the other and what was in the one was in the other as God was in them both worshipped as a spirit and the Worship that then was and now is performed as God then did and now doth look for and accept of is to worship him in spirit and in truth and so in that there was no contradiction There was not one thing that was Gods will for man to obey him in the days of the Prophets and another thing in the days of the Apostles that was to be done in man and that in obedience to God which was contrary to that which was Gods revealed will to be done in the days of the Prophets that they were to obey God in No there was no such contradiction And that now there is another thing wherein God is to be obeyed in in these days of Gods making the Light to shine more in the inward part of man than formerly and this other thing that God is now to be obeyed in as some would have it that are not willing to bring their works deeds or actions to the Scriptures to be tryed by them whether or no they be agreeable to the works deeds or actions of the holy men of old by whom God by the spirit by the true light gave forth the Scriptures and in them gave forth what was his will that man should do in obedience to him This other thing that some pretends by the light in them that they are now to obey God in is contrary and not agreeable to Gods declared will in the Scriptures and so they make the unchangeable God to be like changeable men to have one thing to be his will for man to obey him in at one time and another thing quite contrary to that to be his will for man to obey him in at another time Jesus the true light the Word of God by whose spirit the holy men of old spake as they were moved in giving forth the Scriptures both Prophets and Apostles it was the command of this Jesus this true light this spirit that gave forth the Scriptures in that outward body that he took in the nature of man to search the Scriptures John 5. 39. And he giveth the reason why it is that he commands them to search the Scriptures it was because they are they that testifie of him they are they that bear witness they are they that testifie that bear witness what he is they are they that testifie which witness what was the Fathers will that as man he was to do they are they that testifie that bear witness that as he was man he came not to do his own will but the will of the Father that sent him They are they that testifie that bear witness what Jesus the true light the Word of God in man is And they are they that testifie that bear witness what this true light is in every man and what this true light Jesus doth in every man They are they that is the Scriptures are they that testifie that bear witness how this true light Jesus by his spirit it teacheth it guideth it leadeth man into the doing of all that is of the Truth by that spirit that is of his sending forth according to his promise that he would send the spirit of truth and when he is come he shall guide them into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak for he shall receive of mine and shew it to you John 16 13 14. How do they disobey Jesus Command that refuse to bring their works actions and doings to the Scriptures to be tryed by them whether or no they are the works actions and doings of Jesus the true light in them and that under a pretence because Jesus the true light is in them and therefore it is that they need not or ought not to do it And how willingly are they to be deceived in thinking what is done in them and by them is done in and by Jesus the true light in them And yet will not bring it to that which Jesus saith testifieth which bear witness to what is the works of Jesus in them And therefore there is great reason why the Scriptures are to be searched to be sought after searched and sought into to find out what it is that they testifie what it is that they bear witness of Jesus to be as he is the true Light the Word of God the Saviour of man As he sends his spirit of Truth into man to make known to man what that spirit receives from him and thereby to guide man into all Truth and whatever it is in man that pretends to be the work actions or doings of the Light of Jesus in them and is not agreeable to the testimony the witness that the Scripture bears of Jesus the true Light and of his works actions or doings in man And if that be true that Jesus said as I believe none dare deny the truth of it that the Scriptures testifie of him then those works actions or doings that they do not testifie to be the works of Jesus in man as he is the true Light and sends his spirit to guide them into all Truth may very well be looked upon and judged to be the work of Satan the subtile Serpent in man transforming himself into the likeness of an Angel of Light which Satan did in the Apostles time upon the like occasion read 2 Corinth 11. 13 14 15. For such are false Apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ And no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness but let them be so yet their end shall be according to their works The Apostle speaking of Christ and how it is our duty to follow Christ's Example he brings Scripture to prove the truth of what he said Rom. 15. 1 2 3 4. We therefore that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to his edification For even Christ pleased not himself but as it is written The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope The Apostle here sets down the duty of those that are strong and may I not say of those that would be thought or do think themselves stronger than others and that is not to please themselves to satisfie and content themselves in that they are stronger than others and so exalt themselves over and above those that are weak but their duty is to bear the infirmities of the weak and thereby to please his neighbour for that is good to edification And it this their so doing that was to follow the example of Christ who
tree of knowledge of good and evil or the fruit of it or to touch the fruit of it this was what was forbidden Jesus was tempted but he did not yield to the temptation and so did not sin Jesus was led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil Mat. 4. 1. mark that led of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil read it within who can in the mystery there is so much in it and so much do I see in it that if I should declare it few at this day could bear it Jesus told his Disciples I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now John 16. 12. I hope I may without offence to any write what is in the Scripture And first as to the time when Jesus was led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil Matth. 4. 1. which is not by every one that reads it minded or any notice taken of it although there is very much in it The time it was then when at that very time that Jesus had by his Fore-runner John fulfilled all Righteousness and had the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighted upon him and lo a voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3. 15 16 17. then was the time Mark 1. 12. immediately it was that then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil Secondly it was Jesus it was the beloved Son of God in whom he was well pleased that had fulfilled all Righteousness it was he that came to save his people from their sins that was led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil the Scripture does not say that he went of himself into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil Mark saith of it Mark 1. 