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<DATE>2008-4-02</DATE>
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<NAME>Elspeth Healey</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>Right Reformation: OR, The Reformation of the CHURCH of the NEW TESTAMENT, Repre&s;ented in <HI>GOSPEL-LJGHT.</HI>
In a Sermon preached to the Honou|rable Hou&s;e of COMMONS, on Wedne&s;day, <HI>November</HI> 25. 1646.
Together with a REPLY to the chief Con|tradictions of Ma&s;ter <HI>LOVE'S</HI> Sermon, preached the &s;ame day.
All publi&s;hed for the good of the Faithfull, at their de&s;ire.</P>
<P>By WILLIAM DELL, Mini&s;ter of the Go&s;pel, attending on his Excellency Sir <HI>THOMAS FAIRFAX.</HI></P>
<Q><BIBL><HI>Iohn</HI> 7. 12.</BIBL> And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him; for &s;ome &s;aid, He is a good man, others &s;aid nay, but He deceiveth the people.</Q>
<Q><BIBL><HI>Iohn</HI> 16. 3.</BIBL> And the&s;e things will they do unto you, becau&s;e they have not known the Father, nor Me.</Q>
<Q><HI>Credo me Theologum e&s;&s;e Chri&s;tianum, &amp; in regno veritatis vivere; ideo me debitorem e&s;&s;e, non modo affirmandae veritatis, &s;edetiam a&s;&s;erendae, &amp; defendendae, &s;eu per &s;anguinem, &s;eu per mortem.</HI> <BIBL>Luther.</BIBL></Q>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed by <HI>R. White,</HI> for <HI>Giles Calvert,</HI> at the Black|&s;pred-Eagle, near the We&s;t end of <HI>Pauls.</HI> 1646.</P>
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<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
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<HEAD>TO THE HONOVRABLE THE COMMONS A&s;&s;embled in PARLIAMENT.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Honourable and Worthy,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_AS the LORD repre&s;ented the&s;e <HI>truths</HI> to you <HI>before,</HI> in the <HI>Mi|ni&s;tery of the Word;</HI> &s;o now <HI>a|gain,</HI> He <HI>offers</HI> them to your <HI>&s;e|cond</HI> con&s;ideration, in this <HI>Prin|ted Book;</HI> becau&s;e he hath a <HI>minde,</HI> you &s;hould <HI>take notice</HI> of them. And I mu&s;t needs &s;ay, it is the LORD's <HI>voyce</HI> to you; and I <HI>hope</HI> he will move your <HI>hearts,</HI> to <HI>regard</HI> it; though <HI>Satan</HI> hath <HI>mightily</HI> be&s;tirr'd him&s;elf, by ca&s;ting an <HI>ill Vizzard</HI> upon the <HI>Truth,</HI> to make you <HI>di&s;like</HI> it. But if you <HI>like</HI> CHRIST the <HI>wor&s;e</HI> for a <HI>Face &s;pit on and buffeted,</HI> you may want a SAVIOUR: And if you like the <HI>truth</HI> of CHRIST the
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<HI>wor&s;e</HI> for a <HI>&s;cratcht</HI> Face, you may make <HI>your dwel|ling</HI> place, with <HI>Errour</HI> &amp; <HI>Humane Doctrines,</HI> w^c^h are all one. <HI>Micaiah</HI> had no &s;ooner delivered the <HI>truth</HI> of GOD, but there was a <HI>Fal&s;e Prophet,</HI> to <HI>&s;mite him on the face:</HI> the LORD no &s;ooner prepares In&s;truments to <HI>reveale</HI> his <HI>truth,</HI> but <HI>Satan</HI> hath his <HI>in&s;truments,</HI> ready to <HI>turn the truth of GOD into a lye.</HI> And this GOD <HI>&s;uffers</HI> to be done, to <HI>exerci&s;e</HI> your <HI>skill</HI> and <HI>wi&s;dome,</HI> that you might <HI>learn,</HI> not to be <HI>offended</HI> at the <HI>truth</HI> with the <HI>World;</HI> but to <HI>receive</HI> and <HI>love</HI> the <HI>truth,</HI> not|with&s;tanding all the <HI>indignities</HI> and <HI>reproaches</HI> of <HI>men.</HI> When you <HI>reade</HI> what you have <HI>heard,</HI> you mu&s;t needs <HI>acknowledge</HI> it to be the <HI>minde</HI> of GOD, if you received the <HI>anointing</HI> of the <HI>Spirit:</HI> and the <HI>truth</HI> herein contained, &s;hall <HI>prevaile</HI> with all that <HI>belong</HI> to GOD. For my part; I am not <HI>care|full</HI> touching the <HI>&s;ucce&s;&s;e</HI> of it, I can <HI>tru&s;t</HI> GOD with <HI>that,</HI> who&s;e <HI>Word</HI> it is. For, as the <HI>Doctrine</HI> of the <HI>World,</HI> hath the <HI>weak</HI> power of the <HI>World</HI> to <HI>carry</HI> on that; &s;o the <HI>Doctrine</HI> of <HI>Ie&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> hath the <HI>mighty</HI> power of GOD to carry on <HI>that;</HI> and the power of GOD in the <HI>World</HI> &s;hall as &s;oon be made <HI>void,</HI> as the <HI>true Doctrine</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> though called <HI>Errour, Here&s;ie,</HI> &amp; <HI>Schi&s;me,</HI> and have all the <HI>mi&s;gui&s;es of Hell</HI> put upon it. The <HI>truth</HI> you then <HI>heard</HI> delivered, and may
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here <HI>reade</HI> again, &s;hall carry all <HI>oppo&s;ition,</HI> and <HI>op|po&s;ers</HI> before it, and <HI>none</HI> &s;hall be able to <HI>&s;tand</HI> again&s;t it, that <HI>ingage</HI> again&s;t it: And of this, both <HI>your &s;elves</HI> and <HI>this generation</HI> &s;hall be <HI>Wit|ne&s;&s;es.</HI></P>
<P>If any think that I gave too much power to CHRIST, in the <HI>Reforming</HI> of the <HI>Church,</HI> his <HI>own</HI> Body; let them <HI>con&s;ider</HI> again, that <HI>too much</HI> cannot be given to CHRIST in GODS king|dome, &s;eeing <HI>he is all in all in it.</HI> Neither is that <HI>exaltation</HI> the <HI>Gospel</HI> gives to CHRIST in <HI>this</HI> Bu&s;ine&s;&s;e, any <HI>diminution</HI> to <HI>your &s;elves:</HI> neither by making CHRIST <HI>all</HI> in the <HI>Kingdome</HI> of GOD, are you made ever the <HI>le&s;&s;e,</HI> in the <HI>King|domes</HI> of this <HI>World.</HI> But what ever <HI>power</HI> the Word of GOD hath <HI>given</HI> you, I will <HI>deny</HI> you <HI>none</HI> of it; nay, I will be among the <HI>fir&s;t,</HI> that &s;hall <HI>attribute</HI> it to you. And do de&s;ire, you would no more any of you be <HI>di&s;plea&s;ed</HI> for attri|buting the <HI>Reformation</HI> of the <HI>Church,</HI> to CHRIST alone, then the <HI>Redemption, Iu&s;tification, Sanctifi|cation,</HI> or <HI>Glorification</HI> of it, to CHRIST <HI>alone:</HI> The <HI>former</HI> being every whit, as <HI>great</HI> and <HI>glori|ous</HI> a work of CHRIST, as the <HI>latter.</HI> I do mo&s;t <HI>willingly</HI> allow you your <HI>Thrones</HI> in the <HI>Kingdoms</HI> of this <HI>World,</HI> but only de&s;ire to <HI>re&s;erve</HI> to <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> his <HI>own Throne</HI> in the <HI>Kingdome</HI> of GOD.</P>
<P><PB REF="5">
There are tho&s;e <HI>indeed</HI> that would <HI>lift</HI> you up to <HI>this</HI> Throne, not becau&s;e they would have <HI>you</HI> &s;it there, but place <HI>them</HI> there: they would a&s;cribe to <HI>you,</HI> the <HI>power</HI> only due to the <HI>Sonne of</HI> GOD, not becau&s;e they would have <HI>you</HI> u&s;e it, but would <HI>u&s;e</HI> it <HI>them&s;elves;</HI> they would <HI>derive</HI> power from <HI>you,</HI> to do <HI>that,</HI> which they &s;ay <HI>you</HI> cannot do: and the <HI>power</HI> they attribute to <HI>you</HI> in the <HI>things</HI> of GOD, they &s;ay, is not <HI>well</HI> in <HI>your hands,</HI> but in <HI>theirs.</HI></P>
<P>And here I would <HI>de&s;ire</HI> you, to <HI>take notice</HI> of the working of the <HI>My&s;terie of Iniquity,</HI> from the <HI>Head,</HI> to the very <HI>Little-toes</HI> of the <HI>Man of Sinne:</HI> At <HI>fir&s;t</HI> you know the <HI>Pope</HI> intere&s;ted him&s;elf in the <HI>Emperour,</HI> and <HI>Powers</HI> of the <HI>World</HI> (for his own <HI>advantage</HI> and <HI>&s;upport</HI> no doubt, rather then for <HI>theirs)</HI> after, the <HI>Prelates</HI> &s;ucce&s;sively, &s;aid to <HI>worldly</HI> Kings, <HI>Lend us your power, and we will lend you ours;</HI> Let our <HI>&s;piritual</HI> power deale in <HI>tempo|ral</HI> things, and your <HI>temporal</HI> power &s;hall deale in <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> things: and &s;till the <HI>Clergy-power</HI> (which call'd it &s;elf &s;piritual) &s;o <HI>linkt</HI> it &s;elf with the <HI>temporal,</HI> that the <HI>power</HI> that was <HI>not of God,</HI> might be <HI>upheld,</HI> by the <HI>power</HI> that <HI>was of God;</HI> and (having got this advantage) they cried, <HI>De&s;troy one, De&s;troy both;</HI> and &s;o the <HI>Prelates</HI> were wont to &s;ay, <HI>No Bi&s;hop, no King.</HI> And
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their <HI>&s;ucce&s;&s;ors</HI> in the Kingdome of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> &s;till cry, <HI>No Mini&s;ter, no Magi&s;trate;</HI> and &s;o &s;till min|gle <HI>intere&s;ts</HI> and <HI>powers</HI> with the <HI>civil Magi&s;trate;</HI> that under the <HI>Magi&s;trate,</HI> the <HI>power</HI> of GOD, they might <HI>cunningly &s;hrowd</HI> that <HI>power</HI> that is <HI>not of GOD.</HI> And thus they &s;till, under the <HI>name</HI> of the <HI>Magi&s;trate,</HI> &s;eek <HI>them&s;elves,</HI> and the <HI>drawing</HI> of that <HI>power</HI> that is <HI>only</HI> his, from <HI>him</HI> to <HI>them&s;elves,</HI> to whom it doth not belong: Being, in the mean time, <HI>really</HI> again&s;t <HI>Magi&s;tracy,</HI> further then it is <HI>&s;erviceable</HI> to their own <HI>ends.</HI> Whereas, we reckon <HI>Magi&s;tracy,</HI> not <HI>le&s;&s;e Magi&s;tracy,</HI> no <HI>le&s;&s;e</HI> the <HI>Ordinance</HI> of GOD, though we <HI>&s;uffer</HI> under it, and by it.</P>
<P>This <HI>Clergie-Antichri&s;tian</HI> power where ever it is, will &s;till <HI>&s;it</HI> upon the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>Nation;</HI> the <HI>power</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> &s;o domineering over the <HI>pow|ers</HI> of the <HI>World,</HI> that none but the power of CHRIST can ca&s;t it <HI>off.</HI> That will &s;till be <HI>up|permo&s;t,</HI> what <HI>power</HI> &s;oever is <HI>&s;upream.</HI> Be&s;ides all the experience of <HI>former</HI> Ages (which is the <HI>grea|te&s;t wonder</HI> in the World, that men con&s;ider not) GOD gives you <HI>&s;parklings</HI> enough of it, in <HI>this</HI> Age; &s;ome preaching, That the <HI>government</HI> of the <HI>Church</HI> (which they make <HI>outward</HI> and <HI>vi&s;i|ble,</HI> and over mens <HI>e&s;tates, bodies,</HI> and <HI>lives,)</HI> be|longs not to <HI>King</HI> nor <HI>Parliament,</HI> but to the <HI>Mi|ni&s;ters</HI>
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and their <HI>Elders:</HI> and better it is, there &s;hould be no <HI>government at all</HI> (&s;ay they) then not in <HI>their hands</HI> by whom it <HI>&s;hould</HI> be. And here lyes the <HI>My&s;terie of Iniquity</HI> in this, That they make the <HI>whole Kingdome</HI> a <HI>Church,</HI> and then re|quire a <HI>power, authority</HI> and <HI>juri&s;diction</HI> in their <HI>Church-Kingdome,</HI> which the <HI>Magi&s;trate</HI> is not to <HI>deale</HI> withall, but <HI>them&s;elves.</HI> Whereas <HI>we</HI> ac|knowledge the <HI>whole power</HI> of the <HI>Kingdome,</HI> to belong to the <HI>Magi&s;trate,</HI> and onely give unto CHRIST the power of his <HI>own</HI> Kingdome, which is not of the <HI>World,</HI> but <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> and <HI>heavenly.</HI></P>
<P>And here al&s;o, <HI>fully</HI> to deliver my &s;elfe from <HI>mi&s;apprehen&s;ions,</HI> I under&s;tand not by the <HI>Church of</HI> CHRIST, any <HI>company</HI> of men what&s;oever, who under the notion of a <HI>Church</HI> or <HI>Saints,</HI> or any other <HI>title,</HI> may pleade <HI>priviledge</HI> or <HI>exempti|on</HI> of their <HI>lives, liberties,</HI> or <HI>e&s;tates,</HI> from the <HI>pow|er</HI> of the <HI>Civil Magi&s;trate;</HI> for that were to ju&s;ti|fie the <HI>Papal, Prelatical,</HI> or any other <HI>government</HI> of a <HI>newer name,</HI> which under pretence of <HI>Ius Di|vinum,</HI> &s;hall <HI>&s;et up</HI> and <HI>exerci&s;e</HI> an <HI>outward</HI> and <HI>vi|&s;ible</HI> power and juri&s;diction, <HI>free</HI> and <HI>exempted</HI> from the <HI>authority</HI> and <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>civil Magi|&s;trate;</HI> which I utterly both <HI>deny</HI> and <HI>dete&s;t,</HI> as <HI>Antichri&s;tian.</HI></P>
<P><PB REF="6">
And therefore, I humbly repre&s;ent, how <HI>pre|judiciall</HI> this may prove to you in the <HI>end,</HI> to &s;uf|fer a <HI>Generation of men</HI> in the Kingdome, under the name either of <HI>Church</HI> or <HI>Clergie,</HI> who&s;e <HI>power, preferment,</HI> and <HI>intere&s;t</HI> is different and <HI>excentri|call</HI> from the <HI>power, welfare,</HI> and <HI>intere&s;t</HI> of the <HI>Kingdome;</HI> and what a <HI>ballance</HI> they may prove again&s;t the <HI>State,</HI> where they live, in <HI>turning</HI> and <HI>tumultuous</HI> times, as they <HI>them&s;elves</HI> know, &s;o (I hope) <HI>you</HI> clearly <HI>perceive</HI> it, as well as <HI>they.</HI> How they already dare lift up the <HI>Head</HI> again&s;t you, <HI>who</HI> &s;ees not? How do they <HI>manife&s;t</HI> their di&s;|contents again&s;t you, in <HI>Pamphlets</HI> and <HI>Pulpits,</HI> in their <HI>Sermons</HI> and <HI>Prayers,</HI> becau&s;e you have not &s;etled the Government, they have <HI>&s;tudied</HI> out for you, as <HI>Ius Divinum,</HI> and the <HI>certain</HI> and <HI>unchange|able</HI> minde of GOD; though they can neither make it out, to <HI>your &s;elves,</HI> nor to any body <HI>el&s;e,</HI> by the <HI>Word,</HI> that it is &s;o. And how do they <HI>la|bour</HI> to in&s;till, into the <HI>people,</HI> their own <HI>di&s;con|tents;</HI> per&s;wading them, you have done <HI>nothing at all,</HI> becau&s;e you have not done <HI>all</HI> that ever they would have you do, though you can &s;ee neither <HI>Scripture</HI> nor <HI>rea&s;on</HI> for it. And for <HI>this</HI> cau&s;e, rendering you every where <HI>odious</HI> to the <HI>people.</HI> Many <HI>other</HI> things be&s;ides, do they <HI>&s;cram|ble</HI>
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up, and <HI>u&s;e</HI> again&s;t you, which they conceive may make for your <HI>di&s;advantage,</HI> and <HI>di&s;-intere&s;t</HI> in the <HI>people:</HI> becau&s;e they think, <HI>they</HI> &s;hall ne|ver <HI>get</HI> much <HI>higher,</HI> except they make <HI>you</HI> a lit|tle <HI>lower;</HI> for they mu&s;t (according to the <HI>law</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t)</HI> &s;et their <HI>feet</HI> on <HI>your power,</HI> to get up to their <HI>own.</HI></P>
<P>Some <HI>di&s;coveries</HI> of this &s;pirit you might &s;ee in Mr. <HI>Loves</HI> Sermon, <HI>telling</HI> you before your <HI>faces,</HI> and before the <HI>people;</HI> That <HI>&s;ome call'd you a Mungrell Parliament:</HI> Indeed the <HI>King</HI> (as I un|der&s;tand) call'd the <HI>Parliament</HI> at <HI>Oxford</HI> &s;o, but Mr. <HI>Love</HI> was the <HI>fir&s;t</HI> (for ought I can learne) that <HI>ever</HI> named <HI>you</HI> &s;o, and I <HI>wi&s;h</HI> he may be the <HI>la&s;t,</HI> (but <HI>any</HI> Doctrine is <HI>Orthodox,</HI> out of a mans mouth of his <HI>Order)</HI> farther <HI>threatning</HI> you with a <HI>di&s;cerning people,</HI> to <HI>look</HI> into your <HI>actions,</HI> and to <HI>&s;py out your boundle&s;&s;e priviledges;</HI> as if you mu&s;t do <HI>ju&s;tice,</HI> not out of the <HI>love</HI> of <HI>Righteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e,</HI> but out of <HI>fear</HI> of Mr. <HI>Loves di&s;cerning peo|ple.</HI> Telling you al&s;o, The <HI>Clergie</HI> had done <HI>as much</HI> &s;ervice for you in their <HI>Pulpits,</HI> as your <HI>Re|giments</HI> in the <HI>Field:</HI> that by this means he might <HI>minde</HI> you, what they can do <HI>again&s;t you,</HI> as well as <HI>for you,</HI> if you be not <HI>&s;ervants</HI> to their <HI>de&s;ignes;</HI> for <HI>they</HI> that have <HI>heretofore</HI> been <HI>for you,</HI> can (if
<PB REF="7">
they plea&s;e) turn to <HI>others</HI> again&s;t you, who &s;hall be <HI>more</HI> for them&s;elves. And in many other things flying out again&s;t your <HI>worthy Commanders</HI> in the Army, upon <HI>&s;u&s;pitions</HI> of his <HI>own;</HI> and a|gain&s;t the <HI>Articles</HI> at <HI>Oxford,</HI> &amp;c. For it is no <HI>proper</HI> Presbyterial Doctrine, that does not (at lea&s;t) <HI>meddle</HI> with the <HI>affairs</HI> of the <HI>State,</HI> which in time they may <HI>hopefully</HI> come to <HI>order.</HI> In <HI>the&s;e</HI> and <HI>divers</HI> other things, he took his <HI>full</HI> &s;winge, <HI>all</HI> of them (no doubt) deeply appertaining to the <HI>my&s;terie</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel.</HI></P>
<P>The other things, he &s;pake, to the di&s;advan|tage of the <HI>ignorant</HI> and <HI>weak,</HI> and neither to the <HI>Truths</HI> di&s;advantage, nor <HI>mine,</HI> I &s;hall <HI>clear</HI> in a &s;hort Reply, &s;et after the Di&s;cour&s;e; and <HI>&s;o</HI> &s;hall <HI>trouble</HI> you no farther, with any <HI>&s;uch &s;tuffe,</HI> but only with a &s;mart expre&s;sion, from one (it &s;eems) of &s;ome note in the <HI>A&s;&s;embly,</HI> who &s;aid, <HI>If the Parliament approved Mr.</HI> Dells <HI>Sermon, it were no bla&s;phemy to &s;ay, They were no Parliament.</HI> So that it &s;eems you &s;hall be no <HI>longer</HI> a Parliament then you <HI>approve,</HI> what the <HI>A&s;&s;embly approves;</HI> but the <HI>Kingdome</HI> hopes you are <HI>built</HI> upon a <HI>bet|ter</HI> foundation. And to <HI>him</HI> (who hath been &s;o bold with you) I &s;hall only crave leave to <HI>Reply</HI> in your pre&s;ence: If the <HI>A&s;&s;embly</HI> (which I hope
<PB REF="8">
they will not) &s;hould <HI>condemne</HI> that Doctrine of the Go&s;pel for the <HI>&s;ub&s;tance</HI> of it, delivered then by Mr. <HI>Dell;</HI> it will be <HI>no bla&s;phemy</HI> to &s;ay, <HI>They are the enemies of the truth of Chri&s;t: And</HI> (I hope) <HI>the la&s;t prop of Antichri&s;t in the Kingdome.</HI></P>
<P>For your &s;elves, Honourable and Worthy, I be&s;eech you con&s;ider, that GOD is <HI>wonderfull in coun&s;el, and excellent in working;</HI> and that <HI>all power</HI> is given to CHRIST, in <HI>Heaven</HI> and in <HI>Earth,</HI> that he might give <HI>free pa&s;&s;age</HI> to the <HI>Go&s;pel.</HI> And therefore take heed, after GOD hath <HI>ble&s;t</HI> your <HI>Power</HI> and <HI>Forces</HI> in the <HI>field,</HI> and &s;ubdued that <HI>Malignant</HI> power that was again&s;t you, and hath given you a <HI>little peace</HI> and <HI>quietne&s;&s;e</HI> in the King|dome; <HI>you</HI> do not now <HI>begin</HI> your <HI>affaires</HI> with <HI>di&s;countenancing, di&s;reli&s;hing,</HI> much le&s;&s;e <HI>condemn|ing,</HI> the <HI>faithfull</HI> and <HI>true</HI> Word of GOD, wit|ne&s;&s;ed in the <HI>Scriptures,</HI> and <HI>confe&s;t to</HI> by the <HI>faith|full</HI> and <HI>Martyrs</HI> of <HI>Christ,</HI> in all <HI>Ages;</HI> and with the <HI>&s;etting off</HI> from you, that <HI>Ministery,</HI> that hath <HI>most</HI> of the <HI>Spirit</HI> in it, le&s;t the Lord withdraw his <HI>pre&s;ence</HI> from you, and your <HI>latter end</HI> be not <HI>an&s;werable</HI> to your <HI>beginnings.</HI></P>
