away that Covenant Again it is called a new Covenant though it be the same with the former Covenant which was made with Abraham and with the Israelites at the giving of the Law for even the Covenant of grace was very dark and mystical made forth under types and significations and therefore very imperfect and weak and yielded very little or no strength and therefore was disanulled because of the weaknesse and unprofitablenesse thereof But the new Covenant namely Christ or that better hope in the Gospel-dayes is strong in the Spirit and brings in life and power into the hearts of them who are entred therein whereby they are enabled to serve acceptably with reverence and godly fear Again under the services of the Law Christ the sum and substance of the Covenant was vailed and hidden very few knew but little of him But now under the new Covenant the Saints all know him from the least to the greatest they of weak faith and they of strong every one in their measure for they all with open face as in a glasse behold him and are thereby changed into his image from one degree of glory to another Thus and in other respects the Covenant of grace in the dayes of the Gospel is called a new Covenant Q. But doth not God promise in the new Covenant to write his Lawes in their hearts and in their mindes How then are the Saintsfreed from the Law Jer. 31. 33. A. The Law delivered on Mount Sinai was indeed a revelation of the most perfect righteousnesse of God but it was but outward it was but figured in stones and came not near the heart and therefore yeilded no strength to further them in their obedience and Christ who was the sum and substance of the Law was revealed or made known but in a very small measure the Spirit in those dayes run very low the Lord being pleased to vail and cover his glory until an appointed time But the Law which God promised to put into their mindes is Christ who indeed is the Law and the Covenant for now Christ being glorified and having received of God authority and power or the promise of the Spirit iâ— now returned in spirit and power into the hearts of the Saints and is become to them and in them a Law of the Spirit and a Law of life that is where Christ comes in the Spirit indeed he brings in power and life eternal life and transformes the soul and makes it like himself and enables it to walk as he hath walked Again the Law was a ministration of condemnation and threatened wrath upon every disobedience which caused terrors and fears even in the best of them But Christ who is the new Covenant is a ministration of righteousnesse that is in the Gospel Christ is made known to be the righteousnesse of God which the Law required he having perfectly fulfilled the Law in all the high demands thereof by walking exactly in all the particular commands of the same and not so alone but also hath stopped the mouth of the accusing and condemning power of the Law by yeilding and submitting himself in the flesh to death and curse and thus Christ is the Saints righteousnesse to justification fulfilling the righteousnesse of the Law for them And Christ in the new Covenant is also a ministration of life and peace in the Saints fulfilling daily the righteousnesse of the Law in them that is the Saints being now united and made one with Christ and one with God in Christ are thereby enabled to act righteousnesse and holinesse and doe not look unto the Law for their pattern but unto Christ the truth of that pattern for he is the way the truth and the life and thus the Law as it comes from Sinai is silenced to believers they being neither under commanding nor yet the condemning power of it But as the Law comes from Mount Sion as Christ is both the Law and the Covenant so the Saints are not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ he being a Law of the Spirit and a Law of life in their hearts freeing them from the Law of sin and death and quickening and raising their hearts to life and glory by and in himself In short the Law as it comes from Sinai and is figured in stones ceaseth to the Saints and the duties and commands thereof cease to be the duties of the Law but are the duties and commands of the Gospel even the commands of Christ new commands or the Law of Christ Q. What is the Gospel A. The Gospel is glad tydings of good things good tydings of great joy a message of peace a ministry of reconciliation a ministration of the Spirit the word of salvation the word of faith the word of life the power of God to salvation the immortal seed the sword of the Spirit the word of God c. In a word the Gospel is Christ and Christ is the Gospel Christ is he that answers all the types and significations of the Law and in whom is fulfilled all the prophecies of the Prophets it is Christ alone in whom God is well pleased and it is onely Christ who enables the Saints to walk in all well pleasing Q. How comes it to passe seeing believers under the Law were under the same Covenant for life and salvation with believers under the Gospel and they that were saved under the Law were saved by faith in Christ as well as under the Gospel or what may be the reason that the Saints or true Believers act now more lively and chearfully and are quickened up to a more close and holy walking with God in these Gospel-dayes more than under the Law A. The Covenant of grace was the same indeed under the Law as it is under the Gospel but it was very mystical and obscure even to them that did believe for it pleased God to cloud himself so that they could not see him or but very little of him When they came out of Aegypt he went before them in a cloud in a very dark and obscure manner At the giving of the Law he appeared in smoak and thick darknesse When Solomon had built the Temple which was a figure or type of Christ as they were performing religious services therein it is said that the Lord discovered himself in a cloud a cloud filled the house By all which it appears that the appearences of God unto them in those dayes were very much clouded they saw very little of him even what he was pleased to let out in a few outward services suspending of purpose the manifestation of his glory untill the fulnesse of time Now while the Lord was pleased thus darkly to reveal himself then he was pleased to accept of weak faith and mean services Besides the Israelites were under a mixt Covenant partly inward and
is he but mark what followes not withst anding he that is least in the kingdome of heaven is greater than he meaning that he that is indeed a Preacher of the Gospel though never so mean and contemptible in the eyes of men should doe greater workes than John did Q. But there are other baptismes spoken of in Scripture as well as Johns for the Disciples of Christ did baptize and Christ at his ascension sent them to baptize all Nations Is not water-baptisme then an Ordinance of the Gospel A. True indeed Christs Disciples did baptize while he was with them in the flesh But it was with John's Baptism and so the Scripture calls it For indeed the preaching of John and his Baptism was the same with the preaching and Baptism of Christs Disciples For John preached saying The Kingdom of heaven is at hand Christs Disciples preached saying The Kingdome of heaven is at hand Both John and Christs Disciples by their Baptism which was in cold water could but wash mens bodies and call upon them to repent and to expect remission of sins onely in Christ Jesus who was to wash away the filth of their souls even with a Spiritual water or Baptism of his Spirit So that although the Disciples of Christ did baptize yet their Baptism was the same with John's Baptism and to continue but for a season for so John confesseth I must decrease but he meaning Christ must increase And for Christs Commission to his Apostles to Baptize all Nations that is not to be understood of Water-Baptism as appeareth by his own words Acts 1. 5. when being risen from the Dead and now ready to ascend into his Glory acquaints them with the work whereto he is now sending them commands them not to depart from Jerusalem until they had received the Promise of the Father that is the Spirit for saith he John truly Baptized with water as if he had said it hath been the Fathers good pleasure to appear in Types and significations and to vail himself a while under dark Administrations But now the time is full come in which he will shew himself clearly in his abundant love and goodness for ye shall be Baptized with the Holy Ghost which is the Spirit or Comforter not many dayes hence and then ye shall receive power to know what ye ought to do and be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem c. And when ye are thus impowred or Baptized your selves Then go and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father c. Where by Name of the Father and of the Son c he doth not mean that they should wash them in water using that form of words but by Name is to be understood the Power of the Father c. As Christ saith Mark 16. 17. In my Name they shall cast out Devils that is by my Power And so in this business All Power saith Christ in heaven and in earth is given to me Go ye therefore and Teach and Baptize the Nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost As if he had said All Power is given to me of the Father and by this power I will come into you and into your ministry and ye shall go forth in this power unto all nations and by the same ye shall be enabled to make them know and believe That I am the wisdome of God and the power of God to salvation to the Gentile as well as to the Jew and that whosoever believes in me indeed or is baptized with the Spirit which is all one shall never perish but have everlasting life And this was done effectually for in one day there was added three thousand soules And in another place all that were ordained to eternall life believed Q. But if it was not the command of Christ that they should baptize with Water why then did they they use it after his ascension and if Water-Baptisme was to cease and have an end at that time why then do not the Scriptures declare the same A. As for the Apostles baptizing with Water after Christs ascension it was not from any command of Christ as one of them doth testifie The Baptisme of Water or Johns Baptisme was very famous and of great note in that time and therefore could not at present be very easily laid down as likewise very many other Legall observations And again it is not to be questioned but that the Apostles themselves were ignorant of many things after they had received the Spirit abundantly for Peter was ignorant that he might eat with the Gentiles or that God had a purpose by Jesus to bring in the Gentiles Paul must goe to Jerusalem to be resolved about Circumcision and there were thousands of Jewes which did believe and yet they were all zealous of legall rites God did not reveal himself all at once but by degrees Again the Apostles used water-baptisme as they used Circumcision to avoid contention among the Saints and further they used it sometimes when it was desired and to stoop to the weaknesse of many young believers they became all things to all men that they might not offend any but save all if it were possible And for the Scriptures to declare against water-baptisme to be used in the dayes of the Gospel there be many Scriptures that speak much to that purpose as 1 Cor. 1. 17. Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles utterly disclaimes it for Christ saith he sent me not to baptize but to preach Again Ephes 4. 5. One Lord one Faith one Baptisme now water-baptisme is not the same with the Baptisme of the Spirit for they are two distinct things one is Johns and the other is Christs and if they were both one then they that have the one must also have the other and they that cannot have the one of water neither can they have the other Again it is not water-baptisme that can make us one with Christ or give us a new name or make us partake of the divine nature c. and therefore water-baptisme is not that one Baptisme nor left us in command in the dayes of the Gospel Q The baptisme of water hath been used in all the Churches of Christ from the very time of the Apostles and that with warant from Scripture for Infants were circumcised under the Law and Circumcision was a seal of the Covenant which God made with Abraham and the Covenant is the same now as it was then and Baptisme is come in the room of Circumcision and is a seal of the Gospel-Covenant and therefore Infants may be baptized and the Apostle tells the Corinthians that their fathers were all baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea And Saint Peter saith that Baptisme doth now save us how can it then be denied that Baptisme even of water doth not stand us in great stead even in the dayes
and abhominable and murderers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death Yet those words can have no relation to mens persons for if they have what will then become of all men for what man is there which hath not one or other of these sins in him but great is the mistery of godlinesse God manifest in the flesh the truth manifest in a form so here is a mistery wrapt up in these words for this evill is not threatned against the persons of any no not of the most wicked but against these and all other particular sins and offences which break through the persons of men which being put together make up a perfection of wickednesse And which as a body of uncleanness dwells in men and this the Apostle calls flesh and sin even in himself And this is that which must be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone The wrath of God shall never cease burning up these lusts in this body of sin and death untill it hath quite consumed them For what other heaven can be intended or expected but a glorious uniting of all good things into God or what other hell can be imagined but a casting away of all evill things into Torment confusion and darknesse A. That heaven and hell are misteries and are also of various significations is not denied for the kingdome of heaven is sometimes taken for the outward profession of the Gospel and sometimes for the inward life and power of the Gospell c. Hell is also taken sometimes for the grave and sometimes for Satans kingdome in mens hearts for he is called the prince of the power of the aire the spirit that rules in the hearts of the Children of disobedience And although heaven and hell be misteries yet they are not altogether misteries The Scriptures are misteries but yet they are misteries revealed Christ spake sometimes plainly and spake no parable heaven and hell are misteries yet misteries revealed for there are these three things in all misteries 1. The historical or litteral narration 2. The interpretation and meaning And thirdly the truth or substance and reality And the first and the second of these be meer nothings without the third True indeed where God is there is heaven for God dwells in glory which is heaven and by his glorious appearance in his Saints he brings heaven into their hearts Againe hell is where Satan is and that is in wicked men For he dwels and raignes in them and hath his kingdome in their hearts sometimes he steales into the Saints and troubles them and disturbes their peace and causes mutinies in the soul but he dwels not there long for Christ and he cannot dwell long together Christ casts him out and suffers him no more to enter that is not to raigne And that God is not in all men in his love in Jesus Christ which is heaven hath been shewed already But he is onely so in his Saints whom he doth not onely act and order by outward and generall providences But also hath taken them into himself through his Son by his spirit and they are so united or made one with himself in that eternal spirit that they are thereby carried forth of themselves to live with him and in him Christ makes in them a separation indeed for he casts out by degrees the old man with all his deeds which is that body of sin the Apostle speaks of which is not wholy subdued while the Saints abide in the flesh and so he is gathering all the Saints which are those good things for the Saints are himself into God which is unity in glory blessednesse heaven But as for the wicked Christ is not in them nor they in him nor of him but of their father the devill And being incorporated and made one with him in sinne so they are carried on by him to live in all ungodlinesse with him and so must needs be in hell for Satan hath his kingdome in their hearts hence it is that out of that bottomlesse pit proceed murders adulteries c. and whatsoever is evill and of the devill And hence it is also that wicked men are many times tormented with hellish feares and terrors And thus wicked men are in hell when they think themselves to be in heaven even in this life But more especially by hell torment to which the wicked are reserved untill the judgement of the great day to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire when all sin and all sinners and devils and wicked spirits shall be gathered into one body and confounded or cast into a condition of torment or lake of fire which shall be kindled with the wrath of God like a river of brimstone which is the second death And whereas it is said that the evill or punishment threatened in the 21. Rev. 8. cannot relate to mens persons because if it should what would then become of all men there being not a man that hath not one or other of these sinnes in him and so conclude it to be a mystery wrapt up in a form of words To which it is answered that the Saints are in Gods esteem without sin for he lookes upon them in Christ and as Christ and so he cannot behold iniquity in them Again the Saints are born of God as to the divine nature in them and all that is born of God sins not neither can for the seed of God remaines in him Again to say and affirm that the Saints see an end of sin in them and that Christ hath finished transgression in them and that let them doe what they will they cannot sin and yet to conclude that the punishments there spoken of cannot relate to mens persons because the Saints must needs be guilty as having sin in them if this be not a mystery or rather a contradiction let all men judge Indeed the Saints even the best of them are in hell before they be in heaven for they all passe through a state of nature a kingdome of sin where while they remain unregenerated they are in the kingdome of Satan without Christ and without God in the world But when God reveales Christ in the soul when they are regenerated and born anew when Christ who is both light and life appeares then they are translated out of this kingdome of darknesse and entred into heaven then they are in the glory of God for God dwells in glory and when he hath taken any soul into himself in the least measure or degree then that soul is in heaven And this is many times but a low and clouded condition and great mixtures of light and darknesse day and night peace and trouble because they cannot apprehend any thing of God but through a veil or fleshly ordinances and formes of worship and therefore see and enjoy
And he who is a Revealer of secrets and to whom interpretations doe belong shall in due time reveale the same unto you If you cannot receive it at present yet ye may in time but if not at all yet take heed of condemning it for heresie blasphemy Christ was called a blasphemer a Devil and that by Saints in profession Truth hath been adjudged to be falshood and sound doctrine hath been condemned for heresie in all ages If any dislike or cannot receive it because in some passages it may seem beyond his apprehension Let him know that the maine end of this is to carry up his heart to Christ above it selfe and if on the other hand any shall despise it and cast it away as too much below them let such know that it is not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel and that the foolishness of God is wiser than men To whomsoever it comes it will bring this testimonie along that it hath no self-ends at all but comes meerly out of love to poore souls Deare Brethren Let me now in one word beseech you to lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh Be making toward your heavenly rest be longing after your Fathers house be owning of your own priviledges be standing fast in your own liberty be getting out of Babylon ye have dwelt long enough in confusion long enough in the mount of outward observations Take up your carriages raise up your hearts ask the way to Sion set your faces that way if you can but get one step into new Jerusalem you are past all danger here yee see sorrow sighing pain fear and death here you say oh that I were assured of Gods favour oh that I knew he loved me c. poore soules If ye were but entred into Christs spirituall Kingdome indeed if ye did but know God Christ and the Saints in the Spirit indeed your hearts would leap for ioy did you but know God in Christ Christ in the Saints the Saints united and made one with God in Christ by that one eternall Spirit your hearts would rejoyce your joy would be full yea yee would rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Then you should see the Tabernacle of God with men and God dwelling with men or in men then should all teares be wiped away and then there should be no more feare of death no more sorrow nor crying nor paine in respect of the losse of Gods love and favour for all former things as namely all low and carnall apprehensions of God which caused feares doubts distractions would be passed away for there shall be no night nor clouds to hide his love but they that be his Servants shall serve him in Spirit and Truth and they shall see his face with joy and his name or glory shall be in their fore-heads or shine forth in them to his praise and they shall reigne with him here in joy and glory even in this life and shall at last injoy him in unconceiveable and eternall glory of which this is but a tast Brethren the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Your most affectionate Friend and Brother in Chist Iesus William Mason A LITTLE STARRE OR CATECHISME c. QUest What is the end of Catechizing Answ To instruct the ignorant in the knowledge of God and of themselves Q. Is there a God then A. Yes Psal 19. 