the time appointed of the Father And I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal even as unto babes in Christ I have fed you with milk and not with meat And the great and excellent design or mind of God in all these things is only to lead out his people Church or Disciples from age to age from faith to faith from glory to glory from letter to letter from ordinance to ordinance from flesh to flesh and so to Spirit and so to more Spirit and at length into all Spirit when the Sonne shal deliver up the kindom unto the Father and God shal be all in all which last transition or resignation or resolution of all into the kingdom of God is not as some think only when the fulness of times or ages is come but is transacting and finishing in parts and members of the body of Christ and is not one single act point or effusion of glory but a perfecting and fulfilling it in the several members of Jesus Christ till the fulness of the stature of Christ be made up and the Church become the fulness of him that filleth all in all For the day dawns and the day-star arises in the heart shining more and more unto a perfect day and he who is the bright and morning Staris stil shining into the glory of the Sun of righteousness and the light of the Moon shal become as the light of the sun and the light of the Sun as the light of seven dayes till the Lord God himself be the everlasting light and our God our Glory Thus is the Christian or Disciple of Christ passing on upon the severall degrees and measures into the glory of Christ and crucifying each condition as he passes thorough it as all the Disciples have done before the Jews passed out of that of the Tabernacle into the Temple and from thence into the flesh of Christ that Temple destroyed and raised up in three dayes a greater then Solomon being there and from thence into Christ Crucified and so into a ministry of spirit and life And the Disciples all of them had a measure of time and season in each Ministration and God had his when he filled the Tabernacle with a cloud and the Temple with Glory and the flesh of Christ with unction or spirit above his fellows and while God lived in each ministration quickning and glorifying and acting it for himself that presence of God and of Spirit was to the Disciples like the Sun in Summer shining upon them the candle of the Lord shining upon their heads and his secret upon their Tabernacles But when the line of Gods season was run out to its point and extremity that he would no longer stay there nor have his glory inhabit in such or such a ministration then that ministration became but a place of desolation a solitary place for the Satyrs to dwell in and the screech Owle to sing in that is for the Spirit of Apostacy and of Antichrist or iniquity to possesse and act in And for Disciples to stay longer in any ministration then the Lord or the life and Spirit of Christ is in it is as if Lot should tarry in Sodom Israel with the Ark when God was departed the Iews in the Temple when the Vail was rent and the glory gone off to the threshold and from thence too their house being left unto them desolate even that house or ministration where the light of God did formerly dwell As if the Disciples of Christ that went into the Grave should step in and sojourn there where his body had lain and was risen and gone seeking the dead amongst the living The disciples of Christ were a true figure of such who when Christ was dead were embalming the body and would preserve it with spices and ointments when the spirit and life was out of it The Iews were a figure of such who would preserve their Law and the shadows of all their worship when Christ had left them who was the life and substance of all that ministration Peter and the rest were a true image of such who in that sword he wore was a true figure of all such as Christ suffers in a warlike and defensive posture about his flesh or whom he suffers to be so far conformed to the fashion of the world as to guard and preserve those fleshly priviledges of his presence and power amongst them and in that activity of his to rescue and preserve that flesh and body in which so much glory and excellency had appeared and so many miracles were done beyond that point or end of ministration which God even the Father and the Son himself had set was a figure of all such as should stretch out any dispensation or ministration of God farther than the line or spiritual sinew of it wil bear Let the Reader take notice that this following of the Baptist should have been placed next after the Doctrines of Baptism but by reason of the Authors absence it was misplaced The Baptists BAptism of Water being a Legall Ordinance though a more cleer administration of Christ was administred alwaies by persons of more than ordinary gift and spirit for in all Legall administrations which pointed at and shaddowed Christ still they were performed by some properly and specially and extraordinarily enabled for that Office or Ministration and therefore the tribe of Levi was for administration of Ordinances then under the Law and Abraham for circumcision Moses and Aron c. Iohn Baptist the Apostles and the more then ordinary gifted Disciples and Philip and Ananias not is there any extant in all the new Testament who did administer Baptism but they were such as by a power and gift more than ordinary could make demonstration of their calling to the administration of water which was first in that way of doctrine performed by him then whom a greater Prophet hath not risen even by Iohn who Baptized and so Philip and Ananias the one working glorious miracles at Samaria the other having a vision from God to warrant and glorifie his call to that administration upon Paul and so all the Apostles and seventy Disciples were such who went about doing miracles as men excellently gifted for administration and whereas the Scriptures make mention of some Disciples as those with Peter who did not appear to do any thing more then others nor Philip nor Ananias at the time of their administration of water it ought to be sufficient to us that the Scriptures doth set forth Iohn Baptist and the Apostles and Disciples that were more than ordinarily gifted and Philip and Ananias who had sufficient warrant to themselves by such glory upon them for that Office and administration of water upon any and for those other Disciples surely we see and read enough to tell us in those that were so gifted and in them and their gifts there is light enough to shew us
in outward things of worship and disciplinewithout sin yet of no other but as the wisdom of God shall direct to edification and with care of offence and Scriptures allow To the weak I became as weak to them that were under the Law as under the Law to them that were without Law as without Law though not without Law to God Now in this Scripture liberty to things of former institution by God and of no such institution 〈◊〉 discovered those words under the Law contain liberty to things once instituted and those words without Law to things noâ—instituted and therefore the Apostlesaith We know an Idol is nothing Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge and again To the pure all things are pure and that that goes into the man defiles not the man And yet I know this very truth as well as that of the grace of God and all other truths may be turned into wantonness and licentiousness and not pure Christian liberty I am for the knowledg of God in the Father Son and Spirit and for true Christianity as it is in life and Spirit and power of godliness and for love to all but to the sins of all We are circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the Flesh I have spoken of the true Christian under that more grosse form of Episcopacy not approving that form but in order to higher and more spirituall discoveries and this I do because I finde God in lower as well as higher in purer as well as more corrupt administrations and in tenderness and respect to many thousands in this Kingdom and many other Kingdomes who are not yet out of this form and yet God may be in them as in Germany Sweadland Denmark in England formerly and of late God having his more spirituall times for them as well as others I have spoken of things here sometimes very briefly because I finde less of man in writing the substance and truth of things so far as revealed in us then in tedious discourses and Paraphrases which are many times rather the works of reason and wit and art then of the Spirit of God and I have writ not in that common method of men because I received it not accordingly I finde two things which make some outward Ordinances so exceedingly and in divine right stood for the one is an opinion that there is a very modell in the Letter of Scriptures to be discovered which is to reduce Christians to bondage again and to a form without those very gifts which is not to be found in the word The other opinion is that the setting up such a form is an immediate way of fixing God and his Spirit upon it which indeed is a finer kinde of Idolatry to conceive that God enters into outward things and conveighs his all glorious and Almighty Spirit by them when as they are only signs figures and Images of more spirituall things enjoyed or to be enjoyed and that of Gods appearance and conveyance of himselfe in outward things according to this opinion is such as the Papists hold as to Images to things conferring grace Ex opere operato and all Idolaters accordingly conceiving that God immediatly informs glorifies and spiritualizes those formes and figures to the beholders as the Israelites when the Calf was made cryed these are they Gods O Israel I know Ordinances used in their true nature and as things that are the Parables figures and types of spirituall things are not to be rejected but many christians do sweetly partake of them in this their state of weakness and bondage wherein God makes heavenly things appear by earthly that men as Thomas may see and believe though blessed are they that have not seen and yet do believe All I have now to say to ye is this Something of a mysterie of God and something of a mysterie of Satan That of God is this that the Lord doth in much wisdome suffer the weaknesses of some spirituall men to come forth and by this he carries spirituall things in more mystery and manages the glory of his spirit through wayes and things which are an offence and scandall before the World by which some stumble and fall and are broken Christ was set up for the falling as well as rising of many in Israel That of Satan is this to observe how he fortifies corrupt nature against the spirit of God which spirit he knowes can only destroy his Kingdome and reveal the Kingdom of God and therefore counterfeits the spirit by false Revelations and appearances transforming himself into an Angell of light and then casting all this as a scandall upon the pure Spirit of God by reproaches viz. of praying by the spirit and preaching by the spirit and new Revelations and new Light thus making the world blaspheme and the weaker Saints afraid of the glory of the spirit lest it prove a delusion THE TABLE THE two Creations or Natures of Flesh and Spirit Pag. 1. The true Church 15. Antichrist within us 24. The Doctrine of Baptisms 26. The Baptisme of sufferings 27. The Baptisme of water or of John 29. The Baptisme of the Holy Ghost or gifts 33 The Baptisme of Christ 37 The diverse Ministery with the Ministery of Christ in his Saints 41 The passage from lower ministrations to higher 56. The Baptists 78. The spirit and life of outward Ordinances 84. The Christian under Prelacy Presbyterie Baptisme Independency c. 93. The Christian in truth 102. The Witnesses in Sackcloth what 105. Magistracy a power ordained of God 135. The discerning of Spirits 141. Principles of War and Peace 149. In order to Peace and Suffering and Love 1. The Will of God 154. 2. God changing dispensations 157. 3. The Law of nature and grace 159. 4. The Gospel method of victory 161. 5. How resistings in some are of the flesh and of the Law of nature in others 162. 6. The advantage Christians have of bondage 164. 7. upon what account the purest and freest outward liberty is 166. 8. A word concerning Heresie and Schisme 170. Heresie 173. Schisme 175. 9. Truth 177. The mysterie of true Christian liberty from God not from man or the power of man 182. A discovery of the highest attainments of the Protestants generally in the mysterie of salvation 185. Of Faith 189. A further discovery as to free-grace 190. A discoverie as to the generall point or Christ dying for all 196. The last discovery and as some say the highest and most glorious concerning the whole mysterie of God to men and this Creation 198. An additionall concerning Antichrist and the mysterie of iniquity 208. The severall attainments of the Common Protestant 218. The generall Redemptionist 219. The free Gratian 221. A discovery of prayer 223. A discovery of the Law 235. A discovery of duties and works 242. A discovery of outward Ordinances 244. A discovery of the Jewes and their
flesh of Christ is to be Baptized all which flesh is not that onely which Christ appeared in but that of his body or members With the baptism that I am baptized with shall ye be baptized That I may fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church The Baptism of water or of John THe Baptism of water is Johns Ministry unto Christ I indeed Baptize yee with water unto Repentance the Baptism of water was a Legall washing and therefore reckoned amongst things that are Legall The first Tabernacle stood in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnall Ordinances which divers washings are called Baptisms in the Greek The Baptism of Water was therefore in its Ministry administred by Iohn who was a Prophet nearer the more cleer Revelation of Jesus Christ then the rest for a greater Prophet then Iohn hath not risen and therefore this Ministration was administred by him who was a Prophet or one rather upon the account of the Law then the Gospel for he that was least in the Kingdome of God is greater then he The Baptism of Water was not given in Christs Ministery to his Disciples or Apostles who when he sent them out to preach first to the Iews gave them not one word to Baptize the Lord Iesus was Baptized by Iohn the Minister of Water to fulfill righteousness for his the Righteousness of washing which was Legall as Circumcision therefore we are said to be Circumcised with him in Baptism the Baptism of Water was performed by the Disciples and Apostles of Christ in the Name of the Lord Iesus as all other Legall Ordinances were for Circumcision and all was to Christ who was the end of the Law but Iesus Christ himself never Baptized any never was an administrator of it in his own person he Baptized none but his Disciples so as his Disciples Baptized none as his onely Ministration but as from Iohn and as in his Ministration unto the Lord Iesus and as a Ministration which was begun by one who was so eminent a Prophet and so acceptable to Disciples that were weak and Legall The Baptism of Water was more used by those Apostles or Disciples which were Jewish and to the Jews as Peter who had the Apostle-ship of Circumcision and so did Judaize more then by the Apostle who was less a Iew and had not seen Christ in the flesh but in the Spirit and was an Apostle to the Uncircumcision and professed he was not sent to Baptize but to preach the Gospel This Baptism of Water was called a Baptism of Repentance and of Manifestation to Israel because that comming of Christ in the flesh was the first opening of the Mystery of Christ in flesh to those who were under sin and bondage as the Iews and the Gentiles were The Baptism of the holy Ghost or gifts THe Baptism of the holy Ghost or Gifts is that Baptism which is said to be more properly Christs ministration He shall baptize yee with the holy Ghost and with fire The Baptism of the Holy Ghost or Gifts was that Baptism which the Lord Jesus promised his Disciples to fulfill upon them and upon their Ministration Go teach and Baptize all Nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and lo I am with you c. or I Disciple those Nations and Baptize them with the Holy Ghost in your ministration for we all know that Apostles and Disciples could not disciple or baptize any who is Paul or who is Apollos and this Ministration of the Holy Ghost or Gifts was to last that Age for so is the Greek not for ever and ever or to the end of the world as is commonly read but to the Age or during the time or for the fulfilling of that ministration The Baptism of Gifts or the Holy Ghost was administred from Christ in the Disciples ministration be Baptized and ye shall receive the gifts of the holy Ghost for the promise is to you and to your children c. which promise is that of gifts or the holy Ghost which was that thing promised by Iohn upon Christs Ministery he shall Baptize with the holy Ghost and was promised by Jesus Christ himself Ye shall be Baptized with the holy Ghost c. and Paul laid his hands on them and they received the holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost fell on them this was a promise in the Prophets too The Baptism of the Holy Ghost or Gifts and fire was in figure Gifts held forth the flowing of a more spirituall Nature or of the Spirit upon those who were true spirituall Disciples and fire was a sign or figure of the power of the Spirit in the Spirituall Disciples burning up and destroying flesh and the body of sin in them even this first creation upon which it fell for it sate upon each of them in fire signifying by its resting upon their flesh what part was designed to loss and purification The fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is if any mans work be burnt he shall suffer loss but he himself shal be saved yet so as by fire The Baptism of Christ THe Baptism of Christ which is his own proper and Spirituall and onely ministration is that by which all true Christians are Baptized into fellowship with him and oneness with him and so becomes wholly washed in the New creature or New man or Baptized into the very Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost of which that Baptism administred in gifts or the Holy Ghost by the Apostles more visibly was a sign The Baptism of Christ who is the Lord that Spirit the Image of the invisible God the quickning Spirit is that one Baptism spoken on in Ephes. 4. One Lord one faith one Baptism for Jesus Christ administring in himself and his own Spirituall Nature can onely make us thus one with himself and with his own body The Baptism of Christ thus Administred in his own Spirituall Nature upon his is that very Baptism by which we are in the fellowship of his sufferings and of his death as many as are baptized into Christ are Baptized into his death and as many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ so as this Baptism by which we are all Baptized into Christ and put on Christ and his death is spirituall for Christ can not be truely put on nor any thing of his his sufferings death or resurrection but in Spirit and Truth whereby we are truely crucified and dead with him to our selves and the world and alive with him in one spirit the same Spirit that raised up Iesus Christ shall also quicken our mortall bodies The Baptism of Jesus Christ is that whereby we are baptized into his body now
