do become degenerate plants that bring forth sowr and wild grapes whose grape is the grape of Sodom their wine the wine of Gomorrah and so are turned out of the house cut off from the vine as branches sit for the fire being trees twice dead and so plucked up by the roots once dead in trespasses and sins as children of wrath in the first Adam and dead again after their renewal to natural righteousness and holy flesh in the second Adam by sinning again after the similitude of the first Adams transgression Under this general head of Christs subjects in this second dispensation we may take notice of two sorts of professors very numerous and famous in their generations who as well teachers as disciples do content themselves with these principles and operations of conscience and spirit and bless themselves in them saying we shall have peace here as not enough aware of the frailty and slipperiness of this state or of that root of bitterness that in and with all these is or may be springing up in them to the defiling of many and causing them at last to draw back unto perdition if they be and continue strangers to that saving faith through the power of which only men are preserved to eternal life The first sort are those that hold general Redemption or that Christ died for all men the other are those that under the name of Orthodox are their fierce and implacable Antagonists herein each bearing both a true witness and a false one against another and both of them excluding and opposing upon divers grounds the true righteous seed that live by faith which faith the Scripture describes to be a heavenly power and operation of mind whereby Christ as he is the very image itself and substantial brightness of Gods glory works himself into the soul and causeth himself to subsist dwell and be evidenced there He that believeth on the Son of God hath this witness in himself and by it is taught to see that whoever they be that live but singly in the natural powers and operations of mind before described as perfect holy and righteous as they are and there rest will be in danger of miscarrying before they come to the end of their Race and so will fall short of the true mark of their high calling There is not any thing which Christian experience may more convince us of if we will be ingenuous then of the fallacy and mistake which most men run into by laying hold on some shadow and figure for the good thing it self which if they knew their own minds they themselves would have and therefore it is so much in their eye and desire in the shadow But the subtilty of the devil is such that when he cannot work the mind to a downright opposition of the truth he engages the understanding by the means of a right figure and shadow of TRUTH to oppose and keep out the very image itself that is the substance and the glory that is to follow In this stratagem the devil may be traced from the beginning of the Scriptures to the end imposing upon and deluding men whose short-sightedness at their best is such that their thoughts and Gods thoughts differ as far as heaven and earth which faith reconciles and makes co-workers together in due subordination and perfect harmony By reason of this distance between man in his most holy and righteous natural operations and the heavenly mind of Christ men yea good men are with Samuel running to Eli as thinking he cals them when they should go to God and are taking Eliab the first-born for David the youngest son Christ in his first appearance for Christ in his second and so with John in the Revelation are worshipping the Angel and fellow-servant for Christ the Lord of all and to bring this neerer to our purpose now in hand they take the covenant of nature for the covenant of grace making those inconsistent and to fight one against another that are brethren and dwell together in unity if they were rightly explicated and understood Thus with the letter of truth men endeavour to bear down the spirit of it Upon these grounds those that are for the general extent of Christs death finding the truth of their belief expressed in the letter of the Gospel as indeed it is satisfie themselves in that and rest there thinking it sufficient to try and judge all men as they reject or own and fall in with this litteral knowledge of the Gospel which they profess and give a good and faithful witness in becoming herein the more established first because they see that to be behind them which they take for the first covenant from whence they conceive themselves well escaped that is the personal righteous actings and holy operations which the natural conscience exercises itself in as looked upon to be that wherein our life consists which they wholly renounce and disclaim witnessing their life in another even in the righteous one through the propitiatory vertue of his blood and sacrifice which they indeed may yea ought as children of the first covenant the Jews being obliged to as much as we have shewed by the Law and as they were inhabitants of the earthly Jerusalem But secondly they are yet the more confirmed in their perswasion because those that pretend to be before them and above them in light do evidently contradict and deny unto them most cleer certain and undeniable truths undeniable I say admitting that which ought to be admitted to wit that the witness which is given by this sort of professors amounts no higher in its significancy and right application then to exhibit to us the state and terms of the covenant of works as it consists in the knowledge of Christ after the flesh And so all that which they say concerning conditional reprobation free-will falling away and the like as relating to the children of the first covenant will find that from the Scriptures which will justifie it Their Antagonists therefore would lose no ground by granting what they say as thus stated and considered But that which keeps those that call themselves Orthodox from doing this is that they judge it would be a giving up of their cause when indeed it would but drive them to the surest and most unresistable grounds upon which to maintain it as is most evident if you will be at the pains to take a short view of their principles and witness also For these great and lofty opposers of the general point do in like manner as the others did find that in the letter of Scripture which renders undoubtedly true what in their witness they hold forth asserting a certain number of Elect by name chosen from all eternity given unto Christ of whom he is to lose none As the fruit of this love we find also the gift of peculiar grace to some not to others which cannot fail nor be fallen from and commandments given them to do which
