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
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
spiritual brethren you know that by nature we are all under a tyrannical yoke of spiritual darkness and all maner of fleshly uncleanness whatsoever 50 Also you know that innocent infants though defiled in their natures through generation yet they are neither capable to understand spiritual or natural good or evil therefore they have no need of Christs spiritual gifts in the womb for to ensure themselves of their own eternal happiness 51 Again if the Lord Jesus Christ alone is the light and life of men and if all men that are saved must of necessity receive a new light unto their dark souls from his Divine Spirit then without controversie those men as yet are utterly ignorant of the new and true birth of the ever-living Jesus which say every man hath so much light of Christ in them that is sufficient to salvation if they will 52 Again if every man have the spirit of Christ living in his conscience as many men vainly imagine what then is become of the spiritual body or that Jesus that ascended into the throne of his glory in the visible fight of men and angels 53 Or what man hath any need of his spiritual gifts or heavenly graces at all if his Christ and he was conceived and born together from the womb of his mother 54 When the Apostle said For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and from his fulness we all receive and grace for grace I would fain know from any man whatsoever whether that God or Christ were in them when they spake or writ those words 55 Again if that Godhead spirit of Christ Jesus our Lord had been within them when they uttered those speeches I suppose it had been more proper for them to have said For in us dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily If the Apostles had always possessed the spirit of God or Christ within them then they uttered but vain words when they speak of receiving of grace or truth from a personal Christ without them 56 Again if Christ or his Spirit had been within the Apostles when they spoke of his divine Glory or Godhead fulness of grace and truth would it not have been more proper for them to have said from that God or Christ within us we are filled with all manner of spiritual consolations or heavenly perfections whatsoever 57 If Christ or his Spirit were within men when they uttered those words all faith or hope in reference to eternal glory was vain and of no effect why because if men have their God or Christ within them onely they are no more under the teachings of another spirit but are as glorious already as ever they are like to be But what saith the Scripture If our hopes were in this life onely we were of all men most miserable Again concerning these words Christ in you the hope of glory Or know ye not that the Spirit of Christ is in you except ye be reprobates 58 My beloved brethren what need any man hope for glory if he hath the Spirit of Glory resting upon him already 59 Again I hope no man will say that he hath a Christ in him that hopes after glory or stands in need of any glorification whatsoever Well then the minde of the Spirit of Christ in those words was this That except your understanding be enlightned from the eternal Spirit of a glorified Christ in that heavenly throne above the stars ye are but reprobates 60 Or thus Except you are filled with the gifts of graces of that glorious God-man Christ Jesus who is ascended far above all Heavens Angels or men know ye not that you are but in the State of reprobation 61 Or as if the Apostle should have said Know ye not that you are but meet reprobates if ye glory of a God or Christ within you and deny the Godhead person of that Lord Jesus Christ that was crucified upon a tree without you 62 Again who ever thou art which glorieth of a spiritual union with a God or Christ within thee and despisest a personal glorified Christ of flesh and bone without thee yea and distinct from thee in another world I say from his eternal Spirit thou art but a reprobate 63 Who ever thou art which boasteth of a God and a Christ and his Ordinances and of a glory to come without thee in the highest heavens if thou shalt be left to the pride and envy of thy formal spirit to condemn the invisible teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ in his innocent people because they are contrary to thy opinion I say from the everliving Emanuel that thou art also but a reprobate CHAP. XVI 1 Of divers comparisons of the Spirit or Person of Christ unto the face of the natural Sun 2 No man or Angel can be capable of the in-dwelling of Gods essence but his own person onely THe Spirit or person of Christ may fitly be compared unto the face of the natural Sun in divers respects you may know that the natural spirit of the Sun by vertue of the decreed word of the Lord is so exceeding fiery glorious that no created thing that hath natural life in it is capable of its in-dwelling brightness but it s own body or face onely 2 So likewise that infinite Spirit abiding within the glorious body or face of our Lord Jesus Christ is so unspeakeable fiery glorious that no created spirit of man or Angel is able to bear the indwelling essence of it but it s own body or face onely 3 Again you know that all natural things of the day are preserved onely by vertue of that inward light life beauty or glory in them which shineth through the body or face of the Sun onely 4 So likwise all spiritual light life beauty joy or glory within the spirits of elect men and Angels shineth onely through the glorious heavenly mouth of Christ Jesus our Lord. 5 Again though both sensible and insensible creatures are preserved in their well beings by vertue of a measurable light and heat proceeding from the Sun you may know that if the essence of the Sun were on this earth it would not onely put out the fire but also immediately consume all things to ashes or dry sand 6 So likewise though the spiritual well beings of elect men and Angels are onely preserved by vertue of a measurable light and life proceeding from that bright shining spirit through the face of Christ Jesus our Lord yet if the essence of his spirit were within the spirits of any created beings it would consume them immediately to powder 7 Again though all created beings under the Sun are enlivened and continued by vertue of its light and heat through which according to their kind they are full of joy yet if the Sun should absent it self a little too long all his former light would vanish like smoke and the creature would both languish and perish for want of a new supply from its presence so likewise it