he that sits upon the Throne in his Spirit saith behold I make all things all new old things in him as corruptions and lusts do pass away The Ministry that hath been since Antichrist or the mystery of iniquity reigned without or in the worship of God in all Societies of Christians called Churches whether in Presbytery Independency or Baptism is not the same with that first Ministry of the Gospel in pure gifts and is no other then the witnesses in sackcloth THe Lord Jesus ascendedup on high out of flesh into Spirit and gavegifts unto men he gave some Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors some Teachers In this administration of gifts the mystery of Iesus Christ or the Gospel was revealed and carryed on till the time Prophesied on by the Spirit of God wherein the mystery of iniquity should prevail and the falling away should be and the man of sin should be revealed and perillous times should come and this mystery of iniquity did so darken and overcast all this administration of the Gospel in gifts and ordinances or outward administrations as there was a visible Apostacy respectively to those very pure gifts of the Spirit and pure administrations respectively to the first institution and this is no more then the experience of our own age and the times before so far as any History can make apparent doth clearly demonstrate so as that administration of Spirit or Ordinances which hath been in several times since the first pure Gospel-day or time wherein the Spirit did minister in truth and demonstration hath been but in some faint and smal discoveries of the Spirit and Letter as in those of Huss Luther Wickcliff Calvin Peter Martyr and Bede with all the rest of our many Martyrs in the kingdom who were glorious lights respectively to the darkness of that generation yet if compared with the pure glory of the first Gospel-administration in gifts and ordinances were far below and in darkness and weakness to that so as I look upon all Gods ways of the administration of his Gospel to hold some proportion one with another the Tabernacle and Temple and Laws of outward administration were such ways and means God did appear in and so in the Priests and Prophets God at sundry times and in divers manners speaking to our fathers and afterward God took up our very flesh to administer in and so came and spoke to us by his Son and after all these the Lord went out from these after his usage of them and appearance in them and then they were no more an ordinance or way to God as they formerly were nor did ever the Lord enjoyn the restitution or reassuming of them again when the Temple was once rent the vail of it the Lord was no more in it nor in their Priesthood and Sacrifices c. nor when once the Lord Iesus had ended his administration in the flesh upon the Cross did he ever restore it in that very way again or intend it according to that first appearance but in a more glorified state And so in all reformations respectively to these former administrations they never returned back or reassumed the same again after once God had refused it and laid it by When Christ came in the flesh he did not make it his work to settle the Priesthood again but to lead them into the spirituall glory and fulfilling of all those legal dispensations and carry them on into more Gospel-administrations and that which was more excellent and perfect So it is in that first Gospel-administration of gifts and ordinances after Christ ascended there were such pure operations of Spirit as in gifts and some outward institutions and Church-administrations but these were only the Ministration for that age as the Tabernacle was for its age and the Temple Priesthood and Sacrifices for their age and the flesh of Christ for its age or time so as the falling away is no more but the Lord gathering up or taking in the out-goings operations or gifts of his Spirit in such a way of ministration and till this was done there was a withholding of the mystery of iniquity from being revealed therefore saith the Apostle to the Saints Ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time and he who letteth will let till he be taken out of the way and truly that mystery did not work freely nor powerfully till the Lord had removed the glory of his Spirit from the Churches the presence of which did exceedingly prevent and withhold and put an hinderance to the revelation and dominion of that man of sin And the Spirit of God foreseeing God about to leave this ministration of Gospel-glory to the world and bring a night upon all that day and brightness of his Son prophesied of the times to come and to succeed that glory viz in the last dayes perillous times shal come men shal be lovers of themselves covetous proud boasters c despisers of those that are good high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the Power thereof But there were false Prophets among the People even as there shal be false Teachers amongst you who privily shal bring in damnable Heresies c. and many shal follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth shal he evil spoken off and through covetousness shal they make merchandize of you Beloved remember ye thewords which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ how that they told you there should be mockers in the last times these be they Seperating themselveshaving not the Spirit Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist should come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time So as from all these places of the Apostles we may see their Prophesies of the Antichristian times which are the times of the flesh and of the Spirit of iniquity raigning amongst the Saints or in the Christian world the Lord of Glory Iesus Christ in Spirit being all this time crucified in Spirituall Sodome Aegipt or Babylon which is the Kingdom of the Flesh and the Powers of Darkness and this is the State and condition of the Church of Christ or those who are the Spiritual vessells or Golden cups of the Lords Temple and carried away captive and live under the Power of Flesh and of Spirituall wickednesses So as all the time of the raign and Preuailing of this mystery which mystery is in a threefold Principallity or eminency viz. of the beast the false Prophet the devil all which three work as well without unto the world as within in the flesh of every Saint all the time of this raign or prevailing is not a time of any restitution or restauration of the first ministry or gifts or ordinances as was in the Apostles times but is the
the Power and Iudgment committed to Christ Scripture and the gift of wisdom justice and righteousness are his unction now as the oyl or anointing was his unction under the Old Testament Magistracy for form is not one and the same but divers according to the several polity of Nations and Kingdoms by Kings singly or Kings and States joyntly as in this Kingdom or States singly as in the old notions of Monarchy Aristocracy Democracy and that each Nation is subject according to its polity and form to the respective government and that Scriptures cloath and invest that form in its very first being and constitution and that form receives an Image of God upon it as the first man who as soon as he became such a model of earth or clay became a man and had the glory of God upon him and dominion over the creatures These Powers and Magistratesupon earth are set up for the punishment ofevil doers and for the praise of them that do wel justice and righteousness being that very line or golden reed by which they are measured the very Scales by which Godweighs them where if they be found too light he gives their Kingdoms to another All lawful subjection is to be rendred honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute and subjection to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake Prayers and Supplicationsare to be made for them that we may lead a peaceable and a quiet life in all godliness and honesty Magistracy is set up not only to be an Image of Christ to the world but to administer Peace and Judgment to the world and Societies of men and more principally to his people in the flesh who while they are nursing fathers to them do administer truly and to Christ in his people when Persecutors Christ stil turns their administration though evil in it self into good for his all things working together for good to those that love God The high and glorious design of Christ in Magistracy is to open a way in all their kingdoms and dominions for the Spirit of God to breath in Kings shal be thy fathers c. and walk in in such outward administrations as it pleaseth the Spirit of God to appear in to the Saints who are in flesh and weakness and so far as concerns any outward administration of Christ Iesus Christ becomes a subject in his Saints to the power he hath committed to Magistracy they having power to hinder and further his spiritual design so far as it comes forth in the outward man therefore all power of Magistracy turned against the Spirit of God in this apearance shal and all such Kingdoms and Nations as proceed accordingly viz. to oppose that Kingdom Power and Dominion they receive from Christ against him in his spiritual Kingdom shal be dashed to pieces like a potters vessel Be wise now therefore O ye Kings and be instructed ye Judges of the earth But all such Nations States and Kingdoms as shal administer not only judgment and righteousness in the world but shal bring their glory and honour to Christ and hiâ— Spirit in his People Peace shal be within their walls and prosperity within their Palaces judgment shal flow there like a river and righteousness like a mighty stream The discerning of Spirits THere was such a Maniâ—estation of Spirit given to the people of God in the first gospel-Gospel-times as they could in the very unction or anointing of God discern Spirits and try Spirits Ye have an unction and ye know all things the same anointing teacheth ye to another the gift of discerning Spirits In this Manifestation of Spirit were all False-teachers Deceivers Antichrists and Hypocrites judged and discerned I wil come to you saith the Apostle and will know not the words of them that are puffed up but the power This Manifestation of Spirit is that in which Spiritual men are known and revealed to each other and have as ful assurance of each other in Spirit and in Truth as men know men by the voice features complexions statures of the outward man The Manifestation of Spirit may be darkned and clouded in Christians sometimes and hath been in the purest times when the Disciples did not know Simon Magus nor Demas nor Hymenaeus and Philetus nor those that went out from them nor Judas The Manifestation of Spirit hath been much lost and darkned in the Churches for many hundred years since the Antichristian darkness upon them and therefore they have judged Spiritual things in a mist and in much dimness and doubtfulness it hath been neither night nor day For supplement of this Manifestation of Spirit Christians walked by Candle-light and Star-light and set up marks and signs of tryal and demonstration in the letter and outward man so as any hypocrite might appear for a true Christian and therefore most of their way of Manifestation hath been from formal relations and confessions of faith and experiences according to the Law or standard of their own Spirits trying and judging all other measures of grace by their own The experience of Christians who have the Spirit of God in them is very clear concerning the workings and manifestations of the same Spirit in others as in Prayer Preaching Prophesying Conference Conformity to Christ Spiritual conversation so as Christians can in a manner say the Spirit of God is here and here or here I tast and see something of God here is a spiritual savour there is none as in natural things there is such a proportion betwixt the sense and object that the sense knows and discerns its own object as in smelling tasting seeing hearing so in Spirituals and as there is an outward a letter or Scripture Christianity by which men are distinguished as Jew and Gentile as Professors and Prophane as of the visible Church and of the world so there is in the true spiritual Church or Kingdom of God in Truth a more pure spiritual and glorious way of knowing each other according to that true spiritual glory nature and light that each walks in being all children of the day and of the light And this is no more then the fulfilling of that promise then shal ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not but it is in that day when the Lord makes up his jewels which the more glorious revelation of Jesus Christ in the Saints gathering his people into more unity and glory of Spirit All works and fruits of men as they are Christians and spiritual must either be judged and discerned in the same Spirit and measure of light and glory in which they are wrought and from whence they flow or else it is but a meer formal outward pretended false and fleshly way of judging in those that so judg and thus the tree is truly and purely known by its fruits and faith by works The same Faith
doth all to sinners in meer grace that no sin is imputed to sinners but they are pure only by imputation and so no beleevers are punished for sin but from sin and all works of grace in a beleever is because they are saved or pardoned not that they may be saved or pardoned and all they are to do is from love not from bondage or from a meer outward Commandment and the Gospel or grace of God in Christ is free and in free promises and so to be preached to sinners as sinners They commonly called Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists c. hold all points of doctrine as to justification sanctification faith c. the ministry of the word and Sacraments which they call means of salvation all these hold alike with the common Protestant this being the summ of the Articles of the Church of England made by the Bishops and confirmed by Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charls and there hath been uo Reformation further nor any higher attainment in these things then the Bishops made and the Synod in England formerly And all the Reformation that hath been endeavoured hath been only in some outward things as Discipline or Church-government and some outward ordinances of Baptism and the Supper not any purer or more glorious discoveries of God or the Spirit or Jesus Christ or our union with the Spirit or glory as to spiritual things or Christ risen but as to Christ in the flesh or under the law of which these ordinances were a sign A Discovery as to the general point or Christ dying for all THey say the Scriptures hold forth all sinning and Christ dying for all and the promises of Christ generally to all upon condition and exhortations to all to repent beleeve and come to Christ and therefore conclude the Lord Iesus or second man was given from the Father to give a price of redemption for all those who fell in the first man and those they say were all mankind and with Christ a Ministry of reconciliation and graces to all that will not wilfully reject or refuse or put by the offers of grace and salvation so tendered but remain passive and so far as in them lies not oppose the Spirit and means of grace though they acknowledg they can do nothing of themselves to obtain faith or any other work of salvation but all that is meerly of the Spirit of God working in those who are called and upon these general terms of grace they affirm also the election of some which they conclude from that work of God in them who are called of God through the means of grace they not resisting that call or present offer of grace And this they say is the Gospel of salvation preached to all which all may receive if they resist not The last discovery and as some say the highest and most glorious concerning the whole mystery of God to men and this Creation GOD being infinitely one yet in a three-fold manifestation to us of Father Son and Spirit would make out himself in an image in this Creation or nature and therefore he takes to himself one part of it into union to himself according to one way of manifestation called in Scripture light love grace salvation father bridegroom glory and that part of nature which enjoys God in this manifestation of grace or salvation is called the Angels the Saints the Elect the Son the Tabernacle of God the new Jerusalem the Temple the Spouse He takes to himself the other part of the Creation and there he is present but not in this way of grace and light but of another manifestation called law justice wrath everlasting burnings and these are called devils wickedmen flesh which live in God and subsist in him as creatures in their being but not in his grace and glory not in that manifestation of his the light shining in darkness but the darkness comprehending it not This is the mystery God is in as to this Creation and the brighter part of it as to Angels Saints and to the darker part of it as to devils and wicked men and All that God doth here below under the Sun is to preach this in several ways or ministrations as in the appearances of this Creation in light and darkness and in the Scriptures The Scriptures are no other then a way or ministration by letter of this mystery and all the passages there from the first man to the second from the Old Testament to the New with those two very appearances of the two men or Adams were but a ministry or way of God to signifie or figure this mystery and so all the rest we read of as of Cain and Abel Isaac and Ishmael Iacob and Esau Israel and Iudah Saul and David Iudas and the Eleven Christ and Antichrist and thus these set forth and figure this mystery They say Adam was a way by which God preached first to man and was not the first man in whom all stood fel but a way by which this mystery of God was made to appear first to the Creation Adam held forth nature or a part of this Creation in communion with God as to grace and love while he stood and another part of the Creation or nature out of communion with God as to love and grace but in communion or union to God as to law and justice or wrath and thus they interpret those Scriptures of mans first glory and fall less in the very letter and more in the mystery and according to Adam in this two-fold state were all the rest Cain and Abel c. They say that God in the Old Testament preached this mystery though more darkly and in shadows as in the law and sacrifices and in the children of the bond-woman and of the free of Israels walking with God and apostating And that the Gospel or fulness of time of the clearer discovery of this mystery was the Lord Jesus himself or God manifest in the flesh or as in one man a figure of the whole mystery as to grace and love or God in flesh or in his or of God in that other part of his Creation his Church or Saints And all that God did in this single and particular manifestation in flesh as in one man was only a more full clearer excellent and full and spiritual Ministry of the mystery of salvation therefore Christ is called a Minister one sent an Apostle And all that Christ did from his childhood to his crucifying death and cross was a discovery of God by this figure in the whole mystery how God is in all his and how he works and hath his times of law of graces and Gospel of crucifying and offering up all to death through the eternal Spirit which is the blood of the everlasting Covenant or Seal whereby God witnesses to
