for us and is gone into heaven there to appear in the presence of God for us And why then are we commanded to pray to the Father in the name of Christ A. Christ is indeed at the right hand of God that is the Lord hath advanced him into his own glory and given him his own power and authority even all power in heaven and earth for God doth not manifest himself in any wise unto the Saints or bestow any thing upon them but in and by Jesus Christ neither can or doe the Saints enjoy God or have any true fellowship with him but in and through Christ so that whatsoever is done in heaven or in earth Christ is the doer of it now Christ dwells in the Saints by his Spirit which is the power of his love proceeding infinitely from the Father unto the Son and from Christ into the Saints and by this Spirit or power of love he quickens them up to prayer and not onely so but also frames and endites their prayers in them according to the will of the Father and so they become acceptable to him for whatsoever Christ doth is well pleasing to God for the Father loveth the Son and the Saints being united to Christ and made one with God in him are hereby brought into the love and favour of God through him And thus he is in heaven appearing in the presence of God for us And for that we are to pray to the Father in the name of Christ it is not meant that we must often use or repeat the name of Christ or in word beg or crave any thing at the hand of God for Christs sake for so a wicked carnal wretch may doe but to pray to the Father in the name of Christ is to pour forth the soul unto the Father in the power and intercession of the Son for God looks not at any thing in all this world but Christ men may be high in gifts and notions and may make admirable prayers for words and sentences and also for method and form but if Christ be not there and if the prayer goe not forth in the Spirit and power of Jesus Christ then the Lord regards it not but loaths it and casts it away as abominable To pray then in the name of Christ is when the soul goeth forth into the armes of Gods love by the Spirit and power of the Lord Jesus who is the Son of his love Q. Seeing that men of themselves cannot pray aright and that the Lord to whom we are to pray knowes our wants before we pray What need have we then to pray A. As men cannot pray of themselves so neither can they live of themselves for the life which the Saints now live in the flesh is not by any power of their own but by the power of Christ living in them so that there is not onely a necessity of life in them in whom Christ lives who is the life but an impossibility of not living In like manner though men cannot pray acceptably by their own power or worth yet if Christ who is the mediator and intercessor live in them there is not onely a necessity of praying but it is altogether impossible that they should not pray Christ being in their hearts the Spirit of supplication and of adoption causing them to cry Abba Father Yea in him they have accesse with boldnesse unto the throne of grace And though the Lord doe know our wants yet he hath commanded us to pray ask and yee shall have c. And yee fight and warre and have not because yee ask not The Lord would have his people to rejoyce but they must pray ask and yee shall receive that your joy may be full Now although the Lord command us to pray he doth not intend that we should make Idols of our prayers and think that we receive for our praying but he doth it that we may know and consider on whom our joy our happinesse yea our very life dependeth and also that he may have the honour and glory of all his goodnesse when we in asking acknowledge him to be the giver of all and that we receive all of grace and not of debt and then it occasions much thankfulnesse when we return him the praise of all his love and bounty and live in the use of his mercies to his praise Q. But is not the Lord said to be an unchangeable God with whom is not the least shaddow of turning and if he have determined to bestow any favour or mercy he will doe it without our prayers and if he have not determined us any good to what purpose should we pray seeing by the same we cannot alter nor change his mind A. Although the Lord be altogether unchangeable and unalterable in his purposes and determinations yet he would have his children make known to him their needs by their requests neither is there the least shadow of change in him when he bestowes mercies and blessings upon them in answer to their prayers for whatsoever good thing he purposeth to his children yet before he bestow it upon them he usually stirreth up their hearts to pray for the same Now the Lord whatever he gives to the Saints he gives it them in Christ and what the Saints pray for they request and beg the same in the Spirit and intercession of Christ for he is the way by which the Lord comes down to us in all good and he is the way also by which we goe up to God in prayer and thanksgiving Now as it is impossible that God should alter his determinations in bestowing of mercies so also is it that the Saints should not pray for blessings and favours being quickened up thereto by the Spirit of Christ living in them so then God is not changed but the change is in the Saints for many times when God entends a blessing his children are not fit to receive the same then he by that Spirit of adoption quickens them up to pray and yet delaies them that by the continual use of this heavenly exercise and by the spirit of judgement and burning their corruptions may be consumed and destroyed and their hearts brought into a more holy and humble frame and they at length by this meanes made fit to receive the mercy Q. If men cannot pray unill they be moved or quickened thereunto by the Spirit how then shall it be known when the Spirit moves or which or when is the most convenient and fittest time for prayer A. That no man is able of himself without the help of the Spirit to make any prayer acceptable to God hath been already shewed prayer being a work of that Spirit of adoption called the Spirit of the Son and is nothing else but an effect of that power in the Son given unto him by the Father men may use
words or formes of prayer but none can pray indeed but they who have received this spirit of adoption and are thereby become the Sonnes of God and they who are thus become Sonnes have not the Spirit by fits and starts but the Spirit or the Lord Jesus who is that Spirit dwells in their hearts and is continually exciting and stirring up their hearts to prayer and every good thing But it is not alwayes apprehended alike for many times by reason of temptation want of watchfulnesse and other infirmities of the flesh it is clouded and acts not so clearly as at other times yet notwithstanding it will in due time break through all difficulties and remove all impediments and acts like it self and ministers matter of prayer upon all occasions so then whensoever the Lord presents occasion or opportunity of prayer then he by the same calls for prayer and then is the Spirit ready to quicken and help if it be not quenched with carnall workings of the flesh as worldly cares worldly sorrowes worldly joyes c. Now if there be any time wherein the Lord doth not minister occasion of prayer and praise then that is no time for prayer and thanksgiving but there is no time in the whole life of a Christian in which the Lord doth not minister occasion of prayer and praise therefore the Saints ought to pray continually and in every thing to give thanks Furthermore as the Saints ought upon all occasions to lift up their hearts to God so also they are to take the fittest opportunity for prayer is not a light businesse but of great weight and concernment it is called a pouring forth of the soul to God a wrestling with God a crying earnestly to God c. Now the fittest time for this serious businesse is when we can set about it with least distraction when we can best sequester our selves from all other occasions whatsoever and attend upon that work with freedome of Spirit And as we must take the fittest time so also we must watch unto it that is so order our outward affaires that there may be convenient time and so watch over our own hearts in the strength of Christ that they may be alwayes well disposed to prayer and not to flag or faint though we meet with many delayes and other discouragements but to continue instant in the same watching when God will give in occasion of thanksgiving Q. But doth not God give us other helpes also to build us up in grace and holinesse What say you of the Sacraments Is not Baptisme of great use in these dayes of the Gospel A. The word Sacrament is no where to be found in all the Scripture and for Baptisme the Scripture mentions divers Baptismes as the baptisme of water the baptisme of the holy Ghost and of fire and the baptismes of sufferings all which were beautiful in their seasons and some of them are still of great concernment to the Saints The baptisme of water was the baptisme of John who was sent of God to prepare the way of Christ Israel had dwelt long enough in that Mount of out-side observations for although they had their legall washings and cleansings which were and might be called baptismes yet all these could not wash away one sin from the conscience but served onely to cleanse them from legall pollutions though they were not without their significations But now the baptisme of John and his ministry was mighty for he came in the spirit and power of Elias and was a sign of a great change