imaginations imagining a Christ like themselves and for salvation afar off and Justification afar off and yet they are in their sins and believe not that they shal be otherwise so long as they live upon earth they are strangers to the true Christ and to his righteousness and their minds are from that which Justifieth and comes not to see these things which Christ did in his own person fulfilled in his Kingdom as the Saints did who were translated into the Kingdom of Christ which stood in his power who knew Christ in them and his Kingdom in them and so they whose minds are out from the light who are gazing from it and will not own the coming of Christ within nor a justifying by his righteousness within the cloud of darkness is over them that they cannot see Christ in his power as they who were gazing when Jesus was taken from them they could see no further then the cloud which received him out of their sight but Stephen who was full of the holy Ghost he saw the heaven open and the glory of God and the Son of man on the right hand of God and John who witnessed the light within him and the spirit of God and Christ who is the light the quickening spirit revealed in him he saw the heaven open and they that walked in the light of Christ in them they witnessed his righteousness revealed in them and thereby are Justified from their sins and not in their sins for no further are any sanctified nor justified then they feel themselves made holy and just by Christ in his righteousness in them and no further are they justified by Christ then they are made partakers of the life of Christ in them for Justification is a real work of God in that creature that feels a sanctifying or cleansing from sin so ve that say ye are justified by Christs suffering without you above 1600. years since and yet you continue in sin and would lay all your iniquities upon Christs back you are of them that cause Christ to suffer by your sins and are condemned by his light in you for your sins and know that while you are condemned for your sins you are neither sanctified nor justified for as Christ the just suffered for the unjust and was grieved and burthened by their sins it cometh to passe that the unjust must come under his judgements and wrath for their iniquities they must bear their own burthens and he that denies the light or gift of Christ within to be his leader he hath no share in the death and refurrection of Christ for no further are any justified by Christ then they are brought to live with him in his life which is the light of men and no further are any justified and made free and restored by Christ then they are brought to have a share in the death and resurrection of Christ knowing his spirit in them which raised up Jesus from the dead to quicken their mortal bodies which have been dead in trespasses and sins for Christ rose again for our justification mark he doth not say that though men live in their sins all their life time that they are justified by what Christ suffered so long since without but he rose again for our justification as much as to say he rose again and gave gifts unto us of his spirit and grace which we have in us and so we are justified by his grace for since Christ is risen we have received the Comforter and Christ is in us and he shall abide with us for ever according to his promise Consider these things you blinde guides and professors that say there are two righteousnesses one that sanctifieth another that Justifieth when as the righteousness of Christ is but one who is the righteousness of God and who is made wisdom righteousness Sanctification and Redemption to the Saints who also are justified by Christ which is but one as they are brought to live unto him who gave his life a ransom for many which life is his light the light of men and he dyed for all that as many as live should not live unto them-themselves but unto him who dyed and rose again and they who are dead unto sin are healed by his stripes But they who live to sin are enemies to the Crosse of Christ which is the power of God unto salvation to the true believers and these that are enemies to the Crosse are they by whom Christ suffers and these who diswade people from heeding or following the light within which Christ hath enlightened them withall they are even such as keeps Christ in prison and such watchmen as are blind and ignorant such as they were that watched the Tomb where the body of Jesus laid that he might not rise yea these Priests now are worse then they were then whom the chief Priests hired to lie touching Jesus that people might not believe that he was risen for these were not such hypocrites as these Priests are now for people blindly hires them to Preach Christ now they professe to do it but directs them from the light within so that they are still in death having no part in his life or Resurrection whilst their minds are kept from his life which is the light of men and such Priests were alwaies enemies to Christ and Judas that turned to the Priests betrayed and sold the innocent into the hands of the Priests and murtherers for thirty pieces of silver and with it they bought but one field but these Priests now who teach for hire do make a trade of