of the Spirits of them that put it and their want of acquaintance with the ministration of the Spirit They that know the Gospell Sabbath which is the substance of the Law Sabbath can tell who injoin'd it them and can also tell that he hath not required of them the observation of the Jews Sabbath But they that are born after the letter have been always subject to revile and reproach the truths of the Spirit and those that testifie thereto Qu 20. If the Lords holy Sabbath be that day which we may suppose is intended by this paper sent unto us to be the day that containes the time of Gospell-administration then whether that Sabbath doth prohibit outward labour as well as abstaining from sin if not then which way must this Sabbath be kept Seeing that they that did and doth observe the weekly Sabbath did and doth it in the Spirit And rest by faith in Christ worshipping the Father in Spirit and in truth Answ. The gospel-Gospell-Sabbath begins not in the observation of outward time but as it is Spirituall so it hath a Spirituall beginning increase and persecting wherein there is a rest to the Spirit from sin and from the creaturely works a worshipping in the Spirit even as on the outward Sabbath there was a bodily ceasing from labours and an outward worshipping And he that heareth the joyfull sound of deliverance from sin and self-working and entreth into the faith beginning to cease from his own works and working and to wait in the Spirit on the power for its working in him hath a tast of the Gospel-Sabbath and beginneth to see that day which the type pointed to and ends in Qu. 21. If that that was ministred to Paul Rom. 7. thou shalt keep the Sabbath or believe in the Light follow the Light and the observing of either of these in the Spirit to be a keeping the whole Law Then how are the Scriptures observed if the keeping of one Commandement be a keeping the whole Law when the holy Spirit in Scriptures says that he that offends in one point is guilty of all Jam. 2.10 Ans. I did not say that the keeping of one Commandement is the keeping of the whole Law but that the observing in Spirit of any one of those there mentioned by me is the keeping of the Law which was not barely said but demonstrated because no part of the Law can be broken but every one of these must be broken He that commits any sin breaks the Gospel-Sabbath which is a resting from all sin and self-works errs from the law of love received in the Spirit which shuts out all enmity and transgression both against God and man departs from the fear which keeps from departing from God by any iniquity and enters into the lust which is the womb of sin out of the compass of which womb sin cannot be conceived much less committed So that Paul in that Law received from the Spirit Thou shalt not Lust saw the whole body of sin struck at whereas before under the ministration of Moses in the letter according to which he said he was blameless there was not so much as the life of one sin struck at but for all his exact answering of the Law according to that ministration he was alive still To decide this controversie let it be put to tryall let any one singly wait on the Lord for the administration of his Law in the Spirit and if the Lord give forth that Command to him Thou shalt not lust in the clearness of the Light of his eternall Spirit let him try if continuing in obedience and subjection thereto he can commit any one sin whatsoever I do not say that a mans proposing to himself that he will not lust or his striving of himself to love and fear the Lord or his applying himself to keep the Sabbath or rest from sin to the Lord will do this Nay this is but an administration in the letter and will prove weak against the inward strength of the enemy but receiving the Law in its pure living administration in the Spirit and from the Spirit here comes strength against the enemy which is too hard for him while it is abode in And this the Apostle Paul taught the Galatians who were running backward towards the Law and not forwards in the Spirit He bids them Walk in the Spirit Gal 5.25 and so doing as they should not be under the Law ver. 18. So neither should they be breakers of the Law for within those bounds sin enters not but is kept out not so much as a lust against the Law being there known much less any open transgression against it and against such as thus keep within the bounds of the Spirit there is no Law ver. 22.23 But against all that make themselves debtors to the Law of the letter there stands in force both the law of the letter of the Spirit also they cannot in that state be free from the condemnation and curse thereof whatsoever they may imagine concerning themselves and their own state from a mis-understanding and mis-application of the Scriptures The first Letter Answered There is a double ministration of the Law a ministration in the Letter and a ministration in the Spirit The ministration of the Letter was by Moses from mount Sinai in Tables of stone to that outward people the Jews the ministration of the Spirit is by Christ from mount Sion in Tables of flesh to believers or his Disciples Now this is it which the Lord hath made manifest to me that the Disciples of Christ or believers are to have recourse to their administration for the receiving of the law from the Spirit and not to run back to that ministration which was litterall and outward and fitted to a litterall and outward people This was more fully set down in my Epistle in severall particulars Now in opposition to this it is said