THE Words of the Text give us an account both of the Reason and Ways and means whereby the great work of Conversion was wrought upon these Thessa [...]onians, so as to be turn'd from their Infidelity, and Idolatry, unto GOD as it is in Verse the 9th, That they were turned to GOD from Idols to serve the Living and True GOD, and to wait for his SON from Heaven V. 10. which as they did then, (tho' there are now passed since that time above Sixteen Hundred Years until now▪) so do all the Faithful now alive, still wait for the same; even for the outward and visible appearance o [...] our Lord Jesus Christ, in his Glorified Body; having the true and intire Nature of Man most highly glorified to judge both the quick and the dead, at the great Day of Judgment: This all True Christians wait for, and have all along wasted for, with a Fresh and Lively Hope, in all ages of Christianity past, and will so do, [...] [...]mes, with as [...] and [...]v [...]ly Expectation, as if it were nigh at Ha [...]d.

AND not only were these Thessalonians Converted from their [...] and [...] to GOD, but at their Conversion▪ they were indeed with Heavenly Graces and Virtues, mentioned V. 3d. [Page 2] of this Chapter, such as the work of Faith, the labour of Love, and patience of Hope; i [...] which, and in all other Godly Virtues, they became Followers of the Lord, and of his Holy Apostles; and were [...] to all the Faithful of the Neighbouring Churches, as in Ver. 6 and 7.

[...] ▪ and Wa [...] ▪ and Means whereby this good and happy Change was wrought on them, as above mentioned, was by the [...] which was preach'd unto 'em by St. Paul, and other his Fellow Labourours▪ as [...] and Timotheus mentioned in the beginning of the Epistle.

THE Gospel hath this singular Excellency in it above the Moral Philosophy taught by the be [...] of the H [...]then Philosophers, and also above the Law of Moses singly and abstractly considered, that a converting power goeth along with it to such to whom it is preach'd in the truth and sincerity of it's Doctrine; and on this account it is called by St. Paul, the power of God to Salvation to every one that believeth, Rom. 1 16. Whereas the same Apostle St. Paul saith of the Law, that it was weak (Rom. 8▪ 3. through the flesh, and that neither Justification nor Life could be had by it; Gal. 2 21. and 3 21. which is not to be so understood, as if either before the Law, or in the time of the Law, many Sinners were not converted unto God▪ but whoever were converted, either before the Law or in the time of the Law, their conversion was wrought not by the Law, but by the Gospel, that was both before it, and in the time of it: for as the Scripture saith, the Gospel was preach'd to Abraham, and not only was it preach'd to Abraham, but to Adam and Eve ( [...]n that primitive Promise given after the Fall, concerning the seed of the Woman which should bruise the head of the Serpent, and to all the Faithful in all ages) Gen.3 15.

BUT it pleased God, that the preaching of the Gospel, in the most ample and clear manner, and with the greatest Power and Ex­tent, so as not only to extend to the Nation of the Jews, but to the Gentile Nations▪ should be reserved to the coming of the Messiah in the flesh, and his Death and Pa [...]ss [...]on Resurrection and Ascention and that for the greater Honour of our Blessed Saviour, who by his Death abolished Death, (and him who had the power of it) i. e, [Page 3] the Devil, and by the Gospel; as it began more especially, after his Passion to be Preached by the Holy Apostles, and others, has brought life and immortality (more abundantly) to light. 2 Tim. 1. 9 On the words of the Text, more particularly I purpose (God assisting me) to speak to these four things following.

I. What St. Paul here means by the Gospel.

II. Why, and how he calls it our Gospel.

III. How, and after what way it wrought the conversion of those [...], and daily works the conversion of Sinners to whom it is preached in the sincerity of its doctrine.

IV. And Lastly, how that assurance was wrought in them men­tioned in the Text, both with respect to their being assured of the truth of it▪ and also of their conversion by it.

AND not to insist much on the latter part of the Text, as ye know what manner of Men we were among you for your sake, and as it is Chap▪ 2 10. Ye are witnesses and God also, how holyly, justly and [...] we behaved our selves among ye that believe, they afford us this profitable observation.

THAT where the Preachers of the Gospel are of Exemplary Lives and Conversations, in all Godlyness and Virrue, the preach­ing of it will have the greater Effect upon the hearens, which yet is not to suspend the Efficacy of it upon the Holyness of the Minister, for he who lives according to the Gospel which he preacheth, he builds up, both with his Doctrine and Life; but he who preacheth Sound Doctrine, and his manner of Life and Conversation is con­trary, he as it were throws down with the one hand, what he builds up with the other.