of administrations for he called them to repentance even to repent of all that out-side and formal religion which they had so hotly pursued for they were generally grown so corrupt and so blockish and blind withall that they imagined that by the bare out-side performance of those legal cleansings they were sufficiently sanctified though they continued in the practise of most grosse and notorious sinnes But John tells them plain that although God had long endured and born with their hipocrisies and formalities yet now he would bear no longer for he had now laid the axe to the root of the trees and if any tree were barren or did not bring forth good fruit it was to be hewen down and cast into the fire hereby giving them to understand that unlesse they did desist from all their wicked and ungodly wayes and courses and amend their evill lives there was no remission of sinnes to be expected nor true sanctification to be attained notwithstanding all their legal and strict performances and hereupon calls them to his baptisme declaring plainly unto them that though many of them thought he was the Christ yet they were deceived for he was but sent to prepare his way and that his baptisme was but with water which could onely wash away the filth of the body but could goe no further but yet by the same they were to be instructed that there is one among them already in the flesh even Christ who shall baptize them with the holy Ghost and with fire that is wash and cleanse their soules from all the filth and guilt of sin that was upon them And thus John's ministry was to prepare the way or to manifest Christ already come and his baptisme did hold forth the baptisme of Christ in the Spirit which was to follow in its season Q. If Johns ministry and baptisme served onely to prepare the way of Christ or to manifest Christ in the flesh and to instruct them or type out unto them the baptisme of Christ why then was it needfull that Christ himself should be baptized of John A. Christ indeed was baptized of John but not out of any need to shew forth sorrow for sin he being altogether without sin nor yet was he baptized out of any necessity to be instructed in the mystery of the Spirits baptisme but Christ submitted to Johns baptisme for our sakes onely the head that had no sin for the body that was full of sin Again Johns baptisme was part of the Law and it was the last and most lively Ceremony of it and Christ submitted unto the same that he might fulfill all righteousnesse for us Now that Johns baptisme was of the Law and not of the Gospel is evident from his preaching for John preached saying repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand now the kingdome of heaven is Christ not in the flesh but crucified risen again ascended returned in the Spirit the Comforter dwelling in the hearts of the Saints the kingdome of heaven is within you And from our Saviours words Mat 11. 11. where speaking of John saith that among them that were born of women there hath not risen a greater Prophet than John the Bapptist because other of the Prophets had spoken of Christ afarre off but John pointed him out with the finger saying this
is he but mark what followes not withst anding he that is least in the kingdome of heaven is greater than he meaning that he that is indeed a Preacher of the Gospel though never so mean and contemptible in the eyes of men should doe greater workes than John did Q. But there are other baptismes spoken of in Scripture as well as Johns for the Disciples of Christ did baptize and Christ at his ascension sent them to baptize all Nations Is not water-baptisme then an Ordinance of the Gospel A. True indeed Christs Disciples did baptize while he was with them in the flesh But it was with John's Baptism and so the Scripture calls it For indeed the preaching of John and his Baptism was the same with the preaching and Baptism of Christs Disciples For John preached saying The Kingdom of heaven is at hand Christs Disciples preached saying The Kingdome of heaven is at hand Both John and Christs Disciples by their Baptism which was in cold water could but wash mens bodies and call upon them to repent and to expect remission of sins onely in Christ Jesus who was to wash away the filth of their souls even with a Spiritual water or Baptism of his Spirit So that although the Disciples of Christ did baptize yet their Baptism was the same with John's Baptism and to continue but for a season for so John confesseth I must decrease but he meaning Christ must increase And for Christs Commission to his Apostles to Baptize all Nations that is not to be understood of Water-Baptism as appeareth by his own words Acts 1. 5. when being risen from the Dead and now ready to ascend into his Glory acquaints them with the work whereto he is now sending them commands them not to depart from Jerusalem until they had received the Promise of the Father that is the Spirit for saith he John truly Baptized with water as if he had said it hath been the Fathers good pleasure to appear in Types and significations and to vail himself a while under dark Administrations But now the time is full come in which he will shew himself clearly in his abundant love and goodness for ye shall be Baptized with the Holy Ghost which is the Spirit or Comforter not many dayes hence and then ye shall receive power to know what ye ought to do and be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem c. And when ye are thus impowred or Baptized your selves Then go and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father c. Where by Name of the Father and of the Son c he doth not mean that they should wash them in water using that form of words but by Name is to be understood the Power of the Father c. As Christ saith Mark 16. 17. In my Name they shall cast out Devils that is by my Power And so in this business All Power saith Christ in heaven and in earth is given to me Go ye therefore and Teach and Baptize the Nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost As if he had said All Power is given to me of the Father and by this power I will come into you and into your ministry and ye shall go forth in this power unto all nations and by the same ye shall be enabled to make them know and believe That I am the wisdome of God and the power of God to salvation to the Gentile as well as to the Jew and that whosoever believes in me indeed or is baptized with the Spirit which is all one shall never perish but have everlasting life And this was done effectually for in one day there was added three thousand soules And in another place all that were ordained to eternall life believed Q. But if it was not the command of Christ that they should baptize with Water why then did they they use it after his ascension and if Water-Baptisme was to cease and have an end at that time why then do not the Scriptures declare the same A. As for the Apostles baptizing with Water after Christs ascension it was not from any command of Christ as one of them doth testifie The Baptisme of Water or Johns Baptisme was very famous and of great note in that time and therefore could not at present be very easily laid down as likewise very many other Legall observations And again it is not to be questioned but that the Apostles themselves were ignorant of many things after they had received the Spirit abundantly for Peter was ignorant that he might eat with the Gentiles or that God had a purpose by Jesus to bring in the Gentiles Paul must goe to Jerusalem to be resolved about Circumcision and there were thousands of Jewes which did believe and yet they were all zealous of legall rites God did not reveal himself all at once but by degrees Again the Apostles used water-baptisme as they used Circumcision to avoid contention among the Saints and further they used it sometimes when it was desired and to stoop to the weaknesse of many young believers they became all things to all men that they might not offend any but save all if it were possible And for the Scriptures to declare against water-baptisme to be used in the dayes of the Gospel there be many Scriptures that speak much to that purpose as 1 Cor. 1. 17. Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles utterly disclaimes it for Christ saith he sent me not to baptize but to preach Again Ephes 4. 5. One Lord one Faith one Baptisme now water-baptisme is not the same with the Baptisme of the Spirit for they are two distinct things one is Johns and the other is Christs and if they were both one then they that have the one must also have the other and they that cannot have the one of water neither can they have the other Again it is not water-baptisme that can make us one with Christ or give us a new name or make us partake of the divine nature c. and therefore water-baptisme is not that one Baptisme nor left us in command in the dayes of the Gospel Q The baptisme of water hath been used in all the Churches of Christ from the very time of the Apostles and that with warant from Scripture for Infants were circumcised under the Law and Circumcision was a seal of the Covenant which God made with Abraham and the Covenant is the same now as it was then and Baptisme is come in the room of Circumcision and is a seal of the Gospel-Covenant and therefore Infants may be baptized and the Apostle tells the Corinthians that their fathers were all baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea And Saint Peter saith that Baptisme doth now save us how can it then be denied that Baptisme even of water doth not stand us in great stead even in the dayes
