upon them are they brought into a living union with his new-creature-spirit and so safely returned into their prepared places to enjoy according to the fathers distinct choice of them their respective visions of the divine glory in the relation of Spouse Friends or Servants So have every of them their joy full and compleat But none of them exceed the nature or name of a pure new-creature spiritual man What ever their portion of his new-creature-spirit be single or double capacitating them to receive and enjoy a single or double portion in the vision of the divine glory yet are they all but new-creature spiritual men filled with the vision of God according to their distinct capacites This new creature-spirit of saintship through the personal union of it with God in Christ is called the spirit of God Hence is it an infallible mark of a true saint to have this spirit dvvelling in him This spirit of God Ro 8 9. is in the same verse called the spirit of Christ distinct from the divine spirit of Father or Son divine essence or form The Seed of this new creature-creature-spirit in saints is called also the seed of God 1 Jo. 3. 9. Which preserves the saint from such wilful sin and enmity in his natural spirit or carnal mind as would be eternal death to him Rom. 8 6 7. The desires and appetites of the fleshly or carnal natural mind and spirit in the saint himself till subjected to his spiritual are after that natural state which is death But at same time the mind of the new-creature spirit though hid from his own heart in which sown God and Christ do see to be after that life which gives everlasting peace with God The spiritual seed quickened up in the saint is in all its life and motion purely obedient to Christ and by its powerful influences upon the natural spirit will not cease to teach and beget in that the like unchangable subjection to it self and so of the whole saint to Christ and God most high And as subjection and love to God is natural to the new-creation-spirit disobedience and enmity to God is grown natural to the old or first since the fall Hence is it impossible therein to please God Ro. 8. 8. Paul therefore rejoyced in that work of the Cross by which his natural mind was brought into a like subjection to his spiritual as that to Christ Through this subjection of the natural to the spiritual and so of the whole man to Christ have saints the certain witness of Christ's spirit dwelling in them His spirit beares vvitness not only in but to them that they are the Children of God Members of and Coheirs with Christ therein of God Ro. 8. 17. The new-creature-spirit from its universal obedience to God in head and members is called love 1 Cor. 13. It is that in which only God becomes the object of his creatures unchangable love and they of his The natural spirit is described by fear 1 John 4. 18. Perfect love casteth out fear The spiritual life of love perfected in the saint the life of his natural spirit with all its things thoughts lusts carnal reasonings doubtings and feares is extinguished abolished and cast out They that dwell live and walk in the spirit of Christ which in him is in personal union with the divine are said to dwell in God He that dvvelleth in love dvvelleth in God and God in him vers 16. God has declared the height of his love and greatnes of his condescention in this marveilous contriving a marriage union of divine and creature-nature by which to preserve his divinity from being touched or immediatly beheld by saints and to come forth in such a safe and sutable discovery thereof to his creatures through the man Christ as to be a food of everlasting blessedness to them The saint is made one vvith the new-creature spirit of Christ as that vvith God Jo. 17. 21. That spirit of Christ is the blessed shelter and fitted medium by which the divine vision is given to saints so as not to be a consuming fire to them Saints by partaking of this spirit become parts and Pillars of that nevv-creation sanctuary Gods place of meeting vvith the vvhole congregation of his true Israelites Angels and Saints amongst vvhom he vvill dvvell and vvalk for evermore In this spirit have they all an accesse unto and vision of the divine glory yet partake not of the divinity as an ingredient into the constitution of their persons But by partaking of that spirit that from personal union with the divine in Christ is called God Jo. 1. 1. they are said to partake of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. The creature-creature-spirit of Christ is the holy unction in and upon saints by vvhich they knovv all things The holy Oil or Ointment of his heavenly and glorified earthly spirit runs dovvn from their high-priest to the lovvest Skirts of his new-creation Garments or meanest spiritual Members This spirit in Christ and saints is Truth and no Lie an infallible spirit in head and members distinct from the divine spirit in Christ and natural spirit of man or Angel at best The lowest capacity of creature-nature in the mediatour is above the highest saint The spousal saint one with Christ in his most heavenly and exalted creature-life sees not or enjoyes the divine glory as the lowest part of creature-nature in Christ does by personal union therewith The new-creature spirit in its highest and most heavenly or lowest earthly glorified life is inferiour to the divine but superiour to the first-creation spirit of nature at best because incorruptible and unchangable in the life and goodness thereof In the first being corruptible and changable man is in perpetual bondage and fear as impossible to be secured from death therein Heb. 2. 15. This therefore was never intended by God for an abiding state of rest and true blessednes to Angel or man not being a spirit of unchangable light and life or that can qualify them to receive the vision of the divine glory This shews the absolute necessity of the saints being clothed vvith a House from Heaven by the new-creating vvorkmanship of Christ for his everlasting blessedness From what has been said then it appeares to be the peculiar priviledg of the mediatour to be in every part of his creature-nature in personal union with the divine Consequently is it a crime equally unpardonable for any creature to deny to him or assume to himself his conjunctive divine and creature-name His comprehensive creature-spirit or nature is the living Book wherein the whole divine mind or Law is written in order to be declared to Angels and men If any man then or Angel from heaven shall dare on pretence of adding thereto to make Christ's person only and purely divine and so divide and take from him his creature-nature which is the supream Book and Table on which the divine mind is engraven and by which the divine glory shines forth to
by the compleat death thereof as to all changable first-creation life And ascended into the everlasting new-creature and divine life of God the Mediatour his Root and Father in which fitted for the visible rule of his spiritual kingdom on earth For this blessed thing are Saints out of or in the body all vvaiting as his Members Servants and blessed Retinue to enter with him into the actual possession of this Glorious Kingdom in the visibility of their before hidden Spiritual Life which will be the manifestation of the Sons of God The glad tydings of this second comming of Christ in his spiritual glory to Reign as that of his natural birth in order thereunto will be first signally given by his angelical Messengers as that which will most certainly bring Glory to God in the highest Heavens through a union of peace with his new Heavens and Earth or higher and lower ranks of Spiritual Saints together with undeniable marks of his good vvill to all Men in general that are under his happy government Luke 2. 14. All men that have not excluded themselves by a fixed enmity to this spiritual king shall have their Eyes so far opened at and by his appearing as to see and admire his long-suffring towards them and his restoring to them what at first they lost So will the whole new World joyn in unanimous praises to God through Christ their new-creation King And if this be so a distinct considering the spiritual nature as well as certain visibility of this kingdom will be requisite and this so much the more as the day of his second comming approaches and drawes neerer This growes more evident dayly from the general decay of all natural and moral goodness amongst men and the increase and abounding of all Iniquity litteral and mystical that as foretold will accomplish man's day and period this World Through the extream abounding of iniquity nothing of support or comfort will be left spiritual Saints or reasonable men but a rightly Informed Faith as to the certain approach of the Lord in his spiritual kingdom In the stedfast wel-grounded hope hereof are they called on by Christ to lift up their Heads as knovving his second appearance and consequently their full redemption dravvs nigh and will soon be accomplished For this great and most concerning thing and Truth have we a Cloud of Witnesses in Scripture even for the glorious Comming and Kingdom of our Lord as also an account of the distinct hands by which given divine and creaturely or both together God in his infinite divine Essence the Mediator in his conjunctive divine and creature-nature and the pure creature-spirit of Faith living in a succession of spiritual Saints from first to last do all agree in their Testimony to this Truth The Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Col. 2. 2. is all opened by Christ the Branch which Paul earnestly desires Saints may be filled vvith the rich and full assurance of And 1 Cor. 11. 2 3. treating of the same high and glorious Truths he layes down the original and fundamental Ordinances of Truth as he received them from Christ's own hand He declares it necessary for men to know That the Head of every Man is Christ and that the Head of the Woman is the Man and the Head of Christ God In these gradations of a three-fold-Headship he summ's up the essential Foundations of all Truth divine and creaturely to wit of God in his divine unity then of the Mediatour in his supream divine and creature-composition and then thirdly of Christ as Son and Branch the appointed means for rendring the said divine and creature-glories of God the Mediator visible to blessed Angels and Saints The highest of these Ordinances of Truth though last expressed is That the Head of Christ is God God the Mediatour in his conjunctive divine and creature-form of God confesses and ownes the single and uncompounded divine Essence as his absolute Head and Father This is the first and highest Ordinance of Truth Next unto this Christ is the head of every man that is Christ as Mediatour in the first and highest conjunction of divine and creature-nature is the immediate Head of himself as the first-born Creature and Resurrection-Lamb and consequently of every Angel and Man in both creations natural or spiritual And then as the third and last Ordinance of Truth is the Man Christ as Resurrection-Lamb in his spiritual new-creation Life Head of the Woman or Natural-state in Christ's person as brought into subjection to the new-creation Man and also of all his heavenly and earthly glorified Saints and Angels or Church Col. 1. 18. There is a like relation of Father and Son in the Mediatour's creature-nature Root and Branch as of the divine Father and Son in the divine nature And so is his Creature-nature throughout and on all accounts the supream creature-likeness of the infinite divinity 'T is the absolute and peculiar Prerogative of the divine nature not only to be the original of its own Being from Eternity or to be what it is without all begining but also of that purely divine Form and Image of it self in the Mediatour to whom God in the single divine Esence is Head and Father It is therefore said 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one God in the divine Essence uncompounded with any creature-being and in distinction from God in this supream consideration One Mediatour betvveen God and Men mediating between and therefore consisting of two natures divine and creaturely A Mediatour is not of one but God is one To the Mediatour in this Composition is the single divine Essence Head And the divine nature or purely divine form of God which is one with the divine essence as the immediate former of his own creature-creature-spirit from everlasting Prov. 8. 22 23. stands in a headship or superiority to that creature-creature-spirit which is his own divine workmanship in his own person As the purely divine Son of God is he under a like impossibility with the Father of being immediately seen or known by any but the divine Being it self For in this divine relation of Father and Son are they fitted only for the fruition of each other And so the divine Son lay shut up in the bosom of the divine Father till the good will and mind of both was to build a creature-house for themselves which was the Root and former of all meer creature-beings in both Worlds Heb. 1. 2. This original Word or creature beginning vvas in God and vvith God and vvas God And by it vvere all other things made John 1. 1. 3. The distinction of divine and creature-nature in the Mediatour is intirely preserved in their personal Unity His creature-nature is called the Beginning His divine is without all beginning Again the infinite divine builder of the supream creature house for himself is above the house so built by him though taken into personal union with the divine Inhabitant thereof as is implied Heb. 3. 3 4.
