Deut. 32. 19 21. and Christ after him Mat. 9. 12 13. Cleansedness from the pollutions of the World corruption of Nature revival from their death in trespasses and sins hinders not but Satan may re-enter old sins recover dominion and so the members of that building on the sand that kingdom or heaven that may be shaken Heb. 12. 26 27. may come to be trees twice dead fit only to be plucked up by the roots cast into the fire and burned Iude 12. and Heb. 6. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 20 22. Mat. 7. 22 27. and Chap. 12. 43 45. Ezek. 16. 38. And as it is not the present freedom from natural pollution so neither is it the ornament of excellent gifts supernatural or infused humane learning much less natural parts and acquired humane learning the tongue of men and angels all dexterity of expressing â—heir conceptions either intuitively or by a sound of words incident to those two choicest ranks of treasures in their first-creation-capacity that can secure them from being but as sounding brass or tinckling cymbals 1 Cor. 12. 31. and 13. 1. Ezek. 16. 1 15. A great noise they may make a great repute they may have as the onely compleat interpreters of the Oracles of God yet all amounts but to an indistinct uncertain sound No man can tell thereby how to prepare himself to the battel 1 Cor. 14.7 8. and Ezek. 33. what weapons or what armour to provide They give no right character of those spiritual weapons mighty through God for the pulling down of strong holds in our selves and others 2. Cor. 10.4 or of that whole armour of God Ephes. 6. 11. wherein alone the true believer is able to wrestle it out not onely against flesh and blood but against Principalities Powers Rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places vers 12. The onely new-creature spirit in man that is greater than he that is in the world 1 Iohn 4. 4. is set at naught by those that warrant the first building secure is contradicted blasphemed called the devil The wisdom of God is by them tearmed the wisdom of the Serpent Did not matters go thus between Christ and the Master-builders in Religion amongst the Iews They reject the chief corner stone Psal. 118. 22. Mat. 21. 42. and how is their house like to stand it may indeed be emptied of filth swept cleansed garnished with excellent gifts and ornaments Mat. 12. 44. 2 Pet. 2. 20. 1 Cor. 12. 31. Ezek. 16. 9 13. Yet in all this flourish there may be a deep unsuspected ignorance or inadvertency of the more excellent way the way of love or state of divine Life wherein the stones of their building members of their Churches are capable to be brought forth by being broken and formed up anew into an unchangable harmony and indissoluble union of spirit with the Lord 1. Cor. 6. 17. If this be gain-said the onely spirit and spiritual harness that accommodates men for a successful contest with the devil and all the powers of darkness is wholly laid aside How then shall we fight the battels of the Lord when that very faith is decried as a diabolical fiction that is the onely principle of Life in men whereby to undertake resist conquer triumph over the devil and swallow up death it self into victory Let us no longer be flattered by our crafty over-reaching adversary into a security and satisfaction in such armour and weapons as he knowes he can strip us of at pleasure and re-enter The renewed spirit of man however accomplished and adorned with spiritual gifts the wisdom the righteousness of man are not the spirit the weapons the armour of God nor can secure any man from the most fatal and irrecoverable apostacy Many stars of the first magnitude as to all this glory and ornament have often been known to fall from this kind of Heaven or Kingdom of man's righteousness Besides all the sad instances in former ages for this have not the late years of Englands deliverance brought upon this stage of ours and exhibited to our view multitudes of teachers and professors who have notably shined forth in this glory wisdom and righteousness through the knowledge of Christ after the flesh accompanied with excellent gifts and yet through a spirit of enmity and contradiction a root of bitterness springing up in them Heb. 12. 15. against the more excellent way the Life of Faith the Cross of Christ the true Circumcision which worship God in the spirit Phil. 3. 3. have most evidently apostatized from and lost even that they had yea and have been the meanes of betraying the whole Nation afresh and rolling all back again into more insufferable bondage than ever We may say and hear this with weeping And moreover do we not yet daily experience an instability in such principles ornaments weapons armour Are not multitudes of professors at this pass still yea and nay off and on with God and so with sin and satan to And will it alwayes be so well Will these wavering Principles this unstable kind of life and righteousness if not quitted for a better be ever able to secure us from a final parting with God and entire closing with the devil as one spirit with him The unstable nature of man's first-creation at best must either ascend into a fixed union with Christ in spirit and so contract an everlasting disability to any thing which is evil 2 Cor. 13. 8. or else it will descend into a fixed union with the devil and thereby contract an everlasting inability to any thing that is good The first created freedom of man's will to good and evil the liberty of the sons of men however renewed again by Christ will be finally swallowed up either into a diabolical freedom to evil onely and not at all to good or into a divine freedom to good onely and not at all to evil which is the glorious liberty of the sons of God wherewith Christ makes those that receive him free indeed John 1. 12. and Chap 8. 36. Let us then put off the armour of man even of the renewed old man as David did Sauls and put on the whole armour of God the new man which after God is created in wisdom righteousness and true or everlasting holiness Ephes. 4. 24. Then the spiritual Goliah will certainly fall before us 'T is the divine new-creature-Life onely with spiritual weapons can over set all his power of darkness and detect all the crafty stratagems and methods of delusion to the last period of his mystery of iniquity Professors in the first-building flourishing in the wisdom glory and righteousness of the Law or of the ruling activity of renewed humane Nature and rectified rational Powers though received from Christ himself as no mean fruit or benefit of his death if they oppose contradict and blaspheme the true fighting conquering and reigning principle of divine Nature in the second they do thereby become worse than those foolish and contemptible
sinners of the Gentiles that never yet peeped out of the bondage of sensual Lusts. Men of this spirit in Religion stand every moment liable to be run a ground by Satan into the most dangerous and remediless posture of all a latter end worse than their beginning a state of sin and sorrow unchangedable This we are still to have in our eye Where ever two or more natures meet together in any creature 't is the true interest and concern of that creature to yield up the Scepter and Government over all other nature life and operation in it to that which is in it self superiour to all the rest and best able with safety to manage the whole person Divine nature that is the highest Principle of Life and operation communicable to man will upon on lower tearms enter as an ingredient into his constitution than to be king 'T will be Caesar or nothing 'T is man's interest priviledge security it should be so 'T is not in man that walketh at his best estate with stability certainty and continuance to direct his steps Jer. 10. 23. He is therefore in a sort under the curse of the Law even whilst he is working the righteousness of it because not in the continuing principle For 't is said Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Paul alledges this as a warning-piece to those that were of the works of the Law or that were working righteousness but in the single activity and ruling power of their own renewed enlightened cleansed spirit and humane principles Gal. 3. 10. The question is Whether God's Spirit or our own be best at working righteousness steering our course directing our steps whether Law or Grace Old or New-creature Life the Soveraignty of our own or God's Spirit in us be fitter to undertake the work keep off Satan from re-entry sin from returning into dominon Paul warrants us not safe from the most dangerous apostacy under the Law or ruling power of our own renewed mind but under grace onely the Law of the spirit of Life or ruling authority of participated divine Nature Men are ready to say here as Pilate to the Jewes in a different case concerning Christ's person What will ye crucifie our King Strike down the ruling authority of the Law or soveraignty of our own renewed mind for the directing of our steps Yes 'T is best for you to let this king this spirit be taken to task in you bruised sacrificed crucified triumphed over and brought into an everlasting captivity and most desirable subjection to a better king a better spirit that can wilde the scepter of righteousness in you with a more steady hand against all enemies Men should take heed indeed of yeilding up the Scepter out of their own hands to a worser spirit the devil who will not fail to use all his wiles engines and glittering flourishes as transformed into an angel of Light to impose himself upon us as our Baal or Moloch our Lord and King Such error may involve us in a more dangerous hardened fixed enmity to all farther visits or approaches of the Redeemer than ever and in a remediless deprivation of all further benefits of his sacrifice and death It was the refusal to surrender up the ruling power of their own renewed spirit to be bruised crucified and triumphed over by the fire-baptism of the spirit of Christ upon it that made the Princes of this world the Priests Scribes Pharisees and other professing Jewes 1 Cor. 2. 8. that were reigning as Kings as to the righteousness of the Law 1 Cor. 4.8 cry out so eagerly and prevailingly to Pilate that Christ himself might be crucified He that is not made willing by the second divine new creature-birth of Christ in him to have the first birth of a renewed humane life and Principle in him thus handled will be sure to prove a spiritual Idolater at last become a member of mystical Babylon trample under foot the Son of God count the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified in the first birth as it is offered in a farther and greater benefit thereof for the working this spiritual new-creature-form and more excellent spirit in him an unholy thing a diabolical figment doing thereby despight to the spirit of grace which is the sin against the holy Ghost Heb. 10. 29. Mat. 12. 31 32. 'T is better to be servants and subjects under God's spirit then Rulers in the soveraign authority and uncontrolled activity of our own God's service is that perfect freedom wherewith the son makes us free indeed our soveraignty leaves us liable to eternal bondage 'T is better in this sense also to obey God rather than men his spirit in us than our own yea to bring our own with all that before it was Ruler ofâ— into pure and everlasting subjection to God's we shall otherwise be sure to find our selves at last under the dominion of sin again Let as many natures as will be in man that nature or principle of Life and operation in him that rules denominates the person If sensual nature in its operations desires and delights bear sway in a man over the head of his own rational powers causing them to truckle under it and become serviceable in their witty pleadings and devisings to gratify and humour that over which they should be rulers that man is a beast If rational powers bear sway over sensual he is a man If spiritual a Saint The participated divine nature is the onely spring of the power of godliness in man and sure foundation of eternal Life The grace of God that bringeth salvation reaching effectually to deny all ungodliness open and mystical to Tit. 2. How apt are men to give up the scepter and soveraignty over themselves into the hands of the basest principle of Life in them sensual and how apt is that to catch at the scepter as the basest of men have been usually catching at visible Thrones and Soveraignty over others that are Princes in understanding a hundred times more men than themselves Such Princes are oft walking as servants upon the earth when servants are upon horses It is an evil an error which proceedeth from the Ruler to set folly in great dignity and let the rich sit in low place Eccles. 10. 5 7. Those men that are willingly subject to the basest lusts of sensual Life in their own persons are willing to set up the basest of men on outward visible Thrones over them Dan. 4. 17. that they know are in bondage to the same inferiour lusts with themselves and therefore such under whom the godly man ceaseth and the vilest men will be exalted Psal. 12. 1 8. What amounts all this to without us and within us but a most irrational yeelding up our selves into captivity under the soveraign authority of the bramble as in Iotham's Parable Iudg. 9. 7 15. In such case the bramble when once it finds it self
6. He that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not 1 Iohn 5. 18. That which the Believer hath in common with his Persecutors flesh and blood that cannot enter into the Kingdom of God is all that Divel◠or Men can touch And this no farther no◠till such time as God permits which never is till he hath served his Generation done his Work and it be great gain to him to be stripped of his mantle that he may come fully to experience what he hath been long obscurely guessing at amongst his fellow 〈◊〉 Mortality swallowed up of Life 2 Cor. 5. 4. Spiritual or divine Life and the things 〈…〉 righteousness glory and all concerns thereof have more of essence and so of intelligibility in them than any first creation Life or things They are therefore in themselves more intelligible though less yea not at all understood by man 1 Cor. 2. 14. What 's the matter where lies the fault In man's understanding The objects are too dazling and bright for it over-master over-set it That is not all They are quite out of its reach shut up in an utter invisibility It can receive no notice of them but in a type and if this condiscention be made for the expression of them it decries allegory runs away with the shadow and rejects the substance But if God please to enlighten and raise mans understanding in some hopeful measure towards its first-created capacity will that do it No. There is utterly a fault an inability in it at its best to take the immediate view of these things This seems a hard saying But God himself who pronounced of every thing in the first-creation that it was very good Gen. 1. 31. doth yet comparatively find fault with the very best things in it Heavens Angels Men and that at their best estate 'T is written His Angels he charged with folly Job 4. 18. The Heavens are not clean in his sight Job 15. 15. and Every man at his best estate is altogether Vanity Psal. 39. 5. The first Covenant or first state of Life in man and communion therein with God was faulty comparatively with the new-creature-state of man and the new and everlasting Covenant-communion with God that he forms and sets up the Believer in by true Regeneration Think we what we will if God say so shall we contradict and blaspheme He tells us If the first Covenant had been faultless there had been no place for the second Heb. 8. 7. and Gal. 3. 21. If there had been a Law or a ruling power of Life given and set up in man at first or renewed since that could have given Life or have carried us through for eternal life everlasting righteousness and Life should have been by that Law there would have needed no other by a new creation God will not do any thing that is impertinent or redundant So Rom. 11. 6. If eternal Life be by Grace or by the Law of the Spirit of Life Rom. 8. 2. brought into man by a new creation then it is no more of works proceeding from the utmost activity of the Law or ruling power of natural Life and perfection set up in man at his first creation What shall we say to these things How is man out in his divinity God's thoughts are not as our thoughts nor his ways as our ways they are 〈…〉 8 9. his footsteps are not known To be 〈…〉 unequal He will be Judge Every way of man is right in his own eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts Shall not the Iudge of all the earth do right Can he do wrong God is 〈◊〉 a man that he should lie He giveth not account of any of his matters Job 33. 13. neither is there need for he will not do wickedly or pervin◠Iudgement he will not lay upon man more then right that he should enter into Iudgement with God Job 34. 12. and 23. But the person here character'd as he affected not to be mystical in his person so nor obscure in his language 'T is the fleshly veil on mens understandings as to his matter that makes them carp at his expression and cry obscure obsucre doth he not speak parables Ezek. 20. 49. The mystical reach and significancy of Scripture as exhibiting the peculiar form of new-creature Life under the letter or most significant figures thereof that are to be found in the first-creation by a sound of words lies so remote from the veil'd understandings of men that they make nothing on 't They are willing to be blinded and deceived as to Gods Truth that they may more 〈◊〉 please themselves in their own lie 2 Thes. 2. 10 12. and the 〈◊〉 Serpent the God of this World is as ready and willing to beguile and blind them that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God may not shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 4. In this discouraging posture of the present World did this believing Pilgrim wade through it waiting on the Lord and seeking out such acceptable words for the explicatiug of Divine Oracles as were most exactly calculated and accommodated to the understandings of men so as to unlock insinuate into and gain them by a holy guile into the entertainment thereof upon convincing demonstration of their grand concern therein He did most industriously set himself to bring forth the most inward thoughts of his heart in characters to be seen and read of all as to the Life hid with Christ in God experienced in his person and held forth in the Scriptures of Truth This was his essay in his Retired man's Meditations even to present to our view this mystical life in the most intelligible form language or certain sound of words he could any wayes hit upon which yet how subject they have left him to misconstructions through the ignorance and presumption of his confident undertakers is sad to see in their most groundless calumnies of his Person and gross mistakes of his Doctrine and Principles To obviate such causeless misprisions of him I shall briefly present you with some chief Remarques of his Life He was born a Gentleman My next word is so much too big for that that it may hardly seem decorous to stand so near it He was a chosen Vessel of Christ seperated as Paul from his mothers womb though not actually called till 14. or 15. Years standing in the world 't was longer ere Paul was called during which time such was the complexion and constitution of his Spirit through ignorance of God and his wayes as rendred him acceptable company to those they call good fellows yet at his worst restrained from that lewdness intemperance sometimes leads into which he hath been oft heard to thank God for and so long he found tollerable quarter amongst men Then God did by some signal impressions and awakening dispensations startle him into a view of the danger of his condition On this he en◠his former jolly Company
