〈◊〉 consider by whom these things come  
But when I have turned over the leaves the Bible, and there taken notice that in ages, under all dispensations, there were innumerable company of that Tribe, commonly known by the name of Priests, prophet's, or Watchmen, or Seers: yet ●●ese men above all others have had their ●●ese hand in all the bloody and barbarous plots, insurrections and rebellions: ●●d to carry on these designs, have you not ●●de use of the power and strength of Em●●ours and Kings to war one with another? and by this means have not you been 〈◊〉 cause of the loss of thousands of Chri●●ns lives, their blood spilt? and all this ●●th been under the pious pretences of Reformation, Church-order, punishing 〈◊〉 Heretics, and Schismatics, and so p●●tending to reform the Church of its Here●● and Schism; on the contrary, you ha●● deformed it into Formality, Superstitio●● and Idolatry. I say, when I did a little co●…sider this, than I did not wonder that 〈◊〉 same generation of men in our days ha●●trod in their predecessors steps. Therefore now, O all ye Ministers of Engla●… that have sought yourselves more than 〈◊〉 glory of God for to you I do speak: 〈◊〉 ear a little unto me, and I will speak 〈◊〉 you the words of truth and soberness; for 〈◊〉 that I have written already, is but the co●● text or coherence. Now next will follo●… in order the division, and the doctrine, wi●● some reasons to prove the truth there●● and so I shall have done with the explication, and I will leave you to make the a●●plication, for you are wise, etc. Let me th●● begin at the beginning. As soon as ever 〈◊〉 Church of God came to be a corporat●● people, and had a Temple with Ordinance and Offices, then immediately it was peste●● with false Prophets, wicked and Idolatrous Priests; so all the Prophets all along gi●● large testimony to this. I should want bo●● time and strength to lay down the clo●● ●…f witnesses to this truth; and I have gotten ●…our patience but for a little time, where●●ore I will be brief, and in as few words 〈◊〉 I can, I shall trace this Tribe from the ●…rophet Isaiahs' days until this day, Isa. 〈◊〉 8. 7. The Priests and the Prophets have erred. Hos. 6. 9 As troops of robbers wait for a man, so ●…he company of Priest's murder in the way. Ezek. 22. 26. The Priests have violated the Law. ●…o in Hos. 6. 9 & Jer. 26. 7. And thus we ●…inde the four hundred false Prophets a●…ainst one poor Micaiah.  
Thus also was the condition of the Church of God in Eliahs' time, 1 King. 18. 19 ●…o the 23. when there were four hundred ●…nd fifty Prophets in Israel, and yet saith Elijah to the people, v. 22. I even I only remain a Prophet to the Lord.  
So in the Prophet Jeremiahs' days, Jer. 50. that whole Chapter speaks of their sins and punishment.  
So in Ezekiel his days, what unheard of wickedness did the Lord complain of to be in them; as in Ezek. 34. from the first verse to the end of the tenth verse, as you may read at large? And then the Prophet Daniel and Hosea, do not they hint at the wickedness of these men? etc.  
And then after all this, see what the Prophet Micah saith of them, Mic. 3. from th' 〈…〉 5. verse to the end of that Chapter; and 〈◊〉 from the time that the Church of Go 〈…〉 had a Temple with Ordinances and officer●● until the very time that Christ came in th' 〈…〉 flesh. You shall find that there was har●…ly ever any wicked plot discovered against Church or State, but these men have had hand in it, if not the chief contriver 〈…〉 of it.  
And so if you please to observe the Ol 〈…〉 Testament, when ever you find the Church before Christ came in the flesh, in Apostasy or declining from the true worship of God to Idolatry and Superstition, the origina●● or instrumental cause of it arose from th●… lying spirits in the mouths of the Prophets But to say no more of that, and to come 〈◊〉 little nearer home, and search the New Testament, and we shall find that when the Lord Jesus Christ came in the flesh, who were then the greatest opposers of him? were they not the learned Clergymen? yea surely: if the Scriptures be true, these were the people that were the most cruel pesecuters that Christ met with in the flesh: it is needless to give you a relation of their carriage towards Christ, the four Evangelists being but a brief history of it, there you may 〈…〉 ad of their mockings and scourge, 〈…〉 aling him before Magistrates as an evil 〈…〉 oer, as a sour of sedition, as a destroyer 〈…〉 f their Temple and Law, and as a blasphe 〈…〉 o; and who were the chiefest instruments 〈◊〉 this but the Priests, yea the high Priests, 〈…〉 he most knowing men in the Law? these 〈…〉 en called the word of Reconciliation ●●dition, and the pure doctrine of Christ 〈…〉 eresie and Blaspemy: these leaders of the ●●ople followed Christ from place to place 〈◊〉 their own persons, or in their Spies to 〈…〉 snare him in his words, and to stir up 〈…〉 e people against him, Luk. 5. 21. & 6. 7. ●●atth. 26. 3. & 15. 1. & 16. 21. Mar. 8. 11. 31. 〈◊〉 14. 1.  
And as they dealt with Christ, so after they 〈…〉 d put him to death, they meet the same ●●easure to his Apostles, almost, if not altogether: And it hath been since them the 〈…〉 d condition of the Church of Christ, for most sixteen hundred years last passed, especially since the falling away, spoken of Thess. 2. 3. to suffer by her enemies as an 〈…〉 il doer: Truth hath been persecuted for 〈…〉 ror, light for darkness, Christ for Belial; 〈…〉 d that by these men who pretended most 〈◊〉 God: They will be wolves still, but ●●ey will be in sheep's clothing, Mat. 7. 15. They will still kill you, but they will pr●●tend they do God service by it, Joh. 16. 〈◊〉  
Obj. But me thinks I hear the Learn●● Clergy of our times, saying: Why, 〈…〉 grant all this, and more; we do not no●● cannot deny but the Priests, yea the Hig●● Priests and the great learned men in tho●● days were enemies, nay the greatest en●…mies that ever Christ and his Apostles 〈◊〉 upon the earth: But what is that to 〈◊〉 we have had a learned pious zealous Cleg●● in England for many years.  
A. But let me under correction in th' 〈…〉 you to consider what pious men they ha' 〈…〉 been: And if you grant me liberty, 〈◊〉 hope you will, where shall I begin? in He 〈…〉 the eighths' time, or in Queen Mary's daye●… for all those days they were most as R 〈…〉 mish as some are now. We will begin th●● in Henry the eighth's days, when th●● Kingdom was under the height of Poper the Clergy and Laity were all cruel Papist And when the King denied the Popes S 〈…〉 primacy, and went about to demolish t●● Abbeys, which they knew was not out 〈◊〉 any pious zeal he had for Reformation but out of wrath, pride, and covetousness yet how did all the Clergy side with hi●… except a few poor Friars and Monks, th●● were all undone by it?  
Then again, in the days of Edward the ●●xt, by reason of the King's pious disposition, though but young, the Clergy feared ●●urne, and presently a great part of them ●…ll on preaching against some particular ●●ints of Popery; and in the mean time 〈…〉 e Lord Protector, with several others, ●…ere resolved to reform the Church, and presently began to abolish the Masse-book, ●●ith most of the Popish-Service, and caused ●●e Common-prayer-book to be read in ●●glish, and presently all the Clergy were ●●alous Protestants, except some four or 〈…〉 e of them, as Gardiner, Bonner, Day, etc. ●…nd then about three or four years after at 〈…〉 e most, Queen Mary was made Queen of ●●gland, and then the Clergy bethought themselves, and presently turned about ●…gaine, except a few, as Latimer and Hooper, 〈…〉 d Cranmer, and Rodgers, and Ridley, 〈…〉 c.  
Then these men began to be more cruel ●…gainst the poor Saints then ever they ●…ere before, Bonner then being Bishop of ●…ondon, if the histories be true; and truly I ●…ould not bring history to prove any thing ●●write, had I not learned it from you: but 〈◊〉 return to our matter in hand. I have ●●eard you often say, Keep close to the text in hand, and I hope I shall as near as can.  
Well then, after Queen Mary was dead and Queen Elizabeth had the room, withi●… six months, the whole Tribe of them, except somefew, turned quite about again and all turned Protestants again; in which shape, and under which visage, they ha●… continued until the beginning of th●● Parliament: they had gotten a trick to ca●● all their Antichristian Services and Popi●● Ceremonies, the Rights and Ceremoni●● of the Church of England; then all the ancient proud Prelates, with the rest of thei●… superstitious dumb Priests, must be called the Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, and Ministers of Jesus Christ: and then for th●… Tapers and Candles, Tables and Altar●… Bowings and Cringing, Tippets, Hood●… and Surplesses, Bell, Book, and Candle and what would not then go down? An●… if any should refrain to come to their A●…semblies, to worship their God in thei●… decent order, Excommunicate him, agrieve him, and at last banish him to New-England or some other remote Island, that he migh●… not disturb the peace of this most famoust flourishing Church of England.  
Well, the Parliament of England had not ●●te long, but the Wolf covered with sheep's aloathing was discovered; and after a little ●●nsideration, it was put to the Vote, then ●●ddenly after tumbled down the Prelatical Discipline root and branch, there must ●●t be any more Archbishops, Bishops, ●●eans and Chancellors, and prebend's: ●●ell, what followed? why, presently the ●●eatest part of our Clergy were become ●●alous Presbyterians: and why so? is ●●at the true discipline of Christ? why, ●…hether it be or no, it is established by a ●●w, and confirmed by a Covenant.  
Well, how do they carry themselves ●●der this Discipline? why, the change is ●●eat both for our honour and means, saith ●●e Clergy.  
First, for our honour; they will not let 〈◊〉 sit in the Lord's house, nor scarce in the ●●ssemblies Synod.  
And secondly, for our means, that did ●●long to our Tribe by inheritance; to wit, ●●e Bishops, Deans, and Chapters lands; ●●e Parliament have sold it, and gave ●●e money to their Soldiers: and to tell ●●e truth, this is the cause that many of 〈◊〉 cannot speak well of the Parliament, ●…or of the Soldiery neither, though some of our Coat have better grounds to co●…plain on them both, than this.  
Obj. But indeed deal plainly with m●… what grounds have they for their dissenti●● from, and complaining of the Parliamen●… and Army, as they do at this day?  