him very imperfectly and yet they are in heaven in this low condition But when Christ comes forth in the spirit indeed and transformes them into his Image of glory that is when they apprehend their union with God in Christ and that they partake of the same spirit or divine nature with Christ and that God loves them in Christ and as Christ they being one with him and of him Then are they carried forth unto him above all external things Then they cease to know any man yea even Christ himself after the flesh Then the vaile is taken away even the flesh of Christ or fleshly and carnal ordinances and here they see God cleerly and not in shadowes and formes and enjoy him purely in the spirit without the help of any created thing Then God is the Saints light for they are entred into that City which needs not the light of the Sun Where all teares are wiped away where there is no death neither sorrow nor crying nor pain where they live in God and enjoy him above all feares cares troubles and distractions because all former things or low apprehensions of God are passed away And this is the kingdome of Christ in the spirit which is heaven in a high degree but yet not the highest degree for that is in the kingdome of God which is distinct from the kingdome of Christ Eph. 5. 5. For Christ must raign untill he hath subdued all his enemies and the last energy which shall be destroyed is death Now death cannot be destroyed untill it be destroyed even in the Saints which shall remain to the very last period of time for although Christ by his death did overcome death and plucked out the sting thereof that it cannot hurt the Saints yet death is not slain and quite destroyed untill sin Satan and flesh be also destroyed and that in the Saints of the last generation when Christ hath put down or subdued all that sinfull rule and authority and power that is contrary to him Then shall the end come and then shall he deliver up the kingdome to God even the Father Then shall cease the kingdome of Christ as also his Priesthood and his prophetical office likewise and then shall the bodies of the Saints which have been rotten and consumed to earth for many yeares be raised though not the same bodies for that which is sown is not quickened except it die they were sown corruptible bodies they shall be raised incorruptible they were sown in dishononr they shall be raised in glory they were sown in weakness they shall be raised in power they were sown natural bodies they shall be raised spirituall bodies thou sowest not that body that shall be but God giveth it a body as it pleaseth him Then shall all the Saints be gloriously united into their head and so make up one compleat Christ yea then shall the Son himself even Christ compleated be subject unto God or taken into God that God may be all in all Then relations and manifestations shall cease for God will not be known or enjoyed by them or in them There shall be no more Father and Son Christ and Christian Head and Members for God Christ and the Saints shall be gloriously united and made one in that one entire pure glorious and eternall Spirit and so live and remain in onenesse of glory which is both unspeakable unconceivable and endures and abides to all eternity To God onely wise be glory through Christ Jesus by the holy immortall eternall Spirit for ever Amen FINIS a 1 Cor. 6. 17. b 2 Pet. 1. 4. c 1 Cor. 2. 12. d James 3. 16. 4. 5. e Rev. 2. 9 3. 9 f Eph. 4. 3. Vers 4. Vers 5. Vers 6. Vers 7. g Exod. 34. 12. Heb. 11. 27. h 2 Cor. 12 2 3 4. i Gal. 4. 12. k 1 Cor 9. 19 20 21 22. Col. 2. 17. m Eph. 4. 21. n Col. 1. 27. o 1 Ioh. 4. 12. 1. 2 p Heb 5. 13. 14. q Rom. 14. 4. r 1 Pet. 1. 22. s Isa 2. 18. 19. t Psal 45. 4. u Rev. 6. 2. x Rom. 1. 18. y Levit. 28. 13. z Prov. 8. 21. a Luke 17. 21. b Rom. 14. 17. c Eph. 6. 18. d Phil. 3. 15. e Mat. 9. 3. f 1 Cor. 1. 25. g Heb. 4. 11 h 2 Cor. 6. 17. i Deut. 1. 6. k Jer. 50. 5. l Joh. 17. 21 22 23. m Ioh. 16. 22. n 1 Pet. 1. 8. o Rev. 21. 3 4 p Rev. 22. 3. 4. 5. q 2 Thess 3. 18. Heb. 5. 12. 13. Mark 12. 32. John 4. 24. 2 Cor. 3. 17 Rom. 1. 20. Mat. 19. 17. 1 Tim. 1. 17. 1 Cor. 8. 5. 6. Jer. 23. 24. 1 John 5 7. Isa 9. 6. Psal 36. 9. Isa 41. 4. and 44. 6. Iohn 3. 16. 17. Heb. 12. 10 1 Tim. 3. 16. Heb. 2. 16. Isa 7. 14. Rom. 8. 3. Phil. 2. 8. Gal. 3. 13. Rom. 5. 5. 8. 2 Cor. 3. 18 Rom. 8. 4. Eph. 2. 22. Num. 14. 21. Isa 43. 7. Psal 145. 10. Prov. 8. 31. Psal 19. 1. 2. Rom. 1. 20. Gen. 2. 16. Prov. 30. 24 25 26. Psal 145. 11. 12. Prov. 8. 21. Gen. 1. 26. Gen. 2. 15. Gen. 2. 17. Gen. 2 Eccles 7. 29. Gen. 3. 4. 5. 2 Cor. 11. 3. Jude 6. Gen. 3. 7. 8. Hab. 1. 13. Sect. 2. Rom. 5. 17 21. Jam. 1 13 Deut 132. 19. Eph. â—… 6 7. Rom. 7. 24. Gen. 3. 7 8. Gen. 2. 8 to 15. Gen. 1. 28. Gen. 3. 19 23 24. Eph. 2. 1. Gen. 3. 8 9 12. Gen. 3. 24. Psal 63. 3. Psal 30. 5. Rom. 6. 21 23. 2 Tim. 2. 26. Jer. 5. 25. Hos 14. 1. Mar. 7. 21. Rom. 3. 10 11 c. Sect. 3. Jer. 31. 20. Gen. 3. 15. Isa 53. 6. Rom. 3. 25 26. Rom. 4. 16. Prov. 11. 19 and the 12. 28. Rom. 4. 5. Mark 9. 23. Mat. 9. 29. 1 Pet. 5. 8. Mark 7. 21. Sect. 4. Levit. 15. 2 3 4 c. Rom. 3. c 10 11 c. Gen. 1. 26. Gen. 5. 3. Job 14. 4. and 15. 14. Eph. 2. 3. Ezek. 18. 20. Sect. 5. Gal. 4. 4. Eph. 2. 4. Psal 103. 6. Phil. 2. 7. Luke 1. 35. Mat. 1. 21. Iohn 3. 16. Mat. 1. 23. Iohn 8. 46. Mat. 3. 15. Phil. 2. 8. Rom. 5. 8. Heb. 9. 22. Rom. 5. 6. 1 Ioh. 4. 9 10. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Isa 53. 6. Gal. 3. 13. Sect. 6. Gen. 3. 15. Gen. 22. 18. Rom. 4. 13. Gen. 6. 5. Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 3. 9 10. Exod. 20. 18. Heb. 12. 21. Heb. 12. 20 Exod. 20. 19. Gen. 1. 28 29 30. Gen. 3. 24. Isa 33. 14. 1 Sam. 12. 12. Eccles 7. 22 Exod. 20. 20. Rom. 3. 20. and 7. 7. Rom. 3. 19. Habbak 1. 13. Josh 24. 19 Levit. 11. 44. Rom. 3. 10 11 12 c. Rom. 4. 13. and 9. 30. and 10. 3. 6. Exod. 3. 6. Exod. 3. 17. Dent. 5. 25 26 27. Deut. 5. 18. and
away that Covenant Again it is called a new Covenant though it be the same with the former Covenant which was made with Abraham and with the Israelites at the giving of the Law for even the Covenant of grace was very dark and mystical made forth under types and significations and therefore very imperfect and weak and yielded very little or no strength and therefore was disanulled because of the weaknesse and unprofitablenesse thereof But the new Covenant namely Christ or that better hope in the Gospel-dayes is strong in the Spirit and brings in life and power into the hearts of them who are entred therein whereby they are enabled to serve acceptably with reverence and godly fear Again under the services of the Law Christ the sum and substance of the Covenant was vailed and hidden very few knew but little of him But now under the new Covenant the Saints all know him from the least to the greatest they of weak faith and they of strong every one in their measure for they all with open face as in a glasse behold him and are thereby changed into his image from one degree of glory to another Thus and in other respects the Covenant of grace in the dayes of the Gospel is called a new Covenant Q. But doth not God promise in the new Covenant to write his Lawes in their hearts and in their mindes How then are the Saintsfreed from the Law Jer. 31. 33. A. The Law delivered on Mount Sinai was indeed a revelation of the most perfect righteousnesse of God but it was but outward it was but figured in stones and came not near the heart and therefore yeilded no strength to further them in their obedience and Christ who was the sum and substance of the Law was revealed or made known but in a very small measure the Spirit in those dayes run very low the Lord being pleased to vail and cover his glory until an appointed time But the Law which God promised to put into their mindes is Christ who indeed is the Law and the Covenant for now Christ being glorified and having received of God authority and power or the promise of the Spirit iâ— now returned in spirit and power into the hearts of the Saints and is become to them and in them a Law of the Spirit and a Law of life that is where Christ comes in the Spirit indeed he brings in power and life eternal life and transformes the soul and makes it like himself and enables it to walk as he hath walked Again the Law was a ministration of condemnation and threatened wrath upon every disobedience which caused terrors and fears even in the best of them But Christ who is the new Covenant is a ministration of righteousnesse that is in the Gospel Christ is made known to be the righteousnesse of God which the Law required he having perfectly fulfilled the Law in all the high demands thereof by walking exactly in all the particular commands of the same and not so alone but also hath stopped the mouth of the accusing and condemning power of the Law by yeilding and submitting himself in the flesh to death and curse and thus Christ is the Saints righteousnesse to justification fulfilling the righteousnesse of the Law for them And Christ in the new Covenant is also a ministration of life and peace in the Saints fulfilling daily the righteousnesse of the Law in them that is the Saints being now united and made one with Christ and one with God in Christ are thereby enabled to act righteousnesse and holinesse and doe not look unto the Law for their pattern but unto Christ the truth of that pattern for he is the way the truth and the life and thus the Law as it comes from Sinai is silenced to believers they being neither under commanding nor yet the condemning power of