1. The heavens declare that there is a glorious God and the firmament sheweth forth his handy work Q. What is God A. God is an eternal Spirit having his being in and of himself infinite in wisdome in power in justice in mercy and goodnesse yea who is all these in highest perfection Q. How doe you know that there is a God A. First By his works of creation and providence whereby his eternall power and God-head are wonderfully manifested And Secondly By the Scriptures which doe abundantly declare him But thirdly and chiefly By his Spirit which he hath given us 1 John 4. 14. and 20. Q. How many Gods be there A. There be many that are called Gods but to us there is but one God who is one intire invisible glorious being comprehending all things filling all things and who is not confined nor comprehended 1 Kings 8. 27. Q. Why then are the names and titles of God given to more than one namely to three called the three persons in the Trinity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost if there be but one God A. God hath been pleased in much wisedom and goodness to manifest himself by and under these three denominations or titles not that there are three Gods but rather so many various discoveries and makings forth of one and the same God Q. What conceive you of God when he makes himself known by the name of Father A. First that he is the fountain the root the originall of all good to all men in relation to the outward condition And Secondly and chiefly that of and from himselfe he doth bring forth glorious discoveries and dispensations of infinite love and goodnesse toward the Sons of men electing and adopting them for himself drawing their souls up unto himself and making them partakers of himself Eph. 1. 4. 5. John 6. 44. Q. What conceive you of him when he makes forth himself by the name of Sonne A. Here is held forth a second way of his inexpressible love to man for here is a wonderfull condiscention the glorious God manifesting himself in the flesh taking on him our nature and our flesh becoming Immanuel or God made one with us in the flesh and in our nature and our flesh fulfilled all righteousness for us subjected himself in the flesh to death and curse to satisfie divine Justice which we had offended that by this means he might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us from that wrath and curse which we had deserved Q. And what doe you understand when he makes himself known by the name of Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit A. By this is manifested a third way of his abundant goodness for by his Spirit which is the powerfull working of his love in the hearts of his people he reveals and communicates himselfe with all the riches of his grace and love unto them yea by which he sanctifies and transforms them into his own Image fulfilling all righteousness in them and whereby he takes them into union with himselfe to live in him Q. Why did God make the world A. God who is infinitely glorious in himselfe yea who is an overflowing fulnesse of all glorious excellencies needed not the world to add to his glorious perfections but he made the world for the manifestation and declaration of his glory Q. Could not the glory of God shine forth sufficiently without the work of creation A. No That infinite and transcendent
that is dead having now neither strength nor desire to act toward his own good That he had no will appears by this when God called for him he ran away and hid himself and also when the Lord reasoned out the matter in a gentle and peaceable way he began to excuse himself and shift off the business to another but had no mind to cry guilty And to shew that it was altogether impossible for him to attain the love and favour of God which is life by any power of his own or by any meanes he could devise There was placed between him and life irresistable power and unavoidable danger Cherubims and a flaming Sword turning every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life Q. Seeing mans condition was at first every way so happy and blessed how could it be possible that by one offence he should become thus extreamly and unavoidably miserable A. Mans felicity did not altogether consist in that he was made happy by vertue of his Creation but in that he was in the love and favour of God that being the main Pillar whereon his blessedness his joy his comfort yea and his very life depended but when he would leave the Counsel and Command of God and hearken to Satan the utter enemy of God and follow his counsel and obey his command he deprived himself and that justly of all that blessed and comfortable enjoyment of Gods love and favour and not onely so but was now become the Bond-slave of Satan and led captive of him at his will Q Is there then such danger in sin A. The nature of sin is exceeding dangerous it deprived man of all comfort joy and happiness both in his soul and in his outward condition also and exposed him to all miseries in his soul and outward estate And not onely so but it is also very poysonous Satan that foul spirit being now possessed of mans heart hath tainted and corrupted his whole Nature soul and body in all the powers and parts thereof so that now he was not able of himself to think act or speak any thing that is good or of God but altogether that which is evil and of the Devil Q. Man being now wholly corrupted and abominable in his actions and being joyned also with Satan against God how then came it to pass that God who is infinite in justice could forbear and not execute upon him that penalty which he at first denounced against him in case he disobeyed A. That infinite and over-flowing fulness of love which is in God or rather which is God could now no longer be kept in for now he begins to act like a Father whose Bowels yearn after his Children and though he carryed the matter strange a while yet notwithstanding love breaks forth and acts like it self and instead of proceeding to execution he begins to comfort him revealing to him his purpose in the mysterie of Christ and out of the bottomless depth of Wisdom declaring that he could be just in justifying the ungodly condemning the sin in the second Adam who was to arise of the Seed of the woman and though the Devil had been too hard for them and spoiled them of their present happiness yet at length the womans Seed should overcome the Devil and ransom them and redeem them from his slavery and put them into a safer condition than they had lost Q. Was Adam fully restored by vertue of this Promise unto that happy condition which at first he enjoyed A. Mans condition was at first happy in that he could act righteousness and so keep himself in the love of God but when he by sin had disabled himself and could act nothing but unrighteousness he lost the favour of God and so became miserable Nevertheless by this promise he was much repaired not that he could now act but that he was enabled to believe on him who should act righteousness for him for according to the manifestations of God to him so he could believe and according to his faith or the measure thereof so was his comfort and happiness But he was not yet fully restored for although Satan was cast out yet he was not wholly overcome but waited his opportunity to re-enter continually labouring by his subtile suggestions and insinuations to make that bitter Root and spawn of sin which remained in him to grow increase and break forth into act that so he might at least deprive him of his comfort Q. Did the guilt of this sin and the punishment due to the same lye and remain onely upon Adam or did it extend also to his Posterity A. Sin is of such a filthy and defiling nature that it taints and pollutes every thing that touches it or comes near it and though Adam or the first man was alone as touching the act of it yet notwithstanding he being wholly corrupted and all men being then in his loynes they must of necessity be tainted and polluted with the same Q. This me thinks seems very strange that Adam sinning in his own person his Posterity should be defiled therewith and it being a point not easily digested of all therefore how do you further prove it A. Adam in his innocency was Holy and Righteous and therein he was like unto God but now having sinned and corrupted himself he no longer retains the Image of God but is become like Satan and is a sinner and in this condition he could not beget a son in the Image of God that is holy and righteous but in his own image that is a sinner like himself no man being able to bring forth pure streams out of an impure and filthy Fountain Q. But how could God justly punish and that so severely the Posterity of Adam for his sin A. God who is infinitely Holy and Righteous though he might have justly condemned and destroyed all Adam's Posterity they being all born the Children of wrath and under the curse yet notwithstanding doth not proceed to the condemnation of any until they have made Adam's sin their own by acting sin in their own persons Q. All men being become thus sinful and abominable in their doings what means doth God use and what course doth he take for their redemption and salvation A. The promise which God made to Adam concerning the Seed of the woman must in the fulness of time be fulfilled God who is rich in mercy for his infinite love wherewith he loved Man-kind doth marvellously condescend and comes forth in the name and nature of a Son works powerfully in the Womb of a Virgin causeth a wonderful Conception brings forth an excellent creature a second Adam altogether without sin pure and holy calls him his Son names him a Saviour manifests his great love and the exceeding riches of his grace in him he being Immanuel or God made one
