No Power But of God, Table of contents (2 of 2)

No Power But of God · Table of contents (2 of 2)

p. 64Again, let me ask thee O man whoſoev… thou art that readeſt theſe lines, Doſt tho… not think and believe that God hath give… everyman power and ability to do ſo muc… as he requires of him? For the proof har… of read underſtandingly Rom. 1. 19, 20, &… For the Lord is ſo juſt, and his wayes … equal, that he never requires impoſſib… things of his creatures: He dealeth wit… man according to what he hath, and co… mands what he knowes he may perfor… He is not like Pharaoh, to command Brick … be made without Straw. He gives forth h… Talents, and commands the Receiver … improve that: and when he comes to ca… them to an account, he doth not dema… five talents where he gave but one; only … blames that ſervant for not improvi… p. 65that one; he that was not able to bring …old or Silver, Silk or fine Linnen to the …ilding of the Temple, if he brought …aſſe, or Goats haire, or ſuch as he could, …tha willing heart, it was accepted; Again, … finde that he that was not able to bring …amb or a Kid for his ſin Offering, muſt …ing two Turtle Doves or young Pigeons; …he could not bring thoſe, then the tenth …rt of an Ephah of fine flower ſhould ſerve. … where the Lord gives much, he requires …ch; and where he gives little, he re…ires but little.

Now is the Lord ſo tender of the people, …t he would not have them to ſtretch …emſelves beyond their abilities in point … Sacrifices; and is not he as tender of …ir weakneſſe in other points of obedi…ce; Doth he command impoſſibilities? …n the Creature may have a juſt execuſe at … laſt day; when every man ſhall be judged …ording to his works, ſaying; If thou …ſt given me power to doe that which …u gaveſt me a command to doe, then I … done it; and ſo his diſobedience is caſt …on his Judge, for not giving ſtrength to …e that he required: If this be true, then …me not thoſe that ſay, that God is the au…r of ſinne.

p. 66But ſhall I aske thee again, O vain man haſt thou done ſo much good, and refrai… ed ſo much evil that thou mighteſt ha… done? Put this queſtion to thy Conſcienc… ſaying, Conſcience, I doe charge thee in t… preſence of the Lord to deal truly with me… Have I done ſo much good, and refrained … much evil as I might have done? me thin… I hear thy Conſcience ſaying to thee, a… mine hath often to me; No, no, thou ha… been a ſloathful ſervant in the Lords Vin… yard: O poore filly man! art thou like t… Bruites, that doe not know their ow… ſtrength? Why, doſt thou not know, … vain man! that God that made thee, ha… indued thee with power and abilit… ſuteable to thy ſtate and quality? Hat… thy wiſe Creatour given forth a power t… the Fiſhes of all ſorts to ſwim, and to t… Fowls of the Ayre to flye, and the Beaſts … the Earth to go from place to place; ye… hath he given wiſdome and power to t… meaneſt of Creatures, the Ant and Piſmi… Crane and Swallow, &c. and thou O ma… whom the Lord of Lords hath made Lo… over al theſe things, haſt thou no ability, a… thou a meer dead lump, doth God call, a… canſt thou not heare nor anſwer? wilt tho… tell him when he ſhall judge thee, that … p. 67d…d not impower thee? Wilt thou charge …y Omiſſions and Commiſſion upon him? …ilt thou make him worſe then wicked …haroah, which made the Children of Iſ…el make Brick without Straw? let me tell …ee O man! thou art able by the power …hat is given thee according to Gods com…on Providence, I ſay, thou art able by …ertue of that power received, to ſpeake or … hold thy peace, to go or to ſit ſtill; and …hen thou and I ſhall both appear before …e Tribunal Seat of God at the day of …udgement, thou and I ſhal not be charged …ith what we could not doe, but for lea…ng undone that which we ought & might …ave done. Now that I might not be miſta…en, I ſhal make or propoſe theſe few excep…ons, or limitations to what hath been ſaid.

1. There is a power in God incommu…cable, I doe not ſay, there is any ſuch …ower in us; there is a power alſo in him …ommunicable, which dwels in us, accord…g to the meaſure thereof communica…d, &c.

2 We are to conſider that this power in …e Creature, as it was given forth from …im, ſo it is limitted by him.

3 I doe not ſay or affirme, that natural …wer can act in ſupernatural things; for p. 68I know the contrary, that it cannot, bu… only in naturall.

4. Although I doe affirm that all me… have a natural power; yet I doe not ſa… that every man natural hath it in the ſam… meaſure; for I ſee men tranſcending o… another in gifts natural; as men excee… and goe beyond one another in gifts Spiritual.

Truly friends, it is worth our conſideration a litle to ſtudy or enquire into our natural abilities, that ſo we might improv… them to the b…ſt advantage; for natura… improvements ſhal have natural rewards, a… ſpiritual improvements ſhall have ſpiritua… rewards. If Ahab repent with a natural r… pentance, Ahab ſhall receive a natural reward, as you may ſee, 1 King. 21. 27. It wi… further appear, that a natural man hath … natural power by this alſo; look upon th… whole Nation of men and w…men natura… and you ſhall ſee great differences in thei… improvements; the one will avoid ſin fo… ſeare of puniſhment; another will avoi… ſin for fear of ſhame; another will run o… in ſin, fearing neither puniſhment no… …ame; ſome men meerly natural they wi… ſpeak ſoberly, and anſwer to things i… their clem…t difinctly and wiſely.

p. 69Some men natural are ſo punctual in …eeping their promiſes, and ſo faithful in …he truſt repoſed in them; that they endea…our to doe as they would be done unto▪ …nd truly theſe things are to be commended … men natural and in men ſpiritual.

And that a natural man may doe more …hen he doth by his naturall power, will …aſily appear by theſe foure things:

Firſt, Becauſe I have ſeen, and ſo have …any others, that man meerly natural hath …mitted evill, and ſet himſelf about the do…ng of that which in it ſelf is good, when …he eye of the Magiſtrate hath been over …im.

Secondly, I have ſeen men, and that not … few, refrain from ſin, as Drunkeneſſe, …wearing, and Sabbath-breaking, becauſe …he Law of the Nation conſtrains them …hereunto. A man could not for theſe …any years walk along the Key of this City, but he ſhould hear the Porters and …alliers curſing and ſwearing, as men that …ad never learned to ſpeak any other language; and ſo with the Butchers, you …ould not walk along the Shambles, but …our heart would even tremble to hear the …ame of God ſo often, and fearfully taken …n vain; Now, through the wiſdom of our p. 70Parliament to Enact, and the diligence … our Mayor to Execute (for the life of th… Law lyes in the due execution thereof) yo… may now walk the Key and Shambles, in th… middeſt of the Porters, Hallie…s, and Bu… chers, and hear them ſpeak with ne… tongues: Yea, you ſhall through the good neſſe of the Lord in the care of the Mag… ſtrate ſcarce hear one man, woman, o… childe from the beginning of the week t… the end thereof, either ſwear or curſe. No… from what power is it that theſe men a… able to forbeare ſwearing, being ſo accuſt… med unto it, ſome twenty, ſome forty, ſom… fi…ty years? is there not a natural power i… them which they did before abuſe? or elſ… will you ſay with our new Noveliſts or up… ſtart wantons, that it was God that di… ſwear, and ſo ſwearing is no ſin?

