worship honor magnifie or adore man or angel is not that giving glory to him or glorying in him 15 Doth not all such kinde of divine worship honor or glory belong onely to the Creator and doth not the Holy One of Israel positively say that he will not give his glory to another what sober sensible man then that hath any spiritual light in him dares say that Christ and the Father are not one undivided personal being seeing all glory in heaven and earth was given unto him onely 16 Again seeing God hath said that he will not give his glory to another and yet all his glory was given unto that Man Christ do not those Trinitary Literal-mongers call the divine Majesty a liar to his face which deny Christ Jesus the Lord of Glory to be that Everlasting Father 17 Doth not the Father give all glory to the Son in Scriptures as well as the Son gives all glory to the Father who art thou then that dividest them into three personal beings presum tuously taking upon thee to share the infinite glory of the Holy One of Israel seeing his glory he will not no nor cannot give to any other distinct person 18 And what art thou then but that Antichrist and utter enemy unto thine own soul and a deceiver of those which are deceived by thy literal wit which saith That Christ was onely an extraordinary Messenger sent forth by the most high God to do his will or that Christ was onely a God and not the God or that Christ onely had the Titles of the divine Majesty put upon him for a season that he might become a fit Mediator between God and man but there was another Father above him that sent him abiding in the highest Heavens unto which he was fain to cry out for help in his need 19 My spiritual brethren if men so acute in the letter can attain to understand this one thing in Scripture Record then those sayings of Christ or Son and such like will be no stumbling-block in their way concerning Christs Father You know that the Lord Jehovah saith Because there was none greater than himself he swore by himself concerning something that was in his minde to bring to pass the thing is this that God of Glory that was compelled to swear by himself for the exaltation of his own greatness in men and angels because there was none beside himself therefore he glorifieth himself alone 20 Again because none could humble or exalt him but himself therefore he alone first exalts himself by an oath that he might be the more admired at of all that know him after that he abaseth himself a little lower then his angelical creatures in respect of death that by vertue of his infinite humility in flesh his glorious Godhead might in that personal manhood exalt it self in a new and wonderful way far above all Gods heavens angels and men 21 Wherefore concerning the Scripture saying The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool that is the everlasting Father speaking to himself in a two-fold condition or God the great Jehovah in the height of his glory exalting himself over all opposition in his creatures in the lowest appearance of a creature himself 22 Again the Lord saith He will set his King upon his holy hill of Sion And God saith O God thy throne is from ever and ever wherefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows 23 My beloved brethren is there any more then one God and King of Glory perpetually fitting in the midst of the Throne of the highest heavens 24 Is there any more then one God and King spiritually sitting upon his Throne of Sion or souls of his redeemed ones 25 Is not this one God in his Throne above and in his Throne beneath Christ Jesus our Lord 26 If this be granted which none can deny but filthy Atheists over-wise Literalists or very weak Saints I would fain know from any man under what kinde of Trinity soever who that God and King was unto which God said I will set my King upon my holy hill of Sion O God thy throne is for ever and ever 27 If there be but one God and King of Sions glory alone then there cannot be a God and God or a King and a King of eternal glory If this be not good sense let me be reproved with better 28 Again hath God any other King to exalt upon Sions holy hill but himself or to sit on the right hand of all Majesty Wisdom Power and Glory in the personal presence of his mighty Angels Moses and Elias but himself 29 Who then is that most high and mighty God and King of Sions glory or that spiritual All in All or that Alpha and Omega or that Father Son and Holy Spirit but our Lord Jesus Christ in immortal glory it self 30 Thus you that have any true light of life eternal in you may clearly see that the Holy One of Israel which swore by himself to himself for his own further exaltation by the same rule he may change his glorious condition into flesh and having humbled himself to himself he may cause his humanity to speak pray or cry unto his divinity within him or unto his own spiritual charge committed unto his angels without him for a further manifestation of his unsearchable wisdom power and incomprehensible glory in shame and weakness as well as in power and glory as aforesaid 31 Is any thing hard or impossible for an infinite Creator to do when his glory moves him to do it 32 Again did not his infinite power wisdom and glory more abundantly appear in the lowest abasing himself in the visible sight of elect men and angels why then should it seem strange to any sober wise man that the everlasting Father should be clothed with flesh and bone as with a garment 33 Or that Christ Jesus should be both God and man in one distinct body glorified there is none but Christ none but Christ no other God but that man Christ Jesus our Lord if men or Angels should gainsay it 34 Though this may seem strange unto many at present yet they onely are eternally blessed that are not offended with this saving truth but are made obedient unto this crucified and glorified Jesus CHAP. XII 1 To own or believe any other God but Christ is a cursed lie 2 Who are the deceived persons 3 Concerning the true knowledge of God 4 The deceivers of others under conflicts of minde described by many and various expressions ALl the Divine Titles of the Holy One of Israel made over to the second man the Lord from Heaven and is not the Fathers Throne invested upon his person and is not all spiritual honour praise and glory commanded to be attributed unto him by men and angels 2 And is not all the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily and from his
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
didst thou ever see this infinite Maâ—esty and Throne of Glory thy self if thou didst where are thy miracles to confirm it or why dost thou not make us believe it by thy spirituality or why doth not this infinite Majesty bear witness that he sent thee as he did to his former Prophets and Apostles or when will he do it that we may see and believe and own thee for the truths sake 25 Whoever thou art that thus callest in question the glorious truths of eternity under pretence of my weakness in reference unto miracles that thou mightest believe 26 Little dost thou think in stead of contending with me thy sinful brother according to the flesh that it is that old Serpent Devil in thee that arraigns the glorious God that made thee at the blinde bar of thy carnal reason and by it condemns him and his heavenly truths because thy unbelieving desires are not satisfied 27 Again did not the Lord of Glory himself call those Jews that required a sign an adulterous and wicked generation 28 Moreover when the Lord of life by the mighty power of his word onely wrought wonderful miracles in their sights instead of believing on him ever the sooner for that the sign-mongring Jews cursedly say that he cast out Devils through Beelzebub the Prince of Devils 29 Furthermore if thou shouldst upbraid me for want of the gift of tongues or languages yet I render praise unto the God of Glory by his poor light in my poor soul thou canst not upbraid me for want of a spirit of Prophesie though thou at present shalt slight it 30 And what if I could speak all languages would it advantage any sign-monger in the world but to his further condemnation only 31 What saith the Scripture concerning this thing Wherefore strange tongues are for a sign not to them that believe but to them believe not but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not but for them which believe 22 verse of the 14. Chapter of the 1. Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians 32 Moreover did not the Lord of Glory himself say that John the Baptist was the greatest Prophet under the Law that was born of women and yet thou never reads of any miracles or tongues possessed by him 33 The Christian Dove waites for a spiritual sign within him that he may believe the glorious truths of the everliving God without him but the carnal Serpent requires a natural sign without him to make him believe the spiritual truths of an invisible God in the high heavens 34 Again if there should be no other appearing of a God or Christ but in mens consciences as thousands vainly imagine in this drunken age what did Christ mean by these and such like sayings in the 15. of St. Matthew 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 and he shall set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on the left then shall the King say to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was an hungry and ye gave me meat I thirsted and ye gave me drink and such like then shall he say to them on his left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels for I was an hungry and ye gave me no meat I thirsted and ye gave me no drink and these shall go into everlasting pain and the righteous into life eternal 35 Again thou that vainly boasts of a spiritual God or Christ appearing in glory within thee onely darest thou say that these Scriptures are fulfilled 36 Moreover canst thou say that thou hast this King on his Throne of Glory with his holy Angels and all the Nations of the world within thee 37 Furthermore is the Devil and his Angels and eternal blessedness and cursedness within thee also 38 My beloved friends in the Lord of life if there were not a generation of cursed men that glory of a God or Christ within them that are not onely full of these and such like discourses but are also given up unto all filthiness I could not have mentioned this thing wherefore there are many of these Serpents that creep into houses telling poor deceived men and silly women laden with many lusts that the resurrection of the dead is past already since Christ in his glory is risen in them 39 Moreover if their captivated friends should seem to scruple at any kinde of fleshly community held forth by them then these wandring Stars will say unto them What poor low things are these that you are troubled withal what are you in Egypt still is there any more then one pure being and is not this pure being within you all and is it not he that speaks and acts all in you seeing there is but one power what do ye scruple at are ye as little children or fools yet do ye not see that there is no union or true communion in the world among those people that hold two powers 40 Furthermore lest their deceived friends by whom they possess Balaams wages should fail them then these cursed captives will tell them That their bodies are fleshly forms that turns to dust from whence they came and shall appear no more therefore not to be minded in the least in reference to sin so that ye fall not under the civil law or oppress nature but your souls are immortal and cannot die but ascends into its glory from whence it came Wherefore since ye have attained to such liberty that all men are in foolish bondage which know it not let us eat and drink and be merry whilest we enjoy these vanishing forms yet let us sollace our selves with all delights even as our divine rights 41 O thou King of all kings for the glory of thy great names sake discover these Serpents with their carnal wiles that all thy simple hearted people may be delivered out of their Satannical snares and brought into that pure light and liberty of thy own likeness by one heavenly glance from thy eternal spirit CHAP. XLV 1 The Creators withholding of his divine assistance was the cause of the Fall of our first Parents 2 The ground of all spiritual or natural Curses 3 Noahs Ark assimulated to Heaven 4 Of the Resurrection YOu that are full of the light of life may know that whilest Adam and Eve continued in the purity of their Creation this whole earth and all things made therein were as pure in their kinde and measure as that vast kingdom of glory and all that therein is 2 Moreover as soon as ever their pure natures were defiled with the Serpentine nature of fiery lust you
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
then most men 3 Usually they will talk of one pure being within all men onely also if they branch forth this their pretended God unto their deceived hearers you shall hear them utter these or such like expressions Brethren be not so carnally minded as to think of a God in the form of a man sitting in a Heaven above the Stars but minde that spiritnal God in the invisible Heaven of your hearts Again they will say that spirit of the Father within you is that God of love beauty vertue with all variety of glorious perfections whatsoever if you were but once acquainted with it wherefore if fears of eternal damnation seize upon you they are apt to say it ariseth from your ignorant conceivings of a God and a Heaven at a distance Again for mannaging of this their sophistry that their deceit might not be perceived they will treat upon these and such like Scriptures Christ in you the hope of Glory know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates as he is so are we in this present world the Kingdom of Heaven is within you at that day shall ye know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you that they all may be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee Even that they may be also one in us he that is born of God sinneth not 4 Thus they wrest these literal Scriptures to hide their fleshly glory and subtile Hypocrifie that their eternal vengeance may exceed all mens in this age at the visible appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ with his mighty Angels 5 You that are endued with a gift of spiritual distinguishing between perishing glittering words and glorious things which are eternal if you observe these sorts of golden sophisters you shall finde that whatever scripture they treat upon they carry it in an allegorical notional mistery of nothing but meer empty words onely As for example if they speak of the persons of Cain and Abel or of the persons of the bond-woman and her son and the free-woman and her son they will bid you look within you and you may see them all there in seeming contrariety onely 6 Again if you observe these men you shall seldom or ever hear them speak of any thing after this life but they will tell you of a death and resurrection of man in this life but as concerning this mortal soul and body of ours entring into the grave or death and quickning again a new and glorious life by raysing this mortal body into a glorified condition in the visible sight of it self and presence of a personal God elect men and Angels in a kingdom of eternal glory these are riddles or uncertain things at a great distance 7 It is not a God or Christ or throne of eternal glory above the Stars which no mortal man can make visible unto mens eyes that will cloth men in plush-Jackets and feed their bodies with dainty delicacies no no the infallible truth concerning a bodily resurrection of a purified spirit unto eternal Glory and a personal appearing of an impurified soul unto everlasting shame will yeeld no such Peacocks feathers nor Dives dishes as those are the Apostles and those of the same faith with them will one day personally appear again to bear record unto this truth 8 My brethren what difference is there between those men which glory of a God Christ Heaven Word Ordinances and Salvation without them and are ignorant of the teachings of the Holy Spirit within them and those men which glory of all these heavenly things within them and yet are ignorant of that glorious personal Majesty and Throne of immortallity without them 9 Are not these men those hypocritical Pharisees and Atheistical Sadducees which indeavored to cover their nakedness with inward and outward leaves of rational words onely 10 Do not all men which confess a Creator conclude that his spirit is infinite immortal unchangeable and eternal 11 Doth not every man possess a distinct living spirit in his own body 12 Is not every man a sinner and subject to all manner of loathsome diseases of mortallity 13 Wherefore if this one pure spirit of God himself was dwelling in the body of any mortal man whatsoever is it possible think you that that man could be desirous after carnal copulation or subject unto any kind of putrifaction whatsoever 14 Who art thou then poor vain perishing clay which boasteth of possessing of a most holy immortal spirit within thee and yet canst not enjoy any life of peace in the least without a continual supply of fleshly carnalities without thee 15 Again art thou capable of possessing an infinite eternal spirit which art but a finite piece of fading dust 16 Art thou so vain in thy imagination as to think that such a changeable piece of confusion as thou art can possibly be capable to bear about thee that bright burning glorious spirit of the unchangeable God whose glory is above all heavens at whose power of a word speaking all kinde of lights within this Creation are immediately subject to enter into silent darkness as if they had never had any being 17 Again is not the glorious body of Jesus Christ in the Throne of the Father the eternal Son of God 18 And is not all the divine Godhead of the everlasting Father living and raigning in him bodily 19 And is this spirit any more then one spirit united unto that one body of glorious flesh and bone of our Lord Jesus Christ 20 And is not all the treasures of wisdom hid in this Jesus onely and is it not from his fulness that we all receive grace for grace 21 If we have any true light at all ruling in us if this be truth which none can deny but notional Atheists or bloody minded Formallists what art thou then but that outcast angellical Reprobate which doth not onely divide the Godhead spirit of Christ Jesus our Lord but impudently affirmest that thou and all of thy opinion do possess the very Godhead spirit within you 22 And not onely so but like a Devil incarnat as thou art thou cursest those that discovereth this thy horrible blasphemy 23 Again thou which carriest thy God about thee where ever thou art when thou hast breathed out thy sinful Soul and all thy light or life into silent dust or death where then is thy inward God and self become 24 But it may be thou wilt reply and say thy soul is immortal and cannot die to this lying conceit of thine I answer by way of Quere 25 Dost thou indeed believe any truth in Scripture Records 26 If thou reply thou doest then my Qâ—ere is this whether thou thinkest that the soul of Christ when he was in a body of flesh on this earth were not as immortal as any other mans is or rather immortal alone and all others mortal besides him 27 Well then if I prove that the soul of Christ died and