formes through counterfeit resemblances unto TRUTH to beguile and mislead unstable souls and is daily detected and discovered under all professions or visible formes of Saintship whether more or lesse refined whether earthly and sensual or heavenly and Angelical Hereof there are in these dayes of ours but too many living instances who as Lots wife are turned into Monuments of Gods righteous judgment declared upon them for the admonition of others And that we may not leave this subject without endeavouring to contribute some assistance towards the resolving of that great Question how the true Spirit may with certainty and infallibility be known and distinguished from the false I shall briefly recommend to consideration as conducible to the discovery hereof these following particulars The Spirit of TRUTH is evidently and infallibly distinguished from the spirit of lies and falshood three several wayes by which we may make a trial and judgement of the spirits whether they be of God or no. First by the evidence and witnesse which is given of it by the three that bear witnesse in heaven where the Spirit of TRUTH shines forth in its supreme original light and self-evidence as we have at large shewed in the first and second Chapters Secondly by the Record and witnesse that the Sonne or Christ the true Spirit gives of himself in his flesh or humane nature causing the truth to shine forth in the face of Jesus opening what he is and what he did by coming in the flesh suffering and rising againe according to the Scriptures which 1 John 5. 6. is rendred thus This is he that came by water and blood even Jesus Christ not by water only but by water and blood and it is the Spirit that heareth witnesse because the Spirit is truth even the witnesse shining forth in his Spirit and person who whether considered as being and subsisting in the WORD OF LIFE before his being made flesh or considered as after his coming in the flesh living dying and rising againe hath a witnesse born of him in heaven by the FATHER WORD and SPIRIT which Three are one and also in earth by the SPIRIT WATER BLOOD declaring themselves in and upon him as he was found in the fashion and habit of a man which agree in one Thus in the same person we have the greater witnesse which is the witnesse of God or of Christ as he is God and the lesser witnesse which is the witnesse of man or of Christ as he is the Son of man and in both these considered also as testified unto by the Scriptures we have the compleat witnesse which God hath testified of his Son By reason hereof 't is said 1 Joh. 2. 12. Who is a liar but he that denies Jesus is the Christ He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son Whosoever denies the Son the same hath not the Father Whosoever sees not nor acknowledges the TRUTH as witnessed and shining forth in the face of Jesus the Son of man with those that are rightly admitted to serve in the first Sanctuary among the many that are called can much lesse behold it as witnessed and held forth in the brightnesse of Gods face or of the blessed Trinity with those who are culled out of the former and rightly admitted into the holiest of all among the few that are chosen By both these witnesses and records in harmony with the outward Word we do come to know him that is true as the right and whole object whereon through faith we are to fix our eye in the proper forme character and distinction which he gives of himself from all idols or counterfeit appearances of him whatsoever The third or last witnesse which is given us of the true Spirit is that which immediately and necessarily flows from his indwelling presence in our hearts growing up there more and more unto a perfect day by working out in the conscience and spirit of the beleever a confōrmity unto Christ in his death and resurrection causing a dying to sinne and a living unto righteousnesse in the full extent of both as we have opened For if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne but the Spirit is life because of righteousnesse Examine therefore your selves whether ye be in the Faith know ye not your owne selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobate And If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead awell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwellesh in you and so the Spirit it-selfe comes evidently and infallibly to witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God as having this Spirit of Adoption poured into our hearts for if we be adopted children then we know we are heires heires of God and joynt heires with Christ if so be we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him And though we are now Sonnes so as it doth not yet appeare what we shall be when we come to the stature of perfect men in Christ Jesus at the full manifestation of the sonnes of God yet now we know that we shall then be like him and that we shall then see him as he is yea by faith we now see him who is invisible Heb. 11. 27. and by this knowledge we have of him in the mean time we come to see and experience him that is true and that we are in him that is true even the true God and eternal life having the witnesse in our selves through that holy anointing which is TRUTH and no lie teaching us of all things and abiding in us as a seed to preserve us from the evil and snare of all false and seducing spirits Abide therefore in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming These things I have written unto you concerning them that seduce you CHAP. XXI Shewing particularly the evil seed that is sowen in the natural conscience by Satan through which he works men off from their subjection to Christ in his first dispensation and fixes them in rebellion against him HAving already in general laid open the methods of Satan the weapons of his warfare together with the diligent and skilful prosecution of his designes upon mankind to seduce them work them off and forever deteine them from their duty and faithfulnesse unto Christ their true Husband and Lord we shall come now in a more particular manner to shew how closse an attendant he is upon the foregoing works of Christ in the hearts and consciences of men considered under the former dispensations walking about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure watching what he can find in such hearts that in the BEGINNING are Gods and Christs owne workmanship as hath beene shewed and trying whom he may corrupt from their first
