letter form Ordinance is of the administration or Gospel-cloathing and appearance as to men and as in the flesh things that are seen are temporal things that are not seen are eternal So as that distinction used concerning Ordinances when they are called Gospel-Ordinances Gospel-Commandments in contradistinction to the legal Ordinances is a great mistake and an advancing and Exalting outward things into spirituall and putting an Image of Christ and divinity upon them which they will not bear in such an opposition or contradistinction to the Ordinances under the law for al the Ordinances under the law or of the Old Testament were Gospell Ordinances or Ordinances holding forth Christ and figuring Christ and so the Ordinances of the New Testament and are all alike letter outward and visible and of things that perish with using which was the nature of the Administrations of the Law and therefore saith the Apostle they did all eate the same spirituall meat and they did all drink the same spiritual drink and they drank of that rock that followed them and that rock was Christ that is the Ordinances of the Law or Old Testament were as much spiritual as those of the New Testament that is such things as signified Christ in the flesh which those of the New Testament as Baptisme and the last Supper but he concludes be not ye Idolaters as were some of them they sate down to eate and drink and rose up to play that is they did Idolize those outward administrations as their manna water out of the rock and passeover which they eate and drank and rose up to play that is lived in the meer refreshments of such formal participations and communion with meere outward things and Ordinances and were cheared and contented with such created enjoyments of God thus they rose up to play after their Idolatry with those Administrations as many weak Christians now who having sate down to eate and drink in the Administrations of the New Testament as these in the Old rise up to play go away sed up with created refreshments rather than spirituall manifestations of God Assurance of Salvation THe pure spirituall and glorious assurance of salvation comes from the knowledge of God or the pure manifestation of the Spirit of God bearing witness and giving testimony that we are the children of God this is pure spirituall assurance this is called the white stone with a new name written which none know but those that have it this is the unction whereby we know all things this is that Spirit by which we know things freely given to us of God So as all Demonstrations of Salvation which are made to the soul by any rationall perswasive or Argumentative way and not in the meer evidence of the pure light or spirit of God is but moral or humane and traditional and will fail and all applications of Gospel promises and all Conclusions from the meer letter of Scriptures which are not the pure image or Figure without answering the very evidence demonstration of Spirit and of God within is but a literall and formal assurance and will fail All counterfeit or resembled testimonies either by sathan who can transform himself into an Angell of Light or by the meer perswasion of Nature or the carnall conscience whereby Nature doth willingly deceive and flatter perswade its self being usually unwilling to perish and beleeve its own destruction will fail But there are many waies of assurance of Salvation though more dim and faint besides that more inward and purely spirituall and that meerly of God which is enjoyed very rarely and I know not by whom excepting those only to whom the Kingdome of God is revealed in spirit and God is seen face to face and first assurance is wrought by the knowledge of God according to such enjoyment as the soul is under in its Administration to God as First there are these waies of knowing God 1. By reason or the meer light of nature and works of this creation and here there is a law accusing and excusing as the Apostle saith and how God is revealed in this as to salvation in al those Nations where the Gospel is not heard as in its outward letter and Administration or elsewhere and how far God may administer Christ in this as formerly to Job and Cornelius I dare not judg nor condemn nor conclude but sure there is no Salvation out of Christ and how far God may use this light of nature or reason to administer Christ in as he makes use of others more low and visible administrations not so excellent I know not 2 There is a knowledge of God by graces and gifts or fruits of the Spirit as faith love self-deniall repentance c. and by the letter or promises outward Ordinances and Duties and as Gods manifestation is in these so is the assurance of salvation through these and such assurance is of no higher and clearer and more glorious certainty then God through these doth afford that is as the Apostle saith darkly as in a glass and as these are shadowed and clouded so is the assurance and that is the reason why so many are cast down and afflicted as to this thing of assurance and pine and consume because the testimonies of their Salvation are no brighter nor clearer then such Administration will admit and here they are to waite The reason why assurances of salvation are no more glorious nor pure are