Synagogues Away with him away with such a fellow from the earth say they it is not fit that he should live Act. 22. .22 We find the Iewish religious party that served Paul thus striking hands with a proâ—ane Interest Act. 17. 5 7. Through envy at the spiritual believers Faith and Testimony they call to their assistance certain Iowa fellows of the baser sort set all the City in an uproar assault the house of Jason dragging him and other brethren before the Rulers of the City and crying These that have turned the World upside down are come hither also and do contrary to the Decrees of Caesar saying there is another King one Iesus This is the charge at all adventures they matter not much for proofes while they can find stones as they served Steven Act. 7. The World is turned upside down indeed But understand how O ye bruitish among the People ye fools when will ye be wise The honest Heathen is soberer than you the legal Christian is soberer than he the spiritual man is the soberest of all and he is reckoned the most disordered He speakes forth the words of greatest truth and soberness The case then is this when the World is in a mad bruitish disordered hurly burly they that attempt to bring righteousness a-floate are accused of turning it up side down Setting all to rights is reckoned the greatest Confusion The Rights of the Kingdom are reckoned the Wrongs of the King and many with whom the true native Rights of an earthly Kingdom will down are ready to startle at and resist the rights of Christs Kingdom in the Spirits and Consciences of men Even they will be ready to say of the Assertors of such Rights that they are no longer fit to live in the World that 's man's judgement The World is no longer worthy of them that 's God's Heb. 11. 38. 'T is plain God and men are of exceeding contrary Judgements concerning the true believer 'T is as plain We must all appear at last before the Iudgement seat of Christ for our final sentence 'T is plain also that we ought to obey God rather than Men Act. 5. 29. And not to be the servants of Men in things pertaining to God 1 Cor. 7. 23. From the cross constitution then which this world is generally found in to all Truth but most of all to the Spiritual and Sublimest sort of Truth it may appear what a hard time a Believer is like to have of it if he stand up for the Cause and Interest of God against the Devil who is called the God of this world 2 Cor. 4. 4. Here is the grand competitor of Christ that struggles for the Soveraignty the great red Dragon Rev. 12. 3. This is he that musters up animates and influences the sons of men to fight against God that he may exalt himself in them above all that is called God 2 Thes. 2. 4. Working in the children of disobedience at his pleasure Ephes. 2. 2. Do you see your General O ye sons of men will ye still fight under his Banner Consider the main Impostures of this self-transformer whereby you are beguiled into his Interest First He seduces your Understanding into this most false perswasision That he is the highest rational Being to whom doth of right belong the Legislative Authority and Supream Magistratical Dominion over the whole earth as God of this World under whose influence and dictates all earthly Thrones and Benches of Judicature ought to proceed in judgement Under this pretended and assumed Title of the highest rational Being he expects to be owned and submitted to as requiring no allegiance or obedience from his Subjects upon any other tearms than as he approves himself to their Consciences to mannage his Government exactly according to the Principles of humane Nature and Rules of right Reason Secondly He assumes and challenges to himself the Authority of the highest Spirit of Truth boasting himself as the infallible Teacher and Guide in matters of Faith and divine Worship in all things pertaining to the good and salvation of Souls Having thus assumed to himself these two grand prerogatives of Christ's Crown as the Supream Head not under but above Christ himself yea in direct contradiction to him in all Causes and over all persons as well Ecclesiastical as Civil 't is obvious to imagine what Titles Christ and his followers are like to have from this Dragon and his First They will boldly and openly assert that that which is indeâ—â— the spirit of Christ in him and his is an irrational Fanatick spirit destructive to all natural Order and good Government in humane Society Secondly That it is a deceitful deluding Spirit destructive to all sound Doctrine divine Institutions Church Order and Rule In these four things this grand Antichrist is the liar that denies Iesus to be the Christ. Under which Generals are comprehended multitudes of Particulars in his skilful methods of delusion needless here to be enumerated He that hath once gained these four points in the generallity of men will easily out-vote and cry down Christ and his for Blasphemers and Disturbers of mankind and accordingly handle them He prevailed even with the learned Religious Jewes to serve Christ thus Yea he attempted to seduce Christ himself to his party to own him for God fall down and worship him Christ refuses He therefore steers another course sets the Jewes upon it to call him Blasphemer and say he hath a Devil This is one step towards the accomplishing of his design when he hath once engaged men to say of Christ and his followers that they are Blaspemers and Devils he that thus makes them liars will make them Murtherers too they will soon cry Crucifie them Crucifie them right or wrong Away with them from the earth it is not fit that they should live Christ hath told us these things before hand Joh. 15. and Chap. 16. 1 and 4. that we should not be offended or surprised when they really come upon us If they have done these things to the green tree what will they do to the dry Luke 23. 31. The Servant is not greater than his Lord Joh. 15. 20. If the Master be called Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Matth. 10. 25. Satans followers have the start of Christ's for number they out-vote them clear He ha's four hundred lying Prophets against one true 1 Kings 22. 6. and vers 20 23. I suppose you may discern by this time whether this Sufferer or his Enemies were in the fault that he was reckoned a man of Contention But peradventure this may yet grow clearer by considering his Principles He spake much of Principles What meant he Some Fundamental Truths worded and propounded in a Book as Perkins his Six Principles or the like He meant inward ruling Principles or Springs of Life and operation in men By taking a little freedom in handling this Point I shall give you aim at his Principle in its
secure in the Throne will not fail to domineer over the other trees fig-tree vine olive or whatever else as if it were really the best of them all and no man must say to the contrary Yea to such unimaginable degrees of folly and presumption are the souls of men liable to be baffled by the devil and their own hearts as 't is not altogether improbable men of debauched consciences and bruitish conversations may think the superiority and dominion over men of Principles and Conscience was theirs of old and though now and then interrupted will be returned back into their hinds again as their right Man that is called a little World may receive instruction from what is observable to him in the greater for the giving of him aim how much he is concerned to be yeelding up all inferiour Life and operation in him to the sacrificing knife and transforming activity of the divine Nature or heavenly manhood of Christ in order to be reduced into an absolute harmony with subjection thereunto By this change he receives his own again with usury He loses the good holy but corruptible vanishing Life liberty and righteousness of the Sons of men and findes in the room thereof the more excellent most holy incorruptible marvellous light life wisdom righteousness and glorious liberty of the sons of God He findes himself enabled to do all things for the Truth in the power of God's spirit and disabled to do any thing against it in his own disabled to sin against God and wrong his own soul such weakness is his strength such captivity is his glorious liberty Thus Paul was made weak in Christ when others were strong and reigning as Kings in the single activity of their own renewed spirits which they also had from Christ 1 Cor. 4. 8. 10. But his weakness was better than their strength his seeming folly and despicableness better than all their wisdom and glory That the life righteousness glory and freedom of man at his best are but corruptible things all the World are my experimental witnesses say what they will to the contrary They are therefore to be accounted but as dung and loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ after the spirit for the wisdom righteousness and Life â—id with Christ in God the glory that excels Let us turn over and read the book of the visible creation and see what occurrs there conducible to this purpose The elements are content to loose their own single natures essences properties formes and qualities and run together into a quintessential compound distinct from them all The Earth parts with its vigor for the production of vegetables These again do readily surrender their life without resistance to feed the beasts of the field and thereby find their own life again with usury by way of resurrection in subjection to and association with the sensual life of the Beast The beast again looses its life becomes a sacrifice to man finding its own sensual life again with usury by way of resurrection in conjunction with and subjection to the rational life of man This rational life of man being yet but a corruptible first-creation-thing is by all this significant instruction from the very book of the Creature as also from Christ himself and his great Apostle Mat. 16.25 Rom. 12. 1 2. abundantly informed that it is its true interest to be given up in sacrifice to the divine life and find its own again with usury by way of resurrection in the life hid with Christ in God All the former sacrifices deaths and resurrections of inferiour creature-natures to one another and to man as also the subjection of vegetal and sensual powers in man to rational are but typical significations and teaching resemblances of this last and greatest of all beyond which there is no other Those that will not adventure to offer up this holy and reasonable sacrifice their rational Life Rom. 12. 1. in hope of the better resurrection Heb. 11. 35. but chuse to remain in the single glory and soveraign activity of renewed humane nature the great master of the family himself intimates to them that this is but the state of servants that abide not in the house for ever whereas those that are made willing to resign the life and soveraignty of their own nature and principles and become willingly subject to communicated divine life and God therein are the true sons that abide in the house for ever Iohn 8. 35. But between the natural first-creation Life of man and the spiritual or divine Life by the new-creation the great deceiver as transformed into angel of Light when he sees us gazing after this superiour dispensation is ready to present himself to us as Christ in spirit or the holy Ghost and obtrude upon us angelical Nature of the first-creation-frame onely to keep us yet short of the divine In this posture finding men dissatisfied in their natural and legal attainments he makes the same demands that Christ himself makes requires the intire resignation of their wills and understandings unto him so as not to think their own thoughts speak their own words do their own works or find their own pleasure but wait in a passive silence for his dictates and inspirations and speak onely such oracles as his beguiling serpentine wisdom teacheth The condition they are brought into by this imposture is so much the more dangerous by how much the more secure and confident they are under it as cherished and pleased with some delusive raptures of joy from this flourishing deceiver By this means he labours to gain more and more upon them till they resign themselves totally up to the conducting influence of angelical nature This is that voluntary humility and worshiping of Angels Col. 2. 18. The devil attempted to bring the humane nature of Christ himself to his lure in this main point of all even to worship him or become subject to his influence Mat. 4. Luke 4. This last and great deceit of the adversary together with the false mortification of things seen attending it where he prevails is notably charactered page 340 and so on to the 350th page of The Retired man's Meditations All first-creation Nature sensual humane or angelical comparatively with divine spiritual new-creature Life is but shaddow letter or significant figure and resemblance Any of these therefore terminated or rested in whatever it be from the lowest shrub of sensual to the tallest Cedar in the first-creation angelical nature so as that man resolves to sit down under the ruling influence and protection thereof as the highest principle of Life he will ever be induced to own this will appear in conclusion to be down-right idolatry All obedience also to the Commands of God in the Scriptures performed onely in the ruling activity of any first-creation nature in us humane or angelical is but serving of God in the oldness of the letter of the first-creation not in the newness of the Spirit of the second
Christ their natural head refusing to adventure the exchange of their first-creation glory and Life through unbelief of the gain and usury thereby attainable even the fixedness and unchangableness of what they already had in the greater and more excellent glory of the resurrection By this not yeilding to the conditions of passing along with their head into the more excellent state and unchangable form of their very natural Beings they lost even that they had their first creation glory righteousness and the Life of communion with God in Christ manageable therein Iude tells us vers 6. what befel them hereupon The angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation or head Christ choosing their distinct opposite Luciferian head the devil and satan are with this their chieftaine reserved in everlasting chaines under darkness unto the judgement of the great day When Lucifer had drawn to himself and engaged a numerous party of angels with him in his apostacy by attempting to assert maintain and exalt the lesser natural glory of the first creation into a competition with yea a preference and opposition to the new-creature state of Life and glory in the second which excels his next business was to seduce our first Parents and in them all their posterity into the same opposition to new-creature Life and Glory the true mystical Sabbath state THE SAINTS EVERLASTING REST. This most desireable Rest is attainable only by our being made willing to enter into a conformity with Christ in his death through a surrender of the single and ruling activity of our first-creation principles at their best and giving up our selves wholly into a pure subjection to what we meet with that 's more excellent in the second Angels fell more knowingly than man who was lower than they in understanding and strength and therefore irrecoverably Man fell somewhat ignorantly as over-reached through the woman his weaker part by the beguiling insinuations of the Serpent so he and his are again set upon their feet in some degree or other by the mighty Redeemer to try them over again in their own persons how they will â—eâ—ean themselves in this great fundamental point about yeilding to the tearms of a transition out of the corruptible state of the life glory and righteousness of their first-creation the house upon the sand into the incorruptible and unchangable life glory and righteousness of the second the house founded upon the rock Christ in spirit So The soul that sinneth again after the similitude of Adams first transgression after all fair warning it shall die for its own personal transgression and not for the fathers having eaten sower grapes Ezek. 18. 1 4. In order to this new creation Christ in the single or double portion of his spirit is given forth received and owned by the sons of men either in the unchangable spiritualized state of his natural manhood or also in the more exalted capacity of his spiritual each of which gifts do baptize and transform the corruptible state of their natural man into an incorruptible life and unchangable union with the natural or spiritual man in Christ's person by the new and everlasting Covenant established in all thinâ—â— and sure The twofold creature-nature in Christ's person as the former and inferiour is transformed and brought forth by the latter and more excellent into an unchangable state of Life and union therewith is called the WORD of God that abides for ever in them that receive it the spirit of God Christ in spirit the Son of man in heaven Joh. 3. 13. that overshadowed the Virgin and formed for himself a fleshly tabernacle in her womb The clothing of himself herewith for the Redemption of man was a greater condescention than his actual coming forth in the Life and capacity of the first-born of every creature for the Creation of the World Redemption is a greater work than Creation and requires greater condescention in the undertaker As first-born of every creature he was in a superiority of headship to all the angels as the works of his hands therein the highest ranck of meer created Beings in the first world But when this WORD which was God and the twofold original spring of all creaturely life and perfection also was made flesh took on him the particular nature of man not angels he became little lower than the angels for a season Heb. 2. 7. and 16. and not onely so but was content also to suffer the visage of this flesh to be marred more than any man and to be humbled and abased therein even to the death upon the Cross Esay 52. 13 14. and Chap. 53. The creature-nature in Christ is so enfolded together and hypostatically united with his purely divine form that it receives the denomination from that supream form of all He is therefore called Michael Gods equal and the man his fellow Zech. 13. 7. The whole person of Christ as comprehending all fulness of perfection creaturely or divine is very God But the persons of men and angels that are brought into an everlasting union and association with Christ in one or both of his creature forms are not God nor Christ. For the highest denominating form in their personal constitution is but creaturely yet spiritual and divine in distinction from the natural corruptible form of men or angels received at their first creation The everlasting security of elect angels and men lies in their inseparable union with their head the Mediator in whom alone both creature capacities are in personal union with God The exalted creature nature in Christ is divine altogether lovely Cant. 5. 16. the true Vine Iohn 15. 1. that cheareth the heart of God and man as in Iotham's parable Iudg. 9. 13. It is the Spirit of God the immediate womb parent fountain-head of all new-creation life and principles in men or angels by the fire-baptisme An inferior work to this is also thereby performed upon and in the sons of men to wit all that gradual revival of rational light life in the moral heathen or legal Christian that is very obvious and familiar to observation all the world over The legal Christian experiences such an operative actuating influence from this spirit as revives enlightens cleanses renews restores him to some good measure of first-creation Life righteousness As for the flawes deficiencies yet incident to his personal operations God imputes to him or puts upon him that perfect righteousness of the Law called Gods comeliness Ezek. 16. 14. which Christ himself performed and had in his fleshly manhood rendring it applicable to men through the merit of his death therein This whole work of Christ in men inwardly washing sanctifying them by his blood as also justifying them by the imputation of the perfect righteousness of the law to them from his own person amounts but to their practical and experimental knowledge of him after the flesh 2 Cor. 5. 16. and a prospering onely into that Kingdom
or heaven that may be shaken Heb. 12. 26. Yea though they receive withall the baptism of gifts from this spirit of Christ and in that sence be made partakers of the holy Ghost yet they may prove at length to be but briars and thorns to this very spirit of Christ from whom they receive all and to those true believers in whom the very seed of this spirit is springing up as a well of living waters into everlasting life Ioh. 4. 14. The single Baptism of Gifts supernatural Ornaments and the tongue of Men and Angels all this amounts not to the Baptism with the holy Ghost and with fire Mat. 3. 11. The partaking of the holy Ghost in the single baptism of gifts without the very seed of spiritual eternal Life sown in the heart does not â—ar the visage of the natural man does not sacrifice and offer him up but more abundantly adorn beautifie and set him off Those that have the glory of their earthly man but thus higher advanced by supernatural gifts and accomplishments are liable to play the Idolaters against the glory that excels the Life hid with Christ in God and finally refusing the superior dispensation and those that own it return with the dog to the vomit upon the loss of what they have already received Ezek. 16. 1 15. 2 Pet. 2. 20 22. MORE in his MYSTERY holds that the Fall of the Angels came by their refusal of the divine Life and giving themselves wholly up to the animal and that satans kingdom of darkness extends to and comprehends all the inâ—â—rests and advantages of whatever Life excluding onely the Divine The same Author exhibits a new and unanswerable charge against Paganism that by whatever flights of wit the best of them all may seem to wipe off the imputations of Polytheism or Idolatry asserting themselves to be the adorers of one eternal Deity in his various manifestations yet they worshipped God in such appearances onely as related to and concerned but the animal Life 'T is to be feared this charge will reach a great way into Christianity abundance of the professors whereof are followers of Christ onely for loaves such cleansing gifts and ornaments as do but gratifie and advance their earthly first creation state Speak but a word of the cross and fire-baptism of the spirit that 's to come upon all this glory and goodliness of flesh in order to a more excellent birth and knowledge of Christ after the spirit in them you become an enemy presently if you tell them this truth Gal. 4. 16. If matters be well scann'd and weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary abundance of Religion and Professors will be found no currant and well tried Gold Rev. 3. 18. that will pass for the Kingdom of Heaven The Scripture latitude of the animal or natural man is comprehensive of all that is to be found in mans first-creation state and life in distinction from the spiritual new creation man The natural body or animal man is interpreted by the apostle to be of the same reach and significancy as the living soul of the first Adam at best as the spiritual body or man is comprehensive of that new-creature Life and perfection that 's recieved from the indwelling presence of the quickning spirit of the second Adam 1 Cor. 15. 44 46. Those Christians that are brought into communion with God but in the renewed activity of the natural body oâ— living soul of the first Adam taking the renewed old man for the new Restauration for Regeneration are apt to grow so conceited confident therein that they wil not lend an ear to the tydings of any superior dispensation and more excellent way Man in whatever possible refinement and glory of his first-creation state is yet but that natural man in whose mind there is so vast an asymmetry and incongruity to spiritual divine things the New Name the Life hid with Christ in God the Wisdom and Righteousness of God that shines forth in the New Creature that he knows not what to make of them 〈◊〉 are foolishness to him 1 Cor. 2. 14. Nothing less than the very seed of spiritual new-creature Life from Christ will find or make its way through all possible obstructions from within man or from without and prosper into that kingdome of grace and glory that cannot be shaken This will spring up in the soul and declare it self King take the Scepter and ruling power out of the hands of our first-creation spirit and principles and will safely steer our course direct our steps and enable us to work righteousness in the way everlasting Psal. 139. 24. Sensual Life generally rules at first in children When Reason springs up and begins to shew it self that takes or should take the Scepter curbes the insolencies and exorbitancies of the Sensual powers and governs the whole person If there be a seed of grace or spiritual Life sown in him when that springs up into exercise it will take the Scepter out of the hands of humane Reason and Wisdom and govern the whole person in the Divine Spiritual Reason and Wisdom of God The receivers of the spirit of Christ the seed of spiritual wisdom and divine Life are of two sorts either such as receive the single or such as receive the double portion thereof They that receive but the single will thereby be brought into the incorruptible form of the natural man which renders them fit associates for the elect angels to stand about the Throne as friends of the Bridegroom and the Bride They that receive the double portion of the spirit in the sense above expressed are the very Bride her self the Lambs wife that sits down upon the Throne with him in a more exalted state of Glory for ever The Mother of Zebedee's Children desired of Christ That her two sons might sit the one on his right hand and the other on his left in his Kingdom Mat. 20.21 There may seem to be a right and left hand scituation or state of glory for ever in the kingdom of Heaven The double portioned Saints are they that sit on the right hand the single on the left Christ tells her and her sons they know not what they ask if they would have either of these advancements on this side the Cross the grave the fire-baptism the strait gate that excludes flesh and blood all that is corruptible from the Kingdom of God Can ye saies he drink of the Cup I shall drink of and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with They answer We are able The single portion of the Spirit where it is received as a seed of new Life will not fail to perform that transforming fire-baptism in and upon the souls of men that will purifie them not onely from corruption the utmost extent of the inward water-baptisme and circumcision of the heart in the Letter but from corruptibility gradually fetching them up into the glory of the resurrection till their mortality be quite swallowed
up of Life It will make them of the same mind that was in Christ willing so to suffer in the flesh under the power of his spirit as to cease from sin or from that state that can return back into sin again 1 Pet. 4. 1. This incorruptible form atteinable onely by the fire-baptism performed upon the natural man at his best by the single portion of the spirit of Christ is called spiritual and denominates the whole person a spiritual man though yet in the mortal body in distinction from those who have but only the renewal of their first-creation form by the influence and gifts of the same spirit All that these receive is but the goodliness of flesh renewed adorned nature which is decried and blown upon by a second vice a superior dispensation and ministry of the same spirit as a perishing vanity after the first voice has done its work made a straight path for God in the desert by rectifying the rational powers in bewildred man Esay 40. 3 8. Our corruptible tabernacle is to be taken down This mantle this filthy garment this vile body flesh and blood at its best is to be chaned into the likeness of Christs glorious body his heavenly man by the mighty power and transforming operation of that spirit whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3. 21. We must put off the old man at best and put on the new which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Ephes. 4. 22 24. Col. 3. 9 10. That Image of God received by the first-creation and all the wisdom glory and righteousness thereof is but shadow to what is to be received by the new creation 'T is but self-glory self-wisdom self-righteousness and when these are opposed to the wisdom righteousness and glory of God in the new creation they are Idols shadows preferred to substance the Law or ruling Principles of our first creation Life to grace and truth in the second Some few Results or Corollaries of what hath been said in this matter take as followeth 1. The Spirit of God the holy Ghost the divine Nature which the Scriptures do evidently assert and declare to be communicable to men exceeds not in its reach and significancy the natural and spiritual creature capacity in the person of the Mediator whereby individual angels and men are brought into an everlasting union with him in one or both as he is one with the Father Iohn 17. 22. 2. Where-ever the Seed of eternal Life is sowne by Christ's causing himself to be received in the single or double portion of his Spirit it will mar the visage or wisdom of man it will take him off from his way of working righteousness and worshipping God in the oldness of the letter of the first creation and enable him to perform all in a more excellent and acceptable way in the newness of the spirit of the second Paul in his own person gives us notice of this distinction which he stood in from those youthful flourishing professors that were reigning as Kings at the righteousness of the Law performable in their own spirit 1 Cor. 4. 8. 10. With such he said he durst not compare himself 2 Cor. 10. 12. who pleasing themselves and applauding one another in a way of mutual self-deceivings and commendations are not those whom the Lord commendeth as he rather desired to be vers 18. They have but the inward heart-circumcision in the letter of the first not in the spirit of the second creation whose praise is not of men as is implied Rom. 2. 29. 'T is worth observation that even in the ancient Hieroglyphical divinity of Egypt no service or worship of God was accounted acceptable and well-pleasing but what was performed by some divine power of God himself in them 3. There are two distinct sorts of everlastingly saved men such as receive the single and such as receive the double portion of the spirit Both pass under the fire-baptisme The former are exalted into association with the elect angels and have for the immediate and adaequate object of their fruition and converse God as shining forth to them in the incorruptible form of Christs natural Manhood The latter and more exalted sort of Saints are taken into association with the spiritual manhood in Christs person and have for the immediate and adaequate object of their fruition and converse God as shining forth to them in that highest and most exalted creature form in Christ's person And by and through these who do properly constitute the general assembly and Church of the first-born the spirits of just men and the holy angels even those principalities and powers in heavenly places do as at second hand receive that manifold wisdom of God that shines forth more immediately upon the Church Ephes. 3. 10. 4. The highest sort of these Saints are not Christ or God much less the lower Christ is the head root and parent to both these sorts of glorified men in his twofold creature capacity or manhood natural or spiritual And Christ as he is the purely divine form or image of the invisible God is head to both these creature-headships in his own person and God is the head of Christ considered as in his purely divine form 1 Cor 11. 3. 5. Christ in his creature-capacity is the maker redeemer and heir of all things in both worlds as all things were created by him so for him Col. 1. 16. Heb. 1. 2. and Rom. 11. 36. Of him through him and to him are all things 6. Men that in their first creation were made little lower than the Angels Psal. 8. 5. are in the second or new creation made equal to the elect angels and all those of the double portion are advanced quite over the heads of all the angels into an immediate association with Christ in his most exalted creature-capacity on the Throne of his glory even in that more excellent creature name than the angels have Heb. 1. 4. Behold then the heavenly order in the whole family of God First God himself the head of Christ and that as Christ is the Image of the invisible God very God Secondly Christ himself as thus considered in his capacity purely divine head to his twofold creature-headship the natural and spiritual man in his own person Thirdly Christ in his twofold creatureship as the immediate head to all spiritual and natural men and angels in his heavenly family his members his body mystical Fourthly Behold these also in their two grand distinctions of superiority and subordination spiritual and natural Fifthly There may seem also to be intimated in the Scriptures a gradual difference of capacity in the individuals of either of these two ranks of everlastingly glorified men Dan. 12. 3. and 1 Cor. 15. 41. There is one glory of the Sun another of the Moon and another glory of the Stars and one Star differeth from another Star in glory Variety of intellectual light or discerning is resembled in Scripture
Israel Chap. 41. 8 9. Thou Israel my servant Iacob whom I have chosen the seed of Abraham my friend unto whom I have said thou art my servant I have chosen thee and not cast thee away Here the holy seed or divine birth of God's Image that makes the true Israelite by faith is described to be of a nature and quality that is incorruptible securing him in whom it is whether Iacob the chosen servant or the seed of Abraham the chosen friend as well as chosen servant from ever being a castaway Hereby is intimated what it is to be the chosen faithful servant and no more and what it is over and above to be the chosen and intimate friend that is called and admitted to see God face to face a friend speaks with friend Thus of Aaron it is said Exod. 4. 15 16. That Moses should speak to him and put words in his mouth and saies God I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth and will teach you what ye shall do And Aaron shall be thy spokesman unto the People he shall be to thee instead of a mouth and thou shalt be to him in stead of God Consider how interpretable this is of the son of man glorified the great Prophet of all in the person of the blessed Mediator set down on the right hand oâ— the Majesty on high who still reteins the form of a servant or perfection of his natural man in its incorruptible form with which as with a mouth typified by Aaron he comes forth as a head to the holy Angels and Iacob his chosen servant in a suitable way of converse and fruition to their capacity speaking therein to the body of the People whilst at the same time he is in his spiritual manhood exalted to an equality with the eternal WORD as the man God's fellow admitted to a communication with God face to face as fâ—iend speaks with friend In this glory he is more properly the very mouth of God typified by Moses in a capacity andâ— fitness for converse with the Bride the Lambs Wife as head to the general Assembly of the first-born who are a sort of saints of greater dignity and preheminence by whom the manifold Wisdom of God or secret Name his WORD shall be made known to principallities and powers Ephes. 3. 10. The lowest sort of all these heaven-born Saints that have but the single portion of the spirit have not onely by the external influence of Christs heavenly Nature such a change as the legal or first Covenant Saint has from the polluted to the cleansed and reformed state of the natural man which make but a member of the mystical earthly Ierusalem that may become the spiritual Sodom but by the very seed of Christ's heavenly nature sown in them they have an inward real partaking of the divine nature or that new principle of Life which baptizes the natural state into a conformity with and subjection thereunto advancing it thereby for ever into a sublimated incorruptible form It is in his Light onely with whom is the fountain of all Life and perfection that we can see Light Psal. 36.9 In the spiritual new-creature discerning onely of a divine communicated understanding and superinduced form can we see that objective light or unveiled glory of God that renders the true heir everlastingly blessed But even amongst the children of the heavenly kingdom the children of the Resurrection there are some of a first and others of a second Resurrection into a more exalted state of Life and glory Yet all the Vessels of glory great and small will be filled from the Ocean of those unutterable riches of divine Glory that are in Christ which no natural eye can see There will be no want or envying one another there Concerning ORDINANCES HAving already spoken joyntly concerning this Sufferers Principles and Doctrine I come now to mention his way of worshiping God and what his Judgement and Practice was as to Ordinances After that way which men call Heresie did he worship the God of his believing Fathers Abraham and the rest Acts 24. 14. He was for worshipping God in spirit and in Truth such the Father seeks to worship him Joh. 4. 23. He lived walked worshipped prayed spake in the spirit and so as the oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. 11. ministring as of the ability that God gave him that God in all things might be glorified This language and way of Worshipping God that is so despicable to man is that onely which hath the praise of God He kept the true mystical Sabbath not thinking his own thoughts c. Esay 58. 13. He was baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire He did in such sort eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ that he was thereby brought into a conformity with Christ in his death and had eternâ—l Life abiding in him Iohn 6. 54. This is satisfactory to God in this point that that answers his well pleasing What further shall be said shall not be in order to please but instruct convince and stop the mouâ—hes of gainsaying men Tit. 1. 9. He that worships God in the power of the single or double portion of the spirit of Christ does undeniably worship him in spirit and truth The power of godliness comes in with this new creation Spirit All Worship Righteousness Ordinances or whatever performed but in the renâ—wed reformed enlightned gifted adorned state of our first-creation spirit amounts but to the form of godliness that faith that may be shipwrack'd that interest in Christ and that good conscience that may be lost 1 Tim. 1. 19. They that have not the divine nature in the sence above expressed 2 Pet. 1. 4. are blind and cannot see afar off vers 9. they discern not the land of distances the new Ierusalem They may have great illumination excellent gifts and in the confidence of these they say they see what get they by that Therefore their sin remaineth Iohn 9. 41. that is is unpardonable there remaineth no more benefit of Christ's sacrifice to them There remaineth onely at last upon final refusal and resistance of the new-creature life spirit and way of worship nothing but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery inignation which shall devour the adversaries Heb. 10. 27. and Chap. 6. 4 8. Their light their seeing takes away all cloak for their sin Iohn 15. 22 and 24. The warning which the true spiritual watchman gives them if neglected and despised by them does dangerously set forward this work through their miscarriage under it and becomes a savour of death to them Act. 13. 40. 41. but even so a sweet savour to God as prospering in the thing whereto he sends it and accomplishing his pleasure 2 Cor. 2. 16. Esay 55. 11. These keen concisionists that cannot afford a good word for the true circumcision that worship God in the spirit and have no confidence in the flesh or in the knowledge of Christ after the flesh they
the more as we see the day approaching Heb. 10. 25. Looking for and hasting unto the comming of that day of God wherein the Heavens will be dissolved and the Elements will melt with fervent heat 2 Pet. 3. 12. He was such a right spirited Latitudinarian as Paul was 1 Cor. 9. 20. became all things to all men that by all means he might save some He was against the exercise of a coercive Magistratical power in Religion and Worship and for the single Rule Power and Authority that Christ himself claimes as his peculiar prerogative in and over the hearts and consciences of all men How grosly inconcinnous must it needs appear even to the common reason of all mankind that such as take upon them to be Magistrates and Rulers whether the People will or no as it often falls out yea or though freely chosen should give the Rule to all others Consciences in point of Religion when they many times have no Religion at all in themselves nor any other Conscience but a dead or feared one hardened in the most brutish vilenesses that the basest of men can be guilty of But if the Magistrate do plausibly pretend to something of Religion what a changâ—ble thing will Religion be at this rate as â—ickle as the Magistrates Judgement at least as his person for the next Ruler may be of another perswasion as this Nation hath experienced off and on between Popery and the Protestant profession in Hen. 8. Ed. 6. and the two Queens Mary and Elizabeth Concerning PREACHING and PRAYER FIrst I ask are all Preaching and Praying amongst those that call themselves Christians Ordinances and Institutions of Christ Then the Popist Mass and Jesuites and Friers Sermons are his Ordinances The Ordinances of Christ are to be distinguished from all counterfeit imitations of them by the spirit and way of performance and by the matter that 's delivered as carrying its own evidence in the Consciences of the hearers to be the very truth of God 1 Cor. 14. 25. 2 Cor. 4. 2. and 5. 11. Satan will be found at last to have had the greatest hand in all such Ordinances Praying Preaching and what ever else that for spirit manner and matter are performed in a way of enmity and contradiction to the true spiritual believer and his more excellent way The usual practise of this Sufferer was to spend an hour or two every evening with his Family or any other that were Providentially there and as much both morning and evening on the first day He was of that truly bounteous princely communicative spirit noted in the Spouse Cant. 7. 1. Rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate 1 Tim. 6. 18. â—to make manifest the savour of the knowledge of Christ that himself had deep and large experience of in every place 2 Cor. 2. 14. His gravity purity and chastness of spirit was very exemplary He held out in the midest of all the late Apostacies and Changes He was stedfast and unmovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord and his labour was not in vainâ— as he well knew 1 Cor. â—5 51. So assiduous was he in continual searching of the Scriptures waiting upon the Lord in Faith and Prayer for more full discoveries of his mind therein that it was faid of him Put him where you will if he may have but a Bible he is well enough as Iansen of whom the Iansenists in France reckoned himself with Austin But what can be said for his Allegorizing the Scriptures Here 's another Branch of this Sufferers Charge from men wherein he shares with the learned Origen The Charge against Allegorists usually runs at this rate That by Allegorizing the Scriptures they carry them quite out of their native significancy and intendment wresting and forcing all to their own purpose and conceit and so frame Divinity Romances what Conclusions and Bodies of discourse they please To this miscarriage men of the most â—oaring curious and searching capacities are reputed most liable Jesuite masked Papist no title is thought bad enough for such men by their ignorant adversaries in their blind zeal We have but fragments of Origen that famous Allegorizer and diligent Searcher of the Scriptures and those translated out of Greek into Latin and handed to us by his enemies so that it may seem dubious when we read the small remains of his thousands of Books whether we read the genuine Issues of his Contemplation or the spurious Interpolations of some other man 'T is agreed on all hands by friends and foes that he was a person of more than ordinary tallness in Understanding and that he did fairly offer at a more pertinent disquisition into the whole bulk of intelligibles Divine or Philosophical than was usual And how was he handled what said they of him That he was a temeratious daring Fanatick quitting the plain truths of Scripture and bewildring himself and followers in diabolical Phantasms being perverted through his great learning on which account he was oft persecuted and dragg'd along the streets Concerning Allegories and Allegorizing the Scriptures VVHen one thing is said as Type Letter or significant Figure through which another farther and more excellent thing is meant and to be understood that is an Allegory which he that expounds must Allegorize Whether then there be not as much need of Allegorizing the Scriptures as of understanding them or whether there be any other possible way of interpreting them so as to discover the whole counsel of God therein detect Satans whole mystery of iniquity and render men wise unto Salvation shall appear by and by There are two sorts of Allegories in Scripture perfect and mixt Perfect are purely allusory when all the expressions are naturally suited to the person or thing first spoken of but much more accurately to some more excellent person or thing that is to be understood thereby An Allegory mixt or but partly allusory is when some one of the expressions onely are applicable to the type some inferiour person or thing and some onely to the antitype quite over-reaching and leaving behinde them the natural of historical shadow and pitching singly and expresly on the spiritual and mystical substance the more excellent person or thing that is to be understood Of this sort we find many Allegories in Scripture where Christ is typified and represented by other persons who when they are spoken of in that capacity and intendment some of the expressions outpace the shadow and are not at all applicable save meerly and singly to the very person of the Messiah Thus amongst others Melchizedeck who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings Chederlaomer and the rest is said to be without Father Mother or descent having neither beginning of dayes nor end of Life but made like unto the Son of God a Priest for ever or of the everlasting Order Heb. 7. 1 3. This points us back to Psal. 110. 4. and that yet more backward to Gen. 14. 17. If
walk who were shewed represented or propounded before God in the Temple over against the Candlestick but without the Holy of Holies Those twelve Cakes laid on the Table fresh every week were therefore called the bread of proposition and shew-bread But the Spirit of Man or rather the spiritual mind is to be the most holy place for God himself to dwell in This is the new-creature principle of marvellous light and eternal Life by which the Lamp or Candle of single humane Understanding is put out swallowed up and transformed into a better and more excellent the Light of the Sun The Lamp of Man's Understanding till transformed has nothing to do within the Veil The New-Ierusalem state of Life is so far from needing Man's intellectual Candle-light that angelical-star-light yea the sun-light of Christ's own natural perfection is out-shined there by the light of his Spiritual form which is sevenfold brighter There 's no need there of man's Candle or of the Light of the Sun or Moon for the glory of God lightens it and the Lamb is the light thereof Rev. 21.23 and 22. 5. What are in general all the Sacrifices and Ceremonies in the Old Testament but significant Types or Expressions of what we are to be or do in the New The Sacrifices Beeves Sheep and Goats taught and declared primarily the Sacrifice Christ was to make in his own person and secondarily also the sacrifices that all his true followers are to make in their persons that holy and acceptable sacrifice of our rational Life and powers thereof at best under the fire-baptism of God's spirit required Rom. 12. 1 2. that so we may be transformed and grow up into the spiritual powers of eternal Life hid with Christ in God as our true interest and grand concern without which we cannot be saved For persons Adam Enoch Noah Sem Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Moses Ioshua Sampson Samuel David Solomon and many others were they not Types Letters or significant Figures of Christ Cain and Abel Ishmael and Isaac Iacob and Esau were Letters and Types of two Seeds or Births of Christ in Men one after the flesh for the cleansing them from the corruption of Nature another after the spirit which delivers them by degrees from corruptibility as before from corruption till mortality be swallowed up of Life Do not the Typical signifiers of Spiritual things in Moses and the Prophets hold on all along to the very end of the Revelation What 's the New Ierusalem character'd by at the very last but by the twelve precious stones in the High Priests Pectoral which also signified the twelve Tribes of Israel Are any so bruitish as to imagine that those glittering trifles of the East the Iasper Saphire Emrald Chrysoprase and the rest are litterally and really to be found in the heavenly Ierusalem Rev. 21 Does not Paul Allegorize the history of Abraham Sara Hagar Ishmael and Isaac as representing Christ the true Father of the faithful and as a twofold Husband to a first and second Covenant-Spouse which bring forth two sorts of Children one after the flesh another after the spirit The former of these Children arriving onely at the practical and experimental knowledge of and conformity with Christ in the flesh or in his fleshly changable manifestation persecutes the other the true Isaac the spiritual circumcision that 's born of Christ after the Spirit and brought into a likeness and conformity with him in his unchangable creature state Gal. 4. 22 31. Rom. 8. 1. Christ is that twofold Husband mentioned Rom. 7. 1 2 3. married first to a first-Covenant-Spouse then dies Unless that first Spouse be content to pass with him under the fire-baptism drink of his cup taste of his death in order to be brought into conformity with him therein she never meets with him or sees him more to her comfort Her Husband is dead but alive again and lives for ever more Rev. 1. 18. The Wife also must die with him or she cannot come to live with him for evermore 2 Tim. 2. 11. How die or to what To the Law or in the Ruling power of our own natural first-creation Spirit activity and principles however renewed or adorned that so we may come to live under grace the law of the spirit or spiritual eternal Life in the ruling activity and principles of that more excellent spirit we receive from Christ as a transcript of his heavenly manhood in us by the new creation This is that onely under the Government whereof Paul dares warrant us safe from sins ever recovering dominion again Rom. 6. 14. This is that state of Life onely in which as married to him that is risen from the dead we may bring forth fruit unto God in the newness of the Spirit of our new creation not in the oldness of the Letter of our first-creation Spirit as is signified Rom. 7. 4 5 6. The cleansed state of our first-creation Spirit amounts but to the renewed old man not the new but to the circumcision of the heart in the letter of the first-creation not by the spirit of the second whose praise is of Man not of God Rom. 2. 29. This makes but the concision that are of a diminutive narrow dogged snarling nature towards the true spiritual circumcision or circumcision of the heart in the Spirit whose praise is not of men but of God Phil. 3. 2 3. There may be a little dark interval in the passage the first wife of Christ adventures to make through death and the grave in order and with full assurance of hope to meet with him again in the better Life of the Resurrection But she will soon find her own again with usury the quitted and resigned activity and ruling authority of her own corruptible spirit which brings her into the true mystical grave and conformity with Christ in his death in the raised and advanced condition of the same spirit into harmony with and subjection to Christ in her superinduced incorruptible new-creation form and Life This is the mystical Resurrection the spiritual believer has real fellowship with Christ in even while yet in the mortal Body Such fellowship of Christs sufferings conformity with him in his death and power of his resurrection Paul lived in the experience and longed for the full accomplishment of Phil. 3. 10 11. This passage out of the Life of our first-creation spirit and form into that of the second being gradual and leisurely and the tempter laying all his engines of battery against those that are attempting this way and Christ for a little moment hiding his face or withdrawing that kind of comfortable presence he had afforded the soul in his first-marriage-union with her that after a little while he may with everlasting mercies have compassion upon her in the second these things considered 't is no wonder she sits for a little season as a disconsolate fruitless Widow But God bids her be of good cheer for more shall be the Children of the
desolate Widow than of the first married Wife Esay 54. 1. And Christ gives that long and most solemn exhortation to his Disciples in the 14 15 16 and 17 Chapters of Iohn to this very purpose to establish and support their hearts in this passage so dark and dismal to flesh and blood into the Life and glory of the Resurrection Upon his fleshly departure and disappearance as their Bridegroom in that first way he knew they would have a little mourning season of it Mat. 9. 15. and therefore sets himself to comfort them before hand with the expectation of what was to follow You shall have another Comforter saies he meaning himself in the spirit and glory of the Resurrection I will not leave you comfortless Orphans and Windows I will come to you after a little while Ioâ— 14. 16 18. To the very same purpose is that Esay 54.7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee or withdrawn my self from thee as to my fleshly and first kind of manifestation to thee which looks like wrath but with great mercies and everlasting kindness will I gather thee up to my self in my second and more excellent glory and become thy husband in the new and everlasting Covenant saith the Lord thy Redeemer Both these Dispensations are on foot still Christ yet communicates himself to the souls of men in his fleshly way of manifestation bringing them into conformity with that holy state of his earthly manhood which makes the legal Christian first-covenant professor and Wife of Christ on this side the cross the grave the crown His withdrawing from them as to this appearance and the fruits of it is of the same import as his withdrawing from his disciples when he was actually personally in the flesh He was then litterally in the flesh in his own person but he was even then but mystically in the flesh as to the persons of his disciples as God manifested in their flesh so he is in all that thus experimentally know him but after the flesh now Their so being in Christ Jesus knowing of him and walking in him but after the flesh does not free or secure them from apostacy 2 Pet. 2.20,22 or condemnation Rom. 8. 1. but the knowing of him walking in him after the spirit as he is the new Covenant Bridegroom and better Comforter In this state they are married to him that is risen in the other to him only that was made flesh with whom they in that fleshly glory even from him received must be crucified How else can they be brought into conformity with him in his death It was holy flesh the natural man in its greatest purity that was offered up and slain in him This at the best then renewed by himself in us is also to be slain and offered up under and by the fire-baptism of the new-creature spirit or spirit of Christ that performes the new-creation work in man It must be the holy reformed natural state that must be offered as the true Christian sacrifice Rom. 12. 1. 2 By this means as we come to be married to Christ in the Resurrection so we come to be children of the Resurrection begotten by the force influence and benefit of Christ's Resurrection into a meetness of spirit to be married to him that is risen from the dead Luke 20. 36. 1 Pet. 1. 3. Such marriage there is even in the Resurrection Such a state of the resurrection there is while we are yet in this mortal body The spiritual man who lives in the spirit knoweâ— Christ in spirit and walks after the spirit Gal. 5. 25. Rom. 8. 1. is really and actually though but gradually in this mystical and best kind of Resurrection while yet in the earthly body The new creature he that lives the life and in the spirit of the new creation lives in the Resurrection The Resurrection of our Bodies after the death of them at last is not to be put in the ballance with the priviledges of this spiritual Resurrection while we are yet in the earthly body The spiritual new-creation Life we are risen into is eternal Life But millions of men will find their bodily rising to be but a Resurrection into eternal death and shame everlasting punishment and contempt Dan. 12. 2. Mat. 25. 46. But let 's take a little further view of Christ's first-Covenant Wife and Children what they may do and what may become of them They may play the harlot with that very beauty and comeliness that very first-creation kind of glory and perfect righteousnes of the Law that Christ has put upon them called God's comeliness and yet their own beauty because it beautifies and adorns but that selfish state of the first-creation Ezek. 16. 14 15. What comes of them for playing the harlot with this and opposing thereby the more excellent dispensation and glory that comes from the same Redeemer in his new-creation work They must be judged by Christ as those that shed blood and break wedlock are judged as Murtherers and Adulteresses vers 38. This they come to Not unlike to this is that Esay 63. 8 and 10. He said surely they are my People Children that will not lie so he was their Saviour But they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit therefore he turned to be their enemy and fought against them There are a People a Wife Children Members of Christ after the flesh that stand liable to forfeit all their priviledges and interest in him by apostacy and then Christ becomes their enemy As he delighted before to deliver and save them rejoyced over them to do them good and multiply them so now he will rejoyce over them to destroy them bring them to nought and root them out of the land he gave them Deut. 28. 63. If the transgression the apostacy be general so will the Judgement be too That which he hath built he will break down that which he hath planted he will pluck up even this whole land Jer. 45.4 This was the case between God and those religious Iews that lived and walked but in the wavering principles of the first-covenant They would be ever and anon starting aside like a deceitful Bow They were not of the right or new-covenant heart Their spirit was not stedfast with God and when they failed of their duty he let loose one enemy or another still upon them Then they remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer Nevertheless they did but flatter him with their mouth and lied unto him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant or they were not in that new stedfast Covenant with him that is established in all things and sure And God will not be mocked he knows how to handle them All this over and over and much more is to be seen Psal. 78. 8. 35. 36. 37. and 57. verses c. And Ier. 3. 14. The same People in the same breath are reckoned
both the Children and Wife of Christ though back-slider Turn again O back-sliding Children saith the Lord for I am married to you The Children that are born but of that changeable seed of the first-creation in Christ hate and persecute them that are born after the spirit or of the incorruptible seed of Christ in spirit as he is head of the new-creation in which he becomes that word or image of God that lives and abides in them for ever and then they backslide and lose what they have in the first-covenant Mat. 13. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 23 25. Esay 40. 6 8. These two Seeds Births Children as they are typified by Ishmael and Isaac Gal. 4. so by Cain and Abel Esau and Iacob and other pairs of brothers Aaron and Moses rather typify the natural and spiritual Saint in the glory of the Resurrection in the new and everlasting Covenant as above described But Cain and Abel c. signifie the fleshly or first-Covenant worshipper of the one party and both the spiritual new-covenant worshippers whether of the single or double portion on the other Cain and Abel c. may be Allegorized into this spiritual significancy and reach as mystically indigitating and presenting to us the distinction of the fleshly and spiritual Worshipper the reformed natural and the transformed or spiritual man the first and second Covenant Saint The elder often turns malignant envies hates persecutes the younger he after the flesh him after the spirit They may with good warrant also be Allegorized into a narrower compass yet as typifying the natural and spiritual man flesh and spirit in the same individual Saint that is born of Christ after the spirit and yet not quite rid of flesh which will be lusting against the spirit in him that is his sin as the spirit also will be lusting against that flesh which is his duty Gal. 5. 17. Not onely corrupt nature filthy flesh but renewed nature holy Flesh goodliness of flesh that that was born of Christ after the flesh will be envying and lusting against striving and contesting with that in man that is born of the same Christ after the spirit Iohn 3. 6. What struggle they for what 's the matter that enlightened reason and the marvellous light of Faith the renewed old man and the new nature and grace can't agree They have the same Father Christ they tumble in the same womb the soul of man This is it they struggle like Iacob and Esau in the same womb in the same person for the dominion the Scepter The question in debate between them is who shall be king The renewed enlightened natural mind which yet is but flesh though holy flesh thinks it self fit to rule and give Law to the whole person would keep all under the dominion of the Law of the first creation The spirit of the new creation claims all this as its right though the latter and younger birth as reason also had been to sense yet the true heir of the crown and the elder must serve or become subject to this younger The renewed first-creation spirit and state of life glory and freedom in man finally refusing resisting and persecuting the more excellent new creature Life spirit and glorious liberty of the sons of God in the second amounts to no less than the sin unto death the sin against the Holy Ghost or Christ in Spirit This same mystery is typified and by no other way but Allegorizing is to be fetched out of the history of Hagar and Sarai Hagar has the start of Sarai at fruitfulness she is first with Child Sarai is yet barren But sing O barren saies Christ in this sense that didst not bear more shall be thy Children greater thy fruitfulnsss at last God swore to Abraham upon his offering up Isaac and not with-holding his onely Son that blessing he would bless him and multiply his seed as the stars of Heaven and as the sand on the Sea-shore and that in his seed should all the Nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 22. 16 18. and Gen. 15. 3 6. This promise relates to Isaac not Ishmael and to Sarai not Hagar and to Abraham not Abram Ab-ram signifies high Father This was all the name he had while he had but Ishmael onely Gen. 16. but when Isaac the promised Seed is coming the syllable Ha or letter H being the first syllable or letter of Hamon a multitude is added to Abram and Sarai so he is called Abraham Gen. 17. 5. she Sarah v. 15. Abraham by this addition signifies high Father of a multitude of nations and for Sarah as type of the New-Ierusalem Spouse of Christ see her numberless Children her Isaac's Rev. 7. 4 9. We find here first â— hundred forty four thousand sealed ones that are the peculiar Bride and spouse of Christ resembled by Sarah and then a numberless multitude of the lower rank of everlastingly glorified men that stand about the Throne Children of the Bride-chamber and friends of the Bridegroom and the Bride But le ts review that Allegory first in History then Mystery Sarai gives her maid Hagar to Abram to be his wife Gen. 16. 3. Hagar conceives and presently the fruitful servant despises her barren mistresse vers 4. Sarai complaines of her to Abram Abram bids her handle her as she pleased Sarai deales hardly with her and she flies for 't vers 5 6. The Angel of the Lord finds her and advises her to return and submit her self under her Mistresses hands v. 9 Here 's the History Deny Allegorizing and there will be no Mystery in it and then what an insignificant story may this seem Did not all these things happen for ensamples were they not written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come 1 Cor. 10. 11. Is not all Scripture given by inspiration of God for doctrine reproof correction instruction in righteousness 2 Tim. 3. 16. What doctrine reproof or instruction can we receive to any purpose from this and abundance of like Scriptures if Allegorical interpretation be carped at and exploded and insipid litteral glosses owned and adhered unto as the onely sence reach and intendment thereof With your leave then let us try by the Allegorizing engine our spiritual discerning if we have it to give birth to the mystical sence and rich significancy which this history carries in the womb of it As soon as Hagar saw she had conceived the next news we hear is her Mistress is despised in her eyes Behold here the proper Character of the first-covenant wife of Christ. She is warm flourishing prosperous and fruitful in a way of outward Ordinances and also in working Righteousness in the goodliness of Flesh in a wisdom glory and comeliness that Christ himself hath wrought in her and put upon her She is wise strong and honourable in Christ and makes no scruple but this will alwayes hold thinks her mountain so strong that she shall never be moved On this account the true new-covenant
beloved Son so 1 Tim. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 2. and 2. 1. They are also called Pastors Mothers and Nurses to both the Seeds or Children of Christ in their kind 1 Thes. 2. 7 and 11. Gal. 4. 19. In another respect every true believer as he becomes the Child so is the Mother of Christ as with pangs and throw's towards the new birth to the loss and at last death of the single activity of his fleshly mind and heart Christ in spirit be formed and brought forth in him by him Then comes the Life of Faith the true reigning New-Ierusalem Principle in which reason has its resurrection the kingdom of heaven within him He ownes Christ in his heavenly headship as his Lord and King expressed Cant. 3. 11. by setting the Crown upon his head owning a willing subjection to the Law of the Spirit of Life in this day of espousal to him which is a day of gladness to Christ good men and angels Luk. 15. 10. The believer is the wise Virgin who becomes at same time the Mother and Spouse of Christ brings forth her own Lord and King in Spirit as the Virgin Mary brought him forth in Flesh. In the very day that Christ is thus brought forth in and by the believer they are espoused together by the new and everlasting Covenant The believer owns Christ as Head Husband and King Upon this Christ rejoyces Angels rejoyce the Believeâ— himself rejoyces with joy unspeakable and full of glory 'T is a solemn thanksgiving day a day of gladness of the heart unto them all Thus in a various sence is Christ Father and Son of the Spiritual believer and the believer the Mother and Child of Christ. Christ is Head Lord King Husband Brother Son Fellow-heir to believers They are Body Subjects Wife Children Members Fellow-heirs to him All these expressions are Allegorical borrowed from natural Relations to signify spiritual Mysteries of love union and converse between Christ and his Church One thing is said and a farther more excellent thing meant The Apostle having spoken of the duties of Husbands and Wives towards one another winds up all into this as his main intendment the spiritual marriage-union between Christ and his Church This saies he is a great mystery or mystically signifies a far greater thing concerning Christ and his Church Ephes. â— 22 23. The Revelation in a manner all along is a description of heavenly things by such earthly Mediums such Allegorical types and expressions as are borrowed out of Moses Pentateuch in the Tabernacle and Temple-worship And of Christ himself t is said that without a parable a similitude an allegory he spake not unto the people Mat. 13. 34. Mark 4. 34. Must not he then that truly expounds those parables allegorize them But how must he do it Parable in the Hebrew is a word that signifies sharpness as proceeding from a sharp wit and needing the like to interpret it That sharp wit must be no less than spiritual discerning and that strong and well exercised too or Scripture Riddles will be too hard for it One or two more of these let us take notice of Sampsons typical Riddle together with the Philistines exposition does yet want an exposition Out of Christ the strong Lion of the tribe of Iudah as the eater or sacrificer of the natural man in himself and us by the fire-baptism comes the choicest meat the sweetest hony-comb of all that that feeds and brings us into a conformity with him in his death and resurrection Christ ha's left his own interpretation of the parable of the Sower and Seed of the Tares and the like upon record in Scripture and yet who understands them how much do men yet need an exposition of those very expositions Paul tells us Hagar and Sarai are an Allegory two Covenants Gal. 4. 24. Then he mystically expounds Ishmael and Isaac into two 〈◊〉 of Christ the true antitypical Father of the faithful in both Covenants He declares moreover that he that 's born of this Father but after the flesh will persecute him that 's born of the same Father after the spirit Even so it is now vers 29. Notwithstanding this Allegorizing exposition given by Paul how little does the self-confident legal Christian hold himself concerned in the character of him that is born after the flesh How verily does he conceit himself to be the other that 's born after the Spirit Hereupon he justâ—es out the spiritual man indeed for a Fanatick wrangler a fool a mad man a blasphemer any thing that he lists to call him Hos. 9. 7. At last he comes to this downright willful resolution as Esau against Iacob and as the professing religious Iewes against Christ in the very same case Come this is the heir let 's kill him and the inheritance shall be ours They imagine this vain thing even to take the kingdom of Heaven by force from the right owner But if this eager-spirited generation would but give themselves leisure to consider thisâ— the like Scriptures they might see that they that are charactered here by him that 's born after the flesh are a holy seed of Christ that have Covenant interest in him and actual communion with him They are Children of Hagar or the first Covenant One would wonder how they should miss this But they shuffle it oft upon the Iews that were under the ceremonious dispensation of the Law and so rid their hands of it Is there no legal Christian then is there no danger of the leaven of the Pharisees under the outward dispensasation of the Gospel Yes say they but that lies onely at their door who depend upon their own personal operations for their acceptance and communion with God not on the imputed righteousness of the Redeemer I interrogate When Paul describes his Pharisaical state he tells us he was touching that righteousness which is in the Law blameless Could this be unless by the comeliness of God put upon him or perfect righteousness of that kind from Christ imputed to him Ezek. 16. 14. Was he a legal Iew was he any more than a moral Heathen else But if what is above said will not help to rectify this mistake I shall be somewhat hopeless of being instrumental to your relief in this point 'T is sad to see the self-pleasing interpretations of this and the like Scriptures all along the Bible so universal and unscrupled amongst all sorts of Professors an epidemical mistake How to lift them out of the mire of these their own self-bewildring imaginations who knowes but Christ Flesh and the carnal mind that 's enmity to God Rom. 8. 7. must never be of any larger compass or farther significancy with them than corrupt polluted debauched degenerate nature dead in trespasses and sins or at best but the moral heathen with some glimmering revivals and sparklings of rational Light and Life But as for their part they are in Christ they experience actual communion with God and once in Christ for ever
attainments their renewed flesh they are of the Laodicean temper neither hot nor cold Rev. 3. 16. They are not hot enough for the spiritual believers company under the fire-baptism nor cold enough for the dissolute rabble of mankind that are wholly given up to vile affections and sensuallity They think they have need of nothing Because they see the bestial multitude under their feet to whom they say stand by we are holier than you Yet are they as to eternal Life wretched miserable poor blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. They have no exercise of true spiritual discerning or Life in them When this sort of professors are hard beset with the spiritual believers testimony rather than endure that they will venture if there be no other remedy to piece up with any prophane Interest as Act. 17. 5. The issue oft is they are â—uined for their paines by those they call in to their assistance Rich they are wise strong and honorable in Christ by a knowledge of him after the flesh while David Paul and others of their spiritual constitution are poor needy weak and despicable as to that selfish Life wisdom and righteousness of man 1 Cor. 4. 8. 10. Psal. 109. 22. Will any here Object That the same Scriptures are oft quoted the same expressions oft used and the selfe-same things unnecessarily repeated The Answer is To me this course of writing the same things in only not grievous but to the observant Reader it may prove safe Phil. 3. 1. As for others that Diotrephes like love to have the preheminence amongst men and gratifie their own ambitious humour by preferring their preconceived notions at all adventures hereunto without any regard had to the beguiling projects of the devil upon them and their hearers all along to me 't is a very small thing to be censured by such men 1 Cor. 4. 3. Is not their censure and reproach in this case rather to be interpreted a ratification of the things here said than any wayes an invalidating thereof Will they prate against these things with malitious words not receiving them themselves and forbidding those that would as he in the 3 Epistle of Iohn v. 9. 10 Let them Will any that pretend to be onely teachers of the Law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm 1 Tim. 1. 7. out of hatred to the main things here treated of bark at some circumstantial infirmities in the delivery thereof contracted from the earthliness of the vessel through which they are handed to publick view Let these take their course also I shall hold my self little concerned to heed what they say Christ pronounces wo to those that all men speak well of for so says he did their Fathers to the false Prophets Luk. 6. 26. That spirit in man that seeks or regards the praise and commendation of men is never right never has the praise of God Rom. 2. 29. 2 Cor. 10. 12. 18. What is more familiar to observation in teachers amongst us than that spirit of the Scribes and Pharisees that would be shutting up the kingdom of Heaven against men neither going in themselves nor suffering others to go in Mat. 23. 13. 26. God in the first creation gives us our selves In the second himself All the righteousness wisdom and works as well as the very being of man is from God as made by him but are called the righteousness wisdom and works of man or self-wisdom self-righteousness which he that so worketh is under the Law or Covenant of works If man himself may be called self such works at best are but self-righteousness Men grosly deceive themselves in limiting self to the corrupt nature onely The ridding us of that is onely the casting out of the devil or of that which the old serpent by his first suggestion to Eve brought into our nature Those Ministers and Pastors of Churches that are really serviceable to their hearers in this work will find cold entertainment from Christ if they proceed not with Paul to a second and more excellent birth of Life in them Mat. 7. 22 23. The fruit of their Ministry amounts but to the constituting of the house upon the sand renewed nature the House empty swept and garnished that Satan can re-enter not the House upon the rock that spiritual house 1 Pet. 2. 5. that is partaker of the divine nature against which the gates of hell shall not prevail All thâ—â— man is has or does within the compass of his first-creation frame of mind and heart at best hath SELF stamped upon it so indelebly and by such undeniable evidence from the scriptures of truth that all the shifts and wit of man will never be able to wipe it out That that is made or renewed by God in the first creation is of the earth earthy That that is born of God in the second is from heaven and the righteousnes wisdom and glory thereof is called the righteousness wisdom and glory of God which they fall short of that stay in the first There is no eternal Life to be had but in the glory that excels 2 Cor. 3. 10. There is a glory and a glory a lesser glory that is to be done away because comparatively 't is no glory by reason of the glory that excelleth and is to remain Reformation brings the lesser glory the glory of man a fresh upon him But it must be Transformation by which we are changed into and brought forth in the glory of God vers 18. t is not a gradual progress and proficiency in the same life glory and righteousness that is here meant but a total change out of one kind of glory into another a passing out of the glory of the first-creation into that of the second from the changeable Life glory and righteousnesse of man into the unchangeable Life glory and everlasting righteousnesse of God The Apostle uses the same word to expresse this great change or metamorphosis of souls that is absolutely necessary to salvation which the Poet prefixes to his fabulous transformation of the bodies of men into the shapes of other kinds of creatures We are metamorphosed changed or transformed from glory to glory Spiritual new-creature Life only is unchangable and therefore eternal 27. This then is the sum of man's duty Offer the sacrifices of righteousnes and put your trust in the Lord Psal. 4. 5. The Chaldee renders it Subdue your lusts and it shall be accounted a sacrifice of righteousness Be content to quit and offer up the first-creation state at best in sacrifice to God and put your trust in the Lord who by his spirit given forth to you in the new-creation will work all your works in you and for you after a more excellent way In the priestly office and power of your faith present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service or is that sacrifice of your reasonable powers your rational principles at best that God will accept and thereupon transform
into an absolute compliance and unchangable harmony with his will Rom. 12.1,2 Crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts Put off the old man These and many other Scriptures of like import do all together and each of them apart compendiously imply the whole duty of man even all that God requires of him which is to humble himself under the cross of Christ and walk for ever with the Lord. So Psal. 50. 23. whoso offereth praise glorifieth me So the Septuagint render it in Greek In the Hebrew 'tis whoso sacrificeth confession which the Caldee renders whoso slayeth his evil or fleshly concupiscence that is the fleshly or natural mind The renewed mind of man is out a labile wavering corruptible thing This is not onely to be confessed but the confession or thing it self that is confessed thus to be is to be sacrificed and offered up to God by a living active faith If not it will resist the spirit of God refuse his new-creation work seek to save its own life keep it self whole and unbroken and fo will evidence it self in conclusion to be that carnal mind that 's enmity to God and works eternal death to man Rom. 8. 6. To come roundly and freely off with the sacrifice of self in the full Scripture latitude thereof by a thorow self-resignation is the great duty of man and the onely true and acceptable offering of praise to God Truly and substantially to praise God amounts to no less than this offering Le ts not please and delude our selves with a noise a found of words shadowes for things substance truth 28. Know then O vain man that without works thy faith is dead Jam. 2. 20. What works the works of an active saving faith the fruits that flow from the proper spring and principle of new-creature Life in man One great work of this faith is to lay hold on the unchangeable and everlasting righteousness of God in Christ's person Another great work of it is to crucify the fleshly mind or principles of humane nature however renewed so as for ever to disable them either for working sin or righteousnesse in the single first-creation activity or Life thereof A third work of it is to enable man to worship God in spirit and truth and to perform all righteous works towards God and men in a more excellent and acceptable way and with more steadiness and certainty than ever the renewed natural mind with all its ornament and furniture could perform such things Without such a faith and the workings of it it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Thus by being disabled to perform one tittle of the Law in the single activity of our corruptible though renewed mind we come so to fulfil the whole Law in the continuing and incorruptible principle of new-creature life that against us there is no Law that has any thing to say Gal. 5. 23. Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we come by this means onely to establish and fullfil the Law Rom. 3. 31. Mat. 5. 17. They that believe in God must be careful to maintain such good works to wit the works of faith Tit. 3. 8. This is the letting our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorifie our father which is in heaven Mat. 5. 16. We shew hereby that God's spirit which is set up in man by the new creation is better at working righteousnesse than mans spirit that was set up in him by the first-creation Any works we do as born of God in the new-creation are better on all accounts than what we can do as made of God in the first whatever work is good in the honest Heathen or legal Christian shall be owned and out-done by the spiritual believer in his more excellent principles and way The highest Principles of Life in man include ratifie and out-do all that righteousness that is performable in the lower In such Principles was this Sufferer a worker of righteousness such a worshipper of God as the Father seeks and approves of such a true Son of peace such a peacemaker as hath bin described but reckoned a man of contention for that very reason He was content with Paul to be a fool for Christ despised for Christ the poor and needy man with David As a true Embassador of Christ and minister of the everlasting Gospel he warned and besought the sons of men to consider their own true interest in becoming not onely almost but altogether such as he was except his bonds His Life was not like other mens nor his Ministry His wayes were of another fashion as they reason Wisd. 2. 15. therefore have I writ his Life after another fashion that mens Lives use to be written treating mostly of the principles and course of his hidden Life amongst the sons of God that the sons of men may the better know and consider what manner of man it was they have betrayed persecuted and slain For this read on from vers 15 to 23 of Wisd. 2. which I quote not as Scripture but as a notable character of mens rational conviction and acknowledgements together with their false reasonings and most perverse deductions therefrom in the present case We are esteemed of him as counterfeits or hypocrites he absteineth from our wayes as filthyness He maketh his bâ—ast that God is his Father Let us see if his words be true If he be the Son of God he will help him and deliver him from his enemies Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture that we may know his weekness and prove his patience Let us condemn him with a shameful death for by his own saying he shall be respected Such things they did imagine and were deceived for their own wickedness hath blinded them As for the mysteries of God they knew them not nor discerned the reward of blameless soules Thus not owning any need of an Apology for having been so large in the exposition of his divine Life Principles and Doctrine save onely this that I have spoken these things rather as an instruction to the living than an Apology for the dead I return to the more publick and overt acts of his humane pilgrimage and conversation amongst men having mentioned the private passages thereof in the beginning Would you know his Title in reference to his countrey He was A Common-Wealths-Man That 's a dangerous Name to the Peace and Interest of Tyranny I have lately met with two new State Paradoxes in Print which speak ruine to all that own that Title 1. That the Common-Wealth is not safe while Common-Wealths-Men are alive 2. That the Lawes are not safe while they are alive that every day call for the aid of the Law These Assertions carry with them such an appearance of contradiction to say no more that I am not so much an OEdipus as to unriddle them The Character of this deceased Statesman with whose Principles those two sayings carry little
Nature the true end of all Government in humane Societies turn their own Reason out of Doors and so turn beasts for their Governours to ride on That the Iews Greeks and Romanes the wisest States in the world have over and over used this Liberty of Changing their Government as they saw occasion and that often with very good success is undeniable Were it unlawful for a State in any case to depose remove Kings what Titles have any Monarchs now upon earth to their Crowns that are descended of those who were elected into the room of such as the people deposed How bruitish then and destructive even to the Interest and Title of the present Kings that hesought to gratify and flatter is Belloy's Assertion That a Family once setled in the Crown though they prove never so wicked vitious and abominable yea though they go about to destroy the Common-wealth must yet be sacred to us and permitted to keep their Seat without any direction restraint or punishment from the Common-wealth but from God onely At this rate all the Carlees in France were Usurpers because Pepin the first of that Race came to the Crown upon the deposition of Childeric the Third and so wiped out the Merovees or Pharamonds Line The like is to be said of the Capevingiens who have now sate in the French Throne almost seven hundred years since the deposition of Charles of Lorain last of Pepins race into whose room Hugh Capet was elected by the People The same thing is to be seen in the Spanish Histories and where not Four Races of Kings have been there since the expulsion of the Romans The first was from the Goths The second from Don Pelago The third from Don Sancho Mayor The last from the House of Austria England has had more changes of this kind that both these neighbour Monarchies together in the same space of about twelve hundred years They all three got loose from the Romane Yoke so long ago This blessed Witness and Assertor of the Fundamental Rights Truths and Liberties of Christs Kingdom as also of the Common-wealth of England and that has sealed his Assertions in both kinds with his blood was not onely well skilled in setting the right bounds to civil and spiritual Power in the outward government of Worldly States but he did yet more clossly distinguish between natural whence civil springs and spiritual Power as to the inward regulation of particular persons You may take a glance into his larger Discourses on this Subject by a short glosse on the two Trees in Eden that of Life and that of the Knowledge of good and evil These two Trees were the first significant Types in and by which man was instructed in this doctrine which rightly divides the word of Truth Christ the living and Scriptures the written Word of God between the natural and spiritual man alotting unto each their proper portion and character One of these Adam might yea ought to have fed upon the Tree of Life the other not By the Devils suggestion to the Woman and hers to him he made a contrary choice He did eat of that he should not to the loss even of that he thought to gratify himself in his temporary Life of righteousness and communion with God and neglected to eat of the other and so of Christ in spirit the Antitype thereof for the feeding and building him up into eternal Life and true blessedness These two Trees were an Allegory of like significancy with Sarai and Hagar Isaac and Ishmael Old and New Testament or Covenant c. One of them signified the first Adam with his living Soul and freedom to good and evil the other the second Adam with his quickning spirit and freedom to good onely which he communicates and builds men up into the life and exercise of in fellowship with himself Adam chose to gratify his primitive natural constitution and freedom to good and evil which together with the things that feed it were typically stated and represented in the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil The new-creature Life and the glorious Liberty of the sons of God together with the things thereof not seen to man in the former capacity things eternal were typically stated and represented to Adams natural discerning in the tree of Life with instruction what was his concern to do or not to do as to that or the other But although these Types were given and expounded also by Christ unto Adam before hand yet was there room left after his fall for the exercise of a distinguishing dispensation of mercy towards him and his posterity from that of severity which was forthwith put in execution against the apostate angels excluding them from any possibility of ever entring into Gods Rest. This argues that the Angels who excel in strength and are higher than man had a clearer understanding in that point as to the requisiteness of a transition for themselves and for men out of the mutable state of life and righteousness received in their first creation into the unchangable Life and everlasting righteousness of the second Their fall therefore was more knowing wilful fatal and irrecoverable upon any tearms whatsoever That which Paul said of himself may be said of Adams first transgression comparatively with the first sin of the Angels that he did it ignorantly and so obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1. 13. But let man after renewed ad revived look to it for if after all this warning he sin again after the similitude of Adams transgression he becomes a Tree twice dead and will be pluckt up by the roots This second fall of man is as fatal and irrecoverable as the Angels first â— Adam's eating the forbidden fruit imported no less than a pleasing himself in the single Liberty Righteousnessâ— Life and Enjoyments of his first-creation state in preference to what was attainable for him in the second He preferred the creature or glory of man in the first to the glory of God that rests upon men for ever in the new-creation state He preferred the Law of works or the natural power of working righteousness set up in him by the first creation to the Law of Liberty Grace Faith that heavenly power of working righteousness that is set up in man by the new creation which can do all good and no evil so that against such there is no Law Gal. 5. 23. This is the glorious liberty of the sons of God Iam. 1. 25. and 2. 12. To prefer the lesser glory of the first creation the glory of man to the greater glory of the second the glory and righteousness of God is to worship serve and value the glory of the Creature more than that of the Creator who is blessed for ever Rom. 1. 25. They that prefer the lesser glory to the greater the righteousness and glory of man's first-creation to that of the second will prove hypocrites and persecute A hypocrite is not onely he that makes a shew of righteousness and
has none but that has the righteousness and glory of man really in and upon him and in the credit and flourish of this would personate and pass for that which he is not the true spiritual heir that has the glory and righteousness of God in and upon him and then the next news is he falls to persecuting of him that indeed is the true heir saying to his fellows in spirit and principle Come this is the heir le ts kill him and the inheritance shall be ours A hypocrite is one that personates and would passe for that which he is not If he be stark naught he would pass for that which is good If good and righteous in one kind he would pass for that that is better and more excellent in another Such an hypocritical spirit is a persecuting spirit He that 's born of Christ after the flesh and will go no farther will persecute him that is born of the same Christ after the spirit will hate his Brother slander his own Mothers Son Psal. 50. 20. To this effect did this Sufferer use to Allegorize the two Trees in Eden and other Scriptures in exact analogie and harmony therewith But come we now to consider the method of his sufferings how this meek dove-like harmless person has been handled by the injurious wolvish spirit of this world that has affronted contradicted and blasphemed his principles and doctrine and at length killed his body as a contentious wrangler and a malefactor Christ was so served He went about doing good and suffering ill to the last This eminent disciple and follower of his hath waded through all those injurious reproaches and mis-interpretations men have put upon his most innocent and useful words and actions in that thank-worthy and acceptable imitation of him which Peter represents to us under the similitude of good servants that can suffer patiently for well-doing commiting themselves to him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2. 18 23. He considered him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself and did not faint in his mind but striving against sin and sinners of all sorts by his faithful witnes-bearing resisted unto blood Heb. 12. 3 4. But be it known that amidst the personal sufferings of Saints 't is not onely lawful but their duty to pray that God would awake to their judgement even to their CAUSE which is his CAUSE that all those may yet come to shout for joy that favour their righteous CAUSE and that the enemy may not rejoyce over them as if he had swallowed them up though they abuse and kill them all the day long 〈◊〉 sheep appointed for the slaughter Psal. 35. 23 27. Some of you saies Christ they shall put to death but not a hair of your head shall perish Luk. 21. 16 18. This worthy Patriot was freely chosen without any seeking of his to serve as Burgess for the Town of Kingston upon Hull in that Parliament which sate doâ—â— November 3. 1640. About thirteen years did he indefatigably labour therein for his Countries relief against manifest Oppressions and publick grievances that were upon it And well nigh ten years more he hath patiently suffered as either a useless or pernicious person because of his destructive constitution to the Peace and Interest of Tyranny During the long Parliament he was usually so engaged for the Publick in the HOUSE and several Committees from early in the morning to very late at night that he had scarce any leisure to eat his bread converse with his nearest Relations or at all to mind his Family affaires Were I indeed furnished with the tongue of the learned the pen of a ready writer I should think it adviseable to let the usefulness successe of his publick Actings all along that Parliament till forcibly dissolved speak for themselves That race of action being run not without much struggling contradiction and mis-reports all the while he comes to his suffering Scene He was for several years rejected persecuted imprisoned by his apostatized friends that had gone to the house of God in company with him who at length to compleat their persecuting work upon him delivered him up to be hunted to death by his professed foes enemies of all righteousness Gods and mans too First his false Friends that had sat in Council with him and who owed in great measure their very Lives and success to him under God they fasted for strife and debate kept a mock fast to draw such as durst give them faithful counsel and warning into a snare Upon their apostacy when brought into distress through forreign disappointments they somewhat Iezebel-like proclaimed a fast publickly declaring their willingness to receive information from any hand as to what was amiss in the Government that might be the ground of God's not going forth with their Armies as he was wont He laid hold on this published offer and as a faithful watchman and able Patriot exhibited his thoughts to them in a Healing Question on which he was shortly after sent for by the Council from the place of his residence at Belleaâ— in Lincolnshire proceeded against as seditious and imprisoned about four moneths at Caris-brough Castle in the Isle or Weight Thus the Iews served Ieremy Jer. 42. and 43. They desired him to enquire the mind of the Lord as to their intended journey for Egypt and solemnly engaged they would obey the message â—â—lling God to witness between them and him He seeks the Lord and after ten dayes receives and faithfully declares the word of the Lord which was That if they went to Egypt the sword they feared at home should meet with them there and if they tarried in their own land they should be preserved They proudly rebelled againâ—â— this word and not onely so but forced Ieremy along with them to Egypt to bear a share in their sufferings though not in their sin as the wise Servant was handled by his foolish Master in Aristophanes and as is frequently the case amongst mortals God the great disposer of all the kingdoms of men gave Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar and his Army as wages for their hard service in pulling down proud Tyre whose Merchants were Princes Esay 23. 8. where every head was made bald and every shoulder peeld with long and excessive labour in a thirteen years siege and filling up a channel of the sea in order to their approaches Ezek. 26. 9. and Chap. 29. 18 20. Thus Nebuchadnezzars sword that the Iews feared in their own Countrey upon the killing of his Deputy Governour Gedaliah meets with them amongst the rest in Egypt the character and ruine whereof we have Ezek. 29. 30. 31. and 32. Chapters as of Tyre Chap. 26. 27. and 28. Thus treacherously was this steddy Witness of the true Liberties of Christs Kingdom and his native Countrey handled by those that for many years had joyned with him in the profession of the same righteous CAUSE against sacrilegious and tyrannical domination in Church or State What was his
crime He was stedfast in the Covenant they turned aside like a deceitful Bow The criminous party had the Sword and innocency suffered Even so it is now To omit his rejection and confinement by the Long Parliament after their return to take their Seats afresh in the HOUSE 1659. his last Scene of Sufferings was under the present Powers Under this variety of Persecutors and Persecution he notably experienced the truth of that Apostolical Argument for the Resurrection If in this Life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 He took that course in the face of all affronts and contradictions of sinners of one kind or other from first to last which shewed the invincible steaddinesse and chastity of his spirit What he vigorously prosecuted when he was active he ratified and sealed with his blood and all the tendencies thereunto by witnessing a good Confession since he was passive He stood up for the defence of the Lives and Liberties of his Country-men and lost his own Liberty 〈◊〉 Life for his paines As a true lover of his Nation he boldly asserted the Rights thereof at the last push to the faces of those that have sufficiently declared themselves enemies thereunto in condemning him What he could do or suffer more for his Countrey than he did is somewhat difficult to say His two years imprisonment under this power was by meer will and pleasure no particular crime being laid to his charge in direct contradiction to the fundamental Laws and Liberties of Englishmen stated in MAGNA CHARTA Chap. 29. Festus a heathen Judge deemed this unreasonable in Paul's case Act. 25.27 It seemeth to me unreasonable saies he to send one as a Prisoner and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him 'T is against the Law of nature the conscience and common light of Reason in all mankind that any man should be so dealt with For their most injurious underhand-dealing in picking up a charge while he was kept two years close-prisoner and procuring Witnesses against him by threats or promises together with their proceedings about him at the Grand Jury and Kings Bench I do once for all refer you to the Narrative of his Tryal I reserve onely a liberty of speaking something in general as to the difficulty of his circumstances in the tryal and for particulars to lay before you the main passages of the Iews proceedings with Christ trusting them and you together to make the application I take hint for this latter branch of my liberty from one of his occasional speeches recorded in his Tyral Mention being made by a Friend of the cruel proceedings against him Alas said he what a-do they keep to make a poor creature like his Saviour He was an able Common-Wealths-Man and a true Believer two dangerous qualifications to Church and State as this world goes He had remarkable insight in the Politie of the true Common-wealth of Israel the Holy Ierusalem that will shortly come down from God out of Heaven Rev. 21. This gave him no small aime at what he ought to be doing in the Common-wealth of England as preparatory thereunto What was done in the day of small things when the Nation was delivered from its taskmasters was not despicable in its season though a cloud be now drawn over it 'T was a usual saying with himâ— Come what would every thing was upon the right Wheel in the wise contrivement of God for the accomplishing of his righteous designs in the world But considering matters betwixt man and man that expostulation Eccles. 2. 15. Why was Libeâ—â—â—re wiâ—eâ— may seem to be fairly inâ—erpretable into this senceâ— That true wisdom is a great disadvantage to a man in this disordered world where 't is the fashion for lust will and pleasure to bear sway against Scripture Law and Reason Persons of the best rational abilities and most conscience have usually been destroyed in Courts of Judicature so called throughout the world in all times A man of Reason and Conscience called forth to declare his mind cannot afford to gratifie the corrupt humors lusts of men that put good for evil and evil for good light for darkness and darkness for light Esay 5.20 much less become one in spirit and principle with those that so do and then he must die When truth failes and every thing is called by a wrong name good evil and evil good men abhor him that speaketh uprightly they hate him that reproveth in the gate Amos 5. 10. If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do Psas. 11. 3. Yea or what can he say when the Soveraignty and infinitely most Supream Legislative power of God and Christ himself is set at naught there 's the mâ—in Foundation gone as to the righteous man's defence amongst his fellow mortals If Judges that have no fear of God before their eyes be on the Bench then long schrowls of I know not what must be formed up and read against the most faithful Patriots and choicest Christians as not having the fear of God before their eyes and sentence accordingly must be pronounced against them by one râ—ful wight or other that 's an enemy to all true Law and right Reason This sort of Cattel have not been wanting in any place or time Queen Iezebel could find them in Iezreel Judges and witnesses of Beliat against Naboth and away goes his Life and she not long after to the Dogs 1 King 21. and 2 King 9. Such Judges as have no fear of God before their eyes what will they stick at All inferiour and subordinate Foundations of the righteous mans safety all the Laws Rights and Liberties of any Nation will signify little with Judges so qualified and fitted to abuse and murder any righteous men that are brought before them See the boldness of the Kings Rulers and People of the earth not onely in slighting but down-right bidding defiance to the Soveraignty of God and Christ Father and Son with the Laws of both Psal. 2. 2 3. The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take Counsel together against the Lord and against his Christ there 's their Soveraignty affronted Then they say vers 3. Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us there are their Lawes rejected Then if the antient fundamental Lawes or Liberties of any Nation be slighted laid aside or pulled up by the roots and mischief established by some new one with this advantage the basest of men may gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous and condemn innocent bloâ—â— Psal. 94. 20 21. If over and beyond all this there be such wicked Judges to be found that neither fear God nor regard that which is the man in man Reason but onely that corrupt State Reason that lies in point blank contradiction thereunto if such be to be found who will venture by their superadditional glosses to stretch a mischievous new Law beyond the proper
the heathen and punishments upon the people even upon both those sorts of enemies that took counsel together against them whether the prophane or but legally religious party Psal. 2. 1 2. Both the Heathen that are no People of God at all and such a People of God as may apostatize become no people again they shall all go to wrack their Kings shall be bound with chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron All this shall be performed by the faith and prayer of Believers in association with the holy Angels Such honour have all his Saints This concluding Battel that is to make a clear riddance of all the wicked tyrannical Monarchies and Powers of this world is else where expressed thus Not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Zech. 4. 6. But the greatest conquest that can be attained over enemies while t is yet but a suffering season is by Death This Martyr followed his great Master herein Who by Death overcame him that had the power of Death the Devil Heb. 2. 14. He that conquers by killing overcomes but men he that conquers by dying overcomes the Devil His false friends conquered their enemies by killing them he tried another and the surer way of Conquest though mystical to conquer them by being killed by them He has more advantaged a good CAUSE and condemned a bad one done his honest Countrey-men more service and his enemies more disservice by his death as Sampson served the Philistines then before in all his Life though that also were very considerable If death were not the noblest most excellent and certain way of conquest would the great Captaine of our Salvation have led us that way Are we followers of that Captain unless we go the same way he went They that conquer by killing others are still subject to death themselves Yea to be killed by some remainders of those they conquered They that conquer by dying are no longer subject to death 'T is appointed unto man once to die No rage or power of man can take away this Martyrs Life the second time 'T is true Christ himself offered up supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared Heb. 5. 7. that is was delivered from the fear of Death before hand and out of the jawes of it after for it was not possible he should be holden of it Act. 2. 24. This disciple of his prayed for the same thing and he did experience and say Death shrunke from him not he from it He had experienced the good hand of God in delivering him from Deaths ofâ— and when the season was come he found that Death it self would prove the greatest deliverance that he ever had in all his life So he experienced the delivering hand of God from Death oft and by Deaâ—h once which was the accomplishment of all his former deliverances He did look Death in the face with a true chearful boldness not in a transport or dissembled courage as is usual but in a fixed composure and full vigor of all his natural senses To be thus delivered from the fear of Death is more then to be delivered from Death So to be delivered from all inordinate love of our natural Life and the concerns thereof is a greater mercy then to be gratified with a confluence of all worldly desirables All the Crowns and Scepters of this world are short of this frame of mind crucified to things seen Alexander put so great a value upon a shadow of this in Diogenes that he said Were he not Alexander he would be Diogenes The Conqueror accounted a deadness to the whole scene of outward Vanities the best condition next to the having all at command Had he not been partial he might have reckoned it better He soon after lost his world and himself together in a drunken fit at Babylon the common Rendevouz for bruitish pomp under three of the four worldly Monarchies Assyrian Persian and Greek The love of this world is enmity to God and breeds in us the fear of man that can deprive us of what we love and the fear of man brings a snare will keep us from witnessing a good confession as Christ did If we fear them that can kill the Body we shall never be bold in a good cause before wicked Judges This Patriot feared not Death and therefore did as boldly fully and clearly assert his Countries Rights and Liberties at their Bar as he had before for many years together on all occasions in the Parliament House His stedfastness in the Faith in the Covenant his constancy for the publick Interest rendered him very unsolicitous as to his own personal concerns or Life And what must all this be tearmed by his enemies This steadiness and boldness of spirit in asserting the Cause of God and these Nations to the Death which is highly esteemed of God and all good men is by his bruitish adversaries called an impudent defence of his Treason He was well steeled and made of God with Ieremy as an iron pillar and brazen walles against any impudence or treason that others could affront him with under a face of authoâ—ity He evidently preferred the Lives and Liberties of all the knowing honest-hearted people in the Nation to his own He was couragious therefore in the defence of them What thought his enemies of this Ready they were to charge him with such deportment in his Trial and on the Scaffold towards them and the king as Iob was truly charged with by Elihu against God Iob 34.37 He addeth rebellion to his sin he clappeth his hands amongst us and multiplieth his words against the King What were the words can any tell They multiplied their words against God the Laws of England and him He resisted them unto blood This was the highest demonstration of his sincerity that was possible to be given and the greatest victory over all his enemies that was possible to be obteined Cromwels victories are swallowed up of Death he has swallowed up Death it self into victory and is gone in the Charet of salvation to receive his Crown from the hands of Christ 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. which no man by any treachery or force can ever take from him He let fall his mantle left his body behind him that he had worn nine and forty years and is gone to keep his everlasting Jubile in Gods â—â—est 'T is all DAY with him now no night or sorrow more no prisons or death He is gone from a plâ—ce where so much as the righteousness of man can't be endured He is gone to a place where the righteousness of God is the universal gaâ—be of all the inhabitants He is gone to that better City the New-Ierusalem He had served his generation in his mortal Body done his work and was glad to fall a sleep and go look for his reward some where else You see what this ingrateful world has
afforded him for all his kindness reproach prisons and death he had need have other returns some where Great is his reward in heaven He was a burning and shining light he burned hotter and shined brighter in heavenly life and light under all the injuries of this persecuting world so that his last works were his best So death was to him a great gain If any sit down by the loss 't is we that survive him But he left this comfortable word behind him God would never want instruments to do his work Yet we may say The honourable Counsellour is taken from thee O England this day whose worth few knew A famous Master in our Israel is taken from our heads and who laies it rightly to heart His enemies were afraid of him as Saul of David because the Lord was with him 1 Sam. 18. 12. Pharaoh though but a heathen Prince was of another mind concerning Ioseph He advised with his Council about appointing some discreet wise man over the Land of Egypt and of Ioseph he saith Can we find such a one as this a man in whom the spirit of God is So Ioseph became chief Ruler in Egypt under several Kings fourscore years together from the thirtieth to the hundred and tenth year of his age The like great authority fell to Daniels share as a man of this more excellent spirit in Babylon under several Assyrian or Babylonish and Persian Monarchs 'T is a sign Monarchy is notoriously degenerated that persons of Ioseph's and Daniels spirit are for that very reason hated and slain for which they were advanced even in heathen States The enemies of this English Ioseph and deliverer were of the right Satanick spirit hated him only for following the thing that good is They that render evil for good are mine adversaries in the original 't is are Satan Psal. 38. 20. Men of the excellent spirit do now find sad entertainment People flock together and every one is ready to act his part towards the shedding of their innocent blood Judges Jurors Witnesses Counsellors No time must be granted all must be huddled up in a trice when they are making haste to destroy them And they are ready to say as the Iewes of Christ His blood be upon us and on our children It is not like to be alone upon them they must take a heavier load with it Upon the abettours and contrivers of this murder if they repent not will come all the blood that has been shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel to the last drop of the innocent blood that they have or shall farther spill Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal. 116. 15. God will be soundly payd for their blood He will not fail to encrease his wealth by their price Psal. 44. 12. One main ground of the unjust proceedings of worldly Powers against righteous and conscientious men is Reason of State which usually brings the most signal desolation upon them by that very means whereby they thought to prevent it With what a vengeance this thing called Reason of State has been repayed we may observe in all times and places Pharaoh for Reasons of State murthered the Male-Children and sought to suppress the Hebrews by cruel bondage No messages from God though accompanied with Prodigies could stop him in his course till he was payd home once for all in the Red Sea Reason of State made Saul seek the ruine of David Absolon lie with his Fathers Concubines Ieroboam seek the establishment of himself by his Calf-worship thereby distinguishing his people in Religion from the Ierusalem-Worship under another King This made Herod seek Christ's life and destroy the male Children about Bethlehem This made the Iews and Pilate crucifie him least Caesar should destroy their Nation whereas for that very thing they came to be destroy'd by Caesar and what end all the other with many like examples came to I refer you to the Scriptures and other authentick Histories to enquire Caiaphas said of Christ It was expedient that one man should dye for the people The like was urged against this follower of Christ. Here 's another Reason of State And he declared himself content to be any thing God should permit them to make of him to be handled as Paul was reckoned as the filth of the world the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 13. The word there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which relates to the heathenish custome of culling out slaves or other contemptible persons to offer up to the devil as expiatory sacrifices to purge from some National guilt they had contracted and so deliver them from some National judgement they lay under Be the adversaries Reasons of State what they will they have done all they can do to this lover of his Countrey and the Laws thereof But I would willingly have their understandings disabused in one point Let them not think they have conquered him They knew him not He judg'd his Judges at the Bar. He triumphed over his executioners on the Scaffold R. and the rest Such a publick execution was more eligible then to have lingred out some small time in a prison as a condemned person liable to any arbitrary afterclaps on any future motion or pretence of motion in our troubled Sea He had more ease God more glory the honest party of the Nation and their just CAUSE more advantage and why may I not say his most intimate friends and dearest Relations more comfort in this way of his deliverance once for all He did fully comply with that rational notion of the heathen Philosophers concerning his mortal body That it was one of his prisons from which he could receive no final discharge as he might from others but by death Right joyful he was to lay aside this burthensome weight and go to his Father His heart was fixed trusting in the Lord. He was not therefore afraid or any way starâ—led at evil tydings but did sing and give praise that his full redemption drew so near Psal. 112. 6 7. and 108. 1. When the Sheriffs Chaplain came very gravely to him at the midnight before his execution the most dismal unseasonable and unusual time for such messages he told him he was come to bring him as he called it the fatal message of Death On this the Lord presently cast into his mind that which is written Zech. 3.4 to intimate to him That he was now taking away his filthy garments with intention to give him change of raiment that his mortal might put on immortallity Thus his Mortallity came to be swallowed up of Life and Death and the Grave into Victory Presently after his receit of that message of Death he laid him down and slept for the Lord sustained him Psal. 3. 5. When his Relations and Acquaintance came about him in the morning he told them he did not look upon that message of Death as having any thing at all of dismalness in it
The World was no longer worthy of him He is therefore gone from the earth But his Person and righteous Testimony shall be â—ad in everlasting remembrance Psal. 112. 6. His eye was fixed upon a better Countrey the Saints everlasting Rest. There the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest Those that have been made Prisoners and out-casts in this world as the off-scouring of all things shall rest together there They shall no more hear the voice of the oppressor Job 3. 17 18. The present enjoyments and blessedness of this deceased Saint do set him clear out of the reach of his enemies malice or my pen. He steaddily sees and unchangeably enjoyes what Paul before quite rid of his mortal body had but the transient view of in a short rapture when caught up to the third heaven 1 Cor. 12. or into that vision of God in Christ that is exhibited to the double-portioned Saint that sits on the Throne with Christ. 'T is the favourable presence of God in Christ onely that makes heaven to angels or men God's threefold various presence with his Church in and through Christ makes the three heavens That presence that is afforded in the adaequate intelligible form to the highest life and discerning of the double-portioned Saint the Bride the Lambs Wife makes the third heaven That which is given forth in the adaequate intelligible form to the elect Angels and Spirits of just men made perfect as the sutable immediate object of their discerning makes the second heaven That presence of God together with the fruits of it that in Christ is afforded to Saints on earth makes the first They have their conversation in this first heaven Phil. 3.20 or lowest kind of presence and converse of Christ in spirit They do live in the exercise of that spiritual seed and those principles which when fully awakened in the resurrection will render them fit inhabitants of the second and third heavens Paul in the short glance he had of that most excellent glory of God in Christ that is intelligible or discernable to the most exalted sort of Saints tells us he heard unspeakable words or saw unspeakable things which it is not lawful or possible for a man to utter Here then I must take off my hand and leave you to make the best you can of it in silence and wonder Thus have I cast in my small mite towards the vindication of the Person Doctrine and Way of this choice anointed one of the Lord and faithful assertor of his Countries Liberties unto Death from the groundless aspersions causeless hatred misprisions and injuries that have fallen to his share in this world There are two sorts of enemies who in the rage and vain imaginations of their hearts have reproached blasphemed assaulted affronted resisted and persecuted Christ in him They are both deciphered Psal. 2. 1. under the titles of Heathen and People I have a word of two to divide between them and speak to each of them apart My first word is to a People of God who in whatever variety of form perswasion or way have all of them with one consent separated from Rome as justly loathing and nauseating her most gross visible Idolatries and abominations They have also separated from the dry impertinent formality of a meer outward profession of Protestantisme under a superstitious Episcopacy These they have separated from on the left hand it was their duty so to do But they have also separated from or rather cast out the spiritual Believer and true heir of the everlasting Kingdom on the right hand This is their great sin that has brought a prophane heathenish superstitious idolatrous Interest over their heads again and run all a-ground They have demonstrated themselves to be of that spirit that Paul reproved in some of the Corinthian Church that would be reigning as Kings in the but renewed principles of humane nature and righteousness of man 1 Cor. 4. 8. When therefore this true heir sounded his trumpet in his RETIRED MEDITATIONS and proclaimed another sort of Saints men of another spirit other principles and a more excellent way of life to be the onely true heirs of the Kingdom and possessed of the true reigning Principle they could not bear it They have chosen rather to give the Scepter back again into any hand then the true heir of the heavenly Kingdom should wield it I mean not a Person onely but a People a People prepared for the Lord. Whoever you be that have thus demeaned your selves and sinned away twenty years Mercies and Deliverancies whatever your Judgment Form or Way be as to this or that particular Doctrine or Ordinance if you yet lodge but in the renewed old Adam state of life or first-creation spirit and principles as you have seen them above-charactered to you it is I direct this word You that are in some good measure and degree inwardly cleansed from the pollutions of this world the corruption of nature give me leave to tell you you may be thus wash'd and baptized by the word of truth into a practical experimental knowledge of Christ after the flesh and conformity with him as he was â—ound in the flesh born of a woman made under the Law for your sanctification Let me tell you further you may be made comely through his comeliness or righteousness of that sort put upon you or imputed to you for your justification You may over and above all this be adorned with many jewels and bracelets excellent gifts and the tongue of men and angels and yet fall short of the glory and righteousness of God in the new and everlasting Covenant and so may prove to be at last but sounding brass or tinkling cymbals Ez. 16. 11 12. 1 Cor. 12. 31. 13. 1. All your sanctified justified beautified and adorned state in which you flourished was but the rectified adorned first-covenant natural man and you took all to be spiritual new-covenant Life and ornament This is one of the saddest mistakes mortal men are subject to and is like to cost them dearest Their disappointment is fatal and irrecoverable Their work is exceeding dangerous in kicking against the pricks persecuting of Christ in the true spiritual believer But their case is noâ—remediless as they may see in Paul till they knowingly and malitiously say Come this is the heir let 's kill him and the inheritance shall be ours There are those from amongst these Legal spirited professors both Pastors and People that have had their share in betraying this just man in blaspheming his Principles and Doctrine in casting reproaches upon him while living and pleasing themselves to think that they are now well rid of him his Doctrine and Way by his Death Deceive not your selves His testimony has received a more signal ratification by his Death then in all his Life He warn'd you of many things In reference to one of his warning-pieces as to the making clean riddance of Antichrist from amongst us I shall ask
dunghil because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort Dan. 3. Yet it appears not that Nebuchadnezzar himself worshipped this true God or forsook his false A while after we find him boasting and vaunting as if there were no other God but he Dan. 4.30 What a fickle thing is that Religion that depends upon the Magistrates Decree Darius the Mede when he comes upon the Stage at Babylon he is flattered by his corrupt Courners to turn Pope take upon him to be the holy Father all must pray to him for thirty dayes and not ask a petition of any other God If they did they must to the Lions den Daniel is charged with slighting the King and his Decree The King set himself to deliver him but could not An Angel did by stopping the Lyons mouths Then his accusers with their wives and children were cast to the Lyons and were torn in pieces immediately before they came to the bottom of the Den Dan. 6. What looking-glasses are here for Kings to give them aim what persons to put most value on Idolatrous flattering Courtiers that counsel them to their dammage and disherison or true Prophets and faithful Subjects that advise them for the safety of their Crown and Dignity True they know not to give flattering titles to men for in so doing their maker would soon take them away Job 32. 22. They fear him more than men 'T is the true advantage of Kings to be plainly dealt with by them Flatterers ruine them They are the Traitors as has appeared in all ages Believe it O ye Rulers and Judges if you go on at the rate you have begun should all the Angels in heaven and Men on earth lay their understandings together to demonstrate the requisiteness yea absolute necessity of having made a Parliamentary and popular defence against such corrupt sticklers for prerogative and arbitrary domination when got into armes 1641. 'T is hard to imagine how they should mend that which your selves have given by your most injurious and oppressive practices since your return What should we mince the matter for The world is almost at an end The Devils rage is great because he knows he has but a short time It highly concerns us to deal plainly with one another lest that great deceiver of the Nations cozen us all If men do as wickedly as they can and make a law that no body must tell them of it must every body therefore hold their peace and let them go on What can the Devil desire more Must God and his Messengers have no hearing with you What do you imagine will become of you then Will ye change Religion and the Laws and must no body dare to say so But they will you see Will you put out the eyes of all the good People of England They have eyes and will use them too do what you can as long as their heads are on With these eyes they see clearer what you are about then it may be you are aware The Lord in the late War was a Rebuker of you all in many pitch'd Fields and a continued series of disappointments for many years together If you would but mend the matter as to what this Nation felt when it groaned under the Tyranny of your apostate Conqueror this yet were something Many of the same persons that he abused and oppressed you have slain and so finished his work upon them You should let the oppressed go free ease those heavy burdens that he put upon the People and you encrease them so that the Nation languishes under a general discouragement as to Trade and almost every thing else What work God will suffer to be made by any instruments of cruelty amongst us that are profound to make slaughter though unfit to fight he himself best knows But that God will send deliverance in the close and preserve a remnant in the scramble I am as confident as that there is a God that judgeth in the Earth who will make himself known by the Judgements which he will execute upon all wicked Opposers of him and his People Freely I have received and I freely give you such portion as the Scripture allots you Yet say not O Rulers there is no hope we will therefore fill up the measure of our wickedness and then let God strike Say not thus There is yet hope You may repent of the evil of your doings and quite lay aside all your mischievous and destructive intendments towards this peeled People and you and we together may be a flourishing Nation If the King say as the King of Nineveh Let every man cry mightily unto God let them turn every one from his evil way and from the violence that is in their hands who can tell but God may turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not Jonah 3. 8 9. FINIS Some Notes of Sir Henry Vane's Exhortation to his Children and Family brokenly and imperfectly taken Iune 13. 1662. being the day before his Execution Genesis 18. 17 18 19. And the Lord said Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty Nation and all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Iustice and Iudgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him VVE have here a description of God's reasoning within his own mind concerning the open-heartedness he would use towards Abraham who is called his Friend Isa. 41. 8. for the eminency of his Faith by which he was made one spirit and of one mind with the Lord so as he could instantly surrender and perform whatever God called for from him or required of him however hard or contrary to the desire eye and reasonings of flesh and blood The greatest tryal of his Faith and the most signal manifestation of it was the offering up his only begotten son the son of promise of whom it was said In Isaac shall thy seed be called This Typical Father of the Faithful behaved himself but as a pilgrim and stranger even in the earthly Land of Promise seeking yet a better Country a heavenly Heb. 11. 12. He came off readily with this greatest offering of flesh at its best in his Isaac the figure of Christs offering so as by the transforming Baptism of the Spirit to grow up into a perfect harmony with the will of God Rom. 12. 1 2. Hereupon he is termed the Father of the Faithful and hereby Isaac also became a Son of the Resurrection as he was also before in a figure Heb. 11. 12 19. as springing up from Abraham's body and Sarah's womb when both of them were as good as dead The present occasion admits â—o long insisting on this being together with the care he had of his Family but the introductory consideration with God
the tumultuous confusions and insurrections of the workers of iniquity against them they have a steady composure and un-interrupted serenity of mind through an unshaken submission to acquiescence in and conformity to the will of God in all occurrences In the greatest storms the sharpest and most fiery â—ryals that can befal them when they see the flames of man's wrath the floods of Belial or wicked men devouring on all hands and overwhelming all considerations or appearances of true outward peace equity or order they have the inward peace and joy unspeakable and glorious which such strangers cannot intermeddle with or interrupt A perfect calmness and serenity both in spirit and outward deportment may be the Believers portion and ornament in such a season and such circumstances when the vilest of men are exalted and the wicked walk on every side When the world is in the most injurious career against the Saints then doth Christ more intimately imbrace them and more abundantly manifest to their Faith the riches and glory of the world to come Vse 2. for your instruction These things I leave with you as the words of one in my place and circumstances that ought to have weight with you that are young and liable to be misled Learn hence to put value upon the priviledge of believing Saints Be the daughters and children of Abraham and Sarah in all modest chaste and holy conversation Quit the broad way and beaten Road that leadeth to Destruction and be for the narrow path that leadeth unto Life the way everlasting Psal. 139. 24. Let not your care be spent in outward adorning but in adorning the hidden or inner man of your hearts with that which is not corruptible Get the ornament of a meâ—k and quiet spirit which in the sight of God is of great price With all your getting get divine wisdom and understanding Prov. 4. 7. Be as circumspect and cuâ—ious as you can in these heavenly ornaments watching alwayes to cast and keep out every thing that defiles that you may possess your vessels in sanctification and honour as becomes the temples of the holy Ghost glorifying God with your bodies and with your spirits which are his After this manner holy women that trusted in God did in old time adorn themselves whose daughters ye are so long as ye do well and you will find no need to be afraid with any amazement For keeping alwayes by this means a good conscience void of offence towards God and towards man when men shall speak evil of you as of evil doers the shame shall be their own It will appear 't is only your chaste and good conversation in Christ they persecute and accuse you for This is the ground of all their malice and reproaches Christ hath chosen you out of the world be ye followers of him out of it in the peculiar distinguishing spirit and conversation of pilgrims and strangers But then know the inhabitants of the earth will hate you Let this common lot and portion of Believers from this world be expected by you and rendred familiar to you that when you come indeed more eminently under the experiences of it you may not look upon it as any new strange or unusual thing that happens to you above all other Believers But when such things come to pass rejoyce in as much as ye are made partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ if ye suffer for Righteousness sake happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you Be ye not therefore afraid of their terrour neither be you troubled but sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts by your stedfastness and boldness It may be ready to startle you to see a Believer thus handled as you see me now to end his mortal dayes by the hands of violence though not without the free and willing surrender of his Life in compliance with the divine hand and determinate cousel of God herein This is the way which the Lord himself the great Captain of our Salvation went before us in Let not this way of the Lord be evil spoken of by you Let not the least prejudice or thought arise in your hearts against it on this occasion but rather let it serve for the increase and strengthning of your Faith as it ought Vse 3. That which hath been said and observed concerning Abraham as to God's taking such peculiar notice of him and making such peculiar discoveries of his secrets to him should serve to instruct inform and mind us of the great benefits and glorious advantages attainable for us by abiding and increasing in the spirit and faith of our father Abraham It will meet with glorious Returns from God The Spirit of Glory will rest upon such as do thus improve the example of Abraham The secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him The Angels of the Lord encamp round about them and deliver them yet not alwayes from a violent death by the hands of men Christ himself would not imploy the Angels in this service though he could have had more than twelve legions of them for his rescue at his desire The followers of Christ then are not altogether delivered from death but from the fear the sting the power of death and so are made to conquer and triumph over death it self and him that hath the power of death by dying as Christ did who was thus heard in what he feared Heb. 5. 7. Live then in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit and Faith of our Father Abraham Listen to the Experiences of your Father in this dying hour and season of darkness who can and doth here give a good report of that heavenly and better Country he is now going to the more free and full enjoyment of In the midst of these his dark circumstances his enjoyments and refreshings from the presence of the Lord do more abound than ever I can truly say that as my tribulations for Christ have risen higher and abounded my Consolations have abounded much more My Imprisonment and hard usage from men hath driven me nearer to God and more alienated and disentangled my mind from the snares and cumbrances of this mortal life You have no cause to be ashamed of my Chain or no fear being brought into the like circumstances I now am in so it be on as good an occasiâ—n for the Name and Cause of Christ and for his Righteousness sake Let this word abide with you whatever befalls you Resolve to fuller any thing from men rather than sin against God yea rejoyce and be exceeding glad when you find it given to you on the behalf of Christ not only to believe in him but to suffer for his Name Stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the Faith of the Gospel and be in nothing terrified by your adversaries but go on in your
Abraham largely experienced by your Father and by him now recommended unto you Keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement that he may fulfil unto you all the rich and precious promises of the Gospel belonging to Abraham and his believing seed the seed of Promise that are found walking in his wayes Observ. 4. Fourthly and lastly observe That it is a duty incumbent on believing parents to mind their children and houshold of walking in the faith and keeping in the way of the Lord doing that which is just and right So also is it the duty of children to obey such charge and be found so living and walking in the spirit and way of the Lord as they expect the blessings of Gods Covenant with Abraham to be made good unto them But here this Query may be offered How did Abraham walk and 〈◊〉 The answer is In a Family-way 't was Family-worship There were in his time no formed Churches or Societies of a larger kind made up of divers families embodying themselves and walking in communion together That which he was capable to do he did He catechized and instructed his Relations spreading abroad amongst them the savour of the tithes of that Grace which through mercy he was partaker of This was the state of the true Church then as to its outward form If larger visible Societies and collective Bodies or Churches of Saints be now interrupted this Family-way of Religion and Worship may be kept up and so things return to their primitive way again as in the dayes of Abraham To this Ioshua professes he will have recourse when the purity of publick Worship fails Iosh. 24. 15. If saith he it seem evil to you to serve the Lord if you be for other goâ—â— or other wayes of worship than God requires I will quit your publick societies as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Use 1. My word of exhortation then to you is When publick worship is to be had in purity without defiling of your Consciences use and frequent that But if that bedenied or is not to be found frequent private and family worship yea however it be as to the publick let these be kept on foot with all diligence Be found still in the way of the Lord own that where ere you see it and joyn in it as the Lord shall please to open the way for you and give opportunity Whatever you do be not conformed to this world in the spirit way principles affections no nor religion thereof Quit those worshippers that are confident in a spirit and way that is liable to apostacy calling that heresie which is the only true way of worshipping the God of our Fathers Amidst the great variety of Churches and ways of Worship that this world abounds with be not by any means induced or forced to observe and become subject to the ordinances of man in things pertaining unto God Give unto God the things that are Gods Give also unto Caesar the things that are his If he unlawfully require more you may lawfully refuse to obey him let him take his course wherein any 〈◊〉 proudly God will be above them If one Church say Christâ— another Lo there and the trumpet that 's blown in both give but an uncertain sound look up to Christ himself with the Spouse in the Canticles and say O thou whom our souls do love tell us where thou feedest and makest thy flock to rest at noon under the scorching heat of mans persecuting wrath He will discover to you the false Babylonish spirit that lurks in such Churches and Teachers as to the deceiving of themselves and others are but transformed into the likeness of the Apostles and Churches of Christ 2 Cor. 11. And he will by his Spirit if rightly sought to and waited on infallibly direct you to the true shepherds tents those spiritual pastors and assemblies that walk in the footsteps of his ancient flock even in the faith spirit and way of Abraham Isaac Iacob and their families who are now in the kingdom of God and in the way doctrine and spirit of the Evangelists and Apostlcs And as I would have you to quit all false Churches and reject the Babylonish spirit whatever curious dress insinuating appearance or refined form she shines forth in so much more yet would I have you to loath and depart from all manner of prophaness and common debauchery whatever countenance or encouragement it may have round about you in the Land of your nativity Do but keep in the Way live and walk in the Faith and Spirit of Abraham and all is done This your Father hath found joy and comfort in upon very large and plentiful experiences but most remarkably in his Prison-state As troubles and straits from without have encreased upon me I have been more enlarged within The more I have been shut up on earth and from earthly Relations and enjoyments the more have the Heavens opened upon me and let down to me the larger sights and tasts of the glory and enjoyments of the world to come Vse 2. Lastly I charge you as the utmost desire of my soul to God on your behalf be obedient to the Lord walk humbly with him and keep close to him Let your heart be right with him Be stedfast in his Covenant not turning aside like a deceitful Boâ— Be not off and on with him yea and nay but in Christ yea only and then all the Promises of God in Christ to you will be Yea and Amen to the glory of God the Father Then if any of you lack Wisdom or particular direction in any difficult circumstances ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given you But then ask in Faith the stedfast Faith of Abraham nothing wavering for he that wavereth must not think or expect to receive any thing of the Lord Iames 1. 5. 7. Christ hath assured you that whatsoever you shall ask in his Name he will do it and the Father will do it Ioh. 14. 13 14. and chap. 15. 16. that is whatsoever ye shall ask in the power and exercise of a living saving Faith or of the heavenly Anointing and new Name of Christ in and upon you it shall be done unto you For whatsoever ye thus ask will be asked by you in the will of God that ye are begotten of Jam. 1. 18. or according to the will of your heavenly Father And this we know that whatsoever we ask according to his will he heareth us 1 John 5. 14 15. Yea though ye be but young and weak in this Faith and in the expression of it if as new-born babes ye do but truly desire the sincere milk of the Word and brokenly stammer and lisp forth such desires to God ye will find acceptance with and answer from him not only according to but abundantly above all that you are able to ask or think No Mother can have so tender a regard to the cry of