as their living Oracles that proceed out of the mouth of Christ the Mediator is also called the WORD according to Scripturesense and acceptation which yet will be more fully evident by considering the Word of God in a third sense to wit as the holy Scriptures coming not by the will of man but by inspiration from God in men moved by the Holy Ghost are also called the Word and Oracles of God containing in them the same Declaration and Testimony of the mind and will of God as is to be found in the inward WORD but dispensing it in an outward form of wholsome words taught and inspired by the Holy Ghost himself Unto these words of the Holy Scriptures given by divine inspiration no man may adde Rev. 22. 18. or take there from v. 19. Wherefore it is that they are not of any private interpretation but require the inspiration of the living WORD to open and declare the true and full meaning of them which is near unto every true believer being the WORD which dwels in the heart by faith the key of David and that holy anointing 1 Joh. 2. 27. that is truth and no lye which abideth in the Saints in such manner that they need not that any man teach them but as the same anointing teacheth them of all things taking of the things of Christ and shewing them unto them according to his promise John 16. 14 15. whos 's teachings nevertheless are also derived and communicated from one Saint unto another by the Ministry of outward words and Exposition of the Scriptures as by being taught of God they are fitted and prepared thereunto and made able Ministers of the new Testament who handle not the Word of God deceitfully through any private interpretations of their own but by manifestation of the Truth in its own self-evidence do commend themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God not preaching themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and themselves servants for Jesus sake 2 Cor. 4 5. And Christ hath promised to send forth such a spirit of the Ministry as this in all Ages even to the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. for the perfecting of the Saints and edifying of the Body the Church till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes 4. 13. That then which doth enable to the work of the Ministry thus considered is the shining forth of the Truth in the face of Jesus Christ by his indwelling presence in the heart comparing it self in the mind and understanding of the Saint with the testimony which is given of it self in the Outward Word And by discerning the perfect Analogie and Harmony that springs up between both answering one another as face answers face the believer receives such certainty and satisfaction in the mind of God made known as warrants him in the delivery and declaration thereof unto others This as the safest and best rule in judging and declaring truth from the Scriptures hath been owned in a constant harmony of witness by Saints in all Ages against all the enemies under one form or other that have sprung up either against the holy Scriptures themselves or the Spirit and inward WORD that lives and breathes forth in them and by them Thus through the faith that is in Christ Jesus the Holy Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation and to make the man of God perfect throughly furnished unto every good work being in this harmony and consent with the inward WORD of the same Authority with it and of the same divine and spiritual nature property and use able to save the soul and prosper to the end for which they are sent as a servant in the hand of the living WORD to fulfil all his pleasure and become either a savour of life unto life as ministred in harmony with and subserviency unto the living WORD or a savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2. 16. as ministred singly in opposition thereunto The Scriptures then are not properly the inward and living WORD but have a testimony and expression peculiarly their own John 5. 39. search the scriptures they are they which testifie of me saith Christ in which Testimony of theirs they are either as a servant and preparer of the way unto the living WORD as those that literally testifie of it pointing at Christ the life and spirit of them or else they are to be considered as one and the same with the living WORD in perfect analogie and harmony both consorting and dwelling together in an inseparable band of union unveiling rather the naked beauty of the inward WORD then bearing any different sense from it professing themselves to be but as a dead letter or sealed book Isa 29. 11. any farther then the living unwritten WORD of God as breathing into them becomes their life and is made use of as the key to open them so that both together make up one and the same divine oracle whereas if consideration be had of the Scriptures in the letter only they are then capable of having a meer private interpretation and humane sense put upon them and so to nourish up a way of prophecying that hath its rise out of the divination of mans own heart or the single ability of the natural mind exercised in them which is so far from being the true ministry that it is but the vision of God that proceeds from man as he follows his own spirit and not Gods Ezek. 13. 2. 3. c. Now if the body of the Scriptures deserve the name as they do of the word of God their spirit and Original deserves it much more and is much more eminently of authority and use for the effecting of all that is or can be done by them even the WORD that is nigh thee that is in thy heart and in thy mouth the WORD of faith Rom. 10. 8. the unseen and unwritten WORD which evidences itself to faith which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen Heb 11. 1. This WORD is described Heb. 4. 12. where it is said the WORD of God is quick and powerful sharper then any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do By being here described as a person the Holy Ghost signifies to us in what sense we are to understand the WORD of God in this place even for Jesus Christ the Mediator not simply considered as the second in the Trinity any more then for the outward body of the Scriptures which person of Christ is spoken of under the same name and description Rev. 19.
