they be knowne but by the same Spirit whose fruits they are he that hath not the fruits of this Spirit which is holinesse peace righteousnesse joy in the Holy Ghost enjoyeth not the kingdome of God nor till wee have sought and found peace and holinesse wee shall not see God and except wee be borne againe of water and the Holy Spirit we cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven though it be Luke 17.21 within us Now can any teach what it is to be born again and what this Water and holy Spirit is but he that hath them and hath been borne againe by them I would men were diligent to desire such spirituall things and then God who dwelleth in their hearts would feele and heare their desires and breath forth his holy Spirit in them and satisfie their desires with his Gifts and Graces and then he would fill their minds and understandings also with the knowledge of all his Mysteries and so they would learne in the schoole of Christ by Divine Experience the true Ordinances of God and then we should be better able to edifie one another in our most holy Faith and wee should by degrees improving that measure of knowledge we have at length attaine the highest knowledge of the highest Apostle Wee want but the sincere practise of what we know for by that meanes wee should not Quench but stirre up the Gifts and Graces of Gods Holy Spirit that are within us till it multiply and flow forth with all its Gifts which wee suppose are not attainable because men have not endeavoured that they might attaine them And that is the Reason wee have the Ordinances not in Power but in much weaknesse wanting those Gifts which would enable Men to dispence the Ordinances of God It is a Great Gift to have our Calling and Election sure in that sense which the Apostle Paul meant it according to the highest understanding of that Mysterie which the Apostle himselfe knew must needs be attainable by labour and Endeavour and upon the knowledge of this Mysterie doth many other Mysteries depend it is that for which the Ordinances were Instituted as helps and meanes to bring us to the assured certainty of our salvation wee content our selves with an Imaginary superficiall perswasion without knowing assurance for if wee did endeavour labour search seeke and try wee should soone perceive how it might be made infallibly sure and then wee should as assuredly understand the high Excellency of Every Ordinance of God All the Arts and Trades in the world are Mysteries and are not truly knowne but by those that have had Experience in them then how can there be a skilfull Dispencer of the Mysteries of God his Ordinances but by Experience in them we are able to learne them all by Experience but without that wee know nothing of them more then the very beast The Devills that far surpasse Mortall Men in knowledge yet cannot know the Mysteries of God because they cannot experiment them but those of Darknesse they worke and therefore know them and wee are placed in this world to work the works of God that wee may know what that Good and acceptable will of God is and therefore wee should Work out our salvation with feare and trembling by obedience in well-doing and that will bring us to feele and know the good Spirit of God which will teach us the way and course how to finde every thing if wee search and enquire in that Spirit threfore let us endeavour after that which is Holy and wee shall feelè what the God of Holinesse is and then we shall cleerly understand the Scriptures and the writings of all other Men wee shall be able to discover what is true and what is false in all the words and writings of any Man understandingly and demonstratively to the convincing of all hearers both in Divine and Naturall things From these Instances that have been mentioned it may be perceived that all the Ordinances of God have proceeded from the Holy Ghost neither can any thing be the Ordinance of God where the Holy Ghost is not in some measure or other no man is the Minister of the Word of God any further then he is taught by the Spirit of God and speaketh what he understandeth by the same Spirit None were fit to be made Deacons or Elders but one full of the Holy Ghost then surely none are able to make Deacons or Elders but by the Power of the Holy Ghost that is in them and so of all other Ordinances and according to the measure of the Holy Spirit in us such is the validity and Efficacy of the Ordinances to us the Outward performance of the things directed in the Scripture by men of sincere hearts is sufficient and they are warnings to us to forsake our Evill wayes in the Observance of which course wee may assuredly finde true Christianity and consequently salvation but this is in the lowest degree and it were to be wished that none were so presumptuous as to arrogate to themselves that they are such as performe the true Ordinances of God unlesse they have the same holy Spirit of God filling their hearts as they had of whom it is recorded in the holy Scriptures that they did performe them aright when wee are scarce truly Children of God let us have a care that wee suffer not others to account us above what wee are but rather informe them sincerely that wee are not such as they take us to be and not take upon us to be called Gods Faithfull Servants Ministers of God Preachers of the Word Elders Teachers Pastours Overseers Messengers and Embassadours of Christ or Apostles such as are sent from God neither should any mention those Texts of Scripture which speake of the true Officers of Christ as if the same were meant and applyable to thamselves and so urge them in Sermons that those hearers that have not ability to discerne the truth in things that differ are made confident to maintaine stiffely that those Scriptures mean them they call Ministers as well as it did the Apostles Evangelists and other faithfull Teachers in those dayes and doe alledge those Scriptures in their behalfe and call them Divines whereas none of the Apostles were so named in all the Scripture but John the Divine the beloved Disciple and most sublime in vision and Revelation when as if wee truly examine our selves according to the Scriptures wee shall finde wee ought rather to be esteemed Enemies of God and of his Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord But let us presse forward in the wayes of Godlinesse that wee may be at length strong Men in Christ and enjoy his Ordinances in the Power as it was and is in the spirits and soules of all the faithfull holy ones who have true understanding and knowledge in the Divine Mysteries by Experience such were the Prophets and Apostles and faithfull in all ages No curious workman can make his servant expert in his work except the servant
is poysoned through false Imagination and through its owne z Text. Impression compression of its desire is come to be such a hungry fire-source which is onely a shutting in of the true Life and a Ground of Darknesse a source of Enmity and Contrariety wherein there is no more any true Ens wherein the Life might bring it selfe into Light 5. As a hard Stone is shut up so the Soule was shut up and was out of the good Love-Life a Poyson-Life after that manner as out of Angells there became Devills which now also are of such a horrible poysonous stincking fire source in their Essence and cannot attaine the kindling of the Light The cause is this that they are become Enemies of the Divine Love that the Love is to them a Death of their Evill Will and Essence which would slay their false Life in the twinckling of an Eye if they did but come therein 6. This a Text. Impresseten compressed Substance of the Soule perished as to God and blinde as to God the Great Love of God out of mâ—â—re Grace came againe to help as soone as the Soule together with the Body was thus fallen and spake in or breathed in it selfe againe into the Centre of the Soule viz into the Compressed shut up and vanished Heavenly Ens of the Soule viz into the source of Meeknesse which it had which was no more Moveable 7. Into this Soule the Moveable power spake in it selfe againe to be a New Centre and Covenant that God would in the fullnesse of Time in this inspoken voyce of Grace and in Mans vanished heavenly Ens introduce and Manifest his living Ens viz the Essentiall Word of his Power and Wisdome with the Most high Love viz the Name JESUS out of JEHOVA and therewith make the vanished Essence or Substance of the Heavenly part living and growing againe whereof the Soule should Eate and thereby its anxious fire-source would be transmuted and changed into a Love fire 8. This inspoken Grace-word of the Serpent-Destroyer that is it now which the Soules of the Holy Children of God before the Incarnation of Christ have kindled that they beleeved God and his promise of the fullfilling that was to come And in this Faith have they sacrificed 9. For their Sacrifices especially of the first Fathers after Adam were onely that they represented an Image or Figure how the Soule should be sacrificed in the fire of GODS Wrath and how through this inspoken-Grace Ground and Covenant the Soule should be transmuted in the fire of b Or Gods Wrath fire Gods Wrath and changed into a Love fire and how it should enter into the Death and Dying of its self-will with the false Imagination and should burne away the false will in the fire of Wrath and in the power of this inspoken Grace of the Love and Meeknesse of God goe forth through the fire into a cleare light and so become a New-borne childe that is no more Dark but Light and how the Introduced poyson of the Serpent must sever it selfe therefrom as the smoake severeth it selfe from the Fire and Light so that then the Fire and Light becometh a clearer Glance and no more shut up as in the Wood it lyeth shut up in the Essence 10. This Image Type or Figure they set before them with their Sacrifice and introduced their Imagination thereinto with the inspoken Grace of the seede of the Woman and Serpent-Destroyer that so their Imagination might Forme Mould or Image it selfe in the Figure of Christ that so the spirit of their Will might stand in a c Or Imaging Modelling wherein it might worke in the Grace 11. For without Substance no working can be therefore they Imagined or typified to themselves the Regeneration with the Sacrifices by fire and formed or Imaged in them the Serpent-Destroyer in the fire how HEE would change Gods fire of Wrath in the soules-fire into a Light and Love-fire and how the Enmity would sever it selfe from the Soule and how the Soule should through Christs Death where the Love of God gave up it selfe into this fire be changed into an Angell 12. By this Immodeled Image or Type they pierced with their desire and earnest Prayer to God and Gods Word of Grace also thus had modelled and inspoken it selfe in Men and Now there was a Conjunction between God and Man for the Humane desire went with this Image into God and Gods Love-desire went into this Image of the Serpent-Destroyer and so the desire of Man brought this Image of the Imagination into the Sacrifice and so the Sacrifice was kindled with the Holy fire And it was not a Common fire that they had Note If thou Babell couldest understand this it were well for thee and thou wert delivered from the Fables wherein thou runnest on thy Course 13. This Holy fire consumed their Sacrifice through Gods-Imagination and kindling to signifie how the d Or Animall Image Beastiall Image of Man should be preserved in the fire of God and the grossnesse of the Element be consumed and out of the fires Consuming should goe forth the right true created pure bright Spirituall Image in Adam which through this Great Love shall be preserved and brought through into Clarity by the Fire In which New Image the Love it selfe would be the fire of life that it might no more Imagine and Imprint falshood 14. Note With such an Imagination and Beleefe or Faith the first Men before Christs time before he manifested himselfe in this incorporated Grace-Covenant and became Man were apprehended and taken into the Living Word of God viz into that Grace wherein their Soule came into Divine Rest untill at the fullfilling that Christ fullfilled this processe and arose from Death and then Hee also with his Life and Substance in them viz in their Inward Ground of the Heavenly part which vanished in Adam arose and they have put on Christ as to the Soule and spirituall Substance and so now waite for their Body out of the Limus of the Earth viz the Third Principle viz the Outspoken formed Substantiall outward Word with its Spirit of the Resurrection at the Last Day As also it is thus to be understood concerning Christians which here have put on Christ 15. Note This Ground of the Holy Fire began with Adam and Abel When Abel and Cain Sacrificed God looked graciously on Abels Sacrifice for the Image or Type of Christ stood with his Imagination of Faith therein therefore God kindled his Sacrifice with the Holy Fire and it was acceptable before him for it was a Conjunction with the Divine Desire But Cains he looked not graciously on for he had not such Faith or Beleese but stood in the perished Natures owne Lust and Desire and had Imprinted or Imaged to himselfe the Kingdome of this World and therefore the Holy Fire would not kindle in his Image or Type 16. For Cain stood in the Image of the perished Adam as a
