Chapter XXI: Letter XI: To a Clergyman of Westmoreland (2)

The reports, that are to be acknowledged as true, concerning the Holy Spirit, and his operations, are those that are recorded in scripture; that is, the scriptures are an infallible history, or relation of that which the Holy Spirit is, and does, and works in true believers; and also an infallible direction how we are to seek, and wait, and trust in his good power over us. But then the scriptures themselves, though thus true, and infallible in these reports about the Holy Spirit, yet can go no farther, than to be a true history; they cannot give the reader the possession and enjoyment of that which they relate. This is plain, not only from the nature of a written history, but from the express words of our Lord, _Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God_. Therefore, the new birth, is that alone, which gives true knowledge and perception of that which is the kingdom of God. The history may relate truths about it; but the kingdom of God, being nothing else, but the power and presence of God, dwelling and ruling in our souls, this can only manifest itself in man, by the new birth.

*Poor, miserable man! that strives with all the sophistry of human wit, to be delivered from the immediate, continual operation and government of the Spirit of God, not considering, that where God is not, there is the devil, and where the Spirit rules not, there all is the work of the flesh, tho’ nothing be talked of, but spiritual and Christian matters. I say talked of; for the best ability of the natural man, can go no farther than talk, and notions, and opinions about scripture words and facts; in these, he may be a great critic, an acute logician, a powerful orator, and know every thing of scripture, except the spirit and the truth.

How much then is it to be lamented, that though all scripture assures us, the things of the Spirit of God, must to the end of the world, be foolishness to the natural man; yet from one end of learned Christendom to the other, nothing is thought of, as the proper means of attaining divine knowledge, but that which every natural, proud, envious, false, vain-glorious, worldly man can do. Where is that divinity-student, who thinks, or was ever taught to think, of partaking of the light of the gospel any other way, than by doing with the scriptures, that which he does with Pagan writers, whether poets, orators, or comedians, viz. exercising his logic, rhetoric, and critical skill, in discanting upon them? This done, he is thought by himself, and others, to have a sufficiency of divine, apostolical knowledge. What wonder therefore if it should sometimes happen, that the very same vain, corrupt, puffing literature, that raises one man to be a poet-laureat, should set another in a divinity chair?

How is it, that the logical, critical, learned deist comes by his infidelity? Why by the same help of the same good powers of the _natural man_, as many a learned Christian comes to know, and contend for the gospel. For, drop divine inspiration, and all is dropt, that can give the believer any godly difference from the infidel. The Christian therefore that rejects and writes against the necessity of immediate divine inspiration, pleads the whole cause of infidelity: he confirms the ground on which it stands; and has nothing to prove the goodness of his own Christianity, but that which equally proves to the deist, the goodness of his infidelity. For without the new birth, or which is the same thing, without immediate, continual divine inspiration, the difference between the Christian, and the Infidel, is lost; and whether the uninspired, unregenerate son of Adam, be in the church, or out of the church, he is still that child of this world, _that_ mere natural man, to whom the _things of the Spirit of_ God, are and must be foolishness.――Nothing but the loss of the light and Spirit of God, turned an order of angels into devils.――Nothing but the loss of that same light and Spirit, took from Adam, his first crown of glory, stript him more naked than the beasts, and left him a prey to devils, and in the jaws of eternal death.――What therefore can have the least power towards man’s redemption, but the light and Spirit of God? Or what can begin, or bring forth the return of his first state, but this eternal light and Spirit.――Hence it is, that the gospel-state is by our Lord, affirmed to _be a kingdom of heaven_, because it has the nature of no worldly thing, is to serve no worldly ends, can be helped by no worldly power, receives nothing from man, but man’s full denial of himself, stands upon nothing that is finite or transitory, has no existence but in that power of God, that created and upholds heaven and earth; and is a kingdom of God become man, and a kingdom of men united to God, through a continual, immediate divine illumination. What scripture of the New Testament can you read, that does not prove this to be the gospel-state, a kingdom of God, into which none can enter, but by being born of the Spirit, none can continue, but by being led by the Spirit, and in which not a thought, or desire, or action, can be allowed to have any part, but as it is a fruit of the Spirit?

What now have parts, and literature, and the natural abilities of man, that they can do here? Just as much as they can do at the resurrection of the dead; for all that is to be done here, is nothing else, but _resurrection_ and _life_. Therefore, that which gave eyes to the blind, cleansed the lepers, cast out devils, and raised the dead; that alone can, and must do all that is to be done in this gospel kingdom of God. For the smallest work of grace must be as solely done by God, as the _greatest miracle_ in nature: because every work of grace, is the same overcoming of nature, as when the dead are raised to life. Yet vain man would be thought to have great power in this kingdom of grace, not because he happens to be born of noble parents, but because he has happened to be made a scholar, has run through all languages and histories, has been long exercised in conjectures and criticisms, and has his head as full of all notions, theological, poetical and philosophical, as a dictionary is full of words.

