A caveat to all true Christians: against the spreadings of the spirit of Antichrist, and his subtile endeavours to draw men from Jesus Christ / propounded to them by J. Horn, one of the unworthiest of Christs servants in his gospel, a preacher thereof in South Lin, Norfolk ; together with some brief directions for their orderly walkings.

Chap. 6. Concluding with exhortation for the Saints walking worthy of their calling. (Book 6)

Sect. 1. That exhortations are usefull and needfull to Believers.

TO all this thats before said, I shall add onely some exhortations and directions to you to walk as be∣cometh Saints, that you may glo∣rifie God, who hat hitherto cal∣led you; preserve your selves in his Love, and be useful unto others; which I beseech you to suffer, and think not that in exhorting you hereunto I put a burthen upon you that you are not fit to bear, or that I put you under the Law: Christia∣nity consists not onely in Speculation, but also (and that rather too) in divine vertue and action; wherein God deals not with his Saints

with Herbs and Plants that have no sense nor ••ason: as they are intelligent reasonable crea∣••res, so he governs them by his Word and Spi∣•…•…t, and puts them upon an exercise of those fa∣•…•…lties given them, that they might not appear to ••eidle and to no purpose in them. He doth not •…•… take all upon himself to do in them, that they ••re thereby left without all action; nor doth he ••act them by force and violence, transporting •…•…em beyond themselves, that they need no ad∣••ce, counsel, or exhortation. Its true. they are ••ot under the Law of Moses, either the types ••ad shadows, to be instructed to wait for Christ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 come: nor under the precepts and injuncti∣••ns as ministred by Moses to be shut up under 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and curse, much less to be left to seek to ob∣•…•…in righteousness by endeavouring after them: ••ot yet neither are they without Law to God; •…•…ey have a royal thought•• not a rigid Law; a Law ••f Liberty and Freedom of spirit to serve God, ••hough not a Law of bondage under sin and death; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 law of grace they have in them, and the sove∣•…•…gnty and government of God over them; they have the Spirit to guide them, and the Law of the Spirit which is to be obeyed by them, that which the Grace of God received by them re∣quires again of them, and leads them to both towards God and man. Grace and Love from God, as well teaching and obliging to duty, as

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Mosaical precepts; and indeed the believer hath no other Law but such as springs from Grace, and leads to answer Grace; The Law of Christ, which is a Law of Love, even of Gods Love in him, and thats a Royal Law indeed; for it giveth first what it requires again of us. It gives power and spirit for acting, as well as puts an obliga∣tion and ingagement upon us so and so to act. The Spirit writes it, and prompts to walk as we receive, to work out as he works in us; and to yield up our members and powers to him, that he may write in us, and act forth by us his whole pleasure, and confirm us to his minde; and yet we are not to put a fancy upon his writing the Law in us, as some do, that strain their wits to shew how God writes all the Bible over in man, the Books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and so on, the Creation of the world, of heaven, earth, light, firmament, herbs, plants, fishes, fowls, beasts, and man himself; and so of the Paradise, woman, tempter, &c. which yet they cannot strain cleaverly to their purpose in all matters, but are fain to catch at here & there a picce, as their wits serve them, and let the rest alone: This is to turn the Truth of God into a fancy, and secretly to withdraw the heart from giving, glory to God in the belief of the Truth of the sacred story. But this writing the Law in man, is his framing the heart unto his own

Heart and Will, putting into it heavenly princi∣ples and dispositions of love and holiness, and whatsoever the Law requireth; That denying un∣godliness and wordly lusts, we may live godly, so∣berly, and righteously in this present world, Tit. 2.11,12. nor yet because God writes thus in man, do they put too much upon man that exhort to these things; for we may the better exhort to them, because men have principles to act them; no man would exhort a dead man to walk, because he wants a principle to inable him; but to living men such an exhortation is agrecable, though it be God that makes themwalk, or that hath prin∣tipled or inabled them thereunto; no man would blow upon wood without fire put to it, thinking by his blowing to make it burn, because there wants a principle; but when fire is put to it, the blast of the Bellows is and may be profitable; so is it here: As the Apostle John in giving in∣structions, says to the Churches, I write not these things to you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lye is of the Truth, 1 Joh. 2.21. So I may say, I give the following (with the foregoing) exhortations to you; not because ye have no ability to discern of them, or principles to lead you to them; but because ye have, because the Spirit, of God hath begun to write his Law within you.

Object. But what need for man to exhort,

when God himself works and writes hi•• mind?

Answ. I answer, man therefore exhorts, be∣cause God works; for he works in one to ex∣hort another, and he writes by Exhortations o•• Declarations made by men to one another; fo•• God is in his people of a truth, 1 Cor. 14.25. Ephe•• 4.6. In all the Saints, and through all th•• Saints. In every of them, working, inlightning supporting, gifting them, and through them all speaking and acting through his gifts given t•…•… one to and in another, so as that the body make an increase to it self in love through the Spirit divine power, and working of God that dwell therein; though the Saints are Christs Epistl•• written by the Spirit or Finger of God; yet that Spirit is ministred by the Saints, that is, in the exercise of their divive gifts to one another Ministred by us, written by God, 2 Cor 3.2.3. W•• are as the Pens with which God writes upon the heart, though the Spirit of God is the hand that guides us, and his Word and divine gifts the inke that fills us, and makes us capable of leaving Characters and Impressions upon one another in our Ministrations: we can indeed minister thi•• writing no further then that hand of the Spirit uses and impowers us; and that divine Ink fills us but so far we may: therefore let no man despis•• Prophecying, 1 Thes. 5.20. or slight Exhortation

presuming that God immediately without the ministrations of his gifts in and by others, will do all in him: God hath not dispenced all his fulness to any one member (except the Head) but to all together in union with the Head, that through each he might supply other. Therefore let no one member swell against, and despise other, much less God in his brother; nor let him that is to administer (as particularly that ex∣horteth) be negligent therein, as if his admini∣stration or exhortation could add nothing to his brother, or as if his brother had no need thereof, Rom. 12.8. for God is in and with his divine gifts and administrations; and as God in me may make his operations through me profitable to my brother; so doth my brother need that addition of helpfulness from God that be tendreth him by me; both because he is not full of himself without me, and therefore cannot say He hath no need of me, 1 Cor. 12.21. and al∣so because he hath a principle in him that resist∣eth and fighteth against that of God that work∣eth in himself; and that principle so strong and subtile, and he so apt to yield to it, that he needs anaddition of watchfulness and helpful∣ness from God through others, as though the fire be apt and fit to set the wood put to it on a flame, yet if there be much moisture in the wood to damp the fire, the fire will need help

from the blast of the Bellows to strengthen and excite it against that moisture, or an increase of fire to be put to it, that the strength of it multi∣plied may operate more strongly: Saints are not all Spirit, though in a degree they be spiritual, they have a law in their members as well as in their minds; a law of sin opposing grace, as well a law of grace opposing sin. Now the law of sin is more natural to them, and is much excited and stirred up by many outward occasions, sollicitations, provocations, examples, threats, &c. from with∣out; so that ostentimes the Saints listen to it rather then to the Law of Grace in them: there∣fore also an addition of spiritual Grace by, and through the communication of the gifts and measure of grace given to other Saints is needful; that spirit in its forces uniting it self together in the Saints, as well as the flesh unites its forces together that it may be able to resist and over∣come it; the charmings of the flesh backed with its outward objects, motives, and provocations are often ready to lull the soul asleep, and make it deaf to the teachings of Grace, and then the operations in and through a waking Brother may be of use by way of Doctrine, Admonition, Exhortation, and Councel, to awaken it, and make it give better attention to the whisperings of Grace within it self; though the Apostle told the Philippians, that God wrought in them to will

and to do of his good pleasure, Phil. 2.13. yet he nei∣ther ceased to exhort them, nor intimates that its needless for them to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling; but indeed upon that ground exhorts them thereunto. Its God that works in you to will and to do of his good plea∣sure. O stand in aw then & fear to smother those ••nward operations of grace within you; fear to grieve and resist him, yield you up your members ••n that strength of his that worketh in you, to ••ffect, finish, or work out what he there work∣••th you to: nor is it for any to say, God is Al∣mighty, and if he works in us we will take no are; we cannot fail to work out; his workings ••re Almighty and cannot be resisted and fru∣strated; for though in himself he be Almighty, and can, and often doth work so almightily, that ••one can or shall resist him; yet his way of working in the soul, in the excitings and move∣ings of his Grace, are neither always nor ordina∣••ly in that Almighty way. He is Almighty that works, but he works not always so Almightily as that his workings may not be resisted. He is Al∣mighty in all his works, & its his Almighty power that effecteth them: the very growing of the corn or grass is the Product of his Almighty power; but yet he doth not work so almightily therein, but that man by substracting, or removing some se∣condary cause, or instrumental medium through

which that power is put forth, may usually hin∣der the growing of this or that particular grass or corn, as by drying up, and hindring the moi∣sture from it, or inclosing it from the Air and heat of the Sun, &c. and yet man is not there∣fore stronger then God; for God could (maugre all that man can do) make it grow; but he dispenses his Power usually according to the ca∣pacity of the medium, through which, and sub∣ject unto which he conveys it; and he doth not usually alter the course of his ordinary way to shew forth what almightiness is in himself. though therefore Gods Power in it self, and he in himself be Almighty that worketh, yet his woking is not so Almightily put forth, but that a man turning his eye from what he sets before him, and listening to the Law in his members, may deprive or hinder himself of the efficacie and operations of it: and therefore great need also of exhortations to incite and stir up the heart to listen and take heed to the Grace of God, in and with which Gods Power works in the soul; that through that heeded and minded, it may experiment and receive the working of that mighty power to its own preservation un∣to life eternal. For though its the power of God that keeps us unto salvation, yet that power keeps us not but through faith, 1 Pet. 1.5. and is not to be felt and received by us but in believing;

and mens unwary separating of these two from one another, as if they should certainly find the power of God to save them, though they sit loose from the Word of Faith, in which be∣lieved and minded, God conveyes it over to men, is the very ground and bottom of much presumption, and brings many fool-hardily to throw themselves out of Gods wayes into their own destruction.

But, yebeloved, as ye are before warned, separate not those things that God hath joyned together; Wait on the Lord and keep his way. Listen to bro∣therly instructions, councels, and exhortations, •…•…ying all things (because Satan sometimes insi∣•…•…ates his operation in stead of Gods, into, and ••y Brethren (as he spake in Peter when he ••ounselled Christ from his sufferings) and hold •…•…st that that is good. And so I shall address my •…•…f to what I have to say further by way of Ex∣••ortation; and that which I have to say, is for our walking as Saints in these four Considera∣tions: viz. 1. As to God. 2. As to one ano∣ther. 3. As to Seducers. And 4. As to the un∣filled, or residue of the world.

