filling them with the things of the creature so as they become unmeasurable not bounded by any time or season but take in the vast space of eternity and so the state of the wicked is also evelasting in that son of perdition as well as in that Son of God and yet that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit but both perpetuated of like race in respect of time in the sight of God and all that judg and discern according to the spirit of God for as it is affirmed of that eternall word that it was in the beginning In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God So it is affirmed of the wicked one that he is a man-slayer from the beginning and not to abide in the truth but is a lyar and the father of it There is therefore a change and a reall change in Satan for the truth of God is turned into a lye in him but it is in the number and act of his being so that it is as true and reall that he was never otherwise and therefore he is said also to be the fountaine and father of it as he that is so originally even as Abraham that high Father and ancient of dayes is sayd to be the father of the faithfull as the originall and propagator of them all And without this unity of the harlot prostrating and adulterating the word of God unto the lusts of men Satan is not known but works in and by and is conversant with man and man knows it not It is true also that there is a change and a reall change in Christ the son of the blessed for mans nature is changed from its visiosity and vanity proper to the wisdome of a creaeure to become the undefiled of God in the blessing and reality of son-ship but this change is from the manner instant and eternall act of his being so that it is as true that he was never other but that undefiled and reall son of God blessed for ever with respect to time past and that which is to come So that the Son of God is never alive in the spirit but Satan is dead in and to him nor is Satan alive in the flesh but Christ is dead in and to him and by his slaughter the world nourisheth its heart and feasts it selfe so that the mortification of the spirit of the Scripture or word of life is the revivall of the letter which becomes the proper nourishment of the carnall minde which is that state of death for to be carnally minded is death So also it is true in Christ that the mortification of the flesh in the abrogating of that carnall law of sin and death is the slaying of that Leviathan Sea-Dragon or man of Sin who is given to be meate for Gods people in the wildernesse that is it is the revivall of the spirit which becomes the proper nourishment of the sons of God and is that bread from heaven that perisheth not and food of eternall life which abides for ever And as food becomes one with that body that feeds upon it in the nourishing of it so doth the spirit and life of the living and eternall God become one state and condition in that man of God and mysticall body of Christ Jesus our alone Lordship and salvation And so also doth that spirit of death and destruction in that the truth of God is turned into a lye become one state and condition in that man of sin that vile body and mystery of iniquity wherein that eternall death only consisteth and remayneth for ever In the next verse he declares who it is they have killed and the manner of it Vers 6. Yee have condemned and have killed the just and he doth not resist you Wherein observe 1. The act of the wicked Yee have condemned and have killed the just 2. The demeanour of the Just He doth not resist them Their act is two-fold 1. They condemn him 2. They kill him 1. BY the just here as hath been declared is meant the Lord our righteousnesse or our justice as the Prophet calls him Whose path is as the shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day that is hath all manner and motions of glory in it as from the rising of the Sunne unto the height thereof it is he onely in whom perfect justice resides which consists in a Justifier and a justified which is only found in Christ out of whom no perfect justice is found for if the Justifier be one and the justified another individuall or substance there is a fraction in the act it admits of default and imperfection you cannot find it whole in either of them Christ therefore is only just and hence it is that seates of Judicature must either condemn him in the world or else they cannot justifie themselves to have the perfection of the Law so they are sayd here to condemn the just or that just one To condemn implies the giving of sentence as by law for there must be a discerning wch is by a rule or else sentence cannot passe and every thing hath its proper and peculiar law whereby it seeks to effect the conservation and safety of of it selfe in its proper condition and where the wisdom of the flesh and carnall mind gives the proper being unto the condition it hath a certain law bond or engagement upon it in way of argumentall and legall reasoning for the safety and conservation of it selfe in its own principles and achievements and to condemn and sentence whatsoever makes for the bane and overthrow of them and unto that stands bound and engaged in it selfe as to its ruler or god Now the Crosse of Christ in the crucification of the flesh and order of that law of the spirit doth confound humane wisdome in the way of its being and all its enterprizes making it the proper folly of the world for it is written I will destroy the wisdome of the wise and will cast away the understanding of the prudent Where is the wise where is the scribe where is the disputer of this world hath not God made the wisdome of this world foolishness Therefore the wisdome of the flesh or carnall law doth bind over under penalty of destruction of it selfe to convent arraign convict condemn and passe a finall sentence upon the Son of God that law of the spirit of life otherwise it cannot reteyn and conserve it selfe So that we may as soon and with better acceptation perswade a rationall and ingenuous spirit to lye downe and utterly forsake the nature and activity of his wisdome and to become a beast of the dullest capacity as to perswade a carnall mind where the son of peace is not upon the true and proper conditions of the Gospel to become a son of God It is no marvell therefore though the world love their owne and hate such as are taught of
entire simple and undivided act in him and in them also bearing the same forme containing the same virtue subject to the same reproach by the men of the world as also of like joy and acceptation as of old unto the godly by whom it is said Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just saving himselfe lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a colt the foal of an Asse Consider the word of God brought not forth in the begining the sun moon and stars or any creature upon the face of the earth to be of one nature and virtue in one age of the world and of another nature and virtue in another time or age thereof no more doth the word of God bring forth the sufferings of the Son of God to be of one kinde and virtue in one man of God and of another kinde power or virtue in another man of God or in one age to be really present with the Disciples and in another age to be far remote for they are all one individuall act in that one multiplyed Saint or holy one of Israel And so are the sufferings of Christ according to the spirit in the man of sin and sons of Beliall which crucifie the Son of God afresh unto or in themselves putting him to an open shame it is not one in Pharaoh and another in Herod it is not of one nature or kinde in Cain and of another in Judas it is not one in the Scribes and Pharasees and another in the wicked Lawyers and Souldiers it is not of one nature and kinde io that Antichrist and son of perdition and of another nature and kinde in the Devil and Satan But it is one simple and eternall act of that one man of sin multiplied into many Antichrists which are now working already in the world according to the power of the Prince of the ayre the spirit which now worketh in the children of unbelief unto which Christ speaks as unto one saying what is thy name the answer implies both the singular and plurall number my name is Legion for we are many For we must remember that what soever the law saith it saith unto them or as the word is in them who are under the law that is whatsoever the law of the spirit speaks now the law of the spirit of life is in Christ Jesus according to which he submits to the will of his Father that ancient of days in all things as also rules over all temporary and carnall power for there is nothing in Christ as wherein he submits but it hath the virtue of authority therein also and whatsoever this law saith it saith it in all that are subjects unto the same and gives being to what it utters as the word did to all things in the beginning so that if it speak of faith in any it speaks without respect of persons according to that impartiality which is in it self so that where it utters faith it is in the powerfull work of faith as a work wherein the Son of the eternall is involved in whom it hath its virtue and power if it utter alone it sheds it abroad in the heart in the labour of it as that wherein God dwels who is composed of it if it speaks of hope it is not deferred but springs up in the soule as that tree of life in the Paradise of God and if it speak of suffering it creates the Crosse not in any other form and virtue but in that wherein it takes its being from the beginning even as it was at the first with the creation in the operation of the word in bringing forth all creatures to exist and have a being When it made the Sun it formed it in that virtue that abides the same in all ages and so it is with all creatures receiving their being and virtue by that word even so whatsoever the law of the spirit saith it gives the same being and virtue thereunto in all that are under that law whether it concerne humiliation or exaltation death or resurrection the being of the Lord the Saviour or the saved of the Lord. For what or in whom-soever it speaks it saith it to the reallizing of it selfe in the thing spoken and that without exclusion of any one particular or including any one more then the rest which are found under the same law For as unto us there is but one God so there is but one Image of that God which is his wisdome made manifest in Christ which is the proper and perpetuated form of Christ wherein soever he is manifest and of all true Christianity in all ages of the world We must therefore either take Christ or a christian forme being under the law of the spirit and then there is no other seat to set him in but under the dominion of the flesh that law of sin and death or else the Crosse expressed and maintained according to that law of the spirit is the same in Christ and in every Christian in all respects For it is that circumcission made without hands that is without any wisdome or ability proper unto or atainable by man namely the cutting off of that superfluous foreskin of the flesh which is superfluous to the fulnesse of Gods wisdome and power which is the proper hinderer and obstructor of the propagation of the Son of God Therefore this circumcission is to be exercised upon every male in the family of God and that by divine institution that is upon every one who have that masculine spirit of the Son of God to acquit themselves like men of God by faith conquering and overcoming the world for this circumcision onely brings the soule of man into a capacity of having the power of God to be exercised therein in which is that fulnesse and perfection that all things natural or proper to a creature are altogether superfluous and therefore it is said to be Circumcision or cutting round so as no beginning or end of this virtue can ever be found out for it is eternall Againe there is also the law of the carnal commandement or the carnall law and whatsoever that speaks it saith it onely in them and in all them respectively that are under that law And this consists in carnall and temporary ordinances and institutions such appointments as fade and perish in the use such as abide not with man or he not with them for ever and what this law saith it saith it in all and every particular that are under the same that is it reallizeth it selfe in every heart wherein it speaks forming and framing a work therein according to the word gone out for she word of God speaks that language in a figure which mans heart naturally speaks taking that by viewing it by his own light to be the substance and reality of the minde of God in his intent but is but a shadow a figure or signification thereof thereby carnallizing
into the state and condition of Christ or else it is not an acknowledgment and confession of faith And so sin is confessed upon the head of the Scape-goat to be carryed into the wildernesse which is desolate and way lesse unto the people of God neither is he nor it that is the goate nor the sin in that true respect found in Israel any more and so sin it set on its probase and place of its perpetuall aboad not only in time to come but past also that is in Babylon in the land of Shyner the place of confusion wherein note that the strictest order composed by the wisdome of man which is in truth and substance consonant to the letter of the Scripture men being tyed thereunto as a rule to walk by is that proper confusion of Babell unto a Christian unity because it makes man the fore-runner and not the Lord Christ who only enters within the vale where the true oracle is uttered even as it is true that when the will of God according to the law of the spirit is the most distinctly made manifest it appears to be the only confusion in a carnall mind because it layes wast those proper principles whereby it adorns it self with all its ornaments Note here how necessary it is for mans wisdome to moderate it selfe in the making of Lawes and binding men under penalties to take them as rules for all to walk by And here we propound a question whether one Law of God be not of like weight as another for that distinction of the first Table being more eminent then the second is meerly humane for doth not Christ center both in two commands and affirms them to be of like weight and the Apostles bring all into one saying love fulfils the whole law So that the two Tables do teach unto us the unity of God and man and that both according to the letter of the Law and also of the spirit and therefore the Law is broken by Moses at the foot of the Mount as considered in the Leviticall Priest-hood exercised in the Rebels in the wildernesse and the Law is preserved and kept by Moses in the Arke unto this day as the Scripture affirms as it is exercised in that way of the Spirit in Joshuah or Jesus who leads into the land as that Captain of our salvation But however the question stands concerning strictnesse of Law in two commands of the second Table which are of the same weight and importance to every Christian the one as the other and that is the not killing but preservation of life and the not committing of adultery in the preservation of chastity Is there not then a like care to be had and provision made for the preservation of life in respect of its existance and being as there is to preserve chastity that so man may appear in honour and temperancy If there be a like care to be had in both then I demand how it comes to passe that men make a law to execute death upon that fact of adultery which reacheth unto the very Embryon and unformed substance of man in the womb that so they may prevent a Bastard-like brood and that impure and incontinent conversation of men in the world Why are they not alike carefull to ordaine and execute a law upon men in case man and wife know each other when there is no possibility of conception whereby the life of man seems to be destroyed and cut off as considered in the very same capacity and principles and so upon the like ground murder committed This case may seem to be the very point of Christs argument brought forth by his practice against the Scribes and Pharisees who stood so strictly upon the letter of Moses writing when they brought that woman taken in adultery unto him who in pretending the fulfilment of the Law out of a malicious spirit seeke to ensnare the Son of God to kill him and put him to death which murthering litterall spirit of theirs he convicts them of and acquits the woman in that double act of his in writing on the earth having respect unto the writing of the two Tables of stone signifying unto them that killing letter bearing sway in themselves whereby they sought to take away his life rather then the womans by putting the force and dignity of the Law to stand in carnall and fleshly observance and so convicted them in his first writing upon the earth as having broken the Law as Moses did the first Table and therein their consciences accuse them as guilty of murder and so they absent themselves from Christ And in his second writing on the earth hee signifies that law of the spirit which is for ever kept and preserved in himselfe wherein is found no condemnation but an acquittance from all sin and unrighteousnesse and therefore the woman escapes without condemnation when none but Christ according to that law appears with her A Commentary might be writ of this point but thus much only as closely as may be in way of caution to prevent men in their so confident prosecutions formed from the letter of the Scripture as they piece-meale it out of the wisdome of man left it prove no better in conclusion then the wisdome of the Serpent that whilst they entice to the eating of the fruit of one tree because of the fairnesse and benefit of it they do not corrupt and destroy another in themselves in so doing before they be well aware of it For if such mens wisdome and wills had taken place in the dayes of Juda and Thomas they would have made a breach in the Geneology of Christ And if they say they would have stopped execution till the children had been born then they would not have stoâ—d to the glory of the Law which after it be truly discerned stands in seleritas inexequendo Wee are then to attend the mind of the spirit of God in this namely that our yea be yea and our nay nay wherein the scope of the Scriptures do consist being the state of man-kind with respect unto God which is in one act and for ever and not in the relation of any one Creature or Creatures with respect unto others that is to any meer creature or creatures which may now be yea it is and immediately nay it is not but in Christ it is not so who is the end of all law the scope of all relations and the very end which all operations drive at presse unto as he is crucified according to the flesh or else according to the spirit in which respect yea remayns yea and nay remayns nay both in the way of Christ and in the way of Antichrist So that he that teacheth another thing to be the intent and meaning of the word of God what ever it is that may one time be and another time not be in the same state condition of man-kind considered that is a doctrine under the state of condemnation Therfore
power of the resurrection from the dead as it is said the Lord shall raise him up there is in prayer a Lord-like authority to rise out of that grave of sin and sorrow of death and destruction so as none shall have dominion over it to keep it under for it cannot be held of death but it will remove the stone from the Sepulchre and deface and break open the seal of Herod himselfe though set upon it by the cheif Preists and Pharisees making it as sure as they can it will make the house of the carnall Jews to shake when the Apostles of Christ are gathered together or brought into unity and harmony by that reconciling spirit of interpretation It will make the foundations of the Prison to shake where the spirit of our great Apostle is infringed casting open the doors and laying wast such power to the astonishment of the Jaylors themselves whoever they may be yea it will raise Peter up out of the dungeon and cause his chains to fall off from his hands to his own admiration and wonder In a word prayer hath in it the power and vertue of the resurrection because it is the breathing of the Son of God returned from death to life this word behold he prayeth was an argument sufficient to prove Paul change from a Saul and to be risen up out of that grave and puddle of the Jewish litteral and carnall worships and from that deadly spirit of persecution which ever accompanies such maner of services Thirdly prayer hath in it the power of pardon and forgivenesse of sins for if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him or in the present tence as the word will bear they are forgiven him that is to every one that partakes in this prayer of faith To commit sin here is to be understood in a two-fold respect that is negatively and affirmatively of which the breach of law being sin doth consist now to sin and prove a delinquent in omitting and not doing that which is required is to neglect and leave undone that which the carnal commandement according to the strict spirit of a Pharisee calls for such sin or missing of the rule of the carnall commandement standing in outward ordinances is here to be understood which is the onely sin condemned by a carnall Jew and this law the prayer of faith doth rout ravell undo and abrogate with respect unto the obligation thereof in the true intent of a Pharasaical Jew And against this law doth true prayer sin in all its supplications intercessions and requests for the prayer of faith observes not in the least in any point that law of the spirit of bondage which onely obligeth to the law of the flesh nor can it keep and perform that spirit of enmity which Christ Jesus nailes to his Crosse and slays in himselfe and therefore a sinne in a Saint in way of negation against the affirmative part of the law of the flesh Againe there is a sin committed affirmatively and that is by reall acting and doing according to the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord which the wisdome of man in that carnall law forbids and that under the penalty of errour schism heresie pride blasphemy and death it self For every point of the law of the spirit rightly composed according to the prin ciples and grounds of faith is most heinous wicked detestable sinfull and abominable in the eyes of a carnal man Now the breach disannulling and abrogating of the carnall command for which the Jewes so hated Christ is the truth of the matter the reality and ever carries in it the remission pardon and forgivenes of sins in the Saints as surely as the breach of the law of the spirit and that everlasting Covenant of God carries in it guilt crime and is the condemnation of the world For every sin and blasphemy against the Son of man that is against the wisdome will power and authority of the arme of flesh shall be forgiven or it is forgiven for it hath the acquittance general discharge and release in it self but he that speaks aagainst the holy spirit that is against that law of the spirit or spirituall estate of that holy one of God it shall never be forgiven that is he that breaks the law of the spirit in any word or thing as the phrase imports it hath in it that guilt which can never be wiped out neither in this world that is in time present nor in the world or time that is to come or not in this world that is in the conscience of the party so made guilty nor in the world to come that is in that sentence of the righteous Judge which doth for ever adjudg and condemn it so that as the breach of the spiritual law hath in it an eternall guilt unseperably and enevitably fastned unto it and accompaning the same even so hath the breach or abrogation of the carnall law an everlasting pardon and acquittance before God fastned unto and ever accompaning the same Note in this point that the Levitical law which the Apostle apposeth to the law of an endlesse life doth not condemn because men fall short in some particulars of the fulfilment of the same but it condemns and is death unto him that walks according to the same or lives thereafter Therefore our Apostle saith If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye that is if yee live according to the law of the carnall commandement for by it no flesh can be justified or if yee minde the things of the flesh that is as the word signifies if ye frame form or fashon things unto your selfe according to the carnall command art or reason of man concerning the affairs of God it is death but to live after the spirit that is the law of the spirit or spirituall law is life and peace or to minde the things of the spirit that is to form frame and fashion things spiritually that is life and peace and as the one of these is sin according to mans wisdome and his accounts even so is the other sin according to Gods wisdome and his reckoning and account judgement and doom passed upon it by an eternall and unchangeable sentence There is pardon then and power of forgivenesse in prayer because it is God that sitteth upon that throne of grace judging unto justification who then shall condemn for it the spirit of grace and supplication whereof prayer doth consist yea it is the Son of God who is justified who then shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen that holy one of God For wherever the spirit and vertue of Christ is there is power to forgive sins therefore he saith to stop the mouth of those legall Pharisees whether is it easier to say thy sins are forgiven or to say take up thy bed and walke but that you may know that the Son of man hath power to forgive sins on earth therefore I said
unto thee arise take up thy bed and go thy way into thine house So that to preach the Gospel to the restauration of the soule from the policy that is from the fear terrors and tremblings of the law as at Mount Sinai to bring it unto Zion giving strength to take up that and carry it unto its proper place as that man carried his bed into the proper place which is his house which before had carried him extravagantly and diseasedly abroad wheresoever the Gospel exerciseth its power to raise up any to walk in the way of God before others in prayer or prophesie or any appointment of God according to the nature and season of it as that man is said to walk before them all to their admiration wheresoever the Gosplel is ministred to that effect there is also in that ministration power to forgive sin for the one is of like case and of like difficulty as the other is yea they are both in one act for he that can preach the Gospel to carry sin into its proper place which must be done or else the Gospel is not truly preached he must of necessity remove it from the chosen of God which is the true remitting and passing of it over unto another He that hath power therefore to preach the Gospel to the healing of the Conscience of the palsie sicknesse or tremblings of the law in the dead works thereof or works of death that man hath power to forgive sins on earth for they are inseperable and Christ in that place alluded unto makes them one for first he saith son thy sins be forgiven thee and in the rehearsall of it he saith his speech was arise take up thy bed and walk go thy way into thy house And we know that Christ saith to his Disciples whose sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retaine they are retained And again what ye binde on earth is bound in heaven and what ye loose on earth is loosed in heaven to walk and work therefore in the things of God according to the power intended by the word of God are of greater concernment then they would think for to preach the Gospel in the revelation of the minde and will of God as to an onely Son or to present our supplications to God as a father from the minde and disposition of an onely son are of no lesse authority and power then to to give sins for to pray with the spirit and to pray with the understanding also that is to pray according to the mystery of Christs meditation and yet with that wisdome and skill of expression as to unfold and explaine it in the minds of others that they may ascend up unto God together therewith as Manoa's Angel in the flame of the sacrifices this and to pardon sin are of like power skill and authority and a like weight lies upon both to whomsoever communicates in them For to pardon sin is not to change or alter the minde of God toward that party but to explaine and interpret the minde of God concerning that party which minde and will of God is the same in that one faith of the Son of God to all the chosen of God and wheresoever it is rightly unfolded and made manifest in the proclamation of peace and reconciliation of God and man in one if the Son of peace be there he accepteth and receivet the same as the right of his inheritance If the Elders pray or prophecy unto health therefore they pray or prophesie to the remission of sins in whomsoeve commucates in the same his sins are forgiven him To conclude this point it concerns us then to know what sin is that we may rightly conceive of it as it is pardonable and also as it not pardonable for there is a sin saith the Apostle John which is not unto death or which is not in death that is it is not in that way of death and there is a sin that is in death I do not say that you shall pray for it that is you shall not pray for the pardon of it because it is not to be pardoned for where Christ is once crucified in the spirit he never is to live in that heart according to the spirit no more then where he is once crucified in the flesh he never lives in that heart according to the flesh Therefore in the next place he exhorts us unto the confession of our faults in the true acknowledgement of them one to another Vers 16. Confesse your faults one unto another and pray one for another that ye may be healed the effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much In these observe 1. An exhortation consisting of two parts 1. To confesse faults one to another 2. To pray one for another 2. The end wherefore That ye may be healed 3. A reason ground or cause drawn from the nature of prayer which is two-fold 1. It is effectuall 2. It is fervent 4. The qualitie of the person praying that is A righteous man 5. The issue or event of such prayer It avayleth much 1. ANd first for confession of faults sins or oberations from a law For where no law is there is no transgression for sinne is the transgression of a law or as the word is the withoutnesse of a rule Now there is the law of the flesh or carnall commandement which is the law of sinne and death and there is the law of the spirit or power of faith which is the perfect rule of righteousnesse or law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus Now the carnall commandement or perfunctory and fading ordinances may be broken yea abrogated and nayled to the crosse as that which is against us and yet forgiven for every breach or piercing through of the sonne of man that is mans institutions and appoyntments composed by that carnall law shall be forgiven or are forgiven for the disannulling of mans wisdome and in that respect to become a foole is the establishment of Gods wisdome in the removall of all guilt and condemnation from the soule And there is the law of the spirit or of that holy Ghost which if a man speake a word against intentionally or blaspheme and pierce through that is abrogate or make a nullity of it It shall never be forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come that is neither in the present mind and conscience of him that so doth nor in that holy mind and judgment of Christ from passing sentence against it being so remote and at such a distance from it and contrary unto it for the abrogation of the law of the spirit is no lesse then to disannull that wisdome of God in Christ by which device only the sin and guilt of the sons of men is taken away and no other way for else-where the redemption of the soule ceaseth for ever Confession of sins then one to another This phrase one to another is of like nature as