Fâ—rst That all written in that Epistle makes no more at all against a Gospel Spiritual observing in love the seventh day Sabbath to the Lord then they make against a Gospell Spirituall observing of the other nine Comandements Ans. My Epistle striketh not at a Gospel Spirituall observation of any thing but he that will obey Spiritually must receive his command from the Spirit in that way which the Spirit hath chosen to dispense it to him in Now the same Spirit which wrote his law in the letter under the old Covenant writeth his law in the hearts of believers under the new Covenant Heb. 8.10 which is a better Covenant and of which Covenant Christ is the Mediator ver. 6. and Christ is as faithfull to give forth the Laws of his Spirit in the hearts of his people as their condition requires them as Moses was to give the Law written in the Tables of stone to his house Heb. 3.5.6 And as Moses pointed his Disciples to Christ coming in the flesh so Christ pointed believers or his Disciples to the
THE New-Covenant OF THE GOSPEL Distinguished from the Old Covenant OF THE LAW AND The Rest or Sabbath of Believers from the Rest or Sabbath of the Jews which differ as much from each other as the Sign and Shadow doth from the thing signified and shadowed out In Answer to some Queries of W. Salters tending to enforce upon Christians the observation of the Jewish Sabbath which was given under the Law to the Jews for a sign As also to some other Queries sent in Writing upon an occasion of an Epistle directed to all such as observe the seventh day of the week for a Sabbath now under the Gospel As likewise to some Letters to the same purpose With a brief Explication of the Mysterie of the six dayes Labour and seventh days Sabbath Whereto are added some Considerations propounded to the Jews tending towards their coâ—â—ersion to that which is the Life and Spirit of the Law By ISAAC PENINGTON the younger VVe which have believed do enter into rest Heb. 4.3 Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moon or Sabbaths which are a shadow of things to come but the body is Christ Col. 2.16 17. London Printed for Robert VVilson and are to be sold at his shop at the black spredd-Eagle and VVindmill in Martins l' grandâ— 1660 The Preface THE Apostle Paul saith That God had made them able Ministers of the New-Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit 2 Cor 3.6 After the dispensation of the Law which was a shadow of good things to come and after the dispensation of the Prophets who foretold of better days and of a better state to come then the days and state under the Law was it pleased God first to send the fore-runner John the Baptist in the spirit and power of Elias to prepare the way for the King and his Kingdom and then to send the King himself in the fulness of his spirit to gather Disciples to him and to furnish them with a competent measure of the same spirit to raise up a Spiritual Seed to him in whom he would set up his Kingdom dwelling walking and reigning there causing his Light to shine from thence round about the Earth as from his holy City founded upon his holy Hill of Sion Now those Disciples or Ministers whom he chose to raise up this holy Seed unto him he made fit and able to minister his New Covenant by which it was to be raised yea he furnished them with such a power of his Spirit that they were able through him to minister not in the Letter as the old Covenant was ministred which left the people still dead nay because of the transgressing nature made the offence abound and so encreased death upon them but in the quickning spirit which raiseth from death and bringeth into the light of the living to walk with the living God towards the land of Eternal rest and peace So that that which they ministred was spirit and that which they ministred to was spiritual By the power of the spirit in preaching the living Word of Faith they reached through the vail to that which lay in death they stirred up a living Principle and ministred life to it through the spirit Gal. 3.5 and such as were born of this living Principle they taught to live in the spirit to walk in the spirit to be made perfect by the spirit and not to run back to the Ministration of the Letter as was proper for the Jews in their day after the manner of the former dispensation but to keep in the living Principle to grow up in the Seed into the eternal life and immortality of the Gospel Mark well O ye Christians who desire eternal life the different way of Ministration between the Law and Gospel The Law was a Ministration of the Letter in which they were to wait for assistance from the Spirit by which they might be kept in the faith of and be made obedient to the Law Nehem. 