present state held forth to our weakness under earthly similitudes of Kingdom Inheritance Crown of Glory purchased Possession and in like manner we are called Kings and Heirs of the Kingdom prepared of the Father 2. The way wherethrough God would bring up man into this state as to glorifie man in himself was by first glorifying himself in man Ioh. 13.32 that God might glorifie man in Heaven in his own life and spirit and in the things above he would first glorifie himself in Earth in the flesh and death of man and in the things below God would first come down be seen and known and be all in man in this state of things below which is earthly weak and dying before man should come up be seen and known to have all in the state of things above which is Heavenly Divine and Everlasting God would first appear and tread upon and reign in our Land which is nothing but briars and thorns before we must tread upon and reign in his Land which flows with milk and honey the crucifyings wastings weaknesses and nothingness of man were as a cloathing wherewith God covered himself in Christ wherein God was Priest and King that he might cloath us upon with his eternal perfections and transcendent excellencies and in them make us Priests and Kings Man must first become a covering of weakness upon God for a short time that God might become a covering of glory upon man for ever the Eternal spirit came forth cloathed upon with the likeness of sinful flesh an uncomely despised form with death and the grave which were our old Egyptian vile habit that they being found upon him he might rent them all to pieces as a veil which was signified by his Grave-cloaths left behind him in the grave Luk. 24.12 and cloath us upon with the garments of Sion the righteousness of Saints his own Glory All this God brought to pass first in the man Christ who was moved and led to and fro as the Divine Nature acted and guided him Love in God from Eternity but cleared up to the world by Christ who was made as a weaned Child that in all things he suffered the will of God in his flesh Which Will I humbly conceive to be this God had loved mankind with an everlasting love but through sin bondage a condemning Law and death breaking into the world through one man this shut up and concealed these everlasting affections from us insomuch that we hid our selves from God as from one who burned with anger against us therefore that the loving Father might clear up his love unto us to be such a love as could not be changed he comes forth and visits and speaks with us in the Man Christ and in him slayes the Leviathan breaks the serpents head How it was done abolisheth sin death this world and all flesh and rides in triumph over all principalities and powers and enemies of mans glory and in him burns up with the fire of his love to man all partitions veils Law of commandments sin and whatsoever might seem to separate him and us asunder and after all takes us up into the chariot of his spirit and carries us away into his infinite Mansions of eternal Love and all this he did in the Man Christ in our sight Further bidding us that whatsoever we have seen him do in and upon Christ that we reckon it all done for us and in us and telling us that though he hath done all this in the person of Christ yet it is not for Christ but for man and that what we see or behold in Christ whether dyings in the flesh or glory in the Father that we bring all into our selves and possess in our selves the same dyings in the flesh that he did and the same glory of the Father that he does possess for as he came down not for himself but for us so he ascended and sat down in the Fathers bosom not for himself alone but for us so that whosoever would know what is laid up for Saints yea what is in Saints already though to most of them yet unknown let them look within the veil that is the flesh of Christ what he hath what is in him for all that spirit love and glory which is now in and upon Christ manifest revealed and enjoyed the same is already in Saints yet invisible and hid up in their faith and union and in this respect is Christ called the Head and Conduct of our salvation and our forerunner into the heavenly places and in like manner Saints are called heirs and fellow-heirs with Christ in the same kingdom and glory Thirdly Saints being fellow-heirs with Christ of God that is of the same Divine nature as he came to the inheritance after the same manner shall they come to it the steps he did tread Divine Nature as in Christ first veiled then manifest so is it in Saints they shall go in the same the Divine nature did not withdraw but as it were retired it self as to the perfect enjoyment of it from Christ until he had passed through the death of his flesh then the glory of the Divine nature with which he was glorified before the world was did break forth in him it was alwayes in him and now and then sent out some sharp glances through him for the convincing of the world and he alwayes enjoyed it in such an enjoyment as enabled him to fulfil the will of his Father on earth but the clearer and higher breakings forth of it in him was not until the dyings of his flesh were ended so it is and so shall it be in Saints they are heirs with Christ of the Divine nature wherewith they shall be glorified together with him and they are already Partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and are filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3.19 but it is as it were retired and much under concealment from Saints until they have fulfilled the sufferings which are behind in their flesh and if now and then some unspeakable light and ravishing vision spring forth in a Saint yet it is but as in a glance or God passing by and tarrying not but the openings of this book and the manifestation of this inheritance whereof we are heirs with Christ that is of the spirit the Divine nature in us this is reserved for a while in the Fathers power until the revealing of the sons of God which will be Manifestation of the sons of God is the Divine Nature revealed in us when the Divine nature which is now in Christ openly in Saints covertly shall flow forth and be revealed in us then Saints shall be manifest to be what now indeed they are but in faith only not in manifestation truly and verily the sons of God that is when they shall appear with him in the same glory of the Divine nature and the glory of Christ the Son shall be the glory of all the sons
of man or as Scriptures written upon a Book without as so they neither enlighten sanctifie nor save being or coming in words sound or letter only but as they are preached and written by the spirit of the living God in the heart so they give life and blessedness being now become spirit and life in a man True knowledge of Christ what Joh. 6.63 The obedience of Christ in the flesh and his sufferings at Jerusalem if I know them only as acted and fulfilled in flesh without me as the flesh alone of Christ without the spirit profits me not Not as without or after the flesh But as within or after the spirit so this external knowledge of Christ being but a knowledge of him after the flesh wil not profit me to redemption or justification but if I know his obedience death and resurrection in that power and spirit which wrought in him and do know that the same power and spirit is in me and in all those that do believe then I come to have Eph. 1.19 and see and know the obedience and death of Christ as things within me having in me the same spirit which wrought them in Christ which spirit can make that which in Christ was wrought afar off to be near yea present within us and so I come to have the very power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings working in my flesh being made conformable unto his death Phil. 3.10 that is his death working death in my flesh after the same manner as death wrought in his flesh Thirdly God declared himself to be the omnipotent Creator by the Creation a work of Omnipotency to be Lord and King by acts of Dominion and Soveraignty Christ declared himself to be the son of God Rom. 1.4 by his resurrection from the dead a work of power so he declares himself to be spirit and life by crucifying flesh and abolishing death in Saints a work of the quickning spirit Now that whereby God or Christ declares or manifests himself to us to be what he is by and through that manifestation only he is to be truly seen and known of us to be what he is God or any glory or excellency of God is not known of the world God not known by a form of knowledge but by spirit in us but by the comings forth of glory and majestie into the world so neither the Father nor Christ are known of Saints but by the comings forth of the spirit into Saints so that God may be better tasted then known felt and enjoyed then conceived of for he passeth all knowledge and that is true spirituall knowledge of God and Christ which is not so much a conceiving of him in a form of knowledge or notion of the mind as when the Divine Nature it self is manifest felt and perceived in us Divine spiritual knowledge is not so much a work of the understanding as the thing it self known living in us And therefore in natural things the Understanding is active the Object or thing known passive because the Understanding is more noble then the Object but in spiritual things the Understanding is passive the Object active because the Object is more noble then the Understanding Man in knowing Creatures is active in knowing God is passive So I account that knowledge of God to have least of nature or man in it to be the purest highest and most spiritual knowledge wherein a mans mind is most resigned child-like and passive and God Christ or Spirit altogether active in him It is said therefore in one place After that ye knew God Gal. 4.9 or rather are known of God the Son only can reveal the Father the Spirit only can reveal the Son In thy light we shall see light the Light whereby we see God Grace Love the deep things of God is not the eye of man for that cannot see nor the ear for that cannot hear nor the heart reason or spirit of a man for that cannot conceive it but the Spirit himself dwelling in us is our eye our light whereby we search know discern and judge all things 1 Cor. 2.9 10 c. I read the Letter I hear the Word of Truth in the outward testimony that Christ is Lord that God is Father that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts that we dwell in him and he in us but I cannot as a man call Christ Lord but by the spirit 1 Cor. 12.3 nor God Father but by the spirit Rom. 8.15 Nor can I say that the love of God is shed abroad in my heart but by the spirit given into me Rom. 5.5 Nor do I know that he dwels in me or I in him but hereby because he hath given me of his spirit 1 Ioh. 4.13 And so I come to know all these things and all Truth and all Gospel-mysteries which appertain to life and godliness by having the spirit dwelling in me that is 1 Ioh. 2.20 27. by having that dwelling in me which is the substance life activity fulness glory and power of all Truth and all Gospel-mysteries for the Spirit Father Son and Truth and our knowing of them are all one and where truth is there is the Spirit and where the Spirit is there is truth True knowledge of God is by God his dwelling in us Fourthly What then is true knowledge of God and true blessedness but to enjoy him whom we know and to have him to be in us in our soul what our soul is in and to our body and he is then truly known and apprehended by us when he is that in us and through us and over us what we know and apprehend him to be Joh. 8.32 and then we know Truth when the Truth sets us free that is as Truth in it self is liberty and largeness and blessedness and there are no bonds nor sorrow in it So we then come to know Truth to be so when it brings in its own liberty and blessedness into us setting us free from the bonds of sin and sorrows flesh and death And so Gospel-mysteries are then truly known of us when the substance glory and life of the heavenly things themselves are presented to us and revealed in us And as our truest knowing and seeing of a thing is the manifestation of the thing it self unto us as of Light which is best seen and perceived by its own beams piercing the eye so our truest knowing and perfectest seeing of God as Light Fulness Wisdom and Power is by the out-shining of the Light it self and Glory of God into us 1 Cor. 4.6 for we know not God as the everlasting Light unless we know him to be Light in Darkness Light in Heaven Light on Earth Light in all the World Light in us and through us Nor do we know him as perfect fulness if we know him as here and there in Christ and not in Saints but as in Heaven in Earth in us and