of the heavenly Manna What signifieth now this Anointing Answer Nothing else but that as Man is Tinctured againe in Soule and Body and so throughly penetrated and healed that he is capable of the Divine Power againe viz of the Divine fire of Love so must his Brimstone Spirit of the Wrathfull fiery Soule perished as to God be remedied againe by the Covenant of God by such an Anointing Oyle As with the Baptisme there is powred into it the Water of the Eternall Life of Divine Meeknesse and in the Supper is powred into it the fire-burning Love in the Life of our Lord Jesus Christ Reason sayth Cannot God forgive Man his sinne without a Medium Answer The Matter was not about forgivenesse The Soule wanted not onely forgivenesse but a New-Birth It had brought it selfe into owne-will and quite broken it selfe off from Gods will whence the Eternall Darknesse existed in it For the source of its Life viz it s own Seperator understand the Cause of its Creaturely Moving and Life had lift up it selfe and the properties of Life were quite gone forth from their Temperature and had brought themselves into a strange burning fire viz into an anguishing heat and cold into Eternall hunger and thirst into Horror and Despaire Where in the Life of the Body and of the Soule all properties were against one another and Man stood in an Eternall dying source Hee was become quite Blinde and Dead as to God and the more he moved himselfe in his owne ability to apprehend God the greater was his anxious source For the poore Soule was by Lust gone into Earthlinesse wherein Satan and the Spirit of Errour had captivated it and made it wholly Monstrous And now the More it sought Rest therein the greater was its Paine And this now is that which God said to Adam The Day when thou shalt Eate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evill thou shalt die the Death Gen. 2.17 Thus the poore Soule is poysoned through false Imagination and through its owne q Impression compression of its desire is come to be such a hungry fire-source which is onely a shutting in of the true Life and a Ground of Darknesse a source of Enmity and Contrariety wherein there is no more any true Divine Ens wherein the Life might bring it selfe into Light As a hard Stone is shut up so also the Soule was shut up and out of its Good Life there became an Evill Life as out of Angells there became Devills which now also are of such a Horrible poysonous stincking fire-source in their Essence and cannot attaine the kindling of the Light and are an Enemy of all Love and Truth This Compressed blinde Soule-substance and perished as to God the Great Love of God came againe to helpe instantly after that Fall and spake it selfe in againe into the Centre of the Life as a new Covenant viz into the source of Meeknesse which it had which Love-source in it was no more Moveable And did set into the Humane perished heavenly Ens his new Grace-Covenant viz the Destroyer of the Serpent that God would in the fullnesse of Time in this inspoken voyce of Grace introduce thereinto and manifest therein his living Ens viz the Living Word of his Power and Wisdome with the most high Love viz the Name JESUS and therewith make the vanished Essence or Substance living and growing againe from whence the Soule should againe Eate of the heavenly Substance whereby its anxious fire-source would againe be changed into a Love fire Of which the dry Rod of Aaron mentioned by Moses which grew againe and bare Almonds was a r Text. Bild Image or Type figure This inspoken Grace-word of the Serpent-Destroyer is it now which the Soules of the holy Children of God before the Incarnation of Christ have kindled that they beleeved God and his Promise of the fulfilling that was to Come and in this Faith have they sacrificed For their Sacrifices especially of the first Fathers after Adam were only that they represented an Image or Figure how the Soule should be sacrificed in the fire of Gods Wrath and how the Soule should through this inspoken Ground of Grace and Covenant in the fire of Gods wrath be changed into a Love-fire how it should Enter into Death and a Dying to its self-will of false Desire how the false will should be burned off from it and in the power of this inspoken Grace of the Love and Meeknesse of God spring up or goe forth through the fire into a cleere light and so become a new borne childe which is no more dark but light also did live no more in its owne will but in Gods will and how the introduced Serpents-Poyson in this transmutation doth sever it selfe there from in that manner as the smoake severeth it selfe from fire and Light whereas then the fire and Light becometh a cleerer Glance and is no more shut up as it lyeth in the Essence of the Wood shut up Even as the Holy Divine fire of the Soule was through sinne thus also shut up which none could unshut and kindle but only the Love of God in this incorporated Grace-Covenant This Image Type or Figure they set before them with the Sacrifices looking upon the future fulfilling and introduced their Faith with the inspoken Grace of the Womans-seede and Serpent-Destroyer that so their Faith might thus Forme or Mould it selfe in the Figure of Christ that the Spirit of their will might stand in the figure and Image of Christ that their Faith might Work in that incorporated Grace For without Substance no working can be therefore they Imagined or typified to themselves the Regeneration with the Sacrifices by fire and formed or Imaged in them the Serpent-Destroyer in the fire typifying how HEE would change Gods Wrath-fire in the Soule into a Light and Love-fire and how the Enmity would sever it selfe from the Soule and how the Soule should through Christs Death in which the Love of God would Give up it selfe into this Wrath-fire be changed into an Angell By this Immodeled Image or Type with their desire and Earnest prayer they pressed through the Sacrifice to God and Gods Word with the Grace had thus also with the Covenant Modeled it selfe in Men and now there was a Conjunction between God and Man for the Humane desire went with this Image through the Sacrifice in the Holy fire into God and Gods Love-desire went into this Image of the Serpent-Destroyer For God kindled the Sacrifice with the Holy Fire And it was not a Common fire that they had in their Sacrifices though they used wood and Sacrifices thereto yet their fire was not from a stone and a steele but from the highest Tincture of the Paradisicall ground from whence the fire of Life is sprung If Man could understand it and did not so runne on in blindnesse it were well for him and he were delivered from Babell and Fables This holy Fire consumed their Sacrifices
although the Baptisme may be performed without such Persons through the Parents and the Baptisers Earnestnesse and prayer yet the Christian Church hath so ordained that living Witnesses should be present which with their prayer attend this Earnestnesse and it was well ordained but it is come to such a Misuse that it were many times better that such children of Infidelity were not present for the Devill belongeth not to this work Now if the Devill have the chiefe Dominion in a Man what is then such a Man profitable at it As is mentioned before The Funt-stone or Bason and the unfaithfull Stander-by is one as good as the other but that the Proud Man is a hinderance to others 38. The Baptisme is a substantiall working not a meere signe or z Or signification symbole of the Testament of Christ The Holy Ghost baptiseth the Soule and the Spirit from Christs bloud and Death with his victory and the Holy Element of the spirituall Water baptiseth the Body of the foure Elements to the Resurrection of the Dead and baptiseth the Serpents Ens and awakened introduced Poyson to dye or for Dead 39. It is a substantiall working Infusion of the Covenant of God therefore if the Infant baptised should worthily receive it there must be Earnestnesse A Christian who is a Christian in Christ Note in whom Christ worketh liveth and * Text. Ist dwelleth he should Baptise for he must enter into this Sheepfold by the Doore of Christ viz through Christs Spirit and not climbe up otherwhere else he is a Theefe and a Murtherer and cometh onely that he may robbe and steale the honour of Christ Note and deceive Men he should be A true Shepheard and not a hireling Heere availeth no babling and making a shew but there must be Earnestnesse for it is an Earnestnesse with God All Jangling and disputation about this work is an unprofitable thing and moreover hurtfull Men should lay hould of it with Earnestnesse and follow the Command of Christ and beleeve what Christ hath sayd 40. There belongeth no more to this work but Faith and Water and Earnest Prayer in true Repentance with such a Will that one Man would helpe to release another from Death the Devill and Hell and help to introduce him with himselfe into the Kingdome of God that is the whole processe that belongeth heereunto Every one that is a true Christian in Christ Note is worthy to be a Stander by and present at this work but he that is not such a one is unworthy whether he be Baptiser or Stander-by one as well as the other there is no respect of Persons with God In Christ wee are ONE Hee is the Stock wee are the Branches Hee worketh his work through his fellow Members as the Stock of the Tree generateth its fruit through its Twiggs and Branches The Stock useth no strange Tree for its Twigges so also Christ onely useth his Members to his work of his fruit The End of this first little Booke Concerning The Holy Baptisme The Second Booke Concerning The Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ What kinde of Participation it is and how that is to be understood Also concerning the Contention of the Learned about Christs Cup what they doe about it also what is to be held concerning it Wherein Babell the Great City upon Earth with her forme and Wonders together with the Antichrist standeth quite naked and manifest To the Comfort of the simple Children of Jesus Christ and to the building up of the true Christian Religion in this confused troublesome Time All very Earnestly and sincerely discovered from the knowledge of the Great Mystery LONDON Printed by M. S. and are to be sold by H. B. at the Castle in Cornhill 1652. 