Go sell all and come follow me And Every one that is perfect shall be as his Master is oft pressed unto by the Apostles That I might prsent every man perfect in Christ Jesus whereunto I also labour according to his working that worketh in me mightily Col. 4.12 Ephes 4.13 2 Cor. 7 1. 1 John 4.17 That ye may stand perfect and compleat in all the Will of God Unto the measure of the Stature of the fullness of Christ unto a perfect man Perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God. And herein is our love made perfect Phil. 3.15 EpheI 3.9 2 Cor. 3.18 because as he is so are we in this World Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded being filled with the fullness of God changed from Glory to Glory into the same Image with him even as by the Spirit of the Lord And he that hath this hope in him 1 John 3.3 2 Pet. 3.14 purifieth himself even as he is pure Wherefore Beloved Seeing ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without Spot and Blameless that he might present it to himself a Glorious Church Ephes 5.27 not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without blemish For Pure Religion and Undefiled before God is this James 1.27 To visit the Fatherless and Widdows in their Affliction and to keep our selves unspotted from the World many more Scriptures might be alledged to the same purpose But because it is an hard saying to the fleshly part therefore who can bear it Matt. 7.14 This is indeed the narrow way which Flesh and Spirit mixt together cannot walk in Therefore He that is Christs in Esponsed Union hath Crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 John 3.6 1 Cor. 2.15 Gal. 5.25 Jude 24. Rom. 8.13 1 Pet. 4.1 2. and is born of the Spirit and so is a compleat Spiritual Man And therefore walketh in the Spirit hating even the very Garments spotted with the Flesh having through the Spirit Mortified the Deeds of the Body by the which suffering in the Flesh he hath ceased from Sin and liveth to God in Newness of Life Therefore do we begin Christianity in the Principles before written that we might finish it in Perfection 1 Cor. 9.24 Verse 25. 2 Tim. 4.7 and so our ruaning to end this Race and our fighting to accomplish this Warfare yea all our labouring tendeth to finish this Course And here at last the Reward will stand But while this Salvation is working out Phil. 2.12 Job 12.5 Gal. 6.1 Isa 30.26 1 Cor. 8.12 it is with much Fear and Trembling and many slips falls and wounds poor Souls receive in this difficult Passage and were it not for the Intercession of Christ the which to us in this Case is of an unspeakable Advantage we might uttecly despair of coming to our journeys end By Vertue of which in most true Repentance and right humble Confession looking to him in the true Nature of the Christian Faith who is Exalted at the Right Hand of his Father for this very end Heb. 9.24 Numb 21.9 the Soul is cured again from the Stings of Wilderness Serpents by which it was wounded in its Travels toward the Milkey Land and so in true Watchfulness walking in the Light as he is in the Light 1 Thess 5.6 1 John 1.7 receives Remission of its Sin and is cleansed from all Unrighteousness and thus being recovered he hasteth on his way again Psal 55.8 2 Pet. 3.14 Cant. 2.3 2 Cor. 10 5. performing his work with Diligence and Chearfulness till at last every thought is brought into Subjection unto the Obedience of Christ This Perfection is not pretended to in Bethania to be a Perfection in parts 1 Cor. 12.11 for that is the Gift of God and he distributeth thereof severally to every one as he will but it is a coming up to all the Requirements of God that are or can be known with diligent search John 15.14 1 Pet. 1.10 with a careful abstaining from all Actions and appearances pearances from Evil giving up the whole Heart and Soul to God 1 Thess 5.12 Prov. 23.6 Jer. 29.12 13. Rom. 6.19 Verse 22. Cant. 1.6 and yielding the Members of the Body as Instruments of Righteousness in his Service and to his Praise And so having the whole fruit of the Soul and also the whole fruit of the Body unto most pure Holiness the end will be Everlasting Life Let none of our Mothers Children be too angry with us though we go a little out of their Vineyards in this difficult point of Doctrine for if they will enquire further about it we readily shall in the best manner