the glory of those Baptists that did undertake to administer which in the Scripture method is sufficient for all others of whom the Scripture is silent And for that of Christs Disciples both in Iohns time and Christs and after his Resurrection in the Acts of the Apostles baptizing by water we finde this That the Lord Jesus himself baptized none but his Disciples nor did he in his first sending them forth give them any power to baptize as in his Ministery but they Baptized upon Iohns account that of water being his ministration who Baptized unto Christ as well as they though not in that cleerness of ministration and Doctrine as they did and therefore Paul did tell the Corinthians he was not sent to Baptize and did it according to his spirituall liberty he was a Iew to the Iew c. and Peter and the rest did it upon the like account though I beleeve they were under more bondage to these outward things as washing for Peter was an Apostle to the Circumcision and Ananias who baptized Paul was a Jewish Disciple And further I beleeve that as the Lord did suffer the Law of Ceremonies to dye out by degrees and to be worn out by the ministration of the Gospel so he did that part of Johns Ministery of washing by the Baptism of Christ of his Spirit I must decrease but he must increase which surely was spoken not according to the persons of John and Christ but according to their ministration which is the great thing the Scripture takes notice on The Spirit and life of outward Ordinances THe second Man or Adam in whom we all live is a quickning spirit and the Lord from heaven and is at the right hand of God viz. in the choicest glory of the Father That by which the people of God or all true Christians are born is the seed of God or Word of God or the divine nature of Jesus Christ or the Spirit of God which is called sanctification regeneration That the true spirituall Christian is that new creature that sanctified one or regenerate one who is thus born and hath Christ formed on him and this new creature is fed by the Spirituall life of Christ That the new creature or spiritual man is one who receives all his growth and encreasings in the power seed and Principle of the Spirit of God or Jesus Christ That the Ministry or Ministration by which he grows up to that fulness of stature in Iesus Christ is a Ministry or ministration of glory spirit That the true and spiritual Baptism by which every Christian is baptized into Christs death is the Baptism of Blood which is the righteousness spirit or life of Christ That the due and spiritual Sacrament of the Lords Supper is the very body and blood of Christ in the Spirit or that pure spirituall nature of Iesus Christ quickning and feeding up the Christian into a spirituall life and vnion with God That the true spirituall Minister is Iesus Christ who is called a Minister of the Sanctuary which the Lord pitched and not men That Iesus Christ is the true Spiritual Apostle sent out from God to reveal the Father and is so called by the Spirit of God in Scriptures the Apostle and high-priest of our profession That Iesus Christ is the true spirituall Prophet that teaches his people so as they are all taught of God and is so called in Sccriptures a Prophet which the Lord God raised up in stead of Moses That the true Spirituall Pastor is Iesus Christ who is that one Shepherd prophesied on who can lead his people onely into green Pastures or places of life That the Spirits of just men made perfect or the true Christian in spirit are those true spirituall Elders in the New Testament That the true Church of Christ is that spirituall company whom Christ hath washed in his blood cloathed in his righteousness sanctified in his spirit espoused to himself this is the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem the generall Assembly and Church of the first-born the House and Temple and Kingdome of God That the true spiritual keyes of the Kingdom of God is the very Spirit of God the very Spiritual power of Jesus Christ upon beleevers and unbeleevers who hath the keyes of David and opens and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens That true spiritual excommunication is Jesus Christ who is mighty in Spirit and Power in all his pronouncing an anathema maranatha or curse upon all flesh and delivering the body or sinful flesh over to Sathan or the power of darkness whereby flesh and every fleshly member is cast out from all communion with God and Jesus Christ and from those who are indeed born of God and are the true Spirituall Church of God which is no more then that true difference and distinction which Jesus Christ puts betwixt the pretious and the vile The true Spirituall Gospel-Order which the Apostle rejoyced to behold is that spirituall distinction and variety in the body of Christ wherein one Member differs from another in measure of Spirit and Glory and Power and yet all compleat and make perfect that body of Christ in the Spirit for he being a spiritual head must have a spirituall body The true Spiritual government is Christ reigning in the Saints in Spirit ordering them in thought word and deed holding forth his power and scepter which is a scepter of righteousness against flesh and blood Principalities and Powers spirituall wickedness in high places The true Spiritual Covenant is the New Covenant which God makes with us in Christ and wherein he is manifested to be their God and they his people to teach them and write his law in their hearts The true Spirituall Ordination is the hand of Jesus Christ stretched out or laid on upon the Spirits of such Christians as preach or Prophesy of the Ministery of the Gospel that is such are rightly and purely ordained and sent out who are sent out from the power of the Lord Iesus to whom all power in heaven and earth is given and are annointed of him to preach the Gospel and sent of him who ascended to give gifts unto men some Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors some teachers The true spirituall tryall or examination of the gifts of any is then when the Spirit of the Prophets is onely subject to the Prophets that is when the gift by which any one speaks of Jesus Christ is manifested in the hearts and spirits of the Saints when they see the truths they minister as they are in Jesus and in themselves and in them that are spiritual and truly anointed by the same Spirit and so are all Prophets according to the measure given or as they are all baptized into one spirit and body and have all received of his fulness who is that great Prophet raised up of our brethren like unto Moses and are redeemed to be Kings and Priests and
in outward things of worship and disciplinewithout sin yet of no other but as the wisdom of God shall direct to edification and with care of offence and Scriptures allow To the weak I became as weak to them that were under the Law as under the Law to them that were without Law as without Law though not without Law to God Now in this Scripture liberty to things of former institution by God and of no such institution 〈◊〉 discovered those words under the Law contain liberty to things once instituted and those words without Law to things noâ—instituted and therefore the Apostlesaith We know an Idol is nothing Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge and again To the pure all things are pure and that that goes into the man defiles not the man And yet I know this very truth as well as that of the grace of God and all other truths may be turned into wantonness and licentiousness and not pure Christian liberty I am for the knowledg of God in the Father Son and Spirit and for true Christianity as it is in life and Spirit and power of godliness and for love to all but to the sins of all We are circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the Flesh I have spoken of the true Christian under that more grosse form of Episcopacy not approving that form but in order to higher and more spirituall discoveries and this I do because I finde God in lower as well as higher in purer as well as more corrupt administrations and in tenderness and respect to many thousands in this Kingdom and many other Kingdomes who are not yet out of this form and yet God may be in them as in Germany Sweadland Denmark in England formerly and of late God having his more spirituall times for them as well as others I have spoken of things here sometimes very briefly because I finde less of man in writing the substance and truth of things so far as revealed in us then in tedious discourses and Paraphrases which are many times rather the works of reason and wit and art then of the Spirit of God and I have writ not in that common method of men because I received it not accordingly I finde two things which make some outward Ordinances so exceedingly and in divine right stood for the one is an opinion that there is a very modell in the Letter of Scriptures to be discovered which is to reduce Christians to bondage again and to a form without those very gifts which is not to be found in the word The other opinion is that the setting up such a form is an immediate way of fixing God and his Spirit upon it which indeed is a finer kinde of Idolatry to conceive that God enters into outward things and conveighs his all glorious and Almighty Spirit by them when as they are only signs figures and Images of more spirituall things enjoyed or to be enjoyed and that of Gods appearance and conveyance of himselfe in outward things according to this opinion is such as the Papists hold as to Images to things conferring grace Ex opere operato and all Idolaters accordingly conceiving that God immediatly informs glorifies and spiritualizes those formes and figures to the beholders as the Israelites when the Calf was made cryed these are they Gods O Israel I know Ordinances used in their true nature and as things that are the Parables figures and types of spirituall things are not to be rejected but many christians do sweetly partake of them in this their state of weakness and bondage wherein God makes heavenly things appear by earthly that men as Thomas may see and believe though blessed are they that have not seen and yet do believe All I have now to say to ye is this Something of a mysterie of God and something of a mysterie of Satan That of God is this that the Lord doth in much wisdome suffer the weaknesses of some spirituall men to come forth and by this he carries spirituall things in more mystery and manages the glory of his spirit through wayes and things which are an offence and scandall before the World by which some stumble and fall and are broken Christ was set up for the falling as well as rising of many in Israel That of Satan is this to observe how he fortifies corrupt nature against the spirit of God which spirit he knowes can only destroy his Kingdome and reveal the Kingdom of God and therefore counterfeits the spirit by false Revelations and appearances transforming himself into an Angell of light and then casting all this as a scandall upon the pure Spirit of God by reproaches viz. of praying by the spirit and preaching by the spirit and new Revelations and new Light thus making the world blaspheme and the weaker Saints afraid of the glory of the spirit lest it prove a delusion THE TABLE THE two Creations or Natures of Flesh and Spirit Pag. 1. The true Church 15. Antichrist within us 24. The Doctrine of Baptisms 26. The Baptisme of sufferings 27. The Baptisme of water or of John 29. The Baptisme of the Holy Ghost or gifts 33 The Baptisme of Christ 37 The diverse Ministery with the Ministery of Christ in his Saints 41 The passage from lower ministrations to higher 56. The Baptists 78. The spirit and life of outward Ordinances 84. The Christian under Prelacy Presbyterie Baptisme Independency c. 93. The Christian in truth 102. The Witnesses in Sackcloth what 105. Magistracy a power ordained of God 135. The discerning of Spirits 141. Principles of War and Peace 149. In order to Peace and Suffering and Love 1. The Will of God 154. 2. God changing dispensations 157. 3. The Law of nature and grace 159. 4. The Gospel method of victory 161. 5. How resistings in some are of the flesh and of the Law of nature in others 162. 6. The advantage Christians have of bondage 164. 7. upon what account the purest and freest outward liberty is 166. 8. A word concerning Heresie and Schisme 170. Heresie 173. Schisme 175. 9. Truth 177. The mysterie of true Christian liberty from God not from man or the power of man 182. A discovery of the highest attainments of the Protestants generally in the mysterie of salvation 185. Of Faith 189. A further discovery as to free-grace 190. A discoverie as to the generall point or Christ dying for all 196. The last discovery and as some say the highest and most glorious concerning the whole mysterie of God to men and this Creation 198. An additionall concerning Antichrist and the mysterie of iniquity 208. The severall attainments of the Common Protestant 218. The generall Redemptionist 219. The free Gratian 221. A discovery of prayer 223. A discovery of the Law 235. A discovery of duties and works 242. A discovery of outward Ordinances 244. A discovery of the Jewes and their
