word of life declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Lo how he declaâ—…eth that his fellowship was with the Son Jesus Christ. Though long before now his appearance after the Flesh was removed yet he had fellowship with that Life which remained and more gloriously appeared after he was taken up the Life which was in the beginning that he that heard saw and handled not with that which is born of the Flesh but of the Spirit and was partaker off even that Divine Nature or Life 2 Pet. 1. 4. And this Apostle Iohn calls it by other names such as the seed of God the Anointing or Unction the Truth c. And in Revel He calls it the Lamb and the Word of God And thus I have gone thorow Moses Prophets Christ himself in the dayes of his Flesh and his Apostles their Testimony concerning this Foundation or fundamental Principle which as they witnessed a Foundation and Fountain of Blessedness Life Joy and peace in themselves a substance beyond all Shaddows Words Pleasures Representations Comprehensions or Thoughts so they pointed their Hearers hereto and this was the work of their Ministry That people being brought to heâ—…r see handle and pareake of this Life in themselves they might have fellowship with them therein and so let People try themselves and the Churches they are Members off if they be built on this Foundation the Word of Life which was in the beginning or if they have never come to know any other Foundation as yet but words from without and from which they never knew any other ground to believe them but here say from man and not hearing the voice of God himself their Foundation is but false their Faith false their Church and Worship and their whole Religon is false and vain Argument II. And this was it to witt the Revelation of Jâ—…us Christ and the hearing of his own Voice by which these who heard the Ministers and Apostles sent by him believed their words and the things by them declared for had it not been this they comeing forth declaring of such unheard of things and so unlike so unprobable so foolish to the wisdom of Flesh and Blood they could never have been received nor gained such ground upon the World as they did This is somewhat touched before but is some-what more fully to be treated of here being so weighty This was it that gave to the people a proof of their Ministracy and Call and message that it was of God he who sent them Christ the Word which was in the beginning and spoke in them to the people the same spoke and beas Testimony to the same words and things declared by the words in the Hearts and Consciences of the hearers and this made them and their Doctrine Manifest they had no other proof so sufficient as this and this without any other was sufficient and so necessary that nothing else could certainly perswade them for many of the Prophets wrought no Miracles nor did they alwaies tell of things to come and how many were Converted to the Faith who never saw any outward Miracle wrought and these who were past feeling or discerning the witness of God in themselves would not believe for all the Miracles or other outward appearance they called them devilry and the like for their hearts were hardned and the heart that is hardned hath the ear that should hear stopped and the eye blinded so was it with Pharaoh and his servants yea and many times with the people of the Iews themselves but they who had the ear to hear the inward ear in the sensible heart did hear and such a power oft times went along with the Messengers of the Lord that it rent the hard Rockie heart and broke it in pieces and made iâ—… sensible and quickned the dead and opened an ear to hear the word in themselves and so the Lords Messengers declaring in the power and Word of God that spoke in them they directed them to hear that Word in themselves He that hath an 〈◊〉 to â—…ear said Iohn let him hear what the Spiriâ—… saith to the Churches And Ieâ—…miah said If ye will not hear within in secret as I have read it in a Latin Translation my Soul shall weep for you Hear the word of the Lord said they this was their Authority their Proof they had not aâ—… he and as this cleared their Call and the truth of their Message in themselves so did it in their hearers and nothing else could do it but that Word the word of Truth the word of Faith to which Moses pointed the Iews and Paul the Romans in their hearts and this made them Manifest and their Doctrine and witnessed to them was a Seal of confirmation unto it I have given him said the Lord as it is writ Isa. 55. 4. For a witness to the People and Revel 1. 5. He is called the faithfull witness See further Mal. 3. 5. Mica 1. 2. Clear Testimonies for this and he who believed had the witness in himself 1 Iohn 5. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness Christ the witness in himself and in the Testimony of this witness which said Amen to the words spoken thorow the Lords Messengers stood ther Faith not in their words but in the word in themselves testifying thereto and they believed not because they heard them but because they heard himself as did the Samaritans John 4. 42. And this is the Testimony of God which is greater than the Testimony of Man for which it is blessed and so their Faith stands in that which cannot be shaken let men be shaken and tossed and driven to another thing or testimony yet the Foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this Seal this Witness in ones self and the Faith that comes thus stands in the power of God the word of Power which witnesseth in them God speaking himself in them and this is the so called formal object of Faith Papists and Protestants so contend for both agreeing in this That it is God speaking which is the formal object But quoth the Papists It is the speaking in the Church of Rome and so upon the matter They make it her Tradition No quoth the now Protestant the degenerate Protestant for the pure primitive Protestants owned the true Foundation with us though their discovery of it was but little God speaking in the Scriptures is the object formal of our Faith or Foundation of it viz. The chief moving cause or medium ex parte Objecti why the Scriptures are to be believed which is in effect to make the Scriptures themselves it for they deny that God speaks in Man's heart or reveals immediately in man by voice or word of mouth from himself by way of object So that that which is heard seen or felt is not any object imrevealed from God himself that word it self
flesh of his flesh and Members of his body being born from above and begot into another Nature Life Spirit and Principle and therefore the World knoweth it not nor them the Members thereof for it knoweth its own and loveth them these who stand in the same Ground Spirit and Principle with it self but because they are noâ—… of World but of God therefore it knoweth them not but hateth and persecuteth them Iohn 1 31. And so the People and Children of God in all ages have been strangers unto the World and unknown to it They have been for Signs and for Wonders their Doctrine their Laws their Conversations hath alwaies been accounted strange and ridiculous and they have been reckoned Deceivers and Blasphemers and the true Prophets and Servants of God have been killed and stoned and put to many cruel Deaths see that Cloud of Witnesses Heb. 11. throughout and ver 37. They were stoned they were sawn asunder were tempted were â—…ayn by the sword they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented of whom the World was not worthy c. And so Jesus Christ himself being come in the flesh they knew him not and Crucified him as a Blasphemer and they Persecuted and killed his Disciples and followers under the Name of Deceivers and such as would turn the World up-side down as Deceivers and yet true as unknown and yet well known But now the Members of the true Church know one another being Children of the same Father and Mother Members of the same Body having one Mind Soul Spirit and Life in them all They cannot but know one another in that wherein their Unity stands and Fellowship and Communion one with another and this Unity of the Spirit is the Bond of Peace Ephes. 4. 3. And the Bond of Love whereby their hearts are knit together in Love unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding for the Love is a discerning thing He that Loveth God knoweth him and he that Loveth him that is begotten of God knoweth him also for the true Love and the true Knowledge goeth alwaies together and the one is the Ground and Foundation of the other for that which I have no true knowledge of I cannot Love and that which I Love I cannot but Know in some measure and that which I certainly Know not but doubtingly that I cannot perfectly Love for perfect Love casteth out fear and there is no fear in Love and so no doubting in Love for the fear comes from the doubting and all the Children of God are Sealed in their Fore-heads They have their Fathers Name written upon them the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my God Revel 〈◊〉 1. 2. compared with Revel 7. 3. Whereby they know one another to be the Children of â—…ome Father the Citizens of one City which is the New Ierusalem the Church of the First-born and this is most necessary for them that they know not one another and that not by conjecture but certainly for they being all followers of the Lamb together Warring the same Warfare in the same Cause and Testimony which is also unknown and hid to the World if they did not infallibly know one another they could not have that Peace and Unity and Concord one with another how could they discern the true Friend from the Enemy the secret Enemy the Deceiver which is the most dangerous Enemy and can come into all outwards and appearances wâ—…th Friends can put on the Sheeps cloathing and a form of Godliness but deny the Power and be an enemy to it a ravenous Wolf can speak fair yea and profess all the Words and Principles of Truth and come the whole length of all outwards as is said and yet be a rotten Hypocrite a lymn of Satan a braâ—… of Babylon void of all fear of God So how shall he be discerned See Mal. 3. 