from Christ Christ is one with God through the spirit of the Father Saints are one with God through the spirit of Christ 1 Tim. 3.16 Rom. 15.7 Joh. 17.22 Christ was received up into the glory of God by the Father Saints are received into that glory of God by Christ God dwels in Christ gloriously in a first higher and clearer manifestation God dwels in Saints as truly and verily but covertly and as yet in a second lower and darker manifestation through Christ in a spirit dwelling in them yet daily leading them up into more and more glory by clearer revealings of himself in us until he fully appear having done away all veils from off his face then shall we be like him that is we shall then be filled with the glory he is filled with for we shall see him as he is that is the same glory which is in him shall come forth in us 1 Joh. 3.2 and we shall see him by having that which dwels in him manifest in us Thus in all things hath Christ the preheminence over Saints and yet Saints are partakers with Christ of the same Divine Nature and spirit dwelling in them SECT XVI The fourth reason against the spirit in us OUR Fathers nor our Fathers Fathers knew not nor understood not this Mysterie how could the union of Christ and Saints being a Mysterie of so high and Divine a nature be hid and shut up from them through so many ages and generations if there be such a union as Christ himself by Spirit or Divine Nature dwelling in Saints Answered I shall close up my testimony to this Truth with an account of some things which I judge have shut up the world for so long a time under the darkness and unbelief of the great Gospel-mysterie The first veil which hath been upon the truth of spirit in Saints 1. Besides the holy and unsearchable reasons in the secret counsel and will of God the Mysterie of God and of the Father and of Christ or of God the Father in Christ being but darkly and weakly seen and apprehended by them who have been Fathers and Lights in their day in former times hath also much darkned if not quite hid out of sight this Mysterie of God or Christ dwelling in Saints For as the union of God and Man in the person of Christ is the cause or fountain from whence flows the union of God or Christ in Saints so the true knowledge of the union of God and Man in Christ Vnion of God and Christ darkned darkens the union of Christ and Saints is the key for the true understanding of the union of Christ and Saints Now the Guides and Leaders of the Church in former times looking upon this great Mysterie as upon all other Gospel-mysteries in a faith mingled with the unbelief ignorance and humane Philosophy of those times they have conceived God and the Man Christ to be one in an hypostatical union or a personal union so and in such manner as that the Man Christ as Man hath no personality at all that is hath no proper personal subsistence of Person but only of Nature under which dark and involved description favouring more of Metaphysical subtilty then of the simplicity of Christ they locked up the true state and nature of the union of God and Christ and so commended it to the world and by Tradition through succeeding generations down to our present times to be such an union as the Saints could not be partakers with him in the same union whereas the account that the spirit gives in the Gospel of this union is plain and simple and full of glory 2 Cor. 5.19 Col. 2.9 1 Tim. 3.16 God was in Christ reconciling the world The fulness of the Godhead dwels in him bodily My Father that dwels in me doth these works God was manifest in flesh and such as doth bring this union down to Saints Joh. 14.20 and joyns them in the fellowship and community of the same union with Christ At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you That they all may be one in us as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they all may be one in us as thou Father art in me Joh. 17.21.23 and I in thee I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one And that the world may know that God hath loved Saints as he loved Christ the glory which the Father gave to Christ which was union with God the same glory Christ gives to Saints that they may be one with the Father as he and the Father are one Joh. 17.22 23. And upon this very account that Christ hath union glory and spirit and all the riches of Divine fulness not for himself alone but to extend and shed forth the same upon Saints is he as I humbly judge called the root of David the true Vine the second Adam the first-born amongst many Brethren And now which of these Accounts does most clear the union of God and Christ that of the Schools or this of the Scriptures and whether of these does darken and abolish and whether of these does clear and establish the union of Christ and Saints let all that are spiritual and meek in heart discern and judge SECT XVII Second veil which hath been upon the truth of spirit in Saints SEcondly The framing and composing the whole knowledge of God Speculative and Practical otherwise called the Systeme and Body of Divinity according to the pattern of Natural Reason thus moulding and fashioning the spirit and things of the spirit into the perishing models and narrow platforms of Nature this hath been another seal to seal up the Mysterie of the spirit in us In those Books I find God and the Attributes of God first discussed and opened in a poor natural way before Christ be named whereas God never did any thing either in making the world or redeeming of sinners without the Son Nor can God nor any thing of God be clearly seen and known but first through the knowledge of the Son The greatest truths how corrupted and perverted formerly and as yet I find in those writings the justification of sinners by Jesus Christ to be an absolution only from the guilt condemnation and punishment of sin but not from the filth and spot of sin after the way and manner of earthly Judicatures who do pardon or remit the guilty person upon a price or ransom from the guilt and punishment of his offence though he be in mind and heart as much as before this is to bring down the glorious and free grace of God in imputing our sins to Christ and his righteousness unto us to the low and imperfect administrations of Justice amongst men to restrain the Omnipotent vertue and power of the righteousness of Christ which is able to make us become the righteousness of God in him
state Fourthly that which constitutes perfects and denominates the first Adam and all in him is no more but a spark of light a Divine breathing a created inspiration called a living soul that which perfects constitutes and denominates the second Adam and all in him is the Fountain of light the increated inspiration therefore called a quickening spirit Christ and Saints in him wherein excelling Adam and all natural men in him The summe of all is herein is the second Adam which is Christ and all Saints in him differing from and excelling the first Man which is Adam and all natural men in him that the first Man hath no more but a communication of gifts the second of the quickning spirit himself This is the first testimony to this truth that the spirit himself dwelleth in Saints SECT III. THE second testimony to this truth follows from Gal. The second testimony to the spirits in-being in us 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ lives in me Rom. 8.13 If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body c. The Truth flowing from these Scriptures linked together may be presented under the ensuing Conclusions 1. A Saint is both a dead and a living thing as he came forth in the state and nature of old Adam which is earthly and after the flesh and so stands up and lives and doth all in a spirit mind and principle contrary to God as a man under no government nor command of God nor of any but his own will and fleshly lusts and so is out of God in nature selfishness and flesh As thus he is dead being crucified with Christ who in the body of his flesh condemned the state nature law will and works of old Adam in all his Saints and abolished it in his death Again he is a living thing as the heavenly and divine life of Christ is revealed in him So that now it is no more he man or creature but Christ the son of God who lives and acteth and rules him whither and how he pleaseth Sins crucified perfectly and at once to faith imperfectly and gradually to sense 1 Cor. 15.31 2. Sins and the works of old Adam are crucified and slain two ways in the head and in the members in Christ they were perfectly slain once and for ever in the flesh of Saints they are slain by a gradual mortification He that said I am dead with Christ said also I dye daily they are perfectly dead as in faith having put off the flesh and put on Christ they have yet somewhat to kill as in sense having flesh and a body of death to put off This is clear from Col. 3.3 5. Rom. 6.6 12. 