The infinite divinity wrapping up it self in a fellovvship or personal union with its own creature-house makes up that wonderful Mystery Ephes 3. 9. The Fellowship of divine and creature-nature was before all time a Mystery hid in God But in this supream divine and creature-fellowship was the certain foundation laid from everlasting for God's revealing his own divinity to Angels and men when made which otherwise had remained invisible and unapproachable to them all for ever The divine Spirit in Building it s ovvn creature house hevv'd out the seven Pillars thereof Prov. 9. 1. This signifies the fulness and variety of this creature-building or spirit in the capacity of Root and Branch Father and Son And through the Son and Branch as admitted into union with the divinity in the same personal fellowship with his Root comes all to be beheld by blessed Saints and Angels But for better understanding this whole Mistery consider farther the relation of Root and Branch or Father and Son in the Mediatours creature-nature as well as in the divine This distinction was fitly figured out in the top and foot of Jacob's Ladder the divinity of the Mediatour standing above or on the top of it as Head thereof And this top of it or creature-root is Head to its ovvn foot the Branch and as fitted by immediate Personal union with the divinity receives the fulnes of that divine Ocean to which so united But in this first and highest Marriage-union of divine and creature-nature is God yet in too great a height for the creature 's immediate sight or enjoyment of him The scorching Beams of the Mediatour's divinity are not so allayed and tempered in this highest union thereof with his supream creature-Spirit the root of all creation as that Angels or Men may receive or converse therewith This highest creature-mount or spirit in the Mediatour was fitly typed out by that mount under the Law that was so glorious and dreadful as to become present Death to all that immediatly touched the same But there is a lower capacity in the mediatour's creature-nature called the Son and Branch which answers the creatures vvish in an immediate Head-ship to them This Son and Branch is to be considered in his invisible angelical state before the foundation of the World and that both in a pure but changable first-creation state as the first-born therein and as the Lamb slain and so by the death of that mortal state taken into personal union with his creature-root in new-creation-Life and through that with his divinity also So comes the Son and Branch to be filled with all the fulness and life of both And the same thing did he in and with our visible humane nature in the fulness of time He made the like sacrifice thereof for the like end And thus is the son and branch in his resurrection-life the blessed medium by which the vision of the divine Glory is let down and given to his creatures which by the root or top of his creature-building singly considered was incommunicable to them By the branch is it brought so neer as with a meet regard to the dignity of the mediatour and safety of blessed creatures to become fit for the sight and injoyment of Angels and Saints The twofold resurrection-state or Heavenly and Glorified earthly Spirit or Life of the exalted branch is the mistical Golden Pot into which the divine Manna the everlasting Food or Bread of life to happy Angels and Saints is put and hath been hid from before the foundation of the world This capacity in Christ as branch is of the same Date with his creature-root as possessed thereby in the beginning of his vvay toward 's the creation of the world Prov. 8 22. By the Man Christ Jesus as living in his new-creature root did all things receive their invisible existence and visible creation By him so considered vvere all things made and vvithout him vvas not any thing made that vvas made or created Jo. 1. 3. 1 Col. 15-17 Heb. 1. 2. Thus the sutable medium by which God condescend's to let down himlelf to creatures sight and enjoyment was prepared as the immediate hand by which they received their creation In the spirit of the branch as standing up in his root had Angels and the spirits of men their first invisible existence and thereby as their parent are brought forth into their personal subsistences by creation And in him is treasured up the Bread of everlasting Life for their Immortal spirits which they are not capacitated to feed on in the mortal life of their first-creation but immortal life by a second This never-perishing food is suted only to a never-perishing Life Both root and branch or creature-creature-Father and Son in the mediatour had from everlasting not only the enjoyment of each other but of the divine glory also in the same blessed person And so did God most high with delight behold all his designs and purposes finished in him before any thing was brought forth by creation And in the wonderful fellowship of divine and creature-nature in himself did God the Mediator rest also from all his vvorkes before any of them were brought forth as beholding all the contrivances of his divine mind in the first conjunction of his divine nature with his creature root thus declared and executed in the Son and branch This branch also had his peculiar delight in the principality or headship given him over Angels and Men as existing in him and looked on as the habitable parts of his Earth before the foundation of the World Prov. 8. 30 31. He rejoyced alwayes before his father not only as enjoying the vision of the divine glory but as the same was in him treasured up and by him communicable to them And thus see we the need of root and branch in the mediatour's creature-nature as the ascent and descent of his great creature-building By the former is he qualified to receive the divine vision in the immediate Ocean-fulnes thereof by the latter to conveigh and communicate it to his blessed Angels and Saints In the creature-root or top of his creature-house is his divinity shut up from his creatures till revealed or opened by the branch The branch is the mystical Door of this great creature-building and also opener thereof to his creatures David by faith saw and heard the great Lord the Mediatour in his highest and first Union of divine and creature-nature speaking to Christ the branch as David's immediate Lord and Head saying The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right Hand until I make thy Foes thy footstool Psal 110 1. Here is a Prophecy of Christ the polished Shaft hid in Gods Quiver as to what he was to be and do in our nature for exalting it into the Glory long before attain'd by him as Resurrection-Lamb and therein head not only to the immortal Spirits of Men and Angels but in a peculiar manner to his spiritual Church He will appear in our glorified
2. This Bovvl or Top of the great creature-building in the Mediatour is the fitted immediate reception of the divine mind in order to the execution of it by his inferiour creature-capacity signified by the golden Candlestick This inferiour part as living in personal union with the superiour and through that with the divinity it self in the Mediatour is said to be God's equal or fellovv who thus found in the form of God accounts it no robbery or presumption to be equal vvith God even in our soveraignly exalted nature as therein fitted to declare and execute the whole will of his divine and creature-lord Zech. 13. 7. Phil. 2. 6. This inferiour creature-capacity of the Mediatour is the second reception of the divine will and power which was first received by and treasured up in his creature-root and by that transmitted to its Son and Branch to exercise and execute the same as fitted thereunto From the creature-root does the branch receive the power of creating the worlds Heb. 1. 2. as also the essentials of all Rule and Government For all these undertakes does the Son and Branch become abundantly qualified through personal conjunction with his creature-root and divine Lord even to create all things and make Laws whereby clearly to state conserve the absolute headship of the single divinity and the Supream Prerogative of the first conjunction of divine and creature-creature-spirits in the Mediatour The Man Christ as Son and Branch declares the deriving all his power from the two headships over him and his exercise thereof in a visible rule over this world in perfect subjection to them according to the righteous Laws of his own making And he allowes unto Angels and Men all such priviledges as are essential to their spiritual rational and sensual Principles in the life and exercise of their intellectual beings So does he render them according to their creature-liberty free Agents as well as immortal spirits Thus deep is the foundation laid for the Rule and Power of the Kingdom of Christ as visibly to be exercised by him in our glorified nature And this power does he ascribe to his conjunctive divine Lord and creature-root and in harmony therewith to God's absolute divine unity as above all and head to all Thus does Jesus Christ as subjected Lord over all under the said twofold headship over him ascribe and bring the glory to God most high in his single divinity the great and high Father of all So through the happy union of divine and twofold creature-nature in the Mediatour may we behold the Government of Peace under which blessed Saints and Angels are to live everlastingly as shining forth betvveen them both Zec. 6. 13. to wit both his creature-capacities In the higher he is the immediate receiver of the divine mind in the lower the executour of the divine will in all things This twofold office of the mediatour is excellently figured out in the essential parts of man's make and the distinct usefulnesses thereof by which fitted for the compleat exercise of his whole being Yea the whole person of the mediatour in all the essentials of his constitution may fitly be represented by what is found in man For as a shadow of the divinity his spirit or intellectual part is the conceiver of its own will Then his Soul as figure of the mediatour's creature-root is the fitted reception of the said will and mind of the spirit And thirdly the will thus conceived by the Spirit and received by the Soul must be brought into visible exercise and execution by the third essential part in man the body 1 Thes 5. 23. figure of the inferiour part or capacity in the mediatour's creature-nature as visible branch to his invisible creature-root in vvhom the god-head also dvvells bodily and so becomes visible to Angels and Saints Thus by owning every distinct part in the mediatour and in man and accordingly assigning to them their proper offices the usefulnes of the whole both in type and substance is compleated as also their respective personalities And as the body is put for the whole man as that by which the invisible Soul and Spirit are rendred visible in the exercise thereof which dignity belongs to it through its personal union with its invisible Soul and spirit it bears the Title and denomination of the whole man in the figure after the same manner as in the substance the person of the Mediatour Hence every distinct Name of the Mediatour is applyed to Christ the Branch as in our nature glorified For therein the fulness of the Godhead dvvels bodily and in personal union therewith shines forth visibly to Angels and Men. In the lowest essential part of the Mediatour in Christ the Man-child that 's to be manifested in the glory of his Father put upon our exalted nature in him And so is the Government of his divine and creature-lord put upon his Shoulders Hence is he called by his Father's wonderful Names The vvonderful Counsellour the mighty God the everlasting Father and Prince of Peace Isa 9. 