To begin then with the first,

I. What St. Paul here means by the Gospel.

IT might be thought a needless labour in a Christian Congre­gation and Countty, such as this by Profession is, to resolve such a question, seeing every Sincere Professor of Christianity doth know what the Gospel is; but yet considering the false notion of the Gospel that false Teachers, who swarm in divers party of Christ­endom, and do too much abound in these American parts, as else­where, have vented, and continue to vent, and [...]ro [...]ch, to the great [Page 4] hurt of Souls, to the begetting in their Hearers a false Faith, and to the overthrowing the true Faith, where they can prevail; I hope it will be acceptable to this Auditory, to hear me give you a descrip­tion of the true Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Holy Scripture, which I [...]hall God willing do, after I have shewed you the false notion of the Gospel, which these false Teachers publish as if it were the true, which is another Gospel, not true but false; for there is but one true Gospel: And so by preaching this false Gospel to their Hearers, they bung themselves under the Curse Gal. 1 8;

THE false Gospel which these false Teachers do teach to these Hearers is this, that the eight within every Man and Woman that comes into the World, that reproves some common sins, and instructs them in some common duties of general Piety towards God as Creator, and of common morality, of temperance, and justice &c. among Men, is the Gospel yea the whole Gospel, and that there is nothing beside or beyond that; that is the Gospel. And this light within, every Man and Woman they say is sufficient to Salvation without any thing else, as some of their chief Authors affirm; and as others say, is a sufficient guide to Salvation, even without the Holy Scriptures, tho' they generally confess, that this light within them, without the Holy Scriptures teacheth them nothing of Christ without them, as he is both God and Man, as he was miraculously conceiv'd by the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin, and born of Her, as he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried, rose and as­cended &c. nor indeed doth it teach them any one intire Article of the Apostles Creed, from whence it evidently appeareth that the whole Creed, and every one of the Articles of that Creed, is ex­cluded by [...]them to be any part of their Gospel.

THE utmost extent of their Gospel reaches no further, but to the Principles and Precepts of Natural Religion, and excludes all the peculiar Doctrines, Precepts, Promises and Threatnings which God delivered by Special Revelation to his Holy Prophets and A­postles, and which were by them committed to Writing, and [...] delivered us in the Holy Scriptures from being any part of that Gospel.

[Page 5]NOW though the Principles of Natural Religion which are the Results of our enlightned Reason, enlightened by the Father of Lights, and by that True Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, Jam. 1 17. John 1 9. are all good and necessary in their place, and are all and every one of them Record­ed in the Holy Scripture, and particularly in the Books of the Holy Evangelists, and the Epistles of the Holy Apostles; and in that re­spect, as so delivered, may be said, and ought to be [...]teemed, to belong to the Gospel in a general way, as common both to Reveal­ed and Natural Religion; as the genius or kind of Animal or living Creature belongs both to Man and Beast, yet as Men and Beasts are distinguished in specie by this specifical difference, that Man is an intelligent rational Being, capable to know God and to enjoy him, and capable of a great deal of knowledge, in the Creation, which Beasts are not capable of, so no less Revealed Religion, with the Principles and Precepts thereof &c. differs specifically from Na­tural, with respect to what is specifical and peculiar to the same; in fine, as all the true Principles of Natural Religion, directed by the Light within, generally common to all Mankind, and which all Mankind have, or at least may have without Special Reveala­tion, are contained within Revealed Religion: so the Revealed Religion, by which I mean the Christian Religion, doth contain a great many more Principles, which are the Fundamentals thereof; as also divers positive Precepts, and precious Promises, as well as severe Threatnings, together with most Excellent Examples of holy Life, and other most useful Historical Instructions, that Natural Religion doth nothing reach unto.

* Note, that Natural Religion is so called from the subject Recipi­ent, which is the very nature of Man, whereas the Author of it, and principal Efficient is God, as truly as he is of Revealed Religion.

For Example, It is a Principle of Natural Religion, that God is, and that he made the World, that he is True and Faithful, Good, Just and Wise, that he cannot deceive nor be deceived, that he is to be Loved, Feared, Worshipped and Praised by all Mankind; and [Page 6] that Men should be just, sober and m [...]ck, and do to all Men, as they would have all Men do to them: And as Natural Religion dictates all this without the Lines of Holy Scripture, and without all special Revealation, so special Revelation given to the Prophets under the Old Testament, and enlarged to the Apostles under the New contains all this, and Christ himself did utter that Golden Rule, whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you, do ye the same to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets; which in substance is also a Principle or Precept of Natural Religion.

