CHRIST Held forth by the word, the onely way to the Father.

THis Chapter is part of an Epiſtle of Paul to the Galathians, and in this verſe there is an ex­preſſe exhortation, or declaration unto the Church of the Galathians, to ſtand faſt in that Liberty wherein Chriſt had made them free.

Now that which I would have you to take notice of in Pauls writing to the Church, is: that there is a diſtinction between the Church of God and the people of the world, Io. 17.15.16. I pray not that thou ſhouldest take them out of the world; but that thou ſhouldeſt keepe them from the evill of the world, they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world; this doth ſhew that the Church of God and the people of the world, are two, for they are not of the world; but they are one with Chriſt; ſpeaking of the Church in another place; he calles them the temple of God, 2 Cor. 6.16. for ye are the Temple of the living God, as God hath ſaid, I will dwell in them, and and walke in them, and I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people, ſo to di­ſtingviſh between the Church and the world, he ſaith, in the world ye ſhall have tribulation, but in mee ye ſhall have peace. I did aske a learned man how the whole world became a Church; he told mee that I was an Independant, and he being a proud man, would give me no other Anſwer; then I did aske another, and he told me that it was by much teaching; but I told him that he was deceived. And ſo are all others that thinke that the whole world is a Church: the world is not a Church, nor every pariſh is not a Church, but a viſible Church of Jeſus Chriſt is a knowing, believing, and a practicall people, baptized into the faith of the Goſpel. Now I will give you to underſtand how every periſh came to be a Church, or taken to be ſo by the people of the world, but it is evident, if you do but read the hiſtory of Euſebius, he tells us that every pariſh was made a Church by the Proclamation of Conſtan­tine the firſt Chriſtian Emperor, by which Proclamation as is worthily ſet out by maſter Brightman upon the Reve­lation, that at that time Ordinances came to be ſo corrupted; that according to that Orthodox mans judgement, the Church then fled into the Wilderneſſe, at which time that propheſie then was ful­filled in Rev. 12.14. where the Church was to be nouriſhed in the Wilderneſſe for a time, and times, and halfe a time from the face of the Serpent; then in 13. Revel. The beaſt riſing up, and the Dragon giving his power to the beaſt e­ver ſince by that tyrannicall power, over­ruling by the power of Antichriſt, that man of ſin hath forced the world and pariſhes to be made Churches, as though that were now the Church of Chriſt; ſo as now thoſe members of thoſe Anti­chriſtian Churches ſtill ſtanding to main­taine that worldly Church and the pow­er thereof are as yet enemies of the Church of Chriſt, for if Antichriſt in his Infancy in the time of our Saviour Chriſt, and of the Apoſtles, did then op­poſe the Goſpel much; as the Scripture plainly ſets forth, as in the 2 Theſ. 2.4. In the former verſes the Apoſtle exhor­ting the Theſſalonians to looke to them­ſelves and to ſtand faſt leſt they ſhould be deceived; for he tells them there that the man of ſin oppoſeth & exalteth him­ſelfe above all that is called God, ſo he as God, ſitteth in the Temple of God, ſhew­ing himſelfe that he is God. If he the•could deceive ſo much as to exalt him­ſelfe above God, and be to be God, much more eaſily can he now being in power, and in his Kingdome deceive ma­ny to make them believe that this world is a Church, or that the pariſhes be Churches; As our ſaviour ſaith, if it were poſſible he would deceive the very Elect; But they cannot ſo be deceived, for they have a more perfect rule to walke by, as the Apoſtle Paul well com­mends unto us, 1 Cor. 11.2. Looking upon the Church of Chriſt, ſeeing them to walke according to the rule of God, & not after the rule of men, ſaith (Bre­thren,) I commend you (why) doth the Apoſtle commend them? Becauſe they had kept all the things and the ordinan­ces as they had received them from the Apoſtle; Now if the Apoſtle doth ſo commend thoſe that walke according to the rule of the Goſpel, then all that do not walke according to this rule of the Goſpel, they are to be reproved: Why, becauſe are all we to be judged if we be­lieve otherwiſe then the Goſpel ſets forth. But now all thoſe that believe that the world is a Church, or that pariſhes be Churches, they believe otherwiſe then the Goſpel declares, therefore all ſuch ought to be reproved.