18. Where this is promised Then shall ye return and discern between the Righteous and the Wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not and if this Discerning were not it could not otherwayes be but that the one half of the Children of God should War and Contend against one another and be as Babylons Builders the one half breaking down and the other half building up and confounding one another and hereby it may appear that these many Churches that have been set up in the Apostacy have not been true Churches nor begot into the true Nature Spirit and Principle of the Church by reason of their Warring one against another hatred variance strife emulation killing and putting to death one another and where ever any thing of this Spirit of strife hatred envy persecution enters it eats as a Canker and cuts off of the body that Member or Members whereinto it gets entrance and so going from the Unity the Peace the Love they become past feeling dead rotten Members and are to be cut off and denyed and now it being demonstrated that the Children of God Infallibly know one another and hereto I give my Testimony That there is such a thing among the Children of God an Infallible knowledge of one another which they have not of themselves but is the free gift of God and when he pleaseth he may shut them up and counsel some person or persons that they may not be known for a time so Saul or Paul was unknown for a time to the brethren it manifestly follows besides what is already said That this knowledge can alone proceed from the Revelation of Jesus Christ Immediately Manifesting one and another among themselves whereby they are as Epistles writ in one anothers hearts known and read of all Men all the Members of the same Body 2 Cor. 3. 2 3. For being Children of the Light in the Light they dwell and walk and have their fellowship and this makes them Manifest and herein they behold the beauty one of another and each Member envieth not at the beauty of its Neighbours Member but rejoyceth thereâ—… and they are comforted and refreshed one in another standing fast in one Spirit and have a fellow feeling with one another in Joy and Tribulation in Sufferings and Consolations and bear one anothers Burdens and so fullfil the Law of Christ. And did not the Light wherein is their habitation Reveal and make them Manifest They could not know one another certainly at all for it being above proved That without Revelation in the Light a Man cannot know himself then it is Manifest farr less can he know his Neighbour And seeing Babilons Children the Whores Brats as is said can come into all outward formes or appearances either of words or practices then there is no way possible how the Children of the true Mother can be known from the Children of the Whore or how the true Mother her self can be known from the Whore Mistery Babylon But by the Revelation of the Light and Life of Jesus Christ And this Whore Mistery Babylon by
not that light but were sent to bear witness of that light which is the light of the world and lighteth every man that cometh into it that by believing in the light he may know God and be saved for God willeth all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth and Christ said it is expedient for you that I go away else the comforter will not come even the spirit of truth whom I will send and he will lead you into all truth and bring things to your remembrance and give you wisdom and knowledge and power that all your enemies shall not be able to resist and this spirit was to furnish and back them in their Ministry else they had never gained such ground upon the world when I am ascended said he I will draw all men after me and this spirit they witnessed sent into their hearts teaching them what and how to speak and what they declared unto the people inwards from the spirit of Life of Jesus Christ revealed in them the same spirit and answered and testified to the truth of these things in their hearers that was it which convinced the world of sin righteousness and judgement that was it which made them manifest to be of God made them manifest in the consciences of their hearers thorough the manifestation of the truth Christ the truth the spirit of truth they were commended or approved to every mans conscience in the sight of God and if they or their Gospel was hid it was to them whose minds were blinded who were past feeling of the spirit of God which convinceth reproveth demonstrateth and maketh manifest and on such their words could get no ground but they persecuted and opposed them as fools and mad men so by that is said you may understand that word â—…even the best cannot give the knowledge of God and though Christ in the dayes of his flesh taught them many things yet how were they hid from them they were even very ignorant of many weighty things and could not then receive them or bear them at have many things said he that ye cannot bear as yet but when the spirit the comforter shall come he shall teach you all things and lead you into all truth and be with you for ever and when this spirit was poured forth then their narrow understandings were opened and enlarged to know these things which formerly they could not bear nor receive whereby it may appear sufficiently to any man or men of true understanding that the outward Revelation or discovery by words spoken from without of Christ or any of his Disciples or Apostles cannot reveal the Father nor the Son for if it was iâ—…ot sufficient to the Church his bodily presence his reaching them outwardly by word of month face to face but he said 〈◊〉 was expâ—… that he should go away from them and he would send another teacher who would do greater things and more manifestly and glorâ—…ously reveal unto them God and the things of his Kingdom if Christs bodily presence in his flesh was not sufficient of it self to minister though he spoke as never man spoke lyes I say if this ministration was not sufficient but a more glorious they were to expect and as they waited they witnessed it fulfiled and come unto them then farâ—…less is the outward ministration of any other man or men whomsoever sufficient for that effect for if Christ be not any more to be known after the flesh much less any other man nor is their knowledge they can receive from any other man to be rested in seeing the knowledge of Christ after the flesh was not sufficient nor to be rested in but they were to look for a better a more clear and full manifestation in themselves he appearing in a spiritual glorious heavenly misterious way in their hearts even such a way as the world cannot know him or receive him which made Indas nâ—…t Iscaeriot to wonder and question him saying how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world And it will yet further appear how insufficient words even the best of words Scripture words though there were as many books of Scripture as thâ—…â—…hole world could contain are to reveal or to give the knowledge of God unto man many yea the most of things natural and created cannot be understood of or by words words being but figures emblems signs and representations of things come always short of the things themselves unless they be lying words which go beyond the truth and these come far shorter and the knowledge they can give is but false and a lye what words can give a man the true and sufficient knowledge of the Sun can the best Orator tell a blind man what the Sun is what these pleasant and beautiful colours of his bearas are which makes the Rainbow thorough the refraction of a cloud dissolving into Rain can they describe to him the beauty of a Lillie in the field to which Solomon in all his outward glory is not comparable Do not these of the meanest capacity and understanding who have their eyes and can look upon the Lillie have a better and more satisfying knowledge thereof then the blind man though quick of understanding though he had all the wittyest Orators and wisest men of the world to describe it unto him all their words comes far short of the other mans sight or can a deaf man know what a musical harmony and melody of the vocie is or can one who has lost the taste of his mouth know wine from water or sweet from bitter now if the knowledge of these natural things cannot be had sufficiently by any words how much less can things spiritual and God who is a spirit be known by words if words come short in the description or manifestation of creatures obvious to our bodily sences how infinitely short they fall in the manifestation of God or the things of his Kingdom As it is written 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 9. Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him But verse 10. God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God Lo how the Apostle shuts forth all the knowledge that can be had either by the outward ear or eye when all words are excluded from being sufficient to reveal the things of God but can mans imaginations reasonings or conceptions and thoughts of man in his natural understanding do it either nay saith he it hath not entred into the heart of man to conceive them then all conceptions and thoughts of mans heart in the fall the old heart old Adams heart are also excluded from giving the knowledge how then are they known God saith he hath revealed them unto us by his spirit not unto me only said he but unto us unto you as well as unto me