I ſhall cloſe up this point giving you m… judgement therein, which is, that as the lo… of Chriſt doth conſtrain ſome, ſo the fear o… puniſhment doth compell others; the o… to improve his ſpiritual parts, the othe… his natural parts.

Thirdly, That there is a natural powe… in a natural man, which he may and ough… to improve in all naturall things, as wil… appear in this; if you take notice what p. 71change there wil be in a mans actions when …e fear of death poſſeſſeth him; his wick… company, and his wicked practices, …e begins to complain of them both; and …en he begins to acknowledge there was a …ower in him, and promiſeth the Lord in …e preſence of all his friends, if the Lord …ill ſpare him a little longer time, he will …ever be drunk, & ſwear, and lye and blaſ…heme as he hath done; he will now reade & …arn to pray, and come amongſt the Lords …eople, whom he hated; and waite at the …oole of Betheſda till the Angel move the wa…ers.

Fourthly, Come to a Natural man, that …s ſitting ſtill, and if thou wilt know whe…her there be any power in him; tell him …f he will travel to ſuch a City, and doe …uch and ſuch buſineſſe for thee, thou wilt give him ſo many pounds for his labour …nd pains; ſee now how he will improve …ll his natural parts to effect this buſineſſe; …e will imploy his tongue to enquire the way, and his feet to carry him on in the way, and he will imploy his memory to keep account of the miles; yea, every part …n the whole man ſhall be imployed in his …ace to accompliſh this buſineſſe; and the …ſt wheel that ſets all the reſt on going is …hope of gain.

p. 72Oh, what pains and care doe men tak… for the hope of gain; they will riſe early, a… lye down late, and eat the bread of carefulneſſe they will obſerve time and tide, and a… things conducing thereunto, to accompliſh their deſires, they will improve all opportunities, make uſe of all means, depri… themſelves of ſleep, and ſometimes of the… food, to get a little gain; they ſcrape an… pull, and rake to make their Dunghi… higher then their Neighbours; and the… they get upon the top of their Dunghi… and ſtand with their arms a Kimbo, an… look ſo big and ſo lofty, that if any of hi… neighbours whoſe Dunghil is not ſo high as his, …hance to come to ſpeak with him he muſt bend his Knee and take off his Ha… and ſtand bare before him, or elſe he ſhal… have but few words with him; and if thi… man whoſe Dunghil is ſo high come once to be enlightned by the Spirit of God, h… preſently with Solomon, Eccleſ. 2. 11. writ… vnity upon all his treaſure, or elſe break… forth with Zacheus, Luk. 19. 8. Beho…d, th… h…lf of my goods I give to the poore; and if … have wronged any man, I will reſtore him fourefold.

p. 73See the wiſdome and policie of the un…ſt Steward, and his improvement of both …o the beſt advantage, as to himſelf, Lu…. 16. … 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. and for his policie the Lord …ommends him, Luk. 16. 8. but for his un…ithfulneſs as to his maſter the Lord blames …m, Luk. 16. 10. and in the 11 v. the Lord …aweth this concluſion from the former …poſition, If therefore you have not been faith… in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit your truſt the true riches? As if he had ſaid, … you have abuſed your natural power, …hich is the leſſer, who will give you ſpi…tual power, which is the greater? Read …d well conſider theſe Scriptures, viz. Cor. 11. 14. Doth not even nature it ſelf teach … other things? Rom. 1. 26, 27. There you all finde that both men and women are …arged by the Spirit of God for not im…oving nature, and for doing things con…ary to nature So again, Rom. 1. 19, &c. …d Rom. 7. 14. and 1 Cor. 11, 15, 16. … loved, if theſe things be well conſidered, … will appeare that there is given forth by …e Creator to the creature a power natu…l; and our abuſe of this power muſt be …d upon ourſelves, and not upon God. …m. 1. v. 13, 14. Let no man ſay when he is …pted, he is tempted of God, for God tempteth p. 74no man: But he is drawn aſide of his own l… and enticed.

2. There is a Spiritual power; a… and that is not given forth univerſally … all, but thoſe, and thoſe only to whom … hath given, and in whom he hath plant… his Spirit, by vertue of which theſe men a… women can pray in the Spirit, rejoice … the Spirit, and in ſome meaſure worſh… God who is a Spirit, in ſpirit and in trut… Theſe can read and underſtand the letter … the ſpirit, they can diſcourſe of ſpiritu… things underſtandingly and feelingly; b… this power they can pull down ſtrong hol… caſt down imaginations. Read for the proof … this, 2 Cor. 10. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. By this power th… can keep down their natural or corrupt… ble body, as Paul, 2 Cor. 9. 27. But I ke… under my body and bring it unto ſubjection, left ſhould be found to preach that to others that ſhould not practiſe my ſelf.

Now this ſpiritual power, as it was r… ceived from God, ſo it is to be improv… for God: which if we be faithful and di… gent ſo to do, then

Firſt, the Lord will have the glory, M… 5. 16.

Secondly, it will redound to our gre… eſt good, Mat. 21. 22, 23.

p. 75And that there is a ſpiritual power, it …ll further appear from the ſeveral com…ands from the Lord to his people to be …ing in ſpiritual things; which were all … vain, if there be no ability given forth to …e Creature to do that which is required. …ight inſtance in as many places as there … Chapters in the Bible, to prove it: but …r brevities ſake I ſhall mention but a few. …t. 11. 23. Barnabas exhorted them all, that …th purpoſe of heart they would cleave unto the …rd. They did not anſwer him and ſay …at they had no power, they could not doe it. …il. 2. 12. Work out your own ſalvation with …re and trembling. Theſe people did not …y, there was Free-will in the Text. As King …AMES once ſaid upon the like occaſion, …ere was Treaſon in the Text: when a …iniſter that preached before him had taken Text of Scripture that did treat of the a…ſe of Kingly power, the King burſt forth … a paſſion and ſaid, There was Treaſon in the …xt. But if Kings will not caſt down their …rowns at the feet of Chriſt, Chriſt will …uck them off and lay them at the feet of …en.

If there be no power in man Natural, nor … man Spiritual; then away with all the …dmonitions, Inſtructions, Informations, p. 76and ſo with the whole Bible! ceaſe to tea… Man! As good go teach the Sun, Moon an… Stars which way they ſhall go, the Wind … blow or the Sea to ebb and flow; go tea… the Fiſh to ſwim, and the Bird to flie; f… they have power, but man hath none.