these Scriptures and sells the Letter of the Scriptures with much money they have thus unjustly gotten many of them have bought many fields or Lands so their wickedness doth in this exceed the wickedness of Judas and them who purchased but one field to bury strangers in and this ground they thus bought was not to live upon but to bury strangers in but these Priests now many of them do live of the earth or fields they purchase with the money they get for their preaching Christ as they pretend and they that crucified Christ they took his garments and parted them and so these coveteous Priests they get Christs words and make a Trade upon them but him they crucifie a fresh through these their horrible crimes and wickedness and so betrayes the just and watches to keep his life in the prison and in the grave for as much as they labour to keep people from following his light within them for they are afraid that it should discover their deceits for the light maketh manifest things that are reproved and the Apostle called the proud and the covetous teachers Traytors 2 Tim. 3.2 3.4 So let these Traytors and all that turn from the life of Christ within to the deceitful Priests without who makes a trade on Christs words and keeps the seed of God in bondage and his life which is the light they watch the graves
with golden vessels and divers instruments according to the command of God which command was given to Solomons father David who as God had shewed him directed Solomon for the building of it in Jerusalem But now in the everlasting Covenant of God he dwelleth and walketh in his people and their bodies are his Temple and he dwelleth not in Temples made with hands seeing that he giveth to all life and being the heaven of heavens cannot contain him much lesse could the Temple which Solomon built him and so the time is come wherein God is worshipped in spirit and in truth and not at Jerusalem as Christ said for that Temple was but a figure for the time then present of a Temple not made with hands so all that receive the spirit of the Lord walk in it they become a fit habitation for God through the spirit who dwelleth with the contrite with the meek and lowly in heart who are led by his spirit And in the holy City where the Lord makes his people Citizens there is no Temple but the Lord God is the Temple thereof and he is all and in all his Saints so seeing that that form of worship is ceased which was in the Jewes Temple which God commanded and the Lord hath forsaken that Temple much more is that worship and these Temples without to be denyed which God never commanded as the Gentiles Temples and these Temples that are builded by the Papists and in the idolatry which many calls Gods houses or Temples but be not deceived with their vain words who cry the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord who know not the Lord whose dwelling is on high and also in his own people 1 King 6.2 Chro. 28.2 Chro. 3 4. 5. chapters 1 Cor. 3 16.2 Cor. 6.16 1 Cor. 6 19. Acts 7.48 17.24 1 King 8.27 Joh. 4 21 22. Ephes 2 22. Isai 57.15 Psal 34.18 Rev 21 22. Jer. 7.4 19. Of the singing and praising upon outward Instruments which was used in the outward Temple MOreover there was several men of Israel appointed for officers and overseers in the temple that Solomon built and then there was singing songs of praises and praising God with Cymbals psalteries and harps and such instruments used David in his time with Organs other instruments of Musick which was in the time of the first Covenant which stood onely in the figures but they that were officers is in the house of the Lord had portions given them by his institution according to every mans servitude in the house but it was onely the priests of the tribe of Levi that had the Tythes ordered them to dispose of according to the law of God who offered sacrifices and burnt offerings in the house of the Lord 1 Chro. 24. and 15. chapters Psal 150.1 Chro. 9 29. Levit. 6 21 1 Chro. 23 28 29. 2 Chro. 31 19 Ezra 2.62 Nehe. 12.46 Num. 18.26 But that worship without had an end and ceased and the songs of the Temple without was turned into Howling as the Prophets of God foretold and wo was unto them that invented to themselves Instruments of Musick like David for deceit and wicked men are gotten into that Musick which is used on carnal instruments and carnal people to sing in idols temples without as they pretend praises to God when their hearts are filled with unrighteousness singing Davids prayers praises and prophesies complaints lamentations in Rhime and Meeter which the Lord never required of them whose singing will be turned into weeping as theirs was who invented Instruments of Musick like David who were nearer in the form to David then these are now in their singing who now sing Davids conditions but do neither praise God upon the harp nor other instruments as David did so that such worships neither with the spirit nor with understanding For by the spirit of the Lord are many brought to worship God according to his own will who being gathered into God who is the Temple in his holy place they are come to pray to sing and to praise him with the spirit And I saw harpers harping with their harps which are the prayers