that of Adams or else Eve could not possibly have been deceived by him as aforesaid 7 Also his body being spiritual though his nature was carnal there was no let to hinder his descending into her womb to bring forth the Creators secret purpose of two generations coming through the loins of one woman to make an everlasting distinction between the transcendent glory of respection and shame of rejection 8 Though the Angelical Serpent descended into the womb of Eve yet you may know that his ascending nature was utterly lost in that in stead of his ascending upward into that habitation of ravishing glory from whence he was cast he was ignorant of it and of that God and his mighty Angels as if he had never known them in the least 9 For he imagined his Serpentine subtilty to be the onely wisdom then in being and this world to be the onely heaven 10 My beloved brethren in the eternal truth whatever carnal minded men vainly dream of a general redemption by Christ as sure as the Lord liveth there is a Serpentine generation of cursed men and women which glory in all manner of fleshly sporting themselves about a Creator or in possessing of a perfection in this mortallity which with their father Cain are utterly ignorant of the true God his everlasting kingdom elect Angels immortal personal glory or misery or any spiritual thing in the least 11 Doth not the Scripture throughout make mention of two distinct seeds sons or generations of mankind 12 Can Cain and Abel both therefore proceed from Adams loines or be of his begetting upon the body of Eve 13 It is written in the third of Luke and the last verse concerning Christ that he was the Son of Enos the son of Seth the son of Adam the Son of God If Christ Jesus the eternal Son of God according to the spirit was the very son of Adam according to the flesh can any sober man possibly think that there should be any relation of spirit or flesh between Christ and Cain 14 Or that the everliving God upon any account whatsoever should be brother unto a cursed Serpent 15 Though righteous Abel was Cains brother yet their brotherhood came by the mothers side onely and not by the father though Eve was made out of Adams side 16 You know that righteous Abel did represent the glorious person of all righteousness and truth it self who was that holy and innocent Lamb spiritually slain from the beginning of the world in Abel by the heart and hand of murthering lying Cain 17 Moreover is not this answerable unto that of Christ and his brethren you know their brotherhood was by the mothers side onely and not by the father 18 Thus if your eyes be opened you may see in contrariety a harmony between the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent 19 Again because of the great opposition that may rise up against this glorious truth through the exceeding pride and unbelief in the heart of most men give me leave to cite a few Scriptures in the 3. chapter of the first Epistle of John you may finde it thus written Not as Cain which was of that wicked one and slew his brother In the 13. Chap. of Matthew it is thus written He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man and the field is the world and the good seed are the children of the kingdom and the tares are the children of the wicked one and the enemy that soweth them is the devil 20 Moreover in the 8. chapter of St. John Christ Jesus the onely God of truth speaketh thus Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do He hath been a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him when he speaketh a lie then speaketh he of his own for he is a liar and the father thereof 21 My spiritual and rational friends which are sober was not Cain the first murdering lying man that ever was born of a woman Seeing no true Christian can gainsay it was not cursed Cain from the beginning that murthering devil and father of lies spoken of by Christ aforesaid 22 In answer unto those carnal Jews which boasted themselves to be of Abrahams seed and were not those lustful murdering minded Jews or Gentiles which our Lord branded with titles of Serpents Vipers children of the devil and such like filthy Cananites which proceeded out of the spirit of cursed Cain that old Serpent Dragon Devil and father of all the damned in this world and not from the spirit of Abraham though they might proceed from his loins according to the flesh through mixtures of seeds in marriages the sons of God saw the daughters of men to be fair and they took of them to be their wives 23 Though the blessed Israelites and cursed Cananites are mixed together by carnal copulation since the Prince of devils became flesh yet you that spiritual may know that the Lord Jesus that made them both knew how to separate them for all their close union and to call them by names answerable to their own natures 24 I confess that all that died in the first Adam shall be made alive in that second Adam the Lord from heaven but what was that whole world that were lost in the first Adam and found again in the second Adam 25 If with a spiritual eye you shall look from the 1. of Genes unto the last of the Revelation then you may clearly see what that whole world is which are appointed unto immortal Crowns of eternal glory by our Lord Jesus Christ behold are they not called a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood a redeemed People adopted sons of God heirs or co-heirs with Christ blessed children or the lost shâ—â—p of Israel and such like 26 Did not the glorious Creator and blessed Redeemer himself make a clear distinction between two worlds or generations when he said I pray not for the world but for them that thou hast given me out of the world 27 Can you that are sober imagine or think that there is any spiritual salvation for those men or women which the Savior of the world excludes in his petition 28 Moreover it is written that the Apostle said We know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness or the devil 29 Behold ye redeemed ones of the most high God is it not as clear as light it self that there is two distinct whole worlds according to that saying then all Israel shall be saved 30 A redeemed world of elect lost Israelites and an unredeemed world of unlost Cananitish reprobates that were never truly lost in themselves and therefore never capable of being found in Christ according to that in the Epistle of Jude where it is thus written For there are certain men crept in which were of old ordained to condemnation ungodly men they are which turn the grace of God into wantonness
God of their own reason onely with all their rebellions against it shall be that dreadful Judge sitting in their fleshly consciences with an eccho of everlasting torments in utter darkness 6 Thus in some measure I have been made to declare unto my spiritual yea and fleshly brethren also the sudden glorious and dreadful appearing of the most high and mighty God-man sitting on the Throne of his Glory with his elect Angels to judge both the quick and dead according to his own sayings in Holy Writ 7 And now as a conclusion unto this Epistle I shall speak a few words to all that may peruse it in the name and power of our Lord Jesus by whose most blessed spirit I was inspiringly moved to write it 8 My beloved Brethren that hath the least hopes in you of a glory to come I confess through unusualness of such a language many sayings in this book may seem to your reason very absurd at the first 9 But if the light of life eternal qualifie you with a meek and patient spirit they may be as plain and easie to your understanding at the last as the Lord hath made them to me his poor despised messenger 10 I know if I were an University man possessing perishing wealth or honor among Princes your rational spirits would be as subject to erre on the right hand as now they are on â—he left 11 O forget not that the wisdom of God seeth it most advantagious for his glory to choose base and despised things to confound the honorable and eloquent things of this vain glorious world 12 Again if some men should say unto me that I have written many sayings without book concerning the creaâ—ion of Angels and such like I would fain know of them wheâ—her Moses had any books by him when he wrote of the creation of this world and the things therein 13 Though the holy Prophets Christ and the Apostles aluded sometimes to the former Prophetical writings to convince gain-sayers yet you know they spake by inspiration of the eternal spirit onely according to that saying in holy Writ All Scriptures was given by inspiration and holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 14 Moreover if you should ask me how shall you know whether I write by true inspiration or no as to that if you had the spirit of the Scriptures no man could deceive you 15 Furthermore unless you have a light in you that can clearly convince me of error in my Epistle in questioning the truth of my writings you also question the truth of Holy Writ 16 If I should write nothing but what is exactly set down in the Scriptures I should then write nothing at all because they are other mens works and you have them already besides many eloquent men to play upon the harp of those records very harmoniously unto your carnal ears which godliness of theirs is very gainful unto many of them as you well know 17 If I should write nothing but what is recorded in Holy Writ there would be no need of any other witness to prove me a lyar but my book onely and so I should be bound together in a bundle of literal tares and burnt with unquenchable fire at the appearing of the Son of Man in his glory with hâ—s mighty Angels because I have declared my self sent forth by voice from the Lord of Glory himself to demonstrate some secrets to his chosen ones that hath not been revealed since the world began 18 And now I desire no other witness to bear record in the consciences of men to this Epistle whether it be truth or no but the everliving Jehovah or eternal spiritual Jesus himself with all his holy Angels Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen Amen John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton the two last immediate Commissionated Witnesses or Prophets by the eternal Spirit of the man Jesus glorified in the Throne of Eternity which is far above all Gods Heavens Angels and Men. FINIS
truth I declare that that Serpent which tempted Eve unto evil was one of those Angels of light 5 Moreover that Serpent Angel was more wise or God-like in his creation then all the elect angels of glory for the most wise God in this may be likened to a wise earthly prince that for the manifestation of his royal pleasure exâ—lteth that â—ubject to the highest dignity which he hath secretly decreed to the highest disgrace 6 Thus it was with the glorious Creator who foreknowing that his prerogative Royal would compell him to create this angelical reprobate in reference to his divine Justice therefore for the manifestation of his most glorious power unto his elect men and angels his wisdom saw it most fit to endue him with more piercing rational wisdom and brightness of person then all his angelical companions because he was decreed to the greatest shame and pain as aforesaid 7 And not onely so but also because the elect Angels should admire their Creators wisdom and power when they should see the outcast condition of the highest created glory and be filled with new declarations of honor praise and glory unto the divine Majesty for his free electing love towards them through which they were ensured eternally to reign in their created purity 8 Again from the true light of life I positively affirm that there was but onely one reprobate Angel created at the first which is fully cleared in this Book 9 Moreover you spiritual ones may understand that if the most merciful Creator could possible have known any other way for the manifestation of his divine excell 〈◊〉 unto men and angels I say you may be confident he would never have created any thing on purpose for eternal suffering 10 Furthermore can you possibly imagine or think that the most gracious and wise Creator would ever have suffered the nature of any creature to become rebellious against himself for the occasioning of such marvellous transactions in this world and suffering both of God Angel and man if he could have possessed his inâ—â—nite glory in the creating of every thing unto eternal pleasures 11 Again if dust and water were eternâ—l â—ubstances distinct from the Creaâ—or it being dark and dead matter it could not produce any kind of life at all of it self but was brought forth into life by another 12 Wherefore it may be queried by some what was that which entered into dust and brought forth angelical bodies to live in the Creators presence was it any thing else but that spiritual life or divine nature of God himself 13 Unto this curious Quere from the true light of life I answer that neither the spirit of angels nor any other creatures were formed of the divine nature but the souls of Adam and Eve onely 14 But they were created of variety of spirits to one another and to the Creator also yet they were all purely created and in a sweet harmony with each other and their Creator also even so long and no longer then they abode in their created purity 15 Again by inspiration from our Lord Jesus Christ I affirm that the unsearchable wisdom of the most high God was secretly hid in the infinite power of his word speaking onely 16 So that it was the fore-knowledge of his own mighty power which was one of the principal grounds that moved him to produce and living creature in his presence 17 Wherefore before any creature was formed by him if he had not perfectly known that of those aforesaid elements of dust or water by his word speaking onely he could create as many several spirits with bodies sutable to their natures as he saw good and yet wholly retain the divine nature of his spirit to himself he would never have formed any creature to have lived in his sight 18 Because then you know there would have been no distinction of natures or names between the creatures themselves and the Creator nor none of the variety of his infinite wisdom power and glory ever seen or known by the creatures 19 For you that are spiritual may understand that the Creators Royal will or pleasure was that glorious wheel that moved him to form any creature at all 20 Therefore you may also know that it was impossible for him to create the spirits of Angels and man to be both of the nature of his own spirit or neither of them to be of his divine nature because as aforesaid the variety of his wisdom power and glory would have been all lost for want of distinction 21 Moreover if angels and man had been both of Gods divine nature in their creation then in stead of their being capable to be transmuted into a higher or lower condition at the divine pleasure of the Creator would they not rather have been unchangeable Creators then changeable creatures 22 Therefore the most wise and holy Creator that he might prevent all that might impede his divine purpose he created the bodies of angels spiritual and their natures rational and he made the body of the man Adam natural and his soul spiritual 23 For if their spirits and bodies had been both of the divine nature then it would have been impossible for them to be capable of any change of sin or evil or consent to evil in them no more than the Creator himself 24 Where then had been all the wonderful transactions of his glorious Majesty or what would have been formed but Creators onely in stead of creatures as aforesaid 25 Again because of our weak comprehension in the deep things of God I shall speak something by way of imagination onely which is as followeth 26 Suppose the most high God should have created both angels and men all glorious like himself and eternally so to remain yet those created beings could not possibly be the divine essence of his God-head spirit but onely a created light of sensible life of divine joys proceeding from the eternal spirit by vertue of words speaking through his heavenly mouth into those elements beforesaid 27 Because you may know that the uncreated Essence or Godhead spirit of an infinite Majesty was utterly uncapable to be conveyed into a finite created being for infiniteness is onely capable of its own glorious centre 28 So that you that are truly spiritual may understand that after the Angels were formed into living bodies the divine Majesty and those created beings were become distinct in their essences for everlasting 29 That the angels by apparent sight of their Creators face might know themselves to be but creatures and subject to the divine pleasure of him that made them 30 Moreover from the true light of the Holy One of Israel I affirm that the elect Angels of eternal glory had no certain knowledge of continuing in their created purities until the Lord had discovered the reprobate angel unto them 31 It is written that he made all things for his own glory and the wicked for the day of wrath 32 My beloved spiritual