And indeed, if man regenerated, if ma… ſpiritualized have no power to act; go an… race out theſe enſuing Scriptures, as requ… ring that of man which man hath no abili… to do. Luk. 13. 24. Strive to enter in at t… ſtrait gate. Many ſhall ſeeke to enter, &… Rom. 15. 30. Now I beſeech you brethren f… the Lord Ieſus Chriſts ſake, and for the love … the Spirit, that you ſtrive together with me yo… prayers to God for me. H…b. 12. 4. You have n… yet reſiſted unto blood, ſtriving againſt ſi… Heb. 12. 1. Let us lay aſide every weight, and t… ſinne that doth ſo eaſily beſet us; and let us … with patience the race that is ſet before us. 2 Pe… 1. 5, 6, 7. And beſides this give all diligence, ad… to your faith vertue, and to vertue knowledge, a… to knowledge temperance, and to temperance pa… ence, and to patience godlineſſe, and to godline… brotherly kindneſſe, and to brotherly kindne… charity, &c. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give all diligence … make your calling and election ſure. 2 Phil. 1… Work out your own ſalvation with fear and tre… bling. Jer. 4. 14. O Ieruſalem waſh thine he… p. 77…m wickedneſſe, that thou mayeſt be ſaved. …r. 18. 11. Return from your evil wayes, and …ake your wayes and doings good, ſaith the Lord. …at. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and …e heavy laden, and I will give you reſt. J…r. 3. 13. …ly acknowledge thine iniquity, & I wil pardon it. Now as many as have received this ſpiri…al power, are able according to its mea…re to doe the thing required. As to in…nce: The Lord ſaid to David, Seek my face. …avid's heart being enlightened and im…wered by God, makes this anſwer to the …rds command, Lord, thy face will I ſeek. …d ſometimes God conveyes the power …gether with the precept, to enable them … do what he commands them to do. And …en if a man do it not, or do the contrary, …e Scripture tels thee, thou art ſlothfull, …d doſt not uſe thy power; or covetous, …d ſo abuſeſt thy power. 1 C or. 9. 18.

Now let me ask thee (O thou enlighten… Chriſtian) haſt thou ſince thou waſt en…ghtened by Chriſt, done as much for Chriſt thou mighteſt have done? Doth not thy …nſcience tell thee thou haſt been negligent …d ſlothful, and left undone thoſe things …hich thou oughteſt to have done, and done …oſe things which thou mighteſt have left …done? In a word, haſt thou avoided ſo p. 78much evil, and done ſo much good as th… mighteſt have done? What thou wilt … now, I know not: but when thou an… ſhall appear before the Searcher of all hea… at… the laſt day, we ſhall not tell the Lo… we wanted power to obey him in his co… mands.

Surely if there be no life, vigor & pow… in men and women regenerate, then in va… are all thoſe ſtirrings, perſwafions and i… treaties in Scripture: as to inſtance in a fe… 2 Tim. 1. 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembra… that thou ſtirre up the gift of God which is in th… 2 Pet. 1. 13. Yea I think it meet as long as I … in this tabernacle, to ſtir you up by putting you remembrance, &c. 2 Pet. 3. 1. This epiſtle (… loved) I now write unto you, in which I ſti… up your pure minds by way of remembrance, &… Heb. 3. 13. But exhort one another daily whil… is called to day, leſt any of you be hardened thro… the deceitfulneſſe of ſin. Heb. 10. 24. Let us … ſider one another to provoke one another to l… and good works. 1 Cor. 4. 16. Wherefore I ſeech you be ye followers of me. 1 Pet. 1. 15. … as he which called you is holy, ſo be ye holy in manner of converſation. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let e… one that nameth the name of the Lord depart fr… iniquity. Epheſ. 4. 22. That you put off the … man which is corrupt. Mat. 5. 16. Let your l… p. 79…ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good …s, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven. Tim. 4. 13. Till I come, give attendance to …ding, to exhortation, to doctrine, &c.

Now if there be no power in a man re…wed to do what is commanded, then raſe …t all the Commands, for they be all in …in; they be worſe then Pharaoh, they re…ire heavenly bricks to be made of earthly …aw.

Away with all exhortations, perſwaſi…s, intreatings, and heavenly ſtrivings, if …ere be no ability in the creature to whom …u ſpeak. Hath the Lord indeed made …n an empty creature and void of reaſon? …th not man many members in his body …d faculties in his ſoul? cannot the Eye ſee, …nnot the Ear hear? cannot the Legs go? …nnot the hands work, &c. And for the …ule, is there not an underſtanding to un…ſtand? is there not a mind or memory to …nde or remember? is there not a judge…nt to judge and determine of things? is …ere not a will to will the thing, that the …dgment doth judge as good? Are there …t Affections to affect that, which the …dgment preſents as good? Or elſe doth …d ſpeak to man as a ſtock or a ſtone? …th the moſt righteous God require impoſſibilities p. 80of his creatures? doth he ca… and cannot man anſwer? or will he not a… ſwer? or doth he call, and we hear him, r… quiring many things to be done by us, a… threatens us if we doe it not, and gives … no power to doe it? No, no, this is not t… adminiſtration of the Goſpel: for either … doth impowre them before he command them; or elſe, with the command the… goes forth a power and a promiſe to enab… his creature to the performance of what … requires; onelyonly thou and I doe many tim… reſiſt that Spirit and power as much as w… can; we are not faithfull to the Spirit, w… grieve it, and ſometimes in a ſenſe quen… it: yea, the Lord cals once, yea twice, an… we doe not not, nor will not hear him; an… if we cannot but hear him, inſtead of goi… to him, we run to Elie, See 1 Sam. 3. 5, 6.

Surely Joſhua had a power as well as a r… ſolution, when he ſpake theſe words, Joſ… 24. 15. I and my houſe will ſerve the Lord: an… thoſe whom he there ſpake to in tha… chap. Joſ. 24. 14, 15. I ſay, thoſe people ha… alſo a power to doe what he command them to doe, or elſe his commands are i… vain: He exhorts them to fear the Lord, a… to ſerve him in truth and ſincerity: and in th… 31. verſe, we read, that they did as Joſh… p. 81…d commanded them; for the Text ſaith, …at Iſrael ſerved the Lord all the dayes of Io…t, and all the dayes of the Elders that overlived …ſhua, &c. So alſo in the twelſth of the …mans, we have in that Chapter at leaſt ſix …d twenty particular duties that we are …horted unto. Now if there is no ability … a Chriſtian to perform or practiſe that …ich there is recorded, then all thoſe ex…tations are in vain, and Paul had been good have ſpoken to the men and wo…n that were laid in the graves, as unto …ſe he then ſpake unto.

If there be no power given forth from …d unto his people, lay aſide as needleſſe uſeleſſe all thoſe precious directions, in…ctions, perſwaſions, exhortations, and …cepts mentioned in Scripture, and ſo …u wilt at once lay aſide half the Old and …w Teſtament, as many deluded ſouls do …his day; and then thou lieſt open, as …ing no guard to further temptations: …en in comes Sathan, and begins to reaſon … caſe with thee: Why (ſaith he) if half Bible be uſeleſſe to us, why not all? And …e will undertake to teach thee, and in… ſo he will, for he is one of the moſt la…ious Schoolmaſters in the world; he …l improve all opportunities, and take p. 82all advantages to faſten his doctrine up… thee: he will wait on thee continuall… when thou lieſt down, and when thou ri… up he will be at thy elbow: he will prom… thee great things, and give thee little; … will promiſe thee honour, and bring thee diſgrace; he will promiſe thee pleaſure, a… bring thee to pain; he will promiſe th… riches, and bring thee to poverty; he w… promiſe thee life, and bring thee to d…a… Oh then, remember that bleſſ…d wor… Jam. 4. 7. Reſiſt the Devil, and he ſhall flee … thee.

Ob. But thou wilt object and ſay, I h… not faith to reſiſt him: And it is not in … power of man by nature to believe, as y… may ſee I Cor. 1. 23. & 2. 14. Rom. 8. 7▪ John 40. & 44. Mat. 23. 37.

An. It is true; I have affirmed bef… that a man meerly natural cannot ac… ſupernatural things: but I am not ſp… ing to a man natural, but to the recei… power of a man ſpiritual, and the impro… ment of that.

