mouth what he believeth in his heart for of the torments he goeth back from Christ but if any see the prize in immortality namely Jesus the Authoux and perfecter of that faith raised from the dead and believeth in his heart that if he suffer death with Christ God will also raise him by Christ to life this faith will encourage a Christian to enter the conflict in the love of Christ and without feare to confesse to his name If after they enter combate with the seede of the serpent are at length vanquished by intollerable payne and are not able to indure the agony and conflict of Martyrdom they loose the glory of their confession for they are to hold the confession of their faith constantly unto death without wavering But if they looke to the end of the conflict and set their eyes on the resurrection of Jesus they by the power of his love will hate their mortall life and think it long before they can come to knock at the gates of death whereof he hath the keyes to receive such into life Rev. 1.18 5. These sufferings of Christ are of absolute necessity to enter in life and immortality for by meanes of the Serpent we have put on the old and sinfull man which is mortall by reason of the lusts of deceit And therefore in Jesus Christ we must put off this body of sin by death that we may put on the new and spirituall man which is immortall by reason of this love in the truth 6. The necessity of chastisements in Christ are shewed by a Schoolmaster The Child naturally hates his book and would never learne it except the Master did by his presence and chastisements keepe him to learne The Child is the Christian the book is to learn Christ Ephes. 4.20 the rod are men in authority the Schoolmaster is the Law or the heavenly Father discovering our miserable and mortall estate by the Law of his presence And as a Child so a Christian if he should not learne obedience by what he suffers would soone grow wild and vain such as are worldly Christians that in time are grown so proud as to blot the book and teare it to despise and burne the rod and to correct controule contradict and defie the good Master The 4. day of the Week I Have observed the course of Religion in the world and I find that another word and authority doth alter the Religion As in Christian Religion the word or Law of the Church is Christ manifest in the Scriptures and Doctrine from the beginning The authority thereof is from Heaven manifested in power to hold the words against the authority of men The Sea or seate to governe according to this world and new Covenant is the Lord Jesus his 12. Apostles and all that are built upon them having the same word and spirit their conversation is love meeknesse and humility towards others so as he which is most poore and humble in the flesh is endued with most authority in the spirit of holinesse their faith is in immortality after this mortality according to the Communion in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ the head of the whole Church of true Christians If now there stand up another man that taketh upon him the Christian Religion and the maine of Jesus Christ and the apostolick Sea if he bring in any other word he bringeth in another Christ he alâ—ereth the Religion if another authority of carnall force to impose his word upon the Consciences of men he opposeth Jesus in his spirituall authority which worketh in the heart invisibly if he under the name of Christ enforce other Christians by oppression to do contrary to any word or any jot or title of the Scriptures delivered by the foundation of the Christian Church he is an Antichrist he denyeth the Father by presuming to possesse the Conscience of man which he made with his word and he denyeth the Sonne in denying the word and the power thereof The Conversation of such is also contrary to the suffering Christians being putt up with mortall pride to exalt themselves one over another in the flesh and pride of life Their faith is also contrary in that it is fixed on mortality wherein they rejoyce and are confident of the durable estate in the pleasures of sin And thus the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ immortality is in all things perverted under the colour of his own name and of his own word and Ordinances to mortality and wickednesse greater then paganisme 2. It is observed that in processe of time after the much blood of the Christians had brought forth the world to bee Christian from that time the Church of Christ ceased to be visible of the world and the world blinded it self under the name of the Church of Christ which cannot so be for Ecclesia the Church of Christ consisteth of the people that in all times are called out of the world to the unity of spirit now the world cannot be called out of it self Therefore the true and spirituall Christians are hidden to the world under the feighned and carnall Christians yet the Church is as visible in it selfe now as