12. the spirit driveth him into the wilderness Thirdly it was the spirit that led up the beloved Son of God in whom he was well pleased that had fulfilled all Righteousness that came to save his people from their sins into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil it was no man nor any outward earthy Creature that led up Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil but Jesus was led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil there is much in that I pray mark the words of the Scripture it is not said that Jesus was led down of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil but Jesus was led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil Fourthly this beloved Son of God in whom God was well pleased that had fulfilled all Righteousness that came to save his people from their sins whither was he led up of the spirit to be tempted of the Devil it was into the wilderness not onely led up to a wilderness which might be to the outside of a wilderness but led up into the wilderness he was led up into the wilderness he was in the wilderness what wilderdess the wilderness is all the name that is given to it in the Scriptures outward wilderness have outward names There is a wilderness that is not without nor hath an outward name and yet it is a wilderness and may truly be said to be the wilderness Fifthly and this beloved Son of God in whom he was well pleased that had fulfilled all Righteousness that came to save his people from their sins was lâ—d up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil as first being there in the wilderness and in want he was then tempted by the Devil to do that which God had not commanded him to do to supply his want being an hungred he was tempted to command those stones to be made bread Secondly he being taken up mark that taken up of the Devil into the holy City and set upon a pinacle of the Temple he was tempted of the Devil to presume upon God the Fathers love and care because God had given his Angels charge concerning him to preserve him from harm therefore he was tempted to cast himself down from a pinacle of the Temple Thirdly he was taken up mark that taken up by the Devil into an exceeding high mountain and shewed all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them and tempted by the Devil to do that which was altogether unlawful to have given to him the things of the World the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them and that was to fall down and worship the Devil And in these temptations in the wilderness that he was of the spirit led up into he did make it appear that he was the Son of God by his obedience to God as is plain by his not yielding in the least to any of the Temptations Sixthly this beloved Son of God in whom God was well pleased that had fulfilled all Righteousness that came to save his people from their sins he was led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil to be tempted of him that was a murderer from the beginning to be tempted of him that abode not in the truth to be tempted of him that there is no truth in him to be tempted of him that is a lyar and the father of lyes John 8. 44. I pray take notice of this that the Scripture doth not say that Jesus was led up of the spirit to be tempted of the Devil any where but onely in the wilderness and when he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was afterwards an hungred mark that an hungred he wanted bread there is much in that of Jesus being an hungred and when the Tempter came to him he said the Tempter said that which tempted him it was that which said which being taken notice of it may as an instrument in Gods hand be as an help to understand what the wilderness was and what the Devil was and what Jesus temptations were that he was tempted in the holy City and the Temple they were not in an outward wilderness and where is there an outward mountain in the outward world so exceedingly high that upon it may be seen all the outward Kingdoms of the outward World and the outward glory of them and Jesus in the temptation was taken up into an exceeding high mountain and shewed all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them if the Reader who understandeth little or nothing of the mystery of Jesus being led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil did but in true silence of all the earthy part in him of all that is of the flesh in him wait upon God and be like the poor Widow to the unjust Judge who would not give over going to him until he had done her justice so not to give over waiting upon
like Gods they are as Gods to themselves for as God made all things for himself to be glorified in them so as much as in them lieth they make all things their own to satisfie and please themselves in them and yet please themselves with a hope that God will forgive them all their sins and that they shall be like God at last And thus when the Serpent had prevailed in his temptations with the woman that they should not surely die but that their eyes should be opened and they should be as Gods knowing good and evil and that the woman saw the Tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eye and a Tree to be desired to make one wise then she took of the fruit thereof and did eat The fruit of the Tree was wilful disobedience she eat she satisfied her self with a desire after the knowledge of good and willingly neglected her obedience to God she knew Gods mind and will what she should do but did not obey God in that she knew to be Gods will that she ought to obey him in but instead of yielding obedience to God in what she knew of God the Serpent telling her that their eyes should be opened that was to see more or better than they did see as much in difference as is between seeing with the eyes as if they were shut and the seeing with them wide open And this must be understood as to the understanding and knowing part in man for none can be so ignorant as to think that the eyes of their bodies were not open before the temptation but it is the eye of the understanding and knowledge that was to be opened by yielding to the temptation to know more of God than they did know of him And by this the woman was carried out to a desire of another knowledge of God and likewise to God than that knowledge of God that God had given to them in the Creation and another likeness of God than that Image of God that he had made them in And by this running out after a desire of a greater measure of the knowledge of God and likeness to God and not to obey God in what they knew to be his will to obey him in Here disobedience that got in the forbidden fruit that was eaten they eat that is they filled and satisfied themselves with a desire of knowledge as a man eats and satisfies himself with meat and did not yield obedience to God according to what they knew of God and so that knowledge of God and likeness to God that they were made in And as they were created so they for a time had obeyed God in that knowledge and in that likeness that they were created in until the time of their disobedience and then by their eating of the forbidden fruit their obedience died in them And so man died in the day he eat of the forbidden fruit he died in his obedience to God his obedience to God died in him he died as to that knowledge that he had of God as being in Gods Image the Image of God that he was made in was dead in him mans body did not die in the day he eat the forbidden fruit nor was mans body that Image of God that he made man in Before mans fall all that he did was done by his being drawn lead or going forth by the Spirit of Jesus in him he knew nothing but God and the doing Gods will and to that state man is again to be restored 1 Cor. 15. 