Sect. 2. Exhortations to holy walking toward God.

WAlk worthy of the call wherewith God hath called you, Ephes. 4.1. God hath called you to be Saints; walk then as Saints, that is; 1. Holily towards Him, and that in

1. Giving thanks unto him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light, delivered you from the power of darkness, and translated you into the Kingdom of his dear Son, Col. 1.13,14. and given you wisdom, righreousness, ho∣liness, and redemption in him: Yea, thankfully rejoyce in him the Father who hath done this for you; and thereby made you meete to partake of the inheritance of the Saints in light, by not onely giving his Son for you, when sinners, but also propounding him to you in, and calling you to him by the Gospel, when ignorant and out of the way; who also hath inriched and bles∣sed you with all spiritual blessings in Christ; even with whatever makes either for defence and safety; or for fruitfulness, or eternal satisfaction. Rejoyce also in Christ Jesus, and count him worthy to receive praise, and glory, and thanks∣giving: seeing he hath loved and given himself for you, yea and washt you in his blond, Gal. 2.20. through the force and power of it, cleansing your consciences, and redeeming you from the earth and

men, Rev. 1.5. Heb. 9.14. Rev. 14.4. Seeing also he as the great High Priest mediateth the New Covenant for you, that ye might be saved to the utmost through him, be presented blameless to the Father by, and in him, and receive the pro∣mised possession; and do this in the Spirit of Truth and holiness sent forth from the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus unto you, and working in you to sanctifie you to be a pure of∣fering unto God and the Father in him. Be glad I say in this thankfulness, and sing forth his Frai∣ses. Joy is comely for the Saints and righteous, for, and unto whom God in Christ hath done so much; there is cause of joy in Christ for all people, but chiefly for the Saints that are parti∣cularly his people; Let Israel rojoyce in him that made him, Psal. 149.2. (the Saints in God who hath given them not onely a natural being, but also new created them in Christ Jesus to good works, that he might be glorified in them) And let the children of Sion (the sons of Grace that have their birth of the Gospel and Promise held forth therein) be joyful in (Jesus Christ) their King; Let his praises be in your mouth, and the high acts of God in your songs, as those that are spiritually favoured by him. Cast down your crowns before him; let no mention be made of any acts or worth of yours; any righteousness or salvation of your working; but remember his

continually, and his onely; verily so much as we take to our selves, and lift up our selves, so much we detract from, and are unthankful unto him; no part of his grace is, or was due desert to any of us; for then it should not have been grace but debt to us; what ever we have done thats good, we are beholding to him for it: for he first prevented us, inabled us, and incited us thereunto; and yet what we have so done, de∣served not in any way what he hath done for, and to us; you have heard him: but can you glory in your selves for it? his Word prevented you, or else you had not heard; his Word drew forth attention, or else it had been otherwise with you; and alas, how much have ye refused to hear him in? and yet what ye have heard from him he hath made effectual to your believing; what praise is due to a Begger from a Prince for hearing him direct him to some large trea∣sure? what thanks rather is due to that Prince from such a begger for speaking such things to him? and how much more for bringing him to what he by speaking of to him, perswaded him to look after, and accept of from him? Our hearing of the Word as it hath been de∣fective in us, so had it been never so perfect, could be no meriting cause of Gods inriching or saving of us. All our whole inheritance and portion, is of him and his free grace; and so is

the bringing and intitling to it; let the praise thereof then be wholly given to him; and in so doing we shall walke in lowliness of minde, as we are exhorted, Ephe. 4.1. and not proudly lift up our selves, as having some worth of our own in us, to commend us by before him.

2. Love the Lord ye Saints, Psal. 31.23. for what now doth the Lord our God require of us? but to love and cleave to him for his love to us: and this is a genuine expression of real thank∣fulness, and comprehends in it all expressions of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and produces all thats returnable to God by us; My Son, give me thy heart, Pro. 23.26 (saith he) thy heart, that is, thy love, affection, delight. He that loves another, gives him so much of his ••eart as he hath real love to him; not love in ••ord and tongue, but heart love doth God re∣quire; and where that is, the eye will follow, as ••he look thereof may be also both a mean to produce it, and to nourish it; and therefore he adds, And let thine eye observe my wayes. Its a vain thing to give thine eye without thine heart; they see little or nothing when the heart is bu∣sied another way, and not intentive to minde what thou beholdest with thine eye; and where the eye is withdrawn from Gods wayes, and espyes beauty in some other things, the heart will be soon corrupted also; therefore God calls for both: for the heart first as the principal, and

then for the eye as the consequent of the hearts love, and as a means to bring on, & nourish it in love. He hath given thee his Son, and in him re∣ceived by thee thou hast his heart; for the Father himself loves you because ye have loved me (saith Christ) and have believed that I came out from him, Joh 16, 27. thou art beloved by him in his beloved one: and what a good exchange is this to have Gods heart for thine•• to give him thy heart, and receive his? what a low requital is this for Gods heart, that man give up to God his heart? and yet this is the greatest man can give, and the greatest that God requires: And this is no other thing but what his love and heart discovered to us draws back again from us, and leads us to return: but because He sees that there are other suiters for it, he is the more watchful over us, and promps us in that his Grace requires by his written Word too, and calls us to a more wist and earnest view and con∣sideration or him in all his wayes towards us; and of all his wayes prescribed by him for our walking before him. Looking, we say, begets lo∣ving, and love begets looking again, and so there is a mutual intercourse of heart and eye, give him thine heart, and then thine eye will the readilier follow; give him thine eye, and let that observe his Paths, and so shall thine heart be preserved chast with him too: Consider and mind his love

to thee in Christ in his gift of him, and cost he was at there for thee; the way he took to buy and sanctifie thee to himself; and that will break thy heart, and make thee willing that he should have it, that gave so much of his to thee for it. Its mens being taken with other beauties, and so looking off from his, that makes them slack in their love toward him. Remember how thou hast heard and learnt, and repent, and do thy first works, says he therfore to some who had lost their first love, Rev. 2.3. thats the way to recover their love again; to call to mind how they have heard and learnt of him; and if that be the way to recover love when lost; then sure its the way too, to pre∣serve it before it be lost, that it may not be lost.

Cleave then to him and his wayes with full purpose of heart, and take heed that thou never deniest him that bought thee: for that would be a most unloving and ungrateful part of thee: Worship none but God in Christ, in whom he hath loved thee, and in the Spirit he hath given thee: own no other name or object of confi∣dence, delight, and satisfaction. Follow not af∣ter other lovers; and especially if thou wouldst have thine heart intire with him, beware of two Corrivals especially that will sollicite thee. 1. The world in its objects of profit, honor, plea∣sure, &c. let not thine eye look too wistly on its beauty, lest thou lust after it, for it will deceive thee. And 2. The spirit of error presenting

another name and doctrine then that once deli∣vered to the Saints, and promising greater li∣berties and advantages and spiritual glory to thee; for (as) both of them (so especially this latter) may be, and are in Scripture compared to a whorish woman, James 4 4. Rev. 17.5. And a whore is a deep ditch, and a strange wo∣man is as a narrow pit, Prov. 23.27. If thou fallest into her, she will surely drown thee. They that will be rich, and that make themselves friends to the world in its pleasures, and satisfactions here, ingage God against themselves, 1 Tim 6 9. and plunge themselves into snares and temptations, and so drown themselves in destruction and per∣dition; and they that have itching ears after Fa∣bles, and doctrines of devils, & take not heed to the Apostolical Doctrine, lose themselves in them, being so infatuated through the strength of them, that they arrive at last too at damnation, by denying the Lord that bought them, 2 Thes. 2.10,11,12. 2 Pet. 2.1. For few or none that go in∣to her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life, Prov. 2.19.

Take heed therefore to your selves, and be∣ware of this spiritual adultery; let not thine heart desire to eat their dainties; for though they may say stoln waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant, yet know thou, that the dead are there and their ghests in the depth of hell, Prov. 9 17,18. Look thou then right forward to

the things that God sets before thee in Christ, and let not thine heart depart from him. Desire more to know him, and to enjoy his presence and fellowship with him, and seek it not in thine own way but in his; and when thou findest him, ••old him fast, and delight thy self in him, and ••ever let his Truth depart from thee, but let ••hy meditation ••t all times be sweet concerning ••im, and thy desight day and night in his Law and Doctrine.

3. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and •…•…an not to thine own understanding, Pro. 3 5. He ••s worthy to bedepended on, and trusted in at ••ll times, and in all things for this life, and that ••o come, for teaching, strengthning, directing, •…•…pporting, supplying, comforting, saving, For 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, •…•…i. 26.4. So that there is nothing too hard or •…•…fficult for him to do that may concern thy welfare; nor is there any unrighteousness, or un∣faithfulness in him, Psal. 92.15. He hath so richly ••nd abundantly already prevented us with his ••ove and mercy, and given us so to behold his righteousness displayed in his Gospel, as may challenge our most stedfast confidence in him, and dependance on him for the performance of ••ll that further favour and mercy that is needful ••nd good for us, and is promised by him. Hath ••e not given his Son for us according to his an∣••ient saying, by the mouth of his holy Prophets;

ye a, hath he not also called and brought us to his Son, and given us him to be ours, our lot, our portion, our Prince, and Captain of salvation, our High Priest and Advocate, &c. and shall we not trust in him then for other things? shall he not with him give us all things else that he hath spoken of and provided in him?

O hope we then in him at all times, and in this hope pour out our hearts before him; for he is a refuge for us, and will not fail us. He that hath made us Saints, will not be wanting to give us a Saints portion. But lean we not to our un∣derstandings; for he that trusts his heart is a fool, Prov. 28.26. for its so deceitful and desperately wicked that it will deceive him, Jer. 17.9. His Word is sure, and worthy to be taken; but our own wisdom, with the conceptions thereof are foolishness, and tend to ruine; and who so trusts in any thing else below God, a curse will befall him. Jer. 17 5,6.

4. In this love of him, and trusting in him, yield up thy self also unto him to be his to do his work; mind his Name and Glory, that he may be known, loved, and his Kingdom inlarged: give up thy heart to him to be the habitation of his Holiness by his Spirit, not the habitation of sin, lust, pride, vanity, Satan &c. but the temple of the holy Ghost, that he may dwell there, and subdue, and mortifie thy lusts and corruptions in and for thee, and quicken thee up to God to

••alk before him holily, and yield up all thy members also to be instruments of working righteousness unto his glory. Whatsoever thou ••ost in word or in deed, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus, with an eye to him, and as there∣to warranted by him, and to the praise of the grace of God in him. This is love that we keep ••is Commandments, and his Commandments are ••ot grievous, 1 Joh. 5.3. I might inlarge unto many particulars, which for brevities sake I shall •…•…ss over, and leave thee for further direction to the word of Gods Grace, and to the Apostles writings.