is with elect men and Angels for though that inshining light and life be of the very same nature of God himself yet if his spirit should wholly retain its glorious brightness within his own body all its former light or life would either be subject to be defiled as Adams was or else it would perish for want of the renewing presence of his glorious spirit 8 Again through that consolation flowing from the inshining light of the Sun you know in all sensible or rational creatures there is a desire to behold that bright shining face from whence their joys proceed 9 So likewise through that spiritual joy and hopes of glory flowing from the inspiring light of the Son of God there is as strong desire in those that enjoy this light to behold that glorious face from whence it proceeded 10 Again if the Sun had not a distinct body or face to give forth his light into the Creation you know there could be no sun-shine at all 11 So likewise you may also know that if the God of glory had not a person or immortal face to display the sun-beams of his heavenly glory into elect men and Angels there could be no God all all 12 Therefore you that are truly spiritual may know that all that light life or glory shining in the spirits of elect men or Angels doth not proceed from a God or Christ within them but from an eternal spirit of a God or a Christ without them too transcendent glorious to be possessed by Heaven Earth Angels or men as beforesaid 13 Again though the natural life of created beings by the decree of the most high God be continued by vertue of the inshining light of the Sun yet you may know that what ever joy the creatures are possest thereby it doth neither adde nor diminish unto the glory of the Sun in the least 14 So likewise though the spiritual light of elect men and Angels be everlastingly continued by vertue of the inshining light of the eternal spirit yet you may also understand that what joy or glory soever the creatures are possest withal that it doth neither adde nor diminish the Creators glory in the least therefore you which are truly spiritual may understand that if any man or Angel could be possessed with the indwelling essence of the eternal spirit it could not possibly be avoided but he must become infinite immortal unchangeable and eternal even as the Creator himself is 15 Again whether creatures are possessed with joy or sorrow life or death by an extraordinary light proceeding from the Sun yet you may know that according to his understanding he glories in himself equally in reference unto what was effected by him so likewise whether creatures are possessed with spiritual joy or sorrow eternal life oâ— death by a more then ordinary presence or absence of the eternal spirit yet you may also understand that the most glorious God equally rejoyceth in himself in relation unto what was produced 16 Again though the nature of the Sun through it s cretaed brightness is so exceedingly glorious that it is utterly uncapable of natural polution from any creatures within its orb yet you know that things which are not by vertue of his power in measure qualified with a suitable capacity to receive his in shining light are rather hardned or destroyed by his appearance then any way comforted or revived in the least witness the fire or any thing else of an adamantine nature 17 So likewise it is with the Son of God the everlasting Creator for though his eternal spirit in its own nature is so infinitely pure that if it be his divine pleasure it destroyeth all impurity immediately and wholly converts a polluted creature into its own divine likeness you may also know that if the spirits of men or Angels by his power be not in some measure qualified to receive his glorious in-comes instead of dissolving their spirits into a soft and sweet pleasantness it hardens their legal spirits with envy against the Creator like unto brass or the nether-milstone according to that of Paul where he said they were a sweet savour unto God of life unto life in them that are saved and of death unto death in them that perish CHAP. XVII 1 No mans salvation or damnation lyeth in his own will but in the prerogative of God 2 Divers absurdities which follow from the opinion that Christ is onely within men 3 A Question and Answer concerning a two-fold presence of God in the creature 4 If the essential Spirit were united unto creatures it could not be infinite THis I would gladly have men and women to understand which were elected unto glory that the eternal salvation or damnation of created beings lieth not in the will power or desire of men or Angels or in any divine light received from the holy spirit that made them but onely within the glorious breast of the divine Majesty himself 2 That neither elect men nor Angels may glory in themselves or render praise honor power wisdom or salvation unto any spiritual light joy or glory whatsoever why because that is but the Sun beames of life eternal