unto themselves in mortality their â—ight is darknesse their profession of one thing and minding another is hypocrisie and wickednesse before God and the deceit of men their riches is â—heir poverty as Rev. 3.17 their heart and mind is â—s far seperated from God in Christ and from holâ—ing him the head aâ— the Heavens are from the â—arth Therefore such as by their own negligence and default do suffer Satan to inspire them with mortality do more and more seperate from the assurance of immortality and from Christ till they become worldly and mortally minded and then they have only a bare good conceit of themselves in propriety but in any tryall they will fall away to save their soules under the authority of darknes and for the love thereof deny to lose their soules in the profession of Christ yea they will blaspheme that way of Christianity and so become the greatest enemies of the Crosse of Christ when yet with their lips they will give him a Iudas kisse and say hayle master and professe his word with their mouth but their deeds and devises are with his enemies of the power of darknesse to betray him and his Phil. 3.17 18 19. with Luke 22.47 48 53. Sixthly The true Christians in all their sufferings sight not for mortall salvation but they despise such salvation for the Saviour Heb. 11.25 with 12.2 6. Iohn 15.1 c. is shewed the true state of Christianity by the vine If a man cut the vine-tree the better the branches grow Thus the Father cutting the vine Christ in the mortall life he sprang both in the power of his immortall life and thereby the branches bring forth fruites to him that only hath immortality 1 Tim. 6.16 The fruitfull branches that are purged by his husbandry and chastised in love as Heb. 12. do by their sufferings bring forth more fruite to immortality and to the divine nature of God but if the husband man do for some cause neglect to cut or purge the mortall parts it is known that the branches that so run out without chastisement do in time come to be wild that do bring forth bitter fruite as bastards and thereby procure to be cut of from the true vine planted to give fruites unto immortality 7. According to Esa. 29.21 Compared with the prosecution now of Christians I understand how a man is made a sinner against God by a word c. insnared thus the Emperour is exalted for good certain Lawes are set down that if a Christian say thus or thus he shall suffer death their Judgement sits the Christian is â—nquired of and examined that by his own word spoken he may be taken and snared in their law and so executed as a sinner This is direct contempt of God and Christ This is the estate of all spirituall inquisitions of old 8. The doctrine of Christs body and bloâ—d Ioh. 6.53 c. is a hard saying to a carnall minde but to him that knoweth to breake the hardnes thereof it is spirit and life 63. For as the word is made flesh like us as Ioh. 1.14 with Phil. 2.7 to suffer death with us and for us so we are made the word in him to suffer with him and for his testimony and thus we eate his flesh when we apply his flesh to have Communion in the suffering thereof in love and we eate the word when we have it of him and keepe it as Joh. 8.47 51. And thus he is the food of immortality which nourisheth the Devine nature in man to every one to whom he is communicable both in flesh and spirit for the word is now both flesh spirit and life Ioh. 6.54 with 63. Therefore it canot be but that the flesh of man which hath the spirit of Christ must needs be quickned and not se death as a curse because the word is spirituall and cannot be made voide for according to the word he which eateth naturall bread is quickned mortally for the time of a day c. much more shall he live to immortallity and to God that applyeth to himself the body and spirit of Iesus Christ the manifestation of which life of Christ is effectuall to every true member of his body in that such are made of God to some end in the flesh Namely that by the life of the flesh in Christ Iesus which is yet of no being before God they may confound whatsoever hath a being of the world and in the mind or spirit Christ is made unto them from God wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.24 28 30. Whereby it is plaine that every one that in true love of God holdeth community in the flesh and sufferings of Christ hath from God the participation of the same spirit of Christ to every use He is chast as he is chast He is righteous as he is rigteous 1 Ioh. 3.3 7 with 4.2 What such do one earth it is confirmed in heaven c. because the same spirit of Iesus Christ which is in heaven liveth in them and so he speaketh an doth the things on earth by the ministery of such chosen and holy vessels Ioh. 20.22.23 Matt. 18.18.2 Cor. 13.3.5 Act. 9.15.16 9. If one should aske me whether I can know a man in whom Iesus Christ is crucified I answer yea very well by the Word for if his spirit be in him then he walkes so as Jesus Christ walked 1 Iohn 2.6 he hath the same mind to suffer in the flesh Phil. 2.5 1 Pet. 4.1 yea in his mind he is dead and crucified to the world Rom. 6.2 7.4 Gal. 6.14 and his mind is in Heaven so his Conversation is heavenly Col. 3.1.2 Phil. 3.20 The 1. day of the week 1. BEing grieved and carefull least by speaking of mysteries to sinfull and ignorant people the truth of our Lord God should be prophaned the way of truth evill spoken of Therefore I have desired wisdom to give to every one according to their estate and this is proposed unto me according to the word namely to keepe those 3. degrees 1. If any seeke the living Lord this the word saith go sin no more Iohn 8.11 for every transgression of a negative Law is a sin against God and dishonor to our Creator Lev. 4.2 Therefore all that seek peace with God must remove the evil of their thoughts and workes from before his Majesty and they must cease to do evill Esa. 1.16 and thus they are to repent confesse and forsake all former sins either against the word of God or their neighbours Mat. 19.17 18 19. For turne over to 1.2 Then if they have peace with God and are made righteous from doing evill in the world they are to seeke the Ministery of reconciliation that they may be reconciled unto God in the Body and Communion of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ and in this they are to talke upon them the decree Act. 15. to keepe in the love of the body of Christ wherein they shall