Minister. What grounds, dost thou sa●… why, art thou a stranger in Israel? an●… dost thou not know, that this prese●… Parliament and Army (I put them both t●…gether, for they act as one) dost thou n●● know that this present pretended Parli●…ment, for so we call them, hath deni●… that to us, which was never denied to an●… of our forefathers since King Henry th●… eighth's time until now? for though th●… Religion, both in Doctrine and Disciplin●… were often changed, as thou hast well sai●… before; yet shalt thou never find in an●… history that doth speak of these things, th●… ever there was any liberty granted to any for all men and women in the Kingdom were under the present government, were 〈◊〉 good or bad, they were to stoop to it, 〈◊〉 pay for it, by which means we had all th●… people in subjection to us in a sweet wa●… of uniformity; but now although Presby tery be established by a Law, and confirmed by a Covenant; yet notwithstanding this pretended Parliament doth suffer a blashemous factious Sectarian generation of ●●en and women, commonly called and ●●owne by the names of Independent and Anabaptist, to Preach Publicly and privately, by which means they have drawn way many of our most hopeful hearers, ●●nd loving Parishioners, and if we should ●●t them alone, we fear that all men will ●…unne after them; and by this means our ●…inistery is slighted, and our persons despised, and our deuce lessened; and dost ●…ou think that we can hold our peace? ●…ake it thine own case, and thou wilt not ●…lame us. But to deal plainly, we have ●…reater grounds (some of us) than all this, ●…ut I forbear to name them.  
Answ. I must confess, that these things ●…hat you have named have something in ●…hem; so that unless a man hath more than ●…ature, he cannot bear it; but I hope  things of some of you, although I thus ●…peak: it is true, if your tongues were your ●…wne, you ought to speak, and plead for ●…our honour, credit and profit. But after ●…ll these things do the Gentiles seek, Matth. 〈◊〉. 32.  
There is but one thing more in what ●…ou have said to be answered, and that is that Uniformity; it is true, it were to be 〈◊〉 sired, and it would be sweet to see it 〈◊〉 but we may not expect to have it in the fullness thereof until that Scripture is fulfilled, Isa. 11. 9 See the 6, 7. & 8. verses.  
As long as a people agree in things su●…stantial, things circumstantial are to 〈◊〉 borne with, for we cannot see all by o●● man's eyes; there are babes, and they m●● have milk, and there be young men th●● can eat strong meat, and there be old me●… that are going on to perfection, which a●● in a higher form than the two forme●… And the Apostle saith, As every one hath r●…ceived Christ, so let him walk in him. But le●… all men be sure that they have a warran●… for what they do; there is a rule for th●… Master, and another for the servant; a rul●… for the Husband, another for the wife; then is a rule for the Father, and another for th●… child, and yet all from one and the sam●… God: so there is a rule for the ●…abe that i●… in Christ, and another for the young ma●… that is in Christ, and another for the ol●… men that are in Christ; yet all from on●… God by one Spirit made good to us in on●… Lord Jesus Christ. But I have heard some of you render other reasons of your dissenting from the Parliament and Army. shall but only name one of them, and that this. You say, both the Parliament and ●…rmy, in their principles and practice, do ●●derstand the Covenant in a way wherein ●●ey do take to themselves a greater latitude ●●en ever the Covenant intended, if not ●…int-blank break it. To which I answer, they do so, it is more than I know: I say, they do understand the Covenant in a ●●y wherein they do give it too large a la●…ude, that I cannot clearly see: But this do clearly see and know, That you, or ●…ost of you do draw or spin it out beyond ●●e staple, I, into so small a thread, that it ●…ll not hold the weaving. My meaning is, ●●u go about to make the Covenant speak ●●d tie men, wherein it doth not. But I ●●bear; for if I should go to particulars ●●rein, it would rise to a greater Volume ●●en all this little Book.  
But it may be you have not been kindly ●●alt with by this Parliament, and therefore you complain of them. If so, let me ●●ll you, this is but to render evil for evil. Pet. 3. 9 Let no man render evil for evil.  
But if you reply and say, that I do re●●ire that of others that I do not practise ●●y self: Then let me answer for myself ●●d speak plainly, and I must confess, that if any man have occasion to speak again the Parliament, I more: for if I shoul●… yield to nature, I should speak more again them than most of you do; for they ha●● not dealt kindly with me, as I suppose●… could instance in many things, I will me●…tion but a few; as first, I have ever from th●● first been on their side, and serviceable un●● them either in body or purse: besides, whe●● I have heard any treachery against them, have discovered it, I have endeavoured a●…wayes from the first until now, and ho●● I shall, to vindicate them when I have hear●… them spoken against, as I have often according to my ability to the uttermost; and 〈◊〉 the reward I have received from them 〈◊〉 temporals, is soon reckoned, just nothing yet all I expected from them. I have le●● money upon the Public faith, which ha●● been often promised, but never a farthings paid. Again, I lost mine estate by sidin●… with them, and standing for them: I wa●● in a banished condition, one hundred an●… forty miles from home, for the space o●… two full years; in which time it had bee●… no less than present death to me once t●… appear in my native Country amongst 〈◊〉 own Kindred, and all for siding with them and since I have returned home again, (th●● ●●mighty God making the way open, ●…hose name I desire for ever to praise) I ●…ve not meddled with any of the Parlia●…ents profitable places as Excise or Custom 〈◊〉 recruit my losses; yet ever since I have ●●en still under hard Taskmasters in point 〈◊〉 payment, as Contribution, Excise, and ●●e like, according to their necessity, and ●●ine ability. And yet I dare not speak a ●●ord against them, nor have a hard thought 〈◊〉 them: For the Lord is with them, and ●…ath told me that deliverance is coming, ●…ut I am too sudden in mine expecting deliverances. And as long as I behold the ●●ord with them, I shall not think any thing ●…oo dear for them.  
And now (if you will know) this is the ●…eason that you grieve me, when you ●…reach and pray against them, as I have ●…ften heard you. And therefore bear a ●…ittle with me, if I do a little blame ●…ou.  
Again, I would fain be satisfied of these ●●nsuing particulars: they be not Charges, ●…ut Queries, wherein I am a little unsatisfied, viz.  
1. From whom did you receive your Commission? Who made you Ministers? God, or man?  
2. By what power do you stand in th●● Ministry? you despise the Magisteri●… power, and also the Military power, as●… humbly conceive, by your disowning 〈◊〉 yourselves, and teaching others so 〈◊〉 do.  
3. Whose work do you do, God's 〈◊〉 man's? if you have received your Commi●…sion from him, it will appear by you●… practise in doing his work.  
First, from whom did you receive you●… Commission? who made you Minister's 〈◊〉 God, or men? I propound this to you, th●… rather because many men of understanding I hear say, That your calling to, an●… standing in the Ministry, is from Anti●… christ: Others say that you be called o●… men, but not of God; and both these have very strong arguments to prove what th●… say, and I (being weak) cannot answe●… them, wherefore I propound it to you●… They say further, that you were fitted for 〈◊〉 the Ministry at Oxford or Cambridge, and ordained to it by the Anti-Bishops.  
Now if this be true, I am very much unsatisfied in your calling to the Ministry, because Oxford and Cambridge be but humane and literal Schools, and cannot give knowledge in spiritual things; and if so, the●… other man may be as spiritual as you ●…t never was there; and if as spiritual as ●●u, why is not he fit to speak of spiritual ●●ngs publicly and privately as well as you. Again, they say, that you were ordained the Ministry by the late Popish Bishops ●●ich are now voted down both root and ●●nch, as Antichristian; and if those that ●●d ordain were Antichristian, what are ●●ose that he ordained? (you are wise, I will ●●ve you to judge) and if I might be ●…ought worthy to give you advice, declare your several Congregations, your disowning that fleshly carnal ordination, as ●…lessed be God) some few of your Coat ●●ve already done; and if you do it, do it ●…eedily, for many of you will be laid aside ●…eedily; the day gins to be dark over the ●…rophets, as in Mic. 3. 6. And the Lord will ●…eake to his people by a stammering lip, and ano●…er tongue, as in Isa. 28. 11.  
Secondly, by what power do you stand ●…n the Ministry? you despise the present ●…agisterial power, and also you disowne ●…he Military power, and these were the two ●…aine pillars that have borne up your ●…ribe ever since King, Henry the eighth's ●…aies, as hath been largely proved before; ●…nd I am confident, that u●…l●…sse you do improve all your policy and wisdom, a●● that speedily too, (for the business w●… not admit of delays) you will be laid a 〈…〉 for the most part. If I were by you, that might whisper a word or two in your ea●● I would tell you of other things which am confident will come to pass speedily but I hope the Seers do see.  
3. The third Quaerie is, Whose work 〈◊〉 you do? If you be made able Ministers 〈◊〉 the Gospel, than you are faithful labour●● in your Master's vineyard: If you have r●…ceived your commission from Christ, it wil●… be known to us by your doing his wor●… Now the people of this Nation, or many 〈◊〉 them at least, are muttering and saying, th●● you be not like to your master Christ. 〈◊〉 ask them wherein it doth appear that yo●… are unlike to him? They will produ●… many particulars; I will mention but few, viz.  
1. You (say they) be unlike to Christ i●● this: Christ did reprove and blame thos●… and only those that were reprovable an●… blame-worthy; and that to their face●… never behind their backs, as hath been observed by you. The Scripture saith, Spea●… evil of no man! and he that doth, the Scripture calls him Backbiter. Now it hath bee●… served, that you have cried out exceed●…gly against a people, that have been some●…es an hundred miles from you; Not ●●ce, but often; and that not in the spirit ●…meeknesse, but in passion. Now the Pro●…ets before Christ, that were good, did ●…ver do so; neither did the Apostles after ●…rist ever do so; as I can find. Those that 〈◊〉 the true Prophets of Christ, will with ●…icaiah speak the truth to Ahab, although ●●th him they be beheaded for it, 1 King. 〈◊〉. 8. They will with Nathan tell David ●…hou art the man, 2 Sam. 12. 7. They that be ●…e Lords true and faithful Prophets, will ●…ith Nehemiah tell the Princes and Rulers 〈◊〉 their faces, that they oppress the people with ●…xes, Nehem. 5. 7. Also the Lord commanded ●…eremiah, that he should speak the mind of the ●…ord to the faces of the people, 1 Jer. 17. The ●…ue and faithful Prophets of the Lord must ●…ith Amos preach the death of Jeroboam ●…nd captivity of Israel, not behind their ●…acks, but at Bethel in the King's chapel, ●…lthough with Amos they be beheaded for 〈◊〉, Amos 7. 12, 13. Yea, they ought with the ●…rophet Zechariah to tell the Rulers and ●…eople of Israel to their faces, That because ●…hey had forsaken the Lord, the Lord had forsaken ●…hem; Although by the command of the King, with Zechariah they be stoned for 2 Chron. 24. 20, 21. In a word, (to add n●… more) they will with John Baptist t●… Herod to his face, th●…t it is not lawful fo●… him to have his Brother's wife, althoug●… with him they be beheaded for is, Mar. 〈◊〉 18, 19  
Now whether the Prophets of our daye●… be like unto these Prophets, I wi●…l appeal●… to all England to judge.  