6. This is a full significant Prophecy of Christ the Branch in our nature glorified as the body and visibility of the Mediatour by which his other superiour essential parts his divine spirit and creature-soul are brought to light and rendred visible to his creatures So is the Man Christ Jesus the one Mediatour betvveen God and Men 1 Tim. 2. 5. Yet does not the Mediatour hereby lose either his divine or creature-name in the first conjunction thereof but on the contrary that divine Light and original Creature-immortality which was inaccessible invisible and incommunicable to creatures is made visible in the Man Christ as glorified and exalted on the Throne of David in personal union with his divine and creature-lord Of the encrease of vvhose Government through the said union there shall be no end vers 7. For hereby is this happy Prince of peace abundantly qualified to execute and fulfill the whole divine and creature-will And so through the perfect subjection of the visible body our exalted nature in him to the invisible creature-soul and divine spirit is the will of God and of the whole person of the mediatour declared and fulfilled The will of all is manifested and done by the actual setting up of the kingdom over which Christ is to reign as son and branch in the glory of his divine Lord and creature-creature-father This is significantly figured out by Hilkiam the Father and Eliakim the Son holding forth this relation of our mystical Eliakim the branch bearing the same date with his spiritual root and father Hilkiam in his invisible angelical life that he had in his root from everlasting And in his appointed time must all the glory of his Fathers house be visibly put upon our nature in him on earth as invisibly inherited and possessed by him in Heaven So comes he to be clothed with the twofold Robes of mystical Hilkiam his root and father when this son and branch shall appear in
yet in their subjected places under him are they joyned with him in a headship over the whole natural first-creation state which is the Woman that in the saints as well as in Christ must own the new-creation spirit or man in both for head Yet the saint thus joyned in a state of spiritual headship with his head is in a state of subjection to the Prerogative headship belonging to every part of the mediatours being divine or creaturely The highest Saint in his most heavenly exaltation into new-creation glory remains for ever in a single creaturality as his distinguishing make from the glorious person of the mediatour But as the saint must not assume the peculiar twofold divine and creature-name of Christ so must he not be denied a new-creation name through participation of and union with the new-creature spirit of Christ in which highly exalted above his own first-creation life name or nature as far as heaven is above the earth For the spirit of man at highest in first-covenant life is but earth or of the earth earthy Though it be in dignity and power placed over all things below it self Psal 8. 6. yet is it inferiour to what is spiritual and heavenly He cannot so much as discern things spiritual 'T is as impossible for it to go beyond the sphere and bounds of its natural activity as for the brute Beast to exceed his bounds and Judge of things rational Nothing below the spirit of man wanting his intellectual and rational faculties can discern the proper things of man So nor can man's intellectual or rationall powers exercised only in a natural or first-covenant light judg of or comprehend the things of that spiritual new-creation state which is superiour to it This is the peculiar essential priviledg of the true saint in new-creation life This capacitates him not onely to know all things below it self and all its own spiritual heavenly things but to search out find and see the most deep and hidden things of the very infinite divinity 1 Cor. 2. 9-15 This great priviledge coms saints to by partaking of the new-creature spirit of Christ which God has promised in his new and everlasting covenant made on their behalf with their mistical father Abraham Christ himself to set up in them This new-covenant spirit is perfectly distinct in the nature of it from the first This is spiritual that natural This heavenly that earthly In the pure natural earthly first-covenant spirit Christ was a husband to Angels and man in innocency before the fall of either But in this mystical Land of pure nature did all men in and with the first and many Angels fall off from Christ and so lost their first-covenant spousal relation to him No such apostacy or chang is incident to the second covenant gift The relation of God and creatures founded in that can never be forfeited or lost When God by way of distinction from the first-creation spirit in which first-covenant communion with and relation to him is founded sayes he vvill vvrite or put his nevv-covenant Lavv or spirit in his Peoples hearts they shall never depart from him nor vvill he from them Then are they his People for ever and can never again become no People as his first-covenant People do after all communications from him and communion with him therein Jer. 31. 31-33 and 32 40. By the fresh gift of his first-covenant spirit he brought them out of the house of bondage the corrupt spirit or state of nature Typed by Egypt But this his covenant they brake though he vvas a Husband to them therein This evidenced the changable nature and life of that spirit in which this covenant was founded and undertaken to be managed on mans part But the new-creature or second covenant spirit in the true saint is a principle of everlasting righteousness and infallible truth This fit 's man for personal union with the fountain thereof in the man Christ and so for everlasting obedience with the same spirit in him to the divinity it self The whole divine will or law is written out in this spirit the true saint is of and in unchangable union with The life of this spirit then in saints enables them to read know and do the divine Law and will as the said spirit in Christ himself In this spirit as a mystical table is the divine Law so powerfully written out as to cause immutable obedience thereto in all the partakers thereof It never sins nor can sin in Christ or saint any born thereof that live and vvalk therein 1 Jo. 3. 9. The saint in this spirit that is of a spiritual heavenly nature is no more a servant as in the former natural changable earthly first-covenant or first-creation state life spirit in which it is impossible to know his Lords spiritual mind things and secrets but with Abraham a friend of God enabled to know not only the secret things of his heavenly spiritual creature-mind but divine also the deep things the vvhole counsel of God about the salvation of men Christ promises to reveal to such friends all that the father has made knovvn to him Jo. 15. 15. The new creature-spirit partaken of from Christ becomes in the quickened up seed thereof a new spiritual life light nature name wisdom righteousness in saints By it are they fitted to take in the visions of the divine glory For this spirit in Christ is in personal union with the divine In him it receives the whole divine glory which from him descends and is let down to all his spiritual members By this blessed medium his new-creature-spirit by which they are made lively Stones in his new-creature City and Temple must they for ever receive the vision of the divine glory A portion of this spirit in them is the nevv Ear or intellect by which they are enabled to hear and understand that voice of their spiritual King that gives forth the divine and new-creature will of their Lord in one sound and to feed on that vision of the divine glory which is the Manna hid from all natural understanding the most excellent thing any creature can receive So though the saints name be not the result of divine and creature-nature in one person Christs peculiar prerogative yet is it a partaking of that new-creature name or nature of Christ which even in him is preserved in a distinction from his divine though in personal union with it Though highest saints may not pretend to the priviledg of the lowest part of the mediatours creature-nature or name to wit personal union with the divinity yet are they partakers of the higher part of his creature-nature as well as lower yea all spiritual saints do partake of the twofold or single new-creature spirit of their head as their peculiar names of saint-ship received and derived from him to and in vvhich chosen and blessed before the foundation of the vvorld Eph. 1. 3 4. By virtue of the fathers choice and the sons peculiar work-manship
nature at the appointed season for actual setting up of his visible Kingdom on Earth Thus may we with admiration behold the ascents and descents of the mediatours creature-building by which marvelously fitted for preserving the dignity of his own divinity and accomplishing the blessednes of his creatures The ascent or top of it is a fitly capacitated immediate habitation for the divinity And the descent of it in the branch is that wherein Christ becoms a two-fold Head to his Angels and Saints from whom they receive their immortal beings and also the heavenly life and clothing thereof by which fitted for their mansions in this his Fathers House This Son and Branch though but foot-stool to himself as creature-root and Father the Throne on which his divinity sits is in a headship and preheminency over all blessed Angels and Saints by the appointment of his divine and creature-lord This foot-stool or lowest part of the creature-Throne or House of God in the mediatour is the immediate object of Faith as that by which the divinity in the top of this creature-House or Throne invisible and inaccessible to his creatures is let down to them By this blessed medium are Angels and Saints admitted to the sight and injoyment of the divine glory for ever Christ when on Earth witnessed his spiritual life as Son of man in Heaven into which he returned with our nature and so into that enjoyment of the divine glory he had both as creature-root and branch before the foundation of the World according to his prayer Jo. 17. 4 5. He that descended and he that ascended is still but one and the same Son of man in the invisible angelical and visible humane Life of the branch Eph. 4. 10. This did he that he might fill all things In the transformed angelical state as spirit of the branch in his own creature-root the Son of Man in Heaven was he head and parent to the immortal spirits of Angels and Men by a first creation and of the spiritual being and state thereof by a second In this first capacity as spirit of the branch is Christ the heavenly place in which Angels and Saints have been blessed as chosen thereunto before the foundation of the World Eph. 1. 