because the spiritual Church or Saints are in Babylon in the flesh compassed about with the mystery of iniquity and of Antichrist in our selves and enjoy not God in that sweet and pure vision as they shal do when they return to Jerusalem the new Jerusalem the City of the living God They that speak of the assurances in pure revelation of Spirit not comprehending al the several administrations measures wherein God appears to his do much mistake and it will appear from that knowledge of God which is amongst men in all its severall dispensations as here follows The knowledg of God according to the various dispensations of himself GOd is known in the light of nature or reason and works of this creation the eternal power and God-head being seen by things that do appear and man being made after the Image of God and having a law within him accusing or excusing 2. By the meer letter or scriptures and light of nature or reason which is a rational dispensation heightned from such Images and appearances of God as it meets with there or in letter 3. By outward Ordinances or signs and Images and things that do appear and thus God is seen still as in the creation or increated things 4. By the ministery of Angels or a more high and Seraphical though still creature-ministrations of God 5. By graces or appearances of the Spirit as faith repentance love self-denial humility c. which was the ministration of the first Gospel-times under the Old
his body is a Spirituall one and fashioning like his glorious one by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body The Baptism of Christ is that whereby we are compleat in him now we are compleat in him onely by being one with him in Spirit and Nature He being made unto us Righteousness and Sanctification c. and thus we are said to be circumcised with the circumcision made without hands and buried with him in baptism wherein also we are risen with him through faith or Spirit so as we are Baptized in him as we are Circumcised in him that is we are all in him and as the Circumcision is without hands so is the Baptism it being the Apostles whole business in this Chapter to take us and the Colossians up higher then rudiments which perish with using The Baptism of Christ is that true spirituall washing and clensing wherein all his are baptized not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ and this is the Baptism which is said in this place to save us as Noahs Ark did those eight persons in figure therefore saith the Apostle the like figure whereunto Baptism doth now save us The Divers Ministery with the Ministery of Christ in his Saints UNder the Law there was a Priest-hood the administration of the Law and Sacrifices being gathered up into one Tribe that of Levi none was to take this Office but he that was called of God as was Aaron Under the Law there were Prophets as Moses Samuel Elijah Isaiah Ezekiel c. the Interpretation of the Law and the more spirituall Revelation of the Will of God were administred by the Prophets or some few to whom the Word of the Lord came Both Priests and Prophets were Types and Figures of Jesus Christ to come the the great high Priest and Prophet of his people as well as in ministery to the people In the more cleer Revelation of the Gospell the administration of Christ was committed to a few or certain Disciples in distinction of Gifts and Office twelve of whom were called Apostles and seventy Disciples When Jesus Christ went out of flesh into spirit or ascended he confirmed and setled this ministration by powring out gifts of Spirit for the more glorious and visible quickning and spiritualizing this Ministration he ascended up on high and gave gifts unto men he gave some Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors some Teachers for the work of the Ministery c. During the Ministration of Iesus Christ in the Church in this distinction and diversity of gifts there were such as were spiritually visibly gifted accordingly so as the Apostles and Evangelists and Prophets and Pastors were known to be such both by the Saints or people of God to whom they did according to their gifts administer and to themselves they administring in the knowledge of such gifts of Spirit as were in them During this Ministration of Iesus Christ by Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastors c. the Disciples that were not in the distinction or number of such but were onely called Disciples yet did Preach and administer as they had received Antichrist or the Mystery of Iniquity came in upon this Ministration by gifts and Ordinances and the glory of the Spirit and power of gifts went off from the visible Church as the glory of God from the Temple to the threshold til it was wholy departed this was the falling away prophesied on by Paul and by Iohn in his Epistles and in the Revelation in the vision of the Churches of Asia and of the Beast and false Prophet All things in the visible Churches of the Nations were and are in the absence of the Spirit and of gifts administred by Arts and Sciences Grammatical knowledge of tongues and languages and according to some spiritual measure received in some to whom these things are in some degree sanctified and spiritualized All knowledge and understanding of