2. The people are saying, that there is vast difference between Christ and his Apo●…stles, and you: For Christ and his Apostle did feed the people with true bread; and you make the people believe, you feed them with bread in their Father's house, and you feed them with husks, and that among swine. Whereas you should feed his lambs, and give every one his meat in due season; it is observed that most of you (for I speak not of all) do tie yourselves to one Text and one Method, one road and way; so that for the most part you do not reach every man's condition. You be like unto Christ, when you are carried forth with a sweet temper of love to all men, as Christ was. Now there be two sorts of men.  

First, Saints.  
Secondly, Sinners.   
To begin with the last.  
1. There are sinners, and they are of two ●…rts.  

1. Ignorant.  
2. Profane.   
First, Ignorant: to these you should hold ●…rth those means that Christ hath appointed to enlighten them.  
Secondly, Profane: deal with these as ●…rist and his Apostles d●…alt with such men the spirit of meekness, instructing those at oppose themselves.  
Secondly, than there are also in your ●●ongregations some few godly men and ●…omen, sons and daughters, and these 〈◊〉 of two sorts.  

1. Weak.  
2. Strong.   
First, weak bruised reeds, and smoking flax; these must have have milk, these ●…ust not be received to doubtful disputa●…ons. These be Lambs, do as Christ, carry ●…em in your bosoms: O let these have ●…eir meat in due season; you may not ●…spise these weak ones, nor grieve them.  
Secondly, those that be more strong, ●…ercome them with love, 1 Pet. 3. 8, 9 Feed ●…ese with food convenient for them. Build ●…emup in their most holy saith. We find Paul in 14. Rom. give two directions to t●… weak Saints, and two directions to t●… strong Saints.  

1. To the weak, that they should n●… envy the strong Saints in the use of the liberty.  
2. That they being weak, should n●… do those things that the strong did, wi●… a galled conscience.   
Then he gave two directions to t●● strong Saints.  
First, that they should not despise t●● weak.  
Secondly, that they should not grie●… the weak.  
Now my brethren, you have all th●… sorts of people (I suppose) in your 〈◊〉 Congregations: do you give every one 〈◊〉 meat in due season? are you indeed li●● Christ in this? whether you are or no, will appeal to all impartial hearer's 〈◊〉 judge.  
Thirdly, again I hear the people sa●…ing of you; That if you were the faith full Ministers of Christ, you would spen●… more time to seek his honour, and les●… time in seeking your own honour: Man of you are often praying to God to kee●… up the honour of the Ministry; but we ha●… 〈◊〉 more need be praying to Almighty God establish a true Ministry, and then the ●●rd will undoubtedly keep up their ho●●ur. Why, my brethren, it is your work, it was Paul's, to have Christ alone exalted. ●●t may it not be said of many of you, That ●●u seek your own things in the first ●●ace, and the things of Christ in the ●●ond place? Do you give the glory of all 〈◊〉 good you do to God, as Paul did? Cor. 15. 10. But I laboured more than ●●●y all, yet not I, but the grace of God in ●●e.  
Do you so exalt Christ, as to be nothing yourselves, as he did? I am not worthy to called an Apostle, saith he: Again he saith himself, he was the greatest of sinners: ●●d then again in another place, I am less ●●n the least of all Saints: And then again, desire to know nothing among you but Jesus ●●rist and him crucified. Now I appeal to ●…ur own consciences, whether this be your practise.  
Fourthly, again I hear the people ●…eaking of you, and saying, That you be 〈◊〉 like to Christ in this also, you put too ●●gh a price upon gifts, and too low a ●●ice upon grace. Hence it is, that you cry 〈◊〉 one so frequently, and speak of the other so co●…dly: They say, and I do almost ●● lief it, that you carry up into the pulpi●… whole glass full of humane learning an●… wisdom, so varnished and coloured ove●… that the world hath taken it for spiritu●… things, and so millions of poor souls ha●● been deluded by it for the space of man●… years. Now if I might be thought worth●● let me ask you, Did ever Christ and h●… Apostles cry it up so exceedingly? nay ●● ther did not they lay it by in the things ●● God? view well the first book of the Cor●…tians, and the two first Chapters. Now w●… set up humane wisdom in competitio●… with Christ, when we make it absolute●… necessary for the dispensation of the Go●… spell, yea such an essential qualification, as without it none could be enabled for th●… holding forth the word of life. Now th●● doth detract from the all-sufficiency ●● Christ, as if he could not furnish his Sain●… with the tongue of the learned, to speak word in season to those that are wear●… without those humane arts and parts. I d●… not speak against learning, for it is excellen●… in its place; A good servant, but an ill M●…ster: and indeed it is no new thing to hea●… the learned Clergy cry out so much again●… these poor illiterate mechanic fellows, fo●… ●…h were Christ and the Apostles esteemed their forefather s●● 〈◊〉 this the Carpenters ●…ne? Matth. 13. 55. Mar. 4. 5.  
So in Act. 4. when Peter and John were ●…ought before the high Priests, when they ●…v the boldness of them, and perceived ●…t they were unlearned and ignorant ●…n, they marvelled, and they took know●…ge of them that they had been with ●…us. These Priests do outstrip many of ●…r Priests, for they will scarce take notice ●…any, whom they call unlearned, to have ●…en with Jesus. O all ye Nations in the ●●rld, beware of the Wolf that comes in ●…eps clothing, Matth. 7. 15. and of that ●…st that hath a horn like a Lamb, Rev. ●…. 11.  
I had many more things to inquire of ●…u, I will but name them now, and ex●…aine them hereafter, viz.  
First, I would ask you, if the truth of God ●…eak forth in the face of Jesus Christ in ●…n destitute of learning, whether there ●…th not appear the more of God, and less man?  
Secondly, I would ask you, whether all ●…e grand errors, now in Rome, France, ●…d Little England, were not brought in ●… first by great learned men in humanity?  
Thirdly, I would ask you, whether ●● greatest persecutors that ever Christ and Apostles met with all, were not the great learned men, the chief Priests and Rabbi●●  
Fourthly, I would ask you, whet●●● when the Lord Christ was upon Earth, 〈◊〉 prophesied of the Persecution of his Chu●● in all ages, especially towards the la●● days; whether Christ hath not fore 〈…〉 us that it shall be persecuted by the 〈◊〉 learned Clergy, coming to us in should 〈…〉 clothing, Matth. 7. 15. and having ho 〈…〉 like a Lamb, Revel. 13. 11.  
Fifthly, I would ask you, whether 〈◊〉 not so at this day? and whether amongst 〈◊〉 Ministry there be not many great Sch●…lars in humanity, mere ignorants in Dignity?  
Sixthly, I would ask you, whether 〈◊〉 mane learning in an erroneous man do not prove the greatest enemy to truth?  
Seventhly, I would ask you, whether 〈◊〉 do not think in your conscience, that 〈◊〉 men and women in this Nation at this 〈◊〉 be not deceived? and if so, then let me 〈◊〉 you who deceived them? See Matt. 24.  
Eightly, Let me ask you whether the L 〈…〉 Christ is not now beginning to advance Kingly glory, in reducing Magistracy 〈◊〉 ministry to its primitive institution? and ●●o, than most of you must become new 〈…〉 n, or else you will be laid aside. I had 〈…〉 ny more things to propound, but I call 〈…〉 mind your patience which is not great, 〈◊〉 mine own promise, which was that I 〈…〉 uld be brief; and so I leave you as I ●●nd you, so far your friend as you are ●●ists and his Churches, etc.   

A brief Epistle to the World.  
MY friends, I find it written Joh. 3. 〈◊〉 That God so loved the world, that he 〈◊〉 his only begotten Son, that whosoever believe him should not perish, but have everlasting 〈◊〉 Again, the Lord doth express his love & willingness to save them, with an oath too, greatest that ever he took, Ezekiel 33. 10, As I live saith the Lord God, I have no pleasur●… the death of the wicked, but that he turn from way and live. Turn ye, turn ye, why will die O house of Israel? Again, this loving G●● hath laid his command upon me, Matt●… 44, etc. But I say unto you, love your enem●● bless them that curse you, do good to them 〈◊〉 hate you, and pray for those that despitefully you and persecute you, that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; fo●… maketh the Sun to rise upon the just and un 〈…〉 and sendeth rain upon the good and upon the 〈◊〉 Now I cannot tell wherein I might exp 〈…〉 my love to you, more than in these th' 〈…〉 things, viz. To show you your misery, the causes thereof, and then the remedy. these three things as the grounds, I 〈◊〉 ●●iefly and plainly speak, not distinctly or particularly, being straightened in my time ●●ore than in my love.  
My friends, It is commonly reported ●●t the Lawyer and the Physician do live the two ill humours of man; the one of 〈◊〉 Body, the other of the Mind: and may not as truly say, that the Covetous ●●wyer and the pretended Minister do cheat 〈◊〉 people, the one in Temporals, the other Spirituals? Hence it is, that the Lord de●●unceth a Woe against the one, as Luk. 11. 〈◊〉. 52. compared together; and a Woe, woe, 〈◊〉 against the other, as you may see at 〈…〉 ge, Matt. 23. 13, 15. Oh poor souls! ●●ould even weep to consider, what a sad ●●ndition you are in; First, in your bodies ●●d estates; one while, in comes the Lawyer 〈◊〉 his Bribes, next the Collectors for Contribution, and anon or the next day the ●●nister or his Clerk for his Deuce or 〈…〉 thes; and when these be gone, the soldiers are on their March, and must ●●ve quarter for a while, and so what the 〈…〉 rmer have left, these take. I know these 〈…〉 e your complaints, and I cannot altogether blame yond; for as long as your treasure 〈◊〉 upon the earth, it is almost as easy to part ●…ith one's blood as with ones goods.  