9.20 The Gospel is a Ministration of the Spirit wherein they are to begin with the spirit and to go on with the spirit not to gather outward Rules out of the Letter from what is written or spoken but to keep to the living Principle and feel refreshment to that in reading or hearing what is written or spoken by the Spirit And thus the Scriptures being read or any one speaking from God being heard it is mingled with faith and becomes profitable feeding and refreshing the young tender plant the living Principle and causing it to grow up into God whereas whatever is understood or received or held out of this feeds but the earthly and doth but thicken the vail over the living Seed to which the Kingdom belongs and to which the Gospel is sent to be preached to raise it that it might live and thrive and grow up into its stature that so it might inherit The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand said John the Baptist Mat. 3.2 It is come unto you said Christ Mat. 12.28 that Power of Life which was made manifest in him was it and this Kingdom is also within you saith Christ to the Pharisees Luk. 17.21 The Pharisees demanded of him when the Kingdom of God should come It cometh not saith he with outward shew or observation it cometh not that way you look for it to wit by the manifestation of an outward glorious King to reign outwardly in the Common-wealth of the outward Israel but the Kingdom is within you How was it within them Christ explains to them in another place it was in them like a Grain of Mustard-Seed it was the least of all the Seeds in their hearts There were many great seeds of darkness there but yet there was also one little Seed of Light It was there as well as the rest though less then them all and did sometimes cast some glimmerings of light and of its shining in the darkness though the darkness could not comprehend it This Seed was also likened to leaven which being received by faith into the lump would leaven the whole lump and bring it into the savor and Dominion of the Kingdom Now the Ministry of the Apostles was to turn men from Satan's Kingdom to this Kingdom from his large compass of Dominion in the heart to this narrow Seed from his great Territories of darkness to this little Principle of Light from his great Power of Death to this little weak Thing of God wherein the Eternal Power and God-head is made manifest as this comes to be opened and encreased by the Spirit Here light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart where it is to grow up and from whence it is to be reaped after its growth to perfection Oh how long have Christians so called wanted the Spirit How have they wearyed themselves in running to and fro about the Letter to find out the mind of God and are still
God who caused the light to shine out of darkness shined in his heart when God begun the Work of the new Creation in him by his living light when the commandment came fresh from the Spirit the commandment which was ordained to life Rom. 7.10 which the Ministration of the Law in the letter was not no not to the Jews but another Deut. 30.14 15. then Paul began to feel the sting of death and the Power of sin which now arose up in its strength to retain one of its subjects and to keep the stronger man then he from dispossessing him if he could And now how was poor Paul rent and torn and harrased by the Enemy and made to see and feel his miserable captivity until he had passed through the death and was redeemed from under sin and consequently from under this bitter Ministration of the Spirit by his holy pure and severe Law against sin for the man being dead the law hath no force against the Seed nor against that which is one with and lives in the Seed And this is it he speaks to the Romans concerning who also were acquainted with this Ministration of the law as v. 1. of this seventh chap. Now is it not very manifest that Paul knew not sin spiritually by the Ministration of the law in the letter but was alive without it until he felt the Ministry of it from Christ in the Spirit and that soon struck at his life and by degrees slew it killing the body of sin in him with its members and so preparing him for the marriage to another Husband Object But by this then a man is not only freed from the Law of the letter but also from the law of the spirit for if this law be ministred to him til death pass upon him til he be married to Christ then after death is passed upon him and he is baptized into death and risen with Christ and married to him then this Law passeth away likewise Answ. There is a double ministration of the Law of the Spirit a sharp ministration against sin and a sweet ministration in the renewed spirit The ministration against sin passeth away as the sin is wrought out but then the sweet Spirituall current and law of its holy and pure life in the renewed Spirit is more vigorous and full So that the law of the Spirit remaineth for ever but its convictions its reproofs its chastisements towards the worldly part diminish and pass away as the worldly part is wasted and its sweet comforting presence pure peace fresh joy and life increase as the new man grows and flourishes Quer. 2 Whether the scope and drifâ— of that fourth precept be not to perswade us to lay by the works of our calling one day in seven that we may on that day wholly give up our selves to wait on the Lord in the performance of duties of piety and mercy for our attaining of and growing in sanctificaion and holiness Answ. The scope and drift of the fourth Commandement was to injoin the Jews to keep the Sabbath strictly as a sign by forbearing all works and sanctifying it as a day of rest to the Lord according to the law Ezek. 20.12 But the substance being come Christ who is the body Col. 2.17 the day and rest of the Spirit being known the sign is at an end and the thing signifyed taketh place So that the rest is now in Christ through the Faith by his Spirit where the worship is And this in the Gospel comprehends the time of worship the place of worship and the worship it self which are Spiritual where in substance all is known injoyed and solemnized which was figured out in shadows under the law The sanctification being come the rest being come the Lord of the Sabbath being come shall not the sign of the sanctification the sign of the rest which rest the Lord of the Sabbath was