private and thus fire is fetched down from heaven in the sight of men that dwel upon the earth or such as are yet more below then above or in heaven and Spirit and thus the people of Israel prayed whose prayers were an abomination thus the Pharisees made long prayers c. So as Prayer then according to this discovery is the Spirit of God only revealing and speaking in the people of God we know not what to pray for as we ought that is we as we are our selves know not And therefore all that we pray and not the Spirit of God in us not that Spirit of Prayer spoken on in Scripture is but the Spirit of man praying which is but the cry of the creature or a natural complaining for what we want as the Ninivites and the children and beasts of that City all cryed unto the Lord But in pure prayer the Spirit helpeth our infirmities the Spirit of God which makes intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered that is the speakings or manifestations of the Spirit of God or not so utterable by the flesh or voice of man and the Spirit maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God or according to God as in the Greek that is Prayer is God speaking in us his mind and will And therefore the Lord Jesus taught this in that form and doctrine of his thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven wherein he set forth that more spirituall and perfect Prayer which was only according to God and which the Saints should pray afterwards when the Spirit was more revealed And this is prayer in Spirit and to pray thus is to pray in some evidence and demonstration of God and in faith or beleeving the will of God as to this or this thing at this or this time whatsoever ye ask in prayer beleeving c. And all other asking or seekings of God which are not thus in Spirit and in the will or mind of God in some evidence or pure work of Spirit or raising of Spirit is but the askings of creatures as creatures and thus all meer natural and carnal people pray and are heard and answered many times in the mercy and goodness of God who makes his Sun to shine upon the just and unjust All exhortations in Scripture to this duty of prayer as seek ye my face pray continually watch and pray be fervent in prayer ask and ye shal have c. are only then rightly effectually and properly applied and obeyed when the Spirit of God doth it in the Christian when the Spirit of God breaths in and reveals the will of God and acts in the duty or expressions and the Christian speaks in himself or in presence of others that mind of God and so this Spirit of God clothes its self in flesh or letter or expressions as to the outward man and they who say Amen in the Spirit as the Apostle saith say Amen in the same Spirit or else they are not in prayer in a pure spiritual closure or unity of Spirit Prayer is the workings and weaker or fainter manifestations of the Spirit of God in the Christian while he is in bondage that is while God is not the fulness the light and glory and all in all unto him for where there is any asking or seeking or desiring there is not perfect rest enjoyment alsufficiency and fulness And therefore while Christians are in bondage and not yet brought into the glorious liberty of the sons of God they are under the Ministration of Prayer to God or of asking as children are to a father in non-age and pupillage All Scriptures of Prayer or concerning Prayer and the prayers of the Saints in the vial are considerable respectively to the state of weakness and bondage the Saints are in praying not in the Spirit of God but in weakness or the flesh according to their own wils hath been usuall with Saints formerly as Paul who prayed thrice to remove the buffeting and was answered my grace is sufficient for thee or is it not enough that I have grace for thee in all my dealings and dispensations towards thee live thou upon that and the Lord Jesus himself prayed Father if it be thy will let this cup pass yet afterwards he was more the manifestation of God Father not as I wil that is not as I or that of man in me but as thou will and many Christians wanting the clear and glorious revelation of the will of God pray for such and such things for the obtaining such and such mercies and removal of such and such miseries being all this while in the dark to the will and mind of the Lord when as if the will of the Lord were seen or discovered they would rejoyce and be at rest in such conditions and learn how to want as wel as to abound that is to want such or such things as the Lord takes from them and to abound in the Lord without those things or with those things which is the sweet state of the Christian and a rest or peace in figure to that glory and fulness to be revealed in us and those Christians as are in some measure in this light or glimpse of the fulness of God are entred upon the borders of Canaan and are feeding upon some bunches of the grapes of the promised land A discovery of the Law SOme say the Law is obligatory and binding to all Christians because moral and so perpetual and that it was revealed because of transgressions And that the Law is of no less efficacy now then before to reveal sin and convince of sin and that Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it that the ministery of the Law ought to precede and go before the Gospel because none ought to have Christ offered to them in a promise but such as the Law hath humbled and prepared that God doth sanctifie the Ministry of the Law to conversion and sanctification of his people and such as preach it are not legal thus the Protestant in general Others say that a further discovery of the Law is this That the Law was a discovery or appearance of Gods righteousness and mans according to the nature of both as in the first Creation God is revealed in the Law to be one God and only to be worshiped and no other Gods but one and man is revealed in his first created righteousness love thy neighbour as thy self The Law is in every one by nature accusing and excusing and Gods transcribing it into tables of stone was to set before man a testimony or witness in the letter of what Law he had inwardly the Law is spiritual and to bear witness to his Apostacy and falling away and to all his sins transgressions and enormities committed Moses and the Prophets were Ministers of it in the letter the Law was given by
conversion 248. All false worships and wayes practised in conscience or in liberty will be destroyed in Christs day 251. A discovery of Christ in us 254. The fiery tryall 256. God in heaven or in a place of distance as to our infirmity 262. The spirituall Sabbath 265. The Gospel as in its own glory and as in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament 267. Assurance of Salvation 274. The knowledge of God according to the various dispensations of himself 280. A farther discovery of the mystery of salvation in the Gospel-administration and its own Glory 285. The seekers attainment with a discovery of a more spiritual way 289. The grounds both against liberty of Conscience and for it clearly stated for all to judge 298. The grounds for liberty of conscience which are strongest are all commonly known 302. A mystery or a Christian following the appearances of God through all created things 314 A Post-script to Mr. Gattaker 317 A pretended Heresie 323 A short Epistle to M. Knollys 327 Faults escaped in Printing Page 32 for circumcised with him in Baptism reade circumcised with him in circumcision buried with him in Baptism page 106 for to the restored reade to be restored page 124 these words the Church of Laodicea is to be printed in the same line with naked p. 145 for which the reade which in the p. 18â— for and in things reade as in things p. 203 the words and full are to be left out p. 222 f. in the crucifying r. not in the crucifying p. 224 f. out r. but p. 229 f. or r. are p. 233 f. hath been r. which hath been p. 268 f. go r. so and for probable r. parable p. 269 f. with r. which p. 276 f knowledge God r. of the knowledge of God p. 279 f. are r. â—p 281 line 4. f. increated r. in created p. 260 f. this r. and this Reader what other faults there are in the Printing which I hope are few or none thou art desired to excuse them by reason of the Authors absence THE TWO CREATIONS OR TWO NATVRES OF FLESH SPIRIT THese two Creations are two distinct Natures from whence all things of Flesh and Spirit come forth the two Adams are the two seeds roots or principles of these two Natures or Creations the Old and New So as in the knowledge of these two there opens a Prospect both of heaven and earth of the first man and the second who are the scean or womb of al things carnal and spiritual and into whom are gathered up all the Mystery of Christ and Antichrist and from whence the Mystery of both are brought forth before those that are spiritual the spiritual man judgeth all things The first Adam is the root of all fleshly Creation and Excellency the glory of the first Creation is gathered up into him as the light into the body of the Sun the life of Angels or Spirits of sense or beasts of nature or vegetation is all in him So as man is all created excellency in the mapp or abridgement and God making his Tabernacle with man dwels at the same time with all his Creation Man being the glorious and bright summ or whole of the Creation was a figure and type of the Son of God Jesus Christ And therefore he was said to be made after his own Image which Image was Iesus Christ called by the Apostle the Image of the invisible God the brightness of his glory and express Image of his Person And while man was thus in the Image of God and stood and lived in Commmunion with God walking in that Paradise or that Glory of his first Creation in obedience to God and participation of God he was the Image of all or any created excellency as it was or is or shal be in order to a more excellent life to a life out of it self in him who is the fountain of life And while man was in this communion and dependency to God as he was made in his Image or as he was the likenesse and similitude of God he was the figure and image of Iesus Christ in his new creation or whole body or Saints who know no other life than in God whose springs are all in him the Lord God being their everlasting light and their God their glory While they like the golden Candlestick in Zachary are fed with the golden oyl that is continually flowing and issuing through the golden pipes The excellency of this first Creation is but earthly or fleshly in the Spirits account and as it stands in distinction to the second Creation or new man or Lord from heaven so as the circuit or furthest attainment of man in this Creation is but to things of this Creation from things of rational and Angelical glory to things of lowest and most earthly life or excellency of which Solomon was an Image as his heart was large like the sand on the sea-shore and as he was wise from the Cedar in Lebanon to the wormwood in the wall from the highest to the lowest part of this Creation comprehending all from the top of this Creation to the bottom and seeing the face of God in this more darkly as in a glass the invisible things of him being clearly seen and understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead Now all this excellency and glory of the first man did leave God being tempted of the woman and the serpent which were a figure of fleshly wisdom without God and of the weaknesse of this Creation in its own nature as it was drawn away and enticed from its life in God and communion with God to live in its self or own life and to be to its self what God should have been wisdom and life and righteousnesse power and strength and preservation and all things And as it left God life and communion in him was a figure or image of this Creation departing from God and living out of God and now according to this Independent subsistence or life from God it apostates and degenerates into that nature which is called the seed of the serpent the old man the mystery of iniquity which appeared all along in the cursed figures or types of Cain of Esau of Ishmael of the children of the bond-woman of Iudas of Antichrist of the whore of Babylon So as all the knowledge of sin of all fleshly abominations whether more spiritual or carnal are discovered in the knowledge of this first man thus discovered as he lives not in God nor in communion with God and lives a life distinct from the life in God and all his actings and workings are from his own life his life of this Creation and to himself not from God nor to God The second Adam or Jesus Christ is that quickning Spirit or Lord from heaven and is the root of all the second or new
Creation which is created according to God in righteousnesse and true holinesse which righteousnesse is called the righteousnesse of God and true holinesse which is an holinesse more glorious then the holinesse of the first Creation an holiness which is of God not of man and therefore true holinesse or holiness in truth This Jesus or second Adamas he is Spirit is called theImage of the invisible God the brightnesse of his glory andexpresse Image of his Person is the life manifested the Word of God he that is alive for evermore the Alpha and Omega the beginning and theending this is he who is the wisdom mind or understandingof God and was in God and is the Immanuel or Godwith us or God making hisTabernacle with men This Jesus Christ is that glory of God in which the Father is revealed and so none knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son wil reveal him This is he who being in the bosome of God declares him to the sons of men and so rejoyces in the habitable parts of the earth This Jesus Christ is therevelation of God even theFather this is the glasse orchrystal of God in whom we with open face behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord and are changed from glory toglory The Sons of men taken into this glory of the Son of God are that new or second Creation that new Ierusalem which came down from God the city of the living God the Spirits of just men made perfect the new creature the heavenly men as is the Lord from heaven so are they that are heavenly the spirituall men of him who is the quickning Spirit So as Jesus Christ is made unto us the wisdom power righteousnesse sanctification and redemption of God This Iesus Christ is the root seed principle or original of all this new and heavenly life glory and spirit to the Sons of men wherein they enter within the vail or flesh which is the first Creation beyond which is this glory and light The vail of this first Temple or Creation being rent by him who crucified all flesh through the eternal Spirit and entered into his glory and is now passed into the holiest through whom we have access to God even the Father through the blood of the everlasting Covenant which blood was the first Creation and Excellency crucified to the very life and blood of it this was the seal or mark of the New Testament in his blood This Son of God is he who came to restore the first Creation from its enmity to God and so in that Ministry of his flesh became the word of reconciliation by which the world was reconciled unto him and in this Creation wherein man had sinned and departed from God living in his own life the Son of God was manifested in this Creation to condemn sin in the flesh and to take away sin and to fulfil the righteousnesse of the Law in the flesh of this first Creation the law being weak through the flesh and thus he was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him not only righteousnesse according to the law Christ being the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth but the righteousness of God a righteousness of more glory and excellency The Son of God did not only fulfil this bringing home this first Creation or man to God according to his first excellency and communion with God but in this appearance in the flesh he was a figure of God whose design is to make his Saints his Temple his Tabernacle his Body his new Creation his new creatures his habitation or house And God thus manifested in flesh was a figure of that mystery of godlinesse in us or God becoming an Immanuel or God with us And in his crucifying all this first glory in which hee appeared revealed that old design of God that mystery hid from ages and now made manifest to the Saints nayling all the flesh of his Saints to the same Crosse and being lifted up draws all men unto him which is the Mystery of the Gospel or Christ crucified all the life or excellency of this first Creation being crucified in the Saints as in Christ whereby they enter into their glory as he did into his and are in the same glory of God made one as he and the Father are one This is that fellowship of Christs death sufferings and resurrection spoken of by Paul into which the Christian is received And now all things of this new or second Creation as they are spiritual and heavenly are only in and through the same Spirit and discerned in the same Spirit And the whole Christ or Son of God is head and body he and his who shal enjoy and live with God in one Spirit when God shal be all in all and the fulnesse of the stature of Christ grown up to be the body of him who filleth al in al And Jesus Christ in this consideration of the whole man nature or body in which God is revealed is the beginning of the Creation of God the first born of every creature in whom all things subsist The true Church THat is the Church or body of Christ which is baptized by one Spirit into oneness and unity of Spirit a unity or incorporation with Christ being made perfect in one even one as thou Father art in me and I in thee This body is that wherein all the members live and arequickned in one and the sameSpirit with Christ and in this unity if one member suffer all the members suffer with it All the members of this body have the same care one of another This body is spiritual and al the members of it spiritual because Christ is the head of it and he is a quickning Spirit and the Lord that Spirit That is the true Church which is the Temple of God where God dwels ye are the Temples of the holy Ghost Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone of this Temple elect and precious this is the Temple which the Angel measures with a golden reed and the Altar thereof or the eternal Spirit upon which all the first creation is offered in the Saints as it was offered in Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himself leaving out the outward court or the flesh and first Creation and all outward administrations which are given to the Gentiles to tread down The Tabernacle and Temple were figures of this wherein God and the glory of God appeared and all gatherings Communions or Fellowships called Churches in the Gospel were clearer types of this This is the Church which is the pillar and ground of truth the generall Assembly and Church of the