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
Christians holds That whatsoever the law saith the Gospel confirmeth and whatsoever the Gospell saith the same is agreeable to the law That as Moses was the giver of the old law Christ is the giver of new and a more perfect law They devide the whole law into three parts 1. the law of Nature the law of Moses and the law of Christ and that the Gospell is revealed for no other cause but to shew to the world more perfect counsells and precepts then were in the old law and a more perfect justification by doing them pag. 27.2 out of Fox Châ—on That inward concupiscence and vicious affections not breaking out in us with consent of will are no mortall nor dammable sin but onely fomes peccati And that this concupiscentia in us is no depravation of the higher but of the lower parts of man c. pag. 26. b. These things may have a good construction simply from the word and spirituall authority but as it is of them the truth there of is not only made void but used for a pretence of mischeivous madnes For it is certain that Christ came to confirm all things written in the Law and the Prophets and by his Priest-hood to bring in that perfection which was before wanting in the law Heb. 7.11.18 19. And it is true that in the Christians after baptisme the flâ—sh lusteth against the spirit as Gal. 5. 17. and it is autophoron indifferent and as naturall as to eat which concupiscence remain for an occasion of watchfulnesse in the spirit to subdue it and to check it that it never be approved of in heart as to prevaile so far as to beg a desire in the heart contrary to the law which saith thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife or his goods c. but the spirit keepeth the flesh under in such sort as that it cannot prevaile to do sin or consent to sin Joh. 3.9 Gal. 5.24 7. A true doctrine may be made void and confused in respect of time with aforegoing doctrine as the Protestant Christians hold That as all men coming by Adam are condemned originally before they grow up to commit any sin against the law So all men be saved originally being regenerate by faith in Christ before they do any good worke of charity or any other gooddeed Fox p. 26. b. This may have a favourable construction if time be put between the mortall generation and the immortall so as the naturall man come to know his condemnation in mortality and prepare his heart to receive the immortall seed whereby to be regenerate from above which from that time begetteth and enlightneth the minde unto a lively hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead a 1 Pet. 1.3 23. with Joh. 3. But whereas these two contrary generations are confounded in one name in the baptism of Infanâ—s the doctrine of regeneration is quite extinct and abolished under a forme of words Fox 24. b. thus as say they sin and death came originally by the disobedience of one to all men of his generation by nature So righteousnesse and life come originally by the obedience of one to all men regenerated of him by faith and baptisme Rom. 5. Here is a deceit of salvation from a childe For sinne and righteousnesse have their contrary operation as Rom. 5.21 with 6.13.20 And so have death and life Now if sin and death come originally from the generation of man and the childe is made capable onely of this first originall estate in sin and death then how can an Infant that hath but one originall estate in the condemnation to sin and death have also another estate in the regeneration to immortality before he hath so much understanding to know his naturall estate in sin death and mortality or before he be able to sin or to do any evill in act This is confusion of two Doctrines in one whereby sin is put for righteousnesse death for life Generation for regeneration and condemnation for salvation and by this meanes men have only a naturall estate in effect and a spirituall estate in conceit of vanity whereas by Christ we discerne the time of a mans life in his originall sin the fruits thereof the the time of a mans life after Baptisme into the death of Christ of his righteousnes good fruites which arise from the regeneration 8. A Doctrine may be well distinguished in word and yet confounded in the worke of the power of the spirit made voide and deficient in any work thus distinction is made between the mortall part and the immortall part in man A regenerate man consisteth of two men as a man may say of the old man and of the new man the nature of the old man is cleane contrary to the nature of the new man as being earthly and corrupt with Satans seed the nature of the new man being heavenly and blessed with the celestiall seed of God in what he is an old man he is a sinner and an enemy to God in what he is regenerate he is righteous and holy and a friend to God the seede of God preserving him from sin so that he cannot sin as the seede of the Serpent One man therefore which is regenerate well may be called alwayes just and alwayes sinfull just in respect of Gods seede and his regeneration sinfull in respect of Sathans seede and his first generation betwixt these two men therefore there is continuall conflict and warre most deadly Thus saith Mr. Bradford in Fox P. 1655. This Doctrine it may be truly applyed but with it is mixed contrarities which confound this and make it of no force for there he bringeth in the comparison of Goliah and such David the old man is perfect in his birth an one as was Goliah the new man is like a little Child such an one as was like little David for his birth is not perfect untill the day of his generall resurrection The old man therefore is more strong lusty and stirring then the new man because the birth of the new man is but now begun and the old man is perfectly borne The flesh and old man by reason of his birth that is perfect doth often for a time prevaile against the new man being but a child in comparison and that in such sort as not only others but even the Children of God themselves think that they be nothing else but old and that the spirit of God is lost and gone away as the Sun hidden by the Cloudes yet after appeareth againe c. such are the deceits of Antichristian Doctrines that none should discerne the Children of the Devill that count sin from the children of God that cannot count sin and therefore we have an expresse word to try and discerne them by their spirits 1 Ioh. 3. 4.1 c. Diverse reasons may be shewed from this confusion of a true Doctrine to confirme the truth and confute the falshood by it selfe As first If there