Now to come to the thing in hand as to prove the Church to be as I ſaid it was, a knowing, believing, and a practi­call people baptized into the faith of the Goſpel, it is knowledge, and faith, and baptiſme that makes us differ from the world, Iohn 2.3. the knowledge of God and true faith cauſeth us to obey God, and in obeying of God, we differ from the world. Rom. 1.21. We ſee ſome that knew God, but glorified him not; but they had not the true knowledge of God; it is true faith & baptiſme that makes the difference; the world knew not God untill they do know him, and believe in him, they are not of the Church of God. in the time of the Apoſtles, a knowing, believing, and a practicall people were baptized and ſo called the Church of God and the Temple of God, 1 Cor. 1.2. unto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are ſanctified in Chriſt Jeſus called to be ſaints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jeſus Chriſt our Lord both theirs and ours, 2 Cor. 6.16. And when they did believe and ſeparated themſelves from the old corrupt wayes that they had lived in, to the Goſpel of Chriſt, they were made members of the Church, Rom. 1.1. And then making themſelves knowne what alteration is in themſelves to forſake the world, and then deſiring to be in the fellowſhip of the Saints, which is the Church of God, the Church perceiving this upon good grounds, received them into fellowſhip, Act. 9.26.27. Heb. 4 5. One Faith, one Lord, one baptiſme, Act. 8.37. If thou believeſt with all thy heart thou may'ſt; ſo you ſee that here is faith to believe received before Baptiſme. Acts 22.15.16. and Acts 2.36.37.38. And I know of no power that was left to us to alter the Ordinances of God as to turne baptiſing of believers to the ſprink­ling of unbelievers, this is contrary to the Example of the Apoſtles, 1 Cor. 11.2. where the Ordinances were to be kept according as they were delivered unto them. Now concerning the Liberty which the Apoſtle ſpeakes of, it is not ſuch a Liberty as to change the Ordinan­ces of God: or it is not a Liberty to ſin; for the grace of God which appeareth unto all men teacheth us to deny ungod­lineſſe and worldly luſts, and to live ſo­berly, and righteouſly in this preſent world.

Againe, it is not ſuch a Liberty as to be free from perſecution, John 15.20. For if they have perſecuted me, they will alſo perſecute you, John 16.32. Our Savi­our tells them that they ſhall be ſcatter­ed, John 16.2. Chriſt tells them that they ſhall be put out of their Sinagogs, yea the time cometh that whoſoever killeth you will think that he doth God good ſervice. If then Chriſt foretells that theſe things ſhall come to paſſe, it is im­poſſible it ſhould be meant of ſuch a Li­berty.

Againe, the Prophets were alſo thus in perſecution, for it is ſaid of David that the drunkards made their ſongs of him, and Eliah being left alone, they perſecuted him to take away his life alſo. And in Heb. 11.36.37.38. ſheweth the great hatred and perſecution againſt them, they were ſtoned, they were ſawed a ſunder, were tempted, they were ſlaine with the ſword, they wandered about in Sheepe-skins, and Goatskins, being deſtitute, afflicted, and tormented, whom the world was not worthy of; much more might be ſaid of theſe things, but in prov­ing theſe things I ſhall but light a candle to the Sun.

Furthermore, as we are freeborne in the Nation to ſtand for that our Liberty, and freedom, this is not the Liberty. Neither as the Apoſtle here doth com­mand us to ſtand faſt in, though law­full.

Having now made way, we come now to the words ſtand faſt: having al­ready ſhewed what the Liberty is that we ſhould not ſtand faſt in. I will now come and ſhew what the Liberty is that we ſhould ſtand faſt in;

Firſt, before I ſhall ſhew what the Liberty is wherein we ſhould ſtand faſt, I ſhall deſire to ſpeake a word or two of the bondage that we are inthrald in:

Briefly, the bondage that we all are in under the Law, is a miſerable thing, we are all by nature borne ſlaves under the bondage of ſin, and Sathan. But from this bondage hath Chriſt Jeſus delivered us, Rom. 10.4.

From whence will ariſe this obſerva­tion, that is, that Chriſt is ſo our Liberty that all which do believe he hath fulfilled the Law for them, and hath taken away the curſe from them, Rom. 8.1, 2, 3. there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Chriſt Jeſus who walke after the fleſh, but after the Spirit, for the Law of the ſpirit of life in Chriſt Jeſus hath made us free from the Law of ſin, and death, for what the Law could not do in that it was weake through the fleſh, God ſending his own ſon in the likeneſſe of ſinfull fleſh, and for ſin, con­demned ſin in the fleſh that the righte­ouſneſſe of the Law might be fulfilled in us.

This is the Liberty of the Sons of God, that when they come to believe they are no longer in bondage under the Law, Gal. 3.23. before faith came we were kept under the Law, ſhut up under the faith which ſhould afterwards be revea­led; wherefore the Law was our School­maſter to bring us to Chriſt, that we might be juſtified by faith; But after that faith is come we are no longer under a Schoolmaſter; for ye are all the Chil­dren of God by faith in Chriſt Jeſus, Rom. 10.4. for Chriſt is the end of the Law for righteouſneſſe to every one that believeth.

