tileft work of Antichrift, that is now in hand; and be that prevails in this encounter, bath Antichrift under his feet, for ever: but none are like to prevail here, but the Faithful and Elect alone. And therefore hold faft that which thou haft, that no man take thy Crown; and confider Chrifts encouragement to this work in the following verfe; [Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the Rev.3.11. Temple of my God, and he shall go no more out, and I will write upon him, the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God, which is New Jerufalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God, and I will write upon him, my New Name.1 Christan Reader, I commit thee, and the Word now offered to thee, in this Difcourfe, to God, and his powerful bleffing, and wonderful working; Remaining, Thine in the Difficult, and Despised Service 126 Right Reformation; OR, 2 The Reformation of the Church of the New-Teftament, represented in Gospel-Light. Heb. ix. 10. Until the time of Reformation. T HE Natural Man (faith Paul, 1 Cor. 2.) knows not the things of the Spirit, neither can be, for they are Spiritually difcerned. Now, a Man that is not born of God and his Spirit, with all his Parts, Abilities, Reafon, Wifdom, Prudence, Learning, is but a Natural Man still, and fo hath no right Knowledge of the things of God, and his Spirit. And hence it hath come to pafs that the things of God and his fpirit have been fo grofly and dangeroufly mistaken, by the World, and the carnal Church. For all the fpiritual things of God they have understood carnally and have apprehended the whole Scriptures, not according to God's mind, but according to their own; not according to the fenfe of the Spirit, but according to the Anti- fenfe of the flesh. And thus was Antichrifts ckritis kingdom firft fet up, and thus it hath been kept Kingdom Jet up by up and continued even by the carnal understanding the carnal of the Scriptures. For they have understood the undertan- Church, the kingdom of God in the world, carding of the nally; the rock on which it is built, carnally; the Scriptures door of this Kingdom carnally; the Laws of it carnally; carnally; the Liberties of it carnally; the Power, Authority, Government, Glory, Officers, &c. all carnally. And to this very day, which of the things of God doth nor the carnal Church underftand carnally? Faith, hope, love, it understands carnally; Redemption, Adoption, Juftification, Sanctification, Glorification, Union with Chrift, Communion of the Spirit, Access to the father, together with Chrift the head, and the Church the Body, in their joint union and offices and all other things, they understand carnally, and have a fleshly fenfe and apprehenfion of them. the Church And as they understand all other things of Gods The Refor kingdom carnally, fo alfo the Reformation of it; mation of And there are not greater and groffer Miftakes understood about any of the things of God, then about this carnally. men imagining the Reformation of the Church, which is altogether a fpiritual and heavenly Kingdom, after the manner of the Reformation of Worldly States and Commonwealths which only ftands in outward things, and is brought to pass by humane Counfels and humane power. Now because this is not only a grofs, but a general Error, in all Sorts of People, both of high and of low degree: I fhall indeavour at this time, according to the good hand of God with me, to reprefent in fome Gospel light to this Honourable and Christian Auditory, the true Reformation of the Church of the New Teftament; And blessed is he who fhall not be offended at it. For this purpose I made choice of the words now read, Until the time of Reformation. For the better understanding of which, we muft read the Context. Ver. 9. The first Tabernacle was a figure for the time then prefent, in which were offered both gifts and facrifices, that could not make him that did the fervice perfect as pertaining to the confcience. 1 4 Verf. Ver. 10. Which food only in meats and drinks, and divers mafhings, and carnal ordinances (it should be righteoufneffes or juftifications of the flesh, Sinaranasi σαρκός,) impofed on them, μέχρι και ο διορθώσεως, μηtil the time of Reformation. The imper. In which words, the Apostle fhews the imperfetion of fection of the worship of the old Law, because it i the wor ftood in outward Rites, Ceremonies, Duties, perShip of the Old Law. formances, and fo could not make him that ufed them, and was bufied in them, perfect as pertaining to his confcience; and therefore God did not fimply and abfolutely impose these things on the Church, to continue for ever, but only until the time wherein all things were to be reformed, not only evil things, but imperfect. And then, all that outward Religion was to be abolished. No out men per Now if the Law of Mofes could not make Men wird law perfect, as pertaining to the Confcience, much lefs can any new Laws invented Now. And if fest as per- any fuch Laws fhould be imposed on the People taining to of God now, the Gofpel hath the fame strength the confci- in it felf to make them void, as the former, and ence, and alfo the fame ground from them, because all fuch fo the GoLaws and Ordinances devifed by Men, cannot hes all make them that obey and practise them perfect as juch out-pertaining to the confcience; and therefore are all ward laws to be at an end, when the time of Reformation impofed on comes. pel aboli confcience Quest. Now if you ask me, when this time of as well now, as Reformation was? beretofore. Aufw. I Anfwer: It was when Chrift came; not a Servant, as Mofes, but the Son out of the bofom of the Father, the great Prophet of the New Teftament, whofe Doctrine was not letter as Mofes was, but Spirit and Life. And now when Chrift the Minister of the New Testament, came with the Miniftration of the Spirit, now was the time of Reformation. In the time of the Law there were outward Duties, and Performances, and Ceremonies, and Sacrifices, and strict Laws to enjoyn the obfervation of these things, carrying along with them the feverity of death; and yet notwithstanding all this, there was no true Reformation; but under all that outward Religion, Men were inwardly as corrupt and wicked as the very Heathen; for all their Circumcifion in the flesh, they were uncircicumcifed in heart; for all their outward washing, they were inwardly unclean; for all their Blood of Bulls and Goats, their Sins remained in their Natures and Confciences; for all their strict. forcing of Men, to the Duties of the outward worship of God, the People ftill remained far from God, even in all those Duties. So that notwithstanding the outward worship of Mofes Law, the People remained inwardly corrupt, filthy, and unclean, and without any true Reformation before God; till Chrift, who was God in the flesh, came with the miniftration of the Spirit, and then indeed was the time of Reformation. Until the time of Reformation. The thing then the Spirit would have us take notice of in these words, is this, That the time of the Gospel, is the time of Refor. Dorine. mation. When ever the Gospel is preached in the Spirit and Power of it, that is aigòs drogdwoews, the time of Reformation. For our more orderly proceeding in this Point, we will obferve this Method. I. Show what true Gospel Reformation is, and how fit is qualified; that fo you may the better diftinguish it from Political and Ecclefiaftical Reformation. Now both these I joyn together, becaufe the Carnal Church hath always interested and |