BUT He did not say it is all which the Law and Prophets con­tain, as necessary to be believed and practised in order to Salvati­on; and consqeuently neither that, nor all the other Principles, and Precepts of Natural Religion, are the whole contents of the Gos­pel, nay, nor are they either the greatest or most excellent parts, but these are the most excellent parts of the Gospel, which deliver to us those most Sublime Doctrines, Precepts and Promises con­cerning Gods Love to us in Christ, and that High and Holy Cal­ling, he has called us with unto Holyness and Righteousness, as the means, and eternal Life and Happiness as the end, which no Light of Natural Religion doth lead us unto, alone and by it self considered.

AND though sincere obedience to all the Precepts of Natural Religion is most necessary to every Christian in order to Salvation, yet the peculiar Principles of Christianity, such as Revealed Reli­gion is, doth afford us far more noble Motives to excite us to obe­dience, as well as far greater inward Aids and Assistances: to wit, those of Gods special Grace, are given us through the Gospel; so that which St. Paul said of the Law writt in Stone given of God to the Jews, that it was weak and could not make perfect; the same may be said of Natural Religion, and the Laws and Precepts there­of, commonly called the Law of Nature, whereof Nature i [...] the subject Recipient, but God is the great Author and Efficient.

Having thus shewed you what that false Gospel is, of false teach­ers that are come into these parts of the World, and have [...] Dis­ciples and Followers here away, as well as elsewhere. I proceed now to show you out of the Holy Scriptures, what St. Paul [...] [Page 7] by the Gospel here, and what is meant generally by it in the Holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament; for though the word or term Gospel is more frequent in the New Testament, yet it is to be found more than once in the Old Testament, as Isa. 61 1. and that quoted in Rom. 10 15. out of Isa. 52 7.

The greek word that is translated Gospel signifieth glad tydings, or a good and joyful message, and according to this, the true defi­nition of the Gospel is, that it is a doctrin of such glad tydings to Sinners, as holds forth to them the promises of eternal Life and Salvation through [...]aith in Jesus Christ, and obedience to his com­mands delivered us by his Holy Evangeli [...]s, Prophets and Apostles in the Holy Scriptures, containing certain high and sublime, and yet most necessary Articles and Principles of Faith, that are the fun­damentals of the Christian Religion; such as the doctrin of the H. Trinity, the Incarnation of the Son, and how that he is both God and Man, yet one Lord Jesus Christ; how [...] is our Prophet, Priest and King, our Prophet to teach us outwardly by his Word, and in­wardly by his Spirit; our Priest, as he offer'd up himself a Sacrifice without [...]ot to God, well pleasing and acceptable to him, upon the Cross; who made there (by his own oblation of himself once of­fred) a full, perfect and sufficient Sacrifice, Oblation and Satisfacti­on for the sins of the whole World. A King, to command, guide and govern us by his holy Laws, delivered us in the H. Scriptures, as well of the Old Testament (excepting the Ceremonial parts, and some positive judicial Laws peculiar to the Jewish Nation) as of the New, and to protect and defend us here in this World, and to crown us with the reward of an eternal Inheritance in the World to come, who has promis'd to write these his laws in our hearts, and to give us his holy Spirit to [...]able and incline us to perform sincere obedience to him, from his shedding abroad his Love in our Hearts, which is the great motive of all sincere Christian Obedi­ence, and indeed the doctrin of the Holy Trinity, as well as of the incarnation of the Son, are such fundamental doctrins of Christiani­ty (as well as th [...]se other contained in the Apostles Creed▪ where­of the Nic [...]n [...] and Athanasian [...]reeds are the explanations) that the removal or denyal of them, is a denyal of the Christian Religion, [Page 8] for without the doctrin of the Holy Trinity, which those false Teachers make no part o [...] their Gospel, and which many of them [...] and argue against, not only there being [...] but against there being three, otherwise than n [...] three Manifesta­tions or Operations, (which was the old [...]) and that i [...] they be three, they are either three substances, and word [...] [...] three Gods, or three Nothings, and so they are three Nothings as they conclude.

[So hath W. P. argued in his sandy foundation]

NOW without the doctrin of the Holy Trinity, how can we understand that Saying of our Blessed Saviour? That God so loved the World, that he gave his only beloved Son, that whoever be­lieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life John 1 16.