3. In the second as a visible head to them in our glorified nature iâ— he qualified actually to give them a life of everlasting blessednes with the never-perishing meat thereof the divine and new-creature glories together with the life in which alone they can see and enjoy them were both and all treasured up for them in him Our exalted nature in him iâ— the adapted conveyer of his divine and otherwise invisible creature-glories to us In our glorified nature he declares the Gospel or glad tydings of salvation to men By this are they made capable of receiving the joyfull news of mansions provided for them in his Fathers House and of entring into them No entring for us but by his entring first in our nature into the state of everlasting life Christ thus is the Key of the house of David Isaiah 22. 22. In his creature-root was treasured up from everlasting the divine glory This must be unlock'd and set open to blessed Angels and Saints by the creature-branch in the second or visible capacity of it even in our exalted nature This is the mystical Key that opens his heavenly creature-life and gives the vision of the divine glory to us By his coming in flesh and death and resurrection thereof has he entred into that state himself as our Head Spiritual saints under the Law safely shut up in the faith of Christ's so comming and doing for them rejoyced therein Christ in his first capacity of creature-branch as resurrection-lamb in his angelical spirit was the invisible Door to his own great creature-building as Root The very Door yet was invisible as well as House and divine Inhabitant At least that Door was not opened nor the divine and creature-glories of the House and Inhabitant revealed as now In our visible nature glorified the second capacity of the branch does he compleat the Door of entrance into the House and is the spiritual Key and Opener thereof so in both capacities of the Branch fitted to be the Authour and Finisher of our Faith And so was he presented at first to Angels and Men as the compleat Object of their Faith for the perfecting their Salvation Blessed Angels therefore desired to prie into the blessed consequents of the man Christ's ascending to give such openings of divine and spiritual mysteries and glories as never before were given to them or saints 1 Pet. 1. 11 12. John 7. 39. Rom. 16. 25 26. Ephes 3. 9 10. Thus have we the ground and reason why our spiritual Levi stood up from everlasting in the Loins of his great mystical Father and that in the two-fold spirit of the Branch invisible and visible as a twofold natural and spiritual Womb and Parent to blessed Angels and Saints As natural or spiritual Children then to him are they to pay the like Tithes due from them to him even the spoiles of all in their own nature by death and sacrifice that the mystical Levi in his person paid to his spiritual Aaron his Root He requires from his Children all the glory due from the descent of his great creature-building to the ascent or top thereof as also from both to the divinity of the Mediatour and through his conjunctive divine and creature being to God most high and absolute in his single or uncompounded divinity For vvithout controversie the less is blessed of the greater Heb. 7. 7. And in the due observation of this rule every part of the Mediatour's person is preserved in an absolute unity to the praise and glory of God most high and Head of all In the great and compleat mystery of Godliness then we find a threefold Headship The first Of God in the simple unity of his divine Essence soveraign Head to the Mediatour's whole divine and creature-being The second is The headship of the first and invisible conjunction of divine and creature-nature in the Mediatour to the twofold spirit of his humanity in which properly the Branch Thirdly This Branch also in his twofold humane capacity is found in an immortal natural and everlasting spiritual headship over blessed angels and saints having in all things a preheminence above them all next under his divine Lord and creature-root as exalted into personal union with both Next then consider the distinct testimonies given by every of these head-ships to the present truth the certain visibility of the Kingdom of Christ declaring all povver in Heaven and Earth given to and visibly to be exercised by the man Christ Jesus who as in our glorified nature shall be seen and acknowledged as by God and his Father made the only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6. 15. and Rev. 19. 16. Yet will not the man Christ take the honour of exercising this power
unto himself but make it his busines to unveil and shew the twofold distinct headships over him in the pure single divinity and invisible conjunction of divine and creature-nature And both these give their distinct testimonies to him as the invisible glorified son and branch in order to his visible exercise of universal power therein over all as the blessed medium exactly calculated for declaring and executing the whole mind and will of both in reference to all Angels and men good and bad This could no otherwise be discovered and done save by the branch the man Christ For it is below the dignity of the single infinite divinity the divine essence or the first and highest conjunction of divine and creature-nature or the divine and supream creature-form of God in the Mediatour immediatly to exercise the power belonging to them both They therefore delegate the exercise of this their power to Christ the branch as set up in the express likeness of the divine glory to whom therefore the divinity of the mediatour says Thou art my Son that I have begotten in my own likeness in personal union with me and appointed thee heir of all things Heb. 1. 2 5. Christ as creature-root is heir of all as the great and supream creature-spouse of his own divinity who brings forth the creature-son and branch in his likeness the visible Image of his invisible creature-creature-spirit as that is the invisible Image of the infinity divine So is this son and branch made visible heir of all things receiving the power from his own creature-root that his root has from his own divinity Hence when as glorified branch brought forth in the visible likeness of his invisible-creature-root his root declares him his vvel-beloved Son vvhom all the saints and Angels of God are to vvorship Heb. 1. 6. This first-begotten son and branch is the happy and marveilous day of the mediatour's own making in vvhich blessed Saints and Angels are to rejoyce Psal 118. 23 24. For by this the divinity in its simple unity and in its first and invisible conjunction with creature-nature in the mediatour do first give themselves forth in a day-break of knowledg and revelation to Angels and men Thus come the distinct divine and creature-glories to shine forth upon them through this son and branch And in their name and power is he visibly to rule over all The title then of this branch to such universal Rule is twofold For it descends upon him and is derived to him first from God in his simple divinity as absolute head to the mediatour Secondly from the mediatour to Christ in our glorified nature which is his visibility as that in which dvvels the fulness of the God-head bodily Col. 2. 9. From this twofold fountain and original headship over him has the man Christ his right to the exercise of a universal visible rule over all creatures made sure and undoubted by their twofold testimony to him But in possessing and exercising this rule must he still acknowledg the twofold head-ship of the pure divinity and first conjunction of divine and creature-spirit in the mediatour over him These are both in themselves invisible and incommunicable and consequently at too vast a distance and emient a height to have ever been seen or approached by creatures Their condescention therefore to have come forth in either of these capacities in a visibility to angels or men and so in the immediate exercise of the power essential to both the said headships over Christ the branch had been too great for them and unsafe for their creatures Hence hath God of his free Grace in order to the creation of the World and communications of himself to angels and men when created contrived a twofold distinct creature-building and capacity in the mediatour the inferiour part whereof is exactly fitted to answer all the intents and designs of God towards his creatures as to the declaration and exercise of his power over them and giving the safe and comfortable enjoyment of his presence to them which in the two former headships without the branch would have been a consuming fire to them Heb. 12. 29. and everlasting burnings to any meer creature-organs natural or spiritual The pure divinity or infinite divine essence and Father and the first invisible conjunction of divine with creature-nature in the mediatour are both above the capacity of immediatly creating angel or man and then much more above the immediate exercise of rule over them But the whole will of both these distinct heads to the man Christ is exactly answered and executed by the creature-son and branch in the heavenly and immortalized earthly capacity thereof The twofold glorious creature-building in the mediatour taken into personal union with his divinity makes up such a blessed instrument for doing the whole will of the divine nature that it is infallibly impossible any thing but the divine will should be executed by it Yet though each part of the said creature-building live in a perfect voluntary subjection to the divine will the whole does preserve and retain its own creature-will in the said subjection distinct from the divine And thus have we seen the distinct testimonies of the divine father and son to the twofold capacity of creature-nature in the mediatour root and branch The divine son or form of the divine essence and father from all eternity is the purely divine likenes and unseen shape of the father and the creature-root is the unseen likeness of the divine son but then is creature-son or branch the visible Image of its own creature-root by which all divine and creature-glories are let down to the understanding and injoyment of creatures And each of these Images of God divine and twofold creaturely in the mediatour are according to their distinct natures and gradations the representations or likenesses of each other And not only the divine but supream creature-likenes of God in the mediatour the original of all creature-beings on which the soveraign power of the divinity descended from everlasting is of too neer a kin to the divinity and in too transcendent a sublimity above any creatures understanding sight or enjoyment to come forth in the immediate exercise of the soveraign divine power imparted to it and committed to its trust It is the proper immediate receiver of the divine will but above the capacity of executing it The declaring and executing the divine Will is committed to Christ as creature-son and branch exactly fitted for it This Son and Branch is the body that gives visibility to the Mediatour's whole divine and great creature-being And though inferiour to its creature-root is it in personal union with it and the divine nature of the Mediatour and this in a twofold resurrection-life heavenly and glotified earthly to the compleating his personality The two distinct Offices of the Mediatour's twofold creature-nature root and branch are significantly figured out by the Candlestick all of gold vvith a bovvl on the top of it Zech. 4.