shining in them but as most due is by vertue of that light they may return all praise and glory unto that infinite Majesty upon the Throne of glory without them 3 Wherefore you know it is written That it is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Also it is written To will is present but how to perform I know not Also it is written Every branch that beareth not fruit in me he taketh away and every one that beareth fruit he purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you The words that I speak unto you are spirit and life 4 I would fain know of any man whether the spirit of Christ were not in his own body when he spake those words unto his Apostles or Disciples 5 If it be granted it was which none can deny but reprobates then that light of Christ in men or Angels cannot be the essential spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ but a spiritual word proceeding through his mouth from the throne of his infinite glory as it did formerly on this earth the footstool of his divine Majesty 6 If there should be no other spiritual God or Christ but what dwelleth in the spirits of men or Angels then of necessity this must follow that every man and Angels is a God or Christ to himself 7 It is not to be wondred at that many thousands should be so easily perswaded of attaining to a perfection in this mortality if they be possessed with the God of heaven and earth 8 If there be no other God oâ— Creator but within men onely I would fain know for what end men so mighâ—ily contend with one another about a God or worship due unto him 9 Or why they vex
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
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
mean that they are so fixed as to be uncapable of motion but of the contrary from the Lord I affirm that the Firmament it self is not capable of motion but by the word of the Lord that formed it it is made unmoveable until the day of its dissolution and those bodies of Sun Moon and Stars motions in that firmamental heaven in their seasons to fulfil that word of Government in them 30 For you that are spiritual may know that the firmament of heaven and those Rulers of Sun Moon and Stars set in them as to govern both the day and the night may be compared to a Prince with his Nobles Throne and other inferior Rulers 31 For you know that his kingdom whereon they have their living being is unmoveable but the Governours do the work unto which they are appointed 32 My brethren you may understand also that the firmamental body above us or below us if you think it so for its appointed season is as firmly fixed as the earth we tread on and as things in power are motional on this earth so likewise those created lights are onely motional in that heavenly body aforesaid 33 Again it is said That God set them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth 34 My brethren hearken no more unto vain Astronomers or Star-gazers concerning the bulk of the Sun Moon and Stars for I positively affirm from that God that made them that the compass of their bodies are not much bigger then they appear to our natural sight 35 O empty vain liars how long have you been suffered to deceive the people with your monstrous imaginary bodies of Sun Moon and Stars which are not and of your great knowledge concerning them your things are too big to be good or true and the time of your serpentine Sophistry is almost finished 36 Again I declare from the holy Spirit that the bodies of the Sun Moon and Stars are all distinct beings from each other and possess their own created light alone neither borrowing nor lending their light to one another what ever hath been imagined to the contrary concerning New Moons or Eclipses 37 Again you know the Scriptures do not say that the Sun and Moon are two great bodies but two great lights onely Neither doth the Scripture say that the bodies of the Global Earth and Heavenly Firmament are covered with the vastness of the Sun Moon or Stars or that they inclose any other bodies within their own bodies or that any other bodies are fixed in them 38 But on the contrary the Scripture saith That the Sun and Moon were set in the firmament of Heaven to shine upon the earth wherefore it is as clear as the light that that which is fixed is of a less bulk than that wherein it is inclosed 39 Yet you know that the greater bulk may receive its principal light from that lesser body within its circumference as a rich diamond in a Ring or a Candle or Torch in the night in a wide room or the like 40 My spiritual brethren you may understand that the glory of the most high God consists not in bulk of things but in the exceeding brightness of them 41 Nay moreover you cannot but know that the infinite wisdom of the Divine Majesty doth the more abundantly appear in an extraordinary light shining from a very little body 42 My brethren it is not the bulk of the Sun or Moon which causeth so great a light but as aforesaid it is the transcendent brightness of their created purities which displayeth those beams of light through the visible heaven and earth 43 What ever hath or shall be said to the contrary from the Lord I positively affirm that the bodies of the Sun Moon and Stars are all fixed beings onely in one firmament 44 Moreover from the Lord of glory I declare that this visible Heaven is all the Firmaments that ever was formed by the Creator 45 Furthermore though the bodies of the Sun and Moon were both formed out of that element of water yet they were made as contrary in their natures as fire and water 46 Because you know their government were over contrary beings the one to rule the day and the other to rule the night so that as the Sun is a fiery glorious light for consolation unto the natural things of the day so likewise the Moon is a qualifying