But my friends, these are but the least your Cheats, for there be ravening Wol 〈…〉 that do by't closer, and yet never bar 〈…〉 these before mentioned do but deprive y●● of temporals, but these Wolves do ch●●● you in spirituals; the former do but 〈◊〉 the door of your earthly comforts up 〈…〉 you, but these that I now speak of do 〈◊〉 the door of Heaven against you: See Ma 〈…〉 23. 13, 15, 16. O these Teachers of yo●● that you have so long cried up for bram 〈…〉 Churchmen and great Scholars, these ha' 〈…〉 brought in all their humane learning varnished and painted over, that you poo 〈…〉 souls have taken it to be spiritual thing●… and so millions of poor souls are deceiv●● by them: these Wolves came to you sheep's clothing, and after a little whi●● made you believe that you were Christian●… and so gave you the Sacrament of the Lor●● Supper, and Baptised your Children, an●… perhaps made you members of their Co●…gregations, and called you brethren; b 〈…〉 these men have cheated you, they have ma●● you believe that they have fed you wi●● Bread and that in your Father's house, b 〈…〉 they have fed you with Husks, and that 〈◊〉 'mong Swine: Let me tell you, that you Faith, your Hope, your Patience and Sel●… denial is not the Faith, Hope, Patience and ●…elf-denial of the Gospel; your assurance 〈…〉 r Heaven is unfound; you have been daw 〈…〉 d with untempered mortar: the day is al●…ost come that thou must die, & after death 〈…〉 me to judgement, and then be judged ac●…rding to thy works: Then if thou dost ●●ant Oil in thy Lamp, which is Grace in 〈…〉 e heart, thou wilt be shut out; it will be 〈◊〉 vain then with Balaam to fall a praying, 〈…〉 ord let me die the death of the righteous, and let 〈◊〉 latter end be like his: No, no, He that will 〈◊〉 the death of the righteous, must live the life of 〈◊〉 righteous. Those that he appointed for ●●ory hereafter, shall have the beginning of ●●ace here, for they be chosen to salvation ●…rough sanctification of the Spirit and be 〈…〉 of of the truth; and without holiness no man ●●all see the Lord. Your Leaders have caused 〈…〉 ou to err; the blind hath led the blind, and 〈…〉 th' will fall into the ditch, unless you be●…are in time.  
O poor Souls! I cannot blame you to ●…omplain of bad suffering times, to be thus ●…heated on every side; you have but a Body ●…nd a Soul; and to be deceived and depri●…ed of the comfortable being of the one ●…here, and to have no assurance of rest for ●…he other hereafter, is a sad condition indeed. Oh how be the people destroyed for want of knowledge! Like Priest, like People, as in Hos. 4. 6, 9 The Prophets there of do teach for hire, and the Priests divine for money, and you poor simple ones love to hav●… it so: O you simple ones, how long will ye lov●… simplicity, and you scorners delight in scorning 〈◊〉 you are deceived, and by those that you least mistrusted, namely the Prophets, Mich. 3. 5. Do 〈…〉 but spend a little time, and tracethis Trib●● from the Prophet Isaiah's days until now 〈…〉 First, Isaiah complains of them in his days, Isai. 28. 7. Jeremy complains of them in hi●… days, J●●. ●…0. 6. and Ezekiel the Prophe●● complain of them in his days, Ezek. 22. 26. So the Prophets, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, and Amos; these also complains of the badness of this generation. Then the Prophet Micah he complains of their sins, and prophesieth of their judgements, Mich. 3. from v. 5. to the end of the Chapter.  
Then when Christ came in the flesh, h●… was opposed by them, and complains o 〈…〉 them, Matt. 23. 13, 15, 16. then the Apostles themselves were continually persecuted and afflicted from time to time by them, as you may read in the Acts of the Apostles.  
And if there be any truth in Histories, see what a sort of Ministry there were in Henry 〈…〉 eighth's days: when the King denied Pope's Supremacy, how soon did this 〈…〉 be face about and side with the King? 〈…〉 en again, in the days of Edward the sixth, unreason of his pious resolution, though 〈◊〉 young, the Clergy feared a turn, and presently fell a preaching against the Mass 〈…〉 ok, and it was soon abolished, and the common-prayer-book set up in its place; ●●d these men zealous Common-Prayer●●ok men. And then about three or four ●…ars after that Queen Mary was made ●…ueen, the Clergy bethought themselves, ●●d presently the greatest part of them tur●●d about again, from Common-Prayer●●ok to Masse-Book; for say they, the difference is not great.  
Then after Queen Mary was dead, and Queen Elizabeth had the Crown●…, pre●…ently the whole tribe of them, except some ●●w, turned Protestants again; under which shape, and in which visage they have ●…ontinued until the beginning of this pre●…ent Parliament: Well, the Parliament had not sat long, but the Wolf covered with Sheep's clothing was discovered; and after a little consideration it was put to the Vote, and suddenly after tumbled down the Prelatical discipline root and branch: Well, what follows? why, our Clergy for 〈◊〉 most part threw aside their Surplice Hoods and Tippets, Organs, and Altar●● Bowings and Cringing, Tapers and Ca●…dles, and perk up into the Pulpit, an●… lifts up their voices, and preach again those things; and so became the reveren●● laborious, zealous Ministers of England. thou desirest a fuller discovery of this look into what I have written before, ca●…led A word to the pretended Minister, and neither of these will _____ satisfy thee, if thou wil●… see the Wolf stripped of his Sheep's clothing indeed, then look into the Chronicles 〈◊〉 England, Scotland, and Ireland; Mr. Fox hi●… book of Acts and Monuments of th●… Church and his History of Martyrs, etc.  
O then, take heed how you hear! Luke 8. 18●… take heed whom you hear, Jer. 27. 9 take hee●… what you hear, Mark 4. 24. Beloved, I have not written these things to take off your affections from the true Ministers of the Gospel, but to disengage your hearts & affections from the ravening Wolves, that the Lord Christ hath commanded me and you to beware of, Matt. 7. 15, and Acts 20. 29. and Joh. 10. 12. Again, Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God, 1 Joh. 4. 1. For many deceivers are entered into the ●…orld, 2 Joh. 7. These things have I written ●…nto you concerning them that seduce you; 1 Joh. 〈◊〉. 26. Now that you might take heed whom you hear, how you hear, and what ●…ou hear, and that you might not believe ●…very spirit, but try the spirits, whether ●…hey be of God: I shall (under correction) ●…nd with submission to better judgements ●…ive my thought of the one & of the other, ●…nd endeavour to put a difference between 〈◊〉 Prelate and a Pilate, a Feeder and a Flee●…er, a Blinde-beetle and a Seer, a Butcher ●…nd a Shepherd, a Destroyer and an Instru●…ter, a Tyrant and a Father, a Thief and a Keeper, a Seducer and a Leader, a ravening Wolf and a moderate Shepherd; that so ●…ou might cast off the one, and embrace the other: and truly herein I cannot speak in ●…allibly, but give my thoughts at a distance, ●…or Satan hath transformed himself into an Angel of light, and his works are more my●…terious than ever; the Lord cannot have ●…is Church, but the Devil will have his Chapel; if they will have Ordinances, he will have them too; if they will congregate themselves together by uniting in one spirit, Satan and his company will unite together in one form of communion, and afterwards teach union: If the true Church of Christ will teach first the Doctrinal par 〈…〉 and then the practical part; Satan wi〈…〉 allow his Ministers to preach the same, on●…ly with this difference, he will put the●● upon building before they have laid th●● foundation; if the true Church will buil●… upon the rock, Satan and his compan●… will build too, but his foundation must 〈◊〉 laid on sand. I shall now endeavour 〈◊〉 give my judgement of the pretended Min●…ster first, and then of the true Minist●● next, that so you might hold to the o 〈…〉 and forsake the other.  
A false Prophet or Minister then may 〈◊〉 known, viz.  
1. He is one that doth cause the peopl●… to err, Mich. 3. 5.  
2. He doth bark at the Sheep an●… by't at the Lambs, and teach others so t●… do. Mich. 3. 5, 6. But God will write sham●… upon them. Vers. 7.  
3. He is one that doth seek and se●● up himself, 1 Pet. 5. 3. and 1 Tit. 11.  
4. He is one that seeks not to gain souls to Christ but rather to make divisions and factions, Act. 20. 30.  
5. Although they pretend to it, they take no care of the flock of Christ, Joh. 10. 13. 2 Pet. 2. 3. Acts 20. 29.  
6. They may be known by this also, ●…ot withstanding all pretences of Piety; ●…ou shall find them profane either in ●…rinciples or practice: 2 Pet. 2. 14, 18. ●…ud. 4. 2 Tim. 3. 9 13.  
7. They deny and overthrow most ●…f the substantial points in Religion un●●er specious pretences, 2 Pet. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 〈◊〉. 18.  
8. They may be known by this all 〈…〉 o, they will pretend an interest in God, and an enjoyment of God, and so set up themselves, and speak evil of others. 2 Pet. 10 vers. 18, 19  
9 They do break the bruised reeds and quench the smoking flax; strengthen the hands of the wicked, and weaken the Saints, just as their forefathers left upon record and written for their learning, Ezek. 34, 2, 3, etc.  
10. When these men do suffer as evil doers, and that justly, they will be telling their Congregations it is suffering times, and they suffer for Christ; when alas poor souls! you do now suffer for being enemies to Christ and his people: you are a little buffeted, but is it not for your faults? have you not of late backslided from Presbytery to Cavalierisme? What would become of England this day, if the English Nation had been ruled by you as the Scotti●● Nation was by their Clergy? Blood criet 〈…〉 for vengeance in England and Scotland; an●… as for these things that you call suffering fo●… Christ, let me tell you, these be but the beginnings of sorrow to you.  
Now as for these false Prophets and pretended Ministers, and ravening Wolves; le●… me tell them that their trade is at the best those days of cheating do shorten apace●… their work is almost at an end; they or a 〈…〉 least some of them may continue some months, but not many years, for Antichrist is going down, and then I am sur●… you cannot stand up; surely, his time is very short, death-pangs are upon him, he is now breathing his last gasp, for he hath played his last game, and is discovered in his subtlest defigne, Sheep's clothing and Lambs horns will no longer deceive; the Wolf is stripped and the Beast discovered, and the stormy night of affliction is almost past with the Church; the time of the singing of Birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard, though ye like liars are telling the people that these Birds are Birds of prey.  
Then the true Ministers of the Gospel ●…ay be known by these and the like Characters, viz.  
1. He that is a faithful Minister of Je●●s Christ, will seek the honour of Christ be●●re his own good, Act. 3. 12, 13, etc.  
2. A true Minister of the Gospel is 〈◊〉 fare from Monopolising the Trade of ●…reaching to himself (& a few of his Coat) ●●at he could wish in his heart with Moses ●…hat all the Lords people were Prophets, ●…umb. 11. 29. And with Paul rejoice that ●…he Gospel is preached, whether it be in ●…retence or truth. Christ is preached; and 〈◊〉 do therein rejoice, and I will rejoice, Phil. 18.  
3. A true Minister of the Gospel is ●…xperienced in the mystery; he accounts ●…he history dark without the mystery, 〈◊〉 Cor. 2, 4. 10. 13. and 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17. and 〈◊〉 Joh. 1. 3.  