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
learne to know what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God that they may do it as they see the servants that are joyned to his body to do and in this estate they are to walke in the light of those which are perfect members in the body of the sufferings for Christ Jesus Iohn 3.19 21. with Heb. 13.7 8. 3. Now if any are able to hold the word of the new Testament in the enmity against the world then they present their Members as weapons of righteousnesse unto holinesse Rom. 6.19 wherein they are to do the will of God in their own persons and to walk worthy of the mysteries of holinesse which they take unto themselves in the Law of seperation 2 Cor. 6.16.17 2. In the Law of the love of the Creator Isa. 56. 6. Heb. 4.3 4. 3. In the Coeincorporation by Baptisme into the body and death of Christ Rom. 6.3 c. Col. 2. 6 11 13. These degrees are of necessity to be of speed that none may presume to come into the service of the only true God without an evident calling and preparation for so holy a work 2. I conceive the wedding garment to be the true and perfect love of God in Christ thus There are 3 undevidable gifts whereof if one faile all the other cease from Christ viz. 1 Faith 2. Hope and 3 Love 1 Cor. 13.13 1. Faith is the substance of all the invisible promises which we hope for whereby we beleeve that we shall enjoy them as certainly as if we did now enjoy them in sight sence and feeling Heb. 11. 1.2 hope is the meanes whereby we are saved and preserved notwithstanding all morral temptations to wayte in patience for what our faith apprehends but cannot see it with mortall eye Rom. 8.24.25 35.1 Pet. 1.5.1 Cor. 2.9.10 3. Love extends it selfe beyond all for as the exercise and manifestation of it is in the keeping of the Commandements which concerne both our Lord God and our neighbours Marke 12.29.30 31. so this love is stronger then all yea then death and it only is worthy of the wedding feast for hereby all pleasures friends wife yea and life is hated in respect of this calling to the wedding supper and Communion of Christ in immortality whereas all that love other things more then this Communion do justly perish in their false and mortall love and those which presume to come with a heart and a heart that is without this perfect love in the marriage of the sonne of the blessed are all justly cast out for profaining the pure and immortall love with an unclean and mortall lust Mat 22 2 c. with Luke 16. c. to 26. Eph. 5.23 â—o 32.2 Cor. 3.5.4 1. All that live in common or open sins doe live without God in the world and these are unworthy of the love of the righteous for they will be a reproach unto such men wherefore it is of necessity that first all sinners do so know God as not to sin against his presence and word and to have a good report for their conversation in the world before they can be reconciled to God so as to be joyned in common love with the righteous in Christ 3. I understand from Iohn 3.8 That there is a twofold wind or spirit 1. The one is called the common wind spirit or ayre whereby all flesh do breath and live the naturall and mortall life as Wisd. 7.1 with Gen. 7.21.22 23. The unclean or common spirit hath the authority of this ayre and he worketh in all that have their conversation in the lusts of the flesh c. Eph. 2.2.3 2. The other is called the holy wind of spirit whereby such as are begotten from above by the spirit do breath and live the spirituall and immortall life Iohn 3.3.5.8 1 Pet. 1.3.23.1 Cor. 2.15.12.16 This holy wind is the spirit of truth which the Lord Jesus giveth to all that he calleth and chuseth out of the world which worketh in all Children that walke after that holy wind minding the things that are above in Heaven after the life of immortality Iohn 14.17.26 Rom. 8.1.14 Col. 3.1 2. 4. All the world is darke and is laid in wickednesse and for this their sins are condemned and dead in the Law before Christ Jesus came when he came in the flesh he was the light of the world and all that by the discovery of that light hated their evil workes did come unto the light and love to walke in it doing the truth that their workes may be manifested to be done in God but on the other side there were and are another seed that have enmity against the light and the Children of light and these will not come unto the light but hate the light because they love their own evill workes of darknesse this light then is the confirmation of their former condemnation without any remedy Iohn 1.5.9 with 3.11 to 21. with 8.12 24. 5. The work of God for salvation is proposed by the house of God 1 Tim. 3 15. All that sin against the Law of the house are enemies to God Ezeck. 43.7 to 11.12 All that are reconciled in their mindes and will no more sin against God by transgressing the Law of his house do first desire and make peace with any of the servants of God that keepe the house After this admittance they have freedom to converse with the houshold servants and to learne the orders of the house and may see the service and God and behold their faith and godly conversation in love but yet as strangers they are not imployed in any service of God to do as his servants neither may they dare to presume or be admitted thereunto If any do desire to draw near unto the Majesty of the Lord of the house as servant he must be admitted according to the Law of the house in that kind and from that time he must do all the will of God as the other servants do 6. The men of this worldly authority when they have Christ or any of his Christians under their hands in torments do boast against them to save themselves thinking that none can save our of their hands but this is the gate of God whereby the righteous do go unto God in Heavenly peace Mar. 50.30 31. Psal. 118.17.20 The 2. day of the week THere is come into my mind a sight of darknesse and light and how the Children thereof are profitable or unprofitable to themselves how they treasure to themselves hatred and wrath or love and good pleasure from the only true God Thus the darknesse is this world and the auâ—hority of darknes is the tyrannizing authority over the truth The light is the Law of the world to come the authority thereof is Christ in the authority of suffering for well doing The Children of darknes are they which live after the course of this present evill world and the glory authority thereof these go into darknesse continually till they
