prophecies and types which made mention of him and therefore they were enabled extraordinarily to declare both in word and writing the whole will and counsell of God and the word so spoken and written being a revelation of Christ through the Spirit was written and spoken for our instruction Christ now reveales himself to us also by the same Spirit and to the same ends and purposes but not in the same manner nor in the same degree Christ by revelation enabled them to speak and write a mystery and by revelation he enables us to know and understand that mystery which was spoken and written by them They were inspired by the Spirit immediately to write and speak the mind of God perfectly To us it is given to understand and believe the will of God in the mystery of Christ by attending upon reading exhortation and doctrine even by the same Spirit The Apostles were sent to preach the Gospel and faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word preached Paul was an Apostle a teacher of the Gentiles and unto him was this grace given that he should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ c. The Gospel must be preached but every preaching is not the preaching of the Gospel for some men preach neither Law nor Gospel but their own fancies others preach justification by the duties of the Law knowing neither what they say nor whereof they affirm and others jumble Law and Gospel together saying that men must believe in Jesus Christ and yet they must walk in a strict performance of the duties of the Law or else they cannot be saved But the Gospel where it is purely preached is not with wisdome of words to exercise or set forth mens humane arts and acquired abilities but in the evidence and power of the Spirit to perswade men to believe the preaching of the Gospel is not to chide or revile men for not believing but to beseech men to be reconciled to God The preaching of the Gospel is not to threaten wrath and vengeance against sin and sinners but to offer termes of peace reconciliation and salvation through Christ Jesus to the worst of sinners Moreover the Lord hath in much wisdome and goodnesse manifested his will in a written word for he very well knew what was in man many Prophets of old did run before they were sent but because they spake not according to the Law and the Testimony their written word their was no light in them There were also false Apostles in the Primitive Churches but because they spake not according to the word of faith revealed in the true Apostles they were soon discovered to the Saints The Mystery of iniquity in that man of sin came into the world after the working of Satan with signes and lying wonders and men were deluded by them because they did not receive or believe the truth as it was revealed in the written word but Christ hath already in part and is daily destroying more and more that mystery and kingdome of the devill by his appearing and the brightnesse of his coming according to this written word And there be many also that boast and brag of visions and revelations and despise and deride the Scriptures but because they resist or put away the truth therefore they shall not be able to proceed much further for their folly shall be made manifest to all men by the power of truth revealed in the Scriptures Neither is the Scripture contrary to it self or any the least contradiction in it for as no part of it was written by the private motion of mans own Spirit so neither is it of any private interpretation nor to be drawn or stretcht to any mans private purpose for we are not to use the Scriptures for our own self ends or so much of them as will serve our turnes but to weigh and consider the whole Scripture and labour to reconcile seeming differences for though there may appear some small seeming jarrs in the letter yet being compared with other Scriptures and weighed with a Spirit of love and meeknesse there will be found a sweet harmony in the sence and meaning and where any thing is hard and difficult and not easie to be understood there we are not rashly to determine but by prayer and supplication to wait upon God who is a revealer of secrets and to whom interpretations doe belong and in due time we shall reap if we faint not Q. What is Prayer A. Prayer is much spoken of and much used among men but it is not very well understood for many people can and doe utter words and sentences which the Saints in Scripture have used in prayer and yet they doe not pray prayer is not every lifting up of the voice to God nor every lifting up of the heart to God for the most wicked man may pray and that earnestly and that for life and salvation and yet not pray aright yea a believer and one that is in Christ may be very fervent in prayer and yet not being rightly catechized and instructed in the nature of true prayer may not be accepted but offend in praying Prayer is not a work of wit or memory or of any other common gift of the Spirit but true and right prayer as it goes up to God through Christ so it comes down first from God by Christ and is indeed the intercession of Christ in the soul for no man knowes how or what to pray for as he ought yea the Saints themselves are compassed with many infirmities and many of them lie under many outward crosses c. by reason whereof they may and doe now and then use prayer in a carnal manner now it is the Spirit which removeth or helpeth against these infirmities when the Spirit prevailes as it doth for the most part in the Saints then it assures them of the love of God and overcomes all feares and doubts and carries them up to God with free accesse making them to know that God is not delighted with eloquent words and speeches or sentences finely framed and artificially drawn into a method But that he is well pleased with Christ and delights in nothing but Christ and if he be in the soul though at present they cannot utter many words or outward expressions nay if they can but groan in spirit he knowes the meaning thereof for he knowes the heart and understands the mind of the spirit If prayer proceed from a mans own spirit then it is alwayes for self ends but if it be the intercession of Christ in the soul then it is alwayes agreeable to the will of God for he even Christ maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Q. If prayer be the intercession of Christ in the soul then how is it said that he is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession
for us and is gone into heaven there to appear in the presence of God for us And why then are we commanded to pray to the Father in the name of Christ A. Christ is indeed at the right hand of God that is the Lord hath advanced him into his own glory and given him his own power and authority even all power in heaven and earth for God doth not manifest himself in any wise unto the Saints or bestow any thing upon them but in and by Jesus Christ neither can or doe the Saints enjoy God or have any true fellowship with him but in and through Christ so that whatsoever is done in heaven or in earth Christ is the doer of it now Christ dwells in the Saints by his Spirit which is the power of his love proceeding infinitely from the Father unto the Son and from Christ into the Saints and by this Spirit or power of love he quickens them up to prayer and not onely so but also frames and endites their prayers in them according to the will of the Father and so they become acceptable to him for whatsoever Christ doth is well pleasing to God for the Father loveth the Son and the Saints being united to Christ and made one with God in him are hereby brought into the love and favour of God through him And thus he is in heaven appearing in the presence of God for us And for that we are to pray to the Father in the name of Christ it is not meant that we must often use or repeat the name of Christ or in word beg or crave any thing at the hand of God for Christs sake for so a wicked carnal wretch may doe but to pray to the Father in the name of Christ is to pour forth the soul unto the Father in the power and intercession of the Son for God looks not at any thing in all this world but Christ men may be high in gifts and notions and may make admirable prayers for words and sentences and also for method and form but if Christ be not there and if the prayer goe not forth in the Spirit and power of Jesus Christ then the Lord regards it not but loaths it and casts it away as abominable To pray then in the name of Christ is when the soul goeth forth into the armes of Gods love by the Spirit and power of the Lord Jesus who is the Son of his love Q. Seeing that men of themselves cannot pray aright and that the Lord to whom we are to pray knowes our wants before we pray What need have we then to pray A. As men cannot pray of themselves so neither can they live of themselves for the life which the Saints now live in the flesh is not by any power of their own but by the power of Christ living in them so that there is not onely a necessity of life in them in whom Christ lives who is the life but an impossibility of not living In like manner though men cannot pray acceptably by their own power or worth yet if Christ who is the mediator and intercessor live in them there is not onely a necessity of praying but it is altogether impossible that they should not pray Christ being in their hearts the Spirit of supplication and of adoption causing them to cry Abba Father Yea in him they have accesse with boldnesse unto the throne of grace And though the Lord doe know our wants yet he hath commanded us to pray ask and yee shall have c. And yee fight and warre and have not because yee ask not The Lord would have his people to rejoyce but they must pray ask and yee shall receive that your joy may be full Now although the Lord command us to pray he doth not intend that we should make Idols of our prayers and think that we receive for our praying but he doth it that we may know and consider on whom our joy our happinesse yea our very life dependeth and also that he may have the honour and glory of all his goodnesse when we in asking acknowledge him to be the giver of all and that we receive all of grace and not of debt and then it occasions much thankfulnesse when we return him the praise of all his love and bounty and live in the use of his mercies to his praise Q. But is not the Lord said to be an unchangeable God with whom is not the least shaddow of turning and if he have determined to bestow any favour or mercy he will doe it without our prayers and if he have not determined us any good to what purpose should we pray seeing by the same we cannot alter nor change his mind A. Although the Lord be altogether unchangeable and unalterable in his purposes and determinations yet he would have his children make known to him their needs by their requests neither is there the least shadow of change in him when he bestowes mercies and blessings upon them in answer to their prayers for whatsoever good thing he purposeth to his children yet before he bestow it upon them he usually stirreth up their hearts to pray for the same Now the Lord whatever he gives to the Saints he gives it them in Christ and what the Saints pray for they request and beg the same in the Spirit and intercession of Christ for he is the way by which the Lord comes down to us in all good and he is the way also by which we goe up to God in prayer and thanksgiving Now as it is impossible that God should alter his determinations in bestowing of mercies so also is it that the Saints should not pray for blessings and favours being quickened up thereto by the Spirit of Christ living in them so then God is not changed but the change is in the Saints for many times when God entends a blessing his children are not fit to receive the same then he by that Spirit of adoption quickens them up to pray and yet delaies them that by the continual use of this heavenly exercise and by the spirit of judgement and burning their corruptions may be consumed and destroyed and their hearts brought into a more holy and humble frame and they at length by this meanes made fit to receive the mercy Q. If men cannot pray unill they be moved or quickened thereunto by the Spirit how then shall it be known when the Spirit moves or which or when is the most convenient and fittest time for prayer A. That no man is able of himself without the help of the Spirit to make any prayer acceptable to God hath been already shewed prayer being a work of that Spirit of adoption called the Spirit of the Son and is nothing else but an effect of that power in the Son given unto him by the Father men may use
assurance of his love These he holds in suspence and therefore they cry and pray forgive us our sinnes not being assured of the pard on thereof Yea others also that have attained to a higher degree of assurance and are able to conclude and that safely that their sinnes are forgiven and that Christ is their righteousnesse unto justification yet seeing their own weaknesses and knowing that they are sanctified but in part and having a law in their members rebelling against the law of the mind they have need and doe pray for a further discovery of Gods love to perfect their sanctification that they may thereby have a further evidence of their justification and therefore it is said forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors that is Lord work in us such a holy frame of spirit that seeing thou hast freely forgiven us through Christ all our sinnes we may also freely for thy sake forgive our offending brother his trepasses and that our readinesse and willingnesse to pardon others may evidence unto us that thou hast forgiven us so that we are not taught to pray for pardon of sin as though the Lord would not forgive us untill we pray for it but rather that God would manifest himself so to us in acts of sanctification as may testifie unto us our justification And although repentance is not necessary as a meanes of remission and so of life yet it is a necessary consequence or effect of life as the fruit is not a meanes or a condition of life to the tree but an effect or evidence of life in the tree for it is impossible that Christ should be in the soul and not act like himself according to that degree and measure in which he manifests himself therein Now repentance is not onely a sorrow for sin for that may be in wicked men neither is