Every one that doth not believe is in Bondage, Gal. 4.1, 2, 3, 4. Now I ſay that the heire as long as he is a Child, differeth nothing from a ſervant though he be Lord of all, but is under tutors, and Governours untill the time appointed of the Father, even ſo when we were Chil­dren, we were in bondage under the E­lements of the world, but when the ful­neſſe of time was come, God ſent forth his ſon made of a woman, made under the Law to redeem them that were un­der the Law, that we might receive the adoption of ſons, as you may read fur­ther in the Chapter, ſo you ſee the point is cleare (Namely) that Chriſt is ſo our Liberty that all which do believe, he hath fulfilled the Law for them, and they are no longer under it, Chriſt hath freed us from the curſe by being made a curſe for us, and therefore he calleth us no longer Servants, but ſons, if ſons, then heirs.

Againe, we may ſee it is the drift of the Apoſtle, to take off the Galathians from circumcition, and the Law, this we may ſee was the ſimplicity of the Gala­thians, though profeſſors; they did not know their Liberty, they were not well grounded in the faith of the Goſpell, and ſo the Apoſtle Paul had a great deal of trouble with them as you may ſee, Gal. 4.9.10.11. but now after ye have knowne God, or rather are knowne of God; how turne ye againe to the weake and beggerly Elements whereunto ye deſire againe to be in bondage? and ſo he blames them for obſerving dayes, and moneths, and times, and yeares, and ſtands in doubt of them, and ſaith, I am affraid of you leaſt I have beſtowed upon you labor in vane, alſo in Gal. 3.1.2. ſaith he, O fooliſh Gallathians who hath bewitched you that you ſhould not obey the truth, before whoſe eyes Jeſus Chriſt hath been evidently ſet forth and crucifi­ed amongſt you?

Where the Apoſtle ſtill goes on argu­ing the cauſe, and reaſons of the mat­ter with them, and ſaith he, Gal. 3.2. this would I learn of you onely: ye received the ſpirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith, are ye ſo fooliſh having begun in the ſpirit, are ye now made perfect by the fleſh? have ye ſuf­fered ſo many things in vaine? if it be but in vaine; he therefore that miniſtreth unto you the ſpirit; and worketh mi­racles among you, doth he it by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith, Rom. 10.3. for the being ignorant of Gods righteouſneſſe, and going about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſſe, have not ſubmitted themſelves to the righteouſneſſe of God, Gal, 2.16. know­ing that a man is not juſtified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jeſus Chriſt;

Even we have believed in Jeſus Chriſt that we might be juſtified by the faith in Chriſt, and not by the workes of the Law; for by the works of the Law, ſhall no fleſh be juſtified: Read further in the ſaid Chapter and ye ſhall ſee that the Saints are delivered from the Bondage of the Law, into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God, Gal. 4.4.5. ſo I ſay they are at Liberty, 2 Cor. 5.19. to wit, that God is in Chriſt reconciling the World unto himſelfe, not imputing their creſ­paſſes unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation, ſo this is the glorious Liberty the Saints ſo reconciled unto God in Chriſt, and this ſpeakes comfort unto the Saints of God that they ſhould ſo redound in glory; for which cauſe ſaith he we faint not but though our outward man periſh, yet the inward man is renewed day by day, this is that which carries on the Saints ſo cheerfully; for (ſaith he) our light afflicti­ons which is but for a moment worketh for us a farr more weight of glory, therefore though the Saints of God ſuf­fer in this Life; yet their Liberty is a glorious Liberty, Rom. 8.21. and they ſhall be reſtored into the glorious Liber­ty of the Sons of God, Phil. 3.21. ſo we ſee the Saints have Liberty in this Life, and in the Life to come. We are not onely brought out of Bondage, but we are brought out of darkneſſe into light, 1 Theſ. 5.4.5. but ye brethren are not in darkneſſe, that that day ſhould overtake you as a thiefe, ye are all the Children of light, and the Children of the day, we are not of the night, nor of darkneſſe.

Againe, John 1.9. Chriſt is the light of the world, Pſal. 36.9. in thy light ſhall we ſee light, this is a glorious ſtate, it is a glorious Liberty, but thoſe that are without Chriſt are in a ſad con­dition, they are in bondage under the Law, as I ſaid before, and they walke in dorkneſſe, knowing not whither they go, Alas how ſoone is their candle out, as you may ſee, Job. 18.5. how ſoone is the candle of the wicked put out, John 12.35. and Mat. 6.23.

