SOME Legible Characters OF FAITH LOVE Towards the Blessed CAUSE KINGDOM OF CHRIST Worthy to be known and read of all men Being Some of the last Meditations of that Faithfull Servant of the Lord Mr. Thomas Higgenson lately deceased a very firm friend both living and dying unto the Interest and Work of the Lord Jesus in these last days Isaiah 42.9 Behold the former things are come to passe and new things do I declare before they spring forth I tell you of them sing unto the Lord a new song Isaiah 43.21 This People have I formed for myself London Printed by G. D. for Tho. Brewster and are to be sould at his Shop at the Sign of the three Bibles in Pauls Church-Yard 1659. THE EPISTLE To the READER THE Breathings of the Spirit of Christ in the Author of the ensuing little Treatise will certainly be very comfortable and refreshing to all those who find any fresh Affections stirring in them to that Glorious Cause which hath been so unworthily and so shamefully entreated of late years by an Apostatizing Generation The mysticall Harmony of their Spirits which the King of Saints is now secretly putting in tune in order to that harping and singing mentioned Revel 14.2 3. and 15.3 will be so melodious in some competent space of time that many will be very desirous to learn to sing and play upon those instruments which David our King the sweet singer of Israel hath invented for his Victorious and Tryumphing Followers and Friends But it was revealed to the Apostle that no man could learn that Song but the hundred fourty and four thousand which were redeemed from the earth That this Servant of Christ lately deceased was much Redeemed from the earth and indeed from among men and so the more capable of singing that new song before mentioned is well known to many in this City and else where A true estimate of the Elevation of this Spirit above the base things of the earth may be easily taken by such Artists as are well skilled in the Celestial or Evangelical Mathematticks If they do diligently peruse a former Treatise of his called Sighs for Righteousnesse penned not long after the Cromwelian Apostacy and usurpation They will find the Spirit that appeareth in those Queries to be a very serious a very savoury a very penetrating * At also in those oother Treatises of his called A Lamenting Word Glory asar off now stepping in The Indwellings of the Spirit A Testimony to the True Jesus Spirit And I could wish for mine owne part that the substance and series of that Discourse were deeply imprinted in my mind and in the minds of all those who do fixedly expect those most marvelous Productions and Mutations which are about to break forth from the deep Counsels of his will who is recapitulating or bringing all things to a Head in his Son both which are in Heaven and which are on Earth even in him I was desired by some of the Authors Friends to perfix a Title and a few words to the Reader for his own good But who or what am I that I should hope to promote any thing of this nature my very Name being offensive to multitudes But the day will declare That the cause wherein I have by a most blessed Conduct imbarked my Name my Liberty my Estate my Life my All will make a mends for all those scandalous slanderous Reproaches wherein it was hoped I might have been buried alive long before this time of the day But I know I am with all I have in the same ship with the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore I can Despise their Despisings who after all their Insolent Language have cause to be ashamed of the mistakes and other pittifull products of their own shallow fluid judgments They must take their aim better the next time if they can As for me I blesse the Lord that I do sometimes meet mine own Spirit touched with the Magnetick vertue of the Spirit of Christ in the Discourses and Writings of others whose Spirits were found faithful in the day of Rebuke and Blasphemy which hath passed over us in the number of whom I reckon this dear disceased Friend to be one And could have wished that the Following Papers might have been perfected and published by himself before his departure In regard that severall advantages and elegancies will be found by judicions Readers to be very much wanting through many mispointings mistakes and errataes which were past cure before they came to my hand Neverthelesse I shall do the best office I can to serve in love both his living Readers and my deceased Friend by rectifying some things which are amisse as in the Errataes following All is commended to the Blessing of him who worketh all things after the Counsell of his own will no more at the present Reader from Thy Friend and Servant for the Lords sake CHR. FEAKE London this 6th of the 4th moneth 1659. Errata PAge 10. line 36. read one of the lorns pag. 11. l. ult r. against Babilon p. 12. l. 19. r. whereof p. 9. l 1. dele as p. 20. l. 14. for as r. and. l. ult for off r. of p. 21. l. 11 dele how p. 22. l. 12. r. with clay l. 21. make a at law l. 33. r. unsuitable p. 23. 2. r. near l. 32. r. when p. 25. l. 32. r. alone p. 32. l. 25. r. losse l. ult dele of SOME LEGIBLE CHARACTERS OF FAITH and LOVE towards The Blessed CAUSE KINGDOM OF CHRIST Worthy to be known and read of all men AS God has in every Age had some special work upon the wheel and as the same has ever been attended with much opposition difficulty and offence so he has alwayes given to some of his Servants an eye to see and be affected with it and to put their helping hand unto it Although the things which have been of late the Travel of many and yet are of some amongst us being of such weight and worth of such blessed and glorious consequence would require men of a more excellent spirit and skilful hand to set them forth in their proper beauty and lustre yet such service as I had love constrained me to offer especially at this time wherein the Exigencies of Truth call for somewhat at our hands If unbelief security and revolt had not choaked that Faith Light and Love unto the Lord and his present Works in the World whereby many among us were led out to undertake and effect great things in pursuance thereof that Truth would by this time have been witness of it self in reall effects to the face of the world and would not have needed a vindication of this nature by word or argument to wit That God is doing new and extraordinary things in this day in the earth To obtain clearness and certainty in which point is of high concernment unto all such as would not be left in the dark concerning the great designations of Providence and