<P>It might be ea&s;ily &s;hewed unto you, how ma|ny <HI>great</HI> and <HI>wi&s;e</HI> Kings and Magi&s;trates, acting according to <HI>humane</HI> wi&s;dom and prudence, and
<PB REF="8">
<HI>de&s;pi&s;ing</HI> or <HI>neglecting</HI> the <HI>wi&s;dome</HI> of the <HI>Word;</HI> have with all their <HI>own wi&s;dome, prudence,</HI> and <HI>de&s;ignes,</HI> de&s;troyed <HI>them&s;elves,</HI> and their <HI>Kingdomes:</HI> For it is written, <HI>He takes the wi&s;e in their own crafti|ne&s;&s;e:</HI> And again, <HI>The Lord knowes the thoughts of men, that they are but vaine.</HI></P>
<P>And therefore <HI>renounce</HI> the <HI>wi&s;dom</HI> of the <HI>world,</HI> with all its <HI>fle&s;hly Coun&s;els,</HI> and cleave clo&s;e to the true, faithfull, and &s;incere Doctrine of the <HI>Go&s;pel;</HI> and then, though you have many <HI>enemies</HI> and <HI>Kingdomes</HI> again&s;t you, you &s;hall not be <HI>mo|ved,</HI> but GOD will yet <HI>establi&s;h</HI> you, in all the <HI>&s;ha|kings</HI> of the World, and your <HI>Enemies</HI> &s;hall be as a <HI>thing of nought.</HI> I &s;hall no longer <HI>detaine</HI> you, but only de&s;ire <HI>this,</HI> in the behalf of the <HI>faithful,</HI> GODS <HI>peculiar portion</HI> in the Kingdome, That you would not <HI>&s;uffer us</HI> to be oppre&s;&s;ed by our Adver&s;aries, who would u&s;e <HI>your power</HI> again&s;t <HI>us,</HI> not for <HI>you,</HI> but for <HI>them&s;elves:</HI> neither would <HI>&s;uffer them,</HI> thus <HI>publickly</HI> and <HI>&s;hamele&s;&s;ely</HI> to call us <HI>Sectaries</HI> and <HI>Hereticks,</HI> who do believe and pro|fe&s;&s;e the truth of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> in <HI>&s;incerity</HI> and <HI>&s;impli|city</HI> of heart, according to what we received from GOD; but that you would <HI>&s;uffer,</HI> yea, <HI>pro|cure</HI> us, to live <HI>quietly</HI> and <HI>&s;afely</HI> under you, in the <HI>faith</HI> and <HI>practice</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> we in <HI>all things</HI> obeying <HI>you,</HI> as becomes <HI>Christians.</HI></P>
<P><PB REF="9">
The Remainder is, to a&s;&s;ure you, That there is <HI>no</HI> man &s;hall &s;erve the <HI>State</HI> more <HI>&s;incerely,</HI> ac|cording to his <HI>place</HI> and <HI>calling;</HI> nor in more <HI>faithfulne&s;s</HI> and <HI>humility</HI> tender the <HI>Truth</HI> of GOD, either to <HI>your &s;elves</HI> or the <HI>Kingdome</HI> (as occa&s;ion &s;erves) according to the <HI>mea&s;ure of the gift of</HI> CHRIST; Then,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your Servant in the Go&s;pel,
VV. DELL.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
<PB REF="9">
<HEAD>To the Reader.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>CHRISTIAN READER,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_THE <HI>Times</HI> we live in, are <HI>dangerous times;</HI> it is dangerous to <HI>conceale</HI> the <HI>truth,</HI> and dangerous to <HI>publi&s;h</HI> the truth; if we <HI>publi&s;h</HI> the truth, <HI>God hath taught us, and we have heard and lea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">n'd from the Father</HI> we fall into the <HI>hands</HI> of <HI>men;</HI> if we <HI>conceale</HI> it, we fall into the <HI>hands</HI> of <HI>God.</HI> And therefore, in <HI>this</HI> ca&s;e, in a <HI>contrary</HI> choice to <HI>David,</HI> I reckon it much better, to <HI>fall</HI> into the <HI>hands of men,</HI> then into the <HI>hands of God;</HI> &s;eeing the <HI>wrath</HI> of <HI>men</HI> can but reach the <HI>bodie;</HI> but the <HI>wrath</HI> of <HI>God, bodie</HI> and <HI>&s;oul.</HI> I &s;hall therefore willingly confe&s;&s;e <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> amid&s;t an <HI>adulterous</HI> and <HI>&s;inful</HI> generation, not doubting but <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> will confe&s;&s;e <HI>me,</HI> be|fore his <HI>Father,</HI> and before his <HI>Angels.</HI> And for the <HI>reproaches</HI> of <HI>men,</HI> it is be&s;t <HI>con|quering</HI> them, as <HI>Luther</HI> was wont to &s;ay, <HI>Silendo &amp; contemnendo,</HI> by &s;ilence and contempt of them, &s;eeing a man may as <HI>ea&s;ily</HI> re&s;train <HI>Satan</HI> him&s;elf, in his vari|ous workings, as <HI>&s;top</HI> the <HI>mouthes</HI> of his <HI>in&s;truments.</HI> And therefore it is good for us <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> to do the work of <HI>God,</HI> without &s;o much as taking <HI>notice</HI> of <HI>&s;uch</HI> men: and if &s;ometimes we are <HI>&s;en&s;ible</HI> of the&s;e things, becau&s;e we are <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> yet as we are <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> we are above them, in the <HI>Spirit,</HI> and &s;ee already in certain <HI>&s;aith</HI> and <HI>hope,</HI> all <HI>evils</HI> and <HI>enemies under our feet:</HI> And therefore for Mr. <HI>Love,</HI> and other men of the &s;ame <HI>mold</HI> and <HI>mettal,</HI> I am <HI>re&s;olved</HI> neither <HI>now</HI> nor <HI>hereafter,</HI> to take them into any <HI>more</HI> con&s;ideration, then the <HI>bu&s;ine&s;&s;e</HI> it &s;elf <HI>nece&s;&s;arily</HI> requires: and where they may be <HI>omitted,</HI> without <HI>prejudice</HI> to the <HI>truth,</HI> to let them <HI>quite</HI> alone: being every day, through the u&s;e of <HI>affliction</HI> enabled to <HI>patience,</HI> and through <HI>pati|ence</HI> brought to <HI>experience,</HI> and &s;o to a proportionable mea&s;ure of <HI>hope:</HI> And <HI>this</HI> carries me above the <HI>&s;hame</HI> of the <HI>world,</HI> in the <HI>&s;trength</HI> of the <HI>love</HI> of <HI>God.</HI></P>
<P>For the <HI>Doctrine</HI> contained in this <HI>Di&s;cour&s;e,</HI> thou &s;halt not finde it <HI>New light</HI> (as &s;ome men <HI>&s;landerou&s;ly</HI> affirme) but the <HI>ancient light,</HI> that &s;prange forth in the <HI>fir&s;t morning</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> but was &s;ince <HI>ob&s;cured,</HI> by the <HI>New darkne&s;&s;e of An|tichri&s;t,</HI> which <HI>the&s;e</HI> men <HI>love</HI> better then that <HI>old light,</HI> and will by no means ex|change
<PB REF="10">
the <HI>one</HI> for the <HI>other.</HI> But this <HI>light,</HI> that <HI>now</HI> after a <HI>long night,</HI> breaks forth again, in &s;ome of its <HI>fir&s;t glory,</HI> let the&s;e men&s;et their <HI>hearts</HI> at <HI>re&s;t,</HI> for they &s;hal never be <HI>able</HI> to <HI>ob&s;cure</HI> it again; and the <HI>fire of the Spirit</HI> that GOD hath <HI>kindled</HI> in the Kingdome, they &s;hall <HI>never</HI> be able to <HI>quench,</HI> with any <HI>fire</HI> either of <HI>Earth</HI> or <HI>Hell.</HI> And therefore we <HI>fear</HI> them not, though they breathe forth <HI>threatnings</HI> now, and ere long, are like to breathe forth <HI>blood:</HI> For by all their <HI>&s;ubtile</HI> and <HI>indu&s;trious</HI> actings, in the <HI>end,</HI> they &s;hall not work the <HI>truths</HI> ruine, but their <HI>own.</HI> And <HI>the&s;e,</HI> as well as their <HI>forefathers,</HI> of the &s;ame <HI>race</HI> and <HI>lineage,</HI> in who&s;e <HI>&s;tead</HI> they are now <HI>ri&s;en up,</HI> &s;hall in <HI>due</HI> time become a <HI>reproach</HI> and a <HI>&s;hame,</HI> and their <HI>name</HI> &s;hall be for a <HI>cur&s;e</HI> to all Gods <HI>cho&s;en.</HI></P>
<P>READER, It is my earne&s;t de&s;ire, that the <HI>Lord</HI> would deliver thee from this <HI>new form</HI> of the <HI>My&s;terie of Iniquity,</HI> which in every Age puts on a <HI>&s;everall</HI> form, when the <HI>old</HI> one is <HI>di&s;covered</HI> by the light of the <HI>Word.</HI> And in this pre|&s;ent Age, it is become, &s;o <HI>exceeding cunning,</HI> and &s;o <HI>furni&s;hed</HI> with all <HI>deceiveable|ne&s;&s;e</HI> of <HI>unrighteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> under the form of <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> that it &s;eems to be the <HI>la&s;t</HI> and <HI>&s;ubtile&s;t</HI> work of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> that is now in <HI>hand;</HI> and he that prevailes in this <HI>encounter,</HI> hath <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> under his <HI>feet,</HI> for <HI>ever:</HI> but <HI>none</HI> are like to prevaile <HI>here,</HI> but the <HI>Faithful</HI> and <HI>Elect</HI> alone.</P>
<P>And therefore <HI>hold fa&s;t that which thou ha&s;t, that no man take thy Crowne;</HI> and con&s;ider Chri&s;ts <HI>encouragement</HI> to this work, in the following ver&s;e; [Him that <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 3. 11, 12.</NOTE> <HI>overcommeth,</HI> will I make a <HI>pillar</HI> in the <HI>Temple</HI> of my God, and he &s;hall <HI>go</HI> no more <HI>out,</HI> and I will <HI>write</HI> upon him, the <HI>name</HI> of <HI>my God,</HI> and the <HI>name</HI> of the <HI>City</HI> of my God, which is, <HI>New Ieru&s;alem,</HI> which <HI>commeth</HI> down out of <HI>Heaven</HI> from my God, and I will <HI>write</HI> upon him, my <HI>New Name.]</HI></P>
<P>Chri&s;tian READER, I commit <HI>thee,</HI> and the <HI>Word</HI> now offered to thee, in <HI>this</HI> Di&s;cour&s;e, to <HI>God</HI> and his <HI>powerful ble&s;&s;ing</HI> and <HI>wonderful working;</HI> Remaining,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Thine in the Difficult, and De&s;pi&s;ed Service of JESUS CHRIST in the Go&s;pel,
W. DELL.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="discourse">
<PB N="1" REF="10">
<HEAD>RIGHT REFORMATION. OR The Reformation of the Church of the New te&s;tament repre&s;ented in Go&s;pel-Light.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<BIBL>HEB. 9. 10.</BIBL>
<Q>Untill the time of Reformation.</Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P><HI>_THe naturall man</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Paul,</HI> 1 Cor. 2.) <HI>knows not the things of the Spirit, neither can hee, for they are &s;piritually di&s;cerned.</HI> Now a man that is not <HI>born of God and his Spirit,</HI> with all his parts, abilities, rea&s;on, wi&s;dome, prudence, learning, is but a <HI>naturall</HI> man &s;till, and &s;o hath no <HI>right</HI> knowledge of the things of God and his Spirit.</P>
<P>And <HI>hence</HI> it hath come to pa&s;&s;e, that the <HI>things of God</HI> and his <HI>Spirit</HI> have been &s;o <HI>gro&s;ly</HI> and <HI>dangerou&s;ly</HI> mi&s;taken by the <HI>world,</HI> and the <HI>carnall Church.</HI> For all the <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> things of <HI>God</HI> they have under&s;tood <HI>carnally,</HI> and have apprehended the <HI>whole Scriptures</HI> not according to <HI>Gods mind,</HI> but according to
<PB N="2" REF="11">
their <HI>own;</HI> not according to the <HI>&s;en&s;e of the Spirit,</HI> but accor|ding to the &s;en&s;e of the <HI>fle&s;h.</HI> And thus was <HI>Antichri&s;ts</HI> king|dome <NOTE PLACE="marg">Antichri&s;ts Kingdome &s;et up by the car|nall under&s;tan|ding of the Scriptures.</NOTE> fir&s;t <HI>&s;et up,</HI> and thus it hath been <HI>kept up</HI> and <HI>continued;</HI> even by the <HI>carnall under&s;tanding of the Scriptures.</HI> For they have under&s;tood the <HI>Church,</HI> the kingdom of God in the world, <HI>carnally;</HI> the <HI>rock</HI> on which it is built, <HI>carnally;</HI> the <HI>door</HI> of this Kingdome <HI>carnally;</HI> the <HI>lawes</HI> of it <HI>carnally;</HI> the <HI>liberties</HI> of it <HI>carnally;</HI> the power, authority, government, glory, Of|ficers, &amp;c. <HI>all</HI> carnally. And to this very day, which of the <HI>things</HI> of God doth not the <HI>carnall Church</HI> under&s;tand <HI>carnal|ly?</HI> Faith, hope, love, it under&s;tands <HI>carnally;</HI> Redemption, adoption, ju&s;tification, &s;anctification, glorification, union with Chri&s;t, communion of the Spirit, acce&s;&s;e to the Father, together with Chri&s;t the <HI>Head,</HI> and the Church the <HI>Body,</HI> in their joint <HI>unction</HI> and <HI>Officers,</HI> and all other things, they un|der&s;tand <HI>carnally,</HI> and have a <HI>fle&s;hly</HI> &s;en&s;e and apprehen&s;ion of them.</P>
<P>And as they under&s;tand all <HI>other</HI> things of Gods kingdome <HI>carnally,</HI> &s;o al&s;o the <HI>Reformation</HI> of it; and there are not <HI>grea|ter</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">The Reforma|tion of the Church under|&s;tood carnally.</NOTE> and <HI>gro&s;&s;er</HI> mi&s;takes about any of the <HI>things</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> then a|bout <HI>this:</HI> men imagining the <HI>Reformation</HI> of the <HI>Church,</HI> which is altogether a <HI>&s;piritual</HI> and <HI>heavenly</HI> kingdom, after the manner of the Reformation of <HI>worldly</HI> States and Common-wealths, which only &s;tands in <HI>outward</HI> things, and is brought to pa&s;&s;e by <HI>humane councels,</HI> and <HI>humane power.</HI></P>
<P>Now becau&s;e this is not only a <HI>gro&s;&s;e,</HI> but a <HI>generall</HI> errour, in all &s;orts of people, both of <HI>high</HI> and of <HI>low</HI> degree, I &s;hall indeavour, at this time, according to the good hand of God with me, to repre&s;ent in &s;ome <HI>Go&s;pel-</HI>light to this Honourable and Chri&s;tian Auditory the <HI>true Reformation of the Church of the New-Te&s;tament:</HI> and <HI>ble&s;&s;ed is hee who &s;hall not be offended at it.</HI></P>
<P>For this purpo&s;e I made choice of the words now read, <HI>&V;ntill the time of Reformation.</HI></P>
<P>For the better <HI>under&s;tanding</HI> of which, wee mu&s;t read the <HI>Context:</HI></P>
<P>Ver. 9. <HI>The fir&s;t tabernacle was a figure for the time then pre|&s;ent, in which were offered both gifts and &s;acrifices that could not
<PB N="3" REF="11">
make him that did the &s;ervice perfect as pertaining to the con|&s;cience.</HI></P>
<P>V. 10. <HI>Which &s;tood only in meats and drinks, and divers wa&s;h|ings, and carnall ordinances</HI> (it &s;hould be <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;&s;es,</HI> or <HI>ju|&s;tifications of the fle&s;h,</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">) <HI>impo&s;ed on them,</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>untill the time of Reformation.</HI></P>
<P>In which words, the Apo&s;tle &s;hews the <HI>imperfection</HI> of <NOTE PLACE="marg">The imperfe|ction of the wor&s;hip of the <HI>old</HI> Law.</NOTE> the wor&s;hip of the <HI>old Law,</HI> becau&s;e it &s;tood in <HI>outward</HI> rites, ceremonies, duties, performances, and &s;o could not <HI>make</HI> him that u&s;ed them and was bu&s;ied in them, <HI>perfect as pertaining to his con&s;cience;</HI> and therefore God did not <HI>&s;imply</HI> and <HI>ab&s;olutely</HI> impo&s;e the&s;e things on the <HI>Church,</HI> to <HI>continue for ever,</HI> but only untill the <HI>time,</HI> wherein <HI>all</HI> things were to be <HI>reformed,</HI> not only <HI>evill</HI> things, but <HI>imperfect.</HI> And then all that <HI>outward</HI> Religion was to be <HI>aboli&s;hed.</HI></P>
<P>Now if the <HI>law of Mo&s;es</HI> could not make men perfect, as <NOTE PLACE="marg">No outward law can make men perfect as pertaining to the con&s;cience, and &s;o the Go|&s;pel aboli&s;hes all &s;uch out|ward laws im|po&s;ed on con|&s;cience, as well now as hereto|fore.</NOTE> pertayning to the <HI>Con&s;cience,</HI> much le&s;&s;e can any <HI>new lawes</HI> in|vented now. And if any <HI>&s;uch</HI> lawes &s;hould be <HI>impo&s;ed</HI> on the people of God now, the <HI>Gospel</HI> hath the &s;ame <HI>&s;trength</HI> in <HI>it &s;elf</HI> to make them <HI>void,</HI> as the former; and al&s;o the &s;ame <HI>ground</HI> from them, becau&s;e all &s;uch <HI>lawes</HI> and <HI>ordinances</HI> devi&s;ed by men, cannot make them that obey and practi&s;e them <HI>perfect as pertaining to the con&s;cience:</HI> and therefore are <HI>all</HI> to be at an <HI>end,</HI> when the time of <HI>Reformation</HI> comes.</P>
<P><HI>Que&s;t.</HI> Now if you ask me, <HI>when this time of Reformation was.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;.</HI> I an&s;wer: It was when <HI>Chri&s;t came;</HI> not a <HI>&s;ervant,</HI> as <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> but the <HI>Son</HI> out of the bo&s;ome of the Father, the <HI>great Prophet</HI> of the new Te&s;tament, who&s;e <HI>doctrine</HI> was not <HI>letter</HI> as <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> was, but <HI>Spirit and life:</HI> And <HI>now</HI> when <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> the <HI>Mini&s;ter of the new Te&s;tament,</HI> came with the <HI>mini&s;tration of the Spirit,</HI> now was the <HI>time of Reformation.</HI></P>
<P>In the time of the <HI>Law</HI> there were outward duties, and performances, and ceremonies, and &s;acrifices, and <HI>&s;trict laws</HI> to injoyn the <HI>ob&s;ervation</HI> of the&s;e things, carrying along with them the <HI>&s;everity</HI> of death: and yet notwit&s;tanding all <HI>this,</HI> there was no <HI>true</HI> Reformation; but under all that <HI>outward</HI> Re|ligion men were <HI>inwardly</HI> as corrupt and wicked as the very <HI>heathen:</HI> for all their <HI>circumci&s;ion</HI> in the <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> they were uncir|cumci&s;ed
<PB N="4" REF="12">
in <HI>heart;</HI> for all their outward <HI>wa&s;hing,</HI> they were inwardly <HI>unclean;</HI> for all their <HI>blood of buls and goats,</HI> their <HI>&s;ins</HI> remained in their <HI>natures</HI> and <HI>con&s;ciences;</HI> for all their <HI>&s;trict forcing</HI> of men to the duties of the <HI>outward</HI> wor&s;hip of <HI>God,</HI> the people &s;till remained <HI>far</HI> from God even in all tho&s;e duties. So that notwith&s;tanding the <HI>outward</HI> wor&s;hip of <HI>Mo|&s;es</HI> law, the people remained <HI>inwardly</HI> corrupt, filthy, and un|clean, and without any <HI>true</HI> Reformation before <HI>Goa;</HI> till <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> who was <HI>God in the fle&s;h,</HI> came with the <HI>mini&s;tration of the Spirit,</HI> and then <HI>indeed</HI> was the <HI>time of Reformation. &V;ntill the time of Reformation.</HI></P>