altogether ignorant of the Spiritual nature of his visible Kingdom yet to come and of that Spirit and Life in which it will be managed According to appointment were they assembled on the day of Pentecost waiting for the Holy Ghost that Spirit in which Christ's Kingdom is to be managed That day under the Law was a commanded feast of first fruits reaped in the Typical Land of Promise This type significantly represents the mystical truth or substance the first fruits of the true Land of Promise or Christ's risen Spirit brought forth in and by Saints This Spirit came upon them as a sound from Heaven of a rushing mighty wind and sate upon each of them as cloven Tongues like Fire So they spake with other Tongues words which the Holy Ghost taught them as that Spirit gave them utterance These other Tongues were the new Tongues Christ promised them they should speak with Mar. 16. 17. The new-creature-Spirit of Christ partaken of by Saints becomes another or new Tongue in them distinct from and superiour to any Tongue thoughts or words found in their natural Spirit This new Tongue both from its own nature and operation of it on the natural Spirit of the Saint may fitly be typed out by a visible cloven or twofold fiery Tongue First From its own nature as consisting in Christ's person the true original thereof of a twofold Resurrection-state and building inseparably united though distinct from each other Secondly From its twofold secret invisible operation upon man transforming yet not burning or consuming him by its fire-baptism upon him It empties him of all his changeable life and wealth unmakes and builds him anew and fill's him with its newness of Life and true riches And as in Christ so in his peculiar spousal Saints capacitated by their double portion of Christ's twofold Resurrection-Life to receive the double vision of the divine Glory are the twofold spiritual Principles of Christ's new-creature-nature fitly represented by cloven Tongues as Fire The inferiour earthly glorified Saint of the single portion in spiritual resurrection-life as found in unchangeable harmony with those of the double may both and altogether be fitly signified by cloven Tongues of Fire as distinct from each other and yet inseparably join'd together The Holy Ghost that descended upon the Apostles is that new-creature-Spirit which in Christ lives in personal union with the Divinity in both parts thereof upper and lower or most heavenly and glorified earthly all spiritual and above the first-creation-building or natural state of Angel or Man at best as far as the material Heaven is above the Earth No wonder then if the effects of this Spirit poured down on the Apostles were amazing to all natural observers thereof For as a figure of this commanding Tongue or new-creature Spirit could they make themselves understood by all their hearers of whatever differing languages By this litteral miracle was given an undeniable demonstration of the comprehensive nature and universal knowledg of this new Tongue or Spirit including all spiritual both heavenly and earthly-glorified wisdom and knowledg and also comprehending all single natural knowledg in it self Hence fitly said to know see or judg all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. This new-creation-tongue that could make itself understood by all in that primitive Gospel-day was a type of the powerful ministration of the Gospel in the last days under the latter rain or pouring down of the same Spirit or new-creature Tongue in a visibility and discernableness to all so as to command its acknowledgment from all hearers thereof through its suitable sound or voice to every one's understanding and irresistible demonstration of its intrinsick excellency to all hearts The wonderful effects of its first showring down were that the receivers thereof did work miracles cast out Devils and healed all sorts of Diseases litteral and spiritual This precious mystical balm of Gilead became in them a powerful antidote against all inward and outward Poison Mar. 16. 17 18. They could thereby not only discern but cure all diseases of Spirit as well as Body Yea a union by Faith with this Spirit under the Law was of such power that Elisha at a great distance was able to discern and declare the secret designs of God's and his People's Enemies and to cure diseases spiritual as well as bodily as in Naaman the Syrian He not only by his counsel cleans'd him from his bodily Leprosy but as seems implied by bidding him go in peace and Christ's owning his coming to a spiritual Prophet as a reproof to the Jews for rejecting his spiritual ministry and gospel-doctrine Luk. 4. 27. of the enmity of his Spirit by an effectual faith in the new-creation name of the true Son of Peace He was able also to discern the inward disease of enmity in Gehazi to be mortal and incurable as was figured by the outward Leprosy which was cureable in Naaman but rendred unchangeable in him and his unbelieving Seed forever 2 King 5. 27. And by the like new-creature power of spiritual Faith did he raise the Widow's Son from bodily death typing forth the like power of raising the natural Spirit out of its state of enmity and death All this as fore-running types of what was fulfill'd on the natural spirit of Saints by the first Gospel-rain of Christ's risen Spirit upon them And this yet was but a type of the more abundant effects of the latter rain of the same Spirit in the last days Under that first rain were they impowred to find out and cure both bodily and spiritual diseases by forgiving all Sins that were of a pardonable nature Joh. 20. 23. But under the former or latter rain are Saints not to assume any thing to themselves but ascribe all to the new-creation power of their Lord and Head Act. 3. 12 16. To him must they ever own and pay their subjection though in marriage union with him by partaking of his Spirit Nor does the Saint by surrender of his will and life to Christ in order to live in his will and Spirit any more lose his distinct personality from Christ's than the distinction of sexes is lost in the litteral marriage-union of man and woman The Saint by union with Christ lives wholly in his will at last and so is possess'd of his power and riches Whatever he asks in that will new name or life of Christ is given him Joh. 16. 23. This Spirit qualified Saints above all the inticing words and thoughts of man's or Angel's natural wisdom that 's but vain Philosophy for their distinct respective Offices in the Gospel-Church as Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers c. By the diversity of the gifts and operations thereof was every of them fitted for their distinct Offices in the assemblies of Saints 1 Cor. 12. 4 11. They were thereby enabled rightly to discern and determine all things according to the mind of Christ And hereby did they gain Love from those that believed and fear from those that would
oppose them The powerful presence of the risen Spirit of Christ fitted them for the marvellous conversion of believers and stopping the mouth 's of gainsayers None were able to withstand the power and wisdom of that Spirit they came forth in Act. 6. 10. Three thousand were converted by Peters first Sermon in it Act. 2. 41. They could also find out diseases of body and mind and discern whether they were mortal and incurable or not and accordingly declare or pronounce Sentence Ananias and Saphira pretended a compliance with the believers of that day for selling all their possessions and bringing the price thereof for the good of the community Peter in the power of the Spirit of Christ found out their secret crafty agreement for keeping back part of the price And he was able in such an irresistible convincing manner to detect and set home the guilt thereof upon their hearts and consciences as became an immediate execution as well as sentence of death upon them Act. 5. 1 10. From the severity of the punishment for suffering their hearts to be fill'd with Satan the Father of Lies so as to lye to the Holy Ghost or infallible Spirit of truth may it appear they were guilty of the same Sin spiritually as well as litterally understood The litteral was a type of the Spiritual even of that which is an unpardonable fault in any the keeping back any part of the mystical riches and life of the natural Spirit at best For this is a lying against the convincing discoveries of the Holy Ghost that declares and requires all to be surrendred to Death in sacrifice to God as his due and their duty And they under pretence of all bring but a part and lay it down at Christ's Feet as the whole This rendred them and so any others found in the like practice guilty of the like witchcraft and rebellion with Saul in laying down only the refuse-things and lusts of the corrupt spirit of nature for sacrifice but keeping the best the righteous first-covenant-life with the riches fruitfulness and glory thereof as therein fitted Priests to offer Sacrifice to God All this they know God requires in sacrifice as Saul acknowledg'd in letter 1 Sam. 15. 21. The spiritual Law of the Cross requires the best things in nature for sacrifice All is to be laid at Christ's feet the true Melchisedec and Priest of the most high God and in the death not life thereof to be offered up in sacrifice to God When any clearly convinced of their duty as to the whole-burnt-offering which their natural Spirit in the utmost first-covenant righteousness wisdom life and glory is to be do bring but a part and pretend that to be the whole sacrifice God requires of them they do wilfully and knowingly lye against the Holy Ghost and are found in a wilful conspiracy with the Father of Lies who has filled their heart In this Sin shall hypocritical Sinners in Sion pretenders only to Gospel and Spiritual Saintship be discerned and thereupon detected and sentenced to death by the Spirit of Christ in his Saints in the latter days much more eminently and frequently than in the primitive Gospel-times The declaring of this sort of spiritual guilt will so powerfully stir up and awaken the condemning conviction thereof as to cause a spiritual death on all such wilful Lyars against the Holy Ghost By the convincing light of it are they at once shewed the fading nature of all their first-creation-life and treasure and the unchangeable nature and excellency of the second After all this to prefer the former in hatred and despiteful opposition to the latter is unexcusable and unpardonable Such blaspheming the Holy Ghost or thinking and speaking evilly and contemptibly of it as a wicked Spirit a Devil as the righteous first-covenant Jews call'd it in Christ's person is a Sin not to be prayed for Nor Christ nor Saints will intercede on behalf of such as are known guilty thereof 1 Joh. 5. 16. God will not have any pray for what he will never grant the pardon of what he will never pardon The Jews called that creature-creature-spirit of Christ that lives in unchangeable union with the divine the Devil Saints instead of praying for such were impowred in the primitive Gospel-Church in harmony of mind with God himself to pronounce a just sentence of death upon them Such signal honour was conferred upon them in the first institution of the Gospel-ministry And this was a spiritual and eternal excommunication of them the Anathema Maran-atha 1 Cor. 16. 22. according to the mortal and incureable nature of their disease and guilt Where the spiritual disease was not mortal but cureable the excommunication was but temporary for their cure by destruction of their Flesh or natural Spirit in order to their Salvation in Christ's Spirit of everlasting righteousness and truth So 1 Cor. 5. 5. The Incest with his Father's Wife spiritually understood was a temporary joining through the strength of temptation and his own weakness with the evil angelical nature which in the innocency thereof was the highest natural first-covenant spouse of Christ the Parent of Angels and Men Father of Spirits in a superiority to humane nature in first-creation life at best The Evil Angels did at first practise lewdness among themselves in that first-covenant-state against Christ in the second And men from their first sin and fall have been committing the like spiritual Fornication under their conduct and by their example Spiritual Saints could in the alsearching spirit of Christ find out such spiritual diseases and judg whether mortal and incurable or not so accordingly dealt with those that were guilty The Gospel Church assembled in the new-creation name or Spirit of Christ did in that power of the Lord Jesus pronounce such an excommunication on that incestuous person a member of their Church as was called a delivering of him up to Satan Yet was this but a temporary punishment exposing him to the furious buffetings of the Devil as a means to procure his recovery and lasting health For by the power of this new name of Jesus put forth upon him was he recovered as a brand out of the Fire by the powerful consuming his natural desire through the operation of the Cross in which Satan himself was made use of as in Job's and other Saints cases After this wonderful manner were the first Gospel-Ministers fitted to discharge their Office in all respects towards that flock over which the Holy Ghost had made them overseers both for ministring spiritual nourishment to them and healing spiritual as well as litteral diseases in them A power had they suitable to these great ends Paul in the practise of the ordinance of Baptism did in the power of Christ's new name and Spirit baptize with the Holy Ghost certain Disciples at Ephesus who as yet knew not whether there were a Holy Ghost or such a dispensation of the Spirit of Christ distinct from the wash'd renew'd natural Spirit