Gods love in the soul apprehended by faith and is a fruit of faith There is a worldly sorrow which causeth or worketh death being wrought by the apprehension of death or punishment and this is in wicked and unregenerate men fear of death drives them to a kind of repentance yea and the Saints sometimes having attained but a small measure of the apprehension of Gods love in Jesus Christ being under a spirit of bondage and looking upon God as he manifested himself upon Sinai are so filled with fear and terror which causeth abundance of sorrow even mourning and grieving exceedingly because they can grieve no more and that meerly upon this ground that if their sorrow were in any good measure answerable to their sin then they hope that God will pardon them apprehending in themselves and being told so by others that if they doe not soundly repent mourn and grieve for their sinnes heartily and seriously confesse them with a resolution to leave and forsake them that God would not nay could not pardon them and all this from mis-understanding of Scripture as he that hideth his sinne shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy and if we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive c. concluding from the very letter of these Scriptures not having the true meaning thereof explained unto them that unlesse they first grieve and mourn and confesse God will not pardon and so goe heavily under this burthen for want of better information but true repentance which is repentance indeed doth not proceed from a bare hope of pardon but from sence of pardon already apprehended for as no man can believe his justification until God hath revealed it to him by Jesus so neither can any man repent truly and indeed untill he first understand and believe that God for Christs sake hath forgiven him all his trespasses And this repentance is called a repentance unto life or a repentance flowing from life or evidencing life and life which is Christ is very desireable unto all them who have but the least sence or taste of it and it is also active wheresoever it is and puts men upon all enquiries what must we doe that we may have life those Converts in the Acts had but a little before been very forward in the crucifying of Christ and denied him in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let him goe Yet now when they hear the Apostles preach remission of sinnes in his name and that there is no other name given under heaven whereby they must be saved but the name Jesus onely and that God hath advanced him on high and given him all power to bring all those to life and salvation that desist from their evill wayes and believe in his name Now when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts now Christ who is life began to stirre or act a little in their hearts and now what shall we doe men and brethren that we may have and enjoy more life To whom the Apostle answered repent not that repentance doth purchase pardon but if yee doe indeed believe in Jesus and if he be come into your soules then yee can repent indeed and by your true and sound repentance yee may be assured that your sinnes are forgiven for yee shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost which shall seal the same unto you and it is further said that the same day there were added three thousand soules And for that which the Apostle John saith If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive c. The Apostle seemes in this place to deal with two sorts of men The one sort are very high in notion and opinion and think themselves to be the men that are in Christ and have fellowship with the Father in the Son and yet notwithstanding they walk contrary to him in their practice nay saith the Apostle that cannot be for God is light and with him is no darknesse at all God is a holy and righteous God and will doe neither can he doe any thing but what is most pure and just and if any say that they have fellowship or communion with him and yet are not conformable to him in holinesse and righteousnesse they lie and doe not the truth and if they say as many doe that they have no sin Christ hath finished transgression and made an end of sin in them so that let them doe what they will they cannot sin they deceive themselves saith he their deceived heart hath turned them aside and there is no truth in them The other sort are such as in whom Christ is revealed but yet in a low degree and these are still in feares and doubts and would gladly know how they may be assured in some comfortable measure of the favour of God and of the pardon of their sins To these he answers If yee walk in the light as he is in the light c. God is a holy God a most pure Spirit with whom is no iniquity and if he by appearing in your soules hath wrought you to a love of purity and holinesse and also to a loathing of all sin and wickednesse then yee may be sure yee have fellowship with him and the bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth you from all sin But if they further say as many a poor soul doth yea but we find that sin is not dead in us but lively and corruptions strong a Law in the members leading us into captivity the good that we would doe we doe not the evill which we would not doe that we doe The Apostle answers your condition is good if God by his Spirit in you hath brought you to see and confesse this yee need not be discouraged for God is a faithful God he never begins a good work but he will perfect it he hath already pardoned your sinnes and he will more and more assure your hearts thereof by cleansing you by degrees from all your corruptions Q. If justification and remission of sinnes be free without any condition desert or desire on our part why then doth our Saviour teach us to pray for it saying forgive our debts And if men be justified and their sinnes be forgiven before they repent then what need have men to repent at all A. Although justification and remission of sinnes be free and undeserved yet it is not presently revealed to the soul so soon as men believe but it is brought home to the soul a little at once by degrees according as they are enabled to believe neither doth the Lord discover himself in his love to all in a like measure for it pleaseth him divers times to suffer many of his dear ones to sit a great while in darknesse and to see but a very little light and to have but a small measure of the comfortable
assurance of his love These he holds in suspence and therefore they cry and pray forgive us our sinnes not being assured of the pard on thereof Yea others also that have attained to a higher degree of assurance and are able to conclude and that safely that their sinnes are forgiven and that Christ is their righteousnesse unto justification yet seeing their own weaknesses and knowing that they are sanctified but in part and having a law in their members rebelling against the law of the mind they have need and doe pray for a further discovery of Gods love to perfect their sanctification that they may thereby have a further evidence of their justification and therefore it is said forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors that is Lord work in us such a holy frame of spirit that seeing thou hast freely forgiven us through Christ all our sinnes we may also freely for thy sake forgive our offending brother his trepasses and that our readinesse and willingnesse to pardon others may evidence unto us that thou hast forgiven us so that we are not taught to pray for pardon of sin as though the Lord would not forgive us untill we pray for it but rather that God would manifest himself so to us in acts of sanctification as may testifie unto us our justification And although repentance is not necessary as a meanes of remission and so of life yet it is a necessary consequence or effect of life as the fruit is not a meanes or a condition of life to the tree but an effect or evidence of life in the tree for it is impossible that Christ should be in the soul and not act like himself according to that degree and measure in which he manifests himself therein Now repentance is not onely a sorrow for sin for that may be in wicked men neither is it a bare confession joyned with the former for both these may be done for self-ends But when a man doth indeed apprehend the love of God in Jesus freely justifying and pardoning all sin and transgression whatsoever without any desert or desire and not onely so but also sanctifying and saving him from all sin for the future then his soul is melted and dissolved into godly sorrow mourning and grieving not for fear of death and hell but because he hath walked so contrary to God who hath so farre condiscended in love to him and hereupon falls to confesse all sin and to rip up his heart and to search out his most secret sinnes as well as those that be more outward and desires to appear before God the most vile and abominable sinner in the world in his own eyes deserving nothing but wrath and condemnation and admires at the infinite love and goodnesse of God in Jesus Christ thus pardoning and sanctifying him and prayes earnestly unto God that he will make further discoveries of his love unto him in Jesus that he may be more vile in his own eyes and that he may now hate and abhorre all sin which is so contrary to the holinesse of God that Christ may live more in him and that he may henceforth be enabled through him to walk in all well pleasing And thus the Saints though they be already justified and pardoned yet cannot but repent for if Christ who is the root be within repentance which is a fruit thereof will appear in the branches and thus the Saints can mourn after Christ and blessed are they that so mourn for they shall be comforted Q. Seeing that the Saints or Believers are sanctified but in part and have flesh as well as spirit and are compassed about not onely with many infirmities but also with many enemies which are strong and potent Whereby are they then quickened Or what helps have they to grow in grace and sanctification A. The chief help or meanes whereby the Saints are quickened up to holinesse is Christ himself dwelling in them and acting them by his spirit or power to all well pleasing but there are other subordinate meanes which he hath appointed and sanctified to that end as namely his Word in the reading and preaching of it as also godly conference with one another and prayer Q. How can the Scriptures being but the writings of men be of any force to help us grow in grace c. A. Although the Scriptures were written by men yet they were not the device of mens braines or wits but they were the words of God inspired into men by the holy Spirit neither did men write them at their own pleasure but how and when the Lord who is that Spirit pleased and they are profitable to teach instruct to reprove and correct yea there is in the Scriptures whatsoever is necessary to be known to salvation they being a revelation of the most righteous and perfect will of God in every dispensation and they are also mighty through Christ for indeed to the Saints Christ is the Word and the Word is Christ and when he is pleased to come forth in it read or preached then it casts down strong holds then it divides asunder between soul and spirit between men and their beloved lusts then it subdues every high thought and brings every thing into subjection that exalts it self against Christ and then when he is pleased to come forth thus in it by his Spirit then it transformes the soul into the same nature or Image of it self which is Christ And here is the power of binding and loosing or the power of the keyes There is in the word a double power or efficacy when it comes in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit it is both for softening and for hardening of mens hearts and it alwayes doth the work to which it is sent it is called a sharp two-edged Sword the Sword of the Spirit c. Now no mans word can work any effect upon mens hearts they may blesse or they may curse and all to no purpose they may bind and loose at their own pleasure but there is nothing done in the soul but where this word comes indeed in the name that is in the power and authority of Christ there it doth the work effectually and there is no resistance it either makes men fruitful and meet for salvation or else hardens them and binds them over to damnation Q. Yea indeed Christ is the Word and he came from the bosome of the Father and he onely doth reveal the Fathers will But doth he not doe it by visions and revelations of the Spirit rather than by a written word which is so full of contradictions or so contrary to it self A. Christ hath alwayes manifested himself or the Fathers will by visions and revelations but yet in a different way in every dispensation when the Gospel was first preached he was pleased to reveal himself unto the Apostles for the most part without any written word they having but a few dark
