seale and lay hold on that one seed which is Christ making it the brightnes of his glory the expresse character of his essential mind which is righteousnes and holines itself This is the WORD that is neer thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayst doe it that is to say in the heart and mouth of Christ the second Adam and head of al true beleevers by him to be poured out as an anointing for the whole seed rendring thereby the visiō of Gods mind so plain to them that he that runs may read it The ministry of this law is a voice that First invites all freely to come to the waters every one that is a thirst and he that hath no mony to come buy and eat yea to come and buy wine and milk without mony and without price that they may eat that which is good and delight themselfs in fatnes This first general voice and invitation leaves it to mans choice whether he wil obey and come or not But this law and ministry hath also in it a second voice that carries with it such a prevailing attractive power such an unresistible constraining loue as will receave or admit no deniall It does so powerfully encline the eare and heart to heare and obey that by means of this effectual saving grace there is made an everlasting Covenant between Christ and the soule even the sure mercies of David Christ himself in this dispensation is given to be a witnes commander and leader to those that are under it upon such teams as never to faile leave or forsake them 1. The first of these voices in its ministry is tearmed in Scripture the day of Christ first appearance which hath already risē and had its kingdō in word and also in Spirit but sowē in weakenes It hath shined upō the world had its beginning and continuance and is now drawing very neer to its ending wherein Christ is to be rejected and that by his owne citizēs a generation that are inhabitāts of the earthly Jerusalē vnder the name of Christians succeeding their predecessours the jews into whose room they are surrogated in their froward and bitter principles and Spirit wherein they please not God and are contrary to all men This is called the Gospel of the Kingdom preached by means of the outward word accompanied with the Spirit to all nations as a witnes before the end come or before that dispensation come that puts an end to it as perfective of it restoring it out of its dying and declining state into a brightnes and glory that is everlasting as shal be declared at the rising of the witnesses It began with the ministry of John Baptist as the voice of him crying in the wildernes prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths streight It was continued encreased and carried up to its height even by the personal ministry of the Son of God manifested in flesh who was born of a virgin died for our sins and rose againe according to the Scriptures And by his ascending up on high he did lead captivity captive and gave gifts to men went on in the greatnes of his strengh conquering to conquer till the war and opposition sprang up that was raised against him by the man of sin and Son of perdition for the space of 42 months or 1260 years to the overspreading the face of the church with apostacy and thick darknes Herein so great a progresse hath bin made that we are brought as it were to the shutting in of the evening of this first glorious Gospel day and new Testament ministry in Spirit and by the written word to the verifying that Scripture Luk. 17. which sayes The dayes will come when ye shal desire to se one of the dayes of the Son of Man and ye shall not se it because the light of it must withdraw to give place and make way for the approaching glory of another of the dayes of the Son of Man even that of his second appearance and Kingdom at which time he shall shew himself the only Potentate over all the earth KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS 2. The second voice and ministry of the Gospel above mentioned performed in and by Christs second appearance is that which as hath bin said doth powerfully encline and prevailingly work upon the hearts of men for the obedience of Gods law binding up their soules in the life that is eternall This second appearāce though the yonger does with Jacob lie in the same wombe with the first in the hearts of all true beleevers And though it come not out first yet at last it obteins the preeminence and birthright causing those that are children of this day even whilst they are under the first dispensation to abide with God as pilgrims and strangers therein as all their Fathers were and by faith to espy this promised land and heavenly countrey whilst at a distance and very far off Esai 33.17 and to wait for it with patience in a certainty of hope and stedfastnes of confidence till they enter into and become actuall possessours of it The operation and effect which this second day of Christ appearance shal have upon beleevers in its very morning brightnes will render them in their minds like to the elect angels in obeying the law of God active powerfull and stedfast in working righteousnes It will qualify them also with a meet frame of Spirit for angelicall converse whilst yet in the body as sutable associates and consorts with them in Gods service and worship And from the powerfull influences that shall descend from the intellectuall and superiour part of mans mind quickned with the warmth and life of those holy Spirits in the hand of Christ the animall or souly life and bodily nature of man shal be formed into such subjection as will by degrees work out a perfect redemption of the body from the bondage of corruption even in this life as the needfull preparatory dispensation of Eliah that first comes and restores all things before the personal appearing of the son himself For although he will first shew himself in the glory of the holy angels as the bright morning star in the beginning of this day yet is he to come forth also in the farther progresse of this day in the glory of his father and therein to shine forth as the sun in his strength after that he hath first sent his angels to gather out of this his Kingdom all things that doe offend and them which doe iniquity casting them into a furnace of fire Whē this preparatory work is done by the messengers he sends before him Christ will reveale himself from heaven and by that glorious sight which he will give of himself chang those that then are alive and remain on the earth into his owne likenes in soule and body and gather them unto himself as meet consorts and associates for him in that his glorified state catching them up to him in that
performing This did Christ require and teach as answering the end for which man was at all made by him at first or redeemed since even this that he should not be his owne or at his owne dispose but yeild subjection to the will of another set over him by God who was to be flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and to be therfore trusted and beleeved on as appointed to feed and guide him to life eternall and who required that he should glorify God in his soule and in his body that were Gods upon the account of al rights and obligations whatsoever Thus was Christ typified to Adam by the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God as also by the living water that watered the garden of Eden a river cleer as crystall the streams whereof refresh and make glad the city of God the Holy place of the tabernacle of the most high Mount Zion that cannot be moved in the midst of whom God dwells as the place of his rest promising to help them with his morning appearance or the brightnes and glory of his second comming and fuller communication of himself then Adam receaved in his first creation God was willing Adam should know he was a fountain without botom so deep as not to be drawn dry and would have him open his mouth wide that he might fill it He would have him become a vessel yet more larg capacious and fit for his use then at first he was made For he gives not his gifts all at once but by degrees and after a manner most suitable to his inexhaustible fulnes and infinit wisdom God therefore comes forth in Christ as a light and law to mans knowledg and discerning instructing him to be the hearer and doer of his will in and under a threefold law and rule of righteousnes 1. The law of nature or booke of the creature visible and invisible 2. The law of the Scriptures or written book of the revealed will of God 3. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus written by the living WORD himself in the tables of the heart of the Son of Man taken into hypostatical union with him to be his mouth and spokesman at whose hand angels and men are to receave the lively divine oracles of Gods counsel appointed to be made known unto them This threefold law is as it were so many transcribed duplicates and copies of what is to be found in the living eternall WORD of God the Original In conjunction with this they are lights and good guides They are as a first second and third stream of one and the same river of pure and cleer water that gradually leade into that great Ocean of knowledg light and love that is to be found in the original They are prepared and fitted as the sutable adaequate means to be mans guide and Rule according to his state and measure of growth up into his head in and upon whom he may be borne and made to grow as on his root that may either receave and retein him in an eternal aboad with him or else leave reject and finally cast him off after proof and triall as an unprofitable branch that hath taken Gods name and born his likenes in vain and that shal therfore not be held guiltles but first or last meet with his due reward This is seen and found by the experience of angels and men from the beginning to this present day Of these three laws then we shal treate in their order very breifly 1. First as to the law of nature or book of the creature it is no other then the right fashion and make which is given by the creatour to the works of his owne hands as the creature comes fresh and pure out of the mould into which he cast it in its first creation bearing his image superscription or impression In a more peculiar manner he created man in his owne image Through the power of the enlivening breath from the mouth of the Lord all things live move and have their being such a being and such a manner and measure of operation as God sees fit for them and pronounces to be good though not immutably or perpetually so but subject to spending wearing out and waxing old as also to other changes These are the many things which God creates which being animated with life from him doe speak forth the prayse and excellency of their maker and are as so many kinds of voices and sounds in the world none of which are without their signification and teaching to those that have eyes to se and eares to heare with skil to spel and put together Gods mind out of them as a law and rule for their instruction The reason and discerning given to angels and men does qualify and enable them for this even to spel out the mind of God partly by looking forth into the outward and visible frame of the creation but more especially by consulting the light within them the work or impression of the law in their owne hearts and upon their owne beings which makes them a law and rule to them selves and to one another For by the tongue of man God speaks to angels in the person of Christ By the tongue of angels he speaks in and to men This is the law that was given to Adam in Paradise 2. As to the law of the Scriptures or written word of God it is a second dispensation a voice of words and that by men the Servants and Prophets of the Lord who being inspired with ye breath of Gods living WORD are taught to think and speak as the Holy Ghost moves them or gives them utterance Under these words there is an inward Testimony and writing which is not of private interpretation These words and divine oracles committed to writing are kept by the special influence of Gods providence and recorded for the succeeding ages and posterity of the Church These oracles with the help of the same Spirit that indighted them and alone is able to shew the right meaning and sound understanding of them are able to make men wise unto Salvation by sending them to their Saviour the son and living WORD him self in and with whom alone they may have life eternal All that is thus written and recorded is that which is given for this very end by inspiration from God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousnes that the man of God may be perfect and perfected unto all good works Under this dispensation by a voice of words the seed of faith lies hid It was not given till four hundred and thirty years after the promise and the making known of the law of faith unto Abraham without and before the writtē word And it was not added to make the promise void or as a law that in and by itself could give life especially life immutable not subject againe to wrath and the curse But it
in the Sacramentall signes of his death on which he appoints them to feed as so manifesting him unto them till he himself come in his owne personall appearance in spirit to shew them the same mystery in the substance it self or originall patern Of the above-mention'd sorts of beleevers partaking of the light and life of Christs first appearance from the voice and testimony of the scriptures together with the sacramentall signes of his death instituted by commandment from God in his written word does the visible Christian church consist that hold themselvs to the rule of the Scriptures for their guide and are faithfully obedient in putting into practice what is therein revealed Amongst these there alwayes is as we have shewed a select number of hidden and beloved ones kept through the power of faith unto salvation without whom the rest would be as Sodom and Gomorrah And for the sake of this small remnant that truly and properly are Gods heritage out of all the rest as the new wine in the cluster it is that the Lord sayes destroy it not for there is a blessing in it These are they that being in and under the law of the Scriptures the teaching of Gods outward and written word shal be judged by this law as to the things they are found failing in and as to their comming short of the end set before them in this ministry Now the end of it is to bring them by faith to the sight and fellowship of Christ himself speaking in spirit as he is the word of the beginning and gives forth the light of the glory of God in his owne face with which he shines in the hearts of his people This comes to passe when once it pleases the father to reveal his Son in us setting him as a living patern before the eyes of our faith that in unity and similitude of spirit with that wherein the works are done by him in himself we may fulfill the law of God after him and be brought to live and dwell together in the same love which hath its season of dawning in the heart as the true day-star to prepare the soule to meet with Christ in the glory of his secōd appearāce Concerning these is it said Rom 8 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit When they have begun in the spirit they do end there also and draw not back to be perfected in the flesh As they live in the spirit so their care and practice is to walk in the spirit rejoycing in Christ Jesus and having no confidence in the flesh Their praise is of God not of men They lose the prayse and honour of men because they seek both of them from God only They are strangers and pilgrims with him on the earth as all their fathers were They sojourne in tents in the outward land of Canaan the streets of the visible church and various self-chosen wayes of visible worship which Christians of different judgments walk in These invisible saints have their eye set upon the heavenly countrey and building that hath foundations which is the workmanship wrought in God the engraffed WORD and by him is held forth to the eye of that faith that is the evidence of things unseen and is able to espy for us this land of promise in the spirit whilst it is yet at a great distance and very far off There is evidently set before this eye of our faith the crucified spirit of Christ as he offered up himself in sacrifice to the will of the father learning obedience by the things that he suffered in denying his owne will that we may tread in the same steps dying with him that we may live with him and suffring with him that we may reign with him Through such fellowship with him in his suffrings and conformity with him in his death we shall be found still advancing and pressing forwards if by any means we may attein the resurrection of the dead or that redemption of the body which is atteinable in this life by those that diligently presse after the mark for the prize of their high calling which is in Christ Jesus This resurrection and redemption of the body will be experimented upon the rising of the witnesses and then better understood In the mean time the eagle-eyed beleever lives upon the dead carkasse of Christ crucified seen so in spirit And he is content as a mēber of his dead body to be made the scorne and off-scouring of the world a member of the forsaken Zion that dwells in the feild in a wildernes-state solitary and alone that no man regards because his dwelling is in the dust in expectation of rising together with Christs dead body Untill that season this sort of beleevers in stead of being found within the pale of the visible church do follow Gods invitation of them into the secret chambers of his presence and do dwell in his house a building not made with hands in the person and spirit of Christ where they behold his beauty shutting the doors about them as to any visible entercourse with the worldly Church Thus they hide thēselvs as it were for the little moment that his indignation is to last and be exercised on thē by the power and during the reigne of the Beast Blessed are those that thus die in the Lord though by the world called and accounted phanatick waiting for the brightnes of his second comming He that hath ears to hear let him hear To shut up thē and close the ministry of the day of Christs first appearance as after this manner the Redeemer hath bin lifted up in it and the work of common and temporary as well as of peculiar and eternall Redēption hath bin wrought by him and made manifest to all sorts of men and of beleevers in the world we shall now come in the next place to a distinct consideration of the fourth and last generall head of enquiry above mentioned in this discourse which is concerning the very being life and constitution of the new creature or that immutable state in righteousnes and glory that begins in the day of Christs first appearance and is perfected by his second 4. The fourth generall enquiry then is about the immutable state of life and righteousnes in the new creatures constitution or that change which is brought upon man by the new creation The new creatures life is founded as hath bin shewed in the birth of the fathers love in the soule Of this love are they born who are by Christ the immortall seed layd hold on cleaved unto and apprehended in that intimate and inseperable marriage-union in spirit which is never to be dissolved in the Covenant ordered in all things and sure that is contracted in his person between the father and the Son through the holy Ghost Where ever this union is there is Gods love there is Christ inseperably united to that soule