it was viz. when Christians suffer joyfully under worldly Christians for the same cause of the Word Commandement and Faith of immortality as they did in the beginning 3. Men deny the Catholike Faith when they labour to comprehend it under their carnall authority For the Catholike Faith must needs be granted from the name of it to be both universall and spirituall If then it is such a Faith as is to extend to all the ends of the earth such as withstand it or hinder the spreading thereof by their wisdome and power do deny that the Faith should be universally obeyed and so Catholick Again sâ—eing Faith is the onely work of the spirit of truth which spiritually worketh in all men alike If anyby carnall authority doe hinder the spirituall work of Christ they fight against the spirit and Faith of Christ to bee preached to all nations for the finishing of the Body and Church of Christ And thus some that professe themselves to be of the Catholicke Faith of the Church may deny it yea fight against both the faith and the universality thereof 4. If prayers and tears are the weapons defence and authority of the true Church of Christ as all grant then fire and sword must needs bee the weapons and offensive authority whereby the kingdom of Antichrist is discovered in all places 5. It is a horrible thing to behold the Creator without Christ the Word For he teacheth with terror of death for transgression of the Law but he that seeing his estate to bee thus before God and goeth to Christ and learneth obedience in the word and in the death of Jesus Christ shall in him have boldnesse to stand before the throne of his gracein immortality 6. A truth may be preached and yet made utterly void by worldly practize as the popish
and Gospel of immortality for he that receiveth the word of truth withall his heart and full resolution to suffer with Christ the saver thereof this man can never fayle In persecution of the word he hath prepared his heart to suffer and so he continuath constant unto death and he winneth by holding the word the Crown of an immortal life In all other temptations which are in himselfe together with the world he denyeth himself after the honour of this world he hateth his own soule to satisfie it with the lusts thereof he suffereth in the flesh and so ceaseth from sin 1 Pet. 4.1 c. patience maketh his heart soft to give rooting to the word the harder the persecution of men the softer the heart is to nourish the immortall seed and to bring forth the fruit thereof in the perishing and death of the mortall flesh chusing rather to lose his life then lose the word of God patience maketh his heart heard to resist the Devill and all his deceits and temptations he is open hearted faithfull and perfect in love to the Lord by whose word he holdeth the assurance of immortality with him but he is close shut to obey the worldly vanities he hateth to think of their wicked courses in mortality This is the estate of those which are able to endure the try all and to walls perfectly in the love of Christ the more their oppression is from without the greater is their obedience from the heart the more their temptations are the greater is the tryall of their faith which worketh the more patience The more patience they possesse their soules with the more perfect the work of wisdom is untill they be perfect and entire defective in nothing Iam 1.2.3 4 5. Of all sorts of Christians that have heard the word of Christ these only that suffer as Christians in patience of the good word are able to bring forth the fruit thereof unto perfection 2. This is the miserable estate of the men of this age that while they think to fly from death they fall into it for flying from the patience of the word of life they run after their own thoughts to save their life in mortality when they in so doing lay themselves open to all miseries in this world and do even feele the terrours of the second and immortall death while they are yet living and yet are forced to run into it The fifth day of the Week THere is great opposition of Christians in this world all which in may dream I divided into 2. sorts the one terrence humain and baptised under the authority of men to live according to their severall Lawes and Corporations after the power of a mortall life The other Christians are coelestical divine and baptized under the annointing and authority of the only true God to live according to his holy law in their mind looking through the resurrection of Jesus unto that glorious life in immortality 2. Having observed how such as professe themselves preachers of light are darkened in the world by leaving the expresse word and wisdom of Christ to follow mortall vanities I am drawn to discover their folly that they can no more helpe a man to go the way of immortality then a natural blind man can direct a man in the way of a mortall life And therefore being in themselves so blinded with the God of