<P>The thing then the <HI>Spirit</HI> would have us take notice of in the&s;e words, is this,</P>
<P><HI>That the time of the Go&s;pel is the time of Reformation.</HI></P>
<P>When-ever the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> is preached in the <HI>&s;pirit</HI> and <HI>power</HI> of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doctr.</NOTE> it, that is <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>the time of Reformation.</HI></P>
<P>For our more <HI>orderly</HI> proceeding in this point, wee will ob&s;erve this <HI>Method.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. Show what <HI>true</HI> Go&s;pel-Reformation <HI>is,</HI> and how it is <HI>qualified;</HI> that &s;o you may the better di&s;tingui&s;h it from <HI>Poli|ticall</HI> and <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall</HI> Reformation. Now <HI>both</HI> the&s;e I joyn <HI>together,</HI> becau&s;e the <HI>carnall Church</HI> hath alwayes <HI>intere&s;ted</HI> and <HI>mingled</HI> it &s;elf with the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>world,</HI> as being able to doe nothing without it.</P>
<P N="2">2. I will indeavour to &s;hew to who&s;e <HI>hands</HI> the work of <HI>Go&s;pel-Reformation</HI> is committed.</P>
<P N="3">3. By what <HI>means</HI> he to who&s;e hands it is committed, brings it about.</P>
<P N="4">4. The <HI>advantages</HI> of &s;uch a Reformation where it is wrought.</P>
<P N="5">5. The <HI>&V;&s;e.</HI></P>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The fir&s;t Generall.</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">What true Go&s;pel Reformation is, and how qualified.</HEAD>
<P N="1">1. <HI>What it is.</HI> It is the <HI>mortiying, de&s;troying, and utter</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Go&s;pel Refor|mation: 1. What it is.</NOTE> <HI>aboli&s;hing</HI> out of the faithfull and elect, <HI>all that &s;in, corruption, lu&s;t, evill,</HI> that did flow in upon them through the fall of <HI>Adam.</HI> Or,</P>
<P>It is the <HI>taking away</HI> and <HI>de&s;troying</HI> the <HI>body of &s;in,</HI> out of the
<PB N="5" REF="12">
faithfull and elect by the pre&s;ence and operation of the <HI>righte|ou&s;ne&s;&s;e of God,</HI> dwelling in their hearts by faith. This is true Go&s;pel Reformation, and be&s;ides this I know no other. This the Evangelicall Prophet <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> de&s;cribeth, Chap. 1. 27. <HI>Zion &s;hall be redeemed with judgement, and her converts with righte|ou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>Now <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> dwelling in our hearts by <HI>faith,</HI> as he di&s;covers, reproves, condemnes, and de&s;troyes <HI>&s;in,</HI> &s;o he is called <HI>Judge|ment:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t Judge|ment.</NOTE> and thus is <HI>judgement</HI> to be under&s;tood in the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> &s;en&s;e; and not <HI>terribly,</HI> as in the &s;en&s;e of the <HI>Law:</HI> and this <HI>Judgement</HI> &s;hall at la&s;t <HI>break forth into victory;</HI> that is, though <HI>Chri&s;t in us</HI> hath to doe with many <HI>&s;trong</HI> corruptions and lu&s;ts in the <HI>&s;oule,</HI> yet at la&s;t hee prevails again&s;t them <HI>all,</HI> and <HI>Judgement breaks forth into Victory,</HI> becau&s;e Chri&s;t, the <HI>Judge|ment</HI> of <HI>God</HI> in the <HI>&s;oul,</HI> mu&s;t needs in the <HI>end</HI> prevail again&s;t e|very &s;in of <HI>man.</HI></P>
<P>Again, Chri&s;t the <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e of God,</HI> as he makes us <HI>righ|teous</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t Righte|ou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</NOTE> with his <HI>own</HI> righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, and makes us <HI>the righteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e of God</HI> in him, &s;o hee is called <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> not in <HI>him&s;elf</HI> onely, but in <HI>us:</HI> he is <HI>the Lord our Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e:</HI> and by this <HI>Judgement</HI> and <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> is <HI>Zion</HI> and her <HI>converts redeemed</HI> and <HI>reformed.</HI> And &s;o <HI>true</HI> Go&s;pel reformation is the de&s;tru|ction of <HI>&s;in</HI> out of the <HI>faithfull,</HI> by the pre&s;ence of <HI>righteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>And therefore you &s;ee how <HI>gro&s;ly</HI> they are <HI>mi&s;taken</HI> who take <HI>Go&s;pel Reformation</HI> to be the making of certain <HI>Laws</HI> and <HI>Con|&s;titutions</HI> by the <HI>&s;acred</HI> power or Clergy, for <HI>externall confor|mity</HI> in outward duties of outward wor&s;hip and govern|ment, and to have the&s;e confirmed by civill &s;anction, and in|forced upon men by <HI>&s;ecular</HI> power; when in the mean time, all that inward corruption and &s;in they brought with them into the world remains in their hearts and natures as it did be|fore. After this manner the old <HI>Prelates</HI> reformed, who were wont to &s;ay to the Kings, <HI>Wee will &s;tudie out the faith, and you &s;hall maintain it:</HI> and the faith they &s;tudied and brought to the Kings, the Kings mu&s;t maintain, and not que&s;tion but that it was <HI>Jure Divino.</HI></P>
<P>And thus you &s;ee in <HI>generall</HI> what <HI>Go&s;pel Reformation</HI> is,
<PB N="6" REF="13">
and that it is a cleer different thing from Civil-Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall Reformation.</P>
<P N="2">2. Now in the next place let us &s;ee how this Go&s;pel Refor|mation is <HI>qualified,</HI> whereby the difference between <HI>this</HI> and the <HI>other</HI> will appear yet more <HI>cleerly.</HI></P>
<P>Fir&s;t then, it is a <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> Reformation. For as the <HI>King|dome</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Go&s;pel Refor|mation is 1. Spirituall.</NOTE> of Chri&s;t is a <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> Kingdome, &s;o <HI>all</HI> the things that belong to it are <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> things; and &s;o the <HI>Reformation</HI> of it. A <HI>carnall</HI> Reformation is not <HI>&s;utable</HI> to a <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> Kingdom. And <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> it is, becau&s;e it proceeds from the <HI>Spirit,</HI> and &s;tands in <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> things, as you &s;hall &s;ee more fully anon.</P>
<P>But now the <HI>Reformation</HI> of the <HI>Civill</HI> and <HI>Eccle&s;iasticall</HI> State, is but a <HI>carnall</HI> Reformation, wrought by the power of <HI>fle&s;h</HI> and <HI>blood,</HI> and &s;tands in <HI>outward</HI> and <HI>fle&s;hly</HI> things, as you &s;hall pre&s;ently &s;ee.</P>
<P>Secondly, It is an <HI>inward</HI> Reformation. For as the <HI>King|dome</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Inward.</NOTE> <HI>of God</HI> is an <HI>inward</HI> Kingdome, <HI>(the kingdome of God is within you)</HI> &s;o the <HI>Reformation</HI> that belongs to it is an <HI>inward</HI> Reformation. This <HI>true</HI> Go&s;pel Reformation layes hold upon the <HI>heart,</HI> and <HI>&s;oul,</HI> and <HI>inner man,</HI> and changes, and alters, and renews, and reforms that; and when the <HI>heart</HI> is reformed, <HI>all</HI> is reformed. And therefore this <HI>Go&s;pel Reformation</HI> doth not much <HI>bu&s;ie</HI> and <HI>trouble</HI> it &s;elfe about <HI>outward forms,</HI> or <HI>ex|ternall conformity,</HI> but onely minds the reforming of the <HI>heart,</HI> and when the <HI>heart</HI> is <HI>right</HI> with God, the <HI>outward form</HI> can|not be ami&s;&s;e. And therefore &s;aith <HI>Christ</HI> touching the <HI>wor&s;hip</HI> of the <HI>New</HI> Te&s;tament, <HI>God is a Spirit, and they that wor&s;hip him mu&s;t wor&s;hip him in &s;pirit and in truth:</HI> but &s;peaks not one word of any <HI>outward form.</HI> So that <HI>God</HI> in this <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> Refor|mation aims at <HI>nothing</HI> but the <HI>heart,</HI> according to the tenour of the <HI>new covenant, Jer. 31. 33. This &s;hall be the covenant that I will make with them after tho&s;e dayes, &s;aith the Lord, I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts:</HI> &s;o that they &s;hall not onely have the <HI>word</HI> of the <HI>letter</HI> in their <HI>books,</HI> but the <HI>living word</HI> of God in their <HI>hearts:</HI> and God in|tending to <HI>reform</HI> the Church, begins with their <HI>hearts,</HI> and in|tending to reform their <HI>hearts,</HI> puts his <HI>word</HI> there, and that <HI>li|ving word</HI> put into the <HI>heart</HI> reforms it indeed.</P>
<P><PB N="7" REF="13">
But now <HI>Civil-Eccle&s;iasticall</HI> Reformation is onely <HI>out|ward,</HI> and bu&s;ies &s;t &s;elfe in reforming the <HI>outward man</HI> in <HI>out|ward things;</HI> and &s;o is very <HI>indu&s;trious</HI> and <HI>elaborate</HI> about outward <HI>forms,</HI> and outward <HI>orders,</HI> and outward <HI>government,</HI> and outward <HI>confe&s;&s;ion,</HI> and outward <HI>practice,</HI> and thinks if <HI>the&s;e</HI> be put into &s;ome <HI>hand&s;om<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ne&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>conformity;</HI> they have brought about an <HI>excellent</HI> Reformation: though the <HI>heart</HI> in the mean time remain as <HI>&s;infull, vile,</HI> and <HI>corrupt</HI> as ever, and &s;o altogether <HI>unreformed.</HI></P>
<P>And &s;o <HI>this</HI> Reformation is like <HI>that</HI> Reformation of the <HI>Scribes</HI> and <HI>Phari&s;ees,</HI> notorious hypocrites, <HI>who made clean onely the out&s;ide of the cup or platter, leaving them all filthy and unclean within: and whited over &s;epulchres, to make them beau|tifull</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 23. 25.</NOTE> <HI>outwardly, when inwardly they were full of rottenne&s;&s;e and corruption.</HI> So <HI>Civill-Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall</HI> Reformation makes a man <HI>clean</HI> outwardly, with an <HI>outward</HI> Confe&s;&s;ion of faith, when <HI>inwardly</HI> hee is <HI>all filthy</HI> through <HI>unbelief;</HI> and <HI>whites</HI> him over with a few <HI>hand&s;ome forms</HI> of wor&s;hip, when <HI>in|wardly</HI> hee is full of <HI>ignorance</HI> of God, and <HI>Athei&s;m.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Obj.</HI> Now if any ask, But mu&s;t there be no <HI>change</HI> of <HI>out|ward</HI> things in the <HI>Reformation</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel?</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> I an&s;wer, Yes; an <HI>outward</HI> change that <HI>flows</HI> from an <HI>inward:</HI> but not an <HI>outward</HI> change <HI>without</HI> an <HI>inward;</HI> much le&s;&s;e an <HI>outward</HI> change to <HI>enforce</HI> an <HI>inward.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. It is a <HI>thorow</HI> Reformation, for it reforms the <HI>whole man;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Thorows</NOTE> it reforms not the <HI>&s;oul</HI> onely, but the <HI>body</HI> too, and the very <HI>&s;pirit</HI> of the <HI>mind:</HI> the <HI>&s;pirit</HI> as it <HI>animates,</HI> and <HI>quickens,</HI> and <HI>acts</HI> the body, is called the <HI>&s;oule;</HI> as it is in it <HI>&s;elfe,</HI> in its owne <HI>nature</HI> and <HI>e&s;&s;ence,</HI> &s;o it is called the <HI>&s;pirit of the mind:</HI> and this <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> Reformation reforms <HI>all;</HI> that is, both inward and outward, and outward and inward man; yea, the inwarde&s;t of the inward man; and not only the <HI>operations</HI> of the <HI>&s;oul</HI> in the <HI>body,</HI> but of the &s;oul in <HI>its &s;elfe.</HI></P>
<P>But <HI>Civill-Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall</HI> Reformation reforms by <HI>halfs,</HI> it reaches the <HI>body,</HI> and orders that, but attains not to the <HI>&s;oul,</HI> much le&s;&s;e to the <HI>&s;pirit</HI> of the mind.</P>
<P>Again, Go&s;pel Reformation reforms <HI>&s;in</HI> wholly, a&s;well
<PB N="8" REF="14">
as the <HI>man;</HI> it reforms all &s;in what&s;oever, <HI>I will turn my hand upon thee,</HI> (&s;aith God by this Go&s;pel Reformation) <HI>and will</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 1. 25.</NOTE> <HI>purely purge away thy dro&s;&s;e, and take away all thy tinne.</HI> It re|forms a man not only of <HI>outward</HI> &s;ins, but of <HI>inward.</HI> It re|forms him of <HI>tho&s;e</HI> &s;ins that &s;eldome come forth into the <HI>view</HI> of the world, as Athei&s;me, ignorance of God, pride, vain-glo|ry, &s;elf-&s;eeking, hypocri&s;ie, carnall mindedne&s;&s;e, and all the <HI>evill de&s;ires</HI> of the fle&s;h, and of the minde. Yea, it doth not on|ly reform all <HI>evill</HI> things in us, but all <HI>imperfect</HI> things <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> doing away <HI>imperfect</HI> things by the <HI>coming</HI> of <HI>perfect</HI> things, doing away our <HI>own</HI> &s;trength by the coming in of <HI>Gods</HI> &s;trength, and our <HI>own wi&s;dome</HI> and <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> by the coming in of <HI>Gods</HI> wi&s;dome and righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</P>
<P>But now Civill-Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall Reformation reforms <HI>&s;in</HI> by the <HI>halfs,</HI> a&s;well as the <HI>man;</HI> and &s;o only reforms <HI>outward</HI> and <HI>gro&s;&s;e</HI> &s;ins, &s;uch as run into the <HI>eyes</HI> of the world, which are the lea&s;t by a thou&s;and times of the evils that a man hath and acts; but the <HI>greate&s;t</HI> part of &s;in it <HI>&s;till</HI> leaves within as it was.</P>
<P>Fourthly, It is a <HI>powerfull</HI> and <HI>mighty</HI> Reformation: It is wrought in a <HI>man</HI> by the very <HI>power of God,</HI> even by <HI>the right</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">4. Powerfull.</NOTE> <HI>hand of his Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</HI> And &s;o no &s;in, lu&s;t, corruption, though never &s;o <HI>mighty,</HI> is able to <HI>refist</HI> this work of God by the Go&s;pel; but it makes the <HI>whole body</HI> of &s;in, and the <HI>whole kingdome</HI> of the Divell fly in pieces before it: The power of God in <HI>creating</HI> and <HI>redeeming</HI> the elect may as well be <HI>re&s;isted,</HI> as the power of God in <HI>reforming</HI> them: for it is a <HI>power</HI> a|bove <HI>all</HI> power, that God puts forth in <HI>this</HI> work, and &s;o is not to be made <HI>void</HI> by any creature. In every &s;troke of this work the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>Lord God Almighty</HI> is put forth, as every <HI>rightly</HI> reformed Chri&s;tian knows. And if the <HI>love</HI> of God had not put forth this <HI>power</HI> in the &s;oule, a Chri&s;tian had <HI>never</HI> been re|formed, no not from one &s;in.</P>
<P>Now the <HI>power</HI> of this Reformation <HI>eminently</HI> appears, in that it changeth the very <HI>natures</HI> of men; it findes them <HI>lions,</HI> it makes them <HI>lambs;</HI> it findes them <HI>wolves,</HI> it makes them <HI>&s;heep;</HI> it findes them <HI>birds of prey,</HI> it makes them <HI>doves;</HI> It
<PB N="9" REF="14">
finds them <HI>trees of the forre&s;t,</HI> it makes them <HI>apple-trees:</HI> In a word, it finds them <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> it makes them <HI>&s;pirit;</HI> it finds them <HI>&s;in,</HI> it makes them <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e. Mighty</HI> indeed is the <HI>power</HI> of <HI>this</HI> Reformation.</P>
<P>But now, as this <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> Reformation is <HI>mighty,</HI> &s;o Civill-Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall Reformation is <HI>weak.</HI> for as the <HI>former</HI> hath the <HI>power of God</HI> engaged in <HI>it,</HI> &s;o this <HI>later</HI> hath only the <HI>pow|er of man;</HI> and &s;o can do no <HI>&s;uch</HI> works as the <HI>former.</HI> I ap|peale to <HI>all</HI> that are <HI>&s;pirituall,</HI> what <HI>heart</HI> or <HI>nature</HI> was ever changed by <HI>this &s;ort</HI> of Reformation? For there is that <HI>cor|ruption</HI> in the <HI>heart</HI> of every man, that is able to <HI>&s;tand out</HI> a|gain&s;t <HI>all</HI> the Reformation that <HI>all</HI> the <HI>powers</HI> in the <HI>world</HI> can undertake. And &s;o the <HI>Reformation</HI> mannaged by the <HI>mightiest</HI> and <HI>&s;evere&s;t</HI> powers of men is <HI>weak</HI> as <HI>water</HI> in this bu&s;ine&s;&s;e of <HI>changing natures;</HI> and can onely <HI>change</HI> &s;ome outward <HI>forms</HI> and <HI>po&s;tures,</HI> and the like, leaving in the mean time a mans <HI>nature</HI> the &s;ame it was before. It onely puts <HI>&s;heeps clo|thing</HI> upon men, which is ea&s;ily done; but &s;till leaves them <HI>wolves</HI> underneath.</P>
<P>Fifthly, It is a <HI>con&s;tant</HI> Reformation; a Reformation which being once <HI>begun,</HI> is never <HI>intermitted</HI> again till <HI>all</HI> be perfected. <NOTE PLACE="marg">5. Con&s;tant.</NOTE> For as long a <HI>Gods nature</HI> dwels in <HI>ours,</HI> it will <HI>ever</HI> be refor|ming our nature to <HI>it &s;elfe,</HI> till it be <HI>altogether</HI> like it. As long as the <HI>Spirit</HI> of God dwels in the <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> it will &s;till be re|forming the <HI>fle&s;h</HI> to the <HI>Spirit,</HI> till the <HI>whole</HI> body of <HI>&s;in</HI> be de|&s;troyed, and the <HI>naturall</HI> man be made <HI>&s;pirituall.</HI> So that the <HI>whole-</HI>time of this <HI>life</HI> that is lived in <HI>faith,</HI> that is, in union with Chri&s;t, is a time of <HI>continuall</HI> Reformation, and a Chri|&s;tian is <HI>daily</HI> wa&s;hing, clean&s;ing, and purifying him&s;elf, till hee <HI>purifie himfelf even as Chri&s;t is pure.</HI></P>
<P>But now Civill-Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall Reformation at <HI>first</HI> makes a great <HI>noi&s;e</HI> and <HI>tumult</HI> in the world, and <HI>after</HI> lies as <HI>&s;till</HI> as a &s;tone. For <HI>&s;uch</HI> Reformation reforms States and Kingdoms to mens <HI>own</HI> profit, honour, power-advantages; and &s;o to <HI>them|&s;elves,</HI> rather then to <HI>Christ.</HI> And when men have once attain|ed to their own <HI>ends,</HI> their <HI>activity</HI> cea&s;es.</P>