it But as the Law comes from Mount Sion as Christ is both the Law and the Covenant so the Saints are not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ he being a Law of the Spirit and a Law of life in their hearts freeing them from the Law of sin and death and quickening and raising their hearts to life and glory by and in himself In short the Law as it comes from Sinai and is figured in stones ceaseth to the Saints and the duties and commands thereof cease to be the duties of the Law but are the duties and commands of the Gospel even the commands of Christ new commands or the Law of Christ Q. What is the Gospel A. The Gospel is glad tydings of good things good tydings of great joy a message of peace a ministry of reconciliation a ministration of the Spirit the word of salvation the word of faith the word of life the power of God to salvation the immortal seed the sword of the Spirit the word of God c. In a word the Gospel is Christ and Christ is the Gospel Christ is he that answers all the types and significations of the Law and in whom is fulfilled all the prophecies of the Prophets it is Christ alone in whom God is well pleased and it is onely Christ who enables the Saints to walk in all well pleasing Q. How comes it to passe seeing believers under the Law were under the same Covenant for life and salvation with believers under the Gospel and they that were saved under the Law were saved by faith in Christ as well as under the Gospel or what may be the reason that the Saints or true Believers act now more lively and chearfully and are quickened up to a more close and holy walking with God in these Gospel-dayes more than under the Law A. The Covenant of grace was the same indeed under the Law as it is under the Gospel but it was very mystical and obscure even to them that did believe for it pleased God to cloud himself so that they could not see him or but very little of him When they came out of Aegypt he went before them in a cloud in a very dark and obscure manner At the giving of the Law he appeared in smoak and thick darknesse When Solomon had built the Temple which was a figure or type of Christ as they were performing religious services therein it is said that the Lord discovered himself in a cloud a cloud filled the house By all which it appears that the appearences of God unto them in those dayes were very much clouded they saw very little of him even what he was pleased to let out in a few outward services suspending of purpose the manifestation of his glory untill the fulnesse of time Now while the Lord was pleased thus darkly to reveal himself then he was pleased to accept of weak faith and mean services Besides the Israelites were under a mixt Covenant partly inward and
assurance of his love These he holds in suspence and therefore they cry and pray forgive us our sinnes not being assured of the pard on thereof Yea others also that have attained to a higher degree of assurance and are able to conclude and that safely that their sinnes are forgiven and that Christ is their righteousnesse unto justification yet seeing their own weaknesses and knowing that they are sanctified but in part and having a law in their members rebelling against the law of the mind they have need and doe pray for a further discovery of Gods love to perfect their sanctification that they may thereby have a further evidence of their justification and therefore it is said forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors that is Lord work in us such a holy frame of spirit that seeing thou hast freely forgiven us through Christ all our sinnes we may also freely for thy sake forgive our offending brother his trepasses and that our readinesse and willingnesse to pardon others may evidence unto us that thou hast forgiven us so that we are not taught to pray for pardon of sin as though the Lord would not forgive us untill we pray for it but rather that God would manifest himself so to us in acts of sanctification as may testifie unto us our justification And although repentance is not necessary as a meanes of remission and so of life yet it is a necessary consequence or effect of life as the fruit is not a meanes or a condition of life to the tree but an effect or evidence of life in the tree for it is impossible that Christ should be in the soul and not act like himself according to that degree and measure in which he manifests himself therein Now repentance is not onely a sorrow for sin for that may be in wicked men neither is it a bare confession joyned with the former for both these may be done for self-ends But when a man doth indeed apprehend the love of God in Jesus freely justifying and pardoning all sin and transgression whatsoever without any desert or desire and not onely so but also sanctifying and saving him from all sin for the future then his soul is melted and dissolved into godly sorrow mourning and grieving not for fear of death and hell but because he hath walked so contrary to God who hath so farre condiscended in love to him and hereupon falls to confesse all sin and to rip up his heart and to search out his most secret sinnes as well as those that be more outward and desires to appear before God the most vile and abominable sinner in the world in his own eyes deserving nothing but wrath and condemnation and admires at the infinite love and goodnesse of God in Jesus Christ thus pardoning and sanctifying him and prayes earnestly unto God that he will make further discoveries of his love unto him in Jesus that he may be more vile in his own eyes and that he may now hate and abhorre all sin which is so contrary to the holinesse of God that Christ may live more in him and that he may henceforth be enabled through him to walk in all well pleasing And thus the Saints though they be already justified and pardoned yet cannot but repent for if Christ who is the root be within repentance which is a fruit thereof will appear in the branches and thus the Saints can mourn after Christ and blessed are they that so mourn for they shall be comforted Q. Seeing that the Saints or Believers are sanctified but in part and have flesh as well as spirit and are compassed about not onely with many infirmities but also with many enemies which are strong and potent Whereby are they then quickened Or what helps have they to grow in grace and sanctification A. The chief help or meanes whereby the Saints are quickened up to holinesse is Christ himself dwelling in them and acting them by his spirit or power to all well pleasing but there are other subordinate meanes which he hath appointed and sanctified to that end as namely his Word in the reading and preaching of it as also godly conference with one another and prayer Q. How can the Scriptures being but the writings of men be of any force to help us grow in grace c. A. Although the Scriptures were written by men yet they were not the device of mens braines or wits but they were the words of God inspired into men by the holy Spirit neither did men write them at their own pleasure but how and when the Lord who is that Spirit pleased and they are profitable to teach instruct to reprove and correct yea there is in the Scriptures whatsoever is necessary to be known to salvation they being a revelation of the most righteous and perfect will of God in every dispensation and they are also mighty through Christ for indeed to the Saints Christ is the Word and the Word is Christ and when he is pleased to come forth in it read or preached then it casts down strong holds then it divides asunder between soul and spirit between men and their beloved lusts then it subdues every high thought and brings every thing into subjection that exalts it self against Christ and then when he is pleased to come forth thus in it by his Spirit then it transformes the soul into the same nature or Image of it self which is Christ And here is the power of binding and loosing or the power of the keyes There is in the word a double power or efficacy when it comes in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit it is both for softening and for hardening of mens hearts and it alwayes doth the work to which it is sent it is called a sharp two-edged Sword the Sword of the Spirit c. Now no mans word can work any effect upon mens hearts they may blesse or they may curse and all to no purpose they may bind and loose at their own pleasure but there is nothing done in the soul but where this word comes indeed in the name that is in the power and authority of Christ there it doth the work effectually and there is no resistance it either makes men fruitful and meet for salvation or else hardens them and binds them over to damnation Q. Yea indeed Christ is the Word and he came from the bosome of the Father and he onely doth reveal the Fathers will But doth he not doe it by visions and revelations of the Spirit rather than by a written word which is so full of contradictions or so contrary to it self A. Christ hath alwayes manifested himself or the Fathers will by visions and revelations but yet in a different way in every dispensation when the Gospel was first preached he was pleased to reveal himself unto the Apostles for the most part without any written word they having but a few dark