to give lead the Spirits of his people into pass away Ex 31.13 Quer. 3. Whether the fourth precept do not as strictly bind us to keep holy the seventh day of or from the creation as it bindeth us to the observation of a seventh Day Answ The fourth Commandement did not require the observation of a seventh Day in general but of the seventh day in particular of those of whom it required it for what the law required it required of those who were under the law and not of others Rom. 3.19 Quer. 4. If the seventh days Sabbath be not morall and perpetuall then how comes it to pass that it was instituted or appointed from the first Creation when man by guilt stood in no need of a Saviour nor yet of such a ceremony Gen. 2.3 Answ. That it was instituted or appointed from the first Creation or that God intended to require of man the observation of it had he abided in innocency is not manifest in the Scriptures but that God did then bless and sanctifie it in relation to the service he had for it that is expressed in Scripture Gen. 2.2 3. And that this was one end for which he did sanctifie it namely that it might be for a sign unto that people of the Jews which was the people he chose to set up his signs and figures of the invisible things among the Scripture also testifies Exod. 20 11. But what further meaning there is in it and what relation it hath to all the redeemed of the Lord in whom God brings about the New Creation with the rest thereof as he did the old it is better to wait to know and feel in the Spirit then to be prying into with the curious searching fleshly understanding Quer. 5. If the seventh days Sabbath be not morall and belonging both to Jews and Gentiles then how comes it to pass that it was given to all men in Adam when there was no difference between Jew and Gentile and was observed by command from the beginning as appears by comparing together Gen. 2.3 and Exod. 16.18 to 31. Answ. That it was given to Adam in innocency or to all men in Adam I do not find nor do these places quoted make it manifest But its being practised before the giving of the law doth not prove its perpetuity or that it was not given for a sign for circumcision was instituted and observed long before the giving of the law Gen. 17. sacrificing long before that Gen. 4. both which were signs of the inward and not perpetuall as to the outward observation of them Quer. 6. If when our Lord Jesus saith Mat. 5.18 that till heaven and earth pass one jot or tittle should in no wise pass from the law If he there meant not the law of the ten Commandements expressed in Exod. 20. then what law did he mean Answ. By the law is meant the whole ministration of Moses as by the Prophets ver. 17. the whole ministration of the Prophets and that it is not to be restrained to the ten Commandements is manifest by
the Sabbath and if he bid a man Take up his bed and walk which was bearing a burthen and doing of work on the Sabbath day it is no breach of the Sabbath Now this is most righteous that as the Son's rest should be entred into under the Gospel so his day of rest should be kept by his Disciples and family Qu. 14 Whether to say The keeping the Law of God according to the letter is a breaking of it in the Spirit be not a charging of God that gave it forth to be kept and the holy Spirit that incites us so to do now in this administration Jam. 2.8 and says they do well that do so and yet thou saist they break it in Spirit but tell us by any one Scripture how a man assisted by the Spirit to own Jehovah alone to be his God according to the letter of the first Commandement doth break that Command in the Spirit Or so the like of any other of them Ans. This Query is altogether from a mistake for it was not said by me That the keeping the Law of God acccording to the Letter is a breaking of it in the spirit but that he that runs back to the Law in the letter to take up any command as hold forth in it will be found a breaker thereof in spirit And for this the Jews in general and Paul in particular may be my instances who was exceeding strict according to the Letter of the Law but yet was a grievous breaker of it in spirit and did not love his neighbor as himself but in a blind zeal was a bitter persecutor And if the Jews had taken that direction of Moses Deut. 30.14 the observation of the law in the letter might have been more easie to them So that the turning towards and receiving the Word in the heart from whence the letter came is the onely way to fulfll the letter and the Law is not so much as to be known much less fulfilled by running to the letter of it in the first place And this I certainly know that there is no coming to the Lord of life nor no keeping chast to him but in the New-Covenant and in the light of the Lord as it is there dispensed and till then the mind cannot forbear making of images and false representations of him to it self though being from the light of this Covenant it cannot discern that it doth so no more then Paul by the Letter of the Law could discern how he was a breaker thereof in his violent persecutions Qu. 15. Whether the Prophets Jesus Christ or the Apostles their keeping the Law according to the letter that they did do so is evident did break the law in the spirit Ans. The Prophets were under the Law as to their outward state though inwardly not without feeling the vertue of the New-Covenant Christ also was made under the Law and took upon him the fulfilling of that dispensation of Moses that he might bring the believing Jews from under it into the liberty