of the Saints so that he that is led by the Spirit of God with it knows when to pray and how to pray worship according to the mind of the spirit which is acceptable to the Lord but all praying worshipping that's out of the spirit of truth in mens own wills and their own appointed times by carnal observation is neither regarded nor accepted of the Lord and the prayers of the wicked are abomination unto the Lord who often pray but never truely waits for nor receives an answer from the Lord but still remaines in wickedness and sensuality while their minds are estranged from the light and spirit of Christ for want of following and minding his spirit they pine away in their wickedness which dryeth up their souls Amos 8.3 5.23 6.5 Rom. 7.6 Rom. 8.15.26 1 Cor. 14 15. Rev. 5.8 Ps 109.7 Prov. 28.9 Jer. 7.12.14 26.6 20. Of the overthrow and destruction of Solomons Temple and the building it again and its destruction the second time BUt after Solomon had built the Temple Israel forsook the Lord God and defiled his house and served other gods committing Idolatry against the commands of the Lord God in so much that God did with them as he did with them and the Tabernacle in Shilo for he forsook them they were taken captives by Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babylon who destroyed that house which God had commanded and it and all the houses of Jerusalem were burnt with fire and the Israelites were captives in Babylon as the Prophets had prophesied But after this the Temple was builded again according to the command of the God of Israel wch came by his Prophets Haggai and Zechariah unto the Jews and unto Zerubabel and King Cyrus and after unto King Darius who fulfilled the command of the Lord in causing the Temple to be built again and in setting the officers and things pertaining to it in order as the Lord God had commanded And after these things Christ prophesied of the overthrow of the Temple and said there should not be left one stone upon another that should not be thrown down 1 Sam. 4.12 Ps 78.60 2 King 24.2 25.8 Ezra 5.12 Hag. 1.1 Zech. 1.1 Ezra 6. Mat. 24.1 2. Mark 13.1 Luke 19.44 21.5 So now the sum and fulness of all things in the Covenant of life being made manifest which is the Covenant wherein God establisheth his own seed and remnant let all that hunger and thirst after God for their souls health come unto Christ the light the fountain of life and wisdom in whom the treasures of life are set open to them that fear the Lord and wait in his light whose fulness cannot be contained nor comprehend in any carnal or visible things for they are changeable and the earth the things thereof waxeth old and they
be saved and see that salvation and those things which many prophets and wise men have desired to see and have not seen it So blessed is he that beliveth and waiteth in the light of the Lord Jesus which he is enlightned withall which appeares in the inward parts to wit the heart mind conscience and understanding that he may see the vail rent and taken from off his heart and the end of the thing abolished and feel and see the salvation of God and the Son of his righteousnesse revealed and risen in the inward parts by whose power and brightnesse the darkenesse comes to be expelled which hath covered the people the Earth comes to be shaken and removed and the cloudes comes to be scattered so the shadowy part may be taken from off the seed of promise and the seed raised he that feels this fulfilled in himselfe sees the day dawned and the Sun risen and the shadowes fled away and his mind turned out of all the shadowes and earthly things and is a witnesse of a Mediator of a better covenant then that which had the figures and shadows which the Israelites or Jewes transgressed and brake And blessed is he that hath an eare to hear and a heart that understandeth whose eyes are open that he seeth perceiveth and readeth with understanding who hardneth not his heart nor stoppeth his eare nor shutteth his eye against the truth for God is revealing his secrets and bringing forth his hidden Misteries to light for his Angel is come which sheweth unto his children these things which are noted in the Scriptures of truth that they see through the first Covenant which had the changeable Priesthood the changeable ordinances into the everlasting Covenant and unchangeable priesthood which hath the ordinances that are not shadowy but pertaining unto the life of Righteousnesse which is manifest in the upright conversation of the godly 1 Somthing touching the giving forth of the outward Law and the establiing of the first Covenant and of the state of the people at that time AT the giving forth establishing the first Covenant God was in the pillar of a cloud that the Israelites could not see him and in mount Sinai in the thick darkness that none of the Israelites then might come nigh him nor commune with him save Moses who received the Law at the mouth of God and gave it forth to the people but they stood a far off the mountain where the Law was received and they might not touch nor come nigh the mountain for it was set about with bounds and when the Lord descended upon the mountain there was Thundrings and Lightning and the sound of a Trumpet