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
Formalities of the persecuting Powers and Priests of this perishing world 19 This was that shutting up of the Serpent Dragon Devil in the evil powers aforesaid from deceiving the Nations any more until the thousand years of their ten bloody persecutions of the Saints was fulfilled 20 Again it is written And I saw seats and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God and which did not worship the beast neither his image neither had taken his mark upon their foreheads and they lived and raigned with Christ a thousand years My spiritual friends what judgement-seats were those which John saw and who were them that sate thereon in judgement 21 Those seats of judgement were the accusing consciences of the bloody persecutors aforesaid and the preaching or publishing of the glorious truths of our Lord Jesus Christ through the Commissionated mouthes of the chosen Apostles Ministers or Saints was that judge of life and death reigning in the consciences of the aforesaid spiritual Tyrants Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels 22 My spiritual friends what ever men shall imagine of these literal Records as sure as the Lord liveth those Angels spoken of by the Apostle Paul were the Tyrannical Magistrates and their bloody minded covetous Priests which committed spiritual wickedness together in high places 23 Again you chosen ones may know though the bodies of the Saints suffer imprisonment or death for the truth of Christ yet their spirits are in pure peace and at perfect liberty in life and death 24 But of the contrary though the persons of the cruel persecutors be at perfect liberty in their temporal heaven yet their spirits are close prisoners in their own bodies and void of all heavenly peace whatsoever through that envy in them against all divine purity 25 And that blood spilt upon the earth by them for the testimony of Christ that was the shutting up of the door of all true hope from them and sealing up their bloody spirits unto an eternal vengeance at the great day of our Lord Jesus Christ with his mighty Angels 26 Again seeing John by a divine light saw the souls of them that were put to death for bearing witness to the word of God or spiritual truth of Jesus reigning with Christ over the raging spirits of their bloody persecutors that thousand years time of the Ten persecutions aforesaid My spiritual brethren what was that worship of the beast and receiving his mark in their fore-heads and hands which they were preserved from in the thousand years reign or time of their fiery tryals for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that is they were delivered from that idolatrous worship proceeding from the beastly imagination of their spiritual bloody Tyrants as aforesaid not daring in the least to handle any carnal weapons in defence of their cursed inventions what sufferings soever they endured 27 This I would gladly have you to understand that the commissionated Witnesses of the Lord of Glory are for the most part appointed unto the greatest tryals at the hands of Cananitish devils or perishing gods of this vain glorious world because of the reward of that transcendent glory which the Lord Jesus hath prepared for them with himself above ordinary Saints with his holy Angels face to face 28 Again it is written But the rest of the dead men shall not live again until the thousand years be finished this is the first resurrection blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power but they shall be the Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years â—nd when the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison My spiritual brethren who were those dead men that lived not again until the thousand years were finished You know in holy Writ it is said ye that were dead in sins and trespasses hath he quickened 29 So likewise you may also know that those dead men there spoken of were the remainder of the Saints and chosen Witnesses of the eternal Spirit that were to appear in these last days to bear record unto that glorious Truth which the Prophets Apostolical Ministers and Saints sealed too with their blood as abundantly beforesaid 30 Again you know it is written that Satan shall be loosed out of his prison for a little season when the thousand years are expired to deceive the people which are in the four quarters of the earth even Gog and Magog to gather them together to battel whose number is as the sand of the Sea and they went up in the plain of the earth and they compassed the tents of the Saints about and the beloved City but fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them 31 Again you may remember that from an unerring Spirit that sent me to declare divine secrets that I have already demonstrated unto you what that Satan is and that prison of his thousand years abode 32 It remains now that I should write somewhat concerning his being loosed out of his prison that you may the better understand the truth in relation to the dead men aforesaid 33 Moreover you that have been well acquainted with spiritual conditions cannot but know that no men in the world are in such a deep prison of raging darkness as those men that tyrannize over the consciences of innocent souls which cannot bow down to their imaginary divine ordinances 34 Furthermote you may also know that when the Magistrate and his pretended Prophets were prevented from persecuting mens persons in reference to their consciences towards God then and not till then was Satan loosed out of his prison 35 This was that loosing of Satan for a little season out of his unspeakable prison in the temporal powers when the innocent professors of Christ had freedom of conscience in reference to their faith in the Lord of Glory through which the Christians were multiplied again in the earth 36 Again you may know that it was but a very little season since Christ was glorified that the Saints possessed any such spiritual freedom in any kingdom under heaven 37 Therefore the persecuting spirits of Satanical Prelates in the Civil Powers have had but a very little season of resting from shedding the blood of Gods innocent people in the whole world 38 Moreover though the name of Christ was almost extinguished from the face of the earth in the thousand years spiritual reign of the Saints and raging of the serpents as aforesaid yet you may know in that season of liberty of Christian conscience that the Saints were mightily increased again in the world 39 Furthermore you may also know that those Saints are the dead men that lived not again until these last times of the invisible teachings of
Moon and Stars 8 The Sun and Moon of contrary natures SEeing a right understanding of the mysteries of the true Creation or Redemption or any spiritual truth whatsoever consists onely in the knowledge of him which gave them their beings therefore by divine assistance in the next place I shall treat again of that glorious Being concerning whom there is and hath been in this world such innumerable dark disputes 2 My beloved brethren in the truth you may remember that unto any sober mans understanding it is cleared already that earth and water were an eternal chaos of confused matter essentially distinct from the Creator 3 Also you may remember that out of those elements I have told you by inspiration from an unerring spirit that the Divine Majesty hath created all things that were made into that heavenly order they appear to be whether for a time or for eternity 4 Moreover it is clear also that without those eternal materials was nothing made that was made neither possibly could be onely that serpentine devil in the learned men of this world have long imagined a confused creation of more seeming wisdom power and glory then that of the Creator as abundantly beforesaid 5 Again concerning the word Create make or form I shall write a little of the sense of it 6 My beloved brethren the very true meaning of that word Create is to compose confused dead matter into compleat living forms or that word Create is light and life producing dark dead dâ—st or water into sensible living beings or it is a powerful word proceeding from a glorious form of sensible light and life into a chaos of confused formless matter of sensless darkness and death and from thence producing variety of sensible living bodies according to their kinde for the demonstration of the Creators infinite wisdom power and glory in creation unto some of these living forms 7 Again seeing unlearned spiritual men wrest the Scripture to their own destruction therefore for our more cleerer understanding of the true Creator in order thereunto I shall speak somewhat of the visible heavens and the lights formed in them for mans natural comfort next unto the Creators glory 8 My beloved spiritual brethren you know concerning the deep waters throughout the Scripture Records no man can finde one word or tittle in reference to its beginning therefore of necessity it must be eternal 9 Likewise you know that the waters covered the earth before the creation wherefore the earth being as it is in the deep waters of necessity must needs be one essence eternally with those deep waters aforesaid 10 Therefore though it be said In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the deep and the spirit of God moved upon the waters 11 My spiritual brethren you cannot be deceived by literal interpretations as to think that the deep waters might be eternal but that lump of hid earth within those waters had a beginning by the word of the Lord 12 No you know that is against all sober sense or reason it self for if that earth which was within the water proceeded from the word of the Lord then the dark deep water must of necessity have its beginning also at that time the earth received its being because in the lump they were essentially one 13 Wherefore what ever man in darkness have dreamed as to say that God created all things of nothing or that God created that confused chaos of water and earth it is so far from having any truth in it that it is all one as if they should say there is no Creator at all but eaâ—th and water and such like stuff as they are 14 Again by inspiration from an unerring spirit I positively affirm against men or angels that the earth and the deep water were eternally one chaos of confused matter distinct from the ever-living God 15 And whereas it is said In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth that is out of that matter of water and earth that were formless and void God did by a word speaking create a formable world as a place of convenient residence for mortals to inhabit in 16 I also declare from the holy Spirit that God created no light nor darkness at all without bodies 17 Wherefore concerning those words Then God said Let there be light and there was light that is the spirit of God being all light moving or speaking into the deep dark waters his word caused a light to appear throughout those waters to make a distinction between light and that utter darkness that was both in the deep water and the earth inclosed as a prisoner in the womb of darkness 18 So that the Lord called this created light Day not onely because it was all darkness before or that he did not purpose to form a more eminent natural light then that was but as aforesaid an ordinary created light is worthy to be called Day as well as ordinary darkness is called Night 20 Or you may know that the very word Light signifieth Day as the word Darkness signifieth Night 21 Likewise you know that darkness was not darkness without its body therefore you may know that light can be no light unless it be in a body also 22 It is not the word Light nor the word Darkness is or possibly can be any thing at all unless they be in distinct bodies that they might become absolute beings of light or beings of darkness 23 It is written Agaâ—n God said Let there be a Firmament in the midst of the waters and let it separate the waters from the waters 24 My spiritual brethren I declare from the holy Spirit that this visible Firmament called Heaven was formed by the powerful word of the Creator out of those very waters in which it is now fixed to keep them asunder 25 Moreover it is written And God said Let there be Lights in the Firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth and it was so God then made two great Lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night He made also the Stars and God set them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth 26 My spiritual brethren whatsoever hath been written formerly from mens imaginations concerning the vastness of the bodies of the Sun Moon and Stars it arose in them from their utter darkness of that glorious Creator from whence all true light proceeds 27 Wherefore from that Light by whom no man ever was deceived in some measure I shall demonstrate why the Lord called the Sun and Moon two great Lights and of that matter of which they were made 28 My spiritual brethren though the Sun Moon and Stars transcend each other in glory yet you may know that they were all created of that element of water and are distinct bodies of light fixed in the heavenly firmament 29 I do not
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
