unsatisfied concerning it and even drowned in fleshly imaginations and contentions about it They seek to have that satisfied which is not to be satisfied They seek to have that know which is not to know they offer to God the service faith and obedience of that which he will not accept keep that from him which he calls for They seek for the Spirit in the Letter according to the manner of the Law but wait not to feel it in the Seed quickening the Seed raising up the Seed and dwelling in the Seed whither Christ and his Apostles directed to wait for it They looke for that knowledge that faith that life that spirit from words written which the Apostle preached was to be waited for from the word in the heart And by this means they raise up several buildings and get various kinds of knowledge each according to his understanding and apprehensions of the Letter every sort being very confident concerning their own apprehensions that they are the right And thus they wander from the City of the living God and from the living knowledge building up Images some outwardly some in their minds some more gross some more refined but all more or less who are not acquainted with the living knowledge and truths of God but have gathered apprehensions with the wrong tool from the Letter have set up somewhat else instead of the true Life and Power The knowledge of the true God which is life eternal the knowledge of the true Christ whom no man can indeed call Lord but by the spirit the knowledge of the everlasting Gospel which alone is read in the spirit the knowledge of the spirit which alone is read in the Seed these are strange things to the several generations of the Christians of this age who commonly know no more of them then according to the apprehensions they have taken in concerning them even from that wisdom and understanding which hath not a capacity in it to receive them but must be destroyed before these things can be understood aright 1 Cor. 1.19 O that ye could read in the eternal light of life O Christians Christians O that ye could see how your understandings and knowledge from the Letter stand as much in your way as ever the Jews did in theirs and must be broken down as flat as ever theirs was before the foundation of the Kingdom can be laid and the building of eternal life reared up in your hearts Be not offended at my zeal for the Lord my God and for your souls It hath cost me very dear what I testifie to you in the simplicity and integrity of my heart and this I know to be most certainly true that that spirit of man which without the leadings of the eternal Light hath nestled it self in the letter got a seat of wisdom and knowledge there raised up a building from thence either of inward or outward Worship will be dissetled driven thence even by that very spirit which gave forth the Letter And when this is done and God's spirit again openeth the Letter O how sweet how profitable how clear how refreshing will it be being read in the light of the spirit in the faith which is in Christ Jesus which is begotten in the heart by the word of Faith which is nigh there From that light from that spring as the Lord pleased to open enlarge and fill the Vessel all the words of the holy men of God came and in that alone they have their sweetness freshness vertue and fulness but how to read the words outwardly written keeping to that and understanding them in that and how to keep out the natural man with his natural understanding which knoweth not the things of the Spirit nor can know or receive them 1 Cor. 2.14 is a mystery to them who have not been turned inwards to this word nor have known or heard his voice The Lord is recovering the Mysterie of Life and as that appears the Mysterie of Death under all its paint under all its painted Faith painted Love painted Knowledge painted Obedience painted Duties Ordinances and Worship will be made manifest Happy is he whose inward Building will stand whose Gold will abide the fire and everlasting Burnings of the jealous God whose Eye-salve was bought of the true spirit whose raiment is right spun but exceeding hard wil it go with that man whom the Lord when he cometh to search him shall not find a right inward Jew as he took himself to be nor truly circumcised by the Lords eternal Spirit with the light thereof but onely by such a circumcising knife as he himself had formed out of the letter of the Scriptures This is the great misery of Christians the vail lies over their hearts even the same vail which covered the Letter of Moses from the Jews and they are groping after the mind of God in the Letter but the life is hid from them even as it was from the Jews because they also say they see that they have the life the spirit therefore the vail remains the caul of iniquity surrounds them so that they cannot see into that which makes free from it but remain yet in captivity and bondage to the Enemy Some Queries of W Salters tending to inforce upon Christians the observation of the Jewish Sabbath ANSWERED Query 1. WHether the Fourth Commandement exprest Exod. 20. be not morall and perpetuall as well as the other nine be yea or no Answer That Covenant which God made with the Jews at mount Horeb when they came out of the Land of Egypt was not to be perpetuall but to make way for that Covenant Priesthood Law-giver and Law which was to be perpetuall That Law so given forth made nothing perfect