45 47 49. The first Adam was made a living soul this was not the body of Adam that God made of the dust of the ground but it was that which after he had made that body then God breathed into that body the breath of life and man became a living soul which was this first Adam the last Adam was made a quickning spirit The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from heaven As we have born the Image of the earthy we shall also have the Image of the heavenly Here the Apostle giveth the description of the two Adams and what they were made the first a living soul the second a quickning spirit And then what they were the first man is of the earth the second man is the Lord from heaven And then he describeth how he and the Saints were in likeness to the first Adam and shall be in likeness to the last Adam and to the first and second man And as we have born the Image of the earthy we shall also bear the Image of the heavenly Not that we do now bear the Image of the heavenly but we shall in time to come also bear the Image of the heavenly that is as certainly as we have born the Image of the earthy so certainly shall we also when the time shall come bear the Image of the heavenly that is as the Apostle and Saints did then experimentally know what it was to bear the Image of the earthy so by faith they did as certainly believe that they should also bear the Image of the heavenly And to that Image that the Apostle spake of that he and the Saints then were in of the first Adam that was made a living soul which was not mans body that was made of the Earth but that of man which was made in the Image and likeness of God I pray take notice man in the creation was not made God he was but made in the Image and likeness of God God is unchangeable and cannot fall God in man did not change it was that in man that was made like God that changed his Image was changeable which is well worth our taking notice of which if we did our experience would tell us the truth of it how Gods Image changes in us And man in the creation was not so made in the Image and likeness of God but that he might change as he did in eating of the forbidden fruit not by the Command of God but contrary to Gods Command To that state of the Saints in this life which was made in the Image of God and so made as it may be changeable by eating of the forbidden fruit doth what I have here already writ for the most part tend unto that as they have born the Image of the earthy and so was the woman that was deceived and in the transgression for the same Apostle saith 1 Tim. 2. 13 14. Adam was first formed then Eve And Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression Adam here cannot be taken for the first man Adam made of the Earth for so he eat of the forbidden fruit as did the woman and was deceived and in the transgression with the woman and for his offence judgment came upon all men to condemnation Rom. 5. 12 verse to the 20 verse But Adam here must be Jesus who was made a quickning Spirit and is Lord from Heaven
And he was first formed the Apostle does not here say made as a Creature but formed he was in the form and likeness of God before the World was and the World was made by him This Adam in man that is Jesus in man was not deceived neither doth this Jesus in man enter into the transgression But Eve so called because she was the Mother of all living she that had her beginning after Adam and was taken out of Adam mark that she was the woman that was deceived and found in the transgression that which was taken out of Adam and was bone of Adam's bone and flesh of Adam's flesh and given to Adam of God to be an Help-meet for Adam this was deceived and was in the transgression Read it within who can in the mystery Christ is compared to the man and the Church to the woman Ephesians the fifth Chapter and the Saints are compared to a woman bringing forth a man child Revelations the 12th Chapter All they that can read it in the mystery in some measure degree or other who knows what it is to have the woman in them saved in Child-bearing that is to know that in man which was deceived and found in the transgression to be again saved in bearing the Child Jesus in bearing and bringing forth in them that which saves from sin and that which saves from sin is that Adam in them that was not deceived that of God in man that never changed but was and is and ever shall be the same and is the quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven and the heavenly Image that we shall in time bear if we continue in Faith and Charity and Holiness with Sobriety It was Gods promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head it was not the woman that was to bruise the Serpents head mark that but the seed of the woman Not mans being drawn forth by the Spirit or the goings or the leadings forth of man by the Spirit of Jesus in man that was in man before the fall that was not to bruise the Serpents head but the seed of the woman was to bruise the Serpents head A Virgin shall conceive and bear a son his name is Emmanuel God in us Mat. 1. 23. The Virgin that knew no man brought forth Jesus the Son of God Luke 1. 34 35. That is the seed that bruises the Serpents head that is that in man that knoweth nothing of man that wherein there is nothing of man joyned to it as is in mans being drawn lead or going out to act by the Spirit of Jesus in him there the Serpents self or a mans own will is ready to bruise the heel of it The feet is the walking or going part of man or upon that which man walks and the heel is the hindermost part of the foot and so it represents the walkings goings or drawings forth of man by the Spirit of Jesus in him which self or a mans own will is ready to bruise the heel of it that is to hurt or hinder the pure operations of the work of the Spirit of Jesus in man but the seed of the woman God in us the Son of God Jesus that saves from sin this bruises the head of the Serpent The head is that part of the body wherein the life and understanding is placed it is the seat of that which makes wise and it is the uppermost part of the Creature And this seed of the woman God in us the Son of God Jesus that saves from sin is that seed which bruises the head of the Serpent in us bruises the head of self or a mans own will in us bruises the life of self or a mans will bruises its wisdom or understanding bruises whatever is uppermost in man God did not promise that the seed of the woman should slay or kill the Serpent so as that there should be no life or motion in the Serpent mark that no there was to be an enmity between them between the woman and the Serpent and between the womans seed and the Serpents seed And although the Serpent had his head bruised by the seed of the woman yet the Serpent should bruise the heel of the womans seed mark that The Serpent was not to bruise the heel of the woman although God put enmity between the Serpent and the woman and between the womans seed and the Serpents seed and so great an enmity that the Serpent was to bruise the heel of the womans seed and the seed of that woman not the woman but the womans seed was to bruise the head of the Serpent Man in his goings forth by the leadings or drawings of the spirit of Jesus in him is not to bruise the Serpents head but it is Jesus in him by whom man is drawn forth to do what he doth in obedience to God it is he it is that seed of the woman that is to bruise the Serpents head so that man must be nothing in bruising the Serpents head but God must be all in the doing thereof And doth not experience teach us the truth thereof do we not find that although God in us Jesus that saves from sin doth bruise the head of the Serpent in us self or mans will wherein the life of the Serpent and its wisdom is placed and what is uppermost in Man is bruised by the seed of the Woman in us yet there remains a life or motion in this Serpents self or mans will that doth bruise the heel of the Womans seed in us that is it hurts or hinders the hindermost part of the pure operations or workings of the seed of the woman in us that is of Jesus in us and it must be this Jesus in us and he alone in us that can bruise the head of the Serpent in us and man must be but an instrument in his hand and not to move therein but as moved by Jesus in him that so God may be all in all to work both to will and to do of his own good pleasure And yet this woman that was deceived and in the transgression shall be saved in Child-bearing in bearing the Child whose name is God in us the Son of God Jesus that saves from sin which is conceived in the pure Virgins seed in man in that in man that knew no man that is that knew nothing of self or the will of man but knew onely the will of God it is that in man that knew nothing of man that is of mans self or will by joyning with it or condescending to it that is the Virgins seed in man which conceived God in us the Son of God Jesus that saves from sin and this Conception of the Virgins seed in us is wrought and brought to pass by the Holy Ghost the power of the highest coming upon us and over-shadowing of us it is the great power of God by the holy Spirit joyning with that seed of God in man that never condescended or