of prison 8 Who they are that be in the deepest prisons of raging darkness IN the next place according to promise I shall write somewhat upon the 20. Chapter of the Revelation by St. John because that error of Christs personal reign a thousand years with his Saints on this earth is partly grounded from this Chapter 2 My beloved brethren in the eternal truth you know that this Book of the Apocalyps is too mysterious to be understood by the Achitophels of this perishing world 3 Also you know that Gods way is to choose the base things of this world to confound the most honorable things thereof that no flesh may glory in his presence 4 Moreover you know that if the most High endues a man with a divine gift to demonstrate his eternal secrets to his brethren he preserveth the soul of that man from giving the glory of that heavenly power to his own net my meaning is this that man doth not give any praise or glory to any God or Christ or light within him but he is made as is due to return all the honor praise or glory unto an infinite Majesty or spiritual Fountain of glories without him from whence alone all divine light as chrystal streams floweth into the spirits of elect men and angels 5 But to come to the matter in hand And I saw an Angel come down from heaven Brethren what Angel was that which John saw come down from heaven Truly it was no other but that Angelical personal God our Lord Jesus Christ himself with whom John was more conversant than all the Apostles in divine secrets 6 Again having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand that is this Angelical Jesus alone had all divine power of heaven and earth in his own spirit over the bottomless pit lying imaginations of devils incarnate or cursed men 7 Moreover the everlasting Gospel or Truth which proceeded through his heavenly mouth for the consolation of his Saints and confounding of the Serpents that was the great chain in his hand 8 Furthermore it is written And he took the Dragon that old Serpent which is the devil and Satan and he bound him a thousand years and cast him into a bottomless pit and he shut him up and sealed the door upon him that he should deceive the people no more till the thousand years were fulfilled My spiritual friends what was that old Serpent Dragon Devil which was bound a thousand years by the spiritual power of Christ It was an imaginary bottomless pit Devil within the body of man that persecuted the Truth of Christ in his own person Apostles and Saints 9 Again you that are spiritual may know that the Serpent Devil that was bound or shut up as in a prison or in a dungeon of darkness for a thousand years was the cursed spirit of murdering Cain raging against Christ and his seed in the person of King Herod and his seed or seven sons in the Ten persecutions 10 In the 12 Chapter of the Revelation it is thus written And there appeared another wonder in heaven for behold a great red Dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven Crowns upon his head Also in the 13 Chapter it is thus written And I saw a beast rise out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns were ten Crowns This red Dragon and beast that rose out of the sea was that Herod and his seven sons in the Ten persecutions as aforesaid 11 Again for your clearer understanding in the thing give me leave to speak of the three last verses of this twelfth Chapter the words are these And the Serpent cast out of his mouth water after the woman like a flood that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood My spiritual friends you may know that this Serpent was bloody Herod and the woman was that Virgin Mary that brought forth the Lord of life and the flood was the men of war that was sent forth to persecute the Virgin and murder her Son and our Savior but the earth holp the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood which the Dragon had cast out of his mouth 12 My spiritual friends you may know that the innocent children that were murdered by bloody Herods men of war was that earth that opened her mouth and swallowed up that flood of persecution that was intended to be poured forth upon the blessed Babe or God of eternal Glory 13 Again then the Dragon was wroth with the woman and went and made war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ My spiritual brethren you may also know because Herod could not come at the holy Babe and his Mother in its infancy therefore his cursed spirit in his seed or sons did persecute the Lord of Glory and his Apostles and Believers to the death afterwards if you look with a spiritual eye in the second of Matthew and the Acts upon king Herod his seed Councel of Priests Scribes and men of war then you may see this to be the very minde of the holy Spirit in these mysterious Records 14 Again when the earthly powers through the glorious appearance of the everlasting Gospel are sealed up unto bloody mindedness against the messengers of that divine Truth to fulfil the secret decree of the most high God then are their spirits shut close prisoners in their own bodies as in a dungeon of spiritual darkness through which in stead of enjoying any sweet peace that soul is full of raging madness and not knowing which way to turn it self it thinks to get out of its condition by acting all maner of cruelties to the utmost of its power 15 My spiritual friends you may know that this was that spiritual binding of that old Serpent Dragon Devil in king Herod and his Herodian spirits for a thousand years the which thousand years were expired when the Ten persecutions ceased which was the ten horns of that savage beast aforesaid 16 For you that are spiritual know that no man can possibly finde out the truth of Holy Writ of the most perfectest account in the world because the wisdom of God hath reserved the seasons of all divine secrets in his own heavenly breast that men or Angels may know them when his Glory seeth it most fit 17 Wherefore all time observation in reference to a right understanding of any thing that is spiritual is utterly confounded in that Scripture saying For a thousand years is as one day with the Lord and a day is as a thousand years 18 Moreover when the glorious Truths of the divine Majesty were poured forth upon the face of the Nations as it was in the primitive times through the spiritual Ministery of the everliving God you may know whilest that commissionated spiritual power remained in being the Nations could not be deceived with the hypocritical
didst thou ever see this infinite Maâ—esty and Throne of Glory thy self if thou didst where are thy miracles to confirm it or why dost thou not make us believe it by thy spirituality or why doth not this infinite Majesty bear witness that he sent thee as he did to his former Prophets and Apostles or when will he do it that we may see and believe and own thee for the truths sake 25 Whoever thou art that thus callest in question the glorious truths of eternity under pretence of my weakness in reference unto miracles that thou mightest believe 26 Little dost thou think in stead of contending with me thy sinful brother according to the flesh that it is that old Serpent Devil in thee that arraigns the glorious God that made thee at the blinde bar of thy carnal reason and by it condemns him and his heavenly truths because thy unbelieving desires are not satisfied 27 Again did not the Lord of Glory himself call those Jews that required a sign an adulterous and wicked generation 28 Moreover when the Lord of life by the mighty power of his word onely wrought wonderful miracles in their sights instead of believing on him ever the sooner for that the sign-mongring Jews cursedly say that he cast out Devils through Beelzebub the Prince of Devils 29 Furthermore if thou shouldst upbraid me for want of the gift of tongues or languages yet I render praise unto the God of Glory by his poor light in my poor soul thou canst not upbraid me for want of a spirit of Prophesie though thou at present shalt slight it 30 And what if I could speak all languages would it advantage any sign-monger in the world but to his further condemnation only 31 What saith the Scripture concerning this thing Wherefore strange tongues are for a sign not to them that believe but to them believe not but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not but for them which believe 22 verse of the 14. Chapter of the 1. Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians 32 Moreover did not the Lord of Glory himself say that John the Baptist was the greatest Prophet under the Law that was born of women and yet thou never reads of any miracles or tongues possessed by him 33 The Christian Dove waites for a spiritual sign within him that he may believe the glorious truths of the everliving God without him but the carnal Serpent requires a natural sign without him to make him believe the spiritual truths of an invisible God in the high heavens 34 Again if there should be no other appearing of a God or Christ but in mens consciences as thousands vainly imagine in this drunken age what did Christ mean by these and such like sayings in the 15. of St. Matthew And when the Son of man cometh in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all nations and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats and he shall set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on the left then shall the King say to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was an hungry and ye gave me meat I thirsted and ye gave me drink and such like then shall he say to them on his left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels for I was an hungry and ye gave me no meat I thirsted and ye gave me no drink and these shall go into everlasting pain and the righteous into life eternal 35 Again thou that vainly boasts of a spiritual God or Christ appearing in glory within thee onely darest thou say that these Scriptures are fulfilled 36 Moreover canst thou say that thou hast this King on his Throne of Glory with his holy Angels and all the Nations of the world within thee 37 Furthermore is the Devil and his Angels and eternal blessedness and cursedness within thee also 38 My beloved friends in the Lord of life if there were not a generation of cursed men that glory of a God or Christ within them that are not onely full of these and such like discourses but are also given up unto all filthiness I could not have mentioned this thing wherefore there are many of these Serpents that creep into houses telling poor deceived men and silly women laden with many lusts that the resurrection of the dead is past already since Christ in his glory is risen in them 39 Moreover if their captivated friends should seem to scruple at any kinde of fleshly community held forth by them then these wandring Stars will say unto them What poor low things are these that you are troubled withal what are you in Egypt still is there any more then one pure being and is not this pure being within you all and is it not he that speaks and acts all in you seeing there is but one power what do ye scruple at are ye as little children or fools yet do ye not see that there is no union or true communion in the world among those people that hold two powers 40 Furthermore lest their deceived friends by whom they possess Balaams wages should fail them then these cursed captives will tell them That their bodies are fleshly forms that turns to dust from whence they came and shall appear no more therefore not to be minded in the least in reference to sin so that ye fall not under the civil law or oppress nature but your souls are immortal and cannot die but ascends into its glory from whence it came Wherefore since ye have attained to such liberty that all men are in foolish bondage which know it not let us eat and drink and be merry whilest we enjoy these vanishing forms yet let us sollace our selves with all delights even as our divine rights 41 O thou King of all kings for the glory of thy great names sake discover these Serpents with their carnal wiles that all thy simple hearted people may be delivered out of their Satannical snares and brought into that pure light and liberty of thy own likeness by one heavenly glance from thy eternal spirit CHAP. XLV 1 The Creators withholding of his divine assistance was the cause of the Fall of our first Parents 2 The ground of all spiritual or natural Curses 3 Noahs Ark assimulated to Heaven 4 Of the Resurrection YOu that are full of the light of life may know that whilest Adam and Eve continued in the purity of their Creation this whole earth and all things made therein were as pure in their kinde and measure as that vast kingdom of glory and all that therein is 2 Moreover as soon as ever their pure natures were defiled with the Serpentine nature of fiery lust you
A DIVINE Looking-Glass OR The third and last Testament of our Lord JESUS CHRIST Whose personal Residence is seated on his Throne of Eternal Glory in another world Being the Commission of the Spirit agreeing with and explaining of the two former Commissions of the Law and the Gospel differing onely in point of Worship Set forth for the Tryal of all sorts of supposed Spiritual Lights in the world until the Ever-living true JESUS the onely High and Mighty God personally appear in the Air with his Saints and Angels By John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton Pen-men hereof and the last chosen Witnesses unto that Ever-blessed Body of Christ Jesus glorified to be the onely wise very true God alone Ever-lasting Father and Creator of both worlds and all that were made in them Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly to testifie and fulfil thy own promise in thy Records of Truth that thy redeemed ones may really know that thou hast seat us and art that unchangeable God which cannot possibly lie though millions of unredeemed mankinde thereby should everlastingly perish Printed in the year of our Lord 1656. and since reviewed by and reprinted for Lodowick Muggleton one of the said Witnesses dwelling in great Trinity-lane in London near â—he Sign of the Lyon and the Lamb where this Book is to be had 1661. To the spiritual discerning Reader MY beloved spiritual brethren in whom is rooted and really grounded the saving light of Life eternal I know that the manifold breakings forth of seeming glorious appearances in this Age can by no means be hid from your eyes Also you know that the true light of Life hath almost discovered them all to be nothing else but the very depth of mens serpentine subtilties cloaked over with the divine titles of the most infinite and holy God so that mens glittering language now is of no value unto you unless the holy Spirit beareth witness unto your spirits that the Lord hath spoken unto them from heaven neither can men blinde your eyes with their natural miracles artificial juglings sophistical signs and wonders to cause you ever the sooner for that to receive them as immediately sent forth by the ever-living God I say it is not lofty words of imaginary voices visions dreams revelations variety of languages declarations of the knowledge of the heights and depths of perishing nature pretended Jerusalem Journeys supposed seeing of spiritual Angels with eyes of natural flesh and familiar conversing with them and knowing the names of all the holy Angels in glory and every mans protecting Angel in this world or any such like carnal fancies can blinde your eyes any more which have received from above a distinguishing gift between the things of eternal life and death not onely from its effects but from its first causes also My selected brethren unto a pure light language and life from the very true God I certainly know that nothing in this world will satisfie your hungry souls but a right understanding of spiritual things which are eternal in that world to come therefore unto you alone which look not after gilded words but glorious things present I this Epistle from that Spirit which can neither deceive nor be deceived by men nor angels Wherefore if any sober man of a quick comprehension shall suppose that this Writing might have been composed into fewer words then is here inserted I hope he shall wisely consider that things of such concernment requires more words then ordinary not onely for informing and confirming of the simple Saints but also for confounding of the subtile Serpents of this Age. Moreover you that peruse this Epistle which are of an unjudging tender spirit may also know that before the eternal Spirit in Christ Jesus became my Minister I was very weak in the knowledge of learned mens Opinions their Disputes or Writings concerning heavenly things which are hid from them and revealed unto unlearned babes Therefore the chief desire of my soul is that it may be manifested unto elect men and Angels whether the substance of this Epistle proceeds from mine own carnal spirit or from the most pure and holy Spirit of God himself I mean that one personal glorious Majesty of our Lord Iesus Christ whose divine nature both is and shall be Crowns of immortal ravishing Excellencies in all his elect at the great and dreadful Day of eternal burning vengeance upon the souls and bodies of all bloody-minded impenitent Persecutors that ever were born John Reeve Another Epistle annexed to this Book My beloved spiritual Brethren who are or shall come to be really grounded in the true Doctrine which is held forth in the three Commissions namely the Commission of Moses and the Prophets 2 Of Christ Jesus and the Apostles 3 Of the Commission of the Spirit which Commission is now extant in the world though not accompanied with visible signs and natural miracles as the other two Commissions had in their time when their Commission was in being yet this I am sure that this Commission of the Spirit being the last Commission that God will ever send into this world while time is no more therefore it is that this Commission of the Spirit hath the onely interpretation of the two former Commissions for there is no man in the world at this day let him be of what Sect or Opinion soever that doth truly know any part of the Scriptures but this Commission of the Spirit onely notwithstanding they labor so much after the knowledge of them yet for wanâ— of a Commission from God they have no true understanding of any one principal or true ground of faith for all that they do of that nature is nothing else but the very strength of reason and reason can never truly know the deep things of eternity because there is no man in the world at this day that hath the knowledge of the true God his Form and Nature the right devil his form and nature but this Commission of the Spirit onely Therefore when God spake these words unto John Reeve saying I have given thee understanding of my minde in the Scriptures above all the men in the world Also God did say at the same time I have given thee Lodowick Muggleton to be thy mouth So that according to the words of God he hath given us two to understand more of his mind in the Scriptures then all the men in the world do at this day that is more spiritual knowledge of the Scriptures than all the men in the world because God hath chosen us two to be his last Commissionated Prophets and Witnesses of the Spirit to declare and make known unto the Seed of Faith those great mysteries which have layen hid in the breast of God ever since the foundation of this world was laid and in the time of their Commission was in some measure made manifest unto the sons of men by some part of the mystery of God as those Commissions aforesaid namely Moses and Jesus But now
