all Experience of man and Warnings from God to the contrary is as Unpardonable as the Devils first sin must be the very way of Salvation What-else or less And then as to the second Adam Let his original Creature-nature or Spirit Set up by himself in Personal Union with his divine From Everlasting Prov. 8. 23. be denied and the very Creation in effect or rather in the cause of it is denied For this Living Creature or all comprehensive Creature-nature under the God of Israel Ezek. 10. 20. and in personal Union with him comprehending in it as a Polished shaft in God's Quiver the very man Christ that in the Fulness of time was made flesh was the very immediate hand by which God Made the Worlds By this Creature-Wisdom and word of God which is called God also were all things made Jo. 1. 1-3 and so by the very man Christ as comprehended therein were made both worlds natural and spiritual in a first and second Creation-workmanship of his passing upon them Heb. 1. 2. Col. 1. 13-16 The same WORD also by which all Angels and men were made was the provided means Mouth or Prophet of God to speak forth the whole Counsel of his Divine Mind to them when made and to Mediate between them and Infinite Divinity which without this Interposing Creature-Vail would have been a Consuming fire to them all This Word is also the Executer as well as Declarer to them of the whole Mind and Will of God from first to last on all Angels and Men as Obediently Submitting to the Methods and Terms of his New-Creating Workmanship or Incorrigibly Rebelling against it He is the 〈◊〉 Roll of Woes to the one the Book of Life and Mercy-Seat to the other in which are Treasured and Sealed up all the distinct Measures and Portions of Wrath for the one amongst the distinct Portions and Measures of Grace and Love for the other Deu. 32. 34 35. This Living Book in which all they do towards God and all God will do towards and with them are exactly Recorded and Registred the Living Stone that bear's and know's all on all hands God's Words to them and theirs to him Jos. 24. 26 27. by way of Covenant will be the Infallible Witness for or against them and Irresistible Executor of the Mind and Will of God towards and upon them all in Everlasting Love or Wrath. See then the case of those that deny any Creature-Nature or Spirit in the Mediatour of elder date then his being made Flesh. And then when in that Fleshy State Crucified they that narrow and consine his Crucisixion only to the Violent Death of his Body and Exclude or take no notice of the Death he put his natural Spirit to as to the Spotless but Changable earthy Law-Life thereof by kindling upon it and Offering it up in the Mystical Fire of his Eternal New-Creature Spirit Luk. 12. 49. Heb. 9. 14. What Conformity to his Death will they Preach If the principal thing he Crucified in himself be denied the principal thing that 's to be Crucified in us will be denied And what then Why then the Subduing the Vile Affections of the Corrupt Spirit of Nature must be Reckon'd Conformity to Christs Death whereas he had no such things in him to Crucifie And then Conformity to him in the but gradually restored Righteous First-Covenant Life of the Law Holy Flesh call it what else we will which he Crucified in himself at best must be reckon'd a State of true Salvation the SAINTS EVERLASTING REST. And then the Counter workings of in part restor'd nature and the Corrupt must pass for Flesh Warring against Spirit and Spirit against Flesh 〈◊〉 5. 17. when indeed all 's but Flesh. Paul when Eminent in Holy Flesh was a fierce Fighter against Christ's Gospel-Spirit Here 's your Divinity and Anti-Gospel Teaching in perfect Contradiction to the declared Methods and Words of God's Wisdom for Salvation in every point Some care is taken to Preach down and Subdue the Brutish Lusts of Litteral Sodom in the Corrupt Spirit of Nature but Mystical Sodomy more criminal then Litteral is Preach'd up for Salvation to wit such establishment in Righteousness as is unchangable enmity to God Gross sins in the dark ignorant corrupt Spirit of nature are cried down but all Mystical Uncleanesses Adulteries Idolatries Thefts Murders Sacriledg c. are preach'd up for Salvation A hard saying What is Truth Said Pilate to Christ not waiting the answer Jo. 18. 38. Christ had told him before-hand that he came into this world to Bear witness to the truth V. 37. What truth That ther 's nothing but vanity or vanishing shadow 's in this World the whole first-creation my Kingdom therefore say's he is not of this World or to be managed in my worldly law-spirit of nature Holy flesh where the Jews would fain have had him own himself a King Jo. 6. 