yielded to self in man or to mans will in the temptation but did oppose it and discovered the temptation in man to be contrary to Gods will that is that they should not eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden and told man the danger if he yielded to the temptation that he should die and after man had yielded to the temptation shewed him his nakedness his being stripped or made naked as to that holiness and righteousness that God had made them in and made them serviceable of the justice of God towards them for their transgression which made them afraid of God To this Virgins seed in man that was thus in man before the fall and continued in man after the fall the great power of God by the Holy Ghost joyns with and by this conjunction or joyning together of these two seeds if they may be so call'd that is the seed of God in us the seed of God without us that is the power of God within us and the power of God without us which is all of one kind and nature as is the seed of the man and the seed of the woman here cometh the conception of the Son of God in us Jesus that saves from sin which being born and brought forth in the life cannot sin 1 John 3. 9. Whosoever is horn of God cannot sin because he is born of God it is the birth and bringing forth of the seed of God in us it is that in us cannot sin because it is born of God 1 John 3. 8. He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the devil sinneth from the beginning he that sins or that which is sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning this beginning is not to be understood from the beginning of time in which God created all things for then all things were very good Gen. 1. 31. They were like God as God is good but from the beginning of the Devil the Devil sinned sin was the first beginning of the Devil and so he or that which commits sin is of the Devil and when sin began to have a being the Devil began to have a being There is but two seeds in man the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent and what is not of the seed of the woman in man which bringeth forth that which is born of God and cannot sin is of the seed of the Serpent in man the Devil that which bringeth forth sin in his own likeness The spirit of Jesus that draweth man forth into obedience to God that cannot sin nor doth it sin but it is that in man that was in the obedience to God that sins as once mans will was in obedience to God but mans will going out of the obedience to God was that which brought forth sin in man The Apostle said 1 Tim. 2. 14 15. that the woman being deceived was in the transgression Notwithstanding that is there is nothing to hinder it but she shall be saved in child-bearing if she continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety If she continued in faith c. which is as much as to say that she was in faith wherein the child Jesus was born John 1. 12. as many as received him to them he gave power to be the sons of God even to them that believed in his Name Ephes 2. 8. By grace we are saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God By these Scriptures it is plain that Faith is that in man that God as I may so say makes use of for the bringing forth this child Jesus to save us from sin In the bearing of this Child the woman that was deceived and in the transgression is saved if she continue in faith that is in that faith that God purifies the heart with the woman in the transgression she went out of faith out of the believing God into the believing of the Serpent and so her heart was defiled and to save her she must be brought into that faith that purifies her heart and there must not onely be faith which God makes use of for the bringing forth this child Jesus that saves from sin but there must be a continuing in it it must continue to the end And Charity which is the height of Love that must continue in Faith which the Apostle in the first of the Corinthians 13. saith that although they had all Faith and thereby did great things as to remove mountains and other great works as he there mentions yet all was nothing without Charity and Charity he saith is greater than Faith And Holiness must continue with Faith and Charity to be holy that is to be like God 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. As he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy and to all these Sobriety is to be joyned To be sober Rom. 12. 3. that is to have a low and mean essence of our selves Tit. 2. 11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation teacheth them that are saved to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to lively soberly righteously and godlily in this present world These all must and do attend to and with the Child-bearing of the Woman that saves her out of the transgression and where these are wanting or any of them what true marks signs manifestations or knowledge is there that any one can say they have that the child Jesus is born in them and that the woman in them is saved out of the transgression But if it be objected if the woman in the figure or mystery that was deceived and in the transgression be mans being drawn by the spirit or the goings or leadings forth of man by the spirit of Jesus in man then how is God in us or the Son of God or Jesus that saves from sin the seed of this woman that was deceived and in the transgression To that I answer That the Woman was deceived and in the transgression knew man she knew the will of man and condescended and joyned to and with the will of man in the transgression and in so doing the Serpents seed was brought forth disobedience was brought forth which is the seed of the Serpent When God in the Creation made the Creatures on the Earth the seed of what he made was in them and so it may be said of the Serpent when he took his first being in man his seed was in him disobedience was in him and between that seed of disobedience and the seed of the Woman that is that seed of God in man that never condescended to the will of man in his disobedience but stood in obedience to God There is by God put an everlasting enmity between those two seeds and the seed of the Woman that is God in us or the Son of God or Jesus that saves from sin that is