3. The same divine principle of life and righteousness which did slay and abolish sins and death in the flesh of Christ doth slay and abolish sins and death in the flesh of Saints head and members vine and branches having but one life as they live in and by one common principle law or spirit of life so they have one death and that which slays the one slays the other But lest there may be obscurity or offence in words I offer this explication of my sense upon those expressions of abolishing sins and death in the flesh of Christ and in the flesh of Saints 1. Hereunto doth agree the witness of the Apostle Rom. 8.3 Eph. 2.15 2. The son of God or Christ manifest in flesh must be considered to have put on a twofold state Rom. 8.3 1. As he descended and came forth in the form and likeness of sinful flesh that is in the name nature comprehension and reckoning of sinners so he was reckoned both by the Father and himself to have put upon him the spirit and life mind and will flesh and body of sinners and so offered and resigned up his life will and body as the life will and body of sinners to the eternal will to be delivered unto death As we were in Christ under this state Saints how perfectly crucified and freed from the guilt and filth of sin so though in the life of flesh or sense we feel the body of sin yet to live in us as if it were not dead and crucified yet in the life of faith or in a mysterie we reckon our natural man life flesh sin and the whole old Adam root and branch Rom. 6.4 6 11. to be indeed and perfectly dead and buried Col. 2.11 12. and abolished for ever out of the sight of God The second state of Christ was as he ascended and left the world in the reality and truth of a justified man 1 Tim. 3.16 Heb. 7.26 Having taken up not his own single person only but in his person our nature the nature of all Saints into a sinless justified and heavenly state of divine life and glory in union with the Father So while in flesh sense or old man we are and live in this world Saints how raised up into a spotless state we reckon our selves in faith mysterie or new creature to live no more in this world but to be raised up together with him and freed from sin in the filth as well as the guilt of it Col. 2.12.20 Rom. 6.7 Eph. 2.6 Joh. 14.20 and to be set in the heavenly places in a spotless justified and heavenly state in union with the Father in Christ Jesus This digression holds forth my sense of abolishing sins in the flesh of Christ and Saints 4. The Divine Nature dwelling in Christ was that principle which crucified our sins in his flesh which I do with submission conceive is thus to be understood That the Divine Nature in Christ crucified the spirit life understanding The Divine Nature crucified our sins in Christ reason will and affections of the man Christ to it self his reason as a man was not the light of his created mind and spirit but the Eternal Wisdom in him his own will ceased and was not but the Fathers will in him he gave up his whole man and therein our earthly man which as in us was active arbitrary lordly and selfish to be a meer passive thing unto the Divine Nature so that the Eternal Wisdom and Will revealed and taught all commanded and acted all in Chriâ—â— his created humane wisdom will and reason was sâ—â—owed up of the eternal wisdom and will in him as â—rop of the great Ocean If then as the third Conclusion depones the same principle which abolished our sins in the flesh of Christ The Divine Nature crucifies sin in Saints doth crucifie sin in us then the Divine Nature or the same spirit of Christ doth mortifie or crucifie sin in us by his dwelling and manifesting himself in us and is daily abolishing our wisdom reason light will and affections by the nearer approachings and clearer revealings of the eternal wisdom light will and fulness in us until Christ and Saints be made one compleat
living holy Temple for the everlasting and blessed God to dwell in Upon this ground I must thankfully and gladly own and affirm that the spirit himself dwels in Saints and is daily subduing them by dyings to themselves to the flesh and world to be a Temple for the Divine Nature in his admirable and blessed Being to dwell in SECT IV. The third testimony to the spirits in-being in Saints ANother witness to this truth is from Gal. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch then as Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same These Scriptures spiritually weighed together do cast a mutual reflexion each upon other and send forth this high and blessed truth Vnion of Christ and Saints is in substance 1. That the union of Christ and Saints stands in or is by a mutual participation each of others substance or substantial natures and not only each of others qualifications or habits And that this participation is twofold Of Christs partaking of the nature and flesh of Saints One of Christs partaking of the humane nature and flesh of Saints marrying it and taking it into union with his Divine Nature and in it as in the root head and first-born from the dead sanctifying all Saints to be a Virgin Spouse and Bride for himself of whom he saies in a figure Thou shalt be called Hephzibah Isal 62.4 Psal 132.14 for the Lord delighteth in thee and here will I â—â—ell for I have desired it And thus Christ and Saints are become one flesh and one body Ephes 5.30 31 32. The other is of Saints partaking of the Divine Nature and Spirit of Christ Of Saints partaking of the nature and spirit of Christ Isai 54.5 through faith taking it into union with their own nature and in it receiving God their Maker the Lord of Hoasts to be their Husband and everlasting Bridegroom to dwell in them Therefore it is said He that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 2. That the ground and reason of both these participations of Christ with Saints and Saints with Christ is one and the same in him and in them viz. in Christ who partook of the flesh of Children because one of the Children in Saints who partake of the spirit of the Son because they are sons Which relation of Christ to Saints ☜ as it was truly and really perfected in that kindly and natural product of his cloathing himself upon with our flesh the seed of Abraham without which he had neither really been in himself nor could have been truly manifest nor declared to be our Brother or one of the Children so the relation of Saints to Christ being the same and so of equal force and vertue and so hath like effect and operation is therefore truly and really perfected in that congenial and natural product of their cloathing themselves upon with his spirit the seed of God without which Saints neither really are in themselves nor can be truly manifest or declared to be the Brethren or the Sons of God I do therefore humbly affirm the Divine Subsistence of the spirit to dwell himself in Saints and not only by infused qualifications or habits and this partaking of the Divine Nature to be that which only makes Saints truly to be and principally denominates and declares them to be the Sons of God SECT V. The fourth testimony to the spirit in Saints THE fourth witness to this truth is from 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Eph. 2.21 In whom all the building c. groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. 1. All the Temples expressed and found in Scripture are either Idol-Temples 1 Chr. 10.10 2 Chr. 36.7 Ier. 50.2 Acts 19.26 27. Ioh. 2.19 21. Ezek. 41.1 which are three the Temple of Dagon the god of the Philistines the Temple of Bel and Merodach at Babylon the Temple of the goddess Diana at Ephesus in Asia Or Temples for the true God which are these the Temple at Jerusalem made with hands the Temple of Christs body the Temple of Saints 1 Cor. 3.16 the Temple opened in Heaven Rev. 11.19 the Temple revealed to Ezekiel in visions Rev. 21.10 being the same with the Temple opened in Heaven and is the new Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God The Temple at Jerusalem fulfilled in Christ and Saints 2. The Temples of the true God carry this account in them the Temple at Jerusalem was the type held forth God dwelling in flesh as the invisible mysterie of the Gospel in a dead shadow or external figure as the visible rudiment the shadow or rudiment was to cease and the mysterie to be truly fulfilled in him that was to come The Temple of Christs body and Temple of Saints or flesh of Christ and Saints was the anti-type The mysterie of God dwelling in flesh typed and prefigured in the first Temple is truly fulfilled and brought forth in these second and third Temples The Temple of Christ and Saints perfected in the last Temple opened in Heaven But so as in the flesh of Christ it is already manifest revealed and consummate but in the flesh of Saints it is as yet covered obscure and inchoate The Temple seen in vision by Ezekiel and the Temple opened in Heaven or the new Jerusalem which are the last Temples and both one are the perfection and full growing up of the second and third Temples into one living holy Temple for the Lord or the mysterie of God manifest in the flesh now in Saints yet covered and inchoate shall be in that last Temple revealed and consummate so that the first Temple had or held forth the Mysterie in shadow or letter the second and third had it in spirit and truth yet dark and covered as in Saints the last Temple takes off the darkness and covering from off the third and holds it forth revealed and consummate the first had the Mysterie but in shadow and so darkest the second and third had it in truth and more clear the last shall have it in perfection and so in the brightness of the perfect day Thirdly the Idol-temples and true Temples do agree in this those had in them their god their oracle and their graven image to whom all the Nations flowed together as to a god Jer. 51.44 The true Temples have their Oracle their Glory the true Divine nature and spirit dwelling in them without which they are not Temples and so are common and unholy the indwelling of the holy Spirit being that onely which makes them Temples and sanctifies them to be an habitation for God even as the body of Christ could not be called a Temple but from the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in it so the Saints are not nor cannot
that the flesh of Christ was capable of or was advanced unto was not to become God but to be glorified in God and God to be glorified in him Christ is both God and son of man both Lord and son of David 3. So God dwels in all Saints God in Saints yet Saints are not God but his Temple who being fitly joyned and compacted together do grow up into one living Temple for the Lord which is that beautiful Sion that Mountain of the House of the Lord the Lambs Wife that near City Jerusalem above that Tabernacle of God with men wherein God himself dwels and the Father and Lamb himself will be the light and glory in it and the Tree of Life and the pure River of the water of Life in the midst of her and the glory of God himself in her shall be joy and praise the terrour and astonishment of all Nations Thus God is in Saints and will glorifie himself in Saints yet they are not God even as he is in Christ yet the flesh of Christ is not God SECT XIV THE union of God and Man in Christ gives this honour to Christ to be called God Second reason against the spirit in Saints If Saints partake in this union to have God dwelling in them why do they not partake in the honour to be called God Answered 1. The flesh of Christ neither is called God nor is God but he is and is called the true God who was manifest in that flesh So that if it be asked who is Christ or what is his name he is Immanuel the Anoynted or God manifest in the flesh In like manner Saints are not God nor are called God but he who is in Saints is and is called the true God So that if it be asked who is a Saint or what is his name he is an inspired man an anoynted one or Christ or the spirit in man 2. Christ so perfectly denied himself of all that was man and resigned it up to the Divine Nature that of himself he did nothing but the Father did work all his works in him and by him The several actings motions and performings of Christ were not from the will of man but were the streams and flowings forth of the Eternal Fulness in him so that God became manifest through Christ the ways and works of Christ as through a Chrystal or transparent glass and therefore came it to pass that God alone was and did all in Christ because he would be known worshipped and approached unto only in Christ and no man should seek or find or come near unto any God but that God which is in Christ Under the Law God filled Heaven and Earth yet he would be known and worshipped only in the Temple at Jerusalem Under the Gospel he dwels in all Saints yet he is with open face beheld and will be worshipped as the true God only in his living Temple or Sanctuary the flesh of Christ so because we come to God and the Father by Christ and worship God in faith and hope through Christ and not through Saints therefore is Christ called God the Saints not SECT XV. Third reason against the spirit in Saints IF Saints partake with Christ in union with God so that the same Divine Nature which dwels in Christ dwels also in Saints then what preheminence hath Christ above Saints Much every way chiefly in these things Answered 1. That it pleased the Father by him to finish the transgression to make an end of sins to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophesy of the Law and Prophets And that as through one man sin death and wrath entred into the world so he must be that son of man by whom God would put away sin abolish the flesh and death judge the Prince of this world spoyl and triumph over all the Principalities and Powers of darkness and vanquish all the Enemies of man out of the world again and so by him to reconcile all things to himself and in the fulness of time to gather together into one in him all things Dan. 9.25 Heb. 2.10 Col. 1.18 in Heaven and in Earth in him And in this work he hath the honour above Saints of being Messiah the Prince the High Priest and Captain of our salvation the beginning and first-born from the dead who was the Head of the Heasts of the living God and the only Instrument in the everlasting hand and arm of God to cut off the Dragons head to slay the Leviathan in the deeps in his death and drive all the enemies of man out of the world 2. All those things and all that Love that God hath prepared for them whom he loves he hath laid it up in Christ in the Eternal Fulness of the blessed Godhead and to him alone hath committed the administration of all things that the Father hath given unto him for us All things that the Father hath are ours but they are first Christs and given unto him the Father loves the Son and hath given all things into his hand he loves Saints through and for the Son with the same love wherewith he loves the Son Joh. 17.26 and so he gives them the same glory in himself which he gave the Son yet by and for the Son Joh. 17.22 The Father as himself without Christ judgeth no man saveth no man does nothing in the world but hath committed all judgement to the Son and hath committed the authority of executing all judgement both of life and death unto the Son of man God doth all and all things are of God Joh. 5.22.27 yet so as by Christ nothing at all without him The glory fulness light and power of God comes forth upon Saints yet so as through the hands scepter and face of Jesus Christ And in this work he hath honour above Saints to be the Head of the Body the Church the fulness of grace and truth the Mediator of the New Testament the King upon the holy hill of Sion anoynted by the Father Therefore this preheminence and honour of Christ above Saints Preheminence of Christ above Saints destroyes not but confirms spirits in-being in Saints that he hath received the fulness of all the wisdom and power of God that all dominion power and authority is given into his hand and that not for himself alone for his own private and singular enjoyment but to be all administred and shed abroad upon the Saints for their enjoyment and everlasting happiness All this preheminence whereunto Christ is exalted above Saints and Angels and every other name doth instead of casting a cloud upon it bring clear light and reason for the further confirming us in the truth that Saints are partakers with Christ of the Divine Nature it self dwelling in them For as Christ received fulness glory and spirit immediatly from the Father so we receive of that very fulness glory and spirit
Glory sometimes afar off Now stepping in OR The great Gospel-Mysterie OF THE SPIRIT OR Divine Nature in Saints Not in that Philosophical and humane sense by effects and habits of Grace but after a more Evangelical Divine and Mysterious manner of in-being Opened affirmed and cleared and gloriously breaking forth through a cloud of subtil pervertings carnal objections and dreadful condemnings cast upon it And closed up with an account of some principles practises and wayes which have sealed up this Mysterie and thereby held down the Saints in weakness and shut up the world in darkness for so long a time Administred through the hand of a Babe in the knowledge and fellowship of the Mysterie of Christ in us LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert and are to be sold at the black spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1653. GLORY sometimes afar off Now stepping in SECT I. IT begins to appear plainly to all men that light and darkness are the two great principles which have formed and given life and being to all the true and false Religions Opinions and Worships the two great Powers which have ruled and acted in all the turnings and overturning of Nations States and Interests and the wombs of all the Apostacies and Reformation Bondage and Liberty Arbitrary and Regular wayes which have been since the beginning of the world It doth not so plainly appear Job 38.19 but may be as truly affirmed what is said in one place that Light hath a way where or whence it is and darkness a place where it dwels that is all Scripture Faith Knowledge Gifts Administrations and Operations which are so many pieces or sparkles of Light do all come from an higher fulness fountain and Sun of Light and as Faith Knowledge and Gifts are to be accounted Light only as they flow from the true Light and have the true Light hid within them so they are no more Light if they fall short of God in like manner all Spirits Doctrines Principles and works of darkness do all come out of some root or first Principle which is the Serpents head the bruising whereof is the confusion of all the rest God in Christ and Christ in us the two fountains of all Gospel-truths Gospel-truths are many and various but may all be reduced under two great and supreme truths as the foundation ground and cause of all the Grace and Truth that is revealed and administred by the Gospel they are either the Mysterie of God manifest in the flesh of Christ or the Mysterie of Christ by Spirit dwelling in Saints the first of these is the producing cause of redemption justification reconciliation and of the whole work of Grace administred by Christ in his flesh the other is the operating cause of Union regeneration sanctification new creature and of all the gifts of Grace administred by Christ or Spirit in Saints As all promises truths and gifts of God in the Gospel do come unto us out of one of these fountains of Grace so our Knowledge and Faith of these many and various truths of the Gospel do come from our Knowledge and Faith in these two mysteries or fountains of Grace truths are either supreme or subordinate higher or lower truths in the Cause or truths in the Effect as subordinate and lower truths have their rise ground cause and reason in their supreme and higher so they cannot be fully believed nor understood Gospel-truths best known in Christ Christ best known in the Father but in their supreme and higher truth or Cause first we see Christ more darkly and imperfectly then through him we see the Father and the love of the Father to be the only cause and reason of Christs coming forth then from thence we look back again and see more clearly Christ and his coming forth and the work he came upon to be more and more precious and glorious Christ is known but darkly at first till the Divine mercies out of which he came be seen in him then both Christ and every work of Christ his obedience and sufferings life and death are seen and known in more lengths and breadths to be blessed and full of glory the Promises are all in Christ Christ is in the Father Christ is greater then the promises they cannot be known nor enjoyed but in Christ the Father is greater then Christ he cannot be known nor enjoyed but in the Father in like manner the fountain and cause of all spiritual light life and sanctification in the Saints is the Spirit dwelling in them those Saints that know not this in-being of the Spirit himself in them know little of that more glorious power those more rare and spiritual gifts and more Divine and ravishing enjoyments which some Saints are led forth into the actings state calling and fellowship of Saints are not known nor discerned by the world and very little discerned by most of themselves because they know not the Spirit of Christ to be in them So that if any were so spiritually knowing and would undertake a work so high and desirable as to make search into the Cause and Grounds of the little Light and much darkness that hath been for so long a time in the world and that in the dayes of the Gospel I humbly judge whatsoever other lesser reasons might be found that the highest reason and cause of all the humane inventions The cause of all the darkness that hath been and yet is upon the world and perverse disputings amongst all sorts of men of all the carnal Doctrines and Gospel-worships of Antichrist of all that Confusion of Law with Gospel letter with Spirit Jewish bondage with Christian Liberty Paganish morality with Gospel-holiness by our own Teachers of all the legality Childishness and weakness of gifts and grace in Saints fearing where no fear is unstable where they should be as mount Sion conflicting instead of conquering in mournings and complainings in stead of garments of praise and a Spirit of joy the greatest reason of all these I judge would be found to be the darkness that hath been upon these two great fountains of all Gospel truths viz. God manifest in the flesh of Christ and Christ by Spirit dwelling in Saints which as they are the great reasons of all other truths so they are the Light and Key into all the truths and riches of grace in the Gospel And for this cause I do here humbly offer what I have in my measure received from the Lord of my understanding and knowledge of this mysterie which is Christ himself in us as the Father is in Christ which as my natural reason and the disputings of flesh and blood could not see nor lead me into it but resisted and gain-said me in it and that Spirit that is mightier then I did by his own drawing and strengthening hand upon me raise me up above the reasonings of my flesh and this world in the conceiving and declaring of it so if any look into the
things here presented in the light of his own natural reason tradition of men or pre-resolved obstinacy of an unresigned mind and judge against these things let such a one know he cannot dootherwise but these things cannot be judged of him nor of any natural man and as for those who are spiritual if they be Fathers not in years I mean but in knowledge they need not these things I only commend these things to them to give them occasion to instruct me and others more perfectly herein if they be children and are dying to all the proud reason and wisdom of Man and do wait in Love and Peace for the day of the Lord and the Life and Glory of Christ to break forth and be all in them they are they to whom I ow the Ministration of these things that we may all sit at one table in our Lord Jesus and eat all of the fat things of our Father in our Fathers Kingdome SECT II. IN the first place then the Spirits dwelling in us as it is the earnest of our inheritance of glory Eph. 1.14 2 Cor. 5.5 and the first-fruits of that perfect heavenly state that shall spring forth in us and therefore is of the same nature Rom. 8.23 and one very kind with that glory whereof it is an earnest and first-fruits so the unfathomableness hiddenness and consequently darkness which is in the perfection and consummation of heavenly glory as to our minds and understandings is also found in some proportion upon the Spirits in-being in us as being the beginning inchoation and first entry of after-glory into us Upon this ground I hope I may not be hardly judged if I declare my self straitned and unsatisfied in the inlargedst and fullest discovery of this Mysterie presented by any how excelling soever in the wisdom and knowledge of the truth For as much as the wisest man learnedst Assembly Job 37.19.23 and 26.9.14 and 11.7 8 9. Eccles 7 24. 1 Cor. 13.12 and clearest Age that hath yet been after they have pierced deepest discovered highest into this or any other Gospel-mysterie have still infinite reason to say how little yea nothing is that we know to that we know not yet to be known And things being wisely laid together the heighth and depth of all truth the lowness and shortness of our knowledge of truth the brightness and purity of truth the darkness and dimness of our eyes to look upon it these do shew the clear reason and ground of those Scriptures Hos 6.3 Phil. 3.13 14. Eph. 1.17 18 19. Heb 6 1. Joh. 16.12 13. which I desire to have alwayes present with me As the child knows and calls him that begat him Father from a seed or instinct rather then from understanding so I would be conceived in this to speak rather the sense tasts and breathings I have received of the thing then from any perfect form or Idea of knowledge I can pretend unto Now whereas the judgments of the Saints in this do agree in one that the Spirit dwels in believers the truth of this thing being no more nor no other then the plain testimony and naked letter of Scriptures and an experience felt and tasted in all Saints cannot be gainstood nor so much as stumbled at by any but in what sense we are to conceive of it or what manner of in-being it is whether essential formal and immediate as in the Man Christ or only energetical virtual and by infusions of powers habits and created gifts of grace as the mind of Scriptures is to some not so clear herein so herein the Saints do divide in judgment one from another Therefore I propound the thing which is differently judged of them by way of Question What kind or manner of in-dwelling hath the Spirit in Believers I humbly affirm essential and personal In-being of the Spirit in Saints is essential and personal I shall clear in what sense I so affirm First negatively by ejecting the sense wherein I affirm not I affirm not the essential presence of the Spirit to be more as essential in Saints then in other creatures the eternal Spirit is infinitely in Saints infinitely in all creatures I deny the essential presence of the Spirit to be no more eminently essential in Saints then in other creatures the Spirit is essential in all creatures but more eminently essential in Saints I deny this eminency of essential presence in Saints above other men or creatures to be only or no more then an infusion of created gifts habits and powers of grace and his acting of them as is the sense generally declared Secondly positively I own and believe the essential presence of the spirit in Saints to be not only that essential presence general to all creatures which gives them natural gifts life powers and virtues after their kind nor only in that half and limited but commonly declared and received sense of presence in Saints which is only by supernatural and Divine gifts of spiritual life powers and actings But over and above these in that full plain and compleat Gospel-sense wherein the spirit communicates not gifts only natural as in all creatures spiritual as in Saints but himself the Original any Fountain of all spiritual Life and Light these may clear the sense of my judgment in this truth and prevent any misunderstanding or perverting of it The principles and grounds guiding or rather drawing me into this more untroden path of judgment are the Scriptures of the Gospel which I shall propound and in the light of the spirit open First testimony to the Spirits in-being in us 1 Cor. 15.45 The first man Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickning spirit The extent and summe of this Scripture may be gathered up and conceived in the four conceptions following First Man is here declared to be brought forth by God under a two-fold state A first and second an earthly and heavenly a lower and higher a living soul and a quickning spirit the former state corrupts decayes and dies the latter lives for ever and cannot see death Secondly the first earthly and lower state of Man consists in a perfection and full measure of light The perfection of the first Man what it is holiness and conformity to the whole will of God revealed under that present administration no errour clouding his understanding no pravity tainting his will knowledge righteousness and true holiness irradiating filling and beautifying his whole Man yet all these make up but an earthly lower state of the first Adam made a living soul Thirdly the state of the second spiritual Man which is the state of all in Christ as being the second heavenly and higher state must consist in the advancement unto and participation of somthing more and more excellent then the perfection of created gifts of light holiness and conformity that being no more then the fulness and stature of the first Adam in his earthly and lower
be called Temples but from the fulness of God filling them and dwelling in them Eph. 3.19 all which doth hold forth a clear account of this truth as worthy of all acceptation that the spirit or Divine nature it self dwells in Saints SECT VI. A Further witness to this truth is from 1 Cor. 6.17 But he that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit Ephes 4.4 The fifth testimony to the spirit in Saints There is one body and one spirit First members of the natural body being many are but one body because united together and living in one common principle or spirit of life dwelling in them so Christ and Saints being many members are but one mystical body because united together and living in one eternal spirit dwelling in them Christ is to the soul what the soul is to the body the one being as real an union in spirit and Mysterie as the other is in nature and reason yea and much more real for what the natural spirit is to the body natural that and far more is the Spirit of Christ to Saints 1 Cor. 12.12 13. Vnion of Christ and Saints by created inspirations only brings forth two conclusions which destroy the reality of that union First conclusion Secondly he that brings down this union of Christ and Saints in one body by one spirit to be no more then an union of the created inspirations and habits of one spirit he must unavoidably affirm the conclusions following both which do debase weaken and quite disanul the reality of the union between Christ and Saints or Saints and Saints First that the highest principle of life in Saints as one body is some created gift or habit of grace or something below the spirit for as in the natural body so it is in the body spiritual the highest principle of life is that only which unites many members into one body and denominates them one body so that if it be not the Spirit himself but some infused habit which unites Christ and Saints into one body then that infused habit is the highest principle of life in Saints as one body of Christ which assertion besides the irrationality of it in making an habit or quality a principle of life may be judged the highest wrong and dishonour that can be to the body of Christ that the Body of bodies the body of the Son of God the Temple and City of Jehovah the eternal Spouse of Christ the Lambs wife the joy and praise of all the earth that body which shall be comprehensive of such stupendious masses and eternal weight of glory should have no higher larger no more substantial principle of life then a bundle of created habits how doth this strip the glorious body of Christ Mystical of its glory and perfection and brings it into a condition below the very natural body of a man whose highest perfection of natural life consists in something more substantial and noble then any such thing as a meer habit or quality Second conclusion Secondly if the union of Saints with Christ in one body be only by infused habits then the Mysticalness and reality of the union comes to no more then a moral union the union of man with God no more then the union of man with man or two lovers or friends that is of one heart mind or thought in a moral conjunction and so the riches of the glory of that Mysterie which was hid from Ages and Generations under the whole Law and not made manifest until the dayes of the New Testament which is Christ is in us are no more but that which hath been common Col. 1.26 27. and known amongst all men in Ages and Generations Vnion of Christ in Saints was a Mysterie hid until the dayes of the Gospel that is a moral union wherefore this union of Christ and Saints being a Mysterie so ful of glory and hid from the Prophets and Fathers under the Law must be something unseen unknown to the world before something more hiâ—h Divine and perfect then moral union that having been well known unto the Saints before and therefore it is Christ himself in Saints that is not onely an heart will or mind like to Christ in Saints but Christ himself his Divine nature and spirit in Saints a Mysterie so deep and glorious that the Disciples of Christ understood it not all the while he was with them in the days of his flesh until some time after he was gone unto his Father and in that day they should know that he was in the Father and they in him and he in them Joh 14.20 All which do give their witness to this glorious Mysterie of truth that the spirit himself dwells in Saints SECT VII ANother convincing witness to the spirits in-being in Saints is from Joh. 14.16 17. I will pray the Father The sixth testimony to the spirit in Saints and he shall give you another Comforter which shall be in you Joh. 16.7 It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you c. God in Christ the great promise under the Law First two great promises have been made and revealed to the world one by the Father under the Law of sending the Messias or Emanuel or God manifest in the flesh of Christ whose coming forth in the flesh should put an end and consummation to that administration of him under the Law the other by Christ of sending his spirit into the flesh of Saints God in Saints the great promise under the Gospel whose first coming forth should put an end to Christs dwelling among us in the flesh which accordingly came to pass and his second approach or coming forth should finish the Mysterie of God or the witness of Christ under the Letter and external administration of the Gospel which yet is not come to pass but is that we wait for until it be revealed in us Both these promises pass through the same states conditions and changes Secondly both these promises may be observed in their several succeeding reasons and proper day of their comings forth to have trodden the same path of Occurrences and to have passed through the same states conditions and changes each after other They are as follows The first promise or God in flesh and his threefold state The first Promise or God coming forth in flesh had his appearance disappearance and reappearance or had his time of witnessing his time of being cut off from witnessing his time of finishing or sealing his witness by his rising again and ascending up into glory in the first state or time God was in Christ yet veiled and hid in his weak flesh obscure estate and uncomely form from the wise and prudent Princes Scribes and Disputers of this world but known and manifest to a few Babes and despised ones which state prepared him for his second state or time wherein he
was cut off and for a little while removed from the living as if God had left him or were not in him which captivity upon his flesh was light and joy to his enemies but darkness of sorrow and fear to his Disciples insomuch that they doubted whether the witness which he bore while he was alive that God was in him whether it was so or no Luke 24.11.21 out of this state he hastned into his third state or time wherein he opened the vision revealed the Mysterie and gave a signal demonstration of the truth of all he had spoken or done and confirmed by spirit what he had affirmed by word he made it clear that God came down in flesh by his going up to God in flesh that all Power and Dominion both in heaven and earth was his by going to his Father sitting down with him in his throne and being seen no more The second Promise or the spirits coming forth and dwelling in the flesh of Saints treads in the very same footsteps with the other The second promise or Christ in Saints and his threefold state and in like manner hath his time of witnessing in Saints his time of being slain or cut off from witnessing in Saints his time of rising again in Saints and finishing his witness by bringing forth in them the glory and beauty of the new Jerusalem which shall put an end to the external Ordinances and Administrations of the Gospel Revel 21.22 in the first state or time the spirit was in Saints yet veiled and covered under the low estate of earthen vessels unlettered and simple fishermen from the High Noble and Prudent ones of this world but known and manifest to a few Churches and Saints of despised Gentiles Joh. 14.20 This first time or state expired upon the falling away from the faith and revealing of the Man of sin 2 Thes 2.3 Out of whose Throne and Kingdom of the bottomless pit came forth that smoke of powers signs and lying wonders as darkned the Day and Light of the Mysterie of Christ in Saints corrupted the pure Doctrine carried faith Christ and the spirit into captivity in spiritual Babylon 2 Thess 2.10 and there exalted it self as the Queen of Nations holding forth her golden cup of fornications to all the Princes and Kings of the earth whereby they were enticed to give their power unto her and do use their scepters and authorities to suppress persecute and slay Christ or the eternal spirit in Saints this time or state now is and is not yet expired and as the Captivity which was upon the flesh of Christ in the grave caused in his Disciples darkness and mourning and fear that God was not in him so the Captivity that now is upon the spirit of Christ in Saints causeth all this darkness and fear in Believers that the spirit himself is not in them The third state or time of the spirit in Saints shall open the vision reveal the Mysterie consume that wicked the Queen of Nations demonstrate to Saints and to all the world that the spirit or Divine nature dwells in Saints by revealing the Divine glory of Christ in them Revel 21.11.23 Isa 60.1 2. when he himself shall be admired in us 2 Thess 1.10 of all the world Rev. 21.24 Isa 60.9 Insomuch that the Nations shall bow to the name and glory of God himself in Saints Isa 60.14 And if any will not serve the Lord in them and them in the Lord they shall perish Isa 60.12 This time or day of the spirit is yet to come and is called the brightness of his coming or day of Christ 2 Thess 2.2.8 which day of Christ I would not have understood to be of the time of the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God the Father 1 Cor. 15.24.28 The day of Christ to come is not the last end of all Dan. 7.14 Revel 1.7 and the Son himself be subject to the Father and God all in all but of the time when the Son of man shall be brought to the ancient of dayes and come forth in the clouds of heaven and shall receive Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages shall serve him which will be when he comes forth out of the womb of the invisible light and love of God and shall receiv as it were a visible inauguration and anointing upon his head and shall come forth into the Kings galleries of the clouds of heaven and the high places over all the earth Zach. 14.9 and all the Saints shall come forth with him Zach. 14.9 1 Cor. 15.23 and shall with him receive from the ancient of dayes judgment and authority and the Kingdom and Dominion and greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven Dan. 7.7 8 23 24 25 26. Revel 13.1 5 6 7. Revel 17.12 13 17. shall be given unto the Saints Dan. 7.22.27 And this is the Kingdom that shall consume and destroy the fourth great kingdom or Monarchy of the fourth beast which is Mysterie Babylon and shall redeem the Saints out of spiritual captivity and drive away and scatter all ignorant disputes strife erring spirits different judgings and bitternesses of men which are the smoak in the Temple that the Lord cannot be seen and a thick cloud to this day upon all or most Saints that they cannot read nor understand the Mysterie of God written in their own hearts which is Christ the spirit the Divine nature dwelling in them Thirdly Christs promise to his Disciples of sending the Comforter the spirit to dwell in them as it had an higher and further end and sense then that the spirit should be sent only to fil up the place and supply the absence of Christ gone away to the Father The sending of the Spirit upon Christs withdrawing an higher enjoyment then his presence with them in flesh therefore more then in gifts and graces so it calls for a deeper and further interpretation The coming forth of the spirit into Saints and dwelling in them is promised as a more high rich and perfect enjoyment then the presence of Christ with them in that present state of flesh unglorified which appears in that he said he must withdraw in flesh to make way for his coming in spirit wherein he did not only intend to put away their sorrows for his departure from them but to fill them with joy and desires for his going away because I have said these things doth sorrow fill your heart I tell you though I my self should desire to continue with you I should herein do you wrong for it is expedient and better for you not for me only but for you that I go away then abide with you because if I go the Comforter will come but if I go not away he will not come and so my stay will serve to nothing but to keep off and shut the dore against a more perfect and divine enjoyment as much
as an enjoyment of me in spirit is more perfect and excellent then an enjoyment of me in flesh Ioh. 16.6 7. The sending therefore of this spirit was somewhat an higher thing then only in gifts and graces and it is yet more manifest when Christ said Joh. 16.22 I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now Christ in Saints a truth that could not be born in the day of Christs presence in flesh What some of those things were which could not be born he toucheth upon Joh. 14.26 which words in a full sense are as if he had said While I am with you in this state of flesh if I should tell you that as I am now I am in my Father and you in me and I in you you would not believe me nor bear such things howbeit when the spirit is come unto you he will reveal the truth unto you and then in that day ye shall both know and believe it that I am in you and you in me though now this knowledge of me being a knowing of me after the spirit is too high for you who yet know me only after the flesh and so cannot conceive while you see and know me only in and after the flesh how I should be in you or you in me or I in my Father Therefore the time being at hand appointed of my Father that this carnal and low estate you are in shall pass away and a more high and spiritual come forth for this cause I must withdraw in flesh that you may know and enjoy me in more glory and spirit Christs presence in flesh gives place to his presence in spirit God glorifies himself in man to glorifie man in himself for now you gaze upon my external form and love and know and converse with me as a man without you but then you shall know and converse with me as a spirit in you And now you see me alone as away from my Father and you look upon your selves and I and the Father as separate and divided Beings but then you shall know that my Father and I and you are one and perfect in one and that I am not alone but I and my Father in me and that you are not by your selves but I and the Father in you Which though all this blessedness and union be already so in you and in me yet you neither know it to be so nor is it manifest that it is so nor are you able to bear my words should I tell you more of it therefore I must withdraw that he may come into you who will let you see all this to be so and more then I shall now tell you of or you will believe And now what is the sum of all Are all these things the withdrawing of Christ in flesh to make way for his appearance in spirit his taking them off from desires to enjoy him in flesh and drawing them up to desire his coming in spirit his laying forth the unprofitableness and lowness of the one and the expediency and glory of the other his shewing their enjoyment of him in flesh to be carnal their knowledge and light carnal Joh. 16.22 and many things that is the whole volume of the heavenly mysteries of the Father in Christ of Christ in Saints and Saints in Christ was too high for them And on the contrary the enjoyment of him in spirit so high and clear that they should know all mysteries and all truth which in the time of his presence in flesh they could not bear I say again are all these things no more do they come to no more then the sending and dwelling of the spirit only in gifts and graces Or rather do they not all make up this truth and present it to us with open face that Christ sends the Comforter the Spirit himself to dwell in Saints in his own Divine Nature SECT VIII The seventh testimony to the spirit in Saints A Further testimony to this truth is from Rom. 8.17 18 19. And if Children then heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ 1. That which the Father hath of old ordained and prepared for them whom he loves is to glorifie man in himself that is to raise him up into a state of the highest happiness and perfection that the Creature can be capable of or that can be communicated from God to the Creature which is for a man to possess the glory of God within him so as the Eternal Fulness of the Divine Nature and Love doth manifest it self and flow into him in such a divine manner of full glory and perfect brightness All objects and appearances dye out of us as God appears in us that all objects and appearances of other things knowledge thoughts and imaginations are all done away and swallowed up by the appearance of him who is all even as the light of a dying spark is swallowed up of the burning flame and the Lord alone is the only thing seen felt and embraced by them any sight or vision taste or possessing below God himself cannot stand with the glory laid up for us because there the light of Eternity or of the eternal Godhead will open it self in us through us and over us as the eyelids of the morning and then he shall no longer be hid for we shall see him as he is It were not glory nor happiness if there were any covering to obscure or hide God from us that we could not see him surpassing and gloriously reigning over all And this seeing of God as he is Seeing God as he is how to be understood which is the glory laid up for us must not be conceived nor understood after an humane manner or after the vain Philosophy of this world to be a contemplation of God as of some glorious appearance or shew of him without us but it is the Divine Nature it self dwelling in us and filling our seeings tastings and knowings with nothing below besides or less then himself he will set his own glory in us and love it in us and us in it and will always behold himself in us not his image only as something distinct but himself and so as he will be our joy we shall be his joy he will be our Husband we shall be his beloved Spouse he will give us nothing but himself and we shall taste of nothing but himself his love unto us is like a fire it will burn up whatsoever hath ever separated between himself and us we shall be so in one another that he will be in us as a burning fire and we shall be in him as a fire of love his delights to Eternity will be spent upon us and the great deep shall be opened unto us and we shall be a Temple for God and he will be a Temple for us Such things as these are some of that glory which is laid up for them that love him which is now in this
2 Cor. 5.21 that is holy and without all spot of sin in the sight of God to restrain it to the weakness and imperfection of humane Laws and Justice Further those Books do present unto me the Covenant of the Gospel under conditions to be performed by the Creature before the grace and riches of glory in the Covenant become his after the form and example of mans Covenant whereas the whole and every part of the Covenant is free and perfected by God alone first in forgiving sins and remembring iniquities no more and then in putting the spirit into them which brings forth in them faith love and obedience Again they bind up the free spirit of grace to one way that he reveals not the love of God and reconciliation by Christ to any but whom the Law hath first wounded and sore bruised into repentance and sorrow for sin after the custom and manner of men who forgive not the Offender until he ask pardon and confess his Offence thus binding up the everlasting kindnesses of the Lord to the narrow kindnesses of man whereas some are melted with Love as others are bruised by the Law Moreover they confine and restrain the office and power of prophesying or teaching to certain measures and attainments of humane wit and worldly wisdom the anoynting alone which teacheth all truth not giving a sufficiency of light and knowledge for the work of ministring without natural Learning without running for help to flesh and blood They invest the General-Church-Assembly of a Nation with a commanding and coercive Authority over the conscience in matters of faith and Divine worship which lie up as high as in the hands of the spirit they bring down into the hands and power of man herein proudly affecting or aemulating the image and greatness of the civil power they do command over the spirit as he doth over the bodies of men They affirm faith love humility patience temperance c. to be several habits principles or graces in a Saint whereas the Scripture affirms 1 Cor. 12.11 Gal. 5.22 they are not many but one and are but the different effects and actings of the same grace which is one in all and fruits of the same spirit who is one in all Lastly those Books do deny any other coming of Christ until the last Resurrection and so by this Doctrine shut out the Kingdom of the fifth Monarch the Son of God and Saints and the new Jerusalem out of the world and also hereby quenching all that light and glory which shall arise upon Sion Isa 60.1 and that spirit which shall be poured upon sons and daughters in the last days And thus in all these instances it is to be clearly seen that God hath been set at a great distance from Saints by these carnal misty and corrupt doctrines of men so that grace and truth the righteousness and spirit of Christ could not appear in their heights and bredths fulness and glory as near unto us and within us being described and as it were engraven after some similitude in nature and conceived and drawn out as here appears by the short measure and imperfect rule of natural Reason the boundless things of the spirit folded up within the limits and streits of Nature SECT XVIII The third veil which hath been upon the truth of the spirit in Saints THese Systems and Models of Divinity or Canons and Articles of Faith have been the pattern and platform of all the faith and worship the Judge of all differences and controversies the Touchstone of all opinions the Measure of all light and spiritual knowledge beyond which the spirit might not teach nor they profess the key of all Mysteries and the sum and substance of all Doctrines Interpretations and Expositions upon Scripture-truth caught or written in former times And thus the Church of Christ in those days being rather under the rudiments of men then the clearer teachings of the anoynting in them could not see in any other light then through the principles and traditions received from their Teachers Which principles as they had in them some light much smoke some Divine truth much carnal reason Reason of the low attainments of Saints in former times so they begat in the believers of those times like faith like knowledge like communion like spirit of bondage and of liberty of flâ—sh and of spirit so that their faith was more adherence which is coupled with some darkness of fear then assurance which is the clear sight of love scattering all fear their strength was the strength of Babes not of strong Men their Communion with God stood more in bitter complaints and beggings then in quiet faith joy and praises their knowledge and beholding of the glory of the Lord was by reflexion rather then through direct beams through the shadowy and imperfect illustrations of worldly similitudes and humane eloquence rather then the pure irradiations of the spirit in them And in present times and from hence doth proceed all that darkness which is yet in the temple of the Lord that dimness and legality in Teachers that unstableness and dulness in people ever Learning and never able at least to find the clear knowledge of the truth and all those carnal childish and confining apprehensions principles and practises wherein Saints do know and approach to God as a blessed Being indeed but as one without them and at a distance from them judging and likening the spiritual knowledge of God to the natural knowledge of a creature and that the fruition or enjoyment of God is in contemplation of his glory as without us that Saints are perfectly justified from the Law guilt and condemnation by the death of Christ but not from the spot and stain of sin so as to be perfectly holy in the sight of God by the pure and spotless righteousness of Christ that believers after every falling into sin are brought again under the Law until repenting whereas the spirit sayes Rom. 6.14 Rom. 8.15 ye are no more under the Law but under grace that Christ is here or there in this form of fellowship order of gathering and way of worship and not in any other these and many other low and dark Principles formerly were and still are as a veil upon the face of truth and upon the hearts of most Saints not so thick a veil as to hide all Light knowledge and grace from them yet so thick as to hide deeper Mysteries higher communion a greater glory of light and love from them the summe of all is Attainments of most in former and in present times what Gospel-truths are either for regeneration into the faith and such are some true discoveries of free love and righteousness by Christ c. or they are for edification from faith to faith and such are deeper discoveries nearer union sweeter and choicer embraces richer understanding of more heavenly Mysteries as of Saints presented perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1.28 of Christ
to himself he put beauty and comliness upon her which stood in gifts and graces and powers purity of administrations forms and fellowships and these were as so many ornaments and jewels which he gave to her as to an espoused virgin or wife of youth and now while her glory and beauty was but fresh and new upon her she is carried away into captivity under the yoke and power of Mystical Babel thus the Church was figured under the Law by Israel in Egypt and Babylon by Jacob serving Laban by the heir of all in the house of servants by the free-womans barrenness despised by the fruitful bond-woman and as the wisdom of the Father appointed that this state of Sions captivity should be the time of Sions widdow-hood so he gave her light spirit communion and other qualifications as suited with that desolate state that is dark servile and carnal principles carnal in respect of more spiritual under this state the heavens were covered with a cloud the world lay as forsaken of God and given into the hands of blind guides cruel shepherds and beasts of prey all the earth dry and no dew upon it no voice of God no vision no lightning from God to amuse aw or awake the world all things all men all the world were as if no God no Lord no Redeemer only there was a silent whispering of the spirit in Saints some few beams of true light some seed and life of God lay hid in their faith God in tender love gave them so much as preserved them in life but for any high choice or sublime discoveries of more spirit and glory such he reserved for her next and better state as knowing them not proper to a state of widowhood wherein the worship and communion of Saints was most in bitter complaints conflicting weak faith strengthning of graces little in visions and high enjoyments of God This is the state that not long since was Second step or change The second change of state upon the Church is her coming forth out of this spiritual captivity This comes to pass when Jesus Christ ariseth as it were from sleep and stirs up himself in the faith and spirits of Saints and opens the Book of the vision of God and pours out a vial of light upon the Kingdom of the man of sin which stains and confounds all his humane Inventions Pharisaical justification and fair fleshly shews wherewith the Saints were enticed and cals up the Saints into more Evangelical ways principles and worships As thus The Church was figured under the Law by Israels coming out of Egypt and the house of Jacob from the land of Babylon by the free-woman having in her womb a son of promise by one coming out of the wilderness leaning upon her beloved In this second state God administers more grace brings forth some better things raiseth up into clearer light into a more excellent refined potent spirit puts upon them a new habit and takes off the old and cloaths them with change of raiment finer faith sweeter spirits clearer rays of light and other qualifications as do agree unto and sente with this their better state Now the Heavens begin to be opened the shadows long stretched upon all the earth do fly away the Kingdom of God begins now to appear on Earth as well as in Heaven the Skyes drop down righteousness the Earth springs forth and buds The spirit says come the Spouse says come and all that hear say come Lord Jesus come quickly Now the Lord reveals deeper secrets deeper counsels nearer embraces imparts things that could not be born before old things are forgotten all things begin to be new the Church is now upon her way to Sion Whilst she dwelt with the Daughter of Babylon that Mother of Whoredoms her strength then was to sit still now she is come forth she sits still no more every step she treads is on towards the heavenly land into more light more faith more glory and this seems to be the present state of the Church in our day and in this generation Wherein I conceive the present estate of Saints is such as answers that holy figure under the Law of the Cluster of Grapes brought out of Canaan into the Camp of Israel and of Moses seeing the Land at some distance from Mount Pisgah so the Saints in this day are at some distance from the Land of the Sabbath yet are come within view of it and so near unto the borders of it as to pluck some Grapes from the Tree of Life and to look into the lengths and bredths of it our Fathers saw the day afar off but we see it nearer they saw heavenly things much in images letter and teachings without we begin to see them by their springing forth within us all their faith knowledge of Mysteries understanding of Scriptures opinions of Light did but represent Christ his righteousness and spirit at a distance as without them yet there was a substance a seed in all which was the blessing the faith knowledge and spirit which God is now putting into Saints presents things more at hand in union and within us yet there are things more excellent then these reserved for the third state of the Church this second state is the state that now is The third is to come Third step or change and it is a state wherein the Lord himself comes into his Temple and consumes quite out of it the Mysterie of Iniquity by the brightness of his appearing in it and gathers together on an heap all humane Inventions curious Arts the wisdom and disputings of this world wheresoever he finds them in Sion or Babel in the Temple of God or Synagogue of Antichrist in the faith and worships of Saints or in the blind Idolatries of the world he burns them all up as hay and stubble and scatters them out of the earth as chaff before the wind and now the faith knowledge and gifts of the two former states do pass away as being proper for Saints in weakness at a distance seeing and knowing love righteousness and spirit afar off and love and union perfecteth finisheth and swalloweth up all Communion of Saints with Christ in gifts and graces is now changed into communion with him in spirit it is so now but will then appear to all though denied of many Ordinances Temples Teachings Governments which all held forth a prospect of Heaven and Glory without us shall now give place when he comes himself into us who is the end of all Law and Gospel-ministrations So what the first state saw afar off through thick veils weak faith carnal rudiments conflicting graces the second sees to be at the dore through purer faith increases of spirit clearer beams from the East opening of prophesies and promises the third shall see feel taste handle and enjoy within them and this is the Kings Daughter coming into the Kings Chamber in garments of wrought gold All things are now in motion the
Lord is in motion to Sion Knowledge light discerning which are but beams from the Lord are in motion from less to more glory and perfection as the Lord approacheth and draws nigh External administrations governments worships and interests whether Civil or Spiritual Divine or Antichristian are all in motion from more to less from something to nothing as he who is the end and putting away of them all steps on Princes are flying into holes Antichrist running from form to form from Temple to Temple out of common ways into more refined ways out of gross water-baptism into reformed water-baptism out of that into spirit-baptism and so is running on towards this last Sense is withdrawing up into Reason Reason into Faith Faith into enjoyment of God dwelling in Man Spirit in Saints and the life of God revealed in us This concludes the account and reasons of the darkness that hath been so long upon the Church of Christ wherein as other Mysteries so this great Gospel-Mysterie hath been hid from us that is That the Spirit or Divine Nature of Christ it self dwels in Saints FINIS One word to the Reader FRIEND WHAT I have here presented will find acceptance or unpleasedness with thee according as thou art If it seem dreadful to thee 't is not because it is so but because thou knowest it not as it is The life that acts all the world is twofold either true or false one is rooted in the Truth and Being of God and is something above and beyond the highest reach of Reason the purest form of knowledge the most raised and spiritual gifts all these being but of this Creation which must cease and perish away The false life is rooted in the invention and flesh of man yet form and appearance comes forth habited like the true life with fair shews in the flesh outward holiness goodly words concerning zeal for forms of godliness for the letter of Scripture for conformity to a rule without none like unto it none had in more admiration of their undiscerning and carnal Disciples yet all this may have no more but flesh in it that is the spirit of a man only elevated and drawn up through the sharpness and vigour of his own reason and the letter of the Scriptures into no more but the dead image of spiritual things that is into the knowledge profession and worship of God in a natural way What thou hast here read presents thee with that which is the true difference and note of distinction whereby this twofold life is distinguished and known one from the other and whereby the life state and profession of some Professors stands separate and divided from others as far as spirit is above flesh or the life of Christ above the life of Reason Knowledge gifts a form of godliness reformation of many things the life of a Saint is not in these these are things external and obvious to the generation of this world a Saints life is a secret hidden and inaccessible thing that natural reason and all the wisdom of this world cannot find it out nor come where it is it is something more then word letter or knowledge better believed and felt then reasoned out or expressed Therefore before thou givest judgement upon what hath been here offered I do intreat thee call in for thy direction the rule of Christ judge not according to appearance but judge righteous judgement wherein thou art minded of a twofold Judge one that judgeth of persons of things of the truth of God and of the God of truth according to appearance or after the flesh that is after the sight of his eyes or after the hearing of his ears Isa 11.3 that is in thy judging or respecting of these and all spiritual things set not up as Judge either thy present frame of spirit or the light of thy learned reason for so thou judgest after the sight of thine eyes Neither let the Traditions of thy Fathers the cry of many Pastors the Learning of the Schools nor the Doctrines and Commandments of men have authority to judge for thee in these things for so thou judgest after the hearing of thine ears but look upon weigh and try every spirit work and doctrine here or abroad according to the truth as it is in Jesus And whatsoever hath been said of Old Man and New Man of crucifying to the flesh of justification in Christ of living to God of union with Christ or in-being of spirit c. let these or any other things first have a fair trial how far they are rooted in God how far not how much he is all in them or how much he is denied by them either in his Nature or his Grace and then judge them and me for their sake to be true or false precious or vile accordingly And as for my self if these things were only opinion or result of my own spirit then they were mine or mans and I should reserve them to my self but being given unto me and withdrawn at the pleasure of an higher hand I do only serve to administer them to whosoever they are appointed for THOMAS HIGGENSON FINIS