we can explain and confirm the same in all Humility and Meekness of Spirit Col. 3.15 which is the ruling Spirit in Bethania EIGHTEENTHLY The Catholick Church of Christ it believed in Bethania according to the Scriptures Eph. 1.23 1 Cor. 10.16 17. Rom. 15.5 1 Cor. 12.27 Rev. 11.1 Psal 45.13 Ephes 1.19 Cant. 6.13 Isa 9.6 and that Ancient Article of the Apostles Creed to be a Communion of Saints or Holy ones Constituted by Divine Appointments and ordered by Rules from Heaven being richly adorned with Divine Vertue and possessed with exceeding great Power She is the Blessed Sbulamite deriving her Name and Divine Nature from Shulim for Shallom the Prince of Peace being his Sister and also his Spouse she doth and wiâ—â— appear in a Threefold State The first of which Mat. 5.14 is Formal I which she is as a City on a Hill from whence True Doctrine and Divinâ— Purity shines forth unto the World. In this Estate Her Worship is visible confisting of Forrus and Ordinance Goings-out Ezek. 43.11 John 10.9 and Coming in And â— this belongs those two Blessed Sacraments viz Baptism and the Lord Supper But Her formal State â— measured from Heaven and He whole visible Limits round about Ezek. 43.11 must be most Holy. Her Second State is Spiritual Wherein She is vailed and unknown unto the World John 3.2 Cant. 6.10 John 4.24 Phil. 3.3 1 Cor. 12.13 Rev. 2.17 John 6.55 Isa 32.2 1 Cor. 10.4 Cant. 8.13 Chap. 4.12 and in this Estate She Worshipeth the Invisible Father in Spirit and Truth Injoying a Baptisin which is inward and Spiritual and a Supper that every one knows not of For the hidden Manna is Her Divine Food and the Spiritual Rock giveth Her Water In this Spiritual Estate She is a close Companion with the Blessed Lamb and dwells within the measuring Line So is a Garden inclosed a Spring shut up a Fountain sealed and though Her outward and visible Limit be oft assaulted and sometimes trodden under feet by the Gentiles Isa 32.2 Psal 91.4 Cant. 2.10 Yet here She is secure under the Shadow of the Rock of Agess Even under the wing of Christ as his only Fair
having itching Ears are therefore wandering after divers and strange Doctrines 1 Cor. 3.15 or any way behave themselves unseemly contrary to the pure Principles of Vertue Which Charity teacheth towards any either in the Church or in their Families or in the World. These and such like things as these being open and manifest Errors are therefore Rebuked before all that others may fear and avoid the like offences for that which is openly committed is not censured in a corner and they that are not ashamed to Sin must not be excused from the shame of Suffering seeing the Rebukes of God against his own People are of greatest Antiquity and remain in lasting Characters in sacred Scriptures EIGHTHLY Heresy in Bethania is counted a very noysome Weed 1 Tim. 6.4 5. 2 Pet. 2.1 that springeth up in a corrupt Mind and is evermore accompanied with an Impious Life and then it is of a very Damnable Nature and the way thereof very Pernitious the which also endeth at last in most swift Destruction 2 Tim. 2.17 it is a kind of a Canker-eating Mischief which men involved in it take much delight to promote and so are rightly called Hereticks But every Error is not properly called Heresy seeing many may be guilty of Error in their Judgment who are notwithstanding of Pious and Vertuous Lives therefore as there is a Body of true Faith the which also is contained in that Ancient Creed called the Apstles Even so also the direct contrary thereunto is real Heresy for to deny the only Lord God by whom all things were Created which is the first Article of that Christian Creed 1 Cor. 8.6 and our Lord Jesus Christ by whom all things consist Jude 4. which is the second is the ready way to overthrow all pure Religion and then the next thing that followeth is to turn the Grace of God into Lasciviousness and such as these are absolute Hereticks and are of old ordained to this Condemnation Besides to let pass all other Articles of the Creed aforesaid which are all sufficiently confessed before in the Articles of Bethania's Faith. The Catholick Church is declared in this Creed to be a Communion of Saints or holy Ones whose priviledges are the Remission of Sins Resurrection of the Body and Everlasting Life therefore to believe and maintain that to be the Church of Christ which is a