it a bare confession joyned with the former for both these may be done for self-ends But when a man doth indeed apprehend the love of God in Jesus freely justifying and pardoning all sin and transgression whatsoever without any desert or desire and not onely so but also sanctifying and saving him from all sin for the future then his soul is melted and dissolved into godly sorrow mourning and grieving not for fear of death and hell but because he hath walked so contrary to God who hath so farre condiscended in love to him and hereupon falls to confesse all sin and to rip up his heart and to search out his most secret sinnes as well as those that be more outward and desires to appear before God the most vile and abominable sinner in the world in his own eyes deserving nothing but wrath and condemnation and admires at the infinite love and goodnesse of God in Jesus Christ thus pardoning and sanctifying him and prayes earnestly unto God that he will make further discoveries of his love unto him in Jesus that he may be more vile in his own eyes and that he may now hate and abhorre all sin which is so contrary to the holinesse of God that Christ may live more in him and that he may henceforth be enabled through him to walk in all well pleasing And thus the Saints though they be already justified and pardoned yet cannot but repent for if Christ who is the root be within repentance which is a fruit thereof will appear in the branches and thus the Saints can mourn after Christ and blessed are they that so mourn for they shall be comforted Q. Seeing that the Saints or Believers are sanctified but in part and have flesh as well as spirit and are compassed about not onely with many infirmities but also with many enemies which are strong and potent Whereby are they then quickened Or what helps have they to grow in grace and sanctification A. The chief help or meanes whereby the Saints are quickened up to holinesse is Christ himself dwelling in them and acting them by his spirit or power to all well pleasing but there are other subordinate meanes which he hath appointed and sanctified to that end as namely his Word in the reading and preaching of it as also godly conference with one another and prayer Q. How can the Scriptures being but the writings of men be of any force to help us grow in grace c. A. Although the Scriptures were written by men yet they were not the device of mens braines or wits but they were the words of God inspired into men by the holy Spirit neither did men write them at their own pleasure but how and when the Lord who is that Spirit pleased and they are profitable to teach instruct to reprove and correct yea there is in the Scriptures whatsoever is necessary to be known to salvation they being a revelation of the most righteous and perfect will of God in every dispensation and they are also mighty through Christ for indeed to the Saints Christ is the Word and the Word is Christ and when he is pleased to come forth in it read or preached then it casts down strong holds then it divides asunder between soul and spirit between men and their beloved lusts then it subdues every high thought and brings every thing into subjection that exalts it self against Christ and then when he is pleased to come forth thus in it by his Spirit then it transformes the soul into the same nature or Image of it self which is Christ And here is the power of binding and loosing or the power of the keyes There is in the word a double power or efficacy when it comes in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit it is both for softening and for hardening of mens hearts and it alwayes doth the work to which it is sent it is called a sharp two-edged Sword the Sword of the Spirit c. Now no mans word can work any effect upon mens hearts they may blesse or they may curse and all to no purpose they may bind and loose at their own pleasure but there is nothing done in the soul but where this word comes indeed in the name that is in the power and authority of Christ there it doth the work effectually and there is no resistance it either makes men fruitful and meet for salvation or else hardens them and binds them over to damnation Q. Yea indeed Christ is the Word and he came from the bosome of the Father and he onely doth reveal the Fathers will But doth he not doe it by visions and revelations of the Spirit rather than by a written word which is so full of contradictions or so contrary to it self A. Christ hath alwayes manifested himself or the Fathers will by visions and revelations but yet in a different way in every dispensation when the Gospel was first preached he was pleased to reveal himself unto the Apostles for the most part without any written word they having but a few dark
words or formes of prayer but none can pray indeed but they who have received this spirit of adoption and are thereby become the Sonnes of God and they who are thus become Sonnes have not the Spirit by fits and starts but the Spirit or the Lord Jesus who is that Spirit dwells in their hearts and is continually exciting and stirring up their hearts to prayer and every good thing But it is not alwayes apprehended alike for many times by reason of temptation want of watchfulnesse and other infirmities of the flesh it is clouded and acts not so clearly as at other times yet notwithstanding it will in due time break through all difficulties and remove all impediments and acts like it self and ministers matter of prayer upon all occasions so then whensoever the Lord presents occasion or opportunity of prayer then he by the same calls for prayer and then is the Spirit ready to quicken and help if it be not quenched with carnall workings of the flesh as worldly cares worldly sorrowes worldly joyes c. Now if there be any time wherein the Lord doth not minister occasion of prayer and praise then that is no time for prayer and thanksgiving but there is no time in the whole life of a Christian in which the Lord doth not minister occasion of prayer and praise therefore the Saints ought to pray continually and in every thing to give thanks Furthermore as the Saints ought upon all occasions to lift up their hearts to God so also they are to take the fittest opportunity for prayer is not a light businesse but of great weight and concernment it is called a pouring forth of the soul to God a wrestling with God a crying earnestly to God c. Now the fittest time for this serious businesse is when we can set about it with least distraction when we can best sequester our selves from all other occasions whatsoever and attend upon that work with freedome of Spirit And as we must take the fittest time so also we must watch unto it that is so order our outward affaires that there may be convenient time and so watch over our own hearts in the strength of Christ that they may be alwayes well disposed to prayer and not to flag or faint though we meet with many delayes and other discouragements but to continue instant in the same watching when God will give in occasion of thanksgiving Q. But doth not God give us other helpes also to build us up in grace and holinesse What say you of the Sacraments Is not Baptisme of great use in