cold watry light answerable to the watry things of the night 47 Wherefore though the body of the Sun is of a more eminent brightness than that of the Moon yet they being of contrary natures it is against all sober reason that the one should receive any light from the other in the least 48 Again you know that when the bodies of the Sun and Moon seem close together in stead of any agreement between them there is such a fiery contest as if they would absolutely destroy each other And what think you is the just occasion of it is it not the difference of their natures 49 Can fire and water or light and darkness agree if they be united together is there any rest unto either of them until one of them is dissolved 50 My beloved friends in the pure truth what ever men have long declared concerning the Eclipse of the Sun through the near appearance of the Moon you may understand that the true occasion of the Sun eclipsed whether in part or whole is according to their appearing at a further or nearer distance unto each other 51 For as beforesaid the nature of the one being fiery hot and dry and the nature of the other being watry cold and moist if the most high God had not decreed the time of their contest when they are nearly conjoyned there would be no communion between them until one of them were utterly dissolved 52 Again is it not as clear as the light it self unto us that the true occasion of all variance between created beings whether sensible or insensible ariseth onely from a difference of natures or spirits in them 53 Moreover when any kind of natures are sutable to each other is there not a sweet harmony between them 54 Wherefore if the Moon received her light from the Sun as natural wise men have long imagined is it not against all sense or reason that there should be no union between them but at a distance 55 Doth it not rather agree with all true sense that if the one received her light from the other that the more nearer they are in bodily appearance the more greater harmony would ensue and occasion the lesser light rather to shine more clearly than darken each others brightness 56 I think that William Lilly and his learned brethren in Astrologian figures dare not say that either the Sun or the Moon were ever at variance with their own selves or that the Eclipses of the Sun or Moon proceedeth from any harmony between that which occasioneth the Eclipse and the thing so eclipsed 57 Well then
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
fulness onely do we not all receive and grace for grace if we have any grace at all ruling in us 3 And is he not the Redeemer of his beloved people with his own blood and is he not the Judge of quick dead and was not all things made by him and for him and was there any thing made that was made without him and was he not before all things and do not all things consist in him and are not all things upheld by that Almighty word of his holy Spirit onely 4 Seeing these are undeniable words of Truth it self do not all those men that own any other God or Father or Creator above before or besides our Lord Jesus Christ deny the Holy One of Israel and imagine a cursed lie and bow down to that cursed Idol of their own invented words onely utterly denying that honor and glory due unto Jesus Christ the Creator himself 5 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is that Christ the same is that Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father he that hath the Son hath that life and he that hath not that Son of God hath not that life he that believeth in the Son of God hath the witness in himself he that believes not God hath made him a liar because he believed not the record that God witnessed of that his Son and this is the record to wit that God hath given unto us eternal life and this life is in that his Son But ye have anointment from that Holy One and know all things These literal words of truth are in the Epistles by St. John All things are given unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Mat. 11. 6 Some deceived persons ignorantly hold forth a false God or Trinity which say that the infinite Majesty is a vast bodiless spirit also they call their God by a twofold name or spirits a Spirit Father and a Spirit Son and these spirits they say are in their spirits and so these three spirits being one essence make up their imaginary Trinity in Unity 7 These are those which affirm that there is no other God or Father or Creator bâ—t what is invisibly living in the Creation or in the creatures onely and if you soberly ask them whether there be a Creator and concerning the true knowledge of any such Creator you shall receive such like answers as this is 8 The Creator is an infinite incomprehensible Spirit essentially filling all things and places or they will say that a creature is utterly uncapable of any knowledge of the Creator himself but within the creatures onely or else they will tell you that not to know the Creator is the greatest knowledge of a Creator 9 Again you shall have such confusion as this from some of these high flown Atheists the Creator is all things and yet he is nothing at all and is every where and yet he is no where at all 10 If a man shall reply and say Nothing is nothing but if you grant a Creator he must be something as well as his creatures or else there can be no Creator at all 11 Further if a man shall say the Creator must of necessity be some glorious thing which is infinite in it self and distinct from all creatures as well as the creatures are distinct from one another or else you utterly deny a Creator 12 Then these men will say What is your Creator you pretend to know and where is his residence did you ever see him or such like 13 If a man shall reply That the Creator is an incomprehensible glorious person