brethren you know that the heavenly nature of the divine Majesty is nothing else but all variety of glorious excellencies 33 Also you know that the Creators spirit being variety of spiritual perfections he could create nothing against his glory but for his glory onely because that glory of his is himself or his all in all or onely pillar upon which he built his everlasting kingdom 34 Wherefore if angels or man had been framed in unchangeable conditions then in stead of making known his manifold divine glories to his creatures he must have created things for his own eternal ruine 35 For if such a thing could possibly have been in stead of being creatures as aforesaid they would all have been Creators and being unchangeable it could not possibly be avoided but they must all have shared in or of the Creators unchangeable glory also 36 Moreover if the Holy One of Israel should be divided into three divine Persons as many men blindly imagine then you know that being all eternal they must of necessity be equal in God-head wisdom power and glory A kingdom thus divided cannot stand 37 For you that are truly spiritual know that all the true Prophets in the time of the Law did never acknowledge any more Gods then that Holy One of Israel onely and by inspiration they attributed many holy Names unto his divine Majesty for the exaltation of his glorious person above all angels and men 38 Moreover you know that in Scriptures it is written That the Holy One of Israel will not give his glory to another 39 Therefore what ever men vainly dream of a Creator or God or three Persons or of a bodiless infinite Spirit yet unto us that are heirs of eternal glory there is but one onely wise God Creator Redeemer and alone Everlasting Father which is our Lord Jesus Christ in one blessed body of flesh and bone glorified CHAP. IV. 2 Of the Angels further 2 Of the nature of pure Reason 3 Of the divine Nature 4 Wherein they differ 5 The Angels were under the Moral Law which was written in their natures 6 The Creator above all Law 7 A necessity of supplying the Angels with continual Revelations from the Creator 8 He that was above all Law made himself under the Law by becoming flesh 9 Who is Antichrist 10 No joy in God without a form 11 Death an Enemy to all kinde of life in God angels and men BEfore I treat of the first appearance of sin or evil in the reprobate angel I shall speak of the creation of angels by a compariâ—on 2 Suppose a man should speak words unto dry dust of sand distinct from his person and before he spake unto that senseless Chaos he did perfectly know or beleeve in himself that out of that dead dust his very woâ—ds would produce so many several sensible living bodies in his sight though those words proceeded from the soul of the man 3 Yet you may know that they were not the essence of the mans spirit but onely a powerful influence of speech or words spoken through his mouth for manifesting the variety of his natural wisdom power or glory over the words which he had spoken 4 Moreover you know that a man with great ease might spare a few words without any trouble of mind in reference to what use he saw fit to imploy them they being his own workmanship can any sober man deny this mans pâ—erogative pleasure with his own I trow not 5 This was the Creators very case in the matter of creation and who dares to speak against it No spiritual wise man I am sure onely some lustful persons may dispute against it though it be contrary to their own reason when it is sober 6 But deeds of darkness hate the light and can do no otherwise and those that live in the light are made to abhor all deeds of darkness or vain disputes against the Creators Royal will or righteous ways 7. Thus you which are truly spiritual may understand that neither the spirits of angels no nor of the man Adam himself was of the divine essence in their creation T is truth the soul of Adam was of the very nature of the spirit of God but it was a created nature or vertue which brought forth its pure natural body as its house or tabernacle of abode so that as the body had a beginning of dust through which it was capable of change 8 So likewise when that divine soul was covered with an earthly temple it was capable of mutability though it proceeded from an immutable glory 9 But on the contrary though the spiritual bodies of angels had beginning also yet they were not subject to change but their spirits not being of the divine nature of him that made them was wholly subject to mutability 10 For the angels spirits were pure reason as aforesaid and what is the nature of the most purest reason is it any thing else but all pure desires And what is the original of the most purest or perfect desire that is Is it not a want of soâ—ething that is desired or a kind of unsatisfaction untill its desire be satisfied from some thing that is not inherent in it self 11 Again my spiritual brethren is it possible think you that there should be the least motion of the most purest desire that is in the nature of that spirit which is all fulness of divine satisfaction in it self 12 Or is it possible that that spirit that hath any desire in its nature should enjoy fulness of content in it self 13 Wherefore though the holy God created that angelical reason of all pure desire let no spiritual wise man call it his divine nature 14 Why because you know there can be no kind of desire in the nature of that immortal God that is all variety of glorious satisfaction in it self as beforesaid 15 But let him know from the true light of life that the Creator by his infinite wisdom or power from a word speaking unto dust could create yea and did make divers living creatures and yet not one motion of the natures of those created beings was inherent in his heavenly spirit 16 Therefore you that are possessed with that new and true divine birth from the immortal throne may know that the spirits of elect angels are not in the least of any part of the glorious natures of his spirit but onely a created rational spirit of all pure desires which was not onely become distinct from his divine nature now it possessed its personal living being in it self 17 But was also in its non being in the fore-knowledge of the Creator eternally distinct from his undesiring nature of all spiritual glories secretly hid in its own dark sensless elements as beforesaid onely by a powerful word it was commanded to appear and manifest it self in its own creaturely condition 18 Again some may say unto me Were the angels under any Law in their creation From the unerring spirit of our
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
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
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
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
of flesh blood and bone from eternity 22 Neither would I willingly have any of the blessed of the Lord to be so grosly ignorant as to think that the glorious Creator could possibly be a spiritual living substance without a body or person 23 If Christ Jesus and the Father from all eternity were but one distinct person some men may say unto me What might the form of his uncreated Majesty be before he became flesh from the light of life eternal 24 To this I answer His divine form did not consist of natural Earth Air Water or Fire in the least but is was a bright burning fiery glory of uncompounded purities continually satisfying it self with variety of divine excellencies 25 Though the spiritual person of the Holy One of Israel was from eternity so transcendently glorious that no Elements could possibly contain him without being immediately consumed to ashes yet he was absolutely from the crown of his glorious head to the soles of his divine feet in form like unto the first man Adam 26 You that possess the heavenly truth in you may know the divine form of Jesus Christ the everlasting Father was of so pure thin or light nature that as beforesaid it was swifter then thought clearer then Cristal infinitely more glorious then the Sun purer then the purest gold or any thing more precious 27 So that when the eternal spirit moved him to enter into the Virgins Womb it being swifter then thought and its body being of its own nature he was in her womb before she was aware of it onely by a wonderful change in her soul she felt him converting his Godhead glory into flesh blood and bone according to his promise by the Angel Gabriel this was that wonderful mystery of God the everlasting Father which manifested himself in a body of flesh at which most men and women stumble and perish 28 Is any thing impossible for God to do when his divine glory moves him to it 29 Moreover is not the infinite power wisdom or glory of the everliving God most of all seen by men or Angels in the lowest abasing himself 30 Do not all men which confess a Creator conclude that his holy spirit is infinitely full of all divine qualifications whatsoever and is the incomprehensible Spirit of the Holy One of Israel any thing at all without its glorious vertues 31 Is it possible think you that this eternal spirit could be sensible of its heavenly glories without a distinct body of its own to enjoy them in If this be truth the which none can gainsay but senceless sots or simple saints then with controversie Christ Jesus and the Father was eternally but onely one spiritual body in form like a man 32 Is there any created being whether sensible or insensible either in Heaven or in Earth that possesseth any kind of spiritual or natural motion heat light life joy or glory in the least without a distinct body of its own suitable to its present condition 33 Hath the most wise Creator so ordered every living being that all the joy they possess is in their own bodies chiefly distinct from one another and that each others joy is nothing at all to one another unless they be both sensible of the same 34 Can any sober man be so sensless as to imagine or think that the glorious Creator of all spiritual and natural order can possibly be any thing at all without a distinct body of its own as abundantly beforesaid 35 Are not all infinite creatures a meer Chaos of sensless matter until they are formed into distinct beings of themselves and have names given them by God and man according to their natures and are they any thing at all until they become living spirits in compleat bodies of their own as aforesaid 36 This being known to be as true as truth it self can it possibly be that he that gave beings to all things should not be something that is infinite also or a distinct glorious body having variety of holy Names attributed to him according to his divine nature for the exaltation of his infinite Majestical Person above all Heavens Angels and men CHAP. XIX 1 Of the true spiritual Trinity in Vnity 2 Of the one personal divine Majesty 3 No Scripture mentioneth God to be three persons onely one God and one person 4 Why God called himself by a three-fold name IN the next place I shall treat of that divine Trinity in Unity of the Holy One of Israel 2 You may remember I have already elsewhere in this Epistle clearly demonstrated the horrible fallacy and absurdity of that old error of three distinct persons or spirits and but one God from these words For there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father Son and Holy Ghost and these three are one 3 My spiritual and literal brethren also that have any desire in you to know the truth take special notice of this thing there is not one positive record in Scripture that affirmeth the God of Heaven and Earth to consist of three persons 4 Was not the eternal Jehovah called the Holy One of Israel in the Law 5 Was not the eternal Jesus called the Holy One in the Saints time of the Gospel 6 Is not Jesus called a consuming fire in the Gospel as well as Jehovah in the Law 7 Hath not Jesus attributed unto him the Titles of a Creator Ancient of Days Everlasting Father Mighty God or Redeemer and such like as well as Jehovah 8 Was not all divine honor glory praise might or dominion by men and angels in as full a maner ascribed unto Jesus as Jehevah 9 Doth not the Scripture say that the Holy One of Israel will not give his glory to another and yet you know Christ Jesus had all glory from men and Angels given unto him who then is that eternal Jehovah but the everlasting Jesus and what is that eternal Jesus but the everlasting Jehovah 10 Before the eternal Jehovah became Jesus in flesh was not his invisible Spirit the everlasting Father 11 Was not that fiery glorious body wherein God the Father had his heavenly habitation that eternal Son of God 12 Was not the Holy Ghost that Almighty Word that proceeded through his heavenly mouth when his holy Spirit mov'd him to speak 13 Is not this Trinity in Unity or Unity in Trinity more agreeable to the Holy One of Israel then any other Trinity whatsoever unto all men which acknowledge but one eternal Being 14 What difference is there between the holy Names of Father Son and Spirit and Lord Jesus Christ was it any thing else but one and the same Godhead person in a three-fold condition appearing unto men 15 Again if need be will not the Names of Father and Lord bear one sense The names of Son and Jesus signifie one thing and may not the Titles of Christ and Spirit be of one signification also 16 Doth not the word Lord signifie divine protection and doth not the
word Father bear the same sense 17 Doth not the word Jesus signifie a Savior and doth not the word Son bear the same sense and doth not the word Christ signifie Chrystal clearness or anointing and doth not the word Holy Ghost bear the same sense 18 If this be truth which none can gainsay but men as yet under spiritual darkness what difference is there then between the word Father Son and Holy Spirit and Lord Jesus Christ Are they not onely names words or titles in relation to the onely wise immortal invisible distinct glorious God-man blessed for ever and ever in himself and honored onely of men and angels unto whom he is made manifest 19 Though the eternal Jehovah had variety of divine Titles for the exaltation of his infinite Majesty under the legal or ceremonial worship of Moses and the Prophets was he ever own'd by any more then one name of glorious God or Holy One of Israel 20 If he had contained of three divine Persons or Spirits in coequal Godhead glory can any man be so sensless to think that he would have hid it from Moses and Aaron Abraham David and all those Prophets with whom he was so familiar in divine appearances or wonderful miracles 21 If the Most High and Mighty Jehovah was but onely one spitual person in the times of Moses and the Prophets which none can gainsay but men in Egyptian darkness are not those men at present utterly ignorant of the onely wise God which endeavor by literal violence to perswade themselves and others that the Holy One of Israel is three persons because he is called by a three-fold name in the New Testament 22 You know in Scripture a man is called soul body and spirit though he be but one person 23 Also you may know that men in highest places are called by a three-fold Title as namely Kings excellent Majesty or the like 24 Though they attribute to themselves never so many honorable Titles to manifest their earthly greatness that they might be dreadful in the spirits of earthly minded people yet you know they are but one person onely 25 So likewise though the eternal Jehovah be called by a three-fold name of Father Son Spirit or Lord Jesus Christ or though he hath never so many divine Titles attributed to him for exaltation of his infinite Majesty within the spirits of his redeemed ones yet you may know that he can be no more then one glorious being onely 26 You that are truly spiritual may know why the God of glory called himself by a three-fold name because no man by humane learning should by the letter of the Scripture truly know what the Holy One of Israel is or was that God alone might have all the praise or glory in revealing himself unto mankinde 27 Christ Jesus the Holy One of Israel called himself by a threefold name in reference to a threefold maner of appearance to his elect Israelites 28 In his first appearance unto Moses and the Prophets he was pleased to manifest himself by the Divine Titles of Jehovah the mighty God of Jacob the Holy One of Israel and such like 29 When the God of Glory abased himself in flesh in the form of a servant answerable unto that second appearance unto his chosen ones you know he called himself Jesus the Son of God the son of man the Savior and such like 30 Jesus Christ the Holy One of Israel being ascended into the throne of his former glory now in his third and last appearance he is pleased to call himself by the names of holy Ghost or Spirit because