to worship him they and they onely are the acceptable Worshippers of God and God seeketh for those and onely those to worship him that worship him in spirit and truth It is not the outward places nor the outward form no not at Jerusalem nor the outward Worship commanded to be used there that God seeketh for it is the spiritual Worship done in the truth and in the sincerity of the heart that God seeketh for it is that and that onely that is well-pleasing to him which the outward forms of worshipping is not although never so exactly performed according to the Command of God yet if the Spirit of God which leads and guides into all truth be wanting the outward form is not acceptable to God nor sought for of God nor desired of God And where the Spirit of God is and is the Guide and Leader of them in his Worship although the outward form be wanting yet these are the true Worshippers of God and these are those that God seeketh for to worship him that is those that worship him in his Spirit and in his Truth that is in Jesus and all those that so worship him in the use of outward forms or without the use of outward forms Of all Nations and Kinreds and People and Tongues that worship him in his Spirit and in his Truth in Jesus which saves from sin by which Spirit they are guided and led thereunto to do it in the truth and sincerity of their hearts these are such as God seeketh for to worship him and are acceptable to God And of these John beheld the great multitude that no man could number standing before the Throne and before the Lamb clothed with white Robes and Palms in their hands crying with a loud voice saying Salvation to our God which came out of great tribulations having washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lamb. And John did but hear of a hundred forty and four thousand of all the Tribes of Israel to be sealed for the servants of God And those were they that were in the outward form of Worship which had the Commandments writ in Tables of stone and had the Law and the Prophets written in Books without them and read among them without them every Sabbath-day And had the Oracles of God committed to them and to whom pertain the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the law and the service of God and the promises Whose are the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came And yet of all the Tribes of the outward Israel there was but a hundred forty four thousand sealed for the servants of God I take notice and so I desire the Reader to take notice that the Tribe of Dan was left out there was none sealed of that Tribe that was a Serpent by the way to be the servants of God none of the subtile Serpents Tribe are sealed to be the servants of God And that was the reason why there was no more sealed of all the outward Tribes of outward Israel the Serpents Tribe was not sealed and the Serpents Tribe is those wherein the Serpent and his seed rule in the heart These being left out and not sealed for the servants of God of the Tribes of Israel was the reason there was no more sealed and it is the reason that there is no more sealed of all the Tribes that are in the several outward forms of outward Worship and that is that which makes their number so small that a man may easily number a hundred forty and four thousand And of the Gentiles all Nations and Kinreds and People and Tongues that have not known the subtilty of the Serpent tempting man in the outward forms of worshipping of God and also of those that have known the subtilty of the Serpent tempting them in outward forms of worshipping of God and have known a saving and being delivered out of those temptations of the Serpent by the life of Jesus in them and so are none of the Serpents by the life of Jesus in them and so are none of the Serpents Tribe nor are sufficing themselves nor can suffice themselves in that they are worshipping God in outward forms but are worshipping him in his Spirit and in his Truth that is in Jesus that saves them from sin Of all these that is of those that have not known the subtilty of the Serpent tempting them in outward forms and those that have known the subtilty of the Serpent tempting them in outward forms and have known a being saved and delivered out of his temptations There are a great multitude that no man can number standing before the Throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands crying with a loud voice saying Salvation to our God having come out of great tribulations and washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lamb. Thus Jesus is a Light and a Saviour to those that never hear of that Jesus born of the Virgin Mary And now to return again to those that have heard of that Jesus born of the Virgin Mary and profess themselves Christians and have known something of the working of Gods Spirit in them and have known something what it hath been to be drawn or led forth by the Spirit of Jesus in them how far they may go and yet not know the birth of the Child Jesus in them that saves from sin nor the woman that was deceived and in the transgression to be saved out of the transgression by bearing the Child Jesus Man may by Jesus the Light in him be convinced of sin that it is the breaking of Gods Command and of the Judgment of God that is due to man for sin and he may be so far convinced in himself of sin and of Gods judgment for sin as that he may be brought to a repentance and sorrow for his sins and a desire to be kept from sinning and he may pray earnestly that he may be kept from sin and may set upon a reformation and do many things in obedience to God that he knew to be the will of God And this may be done from some stirrings or movings of the Spirit of Jesus in him and yet the Serpent self his own will deceive him in all this as I have experienced And that thus man may from the knowledge that he hath of this or that thing that he does know that in the doing thereof he doth that which is a breaking of the Command of God and for his so breaking of the Command of God Jesus the Light in him that makes known to him the breaking of Gods Command doth likewise make known to him what is due to him for his transgressions that is Death Hell or Damnation which man being afraid of and willing to escape and to escape the punishment that he apprehends to be due to him for his sins this makes him to repent of his sins and
that is because the words spoken they did not feel them to reach to the witness of God in them or theseed of God in them and therefore they judged them not to be spoken by the true spirit of Jesus in him that spake them and that because they found some thing burdened or troubled in them when those words were spoken and yet they could not deny but that he might speak what he knew to be the work of God in him and that his words were true and that his life was answerable to his words but because they did not feel his words to reach to the witness of God in them or the Seed of God in them but there was something troubled and burden'd in them when they heard those words spoken therefore it was that they judged him to speak these words by a wrong Spirit I pray mark the Argument because the Seed of God in them or the witness of God in them was not reach'd to by the words spoken therefore they must be spoken by a wrong Spirit and why must they be spoken by a wrong Spirit is because some thing was troubled or burdened within them by those words spoken and therefore that which was troubled or burdened in them by those words being spoken must be the seed of God in them or the witness of God in them that must be the thing troubled or burdened in them by those words Oh the mystery of deceit that lieth secretly hid in the heart of man by the subtilty of the Serpent self-will in man who will not bring their deeds to the light to be made manifest who will not bring their deeds to the truth that the true Light hath made known in the Scriptures to be thereby judged whether they be true or false but do talk of a Light in them and to walk by the Light and yet do things and judge of things contrary to what the Scripture makes known to be true which was given forth by the true Light For by the Scriptures there is nothing more plainer than that it is the duty of all to make known to others what God hath made known of himself to them in his great work of saving of man from the subtilty of the Serpent by whose temptation man was brought to sin brought to disobey God But this making known what God hath made known of himself in saving from sin this say they was spoken by a wrong Spirit and the reason why it must be so that it was spoken by a wrong Spirit is because they did not feel the words spoken to reach the seed of God or the witness of God in them and because there was something in them that was troubled or burdened by hearing those words spoken and that they say is the seed of God in them And if they had said it had been the seed of the Serpent in them that had been troubled they had spoken more truer and agreeable to the testimony of the Scripture Mat. 16. 