darkness and wasting in their spirits counsels and proceedings the very report whereof put a fear upon the Nations about while lie owned and blessed and comforted his People by a glorious leading Presence among them What is the meaning of these things Is there not a far other more Excellent State of things signified and intended hereby then the present frame of things of late set up under which worldly pomp and policy the old oppressive and corrupt Interests of former worldly States and Governments with a too general defection of many from their first light love and purity is springing and growing up again in the Land The changes that of late have passed over us are a further Testimony from God unto us that he is doing some new thing in the Earth It is said Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come The first coming of our Saviour was ushered in by a change upon all Nations the Romans possessing themselves of the Kingdome of David and of the Government of the whole World Joel saith chap. 2.30 31. I will shew wonders in the Heavens and in the Earth bloud and fire and pillars of smoak the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into bloud before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come We are to know the second coming of the Lord Jesus to set up his Kingdom on Earth draws near when we see changes coming upon the whole frame of things both in Church and State This Nation a Nation wherein Profession is reformed unto the greatest degree of Light and Purity of any Nation in the World yet how has it been turned upside down How have the Heavens of our more reformed as well as the Earth of our more loose corrupted Church-state been shaken How has the Sun of Monarchy Kings and Nobles been darkened and the Moon of our Civil State been turned into bloud How have formes of Government and Authorities hastily risen up one after another and have as fast dissolved in weakness and confusion Revel 21.1 I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more Sea When the Governments Kingdoms and Common-wealths throughout both the Antichristian and the more Reformed Nations become unsettled shaken and falling in pieces it is a sign they are grown old in sin and guilt and as fit for no more use are ready to be done away The time for the fulfilling of that Prophesie seems at the very door Revel 14.15 Thrust in thy sickle and reap for the time is come for thee to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe Who ever saw the Nations round about us in such a posture of warr and wrath as at this day so fitted for destruction What Earthquakes Eclipses Comets raining of Bloud and raging Pestilences have there been of late How is the whole Creation sensible of the drawing near of the Lord Jesus whose coming in the Spirit of Grace and Glory in his People and in Wrath and Judgements against his Enemies is that which causeth all these changes which have been and are yet to be in the World It is well known to many that both the spiritual and visible Interest of Christ hath begun to shine forth more of late in this Nation and God hath given more visible testimonies in a way of owning of it here then in any other Nations besides So soon as this Interest and Cause was placed among us what a series of changes did presently flow in upon us What commotions were stirred up against us from abroad and how are all the Nations about us since put into a flame Nations long settled upon their lees of Antichristian blindness and corruption when God begins to empty such from vessel to vessel to bring upon them one breach and change after another it is a sign he has some new and special thing to do with such People Oh that we might see the Lord Jesus as he comes forth through these things and lifts up himself still more and more by them The Refinings that have attended our changes have a fresh significancy with us that God is about some new and extraordinary things among us every change was as a fire purifying the succeeding parties into a more refined Spirit and Principles then those that were before as new work and new difficulties were presented while many went off their hearts failing them through darkness weariness or fear a new Spirit was put upon others in a fresh supply of light and strength giving a more piercing sight into the excellency of the interest and cause in hand and further Resolution to presse forwards towards it Principles in the beginning of the day were dim and weak both in the Civil and Military Instruments carrying them forth a little higher then unto the Interest of meer civil right and freedome against the Arbitrarines and excess of Monarchy and Prelatical Church state these Generations being most of them laid aside a choicer People were raised up in their place of clearer Principles and higher Aymes calling for Impartial Justice removal of burdens dethroning of Kingly Power abolition of Worldly Pomps and Splendour a Religious Magistracy a Spiritual Ministry liberty of Worship c. they had so much light as to discern the present frame of things to be exceedingly corrupted with Antichristian mixture and to see there was a better state of things to be had framed and acted not according to Humane Reason and Prudentials of State in the hands of men as men but according to the Decrees and Laws of Christ in the hands of men as spiritual and Saints Further changes so far heightened this Principle as that the Interest and Right of Jesus Christ to exercise a Kingly Authority over the Kingdomes of men was publickly and solemnly owned for a reason among us let it be observed how the Lord winnowed and purged one party after another how the said old dark and corrupt fashion of things was a going away and a new face of things began to appear with a new lustre both upon Church and State upon Doctrine and Worship garments of mourning and bondage formerly upon the People of God changed into a state of liberty and gladness a loose and worldly Church reformed first to the letter after to a degree of spirituality the contest begun for a civil Interest refined into a contest for spiritual Faith Prayer and expectations in many rising higher and higher first for civil liberty then for a spiritual after for the Kingdom and Government of Jesus Christ And here that word may not unseasonably be minded Psal 68.13 14. Though ye have lain among the pots yet shall ye be as the wings of a Dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold when the Almighty scattered Kings in it it was white as snow in Salmon When the time came that the Lord would