conversion 248. All false worships and wayes practised in conscience or in liberty will be destroyed in Christs day 251. A discovery of Christ in us 254. The fiery tryall 256. God in heaven or in a place of distance as to our infirmity 262. The spirituall Sabbath 265. The Gospel as in its own glory and as in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament 267. Assurance of Salvation 274. The knowledge of God according to the various dispensations of himself 280. A farther discovery of the mystery of salvation in the Gospel-administration and its own Glory 285. The seekers attainment with a discovery of a more spiritual way 289. The grounds both against liberty of Conscience and for it clearly stated for all to judge 298. The grounds for liberty of conscience which are strongest are all commonly known 302. A mystery or a Christian following the appearances of God through all created things 314 A Post-script to Mr. Gattaker 317 A pretended Heresie 323 A short Epistle to M. Knollys 327 Faults escaped in Printing Page 32 for circumcised with him in Baptism reade circumcised with him in circumcision buried with him in Baptism page 106 for to the restored reade to be restored page 124 these words the Church of Laodicea is to be printed in the same line with naked p. 145 for which the reade which in the p. 18â— for and in things reade as in things p. 203 the words and full are to be left out p. 222 f. in the crucifying r. not in the crucifying p. 224 f. out r. but p. 229 f. or r. are p. 233 f. hath been r. which hath been p. 268 f. go r. so and for probable r. parable p. 269 f. with r. which p. 276 f knowledge God r. of the knowledge of God p. 279 f. are r. â—p 281 line 4. f. increated r. in created p. 260 f. this r. and this Reader what other faults there are in the Printing which I hope are few or none thou art desired to excuse them by reason of the Authors absence THE TWO CREATIONS OR TWO NATVRES OF FLESH SPIRIT THese two Creations are two distinct Natures from whence all things of Flesh and Spirit come forth the two Adams are the two seeds roots or principles of these two Natures or Creations the Old and New So as in the knowledge of these two there opens a Prospect both of heaven and earth of the first man and the second who are the scean or womb of al things carnal and spiritual and into whom are gathered up all the Mystery of Christ and Antichrist and from whence the Mystery of both are brought forth before those that are spiritual the spiritual man judgeth all things The first Adam is the root of all fleshly Creation and Excellency the glory of the first Creation is gathered up into him as the light into the body of the Sun the life of Angels or Spirits of sense or beasts of nature or vegetation is all in him So as man is all created excellency in the mapp or abridgement and God making his Tabernacle with man dwels at the same time with all his Creation Man being the glorious and bright summ or whole of the Creation was a figure and type of the Son of God Jesus Christ And therefore he was said to be made after his own Image which Image was Iesus Christ called by the Apostle the Image of the invisible God the brightness of his glory and express Image of his Person And while man was thus in the Image of God and stood and lived in Commmunion with God walking in that Paradise or that Glory of his first Creation in obedience to God and participation of God he was the Image of all or any created excellency as it was or is or shal be in order to a more excellent life to a life out of it self in him who is the fountain of life And while man was in this communion and dependency to God as he was made in his Image or as he was the likenesse and similitude of God he was the figure and image of Iesus Christ in his new creation or whole body or Saints who know no other life than in God whose springs are all in him the Lord God being their everlasting light and their God their glory While they like the golden Candlestick in Zachary are fed with the golden oyl that is continually flowing and issuing through the golden pipes The excellency of this first Creation is but earthly or fleshly in the Spirits account and as it stands in distinction to the second Creation or new man or Lord from heaven so as the circuit or furthest attainment of man in this Creation is but to things of this Creation from things of rational and Angelical glory to things of lowest and most earthly life or excellency of which Solomon was an Image as his heart was large like the sand on the sea-shore and as he was wise from the Cedar in Lebanon to the wormwood in the wall from the highest to the lowest part of this Creation comprehending all from the top of this Creation to the bottom and seeing the face of God in this more darkly as in a glass the invisible things of him being clearly seen and understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead Now all this excellency and glory of the first man did leave God being tempted of the woman and the serpent which were a figure of fleshly wisdom without God and of the weaknesse of this Creation in its own nature as it was drawn away and enticed from its life in God and communion with God to live in its self or own life and to be to its self what God should have been wisdom and life and righteousnesse power and strength and preservation and all things And as it left God life and communion in him was a figure or image of this Creation departing from God and living out of God and now according to this Independent subsistence or life from God it apostates and degenerates into that nature which is called the seed of the serpent the old man the mystery of iniquity which appeared all along in the cursed figures or types of Cain of Esau of Ishmael of the children of the bond-woman of Iudas of Antichrist of the whore of Babylon So as all the knowledge of sin of all fleshly abominations whether more spiritual or carnal are discovered in the knowledge of this first man thus discovered as he lives not in God nor in communion with God and lives a life distinct from the life in God and all his actings and workings are from his own life his life of this Creation and to himself not from God nor to God The second Adam or Jesus Christ is that quickning Spirit or Lord from heaven and is the root of all the second or new
Creation which is created according to God in righteousnesse and true holinesse which righteousnesse is called the righteousnesse of God and true holinesse which is an holinesse more glorious then the holinesse of the first Creation an holiness which is of God not of man and therefore true holinesse or holiness in truth This Jesus or second Adamas he is Spirit is called theImage of the invisible God the brightnesse of his glory andexpresse Image of his Person is the life manifested the Word of God he that is alive for evermore the Alpha and Omega the beginning and theending this is he who is the wisdom mind or understandingof God and was in God and is the Immanuel or Godwith us or God making hisTabernacle with men This Jesus Christ is that glory of God in which the Father is revealed and so none knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son wil reveal him This is he who being in the bosome of God declares him to the sons of men and so rejoyces in the habitable parts of the earth This Jesus Christ is therevelation of God even theFather this is the glasse orchrystal of God in whom we with open face behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord and are changed from glory toglory The Sons of men taken into this glory of the Son of God are that new or second Creation that new Ierusalem which came down from God the city of the living God the Spirits of just men made perfect the new creature the heavenly men as is the Lord from heaven so are they that are heavenly the spirituall men of him who is the quickning Spirit So as Jesus Christ is made unto us the wisdom power righteousnesse sanctification and redemption of God This Iesus Christ is the root seed principle or original of all this new and heavenly life glory and spirit to the Sons of men wherein they enter within the vail or flesh which is the first Creation beyond which is this glory and light The vail of this first Temple or Creation being rent by him who crucified all flesh through the eternal Spirit and entered into his glory and is now passed into the holiest through whom we have access to God even the Father through the blood of the everlasting Covenant which blood was the first Creation and Excellency crucified to the very life and blood of it this was the seal or mark of the New Testament in his blood This Son of God is he who came to restore the first Creation from its enmity to God and so in that Ministry of his flesh became the word of reconciliation by which the world was reconciled unto him and in this Creation wherein man had sinned and departed from God living in his own life the Son of God was manifested in this Creation to condemn sin in the flesh and to take away sin and to fulfil the righteousnesse of the Law in the flesh of this first Creation the law being weak through the flesh and thus he was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him not only righteousnesse according to the law Christ being the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth but the righteousness of God a righteousness of more glory and excellency The Son of God did not only fulfil this bringing home this first Creation or man to God according to his first excellency and communion with God but in this appearance in the flesh he was a figure of God whose design is to make his Saints his Temple his Tabernacle his Body his new Creation his new creatures his habitation or house And God thus manifested in flesh was a figure of that mystery of godlinesse in us or God becoming an Immanuel or God with us And in his crucifying all this first glory in which hee appeared revealed that old design of God that mystery hid from ages and now made manifest to the Saints nayling all the flesh of his Saints to the same Crosse and being lifted up draws all men unto him which is the Mystery of the Gospel or Christ crucified all the life or excellency of this first Creation being crucified in the Saints as in Christ whereby they enter into their glory as he did into his and are in the same glory of God made one as he and the Father are one This is that fellowship of Christs death sufferings and resurrection spoken of by Paul into which the Christian is received And now all things of this new or second Creation as they are spiritual and heavenly are only in and through the same Spirit and discerned in the same Spirit And the whole Christ or Son of God is head and body he and his who shal enjoy and live with God in one Spirit when God shal be all in all and the fulnesse of the stature of Christ grown up to be the body of him who filleth al in al And Jesus Christ in this consideration of the whole man nature or body in which God is revealed is the beginning of the Creation of God the first born of every creature in whom all things subsist The true Church THat is the Church or body of Christ which is baptized by one Spirit into oneness and unity of Spirit a unity or incorporation with Christ being made perfect in one even one as thou Father art in me and I in thee This body is that wherein all the members live and arequickned in one and the sameSpirit with Christ and in this unity if one member suffer all the members suffer with it All the members of this body have the same care one of another This body is spiritual and al the members of it spiritual because Christ is the head of it and he is a quickning Spirit and the Lord that Spirit That is the true Church which is the Temple of God where God dwels ye are the Temples of the holy Ghost Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone of this Temple elect and precious this is the Temple which the Angel measures with a golden reed and the Altar thereof or the eternal Spirit upon which all the first creation is offered in the Saints as it was offered in Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himself leaving out the outward court or the flesh and first Creation and all outward administrations which are given to the Gentiles to tread down The Tabernacle and Temple were figures of this wherein God and the glory of God appeared and all gatherings Communions or Fellowships called Churches in the Gospel were clearer types of this This is the Church which is the pillar and ground of truth the generall Assembly and Church of the