these dayes of the Gospel A. The word Sacrament is no where to be found in all the Scripture and for Baptisme the Scripture mentions divers Baptismes as the baptisme of water the baptisme of the holy Ghost and of fire and the baptismes of sufferings all which were beautiful in their seasons and some of them are still of great concernment to the Saints The baptisme of water was the baptisme of John who was sent of God to prepare the way of Christ Israel had dwelt long enough in that Mount of out-side observations for although they had their legall washings and cleansings which were and might be called baptismes yet all these could not wash away one sin from the conscience but served onely to cleanse them from legall pollutions though they were not without their significations But now the baptisme of John and his ministry was mighty for he came in the spirit and power of Elias and was a sign of a great change of administrations for he called them to repentance even to repent of all that out-side and formal religion which they had so hotly pursued for they were generally grown so corrupt and so blockish and blind withall that they imagined that by the bare out-side performance of those legal cleansings they were sufficiently sanctified though they continued in the practise of most grosse and notorious sinnes But John tells them plain that although God had long endured and born with their hipocrisies and formalities yet now he would bear no longer for he had now laid the axe to the root of the trees and if any tree were barren or did not bring forth good fruit it was to be hewen down and cast into the fire hereby giving them to understand that unlesse they did desist from all their wicked and ungodly wayes and courses and amend their evill lives there was no remission of sinnes to be expected nor true sanctification to be attained notwithstanding all their legal and strict performances and hereupon calls them to his baptisme declaring plainly unto them that though many of them thought he was the Christ yet they were deceived for he was but sent to prepare his way and that his baptisme was but with water which could onely wash away the filth of the body but could goe no further but yet by the same they were to be instructed that there is one among them already in the flesh even Christ who shall baptize them with the holy Ghost and with fire that is wash and cleanse their soules from all the filth and guilt of sin that was upon them And thus John's ministry was to prepare the way or to manifest Christ already come and his baptisme did hold forth the baptisme of Christ in the Spirit which was to follow in its season Q. If Johns ministry and baptisme served onely to prepare the way of Christ or to manifest Christ in the flesh and to instruct them or type out unto them the baptisme of Christ why then was it needfull that Christ himself should be baptized of John A. Christ indeed was baptized of John but not out of any need to shew forth sorrow for sin he being altogether without sin nor yet was he baptized out of any necessity to be instructed in the mystery of the Spirits baptisme but Christ submitted to Johns baptisme for our sakes onely the head that had no sin for the body that was full of sin Again Johns baptisme was part of the Law and it was the last and most lively Ceremony of it and Christ submitted unto the same that he might fulfill all righteousnesse for us Now that Johns baptisme was of the Law and not of the Gospel is evident from his preaching for John preached saying repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand now the kingdome of heaven is Christ not in the flesh but crucified risen again ascended returned in the Spirit the Comforter dwelling in the hearts of the Saints the kingdome of heaven is within you And from our Saviours words Mat 11. 11. where speaking of John saith that among them that were born of women there hath not risen a greater Prophet than John the Bapptist because other of the Prophets had spoken of Christ afarre off but John pointed him out with the finger saying this
And he who is a Revealer of secrets and to whom interpretations doe belong shall in due time reveale the same unto you If you cannot receive it at present yet ye may in time but if not at all yet take heed of condemning it for heresie blasphemy Christ was called a blasphemer a Devil and that by Saints in profession Truth hath been adjudged to be falshood and sound doctrine hath been condemned for heresie in all ages If any dislike or cannot receive it because in some passages it may seem beyond his apprehension Let him know that the maine end of this is to carry up his heart to Christ above it selfe and if on the other hand any shall despise it and cast it away as too much below them let such know that it is not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel and that the foolishness of God is wiser than men To whomsoever it comes it will bring this testimonie along that it hath no self-ends at all but comes meerly out of love to poore souls Deare Brethren Let me now in one word beseech you to lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh Be making toward your heavenly rest be longing after your Fathers house be owning of your own priviledges be standing fast in your own liberty be getting out of Babylon ye have dwelt long enough in confusion long enough in the mount of outward observations Take up your carriages raise up your hearts ask the way to Sion set your faces that way if you can but get one step into new Jerusalem you are past all danger here yee see sorrow sighing pain fear and death here you say oh that I were assured of Gods favour oh that I knew he loved me c. poore soules If ye were but entred into Christs spirituall Kingdome indeed if ye did but know God Christ and the Saints in the Spirit indeed your hearts would leap for ioy did you but know God in Christ Christ in the Saints the Saints united and made one with God in Christ by that one eternall Spirit your hearts would rejoyce your joy would be full yea yee would rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Then you should see the Tabernacle of God with men and God dwelling with men or in men then should all teares be wiped away and then there should be no more feare of death no more sorrow nor crying nor paine in respect of the losse of Gods love and favour for all former things as namely all low and carnall apprehensions of God which caused feares doubts distractions would be passed away for there shall be no night nor clouds to hide his love but they that be his Servants shall serve him in Spirit and Truth and they shall see his face with joy and his name or glory shall be in their fore-heads or shine forth in them to his praise and they shall reigne with him here in joy and glory even in this life and shall at last injoy him in unconceiveable and eternall glory of which this is but a tast Brethren the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Your most affectionate Friend and Brother in Chist Iesus William Mason A LITTLE STARRE OR CATECHISME c. QUest What is the end of Catechizing Answ To instruct the ignorant in the knowledge of God and of themselves Q. Is there a God then A. Yes Psal 19. 