shall first destroy all his enemies even death itself and shall end with the universall resurrection and and passing of the finall sentence winding up all in the resigning up of his Kingdom to the father that God may be all in all Thus the thousand years is no distinct time from the day of Judgment neither before it nor after but the same with it the whole time during which this great day of judgment does continue in the very beginning whereof Antichrist shall finally be destroyed and not before These therefore in Scripture are called the times of Christs Kingdom wherein he will shew himself the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and this for the space of a thousand years in the last period of which comes the last and finall sentence before mentioned to be pronounced and executed The reason therefore why the excellent promises above recited are not yet performed is twofold 1. The times for their performance are not yet fully come though very neer But most certaine it is as we have heard that they shall and will come 2dly Because the seed also to which they are made is not yet come to be made manifest as they shal be in distinction from all counterfeits and false pretenders which say they are Jews and are not but do lie This discrimination and certaine cleare discovery of the true seed of God from the false will be begun to be made by the ministry of Eliah or the ministry that shall rise up in the spirit and powers already discribed This excellent ministry must and wil be attended with a church of saints answerable which shall consist of the risen witnesses the dry bones that this spirit of prophesy brings out of their graves from the foure winds of heaven causing them to stand againe upon their feet an exceeding great army All of them are to be quickned by the means of this powerfull and glorious ministry with a spirit of life from God that enters into them and shews itself to be that life from the dead in them which is never more subject to corruption It is unto these also that God sayes by a great voyce from heaven which they are fitted with ears to heare come up hither and they do accordingly ascend up to heaven in a cloud their enemies beholding them or rather heaven is brought downe into their knowledg and possession here on earth whilst as yet they are clouded with their mortall body which nevertheles shall at last be changed in a moment and they not se death In the meane time they shall experience their very mortall body freed from the bondage of corruption and restored to the primitive purity glory use and serviceablenes unto the mind which it had in paradise in the persons of our first parents before the fall And to these shall it be given to se the opening of the heavens long since promised by Christ and the temple of God that is there opened also and in the temple the arke of the Testament both which Revel 15.5 are put together and called the temple of the tabernacle of the Testimony in heaven which in that day shal be opened the true tabernacle or sanctuary which God pitch'd and not man Heb. 8.2 In this temple dwelleth the fulnes of the God head bodily the vision whereof is to be made plaine to the eye of our sensuall part or to our inward bodily senses that by seing the mind of God in such legible characters in the spirit and person of Christ the like mind may be found and seen in all that are his who are then to appeare in the same likenes by seing him as he is That which Christ is and in spirit shal be seen to be as the mind of the father is wrought out in him the Apostle Paul points out Philip. 2.5 c. 1. He is in the forme of God the WORD of life who was in the beginning was with God and was God And thus considered he accounts it not robbery to be Gods equall 2dly In the dispensation of the fulnes of time the same that is in the forme of God is also found in fashion as a man and is made flesh with the use of a living soule in the very earthly and outward senses of it bearing the form and likenes of the first Adam in his primitive purity 3. He that thus descended into flesh and the lowermost parts of his habitable earth in which earthly make and nature he became inferiour to angels for the suffering of death is the same that out of this does ascend and is exalted far above all heavens by being made in his humane spirit soule and body the temple wherein all the fulnes of the God head dwells bodily and a meet vessel to receave possesse and be the minister of it unto others He is the WORD of life the brightnes of the fathers glory the expresse character of his substance by which this manhood is sealed and made heavenly partaking with the living WORD as he is the Angel of Gods presence in whom is Gods name He is the cheif and highest Angel and as such is head of all principalities and power And over and above all this in his archangelicall estate he is the true Michael Gods equall the man that is made Gods fellow or second in the same divine throne of glory In these three cheif particulars Christ the temple of God in heaven shal be seen and made manifest as that which he is and will witnes himself to be in the hearts of all true beleevers the sons of his love that are to be are his likenes and to be seen with his name and superscription upon them In this respect it is that he hath given that commandement 1 John 4 20 21. that he who loveth God in Christ love his brother also which those that doe not will thereby prove themselvs liars if they say they love God For how can he love God or Christ whom he hath not seen that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen There is a day comming when that which Christ wil be seen to be in himself he wil be seen to be also in his members that shal be receaved and gathered unto him as joynt heirs and possessours of his fathers love and glory When Christ who is their life shall so appear they shall also appear with him in glory They shall no longer remaine in their hidden and concealed state wherein they are judged according to men in the flesh whilst they live according to God in the spirit Nor shall they any longer be like Princes walking on foot whilst Servants ride on horse back Behold then upon the opening of the temple of God in heaven the powerfull and glorious effects that the ministry of the spirit flowing from thence shall produce and be accompanied with for the making manifest the true Israel of God The Lord himself will descend first with the voice of the Archangel that
had its use and service in subordination and as a Schoolmaster pointing to him that was to follow the seed that was to come It was as the baptism of repentance preached by John which in respect of transgressions was to cleanse and prepare the way of the Lord in the hearts of the Sons of men dead by nature in trespasses and sins The Lord that afterward was to be revealed through faith would have their soules purged and kept as wel fenced as might be in the mean time against all impurity of evill doing by this law of written words which was also a witnes afterwards of Christs birth death and resurrection This is a second law that after the fall was given to man as a light or lamp to his feet and lanthorn to his paths a light but under a cover and in a dark place sealed and bound up as amongst Christs owne disciples who are taught and learned in the wisdom that is from above Otherwise as it may be used receaving a sense and meaning from the wisdom of the earthly and sensual man or from the subtil skill of the Serpent it does become the fortresse and strong hold of sin a ministry of the letter and of death a most dark and uncertain guide to any that pretend and profess them selvs to be the followers of it and of the commands in it For the vision of all is unto them as of a book or letter that is sealed which when delivered to one that is learned after the manner of men and not illuminated with the Spirit of TRUTH saying read this I pray thee he sayes or at least should say I cannot for it is sealed and I need one to open it And when it is delivered to him that is not learned in any kind he answers if he deale ingennously I am not learned I have not that skill which is required for the reading of it nor can I se any more into the true meaning of it them one that cannot read at all or tell how to spell words and put letters together The voice and sound of this law is not of that extent as the first which is published by the tongue and speech of angels and other peeces of the creation but is more peculiar to one sort of men who formerly were they of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh unto whom God more especially committed these his oracles expecting answerable fruit from all those that having sinned under this law were reserved by God to be judged and at last to stand or fall by it The rest of mankind amongst the gentiles that lived without this law were not to be judged by it but by their owne law the law of nature unto which they are perpetually still obliged This generation of the fleshly seed of Abraham is neither literally nor figuratively as yet passed away For there are too many that since the light of the Gospel hath sinned forth upon them doe yet desire to be under the law preferring their station and lot in the earthly Jerusalem Mount Sinai that is stil in bondage with her children and choose so to remaine rather then to ascend into the Jerusalem that is above and is free These are the branches Spoken of Rom. 11. taken out from among the Gentiles upon the rejection of Abrahams natural seed who contrary to nature are graffed into the good olive tree surrogated and taken by God as a nation or people to himself in stead of the other in the same relation under the same Covenant and law being made to partake of the root and fatnes of the same olive tree These are notwithstanding all their priviledges in this estate to take heed of boasting or taking up their rest under the dominion and in the inward principles of that law which excludes not boasting If they doe they are fairly warned that their standing and aboad in and with the root is not so sure nor their righteous principles and operations in conformiry to the law so fixed but that they may fall and be rejected as their predecessours the Iews were before them to wit all such of them whose standing was but by that Covenant and not by the law of faith for want whereof God complains against them Heb. 3. as children of his wrath and provocation a perverse crooked and froward generation that alwayes erre in their hearts and have not known his wayes At last they come to nothing never enter into Gods rest though they thinke themselves and in some sort are a nation that works righteousnes in strict observance of the letter of all Gods Ordinances and commands This is the same law that was by God written in the heart of Adam at the creation being renewed and published after the fall first by the ministry of angels in the hand of a Mediatour on Mount Sinai which word spoken by angels remained stedfast in its revenging property against all that contemned and disobeyed it Hence is it said in another place the law works wrath and is sure in inflicting the penalties and curse threatned It was committed to writing by Moses the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles Even in the Gospel the law is fulfilled and made honorable By the doctrine of it man is taught what he ought to doe and what not to doe He is bound up to perfect and exact obedience to it and by reward and punishment is either encouraged to obedience or restrained from disobedience being left to his owne dispose and choise as to any thing of prevailing influence which this law dispenses Yet is there that in the doctrin of it which sends all under it to Christ as the only way and means of their salvation shewing who this Christ is and that they must beleeve in him or perish in their sins and that by beleeving in him they may attein the remission of their sins and life eternal This distinct knowledg of Christ the Redemer Adam had not nor properly could have before the fall Neverthelesse by the things rhat were made and from the voices and significations of Gods mind ministred by the tongue of Angels which Adam in Paradise was capable of hearing and vnderstanding and out of the book of the creature more especially the tree of life he was and might have bin more then he was instructed in the maine point as to who and what Christ was and how the comming to him and feeding upon him was the only way and means to make man immutable in righteousnes by obtaining an inseperable union with the cheif good without ever falling into sin yea as the only sure means to have prevented the fall In the third and last place there is the law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus the immediate writing and engraving of Gods owne mind true in it self and true in the receaver of it the heart of Jesus the Son of man the living tables upon which the living WORD by way of self-impression and personal union does