Now let this simple question decide the matter: has this great scholar any more power of _saying to this mountain, be thou removed hence, and cast into the sea_, than the illiterate Christian? If not, he is just as weak, as powerless, and little in the kingdom of God, as he is. But if the illiterate man’s faith, should happen to be nearer to the _bulk_ of a grain of mustard-seed, than that of the _prodigious scholar_, the illiterate Christian stands much above him in the kingdom of God.

Look now at the present state of Christendom, glorying in the light of Greek and Roman learning, (lately broke forth) as a _light_ that has helped the gospel to shine with a lustre, that it scarce ever had before. Look at this, and you will see the _fall_ of the present church from its first gospel state, to have much likeness to the _fall_ of the first _divine_ man, from the glory of innocence, and heavenly purity, into an earthly state of worldly craft and serpentine subtilty.

In the first gospel church, Heathen light had no other name, than Heathen darkness; and the wisdom of words was no more sought after, than that _friendship_ of the world, which is _enmity_ with God. In that new-born church, the _tree of life, which grew in the midst of paradise_, took root and grew up again. In the present church, the _tree of life_ is hissed at, as the visionary food of deluded enthusiasts; and the tree of _death_, called the tree of knowledge of good and evil, has the eyes and hearts of priest and people, and is thought to do as much good to Christians, as it did evil to the first inhabitants of paradise.――――This tree, that brought death and corruption into human nature, is now called a tree of _light_, and is, day and night, well watered with every corrupt stream, however distant or muddy with earth, that can be drawn to it.

But now, what follows from this new risen light? Why _Aristotle_’s atheism, _Cicero_’s height of pride and depth of dissimulation, and every refined or gross species of _Greek_ and _Roman_ vices, are as glaring in this new enlightened Christian church, as ever they were in old pagan _Greece_, or _Rome_. Would you find a _gospel Christian_, in all this _mid-day glory_ of learning, you may light a candle, as the philosopher did in the mid-day sun, to find an honest man.

How poorly was the gospel at first preached, if the wisdom of words, and if wit and imagination had been its genuine helps? But alas they stand in the same contrariety to one another, as self-denial and self-gratification. To know the truth of gospel-salvation, is to know that man’s natural _wisdom_ is to be equally sacrificed with his natural _folly_: for they are but one and the same thing, only called sometimes by one name, and sometimes by the other.

His intellectual faculties are, by the _fall_, in a much worse state than his natural animal appetites, and want a much greater self-denial. And when our own _will_, our own _understanding_ and _imagination_ have their natural strength indulged, and are made rich and honourable with the treasures acquired from a study of the _Belles Lettres_, they will just as much help poor fallen men to be _like-minded_ with Christ, as the _art_ of _cookery_, well and daily studied, will help a professor of the gospel, to the spirit and practice of Christian abstinence.

Who then can enough wonder at that bulk of libraries, which has taken place of the short gospel? Or at that number of champion disputants, who from age to age have been all in arms to support a set of opinions and practices, all which may be most cordially embraced without the least degree of self-denial, and most firmly held without _the least degree_ of humility.

What a grossness of ignorance, both of man and his Saviour, to run to Greek and Roman schools, to learn how to put off _Adam_, and to put on Christ? To drink at the fountains of Pagan poets and orators, in order more divinely to drink of the cup that Christ drank of?――――What can come of all this, but that which is already too much come, a _Ciceronian_ gospeller, instead of a gospel _penitent_?

This will be more or less the case with all the doctrines of Christ, whilst under classical acquisition, and administration. Those divine truths, which are no farther good and redeeming, but as they are spirit and life in us, will serve only to help _classic painters_ (as Dr. W.¹ calls them) to lavish out their colours on their own paper monuments of lifeless virtues.

¹ As this address was wrote sometime ago, in which are certain
strictures upon Dr. _Warburton_’s writings, who has lately
been consecrated a Right Reverend Lord Bishop; I thought
it more candid not to alter my stile, than to take the
advantage of charging such gross errors, on a Bishop of
_Glocester_, which I only found in Mr. and Dr. _Warburton_.

The enemies to man’s rising out of the fall of _Adam_, through the Spirit and power of Christ, are many. But the great enemy is SELF-EXALTATION; when self-exaltation ceases, the last enemy is destroyed, and all that came from the _death_ of _Adam_, is swallowed up in victory.

What, therefore, has every one so much to fear and abhor, as self-exaltation, and every _outward_ work that proceeds from it. But at what things shall a man look, to see _that_ which raises pride to its strongest life, and most of all hinders the life of the humble Jesus in his soul? Shall he call the _pomps_ and _vanities_ of the world, the highest works of _self-adoration_? Shall he look at _fops_ and _beaux_, and _painted ladies_, to see the pride that has the _most_ of Antichrist in it? No, by no means. These are, indeed, marks shameful enough, of the vain, foolish heart of man: but yet, comparatively speaking, they are but the skin-deep follies of that pride, which the fall of man hath brought forth in him. Would you see the deepest root, and iron-strength of pride, you must enter into the dark chamber of man’s soul, where the light of God (which alone gives humility) being extinguished by the death which _Adam_ died, _self-exaltation_, became the strong man that kept possession of the house, till a stronger than he should come. In this secret source a swelling kingdom of pomps and vanities is set up in the heart of man, to which all outward pomps and vanities are but childish, transitory play-things. The inward _strong man_ of pride, has his higher works _within_; and has every power of the soul, offering continual incense to him. His _memory_, his _will_, his _understanding_ and _imagination_, are always at work for him.――His _memory_ is the faithful repository of all the fine things he hath done. His _will_, though it has all the world before it, yet goes after nothing but as this sends it. His understanding is ever upon the stretch for new projects to enlarge the dominions of it; and if this fails, _imagination_ comes in, to make him a king, and mighty lord of _castles in the air_.