And as God the Father gave us his dear Son to die for us, so as the Scripture testifieth. Jesus Christ the Son gave himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity, Titus 2 14. He died for our Sins, that we might die to Sin, and live to him who died for us. He suffer'd most grievous pains and dolours both of Body and Soul to expiate our Sins, and reconcile us to God. And though his bodily suffer­ings were great, yet the sufferings of his Soul were far greater, in so much that he said, his Soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, he poured forth his Soul unto death, yet his Soul did not die; but had his Soul been capable of death, the sufferings of his Soul were so great as might have slain it, but being immortal it could not die▪

These are the great motives which the Gospel furnisheth us with, to constrain us to love God and Christ, and yield ready obedience to their Commands.

Thus he who was God, equal and one in Essence with the Father became Man, and humbled himself to the shameful, painful and cursed Death of the Cross, to make us, the Sons of God. And for­asmuch as the Children were partakers of Flesh and Blood, he took part of the same (as well as a true reasonable Soul of Man) there­fore he is not ashamed to call us Brethren, Heb. 2 1 [...]. H [...] took not on him the nature of Angels, but the seed of Abraham, and because [...]e took not the nature of Angels, therefore he was no Sacrifice for [Page 9] Sins for the fallen Angels, but for the Sins of the whole World, of Mankind, and had been there ever so many worlds, his Sacrifice had been sufficient for them all that descended of Adam. And tho' the Holy Angels than stood, had him not to propitiate for them, yet he is become their Head, and they own their standing and per­severance to him who is their Head, Lord and King.

BUT in Reverse to all this, those false Teachers, as they preach a false Notion of the Gospel, as if it were nothing but the light within them, as it dictates those common principles of Moral Piety, Justice and Temperance, so they teach a false Notion of Christ within, his being their Priest within, and offering himself a Sacrifice within them to appease the wrath of God, and because without shedding of blood as the Scripture saith, there is no remis­sion of Sins, they have a false Notion of Christs Blood shed within them, denying his Blood that was outwardly shed on the Tree of the Cross to be the Blood of the Covenant, for the remission of Sin, arguing that the Covenant is inward and Spiritual, and that So is the Blood of it; and because that Blood is called the Blood of God in Scripture, that therefore it was not the Blood of Christs Huma­nity, but of Christ as he was God; affirming that the Blood is the Life, and the Life is the Light, and the Light is within.

[All this is proved in my printed Narratives.]

BUT now let us hear what account the Holy Scripture giveth us of the Gospel, what it is, and what it teacheth, as any natural Science is best defined by what it teacheth, as we best define Geo­metry, Navigation and Astronomy by what they teach, so to define the Gospel is to [...]how what the Gospel teacheth, and especially the peculiar Doctrins, Precepts and Promises o [...] it.

THUS the Angel that preach'd our Saviours Birth to the Shep­heards, said to them Luke 2 10. Behold I bring you the Gospel, or good Tydings of great Joy, which shall [...]e to all People, as being one great Fundamental of the Gospel; [...] St. Paul defines the Gospel which he was sent to preach, Rom. 1 3. by what it taught co [...]cern­ing Jesus Christ, made of the Seed of David according to the flesh, and [...] to [...]e the Son of God with power [...]y his Resurrection from the dead, and generally in his Epistles, and way of preaching, he [Page 10] shewed him to be both God and Man yet one Lord Jesus Christ.

AND that he dyed for our Sins 1 (or. 15 3. according to the Scriptures, S. Paul makes it to be one of the first things he preach'd to the C [...]rinthians belonging to the Gospel according to the Scrip­tures, and that he was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and as he preached it as one of the first peculiar doctrins of the Gospel, that Christ died for our Sins and rose again, so he held it forth as a standing doctrin necessary to be remembred by the most grown Christians, and to be meditated upon, which was his own practice 2 Cor. 5 14. and which he recommended to Tim [...]thy, 2 [...]im. 28. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David [...] from the dead according to my Gospel.

THIS refutes that vile Error of such o [...] those false Teachers, that say the Death and Resurrection of Christ is not to be remem­bred nor preached, most grosly perverting the Gospel, or as others [...]ay, it is not needful to be minded by them that are spiritual, and know Christ in them, the doctrin of Christ without, as he suffered death in the flesh and rose again, being in their account but as a Primmer of Horn book, that is, not to be minded by them that are grown up to maturity, but surely S. Paul and holy Timothy were beyond them all, and yet we see S. Paul did recommend this Sub­ject to him, to remember and meditate upon. And should we not be most ungrateful to our dear Lord, not to remember him continu­ally, who as [...]e once dyed for us, so he ever lives to make intercession for us, and continually presses to his Father in Heaven the merit of his Passion, for the forgiveness of our Sins. And though his Priestly Office upon Earth for us was finished on the Cross, yet in Heaven he is a Priest for ever to render God propitious to us, Psalm 110 V. 4.