when Moses cast down his rod on the earth of Aegypt it became or as the word is it was to a Serpent when it was on the ground it was a Serpent a quite contrary thing then when it is in his hand or Ministry the one declaring the Dragons fury in that government of Pharaoh in Aegypt and the other that rod or scepter in the rule of Christ as that Shepheard and feeder of Israel as the word rod signifies a Scepter So that when we confes sin that is the breach of the law of the spirit in the world through the observation of the carnall command where Christ is bereaved of all his proper vertues operations of his spirit it is unto another that is that state is become another thing as Moses rod was then the son of God for it is that son of perdition even Sathan himselfe though under the figure of an Angell of light in the eye of the men of the world Again when we confesse sin that is the breach or abrogation of the law or carnall command that Christ is bereaved and dispoyled of all glory power and vertue of the arm of flesh so that his own arm saves and gets the victory not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts We confesse this sinne against the carnall command unto the unity of the spirit and the fulfilling of the law of Christ or of that rule of righteousnesse that is by faith in him which is to another that is to another thing state and condition then that of the letter that stands in outward observations temporary engagements and performances and this is that one and alone good thing desirable that Christ of God that carrieth and abideth for ever To confesse sin therefore or to make profession of any thing that is to praise or acknowledge it is to give the thing its nature and properties unto the utmost extent and so it must be here to an utter contrariety vast and perpetuated distance of the law of the flesh and that of the spirit otherwise we contradict the command of God by plowing with an oxe an asse together by wearing a garment of linnen and woollen and by sowing our field with two kinds of seed Quest Here ariseth a necessary question Whether in the acknowledgment of the nullity of the law of the carnall commandement unto that unity that is in Christ a Christian doth not thereby reckon and accâ—unt all the vertue of the Son of God to be his own proper portion and patrimony as also whether in acknowledgement of the nullity of that law of the spirit unto the unity of the harlot he doth not as necessarily reckon unto himself as his due and proper right and inheritance all those vicious abominations that rest and abide in the bosome of that man of sinne which is Antichrist Answ To which we answer that there is a like truth and reality in the acknowledgment of the one as there is in the other taken in a due respect as the mind of God commends the same unto us where he saith So then with my minde I my selfe serve the law of God but with my flesh the law of sin For a Christian must be plain down-right and reall in his acknowledgments before God whether of sin or of the fruits of righteousnesse yea in the root and originall both of the one and of the other Object But a Christian by faith professing the fruits of righteousness and fountaine out of which they flow is endewed with the life and spirit of them according to their native property in that blessed subject of Christianity else his confession of them is but as a fire paynted upon a wall or the picture of a man carved out of wood or stone that wants soule and spirit the ground of motion and operation For what is it to professe or acknowledge the love of God unlesse it be kindled in our hearts to a flame that many waters cannot quench neither the world drown or to confesse the power of Christ unlesse through him we be able to do all things or to praise the Kingdome Priesthood and propheticall office of Christ unlesse we have the power of rule reconciliation and interpretation in us Will it not then also follow that if he deale faithfully and sensibly in the confession of sin as that he hath not the understanding of a man that he persecuted the Church of God that he is the chiefe of sinners that the terrours of the Almighty are upon him that out of the belly of Hell he cries unto God that he is shut up and cannot come out If he deale playnly in that and be reall will it not follow that he hath in him the vicious desire of the flesh the state of the Devill if he be the chiefe of sinners and partaker of the terrors of Sathan sensibly if he cry out of the womb of hell that if the creature man participate of joyes celestiall and eternall in confession and acknowledgment of them So the creature or man must partake of all abominations of sinne and state and condition of the Devill if he be reall also therein in his acknowledgments Answ We answer in the name of God that no such consequence follows upon a reall confession of sin But through the wisdome and device of God it proves an eternall separation of the spirit of a Christian from all such sins and sorrows justly and really acknowledged in and upon man-kind or that matter whereof a Saint doth consist and this is proved by a true and reall distribution of man or of the creature according to the word of the Lord gone out in the disposing of it as a reall subject of mercy and severity of love and wrath We are to take a man in a two fold respect according to the intention and expression of the word of God which rightly judgeth and determineth all things 1. As it speaketh on this wise All power is given unto him in heaven and in earth because he is the son of man Againe whether is it easier to say Arise take up thy bed and walke or to say thy sins are forgiven but that ye might know that the sonne of man hath power to forgive sins So also blessed is the man or oh how happy it is and well for us that man going right forward not turning aside to the right hand nor to the left The Hebrew word Ashrei imports that simple and immixt condition of man which is only found in that man of God Christ Jesus who is God blessed for ever being that beginning head or fountaine of the creation of God that new creature and in this sence is man or the Creature considerable in the answer of this objection 2. We are to take man also in another sence infinitely remote from this where it is said man being in honour abideth not but is like the beast that perisheth and wo unto that man by whom the Son of man
to emulate decline and reject in all things the spirit that giveth life And at that Judgment-seat behold the summoning in and the assembling of all sin in the fight of God by the crucisication of Christ together with the manner of Gods execution of wrath for your acquittance and escape For in that throne is all sin summed up as in that King of Tyrus for corrupting the wisdome and prophaning the holy things of God see Ezek. 28. Againe in the acknowledgement of the breach and nullity of the law of the flesh appeal to the law of the spirit for it is the perfection and fulfilment thereof for the disjunction from all carnal and diabolicall things is the conjunction of God and man in Christ the crucification of Christ by the ministry of the letter in the world is the raising of him up from that death in the ministry of the spirit in the Saints for it is impossible that the Sonne of God should be held of death so as not to live his proper and native life If we expect unity with all the excellencies and virtues of God we must be loosned and disunited from all carnall relations and bonds and we must either have unity with all the things proper unto God or none for he cannot be devided therefore we must admit of a totall seperation from all carnal things that is such as fade have an end however we know that all things are lawful with due respect unto Gods call in the use of them yet are we not to be brought under the power of any thing as by a bond subjected unto it but to use the world as though we used it not to marry as though we married not and to buy as though we possessed not for the Son of God never acknowledged conjugation or copulation by any carnall tie or bond therefore when his mother told him at the feast that they had no wine he saith unto her woman what have I to do with thee mine houre is not yet come as to have my works and times set and appointed unto me by vertue of any earthly or temporary relation therefore shee bids the servants look unto his time and his command saying what soever he commands you that doe Where the force of earthly relations takes place of the spirit of Christ that state or place of honour shall never succeed well Againe when one told Jesus that his mother and his brethren stood without to speak with him he answered and said to him that told him Who is my mother and who are my brethren and he streched forth his hand towards his Disciples and said behold my mother and my brethren for whosoever shall do the will of my father which is in heaven the same is my brother and sister and mother all relations centred in one also when his mother found him in the Temple Questioning the Doctors saying why hast thou thus dealt with us behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing but he answers how is it that yee sought me wist you not that I must be about my fathers businesse as acknowledging none but that one father of eternity and in such relations stands the band of a Christian and therein is the acknowledgement of his ingagements But from this point it will be gathered by carnall spirits as of old then let us do evill that good may come thereby whose damnation is just if this be true then let us endeavour to undermine extirpate root out and bring to nought all naturall relations and consociations amongst the sons of men 1. To which we answer that no such consequence followes upon the spirit of Christianity for the abrogation of the law of the flesh is to repeal and abolish it compleatly and it confists of an affirmative and negative part the affirmative is to set up adorne and maintain all things honourable in the fight of man according to the nature manner and constitution of the place where it is exercised and to avoyd and abandon the contrary shame and this is but one administration or law for they are inseperably joyned together even as the honourable sentence of the Judge of a Size unto death and the shamesull office of the hang-man are but one administration So that from the office of the Judge you bring in the office of the Hang-man and from the act of the hang-man you include the office of the Judge or else the law is not compleated in that point right so in the abolishing and disannulling of the law of the flesh that it takes not hold as being any yoak or bond upon the Saints it is compleatly repealed and made voyd both in respect of all things that the world makes and accounts honourable and likewise of all things that are dishonourable and shamefull in the same account so that it becomes nothing else but a provocation unto them to guard and fortifie themselves against the one and the other for they are one intire and undivided law or administration The Saints therefore cannot go about to establish that which they abolish for the shamefull acts of the world are nulled unto them as well as the honourable no more then the wicked in making voyd unto themselves the law of the spirit can possibly go about to set up or advance the crosse of our Lord Jesus in the true vertue and power of it 2. We answer that to such a conclusion from our freedome from the carnall command or way of the letter of the Scripture is to lay a hard thought and deep censure upon the spirit and power of God for shall the wisdome and institutions of man that shall vanish and come to naught have power in them to provoke to dilligence to preserve in peace to keep in temporance chastity gravity and moderation in all things and shall not the spirit of God or law of that spirit be sufficiently wise and able to preserve men in modestety chastity gravity and moderation in all things with wisdome care and deligence to use the creature of what kinde soever according to time place and occasion as becomes the nature end and use thereof without lisentious and lascivious liberty surely those that so judge never found nor felt the virtue life liberty and power of the spirit of our only Lordship and salvation Jesus Therefore the reason of our thus appealing follows Namely that yee may be healed The spirit of God makes this manner of appeal the possession to purge out all superfluous humors the soveraign salve to cure all deseases the cordiall medicine against all crudities of soule and peccant humours of spirit this is health to thy navell and marrow unto thy bones If when we see the breach os the law of the spirit of Christ we carry it unto the law of the flesh and observe how that is onely established thereby and when we observe the repeal of the law of the flesh as made of none effect we carry it up into the law of the
spirit and know that it is established and confirmed for ever thereby This is the Medicamentosus without which no prayer can be made acceptable unto God for if prayer confirme not the law of the spirit it bindes not over the Lord to be our supply if it comprize not his mercy within the bounds of its proper place which is Christ our boundlesse and common salvation This appeal or prayer must also confirme the law of the flesh or else it carrieth not all sin and sorrow into its proper place of aboad which is Antichrist or Satan that slayer of the Sonne of man from the beginning even as Caine slew his brother because his own works are evill and the works of the Sonne of man good and in these twain stands the health of our souls and is by them preserved for ever viz. a place of the reception of all wickednesse where it abides exercised in the curse for the acquitting of the Saints for ever And a place of reception into righteousnesse and residence of that blessed estate of the Sonne of God in the love and delight of the father for ever in the just condemnation of all enmity The third point is the ground of this sound and healthfull condition by this appeal or prayer and first it is effectuall or forceable without let or hinderance the appeal is made upon such grounds as nothing can stop the bringing of the cause thither either for the stating of sin or of righteousnesse of the curse in the confirmation of the law of the flesh or of the blessing in the law of the spirit of Christ in the one and Antichrist in the other No Supersedias can be sued out no counter-command can be given no obstruction can be made to stop or recall the stating of all abominations in the exercise and practice of the carnall command and all the vertues excellencies and dignities of God in Christ in that law of the spirit for Satan the God of this world which is the wisdome of the world the subtilty of the serpent as he is a murther our from the beginning in slaying and putting to death the Lord of life and glory so is he a lyar and abode not in the truth so is he sacrelegious robing God of his glory making himselfe to be God adulterating the word of God turning the glory of God into shame and is the sole and proper opposer of God in all his excellencies therefore nothing can hinder no law or evidence gain-say but that state is the proper sinck and center of all wickednesse and so of all wrath Also in its appeal to the law of the spirit which is the proper order and composure of the Son of God what can obstruct but that in him are all those dementions of height depth length and breadth of the goodnesse mercy truth life power spirit and love of God for ever therefore this prayer or appeal is most forceable and effectuall it passeth through without let or hinderance for the performance of its work in rendring to each his right in the perfecting of the cause of its appeal 2. It is fervent hot without any intermixture of cold the word signifies to boyle which admits of no cooling thing to come there such is the nature of true prayer it admits no chilly or cold thing to be cast into the love and zeal of God in Christ but findes the coles thereof to be fiery coles yea to have a vehement flame Neither can the spirit of prayer admit of any cooling mixtures in the fume and heat of Gods wrath in the wealthy of the world named above for a fire is kindled in mine anger which shall burn down to the nethermost hell But the Academists of our age they know how to moderate the love of Christ in those whom they call Saints by some cold and decaying humor of the spirit of the world yet tradition is of that strength in them that they dare not impute such to him that was borne of the Virgin but for any sound knowledg they have of him they might as soon do it to him as any of that mysticall body and would for advantage if they had been brought up in Schools of such principles for they have nothing but what they receive from man Likewise they can cool Gods infinite displeasure against sin with graduall distinctions of it as good part in nature some good works wraught some remainders of Gods image in the wicked such sleights of Satan we skill not but are confident the path of fervent prayer never lay in that way nor shall ever be beaten out or found in it by all those carnall and superstitious cuttings and fleshly launsings of the Priests of Baall to uphold Ahabs Throne in all the Statues of his Ancestor Omry The fourth point is the qualification of the person praying and that is a righteous man Now a righteous or just man is he who gives every thing its proper right and due which appertains and belongs unto it if we speak of any thing of God give unto it arise arraign and scope appertaining to God if we speak of any of the ordinances of God give them the vertue property duration and continuance of the Son of God who abides for ever else we give not the Son of God that great ordinance and fountaine of all holy ordinances his right and due who is holy spirituall just and good otherwise they are human and perishing things and we are found unjust in not giving Christ his due the spirit of prayer and this effectuall appeal resides not there Againe if we speak of any thing as not having the Sonne of God in it then give it the spirit and power of the Prince of the aire the spirit that now works in the children of unbeleif or disobedience for the scope and end of all things is Christ in the exercise of mercy in the faith of the Gospel or in the exercise of wrath in that way of Antichrist for we know that we are of God and the world is of that wicked one namely the Devil therefore if we speak of sin give it its due the guilt of making a nullity and falcification of him that made all things in truth If we speak of sinners give them the state and condition of their father the Devill whose works they do and will doe Either clear the innocent whom God in Christ justifies once and for ever and so give them their due belonging unto them and condemn the guilty who reject the manner and way of his acquitting of his Saints or else no person quallified for prayer if you speak of death bring it unto the scope either death unto all transitory and carnall things in Christ or else death unto all spirituall and durable things in Antichrist or else we give not right unto it and so are not that righteous man whose prayer availeth and is the event and issue of this prayer which is the fifth point that is it availeth
or a Saviour any where but as lockt up in a humane body in heaven that men may stand here in his room till he return from thence to suck up all the glory of the earth It was not so in ages past and men spirituall for Joshuah Moses Minister was called Jesus a Saviour as the Apostle interprets his name and the Lord acknowledgeth in raising up Judges in Israell that he raised up Saviours unto them And Paul was not affraid to tell Timmothie that in taking heed to himselfe that is how God hath composed salvation in his consisting in Christ and unto learning or doctrine that is how it ought to be layd out and distributed to others that in so doing he should be a Saviour of himselfe and them that heare him 2. A second point is what he saves that is a soule or a life this is not meant of the life of a meer creature but it is the life of the Son of God as our Apostle affirms Now I live yet not I but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live is by or in the faith of the sonne of God So that a Christians life is the life of Christ and there is no life of man-kind but either the life of the Saviour or else the life of Sathan that destroyer for heaven and earth conspire together in the making of man Let us speaking with respect to that plurality in our image that is in our image earthly as well as heavenly for there is a heavenly body and there is an earthly body and God is as just and righteous in the making of the one as of the other and every way as honourable the one in mercy and the other in severity And man cannot be known in a simple act of creation for that multiplies him not but propagation or generation must be brought in also else the son of God nor the seed of the Serpent can be known so both are brought forth in that first act of generation in Cain and Abel wherein the seed of the Serpent appears in the same act as in Jacob and Esau together with Christ in Abel dead by Caine in the spirit and in Seth that sett one in life for evermore who is set in the room of Abel crucified in the world So that the life of Christ and of Antichrist are both from one act even from as early dayes the one as the other and without the true knowledg of that we know neither of them and for other life in man-kind we know none worthy the name of life beyond other creatures but as it serves to the setting forth of the one or of the other of these and so they transcend the life of all other creatures as far as the image of God did the frame of any other creature or that earthly image descends below them all even to a bottomlesse pit which no other creature is subjected unto but only man 3. There is a third point what he saves from that is death namely a death that holds correspondency with that infinite and eternall life of the Son of God in way of Parathesis in all points for Christ is saved from whatsoever Sathan is hath or undergoes and Sathan is destroyed from whatsoever Christ is hath or is advanced unto therefore that conceit that Sathan was an Angell that is a meere creature at the first and in acceptation with God is a meer humane tradition and philosophicall fiction and is a point of greater concernment then men are aware of for it is as safe to say that the son of God was for a time out of the Fathers favour as to hold that the Devill at any time was in acceptation with God for whatsoever is out of Gods favour can never return into againe and what is accepted of him for a moment caâ— never be rejected 2. A second royalty or act of fame that is to be acknowledged by him who turns the sinner from the errour of his way changing him into truth it selfe that is the covering or hiding of a multitude of sins This is taken from the speech of Solomon Hatred stirreth up strife but love covereth all sins which our Apostle calls a multitude of sins the word signifies the deep of the troubled ocean intimating that huge multitude of torturing and troubling trespasses proper to that great gulfe of the bottomlesse pit Now to turn from the error of a mans way is to turn to truth and no man can turn to truth but by that unity that is in Christ none turns to truth but hee that becomes truth for there is no terme or title given in Scripture but being rightly interpretted and rightly applyed the truth substance and being of the thing is there for God useth no expression but he intends under that the truth and substance of the thing expressed To turn to truth is not only truth in word but truth in act also yea to be that very thing as Christ saith I am the way the truth and the life Now that unity that is in Christ is the fulfilment and compleating of the law of the Spirit for if the love of Christ be in us and constrayn us to all acknowledgments of him we know that love is the fulfilling of the Law and where the Law is fulfilled there sin utters not its voyce nor hath it a face to appear it is altogether hid and covered for ever Christ is the eâ—d and scope of the law for righteousnesse and more it aymes not at nor more it cannot require for it is the sonne of God that is justified who then shall condemn him The law is fully satisfied from what ground then shall any accuse yea our Apostle saith that the righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in us that walke not after the flesh but after the spirit No hiding of sin therefore but by fulfilling of the law but what law not the law of the carnall commandement generally taught in the world by which no flesh can be justified but it is the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus or which consists in that unction office or spirit of the Saviour Againe how do the wicked hide righteousnesse that none appears in them but only the spirit of the wicked one namely by walking according to the law of the flesh For he that walks after the law of the flesh he cannot please God so that all righteousnesse is hid and covered in them yea even by fulfilling the law of the flesh for the more they conform themselves thereunto the more their condemnation doth appear for it is not because men cannot perform all the works of the law in that respect that they cannot be justified thereby but because they do any of them for it is against the nature of that law of the carnall Commandement and every part thereof to justifie for it is its proper nature and office to condemn for we may as well say that the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus is a law of sin and death as to say the law of the carnall command can give life or peace no not in the compleat performance of it For every part thereof is a breach of the law of the spirit And whatsoever is a breach of the law of the spirit is a crucifying of the Son of God afresh and putting of him to open shame so that every performance of the law of the flesh according to the intent thereof is a breach of the same law of the spirit and he that breaks one breaks all therefore all righteousness is hid and covered in the wicked even so the true keeping of the law of the spirit of faith in any part of it is a nullifying of the whole law of the carnall Command therefore no law of sin and death is found in them all sins and sorrows are hid and covered therefore the man is blessed whose trespass is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the man and he only unto whom the Lord imputeth accounteth or reckoneth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile Amen By Sam Gorton Professor of Christ FINIS