prophecies and types which made mention of him and therefore they were enabled extraordinarily to declare both in word and writing the whole will and counsell of God and the word so spoken and written being a revelation of Christ through the Spirit was written and spoken for our instruction Christ now reveales himself to us also by the same Spirit and to the same ends and purposes but not in the same manner nor in the same degree Christ by revelation enabled them to speak and write a mystery and by revelation he enables us to know and understand that mystery which was spoken and written by them They were inspired by the Spirit immediately to write and speak the mind of God perfectly To us it is given to understand and believe the will of God in the mystery of Christ by attending upon reading exhortation and doctrine even by the same Spirit The Apostles were sent to preach the Gospel and faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word preached Paul was an Apostle a teacher of the Gentiles and unto him was this grace given that he should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ c. The Gospel must be preached but every preaching is not the preaching of the Gospel for some men preach neither Law nor Gospel but their own fancies others preach justification by the duties of the Law knowing neither what they say nor whereof they affirm and others jumble Law and Gospel together saying that men must believe in Jesus Christ and yet they must walk in a strict performance of the duties of the Law or else they cannot be saved But the Gospel where it is purely preached is not with wisdome of words to exercise or set forth mens humane arts and acquired abilities but in the evidence and power of the Spirit to perswade men to believe the preaching of the Gospel is not to chide or revile men for not believing but to beseech men to be reconciled to God The preaching of the Gospel is not to threaten wrath and vengeance against sin and sinners but to offer termes of peace reconciliation and salvation through Christ Jesus to the worst of sinners Moreover the Lord hath in much wisdome and goodnesse manifested his will in a written word for he very well knew what was in man many Prophets of old did run before they were sent but because they spake not according to the Law and the Testimony their written word their was no light in them There were also false Apostles in the Primitive Churches but because they spake not according to the word of faith revealed in the true Apostles they were soon discovered to the Saints The Mystery of iniquity in that man of sin came into the world after the working of Satan with signes and lying wonders and men were deluded by them because they did not receive or believe the truth as it was revealed in the written word but Christ hath already in part and is daily destroying more and more that mystery and kingdome of the devill by his appearing and the brightnesse of his coming according to this written word And there be many also that boast and brag of visions and revelations and despise and deride the Scriptures but because they resist or put away the truth therefore they shall not be able to proceed much further for their folly shall be made manifest to all men by the power of truth revealed in the Scriptures Neither is the Scripture contrary to it self or any the least contradiction in it for as no part of it was written by the private motion of mans own Spirit so neither is it of any private interpretation nor to be drawn or stretcht to any mans private purpose for we are not to use the Scriptures for our own self ends or so much of them as will serve our turnes but to weigh and consider the whole Scripture and labour to reconcile seeming differences for though there may appear some small seeming jarrs in the letter yet being compared with other Scriptures and weighed with a Spirit of love and meeknesse there will be found a sweet harmony in the sence and meaning and where any thing is hard and difficult and not easie to be understood there we are not rashly to determine but by prayer and supplication to wait upon God who is a revealer of secrets and to whom interpretations doe belong and in due time we shall reap if we faint not Q. What is Prayer A. Prayer is much spoken of and much used among men but it is not very well understood for many people can and doe utter words and sentences which the Saints in Scripture have used in prayer and yet they doe not pray prayer is not every lifting up of the voice to God nor every lifting up of the heart to God for the most wicked man may pray and that earnestly and that for life and salvation and yet not pray aright yea a believer and one that is in Christ may be very fervent in prayer and yet not being rightly catechized and instructed in the nature of true prayer may not be accepted but offend in praying Prayer is not a work of wit or memory or of any other common gift of the Spirit but true and right prayer as it goes up to God through Christ so it comes down first from God by Christ and is indeed the intercession of Christ in the soul for no man knowes how or what to pray for as he ought yea the Saints themselves are compassed with many infirmities and many of them lie under many outward crosses c. by reason whereof they may and doe now and then use prayer in a carnal manner now it is the Spirit which removeth or helpeth against these infirmities when the Spirit prevailes as it doth for the most part in the Saints then it assures them of the love of God and overcomes all feares and doubts and carries them up to God with free accesse making them to know that God is not delighted with eloquent words and speeches or sentences finely framed and artificially drawn into a method But that he is well pleased with Christ and delights in nothing but Christ and if he be in the soul though at present they cannot utter many words or outward expressions nay if they can but groan in spirit he knowes the meaning thereof for he knowes the heart and understands the mind of the spirit If prayer proceed from a mans own spirit then it is alwayes for self ends but if it be the intercession of Christ in the soul then it is alwayes agreeable to the will of God for he even Christ maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Q. If prayer be the intercession of Christ in the soul then how is it said that he is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession
for us and is gone into heaven there to appear in the presence of God for us And why then are we commanded to pray to the Father in the name of Christ A. Christ is indeed at the right hand of God that is the Lord hath advanced him into his own glory and given him his own power and authority even all power in heaven and earth for God doth not manifest himself in any wise unto the Saints or bestow any thing upon them but in and by Jesus Christ neither can or doe the Saints enjoy God or have any true fellowship with him but in and through Christ so that whatsoever is done in heaven or in earth Christ is the doer of it now Christ dwells in the Saints by his Spirit which is the power of his love proceeding infinitely from the Father unto the Son and from Christ into the Saints and by this Spirit or power of love he quickens them up to prayer and not onely so but also frames and endites their prayers in them according to the will of the Father and so they become acceptable to him for whatsoever Christ doth is well pleasing to God for the Father loveth the Son and the Saints being united to Christ and made one with God in him are hereby brought into the love and favour of God through him And thus he is in heaven appearing in the presence of God for us And for that we are to pray to the Father in the name of Christ it is not meant that we must often use or repeat the name of Christ or in word beg or crave any thing at the hand of God for Christs sake for so a wicked carnal wretch may doe but to pray to the Father in the name of Christ is to pour forth the soul unto the Father in the power and intercession of the Son for God looks not at any thing in all this world but Christ men may be high in gifts and notions and may make admirable prayers for words and sentences and also for method and form but if Christ be not there and if the prayer goe not forth in the Spirit and power of Jesus Christ then the Lord regards it not but loaths it and casts it away as abominable To pray then in the name of Christ is when the soul goeth forth into the armes of Gods love by the Spirit and power of the Lord Jesus who is the Son of his love Q. Seeing that men of themselves cannot pray aright and that the Lord to whom we are to pray knowes our wants before we pray What need have we then to pray A. As men cannot pray of themselves so neither can they live of themselves for the life which the Saints now live in the flesh is not by any power of their own but by the power of Christ living in them so that there is not onely a necessity of life in them in whom Christ lives who is the life but an impossibility of not living In like manner though men cannot pray acceptably by their own power or worth yet if Christ who is the mediator and intercessor live in them there is not onely a necessity of praying but it is altogether impossible that they should not pray Christ being in their hearts the Spirit of supplication and of adoption causing them to cry Abba Father Yea in him they have accesse with boldnesse unto the throne of grace And though the Lord doe know our wants yet he hath commanded us to pray ask and yee shall have c. And yee fight and warre and have not because yee ask not The Lord would have his people to rejoyce but they must pray ask and yee shall receive that your joy may be full Now although the Lord command us to pray he doth not intend that we should make Idols of our prayers and think that we receive for our praying but he doth it that we may know and consider on whom our joy our happinesse yea our very life dependeth and also that he may have the honour and glory of all his goodnesse when we in asking acknowledge him to be the giver of all and that we receive all of grace and not of debt and then it occasions much thankfulnesse when we return him the praise of all his love and bounty and live in the use of his mercies to his praise Q. But is not the Lord said to be an unchangeable God with whom is not the least shaddow of turning and if he have determined to bestow any favour or mercy he will doe it without our prayers and if he have not determined us any good to what purpose should we pray seeing by the same we cannot alter nor change his mind A. Although the Lord be altogether unchangeable