of the Gospel A. Whatsoever was practised by the Apostles and Primitive Christians is already declared how they to prevent contention and strife did condescend to the weaknesse of many knowing that in time the Baptisme of the Spirit which is a Baptisme of Fire would eat up the Baptisme of Water as the fire that came down upon Elijahs Sacrifice did lick up all the water that was in the Trench But whatsoever hath been done in Water-Baptisme since that time it is hard to say is or was done with warrant from Scripture but is to be feared was rather a part of that mistery of iniquity which began to work even in the Apostles time And that Baptisme is come in the room of Circumcision was never yet made good by Scripture nor never will It is true God made a Covenant with Abraham and gave him also Circumcision as a sign or seal thereof But the Covenant which God made was twofold Inward and Outward The Inward part respected his soul in the sweet enjoyment of Gods love and favour by Christ Jesus both in this life and in eternall glory The Outward part of it respected the outward man the enjoyment of the land of Canaan with long life and prosperity therein Now so farre as the Covenant was inward and respected his soul so farre Circumcision could not be a seal thereof for nothing could seal the true spirituall love and favour of God to his soul but the Spirit whereby all believers were and still are sealed to the day of redemption But as the Covenant was more outward that he should be the Father of many nations that in Isaac should his seed be called and that he would give the land of Canaan to his seed for an everlasting Possession so farre Circumcision was a seal of the Covenant But now in the daies of the Gospel the new Covenant is a single Covenant that old weak part of it being vanished away and it is now established upon better promises than earthly Canaan For the Covenant which God makes with his people now is altogether inward and Spirituall which is Christ and there is no seal of this Covenant but that Spirit or the Lord Jesus called the Spirit of promise And to make Water-Baptisme or a Carnall thing to be a seal of a Spiritual Covenant which is Christ in the soul sealing up the love of God to the same to all eternity argues much ignorance in the mistery of God and carnall mindednesse in the things of God in a great measure And whereas the Apostle tells the Corinthians their Fathers were baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea That is no warrant for Baptisme at all But he speaks it rather to take them off from depending upon outward Ordinance c. For thus he seems to speak Your Fathers were high in outward Ordinances but they were not very high in Gods favour for they were overthrown in the wildernesse and these things were written for your example c. And for that of the Apostle Peter where he is speaking of the Floud and that in the Arke but a few even eight souls were saved by water and that by a figure Baptisme doth not save us First we must understand that the Ark saved those eight soules from the water And then that the figure here spoken of is not between the floud and water-baptisme But between the Ark which saved them from those great waves and Christ who saves us from the sea even the red sea of Gods fierce wrath as they that did believe and obeyed and prepared an Ark were put into it by God and so saved from death So all that do believe are shut up in Christ and made one with him and so saved from wrath For so saith the Apostle Baptisme doth now save us but not the washing away of the filth of the flesh with water but the answer of a good conscience to God by the resurrection of Christ from the dead If Christ be not risen in the soul and if he raise not the soul from death that man is not baptized indeed though he be washed in water a thousand times And as for Infants that they should be baptized there is not the least intimation in all the Scriptures that they whiles they are such ever were or ever should be baptized If Water-Baptisme were any thing or had any thing in it yet infants are in no capacity at all to apprehend it no not so much as in signification yet they which make a prop of it to hold up their tottering kingdome can see good reason for it and draw goodly consequences from Scripture to help forward the practise of it Q. Though there be nothing in it as indeed there is not it being an outward signe may we not use it therefore in obedience to Christs command as a sign of our ingrafting into him and as an ordinance that gives us admission into Curch-fellowship with the Saints A. The commands of Christ are not empty and barren commands but full of power and efficacy When Christ coms forth in a command then there is a work wrought indeed If Christ say to a dead man live then is he quickned indeed If he command a man to believe then there is faith and confidence wrought indeed If he command the Saints to love one another then it is effected indeed Christs commands where they come and he himself come along in them or else they are not his commands they never return in vaine but do certainly accomplish their work not in imagination but in reality and truth Now if Christ had commanded to Baptize a man or an infant in water certainly some notable work would have been wrought thereby But we see in experience that to dip or to sprinckle in or with a little cold water produceth no effect in the inward man Therefore to Baptize with water as a command of Christ is to offer injury to Christ and to make the commands of Christ which are full of power and life to be empty and fruitless commands which is not safe to imagine Moreover Christs Kingdome is a Spirituall Kingdome and is altogether inward And as it is not attained so neither is it enjoyed with any outward observations Indeed under the Law they had their outward Ordinances and Services and all of them had their significations shewing forth something of Christ of his death and resurrection c. And this Kingdome was more Carnal than Spiritual and they were led on in it by outward and carnal observations But now Christ having finished all his work in the flesh and being come again in the spirit he exerciseth all his Kingly power in the soul and this Kingdome of Christ is the Kingdome of Heaven and there is no signification in it at all but all is reall For it is the glory of God begun in the soul not in imagination but in deed and in
truth which is to be perfected by degrees in this life though not fully untill the life to come Neither is there any outward ordinance or observation that can hold proportion or correspondence with this Spiritual Kingdome it being exalted above all the Hills and infinitely above all significations Now Water-Baptisme can no way shew forth our union with Christ for that is a Spiritual union and Water-Baptisme is a Carnall ordinance and holds no proportion with the former Againe we are not made one with Christ as we are one flesh with him but as we are one Spirit with him Christ by taking our flesh became Immanuel or God one with us in the flesh but now the Lord who is that Spirit takes us into the same Spirit and so we are made one Spirit with him To this very end the glorious God did abase himself and clothed himself with our flesh and took it into union with himself that so by this meanes he might also receive all them that do truely believe in him into union with himself by the same Spirit So that it is not the Baptisme of Water that can ingraft us into Christ or make us one with him But by the Baptisme of the eternall Spirit are all the Saints united to him and partake of the same Divine nature with him And further Water-Baptisme can give us no true fellowship with the Saints for where the Saints have true fellowship one with another they have this fellowship together in Christ So that this fellowship consists not in being of the same opinion or forme one with another But in partaking of the same Spirit are united into one body together in Christ For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one Body whether we be Jewes or Gentils So that it is not water-baptisme that can give any true fellowship with the Saints but onely a carnall admission into an outward fellowship with men of the same form which may hold for a time and afterward come to nothing Ananias and Saphira may have for a time an outward fellowship with the Apostles and Simon Magus with Phillip and the rest of the Saints in Samaria Q. What say you then of the Lords Supper is not that an Ordinance of Christ to be used now in the time of the Gospel A. That our Saviour Christ did give Bread and Wine unto his Disciples in remembrance of his death which he was now suddenly to accomplish is not denied but that he left it with them as an ordinance to be performed by all believers in the dayes of the Gospel is to be enquired into Our blessed Lord a little before his suffering told his Disciples that he had a great desire to eat one Passeover more with them before his death and being come into the house as they were eating together he tells them plain that one of them should betray him into the hands of the chief Priests and Elders c. and that he was to undergoe great sufferings yea and death also and that all this was no more than what was written of him though they were ignorant of it and that they must now enjoy his company but a very little while for as he came forth from the Father into the world so he must now leave the world and goe to the Father upon this heavy and sad and indeed unexpected newes his poor weak Disciples who looked for better things from their Master at least in their own conceits were so presently filled with sorrow that they knew not what to say much lesse what to doe whereupon our Saviour seeing them take the matter so to heart and knowing that his death