plucked out of the fire being found to be one of the flock of God once and for ever No marvell then though our Apostle saith Go too now unto the wicked and wealthy in point of Pharisaical excellencies for as the state of death and darknesse discovered by the Gospel doth sharpen and provoke the godly unto joy thankfulness for their deliverance and escape therefrom Even so doth the state of life and peace discovered in the Saints by the same Gospel sharpen provoke the wicked to enmity and despair which is the expelling of the spirit of God quenching the same in themselves Therefore he bids them weep howl for the misery that cometh upon them hereby and by weeping he signifies unto them the departure and loss of all good even that life of the Lord Jesus whom they crucifie afresh unto themselves and make a mock of him in whose life all goodnesse is treasured up and comprehended which unto them is vanished as a vapour therefore he bids them weepe for the losse of good causeth tears and by howling he minds them of that present wrath and torture which abides upon them and possesseth them which however it may lye as Dormant for a time yet this sin of killing Chrst in the Spirit is the same with that of Caines killing his brother and lies at the door as the proper and only in-let of the deluge of Gods wrath into the soule and indeed into the world For it cuts off the Sonne of God from being propagated and brought forth in the world according to the spirit and power proper to himselfe as that wicked act of Cain cut him off from being brought forth in his geneologie after the flesh in the way of Abel and so makes a nullity of Schin that makes all things and therefore must have all guilt in it which is the doore and in-let for execution of vengeance Therefore he adds for the misery that shall come upon you or as the word may be read in the present tense is come upon you For in these twain that is to say in the losse of all good and the possession of all evill perfect misery and wretchednesse doth consist The word translated Howle in the Hebrew is Shadad and signifies to destroy of which Zadai is derived a title given unto God signifying power or Almighty and here is an elegant allusion unto the etymologie of the originall phrase used by the Prophets signifying unto us that no less then Gods Almighty power is exercised and put forth to the utmost in the scattering and destruction of all such as stifle the Son of God in the breathings of his holy Spirit in themselves by preferring glorying in other things before it or as it is in others by vilifying contemning and persecuting it whereupon the next phrase is brought in viz. Vers 2. Your riches are corrupted and your garments are motheaten THat is all the substance they enjoy boast of and glory in is putrified and changed from that which otherwise and else-where it is for they adulterate the holy word of God unto themselves by subjecting and prostrating the same unto their owne lusts of pride cruelty and vain-glory as though such things were the naturall fruits of it they bring them forth and also nourish and foster them by it as a Harlot doth a child in an adulterous way that is after the way of the letter that kills and not in the way of the Spirit that gives out the life of the Lord Jesus Therefore it is that above he calls them adulterers and adulteresses telling them that the love of the world is enmity with God that is that which the world counts love in the height and top of affection is the proper malice and enmity of Caine whereby he kills and crucifies him who is not ashamed to call his Saints brethren being flesh of their flesh and bone of their bone And we must know that there is a unity in the Harlot as well as in the true Espousall For hee that is joyned unto an harlot is one flesh for two saith he shall be one flesh By twaine there is not meant creature and creature joyned together but God and the Creature are become one in that way of the harlot that is they are become one carnall corrupt and sinfull estate for there is as neere a unity between God and man in that man of Sin unto all unrighteousnesse in prophaning all the holy things of God unto destruction in which the holy one is cleare from being a proper actor or agent in any of them all as there is in Christ that man of God unto all righteousnesse and holinesse by setting sinfull man apart to all honour in salvation whereby being joyned unto the Lord is made one spirit with him that is they twayn are but one holy happy and righteous estate and condition wherein man is excluded from being any proper agent or actor as in any thing proper and naturall to the Creature So that man putrifies and corrupts the Son of God in himselfe through principles and aptitudes of mind proper to a Creature but not unto God subjecting the things of God to the law of the carnall Commandement naturally ingraffed and written in mans spirit which is the law of sin and death And God sanctifies and makes holy man in himselfe through principles and aptitudes proper to the Creator himselfe and not unto the Creature by subjecting it to the will of God according to his wisdome which is that state of righteousnesse and law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The proper riches and excellencies of the world then are corrupted and are become the proper mammon of iniquitie for however they may count upon truth to come within the compasse of their estates and reckonings to advance their excellencies thereby yet it is corrupted unto them for they have changed the truth of God into a lye Indeed they lay claime to Jesus as a Saviour on whom they hang all their vanishing carnall and Spider-web like hopes But he is corrupted and as a moth in them being become Shadad or Shedim a waster and destroyer They monopolize Churches and Congregations of God unto themselves but they are corrupted and are become Synagogues of Satan and an assembly of evill doers For they are no true Church of Christ or congregation of the first born of God whose names are recorded in heaven that so expound the word of God as they can but apply some one part thereof as their present ornament and furniture for they may as well as indeed they do lay aside some part of Christ for the present and so divide him and make a nullity of him as to lay aside some part of the word of God as not in present use in their dayes being a garment not holding proportion with their composed body But the true Church knowes that the end of the Law is Christ and can tell how to adorn it selfe in
to pray or to believe or the grace of remission of his sins expressed and declared in those glad tidings For the grace of Christ is as truly collective in the subsistance of it as distributive whosoever therefore receives freely that party hath a like vertue also freely to give Moreover the world who by wisdome know not God teach by that wisdome that a Christian may be possessed with and have the enjoyment of the spirit of Christ that holy spirit of the Son of God and yet the humane nature of Christ not present but wholy absent and remote in another place these men may aswel upon like ground professe themselves to be members of Christ but not of his body for of his Saints he saith Ye are flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone not of another So that the two natures in Christ according to the mystery of salvation in the Gospel are of the same extent that his mysticall body is and are co-apparent to the wisdome of God in whomsoever it is For the spirit of Christ never uttered or manifested it selfe but as the son of sorry man utters and manifests himselfe in and by such principles and abtitudes as are proper and peculiar to the living and eternall God taking their being and form from the wisdome and power of God and not from the policie and power of a creature for without the Coagulation of these twayn there is no spirit of Christ made manifest nor is it in its operation Therefore to separate the spirit of Christ from the humane nature of Christ in any of its operations is to make a nullity of Christ the faith of such persons is vaine their holy garments of the Ministry are moth-eaten their righteousnesse is the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees which enter not into the kingdome and their proper holinesse is the purification of the flesh purging themselves of all the operations of the spirit of life that no ray or beame thereof be found upon them which a wicked man is as careful of as the Saints of God are of being stained and spotted with the flesh For if we gather not up and take in true man into all the operations proper to the spirit of God wee dis-unite and separate that which the wisdome of God hath so curiously embroydered and wrought up together for the spirit of Christ and of God quickneth only to that blessed estate and condition of the Son of God and not to any other even as a rationall spirit filled with artificiall principles to find out the nature and cause of things quickneth only unto that state and condition of man-kind and not unto the condition of any other creature upon the earth Vers 3. Your gold and your silver is canckered and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as fire yee have heaped treasure together for the last dayes AS Gold and Silver are the most precious and durable mettals in the account and use of man so righteousnesse and holinesse are the diadem and duration of the Gospel of the Kingdom the son of God and they are reckoned here as their Silver and Gold who crucifie the love of life and glory no otherwise but as sinne is reckoned upon Christ where it is said that he was made sin for us who knew no sinne even so these are made righteous that know no righteousnesse of God in Christ For the just and unjust are made of like yea of the very same matter for God and man are really to be considered both in the one and in the other and otherwise the true state of life and death canot be rightly composed neither is the gospel and faith of the Son of God preached For in what tone sence or respect man may be said to be in that worke of salvation wrought by Christ and participate in the power and glory thereof In like sence may the Sonne of God be said to be and is in that work of destruction and participates in the defect and shame thereof For as the wisdome of God in that way of Christ purifies and cleanseth that earthly and corruptible nature of man in its taking of it into unity from all sin and uncleanesse unto a state and condition becoming the Sonne of the holy and eternal God even so doth the wisdome of man or of the flesh in taking hold of and searching into the things of God corrupt and defile unto or in it selfe that holinesse and puritie which is in the word or Sonne of God unto a state and condition proper and peculiar to that man of sinne and son of perdition for the world by widome knows not God that is through its proper wisdome and Serpentine policie is blinded and become ignorant of him So that there is a true and reall proportion between the mistery of God in Christ and the mistery of iniquity in Antichrist else the state of the wicked could not have in it an Almighty power of wrath and displeasure as the state of the Saints hath in it an allsufficiency of mercy and love for the proper Original and fountaine of each is in themselves and not in another that is to say the proper fountaine of love and mercy is in Christ and not else-where to be found and the proper fountaine of wrath and displeasure is in Antichrist and not founded else-where So that righteousnesse and holinesse of the word of God or Sonne of God for it is not the word but in its creating virtue as it frames it selfe in Christ and this word is canckered in the world for God and man in a mistery are become a corrupt estate and condition in that way of Antichrist directly contrary unto that oriental Gold and seven times purified silver that is in Jesus Christ and that party who is ignorant of the mistery of iniquity in the corrupting and adultrating of the word of God may talk of the unity that is in Christ Jesus purifying making chast mans nature in that word of God but it is onely as he hath received it by tradition from Libraries Councels and Accademical courses but the revelation of the spirit he knows not the onely means of the conveyance of the knowledge thereof The purest mettal thus changed becoms rust and that is first witnesse against them secondly It eates their flesh as fire Rust we know is the putrifaction and filthinesse of mettals contracting it selfe and arising from the not using thereof even so the not exercising and putting into use the righteousnesse and holinesse of the word of God that royal law of the spirit is the contraction raising up of the vision and corrupt desires of the flesh which is the very cancker spot and staine of the soule that it becoms reprobate Silver thereby not to passe for currant to any in the kingdome of God First and this rust by this means contracted is a witnesse against them that they have put the just one to death as
it is exprest in Ver. 6. For as the use and exercise of the law of the spirit in the declaration of the virtue of Christ Jesus the contraction and Emitto whereof is the splendant brightnesse of Christianity testifying unto all men that therein consists the crucification of the flesh in all the affections and lusts of it Even so the exercise of the law of the flesh in the contraction and sending forth of the desires and affections thereof testifies unto all men that therein consists the crucification and death of Christ Jesus according to the spirit testifying an eternal guilt upon an act of such nature as that is which is of no lesse concernment then the kissing of the Son of the eternal God Secondly It eates their flesh as fire now we know that as rust eateth and consumeth the mettals in which it breeds so doth fire consume and destroy the fuel in which it fastneth it selfe and taketh hold and without fuell the fire ceaseth for take away fuel and the fire goeth out Now the proper fuel wherein the wrath of God kindleth it selfe is the wisdome of the flesh so that take away that and the fire thereof goeth out it is not without that no more then fire is without fuel and therefore no creature in the world is capable of the eternal wrath of God but onely mankinde no more then any can be in a capacity of the consolation of God but such as are indued with his wisedome For as the consolations of God kindle themselves and become extant through that wisdome of God which hath given it selfe so glorious and an eternal forme in all the virtue relations and respects that are between God and man in Christ without which the consolations could not be no more then the eye can see without light or a house stand without the pillars and joynts of it even so the jealousie and wrath of Almighty God kindles it selfe becomes extant and in exercise through the wisdome of the flesh setting such a forme on the operations relations and respects as are conversant in the state of Antichrist between God and man For the wisdome of the creature or carnal law is wrath unto execution against such as use cruelty to the innocent especially in the highest degree and when the proper operations of the word according to the carnal law are made manifest it shall appear that they have exercised cruelty against the innocent Son of God that then in the highest degree in putting him to death in all that livelyhood and operation of his holy spirit which is not permitted to exercise it selfe or breath in them whereupon they must of necessity by that their wisdome judge condemn and execute wrath upon themselves which could not hold proportion with this their fact but as the power of God kindles it selfe therein yet so as the proper power and spirit of God is not any cause or original thereof that is of their torment but man himselfe is the proper cause and fountaine thereof out of which it for ever floweth For as the soule of man is kindled and inflamed through the wisdome of God with the love and consolations of God yet the soule of the creature is no proper original or fountaine thereof for they are the love and comforts of the Creator and not of a creature yet is the creature conversant and active in them even so the power and spirit of God kindles it selfe through the wisedome of the flesh the literall voice of the Scriptures written in all mens hearts in wrath and displeasure and is conversant and infinitely active therein yet is the spirit and power of God no proper original or fountaine of wrath but the wisedome and spirit of the creature is the proper cause and fountaine of it therefore it is sayd of the Lord fury is not in me We must remember then that when the Scriptures ascribe unto man love joy peace grace mercy glory power and virtue proper unto the Saints they are such as God is the fountaine and cause of and not the creature yet are they the excellency of the Sonne of God who is not without the creature though he be God blessed for ever So likewise when we see the Scriptures ascribe unto God anger wrath fury displeasure and vengence which are proper unto the wicked they are such as the creature is the proper fountaine and original of and not God yet are they not without God but are the proper exercise of that man of sinne and sonne of perdition yea of that Shadad or Shedim that destroyer of man kinde who is the God of this world the Prince that ruleth in darknesse which is accursed for ever And as for such devils as are composed through that conjuration of academicall Nations from literall expressions of the Scriptures as connexions of the dictates of their own hearts we skill not but give glory to God both in mercy and severity in the exercises of them and so the rest is an infallible testimony and witnesse of the nature and practice of Satan himselfe the God of this wicked world therefore the Apostle saith We know that we are of God and the world is of that wicked one as the word is that is of the Devill the off-spring and seed of the Serpent accursed from the beginning 3. He addes therefore in the third place Ye have he aped treasure together for the last day To heap treasure together is to augment increase inlarge and so to fill up as nothing more can be added which is impossible unlesse it be an infinite Treasury and then he who onely is infinite must be in the store so that almighty and eternal God is in the wrath hoarded up against the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgement of God for there is a fulnesse of sin without vacuity either in respect of time place or action for the sinne of the Amorites must be full when Abrahams seed possesse the land or else the fulnesse of our deliverance in Christ appears not for there is a fulnesse in or fulfilment of the letter of the Scripture in that way of Judas in his betraying of Christ unto death as there is a fulnesse in that law of the spirit or fulfilment of the Scripture in bringing forth unto light and of that Emanuel God with us For as Christ being true man naturally mortall is filled with eternal life in the excellency and purity of the Son of God so Antichrist being true God in the unity of his creation immortal becomes filled with eternal death through the lusts and corruption of man for it is whole Christ that dyes and not a part of him he dyes in the Saints unto sinne Satan and all corruptable things So that when the Prince of this world cometh he findes not in him to joyne himselfe with or lay claym unto and he dyes in the unbeleife unto all things of the spirit acceptable unto God and in this doth that ransome consist
fruit nor profit ariseth For he is cut off from the land of the living in the world and hath made his grave in the wicked and in the rich of this world is his death For the Son of God hath expended his life in Antichrist unto no fruit or profit of the Spirit but unto corruption as the Son of man hath expended his life in Christ unto no utility or fruit of the flesh but unto purity and holinesse 4. Therefore in the fourth place they are said to keep back his hyre the hyre of a labourer is to return unto him a reward proportionable to his worke The word hire signifies to gather together as a Master gathers to himselfe a servant to be answerable one to another by contract which the world in that unity of the harlot denyes unto Christ for he that is holinesse gives and unites himselfe unto them but they return no such thing unto him but only corruption He who is love in himselfe is united unto them but they return nothing but enmity He who is truth gives himselfe to them but they return a lye unto him He who is eternall life gives himselfe to them but they return eternall death unto him and so hold no proportion with him unto whom they are contracted nor bring they forth any thing for his supply sutable in the least to his nature and quality Whereas the Saints make return to God with things which are of God holding proportion with him with whom they are in contract For they are increased with the increasings of God for of his fulnesse we all receive and grace for grace It is the love of God shed abroad in their hearts which is the love by which they make over themselves in contract unto him and become Espousals together with him and can say with David that beloved one All things are thine and of thine own we have given thee Which the world falls infinitely short of yea is in direct Antithesis unto the same therefore they are said to keep back by fraud deceit or guile because they give that unto themselves and things of the creature which belongs unto the Lord and things that are of him they give unto themselves wisdome power and glory which is the prerogative Royall of the Son of God defrauding him of his right for they give their sons unto Moloch or unto the King that is unto the Kingdome and glory of the world wherein there is as absolute a change of the word of God from its proper nature and operation to become sinfull and diabolicall in them in that way of Antichrist as there is of sinfull man from his naturall properties to become that holy Son of God in the way of Christ therefore they that gave their sonnes unto Moloch that is to the reign dominion and counsell of the flesh they are said to sacrifice unto Devils and not unto God no greater fraud then to give that to the Devill which is pretended to be given unto God and it is the proper work of Sathan to bow the heart to the glory of the creature whereby hee keeps back and retains to himselfe that honour which is proper to the Creature These persons defraud the Son of God of his livelihood who only lives by his labour for where there is no operation and work of Christ there is no life of Christ no work of faith no labour of love no patience of hope no breathings of Christ he is dead in that heart for the Religion of God is not notionall but efficatious The Lord Jesus lives by his labour the world defrauds him of it detaining it in their own sinfull and selfish operations whereby they with-hold the truth in unrighteousnesse the titles given unto Christ as of a person King Lord Prince c. As of an office as Mediator Advocate Intercessor Or of relations as Father Husband friend or the like are carefully to be taken up and assumed by the Creature as they do concern the honour office and relation of this life yet they may be assumed in that respect as we may eate and drinke marry and give in marriage which all perish in the use provided that they be assumed as we are to buy or as we are to marry that is as though we possest them not and as though we assumed them not for the fashion of this world passeth away that is that which men may form unto themselves to be excellent and praise-worthy may at another time or in another place become odious and abominable as we have seen in the name King Bishop Priest having many wives and keeping only to one have been But to assume them or teach men so to do as things appertaining to the dignity office or relation of a creature not considered in Christ but as it concerns creature and creature to be the ultimate end scope and drift of the Scripture in any Title Office or Relation whatsoever is satanicall and wicked for the end of the law is Christ therefore the scope of them all and every particular is God and man in Jesus Christ and thither it is to be brought and there centred or else we defraud the labourer by detayning his due unto our selves or rather giving it unto Satan himselfe In which the cry of the defrauded one doth consist which is the fifth point propounded in order 5. And this cry is the cry of the blood of Abel for the exercise of wrath in wrong done unto the innocent whose life as it is taken away by force and cruelty of Cain that man-slayer from the beginning so is it taken away by guile and subtilty defrauding by the Serpent him of the proper meanes of his living which is his owne operations the fruits of that tree of life by giving the glory and vertue to make wise unto the tree of knowledg of good and evill which is a preferring the law of the flesh above the law of the spirit the wisdome of man above the wisdome of God For as the wisdome of God in that law of the spirit through its curious device of the joynting of God and man to be one estate and condition carries in it a sufficient and prevalent argument to move the tender compassions and bowels of mercy therein as in an only beloved son even so the wisdome of man in that law of the flesh craftily insinuating the glory and power of the arm of flesh to be the glory and power of God giving unto it what is only proper to God hath in it a sufficient acclamation and argument to move the exercise of Gods wrath in the soule as in one that is guilty of an infinite deceipt of Serpents subtilty Yea as that life-blood of sprinkling of the Lamb slain according to the flesh in that house of the Israelite struck upon the door-posts and Lintels thereof that is upon all the wayes of egresse and regress into and out of the same hath in it a sufficient testimony and cry of restraint