II. The Second Thing I proposed to speak to was why and how S. Paul calls it our Gospel.

THIS I shall answer briefly, because it was his and his Bre­threns instrumentally and ministerially, as it was Gods and Christs Gospel principally and chiefly, being the great Authors of it; even as the Doctrin which the Apostles preached, is called the Apostles Doctrin; and this affords us a worthy observation, that the Gospel [Page 11] is not meer Power, or Spirit, or Light within, without all words or form of doctrin outwardly delivered by the ministry of Men, but it is a ministry of words by Men, as well as it has an inward mini­stry of Power, and of the Holy Ghost, that doth accompany it. It comes not to Men, in Power and in the Holy Ghost without words and doctrin, nor in word only, without the power of the Holy Ghost, where it is made instrumental to convert Sinners to God, but it comes both in words and power of the Holy Ghost to such who are converted by it, and though it work not irresistably, nor without Mens concurrance who are converted by it, yet it worketh so effectually, and also so gently and gradually, that it obtaineth its end, in all the Heirs of Salvation, that in due time, it works a through Conversion in them and upon them; though the begining of the work of conversion be as a seed, the least of all seeds, yet it takes Root in the good Ground, and b [...]ings [...]orth in season the hun­dred, sixty, or thirty [...]old.

III. To the Third, how and after what way and manner, and by what helps, the Gospel wrought Conversion upon those Thessa­lo [...]ians, and daily works the conversion of Sinners to whom it is preached, and who are converted by it.

TO this I answer,, tho' the doctrin of the Gospel has most ex­cellent Reasons, and Arguments to move and perswade Sinners to turn to God by Faith, and Repentance, yet it is not effectual of and by it self, to turn any to God; but it is made effectual, as it comes to the Consciences and Hearts of Sinners in Power, and in the Holy Ghost, according to the words of the Text, our Gospel (said Paul) came unto you not in word only; but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, for unconverted persons are dead in Sins and Trespasses, are spiritually blind and deaf, and alltogether lame and impotent and under the power of Satan, and held in captivity to him as his slaves, therefore it must be a stronger power, than the power o [...] Satan that must convert a Sinner, and that is the mighty power of God, and of the Holy Ghost, to quicken the dead Soul, to open the Eyes of the Mind, and to unstop the Ears of the Soul and to heal the spiritual lameness and impotency of it.

AND thus the Power of the Holy Ghost, which is also the [Page 12] power of God the Father and of his Son, works by and with the Word, to wit the external Word; to illuminate the Understanding with a saving knowledge of the truths of the Gospel, working also conviction of Sin, and contrition of Heart for [...]in, and deep Humiliation and Repentance, and also the same power worketh up­on the Will and Affections to turn them from the love of Sin, and Vice to the love of God and of Christ, and to all Holyness, Right­eousness and Virtue, gradually destroying in them Sin and Vice, and planting and raising up in them all Christian Virtues and fruits of the Spirit, and all this gradually, as we are workers together with God, and by his help, for as it is God who worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure, so he commandeth us, from this noble encouragement, to work out our salvation, (i. e. the Terms and Conditions of it) with fear and trembling: So that we must not be meerly passive in our Conversion, as so many Stocks and Stones, but as Reasonable Creatures, working together with him; and following after him as he gently leads and draws us.

THE Power mentioned here in the Text, and which ordinarily wrought the Conversion of Sinners in the Apostles Days, was not altogether the Power of Miracles, but the sanctifying Power, and Grace of the Holy Ghost; whereby many were converted, who never saw a Miracle wrought, tho' they heard of that Miraculous Power; as we also have heard of it, from many more witnesses, to wit, the constant testimony of many thousands of all these past ages since the days of the Apostles, the bare [...] of Miracles never converted any, without the inward power of saving and sanctifying Grace, but the power of saving and sanctifying Grace hath convert­ed many thousands, and still doth, without the power of Miracles. The Church of God hath been in all ages, and a Ministry, and con­verting Power attending it, but the Church hath been o [...]t without having the power of Miracles; and may be, and is well enough with it. And as for the Miraculous Gifts of Tongues, and other extra­ordinary Inspirations of the Spirit [...]. Paul said, that they should cease, when Faith Hope and Charity (all which are more excellent and most necessary) should remain. [...] Cor. 138. 13.

