and fancy committing Idolatry with your own wisdoms and excluding the wisdom of God he will then make all things manifest and apparent at his coming shewing you your miserie by the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth at which time your soul will lose the harmonie and virtue of the light of Christ 8. One Adam was created a living soul and another must become a quickning Spirit now the Virgin-fire that is in every mans soul must consume all its wisdom and its selfishness which it hath got by falling from the Will of God and Regenerate the same The mortification of the body is onely in order to that work here nothing but the Virgin-fire of faith can prevail the wisdom of man is foolishness before God This is the single Talent that is given to every man but if he bury the same in the ground it is given to him that hath ten Talents t is the light in every mans conscience which according to its proportion would augment it self but the slothful servant saith this is very difficult to do to mortifie the body and Regenerate the soul entirely likewise Who can do this can this ever be done in this life sure I am it must be done before we can possess Heaven no impure and undefiled thing can enter there then if a man may do it when he dies why not an hour before if an hour before why not an year before c. It is true the Cherubins standeth here with a flaming sword Gen. 3. v. 24. So he drove out the man and he placed at the East of the Garden of Eden Cherubins and a flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life And till Christ be formed in us Gal. 4.19 My little children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you This work cannot be done but then we shall see him through faith Ephes 3.17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in Love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye may be filled with all the fulness of God Whereby we comprehend him and find him to be a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 For our God is a consuming fire 1 John 3. v. 6 7 8 9. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God And chap. 5.18 We know that whosoever is born of God sineth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not 8. And this is the great love which he hath shewed us in giving us this pearl whereby we are made partakers of his Divine Nature enabling us to be as Gods with him to all Eternity Psal 82.6 I have said ye are Gods and all of you are children of the most High And also 1 John 3. v. 1 2 3 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God therfore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when we shall appear we shal be like him for we shal see him as he is And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure But to do this you must get into the Cross the Virgin fire to the Bride else there is no coming to the Bridegroom For this is the Saints Prerogative the true Purgatory 1 Pet. 4.12 Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery Tryal which is to try you as though some strange thing hapned unto you 10. O let us take up but this Cross dayly and we shall enter into the Holy where Christ the onely true High Priest will live in our hearts making continual Sacrifices enlightening our souls and reducing our knowledg into practise For this is the Fathers will that we taste of his wrath and that suffering with his Son for well doing patiently we may find him appeasing our souls this is divine reason whereby Christ is known in the spirit in the new-birth for by the wisdom of man we cannot comprehend him he is incomprehensible he is only known in the spirit by his power and vertue where he revealeth himself Luk. 10.21 In that hour Jesus rejoyced in spirit and said J thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight 1 Cor. 1.17.18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. For Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel not with wisdom of words lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us which are saved it is the Power of God For it is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent Where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the disputer of this world hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that beleeve For the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom But we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness But unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God Because the foolishness of God is wiser then men and the weakness of God is stronger then men For ye see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty And base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are That no flesh should glory in his presence But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption That according as it is writen He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. Chap. 2. v.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. And J brethren when J came to you came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom declaring unto you the Testimony of God For J determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified And J was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling And my speech and my preaching was not with entising words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the Power of God Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect yet not the wisdom of this world nor of the Princes of this world that come to nought But we speak the Wisdom of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory Which none of the Princes of this World knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him But God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God And read likewise Heb. 8.10.11 For this is the Covenant that J will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord J will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hea t s and J will be unto them a God and they shall be unto