but was a continuall hand-writing of Ordinances against the Jews and the very Salvation of the Jews was by another Covenant and by the Laws thereof Deut. 30 11. By which Covenant and by which Law they might be made perfect and come to the better hope Which other Covenant is the Covenant of Grace or the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus or the Word which is nigh in the mouth and in the heart and speaks Life to them that can hear and believe the joyfull sound of it Now that this former Covenant was not to abide but to give place to the other see Heb. 8. Which treateth of the New Covenant For God's speaking of a New Covenant importeth that he himself hath made the first Old ver. 13. It had had a long continuance among that people of the Jews but now against the coming of Christ who was to be Mediator of a better Covenant v. 6. even of a New Covenant v. 8. as it had been long decaying and waxing Old So now it was ready to vanish away as v. 13. And indeed it was necessary it should pass away for it was not faultless How not faultless was there any sin in the Holy Law Ministration
any of these Laws be broken if they may not be broken then they are perpetual Ans. The reason why they may not be broken is not because that the dispensation of them is still in force but because the dispensation of the law of the spirit comprehends all the righteousness of Moses his law and the end of Christs dissolving that Covenant was not that any man might have liberty to do any thing which is there manifested to be unrighteous but that the righteousness of it might be fulfilled in them who receive his law in the spirit which never could be fulfilled by receiving of Moses his law in the letter Rom 8.4 And mark this diligently ye that have been exercised in spirit towards God The law of sin is nearer to us then any law of the letter can come the covenant of Death and Hell with the laws thereof are written within by the finger of Satan and that which blots them out must be as near even an inward covenant an inward writing from the Eternal Word in the heart by the law of his Eternal Spirit of life This then is my Answer Moses his law in substance remains as it is taken in by Christ and administred by him in spirit but not as it was given in the letter to the Jews for so it was a shadow making nothing perfect but making way for the better hope for the Covenant established upon better promises for the inward law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus which effects that in the spirits of his people which Moses his law could by no means do Quest But what is the substance of the law which abides Ans. The substance of the law is Love To love God above all above all without above all within and to love one's Neighbor as ones self To receive this love from God and to bring it forth in his spirit this is the substance of the law this is the thing which the law drove at in a shadow The law is fulfilled in this one word Love but that love must be received from God which fulfils the law A man may strive to love abundantly and strive to obey in love and yet fall short of the covenant but the Lord must circumcise the heart afore that love can spring up which fulfils the law Deuter. 30 6. Obj. But doth not the Apostle Paul say That by the law is the knowledge of sin and that he had not known lust except the law had said Thou shalt not covet plainly referring to the tenth Commandment which saith Thou shalt not covet Ans. By the law outwardly was the knowledge of sin outwardly to the people of the Jews by the law inwardly is the knowledge of sin inwardly to the spirits of Disciples Now a little consider and wait on the Lord to know what administration of the law it was that Paul knew sin by whether it was by Moses his administration of the law in the letter or by Christ's Ministration of his law to him in the spirit It is rendred in our last Translation Thou shalt not covet but it might more properly be rendred Thou shalt not lust For if {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} be properly rendered Lust then {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} may as properly be rendred Thou shalt not lust And he that hath received the administration of the law in the Spirit knoweth it thus to issue forth from the Word of life into his Spirit It discovers the lusts and affections of the flesh which draw from the yoke and subjection to the spirit and then by a command from the living spirit it hedgeth up the way after the other lovers saying Thou shalt not lust And as the law of the flesh ariseth kindling desires after vanity and after fleshly ease and delight so the law of the spirit arises in the inner man forbidding pricking stopping and limiting that which would be at liberty out of the life and purity of the holy law And here begin the bitter fights and terrible battels and conflicts between the two Seeds wherein all the powers of heaven earth and hell are engaged Now because this interpretation of Paul's words may seem strange and uncouth to persons who have drunk in another apprehension and have taken it for granted that Paul there refers to the tenth commandment consider the place yet further and perhaps the Lord may please to open it to you from the very Letter even as he hath opened it to others immediately by his Spirit by causing them to feel the thing which Paul felt and to receive