God or a Christ living in mens consciences only and cannot endure to hear of a distinct personal God upon the throne of his glory in the Heavens above the Stars 32 What ever God-like shape they appear in as yet they are but freewill redemptionists or refined naturalists at the best and all their speakings though mixed with many words of truth tend to nothing else but meritorious popery from themselves and tyrannical Prelacy over one another CHAP. XVIII 1 A discourse that the divine being is clothed with flesh and bone 2 How God knows all things in the world 3 Of the manner of Gods taking upon him humane nature 4 What the form of God was before he became flesh 5 No spirit can enjoy happiness or misery without a body IS not Heaven Earth Angels and Men as they are created beings subâ—ect to change or to be changed 2 Doth not all men that acknowledge a Creator conclude that his spirit is infinite unchangeable immortall and eternal as beforesaid 3 Wherefore if this infinite or boundless Spirit of the Eternal Majesty were dwelling within the spirits of men or Angels could it possibly be avoided but every thing then would become infinite unchangeable immortal and eternal in it self as he is 4 Doth not the Scriptures call the glorious Spirit of the everliving God by titles a consuming fire and everlasting burnings 5 O all ye lucepherian despisers of a glorious God in the person of a man wonder and perish at a miracle of all miracles that shall be declared unto the general view of men in this place 6 Wherefore behold ye elect and precious Jewels of divine glory though the eternal spirit of your Creator and Redeemer be of so fiery glorious a nature that neither Fire Air Earth Water Sun Moon Stars Heavens Earth Angels Men nor any thing else is capable of the indwelling of it one moment without being consumed to Ashes Dust Sand or Powder yet this infinite bright burning spirit is contained within a single person of flesh and bone glorified 7 Yea and is so united unto it that all its divine pleasures naturally floweth from its essential owness to all eteâ—nity 8 Insomuch that from that unerring spirit I positively declare against men or Angels that this fiery glorious spirit cannot possibly possess any sensible living being out of that blessed body of flesh and bone in glory no more then the mortal soul of a man can live without its natural body of flesh blood and bone in shame 9 Though the heavenly body of the eternal Majesty be very flesh and bone it self yet I would gladly have you that are spiritual to understand that through the indwelling of its Godhead spirit it is so fiery glorious that neither men nor Angels can behold his faâ—â— and live unless their spirits be strengthned by vertue of its inshining excellency 10 Though the glorious body of the everliving God be very flesh and bone yet you may understand that its clearer then Cristal brighter then the Sun swifter then thought yea and infinitely more softer then Doun and sweeter then Roses 11 You may also know that the visible sight of so glorious a face is that which will eternally ravish the spirits of men and Angels 12 You may also understand that though the body of Christ glorified be very flesh and bone of a burning bright swift soft sweet nature beyond all expression of men or Angels yet it is of an immortal fiery glorious softness or sweetness and not of a mortal fiery nature mixt together as the most softest or sweetest of pleasures in this world are 13 Though the infinite Spirit of the unchangeable God is clothed with his eternal Son beforesaid which was too pure to be subjected by sin wrath death hell or the grave yet you that are truly enlightned from on high may know that by vertue of his wisdom or transcendent glory he perfectly seeth through Heavens Earth Angels and Men at once and knoweth all motions thoughts desires words or actions in all things whatsoever without charging his spiritual memory in the least 14 Therefore it is written that the eyes of the Lord pass to and fro through the earth beholding the just and the unjust and the Lord knoweth that the heart of man is vain and his imaginations are evil and onely evil and continually evil and all evil things that are done now in secret with delight shall be revealed upon the house top or head of mens understandings soon enough and with sorrow pain and shame enough what ever is thought or said to the contrary 15 If the Spirit of the divine Majesty be so infinitely glorious that no created being is capable of the indwelling of its divine Godhead some men may say unto me had not that man Christ called the Son of God his being on the womans part from the loins of Mary his mother as well as other children If this be truth which the Scriptures clearly demonstrated how then could that childe Jesus be capable of the indwelling of an infinite spirit any more then any other childe whatsoever 16 Unto this curious query from the unerring spirit I answer though that childe Christ Jesus had beginning of the seed of his Virgin Mother as all children have yet he was that Holy One of Israel which from eternity was a spiritual body in form like a man therefore when he entred into the Virgins Womb he laid down his infinite spiritual glory by vertue of his Godhead power that he might be capable to transmute create or conceive himself of the Virgins seed into a condition of pure flesh blood and bone in a new and wonderful way for an everlasting astonishment unto elect men and Angels 17 Wherefore the Virgin Mary his Mother was forewarned by the Angel of his glorious and gracious purpose that her soul might be prepared for that marvelous incoming of her onely God and Savior to become the Redeemer of his elect people from the power of sin and fear of eternal death 18 It is written great is the mystery of godliness which is God was manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up to glory Again it is written who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but he made himself of no reputation and took on him the form of a servant 19 Is there any more then one God and was not Christ the form of this invisible God before he became the person of a man and did not that spiritual form of Christ Jesus enter into the Virgins Womb and became a pure natural form 20 Moreover was not Christ and his Father onely one uncreated heavenly person from all eternity 21 Though I undoubtably affirm that Christ Jesus eternally was the divine form of the invisible God yet I would not have any man imagine or think that I go about to prove the Creator to be a body
be changed from its present condition his immortal soul having its being in a piece of clay was become subject through temptation to be transmuted from its present created glory also 16 For this I would gladly have you to understand though the soul of Adam was of a divine nature yet because it was a created nature distinct to it self it was become a son a subject a servant unto its divine God and capable of transmutation through deep temptation into a sinful condition through which both soul and body might not onely be subâ—ect to natural death but also full of fears of an eternal death or casting out of the spiritual presence of the divine Majesty 17 To bring forth his heavenly design of a more transcendent eternal glory that he had prepared through sufferings to be enjoyed by his divine image at the last day with himself face to face 18 You that are spiritually quick may know that the body of Adam was not created natural onely because he was appointed for generation but also because if his body had been immortal in its creation as well as his soul he would not onely then have been uncapable of natural generation but also he would have been uncapable of any kinde of transmutation whatsoever unless he gave consent unto it self 19 And where then had the prerogative power infinite wisdom and transcendent glory of the Creator ever been seen or known by man or Angels as beforesaid 20 Again though Adams soul was of the divine nature in its creation yet I would have you to understand that he knew not whether he should stand or fall from his present estate or no. 21 Neither did he know not what power he was endued withall in his created purity as many man vainly imagine 22 If he had known that he had power in his own will to preserve himself in his present condition he not knowing as aforesaid any glory above what he had enjoyed you may be sure if he could have kept himself in that blessed estate he would never have lost it for want of making use of all the power that was in him to have resisted a temptation unto rebellion in which he knew there was a threatning of the losse of that created glory he enjoyed as beforesaid 23 Again though the soul of Adam was of the divine nature in its creation yet because it was one essence with a body that was taken out of dust therefore it was both probable and capable to be brought into a condition of entring into dead dust for a moment to fulfil those Scripture sayings for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death in the sweat of thy face shalâ— thou eat bread till thou return to the earth for out of it wast thou taken because thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return 24 Was the body of Adam any thing but dead dust before its living soul was infused 25 Was the soul of Adam ever spoken of as a sensible living being before it became one essence with his body of flesh blood and bone formed our of the dust as an house or tabernacle for its comfortable substance and sensible understanding of its own living being 26 Seeing the body of Adam was nothing but a lump of dead cold senceless dust before his soul entered into it and composed it inâ—o a comâ—leat living man by vertue of a spiritual word spoken through the glorious mouth of the Creator dost thou think it possible that either of them could enjoy any sensible living being without the other 27 You know the Scripture saith the Lord God also made the man of he dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living soul though the body of Adam was formed of dust you see all the lise it enâ—oyed was from its soul onely and the man became a living soul 28 When the Lord said for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death was it not the very soul of Adam as well as his body that was threatned with death it self 29 Nay was there any thing could live in the body of Adam but the soul what then could be capable of dying but the soul onely 30 Again canst thou be so senceless as to think that ever the body of Adam could have turned to dust if his soul had not died within his body and like a spark of sire in an Oven that is closed from all kinde of air 31 So likewise thou mayest understand that the immortal soul of Adam became mortal as soon as ever it was polluted with sin and when it came to taste of death according to the word of the Lord through the sloppage of the breath of life proceeding from the invisible soul that fiery spark was quenched with silenâ—sleep of death as life or light that is smothered and did not flye in the air as men vainly imagine 32 Again it is said the man became a living soul now you know that every mans sinful soul is the life of its natural body yet it may be a dark dead soul in spiritual matters while it is alive in natural but as beforesaid the spirit of Adam was called a living soul in relation unto the living vertue beauty or invisible glory of its creation 33 I confess that it was impossible for the soul of Adam of ever being capable of death if it had been always preserved from being polluted with sin 34 Moreover as soon as ever it was but touche with sin in that very sin was death it self 35 Who ever thou art that shalt say that the pure soul of Adam was not defiled with sin it self what ever light thou pretendest to know thou art utterly ignorant as yet of the spirit of the Scriptures 36 If according to the divine truth of Scriptures thou art made to confess that the pure soul of Adam was overcome of sin and therewith all defiled through his whole man though men or Angels should gain-say it thou mayest be fully assured that both the soul and body of Adam are in the dust of the earth dead asleep void of all life light motion heat or any thing appearing unto life until that second man Adam the Lord from heaven by the mighty power of his word doth or shall raise him again and all mankinde that are asleep with him in the dust at the last day 37 Again though the body of the man Adam being formed of dust was absolutely natural through its appointment for generation yet I would have you that are spiritual to understand this secret that until Eve lufted after Adam through her being first defiled with the Angelical Serpent the soul of Adam being divine and free from all kinde of rationality could not possibly have any desire in it after carnal copulation with his wife 38 You may know that carnal pleasures were too low for a spiritual soul whose nature was variety of divine satisfaction in it self
A DIVINE Looking-Glass OR The third and last Testament of our Lord JESUS CHRIST Whose personal Residence is seated on his Throne of Eternal Glory in another world Being the Commission of the Spirit agreeing with and explaining of the two former Commissions of the Law and the Gospel differing onely in point of Worship Set forth for the Tryal of all sorts of supposed Spiritual Lights in the world until the Ever-living true JESUS the onely High and Mighty God personally appear in the Air with his Saints and Angels By John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton Pen-men hereof and the last chosen Witnesses unto that Ever-blessed Body of Christ Jesus glorified to be the onely wise very true God alone Ever-lasting Father and Creator of both worlds and all that were made in them Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly to testifie and fulfil thy own promise in thy Records of Truth that thy redeemed ones may really know that thou hast seat us and art that unchangeable God which cannot possibly lie though millions of unredeemed mankinde thereby should everlastingly perish Printed in the year of our Lord 1656. and since reviewed by and reprinted for Lodowick Muggleton one of the said Witnesses dwelling in great Trinity-lane in London near â—he Sign of the Lyon and the Lamb where this Book is to be had 1661. To the spiritual discerning Reader MY beloved spiritual brethren in whom is rooted and really grounded the saving light of Life eternal I know that the manifold breakings forth of seeming glorious appearances in this Age can by no means be hid from your eyes Also you know that the true light of Life hath almost discovered them all to be nothing else but the very depth of mens serpentine subtilties cloaked over with the divine titles of the most infinite and holy God so that mens glittering language now is of no value unto you unless the holy Spirit beareth witness unto your spirits that the Lord hath spoken unto them from heaven neither can men blinde your eyes with their natural miracles artificial juglings sophistical signs and wonders to cause you ever the sooner for that to receive them as immediately sent forth by the ever-living God I say it is not lofty words of imaginary voices visions dreams revelations variety of languages declarations of the knowledge of the heights and depths of perishing nature pretended Jerusalem Journeys supposed seeing of spiritual Angels with eyes of natural flesh and familiar conversing with them and knowing the names of all the holy Angels in glory and every mans protecting Angel in this world or any such like carnal fancies can blinde your eyes any more which have received from above a distinguishing gift between the things of eternal life and death not onely from its effects but from its first causes also My selected brethren unto a pure light language and life from the very true God I certainly know that nothing in this world will satisfie your hungry souls but a right understanding of spiritual things which are eternal in that world to come therefore unto you alone which look not after gilded words but glorious things present I this Epistle from that Spirit which can neither deceive nor be deceived by men nor angels Wherefore if any sober man of a quick comprehension shall suppose that this Writing might have been composed into fewer words then is here inserted I hope he shall wisely consider that things of such concernment requires more words then ordinary not onely for informing and confirming of the simple Saints but also for confounding of the subtile Serpents of this Age. Moreover you that peruse this Epistle which are of an unjudging tender spirit may also know that before the eternal Spirit in Christ Jesus became my Minister I was very weak in the knowledge of learned mens Opinions their Disputes or Writings concerning heavenly things which are hid from them and revealed unto unlearned babes Therefore the chief desire of my soul is that it may be manifested unto elect men and Angels whether the substance of this Epistle proceeds from mine own carnal spirit or from the most pure and holy Spirit of God himself I mean that one personal glorious Majesty of our Lord Iesus Christ whose divine nature both is and shall be Crowns of immortal ravishing Excellencies in all his elect at the great and dreadful Day of eternal burning vengeance upon the souls and bodies of all bloody-minded impenitent Persecutors that ever were born John Reeve Another Epistle annexed to this Book My beloved spiritual Brethren who are or shall come to be really grounded in the true Doctrine which is held forth in the three Commissions namely the Commission of Moses and the Prophets 2 Of Christ Jesus and the Apostles 3 Of the Commission of the Spirit which Commission is now extant in the world though not accompanied with visible signs and natural miracles as the other two Commissions had in their time when their Commission was in being yet this I am sure that this Commission of the Spirit being the last Commission that God will ever send into this world while time is no more therefore it is that this Commission of the Spirit hath the onely interpretation of the two former Commissions for there is no man in the world at this day let him be of what Sect or Opinion soever that doth truly know any part of the Scriptures but this Commission of the Spirit onely notwithstanding they labor so much after the knowledge of them yet for wanâ— of a Commission from God they have no true understanding of any one principal or true ground of faith for all that they do of that nature is nothing else but the very strength of reason and reason can never truly know the deep things of eternity because there is no man in the world at this day that hath the knowledge of the true God his Form and Nature the right devil his form and nature but this Commission of the Spirit onely Therefore when God spake these words unto John Reeve saying I have given thee understanding of my minde in the Scriptures above all the men in the world Also God did say at the same time I have given thee Lodowick Muggleton to be thy mouth So that according to the words of God he hath given us two to understand more of his mind in the Scriptures then all the men in the world do at this day that is more spiritual knowledge of the Scriptures than all the men in the world because God hath chosen us two to be his last Commissionated Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit to declare and make known unto the Seed of Faith those great mysteries which have layen hid in the breast of God ever since the foundation of this world was laid and in the time of their Commission was in some measure made manifest unto the sons of men by some part of the mystery of God as those Commissions aforesaid namely Moses and Jesus But now