4. He is or aught to be faithful ●…o dispense the Word of God in conscience ●…nto God, freely, not as pleasing men. 1 Thess. 24. 1 Cor. 4. 1, 2. and 1 Pet. 4. 10, 11. 1 Tim. 1. 12. and 2 Cor. 4. 2. 5. and 1 Cor. 9 16.  
5. He is one that is pure in Doctrine and holy and unblamable in life and conversation, 1 Tim. 4. 12. 1 Tim. 2. 7.  
6. He is or aught to be one that is sou●● and well-grounded in himself, that so 〈◊〉 might speak from experience. Rom. 15. 1●… & 1 Cor. 11. 23. 1 Tim. 3. 6. Tit. 1. 9 〈◊〉 Tit. 1. 1.  
7. He is or aught to be skilful in d●…viding to every one his portion, that 〈◊〉 may not give children's bread to dogs, an●… Dogs meat to children, as most do in th●●● days. 2 Tim. 2. 15. Tit. 2. 1. 7. 15.  
8. He that is a faithful Minister of Chri●● may be known by his tenderness & gentleness towards his Flock, as a Father, Shepherd, and Nurse. Act. 20. 28. I Pet. 5. 〈◊〉 1 Thess. 2. 11. 1 Cor. 3. 2.  
9 He is one that accounts no time no●… place unfit or unseasonable to reprove, r●● book, exhort, with all long suffering an●… doctrine, 2 Tim. 4. 2. 1 Tim. 4. 15. Rom●… 12. 7.  
10. He is or aught to be one that dot●… freely and fully dispense the truth, and no●… thing but the truth. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Act. 20. 27●… 1 John 1. 3.  
11. If he be a Scholar in humane schools he lays that by whiles he is preaching th●● Gospel. 1 Cor. 2. 3, 4. 1 Cor. 9 19, 22●… 1 Cor. 3. 2. 1 Cor. 14. 18, 19  
12. He endeavours to carry himself so 〈◊〉 that he may give no offence to any one in ●…ny thing. 2 Cor. 6. 3, 4, 5, 6.  
13. He is one that may be known by this ●●so: If he hath aught against any man, ●●ther superiors or inferiors, either King, ●…arliament or Common wealth, he will re●…rove them sharply, yet with the spirit of ●…eeknesse, and that to their faces, not rail ●…ehind their backs. 1 King. 22. 8. & 2 Sam▪ ●…2. 7. Nehem. 5. 7. Jer. 1. 17. Amos 7. 12. 13. 〈◊〉 Chron. 24. 20. 21. Mar. 6. 18.  
14. A true and faithful Minister of the ●…ospel, will not do a thing that is lawful, ●●nlesse it be expedient also. See an instance ●●r this in your brother Paul, 2 Thess. 3. 9 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 9 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Here we find Paul ●…ad power, and it was lawful for him to ●…equire wages for preaching, but it was ●…ot expedient, and therefore he would not ●…o it, 2 Thess. 3. 8. 1 Cor. 9 12, 15, etc.  
Now where there be men of this chara●…er, whether they have received Ordination ●…rom Prelacy or Presbytery yea or no, or ●…ave renounced such their admission to the ●…inistry (as many of them have done upon ●…ound terms, and so must the rest, or else ●…hey will be laid aside both by God & man) 〈◊〉 say, of such men I am fully satisfied; I ●…onour them, I love them, I embrace them, as the servants of Christ, and leaders of h●● people: Yet I shall endeavour with th●… Bereans, when I hear them preach, to sear●● the Scriptures, to see whether they spea●● according to that rule: because I know, 〈◊〉 the best, they be but men, and know but in pa●● and may err in vision, and stumble in judgement.  
Now if thou examine our present Ministry by these and the like Rules, thou wi●● see how few there are, that may be trul●… called the Learned, laborious, zealou●… pious, faithful Ministers of Christ Jesus And when thou hast found such a faithfu●● Minister, esteem him highly for his work●… sake; for the feet of those that bring th●… glad tidings of peace are beautiful. But o●… poor souls! you have been deceived by th●… Deceivers, and devoured by the ravenin●… Wolves: wherefore if you will be undeceived, you must be untaught again, and begi●● at the first principles of religion. The wa●● to become rich, is to see yourselves poor 〈◊〉 and the way to be wise, is to become a fool 〈◊〉 and the way to get Christ, is to see the wan●● of Christ.  
Oh claim thy common interest in th●… promises! for they be made to sinners, and as a sinner thou hast an interest in them▪ and for thy direction herein, read my first ●…ok called A word to the World. Read also ●…at blessed place, Job 33. 27. 28. Joh. 3. 16. ●…ev. 22. 17. Mat. 11. 28. Isa. 55. 7. Isa. 53. 56. Cor. 5. 19, 20, 21.  
〈◊〉 brief Epistle to all the Lambs, that through 〈◊〉 a Providence have not been devoured by the 〈◊〉 Wolves.  
O You most noble, overcoming Saints, sons of Zion, and servants of the ●…ost High God Awake, awake; Put on 〈◊〉 strength O Zion, put on thy beautiful garments 〈◊〉 Jerusalem. Thou holy City, give ear a 〈…〉 le, silence thy own thoughts, and thou 〈…〉 lt hear the Lord Christ calling and say 〈…〉 g, Arise my beloved and come away: for the 〈◊〉 is dawning, and the daystar arising in your 〈…〉 rts. Take the wings of hope, and fly in 〈…〉 the air of comfort, where thy treasure 〈◊〉 Behold, Christ cometh, leaping upon 〈◊〉 mountains, and skipping upon the hills. 〈…〉 s the voice of my well-beloved, saying, open to 〈◊〉 my sister, my spouse. Oh how often did he 〈…〉? how earnestly did he knock? how powerfully did he strive? how long did he wait upon you, before mine, and yo●… stubborn hard hearts would yield obe●…ence to his desires: if he had never lov●… you, you had never loved him; if he h●● never drawn you, you had never com●… if he had never sought you, you had be●… yet straying in the wildrnesse of fin●● Listen a little, for he knocks at the do●● of thy heart; open to him, bid him t 〈…〉 possession of that which is his own; and th●● O the breathe, and celestial streamin●… forth of love that be between the Crea 〈…〉 and this creature! Oh how doth the so 〈…〉 dance and leap for joy! Oh how is it 〈◊〉 vished with the presence of him so mu●● longed for! Oh how doth the love Christ affect the soul, and even transpo●● the heart to admiration! All the pangs 〈◊〉 the new birth, all the throws of its trave●● all its after-births of sorrow, are now fo●…gotten, and swallowed up in ravishment For me to live, saith the soul, is Christ, and die is gain. I will not fear though the tr●● should yield no fruit, the fields no meat, 〈◊〉 flocks perish from the stall, yet I will, saith 〈◊〉 soul with Job, bless the name of the Lo●● yea I will rejoice in the name of the Lord, for 〈◊〉 the time of famine he will feed me. The plagu●… of Egypt, the botches of Job, the enem●● 〈◊〉 David, the imprisonment of Joseph, the ●●verty of Lazarus, the bonds of Paul, can●●t deprive me; for his rod and his staff doth 〈…〉 for't me. Let the earth quake and swell, ●●d seas roar, and hell rend, and rocks and ●●untains be carried into the depth of the 〈◊〉; yea let all the proud opposers, and false 〈…〉 cheers tremble with horror and asto 〈…〉 hment, yet will I trust in the Lord, and tri 〈…〉 h in my God (say the Lambs of Christ) 〈◊〉 beloved hath pronounced me fair, and ●●ere is no spot or wrinkle in me; the day 〈◊〉 mine espousal is come, wherein all the ●●orious holiness of divine wisdom, yea 〈◊〉 the all of Christ is made over to me: ●…hat shall I want who have all things to ●●joy? who shall lay any thing to my charge? it God that justifies me, who shall condemn me? what is man that thou art mindful of him, or 〈◊〉 son of man that thou dost thus regard him! 〈◊〉 bless the Lord O my soul, and forget not 〈◊〉 his henefits. I was a dry and barren ●●ee, fit for nothing but burning, but he ●●th given me life, and I have a promise ●●at I shall flourish in his Courts. All the ●●ings that be under the Sun, are not so ●…recious as one smile from his counte●…ance. Let friends forsake me, let enemies ●●eride me, let all worldly comforts leave me. If I enjoy one smile from him, it enough (say the enlightened Lambs 〈◊〉 Christ) Oh how wonderfully he preser●● me from the late devouring sword whi●● hath cut down thousands, and fro●● famine, plague, and pestilence, which h●● been round me! and for my spiritual en●…mies which were within me, he hath bee●… with me in the fire that it should not bu●… me, and in the water that it should 〈◊〉 drown me. He hath delivered me in 〈◊〉 troubles, and the seventh could not hu●● me. O world, flesh, and devil. Let me li●● to him whose I am, for I am not my own●● I am bought with a great price, and I a 〈…〉 now to live to him whose I am. O what 〈◊〉 I render to the Lord for all his benefits? O th●● I knew wherein I might honour him th●● hath so highly honoured me, saith the tru●● believing soul. O taste and see that the Lo●● is gracious; it is life to know him, it is heaven to behold him, it is melody to hear●… him, it is endless happiness to enjoy him he is the brightness of his Father's glory yea he is altogether lovely; he is all th●● tongue can ask, thine heart can wish, o●● thy mind conceive; he is light in darkness joy in sorrow, rest in trouble, health i●… sickness, food in famine, life in death ●…eaven in hell. O be open everlasting doors, ●●at the King of glory may enter in! Away from ●●e all ye workers of iniquity, (say the Lamb's ●…f Christ) I will cleave to him that hath ●…reserved me from the wolf that came to ●…eceive me in sheep's clothing; I will now ●…urne out of doors sin and Satan, as ●●cob said to Laban, These many years have I ●…rved you, but now it is time to look to my ●…wne portion, mine own house, my time 〈◊〉 almost spent, for my days are swifter than a ●…eavers shuttle, Job 6. 7.  
I will now return to, and walk entire 〈…〉 with my Father, and when he seethe me ●●mming, although afar off, he will run 〈◊〉 meet me with sweet kisses and loving sa●●tations. He will pour the oil and ●…ine of his graces into my wounds, he will ●●t me upon his own strength, and bring ●●e into communion and fellowship with ●●m, and his Saints in Mount Zion.  
But now O Saints and servants of the ●…ost High God, who have laid down your ●…rowns at the feet of Christ, and have ●…ade choice of him for your portion, re●●yce in your portion; let your thoughts ●●e upon, and your speeches of your por●●on.  