and unalterable in his purposes and determinations yet he would have his children make known to him their needs by their requests neither is there the least shadow of change in him when he bestowes mercies and blessings upon them in answer to their prayers for whatsoever good thing he purposeth to his children yet before he bestow it upon them he usually stirreth up their hearts to pray for the same Now the Lord whatever he gives to the Saints he gives it them in Christ and what the Saints pray for they request and beg the same in the Spirit and intercession of Christ for he is the way by which the Lord comes down to us in all good and he is the way also by which we goe up to God in prayer and thanksgiving Now as it is impossible that God should alter his determinations in bestowing of mercies so also is it that the Saints should not pray for blessings and favours being quickened up thereto by the Spirit of Christ living in them so then God is not changed but the change is in the Saints for many times when God entends a blessing his children are not fit to receive the same then he by that Spirit of adoption quickens them up to pray and yet delaies them that by the continual use of this heavenly exercise and by the spirit of judgement and burning their corruptions may be consumed and destroyed and their hearts brought into a more holy and humble frame and they at length by this meanes made fit to receive the mercy Q. If men cannot pray unill they be moved or quickened thereunto by the Spirit how then shall it be known when the Spirit moves or which or when is the most convenient and fittest time for prayer A. That no man is able of himself without the help of the Spirit to make any prayer acceptable to God hath been already shewed prayer being a work of that Spirit of adoption called the Spirit of the Son and is nothing else but an effect of that power in the Son given unto him by the Father men may use
of the Gospel A. Whatsoever was practised by the Apostles and Primitive Christians is already declared how they to prevent contention and strife did condescend to the weaknesse of many knowing that in time the Baptisme of the Spirit which is a Baptisme of Fire would eat up the Baptisme of Water as the fire that came down upon Elijahs Sacrifice did lick up all the water that was in the Trench But whatsoever hath been done in Water-Baptisme since that time it is hard to say is or was done with warrant from Scripture but is to be feared was rather a part of that mistery of iniquity which began to work even in the Apostles time And that Baptisme is come in the room of Circumcision was never yet made good by Scripture nor never will It is true God made a Covenant with Abraham and gave him also Circumcision as a sign or seal thereof But the Covenant which God made was twofold Inward and Outward The Inward part respected his soul in the sweet enjoyment of Gods love and favour by Christ Jesus both in this life and in eternall glory The Outward part of it respected the outward man the enjoyment of the land of Canaan with long life and prosperity therein Now so farre as the Covenant was inward and respected his soul so farre Circumcision could not be a seal thereof for nothing could seal the true spirituall love and favour of God to his soul but the Spirit whereby all believers were and still are sealed to the day of redemption But as the Covenant was more outward that he should be the Father of many nations that in Isaac should his seed be called and that he would give the land of Canaan to his seed for an everlasting Possession so farre Circumcision was a seal of the Covenant But now in the daies of the Gospel the new Covenant is a single Covenant that old weak part of it being vanished away and it is now established upon better promises than earthly Canaan For the Covenant which God makes with his people now is altogether inward and Spirituall which is Christ and there is no seal of this Covenant but that Spirit or the Lord Jesus called the Spirit of promise And to make Water-Baptisme or a Carnall thing to be a seal of a Spiritual Covenant which is Christ in the soul sealing up the love of God to the same to all eternity argues much ignorance in the mistery of God and carnall mindednesse in the things of God in a great measure And whereas the Apostle tells the Corinthians their Fathers were baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea That is no warrant for Baptisme at all But he speaks it rather to take them off from depending upon outward Ordinance c. For thus he seems to speak Your Fathers were high in outward Ordinances but they were not very high in Gods favour for they were overthrown in the wildernesse and these things were written for your example c. And for that of the Apostle Peter where he is speaking of the Floud and that in the Arke but a few even eight souls were saved by water and that by a figure Baptisme doth not save us First we must understand that the Ark saved those eight soules from the water And then that the figure here spoken of is not between the floud and water-baptisme But between the Ark which saved them from those great waves and Christ who saves us from the sea even the red sea of Gods fierce wrath as they that did believe and obeyed and prepared an Ark were put into it by God and so saved from death So all that do believe are shut up in Christ and made one with him and so saved from wrath For so saith the Apostle Baptisme doth now save us but not the washing away of the filth of the flesh with water but the answer of a good conscience to God by the resurrection of Christ from the dead If Christ be not risen in the soul and if he raise not the soul from death that man is not baptized indeed though he be washed in water a thousand times And as for Infants that they should be baptized there is not the least intimation in all the Scriptures that they whiles they are such ever were or ever should be baptized If Water-Baptisme were any thing or had any thing in it yet infants are in no capacity at all to apprehend it no not so much as in signification yet they which make a prop of it to hold up their tottering kingdome can see good reason for it and draw goodly consequences from Scripture to help forward the practise of it Q. Though there be nothing in it as indeed there is not it being an outward signe may we not use it therefore in obedience to Christs command as a sign of our ingrafting into him and as an ordinance that gives us admission into Curch-fellowship with the Saints A. The commands of Christ are not empty and barren commands but full of power and efficacy When Christ coms forth in a command then there is a work wrought indeed If Christ say to a dead man live then is he quickned indeed If he command a man to believe then there is faith and confidence wrought indeed If he command the Saints to love one another then it is effected indeed Christs commands where they come and he himself come along in them or else they are not his commands they never return in vaine but do certainly accomplish their work not in imagination but in reality and truth Now if Christ had commanded to Baptize a man or an infant in water certainly some notable work would have been wrought thereby But we see in experience that to dip or to sprinckle in or with a little cold water produceth no effect in the inward man Therefore to Baptize with water as a command of Christ is to offer injury to Christ and to make the commands of Christ which are full of power and life to be empty and fruitless commands which is not safe to imagine Moreover Christs Kingdome is a Spirituall Kingdome and is altogether inward And as it is not attained so neither is it enjoyed with any outward observations Indeed under the Law they had their outward Ordinances and Services and all of them had their significations shewing forth something of Christ of his death and resurrection c. And this Kingdome was more Carnal than Spiritual and they were led on in it by outward and carnal observations But now Christ having finished all his work in the flesh and being come again in the spirit he exerciseth all his Kingly power in the soul and this Kingdome of Christ is the Kingdome of Heaven and there is no signification in it at all but all is reall For it is the glory of God begun in the soul not in imagination but in deed and in
truth which is to be perfected by degrees in this life though not fully untill the life to come Neither is there any outward ordinance or observation that can hold proportion or correspondence with this Spiritual Kingdome it being exalted above all the Hills and infinitely above all significations Now Water-Baptisme can no way shew forth our union with Christ for that is a Spiritual union and Water-Baptisme is a Carnall ordinance and holds no proportion with the former Againe we are not made one with Christ as we are one flesh with him but as we are one Spirit with him Christ by taking our flesh became Immanuel or God one with us in the flesh but now the Lord who is that Spirit takes us into the same Spirit and so we are made one Spirit with him To this very end the glorious God did abase himself and clothed himself with our flesh and took it into union with himself that so by this meanes he might also receive all them that do truely believe in him into union with himself by the same Spirit So that it is not the Baptisme of Water that can ingraft us into Christ or make us one with him But by the Baptisme of the eternall Spirit are all the Saints united to him and partake of the same Divine nature with him And further Water-Baptisme can give us no true fellowship with the Saints for where the Saints have true fellowship one with another they have this fellowship together in Christ So that this fellowship consists not in being of the same opinion or forme one with another But in partaking of the same Spirit are united into one body together in Christ For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one Body whether we be Jewes or Gentils So that it is not water-baptisme that can give any true fellowship with the Saints but onely a carnall admission into an outward fellowship with men of the same form which may hold for a time and afterward come to nothing Ananias and Saphira may have for a time an outward fellowship with the Apostles and Simon Magus with Phillip and the rest of the Saints in Samaria Q. What say you then of the Lords Supper is not that an Ordinance of Christ to be used now in the time of the Gospel A. That our Saviour Christ did give Bread and Wine unto his Disciples in remembrance of his death which he was now suddenly to accomplish is not denied but that he left it with them as an ordinance to be performed by all believers in the dayes of the Gospel is to be enquired into Our blessed Lord a little before his suffering told his Disciples that he had a great desire to eat one Passeover more with them before his death and being come into the house as they were eating together he tells them plain that one of them should betray him into the hands of the chief Priests and Elders c. and that he was to undergoe