this world it is mischievous madnesse for them to presume to speak what they know not thereby to deceive others or else by their authority of blindnesse to hinder them which being ignorant of their blindnesse do enquire of them the good old way but it is safe for blind men to confesle they are blind that all that erre and have eyes may enquire of others that do see It yet thay will make themselves Preachers of light and immortality they must be discouraged to the false Preachers that instead thereof do indeed preach darknesse and mortality as to deceive others of the wayes of life 3. I understand that the Christians are not Ministers of the letter as 2 Cor. 3.6 because that were to take upon them the carnall authority of the Scribes and Pharisees who are charged with that Mat. 23.2.23 yet to deliver the spirit and truth contained therein The sixth day of the VVeeke I Had a sight of the love of God in man and the sencible understanding thereof was wonderfull In mine eyes Man being by sinne deprived the glory of God wherein Adam wa created is now by the evill spirit become subject to the bodie of the sinnes of the flesh to sow to the flesh and of the flesh to reape mortality And to restraine man from sinne God gave his Law and gave power to condemne accordingly to the chastisement of the flesh and to death Yet the heart of man is naturally so evill that this authority in evill minded mens hands cannot reforme the minde that so man should yet please God in mortality Therefore lest mankind should bee swallowed up in death for the sinnes of the flesh the Sonne of God by whom the world and man was made became flesh that in the love of God he might teach us in the flesh by the mediation and direction of his spirit manifested in the flesh the truth of salvation in suffering death in the resurrection of the flesh and in the full restoring to glory yet flesh and blood is weake and cannot follow him in this hard and strait way Wherefore the Lord of glory condescending to mans weaknesse hath given his holy spirit into the world which being Gods spirit might redeeme men from the earth in the death of Christ who being departed in sight hath sent his owne spirit to teach men and to guid them into all truth how they should learne obedience in the sinnefull flesh how to put off the carnall man of mortality and to put on the spirituall man of immortality how to mortifie the carnall actions of the body to the holy spirit of Christ for to perfect the mystery of suffering in the flesh this word and spirit of Christ Jesus doth give his Christian menwisdom how to suffer under the evill authorities of the world to death and so to passe on in the way of Christ to immortall life And as in the course of nature our minde was catyed wholly to live after the lusts of uncleannessse so being converted to God by the power of this spirit which worketh in our hearts mightily our minde is caryed wholly to live after the will of that holy spirit so that in this way we have no more to doe but to discharge our selves of cares and pleasures of this world and to be delivered from the body of death which is after the old man that we may be presented in the new man to him that is now invisible and that onely hath immortality 2. The word of the holy Scriptures is more perfect then the inspiration without a plaine word therefore who so resisteth the
A GUIDE To the GODLY OR The dayly MEDITATIONS of RETURNE HEBDON Gentleman who for his conscience through the tyrany of the Bishops suffered many years imprisonment in the Kings-Bench and their remained till death BEING Very usefull for Instruction of all those that desire to walke in the paths of JESUS CHRIST Left to Mrs. TRASKE who not long since for the same Judgment died in the Gate house and published by a friend of hers Psal. 145.2 Every day will I blesse thee and will prayse thy name for ever IER. 6.16 Inquiring for that good and old Way to Walke in it that they may find rest to their soules Printed in the year 1646. To the Reader LOving Reader I suppose it is desired that somthing should be spoken concerning the Authour of this Booke in what way and with what earnestnesse it pleased God he did attaine to the truth of these Misteries in divine knowledge concerning himselfe he was a Gentlemans Sonne of Fashion in the Town of Holmeshurst in the County of Sussex but he being stirred up and desirous rather to live a retired life with little injoyment of this world that he might injoy more of God desired to leave both Father and Mother and meanes and being afterwards a prisoner for the Commandement of Gods sake by his desiring to rest on the seventh day according to the Commandement which the world calleth Satturday who dyed about 23. years since but he remained about eight years in prison in which time he gave himselfe to continuall study in fasting and prayer and it hath pleased God that he diseased hath left as a pledge to his friends some of his labours Therefore some who having the knowledge of him and of his manner of life while living desire â—o print some of his workes for the good of all whom it shall please God to give power to seeke him in truth inquiring for that good and old way to walke in it that they may find rest to their soules Jerem. 