the Original all Interpretation of Scriptures is according to the outward and inward administration of both through Arts Sciences and tongues acquired and through such a measure of spirituall understanding as each have received There is no restauration of these gifts of Spirit which were in the first ministration of the Church as of Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastors Teachers according to the first institution that is so as the gifts of all these Offices are cleerly to be seen and discerned in Spirit to be the very unction and gift either of Prophet or Pastor or Teacher as in the first Ministration which will more cleerly appear in singling that pure gift of Spirit that is in each from the habits of Arts and Sciences and Languages acquired and from that Spirituall understanding which is in all the Saints according to that work of the Spirit or regenerate part in them which is one and the same for nature and substance of regeneration with all so as no super-added or proper or distinguishing gifts appear upon any other account but either a naturall or artificiall or purely Spirituall account not upon any account of distinction of gifts and Office as at first when the Spirit was poured out and this will appear yet more in comparing times and persons and gifts our times with the first our Pastors even of all Churches with the first and the gifts of al now with the gifts then then the Spirit of God was poured out in gifts and the Disciples were taught of God and Prophesied and Preached from the meer gift and spirit received but now Prophets and Pastors are taught from another account viz. upon a more Artificial and industrious and humane account and their regenerate Nature then they ministred and spake as the Oracles of God then they spake as the Spirit onely gave them utterance The Ministery that is raised up to destroy Antichrist or the man of sin which prevailed against the first ministry and gifts is to be more glorious and powerful and mighty as the Ministry of gifts was more excellent then that of the Law and so destroyed that power of Apostacy that had prevailed upon the Priesthood and Law then so the Ministry that is to destroy that mystery of iniquity which prevailed upon the Gospel Ministry of gifts must be more excellent and glorious and powerful then that and this is Jesus Christ himself called the Prophet whom we are to hear and that GOD of whom we shal all be taught Ye shal be all taught of God and he that shal destroy Antichrist by the brightness of his coming and that Angel with the everlasting Gospel prophesied on by John preaching and enlightning the earth with his glory this is the day of Iesus Christ whose coming is prepared as the morning The Ministry of Iesus Christ this Angel of the Covenant is through his
conversion 248. All false worships and wayes practised in conscience or in liberty will be destroyed in Christs day 251. A discovery of Christ in us 254. The fiery tryall 256. God in heaven or in a place of distance as to our infirmity 262. The spirituall Sabbath 265. The Gospel as in its own glory and as in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament 267. Assurance of Salvation 274. The knowledge of God according to the various dispensations of himself 280. A farther discovery of the mystery of salvation in the Gospel-administration and its own Glory 285. The seekers attainment with a discovery of a more spiritual way 289. The grounds both against liberty of Conscience and for it clearly stated for all to judge 298. The grounds for liberty of conscience which are strongest are all commonly known 302. A mystery or a Christian following the appearances of God through all created things 314 A Post-script to Mr. Gattaker 317 A pretended Heresie 323 A short Epistle to M. Knollys 327 Faults escaped in Printing Page 32 for circumcised with him in Baptism reade circumcised with him in circumcision buried with him in Baptism page 106 for to the restored reade to be restored page 124 these words the Church of Laodicea is to be printed in the same line with naked p. 145 for which the reade which in the p. 18â— for and in things reade as in things p. 203 the words and full are to be left out p. 222 f. in the crucifying r. not in the crucifying p. 224 f. out r. but p. 229 f. or r. are p. 233 f. hath been r. which hath been p. 268 f. go r. so and for probable r. parable p. 269 f. with r. which p. 276 f knowledge God r. of the knowledge of God p. 279 f. are r. â—p 281 line 4. f. increated r. in created p. 260 f. this r. and this Reader what other faults there are in the Printing which I hope are few or none thou art desired to excuse them by reason of the Authors absence THE TWO CREATIONS OR TWO NATVRES OF FLESH SPIRIT THese two Creations are two distinct Natures from whence all things of Flesh and Spirit come forth the two Adams are the two seeds roots or principles of these two Natures or Creations the Old and New So as in the knowledge of these two there opens a Prospect both of heaven and earth of the first man and the second who are the scean or womb of al things carnal and spiritual and into whom are gathered up all the Mystery of Christ and Antichrist and from whence the Mystery of both are brought forth