people who are his Angel or the Angel and Messenger to him as he is the Angel to God or Messenger or he that was sent of God and this Ministry is a Ministry of Iesus Christ in all his Saints or people according to his administration of light and glory and truth in them shining in them to the revelation of truth and the Gospel This Ministry exceeds the Priesthood of the law which was but in one tribe and one sort of men and was but a Ministry of Christ to come in the flesh this Ministry is of Iesus Christ the Prophet in the whole body of his Saints come in the flesh and perfected in spirit and entred into glory This Ministry of Iesus Christ the great Prophet in all his saints or people or body is a Ministry exceeding the Ministry of the Gospel in gifts of miracles and other gifts for that was in some this in all that of men more immediately this of Iesus Christ more immediately that of some gifts which though excellent in their nature and operations of the same Spirit yet these might be in such as were not spiritual but carnal but the pure Ministry of Iesus Christ in his Saints in himself as he is the quickning Spirit and Lord from heaven is in none but such as are of his body and in one Spirit with him The present Ministry of men amongst all the Churches at this day according to any appearance of the Spirit of God in them though running through the channel of Arts Sciences and Languages acquired by natural power and industry is such a Ministry as we may hear and receive or partake of any thing of God or Christ there that we find in their administration though this be not that pure Ministry of Christ in Spirit as we find the Apostles and Disciples of Christ in the Jewish worship in the Synagogues and Temple under the Apostacy and Corruption And this Principle of bodily and local separation I find is both Legal and Iewish and literal and is suckt in by the Saints from the first Gospel-discoveries and from the law and Mosaical principles of separation and when the Spirit of God is more in them they shal see it and hath bin as I clearly find no little hinderance and is at this day to the power of the Gospel and Iesus Christ in Spirit and the body of Christ in the unity of the Spirit and since our controversies in these outward things and Church-ways c. have increased the law of love and Spirit and power of godliness hath much abated while form and meer letter and something of outward order have taken up the place And though this may be an offence to such as Paul saith who make conscience of the Idol yet we know saith he an Idol is nothing nor an Idol Temple but when they shal see the Christian as he is in Spirit and the new Creation and no other thing part of him but what is glory spirit and life and that all the law of outward order and form is only a supplement to the absence of the Spirit of God and to order their outward man amongst men to their fellow saints and the world while the law of the Spirit of life is not in them shining and conforming them in Spirit and love to the Image of Christ And for my part I am far from denying any Gospel form or way which appears to be the practice of the Saints then because I conceive that saints see gathering and practising are yet under such a ministration and are to walk in it while they are in bondage and weakness But on the contrary I am far from thinking these administrations to be our glory and high point of Reformation which our Brethren of the Independent and Baptism and Presbyterian way do but in all tenderness love and yet faithfulness to them rather a ministration of bondage and weakness to the Saints because the Scriptures make it clear calling such ministrations our seeing darkly as in a glass and seeing in part and that when the more perfect is come then that which is in part shal be done away The passage from lower Ministrations to higher THe administrations in which God hath appeared and doth appear yet in some proportion are these The law or righteousness of the first Creation in which God had communion with man and man with God yet rather as with a Creator then with a Father or an Immanuel and in the outward Court or first Creation not in the inward or holiest Paradise it self being but an Image of the excellency of this Creation Man having fallen through the temptation of the serpent or fleshly wisdom and the espousals of the woman or the weakness of that Creation wherein he was made hath the first law of righteousness presented to him in a new ministration of letter by Moses in Tables of stone from God in which the first glory and excellency was ministred to man in his faln and apostated condition And because the law or first righteousness was weak through the flesh there was the lowest ministration of Angels viz. by vision dreams c. added and likewise a ministration of Priests Sacrifices Ceremonies Tabernacle Temple Prophets by which man might have access unto God and speak with him yet but in the outward Court or flesh or things of this Creation though he filled these with another glory a richer and a more excellent discovery of his love in the promised seed There was another ministration added of war and peace of the Nations enemies in the flesh and of a promised land or blessing in the flesh and the Israelites or Iews were to pass under this ministration through all the enmity oppositions and battels of the Nation to this Canaan all which was accomplished to them in letter and in that in figure of a more spiritual enmity and kingdom and glory which is fulfilled in the more Gospel-revelation when the fulness of time came The next ministration is something clearer then all these and something brighter then the law yet not so clear nor ful as that of the fulness of time which followed it or of Christ in the flesh and this ministration was that of Iohn then whom a greater Prophet did not rise yet he that was least in the kingdom of God was greater then he he was a burning and a shining light The law and the prophets were till Iohn he was the Prophet of the highest and was sent to prepare his way and to make Christ manifest to Israel by word and water and this was only a ministration in order to one more spiritual was to decrease as the other did increase The Baptism of the Spirit or fire was to lick up this of water as in that figure of the sacrifice performed by Eliiah the Prophet when the fire came down and suckt up all the four barrels of water
Prophets even partakers of all his offices in Spirit he being the spiritual head of all his who are the spiritual body his Church The Christian under Episcopacy Prelacy Presbytery Baptism Independency c. THe whole world was divided into Jew and Gentile the Jew was that only visible Church of God to whom pertained the glory and the adoption and the Covenants and yet this Jewish Church was exceedingly faln from its glory and purity both of Priesthood and Worship and Administrations when Christ came So as now the Prophesy seemed to be fulfilled they were now without a King and without a Priest and without a Sacrifice and an Ephod and a Seraphim and were corrupted with many traditions and doctrines of men teaching for doctrines the traditions of men Thus was the Jew and their Church The Gentile had changed the truth of God into a lye and had worshiped the creature more then the Creator and had changed the glory of the incorruptible God and were given up to a reprobate mind and were therefore called sinners of the Gentiles alienated from the life of God strangers to the Covenants of Promise thus were the Gentiles full of Idols and Idol-temples sacrificing to devils and that way of the knowledg of God which was both in the law written in their hearts accusing or excusing and in the whole Creation where the eternal Power and Godhead was clearly seen even in the things that did appear even that way of the knowledg of God in them was darkned and they became vain in their imagination and their foolish hearts were darkned Now when Jew and Gentile were both thus yet God had his people amongst both amongst the Jew where Zacharias the Priest Elizabeth and Mary and Joseph and Simeon and Nicodemus a Ruler of the Pharises and Joseph of Arimathea with many such were like so many Starrs in a dark night Among the Gentile there was a Iob a Queen of Sheba a woman of Canaan the wise men that came to Ierusalem the Greeks that came to see Iesus Cornelius the Centurion so as in every Nation he that serveth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him and God is no accepter of persons When Iohn came who was a burning and a shining light he preached to and baptized all Iudea who went out to the Baptism of Iohn and taught his Disciples by formes of Prayer and such rudiments to their weakness and God had his people here that were under no more knowledge of Christ not higher revelation then this washing to Repentance and to him that should come after him and this low way of communion with God in forms or rules of Prayer given out by Iohn for so John taught Disciples When Christ came preaching the Gospel of the kingdom and teaching in Parables and Mysteries he had a People and Disciples who knew little of his sufferings that he should dye and rise again as Peter and the rest and knew little of that glorious doctrine and truth which he spake and preached to them till he took them alone and expounded to them those Mysteries and his Disciples were under a form and rule of Prayer as Iohns were Lord teach us to pray as Iohn taught his Disciples They saw little more of him then his fleshly presence and miracles they loved him and clave to him and followed him but had very few discoveries of him in Spirit except some few of them Iames and Peter and Iohn before whom he was transfigured in the Mount which was but figurative and typical of a more spiritual revelation And when the Spirit of Christ was come and the Apostles were sent forth in clearer evidences and demonstrations of Truth then some were under Iohns Baptism and knew not of any Holy Ghost some were under the law and zealous of the Law and Circumcision some regarded a day some eat herbs some were eating such things as were sacrificed to Idols So as here Gods people were found some in a corrupted Church as that of the Jews some under false worship and traditions some under Legall rites under formes or rules of prayer some under Johns Baptism under bondage of dayes and times and other outward things under the ignorance of Christs death and resurrection and of the holy Ghost So as all these things considered there will spring these Conclusions That the Nations commonly called Christians who are under the account of others as fals in their Church-constitution worship forms and order yet these things are not exclusive to the true Christian in Spirit or one born of God but in these commonly called Christians though under Episcopacy or Prelacy or Presbytery yet there may be such as have the true seed of God in them partakers of Jesus Christ true Disciples of Iesus Christ respectively to regeneration or the new birth if they wait in the encreasings of Christ and revelation of righteousnes from faith to faith That there are true and spiritual Disciples of Iesus Christ under forms of Prayer who have little more communion with God then in those formes as of Common-Prayer Book-prayers outward rules of worship so as they wait in these to come up into higher revelations of Spirit when discovered to them That there are such who are Christians anointed by the Spirit of God under observations of days times meats drinks several opinions of Christ of the Holy Ghost of the resurrection of Church order of Baptism of Water which is Iohns Baptism called Anabaptists so as they all in these several measures pass on from faith to faith and glory to glory The Christian in truth THat which forms essentiates or constitutes the true Christian is the Spirit of Jesus Christ that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit so as a man is a Christian from birth as he is born a man so he is born a Christian both are from birth and seed the one of flesh the other of Spirit The Christian is one who is of the second Adam as all men are of the first and the second man is the quickning spirit the Lord from heaven and so are they that are heavenly The Christian is one in whom Christ is formed or figured as the Greek word implies one that bears the image of the heavenly man who is the Image of Iesus Christ as Jesus Christ is the Image of the invisible God The Christian is one who hath the incorruptible seed in him or the word which liveth and abideth for ever which word is the Lord Jesus Christ who quickens the Saint and is the life of the Saint you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins The Christian is one who is in fellowship and conformity with Jesus Christ in his crucifyings death and resurrection in whom the flesh and life of the flesh must dye as it did in him and the Christian as Christ did must live in Spirit to God The Christian is one who is the new creature or new man for