6. verse 16. and if this shall be received it may be incouragement to print more Farewell The 6. day of the week 1. THE Christians that leave all mortall things to follow Christ in Communion of his sufferings are in him the salt of the earth as Luke 14.26.33 34 35. with Mat. 5.12 13. They have salt and savour in themselves when they are enabled to indure the fiery Tryall Marke 90 49.50 with 1 Pet. 4.12 13. and in this constancy they shall both save themselves and all that hear them 1 Tim 4.16 Notwithstanding as salt they spend and consume themselves in sufferings to death that others through them may be acceptable to the spirit of God but if any of those which professe to suffer as Christians be unsavory that is have not strength to continue constantly to death they are worse or lesse profitable then that people which they should season for after they leave their testimony sufferings they are the most contemptible and base before God and man 2. They which shine forth in the Gospel of Christ to immortality as Mat. 5.14.15 with 2 Tim. 1.10 and go unto God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 these are those lights of the world that out of their common estate of mortality do shine and give light to immortality in the power and authority of Christ but if any that professe themselves to be such lights and yet are under the bushell compasse and authority of the worlds authority they are hypocrites for as men will not light a light to put it under darknesse so neither wil the Father of lights give the world such a light as shall be put under the authority of darknesse Col. 1.12.13 3. I have considered from the temptation of our Lord Jesus that the Divell hath but two spirituall temptations beside his carnall authority in men namely first to mortality or secondly to transgression 1. His first temptation is to seeke mortality at his word for being in such a place as where it seemeth there was all stones and no bread he would have moved our lord to save his mortall life by a miracle but our Lord giveth him to understand his mind that he was carefull only to perswade the immortall life and so turnes the temptation upon the tempters pate as if Jesus should say if I should turne these stones into bread so as the Countrey were all bread yet the bread cannot sustaine man but that he must dye for the sinne of Adam therefore is not necessary to seeke the breaâ— of mortality but the bread of Immortality c. Anâ— thus the Divell is resisted when a man suffers nâ—â— his belly to be his God that is when he is nâ—â— drawn in cases of necessity to leave the love of thâ—â— immortall life and in his spirit whole desire dotâ— not seeke the bread of a mortall life this temptatâ—â—â— on our Lord avoided and the Angels afterward ministred unto him Mat. 4. 2. The Divells second temptation is to transgresse the word of God in this kind he tempted 〈◊〉 Lord twise with two severall temptations and 〈◊〉 he had tempted him with 200. they had all tendeâ—â— to this end namely by all meanes to seeke if 〈◊〉 could make him guilty of sin for seeing by the siâ—â— temptation that his mind was wholly to the spirituall and immortall life in the word and that 〈◊〉 could not get him to looke on the tree of good aâ—â— evill he knoweth that there is no other meanes 〈◊〉 cut man ost from the eternall life in God but 〈◊〉 cutting him off from the unity and obedience which is by doing the word that came out of 〈◊〉 mouth of God which thing when he could not 〈◊〉 but still our Lord kept himselfe from transgressiâ—â— any thing that came out of the mouth of God aâ—â— was written he could not be ignorant of the knoâ—ledge of the will and law of God as by transgrâ—â—sing the conscience in transgressing had been dâ—â—led the Divell had no other meanes of temptatiâ—â—and therefore departed from our Lord Mat. 4. Luke 4. 4. I consider also whereupon the assurance of a mans standing constantly consisteth namely in the dayly growth and increase of spiritual graces in the inner man as 2 Pet. 1.8.10 with 2 Cor. 4.15.15 For all that set their mindes with Christ in Heaven on immortality will daily treasure to themselves in Heaven which with more and more draw their hearts from mortall thoughts so as they may lay assured hold in this estate upon eternall life as Mat 6.19 20. with Luke 12.21.31.33.34 with 1 Tim. 6.19 From whence also on the other side we must note that all that after their profession of Christ in truth do fall away are such as begin to be sluggish and idle in their service of God and from that fall to mind earthly things which if they do it is manifest that their light or profession of immortality is darknesse and foolishnesse in seeking to be rich