Now what is it in the human soul, that most of all hinders the death of this old man? What is it, that above all other things makes it the governor of all the powers of the heart and soul? It is the fancied riches of _parts_, the glitter of _genius_, the flight of _imagination_, the glory of _learning_, and the self-conceited strength of _natural reason_: these are the strong holds of fallen nature, the master-builders of pride’s temple in the heart of man. And here let it be well observed, that all these magnified talents of the natural man are started up through his miserable _fall_ from the life of God in his soul. _Wit_, _genius_, _learning_, and _natural reason_, would have had no more a name amongst men, than _blindness_, _ignorance_, and _sickness_, had man continued, as at first, an holy image of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.――――Every thing then that dwelt in him, or came from him, would have only said _so much_ of God, and _nothing_ of himself, have manifested nothing to him, but the _heavenly powers_ of the triune life of God dwelling in him. He would have no more consciousness of his own wit, or natural reason, or goodness, than of his _own creating power_, at beholding the created heavens, and earth. It is his dreadful fall from God, that has furnished him with these high intellectual riches, just as it has furnished him with the substantial riches of his _♦bestial appetites_ and _lusts_. And when the lusts of the flesh have spent their life, when flesh and blood shall be forced to let the soul go loose; all these bright talents will end with that system of fleshly lusts in which they began; and _that_ of man, which remains, will have nothing of its own, nothing that can say, _I do this_, or _I do that_, but all that it hath, or doth, will be either the _glory of God_ manifested in it, or the _power of hell_ in full possession of it.――The time of man’s playing with _parts, wit, and abilities_, and of fancying himself something in the intellectual world, may be much shorter, but can be no longer, than he can eat, and drink with the animals of this world.――When the time cometh, that fine buildings, rich settlements, acquired honours, and Rabbi, Rabbi, must take their leave of him, all the stately structures, which genius, learning, and imagination, have painted inwardly on his brain and outwardly on paper, must bear full witness to _Solomon_’s vanity of vanities.

♦ “beastial” replaced with “bestial”

The intellectual power, which has the best help in it, towards bringing man again into the region of divine light, is that poor, despised thing, called _simplicity_. This is that, which stops the workings of the fallen nature, and leaves room for God to work again in the soul, according to the good pleasure of his will. It stands in such a waiting posture before God, as the plants of the earth wait for the inflowing riches of the light and air. But the _self-assuming_ workings of man’s natural powers, shut him up in himself, closely barred up against the inflowing riches of the light and Spirit of God.

Yet so it is, in this fallen state of the gospel church, that with these proud endowments of fallen nature, the _classic_ scholar, full fraught with pagan light and skill, comes forth to play the _critic_ and _orator_ with the simplicity of salvation mysteries; mysteries which mean nothing else but the _inward work_ of the triune God in the soul of man.

However, to make way for _parts_, _criticism_, and _language-learning_, to have the full management of salvation doctrines, the well-read scholar gives out, that the antient way of knowing the things of God, taught, and practised by _fishermen_-apostles, is obsolete. They indeed wanted to have divine knowledge from the immediate, continual operation of the holy Spirit; but this state was only for a time, till genius, and learning entered into the pale of the church.――Behold, if ever, _the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place_!――For as soon as this doctrine is set up, that man’s natural parts, and acquired learning, have full right and power to guide men into that truth, which was once the office of the holy Spirit; it may with the greatest truth be said, that _the kingdom of God_ is shut up; and only a kingdom of Scribes, Pharisees, and Hypocrites come instead of it. For by this doctrine the whole power of gospel religion, is more denied, than by setting up _the infallibility of the Pope_; for though his claim to infallibility is false, yet he claims it under the holy Spirit; but the Protestant scholar has his divinity knowledge from himself, his own logic, and learned reason.――Christ has no where given the least power to _logic_, _learning_, or the natural powers of man, in his kingdom: he has never said to them, _Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven_; never said to them, _Go ye and teach_ all nations, no more than he hath said to wolves, Go and _feed my sheep_.

But the _letter_ of scripture hath been so long the usurped province of school-critics, and learned reasoners making their markets of it, that the difference between notional, and living, divine knowledge, is almost lost in the Christian world. So that if any awakened souls are here or there found among Christians, who think more must be known of God, of Christ, and the powers of the world to come, than every scholar can know, by reading the letter of scripture, immediately the cry of _enthusiasm_, whether it be priest, or people, is sent after them.――A procedure, which could only have some excuse, if these _critics_ could first prove, that the apostle’s text, ought to be thus read, _The Spirit killeth, but the letter giveth life_.