body then shalt thou know that thou didst hear of a personal God infinitely glorious for Heavens Earth Angels or men to be capable of the indwelling essence of his eternal spirit CHAP. XXV 1 Of the sinful soul of man 2 Of its mortality 3 All souls that are generated are mortal 4 If mens souls were immortal they could not be capable of diseases CAn the soul of man be any thing at all but dust without their bodies or can their bodies be any thing at all but dry dead cold dust also without their spirits 2 Doth not the rational soul or spirit of man lye secretly hid in his seed like unto a spark of fire and can this seed of man have any living being without its body 3 Can the soul and body of man be therefore any more then one distinct living or dying essence 4 When a woman conceives life in her womb through mixtures of seeds by vertue of the decreed word of the Lord spoken at the first Creation of nature is not that life the very soul or spirit of the childe 5 Doth not that soul or spirit in the womb by degrees congeal together into rational fire blood and water and so in due time become a compleat body of flesh blood and bone 6 If men and women together beget and conceive the soul and body of the childe by an instinct in nature which none can gainsay but senceless sots or conceited wise men which through an ambition of tongues or languages have studied beyond all sober sence reason or wit 7 Is it then possible think you that the soul of a man should be immortal and the body wherein it liveth be mortal 8 Doth it not stand to very good sence that being both conceived into life into the womb together and both born together into the world and both living together upon the earth their appointed time and being both poluted together with sin that they should also both die together and turn to their dust or non-being again until the general bodily resurrection of all mankind that are dead asleep in the dust of the earth when time is no more either unto eternal glory or everlasting shame 9 Again it is written in the 46. Chap. of Genesis All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt which came out of his loins beside Jacobs wives where in the whole threescore and six souls 10 In the tenth of Deuteronomy and the last verse it is written thy fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons Here you see the Scriptures are plain for prooving the souls proceeding out of the loins of man as well as the bodies 11 Also you see that a man in Scripture is caled soul and sometimes is called body or soul body and spirit and yet you know he is but one living essence or substance 12 If all souls and bodies since the fall of Adam by natural generation proceed from the loins of one another as it is prooved clearly by spiritual sence reason and Scripture how can poor vain perishing dust imagine that his sinful soul is immortal and cannot die 13 Is it not natural for an immortal spirit to be united onely unto an immortal body and is it not natural for a mortal soul to be united onely unto a mortal body 14 Is it not against all sober sence or reason that the body of man could be subject to any kinde of diseases or distempers in the least if his soul were immortal and could not die 15 Is it not the very nature of immortality immediately to swallow up all into life or to transmute that body wherein it siveth from all maner of corruption into his own uncorrupted glory 16 Is it not the nature of a sinful soul to become subject to die through the defilement of its first created purity 17 Is there any undefiled soul now living upon the face of the earth and is not immortality all spotless purity as aforesaid how then thinks thou it possible that the sinful souls of men are immortal already and cannot die 18 It is written the soul that sins shall die also it is written in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death I confess that the souls of Adam and Eve were not capable of any kinde of death until they were both defiled with the sinful nature of the Angelical Serpent 19 But as soon as ever they had eaten of that cursed Serpentine Tree of knowledge of good and evil their soul and bodies were free from all their former pure life 20 In the room thereof were subject to all kinde of imputed death whatsoever and did not know but that they were both cut off from the divine presence of the eternal spirit 21 Until the God of Glory himself graciously promised them to become flesh blood and bone of the Virgin seed to redeem their sinful souls and bodies again out of all kinde of death into an unchangeable immortal glory at his personal appearing with his mighty Angels 22 Again the Lord hath said in divers places of Scripture that the souls of men shall be cut off from the land of the living and that the soul that sins shall die and that the pure soul of Christ himself was poured forth unto death and that the soul of Christ should not be left in grave nor that his blessed body should see corruption and the Lord hath said that Adam and Eve were but dust and to dust they should re uâ—n again And yet thou contrary to all Prophetical or Apostolical Scripture and against all sober sence or reason in its right minde ignorantly or impudently affirmest that the sinful soul of man is already immortal and cannot die or be put to death 23 Again from this thy nonsensical imagination dost thou not call all the Scriptures all lie and the eternal Majesty from whence they proceeded a lyar to his face and dost thou not call all sober sence and reason a meer lie also 24 I know it is a common thing for men to say they have in them a good spirit and a bad spirit 't is confest that every man in his fallen spirit hath remaining a little light or motion of the spirit of God in him 25 Yet take notice of this though he hath a twofold motion in him to justifie all the righteous proceedâ—ngs of the Creator in his conscience at the last day yet he hath but one spirit or soul in him 26 Indeed the Apostle saith the spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh lusteth against the spirit and these two are contrary that which the Apostle calls the spirit in this place of Scripture was a divine light of life received into the dark understanding by vertue of a word speaking from the eternal spirit of a glorified Christ but not the essence of the Holy Spirit 27 And that which he calls the flesh was mans own spirit which consists of nothing but confused lying imagination or cursed carnal reasoning against that heavenly light
spirits 31 Then indeed and not till then mans soul that was averse to all spiritual good by that divine light is made willing to choose the better part 32 Because then he certainly knows that there is an eternal life and glory for some and an everlasting death and shame for others 33 Therefore you that are truly spiritual cannot but know that though men speak a language like unto Angels or the divine Majesty himself as the Angelical Serpent seemed to do in the beguiling of Eve yet it is utterly impossibly they should possess any true understanding of the spiritual things of the everliving Jehovah or Jesus until their souls are firmly established with an undoubtable assurance of their own personal glory in a world to come 34 So much at present concerning the tree of knowledge of good and evil or seed of the woman and seed of the Serpent O blessed and happy are those men and women in themselves already that enjoy this distinguishing light of life eternal in the purity thereof CHAP. XL. 1 Concerning Christs coming to judgement 2 The vanity of that opinion that believes Christs personal raign upon this earth BEcause of many opinions of Christ and the ignorance of most men concerning his coming to judge both the quick and dead therefore in the next place I shall treat of this most needful point from certain sayings of himself in the 17. Chapter of Matth. the words are these for as the lightning that lightneth out of the one part under heaven shineth unto the other part under heaven so shall the Son of Man be in his day and as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be in the days of the Son of Man they eat they drink they married wives and gave in marriage unto the day that Noah went into the Ark and the flood came and destroyed them all likewise also it was in the days of Lot they eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they built but in the day that Lot went out of Sodom it raigned fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all after these ensamples shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed 2 My beloved spiritual brethren you know there is a twofold appearing of Christ unto the sons of men the one spiritual and seen onely by the invisible eye in the soul and the other is personal and seen onely by the visible eye of the body 3 Also you know Christ being the divine rock of all ages he hath spiritually manifested himself unto his blessed Abels from the beginning of the world till now but as for his visible appearing in a body of flesh whereby men might be able to behold the face of their God in the similitude of a man and live you know that he did but once so appear onely for a few years 4 Again in the 25. Chapter of Matthew it is written thus And when the Son of Man cometh in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all nations and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats 5 It is also written in the Thessalonians thus when the Lord Jesus shall shew himself from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 6 If you that are spiritually sober do but compare these three places of Scriptures together then you may clearly see what Christ meant by that day of his personal appearing 7 After his suffering and glorification he shall appear like lightning from one part under heaven to the other he shall appear in his glory with all his holy Angels 8 Behold ye blessed of the most high God what kinde of appearing of Christ in his glory like lightning or a flame of fire is this is it not the visible appearing of his fiery glorious person with the glittering persons of his mighty Angels under the whole heavens or in the air 9 If it be not so how shall all nations be gathered together before him that he may make an eternal separation between them according as he hath spoken 10 It hath been long imagined by men of rare parts in the account of many people that before the general judgement day Christ would come again personally to raign a thousand years on this earth with his Saints 11 And their opinion is grounded partly upon the 20. Chapter of the Revelation which was long since fulfilled as I shall demonstrate in due season 12 But first I shall prove by Scripture Record the failing off this opinion in the 3. Chap. of the Acts it is thus written when the time of refreshing shall come from the Lord and he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you whom the heaven must contain until the time that all things be fulfilled which the Prophets have foretold since the beginning of the world what think you then of Christs personal raign on this earth a thousand years with his Saints is it not point blank against the truth of this plain testimony of Holy Writ 13 In the 14. Chapter by Saint John you may finde it thus written Let not your heart be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me in my fathers house are many dwelling-places if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there may ye be also 14 In this place of Scripture you see that Christ did not speak in the least to his Apostles of his coming again personally to raign upon this earth a thousand years 15 But of the contrary he told his heavy-hearted Disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them or he was going into the highest heavens or prepared place of eternal glory appointed for them with himself after they had suffered with him on earth and he would come again in his glory with his holy Angels and receive them into his fathers house or heavenly kingdom where he now is that they might with his mighty Angels Moses and Elias everlastingly behold his bright burning glory even face to face 16 What is this personal raign of Christ with his Saints a thousand years that supposed wise men have so much talked of 17 Is it any thing else but a temporal heaven at the best if spiritually examined 18 Moreover is it not a very unlikely matter that the infinite divinite Majesty should come again personally to remain upon this bloody earth a thousand years with his Saints having suffered here already and ascended upon the throne or right hand of transcendent glories yea far above all heavens as it is written that he might fill all things 19 Furthermore do not all personal
strengthning themselves in their Atheistical error to prevent discovery they may or will say there is no world but this onely and this world had never any beginning nor will never have any ending men may talk of a Creator and a day of judgement for silver and honor or to keep children or fools in awe but wise men knows as aforesaid that one generation passeth away and another cometh in its room and so it will be for everlasting 28 Thus you that are truly spiritual do or may know that the spirit of every man naturally is so cursedly proud that rather then men should finde him a lyar in the name of the Lord of Hosts even against his own rational light he is apt to say there is no other God or shame or world to come but the Elements of air water earth and fire of this perishing world though these and such like sandy foundations are the pillars of cursed Cananites yet I know that you blessed ones have not so learned Christ 29 The fourth and last sort of deceived men are so far from acknowledging Christs personal raign with his Saints in any kinde whatsoever that they blasphemously affirm they are all Gods or Christs themselves 30 These are those which say that God is a Spirit and that his Spirit and their spirits are but one spirit onely 31 Moreover to strongthen themselves in this their Serpentine Sophistry they can tell you from the Records that Christ is the head of his Church and his Saints are his body 32 Also this sort of men pretend such a union with the divine Majesty that they do not onely attribute to themselves his Holy Names or Titles but Lucifer-like they will tell the simple and fearful soul that they are set down in the Throne of Glory with Christ already 33 Furthermore though this sort of Saints in their own account are all Kings Priests and Prophets unto God yet if you should ask them a sober question concerning any spiritual thing after death they are so dead drunk with their notional witchcrafts that they count all men in darkness that see not themselves in the throne of immortal glory already as aforesaid 34 Again they also seem to be full of Hymns or Spiritual songs in reference to the present glory they enjoy with the eternal Spirit when the Lord knoweth they acknowledge no divine Majesty or God at all but those imaginary Siren songs and their own natural blinde-born spirits from whence they proceeded 35 This sort of seeming glorious Saints do imagine their spirits so divine that they think it impossible it should ever see death but they like unto children or fools conceit their bodies turn to dust for ever but their souls ascend into an unknown spiritual glory 36 Therefore if a man speaks of a personal God or a personal glory in a life to come they will tell him he troubles himself above a simple carnal God and Glory that is not 37 But if he knew what it was to be possessed with divine light life or glory in his own soul as they do he would no more trouble himself in the least concerning a God or glory to come at a distance 38 There are some among these of a more purer sort which speak many sweet truths and according to their light they live in them onely poor hearts as yet they are ignorant of the fountain of glory from whence their spiritual streams proceed 39 Moreover though they cannot close with a personal God and personal glory of the elect in another durable world and a personal shame of Reprobates in this world to all eternity yet the secret love of God preserves their merciful spirits from that error of the wicked I mean from despising things that are hid from them 40 Therefore I make no question but in due season they shall be revealed to them unto their everlasting joy and glory in the highest heavens as aforesaid 41 Furthermore though these elect vessels at present understand no other God but what is within them yet they are afraid to call themselves God or Christ or Creator or the like lest there should be a divine Majesty to own those titles himself 42 Again all those simple hearted souls which are appointed to eternal glory are not so rivetted in their present light but if a more clear manifestation appear their spirits are both ready and willing to embrace it 43 But of the contrary all cursed Cananites are fully resolved to remain where they are though never so glorious a light should appear 44 Moreover those that are the blessed of the Lord are very tender of condemning any men of what appearance or opinion soever if they see never so little of the pure light of life eternal appearing in them 45 But of the contrary the unmerciful reprobate condemns all men as in a bottomless pit that are contrary unto his fleshly opinion 46 Furthermore the blessed of the Lord are made willing to yield all spiritual obedience unto the unknown God till they know him and shew mercy unto all though he perish this is a Job-like spirit who said though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee 47 But of the contrary the hypocritical Cananites love to make a glittering shew before men but as for any inward purity of spirit towards God and mercy unto all men they are so far from any such principle that they count it a delusion in them that enjoy it 48 Many of the blessed of the Lord do know that all the desires of men or Angels cannot prevail with the divine Majesty to perswade him to set the seâ—l of his love upon any mans person until he is graciously moved unto it of his own pleasure according to those sayings of Holy Writ I am found of them that sought me not and before they call I will answer when they were in their blood I said unto them live and of that notable saying in the 15. Chapter of the Prophet Jeremiah Then said the Lord unto me though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet mine affection could not be toward this people cast them out of my sight and let them depart 49 But of the contrary the formal Hypocrite is so dark in this divine secret that he thinks himself the blessed of the Lord for his much babling and counts those men cursed that are not of the same minde with him 50 My beloved spiritual friends though I have branched these men into four several heads yet in the main they are all of one spirit my meaning is this they are all ignorant of the glorious God being in the person of a man CHAP. XLII 1 A further Discourse concerning the Error of Christs personal reign 2 The interpretation of the three last verses in the 12. of Rev. 3 Concerning the Dragon and the Woman 4 Of the binding of the old Serpent Dragon for a thousand years 5 When they expired 6 Of the worship of the beast 7 Of Satans being loosed out
Lord Jesus Christ to this I answer All the angels were equally created under one Law the which moral Law was written in their angelical natures motioning in them that all obedience was properly due unto their Creator which had made them such marvellous creatures 19 Again you that are spiritual may know that no created being was capable to be formed in a lawless condition 20 Why because there is nothing uncapable of being made under a law from another but that divine being onely which was eternally in or from it self You may also know that those very words of creation or creatures includes a Creator and a command of all obedience due unto him 21 Also you know that no creature could acknowledge any kinde of obedience to be due unto a God unless he were guided thereunto by 〈◊〉 light or law from him that formed him 22 My spiritual brethren from the divine voyce of God himself I affirm that the uncreated Godhead it self is unto the created beings of angels or men either a law of perfect faith and pure burning love in them towards God and man unto life eternal 23 Or else a fiery Law of unbeleeving burning envy them against God elect men and angels unto death eternal 24 Not that any sin or evil could possibly proceed from the holy spirit of the Creator into the nature of the crâ—atures either in his creating of them or after they were formed by him 25 You know that was impossible because his divine nature in it self is nothing else but all variety of ravishing purities to himself or elect men or angels 26 Moreover you spiritual ones may know that though the spirits of angels were created perfectly pure in their kinde and measure yet if they were not continually â—â—pplied with inspirations from that divine glory which gave them their beings in stead of continuing in their angelical brightness their spirits would become nothing else but a bottomless pit of imaginary confused darkness of aspiring wisdom above the Creator 27 For the elect angels spirits being onely pure reason the very nature of them is to desire after the knowledge of that incomprehensible glory which gave them their beings and it is the variety of his divine excellencies flowing into their desiring natures which is that heavenly food that is prepared for their eternal preservation 28 My beloved brethren if you look into the first Epistle of St. Peter you may see that the elect angels are of a desiring or prying nature into the secret mysteries of our God when he manifested himself on this earth in a body of flesh the words are these Searching when or what time the spirit which testified before of Châ—ist which was in them should declare the sufferings that should come unto Christ and the glory that should follow the which things the angels desire to behold 29 Furthermore I am perswaded in my spirit the the forming of angels was not very long before the creating of Adam and Eve 30 Because you know that the elect angels were not onely made for the personal society of the Creator in his heavenly throne or kingdom of Glory but they were appointed also for ministring spirits unto the heires of salvation in this world according to that in the first of the Hebrews 31 Moreover you that are spiritual may undoubtedly know that it was utterly unpossible for man or angels to be void of all Law in their creation 32 Because the Creator himself became subject to his own law when his divine Godhead was transumted into pure man-hood 33 T is truth that the uncreated eternal God was above all Law and so uncapable of any kiâ—â— of Law before he descended from his infinite glory into the womb of a woman 34 But that he might be capable of the condition of a servant for the manifestation of this his infinite wisdom power and glory in a body of flesh unto elect men and angels therefore he transmuted his unchangeable Godhead into the likeness of sinful mortals for a season that he might become the heavenly pattern of perfect obedience to his own Law in the visible sight of elect men and angels 35 And that from thence by vertue of his sufferings at the hands of cursed Canaanites he might also become a purchaser from himself of a twofold infinite ravishing glory to himself and elect men and angels the which his spiritual body was uncapable of untill it became suffering flesh blood and bone 36 Therefore whosoever saith that any other body ascended into glory but that very same body of flesh and bone that suffered death upon the Cross he is an Antichrist in utter spiritual darkness let him be the perfectest literalist or naturalist in the whole world 37 Moreover you that are truly spiritual do know that it was utterly impossible that heaven and earth with all the wonderful works in them should be from eternity as godless Atheists would vainly imagine becausâ— they cannot attain to know what the holy One of Israel is by their own natural reason 38 For alas if no mortal man can give a being to one hair of his head though he be Lord of all other creatures under the Sun how should he possibly be from eternity 39 I hope these overwise men will not say that men were brought forth by Earth Air Water Fiâ—e Sun Moon Stars or any such like weak means as those are because the spirit of man far exceeds all such creatures 40 You may know that though those creatures have life in them according to their kind yet man being a sensible living soul to it self and being capable in some measure to comprehend the nature of those creatures aforesaid must of necessity be a more eminent living being then they all 41 For alas you know though the Sun Fire Water Wind or Air are powerful in their natures oft times destroying mankind yet when they have done it they are no way capable in themselves of any sensible joy or sorrow for what was done by them no more then the stones in the street 42 Therefore seeing all these creatuâ—â—s were formed for mans use and are in measure known by man and yet are all uncapable of any sensible knowledge of themselves or of man either and seeing no man by his natural reason can perceive how any spirit bring forth its own body unto matuâ—ity neither how it by degrees passeth away into its dust or non-being again nor no creatures worth naming were ever seen by men to have a beginning in any other way but that of generation onely 43 How can any ration I wise man possibly imagine or think that man or any other living formes â—hould ever appear to be without a glorious Creator to give them their beâ—ngs at the first 44 Furthermore my spiritual Brethren can any of you be so weak after a sober consideration to imagine or think that a formless God gave being to all these marvellous living forms 45 How is it possible for that which hath