courage through all oppositions difficulties and temptations in that day to the contrary Third Rule Consider which way the Works of Providence looked that were formerly done amongst us and whither they tended though Providence when it is alone is not any certain Rule to go by yet when the Works of God and his Word and Spirit go altogether when a People have his Word and Spirit stirring them up unto a Work and Providences coming in one upon another to carry them out in it then are Providences to be heeded as signs of the times and of the Work God is about Psalm 105.26 He sent Moses his Servant and Aaron whom he had chosen they shewed his signs among them and wonders in the Land of Ham. The Works God wrought for Israel in Egypt and the Wildernesse was as Gods manifestation to the Nations who were his People and what he was about when a People are engaged in a cause upon holy and righteous Principles the Promises Prophecies and Truths of the latter dayes and God is seen going forth before them working glorious Deliverances for them this is a lowd Testimony What is the Work God is determined to do in such a day Psalm 105.14 15. He suffered no man to do them wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sakes saying touch not mine Annointed and do my Prophets no harm How like to this the dealing of God with England of late have been may appear whosoever shall remember what an eye of peculiar respect and favour the Lord had upon a People among us what a choice and blessed Spirit a despised People had whereby many wise and honourable among us were confounded What power to bind Kings in chains and Nobles in fetters of iron How no weapon that was formed against them could prosper Moreover how the Lord stretched the line of confusion and the stones of emptinesse over all such constitutions and interests as had been props and pillars for the upholding the old Antichristian and worldly pomp pride and greatnesse if the aim and tendencie of these Providences be considered it is easie to ghesse what the Work of God is at this day Fourth Rule Take notice what things have fallen out upon a People among us since they left the Work of the Lord they were first about to build their own houses since they left their first love and labour and patience and zeal in that Work and are joyned to another Interest As soon as Saul failed in the Work of the Lord 1 Sam. 16.14 The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him That Spirit he had for the Lord and the work of Reformation left him and he was turned to hate the same Spirit when it came upon David It is a true observation where the Spirit of God is seen in the most gracious lively and warmest workings of it there are the choicest Servants of God and there is his Work carrying on What a blessed Spirit was there upon a People among us What zeal did it work what indignation what godly sorrow for miscarriages what purging of themselves from the old leaven what pressing on towards a thorow Reformation and the good things of the latter dayes how is this Spirit I would I could not say it departed from them Object But wherein does it appear that that Spirit has left them Answ It appears by their principles and designs the Spirit of God acts upon holy and gracious Principles and unto holy and noble ends a People led by the Spirit of God do act upon such Principles as are spiritual the Word of God Faith in the Promises Love to Christ to his Saints to the breathings of the Spirit in them to Righteousness and Holiness now where you see these Principles left and slighted and others took up worldly power and pollicy and conjunction with them that either left the Work formerly or were enemies to it and practises tending to pour contempt upon the blessed Cause and Interest of Christ among us and upon all those that would still be faithful to it untill the Kingdomes of this World become the Kingdome of our Lord this is not the Spirit of God you may be assured that does such things The spirits of any thing are known by the breath or savour it yeilds Thou savourest not the things that be of God but the things that be of man where we find a strong scent and savour in our own hearts or others of the flesh-pots and onyons an hankering after the treasures of Egypt the pomp preferments titles and honors the constitutions and interests of those that the Lord cast out before us to be like the Nations in Government State Designs and Manners there we may fear the Spirit of the Lord as to any further work is departed Moreover since many left off following the Lord fully we see not our signs and tokens of Gods wonder working Providence as formerly Exod. 33.16 Wherein shall it be known here that I and thy People have found grace in thy sight is it not in that thou goest with us so shall we be separated I and thy People from all the People that are upon the face of the earth Whilst there was a People among us that were faithful with the Lord and his Saints and had a heart to the glorious things God hath for his Church the Lord Jesus went forth before them as General and put the feir of them upon all that were about them but since then what frowns from Heaven what tokens of displeasure have been upon us both at Sea and Land whereby all things drive heavily at home fears and confusion abroad wasting and consuming upon their Armies now observe in what walk and way we had the Lord present among us and how since then he has withdrawn himself from us and thence we may gather where his Work lies at this day Now then if you judge these Rules to be such as may give any certain light to resolve us in the question The Work the Lord our God is about at this day is a choice Work and a great Work and beyond the ordinary wayes and Dispensations of God in times past First The Lord is forming a People for himself purifying and fitting a People to follow Christ in those special Services wherein his Glory is more eminently concerned if the Works that God has done in the midst of us be in order to some greater things he has yet to do then will he sanctifie and prepare a People that shall understand the Work of the Lord and serve him therein Psal 110.2 Rule thou in the midst of thine Enemies thy People shall be willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness They that shall be of the most ready and willing spirit to serve Christ in the Work of his Kingdom shall be a People of more grace and holiness then others a People that shall have Faith and Love to Christ and Zeal for