first born which are written in heaven This is the Church to which Jesus Christ is all and in all filling all the Apostle to thisChurch the Prophet Pastor and Teacher preaching to it prophesying in it feeding it and watching over it and teachingit so as all are taught ofGod This is the Church against which the gates of hel cannot prevail having Iesus Christits rock and foundation This is the Church to which all the promises of Spirit life and glory are made to the beleevers and members that are in this Fellowship and of this Church And into this Church all are admitted through the Spirit of Christ and all are discerned members in the same Spirit and tryed by the Spirit And this Church of Christ being thus baptized by Spirit into one body is not to be divided by any outward things which are of this Creation which are visible outward and perishing or by any fellowship and ordinances below the glory of the Spirit which are part of the first Tabernacle nor are the members of this spiritual Church to be divided by any schism or division procured or effected by any principle less or less excellent then the Spirit of God And therefore whatsoever fellowship in pretence of Church-notion or Baptismnotion or Presbyterial-notion shal cast it self into any model of the letter which allows not communion with other beleevers in Spirit in whom the power of the Spirit and of Christ cannot be denyed but to be visible and apparent though not in the practice of some particular ordinance such fellowship wil in the day of the Lord Iesus or clearer revelation of Christ see how they have offended many little ones whom in these outward things they ought to have pleased to edification the law of love and spirit or life being more royal and excellent then any worldly rudiment whatsoever The true Personal Raign of Christ as it is Spiritual The Lord Jesus is entered into his glory having crucified flesh and sits at the right hand of God or in the choycest glory of the Father where he is the Lord that Spirit and the Lord of glory The Lord Iesus must reign til he hath put all his enemies under his feet he fils all administrations of Dominion Iudgement Power and Magistracy in the world which is part of his Kingdom here all judgement and power in heaven and earth being committed unto him yet this is not his spiritual reign though administred by him who is in Spirit The Lord Jesus hath a kingdom inward and spiritual the kingdom of God is within you the kingdom of God is righteousness peace and joy the kingdom of God is in power The Lord Jesus denyed his kingdom to be of this world or to come with observation as lo here or lo there as the glory of the world and the kingdoms of the world is in its appearance The Lord Jesus his coming is as lightning from East to West filling heaven lightning is a glory without figure so shal Christs coming and revelation in Spirit be for as the lightning lighteth from one end of heaven to the other so shal the coming of the Son of man be The Lord Jesus his coming is in Spirit and glory in revelation in his Saints he shal come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that beleeve The Lord Jesus reigns already all things are put in subjection under him death and hel and sin and Antichrist and the wicked only we see not all yet put under him Jesus Christ reigns inSpirit only his reign appears not yet now are we the Sons of God but it doth not appear what we shal be but when he shal appear we shal be like him All the prophesies and promises of glory and a kingdome of Antichrist to be destroyed of the great Battels of the Thrones of the new Ierusalem of him on the white horse the Lord of Lords and King of Kings are most glorious in Spirit and most suitable to Christ in the glory of his Father and for any other figure of Christs reign or kingdom in any fleshly glory political or monarchical kingdom according to any pattern upon earth these conceptions or notions are occasioned by the Allegories and Allusions and Parables the Spirit speaks which they that are weak and carnal as some Disciples and Pharisees were take more in the Letter then in the Spirit Antichrist within us THat Antichristian mystery which seems to be working in so many figures and shapes without in the world and makes up the truth of those Scriptures of the beast and the whore and the false prophet c. flows only from the Antichrist within us or the mystery of iniquity which lies in the flesh or old man or man of sin the Son of perdition as in the root seed or principle and in us you may finde all the delusions and deceivableness of unrighteousness with all the severall figures it appears in in the Revelation and Epistle to the Thessalonians and the Spirit of that Naturall man in us acts all that wickedness in us which in the World comes forth onely in Images more Visible and fleshly and to the destruction of this Antichrist we should look and lay the Axe to the root of the tree carnall wisdome self-righteousness high imaginations fleshly apprehensions of God and Christ changing the truth of God into a lye with all the false testimonies of our own spirits for the Spirit of God the counterfeit sealings and assurances of our carnall hearts the deceiveableness of carnall reason with all other actings of the flesh The Doctrine of Baptisms THe Doctrine of Baptisms is such a doctrine as cleerly and spiritually understood and opened will establish the Spirits of many Christians who are much in the dark in these not distinguishing nor discerning the Baptisms as they are in their own Nature and in Spirit or as the truth is in Jesus The Baptism of Sufferings THe Baptism of Sufferings is that Passion Crucifying and death which the Body or flesh of Christ was to be Baptized or washed in Can ye be Baptized with the Baptism that I am Baptized with The Baptism of Sufferings is that in which the Lord Jesus was to be perfected according to the flesh it behooved him to make the Captain of our Salvation perfect through sufferings The Baptism of Sufferings is that Jordan that stream or flood of Passions which all the Spirituall Israelites were to pass through this was that River of Brimstone which is kindled from the breath of the Lord Jesus himself through the flowings of which he was able to conduct all his and Land them safely upon the shore or land of Promise or on the other side Jordan I have a Baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished This Baptism of sufferings is that in which all the whole
his body is a Spirituall one and fashioning like his glorious one by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body The Baptism of Christ is that whereby we are compleat in him now we are compleat in him onely by being one with him in Spirit and Nature He being made unto us Righteousness and Sanctification c. and thus we are said to be circumcised with the circumcision made without hands and buried with him in baptism wherein also we are risen with him through faith or Spirit so as we are Baptized in him as we are Circumcised in him that is we are all in him and as the Circumcision is without hands so is the Baptism it being the Apostles whole business in this Chapter to take us and the Colossians up higher then rudiments which perish with using The Baptism of Christ is that true spirituall washing and clensing wherein all his are baptized not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ and this is the Baptism which is said in this place to save us as Noahs Ark did those eight persons in figure therefore saith the Apostle the like figure whereunto Baptism doth now save us The Divers Ministery with the Ministery of Christ in his Saints UNder the Law there was a Priest-hood the administration of the Law and Sacrifices being gathered up into one Tribe that of Levi none was to take this Office but he that was called of God as was Aaron Under the Law there were Prophets as Moses Samuel Elijah Isaiah Ezekiel c. the Interpretation of the Law and the more spirituall Revelation of the Will of God were administred by the Prophets or some few to whom the Word of the Lord came Both Priests and Prophets were Types and Figures of Jesus Christ to come the the great high Priest and Prophet of his people as well as in ministery to the people In the more cleer Revelation of the Gospell the administration of Christ was committed to a few or certain Disciples in distinction of Gifts and Office twelve of whom were called Apostles and seventy Disciples When Jesus Christ went out of flesh into spirit or ascended he confirmed and setled this ministration by powring out gifts of Spirit for the more glorious and visible quickning and spiritualizing this Ministration he ascended up on high and gave gifts unto men he gave some Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors some Teachers for the work of the Ministery c. During the Ministration of Iesus Christ in the Church in this distinction and diversity of gifts there were such as were spiritually visibly gifted accordingly so as the Apostles and Evangelists and Prophets and Pastors were known to be such both by the Saints or people of God to whom they did according to their gifts administer and to themselves they administring in the knowledge of such gifts of Spirit as were in them During this Ministration of Iesus Christ by Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastors c. the Disciples that were not in the distinction or number of such but were onely called Disciples yet did Preach and administer as they had received Antichrist or the Mystery of Iniquity came in upon this Ministration by gifts and Ordinances and the glory of the Spirit and power of gifts went off from the visible Church as the glory of God from the Temple to the threshold til it was wholy departed this was the falling away prophesied on by Paul and by Iohn in his Epistles and in the Revelation in the vision of the Churches of Asia and of the Beast and false Prophet All things in the visible Churches of the Nations were and are in the absence of the Spirit and of gifts administred by Arts and Sciences Grammatical knowledge of tongues and languages and according to some spiritual measure received in some to whom these things are in some degree sanctified and spiritualized All knowledge and understanding of the Original all Interpretation of Scriptures is according to the outward and inward administration of both through Arts Sciences and tongues acquired and through such a measure of spirituall understanding as each have received There is no restauration of these gifts of Spirit which were in the first ministration of the Church as of Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastors Teachers according to the first institution that is so as the gifts of all these Offices are cleerly to be seen and discerned in Spirit to be the very unction and gift either of Prophet or Pastor or Teacher as in the first Ministration which will more cleerly appear in singling that pure gift of Spirit that is in each from the habits of Arts and Sciences and Languages acquired and from that Spirituall understanding which is in all the Saints according to that work of the Spirit or regenerate part in them which is one and the same for nature and substance of regeneration with all so as no super-added or proper or distinguishing gifts appear upon any other account but either a naturall or artificiall or purely Spirituall account not upon any account of distinction of gifts and Office as at first when the Spirit was poured out and this will appear yet more in comparing times and persons and gifts our times with the first our Pastors even of all Churches with the first and the gifts of al now with the gifts then then the Spirit of God was poured out in gifts and the Disciples were taught of God and Prophesied and Preached from the meer gift and spirit received but now Prophets and Pastors are taught from another account viz. upon a more Artificial and industrious and humane account and their regenerate Nature then they ministred and spake as the Oracles of God then they spake as the Spirit onely gave them utterance The Ministery that is raised up to destroy Antichrist or the man of sin which prevailed against the first ministry and gifts is to be more glorious and powerful and mighty as the Ministry of gifts was more excellent then that of the Law and so destroyed that power of Apostacy that had prevailed upon the Priesthood and Law then so the Ministry that is to destroy that mystery of iniquity which prevailed upon the Gospel Ministry of gifts must be more excellent and glorious and powerful then that and this is Jesus Christ himself called the Prophet whom we are to hear and that GOD of whom we shal all be taught Ye shal be all taught of God and he that shal destroy Antichrist by the brightness of his coming and that Angel with the everlasting Gospel prophesied on by John preaching and enlightning the earth with his glory this is the day of Iesus Christ whose coming is prepared as the morning The Ministry of Iesus Christ this Angel of the Covenant is through his
The other Ministration was the Gospel in the flesh of Christ or in gifts and ordinances something more clear and in more discovery and revelation for the flesh of Christ in which he taught and did miracles and was circumcised and baptized was a copy or draught of that ministration of gifts and ordinances which was as perfect as the first Creation in its glory and purity and yet higher and neerer to God coming forth in more revelation of an Immanuel or God with us A further Ministration was more neerness and participation of God manifested in flesh or of Christ and that was in graces or operations and fruits of the Spirit as of faith repentance love self-denial humiliation meekness all which are a sweet spiritual administration even the light of the glorious Gospel of God shining in the face of Iesus Christ Another Ministration respectively to a more excellent glory to come is that by Angels in their highest administration which is the only Angelical and Seraphical revelation being something below the Spirit yet higher then reason or mans highest principle and this Iohn received all those more excellent discoveries to be fulfilled in their seasons There is another Ministration of more Spirit of love meekness self-denial suffering overcoming evil with good and conquering by receiving in the wrath and enmity of the world and this I take one of the last and glorious truths respectively to the flesh and the world into which God wil gather up his people by times and degrees from all worldly and fleshly interests and ingagements wherein they shal be carryed up into a more ful enjoyment of God and conformity to Christ in his sufferings death and resurrrection The Lord Jesus walkt first in this truth he was led as a sheep to the slaughter when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not The Lord Jesus revealed this Gospel-truth and distinguished it from the law which law was an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth But he saith resist not evil but whosoever shalsmite thee on the one cheek turn to him the other also Ye have heard it hath been said thou shalt love thy neighbour but I say unto ye love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that despitefully use you and persecute you that ye may be the children of your heavenly Father The Apostle to the Romansreveals this dearly beloved avenge not your selves vengeance is mine c. If thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good The Lord Jesus prophesied of this blessed are the meek for they shal inherit the earth through their meekness they shal inherit through their meekness only shal the jealousie and enmity of the Nations be allayed concerning them Iohn in his vision of the latter times saw an appearance of this Here is the patience and faith of the Saints of them that have the commandments and the faith of Iesus to which that of the Apostleto the Hebrews answers there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God and he that is entred into his rest hath ceased from his works as God did from his The last and more ful andrich Ministration and mostnaked is that of God by himselfin Spirit to the sonnes ofGod into which Iesus Christ the fore-runner is entred andI saw no Temple therin forthe Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And this Ministration is fulfilled then when Christ shal have delivered up the kingdom unto God and this is not only done upon the whole body of Christ at the last but is fulfilled in its particular accomplishments and mystery of Spirit here there being sound these transitions passages and resignations and exchanges of glory in the Saint He that can receive it let him receive it The more ful and naked Ministration of God by himself in Spirit and I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And as God hath appeared in all these former saving the last into which Jesus Christ hath entred so they remain stil as figures and as so many several Signes or Planets in this Creation and the other for beleevers to be born in and to pass thorough in some proportion and measure till Christ hath delivered up the kingdom unto God God hath appeared in all these former administrations to his people and they have enjoyed him in these degrees and distances and approaches and they remain stil as figures and as so many signs and planets in the first Creation and the second for Christians in some measure and proportion to pass thorough so as he that is of any spiritual discerning in these may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the height and depth and bredth of Gods ministration to his People and to know Saints according to the measures they receive and the ministration they live in with God I have drawn out these ministrations in their particular orbs and spheres and circles which I could have folded up in three only of Law Gospel and Spirit or of letter graces and God or of the first second and third heavens but I saw God something abounding and variously dispensing and I followed him in that fulness and variety so far as he hath lighted my candle I shal now discourse a little more generally of all these and of the passage from these and of God appearing in these and his going out from these til he hath scattered all these vails before him that he and his may see and enjoy each other with open face where we shal see as we are seen and know as we are known The Christian passes through several ages and dispensations as Christ was in the world so is every Christian he was made under the Law under Circumcision under Baptism and the Supper of bread and wine and then he crucified all that flesh he walkt in under those dispensations and entred into glory for thus it behoved Christ to suffer and enter into his glory The Jewish Church or dispensation which was according to Moses and the letter in which they were led out in carnal and more fleshly courses as in the proceeding against the Nations by war and fighting with all their other legal rites and rudiments were a clear figure of the Christian under age or under tutors and governors and worldly rudiments The Disciples of Christ according to Iohns ministery and Christs in the flesh were another type or figure for all Disciples of their age and ministry and the Spirit of Christ works in all the Disciples according to such a way and proportion and measure and dispensation the heir as long as he is a child differing nothing from a servant though he be Lord of all until