1 COR. 11.28 Let a Man Examine himselfe and so let him Eate of this Bread and Drink of this Cup. An Intimation or Instruction to the READER THough indeed I heere dive and search sublimely and Deepe and set it downe very cleerely yet the Reader must be told thus much that without the Spirit of God it will be a Mystery to him and not apprehended Therefore let every one looke well to it what he judgeth that he fall not into the Judgement of God and be captivated by his owne Turba and that his owne Reason distract him this I say meaning well and give it to the Reader to Ponder in his Minde JACOB BEHM of Old Seidenberg The Contents of the Chapters in this Second little Booke Concerning the Holy Supper of Jesus Christ 1. OF the Ground of the Old Testament how this Testament was cleerly in the Type among the Jewes 2. Of the Supper of the New Testament how the Type is come into Essence or Substance 3. How the Disciples did eate and drinke the flesh and bloud of Christ 4. Of the difference in the Participation of it what the wicked receive with this Testament and how a Man should so prepare himselfe that he may be truly worthy 5. Of the Contention and Strife in the high Schooles or Universities about Christs Testaments how that Strife that hath filled the face of the Earth is a vaine and very hurtfull thing and ariseth in the Anger of God from the Devills desire and will whereby all brotherly Love and unity is destroyed the highly pretious Name of GOD blasphemed and the Holy GHOST in his Divine Wonders is Judged and despised by Reason The First Chapter Of the Ground of the Old Testament how this Testament was cleerly in the Type among the Jewes 1. WHen God sent Moses to Pharao and commanded him to let the Children of Israel goe into the Wildernesse and sacrifice to him and Pharao would not doe it then God sent great Plagues and punishments upon him and lastly the a Stifling destroying Angel which slew all the first-borne in Egypt and there he commanded Israel the Passeover or to slay and eate the Paschal-Lamb viz a Lamb of a yeare old and besprinkle the Doores and upper Poasts with the Bloud thereof that the slaying anger should there b Passe by passe over and kill none in the House Exod. 2.12 2. Which was a Type of the New-Testament shewing how the Poasts and Doores of our Life should be sprinckled with the Bloud of the Lamb Christ that Gods Anger in soule and body may not swallow us up into his wrath And as they must Eate up that Lamb wholly or quite and leave nothing over so would the Lamb Christ give himselfe in his Testament wholly for food to his Christendome and not divided and would besprinkle the Poasts of our Life with his Bloud of Love that the destroying Angel in Gods Anger might not take hold of us and slay us 3. Also wee have an Image or similitude thereof in the Vnleavened Cakes which they must Bake and Eate shewing that they should through this Paschal-Lambs Figure which signified Christ be a New and sweet c Dowe Lump when they should eate the right
the works of Love then he hath also no Faith the opinion maketh no salvation but is Babell a confusion of the Tongues of the one onely Love None is a Christian unlesse he love his neighbour and desireth to doe him good 14. The outwardly imputed Grace without the innate e Or childelike filial Grace is all false when Christ worketh in a Man then he is a Christian and then the sufferings merits and satisfaction of Christ availe him when he hath him in himselfe for an Advocate who hath done it that he doe it also in him and attracteth his merits to him then is the kingdome of God in that Merit otherwise all Imagelike Opinions are faise No work pleaseth God but what he himselfe worketh in Man through his Spirit therefore let us be the children of Christ and not the children of Images 15. Christ hath imparted his kingdome to us in his Testaments he that will receive it must be his childe else there is no Inheritance to work Repentance is better then to desire to know much Is not the knowledge given from God to a Man then he will not be able to understand the Ground of the divine secret Mystery but if it be given him he neede no Image to continue in the humility and simplicity of Christ and to cleave to his love and Grace without despising of any one is good Christianity All whatsoever speaketh of it selfe is Babell in Christ wee are all Members and all one AMEN The End of the second little Book concerning The Holy Supper The Table of the Two Testaments Angells Book 1. Ch 1. THe End why God Created the Angells and Men also of Reasons Misunderstanding of the Testaments of Christ Verse 23. Book 1. Ch 2. How Angells became Devills Verse 3 4 5 Anointing Anointed Book 1. Ch 3. How Christs anointing is understood in the Water Baptisme Verse 19 Book 1. Ch 3. How the Body and Soule is anointed by Christ in the Water-Baptisme Verse 19.20 Book 1. Ch 4. John Anointed when Mary saluted Elizabeth Verse 4 Book 1. Ch 4. A Baptizer should be the Anointed of Christ Verse 22 Antichristian Booke 2. Ch. 5. Of Antichristian doings Verse 4 Arise Booke 1. Ch. 3. What that is wherein Man at the last day shall Arise and stand before the Judgement Verse 16.17.20 Baptisme Baptised Baptise Baptiser Booke 1. Ch. 2. How the Deluge was a figure of Baptisme Verse 17 Booke 1. Ch. 2. Why God sent the Baptisme and Divine Infusion in an Elementary Earthly Medium Verse 26.27 Booke 1. Ch. 2. What is the Ground of that Water Baptisme to which the holy Ghost is the Hand that Baptiseth Verse 36 Book 1. Ch 3. How the whole Man needed Baptisme Verse 4 Book 1. Ch 3. How the Baptisme of the holy Ghost is effected Verse 6 Book 1. Ch 3. What it is in the Water Baptisme wherewith the Body from the Outward World and the Spirit of the Constellation in Man is Baptised Verse 12 Book 1. Ch 3. How wee are buried with Christ in Baptisme Verse 22 Book 1. Ch 4. John the Baptist the Beginner of Water Baptisme Verse 01 Book 1. Ch 4. Circumcision changed into Water Baptisme Verse 6 Book 1. Ch 4. Why God Ordained the Water Baptisme Verse 9 Book 1. Ch 4. Why the Outward Baptisme is requisite to those that live to have it Verse 14.15.19 Book 1. Ch 4. Wee are through Baptisme planted anew in the Word of God Verse 20 Book 1. Ch 4. How God is with the Holy with the Vnholy in the Baptisme Verse 24 Book 1. Ch 4. What required to Baptisme in them that are present Verse 33.34.40 Book 1. Ch 4. Wicked people at the Baptisme a hinderance to the work Verse 36 Book 1. Ch 4. Baptisme not a meere signe but a substantiall work Verse 38 Book 1. Ch 3. What was done that the Three Worlds properties in Man might be Baptised Verse 5â— Book 1. Ch. 3. What it is in Man that is Baptised into Death Verse 21 Book 1. Ch. 4. Faithfull Parents Baptised in Soule and Body generate Children in that Baptisme Verse 13 Book 1. Ch. 3. How the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Baptise together Verse 11 Book 1. Ch. 4. Who it is that is worthy to Baptise with Water Verse 10.11.39 Book 1. Ch. 4. Holy Parents Baptise their Ofspring in Spirit yet why the Outward Baptisme is requisit in those that live to have it Verse 14 15.19 Book 1. Ch. 4. The unfaithfull Baptiser is dead in that work though God alwayes worketh in respect of his Covenant Verse 12 Beasts Book 2. Ch 1. The Image of Reconciliation in the sacrificing of Beasts and burning the Fat of them mentioned Levit. 8.14 c. Verse 5 Body Book 1. Ch 1. How wee came to have this Beastiall Body Verse 20 Book 1. Ch 2. What Body the Saints before and since Christ put on and what Body they waite for in the Resurrection at the Last Day Verse 14 Book 1. Ch 3. The Body of Man necessary to be Baptised Verse 2.3 Book 2. Ch 3. Why the Bread and Wine cannot be turned into the Body and bloud of Christ Verse 25 Book 2. Ch. 4. How it is not to distinguish the Lords Body Verse 1 Children Book 1. Ch 4. Christ biddeth Suffer little Children to come to him Verse 28 Christ Christs Christian Booke 1. Ch 2. Why God must become Man and why Christ must receive the Elementary part from us Verse 34 Booke 1. Ch 2. How Christ is bestowed upon Man Verse 37.38 Booke 1. Ch 3. How Christ is the Light of the little World Verse 10 Book 2. Ch. 2. How Christ is the Light of the world Verse 10 Book 1. Ch. 3. How Christ penetratrated through Death and Hell Verse 18 Book 1. Ch. 3. How Christ descended into Hell Verse 22 Book 1. Ch. 4. John the forerunner of Christ Verse 5 Book 2. Ch. 2. How Christ was the right High Priest Verse 3.4 Book 2. Ch. 2. Christ gave his whole Humanity to his Disciples Verse 8.9 Book 2. Ch. 2. What the Citie of God in Man is and how wee continue in Christ and be in us Verse 11 Book 2. Ch. 2. Christ by the last Supper fulfilled the Old Testament Verse 17 Book 2. Ch. 3. Man cannot say I am Christ though Christ dwelleth in him Verse 30 Book 2. Ch. 4 Who they are that Crucifie Christ now and wound him Verse 15 Book 2. Ch. 4. How a Man shall feele and Taste what Christ in him is Verse 23 Book 2. Ch. 5. None know Christ but those to whom and in whom the Father revealeth him Verse 2 3 Book 2. Ch. 5. How Men say heere is Christ Verse 8 Book 2. Ch. 5. How Christ is with us Every Day to the End of the World Verse 12 Book 1. Ch. 3. What was effected by Christs shedding forth his bloud upon the Earth Verse 18 Book 1. Ch. 3. What in Man is the Christian and why Mans works must be Judged Verse
his Faith and generateth him to be a new Creature which with its Spirit walketh in Heaven and is a right Image of God whereby the earthly fleshly will is daily killed and the Newborne will dayly goeth to Heaven Joh. 6.56 Phil. 3.20 9. Which Heaven in the Inward Ground of his Life is revealed in the Spirit of Christ in him where the good Angelicall f Or Senses thoughts climbe up upon the right Jacobs Ladder Gen. 28.12 and Christ his Lord sitteth above on the top of it at the Right hand of God and dayly presenteth them with his humane and heavenly flesh and bloud before the wrath of God and the severe Judgement and is with him in all his need Also incloseth his Prayers in himselfe and thereby presenteth them before Death Hell the Devill and the Anger of God 10. This Publication both of his Word Taught as it is written in the Bible and is g Impregnated or conceived received in the sacramentall participation where he profferreth his Word in his flesh and bloud a Christian Man should receive and finde himselfe in this h Celebration Custome and unite and tie himselfe as a Member with the Congregation of Christ for in Christ wee are all but one as a Tree i Text. in and its Branches Gal. 3.28 11. It is not so to be understood that this Covenant and Testament is given onely by an outward hearing of the Word Preached and Participation of Bread and Wine at the k Or Sacrament Testament as the present World so Erreth in Many Hearts No it must be a right sincere Earnest with true working Repentance so that God with the Key of his Love unlocketh and Openeth the Hearing and the right Mouth which shall receive this Testament so that the poore soule have a right hunger and thirst after it and bring its desire through Christs sufferings Dying Death and Resurrection to it 12. Otherwise there is no true Mouth for such participation It must be a right Earnest sincere purpose that must put off the Defiled Garment and be willing to passe into a New Life It must be doing doing or it availeth nothing 13. This Pledge belongeth onely to Christs Children which so heare and keepe the Word in their Hearts that it bring forth fruit There must be Great earnestnesse both in the Teacher and Hearer for if any will handle and impart the Covenant of Christ he must himselfe be capable of the Covenant and Testament If the Sheepe must heare the voyce of Christ out of the Mouth of any and follow him then also the Spirit and power of Christ must be in that Mans voyce Else he is but a Hireling and the Sheepe heare not Christs voyce from his Mouth but onely the word of Man Joh. 10. 