Sect. 3. The Saints worthy walking towards each other.

2. IN regard of one another, I have no other Commandment, but that that ye have re∣ceived, viz. That ye love one another; that ye love as brethren, sons of the same Father, even God, and of the same Mother, the new Jerusalem, and Covenant of Grace; and that he let brotherly love be exercised, and in its exercise continue: that ye love one another as members of the same body, not every man minding his own things, and aiming at his own particular good onely, but each minding the good of other, in that that may be for profit and edification; communi∣cating

of the grace given, and abilities afforded to each other in the Lord, as may make for the edification add good of all, watching over, in∣structing, exhorting, reproving, helping, and comforting one another as need is, and oppor∣tunity is afforded, receiving, owning, and de∣lighting in the fellowships and helpfulness of the mutual exercises of your graces and gifts in the Lord, as receiving, owning, and delighting in the Lord, who is in all his holy Ones and Saints; and this without hypocrisie and simulati∣on, without partiality or faction, not preferring one before another for outward worldly re∣spects, of riches, honors, places, learning, parts, &c. nor despising one another for poverty, re∣proaches, infamy in the world, weakness in faith and spiritual gifts; or for difference in judge∣ment about doubtful questions, Rom. 14.1. but each receiving other for the foundation sake held fast, and for the grace discerned and profes∣sed, cheerfully serving one another in love. In∣deed its meet that Saints put difference between themselver as such, and such as have erred and departed from the foundation of Faith, and de∣ny the Lord that bought them, as we shall see by and by: but where men are all believers through grace, and have the love of God in the gift of Christ and his mediation for their bottom and foundation, their lesser difference in other things should not make them unsaint one another, and

fight against one another, but such ought to own one another, and with sobriety and single∣ness, not for love of victory or factiously to up∣••old a party to discuss things in which they dif∣fer, and so far as they can to agree; and if in any ••hing any be otherwise minded then the rest, there with patience, to wait and forbear one an∣other; and yet in communion and communica∣tion of graces to own and walk as brethren one with another, not judging and despising one an∣other for what they differ in; those things they •…•…ffer in, not being of that nature and weight as ••o disunite from fellowship with the same Lord. And this is further to be noted, that the brother∣ly love that is to be exercised, stands not in an •…•…differency and neutrality, to let every man be ••f what way he will, and do what he will with∣•…•… reproving, or shewing them the evil there∣of, no more then natural love amongst brethren 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the flesh consists in letting ones brethren sink 〈◊〉〈◊〉 swim, be sick or well, wounded or whole, ••odigals or thrifty, without looking after them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 taking any care of remedies, reproofs, or any ••ay of help for them; thats by God himself ••counted hatred, to see our brethren sin & not ••prove them, Levit 9.17. it argues little love 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the souls of one another so to do: It was not •…•…om love in Cain to say, Am I my brothers •…•…per? Gen. 4.9. Love leads to watchfulness o∣•…•… one another; or in case of straying or of

danger to stray, to warn another; which yet is to be done with wisdom, so as it may best tend to prevent evil, or withdraw therefrom; for we are to put difference between those that sin of weakness, and through temptation, whom we are to handle gently and tenderly, forbearing and waiting for them, yea, bearing their bur∣thens, and those that are more wilful and reso∣lute in their strayings, and evil walkings, whom we are to save with fear, and rebuke more sharply and openly; yea, in all things we ought so to order our selves as we see may best con∣duce to their good with whom we have to do; having a special care of, and regard to those that are weak in faith, helping, and furthering them: and no wise, if possible, offending them, so as to turn them aside through their weakness from the way of the Lord, but indeavouring that they may be preserved in the faith, and grow up therein, till they with the rest of the body at∣tain the inheritance promised in Christ Jesus. Were this love more practised and walked out in, and the exercise thereof accepted, it would prove very advantageous to the Saints: and Sa∣tan would not so much prevail upon them to weaken and divide them: yea, this waking toge∣ther in love, and wherein we have attained, walking by the same rule, and speaking the same thing, would much conduce to the glorifying of God, and we should therein meet with much

blessing; We are brethren, why should we fall out by the way to our heavenly Canaan, quarrelling and contending about place, preheminence, and diffe∣••ences in doubtful Disputations, not clearly de∣••ermined in Scriptures, is a good consideration for all agreeing in the same foundation. And O that we all might willingly be exhorted to this, ••s not to bear with them that are evil, and would pervert souls from Christ; so neither to fall out ••nd make rents from those that are built upon, ••nd sincerely and peaceably seek the glory of Christ.

Sect. 4. How to walk towards Seducers, and the Secuced.

3. BUt now for those that have not Christ for their foundation, but are bottom'd upon their own works, yea, and would bottom Christ ••pon them too, hindring souls from coming •…•…ghtly to Christ, and that bring another Gospel then that of Christ, tending to deny and overthrow the Gospel of Christ; but chiefly those that have apostatized from him, the case is otherwise. They that divide from Christ the elder Brother, are not to be owned as brethren, but divided from, yea and looked upon in their endeavors to draw others to themselves as ene∣mies to our souls, Wolves that come to devour,

deceitful workers, and so we are to avoid them: The Apostles looked not upon the zealous Jews and Pharises, opposers of the grace of Christ, as their brethren in Christ; nor upon the false Apostles that perverted the Gospel of Christ, mixing it with the Law, and withdrawing men from the sincerity of the Gospel of Christ; much less those Apostates and Blasphemers, Hymeneus, and Alexander, and Philetus, men that denied the Resurrection, and affirmed it to be now made or past, denying the Lord that bought them, and subverting the faith of divers, 2 Tim. 2.16,17. If such as these plead for a brothers portion of love from the Saints in those their wayes, they are much mistaken; brotherly love with them, would be as bad as Jehosophats familiarity and correspondency with Ahab, which the Lord re∣proved and punished in him, 2 Chron. 19 2. And as the Churches tolerating the Baalamites and Nicolaitans which he hated, Rev. 2.14 20. Men are much out in thinking that those that are evi∣dently and upon due trial false Apostles, and of the Synagogue of Satan, ought not to be so re∣puted, but walked towards, and loved as dis∣senting Brethren. How shall the members of the body hold unity with the head, that are at one with members separated from the head, and disclaim all influence of spirits from it? Who ever come unto us we are to try them, yea though they come as Angels of Light, and Mes∣sengers

of Righteousness, and finding them de∣ceitful workers, to beware of them, 1 Thes. 5.21. Phil. 3.2. So the Wisdom of God speaking of ••he spirit of error, under the notion of a foolish and whoorish woman, opposed to the Spirit of Truth under the notion of Wisdom or the wise ••oman, bids us beware of her, and come not neer ••he corner of her house, Prov. 5.8.3. nor give ear ••o her sweet and specious inchantments; not to ••ut our selves •…•…shly into her way and company, 〈◊〉〈◊〉; presuming on our own strength to pre∣•…•…rve us, much less entertaining her as a friend ••nd companion meet for us: and our Saviour while on earth in the flesh, left it as a Ca∣•…•…at to us, to beware of false Prophets, who though ••hey come in Sheeps clothing to us, yet inwardly are •…•…vening Wolves, and seek to devour us, Matth. ••.15. He would not have us out of charity to •…•…dge all sheep, and correspond with them that ••ome to us in the appearance of sheep, but wari∣•…•… try them; and discerning Wolves in that ha∣••it, to flee from them; as we are not rashly to account and walk towards all as Wolves that men account so, so neither to imbrace all that profess themselves sheep. I know the VVolves will plead for charity towards them; but what foolish Shepherd would out of charity listen to the VVolves so pleading? or what silliness would it be in real sheep to joyn themselves with ••hem, because they pretend as sheep a desire to

graze with them? thats bad charity to another, that layes me open to destruction my self. The Jews of old regarded not such a pretended cha∣rity in Sanballat and Tobiah, desirous to build with them the Temple of the Lord, because they discerned them to be no friends to their work, but sought by subtilty to hinder it and destroy them, Ezra 4.1. Its indeed the common plea of such, and of some weak sheep of Christ, who are in danger that way to be worried by them, what ever a mans principles be, yet we ought to permit them, and not speak harshly, or at all against them, but let every man injoy his own minde; which is a notorious gross and false po∣sition. Indeed as we have said, where men build, and are built upon the same foundation, even Jesus Christ, there we may, and are to to∣lerate difference in doubtful disputations, where the matters of difference are not evident and plain in Scripture, and but matters of meer in∣differency and lesser moment. But that all should be tolerated in the Church of God, of what ever opinion and doctrine, though de∣structive to the fundamentals of the faith, and no sharpe reproof may be given them, is as bad a principle as to tolerate the Devil in his pos∣session of men, o•• to tolerate all vice and wickedness without 〈◊〉〈◊〉 punishment of them: yea in ••o•…•…e cas••s 〈…〉〈…〉 worse; for there are some p•…•…nciples 〈…〉〈…〉 doctrine, as bad or

worse then any evil of practise amongst men, because some doctrines may naturally lead to all evil practises; As

"that there is no difference to be put between good and evil, sin and righte∣ousness, that all actions are alike approveable to God; the opinion of good and evil is to be destroyed out of men; that sin is nothing but an imagination that this or that is sin; that all men, live or believe how they will, shall have eternal salvation; that there shall be no resurrection, &c."

Beside that evil doctrines may poyson more secretly, and are less dreaded oftentimes then gross actions, because they have ••ot so horrid an appearance many times to the eye of men: We find Christ commending some Churches for their patience, when yet he pre∣sently subjoyns by way of praise too, that they ••ould not bear evil persons, Rev. 2.2. such as se∣duced the people from him, faulting them that bare with and permitted them, Revel. 3.15,16. yea that were but lukewarm for him and a∣gainst them, as those that mattered not what men hold or teach, how destructive to Christ and Christianity, so they would think well of them, and let them alone; such Christ threatens to spue out of his mouth, so far is he from allowing and approving them: Yea he tels us he hates such wayes himself, Rev. 2.6. and sure he leads his people to be like him. How canst thou say Christ is in thee, when what he declares himself

to hate, is patiently tolerated and not reproved by thee? The Apostles not onely bid us hold them as execrable, and account them ac∣cursed that preach beside what they have preach∣ed, or that introduce another Gospel, though they come like Angels: but they have also them∣selves given them over to Satan, 1 Tim 1.20. and as well writ earnestly against them, as they have exhorted us to contend earnestly with them, Jude 3, 11,12,13. And yet thou that cal∣lest thy self a Saint, dost rather bless them, and walk with them as brethren.

But thou wilt say, But are we as infallible as the Apostles? can we be so sure what is error as they?