_The kingdom of God is like a treasure in a field_: thus far, is the true use, and utmost power of the _letter_; it can tell us of a treasure that we want, and how and where it is to be found; but a _man goeth_ and _selleth all that he hath_, and _buyeth that field_, then beginneth the _divine knowledge_, which is nothing else, but the treasure _possessed_, and _enjoyed_. For _except a man deny himself and forsake all that he hath, saith Christ, he cannot be my disciple_; that is, he cannot partake of my mind, my spirit, and my nature, and therefore cannot know me; he is only a hearer of a treasure, without entering into the possession of it. And thus it is with all scripture, the letter can only direct to the doing of that which it cannot do, and give notice of something that it cannot give.

_Good and evil_, the only objects of religious knowledge are in us, are a part of us, as _seeing and hearing_ are in us, and we can have no real knowledge of them any other way, than as we have of our own _seeing and hearing_. And as no man can get or lose his seeing or hearing, or have less, or more of them, by any ideas, or notions, that he forms about them, just so it is with real good and evil, notions and ideas have no effect upon it. Yet no other knowledge is sought after, or esteemed but that which is notional and the work of the brain.

Thus, as soon as a man of speculation can demonstrate that, which he calls the _being and attributes of God_, he thinks, and others think, that he truly _knows_ God. But what excuse can be made for such an imagination, when plain scripture has told him, that _to know God is eternal life_, that is, to know God, is to have the life, and the Spirit of God _manifested_ in him.

Again, another, forming an _opinion of faith_ from the letter of scripture, straightway imagines, that he knows what faith is, and that he is _in the faith_. Sad delusion! For to know what faith is, or that we are in the faith, is to know that Christ is in us of a truth; it is to know the power of his life, his death, his resurrection and ascension, made good in our souls. To be in the faith, is to have done with notions about it, because it is felt by its living power and fruits within us, which are _righteousness_, _peace_, and _joy_ in the Holy Ghost.

Would you divinely know the mysteries of grace and salvation? Let divine love work within you. Without this, be as learned and polite as you will, your heart is but the dark heart of fallen _Adam_, and your knowledge of the kingdom of God, will be only like that which murdering _Cain_ had.――If love is not the spirit that forms and governs every thing that proceeds from you, every thing that has your labour, your allowance and consent; you are broken off from the works of God, you are without God, and your name and nature and works, can have no other name, or nature, but pride, wrath, envy, hypocrisy, hatred, revenge and self-exaltation.――Nothing can possibly save you from being the certain prey of all these evil spirits, but that love, which is God himself, his light, and spirit within you.

But now, since divine love can have no beginning, but from the divine nature in us, therefore saith St. _John_, we love him, because he FIRST loved us: the same as saying, we desire God, because he first desired us; for we could not desire God, but because he first desired us, we could not turn to God, but because he first turned to us.

*Believe me then, thou great scholar, that all thou hast got of wisdom or learning, day after day, in any other school but this, will stand thee in as much stead, fill thee with as high comfort at the hour of death, as all the dreams which night after night, thou hast ever had in thy sleep.――And till a man knows this, with as much fullness of conviction, as he knows the vanity of a dream, he is not yet in the light of truth, not yet _taught of God_.

Behold your state ye ministers, that wait at Christian altars, who have neither faith, nor hope, nor desire of _heavenly fire_ kindled in your souls; ye have a priesthood, and an altar not fit to be named with that, which in Jewish days, had an holy fire from God, descending upon it, which made priest and sacrifice acceptable to God, though only a type of that inward celestial fire, which Christ would kindle into a never-ceasing burning, in the living temples of his new-born children.

Complain then no more of atheists, infidels, and open enemies to the gospel kingdom of God; for whilst you call heavenly fire and spirit, downright phrensy, and mystic madness, you do all that infidel work within the church, which they do on the outside of it.――And if through a learned fear of having that done to your earthly reason, which was done to _Enoch_ when God _took him_, ye will own no higher a regeneration, than a few cold drops of water sprinkled on the face, any of the Heathen gods of wood and stone, are good enough for such an _elementary_ priesthood.――For let this be told you, as a truth from God, that till _heavenly fire and spirit_ are within you, you can rise no higher by your highest learning, than to be elegant orators about scripture words. What wonder then, if sacraments, church-prayers, and preachings, leave high and low, learned and unlearned, priests and people, as unaltered in all their aged vices, as they leave children unchanged in their childish follies? For where the _only_ fountain of life and goodness is forsaken, all the difference between man and man, is as nothing with respect to the kingdom of God.――It matters not what name is given to the old man, whether he be called a zealous _churchman_, a stiff-necked _Jew_, a polite _Heathen_, or a grave _infidel_: under all these names, he has but one and the same nature, without any other difference but that, which _time_ and _place_, _education_, _complexion_, and _worldly wisdom_, happen to make. By such a one, whether he be Papist or Protestant, the gospel is only _kept_, as a book, and all that is within it, is only so much condemnation to the keeper, just as the old man, a _Jew_, hath kept the book of the law and prophets, only to be more fully condemned by them.