no distinct form or person of its own to create any kinde of living form at all 46 What though the spirit of our blessed Creator and gracious Redeemer be infinite can it possibly enjoy and kind of sensible life light or glory unless it hath a distinct body or person of its own to possess it in 47 Again though many seeming wise mâ—n for want of true divine faith do imagin the Lord to be a vast spirit yet you know that when they are moved to speak of a Creator they usually say that the eternal being is an incomprehenâ—â—ble infiteness of variety of divine glories as namely wisdom saith love patience meekness righteousness with all spiritual excellencies 48 My spiritual brethren if the Creators nature be all variety of divine vertues and every qualification in him be infinite how can those divine glories be sensible of their own being or incomprehensible blessedness unless they possess a distinct body of their own to possess that glory in yea a transcendent heavenly body answerable unto an unutterable spiritual glory 49 For alas you know that no finite living being can possibly be capable to possess divine vertues which are infinite and live 50 You know that mortality and â—nâ—inite immortality cannot continue together 51 Therefore you may understand that that pure light which shineth in our dark spirits though it be called the divine nature or spirit of an infinite Majesty yet it is not infinite nor immortal in us 52 But it is a heavenly light or vertue in us changed into a condition of pure mortality that it might instruct a mortal sinful soul concerning immortal things which are eternal 53 For you experimental ones know that if that light of life enjoyed by us were immortal and eternal in us then it were impossible that we should be capable of any kind of misery or mutability in the least 54 Therefore you may know also that the greatest light in sinful man is but an inspired motion into the mans spirit to purifie the lying imagination or impure reason in the soul of that man that he may be capable to understand that the Creator hath a purpose to crown him with unchangeable personal glory at the great day 55 But as for those men which dream of a condition of possessing an unchangeable glory in this being through an essential oneness with an infinite Majesty they are in the depth of spiritual darkness concerning a right understanding of the Creator of his heavenly ways in man 56 Moreover you spiritual ones may know that though no man hath any light of life in him but what he hath received from an unchangeable glory yet because that vessel wherein this light doth shine is a mortal sinner and must die therefore that heavenly light is made subject to mortality so 57 Because the most high God by his unsearchable wisdom hath decreed that all light of life in man shall become dead dust or earth for a moment that in his appointed season it may quicken again a new and glorious life out of death it self for the manifestation of his infinite wisdom power and ravishing glory unto elect men and angels 58 Thus you that are truly spiritual may know that though death be and was that King of fears and enemy to all kind of life in God men and angels yet for a further increase of infiniteness of glory in the Creator and finite glory in elect men and angels it was his divine pleasure to make it as useful in its kind as life it self 59 Though this truth will be the Judge of me and all men at the last yet I expect but few to imbrace it through that endless opposition in man CHAP. V. 1 The cause of the Angels fall and the fruit thereof 2 The condition of the elect Angels 3 The spiritual nature of the fallen Angel remained and what names are g ven to h m. 4 An Objection and the Answer concerning two vessels 5 Of the â—allen Angel and Adam 6 No distinction between God and the creaiure but by names and natures 7 Election and Reprobation proved by divers Scriptures Iâ— the next place I shall write of the occasion of the downfal of the angelical repâ—obate from that height of his created glory which he possessed above all the elect angels My beloved brethren in â—he pure truth you know that light of the holy spirit in the Creator breathing it self into my ignorant soul hath abundantly remonstrated the distinction between the natures of God and Angels aforesaid 2 Moreover you may remember I told you that the spirits of angels were puâ—e reason in their creation and furtheâ—more you know it is cleerly proved that the nature of the highest reason that ever was or possible can be is nothing elâ—e but meer desire 3 Wherefore though the Creator gave it its rational being yet unto you spiritual ones I made it appear that in his glorious spirit not one motion of reason was inherent 4 Because where any desire is though it be never so pure it is a want of something desired 5 Therefore you know than an infinite fulness of divine perfections in its own spirit cannot possibly have any kind of want in it therefore uncapable of any kind of desire in the least 6 Because what it hath a mind to do concerning it self or any thing it hath made you know it can do it to the utmost and who can let it or shall dare to say in the day of his eternal account why hast thou made one vessel for eternal glory and another vessel for everlasting shame 7 Wherefore my Christian f iends you may know that the continuance of the glory of the angelical reprobate being expired the Creator onely withheld the inspiration of his divine glory from him and immediately for want of that spiritual meat to satisfie his desiring nature his Godlike creâ—â—ed purity became nothing else but imaginary impurities of secret aspiring desires above the Creator 8 So that his former pure reason was then become nothing but a loathsome sink of unclean reasoning concerning the true knowledge of the Creators being the Creator and the creatures being but creatures and in stead of honouring the Creator for his unsearchable wisdom of forming out of a little dead â—ust such an innumerable host of elect angels for his Majesties personal society 9 At the blind bar of his lying imagination secretly he araigned all the wisdom of the infinite God in creation and condemned iâ— as weakness it self in comparison of his imaginary wisdom if he had been the Creator 10 Again his angelical spirit being wholly out of all creaturely order and being lifted up with the wisdom of his spirit and glory of his person he beheld both the wisdom and persons of all he elect angels as simple uncomely creatures in comparison of him or his wisdom 11 Moreover conceiving himself most fit for divine Rule and beholding himself and the Creator together he imagined his personal wisdom more
Moon and Stars 8 The Sun and Moon of contrary natures SEeing a right understanding of the mysteries of the true Creation or Redemption or any spiritual truth whatsoever consists onely in the knowledge of him which gave them their beings therefore by divine assistance in the next place I shall treat again of that glorious Being concerning whom there is and hath been in this world such innumerable dark disputes 2 My beloved brethren in the truth you may remember that unto any sober mans understanding it is cleared already that earth and water were an eternal chaos of confused matter essentially distinct from the Creator 3 Also you may remember that out of those elements I have told you by inspiration from an unerring spirit that the Divine Majesty hath created all things that were made into that heavenly order they appear to be whether for a time or for eternity 4 Moreover it is clear also that without those eternal materials was nothing made that was made neither possibly could be onely that serpentine devil in the learned men of this world have long imagined a confused creation of more seeming wisdom power and glory then that of the Creator as abundantly beforesaid 5 Again concerning the word Create make or form I shall write a little of the sense of it 6 My beloved brethren the very true meaning of that word Create is to compose confused dead matter into compleat living forms or that word Create is light and life producing dark dead dâ—st or water into sensible living beings or it is a powerful word proceeding from a glorious form of sensible light and life into a chaos of confused formless matter of sensless darkness and death and from thence producing variety of sensible living bodies according to their kinde for the demonstration of the Creators infinite wisdom power and glory in creation unto some of these living forms 7 Again seeing unlearned spiritual men wrest the Scripture to their own destruction therefore for our more cleerer understanding of the true Creator in order thereunto I shall speak somewhat of the visible heavens and the lights formed in them for mans natural comfort next unto the Creators glory 8 My beloved spiritual brethren you know concerning the deep waters throughout the Scripture Records no man can finde one word or tittle in reference to its beginning therefore of necessity it must be eternal 9 Likewise you know that the waters covered the earth before the creation wherefore the earth being as it is in the deep waters of necessity must needs be one essence eternally with those deep waters aforesaid 10 Therefore though it be said In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the deep and the spirit of God moved upon the waters 11 My spiritual brethren you cannot be deceived by literal interpretations as to think that the deep waters might be eternal but that lump of hid earth within those waters had a beginning by the word of the Lord 12 No you know that is against all sober sense or reason it self for if that earth which was within the water proceeded from the word of the Lord then the dark deep water must of necessity have its beginning also at that time the earth received its being because in the lump they were essentially one 13 Wherefore what ever man in darkness have dreamed as to say that God created all things of nothing or that God created that confused chaos of water and earth it is so far from having any truth in it that it is all one as if they should say there is no Creator at all but eaâ—th and water and such like stuff as they are 14 Again by inspiration from an unerring spirit I positively affirm against men or angels that the earth and the deep water were eternally one chaos of confused matter distinct from the ever-living God 15 And whereas it is said In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth that is out of that matter of water and earth that were formless and void God did by a word speaking create a formable world as a place of convenient residence for mortals to inhabit in 16 I also declare from the holy Spirit that God created no light nor darkness at all without bodies 17 Wherefore concerning those words Then God said Let there be light and there was light that is the spirit of God being all light moving or speaking into the deep dark waters his word caused a light to appear throughout those waters to make a distinction between light and that utter darkness that was both in the deep water and the earth inclosed as a prisoner in the womb of darkness 18 So that the Lord called this created light Day not onely because it was all darkness before or that he did not purpose to form a more eminent natural light then that was but as aforesaid an ordinary created light is worthy to be called Day as well as ordinary darkness is called Night 20 Or you may know that the very word Light signifieth Day as the word Darkness signifieth Night 21 Likewise you know that darkness was not darkness without its body therefore you may know that light can be no light unless it be in a body also 22 It is not the word Light nor the word Darkness is or possibly can be any thing at all unless they be in distinct bodies that they might become absolute beings of light or beings of darkness 23 It is written Agaâ—n God said Let there be a Firmament in the midst of the waters and let it separate the waters from the waters 24 My spiritual brethren I declare from the holy Spirit that this visible Firmament called Heaven was formed by the powerful word of the Creator out of those very waters in which it is now fixed to keep them asunder 25 Moreover it is written And God said Let there be Lights in the Firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth and it was so God then made two great Lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night He made also the Stars and God set them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth 26 My spiritual brethren whatsoever hath been written formerly from mens imaginations concerning the vastness of the bodies of the Sun Moon and Stars it arose in them from their utter darkness of that glorious Creator from whence all true light proceeds 27 Wherefore from that Light by whom no man ever was deceived in some measure I shall demonstrate why the Lord called the Sun and Moon two great Lights and of that matter of which they were made 28 My spiritual brethren though the Sun Moon and Stars transcend each other in glory yet you may know that they were all created of that element of water and are distinct bodies of light fixed in the heavenly firmament 29 I do not
if they acknowledge this rational truth without controversie when the light of the Sun is eclipsed from us it is through its near conjunction with the natural light or ruler of things of the night 58 And when the light of the Moon is eclipsed from us though it be in the night or early in the morning it is through her near 〈◊〉 Junction with the natural light or ruler of the day or a planetary fire answerable to his nature 59 My beloved spiritual brethren as for the time and effect of Eclipses I leave them unto the figurative Merchants of a Sun Moon and Stars which they rightly understand not because no man can truly know them but by inspiration from him that made them CHAP. VIII 1 Of the Heavens 2 How many were created 3 No more but three 1 A Throne of Eternal ravishing glories 2 A Throne of Natural perishing glories 3 An invisible spiritual Throne leading to Eternity AGain if there was but one heavenly firmament created in all some men may say unto me What is the meaning of that third Heavens in the Scriptures 2 From that light which cannot lie to this I answer The spirit of God speaketh of a third heaven in Scriptures that some men might be capable to declare unto his redeemed ones how many heavens there are and where those heavens are and what those heavens are 3 My spiritual brethren which have ears to hear hearken unto the pure light of life eternal There are three created heavens spoâ—en of in Scripture Records and no more no nor never was any more what ever vain men have imagined 4 The first is that third heaven of visible and invisible ravishing glories which are eternal this is that vast kingdom where the persons of the mighty Angels and glorified bodies of Moses and Elias do now inhabit beholding the face of that most excellent Majesty whose divine nature unto his elect is crowns of unutterable excellencies 5 This is that habitation third heaven throne or kingdom of ravishing glory above the starry heavens spoken of so frequently in Scripture Records which is needless to nominate unto you which are spiritual 6 But lest some vain glorious men should say Wheâ—e is the word of God for what I speak Seeing the letter is their God whom they adore in stead of the holy Spirit which spake them therefore to stop their carnal mouthes if it may be I shall write down two or three Scripture Records Heaven is my throne and Earth is my foot-stool Acts 7. O God thy throne is for ever and ever Heb. 1. That we have such an High Priest that sitteth at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens Heb. 8. 7 The second Heaven which the Lord created was not a spiritual but a natural therefore of necessity it must fade away 8 This Heaven is this visible firmament adorned with majestical lights above us and a fixed earth beneath us beautified in its seasons with variety of delights which is natures onely desired haven through the secret decree of the most wise God to manifest the variety of his most infinite wisdom unto elect men and angels in the creating of such natural glory to perish and the â—â—gelical merciless rulers thereof after they have enjoyed their momentary glory 9 Give me leave to cite two or three Scriptures as a visible testimony to this second Heaven also It is written In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth 10 My beloved spiritual brethren you know that there could not be any beginning unto the Creator therefore it may be understood that saying did include that immortal throne above and this mortal world beneath as having a beginning was spoken for the capacity unto men or angels which knew their being was from another and understood also their continuance in those several heavens for a time or for eternity 11 In the first of the Hebrews it is thus written And thou Lord in the beginning hast established the earth and the heavens are the works of thine hands they shall perish but thou dost remain and they shall wax old as doth a garment 12 Again the third and last created heaven is that within the bodies of men or the first man Adam the which spiritual creation being in natural bodies and within this perishing Globe it is made capable through its union with changeable nature to enter into mortality that by the most secreet decree of the most high God after a moments tasting of silent death as he himself did it may quicken again through death it self spiritual bodies full of divine glories that as one man naturally as a flame of fire all the elect may as swift as thought ascend to meet their Lord in the air and with his divine person of bright burning glory enter into that prepared Throne of eteâ—nal pleasures 13 This created or inspired light in man you know hath variety of Scripture-expressions for the setting forth its excellencies that it shall enjoy in the life to come as namely the kingdom of heaven is within you Christ in you the hope of glory Know you not that the spirit of Christ is in you except ye be reprobates It is a true saying for if we be created together with him we also shall live together with him 2 Tim. 2 Thus God created the man in his image in the image of God created he him he created them male and female Gen. 1. 14 Thus briefly I have touched upon the three created Heavens nominated in the literal Records unto an invisible yet visible infinite being of all finite beings blessed for ever viz. a throne of eternal ravishing glories secondly a throne of natural perishing glories lastly an invisible spiritual throne leading them to eternity 15 From that spiritual Majesty by whom was formed the Heavens aforesaid and all in them I positively affirm against all mortals that ever were or shall be that though men have written or shall speak of more worlds then what is fore-written those additional heavens proceeded from their own imaginary confused reason and not from that holy Spirit of all heavenly order CHAP. IX An exact Scripture rule to prove the Man Christ glorified to be Father Son and Holy Spirit in one distinct Person MY beloved brethren which desire a right understanding of spiritual things in Scripture Records take special notice of this one thing and you cannot be deceived by all the wisdom or subtilty of men 2 I say again from the Lord take good notice of those Scriptures which speak positively concerning God or the highest Heavens or Angels or eternal Life or eternal Death or of a natural Heaven and all mortal things within its orb why because you may know that all privative Scriptures though never so eminent or numerous wholly depend upon positive Scriptures 3 My dear brethren for whom my soul is in continual travel until the pure truth be rooted in you some of you being weak of comprehension I shall