the glory of those Baptists that did undertake to administer which in the Scripture method is sufficient for all others of whom the Scripture is silent And for that of Christs Disciples both in Iohns time and Christs and after his Resurrection in the Acts of the Apostles baptizing by water we finde this That the Lord Jesus himself baptized none but his Disciples nor did he in his first sending them forth give them any power to baptize as in his Ministery but they Baptized upon Iohns account that of water being his ministration who Baptized unto Christ as well as they though not in that cleerness of ministration and Doctrine as they did and therefore Paul did tell the Corinthians he was not sent to Baptize and did it according to his spirituall liberty he was a Iew to the Iew c. and Peter and the rest did it upon the like account though I beleeve they were under more bondage to these outward things as washing for Peter was an Apostle to the Circumcision and Ananias who baptized Paul was a Jewish Disciple And further I beleeve that as the Lord did suffer the Law of Ceremonies to dye out by degrees and to be worn out by the ministration of the Gospel so he did that part of Johns Ministery of washing by the Baptism of Christ of his Spirit I must decrease but he must increase which surely was spoken not according to the persons of John and Christ but according to their ministration which is the great thing the Scripture takes notice on The Spirit and life of outward Ordinances THe second Man or Adam in whom we all live is a quickning spirit and the Lord from heaven and is at the right hand of God viz. in the choicest glory of the Father That by which the people of God or all true Christians are born is the seed of God or Word of God or the divine nature of Jesus Christ or the Spirit of God which is called sanctification regeneration That the true spirituall Christian is that new creature that sanctified one or regenerate one who is thus born and hath Christ formed on him and this new creature is fed by the Spirituall life of Christ That the new creature or spiritual man is one who receives all his growth and encreasings in the power seed and Principle of the Spirit of God or Jesus Christ That the Ministry or Ministration by which he grows up to that fulness of stature in Iesus Christ is a Ministry or ministration of glory spirit That the true and spiritual Baptism by which every Christian is baptized into Christs death is the Baptism of Blood which is the righteousness spirit or life of Christ That the due and spiritual Sacrament of the Lords Supper is the very body and blood of Christ in the Spirit or that pure spirituall nature of Iesus Christ quickning and feeding up the Christian into a spirituall life and vnion with God That the true spirituall Minister is Iesus Christ who is called a Minister of the Sanctuary which the Lord pitched and not men That Iesus Christ is the true Spiritual Apostle sent out from God to reveal the Father and is so called by the Spirit of God in Scriptures the Apostle and high-priest of our profession That Iesus Christ is the true spirituall Prophet that teaches his people so as they are all taught of God and is so called in Sccriptures a Prophet which the Lord God raised up in stead of Moses That the true Spirituall Pastor is Iesus Christ who is that one Shepherd prophesied on who can lead his people onely into green Pastures or places of life That the Spirits of just men made perfect or the true Christian in spirit are those true spirituall Elders in the New Testament That the true Church of Christ is that spirituall company whom Christ hath washed in his blood cloathed in his righteousness sanctified in his spirit espoused to himself this is the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem the generall Assembly and Church of the first-born the House and Temple and Kingdome of God That the true spiritual keyes of the Kingdom of God is the very Spirit of God the very Spiritual power of Jesus Christ upon beleevers and unbeleevers who hath the keyes of David and opens and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens That true spiritual excommunication is Jesus Christ who is mighty in Spirit and Power in all his pronouncing an anathema maranatha or curse upon all flesh and delivering the body or sinful flesh over to Sathan or the power of darkness whereby flesh and every fleshly member is cast out from all communion with God and Jesus Christ and from those who are indeed born of God and are the true Spirituall Church of God which is no more then that true difference and distinction which Jesus Christ puts betwixt the pretious and the vile The true Spirituall Gospel-Order which the Apostle rejoyced to behold is that spirituall distinction and variety in the body of Christ wherein one Member differs from another in measure of Spirit and Glory and Power and yet all compleat and make perfect that body of Christ in the Spirit for he being a spiritual head must have a spirituall body The true Spiritual government is Christ reigning in the Saints in Spirit ordering them in thought word and deed holding forth his power and scepter which is a scepter of righteousness against flesh and blood Principalities and Powers spirituall wickedness in high places The true Spiritual Covenant is the New Covenant which God makes with us in Christ and wherein he is manifested to be their God and they his people to teach them and write his law in their hearts The true Spirituall Ordination is the hand of Jesus Christ stretched out or laid on upon the Spirits of such Christians as preach or Prophesy of the Ministery of the Gospel that is such are rightly and purely ordained and sent out who are sent out from the power of the Lord Iesus to whom all power in heaven and earth is given and are annointed of him to preach the Gospel and sent of him who ascended to give gifts unto men some Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors some teachers The true spirituall tryall or examination of the gifts of any is then when the Spirit of the Prophets is onely subject to the Prophets that is when the gift by which any one speaks of Jesus Christ is manifested in the hearts and spirits of the Saints when they see the truths they minister as they are in Jesus and in themselves and in them that are spiritual and truly anointed by the same Spirit and so are all Prophets according to the measure given or as they are all baptized into one spirit and body and have all received of his fulness who is that great Prophet raised up of our brethren like unto Moses and are redeemed to be Kings and Priests and
Prophets even partakers of all his offices in Spirit he being the spiritual head of all his who are the spiritual body his Church The Christian under Episcopacy Prelacy Presbytery Baptism Independency c. THe whole world was divided into Jew and Gentile the Jew was that only visible Church of God to whom pertained the glory and the adoption and the Covenants and yet this Jewish Church was exceedingly faln from its glory and purity both of Priesthood and Worship and Administrations when Christ came So as now the Prophesy seemed to be fulfilled they were now without a King and without a Priest and without a Sacrifice and an Ephod and a Seraphim and were corrupted with many traditions and doctrines of men teaching for doctrines the traditions of men Thus was the Jew and their Church The Gentile had changed the truth of God into a lye and had worshiped the creature more then the Creator and had changed the glory of the incorruptible God and were given up to a reprobate mind and were therefore called sinners of the Gentiles alienated from the life of God strangers to the Covenants of Promise thus were the Gentiles full of Idols and Idol-temples sacrificing to devils and that way of the knowledg of God which was both in the law written in their hearts accusing or excusing and in the whole Creation where the eternal Power and Godhead was clearly seen even in the things that did appear even that way of the knowledg of God in them was darkned and they became vain in their imagination and their foolish hearts were darkned Now when Jew and Gentile were both thus yet God had his people amongst both amongst the Jew where Zacharias the Priest Elizabeth and Mary and Joseph and Simeon and Nicodemus a Ruler of the Pharises and Joseph of Arimathea with many such were like so many Starrs in a dark night Among the Gentile there was a Iob a Queen of Sheba a woman of Canaan the wise men that came to Ierusalem the Greeks that came to see Iesus Cornelius the Centurion so as in every Nation he that serveth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him and God is no accepter of persons When Iohn came who was a burning and a shining light he preached to and baptized all Iudea who went out to the Baptism of Iohn and taught his Disciples by formes of Prayer and such rudiments to their weakness and God had his people here that were under no more knowledge of Christ not higher revelation then this washing to Repentance and to him that should come after him and this low way of communion with God in forms or rules of Prayer given out by Iohn for so John taught Disciples When Christ came preaching the Gospel of the kingdom and teaching in Parables and Mysteries he had a People and Disciples who knew little of his sufferings that he should dye and rise again as Peter and the rest and knew little of that glorious doctrine and truth which he spake and preached to them till he took them alone and expounded to them those Mysteries and his Disciples were under a form and rule of Prayer as Iohns were Lord teach us to pray as Iohn taught his Disciples They saw little more of him then his fleshly presence and miracles they loved him and clave to him and followed him but had very few discoveries of him in Spirit except some few of them Iames and Peter and Iohn before whom he was transfigured in the Mount which was but figurative and typical of a more spiritual revelation And when the Spirit of Christ was come and the Apostles were sent forth in clearer evidences and demonstrations of Truth then some were under Iohns Baptism and knew not of any Holy Ghost some were under the law and zealous of the Law and Circumcision some regarded a day some eat herbs some were eating such things as were sacrificed to Idols So as here Gods people were found some in a corrupted Church as that of the Jews some under false worship and traditions some under Legall rites under formes or rules of prayer some under Johns Baptism under bondage of dayes and times and other outward things under the ignorance of Christs death and resurrection and of the holy Ghost So as all these things considered there will spring these Conclusions That the Nations commonly called Christians who are under the account of others as fals in their Church-constitution worship forms and order yet these things are not exclusive to the true Christian in Spirit or one born of God but in these commonly called Christians though under Episcopacy or Prelacy or Presbytery yet there may be such as have the true seed of God in them partakers of Jesus Christ true Disciples of Iesus Christ respectively to regeneration or the new birth if they wait in the encreasings of Christ and revelation of righteousnes from faith to faith That there are true and spiritual Disciples of Iesus Christ under forms of Prayer who have little more communion with God then in those formes as of Common-Prayer Book-prayers outward rules of worship so as they wait in these to come up into higher revelations of Spirit when discovered to them That there are such who are Christians anointed by the Spirit of God under observations of days times meats drinks several opinions of Christ of the Holy Ghost of the resurrection of Church order of Baptism of Water which is Iohns Baptism called Anabaptists so as they all in these several measures pass on from faith to faith and glory to glory The Christian in truth THat which forms essentiates or constitutes the true Christian is the Spirit of Jesus Christ that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit so as a man is a Christian from birth as he is born a man so he is born a Christian both are from birth and seed the one of flesh the other of Spirit The Christian is one who is of the second Adam as all men are of the first and the second man is the quickning spirit the Lord from heaven and so are they that are heavenly The Christian is one in whom Christ is formed or figured as the Greek word implies one that bears the image of the heavenly man who is the Image of Iesus Christ as Jesus Christ is the Image of the invisible God The Christian is one who hath the incorruptible seed in him or the word which liveth and abideth for ever which word is the Lord Jesus Christ who quickens the Saint and is the life of the Saint you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins The Christian is one who is in fellowship and conformity with Jesus Christ in his crucifyings death and resurrection in whom the flesh and life of the flesh must dye as it did in him and the Christian as Christ did must live in Spirit to God The Christian is one who is the new creature or new man for
