If all the Angels of Heaven should undertake the work of Reformation, they would fink under it; how much more the powers of the World?

For, the taking away tranfgreffion for us, and from us, which is the only Reformation of the New Testament, is a work agreeable to none but the Son of God; as it is written, His Name fhall be called Jefus, for he fhall fave his People from their fins; where you have, both the Reformer, Christ, and the Reformation, fhall fave his people from their fins: Now he muft needs be the Righteoufnefs of God, that muft fave People from Sin.

And he must needs be God in the flesh, that muft reform the flesh; none else can do it.

To conclude this: None but the Power of God, and Wifdom of God, and the Righteousness of God, which is Jefus Christ, can reform the Church, which is the Kingdom of God; and the power, wifdom, and righteousness of Men have no place at all here, except they will turn the power, wifdom, and righteoufnefs of God out of his Office; for fo fpeaks the Spirit by the Prophet Ifaiah, Chap. 2. 17. The loftiness of men fhall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low, and the Lord alone fhall be exalted. Now what is the loftiness and haughtiness of men, but the power, wisdom, and righteoufnefs of men? and all this, faith the Lord, fhall be bowed down and laid low; and the Lord alone fhall be exalted, that is, Christ alone, who is the power, wisdom, and righteousness of God; and that in the day of the Churches Reformation, as well as in the day of the Churches Redemption. And thus you fee that Chrift is the Reformer of the Church his Body, which is the City and Kingdom of God.

And therefore the Reformation of the Church is certain; for Chrift will as furely reform it, as he hath redeemed it; and all that the Father hath

given him he hath redeemed; and all that he hath redeemed, he will reform, that he may make them fit to prefent to God: That fo all that the Son hath received from the Father, having redeemed and reformed them, he may give them back to the Father again.

So that I doubt not of the Churches Reformation, because it is Chrifts own work, and he hath undertaken the doing of it, And as none of the Powers. of the Earth could help him to reform the Church, so none of the Powers of Hell fhall be able to hinder him: but as many as he hath redeemed unto God by his blood,in his due time he will reform them all by his Spirit, as belonging to his Care and Charge. And therefore let us look to Chrift for the reformation of his Church, that is, of his faithful People; the rest of the world. that lies in wickednefs, he lets remain in wickednefs, as not belonging to his Care and Charge. This Reformation is the work of Christ's Care and Love; and he being faithful in this Business, I am at rest and quiet, feeing Chrift is as able for the reformation of the Church, as for the redemption of it.

And therefore (Honourable and Beloved) I fay to you touching this work of the reformation of the Spiritual Temple of the New Teftament, as God once faid to David, touching the building of the material Temple of the Old Teftament, 1 Kings 8. 18, Whereas it was in thine heart (faid God) to build an Houfe to my Name, thou didst well it was in thy heart. Nevertheless, thou shalt not build the Houfe, but thy Son that shall come out of thy loyns, he shall build an House unto my Name. And elsewhere he renders the reafon of it, why David fhould not, and Solomon fhould build this House, because, faith he, thou hast been a man of war, and haft fhed much blood: But Solomon, he K 3

Shall

fhall live and flourish in peace, and he fhall do it.

So fay I to you, touching this work of Reformation. You did well, in that it was in your hearts to reform the Kingdom of God, and the Spiritual Church, which is Chrifts own dear body. Neverthelefs you shall not reform it, for you have been men of war; that is, you have managed a great and mighty war against great and mighty enemies, and have fhed much blood; for the Lord hath given you the necks of your enemies, and hath Jubdued them, under you that rose up against you, and you have trod them down as mire in the Streets.

And therefore you fhall not do this work, having been men of war; but Chrift the Prince of Peace, he fhall reform the Church of God; for this is not a work of men of war, but of the Prince of Peace, feeing this is not a work of humane might or ftrength, but of the Spirit. So that you did well, that you thought to reform the Church; but when you fhall understand, that the reformation of the Church, is as great a work as the redemption of it, you will acknowledge the work is too great for you, and that it belongs only unto Chrift, feeing the Father hath committed the care of this work only to him; and he hath taken this care and charge upon himself, and it is only fuitable to him, as being the Head of the Church: And he only is able for it, as being the Son of God, and equal to God,

The third General.

By what Means Chrift brings this Reforma

tion about.

And that is, by thefe two, and them only; to wit, the Word, and the Spirit.

The

The first means whereby Chrift reforms the 1. The Church, is the Word.

By this Chrift doth all that ever he doth in his Kingdom; by this he calls and rejects; by this he binds and looeth; by this he comforts and terrifies; by this he enlightens and makes blind; by this he kills and quickens; by this he faves and damns; and all that ever he doth in this Kingdom, he doth by his word, and without this, he doth nothing of all that he doth. Chrift doth all in his Kingdom by the word only; but Antichrift doth all things without the word, even by the Decrees and Conftitutions of men.

Now as Chrift doth all other things in the Church by the word, fo he reforms too: Now are yo clean through the word that I have spoken to you. All the powers in the world cannot reform the Church as the word of God can do; for this is quick and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged fword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of font and fpirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a difcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, and doth change and renew, and reform all.

And therefore Chrift, when he comes to reform the Church, comes with no worldly power or weapons, but only with the word in his mouth, yea, though God fet him King upon his holy hill of Sion, yet he reforms not by outward power, but by preaching, faying, I will publish the decree whereof the Lord hath faid unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And again, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he hath anointed me to preach the Gofpel. And again, The Redeemer fhall come to Sion; and then follow the Covenant of God with the Redeemer, My word shall never depart out of thy mouth, Ifa. 59. 10. and in Pfal. 45. the Church faith by the Spirit to Chrift, Ride on profpeK 4

roufy

Word.

rously in the word of truth, meekness, and righteousnefs, which is the word of the Gospel.

And fo Chrift, when the time of Reformation was come, went up and down preaching the word. And thus he brought to pass the glorious Reformation of the New Testament, by preaching the Gofpel of the Kingdom, and nothing else.

And when he was to leave the world, he fent his Difciples to carry on the work of Reformation, as he himself had began it, as he faith, As my Father fent me, fo fend I you; not with the power of the world, but with the power of the word; and fo he bid them go teach all Nations, and preach the Gospel to every creature; and by teaching and preaching to the world, to reform the world; and fo accordingly they did, Mark 16. ver. 20. They went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them. So that Chrift fent them not forth with any power of Swords, or Guns, or Prifons, to reform the world, or with any power of States, or Armies; but fent forth poor, illiterate, mechanick men, and only armed them with the power of the word; and behold what wonders they wrought by that power alone: They turned the world upfide down; they changed the Manners, Customs, Religion, Worship, Lives and Natures of Men; they carried all Oppofitions and Difficulties before them; they won many in moft Kingdoms unto Chrift, and brought them into willing fubjection and obedience to him; and all this they did (I fay) not with any Earthly or Secular Power, but by the Miniftry of the Gospel alone, Chrifts great and only Inftrument for the Conquering, Subduing, and Reforming of the Nations. And fo the Power appeared to be Gods only, and not the Creatures.

And thus you fee how the word is one means Chrift ufeth for Reformation.

And