come thither they spend every day without any other then mortall profit so they passe away the year and it goes into darknesse without comfort at length they have consumed the length of their Age and then they go into darknesse without so much as worldly good These are shut up in darknesse kept unto the Judgement of the Lord who shall render to them according to their unprofitable and evill workes The Children of light are they which exercise themselves in the Law and light that shineth to mortality eschewing evill and doing good as if they were alwayes with the Father of lights and enlightened to treasure to themselves for the time to come Those go into light continually every day addeth unto their strength and they profit in the true riches which preserve the man of God to an immortall life the day and the year they spend in the light going to immortality and the time filleth up to their comfort and consumeth their evill sorrow and sufferings for the light sake in this world when they have spent their time all their labours go with them they go out of this world as a good Servant to be refreshed and rewarded for his good service their immortall soule is gathered into Paradice and joy way ting yet for the day of Judgement and Redemption of the body when according to their good workes they shall be crowned with unutterable and immortall glory Thus the Children of light do so number their dayes and spend their time as that they may apply their hearts unto wisdom and to receive the honour and glory thereof whereas the Children of this world as a bird that rejoyceth in the bait before the snare turne over and take it so these rejoyce in their temporary pleasures and mortall joyes untill the Judgement of the Lord overtake them in their rioting as a snare out of which they shall not nor cannot escape Luke 21.28.35 2. It is appointed from the beginning as the onely way to immortality from mortality that righteousnesse here should suffer in inseculer conflicts which conflicts whosoever refuse thereby to save their mortall life do loose the immortall life and that justly because they feare man more then the maker of man Mat. 10.28 to 39. 3. As treasure is distributed to the poore by the hands of men so the treasure of the spirit of Christ is communicated to the poore which live in the world by the distribution of the poore to whom it is committed The 3. day of the week I Have seen how the Children of this world study Athisme or to live without God in that whereas the Godly study to retoine God in all their knowledge by doing the worke of the word in all obedience to it as to God Rom 1.28 Jam. 1.22.25 with Iohn 1.1 These of the world on the other side will not have God in all their thoughts but as ungodly do make voide all ungodlinesse and conscience of God above and mind only the feare of men and the love of this present world so as they keepe their Conscience sanctified towards men to shine forth onely from themselves to others though in words they professe to know God and Christ yet all their thoughts and practices do manifestly shew that they do deny to know God as he is in spirit and truth to live in all good Conscience to him as all do that hold the power of the word is it is from the authority of the living God and not from men as it requireth obedience of all without respect of Pope Prelate Emperour King Prince Noble Ignoble Jew Gentile Bond or Free Male or Female 2. The tryall of Christians by torments to death is to discover the man of God that is the hidden man of the heart which in Christ is renewed againe in knowledge righteousnesse and holinesse which as the power and spirit of Christ the word doth shew it solfe more lively in the sufferings of the mortall body for whereas the persecutors are deluded to think that there is no immortall soule in man but that their soules and bodies shall dye together these Christians by their faith in the estate of immortality â—o put a wonderfull difference in that there is in them a mind and spirit to overcome all the paines and torments of their body and to tryumph over all the power and authority of men and mortality which doth evidently shew that in such men the divine nature of Christ in immortality is distinct from the humane nature of mortality as death is distinct from life which spirit and divinity of Christ as it doth sustaine them to suffer death so it shall raise from death every body that is sanctified by its abiding within it 3. The sufferings of Christ do also put difference between those which worship and serve God in spirit and truth and those which worship him in word or outward forme for whereas all men in the world have God without them and the power of God without them yea and the heathen to shew the mouth of mans heart do make Gods to looke upon without thom and do within themselves retaine the wisdom power and authority of their Gods and that without or against the true God and his Law or authority on the other side the Christians only have the living God his word power and authority within them and wheresoever or in what estate soever they be they carry their God within them and their heart is to him as the Arke to hold his Law and their body to containe his glorious essence so far as every one is capable of it and this part or distribution of the spirit of God to every body doth witnesse and testifie to the Conscience together with the invisible and inconceaveable Majesty of the spirit of God above that they are of the seede and Children of the living God in immortality whereby also they may serve God in truth without any legall forme or visible worship in place or company The manifestation of this is first within every one to do according to the diverse effects the reoâ— in so much as if it be so that many do meete together which have the gift of the same spirit the more there are the greater is the presence and power of God that even the place doth shake as the glory of the one invisible Majesty of God inspiring and expiring the severall effects of the essence of Gods spirit 4. I have understanding of the power of God in the word which saith that if thou shalt confesse with thy month the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved for with the heart it is believed unto righteousnes and with the mouth it is confessed unto salvation Rom. 10.9.10 And thus I propose it There are all manner of Torments proposed and threatned to be inflicted upon whomsoever shall confesse the Lord Jesus to be Christ the Judge of all if none dare to confesse with his