Obj. But before you proceed further … deſire ſatisfaction to this one queſtion:

Q. Why doth God promiſe eternal … only to thoſe that believe, and threatene … nal death to thoſe that do not, ſeeing … p. 83…ot in their own power by nature to be…ieve.

A. Firſt, that he might by his promiſes …nd threatnings work us unto that which …y nature we are averſe to 2 Cor. 5. 11. & 20.

Secondly, that we might appeare more …excuſable, when neither promiſes, nor …reats will move us to imbrace free mercy. …ct. 13. 46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed …ld and ſaid, it was neceſſary the word of God …ould firſt have been ſpoken unto you: but ſeeing … put it from you, and judge your ſelves unworthy … everlaſting life, lo we we turn to the Gentiles. …d in the 51. verſ. And they ſhook off the duſt … their feet againſt them, and came to Jeruſalem. …r the further proofe of this ſee Act. 18. … 7.

Thirdly, that the grace of God might as …ll appear in giving power to believe, as giving Chriſt, and in him forgiveneſſe of …nes to be believed. Rom. 9. 16. So then it …ot of him that willeth nor of him that runneth, … of God ſheweth mercy. Rom. 11. 6, 7. …d if by grace, then it is no more of works.

Fourthly, that we might apply our ſelves to God in the uſe of thoſe means that …hath appointed for the working of faith …s. Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that …ſheth, but for that which endureth to everlaſting p. 84life, &c. Iſa. 55. 3. Incline your ear an… come unto me, heare and your ſoul ſhall live, …c▪ Rom. 10. 17. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Fifthly, that we might wholly deny ou… ſelves, and ſearch, and by ſeeking find in th… Covenant of grace matter of free conveyance of power to believe whatſoever is required to be believed. Rom. 4. 16. Rom. 3. 24▪ & Pſal. 119. 104, 105. Joh. 5. 39.

Again, when we look into the Old o… New Teſtament, and there find a comman… wherein thou art required to be acting an… doing ſomething for God.

1. Conſider, thou haſt a power alread… given forth to thee, by which thou art … ble to do the thing required.

2. Or elſe with the command the Lor… conveyes a power to enable thee to do th… thing commanded.

3. When thou lookeſt upon the Co… mand on thy left hand, then look upon t… Promiſe on thy right hand, wherein t… Lord God hath promiſed to aſſiſt thee, a… not to faile thee nor forſake thee. For I d… know no precept but hath its promiſ… though not alwayes in the ſame chapter … verſe.

4. For our more careful practiſing, … p. 85…g and obſerving all the commands of our God, conſider theſe three things.

1. As he hath promiſed to enable thee,

2. So he hath promiſed to reward thee …or doing thy duty: ſo that to every pre…pt there is two promiſes, the one to en…le thee, the other to reward thee, and …oth to encourage thee.

3. And in caſe of ſlothfulneſſe and neg…gence in leaving undone what we ought …nd might have done,

1. The Lord complains on us.

2. He exhorts us, Be not ſlothfull in buſines, …t ſervent in ſpirit ſerving the Lord.

3. He threatens us, ſaying, Becauſe I have …lled and you have refuſed, you ſhall call, and I …ill not anſwer.

4. He tels us that we have forſaken our own …ercy; He put a price into our hands, but …e as fools had no heart to it; and ſo our …ſtruction is of our ſelves: O Iſrael, thou …aſt deſtroyed thy ſelf.

Oh then, that all the Lords inheritance, …aints by calling, Sons of Sion, would take …e Lords advice in theſe and the like com…ands, yea in all the will of God! Phil. 2. …2. Wherefore my beloved, as you have alwayes …eyed not only in my preſence, but now much more … my abſence, work out your own ſalvation witle …ar & trembling.

p. 86Q. How ſhall I do that? (thou wilt ſay.) A. Peter, being filled with the Holy Ghoſt, ſhewes thee and me how we ma… do it. 2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, &c. And beſides this, giv… all diligence; adde to your faith vertue, and … vertue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience, and to patience godlineſſe, and to godlineſſe brotherly kindneſſe, and t… brotherly kindneſſe charity: For if theſe things b… in you and abound, they make you that you ſha… neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowled… of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt; but he that lacketh the… things is blind and cannot ſee afar off. Wherefor… give all diligence to make your calling and elect… ſure, for ſo an entrance ſhall be miniſtred unto yo… abundantly into the everlaſting kingdome of … Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt.

Wherefore I will imploy my power ſaith Peter, verſ. 12. I will not be negligen… put you alwayes in remembrance of theſe thing yea I think it meet aslong as I am in this tabern… …le to ſtir you up by putting you in remembranc… Now if Peter had no ſpiritual ſtrength, ho… could he ſtir them up to ſpiritual things and if the people to whom he ſpake had n… power, how could they be doing the thing commanded?

Now thou, O moſt excellent peece of a… Gods workmanſhip, Man and Woman p. 87whoſoever thou art that readeſt theſe lines, …deavour to know thy own ſtrength, that …ou mayeſt imploy and improve it for him …at gave it. Study thy ſelf; examine, what … I able to doe by vertue of that power …hich I have received from God? Surely I …ave left many things undone for this very …aſon, I was unable to do it. It is true, I ſaw …n the one hand, that I could of my ſelf do …othing; but I did not ſee on the other and, that I could do all things through …hriſt enabling me.

It is a bleſſed thing to improve the power …ceived, in making uſe of the preſent op…ortunity; and it is a dangerous caſe to …eglect it.

1. Becauſe it may be thou mayeſt not …ave another opportunity. Prov. 1. 24. 26. …at. 23. 37, 38.

2. Becauſe if he give another opportu…ity, thou art not ſure to live to ſee it.

3. Becauſe, if he doth give another op…ortunity, and thou live to ſee it, yet thou …aving ſleighted the Spirit at firſt, thou art moſt like to do ſo ſtill, Heb. 3. 13. Act. 7. 51. … Tim. 3. 8.

4. Becauſe if the Lord doth give thee an…ther opportunity, and thou live to ſee it …nd imbrace it, yet thou haſt hindred thy p. 88ſelf exceedingly, and haſt loſt thy ſight o… Chriſt for many dayes. Joh. 20. 24, 25▪ A man that knowes not his own ſtrength is like unto a man that hath a great ſumm… of mony that lieth in a corner, and he dot… not improve it, and ſo gets nothing by it for he knows not of it; he hath a Talen… but it is hid in a napkin and buried in th… earth.

1. I do but ask thee (O man) whoſoeve… thou art that readeſt theſe lines, doſt tho… not think in thine own conſcience, tha… there is many a man and woman belongin… to the Election of grace, that do die in d… ſpair (as it were) and without aſſurance i… point of manifeſtation, that might have r… ſigned up their ſouls to God in full aſſurance, if they had obeyed God in giving … diligence to make their calling and election ſure 2 Pet. 1. 10.

2. Again let me ask thee, whether tho… doſt not think in thy conſcience that mo… men and women, with Martha, are trouble about many things, whereas they might wit… Mary, chooſe the better part. Luk. 10. 41, 42.

3. Again, I do but ask thee whether tho… doſt not deprive thy ſelf of thy comfortabl… well-being here in this life, by thy not looking more narrowly to thy converſation 2 Cor. 1. 12.

p. 89Many things more might be here recited … the confirmation of this truth, That …re is a power natural, and a power ſpiritual; …d the neglect of the improvement of each is ſin…ll. But at preſent I ſhall be ſilent to make …y further progreſſe therein, only I ſhall …deavour to anſwer ſome objections that …ply may ariſe againſt it; and then I ſhall …e you a few reaſons why I have written …is, and ſhew you the neceſſity that we have … knowing this power, by the danger of …t knowing it.