new covenant dispensation of living in and walking after the spirit to have things revealed unto them from the Lord which are not to be found in the Scriptures particularly not so much as by consequence for indeed the Scriptures point us inward to the spirit of the Lord in our hearts which is more nigh then they are Blessed are they and shall be who make the testimony of Gods word and spirit in their hearts the men of their counsel they know the sure certain Path wherein the waysaring man though a fool cannot crie But this we further say which I add for a caution that the spirit of the Lord who is goodness and righteousness it self never can nor doeth command us to do things that are intrinsecally or in their own nature evil or contrary to the Scriptures 3. Thirdly We do not hereby understand any of these wayes following as of necessary continuance 1. Not any outward audible voice framed by the Lord immediately in the air and presented to the outward ear 2. Nor any outward visible appearance presented to the outward eye neither by the Ministry of Angels nor by the Ministry of Christ in the outward 3. Nor dreams and visions upon the imagination in the night season nor yet by transes so called which is by a cessation of the exercise of all the outward sences 4. Nor any outward miracles 5. Nor the discovery and Revelation of things from God meerly in the principle and light of reason or in that principle wherein a man is capable to know the things of a man as a man as he is placed in a region above the beasts and all other inferior living creatures for indeed man as a man hath a principle in him which is natural and essential to him in which he is capable to know higher things then the other animals can in their animal principle and through this principle which he hath in him as a man he not only knoweth many things as of Arts and Sciences natural but also he is capable therein to receive a knowledge from the Lord without any outward means by any inward manifestation and that either of things natural or supernatural now what a man hath revealed or communicated to him of knowledge from God touching natural things in the natural principle of his natural understanding or reason he hath a sufficient satisfactory intuitive knowledge of them because they are proportional unto his natural understanding but when things which are supernatural or revealed unto him in the principle of his natural understanding meerly though never so immediately even from the spirit of the Lord inwardly manifesting them his knowledge is not full and satisfactory as not being intuitive but abstractive for the mind of man can know no things in inâ—…tively fully and satisfyingly but when it reacheth them in a principle that is proportional unto them and which can apprehend them in their own-proper forms properties qualities and idea's which the natural cannot do as touching supernatural objects but only as touching natural for supernatural objects require a supernatural organâ—…or principle in which they can only be known intuitively and with satisfaction 4. Fourthly The way and manner of Immediate Revelation concerning God and the things of his kâ—…ngdom and the leadings and movings and workings of his spirit which tend unto and accompany salvation which we plead for as of necessary continuance which only giveth or can give the true saving satisfactory and intuitâ—…ve knowledge of these supernatural things aforesaid is that alone manifestation Revelation which is discovered and given from the Lords spirit unto the mind of man in the seed and birth of God in him and which the mind in that seed and Birth alone receiveth This seed and birth of God is only that suitable and proportionate Organ instrument or principle in which divine supernatural things can be sufficiently and satisfyingly that is to say intuitively known for as the objects are divine and supernatural so this seed and birth of God is divine and supernatural also therefore it hath a suitableness and proportion unto them which the natural hath not therefore the natural man cannot intuitively and evidently understand the things of God as saith the Apostle because they are spiritually discerned and he wants the spiritual birth which is the only suâ—…cient Organ or instrument whereby the mind can understand them Now the mind that is cloathed with the seed and birth of God is the spiritual man that is able to understand and discern spiritual things because he hath the Organ or instrument which can teach them in their own proper and immediate forms properties qualities and idea's this seed and birth of God hath only the true spiritual sences of seeing hearing tasting smeling and feeling the word of life and the wonderful powers and virtues thereof and which can only give unto man to discern how that Heavenly and divine word doth work its wonderous effects in man and how it moveth leadeth guideth inlightneth quickneth gladneth and refresheth him and every way influenceth him it is the ignorance and want of the true knowledge of this seed and birth of God which occasions such woeful ignorance and mistakes amongst people touching immediate revelation and the true manner of it for they do not neither Teacher nor people acknowledge this seed and Birth of God upon the saints to be a substantial living principle in which they have all the spiritual and supernatural sensations of spiritual and supernatural objects really present and manifest seen heard smelled tasted and felt as really as the outward birth is a substantial living principle in which we have the natural and animal sences and sensations of outward and natural things they only conceive regeneration to be but an accidental though supernatural change on the mind and that in its regeneration it putteth on no substantial principle but only some supernatural accidents so that according to them the seed and birth of God iâ—… but an accident but we know it to be a substance and feel it to be so as manifestly as we feel and know this outward birth of flesh and blood to be a substance for it hath all the properties and characters of a substance that the outward hath it giveth us to see heaâ—… smel taste and fâ—…l the substantial things of the spiritual inward and invisible world which is the throne and kingdome of God as the outward giveth us to see hear smel taste and feel the substantial thiâ—… of this natural outward and visible world so that it is as false and vain a thing to say the inward birth is but an accident as to say the outward birth is but an accident seeing the 〈◊〉 hath as real spiritual sences as the other hath natural 〈◊〉 which no accident can haue and if any further ask who are desirous of information from a true and honest desire of what nature it is and if it be a particle or portion of the very Deitie or
God-head or if not of what it is and by what is it nourished I answer to speak properly and after the proper language of men it is not a particle or portion of the Godhead as the outward body of â—…esh and blood is a particle of the great outward world for the God-head is not divisible nor discerptible unto particles being a most simple pure being void of all composition or division containing in himself all creaturely perfections in the greatest simplicity and eminency above what is conciveable unto creatures but it is of the heavenly spiritual and invisible substance and being that is the most glorious being and principle in which God as Father Soâ—… and holy Ghost doth dwell and tabernacle and shine forth in the most glorious brightness beauty sweetness majesty that the nobleâ—… of creatures in their highest supernatural elevation can reach unto behold him and haâ—… fellowship with him which iâ—… the holy of holies and the heaven of heavens or that third heavens in which Paul on earth saw and felt things inutterable and out of these heavens doth the seed of God come who giveth it from himself out of Heaven and soweth it in the heart of man and formâ—…h it by his own immediate arm and power according to his infinite wisdome and watereth it daily and hourly with influences from heaven which have of the virtue and breath of his own eternal life and spirit in them whereby this seed groweth up into a perfect substantial birth of oâ—… heavenly and incorruptible nature though till it come to its perfect formation it can suffer hurt so far as to be slain through man his joyning unto the contrary seed and birth which is Christ formed within the body of Christ his flesh and blood which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto man unto that soul or mind of man which eateth it and feedeth upon it and it is called the body and flesh and blood of Christ because his eternal life and spirit dwelleth in it immediately and coâ—…ateth unto man the knowledge of the glory and beauty of himself only in and through this seed and birth which living substantial communication and knowledge of Christ and of the Father in him and of the holy spirit who proceedeth from both man only can receive as his mind cometh to put off the body of sin and to put on this seed and birth of God this new man this house and birth from Heaven in which he is a partaker of heavenly things by seeing hearing tasteing smeling and couching or feeling them and hath the enjoyment of God and â—…ellowship with him who is the Lord of Heaven and with the Angels and Saints who are the fellow Citizens of this City Ierusalem from above mount Zion the City of the living God unto which the Saints are come on which they stand in which they love and have fellowship and eat together of the feast of fat things and the Wine well refined in the kingdome of the Father is given unto them in an overflowing cup which things the natural man who is only cloathed with the natural birth and principle cannot reach to understand not so much as a