<P>Again, it brings men to certain outward <HI>orders</HI> and <HI>confor|mities,</HI>
<PB N="10" REF="15">
and then <HI>runnes round</HI> as in a mill, and goes no <HI>far|ther.</HI></P>
<P>Again, It reforms for a time, and not con&s;tantly, becau&s;e the <HI>outward</HI> power being taken away, <HI>nature</HI> returns to its <HI>own</HI> cour&s;e again. For State-Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall Reformation onely changes &s;ome <HI>outward works,</HI> leaving the <HI>nature</HI> the &s;elf &s;ame that it was (as you have heard).</P>
<P>Now where the <HI>works</HI> are contrary to <HI>nature, nature</HI> by de|grees returns to it &s;elf again, and puts an end to tho&s;e <HI>works;</HI> and &s;o there is an end of that Reformation.</P>
<P>And thus you &s;ee what <HI>Go&s;pel-Reformation</HI> is, and how <HI>qualified,</HI> whereby you &s;ee it <HI>cleerly</HI> differenced from Civill-Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall Reformation.</P>
<P>And oh that that <HI>Prophe&s;ie</HI> might here be fulfilled, <HI>I&s;a. 32. 3. The eyes of them that &s;ee &s;hall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear &s;hall hearken.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The &s;econd Generall.</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">To who&s;e hand this work of Reformation is committed.</HEAD>
<P>Now that is only to <HI>Je&s;us Christ,</HI> the great and onely <HI>Ma|gi&s;trate</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t the Re|former.</NOTE> in the Kingdome of God; and who <HI>onely</HI> is to doe <HI>all</HI> that is done in the Church of God: he is the <HI>Dominus fac to|tum</HI> (as they &s;ay).</P>
<P>If the Church be to be <HI>redeemed,</HI> Chri&s;t mu&s;t redeem it; if it be to be <HI>governed,</HI> Chri&s;t mu&s;t govern it; if it be to be <HI>pro|tected,</HI> Chri&s;t mu&s;t protect it; if it be to be <HI>&s;aved,</HI> Chri&s;t mu&s;t &s;ave it: <HI>All</HI> that is to be done in the Church of God, <HI>Christ</HI> only is to do it; and &s;o among other things to reform it; that is, to wa&s;h it, &s;anctifie it, purifie it.</P>
<P><HI>Chri&s;t</HI> then <HI>is the only Reformer of the Church of God.</HI> For, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note.</NOTE> Fir&s;t, God hath committed the <HI>care</HI> of the <HI>Churches</HI> Refor|mation <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. The care of the Church gi|ven to Chri&s;t.</NOTE> to <HI>Chri&s;t onely,</HI> and to no body el&s;e: and this is a thou|&s;and times <HI>better</HI> for the Church, then if he had committed it to all the <HI>Princes</HI> and <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> in the world. <HI>All things are gi|ven to me of my Father,</HI> &s;aith Chri&s;t; and the Church above all other things: <HI>Thine they were, and thou gave&s;t them mee; thine they were</HI> by <HI>election,</HI> and <HI>thou gave&s;t them me,</HI> that I might re|deem them, and reform them, and pre&s;ent them to <HI>thee</HI> again
<PB N="11" REF="15">
without <HI>&s;pot.</HI> So that the <HI>Father</HI> hath committed the <HI>care</HI> of the <HI>Reformation</HI> of the Church to <HI>Christ.</HI></P>
<P>And &s;econdly, <HI>Christ</HI> hath <HI>taken this care</HI> upon <HI>him&s;elf</HI> out <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Chri&s;t takes it.</NOTE> of <HI>obedience</HI> to his Father, and <HI>love</HI> to his Church.</P>
<P N="1">1. Out of <HI>obedience to his Father:</HI> for he &s;aith, <HI>I came not to do</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Out of o|bedience.</NOTE> <HI>my own will, but the will of him that &s;ent me: and this is the will of him that &s;ent mee, that of all that hee hath given mee I &s;hould lo&s;e none.</HI> And &s;o Chri&s;t <HI>reforms</HI> all, that he might <HI>lo&s;e</HI> none, out of <HI>obedience</HI> to his Father.</P>
<P N="2">2. Out of <HI>love</HI> to his <HI>Church</HI> he takes this <HI>care</HI> and <HI>charge</HI> on <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Love.</NOTE> him. For &s;uch is the <HI>love of Christ</HI> to the <HI>Church</HI> every where &s;o <HI>gloriou&s;ly</HI> di&s;covered in the Go&s;pel, that hee doth not onely <HI>give</HI> him&s;elf <HI>for us,</HI> to <HI>redeem</HI> us; but al&s;o gives him&s;elf <HI>to us,</HI> to <HI>reform</HI> us. Chri&s;t <HI>dying</HI> for us, is our <HI>Redemption;</HI> Chri&s;t <HI>dwelling and living</HI> in us, is our <HI>Reformation.</HI></P>
<P>Thirdly, This work of Reformation is only <HI>&s;utable</HI> to, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 The work of Reformation only &s;utable to Chri&s;t.</NOTE> <HI>convenient</HI> for <HI>Chri&s;t the Head,</HI> as having &s;o <HI>neer</HI> and <HI>deer</HI> inter|e&s;t in the Church his <HI>Body.</HI> And &s;o he is ful of <HI>love,</HI> and <HI>bowels,</HI> and <HI>tender compa&s;&s;ions</HI> to the <HI>Church: he</HI> will not deal <HI>roughly, ruggedly,</HI> and <HI>boi&s;trou&s;ly</HI> with the <HI>&s;aints;</HI> hee will not <HI>grieve</HI> them, and <HI>vex</HI> them &amp; <HI>oppre&s;&s;e</HI> them, and <HI>cru&s;h</HI> them in peices: but he being their <HI>Head,</HI> wil deal <HI>meekly</HI> and <HI>gently</HI> with them, <HI>He will not break the brui&s;ed reed, nor quench the &s;moaking flax.</HI> When he is reforming the <HI>&s;ins</HI> and <HI>corruptions</HI> of the <HI>faithfull,</HI> he deals with them in the very <HI>love and goodne&s;&s;e of God,</HI> and wil not put them to <HI>more</HI> &s;orrow then <HI>needs</HI> mu&s;t; and when hee mu&s;t <HI>needs</HI> put them to <HI>&s;orrow</HI> in the <HI>fle&s;h</HI> (for <HI>fle&s;h</HI> cannot chu&s;e but <HI>mourn</HI> to part with <HI>it &s;elf</HI> utterly in this <HI>reformation)</HI> yet <HI>he</HI> is pre&s;ent with the <HI>comforts</HI> of his <HI>Spirit,</HI> and when hee hath <HI>&s;mitten</HI> them, is ready to <HI>heal</HI> them, and to <HI>bind them up</HI> as &s;oon as he hath <HI>broken</HI> them. He deals with every Chri&s;tian in <HI>this</HI> re|formation as <HI>tenderly</HI> as a man doth with one of his own <HI>mem|bers</HI> that is in <HI>grief</HI> and <HI>angui&s;h;</HI> he regards and handles him as his <HI>own body,</HI> as his <HI>own fle&s;h.</HI> And &s;o the <HI>reformation</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> is altogether for <HI>edification,</HI> and not at all for <HI>de&s;truction:</HI> for <HI>it is his own body he reforms, and &s;o doth it with the love of the Head.</HI></P>
<P>But wh<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">n <HI>&s;trangers,</HI> who&s;e the Church is not, &s;et upon <HI>refor|ming</HI>
<PB N="12" REF="16">
it, what <HI>havock</HI> doe they make of the <HI>Church of God?</HI> how do they <HI>wound,</HI> and <HI>threaten,</HI> and <HI>pun&s;h,</HI> and <HI>de&s;troy</HI> it, and have no regard at all to the <HI>weak, infirm, &s;orrowfull</HI> &s;aints, that are <HI>wre&s;tling</HI> with many <HI>doubts, feares, agonies, corruptions, temptaetions,</HI> till they are overtaken with very <HI>&s;hadow of death?</HI> how do they <HI>yer&s;ecute</HI> them that are already <HI>&s;mitten,</HI> and <HI>grieve</HI> them more that are already <HI>wounded?</HI></P>
<P>And &s;o you &s;ee that he only that hath an <HI>intere&s;t</HI> in the <HI>Church</HI> as being the <HI>Head</HI> of the Church, is onely <HI>fit</HI> to reforme it; whereas the reformation of <HI>&s;trangers</HI> hath more <HI>cruelty</HI> in it then <HI>love,</HI> and more <HI>de&s;truction</HI> then <HI>edification.</HI></P>
<P>Fourthly, Chri&s;t is onely <HI>able</HI> for this work: for the <HI>Re|formation</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">4. Chri&s;t only able for the work of Refor|mation.</NOTE> of the Church is as <HI>great</HI> a work as the <HI>Redemption</HI> of it: and <HI>hee</HI> onely that <HI>could</HI> doe the one, <HI>can</HI> doe the other. <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> mu&s;t <HI>die</HI> to <HI>redeem</HI> the Church, and hee mu&s;t <HI>live</HI> to <HI>re|form</HI> it: and &s;o as the <HI>Government of the Church</HI> only <HI>lies</HI> upon his &s;houlders who is the <HI>Head;</HI> &s;o the <HI>Reformation</HI> of it onely lies upon his <HI>hands,</HI> and his <HI>hands onely are &s;ufficient for it.</HI> If all the <HI>Angels</HI> of heaven &s;hould <HI>undertake</HI> the work of <HI>Refor|mation,</HI> they would <HI>&s;ink</HI> under it; how much more the <HI>powers</HI> of the <HI>world?</HI></P>
<P>For, the <HI>taking away tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion</HI> for us, and from us, which is the <HI>only</HI> Reformation of the <HI>new Te&s;tament,</HI> is a work agree|able to none but the <HI>Son of God,</HI> as it is written, <HI>His name &s;hall be called Je&s;us, for he &s;hall &s;ave his people from their &s;ins:</HI> where you have both the <HI>Reformer,</HI> Chri&s;t; and the <HI>Reformation,</HI> &s;hall &s;ave his people from their &s;ins: now hee mu&s;t needs be the <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e of God</HI> that mu&s;t &s;ave people from fin.</P>
<P>And hee mu&s;t needs be <HI>God in the fle&s;h</HI> that mu&s;t reform the <HI>fle&s;h;</HI> none el&s;e can do it.</P>
<P>To conclude this: None but the <HI>Power</HI> of God, and <HI>Wi&s;dome</HI> of God, and the <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> of God, which is <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> can reform the <HI>Church,</HI> which is the kingdom of God: and the power, wi&s;dome, and righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e of <HI>men</HI> have no place at all here, except they will turn the Power, Wi&s;dom, and Righte|ou&s;ne&s;&s;e of <HI>God</HI> out of his office; for &s;o &s;peaks the <HI>Spirit</HI> by the Prophet <HI>I&s;aiah,</HI> ch. 2. 17. <HI>The loftine&s;&s;e of men &s;hall be bowed
<PB N="13" REF="16">
down, and the haughtine&s;s of men &s;hall be made low, and the Lord alone all be exalted.</HI> Now what is the <HI>loftine&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>haughtine&s;&s;e</HI> of men, but the <HI>power, wi&s;dom,</HI> and <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> of men? and all this, &s;aith the Lord, &s;hall be <HI>bowed down</HI> and <HI>laid low;</HI> and the <HI>Lord alone &s;hall be exalted,</HI> that is, Chri&s;t alone, who is the Power, Wi&s;dom, and Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e of God; and that in the day of the Churches <HI>Reformation,</HI> as well as in the day of the Churches <HI>Redemption.</HI> And thus you &s;ee that <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> is the <HI>Reformer</HI> of the <HI>Church</HI> his <HI>Bo|dy,</HI> which is the <HI>City</HI> and <HI>Kingdom of God.</HI></P>
<P>And therfore the <HI>Reformation</HI> of the Church is <HI>certain;</HI> for <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> wil as &s;urely <HI>reform</HI> it, as he hath <HI>redeemed</HI> it; and all that the Fa|ther h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">th given him he hath <HI>redeemed,</HI> and all that he hath <HI>redeemed</HI> he wil <HI>reform,</HI> that he may make them fit to <HI>pre&s;ent</HI> to God: That &s;o all that the <HI>Son</HI> hath <HI>received</HI> from the <HI>Father,</HI> having <HI>redeemed</HI> and <HI>reformed</HI> them, he may give them <HI>back</HI> to the Father again.</P>
<P>So that I doubt not of the Churches <HI>Reformation,</HI> becau&s;e it is <HI>Chri&s;ts own work,</HI> and he hath <HI>under taken</HI> the doing of it. And as none of the <HI>powers</HI> of the <HI>earth</HI> could <HI>help</HI> him to <HI>reform</HI> the Church; &s;o none of the <HI>powers</HI> of <HI>hell</HI> &s;hall be able to <HI>hinder</HI> him, but as <HI>many</HI> as he hath <HI>redeemed</HI> unto God by his <HI>blood,</HI> in his <HI>due</HI> time he will <HI>reform</HI> them all by his <HI>Spirit,</HI> as <HI>belonging</HI> to his <HI>care</HI> &amp; <HI>charge.</HI> And therefore let us look to <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> for the <HI>reformation</HI> of his <HI>Church,</HI> that is, of his <HI>faithfull people:</HI> the <HI>re&s;t</HI> of the world that <HI>lies</HI> in <HI>wic|kednes,</HI> he lets <HI>remain</HI> in wickedne&s;&s;e, as <HI>not belonging</HI> to his <HI>care</HI> &amp; <HI>charge.</HI> This Reformation is the work of Chri&s;ts <HI>care</HI> &amp; <HI>love,</HI> &amp; he being <HI>faithful</HI> in this bu&s;ines, I am at <HI>re&s;t</HI> &amp; <HI>quiet,</HI> &s;eeing Chri&s;t is as <HI>able</HI> for the <HI>reformation</HI> of the <HI>Church,</HI> as for the <HI>redemption</HI> of it.</P>
<P>And therefore <HI>(Honorable &amp; Beloved)</HI> I &s;ay to you touching this work of the <HI>reformation</HI> of the <HI>&s;piritual temple</HI> of the <HI>New-Te&s;t.</HI> as God once &s;aid to <HI>David</HI> touching the <HI>building</HI> of the <HI>materiall</HI> Temple of the <HI>Old Te&s;t.</HI> 1 King. 8. 18. <HI>Where as it was in thine heart</HI> (&s;aid God) <HI>to build an hou&s;e to my Name, thou did&s;t well it was in thy heart. Neverthele&s;s, thou &s;halt not build the hou&s;e, but thy &s;on that &s;hal come out of thy loins he &s;hall build an hou&s;e unto my Name.</HI> And el&s;e|where he renders the <HI>rea&s;on</HI> of it, why <HI>Dav.</HI> &s;hould <HI>not,</HI> &amp; <HI>Solomon &s;hould</HI> build this hou&s;e, becau&s;e, &s;aith he, <HI>thou ha&s;t bin a man of war, and ha&s;t &s;hed much blood:</HI> but <HI>Solomon,</HI> he &s;hall live and flori&s;h in <HI>eace,</HI> and he &s;hall do it.</P>
<P><PB N="14" REF="17">
So &s;ay I to <HI>you</HI> touching this work of <HI>Reformation; You did well in that it was in your hearts to reform the kingdome</HI> of God, and the <HI>&s;pirituall Church, which is Chri&s;ts own dear body. Neverthele&s;&s;e you &s;hall not reform it,</HI> for you have been <HI>men of war;</HI> that is you have managed a <HI>great</HI> and <HI>mighty war</HI> again&s;t great and mighty <HI>enemies,</HI> and have <HI>&s;hed much bloud;</HI> for the <HI>Lord hath given you the necks of your enemies,</HI> and hath <HI>&s;ubdued</HI> them under you that <HI>ro&s;e</HI> up again&s;t you, and you have <HI>trod</HI> them down as <HI>mire</HI> in the <HI>&s;treets.</HI> And therefore <HI>you</HI> &s;hall not do this work, having been <HI>men of warre;</HI> but <HI>Christ</HI> the <HI>Prince of peace,</HI> he &s;hall reform the Church of God: For this is not a work of <HI>men of war,</HI> but of the <HI>Prince of peace,</HI> &s;eeing this is not a work of humane <HI>might or &s;trength,</HI> but of the Spirit. So that you <HI>did well,</HI> that you thought to reforme the <HI>Church:</HI> but when you under&s;tand the <HI>Reformation</HI> of the Church is as <HI>great</HI> a work as the <HI>Redemption</HI> of it, you will <HI>acknowledge</HI> the work is too great for <HI>you,</HI> and that it belongs onely unto <HI>Christ,</HI> &s;eeing the <HI>Father</HI> hath committed the <HI>care</HI> of this work only to <HI>him;</HI> and he hath <HI>taken this care</HI> and <HI>charge</HI> upon <HI>him&s;elf,</HI> and it is onely <HI>&s;utable</HI> to him, as being the <HI>Head</HI> of the <HI>Church:</HI> and hee onely is <HI>able</HI> for it, as being the <HI>Son of God,</HI> and equall to God.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="3" TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The third Generall.</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">By what means Christ brings this Reformation about.</HEAD>
<P>And that is, by <HI>the&s;e two,</HI> and them <HI>only;</HI> to wit, the <HI>Word,</HI> and the <HI>Spirit.</HI></P>
<P>The <HI>fir&s;t</HI> means whereby <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> reforms the <HI>Church</HI> is the <HI>Word.</HI></P>
<P>By <HI>this</HI> Chri&s;t doth <HI>all,</HI> that ever hee doth in his <HI>Kingdome:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. The Word.</NOTE> by <HI>this</HI> he <HI>calls</HI> and <HI>rejects;</HI> by <HI>this</HI> he <HI>binds</HI> and <HI>loo&s;eth;</HI> by <HI>this</HI> he <HI>comforts</HI> and <HI>terrifies;</HI> by <HI>this</HI> he <HI>enlightens</HI> and makes <HI>blind;</HI> by <HI>this</HI> he <HI>kils</HI> and <HI>quickens;</HI> by <HI>this</HI> he <HI>&s;aves</HI> and <HI>damns;</HI> and <HI>all</HI> that ever he <HI>doth</HI> in this <HI>Kingdom</HI> he <HI>doth</HI> by his <HI>word,</HI> and <HI>without</HI> this he doth <HI>nothing</HI> of <HI>all</HI> that he <HI>doth. Chri&s;t</HI> doth <HI>all</HI> in <HI>his</HI> Kingdom by the <HI>word</HI> only; but <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> doth all things <HI>without</HI> the <HI>word,</HI> even by the <HI>Decrees</HI> and <HI>Constitutions</HI> of men.</P>
<P>Now as <HI>Christ</HI> doth all <HI>other</HI> things in the <HI>Church</HI> by the <HI>word,</HI> &s;o he <HI>reforms</HI> too: <HI>Now are yee clean through the word that I have &s;poken to you.</HI> All the <HI>powers</HI> in the <HI>world</HI> cannot reform the
<PB N="15" REF="17">
<HI>Church</HI> as the <HI>word of God</HI> can do; for <HI>this</HI> is <HI>quick and powerfull, and &s;harper then a two-edged &s;word, piercing even to the dividing a&s;under of &s;oul and &s;pirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a di|&s;cerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart,</HI> and doth <HI>change,</HI> and <HI>renew,</HI> and <HI>reform</HI> all.</P>
<P>and therefore <HI>Christ,</HI> when hee comes to <HI>reform</HI> the <HI>Church,</HI> comes with no <HI>worldly power</HI> or <HI>weapons,</HI> but onely with the <HI>word</HI> in his <HI>mouth;</HI> yea, though <HI>God</HI> &s;et him <HI>King</HI> upon his <HI>holy hill</HI> of <HI>Sion,</HI> yet he <HI>reforms</HI> not by <HI>outward power,</HI> but by <HI>preach|ing,</HI> &s;aying, <HI>I will publi&s;h the decree whereof the Lord hath &s;aid unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.</HI> And a|gain, <HI>The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee, for he hath annointed mee to preach the Gospel.</HI> And again, <HI>The Redeemer &s;hall come to Sion:</HI> and then follows the <HI>Covenant</HI> of God with the <HI>Re|deemer, My word &s;hall never depart out of thy mouth,</HI> I&s;a. 59. 10. and in P&s;alm 45. the <HI>Church</HI> &s;aith by the <HI>Spirit</HI> to <HI>Chri&s;t, Ride on pro&s;perou&s;ly on the word of truth, meekne&s;&s;e, and righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> which is the <HI>word</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel.</HI></P>