Firſt I ſhall endeavour to anſwer a few …bjections that haply may ariſe in the …oughts of ſome againſt it; and ſo much …e rather, becauſe I know that we live in … age wherein ſome men make it the great… peace of their Religion to lie at catch, …d to eſteem very highly of themſelves and …eir own judgments, and undervalue o…ers, as the proud Phariſee, Luk. 18. 11, 12. …d quite contrary to the command of …od, Phil. 2. Let each eſteem others better then …emſelves. But to proceed.

Ob. 1. If there be a natural power in all, …d a ſpiritual power in ſome, by vertue …hereof they can act and do act: then I …umbly conceive, that you muſt either by …olding this doſtr…y Free-grace, or elſe hold …ree-will.

p. 90A. I anſwer: In all that I have ſaid … done concerning the natural or ſpiritu… power, I have endeavoured to fail b…twe… theſe two rocks, that I might not deny t… one, nor hold the other: for if my … ſhould ſail againſt either of theſe two roc… all hopes of coming ſafe to land would … taken from mine eyes.

Firſt, I have not deſtroyed Free-gra… neither undervalued it in any meaſure; … I have ſaid before, that all our ſprings a… in him, and all our ſupplies are from hi… and that all power centers in him as t… Fountain from whence all ſmall ſtreams … power do flow. I have affirmed furthe… that as this power was given freely to … from him, ſo it is limited in us by him; a… when the creature hath improved his po… er to the higheſt, he hath done but his dut… Luk. 17. 10.

Our ſalvation is of Free-grace notwit… ſtanding: I have not ſaid that our impr… ving, or not improving our power, c… ſave us, or damn us: But this I have affir… ed and do affirm, that by our non-improv… ment it will exceedingly harm us; for … ſhall loſe much of our outward, and pe… haps inward joy and comfort both in … and death; I do not ſay, our eternal we… p. 91being doth depend upon it. All our ſal…ion is of Free-grace from God through … redemption of the Son, and evidence of Spirit.

1. So that our obedience is not the cauſe … our ſalvation; for Gods love was the …fe. Joh. 3. For God ſo loved the world, &c.

2. Our obedience and good works is …t the way; for Chriſt is the way, the truth … the life.

3. Our improvement of our power in …y of good works, is not the evidence as …our ſelves, for that is the work of the …irit of God in us.

4. But our good works do glorifie God …d inform and edifie our neighbours.

Firſt they glorifie God, Mat. 5. 16.

Secondly it doth inform our neighbour; … he cannot judge of us but by our fruits, … ſhall know a tree by its fruits, ſaith Chriſt.

Thirdly, it doth edifie our neighbour, …en every ſtep of our converſation is an …truction to him: and the Apoſtle ſaith, …t ſome are won to God by the good …nverſation of others.

2. And as for Free-will in man, I know …ne, unleſſe it be ſuch a Free-will as was … Paul, Rom. 7. 18. For to will is preſent with …. and ver. 13. When I would do good, evil is p. 92preſent with me. I know no Free-will th… unleſſe it be a free-will to ſin. A man na… rally cannot act in things ſupernatur… as to inſtance, a man cannot believe, unl… the Spirit of God work faith in the ſou… and yet a man according to common p… vidence may bring his body to the O… nance of Hearing, which is the means or… narily by which the Lord doth work fai… Rom. 10. 17. But he, the Lord God … mighty, is the Author and finiſher of Heb. 12. 2. And he makes us willing a… deſirous to have it wrought in us: ſo t… he doth not work it whether we will no. So the Holy Ghoſt, that works fai… is not ſaid to believe; Man is ſaid to … lieve.

Now though man cannot believe of hi… ſelf, without the power of the Lord; … man is to attend upon all means, as heari… reading, meditation, conference: for th… be his appointments, and he hath promi… his preſence in, and bleſſing upon the uſ… theſe means to make them effectual. H… it is that the Lord commands us to wait him in the uſe of means. Prov. 20. 22. … wait on the Lord, and he ſhall ſave thee. Iſa. … Bleſſed be all they that wait for him. Iſa … 31. p. 93…y that wait upon the Lord ſhall renew their …gth. Iſa. 49. 23. For they ſhall not be aſha… that wait for me. Lam. 3 25. The Lord is … unto them that wait for him, to the ſoule … ſeeks him. Iſa 64. 4. Eye hath not ſeen, … hath not heard what the Lord hath prepared …hoſe that wait for him.

Now a man cannot be ſaid to wait upon …d, unleſſe he wait upon him in the uſe of …ans, to which he hath promiſed his pre…ce, which are his appointments and …lks, wherein he hath been, now is, and …eafter will be found.

Next I ſhall come unto the Reaſons why …ave written of the Natural and Spiritual …wer, viz.

Firſt, I have heard many ſay, They ought … to pray, read, meditate, conferre, or aſſemble …mſelves together, to the practice of any known …y, untill the Spirit by its freſh gales and move…s put them upon it; And I am mightily mi…ken, if ſome have not ſtaid ſo long for …ſe freſh gales and movings of the Spirit, …till they have quite forgotten to pray, or …ar, or conferr of any ſpiritual thing, un…ſe it be in a carnal way: Now it is true, …at is the principal time in which a Soule …ght to act, but not the onelyonly time; I ſay …ain, It is the principal time, but not the p. 94onelyonly time. Firſt, that it is the princ… time, I have no need to prove; for all … tional men will and doe grant that: … then, ſecondly, It is not the onelyonly ti… for we finde that the command lies up… us as well at one time as another; ne… there is no time, in which we are not … want, and therefore need ſtill to ſeek. … gain, we finde in Scripture, written for … learning, that the Saints acted ſometimes … their greateſt deadneſſe and coldneſſe, as D… vid and others; When they found the… ſelves dead and dull, cold and ſlothfull, … we finde they ſtir up them ſelves as men, ſ… ſible of their ſtate: to inſtance in one … all, Pſal. 119. 25. Quicken thou me after … loving kindeneſſe, ſo ſhall I keep the teſtimony thy mouth, &c. Again, Pſal. 119. 170. I … afflicted very much, quicken me O Lord, accordi… to thy word: So verſ. 159, &c. ſo in Pſal… 153. verſe 11. Quicken me, O Lord, for t… name ſake: ſo in another place, he praye… Renew a right Spirit within me; and agai… Reſtore again to me the joy of thy ſalvation. In word, let me ask thee O man, who is it tha… doth let us ſee our unfitneſſe, luke warmne… and coldneſſe? Doth not God diſcover thi… by his Spirit? and doth not the ſame Sp… rit that doth enable us to ſee our want… p. 95move us to ſeek for ſupplies from the foun…in; as it is ſaid in Job, The Lord ſpeaketh …ce, yea twice, and man perceives it not. So I …ow by experience in my ſelf and others, …at we have many movings and ſtirrings … the Spirit of God within us; and either …e take no notice of it, or if we do, we que…ion in our ſelves, whether it be the ſtir…ngs of the good Spirit, or proceeds not …om the evil Spirit? And ſo we ceaſe to …t, becauſe we be unſatisfied. But in ſome …ſes the Spirit that doth move us to it, …ill undoubtedly carry us forth to the do…g of what it moves us to; What are we, …ith the Scriptures, that we could withſtand …e Spirit?