who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself And to you which are troubled rest with us When the Lord Jesus shall shew himself from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them that do not know God and which obey not unto the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which shall be punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2 Thes 1. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the Archangel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then shall we which live and remain be caught up with them also in the clouds iâ— meet the Lord in the air and so shall we be ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4.16 17. For therefore we labor and are rebuked because we trust in the lâ—ving God which is the Savior of all men especially of those that believe 1 Tim. 4.10 We know that we are of God and this whole world lieth in wickedness but we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us a minde to know him which is true and we are in him that is true that is in that his Son Iesus Christ the same is that very God and that eternal life 1 John 5.19 20. Now unto him that is able to keep you that you fall not and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with joy that is To God onely wise our Savior be glory and majesty and dominion and power both now and for ever Amen Jude 25.26 18 Remember the golden positive Rule and none can deceive you concerning the one glorious personal God-Man blessed for ever This is a true saying and by all means worthy to be received that Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief notwithstanding for this cause was I received to mercy that Iesus Christ should first shew on me all long-suffering unto the example of them which shall in time to come believe in him unto eternal life Now unto the King Everlasting Immortal Invisible unto God oâ—ely wise be honor and glory for ever and ever Amen 1 Tim. 1.15 16 17. 19 My spiritual brethren if you take good noâ—ice of this place of Scripture you may plainly see that the Apostle Paul owneth no other God Father or eternal Spirit but that one personal Majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ in immortality There is one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all which is above all and through all and in you all But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Now in that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lowest parts of the earth He that descended is even the same that ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things 20 My beloved spiritual brethren which are appointed unto an immortal personal glory you may see that the Lord Jesus Christ is that Holy One of Israel which first descended from his throne of infinite God-head glory into the lower parts of the virgin earth and so became a body of pure flesh of her seed and by vertue of his divine power in that very body of flesh and bone he descended into the lowest part of the earth death hell or the grave for a moment not onely for improving the power of his God-head life entring into death and in that very body of flesh quickening and reviving a new and glorious life again and as a flame of fire naturally ascending and immortalizing that body of flesh and bone with a Fathers Throne of transcendent Excellencies but also for destroying of the power of sin and fear of eternal death in all his new born elect trees unto eternal life CHAP. X. 1 Of persecution of Conscience 2 Of the sin against the Holy Ghost MY beloved brethren by immediate inspiration from that Holy One of Israel in the next place I shall clearly demonstrate unto the heirs of glory the confused darkness of two or three sorts of men concerning the knowledge of the onely very true God the which confusion riseth in them through their mis-understanding of the true grounds of certain Scriptures as namely these God is a Spirit and a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have But more especially these Trinitary expressions Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 For there are three which bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one 1 John 5.7 2 The first sort of deceived persons past or present which affirm the Holy One of Israel to consist of three persons were Athanasins Socinus alias Iohn Biddle and their literal adherents 3 My brethren I do not say they can help this their darkness or blame them for this their error for alas poor simple or over-wise men to their imaginary understandings it is a pure truth and those which are contrary minded to them in darkness 4 Therefore who ever are left to persecute their persons for their judgements sake onely it would have been better for those men that they had never been born if they acknowledge a Christ 5 Take this for an infallible Rule those that persecute a man for error in judgement concerning his God will as soon persecute him for the truth of Christ as for a lie 6 Let no persecutor flatter himself that he may repent and find mercy as well as Paul because Paul acknowledged no Jesus at all when he persecuted his Saints therefore you know how he pleads Gods mercy towards him in that he did it ignorantly 7 Moreover how deeply did he pledge that cup of persecution upon his own body for the Truths sake all his dayes which instrumentally for Christs sake he had caused others to drink 8 Again before I go forward concerning the point in hand it will be necessary for me to shew you who those persecutors are which commit that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost 9 My spiritual brethren if a Turk do persecute a man that professeth himself to be a Christian for despising of his Mahomet or if a man called a Christian should persecute an Infidel for despising the Lord Jesus Christ this persecuting each other is pardonable though not justifiable in their consciences when they shall understand the truth of leaving all vengeance in spiritual things unto God himself 10 But on the contrary suppose two men shall acknowledge that the man Christ Jesus glorified is the Son of God spoken of in the Scriptures both of them affirming that all their hopes of eternal
salvation onely depends upon him if these men for difference in judgement onely concerning this Jesus shall persecute each other before a Magistrate or the like there remains no more sacrifice for that sin 11 For that is the unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit because they persecuted each other for his sake which they both confessed to be their God and Savior even to their own knowledge 12 And in so doing they condemned their own faith and to the utmost of their power they crucified the Lord of glory afresh and put him to an open shame even before his filthy scoffing enemies 13 Again if a man shall come in the holy Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and shall declare many heavenly secrets which he hath received from the throne of glory 14 If men which confess the same Jesus because the things declared are contrary to their ways and hard sayings to their comprehensions shall therefore condemn them as delusions and blasphemies and the spirit which spake them to be of the devil in so doing they have fallen under that sin of eternal condemnation because as aforesaid they have crucified the Lord of Glory afresh and put him to an open shame and have judged themselves unworthy of everlasting life and have denied their own faith and hopes in him thorow their despising that holy spirit which seals men up unto the day of redemption 15 My beloved brethren though any one beloved Dalilah reigning in men unto the death tendeth to eternal condemnation yet there are no actual sins whatsoever but are pardonable unless men commit them upon the account aforesaid 16 My spiritual brethren there is a vast difference between the heirs of glory and the vessels of shame concerning this sin 17 The holy spirit of Christ Jesus hath endued his elect with such a measure of light though most of them know it not that by vertue of that holy fire they are not onely preserved from that condemning evil but are rather fearful they have or shall commit it 18 But on the contrary the desperate reprobate is so far from any kinde of fear in him concerning the committing of that cast-away sin that when occasion is offered he glorieth in it as the acceptable sacrifice unto his God and yet knows it not 19 Thus briefly I have touched upon the unpardonable sin against the holy spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ whose very saying onely makes a sin pardonable or unpardonable because he is Truth it self and cannot possibly lie Verily I say unto you all sins shall be forgiven unto the children of men and blasphemies wherewith they blaspheme but he that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost shall never have forgiveness but is culpable of eternal damnation because they said he had an unclean spirit Mark 3.28 29 30. You blessed ones know who it was that spake those words CHAP. XI 1 Of the true nature of Infiniteness 2 Wherein it lyeth viz. in the not knowing its beginning or ending 3 Infiniteness and Finiteness are uncapable of equal glory 4 Against all true reason that there should be three persons in the Trinity 5 Christ and the Father one undivided God-head 6 Denying Christ to be the onely God is Antichrist 7 How Prayers are heard IN the next place from the Holy One of Israel I shall demonstrate the absurdity of that error of Trinity of Persons in the unity of God-head 2 My beloved spiritual brethren if the divine Majesty should contain of three distict persons in coequal God-head glory and each person be uncreated and eternal of it self then in stead of those Names of Father Son and Holy Ghost they would of necessity be three Fathers onely 3 Because you know that if the person of a Son or Holy Ghost were created or begotten or proceeded from a Father then it is contrary to all sober sense or reason that the persons of Son and Holy Ghost should either be co-equal with the Father or eternal of themselves 4 Moreover if the persons of Son and Holy Ghost proceeded from the Father then they are but finite created glories and in degree lower than the Father 5 You that are spiritual know that that which received its beginning from another could not possibly be made equal with that which was eternal of it self 6 Uncreated incomprehensible infiniteness was capable to transmute it self into a lower condition for its own transcendent advantage in the spirits of his elect but it was utterly impossible for him to create infinite incomprehensible beings to become coequal in Godhead wisdom power and glory with himself 7 Uncreated glory is so unutterably infinite that it is uncapable to comprehend the height length breadth or depth of its own eternal excellencies 8 If this saying seem strange unto any man as to cause him to think it ridiculous or dishonorable to the Creators glory unto that man I positively affirm from the spirit of Truth that it is so far from any kinde of dishonor unto the divine Majesty that on the contrary all the variety of spiritual joys or heavenly pleasures for himself or elect-men and angels consists onely in his perfect understanding that he cannot possibly know any beginning or ending of his glorious excellencies 9 To know the beginning or ending of it self you know causeth nothing but sorrows rather then joys 10 So likewise on the contrary not to know any beginning or ending of it self must needs occasion nothing else but ravishing everlasting joyes 11 Thus you which are spiritual may clearly see the falacy of the three persons and one God spoken of in Athanasius Creed you know that infiniteness and finiteness are uncapable of equal glory 12 Also you know that if there should have been three persons eternally of themselves there could not possibly have been any Son or Holy Ghost at all because a Son or Holy Ghost proceeds from a Father and not as beforesaid from themselves 13 Moreover you may understand that if it stood to any true faith or sober reason that there were three persons eternally of themselves yet they of necessity must be three Fathers onely and so agreeing together two of those Fathers must be transmuted into a Son and Holy Ghost by the other Father or from themselves to make up this confused Trinity proceeding from the Literal-mongers of this vain-glorious perishing world or conscientious non-commissionated men which would compel Words to become Persons having no positive record to prove any such three persons throughout the whole Scriptures but the contrary altogether My glory I will not give to another saith the Holy One of Israel Jehovah our ever-living Iesus God onely wise blessed for ever and ever honored onely from his elect men and angels 14 My spiritual brethren you know that the Lord Jesus Christ hath not onely the God-head Titles in Scripture records but also all the glory from men and angels was attributed unto him in the body of his flesh And let all the angels of God worship him Heb. 1. To
our Lord Jesus Christ to this I answer It is impossible for any Civil Magistrate to be obedient to this Rule because you know then that he could not execute justice upon any man upon what account soever 30 Again whether a Magistrate be a just or unjust person yet you may know that upon a civil account he represents the person or place of the righteous Judge of quick and dead wherefore according to his obedience or disobedience unto his commands he shall be rewarded in this world or that to come Therefore know that since the God of glory clothed himself with flesh and bone in the form of a man to kill or consent to murther the Head Magistrate it is as if thou hadst murthered the King of Glory himself 31 Though nothing comes to pass by chance or fortune but by the Providential Decree of the most High God yet no man can be cleared in his Conscience from the guilt of innocent blood all his days if secretly or openly he shall consent to kill the Ruler of the Nation without an immediate command by voice of words from the God of heaven and earth 32 Suppose the former Governors of these Nations were guilty of much innocent blood and ruine of Families by their Spiritual Courts so called and through their imaginary wisdom Lucifer-like sate in the throne of God commanding men to worship their inventions triumphing over all tender Consciences which could not bow down to their Egyptian Calves and yet what spiritual or sober rational man can blame those men for their willful bloody-mindedness seeing a blinde fiery zeal moved them to it in reference to the worship of their God 33 If any of them through covetousness of silver or honor amongst earthly Princes did onely pretend a Divine Worship and through secret envy to those which could not obey their commands did ruine men to the utmost of their power through those Jesuitical Councellors who were Atheistical can any sober man imagine or think that those men were not oftentimes convinced of hypocritical irrationality besides a secret fear of eternal vengeance notwithstanding all their fleshly glory through which they were strengthned in their spirits to flatter themselves up with vain hope that there was no God at all or if there was any God to cheat themselves with a conceit that it was irrational cruelty for a man to think that the Creator could be so unmerciful as to create men for eternal damnation in reference to momentary infirmities which their frail natures could by no means prevent 34 Again if thou which thus reasonest didst truly understand that thou hadst no power in thy self to withstand these natural evils beforesaid thou couldst not possibly then commit them but this is hid from thine eyes by the secret wisdom of the most High God that thou mightest clear his divine Justice in reference to thy former cruelties with everlasting thoughts that thou mightest have done otherwise when thou wast in thy earthly pomp if thou wouldst 35 If the God of Glory should neither recompence men in this life nor in that to come for all their wilful vain-glorious bloody cruelties which they think they could prevent if they would then indeed these seeming wise men may justly say if there be a God he is so far from any spiritual equity that he falleth short of all rational equity whatsoever 36 Another infallible demonstration of the truth of this writing is this that though many writings extant are more accute in form of words yet throughout this Book thou shalt finde no point absolutely contradicting it self nor one another 37 Again another testimony of the truth of this writing is this That it discovereth the vanity of all formal or irrational opinion in man concerning God Worship Angels Devil Sin Heaven or Hell 38 By this infallible Rule also thou mayest know that this Epistle proceeded from a spirit infinitely above all kinde of reasoning in man or Angels because it alloweth no man upon what pretence soever to murther one another or to sit in Gods throne to cut off the Head Magistrate or to rebel against him with a sword of steel or to speak evil of him or desire evil unto him 39 Moreover though this Book was penn'd by the hand of a sinful man yet by this undeniable Argument thou mayest know it proceeded from that Spirit that cannot be deceived because it denies all power in man or angel as to be capable to act spiritual or natural good to one another or to resist spiritual or natural evil without a continued light proceeding from a spiritual body too infinitely glorious to be essentially united to heaven earth angels or men yet this wonderful God is now for everlasting abiding in a body of flesh and bone therefore not a bone of him was suffered to be broken upon the tree or corrupted in the grave onely his Godhead natural Life was left in this world for an everlasting Consolation unto those that shall attain to believe that it was the unvaluable Life-blood of the onely Wise God himself that was freely poured out unto death for the redemption from the power of sin and fear of eternal death and for a dreadful witness at the Great Day against those men that shall be left to their own unbelieving spirit to vilifie the glorious God for abasing himself into the likeness of sinful mortals CHAP. XV. 1 Of the Error of Errors in men who say that there is no other God or Christ but in this Creation onely 2 Several Objections and Answers concerning the death of the soul 3 The light of Christ in man is the invisible image of God which purifieth the inward filthiness of the flesh and spirit and presents the certain truth of an eternal life of glory or shame 4 No need of a new birth if there be a sufficient light of Christ in generation to conduct to heaven 5 Children cannot understand spiritual or natural good or evil so need not Christs spiritual gifts in the womb for eternal happiness 6 A great error to believe that the essence of the eternal Spirit dwelleth in any man but in the Lord Jesus onely 7 Two marks of Reprobates YOu that are truly spiritual may know that there are many thousands of Atheistical minded men and women at this instant which are possessed with a spirit reprobated unto all inward and outward purity out of which there is no redemption what ever men shall vainly imagine to the contrary onely their decreed time of eternal damnation in the sight of elect men and Angels is fixed These are those which say all things comes naturally of themselves Also they will say there is no beginning of any thing at all but from all eternity all things were as you see and so shall continue to all eternity 2 There are many of these men which appear in Temples of Stone or else where as experimental speakers of the everlasting Gospel and are more accute in a seeming glorious language