in the form of a man and that by vertue of his brightness he fills heaven and earth angels and men spiritually or naturally onely his ever blessed person is resident on a throne of infinite glory in but one place at once as the person of a man is in this world 14 Then these men are ready to villifie such a Creator as a simple weak thing or else they will say this is to confine an unknown infiniteness into a creaturely substance and such a God of a bodily appearance any way like unto themselves in the least they utterly abhor but as beforesaid a wonderful God which is uncapable of ever being seen or known by the creatures such a non-sensible infinite nothing all vain-glorious men delight to own who love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil 15 Another sort there are of these men which appear more angelical then the rest these are those which are full of expressions of heavenly Raptures through a supposed union with a Father and Son within them onely and various Songs which they call Spiritual breakings forth in them unto which hymns or natural songs mixt with many spiritual expressions in meeter or otherways they bow down their souls and ignorantly say it is the Father breathing forth those fleshly ballads through their mouthes Moreover if these notional flashes shall see any of their own fancies lying under a wounded spirit and through some extraordinary guilt crying out they have that fire of hell burning in them and are those devils which are under eternal damnation already 16 Further though their condition be like unto Cain through the eternal absence of the spirit of God speaking peace unto their outcast condition yet when these notional flashes shall come to visit their friend in this his horrid unutterable pain and shame they will speak such like empty speeches are these Come come it is very good for you that you should be thus afflicted it is a token of the fathers love unto you he will bring all men and women into your condition more or less that the glory of his mercy might shine over all or else they will say 't is the Fathers love in darkness appearing unto you if you could but see it Further they will say unto their hopeless friend wherefore do you thus torment your own soul there is but one pure being and all our spirits came forth from this Father of Spirits and in the end we shall all be swallowed up into the eternal being again wherefore then do you talk so much of eternal damnation or call your self a devil making such lamentation for your sins as if you could possibly be divided from your Fathers love or cast out of his glorious presence I boldly affirm unto you it is no such matter for there are no such devils or damnation or sins at all but in the esteem of men deceived so to think by their fellow creatures which ignorantly lord one over another from some blinde opinion in them wherefore our counsel is that you would hearken no more unto vain thoughts or motions or imaginations within you or words from any creature without you as to become so weak or foolish
them that if you speak of the Creator you shall never hear them speak evil of his most glorious person nor endure to hear any one blaspheme his holy Name but on the contrary in the very depth of their despairings they will speak honorably of the Holy One of Israel and justifie him in all his proceedings towards them or any other of his creatures 6 The truth is this is that repentance or godly sorrow in them proceeding from the Holy Spirit and that most acceptable spiritual sacrifice that can be offered up unto him if the wounded spirit did but know it 7 An elect vessel under fear of the wrath to come hath this property in it also that it is both ready and willing if it be perswaded that the Lord will speak peace through the mouth of any man or woman unto its poor soul even to walk unto the ends of the earth to hear the voice of the Lord in that creature 8 Another true testimony in a chosen vessel is this notwithstanding his present hopelesness of mercy in reference to his former rebellions yet his soul through the secret love of God by his own light in him is not onely fearful of further temptation unto evil but it doth also abhor all kinde of iniquity whatsoever upon the account of its contrariety against the Divine Majesty and is full of longing after perfection whether it be through life or death 9 Again another infallible testimony of an experimental wounded spirit is this if out of bitterness of spirit they open their sorrows unto their supposed or real friends they will oftentimes say these or such like words O wretched creature that I am sure never any one rebelled against such light as I have done I have been so ravisht sometimes with the presence of the divine Glory shining into my poor soul that I thought I had been unmsveable for ever and yet in a little season through remembrance of former iniquities committed against so glorious a Maâ—esty or â—ew temptations against so gracious a Father I am so full of burning horror of confused darkness as if never any true light of life had appeared in me 10 Again through a strong desire of knowing of the secret purpose of the Creator towards them they will say O that I never had been born or that I had been a toad or any other created being but a man or that that God which gave me a being would finish my intollerable sorrows through my everlasting dissolution Or if I must perish O that I were in it that I might know what I must trust unto for I think I should finde more ease then now I do or if it be thy pleasure neither to let me know it nor know it not O give me strength to bear it and leave me under the hottest wrath that thy fury can administer unto me 11 These and such like bitter lamentations are the elect beloved of the most high God subject unto