You do say, that ye be sons and servants of the most High God: Let it appear by your obedience to your Father, Rom. 6. 16.  
You say that ye are his sheep: do ye hear his voice? Joh. 10. 27.  
You say that you do abide in him: learn to walk as he walked, 1 Joh. 2. 6.  
If Christ have died for you: let us know it by your living unto him, 2 Cor. 5. 15.  
You do say that you do know him: let us see it by your keeping his commandments, 1 Joh. 2. 4.  
You do say that you are righteous and religious: let us see it by your bridling your tongue: l●…st your Religion appear to be vain, 1 Jam. 26.  
If you have received a Kingdom that cannot be moved, let us see it by your serving him with reverence and godly fear, Heb. 12. 28.  
You say he is your God, and that you see your particular interest in him: let it be known to us by your obedience to him, 1 Pet. 1. 17.  
You say that you be the Spouse of Christ: let us know it by your enquiring after him, and telling of the excellencies that be in him, Cant. 5. 6. 9  
If you be his Disciples, let us know it ●…y your love one to another, Joh. 13. 35.  
You tell us that you believe in him, Show 〈◊〉 your faith by your works, 2 Jam. 18.  
If you live in the Spirit, let us know ●…t by your walking in the Spirit, Gal. 〈◊〉. 25.  
If you be grafted into the true Vine, ●…et us know it by your fruitfulness, ●…oh. 15. 5.  
If you are Christ's, let us know it by the ●…rucifying your flesh, Gal. 5. 24.  
If you be indeed planted in the house of ●…he Lord, let us know it by your flourish●…ng in his Courts, Psal. 92. 13.  
You say that he hath chosen you to sal●…ation: let us know it by your fanctifica●…ion of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, Eph. 1. 4.  
You say that you live in the will of God: let us know it by your doing his will, ●…nd by your rejoicing when his will is loan, though it cross your own wills, Job 1. 21.  
O my brethren, methinks the spirit of ●…hankfulnesse is not up in your souls; we ●…e more sensible of our wants, than we be of our mercies: O what could the Lord ●…ave done more than he hath done already! we have all we have sought for, and much more! O England, England! Awake, awa●● put on thy strength, O Zion, put on thy beautiful garments. O jerusalem, prepare to meet th●… King. Bid adieu to all earthly comforts▪ 〈◊〉 not mercies be so common, as not to return the praise to him that gave them. O●… what would we have parted with, withi●… these 10 years, for one of the least of the mercies that we do now enjoy! O be not s●… much in craving and begging, and so little in blessing and praising the fountain o●… our mercies.  
Remember, praising the Almighty wil●… be the work of a Saint in the life to come 〈◊〉 there will be no need of prayer, faith, hope, and patience; all these will end in fruition Oh then begin the work here, that thou shalt be always doing in the life to come 〈◊〉 The book of Revel. that speaks of the last state of the Church upon earth, it speaks of Praising, but seldom of Prayer: And why? Those things were granted that they had formerly prayed for. Beloved, can a man reckon those mercies that the Lord hath given in within these ten years, both National and Personal? shall we forget all; and in stead of rejoicing with the Saints fall a mourning with the world? The voice cries, Rejoice ye righteous, and howl O Babylon! Rejoice ye righteous; for ye have a Father to stand by you, a Christ to deliver you, Angels to guard you, Comforts to refresh you, and Promises to sustain you; and rather than ye shall want, the Ravens shall ●…eed you, the Heavens shall drop down food to relieve you, the Rocks shall stream forth rivers to refresh you: therefore let nothing dismay you, or draw your hearts back again, like Lot's wife, into Sodom, or the Children of Israel unto the fleshpots of Egypt. The wicked and unbelieving, they cannot praise him: And shall Christ have none to exalt him? O let your mouths be filled with his praises! sound Hallelujahs to him, who liveth for ever and ever, for this is ●…he will of God concerning you. As for the world, alas, they know not how to praise him! How shall they sing the Lords song in Ba●…ylon? But the living, the living, in Mount Zion, shall praise thee.  
O thou in whom are all our springs, and ●…rom whom we receive all our supplies; and all you that be the true sheep of Christ, make it your work with Mary to sit at his ●…eet, and hear his voice. You have heard ●…trangers a long time, and have not considered that the glory of Christ doth over●…hadow all other glories, his voice is sweet, and his countenance is comely, his presence , and his love unfathomable.   

A few words by way of Prophecy concerning the glorious state of the Church of Christ that will be shortly.  
BEloved, if you a little take notice of what is past and fulfilled, and diligenly observe what is present, you will be the better able to speak or write of something that is to come; if you look back and see that the Lord hath delivered us, and then look upon the present state, and find that he doth deliver us, we shall be the better able to say with Paul, In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us, 2 Cor. 1. 10.  
O ye the flock of Christ, for to you I speak chief: you were scattered, but the Lord hath gathered you together, and brought you home from exile, and banishment, and caused you to sit under your own vine, and made you a praise and a same amongst them that had you in derision, and a proverb of reproach; he hath advanced up between you and your enemies, and taken your part, and overpowered them, and in a great measure stopped the mouths of the dogs of Egypt that did so bark at you; some of them are fallen by the sword, others of them are fled beyond the seas, and those that do still remain, the Lord is now muffling their mouths.  
Again, your spiritual enemies begin to fall also, the Lord hath given you a little more strength against them, and discovered his love in the face of Jesus Christ in the doctrine of Freegrace more fully then in former days; he hath given you liberty to worship him in his own way, and established your liberty by a Law both spiritual and temporal. He hath manifested his care of you in answering all your prayers, and granting all your requests that you heretofore have, or now do put up to him in faith; so that it is but ask and have, seek and find; and yet all this is but the beginnings of mercies to you, these be but the dawnings of the day, and the first fruits of what is ripening: Your eyes have not yet seen, your ears have not heard, your hearts have not yet understood what glorious things are coming: you may now say to all the proud opposers yet remaining, as once was said to Haman, Hest. 6. 12. If Mordecai be of the seed of the jews before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but surely fall before him. If those that hereto fore you called Puritans, and now Separatists, be of the seed of Abraham, the father of the faithful, before whom ye have begun to fall, you shall not prevail against them, but surely fall before them: Assemble yourselves together against these people, you will be broken in pieces; take council together, it will not stand; continue your Plots one after another as fast as you can, it will be discovered; take council of Achitophel, and it will be turned into foolishnisse; lift up your voices with Herod like a god, the Worms will destroy you, and that immediately; Speak with the tongue of men and angels, you want love, and you are but as sounding brass and tinkling Cymbals; Rejoice O Zion, thy day is dawning; Howle O Babylon! thy day is ending, and thy plagues are coming. The most glorious days that ever we read of in Scripture do begin to dawn, although very few do see it; and the most doleful times that ever appeared is almost come against the enemies of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus; for all that they have hitherto undergone is but the beginnings of sorrows: the first woe is past, the second is ●…omming, see Revel. 18. 2. Babylon is fallen, 〈◊〉 fallen. v. 8. Her plagues are come in one day, ●●eath, and mourning, and famine, and she shall be ●…tterly burnt with fire, for strong is the Lord who ●●dgeth her. Silence thy thoughts and listen 〈◊〉 little, and thou shalt hear that voice ●…poken of Rev. 9 10. 15, 16, 19  
Oh what weeping and wailing is there mongst the Great ones, the Kings and ●…rinces, and Merchants, and mighty ones ●…f the earth! Why, what is the matter? ●…hy, Babylon is on fire, I cannot come near ●…er, I am fain to stand afar off: Alas, alas, ●●at great City that is clothed in fine linen, and ●…urple and scarlet, and decked with gold and pre●…ious stones and pearls, in an hour is so great ●●easures come to nought! Well, what follows ●…hereupon? v. 20. Rejoice O ye servants of the ●…ord, for I am now avenging you on your enemies. Their day of mirth and carnal pleasure is ●●ding, and their plagues beginning: but ●…our day of perfecution is almost over. Ye ●…hall rejoice, but they shall mourn; ye shall 〈…〉ng for joy of heart, but they shall weep for ●…orrow of heart, and howl for vexation of ●…pirit. Your enemies have already received ●…heir good things, with the rich man, and ●●re now to receive the bad, Luk. 16. 25. But ●…ou have been, with Lazarus, in misery, and received your bad things, and now you ar●… to receive your good; you shall be com●…forted, but they shall be tormented, Luk. 16▪ 24, 25.  
Give ear a little, silence your ow●● thoughts, listen! Methinks I hear Chri●● saying to his people, as in Luk. 24. 17. wha●… manner of communication is this that yo●● have one to another, as you walk, and a●● sad? (what, sad! you had never so grea●… cause to rejoice.) v. 25. O fools and slow o●… heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken▪ If ever these words were seasonable to them it is also seasonable to us, and it is written for our learning: O fools and slow of hear●… to believe all that the Prophets have said to believe all that Christ hath said, and tha●… all his Apostles have said! No marvel yo●… have communication together, as you wal●… and are sad: You do not believe the Prophets, you do not believe Christ, you d●… not believe the Apostles; for if you did you could not be sad; forall these do testify abundantly, that there is none unde●… the heavens have so great cause to triumphs and rejoice as you; for as all things wor●… for the glory of God, so they turn to you●… good. All things work together for good to them that fear God.  
Let not us then be fools & slow of heart believe all that the Prophets have said: Why, what have the Prophets said?) ●…he Prophets speak of the state of the ●…hurch in their days, and also they prophesied of the state of the Church in the yes of Christ's incarnation, and lastly they prophesied of the state of the Church of ●…hrist in the latter days before his coming 〈◊〉 judgement. Now all is written for our ●…arning: but that which doth most nearly concern us, is to know what state we are ●●der, and what God is now doing, and ●…hat we are now to expect.  