of the Spirit that they might receive the adoption of Sons and the free Ministration which was appointed for the Sons and might not be held under that Ministration of bondage which was appointed for the servants And the Apostle bids Believers to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ had made them free not making themselves debtors to the Law Gal. 5.1 for they were children of the promise children of new Jerusalem the free Woman children of the New-Covenant and not children of Mount Sinai the old Covenant the Law in the Letter c. 4.15 16. Qu. 16. If there be but one day of rest holy to the Lord and all the Sabbaths of the law were but signs of it that is said to be the day of redemption that the Lord hath made Then whether that day be a day natural one of the seven days of the week which either respect the Day on which our Redeemer suffered or that on which he rose again from the dead or any other Ans. As the Gospel is not natural but spiritual so its day of rest is not natural but spiritual likewise Yea I may add this also the six days Work in the new Creation are not natural neither Qu. 17. If not so but that it should he intended applicable to the day or time of the Gospel Administration from the time that Christ suffered in the flesh unto the end of the world Then whether this day that is intended as a Sabbath is one with that day that the Scriptures intend and call a Sabbath which Christ himself gave his Disciples charge to have respect unto in their flight Matt. 24.20 Answ. The supposition here put demonstrateth that those that put it have no acquaintance with the Gospel-Sabbath but propose another outward time for it even the time from Christs suffering in the flesh to the end of the World Now if any should so affirm it were as justly to be excepted against as pressing the observation of the Jews Sabbath is That which signifieth is outward or natural and signifieth to that part which is without that which is signified is inward and spiritual and is known entred into kept and enjoyed in the spirit It is a spiritual Sabbath not a natural which God hath instituted for his spiritual people after he hath led them out of spiritual Aegyt into the spiritual Wilderness where he administreth to them the Law in the spirit and teacheth them to worship him in spirit and truth Qu. 18. If they intend one and the same Sabbath day then how impossible was it for the Disciples of Christ to escape flying on that Sabbath day though never so fervent in prayer in regard that this Sabbath spoken of begun when Christ had suffered and put an end to the dispensation of Moses Law and the flight spoken of by Christ which respect the Lords Sabbath was not until many years after his sufferings supposed-Supposed-Sabbath being before denied the foundation of this Query fails An. Christs Sabbath is not an outward time or day in the flesh but a day in the Spirit even a day of rest from all the labours of the fleshly part But this was spoken to before in the Answer to the last of W. Salters Queries whereto I may add this Christ spake to his Disciples of things as they were able to bear them Now as they understood not his death so then they understood not the abolishing of those things which were to pass away after his death so that Christ might very well call Jerusalem the holy place and the seventh day the Sabbath speaking to them in that state Qu. 19. If they intend not one and the same Sabbath day then which are the Disciples of Christ to have respect unto whether that that Jesus Christ injoined his Disciples to have respect unto or that that Isaac Penington would injoyn the Disciples of Christ to have respect unto Ans. This Querie hath very little in it save to shew the unsavouriness
the Spirit and in obedience to those Commands which come livingly into his heart from the Spirit of prophesie Fourthly That the fourth Command is to be in love kept by all believers Ans. All the Commands of Christs Covenant are to be kept by believers according as he pleaseth to dispence them under his administration in the New Covenant but the laws of the Old Covenant are not the laws of the New Covenant as so dispensed but only as they are comprehended in the righteousness which is taught and required by the spirit which is fuller stricter and exacter then that which the law of Moses required Nor do I hereby go about to teach any to break the least of Christ's Commands but the way to fulfill them which is by keeping to the certain knowledg and obedience of them in that ministration where Christ hath promised to dispense and make them known to believers which is under the ministry of his own Covenant writing them in their hearts and minds by his Spirit And here the keeping of all Christs Commands is possible yea this is the onely way to have the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in us for he that keeps the eye which the spirit hath opened in him close to the Spirit shall not be able to break any law of righteousness but the righteousness even of Moses his law shall be fulfilled in him Christ is the rest of the Gospel as he is also the holy land believing is the entring into this rest here 's his Sabbath and the keeping of it Keep in the faith the Gospel rest is kept Parting with every lust that he makes manifest observing every thing that this King calls for by his Spirit and waiting for the further manifestation or shining of the Light of his Spirit in the heart here 's the obedience of the faith and the holy and spirituall life and subjection of the