he that sits upon the Throne in his Spirit saith behold I make all things all new old things in him as corruptions and lusts do pass away The Ministry that hath been since Antichrist or the mystery of iniquity reigned without or in the worship of God in all Societies of Christians called Churches whether in Presbytery Independency or Baptism is not the same with that first Ministry of the Gospel in pure gifts and is no other then the witnesses in sackcloth THe Lord Jesus ascendedup on high out of flesh into Spirit and gavegifts unto men he gave some Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors some Teachers In this administration of gifts the mystery of Iesus Christ or the Gospel was revealed and carryed on till the time Prophesied on by the Spirit of God wherein the mystery of iniquity should prevail and the falling away should be and the man of sin should be revealed and perillous times should come and this mystery of iniquity did so darken and overcast all this administration of the Gospel in gifts and ordinances or outward administrations as there was a visible Apostacy respectively to those very pure gifts of the Spirit and pure administrations respectively to the first institution and this is no more then the experience of our own age and the times before so far as any History can make apparent doth clearly demonstrate so as that administration of Spirit or Ordinances which hath been in several times since the first pure Gospel-day or time wherein the Spirit did minister in truth and demonstration hath been but in some faint and smal discoveries of the Spirit and Letter as in those of Huss Luther Wickcliff Calvin Peter Martyr and Bede with all the rest of our many Martyrs in the kingdom who were glorious lights respectively to the darkness of that generation yet if compared with the pure glory of the first Gospel-administration in gifts and ordinances were far below and in darkness and weakness to that so as I look upon all Gods ways of the administration of his Gospel to hold some proportion one with another the Tabernacle and Temple and Laws of outward administration were such ways and means God did appear in and so in the Priests and Prophets God at sundry times and in divers manners speaking to our fathers and afterward God took up our very flesh to administer in and so came and spoke to us by his Son and after all these the Lord went out from these after his usage of them and appearance in them and then they were no more an ordinance or way to God as they formerly were nor did ever the Lord enjoyn the restitution or reassuming of them again when the Temple was once rent the vail of it the Lord was no more in it nor in their Priesthood and Sacrifices c. nor when once the Lord Iesus had ended his administration in the flesh upon the Cross did he ever restore it in that very way again or intend it according to that first appearance but in a more glorified state And so in all reformations respectively to these former administrations they never returned back or reassumed the same again after once God had refused it and laid it by When Christ came in the flesh he did not make it his work to settle the Priesthood again but to lead them into the spirituall glory and fulfilling of all those legal dispensations and carry them on into more Gospel-administrations and that which was more excellent and perfect So it is in that first Gospel-administration of gifts and ordinances after Christ ascended there were such pure operations of Spirit as in gifts and some outward institutions and Church-administrations but these were only the Ministration for that age as the Tabernacle was for its age and the Temple Priesthood and Sacrifices for their age and the flesh of Christ for its age or time so as the falling away is no more but the Lord gathering up or taking in the out-goings operations or gifts of his Spirit in such a way of ministration and till this was done there was a withholding of the mystery of iniquity from being revealed therefore saith the Apostle to the Saints Ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time and he who letteth will let till he be taken out of the way and truly that mystery did not work freely nor powerfully till the Lord had removed the glory of his Spirit from the Churches the presence of which did exceedingly prevent and withhold and put an hinderance to the revelation and dominion of that man of sin And the Spirit of God foreseeing God about to leave this ministration of Gospel-glory to the world and bring a night upon all that day and brightness of his Son prophesied of the times to come and to succeed that glory viz in the last dayes perillous times shal come men shal be lovers of themselves covetous proud boasters c despisers of those that are good high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the Power thereof But there were false Prophets among the People even as there shal be false Teachers amongst you who privily shal bring in damnable Heresies c. and many shal follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth shal he evil spoken off and through covetousness shal they make merchandize of you Beloved remember ye thewords which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ how that they told you there should be mockers in the last times these be they Seperating themselveshaving not the Spirit Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist should come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time So as from all these places of the Apostles we may see their Prophesies of the Antichristian times which are the times of the flesh and of the Spirit of iniquity raigning amongst the Saints or in the Christian world the Lord of Glory Iesus Christ in Spirit being all this time crucified in Spirituall Sodome Aegipt or Babylon which is the Kingdom of the Flesh and the Powers of Darkness and this is the State and condition of the Church of Christ or those who are the Spiritual vessells or Golden cups of the Lords Temple and carried away captive and live under the Power of Flesh and of Spirituall wickednesses So as all the time of the raign and Preuailing of this mystery which mystery is in a threefold Principallity or eminency viz. of the beast the false Prophet the devil all which three work as well without unto the world as within in the flesh of every Saint all the time of this raign or prevailing is not a time of any restitution or restauration of the first ministry or gifts or ordinances as was in the Apostles times but is the
Moses it being first delivered or preached by the Ministry of Angels or dispensation of Angels the Lord Jesus himself and the Apostles were clearer and more spiritual Ministers of it The Law as it is in letter and in the Ministry of Moses and the Prophets and Christ c. is a witness and image to the more excellent Law that of the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ The Law in meer letter and legal ministry works bondage and brings forth the spirit of bondage in those who are under the Law working convictions and testimonies of good and evil whereby the law of nature is awakened and strengthned to accuse sinful flesh The Law as it is a figure or shadow or image of Spirit or spiritual righteousness may be a Ministry of preparation or witness as John was prepare ye the way and the Baptism of water to an outward purification or washing as the letter or Ministry of the Law is and this is a Ministry of Gods first appearance to a sinner Men may work very high as to God and duties and works by the Ministry of the law or letter without and the law within and the letter of Scriptures interpreted by no higher a light then that of the law and yet all such righteousness is but to bondage compared with the higher law or Spirit of life The Law curâ—eth all unrighteousnessas to the fleshor man sinning and it is thatstanding condemnation offlesh or sin the Law was revealed because of transgression and cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law All the repentance and reformation which the Law or meer ministry of the letter works is not spiritual but legal and yet if in order to a more spiritual or to Christ in Spirit it is of the nature of Johns Ministry a preparatory and figure of more glory and truth in substance The spiritual man who lives in the Spirit is not under the meer law of the letter but it is according to its spirituality the principle and spirituall life of him so as such are not under the Law but under Grace and not in bondage and feare but love perfect love casting out feare They that are true spirituall comprehensive Christians know in what order and subserviency to place the law as it is in a ministery of letter when as the Infant Christian in the first discovery of Christ or Free Grace looks upon all Ministrations below him as legall and so is carried out to oppose them too disorderly A Discovery of duties and works SOme say that duties and works are fruits of faith and of the habits of grace in us and are the conformity of a Christian to the Commandments and Laws of God revealed in Scriptures and that duties are to be done because commanded and that they are such ways and means as God hath appointed a Christian to walk in to salvation and that according as these are performed more or less strictly a Christian ought to judge himself or approve himself and that Christians are to wait upon God in duties for the Spirit and for all other discoveries of himself thus the Protestant in general Others say that the duties and works of a Christian flow from the Spirit of God of love and of adoption else they are but the performances and obedience of servants not of sons and such as are born of God That the meer Commandments or letter of Scripture is not a law to a Christian why he should walk in duties but the law written in our hearts the law of life and this is the difference of duties and performances under the meer Old-Testament-dispensation and the New or pure Gospel or new Covenant the one or that of Moses was a Ministery from without that of Christ from within and that duties in the letter are but Images and figures of what the spirituall man doth act from that life of Christ in him not as things commanded him nor in relation to heaven and hell because such obedience and actings are of service and acted as first from without and mercenary or of price and for salvation A Discovery of outward Ordinances SOme say outward Ordinances are Commands of Christ and therefore to be done because they are Commands and that they are sanctified by God and his Spirit and that we are to waite on God in the use of means and that spirituall things are conveighed by Ordinances into the souls of men thus says the Protestant generally Others say That outward Ordinances as in the letter are the Old Testament Ministration or a Legal ministration of Johns ministry or Christ under the Law or in flesh and that such Ordinances as the Lord Jesus commanded while he was in the Ministery of the Law made under the Law a minister of circumcision and not commands of Christ as in meer glory and spirit nor a ministration of his as in that more excellent condition and the not distinguishing Christ as in flesh and so teaching and commanding and as in Spirit and so ministring in pure spiritual light and glory is the reason of all such legal doctrine and use of ordinances in bondage as is this day in the letter Other of Baptism c. or Church-fellowship c. That the new Covenant or God revealed in his and teaching his is not by any outward way or ministry or means but by the inward or unction and anointing ye are all taught of God no man shal teach his neighbor or brother any more saying know the Lord and all conference and discoveries in letter or speech is but meer witnessing to the Lord and the discoveries of God of what we are taught not any ministry as formerly for teaching No outward ordinance or ministration of the creature or of letter can convey or confer or bring in pure spiritual things there is a great mistake in that and they are but signs and shadows of spiritual things and they are to the Spirit in the New Testament as the shadows of the Old were to the flesh of Christ figures and perishing things and to be fulfilled in Spirit and in the coming of Spirit They are that which are called the beholding God as in a glass the seeing darkly and in part the heavens and earth which are to be rolled up as a garment A discovery of the Jews and their conversion SOme say they are those who are of the seed of Abraham and have Abraham to their Father and are Jews by fleshly birth and such as live yet in the Old Testament Laws and Priviledges as circumcision and have the vail upon their hearts un-taken away opposing Christ come in the flesh and expecting the Messiah yet in a more carnall glory they shall be converted and called in before the coming of Christ in Judgement Others say That the Jews were but a figure