is with elect men and Angels for though that inshining light and life be of the very same nature of God himself yet if his spirit should wholly retain its glorious brightness within his own body all its former light or life would either be subject to be defiled as Adams was or else it would perish for want of the renewing presence of his glorious spirit 8 Again through that consolation flowing from the inshining light of the Sun you know in all sensible or rational creatures there is a desire to behold that bright shining face from whence their joys proceed 9 So likewise through that spiritual joy and hopes of glory flowing from the inspiring light of the Son of God there is as strong desire in those that enjoy this light to behold that glorious face from whence it proceeded 10 Again if the Sun had not a distinct body or face to give forth his light into the Creation you know there could be no sun-shine at all 11 So likewise you may also know that if the God of glory had not a person or immortal face to display the sun-beams of his heavenly glory into elect men and Angels there could be no God all all 12 Therefore you that are truly spiritual may know that all that light life or glory shining in the spirits of elect men or Angels doth not proceed from a God or Christ within them but from an eternal spirit of a God or a Christ without them too transcendent glorious to be possessed by Heaven Earth Angels or men as beforesaid 13 Again though the natural life of created beings by the decree of the most high God be continued by vertue of the inshining light of the Sun yet you may know that what ever joy the creatures are possest thereby it doth neither adde nor diminish unto the glory of the Sun in the least 14 So likewise though the spiritual light of elect men and Angels be everlastingly continued by vertue of the inshining light of the eternal spirit yet you may also understand that what joy or glory soever the creatures are possest withal that it doth neither adde nor diminish the Creators glory in the least therefore you which are truly spiritual may understand that if any man or Angel could be possessed with the indwelling essence of the eternal spirit it could not possibly be avoided but he must become infinite immortal unchangeable and eternal even as the Creator himself is 15 Again whether creatures are possessed with joy or sorrow life or death by an extraordinary light proceeding from the Sun yet you may know that according to his understanding he glories in himself equally in reference unto what was effected by him so likewise whether creatures are possessed with spiritual joy or sorrow eternal life oâ— death by a more then ordinary presence or absence of the eternal spirit yet you may also understand that the most glorious God equally rejoyceth in himself in relation unto what was produced 16 Again though the nature of the Sun through it s cretaed brightness is so exceedingly glorious that it is utterly uncapable of natural polution from any creatures within its orb yet you know that things which are not by vertue of his power in measure qualified with a suitable capacity to receive his in shining light are rather hardned or destroyed by his appearance then any way comforted or revived in the least witness the fire or any thing else of an adamantine nature 17 So likewise it is with the Son of God the everlasting Creator for though his eternal spirit in its own nature is so infinitely pure that if it be his divine pleasure it destroyeth all impurity immediately and wholly converts a polluted creature into its own divine likeness you may also know that if the spirits of men or Angels by his power be not in some measure qualified to receive his glorious in-comes instead of dissolving their spirits into a soft and sweet pleasantness it hardens their legal spirits with envy against the Creator like unto brass or the nether-milstone according to that of Paul where he said they were a sweet savour unto God of life unto life in them that are saved and of death unto death in them that perish CHAP. XVII 1 No mans salvation or damnation lyeth in his own will but in the prerogative of God 2 Divers absurdities which follow from the opinion that Christ is onely within men 3 A Question and Answer concerning a two-fold presence of God in the creature 4 If the essential Spirit were united unto creatures it could not be infinite THis I would gladly have men and women to understand which were elected unto glory that the eternal salvation or damnation of created beings lieth not in the will power or desire of men or Angels or in any divine light received from the holy spirit that made them but onely within the glorious breast of the divine Majesty himself 2 That neither elect men nor Angels may glory in themselves or render praise honor power wisdom or salvation unto any spiritual light joy or glory whatsoever why because that is but the Sun beames of life eternal shining in them but as most due is by vertue of that light they may return all praise and glory unto that infinite Majesty upon the Throne of glory without them 3 Wherefore you know it is written That it is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Also it is written To will is present but how to perform I know not Also it is written Every branch that beareth not fruit in me he taketh away and every one that beareth fruit he purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you The words that I speak unto you are spirit and life 4 I would fain know of any man whether the spirit of Christ were not in his own body when he spake those words unto his Apostles or Disciples 5 If it be granted it was which none can deny but reprobates then that light of Christ in men or Angels cannot be the essential spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ but a spiritual word proceeding through his mouth from the throne of his infinite glory as it did formerly on this earth the footstool of his divine Majesty 6 If there should be no other spiritual God or Christ but what dwelleth in the spirits of men or Angels then of necessity this must follow that every man and Angels is a God or Christ to himself 7 It is not to be wondred at that many thousands should be so easily perswaded of attaining to a perfection in this mortality if they be possessed with the God of heaven and earth 8 If there be no other God oâ— Creator but within men onely I would fain know for what end men so mighâ—ily contend with one another about a God or worship due unto him 9 Or why they vex
one another by writings or speakings unless they are hurried on for silver or an everlasting name 10 If there be no other God or Christ but within mens consciences onely is it not one of the maddest things in the world for men to talk of rebellion against the divine Majesty or of any cruelty acted between man and man whatsoever 11 Is not the divine nature of the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ all Wisdom Power Glory Love Meekness Patience Long-suffering Justice Righteousness yea Salvation it self or condemnation to whom it pleaseth for manifesting the glory of its power 12 Sure I am that none can will or dare deny this truth but reprobates Wherefore if the very spirit of God were living within the spirits of men could there possibly then be any thing else but a godlike harmony between them 13 Is not the eternal spirit of Christ Jesus in it self a glorious order and is not every man living at varience within himself and so at the best is but a disorderly piece of contradiction or confusion in himself 14 If this be truth which none can deny but vain glorious cast aways how then think you it possible that any mortal man that is but polluted dust should be capable of the indwelling essence of the Spirit of God or if he enjoyed the eternal spirit what could be in him but a glorious harmony 15 If no created being is capable of the indwelling essence of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ because of its incomprehensible glory but it s own body onely some men may say unto me if the Spirit of God be infinite what person place or creatures can be excluded of its invisible presence from that light of life eternal 16 To this I answer There is a twofold invisible presence of God in all sensible or insensible beings that have any light or vertue in them 17 There is a natural presence of God by vertue of creation which shall perish and come to confusion for everlasting 18 Also there is a spiritual presence of God in elect mankind by vertue of redemption which gloriously increaseth and continueth to all eternity 19 Again what ever natural wise men imagine or think from the spirit of all truth it self I declare that all created natural light life or joy both visible and invisible shall become utter darkness and a Chaos of everlasting confusion because though it made not it self it is as contrary to the nature of that spirit that made it as light and darkness or life and death 20 Who ever thou art unto whom this seemeth strange if thou wast in nature as wise as Solomon yet if thou hast no distinction in thee between this natural perishing God of time and that spiritual flourishing God of eternity as yet thou art in utter darkness concerning any heavenly thing whatsoever 21 Though all natural or spiritual light do virtually flow from the divine Spirit of Christ Jesus our Lord yet if that eternal Spirit were not a glorious being distinct from all created beings it could not possibly be infinite 22 Why because you may understand that infinite life doth not consist in bigness or bulk of things but in its exceeding brightness of wisdom power and glory in it self in that it can contain its infinite brightness within its own person onely or let forth his inshining glory by degrees in the spirit of elect men or Angels as it pleaseth him 23 Though all light or life in men or Angels proceed from the natural or divine presence of the one holy Spirit of God himself yet if that eternal Spirit were essentially united unto those creatures it could not possibly then be infinite 24 To be essentially dwelling within all living things is not infiniteness but finitness but as beforesaid to be a glorious being in it self in the bigness of man and essentially distinct from Heavens Earth Angels and Men and yet from so small a compass though at never so small a distance all created beings in heaven or in earth to be virtually filled with his divine or natural presence in their measures according to the pleasure of his good will by a word speaking in this is all infiniteness indeed 25 If there were no God or Creator at all but what doth live increated beings then it is possible that all beings and their indwelling God may eternally vanish together because there is that in them which is more natural to provoke them all to murder one another and kill themselves then the good of one another for alas you know that it is both a common and easie thing oftentimes with small means for men to destroy themselves or one another and is it not by the same rule as easie totally to cut off all the creation at once 26 If this be truth which no sober man can deny what then would become of men and their Christ if this totall dissolution at once should fall upon them 27 If the Spirit of the most high God be so infinitely vast boundless or that it is both the light and life of all spiritual or natural things or places whatsoever as is abundantly declared some unsatisfied men in this point may say unto me That to confine this incomprehensible Spirit of the omnipresent God of Heaven and Earth into one single person and place at once like unto a poor mortal man seems unto us an imprisoning of infiniteness into a narrow compass instead of declaring its incomprehensible glory from a divine gift of life eternal To this I answer 28 Is it not rather an imprisoning of the everliving God and robbing him wholly of his infinite glory for any man to divide his most blessed Majesty into distinct persons or to divide his Godhead Spirit into all spirits of men and Angels leaving no throne or person for the divine glory to be in but his created beings onely 29 In stead of honoring that Spirit within the glorious person of Christ Jesus our Lord doth not those men that affirm the indwelling of that infinite spirit in the whole Creation not onely share the divine glory and Godhead titles of the eternal Spirit amongst the lying creatures but also wholly deny any other Creator or eternal Spirit within or without men but perishing nature onely whatever they pretend to the contrary 30 What dishonor or disadvantage is it unto an infinite Spirit to possess his ravishing glories to himself within a distinct body of his own nay is it not altogether advantagious unto his divine Majesty that it should be so and that it can be no other ways for alas you know that it stands to good sence or reason that if the God of Glory were onely an invisible spirit dwelling within the Creation he could not theâ— possess any new joys or ravishing glories to himself but the whole creation of men or Angels must be partakers with him as soon as he 31 Therefore you that are truly spiritual may know that those men that talk of a
a signification of the divine nature and form of a something that is infinite 10 It is as clear as the purest light it self unto you that are experimentally spiritual that it is not names words or titles proves God or Man to be any living beings at all except they be distinct persons to manifest their honorable names as proceeding from comprehensible somethings and not from incomprehensible nothings 11 If the God of Glory in Scripture Records should be called not onely by three divine titles but by threescore thousand holy names also yet all the men in this world or Angels in that world to come can never prove him to be an infinite spirit without a body or prove him to be any more then onely one distinct glorious person also 12 You heavenly ones may also know that the divine Majesty is called in Scripture Records by three divine titles that as beforesaid that the most learned prudent men in this world might never attain to a right understanding of the very true God and the spiritual mysteries of his everlasting kingdom by all their rational study in the Scripture Records or any other ways and that was the very cause that the Lord Jesus Christ said unto his own spiritual power represented by Angelical Moses and Elias I thank thee Father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes and sucklings 13. Concerning that threefold title of Father Son and Holy Ghost in stead of three persons as of long time by blinde guides have been imagined doth it not rather stand to better sence that the word Father hath reference unto the Godhead Spirit eternally united unto Christ Jesus our Lord. 14 And that the word Son hath relation unto the glorious body of the everliving Emanuel which is visibly seen by elect Angels Moses and Elias 15 And that word Holy Ghost hath reference unto a divine word of light life or power proceeding from the invisible Father through the glorious mouth of the visible Son into the invisible spirits of elect mankind to the inlightning of their dark understandings and purifying of their fleshly mindes 16 Thus you which are truly enlightned from above may clearly see what that threefold heavenly Record signifieth of that onely distinct personal Majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ God alone blessed for ever and ever Amen 17 It is also as clear to you that are spiritual as the light it self that the holy one of Israel could not possibly be three distinct persons or spirits in one Godhead being or any such like confused deities 18 You know that wheresoever the Scriptures exactly make mention of the Holy One of Israel it attributes all honor praise and glory unto him always in the fingular number as unto one distinct personal Majesty or glorious being and not in the plural number of three distinct persons or spirits in one body as hath been long imagined by deceivers of the whole Christian world so called which are in bondage to their confused God and invented formalities 19 You know that in the conclusion of many several things the Scriptures run in such a line as this to the onely wise God or unto God onely wise or though there be that are called many Gods or many Lords yet unto us there is but one God or the holy one of Israel and such like 20 You know because there is none above a King or head Magistrate in his own kingdom or equal with him upon an extraordinary occasion he will swear by himself or by the faith or word of a King 21 Thus it was with that Holy One of Israel because there was none above him or beside him or equal with him in Heaven or Earth he swore by himself concerning the transmutation of his uncreated glory and everlasting spiritual Priesthood into a pure body of flesh blood and bone 22 Before the God of Glory was descended into the Virgins Womb you know he had many holy names attributed unto him wherefore you may also know from all eternity he was a distinct divine person and not an infinite formless spirit as most men blindly imagine 23 You spiritual ones may also know before he was clothed with flesh it is not the holy names of Creator infinite Spirit Jehovah Ancient of dayes mighty God Lord of Hosts Redeemer Holy One of Israel King of Glory or everlasting Father or any glorious expressions that can be uttered by the tongues of men or Angels that can prove any God at all except he was a divine person distinct from Heavens Earth Waters Angels Men and all things else 24 That the one personal infinite Majesty may remain in the heavenly center of his own uncreated glory and all beings that he hath formed to live in his sight may continue in their own creaturely stations for an everlasting distinction between the glorious Creator and poor changeable creatures 25 Thus by a free gift received from the Holy Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ upon the Throne of Glory in simplicity of spirit and plainness of speech in a small measure I have declared the minde of the Holy One of Israel in those literal expressions for there are three which bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one CHAP. XXI Of a threefold Record of natural witnesses proceeding from the blessed person of Christ at his death I Shall write a little of a threefold Record in that most pure natural body of Christ when he was on this earth in relation unto the threefold record of his spiritual body in the invisible heavens before said in the 53. of Isaiah it is written He poured forth or out his soul unto death and in the 19 Chap. by S. John you may finde it thus written but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came there blood and water here you that are spiritually discerning may clearly see a threefold Record of natural witnesses proceeding from that blessed person of our onely God and Savior at his voluntary death 2 As namely blood water and spirit wherefore his most precious soul pouring forth it self unto death that was the witness of the death of the everlasting Father in flesh 3 The issuing forth of the unvaluable blood that was the witness of the death of the eternal Son in flesh 4 The flowing forth of the water that was the witness of the death of the erernal spirit in flesh on earth 5 These sayings are not onely hard but intollerable to be born by cursed Oanaanites which understand nothing truly of the power of an infinite Majesty 6 Nevertheless unto you which are made to understand the deep and hidden mysteries of the most wise and powerful Creator doth not this answer these Scriptures sayings 7 I and the Father are one and from Jesus Christ which is that faithful witness and that first begotten of the dead and that Prince of the Kings of the