proceeding from the presence of the Lord and the mountain was all on a smoke and the whole mount quaked greatly Exod. 13 21.22 chap. 14.19.20 chap. 19. chap. 20.18 Deut. 4.11 5.24 Exod. 19.28 In the second Covenant the spirit of the Lord God is put into the inward parts of his people who are Israelites according to the spirit and his Law is written in their hearts his holy mountain is raised wherein he is exalted and the vail or covering of darkness is taken from off their hearts as he hath promised that God who is invisible is known and his presence injoyed among his people and by faith they see him who is invisible being brought into the knowledge of his glory and to see it with open face as in a glasse and this knowledge hath God given them by his light which he caused to shine in their hearts before they were brought out of darknesse And we are not come to mount Sinai that might be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blacknesse and darknesse and tempests but unto Mount Sion out of which the Lord hath uttered forth his voice and sounded his trumpet which we have heard and given his Law forth of Sion which we have received and the Lord hath chosen the Tribe of Judah the mount Sion which he loveth out of which the deliverer is come and he that believes in his light and trusteth in him shall be as mount Sion which cannot be removed Isa 54.13 Jer. 31.33 Joel 2.28 John 6.45 Isa 7.14 Isa 25 7. Heb. 11.27 â— Cor. 3.18 and 4.6 Heb. 12.18 22. Joel 2.1 Isai â— 3 Mica 4.2 Psa 78.68 Isa 59.20 Rom. 11.26 2 Of Moses his making intercession for the people when they had transgressed WHen the first Covenant was in force the people often brake it and transgressed the Law which cause the anger of the Lord to be hot against them and then Moses stood in the gap between Gods wrath and them and made intercession for the people to the Lord and then his wrath was sometime appeased and he repented of the evil that was in his heart against them but they often transgressed and made the ordinances and commands of none effect through their Rebellions whereby they caused the anger of the Lord to arise against them Exod. 32.9 10 11 12.13 chap. 33.3 Deut. 9.8 13 Numb 14.13 Psal 106.25 In the second Covenant the seed is revealed in the children of light which is Christ and he is their Intercessor who is a quickening spirit who maketh intercession according to the will of God in them who believe in his light by whom the anger of God is appeased through his righteous judgement which he doth execute upon the oflendets that the transgressors thereby comes to be redeemed from iniquity wch hath caused the wrath of God to arise So that in the righteous seed is God well pleased this Covenant is not according to the covenant of God made with the children of Israel when he led them out of Egypt which they break for in this is the sin taken away and he in whom the Father is well pleased abideth with the Saints for ever but Moses did not alwaies abide with the Israelites Rom 8.26 27. 1 Cor. 15.45 Jo. 3.36 Rom. 1.18 1 Thes 1.10 Jer. 33.8 Mat 17.5 Io. 14 17. 3 Of the outward Circumcision THe first covenant had a command for circumcision to Circumcise the males of every man child at eight daies old which was a token of Gods Covenant to them and every soul that had not the flesh of his fore-skin cut off was to be cut off for that soul was uncircumcised and no uncircumcised person might dwell in Abrahams house nor with the seed that God delivered out of Egypt and that command was in force untill Christ was crucified for he came under it Lev. 12.3 Gen. 17.10 11 12 13 14. cha 12.4 Luke 2.21 Ioh. 7.22 Acts. 7.8 They who are in the second Covenant do witness the circumcision with the spirit in the heart which is made without hands and such are circumcised to the Lord being circumcised with the spirit by the puting off the body of the sins of the flesh which circumcision the outward was a figure of So that is not now circumcision which is of the flesh but
that is the circumcision which is inward known by the spirit and we are the circumcision in Christ who worship God in the spirit and have no confidence in the flesh and who are circumcised outwardly they are bound to keep the whole Law which none of the Jewes could do who had circumcision outwardly but who are of faith are of Abrabraham unto whom the promise was when he was in the uncircumcision or before he was circumcised so that neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature Jer 4.3 Colos 2.11 Rom. 2.25.28 29. Phil. 3.3 1 Cor. 7.19 Gal. 5.2 Ioh. 7.19 Rom. 4.10 4 Of the outward Passover THe Lord God commanded the Passover to be observed in the first Covenant which was a Lambe without blemish a male of the first yeare which was to be roasted with fire and they were not to carry the flesh of it abroad but to eat it with their loines girded and their shoos on their feet and they did strike the blood of this lamb on the posts of the door of the house where they did eat it which was for a token unto them that the Lord seeing it he would not smite them when he smote the Egyptians but his plague did passe over them and did not hurt them that eat the passeover and they kept the feast of it seven daies