spirit of Christ manifested in expresse words doth resist all meanes of salvation for Christ came and gave his word to be made so plaine with his life-blood that now no man can more sensibly apprehend the image and nature of God and Christ then by the letter which we by reading doe conceive in our minde so as though a man walke according to all that is written and yet deny one little direction this man resisteth God with open face this one word which hee despiseth to doe it will cut him off from the life of the Christian and for this one thing the peace and protection of Almighty will goe from him so as hee will be in feare night and day and evill may come to him suddenly out of which he cannot escape because the word of God is against him the least part whereof is stronger then that min can quiet or justifie his owne heart against it for it may be concluded that what man soever wilâ— not yeeld obedience to an expresse word will not follow the inspiration of God moving his conscience without an evident Scripture either to do good to others or evill to his flesh for Christs sake 3. It is great hypocrisie for men to preach the honour and glory of the Crosse of Christ when they tkemselves feare or refuse the condemnation of the Crosse in the testimony or martyrdome of Jesus Christ The first day of the Weeke 1 THe Lord Jesus Christ devideth himselfe into three parts Ioh. 14.6 saying I am 1. The way 2. The truth 3. The life that whosoever suffers for any of these doth suffer for Christs sake 1. The way is the devision of the Christians from the glory and authority of the worldly Priesthood to follow him in spirit and truth according to the invisible authority of his Priesthood 2. The Truth is the Law Psal. 119 142. whose perfection as it is spirituall every Christian acknowledgeth and suffeth for it And in this sence it may be said that John Baptist his blood was shed for Christ insomuch as he suffered for the testimony of the truth or spirituall law against turpitude in unlawfull marriage 3. The Life is the immortality after the death and resurrection of the Body If the carnall authority doe by their force withhold this life mortality and enforce to take the Gospel in a mortall state in this case the faith or Jesus Christ is suffered for in the confession of his glory to bee enjoyed in immortality and not in this present life 2. I have meditated how the fear of God-Lord is the beginning of wisdome to the Nations that are not under the Law When by any meanes any of them come to have any thing to doe with the Lord he first requireth them to feare his Name which is to depart from evill pride of minde and every way which is contrary to his Word This feare worketh a knowledge of his invisible and terrible presence that as a man will not sinne against his Law so he will not presume to partake of his service and holy things or any of his Mysteries untill this feare have wrought a reconciliation and peace of Conscience with God in such sort as he so apprehendeth the immortall Lord in his minde that he inclineth to love him and to desire his Law in his heart or minde and to make an everlasting covenant with him in the mysteries of Christ Whosoever of the Nations that hath his heart thus purified by faith willingly to take upon him the yoake and Law of Christ in love is accepted of God as a sonne to partake of the mysteries of his holynesse 3. Whether we ought yeeld to a mans private opinion thus farre as not to offend him in doing what he misliked Offences arise either in respect of the authoritie of God or of man In respect of God the offence doth rise from the world or any of the world when they doe offend any that beleeve in Christ and doe hurt them in contempt of the authority of the Word of God Matth. 18.6.7 Againe offences arise betweene the servante of God when the authority of his Word is denyed by transgressing the law thereof in any thing Offences arise in respect of the authoritie of men when the authority of Jew of Gentile is publikely provoked by trangressing their Commandements or blaspheming their divine worship Act. 19.37 Againe offâ—â—ce is also given by the Christian if he offer any violence or carnall force or use any evill words against a man that is otherwise perswaded then by the word of Christ that walketh after his owne heart neither according to the Law of God nor the course of the Commonwealth In this case as I offend him not by evill word or deeds so I am not bound to doe as he dotâ— that I may nor offend him but let him follow hâ—â— will and I will follow the law of righteousness otherwise in this I may be brought in bondage a private mans conceit I may harden him in errour and partake in his folly And at last 〈◊〉 should be drawne to offend both the authority 〈◊〉 God and man by favouring every one that are â—â—ven up to a reprobate sence The