blind man can understand colours or a deaf man sounds therefore he either denyeth them or formeth monstrous and false conceptions about them Hence it is that the School-men and national teachers deny that the Saints in these dayes have any intuitive knowledge of God and though they acknowledge that the spirit of God hath immediate operations and inâ—…uences of a supernatural kind in the saints yet they deny them to be objective manifestations that is to say that they can be known in themselves as immediately seen heard or felt by way of voice or visible inward appearance nor do they acknowledge that any of the Saints on earth now adays know God or his spirit or the things thereof in any other manner but that which is abstractive and not intuitive The intuitive knowledge is that whereby a man knoweth things in their own propâ—… forms qualities properties and idea's as when I know a man by leeing himself hearing his own voice when I know a land by seting it self and all the fine Cities fields and gardens to it smel of the sweet smeling flowers eat of the fruit and drink of the Vines which grow in it the abstract ve knowledge is only that which is but received from the borrowed 〈◊〉 and like which are ever far unlike forms properties qualities and idae's of things as when I only hear a report of these things by words of a mans mouth or read a discription of them in writs or draughts or figures or what I can conceive of them in my own mind not from themselves really presented unto me but from unlike likenesses of them even as unlike as the dead Image of a man's face is to his own living face or painted bread meat and drink is to that which is real and so according to this distinction they say all the knowledge of God which the Saints have on earth is but only abstractive that is to say abstracted and gathered from the words of others who heard and saw him face to face and from what they can conceive of him from their words recorded in scripture or from these Prints and footsteps of him in the Creation which is but a dark shadowing unsatisfactory knowledge we on the other hand from both our own blessed experience and the Scriptures testimony affirm that the Saints have an intuitive knowledge of God and his power and vertue spirit light and Life and the wondrous sweet and pretious workings and influences thereof so as too hear himself 〈◊〉 taste and see that he is good to feel him to smel and favour of his good oyntments according to these Scriptures following wherein the spiritual disceerning is held forth under the names of all the five sences as first of seeing Psal. 34. 8. 63. â—…2 106. 5. Isai. 29. 18. 33. 17. 52. 10. Matth 16. 28. Mat. 5. 8. Acts 2 17. Rev. 22. 4. II of hearing Psal. 51. 8. 81. 8. 85. 8. 143. 8. Luke 8 8. Rev 3. 6. 20. 22. Iohn 10. 3. 4 Heb. 3. 15. III. of tasteing Psal. 34. 8. 119 103 Prov. 24. 13. 14. Luke 14. 24. Heb. 6. 45. 1 Pet. 2. 3. IV. of smeling Cant. 1. 4. 2. 13. 4. 10 11. Hos. â—…4 6. V. of feeling and hanoling 〈◊〉 17. 27. Ephes. â—…4 19. Philip. 1. 9â—… the words in all knowledge and judgement should be translated in all knowledge and feeling for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Iohn 〈◊〉 1. and 〈◊〉 5. 14. We read expresly of the fences which dâ—…rn between good and evil In like manner the things of God themselves are held forth in Scripture under the names of sensible things and which are most taking pleasant and refreshing unto the sences as light fire water oyl wine oyntment honey marrow and fatness bread flesh Manna and many other such like names
words of the spirit from the spirit who make use of them so as to think or speak them otherwise then in the openings and influencings breathings and living communications of the spirit who think or speak the spirits words not in the spirit of the Lord but in their own spirâ—…t which we dare not nor ought not to do and if at any time we do it we find our selves rebuked and chastised by the Lord therefore But now though we limit bind up and tye the words of the Scripture unto the Spirit so as not to use them but in and by the spirit yet we may not bind up limit tye and confirm the spirit within such narrow bounds as the Scripture word nay nor within any words whatsomever so as if we could not enjoy the spirit of the Lord nor feel nor taste nor savour of his divine power and vertue but in or by words for the power and vertue of Gods spirit can be felt savoured and tasted in it self without all words and depends not on words in order to its being tasted and felt more then spices perfumes or oyntments depends on words to make them to be felt sme'led or savoured so that the manifestation of the sweetness and sweet savour of the life and spirit depends on no words but the manifestation of the words depends on the spirit which have no glory nor sweetness nor refreshment but what the spirit makes manifest in them through his shinings breathings quicknings and living communications 6. Sixthly And whereas a great part of the controversie betwixt our adversaries and us touching this matter of Immed ate Revelation doth relate unto that of infallibility they affirming that none in these our dayes are led assisted and guided in what they think speak write or do by an infallible spirit so as that the spirit is to be tasted or leaned into in his own inward manifestation alone and without any outward testimony if their were no outward to stand by it or where the outward is yet to prefer the inward unto it as more evident and manifest unto us in whom it is given I find it with me in a few words to open this also and state the controversie touching this thing of infallibility Now when we affirm that we are taught and led infallibly and think speak write or do infallibly we understand it not promiscuously and in that latitude as if in every thing whither we act in the spirit of the Lord or not in his spirit but in our own we did act think speak or write infallibly nor do we affirm that there is such a close and near conjunction as yet made up betwixt the spirit of the Lord and us as if in nothing we could act in a disjunction from the spirit but should find such a powerful constraint and bounding of our spirits in all things whatsomever within the leadings and assistings of the spirit of God that we could not act or do things alone in our own spirit yea and in a wrong spirit for we do freely acknowledge that such is our state and condition as we are capable to run out and both think speak write and do things that are not only not infallible but may be very wrong and false yea whatever we do in our own spirit in a disjunction from the immediate manifestation and coeoperation and assistance of Gods spirit we ought to suspect it and judge it fallible and so not at all to lean to it in more or less but this we say whatever we think speak write or do in the spirit of God his immediate manifestation and coeoperation in us as we are sound in conjunction therewith is infallible and what the seed and birth of God in us judgeth or discerneth or doeth that is ever infallible the eye of the seed alwayes seeth infallibly its ear always heareth infallibly its hand always acteth infallibly its foot treadeth every step of its way infallibly and if we see hear act and walk in it and with it we are so far and no further nfallible so that this infallibility as it relates unto the seed birth and spirit of God is absolute but as it relates unto us is limited and conditional and is rather a possibility of not being deceived then an impossibility of being deceived And it is the gross and woful ignorance of people touching the nature of this divine seed and birth and its sensations which 〈◊〉 giveth unto man of divine things that occasions them to think infallibility such an impossible thing for they are so sunk down into the natural principles of the animal and humane life that they apprehend not a higher principle to be in the very Saints as a substantial living birth giving unto that mind which is cloathed with it true and real tensations of divine and spiritual objects and seeing they know no other principles but the two inferior one animal or brutal and the other humane or natural to man as a man which cannot reach to divine and supernatural things as in themselves it is no wonder they account infallibility such a hard and impossible thing but if they did once but apprehend or conceive ought of this divine birth as a substantial principle giving unto man as real sensation and feelings of divine and supernatural things as the outward substantial natural birth giveth him of outward things or as the principle of his own natural understanding giveth him an infallible natural knowledge of things naturally intel igible whereof there are many instances in the Sciences of the Mathematicks and Metaphysicks so called they could the more easily at least be convinced of this thing of infallibility that such had an infallible knowledg of God and this requirings and leadings and the things of his kingdome who have attained unto this divine substantial supernatural birth to see taste and feel divine and supernatural objects therein for if the Animal principle be infallible in respect of its objâ—…ct which it sees hears smels tastes and fee's and if the humane principle or natural understanding be infallible in respect of its objects as in the sciences afore said which is by all acknowledged then it could not be denyed but that the divine and supernatural birth and principle which giveth unto mans mind by way of Organ as of seeing hearing tasting c. The spiritual and supernatural knowledg of spiritual and supernatural objects is no less if not more infallible at least more evident in respect of its objects but this is the loss they conceive not aright of this seed and birth nor do they acknowledge any other operations in the mind of man touching God and spiritual things but what are meer mental abstractions but deny all spiritual sensations of spiritual objects properly so called for this were to acknowledge immediate objctive reveâ—…ations which they so much oppose and contradict 7. Seventhly I find another great mistake among our adversaries in this matter touching immediate revelation the teachings of