applied unto Christ himself to signifie that they are planted with him into the same likeness in Gods twofold name figured out thereby and so have that twofold name and witness wrought out in them which distinguishes them as well from the children of the first Covenant who bear conformity but with one of the Olive branches as singly communicable without the other as also from all that are called Gentiles whose very light is but as darkness to the shining forth of the single witness only in the children of the first Covenant Thus we are to understand by the two OLIVE TREES and the two CANDLESTICKS mentioned Rev. 11. 14. the whole Spiritual Seed considered in their exact conformity to their Head as well in his second as in his first appearance who are the two witnesses that from the very beginning of the world successively in their several generations have been the slain ones of the Lord the slaughtered sheep of Christ for the word of God and testimony of Jesus Yet we are not to rest and content our selves only with this general sense of the place which is true and doth give the proper character of the true Saint possessing and inheriting whole Christ and bearing upon him his whole name or his new name wherein of twain they are made one inseparably communicated as the twofold witness wherein the true heirs of salvation must be found to the glory of God the Father But we may farther take notice of a more restrained and particular consideration of these two witnesses which will be but a small digression from the matter in hand as they are spoken of in that place Rev. 11. where they are also to be looked upon as a particular number of the true Seed living and standing up in the world in that age and season foretold by John and qualified with an extraordinary Spirit of prophesie in reference to the justifying before the eyes of the world the truth of this twofold witness being clothed with power suitable in a way of working wonderful things during the time of such their prophesie whereof Elijah was the type in his days who by praying to God shut up the heavens for three years and an half that it did not rain the like is prophesied to be done by these witnesses ver 6. and brought down fire from heaven to prove that he was a MAN OF GOD and that his God was the true God yet after all this was forced to flie for his life to get from under the cruelty and oppression of his enemies and was at last taken up visibly into heaven in a chariot of fire Elisha beholding and looking upon him In which Spirit of Elijah some of the true Spiritual Seed are reserved by God to be brought forth in the last days and to give a most spiritual and remarkable witness unto the truth of Christs first and second appearance in his Saints before the great and terrible day of the Lord come In which dispensation they shall serve as the immediate forerunners to the brightness of Christs second appearance for the restoring of all things preparatively by this their Ministry of fire as John Baptist served unto the coming of Christ in the flesh by his Ministry of water and in that sense was owned by Christ to be as Elijah already come to wit in the shadow or figure of this Elijah that is to precede his second coming By what then hath been said we may perceive who are meant by the Spiritual Seed and how they are described in the Scripture as the two witnesses of God first in a more general acceptation as in all Ages they are to have their heel bruised and to be slain for the word of God and then in a more particular and restrained sense as some of them are to come forth in the latter days in the Spirit and power of Elijah to prepare for Christs second coming and then to have their dead bodies for three days and an half remain unburied in the great City spiritually called Sodom and Egypt which city as the mother of Harlots hath been extant in its spirit and principles from the beginning as well as the prophane heathenish world with the powers thereof embodied together upon differing grounds and interests by the Spirit of the old Dragon and influenced by him as suitable instruments of War and Engines of battery for the bruising of the heel of the true Spiritual Seed and keeping them under in all generations as spectacles to men and angels who are weak despised thirst hunger are naked and buffeted have no certain dwelling place but labour working with their hands who being reviled bless and being persecuted suffer and being defamed entreat are made as the filth of the world and off-scouring of all things to this very day To this War between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent all things tended and wrought from the very moment that Christ did accomplish and finish the seventh days work discovering thereby Gods true REST as it was set up in his own Person as the Mediator and Lamb slain from the foundation of the world when he offered up that in sacrifice according to the will of the Father wherein he rejected and cast under his feet the purest choicest excellency and perfection of all natural beings as they stood single in themselves unperfected by the union and subjection they were to be taken into by his second appearance necessarily conducing to the breaking of the serpents head and top glory in his Angelical nature and to the trampling it under the feeet of the Saints In like manner the Devil that old Dragon perceiving that to be done in Christ the Mediator which he could by no means rellish or bear that which was totally cross and destructive to him as fixed in that selfish spirit or single state of natural perfection wherein he lusted to Rule and Reign as god in the world and propounding the greatness of a Kingdom and glory to himself in which to enjoy his own will think his own thoughts do his own works and speak his own words which were not lawfull for him in the Sabbath of the true Rest to the Lord he wilfully and maliciously quitted his head Christ left his own habitation choosing rather to become the Father of lyes then to remain the son and servant of truth and so finished and compleated that root of enmity against Christ and the Spiritual Seed in himself whose off-spring they are that have this root of gall and bitterness springing up in them notwithstanding the life and perfection of their natural beings wherein either they were at first created or unto which in the principles thereof they are again renewed in the blood of Christ by which they strike in with the devils interest in downright opposition to Christ taking part with that King Apollyon Rev. 9. 11. to destroy him what in them lies as himself plainly tels this sort of men Joh. 8. 37. acknowledging