of his immediate spiritual teaching of his redeemed ones 31 Or thus the onely God may be understood a spiritual Lion in the days of Moses and the Prophets a divine Lamb in the days of Christ and the Apostles a heavenly Dove in these our days of confused darkness 32 Or thus the Holy One of Israel may be described the eternal Jehovah in the Law the eternal Jesus in the Gospel the eternal Spirit in this age 33 And yet but one onely distinct personal Majesty even from eternity to eternity 34 Though the Lord of Life and Glory commanded his Apostles to Baptize those of the Faith in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost yet you know their miracles were done by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ 35 Whatever any literal monger shall object you that are spiritual may know that the Lord Jesus Christ and Father Son and Spirit beareth but one sence 36 Jesus Christ the Holy One of Israel called himself by a threefold name of Father Son and Spirit in relation unto his threefold witness on earth in the words following which are these and there are three which bear witness in the earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one CHAP. XX. 1 No title of honor ever attributed but to a Person 2 Who it was that Christ prayed unto in the days of his flesh 3 The Creator distinct from all his Creatures 4 Of Gods Oath concerning his Transmutation into pure flesh and bone MY spiritual brethren because all true and lasting peace wholly depends upon a right understanding of the onely wise God and because most of the heirs of glory are not clear in their understandings concerning his personal Majesty though much hath been declared to that purpose in this Epistle already I shall write distinctly concerning the Creator and his immediate commissionate Messengers or Embassadors from these two threefold Scripture Records 2 You know that in Scripture Records as beforesaid a man is called by a threefold name of Soul Body and Spirit as if he contained of three distinct essences yet you know that in the originality of nature he is but one distinct personal being 3 So likewise though the onely wise God in Scripture Records be called by a threefold name of Father Son and Spirit or Lord Jesus Christ as if he contained of three distinct essences yet you which are spiritual may know that he is but onely one distinct glorious person in form like a man 4 If an earthly Monarch did not possess a distinct body could there be ascribed any honorable titles of Emperor King or such like unto him at all 5 If the eternal Majesty were not a distinct person what holy names could be attributed unto him in the least 6 Is it names words or titles makes a King to be or gives being to an Emperor without a natural person 7 Is it divine words names or titles makes a God to be or gives being to a Divine Majesty without a spiritual person 8 Yow know that all the honorable titles in this world to be vain and of none effect if there were not the person of a man to ascribe them unto 9 You may know that all honorable titles concerning a divine Majesty would also be of none effect if there were not a spiritual person to attribute them unto or unless they were
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
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
the God of Heaven and Earth without a voice of distinct words to the hearing of the ear from the everliving God 11 Or can he possess any true joy or peace of conscience in his prophetical declarations without such an immediate commission from the true God as beforesaid 12 Again though Spirit Blood and Water by the wisdom of God sweetly agree within the body of a healthful man yet you know that they are of contrary natures to one another 13 For the soul or spirit of man is an absolute mortal fire within the blood and the water which by vertue of its fiery nature qualifieth the blood and the water according to their capacities 14 Through which they are so sweetly composed that unanimously they give natural life and strength through the whole man in so much that the one cannot live without the other though they are of contrary natures 15 Thus through the secret decree of the divine Majesty there is a marvelous trinitary mystery within the natural body of man 16 But very few men understand it for want of the prophetical spirit of David in them who cryed out with exceeding admiration of the Creators wisdom saying I am fearfully and wonderfully made 17 So likewise you may know it is with these three commissionated witnesses of the divine Majesty in earth 18 For though all three proceeded from one and the same spirit of truth and all bear Record unto onely one distinct personal God-man glorified yet in the maner of their declarations concerning the worshipping of the Holy One of Israel they differ and are as contrary as fire blood and water which are without the body of men 19 But in the spirituality of their administrations concerning invisible worshipping of the Lord Jesus Christ they harmoniously agree as one soul like unto spirit blood and water within mans body as aforesaid 20 If any man should ask why the Holy One of Israel hath put such a vast difference between the administrations of his three witnesses in earth To this from the Holy Spirit I answer by way of Quere Is it not to blinde the eyes of the wise and prudent men of this world that from their strength of reason in Scripture records they may war against the pure light of life within the witnesses of the God of all saving truth 21 That they may remain in their rational darkness of unbelief wherein they were born and so everlastingly perish for want of that â—ew and true birth of the fiery glorious Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ 22 Is it not also that God alone may receive all the honor power praise and glory from his redeemed ones in the revealing his true witnesses or Prophets unto them by his eternal spirit through which they attain to the right understanding of the very true God and the glorious things of eternity declared by his own chosen messengers 23 And so are made to receive those divine truths in the purity of them by loving of them above the gain or glory of this conceited periâ—hing world 24 Moreover do they not thereby enjoy an invisible seal of an assurance of the eternal immortality of their persons at the visible appearing of the divine Majesty of the Son of man 25 That most infinite glorious God with all his mighty Angels Moses and Elias at that dreadful day when all time shall vanish immediately and eternity onely seize upon all mankinde in their several persons 26 Again if water blood and fire without the body of man be mixt together being of contrary conditions or natures you know they cease not contending until they have conquered one another 27 Also you know blood is too strong for water and fire too powerful for blood so likewise you may know it is with the three commissionated witnesses of God in earth Moses the Apostles and two last Witnesses 28 Though they unanimously agree in bearing record unto onely one distinct personal God of all saving truth as spirit water and blood sweetly accord within the healthful body of a mortal man as aforesaid 29 Yet you may know that in their visible worship they are at warfare with each other until they have obtained victory one over another 30 That the present immediate spiritual wisdom of the divine Majesty might bear rule in the consciences of the chosen Jewels of immortal crowns and not that which is past 31 Wherefore when that Gospel administration of blood appeared you know that the Apostolical Commissioners thereof did with all their power preach against all Mosaicall observations of Jewish circumcision new Moons or abstinence from meat drinks or any kinde of Sabbattical Ceremonies whatsoever to be vain and of none effect and contrary to the Spirit of Christ 32 Thus you that are enlightned from on high may see that that spiritual wine of the everlasting Gospel in the chosen of God transmuted all watery Ceremonies into its own spiritual substance even as water being mingled with blood is converted into its own nature 33 Moreover since the appearing of the two last Witnesses of the eternal spirit you may know that all Apostolical ordinances imitated by men called Ministers of the Gospel are counterfeit Apostles which take upon them to Preach Pray Baptize with water break bread lay on hands or any such like without a commission from on high 34 Whether for silver or honor or a name amongst men under pretence of conscience unto a God which they truly understand not nor desire to know 35 From the true God I say again you that are spiritual may know that these idol Shepherds and their imaginary formalities are now become vain and contrary to the heavenly breathings or incomes of the glorious Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ God-man glorified 36 Thus in what soul soever this divine worship of the true God powerfully appeareth it immediately transmutes all Apostolical formalities into invisible spiritualities of glorious joys 37 By vertue of an heavenly intercourse between the divine spirit and the poor soul that is acquainted with his heavenly voice or still motions 38 Again if divers men appear as Witnesses or Prophets immediately sent forth by a powerful commission from the everliving God are there not certain divine seals to distinguish between those Embasladors which are infallible and them that are but fallible 39 My elect brethren is it not the property of a commissionated Witness of Christ Jesus at the first appearance of God unto him to desire the Most High that he would passe him by and make choice of any other to be his Embassador unto his people 40 Furthermore in the maner of his spiritual declarations unto the most wisest natural men doth he not appear not onely seemingly quite contrary unto the Lords former witnesses but also as the most blasphemous simple base fellows that ever appeared in the name of the Lord 41 But of the contrary for the most part in men that are deceived is there not a strong desire in their fleshly spirits
to be a spiritual witness of the Lord 42 And upon that account will not the least appearance within them or without them stir up their spirits to go or run before they were sent 43 Moreover for want of a true commission by voice of words from the God of heavens and earth do they not declare marvellous natural things that shall suddenly come to pass or spiritual voices of power within them with many lying signs and wonders suitable unto the nature of man 44 Through which the most wisest rational men are not onely out-witted by them but subject to become one with them 45 Furthermore for want of spiritual declaration to witness in the consciences of the people of pure light language and life that they are from the unerring spirit do they not deceive their own tosticatd spirits by taking upon them to act over anew the former actions of the true Prophets or Witnesses or high Priests of the Holy One of Israel 46 Doth not this demonstrate those to be the commissionated Witnesses of the unerring spirit that are indued with a divine gift to write a volume as large as the Bible and as pure a language as that is with as much variety of matter without looking in any writing whatsoever or having any real contradiction in it 47 Again if men are endued with a divine gift to remonstrate the real grounds of the invisible things of eternal glory and shame appointed for two worlds of people when time is no more is not this a clear manifestation unto the elect Israelites that those men are the immediate Witnesses or Prophets of the eternal spirit 48 But on the contrary if men pretend to be Prophets high Priests or Kings of Israel by an immediate power from the eternal Jehovah and yet are ignorant of the invisible things of eternity 49 Is not this a clear manifestation unto all that have any divine light in them that such men are but spiritual counterfeits 50 If men by a divine gift unto those that have any light of life eternal shall make an undeniable discovery of all sorts of spiritual counterfeits in the world is not that a real evidence of the infalibility of their commission from the Holy One of Israel 51 On the contrary if men are so far from a true discovery of all spiritual counterfeits that they can shew no sensible divine grounds of their own commission from above is not that a clear manifestation unto all that are truly enlightned that they are persons under spiritual deceits 52 If all sober men in general upon the perusal of this epistle shall in their consciences be convinced that concerning the invisible things of eternity this is the clearest discovery that ever their eyes beheld and yet but very few of them shall dare to own the penmen thereof for fear of loosing their present enjoyments of fleshly honor profit or pleasure amongst men 53 Is not this a clear demonstration unto the chosen of God that this book was penned by the infallible witness of the eternal spirit in the glorified person of our Lord Jesus Christ 54 Whom men durst not own when he was on this earth for fear of being excommunicated of their vain glorious Synagogues or because of many hard sayings unto mans reason spoken through his gracious and unerring mouth 55 So much at present concerning the chosen Witnesses Prophets and Apostles sent forth by the eternal spirit unto the sons of men to bear record unto the man Christ Jesus the Lord from Heaven the onely wise God and alone everlasting Father against all gain-sayers that ever were are or shal be from these Scripture words And there are three which bear witness in the earth the spirit the water and the blood and these three agree in one 56 Crowns of eternal glory are prepared for those men and women which are not onely preserved from despising things that seem strange unto them but are also made with patience to wait upon the Holy Spirit for his discovery of them CHAP. XXVIII 1 No reason in Angel or men can be satisfied in it self without revelation from the Creator 2 God created reason 3 Yet it was not of his own nature 4 Infiniteness is to create persons and things differing from his own nature 5 Though all Creatures werâ— made by God yet they came not out of him but by the word of his power 6 No creature spiritual or natural can be said to be the image of God but man onely 7 It is the property of reason to promise obedience to God by his Prophets but perform none 8 Why the Angels are called mighty AGain because of the endlesness of that Serpentine reason in man continually warring against the innocent Dove of plain truth proceeding from the eternal spirit of a glorified Christ 2 Therefore I shall write again concerning the vast difference between the nature of angelical reason and the nature of divine satisfaction in it self utterly unknown to men or Angels until it be his pleasure to impart the inshining glimpses thereof into their shallow comprehensions 3 Though the spirits of the mighty Angels are pure reason yet you that are spiritually quick may know that their undefiled reason would immediately become all rebellious imagination against the Creators glory if it were not continually supplied with inspirations from his eternal spirit 4 Is the nature of the most piercing reason that is any thing else but meer desire 5 Where any desire abideth is there not a want of something desired and where any thing is wanting can that spirit be fully satisfied in it self 6 Again seeing the pure spirits of the mighty Angels are but rational and the most excellentest reason that is but meer desire and desire a want of inward satisfaction and where such satisfaction is wanting in it self there can be no true peace enjoyed or continuance one moment in its present purity 7 What spiritual power is there in the most piercing reason that can be 8 Is it any thing else but a meer desire that it might be partakers with the glorious purity of that spirit that gave its sensible being 9 Hath it any power at all to desire after wisdom love or any kinde of divine excellency in the least from its own rational nature If this be truth which no spiritual or sober rational man can deny are not those men under deep darkness which say the divine nature of God himself is pure reason onely 10 If the most purest reason in its own nature be nothing els but unsatisfactory desire is it possible think you that spirit should have one thought or motion of reason inherent in his nature whose divine vertues are all transcendent satisfaction in it self 11 Some men may say unto me Could the divine Majesty create a rational living spirit and yet have none of that life or rational nature living in himself 12 You may remember I have written upon this point already in the creation of Angels yet for a