1. The heavens declare that there is a glorious God and the firmament sheweth forth his handy work Q. What is God A. God is an eternal Spirit having his being in and of himself infinite in wisdome in power in justice in mercy and goodnesse yea who is all these in highest perfection Q. How doe you know that there is a God A. First By his works of creation and providence whereby his eternall power and God-head are wonderfully manifested And Secondly By the Scriptures which doe abundantly declare him But thirdly and chiefly By his Spirit which he hath given us 1 John 4. 14. and 20. Q. How many Gods be there A. There be many that are called Gods but to us there is but one God who is one intire invisible glorious being comprehending all things filling all things and who is not confined nor comprehended 1 Kings 8. 27. Q. Why then are the names and titles of God given to more than one namely to three called the three persons in the Trinity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost if there be but one God A. God hath been pleased in much wisedom and goodness to manifest himself by and under these three denominations or titles not that there are three Gods but rather so many various discoveries and makings forth of one and the same God Q. What conceive you of God when he makes himself known by the name of Father A. First that he is the fountain the root the originall of all good to all men in relation to the outward condition And Secondly and chiefly that of and from himselfe he doth bring forth glorious discoveries and dispensations of infinite love and goodnesse toward the Sons of men electing and adopting them for himself drawing their souls up unto himself and making them partakers of himself Eph. 1. 4. 5. John 6. 44. Q. What conceive you of him when he makes forth himself by the name of Sonne A. Here is held forth a second way of his inexpressible love to man for here is a wonderfull condiscention the glorious God manifesting himself in the flesh taking on him our nature and our flesh becoming Immanuel or God made one with us in the flesh and in our nature and our flesh fulfilled all righteousness for us subjected himself in the flesh to death and curse to satisfie divine Justice which we had offended that by this means he might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us from that wrath and curse which we had deserved Q. And what doe you understand when he makes himself known by the name of Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit A. By this is manifested a third way of his abundant goodness for by his Spirit which is the powerfull working of his love in the hearts of his people he reveals and communicates himselfe with all the riches of his grace and love unto them yea by which he sanctifies and transforms them into his own Image fulfilling all righteousness in them and whereby he takes them into union with himselfe to live in him Q. Why did God make the world A. God who is infinitely glorious in himselfe yea who is an overflowing fulnesse of all glorious excellencies needed not the world to add to his glorious perfections but he made the world for the manifestation and declaration of his glory Q. Could not the glory of God shine forth sufficiently without the work of creation A. No That infinite and transcendent
away that Covenant Again it is called a new Covenant though it be the same with the former Covenant which was made with Abraham and with the Israelites at the giving of the Law for even the Covenant of grace was very dark and mystical made forth under types and significations and therefore very imperfect and weak and yielded very little or no strength and therefore was disanulled because of the weaknesse and unprofitablenesse thereof But the new Covenant namely Christ or that better hope in the Gospel-dayes is strong in the Spirit and brings in life and power into the hearts of them who are entred therein whereby they are enabled to serve acceptably with reverence and godly fear Again under the services of the Law Christ the sum and substance of the Covenant was vailed and hidden very few knew but little of him But now under the new Covenant the Saints all know him from the least to the greatest they of weak faith and they of strong every one in their measure for they all with open face as in a glasse behold him and are thereby changed into his image from one degree of glory to another Thus and in other respects the Covenant of grace in the dayes of the Gospel is called a new Covenant Q. But doth not God promise in the new Covenant to write his Lawes in their hearts and in their mindes How then are the Saintsfreed from the Law Jer. 31. 33. A. The Law delivered on Mount Sinai was indeed a revelation of the most perfect righteousnesse of God but it was but outward it was but figured in stones and came not near the heart and therefore yeilded no strength to further them in their obedience and Christ who was the sum and substance of the Law was revealed or made known but in a very small measure the Spirit in those dayes run very low the Lord being pleased to vail and cover his glory until an appointed time But the Law which God promised to put into their mindes is Christ who indeed is the Law and the Covenant for now Christ being glorified and having received of God authority and power or the promise of the Spirit iâ— now returned in spirit and power into the hearts of the Saints and is become to them and in them a Law of the Spirit and a Law of life that is where Christ comes in the Spirit indeed he brings in power and life eternal life and transformes the soul and makes it like himself and enables it to walk as he hath walked Again the Law was a ministration of condemnation and threatened wrath upon every disobedience which caused terrors and fears even in the best of them But Christ who is the new Covenant is a ministration of righteousnesse that is in the Gospel Christ is made known to be the righteousnesse of God which the Law required he having perfectly fulfilled the Law in all the high demands thereof by walking exactly in all the particular commands of the same and not so alone but also hath stopped the mouth of the accusing and condemning power of the Law by yeilding and submitting himself in the flesh to death and curse and thus Christ is the Saints righteousnesse to justification fulfilling the righteousnesse of the Law for them And Christ in the new Covenant is also a ministration of life and peace in the Saints fulfilling daily the righteousnesse of the Law in them that is the Saints being now united and made one with Christ and one with God in Christ are thereby enabled to act righteousnesse and holinesse and doe not look unto the Law for their pattern but unto Christ the truth of that pattern for he is the way the truth and the life and thus the Law as it comes from Sinai is silenced to believers they being neither under commanding nor yet the condemning power of it But as the Law comes from Mount Sion as Christ is both the Law and the Covenant so the Saints are not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ he being a Law of the Spirit and a Law of life in their hearts