before those that are spiritual the spiritual man judgeth all things The first Adam is the root of all fleshly Creation and Excellency the glory of the first Creation is gathered up into him as the light into the body of the Sun the life of Angels or Spirits of sense or beasts of nature or vegetation is all in him So as man is all created excellency in the mapp or abridgement and God making his Tabernacle with man dwels at the same time with all his Creation Man being the glorious and bright summ or whole of the Creation was a figure and type of the Son of God Jesus Christ And therefore he was said to be made after his own Image which Image was Iesus Christ called by the Apostle the Image of the invisible God the brightness of his glory and express Image of his Person And while man was thus in the Image of God and stood and lived in Commmunion with God walking in that Paradise or that Glory of his first Creation in obedience to God and participation of God he was the Image of all or any created excellency as it was or is or shal be in order to a more excellent life to a life out of it self in him who is the fountain of life And while man was in this communion and dependency to God as he was made in his Image or as he was the likenesse and similitude of God he was the figure and image of Iesus Christ in his new creation or whole body or Saints who know no other life than in God whose springs are all in him the Lord God being their everlasting light and their God their glory While they like the golden Candlestick in Zachary are fed with the golden oyl that is continually flowing and issuing through the golden pipes The excellency of this first Creation is but earthly or fleshly in the Spirits account and as it stands in distinction to the second Creation or new man or Lord from heaven so as the circuit or furthest attainment of man in this Creation is but to things of this Creation from things of rational and Angelical glory to things of lowest and most earthly life or excellency of which Solomon was an Image as his heart was large like the sand on the sea-shore and as he was wise from the Cedar in Lebanon to the wormwood in the wall from the highest to the lowest part of this Creation comprehending all from the top of this Creation to the bottom and seeing the face of God in this more darkly as in a glass the invisible things of him being clearly seen and understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead Now all this excellency and glory of the first man did leave God being tempted of the woman and the serpent which were a figure of fleshly wisdom without God and of the weaknesse of this Creation in its own nature as it was drawn away and enticed from its life in God and communion with God to live in its self or own life and to be to its self what God should have been wisdom and life and righteousnesse power and strength and preservation and all things And as it left God life and communion in him was a figure or image of this Creation departing from God and living out of God and now according to this Independent subsistence or life from God it apostates and degenerates into that nature which is called the seed of the serpent the old man the mystery of iniquity which appeared all along in the cursed figures or types of Cain of Esau of Ishmael of the children of the bond-woman of Iudas of Antichrist of the whore of Babylon So as all the knowledge of sin of all fleshly abominations whether more spiritual or carnal are discovered in the knowledge of this first man thus discovered as he lives not in God nor in communion with God and lives a life distinct from the life in God and all his actings and workings are from his own life his life of this Creation and to himself not from God nor to God The second Adam or Jesus Christ is that quickning Spirit or Lord from heaven and is the root of all the second or new
Prophets even partakers of all his offices in Spirit he being the spiritual head of all his who are the spiritual body his Church The Christian under Episcopacy Prelacy Presbytery Baptism Independency c. THe whole world was divided into Jew and Gentile the Jew was that only visible Church of God to whom pertained the glory and the adoption and the Covenants and yet this Jewish Church was exceedingly faln from its glory and purity both of Priesthood and Worship and Administrations when Christ came So as now the Prophesy seemed to be fulfilled they were now without a King and without a Priest and without a Sacrifice and an Ephod and a Seraphim and were corrupted with many traditions and doctrines of men teaching for doctrines the traditions of men Thus was the Jew and their Church The Gentile had changed the truth of God into a lye and had worshiped the creature more then the Creator and had changed the glory of the incorruptible God and were given up to a reprobate mind and were therefore called sinners of the Gentiles alienated from the life of God strangers to the Covenants of Promise thus were the Gentiles full of Idols and Idol-temples sacrificing to devils and that way of the knowledg of God which was both in the law written in their hearts accusing or excusing and in the whole Creation where the eternal Power and Godhead was clearly seen even