write variety of expressions for explaining my meaning in this weighty thing 4 Again I say those Scripture-sayings which are positive though never so few in number yet they as Gods command all other Scripture-sayings to bow down unto them upon what account soever they are spoken whether spiritual or natural to continue for a time or for eternity 5 Therefore seeing all privative Scriptures are of none effect but in reference unto those which are positive are not those seeming wise men spiritually dark as pitch which exalt the privative Scriptures above the positive because of the number of them 6 My beloved brethren you may know the privative Scriptures can have no being without the positive but it seemeth possible that the positive might have been without the privative as the glorious Creator was eternally alone before any creaturely beings appeared in his sight 7 Again all positive sayings in Scriptures may be compared unto the inward motion of a Clock or Dyal and all privative sayings in Scriptures may be compared unto the outward wheel or hand that alwayes motions from or points to the inward cause of its outward motions 8 My spiritual friends if you diligently observe this golden rule as sure as the Lord liveth and as sure as you are living creatures you shall finde it that spiritual Touch-stone which will not onely discover all vain-glorious opinions of literal or notional wise men but it will also further you in the true understanding of the minde of God in the Scripture above all men which are ignorant of this rule or enemies to this advice 9 For the strengthning of the weak in the next place I shall prove by many positive Scriptures that the man Christ Jesus glorified is the Holy One of Israel onely or is both Father Son and Spirit in one distinct person God and Man blessed for ever and ever 10 In the first of St. Johns Gospel it is thus written In the beginning was that Word and that Word was with God and that Word was God and that Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we saw the glory thereof as the onely begotten Son of the Father full of grace and truth 11 My brethren though the one pure being hath variety of expressions in holy Writ to set forth the infinite glory of his divine Majesty yet you may see in these very literal Records themselves that those holy Names of Word or God or Father beâ—eth but one sense onely 12 Furthermore this divine word God or glorious Father was mâ—de begotten or changed into flesh 13 Again you may by the true light of life in you clearly see from the first words of the Text that Christ and the Father were but one essential glory before they became flesh behold the one divinity in trinity of expressions onely In the beginning was that Word and that Word was with God and that Word was God 14 If that Word was God that was in the beginning with God and that God from everlasting was that spiritual Word Christ being that divine God or God that divine Word which in the beginning created heaven and earth Gen. 1. and in the beginning or fulness of time became flesh then without controversie he is the alone Everlasting Father and Creator of both worlds and the onely Redeemer of his chosen ones out of their natural darkness into this mysterious light of a right understanding of one divine personal Majesty in variety of expressions onely 15 Again this positive Scripture in this first of John doth open many other sayings of Christ and his Apostles as namely those in the eight of John where it is thus written And if I also judge my judgement is true for I am not alone but I and the Father that sent me Then said Jesus unto them When ye have lift up the Son of man then shall ye know that I am he and that I do nothing of my self but as the Father hath taught me so I speak these things for he that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone because I do always those things that please him Again it is written in the tenth of John I and my Father are one 16 The next positive Scriptures bearing record unto the one personal divine being is in 2 Cor. 15. the words are these The first man is of the earth earthly the second man is the Lord from heaven And in Rom. 9. it is thus written Of whom are the fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came who is God over all blessed for ever Amen Again in 1 Tim. 3. the last it is thus written And without controversie great is the mastery of godliness which is God is manifested in the flesh â—ustified in the spirit seen of angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world and received up into glory For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God head bodily Colos 2.9 17 Again in John 14. it is thus written Jesus said unto him I have been so long time with you and hast thou not known me Philip he that hath seen me hath seen my Father how then sayest thou shew us the Father And in Mark 4. are these words Jesus said unto him it is written again thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God And in verse 10. Then said Jesus unto him Avoid Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve And in Mark 1. are these words Behold a Virgin shall be with childe and shall bear a son and they shall call his name Emanuel which is by interpretation God with us He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not John 1. For by him were all things created which are in heaven and which are in earth things visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him and he is before all things and in him all things consist Colos 1. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Colos 2. And of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace John 1. For unto us a childe is born and unto us a son is given and he shall call his Name Wonderful Counseller the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 Now the same Jesus Christ our Lord and our God even the Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace 1 Thes 2.16 Let the same minde be in you that was even in Christ Iesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but he made himself of no reputation and took on him the form of a servant and was made like unto men and was found in shape as man Phil. 2.5 6 7. But our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Savior even the Lord Iesus Christ
to trouble or torment your sâ—lf seeing there is nothing in us but God onely in variety of appearance Furthermore do you not know that he is all in all what then is there besides himself Comfort up your despairing self therefore and understand that it is the spirit of the Father only appearing in you sometimes in light and love and sometimes in death darkness or seeming wrath or envy in the end you shall finde that all visibilities are but meer forms shapes or shadows and that all invisible operations of seeming contrariety was the Father onely who is the first and the last and there is none beside him 17 Again if a more grosser sort of these Trinitary-mongers or rather fleshly Atheists shall come to visit their friend in the condition beforesaid they will endeavour to comfort them or smooth them up with these and such like expressions Friend what is the matter with thee or what is there that should cause thee to be so full of fears or trouble of minde thou fearest where no fear is thou art like unto a child or fool that is frighted with their own shadows or else thou art mad and wantest a Chyrurgeon to let thee blood that the devil damnation sins or ciphers may flie from thee Further they will say unto their wrathful friend Let not that called sin in the least trouble thee but rather let it be thy glory because there is none in such bondage as those that are so nice or scrupulous concerning sin Sin what is sin or sins in us are they any thing else but so many several Stars or Angels in us Art thou not worse then mad therefore to be troubled with the variety of thy Fathers brightness appearing in thee though in seeming darkness 17 Again if none of these or such like cursed speeches take effect with their despairing friend then out of Atheistical madness they will say unto one another That he is an ass and a fool for making such a noise and trouble to his friends as he doth when he will he may help it with case sure it is somewhat doubtful that he dissembles with himself for some by-end to bring his friends into publick shame amongst their â—eligious adversaries 18 My beloved spiritual brethren this is the end of such comforâ—ers and their hellish counsel unto their friend under present wrath O will not Jobs comforters rise up in judgement and condemn all such wretched counsellers as these are at the visible appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ with his mighty Angels 19 Another sort of empty comforters will say unto this their despairing friend Brother how is it with you do you earnestly pray unto the Lord to forgive you your great transgressions committed against him or are you heartily sorry for all your evils or are you willing to be prayed for when the Saints shall meet together or shall we set a day apart of fasting and humiliation before the Lord for you or are you not guilty of some secrets sins lying heavy upon your conscience because you do not disclose them through which the prayers of the Saints are not answered certainly your sins are not so great but if you confess them and forsake them they are pardonable cry therefore mightily unto the Lord day and night we also will do the like that your wounded spirits may be heal'd but it may be you have comitted some such horrible wickednes that God will not suffer you to be in peace though you cry never so much or long unto him until you are made to desire his Saints to lay open your rebellions before him in publick or private zealously fasting and crying unto him with a loud and bitter voice that this sort of soul despairing sins or devils may be cast out of you or it may be you have committed some secret action of murder buggery or such like and therefore the Lord will neither answer our prayers or your own or ever suffer you to be in peace more until you are cut off by the hand of the Magistrate therefore that you may be delivered from the wrath of God upon you and die in peace our counsel is that you will hide none of your rebellions committed against the Lord or man CHAP. XIII 1 Of the language and conditions of two sorts of men and women 2 The one elected unto Glory the other rejected unto shame 3 The Prophets declaration thereupon IN the next place I shall speak of two sorts of men and women the one elected unto glory the other rejected unto shame or which have committed the unpardonable sin against the holy Spirit through reprobation and which hath not through election yet both of them may continue under despair to their lives end for the manifestation of the prerogative will or pleasure of the Creator over his creatures and who art thou that dares dispute against it 2 My spiritual brethren if an elect vessel hath been left to commit adultery buggery murder or such like and lyeth under despair and if he hath not fallen under these serpentine stinging evils but is wounded in spirit through a continual fear of being overcome through temptation to commit it one time or other 3 Or suppose he is full of blasphemous thoughts against the Creator through which there is a continual fear in him of eternal damnation yet there is so much light of life in him secretly upholding his bleeding spirit that if you discourse with him concerning his condition he will usually utter these or such like words I know God is able to pass by all my rebellions against him but I fear he will not Or he will say Do you think that if God did purpose to shew mercy unto me or had ever any thoughts of love unto my poor soul that he would suffer me to do those detestable evils against nature it self beside my inward dreadful temptations against himself Again they wil say I cannot believe that ever any of the beloved of the Lord were ever under any such strange temptations or desperate thoughts against the Lord or against my self my wife my children or relations as I am Again they will say When I finde any motion of deep sorrow in me for all my rebellions and a full resolution by the power of the Lord to forsake them and a desire to love the Lord in hope of his mercy or to praise him for his preserving me under all past dangers then immediately I am subject to the most firiest temptations of all therefore what hopes can there be for such a one as I am I fear hopes or desires concerning me is but vain sure my condition is as bad if not worse than Cain Balaam Judas or any such like 4 Notwithstanding these and such like hopeless expressions yet if they finde a man that experimentally understands the sadness of their condition they are apt to desire that man to intreat the Lord for them 5 Again what ever befalls them they have this property abiding in
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