freeing them from the Law of sin and death and quickening and raising their hearts to life and glory by and in himself In short the Law as it comes from Sinai and is figured in stones ceaseth to the Saints and the duties and commands thereof cease to be the duties of the Law but are the duties and commands of the Gospel even the commands of Christ new commands or the Law of Christ Q. What is the Gospel A. The Gospel is glad tydings of good things good tydings of great joy a message of peace a ministry of reconciliation a ministration of the Spirit the word of salvation the word of faith the word of life the power of God to salvation the immortal seed the sword of the Spirit the word of God c. In a word the Gospel is Christ and Christ is the Gospel Christ is he that answers all the types and significations of the Law and in whom is fulfilled all the prophecies of the Prophets it is Christ alone in whom God is well pleased and it is onely Christ who enables the Saints to walk in all well pleasing Q. How comes it to passe seeing believers under the Law were under the same Covenant for life and salvation with believers under the Gospel and they that were saved under the Law were saved by faith in Christ as well as under the Gospel or what may be the reason that the Saints or true Believers act now more lively and chearfully and are quickened up to a more close and holy walking with God in these Gospel-dayes more than under the Law A. The Covenant of grace was the same indeed under the Law as it is under the Gospel but it was very mystical and obscure even to them that did believe for it pleased God to cloud himself so that they could not see him or but very little of him When they came out of Aegypt he went before them in a cloud in a very dark and obscure manner At the giving of the Law he appeared in smoak and thick darknesse When Solomon had built the Temple which was a figure or type of Christ as they were performing religious services therein it is said that the Lord discovered himself in a cloud a cloud filled the house By all which it appears that the appearences of God unto them in those dayes were very much clouded they saw very little of him even what he was pleased to let out in a few outward services suspending of purpose the manifestation of his glory untill the fulnesse of time Now while the Lord was pleased thus darkly to reveal himself then he was pleased to accept of weak faith and mean services Besides the Israelites were under a mixt Covenant partly inward and
were willing to use all means and content to stoop to weak Faith and mean capacities so that they could winne any to Christ Q. But the Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians tels them that he had received of the Lord that which he delivered unto them For having blamed them for their abuse of that Ordinance comes at length to certifie them in the true and right use thereof saying that the end of it was to shew forth the Lords death till he come And further shewes the danger of unworthy receiving and Gods hand already upon them for the same Doth it not hereby appear very plaine that the Lords Supper is used from Christs own command and is dangerous either to omit or else to receive the same unworthily A. True indeed the Apostle writes these very words to the Corinthians but withall he shewes the reason why he deals thus tenderly with thnm 1 Cor. 3. 1 2 3 4. because he could not speak unto them as Spirituall he could not speak unto them how they should enjoy Christ and be made one with him in the Spirit for they were yet babes and apprehended nothing of Christ but what was held forth unto them in visible demonstrations or outward and carnall ordinances I have fed you saith he with milk and not with meat for ye are not yet able to beare it for ye are in a great measure Carnal and walk not in the Spirit but according to man or as men Where the Apostle shews that there be degrees of attainments among the Saints There be Children and there be Men. 1 Cor. 14. 20. There be Saints that be in a great measure Carnal and there are Saints that be Spiritual The Apostle John in his 1 Epist 2. Cap. 12. 13 14. Verses speaks of three degrees of attainments Little Children Fathers and young Men. Little Children are such as are weak in Faith and under many feares and doubts Fathers are such as have attained to a higher degree of the knowledge of God in the mystery of Christ Young Men are they that know their Union with the Father in the Sonne and who also live in this Union and are carried forth in the strength of the same to overcome Sinne and Satan and the World c. Now these Corinthians were Children and therefore the Apostle feeds them with Milk Christ is very tender of his Lambs he will carry them in his bosome if they cannot goe he willead them by the hand if they cannot digest strong meat he hath Milk for them he will not suffer one of them to perish or to miscarry But Children are not alwayes Children they grow in time to be Men and then they put away childish things For while they are Children and use Milk they are unskilfull in the word of Righteousnesse or mistery of Christ But when they come to a full age then they are able to use strong meat or understand mysteries their sences being exercised to discern both good and evill Now to these Children the Apostle commends Christs practice to his Disciciples in their weak and sad estate saying that there by they might be put in mind of Christs death till he come Intimating thereby that though they were yet babes and carnal and so not able to apprehend their union with Christ in the Spirit yet the time would come that Christ should appear in their hearts in a more glorious manner and then they should see him and know him in the Spirit with farre more comfort delight and satisfaction than in or by any outward or fleshly Ordinances whatsoever And that this comming of Christ is so to be understood is plain from his own words when he telleth his Disciples That he will not drink any more of the fruit of the Vine untill the day that he drink it new with them in his Fathers Kingdome Where he declareth very plain that though now he condiscended to their weakness and gave them those visible elements as signes and pledges that his love was very great towards them in thus dying for them yet when the Kingdome of God should come or that he himself come into their hearts in the spirit or comforter which was fulfilled in the day of Pentecost then they should be enabled to know and apprehend the love of God in and through him more than by any outward observations Yea those heavenly joyes and spirituall consolations arising from the love of God in Christ Jesus shed abroad in the soul should be abundantly more full of delight and satissaction unto them than the drinking of Wine For his Love is better than Wine To dwell in the use of outward Ordinances to put us in mind of Christs death is with Mary to stand weeping at the sepulcher when Christ is risen and gone and deserves justly that reproof which she met with in so doing Why seek ye the living among the dead And for that the Apostle tells them the danger of unworthy receiving he seems hereby to rebuke them