15. but as is Implied of the next and to be manag'd in my new-Creation Spirit of truth All things in the first-Creation state of Angels and men are but vanishing shadows of the truth all Substantial durable Eternal things or truths in the second This is the good confession Negative and Affirmative Christ Witnessed before Pontius 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 6. 〈◊〉 as we find Jo. 18. 36 37. the former Expressed the other Implied in the Word Truth Christ Witnessed or Declared in his Infallible Spirit of Truth that there 's nothing of truth or substance in God's sight nothing unchangably good no Eternal good things or Truths but in the New-Creation State and World in and over which he owned himself a King They that will finally and conclusively be Reigning as Kings in the but worldly restored First-Covenant-Life Holy Flesh as 1 Cor. 4. 8. will be found Pseudo-Fift-Monarchists in direct Hostility to the true Reign of Christ and all true Spiritual Saints in his Holy gospel-Gospel-Spirit and so in a Flat contradiction to every tittle of his Gospel-Testimony Christ's witnessed good Confession to Pilate my Kingdom is not of this World gives the dash Solomon Proclaim 's on all First-Creation-Life of Man or Angel with all the things and fruits thereof as Vanities or but perishing Shadows of God's durable New-Creation substances things and truths the Everlasting Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God in his Spirit of Grace and Truth with the Blessed Fruits thereof in Men True Love Joy Peace c. to from and with God and all right Fruits brought forth by them therein unto God All these are Everlasting Incorruptible things the Spiritual Tree Root and Branch Fruits Leaves and all Psal 1. 3. In this Spirit of Truth have Men durable Riches Life Food and Cloathing In this Spirit of the Son only can they rightly Worship the Infinite Divine Spirit or Father He must be Worship'd in Spirit and in Truth in a Spirit of Everlasting Righteousness and Truth All Worshippers in any other Spirit Worship they know not what Jo. 4. 22-24 may be the Devil as God
Madness and Folly and Eat their Flesh as Fire Jam. 5. 1-3 They refuse the kindly kindlings of the Fire of the Spirit or Cross of Christ upon them to eat up their Flesh as Fire eat 's Wood by Consuming it in Sacrifice to God He therefore kindles it in as well as upon them in Final Wrath as a never dying Worm in their Conscience a Fire that never shall be quenched Mark 9. 44. 46. 48. Thus shall Incorrigible Sinners or Fools find that in and about them in which they 'l become Eaters of their own Flesh or fleshly nature without ever such a Consuming it as Annihilation would amount unto the only death they 'l ever seek but never find Vers. VI. Better is a handful with quietness than both the hands full with travel and Vexation of spirit Here 's the opposite state to the mystical Fool. In effect of the same significancy are these words of spiritual counsel from or by Solomon as those of Christ himself Mat. 5. 29 30. 18. 8 9. Mar. 9. 43. 47. The right 〈◊〉 Hand and Foot of Man offend themselves oppose their own true intorest in being offended at the Cross that comes to cut them off and cast them away as dung and loss for a more excellent life and way The best light wisdom or understanding the most righteous practice or walking signified by the right Eye Hand and Foot of Man in his own nature restored by Law-conversion to the first-covenant or first-creation sort of righteous Life Discerning Action and Walking are to be cut off and cast away by the kindly death-work of the Cross or the demolishing crucifying mortifying operation of Christ's heavenly Gospel-spirit upon Man's righteous natural spirit in the said Law-life as Paul found and yielded to Phil. 3. 6 -- 11. He counted and parted with all as loss and dung to win Christ in his spiritual Resurrection-Life So only can any be truly acceptable to God or bring forth fruits unto him in a newness of Life All the former state to be quitted is called in Scripture but oldness of Letter In the best Life thereof Man brings forth fruit but to himself for the enriching and adorning his own deceitful nature not unto God in his Gospel-spirit of Grace and Truth in which only he can be rightly worshipped to his wel-pleasing acceptation and man's true advantage All others worship they know not what Joh. 4. 22 -- 24. They know not what they do or whither they go The divine spirit of the Father can be rightly worshipped in the gospel-Gospel-spirit of his Son only All that finally refuse to part with their natural Law-spirit and Life by a holy death under the spiritual Cross never receive or partake of Christ's Gospel-spirit of Life in which only 't is possible to worship God aright or do any thing well in his sight The natural man by Legal conversion made wise strong and honourable in Christ by his first-covenant communications of Life and Light to him hates Christ's Gospel-spirit with all the crucifying work and Cross-doctrine of death upon nature corrupt or righteous as Paul once did Man hates that which he undispensably needs must submit to and pass thorow or never be saved His restor'd natural right Eye Hand Foot must off and be cast away This Man stumbles and is highly offended at He is ready to reckon such doctrin the damnablest 〈◊〉 heresy madness and blasphemy that ever was broach'd or utter'd by man The enlightned professing Jews reckon'd it so when Christ himself preach'd it Yea his very Disciples stumbled sorely at it and took it heavily Mat. 16. 21 22. Mar. 10. 23 -- 26. John 16. 6. 20. Though he Preached his Resurrection in the same breath with his Death Mat. 17. 23. still they were exceeding sorry This would not do no not so much as allay their grief They knew not clearly what he said or meant by Death or by Resurrection Mar. 9. 31 32. and were afraid to ask him What he Preach'd the Death and loss of in himself and them even of a first-covenant Life they somewhat perceived to their sorrow But as to the more excellent Life and Glory he declar'd was to follow to him and them by way of Resurrection out of the Death of their fading this they understood not and so got little or no relief yet by the bare tydings of it But enough when they came to experience it Act. 2. The Cross is a stumbling block to the righteous first-covenant Law-Jew or Gentile under the outward dispensation of Law and Gospel and before either were written by the Pen-men thereof in the Bible and foolishness to the wise Greek with all his moral Righteousness and obedience to the common Light or Law of rational Nature in Mankind 1 Cor. 1. 23. Both these sorts of Wise and Righteous Men bidding at and fondly pleasing themselves with a hope of true Salvation in their several way 's do stand as with Drawn Swords in the Armour of Man on Satan's side to bid defiance to this seemingly Bug-bear Doctrin of the Cross upon all they are Possess'd of and trust in They decry it as the highest Blasphemy and Folly Imaginable They warn others by no means to regard a word of it in Preaching or Books As for the Brutified Immorral Heathens the far greater party of Mankind walking and allowing themselvs in the Abominations of Litteral Sodom Egypt and Babylon hating all Righteousness God's and Man's too Man 's in Moral Heathenism or legal Christianity they little regard the Doctrin of the Cross on one or ' tother The hopeful Party of Mankind in Moral or Legal first-Covenant Righteousness that have something considerable as they reckon to lose by the Cross these are ready to fight against it as Paul found and told the Philippians even Weeping Phil. 3. 18. But Jews or Gentiles that answer Christ's Heavenly call into the death of their fading earthly State however good in its kind in Obedience to the Cross as the only pass into the Everlasting Life of the Crucifying High-Priest of their Gospel-Profession Heb. 3. 1. they find the said Cross the Power and Wisdom of God to and in them 1. Cor. 1. 24. This they receive in lieu of the form of Godliness and Wisdom of Man as made Wise Strong and Honourable in Christ by First-Covenant Artainments in him and Union with him 1 Cor. 4. 10. Others chuse rather to keep their first-Covenant-State Whole Unmaim'd Unbroken or Uncrucified and so to go with their whole Body or 〈◊〉 their own two Eyes Hands and Feet to Hell then 〈◊〉 and Crucisied in Conformity to the Lamb Slain and his true Saints that suffer with him to Heaven What if one Man had all the single first-Creation Glories Excellencies Riches Wisdom and Power of all Men and Angels and lose his own Soul what 's he the better Where 's his gain Mat. 16. 26. All Man gets by pitying and sparing himself in this case is the loss of all his own fading goodness
to suffer and die with Christ as to his short Law-liv'd nature that he may Reign with him in his long-liv'd Spirit of Grace 2 Tim. 2. 11 12. 〈◊〉 we be dead and 〈◊〉 with Christ we shall live and reign with him There 's for the poor wise Child If we deny him he will also deny us Ther 's for the old foolish King The 〈◊〉 by death com's out of his Prison-State or natural Spirit of Bondage to Reign The latter King's it like an old doting Fool in his prison-Prison-Spirit of Bondage and Death These old foolish Kings the Mystical Princes of this World under the Devil by God's Permission have bin the self-confident Persecutors and Murderers of Christ and his Spiritual Saints in all Ages Cain a first-Covenant Worshipper of God began this work on Abel a second 〈◊〉 winding up of all true Abel-Saints will be the Fowls of Heaven that are to feed upon or delight themselvs in a Union of Mind with God in the final Slaughter of all such Mystical and Litteral Kings and People of the Earth as are found in unchangable Enmity to God and them Rev. 19. 17-21 Vers. XV. I considered all the living which walk under the Sun with the second Child that shall stand up in his stead Here 's Solomon's confirmation of what has bin said his judgment upon the whole matter in sanctuary-light In this he considered all the living under the mystical first-creation-Sun walking under the Conduct or in the Light of the first-covenant spirit as therein made alive again in some degree by the Redeemer By the unlawful use of this restor'd Life or Light of the Law in enmity to God and his Gospel-spirit of Grace do they bring themselvs into everlasting poverty and nakedness Their immortal spirit as thus pleasing themselvs by taking up their rest for salvation in the restor'd natural righteous Life thereof he considers with their whole man in that state they shall be caused to stand up in for ever in the stead of what they were in this mortal World and Body This second Child or state of Man in the Resurrection will to the Old foolish King be found a state of everlasting darkness and death in a Resurrection of damnation under final and unquenchable wrath The full infliction of wrath is reserved for this second Child in the said Resurrection-state of the whole Man This second Child or state of Man is that in which he must answer by way of suffering for all the evil done by him in his natural body or slate on earth through a willful abuse of the first-covenant Life of the Law in unchangable enmity to God and the Gospel This comes the said old foolish King to Vers. XVI There is no end of all the People even of all that have been before them they also that come after shall not rejoyce in him surely this also is vanity and vexation of Spirit Solomon having consider'd the present generation of old foolish kings in his own day upon earth tells us the case was alway's the same in former and will so be in all after-times of this world So these two last Verses of this Chapter are a farther enlargment as to the Character and future condition of the Old foolish King to Eternity As to the poor wise Child he asserted him in general to be better than the Old foolish King vers 13. Then vers 14. gives his reason for it because he comes out of his Prison to reign with Christ in a state of eternal Life absolute freedom and true blessedness There 's enough for him all that need be said of him But the Old foolish King vers 13. declar'd in general vers 14. amidst all his conceited riches to be poor he farther signifies vers 15. that he will so be found to all eternity And then vers 16. that this is the Case of all the like old foolish Kings in former generations from the beginning of the World and will be found the Case of all of the like spirit in after-Generations to the World's end To the first of these he speaks in the former part of this Verse There is no end of all the People even of all that have been before them There 's no end of their immortal beings and exquisite sensibleness of their whole Persons Body Soul and Spirit in a Resurrection-State of Damnation Annihilation-death they 'l ever desire but never find Such death will ever flee from them And Eternal Life they can never have For though in a general confused random-guess at happiness every one would be happy that Life in which true happiness ever can be found are and wil they be found in a Spirit of unchangeable enmity to Such life then can they never have nor such death as annihilation of their beings or insensibleness in their beings amounts unto however hotly pursued desired or sought by them There 's no end of their being nor yet of their most exquisite sensiblenes therein under the tormenting wrath and fiery indignation of God for ever The immortality of their whole being in a resurrection of damnation will hold them close to 't under punishment for ever in hell for the ill Use they made of their immortal Spirits and mortal first-covenant righteous life thereof while in their mortal Body's upon earth The second Child or whole man body Soul and Spirit put together again in a resurrection-state of immortality as to being is to answer for all done in the mortal body or natural state and life of all 2 Cor. 5. 10. and Ec. 12. 14. Thus will it be with the Old foolish King for ever as to being But as to that Mortal changable first-Covenant righteous Life which he pleased and flatt'red himself with as an endless Life of true blessedness that will come to an end He will find himself rid of all the fading good and comfort of that which he would fain keep and will be kept up for ever in a most desolate wretched State of being under wrath which he would fain be rid of So is he gone every way All he would not have he must have and that for ever and all he would have he will for ever be deprived of without the least relief when Tormented in the flames of God's Wrath so much as by a drop of Water to cool his Tongue Luk. 16. 