But in other caſes we are ſaid (as in the …cts) to reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt; and in another …cripture, Quench not the Spirit, and be not un…itfull to the Spirit of God; and grieve not the …pirit of God, whereby you are ſealed to the day … Redemption. It will be of ſingular uſe …hen to Chriſtians, to endeavour to diſ…ern between the motions of the Spirit of God from the motions of our own ſpirits; …hat when we finde a motion begin to ariſe …n us, before it come to action, we may …ither ſuppreſſe it, or cheriſh it: if it come …rom our own ſpirits, then to quench it, p. 96and bring it into captivity to the obedien… of Chriſt; If from the Spirit of God, th… let the motion ariſe, let thy will will t… thing, let thine affections affect it, that … that motion may end in action.

Object. But how ſhall I know, when t… motion doth ariſe from the Spirit of Go… and not from mine own ſpirit?

Anſw. 1. The motions of the Lords Sp… rit doth move thee to that, and onelyonly tha… which is agreeable to the ſpiritual ſenſe … the Scriptures.

2. The true Spirit doth move us to tha… which doth tend to the denying of o… ſelves, and the exalting of God alone in th… perſon of Jeſus Chriſt; See Joh. 16. 13, 14.

3. The motions of Gods Spirit are no… carried on, but with abundance of oppoſ… tion; oppoſition within you and witho… you, on the right hand and on the left.

4. When two motions ariſe within yo… together, as it were, and both ſeem to be a… cording to the Scripture, and both ſeem t… exalt God, and to deny ſelf; then befo… thou proſecute either, conſider as in th… preſence of God, whoſe ſervant thou ar… which of theſe things that I am moved unt… will be moſt for the honour of God? the… that doe: If the Miſtreſſe command the Se… vant p. 97to clean ſuch a room immediately, and … to touch any thing till that be done; …iles the Maid is in the midſt of her …rk, the childe falls in the fire; the ſervant …ves the work, and runs and takes up the …lde, and is commended of her Miſtreſſe … ſo doing: So that which doth make …ſt for the glory of God, and for our ſpi…ual advantage, is firſt to to be done, and …th undoubtedly proceed from the Spirit … God. I might inſtance in many other …ticulars, as to examine the riſe of the …tion, next the proſecution, and thirdly … ends, but I forbear: So then the firſt …ſon why I have endeavoured to prove …re is a power natural, and a power ſpi…ual, is, that we might ſo know it, as to …ploy it to the beſt advantage.

A ſecond reaſon is, to prevent as much …n me lyeth, the further ſpreading of …ſe groſſe and dangerous errours that …l follow, if there be not a power in the …ature which he hath received from the …eator, either in his Creation or Rege…ation to prevent thoſe evils.

Firſt, if there be not a power in men …ther natural or ſpiritual, but onelyonly …d in them; then all the creatures abuſe … nature, laid to the creatures charge in p. 98the firſt and ſecond Chapters of the Rom… muſt be taken off the creature, and laid … on God.

Secondly, if there be no ſpiritual po… in a man ſpiritualized; then it is no ſin … him to neglect all ſpiritual duties, and he may charge all his omiſſions, and all … commiſſions upon his Maker. For he wo… have done whatſoever he had been c… manded, if he had received any power: Y… might have been teachers of others by … time, if you had improved your pow… ſaith Paul, Heb. 5. 12.

This people did not anſwere the Lo… and ſay they had no powere: and ſo for th… commiſſions they did not charge them … on God, as our Ranters do at this day; a… that they be liars, St. James will teſti… 1 James 13. 14, 15, 16. in the 13. verſ. … no man ſay when he is tempted, he is tempte… God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, nei… tempteth he any man; v. 14. But eueryevery ma… tempted when he is drawn away of his own … and inticed. v. 15. Then when luſt hath concei… it bringeth forth ſin, and ſin when it is fini… bringeth forth death. v. v. 16. Do not erre my … ved b ethren. Whoſoever then doth cha… the moſt ighteous God with our unri… teous actions, doth erre in the higheſt … ture.

p. 99I have admired at the ſubtilty of Sathan, …nd the ſimpleneſſe of men, to ſay, That …od is the authour of ſin; theſe be liars, …ke their father the Devil who was a liar …om the beginning. Let me tell thee, O …in man, let me tell thee, That the Al…ighty God cannot commit ſinne if he …ould: for if thou didſt know what God is, …d what man is; if thou didſt know what is …e nature of God, and what is the nature … ſin, thou wouldeſt know that they can…t dwell together.

Now ſin is a tranſgreſſion of a Law, but …od is under no Law, and therefore cannot …nſgreſſe; there is none above God to give …ule to him by which he ſhould walk; …erefore his own will in his rule; he is …odneſſe it ſelf, and therefore cannot do …y thing but what is good.

So that which is juſtly called ſin in us, …nnot be called ſin in him, if he ſhould do … ſame thing, viz. If thou kill a man …ou haſt ſinned againſt the Law of God, …d the Law of Nature, and againſt the …ws of men: if God overthrow Pharoah …d all his hoſt in the Red-ſea, he hath done …evil, he hath broken no Law; if he ſend the …tilence and ſlay every man in the City, hath not ſinned; if he drown all the p. 100world at once, he hath committed … evill.

If thou or I ſhould take any thing that another mans, from a thread to a ſhoo… latchet, we have ſinned by theſt:

But if the Lord command the Iſra…li… to borrow Jewels of ſilver, and of gol… and rayment of the Aegyptians: the Lo… hath not ſinned in bidding them do it, n… they in taking it, Wherefore let God be true, … every man a liar. Canſt not thou be content… to father thy ſin upon thy brother or ſiſte… or neighbour, as thou doeſt many times; b… muſt thou father it upon the moſt ho… Lord? doeſt thou know what thou doſt … in this thing? will he not be avenged … ſuch a wretch as thee? Oh remember fr… whence thou art fallen and repent.

And now to wind up all that I ſhal at pr… ſent ſay to the Power of the Creator giuen fo… to the creature. Let me tell thee, if thou find… any thing required of thee to be done, & h… no ability to do it; conſider there was ab… lity once given thee in the firſt Adam, whi… thou haſt loſt by thy fall in him, and it… juſt with God to require that now of th… which once he gave thee: then conſider t… as thou haſt loſt by the firſt Adam, ſo th… haſt gotten by the ſecond Adam; ſo th… p. 101… enabling thee, thou canſt (with Paul) … all things.

…nd that will be the next thing that I ſhall …deavour to lay before thee; Thy fall in …e firſt, and the manner there of; and thy …ſtauration by the ſecond Adam, and the …ory there of. And do deſire, that ſome …e or other that hath a greater diſcovery … the mind of God in theſe things, con…rning The power of God, and the power of the …eature; concerning the power Natural, and …e power Spiritual: I ſhould intreat them to …ld it forth to publique view; for I am …re there is great neceſſity of it, that man …ight know his own ſtrength.