state and persecution of the Lord Iesus in Spirit and the time of the womans being in the wilderness all things in this time seeming as a wast and barren dispensation about her not inhabited by the Spirit of God and she in a retirement of Spirit dweling with God out of the power of the Dragon who casts only his flood after her but not upon her So as here is no more in this time of Antichrists ragin in the Flesh and the World but only the Churches oppression in Spirit and the crucifying the Lord in Spirit And all these appearances of the Lord Iesus in many glorious Saints who in particular ages appeared were but appearances of him who is that Faithfull and true witness against this power of the man of sin and were but drops of the vialls Soundings of the Trumpets openings of the Seales before the Battle of the great Day when fire shall come down from God out of heaven and devour them the Lord Iesus being revealed in flames of Spirit and glory against all Flesh So as there is not any word appearing in all the Scripture that the first ministry by gifts and ordinances shall in any measure be continued though in part or in reservation to the restored as if this were the great work the Lord intended to bring to pass viz. the setting up a purer ministery of gifts to teach his people or restoring some legal ordinances as Baptism of water the church way or Presbyterie of Elders and all the glory of the last times or ages should be only the bringing in these and taking them out of the hands of Antichrist all which arise from a mistake of the type of the Iewish Apostacy and captivity which figured out the Spirituall Church or new Ierusalem in Babylon or Captivity to the flesh or man of sin in all his deceivableness and Power and the restoring of all shall be only the appearance of the Lord Iesus who shall destroy Antichrist with the brightness of his coming and the two edged Sword of his mouth his Spirit And there is not a word spoken in all the Scriptures of these things to be restored as gifts and ordinances but the glory of the Lord in Spirit and therefore the Reformation or Restauration that the Lord Iesus brings with him for Moses Ioshua and all the reforming Kings of Iudah were but types of him the last and most excellent and glorious Reformer King of Kings and Lord of Lords that Reformation I say that he brings with him is the revelation of himself in Spirit he and his Father being the light and Temple of his people for there shall be no other there This shal be a glory without Sun or Moon or Stars or any such low or faint appearance as gift or ordinance but the Lord God shall be the everlasting light and God the glory and light shal cover the earth as the waters cover the sea light shal not Sparkle or be in bright beams as in a gift or an ordinance but it shal flow out from the Lord himself even cover the earth swallowing up or overflowing all earthly administrations And it shal be as much â—â—stacy in the Saints to go back to that first ministry of the Gospel-times which was the ministery to the first discovery of that mystery hid from ages as it would have been in them to have gone back to Iewish Temple and Preisthood c. And have taken the setting up of those to have been the great and only Reformation of Christ come in the flesh and as the Lord Iesus himself did in his coming in the flesh fulfill all these and destroy nothing save only as to the outward and perishing nature of those ordinances and Rudiments of the law So in this his last glory to be revealed in the saints here he shall not destroy any of the first ministry of the Gospel by gifts and ordinances but shal fulfil it It being but a type of his glory to be revealed in the Saints and the former ministery is only destroyed as to that outward Perishing part of it And this destruction of Antichrist and the glory to be revealed is the Prophesie of the Prophets and John in the Revelation and is the sum and substance of all types and ministrations wch were before So as all the pretended Reformations by gifts and Ordinances which tends to a reducing us to that first ministery of the Apostles times which that of Presbytery of Independency and baptism-way endeavors is but a building up such things as the Lord wold have destroyed it being an administration which he would use no longer therfore suffered Antichrist to prevail upon it and the man of sin to overcome it and as God to sit in the Temple or in all that outward form and worship figured out in that word the Temple as God or as God himself used to do when he was pleased to appeare there And therefore all that ministery and Pastourship and teaching is not at all upon the account of the first Gospel-ministration according to that very glory of the gifts and pure anointing by which they did minister as the oracles of God and very truthes of God as they did then so farre as they Spake or did any thing in the holy Ghost but they now I mean the Pastours and ministers do Speak and minister doubtfully darkly uncertainly more in the flesh then the Spirit not at all in any thing of unction or annointing exceeding any private Christian or distinct according to any gift of the holy Ghost but so farr only as they exceed others in parts wit or learning which are upon a lower account of the Spirit then the firsts gifts upon that of Arts and sciences And therefore if Pastours ministers and Christians who cannot now minister as the oracles of God nor according to the very gifts of the holy Ghost then wil be content to Prophesie as Christ wil only allow his Witnesses to do even all that bear Witness of him in Sackcloth according to that poor low and legal account and humble condition they are in it being yet the time of Antichrists raign not of Christs and not assume to themselves the names Offices Preheminence glory obedience very administrations which were then in power and in the holy Ghost both in Pastour and Churches and not walk as full and rich and wanting nothing when as they are poor miserable and naked The Church of Laodicea being a figure of all such for my part I then shal look on all such as in the Spirit and walking humbly with God and prophesying in sackcloth and waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus nor do deny but Christians in these wayes and administrations have enjoyed God sweetly though they be not such ways as God approves on though he suffer as many of the Godly Bishops and Martyrs did enjoy Iesus Christ in their times of Ceremonies and Forms of Prayer God stil appearing to
I left my adversary stil upon some account with me for passion and recrimination as all others do on all sides whom I see write therefore I rather made it my choice to enter into the chamber or retirement of Spirit and shut the door upon me till the indignation be over-past for we can set but letter to letter and Scripture to Scripture and argument to argument and interpretation to interpretation and nothing can be judged till the day or time of more revelation of truth till the Holy Ghost and fire sit upon each of us trying every mans work of what sort it is and burning up that in us which is hoy and stubble for writing book after book in such a line of Replies Rejoynders hath usually more of man then God in it and we seem to say with our lips we wil prevail our tongues are our own who is Lord over us I am not against contending for truth earnestly but that is in Spirit not in flesh nor passions and I know well that the Spirit of God is flowing in and is a fire in the bosome but still as a refiners fire trying and purifying not scorching nor burning up that which is pure and spiritual in one another and I know some allowance there must be on all sides to infirmities and darkness and several conceptions of truth in all which yet hath not been and I know not any of us that either preach or write on Scriptures in such a light of Spirit as the Apostles writ the Scriptures Heresie HEresie is a choice in the signification of the word and in the application of it in Scripture it is a choice of some other thing for truth then is truth by those who seemingly received truth though after they make another choice of that which is contrary to truth Heresie which was judged by the Apostles accordingly was a choice of some thing contrary to the faith and sound doctrine of Scriptures delivered by inspiration or in Spirit and Truth so as Heresie is something against the very Doctrine of Faith in the Word or Scriptures not against any interpretations doctrines conclusions glosses Comments or Preachings of men who speak not Scripture nor the word of truth originally nor infallibly as the Apostles did but so far as that is the very Scripture they speak and so far as they speak the truth in Jesus and in the Spirit of God else they teach for Doctrines the Traditions of men Schism SChism is a breaking off a renting or dividing from Christians who are in an outward profession of truth and in an outward fellowship of truth Now there may be Schism in visible Churches or fellowships of Saints upon this account but there can be none in the true body of Christ or the spiritual Church which is baptized by one spirit into one body for they that are joyned to the Lord are one Spirit and they are made perfect in one and so far as they are in that one Spirit cannot be divided nor can suffer any Schism so as the dividing from men meerly or the fellowships of men meerly or the errours of men or departing into higher attainments of truth while the rest of the visible fellowships sit still is no Schism for if so the Protestants were a Schism to Rome and Presbyterians to Bishops and all that go on from faith to faith from glory to glory to the rest whom they leave behind 9. Truth THere is but one Truth and that is Jesus Christ I am the way and the truth and he is Truth in the original or pattern and we see nor know no more Truth then we see and know in him this is called the truth as it is in Jesus For Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega of all things and comprehends all essence and form and life and Spirit of things in himselfe and all things of this Creation are but Shaddowes and Images of this Truth and the outward forms of that glory this Truth makes free that is the operation of it and therefore so much of Truth or of Christ any ones knows or receives so much freedom or liberty they receive and so much they are delivered into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty And therefore as Truth is in any so is spiritual liberty and the Spirit of bondage in them passes away and such are disburdened of the legal terrours fears of the lyes delusions false conceptions traditions under which they have lived as they grow up into Truth the Spirit of Truth only teaches and reveals this Truth and opens those treasures of wisdom and knowledg which are in Christ Truth though it be but one yet it shines forth in many streams of glory and opens like day in Jesus Christ this variety of truth appears that truth or glory or true brightness of God and all that truth of this Creation or forms of the world and all truth of Letter or Scripture or outward Ordinance is in its pure Essence and Spirit in Jesus Christ Truth gathers up men more into Christ from the flesh and loose vanity of the world and therefore we are said to have our loyns girt with truth the girdle of truth as it were binding us up and keeping close in Spirit to the Lord there is a fulness settlement establishment in truth and in things of this world there is a far more solid real enjoyment in the substance of things here then in their shadows counterfeits or pictures because there is a nature or Spirit and life in that thing to be enjoyed and answers the Spirit and life of him that enjoys by communicating something substantial solid and proportionable then images and shadows are So it is in the truth Jesus Christ in whom is life and more excellent glorious and spiritual form or life exceeding the nature of things here and communicating more true and solid glory then all things here which are but as shadows to that as other things are shadows to them therefore says David I shal behold thy face in righteousness I shal be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness as if the face or likeness of God which is Jesus Christ the image of the invisible God could only satisfie and the soul in such a prospect of light and glory is truly awakened til when it is but asleep and in dreams and visions of its own spirit all the life and discoveries of sense and reason being but dreams rather then true awakenings and therefore the more any one hath seen of truth in Jesus the more spiritually and highly they judg of all outward things being not satisfied in the meer letter or form of them but in the spirituallity of them and true life of them which is Jesus Christ The Mystery of true Christian liberty from God not from man or the power of men WE have hitherto filled much paper with Scriptures Reasons and
Arguments for Liberty of conscience and thus far it hath been wel in order to the peace of those whose consciences in outward things runs cross contrary and destructive to others both in rule and practise so as when Christians are under several forms and administrations and these diametrical or opposite to each other and mutually contradicting and expelling each other here can be no Peace nor Preservation of all but from an indulgency or liberty in all and this is such a liberty as men may give to men this is the liberty of the outward man and is upon the old legal and first Gospel or New Testament-account as in the meer letter as in those Scriptures but this is yet below the true Christian Liberty and a mystery unwritten which is originally from the Spirit of God and is meerly spiritual and works from a pure enlargement of Spirit and a true spiritual Prospect of all outward things which is an image of that liberty which is in God who appears under his several forms of Creation pure and holy in himself or his own nature But this is a mystery yet and a land of peace and purity not yet clearly discovered nor the right inhabitants of it but to some and this liberty wil further appear as the Lord Jesus is more and more revealed in the Saints judging the world in Spirit and raigning over the tyranny and power of men in a glory of Spirit which shal judg and torment their adversaries while they shal triumph over all the practises in the flesh against them A Discovery of the highest attainment of the Protestants generally in the mystery of salvation ADam was the first man created after Gods own image he was a publick person and he sinning sin entred upon all and death by sin the Law was afterwards revealed by God to Moses wherein was a copy of that first image or righteousness from whence man fell and under the condemnation of which all mankind were by nature or as born of their first Parents The way of life or salvation which was revealed to be a way our of this condemnation and death was by Iesus Christ the Son of God born of a Virgin in the fulness of time made under the Law and fulfilling the Law bearing our sins crucified dead buried and risen ascended and entred into glory and sitting at the right hand of God making intercession for us and by the Preaching of this Iesus Christ in the Ministry of the Word which he hath set in his Church a true and lively faith is begotten in the hearts of men such as are elect or chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world were layd not from any works foreseen but of Gods meer grace and by this faith so begotten they apply Iesus Christ and all his merits to righteousness and justification and through this and the sanctified use of all other ordinances of God as Preaching Prayer Sacraments the regenerate are more and more sanctified and so built up in graces of faith repentance love new obedience and made to persevere through the power of God unto salvation Nor is the Ministry of the Law useless in this the Law being a part of this Ministry to bring men to Christ or to make them seek out for mercy they discerning their misery by the preaching of the Law it being Gods usual method in Scriptures not to offer the Gospel without this preparatory of humiliation and contrition and men so humbled and wounded by the Law are only fit for the mercy of the Gospel or of Jesus Christ This Iesus Christ they beleeve to be one ascended according to that body he appeared in and sitting at the right hand of God and in the figure of glorified flesh according to which all the Saints shal be glorified in their souls and bodies and in Jesus Christ thus glorified in flesh and entred thus into his Fathers glory they beleeve and to the Lord Jesus in this figure and form of glory without them they are carried out in faith and through Jesus Christ thus they believe that they are justified and through the Spirit of God in this Iesus Christ they are sanctified Of Faith FAith they say is a grace wrought by the Spirit of God whereby a beleever rests upon Jesus Christ for justification and this they cal faith of adherence and when this faith works through love obedience self-denial and other fruits they call it faith of assurance for they say assurance is obtained through the Spirit of God bearing witness in promises and good works as wel as by it self and faith working thus is sanctification too or holiness wrought by graces A further Discovery as to Free-Grace THey beleeve Iesus Christ ascended in the body accordingly and glorified in flesh and through Iesus Christ thus ascended and sitting on the right hand of God in this figure and bodily form they accordingly conceive all graces of Spirit to flow forth into the Saints in faith love obedience c. But they look not on justification as flowing from Christ acted upon by the faith of a beleever first and so a consequent of beleeving or of faith but an antecedent or going before faith they hold Jesus Christ to be righteousness and justification to a sinner and that all are justified before they beleeve or repent and faith repentance are fruits of righteousness or justification Christ being given to open the eyes of the blind and to bring the prisoners out of prison c. and that all such righteousness and justification clothes the sinner so compleatly through Gods imputation that all sin is done away like a thick cloud and none imputed to beleevers Christ hath taken away all sin by his offering up one sacrifice once for all and that faith in the beleever doth nothing no not instrumentally as to justification but as by way of revelation and manifestation of that justification Hence it is that they affirm no beleever ought to pray for pardon of sin being a righteous person at once in Christ and wholy pardoned but all this righteousness and justification they take upon the account meerly of Gods imputation of Christ without us or in heaven who calleth things that are not as if they were and they look upon all works and duties c. as works flowing from love and from justification or righteousness not directed to justification or in any order to it we beleeve repent love and obey say they not that we may be saved but because we are saved and any other way of beleeving obeying c. they look upon as legal and not so purely Evangelical and they hold forth all the work of justification and righteousness to be of meer grace and that all Gospel-promises are free and Christ is freely offered to sinâ—ers as sinners in the Ministry of the Word So as their highest attainment is this that God