21 22 23. Jesus tells his Disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things and be killed and be raised again the third day What is this but a making known to them what God the Father had made known to him that he was to do for the saving of man from the subtilty of the Serpent who by his temptations had caused man to sin Dare any one be so wicked as to say that Christ did not speak this by the true Spirit but it was a wrong Spirit in Christ that spake it I say dare any be so wicked as to say so And yet these true words of his did not reach to the seed of God in Peter and yet Peter was troubled there was something in Peter that was oppressed and burdened with the hearing of Jesus speaking of these words And none can reasonably believe but that Peter thought and believed that that which was troubled and burdened by these words spoken by Jesus was something in him that was good something in him that loved Jesus which Peter might as some others have done think that it was the seed of God in him that was troubled and burdened at what Jesus spake And that made him take the boldness upon him as to take Jesus to him and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee And I pray what was this in Peter that was so troubled and burdened in Peter at what Christ had said Was it not Peter's Will in him which was contrary to Gods Will This Will of Peter's that was thus troubled and burdened that lay uppermost in Peter and that was that which hindered in Peter Christs words that they did not reach the seed of God in Peter the subtilty of the Serpents self in Peter deceived him He having been a Disciple a follower of Jesus and having preached the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and had power to heal all manner of Diseases and to cast out Devils and had given that testimony of Jesus that he had the words of eternal life might not Peter who had done all this think that Jesus spake by a wrong Spirit because he found his words to be a trouble and burden to him Peter he did so think that he spake by a wrong Spirit and that is plain by the Scripture for he began to rebuke Jesus for what he had said and told him in his rebuking of him that that should not be done to Jesus that Jesus had said should be done to him And so he makes Jesus to speak a lye And what is that less than to tell Jesus that he did not speak those words by the true Spirit For if Peter had believed that they had been spoken by a true Spirit Peter would have believed the words would prove true and he would not have gone about to reprove him for speaking true words by the true Spirit but Peter did not believe the words to be true and going about to reprove him for speaking of them it is plain that Peter believed they were spoken by a wrong Spirit when it was the lying Spirit in Peter that reproved Jesus for speaking the truth And Peter's rebuke was made up of nothing but lyes and that made Jesus call him Satan and told him he was an offence to him for he favoured not of the things that be of God but those things that be of men that was he savoured not the things of God the doing Gods will which was to be done by Jesus going to Jerusalem and to suffer many things of the Elders Chief Priests and Scribes and to be killed and be raised again the third day See who they were that Jesus suffered under it was under those that were high in an outward form of worshipping God And as Peter savoured not the things of God the having of Gods will done so he did savour the things of men he favoured the having of his own will done for it was a will of Peter's
understood none of these things and the saying was hid from them neither understood they the things that were spoken Does any one believe that Jesus spake these true words and that he did not speak them by a true spirit but that it was a wrong spirit in Jesus that spake these words I say that if any one does believe that these true words spoken by Jesus were not spoken by the true spirit and if not spoken by the true spirit then they must be spoken by the false spirit They that do so believe I believe they will be ashamed to say that they believe that Jesus did not speak these true words by the true spirit and that he spake them by the wrong spirit And if Jesus did speak these words by the true spirit as that Jesus did speak them by the true spirit then see the falsity and deceit that is in the Argument that I have heard often and that by many used that because by the true words spoken they did not feel them to reach the witness of God the seed of God in them when they heard them spoken therefore it was that they believed the true words spoken were not spoken by the true spirit but by a wrong spirit By the same rule the Twelve might have judged that Jesus did not speak those true words and why because they understood none of these things and the saying of his was hid from them neither knew they the things that were spoken If they had felt these words of Jesus to have reached the witness of God the seed of God in them how then could it have been that they understood none of those things and his saying was hid from them neither knew they the things that were spoken if they had felt those true words spoken by Jesus by the true light and by him proved by Scriptures not onely by one Scripture but by many Scriptures by all things that are written by the Prophets concerning him if they had felt these words to have reached the seed of God the witness of God in them they would have understood something of those sayings they would not all have been hid from them they would have known something of what had been spoken but by this Scripture it is plainly proved that true words may be spoken by the true spirit and proved by many Scriptures and that too concerning Christs being put to death and by whom and the place where and of his rising again and when he rise And all these may be spoken of the inward work of God in the heart of men as the like I have known and yet the Witness of God the seed of God in the hearers have not been by them felt to be reached unto by the words so spoken none of the Twelve understood any of the things Jesus spake of I pray observe none of his hearers understood any of the saying he spake And so although they have understood the outward sound of the Words spoken as the Twelve did the outward Words spoken by Jesus yet the inward meaning of them the spiritual meaning of them as they are wrought asked and done in man may be hid from them and they may know nothing of those things spoken as to the Work of God in the heart and yet they may be spoken to such as the Twelve were or at least would be counted such as the Twelve were that is those that had the most familiar acquaintance with Christ who Jesus had sent forth to preach that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand and had cast out Devils in his Name And yet these did not know what Christs Death and Resurrection was neither understood they any thing of it when he spake of it to them And may there not be such in this knowing Age we live in that may for some years have been Disciples and followers of Christ in the flesh and have had a familiar acquaintance with him and have been sent to preach the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and have cast out Devils in his Name and yet have not known Christs Death and Resurrection nor have understood any thing of it when it hath been spoken of to them by those that have known the inward work of it wrought within them Luke 9. 