we come to be like him throughout in his glorified manhood and shall see him as he is having that love in us which he had from his Father before the foundation of the world For the opening of this we are to call to minde that the WORD when he was made flesh did set up this building in the seed of it in the person of JESUS THE SON OF MARY as well as that of meer man in which he was made under the Law In respect of both these birth 's of humane perfection in Christ he was said to grow in grace and in favor with God and man and so his manhood in the full extent of it may seem to be described and figured out to us by the vine in Jothams parable whose fruit cheereth the heart of God and of man According to the first of these births he had the effusion of the Spirit above measure a perfection given to him from above making him in this fashion and form of his heavenly manhood above all even the Jerusalem above that is the mother of us all upon which the new name is written qualifying him through this anointing with a heavenly raisedness of mind and divine heightning of all his humane powers and faculties to that fulness and extent whereby he may be enabled as the true Ark of God to swim live and abide in the waters of the divine glory where they are risen so high as to overwhelm and drown all his natural sences or powers of minde making up a river so deep as is impassable to them singly considered and as alone Ezek. 47. 5. which highest waters of the utmost discovery and manifestation of God import and make out that Love of God and of Christ which passeth knowledge and fils the true Saints with all the fulness of God exceeding abundantly above all they can ask or think Ephes 3. 19 20. This heavenly manhood anointing and new name which Christ hath renders him as the bush that Moses saw able to abide in the fiery and most glorious appearance of the very form and similitude of God himself and not be burned or consumed yea is that whereby he is prepared through the blood of the sacrifice of himself considered in his other capacity of manhood to enter within the vail and face to face as friend talks with friend converse with God in the unveiled brightness of his glory and express image of his person feeding upon it as his meat and drink even the dainties or feast of fat things provided for him in the kingdom of the Father The joy whereof set before him in the days of his flesh made him endure the cross despise the shame and finish the course of his sufferings with cheerfulness through the sight of him that was invisible to the natural eye In this sense was Christ made man when the WORD was made flesh and was the only begotten son in the bosom of the Father that thus sees God and is able to declare him whereas no meer man whatsoever either hath seen God at any time or can see him This is he of whom John said After me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me upon whom the spirit rests and remains who therefore hath power to baptize with the holy Ghost as he did his own natural manhood when he offered it up Secondly then according to the other birth of humane perfection in Christ the spirit was given him by measure as it was to the first Adam when he was made a living soul whereby he was made under the Law like unto other men in all things sin only excepted that is to say with equal powers of mind and capacity of will and understanding as the earthy man or first Adam in his purity capable to think speak do will and desire in all things as a man bearing the same image as the first Adam did before his fall but with this difference that joyntly together with his being made thus a perfect natural man he had the perfection formerly mentioned of his heavenly manhood as that which was the top-stone of the building the crown of glory and honour wherewith he was crowned and made higher then the heavens all principalities and powers being made subject unto him This twofold humane perfection was brought forth in the holy child Jesus by the WORDS being made flesh and through his death and resurrection came to their full maturity and ripeness wherein Christ was declared the son of God with power having all power in heaven and earth put into his hands by the father even as he was the Son of man who in the dignity of this his state and glory can nevertheless do nothing of himself but what things soever he sees the Father do these also doth the Son likewise For the Father loveth the Son and sheweth him all things that himself doth For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them even so the Son quickneth whom he will For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement unto the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father For as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself and hath given him authority to execute Judgement also because he is the Son of man to wit in the twofold respect before mentioned But thirdly over and besides this twofold humane perfection which is in Christ he is also perfect God through the unity of Person whereinto he is begotten with the WORD from the operation whereof the same Jesus that is the Son of man is also the living and eternal WORD OF GOD and is so called Rev. 19. 13. out of whose mouth goeth a sharp sword and wherewith he smites the Nations and rules them with a rod of Iron as KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS which high priviledge is peculiar to him it appertaining only to the man Christ Jesus to be God as he is that one blessed person that is the Mediator between God and Man and therefore incommunicable to any of the rest of the Seed or many brethren whereof he is the first born But as to what concerns this Jesus as he is the SON OF MAN in respect of the twofold humane perfection that is in him the rest of the seed even the many children given to him by the Father to bring up to glory are co-partners with him attaining to the measure of the stature of that his fulness and perfection through which they are made by him KINGS and PRIESTS to God and are to raign for evermore Into this perfection they are made to grow up in all things in him that is their head being by him begotten again unto a lively hope through the resurrection from the dead and having the immortal seed of the heavenliness of Christs perfection and life formed and brought forth in them as the inheritance incoruptible and undefiled that fades not away