with unleavened bread But no uncircumcised person might eate of the pasover now the ordinance of the passover was in force untill Christ fulfilled it that night he was betrayed he eate the passover with his disciples Exo. 12. Lev. 23.5 Num. 9.12 and 28.16 Mat. 26. Mark 14.12 Luke 22. In the second Covenant is Christ received and his life made manifest in the Saints and he is our passover who hath offered himselfe a lamb without spot to God having laid down his life for the ransome of many and he is the bread of life and his flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed which except a man eat and drink he hath no life in him and with him is the Saints feast and solemnity kept of unleavened bread of sincerity and truth having their hearts circumcised and purified unto God by his spirit and the old leaven of iniquity and corruption purged our and the loines of their minds girded up in the spirit and life of Christ which brings to see him the bread of life which came down from God and in this feast must none be partakers but who come to have their minds joyned unto God and their hearts circumcised from unrighteousnesse by his spirit and they who are come to Christ the Saints passover they are kept in remembrance of him and do witnesse him come that they need not observe the taking of outward bread and wine and elementary things to keep them in remembrance of him or to signifie the crucifying of his body and shedding of his blood as many in the world do 6. Io. 3.36 and 5 24. Mat. 20.28 1 Pet. 1.19 Iohn 6.53 1 Cor. 5.7 8. 1 Pet. 1.13 5 Of the outward Sabbaths THe first Covenant priesthood had a command to keep the Sabbath which was the seven daies of the weeks and in the Sabbath to rest from all their labours and works For the Lord rested from his work on the seventh day and was refreshed so that none of the Israelites was to travel nor bear any burthen on the Sabbath day seeing God had sanctified it neither might they gather sticks nor kindle a fire within all their families on the Sabbath daies Moreover they had a command to keep every seventh year for a Sabbath of rest unto the Lord which was called the year of Jubelee wherein every debter was to be freed from his servitude or bondage wherein he had served towards the satisfaction of his Creditors And every creditor was to release the debts owing them and they that had their lands or estates morgaged for debt were to have them released that every man might possesse his own in the year of the Sabbath but the everlasting Sabbath they were not then come to For they had often fightings and war with their enemies who sought to oppresse them Gen. 2.2 Exo. 16.23 and 20.8.11 and 31.15 and 35.2 Levit. 23.3 and 35.3 Num. 15 Deut 5.14 Neh 10.31 Jer. 17.21 Exo. 21.2 and 23.10 11. Levit. 25. Deut. 15.2.12 Jer. 34.14 They who are come into the second Covenant have received Christ who is the Lord of the Sabboth the end of the Sabbaths without for meats and drinks and new Moons holy dayes and Sabbaths were but a shadow of things to come which they who do observe the shadow they neglect the substance even the body of Christ And the Jewes who observed the Sabboths without they accused Christ because he healed the sick on the Sabboth-day and because his disciples had pluckt the eares of Corn on the Sabboth day but these knew not him who was Lord of the Sabboth And the Jews said unto one that had been an Impotent man that Christ had cured on the Sabboth day it is the Sabboth day it is not Lawful for thee to carry thy bed he Answerred them he that made me whole the same said unto me take up thy bed and walk and the Jews sought the more to kill Jesus not onely because he had broken the Sabboth but said also that God was his Father and in Acts 1.12 it is written then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet which is from Jerusalem a Sabboth dayes Journey And according to one Greek translation in the 6 Chap. of Luke next after the 5 vers it is written Jesus seeing a certaine man working on the Sabbath-day said unto him O man if thou didst know indeed what thou dost thou wert happy but if thou knowest not thou art accursed and a transgressor of the Law And the saints who were come to Christ the end of the outward Sabboths they met on the first dayes of the weeks not in observation to the dayes but in obedience to Christ in whom is the everlasting Sabboth of rest remaining where the burthens must not be for the people of God who continue in his Faith and love whereby the rest comes to be obtained And the year or time of release or restauration comes to be witnessed and the Bedemption from under the bondages and the burthens known and the Iniquity which hath caused burthens is there taken away by the Lord of the Sabboth who is the foundation of many Generations who is raised up to him that maketh the Sabboth his delight and doth not his own pleasure nor speaketh his own words on the holy day he shall delight himself in the Lord but unto this Sabbath are all strangers who are following their own pleasures and lusts from whence the Wars and the strifes do arise speaking their own words And none comes to the true rest but they who receive the true light wch brings man to deny his own will