To this I answer, That its true, we have not so full a dispensation of Spirit from Christ to us as they had that were to lay the foundation; they had greater work to do, and their talents were proportioned to their work; but yet through their infallible doctrine, and by the good Spirit of God given us, Rom. 8.9. (or else we are not Saints, or Christs peculiar people) we may cer∣tainly and infallibly know the foundamental and essential Truths and Principles of Christian Religion, which none can be ignorant of, and yet be good Christians. The infallibility and certainty in Christ and his Apostles which thou pleadest, is an argument against unity with all that thou pleadest for; for they having been

infallibly guided, that that is cross to their in∣fallible doctrine, is thereby detected to be false and fallible: and thou canst not be one with them, and yet not dislike and shun that that is contrary to them. Sure if we know and love God, we shall have some discerning and deresta∣tion of such doctrines as blaspheme or disho∣nor God, and beware of those that bring them: If we be Christs sheep, we have some dis∣cerning of his voice from the voice of strangers, John 10.5. so much as may render their voice a strange voice to us, and such as is not to be ap∣proved of us. If a man shall come and tell us there was never any such man as Jesus Christ, or that if there was, he was onely a type and figure of the true Christ, in us and not the very Saviour: that he rose not, nor ascended, nor shall come a∣gain in glory; that he is not the Mediator be∣tween God and us; that our dead bodies shall not arise; that the Scriptures are not to be heeded in their sayings, and yet we cannot tell whether these men say truth or not, we are plainly blinded, and are not sheep of Christ, if we cannot discern these voices to be the voices of a stranger. Those infallible Writings of the Prophets and Apostles, as they tell us, that there are and shall be false Prophets and Antichrists, VVolves in sheeps clothing, deniers of the Lord that bought them, and such as bring in heresies of destruction; And 2. That such persons and

their Doctrines ought not to be heeded and listened to, but avoided by us, not received to house, or bid God speed, but held as execrable and accursed, 2 Joh. 10,11. Gal. 8.9. Yea 3. That such we are to contend against with earnestness, Jude 3. reprove them, stop their mouths, give warning of them to others that they may not be snared by them. Tit. 1.9.11. So they tell us fur∣ther 4. That real believers have received an ho∣ly Unction by which to discern them, 1 Joh. 2.20,27. and so have ability of discerning them; and indeed thats intimated too in their precepts and counsels given us to try and avoid them, which otherwise were in vain if they were be∣yond our discerning. Nay, 5. They have also no∣tably fore described them, foretelling us that they would say they are Christ, and deceive many, Matth. 24.5. that they deny Jesus to be the Christ, 1 Joh. 2.22. make a cipher of him, call him execra∣ble, 1 Cor. 12. deny the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet. 2.1. confess him not come in the flesh, 1 Joh. 4.3. Will mock at the promise of his coming, 2 Pet. 3.4. pretending that there neither is, nor shall be any alteration; no other coming but that that is and alwayes hath been to all the Prophets and Patriarks in all times; deny the resurrection of the body, 1 Cor. 15. and say that the resurrection is now made, or is already past 2 Tim. 2.18. hear not the Apostles in their doctrines and sayings, 1 Joh. 4.6. Speak high swelling words of vanitie,

promising men liberty while themselves are ser∣vants of corruption, 2 Pet. 2.18.19. exalt them∣selves above all that is called God, or that is wor∣•…•…ipped, 2 Thes. 2.4. above Magistrates and Go∣vernors, if not suitable to their humors, yea a∣gainst Jesus Christ, and above him, and God in him, unthroning him, and despising his Ordinan∣ces as light and foolish things; lawless men that worship not God, pray not to him, nor call up∣on him; yea in a word, by their fruits we may know them, Matth. 7.16. for they lead from Je∣sus Christ the onely begotten of God, in whom onely we may meet with salvation, either to rest in their own works joyned with, or preferred before Christ; or else to looseness in principles and practises to walk after their own ungodly lusts, self-lovers, covetous, boasters of their abili∣ties, knowledge, attainments, proud, so as to lift up themselves, as is aforesaid blasphemers, that is, speakers evil of Gods Wayes, Temple, Ordinances, and them that worship therein, disobedient to parents, either natural or spiritu∣al in Christ, unthankful (to God especially for his love in Christ, and for his appointments for their good) unholy, (not living to God and Christ, not calling upon him, giving thanks to him &c.) without natural affection to their own relations, truce-breakers, that keep not Cove∣nants or ingagements to God or men, false accu∣sers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of them that

are good, 2 Tim. 3.1.2,3,4 &c. A marvel∣lous thing it is that a man should be a Saint, and yet not know the essentials of that Word that sanctifies him; should be begotten by the Gospel, and yet know not that Gospel by which God hath begot him, so as to discern it from other doctrines; that God hath writ to us by his ser∣vants so plainly of these things, and we have the benefit and help of those gifts given by Christ to them, that we might be se••led, and not tossed to and fro like children: and yet we know not who say right, and who say wrong: sure we know nothing then, and so know not what charity is, or what love we should walk in, and toward whom, if we know not the Gospel in its first and bottom doctrines, & cannot discern whether men preach with or besides that doctrine taught or recorded by the Apostles, when we hear them, speak they never so fully for, or against it; we have lost our eyes sure and understanding.

Obj. But must we not do to them as we would they should do to us? though we do dis∣cern them, must we not still love them?

Answ. I answer, yes, them that are not given over to destraction, them that we see not to have sinned to death, and to have trampled under foot the Son of God, counting the blond of the Covenant after it hath been sanctifying them an unholy or common thing, and have done despire to the Spirit of Grace: which things, as they

may be discerned by us, so are we to be very wary of rash and unadvised judging. But what love is that that we are to walk in to them that we discern not so far gone? is it to hear them blaspheme, denie, undervalue, and trample up∣on the Lord Jesus the Mediator between God and men, and yet own them as brethren? is it to love them more then Jesus Christs Surely, this is love that we keep Gods Commandments; and this is his Commandment, that as we have heard from the beginning, so we should Walk in it, 2 Joh. 6. This is not love in a man to see his neighbour drowning or hanging himself, and not hinder him: or killing and poysoning others, and yet not reprove them, or endeavour to preserve the lives of such as he is harming; or to know of men committing Incest or Adultery, and yet own them as brethren, and not withdraw from them, and reprove them; much less to see or hear them deny or vilifie the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet judge them precious people, and Gods dear children. That Rule, what thou wouldst that men should do unto thee, do thou also unto them, Matt. 7 12. is not to be applied to men as vitiously affected, or distempered, but to men walking orderly and upon well-grounded principles, and so in things that tend to mens good, or else we shall abuse it. A Drunkard, or Adulterer would have others make him drunk, or commit adul∣tery with him: shall we abuse that wholsom

Scripture to warrant his doing such wicked acts to, or with others? as unreasonable is it to apply it thus; We would not be let or hindred in our endeavouring to bring men to Christ and salva∣tion; therefore neither ought we to hinder o∣thers in drawing men from Christ to their de∣struction.

Object. But they think to lead men to salvati∣on as well as you.

Answ. But we know they think amiss, when we see them go contrary to the word of salvati∣on: we know their thought but a strong delu∣sion, when we see in our cleaving to, and trying them by the Apostolical and Prophetical Do∣ctrine, that they go in the very steps of those that they have forewarned us of. Its true, a frantick man may be, and often is, as confident of his way as a sober discreet man; but yet a sober man will not think himself as well bound to be ruled and led by him, as the frantick man to be ordered by him: both may be alike con∣fident as to the heigth of perswasion, but both have not the same well groundedness for, nor ability to judge of their confidence. This is no right judgement of things, to say, this is truth as well as that, because I see this man as confi∣dent of this as that man is of that. We are not to judge of truth by our own or others confi∣dence of them but by the verdict of God in the Scriptures. That Rule, what I would that another

do to me, I should do the same to them, is to be ap∣plied to men in things for their good, I say, and upon well grounded principles; I would that men should endeavour to preserve my life, I should therefore do the like to them. I would in case I be destracted, have others keep me from hurting my self or others; I would so now in my sober mind; therefore let me do so to others that are destracted; so it will hold: but not thus, I in a fit of distraction (suppose) would have others that are sober, let me run into the river and drown my self, therefore I being in a sober mind ought to let another that is distracted do so, and not hinder him: Yet such is their appli∣cation of that Rule, that would have us not to judge them in an error, that we know deny the Lord Jesus Christ, nor reprove them for it, and endeavour to preserve others from so doing, be∣cause we would not have others judge the Truth to be Error, and reprove us for it, and endeavor to keep back others from receiving it. Indeed as I would not have others in case I should fall into distraction, to do me any real harm, or to deal evilly with me, to make me worse, and keep me from returning to a sober mind; yet if their witholding me from self-murder or mis∣chief to others, should vex and make me worse, though they therein deal as well and fairly with me as my destraction would permit them, there∣in they would not be faultworthy: So we are to

deal righteously, and lovingly as their condition may permit, to those that are deceived, & decei∣vers, and not by any unjust accusations of them, or violent carriages towards them to harden and strengthen them from returning, especially see∣ing the zeal and wrath of men will not accom∣plish the righteousness of God; onely so far we must use plainness and sharpness towards them as we see necessary and requisite, either for dete∣cting their evil, and pulling them out of it; or however for the preserving others from being snared by them; and so far as that will require it, I am not to matter their offence-taking, and enmity against me for the same: love to particu∣lars must give way to love to the general; and love to evil men, must give way to love to God and good men when they come in competiti∣on; as love to a rotten member must give way to love to the found, and to the whole body. I shall do well if my leg or foot be wounded, to apply healing medicines to it; but if it putrifie, I must apply things to it that will eat out the dead flesh, though they will bring some smart and pain to it that will make it fell and angry; yea, and rather then my whole body should perish by its incorrigibleness, I should do well to cut it off and sever it from the body before it be too far infected: and I suppose no man would fault me for want of love and charity, either to it, or to my body in so doing. The like is to be done

to those that being corrupt themselves endanger the corrupting others too from the faith of Christ; onely by cutting off, I would not be un∣derstood to mean a banishing them the Country, or putting them to death. I would not have Saints in the way of their spiritual warfare, and for their faith, to make use of such weapons, God having given them others to make use of, viz. the Sword of the Spirit, Prayers, Warnings, Admonitions, Reproofs, withdrawings from them, casting them out of fellowship, and look∣ing upon them as accursed to them; which are Christs spiritual weapons, and to be used as the ••ase may require; however some deceived, or not rightly guided spirits boggle at it; but as for them when without, let God there judge them: in the mean while Saints should by all means out of love to the sound members, not cease to warn, admonish, and watch over them as oppor∣tunity is given them, opening to them the evil of those false wayes, in which others would snare them, as we find to have been the frequent course of the Apostles in their Writings. I fear men that rightly understand not, will abuse this thats here said, even as they do the very Scrip∣tures also: yea, not onely they that are not be∣lievers, but even some weaker or rasher believers also will be too often ready to take up these practises which they ought to walk in against the Wolves and Seducers, upon due proof and

knowledge that they are such against their bre∣thren for some smaller differences; but the abuse of truth by some must not hinder the use & pra∣ctise of it in a due way by others. Its likely too, that the Scribes & Pharises and Hypocrites of the Jewish Church, would be ready to justifie their own practises against the Apostles and Christi∣ans, in condemning and speaking evill of them, by the Apostles practises and so sharp writings against the false Apostles and Apostates: though in this they differed, that the one made use of carnal weapons upon unjust grounds against the truth; and the other of spiritual weapons, upon good and warrantable grounds for the truth; the one fought against men with violence to the death for holding to the Scriptures, and assert∣ing that Jesus is the Christ; and the other spake against and warned men of the Apostates and perverters of the Gospel for what they knew they acted and preach'd against the Scriptures and the faith of Christ; and probably some of the like spirit may think to justifie and strengthen themselves in their desired way of persecuting Gospel and Scripture assertions, by what is here writ against such as lead men from the Scriptures into heresies of destruction: yet that notwith∣standing be we wary of our own, and one an∣others souls, and take the Apostles counsel in walking towards those that upon due grounds from the Scripture we see would pervert them:

I say upon due Scripture-grounds, that we may not mistake in our application of the counsels they give us to these or those persons, left we condemn such as are not condemned by them. Its needful that we try things and persons be∣fore we receive them, or reject them; and in this tryal, as its needful to mind the Apostle Johns notes of discerning men, viz. to mind whether they confess (that is hold forth, exalt, and lead to faith in) Christ come in the flesh; that is, as he was made of a woman, made under the Law, died for us, and is risen again, &c. and to minde whe∣ther they hear, hold forth, consent, and come up unto the Apostles Doctrine, and wholsom Say∣ings: So do I approve, that it be with the joint advice and helpfulness of brethren, chiefly such as are of more stability and greater understand∣ing; not but that weaker believers, in case God by his Providence cast them upon such alone, in taking heed to the word of Grace, and looking to God for help, may be able to discern them: but God loveth unity of brethren, and liketh not of mens despising the help he therein affords, but punisheth such despisings of them and self-pre∣sumption; to brotherly union God hath promi∣sed his blessing, and Christ his presence to his, agreeing together to act in his Name; a sheep straying from the fold, and going alone, is often catcht up, when they that abide with the flock sustain no harm. To this trial also we may give

credit to the testimonies of approved under∣standing and faithful brethren, as to matters of fact, or speech of their own knowledge declared by them; for so we find even the Apostles to have practised, 1 Cor. 1.11. and 11.18. and 5.1. in believing the testimonies of approved bre∣thren against men, and to have given warning to others of men whom they proved unfaithful or evil themselves, 1 Tim. 4.14,15. yea, and it is an argument of some defect and want of charity towards such brethren, not to give due credit to their testimonies and brotherly warnings; such a thing we finde upbraided in the Disciples by our Saviour, in Mark 16.14. Because they be∣lieved not them that had seen him after the Resur∣rection.

Again, when it is evident that men are de∣parted from the faith; ye are to put difference between some and others in your carriage to∣ward them, as the Apostle Jude hath given dire∣ction, as towards those that through temptation, and simple heartednedness are over-reached and turned aside, but as yet not made one with, and confirmed in the deceits by which men or Sa∣tan hath beguiled them; ye are to walk with more tenderness in the spirit of meekness and love, seeking to recover them, till ye see there is no further hope of them. But for others that begin to grow stiff, reprove and rebuke them more sharply, and by fear, and the terrors

of the Lord, endeavour if possible to scare them from their evil wayes; but if after twice or •…•…ice admonishing, they yet chuse their own •…•…y, and depart from the Apostolical Doctrine, ••one of their own devising, then as the Apostle •…•…ul advises, reject them, Tit. 3.11. yea, such as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 perceive upon good and due proof to be of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Synagogue of Satan, membred into him, and •…•…come a seed of his begetting, sworn enemies ••s it were) to the Lord Jesus, doing the devils ••ork for him; we may not onely count as ac∣cursed, and give them up to Satan, but also pray against them, as divers passages will warrant us 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Apostles Doctrine; onely ye are to be •…•…y wary in this case of doing nothing rashly, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 upon mature deliberation, and a clear •…•…cerning.

Sect. 5. Exhortations to worthy walking towards the world, or residue of men yet uncalled.

FOr your walking toward the world; Let it be such as becoms the Gospel, & such as may ••orn and commend it to men, such as in which •…•…en may see your good works, and glorifie your Fa∣ther which is in heaven, Matt. 5.16. an unreprove∣able and faultless walking, as the Sons of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, •…•…il. 2.15,16. having for the end of it the glori∣fying

of God in Christ, and the good of the world viz that the yet uncalled or unsubdued ones, may be convinced and drawn to believe, if it may be at least, have their mouths stopt, and their igno∣rance silenc'd, that they may have no excuse for their folly, nor any just cause in you of stumbling them and keeping them out from God, to whom ye seek to draw them. And indeed the grace 〈◊〉〈◊〉 God, and what ye have therein heard & seen, wi•…•… teach you how to walk towards all; only I sha•…•… briefly put you in mind of its teachings; it w•…•… lead you to sobriety in your selves amongst them not to walk in coveteousness, but to shew for•…•… moderation and contentedness in the lot of yo•…•… condition; not to drunkenness, riotousne•…•… chambering & wantonness, as if ye had your hap∣piness in the enjoyment of fulness in the crea∣tures, or in satisfying the flesh, in its lusts and affli∣ctions, but in mortification of your earthly mem∣bers, as those that are called to better and mo•…•… lasting pleasures, and enduring substance; it w•…•… teach you also to walk towards others with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 righteousness & equity in your several places a•…•… and relations; if men in authority, then to execu•…•… Justice and Judgement, to shew mercy to the •…•…∣fl•• cted & oppressed, to govern them under you•• the fear of the Lord, and according to the good laudible and just Statutes and Laws agreed up•…•… in the Land; hating covetousness, extortion, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pression and bribery, not respecting person

〈◊〉〈◊〉 taking rewards, nor lifting up your selves •…•…oudly above your brethren, despising and seek∣ing to enslave them, but exercising the power 〈◊〉〈◊〉 have for the good of all men, and special protection and encouragement of those that are •…•…ceable and righteous amongst them. If ye be •…•…rsons under Authority, then be ye subject to •…•…se set over you for the Lords sake, whether worthy or unworthy, good or froward, looking •…•… on them as ordered by the just hand of the •…•…rd to those places above you, either for your •…•…rtties or chastisement and trial: Thus the A∣postle exhorteth to be subject to the higher •…•…ers, paying tribute to them, and custom to •…•…m custom, honor to whom honor is due &c. •…•…m. 13.1,2.7. Due, that is, by their places, •…•…ugh they themselves may be unworthy per∣•…•…s, as those Roman Magistrates many of them •…•…re at that time when those things were writ∣•…•… by the Apostle; not stirring up disobedience 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rebellion against them, but leave them to •…•…d in case of oppression and injustice to order them, knowing he can alter them, either by •…•…al wayes of superior or coordinate powers •…•…sed up by him to that purpose, or by making 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of wicked men to pleasure his Church, by in∣•…•…ding judgement from God upon them, ac∣cording to that saying, Wickedness proceedeth •…•…m the Wicked, but my hand shall not be upon 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 1 Sam. 24.14. And if Authorities clash one

against another, or one part of it with another keep thee to the utmost of thy endeavour to peace and righteousness, and look to the hand of God in determining their controversies, and be subject to them whom God impowreth looking at that, during his impowring it as God Ordinance; for the powers that are, are of God Rom. 13.1. And so if thou beest a servant obey thy Masters in the flesh, 1 Tim. 6.1,2. and bear the yoke patiently, and serve them faith fully, whether they be good or frowar•• that God hath set over thee, doing what 〈◊〉〈◊〉 good and lawful in the Lord at their com¦mandment; and for what is otherwise, pati¦ently induring their wrath and punishment 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they will injustly inflict it; for so is the w•…•… of God, to put to silence the ignorance of th•• follish, 1 Pet. 2.15. walking, as Christ hath give example when he was wrongfully judged an•• punished, though he could have raised legions 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Angels for his rescuing: If married, walking 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that relation with love and chastity, accordin•• to the Apostles Doctrine; yea to all men wal•• in all gentleness, meekness, love, forbearanc•• apt to put up injuries; So much as in you lie•• have peace with all men, Rom. 12.18. and as a•• are in need of help, counsel, succour or suppor•• be ready to help, counsel and relieve them to th•• ability; in all these things looking after, an•• walking in holiness, without which no man can s••

(or injoy fellowship with) God, Heb. 12.14. Seek not peace with them then by denying thy God and Saviour, thy Faith, and the Doctrine of the Gospel, or by consenting to them, and approving them (and much less walking with them) in their unjust, unmerciful, wanton, coverous riotous and licentious practises; in things indifferent become all things to all to win them; but be not so in∣different in thy walking with God as to become sinful also with them, and to conform thy self in their vanities, excesses, delights, fashions to them:

"He that sells peace with God, to buy peace with men, makes an exceeding silly bar∣gain;"

Have no fellowship then with the unfruit∣ful works of darkness, but rather reprove them, Ephes. 5.11. To sin with men, is the way to strengthen them in sin, and not to save them. Take heed then of those loose principles and practises, that some monsters of men under pre∣tence of higher knowledge of God, have run in∣to, as to deny all difference of good and evil in actions, to make a sport of sin, and to account it nothing but a vain opinion, endeavouring to destroy the habits of Vertue, with the contrary vitious habits; yea accounting it the top of per∣fection to be shameless in sinning, and to blot out of themselves all sense or conscience of sin, tunning headlong into all lasciviousness and filthiness with greediness, Ephes. 4.19. to whom it is hapned according to the true Proverb, The

Dog is returned to his vomit again, and the Sow that was washed, to Wallow in the mire, 2 Pet. 2.22. Such persons with their gross and wicked opinions, and all tendencies thereto (as liberty taking to carding, dicing, drinking, riotousness, ranting &c. instead of fasting, praying, confer∣ing and reading of the Scriptures) avoid and flee from; that ye crucifie not the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame, making Him, and the Worship, and Name of God to be despised amongst men; for indeed that (as was said be∣fore) is one main end that ye are to aim at in all your walking, viz. that ye might glorifie God unto the world, and make his name honorable amongst them, that they might be convinced of the truth and goodness of your faith pro∣fessed by you, according to that in our Lords Prayer, that the World may know that thou hast sent me, as that thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me, Joh. 17.21,23. Therefore also the Word of God is to be held forth to the world, together with your just and good con∣versation, that they may see what principles it springs from, that ye walk so well and honestly amongst them, that so also they may thereby be woon in to the same. In both which respects, of doctrine professed, and conversation becoming it, Believers are termed the salt of the earth, and the light of the world, a light to be set up in a Can∣dlestick that it may not be hid, Matth. 5.13,14.