heavenly aire or Spirit where they are to be ever with the Lord. In effect the day of Christs second appearance brings upon the stage of this world life from the dead working and declaring the first resurrection mentioned Revel 20. which is to continue visible to men on earth one thousand years The glorious chang which shal be made in the progresse of this day upon the soules and bodies of the Saincts shal be such as will no more leave them subject to corruption For over them the second death shall have no power This is another of the dayes of the Son of Man which succeeds the first is to continue a thousand years and then also have its end upon the sons making a voluntary and entire resignation of this his Kingdom unto his Father that God may be all in all For during this thousand years the son in his Kingdom shal be exalted as he to whom the father hath committed all judgmēt to be executed so that what he binds on earth shall be bound in heaven and what he looses on earth shal be loosed in heaven Whom he will he shall slay and whom he will he shal keep alive as the most absolute Monarch and only Potentate that ever reigned on the earth to the end that during this season and space of time all mē may honour the son with the honor due to the father and in this appearance of the Son se the father as in his vicegerent and doe him homage in this his living Image the Lords Christ or anointed one the man that by God is ordeined to rule the world in righteousnes even all the nations upon the earth during this his day which immediatly praecedes the day of eternity and last judgment wherein God is to be all in all The son himself after that all things shall have bin subdued and subjected unto him shal be subject to the Father that put all things under him This second day of the Son of Man is that one day knowne to the Lord not day nor night but a kind of middle state between that which is corruptible and that which is incorruptible It is neither absolutely one or the other but a mixture of both And it shall come to passe in the evening of this day it shal be light and the passage out of this into the day of eternity very pleasing and delightsome It shall distinguish itselfe as hath bin already intimated into the 3 usuall parts of a day MORNING MIDDAY NIGHT. 1. In its morning beauty and appearance the Eliah comes and restores all things as is foretold of him the BRIGHT MORNING STAR which is to shew to the kings of the east the neer approach of the only begotten Son himself and be to them and all other inhabitants on the earth the signe of the Son mans approaching and comming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory 2. In the noontide of this day of the Son of Man in his Kingdom shal be seen the height of the sunshine of that royall power and greatnes which shal be exercised by him in the capacity of universall King over all the earth the season wherein there shal be one LORD in his owne person visible and his name one throughout the whole world 3. There shall also be a declining and evening state of this glorious day which willingly and cheerfully gives place to the day of eternity wherein the father unveyled shall shine forth and be all in all How fitly does Ezekiel in the vision he had of the holy waters represent and describe this growing encreasing Kingdō of Christ revealed in the Gospel the light of Gods law that shines forth in the Son himself into the obedience and power whereof we are to be changed from glory to glory by the Lord the Spirit The waters issued from under the threshold of the house eastward on the right or south side Ezek. 47. Their first comming forth was by measure the measure of a man and gradually from the ankles to the knees from the knees to the loins from the loins to a river unpassable by man as meer man in his first constitution of being 2. 2dly then the same waters came forth in a communication above and beyond the measure of mans first nature into a river that man may swim in without drowning or being at all subject to die any more how much higher soever it rise above the head of the naturall man the first Adam And of this Noah by faith was aware who that he might obtein a state of safety from the overflowing flood by which al the world not made beleevers and taken into the arke were drown'd obeyed the counsel and command of God in building the arke and going into it after it was built and ready to receave him Herein have we a lively type of Christs humane nature offered up by the immortal Spirit and brought forth into the life that is from the dead never to die more but hath the keys of hel and death committed to him Unto the likenes of this heavenly building and temple of the living God in Christs person every true beleever is fashioned and conformed and is thereby made a fit vessel to swim in those waters of life safely and delightfully which by rising up above al the measures and proportions of the first world drowne them but are the proper element for those that are saved to live in They are fitted with enlarged hearts and mouths wide enough open'd to take in and receave those streams and rivers of the emanations of divine bounty and love how broad or deep soever they prove and how high soever they may rise and overflow For they have the man Christ Jesus their head the second Adam who as their forerunner is gone before to prepare the way for them and as the true arke in which are many mansions to receave them into himself that where he is they may be also Of what hath bin already said this then is the sum Christ is the eternall WORD and speaking power of God by whom are all things He is also as hath bin shewed the rock of ages the place of Gods rest throughout all generations the eternal Sabbath Heb. 4. wherein God finished his works so fully to his content that therein he took up his Rest even in the person and Spirit of the Mediatour the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath lain hid in God who created all things according to the eternall purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Further This eternall WORD who is the creatour of all things visible and invisible being in the Mediatour the image of the invisible God does bear the name of the blessed Trinity and stamps the impression and character thereof upon all the works of his hands He is the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and Ending of the creation of God In the Psalms and Ecclesiastes God is called by the name of creatours as being three
the lawyer and answer him according to his owne heart and principles What is written in the law sayes he how readest thou The lawyer replies Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all they soule with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy self This Christ agrees to be the sum of the things conteined in the commandements of God which man is to doe and in the doing and obeying whereof as he ought and God requires will make him heir and sure of eternall life Therefore all that Christ adds is Thou hast answered right this do and thou shalt live But although these few words contein mans whole duty to God and to his neighbour yet as by the following verses does appeare in the parable of the wayfairing man that fell amongst theeves there is more in it then at first we are aware of to perform this duty to God and to our neighbour rightly and after such manner as is acceptable to God For so do to it requires faith that faith which works by love or which makes us new creatures giving us the sight of that man in the person of the Mediatour that hath seen God by whose testimony we also are taught to so him and know that he is and what he is even the rewarder of all those with eternall life who diligently seek him No man knows who the Son is but the Father nor who the Father is but the Son and he to whom the son will reveale him He that beleeveth on the Son of God hath this witnes in himself by the sons comming into his heart and bringing this knowledg along with him giving us to know him that is true and that we are in him that is true even in him that is the true God and eternall life By such knowledg are we preserved from idols and setting up some other thing in our hearts for the true God or from ignorantly bestowing our worship love and service upon him He that beleevs not God hath made him a liar because he beleeves not the Record which God gives of his Son when it is plainly represented and set before his eyes in such legible characters that he is able to understand and perceave the Record even that God hath given unto us eternall life and that this life is in his Son and is to be had only in the gift of the Son made to us in a most intimate and inseperable union which he that hath hath life he that hath it not hath not life Whatsoever comes short of this let it make never so faire a shew for the present it wil be sure to end in death Hence is it that without faith it is impossible to please God because otherwise we cannot know him as we ought with such certainty as not to mistake him for some other thing or some other thing for him And so also will it be with us as to our neibour or brother we shall take him to be our neibour and brother that is not he and he that is not we shall account to be him For not knowing the very Image and first patern set up in Christ our elder brother and the lowly meek spirit in him which with God is of great price how can we know the children and many brethren that are to be conformed to him therein Unlesse we know and love him that begets how can we know and love them that are begotten of him For both he that sanctifies and they that are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren those who if we be are love unto we thereby know that we are passed from death to life And if we love not but hate them sitting and speaking against these our brethren slandering our owne Mothers Sons we are in Gods account no better then Cain wicked munderers whatever righteous works we are conversant in according to the letter of the law Be we as zealous and forward as we will in offering our sacrifices and bringing our gifts before the altar till we be first reconciled to our brother we are directed to leave our gift before the altar as better not to offer it at all with a heart which is without that love by which faith works In this sence are we to understand 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. If we have al other gifts and good things from God that are possible to be had and not this love with them we are nothing we are but as sounding brasse and tinckling cymballs The saying therefore of Christ do this and thou shalt live according to his owne reading and understanding of the law is do this at present by the light thou art under but give not off be not satisfied til thou come to do it by faith as a new creature with the knowledge and love which faith teaches and workes and thou art a true heir of eternall life and shalt most certainly enter into it and possesse it for ever Leave thy sacrifice and thy guift before the altar in humility and brokenes of Spirit and in lowlines of heart rather then take upon thee to offer it untill thou have the Son given to thee and art regenerated For it is better for thee that thou shouldst not vow then that thou shouldst vow and not pay Keep thy foot therefore when thou goest into the house of God or doest enter upon the performance of his worship and Service in thy natural mutable frame of Spirit and be more ready to heare then to give the sacrifice of fools for they consider not that they do evill even in their very prayers and duties of divine worship By faith it is that the right and stedfast Spirit is formed the whole and entire heart which God requires We may then take notice that there is a twofold reading preaching hearing receaving and obeying of the Word of God and doctrine of his law the one after a lesse the other after a more excellent way the one proportiond to the sight hearing and heart of the natural and earthly man in his mutable state properly called the law the other proportioned to the sight hearing and heart of the heavenly and spiritual man properly called the Gospel How readest thou says Christ to the learned lawyer when he would point out the law in the former sence and as to the latter himself is the reader preacher and worker of it as he is the Son himself and word of faith which through our being in him in whose manhood it is as in our mouth and in our heart is made bread to us and not only possible but most desireable and prevailingly attractive unto us to do and fulfil after him In this sence it is that Christ is the end of the law to all that beleeve and the law in its first kind of teaching or reading is the Schoolmaster or teacher that sends us to Christ and is appointed to keep us under its rule and discipline
in the flesh abolishes and abrogates that dispensation of the mosaical ministry and in stead thereof makes the heart and conscience of man in himself and followers the fleshly tables whereon the law is written by the Spirit of the living God Hereby a conformity of holy flesh is wrought in man like unto the flesh of Christ through the hearing of the word This is the washing of our body or natural man with the pure water of the living WORD and Spirit of Christ through the ministry of the outward preaching thereof to the purging and clensing us from all filthines of flesh And this is obteined through the vertue and price of Christs blood together with the atonement and remission of sins past Under this dispensation it is that by the doctrin of the cross signified in the Sacraments of baptism and the Lords Supper and thereby lively represented to the eyes of the very natural man he is taught the Gospel a second time under the Scripture dispensation of law and Gospel Neverthelesse this teaching yet is short of the glory of God to be revealed in and by Christs personal appearance in Spirit which as it is the 3. Third and last dispensation of law and Gospel so does it differ in excellency and glory very much from the other two For it is the fruit of the vine which Christ reservs to drink with his owne brethren and faithful Servants in the Kingdom of his father or which his father hath given unto him that those that have continued with the Son in his temptations and followed him fully in the regeneration may eat and drink at his table in this his Kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel or the natural and fleshly holy seed jew or gentile who at that day shal be found to be but in their mutable state of righteousnes and life This is the best wine far exceeding any before receaved in types figures and Sacraments being that which Christ keeps till the last as that fruit of himself the heavenly and true vine which will refresh the heart of God and of man or of the divine and heavenly man as wel as of the earthly and natural man brought forth in the exercise of an immutable righteousnes and made after the power of an endlesse life The former of these is to sit at Christs right hand the latter at his left in this his Kingdom and glory unto which both of them are fitted and prepared by the father through the lively conformity they are taken into and made to beare with Christ in his death and resurrection So much be spoken in way of resolution to the first general query of the 4 above propounded to insist on in this Treatise to wit concerning the subject matter of the law or command of God delivered to man by the divine WORD and oracles of God under the threefold dispensation thereof together with the difference of these dispensations under the law of nature Scripture Spirit The time of the latter branch of the 2d dispensation beginning with John the Baptists and Christs owne personal ministry in the flesh is now far spent and the yet more glorious day of Christs 2d appearance and dispensation in Spirit is at hand The second General query to be insisted on is concerning the mutable state man was created in at first and remains in even after the fall out of which he is again capable to be changed and either restored and regenerated by the knowledg of Christ in the Gospel or else cast down for ever into eternal perdition The WORD that hath bin the old Commandement from the beginning that it may evidently appear to all understandings to be the word of Truth doth branch itself forth as hath bin declared into two Testimonies or witnesses which are both of them the law of Gods mouth The one conteins in it the doctrine of the law of works the rule of mans first communion with God in the first Covenant the other the doctrin of the law and righteousnes of faith the rule of that 2d communion which God thinkes fit to take man into in the spirit of his Son which can never be lost as the first may but endures to everlasting life Now two Testimonies according to the law are sufficient for the discovery and confirmation of all truth Answerable hereunto does he that is Truth itself shine and give forth the light of his glory whose two Testimonies may either be joyned in consortship harmony and subserviency with and to one another in the ministry and dispensing of them and so become a law of life to all that heare and obey them that new song mention'd Rev. 14.3 sung before the throne called chap. 15.3 the song of Moses and of the lamb sung together in perfect harmony and agremēt which no man can learne but the 144000 Virgins that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth being redeemed from among men as the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. But now these two laws or Testimonies of works and of faith as they may be taught and dispensed in difference disagreement inconsistency and opposition one unto the other may become a ministry of death either by setting up and exalting the letter above and against the spirit or disjoyning the spirit from the letter as that which may be without it and needs no consortship with it This is the work of the false deceitful Spirit the father of lies and is not of the Truth Now these being the Testimonies which from the beginning are commanded by God to be heard and obeyed no sooner was man created in Gods image and endued with an immortal intellectual rational and sensual soule made a free agent but God set them before him as a meet and capable subject to be made wise and happy in the practice of them The work of the one of them was immediatly written in his heart by the finger of God at his creation and the word of the other of them as soon as he was put into Paradise was sounding every wherein his eares and was exposed to the sight of his mind in the visible types and signes of the Sabbath the institution of marriage the tree of life and by the ministry of the holy angels Two things are recorded by Moses concerning the first make and constitution of being given unto man by God at his creation The first we find Gen. 1.26 27. where the counsel is taken by the blessed Trinity his creatours within themselvs saying Let us make man in our image after our likenes and let him have dominion over the visible creation and be fruitfull multiply and replenish the earth ruling over every living thing that moveth upon the earth So God created man in his owne image in the image of God created he him male and female created he them God is in his being the highest reason and the operation or work of his mind is discovered and made knowne by the word of his
mouth These two powers in him are reteined in most absolute agrement and usefulnes each unto the other Answerable to this patern in great is man made in little as to his Spirit and soule with this only difference that the work of mans mind in reference to Gods law and his word and outward action in reference to his mind have not immutability in them but may disagree and chāge from their first harmony and primitive patern set them in God The powerfull impression of this patern on the spirit and soule of man was such as in respect thereof it is said God made man upright or perfect formed his mind in perfect agrement and likenes of operation with his owne mind and in full consent and liking of his law as that which is holy righteous Spiritual and good given for man to obey as his duty He disposed him also by a natural bent and inclination of mind to doe good resist evil love righteousnes and hate iniquity This was the state of mans Spirit or soule as yet seperate from his body and not partaker of that flesh and blood which was afterwards formed out of the dust of the earth The second thing therefore noted concerning mans building or creation is that he also became a living sensual or animalish soule actually clothed with bodily organs that God formed for him out of the dust of the ground Gen. 2.7 And he breathed into his nostrills the breath of life or sent mans soule that was before created in Gods image into that body so appointed and given to it by God as the earth wherein the seed of mans Spirit was planted and the feild in which it was made to grow by reason whereof man became a living soule that is to say by the most intimate union and inhabitation thus wrought by God between the spirit and body of man there was an awakening and bringing into actual exercise the sensual and bodily nature of his mind by sitting to it these meet organs Neverthelesse that which was before in the state of a soule separate an equal and associate to angels comes by this means to be abased and made of little reputation being brought to a kind of equality with the beasts that perish And in like manner as thus the spirit of man was after its first creation embodied and made flesh as a dark shadow of what is done to him t is said to have bin so with the heavens and earth when created yea even every plant of the feild had a state of being before it was put in the earth and every herb of the feild before it grew Gen. 2.4 5 Now through the intimate union and conjunction that mans body is taken into with his soule it is made a living acting speaking creature participant with his rational and intellectual spirit and in fellowship there with meet to have and exercise dominion as God appointed over every living creature that moves upon the face of the earth Thus the bodily life of man became in itself as an Eden the garden of God and the feild that he had blessed and made fruitful unto every good word and work in subserviency and subjection of desire to mans intellectual and angelical part which by the very order and law of nature as having not only priority but eminency of being was given to it both as Lord and husband a superiour and yet a kind of equal joyned with it in such a harmonious consistency that the actings of both natures made up but the compleat and entire Act of mans judgement and will Thus was man created male and female in the spirit and person of Adam before Eve was created as Gen. 1.27 and 2.28.25 do shew And he receaved a charg from God to keep this body in subjection to the dictates of his mind and not suffer it to usurp authority over that part in him which is most the man to wit the angelical or intellectual part When God had thus planted the garden of Eden or pleasure and delight in this spirituall sense as wel as in an outward and literall he puts mans spirit into it giving him the keeping dressing and Rule of it with this expresse command saying of every tree of the garden thou mayst freely eat but of the tree of knowledg of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die For out of the ground the Lord God had made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food the tree of life also in the midst of the garden and the tree of knowledg of good and evil Thus was there a paradise without man and within him a garden of pleasant fruit which he might take delight and pleasure in and which he was appointed to dresse and keep in the order wherein God had delivered it over to him and to improve it to the end for which he was brought into it by God And for his instruction herein he was commanded and allowed the use of the outward as wel as the inward senses of his mind with this only caution and Restriction that he should by no means nor upon any pretēce whatsoever hearkē to or obey the voice of his sensual and bruitish nature how rational so ever the judgment of it which is but flesh might seeme to be considered as in its owne single operation tempting and drawing off the cōsent and love of the intellectual part from the streight rule of its duty required in Gods law For the spirit of the mind which is the stronger and better part in man as that which is immortall remains under the morall and perpetuall convictiō of as wel as obligation to the righteousnes required in the law of God the light of which although it may be smoothered for a time cā never be wholly extinguished but is that work of the law in the heart that is and wil be unalterably either excusing and encouraging or accusing and tormēting the mind as cause is give by every mās works It is therefore called the conscience that servs in stead of a thousand witnesses and whē it is awake does alwayes consent to the goodnes and righteousnes that is in the law By this rule therefore sin could not make its approaches but warning would be given and to know evil barely in the abstract without consenting to it or becomming one with it in approbation and delight was not the thing which God forbade him but the feeding on it with consent and delight upon the beholding of its desireablenes in the judgment of the outward senses and as it gratified the bruitish lust and desire of the flesh so as thereupon to be drawn into a compliance and induced to make it the Act of the whole man suffering sin thereby not only to conceave but to be perfected Hence is it said 1 Tim. 2.13 14. that Adam was first formed then eve And Adam or the intellectual and superiour part in man
is under from God as he is made in Gods image he hath an aptitude a strong bent lively inclination and disposition of mind to the right and just which is conteined in the law of God and wherein mans whole duty doth consist But because as hath bin said man is by nature not withstanding all this left at such a liberty as that he is not by any certain prevailing and overcomming power over and against whatsoever shall make resistance with held and restrained kept and bound fast to his duty at this door through the weakenes of the flesh sin entered and death by sin passed upon all men because in Adam the common parent all men had sinned This door unto sin is kept open so long as mans naturall freedom continues with him either as receaved at first before the fall or by way of restoration through the redeemers blood since which we shall speake unto in its proper place That which opens this door is mans owne lust as it is written Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evill neither tempteth he any man But every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his owne lust and enticed Thē when lust hath conceaved it brings forth sin and sin when it is finished brings forth death The mind of God is above all temptatiō to evil The mind of man is not so though formed in Gods image whilst he is yet under the law and its dominion and hath not atteined unto nor bin brought under grace So long then as man lives in and will not part with his primitive natural fredom nor resign it through faith in exchang for a second gift of it from God in a better kind and way he is stil under the dominion of the law and not only accountable for the breaches of it and transgressions against it but under the inevitable condemning and revenging power thereof that wil first or last execute the curse threatned upon all evil doers But he that is under grace is become dead to the law being crucified with Christ or fastned and bound by the power of the death and cross of Christ with such a bent of mind and hatred against sin as nothing can alter or chang and is so quickned and made free and a live unto righteousnes as nothing can hinder the course and duration of it By this means the door of the mind is so fixed and fast shut against all sin as it is not in the power of the gates of hel ever to set or break it open more In the mind of man we are to acknowledg as hath bin already intimated two parts 1. the spirit of the mind the superiour and intellectual part equalizing man with angels 2dly the sensitive and inferiour part which abases man into the likenes and into a kind of equality with the Beasts and is indeed capable to make him a beast yea actually and that too generally does make men so This inferiour part of mans spirit is as the door of his mind the mouth or instrumēt of its cōverse inward or outward and in distinction from the first and superiour power the spirit of the mind is called in scripture flesh or the sensuall and living soule Hēce that of the Apostle Rom. 7.25 So then I myself with my mind do serve the law of God but with my flesh the law of sin So also our blessed saviour observing the fleshly drowsines of his disciples that they could not watch one hour with him at such a pinch of straits as he then was in the spirit says he is willing but the flesh is weak This was the lusting flesh in mā evē in paradise whilst in his innocēcy and through its weaknes was the door of the mind set open to let in temptation and sin For it is soon taken and deceaved and is weak in resisting evil And it is as soon weary of wel-doing if the way to persevere in weldoing be through the crosse and all kinds of streights hardships and disappointments unto the flesh even to this fleshly and sensual part of mans mind For no sooner does this come into activity and liberty by the conjunction and fellowship it is taken into with the intellectual and superiour part the spirit of the mind but it is apt to run wild fly out and grow untamed and extravagant as that which loves not to be accustomed to the yoke and held in subjection to the spirit of the mind as that is subjected to the law of God It is apt to judg itself wise enough to make its owne choice and to trust to its owne single judgment in all its actings And in case it be cross'd and not complied with by the dictates of right reason in its superiour part 't is apt to murmure and be sullenly rebellious so as to forbeare to do its office and duty to its head and Lord the spirit of the mind In order to bribe off and gain the consent and approbation of the superiour and ruling power of the mind to the way and course it desires to take it will invent many fair specious and plausible pretences make false representations of things fascinating appearances and mists to delude and blind the superiour discerning of the mind It will turne every stone to obteine its end spreading before the spirit of the mind flattering speeches as nets and bands to take and ensnare it as the strong man Samson was serv'd by his Dalilah This demeanour and practice of the woman the female and inferiour power of the mind towards its Lord and husband the superiour is most lively described by Solomon Eccles 7.26 I find sayes he more bitter then death the woman whose heart is snares and nets and her hands bands who so pleaseth God which without faith is impossible shall escape from her but the sinner shal be takē by her he that is a sinner through unbeleife The spirit of mans mind by refusing and resisting that offer and work of the spirit of God whereby it should be brought into a most free subjection and captivity to the law of faith becomes a sinner and so comes to be taken by the nets and snares the enticing words and pretences of its inferiour power and in downright tearmes at length to be wholly captivated and subjected under the usurped commanding influence of that sensuall life it ought to rule over This was the lusting flesh in Adam as also in Eve before the fall which the Serpent knew how to tempt and gratify And such did the weaknes of this flesh prove that it was not able to withstand or resist the temptation All that the serpent aim'd at was but to prevaile with this flesh to think itself so wise and sufficiently able to move and act by the strength and excellency of its owne single judgment as that it might safely undertake to doe what should be found most liking and agreable to its owne sense and refuse the
law and Gospel still or rather the two Testaments that are in force with mankind by the death of the Testatour the Lord Jesus Christ By the first of these man is renewed and restored out of the fall and brought in some degree to the fruition and exercise of his first righteousnes and freedome of will in order to the making proof and triall of him once more And by the second of them he is regenerated and begotten of the immortall seed into an immutability in righteousnes and glory in a life that is from the dead uncapable ever to be lost or faile more These two Testimonies and Testaments of God are visible words inward spirituall words and lively oracles that create their owne suitable organs and vessells in the minds of men for their reception And there is an inward sight of them to be had by man as well as an outward hearing to which purpose it is sayd 1 Joh. 1.1 That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life that declare we unto you That which John saw heard and handled was from the beginning and was seen heard and handled from the foundation of the world at sundry times and in divers manners under former dispensations till at last the dark shadows of him vanished and the true light itself began to shine and dawne in his owne personal appearance first in the flesh and then afterwards in the Spirit There are therefore inward and spirituall senses whereby the man of God sees heares tasts savours and handles the word of God Such senses there must be because there is an inward as well as an outward man of the heart which must not want his due powers and faculties any more then the other For since the words themselvs are divine even words of spirit and life how can they be otherwise perceaved then by senses suited to their nature spirituall senses distinguished from those of the animalish outward man of the soule which is not at all skilled in that manner of knowing and discerning From the exercise of spirituall life and the senses thereof proceeds the spirituall tast savour and approbation of those divine words that are the significations of Gods will and law to us Unto such experienced men skilled in the words of truth we may appeale as to the true and full significancy of divine oracles which the disputer of this world in the perverse and presumptuous use of his naturall senses and understanding contradicts and blasphemes doe you not see this truth doe you not handle with your hands this Word of life do you not tast that the Lord is gracious This is the much more excellent way of understanding the Scriptures when after such a spirituall manner we relish handle se tast and have a share in what we know of the word of God as the Apostle prayes Phil. 1.9 For this I pray sayes he that your love may abound in knowledge and in all judgment or in every spirituall sense He that was from the beginning is Christ the living WORD of God the WORD wherein was life and that life the light of men even of every man that comes into the world He is the light of men in and under a threefold dispensation or manner of ministry He is the word of God God to men that makes with them either a conditionall and dissoluble Covenant or an absolute and everlasting Covenant that can never be dissolved The first of these is the word of the beginning by which God begins to make himself knowne and declare his will in his law to all men that law by which they must one day be judged The second is the word of the oath conteining a free promise to some and a gracious receaving of them into his love therein to abide for ever but a finall and judiciall rejection of others concerning whom he therein swears that they shall never enter into his Rest but be given up to the wayes that they have chosen and fixed in their owne delusions in the everlasting chains whereof he binds them up and reservs them with the fallen angels to the judgment of the great day This is that which is the end and consummation-work both wayes to all that have passed under the first Testament or conditionall Covenant Christ considered as he is the word of the beginning the author and minister of the conditional Covenant and of the life and quickning proper thereunto hath a comming forth in light and life unto men which is called his first appearance which he dispenses in the capacity of the promised seed pursuant to the manifestation of Gods will unto man in paradise immediatly after his fall He is therein declared the saviour and redeemer of man he by whom alone is remission of sins and all those that beleeve not on him shall perish in their sins For as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wildernes so hath the father provided that the WORD made flesh be lifted up in the sight of all men and preached to them that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And God would have men know that he so loved the world as that he gave his only begotten Son to take and beare away their sins and lead them into the way of salvation in stead of condemning them upon the fall of our first parents as he might justly have done He then that beleevs in the Son of God is not or shall not be condemned But he that beleeveth not that is receavs not his word in the love thereof is condemned already because he hath not beleeved in the name of the only begotten Son of God The justice of such condemnation will shew itself in this that when this light is come into the world men have chosen and loved darknes better then light yea to discover the evill of their mind they hate the light and as neer as they can shun all appearance of it least they should be reproved thereby and convinced of their evill deeds and be converted and God should heale them But how is Christ the saviour and redeemer lifted up before the eyes of all men and how comes he with light into the world or into the mind of the naturall man who receavs not the things of the spirit of God but accounts them foolishnes Yea he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned and are therefore too deep for him to fathom too high and heavenly for him to reach being destitute of spirituall senses and discerning suitable thereunto By way of answer to this we must be carefull rightly to distinguish and divide the word of truth which as hath bin said hath a first voyce and the light of its first appearance as also a second voice and the brightnes of a second comming It is by means of the first voice and the light and life ministred in
and by the first Testament and conditionall Covenant that the spirit of the naturall man is enlightned quickned and wrought upon which is the very same that at first gave him his make and primitive being in Gods image and now by renewing it self and comming with healing and restoration in its wings mans flesh is made fresher then a childs and he returns to the dayes of his youth that is his first dayes of primitive purity This the naturall man receaves as the gift and effect of his bounty that is his Redeemer and Saviour who is so gracious as to say and that effectually deliver him from going downe to the pit I have found a ransome Job 33.24.25 But all this quickning and enlightning is but conditionall and may be lost againe though abundantly sufficient to make a full and compleat triall of him that receavs it in order to his finall salvation or damnation But for a second and fuller answer we are to know that this word of the beginning and voyce of Christs first appearance may and does come forth in a threefold light and workmanship upon the heart and spirit of the naturall man 1. In that which is a lampe and light in the mind a worke of the law or a conformity to Gods commandement conteined in his conditionall Covenant wrought in the heart and manifesting itself to the inward senses of the naturall mind by the ministry of angels with which Christ does enlighten more or lesse every one that comes into the world and in a more particular manner those that are without law or the knowledg of the Scriptures and written word of God This means of knowledge being by the providence of God with held from them so as that they are ignorant of what it speaks to other men that live under the sound thereof he is pleased to winke at and passe by the day of this ignorance neither will he proceed with them in judgment according to the things they know not but according to the things they know and have the tast and experience of within themselvs And these are the invisible things of God even his eternall power and Godhead the WORD by which all things were created and whose off-spring and likenes we are according to what we may feel in the inward man of our heart which was his workmanship created by him with a strong bent and living conformity unto righteousnes and true holines To this sort of men the WORD hath an inward voyce and way of teaching which speaks in them and makes them a rule unto themselvs in their hearing and obeying this inward operation of the word Their inward sight and hearing is truly and properly obeying which afterwards is perfected in outward action and practice Such hearers and doers of the law of God fulfilling the condition shal be justified and God will make good that word of his Covenant to them if thou doest well thou shalt be accepted and rewarded Concerning these though as to the outward man they be as yet in uncircumcision yet keeping the righteousnes of the law according to what they know it is said that their uncircumcision shal be counted for circumcision and the want of what they are ignorant of not imputed to them Rom. 2. These who by nature renewed by the Redeemer though yet unknowne to them according to the witnesse given of him in the written word approve themselvs faithfull to their light in exercising all good conscience to the fulfilling of the law shall condemne them who by the letter and forme of knowledg in the law are found transgressours of it when tried and judged by the rule they professe to live under The cheif thing that by way of caution and warning is to be sayd to this first sort of righteous men is this that they take heed to themselvs in this their slippery standing so as to continue under the hearing and teaching of this voyce of the Lord in that soft pliable and tender frame of heart in that humble meek and yeilding temper of spirit that does become the vessell of clay in the hand of the potter and the creature under the instructing word of the creatour the turning away and settled departure from which is eternall death For the Lord leaves it to the power will and choice of the naturall man when he comes to be thus renewed and enlightned by Christ whether he will hearken to what he has yet farther to say unto him or not according to those frequent expressions in the Scripture if ye be willing and obedient if ye refuse and rebell and againe whether they will hear or whether they will fobear So likewise John 7.17 If any man do his will he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God or he shall know more and more till at last he attein that knowledg wherein eternall life consists according to that of our saviour John 12. yet a little while is the light with you the light of his then personall appearance in the flesh walk while ye have the light lest darknes come upon you and you be as he that knows not whither he goes While ye have the light beleeve in the light that is be faithfull to it hear and obey it in the present voyce and teaching you are under and it will never leave leading you forward till it hath brought you to him or to that last and highest manifestation of the truth whereby ye shal be made children of the light or of the day even of that wisedome which is from above This sort of obedience is that of mans restored freewill by light from the inward word which is good and pleasing unto God till man be taught the way of hearing and obeying him more perfectly and after a more excellent manner in the way everlasting The disobedience also of man in this state is a free and voluntary act whereby he hardens his heart against the voice and calling of God and resists the holy Ghost in the worke of life and immortality which his office is to set up in every truly regenerate soule It is the whole duty of the naturall man to fear God and keep his commandements who will bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evill Unto this all promises and threatnings of God all temporall and Spirituall blessings do tend even to render man obedient to his God in hearing his voyce walking in his wayes and keeping his commandements This in effect is the maine scope both of the law and of the gospell And whatever we doe in way of obedience that falls short of walking unmoveably and universally in all the commandements of God with our whole heart how good or pleasing soever it may seeme to us it is not acceptable nor pleasing unto God Let no man therefore deceave his owne Soule or dissemble with God who searcheth and knoweth the hearts and the reins nor let any pretend inability or infirmity since he
is neer to every one of us upon whose name if we call he will save us from our sins and make our reconciliation once more with God if the fault be not in ourselvs Yea he will save us to the uttermost if we continue in our obedience and in a pliablenes of spirit to the voyce and words of his mouth that will be a sure guide to us till it have brought us into that kingdome of his that cannot be shaken These are the first sort of servants and subjects that may be found faithfull and obedient unto the word and command of God which was from the beginning These are they that feare God and work righteousnes by an inward teaching suited to the spirituall senses of the naturall mind which is the same with the light and law of pure nature Now of these some and those the greatest part by far being wholly left to their owne choice and in the hand of their owne counsell continue not in their obedience but perish through a hardnes and impenitency of heart in which they rebell against the encreasing measure of light with which the holy Ghost would enlighten them in order to the enlarging of their hearts to an entire and stedfast walking with God in that Covenant of his that cannot be dissolved But others of them through Gods free and peculiar preventing grace are withheld from so sinning against God and are layd hold on and apprehended by the son's comming into their soules and contracting a most intimate and inseperable marriage union with them fastning them to himself the rock af ages and cheif corner stone by whom their bow is made to abide in strength and their arms are made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. Thus of servants they do with the eunuch and centurion who were converted by Philips and Peters ministry of the outward word become Sons that are heirs according to the promise or else they are admitted immediatly to the fight of Christ in spirit as Paul was in his conversion unto which heavenly vision they prove not disobedient being taught not only to live in the Spirit but to walke after the Spirit This then that we have bin speaking of is the first light and workmanship that Christ in his first appearance may and does visit the sons and daughters of men with even those that are not yet brought to the knowledg of his voice in and by the holy Scriptures There is then a second degree of light and glory wherein Christ breakes forth in the workmanship of his Spirit upon the hearts and minds of men which compared with the first is a more excellent and neer approach to the sight of the Son himself testifying most particularly in what manner and at what time the WORD was to be made flesh and in that flesh to be crucified and die for our sins and to rise againe into a life wherein he was never to die more Now the voice of this word is from divine inspiration moving in the hearts and speaking by the mouth of Moses and other the Servants the Prophets of the Lord in the old Testament to John the Baptist and afterwards by the holy Evangelists and Apostles conteining the doctrine of both Covenants that of works and that of faith the law and the Gospell These divine words and oracles were committed to writing and preserved for the use of the Church from Moses his time downwards to this present day by Gods especiall and admirable providence called the holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto Salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus They are not of any private interpretation but attended with the ministry of the holy Ghost in his various distributions and gifts dividing unto every one severally as himself pleases to the making the doctrine flowing from this word pure and converting the soule that also which is an enlightning of the eyes and a washing of the heart with clean water from its old sins it is profitable also for reproof correction and instruction in righteousnes to the making the man of God perfect throughly furnished unto every good word and work even such hearers of the word and doers of the work as prove blessed in their deed if the fault be not in themselvs in failing to performe the condition of the Covenant through that faith which excludes boasting and failes not This second sort of hearers and doers of the word are they that are alive unto God through Jesus Christ by hearing the voice of the living word in and through the ministry of the outward letter of the Scriptures testifying of Christ and of the work of redemption given to him by the father to finish and of his comming not by water only but by water and blood to the paying a ransome for our sins and for the planting of us into a likenes with him both in his death and resurrection Under this second dispensation which is the ministry of the outward and written word accompanied with the presence and power of the holy Ghost and his gifts there is a workmanship of Christ formed in and upon the heart consisting of severall degrees and growths up into him who is our head the good olive tree that is willing ready and able to receave us into himself as our spirituall root which bears us and fills us with the oile and fatnes that springs up from the same into every branch and member of his body considered either as his body is his living flesh ot as it is his flesh crucified 1. As it is the mannah and living bread that is the life of the world or of the worldly Church and enlightned naturall man that may eat and drinke in his presence at this his table and eat and drinke his flesh and blood to their owne damnation 2. There be those that feed upon the crucified flesh the carkasse or dead body of Christ out of whose weaknes comes strength and from whose crucifying comes that meat which perishes not but is bread that nourishes to eternall life Thus it is written Rom. 14. None of us that live liveth unto himself and none of us that die doe or ought to die unto our selvs But whether our faith be weake and low and our naturall ability to hear and obey active and strong in us or whether the work of our faith be strong and powerfull and our natural activity weak and low yea brought into the very grave with Christ the life or the death is not to be to ourselvs but to Christ In and with him must we live and in and with him must we die Whether then we live with Christ by faith as it is weak or whether we die with Christ by faith as the work of it in us is powerfull and strong we should live to the Lord and die to the Lord that so living and dying we may be found amongst the number of those that are the Lords For this end and to