the effect of John's baptism and ministry Act. 19. 1 5. Paul baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus that is into a true acknowledgment and experience of his new-creation-life and Spirit So in that other institution the laying on of Hands ver 6. was the Holy Ghost actually given them On this such new Gospel-Believers immediately spake with new Tongues and prophesied So that other ordinance or institution for anointing the sick was practised by them with like success at that time The Elders of the Gospel-Church anointed such with the new name of Christ as the soveraign cure for spiritual and bodily diseases Jam. 5. 14 15. Those spiritual teaching apostolical-elders who were the highest Order in the new Gospel-Church by their powerful prayer of Faith in the name or spirit of Christ did actually cure the sick strengthen the weak hands and feeble knees of faulty spiritual-saints Thus have we seen the power and spirituality of the gospel-ministration beyond that of the Law by the actual dispensing of that Spirit which was only witnessed by faith under the Law But brought into sight under the Gospel Gospel-Saints then are thankfully to receive the convincing discoveries hereof by spiritual light and to shew themselves willing and ready on any terms to enter into the promised yea shew'd and offered new-creation-Land or state of Life by personal union with Christ in his heavenly or glorified earthly spirit which will prove such a state of blessedness the gates of hell all the powers of darkness can never prevail against or disanul But on the contrary such as evilly entreat Christ's mystical Spies the spiritual discoveries sights and tasts of his Resurrection-life given in conviction suited to their natural spirit so as wilfully to reject them and discover and betray them to the enemy the Devil joining with him to mock at and do despite thereunto God will swear in his wrath they shall never enter into his rest that new-creation-land or state of life by them finally refused and contemned The spiritual light as a spirit of prophecy given to them received and exercised by them for a season Saul's case by which they see the great advantage of accepting God's offered spirit of Grace on his declared terms shall depart from them and in the room thereof an evil angelical Spirit with the highest deceitful light shall enter into them And thence-forward will they express implacable enmity against the spiritual David's Christ and his Saints Thus the Gospel-ministration and light received as a temporary blessing and the Gospel-Life or eternal blessing thereof wilfully rejected that temporary blessing is turned into an everlasting curse and judgment on them Bare spiritual light then which makes a spiritualized natural understanding is no ground of a firm rejoycing though for a season they be enabled thereby to cast out Devils or obtain a victory over the corrupt spirit of nature brought into and instigated in Men by the Devil This Christ signified to the seventy disciples Luk. 10. 17 20. All spiritual light may be withdrawn if the life thereby shew'd and offered be hated and rejected And then the evil Angel or Spirit enters with its counterfeit imitation of the true Spirit of prophesy as into Saul which did presently excite in him an enraged malice against David because he saw the Lord was with him 1 Sam. 18. 10 12. Till then we experience a change of principle and life from natural to spiritual by which infallibly to see and know our names written in Heaven Christ's new-creature book of Life we have no firm ground of spiritual joy The unspeakable gift of the Spirit of truth itself is the full accomplishment of the promise to Saints under the Law Jeremy and other Saints were shewed the means and season for this Gospel-gift as the new thing and wonder to be done in the Earth of our fleshly nature in Christ's person It is expressed by a Womans compassing a Man Jer. 31. 22. This was fulfilled in letter by the Virgin 's compassing or containing in her the holy Thing begotten and conceived by the Holy Ghost or new-creature Spirit of Christ the builder of its own visible house in our nature But the mystical and principal meaning was the natural Spirit of Man figured by the Woman in Christ did compass or contain in it a holy seed of his new-creature-spirit of truth and by the death thereof brought forth the new-creation man-child which received its first visibility in and through the earth of our glorified nature in him This new man-child-man-child-spirit or principle of life till thus manifested lay as a mystery hid in God not discerned by Angel or Man but through Faith And so had it remained for ever had not the Son of Man in Heaven from everlasting prepared this natural capacity in himself for partaking of our fleshly nature and by the death and glorification thereof become the declarer of his own invisible man-child-Life and Spirit The natural Man of Christ that was to pass through a mystical child-bearing and death was the Woman and so in Saints shewed John Rev. 12. who was with Child and travelling in pain cried out to be delivered This was effected by such a pure subjection of Christ's natural to his spiritual man that he was pained and straitned till the fire-baptism had accomplish'd the death of the former on which the new-creation-life of the latter might shine forth in and through it And this did he in a publick capacity as the means to obtain a birth of new-creation-life for the whole spiritual seed of his heavenly and glorified earthly Family On their behalf John heard a sound of joy in Heaven for the victory thus obtain'd for them by Christ in our nature as the only means for their obtaining the same victory and blessedness with him Now is come Salvation and Strength ver 10. to the whole new-creature seed-royal by the death of that state in Christ the old Serpent is a Prince and Ruler in Thus did Christ handle our nature in himself as his Followers are to do in themselves and by such Death overcame all enemies This Christ did in our nature as a declaratory repetition of the first battel in Heaven fought by Michael and his Angels against the Dragon and his ver 7. Christ as a Resurrection-Lamb and his good Angels that with him quitted and exchanged their changeable first-creation-life for his unchangeable second beat the Devil and his Angels who did rebelliously set up for themselves in the first against God Christ and his Angels that obediently followed their head into the life of the second Ezek. 1. 20. 10. 11. This twofold Victory obtain'd by Christ in the resurrection-state of his invisible angelical nature before the foundation of the World and since in our glorified humane nature makes up the glad tidings of the Gospel-state of Christ in his conquering man-child-spirit the leading witnesses whereof were extraordinarily qualified by the first shower of it to become more than
has long bin their hearts desire even all along their Sack-cloth prophecy in which they have bin contending with and troubling all that dweâ—â— upon the Earth or in earthly first-creation-principles Rev. 11. 10 On this honourable account as contending on God's behalf are they at length to be slain mystically if not also litterally But nor their mystical nor litteral death should have been permitted as Christ said in Lazarus his case but that the power of God may be the more clearly manifested in raising them up again out of their sleep And then and so will they be fitted to execute the wrath of God on his and their implacable enemies as a just recompence for that death of theirs which has bin precious in his sight Rev. 11. 11. Ezek. 37. 10. Such honour shall all his Saints have as the Lord's army to execute vengeance on the Kings of North and South with their heathen and first-covenant people who joined in a combination to destroy them Psal 2. 1 2. 149. 6 -9. They shall then receive the Crown reserved for this last generation of Saints that bring up the rear of all those spiritual worthies and witnesses that have bin from the beginning The true witnesses of Christ have all along found but slender and cool reception for their testimony yea they have always found opposition more or less And how much greater may be expected in this last and utmost assault by visible and invisible powers when the great thing all along witnessed the second personal coming of Christ is at the door The extraordinary voice of God's outward providences shall then also give an undoubted demonstration to all natural hearts that some strange and wonderful change is hastning upon the World And the fear and conviction hereby wrought in Enemies will produce the utmost expressions of rage and fury on the sack-cloth prophets as witnessing this unwelcome truth to them Christ's second comming to be at hand Great reason then to expect not only a more then ever violent breaking in pieces of the earthen vessel in which the precious witnessing treasure is but also a more enraged spirit discovering itself against the very spiritual treasure On this account will it come forth in its spiritual wickedness in heavenly places and so with their angelical weapons gilded with a likeness to Christ's truly spiritual ones war against the inward mind as well as by material weapons against the outward body of the two witnesses But by neither shall they be able to suppress or hinder their witnessing-work For God will make them a defenced City iron Pillars and brazen Walls for an unshaken steddy enduduring the utmost malice of all enemies visible and invisible They shall conquer them even while slaying them by surviving all bodily deaths and spiritual assaults in an unchanged mind and Spirit And having thus considered the time and means in and by which the witnesses are to be slain next are we to enquire by what hand or means they will be raised out of the said death For it is no more possible for the members than head to be held by the bands of death Act. 2. 24. But redemption out of the mystical death of the natural Spirit and out of all death can only be by a new-creation-power And this was that power and glory of the Father by which Christ in our nature was raised out of the both mystical and litteral death thereof This done in a publick capacity and relation to his members ascertain's the like to be done for their crucified natural Spirits and dead Bodies and that by the same means All that are planted together in the likeness of his death shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection Rom. 6. 