2. The Lord also prepareth his people by a Spirit of burning, which upon a Spirit of Bondage ⟨p. 17⟩he doth shed abroad into the hearts of men: this we read of, Mal. 4.1. Behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, and it shall leave them neither root nor branch. It is spoken of the Ministry of John Baptist, which did burn like an oven against all the Scribes and Pharisees, and left them neither the root of Abraham's Covenant, nor the branch of their own good Works. He cutteth them off from the Covenant of Abraham, Mat. 3.9. Think not to say within your selves that you have Abraham to your Father; for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham: and so by cutting them off from the Root, he leaveth them no ground to trust on. From their good Works also the Lord Jesus Christ cutteth them off, Mat. 6.2. When thou dost thine alms, sound not a Trumpet before thee as the Hypocrites do, that they may have the glory of men: and vers. 5. When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the Hypocrites are, &c. and vers. 16. When ye Fast, ye shall not be as the Hypocrites are, of a sad countenance, &c. This was a Spirit of Burning which the Lord conveyed by the Ministry of Christ, and of John Baptist, to burn up all the Hypocrites like stubble; and the beauty of their works were blasted by it: and this is Gods usual manner of dealing. Now there are many under a spirit of bondage, that never came under a spirit of burning; and they being convinced of sin, and of the danger thereof, yet hope to wrestle it out, and work it out by their own performances, ⟨p. 18⟩till the spirit of Burning come and consume all that false confidence. But when the spirit of Burning cometh, he then blasteth all the fruits and branches of their righteousness, and burns up all that a man hath wrought, or can work. And this is that which the Prophet Isaiah, chap. 4.4. speaketh of, that the Lord will purge away the filth of the Daughter of Zion, with a Spirit of Judgment, and of Burning; the one is a spirit of Sanctification, and the other is a consuming Fire, which forceth them not to build any comfort upon any works that they have done:
2. The Lord also prepareth his people by a Spirit of burning, which upon a Spirit of Bondage ⟨p. 17⟩he doth shed abroad into the hearts of men: this we read of, Mal. 4.1. Behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, and it shall leave them neither root nor branch. It is spoken of the Ministery of John Baptist, which did burn like an oven against all the Scribes and Pharisees, and left them neither the root of Abrahams Covenant, nor the branch of their own good Works. He cutteth them off from the Covenant of Abraham, Mat. 3.9. Think not to say within your selves that you have Abraham to your Father; for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham: and so by cutting them off from the Root, he leaveth them no ground to trust on. From their good Works also the Lord Jesus Christ cutteth them off, Mat. 6.2. When thou dost thine alms, sound not a Trumpet before thee as the Hypocrites do, that they may have the glory of men: and vers. 5. When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the Hypocrites are, &c. and vers. 16. When ye Fast, ye shall not be as the Hypocrites are, of a sad countenance, &c. This was a Spirit of Burning which the Lord conveyed by the Ministry of Christ, and of John Baptist, to burn up all the Hypocrites like stubble; and the beauty of their works were blasted by it: and this is Gods usual manner of dealing. Now there are many under a spirit of bondage, that never came under a spirit of burning; and they being convinced of sin, and of the danger thereof, yet hope to wrestle it out, and work it out by their own performances, ⟨p. 18⟩till the spirit of Burning come and consume all that false confidence. But when the spirit of Burning cometh, he then blasteth all the fruits and branches of their righteousness, and burns up all that a man hath wrought, or can work. And this is that which the Prophet Esay, chap. 4.4. speaketh of, that the Lord will purge away the filth of the Daughter of Zion, with a Spirit of Judgment, and of Burning; the one is a spirit of Sanctification, and the other is a consuming Fire, which forceth them not to build any comfort upon any works that they have done:
