is Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 6.70 Mat. 16.23 holy Fathers moderne Divines and Ministers are those Devils as the Worships which great and good Men have set up in the Churches are called the worship of Devils Revel 9.10 Let not this seem strange for not only Ju das was called a Devil but Peter was Satan indeed when he savoured the things of Men more then of God therefore let not our Ministers be moved if hereafter they hear their services called Sorceries as 't is there Rev 9 21 and themselves the Sorcerers of Egypt deceiving the Nation in nothing more then in their Forms of prayer For their preaching begins to appear more powerless flat dead having no discovery of God above the Common Form of Knowledge yea they know less and their preaching is more legal then once it was by the judgment of their wisest Hearers Yea as there are not the prayers of the Church this day as it was neither in power not Form so there is scarce a Christian prayer in private among them though they are full and flow with words at duty-times yet God and their own Conscience can tell how little they pray in their Closets how loose their petitions are in private how seldom they retire into their own spirits yea scarce ever doe they thus seek the Lord as the Prophet speaks that is Jer. 10.21 they seek not any nearer sight of the Lord nor any new discovery of God in them Alass New-lights are laugh'd at by these men though God indeed be the Father of Lights there being more Lights then one begotten and brought forth daily by our God and Father who will shine in us more and more to perfect day till we have a full discovery of himself as he is James 1.17 that is have the Fathers name on our Fore-heads Rev. 14.1 And as the Churches erre in their Formes of publique prayer so they fail in their Forms of private Prayers c. For they pray not to the Father nor secondly in the name of Christ nor thirdly can they pray in the Spirit First They do not pray to the Father but to the first Person in Trinity whom Christ never knew nor acknowledged for had there been a second Person or subsistence in the Godhead coessentiall and coequall with the Father surely Christ should and would have worshipped him but Christ never payed to any Person but to the Father and no Christian ever prayed to the Spirit till the spirit of Antichrist Veni Spiritus Sancte came into the world Not that I deny the holy Trinity according to Scriptures Col. 2.2 8 compared But disclaiming all the Traditions of our Fore-fathers and teachings of men I beleeve that God is Father Son and Spirit and that the Son of God Mat. 28.19 Rom 9.5 1 Cor. 8.6 Ephes 4.6 Isa 96. 1 Tim. 3.16 Luk. 24.49 Act. 1 4 1 Cor. 12.6 7. the Man Christ Jesus is God blessed for ever yet both in a Mystery which no man can manifest or reveal but the spirit Matth. 11.25 Ephes 1.17 The Father being none else but the one onely true God of himself and in himself inhabiting eternity The Son being the same God and Father manifest in Flesh and dwelling among men That one mighty God and Father powerfully going forth and exerting himself or appearing in manifold gifts and operations in flesh is the holy Spirit Which things are not to be carnally understood according to the letter as if God sent his Son 1 Cor. 2.13 John 14 9. Heb. 9.14 1 Cor. 15.45 and the Son sent the Spirit but comparing spirituall things with spirituall we shall perceive that the Son is the Father and the eternall Spirit is both Father and Son so the Father is said to send the Son where he himself appears in flesh from the beginning in the fulnesse of time or this day Heb. 13.8 for Christ is the same to day yesterday and for ever And Christ speaking in the dayes of his flesh that he would send the Spirit is nothing else but that he who dwelt with them should be in them that is when God even the Father who dwelt in his flesh should be manifest in theirs Joh. 14.17 18 19 20. Thus also I confesse that Jesus is the Son of God 1 Joh. 4.15 Joh. 14.7 10 20 verses Phil. 2.6 and that the Man Christ is God blessed for ever God even the Father dwelling in him and doing all in him being all in all in him His flesh being the form of God an image in whom the Godhead appeared to men The Son of God being nothing in himself Joh. 5.19 30. John 8 28. Gal. 4.19 but the Manifestation of the Father and could do nothing of himself but as the Father dwlling in him did all his works and words Again I conceive the Man Jesus Christ the Man-God being in us to be all in all to us Ephes 3.19 John 17.23 God dwelling in us as in him our flesh annointed and filled with the Godhead as his and we perfect in one with the Father as he This is the true Faith and Confession of the Son of God if once revealed in us Gal. 1.16 and 2.20 else how could the Son thus confess'd bring us to God God dwelling in us and we in him thereby 1 John 4.2 3 15. compared I shall not now declare at large how the present Churches deny all the Doctrine of God and of Christ c. which if God will we shall do in his due time onely we are now discovering all their forms of Worship to be false though some may worship the Father in spirit and truth yet in form of words they worship not nor pray to the Father at all Secondly They do not pray in the name of Christ but as saints of the Old Testament knew God in Covenant with them not God in Christ one with them that 's the Father So the Churches apprehend God at a distance standing a far off below in the Temple Heb. 10.19 not able to enter into the Holy of holiest into the Godhead himself but call upon his Name as great and terrible Deut. 28.58 Gal. 4.6 glorious and fearfull for so the Law presented God to Men they have not the spirit of the Son to cry Abba Father the Son being not revealed in them how can the spirit of the Son be sent forth at all I beleeve the Son is in them and the Spirit is there though hid in their flesh but they conceiving Christ at a distance Christ without them as long ago in flesh on earth and now afar off in heaven from them not nigh them and in them They do not pray in his Name Rom. 10.8 Joh. 16.23 They go not as the Son to the Father with that neernesse and confidence as Christ did to God but as strangers and forraigners or as far off from God being very low in the flesh They beg the Father still for Christ Jesus
departing from Jerusalem Rev. 21.3 that is God dwelling with men if men could be content with God alone live in God onely behold God dwelling in them and they in God they had not run so fast into the Church nor the churches hastned to send forth their Ministers to baptize Isa 52.11 12. there being no Gospel order nor ordinance among them The Gospel-order was in these three things as the Temple had three parts the first is the manifestation of the spirit in manifold gifts 1 Cor. 12.7 Mark 16.18 James 5.14 Secondly A Ministry of the spirit with gifts given by the laying on of hands 1 Cor. 12.28 Ephes 4.11 1 Tim. 4.14 Thirdly The administration of the spirit in all the Ordinances of the Church which were not only Baptism and Breaking of bread but a Psalm a Doctrine a Tongue 1 Cor. 14.26 an Interpretation and Revelation all these also were the Ordinances of Christ for the edifying of the Church but the present Churches have not any one of these not some of them in name or shew therefore sure the edifice is fallen into a confusion into a Babel and the Churches must needs be in an Apostate condition The Apostacie foretold by the Apostle then began when the manifestation of the spirit ceased when the ministry of the spirit was cast down and when that administration of the spirit was trodden under foot and this is a sufficient notoriety or visible signe that all Church Ordinances were changed into a confusion or fleshly performances when the spirit did so visibly disappear and the Gospel-order to be found no more First The manifestation of the spirit in manifold gifts ceasing is spoken of by John Rev. 7.1 where the four winds are held in that it should not blow c. the four winds being nothing else but the fulnesse of the spirit rushing in as a mighty wind at first on the Primitive Church Act. 2.2 and remaining still in the Churches of Christ till the Church came in to spiritual Babylon Therefore the four winds begin to blow when the people of God are brought from thence Ezek. 37.9 Secondly The Ministry of the spirit cast down is also signified Rev. 9.1 where a star fell from heaven to earth ver 1. The falling star is the fall of the ministry of the spirit sent down from heaven now this fell on the earth when gifts of men succeeding those spirituall gifts of God humane Arts and Parts studied Tongues Interpretations and Commentaries became the key of the bottomlesse pit for when the Mysteries of God were opened by the gifts of men in stead of opening heaven they opened hell and a smoke came out of the bottomless pit darkening the Sun and air both Christ and all the means to communicate Christ were darkened thereby ver 2. Thirdly The administration of the spirit in all Gospel-Ordinances after this was trodden under foot Rev. 11. Here the Temple is to be measured c. that is saints though under this spirituall apostacy were still owned of God as those who worshipped him in spirit but as for outward worship and Church-ordinances which are the outward Court ver 2. that was to be given to the Gentiles that is not heathenish Gentiles but Christian Gentiles the most carnal Christians have by continuance in all ages enjoyed the Ordinances of the Church both Baptism breaking of bread for 't was given to them of God as sutable to their fleshly Spirits rather then to the Saints in truth who are the holy City whom these Gentiles and Christians in common have trodden under foot to this day yea not conforming to Ordinances and Doctrines of men not comming to Church has been the cause still of the treading down of the Saints in all Ages and in this also by the Churches themselves who trample on all not in fellowship with them who cannot conform to their forms of Doctrine and fleshly Ordinances for so they are at the best in their primitive and purest order even Gospel Ordinances were but legall things in truth and bodily exercises but now being defiled through the spirits absence they are not only far below Christian duties but the dues of Gentiles and heathenish exercises For so the Protestants have taught that all things in the service of God not according to the Scripture are not only superstitious but profane This I am now with God to prove that there is no Gospel-Ordinance in all the Churches neither in letter or forme much lesse in spirit and truth neither Baptisme nor breaking of Bread nor Prayers nor Preaching nor a Psalme c. First Their Baptizing of Children is so childish a tradition that both the Baptized Churches and some Presbyterian brethren have fully confuted their folly and yet these Churches also come farre short of the truth of Baptisme in the form and end thereof both these we shal prove hereafter that the outward forme of Baptisme was not by dipping but by washing the Disciples feet those that believed went down to the water as t were up to the ancles for the first rising of waters up to the ancles was but a type of that state of Gospel-Saints who should have the first fruits of the Spirit Ezek. 47.3 for the first Churches and Apostles had no more of the Spirit there-they thus were baptized But Secondly the end of Baptisme with water was not that it should abide for ever Joh. 14.16 that was onely the promise of the spirit the spirit or baptism of the spirit was to abide to continue and increase till the waters which were to the ankles should arise to a fulnesse Ezek. 47. to a floud that no man might passe over the baptism of water was to decrease and die in time he must increase saith John but I must decrease Job 3.30 but by the Apostacie the Baptism of Christ the Baptism of the spirit has decreased and the Baptism of water the Baptism of John hath increased and continued to this day Again the Baptism of water which was in the Apostles times was rather by permission then by command 1 Cor. 1.17 an indulgence to the Church that was for the most part carnall as circumcision and many things of Moses Act. 16.3 Act. 21.24 26. did continue for a time in the Gospel-churches so the Baptism of John the baptism of water was not to continue no longer Therefore the doctrine of Baptisms the first principle of Christ is not yet known by any of the Churches who like the whore sitting upon the waters content themselves with the Baptism of water and that in a false way the Presbyters baptise the whole Nation Independents children of beleevers only the baptised Churches dip beleevers indeed but do not baptise them in a true form nor right end not owning baptism of the Spirit at all For this indeed is the baptism of Christ the baptism of the spirit which is not a bare presence of the spirit in graces or in some gifts for
experiments from outward providences from the writings of Poets and prophane Authors yea from all the Creation Therefore 't is plaine there is no preaching of the Gospell by any Independent-Church or preacher whatsoever But still our Ministers cry Do we not preach as the Apostles did not Paul and Peter hold forth Christ after flesh I answer againe The Apostles indeed did hold forth Christ after the the flesh 1 Because their Ministery was much in the Letter having but the first-fruits of the Spirit 2 They preacht much of Christ after the flesh to the Jewes proving him to be the Messias by Scriptures but to the Heathen who know no Scriptures nor expected the Messias thereby Christ after the flesh is never named to them by the Apostles but Christ only in Spirit God in mans flesh which they manifested yea God manifest in the flesh of the Creation as we said before for this is Christ in Spirit also 3. Though the Apostles did preach Christ after the flesh yet not as the end as the adequate or ultimate object of their ministry or of mens beleiving but Christ being the only way to the Father by him men were brought to God and by him did believe in God that all the Christian knowledg faith of men might tend end in God 1 Pet. 3.18 4. The Apostles were so much Ministers of the spirit yea could so minister the Spirit to men 1 Pet. 1.21 2 Cor. 3.6 Gal. 3.5 that in the man Christ Jesus they could manifest God even the Father in perfect union with Men as with Christ and so raise up beleevers from Christ after the flesh to Christ in spirit to God in their flesh as in his No Minister of the Churches this day has this ministry of the Spirit neither can they manifest the Mystery of Christ in us but carry their hearers no higher then Christ in flesh and there leave them in the flesh which profiteth nothing Joh. 6.63 though God in his free grace and love takes up all his to himself the quickening spirit living in them and revealing himself to men as he pleases Yet this we shall with God make good hereafter when we come to speak of Doctrines that the Churches know not the Doctrine of Christ nor yet so much as Christ after the flesh for what was the Man Christ Jesus but God in flesh the Saviour of men not the Man but God in that man was Jesus the Saviour For as God in Christ was the Reconciler c. 2 Cor. 5.29 so God in Christ was the Redeemer of the world God in him was the Head and Husband of the Church God even the Father was all in all in that flesh brought forth of a Virgin the hypostaticall Union so called being not between the person of the Son and humane Nature but the humane Nature united to God even the Father was the person of the Son The preaching of the Gospel was thus to manifest God in the flesh of men as in the man Christ and men in union with the Father as that Man that Man-God being in us Act. 10.38 Isa 8.8 10. because God was in him for as God was with him so God is with us and God with us is Christ Immanuel Without this knowledge taught of God men preach not Christ but they preach Man and themselves 5. A Psalm was the musick of Churches and the melody of the Gospel but the sound of the Gospel being not heard how we heare a Psalme sung in the Churches Indeed under the Law a Psalm was in ryme and meeter Secondly in tune and melody Thirdly the multitude altogether did sing but a Gospel Psalme was no such thing and the Churches of Christ had no such order women were forbid to speak in the Church much lesse to sing A Psalme then was a special gift of the spirit whereby some one filled with the Spirit and word of Christ did speake the praises of God with exceeding joy and full of Glory I say t was a special gift of the Spirit how is it brethren when you come together every one of you hath a Psalme hath a doctrine hath a tongue hath a Revelation hath an interpretation let all things be done to edifying 1 Cor. 14.26 The Apostle doth not there chide the Corinthians for their disorder as speaking together but he commends their order and decency ver 40. that every one spake that is none spake but according to the gift of the Spirit which each had some had a doctrine that is no common truth delivered but some speciall and glorious discovery of God Esa 29.24 again a tongue and interpretation were two other gifts of the Spirit and a Revelation or the manifesting of the Truth that was long hid from the Churches this was a gift so was a Psalme not which every one had no not all saints but some had a Psalme that is such a one who was filled with the Spirit and word of Christ or Gospel knowledge He could sing that is speak the prayses of God with exceeding joy men thinke they doe not sing unlesse they make a noise like a bird or tune their voice but to sing in the Gospel language is no more then to speak Speaking to your selves in Psalmes hymms and spiritual songs making melody in your hearts to the Lord there was no tune in the voice but in the heart no melody to men but to the Lord God for to sing was to speak his prayses as is plaine 1 Cor. 14 15 16 Ephes 5.20 Col. 3.17 not that every speaking or praysing God is singing but such as was with exceeding joy if any be afflicted let him pray if any be merry let him sing Psalmes Jam. 5. let him expresse his mirth the joy and melody of his heart in the prayses of God as those Re. 14.1 who had the Fathers name on their fore heads i.e. who had a full discovery of God in them were as the voice of Harpers harping with their Harps ver 2. none could sing that song but themselves ver 3. now all all can sing Davids Psalmes the Churches songs but those who sing the song of the Lambe have not Davids harp but the Harpes of God the joy of the Holy Spirit unspeakable and full of Glory Rev. 15.2 'T is too long at present to shew how the Churches as it was said of the Princes of Egypt do err in every work of their hand Isa 19.14 erring in all their Ordinances duties dayes of Fasting feasts of Thanksgiving conforming in all to the National Churches but especially in sanctifying the Lords Day There is nothing they are more dark in then in this whereas the Lords Day is no more then the Day of the Lord the Day of God when God shall reveal himself to men and in them cleerly as John saith of himself Revel 1.10 I was in the spirit on the Lords day that is the manifestation of God in flesh when God did fully reveal
privater assemblings according to the rule of St. James Chap. 5. v. 13. Is any among you afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes yea the prayer dictated by Christ to his disciples Mat. 6. Luke 11 2 3 4. seems to be of the same import there being some Petitions especially that v. 3. Give us day by day our daily bread squared to the particular condition of the Disciples themselves for they being to be sent out into the world without money or scrip c. and without ordinary accommodation for the relief of the natural man had need have their daily recourse to and dependance upon him for a supply of those things when as they who have tasted of the goodnesse of God in a plentifull provision of outward enjoyments have greater reason to rejoyce in and magnifie that goodness then to goe forth in desires after that which they already enjoy where by the way it may be queried whethere that prayer were intended for the body of the Saints or the Disciples only and for other Saints no otherwise then as their case suited with that of his Disciples Yet even near the Apostolick times the memory of the Jewish observations being fresh some of the Christian Doctors did lalour to reduce the Saints to the same yoke of bondage as to the strictness of time place and season which the Jews were under An instance of this we have in Clemens living in the very age of the Apostles Clem. 1.52 and who is said to have wrote Epistles to the Corinthians as Paul did in one of which he laies it as a duty upon Christians to perform their services and observations statutis Temporibus horis at set times and seasons and saies that God hath commanded it by his supreme will but where that command is to be found he determins not neither is it any where to be found in the New Testament but rather the contrary but from the practice of the Jews in the Old and so a late learned Critick expounds those words of Clemens that the force of the command lies in the Analogy between the old Testament and the new and not in any particular Text or Scripture under the Gospel As for Prayer he was led into the secret places of the Almighty to see that it was not to be limited as the Jews did to morning and evening tides that it was the least part of it to be vocal That all divine performances are to be managed within that it was proper only for Saints and not mixt multitudes upon which account he was not observed to be frequent in the external demonstration of this or other duties yet he prayed alwaies and in every thing gave thanks yea being afflicted with all the sufferings of all the Saints he managed within himself such groans as could not be uttered Rom. 8. How many now adaies do place all their duties in being seen and heard of men How many outward services do they perform one day after another which perish with the using How are we ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth If such men think they stand let them take heed lest they fall Yet our Author wanted not a clearer demonstration of the truth and power of his Religion then any seemingly religious and external rite could afford viz The works of righteousness and mercy amongst men which justified his faith and shewed his religion to be pure and undefiled Jam. 1. 3. He is a Blasphemer that speaks evil of dignities and of those things which he knows not Jude 8.10 If so let them take heed to themselves who are cloudes without water wandring stars c. That place seems to be understood of those that took upon them to be guides and teachers to others for a cloude guided Moses and a star the wise men who pretending to be divinely sent and commissioned yet speak evil of those dominions and dignities those higher discoveries which they cannot comprehend As for our Author his thoughts of God were raised together with his discoveries of him he owned truth in the power of it 't was only the traditional customs which many place their Religon in which our Author did decry upon which account Christ himself bore the brand of a Blasphemer before him 4. The Scriptures were owned by him as given by inspiraration yet the bare letter not rested in but the truth and power being the treasure hid in the field sought after Yea 't were well if men were single in their adhesion to the Scripture not respecting so much any formal or worldly interest as the equity of those rules and directions therein contained the Majesty of which is such that they have been admired even by Heathens an instance we have in our English Chronicle K. John sent Ambassadors to the King of Marocco in Africa proferring him to renounce Christianity and to receive the Mahumetan religion from him The King made answer that he had been lately reading St. Pauls Epistles where he found so many excellent things that if he himself had been without a Religion he would have chosen his and so dismissed the Ambassadors Math. Par. Yet 't is an usual artifice of Satan in all ages to set up the letter of a thing against the truth and power of it yea no opposition so fierce as that which is managed by the man of Form against the true spiritual worshipper 'T is not enough for men to urge the letter of the Scripture for such or such a practice lest they can shew the same spirit animating and enlivening their practice which was in the primitive times otherwise the practice is not the same but another from it because acted in another spirit the spirit being that which gives its true being and denomination to each part of spiritual worship and when the outward practice was abstracted from its primitive and original spirit and graffed on mens own spirits then came in the Antichrist and the deceivablenss of unrighteousness And though the letter of the word in some sense is a Skreen to secure Antichrist yet the spirit of the Lord in his more discerning servants will find him out 5. As is the Scripture such are the Ministers of it i such as act in the truth and power or in the form and notion only when Christ appeared he set himself in directest opposition against the Pharisee i. the Minister of the Law and was in that sense an Antiministrist as having a more excellent Ministry to hold forth to the world the first Ministry of the Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors was not denyed by our Author but how it could be continued during the Apostasit or how and when renewed are questions and cases not so clearly stated but that they may well admit of doubts and scruples especially since the gifts which accompanied the first Ministry are ceased and our Author was of this mind better no Ministry then a pretended one 6. After Ministry follow
his sake as if Christ procured the love of the Father to them or merited life and salvation for them or as if God would not hear them but for his worthinesse sake words not spoken of in Scripture neither hath his Intercession any such carnal sense For as the Son is none else save the Manifestation of the Father so the Son can do nothing of himself Joh. 4.9.10 but manifest the Fathers love to us and our life in God with him He being but the way to the Father God even the Father being the end and ultimate object of all our Christian knowledge confidence faith yea all that divine worship and honour given to the Son is to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2.10 11. 1 Pet. 1.21 John 1.14 John 17.21 22 23. it tends and ends in God though by Christ and through Christ that is thus We beholding in him the glory of the Father full of grace and truth I say we seeing Christ one with the Father and his flesh full of God God even the Father being perfect in union with him and he the beloved of God living in the Father alone We see by this the same true in our selves for he is the truth and life as well as the way and learning the truth as it is in Jesus Ephes 4.21 the life of God is thus revealed in us also God revealing his Son in us first so we pray in Christs name we pray as the Son to the Father as those who are perfectly one with God the onely beloved and living in the Father alone This is indeed to be with Christ Joh. 17.24 this to behold his glory nor carnally in heaven but here in us in the spirit Indeed the people of God who lived under the Law not knowing the Mystery of God and of Christ nor their union with the Father did worship God as at a distance for the Holy of Holiest they came not neer standing aloof off from that glorious Majesty whose name was great and fearfull therefore they did not yet draw nigh to the throne of grace Hebr. 4.14 16. nor had that accesse with boldnesse as to the Father but begg'd in all their prayers for his name sake for his own sake sometimes for the Lords sake Dan. 9.17.19 but in the Gospel state no saint did ever pray so nor did any Christian prayer end as ours For Christ Jesus sake neither is this speech once named in the new Testament We please our selves much with the often name of Christ though in truth we pray not in his name at all The Apostles had not the name of Christ sometimes in all their prayers Act. 1.24 yet prayed alwayes in his name in him and through him they went to God as having the same fellowship with the Father as the Son and seeing themselves as full in the love of the Father as he Therefore he saith In that day ye shall ask me nothing John 16.23 and yet at that day ye shall ask in my name ver 29. In that day in the day of the spirit when the Son should appear in the Father onely and in them John 14.20 they should not ask of the Son nor pray to Christ any more as they did indeed before but they shall ask the Father in his name onely not as men carnally conceive of Christ praying to the Father for us and so they pray to God for Christs sake nay saith Christ I say not to you that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you Job 16.26 because ye have loved me and have beleeved ihat I came out from God that is Think not that my Father will not hear you but for my sake for the Father himself loveth you freely as he loveth me and so ye love me not for my own sake but as I am the manifestation of the Father as I came forth from God How falsly then is that Scripture as other Scriptures of this kinde translated Ephes 4.32 Forgive one another as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Whereas 't is no other in the Original then thus as God in Christ hath forgiven you For as God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself so God in Christ is All and Christ is all in all in us and we being in him do ask in his name Thirdly the Churches cannot pray in the spirit Eph. 6.18 not having that spirit sutable to a Gospel state as we shewed before at best all their prayers are legall as the prayers of Saints under the Law for though they repeat never so oft the name of Christ they do but take the name of God in vain not knowing God in Christ nor Christ in them nor the spirit of Christ the spirit of the Son which Gospel saints indeed had else they had been none of his Rom. 8.9 But I beleeve many now are the Lords that have but a legal spirit but the spirit of bondage the spirit of a servant not the spirit of a son Gal. 4.1 3. 6. compared much lesse the spirit of the Son Saints now deceive themselves in thinking they have the spirit of adoption the witnesse of the spirit the seal of the spirit the earnest of the spirit Alas how little assurance had saints a while ago what long discourses were learned religious men fain to make and find out what witnesse the witnesse of the Spirit was yea best men were scarce sure of their Salvation at last or must have signs to know the people of God questioning they might be hypocrites whereas no Saint under the Law even in time of desertion did ever doubt of his salvation Psal 22.1 Psal 88.1.15 Iob 13.16 Nor Secondly did they question whether they were the people of God or no Nor Thirdly That they were Hypocrites yet this was usuall with our Gospel-saints not long since and it may be were the better Christians then being sensible of their bondage but now Saints like those Jewes who counting themselves free see their liberty freedom by being in a Church-state Ioh. 8.33 as children of Abraham and people of God therefore for some conformity to the Law or to the Letter of Gospel commands but I beleeve few have that full assurance to the end Heb. 36.14 Col. 1.23 Eph. 1.19.20 few rooted and established in the Gospell none know the exceeding greatnesse of his mighty power which is indeed the Spirit the Spirit of the Sonne the Gospel spirit the Spirit of Liberty Alas How can Christians boast of this that are in Babylon in Bondage under the Spirit of Antichrist Antichrist being in that power in the best Saints who are in a farre differing dispensation from the Gospell state Rom. 12.12 1 Thes 5.16 1 Thes 3.10 But to pray in the spirit was to pray continually to pray without ceasing not twice or thrice a day as wt do but praying night and day which was not on their knees or at a
set time or in a forme of words though Christ did use thus to pray being a Minister of the Circumcision and in the duyes of his flesh living under the Law yet I conceive that the private prayers of Gospel-saints was not in sound of voice or forme of words but waiting upon God in Christ for the supplyes of the Spirit and of all good things promised as may appeare Rom. 8.25 26. we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities with groanings which cannot be uttered We know what to utter what to pray for in our formall prayers yea we have the forme and patterne of all our petitions framed in ous heads before we utter them we know what to pray for besides we have our set times of our houres of prayers our duty times as we call it We pray morning and evening as David and Daniel did use to do under the Law Psa 58 17. Dan. 6.10 sure such duty times were never heard of in the Gospel times therefore praying in the Spirit scarce appeares in these times much lesse among those who are most zealous for it Fourthly There is no preaching in all the Churches no preaching of that they pretend no Gospel preaching for neither the doctrine of free grace nor discoursing of Christ after the flesh is the preaching of the Gospel Eph. 3.5 the Gospel is a Mystery hid from ages and generations before and under the Law not manifested to the sonnes of men till 't was to the Apostles and Prephets by the Spirit but the Covenant of Grace free-Grace the forgivenesse of sinne c. was fully manifested by Moses and the Prophets of old Againe Christ after the flesh is not the Gospel 2 Cor. 5.16 Col. 1.27 Mar. 1.14 for the Apostles would henceforth know Christ after the flesh no more not Christ without us but Christ in us is the mystery of Christ and of the Gospell also yea though Christ after the flesh did present the Gospell in part preaching peace to the Jewes the Kingdome of heaven being then at hand yet the Kingdom was not come nor the Gospel fully preached till Christ came againe and preached peace to them that were a farre off and to them that were high Ephe. 2.17 this comming of Christ was not in flesh for that was crucified before ver 16. but he came in spirit that is t was Christ in the Apostles that afterward preached seeing you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me saith Paul he knew Christ living in him 2 Cor. 13.3.5 Phil. 3.8 9. and himself crucified with Christ all his flesh and the goodlinesse thereof crucified his righteousnesse his gifts and graces as dung in respect of Christ in him that is God manifested in his flesh did slay all that flesh to himself that God alone might appear to live or Christ living in him and this is also Christ crucified in him I bear in my body the dyings of the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 4.10 Phil. 3.11 we see Paul preached nothing but Christ in him Christ dying in him Christ â—ising in him not as if I had attained to the Resurrection of the dead Indeed the Apostles did mention Christ after the flesh but yet so as therby to manifest the Mysterie of Christ in spirit of Christ in us of God in our flesh Christ suffered for sins the just for the unjust to bring us to God So that all the Ministers of the Churches come too short in these three things which the ministers of the Gospel had First they had the manifestation of the spirit in manifold gifts enabling them to preach the Gospel purely 1 Tim. 1.12 and with power they preach the Gospel by the holy spirit sent down from heaven 1 Pet. 1.12 which none of of our Ministers have Secondly They could clearly manifest the mysterie of the Gospel and preach glad tydings to every creature under heaven to every man and woman in the world Col. 1.23.28 presenting every man in Christ and Christ in every man Know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobate that is 2 Cor. 13.5 men void of judgement to discern your spirituall estate and being in Christ God being in every man and every mans being in God Act. 17.28 Thirdly the Ministers of the Gospel could not onely manifest the mystery by scripture but without scripture they could make it forth in the works of creation from the writings of poets the mysterie of God even the Father and of Christ For in him we live move and have our being and we are his off-spring we that is mankinde for the Poet means that and the Apostle also he is not farre from every one of us yea in every Creature the Apostle could manifest Christ Act. 17.27 therefore the Gospel is said to be preached in every creature under Heaven Col. 1.23 The Heavens declare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea day to day uttereth speech Psa 19.2 c. So the Sun Moon and Stars their sound is gone throughout all the world v. 4. That is the sound and speech of every creature and as the Gospel is called the witnesse of God 1 Cor. so the rain and fruitfull seasons doe fully witnesse God Thus the Apostles though to the Jews they spake from scriptures because the scriptures were owned by them Act. 14.17 yet to the Nations who denyed all scriptures of the prophets and knew no other then the poets and their own prophane authors the Apostle I say never preached to them out of scriptures for to what purpose was it to tell the heathen of Moses the prophets and the psalms or to preach of their sinnes as out New England Ministers doe to their Sagamoores very simply but as the mystery of the Gospell preached by the Apostles could not be read in Scriptures nor learnt by man at all but only as it was Revealed in them by the Spirit so they spake yea the Speakings of Christ out of Scripture was onely as a Minister of the Circumcision Luk. 4.17 First reading a Text out of the Law c. as all our Gospell-teachers can doe they cannot preach without a Text out of Scripture they have not the manifestation of the Spirit neither can they manifest the mystery of the Gospell the mystery of Christ in us of God manifested in our flesh they cannot present every man in Christ and every man living in God and God the Saviour in all men c. these glad-tydings there is no Minister can preach to any people much lesse to every creature to all Nations Ioh. 1.9 having no gifts of tongues or interpretation they cannot preach the Gospel to those who deny Scriptures Ioh. 4.12 they cannot convince any man by the light in them which is no other then Christ in them nor hold forth Christ from the appearance of God in the world from the light of the world that is in them from inward
water with measure whereas the Churches of Christ had the spirit given without measure so the chiefest Ministers have nothing bâ—t what comes of man to make and bake their bread withall therefore their bread which they break must needes be unclean or as the Prophet cals it the bread of mourners This mourning and famin of the Churches we shall speak of once more when we come to shew the judgement of the great whore but now our businesse is only to make her naked for this man chosen before to be a Ruler swore that as he had not bread so neither cloathing in his house to cover his nakedness This naked estate which the Laodicean Church could not see is nothing but the discovery of her shame and secret parts For this we shall see anon not only Babylon the great whores leggs made bare as that which is much spoken of by the Prophets to make bare her skirts but even Zyon's secret parts must be made bare also These secret parts are those spiritualities in men of parts as we call them their Parts and Arts and all their ability shall appear to be nothing but emptinesse and vanity for that 's the nakednesse that the Famin also foretold What is this famin or hunger 'T is the vanity and vexation of spirit out of the darknesse of understanding whereby the Churches vex and fret themselves that they cannot destroy all others who conform not to their forms This definition is clearly delivered in Scripture and applyed also here to the Churches as was shewed in part before of Ephraim feeding on the wind that 's vanity or emptinesse and upon the Eastwind that 's vexing and annoying the grouth of corn As by hunger is there an emptinesse of the stomack and a fretting of the guts with wind besides in famin men will feed on anothers flesh yea eat their own at last That which we said of the Churches eating the flesh one of another is that which we speak of here their seeking to destroy each other and others who conform not to them and this out of a darkness of understanding All is clear Isa 8.18 Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are signes and wonders in Israel Israel is the Church-state as those who are given to the Prophet are Saints carried forth to that glory which the Prophet speaks of even to God himself from all dead forms false Teachers and teachings of men v. 19. that such Saints are secretly wrought against by strong confederacy of the Churches is proved before v. 7. for sure according to man here is much cause of fear dread and destruction to such Saints who will not conform to their forms of Churches The Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of his people That is the Prophet could scarce forbear to walk in Church-fellowship with them had not God spoken by a strong hand and which held him from their societies for who would not walk with so many thousands in association joyned and gathered together But those who are instructed of the Lord know that the gatherings of the Nations yea of National Saints is for no other end than as sheaves are gathered to be thresht or as dry sticks are gathered to be broken Both these are Scripture expressions Mich. 4.12 Zeph. 3.8 the breaking in pieces of Churches is that which is here spoken of Zech. 11.10 For as Judah and Israel are by Ezekiel called two dry sticks dead bones so the Prophet here breaking his staffe Beauty shews that the Lord is breaking his Covenant that he made with all the people that is all the Churches are broken for their Covenant which once they thought and taught to be essential to the Church that Church-Covenant is now broken they are ashamed to call it so any longer 'T is now an Agreement or Association For as Church-fellowship is now called an Agreement of Saints to walk in the ways of Christ so when Saints differ or some great controversie ariseth here is an association of Churches nothing differing from a Classical or Provincial Presbytery though the Independant Elders are not pleased to call it so But what saith our Prophet Isay 3.8 Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces c. Formerly there was a gathering of Churches but the everlasting Gospel shall be yet preached by an Angel flying in the midst of heaven with more freedom and fulnesse of salvation with more light and glory then the first Apostles who preached the Gospel with the holy spirit sent down from heaven which the present Churches have not received yet conceive they can preach the Gospel having not the gift of the spirit to manifest the mystery but when Christ shall come again in spirit when Christ shall appear the second time without sin to salvation surely then death shall be quite abolished and that last enemy destroyed and utter destruction shall be no more for sin and evil shall be seen no more but salvation only and life shall be again brought to light with more glory then ever as I shall shew another time in another Treatise with God But now two parts of the Lords Land shall be cut off and die two parts of Gods people I count are scattered from God in gathered Churches these shall be cut off and die till they come out of Babylon till they return to God that is till they be gathered up to God such Saints are said to live whose life appears in God The next Judgements are Mourning and Famin this the Churches make to be the excellency of a Christian to be mourning for sin and complaining for the want of grace whereas this is but the weakness of a Saint the weak low and legal estate of Christians the Churches shall have enough of mourning and famin to the full while the Saints in the spirit shall be filled with joy joy in God and feast on the God-head dwelling in them My servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall howle for vexation of spirit and ye shall leave your name as a curse to my chosen for the Lord God shall slay thee and call his servants by another name Esa 65.13 14 15. These whom the Lord God will slay are the Apostate Churches which seperate themselves having not the spirit which say not only to the world but to Saints not in fellowwip with themselves stand by thy self come not near me for I am holyer then thou v. 5. These are said to remain among the graves and lodg in the monuments v. 4. because they are dead and the dead are there as in the Whores house before yea though they would build a house for God Esa 61.1 yet all their sacrifices and ordinances are but as the cutting off a doggs