in the destroying Angel to cause him to passe over as not having any employment there Even so the blood of Abel shed by the cruelty of Cain as a Lamb slain from the beginning according to the spirit or by the subtilty of Judas betraying him with a kisse hath in it a sufficient cry in the destroying Angel to move the exercise of wrath upon the first born of Aegypt the beginning top of all that strength wherein they trust who cruelly and fraudulently keep back Israel from his advance unto the land of Canaan The one hath in it the voyce and language of peace reconciliation and agreement with God as his first-born and onely beloved The other hath in it breach of brother-hood and fellowship the voyce of a vagabond flying from Gods presence and the glory of his power as in Caine and wrath unto self-murther and destruction as in Judas Iscariot that Confessor or Preacher for hire as his name signifies in whom the word of God in it selfe Lord over all is changed and transformed into an hireling 6. This cry enters into the eares of the Lord for as there is a certaine propencity in the eare of a man to take in any sound that moves the ayre and to give it a true and proper form his heart ecchoing the same thing whether it be matter of joy or matter of terrour Even so there is nothing that moves either in the proper sphere of Gods displeasure or of his acceptation and love but there is a proper and immediate aptitude in his wisdome and power to receive and give a true form thereunto according to the nature thereof ecchoing the same thing in returning an answerable and proportionable measure of wrath or mercy into that heart in which it moves where he hath place of a boad either in way of mercy as man by unity is become the Son of God in Christ or else in wrath as God is by unity also become the sonne of perdition in that way of Antichrist 7. And therefore that terme and title of honour is given him namely the Lord of Sabboth or Sabboths plurally for that which the Prophet Isaiah writes the Lord of Hosts plurally the Apostle to the Romans writes the Lord of Sabboth that is the Lord of Rest or plurally Rests and this declares unto us that wonder of Gods rest or cessation from his work and labour in the beginning and and how he worketh also even untill now For God rests and there is an absolute cessation of all works and operations proper to the Son of God in that way of the fall eating of the forbidden fruit or exercise of the carnall commandement in which no vertue motion or operation of the spirit is found but an utter and absolute cessation from them all and so the earth is sayd to enjoy its Sabboths by Gods laying of it wast from its inhabitants and in this condition the operations of the flesh and power of Satan are found and frequently in exercise Againe God resteth and ceaseth from labour for we never understand the name God in a good and proper sence but with respect unto God in Christ by whom the worlds were made and in him God rests and there is an utter and totall cessation from all the works of sin and death fruits of the flesh and operations of Satan which mans nature is subject unto there is a perpetuall rest cessation and sabbatizing in the Son of God from them all but there is a most glorious operation of the spirit and powerfull work of the Son of God in that estate and condition of Jesus Christ who is that rest that yet remayns in the people of God therefore it is said hitherto the father worketh and I worke and therefore the word Saba in the Hebrew tongue signifies either Sabboth a Rest or an Host or Armie and sometimes the Apostles in Greeke translates it Lord God Almighty to declare that there is an Almighty power of conquest in whomsoever the rest is found for there is an Almighty power of the whole host of Satans enmity in conquering and subduing the spirit and vertues of Christ in themselves resting from them all And there is an Almighty power of the spirit of grace in that Army of Heaven and order of the Son of God in vanquishing and subduing of all the power of sin and Satan unto that perfect rest which ever remayns in that only and beloved Son of God And truly the world may as well preach the temporall sword to be the Rescue Reformer and Conservation of the Church as the best and greatest Councell Synods Synodrians and Assemblies that ever were or can be gathered together only in the strength and power of humane learning wisdome experience and policy for in such the Lord is in array as an host and in rest and cessation but it is to do that work that strong worke of wrath not proper to the Son of the blessed whereby he rests from all his owne operations as the ensuing words do declare Vers 5. Yee have lived in pleasures on the earth and been wanton yee have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter YOu have lived in pleasure on the earth as Dives or that rich man did that is you have taken delight and made it your very living to exercise your selves in earthly and temporary things all your dealings and commerce is in such things as your selves cannot but confesse must have an end and cease to be and therefore earthly as your bodily fasts and humiliations your bodily feasts and verbal thanksgivings for vanishing things your Sabboths only in cessation from bodily labour your earthly victories and honourable achievements these are the food you feed on the things wherein your delight and pleasure is set and must they not have an end If so then are they earthly because they fade and vanish as the flower of grasse Nay the order of your Churches and Elderships the ordination and institutions of your Oracles and Orators will these stand with the Assembly and Church of the first-born of God whose names are enrolled in heaven where every one hath a like share and equall right to all the offices orders and priviledges of the kingdome if not they are earthly composed by the ministery of the letter that kills and not by the law of the spirit of life Add further what is your faith your prayers and righteousnesse are not these earthly and carnall as held and practised by you Can you tell what use to put them unto in your professed world to come I tro not for for any thing that ever I could learn from the common Priesthood of these dayes they have no use of the imputed righteousnesse of the Son of God when once their sanctification is compleated nor of their faith when they have attayned the end of it which they say is at their coming to heaven nor of prayer when they shall need no more to converse with or have supply of
brightnesse thereof in the one we see from what we are eternally delivered and in the other to what we are eternally delivered so that the three dayes and halfe is the same with that time times and the division of time in which the woman is sayd to be in the wildernesse it is for a time that is one simple time or act of eternity it is times plurally that is there is a time of the Son of God wherein nothing of the son of perdition is contained and there is a time of the son of perdition wherein nothing proper to the state of the Son of God is contained And there is the division of time that is in one simple individuall act of eternity they are everlastingly separated and divided infinitely remote from each other in all things which appertain and belong unto them If this Candlestick were not removed for it is but one by the testimony of the Prophet Zachary with seven bowles and this oyle and light extinct in the world and these Prophets or this Prophet killed the men of Belial could never glut themselves with the things of the flesh nor so send abroad and communicate the gifts thereof one with another as now they do holding only to the word of the beginnig of Christ and cease not there-from or the elements and rudiments of Christ or if you will the letter of Christ or literall Christ as the word imports that historicall Christ contained in such a time of the word and not else extant confined to such a place else-where not really present visible onely in such a particular person or else not apparant nor to be found These men that are ever laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead works faith towards God of the doctrine of baptisme and laying on of hands of the resurrection from the dead and of eternall judgement having them still to begin as in a subject out of Christ not placing them all in that one eternall act of God in forming of Christ as in that common faith once and for ever delivered unto the Saints but have ever a new fabrick to set up which is not yet raised and an old house to pull down not yet demolished whereas the summe of the Gospel is onely to proclayme what is Ad sum these men never attaine that perfection which the Apostle there onely exhorts and leads unto These men will never suffer the carkasses of the Prophets to be buried for their dead bodies must lye in the streets of that great City where our Lord is crucified that is they must set up a livelesse form of an eternall estate to allure and terrifie the world but take away that proper spirit and life that is the onely agitator and mover in each of them giving a livelesse form to a Church Ordinances as also the world and practices thereof with no more substance of the proper spirit of either then there is the vertue of fire in a shadow thereof painted upon a wall which to see a company of men to stand by and diligently turning themselves to warme in extreamity of cold would make a wise man admire Such is the care and zeale of most Churches if not of of all erected in these dayes they have taken away the life of the Prophets but keep a dead form as the Pharisees built their Sepulchres They have barked my Olive tree as the Prophet complayns that no sapp nor oyle can ascend And they have taken away the seven lamps and pipes from the top or head of the Candlesticke that no light can shine in the Sauctuary And as it is the greatest shame and abomination for man not to bury his dead his own kind out of sight when his nakednesse doth appeare being disroabed of all humane abilities even so it is the abhomination and shame that the world glories in to keep that great body politick of humane wisdome unburied in the Churches which it that which gives form and being to all their temporary Institutions and Ordinances which is as voyd of life proper to the wisdome and spirit of God as a dead body is when the soule is departed And therefore cannot move nor breath out the reality of the being of that estate both of the just and unjust to be as truly without beginning as without end for the world doth not eternize the Son of God by that common of trinity in unity and unity in trinity in the divine essence for he is not Christ that annointed son of God but as he is considered in both natures nor is the eternall wisdome or work of God beseeming himselfe who is infinite and eternal extant but in that workmanship of Christ for it is true that as the seed of man propagates not his kind but as considered in male and female even so the immortall seed of God produceth not his off-spring but as considered in God and man in Christ therefore they have killed the faithfull and true witnesse the head and top of the creation of God by not giving him the reality of being from eternity therefore he is sayd to be one that was dead and is alive or as the word is he is dead in the present tence as in the wicked and is alive that is in the Saints for the word translated was is the same where the Apostle faith I am an Apostle in the present tence And here let us adventure to insert a word of the nature of the unity between God and man which eternizeth the estate both of just and unjust seing there is in both mans nature which is temporary made and brought forth in time being a reall and proper creature For the unity that is in Christ which is a being joyned unto the Lord and becoming one spirit or one mystical and spiritual estate and condition together with himselfe Consider with me that there is in the eternall an aptnesse to do or to be and a proper principle or fountaine from which he doth or is such a thing For doing and being the thing done are conjunctive never seperated but where the one is there is the other to do the law of God is to be the law of God and so the Saints are a law unto themselves as well as the profane Gentiles the one not having or doing the law of the flesh no more then the other hath or is the law of the spirit God therefore is apt and prompt to know to be wise prudent to debate determine and conclude to love to pity to have compassion to be at peace to be kinde joyous and salvation but he doth or is these from that principle or fountain of goodnesse and bounty wherein hee communicates himselfe unto another in the being and exercise of them all wherein is such infinite fulnesse that that which is proper unto the principles and practice of a creature is superfluous in every one of them So that in whatsoever a christian is united unto or comunicates with God in it is properly
brother-hood which is in Christ who is not ashamed to call us brethren whereby he declares their disjunction and separation from the men formerly spoken of as not being naturalized or having any part or portion in that manner of death formerly expressed nor any allyance thereunto 2. Whence he infers the exhortation Be patient therefore that is as the Son of God suffers himselfe to be deprived and laid wast of all spirituall glory vertue and operations of his spirit in the world to rescue you and deliver you there-from even so do you suffer your selves without any resistance to be routed and dispoiled of all humane transitory and fading excellencies of the world that as he fully suffereth in the wicked in point of the spirit as being layd waste of all the things thereof for there is a fulfilling or fulnesse of the Scripture in Judas and the Jewes in putting Christ to death in regard of the letter of it So do you patiently endure to be dispoyled and layd waste of all that carnall and temporall glory of the world in whatsoever it may seem to consist for there is a fulfilling or fulnesse of the Scripture in the man of God also even in that Emanuel God with us or in us in regard of the true spirit and life of the word of God therefore the flesh must be abolished that so the fulness of the spirit may appear which otherwise it cannot do The word translated patience is the same where the Apostle John saith I John even your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ or in the Kingdome and under-abiding of Jesus Christ as the word is truly rendered that is a suffering of the losse of all things carnall and transitory through that Princely power of the spirit that reigns in the kingdome of God that so Christ his suffering in the flesh may be as full and compleat as that in the spirit that so the form of the Cherubims on each end of the Mercy-seate may answer one to another from between which the Oracle of God ever utteteth it selfe and else-where expresseth not it selfe in the Sanctuary and hence is Christ said to come or spring up in this place and that is the third point unto what this suffering tends and whereunto it serves and that is to the coming of the Lord. 3. The word translated coming signifies to spring grow up or ascend teaching us hereby that this is the way of the resurrection of Christ and his ascention into all spirituall and heavenly glory for he gives himselfe unto death in respect of any life of the spirit being or existing in the world or any glory of his presence in point of his divine grace ever to appeare there that is in the wicked and this is as a compleat and unvaluable ransome whereby he purchaseth unto himselfe miserable and fraile flesh in that way of his Saints to be possessed for ever in the power of his spirit in all the fruits of righteousnesse being cloathed thereupon with the glory of the sons of God and heyrs of his Kingdom this patience therefore is to the coming of the Lord into unity and brother-hood with fraile man The argument then stands thus If Christ suffer death in the spirit in the men of the world freely giving up himselfe thereunto without resistance to an eternall separation of his spirit and glory of his power from that which he himselfe is namely man Do you in like manner suffer your selves to be deprived of all the excellency glory of this world and freely lay down your life in respect of any living thereunto without resistance for it is not unto separation or departure but to the springing up and coming of the Lord that you may ascend into that which he is in himselfe namely into the state and condition of an only son Let the world take notice that if the Son of God give it its full scope without resistance to set up and exalt it selfe in riches power policy and all wantonnesse and lasciviousnesse what a shame is it to the world to deny him liberty and freedome in his Saints to exercise himselfe in all his vertues offices and operations of his spirit in his house and kingdome but they must be judging him to be factious seditious pernicious erroneous and blasphemous and that by such as are most properly sealed up unto carnall and humane principles in Schools of humane learning so as they dare not give an Exposition upon the word of God but so as it may be consonant to the rules of humane Art unlesse they receive it at second hand by some approved Author that passeth for currant in the state where they live While the world walks and works in this sphear we shall see nothing among the sons of the mighty but meerly Babels confusion For the most curious Artist destitute of the spirit of God exercising in the word of God brings forth the greatest confusion for he is bound to preserve and maintayn the flesh which in all poynts lusteth against the spirit and is contrary thereunto So that it is the division of language for his tongue is divided from God in all expressions if hee be understood according to his true intent 4. The amplification follows by an elegant allusion to a Husbandman with respect to his seed-time and harvest We all know of what nature the patient waiting of a husband-man is with respect to his seed-time and harvest Let us therefore take out the meaning of the allusion wherein is contayned a mystery implyed in this word Behold noting unto us the appearance of a signe or wonder as was formerly sayd of the same phrase Now the Husband-man is the Son of God who sowes good seed in his field But the enemy in this his sleep of death unto the spirit in the men of the world or man of sin sowes tares for it is the word of God that is sown in the world but being received and formed by the would composed of the principle and dictates of humane wisdome which hath in it the very characters of the letter of the Scriptures which is the compleat form of the law of sin and death even as the wisdome of the spirit hath in is the compleat form of the law of the spirit of life and being received and formed in that mould it becomes a pernicious and unfruitfull tare In like manner as the spirit of the creature being cast into that mould of wholsome Doctrine doth through that wisdom of God become in it the true seed of immortality to increase with the increasings of God In the allusion or metaphor we have to consider 1. A wonder noted in the word Behold 2. A patient waiting or abiding The husband-man waiteth 3. For what that is for the precious fruits of the earth 4. The time is with long patience 5. The meanes of receiving them and that is The former and latter raine FIrst for the word Behold
the resurrection and so much for the argument drawn from the danger Lest ye be condemned The second follows which is the readinesse for execution and that in way of wonder Behold the Judge standeth before the doore Behold that is admire and wonder at the appearing of this signe also namely that the righteous Judge of all the earth that renders to every one according to his work hath no other door to come in at no other way of entrance whereby to passe sentence of absolution or condemnation no way to quit the just or condemn the wicked no way to exercise mercy or severity but only through this two-fold estate and condition of man-kind namely the crucifiers of Christ according to the flesh and the crucifiers of Christ according to the spirit Therefore he that finds a condition way or act wherein God is only as a bare spectator or else exerciseth some-what besides or out of the way either of mercy or wrath among the sonnes of men let such conclude of another estate in man-kind besides these twayn But let such know that they are not of the spirit of Abraham the friend of God for he acknowledged freely the Lord to be Judg of all the earth in that destruction of Sodome and deliverance of just Lot which these men deny if there be another way of the administration of the Creature whereinto the Lord enters not for he hath no way of entrance in the way of his administrations among the sons of men but only at this two fold door either of mercy or wrath Let such look to this point who makes a good and commendable way of administration in meer civill affayrs wherein the grace and favour of God is not properly exercised in that way of Christ neither is the wrath of God in exercise as in that way of Antichrist But such will find that he who is not of the faith and works of Abraham hee is of the law of the flesh and spirit of the world and he that hath the spirit of the world hath not the spirit of Christ And whosoever hath noth the spirit of Christ the same is none of his and they that do not the works of Abraham they are not the children of Abraham but of their father the Devill whose workes they do and will do For this two-fold door is the only way of entrance in all the wayes of administration belonging to him who is that righteous Judge of all the earth Therefore he is sayd to stand before the doore or as the word may be read with the doore that is hath setled and confirmed himself to be Judg of all with this way of entrance for administration for the word stand in this place signifies to minister as in the administration of the Priests and Levites in the house of the Lord It is said that Judah rejoyced that they stood before the Lord So the Prophets are sayd to stand before the Lord when they Minister with power and authority from him And the word translated Before may be read with by the allowance of the spirit of God for where one Prophet saith I am a stranger before thee as my fathers were Another reports the same thus I am a stranger with thee as all my fathers were And where it is translated to be the speech of the King to Haman he will force the Queen before me in the room Another translates he will force the Queen with me in the room and many the like for the Hebrew words ethpenei and liphenei are both one of the same signification and put one for another in the Scriptures To conclude this poynt the wonderfull and miraculous power of the Gospel in being a savour of life unto life and a savour of death unto death consists in this two leaved gate as the phrase of the Prophet is and here it is a door of a double or two-fold entrance of one eternal act in the distribution of mercy and justice For behold the Judg hath no other entrance but with respect of opening this two-fold work of the mystery of God and the mystery of iniquity for the performance of all the workes which have been are or shall be exercised and done among the children of men the truth whereof is ever repined at by such as are under the power of condemnation from whom he separates the Saints whereupon the next words are brought in as holding a consimilitude among themselves Vers 10. Take my brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience In which words observe 1. A reiteration with an addition of the terme Brethren My brethren 2. Adoration leading them to the Prophets for a pattern who are described unto us 1. By their speaking of the word of the Lord. 2. By their suffering affliction and patience therein 1. HE gives the terme brethren here as he did before but in another respect for he excludes that brotherhood as having respect to that of Esau therefore he speaks unto them conjunctively and assumptively my brethren So that it is not the phrase of Scripture that is onely to be minded in the understanding of the will of God but what it is that God intends in that place by using such a phrase so accompanied with its coherence otherwise we may take Antichrist for the true Christ and the true Christ for Antichrist and the God of this world for the true God For sometimes the word Gods in the plurall number intends Idols as the Apostle teacheth there are Gods many and Lords many that is Idols cut out unto places and offices in the world created and set up by men but unto us saith he there is but one God And sometimes the plural Gods Elohim signifies the true God the Creator and maker of all as it is sayd In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth c. And sometimes the same word is taken for the holy and godly Judges in Israel as when the servant after his seven years service would not depart from his master he was to be brought to the Gods the word is Elohim that is to the Judges to have his eare bored through to serve him for ever So also the Scriptures makes report of false Christs in the plural number and the true annoynted is given in the plurall phrase also where the Psalmist saith Touch not my Christs and do my Prophets no harme and so Antichrist stiles himselfe Christ in the singular phrase as well as the true Christ is so expressed as the Evangelist reports many shall come in my name and shall say I am Christ and shall deceive many there is joy in the stony ground where the corne withereth and never comes to good as well as in that harvest which is ripened in the kingdome of God where they return with joy bringing their sheaves with them there is a righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees which enters not into the kingdome as
and terrour thereof So as the King of fear changing his countenance in point of wrath may give the greater onset and breed a fresh and unexpected trouble and terrour in the soule that it shall never be inured or acquainted with any particular terrour so as to abate the present sence of a heavy and infinite displeasure which nothing but Gods power and authority in that way of the Curse can possibly bring to passe therefore this unction invests into the effect of Gods power and authority in that way of his Sonne Christ Jesus our Lord and therefore he brings in the royall effect and power of prayer in the next place Vers 15. And the prayer of faith shall save the sicke and the Lord shall raise him up and if hee have committed sinnes they shall be forgiven him Wherein observe for order 1. What manner of prayer this is and that is the prayer of faith 2. The act or power of it what it doth and that is three-fold 1. It saves the sicke it hath the power of salvation in it 2. It raiseth up as from the dead And the Lord shall raise him up 3. It hath in it the power of pardon If he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him FIrst for the manner of prayer here used and that is The prayer of faith for that only is this healing prayer it hath the vertue of health in it By Faith then we are not to understand a notional perfection as having Christ only as the object of it as the common opinion is but we are to understand it as the Apostle defines it namely that iâ— is the Hypostacis or subsistance not only of things unseen and hoped for but also in present being demonstration for so much our Apostle affirms of it that it is the subsistance of things hoped for and the demonstration of things not seene that is it is the present being of things that are also to come for they are unto eternity and it is a demonstrative argument as the word there signifies which makes things to be in present appearance that yet are not seen for the depth of Gods counsels can never be sounded but are infinitely as a treasury to be brought forth which things are not made good but only in the Son of God who only can say Before Abraham was I am and yet am to come So that prayer consists not of a request made by a meere creature unto the invisible God But it is an appeale made by the Son of God who consists of humane nature and divine as the common phrase is God and man as one simple act undissolvable and eternall creation Therefore it is sayd that we know not how to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us Now there is no spirit of God considerable disjoyned from the spirit of man no more then there can be a Christ destitute of humane nature therefore it is sayd That he that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit For God and man in Christ are never separated no more then the Father and the Son can be divided for they are but one estate and condition in which the wisdome of God together with all his proper and native excellencies do consist So that there is no Christ or Annoynted considerable but as consisting of divine and humane nature or aptitudes to do Therefore the spirit of God maketh request but it is with groanings or sighes which are proper unto man and they are sayd to be sighes not utterable because there is in prayer a sighing or breathing out of life as the last breath never to be resumed or taken in againe in regard of that spirit living to any carnall or corruptible thing and this is a thing can never be uttered by any unbeliever for they never sigh as sending out their last breath in regard of ever living agayn to the law of the flesh therefore not utterable by any that is destitute of the spirit of God Again there is a sigh in prayer as being the last breath and utter cessation of life in the men of the world which is never resumed or taken in again and that is the breathing out of the life of the spirit in the wicked never to live unto God in any spirituall or heavenly vertue proper to the Sonne of God of which there is an utter dissolution and cessation in the men of the world and this is unutterable also for it can never be uttered or expressed in the state of Christianity where the spirit of Christ resides and dwels and the prayer of faith cannot be expressed but with respect unto these twayn the one is life lost in the Saints that is the life of the flesh but it is extant in the men of the world which is no lesse then that spirit of Sathan or that dying life of the Devill and this gives demention unto that from which we are ransomed and delivered and the other is life lost in the men of the world but extant in the Saints of God which is no lesse then the life of the Son of God that holy one or Saint of Israel and this gives demention unto that whereunto we are delivered and whereunto we are brought It is not a part therefore but whole Christ that makes an appeale in prayer namely from that which the Son of perdition is unto that which the Son of God is and of such extention and comprehension is true prayer or else it is not that prayer of faith which is effectuall nor can it be said otherwise to be that spirit of intercession which interposeth it selfe and comes between that depth of death and that height of life as in the participation of them both as being freed from the one and set in the other that is Death as God is considered what he is through that wisdome of the creature in that man of sin and life as man is considered in the wisdome of God in that man of God the Lord our Righteousnesse the Saints therefore can truly say Out of the deeps have I cryed unto thee O Lord and in that acknowledgment confesse themselves to be set upon the mountaine of Gods holinesse though it be paradoxicall unto the world Quest But if whole Christ be the supplicant God and man to whom then doth he appeal to himselfe or to another Answ Not to another as in point of reallity of subsistance and being for it is one that pleads and also gives Judgement and determins the cause But he prayeth unto another with respect unto the reallity of the distinction of glory for supplication and answer are truly twaine in the same hypostasis for the glory of the supplicant is one and the glory of the suppleo is another and these give being each to other else they are not nor can subsist for either of them cease to be without its relative so that prayer must consist of them both else it ceaseth to be prayer for the