great sufferings yea and death also and that all this was no more than what was written of him though they were ignorant of it and that they must now enjoy his company but a very little while for as he came forth from the Father into the world so he must now leave the world and goe to the Father upon this heavy and sad and indeed unexpected newes his poor weak Disciples who looked for better things from their Master at least in their own conceits were so presently filled with sorrow that they knew not what to say much lesse what to doe whereupon our Saviour seeing them take the matter so to heart and knowing that his death was of so great advantage unto them takes occasion to instruct them in the knowledge and ends of the same that as his departure from them was cause of great grief and sorrow unto them so the remembrance of the great benefits which should redound unto them thereby might a little stay and comfort their hearts untill he did appear to them more fully To this end he took bread and brake it saying This is my body which is given for you as if he had said as I break this bread and give it unto you so my body is given and must be broken for you even for your sinnes And taking the cup he saith drink yee all of it for it is the New Testament in my bloud or a signification of the bloud of the New Covenant which is my bloud that must be shed for you and many others also or else yee cannot have remission of sinnes And for a help to their weak faith and comfort in their sad condition he said also unto them doe this in remembrance of me as if he had said I know that for the present you are almost overwhelmed with grief and sorrow because I say such things to you yet let this be a little comfort to you make use of Bread and Wine in-remembrance that my death is of great advantage to you and though I goe away in the flesh yet it shall not be long ere I see you again in the Spirit for I will not leave you comfortlesse but will come to you in the comforter which is the Spirit of truth and then your hearts shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man be able to take from you so that from hence it may appear that this action of Christ and likewise his command was rather to comfort and stay the hearts of his poor sorrowrowfull fainting then Disciples than to be a standing Ordinance for all believers afterwards Q But it is not said in many places in the Acts of the Apostles that this Ordinance was in use even among the Apostles themselves and many other Saints after the Ascension of Christ and sending down of the holy Ghost A. The Apostles indeed are said to break bread and that from house to house but every breaking of bread there spoken of cannot be said to be the Lords Supper for it is said that they did eat their meat with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart whereby it may appear that by breaking of bread in that place is rather meant the Saints mutuall love in receiving and entertaining one another into their houses with feasting and rejoycing than eating the Lords Supper for it is said that the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul neither said any man that the things which he possessed were his own but they had all things common The preaching of the Apostles was of such power and efficacy that it wrought great effects there was none that lacked they that were poor were provided for out of the goods of them that were rich But if by breaking of bread in this or other places be meant the eating the Lords Supper yet it was used as a thing indifferent and of christian liberty rather than a binding Ordinance for the Apostles
it is also as plain in our daily experience how that the Saints in whom Christ dwels and who are united to him and made one with God in him that they are carried forth in the strength of his quickning spirit to shew forth the prayses of him who hath called them out of darknesse into his marvelous Light But on the contrary we see worldly wicked men live many of them more like bruite beasts than reasonable creatures pampering and feeding themselves without fear swilling and wallowing themselves in their own vomit like filthy swine sporting and delighting themselves in their own lusts and windy fancies and deceivings belching out the rottennesse of their own hearts by cursed oathes and blasphemies making a continual â—â—ade of mocking backbiting standering fighting and quarrelling ranting and roaring in a word living in all ungodlinesse and dying without repentance And thus it is plain in experience that there be many yea too too many who are so farre from living in God and God living in them by Jesus Christ that they are rather possest of Satan who lives in them and leads them captive at his own pleasure Thus both Scripture and Experience do clearly witnesse that God is not in all men in a way of life and salvation which is by Christ Jesus But in a common spirit or common and outward providences so he acts rules and orders all men Neither can God be said to be in the Saints in his fulnesse for the fulnesse of the Godhead dwels onely in Christ and the Saints receive of that fulnesse which is in him For though they partake of the same spirit or divine nature with him yet it is still in that measure or degree as he is pleased to let out or to manifest him self by Christ is the head and the Saints are the body or members now all the members as they have several offices so they have several capacities for God hath set all the members in the body every one in due place and office that it might be compleated in the head which is Christ And from Christ or the head the whole body being fitly joynted together receiveth nourishment to every part a measure even to encrease and edifie it self in love Neither is this to divide God for as he cannot be devided so neither can he be comprehended for he fills all things and so he fills the Saints yet while they walk in flesh they are not able to comprehend him in his fullnesse But they are all so filled according to their several measures to advance the good of the whole And that God may be in men in his love in Jesus Christ and ever lie hid and not appear is contrary to Scripture and right reason For God is light and with him is no darknesse at all And where God comes in this Light which is Christ there he expels darknesse The Saints indeed while they are in the state of nature are in darknesse because they want the manifestation of God or revelation of Jesus Christ All this while they are in the love of God but this Love is not yet shed abroad in their hearts the seed was sown but it was not yet quickned up to life But when the appointed time is come that Christ will say come forth and I say unto thee arise Then appeares first the blade then the eare then the full corne in the eare But this is not in all men without exception but onely in the Saints who are elected in Christ Jesus in the purpose of of God before the world began that they should be thus conformed unto the Image of his Sonne and so be holy and without blame before him in love Q. But election doth not relate to persons but to the things in the persons for Gods love hatred is not toward the persons of men but toward the good or evill in the persons and this is Typed out in Jacob and Esau which as good and evill dwell in every man as they were in the womb of one Rebecca for the persons of men are but outward formes in which good and evill is acted and these outward bedies can act nothing but are acted themselves either by a good or an evill spirit How then can God be said to elect or not to elect to save or not to save the person of a man which is nothing and shall be nothing when the spirit ceases to act in it A. That election doth not relate to mens persons but to the good things acted in the persons is a meer fancy and quite contrary to the mind of God revealed in the Scripture First we must consider what the person of man is and what makes him a man or person and then secondly prove that election relates to the person For the first in short a man and every man consists of two main parts The body and the soul without the soul or spirit the body is but a dead carcass and without the body the soul hath no residence or place to act in and cannot act at all Therefore it must be concluded that if either be wanting there is not a man or a person A man then is a person consisting of a reasonable soul and humane body Now that election doth relate to a person thus considered and not to the good things acted in the person is easily made good in Scripture The Apostle in the Ephesians chap 1. vers 4. 5. 6. 7. telleth the Saints or rather blesseth God on their behalf for that he had chosen them in Christ before the foundation of the world that they should be holy and without blame before him in love And that he had adopted them to be Children by Jesus Christ meerly of his free grace even his own good pleasure And that they were accepted in the beloved for no other end but for the praise of his glorious grace And not onely so but also through the riches of his grace wherein he abounded towards them they were redeemed from Sinne and Satan Hell and Death their sins being forgiven them through his bloud From whence it is plain that persons and not things are here intended For it is not said that God had chosen holinesse or unblamablnesse in them but them to be holy and unblamable Neither is it said that God had predestinated the good things in them to the adoption of Children But them to the adoption of Children Again if election relate not to persons but to things I wonder what redemption remission of sins mean in this place and many others what can good things be redeemed from and how can good things stand in need of remission of sins And the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle 1. Chapter 1. 2. Tells the strangers that were scattered that they were elect according to the fore-knowledge of God and not the good things in them And that this election is assured