then most men 3 Usually they will talk of one pure being within all men onely also if they branch forth this their pretended God unto their deceived hearers you shall hear them utter these or such like expressions Brethren be not so carnally minded as to think of a God in the form of a man sitting in a Heaven above the Stars but minde that spiritnal God in the invisible Heaven of your hearts Again they will say that spirit of the Father within you is that God of love beauty vertue with all variety of glorious perfections whatsoever if you were but once acquainted with it wherefore if fears of eternal damnation seize upon you they are apt to say it ariseth from your ignorant conceivings of a God and a Heaven at a distance Again for mannaging of this their sophistry that their deceit might not be perceived they will treat upon these and such like Scriptures Christ in you the hope of Glory know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates as he is so are we in this present world the Kingdom of Heaven is within you at that day shall ye know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you that they all may be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee Even that they may be also one in us he that is born of God sinneth not 4 Thus they wrest these literal Scriptures to hide their fleshly glory and subtile Hypocrifie that their eternal vengeance may exceed all mens in this age at the visible appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ with his mighty Angels 5 You that are endued with a gift of spiritual distinguishing between perishing glittering words and glorious things which are eternal if you observe these sorts of golden sophisters you shall finde that whatever scripture they treat upon they carry it in an allegorical notional mistery of nothing but meer empty words onely As for example if they speak of the persons of Cain and Abel or of the persons of the bond-woman and her son and the free-woman and her son they will bid you look within you and you may see them all there in seeming contrariety onely 6 Again if you observe these men you shall seldom or ever hear them speak of any thing after this life but they will tell you of a death and resurrection of man in this life but as concerning this mortal soul and body of ours entring into the grave or death and quickning again a new and glorious life by raysing this mortal body into a glorified condition in the visible sight of it self and presence of a personal God elect men and Angels in a kingdom of eternal glory these are riddles or uncertain things at a great distance 7 It is not a God or Christ or throne of eternal glory above the Stars which no mortal man can make visible unto mens eyes that will cloth men in plush-Jackets and feed their bodies with dainty delicacies no no the infallible truth concerning a bodily resurrection of a purified spirit unto eternal Glory and a personal appearing of an impurified soul unto everlasting shame will yeeld no such Peacocks feathers nor Dives dishes as those are the Apostles and those of the same faith with them will one day personally appear again to bear record unto this truth 8 My brethren what difference is there between those men which glory of a God Christ Heaven Word Ordinances and Salvation without them and are ignorant of the teachings of the Holy Spirit within them and those men which glory of all these heavenly things within them and yet are ignorant of that glorious personal Majesty and Throne of immortallity without them 9 Are not these men those hypocritical Pharisees and Atheistical Sadducees which indeavored to cover their nakedness with inward and outward leaves of rational words onely 10 Do not all men which confess a Creator conclude that his spirit is infinite immortal unchangeable and eternal 11 Doth not every man possess a distinct living spirit in his own body 12 Is not every man a sinner and subject to all manner of loathsome diseases of mortallity 13 Wherefore if this one pure spirit of God himself was dwelling in the body of any mortal man whatsoever is it possible think you that that man could be desirous after carnal copulation or subject unto any kind of putrifaction whatsoever 14 Who art thou then poor vain perishing clay which boasteth of possessing of a most holy immortal spirit within thee and yet canst not enjoy any life of peace in the least without a continual supply of fleshly carnalities without thee 15 Again art thou capable of possessing an infinite eternal spirit which art but a finite piece of fading dust 16 Art thou so vain in thy imagination as to think that such a changeable piece of confusion as thou art can possibly be capable to bear about thee that bright burning glorious spirit of the unchangeable God whose glory is above all heavens at whose power of a word speaking all kinde of lights within this Creation are immediately subject to enter into silent darkness as if they had never had any being 17 Again is not the glorious body of Jesus Christ in the Throne of the Father the eternal Son of God 18 And is not all the divine Godhead of the everlasting Father living and raigning in him bodily 19 And is this spirit any more then one spirit united unto that one body of glorious flesh and bone of our Lord Jesus Christ 20 And is not all the treasures of wisdom hid in this Jesus onely and is it not from his fulness that we all receive grace for grace 21 If we have any true light at all ruling in us if this be truth which none can deny but notional Atheists or bloody minded Formallists what art thou then but that outcast angellical Reprobate which doth not onely divide the Godhead spirit of Christ Jesus our Lord but impudently affirmest that thou and all of thy opinion do possess the very Godhead spirit within you 22 And not onely so but like a Devil incarnat as thou art thou cursest those that discovereth this thy horrible blasphemy 23 Again thou which carriest thy God about thee where ever thou art when thou hast breathed out thy sinful Soul and all thy light or life into silent dust or death where then is thy inward God and self become 24 But it may be thou wilt reply and say thy soul is immortal and cannot die to this lying conceit of thine I answer by way of Quere 25 Dost thou indeed believe any truth in Scripture Records 26 If thou reply thou doest then my Qâ—ere is this whether thou thinkest that the soul of Christ when he was in a body of flesh on this earth were not as immortal as any other mans is or rather immortal alone and all others mortal besides him 27 Well then if I prove that the soul of Christ died and
earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood will pour clean water upon them and they shall be clean he died in the flesh and quickned in the spirit 8 Thus you that are truly enlightned from on high may see a little into that wonderful mystery of the onely wise God imanifesting it self in earth answerable unto his threefold Record in the Heavens beforesaid 9 Three glorious words names titles or distinctions in reference unto one divine person onely in a threefold manifestation of his spiritual glory unto elect men and Angels CHAP. XXII 1 Of the three Witnesses on earth 2 Of Spirit Water and Blood 3 The three Records on earth are the three Commissions 4 What the Commissions are SEeing all spiritual power and wisdom in Heaven above or in Earth beneath is no where to be found nor never was but onely within the divine Ark or spiritual person of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 In the next place by his own light in some measure I shall remonstrate unto you that are capable what is the meaning of those three witnesses of Water Blood and Spirit in Earth which agree in one unto which the foregoing words have relation of Father Son and Spirit which are but one 3 My spiritual brethren are not those three witnesses in earth the commissionated messengers which by voice or words through the glorious mouth of God himself were sent forth unto an unbelieving bloody worldly minded people for a witness unto them to this purpose at the unexpected dreadful day of the Lord Jesus Christ 4 Doth not that water witness in earth signifie Moses and the true Prophets under the Law in reference unto the holy name of God the everlasting Father 5 Doth not the witness of the blood in earth signifie Jesus and the chosen Apostles in relation of that heavenly name of God the eternal Son 6 Doth not that witness of Holy Ghost in earth signifie those two witnesses in the 11. of the Revelations 7 As Water Blood and Spirit mixt together are in a sweet harmony in the body of a man in perfect health and through a defect of either of them the body could not subsist 8 So likewise it is with those witnesses of God in earth called Spirit Water and Blood for these three sweetly unite bearing witness unto but one onely wise distinct personal God glorified 9 Therefore they agree in one heavenly harmony and cannot possibly be one without the other not onely because they proceeded from one glorious spirit but also because they three onely by the secret wisdom of the Eternal Majesty were chosen to bear witness in earth before men and Angels unto that threefold Record in Heaven of Father Son and Holy Ghost aforesaid 10 But some men may say unto me the Law and Gospel being witnessed unto by the Prophets and Apostles already what need is there of this third witness of the spirit in earth or what doth it bear Record unto 11 From a divine gift to this I answer In many respects there is as much use of the witness of the spirit in this Atheistical age as of the two former witnesses of Water and Blood 12 To fulfil the Scriptures which saith heaven and earth shall pass away but his word shall not pass away or not one title of his word shall be unfulfilled 13 How should Christ Jesus the Lord of Glory be known to be the onely God of truth if there were not at one time or another a third witness in earth to fulfil the Scripture for there are three that bear witness in earth 14 Another necessity of this third witness of the spirit is this because you may know that there hath not been above these thousand years a commissionated messenger sent forth by the eternal Spirit to bear witness unto that truth which the two former witnesses sealed too with their bloods 15 Another necessity of the witness of the spirit is this because of late and at present so many several Antichristian spirits are come forth into the world in their own names and from the power of their own strong imaginations and cunning cursed observations have acted many visible lying signs and wonders upon their own bodies and other ways to the ruining of many a poor deceived soul in body minde and personal estate all of them pretending when those fleshly fits comes upon them that it is the power of the eternal Spirit immediately moving them CHAP XXIII 1 Of several empty opinions concerning the Two Witnesses in the eleventh of the Revelation 2 What they are 3 No true witness without a voice from Heaven 4 Who are the two last Spiritual Witnesses IN the next place I shall write somewhat of mens empty opinions concerning the two witnesses in the Revelation for your better understanding of the insuing truth some men have imagined them to be the spirit of Christ and the flesh of Christ 2 Now you may know that cannot be because the spirit and body of Christ were both glorified together in the highest Heavens long before John prophesied of the two Witnesses standing before the God of the whole earth amongst the sons of men 3 Others there are that would have them to be the literal Law and Gospel now you that are spiritual may also know that cannot be the Witnesses here spoken of because without a true Interpreter the Scripture in it self is but a killing letter 4 You know that the invisible truth of the Scriptures proceed onely from a true light received from the spiritual person of Christ Jesus our Lord in the throne of immortal glory 5 You know that from the bare records it is impossible to attain to the knowledge of the onely very true God or the spiritual mysteries of his everlasting kingdom and that was the very cause of these and such like Scripture sayings I thank thee Father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes Make the heart of this people fat which have eyes and see not cars and hear not hearts and understand not and why so to fulfil the word of the Lord spoken through the mouthes of his Prophets in the time of the Law 6 If the two Witnesses here spoken of were the Letter of the Scripture what need then would there be of the invisible teachings of the Spirit 7 For the most part doth not the Ministers and people set up the letter of the Scriptures and offer divine worship unto them as the children of Israel worshipped their golden Calves 8 The two Witnesses cannot be meant the literal Scriptures because it is said If any man will hurt them fire proceeds out of their mouthes and devoureth their enemies and if any hurt them in this maner they must be killed 9 Now you may know that at this very present there are many thousands in these three Nations that do not onely count the Scriptures meer inventions of wise men to keep the
simple in aw under their Rulers but if it were not for fear of men if they could have their wills they would burn all the Scriptures in the world to ashes and in stead of fearing any fiery vengeance following them their unbelieving seared spirits would greatly rejoyce at it as a most noble or profitable act to the whole world for preventing all literal contestations concerning a God or glory or misery to come 10 Some men would imagine these Witnesses to be the Magistrates and the Ministers 11 Now you may know that cannot be because both Magistrates and Ministers are either chosen by one another or by the voice of the people in stead of being chosen by the voice of God himself or a true Prophet sent forth by his eternal spirit for that purpose 12 'T is written that the witnesses had a powerful gift of prophesie now you know that since God became flesh instead of the Magistrates or Ministers owning themselves to be commissionated witnesses or Prophets of the divine Majesty for the most part if men have appeared upon that account they have persecuted them by imprisonment stripes banishment or death it self 13 Again it is written the witnesses were cloathed in sackcloth therefore they cannot be the Magistrates or the Ministers because you know that for the most part they are rather clothed in Satin or other costly garments then Sack-cloth or mean apparrel Wherefore seeing all Magistrates with their Ministers are chosen by men onely through the secret decree of the most high God and it being apparent that instead of honoring the Lord of life and glory or shewing mercy unto his Prophets for the most part they seek the honor of one another and persecute his messengers and rejoyce in feasting one another through the fastings of others 14 It is as clear as the light unto any man whose heart is not stone blind that they are none of the witnesses prophesied of by St. John in the eleventh of the Revelation 14 Another sort of Atheistical people there are that would imagine themselves to imply the two witnesses there spoken of saying the two witnesses are within them or every mens soul and body are those two witnesses and such like 15 Now you may know that this is so far from any spiritual truth that there is no sence or reason in it why though a man be called soul body and spirit yet he being but one person onely you know he can be no more then one witness upon what account soever 16 Again the invisible witness of mens consciences concerns mens own particular onely between God and man or between man and man and God onely wise perfectly seeth that witness always and not men therefore that cannot be the Witnesses here spoken of because you know that the Witnesses or Prophets of the Lord were always visible whilest they had a being in this world 17 Thus it is as clear as the light that none of all these are those two witnesses spoken of by St. John but meet imaginary fancies of mens own brains for want of a divine Light in them to distinguish between the true witnesses sent forth by the Creator himself and the false ones that went before they were sent 18 Again it is written But I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie My spiritual brethren you may know that when John spake those words that the two Witnesses were to