further convincing or confounding of that Luciferian reasoning in the learned men of this world against the infinite power wisdom or glory of the Creator I shall speak somewhat from the Lord Jesus in answer to this curious Quere 13 You may know that all things are possible and very easie for an infinite Spirit to bring to pass when his glory moves him to do it 14 You may also know that though the eternal Spirit be infinite yet it hath no power to do any thing at all except his Glory moves him to it or against its own glory 15 I confess it is not onely contrary to reason but far above all reasons reach truly to understand the mysteries of the Creation or Redemption of the mighty Jehovah or everliving Jesus 16 What is the height or depth of the purest rational comprehension in men or angels concerning the glorious things of eternity Is it any thing else but either strength of memory or excellency of speech or swiftness of understanding in comprehending all words whatsoever whether they are uttered according to acuteness of sense or no but for a true understanding of those heavenly things signified by those divine words it knoweth nothing at all in the least 17 You know it is written With thee is a well of Life and in thy light shall we see light Here you see that David did not attribute the sight of that light of the well of life unto his rational comprehension but unto the divine light which he received from the well of life eternal 18 So likewise you may understand that the holy Angels themselves do not comprehend that inspired light of life in them by their own rational purity but by vertue of the glorious in-comes themselves proceeding from the divine nature of the eternal spirit 19 So that you that are spiritual may clearly see that neither men nor Angels are capable to comprehend divine truths by any rational comprehension whatsoever 20 But onely by vertue of divine words or motions received from the spirit of an infinite Majesty of all glorious truths which are eternal 21 If the divine Majesty could not by the power of his word speaking into some substance distinct from him as well create sensible and insensible living beings of variety of natures contrary to his own heavenly nature as produce sensible beings of his own divine nature how could be possibly then be infinite 22 If the most High God should have inherent in his own spirit somewhat of every nature that he hath created how could he then be all variety of nothing but infinite purity in himself 23 Or how could there be any spiritual Creator at all but perishing nature onely as over-wise men blindly imagine 24 I would gladly have you that are spiritual-minded to understand this divine secret Though every thing that have life had its original from the Creator yet all spirits whose natures are opposite to the divine Glory were without him and not within him and so were eternally distinct from his most pure spirit 25 From eternity he perfectly foresaw all those spirits alive in their own elements though they were nothing but senâ—less confused matter in themselves and when his divine pleasure moved him to make them appear into distinct living beings you may know that it was none of his divine nature but a powerful word onely commanding those spirits to come forth out of secret death or darkness and manifest themselves according to their several properties into distinct living beings in the visible sight of themselves and elect men and angels as manifestations of his eternal decree 26 Wherefore you know in the forming of the man Adam it is recorded that God said Let us make man in our image but you never read or heard that any other creatures were made in the image or likeness of God besides them 27 You know it is written that Christ took not on him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham why did not the Creator take on him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham you that are spiritual may know it was because the one was created or renewed into his own image or spiritual likeness and the other was in his nature quite contrary to the divine Majesty 28 If the angels spirits had been of the divine nature how could it be said that Christ took not on him the angelical nature 29 But it may be objected that those words were spoken in relation to Christs fleshly part To that I answer Was not Christ both God and man in one person and was not his divine spirit and natural flesh one bodily essence after his Godhead was transmuted into pure manhood 30 Though the unchangeable glory of the Creator was wholly transmuted into a body of flesh blood and bone that sinful mortals might behold their God face to face and live 31 Yet you may know that the nature of his spirit in respect of its divine purity neither was nor possibly could be changed but onely his infiniteness was laid down in flesh for a season for the fulfilling of Scripture prophesies 32 Again if Christ took not on him that Angelical nature of pure reason what then think you will become of all rational wise men which understand nothing but what is visible unto the eyes of earnal flesh 33 If the eternal spirit of the Creator hath no Angelical reason in his divine nature some men may say unto me How will you answer that Scripture where the Creator saith unto the Jews Come let us reason together 34 As to that you may know when that Scripture was spoken that the Lord did not talk with the Nation of the Jews in his own person but in the persons of his true Prophets which were sent to convince those stony-hearted Jews by declaring the glorious God and his spiritual truths unto them in the ballance of their own reason 35 You know is it written that the Israelitish Jews cryed out Let not God speak to us any more lest we die and it was granted unto them that he would not speak unto them any more in his own person as they desired therefore you may know that the Lords reasoning with the Jews was onely by his Prophets which were rational men like unto themselves 36 If the Creator himself seemeth to reason with any man is it any other wayes but to confound the wisdom of unclean reason in man by way of quere and such like as Christ the onely God often did to the Jews in the days of his flesh 37 You know it is written that Christ wept over Hierusalem and the Jewish Nation saying How often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not behold as he was a man he wept over the unbelief of their bloody minded spirits but as he was a God he rejoyced at their damnation in relation unto his eternal decree 38 Is not this answerable unto those sayings of
let us make man in our image according to our likeness so likewise in the following words you may see the plural number converted wholly into the singular number of one divine glorious being in those sayings Thus God created the man in his image in the image of God created he him he created them male and female 11 Doth not these trinitary expressions themselves unto all men that have any spiritual light in them clearly discover the confused darkness of any kinde of personal trinity whatsoever 12 Can three persons in equal power wisdom and glory possibly be but one God 13 Is not three in number absolutely three How then or by what diabolical Logick canst thou make three beings appear to be but one divine essence 14 Three distinct persons as beforesaid cannot possibly be less in number then three Gods unless two of them in number be removed that there may remain but one personal God alone that none may share with the Holy One of Israel in his infinite wisdom power and glory if this be not good sence let men or Angels reprove me with better 15 I have better thoughts of thee that thou shouldst imagine the Creator to be three persons united together in one divine bulk or being and to think that he by his infinite power might disunite his divine Trinity and send two of them forth for a season unto the sons of men as he saw occasion and so to return unto the divine essence 16 I confess these and many such like gross absurdities concerning the Creator every man is subject unto until his understanding be enlightned from on high by the Holy One of Israel himself 17 Because Millions of people lye under deep darkness in many Nations concerning the right understanding of the Trinity of the onely true God in unity through the deceit of antiquity of custom proceeding from the Orthodox Ministers of the Gospel so called therefore I am compell'd to use many words in this most needful point 18 If through a sober and mock perusal of this Epistle thou attain to know there is an eternal being of beings and truly to understand this glorious Creator to be but one personal Majesty thou wilt then as clear as the light it self not onely see the miserable confused darkness of those men that say there is no God but in mens consciences onely or that say there is no God at all but perishing nature but thou wilt also see all men that are ignorant of this one personal Majesty which come forth in the name of the Lord but meet deceived persons though they speak like Oracles or Angels 19 Again because many upright souls for want of clear distinction in them of the invisible God of eternal glories are subject to continual doubts of being deceived through the variety of pretended appearances in his most Holy name therefore in the next place I shall write in a comparative way upon those sayings let us make man in our image according to our likeness 20 If a mighty earthly Prince have secret thoughts of acting a thing of concernment in relation to his honor you know with advice of his privy Counsellers it is usual for him to say It is our Royal pleasure to do such a thing or we think fit so to do or let us do suâ—h a thing or we rejoyce in your welfare as our own and such like 21 So likewise when the King of Glory was moved to create a thing of concernment from his spiritual privy Councel it was most requisite for him to say let us make man in our image after our likeness 22 Again if he intendeth to do some ordinary thing by vertue of his Royal pleasure in reference to his honor you know not taking advice of his privy Councel he speaketh in the singular number altogether as namely I will such a thing to be or let it be so and such like 23 So likewise when the King of Glory created things for his honor that were not of his divine image or likeness those creatures being at a distance and of lower concernment to him you know he spake altogether in the singular number onely as if he had not formed them from his unsearchable Councel as namely let such a thing be or let it be so or the like 24 Again if a King for his highest honor from his most eminent Councellors having no heir is moved to set his Royal stamp upon a man as to be called by the name of the blood Royal and to be the next man in the kingdom to the King you know the thing being of so near concernment unto him he thinks he can never speak too much or home enough in the thing for the taking upon the spirits of his subjects therefore he will say Let us make such a man our heir or it is our Royal pleasure to make that man our kinsman and ruler over our whole kingdom next to our self and the like 25 So likewise as beforesaid the creating of man being of the highest and nearest concernment unto the King of Glory that his wonderful wisdom and love in the thing might operate not onely upon spiritual men but also in the mighty Angels themselves the glorious Creator with a fulness of speech from the depth of his invisible Councel said let us make man in our image or in our likeness because until man was made he had formed nothing in his own likeness but the contrary altogether as abundantly beforesaid 26 Again you that are renewed from on high with the image of Christ may know that one chief ground that moved the divine Majesty to say Let us make man in our image it was because he did eternally purpose to become a spotless man of flesh blood and bone himself 27 So that the word us had relation unto a twofold condition of that spiritual man the King of Glory himself therefore they were spoken in the plural number let us make man in our own image and such like 28 Another ground why the divine Majesty said let us make man in our image was this because the glorious Creator himself from eternity was a spiritual person in the likeness of the man Adam 29 The chiefest ground of all why the divine Majesty said lâ—t us make man in our own image was this because the infinite Majesty and the man Adam was to be of so near a union both spiritually and naturally 30 Therefore the God of eternal Glory was compelled to disrobe himself of his infiniteness by transmuting of it into flesh on this earth that from his divine self he might purchase for elect mankinde in that body of his flesh personal Crowns of God-like glory in the highest heavens with himself and his mighty Angels 31 Heaven descended into earth that earth might be made capable to ascend into heaven 32 God himself became very man except sin on earth that very man himself might become the very God in the high heavens and that elect mankinde except
sin may be all like God himself in the heavens also in their several divine measures at the personal appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds of heaven with all his holy Angels 33 Was not this one end also why the Holy One of Israel spake in the plural number saying let us make man in our image that the learned men of this world should not onely blinde their own eyes but also become that scarlet whore that sits upon many waters making the nations continually drunk with their spiritual witchcraft of trinitary Merchandizing lies that they may be justly condemned in their own consciences in that day when our Lord Jesus Christ shall say unto them Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know ye not or I sent you not ye preached in my name onely for silver and honor among men and ye persecuted my Prophets to the death because they discovered your lâ—arned deceits unto my people from your own subtile imaginations you made laws to stop all mens mouths as Blasphemers Hereticks Seducers Deceivers of the people or disturbers of the civil peace and such like that you onely might usurp lordship over all mens consciences persons and estates that could not bow down to your Idolatrous inventions you laid snares to entrap all those that you suspected mâ—ght impede your vain glorious decrees you lived in secret lusts and pleasures upon the ruines of my innocent people and flattered the ignorant what pains you took in studying after sparitual things for their souls health you made use of my holy Name onely as a cloak to hide all your subtilties from the deceived people you blinded their understandings with your Sabbattical Ceremonies of long prayers and lifting up your eyes and hands towards heaven as if you had been purity it self notwithstanding your hearts were full of covetousness and your fees swift to shed innocent blood you offered up your bloody fasts and feasts unto me for a sacrifice of acceptation of your doings as if I were like unto your selves to be perswaded by goodly words to justifie all your unrighteousness you pretended my glory in all your imaginary formalities but it was your own honor principally you sought from the people and death unto you to loose it earthly riches honor beauty unsatiable pleasures long life and such like were your onely joyes you have had this your desired Paradise already and my poor people have suffered their hell in your heaven and now must you suffer your eternal pain and shame and they must possess everlasting joy and glory 34 So much at present why the God of Glory spake in the plural number in the next place I shall in some measure shew what that image of God in the creating of man doth signifie CHAP. XXX 1 How God made man in his own image or likeness 2 The soul of Adam was of the same divine nature of God 3 Not of the nature of the Angels 4 Of the created vertues in Adams soul 5 Adam did not know of his power to stand or fall 6 The breath of life which Adam had received from God dyed THe Scripture declareth what condition man was formed in in these words thus God created the man in his image in the image of God created he him 2 After the man was compleatly made in the similitude of his Creator the Scripture tells you then what substance he was created of in those words the Lord God also made the man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man was aliving soul 3 You that are spiritual may know in the creating of man that the Lord God spake the word onely into the dust of the earth and immediately the vertue of that word brought forth a living man of pure flesh blood and bone like unto God himself as near as possibly could be 4 It was not the visibility of their persons that differ in the least but the glory of them onely 5 The one was an infinite spiritual body in all parts perfectly holy and the other was a finite natural body of perfect innocency resembling that divine form as aforesaid 6 You know I have abundantly shewed the impossibility of the least motion of reason to be inherent in the nature of God therefore I would have you to understand though Adams body being made of dust and appointed for generation was but natural yet his soul was not rational but super-natural or divine Why because it was formed according to the invisible glory of the eternal spirit 7 Therefore you may understand that if the soul of Adam had been rational in its creation then it could not have been divine but of an Angelical desiring nature onely of unsatisfaction in it self 8 Again you spiritual ones may understand that that divine soul in Adam which was created after the likeness of the eternal spirit did consist of several heavenly properties in its measure answerable unto those divine qualifications in the glorious Creator above all measure 9 What were those created vertues in Adams soul It was an invisible spiritual light and life called wisdom faith love righteousness meekness patience and such like 10 Though his soul could be nothing at all without its several properties and though those qualifications were all in a heavenly harmony yet this I would have you to take notice of that joy of soul that Adam did possess arose in him from one divine voice onely called the spirit of faith which was all satisfaction in himself with his present condition not having the least thought of any happiness beyond what he enjoyed already 11 As the divine nature of the eternal spirit was variety of infinite satisfaction in it self so likewise the soul of Adam being composed of the very same qualifications was variety of heavenly satisfaction in it self also according to its measure 12 If the nature of Adams soul had been rational in his creation then through want of divine satisfaction in it self it would always have been desiring after something that he wanted like unto the elect Angels and us which have two contrary voices in one soul 13 You may know that the created nature of the soul of Adam could not possibly have any reason in it why because the very nature of reason is seriously to consider whether things be good or right that are propounded unto its understanding or no. 14 But of the contrary that spirit which without the least consideration perfectly knoweth the excellencie of a thing as soon as ever it is presented unto it as Adams did must needs be divine as Gods is and so super-rational though cloathed with pure nature onely 15 Again though the soul of Adam through the divine purity of its nature was immortal and uncapable of the least motion of any kinde of rebellion against the glorious spirit of its Creator yet because his body was natural and had its beginning of dust and so was subject to change or to