be deadly enmity betweene the old and the new a contrary and dis-joyned nature in either if once the old man get the victorie againe by any meanes over the new it is to be feared that he will make himselfe sure enough in the condemnation as that he shall never recover himselfe to live by repentance as Heb. 6. 4. to 8. 2. If the flesh should prevaile against the spirit then Goliah doth overcome David and the spirituall and new man in Christ is slaine and who can save it And many absurdities will arise 3. But seeing that which is borne from above after the spirit of Christ is of the spirit and that which is after the flesh is flesh distinctly as are flesh and spirit mortall and immortall distinct the least part of that immortall spirit must needs be stronger then the strongest felsh of the body for it is stronger then all the fleshly power of the world 1 Ioh. 4.2.4 4. Againe the new man after it hath a being in a man is increased dayly in the regeneration but the old man dyeth dayly in his generation therefore that regenerate an which groweth dayly getteth the victory to day is better able to overcome to morrow 2 Cor. 4.16 5. Thus the comparison is made true for David how little or young soever he was well able by the power of his God to kill for ever the man of flesh that had none but mortall defence and that before he came so neer as to encounter with him for he fought for the hope of Israel 6. Againe the comparison of the Sunne shadowed with black clouds in not to this purpose for we grant thus much that they have not alwayes the Sunne-shine but have sometimes heavinesse and temptations in the flesh which being overcome the comforts returne from above but expect man can prove that the light of the Sunne is overcome in its course of the contrary darknesse otherwise then in the order of the day and night it confirmeth that the Sonne of righteousnesse never ceaseth to shine more or lesse and all times sufficiently testifie to the conscience that the Sunne giveth light through the clouds to keep darkenes from the understanding till the day be ended by death 7. And where it is said in conclusion that the birth is not perfected untill the generall day of his resurrection this absolutly denieth the former and the nature of regeneration namely that he is regenerate and a new man for one cannot be a man till he be borne Therefore the new men must needs have a perfect birth before it can be a new man and so before the resurrection For after Beptisme this new man which is now created in body is in his account risen from the dead and living together with Christ Cel. 2.11.12 Rom. 6.3 to 11. All which sheweth the power and truth of the regeneration that where divine nature doth live as doth a renewed minde the flesh of that man must needs be kept that Satan shall not touch that body to overcome the divine nature so as to yeeld the members of that man to the service of sinne unto death 1 Ioh. 5.18 Rom. 13.16.23 By this Doctrine we may distinguish in word and deed and know every one by their fruits for the word and spirit of Christ is the same in operation in all that are adopted Men are not the children of God to day and of the Devill to morrow as they might be under the worldly justifications but all they which are perfect in heart whom the Lord loves are obedient to death and he loves to the end 9. It is manifest that the wedding garment is to love the marriage more then all goods in the world or then ones own life If any be found to presume to come to the weding without this perfect love he be convinced to want it he is condemned of his conscience as guilty and God doth condemne him and execute him by himselfe as he did Ananias and Saphira for they not having this perfect love which was required but a heart to love his money in part was thus executed for he was silent to death Mat. 22.1 to 12. Acts 5.1 c. 10. Among the Christians that are joyned to the Lord Jesus Christ to shew his death there is in love a twofold communion the one lesse and farther off the other great and neere to the Lord The first is communion of goods Act. 4.32 The next is communion of sufferings as in one body and Church of Christ 1 Pet. 4.8.13 16. with I Ioh. 3.16 Now in this brotherhood if any have the good of this world and doe not communicate in love to him that hath need it is impossible that hee can have that love of God to lay down his life blood for his brother that will not lay downe dayly as his common food to sustaine him 1 Ioh. 3.16 17. Therefore it is the judgement of the holy spirit that whosoever is false in the common communion of goods cannot hold the love in the holy communion of the body and blood of the Lord and therefore the holy Spirit doth give us to understand that it is better for the man that doth lye and dissemble in the common communion and more for the glory of God that such an one should dye by the hand of the invisible God in the first offence then that he should live longer to blaspheme and deny the love of the Lord that made him when he should com tobe tryed for his love how he doth hold the communion in the death of Christ as Acts 5.1 to 13. 11. This common communion is naturall and is as food given to one part as to the mouth or distributeth the good and efficacy thereof to all and every of the members of the same body yet it must be left free to the will of the possessor and not in bondage under the seare of carnall compulsion for this is coutrary to the nature and holy spirit of love but if a man see the necessities of the body and sell any thing the money remaines free at his voluntary disposing in love Act. 5.4 Or if a brother have much good in the world he gives as the seeth good in love of the immortall good and life Iames 2.8 12. 1 Ioh. 3.17 with 23. This Commandement to love one another the Lord gave especially to his Disciples and every one is to try his owne heart how this love remaineth in him and the judgment of this Law is left to his spirit so as every Christian that suffereth want is to possesse his soule in patience of poverty sickneâ— or imprisonment toward his brother as towards his neighbour in this respect and not so much as to desire any of his goods but leave his heart to the motion of the God of all mercy and love Notwithstanding on his part it shall be required that detaineth that which is fit As if by the example of others own purpose and promise to sell and