To follow the words ſtand faſt in that Liberty, as this Liberty is ſuch a Liberty that we who were the children of ſathan are by Chriſt become the Children of God, we who were dead in treſpaſſes and ſins hath he quickned, we who in time paſt walked according to the courſe of this world, Epheſ. 2.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And ſo throughout the Chapter all along ſet­ting forth the love of God, and the free grace of Chriſt unto his Saints, who were in Bondage under the yoake of ſin, wounded and lay bleeding between Je­ruſalem and Jericho, Chriſt was that good Samaritan that bound up our wounds powring in Oyle and wine for the ſuppling of our griefes, ſo in Ezekiell 16.5. when no eye pittied thee to do any of theſe unto thee to have compaſſi­on upon thee, but thou waſt caſt out in the open field to the loathing of thy per­ſon in the day that thou was borne and when that I paſſed by thee and ſaw thee polluted in thine own Blood. I ſaid un­to thee when thou waſt in thy blood; live, in the ſeven and eight verſes, and ſo forward. Now when I paſſed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold thy time was the time of love, and I ſpread my skirt over thee and covered thy naked­neſſe, yea I ſware unto thee and entred into a Covenant with thee ſaith the Lord God: and thou becameſt mine, then wa­ſhed I thee with water, yea, I thorough­ly waſhed away thy blood from thee, and I annointed thee with Oyle, thus the Prophet goes on, felling out unto us the love and free grace of Chriſt. Not­withſtanding Jſrael had played the whore with the Aſſirians, becauſe thou walt unſatiable, yea thou haſt plaid the harlot with them, and yet couldeſt not be ſatisfied, at the 28. verſe, thus when we were in miſery and in diſtreſſe when no eye pittied us, then was the time of love, ſo when we were going away from God, and after other lovers, then he al­lured us, Hoſea. 2.14. ſo the love of Chriſt out-bid all other lovers.

Is it ſo that Chriſt is ſo our Liberty, that all that do believe in him he hath fulfilled the Law for them, and taken a­way the curſe from them; this may in­ſtruct us to take notice of this Bondage, that every man is in by being under the Law, it is a miſerable thing, we all by nature are borne ſlaves under the Bon­dage of ſin and ſathan, but from this hath Chriſt delivered his people; and in reſpect of this deliverance it is glorious, and honourable, as in all times when God delivered his people he doth it with honour; ſo when God delivered his Children out of Egypt, it was with ho­nour in the face of all the world, & ſo Chriſt delivering us from ſin and from ſathan, how glorious was it even when he being on the croſs, did on that croſs, by his death triumph over the divel and over his King­dome by the powring out of his blood, he did work a moſt glorious deliverance to the delivered; of ſlaves, men were made the ſervants of God; of bond-men, adopted to be his Children; this Bon­dage which the Apoſtle ſpeakes of here is a Bondage under the Law, and under Ceremonies you may ſee Col. 2.8. Be­ware leſt any man ſpoyle you through Philoſophy and vaine deceit after the tra­ditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Chriſt; when they do bind them to humain Ordinan­ces, it is a leading of them captive from Chriſt, are ye allured then, let this be in­ſtructions to you.

Hath Chriſt delivered you from bon­dage and ſet you at Liberty, and hath he fulfilled the Law for you, and taken away the curſe of the Law from you, art thou allured and art thou brought to Chriſt, haſt thou taken Chriſt for thy way to the Father, how comes it then to paſſe that thou art ſubject to humaine Ordinances, this ſhews that you have no part in Chriſt ſo long as you are ſubject to hu­maine Ordinances; for Chriſts death hath aboliſhed all Ordinances of the Law which were of Gods ordaining; much more the Ordinances of men in the wor­ſhip of God, this is a bondage under Ceremonies, but Chriſts death hath made it voide, therefore let us ſay with david, Pſalmes 53.7.8. Oh that the Salvati­on of Iſrael were come out of Sion, when God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob ſhall rejoyce, and Iſ­rael ſhall be glad.