second day of the Week THe justifying of a sinner in the blood of Christ is the act of the spirit of Christ and it hath 2 parts 1. The acquitting of all sins past that the sinner have no feare or conscience of guilt or punishment for them Rom. 3.25 and this is applyed by the merit of his blood 2. The preserving from all sin by the power and spirit of Christ so as the evill one cannot touch him by prevailing against the man whom Christ hath made righteous to move or carry him to do any sin but on the contrary he shewâ—th forth the righteousnesse of God in Christ by the saith of Jesus whereby he communicateth in the sufferings and blood of Christ in his own â—ody The third day of the week JEsus is truly a doore to his suffering Christians on this manner that when they through many tribulations are brought to death then through his presence they enter into life for as it is by fight in a doore whereby men enter into other places so when we come to death there are two doores the great doore openeth to passe into the torment of the second death the straiter doore openeth to passe from death to eternall life and this doore and way is Jesus to all that suffer death in the testimony of his name The fourth day of the week I Cannot but admire the wisdom of the only true God who having put enmyty into the world so as of necessity offences are taken against his holy people to condemn them according to their worldly wisdom and carnall authority hath also given a Law in Christ according to which he will justâ—fie his Children against the condemnation of meâ— as Rom. 8.33 As if our heavenly Father should say I have given you my Law and I have
given you my Christ to become flesh that he might be a perfect guide and redeemer of you from the bondage of mortality in this evill world so as the subject may know his duty to his Magistrate the sonne to the Father the servant to his Master it every one do thus walk according to my word in their severall estates and degrees and yet your superiours do take offence as you for not obeying them rather then me I will justifie you in what you do in Conscience of my law fear not their condemnation but learn obedience in the flesh as Christ Jesus my only Sonne hath shewed you and looke unto the throan of my judgement sent which I have appointed and know my righteousnesse in the love of Christ and come unto me from mortality and bondage for by constancy to death you and every one of you shall evercome and be more then Conquerours and you shall condemn then for sin that have condemned you for sinners in hatred of my word and of my Christ which I have given to be a light unto the world whom with you they have killed 2. In the estate of enmity between God and man that repentance which men teach is apostasie from God for when a man yeeldeth obedience to the word as the Servant of God If the authority of man do compell him to repent of this his obedience in any matter wherein the word of God requireth obedience and this man doth repent under the fear of man and blaspheame the service of God as wicked and magnifie the service of man as holy and righteous it is manifest from antiquity that this repentance is the worldly wickeknesse against God for whosoever in oath with them saith destroy the wicked saith in effect to destroy all Christians that live godly in Christ and all the servants of God both great and small because these only are the wicked in the evill worlds account and these that are righteous are their spirituall enemies so as whosoever seeth not this enmity to avoid it as not to have Communion of enmity with the world against Christ is yet guilty of the curse with the seede of the Serpent The fifth day of the week IT is noted that he which preacheth the Crosse of Christ must do it sincerely not scaring the shame and death of the Cross in the Communion of his sufferings but there are those which preach the Cross of Christ in enmity of the Cross in that they go back from Christ crucified to follow their profit or pleasure in this mortall life These also set up a Throan of Judgment in enmity against Christ by authority whereof they keepe men from looking to the Judgement if Christ so as it is of necessity for every man to discern these two Throans of Judgment for if a man fear the Judgment of mortality he is darkened from seeing the Judgment of immortality but if he truly see the Throan of Judgment setled in Heaven he will be enlightenned not to respect the humain Judgment of men on earth The fifth day of the week 1. THe shame and reproach of Christ and his Christians is that they are men without honour in the world and suffer all things as base men Therefore they which follow him in the honour of the world and in power to defend themselves from oppression are not under the shaddow of Christs Cross for these count it a great shame to suffer as a Christian constantly to death 2. It is noted from 1 Sam. 15.22.23 That it is