the Law as he received it Paul in that seventh of the Romans speakes of three states vvhich he had known First a state of life before the law I was alive without the law once v. 9. Secondly a state of death after the commandment came Then sin revived and he dyed When the Word of Life came with its living commandment to set upon sin indeed then sinne would dally no longer it would no longer lye as dead and let Paul live in his Zeal and Worship as he had done before but it slew him it shewed its power in him sometimes deceiving him and sometimes forcing him from that which was holy spiritual just and good and to that which was unholy insomuch as he did do what he hated and could not do what he loved and found himself a wretched man and in miserable captivity because of the body of death and the law of sin in his members v. 23 24. 3dly A state of life after the commandment had done its Work in throughly slaying of him When that was removed which the law came against then then he was marryed to another husband then he could bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7.4 then he could walk freely with God not after the flesh but after the spirit ch. 8.4 and rejoice in the life and the peace instead of roaring out because of the death which came from the carnal mind v. 5. Now when was the time when Paul was alive without the Law Was it not when he was righteous when he was whole then he had no need of the Phisician then he had not received the Wound even the terrible Wound which Christ then gives the soul when he calleth to it by his spirit and giveth forth the commandment Thou shalt not lust When he had confidence in the flesh being circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the Law a Pharisee concerning Zeal persecuting the Church touching the righteousness which is in the Law blameless Phil. 3.4 5 6. Here was a living man and his exact receiving the Ministration of the Law in the letter was part of his life yea but he had not received the commandment yet that slew him Paul was alive yet and could flourish in the freshness of his life zeal and abundant knowledge under this administration of the Law But when
and the full course of his Pilgrimage be finished Yet if it were possible for man after he is come to Christ to abide perfectly with him to cease from lust to keep within the faith to draw naturally in the yoke to bow in the Spirit continually to the Father of Spirits there would be a continuall Sabbath kept in the passage even before the great full and perfect Sabbath in the end The hardness and unease of the labour is because of a part contrary to the life which when it is worn out there will be no more labour but the yoke will become the rest and all the motions and operations of life will flow forth naturally in the rest And here is the Patience and Faith of the Saints to wait under the yoke under the daily cross to that Part which is to be brought and kept under till all the bonds of Captivity be broke through by the life and the vail of flesh rent from the to the bottome the remaining of which is that which stops the free current of life and then shall the soul enter into the holy of holâ—es obtaining the full possession of the everlasting inheritance and of the eternall redemption and know sorrovv tears bonds sickness death captivity no nor so much as grapling with them or travelling out of them no more but the enjoyment of the plenty and fulness of the life reaping all the pleasant fruits of life in the rich land of life for evermore SOME CONSIDERATIONS Propounded to the JEWES That they may hear and consider and their Hearts at length may be Turned towards that which alone is able to Convert Them to God that they may once more become his People and enter into an Everlasting Covenant with him that may not be broken that so they may abide in his Love and Covenant of Life and remain his People for ever Consideration I. WHat great Love Mercy and Kindness God shewed to that People above all Nations and Peoples under Heaven Of his own free love he set his heart upon them chusing them to be a People to himself He brought them out of Egypt by a mighty hand and outstretched Arm he mightily preserved them in and led them through the Wilderness He entred into a Covenant with them to become their God and betrothed them unto himself for his own Lot and Inheritance He gave them righteous Laws Judgments Statutes and Ordinances both of Worship towards him and of an upright Demeanour and Conversation among themselves and towards all men He drove out the Heathen from before them and gave them a pleasant Land to possess even the glory of all Lands a Land flowing with Milk and Honey He built an habitation for himself among them first a moving Sanctuary or Tabernacle afterwards a more setled abiding place or Temple which Solomon built wherein was the Ark of his presence where he was to be sought unto and enquired of by them and towards which their Prayers were to be directed and there was a Mercy-seat whereof they had large experience and he ever and anon sent Prophets among them to reprove their errors and blackslidings and to set them to rights again He raised up Judges likewise to defend them and although they were weary of his Government desiring a King after the manner of the Nations so vehemently that they even forced a King from him yet he took him away from them and after him chose