was of so great advantage unto them takes occasion to instruct them in the knowledge and ends of the same that as his departure from them was cause of great grief and sorrow unto them so the remembrance of the great benefits which should redound unto them thereby might a little stay and comfort their hearts untill he did appear to them more fully To this end he took bread and brake it saying This is my body which is given for you as if he had said as I break this bread and give it unto you so my body is given and must be broken for you even for your sinnes And taking the cup he saith drink yee all of it for it is the New Testament in my bloud or a signification of the bloud of the New Covenant which is my bloud that must be shed for you and many others also or else yee cannot have remission of sinnes And for a help to their weak faith and comfort in their sad condition he said also unto them doe this in remembrance of me as if he had said I know that for the present you are almost overwhelmed with grief and sorrow because I say such things to you yet let this be a little comfort to you make use of Bread and Wine in-remembrance that my death is of great advantage to you and though I goe away in the flesh yet it shall not be long ere I see you again in the Spirit for I will not leave you comfortlesse but will come to you in the comforter which is the Spirit of truth and then your hearts shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man be able to take from you so that from hence it may appear that this action of Christ and likewise his command was rather to comfort and stay the hearts of his poor sorrowrowfull fainting then Disciples than to be a standing Ordinance for all believers afterwards Q But it is not said in many places in the Acts of the Apostles that this Ordinance was in use even among the Apostles themselves and many other Saints after the Ascension of Christ and sending down of the holy Ghost A. The Apostles indeed are said to break bread and that from house to house but every breaking of bread there spoken of cannot be said to be the Lords Supper for it is said that they did eat their meat with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart whereby it may appear that by breaking of bread in that place is rather meant the Saints mutuall love in receiving and entertaining one another into their houses with feasting and rejoycing than eating the Lords Supper for it is said that the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul neither said any man that the things which he possessed were his own but they had all things common The preaching of the Apostles was of such power and efficacy that it wrought great effects there was none that lacked they that were poor were provided for out of the goods of them that were rich But if by breaking of bread in this or other places be meant the eating the Lords Supper yet it was used as a thing indifferent and of christian liberty rather than a binding Ordinance for the Apostles
were willing to use all means and content to stoop to weak Faith and mean capacities so that they could winne any to Christ Q. But the Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians tels them that he had received of the Lord that which he delivered unto them For having blamed them for their abuse of that Ordinance comes at length to certifie them in the true and right use thereof saying that the end of it was to shew forth the Lords death till he come And further shewes the danger of unworthy receiving and Gods hand already upon them for the same Doth it not hereby appear very plaine that the Lords Supper is used from Christs own command and is dangerous either to omit or else to receive the same unworthily A. True indeed the Apostle writes these very words to the Corinthians but withall he shewes the reason why he deals thus tenderly with thnm 1 Cor. 3. 1 2 3 4. because he could not speak unto them as Spirituall he could not speak unto them how they should enjoy Christ and be made one with him in the Spirit for they were yet babes and apprehended nothing of Christ but what was held forth unto them in visible demonstrations or outward and carnall ordinances I have fed you saith he with milk and not with meat for ye are not yet able to beare it for ye are in a great measure Carnal and walk not in the Spirit but according to man or as men Where the Apostle shews that there be degrees of attainments among the Saints There be Children and there be Men. 1 Cor. 14. 20. There be Saints that be in a great measure Carnal and there are Saints that be Spiritual The Apostle John in his 1 Epist 2. Cap. 12. 13 14. Verses speaks of three degrees of attainments Little Children Fathers and young Men. Little Children are such as are weak in Faith and under many feares and doubts Fathers are such as have attained to a higher degree of the knowledge of God in the mystery of Christ Young Men are they that know their Union with the Father in the Sonne and who also live in this Union and are carried forth in the strength of the same to overcome Sinne and Satan and the World c. Now these Corinthians were Children and therefore the Apostle feeds them with Milk Christ is very tender of his Lambs he will carry them in his bosome if they cannot goe he willead them by the hand if they cannot digest strong meat he hath Milk for them he will not suffer one of them to perish or to miscarry But Children are not alwayes Children they grow in time to be Men and then they put away childish things For while they are Children and use Milk they are unskilfull in the word of Righteousnesse or mistery of Christ But when they come to a full age then they are able to use strong meat or understand mysteries their sences being exercised to discern both good and evill Now to these Children the Apostle commends Christs practice to his Disciciples in their weak and sad estate saying that there by they might be put in mind of Christs death till he come Intimating thereby that though they were yet babes and carnal and so not able to apprehend their union with Christ in the Spirit yet the time would come that Christ should appear in their hearts in a more glorious manner and then they should see him and know him in the Spirit with farre more comfort delight and satisfaction than in or by any outward or fleshly Ordinances whatsoever And that this comming of Christ is so to be understood is plain from his own words when he telleth his Disciples That he will not drink any more of the fruit of the Vine untill the day that he drink it new with them in his Fathers Kingdome Where he declareth very plain that though now he condiscended to their weakness and gave them those visible elements as signes and pledges that his love was very great towards them in thus dying for them yet when the Kingdome of God should come or that he himself come into their hearts in the spirit or comforter which was fulfilled in the day of Pentecost then they should be enabled to know and apprehend the love of God in and through him more than by any outward observations Yea those heavenly joyes and spirituall consolations arising from the love of God in Christ Jesus shed abroad in the soul should be abundantly more full of delight and satissaction unto them than the drinking of Wine For his Love is better than Wine To dwell in the use of outward Ordinances to put us in mind of Christs death is with Mary to stand weeping at the sepulcher when Christ is risen and gone and deserves justly that reproof which she met with in so doing Why seek ye the living among the dead And for that the Apostle tells them the danger of unworthy receiving he seems hereby to rebuke them for or to warn them of two great faults herein the which are also very common among them that rest in outward Ordinances either they make Idols of them and think to attain something by the use of them or else they use them carelesly hand over head not considering what they go about but meerly for custome and so prophane the same For which saith the Apostle God is displeased And indeed this Bread and Cup was as well to teach them their fellowship with Christ in suffering as to put them in mind of his death Ye shall indeed drink of my Cup. And if we suffer with him we shall raigne with him Q. But our Saviour Christ tells the Jews that except they eat the flesh of the Sonne of man and drink his bloud they have no life in them And that whoso eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud hath eternall life for his flesh is meat indeed and his bloud is drink indeed and whosoever eat thereof shall live for ever Doth it not hence appear that in the partaking of this ordinance of the Lords Supper that the Souls of true believers are nourished and fed up to eternall life A. True indeed our Saviour speaks these words to the Jewes but that he doth not mean nor intend the eating and drinking of Bread and Wine is plainly declared in the same Chapter at the 28 Verse the people aske him What they should do that they might work the works of God He answers them That the work of God is to believe on him whom he hath sent But being carnal and led by sence require a sign saying What sign shewest thou that we may believe For our Fathers under Moses in the desart did eat Manna even bread from heaven and therefore they had reason to harken to Moses But if thou shew no sign nor work no great work why should we hearken to