<P>And &s;o <HI>Christ,</HI> when the <HI>time of Reformation</HI> was <HI>come,</HI> went up and down <HI>preaching</HI> the <HI>word.</HI> And <HI>thus</HI> he brought to <HI>pa&s;&s;e</HI> the <HI>glorious Reformation</HI> of the <HI>New Testament,</HI> by <HI>preaching the Go&s;pel</HI> of the <HI>Kingdome,</HI> and <HI>nothing</HI> el&s;e.</P>
<P>And when hee was to <HI>leave</HI> the <HI>world,</HI> hee &s;ent his <HI>Di&s;ci|ples</HI> to <HI>carry on</HI> the <HI>work of Reformation,</HI> as hee <HI>him&s;elfe</HI> had <HI>begun</HI> it, as hee &s;aith, <HI>As my Father &s;ent mee, &s;o &s;end I you;</HI> not with the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>world,</HI> but with the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>word:</HI> and &s;o hee bid them <HI>goe teach all Nations,</HI> and <HI>preach the Go&s;pel to every creature:</HI> and by <HI>teaching</HI> and <HI>preaching</HI> to the <HI>world,</HI> to <HI>reforme</HI> the <HI>world:</HI> and &s;o <HI>accordingly</HI> they <HI>did</HI> Mark 16. ver. 20. <HI>They went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them.</HI> So that <HI>Christ</HI> &s;ent them not <HI>forth</HI> with any <HI>power</HI> of <HI>&s;words,</HI> or <HI>guns,</HI> or <HI>pri&s;ons</HI> to <HI>reforme</HI> the <HI>world,</HI> or with any <HI>power</HI> of <HI>States,</HI> or <HI>Ar|mies:</HI> but &s;ent forth <HI>poor, illiterate, mechanick</HI> men, and on|ly <HI>armed</HI> them with the <HI>power of the word;</HI> and <HI>behold</HI> what <HI>wonders</HI> they <HI>wrought</HI> by <HI>that</HI> power <HI>alone:</HI> They turned the <HI>world</HI> up&s;ide downe; they <HI>changed</HI> the <HI>manners, cu&s;tomes,
<PB N="16" REF="18">
religion, wor&s;hip, lives,</HI> and <HI>natures</HI> of men; they carried all <HI>oppo&s;itions</HI> and <HI>difficulties</HI> before them; they won <HI>many</HI> in <HI>most</HI> Kingdoms unto <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>brought</HI> them into <HI>willing</HI> &s;ubje|ction and obedience to <HI>him:</HI> and <HI>all this</HI> they did (I &s;ay) not with any <HI>earthly</HI> or <HI>&s;ecular</HI> power, but by the <HI>mini&s;tery</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> alone, Chri&s;ts <HI>great</HI> and <HI>onely Instrument</HI> for the <HI>conquering, &s;ubduing,</HI> and <HI>reforming</HI> of the Nations. And &s;o the <HI>power</HI> appeared to be <HI>Gods</HI> onely, and not the <HI>creatures.</HI></P>
<P>And thus you &s;ee how the <HI>word</HI> is <HI>one</HI> means <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> u&s;eth for <HI>Reformation.</HI></P>
<P>And this <HI>word</HI> only works a <HI>right Reformation:</HI> For this re|forms <HI>truly</HI> and <HI>indeed;</HI> all other power reforms but in <HI>appear|ance.</HI> So that there is no <HI>true</HI> reformation of <HI>any thing</HI> but what is <HI>wrought</HI> by the <HI>word:</HI> but what ever <HI>evill</HI> is <HI>reformed,</HI> and <HI>not</HI> by the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>word,</HI> it is not <HI>truly</HI> reformed; it is onely reformed in the <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> and not in the <HI>&s;pirit:</HI> it is on|ly <HI>&s;u&s;pended</HI> in the <HI>outward operation</HI> of it, but the <HI>&s;eed</HI> and <HI>nature</HI> of it &s;till <HI>remaines</HI> in the <HI>heart,</HI> to <HI>grow</HI> up and <HI>work</HI> again, as opportunity &s;erves. And therefore what-ever <HI>evill</HI> or <HI>corruption</HI> is reformed in thee, <HI>&s;ee</HI> it be reformed by the <HI>power of the word:</HI> if the <HI>word</HI> hath <HI>killed</HI> it in thee, it is killed <HI>indeed;</HI> if not, it is <HI>alive</HI> in thee, though it <HI>&s;eeme</HI> to be dead. The <HI>outward</HI> power of the <HI>world</HI> may &s;et up an <HI>image of Reformation,</HI> but it is the <HI>word</HI> onely can work <HI>true</HI> Reformation.</P>
<P>And therefore let us learn to <HI>rely</HI> on the <HI>word</HI> for the <HI>Refor|mation</HI> of the Church.</P>
<P>For this is much for the <HI>honour</HI> of the <HI>word</HI> (which God hath <HI>magnified above all his Name)</HI> when wee can <HI>neglect</HI> the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>world,</HI> and <HI>leave</HI> the <HI>whole</HI> work of Refor|mation to the power, working, and efficacy of the <HI>word</HI> alone, which is <HI>almighty,</HI> and able to bring off the <HI>heart</HI> from <HI>all</HI> things to <HI>God.</HI> As on the contrary, it is a great <HI>di&s;honor</HI> to <HI>God</HI> and his <HI>word,</HI> when men <HI>dare</HI> not relie on the <HI>word alone</HI> to <HI>reform</HI> the <HI>Church,</HI> though it be <HI>&s;tronger then men and Angels and all the crea|tures;</HI> but will needs be <HI>calling in</HI> the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>world,</HI>
<PB N="17" REF="18">
and <HI>re&s;t</HI> and <HI>rely</HI> on <HI>that,</HI> for <HI>this</HI> work, as if the power of the <HI>word</HI> were not &s;ufficient. But let <HI>&s;uch</HI> men <HI>know,</HI> that if the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>word,</HI> will not <HI>reform</HI> men; <HI>all</HI> the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>world</HI> will never do it. And therefore <HI>well</HI> &s;aid <HI>Luther, Prae|dicare, annuntiare, &s;cribers volo, neminem autem vi adigam,</HI> I will preach and teach and write, but I will con&s;train no body.</P>
<P>Oh therefore that our <HI>civill</HI> and <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall</HI> powers would &s;o much honour Chri&s;ts <HI>Word,</HI> as to <HI>tru&s;t</HI> the <HI>reforma|tion</HI> of <HI>his Kingdome</HI> with it; and that as it is &s;ufficient to <HI>re|form</HI> the <HI>Church,</HI> &s;o you would be plea&s;ed to think it &s;uffici|ent; and thus &s;hall you give <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Word</HI> due <HI>honour,</HI> as well as <HI>declare</HI> your own <HI>faith.</HI></P>
<P>And if you would <HI>commit</HI> this <HI>work</HI> to the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>word,</HI> to which <HI>onely</HI> it belongs, <HI>you</HI> &s;hould &s;oon <HI>&s;ee</HI> what the <HI>Word</HI> would <HI>do.</HI> There is no &s;uch <HI>glorious</HI> &s;ight under <HI>heaven</HI> as to &s;ee the <HI>Word,</HI> in the <HI>&s;pirit</HI> and <HI>power</HI> of it, come in to an <HI>unreformed</HI> world, and to ob&s;erve the <HI>changes</HI> and <HI>alterations</HI> it makes there.</P>
<P>And thus you &s;ee that <HI>one</HI> means that <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> u&s;eth for the <HI>Reformation</HI> of his <HI>Church,</HI> is the <HI>Word.</HI></P>
<P>But <HI>here</HI> I mu&s;t <HI>further</HI> declare to <HI>you</HI> that this <HI>Word</HI> by which <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> reforms the <HI>Church,</HI> is not the <HI>Word</HI> of the <HI>Law;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">The Go&s;pell Reformes.</NOTE> <HI>for the Law made nothing perfect,</HI> but the <HI>Word</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel; This, this,</HI> is the <HI>onely Word,</HI> that <HI>works Reformation.</HI></P>
<DIV3 TYPE="subpart">
<HEAD>For fir&s;t,</HEAD>
<P N="1">1. This <HI>Word</HI> works <HI>faith;</HI> and therefore it is called the <HI>word of faith,</HI> becau&s;e <HI>faith</HI> comes by <HI>hearing of this Word,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Works faith.</NOTE> <HI>Rom. 10. ver.</HI> 8. and <HI>v.</HI> 17. Now as the <HI>Word</HI> workes <HI>faith,</HI> &s;o <HI>faith</HI> apprehends the <HI>Word,</HI> even <HI>that</HI> Word that <HI>was with God</HI> and <HI>was God;</HI> this <HI>living</HI> and <HI>eternall</HI> Word, <HI>dwels</HI> in our <HI>heart</HI> by <HI>faith,</HI> as the Apo&s;tle &s;aith, <HI>That Chri&s;t may dwell in your hearts by faith:</HI> And this <HI>Word</HI> dwelling in us by <HI>faith, changeth</HI> us into its own <HI>likene&s;&s;e,</HI> as <HI>fire</HI> changeth the <HI>Iron</HI> into its own <HI>likene&s;&s;e,</HI> and takes us up into <HI>all</HI> its own <HI>vertues.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="18" REF="19">
And &s;o the <HI>word</HI> dwelling in the <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> reforms the <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> and it <HI>dwels</HI> in us through <HI>faith,</HI> and <HI>faith</HI> is wrought by the <HI>Go|spel.</HI></P>
<P>So that the <HI>Word</HI> whereby Chri&s;t <HI>reforms,</HI> is not the <HI>Word without us,</HI> as the <HI>Word</HI> of the <HI>Law</HI> is; but the <HI>Word within us,</HI> as it is written, <HI>The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; and this is the word of Faith:</HI> If thou <HI>live</HI> under the <HI>Word</HI> many <HI>years,</HI> and if it <HI>come</HI> not <HI>into</HI> thy <HI>Heart,</HI> it wil never <HI>change</HI> thee, nor <HI>reform</HI> thee. And therefore the <HI>reforming Word</HI> is the <HI>Word within us,</HI> and the Word <HI>within us</HI> is the <HI>Word of faith.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. The <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> reformes, becau&s;e it doth not only <HI>reveal</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Communi|cates Righte|ou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, as it is written, <HI>The righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e of God is revealed from faith to faith;</HI> but al&s;o it <HI>communicates</HI> it to us: And therefore it is called the <HI>Word of righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> be|cau&s;e it <HI>works</HI> righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e. So that <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> the <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> is conveyed to us through this <HI>Word of righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</HI> And when the <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e of God,</HI> revealed in the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> comes and <HI>dwels</HI> in us, what <HI>Reformation</HI> of <HI>&s;in</HI> doth <HI>this</HI> work? <HI>all</HI> &s;in <HI>peri&s;heth,</HI> at the <HI>rebuke of his countenance,</HI> for the <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> of <HI>God</HI> will <HI>endure</HI> no <HI>&s;in</HI> in us; And &s;o the <HI>Go|&s;pel reformes</HI> by <HI>working righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> in us.</P>
<P N="3">3. The <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> reformes, becau&s;e it <HI>&s;hews</HI> us <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and by <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Shews Chri&s;t.</NOTE> <HI>&s;hewing</HI> us him, it <HI>changeth</HI> us into his <HI>Image:</HI> the <HI>more</HI> we <HI>&s;ee</HI> Chri&s;t in the <HI>Gospel,</HI> the more are we made <HI>like</HI> unto him, that as we have <HI>born</HI> the <HI>Image</HI> of the <HI>earthly,</HI> &s;o we may <HI>bear</HI> the <HI>Image</HI> of the <HI>Heavenly Adam.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Yea the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> &s;hews us <HI>God</HI> in <HI>Christ</HI> in all his <HI>glory,</HI> and <NOTE PLACE="marg">2.</NOTE> <HI>changeth</HI> us into that <HI>glory of God</HI> which is &s;hewn us; <HI>we all &s;aith Paul with open face, beholding as in a gla&s;&s;e</HI> (and this <HI>gla&s;&s;e</HI> is the Go&s;pel) <HI>the glory of the Lord, are changed into the &s;ame Image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord:</HI> &s;o that the Go&s;pell by <HI>&s;hewing</HI> us God, changing us into the <HI>Image</HI> of <HI>God</HI> and <HI>God</HI> through the <HI>Go&s;pel, ari&s;eth</HI> on us, till his <HI>glory</HI> be <HI>&s;een</HI> upon us.</P>
<P>And thus you &s;ee the <HI>grounds</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pels Reformation.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="19" REF="19">
So that now the <HI>Word</HI> of the <HI>Gospel,</HI> is the only <HI>Reforming Word:</HI> and if there be never &s;o much <HI>preaching,</HI> if it be but <HI>Legal,</HI> it wil <HI>reform</HI> no body <HI>aright;</HI> becau&s;e there can be no <HI>working Faith,</HI> nor <HI>communicating righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> nor <HI>chan|ging</HI> men into <HI>Gods Image,</HI> and &s;o there can be no <HI>true Refor|mation.</HI></P>
<P>And thus much for the <HI>fir&s;t Means</HI> of <HI>Reformation</HI> which <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> u&s;eth, which is the <HI>Word,</HI> and this <HI>Word</HI> the <HI>Go|spel.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="subpart">
<HEAD>2. Means, <HI>the</HI> Spirit.</HEAD>
<P>For the <HI>Spirit</HI> accompanies the <HI>Word</HI> in the <HI>Mini&s;try</HI> of the <NOTE PLACE="marg">The &s;econd meanes Chri&s;t u&s;eth to re|form the Chureh with|all.</NOTE> <HI>Gospel;</HI> and therefore the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> is called the <HI>Mini&s;tration of the Spirit,</HI> that is, the <HI>Word</HI> and <HI>Spirit</HI> in <HI>union</HI> and <HI>operation.</HI> In the <HI>Law</HI> there was the <HI>Letter</HI> without the <HI>Spirit,</HI> and &s;o that <HI>could do nothing;</HI> but in the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> the <HI>Word</HI> and the <HI>Spi|rit</HI> are alwayes <HI>joyned:</HI> and therefore &s;aith <HI>Chri&s;t, The words that I &s;peak are &s;pirit and Life,</HI> that is, they <HI>come</HI> from the <HI>&s;pi|rit</HI> and <HI>carry &s;pirit</HI> with them.</P>
<P>And this <HI>Spirit</HI> that is <HI>pre&s;ent</HI> in the <HI>word</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> and works in it, and is given by it, <HI>reforms mightily;</HI> and there|fore it is called <HI>the &s;pirit of judgement and burning:</HI> And the Lord looking to this <HI>time of reformation,</HI> promi&s;ed long before to <HI>pour out his Spirit upon all fle&s;h,</HI> and <HI>&s;o</HI> to <HI>reform all fle&s;h.</HI></P>
<P>Now the Spirit poured forth upon the fle&s;h, reforms it two wayes.</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. By taking away all evils out of the fle&s;h.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. By changing the fle&s;h into its own likene&s;&s;e.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P N="1">1. The <HI>Spirit</HI> poured forth upon the <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> reforms it all by ta|king <HI>all evil</HI> out of the fle&s;h; As fir&s;t, all <HI>Sin and Corruption;</HI> &s;aith <HI>Paul, If you mortifie the deeds of the fle&s;h by the Spirit yee &s;hal live;</HI> the <HI>deeds</HI> of the <HI>fle&s;h</HI> are not to be <HI>mor|tified</HI> by any <HI>power,</HI> but by the <HI>Spirit;</HI> all <HI>pride</HI> and <HI>envy</HI> and <HI>lu&s;t</HI> and <HI>covetou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>carnal mindedne&s;s</HI> and <HI>all</HI> other <HI>evils</HI> of the <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> are <HI>reformed</HI> by the <HI>pre&s;ence</HI> of the <HI>Spirit</HI> in it, and no other way.</P>
<P N="2">2. The <HI>Spirit</HI> reforms not only all <HI>Sins</HI> in the <HI>Church,</HI> but <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. All errours.</NOTE>
<PB N="20" REF="20">
all <HI>Errors, and Here&s;ies,</HI> and <HI>fal&s;e doctrines,</HI> as is evident by that of <HI>Paul</HI> 1 Cor. 1. 12. <HI>If any man, build upon this founda|tion gold, &s;ilver, precious &s;tones, wood, hay, &s;tubble, every mans work &s;hal be made manife&s;t; for the day &s;hal declare it, becau&s;e it &s;hal be revealed by fire, and the fire &s;hal try every mans work of what &s;ort it is, &amp;c,</HI></P>
<P>So that a man may lay <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> for a <HI>foundation,</HI> and yet build <HI>wood, hay,</HI> and <HI>&s;tubble</HI> upon him, that is, <HI>humane doctrines</HI> and the <HI>inventions</HI> of men, and <HI>fal&s;e</HI> and <HI>wicked opinions.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. The <HI>de&s;truction</HI> of this <HI>hay, wood,</HI> and <HI>&s;tubble, error, here|fie,</HI> and <HI>humane doctrines</HI> in the <HI>Church</HI> of God, that is, the <HI>people built on Chri&s;t,</HI> &s;hal not be by <HI>Laws</HI> of <HI>States,</HI> or <HI>Con|stitutions</HI> of <HI>Councels,</HI> but by the <HI>Holy Gho&s;t</HI> which is as fire.</P>
<P>The <HI>Spirit</HI> &s;hal come into the <HI>Saints,</HI> and <HI>burn</HI> up all that <HI>corrupt</HI> and <HI>fal&s;e</HI> doctrine that wil not <HI>indure</HI> the <HI>Spirit;</HI> and <HI>error</HI> &s;hal never be <HI>de&s;troyed,</HI> but by the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>truth.</HI> So that the <HI>Spirit</HI> reforms all <HI>error,</HI> as wel as all <HI>corruptions</HI> in the <HI>faithful.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. The <HI>Spirit</HI> doth not only <HI>reform</HI> the <HI>fle&s;h</HI> by taking away all <HI>evil</HI> out of it, whether <HI>corruptions</HI> or <HI>errors;</HI> but al&s;o it changeth the <HI>fle&s;h</HI> into its own <HI>likene&s;&s;e:</HI> For the <HI>Spirit</HI> is as <HI>fire</HI> that changeth <HI>every</HI> thing into <HI>its &s;elf;</HI> and &s;o doth the <HI>Spirit</HI> in the <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> make the <HI>fle&s;h &s;pirituall:</HI> like <HI>heavenly fire</HI> it changeth men into its own <HI>likene&s;&s;e,</HI> and makes them <HI>&s;piri|tual, heavenly, holy, meek, good, loving, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>And thus the <HI>Spirit</HI> reforms <HI>indeed:</HI> When the <HI>Spirit</HI> is <HI>pou|red forth</HI> upon a <HI>man,</HI> how <HI>wonderfully</HI> doth it <HI>reform</HI> him? this works a <HI>change</HI> in him in <HI>goodearne&s;t,</HI> and no man is ever <HI>truly</HI> reformed, til he <HI>receive</HI> the <HI>Spirit.</HI></P>