For I am conſident, that I my ſelf and …any others have left undone many things …at we ought and might have done, for …ot knowing our own ſtrength where with …od, even the God of power had ſtrength…ed us. Wherefore I do in the preſence of …y Maker declare unto the whole world, …hat I was not ſtraightened in him, but in …ine own bowels; That he hath not been …anting to me, firſt not only to give me …ength, but ſecondly to ſupply me in re…wing that ſtrength day by day. Where…re let God be true, and I and all neglecters, if …e charge God with not enabling us, lyars. p. 102Rom. 3. 4. Let God be true and every man a lya… Oh then, let not the righteous God … charged with your unrighteouſneſſe! an… let not the moſt holy God be charged wi… your unholineſſe! But ſtirre up the talent th… is in thee, as in 2 Pet. 1. 13.

Do as Jacob did, wreſtle with God, l… him not go till he bleſſe thee; give him n… reſt till he make Jeruſalem the praiſe of t… whole earth. Iſa. 52. 1. Awake, put on t… ſtrength O Sion, put on thy beautiful garment… O Jeruſalem, thou holy City, open to hi… for he now knocks; flie to this City of r… fuge, and thou ſhalt be ſafe: For the name … the Lord is a ſtrong tower, the righteous run to … and are ſafe. If thou didſt but ſee him, tho… wouldeſt admire him, and count all thing… vanity in compariſon of him: if thou did… but know him, thou wouldſt be ſo raviſhe… with the love of him, that many waters co… not quench it: If thou didſt but taſte hi… thou wouldſt hunger and thirſt after hi… more then doth the Hart after the water… brooks. Oh taſte and ſee that God is gracious It's life to know him, it's heaven to behol… him, it's melody to hear him, it's endleſſ… happineſſe to enjoy him. Let it be our ca… to obey him, and improve all our ſtrengt… for him: let us not ſpend our money for th… p. 103which is not bread, and our pains for that which …l not profit. Let us run the wayes of his com…ndments, for he hath enlarged our heart, and …d, that he that doth theſe things ſhall never …moved. Improve thy power for him, part …th thine eſtate for him; give, and it ſhall be …en thee again, Luk. 6. 38. Good meaſure preſſed …n and ſhaken together and running over.

Me thinks I hear the voice of thy Saviour …ing to thee: O thou obedient ſonne, come, …e, thou haſt been faithful in a little, I will …e thee more; come, enter into thy Maſters joy; … thine obedience to me did ariſe from thine in…eſt in me, manifeſted to thee by me.

NOw I ſhall ſpeak to our Fall in the firſt Adam, and of the ſubtlety of Sathan …erein.

There be two things of abſolute neceſſity …r a Chriſtian to be well acquainted with, …z.

1. Our fall in the firſt Adam.

2. Our reſtauration by the ſecond A…am.

Upon theſe two points doe the two …eſtaments frequently treat; inſomuch …hat thou canſt hardly read one Chapter, …ut (more or leſſe) thou ſhalt find the Pro…het, or Apoſtle ſpeaking to one or both p. 104ſtates, or ſomething conducing thereunt… and ſome Chapters ſpeaking and treati… wholly of that two fold ſtate, as Rom. 5. &… Nay, I have obſerved, that when I ha… heard a Goſpel-Sermon, wherein were m… ny particulars; or when J have heard go… ly men in a long debate about the prin… ples of religion; I have (J ſay) obſerv… that the ſumme and ſubſtance of their d… courſe or teaching hath for the moſt pa… been to ſhew what men were in the firſt … dam, and the miſery of all in that ſtate; … elſe what they be in the ſecond Adam, a… the glory of that ſtate. And when my m… mory hath been too weak to comprehe… the abundance of particulars that J ha… heard, J referre all that J have heard … theſe two particulars, and found ſingul… benefit thereby, viz. What do J know mo… now by all that J have heard this day, th… J did before, of the ſtate J was in, a… of the ſtate J am now in?

Firſt then of the firſt Adam, the Scriptu… ſpeak of him in a two fold ſtate.

1. The firſt is the ſtate of innocencie b… fore he fell.

2. And ſecondly of his ſtate of miſe… after he was fallen.

Of the firſt of theſe ſtates J ſhall ſay n… p. 105thing, it being well known to moſt men; …d of the ſecond of theſe ſtates, I ſhall ſpeak …r write but a very few words.

Adam and Eve being in Paradiſe, and …oking upon themſelves as indeed they …ere the moſt excellent peeces of all the …reation, bearing the Image of their Crea…or; the Lord left them a Law, and left them …o the freedome of their own will; if they …id obey, to live; if they did diſobey, to dye. …ut through the temptation of Sathan, …hey both ſoon caſt off their Makers pre…epts, and through the temptation of Sa…han they tranſgreſſed the commandement …f God in eating the forbidden fruit, and …hereby fell from the ſtate of innocency …herein they were created, and ſo brought …pon them and all their ſeed, the loſſe of …ommunion with God, and his diſpleaſure, …nd obtained a curſe, ſo as we are by nature …he children of wrath, bondſlaves to Sa…han, and juſtly liable to all puniſhments …n this world, and that which is to …ome.

O thou Adam, what haſt thou done? for …hough it was thou that ſinned, thou art …ot fallen alone, but we all that came of …hee! O the infectiouſneſſe of Sinne, ten …houſand times more infections then the p. 106Plague and Peſtilence; for many have live… in the City when the noyſome Peſtilen… hath been, and yet have been free: but b… hold this original tranſgreſſion hath ſprea… it ſelf into all the corners of the earth; … that no man, woman, or childe, that eve… was, now is, or hereafter ſhall be, is fr… from that infection; and that original ſin… as the root, bringeth forth actual tranſgre… ſion as the branches; ſins of omiſſion, o… commiſſion, as the fruit.

Oh thou Adam, what haſt thou done? … though it was thou that haſt ſinned, tho… art not fallen alone; but we all that came … thee, as being then in thee, are infected b… thee: O miſerable men that we are, who ſhall … liver us from this body of death!

Thus much of the nature of the Fall: no… of the manner of the Fall, and of the ſubtil… of the Devil, that old Serpent therei… He himſelf being fallen, comes to the Ga… den in the form of a Serpent, out of env… to mans happineſſe, he boards the woma… thus: Hath God ſaid, Ye ſhall not eat thereof as if he ſhould have ſaid, It is a likely ma… ter that the Lord cares what you eat; wha… do you think that he ſtands upon an apple… hath he created all things for you? then d… ye uſe them. This is the firſt aſſault, whic… p. 107… woman weakly reſiſteth, beginning at … firſt to yeeld: whereas God had ſaid, …ou ſhalt dye; ſhe anſwereth doubtfully and …th, Leſt I dye: Then the Devil perceiving …e woman to ſtagger, and the ground of … faith to ſhake, plants all his peeces, and …epares his Army for a ſtorm; for his name …egion, and he had beleagured the wo…n before. So the word was no ſooner …t of her mouth, Leſt ye dye: but he re…es, Ye ſhall not dye at all. What? dye, with …ing ſo fair an Apple? Can there be any …rt in it, O filly woman! Ye ſhall not dye …all.

God he affirmeth, Ye ſhall dye certainly.

The woman ſaith, Leſt ye dye.

The Devil that old Liar, ſaith, Ye ſhall … dye.