Ʋſe 3. Is it ſo that Chriſt hath deli­vered you from the bondage of ſinne, and hath ſet thee at liberty, this muſt ſtill further inſtruct thee, that thou art not to live to thy ſelfe, or to thine own luſts: For the grace of God that bringeth ſal­vation unto all men, hath appeared, and teacheth us that we ſhould deny ungod­lineſſe and worldly luſts, and that wee ſhould live ſoberly, and righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world. And in the 14. verſe, Who gave himſelfe for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purge from us ſinne, to bee a peculiar people unto him, zealous of good works, Rom. 13.11, 12, 13, 14 And that knowing the time that now is, it is high time to a­wake out of ſleep: for now is our ſalva­tion neerer then when we believed. The night is farre ſpent, the day is at hand, let us therefore caſt off the works of dark­neſſe, and put on the Armour of light. We that profeſſe Religion, we that have given our names to Jeſus Chriſt, and are brought to beleeve in Jeſus, let us walke as in the day, not in riotting and drun­kenneſſe, not in chambring and wanton­neſſe, not in ſtrife and envying; but put yee on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and make not proviſion for the fleſh, to fulfill the luſt thereof. Haſt thou Chriſt for thy Way to thy Father? haſt thou faith? Then ſhew thy faith by thy works. Art thou Chriſts free man, and haſt thou the Spirit of God? If thou haſt, then thou haſt the fruits of the Spirit, and the fruits of the Spirit are, (Gal. 5.22, 23, 24.) Love, Joy, Peace, Long-ſuffering, Gentleneſſe, Godlineſſe, Faith, Meekneſſe, Tempe­rance, againſt ſuch there is no Law. And they that are Chriſts, have crucified the fleſh, with the affections and luſts. If we live in the Spirit, let us walke in the Spirit. So hee that is in Chriſt, is a new creature. Old things are paſſed away, and all things are become new: Old Drunkenneſſe, old Swearing, old Un­cleanneſſe, 1 Pet. 4.1. •.3. All theſe are not the fruits of the ſpirit, but contra­riwiſe, theſe are the fruits of the fleſh, and tend to death; which things are to be done away in thoſe that are become new, and are to live no longer to the luſts of the fleſh, but to the will of God, who hath redeemed us from this bondage, and ſet us from thraldome to liberty, to ſerve him in newneſſe of life.

Now in the next place, I will ſhew you what kind of Liberty or Way he is for us, and to us to the Father: that Chriſt is ſo our liberty, that he is the way from the Father to the Soule, and from the ſoule to the Father: though Chriſt hath ſatisfied the juſtice of God for us, and ſo hath made a way for us to the Father; yet we cannot goe to the Fa­ther, till Chriſt comes to us. The Reaſon is, becauſe there is no light in us by na­ture. Chriſt muſt come and ſet up a light in the ſoule; and then in that light we ſhall ſee light, Pſal. 36.9. Chriſt muſt come to us, before we can come to him: he muſt come and knock at the doore of our ſouls, as in Eph. 5.14. Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and ſtand up from the dead, & Chriſt ſhall give thee light. Thus muſt Chriſt come and awaken us; this is the way of Chriſt to to the ſoule, this is the liberty we have by Chriſt to take away our darkneſſe, and to give us light.

2. By nature we are all dead: and this is the way of Chriſt to quicken the ſoule; ſo the ſoule being brought out from that ſleep of death, doth begin to look up af­ter Chriſt, and to take Chriſt for its way to the Father. Thus the ſoule makes Chriſt a way, whereby it doth ſuck com­fort from the Father. Thus Chriſt is the way for the ſoul to have acceptance with the Father: if we obtain any thing of the Father, it muſt be in, and by, and through Jeſus Chriſt. We muſt not in our own names, or in the name of Saints or An­gels, but in the name of Chriſt. Then whatſoever we ſhall ask in faith in the ſons Name, hee will give it us, Joh. 16.23. So you ſee what kind of way Chriſt is to us to give us life, and to give us light, and ſo ſets at liberty from the bon­dage of darkneſſe and death: and there­fore having done theſe things for us, hee would have us ſtand faſt in that liberty wherein he hath made us free.

3. Therefore Chriſt is ſo our Liberty, that there is no coming to the Father but by him. This will appeare to be true, if we conſider the preſent eſtate and condi­tion that every man is in by nature. All men have ſinned, and come ſhort of the glory of God; that is, we come ſhort of heaven, We are by nature the children of Wrath, Epheſ. 2.3. This is true, God made man in a good condition, but man hath ſin­ned, and ſo hath loſt his firſt eſtate: hee was made perfect, and was to have lived for ever; but now hee muſt not eat of that tree of life, God hath ſent him forth from the Garden of Eden. So hee drove out the man, and placed at the Eaſt end of the Garden, a Cherubim, and the flaming ſword, which turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of life, Gen. 3.24.