of the children of the bondwoman and of the Christians under the Apostacy or in meer letter and corrupted forms of worship and as the Jew was reckoned before to be the people of meer Ordinances and of the worship of God according to the letter of Scriptures to whom the Oracles of God were committed and to whom pertained c. so the Christians generally who are now the people of the New Testament as to letter and of all the worship according to the scriptures in the letter are that Jew under the new Testament answering to the Jew under the old there being two seeds according to the flesh and according to promise though they by promise or faith are counted for the seed The calling of the Jews is the bringing up the Christians from letter to Spirit and according to this mystery the Jews shal be called and converted dayly and are for in the whole Nations of Christians as of Italy Germany Poland Denmark Spain France Scotland England c. the Lord shal call in many by his own Spirit into himself and shal be revealed in them in power not in form That the Jews who are by nature Jews or according to fleshly generation shal be no otherwise called but as the other Jew of which they are a figure and thus they interpret the call of the Iews and not in any such outward observation as men commonly suppose not remembring that the kingdom of God comes not with observation as to the world and that the day of the Lord shal come as a snare upon all the earth All false worships ways practised in Conscience or in Liberty will be destroyed in Christ's day GOD hath a time before Christ come in Spirit as he had before Christ came in the flesh a time wherein he suffered long and was patient and was revealed to his people though dwelling in much Gentilism Judaism and ignorance and therefore Gods appearance or communion with his people from the time of the falling away or of the man of sin being revealed hath bin in grace and long suffering and hath patiently born his being crucified in spirituall Sodome or Egypt and therefore he hath been with his people under Popery under Episcopacy and is at this day not in approbation of their forme but in his own meer love grace and long-suffering and is at this day accordingly with the people in Independency Presbytery Baptism c. and all other male-administrations The Lord Jesus hath a day and time to be revealed in which is his coming in the Saints when he will judge the World and then shall Antichrist be consumed and the flesh of the whore or Babylon in all her administrations shall be tormented and burnt with fire and not a little one of Babylon shall be spared but dashed against the stones not the purest Idols she hath even Idols of gold and silver with all her merchandise pearls and pretious stones and cynamons and odours and frankincense all things of false worship c. and administration though very sweet and pretious in the judgement of flesh and blood and then shal all the saints Indulgencies cease to all these things under which they are now walking some in Conscience some in Liberty even then when Gods indulgency ceases A discovery of Christ in us SOme say it is no other but habits of grace in us and such a work of sanctification mortification wrought by the graces of the Spirit and this they say is Christ formed in us the image of Christ the conformity to Christ this the Protestant generally Others say Christ in us is when we are made the anointed of God which is the Christ or the whole entire Christ as one spiritual new man And that the image of Christ in us is Christ manifested in our flesh as to sufferings and death whereby the flesh is crucified in the power of God and of the Spirit and the outward man or the Flesh is dying and perishing even day by day and is then dead when the very life of the Flesh is slain and we live no more unto our selves but God or Christ liveth in us it being no more we that live and manifested as in resurrection or in the life of the Spirit wherein we who were dead in sins and trespasses are risen with Christ who is the resurrection and the life I am the resurrection and the life The Fiery Tryall THere is a State and condition of Christians scarce known and it is the fiery Tryall or that power of God put forth upon the administrations that Christians are under and so passing out of them into higher discoveries of God and the fiery tryall is the Spirit of God burning up or destroying such an administration to a Christian as when a Christian passes from a meer legall state into a state lesse legall or more Gospell receiving some more precious and sweet appearances of God in Grace and free promises in this passage there is a Fiery Tryall upon that first Administration that was Legall whereby mans own righteousness is consumed and crucified to a more excellent discovery of God and even in that more Gospel-State of a Christian whereby he enjoyes God in that ministration of graces gifts and Ordinances there will be a fiery Tryall in a Christians passage into more glorious manifestations of God and there will be a burning and torment even in that ministration of his graces and gifts c. And this State is Prophesied of in that Scripture the sun shall be turned into darkness the moon into blood before that great and notable day that is not only the Lord Iesus the Sun as some say wil be as darkness to the world c. but all that which was the glory and light of a Christian and his way of communion with God his Sun and Moon and Stars shal be darkned and become as blood before that notable day or that more excellent revelation of God and that of Peter but the day of the Lord will come c. in the which the heavens shal pass away with a great noise and the elements shal melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up which is not only a Prophecy of the last judgment but of the particular judgment upon former administrations in a Christian which is figured out in the heavens and earth and elements which are those more or less glorious administrations and the fire is that trial by the Spirit of God which as fire burns and destroys This is accordingly figured out in that to the Corinthians The fire shal try every mans work of what sort it is If any mans work shal be burnt he shal suffer loss which work is those several administrations of gold silver pretious stones wood hay stubble which pass under the revelation of the day or glory of Christ or fire of the spirit This is
letter form Ordinance is of the administration or Gospel-cloathing and appearance as to men and as in the flesh things that are seen are temporal things that are not seen are eternal So as that distinction used concerning Ordinances when they are called Gospel-Ordinances Gospel-Commandments in contradistinction to the legal Ordinances is a great mistake and an advancing and Exalting outward things into spirituall and putting an Image of Christ and divinity upon them which they will not bear in such an opposition or contradistinction to the Ordinances under the law for al the Ordinances under the law or of the Old Testament were Gospell Ordinances or Ordinances holding forth Christ and figuring Christ and so the Ordinances of the New Testament and are all alike letter outward and visible and of things that perish with using which was the nature of the Administrations of the Law and therefore saith the Apostle they did all eate the same spirituall meat and they did all drink the same spiritual drink and they drank of that rock that followed them and that rock was Christ that is the Ordinances of the Law or Old Testament were as much spiritual as those of the New Testament that is such things as signified Christ in the flesh which those of the New Testament as Baptisme and the last Supper but he concludes be not ye Idolaters as were some of them they sate down to eate and drink and rose up to play that is they did Idolize those outward administrations as their manna water out of the rock and passeover which they eate and drank and rose up to play that is lived in the meer refreshments of such formal participations and communion with meere outward things and Ordinances and were cheared and contented with such created enjoyments of God thus they rose up to play after their Idolatry with those Administrations as many weak Christians now who having sate down to eate and drink in the Administrations of the New Testament as these in the Old rise up to play go away sed up with created refreshments rather than spirituall manifestations of God Assurance of Salvation THe pure spirituall and glorious assurance of salvation comes from the knowledge of God or the pure manifestation of the Spirit of God bearing witness and giving testimony that we are the children of God this is pure spirituall assurance this is called the white stone with a new name written which none know but those that have it this is the unction whereby we know all things this is that Spirit by which we know things freely given to us of God So as all Demonstrations of Salvation which are made to the soul by any rationall perswasive or Argumentative way and not in the meer evidence of the pure light or spirit of God is but moral or humane and traditional and will fail and all applications of Gospel promises and all Conclusions from the meer letter of Scriptures which are not the pure image or Figure without answering the very evidence demonstration of Spirit and of God within is but a literall and formal assurance and will fail All counterfeit or resembled testimonies either by sathan who can transform himself into an Angell of Light or by the meer perswasion of Nature or the carnall conscience whereby Nature doth willingly deceive and flatter perswade its self being usually unwilling to perish and beleeve its own destruction will fail But there are many waies of assurance of Salvation though more dim and faint besides that more inward and purely spirituall and that meerly of God which is enjoyed very rarely and I know not by whom excepting those only to whom the Kingdome of God is revealed in spirit and God is seen face to face and first assurance is wrought by the knowledge of God according to such enjoyment as the soul is under in its Administration to God as First there are these waies of knowing God 1. By reason or the meer light of nature and works of this creation and here there is a law accusing and excusing as the Apostle saith and how God is revealed in this as to salvation in al those Nations where the Gospel is not heard as in its outward letter and Administration or elsewhere and how far God may administer Christ in this as formerly to Job and Cornelius I dare not judg nor condemn nor conclude but sure there is no Salvation out of Christ and how far God may use this light of nature or reason to administer Christ in as he makes use of others more low and visible administrations not so excellent I know not 2 There is a knowledge of God by graces and gifts or fruits of the Spirit as faith love self-deniall repentance c. and by the letter or promises outward Ordinances and Duties and as Gods manifestation is in these so is the assurance of salvation through these and such assurance is of no higher and clearer and more glorious certainty then God through these doth afford that is as the Apostle saith darkly as in a glass and as these are shadowed and clouded so is the assurance and that is the reason why so many are cast down and afflicted as to this thing of assurance and pine and consume because the testimonies of their Salvation are no brighter nor clearer then such Administration will admit and here they are to waite The reason why assurances of salvation are no more glorious nor pure are because the spiritual Church or Saints are in Babylon in the flesh compassed about with the mystery of iniquity and of Antichrist in our selves and enjoy not God in that sweet and pure vision as they shal do when they return to Jerusalem the new Jerusalem the City of the living God They that speak of the assurances in pure revelation of Spirit not comprehending al the several administrations measures wherein God appears to his do much mistake and it will appear from that knowledge of God which is amongst men in all its severall dispensations as here follows The knowledg of God according to the various dispensations of himself GOd is known in the light of nature or reason and works of this creation the eternal power and God-head being seen by things that do appear and man being made after the Image of God and having a law within him accusing or excusing 2. By the meer letter or scriptures and light of nature or reason which is a rational dispensation heightned from such Images and appearances of God as it meets with there or in letter 3. By outward Ordinances or signs and Images and things that do appear and thus God is seen still as in the creation or increated things 4. By the ministery of Angels or a more high and Seraphical though still creature-ministrations of God 5. By graces or appearances of the Spirit as faith repentance love self-denial humility c. which was the ministration of the first gospel-Gospel-times under the Old
Testament before Christ came in the flesh and now in the New Testament since his coming and this is said to be as in a glass 6. By Gods own light evenhimself revealed and this is that pure increated divine immediate glory flowingfrom himself or himself FATHER saith Christ glorifie me with thy self or the glory that I had with thee and the glory that thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one as we are one Now let us consider who knows God according to himself or his own light glory None saith God can see me and live so as they that see God do not live they do not live or that thing called themselves doe not live that which is called a mans self is his own reason his wisdome his righteousness his desires or wil his imaginations his affections his lusts now if these live God was never yet seen none can see God live for when any see God it shall be no more they that live but Christ or God that liveth in them now who is there that hath seen God that doth not live in whom nothing of self lives And that we may see how God revealed wil annihilate and bring to nothing all flesh consider the appearances of Angels graces c. How was Daniel smote into astonishment no spirit was left in him how was Isaiah Wo is me I am undone I have seen the Lord how was John when he fell at the Angels feet how have many left the world and worldly contents relations and all other creature comforts as many Anchorites and contemplative souls who are carried no higher then by Angel discoveries Oh! how doth the pure appearance of God pour shame upon all flesh fleshly glory and excellency upon all the visions and dreams that man hath had of God either by pure reason his image or by creature-imagery or outward administration and notion by letter or by graces c. for when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be done away The day of the Lord wil be upon all our Cedars and Oaks and pleasant pictures and Idols of gold and silver even our richest and most spiritual Idolatry and judgment shal be upon all the merchandise of Babylon the pearls and pretious stones the Cinamon and odours and frankincense upon all deceiveableness of unrighteousness and all false worship c. A further discovery of the mystery of Salvation in the Gospel-administration and its own glory THe Gospel-administration wherein the mystery of salvation is first discovered is in the Scriptures of the New Testament held forth in these following particulars 1. In repentance which they say is a sorrow for sin wrought by the Spirit of God and the Law flowing from Christ who gives repentance to Israel and the Spirit of grace which mourns over him c. and is that godly sorrow for sin the new-man grieving over the old 2. In faith which they say is an act of the regenerate soul upon Christ resting and beleeving in him for justification righteousness or as some say a grace from Christ or righteousness 3 In conversion or calling which is the work of the spirit of God turning or sanctifying or perswading the soul of the Christian from his sinfull and unregenerate estate to God in Christ 4. In justification which is Gods pardoning the sins of a beleever or not imputing sins unto him and imputing the righteousness of Christ unto him whereby he stands justified and forgiven and righteous in the sight of God freely and of Gods grace through faith instrumentally which as the hand receives Christ as some say without faith as others say Thus the scripturs in the letter hold forth the first revelation of the mystery of God in such words and expressions as these and such as these are as prayer good works duties ordinances which are very suitable and proportionable to the first appearance of God in us or the mystery of salvation working in its infancy and first creation in the Christian and thus the infirmity of Christians is fitted with a manifestation of the mystery in words and forms and all the Christian Churches of the world generally draw out all their Systemes and models of divinity into articles of faith and Confessions of faith according to this very letter of Scriptures which is no other but a revelation of the mystery of Salvation as to mans infirmity and say some they call it their fundamentals and the highest attainment of Christianity Others say the mystery of salvation is no other then Immanuel or God with us or God in flesh not only in that man Christ but in the whole Christ Christ being no more but an annointed one and that annointed one is our nature or weakness annointed with the Spirit even God himself who is strength and this mystery of great and exceeding glory is revealed in pieces and parts and after the manner of men according to the infirmity of our flesh within the Christian in graces c. and in the Scriptures or expressions and forms without the Christian The SEEKERS their Attainment With a Discovery of a more Spiritual Way THey finde that the former Christians of the first or of the Apostles times according to Institutions then and the administration of Ordinances then were more visibly and spiritually endowed with power from on high or with gifts of the Spirit and so were able to make cleer and evident demonstrations of God amongst them as in the Churches of all the Christians then in Corinth Ephesus c. And that all who administred in any outward Office as to spiritual things were visibly gifted there was then an Apostle Evangelist Prophet Pastor Teacher Gifts of Healing Gifts of Miracles of Tongues c. And all was administred in the anointing or unction of Spirit clearly certainly infallibly they ministred as the Oracles of God But now in this time of the Apostacie of the Churches they finde no such gifts and so dare not meddle with any outward Administrations dare not preach baptize or teach c. or have any Church-fellowship because they finde no attainment yet in any Churches or Church-ways or administration of Ordinances according to the first patern in the New Testament they finde nothing but the outward Ceremony of all Administrations as of bare water in Baptism of bare Imposition of hands in Ordination of bare Election of Officers as Pastors Teachers c. of bare Church-censures without the visible power of gifts of Spirit which were before Therefore they wait in this time of the Apostacie of the Christian Churches as the Jews did in the time of their Apostacie and as the Apostles and Disciples at Jerusalem till they were endued with power from on high finding no practice for Worship but according to the first patern They wait onely in Prayer and Conference pretending to no certain determination of