Adam and Eve after their transgression the which none can deny after so clear a demonstration of the Scripture seeds as this is except they be reprobates then without controversie that Serpent which was cursed for his evil deed was not without her but within her when he received that sentence by the mouth of the Lord and that seed or first-born of Eve called Cain was that cursed Serpent Angel himself clothed with flesh blood and bone in the form of a man 22 Who not being able to endure the sight of righteous Abel that blessed Seed or Son of God answerable unto that curse of enmity denounced against him in the womb of Eve his spirit was restless until he had manifested himself to be that old Serpent murthering lying devil and the father of all Cananitish murthering-minded men and women so frequently spoken of in Scriptures Not as Cain which was of that wicked one and slew his brother in the first Epistle of John chap. 3. He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man and the field is the world and the good seed are the children of the kingdom and the tares are the children of that wicked one and the enemy that soweth them is the devil Mat. 13. CHAP. XXXVI 1 Of the minde of the Spirit in the word Eating of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil 2 No true interpretation of the Scriptures but by immediate inspiration 3 Reason not capable of the mysteries of God 4 but Faith onely 5 No devils but men and women 6 No devil without man tempteth any 7 but the seed or lust of his own spirit WHat is the mind of the spirit by that word eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil from the light of life eternal to this I answer The most wise Creator called it eating for several respects 2 First you may be sure that the Lord God called it eating that neither men or Angels should know his secrets untill it was his divine pleasure that he might receive the praise and glory alone from all those that he should reveal them unto 3 The spirit of God called it eating because of the civility of that speech for the Scripture language is much like to a modest pure Virgin who is loth to have her secret parts mentioned in the least though they are as usefully in their kinde and as honorable being undefiled as any part of the body 4 And why are they honorable because the onely Lord of all life and glory hath honored them himself by his blessed birth 5 Moreover you know if a spiritual or natural thing be propounded to the understanding of a man or woman of which they have had no experience their spirits feeds upon it and considers the pleasure of it as much as possible may be before they consent to taste of it with the whole man 6 So likewise in the word eating you may know that the meaning of the Spirit of God was this that the soul of Eve should beware of harkning unto any other voice that was contrary unto that divine image or voice of the Spirit of God within her so that if she should hear the voice of a stranger she should not give way in the least unto that voice lest she should be overcome therewith 7 Again if the Spirit of God instead of saying unto Eve thou shalt not eat thereof should have said thou shalt not spiritually or naturally lust after any God or Angel but be content with what I have appointed for thee then indeed there would have been no need of any interpretation upon the words but as beforesaid the wisdom of God saw it most fit to act otherwise 8 Therefore what ever the learned men of this world dream of finding out the invisible things of eternity by searching into the Scripture Records and comparing them together the divine Majesty hath locked up all the principal secrets of the Scriptures in his own spiritual breast that he by any immediate inspiration may dispose of them into the spirits of elect men and Angels most advantagious for his own glory and their consolation 9 Therefore the sacred Scriptures runs not in the line of reason but in the line of faith inspiration or revelation according to those sayings in the Hebrews and other Records 10 By faith the divine work of creation and wonderful mistery of redemption was and is known with the immortal eternal glory and everlasting shame of mens persons in the end of the world 11 But of the contrary you shall never read in any place of Scripture that any man knew the things of eternal glory in the least by any kinde of rational comprehension whatsoever 12 I confess the natural reason of man is a very good handmaid if it be well qualified with the spiritual dame of divine faith for illustrating of the things of God unto weak comprehensions 13 But as for truly understanding the invisible things of God by the highest reason that ever was in man or Angel it is utterly impossible as abundantly beforesaid 14 Why because though the spirit of reason were never so pure yet you may know its nature is but desire onely after the knowledge of the divine nature of that spirit from whence it had its living being 15 But of the contrary spiritual truth or faith being of the very divine nature of God himself in what soul soever that heavenly seed is sown it springeth up in that spirit with variety of glorious consolations in reference unto life eternal by vertue of an intercourse with the eternal spirit from whence it came 16 Moreover I confess that a man that is endued with a Solomon-like gift of natural reason may be able to comprehend all words whether they are spoken in a good form sense or language or no and to be mighty in disputes about the glorious things of eternity 17 But as for his real understanding whether there were any such eternal things or no he hath no certain knowledge of that at all but his bare thoughts onely which equally weighed in that ballance it may be true or it may be false and all this is for want of an infalibility of truth it self 18 Therefore though the divine things of the eternal Majesty be nothing else but spiritual purity of infallible truth in themselves yet unto that rational wise man they are nothing but non-sensical blasphemy or lying tales till his reason is confounded in him by a true and heavenly faith 19 Again if there should be any evil Angels or Devils living in the air and a Devil amongst them called Belzebub the Prince of Devils what need any man trouble himself with the least fear of eternal death whatsoever wickedness is committed by him because if a man is tempted to evil by any Devil but what is in his own nature onely that evil spirit is to be eternally damned and the man to be set free 20 Nay moreover if sin or evil issued not from mans
unclean reason or lying imagination within him is it possible think you that any man should be so tormented as some men are with an inward burning through a secret fear of eternal sufferings rising in them from the guilt of former evils committed against the light of conscience 21 Furthermore seeing all men which live after the flesh must die or perish and that mans own lust is that imaginary Devil from whence proceeds all sin or evil without controversie though men or Angels should gain-say it there are now no other evil Spirits Angels or Devils but unmerciful men and women onely 22 Again if envy pride covetousness hypocrisie lust and such like be the Devil in man are not men and women those Devils that are under the power of those evils I would fain know from the learned men of this world whether there are any other evil Angels or Devils besides mankinde that lust after women or silver or honor or revenge or any kinde of evil whatsoever 23 Truly if those supposed wise men which talk so much 〈◊〉 subtilty of the Prince of the air that rules in the children of disobedience could possibly know that their own imaginary reason was that evil spirit or Prince of all their airy disputes concerning God Angels Devils Heaven Hell eternal glory or shame to come which they know not of according to truth 24 Then in stead of their rejoycing in the approbation of many men in relation unto their natural gifts their own spirits would immediately become the principle of all those howling groaning Serpent Devils spoken of in holy Writ even in the sight of elect men and Angels in this mortal life 25 Again is it not against all spiritual or rational sence that any Man Angel or Devil should suffer eternal damnation for the sins of another or for anothers tempting him to sin or evil 26 Moreover doth it not stand to very good sence that that creature that is left to himself to be tempted unto sin or evil and overcome thereby and remains under the power of it to his lives end should eternally suffer at the great day for his own sins and not for anothers iniquity 27 Wherefore is it not now one of the vainest things in the world for any man to think that there is any other evil Spirit Angel or Devil that tempts him to any motion imagination thought desire word or action of rebellion against God or man but that lying proud envious Devil living in his whole man as beforesaid 28 Therefore let no man that professeth spiritual light or life in him for very shame say that God can be tempted or tempt any man unto sin or evil neither let him say that any evil Spirit Angel or Devil in the air or earth or in the water or in the fire tempts him to commit any sin or evil but that air watery fiery fleshly Devil dwelling onely in his own body 29 I say let him know that that is the Prince of the air which through the abscenting vertue of the Holy Spirit begets those legions of Devils or lusts in the soul of man 30 And it is the true light of the Lord Jesus Christ in all his new born ones that crushes those Cockatrice Egs before they become Serpent Devils to sting the whole man with fears of eternal death 31 Those Devils which by the powerful word of the Lord Jesus were cast out of Mary Magdelen or any other creature spoken of in holy Writ were onely all maner of filthy diseases or fiery distempers in man that hurried him about any desperate wickedness whatsoever oftentimes increasing so powerfully that it did not onely occasion him to rend his own body and break iron chains 32 But also he is ready to tear any one in pieces until the Lord of glory shine into his distempered soul with that golden grace of true faith through which that imaginary Devil is chained up whereby all his fleshly goods were spoiled of ever having power in him as formerly and being now in his right minde at the glorious feet of the true Jesus through his own pure light leading him into heavenly raptures in reference unto his eternal glory at his visible appearing in the Clouds with all his mighty Angels CHAP. XXXVII 1 The prerogative power of God is above all Law 2 Why God cursed the fallen Angel in the womb of Eve 3 The Angels nature after his offence was not satisfied without being ruler SOme men may say unto me if it should be granted that that Serpent by whom Eve was beguiled was none of the trees of this Creation nor an evil spirit in the body of a natural Serpent as hath been long imagined by the learned Ministers of men but was an absolute Serpent Devil as is abundantly declared by you and that it entred into Eve and in her womb was pronounced cursed by the Creator and so naturally brought forth himself a cursed Cain of her seed what was this unto Eve or why should she suffer any kinde of punishment for being overcome by an enemy that was too mighty for her 2 From the light of life eternal to this I answer Concerning the enemy being too potent for her that was hid from her eyes by the unsearchable wisdom of the Creator 3 For you that are spiritual may know that the soul of Eve was not onely purely created in its kinde like unto Angels or other creatures but it was also of the very same nature of his most glorious spirit that formed it so that she could not be ignorant in the least that all obedience was most due unto her Creators command 4 Moreover you may know also that the Creator by the vertue of his Royal will for manifesting of his glorious power might give his creature a spiritual law of light and life in it self and yet reserve to himself the prerogative power of it 5 Furthermore you know the glorious Creator might present unto the view of his image a Serpent Devil for the trial of his workmanship and might upon pain of death forbid his creature of having to do with that tree or of hearkening unto it in the least 6 Also you know the Creator might leave his divine image unto its own present strength through which it might by a subtile enemy be tempted and overcome to commit evil with it against its Creators law and yet its sin be upon his own head 7 Why not onely because it rebelled against its own divine light but principally because there was no law to binde an infinite Majesty to protect it in its created purity 8 My beloved moderate brethren if men could forbear reasoning against the Creators prerogative power wonderful wisdom or ways which are past finding out then would they enjoy true and lasting peace in their own souls through deliverance from that conscience condemning evil of rash judging things they know not but this grace of patience is prepared onely for the blessed Israelites and not for scoffing
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
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
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
raign-mongers confess that Christ was God and man in one person and that that most blessed body of his is now glorified in the highest heavens 20 Do you not also pretend to believe that the divine person of this God-man glorified is infinite immortal unchangeable and eternal 21 Moreover if there be any such divine light or heavenly faith in your persons I would fain know whether you think it possibly that this mortal world or men can bear the presence of a divine Majesty whose body is become a consuming fire of immortal everlasting burnings without its being immediately consumed to ashes or transmuted into his own glorious likeness 22 O that all the elect did but know how suddenly this personal God will appear in his glory to consume this whole world 23 Again if you look in the 11. Chapter of the Hebrews you may finde it thus written All these died in faith and received not the promises but saw them afar off and believed them and received them thankfully and confessed that they were strangers and pelgrims on the earth for they that saw such things declare plainly that they seek a country and if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out they had leisure to have returned but now they desire a better that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed of them to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a city here you may see that Abraham himself was so far from expecting a personal raign of Christ on this earth though he believed that his seed should enjoy the promises of God both temporal and spiritual in their appointed seasons 24 Therefore he onely minded a personal ascending into the heavenly City of eternal glory prepared for him and his elect seed at the resurrection of the just 25 So that Abraham looked upon the promises of God that they were to enjoy in this world onely as types or shadows of that heavenly City or Kingdom with its ravishing excellencies as aforesaid 26 Moreover if that glorious God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob had intended a personal raign on this earth a thousand years with his Saints after his glorification in the highest heavens can any sober man be so weak as to think he would have hid it from Abraham whom he was pleased to call the father of the faithful and friend of God You know what is written shall I hide this thing from Abraham 27 Furthermore if the Lord in life or death had revealed any such thing unto Abraham the thing being of so great concernment can you possibly think that he would have hid it from his generation to come you may be sure if there had been any such thing to be accomplished he would have declared it to after ages 28 Seeing neither Abraham nor any of the Patriarks or Prophets knew of Christs personal raign on this earth with his Saints but spake as to the contrary altogether what sufficient ground hath any man in this world to expect such a thing 29 But how can it be otherwise when men takes upon them to interpret the mysteries of the Scriptures without an immediate Commission from the eternal spirit 30 Again the Scripture saith That the day of Christs appearing shall be like unto that of Noah and Lot now you know in the day that Noah entred into the Ark the flood came and by degrees destroyed them all 31 Also in that day Lot departed out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all 