14. So also in like manner the Hearers Eare should be directed to God in true Repentance that he also may heare the voyce of Christ not onely with outward Eares but with the Eares of Divine power that the Teachers and Hearers power may strike together that the Spirit of Christ may worke l Text Between them together with them and the Heart may finde the Teachers Power that Good fruit may Grow from it 15. A Teacher should not teach for the sake of wages onely but should know and well consider that he standeth there in Christs stead and that Christ will Teach through him if he be a right m Or Pastor Shepheard 16. So also the Hearers should incline their Eare to that and Consider that they should there heare Christs voyce and receive it with great Earnestnesse and not thinke it is enough to Goe into the Church and there sit an houre to play the Hypocrite and heare a Sermon and remaine afterwards as before No such going to Church and hearing is no Service of God It bettereth them not if in the Sermon or Preaching they have not heard Christ teach in their hearts Going to Church maketh none vertuous unlesse he heareth in the Church Gods Word workingly in his soule 17. So also is it with the Sacraments wee should not thinke it is enough to Confesse and goe away as if such a Custome did take away sinnes without true Repentance and that he may sin a new afterwards No it is not so whosoever is washed and afterwards defileth himselfe with the same Mire he is then as he was before 18. Christ must Absolve thee in thy soule with his sufferings and Death and Inspeake or Inspire his satisfaction into thee in thy soule else it availeth not The Priests Mouth is onely an Outward Instrument and coworketh in his Spirit but if he be a hireling he cannot cowork but yet the Covenant of God in Christ Jesus worketh in the Repentant Heart and absolveth it 19. Loving Brethren both teacher and hearer who handle the Covenant of Christ have a care what you doe there is great earnestnesse required that you be not Guilty of the Death of Christ Consider diligently the Great severe Earnestnesse of God how HE hath instituted this Covenant with so Great hard Paine and Anguish through so great reproach and sufferings It must needs be from a very great cause that this Testament was Ordained with such severe Earnestnesse 20. God requireth of Man againe Earnestnesse to the receiving this Testament Not with cold luke warme Hearts onely to cover over sinne with the sufferings of Christ and Comfort ones selfe with it in Impenitency 21. It is not a forgivenesse from without which is imputed to Man from without No but through Christs Bloud and Death when the poore soule penetrateth into that then the sufferings Dying and Resurrection together with the satisfaction in this Testamentary Covenant is put on to it in the Bloud of Christ This killeth Sinne Death and Hell and leadeth the poore soule to the Father in Christ 22. It is not enough for a Man to know that Christ dyed for sinne and assenteth to it and holdeth it for true and receiveth the satisfaction as a work done No no there is no such receiving but the whole Man must give it selfe thereinto and must will to dye in Christs Death to the Evill Naturall own will as also to wicked Lusts and then Christ putteth on him his victory and satisfaction and the true heavenly Spirit springeth forth through Christs Death in his Resurrection as a faire flower out of the wilde Earth and there is a true Christian borne who is a branch on the vine Christ John 15. 23. Now there belongeth no great art or skill to this but onely a childlike simplicity and Humility the Plowman is as neere it as the Doctor they must all in the simplicity of Christ enter into humility and come with the lost sonne and the Publicane in the Temple there is no other way to it 24. There needs no Great Speculation about it with what trimmed words or behaviour man cometh thereto but wee must come onely with the Children which yeeld to the Father
Abyssall Deity as a speaking forth of the Abysse into a Ground of the Unsubstantiall into a Substantiall In which the whole Creation with the speaking forth as in the seperability of the speaking hath taken its beginning and doth yet evermore so take it And every life doth consist in that seperability of the speaking where the immodeled Imagination in the Exhalation parteth it selfe into seperability In which Parting the sensibilility of the onely life is understood where the One vieweth it selfe in the Multiplicity 6. Also heerein is to be understood the Ground of the Properties in that the Parting of the Onely Longing bringeth it selfe into Desiringnesse and d Comprehendeth incloseth and maketh it selfe Essentiall or Substantiall in which e Comprehensibility Inclosibility the seaven formes of Nature take thâ—â— beginning as is sufficiently declared in our other Writings 7. Therefore say I the cause that Men dispute and strive about God about his Word Essence or Beeing and Will is that the understanding hath broken it selfe off from its Centre or Ground which Breaking off is nothing else but that the Properties which are gone forth out of the Eternall out-speaking of the Word into a Creaturely Life have brought themselves into selfe-lust to the out-speaking of themselves and in their own selfe-conceived Lust have broken themselves off from the Eternall-Longing * Or after towards the Word of the Eternall speaking and brought themselves into an own sensibility of Nature and confused themselves in the formes of Nature Where all the thoughts or senses will dwell and run without the Onely God in selfe Speculation and Reason and can in no wise come to their Centre or Ground except they sinck downe into themselves in the Speculation and goe againe into the Ground out of which they are Existed and fall againe into the Eternall speaking Word and give their owne wills into the Eternall speaking Word that the same owne will of the Creaturely Life may be out-spoken with and in the Eternall Speaking Word in the Seperability of the Word 8. In which re-out-speaking the New Regeneration of the Humane Life and Will is understood For the Humane Life was in the Beginning of Man in the Word of GOD and by the Inbreathing of the Word into the Humane Body was manifested and came into Sensibility Perceptibility and Willing Where then the willing hath broken it selfe off from the Word wherein the Life was without Creature and hath brought it selfe into a selfe-Seperability and visibility of its perceptibility of the five senses In which Sensibility it now at present runneth and seeketh the Seate of God therein but findeth onely a measurablenesse and Naturall and Creaturely formednesse wherein now it striveth about its owne Centre For the own will hath brought it selfe into an own Centre and broken it selfe off from the whole and as to the totall is become as it were dead 9. Therefore saith Christ Vnlesse ye be converted and become as Children and be new-borne through water and the Spirit ye cannot see the Kingdome of God Matth. 1â— 4 Joh. 3.5.7 The owne will should goe againe into its nothing and then it standeth againe in the first Birth and will be againe out-spoken from the Eternall Word in a Divine Will For whatsoever it is whose living and willing willeth or runneth without the Eternall speaking Word that same is without the Eternity and liveth meerely in the Time 10 But seeing the soule hath its Originall out of the Eternall Word as a Power thereof therefore it cannot Rest in the Beeing or Essence of Time but seeketh its own Mother who Generated it and brought it into a Creaturely Forme but its going forth maketh that it cannot finde its Mother 11. Therefore all Strife about the Divine Mysteries is an unprofitable thing and is done from without without God in selfe-perceptibility where the Sensibility vieweth it selfe in Nature in a Creaturely Forme There is no comprehension or true understanding or knowledge of God except the Image like Reason forsake it selfe and sinke downe with its owne will into its Centre againe out of which it is gone forth viz into the Eternall Speaking Word of God that it receive that speaking or breathing of God into it selfe againe and through the Divine Science or skill speake in a f Distinguishable Separable and sensible Forme that it be a dwelling and Temple of God wherein Gods will worketh Governeth and willeth Else there is no true knowledge or skill concerning God and his Beeing or Essence 12. For no Spirit knoweth God or his word and will unlesse Gods word and will be manifested and Stirring in it Naturall Reason without the Light of God seeth onely the Naturall Imagelikenesse and goeth on in its own speculation and frameth in it selfe the Divine Beeing or Essence as if that were just such a thing From whence is come the Strife amongst the Learned in Reason so that Men strive and dispute about God and about his Beeing or Essence and Will where each of them holdeth his Imagination for Divine and will have his own Image which he hath framed in the Imagination of his Reason to be honoured for God whereas yet it is onely a Naturall Image of Reason and thus Men strive all the world over about these Images of Reason 13. But a true Man who standeth rightly in the Image of God hath no Strife in Religion For he liveth in his first Mother who hath formed him with Soule Spirit and Body and his whole Substance into an Image he co-willeth and acteth with her he is resigned into her and yeeldeth his will to her and she feedeth and nourisheth him Every property of the true resigned Man is nourished with its like As first the Body out of the Limus of the Earth is nourished from the Earth Secondly the Body of the g Thoughts Senses and Reason which is a spirituall Body is nourished from its Astrum or Constellation and Starres out of which it hath its Originall Thirdly But the Soule is nourished in its Principle from the Word and Beeing or Essence of God for it is out of Gods Word brought and come into a Body 14. Now if it bring not it selfe in its own Imagibility and willing into self-hood but bringeth its will againe into the Divine Speaking then it gets its nourishment from the Essentiall Word of God viz from the Essentiall Wisdome of God this is its Nutriment from whence it also reacheth and attaineth divine skill For every Spirit seeth no otherwise nor deeper then onely into its Essentiall Imagibility viz into that Essence wherein it worketh so that the same hath made it Imagelike through the Imagination therewith it formeth itselfe and in such Essence vieweth it selfe and so high also is its knowledge 15. Therefore saith Christ Except you turne againe with your Will and Imagibility and become as a Childe which hath no Imagibility in its Imagination you shall not see God Also ye must be new-borne againe or