<P>And thus you &s;ee the <HI>means</HI> that <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> u&s;eth to work this <HI>Reformation,</HI> and <HI>the&s;e</HI> are the <HI>only Means.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> Yea but I hope you wil allow <HI>&s;ecular</HI> power <HI>too:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Object.</NOTE> May not the Spiritual <HI>Church</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> be <HI>Reformed</HI> with worldly and &s;ecular power.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;.</HI> I an&s;wer, by <HI>no means,</HI> and that for the&s;e <HI>Can|&s;es.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">An&s;w.</NOTE></P>
<P N="1"><PB N="21" REF="20">
1. <HI>Forceable Reformation,</HI> is <HI>unbe&s;eeming</HI> the Go&s;pel&punc; for <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Unbe&s;eeming the Go&s;pel.</NOTE> the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> is the Go&s;pel of <HI>peace</HI> and not of <HI>force</HI> and fury. <HI>Civil-Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall</HI> reformation <HI>reforms</HI> by <HI>breathing</HI> out <NOTE PLACE="marg"><P>Though the truth carry its <HI>evidence</HI> in <HI>it &s;elf,</HI> and the <HI>Word</HI> of <HI>God</HI> is greater then all the <HI>te&s;timo|nies</HI> of <HI>men;</HI> yet for their &s;akes that are <HI>weak,</HI> I have in|&s;erted the <HI>judg|ments</HI> of &s;ome godly men (as I have accidentally met with them) who have &s;poken of the&s;e things in the &s;pirit; that &s;o you may &s;ee the truth though it hath but <HI>few</HI> followers, yet it hath &s;ome.</P>
<P><HI>Melancton</HI> on <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 110. v. 3.&mdash;habebis populum, non <HI>coactum gladio,</HI> &s;ed <HI>verbo collectum,</HI> &amp; <HI>laeto</HI> corde amplectentem <HI>evangelium,</HI> &amp; te <HI>&s;ponte</HI> celebrantem. Di&s;cernit igitur <HI>eccle&s;iam</HI> ab <HI>imperiis mundanis,</HI> &amp; <HI>externam &s;ervitutem</HI> a cultibus <HI>cordis</HI> accen&s;is voce <HI>evangelii</HI> &amp; a <HI>&s;piritu &s;ancto.&mdash;</HI>
<Q><P>Ag. Religio cogi non vult, doceri expetit. Immunitate non &s;tabilitur, &s;ed ever|titur. <HI>Polan.</HI></P></Q>
&mdash;This <HI>Charls</HI> to whom <HI>Leo</HI> gave the title of <HI>the mo&s;t Chri&s;tian King,</HI> was a great con|querer, and overcame many Nations with the &s;word, and as the <HI>Turk compelleth to his faith,</HI> &s;o <HI>he compelled with Violence to the faith of Chri&s;t;</HI> but alas the true faith of Chri&s;t whereunto the <HI>Holy Gho&s;t</HI> draws mens <HI>hearts,</HI> through <HI>preaching</HI> the <HI>Word</HI> of truth, he knew not, &amp;c. <HI>Tindal.</HI> Fides &s;ua &s;ponte non coacte agere vult. <HI>Luth.</HI> Chri&s;tus non voluit<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">vi &amp; igne cogere homines ad fidem. <HI>Luth.</HI> Haereticos comburere, e&s;t contra voluntatem &s;piritus. <HI>Luth.</HI></P>
<P>He hath given in the <HI>Church</HI> the <HI>&s;word</HI> of the <HI>&s;pirit</HI> to <HI>inforce</HI> with, and not the <HI>&s;word</HI> of the <HI>Magi&s;trate.</HI></P>
<P>Pror&s;us diver&s;a ratio e&s;t regni Chri&s;ti &amp; mundi. Mundani Magi&s;tratus quae volunt imperant, &amp; &s;ubditi coguntur obedientiam prae&s;tare. At in Regno Chri&s;ti, quod non e&s;t mundana, aut pontificia Dominatio, &s;ed &s;pirituale regnum, nihil &s;imile geritur, &s;ed quivis alterius judex, &amp; quilibet alteri &s;ubjectus e&s;t. At tyranni &amp; animicidae illi, ni|hil morantes vocem Chri&s;ti, regnum meum non e&s;t de hoc mundo, ex Eccle&s;ia, Politi|am civilem, &s;eu potius pontificium imperium con&s;tituerunt. <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">uth.</HI></P>
<P>&mdash;Quare ip&s;am &s;edem Be&s;tiae nego, nihil moratus &s;it ne bonus vel malus, qui in ea &s;e det. Sedes inquam quae &s;it &s;uper omnes &s;edes nulla e&s;t in Eccle&s;ia &s;uper terram jure divino, &s;ed omnes &s;unt aequales, quia una fides, unum bapti&s;ma; unus Chri&s;tus, &amp;c. <HI>Luth.</HI></P>
<P>Where there is no <HI>worldly &s;uperiority</HI> over one another, there is no <HI>worldly compul&s;ion.</HI> of one another. In the naturall body, there is no convocation of many members to go|vern one, or of more members to govern fewer, but the foot performes its office without being under the authoritative power of the hands, yea each member performs its office aright, without being in &s;ubordination to another, by the guidance of that head to which it is united, and of that Spirit that dwels in it; each member having an immediate influ|ence of the head upon it &s;elf, though it may outwardly &s;eem to be further from the head then another member. And thus it is in Beleevers and Congregations.</P>
<P>&mdash;Quid autem vi &amp; coactione opus vobis e&s;t, qui huju&s;modi certamen decertatis, in quo cogi nemo debet? <HI>Ulrichus ab Hutten,</HI> to the Councel of Prie&s;ts.</P>
<P>What need you the power of the Magi&s;trate to defend the truth, who have &s;o many Scriptures to defend it? the <HI>truth</HI> of <HI>God</HI> being to be defended by the <HI>Word</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and not by the <HI>power</HI> of <HI>men.</HI> Idem.</P>
<P>I could produce many more Te&s;timonies but the&s;e are &s;ufficient to &s;hew; that I am not alon in this point, again&s;t Forcible reformation; but have the Armory of <HI>David,</HI> to defend it withall, on which there hange a thou&s;and bucklers, all &s;hields of mighty men.</P></NOTE> <HI>threatnings, puni&s;hments, pri&s;ons, fire,</HI> and <HI>death;</HI> but the <HI>Go&s;|pel</HI> by <HI>preaching peace.</HI> And therefore it is mo&s;t unbe&s;eeming the go&s;pell, to <HI>do</HI> any thing <HI>ra&s;hly</HI> and <HI>violently,</HI> for the <HI>ad|vancement</HI> thereof: for the <HI>go&s;pell</HI> of <HI>peace</HI> is not to be <HI>advan|ced</HI> by <HI>violence;</HI> and therefore <HI>violent Reformers</HI> live in <HI>con|tradiction</HI> to the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> of <HI>Peace,</HI> and cannot be <HI>truely</HI> reckoned <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> but <HI>enemies</HI> to <HI>Chri&s;tianity,</HI> &s;ith <HI>chri&s;tianity</HI> doth all by the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>Anoynting,</HI> but <HI>Anti-chri&s;tianity</HI> doth all by the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>world.</HI></P>
<P N="2"><PB N="22" REF="21">
2. <HI>Forceable Reformation</HI> is <HI>un&s;utable</HI> to <HI>Chri&s;ts Kingdom;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Un&s;utable to Chri&s;ts King|dome.</NOTE> For <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> Kingdom &s;tands in the <HI>Spirit,</HI> and the force of <HI>fle&s;h</HI> and <HI>blood</HI> can <HI>contribute</HI> nothing to <HI>this.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Again the <HI>faithful,</HI> the <HI>Subjects</HI> of this Kingdom, are a <HI>Spiritual people,</HI> and &s;o they are without the <HI>reach</HI> of any <HI>out|ward</HI> force; You may as wel go about to bring the <HI>Angels</HI> of heaven under an <HI>outward</HI> and <HI>&s;ecular</HI> power, as the <HI>faithful,</HI> who being <HI>born</HI> of the <HI>Spirit,</HI> are more <HI>&s;piritual</HI> then they. And what hath <HI>fle&s;h</HI> and <HI>blood</HI> to do with them that are <HI>born</HI> of the <HI>Spirit,</HI> in the <HI>things</HI> of the <HI>Spirit?</HI> And therefore tou|ching this <HI>Kingdom</HI> which is <HI>spiritual,</HI> and beyond not only the <HI>power,</HI> but the <HI>cogni&s;ance</HI> of the <HI>world,</HI> God hath &s;aid, <HI>There &s;hall be none to kill nor hurt in all my holy mountain.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 11. 9.</NOTE> And again <HI>Violence &s;hal no more he heard in thy &s;treets, wa&s;ting nor de&s;truction within thy borders.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. As they are a <HI>&s;piritual</HI> people, &s;o al&s;o a <HI>willing</HI> people; <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai. 60. 18.</NOTE> and what needs <HI>outward</HI> power to <HI>force</HI> a people made <HI>willing</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. A willing peo|ple. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 110. 3.</NOTE> by the <HI>Spirit? Thy people &s;hal be willing in the day of thy power:</HI> The very <HI>day</HI> of Chri&s;ts <HI>power,</HI> is not to <HI>force</HI> men <HI>again&s;t</HI> their <HI>wills,</HI> but to <HI>make</HI> them <HI>willing.</HI> The <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>God</HI> that brings them to this <HI>Kingdom,</HI> makes them <HI>willing</HI> to obey God there, and gives them <HI>plea&s;ure</HI> in that <HI>obedience,</HI> by <HI>&s;hedding</HI> abroad the <HI>love</HI> of <HI>God</HI> in their <HI>hearts.</HI> They that are not a <HI>willing</HI> people, <HI>belong</HI> not to <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> Kingdom, but to the <HI>world.</HI></P>
<P N="3"><PB N="23" REF="21">
3. By this <HI>Forceable Reformation, human In&s;titution</HI> is &s;et <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Humane in|&s;titution is &s;et up.</NOTE> up; for the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>world</HI> reforms by the <HI>prudence</HI> of the <HI>world:</HI> and <HI>men</HI> never u&s;e <HI>human power</HI> in the <HI>Church,</HI> but they fir&s;t make <HI>human laws</HI> in it; and <HI>human laws</HI> are the <HI>rule</HI> of <HI>human power.</HI> And &s;o by this means, the <HI>authority</HI> of <HI>men,</HI> is made to have <HI>power,</HI> not in the <HI>things</HI> of <HI>men,</HI> but in the <HI>things</HI> of <HI>God:</HI> which is the great di&s;honour of <HI>God</HI> and his <HI>Au|thority.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. It brings men into <HI>blind obedience</HI> and makes them <HI>obey</HI> what is <HI>commanded</HI> on pain of <HI>puni&s;hment,</HI> though they <NOTE PLACE="marg">4. It brings men into blind obedience.</NOTE> know not whether it be <HI>right</HI> or <HI>wrong; with</HI> the <HI>Word,</HI> or <HI>again&s;t</HI> the <HI>Word:</HI> So that a man &s;hal &s;ay, <HI>that</HI> which I <HI>do</HI> I am <HI>con&s;trained</HI> to do, and <HI>therefore</HI> I <HI>do</HI> it becau&s;e I am <HI>con&s;trai|ned.</HI></P>
<P>I read in <HI>Frithes An&s;wer to the Bi&s;hop</HI> of <HI>Roche&s;ter,</HI> that a <HI>youth</HI> being pre&s;ent at his fathers <HI>burning,</HI> the <HI>officers</HI> &s;eeing him, re&s;olved to <HI>examine</HI> him al&s;o, to <HI>try</HI> if they might find him a <HI>Sectary</HI> or an <HI>Heretick:</HI> but the youth <HI>di&s;mayed</HI> at the &s;ad fight of his fathers <HI>death,</HI> and <HI>fearing</HI> the like <HI>end</HI> him&s;elf, being asked of one of them, <HI>how he beleeved?</HI> An&s;wered, <HI>Sir I be|leeve even as it plea&s;eth you.</HI> And &s;o the more <HI>outward</HI> and <HI>vio|lent</HI> power is u&s;ed upon <HI>men,</HI> the more of this <HI>kind</HI> of <HI>faith</HI> and <HI>obedience</HI> you &s;hal have: When men &s;hal &s;ee <HI>pri&s;ons,</HI> and <HI>ba|ni&s;hments,</HI> and <HI>lo&s;&s;e</HI> of <HI>goods,</HI> and <HI>death,</HI> walking up and down the <HI>Kingdom</HI> for the <HI>Reformation</HI> of the <HI>Church,</HI> you &s;hal at <HI>la&s;t</HI> have men &s;ay, Sirs, we wil <HI>beleeve</HI> and <HI>do, even as it plea|&s;eth you:</HI> We wil <HI>beleeve</HI> as the <HI>State plea&s;eth,</HI> or we wil be|leeve as the <HI>Coun&s;el plea&s;eth;</HI> And let them make what <HI>confe&s;|&s;ion</HI> they <HI>wil,</HI> we had rather <HI>beleeve</HI> them, then <HI>indure</HI> them.</P>
<P>And thus by <HI>fear</HI> and <HI>puni&s;hment</HI> may men be brought to <HI>&s;ay</HI> and <HI>do</HI> that which they neither <HI>beleeve</HI> nor <HI>under&s;tand:</HI> and how <HI>acceptable</HI> &s;uch <HI>popi&s;h</HI> faith and obedience is unto <HI>God,</HI> all <HI>&s;piritual</HI> Chri&s;tians <HI>know,</HI> and <HI>every</HI> mans <HI>con&s;cience,</HI> me thinks, &s;hould be <HI>convinced.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. It makes men <HI>Hypocrites</HI> and not <HI>Saints;</HI> for it <HI>forceth</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">5. It makes Hy|pocrites.</NOTE> the <HI>body,</HI> and <HI>leaves</HI> the <HI>heart</HI> as it was; for the <HI>heart</HI> cannot be
<PB N="24" REF="22">
<HI>forced</HI> by <HI>outward power,</HI> but by the <HI>Inward efficacy</HI> of the <HI>truth&punc;</HI> Now the <HI>hearts</HI> of men being <HI>corrupt,</HI> what are all <HI>outward</HI> duties, they are <HI>forced</HI> to, but &s;o much <HI>Hypocri&s;ie?</HI> So that <HI>forceable Reformation</HI> makes only <HI>Hypocrites</HI> and <HI>gilded Sepul|chres,</HI> putting a <HI>form</HI> of <HI>godline&s;&s;e,</HI> upon the <HI>outward</HI> man, when there is no <HI>power</HI> of godline&s;s in the <HI>innerman,</HI> but a <HI>power</HI> of <HI>ungodline&s;&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>That <HI>Reformation</HI> with which the <HI>uncleane&s;&s;e</HI> of the heart &s;tands, is none of <HI>Christs</HI> Reformation.</P>
<P>VVhat is the <HI>Reformation</HI> of the <HI>outward</HI> man, when the <HI>heart</HI> is ful of <HI>Athei&s;m, Ignorance</HI> of God, <HI>Adultery, Pride, Murder, &amp;c.</HI> and all the corruptions of Nature? Cal you this a Reformation of the <HI>Church</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t?</HI> This <HI>Reformation</HI> makes none <HI>Saints,</HI> but all <HI>Hypocrites,</HI> forcing mens <HI>actions</HI> contrary to their <HI>natures.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. It cau&s;es <HI>di&s;turbances</HI> and <HI>tumults</HI> in the <HI>world;</HI> when <NOTE PLACE="marg">6. Cau&s;es Di|&s;turbances.</NOTE> men are <HI>forced</HI> by <HI>outward power</HI> to act again&s;t their <HI>inward principles</HI> in the <HI>things</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> what <HI>di&s;turbances</HI> and <HI>tumults</HI> this hath bred in <HI>States</HI> and <HI>Kingdoms</HI> who knows not? So that they that lay hold on the <HI>power of men,</HI> and go about to Reform <HI>hearts</HI> and <HI>con&s;ciences,</HI> by <HI>outward violence,</HI> are never the cau&s;e of <HI>Reformation,</HI> but always of <HI>tumult:</HI> And this renders the <HI>cau&s;e</HI> of the Go&s;pel <HI>grievous</HI> &amp; <HI>odious</HI> to the <HI>world,</HI> rather then <HI>c<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">mmends</HI> it. And therefore, let all that <HI>love</HI> the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t, ab&s;tain</HI> from <HI>outward violence;</HI> for they that <HI>u&s;e the &s;word</HI> in this kind, <HI>&s;hal</HI> in the end <HI>peri&s;h by the &s;word.</HI></P>
<P>A man when he <HI>&s;ins</HI> not again&s;t the <HI>State,</HI> may ju&s;tly &s;tand for his <HI>State-freedom;</HI> and to deprive a man of his <HI>State-Li|berties</HI> for the <HI>Kingdom</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> &s;ake, as it cau&s;eth <HI>di&s;tur|bances</HI> in the world, &s;o let <HI>any</HI> man &s;hew me any <HI>&s;uch</HI> thing in the <HI>Go&s;pel.</HI></P>
<P N="7">7. <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> u&s;eth no &s;uch <HI>outward force</HI> him&s;elfe, for hee is <NOTE PLACE="marg">7. Chri&s;t u&s;eth no &s;uch out|ward force.</NOTE> <HI>meek and lowly in Spirit;</HI> and not <HI>boy&s;terous</HI> and <HI>furious</HI> in the <HI>fle&s;h.</HI> And it was foretold of him he &s;hould not <HI>&s;trive, nor cry, nor lift up his voyce in the &s;treets</HI> to cal in outward and &s;ecular
<PB N="25" REF="22">
ayd, power. He never u&s;ed the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>world,</HI> but did all by the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>Word;</HI> even his very <HI>puni&s;hments</HI> and <HI>di&s;tructions,</HI> he executes by the <HI>Word; He &s;hal &s;mite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he &s;hal &s;lay the wicked:</HI> And <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> him&s;elf, his <HI>greate&s;t</HI> Enemy, he de&s;troyes <HI>by the Spirit of his mouth, and the brightne&s;&s;e of his coming.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Neither did Chri&s;t <HI>command</HI> his <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> to u&s;e any &s;uch <HI>outward power,</HI> but he &s;ent his Di&s;ciples to <HI>preach,</HI> and bid <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Neither com|manded his Apo&s;tles.</NOTE> them <HI>&s;ay</HI> into what hou&s;e &s;oever they entred, <HI>Peace be to this hou&s;e;</HI> and if men <HI>would</HI> not receive <HI>peace</HI> and the <HI>doctrine</HI> of peace, not to <HI>force</HI> them, but to <HI>depart thence,</HI> and to <HI>&s;hake off the du&s;t of their feet as a witne&s;&s;e against them,</HI> that they had <HI>been</HI> there, according to the wil of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and the <HI>Father,</HI> and offered them <HI>mercy</HI> and <HI>&s;alvation,</HI> which they <HI>refu&s;ed.</HI> And this is <HI>all</HI> that the <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> can do to <HI>any</HI> that <HI>refu&s;e</HI> their doctrine, and not to go to the <HI>&s;ecular Magi|strate</HI> to ask power to <HI>puni&s;h</HI> them, or impri&s;on them, or &s;el their goods, as is now practi&s;ed in &s;ome parts of the Kingdom, even upon the Saints: and if men be <HI>wicked,</HI> is it not <HI>mi&s;ery</HI> e|nough for them to refu&s;e <HI>eternal life,</HI> except al&s;o they <HI>inflict</HI> on them <HI>Temporal death?</HI> Is it not <HI>mi&s;ery</HI> enough for men to <HI>re|fu&s;e</HI> the <HI>good</HI> things of <HI>heaven,</HI> except they al&s;o <HI>deprive</HI> them of the <HI>good</HI> things of this <HI>pre&s;ent life?</HI> and yet as <HI>Luther</HI> &s;aid of the Clergy, <HI>Quando non invocat brachium &s;eculare? &amp; morte utraque terrat mundum:</HI> When doth it not cal upon the <HI>&s;ecular</HI> power, and <HI>terrifies</HI> the world with <HI>both</HI> deaths? Surely <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and the <HI>Word</HI> approved not <HI>the&s;e</HI> ways. For, <HI>Math. 18. Chri&s;t</HI> impo&s;eth no <HI>other</HI> puni&s;hment on <HI>them,</HI> that would not <HI>hear</HI> the <HI>Church,</HI> then <HI>that he &s;hould be reckoned as a heathen;</HI> and <HI>Paul,</HI> Titus 3. Teacheth us after <HI>once</HI> and <HI>twice</HI> admonition to <HI>avoyd</HI> an <HI>Heretick,</HI> but not to <HI>impri&s;on</HI> him, or <HI>kil</HI> him, or <HI>ba|ni&s;h</HI> him: and again <HI>they that do the&s;e things &s;hal not inherite the Kingdome of God;</HI> and again, <HI>he that beleever not &s;hal bee damned;</HI> but not <HI>one</HI> word of <HI>outward</HI> or <HI>corporal</HI> puni&s;hment in <HI>all</HI> the <HI>Gospel.</HI></P>