24. The mortal first-Covenant Life of his immortal Spirit Exspires and Vanishes dies away and ceases with the mortal Life of his Body So such wise old foolish Kings wise in Christ 1 Cor. 4. 10. as to first-Covenant attainments and fixing there in Enmity to the second will die and perish for ever as the Fool or Brutish Sinner of the Gentil's Yea worse will be his final Doom of the two The righteous Mystical Sodomite in the form of Godliness righteousness of Man in his own restor'd nature but Enmity to the Power of it and righteousness of God in his Gospel Life and Spirit of Grace which is filth of Spirit will
comes to worse than nothing unspeakable misery and confusion without the least relief for ever under unquenchable wrath Man is born in a naked condition of Body and dead in Sin as to his Soul When reviv'd and Cloath'd again by Christ as to some measure of his restor'd lost Life and Righteousness in the first-covenant by keeping up that in enmity to an everlasting Life and Righteousness offer'd him by Christ in the second and so sinning after the similitude of Adam's first transgression he is worse than ever his latter end worse than his beginning a state of unchangable incurable evil sorrow nakedness poverty and death His whole man after all possible revival comsort flourish or fruitfulness in the mortal first-covenant Life of his Spirit or sensual Life of his Body goes destitute of all good or comfort naked out of the World as he came into 't He takes nothing of the fading Glory of his reviv'd Spirit any more than outward riches and comforts relating to his Body away with him at the death of the Body All goes In all points on all accounts he goes as he came stark naked strip'd of all comfort or goodness All fruits and labours of his Spirit and Body go together all vanish They that obediently part with all such fading Life and but things of man in their Spirit before the death of their Body find their own again with usury for ever in the everlasting Life Wisdom Righteousness and things of God in the Gospel-Spirit or Principle of the new and everlasting Covenant This is the unspeakable Gift of God offer'd all on obedient surrender of their fading Life and things in the first-covenant for his everlasting in the second They that refuse this surrender as most do lose all good in both Covenants for ever and fall under the positive inflictions of wrath for ever This for the evill use of all their things and labours in the first against God and the second When charg'd for all before the Judgment-seat of Christ they 'l be found in a silencing self-condemning consciousness as to all charg'd with will have nothing to say When their evil consciences are open'd all their mouths of iniquity will be stopp'd No disputing pleading apologizing but e'ne take their charge and sentence and so lie down for ever in sorrow shame and confusion under the wrath of their most righteous all-seeing Judg. Then will they find nothing of all their evil travel left in their hand The wrath of God will be upon them and the awak'ned spiritual convictions afforded them in mercy on earth will be set up in them for ever in hel as a never-dying ever-gnawing worm Mark 9. 44. 46. 48 to torment them within by the perpetually forc'd sight of their madness and folly on earth against the universal experience of all mankind and all faithfull warnings from God All their fading beauty will be consum'd in that Grave from their dwelling Psal. 49. 14. or that earthly state of their whole persons which they have chosen for their final habitation They have rendred themselvs fit fewel for the wrath of God eternally to flame forth upon When Christ awak's or comes forth in his heavenly he will despise or destroy their earthly Image Psal. 73. 20. or state burn up all the fading Glory perishing Life Riches Fruits and meats thereof or works therein 2 Pet. 3. 10. Their fleshly principle or root with the branch tree with the fruit as Grass at best a fading flower will wither and perish for ever Isai. 40. 6. These things and life then chosen by them when known to be so and Christ's everlasting Life and Things as knowingly and wilfully rejected when convincingly shew'd and fairly offer'd them will cause their unutterable confusion for ever in eternal darkness and death They 'l have nothing but wrath to feed on for ever in a resurrection of damnation Much sorrow and wrath will they have in and with their sickness unexpressible wrath rage and madness within them as the Septuagint render in their languishing incurable sickness or unchangable enmity to God under the final wrath of God This will befall them after all patience of God and favourable offers while 't was called to day with them in this world all which they abus'd and refus'd to their sorer condemnation and punishment So become they most desolate for ever O Jerusalem Jerusalem c. Mat. 23. 