O ye Corinthians and elsewhere writing unto them he saith God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ then it is the light shining into the heart out of the darkness which gives the knowledge of the glory and ver 4 Such who believe not the God of this woâ—…ld hath blinded their minds least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them then all who believe have this priviledge then it is not only peculiar to the Apostles the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ shineth in them and the light reveals the Gospel which is hid from them who beleive not ver 3. It discovers the glorious Gospel or as it is in the Greek the Gospel of glory it reveals a hid glory in the Gospel which is beyond all words or expressions or thoughts of mans heart the glorious Gospel of Christ is not the words the best of Scripture words writ or spoke by the Prophets and Apostles it is that which the words declare of but not the words themselves which may be read heard and known by the unbeliever and he may gather a stock and treasury of knowledge from the words which knowledge is but a false dead empty barren formal knowledge a form of knowledge Rom. 〈◊〉 20. A shadow of knowledge but not the true knowledge which is life and life eternal John 17. 3. But the Gospel he knows not it is hid from him for the eye is blended that can see or know the glory of it for it is the power of God unto Salvation it is the preaching the glad tydings of Salvation unto poor lost man â—…y Jesus Christ himself immediately in his heart it is Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in man by the powerful breath of his spirit awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and I will give thee light and be thy salvationâ—… This is that which Christ said himself the hour shall come whâ—… the denâ—…shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that bear shall live so he is the great preacher of this great and glorious Gospel himself whose it is Isaiah 61. 1 2 3. compared with Luke 4. 18. The spirit of the Lord is upon me becaâ—…se he hath aâ—…ointed me to preach the Gospel to the Poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted 〈◊〉 preach delâ—…verance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind c. all other preachers whosoever among men they are but as forerunners like Iohn Baptist and this is their message Iohn 12. 15. Fear not daughter of Sion behold thy King cometh c. And how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them who publish these glad tydings-concerning the coming of the King himself and all the most powerful preachers that ever spoke among the sons of men must say with the same Iohn behold their cometh one after us which is preferred before us for he was before us he must increase but we must decrease we are not that Prophet but are sent to testifie of him whose shoes latchet we are not worthy to unloose he it is who will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost and teach you to the satisfaction of your souls and be with you for ever when we are gone and removed from you and the Bride greatly rejoyceth because of the Bridegroom his approach and the hearing of his own voice and this fulfills the joy of the friends of the Bridegroom even the voice of the Bridegroom to the Bride himself come seen heard embraced the Bride married to himself kissed with the â—…isses of his mouth and this also fulfils the joy of the Bride fâ—…r it was her great desire the presence of the Bridegroom himseâ—…f and her desire accomplished how sweet is it to her soul Thus it is fully demonstrated how insufficient words all words from without even Scripture words are to give or learn man the knowledge of God as also how insufficient mans conceptions reasonings thoughts and imaginations in the earthly carnal mind which is darkness Eph. 5. 8. and death Rom. 8. 〈◊〉 concerning Scripture words and the things recorded by them are to this effect The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man to be but vanity and his wisdom foolishness and enmity against God even all that wisdom which the carnal mind can gather into it self whither from the words of Scripture or from the works of creation and providence It is all enmity against God and is so far from leadâ—…ng man unto the knowledge of him that it leadeth him from it the world by wisdom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. 21. The Jews who had the Scriptures and their Doctors and Rabbies who had gathered a great deal of wisdom and knowledge not the true wisdom and knowledge but a form as is said did it further them to receive the knowledge of Jesus Christ in a more glorious manifestation or rather was it not a loss unto them did it not blind their hearts was not the preaching of the Gospel foolishness unto them and the Greeks or Gentiles who â—…udyed the creation the book of nature so called and gathered a great deal of wisdom and knowledge theirfrom but it was mans wisdom which is from below and is carnal earthly and divilish by this wisdom they knew not God and the preaching of the Gospel was to them also foolishness thus because both Iew and Gentile had wandred after their own imaginations and reasonings the former concerning the Scriptuâ—…es and the latter concerning the works of creation and departed from the pure principle of God the light of his Son Jesus Christ who had enlightned both one and the other every man that cometh into the world Iohn 1. 9. Which would have been unto them a key of knowledge a key to the Jews to open up and reveal the Scriptures unto them a key to the Greeks or Gentiles to open up and reveal the works of the pure creation of God and given to both an eye to read these prints and characters of the wisdom power and goodness of God engraven thereupon and hereby they would have been led up keeping chastly to this principle the light of Jesus to the knowledge of God after a more excellent way and manner then either words or works of creation could give even to know God in himself and in his son the express Image of the fathers substance this is a glorious knowledge indeed the knowledge of God in the Son who is his express Image so like unto him that he is one with him this infinitely transcends that other knowledge of God either in the declaration of words or works for that they all come infinitely short of the noble Image Christ Jesus the brightnesâ—… of the fathers glory and such who sit down upon such a knowledge as they may gather into their minds
both travel and mony and I saw it was all but loss and dung and it lay upon me from the Lord to depart from these Teachers who could not point me to the living knowledge of God where I could find it And I came and heard Men and Women who were taught of God who pointed me to the true Principle and though some of them could not read a Letter yet I find them wiser than all the Teachers I ever formally had been under and now the Lord has brought me into a Measure of the same living knowledge from his own mouth and if people were convinced that there is such a blessed and glorious dispensation and so freely attained they would turn their backs upon the old rotten Clergy for I cannot call it no better and waite upon the Lord for knowledge and these they would only hear who were taught of God themselves and the condition of their Disciples and Flocks who generally are more barbarous wicked and ungodly than the savage Indians too manifestly declares they are not brought to the true knowledge and wisdome the principle whereof is the fear of the Lord which redeems the mind out of all such practises they are found in And now I shall lay open a little this dâ—…eipt of theirs who affirm Revelation is ceased exparte objesti of the part of the object but it remains exparte subjecti of the part of the subject faculty or power which knoweth and gives the knowledge but it self in it self is not known but by way of consequence judging it to be the Spirit of God from such tokens and marks as they fancy in their dark minds Now behold the deceit of the Serpent which lieth alwaies near to betray from the knowledge which is life and comes from the Spirit of God and to snare them with a knowledge which comes but from the Letter and their dark minds together with his suggestions and inspirations thereinto and so they come to acknowledge which is the brat of the earthly Spirit this hatches and brings it forth and the Devil begot it and is the Father of it and this wisdome is called by Iames 3. 