of the children of the bondwoman and of the Christians under the Apostacy or in meer letter and corrupted forms of worship and as the Jew was reckoned before to be the people of meer Ordinances and of the worship of God according to the letter of Scriptures to whom the Oracles of God were committed and to whom pertained c. so the Christians generally who are now the people of the New Testament as to letter and of all the worship according to the scriptures in the letter are that Jew under the new Testament answering to the Jew under the old there being two seeds according to the flesh and according to promise though they by promise or faith are counted for the seed The calling of the Jews is the bringing up the Christians from letter to Spirit and according to this mystery the Jews shal be called and converted dayly and are for in the whole Nations of Christians as of Italy Germany Poland Denmark Spain France Scotland England c. the Lord shal call in many by his own Spirit into himself and shal be revealed in them in power not in form That the Jews who are by nature Jews or according to fleshly generation shal be no otherwise called but as the other Jew of which they are a figure and thus they interpret the call of the Iews and not in any such outward observation as men commonly suppose not remembring that the kingdom of God comes not with observation as to the world and that the day of the Lord shal come as a snare upon all the earth All false worships ways practised in Conscience or in Liberty will be destroyed in Christ's day GOD hath a time before Christ come in Spirit as he had before Christ came in the flesh a time wherein he suffered long and was patient and was revealed to his people though dwelling in much Gentilism Judaism and ignorance and therefore Gods appearance or communion with his people from the time of the falling away or of the man of sin being revealed hath bin in grace and long suffering and hath patiently born his being crucified in spirituall Sodome or Egypt and therefore he hath been with his people under Popery under Episcopacy and is at this day not in approbation of their forme but in his own meer love grace and long-suffering and is at this day accordingly with the people in Independency Presbytery Baptism c. and all other male-administrations The Lord Jesus hath a day and time to be revealed in which is his coming in the Saints when he will judge the World and then shall Antichrist be consumed and the flesh of the whore or Babylon in all her administrations shall be tormented and burnt with fire and not a little one of Babylon shall be spared but dashed against the stones not the purest Idols she hath even Idols of gold and silver with all her merchandise pearls and pretious stones and cynamons and odours and frankincense all things of false worship c. and administration though very sweet and pretious in the judgement of flesh and blood and then shal all the saints Indulgencies cease to all these things under which they are now walking some in Conscience some in Liberty even then when Gods indulgency ceases A discovery of Christ in us SOme say it is no other but habits of grace in us and such a work of sanctification mortification wrought by the graces of the Spirit and this they say is Christ formed in us the image of Christ the conformity to Christ this the Protestant generally Others say Christ in us is when we are made the anointed of God which is the Christ or the whole entire Christ as one spiritual new man And that the image of Christ in us is Christ manifested in our flesh as to sufferings and death whereby the flesh is crucified in the power of God and of the Spirit and the outward man or the Flesh is dying and perishing even day by day and is then dead when the very life of the Flesh is slain and we live no more unto our selves but God or Christ liveth in us it being no more we that live and manifested as in resurrection or in the life of the Spirit wherein we who were dead in sins and trespasses are risen with Christ who is the resurrection and the life I am the resurrection and the life The Fiery Tryall THere is a State and condition of Christians scarce known and it is the fiery Tryall or that power of God put forth upon the administrations that Christians are under and so passing out of them into higher discoveries of God and the fiery tryall is the Spirit of God burning up or destroying such an administration to a Christian as when a Christian passes from a meer legall state into a state lesse legall or more Gospell receiving some more precious and sweet appearances of God in Grace and free promises in this passage there is a Fiery Tryall upon that first Administration that was Legall whereby mans own righteousness is consumed and crucified to a more excellent discovery of God and even in that more Gospel-State of a Christian whereby he enjoyes God in that ministration of graces gifts and Ordinances there will be a fiery Tryall in a Christians passage into more glorious manifestations of God and there will be a burning and torment even in that ministration of his graces and gifts c. And this State is Prophesied of in that Scripture the sun shall be turned into darkness the moon into blood before that great and notable day that is not only the Lord Iesus the Sun as some say wil be as darkness to the world c. but all that which was the glory and light of a Christian and his way of communion with God his Sun and Moon and Stars shal be darkned and become as blood before that notable day or that more excellent revelation of God and that of Peter but the day of the Lord will come c. in the which the heavens shal pass away with a great noise and the elements shal melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up which is not only a Prophecy of the last judgment but of the particular judgment upon former administrations in a Christian which is figured out in the heavens and earth and elements which are those more or less glorious administrations and the fire is that trial by the Spirit of God which as fire burns and destroys This is accordingly figured out in that to the Corinthians The fire shal try every mans work of what sort it is If any mans work shal be burnt he shal suffer loss which work is those several administrations of gold silver pretious stones wood hay stubble which pass under the revelation of the day or glory of Christ or fire of the spirit This is
further revealed in Revelations 2. 9. I know thy works and tribulation and poverty c. and ye shall have tribulation for ten dayes this was written to the Church of Smyrna or to all Christians under the figure of that Church which was tribulation prison or bondage and poverty that is while Christians are in their former administrations as in bondage prison poverty looking at all they have as nothing and all former things they were rich in as nothing and now as bondage to a more excellent enjoyment of God This is likewise in the mystery of it the cross of Christ or the fellowship of Christs sufferings crucifyings and death for as Christ crucified all that glorious administration in which he was in the flesh and it all died to a more glorious life even the glory of God the father so every Christian is to take up this cross and to bring his highest and choycest administration to this cross and to have them all crucified to higher discoveries of God this is the knowledge of Christ Crucified or self-denial Many Christians who are sadded darkned in much tribulation as to the administrations they are under and take them for desertions and withdrawings of God when as they are the presence of God upon such administrations making them dark and wither and consume and the bringing in of a richer and fuller glory God in heaven or in a place of distance as to our infirmity MAny Christians in theirconceptions of God andprayings or addresses to Godconsider him as in a local glory and so change theglory of the incorruptibleGod into an image made like to corruptible man God is infinite and all in all and whither shal I go saith the Psalmist from thy spirit or whither shal I fly from thy presence and where is the place of his rest And say not in thy heart who shal ascend into heaven to bring Christ down from above The word is nigh even in thy heart the word saith the Apostle that we preach which word was Christ the eternal Word which was with God and was God And thus the Lord is said to be at hand the Lord is at hand The spiritual Christian knows that all figures of place as of Gods residence as heaven and all such discoveries of God as to place or distance are only as to man and to the infirmities of man and therefore prays not and speaks not to God nor of God as to Place or distance but as if he were in him and about him his right hand embracing him and his left hand under him and in such discovery of God as he hath by faith c. or any such graces and other administrations he worships not God nor considers God as that or that discovery because then he should worship something for God which is not God and as Iohn fall down at the feet of the Angel or some glorious ministration and worship there The carnall and weak christian worships prayes c. and thinks of God as to form figure and place and distance and discoveries of him by graces gifts c. Whereas God is only to be enjoyed in those as in a glass darkly for we have not seen his shape nor heard his voice The Spirituall Sabboth THis Mystery of God was held forth first in the Creation in that of the seventh day which God was said to sanctifie which was no other then the enjoyment of God in the Revelation of himself who is perfect rest and sabboth in his own glory the six dayes being accordingly a figure of the Christian in bondage or under active and working administrations as those of the Law and Gospel are as all forms of worship duties graces prayer Ordinances c. This Sabboth was a sign to the people of God in bondage or under the law and the Lord Jesus in his Active and fulfilling Administration while he was in the flesh was the Antitipe of the six dayes and his entring into glory was that very Sabboth and rest which was the bosome of the Father from whence he came and where he returned and this is the scope of that fourth chap. to the Hebrews and the bosome of the Father is that Sabboth or Rest there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God and he that hath entred into his rest hath ceased from his works as God did from his that is the Lord Jesus having fulfilled his dayes work as to the law entred into his glory or rest so Christ in that held forth the true Christian Sabboth which was the father as Philip shew us the Father and it sufficeth us there is fulness rest sabboth and sufficiency in the Father or Revelation of God in the Christian So as the Spirituall Christian in the true discovery of God his fulness lives in an eternall every-day sabboth while some live in little more than the bare sign or one day in the week The Gospel as in its own glory and as in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament THe Gospel is everlasting for it is the tydings and Revelation of God in love grace or mercy to his or God manifested in flesh or making his Tabernacle with men This Gospel which is no other then the mystery of Salvation revealed or declared in Spirit to men is cloathed in several administrations as that of the Old Testament and the New the Scriptures of both being the Revelation of heavenly things by earthly or created things or by naturall forms and expressions so as the letter is a parable figure or allegory by which spirituall things are spoken and brought forth amongst men they are they which testifie of Christ hitherto I have spoken to you in Proverbs c. The Scriptures or writings of the everlasting Gospel are the true scriptures as they are the very Image and letter of the mystery of Salvation or of Spiritual things or the mind of God or as they are in that pure and spiritual Order and form of words to truth its self not as they are meerly in their grammaticall construction and sense or common reading which any that understand the Hebrew or Greek may receive and therefore the Scriptures according to such or such interpretations consequences of men are not to be imposed as meer things of faith and fundamentals but so far as the spirit of God reveals them to be that very truth and minde of God in those who receive them else they are received and acknowledged for the Authority and reputation of men not of God therefore Christ told the Pharisees they erred not knowing the Scriptures and yet they had the Scriptures and read them and understood them in the letter but not in the Spirit The Gospel being thus distinguished into the spiritual nature of it and into the administration with which it is cloathed nothing is pure spirituall divine Gospell but that which is light life glory spirit or God revealed whatsoever is of meer
letter form Ordinance is of the administration or Gospel-cloathing and appearance as to men and as in the flesh things that are seen are temporal things that are not seen are eternal So as that distinction used concerning Ordinances when they are called Gospel-Ordinances Gospel-Commandments in contradistinction to the legal Ordinances is a great mistake and an advancing and Exalting outward things into spirituall and putting an Image of Christ and divinity upon them which they will not bear in such an opposition or contradistinction to the Ordinances under the law for al the Ordinances under the law or of the Old Testament were Gospell Ordinances or Ordinances holding forth Christ and figuring Christ and so the Ordinances of the New Testament and are all alike letter outward and visible and of things that perish with using which was the nature of the Administrations of the Law and therefore saith the Apostle they did all eate the same spirituall meat and they did all drink the same spiritual drink and they drank of that rock that followed them and that rock was Christ that is the Ordinances of the Law or Old Testament were as much spiritual as those of the New Testament that is such things as signified Christ in the flesh which those of the New Testament as Baptisme and the last Supper but he concludes be not ye Idolaters as were some of them they sate down to eate and drink and rose up to play that is they did Idolize those outward administrations as their manna water out of the rock and passeover which they eate and drank and rose up to play that is lived in the meer refreshments of such formal participations and communion with meere outward things and Ordinances and were cheared and contented with such created enjoyments of God thus they rose up to play after their Idolatry with those Administrations as many weak Christians now who having sate down to eate and drink in the Administrations of the New Testament as these in the Old rise up to play go away sed up with created refreshments rather than spirituall manifestations of God Assurance of Salvation THe pure spirituall and glorious assurance of salvation comes from the knowledge of God or the pure manifestation of the Spirit of God bearing witness and giving testimony that we are the children of God this is pure spirituall assurance this is called the white stone with a new name written which none know but those that have it this is the unction whereby we know all things this is that Spirit by which we know things freely given to us of God So as all Demonstrations of Salvation which are made to the soul by any rationall perswasive or Argumentative way and not in the meer evidence of the pure light or spirit of God is but moral or humane and traditional and will fail and all applications of Gospel promises and all Conclusions from the meer letter of Scriptures which are not the pure image or Figure without answering the very evidence demonstration of Spirit and of God within is but a literall and formal assurance and will fail All counterfeit or resembled testimonies either by sathan who can transform himself into an Angell of Light or by the meer perswasion of Nature or the carnall conscience whereby Nature doth willingly deceive and flatter perswade its self being usually unwilling to perish and beleeve its own destruction will fail But there are many waies of assurance of Salvation though more dim and faint besides that more inward and purely spirituall and that meerly of God which is enjoyed very rarely and I know not by whom excepting those only to whom the Kingdome of God is revealed in spirit and God is seen face to face and first assurance is wrought by the knowledge of God according to such enjoyment as the soul is under in its Administration to God as First there are these waies of knowing God 1. By reason or the meer light of nature and works of this creation and here there is a law accusing and excusing as the Apostle saith and how God is revealed in this as to salvation in al those Nations where the Gospel is not heard as in its outward letter and Administration or elsewhere and how far God may administer Christ in this as formerly to Job and Cornelius I dare not judg nor condemn nor conclude but sure there is no Salvation out of Christ and how far God may use this light of nature or reason to administer Christ in as he makes use of others more low and visible administrations not so excellent I know not 2 There is a knowledge of God by graces and gifts or fruits of the Spirit as faith love self-deniall repentance c. and by the letter or promises outward Ordinances and Duties and as Gods manifestation is in these so is the assurance of salvation through these and such assurance is of no higher and clearer and more glorious certainty then God through these doth afford that is as the Apostle saith darkly as in a glass and as these are shadowed and clouded so is the assurance and that is the reason why so many are cast down and afflicted as to this thing of assurance and pine and consume because the testimonies of their Salvation are no brighter nor clearer then such Administration will admit and here they are to waite The reason why assurances of salvation are no more glorious nor pure are because the spiritual Church or Saints are in Babylon in the flesh compassed about with the mystery of iniquity and of Antichrist in our selves and enjoy not God in that sweet and pure vision as they shal do when they return to Jerusalem the new Jerusalem the City of the living God They that speak of the assurances in pure revelation of Spirit not comprehending al the several administrations measures wherein God appears to his do much mistake and it will appear from that knowledge of God which is amongst men in all its severall dispensations as here follows The knowledg of God according to the various dispensations of himself GOd is known in the light of nature or reason and works of this creation the eternal power and God-head being seen by things that do appear and man being made after the Image of God and having a law within him accusing or excusing 2. By the meer letter or scriptures and light of nature or reason which is a rational dispensation heightned from such Images and appearances of God as it meets with there or in letter 3. By outward Ordinances or signs and Images and things that do appear and thus God is seen still as in the creation or increated things 4. By the ministery of Angels or a more high and Seraphical though still creature-ministrations of God 5. By graces or appearances of the Spirit as faith repentance love self-denial humility c. which was the ministration of the first Gospel-times under the Old
plainly and clearly in the letter not so much in spirit as the letter of the New Testament And therefore the Magistracie now having no such special reference to a Church-Politiâ— nor any such Ministery infallibly directive joyned to them cannot proceed so to reform nor compel nor punish 3. The Magistrates under the New Testament are Ministers as to good and evil not as to Truth and Heresie and this good and evil is such good and evil as falls under the Law of their cognizance that is the Law of Nature by which they make Laws and judge the breach of them which Law of Nature or right Reason is the Law or principle for administration of Justice and Righteousnesse in all Societies of Men and Nations And thus the Magistrate bears not the sword in vain But this is not as to Heresie and Schism of which the higher Law is judge viz. the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ not the Law of Nature or this Creation 4. In that Prophecie Kings shall be thy fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers is not in its own Scripture or any other interpreted to be any other thing then the indulgency and favour of States and Kingdoms to the people of God which is far from bearing witnesse to any destructivenesse or persecution of them 5. That Peter smote Ananias and his wife Sapphira with death for lying is onely a witnesse of Gods power and holinesse put forth in an act of Miracle upon the sin of Hypocrisie for convincing unbelievers and confirming believers and is no way exemplary to any Magistrate being a power by miracle or by an extraordinary act and Magistracie in its administration is ordinary and it was in an Apostle not a Magistrate by a spiritual not a carnal weapon 6. Pauls wishing that such were cut off that troubled them holds forth no other cutting off then by Church-censure or Excommunication which was a visible dividing them from that visibly spiritual body the Church called a delivering up to Sathan c. 7. The Church of Thyatira was reproved for suffering Jezebel to teach and to seduce but this is not the Magistracie of Thyatira which was to forbid her teaching by punishment but the Angel or Ministery of that Church as all agree who was rebuked because they or he put not forth that spiritual power they had of Admonition Rejection Excommunication 8. The father and mother of him that begat the false Prophet and was to thrust him thorow that prophesied lyes in the name of the Lord was a Prophesie respectively to the Law of the Jews which was amongst them against false Prophets and had a true Priesthood and infallible Prophets with a special Law to try them by and condemn them And more spiritually was this By the false Prophet is meant the spirit of Antichrist by the father and mother that begat him they who made him a Prophet or begat cried him up into the reputation of a Prophet and then thrusting him thorow for the lyes he prophesied is their spiritual smiting that Antichristian working with the Sword of the Spirit through some new enlightnings from God received or brightnesse of Christs glory which shall stay and kill all appearances deceiveablenes of the man of sin or false Prophet and not suffer him to live 9. That there will be no settlement of Peace Order or Truth in the Church if the Magistrates do not punish for Heresie is upon mistaken false grounds supposing three things which are not First that the Church-politie of the Jews by Magistrate and Priesthood is to be used by Christians which is not it being fulfilled in Christ the true King and Priest and Christians having no such infallible Priesthood to joyn to Magistracie Secondly that Civil power can establish any thing of an higher glory law and principle then it self as all spiritual truths and discoveries of Jesus Christ are Thirdly the mistake of true spiritual settlement peace order and truth which receive all their being propagation and establishment from the Spirit of God and the Scriptures and such spiritual Laws as God hath revealed for ordering the outward man of the Christian by respectively to the Society or fellowship of other Christians called Church-censures c. Christians being under a twofold Politie that of the Kingdome of Christ as Christians that of the Kingdom of this world as men or such as are subject to the Laws of civil Government And likewise supposing all peace and order to be grounded upon Uniformity not upon Unity of spirit and preservation of the civil Peace of the State 10. That States and Kingdoms do to this day practise punishing Heresie by the power of Magistrates and that Councels and Synods do allow it all such practice of what States soever in this kinde doth shew onely what they do not what they ought to do And the kingdoms of the world are prophesied on to give their Kingdoms and strength from themselves to the false Church And for Councels and Synods they are such as have erred in other things and why not in this it being their great Interest to establish themselves c. by the Magistrates power Whatsoever is not of faith is sin So as all who are compelled in things of Worship to do any thing of which they are not perswaded do sin Gospel-sins or sins against an higher law or light then that of Nature and Reason which is the onely sphere for Civil Government to move in is to be judged and punished by a law and light proportionable and more spiritual then any power of Magistracy as the Spirit of God going out in Gospel-Judgement Admonition Rejection Excommunication c. The danger and hazard of Persecution of the members of Christ which is a sin bringing much judgement because judged and punished by such a light and law viz. by Synods and Councels of men who are not infallible in their decrees and judgements of truth and heresie By force and compulsion men who are weak in the faith are made hypocrites in their outward man conforming to the laws of men in fear and bondage All such power of compulsion in States and Kingdoms principled with any light and liberty except Spain France c. shall destroy the true Interests of all such States and Kingdoms oppressing all Societies and fellowships of men as to spiritual things though never so peaceably affected as men and subjects A Mystery OR The Christian following the appearances of God thorow all created things THat which is the pure spiritual comprehensive principle of a Christian is this That all outward administrations whether as to Religion or to natural civil and moral things are onely the visible appearances of God as to the world or in this creation or the clothing of God being such forms and dispensations as God puts on amongst men to appear to them in this is the garment the Son of God was clothed with