a worshipping of false God to break the Commandement of God for any worldly or carnall respect whatsoever 3. The unclean meates forbidden in the Law note out how abominable the Idoll and false Doctrines of Devills should be unto us to obey them in our soules who so observeth the Law may escape what it discovereth as death 4. It is noted that Christ made an end of the Law when he took revenge and desire of judgement out of mens hearts that they should not now require eye for eye and go to judgement one with another but on the contrary to forgive each other and so to go to God beseeching him to forgive them and thus in all cases to judge themselves and not others for sin 5. It was the wisdom of God that his own Sonne Christ should come in poore state that none might be allured with worldly glory nor terrified with mortall terrours but that who so receive him may be known to follow him in true love more of him then of themselves 6. Evill Shepherds of mens soules keeping the word in their own authority do as if a Shepherd pretending to feede the flock should keepe the sheepe from the pasture and from safe feeding and agree with these for a part and with the wolfe for the skin and yet aske wages for their service The sixth day of the week 1. AS the eye is the light of the mortall so he mind is the light of the immortall man The eye is simple when is clearly seeth by the light of the world the mind is simple when it is clearly enlightenned by the Word and spirit of Christ which is the â—â—ue light to immortality the mind kept under mens authority is as a man blind-folded 2. If it be Church-robbery or sâ—criledge to take vessells and goods consecrated to holy uses what is it to take the holy word it selfe out of the Book which is sealed in the blood of Christ The first day of the week COncerning the workes of the Law Rom. 3.20 I have this understanding that seeing that is certain that none can be justifyed by the works of the law namely by the justifications holden in the ministery mediation and Priesthood leviticall constituted under the fear and authority of men Then we may conclude that all the service under any worldly authorities though it may seeme farre better then that of Rome yet it Will be found only to condemnation and cannot justifie as to purge the Conscience from dead workes to serve the living God for as these were the workes of the Law of God in the worldly holinesse and authority of justification by men so are these of other Common-wealths the workes of their Law constituted in their feigned holinesse and justifications by their own authority And if that of Israel could not cleanse the Conscience surely all Religions of mens devising do make vain man more vain and harden the heart to commit sin in enmity of the word of God The third day of the weeke 1. FRom Ephes. 3.15 is apparant that as a housholder is over his Family so the heavenly Father is over his Family which consisteth of all his Creation both in the Heavens and upon the earth Therefore his good servants are carefull that Christ of whom all this family is named may dwell in our hearts by faith looking to his invisible presence being rooted and grounded in love both towards the Father and his Sonne who is over the Family in
immortality and also towards each other even as Christ loved us when he for our instruction became an houshold Servant and learned obedience as a Servant that by his example we might be armed with the same mind so to love and so to be obedient Ephes. 3.15 177. Phil. 2. and thus to keepe the unity of the spirit of Christ for the increase of his body and Church to a perfect man that then he may come and receive us unto himselfe in immortality when we shall see him as he is Ephes. 4.1 Iohn 3. but wo to the folly of such as will not acknowledge the Father nor the Sonne as they are over their house but suffer their own reprobate sence to dwell in their hearts and that walk by sight of the world and not by Faith and not only are disobedient themselves but also compell others to rebel against the Mr. of the house Let hot my soul touch with them that do thus despite the spirit of grace and provoke the good man of the house against their own soules 2. It is evident that though a man do keepe all the Law and Commandements of God yet he is unprofitable Luke 17.10 wherefore there is some excellent thing required in Christ in the state of perfection as Mat. 5.20 to 47.48 with Luke 6.20 to 32. c. 3. It must be granted that they which keepe the Commandements of God to the end shall inherit life according to the promise in the Lawyer in such a life God is not glorified in Christ his Sonne for in this estate men are defective and want that one necessary thing without which they may fayle of the grace of God namely the perfect love of Christ wherein all worldly things are put away with the love thereof and that only for the love of Christ to follow him for the Kingdom of God Luke 18 18 -22.