in the things that did appear even that way of the knowledg of God in them was darkned and they became vain in their imagination and their foolish hearts were darkned Now when Jew and Gentile were both thus yet God had his people amongst both amongst the Jew where Zacharias the Priest Elizabeth and Mary and Joseph and Simeon and Nicodemus a Ruler of the Pharises and Joseph of Arimathea with many such were like so many Starrs in a dark night Among the Gentile there was a Iob a Queen of Sheba a woman of Canaan the wise men that came to Ierusalem the Greeks that came to see Iesus Cornelius the Centurion so as in every Nation he that serveth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him and God is no accepter of persons When Iohn came who was a burning and a shining light he preached to and baptized all Iudea who went out to the Baptism of Iohn and taught his Disciples by formes of Prayer and such rudiments to their weakness and God had his people here that were under no more knowledge of Christ not higher revelation then this washing to Repentance and to him that should come after him and this low way of communion with God in forms or rules of Prayer given out by Iohn for so John taught Disciples When Christ came preaching the Gospel of the kingdom and teaching in Parables and Mysteries he had a People and Disciples who knew little of his sufferings that he should dye and rise again as Peter and the rest and knew little of that glorious doctrine and truth which he spake and preached to them till he took them alone and expounded to them those Mysteries and his Disciples were under a form and rule of Prayer as Iohns were Lord teach us to pray as Iohn taught his Disciples They saw little more of him then his fleshly presence and miracles they loved him and clave to him and followed him but had very few discoveries of him in Spirit except some few of them Iames and Peter and Iohn before whom he was transfigured in the Mount which was but figurative and typical of a more spiritual revelation And when the Spirit of Christ was come and the Apostles were sent forth in clearer evidences and demonstrations of Truth then some were under Iohns Baptism and knew not of any Holy Ghost some were under the law and zealous of the Law and Circumcision some regarded a day some eat herbs some were eating such things as were sacrificed to Idols So as here Gods people were found some in a corrupted Church as that of the Jews some under false worship and traditions some under Legall rites under formes or rules of prayer some under Johns Baptism under bondage of dayes and times and other outward things under the ignorance of Christs death and resurrection and of the holy Ghost So as all these things considered there will spring these Conclusions That the Nations commonly called Christians who are under the account of others as fals in their Church-constitution worship forms and order yet these things are not exclusive to the true Christian in Spirit or one born of God but in these commonly called Christians though under Episcopacy or Prelacy or Presbytery yet there may be such as have the true seed of God in them partakers of Jesus Christ true Disciples of Iesus Christ respectively to regeneration or the new birth if they wait in the encreasings of Christ and revelation of righteousnes from faith to faith That there are true and spiritual Disciples of Iesus Christ under forms of Prayer who have little more communion with God then in those formes as of Common-Prayer Book-prayers outward rules of worship so as they wait in these to come up into higher revelations of Spirit when discovered to them That there are such who are Christians anointed by the Spirit of God under observations of days times meats drinks several opinions of Christ of the Holy Ghost of the resurrection of Church order of Baptism of Water which is Iohns Baptism called Anabaptists so as they all in these several measures pass on from faith to faith and glory to glory The Christian in truth THat which forms essentiates or constitutes the true Christian is the Spirit of Jesus Christ that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit so as a man is a Christian from birth as he is born a man so he is born a Christian both are from birth and seed the one of flesh the other of Spirit The Christian is one who is of the second Adam as all men are of the first and the second man is the quickning spirit the Lord from heaven and so are they that are heavenly The Christian is one in whom Christ is formed or figured as the Greek word implies one that bears the image of the heavenly man who is the Image of Iesus Christ as Jesus Christ is the Image of the invisible God The Christian is one who hath the incorruptible seed in him or the word which liveth and abideth for ever which word is the Lord Jesus Christ who quickens the Saint and is the life of the Saint you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins The Christian is one who is in fellowship and conformity with Jesus Christ in his crucifyings death and resurrection in whom the flesh and life of the flesh must dye as it did in him and the Christian as Christ did must live in Spirit to God The Christian is one who is the new creature or new man for