supplicant humbly prostrates the cause in the necessity of and with respect unto supply which is the glory of its office so to doe And the suppleo yeelds relief and supplies the necessity and it is the glory of its office so to do and if either of these be wanting in a Christian spirit it subsists not because it is not the spirit of the Son of God in whom is power to forgive sins as well as to make supplication for pardon So that the glory of the speaker in prayer or pleader of the cause before the Judge of all the earth is one reall glory and the glory of the sentence passed thereupon is another real glory but both but one act of the law the glory of the speaker in prayer as Daniel calls it is to open the cause holding plea upon true principles unto the point of issue now Christ is the end and issue of the law in all points of relation and causes depending between God and man whatsoever Againe the glory of the Judge is to passe sentence according to the law in the point of issue so that the cause pleaded and Judgement given is but one act of the law which is Christ and in case either of these be wanting in a Christian he ceaseth to be that law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus our Lordship and is become that law of sin and death So that the party praying and the party prayed unto are one in point of hypostacis and being and the party or office of prayer and the party or office of hearing or answering are twain in point of the variety in reallity of glory for God and man are compleatly in unity in them both else Christ is divided Even as it is said that it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive which the Apostle affirms to be the saying of Christ though we finde no such place in Scripture in so many words so that it may seem that the whole Gospel or speech of Christ is summed up therein namely in giving and receiving as he saith to his Disciples in sending them out to preach freely you have received and freely do you give so that it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive that is it is another thing a further glory a various vertue in the Sonne of God as if he should say it is a blessed thing to receive moreover or furthermore it is a blessed thing to give for the one is the blessing of giving and hath its reall and peculiar blessednesse really consisting therein and the other is the blessing of receiving and hath its reall and peculiar blessednesse really consisting therein and one of these cannot be without the other for no giver without a receiver and no receiver without a giver and each of them hath whole Christ exercised therein that only blessed one therefore as the hearingeare and the seing eye are both alike of the Lord so it is true of giving and receiving and the difference stands onely in the variety of glory even as in the three witnesses that bear record in heaven no other disproportion can be found For a naturall man can neither perceive so as to give nor effect so as to receive the things that are of God for they are spiritually to be discerned and apprehended and said hold of for none knows the things of God but the spirit of God no more then any other creature can know the spirit of a man but onely he that is of his own kinde And it is the Son of God onely that knows the father and it is the Son only that reveals him for no man knowes the father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveales him We conclude then that prayer consists of whole Christ and that both in point of petition as also in the answer otherwise it is not this prayer of faith and therefore it is that prayer is of that validity and force as to do such mighty things as are here attributed unto it As First saves the sick it hath the vertue and power of salvation annexed unto it which can be ascribed unto nothing but unto Christ alone who never was nor can be known but in the exercise of an office for it is the vertue and power of the spirit of God that makes manifest the Son of God and it is he alone that saves for he hath salvation Therefore it is said deliver my soul from the sword my darling or as the word signifies my alonely soule as having no copartner from the power of the dog and it is he that comes meek and lowly as the Prophet Zachariah saith saving himself and not another for as the father and the Son are one so is the Lord and the Disciple one the Saviour and the saved are one else Christ should not be God-man Salvation then is in prayer as the Scriptures testifie and the time is come that every one or whosoever call on the name of the Lord shall be saved many teach that salvation is only by faith that neither know what faith nor salvation is for faith hath salvation in it onely as it is that hypostacis and subsistance of the Son of God and so Paul teacheth faith without works that is without the works of the law which he calls dead works because the life and spirit of the Son of God is not in them but our Apostle James ascribes salvation unto works and declines faith as being the beliefe of devils that is such faith as hath not the powerful operations of God working in and together with it so that there is compleat salvation in any proper work or operation of the Son of God as well as in faith therefore Christ concludes that the great work and operation of God to be in faith for faith is not without the works of God nor the works of God without faith We are also said to be saved by hope as well as by either faith or work there is salvation also in love for it is the fulfilling of the law and where the law is compleat and full there can be no condemnation but perfect acquittance and salvation yea God is love and he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him which canot be without salvation yea salvation is in patience for he that continues to the end shall be saved so that we are saved by it Furthermore we are saved by wisdome for the poor man by his wisdome saves the whole City of God though his wisdome be despised and his words not heard by the wise of the world And to conclude this point salvation is in prayer it saves the sick because it is the subsistance of the mediator-ship of the Son of God which is ever one and the same where when or in whom-soever it appears although it be so little in use and so lightly accounted of in these days wherein we live Secondly it hath in it the vertue and
is betrayed it were good for that man if he had never been born also if an enemy had done it I could have born it but it was thou Oh man my familiar I speaking of the trechary of Achitophel and Prophecying of Judas into whom Satan entred which is that man of sin that Antichrist and deceiver of which spirit and power there were many in the Apostles time but the Preisthood of our times have collected them into one man only and crowded him up only in that corner of the world called Rome that so notice may not be taken of their opposing and rejecting of Christ to the deceiving of the people as that spirit ever doth into him or into them Satan enters or takes his beginning in them for as the Son of God hath no beginning but in man so Satan or the Devil hath no beginning but in man even in that man of sin and son of perdition for as the Scriptures give the word of truth a being from the beginning for in the beginning was the word even so it gives Satan to be a lyer from the beginning and one that abides not in the truth and this two-fold estaâ—e man to be taken in else know we not how to acknowledge sin nor how to praise God for our deliverance into those fruits and happy estate of righteousnesse by Christ We answer then that when a Christian confesseth acknowledgeth or praiseth the excellencies of God in Christ giving them their proper and full vertue and extent as love joy mercy gentlenesse kindenesse bounty power and eternall goodnesse man participates thereof the creature really and sensibly possesseth and enjoys them in the unfeigned and just confession of them that is the man of God the new creature which is that work-manship of God in Christ Jesus and man-like Son of God standing in that one alone sonship of God not found extant but in Christ that annointed one But man or the creature that is that man of sin made to be taken and destroyed ungodlike men that man of Beliall that vaine and empty man of faith without works of which beleife the Devill is yea that Antichristian spirit wherever it is that molds the worship of God into a form tying him to appear in the same figure and posture Againe we say that man or that creature hath no fellowship with the things proper to the Son of God as peace joy love nor any of the fruits of the spirit which are by Christ he is a stranger unto them all and therfore intermeddles not with the joy of the saints though they be reall forceable and effectuall in the man of God or saint by calling when ever they are uttred or expressed Even so there are the terrors of death vexations of spirit guilt of sin condemnatory sentence of conscience that ever accompanies the sins confessed by a Saint really beyond any shadow or semblance and that not bounded by time but are eternall and yet the man or the creature that is the man of God or the new creature participates not in the least in any of their distresse guilt or fear no more then the wicked partake in the joys of salvation in Christ he hath no taint or tincture of the enmity of the Serpent nor sence unto pangs and vexation of the guilt of corrupt and defiled conscience and yet saith truly and unfeignedly this is my sin this is my death and this abomination is in me that is in my flesh or in that carnall estate out of which I am taken where dwels no good thing but is a cage of all unclean and abominable filthinesse and wickednesse So that in a true confession of sin according to faith not onely it but all its appurtenances are carried forth and set upon their proper base that is in that land of Shiner which is Babylon that confusion gone over all the earth which is that strict composure of things by mans wisdome according to times places persons and temporary respects whatsoever which makes a nullity of Gods order who is a God composed thereof and all things therein are illimitted not any thing tyed to time place person or any temporary or fading bond whatsoever otherwise it is not the order of the Son of God but a device and inventions of man unto confusion whether the Epha of wickednesse is carried and is the house built for it where for ever it shall remaine and abide Thither all sin and sorrow in true confession is carried as fully as all righteousnesse and peace is carried onely into that happy estate and incomprehensible order that is of God by Jesus Christ the carnall minde or man therefore is onely sensible of sin in the way os Gods displeasure but not of that vertue of reconciliation and the spirituall minde or man is onely senfible of all righteousnesse in way of the peace of God but not of that horror which comes through that breach of the everlasting Covenant And yet is neither the one nor the other voyd of sence with respect unto the others condition For the wicked from the sight of the Saints being lifted up in that holy unction and taken into an everlasting reigne and authority by unity with an omnipotent and all-sufficient power are filled with fear and terror at the fight and apprehension thereof as having the glory of a righteous Judge also the Saints of God beholding themselves lifted up and taken out of that fearful and abominable state and condition of the wicked rejoice thereat with joy unspeakable and full of glory even as Noah when he saw the waters over-whelm and destroy the world was by the same waters lifted up to heaven as sase from all rocks mountaines or hills that might annoy him so the Saints seeing how the Son of God hath given himselfe unto death in the world never to live the life of the Son of God in them as a ransome whereby he is lifted up unto the throne of Gods glory in the Saints everlastingly which carries with it a holy shout harmonious and melodious singing and rejoycing for ever to see the terrors of death captivated under eternall darknesse which can never seize nor intrench upon that Sun of righteousnesse which shineth in the saved of the Lord. The second part of the exhortation is to pray one for another or appeal one to another the word for and to are indifferently taken as you may see by the difference of translations One saith a Psalm for the sons of Corah and another saith a Psalme to the sons of Corah so that here it is taken for one to another that is in your confessions of the nullity and breach of the law of the spirit by that wicked one do you appeal to the law of the carnall command which is of sin and death which is thereby established and confirmed in the world whereby the men thereof are effectually bound over under that spirit of bondage to walk and work according to the letter that kills and
all the Sains of God that ever lived or shall viz. For thy sake are we killed all the day long and counted as sheep for the slaughter There is none of those severall afflictions which the Saints of God have undergone but rightly understood one of them is as extensive as another and it must needs be so for the sufferings of the Saints is the Crosse of Christ and not the crosse of any particular creature but of the son of God therefore he saith In all their afflictions he was afflicted and therefore he saith also in the behalf of the believers and prayers in Damascus Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee Therefore it is when the Corinthians seemed to cleave one to one man and another unto another though all sound men and good one is of Paul another of Apollo another of Cephas and another of Christ that he calls them carnall because they take not every way or manner of the administration of the grace of the Gospel to be the same universally through the whole body what saith he Is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized into the name of Paul I thanke God that I performed no such particular act but to such as understood the mystery of it for that is the effect of his speech and cause of thanksgiving The ground of these particular and nominall Religions as Independent Presbyterian Anabaptist Papist Generallist for they all stand on one root is because they limit and infringe the grace of the Gospel both in way of the sentence of absolution and condemnation mincing and fashioning things according to the judgment or discerning of man and not according to the light and revelation of the Son of God Hence they are affected with manlike expressions and so cleave unto man and not unto the Son of God and if the mind of God be expressed unto them they hammer it into their own shape as the Corinthians did and so make rents and schismes Now the grace of the Gospel in whatsoever it expressed it self as King or Priest Prophet or Victor father or son Master or servant Lord or Disciple Apostle or follower is as that leaven which the woman hid in three pecks of meal whereby the whole lump was leavened or like that unction poured on Aarons head which run down unto the coller or hem of his garment for the oyle contayned in that honourable vessell of the Gospel filleth compleatly all vessels that are brought into unity or love with it Of such nature and extent are all things appertaining unto the Gospel and so the afflictions of the Saints the Crosse of Christ takes not its latitude nor longitude from the dimentions of a creature but holds correspondency with the son of God for the crosse of Christ is of the same extent and continuation that his Crown and kingdome is By this we may take notice of what nature the Crosse of Christ is that it stands not in or consists of any temporary relation or operation of the creature active or passive but is the proper suffering of the son of God in the wicked as deprived of all livelihood and proper operations of the spirit in all wayes of motion and relation and in the Saints in being deprived of all livelihood and proper operations of the flesh in all the wayes of its motion and relation It would seem a great cross to a man if the world were vacant of a rationall spirit and none but beasts to converse with of no lesse but infinitely greater is the disproportion of the wisdome of God in a Christian and the wisdome of this world in the wicked yea if they be as crafty as Achitophel or as subtill as the Serpent the wisest beast of the field Yea in the world we have lost our proper life spirit and power and all vertue proper to a Christian in poynt of heavenly things Further it would seem a great affliction and suffering unto us to see the world take all our strength our wisdome honour riches peace friendship c. and leave us nothing but that wee should depart from and forsake father mother wife children c. and thus it is with a Christian The world ingrosseth power authority wisdome riches c. and leaves us as the scum and out-sweepings of all things Nay we forsake our nearest relations in all respects as the law of the flesh in its true sense calls for and go to a place we know not whether by any wisdome or understanding of the creature which can never be done but by the instinct and operation of the spirit of God opening unto us the power wisdome riches and all relations that are reall substantiall and eternall And if the spirit of God be there it never appears but in the faith and unity of Christ therefore they are the proper sufferings of Christ and not of any particular creature And when we know and judge of the sufferings of the Saints wee shall not lament if the world take all temporary things from us nor rejoyce in what it can cast upon us for God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing save in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is kill'd and crucified in me and I in the world If once we know how to loose our lives in the world in all things of the spirit and how to loose our lives in our selves and body mysticall in all things pertayning to the flesh we shall then take is lightly in whatsoever the world can give or take away from us By the nature of these sufferings we know of what spirit and power of what nature vertue and comprehension this act of Eliah is which is the third point And hee prayed Whence we note That the act or spirit of prayer hath in it sufficient honour power and authority to memorize and register the name of a christian for ever that it shall never be put out but continue in the records of the house of God For 1. Prayer hath in it the vertue and power of prophesie for in the history treating of the act of Eliah he prophesies unto Ahab saying As the Lord liveth there shall be no raine nor dew for these years but according to my word So that this prayer comprehends the whole Prophesie of Eliah and Eliah is brought in as comprehending all the Prophets as Moses comprehending the whole law in the transfiguration of Christs appearing in the same form and glory that Christ doth so that all prophesie and noble acts of the Prophets are involved in the spirit of prayer By the spirit of God in this place his reproof of Ahabs wickednesse his slaying of all the false prophets of Baal his bringing fire from heaven to slay Captayns with their fifties his dividing of the waters with his mantle his giving of his spirit to Elisha his binding up and flopping the bottles of heaven and loosing of them at his pleasure his rebuking the earth and drying it up to
to be best of all and yet prefers his traffique in some other things before his attaynment of that yea causing the things of God to stand aside and give way to his vaine and lofty lusts of what nature or kind soever to satisfie them That man doth not the good which he acknowledgeth or as the word will beare he is it not that is he is not of the faith of Jesus he is not stated in the condition of the Son of God who seeks only to do the will of the Father and prefers and glories in that above all things and he that doth not that he is of that evill one and doth the things that are proper unto him being under the state and power of sinne which is as a transition into the fifth Chapter Wherein observe two things First The generall scope Secondly The particular parts of it 1. For the scope or end to which the purpose of the Spirit is directed and that is the death or crucification of the Son of God that Just one as he is intitled vers 6. And he that shall take the scope and drist to be otherwise he misseth of that mark which the Spirit of God directs unto and shoots his shafts in vaine and this death is layd down unto us and for us in a double respect 2. For the parts of this Chapter and they are properly four 1. The first sets down unto us the death of Christ as he is crucified in the world by wicked hands or corrupt administrations through the lusts of men unto the decay and death of that law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord in and by the men of the world as once the body of Jesus was crucified and killed doctrinally by those wicked Jews and all sorts of people then united in one and this is contained from the first verse to the seventh 2. It containes the depth of the Lord Jesus as he is crucified to the world in respect of the flesh that is to all carnall and corrupt things contained in the law of the carnall commandement and hand writing of humane Ordinancs which is against us and therefore nailed unto his Crosse And thus he is slaine in the Saints even in all the Subjects that appertaine and belong to his Kingdome which consists not of the matters and affaires of this present world and this is expressed from vers 7. to the 12. 3. It gives out an eminent and universall Prohibition backed with an exhortation together with the danger ensuing the not observing thereof and that is contained in verse 12. 4. It sets beforre us or rather romidgeth our hearts to finde out in us and to bring forth by us those excellent and admirable fruits which spring up in the godly from the death of Christ and observation of the prohibition abovesaid The Irradian beames whereof are shed forth from verse 12. to the end of the Epistle And first of the death of Christ as he is crucified in the world in respect of his proper spirit and vertue that by wicked hands and administrations both of Jewes and Gentiles that is such as are strict in Religion according to the literall command and historicall notion being engaged thereto by that spirit of bondage and of fear and others loose and licentious not having the bond of the spirit of God upon them But using the liberty of the Gospell as an occasion to the flesh surreptitiously encouraging themselves thereby to all excesse of ryot in the inordinate use of carnal and vanishing things that perish in the use and this is done by men of all ranks and qualities that are not become one in that chiefe and principal goodnes reckoning themselves as nothing in account but as themselves their place authority and dignity takes its being and is summed up in that State office and dignity of the Sonne of God otherwise they are such as glory and boast in themselves which rejoycing is evil namely of that wicked one wherefore he saith vers 1. Vers 1. Go too now yee rich men weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come upon you OUr Apostle here expresseth himselfe to the wealthy of the world as rich men or collectively Rich man as of all in one that is man of Sin or men of Belial who greed and gripe after all manner of good falsely so called in the neglect of that one and alone goodnesse in Christ that one thing necessary that better or best part which can never be taken from him who chooseth it as his chiefe and only treasure But to make choise of and to rejoyce and glory in as an only and rich trade and treasure besides that is to stiflle in themselves and suffocate the life and spirit of the Lord Jesus which is thereby extinct and in them breaths not He bids them therefore Go too now or come on as if he would encourage them in their course A like phrase is used Gen. 11. at the building of Babell Go too now or come on give a word of exhortation and encouragement one to another for the furtherance of your worke As if he should say Take your liberty use your accustomed trade and traffique to get and gather in abundance of your corruptible riches that moth and rust can seize upon and spare no pains misse of no opportunity to make your selves excellent and glory in it only with this proviso namely that you will assure your selves of the income and proper return together with your adventure and this your practice upon that condition take your best advantage and full swinge in your course for the just resists you not as is expressed verse 6. For the Gospel of God is not a hinderer of wickednesse in the men of Belial no more then the sop which Christ gave to Judas together with his speech thereupon What thou dost do it quickly hindered him not in the execution of so trayterous an office for it is a savour of death unto death unto the unbelievers and of no lesse power to accomplish it through that spirit which is in the world then it is of vertue to be a favour of life unto life in the Saints through that spirit which is in them And it is as unpossible that one member of that body of sinne should come to the knowledg of the truth as it is that any one of the chosen of God should be deceived with errour and wiles of Sathan which Christ affirms it is unpossible they should be deceived For as Christ keeps his family intire and compleat So that none of them is lost but that sonne of perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled in point of wrath proportionable to grace and mercy which sonne of perdition comprehending all the children of destruction was lost once and for ever Even so doth Antichrist mayntaine his interest in all the seed of the Serpent and parteth with none only that lost sheep of the house of Israel as a brand is
wherein the Sonne of God hath given himselfe unto an eternal death to deliver his chosen ones into that eternal life proper and peculiar to the lord alone His dying unto the flesh in his Saints is the life and resurrection of it in the men of the world and his dying unto the spirit in the wicked is the life and resurrection of it in the Saints of God for neither of them must be annihilated but as man at the first was made in the Image of God and the word was made dust that is in that work of God both the wisdome proper to a creature was to be found and that wisdome also proper to the Creator these twain must remaine extant for ever that is the wisedome of God extended to the uttermost in that curious workmanship of the mysticall and glorious body of Christ And also the wisdome of the creature must be extended to the uttermost in that composure of the body of sin and death which is only the curiosity of that confusion in the building of Babell there is a heaping up then and an absolute fulnesse of corruptable treasures and riches in the wealth of the world But For what is it heaped together that is for the last dayes by dayes here is to be understood times and seasons and the word last signifies the least or basest dayes and times as often it doth in the Scriptures so that this treasure rightly reckoned and justly summed and cast up amounts to the worst and basest of days a time wherein the Sonne of God exists not nor is he therein found a day not of salvation but of destruction a season of death and not of life days of sorrow and not of joy base times of famine not of plenty of pestilence not of health of war and not of peace times of murther and cruelty and not of love and freindship days of enmity pride and diabolicall policy and not dayes of that meeknesse of wisedome that is in the Sonne of God In a word the heaping together of the fruits of the flesh as our only treasure is to the bringing forth of such times and seasons wherein the policy and power of Satan ruleth and not the simplicity that is in the wisdome and virtue of the Sonne of God unto which season the oath of the Angel hath respect that stands with one foot on the sea and the other upon the earth and swears by him that lives for ever that time shall be no more that is with respect unto that foot that stands upon the troublesome and tumultuous estate and condition of that sea of evils of the world he swares that no jot nor tittle time nor moment of the life or day of Christ shall ever be found there he ceaseth in them for ever and a baser time can never be then to be voyd of him even as that time is most precious and glorious and those onely are halcyon dayes wherein he appears and Satan or ought of him is not found in them no not for a moment He shews in one particular wherein the basenesse of these dayes consists and that is in the fraudulent detaining and keeping back the hire of the labourer Vers 4. Behold the hire of the labourers which have reaped down your fields which is of you kept back by fraud cryeth and the cryes of them which have reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabboth Wherein observe 1. The note of aspect and looking up Behold 2. Who the labourers are that reap down the fields 3. What the labour and reaping is 4. What the hire of the labourer is 5. What the cryes thereof is that cryeth 6. Into what the cryes enter that is into the eares of the Lord. 7. The title or tearm of honour given unto him that is the Lord of Sabboth ANd first of the note of aspect Behold which signifies to look up in the observation of a signe or wonder which is now to appear and it is of like nature of that of the Prophet Jonah given unto the Jews that crucified Christ which was a signe of their destruction in that the Sonne of man was to lye buried three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth that is to be perfectly and perpetually dead and buried in their earthly and carnal hearts never to exercise his life and spirit in them which is a signe and wonder that the Son of the living God should be mortallized in them it is a like signe and wonder here that the Sonne of God should become a hireling defrauded of his hire For it is a like miraculous thing that the Son of sorry man who is sayd to be a worm an object a vapour a vanity to be made Lord of Heaven and Earth Judge of quick and dead as that he that is Lord ruler and possessor of all things to become a hireling So that the mystery of iniquity is not without signe and wonder no more then the mistery of God is and both reall though the one be a lying wonder and the other a true wonder the one confirms the faith of God the other the faith of Devils The one promiseth salvation for the confirmation of Pharaoh in the hardning of his heart unto destruction which is a thing contrary and therefore a lying wonder as it appears in Pharaoh and his host drowned in the sea the other promiseth salvation and deliverance unto Israel in Moses and Aaron which brings forth the thing promised and therefore a true and not a lying wonder as appeared in Israels marching triumphantly out of Aegypt Now there must be in a miracle or wonder that which goeth beyond the power of any nature else it is not a wonder and that is both in the one and the other of these miraculous signes for in point of salvation by Christ no simple nature can bring forth salvation for there must be in salvation both a Saviour and a saved else it is not full and compleat which neither the nature of man no nor the nature of God simply and disjunctively considered can be or bring forth Behold then a wonder in that which transcends and surpasseth any nature to be or to bring forth therefore it is said that we have a Mediator is made higher then the heavens that is the office of his mediatorship is of that super-eminent dignity that no simple nature can be or attaine unto therefore of twain he makes one new man in himselfe and so creates peace which otherwise could not be 2. Againe there is a wonder in destruction which goes beyond any simple and single nature also For the nature of God simply considered cannot be involved with the confines of destruction who is almighty and supream Lord over all neither can mans nature simply and disjunctively considered be in a capacity of an eternal destruction being a creature subject to the limits and precincts of time therefore God man are to be joyntly considered in that wonder and
mistery of iniquity also which properly makes and gives being unto the God of this world which is no lesse then Satan himselfe who attempts through his arrogating insatiable spirit to tender unto Christ all the kingdoms of the Earth and the glory of them the one of these is a wonder but a lying one because it brings not forth what it promiseth as the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises is a righteousnesse but not that which enters into the kingdome and the other is a wonder and a true miracle because it brings to passe the things it promiseth even as the righteousnesse of Christ enters into the kingdom and sitteth in safety and honour at the right hand of God And they that preach not the Gospel as accompanied with these signes in the ministry of it according to the variety of the work proposed the speaking and creating word of his signes is not sent unto that people for their release and deliverance out of the house of bondage and yet it is true that tongues are for a sign not to them that beleive but to them that beleive not that is an unbeleiver ever expects that a signe should speak in the same form which formerly it hath done or else he takes it not for a wonder wrought by God but then there should need no interpretatiin the Church at all without which tongues are not of use unto edefying The worlds expectation of signes to accompany the preaching of the Gospel for the confirmation of it in the same forme as formerly is the expectation of Infidels such as follow Christ to be fed with carnal things bread that perisheth in the use like them that after they had been fed miraculously with the loaves and the fishes they persue and follow him to have a signe that he is a man of God and conclude that Moses was a man of God that could give bread from heaven but this not coming in like for me but from the Earth though in that wonderfull multiplication and increase is as nothing unto them But the signs wonders and mighty works accompanying the grace of the Gospel never appear twice in the same forme so that a man may as well expect the water that now bubleth up in a living and swift running fountaine to tarry and abide for him till his return to it againe as to fit down by a wonder wrought by God till it appear in the very same forme againe it coming out of that inexhaustible fountaine and swift running current of that infinite variety of his wisdome and power Moses miraculously fasted forty dayes and forty nights and is in the mount with God and hath in that fast the law the perfect pattern of all truth and holiness presented and shewed unto him and againe Christ fasted forty dayes and forty nights but was in the wildernesse among wilde beasts and therein had the temptations of Satan the proper platforme of the power of darknesse represented unto him which differs much from the pattern of salvation and kingdome of light Eliah also fasted forty dayes and forty nights but was miraculously fed before in the strength of which food he went into a cave by the mount of God and there had apparitions voices manifested unto him wherein God made himselfe manifest and also such wherein God appeared not at all one forty dayes fast not but in variety of wonder one death of Christ but a diverse signe in it he is slaine at Jerusalem and our Lord is also crucified in Sodome and in Aegypt true in both with respect to flesh and spirit And so much for the word Behold implying a wonder wherein observe the deceitfull sleights and cunning devices of the Magissians the Jannes and Jambres of our dayes who have erected for the confirmation of Princes great signes of honour and Godlike prosperity Kings Chappels and pulpits of State State-prayers and state-like officers in the Church for forming of them that they may carry their virtue by whomsoever uttered state-religion and state-like pompe in the exercise of it as though the Kings of the earth should be thereby declared to be not onely the off-spring of the almighty but the deputed Gods In what doth the successe and issue of these Doctors indeavors end in differing from those Magissians in Aegypt in the confirmation and incouragement of their King first born and his alies 2. The second point is who the Labourers are or the Labourer for the word may be read either singular or plurally as it usuall in Scripture to use words of active and passive signification as also such as may be read either in the masculine or feminine gender without wrong to the Text so also such as will beare either the singular or plurall number and so it is in this place To take the word therefore in the singular acceptation it is Christ collectively considered in that one intire and mysticall body of his comprehending all the Saints in all ages of the world Againe take it plurally Labourers and it is Christ distinctly distributed and given out in all the parts and members of that body for he is that Labourer or Husband-man that sowes good seed in his field though the evill one sow tares in the time of his sleep or when and where he is dead to all things of the spirit which is in that evill one only upon whom they grow He sowes with his owne hand as he is that one fountaine and giver out of the seed in all ages yesterday and to day and for ever the same And his seeds-men sow also as he is a participator and the receiver thereof for he receiveth the spirit though not by measure for it is immence 3. The third point is what the labour is in reaping down the fields By reaping here is not meant cutting downe but in gathering also as the word-imports Christs reaping therefore is the cutting downe of all those riches and ripened fruits of the flesh those superfluous branches from the true Vine that they be not found in the field or upon that hand of Emanuel which else-where is said to be the crueifying of the flesh in the affections and lusts and the slaying of the enmity in himselfe which are the proper in gatherings of the worke and that whereof their harvest and Vintage doth consist whereby their regions become white unto the harvest that is it sets them in a capacity to be cut downe by an eternall destruction and in these the labourer is defrauded who hath spent his strength in them in vaine or unto emptinesse and laboured for nought as he complains by his Prophet or in the Prophet Isaiah In them he hath lost his time as a labourer hath who is deprived of his hire for his time and age is not extant in them the time of grace is expended the day of salvation is not found in them his generation is ceased in them and is no more even as a labourer hath lost his time so spent as no
God condemning such as justifie the words of wisdome which only sets forth the folly of the world or else it appears not And they only love the works of darknesse and dare not come to the light least their deeds should be discovered 2. They do not only condemn but they kill the Just one and that in a two-fold respect First consider that a thing is said to be killed when it is expelled the proper place of its aboad so it is slain in way of negation and denying it its right and due Deny a fish the water and it is killed take a plant out of the earth and it withereth take water out of the Sea and it moves not in ebbing and flowing and deny any thing the benefit of the ayre and it cannot live no not the water nor the fire it selfe Now man-kind is the proper place of Gods residency and abode in the exercise and manifestation of his wisdome delighting himselfe in the habitable parts of his earth even in the sons of men But where the wisdome of the flesh beares sway and makes its abode there the wisdome of God is denyed any place of residency therefore Christ who is the wisdome of God and the power of God lives not there in any of his operations and vertues for as Jacob said of Joseph he is not that is he is not living in that heart 2. He is killed actually by laying violent hands or administrations upon him to the quenching of his spirit whereby he becomes life-lesse in the world haling him to the places of execution for Christ never appeared or was known in the world but by vertue of an office and institution For how can a King appeare but by vertue of his inauguration or a Prophet but by or in the spirit of a Prophet Or what is a Priest if he have not somewhat to offer for he cannot be a Priest without Christ appears not but by vertue of institution and commission to execute perform and do the will of the Father therefore he saith I come not to do my owne will but the will of him that sent me Now to institute temporary Ordinances and offices vanishing and fading not holding correspondency with the nature and constitution of Christ it is to destroy and thrust out the proper spirit and authority of Christ as it not having a being in the world For to frame an Office or Ordinance of Christ and not to have the spirit of Christ is to destroy and abolish unto themselves that mysticall body of Christ even as a naturall body deprived of the soule that gives it life is thereby abolished and turned to putrifaction Let us consider then how to form Ordinances and establish offices and Officers of Christ for if they have not in them the spirit of Christ they will prove no better then those legall and Jewish services taken up from Moses as representing the letter of the Scripture and accordingly practiced in the dayes of Christ by Herod Pontius Pilate Scribes Pharisees Lawyers and Souldiers and the whole body of the people who cryed out crucifie him crucifie him away with him When water in the River or Pond hath the spirit of life from God in it then we shall count it as an Ordinance of Christ when bread and wine on the Table have the spirit of mortification of the flesh and quickning power of the resurrection of Christ in them then will they prove spirituall Ordinances of Christ beseeming the son of the living God For there is no office exercise or ordinance proper to the kingdome of God that is voyd and destitute of the holy spirit of the Son of God who is that great ordinance of God in whom every particular is wrapped up and infolded and not one of them barren or destitute of the same spirit of life from God otherwise all Ordinances and offices taken up from Christ and his Apostles are of the same nature of those taken up from Moses in Christs days and shall prove of the same effect when ever Christ appears for the one stands upon the proper letter of the Scripture as well as the other and Satan can alledg the Scripture to back his temptation as well as Christ doth for the confounding of him Now if the spirit and life of such Ordinances depend upon the Priests and Elders the Instituters and Conservators of them why should they then contend with those which they call Papists but joyne hand in hand as being one with them Let us remember therefore that If we bereave the body of the proper soule and spirit of Christ we abolish and destroy the Just one and turn him to corruption unto our selves 3. The next poynt is the demeanor of the just And he resisteth you not that is he doth not stay or hinder your project violence from execution he doth not detain nor keep back himself from you but patiently suffers himself to be dispoiled of all his vertues and excellencies in you which are the native and proper operations of the Son of God ceasing from his own work in you that you may take your full swinge in that which is proper and naturall unto you as to exercise your pride and policy your principalities powers of darknesse your spirituall wickednesses in high places according to the Prince of the power of the ayre That wheresoever any heart is empty and destitute of she spirit of God hee insinuates himselfe to be the fulnesse of it that according to that plenty of wickednesse the wrath of God may finde fuell to kindle it selfe upon and so he freely without resistance layes downe his life in the wicked as a ransome that he may take it againe in his Saints and in them live for ever And so much for the death of Christ according to the spirit in the men of the world who crucifie afresh unto themselves the sonne of God and make a mocke of him And from this our Apostle infers an exhortation consisting of divers particulars which do concern the death of Christ according to the flesh as he is considered in the Saints and that is the second generall head in the Chapter which is contained to the 12. verse And with respect unto death in both these respects the Apostle Paul saith God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the world is crucified in me and I am crucified in the world Vers 7. Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord behold the husbandman waiteth for the precifruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receive the early and latter raine Wherein observe 1. The terme or kinde appellation Brethren 2. An exhortation in these words Be patient 3. How long or to what end To the coming of Christ 4. An allusion to a husbandman with respect to his seed-time and harvest 1. ANd first for the term given unto them Brethren which is with respect unto that
the world the same that is sayd of himselfe what is it that can impaire or diminish that light So that as wicked men have changed the truth of God into a lye and have changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man so they have changed the light of God into darknesse in themselves And herein Christ hath given himself as a ransome compleat and every way proportionable for ever unto that condition which man-kind is brought back and redeemed into which is to be the son of the eternall and living God to dwell with him in that inexcessible light which no flesh can approach unto and it is alike holy and precious act in God to give his holy Son to be judged condemned and executed in the world and yet be no proper cause thereof as it is to save man by nature sinfull and God himself the plenary cause thereof for to justifie the wicked condemn the just are alike abhomination yet God hath found a way wherein the Just one by nature is and ever shall be so in the Saints is in the world condemned and also that wicked one who is and ever shall be so in the wicked is justified and saved in himselfe that is in the Lord. Grudge not therefore brethren by unity and contract in creation one against another though in act of conception and springing up from that one Embryon or formlesse substance you become thus un naturalized and divided into two Nations in direct antithesis one to another quarrell not against the work of God herein but admire his wisdome who hath hereby brought to passe our salvation by the stopping of the mouth of all flesh that glory may for ever redound to him and not to the creature For it is as voluntary an act in the wisdome of man to choose the way of death in the preferring of the things proper to a creature before the things that are of God as it is in the wisdome of God in Christ to prefer and make choise of things proper to the eternall before those which are momentany and mortall so that the worke shall never say to the work-man why hast thou made me on this fashion For nature would not give in exchange its own nature disposition for another because its life and being cleaves thereunto which the nature of another must of necessity be death unto it which is declined by all things Do not murmure then nor grieve let not the works of God be any way vexatious unto you but behold with joy and admiration that wonderfull wisdome of God in that comely order of his justice who hath adorned himselfe with as glorious ornaments of wrath in the execution thereof on the world as he hath done in the distribution of his grace and mercy in that way of his onely Son in the one is the thing given as a purchase and in the other is the thing purchased Our father Abraham was well acquainted with this poynt when he bought that burying place of the sonnes of Heth for him and his to be buryed out of sight he would not take it as a gift but gave out the just proportionable worth thereof in money by weight for he knew according to the truth of Justice that as there was a valuable consideration given for a place wherein to be buried out of sight as Abraham saith of Sarah a like riches and dignity should be in the inheriting and possessing of the land by his seed to teach us this point that according to the worth of that which is given to be buryed in the world which is the Son of God where none of his vertues nor graces is declared alike shall be the worth of that estate and condition of such as are risen again in Christ according to the rule of justice which is no lesse then Son-ship unto the eternall and living God This was in the heart of David moving him not to accept of that kind offer of Araunah the Jebusite concerning that threshing floor oxen and instruments but would pay a valuable price for them because he would not worship the Lord in offering of that which cost not a valuable price And this is written according to the letter as all other Scripture is in every mans heart and utters it selfe if not stifled through desire of gaine in all merchandizes of the world Such therefore as have critically brooded upon the Scriptures to hatch a temporary and humane death only to be the death of Christ Jesus the Son of God telling us of an ayry vertue or efficacy thereof meerly imaginary for they know not how any reality thereof should reach unto us through ages past for say they his death was so long ago and but of part of three days and three nights continuation for whole ones they cannot make them all and it was only the humane nature that dyed which is only a separation of soule and body and neither separated from God By which doctrine it follows that mans resurrection and life is only a rejoycing of soule and body without any unity or conjunction with God which is the overthrow and destruction of the doctrine of Christ and so of the state of the Sonne of God and of salvation For there is as reall a departure from God in the day of the wicked whose state and condition consists of God and man otherwise no eternall wrath as there is a coming to God in the way of the Saint of Israel whose state and condition consists of God and man otherwise there were no eternall mercy and favour the doctrine of the world therefore teaching a monarchicall Christ and a kingdome bounded by time at least in point of time past it is of proper use to whet and sharpen the spirits of men to hunt and seek after a State and Kingdome of that nature and constitution which man exerciseth and not the Sonne of God These men have tyed all sin originally to one man in the fall as they by tradition call it but yet know not how nor by whom the entrance of sin came But carry us to imaginary Angels sutable to the rest of their doctrine neither know they the way of the derivation of it which is of so great concernment Even so they having tyed all righteousness unto one particular and individuall man in his resurrection compassed and surrounded by time but are ignorant of the way and manner of the derivation of it for it is whole Christ derived or else salvation is imperfect and maymed But the spirit of Christ or as some mince it the influence of the spirit without the body compleat is but a part of Christ the Son of God divided as by this way of derivation he is is as sound a doctrine as to say Paul was crucified for you To conclude this point therefore the work of God in ordering of the state of the wicked truly known and rightly judged of is of no more disquiet grief or vexation
unto the Saints of God then the work of God in our salvation is no though our brother the Lord Christ be so given up unto death in them as never to live in them any more for it is our ransome the justice and equity of the purchase payd for the eternall release of our soules for the salvation of God holds firm in all respects wherein the heart of man or subtilty of Satan can put forth it selfe that as there is compleat salvation free without money or money-worth as also in conquest by force and strength so also in point of strictnesse of justice in giving a valuable and considerable price in way of purchase The spirit then of grief vexation and anguish cleaves unto as it is the proper portion of the brother-hood considered in Edom and not in Israel found in Mount Seir or as the word signifies the mount of the Devill and not in Horeb the mount of God Therefore the argument against grief and vexation at this brotherhood is added viz. Lest ye be condemned that is fretting grieving and vexation at the wonderfull work of God is condemnation and properly is the practice of that Fornicator and prophane person Esau when he hath so lustfully and prophanely parted with the birth-right to satisfie his corrupt and carnall desires bred and begotten in hunting after the things of this life which is to pursue that hinde of the morning as the Psalmist calls Christ to put him to death for the glory of the flesh and of God cannot subsist and stand together The word Lest in this phrase is not used as a supposition but as a certain affirmation as where one Prophet saith lest Hezekiah deceive you Another expounds it Hezekiah doth deceive you So also where one Evangelist reports the words of Christ Lest the people faint in the way Another repeating it saith The people will faint in the way So in this place lest ye be condemned is yee are under condemnation whosoever so doth for that is the condemning spirit that frets and grieves at the works of God which is ever found in the world who can never endure that way and manner of the translation of the right of inheritance from him which is born after the flesh unto him which is born after the spirit but vowes the death of the Son which ever puts an end unto mourning for the death of the father also now to be condemned is to be pronounced and held guilty as to justifie is to acquit and make righteous as the Apostle opposeth them It is God saith he that justifies who then shall condemn that is it is God that acquits and makes righteous who then can make guilty and sinfull To be grieved and vexed then at the wickedness of the world is to be under guilt and condemnation that is when men cannot justifie and give excellency unto that work of Gods justice in his execution of wrath on the world and rejoyce therein through that ransome given to rescue out of that condition as well as he can be glad of that exercise of mercy in that inheritance and possession which he is put into for the glory of God in our salvation consists in the one as well as in the other and is alike glorious and to be approved of in them both according to the nature and manner of Gods operations found and conversant in the one and in the other and in them both compleat salvation is made manifest Nor is it the proper state and condition of the wicked simply considered in it selfe that makes wretched but as it hath respect to the state of the just for with respect to both is condemnation compleated Note here then that he that cannot be freely willing that the spirit of grace and of God should suffer losse in the men of the world of all its proper life vertue and operation as it is that whereby the men of God live move and act in all things That man can never give consent that that wicked spirit of the world which by nature is proper to all flesh should ever be made in the excellencies of the Son of God or furnished with the strength and operations of God Hence it is that men have carved out unto themselves a better thing then Ish the man of strength vigour and courage and a worse then Enosh the man of basenesse and sorrows that is they teach a better estate and condition then that of man which is only in God himselfe and so they make Christ not to be very God which is to destroy Christ unto themselves and they set up a worse thing then Antichrist which is the Devill and in the one and the other the form the faith of Devils in themselves which is to believe tremblingly that there is one God but to believe that of twaine he is made one new man in Christ that wisdome and confidence they attaine not So they conclude a God-head out of Christianity and then it is out of Christ the wisdome of God and so he is properly the tormentor of the world and they conclude a Devill out of man and then he hath not the wisdome and corrupt will of the flesh and that is none but the Son of God the Saviour of the world whom they account not only as one having a Devill but as Belzebub the prince of Devils which is no more then to preach Christ for Antichrist and Antichrist for Christ and these are taken as men fit to make Preachers and able to correct all errours in the world for as it hath been in Councels and Synods even so it is now but herein lies a great point of the deceipt and snare wherein the world catcheth it self And these are the men that groane grumble and grieve at the works of God both in just and unjust for they can neither endure the work of God according to the excellency and top of perfection as it is in Christ nor yet the work of God according as it is in that man of sin Antichrist who goeth about as a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devoure but they cannot abide to heare that he that is men is that man slayer from the beginning and so grieve that Cain should have his proper due And when ever the Gospel appears in the truth and reality of it they hold it comes to torment them before its time For either it vilifies that which they exalt or else it exalts that which they so vilifie and the time is never seasonable to them neither for the one nor the other And such as hold a state and condition between the sonne of God and the son of perdition which is a reall condition proper to the sons of men they have it from the same principles from which the place of Purgatory doth spring which the same men seem so zealously to condemn and approve as Doctors of that kingdom which cannot stand being divided in it self but is in the way of the sall and not of