a man after his own heart to feed Jacob his People and Israel his Inheritance who fed them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands What should I say more what was wanting of Love of Care of Goodness of Kindness of Mercy of Gentleness of any thing that a People could desire of their God I say what was wanting of all this on Gods part What could he have done more for his Vineyard than he did do Nay he emptied upon them all the Goodness all the Mercy Love Favour c. that that Covenant would hold to the full yea and more too for he bare with them more than that Covenant required him to bear and redeemed them oftner than that Covenant engaged him yea many time turned he his anger away and did not stir up all his wrath as he might often have done according to the tenour of that Covenant Yea in all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them And he was still ready to say in his heart Surely they are my People Children that will not lie at length they will see their error repent and be true to me insomuch as he was never weary of saving them of trying them again and again of stirring up his Bowels of Love and Pitty to Redeem them of sending his Servants and Prophets among them to warn and reclaim them even till at last it was manifest that there was no remedy but he must cast them off and provoke them to jealousie by a foolish Nation Deut. 32.20 21. drawing them nigh to him who had been Worshipping Stocks and Stones making them become a People who had long been no People and casting these out of his sight making them become no People who had so long been his chosen peculiar People in Covenant with him and nigh unto him above all the Families of the Earth Consid. II. What constant Rebellion and stiffness of Spirit that People all along expressed towards the Lord what wild sowre Grapes they still brought forth to him sowre Love sowre Obedience sowre Worship and Sacrifices such as the pure pallate of the Lord could find no relish nor savour in but as Moses had told them that it was not for their Righteousness God chose them to give them the good Land to possess for they were a Rebellious and stiff-necked People Deut. 9.6 7. So it was not for their Goodness that God continued his love to them for they were all along provoking him Jer. 44.4 When God came to shew that great Mercy to them of Redeeming them out of Egypt and bid them cast away their Idols they would not cast away their Idols Ezek. 20.7 8. neither did they regard that Mercy of Redemption from the House of Bondage and from the Iron Furnace but said to Moses it was better for them to stay in Egypt and to serve the Egyptians Exod. 14.12 Again in the Wilderness how did they provoke him all that forty years of Mercy how did they err in their hearts from his pure fear and from Love to him and from Faith and Confidence in him how did they murmur against him and against Moses and Aaron their Leaders how did they forget his Works and his Wonders continually When they came near the Land and should have gone in to possess it then they would not but repined and rebelled because of the talness and strength of the Enemy and of their Cities and when they were forbid to go then they would go and fight with
the instances which Christ gives more of which relate to other parts of the law then to the Commandements for there are but two instances out of the ten Commandements but there are four instances out of other parts of the law as may be seen ver. 31 33 38. and 43. of that Chapter So that Christ doth not onely take in the ten Commandements but he takes in the rest of Moses his Ministry in the Spirit not one jot or tittle whereof is to pass till it be all fulfilled but was to stand in the letter to the Jews its full season and then in the Spirit till all be finished there also The Law and the Prophets were untill John from that time the Kingdom of God began to be preached Luk. 16.16 and both the law Prophets and John himself were to decrease and Christ and his Kingdom to increase Christ in this 5 of Matth. had been preaching the Kingdom declaring to whom it apperteined and the blessedness of such Now this his manner of preaching might seem to derogate from the law of Moses and from the Prophets whose doctrine and dispensation hereby he might seem to destroy But Christ taketh away the occasion of such a mis-apprehension bidding them not think he came to destroy the Law or the Prophets for he was not come for that end but to fulfill Wherein he doth these two things First he establisheth that ministration of the law and Prophets for its season till it should be fulfilled by him the substance who was to fulfill all the righteousness of it It should last out its whole day and should not fail in the least tittle of it as he himself explaineth it Luk. 16.17 til the heaven and earth of the Jews passed away Heb. 12.27.28 Secondly He taketh in the substance of it into his own ministration and layeth it more inwardly and closely and largely upon the Spirits of his Disciples then Moses had done in the letter upon his Disciples But he doth not give it out in full but onely giveth a tast to his Disciples how straitly he would minister it to them by his Spirit as they came under his yoke Matth. 