which are left under a despairing condition upon what account soever A man may bear any natural sufferings whatsoever because he knoweth they will have an end but a wounded spirit who can bear not knowing any end thereof 12 It is thou O Lord Jesus Christ which wounds the souls of thy redeemed ones through thy spiritual absence and it is thou alone must heal them with thy glorious presence 13 It is not in the power of men or angels if they could weep rivers of blood or could submit for a season to bear the same wrath in their own spirits that can move thee in the least to release that wounded soul whom thou lovest as thine own self until the fixed time thereof which is onely known to thy self that thou alone mayst have the glory of all thy love tryals 14 O empty vain men who ever you are which measure the unsearchable wisdom of the Holy One of Israel by your own lying imaginations and by your blinde reason think to perswade the unchangeable God with goodly words to walk out of his own way 15 And because your vain spirits are upon any occasion subject to change you think the unchangeable God is like unto your selves and may change also and so either for silver or honor or both you combine together as one man to publick or private meetings to cheat one another with flattering speeches and call it the pure worship of God being ready to condemn all that come not to it as ungodly men orhereticks though in their dealings be ween man and man they are seven times more righteous than your selves and in obedience unto the Lord Jesus Christ are subject to all civil Authority for conscience sake by suffering under them leaving all vengeance unto the Lord who hath said Vengeance is mine and I will repay it CHAP. XIV 1 A moderate Discourse concerning Civil Wars in a Kingdom 2 The peoples subjection to the Laws 3 Wherein several Objections are answered 4 Many things of very great consequence seasonably declared IN the next place give me leave to take notice of this that I do not account those men truly rational which say there is no God but Nature onely 2 Or which say that God is onely an incomprehensible formless Spirit 3 Neither do I account them spiritual or rational which confess an infinite being of beings and yet deny the creature to be a creature and the Creator to be the Creator my meaning is this which make no difference between the glorious Creator and the poor empty creature but affirm the divine Majesty of glorious purities to have his abode in all impure spirits 4 Though God is the life of all sensible or insensible living beings by vertue of Creation yet I positively affirm against men or angels that neither heaven earth angels nor men are capable of the In-dwelling Essence of his holy Spirit but his own person onely 5 Again I do not account those men truly spirit◠〈◊〉 or rational as yet which pretend to know themselves to be personal living beings and yet deny the personal God of all infinite glories 6 Moreover though men speak like Oracles and seemingly appear to be innocent as Doves yet if they say there is no God but within this world onely or if they confess a God upon the Throne of his Glory in another world if they say he is three persons in coequal Godhead glory or in degree one above another or their Spirits are in one personal Majesty or any such like confusion concerning the one personal being of our Lord Jesus Christ 7 From his unerring spirit I declare that none of these are the men that I account spiritual or rational grounded men what ever good thoughts they have of themselves or one of another wherefore if there be any sober rational man in the world come let us reason together 8 What though thou and this present Civil Powers to your own thinking and full resolution of equal good to the three Nations did engage together against
eternity a distinct Glory is it not of necessity that this everliving being should be a glorious something 16 Is it not both lawful and expedient also for a man according to sobriety to declare unto his spiritual and natural brethren what this glorious God was and is that man being sent forth by the eternal Spirit for that very end or purpose 17 Doth not all men which confess a Creator conclude positively there is but one God and no more 18 If this one God was an infinite distinct spiritual substance before any created being appeared to themselves is it not of an absolute necessity that he should abide in his own divine center and so continue a distinct glorious being to all eternity for an everlasting distinction between the unchangeable Creator and the changeable creatures 19 Do not all men which acknowledge this distinct glorious Being conclude him to be an infinite eternal unchangeable Spirit and do they not conclude this incomprehensible Spirit to be an eternal Godhead being in it self and so of necessity must he not be a distinct glorious Being from all things and places 20 If there be a Creator and if this glorious Creator be an infinite distinct something too transcendently divine to be essentially united unto heavens earth angels or men which none can deny but conceited Notionalists or literal Hypocrites are not those men as yet utterly ignorant of the Holy One of Israel which imagine the Creator to be an infinite formless Spirit essentially united unto the whole Creation utterly hating that God that is a distinct glorious being to himself 21 Again if the eternal Being be an infinite Spirit can that glorious Spirit be any thing at all without it be endued with variety of divine qualifications 22 Is not that infinite Spirit and its glorious properties but onely one essence or Godhead substance 23 Is not every vertue in the Eternal Spirit infinite 24 Is that eternal Spirit and its heavenly vertues any thing else but immortal Crowns of bright burning glories 