5. or be sure to partake of his new-creature-life The putting this life into them is the means by which the witnesses are to be raised after slain and lying in the Streets of spiritual Sodom and Egypt Rev. 11. 8. The new-creation spirit of Life from God enters into them quickens and calls up their natural man into an everlasting union with and subjection to their spiritual as that to Christ and God and so sets it upon its right Gospel-Feet The new-creation-new-creation-spirit of true prophecy will raise the whole slain natural man of the Saint out of its mystical and litteral grave death of spirit and body as to all the mortal first-creation life of either causing the dry bones of the two witnesses to live Ezek. 37. 12 -14. This Spirit of Christ was always the prepared means for loosing and breaking the bands of death from Saints and raising their whole crucified natural man into the glorious life and liberty of their spiritual But this will be done in a more signal manner than ever at the raising the two witnesses in the third and last day mentioned Hos 6. 2. as their slaying will be more signal then then in any former persecutions The new-creature-spirit of Christ then put into their crucified natural man or dead body will be the efficient cause of their resurrection The instrumental hand or cause thereof under Christ will be the holy Angels as honoured with the first powerful sounding forth the new-creation-trumpet voice or everlasting Gospel-life of their risen Lord by which the new-creation breath or spirit of the head will enter into the dead bodies of his crucified Saints The said Angels will be found the highest and chief ministers of Christ till that seed of Abraham laid hold on from everlasting as Christ's first born Church come to take their place in Christ's second resurrection-life over the heads of all Angels and glorified earthly Saints Our nature in Christ is raised into both these lives heavenly and glorified earthly the twofold spiritual and everlasting new-creation-life The man Christ has also a third resurrection-state as advanced into and filled with the very divine life in an infinite superiority to all Angels and Saints In him dwells the fulness of the God-head bodily and personally He is thus anointed above all his fellows or brethren as also with the original and fountain of twofold spiritual-creature-life which none of them are but with derived portions thereof In the days of the highest Saints non-age and minority are the holy Angels teaching and nursing guardians to them Heb. 1. 14. They are the highest and fittest instruments to convey Christ's mind to Saints under Law or Gospel From them have choice Saints and Prophets under both received their manifold visions and communications of the mind of God The Law was ordained to be dispensed by Angels in the hand of a Mediator or under the conduct of Christ their head Gal. 3. 19. Act. 7. 53. In these angelical flames Christ as head of them descended on mount Sinai and by their voice or ministry promulged the Law Exod. 20. Psal 68. 17. By them was Moses shewed through faith his and their new-creation-head by which fed and maintained forty days together without any visible food They were the mystical
We shall find information as to each of these particulars in the visions given John not only of things present but to come This by opening the heavenly door of the resurrection-state in Christ's person on which he heard the sound of an angelical Trumpet saying Come up hither and I will shew thee things to come Rev. 4. 1. Hence John acknowledg'd all the light and information he received of that state to be given him by the ministry of Angels as revealers of the sealed-up judgments for all sorts of enemies answerable to their more or less criminal offences And these judgments are to be visibly manifested in the last preparatory dispensation to Christ's second coming To the first At the appointed time for opening the Seals are the Vials and judgments therein contained to be poured forth Both and all are to be in the preparatory dispensation to Christ's second coming Then is to be dispensed that wrath of God wilful Sinners in this old World or first-creation-state against the light of the new have bin treasuring up to themselves against this day After all trial and God's long forbearance these judgments which have bin long sealed up are to be executed upon them And they shall be seen by them on whom executed to have bin justly deserved by them and accordingly inflicted on them By the light of this angelical ministry shall all such Sinners be convinced that the distinct vials of wrath poured forth upon them justly belong to them This twofold work John was shewed to be the joint business of blessed Angels and Saints in this preparatory dispensation He gives a large and full account thereof Rev. 5. 6. 7. He saw the Lamb the head of Angels opening the Seals for them and also for Saints who are called up into an association with them in the same Gospel-ministry as jointly used by Christ in the said work They are both by their spiritual Head joyned in commission for this work the opening of the sealed-up judgments of God to the World So under Christ come they forth in his conquering new-creature-spirit over the World as was declared to John on the Lamb 's opening the first Seal on which the blessed Saint and Angel as horse and rider arm'd with Christ's risen spirit go forth conquering and to conquer Rev. 6. 1 2. So on the successive opening the other Seals according to their distinct commissions are they to make every part of the condemned World quickly to feel the effects of the judgments contained therein For by opening the second Seal peace is to be taken from the Earth or earthly natural principle and state of life corrupt or righteous that from its sensual and devilish mind instead of willingly and obediently submitting has wilfully and rebelliously done despite to the spirit of grace As the just punishment of such offence the Son of peace will depart from them as to his gracious offers and come upon them in a final dispensation of wrath And so will he take peace from them both his true peace offered them and that false peace they have pleased themselves with All such as are fixed in the natural or earthly principle will he make a mystical Babel heightning their vexation and disturbance by such division as will cause them in revenging God's just quarrel against them all to hate and kill one another So by opening another Seal Death and Hell come on the fourth part of this accursed Earth Blessed Angels and Saints for this are to kill them with sword famine death and beasts of the Earth All these are typical to the same judgments spiritually understood as their eternal punishment signified by the Hell that followed death Then see the effects of opening the sixth Seal Rev. 6. 12 -14. The Heaven that will depart as a scrowl is in mystery and truth the most excellent and heavenly part of the first-creation-spirit with which evil Angels and Men have bin counter-feiting the new-creation-state but shall no longer be able so to do The mystical Sun Moon and Stars of this first-creation-spirit or World in its fading life and glory will be turned into darkness and blood by the bright-shining light of the spirit of truth in this preparatory day and become so antiquated as no longer to remain in any credit or esteem but as a decayed old garment laid aside And all the mystical Figs or Fruits springing forth from the old root of single nature will wither and fall to the ground before the mighty wind or powerful breath of this Spirit of the Lord. It will also cause such a terrible Earthquake to all earthly or meer natural principles foundations and buildings as to remove every Mountain and Island mystically understood out of its presumptuously assumed place It will make all the rich and mighty bond and free not so made by a willing subjection to the new-creation-spirit of Christ cry out to evil angelical Rocks and Mountains and all sorts of first-creation rocks or strength to cover hide and secure them from the wrath of the Lamb convincingly set before them by the spiritual light of this preparatory day But they will both feel and know there is no possibility of escaping the same On opening the third Seal also John saw a black horse and he that sate on him had a pair of ballances in his hand And he heard a voice saying A measure of Wheat for a peny and three measures of Barley for a peny and see thou hurt not the Oil and the Wine The Ballances signify the justice of that day in recompences of love to friends and wrath to enemies Both these recompences have bin so sealed up in the living book or word of God the new-creature-spirit of Christ as not to be discerned till this preparatory dispensation and powerful preaching of the everlasting Gospel by which the secrets of all hearts shall be search'd out declared and judged Rom. 2. 16. Then all that have faithfully labour'd in Christ's Vineyard and rightly improv'd the Talent received from him shall receive an answerable recompence consisting in the rule of five or two Cities and enter into the joy of their Lord. On the contrary they that have made no use of their Talent or an evil one by an unrighteous detaining the present truth in a wilful refusal to improve it by exchange of their own legal or natural spirit life or state of bondage for Christ's new-creation spirit and Gospel-principles of true freedom God will be strict in marking all done amiss herein by them and accordingly pour out his wrath upon them in this dispensation All principles and actions will then be weighed in God's new-creation-sanctuary ballance as the right test for Wheat Barley c. And whatever men's attainments be on single first-creation principles they will be found too light for acceptance with God So their punishment for detaining any part thereof will be just And a peculiar care will be had of God's new-creation Oil and Wine and a righteous recompence