else ye shall not ïnherit the Kingdome of God That which is borne of flesh viz of fleshly Imagelikenesse that is flesh and cannot inherite the Kingdome of God but that which is formed and generated spiritually and through the Spirituall Imagination that is Spirit Joh. 3.6 For to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace and to be Fleshly Minded is Death and enmity to God sayth St. Paul Rom. 8.6 7. 16. Into what the Spirit of the Will bringeth it selfe with its Imagination so that it impresseth and comprehendeth it therein also it Imageth it selfe into Beeing or Essence For no Spirit can bring any thing to passe without Beeing or Essence If the Eternall One were not Essentiall all would be nothing and if that ONE had not a Will there would be no Desire nor Power nor Word nor Essence 17. Indeed we acknowledge that the Will of the Abysse hath brought it selfe into a Longing and Imagination of it selfe whence Nature and Creature have their Originall Whence also the Naturall Life hath its Originall which now also out of the Partiblenesse of the Exhaled will hath its owne Will and Imagination to forme and Image it selfe according to its longing and desire As we see such changing in Nature how Nature Imageth it selfe into so many kindes and Properties and how those Imaged Properties doe every one desire their like againe 18. Seeing then we understand in Man that he especially above all other Creatures desireth and longeth after three Properties As first he longeth according to his h Sensible or conceptive apprehensive understanding after the Hidden God and though indeed he seeth him not with bodily eyes yet he desireth him Secondly he longeth after his Astrum or Constellation out of which the Minde and Rationall Life is proceeded therefore the Rationall Life longeth again after its Mother Thirdly he longeth after the Starres or Powers of the Earth and the other Elements and desireth them for his Nourishment and therefore we know also by this hunger of his that he must have his Originall out of these Three For there is also such a threefold Spirit out of such an Originall to be understood in him And then also such a Threefold Essence or Substance wherein his Spirit worketh where every Operation longeth after it◠first Mother and receiveth its Nutriment from her 19. But seeing the Soule viz the Inward Ground of Man in Adam the first Man hath with its longing and desire out of its first Mother out of its first Originall viz out of the Divine Word and Will turned out into the Operation of the Constellation and Elements and formed it selfe in that Operation and plowed it selfe into a strange Imagination whereby the Divine food viz the Essentiall Wisdome of God is withdrawen from which with its longing desire it hath broken off it selfe thereupon it is wholly blinde as to God and the first Divine Essence wherein God Created it is departed 20. When the soule brought its Imagination from that Divine Essence or Substance out of and into the Earthly and Astrall property then also its Body wherein the Threefold Spirit worketh became wholly Earthly Grosse and Beastiall for into whatsoever the Imagination of the Spirit bringeth it selfe such a Body also is through the Impression of the Spirituall desire As we see in Man that he hath gotten a Grosse Earthly Body wherein the Principles now stand in Meere Strife Contrariety and Enmity from which Paine i Fragility Corruptibility and Death exist which yet God did forbid him in Paradise while he yet stood therein That he should not Eate of the Knowledge of Evill and Good with the Imagination else he should fall into such Necessity Misery and Death and die to the Kingdome of Heaven as it is also come to passe Gen. 2.17 21. When the Soule brought it selfe into the Earthly Imagination it brought it selfe into the Earthly Image and lost the Heavenly Image whereas it should Image it selfe into the Essentiall Wisdome viz into the Holy Heavenly Essentiall Word and take its Nourishment therestom then it Imaged itselfe in the outward Astrum or Constellation and in the Serpents and Devills desire whereby in its Noble Image it became a Visard and Monster in the sight of God and lost its Angelicall forme which it had as also Paradise and the Kingdome of Heaven and now with its Ground stood in the Impression of Darknesse in the Anger of God and must have ever stood in such Visardly Image If the Great Love of God had not come to helpe it againe and that the Divine Word viz its first Mother its first Originall had not againe Inspired or Spoken the Grace into it so that the same Word would with its most Inward Secresie and Love give it selfe againe into the Ground of the Soule with a New well-spring and fountaine and bring the soule a New Nourishment into its Life whereby its naturall fiery and painfull property becometh changed into the Image of God againe 22. Which great Divine Love would be a Death to the k Adverse Contrary will as also to the Serpents and Devills Poyson and slay the Monstrous Image and false Imagination and bring the first Image againe into a New Life which New Life in this introduced Love should againe cate of the essentiall Wisdome of God and with its desire Image it selfe therein that the true Divine Science may be manifested therein againe and might worke in a Creaturely Life and so bring it selfe l In the midst together into a Creaturely Imagibility 23. To which End also God Created Angells and Men because he would Image his Eternall Knowledge with the Essentiall Wisdome in m Formings Formes in and with which the Eternall Spirit playeth and hath thereby erected a Harmony of Divine fullnesse of joy to the endlesse Solace of such Images viz of the Angells and Men and those who have their rise out of Gods Word and Power 24. And even therefore it is that the Eternall Word of the Divine Exhalation with the Manifestation of so Great Love and Grace which inspired or spake it selfe in againe in Paradise after the Fall is become Man and hath introduced its Essentiall Love viz the Essentiall Wisdome of God againe into Our Heavenly Ens and Substance that was faded as to God and hath made our Substance that was faded as to God living in him with the Introduction of his living Divine Essence and with this Introduced Essentiall Love which gave it selfe in with the Essence of our soules as also into our Flesh and Bloud hath with its will and desire broken the Monstrous will of the soule viz the selfe-sixed Image-like false desire as also the Devills Imagination which he had introduced into Man and hath with his Love brought the false properties into the Temperature againe and is become Death to Death which held us captive so that it must die to its Wrath and n Fragility Corruptibility in this Introduced Love and suffer the Humane
againe It will not make the New-Birth All Strife cometh from hence that Men doe not understand that Heaven wherein Christ sitteth at the Right hand of God that he is in this world and that the world standeth in Heaven and Heaven in the World and are in one another as Day and Night The Inward Ground of the Word out of which the Foure Elements are sprung is the Heaven viz. a Spirituall World In that Inward Power Christ Ruleth true God and Man through the Outward World For where Christ sayth Matth. 28.18.20 All Power is given to Mee in Heaven and on Earth Also I am with you alwayes till the End of the World Also Hee shall rule over all his Enemies till all his Enemies are laid under him as a footstoole 1 Cor. 15.25 Psal 110.1 This is to be understood of his inward Kingdome where in the inward Power he ruleth over the outward Earthly and also the Hellish For the outward World is sprung out of the inward Spirituall World viz out of Light and Darknesse which fabrick before the Office of Christ stood in the Eternall Creators Office who from Eternity hath wrought or effected light and darknesse viz the Spirituall World which fabrick is flown forth and become visible and brought by God into a Creation wherein Light and Darknesse viz Good and Evill rule one with another where is understood Hell and Paine in the flowing forth of the Eternall Darknesse and the Light of Nature in the flowing forth of the Light and in that where Evill and Good ruleth alike is understood the Kingdome of Nature with hot and cold and all other properties This Dominion hath God given to the Office of Christ that he being both true God and Man should rule over all the Propriety and selfe-willing of this Kingdome where Evill and Good rule one in another As the Sun in the visible World ruleth over Evill and Good and with its light and power and all whatsoever it selfe is is present every where and penetrates into Every Beeing and yet in its Image-like for me doth not pluck away to it selfe with its Efflux but wholly giveth it selfe into Every Beeing and yet ever remaineth whole and nothing of its Beeing goeth away therewith Thus also it is to be understood concerning Christs Person and Office which ruleth in the Inward Spirituall World visibly and in the Outward World Invisibly and throughly penetrateth the Faithfull Mans Soule Spirit and Heart And as fire gloweth through the Iron and as the Sun worketh through and through an Hearb so that the Hearb becometh Solar or filled with the vertue of the Sunne and as it were so converted by the Sunne that it becometh wholly of the Nature of the Sunne so Christ ruleth in the Resigned Will in soule and body over all Evill Inclinations over Satans introduced Lust and Generateth the Man to be a new heavenly Creature and wholly floweth with it selfe into him both as to Divine and humane power so that the Faithfull Man becometh a right branch on his Vine in which God and Man as to that same inward New Birth dwelleth Now herein consist the Testaments of Christ that Hee offereth himselfe to the l Text Glauben Vide Ch. 2. v. 1. on the second side Faith that Hee will give it this Flesh and Bloud and all Grace and Spiritually dwell in Man as the Sun dwelleth in the Plant and maketh the fruit Ripe and m Or supple Tender So in like manner is the poore fallen Earthly Man which perished in Soule and Body againe renewed and wrought out to be a heavenly fruit where in the End onely the Grossnesse of the flesh falleth from him and the Spirit together with the Soule remaineth in Christ and also heere in this Life according to this indwelling power dwelleth in Heaven concerning which St. Paul saith Our Conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3.20 But the Body is in the World and of the Worlds Essence And now as the Heaven penetrateth the World and giveth it Vertue and Power so also Christ throughly penetrateth the outward Man with his inward ruling power and resisteth the vaine Lust of the Earthly Nature Therefore say I none understand any thing of God except God worke it in his Minde and n Or senses Thoughts for all Naturall knowledge is outward in the World and ariseth from its Astrum and runneth on in surmisings doubting whether a thing be so or no But the Spirit of Christ assureth in the Soule and Spirit of his Faithfull and witnesseth in them that they are Gods Children Rom. 8.16 Now how this present Essentiall participation is effected and what the Covenant of Grace between God and Man is both of the Old and New Testament What Baptisme and the Supper of Christ are shall be declared in the following Chapters The Second Chapter Of the Institution of Baptisme what it is who it is that Baptiseth and what is Baptised And how the q Or Baptisme of Water Water-Baptisme is to be understood 1. WHen any will kindle a Fire they must have some substance that will take fire it must be a substance wherein there is an Oyle and Water or it burneth not For if they cast a Stone or the like into the Fire it will not so burne as to come to a r Blazing shining Light so also it is to be understood concerning the Soule When it brake its desire off from Gods Essence of Love and Meeknesse which divine Meeknesse in it was as a Spirituall Oyle and fountaine of Water wherein it s Asswaged or refreshed allayed its fiery source and therein its fire had a shining and Light then it s owne Seperator viz the Naturall Fiat t Text. Impressed Impression compressed it selfe so that by such t Text. Impressed Impression compression its properties became as a hard Stone or as a hungry source of Fire wherein there is indeed great heate and yet cannot come to any kindling of Light as a hard Stone which lyeth in the Fire and yet u Or is not of a light fire is not properly the same with Fire because of the hard t Text. Impressed Impression conpression of the Stone 2. And yet a Man may understand that there is not onely a Hots fire in the perished Soule as a hot burning Fire-source but also a Cold Fire-source wherein Hot and Cold stand in Eternall Strife and x Or opposition Contrary Will as the Cause of the true fire viz a darke fire-source of Anguish wherein there is alwayes a desire of kindling and yet no kindling may be effected because of the strong y Text. Impression Compression And that the Substance of the Oyly and Watery Meeknesse is game and is she up in such a hard indissoluble Death 3. And this is now that which God said to Adam The Day when thou shalt Eate of the Tree or fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evill thou shalt die the Death 4. Thus the poore Soule