them v. 16 17. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me and the seventy returned with joy saying Lord even the Devils or uncleane Spirits are subject unto us through thy Name that is to say that sort of Devils that dwell and act in hearts unswept and ungarnished wollowing in the pollutions of the world the grosse and foul abominations of corrupted Nature For there is another sort of Devils that delight to rest in swept cleansed and garnished consciences and to come in there whence the other have beene cast out with whom also the same that dwelt there before as transformed into Angels of light can find an unsuspected re-admission in order to more closse and dangerous designes then ever which the Scripture takes notice of Luke 11. 26. The same thing is darkly intimated in the case that was brought before the Disciples Mat. 17. v. 14 c. to 22. concerning the Devil in the party there mentioned propounded to them as by vertue of their power to have beene cast out and the Text sayes that the Disciples could not cast him out first because of their unbelief ver 20. and secondly because saith Christ this kind of Devils are to be cast out only by Prayer and Fasting or by the power of the Son himself as he openly triumphs over all sorts of Devils whatsoever in the vertue of his grave signifying hereby to his Disciples the need they stood in of that Faith which had power over this sort of Devils as well as the other Thus then by the mouth and hand of servants whether Angels or Men as is plaine in the case of the Centurion Acts 10. going forth in the Name of Christ men may be and are brought out of their corrupt degenerate state Devils in their proper appearance as uncleane Spirits being cast out of them their hearts cleansed their consciences purged and made meet for the service of RIGHTEOVSNESSE for the worshipping of the True and living God without ever conversing immediately with the Son himself so much as in the knowledge of him after the flesh as to the life and power given forth in that Ministery not as yet partaking of those higher and greater Priviledges which all they do in whom and to whom the Sonne is pleased to communicate the Image of God by the Ministery of his own personal presence though it be but in his first appearance wherein all flesh may see his glory together This light either by the inward Ministery of Angels or by the outward Ministery of the Word is that which Enlightens every one that comes into the world John 1. 9. setting up such a work of God in the conscience Rom. 2. and of the Law written in their hearts as sets them free from the service of sinne and bondage of corruption and qualifies them for the service of righteousnesse and of the True and living God All which though it be in it self simply considered but the Effect and Operation of common grace and that which may be fallen from yet if withal there be cast into and found in such a heart that seed of heavenly manhood though yet unawakened as to the exercise of its spiritual sences as in Paul when a persecutor which brings along with it the things accompanying salvation this soul is so farre on-ward of its journey towards heaven by this Legal work and first Covenant-state of principles and life enabling to walk as a man that it is said to be near to the Kingdome of God in the young man's case in the Gospel in a posture ready to receive the higher discoveries of Christ and communications that are inseparable from his own personal presence considered either in his first or second appearance But however it be as to this the general benefits of Christs death communicated in his legal dispensation as he is the Minister of Circumcision puts all men again upon their trial whether they will chuse to go backward or forward and takes away the occasion of using that Proverb in Israel Ezek. 18. wherein it was objected against God that the fathers had eaten sour grapes and the childrens teeth were set on edge For by the meanes of this Ministery renewed unto man in the blood of Christ he laies his claime now to all souls as his by purchase saying All souls are mine giving them admittance upon this score into the favour of a new parley and entercourse as to a full and final reconciliation with God So that now it is he that eates the soure grape whose teeth only are set on edge Jer. 31. 29 30. and unto whom the guilt of the fathers sins are imputed By this meanes then man is put upon his trial againe whom he will hearken unto and obey whether the Law of Righteousnesse Christ in his first Ministery thus visiting him and coming freely to his rescue and redemption setting up the candle of the Lord in his very bowels to search his inward parts or else yeeld himself up to the motions and perswasions of sin and Satan to continue and abide under the bondage of his corrupt state or to be againe entangled with it after a good degree of escape from the pollutions thereof obtained whereby he is rendered altogether inexcusable especially when this good will of God as to reconciliation and a new treaty is tendered freely without any obligation on his part to shew so much grace to fallen man tendered likewise upon promise of communicating more and making farther discoveries where this little is well received faithfully obeyed and rightly used for the end unto which it was given as well as accompanied with threatenings not only of denying more grace upon the evil reception and ill use of this but even of taking away againe this which he hath The benefit then which all under this Ministery have by Christ is the non-imputation of sinnes past upon condition of future obedience and faithful walking with God in the light received to the yeelding themselves obedient servants to this RIGHTEOUSNESSE made known to them in order to lead them forward to higher attainments without hearkening to the motions of sin on the left hand for the bringing them back againe under the bondage of corruption or being prevailed with by the motions of sin on the right hand for the taking off their eye from the mark set before them and causing them to swerve from the FAITH by stopping up the passage towards the glory of Christ in his second appearance the inseparable Benefits and Priviledges whereof they are capable to be sharers in The second Ministery then in and by which RIGHTEOUSNESSE or the Image of God in the second Adam is dispensed and given forth unto men is by the mouth of the Sonne himself speaking on earth in the administration of the first Covenant as the Image of God shines forth in the face of Christs natural man or as he is God manifested in flesh