enable us to effect this work of faith whereby we may live and also may die to the Lord and in neither sin nor serve our selvs Christ both died and rose againe and is become Lord both of the dead and of the living even in this sense before opened To this agrees what the same Apostle testifies 2 Cor. 4 12.13 compared with 1 Cor. 4.8 13. Here we find the Apostle the father and true elder as to his growth up into Christ strong in the faith and the Corinthians they are the children babes in Christ weak and low in faith but high full and puffed up in their fleshly minds Let us therefore consider the differing characters he gives of the one and of the other though both beleevers such as in their living and in their dying are or may be the Lords Ye now are full sayes Paul or this is your time of being rich and reigning as kings without us but I would to God you did indeed reigne that we also might reigne together with you But it is otherwise with us even a dying time We are troubled on every side perplexed persecuted cast downe alwayes bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus God having set forth us that are the Apostles most strong and eminent in faith as it were appointed unto death and to be made a spectacle to the world to angels and to men We are fools for Christs sake but ye are wise in Christ we are weak but ye are strong Ye are honourable but we are despised So then death workes in us but life in you And we having the same spirit of faith according as it is written I have beleeved and therefore have I spoken we also beleeve and therefore speak knowing that he which raysed up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus and shall present us with you That then which is wrought in men by Christ through the ministry of the outward word by the spirit and life of his first appearance is either restoration-work single or restoration-work joyned and accompanied with true regeneration and eternall salvation Restoration-work single is that which is called the spirit of bondage making but those servants that abide not in the house for ever as having never tasted nor partaken of that freedome wherewith the Son makes those free indeed that he knits into an indissoluble union with himself But restoration-work as it is accompanied with salvation or the birth of the immortal and incorruptible seed of life and righteousnes is that which is called the spirit of adoption of power of love and of a sound or stedfast mind that principle of life begotten and springing up in us whereby we put off that which is mutable and corruptible and put on that which is immutable and incorruptible as well in the inward man of the heart as in the outward man of the flesh We have already shewed that their obedience is accepted with God who are faithfull to their light under the first dispensation of Gods word speaking in them to the inward senses of their mind as was the case of the centurion Such persons in every nation are owned by God as those that fear him and work righteousnes And this feare is in a sense faith for they cannot thus come to God and obey him but they must beleeve that he is and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him and hearken to his voyce Neverthelesse this is not the faith that is in the regenerate flowing from the spirit and life of the new creature and working by love but it is the faith which all restored enlightned men may have in conformity to what Adam had before his fall that knew and obeyed the eternall WORD as creatour and maker of both worlds though not as the redeemer and Saviour of men by the blood of the crosse from sin and the wrath attending it This sort of faith is that which flowes from mans exercise of his right knowledg and free will wherein he was created after Gods likenes and did receave the truth in his knowledg but in no fixed permanent love thereof because he was left free to change his mind as seemed good unto himself being in case of his failer therein personally responsible to the penalties and curse of the law For to be created with such a righteous mutable principle of activity and free moving power in the mind was simply in itself good and might be lawfully used to answer the end for which it was given which was by way of voluntary resignation to chang and turne out of that wavering unstable active power though at present righteous into that love that should bind up the moving power of mans Spirit into a stedfast and unmoveable delight and rest in righteousnes and into a fixed and unshaken enmity and aversnes of mind to sin and all evill By this new creation and forming of the spirit of man within him his first freedome is taken from him and done away or it is swallowed up into a freedome much better and more excellent wherein man is made more in Gods image and after his similitude then at the first For though all things were in a good estate with man at first when God made him upright that is to say in a due conformity unto the divine will for the performance of a pure and holy worship and service to God justice and true judgmēt to his neighbour and for the walking in a due sobriety temperance and continence as to himself yet God would have him know he might be better made through a new creation which should more then comprehend all the good of his first make and adde also to it an immutability God did therefore forbid man to trust to the uncertaine riches and fading glory of his first estate and timely to look and make out for a better But in stead of this man notwithstanding Gods prohibition runs himself aground into a very bad and evill condition Out of this forlorne state the first thing that God propounds to him in and by the knowledg of the redeemer is his restoration which God is willing to draw him to by the ministry of Moses and turn him to by the ministry of Eliah even the disobedient to the wisedome of the just to make a ready people prepared for the Lord to meet and receave him as he is given by the father in a better Covenant ordered in all things and sure of which there can never be any breach either on Gods or mans part as there was and wil be againe of the first Covenant how often soever it be repeated and renewed unlesse it end in mans being receaved and taken into the second There is then a ministry of the first Covenant in the hand of the Redeemer Sprinckled with the blood of his crosse which is able to rectify the depravation of things caused by sin and mans first breach with God consisting in a restitution towards mans
primitive purity and the remission of sins past and this by a repentance from dead workes and a returning by faith unto the living God Moses began this ministry John Baptist continued or rather renewed it as the immediate fore-runner unto Christs comming in the flesh and Elias in spirit and power or the spirit and power of Elias that is yet to come as the latter raine of Christs first appearance shall cary on this work of restoration to its perfection and immutability in the hearts of Christs slaine witnesses and be as the fore-runner and bright morning-star that is to usher in the sun-shine of Christs second comming Then will Christ come forth in his owne person to celebrate publickly before the eyes of the whole creation the marriage of the lamb with his bride This latter Elias is he that must destroy that painted Jezebel which puts Naboth to death by the authority of Ahab Revel 2 20 22 the earthly lying spirit of the false righteousnes in the mouth of the false Prophets which by the secular power in all ages puts to death Naboth the spirit of true Prophesy in the mouths of Christs faithfull Servants by false witnesses to the treading downe and keeping under the true Prophets of God during the time times and half a time foretold by Daniel and the Apostle John And as this Elias must rectify the worship of God so must he set in order the man towards his neighbour He must turn the heart of the fathers to the children and of the children to the fathers putting an end to all differences betweene the spirituall fathers and their children and the spirits of the later Prophets shal be subject to the former Prophets For when this Elias comes he will untie all knots answer all objections and resolve all doubts In a word he wil bring back againe the whole man unto his God He will restore the naturall man to his right He will also prepare and point out the way unto the heavenly man for the obteining of his right He will recover all Edom to the house of Israel and the kingdom shal be the Lords Obadiah v. 21. And why should we doubt or despair but such a time there wil be when things which now are have long bin and will yet be more turn'd upside downe all out of order all confounded shal be restored and brought to right againe Have not all the Beasts had their reigne and shall not Christ have his Shall not his kingdom come and will be done in earth as it is in heaven unlesse we pray so without faith and hope Have we not a promise that there shal be times of refreshing from this heavenly presence and appearance of the Lord shall not a generall restitution of all things be the effect of such his appearance in the very dawnings thereof Were this to be mans work no doubt would be made of it O we of little faith shall we then doubt of it when God himself undertakes it the mighty God the Lord the Redeemer that is yet to come out of Zion to turn away iniquity from Jacob in a spirit and power that all must bow under and fall before Let us then upon whom the ends of the world are come lift up our heads in the sight of the neernesse of this redemption which is hastning apace upon us in despite of all the opposition that is can or shal be made against it This then is that which we are to understand by the restoration-work which God begets carries on and perfects by the ministry of the outward and written word as the handmaid and servant to the sons appearance himself in spirit It is that whereby man is first brought back againe to God and to himself in the exercise of his right judgment and freewill Then is he also ledd out of that into the love which he that hath dwells in God takes up his rest in the divine nature becomming the habitable part of the earth wherein the divine nature inthrones itself and dwells as in his temple and resting place This is the land of Emmanuel the true Israell's land the land of promise in the spirit the city that hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Christ himself being the cheif corner-stone thereof It is therefore the kingdom that cannot be shaken at the comming on thereof all that is moveable must be taken out of the way and give place He that is least in this kingdom is greater then John Baptist though he were greater then all the other prophets that went before him the meaning is in reference to this restoration-work which is the proper effect of John Baptists ministry through which Gods Covenant is repeated and renewed with man in the blood of the redeemer after which a breach between God and man is still in possibility and danger to happen and the spirit of man may be broken off from him with whom it had bin made one as a member of the same body For by the power of this restoring healing ministry of the first Covenant taking force by the death of Christ the Lord does create or make man againe of one mind one will and heart with him according to the law of the first creation which is throughout conditionall and may be made void through mans default as appears by what Paul and Barnabas speake to the contradicting and blaspheming jews Actor 13.46 It was necessary that the word of God should first have bin spoken to you but seing ye thrust it from you and judg yourselvs unworthy or shew yourselvs not desirous of eternal life lo we turn to the gentiles Oh how liable is the heart of man under this conditional Covenant though never so far advanc'd to be suddenly broken off againe from God by its hope and trust in the creature or in the uncertain riches that are either within us or without This the Apostle Paul well knew and therefore charg'd them that are rich in this world not to trust in the uncertainty of riches no not in the very inward riches of the heart as enriched with the restored mutable principles of righteousnes but in the living God the WORD that is in our heart and in our mouth in the person of Christ the enduring substance that never failes nor fades away Christ says wo be to the rich to wit that trust and put confidence in any the above-mentioned fading riches within man or without Againe he says Blessed are the poor in spirit who doe resigne the activity life and way of working righteousnes and worshipping God in the fading restored mutable principles of the first creation growing weak feeble and low in all such wayes even of doing well wherein man hath whereof to boast in order to a growing rich and strong in the Lord or in the new-creature life activity and way of worshipping God and working righteousnes in spirit and truth in the steady and unchangable principles of everlasting righteousnes We cannot serve two
masters God and Mammon We cannot take that delight and pleasure in any creature or seeming present good whatsoever which is due from us to God in Christ only but it breaks off our spirits from the God of life To delight in and prefer the way of worshipping God and working righteousnes in the mutable fading humane creaturely principles of our first creation when restored before the performing all in the unchangable divine and never fading principles of the new creation where God comes to work all our works in us and for us this is a very high provocation of God the highest and most deeply delusive and unperceaved idolatry in preferring the creature before the creatour who is God blessed for ever Mans disobedience and failing then with God as to the performance of the condition of the first Covenant renewed and brought into force againe by the blood of the redeemer is that which since the fall does cause a new breach between God and man when it is willfull working that wrath which the Sacrifice of Christ cannot appease And man is not free nor safe from the danger of such wilfull unexpiable sinning and so of that judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries whilst he is under the dominion and jurisdiction of the law And under it he is so long as he is alive to God but upon the condition required in the first Covenant which makes him a debtour to the whole law qualifying him with that naturall ability and exercise of free-will unto which when he trusts as he is too apt to do takes up his rest and engages in the single strength thereof to performe what the law requires then he falls and provokes God to wrath This will he never be able finally to prevent or avoid whilst he cleaves to and takes up his rest in the life and activity of his owne free-will for the enabling him to keep Covenant with God how rich in stock soever he may at present seem to be therein His only way therefore is to passe or rather suffer himself to be translated out of these his mutable principles into that love and stedfastnes of heart in Covenant with God which is the end of the commandement and proceeds from a pure heart good conscience and faith unfeigned Now of those that are alive unto God in the awaken'd principles and renewed life of the first Covenant by repentance from dead works and faith in God the Redeemer and saviour of all men and this by the voice of Christ through the hearing of the outward and written word there are severall sorts the cheif of which only we shall mention 1. Those who are diligent hearers willing and zealous obeyers of what they learn receave and drink in from the holy Scriptures which they are convinced is the mind and will of God written for their direction and instruction in righteousnes either by their owne private reading or by the outward ministry thereof Upon this they make their boast of God and of the chang wrought in their hearts through repentance and faith of their walking with God in the purity of his worship and towards their neighbour righteously according to the commandment delivered unto them Hereby they do indeed come to be quickly and deservedly distinguished from the prophane world having the forme of knowledg and of the truth in the law and written word into the mould whereof the whole man is by them endeavour'd to be cast But all this is but of little availe to them that stay here and rest in the letter of the Scriptures which are not he but testify of him that is come himself in his owne personal appearance God manifested in flesh And he afterwards died and rose againe according to the Scriptures and revealed himself in spirit the better comforter and anointing which teaches all things All this the voice of the Scriptures points at and sends those unto that desire to be made partakers of the life that is eternall But those that hear or obey not this voice do provoke So that though a promise be left unto them of entring into the true rest they fall short of it through unbeleif and pleasing themselvs with a false rest and satisfactiō in this first degree of restoration-work and lively change which is and may be wrought by the ministry of the outward word to the bringing of men into a mutable state of righteousnes which they are upon all occasions in danger of losing and falling from how sure soever they esteem themselvs to be 2. A second sort of hearers there are obeyers of the holy commandment delivered unto them not only by the testimony and preaching of the written word but by the knowledg of the Son himself Christ in spirit which is a degree farther then the first goe who manifests himself to them in a likenes and glory that is bread and sutable food to give life to the world or to man in his first nature Such practicall knowledge and sight of Christ is able to heal and restore man from the leprosy of sin causing him to escape the pollutions of the world and to be washed from his old sins Concerning such is it said that it is impossible for them having bin thus enlightn'd having tasted the heavenly gift bin made partakers of the holy Ghost or Christ in spirit and tasted the good word of God and Powers of the world to come so far as the natural man can be heightned and rais'd to the capacity of on this side true Regeneration if or when they fall away to renew them againe unto repentance The reason is because they do eminently crucify the Son of God afresh in themselvs and put him to open shame yea they trample him under foot accounting the blood of the Covenant whereby they were sanctified an unholy thing and doe despite to the Spirit of grace These before their personal fall or apostasy are not properly under the spirit of bondage as meer servants but are rather children of that kingdom out of which they may be cast who strivingly may seek to enter in at the streight gate after an undue manner and so shall not be able to enter When once the master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door and they standing without knock at the door desiring admission and alledging for themselvs that they have eaten and drunk in Christs presence and that he hath taught in their streets his answer to them wil be I know you not whence you are depart from me all ye workers of iniquity to the place where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth You shall se Abraham Isaac Jacob and all my true prophets in the kingdom of God and yourselvs that have in one sence bin the children of the kingdom thrust out Luk. 13 24 28. Mat. 7 21 23. and Math. 8 12. These are branches in Christ the true vine and good olive tree partaking of his sap and fatnes for a season But