Now here came in mans miſery, hee is caſt out from God, and without the mer­cy of God he muſt die unto all eternity. Here is now no coming to the Father, but by Chriſt; no coming to have an one­neſſe with God, without Chriſt, man muſt periſh, without Chriſt, man muſt die unto all eternity, Rom. 5.12. Wherefore as by one man ſin entred into the world, and death by ſin, death paſſed upon all men, for that all men have ſinned. The Divell hath deceived Eve, he ſaid unto the woman, Yee ſhall not ſurely dye: But we ſee man ſhall die, and man doth die, and man is caſt out of the preſence of God, and there is no coming to the Father, but by Chriſt, he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Joh. 14.6. Now concerning mans fall, it is irrecoverable: If man ſhould have lived 10000. yeares, and been thinking how to find out a way to the Father, he could not find out a way, as in Acts 4.12. There is now no other name under Heaven whereby we can be ſaved, bue onely by Je­ſus Chriſt. Had not Chriſt been our way, we had periſhed, and remained under the bondage of wrath. Galat. 3.23. Before Faith came, we were kept under the Law; and ſo we were in bondage, ſhut up to ſin untill Faith came. So I ſay, had not Chriſt been our way to the Father, wee had been miſerable, we had ſtill remai­ned in bondage under wrath: But Chriſt is the way from wrath, Rom. 5.9. Much more, being now juſtified by his blood, we ſhall be ſaved from wrath through him. There is no cendemnation to them which are in Chriſt Jeſus, Rom. 8.12. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Chriſt Jeſus, hath made me free from the Law of ſinne and death. But had not Chriſt been our way, we had remained, as I ſaid before, under wrath, without any hope of reco­very. This cauſed the Attributes of God to be ſet on work to deliver us from this bondage: For man having eaten of the forbidden fruit, God had ſaid, In the day thou cateſt thereof, thou ſhalt die. Then the Juſtice of God ſtept in, and ſaid, Ju­ſtice muſt be ſatisfied. But the Mercy of God not willing that man ſhould periſh, Mercy ſtept in, and ſaid, O let not man pe­riſh, whom thou haſt taken ſo great pains to make him for thine own glory, & all things for his uſe.

Then ſpake the Truth of God, and ſaid, If man doth not die, Truth will be at an end. For Gods Truth hath ſaid, In the day that man doth eat thereof, man ſhal die: So that Truth ſilenced Mercy.

Then ſpake the Wiſdom of God, Is there no way to find out how Man may bee de­livered, and that Juſtice may bee ſatisfied, Mercy may have his requeſt, and Truth may be ſatisfied? So Wiſdom ſaid, Man ſinned in the fleſh, and if man ſuffered in the fleſh, then Iuſtice would bee ſatisfied, Mercy would have his requeſt, and Truth would be performed. And Wiſdome then finds out a way how that Chriſt ſhould take fleſh upon him, and ſo ſuffer in the fleſh, and then the ſatisfaction of Gods juſtice was fulfilled in Chriſt, as though man had periſhed; and ſo the Attributes of God were all ſatisfied. And all this ſets forth the great love of God unto us in ſtooping ſo low, and taking off from us the bondage that we were inſlaved with, and having done this for us by the ſhed­ding of his blood; & therefore he biddeth us to Stand faſt in the liberty wherewith he hath made us free, and not to entangle our ſelves again with the yoak of bondage.

Having now ſhewed you what kinde of way Chriſt is, I ſhall now come to ſhew you, that he is the Onely Way. For there is no name under heaven that wee can be ſaved by, but onely by the Name of Jeſus, Heb. 10.4. For it is not poſſi­ble that the blood of Bulls, and of Goats, ſhould take away ſins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he ſaith, Sa­crifices and offerings thou wouldeſt not, but a body haſt thou prepared mee: hee is the Onely way, there is none with him, Eſay 63.3. He hath troden the Wine-preſſe a­lone, and of the people there was none with him, So he hath born our ſinnes a­lone, there is none with him, Matth. 1.21. And ſhe ſhall bring forth a Son, and thou ſhalt call his name Jeſus; for he ſhall ſave his people from their ſins. So, againe, The Son of man is come to ſeeke and to ſave that which was loſt: he doth ſeeke, and in ſeeking he doth finde them, it is he alone, there is none with him, he is that good Samaritan that had compaſſion on us, and bound up our wounds powring in oyle and wine, there is none that can cure that wound of ſin but he alone, there is none that can comfort nor refreſh the hearts of his people; but he alone, Chriſt is the onely way, none can take away ſins but he, the Prieſts nor their ſacrifice could not ſave the people, as you may ſee, Heb. 10.1. and ſo forward: They were to looke to Jeſus Chriſt. Now Chriſt is the high­prieſt, he is able to ſave them from their ſins to the uttermoſt that come unto God by him, ſeeing he ever liveth to make interceſſion for them, Heb. 10.25. ſo it is he that doth it and no other, it is he that ſets us at Liberty, and therefore we ought to ſtand faſt in that Liber­ty.

Chriſt is ſo our Liberty, that he is our way from a ſtate of ſin and wrath, to a ſtate of grace and glory: there is now no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus which walke not af­ter the fleſh but after the ſpirit, for the Law of the ſpirit of Life in Chriſt Jeſus hath made us free from the Law of ſin and death, Rom. 8.2. that man that hath Chriſt for his way to the Father, ſtands in the ſight of God as having no fault at all in him, the Kings Daughter is all glorious within, her Cloathing is of gold, Chriſt hath put a comlineſſe upon her, and ſo ſhe is beu­tifull in the ſight of God, Canticles 4.7. thou art all faire my love, there is no ſpot in thee; Come from Lebanon with me my ſpouſe, with me from Lebanon, thou haſt raviſhed my heart my ſiſter my ſpouſe, thou haſt re­viſhed my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chaine of thy neck, thus God ſets forth the Beauty and the comlineſſe of thoſe who have Chriſt for their Liberty, and way to the Father, ſaith he, fair is thy love my ſpouſe, how much better is thy love then wine, and ſo all along he ſhewes the beuty of the Church and lookes upon her without ſpot, he likens her to a frultfull garden, and a ſpring, and a fountaine, and fruit­full plants; All theſe names ſet forth the gloriouſneſſe of the Saints of God, thus ſet at Liberty by Chriſt.