therefore armed with the same power which the first had for publick acting in and by the use of civil Rule and Government exercising all the power of the first beast before him or in superiority to him and by way of greater eminency causing the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast or the old Adams image and perfection as having the deadly wound thus healed In which administration great wonders are wrought so that he maketh fire to come downe from heaven upon the earth in the sight of men presenting to the judgement of man the fire and zeale of holy actings and righteous operations of the right impression exactly answering unto Rule whereby they that dwell on the earth are deceived taking this image of God in which they appeare and shine forth for the highest and best discovery of God they are to arrive at which thus mistaken and abused is compared Rev. 13. to the making of an image to the beast which had the wound by a sword and did live having power to give life to that image in righteous and holy actings in which to cause the old Adam or first beast to speak and go forth in such vigour and perfection as not to beare with any that will not receive the image of the beast and take his mark in their right hand or in their fore-head in their actings or professions denying liberty to any to buy or sell to have any worldly commerce that have not the mark or name of the beast or the number of his name All this he does from the great credit he hath gained in the sight of men by giving plaine evidence and visible testimony of the life that is brought into this image and of the spiritual gifts and enlightnings from heaven that accompany it as a fruit and effect of Christs owne workmanship which therefore he would exalt above all that is called God causing all to fall downe to it and worship it as the highest and fullest discovery of God beyond which he will allow nothing to be owned or received though this image be but the number of a man of the first man made of the earth earthly as the summe of his natural perfection which all the children of wisdome know how to count finde out and unriddle This second beast is the same with the little horne Dan 78. before which there were three of the first hornes plucked up by the roots and behold in this horne were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking proud things and v 11. I beheld sayes Daniel because of the voice of the great words which the horne spake even words against the most high v. 25. who shall weare out the Saints of the most high and think to change times and lawes I beheld sayes he untill the beast was slaine and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame v. 11. All which does lively describe the usefulnesse of this second heast as he is diverse from the first being set out and adorned with the purity and perfection of the first Adam renewed up-upon him by the blood of Christ to make warre with the true Saints of the most high and to weare them out with his cruelty and rage pretending to visible Saintship himself and by the power of his Rule and Government in the Magistracy that is subservient to him to give Lawes and Rules in Gods worship under colour of warrant from the Scriptures making himself Umpire of all controversies in matters of Religion and declarer of Heresies Blasphemies and the like in the exercise of which power he speaks great words against the most high and tramples as dust under his feet the spiritual seed or inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem thinking upon this faire pretext to change times and Lawes and over-turne all that stand before him in the managing of so glorious a designe as to bring in upon the prophane wicked world the Kingdome of Christ and at the same time to slay the right heirs that the inheritance may be his and that he may reigne as sitting upon Christs throne when he cannot any longer carry it as detected and laid open in the falsenesse of his owne spirit and principles This second state of Antichrist and his Kingdome is that which John Rev. 17. beheld with a holy kind of wonder and great astonishment as little suspecting so foul and unchast a spirit unto Christ should come forth in so fair and neere a likenesse and similitude to him in life and operations and therefore describes it under the name of the great Whore whom God was about to judge that is to lay open and to destroy She is found sitting upon many waters to wit people and multitudes Nations and tongues inhabitants as we have said of the holy City spiritually called Sodome and Egypt with whom the Kings of the earth or Princes of the world men in the honour and dignity of the first Adams purity and principles have committed fornication trusting to this beauty and reteining it in opposition to Christs heavenly appearance as unwilling to veil it and let it fall into the grave with Christ that the way thereby into the most holy might be set open making all the inhabitants of the earth drunk with this wine of her fornication This is the Character of that unchast spirit that acts and influences the subjects of this branch of Antichrists Kingdome under a fair shew in the flesh a likenesse and conformity in life and actings unto Christ himself But the beast that carries this Whore is the spirit of man made drunk with the wine of her fornication who in his actings of understanding and will whether in his private or publike capacity of a Magistrate and Ruler gives up himself to the service interest and love of this Whore or Antichristian spirit which beast compared with the other is set out in an adorning of scarlet colour yet full of names of blasphemy having seven heads and ten hornes the like power of man by counsel and force to carry on the designs of the old Dragon as the first beast hath The woman that rides this beast or this false spirit that influences this sort of enlightned men makes a very faire shew and is exceeding beautiful and alluring to the eye and judgement of man being arrayed in purple and scarlet colour decked with gold and precious stones and pearls many admirable and excellent spiritual gifts received from Christ having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthinesse of her fornication and upon her forehead written Mystery Iniquity or Babylon in mystery or its hidden deceit Babylon the great the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth But under all this tempting ensnaring glory she is famous and eminent for two things whereby Antichrists work is exceedingly advanced and carried on by her after such a dexterous manner as could not possibly be contrived by the first beast with all his power For