come into the world to bear testimony unto the truth of the two past witnesses of the Lord because the Text saith but I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesie 19 And you know according to the truth of unerring Scriptures the two former witnesses had power given them from the Lord and they did prophesie in their times 20 So that you may understand that the Lord did purpose to raise two men in this Atheistical Age out of the very ashes of the two former witnesses not onely for discovery of all lying appearances in his name as they did in their times but also for a more clearer manifestation of the deep things of God then ever was since this world began 21 You that are spiritual may know that since the Lords two former witnesses fell asleep in the dust of the earth not a man have powerfully appeared to bear witness unto one distinct personal Creator as they did until we came forth in the latter end of the year 1651. in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by voice of words spoken unto me by his eternal spirit three mornings together to the hearing of the ear as a man speaks to his friend 22 Again the Scriptures call them by the name of two witnesses onely wherefore if any man addeth to their number or despiseth them because they appear not like a God to bring fire down from heaven or turn waters into blood or such like natural plagues or miracles as hath been acted already if there be any truth in the Scriptures can that man scape the Plagues of God in the life to come threatned in such a call 23 Again you know it is said the Lord gave power unto the two witnesses to prophesie Is not this answerable unto the word of the Lord when he said unto me that he had given me understanding above all the men in the world and that he had chosen me as his last messenger for a great work unto this bloody unbelieving world and had gived me Lodowick Mugleton to be my mouth 24 You know that the witnesses are said to be two Olive Trees and two Candlesticks standing before the God of the whole earth my beloved spiritual brethren hath not the glorious God of Heaven and Earth both by speaking and writing manifested through our earthly Candlesticks or mortal mouths more divine Oyl or golden Truth then in any men in the world besides 25 Again you know it is said the witnesses were cloathed with sackcloth I humbly beseech you that have truly tasted of the glory of eternity did any men upon the face of the earth since the time of the Apostles upon an account as sent forth from the eternal spirit suffer persecution for bearing witness unto the man Christ Jesus glorified to be the onely wise God and alone everlasting Father but we two onely 26 Again you know it is written if any man will hurt them fire proceedâ—th out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies My spiritual friends is not this answerable unto the word of the Lord when he said unto me I have put the two edged sword of my spirit into thy mouth that whoever I pronounce blessed through thy mouth is blessed to eternity and whoever I pronounce cursed through thy mouth is cursed to eternity 27 Who ever thou art that shalt see these passages and be offended with me because of them be it known unto thee and all men else that I of all men neither do nor can expect any mercy from the glorious God to
the minde of Christ from John's words in the beginning of the 11. Chapter the first words are these then was given me a Reed like unto a Rod and the Angel stood by saying Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two moneths 21 My devine friends you may understand that that reed like unto a rod possessed by John was a free gift of inspiration which he received from a glorified Christ in the high heavens by his Angel whereby like unto a skillful Land-measurer his understanding was enabled to comprehend the spiritual signification of the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein 22 You may also understand that the Temple and them that did worship therein did signifie Gods spiritual house or tabernacle of elect Jews and Gentiles which make but one compleat body for Christ Jesus their head to raign in by his heavenly light 23 That Altar spoken of by John did signifie the glorious body or Tabernacle of the eternal spirit unto which divine Altar or Godhead person those spiritual worshippers were vertually united by a received light from that infinite Majesty through which invisible intercourse sometimes their souls were full of spiritual joy through that inward seal of Godlike glory which they were to enjoy in the life to come 24 You may understand that that unmeasured Court without the Temple did signifie the visible Scriptures 25 You know that when sacrifices or ordinances were in force at Hierusalem there was the inward Temple and outward Porch or Court joyning to the Temple 26 You also know the Court without the Temple was a common place for all people to meet in but none might enter into the inward Temple in the time of their worship but the chief Priests or those that were Confessors of the true God and approved of by those teachers of the Law 27 Likewise you may understand that the outward Court or Scripture which is common to all men that was left unmeasured or cast out did signifie all the out-cast unbelieving Jews and Gentiles and the inward Temple or spirit of the Scriptures did signifie all the Elect believing Jews and Gentiles in that glorious Altar beforesaid 28 Again you know that the Court of the Temple was an outward ornament or witness unto the beauty or glory within the Temple 29 So likewise the Court of the visible Scriptures is an ornament or testimony unto that eternal spirit of all truth within the Temple Body or Tabernacle of the everliving God and vertually in a great measure living in the Temples or bodies of his elect that are inabled to give a true distinction between the things of eternal life and eternal death 30 Again you know it is said that the unmeasured Court without the Temple was given to the Gentiles and that they should tread the holy City under foot two and forty moneths 31 You spiritual ones may know that the minde of the Holy Spirit in those words was this that to fulfil the Prophesie of Christ concerning the destruction of the Jews their Temple and City of Hierusalem by the Romans through conquest they should possess the literal Records written by the Prophetical and Apostolical Jews and not onely worship it in stead of the eternal spirit but also by cruel persecution for above thirteen hundred years were to tyrannize over the Holy City of spiritual Jews and Gentiles that could not bow down unto their inventions 32 You that are spiritual may know that the Roman Gentiles here spoken of by John are those people which men call Cavaliers whose Princely race sprang first from the loins of King Herod that bloody persecutor of the Lord of glory and so streamed into the line of the tyrannical Roman Empire or Popedom 33 From this papal power whatever Apostical or Christian stile they attribute to themselves through all the Christian world so called they have banded together as one man to tread underfoot as beforesaid that chosen City of heavenly minded Jews and Gentiles 34 Because their innocent souls could not forsake that everliving Altar manifested unto them and bow down to their Egyptians Calves set up as a snare unto the people chiefly for fleshly gain and perishing glory from men of their own spirits 35 Also you that are spiritual take special notice of this that these two witnesses or Prophets spoken of in the 11. of the Revelation did not appear unto men until the Gentile power of persecuting Bishops were extinguished in this land 36 But it may be objected by some that one Bull and Varnum and others long before them have pretended to be these two witnesses and yet it came to nothing 37 To this I answer by way of query can any man make it appear from any Record since the Apostles time that in any Land or Nation two men did ever bear witness in all opposition of all men or Angels unto the man Jesus Christ glorified to be the onely God everlasting Father and Creator of both worlds Angels and men 38 Again amongst all the pretended Prophets in the world doth any of them bear witness unto one personal Majesty distinct from Heavens Earth Angels and men 39 Nay of the contrary do they not all rather disown such a God as a weak or carnal thing and as one man like unto Baals four hundred Priests and the false Prophets and Priests in all ages imagine the Creator to be an infinite formless spirit 40 If any man should moderately enquire of the pretended Prophets or spiritual lights in this age concerning the knowledge of the Creator or a glory to come is there any answer to be had from them but this or such like the Creator is an infinite invisible unchangeable eternal spirit or else they will say the Creator is all wisdom love purity riches beauty joy righteousness justice or divine excellencies he fils heaven and earth he is the all in all and there is nothing besides him or else they will say the more ye desire the knowledge of the Creator the less you will know of him because he is infinite or they will bid you minde that God or Choist within you and trouble not your self about incomprehensible infiniteness thus these false Prophets of cursed Cain make a wonderment of an infinite Creator of nothing but meer words onely 41 Thou which art puffed up with such a Creator as this is shalt one day know to thy eternal sorrow and shame what it is to despise a personal God infinitely full of all glorious perfection 42 When this personal Majesty shall shew his infinite power upon thee through the retaining of his inshining light from thy Lucepheâ—ian spirlt and shall leave thee and thy inward God in an unspeakable condition of eternal shame and confusion of sould and
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
and deny God the onely Lord and our Lord Jesus Christ we unto them for they have followed the way of Cain and are cast away by the deceit of Balaams wages and perish in the gainsaying of Core 31 Thus is it not clear unto all men that have any faith in them in the truth of the Scripture that there is two distinct whole worlds to distinguish between the divine glory of election and everlasting shame of rejection 32 A Curse Cain and a blessed Abel from the beginning of the world unto the end thereof a subtil Serpent and a simple Saint a scoffing carnal Ishmael and a spiritual Isaac a bloody minded Esau and a merciful minded Jacob a persecuting Saul and a prophetical David a trecherous Judas and a gratious and glorious Jesus a blessed Seath born in the stead of righteous Abel whom cursed Cain slew to bring forth the generation of the just that the Lord of eternal glory might according to the flesh as well as the spirit spring from a spiritual line of his own light of life eternal 33 And not from a rational or carnal line of eternal deaâ—â— in chaines of utter darkness which if it had power according to iâ—â—cursed desire it would destroy God elect Men and Angels Heaven and Earth and all in them and it self also rather then be subject to any or might not onely it self bear rule over all 34 Seeing the God of eternal glory himself sprang from the loins of Adam according to the flesh is it not the greatest darkness that can be imagined for any man to think that Cain and Judas were of the seed of Adam as well as Abel and Jesus 35 Do not those men that teach this error out of ignorance justifie Cain and Judas and condemn Abel and Jesus 36 From this gross mistake do they not strengthen men in all their rebellions against God and man what seeming glorious language soever proceed through their mouth 37 Again if Cain and Judas Abel and Jesus sprang both from the loins of the first man Adam according to the flesh or any other account whatsoever is it not one of the vainest lip labours under heaven for men to speak or write concerning the visible things of eternity unless it be for a heap of silver or deceitful honor among men that perish 38 All solid sober men do certainly know that it is impossible that any man should suffer eternal misery if all mankind by generation sprang from one root onely 39 What is the reason think you that the wise naturallists in disputes are able to silence the most learned speakers under heaven in their own supposed spiritual matters Is it not because those Ministers are uncapable to give a true distinction between the originals of eternal life and death or the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent 40 If men that speak their experiences to one another as received from the holy One of Israel are ignorant of this point is not that the occasion of all notional brain fancies or airy opinions even amongst the most purest appearances in this present age 41 Is it not from hence that men of a rational piercing wit are able to counterfeit out-landish Chronicles in a Methodical manner concerning the strange acts of Kings and Emperors many thousand years before the first man Adam had any sensible being or invent Histories so accurately concerning Knights Ladies Gyants and 〈◊〉 like that no man by his natural reason can know whether they aâ—â— fained or unâ—â—igned 42 Can any sober man imagine or think those men that want the foresaid spiritual gift were ever moved or called by that glorious spirit to be a publique or private speaker or interpreter of holy Writ or a messenger or Embassador to his brethren of invisible spiritual excellencies appointed visibly to be seen to eternity 43 If Cain and Abel were both begotten by Adam upon the body of Eve as almost all men vainly imagine from one bare Scripture Record which they understand not I would fain know of that man that is offended with me concerning this point why Cain was nominated in Holy Writ to be of that wicked one aforesaid and branded as an out-cast fugitive or vagabond and cursed from the divine presence of the Creator and cast out of the natural presence of his parents for ever and condemned with Balaam and Core as a perishing cast-away 44 This I am sure of that no spiritual or rational man that is sober dares say that either Adam or Eve was that wicked one from whence the cursed spirit of Cain sprang 45 Why because there is no such approbrious names attributed unto them throughout the sacred Scriptures 46 Moreover you may know that that wicked one from whence Cains spirit proceeded could not possibly have any relation unto Adam or Eve though Cain was conceived in her womb and born of her body 47 Why because there was an absolute curse denounced upon the Angelical Serpent and his seed in her womb as aforesaid without any after promise in Holy Writ for ever being redeemed by the Creatoâ— 48 But on the contrary you know there was a gracious promise by the Creator himself of the redemption of Adam and Eve after their fallen estate with their whole generation of righteous Abels Seths or Abrahams in that glorious hidden saying the seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head and that in the fift of the Romans where it is thus written likewise then as by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by the justifying of one the benefit abounded toward all men to the justification of life 49 If you that are spiritually sober compare this Scripture of seeming general redemption unto other Scriptures concerning Cain and his generation as abundantly aforesaid you may understand that the Apostle spake onely of a restoration of the elect Israelites or Adamites and not of the line or generation of Cananitish Reprobates 50 If you look in the Generalogy of Adam unto Jesus the second Adam you shall finde no Cain there made mention of in the least CHAP. XXXIX 1 No condemnation but to persons of maturity 2 No children damned though they be of the seed of the Serpent 3 He that killeth a Prophet or a righteous man would kill the Creator if he could 4 No salvation by the power of mans own will 5 but by the power of God IF two distinct generations have proceeded through the body of one woman the one elected unto eternal personal glory in the high heavens and the other rejected unto everlasting shame in this perishing world at the end thereof which we can no ways disprove 2 Wherefore our desire is to know whether all the posterity of Cain are rejected seeing the whole generation of Adam are elected is as at length declared by you from that divine gift I received by voice of words from the everliving Jesus 3 To this I answer That eternal election or