her untimely and over-forward request on their behalf Mat 20 20 22. She seemed desirous to have them in the throne before they had drunk of the cup and bin made partakers of the great tribulations wherein they were to abide with Christ and all other beleevers in them represented This suffring season is to hold till the time of the Gentils shal be fulfilled for the treading downe and trampling under foot by the space of 42. months the holy city and tabernacle of David that hath bin reared up amongst them by the Apostles ministry after it was fallen amongst the jews Act 15. v. 16 17. When it was fallen amongst the jews it came to be set up in the midst of the Gentiles a nation that for a season did very affectionately bring forth the fruits of the gospel Thus the residue of men those that were not regarded till the jewish nation was rejected and broken off from the good olive tree were brought to seek after the Lord even all the gentiles upon whom my name is called saith the Lord who doth all these things This is the first act and effect of Christs resurrection or of that day in the spirit upon the hearts and minds of the children of this his Kingdom which is preparing them by the trialls allotted to them in the keeping the word of his patience to sit with him on his throne and shine forth in the day of his power not only as bright morning stars but as the sun itself in its strength in the Kingdom of their father The beginning of the whole day of Christs Kingdom wherein he will have the word of his patience kept in faith and faithfull witness-bearing was without all question from the time of his Ascension according as it is written Act. 1.8 Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth To like effect spake Ananias to Paul upon his conversion Act 22 14 15. The God of our fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know his will and se that just one and shouldst hear the voice of his mouth that thou mayst be a witnesse unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard And although there be something in this conversion of Paul which is extraordinary as to his unction and mission into the ministry and office of Apostleship yet this description of the Apostles conversion hath that in it as to the essentiall parts of it which is common to all the spirituall seed of Abraham For first they are all chosen to know the will of God secondly to know it by the sight of the just one Christ in spirit through faith thirdly to heare the voyce and understand the language of the spirit of Christs mouth by the eare that is given them to hear what Christ in spirit saith to the churches or to particular members of his body fourthly to be witnesses according to their measure and degree of light in their stations and callings of what they have seen and heard In this sence the whole spirituall seed of Abraham are Christs witnesses specially since his ascension from which time he began to be seen by them in spirit and to speak to them from heaven by his indwelling presence in their hearts through faith True beleevers as hath bin opened are of two sorts or degrees Both of them are free-born sons and citizens of the same heavenly Jerusalem and holy city Christ calls them his two witnesses and declares the sackcloth testimony of his name which they are to bear during the treading down of them the holy city underfoot even by the gentiles of the outward court for the space of 42 months But although that these two witnesses were in being and also engaged in the work of witnessing what they had seen and heard according to Christs commission immediatly after the comming down of the holy Ghost upon them at the day of Pentecost not only in Jerusalem and Samaria but also to the ends of the earth yet the time of the treading them underfoot by the gentiles of the outward court did not begin till some hundreds of years after nor by the same reason could their sackcloth testimony begin which had relation to that treading downe and must needs therefore be contemporary with it When once this began it was to continue but 42 months or 1260. years from the very same time as that power that was to tread them downe came to have its beginning as authorized or permitted to make war with them and bring them under To the Beast which all the world wonder'd after and fear'd to make war with was power given to continue 42 months that he might make war with the saincts and overcome them Rev. 13.7 Who or what this beast is was long agoe made knowne to Daniel and by him foretold and described ch 7 23 24. It is said to be the fourth beast signifying the fourth Kingdom or universal oppressing power that should be on the earth over the saints of God and that should come in processe of time to stand up in a diversity from all the other three Kingdoms or universall monarchies that had gone before it This considerable variation did come to passe and shew itself in a horn of remarque and note by itself that upheld the same oppressing power and principles against the saints of the most high for the treading downe of the holy city that the other three had don before but under a new forme or name of Christian which they had never owned On the account of this name or outward profession of Christianity which the fourth beast came to make in the course of the little horne he plucks up by the roots the worship and many prophane customs that had bin cleaved to owned and practised during the reigne of meer down-right heathenisme all the time of the three former Kingdoms Babylonish Persian Grecian as also a great part of the Romane till this fourth Kingdom or universal monarchy came to be headed with the little horne under the style of universall Bishop or cheif preist when the Romane empire that had bin heathenish came to divide and sinke downe into ten horns or Kingdoms all agreeing yet in this to give up their power to the little horne in acknowledging the papacy and universal Rule over them in spiritualls by the Bishop of Rome These ten Kings with their civil power thus uniting under one head as to spiritualls do together with their head constitute that course and state of the fourth monarchy under which it is called the little horne Now when the time of this combination began is somewhat difficult to say exactly and to a year But if the beginning of this little horne be once rightly found out and stated it will not be difficult to say when it shall end or when the witnesses prophesying in sackcloth shal end which must be at the same time For the 42 months of this little hornes continuance in
assuredly be found to be the beginning of the preaching of the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ that is to say of the Gospel preached by that trumpet that gives the certain second and makes manifest the Sons of God in an immutable everlasting state of righteousnes and glory here upon earth in a Kingdom that cannot be shaken which is to succeed all other Kingdoms shewing itself to be the stone cut out of the mountains that will fill the whole earth This everlasting Gospel we are told Revel 14.6 7. is to be preached by an angel flying in the midst of heaven that must with a loud voice say unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation kindred tongue and people fear God and give glory to him for the houre of his judgment is come This is the houre or the day of that great judgment wherein God will judg the world by that man which he hath ordeined Jesus Christ This houre and day is to have continuance in the course of its execution on the earth for the space of a thousand years During this time the Kingdoms of this world shal become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ as holding of him their universall head and exercising all their authority under him Revel 11.15 So then in effect Christ alone shall reigne and be exalted in that day one Lord and his name one over all the earth This day is to begin as hath bin said with the second comming of Eliah and is described in the Scriptures of truth as to the severall particulars thereof The seventh angel sounds by reason whereof it comes to passe that there are great voices to be heard in heaven appointed by Christ as he is the bright morning star and head of all Principalities and powers the true Michael and Archangel to seize upon all scepters and governments of this world to take the Rule and visible power out of the hands of all the Potentates of the earth and reassume it in such a wonderfull manner into the hands of the holy and elect angels who under Christ are appointed the highest and cheif Rulers of the visible world that by the astonishing dispensations of Gods providence in that season it will appear and be acknowledged that Christ hath begun and entered upon the taking to himself his great power in order to exercise his visible Rule as the great only and universall King over all the earth This he will do to the intent that the living may know that the most high ruleth in the Kingdom of men giving it to whomsoever he will Yea it shal be acknowledged and seen that under the most high the heavens do rule Dan. 4.26 All matters shall at that time be carried on in the earth visibly by the decree of the watchers v. 17. the supream counsell and senate of judicature wherein the holy angels shall sit and exercise jurisdiction under Christ for the good of his church on earth They are ministring spirits in this very respect sent forth and authorized for this employment even to minister for them who shal be heirs of salvation as it is written all things are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods In that day saith Christ for brasse I will bring gold and for yron I will bring silver for wood brasse and for stones yron so glorious will then the restoration of al things be and I will also make thine officers peace and thine exactours righteousnes Violence shall no more be heard in thy land wasting not destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy walls of defence salvation and thy gates of justice prayse Then the haughtines of man shal be layd low and his lofty lookes brought downe and the worshippers of idols shall goe into the holes of the rocks and caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and of the glory of his majesty when he shall thus arise most terribly to shake the earth Esay 2. The same thing is promised Haggai 2 6 7. Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth the sea and the dry land And I will shake all nations and the desire of all nations shall come that is to say after the terrible forerunning dispensation ministred by Eliah that went up to heaven in a fiery chariot to take his seat amongst this heavenly colledge of angels and be in that glory with other the spirits of just men made perfect shall the desire of all nations Christ himself come to perfect and consummate what is left wanting in the operation of the former ministry and fill his owne house with glory in the sight of the whole world during the space of a thousand years 2. But 2dly although at the sounding of the seventh trumpet it do come to passe that there be great voices in heaven what is that to the inhabitants that are on earth those that are at home in the body absent from the Lord whose spirits are fast asleep in the earth to wit in the organicall life and exercise of bodily senses Will not they be out of the hearing of the sound of these heavenly voices At least will they be able to understand their meaning unlesse what is uttered by the angelicall tongues be in words easy to be understood by the spirit of their minds who live and dwell in mortall clay and that an easy understanding thereof also be communicable to the sensuall part of the soule which is as the door to take in and give out againe what shal be heard by the sound of such a heavenly Trumpet By what is recorded for our instruction we may be assured this is not impossible nor unpracticable It hapned thus to the Apostle John before his change by death even whilst he was a prisoner and a banished man in the I le of Patmos for the Word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ He looked and behold a door was opened in heaven By the opening of that door he came to be made able to hear the voices in heaven the first and second voice of the angel Revel 4.1 10 8. as it were of a trumpet talking with him which sayd come up hither and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter By the power of that voice calling him he was immediatly in the spirit that is as Paul absent from the body He had such an awakening of his inward senses wrought in him such an opening and making of them meet to heare and receave what by the tongue of the angel was to be delivered that he was in the spirit or in the exercise of the same kind of life and manner of conversing with spirits that they are in one with another or that the spirits of just men made perfect do use with the holy angels when in the state of soules seperate from the body made equall to angels and children of the resurrection in the first degree or step of it which is called Revel 20
the first Resurrection The Apostle does there speak of the time when this way of heavenly converse between the saincts that are on earth and the holy angels shal be frequent and usuall and no such wonder or strang thing as yet by most it is accounted This will be brought to passe by the opening of the door in heaven interpreted by Christ himself Jo. 1.51 in his answer to Nathaniel Because I said unto thee I saw thee under the fig-tree beleevest thou Thou shalt se greater things then these What greater things A door open in heaven as a means of easy and familiar entercourse between the inhabitants of heaven and dwellers on earth The angels are to be employed as messengers of intelligence between Christ and his Saincts before the time of his owne personall converse with them on earth For saith Christ verily verily I say unto you Hereafter you shall se heaven open or the gate and door that is made into it and kept open by me for the ascent and descent of my holy angels between me and my Saincts on earth At that day Christ wil be glorified in his Saincts and honour them in the sight of them that hate them God will answer them before they pray whilst they are yet speaking he will heare and speedily avenge them of their adversaries He will grant them the desire of their hearts But when will this day be that these great and wonderfull things shal be seen The text is plain and expresse Revel 11. T is evidently to begin at the rising of the witnesses who shall immediatly upon their rising be thus in the spirit as John was on the Lords day in the I le of Patmos This wil be the proper and usuall dispensation in that day of the Lord that is to begin at the sounding of the seventh trumpet The spirit of life from God shall then enter into the witnesses set them upon their feet and immediatly qualify them to be in the spirit or have their inward senses awakened and fitted to hear and receave messages from heaven and the knowledg of the mind of their Lord by the immediate impression and inspiration of angels employed by him for that purpose We know this was frequently the case with Daniel and most of the other dear servants and prophets of the Lord. Unto Jacob this great mystery and truth was most particularly and distinctly foretold in the ladder which he saw the feet whereof touched the earth and the top of it reached to heaven and behold the angels ascending and descending upon it and the Lord himself standing above and speaking by that means unto Jacob acquainting him thereby with his mind and giving to him most rich and precious promises The interpretation of this ladder was not only made by our saviour to Nathaniel