Webster - BX9318 W43 1654

7he Fathers great Love get into the P 0PE S place, and fit in his feat and fay, we are the Subftitutes ofChrill. That which wedeny him, we take to our felves : certainly all this is-nothingelfe'but bel- lifh arrogancy, and theprideof the man ofjin, and AN7% 2 Thef. 2. CHRISTwithin us that exalts himfelf (inus) above all 4. that it called God, that puts is into thefe wayes : and to think that wecan draw, or we can drive to Jefus Chriíl; when there is none can do this, but meerly and folely that only and eternal power and fpirit of the Father. Thirdly, if it be fo, as we have clearly proved, and none Ute. 3e daredeny it : neither can then the wifdome, nor power,nor firei,gth, nor any rules of Fellowfhips, orChurch-gather ings, or any difcipline of man dram nor -drive others in, but 'tis onely the drawing.and driving of the eternal power ofthe Fathers fpirit ; It is true, theSons ofMen may do and have done, and do compaßSea andLand : and what is it to doe i' to make a Profelyte; and what then ? he is but two- Mat. 23. foldmore the child ofperdition then before. Theymay indeed t 5 gather men into Fellowfhips and Churches (as they call them.) But to gather men into the fpirit of the Lord Jefus thiswas never thework of man : no flrength, nor power, norwifedome ofman could ever doe it : and without que- Ibid. 15. Ilion every plant that the Heavenly father bath not planted,(hall 13. be rooted up. It is true, and I grant, there wasCome mention made of the Church.andChurches in the times ofthe Apoflles ; but what Churches were they ? They wereno other but what were called by God himfelfe, in the power of his fpirit, and not ofor by man. Wheredowe read ofthis mans Church, or the other mans Members?but they werecalled the Church of God, andnot divided by thofe diftin&ions of vain-glo- rious, felt-feWlig, ambitious, covetous men, as they are in thefe dayes. Nor did they Owne one another, or had any Note. relationone unto another in their love or efieem upon that account. Fut they looked upon one another in what place foever, as but one body, and having all but one fpirit,meer- Cor. 12. ly becaufe thtywere allbaptized into One I ody by that ,0ne 13. Spirit. They did not know one another as they were of Paul

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