Then not giving the woman any reſpite … be think her ſelf, or to reply: Oh ſaith he, …od knoweth that your eyes ſhall be ope…d, and you ſhall be as gods: as if he ſhould …e ſaid, God envies your happineſſe, and …ove you ſo well, that I cannot but tell …u of it; for he knows very well, that if …u ſhould but eat of that Tree, you ſhould …e that which you never faw before, and …at you ſhall be as gods. Oh impudent …ar▪ for by cating, both Adam, and all we p. 108his poſterity became more like unto Sath… then like unto God: Behold, O filly w… man, ſaith he, what a goodly Tree this how pleaſant to the eye, d…licate to t… taſte, divine for uſe; can it do you a… hurt? would any but fools abſtain? go … eat, and fear not, I will warrant you … harm. Then the woman ſeeing it was go… for meat, pleaſant to the eyes, and a T… to be deſired after to get knowledge; … took of it and did eat, and by theſe or … like reaſons, perſwaded her husband, a… gave him, and he did eat. O all ye ſonn… and daughters of Adam, put on all the A… mour of God; If it be poſſible, ſtand up… your guard; Set forth your Sentinels; Ma… ready for an Enemy which hath ſlain yo… Father, deceived your Mother, cheated a… almoſt undone all your Brethren, defil… your Siſters, wounded your Childre… and plundred all your Kindred to the sk… and left them all as poor as Job; never be peace with him, maintain a continual w… againſt him; acquaint all the men a… women in the world of his baſe deceit… cheating tricks, that his ill ſavour m… ſtinke in the noſtrils of all men and wome… under the Sun, that they may loath hi… and ſtand upon their guard to oppoſe hi… p. 109though his name be Legion, fear him not, …is a conquered Enemy: If he meet but …e poor Saint in the field cloathed with …t a little faith as a grain of muſtard-ſeed, …s poor Saint will challenge all the devils …hell to give him a meeting; and if they …rſt to appear, he will but reſiſt them with …ittle faith, James 4. 7. Reſiſt the devil, and will flie from you.

For he is a baſe cowardly beggerly Ene…y; he is ſubtle, but there is one that takes …re of thee, is wiſer then he; he is ancient …d experiences, but thy friend is more an…nt then he; he is a Prince, but thy friend … King of Kings; he is ſwift of motion, … can fly in the air, but thy friend hath the …avens for his Throne, and the earth for his …otſtool, filling heaven and earth with his …eſſed preſence; though his preſence is not …anifeſted to all, yet he is preſent in all pla…s at all times, beholding all actions. Oh …en keep the word of his patience, that he …ay keep thee in the hour of temptation; …ld faſt the word of God, for with that …hriſt put Sathan to the worſt, Matth. 4, 1, 2, …, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Next ſtand upon thy guard at all times, … all places, in all companies, in all duties, …eep up faith (for thou and I fell in the firſt p. 110Adam through unbelief, and we be rai… again in the …econd by faith;) ſo the D… is foiled, he thought to conquer us who… by unbelief, but we ſhall overcome him faith; Wherefore above all things take the ſhi… of faith, whereby ye ſhall be able to quench all … fiery darts of the Devil, Eph. 6. 16. & Jam. 4▪

NOW I ſhall ſpeak to our Reſtaurati… by the ſecond Adam, and of the glo… ous ſtate of all thoſe that are appointed the Father to be reſtored by the Son, a… ſanctified by the Spirit.

If I had the tongue of men and Angels, a… underſtood all myſteries, I could not give th… a full and compleat deſcription in each pa… ticular of the happy and bleſſed ſtate of t… Elect by the Father, that are redeemed … the Son, and are or ſhall be ſanctified by t… Spirit.

They were ſervants, but now they … Sons and Heirs, they ſhall be ſhortly inh… ritors and enjoyers; they once knew no… thing, they do now know in part, they ſhall ſhor… know as they are known.

They were dead in ſinne, they now a… quickned from ſinne; they are or ſhall b… quite freed from ſinne.

They were naked, they be now cloathe p. 111with the robe of Innocencie, and they ſhall … cloathed with Immortality.

They were enemies, they be now recon…led, and ſhall be ſaved.

They once with Adam hid from the pre…nce of God; they now take delight in his …refence, and ſhortly they ſhall abide in it …r ever.

They were Sathans ſlaves; they now are …e Lords Freemen, and ſhall dwel in Sion: …ey were like a beaſt, they be now like a …rince, they ſhall ſhortly be like the An…els.

They did glory in their ſhame; they now …e aſhamed of their ſinne, they ſhall ſhortly …e with out and ſhame.

They were like the dirt and mire moſt …thy; they be now like the Moon in her …eauty, and ſhall ſhortly be like the Sun in …is glory. Oh the depths of the riches boath of …e wiſdome and knowledge of God! Oh how un…archable are his judgements, and wayes paſt …ding out!

What is man that thou art mindful of him, or …e ſon of man that thou ſhouldeſt regard him!

As in the firſt Adam we dyed; ſo in the ſecond …e are made alive.

In the firſt we loſt an earthly Paradiſe; …y the ſecond we have gotten a heavenly p. 112Paradiſe. This is that ſeed of the woma… ſpoken of by the Father to our firſt Parent… that ſhould bruiſe the Serpents head.

This is he that is called, The repairer … the breach, and the reſtorer of paths to dwell in.

So that what we loſt in the firſt, we hav… made good to us by the ſecond Adam, wi… many additions, as in Rom. 5. Much mor… Much more, Much more; five times in th… Chapter is that word, viz. in the 9, 10, 1… 17, 20 verſes, which is there laid down … declare that our gains by Chriſt is mo… then our loſſes by our firſt Father, thoug… that was very great.

The firſt Adam brought us under t… breach of the Law, and the curſe due ther… unto; the ſecond Adam, being the Lord J… ſus Chriſt the Lord of glory and King … Saints, hath delivered us from the La… viz.

Firſt, from the curſe of the Law.

Secondly, from the condemning pow… of the Law.

Firſt, from the curſe of the Law, For … was made a curſe for us, as you may ſee … large, Gal. 3. 10. & 13. v. compared togethe… So alſo upon him was laid the iniquities of us a… Iſa. 53. 6. and not onelyonly our ſinnes, but a… the puniſhments due to us for them, of wh… p. 113nature, kind, and quality ſoever, as you …y read at large in that fifty third Chapter … Iſaiah, from the firſt verſe to the laſt: … that whole Chapter, Rom. 6. ſpeaks of … ſufferings for us, and our freedome by …. It would make a larger Volume then …ntend to make of this whole Book, if I …uld but onelyonly name the Chapters and …ſes in the Old and New Teſtament that … ſpeak to this thing. So I ſhall end this … point with the words of Pa… He was …de ſinne for us, that knew no ſin…, that we …ht be made the righteouſneſſe of God in ….

Secondly, he hath freed us from the con…ning power of the Law, to which the …iptures ſpeak abundantly; I will men…n but one or two for all, Rom. 8. 34. Who …e that condemneth it is Chriſt that dyed, &c. …o ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods …ct? it is God that juſtifieth. Rom. 8. 1. There is condemnation to them that are in Chriſt; (and you deſire to know who they are) th…y … thoſe that walk not after the fleſh, but after … Spirit. Nay in a ſenſe, being warily under…od, we are delivered from the moral Law Chriſt Jeſus the ſecond Adam.

There is the Ceremonial Law, and the …itical Law; the Judicial Law, and the p. 114Moral Law: that we are delivered from … two former, moſt of us do know; a… that in a ſenſe being warily underſtood, … are delivered from the two latter, very … do know.

If the Scriptures do ſay we be not un… the Law, why is it thought ſuch an i… proper word for a Chriſtian to ſay too?