Commandements of God 1 Cor. 7.18.19 So if Marriage be exhibited under the worldly authorities it may bring the parties into bondage likewise if lawfull meates be forbidden by the Doctrines of Devills we are to maintain our liberty in Christ in assurance that though we suffer death yet he will raise us again according to his priesthood 1 Tim. 4.1 c. 10. Alwayes with this respect in the Law of liberty that there be no justification of condemnation on one side or other in lawfull meates but to judge indifferently that he which cates is not the better by it neither is he the worse which cates not 1 Cor. 8.8 wherefore in all such indifferent things every man is to have respect to his own Conscience before God and to the present estate and Nation wherein he is either Jew or Gentile that he be without offence but to use his liberty not for any occasion to his own flesh but to the profit of others in such sort that whether any eat or drink or what other indifferent thing soever they do they may do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.23 32.33 31. The second day of the Week I Have observed in Christ how the old man of the flesh doth naturally bring forth the new man begotten in the spirit of truth thus After that the heart hath conceived the immortall seed which is from above so as for joy hereof it estrange 〈◊〉 selfe from mortall vanities by and by the Lords of this mortall flesh will shew their authority and they will labour with all their force and wits to destroy this good conception that they may again rule the heart in this estate the mortall body of a man is as a woman in travell which cryes out not to be eased of the payne but to bring forth the fruit of her wombe and this in Christ is the travell of a Christian he hath conceived the mind of Christ and for this cause is persecuted and suffers all things untill from out of the greatest torments of the heart he is able to deliver or bring forth the spirit of that immortall seede unto Christ whose it is Esa. 26.13 17. 18. Mat. 27.46 with Luke 23.46 Heb 5 7.9.2 Cor. 4.6 amp c. with 5.2.4 5. 2. Further is noted in what respect the Church of Christ a woman and the wife of Christ because from the beginning she hath conceived in her heart the seed of God which is the Word Christ and thus she hath travelled with shadow of Christ till her time was fulfilled that shee should bring forth the spirit and truth of Christ which was when Jesus Christ being made one flesh with the Church she by his divine nature gave up the word law and truth of God perfected into her husbands hands so as the carnall Church is now delivered from that law and labour which was committed and required of her for she hath now in Jesus Christ brought forth the spirit of holynesse to God by the death of the flesh and in the resurrection of of the spirituall man to the immortall life of God her spirituall husband Jesus Christ then which the Church of God having suffered the pain of travell to death being risen from the dead and exalted to glory as Lord and Christ is made the head of his Church in a more neere and familiar manner even as a man that going to take a wife manifesteth the secrets of his hearty love unto her in way of espousals who after his departure returneth againe to her in way of marriage and giveth his owne spirit as Iob. 14.16 17.18 26. Acts 2.33 36. This immortall seed therefore being freely communicated in the love of Christ is gladly received of the Church and of none other which travelleth in subjection to Christ her husband to perfect that birth of the spiritual immortal man of whom she hath conceived immortall and spirituall seed and thus is she become bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh in love which union in Christ is confirmed to every soule of man that in their severall age or nation are so beloved of God in Christ that as an husband he should give of his immortall seed so as every one that conceiveth it in a good heart doth know both the union and her husband unto whom every such heart doth increase that seed of the new and immortall man dayly and in groweth by the obedience and death of the life-blood unto a lively hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead For such is the love of every good heart that she in her proper body will tenderly respect to preserve that word of the living God which shee hath willingly conceived in her minde and heart so as no cares shall choake nor reproches dismay but that her body shall bring forth to her husband that Word which abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.3.4 22 c. 3. This word of God in what body soever it come in the love and communion of sufferings in Christ Jesus is the salvation of the same body to that immortall life in glory with Christ for whereas the persecutors that would adulterate us from our husband their dead shall not live neither shall their ghosts be raised againe notwithstanding our bodies which have dyed to bring forth the spirit of truth shall be raised to immortall truth of our head Christ Esa. 26. 13 18.19 when being sanctified in the truth with him we shall be perfected in one with our Father and our Lord Christ Jesus Iohn 17.19 21. c. 4. It is a wonderfull wisdome to consider in Jesus Christ how the Lord by his mercy doth call the world to judgement for in that he hath sent his Sonne into the world with mercy toward all that shew mercy and in it hee executeth the justice of his Law on none by the Law It is most manifest that all that out of their owne heart do judge and condemne shewing no mercy to sinners doe by their owne justice in the Law procure the Lord to enter into judgement with them for their judgement without mercy And thus we may see how the Law was given by Moses and sinne was required by pesent justice but grace and truth is by Jesus Christ he requireth sinners to sinne no more and they shall not be judged for their sinnes past and every one to shew mercy and they shall find mercy Math. 18.21 to 35. if not but that men will despise the grace of God towards them by judging and condemning their fellow-servants they are inexcusable before God their owne measure shall be measured to them they have denyed to shew mercy therefore mercy shall be denyed to them Rom. 2.1 to 5. Luk. 6.37.38 5. The cause of falling from the love of God is the evill of the heart whereby men dissembled with men for when men retaine the nature of swine and yet will be washed without doubt they will returne to their filthynesse Or dogges by nature will turne to