44 45 46. Jesus said to his Disciples Let these sayings sink down into your ears for the son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men But they understood not the saying and it was hid from them and they perceived it not and they feared to ask him of that saying Then there arose a â—easoning among them which should be the greatest Mark the Scripture were not these true words spoken by Jesus and were they not spoken by the true spirit in him and were they not spoken to his Disciples his followers And yet these true words were spoken by Jesus and spoken by the true spirit in that person that never had sinned and they by the true spirit were called upon that those sayings should sink down into their ears and yet true words thus spoken by the true spirit in him that they had no just cause to speak evil of although some when they could not deny the truth of what he had said were so bold as to say to him Say we not well that thou art a Samaritane and hast a devil John 8. There is that have met with words to the like purpose when they could not deny the truth of what hath been spoken and yet these true words spoken by one whom there hath not been the like man upon Earth And yet they that heard him speak them and to whom they were directly spoken unto and called upon that 〈◊〉 words should sink down into their ears and yet they did not feel in them that these true words spoken by a man in whom the fulness of the true spirit dwelt bodily these words they did not feel that they reached the witness of God the seed of God in them because they understood not thaâ— saying it was hid from them they perceived it not How fully how plainly does the Scripture make out the deceivableness of that Argument That because when they hear true words spoken and they do not feel the witness of God the seed of God in them to be reached by these words therefore they that speak them must speak them by a wrong spirit Oh! the subtilty that the subtile Serpents self useth to deceive people in a form of Godliness perswading them that in the disobeying God in the looking upon the tree of Knowledge they shall be as Gods and so have a liberty to judge according to the putting forward of their own wills in them These true words were spoken by Jesus a man in whom the fulness of the true spirit dwelt bodily and by him called upon that those sayings should sink down into their ears which is more than onely to give them the hearing of them and yet for all this they did not
feel these words thus spoken to reach the witness of God the seed of God in them And it appeareth that it did not reach the witness of God the seed of God in them by that they understood not the saying and it was hid from them and they perceived it not which if they by these words spoken by Jesus had felt that it had reached the witness of God in them the seed of God in them they would have understood seen and perceived something of the meaning of what Christ had said What think ye who dare say that they think or believe that the Disciples the followers of Jesus to whom these words were spoken had done well if they had gone to Jesus and told him although they could not deny but that those words that he had spoken were true yet they questioned whether or no he spake them by the true and right spirit and the reason why they questioned and did not believe he spake them by the right and true spirit is this Because when they heard him speak those words they did not feel that those words spoken by him did reach the witness of God the seed of God in them Who dare so say that they think or believe the Disciples had done well if they should have gone to Jesus and used such an Argument to have perswaded Jesus that the words he spake were not spoken by the true spirit because they 〈◊〉 they heard them did not fell the witness of God the seed of God reached in them by Jesus true words when he spake them If such a light Argument as this had been sufficient to have proved that Jesus true words had not been spoken by a true and right spirit because his words when spoken did not reach to the witness of God the seed of God in those that heard him how much then of his words would then have been proved to have been spoken by the wrong spirit How little and how seldom do we read in the Scripture that those that heard Christ speak true words and that by the true spirit that the hearers of Jesus did feel the witness of God the seed of God reached in them by Jesus true words when he spake them And yet yow many times have I heard that used as an Argument and the onely Argument to prove that the true words spoken have not been spoken by the true spirit but spoken by the wrong spirit And why because those when they heard them they did not feel the witness of God the seed of God in them reached by those true words spoken but they have found something in them troubled and burdened when they heard those words spoken Jesus Disciples they did not understand the words spoken by him they being hid from them and they perceived them not and they feared to ask him of that saying that is they feared to ask him the meaning of that saying I shall not say they were afraid to ask the meaning of those true words that they judged to be spoken by a wrong spirit but this I can say they did not ask the meaning of them And the Disciples when they feared to ask him of that saying then there arose a reasoning among them which of them should be greatest they were more minding to be great and which of them should be greatest amongst them than to ask and enquire into the meaning of what Christ had said when he spake something of his Death and yet these were the Disciples and followers of Jesus Would it not be well it were not so now in this knowing Age that we live in That there were not more reasoning and a greater care taken to know which shall be greatest than there is a care taken and an enquiry made to understand the words of Jesus spoken concerning his Death Balaam who used Inchantments and loved the wages of Unrighteousness I do not find in all the Scripture that ever he was reproved for the true words that he spake that God put into him to speak Nor do I find that they were a burden or a trouble to any that heard him speak them unless it were to Balak and those with him that would have had Israel cursed and to them indeed Balaam's words were a burden and a trouble unto The hearing of the prosperity of the outward Israel the outward seed of God which was a Type of the inward seed of God this was a trouble and a burden to Balak and those with him that would have had the seed of God cursed And for persons in this knowing Age to be troubled and burdened with the hearing words spoken by one that did declare his knowledge of the inward seed of God to prosper in him and how he had known it set at liberty from the bondage of the subtile Serpent who had deceived him in an outward form of Godliness perswading him that in his eating of the forbidden tree he should be as Gods in knowledge that this his declaring of his experience of the prosperity of the inward seed of God in him and perswading others to have a care that they were not deceived by the subtilty of the Serpent as he had been that these words or words spoken to this purpose or effect should be a trouble or a burden to any Must not that which was burdened and troubled in them be