spirit to continue their Church-state to be of a Gospel-glory wherein was the baptism of the spirit and all the gifts of the spirit were poured forth as rivers of living water on all the Churches of Christ for though every believer had not the baptism of the spirit nor those rivers flowing out of his belly because many believers then being carnal not spiritual had not a Gospel-faith faith in Christ yet every church of Christ was baptized with the spirit and had those manifold gifts manifest among them as the church of Corinth being most carnal yet came behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1.5 6 7. the church was adorned with all the gifts of the spirit and the manifestation of the spirit was given to every one to profit withall the spirit dividing to every one severally as he will 1 Cor. 12 7. to 12. and that his was the Gospel order which God set up in the church is plain v 27 28. now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular and God hath set some in the church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. This was the Ministry of the church and gifts of Christ not extraordinary as men say for that time as if Pastors and Teachers were the onely Ministers to continue in the churches to the last For though Teachers are last named Eph. 4.11 yet Teachers are also mentioned with the first with Apostles and Prophets 1 Cor. 12.28 and if God did set this order this ministry if Christ gave those gifts to the church how could the Church be wanting of those gifts of the spirit or gifts of Christ but by the spirit of Antichrist and Apostacy of the Church whereby the spouse became an harlot and the Christian church the great whore For what Scripture speaks of those gifts as extraordinary the gifts of the spirit were as ordinary for the church as the Ordinances why should Ordinances continue and not the gifts why should baptism and breaking of bread abide more then the baptism of the spirit and all those gifts seeing the spirit was given to abide with them for ever who promised that indulgence and dispensation that though the first churches of Christ were set by God in that order with manifold gifts of the spirit yet the churches afterward might stand in a Gospel order without any one gift manifest among them who made those Apostolike commands Apochrypha desire spiritual gifts be zealous of spiritual gifts that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church Where is a Psalme or a Doctrince or a Tongue or Interpretation or Revelation all being unto edifying and how is the church edifyed or built up now unless unto a Babel what confusion of tongues must needs be when there is no gift of tongue either to translate Scriptures truely or truely to interpret them in the gift of the spirit or to reveal the secrets and spiritual mysteries in them that have been hid from Ages and Generations since the Apostacy and is there not as much need of the spirit and power to restore all things that have been lost as to confirm the Gospel when 't was first published by the Apostles And is not the Ministry of Apostles as necessary now to preach the everlasting Gospel to the world seeing Pastors and Teachers must only attend their particular churches But where are there those Pastors and Teachers and Elders whom Apostles were to appoint and ordain where are the Apostles hands with the laying on of hands of the Presbytery Was it not the Apostles Office in chief to ordain Elders in every church and were not Evangelists designed by them to ordain Elders in every City were not Apostles only to set in order things in the church What church then can be in order without an Apostle were not the Apostles the only speakers who concluded and did all in Synods what can a Christian Synod do without them how can a church excommunicate or cast out but by the spirit of an Apostle who is still said to deliver to Satan In a word what Gospel can be in the world or Government in the church without an Apostle yea what ordinance can be in order without them for the very baptism of water as it was not to be before the baptism of the holy spirit and of fire on the church the doctrine of Christ being not baptism but the doctrine of baptisms so none could baptize but the Apostles or such who had a special commission confirmed with gifts of the spirit as Philip and Ananias For not every one that could preach but he that could teach all Nations was to baptize and that could not be but by the gift of tongues yea none could baptize but with the promise of the gift of the spirit annexed as none could preach the Gospel but by the holy spirit sent down from heaven which the baptized churches have not attained to nor can promise to their dipt believers Next to Baptism the Doctrine or Ordinance of laying on of hands follows whereto as the Apostles hands must be joyned so the gift of the spirit was ever with it without which the laying on of hands is but an empty ceremony as 't is in all the churches only the church of Scotland is more subtile and wise not to use that foolish complement but to ordain without any laying of hands knowing no gift is now given thereby unless it be a good Parsonage as in the English Presbytery but in the primitive there was a gift given by the laying on of the hands of the Eldership with the Apostles on the Elders to be ordained who also received the gift of healing by the laying on of their hands on the sick anoynting them with oyl signifying the spirit which was given indeed as the hands laid on did shew the same thing even the spirit and power from on high given to those who were ordained and approved for the ministry Now where are such administrations or such a ministry where is that manifestation of the spirit in these last Laodicean churches who are just like the church of Laodicea in this first that they are last of all the churches that have been or shall be Secondly that as Laodicea in the Greek imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the judgement of the people or Nations so not only the National churches but the separated ones are now judged by Christ Thirdly as the church of Laodicea thought best of her self being therefore the worst of all the churches the former six churches though some evils and failings were condemned in them yet were commended for some good which was not to be found at all in Laodicea that thought she was rich and had need of nothing whereas she was blind and naked So Presbyterian churches may justly be condemned of much evil and failing yet are to be commended that they pretend still Reformation but the last reformed and most refined churches of the Separation say they are rich and have need of nothing