32 If the whole world was drowned with water immediately after Noah entred into the Ark and Sodom and Gomorrah was consumed by fire suddenly after Lot departed out of the City and the day of Christs coming shall be in like maner without controversie in stead of his personal raign on this earth with his Saints at his next appearing immediately after all his blessed Noahs and Lots are ascended into the Ark of his immortal glory this firmamental created heaven and the lights thereof shall be all on fire 33 And shall descend upon the face of the whole earth and burn all the fruits and glory thereof unto ashes but it shall not be so favorable as to consume the bloody minded men therein 34 If the Lord of Glory had purposed to come personally to raign a thousand years amongst his Saints before the general day of judgement is any man so weak as to think he would have hid it from his chosen Apostles whom he had promised to set upon twelve thrones to judge the twelve Tribes of Israel when he appeared again in his glory 35 Is there any one place in Holy Writ that expresly speaketh of Christs personal raign in this world 36 If there be no express record for any such thing as I am sure there is not doth not those men that hold forth such an opinion as this imitate little children or fools that reâ—oyce in Rattles or Counters in stead of gold or precious stones 37 Thou that art confident of Christs personal raign on this earth suppose such a thing should come to pass in thy days and thou shouldst be one of those Saints what condition dost thou think thy body shall be in 38 Dost thou think it shall live upon carnal things or shall it be immortalized and live upon spiritual things onely 39 Or if thou thinkest thy soul shall be in a divine condition and thy body shall feed upon natural things as now it doth and shall be in perfect health and free from diseases 40 I say if thou hast imagined such an estate as this is I would fain know of thee what condition thou thinkest that Christ will appear in 41 Dost thou think that he will descend from the throne of his Glory upon this earth amongst the sons of men again to eat and drink of carnal things with them as formerly 42 Or dost thou think that he will appear amongst them in a glorious condition to make them more happy in things that perish then now they are 43 If Christ should personally raign with his Saints what union or communion could they enjoy with him more then now they do unless he was in a capacity of eating and drinking with them or else they were delivered from feeding upon natural things themselves through their transmutation into his own glorious likeness 44 It is written in the 26. Chapter by St. Matth. I say unto you that I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I shall drink it new with you in my Fathers kingdom 45 Here you that are spiritual may see that Christ was so far from encouraging his Apostles to expect his coming to taste of the fruit of the natural vine in a personal raign with his Saints that he layeth it down as a positive rule that he would drink no more of the natural vine in this earth until he drank it in a new and spiritual way with them in his Fathers
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
the divine Majesty himself wherefore you spiritual ones may also know that that Gog and Magog that are gone forth to battel in the plains of the earth compassing the Tents of the Saints and the holy City are those Heathenish Magistrates and their bloody Priests that proceeded from cursed Cain through the loins of King Herod and his Priests and Scribes as beforesaid so that the dead men that lived not again until the thousand years were fulfilled are those Saints and holy City of God which at this time and to the end of all time do suffer cruel persecution for the testimony of a good conscience in all the Nations of the world 40 My beloved Brethren this is that spiritual raign of the first resurrection with Christ on this earth appointed in some measure for all men to drink which are delivered from that second death which is treasured up for all bloody minded Tyrants whatsoever 41 Thus you that are sober may clearly see that it was not a visible personal raign of Christ a thousand years with his Saints on this earth that John aimed at as many men have long imagined but it was a spiritual raign or suffering with him for his truths sake upon earth that when he appeareth in his glory with all his holy Angels then to raign with him in his Throne to all eternity in the third heavens 42 Now brethren I shall go on to prove his personal coming in glory according to the intent of his most holy Spirit from his own words CHAP. XLIII 1 Of the personal glory of Christs coming to judgement 2 No man hath so much faith as a grain of mustard-seed but Christ onely 3 Of spirits finite and infinite MY beloved brethren in the unerring spirit you may know there is a twofold appearing of Christs glory in his chosen ones as the glory of the Sun excels the glory of the Moon so these two glories transcend each other 2 Moreover you know the Moon appears in the brightness of her glory at one time and at another time she appears altogether like unto darkness or shame 3 So likewise it is with Christs appearing in glory to mens souls in this life sometimes by vertue of the in-comes of his eternal spirit the soul of man for a moment is transmuted into the glorious likeness of the divine Majesty himself 4 But at another time you know when none of these spiritual lightnings appear through some fleshly guilt the poor soul seems to be full of fearful darkness horror and shame as if it had never seen any light or life at all 5 So that you see all the glory of Christs appearing unto the spirits of men in this life is but a changeable Moon-like glory at the best 6 Therefore it can be but a spiritual type of this personal appearing of Christ in his judgement-seat glory with all his mighty Angels 7 Again you know the Sun is no way subject to change in the least but Gyant-like runs his course in four and twenty hours through the whole heavens and in one place or other appears in his glory unto the end of all time 8 So likewise you may know it is with this personal appearing of Christ in his glory with his holy Angels for in that day of his appearing the persons of his redeemed ones shall be nothing else but Sun-shine like divine glories in themselves and so run their heavenly course even to all eternity 9 Who ever thou art that is ignorant of this personal glory of Christs coming in the clouds or air with his elect Angels to make an eternal separation between the persons of the blessed Israelites and cursed Cananites though thou art full of seeming glorious expressions concerning a God or Christ living in mens consciences yet thou canst never be firmly established until thou knowest that personal God or Christ sitting in the throne of his infinite glory in the high heavens without thee from whence alone all inward light or life proceeds 10 I confess if a man become an innocent merciful spirit he may be able to speak such a language from a supposed God or Christ in mens consciences onely that may confound the seeming holiness of all Church fellowships in the world 11 But what advnatage is this to himself or his heirs except when he is confounded in the room thereof he doth not onely declare the effects of Christs truth in the minds of men but is able to demonstrate in some measure the personal appearing of Christ in his glory in the world to come 12 If the visible appearing of a glorified God or Christ in the person of a man be such a choak-pear unto thee or seem low or carnal because the national Priests confess such a like thing 13 I would fain know of thee by sober speaking or writing where thy God or Christ is become when thy soul and all thy light or life for a moment is become silent death or darkness with thy body of dust 14 Moreover if thou understandest not a personal God or Christ too transcendent glorious for Heavens Earth Angels or Men to be capable of the indwelling of his eternal spirit what is thy inward God or Christ thou discoursest so much about but pleasant words or perishing nature onely 15 Furthermore if thou knowest this wonderful secret concerning what a spirit is then wouldst thou certainly know how impossible a thing it is for any spirit whatsoever to possess a living being without a distinct body of his own 16 Again of what bigness dost thou think a spirit is whether it be finite or infinite give me leave to write a little of this strange thing from those sayings of Christ to his disciples in the 17. Chapter by St. Matthew the words are these For verily I say unto you for if ye have faith as much as is a grain of Mustard seed ye shall say unto this mountain remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove and nothing shall be unpossible unto you Behold is not a grain of Mustard seed a very little and yet you see Christ saith nothing should be unpossible unto that man that hath such a quantity of spiritual faith in him 17 Again it is written with God nothing shall be unpossible who then is capable to possess so much faith in him as will contain the quantity of a Mustard seed but Christ Jesus the God of Glory himself unto whom all things are possible that he is moved unto by that seed of faith which is the eternal spirit of his glorified person 18 Moreover if a spirit be in its quantity but as a grain of Mustard seed or a spark of fire how then is it possible for the Spirit of God Men or Angels to possess any sensible light life joy or glory but in their own bodies onely 19 Furthermore if this description of a spirit seem strange be it known unto thee the Lord hath made me to declare it for the confounding of that cursed error
of Gods essentially being in all things 20 Again if the eternal spirit should consist of so great a bulk how then can there be any God at all but nature onely 21 Or how can it possibly be an infinite spirit when it is not distinct to it self but is compelled to have its being in finite things onely this unknown bodiless God is much like unto the Star-gazers monstrous Sun and Moon aforesaid 22 Is not this infiniteness indeed for all the spirits of elect men and Angels to be filled with variety of divine glories with one word speaking from so small a fiery glory as this is 23 Who ever thou art that shall be left to despise this little spark of immortal Crowns which essentially raigneth in the man Christ Jesus alone it is because there is no true light of life in thee CHAP. XLIV 1 Of the great white Throne which John saw Revelation 20. 2 A mark of a Reprobate to desire miracles to make him believe the truth of a commission IN the 20. of the Revelation it is thus written And I saw a great while throne and one that sate on it from whose face fled away both earth and heaven and their place was no more found My spiritual Brethren though mens earthly mindedness and heavenly conceitedness will flye away and be no more foundâ— when the true light of life eternal is throned in their spirits yet from the unerring spirit I positively affirm that this place of Holy Writ had reference onely unto Christs personal appearing in his glory with his mighty Angels to make an eternal separation between the just and unjust 2 My Christian friends why did John call it a great white Throne which he spiritually saw It was because of the glorious brightness of the Judges face or person and his Angelical attendance and also because it was the dreadful general appearance of mankinde to receive their eternal dooms 3 You know when Christ was transfigured upon the Mount through which his face shone and his garments glittered the Texts saith that Moses and Elias appeared to him in glory 4 So likewise you may know that John called it a great white Throne as beforesaid because of the transcendent brightness of Christs person 5 What heaven and earth was that which fled away from his glorious face what ever men imagine to the contrary you that are spiritual may know that it was the dissolution of that heaven and earth that had a beginning as if it had never had any being I mean this visible firmamental heaven and earth and all light or life in them 6 Therefore where John saith their place was no more found that was spoken in reference unto their former natural brightness vertue beauty power or glory being translated into a Chaos of everlasting confusion 7 Again besides the glorious brightness of Christs person and his Angelical Host give me leave to write a little more of that great white Throne which John saw 8 You that are truly spiritual cannot be so grosly ignorant as to think that Christ hath no other Throne to inhabit in but his peoples spirits and this natural world onely why because that error ariseth out of the Atheistical hearts of fleshly men that hath no faith in the truth of Holy Writ 9 Moreover if mens spirits be but rationally sober though at present they be never so atheistical they may be convinc'd that there is another world besides this which is of a higher nature compassing this Globe round about and yet it is not global as this is onely there is no elementary Firmament Sun Moon nor Stars in it but it is an open place City Throne or Kingdom of infinite vastness in length breadth or height answerable to the person of an infinite Majesty 10 Also it is a Throne of exceeding whiteness or Sun-like brightness suitable unto the transcendent brightness of the Kings person that sits thereon and his glorious companions 11 Though the joy and glory of an earthly Prince consists chiefly in the greatness of his person power vast territories and honorable subjects for his safety yet for all this you know that his palaces are deckt with embroidered Ornaments of gold silver precious stones and such like for the further setting forth the mortal glory of his Princely Majesty 12 So likewise it is with the divine Majesty for though the variety of his infinite Godhead joy and glory principally is within his own person and Princely power over so innumerable a company of kingly companions 13 Yet you may also know that he hath a great Throne or Palace for the further setting forth of his visible glory decked with Ornaments of spititual brightness or immortal glittering whiteness as beforesaid 14 Do not all men that acknowledge a Creator whether they understand him to be a spirit or a person confess him to be boundless immortal unchangeable and eternal 15 You know this global world is not boundless in length height breadth or compass but is is surrounded with a firmamental heaven as with a brazen wall to keep it within its own station 16 Moreover if the eternal Majesty be infinite or boundless as he is I would fain know of any man how it is possible for a glorified infinite spirit or person to be contained in a finite bounded world 17 Though the Doves of divine glory are compelled for a season to live among the Tyrannical Serpents of this perishing world yet I would have you to understand that if an infinite or boundless God with his mighty Angels should have no other Throne to solace themselves in but this then in stead of spiritual liberty they would all be in natural bondage 18 If you ask me the reason of it you may know that the glorified person of God or Christ is of a motion swifter then thought and the persons of Moses Elias and the mighty Angels are of motion as swift as thought 19 Therefore no inclosed place can contain them but they must of necessity inhabit a Throne or Kingdom of infinite vastness for ascending or descending at the divine pleasure according to their motional swiftness 20 Again you spiritual ones may undoubtedly know that there is such a throne as I speak of why because this world cannot possibly contain our thoughts but they nimbly pierce through the heavens and in a weak measure they comprehend an infinite or boundless God and a Throne or Kingdom of an infinite circumference 21 If our bodies were answerable to our thoughts this world could not possibly contain them but they would ascend through the natural heavens to see whether there were such a vast kingdom of eternal glory as they had apprehended 22 I know all fleshly Atheistical minded men are apt to say unto me If they could see this infinite personal God and glorious white Throne I talk so much of then they could believe it 23 O how fain would finite carnal eyes behold infinite spiritual glories 24 Moreover they may say unto me