That the Jewish and Christian church, stand at this day in the _same kind_ of ♦apostasy, or fallen state, must be manifest to every one that will not shut his eyes. Why are the Jews in a fallen state? It is because they have refused him, who in his whole process, was the truth, the substance, the life, and fulfilling of all that, which was outwardly taught, in their law and prophets.

♦ “apostacy” replaced with “apostasy”

But is it not as easy to see, that the whole Christian church are in a fallen state, and for the same reason, because they are turned away from that holy Spirit who was given to be the _only_ life, and fulfilling of all that, which was _outwardly_ taught by the gospel. For the holy Spirit to come, was the same FULFILLING of the whole gospel, as a Christ to come, was the _fulfilling_ of the law.――The Jew therefore with his Old Testament, not owning Christ to be the truth and life, and fulfiller of their law, is in that same apostasy as the Christian with his New Testament, not owning the holy Spirit, to be his only light, guide, and governor.――For as all types in the law, were but empty shadows without Christ’s being the life and power of them, so all that is written in the gospel is but dead letter, unless the holy Spirit be, the living rememberer, and the doer of them. Therefore where the holy Spirit is not thus received, as the _whole power_, and life of the gospel-state, it is no marvel, that Christians have no more of gospel virtues, than the Jews have of patriarchal holiness, or that the same vices which prosper amongst Jews, should break forth with as much strength in fallen Christendom. For the New Testament not ending in the coming of the holy Spirit, with fulness of power over sin and hell, and the devil, is no better a help to _heaven_, than the Old Testament without the coming of a Messiah.

But here lies the great mistake, or rather idolatrous abuse of all God’s outward dispensations.――They are taken for the thing itself, for the truth and essence of religion. That which the learned Jews did with the outward letter of their law, the learned Christians do with the outward letter of their gospel.――Why did the Jewish church so furiously cry out against Christ, Let him be crucified? It was because their letter-learned ears, their worldly Spirit, and temple orthodoxy, would not bear to hear of an inward Saviour, of being born again of his Spirit, of his dwelling in them, and they in him.――To have their law of ordinances, their temple-pomp _sunk_ into such a _fulfilling_ Saviour as this, was such enthusiastic jargon to their ears, as forced their sober, rational theology, to call Christ, Beelzebub, and his doctrine blasphemy.

Our blessed Lord in a parable sets forth the blind Jews, as saying of himself, _We will not have this man to reign OVER us_.――The sober minded Christian scholar has none of this Jewish blindness, he only saith of Christ, we will not have this man to REIGN IN US, and so keeps clear of such absurdity, as St. _Paul_ fell into, when he enthusiastically said, _Yet not I, but Christ that liveth in me_.

Christian doctors reproach the old learned rabbies, for their vain faith, and carnal desire of a _glorious outward_ Christ, who should set up their temple-worship all over the world.――Vanity indeed, and blindness enough!

*But nevertheless, in these condemners of rabbinic blindness, St. _Paul_’s words are remarkably verified, viz. _Wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself, for thou that judgest, dost the same thing._――For, take away all that from Christ, which Christian doctors call enthusiasm, suppose him to be only an _outward distant_ heavenly prince, no more really in us, than our high cathedrals are in the _third heavens_, but only by an invisible hand from his throne on high, some way or other raising and helping _great scholars_, or great _temporal_ powers, to make a rock in every nation for his church to stand upon; suppose all this (which is the very marrow of modern divinity) and then you have that very _outward_ Christ, and that very _outward_ kingdom; which the carnal Jew dreamed of, and for the sake of which, the spiritual Christ was then nailed to the cross, and is still crucified by the new-rising Jew in the Christian church.

Let then the eager searcher into _words_ for wisdom, the book-devourer, the opinion-broker, the exalter of human reason, and every projecting builder of religious systems, be told, that the thirst and pride of being _learnedly wise_ in the things of God, is keeping up the grossest ignorance of them, and is nothing else but _Eve_’s old serpent, and does no better work in the church of Christ, than her thirst after wisdom did in the paradise of God.――Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth, is the only way, by which any man ever did, or ever can attain divine knowledge, and divine goodness.――To knock at any other door, is like asking life of that, which is itself dead, or praying to him for bread, who has nothing but stones to give.

Say not, that it is only the _illiterate_ enthusiast, that condemns human learning in the gospel kingdom of God. For when he condemns the blindness and mischief of Popish logic and criticism, he has all the learned Protestant world with him; and when he lays the same charge to the Protestant learning, he has a much larger kingdom of Popish great scholars, affirming the same thing. So that the private person, charging human learning with so much mischief to the church, is so far from being led by _enthusiasm_, that he is led by all the _church-learning_ that is in the world.