BUT because the Church of England and other Protestant [Page 13] Churches lay not claim to the Power of working Miracles, and ex­traordinary inspirations, such as the Papists, and some of the Qua­kers lay claim to, by their [...]ained Miracles.

* As Geo: Fox the Quakers great Apostle has done, as is to be seen in divers places of his printed Journal.

* Therefore those false Teachers, falsly charge the Church of England with denying all inward operations and inspirations of the Holy Spirit in the Hearts of the faithful, which are of a sanctifying nature; and thus by their Lyes and Falshoods those false Teachers have prevailed to draw away many Proseli [...]es after them, both here away and else where. But that the Church of England doth own the inward sactifying Inspirations of the Holy Spirit, and the ne­cessity of them, for our sanctification, and to enable us to perform all Christian Duties acceptably to God, is evident from the daily publick Prayers in the publick Offices, where [...]he prays for the Ca­tholick Church, that God would inspire her continually with the spirit of Truth Unity and Concord, and in the Collect before the Ten Com­mandments she prayeth thus, Clea [...]se the thoughts of our Hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee and worthily magnify thy holy Name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Is i [...] not therefore a sad Victory which those false Teachers boast over the Church of England▪ whose foundation is laid in notorious lying and falshoods, as well as in Anti-Christian Principles.

THIS serves also to confute the false pretence of the manner of Conversion, among the Quakers, by a meer inward power, with­out the ministry of the written word, and without all doctrin, which may well be called (as some have called it) a dumb Gospel, and on this pretext they ground their [...]ent meetings, and two of their no­ted Preachers I could name, who have owned in Print their conver­sion [...]o Quakerism by the power that seized on them in the Quakers [...]il [...]nt meetings. But surely this manner of conversion is [...]orreign to the Holy Scriptures, S. Paul indeed was miraculously converted, [...]ut not without all words and doctri [...], all the holy Prophets were converted and saved by means of the doctrin of salvation, as well as by inward operation of the Holy Spirit, though some of them were converted without all Ministry of Men,

[Page 14]THOUGH the Church of God had not always the word and doctrin committed to writing, yet she had the same word and doc­trine for substance, in the breasts and mouths of the faithful, as well before it was committed to writing as since, and never in any age of the World did God Almighty convert any Nation, City or [...]amily without the Word and Doctrin, nor ever did he convert any one person without all Doctrin, nor indeed without the Doctrin of Salvation by Jesus Christ, so [...] as we can read in the Holy Scrip­ture, for the Word, to wit the doctrinal Word, is the incorruptable Seed of which all the Children of God are born, and in Gods ordi­nary way, it was by an external Word; and if in an extraordinary way, it was by such an internal Word, that it directed and led the Minds of such who were so extraordinarily converted to Faith in Jesus Christ for remission of sin, for to him gave all the Prophets wit­ness that through his Name, whosoever believeth in him shall have remission of sins, Acts 10 4 [...]. we read of no such conversion any where in Scripture, that any were converted by their meerly turn­ing into any light within them that taught them nothing of Faith in the promised Messiah.

S. Paul puts the believing Romans in mind how they were con­verted Rom. 6 17. ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrin which was delivered unto you, or as it may be translated, and as some Bibles have it in the Margin, into which ye were delivered, as to [...]ay moulded, as when Mettal of Copper or any other Mettall. after it is melted by the heat of the fire is poured into a mould, and thereby has the form of the mould into which it is cast, even so our hard Hearts needed the operation of the Spirit of God inwardly to melt them, and [...]o to mould and frame them to be con [...]formable to the image of Christ, by mean [...] of the form of doctrin which was deliver'd to us, or unto which we were delivered. But those false Teachers will allow no other Word but the light within, and deny the Word contained in the holy Scriptures to be the Word of God, and have dared all their Adversaries to prove any such Phrase in Scripture, as [...]he written Word, whereas it is expresly found in John 15 25. and such of them who understand but a little of Greek, may [...]inde the same greek wo [...]d that is in John 15 25. in 1 Cor. 15 54. and gen­erally [Page 15] when it is translated saying. when a noun substantive, in the English translation, it is in the greek l [...]g [...]s, i▪ e. the Word. as 1 Tim. 4 [...]. & 2 Tim. 2 ii. and elsewhere, they say to call words the Word is a [...]ye, and thus they charge a L [...]oupon the Holy Ghost, who inspired S. Luke to call the whole History of his Gospel, called the Gospel according S. Luke t [...]n pr [...]ton L [...]gon, i: e. the first word, tho▪ it be in the English Translation the former Treatise, and dare they say that Scripture lied, when he said Acts 11 16▪ then remembred [...] the word of the Lord, [...] that he said John indeed baptised with wa­ter, but ye shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost, thus he called a sen­tence containing fourteen words as in our English Translation, the word of the Lord. And the like we have Luke 22 61. where some words of Christ to [...] are called the word of the Lord, also the writen lines of the Prophets are called the word of the Lord, Isa. 28 13 There is no dispute in the case, whether Christ is not called the Word, at times in the Scripture, for, that is readily granted, but that nothing else is called the Word of God or the word of the Lord, or the Word, is a manifest [...], or that the Light within as it I [...] com­mon to all Mankind is ever called in Scripture the Word, those false Teachers can never prove that in Rom. 10▪ 8. which they bring for them is manifestly against them. For that Word in the believing Romans, which they were first taught out wardly, did teach them to confess with [...] Mouths and believe in their Hearts, that God had raised Christ from the dead▪ as in V. 9. but this the Ligh [...] with­in as it is common to all Mankind doth no [...] teach, not ever did, and yet they are express terms of salvation.