God and saved For so saith the Prophetverse the 6. I the Lord have called thee in righteousnesse and will strengthen thine hand and preserve thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people a light of the Gentiles To what purpose To open blind eyes to bring thâ— prisoners out of prison and them that sit in darknesse out of the prison-house Again The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and he hath annointed me to preach glad tidings to the meek to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound c. The Saints though they were in the state of election in the purpose of God yet for the present being fallen under sin were in a condition of darknesse and death and were in slavery to sin and Satan And being no way able to free or deliver themselves therefore was Christ Gods elect or his righteous servant that he by undertaking for them in the flesh and by raising and quickning them in the spirit might bring them out of prison and captivity make them free men and present them to the Father in himself without rebuke And so also meanes the Apostle when he tells the Ephesians that now it is Gods design in the dispensation of the fullnesse of times to gather into one sweet agreement or holy fellowship all the Saints that are elected in Christ or which are in Christ in his purpose which is all one which are in heaven and in earth whether they be Jewes or Gentiles circumcised or uncircumcised bond or free even in him as the Saints are in Christ by vertue of Gods election So God will gather them together and so raise them by Christ that they shall now know and believe their union with God in Christ and their union one with another even in him And to this end all things were made by him and for his glory and still consist to help forward his great designes for in him dwells the fulnesse of the Godhead and the Saints are compleat in him Yea Christ fits in the Saints as a refiner and purifier of silver and by the spirit of judgement and burning which is himself doth purifie the sonnes of Levi even them which he hath brought near to himself and burnes up all their drosse the briars and the thornes their sinnes and corruptions that they may come forth a vessell for the refiner and fit for the Masters use That they may offer to the Lord in righteousnesse or give up themselves wholly to him in Christ and whosoever of the Saints rest or build upon any formes or ordinances below Christ the fire of Christs Spirit shall consume these works yet they being built upon or interested in Christ shall be saved by him yet so as to be purified by fire And thus God will come forth and is already come in the Saints not in all men destroying and consuming all sin and unbelief and doth daily gather them together into one body in Jesus and will by Jesus bring them into himself their originall and fountain after he hath first separated between the pretious and the vile between the Saints and their beloved lusts Christ came not to save the good or the believing part of men for there was no good nor believing part at all in man for man was quite and clean lost and undone and Christ came to save that which was lost namely poor men and women and to save them from their sinnes The good things and believing part in the Saints is Christ and he was never lost and the Saints partaking of him are united to him and so are saved in and by him True indeed Christ and the Saints make but one elect for they make but one compleat Christ he is the head and they the members and indeed God in electing of Christ did in him elect all his members and in saving of Christ saves whole Christ even all the body and that the bodies of the Saints are the members of Christ the Apostle shall inform us 1 Cor. 6. 15 16 17. where he seems to deal with some that thought fornication to be no sin because it was outward in the body I wish there be not many such in these dayes to whom he replies that though it be in the belly yet it ought not to be because the body is not for fornication but for the Lord. Yea saith he know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ and the temples of the holy Ghost and that they ought to glorifie God in their bodies as well as in their spirits seeing they are both Gods And that this may not seem strange he tells us that Christ is already by his Spirit quickening our mortall bodies more and more to holiness and will in the end change them and make them like his glorious body even by his mighty power And that election and salvation relate to mens persons let one Scripture more declare Acts 13. 48. Paul and Barnabas preaching at Antioch the Jews contradict and blaspheme they turn themselves to the Gentiles the Gentiles they are glad and they receive the Word with joy and all that were ordained to eternal life believed Now whether faith or any good things in these Gentiles were ordained to eternal life or the persons of these Gentiles who did believe and to whom Christ appeared in the preaching of the Apostles let all men well consider and then judge But there is a sort of people that live after the flesh unbelievers sorcerers whoremongers murtherers Idolaters c. who are without to whom Christ will say Depart from me yee cursed and these are not things namely sin unbelief muthers c. but persons also in and by whom these sinnes were committed who loved cursing or the cursed wayes of sin therefore it namely the curse shall come upon them and who delighteth not in blessing or the undefiled way of God even Jesus Christ and therefore the blessed enjoyment of God shall be farre from them for whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever and who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the prsence of the Lord c. Neither is God unjust but most righteous in rewarding every man according to his workes for God is so infinitely holy and righteous that he cannot doe any unjust act Nay he neither doth nor will doe any thing but wherein he will appear most perfectly just and righteous For God did not elect man and afterward reject him or damne him love him and afterward hate him But the Lord who is infinite in wisdome did see and behold all things before any thing was created for all things were in him although they were not brought forth or manifested And in his fore-knowledge and in himself he beheld all men when as yet there was none of them yea even then he beheld them
A LITTLE STARRE Giving some light into the counsels and purposes of God revealed in the Scriptures OR A CATECHISME Wherein these ensuing principles 1. What God is and how he manifests himselfe 2. Why he made the world and man 3. Mans condition what 1. By creation 2. By his fall 3. By being restored by Jesus Christ 4. The uses and ends of the Law 5. What the Gospell is 6. Justification what it is 7. Sanctification what and how it is wrought 8. What repentance is 9. The use and ends of the Scriptures 10. What true prayer is 11. Baptisme and the Lords Supper why and how used 12. Generall redemption what and how to be adjudgedof 13. Resurrection and Judgement what 14. Heaven and Hell what in truth and misterie All which are briefly by way of Question and Answer opened and explained By VVilliam Mason That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1. 3. London Printed by G. D. for Giles Calvert at the Black Spread-Eagle neer the West end of Pauls TO ALL THE SAINTS Scattered particularly throughout Oxford-shire Warwick-shire and Northampton-shire and more generally throughout England especially they under lower dispensations Grace and Peace be multiplyed DEARE BRETHREN IT is a sad thing to consider how the Saints who are united and made one with and in Jesus Christ by partaking of his Spirit or divine nature should yet be so disunited and broken off one from another by yielding to much to that spirit of the world or rather to that principle of envy and malice which Sathan the God of this world labours to throw in amongst them Is it not cause of much sadness and grief to see that a little difference in opinion produceth great breaches and much estrangedness in affection and yet this difference being weighed in the ballance of true Judgement will be found no difference amongst them who are truly Saints Indeed There are some who say they are Jewes and are not but doe lie and these are some of them high in notion but altogether without life and power of godliness and the difference between the Saints and such in point of sound doctrine is very great But the Saints who are truly so indeed they all indeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace They all know and profess that there is but one body whereof they are members and that there is but one Spirit by which they are united and made one in this body and that their hope whereof they are not ashamed is one and the same being effectually called thereunto they all profess and acknowledge one Lord in whom they do believe and one faith by which they believe and one baptisme through which they are not onely made conformable to Christ in his death but also are made like unto him in his glorious resurrection unto newnesse of life And are also annointed with him to hold forth the same to others they all professe one God who is the Father the Fountain the Originall of all good who is above all in respect of his glorious power and through whose infinite love and goodness they all obtaine life and happiness and who is in them all to act and carry them on unto eternall glory Thus the Saints who are so indeed hold correspondencie one with another in the substance of religion and the difference between them is but a seeming difference a difference in regard of manifestation