Communion of Impious and Ungodly Persons whether we respect National or Congregational Societies is very near of Kin if not the very same with Heresy for to father Children on the most pure God which are not of his own Begetting and to cast a Spouse upon his Blessed Lamb that is of a different nature from him is a very high degree of Indignity therefore the Earthly Jerusalem as well as Confused Babel are in great danger of being guilty of Herely Now the way by which Bethania Executeth her Censures against Hereticks is such as is contained in her great Charter therefore when the Heresy beginneth first to appear and the direct Tendency thereof clearly fore-seen the Persons thereunto enclined are the first and second time carefully to be Admonished if they reform and so are reduced to the right Faith Tit. 3.10.11 Luke 15.11 then there is Joy in Bethania for the return of the wandring Sheep but if they perfist to nourish this noysome and poysonous Weed then they are finally Rejected Isa 59 5. Chap. 11.18 and so the Cockatrice Egg is not permitted to grow up into a fiery-flying-Serpent And thus the hole of the Wasp being delivered from the Viper the little Children in Bethania are secure from danger NINTHLY Communion in Bethania is threefold and first Formal which is that state of Communion wherein Persons are conformable to one another in External Principles Exod. 12.6.8 1 Cor. 11.20 Acts 20.7 Psal 55.14 Psal 42.4 Rom. 6.17 Eze. 43.11 ver 8. Rev. 11.2 and are United in the Forms and Ordinances that relate to Visible Worship This Communion is held only in the outward Court it is the right Visible way into an higher degree of Communion and is only bounded with a strong Wall but hath no Covering over it the Storms of Temptation and Persecution oft Times deface the Steps of this Communion Those who only Worship in this outward Court are liable to be troden under foot of the Gentiles Nevertheless this Communion is of great Estimation in Bethania Rev. 2.17 Heb. 9.4 John 10.9 1 Cor. 5.2 John 10.9 and those whose proper Food is chiefly the hidden Manna the which they also Eat in the most holy Place yet they have learned of their great Master to go out into the place of little Children and with them to Feed of those Crumbs which are suitable to the Capacity of the little Childish Nature and so they experience the true meaning of that Scripture viz. They shall go in and out and find Pasture The second state of Communion is Congregational by vertue of which 2 Cor. 8.5 Acts. 2.41 a company of Persons who have first given up themselves to the Lord in Vifible Profession of Truth Now secondly Give up themselves one to another in Congregational Union in which Estate they have a special and more particular Interest in each others Persons and Enjoyments then when they were only Members one with another in a formal Union and so the Pastors in this state of Union are more especially engaged to their Flocks Acts 20.28 Heb. 13.17 1 Thes 5.12 13. and they on the other hand are deeply enjoyned to submit to their Pastors as such who watch for their Souls and must give account thereof in the day of the Lord. But the third state of Communion is Spiritual 1 Cor. 10.17 Chap. 12.18 Rom. 12.15 which consisteth excellently in this In that many Bodies have but one Soul for by one Spirit Souls in state of Union are Baptized into one Body and so are all Members one of another and hence it is that the whole Church of Christ though consisting of many distinct Congregations Psal 46.4 ssa 27.2 3. Cant. 4.12 Chap. 2.14 Chap. 4.11 is notwithstanding in holy Scripture often spoken of in the singular number and is called a City a Vineyard a Garden a Dove a Virgin a Wife and so Christs Beloved is but one and their Communion in this state is Celebrated in and maintained by the Divine Nature 2 Cor. 11.2 Rev. 19.7 Cant. 6.9 2 Pet. 2.4 Jam. 1.18 2 Cor. 5.17 Heb. 12.23 Joh. 1.3 in which they are of one kind even a kind of first Fruits of Gods new Creatures and by vertue thereof we have Union and Communion with those we never saw and highly esteem of those who long since are departed out of this World as Abel Enoch Noah Abraham Moses and the Prophets Apostles and those holy Servants of God that succeeded them yea those that differed in form with each other now in the present time are notwithstanding in Union with one