may marry but so as though he had no wife he may use the world but as though it were of no use unto him at all and he may buy but so as one that never intends to possesse for he makes no store or treasure of any thing that is of a perishing nature no not of the worlds ordinances of Christ as they call them being of such nature as are onely comprized within the narrow confines of this mortall life which they cannot extend nor draw them out beyond and therefore things that perish as bodily exercises which profit not So that whatsoever a true Prophet makes use of in the world he abides under suffering of the losse of it and is disjointed from it in the enjoyment of it in point of that spirit wherewith the men of the world pursue and make use of the same thing becoming a pilgrim and stranger to whatsoever the common spirit of the sons of men account themselves at home in and is no more contracted or affianced unto the things of this life then he shall be when in respect of this mortall life he is no more to converse with these transitory things and affaires Whereupon he brings in the next words in way of answer to a question might arise as thus If the Saints of God suffer affliction under so long continued patience wherein then doth their rest and comfort consist the answer is Vers 11. Behold we count them happy that indure Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord for the Lord is very pittifull and of tender mercy In which words observe these particulars 1. The esteem had of enduring and suffering Behold we count them hapy that endure 2. A pattern thereof propounded Ye have heard of the patience of Job 3. The end God aimes at and attains therein And have seen the end of the Lord. 4. The ground reason of the effecting and accomplishing thereof for the Lord is very pittifull and of tender mercy FIrst for the esteem and account had of suffering it is brought in by way of admiration and wonder Behold it is no lesse then a miracle that all happinesse should consist in durance and suffering for the Saints of God upon true account can sum up the blessed and hapy estate and condition in one continued act of suffering which all the world is so much afraid to undergo that is they suffer the losse of that exercise of spirit in its enjoyments wherein the honour riches praise and proper prosperity of all flesh doth consist naturally considered which is the desire and support of all the men of the world in the losse whereof the Saints are made partakers of that spirit and life of the Sonne of God which springs up and exerciseth its virtue and power in them wherein all true happinesse doth consist and exercise it selfe Which all carnall men decline detest and abhor for they will never accept nor receive Christ upon his own terms and conditions but contrarily reject and cast him off preferring the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season before those riches and treasures stored up for ever in that Son of God It is a wonder and miraculous that afflictions and sufferings which all men are so fearful of should be filled with the victory joy and tryumph of a Saviour therefore it is that the Apostle saith being well acquainted with this point God forbid that I should rejoyoe in any thing save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Yet all men cannot but have an honorable esteem and high account of an innocent suffering as having praise-worthinesse therein Behold wee count them happy that endure Yea the integrity of the silver tryed in the fining pot and the soundnesse and solidity of the gold in the fornace are precious in the sight of all men Who is the man but when the the suffering and the sufferer seem both to be removed out of the world will not seem to approve of the work Abrahams departure from his fathers house to go to a land he knew not whether and his abode in the same land as a stranger and sojourner not enjoying a foots breadth thereof as the martyr Stephen reports is approved as an excellent thing by all now in our dayes but would be counted great folly to give it a present being in a Prince to for sake his royalties to undergo the crosse of Christ So also his seed going down into Aegypt and suffering hard bondage under cruell task masters with their tediousnesse and dangerous travel in the wildernesse enduring so many cruell assaults of the heathen and in their entrance into the promised land by those seven nations greater and stronger then they The dispertions and persecutions of the Prophets Apostles together with the sufferings and death of Jesus born of the Virgin these being all taken onely as things past turned as into humane history out of which may be collected carnall experiments and policy who is the man that wil not lend an eare unto them and seem to approve them yea the very Scribes Pharises and hypocrits cannot but trumpet out the fame of the Saints in this point of suffering saying That if they had lived in the dayes of their fathers they would not have persecuted the Prophets as they did but in the mean time do nothing else but build the Sepulchres of the Prophets by their erecting of temporary ordinances carnal governments humane institutions and appointments formed and framed from the pattern of the bare letter of the Scripture under which they keep buried the very spirit and life of the Prophets Apostles and Christ him self stifling thereby the very virtue and power of those spirituall and heavenly appointments of the of God among the sons of men In those eternall extentions and operations thereof then the which a greater cruelty cannot be attempted or maintained for as the blood shed in all generations from Abel to Zacharias comes justly upon that present age people who thus deal with the Prophets even so that compleat power glory and presence of the Prince of peace and innocent Lamb of God which hath appeared in any or all ages of the world ought according to the law of truth justice and equity to be set forth made manifest and acknowledged in the present generation and age of the world who is Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever though the world know him not nor will acknowledg him so to be Note for conclusion of this point that onely the sufferings of the Saints of God is an innocent suffering for they do not wrong unto use cruelty against or contradict any of the proper creatures or workmanship of God who is the Creator of all things For how soever it be true that the wisdome and subtilty of man be the proper instigator and stirrer up of all perscution and cruelty
we are to consider wherein an oath doth consist which the Apostle to the Hebrews describes in a two-fold respect that is the oath of God and the oath of men The oath of men is never taken in the way of Christ but without the oath of God he exists not the oath of God is never taken in the way of Antichrist but without the oath of man he never was And first for the oath of God we are to consider the speech of the Apostle where he saith That when God made or built the promise in Abraham because there was not a greater to sweare by hee swore by himselfe where he transforms the promise into the oath making them as one thing 1. For the Promise of God the Covenant of God and the Oath of God are but one intire act or state of the Son of God only differ in variety and reall distinction of glory The promise being Gods voluntary and free tender of himselfe in Christ together with mans acceptation in a voluntary and free return of thankfulnesse It is in God voluntary without compulsion free without any restraint in himselfe or desert in man It is the tender of himselfe else could not have in it the bounty and benignity of God And it is accepted by man in a thankfull acknowledgment thereof in Christ which is voluntary without compulsion for the Son of God is not compelled to acknowledg the bounteous liberality of the Father and it is free without restraint of himselfe for he makes a compleat surrender of himselfe unto God and without any desert in God as considered in the vilification of the spirit in the men of the world wherein is no desert or thanks worthy at all but in himselfe and exaltation of the same spirit in Christ most worthy of all renown and acknowledgements as the author and giver of all things Even as the unworthinesse of man consists in that state of the exaltation of the flesh in the man of sin or men of the world but as it is submitted unto God in Christ so the man Christ is he to whom of due desert every knee shall bow and tongue confesse the worth and dignity of that Lord Jesus the man of God and Saviour of the world 2. Again for the Covenant of God it is a mutuall and conjugall engagement of God and man in the faith of Christ whereby they become mutually and reciprocally at the service and use of each other for therein is that speech made good and fulfilled The man hath not power of his own body but the woman neither hath the woman power of her own body but the man God vouchsafing unto the Son of man all that help and glorious supply that is in himselfe and man bringing forth and making manifest in himselfe all those glorious excellencies and vertues which are in the Son of God and so is due benevolence given with respect unto all conjugall duties appertaining and belonging unto that holy Covenant and Contract in that Espousall of Christ Jesus the Son of God 3. The oath of God is the immutability and unchangeable condition of this estate of our spirituall Abraham taken into the promise and hopefull expectation of God taken into the Covenant and present enjoyment of God taken into the oath of confirmation and unchangeable estate and condition of the Son of God wherein it is impossible that ever God should faile or forget himselfe as not to abide and remayn the same so that he sweares by himselfe wherein Abraham is a party else it cannot be an engagement and so is involved in the same condition with God for where it is said God sware by himselfe it is word for word If I blesse thee not that is if thou be not blessed I am not blessednesse my selfe Therefore he saith Surely in blessing I will blesse thee and multiplying I will multiply thee that is if I be blessed then thou art the same if I be multiplyed in my vertues and excellencies then thou also art and dost the same Note from hence that a Christian and God-like oath never swears by a thing greater then he that swears for if he do he divides himselfe from Christ divorcing himselfe from God in falsifying the Covenant in adulterating that holy and perpetuated bond And therefore he adds the oath of man to be such as swears by a greater then himselfe which is to make God and man to be two estates and conditions which is that which hath ever made a nullity of Christ who is one and holds the soule in a state of unbeliefe and is properly that oath which God swears in the way of his wrath which excludes men from ever entring into his rest in the one man is in the oath but no cause originall of the unity and contract between God and man and in the other God is a party in the oath but no cause or originall of that breach or separation from God exclusion out of the land of the living or undergoing of wrath The one is the shutting of the gate of heaven unto the world by that close and undivided estate of God and man being the same condition the other opens the grave for the Rebels in the wildernesse that Hades and state of death by separating God and man from being the same existence and so ever look after a greater then themselves for the obtayning of whom they return back in their hearts into Aegypt seeking shelter and protection in the power and authority of the arm of flesh exercising it selfe in the men of the world It stands the world upon therefore to maintayn engagements between creature and creature as the intent of the word of God and so in all things to have a respect to one greater then themselves which must be another and not their condition which is the only strengthning of the arm of flesh and buckling of the joynts of the kingdome of darkness together to become their only refuge Even as it doth the Saints of God to maintayn God and man to be one and the same condition in Christ in the knitting together of that mysticall body of Christ in the perfect supply of every part unto a perfect man and so make that undefiled and all-sufficient Son of God the only place of their refuge The oath of man is framed by the wisdome of man and is the very top and pinacle of his prefermens and perfection And the oath of God is framed by the wisdome of God being the master-piece of his work the beginning or head of his Creation The wisdome of God is his counsell held or advice taken with fraile man arguing from cause to effect and from effect to cause concluding both in one individual act and being the result properly springing out of divine nature which comprehends all times concluding man together with it selfe in the same condition and that upon such undenyable principles as cary in them the bond of an oath of the most highest and most eminent
unto them no more then that rich man could lay claym to the service of Lazarus so much as to bring him one drop of water to cool his tounge Christ renders a reason why we are not to swear by the earth namely because it is Gods footstool so the enemies of Christ are said to be made his footstool by the Psalmist for as the powers of the world are as the throne for the exercise of Gods displeasure so in the exercise and execution thereof they are troden down under his feete as such as are of base condition and off-spring whereon his feet are set as being victour and conqueror of them for ever therefore the promise is Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and the adder the young Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou trample under feet 3. In the third place the prohibition is of universall extent comprehending all things contained in this heaven and earth as is described in which heaven the actions relations and constitutions are multiplied as the heavenly bodies in the visible heavens are in their constitutions motions operations and respects which are innumerable The things of the earth also in their severall forms kinds and virtues are all comprehended in these words Neither by any other oath the world therefore in its exalted and troden upon estates and conditions are as full of variety in the one and in the other and with respect to each other as the heavens and the earth are which are here elegantly alluded unto and yet true Christianity is free from being ingaged to any thing it selfe only excepted not consisting of any nor of all them for the Son of God not having a greater swears by himselfe and is ingaged to none besides the spirit and life of true religion is ingaged to nothing but it selfe and unto that upon oath wherever it appears And pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is to visite the fatherlesse and the widow according to their necessities and to keep our selves unspotted of the world that is it gives out it selfe and yeelds sufficient supply onely to the fatherlesse namely to such as are cut off from that race and stock of the men of the world and so are without father as Melchizedech is and ever was and will be and in that respect the Prophet saith For with thee the fatherlesse they finde mercy who are not propagated and borne of flesh nor of blood nor of the will of man but of God for that which is borne of the flesh is flesh but that which is borne of the spirit is spirit The state of the widdow also religion supplies and is ingaged unto as to it selfe whose covenant and contract with the things of this life is broken and altogether dissolved and made voyd who are come to that age and gravity of the Gospel as of threescore years and past that is past bringing forth according to the wisdome of the flesh who are such widows that bring forth in that kind as the Apostle saith wax wanton and will marry that is enter into contract and ingagements with the things of the world through their divorce from Christ Religion is in no sort obliged unto such but onely to the modesty and gravity of the former And therefore it is said to keep it self unspotted of the world it makes it selfe immaculate and undefiled by the estranging of it selfe from the proper operation of that spirit of the world in all things for it neither eates nor drinks marries nor yet gives in marriage upon the same grounds and principles which the men of the world do in so much that Christianity is that Virgin-like Espousall which conceives and brings forth by that spirit of purity not found elsewhere but onely in it selfe which the world stumbles at more then Joseph did at Mary before God resolved his doubt when he concluded to put her away and to have no fellowship with her which all the world not taught of God proceed unto concerning the Saints of God as ingaged thereunto by that spirit of uncleanesse whereupon our Apostle brings in the next point But let your yea be yea and your nay nay That is whatsoever you acknowledge your selves to be ingaged unto affirming it to be yea let that ingagement be acknowledged to be alwayes and in all things the same without denyall thereof in any thing whereinsoever it may be concerned as for instance if ever you were ingaged to God nothing else as men for the most part acknowledge traditionally they were in the creation of the first man Adam or if you acknowledge that hereafter you shall be ingaged onely to him and no other if you cannot make this yea that is to be always the same without any negation at all it is not the confession of faith no true profession of Jesus Christ yea it must be concluded upon and acknowledge both in the preter present and future tence or else it is not pure religion and undefiled before God even the Father because otherwise it is not the ingagement of the Son of God in whom alone all purity doth consist for if any thing at any time or time it selfe for one moment interpose between God and man between the Father and the Son it is not that unity and faith of the Son of God who never admits of any time or any thing to interpose between the Father and himselfe in that subsisting unity of his 2. This exhortation is laid down in way of negation let your nay be nay that is if ever you finde a time wherein you deny your selfe to be ingaged to Satan either in your creation or in Gods determination or if ever you expect a time or way and means wherein and whereby you shall be disingaged unto him and that fully and perfectly then let your nay be nay that is let it be resolved upon that you were never ingaged unto him neither are nor ever shall be at no time nor in any respect else it is not that disingagement of the Sonne of God for Satan never came to finde any thing in him bearing the least tincture of his nature or that held any correspondency with that evill one in any respect But I cannot but wonder many times when I think of that profession of Christ which is made in the world which for the most part is of such things as themselves cannot but acknowledg were never found in Christ as ignorance pride errour absence from God selfe-love enmity disobedience unbelief and the like at the least the relicks and remaynders of these to reside in the state of Christianity not knowing that these things are to be confessed upon that condition wherein the Sonne of God is transformed by the world unto and in it selfe another thing then by nature he is in which confession there is the vertue of transmission of all sin and unrighteousnesse into its proper place even as in the acknowledgment of the righteousnesse of God it is to be transmitted
Jacob and Esau and the like as teaching higher and more transcendant things thereby Therefore to rest in these as being the intent and scope of the Scriptures without seeing and acknowledging the life and death of Christ in them both according to the flesh and also according to the spirit we may by as good skill of interpretation center and terminate the minde of God in making any or all those visible creatures in heaven and in earth in that proper work without having any respect at all unto man therein and make them the utmost and extreamest point of Gods thoughts and intent which were no better then to disinherit the Son of God making a bastard and no Son of him being they were all made to do service unto him and to stand up and jointly and skilfully point as with the finger to direct either to his perpetuall life or death as being the reality and substantiality of them all the forme of a Church therefore as constituted into particulers now in the world is of no more weight or worth in a Christian minde then any other order wherein men are conversant in wayes of civillity so called for if once we finde the substance by the light of that day that springs from on high the darknesse of night and shadow flye away So as nothing looks amiable upon us but onely glory in the highest and peace in the earth to that man of good will who dwels in the bush It is the spirit of Prophesie therefore or of true interpretation that cals in the Eldership w ch sees this sicknes or death to be that renovation of the health life of man-kinde in Christ from that carnall life which the world lives from living unto earthly and transitory things to live unto heavenly and everlasting things such as abide for ever therefore it is said that fifteen years are added unto the life of Hezekiah which number consists of ten and five ten hath in it the mystery of eternity as hath been declared and five hath in it the mystery of multiplication signifying that variety and uncountable wayes of health and life which in all respects and ways of relation are multiplied and exercised in that mysticall body and state of Christ Therefore no speech of the multiplication of any of Gods works till the fifth day to shew the mystery of this number therefore it is that Joseph brings five of his brethren before Pharoah to signifie the multiplication of blessings upon the land by all the family seeing so manny had come upon it by his being there as one the like is in Benjamins messe sent in by Joseph five times so much as any of the rest to shew the multiplication of his love to that his brother who only came of the beloved Rachel together with himselfe In the recovery out of this sicknesse or renewing of life from the dead we are to consider what Christ saith viz. Except the wheat corne dye it multiplies not that is except Christ the seed of God dye he multiplies not in which we are to know that divine nature simply considered in it selfe is not the seed of God no more then the seed of mankinde is simply in the male but respectively in male and female else it produceth not to multiply its kinde and every tree hath seed in it selfe therefore the man is not without the woman nor the woman without the man in the Lord. They are but one tree that is one estate and condition even so the seed of God is whole Christ God and man made one and this wheat corne or seed must dye or else it brings not forth the true kinde and off-spring of the Son of God that is it must be sick and dye to all carnall and corruptible things or else it never brings forth that multiplyed fruit of the spirit which is in Jesus Christ To conclude this point to call in this place for the Elders is not meant the mendicimonium of a man without magnanimity and courage as one crouching unto a course and carnall Elder made with hands that is set up and created by men who can come unto the assembly and a private person but before it be dissolved is a pulick person a reverend Elder But this call is an anthetique and princely summons of a royall Prophet for this sicknesse hath in it the virtue and voyce of a summons to convent the true physitian multiplyed into an holy and honourable Eldership the consultation and practice of whom is the cure of the soule even as the life and frolick presumption of the arme of flesh hath in it a sufficient summons to bring in the works of unrighteousnesse to that appearance of Antichrist who is that poysonfull dragon and destroyer of the soule Yea this call is the voyce of the spouse being dead to her first husband and having forgotten her fathers house in the forsaking of all her kindred through which her speech becomes sweet and her countenance comely for ever 2. The second point is who these Elders are They are not the Elders of particular Congregations composed and ordered by man under that deceivable terme of reformed Churches as in these days which are but like to the sheards of a potters vessell which cannot be set together or sodred no more then they can ever bring themselves into unity for the spirit of that kingdome is divided in it selfe and therefore can never stand in the way of that resurrection by Christ but are in the way of that apostacy and fall of man from his Creator endeavouring still to become as Gods by the wisdome of the flesh We must observe then for the clearing of this point who they are which our Apostle writes unto in this Epistle and that is to the twelve Tribes in their dispertion and scattering from Israel as carnally considered for otherwise the Saints are never dispersed from the house and temple of God And this scattering is not into any particuler country or kingdome as into Assyria Babylon Caldea or the like but over the whole earth even upon the breadth of the land of Emanuel therefore they are said to be scattered abroad as having no confines set Neither doth he write to people as of one age or tract of time but as unto such as shall live in all ages of the world for as the word of God in the beginning went not out as to create the Sun for one age of the world but for all ages even so the word of the kingdome the Gospel of God goeth not forth to the dispersed and outcasts of Israel that is from the wisdome power and policy of the arme of flesh in one place or one age but so as every word of God in its true intent concerns and fiâ—s all places and ages of the world both in respect of the word of the curse and of the blessing so that to expound the word of God as fitting for one time place age or person and not for