the same spirit that was burdened and troubled in Balak and those with him when he and they instead of hearing Balaam to curse the outward seed of God that he blessed them altogether As God the true spirit changeth not but his Works Actions and Doings do agree and do not contradict one another in all Ages and Generations so the Serpent the lying and deceitful spirit changeth not but his works actions and doings do agree and do not contradict one another in all Ages and Generations and therefore it was the same spirit in those that were offended at the hearing of the true words spoken in making known the prosperity of the inward seed being set at liberty from the bondage of the subtile Serpent and warning of others to have a care of being deceived by the subtile Serpent I say it was the same spirit that was offended in them that was offended in Balak and those with him that he heard the Words spoken by Balaam when he declared the prosperity of the outward seed of God But I know an Objection or Argument may be made or raised although I never heard it made or raised yet I know it may be made or raised and that to this purpose That true words may be spoken by a wrong or evil spirit and such true words as the Scripture speak yea the very words of the Scripture and brought in for Scripture and brought in as a proof for what this wrong or evil spirit have been spoken to before And ought this wrong spirit or evil spirit be suffered in going on to speak these true words although words of Scripture or ought
obedience in us so comes the feet to be defiled and made unclean Now as Jesus hath washed and made clean the feet of obedience in any and keeps them clean in the walking in obedience to God it is their duty and they are to follow the Example of Jesus That if they see in any that the Serpent hath bruised the heel of the seed of the woman in them that is in their walking upon the earthy part in them any part of the Earth hath cleaved to their feet whereby they are polluted or defiled then it is their duty as Instruments in Gods hand to wash and make clean the feet of those that they see so polluted or defiled And this is what God by the Apostle commanded If any man be overtaken in a fault yea which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Bear ye one anothers burthens and so fulfil the Law of Christ Gal. 6. 1 2. Which is as much as to say If any man by the temptation of the Serpent hath defiled his feet of obedience in being overtaken in a fault the earthy part on which he walked upon in his obedience hath cleaved to his feet of obedience and hath defiled them yea that are spiritual yea that stand in your obedience by the power of Jesus in you who hath washed your feet wash ye the feet of those that are polluted restore such a one again to the pure and clean walking in obedience to Jesus but do it in the spirit of meekness in a low and meek spirit not lording it over them but in meekness and lowliness of mind as if thou wert indeed a servant to them attending upon them to that very end considering thy self lest thou also be tempted lest thou also fall by the temptation of the Serpent self in thee lest thou pollute or defile thy feet of obedience in walking upon the earthy part in thee And so then thou mayst stand as much in need of another to be an Instrument in Gods hand to wash thy feet to make thee clean in thy obedience to God and so restore thee again by the spirit of meekness to God as thy Brother hath need of thee And in thus your seeking to restore one another in the spirit of meekness ye bear one anothers burthens and so fulfil the law of Christ the Command of Christ to wash one anothers feet as he washed your feet And when and where this shall be put in practice that Lordly power which some in their wills because they have known Jesus in the flesh and he hath sent them to preach and cast out Devils they have taken upon them to judge and condemn others wherein the Witness of God in their Consciences the Light of God hath acquitted and cleared them And when that Lordly power shall be thrown down and a Cross taken up to that Will and also when and where this duty of washing one anothers feet is known and practised then when there is indeed such a thing done whereby the feet of obedience is polluted or defiled and it be seen by those in whom the Lordly and Masterly spirit is cast down and a Cross taken up to that Lordly and Masterly Will in them that was ready to run out in judging and passing sentence upon others because their feet of obedience have been polluted and by the subtilty of the Serpents temptations they have been overtaken in a fault Instead of running upon them and passing sentence upon them there will be a Spirit of meekness gentleness forbearance love long suffering pity and compassion used to them and thereby to be as Instruments in Gods hand to wash the feet of such a one to recover to restore and bring such a one again into obedience to God as not knowing how soon you that now stand may fall by the like temptations And this I believe men will come more into the practice of as they come to know what it is to take up the Cross to their own Wills and to follow Jesus and not be like the Disciples of Christ that would have had fire to come down from Heaven upon those that would not retain them who knew not what spirits they themselves were of and yet had known Christ and had followed Jesus in the flesh and had preached and cast out Devils and yet knew not what it was for Jesus to wash their feet nor what it was to wash the feet of others and therefore had no patience to bear with them that would not retain them that would not take in and believe what they said although spoken in their wills as in their own Wills it was that they would have fire come from Heaven to consume them Some there hath been in this knowing Age that we live in that hath taken upon them to judge those true words spoken by one whose life they have had nothing to object against and yet for declaring what he hath known of the deceit that is wrought in the heart of man by the subtilty of the Serpents self in man and that under a form of Religion and thereby the Devil perswades man that he shall thereby come to be like God and declaring how he hath in Jesus's Name by the power of Jesus the true Light in him resisted and cast out the Devil in his temptations and desiring them to have a care that they be not deceived by the temptations of the subtilty of the Serpents self in them under an outward form of Religion and of being like God as Adam was and himself had experienced They have judged these words or words spoken to that purpose or tending to the same effect in discovering the subtilty of the Serpents self in man in an outward form of Worship and how the Serpent in those temptations might be resisted and overcome to be spoken from a wrong Spirit and so would make the Devil to be a dividing of his Kingdom and so if Christs words be true they would make the Devil to be a throwing down his Kingdom for he said to those zealous Professors that thought themselves better than others when they so judged of him that he cast out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils that a Kingdom divided cannot stand And if Satan cast out Devils he is divided against himself and how then can his Kingdom stand Mat. 12. 24 25 26. Jesus himself meets with the like dealing from the like sort of zealous Professors And he told his Disciples that the disciple is not to be above the master nor the servant above the lord It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his lord if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of the houshold Mat. 10. 24 25. But that which made them judge that the words were not spoken by a true Spirit was this as hath been several times expressed by them