Isa 55.2 Why do ye spend your mony for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfieth not But fourthly by Bethsaida the house of Fishing and in this City the Fishers of men do dwell who being crafty with a divine subtilty catch Souls of Men for Christ and bring them home to their Master 2 Cor. 12.16 From hence came that Squadron of Fishes of whom Merlin told Lucius that should enter upon his Territories unarmed with Sword or Spear unto whom all Nations should in time obey who shall destroy the Temples of thy Gods O Lucius and convert them to the service of their Eternal King. These are also skilful in Fishing in the great deeps and find in the Book of Scripture and the book of Nature many precious Jewels Fifthly by Timnath-heres Judges 2.9 signifiing the image of the Sun and upon this City doth the Sun of Righteousness arise and shine with great yet with invisible Glory to the World and to the careless Daughters Mal. 4.2 and is a Sun and a Shield unto it Psalm 84.11 for this City hath Truth in the inward parts Psal 51.6 and is all glorious within Psal 45.13 And as the natural Sun by shining through a little crevice into a House forms his own image on the wall or on the floor even so the glorious Sun of Righteousness shining into the hearts of the Inhabitants of this City 2 Cor. 4.6 forms his own most precious Image there Chap. 3.18 from whence the beams of divine vertue shine forth to the World by which they become a light to men Sixthly by Bethania which in several languages as skilful men observe signifies divers things as sometimes the House of Obedience and indeed the obedience of Faith is eminently found in this City Secondly the House of Affliction of which she is oft partaker as a state that naturally attends the Gospel Thirdly of the Grace of the Lord which is the only vertue by which this City Works and Reigns and Shines Fourthly the House of a Song from the new Song which by redeemed Souls is sung to Jesus their Saviour who came to save his People from their Sins But Fifthly the House of the Poor from the Hebrew by th and Gnania from this signification is derived and this is the true state of the Church of Christ with respect to humane excellencies being poor in Spirit but rich in Faith empty of guile but full of Sincerity is become a Fool for Christ in respect of Worldly Wisdom but wise in Christ with that Wisdom which is from above she is weak and feeble as the Conies a feeble folk Prov. 30 26. with respect to humane Power but full of might and Power by the glorious Spirit of the Lord Mic. 3.8 she is ashamed of all her own Righteousness both of nature and also that which is of the Law it being imperfect by reason of the fall and so she accounts it as filthy rags and as a menstruous cloth but is full of the everlasting Righteousness Christ first imputed to her and after wrought in her by his divine Power yet all her natural glory is wholly vailed for the Son of Righteousness hath looked upon her and she is become black and undone in her self because her eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts Cant. 1.6 Isa 6.5 but this Poverty consisted not only in internal things but also in the things of this World in which she seldom flourisheth in uncertain Riches nor appears in that Pomp and State in which Babel shines she sets light by the unrighteous Mammon of this World it being the portion of men of earthy Spirits therefore she is often in Hunger Thirst Cold and Nakedness she hath been Destitute Afflicted and Tormented hath wandred from one kindred to another People and hath seldom any certain dwelling place oft-times this Abel is slain by this Cainish brood but like the Phoenix she springs again out of her own ashes and the gates of Hell do not prevail against her Babel hath Golden Chalices but Wooden Priests but she is contented with wooden Chalices and rejoyceth in her golden or shining Ministery Lo this is that little City which we call Bethania where also the poor wise man Eccl. 9.14 is content and delights to dwell who became poor for our sakes that we might be made rich by him he had not a hole to rest his head in this World that we might possess Eternal Mansions of Glory in the World to come he left Heaven that we might be redeemed from Hell came out of the bosome of his Father that we that were banished from it might return He was crowned