given to a faithful witness-bearing in his spirit of true freedom for which they have suffered all along Satan's reign This shall in its place be more fully spoken to And then will be declared God's most wise and holy grounds why the injuries done to the Souls under the Altar slain for the testimony of Jesus have lain so long unaccounted for Under this preparatory dispensation shall the murderers of Jesus and his spiritual Martyrs be punished according to their works All these judgments and mercies are to be opened by the seven new-creation Trumpets sounded by seven Angels on the opening of the seventh and last Seal Rev. 8. 1 2. On the sounding of these Trumpets the judgments sealed up for foes amongst the treasures of mercy for friends Deut. 32. 34 35. will be executed by the pouring forth of the seven Vials All this as the performance of God's promise on behalf of the two slain witnesses Rev. 11. for raising them up into an association with spiritual Angels for the powerful preaching of Christ's everlasting Gospel-life For this will they have power to shut and open the blessings and judgments of Heaven in perfect harmony with the spirit and will of Christ distributing both in love or wrath to the inhabitants of the whole World This is implied in the command given them over that mystical Fire by which the wrath of that day is to be executed and in their power also to give or withhold the heavenly rain of Christ's risen-Spirit and likewise for turning the Waters of the cleansed natural state as turned into enmity against the same into blood from the just wrath and displeasure of God By all ways literal and mystical will the sealed-up judgments of God be opened to smite the accursed Earth in such a successive pouring forth of wrath upon it figured by the plagues on Pharaoh and Egypt by the hands of Saints and Angels in this fore-running dispensation on this side the glorified body of Saints as was figured in Eliah subject to like passions with other Saints in the unchang'd body Jam. 5. 17. Saints in this dispensation will not only have power over the material Heaven so as by the spirit of true faith and prayer to withhold or give the rain thereof but in a like command with Elias to cause the angelical fire to come down on their Enemies for their destruction as he did on the Captains with their Fifties that came in opposition to the new-creature spirit of prophecy by the powerful workings whereof in him he was seen to be a man of God Wilful enmity to this spirit God will come forth in signal displeasure against Now if this power literally and spiritually was thus manifested in Eliah by a union of Faith only with Christ in his new-creature-spirit before the former Gospel-rain thereof Act. 2. what will be impossible to the power of it in Saints on the latter rain thereof for the ripening of Angels and Saints therein to a full harvest fitting them to do all things needful to make way for their Lord's second coming And having thus considered what is meant by the opening of the Seals and pouring forth of the Vials in the preparatory day to Christ's second coming by Angels and Saints we are next to enquire how and in what manner and measure they are then to be poured forth and upon whom For this it is observable that every Vial hath and that from the beginning bin suited to the more or less criminal nature of the several wilful Offences which now shall be laid open however before hid and sealed up This is implied by the distinct places or parts of the accursed first-creation-Earth each Vial is to be poured upon John hears a voice out of Christ's new-creation Temple into which the good Angels were first brought as the first faithful obedient followers of their Head Lord and Master thereinto They are sent out of this Temple with the seven-fold new-creation Trumpet given them by the Lamb for his service as ministring spirits and first sounders forth of this his new-creation-voice to his Saints who thereby become qualified with them to preach the everlasting Gospel of the Kingdom or declare the glad tydings of their Lord 's coming in the seven-fold glory of his resurrection-state to the whole Earth And not only so but they are also fitted to be joined with the holy Angels for pouring forth the Vials of God's wrath on the fixed inhabitants of the Earth who are enemies to his spiritual heavenly appearance and Kingdom Thus we find the first Vial poured forth upon the Earth Rev. 16. 2. the second on the Sea the third on the Rivers and Fountains of Water the fourth on the Sun the fifth on the seat of the Beast the sixth on the great River Euphrates the seventh on the Air. In these distinct vials and places are held forth the particular assigned judgments according to the sealed up wrath of God for every part of the sinful first-creation-Earth The first Vial is poured out upon the Earth not the corrupt but restored Earth repaired by Christ as to their loss by the fall of Adam and so capacitated to answer Christ's heavenly call He hath therein afforded them clear convictions of his new-creation-life for their everlasting blessedness But through wilful refusal of this and despite thereunto are they sound guilty of worshipping the Beast and receiving his mark which is the peculiar Sin for which punished They voluntarily pay that homage to the wicked Angel that 's due to God who hath by his own act made himself the mystical Beast here meant in his self-chosen earthly sensual spirit by a fixed unchangeable enmity to God and his heavenly creature-spirit rendred devilish The same fixed in by Man with its wisdom and all its first-creation excellencies is devilish also Jam. 3. 15. This renders a Man a Devil Christ called Judas so One of you is a Devil Joh. 6. 70. The changeably evil spirit of Man baptiz'd and transform'd by the unchangeably evil spirit of the Devil into unchangeable union with him in enmity to God renders man a Devil If baptiz'd into the unchangeably righteous spirit of Christ man becomes with Abraham the unchangeable friend lover and beloved of God The cleansed mystical house or enlightned righteous natural man receiving the evil angelical spirit is thereby fixed in enmity to God In this case Christ found and asserted the professing righteous Jews with their teachers to be Ye are of your Father the Devil so far were they from being the true spiritual seed and Children of Abraham or of God as they flattered and asserted themselves to be This end or last state is worse than their first in the corrupt nature as born dead in Sin but not unchangeably so as now they are Mat. 12. 43 -45. Joh. 8. 38 -44. Such incorrigible wilful Sinners against the Holy Ghost and its convincing spiritual light set up in their consciences will fall under the sad effects of the
hundreds fifties and tens Thus were the Attendants of the Tabernacle compleated in a spiritual and civil capacity The first were offering Priests and ministring Levit's the other chief and subordinate Rulers with subjected obeyers all which are significant Types of what will be found in the original when made visible as the house or Temple shew'd Ezekiel and new-Jerusalem City shew'd John do evidence In every circumstance will be found such exact proportion and agreement as to manifest all in the litteral Tabernacle harmonious figures of Christ's new-creature building that 's to be made visible in his Kingdom on earth as possessing the throne of his Father in heaven This visible Kingdom is charactred by the coming down of the new Jerusalem out of heaven and setting up the Tabernacle of God amongst men both four-square and walled about with the respective Attendants as the litteral The new Jerusalem John saw to have a wall great and high c. Rev. 21. 12. And as the outward form of the spiritual City and Tabernacle was exactly figured out in the litteral so also the spiritual Attendants thereof by those of the litteral The first row of Attendants may fitly represent those in the second resurrection-state of spiritual life and they were held forth also by the twelve foundations of the spiritual City on which were written the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb as his highest attendants in bridal-union with him as partakers of his heavenly creature-name or nature and therein under him rulers over all others In this second resurrection-state amongst these peculiar inhabitants of the third Heaven a select row of Attendants immediately surrounding the house or throne will be found also a distinction of place and offices as in the first row about the litteral Tabernacle One star in the firmament of this third Heaven will differ from another in glory as inheriting an elder or younger brother's portion therein Though with Joseph and Benjamin types thereof they be all born of the same Mother as well as Father partaking according to their appointed measur's of the second resurrection-resurrection-spirit yet in the division of the spiritual figured in that of the litteral land of Promise the peculiarly beloved Joseph must have a double portion not only to the other Sons of Jacob not admitted any place in this first row of Attendants but also to the spiritual younger Brother Benjamin who is also in that first row This was fitly represented by the distinct offices and scituation of Aaron and his priestly Sons with other inferiour Levit's about the Tabernacle The highest in this first order of Saints are the bride the Lambs wife possessed of the full blessing of Christ's new-creature-spirit by which priviledg'd to enter within the first vail of the new-creation Sanctuary Christ's earthly glorified Spirit so as to behold the most holy things therein even the divine glory as shining through the pure transparent heavenly creature-face nature or spirit of their Lord and Husband The dignity of these high Priests unto God in a peculiar marriage-union with Christ in his heavenly creature-spirit is to be placed at upper end of the new-creature Tabernacle of God as admitted to the nearest and most intimate enjoyment of the divine glory any meer creature 's are capable of But inferiour to these are those members of the second resurrection-state who also make up the first row of Attendants These receive but a single portion in comparison of that the high Priests receive Yet in a union of love with the said Spirit are they given to the service of the high Priest's office even to Christ himself and his priestly Sons as accepted in their inferiour service of love and placed above all the earthly glorified congregation of spiritual Israel These though least and lowest in the first row or second resurrection-state are above the highest and greatest in the outward row of Attendants in but the first resurrection-state wherein Angels are the chief This was typed out in John Baptist though they be not the Spouse her self they are faithful Friends and true lovers of the Bride-groom and Bride or of the peculiar bridal-union of Christ and their elder-brother Joseph-Saints so as to find their joy compleated by hearing the nuptial Voice This service of love performed by the younger brother-Saints in the second resurrection to Christ and their elder spiritual Brethren in the high-Priesthood the mystical Aaron and his peculiar Sons is their perfect freedom And as recompence of this labour of love shall they be placed on each side and at bottom or West end of the said heavenly Tabernacle in Christ's Person to the compleating the first row of select Attendants or making up the foundations of the Wall of the said mystical City on which in the single or double portion of the said resurrection-spirit are written the names of those twelve Apostles that comprehend the whole second resurrection-state in distinction from the twelve gates of the City on which are written the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel or whole innumerable multitude of glorified earthly or first-resurrection Saints that make up the new Earth in Christ's new World or Kingdom figured by the twelve Tribes of Israel And as in the second resurrection-state may seem to be a differing degree of spiritual light and glory not only in the other Levit's from the Priests but from one another also as their differing dignities in scituation on the right left-hand and lower end of the Tabernacle do intimate so among first-resurrection-Saints will be found a differing of one Star from another in that glory The variety of Rulers and Governours and also of Subjects and Obeyers therein were figured out in the Princes of the Tribes and subordinate Rulers under them over thousands hundred's fifties and tens All these compleat but the outward row of Attendants about the spiritual Tabernacle These are represented as the great and high Wall of the new Jerusalem and the twelve Princes or chief Rulers are the Angels at the gates thereof as under Christ and his heavenly Saints the highest Rulers over the earthly glorified Wall or first-resurrection Saints And under them also are subordinate Rulers over inferiour spiritual Saints in the first resurrection-state All these with the lowest subjects therein make up the outward row of Attendants about the new-creation Sanctuary So the two distinct rows though parted by the Court yet joyned in a blessed harmony make up the compleat attendance of the Tabernacle in their further or nearer distances and differing scituations or places Thus the first and second-resurrection-Saints though distinguished by the names of new Heaven and new Earth that abide for ever do in an unchangeable union of love make up the whole blessed society and corporation of the new-Jerusalem City which so united is invincible for the name of it is the Lord is there The two-fold new-creature Spirit of the King thereof in highest lowest and all intermediate members of it unites them all in an