13. Not so to be understood as if the worke by the unworthy hand were therefore wholly f Or Ineffectuall powerlesse no the Covenant of God g Absenteth or withdraweth severeth not it selfe for the unworthy hands sake which is but a Medium or Means for faithfull Parents which stand in the anointing of this Covenant and have put on the Covenant they have the anointing also in their seede and generate Children out of the property of their bodyes and soules now if they be baptised in body and soule and have put on the anointing of Christ wherefore then not also the Ens of their bodyes if they be the Temples of the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in them and eate Christs flesh and drink his bloud so that Christ is in them and they in Christ as Christ sayth Joh. 6.56 Wherefore then not also the fruit of their Bodies For Christ sayth indeed Matth. 7.18 a Good Tree cannot bring forth bad fruit and a bad Tree cannot bring forth Good fruit If the eye of the spirit be light then is the whole body light If the Leven be Holy then is the whole Lump Holy Matth. 6. Rom. 11. 14. John was baptised in the Mothers womb through the Spirit of Christ out of Maries voice as also his mother Elizabeth and wee see cleerly how it came to passe for as Elizabeth heard the Spirit of Mary the Holy Ghost moved in her and also in her fruit alike they received the Baptisme of Christ out of his humanity alike the Mother with the Sonne wherefore then not also now at present in holy Parents in whom the anointing is For such as the Tree is such is also its fruit But the Covenant in the Baptisme is therefore that every one should themselves with their owne will as a particular branch on the Tree and as a life of their owne put on the Covenant of Christ as through the outward Medium or Meanes ordained thereunto 15. Not to understand that a childe of honest anointed Parents which hath attained life though it dye before the Baptisme that it is not in the anointing of Christ It hath indeed put on the anointing of its Parents for it is existed out of their substance out of their baptised soules and bodies substance and onely needeth if it liveth to enter into the Image of the visible Covenant as a life of its owne and with its will give it selfe up into that which it inheriteth from its Parents But seeing a childe understandeth not this therefore the Parents doe it with their Faith and every one of those that are called to that work viz the h Pathen Gossips Witnesses or God-fathers and God-mothers who in their faiths-desire with their Prayer i Transferre or deliver over recommend the childe to the Covenant of Christ and present it in the Covenant of Christ to the Holy Trinity and desire the Covenant to be upon this Childe 16. All these both the Parents and standers by viz the faithfull Baptiser and Witnesses worke with their faith in the property of the Childe and reach out to it with their faith the Covenant of Christ for the will of their Faith taketh the Childes will being without understanding into their faiths desire and so beare the childes will in their will with their anointing into the Covenant of Christ viz before the Holy Trinity 17. When the Baptiser sprinkleth or powreth the water upon the Childe then is his faith together in the water and fastneth it selfe in the words of Christ who sayth Matth 28.19 Goe hence into all the world Baptising all Nations in the Name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Upon Christs command they Baptise Men the Baptiser Baptiseth with the Hand and with Faith and the Parents together with the Witnesses baptise with their Faiths desire with the anointed will they infuse it into Christs Covenant and Christ infuseth himselfe therein with his Bloud Death and Victory viz with the victory of his Death and kindleth the faiths Ens of the Childe with his love fire 18. Thus the Graine of Mustardseed of the love-fire soweth it selfe into the Childes Soules and Bodies Ens as a Glimmering k Hatcher breeder or Ember Mother of Divine Love which Mother afterwards when the childe getteth understanding of its owne is more kindled through Faith Repentance and Prayer and becometh a high shining Light and when afterwards the Mouth of Faith eateth Christs flesh and drinketh his bloud then this holy Mother love-fire atteineth holy Oyle to the burning of its Life 19. With the Baptisme is implanted the humanity of Christ according to the holy Love-water viz the Water of Eternall Life in which water the holy fire may burne and with the Supper is participated the Holy Tincture in the bloud and flesh of Christ viz the true Love-fire burning a spirituall Anointing Oyle out of the divine fire and Light which the water of Love kindleth viz the Baptisme-Covenant And though a Childe be borne of Holy Parents Note and in the Mothers womb be cleerely in this Covenant yet it ought also to put on this Covenant in its owne selfesubsisting person in its owne lifes will for this Cause that in the flesh Sinne and uncleannesse is together propagated and inherited and therefore should it selfe put on this Covenant for it ought and must it selfe with the Covenant of Grace breake the head of the Serpent in the flesh and therefore it ought also it selfe to put on Christ with his victory For Christ now offereth himselfe to it selfe it ought therefore in its owne person to receive him with its owne will and give its owne will up to him 20. For the Baptisme is nothing else but a marriage or Contract with God l Text. auff upon in Christs bloud and Death wherein Christ bindeth himselfe to Man with his victory and Resurrection and placeth Man therein And Man in the Baptisme giveth up his Adamicall averse will to the Death of Christ and desireth to dye to his owne will in the Death of Christ and to rise againe through Christs Resurrection out of Christs Death with and in Christ to a new will and to live and to will with Christ For wee are through the Baptisme with Christs victory planted anew in the Word of God for Man is the Outspoken Imaged Word of God which hath brought his will in Adam from the speaking of God into an owne will and speaking and is become treacherous to the Word of God and with the Baptisme the Imaged Word promiseth and incorporateth it selfe againe with the Eternall Speaking of God that it will speake and will according to God viz Gods righteousnesse and truth 21. The Baptisme is an Oath which Man sweareth m In or into to God when he renounceth the Devill and his Kingdome and giveth up himselfe to God for his proper owne viz for a Temple of God And though a childe understandeth not this yet the Baptiser as also the Parents and Witnesses should
it is begotten of wicked Parents and is brought by Evill People to the Covenant of Christ Answer Yes indeede what is it to God who willeth not the Death of a Sinner that wicked Parents beget wicked children and that a Man doth but scorne his Covenant of Grace shall he therefore cast the Pearle before Swine The Parents indeed know very well that God sayth Hee will punish the sinne of the Parents on the Children unto the third and fourth Generation Deut. 5.9 Shall he then powre his Love into their wicked Wills when as indeed they doe not desire the Love nor is there any Earnestnesse there but meerly the performance of a Custome and they doe it onely with an hypocriticall shew without Earnestnesse and withall make use of such people about it which doe but scorne the simplicity of Christ with their Pride 30. To be conversant with the Testaments and Covenant of Christ and to make use of them will require great Earnestnesse not onely in shew but in power For the Covenant of God in Christ is made through his bloud and Death and to that End that whosoever will partake of this Covenant and Testaments should convert with his will and enter into Repentance and dye to the Inherited false Lust in the Covenant through Christs Death and be New borne out of the Covenant of these Testaments 31. For the Baptisme consisteth not alone in Water but in the Word of God and in the Faith The water is but a Medium wherein the Word of God and the Faith taketh hold and worketh and without the Word of God and Faith there is no Baptisme the faith of Man must take hold on the promised Word and in the Water these two viz the Faith and the Word of God bring themselves into one r Or Essence substance and that spirituall substance is the Baptisme which is understood under Water Now if there be no Faith at this work then is the Word without Humane Substance only in it selfe according to and in the Covenant and that baptiseth Man according to the Mans Property but Faith in the Grace apprehendeth the Grace in the Covenant and Word and bringeth it selfe with the Covenant into the Water and so then the Word of God and the Faith and the Water baptise alike 32. For the outward Elementary water is not the Ground of the Baptisme but the spirituall Water which is united and tyed with the Word in the Covenant and with the Faith for the Word powreth it selfe forth in a Water-source of Life in Å¿ Text. Eine great Meeknesse and Love and the Faith taketh hold of this promised Word of Grace in the Covenant This Grace in the spirituall water comprehendeth it selfe with the Elementary water after the manner as the Invisible world hath made it selfe visible with this worlds substance viz with the Elements and as the Invisible Word of God worketh by the visible and as the visible substance of the Elements shall againe goe into the Invisible Thus also in the Baptisme-Covenant the Invisible Element viz the heavenly substance uniteth it selfe with the visible Elements of Mans body viz the substance of Eternity with the substance of Time the Eternall Speaking Word of Divine Love with the Outspoken t Or Formed Imaged Word of the Humanity 33. For the Pure Element according to the holy spirituall World out of which the foure Elements are sprung forth is that which baptiseth through the foure Elements of Mans Body The