<P N="3"><PB N="26" REF="23">
3. Yea Chri&s;t <HI>reproveth</HI> his <HI>Di&s;ciples,</HI> for <HI>di&s;covering</HI> &s;uch a <HI>&s;pirit</HI> of <HI>tyranny</HI> as to <HI>puni&s;h</HI> men for not <HI>receiving</HI> him, <HI>Luk.</HI> 9. when the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> of a <HI>Prelatical</HI> and <HI>Antichri&s;tian</HI> Spirit, in that <HI>particular,</HI> de&s;ired <HI>fire</HI> to come down from <HI>heaven</HI> upon them, that <HI>would</HI> not receive <HI>him,</HI> Chri&s;t did <HI>&s;everely</HI> rebuke them, &s;aying, <HI>Ye know not of what &s;pirit ye are,</HI> not of <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> Spirit, which is <HI>meek,</HI> but of <HI>Sathans, who was a murderer from the beginning,</HI> and of <HI>Antichrists,</HI> his <HI>fir&s;t begotten</HI> in the world: and he adds, <HI>the Son of man came not to de&s;troy mens lives, but to &s;ave them;</HI> and therefore to go about to <HI>turn</HI> the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> not to <HI>&s;ave</HI> mens <HI>lives,</HI> but to <HI>de&s;troy</HI> them, and &s;o to change <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> him&s;elf from a <HI>Saviour</HI> into a <HI>De&s;troyer,</HI> this is <HI>Antichrist Triumphant.</HI>
<Q><P>All the&s;e things &s;hew that <HI>worldly power</HI> hath no place <HI>at all</HI> in the <HI>Reformation</HI> of the <HI>Gospel.</HI></P></Q></P>
<P>Now I &s;hould have <HI>proceeded</HI> here to an&s;wer &s;ome <HI>Objecti|ons,</HI> as namely:</P>
<P N="1">1. That of <HI>Luke 14. compel them te come in:</HI> this, I forget|ting, <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Object.</NOTE> named not.</P>
<P>May a Chri&s;tian then live as he li&s;t?</P>
<P><HI>No</HI> by no means; for <HI>he</HI> hath the <HI>Word</HI> and <HI>Spirit</HI> in him, to <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Object. An&s;w.</NOTE> keep him from <HI>living</HI> as he <HI>list;</HI> and he <HI>knows</HI> that no man in <HI>Gods</HI> Kingdom may <HI>live</HI> as <HI>he</HI> wils, but as <HI>God</HI> wils.</P>
<P>But would you have no <HI>Law?</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">3, b ject. An&s;w.</NOTE></P>
<P>No <HI>Laws</HI> in <HI>Gods</HI> Kingdom, but <HI>Gods</HI> Laws; and <HI>the&s;e</HI> are a <HI>thau&s;and</HI> times <HI>better</HI> then <HI>all</HI> th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> Laws of <HI>men:</HI> and <HI>they</HI> are the&s;e <HI>three:</HI></P>
<LIST>
<ITEM><HI>The</HI> Law <HI>of a</HI> new nature.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>The</HI> Law of the &s;pirit of life that is in Christ.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>The</HI> Law of love.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>But would you have no <HI>Government?</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">4. Object. An&s;w.</NOTE></P>
<P>Yes, but the government of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> the <HI>Head,</HI> and the <HI>Holy Ghost</HI> the <HI>Spirit, in</HI> and <HI>over</HI> the <HI>Church</HI> the <HI>body.</HI> They that would <HI>govern</HI> the faithful the <HI>Members</HI> of <HI>Christs</HI> own <HI>body,</HI>
<PB N="27" REF="23">
make them&s;elves the <HI>head</HI> of tho&s;e <HI>Members;</HI> and &s;o <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> may as wel be found in a <HI>combination</HI> of men, as in one <HI>&s;ingle</HI> per&s;on.</P>
<P>But would you have no <HI>Order?</HI></P>
<P>Yes, the <HI>best</HI> that is; even <HI>&s;uch</HI> an <HI>Order</HI> as is in the <HI>body</HI> of <NOTE PLACE="marg">5. Obj. An&s;w.</NOTE> <HI>Chri&s;t;</HI> where <HI>every</HI> Member is <HI>placed</HI> by <HI>Christ,</HI> and <HI>none</HI> by <HI>it&s;elf;</HI> The <HI>Order</HI> of the <HI>&s;piritual</HI> Church is a <HI>&s;piritual</HI> Order, and not a <HI>carnal.</HI></P>
<P>But would you have <HI>&s;in</HI> &s;uffered?</P>
<P>No, but more <HI>truly</HI> and <HI>throughly</HI> de&s;troyed, then any <HI>power</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">6. Obj. An&s;.</NOTE> of the <HI>world</HI> can <HI>destroy</HI> it; even by <HI>the Spirit of judgment and burning.</HI></P>
<P>But would you have <HI>&s;inners</HI> &s;uffered?</P>
<P><HI>No,</HI> but <HI>puni&s;hed</HI> more <HI>&s;everely,</HI> then any <HI>powers</HI> of the <HI>world</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">7. Obj. An&s;w&punc;</NOTE> can <HI>puni&s;h</HI> them; For <HI>he &s;hal &s;mite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he &s;hal &s;lay the wic|ked.</HI></P>
<P>And as for <HI>tho&s;e</HI> that are <HI>outwardly</HI> wicked, the <HI>Magi&s;trate</HI> is to <HI>keep</HI> them in <HI>order,</HI> for the <HI>quiet</HI> of the <HI>State,</HI> he having <HI>power</HI> over their <HI>per&s;ons, e&s;tates,</HI> and <HI>lives.</HI></P>
<P>I &s;hould al&s;o have proceeded to the <HI>next</HI> thing&punc; The <HI>advan|tages of &s;uch a Go&s;pel Reformation where it is wrought;</HI> toge|ther with the <HI>&V;&s;es:</HI> but becau&s;e I would not be <HI>over long,</HI> I pa&s;&s;e by <HI>the&s;e</HI> things, and &s;o <HI>proceed</HI> no <HI>farther</HI> in this <HI>Di&s;|cour&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>But being brought <HI>hither</HI> by an <HI>unexpected</HI> providence, I &s;hal crave <HI>liberty</HI> to &s;peak a <HI>few</HI> words to you in the behalf of <HI>two Kingdoms,</HI> that is, <HI>this</HI> Kingdom and <HI>Gods.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. That which I have to <HI>reque&s;t</HI> of you for <HI>this Kingdome,</HI> is, that you would <HI>regard the oppre&s;&s;ion of the poore, and the &s;ighing of the needy:</HI> Never was there more <HI>injustice</HI> and <HI>oppe&s;|&s;ion</HI> in the <HI>Nation</HI> then <HI>now;</HI> I have <HI>&s;een</HI> many <HI>oppre&s;&s;ed</HI> and <HI>cru&s;hed,</HI> and <HI>none</HI> to <HI>help</HI> them. I <HI>be&s;eech</HI> you <HI>con&s;ider</HI> this with <HI>all</HI> your <HI>hearts,</HI> for <HI>many</HI> who derive <HI>power</HI> from <HI>you</HI> are <HI>great appre&s;&s;ors.</HI> And therefore I <HI>require</HI> you in the <HI>name</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> to <HI>di&s;charge</HI> the <HI>tru&s;t</HI> that <HI>God</HI> hath put into your <HI>hands;</HI> and &s;o <HI>to
<PB N="28" REF="24">
defend the poor and fatherle&s;&s;e, to do ju&s;tice to the afflicted and needy, to deliver the poor and needy, and to rid them out of the hands of the wicked;</HI> This is your <HI>bu&s;ine&s;&s;e, di&s;charge</HI> your <HI>duty:</HI> if you <HI>wil not,</HI> then <HI>hear</HI> what the <HI>Lord</HI> &s;aith, <HI>P&s;a. 12. 5. for the oppre&s;&s;ion of the poor; for the &s;ighing of the needy, now wil I ari&s;e &s;aith the Lord:</HI> and Gods ri&s;ing in this ca&s;e, would prove your ruine. If you wil not do <HI>Gods</HI> work in the <HI>Kingdome</HI> which <HI>he</HI> hath <HI>cal'd</HI> you too, <HI>he</HI> wil do it <HI>hnm&s;elf,</HI> without you; as it is written, <HI>He &s;hal deliver the needy when he cryeth, the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 72. 12.</NOTE> <HI>poor al&s;o; and he that hath no helper;</HI> he &s;hal <HI>&s;ave their &s;ouls</HI> from <HI>deceit</HI> and <HI>violence;</HI> the <HI>common</HI> evils of the <HI>times.</HI> And this is <HI>all</HI> that I have to &s;ay for <HI>this Kingdom.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. I have a few <HI>more</HI> things to &s;ay touching <HI>Gods Kingdom;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Gods King|dome.</NOTE> and the fir&s;t is this.</P>
<P N="1">1. That as <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> Kingdom, and the <HI>Kingdoms</HI> of the <HI>world</HI> are <HI>di&s;tinct,</HI> So you would be <HI>plea&s;ed</HI> to <HI>keep</HI> them &s;o; not <HI>mingle</HI> them together <HI>your &s;elves,</HI> nor <HI>&s;uffer</HI> others to <HI>do</HI> it, to the great <HI>prejudice</HI> and <HI>di&s;turbance</HI> of both.</P>
<P N="2">2. That you would be <HI>plea&s;ed</HI> to <HI>think</HI> that <HI>Chri&s;ts Kingdom</HI> (which is not of this world) hath <HI>&s;ufficient power</HI> in <HI>it &s;elf</HI> to mannage all the <HI>affairs</HI> of it, without &s;tanding in <HI>need</HI> of any <HI>ayd</HI> or <HI>help</HI> from the <HI>world;</HI> Seeing the <HI>power</HI> of man is of no <HI>place</HI> or <HI>u&s;e</HI> in the Kingdom of <HI>God,</HI> which is not a <HI>Temporal,</HI> or an <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;tical Dominion,</HI> but a <HI>Spiritual.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. That you would <HI>&s;uffer,</HI> the <HI>little stone</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;ts Kingdom</HI> to be hewen out of the <HI>Mountain</HI> of the <HI>Roman</HI> Monarchy, whereof this Kingdome is a part, <HI>without hands,</HI> even by the <HI>power</HI> and <HI>efficacy</HI> of the <HI>word</HI> and <HI>&s;pirit;</HI> &s;eeing the <HI>hands</HI> of <HI>men</HI> cannot <HI>help</HI> but <HI>hinder</HI> this <HI>work</HI> which is to be done <HI>with|out hands:</HI> And that <HI>your</HI> might, and <HI>your</HI> power would <HI>plea&s;e</HI> to let <HI>God</HI> do this work of <HI>his</HI> without <HI>might</HI> and <HI>without</HI> power, and by his <HI>Spirit</HI> only.</P>
<P N="4">4. That you would be <HI>plea&s;ed</HI> to &s;uffer the <HI>a&s;&s;emblings</HI> of the <HI>Saints,</HI> both <HI>publikely</HI> and <HI>privately,</HI> as occo&s;ion &s;erves, &s;eeing <HI>this</HI> can be no <HI>prejudice</HI> to the State, but a <HI>great advan|tage;</HI> in as much as they meet <HI>peaceably</HI> and make no tumults,
<PB N="29" REF="24">
and in their a&s;&s;embling pray for the peace and welfare of this <HI>divided</HI> and <HI>di&s;tracted</HI> Kingdome. And <HI>al&s;o,</HI> that you take heed of <HI>&s;cattering</HI> tho&s;e <HI>Churches,</HI> that meet in the <HI>Name</HI> and <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> Chri&s;t, (which are <HI>Christs</HI> own <HI>gathering to|g<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ther,</HI> lea&s;t <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> &s;o <HI>&s;catter</HI> you abroad that you <HI>never</HI> be <HI>ga|thered together</HI> again.</P>
<P N="5">5. That you <HI>take heed</HI> you do <HI>nothing</HI> to the <HI>prejudice</HI> of the <HI>faithfull,</HI> Gods own people; as he hath <HI>warned</HI> you by the <HI>Spirit,</HI> &s;aying, <HI>Touch not mine anoynted and do my prophets no harm;</HI> This place hath been mi&s;erably mi&s;taken: for the <HI>Kings</HI> of the earth and the <HI>Clergie</HI> have &s;hared it between them&s;elves, whereas indeed it belongs to neither, for <HI>Gods anoynted</HI> are the <HI>faithfull</HI> that are <HI>anoynted</HI> with the Spirit, the <HI>oyle</HI> of God, and &s;o are anoynted as Chri&s;t was anoynted. And the&s;e <HI>anoynted ones,</HI> are the Lords Prophets, and the Lord hath no Prophets but <HI>&s;uch</HI> as are anoynted with the <HI>Spirit.</HI> Thus Chri&s;t was made the Lords Prophet, <HI>The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he hath anointed me to preach the Go&s;pell;</HI> and thus are all his Brethren made Prophets; being <HI>fellows</HI> with him in his Unction. And therefore take heed how you <HI>meddle</HI> with the <HI>Lords anoynted ones,</HI> and with the <HI>Lords Prophets;</HI> for as it is &s;aid, <HI>He &s;uffered no man to do them wrong, yea he even reproved Kings for their &s;akes,</HI> &s;aying, <HI>Touch not, &amp;c.</HI> So the <HI>Lord</HI> hath &s;till the &s;ame care of the &s;ame peo|ple, and will <HI>&s;uffer no man to do them wrong,</HI> but will re|prove <HI>Kings</HI> and <HI>Parliaments,</HI> and <HI>Kingdomes,</HI> and <HI>Cities,</HI> and <HI>Counties,</HI> and <HI>Committees,</HI> he will reproove them all for their &s;akes, and &s;ay, <HI>Touth not mine anointed and do my Pro|phets no harm:</HI> for they rhat are anoynted with the <HI>Spirit</HI> are the <HI>fle&s;h</HI> of Chri&s;t, and the Prophets of <HI>God,</HI> and therefore touch them and harm them a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> your own perill. It grieves me to &s;ee the re&s;t of the Kingdome touching the&s;e <HI>anoynted ones</HI> of God, and <HI>doing harm</HI> to the&s;e his Prophets, abu&s;ing, and &s;poyling and impri&s;oning them; It would gr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">ve me much more if I &s;hould &s;ee <HI>you</HI> doing the &s;ame, for this would bring <HI>you</HI> as well as the <HI>Kingdome</HI> under <HI>Gods own reproofe,</HI> and the
<PB N="30" REF="25">
<HI>reproofe</HI> of God who can indure?</P>
<P>Sixthly, and la&s;tly, Takeheed you do not hinder the free pa&s;&s;age of the Go&s;pell. When God hath put his <HI>Spirit</HI> into the <HI>hearts</HI> of men, take heed how you re&s;i&s;t the <HI>Word</HI> in tho&s;e mens mouthes; for the <HI>Word of God</HI> in the meane&s;t in&s;tru|ment, can never be re&s;i&s;ted, but will carry all before it, The Honour, Power, Dignity, Authority, Nobility, Magi&s;tracy, of the Kingdome, if they &s;hould once &s;tand up to hinder the Word of God, the Word of God would carry them all before it.</P>
<P>And therefore it grieves me to &s;ee how the City, Country, Country Towns, Villages, do all <HI>ri&s;e up</HI> for rhe mo&s;t part a|gain&s;t the <HI>mini&s;tration</HI> of the <HI>Spirit,</HI> for this is a certain &s;igne of the <HI>undoing</HI> of them all: God will &s;uffer and indure any &s;in long but onely the <HI>contempt</HI> and <HI>oppo&s;ition</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pel:</HI> but when men <HI>once</HI> ri&s;e up again&s;t the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> in the Spirit and Power of it, they are &s;ure to be undone by it, and to be &s;hat|tered all in peeces, for this brings &s;wift Vengeance.</P>
<P>And therefore when I &s;ee the generality of the people of of all &s;orts, ri&s;e up again&s;t the Mini&s;tration of the <HI>Spirit</HI> (which God hath now in the&s;e dayes of ours, &s;et up even in every County for <HI>&s;alvation</HI> to his people, but for a <HI>&s;tone of &s;tumbling</HI> and a <HI>rock</HI> of <HI>offence</HI> to the re&s;t) I am then excee|dingly di&s;tre&s;&s;ed and pained at the very heart for thee O <HI>Eng|land,</HI> and for all thy Cities, and Towns, and inhabitants; for thou that da&s;he&s;t again&s;t the Spirit in the Go&s;pell, how &s;halt thou be da&s;hed in peeces <HI>thy &s;elfe,</HI> and there &s;hall be no hea|ling for thee?</P>
<P>I could hope for <HI>Peace</HI> again and <HI>good dayes&punc;</HI> &s;uddenly in this Kingdome but for this &s;in of the contempt and oppo&s;ing the Go&s;pel, and this makes my hopes, even at an end; and the <HI>day</HI> of my <HI>feare, is come forth upon me.</HI></P>
<P>But oh you <HI>honourable</HI> and beloved Chri&s;tians, let not your <HI>&s;oul</HI> enter into tho&s;e mens &s;ecrets, neither yet walk in their open and publike wayes; for <HI>ruin</HI> and <HI>de&s;truction</HI> are in their <HI>pathes,</HI> and the way of <HI>peace</HI> they &s;hall never knnw, &s;eeing
<PB N="31" REF="25">
God is about to enter into <HI>controver&s;ie</HI> withall fle&s;h, for their ri&s;ing up again&s;t the Mini&s;tration of the Spirit. And there|fore be <HI>Wi&s;e</HI> here I be&s;eech you, that in the <HI>&s;hattering</HI> of the <HI>Nation</HI> (if there be no remedy) <HI>you</HI> may be kept together as a <HI>ble&s;&s;ed remnant</HI> and a <HI>hopefull &s;eed</HI> of the following gene|ation.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="conclusion">
<HEAD>To Conclude.</HEAD>
<P>Honourable and Worthy, we will be willingly contented, to <HI>do</HI> and <HI>&s;uffer</HI> all things with you; we will cheerfully run through <HI>honour</HI> and <HI>di&s;honour</HI> with you; <HI>fame</HI> and <HI>infamy; gaine</HI> and <HI>lo&s;&s;e, trouble</HI> and <HI>quietne&s;&s;e, War</HI> and <HI>Peace, life,</HI> and <HI>death;</HI> and do de&s;ire to re&s;erve <HI>nothing</HI> to our &s;elves, <HI>Ni&s;i unicum verbum domini,</HI> but onely the <HI>Word</HI> of God, in its own <HI>purity</HI> and <HI>liberty,</HI> to <HI>preach</HI> it, and to <HI>publi&s;h</HI> it, and to <HI>profe&s;&s;e</HI> it, and <HI>practi&s;e</HI> it for the <HI>glory</HI> of God and his <HI>only begotten Son</HI> and for the <HI>good</HI> of <HI>his</HI> Kingdome and this Kingdome.</P>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>And thus much unto you from the Lord.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="response">
<PB REF="26">
<PB N="33" REF="26" MS="y">
<HEAD>A REPLY To Mr. <HI>LOVE'S</HI> Contradictions.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Sir,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_BEcau&s;e I would not wrong you in any mea&s;ure in what you &s;aid, I went to one who took your Notes in &s;hort-hand; and hee gave mee what I here &s;et down for yours, which I well remember are the things you then &s;pake, for the &s;ub&s;tance of them: To which I give you this following <HI>Reply.</HI></P>
<DIV2 TYPE="statement">
<HEAD>Mr. <HI>LOVE.</HI></HEAD>
<P><HI>Ca&s;t your eyes upon the begun Reformation, though peradventure cried down with Confidence, No &s;uch thing as the Reformation of the Church,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="response">
<PB N="34" REF="27">
<HEAD>Reply.</HEAD>
<P>I taught indeed, That the Kingdome of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> is a <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> kingdome, and the <HI>Reformation</HI> of it is <HI>an&s;werable;</HI> and that <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> him&s;elfe, who is the <HI>Lord,</HI> the <HI>Spirit,</HI> is the <HI>Reformer</HI> of this <HI>&s;piri|tuall</HI> kingdome by his <HI>word</HI> and <HI>Spirit:</HI> but little thought that <HI>any man</HI> would have been &s;o <HI>blind</HI> or wor&s;e, as to have affirmed, the <HI>preaching</HI> of this <HI>&s;pirituall</HI> and <HI>glorious</HI> Reformation, was to <HI>preach</HI> again&s;t <HI>all</HI> reformation. Is the <HI>Reformation</HI> of <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> which hee works by his <HI>word</HI> and <HI>Spirit</HI> in all the <HI>faithfull,</HI> and in all the <HI>Churches</HI> of the &s;aints no <HI>Reformation</HI> at all? How dur&s;t you affirm this Mr. <HI>Love?</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="statement">