with Thorns that we might obtain by him a Crown of Righteousness and Glory he was content to bear his Father's wrath that we might obtain an interest in his Eternal Love. In fine be died an accursed Death that we might live a Blessed Life so that visible poverty hath been incident to Christ and his little City and it is like to be the Estate of his espoused Virgin till the Marriage of the Lamb be come and she be instated in his eternal Riches But now Bethania was a certain City or Town almost two Miles from Jerusalem John 11.16 scituate on the Mount of Olives Mar. 11.1 and was a Place which Jesus often visited into Bethania he went out of Jerusalem to lodge after the Children had sung Hosannah Mat. 21.17 Near this Place stood the Fig-tree which he cursed in his return again into the City be-because it bare nothing but leaves ver 9. It was in Bethania where the Woman anointed Jesus's feet Mat. 26 6. and John 12.3 In this Bethania Jesus mildly reproved Martha and justified Mary in waiting rather for something from him than being cumbred with Martha in preparing something for him Luke 10.38 39 40 41 42. In this Bethania he raised Lazarus and wept for Sympathy John 11.35 43. In or near Bethania he blessed his Disciples Luke 24.59 and from thence was taken up into Heaven vers 57. Acts 1.9 12. And to this Mount of Olives where Bethania standeth Jesus for ought appears may come the second time as the first Place he will visit in his Return as being the last he left in his Ascent to Heaven according to that Prophecy Zech. 14.4 This Bethania therefore is a clear Representation of the true Church of Christ where his quickning Spirit revives the otherwise dying Souls of men here he mildly reproves those who do one good thing when another more weighty should be attended in this place and state of poorness of Spirit are the spiritual Blessings enjoyed from Christ our Saviour and here Souls sit with a weeping Mary in great humility at Jesus his Feet here Jesus seems to weep through Sympathy with his poor and afflicted People and will not forget the Congregation of his poor for ever 34.19 This City is indeed a true Communion of Saints according to that ancient Article of the Apostles Creed and
Soul and Edifieth it which is the only Design of Divinity in all its various Operations So then Singing of Psalms is used in Bethania For the Song of Hosannah was sung very near it Mat. 21.9 but it is used there as a Gift of the Holy Spirit peculiar only to him that hath it and not as an Ordinance of God which respecteth all Yet nevertheless Praising of God is an Ordinance of God according to the Principles of Nature proper to all Creatures and so all the Works of God do Praise him but do not Sing unto him except only when their Spirits are Elevated and then the Trees of the Wood sing out and clap their Hands Psal 145.10 Isa 24.7 Isa 55.13 when the Celestial Influences have quickened them in the Spring and Summer and their Voice is uttered in their Leaves Blossoms and Fruit. But when those Influences are withdrawn then they retire and are silent all the Winter Season and so the Sun Moon and Stars Psal 148.3 do Praise the Lord by the Influences of his own Vertue that is in them yea Dragons and all Deeps Fire Hail Snow Stormy Wind Mountains Trees Cedars Beafts Cattle Creeping Things Flying Fowls all these Psal 148.7 8 9 10. in their proper Nature Praise the Lord and Sing unto him in that Season when he putteth the Song into their Mouth Bethania's Walks WITH GOD. Now last of all having briefly hinted First At the Doctrine of Bethania And Secondly At some part of her Discipline and Order We hope now Lastly Briefly to lay down her Manner of Life and serious Walks with God and to what Place this Motion Tendeth CHAP. I. THe Conversation and Manner of Life in Bethania is very Divine and Heavenly Gen. 5.22 Chap. 6.9 being a serious Walk with God and a careful Imitation of the innocent and pure Life of Jesus so that as her Inhabitants are begotten by the immortal Seed of the Word of God and born of the Divine Spirit 1 Pet. 1.2 3. John 3.6 which Birth is from above even so their Conversation isin Heaven as the way of Life which is above to the wise Phil. 3.20 Prov. 15.24 Ephes 1.3 Col. 1.3 1 Pet. 1.4 to deliver from the Snares of Hell beneath in which place and State they are and shall be blessed with all