Again, all learned Christendom agrees in the same charge against temporal power in the church, as hurtful to every being, of a _kingdom_ that is not of this world, as supporting doctrines that human learning has brought into it.――――The _Protestant_ brings proof from a thousand years learning, that the _Pope_ is an unjust usurper of temporal power in the church, Christ’s spiritual spouse.――The Papist brings the learning of as many ages, to shew, that a temporal head of the church, is an Anti-christian usurpation.――And yet (N. B.) he who holds Christ to be the only _head_, _heart_ and _life_ of the church, and that, _no man can call_ Jesus, Lord, _but by the Holy Ghost_, passes with the learned of both these people, for a brain-sick enthusiast.――Is it not then high time, to look out for some better ground to stand upon, than such learning as this? Now look where you will, through the whole nature of things, no divine knowledge, goodness, and deliverance from sin, are any where to be found for fallen man, but in these _two points_; (1) a total entrance into the _whole process_ of Christ; (2) a total resignation to, and dependance upon the continual operation of the Holy Ghost, to be our never ceasing light, teacher, and guide into all those ways of virtue, in which he himself walked in the flesh.――All besides this, call it by what name you will, is but dead work, a vain labour of the _old man_, to new create himself.――Let the Christian world depart from this _one_ way of salvation, let any thing else be trusted to, but the _cross_ of Christ, and the _Spirit_ of Christ, and then, though _churches_, and _preachers_ and _prayers_, and _sacraments_, are every where in plenty, yet nothing better can come of it than a Christian kingdom of _Pagan vices_, along with a mouth-belief of _an holy Catholic church, and communion of saints_.――To this melancholy truth, all Christendom both at home and abroad, bears full witness. Who need be told, that there is no corruption of human nature, no kind of pride, wrath, envy, malice, and self-love; no sorts of hypocrisy, falseness, cursing, swearing, perjury, and cheating, no wantonness of lust in every kind of debauchery, but are as common all over Christendom, as towns and villages.――But to pass these by, I shall only instance in _two or three particulars_, which though little observed, and less condemned, yet fully shew, that the devil is in possession of Protestant, as well as Popish churches.

And _first_, can it be said, that _mammon_ is less _served_ by Christians, than by Jews and Infidels? Or can there be a fuller proof, that Christians, Jews, and Infidels, are equally fallen from God, since truth itself hath told us, That we _cannot serve God and mammon_? Is not this as unalterable a truth, as if it had been said, _Ye cannot serve God and Baal_? Or can it be affirmed, that the _Mammonist_ has more of Christ in him, than the _Baalist_, or is more or less an idolater for being called a Christian, a Jew, or an Infidel? Look now at all those particulars, which Christ charged upon the Jewish priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, and you will see them all acted over again in Christendom. And if God’s prophets were again in the world, they would have just the same complaints against the _fallen_ Christian church, as they had against the old carnal stiff-necked Jews, _namely, that of their silver and gold, they had made themselves idols_, Hosea viii. 4. For though figured idol-gods of gold are not now worshipped either by Jews or Christians, yet silver and gold, with that which belongs to them, is the mammon-god, that sits and reigns in their hearts. How else could be that universal strife through all Christendom, who should stand in the richest and highest place, to preach up the humility of Christ, and offer spiritual sacrifices unto God? What God but mammon could put into the hearts of Christ’s ambassadors, to make, or want to make a gain of that gospel, which from the beginning to the end, means nothing else but _separation_ from every view, temper and affection, that has any connexion with _the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life_? Our blessed Lord said a word to the Jews, that might well have made their ears to tingle, when he told them, that they _had made his Father’s house a den of thieves_; because sheep and oxen were sold, and money-changers sitting in the outer court of the temple. Now if you will say, that mammon has brought forth no prophanation like this in our Christian church, your best proof must be this, because our church-sale is not oxen and sheep, but holy things, cures of souls, parsonages, vicarages, &c. and our money-changers, our buyers and sellers, are chiefly consecrated persons.

Look at things spiritual, and things temporal, and say if you can, that the same arts, the same passions, and worldly wisdom, are not as active in the one, as in the other. For if Christ at leaving the world, had said to his disciples, labour to be rich, make full provision for the flesh, be conformed to the world, court the favour and interest of great men, cloath yourselves with all the ♦worldly honours, distinctions, and powers ye can get; I appeal to every man, whether Popish and Protestant churches need do any thing else, than that which they _now_ do, to prove their faithfulness to such a master, and their full obedience to his precepts.

♦ “wordly” replaced with “worldly”

Again, _Secondly, Ye have heard_, saith our Lord, that it hath _been said by them of old; thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shall perform unto the Lord, thine oaths_. But _I say unto you, swear not at all_. But notwithstanding this, through town and country, in all ignorant villages, in all learned colleges, in all courts spiritual and temporal, what with law-oaths, corporation-oaths, office-oaths, trade-oaths, qualification-oaths, simony-oaths, bribery-oaths, election-oaths, &c. &c. &c. there is more swearing and for-swearing, than all history reports of any idol-worshipping nations. It was said of old, _because of swearing, the land mourneth_: It is full as true to say now, because of swearing, the land rejoiceth in iniquity, is full of prophaneness, and without any fear or awe of the divine Majesty, daily swallowing down all manner of oaths, with as much serious reflection, as pot-companions swallow down their liquor.

But to proceed to a third instance of the full power of Antichrist, through every part of governing Christendom.