things nor any infallible consequences or interpretations of Scriptures They wait for a restauration of all things and a setting up all Gospel Officers Churches Ordinances according to the patern in the New Testament They wait for an Apostle or Angel that is some with a visible glory and power able in the Spirit to give visible demonstration of their sending as to the world and thus they interpret those places of the Revelation This is the highest of their Attainment But some speak of a further discovery and more spiritual then this of the SEEKERS as this 1. That there is no warrant from Scriptures to expect any restoring of Offices or Ordinances according to the first patern in Scripture 2. That the first patern in Scripture of Offices and Ordinances was but a more purely-legal Dispensation or a discovery of the Gospel rather as to Christ after the flesh then after the Spirit and a discovery as to the weaknesse both of Jews and Gentiles then respectively to visible Administrations and gifts of Spirit 3. That the Administrations and gifts then were but a ministration in part and darkly as in a glasse and of things that should vanish away 4. That God never set up any Administration or Office but for a time and season and used it as a temporary dispensation as the Tabernacle Temple Law Priesthood c. and then left them never to be restored So the first Gospel-administration by Ordinances gifts c. 5. That to wait in any such way of Seeking or expectation is Antichristian because there is no Scriptures to warrant any such restauration or expectation of such administrations and that all such waiting is that desert wildernesse-condition prophesied on by Christ that is waste and barren as to spiritual things If they say Behold he is in the desert go not forth And that it is that condition prophesied on to be in the secret chambers or single fellowships that are in such expectations a chamber signifying an upper room or a room above others so this state of Seeking is thought by those of that Way to be an upper room or higher administration as to Presbytery Independency Baptism c. and that Lo Christ is here or the gathering into that Way and saying it is his to wait in 6. That the truth is Christ is in all his in spirit and truth and as the eternal seed and his fulnesse is already in the Saints or all true Christians and that all growth improvement or reformation that is to be is onely the revelation or appearance of this When he shall appear c. or to be revealed in the brightnesse of his coming in the day of the Lord Jesus and that he is in us that true life salvation glory onely we see him but in part and that all conceptions of God or Christ as to distance of coming c. administrations ordinances gifts are but to expect Christ in a fleshly way or appearance not as he is in us our life fulnesse hope of glory c. And this next appearance of his shall be in his own light spirit and glory in himself and his And this is that Reformation to be expected this is the last administration of himself by himself in his In his light we shall see light And the Saints or true Christians shall not onely see God thus in himself face to face as they are seen but the world shall see him in a way of conviction and spiritual judgement upon themselves even him that sits upon the throne And all that pure administration of Ordinances and Gifts which was and is expected by these is but a middle or interdispensation betwixt God and his wherein God is seen as in a glasse not as he is in his own glory which is himself which is the last and most spiritual discovery The Grounds both against Liberty of Conscience and for it clearly stated for all to judge Against Liberty of Conscience these are the strongest Grounds and all the Grounds generally known 1. THe Magistrate is the keeper of both the Tables of the Law and as he may punish any evil committed against the second Table or the society of man so he may punish any Idolatry committed against God or the Worship of God in the first Table 2. The Magistrates under the Old Testament reformed Moses and Joshua the Kings and Princes of Judah and Israel Nehemiah c. so the Magistrates now 3. The Magistrate is the minister of God for good and a terrour to evil works and bears not the sword in vain therefore may punishHeresie and Schism becauseevil 4. The Magistrates are prophesied on to be assistants to the Church of God Kings shall be thy fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers and therefore may punish all such as are enemies to it as all Hereticks and Schismaticks are 5. Peter smote Ananias and his wife Sapphira with death which was a temporal punishment for their sin of Hypocrisie so may the Magistrate put forth a temporal punishment for a spiritual offence 6. Paul wished that they were cut off which troubled them therefore Magirates may cut off Hereticks because they are troublers of the Church 7. The Church of Thyatira was reproved for suffering Jezebel to teach and to seduce therefore Magistrates are not to suffer false Prophets or Seducers to be 8. The father and mother of him that is a false Prophet shall thrust him thorow and say Thou shalt not live for thou speakest lyes in the Name of the Lord This was a Prophecie as to Magistrates punishment forHeresie 9. If Magistrates shall not punish for Heresie Errours and Schism there will be nothing but Confusion and no settlement nor establishment of any Peace Order or Truth in the Church 10. It appears from the practice of all Christian States generally who punish all such as conform not from all Councels and Synods who still hold this power to be in the Magistrate of reforming and punishing Heresie and Schism The Grounds for Liberty of Conscience which are strongest and are all commonly known 1. Moses was a keeper of both Tables onely as he was a Type of Christ and so called the Mediatour of the Old Testament and Worship of God then but so is not the Magistrate now the Office of Moses being fulfilled in Jesus Christ and ending in him even in that Person in whom all the Types were fulfilled 2. The Magistrates of the Old Testament as Moses Joshua the Kings of Judah and Israel Nehemiah c. were in a peculiar and special way of Magistracie as to that Church-Politie of the Jews and had a special and peculiar and infallibly directive power of Priesthood with Urim and Thummim and Prophets anointed of God to assist and direct and instruct them in the Law or Reformation of the Church at such times as they reformed And the Law of the Old Testament lay more
plainly and clearly in the letter not so much in spirit as the letter of the New Testament And therefore the Magistracie now having no such special reference to a Church-Politiâ— nor any such Ministery infallibly directive joyned to them cannot proceed so to reform nor compel nor punish 3. The Magistrates under the New Testament are Ministers as to good and evil not as to Truth and Heresie and this good and evil is such good and evil as falls under the Law of their cognizance that is the Law of Nature by which they make Laws and judge the breach of them which Law of Nature or right Reason is the Law or principle for administration of Justice and Righteousnesse in all Societies of Men and Nations And thus the Magistrate bears not the sword in vain But this is not as to Heresie and Schism of which the higher Law is judge viz. the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ not the Law of Nature or this Creation 4. In that Prophecie Kings shall be thy fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers is not in its own Scripture or any other interpreted to be any other thing then the indulgency and favour of States and Kingdoms to the people of God which is far from bearing witnesse to any destructivenesse or persecution of them 5. That Peter smote Ananias and his wife Sapphira with death for lying is onely a witnesse of Gods power and holinesse put forth in an act of Miracle upon the sin of Hypocrisie for convincing unbelievers and confirming believers and is no way exemplary to any Magistrate being a power by miracle or by an extraordinary act and Magistracie in its administration is ordinary and it was in an Apostle not a Magistrate by a spiritual not a carnal weapon 6. Pauls wishing that such were cut off that troubled them holds forth no other cutting off then by Church-censure or Excommunication which was a visible dividing them from that visibly spiritual body the Church called a delivering up to Sathan c. 7. The Church of Thyatira was reproved for suffering Jezebel to teach and to seduce but this is not the Magistracie of Thyatira which was to forbid her teaching by punishment but the Angel or Ministery of that Church as all agree who was rebuked because they or he put not forth that spiritual power they had of Admonition Rejection Excommunication 8. The father and mother of him that begat the false Prophet and was to thrust him thorow that prophesied lyes in the name of the Lord was a Prophesie respectively to the Law of the Jews which was amongst them against false Prophets and had a true Priesthood and infallible Prophets with a special Law to try them by and condemn them And more spiritually was this By the false Prophet is meant the spirit of Antichrist by the father and mother that begat him they who made him a Prophet or begat cried him up into the reputation of a Prophet and then thrusting him thorow for the lyes he prophesied is their spiritual smiting that Antichristian working with the Sword of the Spirit through some new enlightnings from God received or brightnesse of Christs glory which shall stay and kill all appearances deceiveablenes of the man of sin or false Prophet and not suffer him to live 9. That there will be no settlement of Peace Order or Truth in the Church if the Magistrates do not punish for Heresie is upon mistaken false grounds supposing three things which are not First that the Church-politie of the Jews by Magistrate and Priesthood is to be used by Christians which is not it being fulfilled in Christ the true King and Priest and Christians having no such infallible Priesthood to joyn to Magistracie Secondly that Civil power can establish any thing of an higher glory law and principle then it self as all spiritual truths and discoveries of Jesus Christ are Thirdly the mistake of true spiritual settlement peace order and truth which receive all their being propagation and establishment from the Spirit of God and the Scriptures and such spiritual Laws as God hath revealed for ordering the outward man of the Christian by respectively to the Society or fellowship of other Christians called Church-censures c. Christians being under a twofold Politie that of the Kingdome of Christ as Christians that of the Kingdom of this world as men or such as are subject to the Laws of civil Government And likewise supposing all peace and order to be grounded upon Uniformity not upon Unity of spirit and preservation of the civil Peace of the State 10. That States and Kingdoms do to this day practise punishing Heresie by the power of Magistrates and that Councels and Synods do allow it all such practice of what States soever in this kinde doth shew onely what they do not what they ought to do And the kingdoms of the world are prophesied on to give their Kingdoms and strength from themselves to the false Church And for Councels and Synods they are such as have erred in other things and why not in this it being their great Interest to establish themselves c. by the Magistrates power Whatsoever is not of faith is sin So as all who are compelled in things of Worship to do any thing of which they are not perswaded do sin Gospel-sins or sins against an higher law or light then that of Nature and Reason which is the onely sphere for Civil Government to move in is to be judged and punished by a law and light proportionable and more spiritual then any power of Magistracy as the Spirit of God going out in Gospel-Judgement Admonition Rejection Excommunication c. The danger and hazard of Persecution of the members of Christ which is a sin bringing much judgement because judged and punished by such a light and law viz. by Synods and Councels of men who are not infallible in their decrees and judgements of truth and heresie By force and compulsion men who are weak in the faith are made hypocrites in their outward man conforming to the laws of men in fear and bondage All such power of compulsion in States and Kingdoms principled with any light and liberty except Spain France c. shall destroy the true Interests of all such States and Kingdoms oppressing all Societies and fellowships of men as to spiritual things though never so peaceably affected as men and subjects A Mystery OR The Christian following the appearances of God thorow all created things THat which is the pure spiritual comprehensive principle of a Christian is this That all outward administrations whether as to Religion or to natural civil and moral things are onely the visible appearances of God as to the world or in this creation or the clothing of God being such forms and dispensations as God puts on amongst men to appear to them in this is the garment the Son of God was clothed with
down to the feet or to his lowest appearance And God doth not fix himself upon any one form or outward dispensation but at his own will and pleasure comes forth in such and such an administration and goes out of it and leaves it and takes up another And this is clear in all Gods proceedings with the world both in the Jewish Church and State and Christians now And when God is gone out hath left such or such an administration of what kinde soever it is be it religious moral or civil such an administration is a desolate house a temple whose vail is rent a sun whose light is darkened and to worship it then is to worship an Idol an Image a form without God or any manifestation of God in it save to him who as Paul saith knows an Idoll to be nothing The pure spiritual comprehensive Christian is one who grows up with God from administration to administration and so walks with God in all his removes and spiritual encreasings and flowings and such are weak and in the flesh who tarry behinde worshipping that form or administration out of which God is departed A Postscript to Master GATAKER Authour of a Book called Shadows without Substance writ against me SIR THe Reasons why I did not answer you were these I mean your last Book called Shadows without Substance c. I found that Replies and Rejoynders did exceedingly confound and perplex the plainnesse and simplicity and glory of Truth and had much of self and passion and recrimination which I am confident the Lord will shew you in much of what you have writ For I am assured that God will reveal and convince you powerfully and mightily in many passages which your self writ and not the Spirit of God Lay your hand upon your heart and consider sadly if the advantage of the times the glory of reputation the passion of man in you and the multitude of yeers and fame of learning not willing to be convinced by days or months did not write most of your last Book What you wrote in the sincerity of Spirit and in that measure of Truth you received I rejoyce in and what you wrote in the artifice of your parts your wit and your other humane advantages or devices of flesh and blood whereby you laid on colours to make your own Arguments fair and comely to a man judging no higher then Reason or in your own measure of Truth and whereby you laid on your darker and more shadowish stuff upon me your adversary rendering me to the Reader both in your Title-page and thorowout your Book as one that denied the Apostles Doctrine and Christ's because I denied your conclusions and deductions to be that very Doctrine and the minde of those very Scriptures of Christ and the Apostles This I say must passe under the fiery trial and you must suffer losse so as by fire Surely to deny what Master Gataker or some Synods of men say is not to deny what Christ and the Apostles say unlesse the Spirit of God reveal in them one and the same Truth and that they all speak by one and the same Spirit in one and the same language Nor did I see that you in all your Writings had done any thing against the truth declared by me but had onely defended your self and your own measure of truth with rejection and reproaches of mine and all this in the form onely of argumentation and confutation not in the power so as I did rest without replying knowing that the substance of what truth I had writ was as I had received then and would abide because he who is the patern of all truth Jesus Christ abides the same yesterday and to day and for ever And for any expressions of mine or form of words which may make truth appear to some not one and the same I onely can as yet speak truth in the language given me when I can speak more tongues or the languages of several Christians of which the gifts of tongues were a signe then I you shall be better understood by our selves others Sir I have spoken one particular more clearly which you some others spake on in my Book And thus I take my leave of you desiring to love any appearance of God in you and to forgive any infirmities in you which are of man as I desire my self to be loved or forgiven of others And truely I do not expound that of contending earnestly for the Truth to be in reproaches and passions in Replies and Rejoynders and many Books but in Spirit and spiritual affection and pure manifestation of the same Truth SIR Your friend JOHN SALTMARSH A pretended Heresie THat which is pretended or at least believed by some to be Heresie in my Book of Grace is this which I desire to explain more fully that it may appear more clearly to be Truth That Christ hath believed perfectly repented perfectly mortified sin perfectly for us First That Christ hath done all for us is truth he hath fulfilled all righteousnes both that righteousnesse which is of the Law and that which is of the Gospel in graces c. and upon this account he is made unto us righteousnesse c. Secondly Faith Repentance mortification were all in Christ originally primarily as in their nature theirfountain their root or seed and therefore he is said to give repentance to Israel and he is the authour and finisher of our faith and it is called the faith of the Sâ—n of God and of his fulnesse have all we received and grace for grace for everygrace in him a grace inus And to say Christ hath done all these for us first in himself and then in us through himself I hope is such an Heresie as we all believe It may be my want of clearer explanation made it be taken for Heresie which I hope will now be judged more candidly to be a Truth Nor can this That Christ hath all graces and perfection in himself prove that we stand in need of none in us no Faith nor Repentance in us nor mortification of sin in us no more then Pauls Doctrine of Grace and Faith and the Christian to be under Grace destroy the Law or make void Faith or cause men to sin that Grace may abound I never yet denied the Graces and Fruits of the Spirit of God which appear in Faith Repentance new Obedience Mortification of sin as may be seen in all things I have writ It may be I may speak Truth in such a notion or conception or measure of light as I have received it in and not in anothers The Christian as the English or French can onely speak in his own Tongue or Language till the Lord be one and his Name one amongst us and in the mean time let us judge Heresie by the Truth in Scripture and in the Spirit not as it seems to us so or appears so perhaps not for want