11.29 which yoke is his Spirit or the law thereof as Moses his yoke was the law of the Letter Now mark yet further Christ doth not give out the letter for his law as it was delivered by Moses but requireth somewhat of his Disciples which comprehends the letter As now when he administers the law against revenge from whence murther proceeds he doth not say Thou shalt not kil as Moses had said to them of old time but saith thou shalt not be angry without a cause nor give thy brother any provoking language ver. 22. Nor does he say Thou shalt not commit adultery but thou shalt not let out a lustfull look nor let in a lustfull thought v 28. And had he spoken here about the Sabbath would he have administred it in the letter or would he have commanded the observation of the true Sabbath where no work is done no fire kindled nor so much as any sticks gathered to make a fire with nor no burthen born but the Man-servant the Maid-servant the Oxe the Ass and every creature rests in the seed The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath It is true he subjected himself under the law but yet he was still Lord and he maketh all his Kings and Priests to God who being once baptised into his death know also his resurrection and reign Obâ—ect But all the other Commandements are to be kept according to the letter for although it should prove so that believers are not bound to observe them by vertue of Moses's ministration in the letter but by vertue of the ministration of the Spirit yet the Commandements themselves are kept but take away the outward observation of the Sabbath and this Commandement hath no fulfilling at all according to the letter Answ. This ariseth from the different nature of the thing for the other Commandements require or forbid that which is either good or evill in its own nature but this is but good or evill by institution or command To keep a Day or not to keep a Day is not good or evill in it self but as it is commanded or forbidden or left at liberty in the Lord and according as it is done or forborn by him who receiveth the command or prohibition or is let into the liberty of the Gospel Rom. 14.6 So that if the Nature of the thing required in this Commandement had been alike with the nature of the things required or forbidden in the other Commandements it would have been as durable after the dissolution of that Covenant as the other things therein contained were which vanish not in themselves upon the dissolution of that Covenant but only pass into an higher way of dispensation where they retain their full vertue and strength even according to the letter though not by vertue of the administration of the letter another higher and fuller administration of a better Covenant challenging and taking its own place Qu. 7. If the seventh Days Sabbath be not morall but an abrogated ceremony now since the death of Christ then wherefore should our Saviour instruct his beloved Apostles that must instruct Christian Churches to pray Mat. 24.20 that they might not flie on the Sabbath knowing that their flight would fall out more then thirty yeares after his death Answ. Great was the hardship the Jews under went in the siege of Jerusalem by that apprehension of theirs that they ought not to do any work not so much as of defending themselves on the Sabbath which hardship such Disciples of Christs among the Jews as could not easily be drawn of from the law and Jewish observations but still were for circumcision and keeping of an outward Sabbath might be liable to now Christ and the Apostles after him were not hasty to draw them from such things but for a time bore with them therein insomuch that Paul circumcised Timothy and became to the Jews as a Jew and to them that were under the law as under the law himself also But the strength of the Query seems to lye in this that it should bear the name of Sabbath from Christ's own mouth in relation to somewhat which should happen on it more then thirty years after it should cease to be a Sabbath To which my Answer is plain that that may as well bear the name of Sabbath as Jerusalem or the Temple bear the name of the holy place ver. 15. of the same chap. for Jerusalem and the Temple did as much cease to be the holy place above thirty years after those words were spoken as the Jewish Sabbath could cease to be the Sabbath Now for the sakes of such as have been truly exercised in their spirits by the spirit of the Lord and have felt the powerfull work of his grace a building raised up by him may yet be further exercised I shall add
the hard stony heart be wasted and worn out by the cross and nothing left but what becomes one with the seed and so is fit to be married to it and to enter with it into the everlasting Kingdom Now this bearing the yoke this taking up of the cross this following of Christ in the wilderness through the corrections of the Father through the buffettings and temptations of the enemie in the midst of all the weaknesses frailties of the flesh going when he bids go standing still where he stops fighting when hee prepares to the warfare bearing the repulse when he suffers the enemy to prevail and hoping even beyond hope for his relief and victory in due season here 's the labour here 's the travell here 's the working under the life with the measure of grace and power received from the life So that first the day-spring from on high visits from that visitation there is light entred into the heart by closing with that light there is grace received with this grace received there is work to bee done for God his