Sect. 6. The Doctrine to be held forth to the world, and therein of the Trinity, by way of Digression.

BUt now what that Doctrine is that believers are to hold forth to the world, would re∣quire more words to declare fully, then this in∣rended Treatise will afford room for; yet some∣thing I shall with Gods assistance hint about it. Its in a word, the Gospel or word of God, in which he hath declared his mind & will to men, according to that, Phil. 2.16. holding forth the word of life: and that Mark 16.15. Go Preach the Gospel to every creature: Which is such a set∣ting forth of the way of life to men, as in which they are called upon to turn from all other things as vain and dumb Idols, and to turn to the living and true God by his Son Jesus Christ, Acts 14.15. as the fountain of, and the proper way to that life and salvation. See the sum of it in 1 Tim. 2.5,6. That there is one God, and one mediatour between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. Who hath given himself a ransome for All, as an evi∣dence of Gods good will to All, that he would have all men to be saved and to come to know the truth. This ye are to hold forth unto men, that there is a God to be adored, worshipped, sub∣mitted t••, trusted in, and served; the author of our life, and breath, and all things; the fountain

of bliss and happiness; and that this God is one in Essence, mind, purpose, faithfulness; and so that All other powers that the Heathens have fancied and adored are Idols, vanities and con∣fusion; all things empty and too weak to save or satisfie besides him; that eternal life and hap∣piness consists in the true knowledge and enjoy∣ment of him. And yet this unity of the God∣head is so to be held forth, that the Trinity there∣in also may be acknowledged; otherwise men shall not rightly apprehend or worship him ac∣cording to the Christian Faith and Doctrine. Concerning which, let me a little declare my mind to you (though it may seem a Digression) because mens errour hereabout, I find to be often an inlet to many other evil & false conceptions: I know some make that Trinity or threefold∣ness in the Divine being but only a threefold denomination of the same personal subsistence, and that there is no other distinction between Father, Word and Spirit, but only in that di∣versity of denomination; which appears to be an evident falshood in this, that by the same rule that God, the Father, Word, and Spirit is cal∣led three because they are three denominations, He might be called seven, or ten, or more; there being many other denominations in the Scrip∣ture given to him, as Jehovah, Lord of Hosts, Jah, Elohim, Ehjeh, Eloah, Adona•• the Al∣mighty, and divers others; but yet he is not said

to be so many as he hath denominations given him in any part of Scripture. Besides, different denominations of the same person or personal subsistence may be convertibly predicated of one another; as where the same man is Father, and Son & Husband, and Master, and Magistrate, in divers respects, there it may be said the Ma∣ster is the Father, and the Father is Governour, &c. but so it cannot be said of these three, the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost. The Scri∣pture never says, the Father is the Son, or the Father is the holy Ghost, or the holy Ghost is the Father, or the Word or Son is the Father, though God is a Spirit, and Christ an everlast∣ing Father in regard of us; yet not the Father of the only begotten Son; nor is the Father the Spirit sent by the Father, and yet these three are but one and the same God. A great mysterie it is I confess, and such as passes expression fully to declare and open; yet a truth it is that the Scriptures many ways attest, both in the Pro∣phetical and Apostolical writings: Moses hints it in speaking of God plurally, and yet joyning that plural word with a singular verb, as when he says Elohim Bara, the Gods, or the Mighties; he created Heaven and Earth, &c. And again, Nahashu, let us make man in our Image, plural∣ly; and yet by and by he changes the phrase and speaks in the singular number, God (or the Mighties) made man in his Image: with which

agrees divers other phrases, as that in Psal. 149.2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 let Israel rejoyce in his makers: and that in Eccles. 12.1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Remember thy Creators in the days of thy youth: and the like in Job 35.10. and yet more fully in 2 Sam. 7.23. what one people in the earth is like to thy people Israel, whom 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 verbatim, The Gods went to redeem to himself. The words that we translate God and went, being both of the plural number; and yet the pr••noun relative that is added, is singular, to himself, not to themselves. The two former words plainly intimating the plurality in way of subsistence; and the singu∣lar pronoun, the unity in Essence; which also is held forth in Gods appearing unto Abraham; in which he appeared as three men, and Abra∣ham sometimes speaks to him as one; and some∣time in the plural number as to more. Gen. 18. Whence some Hebrew Doctors have also writ∣ten thus upon the word Elohim, which is usually translated God;* 1.1 Come and see the mysterie of the word Elohim; there are three degrees, and every degree by it self alone; and yet notwithstand∣ing they are all one, and joyned together in one, and are not divided one from another: These places, with divers others, (as to instance one more, that in Deut. 6.5. Hear O Israel, the Lord thy Almighties is one Lord) intimate a plurality in

unity: but other places express that plura∣lity to be a Trinity or threefoldness in unity, as that in Psalm 33.6. By the Word of the Lord were the heavens, made, and all the host thereof by the breath of his mouth, or by the Spirit of his mouth; for the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signi∣fies both: So that there we have mentioned, the Lord Jehovah, his Word, and Spirit: as the like we may see also in Isa. 42.1,2. Behold my ser∣vant whom I uphold (which is spoken of the word made Flesh, Jesus Christ; Mat. 12. who though he was in the form of God, and counted it no robbery to be equal with him; yet emptyed himself and came in the form of a servant Phil. 2.6,7, &c.) Mine elect in whom my soul delighteth, I have pat my spirit upon him, &c. there is the Father held forth under that word, I & my; he whose servant Christ became, and whose elected and delight∣ful Son he is; and there's the Son as before was noted, and the Spirit of the Father put upon him. The like expressions of the Trinity, sce again Isa. 11.1,2. and 61.1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; there is the Lord Jehovah, the Father, and Me, that is the Word as incar∣nate and made flesh: and the Spirit or holy Ghost put upon Christ; which things are yet more clearly opened in the writings of the Evan∣gelists and Apostles, as is to be seen in Mat. 3.17. where we have this Trinity distinctly named, Christ baptized, the holy Ghost descending upon

him visibly in the appearance of a Dove; and the Father speaking out of heaven and owning him for his beloved Son. Here was more then a threefold denomination of one personal sub∣sistence; the Father and Son here are plainly distinguished; for he says not of himself I am the beloved Son, but of Christ, this is my belo∣ved Son, &c. In 2 John 3. he is distinguished plainly from him; Grace and peace from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Fa∣ther, &c. See the like in Col. 2.2. God, the Father, and Christ; as also the distinct applica∣tions of those words, Begetting, and Begotten, Sending, and being Sent, with divers others, ar∣gue the sending forth of Christ, as the begetting him is always attributed to the Father; the Fa∣ther sent the Son the Saviour of the world, and God have his only begotten Son; its never said, nor were it proper to say, the Father sent him∣self, or the Son sent himself, much less that God sent the Father, or the like; where there is di∣stinction of sending and being sent, begetting and being begotten, there is more then differ∣ence in denomination; for though the same may be denominated in divers respects, Father, and Son, and Husband, and Master, as we said be∣fore; yet its improper to say that the Father be∣gat the Son, speaking but of the same in divers respects, both Father and Son; or that the Fa∣ther sent the Master or Son, when he that is all

these in divers respects comes himself, being sent of none other then himself. Beside, its never said the Father was made flesh, or the Father suf∣fered for our sins, or delivered up himself for our offences; but its often said the Father made his Son an offering for our sins: God delivered up Christ for our offences, raised him, exalted him, &c. which argues plainly that there is more then a nominal distinction between them; as also that Christ is said not to have thought it robbery to be equal with God: Now where there is equality, there is distinction too; for its improper to say of the same indistinct thing, that its equal to its self; yea, Christ himself though he saith his Father and he are one, John 10.30. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Ʋnum, one Essence or thing, not Ʋnus, one personal subsistence, or one in way of subsisting) yet he speaks of himself and Father as of two witnesses. I am one that bear witness of my self, and my Father that sent me beareth witness of me, John 8.18. And to say no more, its evident in this, that the word was made flesh, and so is be∣come man too: There is one God, and one Me∣diatour of God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 1 Tim. 2.5. And God will judge the world by that man whom he hath appointed, Acts 17.31. But the Father is never affirmed to be man, nor could Christ be Mediatour of God and man, if not in something distinct from either, as well as in something one with either. And so for the Spi∣rit

it is clearly in that of Mat. 3. and the other places of Isaiah before mentioned, distinguish∣ed from both Father and Son, and is further proved to be so by that of our Saviour, John 14.16,17. I will pray the Father, and he shall send you another Comforter the Spirit of Truth, where all the three are again mentioned, and clear di∣stinctions between each of them from other hinted. I will pray the Father, there's Father and Son: between whom were there no Di∣stinction, that phrase were very improper: If the Son be the Father, he should rather only have said, I will send another Comforter, then I will pray the Father and he shall send, &c. and there is the Spirit distinct from both, both from him that said he would pray, and him to whom he would pray; from the Father, for he is to send him and is prayed to for him; from the Son who prays the Father to send him, for he expresly cals him another Comforter, that is, another from or besides himself that was then with them. The Spirit of Truth, that is, of the Son, for the Son is the Truth, and is to be glo∣rified by him, as in Chap. 16.13,14. When the Spirit is come, he shall not speak of himself, but he shall glorifie me. How shall not he speak of him∣self it he be Christ of whom he should speak, and whom he should glorifie? where note by the way, that the Spirit that speaks of himself, and not of Christ, leading the soul to understand

the things of Christ, and to glorifie him, is not ••he true and right Spirit sent forth by Christ. ••ut not to inlarge further in this matter, what •…•…ore plain then that commission, ••o Disciple all Nations,* 1.2 or all the Gentiles, Baptizing them into the ••ame of the Father, and of the Son, ••all of the holy Ghost? The Name, not names ••nd denominations, but one Name, Power, Au∣••ority and Jurisdiction of Father, Son and Spi∣••it; now what needs this Distinct repeating of ••ather, Son and holy Ghost, if no distinction ••nt in denomination be put between them? ••how can it be said as in 1 John 5.7. that they ••re three witnesses? There are three that bear ••itness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the ••oly Ghost, and these three are one: Where the ••ord again is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as if they were one in way ••f subsisting, or personality, as they use to ••eak, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 unum, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, hi tres ••mum sunt, these three are one thing; one being 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Essence; one God, but yet three in regard of ••ersonality, so as the notes of persons, I and ••hou, and He, may distinctly, and frequently ••re in Scripture applyed to them. I shall not ••ention that in Rev. 1.4,5. with divers other ••laces to this busines: but shall a little further ••pen my conceptions about this so high a busi∣•…•…ess. And so I understand that the Father is