15. Earthly Sensual and Devilish and is not from above so then ye may perceive there is a wisdom and knowledge of the Scriptures that is devilish such had the Priests Pharisees and Lawyers of the Iews much Scripture Letter knowledge but it was devilish for they killed Christ. Now these who are endued with this knowledge think farr otherwise they think it is spiritual knowledge and spiritual it is in that sense as wickedness is called Spiritual but they are apt to think it has come from the Spirit of God whereas it is from the Devil and here the Devil who gives it them covers himself so that he cannot be seen and the knowledge cannot be known of what nature it is till the principle or spring from whence it springs or flowes be discovered known seen felt or perceived and now he having so deceived them as to make them believe this is not attainable the spring or principle which gives the knowledge is not immediately to be known This was the Prophets and Apostles priviledge who had a knowledge of the Principle in its immediate Manifestation which taught them they could perceive the Fountain clearly from whence it flowed it was Revealed to them Immediately but this is now ceased and we must gather only the knowledge of the Principle that indues us by consequence and what a poor uncertain blind knowledge is this I may afterwards demonstrate when I come to examine that they call their assurance and thus they continue in the dark though they have a knowledge yet they cannot certainly tell who is the Father of it who begot it who inspired it they feel not the principle nor seeth nor perceiveth it its medium incognitum assentiendi that is an unknown midst of assenting and yet they think all is well and their knowledge is true and good enough as a Man that has the Jaundies which seeth the object let it be never so White he judgeth it to be yellow and thinks he see well enough not seeing the yellow vitious humour in his eye that beguiles him but now if he could see his eye to compare it with another Man's eye than he would be convinced his sight was not the right sight for he would perceive that the Principle is vitiated and that vitiates the sight and so they not knowing the Principle clearly and distinctly in it self when any motion or operation comes in upon their minds let it be although concerning such or such things some Scriptures brought to their remembrance or some thing bearing it self in as duty were it to pray or give almes or read or hear or the like and finding some inclination begetting a bentness in them and driving them by way of impulse to such or such a thing Now they not knowing manifestly the ground or principle from which these thoughts suggestions motions and inclinations arise what a loss are they at and how great is the danger they are in as if a man at midnight were walking amongst Coalâ—… pits he is as ready to fall in the pit as keep the right way and much more having no guid certainly to direct him in this thing and now these Motives Thoughts and Inclinations and workings arising from the wrong Spirit and Principle though they had never so great a shew to be good and duty yet they are not to be cherished received or obeyed and he who obeys them serves the Devil and not God Again a Motive or Inclination or opening concerning such or such a thing proceeding from the spirit of the Lord if it be not received followed and obeyed this becomes fin and grieves and provokes the holy Spirit of God and so man in this state not knowing certainly and infallibly the spring and principle that moves him is equally ready to serve the Devil as God yea much more for he being captivated in the darkness the Devil rules in him at his pleasure for certain it is what ever is moved in Man's heart it proceeds either from the Spirit of Satan or from the Spirit of God now he who has the true eve opened in the sensible part in him perceives manifestly the Spring whence the motions arise if it be of God it feels it to be so and is refreshed with the heavenly vertue and power that moves him and it fills his heart with joy and peace unspeakable the nature of which joy is discerned to be pure in the Light which manifestes it Again if the motion be of the Devil the eye in the sensible part manifestly discernes it in the Light and feels the Spring or Principle from which it arises and he is burthened with it and that of the Lords begetting in his heart hath no union with it nor can close with it and power from God arises and resistes it in the heart and thus when the enemy would
feeling in his Spirit the Lord giving him liberty and how far short do the Scriptures fall to tell a man what he is to do in all the circumstances and emergencies of Providences which fall out in his life time no rational man but seeth a World full of Books could not contain rules and directions to a man in all things which yet are all to be done in Faith the Foundation whereof is the Word of God and his Revealed Will and if one should plead that general rules of Scripture and examples may serve the turn who see not they cannot but fall short there being no rule immaginary so generall concerning things in themselves indifferent but suffer thousands of exceptions and examples also yea and many times these things which in the general look as duty when the particular comes to be weighed in the ballance of Righteous Judgment it is Sin As for instance Parents are to be obeyed but now what if they command that which God forbids then they are to be denied therein and many times the case is so doubtful whether the thing commanded be against or with the command of the Lord one sayes it is and seeks to Justifie it by Scriptures another sayes it is not and condemns it from Scriptures and what can be a touch-stone in such cases but the Light of Christ which makes all Manifest and many have seen this how general rules the best of them all as they lye in words fail to determine particulars as in that and the like Fus suum est cuique tribuendum every man is to have what is proper or belonging to him and yet this suffers many exceptions as if a Mad-man would demand his own knife from another that has it to cut his own Throat it is to be denied and oft times the case in the particular cloathed with such and such circumstances is exceeding doubtful when the general is clear and therefore they make a vertue they call Epieikeia in Greek and to this they give the Office of Modifying and Judging in such cases how far the general rule of equity is to be kept to or receded from in such cases as requires exception as for instance mans right must yield to Gods right and the right of particulars must yield to the right in general and this is the work of that vertue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they terme it to define the true midst or miâ—…di â—…ity betwixt the two extreams and the many circumstances which falls in betwixt them to touch the Center in â—…is large circumstance and what can do this but the very Wisdom of God which would lead man through all these intricacies according to its promise Prov. 6. 22. above mentioned And what a blessed Priviledg do they cut themselves short of who â—…enies such a thing can be expected as the immediate leadings of the Lord teaching man and giving him counsel in the wearie affaires and circumstances of his Life and instructing him in the Will of his God and calling him to what ever place calling or imployment he betakes himself too as the Lord who is his Judge is Chastly waited upon and we can set too our Seal to it that we have found it so And without this it is impossiâ—…le to please God and now having shewed the deceipt of the enemy in this thing whereby they are betrayed into an opinion That the Principle which moves in man or gives him his knowledge cannot be known in its own immediate Manifestation I proceed further to demonstrate that it s to be known and that the true ear or eye which Gods spirit opens in mans Soul as it is Spiritual Heavenly and of an incorruptible Nature so is its object and therefore the objective Revelation immediately from the Spirit of God is as necessary as the subjective I am constrained to use their terms and find freedom so to do for their sake and so whereas they say there is no object to be revealed but that which is already revealed in Scripture and is evident and clear enough in it self and requires onely one opened ear or eye to discover it is utterly false we look not saith Paul on things that are seen but at things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. Now observe what he makes the object of a Christians sight knowledg or discerning not words but things and how far short words fall of the things is above manifested next he makes this object not things temporal things visible that falls under the preception of the carnal eye or ear or whatever is of this corruptible World now though the things reported of in Scripture be eternal yet the words of the Scripture as they can be read or heard with the eye or ear of flesh are not eternal for nothing they can perceive is such now again see how far the Apostle shuts forth words or the best of conceptions or thoughts or speculations of Mans heart or whatever can be perceived that way from being the object of this eye or sence of the Lords begetting in man 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Now all the words of the Scripture the eye hath seen or may see the ear hear and they may enter into the heart of man to conceive the words and form many conceptions on them but the things have never entred which the Scriptures report off into his heart it is true he may form one image or likeness of them in his mind as if I should form a likeness of such a Man or Countrey I never saw but only heard off this were not the true representation no more is that it s but an Idol and Revelations 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna and will give him a white Stone and in the stone a new Name written which no man knoweth but he that receives it Lo here is the object of his knowledge that overcometh and none knew this object but he The hidden Manna the white Stone and the new name and what is this object but the Son of the Fathers Love Jesus Christ himself not only revealing but revealed in the Soul not only causing a man to know but being himself known The eternal Life it self manifested He is this hidden Manna this white Stone in which the Name is written and now is not a sight of him manifested seen heard handled more than all words is not this one object revealed which onely himself can reveal Oh what an indignity do ye to Christ and to that holy pure chaste birth of his begetting in man who deny that any more of the glory of Christ is to be known but what letters of Sylables or sounds in the Air can contain they give indeed a true report of him