First then, the Lord is even now begin●●g (for the time is at hand) to bring in the ●●ws; and that will be of great advantage 〈◊〉 all the elect Gentiles, as you may see ●…om. 11. 12, 13. and Isa. 60. 3. 5. & 66. ●…1, 12. So that will be brought to pass, ●●a. 2. 1, 2, 3. The mountain of the Lords house all be established on the top of the mountains, ●…nd exalted above the hills, and all Nations shall ●…ow unto it. So the Law shall go forth of 〈…〉 ion, and the Almighty will have a glori●…us kingdom in the spirits of his people: ●…nd this is the Name of Christ upon earth, ●…nd the New heaven we read of. In a word, ●…e will in and by his Saints rule the world. See Dan. 7. 27. The kingdom, and the dominio●… and the greatness of the kingdom under t●● whole heaven, shall be given to the Saints the most High, whose kingdom is an everlastin●… kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and ob 〈…〉 them. Oh what a blessed day will this b 〈…〉 when the Power both supreme and su●… ordinate shall be in the hands of the Sain●… of the most High. The government ha●● for a long time been in the hands of t●● basest of men, as in Dan. 4. 17. and sette●● up over it the basest of men. Look back little, and consider what kind of Magisteri●● power we had: begin at the Head; was no●… vice advanced, & purity derided? on who●… Justice (that hath no respect of persons hath been executed. Next unto him, w●● any man fit for a Lord, unless he was railing persecuting Bishop? And then foe 〈…〉 our Judges and Priests, did not the o●● judge for reward, and the other teach fo 〈…〉 hire? Mic. 3. 11. And then for the less 〈…〉 Lawyer's, and Journeymen Priests, ho●… fast would the one ride, and the other run 〈…〉 the one to cheat you in temporals, the other in spirituals? Then the Constable's Churchwardens and Overseers, if yo●● come not to Church to hear their refin●● Mass, than they give in your names to th●● Chancellor and Proctor, and by virtue of a Spiritual warrant from their reverend Lord and Master, the Apparitor must be employed to summon you to appear before them; and if they have no witnesses against you, than you must take an oath to accuse yourself; and then the very meanest Officer, as the Clerk, Sexton, and Tithingman, if there be ever a Puritan or Round-head in the whole Parish, they will mischief him as much as in them lies. But the measure of their iniquity being full, and their day of calamity dawning, these men are in part ●…lready laid aside, and shortly will be fully rejected both of God and man: And the Kingdom, and the Dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heavens shall be given to the Saints of the most High, whose Kingdom is an everlast●…ng Kingdom; and then the Nations shall ●…ecome the Nations of Christ, and the go●…ernment shall be in the hands of the Saints; and the Nations and Kingdoms that will not serve thee, to wit Christ in the Saints, shall perish. Isa. 60. 12. 17, 18. For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron. I will also make thine officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness; violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders, but thou shalt call thy walls salvation, and thy gates praise. Jer. 30. 21. And their Nobles shall be of themselves, and their Governors shall proceed cut of the midst of them, and so the Lord will punish all those that oppress you. Even now is the Lord beginning to restore Magistracy and Ministry to it●… primitive institution: This work is begun in England; Ireland and Scotland will follow●… and if I mistake not, France, Holland, and Spain will come after, and so all other parts until that be fulfilled Dan. 2. 35. Dan. 7. 27. & Rev. 11. 15. In Dan. 2. we read of a little stone cut out of the mountains without hands, and it became so big as to fill the whole earth. And that in Dan. 7. 27. The greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints. Rev. 11. 15. And the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and so all his enemies shall be made his foot stool. The hour of temptation is begun, and will not end till it hath gone over all the earth. O England, England, thou was first in misery, thou shalt also be first in thy delivery: Oh that thou didst now know what thou shalt shortly enjoy! Thou hast been rough-hewed already, thou wantest nothing but plaining, and so thou wilt be made fit for the spiritual building: thou hast been rough-hewed by the open profane, but now thou shalt be plained by the most zealous Pharisees, those that will fast twice a week, and give tithe of all they possess, and pray in the corners of the streets, and say, Lo here is Christ.  
In a word, the greatest formal professors will be thy greatest persecuters; herein is the devils last, and most subtle design, he will now come with fair words and specious pretences; and if you look upon his habit, he is in sheep's clothing, and if he hath feet like a beast, he will have horns like a lamb; and although under another garb, he will execute the power of the first beast in persecuting thee, as Rev. 13. 12.  
But God will bring these proud opposers down unto the dust. See Isa. 24. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. Then the Lord God shall reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem gloriously. Therefore with Peter, let us expect a new heaven, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness, 2 Pet. 3. 13. Behold I create ●…ew heavens, and a new earth, Isa. 65. 17. And you shall sing for joy of heart, and that whiles your enemies do weep for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit, Isa. 65. 1●… 〈◊〉, 14. For the Lord is now turning to his people a pure language, and they shall sho●…tly serve him with one consent. Zeph. 3. 9 The eyes of the blind begin to be opened, and the ears of the deaf to be unstopped, the lame man gins to leap as an Hart, and the tongue of the dumb to sing; for in the wilderness do waters break out, an●… streams in the desert.  
The brightness of Christ doth begin to appear, which doth not only discover, but also destroy Antichrist, 2 Thess. 2. 8. Yea unto all you that fear his name, is the Son of righteousness arising with healing in his wings. Mal. 4. 2. The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold. Isa. 30. 26. And so he will destroy i●… this mountain the face of the covering cast over people, and the vail that is spread over all nations, and the rebuke of his people he will take away. Isa. 25. 7. And so we shall all know him from the least to the greatest. Jer. 31. 34. And the Lord shall be one, and his name one, and as for 〈◊〉 we shall all have one heart, and one way, Jer. 32. 39 & Isa. 11. 6, 7, 8, 9 And this he will do for light is sown for the righteous, and gladness ●…or the upright in heart. Therefore rejoice in the Lord ye righteous, and give thanks at the remem●●ance of hi●… holiness. Gird up the loins of you●… ●…inde, be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace ●●at is to be brought unto you at the revelation of ●…esus Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 13.  
Now above half of the sons and daugh●…ers of men are of a contrary judgement, ●…aying of these and the like Scriptures, ●…hat they be either fulfilled already, or else ●…ay they, there is some other meaning in ●…hese Scriptures, which might be easily an●…wered. Then for those men that do see ●…learly that these things are yet to be fulfilled, they do vary and differ in their judgements.  
1. The first saith, It is true, glorious ●…imes are at hand, Satan shall be chained ●●p, and Christ shall reign personally on the earth for a thousand years, Rev. 20. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.  
2. A second party of men stands up opposing the first, saying, It is true, Christ shall reign upon the earth in the midst of his people; but when? not till after the judgement is past, and this old earth burnt up, and then he will create a new heaven and a new earth, when the first heaven, and the first earth are passed away, Rev. 21. 1. 2 Pet. 3. 13.  
3. Then there be a third sort of sober Christians that do look for and expect these glorious times, and yet they do deny that Christ shall reign personally: he shall reign, it is true, say they, but how? Christ will come in the spirit, and have a glorious Kingdom in the spirits of his people, and they shall by the power of Christ in them reign over the world, and this is the new heaven, and the new earth: And for my part, I do affirm that this is the glorious state that is now coming, Isa. 66. 22. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 21. 1.  
And these are the times of restitution so frequently spoken unto in the Scripture, Rom. 8. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. Act. 3. 20, 21, 22, 23.  
Oh what a glorious time will this be, when Magistracy shall be restored to its primitive institution, to countenance those that do well, and punish evil doers! Rom. 13. 3. Dan. 7. 27. Isa. 2. 3. Isa. 1. 26.  
O what a joyful time shall this be, when Ministry shall be restored to its primitive Institution, Jer. 3. 18. & Jer. 24. 4.  
O what a blessed time will this be, when our God shall undeceive the people that have been deceived by the Priests, the Dragon shall be cast out of heaven, and his Chaplains out of the Church. God will take away the nature of wicked men, that ●…lthough they remain wolves, lions, and ●…ruits still, yet they shall not hurt nor destroy in all this holy mountain; For the ●●arth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea, Hab. 2. 14. Wherefore most noble overcoming Saints, ●…ook for great alterations and mighty ●…hanges: see what dissolutions God is making in the earth, and look for the Lord ●…o be rev●…aled from heaven, who will be mighty in his dispensation, and glorious ●…n revelation, and strong and powerful in operation; and he will bring to pass his determination, which will be to the confounding of all things that are in opposition against him. Oh than taste and see, that the Lord is gracious; it's life to know him, it is heaven to behold him, it is melody to hear him, it is endless happiness to enjoy him. And as you like the end that the Almighty aims at, so approve of the way which he acts in, and wait with patience for the accomplishment thereof.   

There be glorious Deliverances for the Saints; (as hath been said) but the Saints are too sudden in expecting these deliverances.  
WHen our first Parents were fallen, there was a promise made to them of a recovery by the second Adam, in these words: The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head. And as soon as Eve had conceived and brought forth a son, Gen. 4. 1. saith she, I have got a man from the Lord; (for so some of our Translations render it) And seeing this was not he, when she brought forth her second son, she calls him Abel, which signifies vanity. Seeing she was deceived in the first, she calls the second vanity. Now our mother was just as we are, too sudden in our expectation of deliverances.  
So if we look into that of Moses, Exo. 5. ult. Neither hast thou delivered thy people at all, saith precious Moses. Why Moses, thou art a little too quick: Have not these people prayed, and hath not the Lord heard the cry, and sent thee to bring them out of Egypt, and am not I now upon delivering them? and yet are they not delivered at all? ●…oses, thou art a little too sudden in ex●…ecting deliverances.  
So it was with the Apostles, Act. 1. 6. ●…ord (said they) will't thou at this time restore ●…e kingdom to Israel? The Apostles were too ●…dden; this was not to be done till many ●…undred years afterwards. Methinks I see ●…he people of England, yea many of the Lords ●…wn Lambs, some of them in Egypt under ●…haraohs hard taskmasters, murmuring and ●…omplaining at other Saints, as they did at Moses and Aaron. And I see some others ●…rought to the Red-sea, but in great fears, before and behind, as they were; and some ●…re got over the sea, and seen all their ene●…ies drowned as they were pursuing them, ●…nd so begin to sing; and many be marched ●…nto the midst of the wilderness, where they see great miracles, waters flow out of ●…he Rocks, and raining Manna from heaven; and yet notwithstanding the people begin to murmur, and desire to go back again to Egypt. Oh here is the state of the English Nation! they say, it is better to go back again to Egypt to King Pharaoh; or if he be dead, to his young Son, that he may reign over us, where we may enjoy our old Discipline, and eat our wont food, the onions, and the garlicks, and the leeks. But some are of a more choice spiri●… and have sent unto Canaan to spy out th●… land: Well, there were twelve men se●● ten of them bring up a false report of th●… land; only two of them were of anothe●… spirit, and speak the truth: the greatest part say it is a barren land, the lesser pa●● say it is a fruitful land. The people wer●… divided, and some fall to murmuring, an●… so are destroyed in the wilderness. Well a few are gotten to Canaan; the enemy flie●… before them, they possess their habitations; and having all things at the full they soon forget their God. Is not this all along our state at this day? Some are travelling from Egypt to Canaan; and some are journeying from Canaan to Babylon; and some are walking from Babylon to Zion.  