for or to warn them of two great faults herein the which are also very common among them that rest in outward Ordinances either they make Idols of them and think to attain something by the use of them or else they use them carelesly hand over head not considering what they go about but meerly for custome and so prophane the same For which saith the Apostle God is displeased And indeed this Bread and Cup was as well to teach them their fellowship with Christ in suffering as to put them in mind of his death Ye shall indeed drink of my Cup. And if we suffer with him we shall raigne with him Q. But our Saviour Christ tells the Jews that except they eat the flesh of the Sonne of man and drink his bloud they have no life in them And that whoso eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud hath eternall life for his flesh is meat indeed and his bloud is drink indeed and whosoever eat thereof shall live for ever Doth it not hence appear that in the partaking of this ordinance of the Lords Supper that the Souls of true believers are nourished and fed up to eternall life A. True indeed our Saviour speaks these words to the Jewes but that he doth not mean nor intend the eating and drinking of Bread and Wine is plainly declared in the same Chapter at the 28 Verse the people aske him What they should do that they might work the works of God He answers them That the work of God is to believe on him whom he hath sent But being carnal and led by sence require a sign saying What sign shewest thou that we may believe For our Fathers under Moses in the desart did eat Manna even bread from heaven and therefore they had reason to harken to Moses But if thou shew no sign nor work no great work why should we hearken to
any man as he is a man as he is a Jew nor as he is a Gentile as he is rich or as he is poor bond or free but as he is in Christ and Christ in him In this sence the Lord doth accept persons for he accepts of these in Christ and as for others who are not in Christ he regards them not be they Jew or Gentile high or low noble or base he accepts of none but in whom he appeares and manifests himself by Jesus Christ Q. But is not God in all men Is not he one and the same and doth not he infinitely comprehend all things in himself All come from his fulnesse and he dwells in all and every one in his fulnesse for he cannot be divided a piece in one and a piece in another but he is all and in all and to all onely there is not the same manifestations in some he lies hid and in others he shines forth and we are said to be the off spring of God and to live move and have our being in him How then can it be but that all must be saved seeing God is in all and all are in him A. That God doth infinitely comprehend all things in himself and that all things even the whole creation proceeded from his fullnesse is a truth yea that God is in all men in some sence or respect is also granted Man being created in the Image of God was thereby able to act according to God but having by sinne defaced this Image he was now become more like Satan than God And though he had lost all his wisdome and strength to act according to the will of God in things spiritual yet there remained so much of the light of nature in him namely his natural understanding and reason which served him and whereby he was enabled to act in moral and civill things and to leave him without excuse For without understanding and reason he could not be able to glorify God as God in the outward creation Now this natural understanding and reason as it is purely natural so God ownes it as a sparke of his Image but as it is corrupted and defiled with sinne so he disowns it and this is that which doth accuse or excuse When naturall men led on by the light of nature did act according to reason or judgement then their conscience did excuse them But when they acted contrary to reason even from corrupt and carnal principles then their naturall conscience was against them and accused them And this naturall principle hath many names even in Scripture somtimes it is called a knowing of God or a knowledge of God Sometimes mans righteousnesse Rom. 10. 3. And sometimes mans wisdome and the spirit of the World c. And by this spirit or principle of nature God is in all and acts in all rationall men yet in some in a higher and in others in a lower degree For it is by this spirit or principle that all natural and civill men act lawfully in all natural and civil things For there is not any action in the world that is naturally and civilly good but in this respect it is of God Neither can God ly hid in this respect in the most wicked or carnal men For even they many times do act things in themselves that are naturally and civilly good And thus all men may be said to be the off-spring of God not onely because they all came from him as their original but also as they are acted by him through a spirit or principle of nature to walk honestly and civilly in things of outward concernment But now there is a more special and spiritual in-dwelling of God in the Saints namely the eternal in-dwelling of his love in Jesus Christ wherely he hath from all eternity chosen them and made them one with himself in Christ And in due time in their several generations hath manifested and doth manifest and reveal this love which is Christ in their hearts which doth assure them of their adoption and of their union with him And whereby they are carried forth to live up to him yea to live in him being transformed more and more into his own glorious Image even by his spirit dwelling in them Now that God is not thus in all men namely in his love in Jesus Christ is clear both from Scripture and common experience The Apostle in the eighth Chapter of the Romanes and the first Verse layes this down as a firme conclusion That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus But who are they Such as walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Now to walk after the spirit is to be led forth by the same to mortifie the deeds of the body that henceforth they might not serve sin For Jesus Christ who is in them a law of the Spirit which is a law of Life doth free them first from sinne and then from death But there are some that walk after the flesh and mind or are led onely by a naturall principle and this tends onely to death because this spirit or carnal principle is at enmity against God and neither is nor can be subject or obedient to Christ who is the Law of life or power of God to salvation in all that do believe but is full of self-righteousnesse acting by legall and fleshly performances for life and happiness And being thus earnal in their minds cannot please God because partaking not of Christ or of that spirit wherewith he is annointed they are not nor cannot be any of his But walk in the vanity of their own minds having nothing but darknesse in their understandings and by reason of that ignorance are estranged from the glorious Light and Life of God even Jesus Christ and being hardned by continual custome in sinne become at length insensible and give themselves over unto lasciviousness and wantonness to act all manner of uncleannesse and that with greedinesse But the Saints have better learned Christ for they being annointed with and receiving of his Spirit do therefore mind the things thereof and are led forth thereby into all well pleasing actions Christ who is the Life being risen in their hearts the old man or body of sinne is destroyed mortified and put off by little and little even as he is pleased to manifest himself But the wicked even the children of disobedience or unbeliefe they have no fellowship in Christs Kingdome which is Spiritual nor no inheritance in the Kingdome of God which is in glory eternal though they deceive themselves For the wrath of God cometh and abideth on them And thus it is clear from Scripture that God is not in all men in his love in Jesus Christ for he is where he comes in Christ both Light and Life and where he is thus he acts like himself And