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
my mortality to shew it in my sufferings to death and I put on his immortality upon my mortall mind and in all things have the mind of Christ to guide me in my life and to give me to mind onely the things that are above with him in immortality 2. I am instructed to put difference between the teaching under the law and under the authority of Christ The Law commandeth obedience upon payn of death saying thou shalt not do thus or thus or thou shalt do thus or thus but Christ saith thou shalt love the Lord thy God c. thou shalt love thy neighbour c. so that a man is first taught so truly to know the true God as to love him and when he hath obtained this love then he doth willingly all whatsoever he hath commanded and also he rejoyceth in the Law of Christ which is the bond of perfection The third day of the Week I Consider the reason of doing miracles from the word that whosoever hath the word of God in him to do it and to suffer for it in the spirit of Christ he hath the word with him to effect whatsoever he desireth of the Father in the name of Christ Iohn 15.7.5 The fourth day of the week IN the Common wealth of Israel there is the enmity of the Creator There are the men of the worldly authority that justifie themselves and condemn and persecute the true prophet and the obedient Children of Syon the mother City and God justifieth them against their accusers There is the fear of men and the fear of God in seperation There is the Law of God holden in the worldly authorities and the Law within the faithfull in opposition The worldly men make to themselves a light and walk in it condemning the oppressed as if they being separated from them did walke in darkenesse without light Thus carnall Israel in all things walke by sight in a visible worship of God persecuting and despising all that submit not to their glory whereas the spirituall Israel though they seeme to this world as living in darkenesse and dishonour without the scare of men and without the Law given by Moses yet it is farre otherwise in spirit and truth for God their God is a light unto them they feare God and obey him and they are not without the Law of God but the Law is within them And these onely are the redeemed of God the Lord as Esa. 50.51.1 Cor. 9.20.21 2. In a generall enmity Babel oppresseth â—srael And God hath purged and chosen Jsrael in affliction and hath given his glory unto him and will be glorified in him Esa. 47. 48. 41.9 42.8 with 46.13 49.4 3. Abraham and Sarab are a type of God and Sion the barrennesse of the one is compared to the solitarinesse of the other and the delight and comfort of the one is signified to be fulfilled in the other Esa. 51.1 c. 54 4. If the way of Christ were that his people should so low him in the life of the flesh to immortality then men would perish in their hast but seeing he is gone before in reproach through death to life all that follow him in this way of suffering death in the flesh doe walke soberly and make no haste but goe out so as the Lord Jesus is gone before them Esa. 52.11.12 53. with Luk. 9 22.23 2 Tim. 1.10 The fifth day of the Week AS I understand carnall Adultery and Fornication in the flesh so I apply spirituall Adultery and Fornication in the spirit from Esa. 57.3.5 c. If the worldly authoritieâ— make to themselves gods and doe worship to them they are men that ingender with gods in such a place vers. 5. c. and all that goe with them commit whooredome against God their maker either as Adulterers that have the authority of a man or Adulteâ—â—ssâ—â—s that willingly submit to mortall shame And so further we may conceive that what man or woman soever hath in them the spirit or authority of Idols or other gods if they enforce others to agree to their spirit they are tyrannous over the conscience and are as they which ravish the weaker to their filthy lusts If any of these privately doe allure any to consent to their spirit and to submit to them in prayer and spirituall worship of God these deceivers or any one of them with many or but with one that is allured hath committed the act of spirituall whoredom with the minde of all that are subject Therefore it standeth us upon both to shun all Idol worship in publike and to trie all spirits that wee shall be subject unto in private prayer or submission in conference For by submission in conference with the uncleane spirit Eve and the whole world is deceived and so it is manifest that whosoever humbleth himselfe an anothers desire in prayer is become one spirit with him that prayed and thereby is defiled if he have aâ— common spirit by the word that from what he in his prayer conceived to bee God entred as seed of the uncleane spirit into the heart of all that in unity received the spirit of that prayer a Wherefore it is as necessary to know the God onely one true God and the one spirit of holinesse in Christ Jesus as it is for a maide on wise to know her owne husband from all Adulterers and that they be one spirit with him onely and not weake to any other that waite to deceive and abuse to vanity The sixth day of the week THere are communicants of the body of Christ in shewing his death by suffering death till he come And there are communicants of Devils or serpents in shewing their pride by killing the righteous blood as 1 Cor. 10.16 to 21. â—â— 26. with Math. 23.33 35. All that continue perfect and single hearted in the word of Christ have his word and presence to keepe them from the evill of the world untill they have finished their testimony and have shewed his death Ioh. 17.14 15 c. with Revel. 