IV. To the Fourth, How that a [...] was wrought in them mentioned in the Text, both in respect to the truth of the Gospel, and also of their conversion by it.

TO this I answer, this assurance was wrought in them, and the like assurance is wrought in all the faithful, not by the external Word alone without the Holy Spirit, nor by the Holy Spirit with­out the Word, but by both joyntly, by the Holy Spirit, as the prin­cipal Agent and Cause, and by Gods Holy Word as the subordinate and instrumental, the Word being the Organ and Instrument of the Holy Spirit, whereby he enlightens and convinceth them, and also [Page 16] converts them, and he begets in them an assurance of the truth of the Word, how that it is not the word of Man but the word of God (as it is in truth.) which effectually worketh in them that believe, as it did in those The [...]alo [...]ans [...] Thess. 2 13. and the very Text gives a plain destinction betwixt the Word and the Power which did ac­company it, and wrought by it instrumentally. Our Gospel c [...]me [...] unto you an word only, for had it come only so, it had not con­verted them. But the false notion of those Men, that will have no­thing to be the Word, but Christ (which sometimes they call the [...]ight within, and sometimes the Power, and the Spirit) renders the words of the Text plain Nonsense, as if S. Paul, had meant it i [...] their way, as thus, Our Gospel came to you not in power only but in power, which is a plain Tautol [...]gy and Nonsense, and the way and manner how this assurance was wrought in them to the truth of the Word, and is daily so wrought in the Hearts of the faithful, is by the Holy Spirit, his enlightning the Eyes of their Minds [...]o see such characters of Gods Wisdom, [...]ewer, Goodness, Truth, Mercy and justice displayed in the Word, that doth as clearly and fully prove and demonstrate it to be the word of God, as the Heavens and the Earth and all the Creatures contain'd in them, prove that they are the Workmanship of God, who hath stamped on them the charact­ers of Divine Wisdom, Power and Goodness &c to be seen and read of all Men, for if the works of the visible Creation demonstrate their Author to be God Almighty, as much, and more clearly doth the Word demonstrate him to be the Author of it, and that it is the Word of God in truth, according to that in the Psalm, thou hast mag­nified thy Word, thy Name above all. (even all the visible works of God.) Psal. 138 2.

THAT the Power and Spirit of God should accompany the word and words [...] God, as they should be preached by the ministry of Men, both to Jews and Gentiles was promised and foretold in the Old Testament, in divers places as I [...]a▪ 59. 20 21. Psal. 110 1 2 and Psal. 68 33. which is well and truly translated out of the He­brew, in the vulgar Latin Bible, Ecce dabit in v [...]c [...] sua, vocem vir­tutis, i: e. Behold he shall give in his voice, the voice of virtue, the Divine Virtue and Power whereby God Almighty doth work both [Page 17] in the production of natural and supernatural Effects, being meta­phorically called his word and voice Psal. 14 [...] 15 18. but the words in the Text are well qualified, by adding in power, and in the Holy Ghost, for a false conversion is [...] wrought in Men, by a Power that is not a Divine Power, but either a strong power of [...]andy and ima­gination, or by Satans power, making use of an exalted power of imagination, as His Organ and Instrument, and that power which hath turned so many to vile [...] he no other, whereas all true conversion of Men to God, is by or in [...] a power that it is in the Holy Ghost, working in and by means of the Word, as it is con­tained in the Holy Scriptures.