<HEAD>Mr. <HI>LOVE.</HI></HEAD>
<P><HI>As if all were encompa&s;&s;ed within the narrow heart of man.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="response">
<HEAD>Reply.</HEAD>
<P>Yet I &s;aid plainly enough, When the <HI>heart</HI> is re|formed, <HI>all</HI> is reformed; and <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> Reformation, though it <HI>begins</HI> in the <HI>inward</HI> man, <HI>ends</HI> in the <HI>outward.</HI> Did you Sir, accu&s;e mee rightly then or no?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="statement">
<HEAD>Mr. <HI>LOVE.</HI></HEAD>
<P><HI>If this be &s;o, Race out the fir&s;t Article of the Cove|nant.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="response">
<HEAD>Reply.</HEAD>
<P>I had rather the <HI>whole</HI> Covenant were <HI>raced</HI> out, then the <HI>lea&s;t</HI> truth contained in the <HI>word</HI> of God: Though I like the <HI>Covenant</HI> well e|nough, according to the true intention of it.</P>
<P><PB N="35" REF="27">
Again, if the <HI>thing</HI> be <HI>truly</HI> con&s;idered, it will appear, that <HI>you</HI> are more again&s;t the <HI>Covenant</HI> then I: for the <HI>Covenant</HI> engages us to reform <HI>ac|cording to the word of God;</HI> but you (it &s;eems) would reform <HI>without,</HI> yea <HI>again&s;t</HI> the word, with <HI>outward</HI> and <HI>&s;ecular</HI> power; which you will not <HI>&s;uffer</HI> in the <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> hands neither, but will <HI>needs</HI> have it in your <HI>own.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="statement">
<HEAD>Mr. <HI>LOVE.</HI></HEAD>
<P><HI>If this Doctrine be true, That Go&s;pel Reformation be only &s;pirituall, then I wonder how Paul was &s;o out, who &s;aid, When I come I will &s;et all things in order? &s;urely that was a Church Order.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="response">
<HEAD>Reply.</HEAD>
<P>But pray, What <HI>outward</HI> or <HI>&s;ecular</HI> power had <HI>Paul,</HI> (who &s;uffered not onely much from the <HI>world,</HI> but mo&s;t from the <HI>fal&s;e Apo&s;tles)</HI> to &s;et the Church in <HI>order?</HI> Did <HI>Paul</HI> (think you) u&s;e any <HI>worldly</HI> power to &s;et the Church in <HI>order;</HI> or on|ly the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>word</HI> and <HI>&s;pirit?</HI> But the&s;e men think, if the <HI>Church</HI> be to be &s;et in <HI>order</HI> by the <HI>word</HI> and <HI>&s;pirit</HI> onely (which were &s;uffi|cient in <HI>Pauls</HI> time) it's like to be <HI>out</HI> of <HI>order</HI> for them.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="statement">
<HEAD>Mr. <HI>LOVE.</HI></HEAD>
<P><HI>To cry down all kinde of Government under heart|government; and all Reformation as carnall, becau&s;e you have the Civil Magi&s;trates hand to it, is again&s;t that place of Paul,</HI> 1 Tim. 2. 2. <HI>Pray for Kings, and all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godline&s;&s;e and hone&s;tie.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="response">
<PB N="36" REF="28">
<HEAD>Reply.</HEAD>
<P>Well argu'd now indeed. <HI>Babes</HI> and <HI>&s;ucklings,</HI> you &s;hall come forth and an&s;wer this <HI>Ma&s;ter i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> I&s;rael.</HI></P>
<P>The <HI>&s;en&s;e</HI> of this <HI>place</HI> is evidently <HI>this;</HI> That <HI>Chri&s;tians</HI> &s;hould pray for <HI>Kings</HI> &amp; <HI>Governors,</HI> that <HI>God</HI> would &s;o incline their <HI>hearts,</HI> that while&s;t we live in <HI>godline&s;&s;e</HI> under them, they would &s;uffer us to live in <HI>peace;</HI> and not make us fare the <HI>wor&s;e</HI> in the <HI>world,</HI> for our <HI>intere&s;t</HI> in the kingdom of <HI>God.</HI> And what one <HI>drop</HI> can Mr. <HI>Love &s;queeze</HI> out of this <HI>Scripture</HI> to <HI>cool</HI> the <HI>tip</HI> of his tongue? For the meaning is not, That the <HI>Magi&s;trate</HI> &s;hould <HI>inforce</HI> godline&s;&s;e; but <HI>protect</HI> us in god|line&s;&s;e.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="statement">
<HEAD>Mr. <HI>LOVE.</HI></HEAD>
<P><HI>To ju&s;tle out the Magi&s;trates power, is to ju&s;tle out the fir&s;t Article of the Covenant;</HI> (What again?) <HI>and they that ju&s;tle out that, will ju&s;tle out you &s;hortly.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="response">
<HEAD>Reply.</HEAD>
<P>Good Sir, <HI>A&s;cribe</HI> not your <HI>own</HI> work to <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">r</HI> hands. The <HI>ju&s;tling out the Magi&s;trate,</HI> have you not made it the <HI>chief</HI> part of your bu&s;ine&s;&s;e now for a <HI>long</HI> while together? and are you not <HI>&s;till</HI> &s;o diligently <HI>acting</HI> it every day, that now you think your <HI>work</HI> is in &s;ome <HI>forwardne&s;&s;e,</HI> and you are <HI>pretty</HI> well able to <HI>deal</HI> with him? And now becau&s;e you would not be mi&s;tru&s;ted <HI>your &s;elves,</HI> you <HI>publickly</HI> &s;lander <HI>us</HI> with it. Wee &s;ee <HI>cleerly</HI> thorow all your <HI>&s;lender</HI> di&s;gui&s;es.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="statement">
<PB N="37" REF="28">
<HEAD>Mr. <HI>LOVE.</HI></HEAD>
<P><HI>Ezra was of another mind,</HI> Ezra 7. 26. <HI>Who&s;oever will not do the Law of thy God, and the Law of thy King, let Iudgement be executed &s;peedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or unto bani&s;hment, or to confi&s;cation of goods, or to impri&s;onment.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="response">
<HEAD>Reply.</HEAD>
<P>Well, Sir, will you <HI>&s;tand</HI> to this place, and &s;hall this <HI>end</HI> the controver&s;ie? Pray mark then: This was part of the Decree of <HI>Artaxerxes,</HI> a King of the <HI>Nations,</HI> touching the <HI>Jewes,</HI> for the rebuilding of the <HI>material</HI> Temple; That they &s;hould have <HI>liberty</HI> to do it, and not be <HI>mole&s;ted</HI> in the doing of it, but &s;hould have what <HI>a&s;si&s;tance</HI> the <HI>State</HI> could afford. The Decree was this: <HI>Ezra 7. 13. I make a Decree, That all they of the people of I&s;rael, and of the Prie&s;ts and Levites in any Realm, which are minded of their own free will, to go up to Jeru&s;alem, go with thee; For a&s;much as thou art &s;ent of the King and his &s;even Councellors, to enquire concerning Iudah and Ieru&s;alem, according to the Law of thy God that is in thy hand, &amp;c.</HI> And <HI>ver. 21. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> </HI> Artaxerxes <HI>the King do make a Decree to all the Trea&s;urers beyond the River, That what|&s;oever</HI> Ezra <HI>the Prie&s;t &s;hall require of you, it be done &s;peedily unto two hundred Talents of &s;ilver.</HI> And then, <HI>ver.</HI> 26. follows; <HI>Whoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of thy King,</HI> Let him be &s;o and &s;o puni&s;hed, as you have heard.</P>
<P N="1">1. Here then you &s;ee, That <HI>Artaxerxes</HI> made no <HI>decree</HI> to <HI>inforce</HI> all the Jewes to go <HI>build;</HI> but as the Text &s;aith, <HI>Tho&s;e that were minded of their own free will.</HI> See you not here, that even a King of the <HI>Nations</HI> thought it <HI>unrea&s;onable</HI> to <HI>force</HI> any man to go to build
<PB N="38" REF="29">
Gods <HI>material</HI> hou&s;e, <HI>again&s;t his will.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. And &s;econdly, you &s;ee, How he <HI>gave</HI> them no <HI>lawes</HI> how to build, but <HI>permitted</HI> them to do it, <HI>according to the law of their God that was in their hands.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. And thirdly, you &s;ee, How he <HI>deterred</HI> any from <HI>hin|dering</HI> them from this work, upon pain of <HI>death, bani&s;h|ment, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>Do you not <HI>perceive</HI> now by this time, how you then <HI>deceived</HI> the people, by giving them the <HI>letter</HI> of the <HI>Word,</HI> without the true <HI>&s;en&s;e</HI> of it, as <HI>Satan</HI> dealt with <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in his <HI>temptations?</HI> Such <HI>Sermons</HI> bring an <HI>Houre of Temptation</HI> upon the people.</P>
<P>This then is the <HI>force</HI> of the place:</P>
<P N="1">1. Fir&s;t, That the <HI>Magi&s;trate</HI> may make a <HI>Decree,</HI> for all that are <HI>minded of their own free will,</HI> to build the <HI>Spi|ritual</HI> Temple of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and to <HI>gather</HI> up into a <HI>Communion</HI> of <HI>Saints.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Secondly, That he ought to <HI>permit</HI> this to be done, <HI>according to the law of our God that is in our hands,</HI> or ra|ther according to the <HI>law of the Spirit of life&punc;</HI> that is in our <HI>Hearts;</HI> and not to <HI>inforce</HI> upon us any <HI>Clergy con|&s;titutions.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. And thirdly, That he may <HI>deterre</HI> you, and the <HI>re&s;t</HI> of the Kingdome that are of the <HI>like minde,</HI> from <HI>re&s;i&s;t|ing</HI> and <HI>bindering</HI> this work, which hath its <HI>authority</HI> from <HI>Heaven.</HI> That &s;o the <HI>Saints</HI> (the <HI>Kingdome</HI> of Chri&s;t) may <HI>pray</HI> for the <HI>Magi&s;trate,</HI> and <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> (the <HI>King</HI> of Saints) may <HI>ble&s;&s;e</HI> the <HI>Magi&s;trate,</HI> and make him <HI>pro&s;perous.</HI> And pray now what is all this to your purpo&s;e?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="statement">
<PB N="39" REF="29">
<HEAD><HI>Mr.</HI> LOVE.</HEAD>
<P><HI>If it was good in your Hearts to think to Reform; its much better to do it.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="response">
<HEAD>Reply.</HEAD>
<P>Does not <HI>GOD</HI> &s;ay, It was <HI>well,</HI> that David <HI>thought</HI> to build a Temple; and yet for all that, he <HI>&s;hould</HI> not <HI>build</HI> it? And do you now dare to <HI>blame</HI> this very thing? Cannot the <HI>Scripture</HI> it &s;elf be <HI>quiet</HI> for you?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="statement">
<HEAD><HI>Mr.</HI> LOVE.</HEAD>
<P><HI>You need not fear lo&s;ing a Party.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="response">
<HEAD>Reply.</HEAD>
<P>Yea, but how if <HI>God</HI> be in that <HI>Party?</HI> What then, &s;ir? Is it not <HI>better</HI> keeping a <HI>little, poor, de&s;pi&s;ed</HI> Party, that hath <HI>GOD</HI> in it; then a <HI>great</HI> and <HI>numerous</HI> Party, <HI>without</HI> God?</P>
<P>Again, Did you preach before the Parliament, to <HI>make</HI> or <HI>ca&s;t</HI> off parties? Doth this appertain to the <HI>my&s;terie</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and the <HI>Father?</HI> Reader, The&s;e men are &s;o <HI>over-bu&s;ie</HI> in <HI>making,</HI> and <HI>marring</HI> Parties, that I much feare they will, in the <HI>end,</HI> throw the Kingdome into more <HI>mi&s;ery</HI> and <HI>blood</HI> than their <HI>Predece&s;&s;ors</HI> have done.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="statement">
<HEAD><HI>Mr.</HI> LOVE.</HEAD>
<P><HI>Reformation is no forcing Con&s;cience, it meddles not with Con&s;cience, it re&s;trains Practice: If a Ie&s;uite come from</HI> Rome <HI>to kill a great Per&s;on, he does it in Con&s;cience, but I meddle not with his Con&s;cience, I re&s;train his Practice.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="response">
<HEAD>Reply.</HEAD>
<P>Does not <HI>your</HI> Reformation meddle with <HI>Con&s;ci|ence,</HI> Mr. <HI>LOVE?</HI> Did you &s;peak this of <HI>your &s;elf,</HI> at <HI>randome,</HI> as the re&s;t, or is this the <HI>&s;en&s;e</HI> of your <HI>Bre|thren?</HI> And doth <HI>your</HI> Reformation only re&s;train <HI>out|ward
<PB N="40" REF="30">
Practice?</HI> Then to <HI>tye up</HI> mad Dogs, and Beares, and Tygers, is your <HI>mo&s;t excellent</HI> Reformation. You that will not <HI>meddle</HI> with the <HI>Con&s;ciences</HI> of men, it is no <HI>wonder</HI> you are making &s;o many <HI>iron yoaks</HI> for their <HI>necks,</HI> and &s;o many <HI>&s;nares</HI> and <HI>fetters</HI> to hamper the <HI>out|ward man,</HI> the proper <HI>&s;ubject</HI> (it &s;eems) of <HI>your</HI> Refor|mation. And thus taking upon <HI>your &s;elves</HI> the Refor|mation of the <HI>outward man,</HI> you do <HI>indeed</HI> put the <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> work to an <HI>end;</HI> And then the <HI>A&s;&s;embly</HI> may &s;erve, in the <HI>place</HI> of the <HI>Hou&s;e of Commons;</HI> and <HI>Sion-Colledge</HI> in the <HI>place</HI> of the <HI>Lord Mayor, Aldermen,</HI> and <HI>Common-Councel.</HI> See you not yet, Oh ye <HI>Powers</HI> of the <HI>World,</HI> how the <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;tical</HI> Powers would <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> you out?</P>
<P>And for your <HI>Ie&s;uite,</HI> Did you ever hear me &s;ay or hint, That the <HI>Magi&s;trate</HI> &s;hould not <HI>re&s;train</HI> and <HI>puni&s;h</HI> outward wickedne&s;&s;e? I wi&s;h therefore you would <HI>unriddle</HI> your &s;elves, and tell <HI>truly,</HI> if you dare, how far you would <HI>limit</HI> the Magi&s;trate, and <HI>inlarge</HI> your &s;elves upon the <HI>outward man.</HI></P>
<P>But certainly, if the <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> power hath under it the <HI>whole outward man,</HI> as indeed it hath: And if <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> power have under it, the <HI>whole inward man,</HI> as indeed it hath; what <HI>place</HI> then (I pray) is there left for your <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;tical</HI> power, when the <HI>outward</HI> and the <HI>inward</HI> man are <HI>di&s;po&s;ed</HI> of before? Sure, when the <HI>Magi&s;trate</HI> takes his own <HI>proper power</HI> to <HI>him&s;elf,</HI> and <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> his own <HI>proper</HI> power to <HI>him&s;elf;</HI> your <HI>power</HI> will be found to have <HI>no</HI> place, either in the <HI>Worlds</HI> Kingdom, or <HI>GODS;</HI> but you mu&s;t find out &s;ome <HI>third</HI> place for it; for I will <HI>a&s;signe</HI> you none, left you prove <HI>too</HI> angry.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="statement">
<PB N="41" REF="30">
<HEAD><HI>Mr.</HI> LOVE.</HEAD>
<P><HI>The Church of</HI> Thyatira <HI>might thinke &s;hee had new light, and yet God &s;aith, I have a few things again&s;t thee, becau&s;e thou &s;uffere&s;t the woman</HI> Jeza|bel, &amp;c.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="response">
<HEAD>Reply.</HEAD>
<P>Truly Sir, when <HI>God</HI> &s;hall make you a <HI>New Creature,</HI> you will be glad of <HI>New light;</HI> for <HI>be|hold</HI> (&s;aith God) <HI>I make all things New,</HI> even the <HI>light</HI> as well as the <HI>creature:</HI> the <HI>Old light</HI> will &s;erve the <HI>Old man</HI> wel enough.</P>
<P>And for the <HI>Spirits</HI> reproving the <HI>Angel</HI> of the <HI>Church,</HI> for <HI>&s;uffering</HI> fal&s;e and erroneous Teach|ers; doth this prove <HI>as you undertake</HI> that the <HI>An|gel</HI> of the Church <HI>had</HI> or <HI>exerci&s;ed, civil</HI> and <HI>&s;ecular</HI> power in the <HI>Church</HI> of Chri&s;t? You erre not <HI>under&s;tanding</HI> the Scriptures; for then any thing is <HI>&s;uffered</HI> in the Church, when it is not reproved and condemned by the Word; the Word of truth, taught and publi&s;hed in the <HI>Church,</HI> will <HI>&s;uffer</HI> no errour there; but you un|der&s;tand this <HI>&s;uffering,</HI> of <HI>outward</HI> and <HI>violent</HI> power. Do you not <HI>remember,</HI> that I &s;aid at the beginning, that the <HI>carnal</HI> Church <HI>under&s;tands</HI> the whole Scriptures <HI>carnally?</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="statement">
<HEAD><HI>Mr.</HI> LOVE.</HEAD>
<P><HI>And now to hear &s;uch Sermons preached, and Books printed; if it had been at</HI> Am&s;terdam, <HI>it had been no marveil: But at</HI> London, <HI>and at</HI> We&s;tmin&s;ter, &amp;c.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="response">
<HEAD>Reply.</HEAD>
<P>Truly, &s;uch a Sermon as <HI>mine</HI> might have been preached at <HI>Am&s;terdam,</HI> or any where el&s;e where
<PB N="42" REF="31">
the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> hath <HI>free pa&s;&s;age:</HI> and &s;uch a Sermon as <HI>yours</HI> might have been preached at <HI>Rome,</HI> or any where el&s;e where the <HI>precious Word</HI> of <HI>GOD</HI> is under <HI>re&s;traint,</HI> and <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;tical</HI> power exalts it &s;elf, both above the <HI>power</HI> of the <HI>Word,</HI> and the power of the <HI>Nation. Your</HI> Sermon &s;avours as ill to the <HI>Faithfull,</HI> as <HI>mine</HI> to the <HI>World.</HI></P>
<P>Many other <HI>weak, pa&s;sionate, incon&s;iderate, erroni|ous</HI> things, fell from Mr. <HI>LOVE,</HI> neither worth the troubling the <HI>Reader</HI> with, nor <HI>my &s;elf;</HI> and &s;o they may <HI>peri&s;h</HI> and <HI>rot</HI> in their own <HI>grave</HI> (if they will) for they &s;hall never receive a <HI>Re&s;urre|ction</HI> from me.</P>
<P>And now at the <HI>clo&s;e</HI> of all, I de&s;ire the Reader to ob&s;erve the <HI>difference</HI> between our <HI>Enemies</HI> and <HI>our &s;elves,</HI> in this great point of <HI>Authority</HI> and <HI>Iuri&s;diction,</HI> which is this: That <HI>We</HI> exalt <HI>Ie&s;us Chri&s;t alone</HI> in the <HI>&s;piritual</HI> Church; and <HI>attribute</HI> to the <HI>Magi&s;trate,</HI> his <HI>full</HI> power in the <HI>world;</HI> But <HI>they</HI> exalt <HI>them&s;elves</HI> in Chri&s;ts &s;tead, in the <HI>Church;</HI> and &s;et under their <HI>feet</HI> the <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> power in the <HI>world.</HI> And this is &s;o <HI>evident,</HI> that there is &s;ome <HI>apcration</HI> of <HI>Satan,</HI> more or le&s;&s;e, upon him that <HI>&s;ees</HI> it not.</P>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q>&mdash;Prae&s;ens malejudicat aetas,
Iudicium melius, Posteritatis erit.</Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<PB REF="31">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