down to the feet or to his lowest appearance And God doth not fix himself upon any one form or outward dispensation but at his own will and pleasure comes forth in such and such an administration and goes out of it and leaves it and takes up another And this is clear in all Gods proceedings with the world both in the Jewish Church and State and Christians now And when God is gone out hath left such or such an administration of what kinde soever it is be it religious moral or civil such an administration is a desolate house a temple whose vail is rent a sun whose light is darkened and to worship it then is to worship an Idol an Image a form without God or any manifestation of God in it save to him who as Paul saith knows an Idoll to be nothing The pure spiritual comprehensive Christian is one who grows up with God from administration to administration and so walks with God in all his removes and spiritual encreasings and flowings and such are weak and in the flesh who tarry behinde worshipping that form or administration out of which God is departed A Postscript to Master GATAKER Authour of a Book called Shadows without Substance writ against me SIR THe Reasons why I did not answer you were these I mean your last Book called Shadows without Substance c. I found that Replies and Rejoynders did exceedingly confound and perplex the plainnesse and simplicity and glory of Truth and had much of self and passion and recrimination which I am confident the Lord will shew you in much of what you have writ For I am assured that God will reveal and convince you powerfully and mightily in many passages which your self writ and not the Spirit of God Lay your hand upon your heart and consider sadly if the advantage of the times the glory of reputation the passion of man in you and the multitude of yeers and fame of learning not willing to be convinced by days or months did not write most of your last Book What you wrote in the sincerity of Spirit and in that measure of Truth you received I rejoyce in and what you wrote in the artifice of your parts your wit and your other humane advantages or devices of flesh and blood whereby you laid on colours to make your own Arguments fair and comely to a man judging no higher then Reason or in your own measure of Truth and whereby you laid on your darker and more shadowish stuff upon me your adversary rendering me to the Reader both in your Title-page and thorowout your Book as one that denied the Apostles Doctrine and Christ's because I denied your conclusions and deductions to be that very Doctrine and the minde of those very Scriptures of Christ and the Apostles This I say must passe under the fiery trial and you must suffer losse so as by fire Surely to deny what Master Gataker or some Synods of men say is not to deny what Christ and the Apostles say unlesse the Spirit of God reveal in them one and the same Truth and that they all speak by one and the same Spirit in one and the same language Nor did I see that you in all your Writings had done any thing against the truth declared by me but had onely defended your self and your own measure of truth with rejection and reproaches of mine and all this in the form onely of argumentation and confutation not in the power so as I did rest without replying knowing that the substance of what truth I had writ was as I had received then and would abide because he who is the patern of all truth Jesus Christ abides the same yesterday and to day and for ever And for any expressions of mine or form of words which may make truth appear to some not one and the same I onely can as yet speak truth in the language given me when I can speak more tongues or the languages of several Christians of which the gifts of tongues were a signe then I you shall be better understood by our selves others Sir I have spoken one particular more clearly which you some others spake on in my Book And thus I take my leave of you desiring to love any appearance of God in you and to forgive any infirmities in you which are of man as I desire my self to be loved or forgiven of others And truely I do not expound that of contending earnestly for the Truth to be in reproaches and passions in Replies and Rejoynders and many Books but in Spirit and spiritual affection and pure manifestation of the same Truth SIR Your friend JOHN SALTMARSH A pretended Heresie THat which is pretended or at least believed by some to be Heresie in my Book of Grace is this which I desire to explain more fully that it may appear more clearly to be Truth That Christ hath believed perfectly repented perfectly mortified sin perfectly for us First That Christ hath done all for us is truth he hath fulfilled all righteousnes both that righteousnesse which is of the Law and that which is of the Gospel in graces c. and upon this account he is made unto us righteousnesse c. Secondly Faith Repentance mortification were all in Christ originally primarily as in their nature theirfountain their root or seed and therefore he is said to give repentance to Israel and he is the authour and finisher of our faith and it is called the faith of the Sâ—n of God and of his fulnesse have all we received and grace for grace for everygrace in him a grace inus And to say Christ hath done all these for us first in himself and then in us through himself I hope is such an Heresie as we all believe It may be my want of clearer explanation made it be taken for Heresie which I hope will now be judged more candidly to be a Truth Nor can this That Christ hath all graces and perfection in himself prove that we stand in need of none in us no Faith nor Repentance in us nor mortification of sin in us no more then Pauls Doctrine of Grace and Faith and the Christian to be under Grace destroy the Law or make void Faith or cause men to sin that Grace may abound I never yet denied the Graces and Fruits of the Spirit of God which appear in Faith Repentance new Obedience Mortification of sin as may be seen in all things I have writ It may be I may speak Truth in such a notion or conception or measure of light as I have received it in and not in anothers The Christian as the English or French can onely speak in his own Tongue or Language till the Lord be one and his Name one amongst us and in the mean time let us judge Heresie by the Truth in Scripture and in the Spirit not as it seems to us so or appears so perhaps not for want
doth all to sinners in meer grace that no sin is imputed to sinners but they are pure only by imputation and so no beleevers are punished for sin but from sin and all works of grace in a beleever is because they are saved or pardoned not that they may be saved or pardoned and all they are to do is from love not from bondage or from a meer outward Commandment and the Gospel or grace of God in Christ is free and in free promises and so to be preached to sinners as sinners They commonly called Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists c. hold all points of doctrine as to justification sanctification faith c. the ministry of the word and Sacraments which they call means of salvation all these hold alike with the common Protestant this being the summ of the Articles of the Church of England made by the Bishops and confirmed by Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charls and there hath been uo Reformation further nor any higher attainment in these things then the Bishops made and the Synod in England formerly And all the Reformation that hath been endeavoured hath been only in some outward things as Discipline or Church-government and some outward ordinances of Baptism and the Supper not any purer or more glorious discoveries of God or the Spirit or Jesus Christ or our union with the Spirit or glory as to spiritual things or Christ risen but as to Christ in the flesh or under the law of which these ordinances were a sign A Discovery as to the general point or Christ dying for all THey say the Scriptures hold forth all sinning and Christ dying for all and the promises of Christ generally to all upon condition and exhortations to all to repent beleeve and come to Christ and therefore conclude the Lord Iesus or second man was given from the Father to give a price of redemption for all those who fell in the first man and those they say were all mankind and with Christ a Ministry of reconciliation and graces to all that will not wilfully reject or refuse or put by the offers of grace and salvation so tendered but remain passive and so far as in them lies not oppose the Spirit and means of grace though they acknowledg they can do nothing of themselves to obtain faith or any other work of salvation but all that is meerly of the Spirit of God working in those who are called and upon these general terms of grace they affirm also the election of some which they conclude from that work of God in them who are called of God through the means of grace they not resisting that call or present offer of grace And this they say is the Gospel of salvation preached to all which all may receive if they resist not The last discovery and as some say the highest and most glorious concerning the whole mystery of God to men and this Creation GOD being infinitely one yet in a three-fold manifestation to us of Father Son and Spirit would make out himself in an image in this Creation or nature and therefore he takes to himself one part of it into union to himself according to one way of manifestation called in Scripture light love grace salvation father bridegroom glory and that part of nature which enjoys God in this manifestation of grace or salvation is called the Angels the Saints the Elect the Son the Tabernacle of God the new Jerusalem the Temple the Spouse He takes to himself the other part of the Creation and there he is present but not in this way of grace and light but of another manifestation called law justice wrath everlasting burnings and these are called devils wickedmen flesh which live in God and subsist in him as creatures in their being but not in his grace and glory not in that manifestation of his the light shining in darkness but the darkness comprehending it not This is the mystery God is in as to this Creation and the brighter part of it as to Angels Saints and to the darker part of it as to devils and wicked men and All that God doth here below under the Sun is to preach this in several ways or ministrations as in the appearances of this Creation in light and darkness and in the Scriptures The Scriptures are no other then a way or ministration by letter of this mystery and all the passages there from the first man to the second from the Old Testament to the New with those two very appearances of the two men or Adams were but a ministry or way of God to signifie or figure this mystery and so all the rest we read of as of Cain and Abel Isaac and Ishmael Iacob and Esau Israel and Iudah Saul and David Iudas and the Eleven Christ and Antichrist and thus these set forth and figure this mystery They say Adam was a way by which God preached first to man and was not the first man in whom all stood fel but a way by which this mystery of God was made to appear first to the Creation Adam held forth nature or a part of this Creation in communion with God as to grace and love while he stood and another part of the Creation or nature out of communion with God as to love and grace but in communion or union to God as to law and justice or wrath and thus they interpret those Scriptures of mans first glory and fall less in the very letter and more in the mystery and according to Adam in this two-fold state were all the rest Cain and Abel c. They say that God in the Old Testament preached this mystery though more darkly and in shadows as in the law and sacrifices and in the children of the bond-woman and of the free of Israels walking with God and apostating And that the Gospel or fulness of time of the clearer discovery of this mystery was the Lord Jesus himself or God manifest in the flesh or as in one man a figure of the whole mystery as to grace and love or God in flesh or in his or of God in that other part of his Creation his Church or Saints And all that God did in this single and particular manifestation in flesh as in one man was only a more full clearer excellent and full and spiritual Ministry of the mystery of salvation therefore Christ is called a Minister one sent an Apostle And all that Christ did from his childhood to his crucifying death and cross was a discovery of God by this figure in the whole mystery how God is in all his and how he works and hath his times of law of graces and Gospel of crucifying and offering up all to death through the eternal Spirit which is the blood of the everlasting Covenant or Seal whereby God witnesses to