all eternity if the Creator himself did not speak those very words unto me by voice from Heaven as aforesaid 28 Though at present Atheistial men shall laugh to scorn what we speak or write in the name of the Lord Jesus yet they being words of truth by an immediate Commission from the eternal spirit you that are heirs of immortal Crowns may know in that unexpected day of the Lords general account they will become an invisible fire within the spirits and bodies of those that heard them of eternal bright burning ravishing glories or everlasting fiery shame in eternal death 29 What power is attributed unto the two witnesses in the 11. of the Revelation you may know that it is spiritual and invisible why because as beforesaid it being the third and last witness in earth of the eternal spirit its declarative Plagues upon the spirits and bodies of persecutors were spiritual answerable unto the natural Plagues that were executed by the two former witnesses upon the spirits and bodies of those that persecuted them for their Commissions sake CHAP. XXIV 1 Of the witnesses Trials and Persecutions after the publishing of their Commission 2 The Prophets interpretation of some verses in the 11 Revelation 3 An objection against the true witnesses answered YOu that are experimentally spiritual may understand that the true light of Christ in his beloved Apostle Saint John hath in those two Revelation-witnesses concluded in one both the true Prophets in the Law and chosen Apostles in the Gospel and the two last commissionated witnesses of the invisible spirit in this spiritual conceited Age. 2 Why because they jointly as one man against all gainsayers in the world do bear witness unto that man Christ Jesus cloathed with flesh and bone in glory to be the onely wise very true God and alone everlasting Father and Creator of both World Angels and men 3 Again you know it is written that when the witnesses have finished their testimony the beast out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them and overcome them and kill them behold as that bottomless pit beastly imagination within the spirits of the Cananitish Pharaohs and Herods was stirred up unto cruel persecution upon the two former witnesses for their testimonies sake 4 So likewise a little after that testimonial truth of the same nature was published by us the Holy Spirits two last witnesses in a Book entituled A transcendent Spiritual Treatise I humbly beseech you that were the moderate eye-witnesses thereof through the instigation of the people 5 Did not the spirit of persecution appear in the head Magistrate of this City of London when he committed us unto the common Goal of Newgate so called in September 1653. notwithstanding no man did accuse us in the least of the breach of any civil Law of England 6 The next Sessions following in the Old Bailey were we not araigned at the Bar like Theeves or Murderers before Alderman Fouke then Lord Mayor of London the Recorder Steel and some other Magistrates 7 And did not the Magistrates beforesaid in open Court condemn us as blasphemers against God because we did bear witness unto the man Christ Jesus glorified to be the onely wise God and alone everlasting Father by vertue of a commission we received from his eternal spirit 8 Upon the account aforesaid were we not kept close prisoners in the house of correction called old Bridewel six Moneths without bail or main-prise 9 I appeal unto any man that heâ—â—d our trial that hath any true hope of eternal salvation by that Jesus Christ that was nailed to a tree without the gates of Hierusalem whether any thing was laid to our charge by our accusers the Lord Mayor and the witnesses upon any civil or natural account in the least 10 'T is truth because of some speeches spoken unto the Lord Mayor first and afterwards to the whole Bench and Jury by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ in us in reference unto our Commission and innocence of spirit whether it was to gain the Magistrates favor or whether they knew of it the Lord knoweth some said whipping was too good for us others said hanging was too good for us burning of us was most fit 11 But where was the man that had so much love of truth or natural pity in him as to say but what evil have they done was there any such man upon the Bench or in the Jury or among the Officers or amongst all those men that heard our tryal if there were it was in secret 12 I remember it is written when our Lord Jesus was accused before Pilate for a deceiver of the people blasphemy and such like notwithstanding he was vehemently accused by the chief Priests and rulers 13 Yet Pilate oftentimes said but what evil had be done I finde no fault in him so likewise though we are but poor sinful dust and ashes and in comparison of our Lord Jesu Christ not worthy in the least to make mention of his most Holy name 14 I am fully perswaded in my soul if Pilate had sate in the judgement-seat with the Recorder he would have asked the Lord Mayor and our accusers what evil we had committed or what Law we had broken before he had past sentence upon us 15 What ever mens thoughts and opinions are concerning the Recorder Steel I appeal unto God elect men and Angels and to his own conscience whether he came not short of Pilate when he sate in the judgement-seat concerning us if this be truth which none can deny that heard our tryal if truth be their guide I hopâ— he doth not think much of Pilates being his elder brother but will also grant him the preheminence in the day of the Lords eternal account 16 Some of you that heard our tryal may remember that the Recorder did examine us chiefly 〈◊〉 not wholly concerning Christs Father or what that Father was that in his agonies he cried or prayed unto 17 If you have not forgot it through distance of time you may remember our answer was to this purpose 18 That that Father which our Lord Jesus Christ made mention of in all his extremities was his own representative spiritual power or charge which he had committed unto Angelical Moses and Elias in glory whilest he went that sore journey in flesh for the redemption of his elect lost Israelâ—tes it is written he shall give his Angels charge concerning thee that he and thee was but onely one divine being let men and Angels disprove what I have written concerning this thing if they can that I may be ashamed and confounded of my great confidence in that which is not 19 So much concerning our trial for our bearing testimony unto Jesus Christ to be the onely true God and alone everlasting Father before the powers of this perishing world 20 For a more clear manifestation of the commissionated witnesses of the eternal spirit unto the heirs of immortal glory I shall write somewhat of
the minde of Christ from John's words in the beginning of the 11. Chapter the first words are these then was given me a Reed like unto a Rod and the Angel stood by saying Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two moneths 21 My devine friends you may understand that that reed like unto a rod possessed by John was a free gift of inspiration which he received from a glorified Christ in the high heavens by his Angel whereby like unto a skillful Land-measurer his understanding was enabled to comprehend the spiritual signification of the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein 22 You may also understand that the Temple and them that did worship therein did signifie Gods spiritual house or tabernacle of elect Jews and Gentiles which make but one compleat body for Christ Jesus their head to raign in by his heavenly light 23 That Altar spoken of by John did signifie the glorious body or Tabernacle of the eternal spirit unto which divine Altar or Godhead person those spiritual worshippers were vertually united by a received light from that infinite Majesty through which invisible intercourse sometimes their souls were full of spiritual joy through that inward seal of Godlike glory which they were to enjoy in the life to come 24 You may understand that that unmeasured Court without the Temple did signifie the visible Scriptures 25 You know that when sacrifices or ordinances were in force at Hierusalem there was the inward Temple and outward Porch or Court joyning to the Temple 26 You also know the Court without the Temple was a common place for all people to meet in but none might enter into the inward Temple in the time of their worship but the chief Priests or those that were Confessors of the true God and approved of by those teachers of the Law 27 Likewise you may understand that the outward Court or Scripture which is common to all men that was left unmeasured or cast out did signifie all the out-cast unbelieving Jews and Gentiles and the inward Temple or spirit of the Scriptures did signifie all the Elect believing Jews and Gentiles in that glorious Altar beforesaid 28 Again you know that the Court of the Temple was an outward ornament or witness unto the beauty or glory within the Temple 29 So likewise the Court of the visible Scriptures is an ornament or testimony unto that eternal spirit of all truth within the Temple Body or Tabernacle of the everliving God and vertually in a great measure living in the Temples or bodies of his elect that are inabled to give a true distinction between the things of eternal life and eternal death 30 Again you know it is said that the unmeasured Court without the Temple was given to the Gentiles and that they should tread the holy City under foot two and forty moneths 31 You spiritual ones may know that the minde of the Holy Spirit in those words was this that to fulfil the Prophesie of Christ concerning the destruction of the Jews their Temple and City of Hierusalem by the Romans through conquest they should possess the literal Records written by the Prophetical and Apostolical Jews and not onely worship it in stead of the eternal spirit but also by cruel persecution for above thirteen hundred years were to tyrannize over the Holy City of spiritual Jews and Gentiles that could not bow down unto their inventions 32 You that are spiritual may know that the Roman Gentiles here spoken of by John are those people which men call Cavaliers whose Princely race sprang first from the loins of King Herod that bloody persecutor of the Lord of glory and so streamed into the line of the tyrannical Roman Empire or Popedom 33 From this papal power whatever Apostical or Christian stile they attribute to themselves through all the Christian world so called they have banded together as one man to tread underfoot as beforesaid that chosen City of heavenly minded Jews and Gentiles 34 Because their innocent souls could not forsake that everliving Altar manifested unto them and bow down to their Egyptians Calves set up as a snare unto the people chiefly for fleshly gain and perishing glory from men of their own spirits 35 Also you that are spiritual take special notice of this that these two witnesses or Prophets spoken of in the 11. of the Revelation did not appear unto men until the Gentile power of persecuting Bishops were extinguished in this land 36 But it may be objected by some that one Bull and Varnum and others long before them have pretended to be these two witnesses and yet it came to nothing 37 To this I answer by way of query can any man make it appear from any Record since the Apostles time that in any Land or Nation two men did ever bear witness in all opposition of all men or Angels unto the man Jesus Christ glorified to be the onely God everlasting Father and Creator of both worlds Angels and men 38 Again amongst all the pretended Prophets in the world doth any of them bear witness unto one personal Majesty distinct from Heavens Earth Angels and men 39 Nay of the contrary do they not all rather disown such a God as a weak or carnal thing and as one man like unto Baals four hundred Priests and the false Prophets and Priests in all ages imagine the Creator to be an infinite formless spirit 40 If any man should moderately enquire of the pretended Prophets or spiritual lights in this age concerning the knowledge of the Creator or a glory to come is there any answer to be had from them but this or such like the Creator is an infinite invisible unchangeable eternal spirit or else they will say the Creator is all wisdom love purity riches beauty joy righteousness justice or divine excellencies he fils heaven and earth he is the all in all and there is nothing besides him or else they will say the more ye desire the knowledge of the Creator the less you will know of him because he is infinite or they will bid you minde that God or Choist within you and trouble not your self about incomprehensible infiniteness thus these false Prophets of cursed Cain make a wonderment of an infinite Creator of nothing but meer words onely 41 Thou which art puffed up with such a Creator as this is shalt one day know to thy eternal sorrow and shame what it is to despise a personal God infinitely full of all glorious perfection 42 When this personal Majesty shall shew his infinite power upon thee through the retaining of his inshining light from thy Lucepheâ—ian spirlt and shall leave thee and thy inward God in an unspeakable condition of eternal shame and confusion of sould and
39 Though the woman Eve through the permission of God was first guilty of the transgression of lust and so tempted her innocent husband to lye with her to cover her folly if it had been possible yet because her soul was of the divine nature in its creation as Adams was you may know that that carnal desire in her towards her husband proceeded not from her own divine purity but from the rational nature of the unclean Serpent within her as I shall clearly demonstrate when I come to trout of the maner of her being overcome by the subtilty of that Angelical Serpent 40 Thus though the bodies of Adam and Eve were both natural and so were capable of luft to bring forth generations yet you may know that the secret wisdom of God saw it most fit that neither Adam nor Eve should be first capable to know what it was to desire after carnal copulation from their own divine spirits but from that Serpentine unclean spirit that entred into the body of Eve 41 So much at present why God said let us make man in our image according to our likeness and what that image of God was in the creating of man CHAP. XXXI 1 Of the seed of the woman 2 Of the seed of the serpent 3 How sin came into mans nature 4 No Angel cast out of heaven but that one which deceived Eve 5 No true knowledge of the Scriptures but in the knowledge of the two seeds 6 No speech could proceed from any but from the Angel IN the next place I shall write of the Angelical Serpent and of he maner of his beguiling of innocent Eve 2 In the 12 Chapter of the Revelation it is thus written and the great Dragon that old Serpent called the Divel and Satan was cast ouâ— which deceiveth all the world he was cast out into the earth and his Angels were cast out with him Seeing the Scriptures make mention of an old Serpent Dragon Devil and his Angels some men may say unto me was there many Angels cast from Heaven into the Earth together or but one onely and if there were but one or many where are those angels now become 3 From a divine gift received from the unerring spirit to this I answer As there was but one man Adam cast out of his heavenly Paradise of created purity of soul and body and all his generation were cast out of their spiritual peace with him 4 So likewise there was but one Angelical Serpent cast from his created rational purity and that was that Serpent Devil which deceived Eve 5 The Angels which were cast out with him were of his seed or generation through his union with the intrails of Eve as I shall make manifest in the ensuing discourse 6 My beloved spiritual brethren because my soul desireth your perfection as my own 7 Therefore would I gladly have you possessed with an infallible understanding between Michael and his Angels and the Dragon and his Angels or between the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent why because in the knowledge of these two distinct Seeds Sons or Generations depends a general understanding of the spirit of the Scriptures 8 Wherefore in the 2. of Genesis you shall finde it thus written but of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death 9 If you look in the 3. Chapter of Genesis with a spiritual eye then you may clearly see what that Tree of knowledge of good and evil did signifie the words are these Then the serpent said to the woman ye shall not die at all but God doth know that when ye shall eat thereof your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil So the woman seeing that the Tree was good for meat and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also to her husband with her and he did eat 10 My elect spiritual brethren you know it is a general opinion amongst learned men that the Serpent which appeared unto Eve was one of the beasts of the field which the Lord God had made 11 And that the Divel was an invisible spirit which entred into the body of the Serpent and spake those subtile speeches through his mouth 12 And so caused the woman to eat of the fruit of a natural Tree which the Lord God had forbidden and tempting her husband to eat of that fruit with her it operated that venomous evil in them and all mankinde 13 Behold the gross darkness abiding in the spirits of the learned men of this perishing world 14 You know that the Scriptures are generally expressed in natural terms for the manifestation of spiritual things to the weak comprehension of sinful mortals 15 And natural wise men would perswade men to understand them exactly in the letter because they measure the glorious things of eternity by their rational learning onely as beforesaid 16 In Scripture records you know that Christ is called a Lyon a Lamb a Stone a Door a Way a Vine a Green Tree and such like expressions in reference unto spiritual meanings 17 Also you know that evil minded men are sometimes called by the names of Divels Dragons Vipers Serpents Fruitless-trees and such like according to that of John the Baptist when he said now the ax is laid unto the root of the tree every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire 18 So likewise you that are spiritual may know that that Angelical Reprobate by whom Eve was deceived was called a Dragon an old Serpent the Divel and Satan a Deceiver or the tree of knowledge of good and evil and such like names suitable unto his cursed nature 19 But the very truth is this that Serpent that tempted Eve was that Angelical Dragon devil beforesaid which the Lord God from the highest heavens cast down to the lowest earth 20 And it was his seeming divine wisdom and Angelical person that bewitched Eves innocent soul to hearken unto him and her eyes to dote upon him 21 For you know that Eve had three considerations in her before she was overcome to consent unto the Serpents language 22 First The tree was good for meat Secondly It was pleasant to the eyes And thirdly It was a Tree to be desired to make one wise CHAP. XXXII 1 The condition of Adam and Eve in their fall 2 The Angel called a Serpent 3 He was more comely in Eves eyes then Adam 4 How the fall'n Angel became flesh 5 How God became flesh BEfore I write of the three secrets hid in the Angelical temptation I shall speak a little of the dispensation of the secret wisdom of God to his chosen ones 2 You that are spiritual may know that in the divine will of the infinite Majesty is a