living soul to its living King Here 's the beginning of a true Christian his growth his perfection But as for times places persons c. these are of another nature to another part even to that part in man which is to be done away as hee comes into the faith and into the rest Let that which is invisible whose habitation is out of the reasoning part feel and read me in that which is invisible for I do not make void the law by faith or through publishing the ministry of the Spirit but establish it in its ministration in the Spirit to the Disciples of Christ who keeping to the Spirit cannot transgress the righteousness of it though they may there learn not to esteem one day above another but to esteem every day no days having ever had any reall holiness in them one above another but only a figurative or representative which the substance Christ and his Gospel swallow up for as his day dawns those things which were the shadows of it fly away The second Letter Answered Object 1. It is said to be dangerous so to hold forth the Spirituall Sabbatism as to deny the weekly Sabbath wherein our Lord Jesus Christ rested c. and which he blessed and sanctified to Adam and his posterity c. Ans. The Gospell is a state of substance of fulfilling the types and shadows of the Law by bringing believers into the possession of that which they signified of Canaan was a type of Christ who is the land of the living in whom every believer hath an habitation at present according to the proportion of his faith and the Sabbath is the day of rest which every believer is to celebrate to Christ in this holy land which he doth by believing and obeying his Spirit in the faith which keepeth him out of the sin the unbelief the unrest But that the Sabbath of the law the rest thereof which pointed to the faith is still to be held up in the times of the Gospel I know no Scripture which so teacheth and I know somewhat which teacheth me otherwise The day is dawned blessed be the Lord God Almighty the everlasting day is dawned and the shadows of the Law are flown away Object 2. It is said that Heb. 4. Speaks of three rests The seventh day or Sabbath rest Israels rest in Canaan and a remaining rest whereof David speaks Psalm 95. Ans. I grant it There were two rests under the law which were signs of the one rest under the Gospel The two under the Law were outward and natural the one under the Gospel inward and Spiritual answerable to the state of the Gospel· David was not only acquainted with the Law-state but with the free spirit Psalm 51. and the eternal law thereof He knew the new Creation the creating of a new Spirit with its travell through the law also the new rest He knew the circumcision of the heart the spirituall sacrifices of a broken heart and of praise he could take the cup of salvation and sing the song of praise to the Lord which none can do in the strange land nor on any other day but the day of rest And he incites Israel to this rest that they might not harden their hearts against it but in the day of their visitation enter into it by hearkning to the Word which was nigh them which gives the entrance through the faith To day if ye will hear his voyce harden not your hearts c. There is a rest ye are now called to enter into as your fathers were called to enter into the land of Canaan harden not your hearts as they did but hear the voice hear the word which calls to this rest believe and enter This rest remains says the Apostle the others were types of it under the law-state which was to pass away Object 3. It is said Ceremoniall signs are done away but the ten Commands under the mercy-seat are of an other nature and that there are signs which are not yet abolished as the Rainbow Sun Moon and Stars but still remain for us to make good use of Answ. The mercy-seat under the Law is done away and the substance thereof is come and will ye not give him leave to write his law in the Tables which he shall choose where his Disciples may read it with the eye which hee gives Is his law now to be read in the shadow or with the outward eye or to be looked for under the old mercy-seat of the outward tabernacle or is it to be read with the eye of the new creature with the eye of faith with the eye of the Spirit in the everlasting Gospel where the life it self is read and in other books or writings without but tidings or relations of the life Here Christ here the Spirit here the eternall life here the love the joy the peace the rest the purity which is eternall is seen is felt is handled is injoyed for the true faith is indeed the substance of the things hoped for giving victory over the enemies which disturb and a quiet habitation
the hard stony heart be wasted and worn out by the cross and nothing left but what becomes one with the seed and so is fit to be married to it and to enter with it into the everlasting Kingdom Now this bearing the yoke this taking up of the cross this following of Christ in the wilderness through the corrections of the Father through the buffettings and temptations of the enemie in the midst of all the weaknesses frailties of the flesh going when he bids go standing still where he stops fighting when hee prepares to the warfare bearing the repulse when he suffers the enemy to prevail and hoping even beyond hope for his relief and victory in due season here 's the labour here 's the travell here 's the working under the life with the measure of grace and power received from the life So that first the day-spring from on high visits from that visitation there is light