and abhominable and murderers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death Yet those words can have no relation to mens persons for if they have what will then become of all men for what man is there which hath not one or other of these sins in him but great is the mistery of godlinesse God manifest in the flesh the truth manifest in a form so here is a mistery wrapt up in these words for this evill is not threatned against the persons of any no not of the most wicked but against these and all other particular sins and offences which break through the persons of men which being put together make up a perfection of wickednesse And which as a body of uncleanness dwells in men and this the Apostle calls flesh and sin even in himself And this is that which must be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone The wrath of God shall never cease burning up these lusts in this body of sin and death untill it hath quite consumed them For what other heaven can be intended or expected but a glorious uniting of all good things into God or what other hell can be imagined but a casting away of all evill things into Torment confusion and darknesse A. That heaven and hell are misteries and are also of various significations is not denied for the kingdome of heaven is sometimes taken for the outward profession of the Gospel and sometimes for the inward life and power of the Gospell c. Hell is also taken sometimes for the grave and sometimes for Satans kingdome in mens hearts for he is called the prince of the power of the aire the spirit that rules in the hearts of the Children of disobedience And although heaven and hell be misteries yet they are not altogether misteries The Scriptures are misteries but yet they are misteries revealed Christ spake sometimes plainly and spake no parable heaven and hell are misteries yet misteries revealed for there are these three things in all misteries 1. The historical or litteral narration 2. The interpretation and meaning And thirdly the truth or substance and reality And the first and the second of these be meer nothings without the third True indeed where God is there is heaven for God dwells in glory which is heaven and by his glorious appearance in his Saints he brings heaven into their hearts Againe hell is where Satan is and that is in wicked men For he dwels and raignes in them and hath his kingdome in their hearts sometimes he steales into the Saints and troubles them and disturbes their peace and causes mutinies in the soul but he dwels not there long for Christ and he cannot dwell long together Christ casts him out and suffers him no more to enter that is not to raigne And that God is not in all men in his love in Jesus Christ which is heaven hath been shewed already But he is onely so in his Saints whom he doth not onely act and order by outward and generall providences But also hath taken them into himself through his Son by his spirit and they are so united or made one with himself in that eternal spirit that they are thereby carried forth of themselves to live with him and in him Christ makes in them a separation indeed for he casts out by degrees the old man with all his deeds which is that body of sin the Apostle speaks of which is not wholy subdued while the Saints abide in the flesh and so he is gathering all the Saints which are those good things for the Saints are himself into God which is unity in glory blessednesse heaven But as for the wicked Christ is not in them nor they in him nor of him but of their father the devill And being incorporated and made one with him in sinne so they are carried on by him to live in all ungodlinesse with him and so must needs be in hell for Satan hath his kingdome in their hearts hence it is that out of that bottomlesse pit proceed murders adulteries c. and whatsoever is evill and of the devill And hence it is also that wicked men are many times tormented with hellish feares and terrors And thus wicked men are in hell when they think themselves to be in heaven even in this life But more especially by hell torment to which the wicked are reserved untill the judgement of the great day to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire when all sin and all sinners and devils and wicked spirits shall be gathered into one body and confounded or cast into a condition of torment or lake of fire which shall be kindled with the wrath of God like a river of brimstone which is the second death And whereas it is said that the evill or punishment threatened in the 21. Rev. 8. cannot relate to mens persons because if it should what would then become of all men there being not a man that hath not one or other of these sinnes in him and so conclude it to be a mystery wrapt up in a form of words To which it is answered that the Saints are in Gods esteem without sin for he lookes upon them in Christ and as Christ and so he cannot behold iniquity in them Again the Saints are born of God as to the divine nature in them and all that is born of God sins not neither can for the seed of God remaines in him Again to say and affirm that the Saints see an end of sin in them and that Christ hath finished transgression in them and that let them doe what they will they cannot sin and yet to conclude that the punishments there spoken of cannot relate to mens persons because the Saints must needs be guilty as having sin in them if this be not a mystery or rather a contradiction let all men judge Indeed the Saints even the best of them are in hell before they be in heaven for they all passe through a state of nature a kingdome of sin where while they remain unregenerated they are in the kingdome of Satan without Christ and without God in the world But when God reveales Christ in the soul when they are regenerated and born anew when Christ who is both light and life appeares then they are translated out of this kingdome of darknesse and entred into heaven then they are in the glory of God for God dwells in glory and when he hath taken any soul into himself in the least measure or degree then that soul is in heaven And this is many times but a low and clouded condition and great mixtures of light and darknesse day and night peace and trouble because they cannot apprehend any thing of God but through a veil or fleshly ordinances and formes of worship and therefore see and enjoy