consists not in meats and drinks also it is written whatsoever is sold in the shambles eat making no question for conscience sake Furthermore it is written there is nothing unclean in it self but as it is so esteemed for the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof in these and many such like Scripture sayings is it not as clear as the light it self that whatsoever was made might freely be eaten so that it were moderately taken 31 So likewise whatsoever was created at the first for mans eating with his mouth was absolutely pure and very good for that end it was made but of the contrary that fruit or tree of knowledge of good and evil eaten of by Eve was not onely full of tormenting spiritual venom to her former peace of soul but it caused her very body also to be subject unto all maner of mortal diseases 32 Besides a secret fear of eternal death which was worst of all until the voice of God in the garden of her soul quieted her wounded spirit with a gracious promise of a glorious deliverance through his appearance in a body of flesh in that saying the seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head CHAP. XXXIV 1 The tree of knowledge of good and evil was no natural tree 2 What it was 3 Whence the originality of sin came IN the first Chapter of Genesis it is thus written And God said behold I have given unto you every herb bearing seed which is upon all the earth and every tree wherein is the fruit of a tree bearing seed that shall be to you for meat and God saw all that he had made and lo it was very good 2 If thou which readest this point dost but view this place of Scripture with sobriety of spirit thou canst not then but be convinced of the gross absurdity of the learned men of this world that have long imagined the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil to be a natural tree bearing apples or such like fruit 3 Again if every green herb upon all the earth and every tree wherein is the fruit of a tree bearing seed were given unto Adam and Eve for their food according to what is here written and that God that gave it them saw all that he had made to be very good how then can any sober man possibly imagine or think that the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil could be of this creation though it appeared unto Eve upon this earth seeing all the trees that God had made in this earth was very good in his sight as aforesaid 4 This I would fain know from the Learned whether this earth was capable of any curse or any natural thing that grew in it before Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit 5 If the earth was blest and all that was created in it until Eve had rebelled against the Creator then without controversie what ever venemous creatures trees or herbs there are or any thing else that is hurtful to the nature of man upon the account of eating with the mouth they had no being in this creation until Eve had transgressed 6 Therefore that Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden and the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil could not possibly be trees bearing natural Apples as hath been long imagined 7 But they were trees of higher concernment then of eating their fruit with the mouth and casting of it into the draught 8 Do not all men that have any true light in them look upon the tree of Life from the beginning of Genesis unto the end of the Revelation to be nothing else but the spiritual person of that Lord Jesus Christ who is the onely ever-living God from whence floweth all living waters into the Garden of Eden who are the spiritual trees of eternal glory 9 Do not those men that are of a sound judgement in the things of eternity look upon that tree of Knowledge of good and evil to be the out-cast unclean person of that Serpent Dragon Devil which through essential union with Eve become that murthering lying cursed Cain through which the spirits of the elect Israelites are all defiled as well as the Cananitish reprobate trees of eternal death until they are watered anew from the glorious Tree of life eternal as beforesaid 10 But alas in this confused age of seeming lofty light in stead of a true understanding of the spiritual trees of eternal life and the carnal trees of eternal death spoken of in Scripture-records do not many Atheistical minded men in these our days endeavor with all their might to convert the glorious truths of the everliving Jesus into nothing but brain fancies of notional lying vanities 11 Is it not become a second nature unto them for silver or honor to deceive their own souls by flattering their poor deceived brethren lying under the power of many filthy lusts that all their sins shall be burnt up but their souls shall be swallowed up into the eternal Being 12 Suppose the forbidden fruit had been an natural Apple the Creators nature being all purity it self and the soul of Eve being of his divine image if the forbidden tree was pure in its nature also before it was touched by Eve whence then came that sin upon the spirit of Eve seeing all things that was made in this creation was very good at the first as is clearly proved by the Scripture Records already 13 This I am sure of that no man that is sober neither will nor dares say that that evil proceeded from the Creators forbidding her to touch the tree or its fruit neither could that sin possibly proceed from the soul of Eve because it was of the divine nature in its creation 14 And if that tree and its fruit eaten of by Eve were of this creation how could there possibly be any evil in its nature either seeing every thing and tree that was formed in this world was made very good at the first in the pure eyes of the Creator as abundantly beforesaid 15 But some men may say unto me Though the eternal Spirit of the divine Majesty was uncapable of the least motion of evil through the infinite purity of its spiritual nature yet sin being but a defect of nature may it not originally rise out of the soul of Eve though it was purely created and for want of a Creators infinite power in it self for its own preservation 16 From the light of life eternal to this I answer As for the originality of sin it is both granted and clearly demonstrated already in that secret of the creation of Angels beforesaid that the root of all evil sprung from the nature of the unsatisfied Angelical reprobate through the absenting of the Creators inspiring glorious excellencies to him 17 But on the contrary it is against all spiritual or rational truth that is sober that the least motion of evil could possibly have its original from the divine spirits of Eve or Adam 18 Therefore
Ishmalites 9 Again if the Angelical Serpent was in the body of Eve when he received his curse some men may say unto me was he capable of understanding of a sentence denounced against him being in the womb of Eve and changed from his former condition as abundantly declared by you 10 Or why should the Serpent and his generation undergo an eternal curse and Eve and her generation suffer but a temporal curse seeing she rebelled against greater light then he 11 Or if that Angelical Serpent was not cursed before Eve had actually rebelled with him was not Eve as liable to an eternal curse as he seeing they both transgressed against an infinite glory 12 From the light of life eternal to this I answer That curse denounced by the Creator upon the Serpent in the womb of Eve was not for his satisfaction in the least but is to convince Eves deceived thoughts of possessing such god-like happiness promised to her if she obeyed his councel as aforesaid 13 Also it was to convince her in due time of that error of doting upon her first born as a blessing received from the Lord for when she should see the fruits of her heir in stead of her rejoycing in him as at his birth her soul would not onely loath his company but would also cast him out of her presence lest he should murder her as he did his righteous brother for her former love and tender compassion towards him 14 Moreover that curse against the Angelical Serpent and his seed was spoken unto her for her divine satisfaction afterwards when the light of redemption should shine in her deceived soul and shew her that her first-born son was that Angelical Serpent cursed in her womb by the Creator 15 And that his generation of men and women were cursed in his loins also that she might the more abundantly magnifie the free grace of Gods electing love towards her deceived soul 16 That having had so near a union and communion with that Angelical Reprobate she was not eternally cursed with him also 17 Furthermore notwithstanding the soul of Eve rebelled against a greater light then the Serpent did yet you that are spiritual may know that she was utterly uncapable of an eternal curse upon her person for these considerations 18 First because her soul proceeded from the heavenly nature of the eternal Majesty himself 19 Secondly because that consent unto evil in her proceeded not from her own nature but the unclean spirit of the Serpent speaking into her innocent soul as aforesaid 20 Again you may know that the Serpent was called the tree of knowledge of good and evil before Eve was tempted unto evil therefore though he had been a tree in his first estate which had known nothing but good before Eve or Adam had any sensible beings yet being fallen from his created purity he was now become a tree of sin or evil only 21 Therefore he was a rejected or cursed out-cast tree from the glorious presence of life eternal before his visible appearing unto Eve 22 So that though Eve through temptation was overcome to know both good and evil with that cursed Serpent yet she had some relenting light of life in her after her rebellion which occasioned a secret shame and confusion of soul in her for her rebellion against the Creator 23 Therefore she was capable of being made a good tree again yea and a tree bringing forth fruit of a more transcendent glory then she was capable of before her fall 24 But of the contrary that Serpent tree was so far from any kind of relentation of sin or rebellion against the Creator before or after he tempted Eve that in stead of being capable of reproof of sin or evil whereby he might be restored from his most wretched estate he did utterly abhor both God and man unless he might be their Counsellor and ruler over them for everlasting as beforesaid 25 This eminent truth of the two Scripture seeds or trees of eternal life and death is plainly proved in the seventh Chapter of St. Matthew where it was said by Christ the onely God himself a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit therefore by their fruits ye shall know them 26 So that you which are spiritual may know that according to the truth of Holy Writ though men or Angels should gain-say it the Serpent Angelical tree being Reprobate unto all maner of evil he and his seed of Cananitish men and women were not onely cursed in the womb of Eve but also before this world was 27 But of the contrary innocent Eve being a good tree in her Creation through her proceeding from the divine nature of the tree of eternal glory it self though she was overcome by that wicked one as beforesaid yet she and Adam or any of their seed could not possibly eternally perish because they were trees elected to bring forth good fruit unto everlasting life and glory long before this world was as abundantly beforesaid CHAP. XXXVIII 1 The bodies of Angels are capable of dissolving into seed 2 The seed of the Serpent onely damned 3 Pure reason lost the knowledge of the Creator and of its self 4 Cain not the son of Adam but of the Serpent 5 Cain was brother to Abel onely by the mothers side 6 All that dyed in the first Adam shall be saved by the second 7 Those that are not lost in themselves can never be saved IF the Angelical Serpent was of as large a compass as the person of a man some men may say unto me how could he enter into the womb of Eve through so narrow a passage as is declared by you Truly this Quere is much like that in the 3. Chap. by St. John where it saith Can a man be born which is old can he enter into his mothers womb again and be born 2 My spiritual friends as our Lord answered Nicodemus unto his fleshly question so likewise from his own light in like maner I shall make answer unto this Though the body of the Angelical Serpent in its length or breadth was as a man is yet you may know it was not of a grosse substance as mans is 3 But it was a spiritual body created in another world 4 For though the bodies of the mighty Angels are in forms like men yet you may know that they shine like unto the Sun or a flame of fire being formed in a region of a more higher nature then this 5 Therefore they are of motion as swift as thought and of a pure thin or bright fiery nature so that with great ease they pierce through a narrow passage at the divine pleasure of the Creator 6 So likewise it was with that Serpent tree of knowledge of good and evil for though his created purity was become all maner of imaginary impurities through his out-cast condition yet you may know that his form was of a more fiery brightness then
of prison 8 Who they are that be in the deepest prisons of raging darkness IN the next place according to promise I shall write somewhat upon the 20. Chapter of the Revelation by St. John because that error of Christs personal reign a thousand years with his Saints on this earth is partly grounded from this Chapter 2 My beloved brethren in the eternal truth you know that this Book of the Apocalyps is too mysterious to be understood by the Achitophels of this perishing world 3 Also you know that Gods way is to choose the base things of this world to confound the most honorable things thereof that no flesh may glory in his presence 4 Moreover you know that if the most High endues a man with a divine gift to demonstrate his eternal secrets to his brethren he preserveth the soul of that man from giving the glory of that heavenly power to his own net my meaning is this that man doth not give any praise or glory to any God or Christ or light within him but he is made as is due to return all the honor praise or glory unto an infinite Majesty or spiritual Fountain of glories without him from whence alone all divine light as chrystal streams floweth into the spirits of elect men and angels 5 But to come to the matter in hand And I saw an Angel come down from heaven Brethren what Angel was that which John saw come down from heaven Truly it was no other but that Angelical personal God our Lord Jesus Christ himself with whom John was more conversant than all the Apostles in divine secrets 6 Again having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand that is this Angelical Jesus alone had all divine power of heaven and earth in his own spirit over the bottomless pit lying imaginations of devils incarnate or cursed men 7 Moreover the everlasting Gospel or Truth which proceeded through his heavenly mouth for the consolation of his Saints and confounding of the Serpents that was the great chain in his hand 8 Furthermore it is written And he took the Dragon that old Serpent which is the devil and Satan and he bound him a thousand years and cast him into a bottomless pit and he shut him up and sealed the door upon him that he should deceive the people no more till the thousand years were fulfilled My spiritual friends what was that old Serpent Dragon Devil which was bound a thousand years by the spiritual power of Christ It was an imaginary bottomless pit Devil within the body of man that persecuted the Truth of Christ in his own person Apostles and Saints 9 Again you that are spiritual may know that the Serpent Devil that was bound or shut up as in a prison or in a dungeon of darkness for a thousand years was the cursed spirit of murdering Cain raging against Christ and his seed in the person of King Herod and his seed or seven sons in the Ten persecutions 10 In the 12 Chapter of the Revelation it is thus written And there appeared another wonder in heaven for behold a great red Dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven Crowns upon his head Also in the 13 Chapter it is thus written And I saw a beast rise out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns were ten Crowns This red Dragon and beast that rose out of the sea was that Herod and his seven sons in the Ten persecutions as aforesaid 11 Again for your clearer understanding in the thing give me leave to speak of the three last verses of this twelfth Chapter the words are these And the Serpent cast out of his mouth water after the woman like a flood that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood My spiritual friends you may know that this Serpent was bloody Herod and the woman was that Virgin Mary that brought forth the Lord of life and the flood was the men of war that was sent forth to persecute the Virgin and murder her Son and our Savior but the earth holp the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood which the Dragon had cast out of his mouth 12 My spiritual friends you may know that the innocent children that were murdered by bloody Herods men of war was that earth that opened her mouth and swallowed up that flood of persecution that was intended to be poured forth upon the blessed Babe or God of eternal Glory 13 Again then the Dragon was wroth with the woman and went and made war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ My spiritual brethren you may also know because Herod could not come at the holy Babe and his Mother in its infancy therefore his cursed spirit in his seed or sons did persecute the Lord of Glory and his Apostles and Believers to the death afterwards if you look with a spiritual eye in the second of Matthew and the Acts upon king Herod his seed Councel of Priests Scribes and men of war then you may see this to be the very minde of the holy Spirit in these mysterious Records 14 Again when the earthly powers through the glorious appearance of the everlasting Gospel are sealed up unto bloody mindedness against the messengers of that divine Truth to fulfil the secret decree of the most high God then are their spirits shut close prisoners in their own bodies as in a dungeon of spiritual darkness through which in stead of enjoying any sweet peace that soul is full of raging madness and not knowing which way to turn it self it thinks to get out of its condition by acting all maner of cruelties to the utmost of its power 15 My spiritual friends you may know that this was that spiritual binding of that old Serpent Dragon Devil in king Herod and his Herodian spirits for a thousand years the which thousand years were expired when the Ten persecutions ceased which was the ten horns of that savage beast aforesaid 16 For you that are spiritual know that no man can possibly finde out the truth of Holy Writ of the most perfectest account in the world because the wisdom of God hath reserved the seasons of all divine secrets in his own heavenly breast that men or Angels may know them when his Glory seeth it most fit 17 Wherefore all time observation in reference to a right understanding of any thing that is spiritual is utterly confounded in that Scripture saying For a thousand years is as one day with the Lord and a day is as a thousand years 18 Moreover when the glorious Truths of the divine Majesty were poured forth upon the face of the Nations as it was in the primitive times through the spiritual Ministery of the everliving God you may know whilest that commissionated spiritual power remained in being the Nations could not be deceived with the hypocritical
Formalities of the persecuting Powers and Priests of this perishing world 19 This was that shutting up of the Serpent Dragon Devil in the evil powers aforesaid from deceiving the Nations any more until the thousand years of their ten bloody persecutions of the Saints was fulfilled 20 Again it is written And I saw seats and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God and which did not worship the beast neither his image neither had taken his mark upon their foreheads and they lived and raigned with Christ a thousand years My spiritual friends what judgement-seats were those which John saw and who were them that sate thereon in judgement 21 Those seats of judgement were the accusing consciences of the bloody persecutors aforesaid and the preaching or publishing of the glorious truths of our Lord Jesus Christ through the Commissionated mouthes of the chosen Apostles Ministers or Saints was that judge of life and death reigning in the consciences of the aforesaid spiritual Tyrants Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels 22 My spiritual friends what ever men shall imagine of these literal Records as sure as the Lord liveth those Angels spoken of by the Apostle Paul were the Tyrannical Magistrates and their bloody minded covetous Priests which committed spiritual wickedness together in high places 23 Again you chosen ones may know though the bodies of the Saints suffer imprisonment or death for the truth of Christ yet their spirits are in pure peace and at perfect liberty in life and death 24 But of the contrary though the persons of the cruel persecutors be at perfect liberty in their temporal heaven yet their spirits are close prisoners in their own bodies and void of all heavenly peace whatsoever through that envy in them against all divine purity 25 And that blood spilt upon the earth by them for the testimony of Christ that was the shutting up of the door of all true hope from them and sealing up their bloody spirits unto an eternal vengeance at the great day of our Lord Jesus Christ with his mighty Angels 26 Again seeing John by a divine light saw the souls of them that were put to death for bearing witness to the word of God or spiritual truth of Jesus reigning with Christ over the raging spirits of their bloody persecutors that thousand years time of the Ten persecutions aforesaid My spiritual brethren what was that worship of the beast and receiving his mark in their fore-heads and hands which they were preserved from in the thousand years reign or time of their fiery tryals for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that is they were delivered from that idolatrous worship proceeding from the beastly imagination of their spiritual bloody Tyrants as aforesaid not daring in the least to handle any carnal weapons in defence of their cursed inventions what sufferings soever they endured 27 This I would gladly have you to understand that the commissionated Witnesses of the Lord of Glory are for the most part appointed unto the greatest tryals at the hands of Cananitish devils or perishing gods of this vain glorious world because of the reward of that transcendent glory which the Lord Jesus hath prepared for them with himself above ordinary Saints with his holy Angels face to face 28 Again it is written But the rest of the dead men shall not live again until the thousand years be finished this is the first resurrection blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power but they shall be the Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years â—nd when the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison My spiritual brethren who were those dead men that lived not again until the thousand years were finished You know in holy Writ it is said ye that were dead in sins and trespasses hath he quickened 29 So likewise you may also know that those dead men there spoken of were the remainder of the Saints and chosen Witnesses of the eternal Spirit that were to appear in these last days to bear record unto that glorious Truth which the Prophets Apostolical Ministers and Saints sealed too with their blood as abundantly beforesaid 30 Again you know it is written that Satan shall be loosed out of his prison for a little season when the thousand years are expired to deceive the people which are in the four quarters of the earth even Gog and Magog to gather them together to battel whose number is as the sand of the Sea and they went up in the plain of the earth and they compassed the tents of the Saints about and the beloved City but fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them 31 Again you may remember that from an unerring Spirit that sent me to declare divine secrets that I have already demonstrated unto you what that Satan is and that prison of his thousand years abode 32 It remains now that I should write somewhat concerning his being loosed out of his prison that you may the better understand the truth in relation to the dead men aforesaid 33 Moreover you that have been well acquainted with spiritual conditions cannot but know that no men in the world are in such a deep prison of raging darkness as those men that tyrannize over the consciences of innocent souls which cannot bow down to their imaginary divine ordinances 34 Furthermote you may also know that when the Magistrate and his pretended Prophets were prevented from persecuting mens persons in reference to their consciences towards God then and not till then was Satan loosed out of his prison 35 This was that loosing of Satan for a little season out of his unspeakable prison in the temporal powers when the innocent professors of Christ had freedom of conscience in reference to their faith in the Lord of Glory through which the Christians were multiplied again in the earth 36 Again you may know that it was but a very little season since Christ was glorified that the Saints possessed any such spiritual freedom in any kingdom under heaven 37 Therefore the persecuting spirits of Satanical Prelates in the Civil Powers have had but a very little season of resting from shedding the blood of Gods innocent people in the whole world 38 Moreover though the name of Christ was almost extinguished from the face of the earth in the thousand years spiritual reign of the Saints and raging of the serpents as aforesaid yet you may know in that season of liberty of Christian conscience that the Saints were mightily increased again in the world 39 Furthermore you may also know that those Saints are the dead men that lived not again until these last times of the invisible teachings of