give the understanding sense true interpretation of them Jesus Christ he himself is the great Interpreter the one of a Thousand Jâ—… 33. 23. Even he who met the two Disciples in 〈◊〉 wâ—…y going to Emaâ—…s and beginning at Moses and all the 〈◊〉 expounded into them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself and it is clear that he spoke outwardly to them by word of Mouth so he spoke inwardly by his Spirit into their hearts and therefore they said one to another Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures Luke 24. 27 32. Now what made this burning of their hearts within them but the powerful appearance of his Spirit which wrought in them as fire which dispelled these clouâ—…y mists of Darkness which covered as a vaile the eye of their understandings whereby they could not perceive the things written of him and 't is said concerning the other Disciples and Apostles ver 45. Then opened he their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures And that the words spoke from without could not do this is clear from his own Testimony Iohn 6. 63. It is the Spirit which quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing the Words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life and Job 32. 8. The Inspiration of the Almighty gives understanding This is that which opens the Scriptures else they are a sealed book and how weak and dark were the Disciples whilst Christ abode with them in his bodily appearance how many things were shut up from them even although they had some knowledg which Flesh and Blood had not revealed to them but his Father in Heaven yet the Spirit not being pouered forth in such a measure of glorious Manifestation as afterwards they received till then they were Ignorant of many things See Iohn 14. 9. Iohn 16. 16. 17. Compared with 25. Math. 16. 8. 9. Math. 16. 21. 22. Iohn 11. 13. Iohn 13. 28. Luke 9. 44. Luke 9. 33. Math 17. 23. Acts 1. 6. And especially the mistery of his Dying and Rising again and the coming of his Kingdom was much hid from them therefore he said Iohn 16. 12 13. I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is Come he will guide you into all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak c. And so when the Spirit was poured out then their understandings were opened and they called to remembrance many things spoke by him in the daies of his Flesh and then they understood them No Prophecy of the Scripture saith Peter is of any private Interpretation 2 Peâ—… 1. 20. But according to the Greek and Bezars Translation the words are more plain No Prophecy of the Scripture is of a Man 's own Interpretation Prophecy Explications the Man who spoke the Scriptures from the Spirit of God was not to Interpret them of himself nor in his own will so neither was any other to Interpret them but that Spirit which first gave them forth was to Interpret them For the things of God knoweth no Man save the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. And if it be so among Men Tâ—…t the Law maker is only admitted in point of Controversie the expounder of the Law and if he who writes a Book amongst men be accounted the fittest to Interpret or give the sence or meaning of his words how much more is it necessary that the Spirit of the Lord which gave forth the Scriptures be the expounder of them especially seeing the Scriptures declare of such things that are so Mysterious to the natural understanding of Man or to his natural reason that they are quite above its comprehending or conceiving of them I say not contrary to his Reason to witt that Spirit Principle or faculty in Man which can judge truly or certainly of things Natural and this is also of God but the Mysteries of Salvation whereof the Scriptures treat though they be not contrary as is said yet they are above the reach of this Principle or Power of discerning as the things of reason are above the things of the senses bodily so the things of Faith are above the things of Reason to witt that Reason or Principle which can judge truly of things Natural for I Like not to contend about words I acknowledg the Principle of Faith is and may be fitly called rational and the believer is the most rational man in the World and the very wisdom of God is Reason or Understanding and that wisdom wherewith he denies his servants from above is also reason but it 's not the Natural reason for before man was endued with the Heavenly Wisdom he had the Natural Reason or Understanding but then he neither had nor could have the knowledge of the things of God to witt The Misteries of Salvation This is that which the Apostle plainly declares 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Lo how he makes them impossible to be known to the Natural Man or understanding because the knowledge of them stands in an other Principle in that which is born of the Spirit of God the Seed of God that can only know them they are spiritually discerned And this further Consideration will yet make it more appear That man of himself without the Revelation and Inspiration of the Spirit of God cannot understand the things of God and so cannot Interpret the Scriptures declaring of them because Man as he stands in the Fall and not come to be Regenerate lives and is quite sunkinto a Wisdom Knowledg and Understanding that is altogether contrary to the wisdom of God and the true knowledg of God it is true as is already said there is somewhat in man which Judgeth truly and pertinently of things Natural and this of it self is not contrary to the wisdom of God but a gift of God and is of good use to Man were it in its right place and by this man properly is a Man he has a rational Principle in him whereby in this he excells the Beast of the Field but now man in the Fall stands not in this Principle it rules not in him there is another birth in man which Lords it and rules in him and this birth is of the Devils begetting and hereby Man is a Child of the Devill For this Seed whereof this Birth is begotten was sown into mans heart when he Fell and it has ever propagated and spread it self through Adams Posterity since and this Seed and Birth has a Wisdom and Knowledge which is Carnal Earthly and Devilish and is direct opposite and contrary to the wisdom of God as every thing of this birth is contrary to every thing of the birth of the Spirit
can have no true nor infallible assurance of Gods love and favour That there is such a thing attainable to every Believer and necessary for him to know as to his comfortable walking with God the Scriptures manifestly declare and it 's generally acknowledged it 's to become to and sought after and therefore I shall not insist on the proveing of it being granted only the way how it is attained that is it I plead for That it is only by the Immediate Revelation of the Spirit of Christ Justifying the man in his heart He is near that Iustifyeth saith the Prophet so near that he is in him and justifieth him in his conscience and without this man can never have true assurance till God justifieth him mans justification or words only spoke without can do nothing Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the children of God Not the words of Scripture or the words of the Spirit spoke to or in other men what is that to me but the Spirit it self witnesseth this and he that believeth hath this witness in himself witnessing in him 1 Phil. 5. 10. And saith Paul 2 Cor. 1. 21. Now he which stablisheth us with you is Christ and hath appointed us is God who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts Lo how he makes it a common Priviledge to him and them and this is that which stablisheth setleth confirmeth stayeth the mind and giveth it peace and removeth all doubtings begeteth in it a full assurance of Faith according to Heb. 10. 22. and Heb. 6. 11. It 's called The full assurance of hope and Col. 2. 2. all riches of the full assurance of understanding And this was the fruit of Pauls preaching 1 Thes. 1. 5. For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance and Ephes. 1. 13. In whom viz. in Christ when ye had believed for it should be so Translated Ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of Promise So blessed are they who receave this Seal and what are all Scripture words without this Seal but a blank and this Seal is the Seal of the holy Spirit of Promise sealing in mans heart that he is beloved justified and approved of God and it can make him cry with assurance that it is so Abba Father And this will yet further appear that its only by Revelation that a man can be assured of his state by the immediate manifestation of his state to him in the Light of Jesus Christ by examining the other grounds which men make for this assurance when they have shut out of doors that which can give it and gives it as is proved by the Scriptures Testimony a man say they can be assured of his state before God if he be Justified by certain Signes Characters and Marks for if he be a true believer that his Faith is the true Faith the living Faith and not the false dead Faith This say they he can know by his Love to God by his meekness his patience his courage his righteousness his love to his Neighbours but now seeing there are semblances of all these a counterfeit love doth to God and Man meekness patience c. For the Hippocrite who has nothing of the true Love Patience Meekness c. Yet he hath a likeliness of them and will proceed as far in the outward actions of Devotion Charity Equity c. As the other that is the true believer yea and even according to their own confession he may go beyond him and so whereas