11.7 But if any communicate outwardly in profession of Christ crucified and discerne not his body killed in the enmity of the world so as to shew themselves a member thereof by manifesting Christs death in their death and their death to be for Christs cause 2 Cor. 4.9.10.11 These comming short of communicating in the spirit of Christ in not discerning the presence of his body both to suffer in the flesh and to sustaine in the spirit may fall into sicknesse weakenesses yea and into death among those which dye of the plague after the condemnation of the world but if in this plague of the world wee discerne our own weakenesses our ignorance of his invisible presence to save or to kill and our readinesse to goe backe from shewing his death by divers worldly or carnall temptations moving us to save our soules from following Christ that dyed by suffering for us for which causes we
with the precious blood of Christ in that by the death of his flesh he imparted the Word of the living God which remaineth for ever according to the Worke of God in the resurrection of Jesus 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.18 to 25. So as now he must give his body which is thus bought from the earth and from earthly men to follow the holy Spirit of Christ whithersoever it shall guide his body till death Ioh. 16.13 with Revel. 14.3.4 The sixth day of the week IN my sleepe by night I was instructed in the righteous judgements of our God by comparing them with the judgements of men thus There are diverse States of governement in the world and these all have their Religion severall under their owne authority If any of these Kingdomes doe send forth their spirituall authority to condemne and execute all within their Dominion which as they terme them are Heretickes Schismatickes and Rebells against the present religion or worship of God constituted by their Authority at the publishing of this judgement all that are guilty in their Consciences doe flee and hide themselves as from men whereas all that are faithfull in that Religion and devour in that will-worship doe not scare but are more bold and confident under the power of that God knowing that every man shall be examined by name whether he be Hereticke if he be so found it is examined whether hee will repent and conforme to their will and not one shall perish without good tryall Such is the estate of the Kingdome of God our Creator in the authority of his Christ those of the world whose hearts condemne them of rebellion against the World and will of Majestistie and doe feare and shift to put off his excention whereas all that repent and are reconciled to him in all things and know the reason of his judgement are safe from feare of the evill which is sent against those which are from their Maker For if men be so just as nor to condemne one that is no rebell or that will repent how shall we thinke that the executioners of the judgement of God in the plague warre or famine are carelesse to destroy any one without great cause The first day of the weeke I Have grieved to consider how men are deceived by the authority or God of this world in that they bring all both God and Christ Spirit and Word subject to their judgement a Thes. 2.4 So that whosoever pray in spirit subject to their spirituall authority they pray but to what they are servants unto which cannot helpe because it is the feare and authority of mortall man to whom such spirituall service is done the onely true God and his Christ is despised the power and wisdome of man is exalted in their hearts therefore if man doe not heare and helpe there is not God to heare except it bee to require vengeance for the abuse of his name and word 2 I have considered that they which use the word of the holy Scriptures translated or preached in worldly glory under morall authority their estate is farre more inexecusable then they which never use that word in way of prayer praise thankesgiving or spirituall worship because these doe not so blaspheme God in Christ as to give that honour unto man the creature which is due to the Creator as the professors doe 3. I have observed how the wise men of this world doe destroy their wisdome by thir authority For in any doctrine of Religion they will propose the holy Scriptures to be then wisdom and ground of truth but if their doctrine be opposed by any then they leave their wisdome and slee to their auâ—hority for helpe which sheweth that their wisdome is but a pretence and that their authority is the pillar and ground of their Church 4. I have noted also the deceit of mans mind that not what he professes or pretendeth in word to be his God and Christ is so to him but what he mindeth in his heart under such a pretence As if a man professâ— the onely true God or preach the Lord Jesus Christ and indeed doe minde another word or authority then of God or doe seeke meat for his belly under the name of Jesus Christ in these cases it is not what hee speaketh but what he imagineth mindeth and seeketh indeed which is his God and for the obtayning of the desire of his minde he denyeth God in deed and all power of godlinesse 5. Whatsoever spirituall service or worship men performe as to God their reading prayers cryings howlings teares and assembling in Idoll Churches are all turned into sinne while they know not God but give that service to the World or Authority of men which is onely due unto God the Creator of all men according to his Word and Will manifested from the beginning in Christ The fifth day of the week THe building and maintaining of the heathen Idol Temples hath been in enmity of the Temple of our God in Israel but now they are in contempt of the Temple of Christ which is his body endued with the holy Spirit Therefore all that partake of I doll-temples doe seeke their life and honour in the flesh under the Persecutor and thereby turns the backe in contempt of the reproach of Christ they all deceive themselves in the flesh they seeke to save themselves by the authority of the Devill to kill whereas to deny their service is to deny ones selfe for they will spoile one of all FJNJS