the fountain of the Deity as it is in the Son, but is not the Son, but hath begotten him, and give•• to him to have life in himself; and hath spoken by him; and so the Godhead is in the Father a•• the fountain of Divine power. The Son is the Word, the essential, eternal Word of the Fa∣ther, and so God, as flowing from, and mani∣festing the Father, who in himself, and otherwise then by the Son or Word is not to be known o•• seen into: The divine out-streaming wisdome by whom the Father, that fountain of Divine glory, put forth his Divine vertue, and Created all things, and upholds them, and hath revealed and declared himself to men; who also in due time, for the sake of man turned away and fal∣len from him, was Incarnate by the power of God, and incorporated in the seed of David according to the flesh, and so became also a man▪ and in the nature of man by the heavenly flow∣ing forth of his Divine doctrine, and by the things undergon by, and accomplished in him, he opened, represented, and declared to us the Father; and so the Son is as the flowing, or out speaking of the Father; and the Spirit is the same divine being, but as in both, and proceed∣ing from both; the power, vertue and force that is in, and worketh or acteth forth it self from both, from the fountain by the stream; so as that the Father worketh all things through

the Son, by the Spirit. We may somewhat illu∣strate it by this comparison, as I humbly con∣••eive of it.. The Light that God made to rule day is but one, and its the Sun; and yet that light is after one manner in the body of the Sun, and after another in the glorious ray and beam, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or shining forth of the Sun: & in another manner yet in the air illuminated by the beam from the body of the Sun, and yet all these but one light, not three lights; yet that one light hath a threefold manner of subsisting; the Sun is not one light, and the ray or beam of the Sun another, and the clearness or bright shining in the air illuminated through the beam a third, but one day light, or light of the Sun. The Sun is the fountain, and generateth or begetteth its ••ray or beam, and worketh by it whatever it doth by way of illumination, heating, quick∣ning, &c. yet is not the body of the Sun its ray or beam. Again, the ray is begotten and gene∣rated, in a sort, by the Sun, and yet its cotempo∣rary with it: It evidences the Sun, lives by its dependence on the Sun, is in the Sun, and the Sun in it, after a sort; so as that it doth nothing of it self without the Sun, nor the Sun without it; which comes down from the Sun, and is not the body of the Sun, nor subsists of it self with∣out the Sun. Again, the clearness or light dif∣••used into the air, proceeds from the Sun the

fountain of light, by, with, in and through the ray or beam: yet is it neither the body of the Sun nor its ray; for it is and may be where the ray is not, but is intercepted as to the proper substance of it; as in a cloudy day, or in a room where the Sun beam comes not, and yet these cannot be divided one from the other; for this clearness cannot be but from and by vertue of the ray, and of the Sun; So that if either of them were taken away and removed from the Hori∣zon, the luster or illumination in the air ceaseth, and they cannot be, but this is and follows too: Here is an unity of light in a threefold way of subsistence, by which we may darkly see into the glorious mysterie of Trinity in Unity, which no similitude can fully illuminate; the Father is as the fountain of the Deity, and to the Son or Word as the body of the Sun to its beam, not to be se∣perated from each other, or divided, so as the one can be without the other; though the Fa∣ther is first in order of nature, he of whom are all things, and doth all by, and nothing without the Son or Word, as the Sun doth nothing with∣out its beam. The Word or Son in the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Heb. 1.2. The brightness or off•• shining of the Fathers glory; Lumen de lumine, light shining for discovering and leading up to the fountain of light; always with the Father, and yet came down from the Father, and doth

all from him, and yet is not the Father but the Son; yea and forther, as the beam of the Sun may be contracted, and as it were so incorpo∣rated in a burning glass, or the like, so as the glass by vertue of the beam, and the beam by the glass worketh otherwise then either glass or beam by themselves could have done; and yet neither the light nor the body of the Sun is to be so contracted, but only the beam; so was it with the Son or Word, he was imbodied or incarnate in the nature of man, and the man Christ Jesus by vertue of the Word so contract∣ed, as it were, or incorporated in him, did such glorious things, and got such a glorious con∣quest over sin, death and hell, as man of himself ••ould never otherwise have done or gotten, nor was the Word in and by it self perfected for; and yet neither the Father nor the holy Spirit was so incarnate, or made man: and yet fur∣ther, the Son had all his vertue in himself from the Father, and in the Spirit, without which he ••ould do nothing; as the ray contracted, derives all its vertue that it shews forth in and through the glass from the body of the Sun, without which it could neither be nor do any thing. The holy Spirit is the power, vigor, and divine ver∣•…•…e proceeding from the Father, that fountain of divine glory, from and through the Word, by which we have and enjoy the benefit of the Sun

and its beam, when both of them are otherwise interpreted, and clouded out of our sight; I mean the Father and the Son, even in a day of temptation, and spiritual hiding of himself in his more glorious shinings.

But these things I bring onely to shew that there may be such a thing evidenced, even to reason and sense, as a three-fold way of sub∣sistence of the same created being, that so we might not stumble at that which the Scripture hints to us so abundantly about the Trinity in the Unity of the divine Being: Concerning which I needed not to have multiplyed so many words, were it not that the old Serpent, not a∣biding in the truth, is so prevalent in blinding men, and corrupting them from the unerring Oracles of Divine truth, to listen rather to the shallowness of their own purblind reason: For the Saints are not without experience in them∣selves (did they well mind it) of this distinction, in the glorious workings and operations of God in and upon themselves in their believing: they prove the Father calling them to himself, by the Son, in the power of his Spirit; they have believed the love of the Father in sending forth his Son, and in the word of his Gospel they have felt his power and Spirit drawing and inabling them to believe in Christ, and to approach by and through him unto the Father,

according to that Eph. 2.18. We both (that is Jew and Gentile) have access through him (to wit Christ) by one Spirit unto the Father, name∣ly, to call upon him, trust in him, and have fel∣lowship with him. Indeed they that depart from the Son, they both lose the operations of his divine Spirit, and fall from the right worship of the Father into Heathenism, or such philoso∣phical speculations of God and of his Being, as were found with the ancient Heathens that had not the light of the Gospel to instruct them; and no marvel then if they fall from, or deny the mysterie of the Trinity as in the Apostolical doctrine is held forth, with those divine opera∣tions that should evidence the truth thereof un∣to them. But now to return again to the mat∣ter whereto I was exhorting, viz. the doctrine of the Gospel to be held forth to men, as it sup∣poses the Being of God, and he but one, though thus distinguished; so is it not only the bare affirming him to be but one, or in that Unity so as before to be distinguished, that's to be dela∣red, but his Name according to that Unity and distinction; the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, viz. how God hath manifested himself, and is to be believed in in each of these; as that this one God by his Word and Spirit, having made and created all things for man, and man in his own

Image deserved and required to be obeyed and honoured by man; but man sinning, and there∣fore falling under his displeasure, and making himself thereby unable to please him, and unfit for fellowship with him by reason of that un∣speakable pollution that hath overspread him, God was yet pleased in the greatness of his mer∣cy and freeness of his love to find out a way to recover us again, and a way by which we might return back again unto him: So as that both his justice and displeasure against sin might clear∣ly be demonstrated, and yet his goodness and love too toward sinful mankind be magnified; which was by appointing and sending forth his Son made of a woman, made under the Law, so being found in shape as a man, a reall man, to bear in his body the punishment of our sin, the sin of the world; and so to give himself a ran∣some for all. That this his Son, the Word made flesh (as was long before, even from the begin∣ning of the world, fore-prophecied of him) is now come already, and hath taken upon him in the body that was prepared for him, the burthen and cause of man; and as a publike man given himself a ransome for All; induring the Death, and undergoing that sentence of curse and con∣demnation, that by the offence of one came upon All men, and that for All: and hath in grap∣ling with that death and sin overcome them;

so that God hath raised and justified him in the behalf of all; so as he may also see the justi∣ficatian of all that do and shall believe on him.

To which purpose also, viz. that men might in believing on him, have him for their justifica∣tion, the Father hath glorified him in the na∣ture and behalf of mankind, making him Lord of all, and his salvation to the end of the earth; giving him all fulness of Authority and Power, and filling him with all the fulness of the God∣head bodily, even the fulness of Divine Spirit, Power and Vertue; yea also appointing and ordaining him as Mediator to stand in the Ver∣tue of his Death and Sacrifice between God and men as the propitiation for them, even for our sins that believe, and not ours onely, but also of the whole world, 1 John. 2.1,2. So as that with re∣spect to him, and what he hath done and suffer∣ed for sin, he is good and patient, and boun∣tiful to the whole world, not withstanding they sin; yea, and hath sent out his Gospel to be pub∣lished to them all, without limitation or restri∣ction, viz. that though this his Son there is for∣giveness for them, and he would have them sa∣ved, and to that purpose come to the acknow∣ledgement of the truth: yea He, to wit Christ, is He in whom all the world, or any of them may find favor, and come into favor with God

again, so as to be at one with him; namely, by acknowledging his Truth, and believing on him; who also is appointed by his teaching them as a Prophet, by his ruling them in righte∣ousness, and writing his Law in them, and sub∣duing their enemies as a King and Lawgiver and Judge over them; and by mediating the new Covenant or Advocating and making intercessi∣on as the great High-Priest to the utmost to save all them of the sons of men, that see and believe on him; and so judge his and their ene∣mies that that hate his Light, and reject his ••endred mercy to condemnation; to which end he shall at the time appointed of the Father come again, and raise and judge both the one and the other, as they have here behaved themselves towards him. That as the Father hath put his Spirit up∣on Christ, so they are to submit unto Christ in his Word and Ordinances, and look unto, and wait therein for this his Spirit upon him, as he that is Power of God, that is, to bring down, or effect in man that salvation that is in Christ Jesus set forth to them the Renewer, Sanctifier, Teacher, Comforter, and therefore to be heard, sought after, received, and obeyed by men: in the power of which they are to worship the Fa∣ther through the Son, and in the receit and in∣dwelling of whom they shall finde, and experi∣ment

the streams of that Fountain of Life that flows from the Father, or rather that the Father is in and through the Son; yea God himself by his Spirit to dwell in them, and to set up his Kingdom in them in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost, to the full pos∣session and revelation of which in and upon them this Divine Spirit in such their listning to, following after, and obeying him, will not fail to bring them,

Sect. 7. A Caveat against some mens preposterous mistakes about the Doctrines of Election and Reprobation.