true Man created in Adam which sticketh in the Grosse husk of the foure Elements that is baptised to Eternall Life for the Pure Element soaketh or Infuseth it selfe againe into the vanished Image of Man which Image was out of the Pure Element but vanished in Adam And to that End God hath u Or Instituted ordained his Covenant in the Water Baptisme and there belongeth now Faith to it and Repentance to this Receiving for Repentance is an unlocking or stirring of the hidden shut up things of Man whereby the Inward Spirituall desire viz the Spirituall Mouth to such Receiving is opened and Faith is the Opened Mouth which taketh in the Holy Element 34. And although a childe without understanding cannot doe this yet those with their Faith should doe it who baptise and the rest that are present at the Baptisme for their Faith must comprehend it selfe in the childes will for the childe hath not yet a willing neither to Good nor Evill but their Faith comprehendeth it selfe in the childes Life viz in Soule and Spirit which may well be being all soules have their originall from One and so they are in the Centre one onely Ground viz in the Word of God out of which the Soule hath taken its originall and wherein they all stand together in the Ground for this Comprehending in the childe is nothing else but to introduce their love-will into the childe and although a Man cannot doe that in his owne power and Might yet if the will of Man comprehendeth it selfe in Gods Word and Promise and taketh hold of the Promised Grace together with the command that wee should doe this thing then is the Possibility there For the Promised Word giveth and worketh the ability in Mans Will and giveth the Deed Gods will taketh Mans will resigned up to him and doth it through his Might with Mans will 35. Therefore say I it is a dangerous thing to baptise children without the Faith of the Parents and of them that Baptise and the rest that are present to the work The Scripture sayth Heb. 11.6 Without Faith it is impossible to please God But this Faith is not a History or Knowledge that a Man onely give assent to it and beleeve that it is Gods work No it is an Earnest desirefull co-working a pressing in to the Promised Grace an Earnest consideration of our inherited sinne and of the Great earnestnesse of God and how he through this Grace-Covenant receiveth us againe as children and powreth his Grace into us with this work 36. Those that are present should with Great humility and * Turning into God inversion to God with Earnest prayer apply themselves to this Covenant and well consider what they there purpose to doe for they stand even before the Covenant of the Holy Trinity before Gods open Face and have to deale with God and Man and should well imprint in them the bitter sufferings and dying of Jesus Christ into which a childe is baptised of which they are co-working Witnesses according to the Faith and not stand before this Covenant as a Whore before a Glasse with proud Hearts as if it were a worldly honour which a Man should make use of about it such People which have no understanding and Faith towards it and onely come to it with proud hearts are not y Or Furtherance profitable to this Covenant but a hinderance they hinder others who Gape upon the Pride and bravery and therewithall forget the Earnestnesse 37. And
of Christ that Christ with the Institution of the New Testament would not ordaine any strange or new thing but onely fullfill the Old Testament and with the Substantiall Grace which in his Soule and flesh was become MAN give himselfe up into the Covenant of the Old Testament and himselfe be the fullfilling viz the Paschal Lamb and the Holy bread and flesh where-through our right Adamicall Man is to be blessed For he first eate the Paschal Lamb with his Disciples and incorporated himselfe with them in the Covenant of the Old Testament and washed their feete for them Afterwards he tooke the Bread gave thanks and brake it and gave to them and sayd Take and Eate that is my body which is given for you In like manner also he tooke the Cup after the Supper and gave thanks gave to them and sayd Drink yee all thereof that is my bloud of the New Testament which is shed for many for the forgivenesse of sinnes I say unto you I will now henceforth drink no more of this fruit of the Vine till at the day that I will drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome Matth. 26. Mark 14. 1 Cor. 11.23 18. This is now the true Ground and signifieth first how the sweet Grace of Gods Covenant hath given it selfe up into our humanity and secondly how that same Grace-Covenant which in the Old Testament with the Sacrifices and Paschal-Lamb gave it selfe to Israel under that same food for a blessing doth now with the assumed humanity give it selfe to Man also under a Medium viz under Bread and Wine to be eaten and drunk and Thirdly how he would not take away the first Covenant and begin some new thing but how he himselfe would be that very Grace-Covenant and now present himselfe as a Man and now give himselfe into Man after a Divine and humane way that as they had participated of him heretofore with his Grace in the Covenant in the Sacrifice in a spirituall way in power through a Medium so now they should participate of him also in a corporeall and spirituall way through the Medium of Bread Wine and Substantially participate of that same incorporated Grace in the Covenant 19. For the cause was this that he would give himselfe to them to be participated both in a humane and also in a Divine property alike that they should participate of the Grace which had given it selfe into the humanity and slaine Death and opened the humane Life againe and brought it through Death in a new humane Life that the same New Life out of Christs Death and Resurrection might unlock even their Life which was shut up in Death therefore he gave them this new unlocked humane Life of his assumed humane Life with his flesh and bloud even under an Elementary Medium that the Faith might conceive it through a Medium 20. Therefore there must be a Medium that first Gods Imagination of his Love and secondly Mans Faiths desire might come together and take hold one of another by a Medium for as the participation of the Old Testament was done in a Spirituall way so now it should be both in a Substantiall and Spirituall way alike for the Deity hath now presented the Paschal-Lamb in the humanity of Christ and Gods Imagination which went formerly into the Sacrifice went now into the humanity of Christ and the Imagination of the humanity of Christ went with Divine power into the Medium of Bread and Wine and through the same in the participation thereof into the humane Life The Third Chapter How the Disciples of Christ have Eaten and Drunk Christs flesh and bloud and how that is properly to be understood 1. REason should heere goe out from the Image likenesse into that which is unimagelike and forsake the folly which Men strive for for it was not an Imagelike participation but is understood under an Imagelike one Christ gave not his Disciples the Imaged Creaturely outward palpable fleshly humanity as some piece thereof No that is not consistent for he sate by them at the Table and did not rend the Imaged substance of his body but he gave them the spirituall humanity viz the power and vertue of his body and bloud his owne Mumia wherein the Divine and humane power is understood which Mumia is a true humane Substance of flesh and bloud and is a spirituall flesh out of which the visible Image groweth and is wholly one with the visible Image 2. See a Similitude in the Sunne which standeth in its Orb but presseth with its Lustre power and whole Substance with all whatsoever it is in Essence power and Substance forth out of it selfe into the whole world and giveth it selfe to every Element Substance and Creature to all hearbs and Trees also to every Creaturely life and worketh in all things whatsoever it will receive and yet teareth not it selfe when it goeth forth from it selfe and giveth it selfe to the other Creatures it continueth alwayes whole and goeth not away from its Substance 3 So is also the Supper of Christ to be understood as wee see a Similitude of it in the hearbs and grasse of the Earth which neither doth nor can doe any thing without the power of the Sunne it setteth the Jawes of its Essence wide open towards the Sunnes power and vertue that is it hungereth onely after that and into that hunger the Sunne shineth in and kindleth the Spirit viz the Brimstone Salt and Oyle of the Hearb and as soone as that is done that the Sunnes vertue findeth or perceiveth it selfe in the Brimstone Salt and Oyle of the Hearb then it worketh therein whence the Hearb attaineth a perceptible warmth and conceiveth and impresseth the Sunnes vertue in it selfe so that the Sunnes vertue and power becometh Substantiall in the Hearb and groweth with the Hearb and tinctureth the same whereby the Hearb becometh Sunney or Solar and worketh to the bringing forth fruit 4. So in like manner wee are to understand concerning Christs Testaments for Hee is the Sunne of Life and the Light of the world Joh. 8 12 Hee according to the Deity is the Eternall Speaking Word viz the power and verâ—ue of the Deity the power of the Divine Light and according to the humanity he is the formed out-spoken Word which is wholly one with the Eternall Speaking Word for hee hath introverted our received humanity with the Eternall Word viz turned the outward inward viz the Substance of Time and turned the inward outward viz the Substance of the Eternity and is with the Divine Substance through our humane Substance received from us become pressing forth as the Sunne presseth forth from it selfe and giveth forth it selfe so the Divine Substance giveth it selfe forth through the humane Note The Divine Substance bringeth the humane forth with it selfe for the Divine Desire goeth forth towards the humane Essence and the humane Essence goeth in towards the Divine out-pressing delight or desire 5. Note But being the