Angels some men may say unto me may it not be a long season are there not many prophecies yet to be fulfilled before his coming as the calling of the Jews and the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven and such like 2 From an unerring spirit to this I answer As John the Baptist was the last Prophet under the Law and the forerunner of the sudden appearing of Christ Jesus the Lord in a body of flesh 3 So likewise I positively affirm against all gain-sayers under heaven that I John Reeve am the last commissionated Prophet that ever shall declare divine secrets according to the foundation of truth until the Lord Jesus Christ appear on his Throne of glory visibly to be seen by all his elect face to face 4 But of the contrary in that day of our God and King of glorious Crowns appearing none of those cursed men and women which blasphemously said that God hath no person at all shall ever be able to behold his face and live but according to Holy Writ they shall cry to the Mountains Hills or Rocks to hide them from the wrath of his bright burning body or face that sits upon the Throne 5 Concerning a general visible calling of the Jews in all Nations to the acknowledgement of Christ being come in the flesh I say from the eternal spirit that sent me that there will never be any such thing in the world indeed the Ministerial Artists have of a long season imagined an outward call of the Jews to their vain glorious seeming holiness but the most Wise and Holy God intends no such thing 6 Wherefore to confound their carnal wisdom his glorious purpose is to call home to himself those Jews and Gentiles elected to everlasting life by the invisible teaching of his most Holy Spirit 7 You that are sober may come to understand that there is two sort of Jews there is a Mosaical Jew and an Apostolical Jew 8 Moreover you may know that those men called Independents Annabaptists Presbyterians are the literal Apostolical Jews 9 And those men that observe Saturday for their Sabbath are those Mosaical legal Jews which utterly deny that Christ is yet come in the flesh but ignorantly expect his appearing in a fleshly glorious manner to raign over them in the Throne of David his Father 10 Moreover these Sabbattical Saturday Jews John Tanee like do imagine when their fleshly Christ appears to raign over them that he will gather them out of all nations wherein they are scattered and conduct them into the inheritance of their fathers that promised Land of Canaan and there they make account with their imaginary King to live in a temporal glorious condition for a long season and as they have been servants and slaves to all Nations wherein they were scattered so likewise as a reward of their servitude they fully expect that all Nations shall bow down to them and bring in their riches and glory unto them as their vassals for ever 11 You that are spiritual may know that these unbelieving Mosaical Jews which expect a carnal Christ to raign over them were those Jews which at the death of Christ said his blood be upon us and our children and truly you know his blood was upon them and their children to some purpose in the destruction of Hierusalem and unto this day yea and so it will be to the end of the world For the Lord Jesus will never spiritually gather the seed of those Jews which rated a bloody Barabas above the Lord of life himself 13 Moreover those Jews which were afraid of having any hand in the death of Christ were the fathers of those spiritual Jews in all Nations that are mixed in marriages with the Gentiles whose merciful innocent spirits are delivered from all tyranny over mens consciences 14 Furthermore those Independent Annabaptist Presbyterian men which hold it lawful just and good to persecute men in their persons and estates upon a spiritual account I say from the eternal spirit that they are for the most part the off-spring of those bloody-minded Jews that crucified the Lord of Glory upon the account of blasphemy as beforesaid 15 O blessed are all unpersecuting merciful minded men and women onely 16 All innocent merciful Independent Annabaptist Presbyterian men or women that are preserved from a persecuting minde of divine things which seem difficult from the eternal spirit I declare those are part of Gods spiritual wheat which are mixed with the chaffy Jews and Gentiles which are the off-spring of cursed Cain whom the Lord shall burn with unquenchable fire when he cometh in his Glory with his Angels to receive his spiritual wheat into his heavenly barn as aforesaid 17 Thus you that are spiritually enlightned from on high may clearly see that the calling of the elect Jews in all nations unto the knowledge of the divine Majesty and his heavenly truths was not meant an outward calling of them from a Mosaical legallity unto an Apostolical literallity as many men have vainly imagined but it was an inward calling of them by the motions of the eternal spirit to the right understanding of the one personal Majesty on the Throne of Glory and his heavenly truths 18 Again concerning the sign of the Son of Man in heaven in the 24. of Matthew and the 30. it is thus written And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven and then shall all the kindred of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man come in the Clouds of heaven with power and great glory this sign of the Son of Man was that substance or very Son of Man himself and the glory of his personal appearing in the Clouds of Heaven with his glittering Angels caused such a fiery brightness not onely in the visible Heavens above but the whole earth beneath also appeareth like a flame of fire or burning lightning insomuch that all the kindreds of the earth which never expected that dreadful day because their persons were not transmuted into the divine likeness of the Son of Man 19 Therefore their unbelieving earthly spirits did quake and tremble lament and howl like dogs for very fear of the foresaid sign of the Son of Man should rend them to pieces and burn them and their inward God or Christ to powder I mean all those which gloried of a God or Christ within them onely and cursedly despised this personal God on his glorious Throne without them 20 Thus you in whose persons the King of Glory raigneth by the heavenly incomes of his eternal brightness may in some measure see what is meant by the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven when he appeareth in his glory with his holy Angels 21 As the immortalized spirits and bodies are filled with astonishing ravishments with the very sight of the Son of Man in his glorious Throne aforesaid 22 So likewise the carnal spirits and bodies of all Hypocrites which gloried in a Christ ordinances
Christ by vertue of that light they are accounted to live and to die in the Lord and to rise again in the Lord both soul and body because of their God-like condition even to all eternity 7 Thus you that are filled with the light of the true Jesus may clearly see though a natural man by vertue of creation may be said to live in or by the power of the Lord yet upon a spiritual account in reference to Redemption he may be an absolute devil in himself and so wholly live in the dark power 8 Moreover though it is said that the Saints live and die in the Lord yet I would not have you think that the spirits of the Saints and the spirit of the Lord are so united that they are but one essential life or spirit no that was none of the Apostles intent in those words but as beforesaid his meaning was that those men which were possessed with the true light of life eternal by a continual intercourse with the God of Glory from whence that light proceeded they were vertually united unto the eternal Spirit 9 Though the chosen of God are vertually united to the eternal spirit of a glorified Christ yet how can it be said they die in the Lord or what is meant by their dying in the Lord Truly most of the elect of God themselves are dark in this thing it is a sealed book unto them the Lord alone must open it 10 My beloved brethren as there is two lives of the elect in the Lord a life of grace and a life of glory proceeding from one and the same spirit onely differing much in degree so likewise you may know there may be said to be two deaths or dyings of the Saints in the Lord also 11 Moreover you know by vertue of the light of Christ in the new born of God they become dead to all their former inward filthiness of flesh and spirit as namely they are dead to covetousness envy pride lust yea and all excess of vain-glorious delights among men that perish so likewise they are dead to all their formal righteousness or hypocritical holiness to be seen of men 12 Moreover they are dead to all carnal Christs in men whatsoever whether they be literal natural or notional Christs of empty words onely arising onely from that blinde-born devil of mans imaginary reasons 13 Furthermore there is such a self-denying spirit in all experimental true born Christians from the high heavens that they abhor to put confidence in any God Christ Light or Life to give glory unto any thing that is in sinful man or angels in the least 14 Because they certainly know that there is not one motion or thought of any spiritual light or truth in man or angel but what he received from an infinite glorious Majesty whose personal presence is in a world where never any actual rebellions was committed against his Holy Spirit 15 Thus in a small measure through divine assistance I have shewed you what is the first dying in the Lord in reference to the first resurrection from carnal darkness to the true light of life in Christ Jesus God-man blessed for ever and ever Amen Now give me leave to write a little of the second and last dying in the Lord because of the eternal personal glory that will immediately follow it CHAP. L. 1 Of the second and last dying in the Lord 2 what it is 3 Eternal life is hid in the person of God onely I Know the general cheat of the Priests concerning this secret for hey tell the ignorant people that the body onely dies and the soul ascends to a place of blessedness or descends to a place of cursedness until the day of Judgement and they say then the soul assumes the body again and so receives the sentence of eternal life and death and so enters into heaven to the Lord or hell with the devil and his angels which they say are bodiless spirits 2 If the blinde lead the blinde how can they scape falling into a ditch this opinion of theirs is like unto most of their matters but I 'le pass them by and come to the thing in hand 3 You that are spiritual may know that to die in the Lord is when a mans spirit dies in a full assurance of the resurrection of his spirit and body again out of the dust of the earth by the spiritual power of the Lord Jesus Christ at the last day 4 Furthermore he that dies in the Lord though all that 's in him turns to dust for a moment yet before he entred into the silent sleep of death he knew who would raise him to life and glory again at the end of the time 5 You know it is written When Christ which is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory now you may know that the Apostle meant a personal glory that was eternal with Christ in his personal presence and not a particular spiritual glory in the elect which was hid and in stead of love occasioned a general hatred and persecution of men as a delusion unto them and the like 6 Moreover you know though the Apostle Paul was ravisht with more glorious incomes of the love of Christ then the rest of his brethren yet he had many sorrowful afflictions mixed with those heavenly raptures 7 Therefore you may know if you are an heir of glory that this appearing of Christ in glory to his suffering innocent people was meant such a like glory as he now possesseth himself in a Throne of eternity where is neither hunger nor thirst nor affliction of sickness nor death nor need of any Sun Moon or Stars or any kinde of natural comforts for everlasting 8 Furthermore though a man be full of the glorious incomes of the eternal spirit yet you may know that his life is hid in that fountain of spiritual enjoyments in the new heavens and earth above this whole globe why because if a mans life or glory were hid in that light within them then he would not onely be full of unmoveable consolations but he would also increase in himself with such God-like wisdom power and glory that no envious man would be able to behold his face and live 9 Though the light of Christ in his new born ones occasion much joy and peace of conscience and power to suffer persecution for his names sake yet you may know that the glory of that light might well be said to be hid with God in Christ because the quickning power of his spiritual light in men or Angels remains onely in his own person which is the fountain or sea of all heavenly glories as aforesaid Without me said Christ ye can do nothing ye are not sufficient to think a good thought 10 You may know that it is the glory of Christs glory which compels him to keep the prerogative power of all his light or life in elect men and Angels to himself that
rejection spoken of in Holy writ had relation onely to persons of understanding and not unto children that were uncapable of any distinction between light and darkness or good and evil 4 For you that are well acquainted with the Scriptures do know that throughout the whole Bible there is not one saying in the least that maketh mention of condemnation of children but the contrary altogether 5 You may know that that curse denounced against Cain and his seed ran in the line of persons of maturity and not of minority though it is said that God loved Jacob and hated Esau before they had done good or evil 6 You may know that that word was spoken in reference to their being in the persons of men in the sight of the Creator and concerning the difference of their spirits and the effects that would thereby ensue 7 You know it is said there were two nations in Rebeccahs womb at the birth of Esau and Jacob now you know that could not possibly be except they lived to the age of men to fulfil that truth 8 You know it is written that the Lord of Glory commanded his Apostles to suffer little children to come unto him and forbid them not and took them in his arms and blessed them saying of such is the kingdom of heaven 9 My beloved spiritual friends if God onely wise hath said that his heavenly kingdom consists of little children or innocent childe-like men and women are not those men more like unto cursed Serpents then blessed Saints which contrary unto all spiritual literal or rational truth impudently affirm that little children may be eternally damned by original sin 10 If all the seed of Cain that die in their childe-hood shall finde mercy in the resurrection of the just some men may say unto me shall the saved children of Cain and Adam being of two contrary natures appear in the same kinde or measure of glory in the day of the Lords vengeance upon ungodly men 11 From the light of life eternal to this I answer As they differed in their natures in this life so shall they differ in the maner and measure of their glory in that life to come 12 The saved children of the Angelical Serpent will enter into that rational glory out of which their reprobate fathers was cast 13 But of the contrary the spiritual seed of Adam shall enter into that glory from which he fell in a more transcendent godlike condition to all eternity 14 But not in a Paradissical separated place of glory in this creation as some men vainly imagine but in that glorious new heaven and earth without or above this vanishing Starry heavens according to the truth of Holy Writ 15 Thus the most Wise and Holy God of all spiritual and natural order restoreth his spiritual and rational images into their first created conditions upon a more firm foundation of possessing everlasting life and glory together purchased at a dear rate from his divine self by his own most precious blood or God-head life according to that saying by the Apostle Paul Christ therefore died and rose again and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and the quick and of that saying in the 20. Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with that his own blood 16 Again if you look in the 4. Chapter of Genesis with a spiritual eye you may clearly see that Gods eternal election or rejection of men runs in a line of personal understanding and not in a line of innocent children or natural fools the words are these and in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an oblation unto the Lord of the fruit of the ground and Abel also himself brought of the first fruit of his sheep and of the fat of them and the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering but unto Cain and his offering he had no regard 17 Ye that are redeemed from the power of all inward filthiness I beseech you what occasioned the respection or disrespection between Cain and Abel in the pure eyes of the Creator 18 Surely not their offerings for you know that God needs no mans person for his sacrifice sake in the least but for the glory of his own name sake onely 19 Yet you know that Cain had as much wisdom from his own reason to present an acceptable sacrifice unto the Lord as Abel 20 Yet it was the Creators eternal free love unto Abel which caused both his person and sacrifice to finde such sweet acceptation with the Lord that the divine love of God in Abel might be seen in the fatness of his sacrifice 21 In that you may know he was made to offer up himself a living sacrifice of invisible and visible obedience unto the Creator as a seal of his being chosen to life eternal 22 Yet you may know it is not any kinde of sacrifice worship righteousness or desire in man or Angel that can possibly move the divine Majesty to accept of it or his person in the least but it is his eternal free love in his own season which operates in him all heavenly mindedness or love to God or man 23 But of the contrary you may know that the original cause of all maner of fearful darkness and fiery shame in Cain proceeded onely from the non-election of his person 24 This was his condition when he was marked with the invisible seal of rejecting both his person and sacrifice from those words Wherefore Cain was exceeding wrath and his countenance fell down 25 My beloved Christian Friends what moved Cain to be so full of wrath or with whom was he so fiery hot 26 Truly as beforesaid his furious anger arose in him from a sensibleness of his out-cast condition and because he could not come at the Creator himself therefore his purpose was to avenge himself upon his favorite even innocent Abel 27 The Scripture gives you the reason thereof because his own works were evil and his brothers good 28 Thus you that are endued with that light that cannot be disproved may see as clear as the light it self that it is not in him that willeth not in him that runneth but in God alone that sheweth mercy 29 What then think you in the day of the Lords vengeance will become of those free-will-mongers or oracle-grace Marchants which cursedly teach their deceived fleshly brethren that a man may be in a condition of salvation to day and to morrow be cast away 30 Truly my spiritual friends if eternal election and rejection depend upon the acceptation of mans will until he be born again with a distinguishing light from the divine will of the Creator every man living would choose eternal death in stead of life such power or purity is in the choisest of mens wills wuntil the divine Majesty present an immortal Crown of glory unto their blinde born