And now it remaines further to prove that the people of God are without ſpot•I ſhall ſhew that all their ſins are done away by Chriſt, he hath borne upon his body the iniquities of us all, and ſo we remaine without ſpot; behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the ſins of the world, that is, the ſins of thoſe that are ſanctified by him, and ſo in Gods ac­count are without ſpot, Chriſt gave him­ſelfe for his Church that he might ſan­ctifie and cleanſe it, and that he might preſent it to himſelfe a glorious Church, not having ſpot or wrincle, not any ſuch thing; but that it ſhould be holy and without blame, even as he is holy, Epheſ. 5.27. ſo you may ſee that that man which is not in bondage under the Law and Ceremonies, and humane Ordinan­ces; but hath Chriſt for his Liberty and way to the Father, ſtands in the ſight of God, as I ſaid before, without ſpot, and ſo is made free indeed, Iohn 8, 36. If the Son ſhall make you free, then you ſhall be free indeed without any contra­diction, who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods choſen? it is he, and he alone that juſtifies, and who ſhall con­demn them, now this is true? the Saints are made free; Chriſt hath taken away all our ſins, and our ſins ſhall not be laid to our charge, we read of the ſcape-Goate in Leu. 16.21.22 that Aron did lay the ſins of the children of Iſrael upon the head of the Goate, and the Goate ſhall beare upon him all their ini­quities into a land not inhabited. This ſcape-Goate was a tipe of Chriſt, Chriſt is come and hath borne away all our ſins, and ſo hath made us free and without ſpot; he hath ſatisfied the Juſtice of God; for all our ſins, and ſo as we are conſidered in Chriſt, we are without ſpot, and ſo we are lovely in his ſight, as in Rom. 3.24. being juſtified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt, whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood; to declare his righteouſ­neſſe for the remiſſion of ſins, that is paſt through the forbearance of God, to de­clare. I ſay at this time, his righteouſ­neſſe that he might be juſt, and the juſti­fier of him which believeth in Jeſus. Now who can ſay that the Saints of God are not juſtified? Rom. 6.18. Being then made free from ſin ye became the Servants of righteouſneſſe unto God; for he hath made him to be ſin for us who knew no ſin that we might be made the righteouſneſſe of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21. And ſo you ſee that that man which hath Chriſt for his way to the Father, ſtands in the ſight of God as ha­ving no fault at all in him; to the praiſe of the glory of his grace be it, and thus you ſee it is through him alone that we are ſet free, and are delivered from bon­dage to ſtand faſt in the Liberty where­with he hath made us free.