know the whole earth and all things therein had a curse upon them in one kinde or another 3 Furthermore you may know that this curse did in some measure extend unto the very souls and bodies of all creatures with the whole world throughout 4 Some men may say unto me Seeing the divine nature is all purity it self what was that curse upon the while Creation or whence came it seeing they were uncapable of sin or evil in the least From the unerring Spirit to this I answer It was not an infusion of any curse or evil into the natures of any thing by the Creator but it was a withholding the motions of its first created blessedness through which naturally it became barren or cursed in it self this was the fruit of unlawful lust 5 Moreover that you may clearly understand wherein the blessing or cursing of the Lord consists you may know that when he wholly denies the heavenly motion of his holy Spirit unto a man immediately that soul becomes nothing but cursed envy against all spiritual or natural purity whatsoever 6 So likewise when he denies the natural motions of his blessed Spirit unto any thing that he hath made it becomes subject to all kinde of putrifaction whatsoever this was that cursing of the Jews natural blessings and hardening of Pharaohs heart by the Lord spoken of in Holy Writ 7 Thus you that are sober may clearly see the ground of all spiritual or natural cursings in the whole Creation for though it was pronounced through the spiritual mouth of the Creator himself yet it could not possibly proceed from that word of the Lords speaking because of the glorious purity of his divine nature but that curse rose out of the natures of the creatures themselves for want of the motions of the spirit of God in them as beforesaid 8 Again you that are spiritual know that immediately after the Lord said an end of all flesh was come before him when Noah and his family and the Creation were entred into the Ark the whole world of lustful men and women and the glory thereof were destroyed by water now you know all that was in the Ark was secured from the raging waters through their ascending above the waters 9 Moreover you may know that the Ark and those creatures therein were not onely preserved for the increase of a new world but they were also a figure of a world to come 10 Furthermore the Ark it self had relation unto that Kingdom of Glory in the high Heavens which is too sublime to be overtopped by any natural water or sire whatsoever 11 The person of Noah who was made a Preacher of truth and righteousness to the unbelieving world did represent the person of that spiritual preacher of all truth and righteousness in the heavenly Ark beforesaid 12 Furthermore the other persons and creatures in the Ark had reference unto the salvation of the elect of God and the whole creation that are in being at the personal appearing of Christ in his Glory with his mighty Angels 13 The drowning of the whole world of ungodly men and the rest of the creation had relation unto the eternal condemnation of all Reprobate men in this world 14 The burning up of their natural delights wherewith they sport themselves in excess of riot and drunkenness little thinking of that eternal vengeance coming upon them 15 Again righteous Noah represented the divine judge of ungodly men in this because he entred into the Ark and by vertue of a great light in him he was made to sit as a judge in the consciences of wicked men when the waters rose upon them in the remembrance of their laughing him to scorn about his Ark and knowing his security in the Ark and their present destruction by water having no Ark of refuge to deliver them 16 Moreover as they sported themselves in fleshly filthiness and vain glorious mirth about him his Ark pure language and life 17 So likewise as a mighty Prince in his Chariot tramples rebellious subjects with delight under his horses heels he rode in his Ark as in a Chariot triumphing in the Lord for his own deliverance and their destruction under the feet of his Ark as a just recompence of their unrighteous deeds and despising the Lord and his truth which he had declared to them for a long season 18 As sure as the Lord liveth thus it will be very suddenly with this lustful bloody world that sports themselves about the resurrection of the dead and judgement day saying it is past already or there will never be any such thing for that righteous Noah the King of Glory will open the Firmament of Heaven and stand in the air with his mighty Angels surrounding his person and by the power of his word speaking as he raised Lazarus out of the grave 19 So likewise I affirm against men or Angels the very same person and no other which did that deed is that God that will by his word speaking command all his righteous Noahs both dead and alive bodily to a ascend into that holy Ark of eternal glory in the high Heavens and when they are safely arrived with the whole creation which according to their kinde groaned long for deliverance then as beforesaid that mighty God the man Jesus in glory with a flood of fire will burn all the beauty or glory of this world to ashes leaving all cursed Cananites bodies and spirits burning together like fire and brimstone upon this earth in utter darkness answerable unto their former burning lusts in their natural conditions 20 Moreover those men and women that glory of a God or Christ within them and what ever filthiness they act charge the most Holy Spirit with it I say from the Lord Jesus Christ though they scape the vengeance of men by their Satannical subtilties yet in the remembrance of their despisings of a glory or misery to come in that day the divine vengeance shall burn more fiery hot in their souls and bodies then all other men whatsoever 21 Then those that are ascended into the Ark of eternal glory with the Son of Man and his holy Angels shall sing that new song of all honor power praise and glory unto the Lamb that sits in the midst of the Throne for ever and ever not onely because they are delivered from the eternal vengeance 22 But also because the most Wise and Holy God hath rewarded those filthy despisers of his glorious truths according to what they did and would have done unto Christ and his redeemed ones 23 O blessed are those men and women that are not offended with these plain truths CHAP. XLVI 1 The last commissionated Prophet come into the World 2 No calling of the natural Jews to the profession of the true Jesus 3 Two sorts of Jews 4 Some remarkable signs of the approaching of the day of Judgement IF there be such a dreadful day of Christs personal appearing in his glory with his mighty
glorious truth that shall burn like fire and brimstone in them that despise it the words are these But the heavens and earth which are now are kept by the same word in store and reserved unto fire against the day of condemnation and of the destruction of ungodly men but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the heavens shall pass away with a noise and the Elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up looking for and hasting unto the coming of that day of God by the which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with heat a threefold cord is not easily broken 8 If any Hypocrite shall go about by his Serpentine Sophistry to tell you that are spiritually weak those sayings of Peter had relation to the burning up of the carnal heavens and earth in men through the glorious appearing of the eternal spirit you may with ease confute those notional cheats if you look back upon the ground of Peters sayings the words are these knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation for this they willingly are ignorant of that by the Word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the water and in the water whereby the world then was overflowed with water perished 9 Thus you that have never so little truth of the true Jesus in you may clearly see that the Apostle Peter in this threefold language had not the least thought in him concerning heavens and earth being burnt up within men but the burning up of the heavens and earth and the beauty vertue or glory thereof without man which were the fruits of mans handy-works why because you see the Apostle grounds his matter upon the drowning of an outward earthly world 10 Moreover you may also know that it was a burning up of a visible heaven and earth and the glory thereof meant by Peter why because the Apostle tells you that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming 11 Furthermore if it had been an invisible burning up the fleshly heavens in men onely what lustful man in the world would have scoffed at such a doctrine which did encourage him in his lusts rather then discourage him in the least 12 If you ask me the reason my ground is this because by lustful Serpents like himself he was perswaded that Christ will burn up mens lusts and save all their souls at the last and who can finde fault with such a burning doctrine or whaâ— bloody-minded man or woman in the world would not embrace a messenger of such tidings as this is 13 Again you may know I have written the truth by this token why because men that are guilty of almost all maner of lusts can go into Lumber street to hear men speak much concerning the glorious incoming of a spiritual Christ to burn up all their fleshly or heavenly conceitedness that they may see nothing in them but God onely triumphing on his Throne I say these or such like expressions the most filthiest of men can hear with delight 14 Moreover if you that speak in Lumber-street or else where should once attain to the foundation of all spiritual speaking and should be able knowingly to tell men of the sudden appearing of the Son of Man in Glory with his Angels to burn this visible world to ashes and to cause the spirits and bodies of men that glory in filthiness to burn as fire and brimstone together to eternity in utter darkness I am confident very few filthy persons would be able to hear you speak twice together and then you would soon have a thin Congregation and be as much affected as men are with us for what we speak in the name of the Lord. 15 What is the ground think you of so many dreadful fires this year in this City and other parts above the memory of man I know with Astrologian Sophisters you may impute it to Planets plot or peoples want of care but of the contrary I believe you Serpent sign-mongers will finde these fires came not meerly by natural causes but by a divine power as a forerunner of the eternal burning this world and all the natural glory therein to dust powder or dry sand as aforesaid 16 Moreover you know it is written Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power 17 Also it is written But our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Savior even the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself 18 Further it is written When Christ which is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory 19 My beloved friends who are possessed with a pure light language and life I am undoubtably perswaded in my soul that for a little season I have both tasted and seen within my spirit a greater measure of the eternal glory and shame to come then any creature now living in this world 20 Yet for all this and the continual supply which I receive from that fountain of glories I know that the most eminent appearances in these bodies of clay are but meer shadows in comparison of that glory and shame which many men shall possess when the Son of Man shall appear in his glory with his mighty Angels 21 If a man lie under the power of any lust how can that man be thought to have his part in the first resurrection because he that hath part in this first resurrection is both blessed and holy 22 Moreover doth not a first resurrection include a second resurrection how then can that man be thought to have part in this first resurrection which vainly boasts that he is possessed with the second resurrection of glory with a Christ already 23 Furthermore you see that the Apostle never boasted that he was glorified with Christ already neither did he expect any glory but rather continual shame until Christ did personally appear to change his vile body into the likeness of his glorious body Again you know it is written if we suffer with him then shall we also reign with him 24 Moreover did Christ reign on the Throne of his Glory with his Angels Moses and Elias till he had suffered under a thorny Crown of unutterable cruelties unto death it self and was risen from the dead 25 And art thou so bewicht as to think scorn to drink of thy Lord and Masters cup but Lucifer-like to
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
they may have no confidence in the strength of that light which is within them but that they may cast down the crowns of their spiritual confidences at the divine feet of his heavenly Majesty as the onely Author Protector and finisher of their eternal blessedness 11 So likewise it is with the elect also when they die in the Lord for though the light of Christ was given them as a seal of his eternal love that they might glory onely in the Lamb and be enabled to wear his Crown of thorns to their lives end as a preparative unto glorious Crowns at his appearing yet I would have you for whom these thorns and Crowns are prepared to understand because the life of all light or glory you possess are hid in the divine breast or book of life with Christ in God 12 Therefore when your soul comes to die all your spiritual motions must enter into death also until time be no more because the power wisdom and glory of Christ will be seen in this thing above all his former works 13 Again he being the onely light and life of men will not this be a Crown of glory to his infinite power seeing the spirits of mankinde are mixt together in the sea and earth in a marvelous manner yet by a word speaking he shall call his elect by name as he did Lazarus and they shall hear his voice and come forth of their graves as one man with distinct persons all glorious yet very flesh and bone and with those elect then living whose bodies shall be transmuted into glory also ascend as swift as thought to meet their God in the air and sit in Thrones of Judgement with him over all the Angels of darkness remaining in this destroyed world for everlasting 14 Moreover if that error of mens bodies dying onely and not ther souls could possible be true then no man could die or be put to death at all because the life of mans body is his spirit and but one spirit onely though there is a double motion in it of contrary natures and effects by the secret decree of the Lord for the manifestation of his eternal wisedom power and glory over the elect and Reprobate 15 Thus you that are spiritual may see what is meant by the Saints living and dying in the Lord and concerning the place of refuge where their lives are hid both in life and in death is not this truth answerable to those sayings of Christ himself in John The words that I speak unto you are spirit and life I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and he that sate upon the throne said behold I make all things new Revelation the 20. and I will raise him up at the last day Again Jesus said unto her said I not unto thee that if thou didst believe thou shouldst see the glory of God you know this was spoken by Christ that God of all power wisdom and glory at his raising Lazarus from death to life 16 Therefore you may know also that the greatest glory of all will redound to his infinite Majesty he shall shortly come in his glory with his mighty Angels to call forth the living dead to glorious blessedness in the great white Throne with himself Moses Elias and his Angels and to call forth the dead living into shameful cursedness of souls and bodies in utter darkness burning together to eternity on this earth where they possessed all their former glory and acted their unrighteousness against Christ and his redeemed ones then will this Scripture be fulfilled and they shall hear a great voice from heaven saying unto them come up hither and they shall ascend up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies shall see them and these Scriptures CHAP. LI. 1 Eternal damnation is a living death and a dying life 2 Three Books will be opened at the last judgement 3 Signifying the three Commissions of the Law the Gospel and the Spirit 4 The Heathens are judged by the Law of their consciences having not had the Scriptures 5 The Prophets heavenly conclusion AGain But fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them Moreover and the Devil that deceived them was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone where that beast and false Prophet is and shall be tormented even day and night for evermore and I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the books according to their works and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death these both were alive cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire My brethren in the spirit and in the flesh also which are sober you see when Christ cometh in his glory with his Angels the Books must be opened which are three in number the Book of the administration of the Law must be opened in the consciences of them that were under the Law and made a profession of obedience unto it but hated to perform it and they will have work enough with that fiery Law and all their former filthiness of flesh and spirit to sit in judgement on those burning brimstone souls and bodies of flesh and bone to all eternity 2 The second Book of the administration of the Gospel will be opened also in the consciences of those that made a profession thereof and hated obedience to it and that literal fiery Judge and their former unrighteousness will neither want work to sit in judgement on those fleshly bodies of burning brimstone even world without end 3 Moreover the third Book of the administration of the eternal Spirit which is the book of life shall be opened also in the consciences of all pretended lights in these last days and those whose names were not found written in that book of life as Commissionated Messengers of the eternal Spirit to bear witness unto a personal Jesus in the high heavens but published a lying Jesus in the lower heavens of their carnal spirits onely that pretended God or Christ with all their lies spoken in the name of the Lord and blasphemy against his Majesties persons shall burn more fiery hot then any other opinion among men even to all eternity as aforesaid all is not spiritual gold that glisters 4 Again give me leave to speak of one sort more whose natural conscience must be opened also 5 This sort of men are those called Heathens which never had the books of the Scriptures among them I say from the true God that these men and all the naturalists in the world according to their rebellions against their rational Judge unto which they acknowledged all obedience of righteousness between man and man was due this