In the darkest ages of Romish superstition, a martial spirit of zeal for the gospel, broke forth in kings, cardinals, bishops, monks, and friars, to lead the sheep of Christ, saints, pilgrims, penitents, and sinners of all kinds, to proceed in battle array, to kill, devour, and drive the Turks from the land of _Palestine_, and the old earthly _Jerusalem_. These blood-thirsty expeditions were called an holy war, because it was a fighting for the holy land; they were called also a croisade, because crucifixes made the greatest glitter amongst the sharpened instruments of human murder. Thus under the banner of the cross, went forth an army of church wolves, to destroy the lives of those, whom the Lamb of God died on the cross to save.

The light which broke out at the reformation, abhorred the bloody zeal of these Catholic heroes. But what followed from this new risen, reforming light, what came forth instead of these _holy crusades_? Why wars, if possible, still more diabolical. Christian kingdoms with blood-thirsty piety, destroying, devouring and burning one another, for the sake of that which was called Popery, and that which was called Protestantism.

Now who can help seeing, that Satan, had here a much greater triumph over Christendom, than in all the holy wars that went before? For all that was then done, by such high-spirited fighters for old _Jerusalem_’s earth, could not be said to be done against _gospel-light_, because not one in a thousand of these holy warriors was allowed to see what was in the gospel. But now, with the gospel open in every one’s hands, Papists and Protestants make open war against every _divine virtue_, which can unite them with the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world; I say, against every divine virtue of the Lamb of God, for these are _the enemies_ which Christian war conquers. For there is not a virtue of gospel-goodness, but has its death-blow from it. Now fancy to yourself, Christ, after his divine sermon on the mount, putting himself at the head of a blood-thirsty army, or St. _Paul_ going forth with a squadron of fire and brimstone, to make more havock in human lives, than a devouring earthquake.

But if this be too blasphemous an absurdity to be supposed, what follows, but that the Christian who acts in the fury of war, acts in full contrariety to the whole nature of Christ, and can no more be said to be led by his Spirit, than those his enemies, who _came forth with swords and staves to take him_.

When a _Most Christian Majesty_ with his Catholic church, sings a _Te Deum_ at the high altar, for rivers of Protestant blood poured out; or an evangelic church sings praise to the holy Lamb of God, for helping them from his holy throne in heaven, to make Popish towns like to Sodom and Gomorrah, they blaspheme God, as much as _Cain_ would have done, had he offered a sacrifice of praise to God, for helping him to murder his brother. Let such worshippers of God be told, that the field of blood gives all its glory to Satan, who was a murderer from the beginning, and will to the end of his reign, be the only receiver of all the glory, that can come from it.

A glorious _Alexander_ in the Heathen world, is a shame and reproach to human nature, and does more mischief to mankind in a few years, than all wild beasts have done from the beginning of the world. But the same hero making the same ravage from country to country with Christian soldiers, has more thanks from the devil, than twenty Pagan _Alexanders_. To make men kill men, is meat and drink to their roaring adversary, who goeth about seeking whom he may devour. But to make Christians kill Christians for the sake of Christ’s church, is his highest triumph over the highest mark, which Christ hath set upon those whom he has purchased by his blood. _This commandment_, saith he, _I give unto you, that ye love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another as I have loved you._

Can the _duellist_, who had rather sheath his sword in the bowels of his brother, than stifle that which he calls an affront, can he be said to have this mark of his belonging to Christ? Now, what is the difference between the haughty duellist meeting his adversary with sword and pistol behind a hedge, and two kingdoms with their high-spirited regiments slaughtering one another in the field of battle? It is the difference that is between the murder of one man, and the murder of an hundred thousand.

Now imagine the duellist _fasting_ and _confessing_ his sins to God to-day, because he is engaged to fight his brother to-morrow; fancy again the conqueror got into his closet, on his bended knees, lifting up hands and heart to God, for blessing his weapons with the death of his brother; and then you have a pictured in _little_ of great piety, that begins and ends the wars all over heavenly Christendom!

What blindness can be greater, than to think that a Christian kingdom, can have any other goodness, or union with Christ, but that very goodness, which makes the private Christian to be one with him, and a partaker of the divine nature? Or that pride, wrath, ambition, envy, covetousness, rapine, revenge, hatred, and murder, are only the _works of the devil_, whilst they are committed by private, or single men; but when carried on by all the strength and authority, all the hearts, hands, and voices of a whole nation, that the devil is then quite driven out of them, loses all his right and power in them, and they become holy matter of church thanksgivings, and the sacred oratory of pulpits?

Look at that which the private Christian is to do to his neighbour, or his enemy, and you see that very thing, which one Christian kingdom is to do to another.

Now suppose a man, redeemed from his fallen nature, by Christ formed in his soul, and then he can no more be hired to kill men gloriously in the field, than to carry a dark lanthorn by night to a _powder-plot_.

The temporal miseries which war carries along with it, wherever it goes, are neither to be numbered nor expressed. What thievery bears any proportion to that, which with the boldness of drum and trumpet, plunders the innocent of all that they have? And if themselves are left alive, with all their limbs, or their daughters unravished, they have many times, only the ashes of their consumed houses to lie down upon. What honour has war not gotten, from its tens and tens of hundreds of thousands of men slaughtered on heaps, with as little regret or concern, as at loads of rubbish thrown into a pit? Who, but the fiery dragon, would put wreaths of laurel, on such heroes heads? Who but he, could say unto them, _Well done, good and faithful servants_?