onely to arise and Live with sinnes in Christs Spirit he will rule in the Resurrection of Christ with his Earthly Lucifer therefore he treadeth the Death of Christ with the feete of his false desire and doth the same which the Pharisees did to Christ therefore it were better for him not to boast himselfe to be a Christian and that he did not touch or meddle with Christs Testament Of the Ground of Absolution What forgivenesse of Sinnes is 8. The false conceit and grosse d Or Ignorance mis-understanding when Men teach Christs Testaments destroy sinne needs yet a more e Or Sharp acute exposition that the wicked Man may not thus hide himselfe under it and so cover himselfe with Christs purple Mantle and weare it as a Badge upon him in falshood Christs Bloudshedding as when he destroyed Gods Anger therewith and turned the Anger into Love is that which destroyeth sinne Hee that worthily participateth of Christs Bloudshedding in him sinne is destroyed through his victory and resurrection with his bloud and Love Hee that cometh to it with a Penitent heart for his by-past sinne and is angry at it and hath a strong purpose in himselfe no more to enter into it he layeth hold with the Faith on the Testamentary Grace 9. It is false for one to deferre his repentance till the participation of the Testament of Christ and then to think that the same will take away his sinne There is no forgivenesse of sinnes either by Testament or Absolution unlesse a Man convert from sinne and be renewed through earnest sincere Repentance and turning in to the Grace of God in Faith on Christ in the Holy Ghost that he taketh up another will and resolution to goe out from falshood and wickednesse 10. For the forgivenesse of sinnes in Christs Testaments and without the use of them is nothing else but this when Christ in the Converting Sinner ariseth from Mans Death into Mans Faith and a New obedient will ariseth out of his Death and becometh a Light in Mans Life so that the Eternall Night is turned into a cleere Day then Sinne is forgiven for if the Eternall day of Love dawneth then is the Night of the Eternall Darknesse of Gods Anger turned into Love and there is the Wedding of the Lamb rightly kept and not with the unworthy Heart which without repentance and forsaking of its sinnes runneth to the Testament and supposeth that its sinnes are forgiven through the laying on of the Priests Hand and participation of the Testaments 11. The Priest hath no power to forgive sinne it standeth not in his owne might and power the might is in the Ordinance of Christ Christ in Man and so farre also as he is in the Priest himselfe forgiveth sinne to the Repenting Conscience The Absolution is but a Medium viz an outward signe thereof that wee should receive one another in Love and hearty forgivenesse and binde and reconcile our selves in the Love of the bands of Christ in his Bride and in Love receive one another into the Communion of the body viz of the Bride of Christ 12. The Minister of Christ taketh the faithfull Penitent Man through an Outward Absolution in Christs stead into the f Church Communion or Congregation of Christ Hee is with his Absolution a Medium or meanes of that which Christ himselfe through his absolution doth g Workingly Effectually in the inward Ground and so Man is through such a a Medium outwardly confirmed But if there be no Faith and conversion there but onely a Custome then there is also no Absolution for the Priests Absolution without Christs co-working is powerlesse and dead for the power sticketh not barely in the outward Ordinance and in the Priest but in the Communion of the Saints in Christ viz in the Bride of Christ the same taketh the Repenting Man into their Memberlike fraternity in the Faith of that which is to come the Spirit of Christ in his members receiveth him 13. A wicked Priest in whom the Spirit of Christ is not cannot absolve him nor receive him but the Office of Christ through the word of his Promise receiveth him A false Priest is but an outward worklesse instrument as to himselfe and doth no more with this than the wicked Priest with the Water-Baptisme which onely powreth the water and speaketh the words without co-working But the Spirit of the Office looketh not upon the unworthy Minister of the Office but upon those that come to the Office with Faith He absolveth him through his Office and receiveth him with the Bride of Christ in whom Hee worketh into the Church or Congregation and not by a wicked Pharisee who himselfe is not capable of the Office and onely sitteth there as an Idoll which Man worshippeth and is himselfe but a Devill full of falshood and attributeth that to himselfe which he himselfe hath not 14. There must be earnestnesse used in going about with such an Office of the power of God or else Christ is but mocked therein Therefore no Man should relye upon the Ordinance and think that the Ordinance absolveth him or that for the Ordinance and Institution sake of Christ he receiveth the Testament If any will receive Christ into himselfe for a lodger he must then bring the Temple of Christ wherein Christ absolveth him with him into the Ordinance The absolution is but a receiving into the Communion of the Members of Christ the Priest receiveth him outwardly with the Congregation and Christ receiveth him in the Faith and bindeth himselfe workingly with him which cannot be done without Faith and Earnest turning into God and now as Christ worketh inwardly in him so also the Congregation or Church viz the Bride of Christ worke membrally in him with their prayers and they all are but one in Christ 15. But it is a snare of the Devill that the wicked think that he is a sinner indeed but he will at last goe to the Office of Christ to the Communion of Saints and will be absolved and receive Christs Testament that his sinnes may once be forgiven him and then will sinne a new when his old sinne is done away as it cometh to passe that many begin to hang their heads a little and make a shew and presently afterwards enter into their old Custome againe into all abominations and Blasphemy These Crucifie Christ and h Note pierce him in his wounds and it goeth with such a one as with Judas who after he had eaten Satan entered into him it were better he continued altogether from it so long as it is not with him in Earnestnesse if that he thinketh to be and remaine a true Christian Of true Christianity What a right Christian is 16. Christianity is not a bare conceit that a Man need onely to acknowledge with the Mouth and beleeve that Christ dyed for us and hath satisfied for sinne that a Man need onely to give assent to the Gospel and hold the History of what
was done by Christ to be true and that a Man need onely and balely to goe to his Testament and there receive the Grace which he left behinde him and comfort himselfe therewith and accompt it as a Merit and imputed Grace It is not enough for a Man to heare Sermons preached and to be Baptised to Christ and goe to the Supper so that a Man doe but keepe the Custome this by farre maketh no Christian it must be Earnestnesse none is a Christian unlesse Christ live and work in him as Christ himselfe sayth Without mee yee can doe nothing Joh. 15.5 Also Hee that gathereth not with mee scattereth Matth 12.30 17. A Christian must be one Spirit in and with Christ and will and work in the power of Christ it is a living active working Grace in a Christian a continuall burning fire a feeling power and vertue which though it be often covered with the Lust of the flesh and the vanity of the world yet it i Gloweth glimmereth and burneth in the Heart as a fire and reproveth the flesh and the vaine lust of untruth rejecteth the false way and willeth it not that same inward fire is the Spirit of Christ which without ceasing breaketh the head of the Serpent viz the Lust of the flesh The flesh hath the will of this world but that same kindled ground hath the will of God If any be a Christian then he will hate and be angry at the will of the flesh he will be an Enemy to his evill fleshly Lust and constantly complaine and hold himselfe to be unworthy Note and continually with his inward will of the soule sinck himselfe into the k Purest meerest Grace into Gods mercy and not say of himselfe I am a right Christian but will continually presse with his Desire into Gods Mercy and fly to Grace that he might be but a right Christian and will accompt himselfe in all his conversation alwayes too unworthy of such Grace and in continuall resigned humility with weeping and prayer onely presse into Grace his whole life will be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Repentance and he will evermore desire to apprehend Grace as it hath apprehended him 18. A right Christian is affrighted at sinne when the Lust of the flesh would worke sinne also when he seeth others work sinne then he groaneth in himselfe at it and wisheth that such evill were not committed it is an abomination to him in his Eyes he loveth truth and righteousnesse and hateth the false way and although the Earthly flesh often unawares without any purpose of will falleth upon him with a sudden false Lust and many times bringeth him to fall as hath been with David and Solomon and Many Saints and is still done yet such a Man in whom the Spirit of Christ is doth not lye in sinne but the Inward Ground viz the Incorporated Grace in the Spirit of Christ cometh quickly with Gods l Strict severe righteousnesse in the Anger and entereth into him in the Conscience as the Prophet Nathan entered into Davids conscience and touched his conscience and awakened the fire of Anger when David suddenly began with great sorrow to repent and acknowledge his sinne and entered into such Earnest Repentance that he would receive no comfort from all his friends and would not suffer his Eares to be filled with comfort and the tickling of Grace till he felt the Grace of the Lord in his Conscience no flattery would set his heart at peace till the Lord spake into him with his Grace◠2 Sam. 12.7 Of the worthy preparation to the holy Testament of Christ 19. If any will call himselfe a Christian and comfort himselfe with the Merits of Christ and approach to his Testament and worthily receive the same let him consider his wayes well and looke to his heart and see how it is framed 1. Whether he standeth in such a desire as to be willing to dye wholly from vanity 2. Whether it be in his purpose to goe out from all falshood unrighteousnesse lying and deceit and that he be resolved never to enter into them againe 3. Whether he desire the Grace of God in Christ with a cleane pure wil 4. Also whether he is sorry for his sinne 5. Whether he finde and feele such a will in himselfe that from henceforth he will wholly goe forth from his former Sinnes and Blasphemies 6. And also whether he be so minded that he will yeeld up his whole heart and will to Gods Mercy 7. Also whether he findeth feeleth and knoweth a place in himselfe where he will lay up this high Testament viz the flesh and bloud of Christ with his Grace 8. Also whether or no he hath made roome in his heart and whole soule for the Spirit of Christ that he may there enter in as a Living Conqueror over Death and Hell and may erect his Kingly Palace in his heart and soule 9. And whether he be capable of this where Christ sayth Wee will come unto you and make our dwelling in you Joh. 14.23 10. Also whether the Temple of the Holy Ghost in him be swept and purged with right repentance 11. Also whether there be a right Mouth in him that can rightly receive Christs Holy flesh 12. Also whether the Essence of his Life be so framed that Christ with his Substance and with his Love may continue therein For Christ sayth Hee that Eateth my flesh and drinketh my Bloud continueth in Mee and I in him Joh. 6.56 13. Also whether he finde in his Minde that the Streame of the Living Waters of Divine Love flow from him that he love his God and his brother and Neighbour as himselfe 14. Also whether he wisheth and desireth to doe Good to his Enemies 15. Whether he accompteth any thing in this world as his owne of which he sayth This is mine owne onely 16. Or whether in that which he hath and possesseth he accompteth himselfe but a servant of God and a Steward to him and his brother therein and Consider that he is but an Officer and Servant of God in his state and condition in his temporall Goods that none of it is his own but Gods and his brothers 17. Also whether he trusteth God in his conversation and keepe and esteeme his Life as his Lord Christ did who was but a Pilgrim in this world and had nothing for his owne and also willingly left his Life for his brethren 18. Also whether he findeth a sparkle of such a will in himselfe 20. Now if he finde all this in himselfe then he is rightly worthy and very fit for such a Testamentary participation but if not and yet findeth such a hunger in himselfe that he would willingly be and will so then he is in the drawing of the Father to the Grace in Christ then he should not long parly with Reason and frame doubts in himselfe but should that very houre enter into such an Earnest purpose that he will enter into Earnest sincere