Q. Methinks I hear many saying, If there be such glorious times at hand, and that God doth intent good to us, why is it thus and thus with us?  
A. It is true, there be many external and internal burdens lying upon us, that we would be glad to have removed: But consider a little first, the fountain from whence these come, God's love; secondly, the end of them, for thy good; this will cause the ●●ule to rejoice in tribulation; for to you is given not only to believe, but to suffer ●●r his sake: must Job the justest man that 〈◊〉 alive be fought against with the terrors ●…f the Lord, Job. 6. 4. Must David a man after ●●ds own heart have no rest in his bones, ●…ecause of his sins, and be so wasted with ●●e grief of his heart, that his moisture is ●●rned to the drought of Summer, Psal. 32. ●●rs. 3, 4.  
Must Heze●…iah who walked before the ●…ord in truth and with a perfect heart, ●…ave the anger of the Almighty break his ●…ones like a Lion, Isai. 38. 13.  
Nay must the Son of God himself lie ●…leeding upon the cross, and cry out in ●…he bitterness of his soul, My God, my God, ●…hy hast thou forsaken me! and shall we think ●…o be altogether free from chastisement? was ●…ot Abel murdered by his brother; Noah ●…ocked by his son; Job scoffed by his wife; ●…lie slain by his sons? See the hardships that ●…acob a man chosen of God went through; ●…e is threatened by his brother, banished ●●om his Father, abused by his Uncle, ●…efrauded of his Wife, in the day he is ●…corched with heat, in the night troubled ●…ith frost, as you may see at large, Gen. 31. ●…ers. 40.  
Then see the divisions between his tw●… Wives, two Sisters bauling for one Husban●… after this they both went from their Fathe●… and now see a fresh pursuit behind hi●… Laban follows Jacob with a Hue and Cry before him Esau is marching up to him wi●● four hundred men: so to go forward were intolerable, to go backward un●…vailable: Well, after the Almighty had d●…livered him, and he marched into his ow●… Country; his Wife Rachel dieth, his daughter Dinah is ravished, his Son Reuben lie with his Concubines; then his most beloved Son Joseph they report is dead; the●… soon after this arose a Famine, and another of his Sons in prison, and nothing can redeem him but his only Benjamine here is the loss of son after son, Gen. 42. 36 And Jacob said unto them, Me have ye bereave●… of my children, Joseph is not, and Simeon 〈◊〉 not, and you will take Benjamin away; 〈◊〉 these things be against me. But there was 〈◊〉 time then drawing near, that Jacob should b●… delivered from his troubles, and enjoy the company of all his Sons again: The way to true happiness is through many difficulties; you must suffer a while, before you shall be established, strengthened and settled. God is unstripping thee of thy riches and righteousness, as he did Job, that he may give thee twice as much, and ten times better in its room; the Vision is yet for an appointed time, Hab. 2. 3. and at the end it will come wait for it; nay, it will surely come, it will not tarry: It may be thou and I have heard, That the mountain of the Lords house shallbe established upon the top of the mountains; well it shall come to pass: but the Vision is for an appointed time. Hath the Lord promised that knowledge shall cover the Earth, as the waters the Sea; and that we shall all know him from the least to the greatest: Well, God is faithful, it shall come to pass; but the Vision is for an appointed time. Dost thou not read in Dan. 2. that there was a stone cut out without hands, and became a great mountain, and filled the whole Earth? well, the Vision is for an appointed time, wait for it, for it will surely come, it will not tarry.  
Hath the Lord indeed promised to take away thy filthy garments, as once he did from Joshua, Josh. 3. 3, 4. the Vision is for an appointed time, it will speak and not tarry. Hath he promised indeed that sorrow and sighing shall fly away, and that all tears shall be wiped from thine eyes, and thou shall have no more pain and sorrow; why, h●●s faithful that hath promised; only the Vision is for an appointed time, it will speedily speak, it will not tarry.  
Do the Scriptures speak of the calling of the Jews, and of the bringing in of the fullness of the Gentiles, and of the restauration of all things? the Vision is for an appointed time, it will speak and not tarry.  
Hath the Lord indeed promised that the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold? the Vision is for an appointed time, it will speak, it will not tarry.  
Hath he said by his servant Isaiah, c. 25. 7. And he will destroy the face of the covering cast over all people, and rend the veil that is spread over all nations. He is faithful, so that one tittle shall not pass till all be fulfilled, only it shall be done in its appointed time. How shall hope and patience be exercised, if he should not make us wait? and how shall we say as in Isai. 24. 9 This is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation: say not with Moses; Neither haste thou delivered us at all; Exod. 5. last verse. but say with Paul, 2 Cor. 1. 10. Who hath delivered us, who doth deliver us; in whom we trust he will yet still deliver us. ●…e thankful then for what is already done, and believe and wait for what is ●…ow a doing. I see the Saints, saying with Abraham, Gen. 15. 2. Lord, what wilt thou give ●…e? etc. But methinks you should rather be saying with David, Psal. 116. 12. What shall I give thee for all thy benesits to me? Again, we read in the book of the Revelation, of seven Seals, and seven Vials, and seven Trumpets: If we compare these Seals, Vials, and Trumpets together, I suppose we shall find them hold forth one and the same thing; And than if we consider what Seal is now opening, what Trumpet is now sounding, what Vial is now pouring forth, thou wilt see what state the Church of Christ s now under, and what the Almighty ●…s now doing for her deliverance. Is not ●…he seventh Seal now opening? is not the ●…eventh Vial now pouring forth? Is not ●…he seventh Trumpet now sounding, and ●…ome of the Saints beginning to lift up their voices? Rev. 11. 15. And the seventh Angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and ●…e shall reign for evermore. Rejoice O Zion, ●…hy day is dawning: Howle O Babylon, thy plagues are coming: he is gathering his wheat into the barn, but he will burn the chaff with an unquenchable fire. It i●… true, the Saints may be shaken once more, as in Heb. 12. 26, 27. that those things that may be shaken, may be taken away; and those, and only those that cannot be shaken may remain. But Babylon shall be shaken down to the earth and ground to powder and cast into the bottomless pit, there to continue for ever. Oh then lift up your hearts with your hands unto our God in the heavens! Oh lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees! Take the two wings, the one of Faith, the other of Love, and fly into the air of Comfort, where thy treasure is; saying, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly; take possession of that which is thine own!  
I had many things more in my heart and mind to present unto thy consideration, whosoever thou art, that readest these words. I will here but name them unto thee, but in another Treatise shortly present them before thee: which being done, I shall apply those words of Solomon, Eccles. 12. 12, 13.  
1. Beware of extremes. Men be very apt in this age, either to cry up all Clergymen, or cry down all Clergymen: whereas we should endeavour the plucking up and rooting out all false pretended Ministers, for they be the worst of men: the Scripture calls them Dogs and Wolves, and Cheaters and Deceivers, etc. But we should double our love to all that be faithful, for they are the mouth of the Lord to us, and their feet are beautiful. The Scriptures command us to esteem them highly for their works sake: And whereas they sow unto us spiritual things, let not us keep back from them carnal things, 1 Cor. 9 11. & Rom. 15. 27, etc. Let us do this, lest they say of us as Paul did of his hearers, 2 Cor. 11. 8. I have rob other Churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.  
I once heard, that there was a godly man that had three friends; And to try their wisdom, he sent to each of them an Apple, he knowing by a small instrument that each Apple was rotten at the core. The first receives his apple, and cut it in the midst, and found it rotten at the core, and so threw it away. The second receives his apple, and found it rotten in the midst; but because it came from his friend, he eat it all. The third received his apple, and cut it as the former, and found it rotten; so he cut off the rotten, and threw it away, but eat only the good. Now let us not be like to him that threw away all, because there was some unsound: Neither let us be like the second, that received good and bad together: But let us be like the last, that received the good, and rejected the bad. And that thou mayest put a difference between the good and the bad, thou shalt see them set forth in their colours that they may be known, in what I have written before in my Epistle to the World.  
2. Beware of murmuring. Thou hast been delivered from Egypt, and brought through the Red-sea, and art now in the wilderness in thy journey towards Canaan: If thou murmur at the present dispensation, or distrust God's power, or speak unadvisedly with thy lips against our Moses and Joshua, Parliament and Army; thou art like to die in the wilderness, and not to have any part in the deliverance that is at hand. See 1 Cor. 10. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.  
3. My earnest desire and request is, that you would make Religion your busin●…sse, and the world a thing by the buy: for now Religion with most men is but a stalking-horse; men look after that, when they have nothing else to do; the World, not Religion is our business: contrary to the manned of our Lord Jesus Christ, Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven, and the righteousness thereof, Mat. 6. 33.  
4. Spend not so much time and pains aboutt he outside of Religion, as Discipline and Order; but spend thrice as much about the inside, the principles and grounds of truth. Me thinks I see most men spend much time in the outside of Religion, viz. whether Presbytery, Anabaptism or Independency be the way, etc. And so whiles they be disputing about the garment, the power of Religion is much abated. The King's daughter is all glorious within. Look to the pow●…r in the first place, and then the form will follow after in its order.  
5. The more spiritual any truth is, let thy soul take the more delight in it; reject it not, as most do, if it be not clothed with some humane excellency. Remember, the Stone which the wise bvilders rejected, is become the head of the corner. This is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in the eyes of men.  
6. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not ashamed to own Christ and his cause in public in the view of all men. If the things ●…e hold be sound and true, bring them forth, Truth seeks no corners; light was never ashamed of darkness; the nature of tru●… light is to destroy darkness. The Bishop's hav●… no Courts, the Apparitors no Commissions their day is ended: wherefore come forth ye Doves, that have lain a long time in the clefts of the rocks, in the secret places of the stairs: let us see thy countenance, let us hear●● thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely, Cant. 2. 14. Wherefore come forth, and so much the rather, because there are some that seek occasion to speak evil of you: Take off that occasion, lest they say of you as 2 Tim. 3. 6.  
7. If ever thou intendest to do any thing for God in honouring him in the world, do it presently, whiles it is called to day; for thy time here in this world is almost spent; it was but short, at the longest; the thread of thy life is almost spun out; thy days fly a way very swiftly, yea swifter than the Weavers shuttle, Job 7. 6. and so thou and I shall speedily cut off our life like a Weaver, Isa. 38. 12.   
R. P.  
FINIS.   

Reader,  
Let me entreat thee to correct those greater faults that appear at first view; for I have not time to peruse it all: And pass by in love many lesser, caused through my absence, and the Correctors oversight.