me a people And they shall not teach every man his neighbor and every man his brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest And 1 Joh. 2.26 27. These things have J written unto you concerning them that seduce you But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him Also 2 Pet. 1.19 We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day Star arise in your hearts Thus it is apparent we have a light within our selves better then any candles of our own wisdom namely the wisdom of Christ a day star that the Apostle directs us to and that the way to know Christ and the only way is by the inward unction the Baptism of the Spirit Now when our soul receives a glance or beam of Gods wrath thereby it reflects on its fall and sin is made manifest to our consciences wherby we are overwhelmed with sorrow grief for a time For where the entire will of sin is pierced quite through by repentance and so opened and searcht there the anointing Oyl of Love penetrateth and healeth all the wounds Thus the Father Baptizeth the Son Sanctifieth and the Holy Ghost Ordereth All and directeth us to a new Life This is the manner wherewith the Holy Trinity Baptizeth in its Manifestations in Man Now beyond and besides this is the Trinity it self God in one only Good Where we do not affirm that the Father is wrath the Son this or that thing but the good being in himself But according to the great Mystery before named in the fourth Paragraph wherein he doth manifest himself For the creation of man was made to this end and purpose only namely that God might be known Thus you may understand the Baptism of Regeneration in the inward spring and fountain of the soul where the Father Baptizeth with fire whereby we are inwardly made sensible of the bitter sufferings of Christ 2 Cor. chap. 11. v. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ So that we are brought into bondage and slavery afflicted by wrath that we may be freed by Love who pacifieth the same whereby we are likewise made apprehensive of obtaining a victory Thus the soul is wounded by the wrath of God healed by the Love of God and by the Holy Ghost the comforter baptized with a new life and understanding I speak not against the outward Baptism of water cause Christ himself used the same provided it be used as a Figure onely of this Now when we are thus baptized we are often in communion with God eating his body and drinking his blood and it were well if upon this accompt we met at the Supper of the Lord breaking bread dayly Joh. 6.33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven and giveth life unto the world And Vers 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58. J am that bread of life Your Fathers did eat Manna in the wilderness and are dead This is the bread which cometh down from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dye J am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shal live for ever and the bread that J will give is my flesh which J will give for the life of the world Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily J say unto you Except ye eate the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and J will raise him up at the last day For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and J in him As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me This is that bread which came down from heaven not as your fathers did eat Manna and are dead he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever And vers 63 64 65. It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are life But there are some of you that beleeve not For Jesus knew from the begining who they were that beleeved not and who should betray him And he said Therefore said I unto you that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father But this spiritual Resurrection this spiritual Baptism and Supper of the Lord Joh. 5.21 25. Verily verily J say unto you He that heareth my words and beleeveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Verily verily J say unto you The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voyce of the Son of
God and they that heare shall live is that which Lucifer defaceth and bringeth into contempt in the very hearts of men by endeavouring to make them beleeve this to be a Fancy or else to neglect and put off the time whereby the great Mystery of Christ is over-ruled and trampled upon which he cannot help unless together with him we sink down into the Cross the wrath of God then the light shineth in our hearts and by that means we see our fall our danger and our Redeemers great love and mercy Luk. 13. v. 34. O Jerusalem Jerusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together as a Hen doth gather her brood under her wings and ye would not Here indeed is the unspeakable Mystery that Christ in whom the Trinity dwelleth bodily Colos 2. vers 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily should take upon him our nature and suffer therein a reproachful life and ignominious death by the Prince of the world the Prince of the air for the Redemption of mankind and that the same Christ should be manifested himself through faith in the mystical Body of his Saints whereby he formeth himself in us out of himself that so he may be brought into an Image thereby to know himself 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Therefore praying that our Lord Jesus would establish and strengthen us I will name some Texts whereby we are commanded to suffer with him without which we cannot raign with him 2 Tim. 3.12 Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 2.11 It is a faithful saying For if we be dead with him we shall also live with him Verse 12. If we suffer we shall also raign with him if we deny him he will also deny us Luke 9.23 And he said unto them all Jf any will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross dayly and follow me Verse 26. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his glory and in his Fathers and of the holy Angels Rom. 6. vers 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin 2 Cor. 1. v. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Heb. 12. v. 6. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth Verse 7. Jf ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with Sons for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not Verse 8. But if ye be without chastisements whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons Ephes 3.20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us Gal. 2.20 J am crucified with Christ Nevertheless I live yet not J but Christ liveth in me and the life which J now live in the flesh J live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me 1 Pet. 2.20 For what glory is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye shall take it patiently But if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God Vers 21. For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps 1 Pet. 4.13 But rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy Verse 14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part is he glorified Verse 16. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in this behalf Verse 17. For the time is come that Judgment must begin at the House of God and if it first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God 1 Pet. 5.10 But the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you To search further and beyond this we have neither ground nor authority for 't is in the Will of God himself whose Will is infinite and no man can possibly attain to the knowledg of what farther Creations he will make An Addition Unfolding and clearing some Things only toucht upon REader To prevent mistakes in some obscure Mysteries and my expressions on them take these few Explanations before J bid thee Farewell 1. Whereas in page 3. I make mention of the Spirit of the Virgin Mary know there is a twofold mystical Virgin the one is the pure Word or Doctrine of God out of which Christ is born in us according to the Flesh the other is the eternal Wisdom of God out of which Christ is brought forth in us according to the Spirit and this last is the Virgin which we here meant 2. Whereas in that page also and page 4. line 7. we speak of the Bride of Christ this also is twofold the one is the Jerusalem which comes down from God out of Heaven which the promised Spirit the everlasting Kingdom of Righteousness that descended upon the Apostles in the day of Pentecost concerning which you may read more at large Jer. 3.16 And it shal come to pass when ye be multiplyed and encreased in the Land in those days saith the Lord they shal say no more The Ark of the Covenāt of the Lord neither shal it come to mind neither shal they remēber it neither shal they visit it neither shall that be done any more Revel 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the Name of my God and the name of the City of my God which is the new Jerusalem which cometh down out of Heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new Name And Chap. 21.2 And J John saw the holy City the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband Of which Jerusalem we also make mention page 10. line 3. out of the fourth Chapter to the Galatians Our Jerusalem above is free The other Bride of Christ is his beloved Spouse the Church at which the Apostle speaks at large Ephes 5.25 26 c. Husbands love your wives even as Christ also
Christ 6. Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I lay in Sion a ch ef corner stone elect precious and he that beleeveth on him shall not be confounded Lastly Whereas we alledg divers Texts of Scriptures in our four last Pages to arm us for our duty and conflict of suffering with Christ that afterwards we may raign with him we conceive that most of those Scriptures speak of those inward afflictions and sufferings which we must pass through under Gods chastisements and Satans temptations whilest we suffer the loss death and burial of all our own imaginations carnal wisdom chosen holiness self-made righteousness turbulent zeal as well as of our sinful lusts desires and affections and that those testimonies aforesaid are not to be restrained to the oppositions and persecutions of wicked men only Loving Friend HE that continually sinketh down through Faith waiting in patience besides his continual preservation when it is meet for him the Lord doth comfort him with unspeakable joy letting him know that he hath ordained him to inherit the Promises For by that means when the Virgin will reigneth our own wills forsake their title and are secured by that of our Lord Jesus For a pure heathenish Virgin yeildeth to no defiled desire but entereth into the unity of Virtue whereby she is protected by the harmony of an unknown Power arising from the divine Law written in her heart namely the spirit of Abel who delivereth her from the multiplicity of treacherous and perfideous delights Therefore by faith let us appeal to our only Redeemer and Protector leading us to that pure and undefiled Champion and Conqueror Christ Jesus in our Souls who fighteth for us only and not after the manner of Aaron for himself and others shewing always his almighty Power when we have most need of the same I heartily rejoyce that in the Name of the Lord you purpose to meet for wheresoever two or three are gathered together in his Name he is in the midst of them upon which account likewise by the joynt custom and consent of those who meet within the Walls called Aldermary Church upon the first day of the week I am if God determine not otherwise resolved to meet there where I doubt not but many of the children of God will meet coming singly in his Name to receive spiritual promises therefore let not place divide the unity of our spirit so we shall at the same time in several places through faith in God receive in his holy Name what is necessary So professing my self your unfeigned Friend for the love you bear to our Lord Jesus I remain yours Dear Friend THe Grecians did abound in natural wit and lived much in bondage under the false will namely their own will being very ambitious of self-humane wisdom and reason that certainly was the Idol that more then in an ordinary measure they worshiped therefore the Apostle said unto them 1 Cor. 2. vers 6 7 8 9. 6. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect yet not the wisdom of this world nor of the Princes of this world that come to nought 7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory 8. Which none of the Princes of this world knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory 9. But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Men certainly are as inclinable and willing by false rules to adorn themselves with unregenerated and unbeleeving wit and wisdom and set up their Rest therein as women to adorn and embelish themselves with overmuch art and care which breedeth vain thoughts and vile inclinations nourishing thereby the false will that leadeth into temptation the former being thereby inclined to determine the will of God regulating and governing the same by his comprehension the latter the will of Nature by art and dexterity whereby knowledg in man and ingenuity in women is made captive to the false depraved will Yet Nature when she returneth again and yeildeth obedience to the will of God is good for Nature her self standeth and hath its center and being therein But our own will that is artificial it is a violent possession a false usurped propriety a peculiar self-conceited selfishness goten by Adam when he fell from Gods will into his own O therefore return unto the will of God again for the life of faith more by far excelleth our own wisdom and willing then transitory and corruptible Nature in her perfection doth excel sophisticated and counterfeited Art therefore I hope the good will in us will enable us to sink down into the Cross and crucifie the bad will then shall we know and plainly understand the mystery of Christ crucified that immortal and pure Wisdom that incorruptible and resplendent Beauty Thus may you clearly see the Apostles meaning 1 Cor. 1.22 23 24. For the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom 23. But we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness 24. But unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God Let none hence conclude ' cause I speak of right and regenerated Nature that I would endeavor to perswade women to think well of transitory and fadable beauty no I would most humbly have them look after that eternal and unfadable one 1 Pet. 3. v. 2 3 4. While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear 3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold or of puting on of apparel 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price And Paul saith 1 Tim. 2.9 10. In like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefastness and sobriety not with broidered hair or gold or pearls or costly aray But which becometh women professing godliness with good works Now as corruptible beauty is destructive to it self and others unless the inward man be renewed for in Christ there is no difference twixt man and woman Galat. 1.27 28. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ 28. There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus For the vanity pride and lust of artificial and sophisticated beauty allayeth very much virtue and piety alluring and inwardly kindling vile thoughts interrupting many times the simplicity and innocency of a harmless conversation Thus it is with those likewise who live in artificial painted self-reason making faith subservient to their humane wisdoms And the Apostle found it so amongst the Grecians who gloried in their self artificial knowledg not regarding the mystery of Christ crucified Hereby we may conclude that the wit of man unregenerated is like unto horsedung which before it is well rotted spoileth all the moulds it is mixed with Repentance and Resignation fitteth every man onely wherefore the Apostle saith 1 Corinth 1. vers 23. But we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness They indeed would raign with Christ but it must be in their own artificial wills not in his in their own false wisdoms not in his Fain they would live with him but not dye with him know him they would most willingly suffering for them but to suffer with him by no means that They would fain have his Power and Crown but not his faith virtue and patience Like a seed that would fain be a fine flowr and have a fine scent but not go into the earth to rot putrifie and dye Take this Direction PAtience is the divine Water Humility the divine Earth and Faith the divine Sun Love and Charity the divine Man Christ himself in the Spirit regenerated from thence Now as all things proceed from Water falling into the Earth being percolated and strained by virtue of the Suns warmth So likewise is it in the eternal Nature as in this temporary where the natural man is made of a clod of earth nourished by moisture circulated and digested by heat Even so the inward man Christ is generated Humility is the earth of which he is made Patience the water with which he is nourished and Faith the Sun of divine Righteousness by which he is digested circulated and brought to perfection whereby God is regenerated in us namely love and charity This is the Process if any one practise the same the vail shall be drawn from off their heart and the great Mystery shall be made manifest in them in their several proportions according as God hath ordained Colos 1. vers 26 27 28 29. Even the Mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest unto his Saints 27. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory 28. Whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus 29. Whereunto I also labour striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily Farewell FINIS