they say the Tree is knoâ—…n by its Fruits and it is so but by what are the Fruits known two men may be found doing the same outward work which has the same outward appearance and yet the one a meet Hippocrite the other a sincere Christian then by what can their works or fruits be judged It 's true some works are so manifestly evil as Cursing Swearing Drunkenness Lying Stealing Killing Whoreing that they are readily known by all to be such and that which makes them known is the Light of Christ in their hearts but now these works which carry in them an appearance to be good and yet are not good but dead works empty without Life though they have a fair show yet they are rottenness within as it s reported of some Aples that have a very pleasant colour but are poyson within how shall man judge of these now he who has Life in himself the birth begotten of God he has a Spiritual sence and discerning whereby he can savour smell and taste of the works the fruits of the good tree for they have a good favour a living spiritual savour they smell and taste of the Tree of Life on which they grow hence they are called living works and these in the Light which reveals them and makes all manifest or seen to be good And the works have but the appearance they are also seen and discerned to be such and being evil they cast an evil favour by which in the Light which begets the discerning they are felt and he can have no union with them nor with the tree on which they grow and this man discerneth in the manifestation of the Light both his own and his neighbours works of what nature they are by the casting and smelling of the fruit the Tree is known both in himself and his neighbour and this is a great Mystery and hard to be received with such who have not got that taste and discerning begot in them of the Lord which tasteth words and works as the mouth tasteth meat but hereto I give my testimony that there is such a thing and I do witness it in my measure and so I confess there are Signes and Characters of a mans state the fruits infallibly manifest the tree but the fruits cannot be certainly and infallibly known but in and by the Light which reveals them and begets a tast to discern them this is it which enters into the Kirnel and pierces thorow the outward appearance and searches what is in the Centre and brings to light the hidden things of Dishonesty and discovers the ravening Wolf in the Sheeps cloathing whether in a mans self or his neighbour And this further makes it the more impossible for a Man without Revelation to know his state especially according to our Advessaries Principle for whereas Christ said Whereby shall ye know that ye love me if ye keep my Commandements Now they say that is impossible we must break them every day in thought word and deed and we must remain in a necessity of sinning while we remain in the body and this Principle takes every wicked prophane wretch to cover his wickedness O sayes he the Children of God have their infirmities David fell in Murther and Adultery Noah into Darkness Peter denied his Master c. and the common Swearer Drunkard Whoremonger Backbiter
this holy Power to which they ought to have keept chaste and moved only in its leadings Spoke Prayed and Worshiped therein and so as the departing from this was the rise and beginning of the Apostacy so the returning into this will be the end of it and its end is come in many and is coming in many more and this alone is the true resormation out of the Apostacy there is not another but the returning to this and seeing its generally granted by all Protestants so called That there has been an Apostacy since the daies of the Apostles and that the Church of Rome which has been the only visible Church that has continued since then till now by a continual succession in Bishops Ministry Worship Ordinances so called is that Apostate Church and Mistery Babilon not the true Church but a Synagogue of Satan then how could they I mean the Protestants come up to a reformation and recovery out of the Apostacy and be restored into the purity of Ministry Worship and Ordinances but by receiving them from the Lord himself Immediately and who could call their Ministers to Preach a Reformation out of the Apostacy but the Lord himself seeing they had no true Church nor Ministry preceeding them to call them and supposing as it were not I mean that had been a Mediate call from man I thought fit only to touch this a little here having handled it more fully else-where and indeed The purest Primitive Protestants whose Testimony I own in its place maintained Immediate Calls and the Spirit of Prophecy and witnessed it and in the History of the Reformation of Scotland commonly called Knox Chronicle it 's to be seen That both George Wishard and Iohn Knox were endued with the same and Prophecyed And in Foxes book of Martyrs its to be seen at large how many of the Lords Witnesses who were raised up by him to testifie against the corruptions of the Church of Rome and her Ministry did Prophecy and their Prophecies are in the said book Recorded as they rose up one after another in each Generation for the Lord never wanted his Witnesses all along though they were but few and the said book shews How that Iohn Husse a German Protestant Prophecied of a New Ministry that should come and whence could this New Ministry arise could the Romesh Whore which as is said was only that which had the Form and Constitution of a Church Ministry Ordinances before the time of the Reformation bring forth this New Ministry Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean or rather was it not to come from Heaven a Birth of the New Ierusalem which cometh down from above who when the Dragon fought against her did flie into a place prepared her of God and he prevailed over her visible appearing state but she remained safe as to her being in the place appointed her of God and her Man-child also which was caught up unto God in his Throne And in the end of the Apostacy She and her Man-child Christ Jesus the Lamb was to appear again in the Earth and take place therein and overcome Antichrist the Beast Dragon Whore and false Prophet See Revel 12. 5 6 14. Compared with Revel 21. 1 2 3 4 5 6. And these few Witnesses the Lord raised up all along in the time of the prevailing of the Apostacy are by many of the Protestants themselves reckoned to be the two Witnesses mentioned Revel 11. from verse 3. to verse 13. Who after they were killed did rise again ver 11. This they expounded to be other persons rising up to bear Testimony for the Lord after these before them were killed and they themselves are said to rise again because the same Spirit of Life from God which was in them did also enter into these who succeideed them and so the Witnesses were the same because it was one Spirit in them who went before and came after and they had one Testimony the Testimony of Jesus Christ which is the Spirit of Prophecy for they Prophecied in Sack-cloathes One thousand two hundred and threescore daies That is all the time of the Apostacy as is by themseives acknowledged See Iames Durhams book on these places and he is forced to confess That these words Revel 11. 12. And they heard a great voice from Heaven saying unto them Come up hither c. holds forth some extraordinary Call or Impulse the reformers should have from the Lord and yet this same Man for all this pleads for a succession of the Reformed Church and Ministry Lawfully descended through the Church of Rome and denies that Immediate Revelation is that by which the Church is to be Reformed and brought out of Babilon But to say no more of him It has been his great weakness And now from what is said in these fifteen Arguments concerning Immediate Revelation Let that of God in the Reader Judge concerning it's being necessary to Continue The Objections having any seeeming weight against it Answered Obj. IMmediate Revelation was a Priviledge especial and peculiar to the Twelve Apostles and is therefore now Ceased Answ. The contrary is above Demonstrated in many places And Immediate Revelation and the Spirit of Prophecy was before them even from the beginning and continued after them and Church History reports it continued till after the first Century and was known in the Church and it has alwaies been in the true Church though not in the false and is a Priviledge belonging to every Saint for that which makes one a true Christian and Saint is the Spirit of Christ the anoynting in him 2. Obj. The working of Miracles and the speaking with Tongues and strange Languages is Ceafed and therefore also is Immediate Revelation Answ. That working of Miracles and the guift of Tongues is altogether Ceased and never any more to be in the Earth cannot be proved and it 's a rash assertion for though these things be not to be found among the National Christians who have the name but want the thing the anoynting which Christians or makes the Christian and not the sprinkling of water on a Childs forehead yet they may be found among the true and we Witness the Power of God which wrought all these outward Miracles working Miraculously in our Hearts opening the blind eye of the mind and deaf ear raising to life the dead Soul causing the Lame to leap as an Hart and the Tongue of the Dumb to speak c. And these are the greatest Miracles and the outward were but a Figure of them and were for the sake of the unbelievers who believed not except they saw but now though Miracles and gifts of Tongues were ceased altogether yet it follows not That Revelation Immediate is Ceased This being more necessary yea altogether necessary and belonging to the very substance of the Covenant and promises of the Gosel as is above Demonstrated Obj. 3. Men may be mistaken and take that for the Inspiration of God which is but