his people that he is their God and they his people by killing all the strength and life and power of the first Creation and carrying it up into a more excellent and glorious life his own Spirit And so all Christs birth growing submitting to ordinances crucifying death burial resurrection ascention were so many discoveries as to us in the flesh of the whole mystery of God in the Saints made our in these parts and degrees and several ages and conditions to shew how God weakens and brings to nothing the life of nature or of this Creation in which he wil dwel and make his Tabernacle and carry it up into an higher and more excellent life even himself and his own glory So as they say all that is spoken of Christ as in that person that was born of a Virgin who was circumcised baptized crucified dead and buried risen and ascended is spoken in figure of the whole nature into which God enters or is born into the world and so takes our nature along with him through several administrations into glory So as the summ of all is this that the Lord takes our nature or this whole Creation into union with himself and is present with it in two ways of manifestation of grace and salvation of Law and Iustice and thus God is present with the Angels and Saints with Devils and wicked men and Adam and Christ are the two eminent and principal administrations of this mystery and all the rest from Cain and Abel through all the other several persons ordinances and ministries as of Prophets Apostles Antichrist are but divers administrations or discoveries of this and all ordinances gifts and graces of the Spirit are but weaker appearances of this mystery and such ministrations as the Spirit of God administers in our nature till it be glorified in a higher glory when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shal be done away God shal be unto us broad rivers and streams where shal go no ship with sailes nor gally with oars An additional concerning Antichrist and the mystery of iniquity THese Scriptures hold forth a description of Antichrist There shal arise false Christs and false Prophets and shal shew great signes and wonders Except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped So that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God Whose coming is after the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness And as ye have heard that Antichrist shal come even now there are many Antichrists And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth c. And he doth great wonders so that he maketh fire come down from heaven And deceiveth them that dwel on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do And he causeth all both smal and great c. to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads The great whore that sitteth upon many waters I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast full of names of Blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns and the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and upon her head written mystery Babylon the great And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the Saints And every spirit that confesseth not Iesus Christ coming in flesh is that spirit of Antichrist From all the Scriptures and the revelation of the Spirit of God concerning the mystery of iniquity these things wil arise That the mystery of iniquity or Antichrist is a false Christ or false anointed one that is when any other thing but the Lord himself is in the place or office of Christ unto us either our own righteousness as our Priest and Sacrifice or our own wisdom wit or reason as our Prophet and Teacher and Interpreter of spiritual things And this mystery of iniquity or Antichrist is from a falling away first that is from a departure from God and the life and light of God and dependency or subsistence in God that is when man or the spirit of man wil subsist of it self live in its self and be wise of its self and worship of its self and be righteous of its self this is the man of sin or son of perdition or flesh which God wil destroy and this Spirit of Antichrist or man faln thus from God sits in the Temple of God as God that is is in all forms of worship and there lives and raigns and rules the whole man into a fleshly obedience and his coming or appearances are as Sathan that is in spiritual wickedness transforming himself into an Angel of light teaching interpreting revealing the mysteries of God in carnal reason and wisdom by natural parts and arts not in the pure Spirit and anointing of God and so performing all things in order to God and his worship and communion with him by lying signes and wonders and all deceiveableness of unrighteousness for while the spirit of man in its own wisdom and power acts in the pretence of God and to God and in the mighty working and power of Sathan it doth bring forth signes and wonders even things wonderful in the eyes of the natural man and such things as are very signes very images and shadowes of Spirituall things though not the things themselves And the appearances of this man of sin are many and divers therefore called many Antichrists and as this man of sin opposes the Lord Iesus in spirit and light he is called the beast that ascends out of the earth or the lowest part of the Creation the flesh and by the fire or fleshly counterfeitings of the Spirit which he works in the sight of them that dwel on the earth or of those that are in the flesh he deceives And yet such is the power of this beast or this spirit of flesh as it constrains men and compels them and overcomes them wholy to its own power making such in whom it reigns to receive a mark in their hand and foreheads that is to own and profess this fleshly wisdom and actings and to practise and put forth the power of it against Christ in Spirit And this is that whore too for when the spirit of man is departed from God and the life of God it is become an adulteress having left its first love or husband which was the Lord himself and sits upon a beast even upon the flesh a beast of scarlet colour that is bloody and persecuting the precious and spiritual appearances of the Lord Iesus and this is a beast of seven heads and ten horns which heads and horns are but figures of carnal wisdom and power
Testament before Christ came in the flesh and now in the New Testament since his coming and this is said to be as in a glass 6. By Gods own light evenhimself revealed and this is that pure increated divine immediate glory flowingfrom himself or himself FATHER saith Christ glorifie me with thy self or the glory that I had with thee and the glory that thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one as we are one Now let us consider who knows God according to himself or his own light glory None saith God can see me and live so as they that see God do not live they do not live or that thing called themselves doe not live that which is called a mans self is his own reason his wisdome his righteousness his desires or wil his imaginations his affections his lusts now if these live God was never yet seen none can see God live for when any see God it shall be no more they that live but Christ or God that liveth in them now who is there that hath seen God that doth not live in whom nothing of self lives And that we may see how God revealed wil annihilate and bring to nothing all flesh consider the appearances of Angels graces c. How was Daniel smote into astonishment no spirit was left in him how was Isaiah Wo is me I am undone I have seen the Lord how was John when he fell at the Angels feet how have many left the world and worldly contents relations and all other creature comforts as many Anchorites and contemplative souls who are carried no higher then by Angel discoveries Oh! how doth the pure appearance of God pour shame upon all flesh fleshly glory and excellency upon all the visions and dreams that man hath had of God either by pure reason his image or by creature-imagery or outward administration and notion by letter or by graces c. for when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be done away The day of the Lord wil be upon all our Cedars and Oaks and pleasant pictures and Idols of gold and silver even our richest and most spiritual Idolatry and judgment shal be upon all the merchandise of Babylon the pearls and pretious stones the Cinamon and odours and frankincense upon all deceiveableness of unrighteousness and all false worship c. A further discovery of the mystery of Salvation in the Gospel-administration and its own glory THe Gospel-administration wherein the mystery of salvation is first discovered is in the Scriptures of the New Testament held forth in these following particulars 1. In repentance which they say is a sorrow for sin wrought by the Spirit of God and the Law flowing from Christ who gives repentance to Israel and the Spirit of grace which mourns over him c. and is that godly sorrow for sin the new-man grieving over the old 2. In faith which they say is an act of the regenerate soul upon Christ resting and beleeving in him for justification righteousness or as some say a grace from Christ or righteousness 3 In conversion or calling which is the work of the spirit of God turning or sanctifying or perswading the soul of the Christian from his sinfull and unregenerate estate to God in Christ 4. In justification which is Gods pardoning the sins of a beleever or not imputing sins unto him and imputing the righteousness of Christ unto him whereby he stands justified and forgiven and righteous in the sight of God freely and of Gods grace through faith instrumentally which as the hand receives Christ as some say without faith as others say Thus the scripturs in the letter hold forth the first revelation of the mystery of God in such words and expressions as these and such as these are as prayer good works duties ordinances which are very suitable and proportionable to the first appearance of God in us or the mystery of salvation working in its infancy and first creation in the Christian and thus the infirmity of Christians is fitted with a manifestation of the mystery in words and forms and all the Christian Churches of the world generally draw out all their Systemes and models of divinity into articles of faith and Confessions of faith according to this very letter of Scriptures which is no other but a revelation of the mystery of Salvation as to mans infirmity and say some they call it their fundamentals and the highest attainment of Christianity Others say the mystery of salvation is no other then Immanuel or God with us or God in flesh not only in that man Christ but in the whole Christ Christ being no more but an annointed one and that annointed one is our nature or weakness annointed with the Spirit even God himself who is strength and this mystery of great and exceeding glory is revealed in pieces and parts and after the manner of men according to the infirmity of our flesh within the Christian in graces c. and in the Scriptures or expressions and forms without the Christian The SEEKERS their Attainment With a Discovery of a more Spiritual Way THey finde that the former Christians of the first or of the Apostles times according to Institutions then and the administration of Ordinances then were more visibly and spiritually endowed with power from on high or with gifts of the Spirit and so were able to make cleer and evident demonstrations of God amongst them as in the Churches of all the Christians then in Corinth Ephesus c. And that all who administred in any outward Office as to spiritual things were visibly gifted there was then an Apostle Evangelist Prophet Pastor Teacher Gifts of Healing Gifts of Miracles of Tongues c. And all was administred in the anointing or unction of Spirit clearly certainly infallibly they ministred as the Oracles of God But now in this time of the Apostacie of the Churches they finde no such gifts and so dare not meddle with any outward Administrations dare not preach baptize or teach c. or have any Church-fellowship because they finde no attainment yet in any Churches or Church-ways or administration of Ordinances according to the first patern in the New Testament they finde nothing but the outward Ceremony of all Administrations as of bare water in Baptism of bare Imposition of hands in Ordination of bare Election of Officers as Pastors Teachers c. of bare Church-censures without the visible power of gifts of Spirit which were before Therefore they wait in this time of the Apostacie of the Christian Churches as the Jews did in the time of their Apostacie and as the Apostles and Disciples at Jerusalem till they were endued with power from on high finding no practice for Worship but according to the first patern They wait onely in Prayer and Conference pretending to no certain determination of