Is it ſo, that Chriſt is ſo our Liberty, and ſo our way, that there is no coming to the Father, but by him? is it ſo that there is no way to be compleatly happy, & compleatly to be juſtified? as I ſaid be­fore; this doth hold out unto all men that there is a neceſſity that they all take Chriſt for the way to the Father; there is no other way to the Father but by Chriſt; now not to have Chriſt is to periſh: he that hath not Chriſt for his Li­berty and free paſſe, will be bid to ſtand, he will be ſhut out of the preſence of the Father; there is ſome that ſhall ſee Abram, Iſaack, and Jacob, and all the prophets and yet themſelves ſhut out: it is a dangerous thing to reject Chriſt, not to believe in Chriſt: this is the con­demnation becauſe ye believe not: be­cauſe ye do not take Chriſt for your Li­berty and way, and let paſſe to the Fa­ther, that man which hath not Chriſt for his Liberty and way to the Father is under the law, and ſo is under a curſe that is unleſſe thou canſt keepe the Law: for not the hearers of the Law are juſt before God but the doers of the Law ſhall be juſtified as you may ſee, Rom. 2.13. Now if thou haſt not Chriſt for thy way to the Father thou muſt keepe the Law or elſe thou wilt be condemned by the Law, Gal. 5.18. if ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law, that is, if you have Chriſt for your Liberty and way to the Father; if you do believe in Jeſus Chriſt then you are not under the Law, Rom. 10.4. Chriſt is the end of the Law for righteouſneſſe unto every one that believeth, ſo then he that be­lieveth not is yet in bondage under the Law, and ſo is under a curſe; curſed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to do them. But no man can keepe the Law; therefore no man can be juſtified by the Law, this is evident, this is true, Gal. 3.11. therefore I ſay that there is a neceſſity that thou ſhouldeſt take Chriſt for thy Liberty to the Father, therefore I intreate thee to forſake all o­ther wayes & to come to Jeſus Chriſt and take him for thy way, do not deceive thy ſelfe, leane not on thy one righteouſneſſe for that will deceive thee; that man which preſumes to go to God by his own righteouſneſſe, that way is too broad to leade to the Father, Mat. 7.14. wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth unto deſtruction, and many there be that go in thereat; the way of a mans own righteouſneſſe, is the broad way to deſtruction, do not think to come before God in thy own righte­ouſneſſe; for that is as filthy rags, and as a menſtruous cloth, thou muſt deny thyne own duties, and put no worth in them, thou muſt not think to be juſtifi­ed by thy prayers: were thy prayers crucified for thee? I know they were not; then I muſt tell thee, that it was one that was crucified that did ſatisfie the juſtice of God, (that was Jeſus Chriſt) and thou muſt of neceſſity for­ſake all other wayes, and take Chriſt for thy way, as I ſaid before: if thou lookeſt after any other way, or uſeſt any other meanes for thy free paſſe to the Father; thou wilt not come into the preſence of thy Father; for the Father will not al­low of any tickets, unleſſe his Sons hand be unto their paſſe, all other tickets be unlawfull, therefore I pray you to looke into the third of Iohn 14. And as Moſes lifted up the Serpent into the wildernes: Even ſo muſt the Son of man be lifted up; how was the Serpent lifted up, Numb. 21.9. 2 Kings 18.4. And Mo­ſes made a Serpent of Braſſe, and put it upon a pole, and it came to paſſe that if a Serpent had bitten any man; when he beheld the Serpent of Braſſe he lived; the Braſen Serpent is a type of Chriſt, There is one thing which I would have you take notice of in this braſen Serpent when he was lifted up to the people, if they did uſe any other meanes then to looke upon it they did periſh; So Jeſus Chriſt being the true Braſen Serpent is lifted up, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everla­ſting life; for this was the end why God gave his Son, that poore loſt un­done creatures might not periſh; but whoſoever ſeekes after any other meanes then Chriſt ſhall periſh. Even as thoſe periſhed as lookt on any other meanes beſides the Braſen Serpent: And yet me thinks I hear many ſay with the young man in the Goſpel, what ſhall we do to be ſaved; oh how faine would they be doing of ſomthing to helpe to ſave themſelves, but I tell thee that thou canſt do nothing in it, it is all done al­ready, he hath troden the wine-preſſe a­lone, and of the people there was none with him that did any thing in it: there­fore thou muſt take Chriſt for thy whole Saviour; therefore if any will go to God they muſt deny themſelves, and take Chriſt to be the onely way to the Father, do not thinke to be juſtified by thine own righteouſneſſe which is of the Law; For Paul ſaith by the deeds of the Law ſhall no fleſh be juſtified in his ſight; for by the Law is the knowledge of ſin: that is all thou canſt attaine un­to by the Law; thou maiſt know thy ſelfe to be a ſinner by it and ſo be under a curſe, but if thou meane to have life, I told thee where it is to be had; thou muſt deny thy ſelfe and take Chriſt for thy way to the Father; though thou maiſt go to hell by the deeds; yet if thou go to Heaven, thou muſt go by Chriſt, though the way to Hell be broad, yet the way to Heaven is ſtreight, Mat. 7.14. that is ſo ſtreight that there is no entring but by Jeſus Chriſt: ſo then it muſt not be by thy duties, nor by per­formances, nor by thine own righteouſ­neſſe, our Saviour Chriſt did ſpeake of ſome in his time, Mat. 7.22. many will ſay, Lord, Lord, unto me in that day have we not propheſied in thy name? and in thy name caſt out divills and in thy name have done many wonderfull works? yet Chriſt will not own them, Chriſt will looke upon thy righteouſneſſe as filthy rags, & as a poluted cloath, Eſa. 4 5.24. ſo Salomon ſaith, I ſaw a righteous man periſh in his righteouſneſſe; Now for a man to thinke to go to the Father by his own righteouſneſſe, it is to periſh, and to fall ſhort of Heaven, and that Paul did know full well; for ſaith he, I deſire not to be found in mine own righteouſneſſe which is of the Law, but the righteouſneſſe which is of faith of Jeſus Chriſt, ſo then it is plaine that it is Chriſt alone that takes us from Bon­dage and thraldome, and ſets us at Liber­ty, and then cauſes us to ſtand faſt in that Liberty whereby he hath made us free.