another is the wisdome of man that perisheth and comes to nought and not the wisdome of God which abides the same for ever and is that light which guides unto the Elders who are the onely governours and rulers of this universall Church called into communion and fellowship with this sick party and they are the first borne of every tribe having upon them the office of King Preist and Prophet in every family and inferiour to that dignity doth not this sicknesse call for any to come to visite it knowing all others to be Physitians of no value for this kinde of sicknesse summons none but the first borne of God into communion and fellowship with it that call which Cornelius gave to Peter that Elder of the Church was like unto this that when he spake of that unction of Christ the spirit of God descended upon those that heard it insomuch that Peter challengeth all men whether they can forbid water that those should not be baptized who had received the holy spirit as well as themselves as if he should say can any deny the signe of unity between Jew and Gentile which is communion and fellowship seeing they have the ground and substance thereof namely are partakers of the spirit of God that holy anoynting which is the truth and substance of all community whether we be present or absent in body we are one in that spirit of the Lord. The word of Prophesie therfore which is ever accompanied with prayer as in Cornelius or that word of true interpretation of the word of God knows how to give summons unto and call in the life and spirit of kingdome and Preisthood into fellowship with it selfe which is that healthfull spirit or unction that is by Jesus Christ Add further this sicknesse is the very foot of the throne upon which that great Elder even the ancient of dayes sits for when Daniel beholds through this spirit of interpretation he sees thrones set up or as the word will bear thrones cast down at you may see how the translators give it in both phrases signifying thereby that the power and glory of the world is cast down wheresoever this great Eldership is set up which is of no lesse antiquity then is the eternall that gives Judgement into the hands of the Saints of the most high and possesseth them with the kingdome for none but the eternall can give an eternall inheritance and he gives it not but as he sits on this throne namely the glory of man cast down and the gravity of this ancient of days set up whose garments are white as snow and the haire of his head like pure wooll and such is the royalty and authority of the Eldership here intended who are not brought in by any other call but by the Prophesie or interpretation of the minde of God therefore it is that the vision speaks so punctually and particularly where and with whom Peter is to be found Note here that even as the life of the flesh through the crucification of the spirit admits none into unity nor invests any into its proper condition but onely such as are of its own kinde so the life of the spirit which is in Christ Jesus through the crucification of the flesh admits none into fellowship nor invests any into its proper state and condition but its owne kinde For what is born of the flesh is flesh and what is born of the spirit is spirit and therefore none but the first-born of God are of this Eldership or callers of them into the exercise of their proper virtue and authority even as it was with the Apostles when they pronounce peace if the son of peace be not there their peace returns upon themselves and their abode is not in that house of family 3. By these Elders then in the third place we see what we are to understand by the Church they are of that is that unity and fellowship which the selected and chosen people of God are of and have in that fellowship and faith of Jesus Christ as they are considered not in one age much lesse in one Parish or company of people gathered together but as they are universally considered in all ages and times of the world For such as is the extent of the spirit by which every Saint lives and of those offices of Christ by vertue whereof the exercise of such extent is the true Church ever to be held and taken otherwise the Church is carnallized and cast into the mould of the letter that kills and not into the mould of the spirit that gives life So that to thrust up Christ as into a corner as in one age of the world or to monopolize him amongst a handfull of people is all one as to put him in the grave though with Nicodemus a Ruler among the Jews and that rich man Joseph of Arimethea both night Disciples for fear of the Jews they may seem to differ from Herod in that they perfume the dead body and wrap it in clean linnen being affected therewith but it is but according to the custome of the Jewish Sinagogue for they put it in the grave and roll a great stone thereupon as men without hope or desire of the resurrection having that common spirit that now lives in the world to beg leave of the Pilates and great men thereof before they dare adventure to trim up the dead body of Jesus and fit it for the Sepulchre But this universall Church of which these Elders are is called by the Apostle mount Zion the City of the living God the new Jerusalem the generall assembly and Church of the first-born which are enrolled in heaven And such as constitute and set up a Church not of this nature and comprehension they build it up upon mount Sinai under the terrors of the law and sprinckle the instruments and officers there of as with the blood of Abel speaking from the ground or earthly heart of Cain and not on mount Zion in that blood of sprinkling which speaks better things in that peaceable agreement and reconcilement of God and man in Jesus Christ Note here that where two or three are gathered together in any part of the world or at any time we deny it not to be the true Church of Christ but what is it which gives it its capacity to be that Church of Christ is it not he who is in the midst or in the heart of them as the word is who is no lesse then that everlasting father or that ancient of dayes what bounds then can be set unto it lesse then that which gives it its capacity to be such a thing who extends himselfe to the whole family of heaven for unto him all faces looke and every knee bowes and if once it be so in our selves we see it in the whole family and flock of God in all the elect So that the true sum volume of all their doctrine and prayers is of no lesse extent then the
the seale of the Doctrine of the Gospel and any particular or all outward forms which Religion is represented unto us in to be the Religion of God as well as any or all of those former miracles wrought to be the seale of God 3. Furthermore to conclude the historicall act of wonders wrought to be the sign of confirmation is to darken yea to annihilate the vertue and power of the Gospel for in this wonder of Eliah to make the heavens as brasse and the earth as iron is here a fit allusion in the judgement of the spirit and we are to heare what the spirit saith unto the Churches in the teaching of the death of Christ and the operations thereof considered in the world and also in the house of God whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end And thus the allusion is unto a three yeares and sixe moneths forbearance of raine and afterwards to raynein great plenty This allusion is also used not in the terme of yeares but of two and forty moneths which is the same length of time but in a farre differing respect and differing doctrine in regard of the severall beames and lustre of the Gospel For there he teacheth that in measuring of the Temple the Court-yard is to be left out and not to be measured because it is given unto the Gentiles And the holy Citie shall they tread under foot two and forty moneths which is this three years and six moneths It is also alluded unto in poynt of dayes and so the same mystery is called a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes which are not properly yeares of famine but rather of fruit for it is the time of the prophesie of the two witnesses of the Gospel it is alluded unto likewise as consisting of three dayes and a halfe which is the time of the witnesses dead bodies lying in the streets of the great Citie which is spiritually called Sodome and Aegypt where also our Lord was crucified not suffered to be put in graves This wonder wrought by Eliah is alluded unto also as points or monuments of time in which the time of the womans being in the wildernesse is taught a doctrine farre differing from any of the former and that is for a time times and halfe a time on the division of time Now if the three yeares and sixe moneths drought and afterwards rayne were the substance and intent of the miracle and in that the wonder to lye for the confirmation of the Gospel how fiâ—ly could the spirit of God bring it in as an elegant allusion in all these severall respects Those therefore that would have the Gospel confirmed by miracles of like outward form as have been done in ages past they annihilate the Gospel by denying the truth substance and reality of the signe to be extant only in Christ Like friends to the Gospel are they who look to see Christ coming from heaven confined in one individuall man as the Disciples saw him go up to reign on the earth as an only Monarch for the space of a thousand yeares and then and not till then we shall see good dayes as those Doctors affirm The fourth poynt is the effect of his prayer And it rayned not Concerning the historicall form of this wonder all men know what it is to rayne and not to rayn But few know the mystery thereof which is substantiated in the Son of God and consists in that death of his reallized in the men of the world and in the men of God The spirit therefore and office of the intercession of Christ centring in and gathering it selfe into that one holy and mysticall body in the utterance and manifestation of it selfe affords not any of the raine of Gods liberality and bounty nor of that dew which causeth Israel to grow as a lilly unto that body of sinne that state of Ahab Jezebel and apostatized Israel but leaves it fruitlesse and barren like those mountains of Gilboa where Saul slaw himself c. to declare that his unction according to the works of the Law of the carnall command with all the glory arising there-from and the terrours of God are never separated nor upon that height and dignity doth ever rayn nor dew according to the intent of our Apostle in this place fall or descend to bring forth any fruit unto God but are like the heath in the parched wildernesse and as the dry dust which the winde of Gods fury driveth away 2. The spirit of intercession comprized and exercising it selfe in that Elijah the strength of our being or existance dryeth up that mysticall body of Christ that no rayne nor dew nor any moysture producing fruits according to the flesh falleth upon it or descendeth thereon And this is declared and signified unto us in Eliah who goes to the brook Cherith or the brook of slaying and mortification of the flesh with all the lusts and affections thereof intimated unto us in the drying up of the brook by that drought and he is fed by no earthly thing but only by the fowls of heaven Also when he sits under the Mulbery trees as one bereaved of his life as his fathers before him also were To the things of this world there also an Angel or Messenger heavenly only makes provision for him in his ascention to Horeb the Mount of God in the strength of which food once received though in a two-fold respect he travels forty days and forty nights the like time that Moses and our Lord fasted where he complayns to God that he only is left alone destitute of all help of man as an out-cast from all claym or title to the Kingdome of Ahab and backsliden Israel to idolatry For there is no rayn nor dew which makes that earthly condition fruitfull that falls upon him for the Famine is as great unto him in poynt of the wisdome of the flesh yeelding any food to Eliah as it is in respect of the wisdome of the spirit in yeelding any refreshment to Ahab the one being the heaven of God of Israel and the other the heaven or god of the world To conclude this point let us insert that word Selah which hath the signification of lifting up do but exalt the word of God as it is in Jesus and behold it is extant and lives in both these respects at this day and thence comes in the time of this restraynt of rayne And this is the fifth poynt which is for the space of three yeares and sixe moneths For the opening of this point we know that the number three as it hath the mystery of a true and reall distinction in it in the same individuall as in the three that beare record in heaven the father the word and the spirit and these three are one So also the mystery of fulnesse and perfection as the number seven hath for three witnesses are as a thousand they answer the Law compleatly
Likewise it hath the mystery of eternity in it for they are heavenly such as never fade away nor faile to bring in their testimony therefore it is that Israel must go three days journey into the wildernesse to worship the Lord that is there must be a totall and finall departure from Aegypt in regard of the ignorance or darknesse of it from their governments Hosts and Armies burdens tasks and cruelties Magicyan-like worships lying wonders and fauning flatteries in the erecting and setting up of the Tabernacle and worship of God at Mount horeb or Sinai This is also the reason why the Ark must go before them three days journey from Mount-Sinai to seek out a resting place namely to shew that there must be a totall and finall departure from the works of the Law in our entring into that rest that yet remaynes for the people of God Of like signification is Jonas being in the Whales belly and the Son of man in the heart of the earth Jonas is swallowed up of the Whales in carnall and backsliding Israel who observe lying vanities and decline the word of God but is cast up and made alive in the Ninivites beyond all reason expectation or thought of heart for the Publicans and Sinners enter before the strict Scribes and Pharisees into heaven Christ lyes three dayes and three nights in the grave as buryed eternally concerning any life of his spirit in Herod Pontius Pilate and that wicked Judas and the Jewes but he riseth the third day in his Disciples the Gentiles and all Nations never to dye any more but only those three dayes and three nights of eternity in the wicked of the world unto which his life in the Saints is proportionable Even so here is three years voyd of rayn or dew or any fruitfulnesse of the earth wherein both heaven and earth are in exercise and are comprehended So there is an eternall estate of the wicked that comprehends both God and man in that way of the Curse and unity of the Harlot wherein twayn are made one flesh for two saith he shall be one flesh in which estate there is no dew of heaven nor fruit yielded by the earth that is of those fruits of righteousnesse and vertues that are by Jesus Christ in those three years that is unto eternity There is also an eternall season of the Saints of God wherein no dew nor rayn from heaven or from that wisdome of the flesh falls on them to cause any fruits of the flesh or works of darknesse to be brought forth by them So that as in a yeare wee see a perfect revolution of things not only earthly but heavenly also at least in that great light and course of the Sun so that the number three signifies a totall and finall revolution of all things that concern God and man as two being joyned in way of flesh And all things also that concern God and man everlastingly in that way of being joyned unto the Lord and made one spirit with him Further we see that in a whole years space there is a like time of night as there is of day if we take the globe universally even so there is a like eternity of darknesse and the power thereof that there is of light in the Kingdome of Christ Moreover take the whole circumference of heaven and earth and there is a like time of Winter that there is of Sommer even so there is the same three-fold time of eternity in the kingdome of darknesse of blasting withering smiting with chilly coldnesse and all unfruitfulnesse as there is in the kingdome of life and light of the joy of harvest and pleasure of the tree of life which beares twelve manner of fruits as being furnished for every Tribe of Israel and every moneth of the yeare which tree is not afraid of drought nor knowes when the heate comes Concerning the sixe moneths added it is a rendring or consigning to each estate of eternity such a time for the Prophet in the history is illimited in his expression saying that it shall be neither raine nor dew for these yeares which may be applyed to time past present or to come for it is according to my word which is the word of the Lord the word of eternity so that we can give no other bounds to the time but such as hold correspondency with the word of eternity Our Apostle therefore brings it in by these expressions to declaring and distinguish his meaning namely the Prophets meaning This term of sixe moneths then is to be taken according to that distinction when he saith that sommer and winter cold and heate seed-time and harvest night and day shall not cease This sixe moneths properly sets forth unto us the time of seed-time and harvest which take it throughout the earth with respect to all grayn and it consists so long time Besides the number sixe hath in it the mystery of meanes of increase for increase multiplication and fruitfulnesse is not brought in in the creation but with the blessing which is the meanes of it So that six moneths in this place is the time and means of multiplication and increase which is here frustrate and hindered by the drought unto barrennesse and famine In the mystery of Christ the Saints of God sow unto the spirit but the seed of immortality is lost in the wicked they reap nothing unto eternall life Also the wicked they sow unto the flesh but their seed is lost in the Saints and comes to nought for they reap nothing of corruption So that in these three years of eternity there is a frustration of seed-time and harvest an absolute fruitlesnesse barrennesse and famine throughout the earth the one unto blessing in bringing forth nothing unto the flesh the other unto a curse in bringing forth nothing unto the spirit Yet men beare men in hand and vainly perswade themselves they can convert men and turn them by their preaching and make them other things then they are whereas the Gospel only declares and discovers men to appear to be that which they are no alteration of a work done once and for ever They may as well say they can make the righteous and just one a sinner as to say the wicked may become holy otherwise then as they are once and for ever for Gods work in man-kind is an eternall act not knowable but as himselfe considered one with it 6. It follows which is the renewing of his prayer and the effect thereof And he prayed againe and the heavens gave raine and the earth brought forth her fruit We are not here to take prayer as one being of a later production then the former for they are but one continued and eternall act as the doctrine of the Gospel is which is herein commended unto us for the things of God are comprehended and involved one in another and it is the skill of a Scribe taught unto the Kingdome of God to bring them out of the treasury
as things of old from eternity and new as in present use fitting and beseeming the present oration and opportunity This phrase therefore is like that where the Apostle saith My little children of whom I travell in birth againe till Christ be formed in you not as though they had now defaced Christ who before was formed in them but he declares hereby the effect of his doctrine from which some were turned aside unto the rudiments of the Law as unto another Gospel which he saith is not another but the same Gospel perverted by false Teachers telling them that some are entangled with the yoke of bondage thereby for he that is bound to any particular of the carnall commandement as to be circumcised or any outward form of bodily action He is bound to keepe the whole law and shews that such have abolished Christ and are faln from grace such effect he shews his Doctrine had of some as a savour of death unto death but there were others unto whom hee there speaks on whom his doctrine had a more noble effect as being a savour of life Therefore he saith My little children of whom I travell in birth againe or I have brought you forth not in a second act but in another manner and way namely to the forming of Christ in you or framing you into the similitude of the Son of God once and for ever Even so it is here He prayed againe that is the spirit of intercession hath a secondary or other manner of effect then that which is before specified not another prayer but another manner of wonder accomplished by the same prayer for now the heavens gave raine and the earth brings forth her fruit We are to know then that as the Gospel opens the treasuries of the Kingdome of God unto an abundant freedome liberty and plenty of the going forth and exercise of the spirit of grace in the Saints even as water poured upon the thirsty and floods upon the dry ground through that office of intercession peculiar unto our Eliah without any hinderance or engagement of any bond of the flesh when through the spirit of prayer that cloud of witnesse or rayn of liberality ariseth as a hand or administration thereof even as the word of the Lord is sayd to come by the hand of Haggie and by the hand of Malachie and by the hand of all the Prophets which so covereth the heavens as no parching sun of the beams of mans wisdome and device taketh place no more then they doe in those over-shadowings of the Virgin by that holy spirit of God in the production of Christ Even so doth Prayer set at liberty the works of the flesh in the men of the world by opening the sluces and flood-gates thereof unto condemnation and destruction for the waters of the great deep mystery or bottomlesse pit are opened for the destruction of the world as well as the flood-gates of heaven for the safety of Noah and his houshold in bearing up the Ark fifteen cubits above the great mountayns of the States of this earth or of the world And this prayer doth not simply accidentally but ministerially and effectually in the same sence That the Gospell is a savour of death unto death Not only by gleaning of all the fruits of righteousnesse out of the wisdome of the Serpent or men of the world which centred in the Saints are the proper cause of the transcendencies of their estate above all humane excellencies so doth it also gleane all the vicious desires of the flesh out of that state and condition of Christ centring them in that state of unbeliefe whereby man descends infinitely beneath a state of simple humane or properties of a meer creature and by fashioning and corrupting the holy things of God becomes satanicall and diabolicall and such as seek to finde an excellent or commendable betwixt these twayn it cannot be better described or diciphered for the solidity of it then by that partition that divides Purgatory and Hell in those of that mercinary conceipt The abundance of spirit therefore in the Saints and that plenty of the spirit of the Prince of the power of the ayre which now works in the children of disobedience hold proportion in way of Antithesis otherwise an infinite and an eternall wrath could not take place in the wicked as an infinite and eternall glory doth in the Saints For he made but one speaking of that state of Christ with an elegant allusion unto the high Priest and wherefore but one seeing he had abundance of spirit namely that there might be a holy seed that whatsoever the fruits are that are by one Lord Jesus Christ of the same nature and dignity are all the fruits of happinesse produced and brought forth by that one mystical and spirituall body and so in a diameter respect are all the fruits of sin in the wicked This plenty in this two-fold respect is signified by warning given to Ahab to betake himselfe to his Chariot for I heare a noyse of much raine which Ahab flyes from as a terrible thing as it contayns the spirit of Eliah betaking himselfe to Chariot and horse in the furnitures of this world and Eliah flyes from it as it hath the spirit of Ahab and Jezebel as that which brings destruction upon them only hee betakes himselfe to the strength of Gods spirit to take the gates of Iesreel The plenty of Eliah's spirit is seen and taught in that duration and plenty in the cruse of oyle and barrell of meale raising up the womans sonne from death to life and annoynting Hazael and Jehu for the ruine of Ahabs house Elisha to be a Prophet in his stead and in the destruction of all those false Prophets of Baal And the plenty of the rayn of that spirit of wickednesse appears in Ahab and Jezebel their cruelty towards the Prophet of God their miserable and horrible overthrow and in their desire and endeavour to nourish and maintayn such plenty of a false spirit of prophesie upon the face of the earth and in this plenty of rain seed-time and harvest are continued for the world sow unto the flesh and the flesh they reap and inherit corruption and the Saints sow unto the spirit and inherit everlasting life And from this power of prayer he assumes the power and vertue of doctrine in which he concludes the Epistle to shew that where the power and vertue of the one resides there is the power and vertue of the other The prayer of Faith is never without the spirit of Prophesie and prophesie according to the spirit is never without the life and power of prayer and where one of these is wanting they are both absent from that party in the true exercise of them for a formall prayer is never accompanyed with the life and power of sound doctrine but as they have composed a prayer by mans invention gathering up expressions sutable in the understanding of a man so do they compose a
doctrine from Libraries School-distinctions and from a serious observation of the carriage and demeanour of one creature towards another only bringing God into the account by turning the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man and of birds four-footed beasts and of creeping things It is not Universities books and Libraries that can transfer the spirit of the Scriptures no nor the skill in those Languages wherein they were originally written without the same spirit comment upon them in our hearts by which they were first indited It is the spirit that indited them that gives the meaning of them and not the hand that writes or translates no more then paper and inke can doe it Without which spirit let us use all meanes and industry that possible we can it is but to pick at the bark and rinde of truths and cracking of a shell voyd and destitute of any kernell better then a gale of bitterness to be found in it and such as compose their Sermons of such stuffe their prayers are no better however they may shew the zeale of Baals Priests in the uttering of them But true prayer carries the force of the Doctrine of the Gospel in it by judging of the want and supply according unto God and true doctrine hath the power of prayer going forth in it for the effectuall performance of the things that are taught and neither the one nor the other consist of any form or statue that any book or Library can possibly bring and represent unto us for the visions and operations of God are never found in the same form and time as at another all circumstances duely weighed and considered Yet may we not deny but the same words may be used often and again in prayer or doctrine but with a various respect as this wonder of Eliah is brought in with respect to years months dayes and poynts of time so Christ prayed in the same words thrice but with variety and eternity of respect for the cup for ever passeth by him and toucheth him not as man is eternally saved in that blessed condition of the Son of God and it takes effect at the Sonne of God is transformed by the world into the cursed state and condition For if we make the death of Christ according to the true mystery of it wherein salvation doth consist to be of lesse continuance then eternity wee shall annihilate Christ and make salvation it selfe of no longer continuance for if Christ once dye unto the flesh in the godly he never lives unto it any more And if he once be dead in the wicked in respect of his proper spirit and life it is never repaired in them agayn for then there were not eteranll perdition which the word of God hath commended unto us upon like grounds of certainty that it hath done everlasting life That word translated was dead and is alive is read is dead and is alive as the same word I am an Apostle is used in the present tence Doctrine and prayer are inseparable companions even as Kingdome and Priest hood are as here in the way of Christ even so in the world in the way of Antichrist and thus the connexion of the next point is brought in Vers 19 20. Brethren if any of you have erred from the truth and one hath converted him c. In which words observe 1. A proposition consisting of two points As 1. Errour from the truth 2. A restauration 2. Observe an injunction and that hath two parts also 1. To acknowledge or make a confession of an estate or act 2. The party that is so to do and that is He that hath turned from errour 3. The state and condition or act done and that consists of two things 1. Death 2. The hiding of a multitude of sins BUt first observe the terme or appellation he gives as before he hath done Brethren By brethren here is meant a like brother-hood as in Esau and Jacob which are often so called Was not or is not Esau Jacobs brother saith the Lord Yet I have loved Jacob and hated Esau and layd his mountaine wast for ever So the Apostle hath respect to the wicked as brethren in a true sence to the godly because they consist of the same matter and substance that is God and man made one in the wisdome of the flesh as the Saints consist of God and man made one but according to the wisdome of the spirit If one of you or if any of you If one of you that is as a Nation considered collectively in Esau as the Oracle said to Rebecka Two nations are in thy womb or any of you that is distributively or distinctly and so it comprehends all the Apostates and Revolters from God or all vertues or excellencies in the Saints from which they are fallen and have erred and gone astray If any that is man and man one or other or thing and thing one and other whatsoever is in the Son of God Erred from the trueth that is gone astray and wandred from that which is the reality and substance of all things which is Christ the Son of God And to erre in this place is not simply for a meer creature to declyne and go away from his Creator but to pervert mis-apply and wrongfully to interpret the very things of God themselves turning his glory into shame his truth into a lye therefore they erre from truth as having been in it for that which was is and ever shall be righteousnesse and holinesse of truth they have perverted unto prophanesse and wickednesse by interpreting the things of God to be such as the proper spirit of a creature naturally brings forth so that it is a diabolicall spirit which this errour is formed into The particle if is not here to be taken as making questions or doubt whether there be such a swerving from truth but as a certaine affirmation that such there are as the Apostle explayns the Prophets meaning where it is sayd Vnto whom I sware in my wrath if they shall enter into my rest which the Apostle expounds They shall not enter into his rest as an absolute certainty And so there is of one converting or turning from errour into truth in that wonderfull change that the Sonne of God makes in our nature for it is impossile that he should be held of death but as certainly as he layes down his life in the wicked so must he take it agayn in the godly otherwise there were an annihilation of him who is the Author and strength of all things which is impossible And in this change or turning we are not to take it as the simple and single spirit of a creature turned but the compleat spirit of him who is the Son of God for as the Apostle speaks of prayer We know not how to pray as we ought but the spirit maketh intercession for us It is not the spirit of God without the spirit of the creature for