bodies shall be found in the streets of the holy City spiritually called Sodome and Egypt kept for three dayes and an half unburied signifying that they must in all things submit to the bruising of their outward man in conformity unto Christ and be slaine as their brethren have beene from the beginning of the world which is to be their lot in the latter end This prophetical and powerful spirit of Eliah shall be poured forth in those dayes upon the witnesses of Christ that keep the WORD OF HIS PATIENCE and endure the fiery triall of those times not thinking it a strange thing that thereby happens unto them and shall fill them with exceeding joy under all the reproaches which they beare for the Name of Christ as the Spirit of glory and of God that is resting upon them and fitting them for such a season that as John Baptist by his Ministery ushered in Christs coming in the flesh or in his first appearance so this same prophetical spirit of Eliah shall be the fore-running dispensation given forth by the witnesses of Christ in those dayes unto Christs second appearance or coming from heaven as hath beene foretold by all the Prophets since the world began for the restitution of all things as the fruit of his personal presence in the world exercising Rule and Dominion there for a thousand years with his Saints and then carrying them up with him to his Father and their Father into the same Kingdome as continued in glory in heaven for evermore What this prophetical spirit of Eliah is that shall be thus poured out upon the Witnesses of Christ in those dayes is to be understood by what it was in Eliah's person who was but the type and therefore certainly had this spirit in a much inferiour degree to what it shall be in them The spirit of glory and power therefore which he had they shall have and much more as indeed is expressed when it is said if any man will hurt them he must in this manner be killed fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devours their enemies These have power by the same way Eliah had which was by the prayer of faith to shut heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecie yea they have power also over waters to turne them into blood and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will Yet under all this power and glory they shall remaine exposed in their persons upon the finishing of their TESTIMONY to the rage and power of their enemies who shall then make warre against them overcome them and kill them But notwithstanding on the third day they have power given them to rise from the dead and to ascend up into heaven Rev. 11. 11 12. after a more glorious manner then Eliah did and this in the sight of their very enemies to their terrifying and amazement Thus we see the spirit and power of Eliah what it is that then shall be poured forth and that in a more mystical and spiritual consideration Something we shall also speak to the opening of the state and qualification of the persons that are called the TWO WITNESSES and why they are so called For their state and qualification this is to be known by their names and their apparel They are called the two Olive-trees and the two Candlesticks standing before the God of the whole earth By what hath beene already opened on this subject we are not far to seek what these signifie For the two Olive-trees and two Candlesticks that stand by the Lord of the whole earth must either be Christ in his owne person as he is head to his body the Church and Mediatour betweene God and man shining forth in his first and second appearance as both these perfections of the natural and spiritual man are built up and wrought into a perfect consistency and harmony in him or else these two Olive-trees do signifie the conformity which from him as the head is wrought out in and derived upon his spiritual and heavenly members by his first and second appearance in both those perfections of the first and second Adam as the elder is made to serve the younger and the first is built up into a consistency and harmony with the second by the power of the Crosse making them conformable to him in his death Which conformity is signified by their prophesying in sackcloth testifying the marks which they bear about with them in their mortal bodies of the dying of the Lord Jesus And in this crucified mortal flesh of theirs they are owned by Christ as having the Spirit of God and of glory thus made to rest upon them in a like dispensation unto that of Eliah's prophecy So that when once it shall please God to raise up a seed and generation of Saints in whom these marks of the dying of the Lord Jesus shall be eminent to the slaying and bringing to rest all operating powers and faculties of their natural man as standing in opposition to the Lord of life and glory and subjecting every high imagination in them by the Crosse to the laying of it and all the glory of flesh in a very great measure under the feet of Christ whereby that which lets his glory from appearing unveiled and hath all this time let is taken away then will it be knowne what the TWO WITNESSES are and that they have not hitherto so much as begun their prophecy in the power of Eliah before mentioned so farre are they from being slaine CHAP. XXVI Treating of the time of the manifestation of the sonnes of God their sitting with Christ on his Throne ruling and influencing all things on earth during the space of a thousand years HAving finished what relates to the Saints being made one dead or crucified body with Christ and shewed the opposition which is exercised by the Devil thereunto that which remains to be considered is the gathering also of the Saints together into one glorified body with Christ at his second coming when it shall appear what those shall be that now though they are sons are undistinguished from those that are not who have beene planted into a conformity with Christ in his death and who considered as his dead body having beene exposed to the bruising of their heele by Satan before his being bound up shall be declared the proper subjects and inheritours of this first resurrection in the exercise of the power and glory thereof as KINGS and PRIESTS reigning with Christ a thousand years This time of the manifestation of the sonnes of God is said to be that which is the earnest expectation of the very creature it self Rom. 8. 19. as the season also wherein the whole creation is to be restored to its Primitive purity and to be delivered out of the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God as the benefit which it shall then receive by vertue of the price of Christs blood paid for all for