Spiritual and Eternal Blessings in and by Christ Jesus And therefore their Affections are set on things above as things that are incorruptible and will never fade away The which being their Everlasting Treasure unto which they are begotten and born as right Heirs of the same even so their Hearts seriously incline towards that place where this Treasure is layed up for them Heb. 11.14 and their Life is framed here on Earth among men as becometh those who expect to live with God in Heaven among Angels and is such a life Phil. 1.27 which is proper and natural to the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus in which the Grace apeareth which teacheth us To deny all Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Righteously Soberly Tit. 2.12 14. and Godly in this present World looking for that blessed Hope and glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and Purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works that they might shew forth the Praises of him 1 Pet. 2.9 Phil. 2.15 2 Cor. 4.11 Chap. 2.14 Mark 3.45 who hath called them out of Darkness into his marvellous Light in which they shine as lights in the World and manifest the most pure Life of Jesus in their Mortal Flesh making manifest the Savour of his Knowledge in every place which Heavenly Off-spring are of near Affinity with most pure Jesus whose Divine Nature hath deeply Penetrated into their very Souls and changed the Properties thereof from Devilish and Beastial into Divine and Spiritual Tit. 3.3 1 Cor. 6.11 Rom. 8.28 John 3.1 2 Cor. 3.18 Ephes 2.19 Chap. 7.15 Heb. 12.13 Rev. 13.8 Gal. 4.25 and so he is but the first-born among these many Brethren as the glorious Son of God by Natural Generation and the Children of the same God with him by Divine Regeneration So that there is but one Nature Spirit Life and Image in Christ and Christians therefore they are called The Houshold of God and the Family in Heaven the General Assembly and Church of the first-born whose Names are written in the Book of Life of the Lamb stain from the Foundation of the World and so are Fellow-Citizens with the Saints in that Spiritual Jerusalem which is above and is the true Mother of all real Bethanians CHAP. II. BUT now forasmuch as Bethania is scituate on the Mount of Olives and the Earthly Jerusalem is beneath it yet scarce two Miles distant from it and the direct Motion of the true Followers of the Lamb being still upward ascending from a fleshly Glory in a visible Profession Mat. 5.3 into Poverty of Spirit and Resignation to Jesus Ephes 3.8 and so through that Estate into Spiritual and Eternal Riches we shall a little consider the walk of Saints and the walk of the World as they are both hastening apace into Endless Eternity And forasmuch as the Soveraign God in whose hands is all Power and at whose dispose all things must be hath appointed Heaven Earth and Hell these three places to be the Habitation of all Creatures in time and Eternity according to their proper State. Eccles 3.1 It is Earth only that is allotted to Time and Heaven and Hell to Eternity so that Earth stands between Heaven and Hell equally distant and there are three steps by which men ascend from Earth to Heaven and three steps by which they descend from it to Hell. Now Bethania chooseth the way of Life which is strait and narrow Mat. 7.13 and ascendeth upwards but Babel imbraceth the way of Death Job 21.13 Isa 5.14 Rev. 3.16 which is broad and pleasant and descendeth downwards and the Earthly Jerusalem not well liking either of these yet having but a Luke-warm Spirit settleth upon her Lees just between but at last must sink down with Babel like a Millstone Rev. 18.21 Isa 33.14 into the Bottomless deep of Gods Eternal Wrath which the Sinners in Sion as well as the Sinners in Babel shall not be able to escape Now these three steps by which Bethania ascendeth upwards she hath learned of Christ our Lord who himself hath travelled the same way and they are First Deny your selves Secondly Take up the Cross and Thirdly Mat. 16.24 John. 21.26 Follow me and then Where I am there shall also my Servant be But those three steps by which Babel descendeth towards her Infernal Den are wholly of another Nature as they are layed down by the Apostle Phil. 3.19 And are First Their God is their Belly Secondly Their Glory is their Shame and Thirdly Who mind