Liberty in Chrisalerted. 239 thee ? It may be, thou mayeft have a notion and an opi- nion ofthe things ofGod, and thouhaft them by Hiftory and by Relation, or Education, or Example, or Cuftom, or by Tra- dition, or becaufe generally aU, or molt men have received them for truths : but ifthou haft no evidence of his mighty miracles, andGod-like power in thine own foul : how, or which way canfi thou be a witnefs , that they are the things thouhaft heard andfeen ? for all thofeoutward things are but Reprefentations, Figures, and Patterns of the Flea- venly things themfelves. Thoumayeft have a firong opinion, but yet no experience of them, that Jefus Chrift hath freed and delivered thy foul. Again, take notice hence, That as Chrifl delivers not but as he comesHimfelfe into the foules of men , and is born in them : fo it is not opinions, nor notions, nor forms, nor wafh- ings, nor dtfci lftes, nor any external rules, or conformitics that can work deliverance for the foule; but it mutt be God in ug operating by hit own Almighty power : every man is f piritually in Sodom and in Egypt, where our Lord is Rev, t,, 8. Spiritually andmolt truly crucified. And as the world is deceived in their Forms and their Notions, thinking they [hall helpand fave them ; So likewie they take a great deal offatisfaEion to themfelves in making of Books and Cate- chifns,and prefcribing ofRules;in mending this way and the other form and are {till in mending andaltering, and ma- king their ways and forms better and more reformed (as they think) when alas, all this is nothing but man taking uponhimícifto cut, pare$ and mend the worlhip of God : This man he thinks to cut out a neater way then his neigh bour-gathered-church;and a another he thinks to mend and make his way more handfome then he , and at-toiler then both : Every one bath a Doarin, a Pfilm,hath a Tongue, bath a 1 Cor. d4 Revelation, with an Interpretation, Se none done to the edifying zó. ofthebody of Chiif : For all this is but to rend and tear the Seamlefe coat ofChrift : in that man would fain be fome- thing, do fomething by his own wifdom and power, and his righteoufheffe muff not befleigbtednor vilified , nor jail his glory muff not be laid in the du4 : all thefe JPorfhippers and I pre-
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