-29 with Mat. 19.17 c. Mark 10. The sixth day of the week I Have received to put difference between the Church gathered according to the letter in Moses and the Church gathered according to the spirit in Christ the legall Church is from the earth the spirituall Church is from Heaven The Church by the Law were and are to be gathered from all places of the earth unto Ierusalem here beneath but the Church which is called by the spirit of Jesus Christ are delivered from this world and are gathered from mortality unto the City of the living God to heavenly Ierusalem Therefore as earthly Ierusalem is the mother of all those which are after the righteousnesse of the mortall seed so Jerusalem which is above is the mother of all the suffering Christians which are borne again of the immortall seed through Jesus Christ the word of the living God and which remaineth for ever Heb. 12.22.23 Gal. 4.26 1 Pet. 1.23 The first day of the VVeeke FRom Psalm 91. I have considered a preservative against the plagve of Death thus There was is and alwaies shall be a twofold people in the world the greater part are after the seed of the Serpent and the remainder after the seed of the Woman between these two peoples there is enmity and a perfect separation in the Word Over these there is a two-fold government or spirituall authority Over the greater part which are the childen of disobedience is the Devill Satan or the old Serpent that first deceived our parents who is by his government the prince of the authority of the ayre Ephes. 2.2 his power wherewith he afflicteth are the spirituall things of wickednesse in heavenly places Ephes. 6.11.12 The throane of his people is the throne of misery or perversenesse by authority whereof the frame being wicked mischiefe by a Law and murder and condemne for wicked the righteous and innocent soules which patiently suffer persecution and death under them for their conscience of the service and word of their Creator Psalm 94.3 20.21 Rom. 8.36 Mark 4.17 Over the poore afflicted people is the protection of the most high and the shadow of the Almighty Psalm 91.1 who since they were separated out from their persecutors under Moses the fraithfull servant of God are knowne manifestly to beare the reproach of Christ Hebr. 11.25.26 This people are in one name called the Israel of God Gâ—l 6.16 which is not of any whether Jewes or Gentiles that trust under a carnall visible authority but of all that come to put their confidence under the wings of the God of Israel as Ruth did Ruth 2.12 These people are known by that they serve and declare the praises of the great name of God the Creator every Sabbath day Psal 92.1 Luk. 4.16 And for their Creators sake they are hated and afflicted of all other people Therefore the God the Creator being the judge of the earth doth render vengeance to the proud and wicked people that afflict the people of his heritage whom he teacheth and instructeth out of his Law and also speake proudly against him the God of Iacob Psa. 94.1 c. According to this judgement all the world is made subject to God and guilty of death by the Law in Christ Jesus and none can be justified from sinne and so freed from the guilt of death by any works under any worldly or carnall authorities Rom. 3.9 19.20 The spirituall things wherewith the Prince of the authority of the ayre doth invade or bring men to death are declared in the Law to be especially three The first is the snare of the hunter The second the Pestilence The third the Keteb or destruction Psal. 91.3 6. First the snare of the Hunter is sinne the reward whereof is death Rom. 7.23 All therefore that sinne against the God of their life as the children of the Devill are subject to all the curses in the Law of God 1 Ioh. 3.8 Gal. 3.10 Secondly the second spirituall thing that from hence doth manifestly invade men is the Pestilence or plague of death which is a sicknesse call debir a thing destroying It is taken with the common ayre which is corrupted and poysoned with the crying sinnes of the most people in the mother city and into whomsoever this poysoned ayre entreth it poysoneth the life and soon killeth the body except it have issue out of the body 3. The other deadly destruction to the body is called bitter destruction Dent 32.24 which as an evill spirit seiseth upon the body and worketh torments in the joynts and sinewes which disease some learned men call Ophisthotonos a strange and vehement disease in the necke when by the stiffenesse of the nerves the necke is strained backward to the shoulders and killeth a man within foure dayes and therefore it is said to destroy at noone Psal. 91.6 because thou maist see a sound body thus suddenly tormented before thine eyes and thou canst see nothing but the evill done These three evils the Lord Christ inflicteth upon his adversaries for the redemption of his Israel from destruction Wherefore the Apostle Paul