kingdom 46 Where then is thy imaginary personal raign of Christ on this earth with his Saints a thousand years CHAP. XLI 1 The vanity of believing in a God that hath no form 2 And of them who say the Creator is an incomprehensible Spirit 3 Or that there is no God but nature onely 4 Or who say that Gods Spirit and their spirits are but one spirit ANother sort of deceived men there are that through strong delusions from their natural comprehensions have imagined a mighty spiritual appearance in themselves from a bodiless God or Christ that never was 2 This sort of men are those which from a cursed conceit do not onely despise a glorious God in the person of a man but they also talk of great signs and wonders which they expect shall come to pass by inward voices or visions from their imaginary bodiless God as beforesaid 3 Moreover being bewitcht to the purpose though they pretend a great spiritual light in them they can make a hard shift to fool themselves from the literal records as to think that the Holy One of Israel had commissionated another high Priest or King of the Jews besides himself 4 Though this counterfeit high Priest or King of seven Nations I mean John Tanee pretends a natural glorious deliverance suddenly unto the Jews in many Nations 5 Truly those that understand nothing above a Paradissical temporal glory are not to be blamed in the least for their bountifulness towards his perishing tenents in reference to his Hierusalems conceits 6 John Tanee thou maist remember about three years and six moneths past I told thee of thy deceived condition concerning thy carnal Jerusalem journey with John Robins also by an immediate voice from on high 7 Furthermore if thy high priesthood kingship and Jerusalem temporal glory do not vanish like smoak as John Robins did even when thou thinkest thy self most sure in the thing then the Lord God sent not me to thee 8 Again when thou art ashamed and confounded in thy self from all thy lying voices or visions declared unto Saints and Serpents in the name of the great Jehovah then thou shalt know with sorrow and shame enough that it was the Lord that sent me unto thee to declare thy fleshly error 9 I do not say thou canst help it it is through the permissive power of the Lord for some secret end onely known to himself that thou or any man else should break forth into such strange appearance of darkness yet seeming glorious lights when thou art found too light in the ballance of divine truth 10 It is not thy natural or all gorical whimses that can blinde the elect nor pacifie the judge of life and death within thee and without thee 11 Again there is a third sort of deceived persons which with great confidence have declared that Christ should spiritually raign over the Nations in King Charles Seed and of this sort one Arice Evans in Black-Friers was lookt upon as a great Prophet by many of the Royal party 12 Moreover from this their foolish conceit they had many pritty whimses and dark sentences to blinde mens apprehensions like unto John Tanee and John Robbins Which took much upon the spirits both of the subtile and simple also for a season 13 Furthermore their understandings being utterly dark concerning the spiritual or personal appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ in his glory 14 It is usual for them concerning Charles the second as to joyn Christ and him in one calling him the white Pearl that should make the nations in a sweet harmony of divine unity through his glorious ruling over them also they said that he should not attain to the throne of his Father by any carnal weapons but he should be brought into this land and set upon the Throne by an immediate power of the eternal Spirit of God himself 15 Again this carnal Cavalier Prophet pretended the knowledge of certain Scriptures by voices or visions in reference to the raign of Charles the second and John Tanee-like sought to confirm it by natural observations 16 And truly I do not blame the people that were deceived by them because they wanted a true distinction in themselves betweeen those things which are divine and humane 17 Moreover when all pretended high Priests Prophets or Apostles in this land are clearly discovered by an unerring light of life eternal I make no question of the subtilty of their Serpentine spirits to blinde their own eyes and those that were deceived by them 18 I know they can say If they be deceived the Lord hath deceived them or they can say We had a mysterious language given us by Jehovah to confound all literal or notional appearances in this confused age and men understood us in a carnal sence only 19 Or if they have often fixed a time concerning things that should come to pass and nothing comes of it they can also say As the Prophet Jonas understood not the Lords time and minde concerning the destruction of the Ninevites 20 So likewise this thing in the way of our fleshly expectation was hid from our eyes but the mighty Jehovah in his season will bring it to pass in a spiritual maner beyond the comprehension of men or Angels 21 Moreover if none of these excuses will blinde their eyes which expected wonderful things from them then because they are not able to bear the shame of being found lyers in the name of the Lord they will say all men are lyars or there is not a true Prophet upon the face of the earth 22 Or else they will say There is but onely one pure being invisibly ruling in the whole Creation and this spiritual power manifesteth it self in various maners of seeming contradictions for the confounding of all mens understandings that would finde out its secrets but in the end when it hath fooled men to the purpose it will appear in a glorious harmony to the content of all 23 Furthermore for the blinding of their own eyes and those of their own spirits that they may both fall together in a deep ditch of eternal destruction they will or may say If there be a Creator he is an incomprehensible spirit and all our spirits proceeded out of his spirit and when our bodies dies our spirits returns into his spirit again 24 From this cursed error they may or will say That God can as soon destroy himself as any soul that he hath made with an eternal condemnation 25 Moreover if this grand fleshly deceit prove also but a broken Cistern then as aforesaid they may or will say there is no God but nature onely your most wise men in nature know this to be truth but they are compelled to nominate a God to the people to keep the rude multitude in obedience to their governours and government 26 Knowing if they should confess a Creator besides nature all their pretended divine voices or visions would appear but meer fleshly lies 27 Therefore for
Angels some men may say unto me may it not be a long season are there not many prophecies yet to be fulfilled before his coming as the calling of the Jews and the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven and such like 2 From an unerring spirit to this I answer As John the Baptist was the last Prophet under the Law and the forerunner of the sudden appearing of Christ Jesus the Lord in a body of flesh 3 So likewise I positively affirm against all gain-sayers under heaven that I John Reeve am the last commissionated Prophet that ever shall declare divine secrets according to the foundation of truth until the Lord Jesus Christ appear on his Throne of glory visibly to be seen by all his elect face to face 4 But of the contrary in that day of our God and King of glorious Crowns appearing none of those cursed men and women which blasphemously said that God hath no person at all shall ever be able to behold his face and live but according to Holy Writ they shall cry to the Mountains Hills or Rocks to hide them from the wrath of his bright burning body or face that sits upon the Throne 5 Concerning a general visible calling of the Jews in all Nations to the acknowledgement of Christ being come in the flesh I say from the eternal spirit that sent me that there will never be any such thing in the world indeed the Ministerial Artists have of a long season imagined an outward call of the Jews to their vain glorious seeming holiness but the most Wise and Holy God intends no such thing 6 Wherefore to confound their carnal wisdom his glorious purpose is to call home to himself those Jews and Gentiles elected to everlasting life by the invisible teaching of his most Holy Spirit 7 You that are sober may come to understand that there is two sort of Jews there is a Mosaical Jew and an Apostolical Jew 8 Moreover you may know that those men called Independents Annabaptists Presbyterians are the literal Apostolical Jews 9 And those men that observe Saturday for their Sabbath are those Mosaical legal Jews which utterly deny that Christ is yet come in the flesh but ignorantly expect his appearing in a fleshly glorious manner to raign over them in the Throne of David his Father 10 Moreover these Sabbattical Saturday Jews John Tanee like do imagine when their fleshly Christ appears to raign over them that he will gather them out of all nations wherein they are scattered and conduct them into the inheritance of their fathers that promised Land of Canaan and there they make account with their imaginary King to live in a temporal glorious condition for a long season and as they have been servants and slaves to all Nations wherein they were scattered so likewise as a reward of their servitude they fully expect that all Nations shall bow down to them and bring in their riches and glory unto them as their vassals for ever 11 You that are spiritual may know that these unbelieving Mosaical Jews which expect a carnal Christ to raign over them were those Jews which at the death of Christ said his blood be upon us and our children and truly you know his blood was upon them and their children to some purpose in the destruction of Hierusalem and unto this day yea and so it will be to the end of the world For the Lord Jesus will never spiritually gather the seed of those Jews which rated a bloody Barabas above the Lord of life himself 13 Moreover those Jews which were afraid of having any hand in the death of Christ were the fathers of those spiritual Jews in all Nations that are mixed in marriages with the Gentiles whose merciful innocent spirits are delivered from all tyranny over mens consciences 14 Furthermore those Independent Annabaptist Presbyterian men which hold it lawful just and good to persecute men in their persons and estates upon a spiritual account I say from the eternal spirit that they are for the most part the off-spring of those bloody-minded Jews that crucified the Lord of Glory upon the account of blasphemy as beforesaid 15 O blessed are all unpersecuting merciful minded men and women onely 16 All innocent merciful Independent Annabaptist Presbyterian men or women that are preserved from a persecuting minde of divine things which seem difficult from the eternal spirit I declare those are part of Gods spiritual wheat which are mixed with the chaffy Jews and Gentiles which are the off-spring of cursed Cain whom the Lord shall burn with unquenchable fire when he cometh in his Glory with his Angels to receive his spiritual wheat into his heavenly barn as aforesaid 17 Thus you that are spiritually enlightned from on high may clearly see that the calling of the elect Jews in all nations unto the knowledge of the divine Majesty and his heavenly truths was not meant an outward calling of them from a Mosaical legallity unto an Apostolical literallity as many men have vainly imagined but it was an inward calling of them by the motions of the eternal spirit to the right understanding of the one personal Majesty on the Throne of Glory and his heavenly truths 18 Again concerning the sign of the Son of Man in heaven in the 24. of Matthew and the 30. it is thus written And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven and then shall all the kindred of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man come in the Clouds of heaven with power and great glory this sign of the Son of Man was that substance or very Son of Man himself and the glory of his personal appearing in the Clouds of Heaven with his glittering Angels caused such a fiery brightness not onely in the visible Heavens above but the whole earth beneath also appeareth like a flame of fire or burning lightning insomuch that all the kindreds of the earth which never expected that dreadful day because their persons were not transmuted into the divine likeness of the Son of Man 19 Therefore their unbelieving earthly spirits did quake and tremble lament and howl like dogs for very fear of the foresaid sign of the Son of Man should rend them to pieces and burn them and their inward God or Christ to powder I mean all those which gloried of a God or Christ within them onely and cursedly despised this personal God on his glorious Throne without them 20 Thus you in whose persons the King of Glory raigneth by the heavenly incomes of his eternal brightness may in some measure see what is meant by the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven when he appeareth in his glory with his holy Angels 21 As the immortalized spirits and bodies are filled with astonishing ravishments with the very sight of the Son of Man in his glorious Throne aforesaid 22 So likewise the carnal spirits and bodies of all Hypocrites which gloried in a Christ ordinances