some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead For if there be no resurrection of the dead or of mens bodies then certainly Christ is not risen And if Christ be not risen then we have preached in vaine and ye have believed in vaine and ye are yet in your sinnes Yea and if Christ be not risen then the Saints that are fallen asleep in him are perished and God hath sent us to bear witnesse to a falshood if the dead rise not For if Christ be not risen then the dead shall not rise But if Christ be risen as indeed he is then it is impossible that the dead should not rise For Christs resurrection is a pledge a first fruits of the resurrection of the body But if there be no resurrection we and all the Saints are the miserablest men in the world And if the dead rise not why do I put my self to paine Why do I suffer reproaches stripes imprisonments watchings fastings c. Why am I alwayes in Jeopardy of my life Nay Why do I dye daily What advantage is all this to me if there be no reward no resurrection And the Saints in the 11. Hebrewes 35. are said to be tortured mocked scourged imprisoned stoned sawne asunder tempted slaine with the sword to wander about in sheep skins and goat skins to be destitute afflicted tormented and would not accept of deliverance Why so Did they not run with the world into every excesse of riot Did they not saile with every wind turne with every tide Yea did they not sweare and swagger rant and roare and say with the Epicure Let us eat and drink for to morrow or shortly we shall die and then there will be an end of us No saith the Text. They looked for a better resurrection a resurrection to life and reward for they knew full well that if they suffered with him they should raigne with him Neither was this resurrection which they expected that first spiritual resurrection namely a rising out of sin unbelief ignorance c. to live in newnesse of life for that the Apostles and the other Saints had attained to in their several measures or else they had not been able to endure such sharpe sufferings for Christ But as their sufferings were outward in the body so they waited for the perfecting of the adoption even the redemption of their bodies So that the resurrection here spoken of can be no other but that great and general resurrection when all men shall be raised and both souls and bodies reunited to suffer or to raigne together And for that general Judgement which is said to be a disposing of all things both good and evill to a full end and period or perfect state of life and death pleasure and paine salvation or damnation Let us a little consider what these good and evill things are that so we may be able to judge of this doctrine The good things in the Saints are faith hope love joy peace gentleness kindness meeknesse c. Now these being the divine nature or Christ in the Saints the hope of glory cannot be capeable of pleasure or salvation for they were never lost But the poor Creature was lost and Christ came to save that which was lost And by taking the poor creature into the divine nature or the same spirit with himself saves the lost creature and not the good things in the creature On the other side the evill things in evill men are unbeliefe wrath hatred mallice envy thefts murders adulteries Idolatries c. And these being the devill in the creature with whom the creature is made one in sin what pain or torment or damnation can befall these when the persons by whom and in whom they were acted perish like bruite beasts and have no resurrection Therefore as God by taking his own into himself saves them souls and bodies together with and in him So the wicked and unbelievers who are not in Christ or Christ in them but are one with the devill in sin are therefore soules and bodies condemned to be destroyed in and with the devill and sin Indeed this resurrection and judgement is already begun for the Saints are risen with Christ and Christ is daily raising of them in himself But the perfection and full completion thereofis and shall be when all the Saints are gathered into Christ to make him compleat in eternal glory And so likewise this Judgement is begun already the Judge sits every day Christ is refining and purifying the saints with fire and Fullers sope the power of his spirit destroying all their lusts and corruptions subduing their vile bodies and will at length change them and make them like his glorious body And he is also daily judging the wicked First in themselves convincing them of sinne and yet hardning them therein And then he is judging them by the Saints for when they behold the godly and undefiled conversation of the Saints they are ashamed and condemned in their consciences though they hate them for the same Now though Christ be thus judging daily yet the perfection of this judgement is that which the Apostle calls a revelation of the righteous Judgement of God when he shall render to every man according to his works To them who by patient continuing in well doing seek for glory and immortallity namely to them who are in Christ and are acted and carried forth by him to set forth his praise and glory to immortality to them he will give eternal life or glorifie them with himself in his eternal glory in heaven But to them who are contentious and do not obey the truth which is Christ but obey unrighteousnesse which is the devill indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and go ye cursed into everlasting hell fire prepared for the devill and his angels Q. Heaven and hell are misteries and admit of divers acceptations as Gods right hand and his left his love and his wrath pleasure and paine salvation and damnation but properly heaven is where God is and that is in every man And hell is where Satan is and that is in every man For there is in every man light and darknesse good and evill Michael and the Dragon Now as Michaell casts out the Dragon so darkness unbelief and all sin shall be cast out of man Christ shall make a separation for all things that are good as love joy peace delight holinesse c. and God shall be comprehended and gathered into one body of unity and concord in glory which is in heaven And on the contrary all evill as hatred sorrow sinne error death and darknesse and devils shall be gathered into one body of confusion and torment which is hell For although it be said Revelation 21. 8. That the fearfull and unbelieving
him very imperfectly and yet they are in heaven in this low condition But when Christ comes forth in the spirit indeed and transformes them into his Image of glory that is when they apprehend their union with God in Christ and that they partake of the same spirit or divine nature with Christ and that God loves them in Christ and as Christ they being one with him and of him Then are they carried forth unto him above all external things Then they cease to know any man yea even Christ himself after the flesh Then the vaile is taken away even the flesh of Christ or fleshly and carnal ordinances and here they see God cleerly and not in shadowes and formes and enjoy him purely in the spirit without the help of any created thing Then God is the Saints light for they are entred into that City which needs not the light of the Sun Where all teares are wiped away where there is no death neither sorrow nor crying nor pain where they live in God and enjoy him above all feares cares troubles and distractions because all former things or low apprehensions of God are passed away And this is the kingdome of Christ in the spirit which is heaven in a high degree but yet not the highest degree for that is in the kingdome of God which is distinct from the kingdome of Christ Eph. 5. 5. For Christ must raign untill he hath subdued all his enemies and the last energy which shall be destroyed is death Now death cannot be destroyed untill it be destroyed even in the Saints which shall remain to the very last period of time for although Christ by his death did overcome death and plucked out the sting thereof that it cannot hurt the Saints yet death is not slain and quite destroyed untill sin Satan and flesh be also destroyed and that in the Saints of the last generation when Christ hath put down or subdued all that sinfull rule and authority and power that is contrary to him Then shall the end come and then shall he deliver up the kingdome to God even the Father Then shall cease the kingdome of Christ as also his Priesthood and his prophetical office likewise and then shall the bodies of the Saints which have been rotten and consumed to earth for many yeares be raised though not the same bodies for that which is sown is not quickened except it die they were sown corruptible bodies they shall be raised incorruptible they were sown in dishononr they shall be raised in glory they were sown in weakness they shall be raised in power they were sown natural bodies they shall be raised spirituall bodies thou sowest not that body that shall be but God giveth it a body as it pleaseth him Then shall all the Saints be gloriously united into their head and so make up one compleat Christ yea then shall the Son himself even Christ compleated be subject unto God or taken into God that God may be all in all Then relations and manifestations shall cease for God will not be known or enjoyed by them or in them There shall be no more Father and Son Christ and Christian Head and Members for God Christ and the Saints shall be gloriously united and made one in that one entire pure glorious and eternall Spirit and so live and remain in onenesse of glory which is both unspeakable unconceivable and endures and abides to all eternity To God onely wise be glory through Christ Jesus by the holy immortall eternall Spirit for ever Amen FINIS a 1 Cor. 6. 17. b 2 Pet. 1. 4. c 1 Cor. 2. 12. d James 3. 16. 4. 5. e Rev. 2. 9 3. 9 f Eph. 4. 3. Vers 4. Vers 5. Vers 6. Vers 7. g Exod. 34. 12. Heb. 11. 27. h 2 Cor. 12 2 3 4. i Gal. 4. 12. k 1 Cor 9. 19 20 21 22. Col. 2. 17. m Eph. 4. 21. n Col. 1. 27. o 1 Ioh. 4. 12. 1. 2 p Heb 5. 13. 14. q Rom. 14. 4. r 1 Pet. 1. 22. s Isa 2. 18. 19. t Psal 45. 4. u Rev. 6. 2. x Rom. 1. 18. y Levit. 28. 13. z Prov. 8. 21. a Luke 17. 21. b Rom. 14. 17. c Eph. 6. 18. d Phil. 3. 15. e Mat. 9. 3. f 1 Cor. 1. 25. g Heb. 4. 11 h 2 Cor. 6. 17. i Deut. 1. 6. k Jer. 50. 5. l Joh. 17. 21 22 23. m Ioh. 16. 22. n 1 Pet. 1. 8. o Rev. 21. 3 4 p Rev. 22. 3. 4. 5. q 2 Thess 3. 18. Heb. 5. 12. 13. Mark 12. 32. John 4. 24. 2 Cor. 3. 17 Rom. 1. 20. Mat. 19. 17. 1 Tim. 1. 17. 1 Cor. 8. 5. 6. Jer. 23. 24. 1 John 5 7. Isa 9. 6. Psal 36. 9. Isa 41. 4. and 44. 6. Iohn 3. 16. 17. Heb. 12. 10 1 Tim. 3. 16. Heb. 2. 16. Isa 7. 14. Rom. 8. 3. Phil. 2. 8. Gal. 3. 13. Rom. 5. 5. 8. 2 Cor. 3. 18 Rom. 8. 4. Eph. 2. 22. Num. 14. 21. Isa 43. 7. Psal 145. 10. Prov. 8. 31. Psal 19. 1. 2. Rom. 1. 20. Gen. 2. 16. Prov. 30. 24 25 26. Psal 145. 11. 12. Prov. 8. 21. Gen. 1. 26. Gen. 2. 15. Gen. 2. 17. Gen. 2 Eccles 7. 29. Gen. 3. 4. 5. 2 Cor. 11. 3. Jude 6. Gen. 3. 7. 8. Hab. 1. 13. Sect. 2. Rom. 5. 17 21. Jam. 1 13 Deut 132. 19. Eph. â—… 6 7. Rom. 7. 24. Gen. 3. 7 8. Gen. 2. 8 to 15. Gen. 1. 28. Gen. 3. 19 23 24. Eph. 2. 1. Gen. 3. 8 9 12. Gen. 3. 24. Psal 63. 3. Psal 30. 5. Rom. 6. 21 23. 2 Tim. 2. 26. Jer. 5. 25. Hos 14. 1. Mar. 7. 21. Rom. 3. 10 11 c. Sect. 3. Jer. 31. 20. Gen. 3. 15. Isa 53. 6. Rom. 3. 25 26. Rom. 4. 16. Prov. 11. 19 and the 12. 28. Rom. 4. 5. Mark 9. 23. Mat. 9. 29. 1 Pet. 5. 8. Mark 7. 21. Sect. 4. Levit. 15. 2 3 4 c. Rom. 3. c 10 11 c. Gen. 1. 26. Gen. 5. 3. Job 14. 4. and 15. 14. Eph. 2. 3. Ezek. 18. 20. Sect. 5. Gal. 4. 4. Eph. 2. 4. Psal 103. 6. Phil. 2. 7. Luke 1. 35. Mat. 1. 21. Iohn 3. 16. Mat. 1. 23. Iohn 8. 46. Mat. 3. 15. Phil. 2. 8. Rom. 5. 8. Heb. 9. 22. Rom. 5. 6. 1 Ioh. 4. 9 10. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Isa 53. 6. Gal. 3. 13. Sect. 6. Gen. 3. 15. Gen. 22. 18. Rom. 4. 13. Gen. 6. 5. Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 3. 9 10. Exod. 20. 18. Heb. 12. 21. Heb. 12. 20 Exod. 20. 19. Gen. 1. 28 29 30. Gen. 3. 24. Isa 33. 14. 1 Sam. 12. 12. Eccles 7. 22 Exod. 20. 20. Rom. 3. 20. and 7. 7. Rom. 3. 19. Habbak 1. 13. Josh 24. 19 Levit. 11. 44. Rom. 3. 10 11 12 c. Rom. 4. 13. and 9. 30. and 10. 3. 6. Exod. 3. 6. Exod. 3. 17. Dent. 5. 25 26 27. Deut. 5. 18. and