entred into the heart by closing with that light there is grace received with this grace received there is work to bee done for God his talent is to be improved all the six days by all that will rest with him on the seventh and that desire to cease from their labours in the fruition of the faith the life the power the faith the life the power living becoming and performing all in them And he that doth not improve the Talent he that doth not follow on in the pure light but either sits down by the way or is deceived with an Image of what once vvas true in him he can never arrive at the land of rest though perhaps he may arrive at that which he may call so but when the eternall witness awakes in him he will find the want of it and bitterly bewail his grievous mistake Novv in this hard travel and grievous labour under the close lavvs and spirituall Commandements of the life hard I mean yea very hard to the unrenewed part though easie and natural to that which is renewed and born of God it pleaseth the Lord novv and then to give a day of refreshment causing his life so powerfully to spring up that it even sensibly is and doth all in the heart This is a Sabbath wherein the soul rests in the povverfull movings and operations of the life and doth not find any stress of trouble or hardship or labour upon it but sits still in the povver is at ease in the life in the etertal vertue vvhich lives and moves and is all in it and no pain no trouble no grievousness of any Command is felt but to it all is easie all is natural all is purely pleasant the life to vvhich all its own lavvs Statutes ordinances judgements ways and paths are easie performing all it calls for even as fast as it calls for it And here not only a Sabbath of days but also a Sabbath of vveeks yea sometimes a Sabbath of years besides the everlasting Jubilee or year of perfect redemption it selfe are known vvitnessed by such as have vvaited on the Lord in singleness of heart under the yoke of his Spirit for the bringing down of the rough and untovvard nature and for the raising up of the meek and lovvly heart But here it is exceeding easie running out and starting aside it is easie running out from under the yoke to avoid the bitterness of the hardship to the earthly part it is much easier running out on the day of rest and so loosing the truth in a joy and rejoicing even such an one as might have a true ground Oh who can but think the bitterness of death is past when all enemies are vanished and there is nothing left but the Lord and the soul imbracing each other and who can but be unwilling to come back again to his labour and to the residue of his hard travel afterwards and yet it is far better to return to the work in the Vineyard and to suffer again with the seed then to keep up the rest in a notion and so to lose the life and pure presence and vertue of the seed when it returns unto and cals back to the labour Oh how many have perished here suffering a divource from that which led them into the rest not being willing to go back again with it to fill up the residue of its sufferings which were yet behind and so have kept up a false dead notional rest after the true Sabbath was ended Now there is no way for such but to wait to feel the living breath the quickning vertue the day-spring from on high which by the brightness of its rising can discover this false rest this dead rest this notionall rest this ease in the earthly in the fleshly in the understanding part which they uphold by things they have formerly gathered from the Scriptures or from their own perhaps once living experiences but now hold out of the feeling and possession of the life in the dead part But that it is thus with them they can never see untill the light from which they have erred spring up and discover it to them and when the light doth arise and discover it they will find the way of return and the path of redemption much more difficult to them then it was at first Yet it is better to part which the ease of the flesh and to undergo the pangs of a new birth then to miss of the inheritance in the good land There are three steps or degrees of the blessed estate First There are desires thirstings and breathings begotten after the life Secondly There is a labouring in the service under the yoke by the vertue which springs from the life Thirdly There is a Rest or sitting down at ease in the life By the stirring of life in the soul desires after life are kindled he in whom the desires are kindled and who feeleth the eternall vertue cannot but be running the race he whom the Spirit of the Lord findeth faithfull in running the race it pleaseth the Lord ever and anon to be giving him a tast of the rest Thus the spring stirring the soul cannot but move towards its center and as it entreth into and fixeth in its center it partaketh of the rest Nâ—w to know the leadings of the Spirit forward and backward into these into desires when he pleaseth into the labour and service of the life when he pleaseth into the sweet rest and perfect repose in the life when he pleaseth here is the safety and sweet progress of the renewed spirit That man who is born of the spirit is to wait for the movings breathings and kindlings of the Spirit in him and when the Sun ariseth he is to go forth to his labour in the light thereof and in the night and withdrawing of the Sun to retire And when his seventh day of rest comes he is to receive it from and enjoy it in the Spirit and afterwards to be willing to begin his week again even till his whole race