as we have opened but it was at the same time given to Iacob with the vision itself as appears by the Result that came into his mind thereupon when he sayd How dreadfull is this place It is the very house of God where his throne is It is the very gate of heaven through which by the ministry of angels in the hand of Christ as he is the son of man and hath the use and exercise of all kinds of humane sense in perfection in his glorified manhood the inward and outward man of the saincts shal be so affected changed and transformed as to give them a kind of entrance into and a being in heaven even whilst they are yet here in the body This Christ wrought and obteined the power of when he ascended up above all heavens and as man did come to have a more excellent name then the angels Now that he ascended what is it but that he who was in the forme of God and counted it not robbery to be equall with God did first descend lower then the angels into the fashion of an earthly man the lowermost part of his habitable earth Prov 8 31. even the animalish and sensuall nature of man using and exercising as well the bodily as spirituall senses appertaining to the very naturall man When he had done this by laying hold on the seed of Abraham and receaving it into personall union with himself he set up that ladder in his owne person the feet whereof stand on the earth whilst the top of it enters into the highest heaven For he that descended is the same also that ascended far above all heavens that he might fill and fulfill all things That therefore which Jacob pronounced in the spirituall interpretation of his vision is most undeniable This is none other sayes he then the house of God the building not made with hands whose builder and maker is God the fathers house wherein are many mansions built by the eternall WORD and wisdom of the father in the person of the mediatour considered as he is the first borne of every creature and the beginning or first begotten from the dead Col. 1. in whom is that life that is the light of men who was before all things and by whom all things consist The way for God that is the high and lofty one inhabiting eternity to descend and come to dwell in the humble broken and contrite spirit as the place of his rest and the way for the humble poor and broken spirit to ascend into the persence and sight of God all this was wrought out in our nature by the WORD that made himself flesh and in that body died rose again and ascended where he was before as in the volume of Gods book it is written of him This he told his owne disciples Jo. 14. In my fathers house are many mansions If it were not so I would have told you Behold I go to prepare a place for you to set the ladder by which the ascent and descent is contrived into my fathers house for such as you are And if I goe and prepare a place for you you may be sure I will come againe and gather you unto my self that where J am ye may be also At his comming again the same Apostle John finds the thing to be true that his Lord had promised For Revel 11.12 19. it appears that upon the rising of the witnesses and sounding of the seventh trumpet the temple of God wil be opened in heaven which is the same opening of the heavens before-mentioned Jo. 1.51 and there wil be seen in his temple the arke of his Testament the law of the two tables written in the heart of Christ the Son of Man from whose presence the fiery law is to be dispensed by the ministry of angels at which there wil be lightnings voices thunderings an earth quake and great haile The door into heaven being thus set open the risen witnesses are spoken to v. 12. saying come up hither or be with me in the spirit in a mind fitted to enterteine converse with me by the ministry of the holy angels And for such a blessing and benefit be not unwilling
multitude that he saves out of all people and nations kindreds and tongues that are upon the face of the earth who yet are not brought so neer to him as that peculiar nation of his which he makes a Kingdom of Preists But they have a portion that is full and sufficient comming from the hand of their everlasting father who like to Jacob in the type hath his specially beloved Josephs and Benjamins by Rachel the choice delight of his eyes and hath his ten sons besides that are also children of his blessing sons and not bastards or cast-awayes but such as he ownes for legitimate and makes heirs of his Kingdom They are provided with inheritances in the land of promise And as there is such an everlasting love and salvation spoken of in the scripture which is called common in the respect above mentioned so is there also a common faith and salvation that is but temporary begets but such a repentance unto life as the effect of it upon the minde from whence there is a turning away againe and a drawing back unto perdition This kind of beleevers in stead of holding fast faith and a good conscience do put away their good conscience and concerning faith do make shipwrack being not able to ride it out in the stormy weather of temptations They do therefore declare by the event that they never had faith of the right kind but that the chang of mind brought upon them by the preaching of the gospel and knowledg of the Lord Jesus Christ amounted but to such a repentance as might againe be repented of or turned from and but to such a faith as might faile though both were the fruits of the gospel or good tydings of the worke of redemption and reconciliation wrought in the person of the mediator as ministred but by the first and conditionall Covenant which obliges the children of it in a debt to the whole law upon the terms of renewing to them their primitive naturall activity and use of their freewill for the performance thereof Thus Christ gives himself to be the life and reconciliation of the whole world commanding all men every where to repent excluding none from this benefit of his death the atonement of sins past and after this manner to have faith and repentance wrought in them if the fault lie not in themselvs The same gospel then and blessed knowledg of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ is in the ministry and preaching of it the everlasting gospel as accompanied with fruits that end in salvation and are permanent and abiding and is also the gospel whose candle may be put out and candlestick removed out of its place as Christ not only threatned to the seven churches of Asia but actually executed upon their apostasy and unworthy walking under the light thereof And if the scope and intent of the Epistle of Jude be well weighed together with his expressions wherein he makes mention of the common salvation and faith once delivered unto the saints we shall find that he does very evidently set forth the division and contention which did arise in his time between these two ministries of the gospel and those that had these differing effects and operations produced thereby upon their hearts For the same common salvation and change wrought by the preaching of it upon the minds of the hearers which begot in them repentance from dead works and faith towards God if it were accompanied with the faith of the right kind once delivered to the saincts through the power of which we are kept unto salvation he shewes plainly v. 20 21. that being built up in this our most holy faith and praying in the holy Ghost we shal be kept from falling and shall keep ourselvs in the love of God waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternall life But if this faith be wanting whatever other effects enlightnings or quicknings the knowledg of Christ and preaching of the gospel may have upon us in the judgment of the Apostle Jude such are to be looked upon as having no more certainty of salvation nor probability of a good end then those of the children of Israel that the Lord saved out of Egypt and the house of bondage but destroyed before they entered into Canaan or then those angels that fell and kept not their first habitation or then Sodom and Gomorrah Yea or then the rejected nation of the jews by whose wicked hands our saviour was crucified They stumbled at the stumbling stone and though they sought after righteousnes yet was it as it were by the works of the law children they were in whom as it is written Deut. 32.20 there was no faith Upon this very ground the church of the gentiles that were taken into the place of the jews and had Gods name called upon them doe run the same hazard with the Jewish church that is of being cut off from the good olive tree when they shal be found to be but such as have not their standing by the faith that is triall proof They therefore shall in like manner be swallowed up into a universall and most signall apostasy from the truth and power of the gospel a little before Christs second comming It is no marvell then that the Apostle Jude is so earnest in exhorting to contend earnestly for the faith as it is of the right kind and primitive purity wherein it was once delivered to the saincts bringing forth those fruits in them that accompanied salvation and were not to be fallen from This contention warfare or battel was in heaven in the very church itself between those that had a stronger and firmer birth of grace and those of a weaker that was wavering uncertaine and capable to prove abortive as not comming of Sarah the free woman that is the mother of us all Nevertheles in this contest and warfare the woman that brings forth the manchild is necessitated to fly for it into the wildernes though a conquerour whilst the battel was fought out by spirituall weapons only in a church way For when once the secular powers came to exercise a ruling stroke and decisive jurisdiction in the Christian religion then she betook herself to the wildernes became solitary and neglected by men In that wildernes state the remnant of the womans seed that keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus continue for a season trod under foot and oppressed by their opposite brethren that are countenanc'd and upheld against them by the power and strength of the Kingdom of the beast For having got possession of the outward court of the temple which is left out as no longer regarded by God they become a fit seat for Antichrists throne a great bulwarke and strong hold for the man of sin and Son of perdition whereby to maintein his war against those worshippers that are so in spirit and truth and not in word or forme only and whose place it is to officiate either in
the temple itself or in the most in ward and most holy part of it called the Holy of Holies Having thus distinguished between that which in Scripture is called the common faith or common salvation in these its two differing effects and fruits producing in some a birth of life and grace which is immutable and cannot fayle or be fallen from and in others a birth of repentance and faith that is changable may be repēted of shipwrack'd and miscarry it remains for us to proceed in describing and declaring the second and higher degree that is atteinable in that faith which was once delivered to the Saincts called by Jude our most holy faith He seemes thereby to intimate that by the knowledg of Jesus Christ and ministry of the Gospel faith may be wrought and begotten in the heart according to a threefold degree wherein righteousnes and true holines is revealed from faith to faith from faith of the lowest ranke which is that that failes to that of the second ranke which failes not but makes us conquerours and from thence to that of the highest ranke which gives us power with God to prevaile in all things we desire beyond all we can aske or think making us more then conquerours and with Abraham to be called the friends of God The first is holy the second is more holy the third is our most holy faith The most holy faith is that which Ephes 3.16 is said to be granted or given of the riches of Gods glory wherein he hath an inheritance in his saincts chap. 1.18 and through which he does put forth the exceeding greatnes of his power towards us that beleeve according to what he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his owne right hand in the heavenly far above all principality power might and every name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come So then according to the power of this exceeding mighty operation of God in that gift of Christs Spirit wherein he grants to some Saincts to beare a more peculiar likenes to him the beleever becomes so exceedingly strengthned with might in the inner man so rooted and grounded in love that he is not only made able to comprehend with all Saints that are sons after the common faith what is the length breadth depth and height of the knowledg and love of God that shines forth in Christ as he is the Son of man made head of all Principalities and Powers which is the highest image of God short of the fathers naked similitude in his owne proper shape and forme but he is over and above all this enabled to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledg and to behold God in that glory of his that shines forth in the face of the blessed Trinity wherein he hath bin delighting himself in and with the eternall WORD from before the foundation of the world Into this glory Christ in his manhood as our fore-runner is entered even within the most inward veyle This was the forme of God wherein Christ was found before he assumed his manhood and he reteins his manhood both in an inferiority to it and in an equality with it by reason whereof Christ as man without robbery is accounted equall with God In this state of glory he is the bridegroome to this most excellent sort of beleevers who therefore dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations but are a peculiar nation of Gods jewells and choice treasure a Kingdom of preists his heritage and immediate possession that as the Tribe of Levi are made to approach neer unto him in stead of all the first born sons of Israel These are the 144000 described Revel 14. to be such as have their fathers name written in their foreheads and that are not defiled with women but are virgins which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes and are redeemed from among men as the first fruits to God and to the lamb the pure undefiled bride and spouse of the lamb that is the only one of her mother These are farther described Revel 7. as those that are the chosen out of every Tribe of the chosen seed of God by a small certain number of 144000 a royall preisthood selected and taken out of all the Tribes These being thus first selected out how are the remaining parts in and of every Tribe considered Are they looked upon by God as the world as a people left to themselvs No by no means but also as Gods chosen people in relation to the rest of the world They are his sons according to the common faith making up the gentile fulnes as the other doe the Iews And accordingly in their gentile fulnes or rather as surrogated Iews Rom. 11. have the sutable characters given to them For sayes the Apostle Iohn after this I beheld and so a great multitude which no man could number of all nations people kindreds and tongues stood before the throne and before the lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands representing their victorious faith in and under the great tribulations they had and were to passe through in participation with Christ in his sufferings for the testimony of Iesus during the reigne of the Beast Amōgst these he that sits on the throne shall dwell for ever And they will neither hunger nor thirst any more nor shall the sun light on them nor any heat for the lamb will feed them and lead them into living fountains of waters in the state of the first Resurrection where all tears shal be wiped away from their eyes Those then whose hearts are purified by this faith in either of these two degrees of it as it is our precious or our most precious faith that which brings us into the common state of salvation with the gentiles that is durable and everlasting or that which brings us yet farther into the peculiar priviledg of the Jews and first born Sons or God are the people that properly are Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise And their day of manifestatiō hastens apace They have bin hitherto even from the beginning of the world to this day a seed of hiddē invisible ones that in all changes of times remaine the pure invisible church And they have all along bin kept undefiled having that birth of God in them which preservs them that sin does not adulterate their hearts or alienate them from God neither can the evill one touch them Thus was it with the seven thousand concealed pure and spirituall worshippers that God had reserved in a time of universall apostacy and corruption in his visible worship in Eliah's time which never did nor would bow their knee to Baal In reference to this seed in all ages is verified that which is spoken by the Prophet Esay chap. 1.9 Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left unto us that are the visible church and have the visible signes of Gods presence and