25 Can this infinite spiritual Glory be sensible of its divine excellencies or be a perfect blessedness except he hath a distinct body sutable unto his eternal Spirit to enjoy his divine pleasures to himself and at his pleasure to distribute by measure into the elect spirits of men and angels the in-shining glimpses of this incomprehensible glory 26 Though the eternal Spirit be that invisible God that by the power of its Almighty word hath created all things either for a time or for eternity into that glorious order they now appear to be yet you that are spiritual may know that without a body face or tongue his glorious Spirit could not possibly have spoken any distinct words at all no more then the spirits of men or angels can speak distinct words without a body face or tongue of their own 27 Though all power wisdom and glory proceeds onely from an invisible eternal Spirit yet you may know that it cannot be a perfect glory except it be clothed with a Majestical person as a visible ornament for men and angels to behold face to face in the high heavens no more then the invisible spirits of earthly Monarchs could be compleat without natural bodies or persons for their subjects beholding them face to face 28 Thus you that are truly spiritual may know that though there was nothing created by any bodily labor or painful study of the glorious Creator 29 Yet without a distinct heavenly body there was nothing made that was made neither possibly could be what ever is or shall be imagined to the contrary 30 So much at present concerning that one personal Majesty or iâ—comprehensible being of all beings which are subject to change or to be changed at his divine pleasure 31 O blessed onely are all you that have the faith of his own glorious personal God abiding in you CHAP. XXVII 1 A more full discourse of the two witnesses 2. No true messenger or witness without a voice from God to the hearing of the ear 3 The three Commissions agree all in truth 4 Differing onely in point of worship 5 There was not nor can there be assurance of eternal happiness but in the belief of a Commission 5 God owneth no worship in this Commission but what is spiritual 6 The difference between true and false Commissioners IN the next place I shall treat again concerning the witnesses according to former intention you may remember where I ceased I challenged the whole world whether since the primitive times any men upon the account of bearing record unto the man Christ Jesus in glory to be the onely wise God Creator Redeemer and everlasting Father appeared as the two Revelation-witnesses 2 Again until the Roman Bishops persecuting tyranny was expired in this land you may know the two Revelation-witnesses or Prophets never appeared 3 For according unto Scripture order you that are of a spiritual comprehension may know that we are those two commissionated witnesses or Prophets of the Holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ because as beforesaid 4 According to the prophesie by Saint John we exactly appeared when the Roman Bishops times were expired of treading under foot the holy City or people of the Lord Jesus Christ in this land 5 Some men may object and say Why are the witnesses of the spirit but two in number and the former witnesses of so great a number Unto this objection from the Lord I answer by way of quere Doth not the glorious wisdom of the eternal spirit most of all appear in the smallest number of things for the acting of a wonderful work 6 Is it not most advantagious unto the Creators glory to prevent men or Angels from knowing his witnesses or their number either by miracles or without miracles until his pleasure is to reveal them 7 You know that Gods worship formerly was not onely invisible but visible also and to continue for a long season therefore there required a great number of spiritual speakers unto the elect 8 But the worship of God being now onely spiritual or invisible thou mayest know that a witness or two is sufficient the day of the Lord being near at hand to proclaim his glorious coming by speaking or writing unto the ends of the earth 8 Again is not a witness or two sufficient to discover the vanity of all vain glorious fleshly formalities amongst the sons of men seeing the Lord is at hand to make an eternal separation between the blessed Israelites and the cursed Canaanites 9 Doth not these three witnesses in earth onely agree in one divine body of all truth in this respect because they received their commission by voice of words to the hearing of the visible as well as invisible ear through the glorious mouth of a personal Majesty 10 Wherefore can any man upon this earth that counts himself or is accounted by others to be a true Prophet Apostle Minister Preacher Teacher Bishop Shepherd Priest Embassador or witness from
his where he calleth them Serpents and Generation of vipers and children of the devil and how should ye scape the damnation of hell and such like 39 Again concerning those words ye would not you that are spiritual may know that the divine will or pleasure of God in his Prophets did spiritually contend with the carnal spirits of the legal Jews answerable to their cursed imagination of having power in their own rational wills to do whatsoever he should command them 40 If the nature of the most purest reason be nothing but unsatisfactory weakness some men may say unto me why then doth the Scriptures call them Christs mighty Angels From the true light of life eternal to this I answer by a comparison If men are chosen by the greatest Monarch in the world for his society that they may be always ready to obey his will in whatsoever he shall command them when they have received a commission from his own mouth to execute vengeance upon Rebels their Towns Cities or Castles in his