THis then is the brief summ of the Doctrine to be held forth to the world, in which we may hopefully expect and look for the assistance and operation of the Spirit to convince them of the good will of God toward them, and therein of their sin for not believing on him, Joh. 6.11. that hath done so much for them, and is so appointed and fitted of God for saving them; And of Righteousness, both that all the righte∣ousness they have of their own is empty, and will not avail them; otherwise no need for Christ to have died for them, and also that in him is everlasting righteousness, worthy to be looked after, and certain in that their looking to him for it to be met with by them; And of Judgement, that their own self-justifications will not serve them, nor their own self-condemnati∣ons so valid as remedilesly to cast them; but to his doom they must stand by whom the Prince of the world is judged, and they must receive their final sentence from him, who is able, in case of their believing on him, to absolve them from all self-condemnings; and in case of their disobedi∣ence

against him, and the Will of his Father to destroy them, however their own thoughts and other men have hitherto justified them.

Yea, in this Doctrine we may hopefully ex∣pect the holy Spirit to draw in, and allure the convinced to hope in him, and believe on him; and therefore this hold ye forth to them; and to the furtherance of this, let all your conversa∣tions and walkings be directed, as becoms the children of such a Father, the members of such a Head as the Lord Jesus, and as the Temples of the holy Ghost, that they that are apt to slight the Word, may yet be woon to glorifie it by the goodness of your conversation.

And beware, I pray, of that preposterous way that some run into, who through mistake or un∣belief of the Gospel delivered to us by the holy Apostles, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, and through the exercise of their own reason with the mistaking of some Scriptures, do hold forth to the world another manner of doctrine, telling them that some few are and were Elected from Eternity, and others the most part of men (even where the Gospel is sent too) were from Eternity reprobated, and must inevitably be damned, because God hath so appointed to them; and hath not appointed or sent forth any Mediator for them to ap∣proach to him by; nor that Mediator done any

thing for them in his Death and suffering; only those few he hath elected he would have saved, and for them onely Christ hath given himself a ransom, and is a Mediator; all the rest God hath no good will to, nor hath provided any remedy for, but hath left them in their fall, that they might there sink and perish: thus mi∣staking and preposterously holding forth those decrees of Election and Reprobation which they rightly understand not, making of them dangerous and unprofitable doctrines which o∣therwise in due place and manner propounded, are very wholsom; for herein they go beside their Commission, preaching an uncertain sound to men which the world can have no good use of; for when they hear it, what use have they of it, but to trouble or harden them? for what other consequence can they naturally draw from thence then this? Either I am elected or not; if I be, then I am well enough, no sin can, or shall hurt me; Christ hath wholly taken if off, and will not suffer it to condemn me; no matter whether I hear or not; nay, though I swear and drink, or whore, or do what I please; if there be any Christ for me, I shall and must have him, and in due time be brought to him, and to life by him, do what I can; if otherwise, I shall but here torment my self with a melancholy and religious life in vain; what profit is it to pray to him, and

seek him, seeing if I may obtain life, I shall have it thrust upon me? yea, and if I be Elect, I shall be made religious too when Gods time is; and till then no evil shall harm me, otherwise no du∣ties will profit me; Till I be compelled then, and constrained to do otherwise, I will take my pleasure and do what I pleas no actions of mine, can either help or hinder me. Now if it work not thus with all in the world, yet then they are busied to know their Election, which being indeed in Christ, cannot rightly be known but in him, nor till men be in him; and in the mean time the Gospel is withheld from, or made doubtful to them by which they should be drawn in to him, and in which they might see good ground for them to believe in him; for how shal any know that there is good news from God for them, while they know not that Christ was sent of God for their sakes; or hath given himself a ransom for them, seeing God makes out his Love to men onely through him, in whom and none else there is salvation? And how shall these things be known by any, ac∣cording to that way of doctrine, but by knowing first of all their Election, though yet ac∣cording to the Gospel and Scripture-tenor de∣livered by the Apostles, this is a thing not pre∣cedent but consequent to their being in Christ and believing on him? Now what is it to be∣lieve

in Christ, but through the hearing and re∣ceit of what God hath done for them in him, and he suffered and done by the appointment of God for them, and the fulness in him, to trust in him, and through him for all their future saving, the working all their works in them, preserva∣tion of them here, and bringing them to glory hereafter? according to that Rom. 5.9,10. God hath commended his love to us in this, that while we were sinners, yet Christ died for us, whence (as follows) springs up that believing exercise and reasoning of the heart for his fu∣ture saving them; if while enemies God hath re∣conciled us through the death of his Son, how much more shall he not save us by his life, we being through what he hath done reconciled to him? The hearing and belief then of what God hath done for men in Christ is the medium of drawing men in to believe on Christ, and thence faith is called a faith in the bloud of 01 Christ, Rom 3 25, but now in that way of do∣ctrinating men, that medium to this believing is made a consequent of it; that that should draw them in to him, made to follow their being in him; and so in stead of believing through Grace, as the phrase is, Acts 18.27. that is, through the good will of God held forth in the Gospel, and there made to appear to them, they are required first to believe in Christ, that

they might be perswaded that there is grace and good will with God toward them; they are required to trust in his Name, that they may know there is something in it that they may trust in, and not first taught to know his Name as meet to be trusted in by them, that so they might trust in it; whereas right tru∣sting in him springs from the very power of the Spirit working in the opening and declaration of his Name unto them, Pal. 9.10. And onely such a faith, a faith of the right stamp, a faith that springs from, and worketh by Love, is sufficient to evidence mens Election; but such a faith (I say) none can have till the goodness of God is first discovered to them, and they see and believe his love to them; for our love to him, and so by consequent the faith that works by love, springs from the appearance of his love to us, according to that We love because he loved us first. That faith is dead which the Word of the Gospel, decla∣ring the goodwill of God in Christ, and so the appearance of his Love therein, inlivens and quickens not, such a faith can never evi∣dence a mans Election; and yet such a faith they must build the thoughts of their Ele∣ction upon, that that should produce a living faith in them, being not to be apprehended

by them as true for them till that be first known, except they will run themselves and their hearers upon a gross 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of producing the fruit before the tree, the effect before the cause, a living faith before they receive that that should make it living; rest in the bloud of Christ for remission, before they can tell whether that bloud was shed for them, that in resting in it, or in God through it, they might have their sins re∣mitted: one of these they necessarily put men upon; they knowing it to be unsafe to pry immediatly into the secrets of God, and indeavour à priori to find out that their Ele∣ction, as a way that leads to delusion, and de∣straction; and yet such an inconvenience many so doctrinated are ready to run upon. Besides that, while they indeavour to bring men to apply the Gospel to themselves only upon some conceived fruits of Election, they turn preachers of the Law to them in stead of the Gospel to bring them to some such fruits, as legal repentance, sorrow, reforma∣tion, and upon such things found in them (as what else but fruits of Law, and a legal conscience can be produced by them be∣fore the grace and love of God be held forth to them as testified in Christ toward them?) they are bold to apply the Gospel to

them, as if they were the undoubted signs of Election; for so much is intimately implyed, by comparing this their practise with their other Assertions of the Grace of God, and Death of Christ limited to the Election; from which practise of their legal preaching it comes to pass that some working and stri∣ving for this and that frame, and attaining to some legal qualifications or workings, with the Pharisee, presume that they are righteous, and have part in Christ, and bless God as if his Grace had wrought those frames in them, when as his Grace (that is, his love and goodwill in Christ) they never apprehended or believed; nor was that the ground and rise of those frames and changes in them, but onely is inferred and concluded to themselves upon those frames by them.

Others spend their dayes in sadness, and in labouring, as the Israelies under their Egyptian Task-masters, to get to themselves those frames which onely the belief of Gods Grace would kindly effect in them, falling short of what they seek in themselves to build their title to the Gospel Doctrine of the Death of Christ upon, they pine away in a servile slavery, and are alwayes neer un∣to desperation, unless mercy otherwise break∣ing

forth unto them seasonably relieve them.

Take heed therefore of this preposterous preaching of Election and Reprobation to the world, and limiting the Gospel and death of Christ to the Election which no Scripture doth; and declare that to the world that Christ hath instructed us that his servants are to declare to them, viz. tell them of the feast prepared in Christ, forgiveness with him, his death for them; all things ready for their entertainment, God willing that they be saved, and Christ perfected for their saving; and thereupon invite all, and call upon them to go to the wedding, to be∣lieve and submit unto him. And where it pleases God to work so powerfully as to prevaile with some, so as that they are per∣swaded to let go all for him, to receive him, believe in him, and cleave unto him, we may comfortably mind them of the doctrine of Election, as the Apostles have used to ap∣ply it to believers, minding them it was Gods goodness and free mercy and grace to them, that they are preserved, or plucked out from the same unbelief & wickedness that is found with others, or not given over for their follies against him; when as many others (perhaps as little or less rebellious) have been more severely dealt with by him; and

that in Christ, in whom they believe, they are made compleat; being by Gods order, from before the foundation of the world, chosen in him to be holy (that is a peculiar devoted portion for God) and blameless in love before him; and when we see men neglect and slight the goodness of God pro∣pounded, we may tell them how God re∣jected such and such for their folly against him, and warn them, lest for the like follies the same should befall them; as Jer. 6 30. and 7.4,5. yea when we see men resting in their birth, works, priviledges, &c. we may well mind men that God hath not chosen the flesh and seed thereof as such, to inherit with him; not Adam and his seed as such, nor Abraham and his seed as in the flesh, nor the Law and its seed, but Christ and his seed or members to inherit glory with him; the rest (otherwise then as they may be born again, and become the seed of God in Christ) are rejected from part and portion in his kingdom, not from Gods good will toward them, and the death of Christ for them; for that was for sinners, ungodly, enemies; yea as considered in such an evil condition; but from fellowship with God &c inheriting with Christ, which none shall partake of that a∣bide but in that state of nature (yea though

advantaged by more honourable birth, or more zealous frame) in which Christ ex∣tended his pitty to them in dying for them; that so they may be pressed to let all go for Christ, in whom there is both sure and cer∣tain ground for their repenting and belie∣ving, and out of whom there is nothing to be found but perishing.

Now if ye do thus, walking answerably thereto, not measuring the outward court, Rev. 11.1,2. given to the Gentiles, as if we appropriated it to our selves onely, but wor∣shiping God in his Temple (in fellowship with Christ and his people that are in union with him) and at his Altar (or in the sa∣crifice and meditation of Christ) labouring both by word and conversation, to bring up the Gentiles from their Gentilism and resting in the outward Court of external profession to the circumcision of the Spirit, and worship of God in the same, in the in∣ward man, and in his Temple and Altar (as before) Then shall ye find his blessing upon you, making you a blessing to them and fil∣ling you with his own spiritual blessings in grace and peace, till he bring you safely to the full injoyment of the glorious promises. Even so Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See Ainsw. in Gen. 1.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.