for to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ The Lord dispenseth not alike to all but to every one a measure as he will and yet they may be all of one and the same Judgement though some of a higher and some of a lower degree Moses had high and glorious manifestations and yet he was of the same judgement w th the meanest of his Saints in that generation Paul was taken up into the third Heavens in respect of those glorious revelations and high discoveries of God made known unto him and yet he was as the Saints were that so he might perswade them to be as he was yea he submitted to the weakness of the Saints that he might thereby bring them up into strength Al the differences among the Saints at this day is onely about externall and outward formes and observations I which are all terminated in Christ when they once come to know him and are taught by him as the truth is in him then they cannot look for him at any distance for he is in them the hope of glory It is a great fault among children to begrudge one another of their fathers gifts there be severall attainments among Saints or severall degrees of manifestations there be some babes and some strong men and there is milk for the one and strong meat for the other they that be strong were once weake and they who are weak as yet will in time grow strong my deare Friends let us leave judging and censuring one another for who art thou that iudgest another mans servant let us indeavour unity peace and concord let us walk in love oh if we could love one another with a pure heart fevently with what sweet imbraces should we receive and injoy each other how would our heavenly Father be glorified how would truth be advanced and appear like it selfe and how would errors heresies lyes and falshoods run into holes to hide themselves yea how soon might we expect to see our dread Soveraign the Lord Jesus comming forth gloriously and riding on prosperously conquering and to conquer and bringing the wheele over sin and flesh and all sinners and ungodly men who hold the truth in unrighteousness and proclaiming that joyfull Jubile to all his who are yet kept under by poverty debt c. Sin ignorance unbelief weakness clouds forms observations Friends rest not in shadows let your souls inherit substance Christs kingdome is spirituall it is within and it is above all outward observations it is not meat and drink but it is righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost This little Starre if it please the Father of Lights may lead you toward this King or this little Catcchisme may instruct you in the way to this Kingdom It presents you with no new thing but cleers up old truths and distinguisheth them from new errors It comes not busling forth stuft full of humane testimony but it comes forward gently and meekly attended with divine evidence and witness Dear Friends first read and then judge but be not rash in censuring if any thing seem difficult weigh the Scriptures in the margent and yet if difficulties and doubts still arise wait upon God by prayer and supplication of the Spirit
And he who is a Revealer of secrets and to whom interpretations doe belong shall in due time reveale the same unto you If you cannot receive it at present yet ye may in time but if not at all yet take heed of condemning it for heresie blasphemy Christ was called a blasphemer a Devil and that by Saints in profession Truth hath been adjudged to be falshood and sound doctrine hath been condemned for heresie in all ages If any dislike or cannot receive it because in some passages it may seem beyond his apprehension Let him know that the maine end of this is to carry up his heart to Christ above it selfe and if on the other hand any shall despise it and cast it away as too much below them let such know that it is not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel and that the foolishness of God is wiser than men To whomsoever it comes it will bring this testimonie along that it hath no self-ends at all but comes meerly out of love to poore souls Deare Brethren Let me now in one word beseech you to lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh Be making toward your heavenly rest be longing after your Fathers house be owning of your own priviledges be standing fast in your own liberty be getting out of Babylon ye have dwelt long enough in confusion long enough in the mount of outward observations Take up your carriages raise up your hearts ask the way to Sion set your faces that way if you can but get one step into new Jerusalem you are past all danger here yee see sorrow sighing pain fear and death here you say oh that I were assured of Gods favour oh that I knew he loved me c. poore soules If ye were but entred into Christs spirituall Kingdome indeed if ye did but know God Christ and the Saints in the Spirit indeed your hearts would leap for ioy did you but know God in Christ Christ in the Saints the Saints united and made one with God in Christ by that one eternall Spirit your hearts would rejoyce your joy would be full yea yee would rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Then you should see the Tabernacle of God with men and God dwelling with men or in men then should all teares be wiped away and then there should be no more feare of death no more sorrow nor crying nor paine in respect of the losse of Gods love and favour for all former things as namely all low and carnall apprehensions of God which caused feares doubts distractions would be passed away for there shall be no night nor clouds to hide his love but they that be his Servants shall serve him in Spirit and Truth and they shall see his face with joy and his name or glory shall be in their fore-heads or shine forth in them to his praise and they shall reigne with him here in joy and glory even in this life and shall at last injoy him in unconceiveable and eternall glory of which this is but a tast Brethren the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Your most affectionate Friend and Brother in Chist Iesus William Mason A LITTLE STARRE OR CATECHISME c. QUest What is the end of Catechizing Answ To instruct the ignorant in the knowledge of God and of themselves Q. Is there a God then A. Yes Psal 19. 1. The heavens declare that there is a glorious God and the firmament sheweth forth his handy work Q. What is God A. God is an eternal Spirit having his being in and of himself infinite in wisdome in power in justice in mercy and goodnesse yea who is all these in highest perfection Q. How doe you know that there is a God A. First By his works of creation and providence whereby his eternall power and God-head are wonderfully manifested And Secondly By the Scriptures which doe abundantly declare him But thirdly and chiefly By his Spirit which he hath given us 1 John 4. 14. and 20. Q. How many Gods be there A. There be many that are called Gods but to us there is but one God who is one intire invisible glorious being comprehending all things filling all things and who is not confined nor comprehended 1 Kings 8. 27. Q. Why then are the names and titles of God given to more than one namely to three called the three persons in the Trinity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost if there be but one God A. God hath been pleased in much wisedom and goodness to manifest himself by and under these three denominations or titles not that there are three Gods but rather so many various discoveries and makings forth of one and the same God Q. What conceive you of God when he makes himself known by the name of Father A. First that he is the fountain the root the originall of all good to all men in relation to the outward condition And Secondly and chiefly that of and from himselfe he doth bring forth glorious discoveries and dispensations of infinite love and goodnesse toward the Sons of men electing and adopting them for himself drawing their souls up unto himself and making them partakers of himself Eph. 1. 4. 5. John 6. 44. Q. What conceive you of him when he makes forth himself by the name of Sonne A. Here is held forth a second way of his inexpressible love to man for here is a wonderfull condiscention the glorious God manifesting himself in the flesh taking on him our nature and our flesh becoming Immanuel or God made one with us in the flesh and in our nature and our flesh fulfilled all righteousness for us subjected himself in the flesh to death and curse to satisfie divine Justice which we had offended that by this means he might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us from that wrath and curse which we had deserved Q. And what doe you understand when he makes himself known by the name of Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit A. By this is manifested a third way of his abundant goodness for by his Spirit which is the powerfull working of his love in the hearts of his people he reveals and communicates himselfe with all the riches of his grace and love unto them yea by which he sanctifies and transforms them into his own Image fulfilling all righteousness in them and whereby he takes them into union with himselfe to live in him Q. Why did God make the world A. God who is infinitely glorious in himselfe yea who is an overflowing fulnesse of all glorious excellencies needed not the world to add to his glorious perfections but he made the world for the manifestation and declaration of his glory Q. Could not the glory of God shine forth sufficiently without the work of creation A. No That infinite and transcendent