dominions you know they appear mighty or dreadful unto all his people as the King himself that sent them 41 So likewise you may know is is not in reference unto the purity of the Angels natures that they are called mighty Angels but because they were created not onely to stand in the personal presence of an infinite Majesty to behold his bright burning glory face to face but also to be ready to receive commissions from him to execute vengeance upon the Persons Goods Towns or Castles of Canaanitish Rebels that are left to despise his spiritual government or glorious truths declared through the mouths of his chosen Messengers 42 Again though those men that stand in the presence of the worlds Monarch are looked upon as the most mighty Nobles on this earth yet you know that the sight of them is not very dreadful to behold until men know they have received a commission of life and death from their mighty Lord and Master 43 So likewise though the holy Angels are called mighty because they stand in the personal presence of the most infinite Majesty of heaven and earth yet you may know that the sight of them are not very dreadful to behold until they have received a commission of life and death from their most mighty Lord of heaven and earth 44 Again you know that the servants of the most eminent Prince are not onely looked upon as honorable and mighty persons because they stand in the presence of so powerful a Prince but also because they inherit a temporal kingdom of such exceeding vastness with variety of honor beauty riches or pleasures 45 So likewise you may also know that the persons of Angels are not onely called Holy or Mighty because they stand in the visible presence of so infinite a Majesty but also because they inherit a kingdom of such infinite vastness and unspeakable fulness of all variety of ravishing honors beauties riches or pleasures which are eternal 46 Again you know that the servants of an earthly Monarch for the magnifying of their Lord and Master in the spirit of his subjects are cloathed not onely with or naments decked with silver gold precious stones or the like but their bodies also are anointed with precious odorus and fed with the finest delicacies 47 So likewise for exalting of the transcendent glory of the infinite God in the spirits of his obedient subjects you may know that the persons of the elect Angels doth not onely shine brighter then gold or any precious stones whatsoever but their bodies also are anointed with divine odours and their spirits are fed with glorious delicacies by vertue of a continual inshining brightness proceeding from the eternal spirit that made them 48 So much at present between the divine nature of the eternal spirit of undesiring satisfactory fulness in its own personal Majesty and the rational spirits of unsatisfactory desires dwelling in the spiritual bodies of the elect Angels and why they are called mighty Angels CHAP. XXIX 1 Of the creation of Adam 2 Why God spake in the plural number in the making of man IN the next place I shall treat of the Created purity of the first man and woman that ever were made that the heirs of immortal Crowns may the more clearer understand my ensuing discourse in the first and second Chapters of Genesis it is thus written furthermore God said let us make man in our image according to our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the foul of the heaven and over the beasts and over all the earth and over every thing that creepeth and moveth on the earth thus God created the man in his image in the image of God created he him he created them male and female 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 became a living soul 2 My beloved spiritual brethren I do not question your satisfaction concerning the Holy One of Israel being but onely one eternal personal Majesty because not onely the ridiculousness of three persons in the Deity is so fully discovered already in this Epistle but because the true ground why the God of glory calleth himself by a threefold title of Father Son and Holy Spirit is clearly manifested also 3 Before I write concerning what that image of God in mans creation was give me leave to reason a little upon those words let us make man in our own likeness 4 If thou which art so literally accute or exact do but soberly minde the first and last words of the three Scripture Texts together thou canst not possibly but be convinced of thy Trinitary error 5 Concerning those first words furthermore God said hath not those sayings relation unto the singular number onely 6 Moreover though God spake in the plural number let us make man in our image according to our likeness it doth not therefore follow that the Holy One of Israel can possibly consist of three personal beings in coequal glory as men vainly imagine 7 Again thou which little thinkest that University tongues keeps thee under spiritual darkness whether was it most proper for the glorious Creator to say let us make man in our image according to our likeness or to say I will make man in my image according to my likeness 8 Is not the word us in creation more emphatical or spiritual order then the word I in creation 9 What is thy natural wisdom but rational exactness whether words bear a good sence sound or language and from thence to imagine the Holy One of Israel to be three personal beings because he was compell'd to speak words in the plural number in reference unto the glory of his wisdom or counsel concerning the creating of man in his image or likeness 10 Again as in the foregoing words the creation of man was spoken in the plural number of trinitary expressions
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
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
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