But there is still an evil of war much greater, though less regarded. Who reflects, how many hundreds of thousands, nay millions of _young men_, born into this world for no other end, but that they may be born again, and from sons of _Adam_’s misery, become sons of God, and fellow-heirs with Christ in everlasting glory; who reflects, I say, what nameless numbers of these, are robbed of God’s precious gift of life, before they have known the sole benefit of living; who are not suffered to stay in this world, till age and experience have done their best for them, have helped them to know the inward voice of God’s Spirit, helped them to find, and feel that curse, and sting of sin and death, which must be taken from within them, before they can die the death of the righteous; but instead of this, have been either forced, or tempted in the fire of youth, and full of strength of sinful lusts, to forget God, eternity, and their own souls, and rush into a kill or be killed, with as much furious haste, and goodness of spirit, as _tiger_ kills _tiger_ for the sake of his prey?

That God’s providence over his fallen creatures, is a providence of love and salvation, turning through ways of infinite wisdom, sooner or later, all kinds of evil into _good_, making that which was lost to be found, that which was dead, to be alive again; not willing that one single sinner should want that, which can save him from eternal death, is a truth as certain, as that God’s name is, I AM that I AM.

Amongst the unfallen creatures in heaven, God’s name and nature, is LOVE, LIGHT, and GLORY. To the fallen sons of _Adam_, that which was _love_, _light_, and _glory_ in heaven, becomes infinite PITY and COMPASSION on earth, in a God, cloathed with the nature of his fallen creature, bearing all its infirmities, entering into all its troubles, and in meek innocence, living a life, and dying a death, of all the sufferings due to sin. Hence it was, that when this DIVINE PITY suffered its own life-giving blood to be poured on the ground, all outward nature made full declaration of its atoning, and redeeming power; the strength of the earth did quake, the hardness of rocks was forced to split, and long-covered graves to give up their dead. A certain presage, that all kinds of hellish _wrath_, _malice_, _pride_, _envy_, and earthly _passions_, which kept men under the power of Satan, must have the fullness of death, from that all powerful, all purifying blood of the Lamb, which will never cease washing RED into white, till all the sons of _Adam_ are fit for their several mansions in their heavenly Father’s house.

Sing, O ye heavens, and shout all the lower parts of the earth, for this is OUR GOD that varies not, whose first creating love knows no change, but into a _redeeming pity_ towards all his fallen creatures.

*Look now at _warring Christendom_, what smallest drop of pity towards sinners is to be found in it? Or how could a spirit all hellish, more fully contrive and hasten their destruction? It stirs up every passion of fallen nature, that is contrary to the humble, meek, loving, forgiving, Spirit of Christ. It drives, and compels nameless numbers of unconverted sinners to fall, murdering and murdered, among flashes of fire, with the wrath and swiftness of lightning, into a fire infinitely worse than that in which they died. O sad subject for thanksgiving days, whether in Popish, or Protestant churches! For if there is a joy of all the angels in heaven, for _one sinner_ that repenteth, what a joy must there be in hell over such multitudes of sinners, not suffered to repent? And if they who have _converted many to righteousness, shall shine as the stars in the firmament for ever_, what woe may they not fear, whose proud wrath and vain glory, have robbed such numberless troops of poor wretches, of all time and place of knowing what righteousness they wanted, for the salvation of their immortal souls!

*Here my pen trembles in my hand; but when, O when will one single Christian church, people, or language, tremble at the share they have in this death of sinners!

*For the GLORY OF HIS MAJESTY’S ARMS, said once a _Most Christian King_: Now if, at that time, his Catholic church had called a solemn assembly to unite hearts and voices in this pious prayer, “O blessed Jesus, dear redeeming Lamb of God, who camest down from heaven, to save mens lives, and not destroy them, go along we humbly pray thee, with our bomb-vessels and fire-ships, suffer not our thundering cannon to roar in vain, but let thy tender hand of love and mercy, direct _their_ balls to more heads and hearts of thine own redeemed creatures, than the poor skill of man is able of itself to do.” Had such prayers had more of the _son of perdition_ in them, than the Most Christian King’s glorying in his arms?

*Again, would you farther see the fall of the universal church, look at all _European Christendom_ sailing round the globe, with fire and sword, and every murdering art of war, to seize the possessions, and kill the inhabitants of _both the Indies_. What natural right of man, what supernatural virtue was not here trodden under foot? All that you ever read or heard of Heathen barbarity, was here outdone by Christian conquerors. And to this day, what wars of Christians against Christians, blended with _scalping_ Heathens, still keep staining the _earth_ and the _seas_ with human blood, for a miserable share in the spoils of a plundered Heathen world! A world, which should have heard, or seen, or felt nothing from the followers of Christ, but a divine love, that had forced them from distant lands, and through the perils of long seas, to visit strangers with those glad tidings of peace and salvation to all the world, which angels from heaven, and shepherds on earth, proclaimed at the birth of Christ.