talent is to be improved all the six days by all that will rest with him on the seventh and that desire to cease from their labours in the fruition of the faith the life the power the faith the life the power living becoming and performing all in them And he that doth not improve the Talent he that doth not follow on in the pure light but either sits down by the way or is deceived with an Image of what once vvas true in him he can never arrive at the land of rest though perhaps he may arrive at that which he may call so but when the eternall witness awakes in him he will find the want of it and bitterly bewail his grievous mistake Novv in this hard travel and grievous labour under the close lavvs and spirituall Commandements of the life hard I mean yea very hard to the unrenewed part though easie and natural to that which is renewed and born of God it pleaseth the Lord novv and then to give a day of refreshment causing his life so powerfully to spring up that it even sensibly is and doth all in the heart This is a Sabbath wherein the soul rests in the povverfull movings and operations of the life and doth not find any stress of trouble or hardship or labour upon it but sits still in the povver is at ease in the life in the etertal vertue vvhich lives and moves and is all in it and no pain no trouble no grievousness of any Command is felt but to it all is easie all is natural all is purely pleasant the life to vvhich all its own lavvs Statutes ordinances judgements ways and paths are easie performing all it calls for even as fast as it calls for it And here not only a Sabbath of days but also a Sabbath of vveeks yea sometimes a Sabbath of years besides the everlasting Jubilee or year of perfect redemption it selfe are known vvitnessed by such as have vvaited on the Lord in singleness of heart under the yoke of his Spirit for the bringing down of the rough and untovvard nature and for the raising up of the meek and lovvly heart But here it is exceeding easie running out and starting aside it is easie running out from under the yoke to avoid the bitterness of the hardship to the earthly part it is much easier running out on the day of rest and so loosing the truth in a joy and rejoicing even such an one as might have a true ground Oh who can but think the bitterness of death is past when all enemies are vanished and there is nothing left but the Lord and the soul imbracing each other and who can but be unwilling to come back again to his labour and to the residue of his hard travel afterwards and yet it is far better to return to the work in the Vineyard and to suffer again with the seed then to keep up the rest in a notion and so to lose the life and pure presence and vertue of the seed when it returns unto and cals back to the labour Oh how many have perished here suffering a divource from that which led them into the rest not being willing to go back again with it to fill up the residue of its sufferings which were yet behind and so have kept up a false dead notional rest after the true Sabbath was ended Now there is no way for such but to wait to feel the living breath the quickning vertue the day-spring from on high which by the brightness of its rising can discover this false rest this dead rest this notionall rest this ease in the earthly in the fleshly in the understanding part which they uphold by things they have formerly gathered from the Scriptures or from their own perhaps once living experiences but now hold out of the feeling and possession of the life in the dead part But that it is thus with them they can never see untill the light from which they have erred spring up and discover it to them and when the light doth arise and discover it they will find the way of return and the path of redemption much more difficult to them then it was at first Yet it is better to part which the ease of the flesh and to undergo the pangs of a new birth then to miss of the inheritance in the good land There are three steps or degrees of the blessed estate First There are desires thirstings and breathings begotten after the life Secondly There is a labouring in the service under the yoke by the vertue which springs from the life Thirdly There is a Rest or sitting down at ease in the life By the stirring of life in the soul desires after life are kindled he in whom the desires are kindled and who feeleth the eternall vertue cannot but be running the race he whom the Spirit of the Lord findeth faithfull in running the race it pleaseth the Lord ever and anon to be giving him a tast of the rest Thus the spring stirring the soul cannot but move towards its center and as it entreth into and fixeth in its center it partaketh of the rest Nâ—w to know the leadings of the Spirit forward and backward into these into desires when he pleaseth into the labour and service of the life when he pleaseth into the sweet rest and perfect repose in the life when he pleaseth here is the safety and sweet progress of the renewed spirit That man who is born of the spirit is to wait for the movings breathings and kindlings of the Spirit in him and when the Sun ariseth he is to go forth to his labour in the light thereof and in the night and withdrawing of the Sun to retire And when his seventh day of rest comes he is to receive it from and enjoy it in the Spirit and afterwards to be willing to begin his week again even till his whole race