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
themselves from Ezra 9.2 The holy 〈◊〉 have mingled themselves with the people of those Lands yea the hand of the Princes and Rulers hath been chief in this trespasse and when I heard this thing I rent my garment And this was the great sin of that time and contrary to the Work of God in that day 2. After that a publick and solemn Testimony has been born among us through much bloud and difficulties and the same as eminently owned of God by a series of deliverances against the great oppressive interests that were upon us to wit the Law in the present constitution and administration of it Monarchy as a thing unnecessary burthensome and dangerous a Court as the spring head of oppression pride and filthiness with many other things that might be named to lay these heavy yoaks again upon the necks of our Brethren under which we our selves groaned not long ago and thereby to sell the Lords People with their dear bought power and freedom the people of the Land with their just rights and liberties and the Cause it self so much contended for into the hands of the new Lords standing upon the old foundation and acting in most points after the old corrupt fashion of things as formerly this is a great sin of the times for which the Lord cals upon his People to mourn and be humbled and by withdrawing themselves as much as may be from such things to bear a seasonable and faithful Testimony against them The Nobles and Rulers of Judah after they were delivered out of bondage in Babylon oppressed their Brethren and laid heavy yoaks upon them this was a special sin of that time and the Lord stirred up the spirit of Nehemiah against them Neh. 5.8 And I said unto them we after our abilitie have redeemed our Brethren the Iews which were sold unto the Heathens and will you even sell your brethren or shall they be sold unto us Also I said it is not good that ye do ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemies When God is breaking the yoaks of his People to be then laying yoaks upon them is a special sin of the time 3. Many among us have sinned in taking the accursed thing the meaning whereof both in the Old and New Testament imports a thing that is ordained of God to destruction a People or things of Gods Curse shut out of God protection and the prayers of his People Now observe what things they were among us that Gods People did formerly cast out of their heares and prayers that God did cast out from under his visible Dispensations of Mercy that lay under his frowns and terrible dints of his displeasure as things opposite to his Glory the work of Reformation and the prosperity and peace of his People the mingling again with these things is a taking the accursed thing and one of the sins of the times Ier. 7 16. Pray not thou for this people neither lift up a cry nor prayer for them We may remember what the Lords choice and faithful Servants among us did formerly leave out as things they could not pray for what constitutions and interests in the State what pomp covetousness and excess among men in eminent place What mixtures and formalitie in worship and what Idols and humane Statues in Gods House and are not these things and that old Spirit that acted them revived again whereby the Lord has been provoked to bring a cloud upon us and upon that day of Mercies and wonderful appearances whereby his Work was carried on among us So then observe what things they are that the Lords more peculiar and praying People formerly or at this day under their more enlightened holy and zealous frame could not or do not pray for but leave out and separate themselves from and they are that cursed thing which we ought to come out of and avoid 4. The putting back of that blessed Work that was in such a hopeful way to be carried on among us is a great sin of the times when I consider what an edge was upon the Spirits of good men how quick and powerful were proceedings what a spirit for high and great Work a reforming spirit for Reforming work a spirit of Judgment for the work of Justice a spirit of Prayer for the breaking of all yoaks and deliverance of Sion the whole Church of God and what a seal Providence it self put upon all this in a series of wonderful successes and further that these things were come to that height that the People of God begun to meditate and expect great things men of low and common spirits were laid aside the old spotted and wrinkled face of things unholiness and formality in Religion in the State Monarchy its Friends and Paramouts with all its limbs and branches and paintings begun to blush and hide it self I say when I look back at these things and consider how all this Work is desorted and laid aside covered under reproach and buried out of sight and mind and only a few left to keep it upon the heart I cannot but sadly reflect upon that word Hosea 9.1 Rejoyce not O Israel for joy as other people for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God thou hast loved a reward upon every corn floor There is a nick of time a special season wherein God cals and employes and spirits people for his Work if this time be not observed both the Work and opportunity for it is lost and things will go backward When Saul slipped in the Work God had called him unto he lost the Spirit of the Lord and the work of his day also So when Israels faith failed in the matter of the Spies and in their hearts gave back from following the Lord the Work was put back for forty years in like manner let it be considered what a door was opened by the mighty Works of God among us to have let in a season of Mercies to have proceeded to a full and thorow Reformation to have removed all lets and obstructions and to have set the highest and most publick Interests and greatest Affairs upon another a better bast and foundation then they had stood upon before whereon the Interest of Christ his Saints his Word as the Law and Rule might have been eminently owned and exercised among us the Promises that the Saints shall take the Kingdom and the Kingdom shall not be left to another People calling upon all Gods People to have respect unto this as the great Interest to be above all other contended after but they who had this price formerly in their hand and an heare unto it have let their opportunity slip and that Spirit they had for this Work is departed the work is gone many degrees back and because of their and our sins the good things that were in the birth are kept from us When Israel desired a King one might have pleaded for them and said they think no evil they do but desire another form of Government as more expedient for them then that of Judges Nay but sayes the Lord They have rejected me that I should nor reign over them 1 Sam 8.7 They rejected the Dispensation it self they were under as too holy and divine this was their sin they said Now make us a King to judge us like all the Nations they would not be a separate people they would look like the Nations Wise men do not look upon the change of persons and names and form of Government that has been among us so much as that the Dispensation we were under in the very nature of it as it was more holy and spiritual and refined is rejected not the formality only of the Work among us is altered but the matter of it is gone and another thing set up in its place this is a sin of the times we ought to mourn over and avoid 5. To name no more the heart of the people of that part of the People that were forward and active in the Work is withered and sunk into a low and unsensible frame an impotent low and unworthy spirit is fallen upon many willing to fit at ease though in a low and slavish state that can look upon the despised deserted Cause and Interest of Christ without any trouble of heart or a cry or a prayer for it there are but a few who have in them at this day those workings and yearnings of heart in looking upon a crucified Cause as Mary and the Disciples had over their crucified Friend the Lord Jesus When any eminent work was to be done in Israel the Lord first set it upon the hearts of some and stirred up the spirit of the people unto it Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and give him no rest till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth The deliverance of the Church in the Revelations chap. 14.2 begins with a voice from the waters the spirits of the people are stirred up to stand up with the Lamb on Mount Sion When there was a raising and stirring in the spirits of many in our dayes unto the work of Justice and Reformation how great things were brought forth in that day But now that pressing and stirring work in the hearts of most and the good things it tended to is cast off and gone the lesse thereof is so farre from working any due resentment among us as that where any remainders of that good old Spirit are yet breathing in any they are laid aside and cast into corners as the fire-brands and troublers of the times though it is only against the corruptions of the times that they do appear and that from their love to Christ and holiness These are some of the sins of the times from which we are to come out of and be separate FINIS
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