and salvation without them and despised the invisible breathings of his Holy Spirit in his innocent people as delusion blasphemy and such like shall be full of unspeakable burning pain and shame through their inability of bearing the fiery brightness of the Son of Man that most high and mighty God with his elect men and Angels as abundantly beforesaid 23 Moreover you know it is said As it was in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot so it shall be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed 24 Furthermore you know the Scripture saith They were eating and drinking and marrying of wives and planting and building unto the day that Noah entred into the Ark but in the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them all 25 Again you know the whole old world and Sodomites a little before their final dissolution were not onely possessed with all variety of natural comforts but they were also given up to all maner of unnatural filthiness and so continued to the day of their total destruction 26 Moreover you know it is recorded of the men of Sodom that they were haters of God and turned the truth of God unto a lie and worshipped and served the creature forsaking the Creator which is blessed for evermore Amen 27 Furthermore While the meat of the unsatiable Jews were in their mouths you know there was a plague brake out among them These final dissolutions you know were not onely invisible but visible also 28 Moreover if the personal appearing of Christ in his Glory shall be like unto that of Noah and Lot and the final dissolution of the old world and that of Sodom and Gomorrah when it was in the midst of the height of all their fleshly filthiness and exceeding fulness of bread which included all good things and in their more then ordinary planting building putting the evil day far from them is it not thus in these out days also was there ever more glorying in all maner of Sodomitical unnatural filthiness then now there is 29 Did men ever deifie carnal creatures as now they do Moreover was there ever such a babling about a God or Christ in mens consciences onely as now there is notwithstanding many of those cursed Serpents villifie the very name of a personal God in a Throne of Glory above the Stars more then the greatest theeving whoring murderer in the land 31 Furthermore was there ever such talk of pure love without envy upon a spiritual account as in these our days and in stead of mercy towards one another since the world began under pretence of conscience and an art of lamb-like words do not men like roaring Lyons lie lurking in every quarter seeking whom they may devour 32 Again notwithstanding such varieties of breaking forth in declaring the sudden appearing of the Lord of Hosts to recompence vengeance upon all sorts of bloody-minded covetous men whatsoever can any man living ever remember such purchasing such buildâ—ng such planting and plenty of all natural comforts as now there is 33 Moreover was there in any mans memory such changes in Government and marvelous transactions in them as in these our days 34 Furthermore was there ever such variety of witchcraft voices visions signs and wonders acted as in these our days from a pretended spiritual God Christ or power within men onely 35 Besides all this hath not the God of Glory by poor and contemptable means discovered the Serpentine subtilties of the honorable artificial Priests and Astrologian Sorcerers in this age and land more then ever he did since the Apostles times and hath there not been many signs in the heavens and in the earth and in the creatures in a marvelous maner since our civil dissentions with many bloody massacres at home and abroad and doth these things presage nothing or did they come to pass by chance or fortune onely 36 O ye Hypocritical minded sign-mongers and cursed despisers of the Son of God who is the Lord your maker remember what effect those wonderful signs in Egypt took upon Pharaoh his Counsellors and people and what effect Eliah the Prophets signs took upon Ahab Jezebel and her four hundred Idolatrous Priests besides your forefathers that murdered the Lord of Glory his Prophets Apostles and innocent people for the truths sake onely though they had the gift of tongues and miracles by calling all their miracles languages or spiritual truths delusions to deceive the people against the very light of their own consciences through a secret fear of losing their gain and glory among men that perish CHAP. XLVII 1 Further signs of the approaching day of Christs coming to judgement 2 The Prophet writes by inspiration 3 And giveth the interpretation of several Scriptures tending thereunto AS the old world and Sodom were blinded by abundance of prosperity and plenty of all things to the very day of their final overthrow so likewise what ever men shall declare to the contrary it shall be with this bloody-minded world until the Son of Man come in his glory If you ask me the reason the main ground of it is this because the God of Glory that cannot possibly lie hath said that they day of his appearing shall be like unto that of Noah and Lot 2 Moreover another reason of it is this not onely to prevent mans wisdom to be prepared for the day of his glorious and dreadful appearing but also to catch those men with their own craft that counted them children or fools that expected any such thing 3 Furthermore another reason is this for the deeper condemnation of all those men that heard the declarations of this personal appearing in his glory but laught it to scorn or put the evil day far from them because of the present fleshly gain and glory they lived in 4 Again you know it is written That in the day Lot departed out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them all behold what a dreadful and sudden desolation fire maketh in a mortal world even within a dayes compass 5 So likewise it shall be when the Son of man appears in his glory for within the compass of a day or twelve hours after mans account the heavens without the body of man shall be melted with fervent heat and in stead of the former and latter showers of water to nourish the earth and rejoyce mans heart as a flood of fire and brimstone it shall pour it self upon the whole world and burn all the beauty vertue or glory thereof to dust or powder as beforesaid 6 I write not against the truths of the Scriptures but by inspiration from the Holy Spirit I bear record to the mind of God in them in opposition of all pretended spiritual lights under heaven 7 Wherefore as an eternal witness against all sorts of men that wrest the Scriptures to their own hurt give me leave to recite that threefold testimony of Peter as a seal to this
exalt thy self above thy Creator by conceiting thy self in a throne of glory with Christ already 26 Moreover be thou never so seemingly holy or charitable or a great sufferer in reference to thy inward God or Christ yet if thou art left to the pride of thine own spirit to despise the spirit of the Son of man glorified in the highest heavens thou and all that is within thee will eternally perish 27 So much doth the man Jesus in glory heed thee and all of thy blasphemous lofty spirit He that denies me before men him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven and his holy Angels CHAP. XLVIII 1 Of the first Resurrection 2 and what it is by several Questions and Answers IN the next place give me leave to write a little of the new birth or first resurrection from a glorified Christ 2 What is this first resurrection that who ever hath part in it is blessed and holy and the second death hath no power Truly it is the enjoyment of a divine light in the understanding which a man hath received by inspiration from the spirit of a personal Christ on a throne of glory in the third Heavens 3 How shall a man truly know whether he hath this light in him or no or when he received it He that hath this light of Christ in him his very thoughts desires and affections are by the power of it wholly bent upon all spiritual and natural purity whatsoever 4 So that the Scriptures imputes Justice Righteousness Holiness or Perfection unto that man onely which hath this light in him because he is principally guided by a light which he hath received from the glorious God of all divine perfections without him 5 Moreover this light of Christ sometimes is known by a glorious voice to the hearing of the ear through which a man is so full of inward joy glory or majesty in himself that he knows not for that present whether he be in the condition of a God or a man this I certainly know yet I believe few of the Saints themselves have tasted of this condition 6 Furthermore this light of Christ conveys it self so secretly into the understandings of most of his redeemed ones by a low voice of his most Holy Spirit that oftentimes they know not the time thereof onely after this light of life hath once appeared the soul is so delighted with it that it thinks it can never have too much of it or hardly enough of it therefore like a woman in travail it is full of hungring or thirsting after the knowledge of that Fountain of Glories from whence its light and joy proceeded 7 Again he that hath this light of Christ in him is not onely full of longings after more of it but his soul is also full of that new song of praise honor power and glory unto the infinite unknown God until he doth in some measure truly know him 8 Moreover he that hath this new and true light is not rash in judging divine things he knows not but by vertue of that light of life he is preserved with a meek and patient spirit to wait the Lords leisure for manifesting the truth thereof 9 Furthermore he that hath received this white Stone or new Name of Christ to the purpose sees all the speakings or writings of non-commissionated men but meer literal or notional emptiness in comparison of that joy or glory that he possesseth from the invisible motions of the divine Majesty himself 10 Again by vertue of this light he is made able to discern whether mens speaking or writings proceed from a literal notional or spiritual Christ or no. 11 Moreover he that hath this light of Christ thus grounded in him doth not lie doting upon mens invisible God Christ Spirit Light Life Love Joy Beauty Vertue Power or Glory of meer words onely but nothing will satisfie his new-born hungry spirit but a divine embracing of a personal God of spiritual substance yea too transcendently glorious for men or Angels to be capable of the in-dwelling of his eternal Spirit but of the in-shining vertues or motions onely 12 So much at present concerning the first resurrection or new birth from a personal substantial God or Christ on the Throne of Eternity in the high heavens in opposition of a supposed new birth from a notional inward Christ or literal outward Christ onely CHAP. XLIX 1 Concerning Gods becoming a childe 2 None lives and moves and have their beings in God but the Seed of Faith 3 No creature capable to be essentially one with God AGain it is written In him we live and move and have our being Also it is written Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. What did the Apostle mean by living in the Lord and dying in the Lord Or how can a man be said to live in the Lord and to die in the Lord also 2 My spiritual friends though all men have their life or being in the Creator or in this power by vertue of creation yet none but the elect do spiritually live move or have any being in him and that is by vertue of redemption onely and that was the occasion of the Prophets saying for unto us a childe is born unto us a son is given now you know that the Prophet spoke them words long after the birth of that glorious babe and yet you see that all his joy or glory in reference to a life to come was fixed onely in the person of that Childe 3 Thus the Prophet by vertue of the true Jesus in him did spiritually live and move and had his being in the Lord of Hosts in a full assurance that God the everlasting Father and Creator of both worlds and all in them would become a little childe for the Redemption of his elect from eternal death by pouring forth of his most precious life it is writted who hath believed our report or unto whom is the arm of the Lord revealed 4 Thus you may see that those men which wanted the light of life in them to receive that prophetical report concerning the God of Glory 's coming by the out-stretched arm of his eternal Spirit in a body of flesh to redeem the elect world to himself were utterly ignorant of the Prophets spiritually living moving or being in the Lord. 5 So likewise this was the Apostle Pauls meaning also when he said for in him we live and move and have our being according to that saying of his for the life which I now live is by the faith of the Son of God which gave himself for me Also you know it is written to this effect that some men did live without God in the world so that you may understand that reprobate men are accounted by the spirit of the Scriptures to live and to die in the devil and to rise again very devils in souls and bodies to all eternity 6 The chosen of God are guided by the true light or love of
the divine Majesty himself wherefore you spiritual ones may also know that that Gog and Magog that are gone forth to battel in the plains of the earth compassing the Tents of the Saints and the holy City are those Heathenish Magistrates and their bloody Priests that proceeded from cursed Cain through the loins of King Herod and his Priests and Scribes as beforesaid so that the dead men that lived not again until the thousand years were fulfilled are those Saints and holy City of God which at this time and to the end of all time do suffer cruel persecution for the testimony of a good conscience in all the Nations of the world 40 My beloved Brethren this is that spiritual raign of the first resurrection with Christ on this earth appointed in some measure for all men to drink which are delivered from that second death which is treasured up for all bloody minded Tyrants whatsoever 41 Thus you that are sober may clearly see that it was not a visible personal raign of Christ a thousand years with his Saints on this earth that John aimed at as many men have long imagined but it was a spiritual raign or suffering with him for his truths sake upon earth that when he appeareth in his glory with all his holy Angels then to raign with him in his Throne to all eternity in the third heavens 42 Now brethren I shall go on to prove his personal coming in glory according to the intent of his most holy Spirit from his own words CHAP. XLIII 1 Of the personal glory of Christs coming to judgement 2 No man hath so much faith as a grain of mustard-seed but Christ onely 3 Of spirits finite and infinite MY beloved brethren in the unerring spirit you may know there is a twofold appearing of Christs glory in his chosen ones as the glory of the Sun excels the glory of the Moon so these two glories transcend each other 2 Moreover you know the Moon appears in the brightness of her glory at one time and at another time she appears altogether like unto darkness or shame 3 So likewise it is with Christs appearing in glory to mens souls in this life sometimes by vertue of the in-comes of his eternal spirit the soul of man for a moment is transmuted into the glorious likeness of the divine Majesty himself 4 But at another time you know when none of these spiritual lightnings appear through some fleshly guilt the poor soul seems to be full of fearful darkness horror and shame as if it had never seen any light or life at all 5 So that you see all the glory of Christs appearing unto the spirits of men in this life is but a changeable Moon-like glory at the best 6 Therefore it can be but a spiritual type of this personal appearing of Christ in his judgement-seat glory with all his mighty Angels 7 Again you know the Sun is no way subject to change in the least but Gyant-like runs his course in four and twenty hours through the whole heavens and in one place or other appears in his glory unto the end of all time 8 So likewise you may know it is with this personal appearing of Christ in his glory with his holy Angels for in that day of his appearing the persons of his redeemed ones shall be nothing else but Sun-shine like divine glories in themselves and so run their heavenly course even to all eternity 9 Who ever thou art that is ignorant of this personal glory of Christs coming in the clouds or air with his elect Angels to make an eternal separation between the persons of the blessed Israelites and cursed Cananites though thou art full of seeming glorious expressions concerning a God or Christ living in mens consciences yet thou canst never be firmly established until thou knowest that personal God or Christ sitting in the