THE greek wo [...] [...]nslated much assurance in the Text viz. [...]l [...]r [...]ph [...]ria, is a [...] taken from a [...] bree [...]e [...]gale of wind, [...]lling the sails of a Ship that [...]rric [...] her to her desired Port, the sails answering to [...] affections, the wind to the divine influences, aids and assistances of the Spirit, blowing and breathing upon our affections. But as in the common Navigation, the Ship needeth not only sails and wind, but compass and [...]a [...]ds, with anchor and other necessaries, as well as that [...] ship be tight and [...]ound, so in the course of our Christian Life through the Tempestious Sea of this World; as we need heavenly affections and Gods Holy Spirit to breath upon them, so we must take Hope for our Anchor and the word of God, even that contain'd in the Holy Scriptures, for our Compass, and the noble Examples of the Holy Lives of the Holy Apostles & Evangelists, & other holy▪ Persons recorded in Scripture, and above all, the most holy Example of our Blessed Saviour for out Cards and Mapps, which those deceived followers of false Teachers have not done, and for not doing, have made Shipwrack of Faith & good Conscience, some of them Indeed more than others, but all of them in great part, having rejected the Commands of our Saviour as touching Baptism with water, and the Lords Supper, in the use of those ext [...]rual memorialls of Bread and Wine: [And in place of them setting up the commands of Men, particularly their Foun­der G: F. as is to be seen in his Canons that he has enjoyn'd to 'em, which are commonly read in their quarterly meetings, though they never read a Chapter of the Holy Scriptures in any of them, a plain [Page 18] demonstration that they have [...]et up their own Traditions to throw down the Commands of Christ, and making their own [...]raditions and inventions to be the Commands of Christ, as their [...] to swear in any case, and all self defence against Rapine, Robbery and Mur her, by putting their perverse glo [...]s on our Saviours Words, contrary to his plain Intent and Sense.

AND in their way of preaching, they pretend they are only and altogether furnished by the [...] without the Holy Scriptures, charging all Protestant Ministers to be Theives for preaching what they have learned out of the Holy Scriptures, beasting to their hear­ers, that they come not to them with other Mens Lines made ready to their hands, grosly perverting that Text [...] Cor. 10 16. as if S. Paul and meant it of Scripture Lines, whereas it is plain to any im­partial Understanding who reads and considers them, that it is not Scripture Words and Lines that S. Paul speaks of, put the Line of the Bounds or Preeinct of Places and Regions that fell to him by ap­pointment wherein to preach the Gospel, for S. Paul as well as the other Apostles made use of the Prophets [...], and proved their Doctrin out of the written Lines of the Old Testament, and so did Christ himself.

TO conclude by way of application, seeing all t [...]e Conversion to God is wrought in Men not by the word only, but also by the power of God that doth accompany it, [...] every one of us examin our selves impartially whither the Gospel ha [...] come to us thus, not only in word, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost, which if it be so come to us, and that we have so received it, we have felt a great change wrought in us both inward and outward, not only a change of the outward conversation i [...] our words and actions that were since, but of our hearts and thoughts and affections, which change is not so difficult to be observed, for it may be felt and perceived, and the truth of it known to us, by our setting before the Eyes of our Minds, the Looking-Glass of Gods Holy Word, and measuring our States both inward and outward, by the same, as the most cer­tain and sure Rule, praying to God, so to enlighten and inspire our Minds, that we may not make a wrong application in our Examin­tion.

[Page 19]AGAIN, let none sit down upon a bare profession of Christ­ianity, having a form of Godlyness but without the Power, [...] will not profit to Salvation, it was the great work of the Mini­stry in the Apostles Days, to turn Men from Heathe [...]ism [...] Judaism to Christianity.

BUT it is to be lamented that many under a Christian Pro­fession need a new Conversion, viz. from a bare outside form [...] profession of Christianity, to true real and substantial Christiani­ty, which hath both Power and Form, which Thanks be to G [...] ­many Thousands have in the Church of England, and none [...] to withdraw from her Communion under the pr [...]text of the false Teachers who say, there is no life n [...]r form of Godlyness [...] be found in Her, or in her Doctrin and Worship, which is [...] uncharitable and false, as the experience of Thousands do [...], and indeed such only are the true Sons of the Church, [...] her true Children as they are the true Sons and Children of [...] who receive the Gospel not in Word only, but also in Power, [...] in the Holy Ghost, the which that we may all know and witness God Almighty grant us of his great Mercy, for his dear Son Jesus Christ his Sake. Now to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, one only True God be all Glory, Honour and Praise [...] ever and ever Amen.