throne of his infinite glory in the high heavens without thee from whence alone all inward light or life proceeds 10 I confess if a man become an innocent merciful spirit he may be able to speak such a language from a supposed God or Christ in mens consciences onely that may confound the seeming holiness of all Church fellowships in the world 11 But what advnatage is this to himself or his heirs except when he is confounded in the room thereof he doth not onely declare the effects of Christs truth in the minds of men but is able to demonstrate in some measure the personal appearing of Christ in his glory in the world to come 12 If the visible appearing of a glorified God or Christ in the person of a man be such a choak-pear unto thee or seem low or carnal because the national Priests confess such a like thing 13 I would fain know of thee by sober speaking or writing where thy God or Christ is become when thy soul and all thy light or life for a moment is become silent death or darkness with thy body of dust 14 Moreover if thou understandest not a personal God or Christ too transcendent glorious for Heavens Earth Angels or Men to be capable of the indwelling of his eternal spirit what is thy inward God or Christ thou discoursest so much about but pleasant words or perishing nature onely 15 Furthermore if thou knowest this wonderful secret concerning what a spirit is then wouldst thou certainly know how impossible a thing it is for any spirit whatsoever to possess a living being without a distinct body of his own 16 Again of what bigness dost thou think a spirit is whether it be finite or infinite give me leave to write a little of this strange thing from those sayings of Christ to his disciples in the 17. Chapter by St. Matthew the words are these For verily I say unto you for if ye have faith as much as is a grain of Mustard seed ye shall say unto this mountain remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove and nothing shall be unpossible unto you Behold is not a grain of Mustard seed a very little and yet you see Christ saith nothing should be unpossible unto that man that hath such a quantity of spiritual faith in him 17 Again it is written with God nothing shall be unpossible who then is capable to possess so much faith in him as will contain the quantity of a Mustard seed but Christ Jesus the God of Glory himself unto whom all things are possible that he is moved unto by that seed of faith which is the eternal spirit of his glorified person 18 Moreover if a spirit be in its quantity but as a grain of Mustard seed or a spark of fire how then is it possible for the Spirit of God Men or Angels to possess any sensible light life joy or glory but in their own bodies onely 19 Furthermore if this description of a spirit seem strange be it known unto thee the Lord hath made me to declare it for the confounding of that cursed error
of Gods essentially being in all things 20 Again if the eternal spirit should consist of so great a bulk how then can there be any God at all but nature onely 21 Or how can it possibly be an infinite spirit when it is not distinct to it self but is compelled to have its being in finite things onely this unknown bodiless God is much like unto the Star-gazers monstrous Sun and Moon aforesaid 22 Is not this infiniteness indeed for all the spirits of elect men and Angels to be filled with variety of divine glories with one word speaking from so small a fiery glory as this is 23 Who ever thou art that shall be left to despise this little spark of immortal Crowns which essentially raigneth in the man Christ Jesus alone it is because there is no true light of life in thee CHAP. XLIV 1 Of the great white Throne which John saw Revelation 20. 2 A mark of a Reprobate to desire miracles to make him believe the truth of a commission IN the 20. of the Revelation it is thus written And I saw a great while throne and one that sate on it from whose face fled away both earth and heaven and their place was no more found My spiritual Brethren though mens earthly mindedness and heavenly conceitedness will flye away and be no more foundâ— when the true light of life eternal is throned in their spirits yet from the unerring spirit I positively affirm that this place of Holy Writ had reference onely unto Christs personal appearing in his glory with his mighty Angels to make an eternal separation between the just and unjust 2 My Christian friends why did John call it a great white Throne which he spiritually saw It was because of the glorious brightness of the Judges face or person and his Angelical attendance and also because it was the dreadful general appearance of mankinde to receive their eternal dooms 3 You know when Christ was transfigured upon the Mount through which his face shone and his garments glittered the Texts saith that Moses and Elias appeared to him in glory 4 So likewise you may know that John called it a great white Throne as beforesaid because of the transcendent brightness of Christs person 5 What heaven and earth was that which fled away from his glorious face what ever men imagine to the contrary you that are spiritual may know that it was the dissolution of that heaven and earth that had a beginning as if it had never had any being I mean this visible firmamental heaven and earth and all light or life in them 6 Therefore where John saith their place was no more found that was spoken in reference unto their former natural brightness vertue beauty power or glory being translated into a Chaos of everlasting confusion 7 Again besides the glorious brightness of Christs person and his Angelical Host give me leave to write a little more of that great white Throne which John saw 8 You that are truly spiritual cannot be so grosly ignorant as to think that Christ hath no other Throne to inhabit in but his peoples spirits and this natural world onely why because that error ariseth out of the Atheistical hearts of fleshly men that hath no faith in the truth of Holy Writ 9 Moreover if mens spirits be but rationally sober though at present they be never so atheistical they may be convinc'd that there is another world besides this which is of a higher nature compassing this Globe round about and yet it is not global as this is onely there is no elementary Firmament Sun Moon nor Stars in it but it is an open place City Throne or Kingdom of infinite vastness in length breadth or height answerable to the person of an infinite Majesty 10 Also it is a Throne of exceeding whiteness or Sun-like brightness suitable unto the transcendent brightness of the Kings person that sits thereon and his glorious companions 11 Though the joy and glory of an earthly Prince consists chiefly in the greatness of his person power vast territories and honorable subjects for his safety yet for all this you know that his palaces are deckt with embroidered Ornaments of gold silver precious stones and such like for the further setting forth the mortal glory of his Princely Majesty 12 So likewise it is with the divine Majesty for though the variety of his infinite Godhead joy and glory principally is within his own person and Princely power over so innumerable a company of kingly companions 13 Yet you may also know that he hath a great Throne or Palace for the further setting forth of his visible glory decked with Ornaments of spititual brightness or immortal glittering whiteness as beforesaid 14 Do not all men that acknowledge a Creator whether they understand him to be a spirit or a person confess him to be boundless immortal unchangeable and eternal 15 You know this global world is not boundless in length height breadth or compass but is is surrounded with a firmamental heaven as with a brazen wall to keep it within its own station 16 Moreover if the eternal Majesty be infinite or boundless as he is I would fain know of any man how it is possible for a glorified infinite spirit or person to be contained in a finite bounded world 17 Though the Doves of divine glory are compelled for a season to live among the Tyrannical Serpents of this perishing world yet I would have you to understand that if an infinite or boundless God with his mighty Angels should have no other Throne to solace themselves in but this then in stead of spiritual liberty they would all be in natural bondage 18 If you ask me the reason of it you may know that the glorified person of God or Christ is of a motion swifter then thought and the persons of Moses Elias and the mighty Angels are of motion as swift as thought 19 Therefore no inclosed place can contain them but they must of necessity inhabit a Throne or Kingdom of infinite vastness for ascending or descending at the divine pleasure according to their motional swiftness 20 Again you spiritual ones may undoubtedly know that there is such a throne as I speak of why because this world cannot possibly contain our thoughts but they nimbly pierce through the heavens and in a weak measure they comprehend an infinite or boundless God and a Throne or Kingdom of an infinite circumference 21 If our bodies were answerable to our thoughts this world could not possibly contain them but they would ascend through the natural heavens to see whether there were such a vast kingdom of eternal glory as they had apprehended 22 I know all fleshly Atheistical minded men are apt to say unto me If they could see this infinite personal God and glorious white Throne I talk so much of then they could believe it 23 O how fain would finite carnal eyes behold infinite spiritual glories 24 Moreover they may say unto me
glorious truth that shall burn like fire and brimstone in them that despise it the words are these But the heavens and earth which are now are kept by the same word in store and reserved unto fire against the day of condemnation and of the destruction of ungodly men but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the heavens shall pass away with a noise and the Elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up looking for and hasting unto the coming of that day of God by the which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with heat a threefold cord is not easily broken 8 If any Hypocrite shall go about by his Serpentine Sophistry to tell you that are spiritually weak those sayings of Peter had relation to the burning up of the carnal heavens and earth in men through the glorious appearing of the eternal spirit you may with ease confute those notional cheats if you look back upon the ground of Peters sayings the words are these knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation for this they willingly are ignorant of that by the Word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the water and in the water whereby the world then was overflowed with water perished 9 Thus you that have never so little truth of the true Jesus in you may clearly see that the Apostle Peter in this threefold language had not the least thought in him concerning heavens and earth being burnt up within men but the burning up of the heavens and earth and the beauty vertue or glory thereof without man which were the fruits of mans handy-works why because you see the Apostle grounds his matter upon the drowning of an outward earthly world 10 Moreover you may also know that it was a burning up of a visible heaven and earth and the glory thereof meant by Peter why because the Apostle tells you that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming 11 Furthermore if it had been an invisible burning up the fleshly heavens in men onely what lustful man in the world would have scoffed at such a doctrine which did encourage him in his lusts rather then discourage him in the least 12 If you ask me the reason my ground is this because by lustful Serpents like himself he was perswaded that Christ will burn up mens lusts and save all their souls at the last and who can finde fault with such a burning doctrine or whaâ— bloody-minded man or woman in the world would not embrace a messenger of such tidings as this is 13 Again you may know I have written the truth by this token why because men that are guilty of almost all maner of lusts can go into Lumber street to hear men speak much concerning the glorious incoming of a spiritual Christ to burn up all their fleshly or heavenly conceitedness that they may see nothing in them but God onely triumphing on his Throne I say these or such like expressions the most filthiest of men can hear with delight 14 Moreover if you that speak in Lumber-street or else where should once attain to the foundation of all spiritual speaking and should be able knowingly to tell men of the sudden appearing of the Son of Man in Glory with his Angels to burn this visible world to ashes and to cause the spirits and bodies of men that glory in filthiness to burn as fire and brimstone together to eternity in utter darkness I am confident very few filthy persons would be able to hear you speak twice together and then you would soon have a thin Congregation and be as much affected as men are with us for what we speak in the name of the Lord. 15 What is the ground think you of so many dreadful fires this year in this City and other parts above the memory of man I know with Astrologian Sophisters you may impute it to Planets plot or peoples want of care but of the contrary I believe you Serpent sign-mongers will finde these fires came not meerly by natural causes but by a divine power as a forerunner of the eternal burning this world and all the natural glory therein to dust powder or dry sand as aforesaid 16 Moreover you know it is written Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power 17 Also it is written But our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Savior even the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself 18 Further it is written When Christ which is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory 19 My beloved friends who are possessed with a pure light language and life I am undoubtably perswaded in my soul that for a little season I have both tasted and seen within my spirit a greater measure of the eternal glory and shame to come then any creature now living in this world 20 Yet for all this and the continual supply which I receive from that fountain of glories I know that the most eminent appearances in these bodies of clay are but meer shadows in comparison of that glory and shame which many men shall possess when the Son of Man shall appear in his glory with his mighty Angels 21 If a man lie under the power of any lust how can that man be thought to have his part in the first resurrection because he that hath part in this first resurrection is both blessed and holy 22 Moreover doth not a first resurrection include a second resurrection how then can that man be thought to have part in this first resurrection which vainly boasts that he is possessed with the second resurrection of glory with a Christ already 23 Furthermore you see that the Apostle never boasted that he was glorified with Christ already neither did he expect any glory but rather continual shame until Christ did personally appear to change his vile body into the likeness of his glorious body Again you know it is written if we suffer with him then shall we also reign with him 24 Moreover did Christ reign on the Throne of his Glory with his Angels Moses and Elias till he had suffered under a thorny Crown of unutterable cruelties unto death it self and was risen from the dead 25 And art thou so bewicht as to think scorn to drink of thy Lord and Masters cup but Lucifer-like to