37 38. As vessels of dishonour will they be forc'd to eat the fruit of their own way 〈◊〉 be filled with the fruit of their own devices the wrath of God Prov. 1. 31. 'T will be sorely ill with them when that just reward of their hands shall be given them Isai. 3. 11. Had they 〈◊〉 to his Counsel they might have dwelt safely for ever and have been quiet from fear of evil Prov. 1. 33. Their simple turning from his offers and their prosperous flourish in their own nature will and way destroy'd these incorrigible Fools V. 32. Vers. XVIII Behold that which I have seen it is good and comly for one to eat and to drink and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh vnder the Sun all the days of his Life which God giveth him for it is his portion Having in some former Verses finish'd the Character of the incorrigibly wicked as to their dreadfull condition Solomon proceed's here to declare the blessed condition of all that are of a perfectly contrary temper of Spirit to that of unchangable enmity above-said of another Spirit with Caleb and Joshuah who wholly followed the Lord Numb 32. 12. 'T is the Spirit of Faith only the law of the Spirit of Life and true Liberty the gospel-Gospel-Spirit of Truth in which the Lord can be rightly own'd fully follow'd and acceptably worship'd in Spirit and Truth Sure none of these things can ever be done in man's own spirit will and way that at best is enmity to God True Saints bring forth all the fruits of their labours unto God the Father in this Spirit of the Son which makes them free indeed in this newness of Life and Law of true Liberty the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God And they reap the benefit or fruit of all their such labours in the Lord which never are in vain 1 Cor. 15. 58. All labours in our own Spirit of nature uncircumcis'd or circumcis'd that is corrupt or righteous are in vain as to eternal Life Gal. 6. 15. Nothing but the new creature and its actions are conducible or of any tendency towards that There God work 's all our works for us and we all our works in him as co-workers with God in his own Spirit Isai. 26. 12. Joh. 3. 21. Without me or my Gospel-Spirit 〈◊〉 can do nothing in the way towards true Life say's Christ to all Joh. 15. 5. These Gospel-works of the Spirit of Faith in Abraham justified him Jam. 22. 21 not law-works in his own Spirit of nature or principle of the covenant of
AN EXPOSITION OF Ecclesiastes OR The Preacher The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding Job 32. 8. The things of God knoweth no Man but the Spirit of God by which he reveal's them 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. The Spiritual Man discern's all things v. 15. If I pleas'd Men I should not be the Servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. LONDON Printed in the Year 1680. Sold by Samuel Lee at the Feathers in Lombard-Street near Popes-head Alley CHAP. I. Vers. I. The words of the Preacher the Son of David King of Jerusalem THIS Book written by King Solomon about the fourtieth year of his Reign and last of his Life Anno 〈◊〉 3030 is called in Greek Ecclesiastes in Hebrew Choheleth both signifying a caller unto or a gatherer together of Men to declare to them the words of God's Wisdom relating to their everlasting blessedness This is the proper work of the infallible Spirit of Christ in himself and Saints Pro. 1. 20-23 and 8. 1 -9. This living Creature-Word and Wisdom of God is called the Beginning in and by which God created the Heaven and the earth Gen. 1. 1. The purely divine Form of God did by way of emanation or generation not properly creation produce that Supream Creature-form of him in personal Union with it self from everlasting as it self tells us Prov. 8. 22 23. This became his fitted Hand by which to Create the World as also to mediate between meer creaturality in Angels and Men when made and the single infinite Divinity This fountain Creature-Spirit is by Divine Authority called God and asserted to be the immediate Creator of all things John 1. 1 3. Col. 1. 15 16. Yea the Man Christ as the polished Shaft in this hand of God ready to be sent forth in due time is said to be him by whom God made the Worlds Heb. 1 -- 3. Natural and Spiritual by a first and second Creation He gave an Immortality of Being not of Life to Angels and Men by the First but true Life and Immortality are brought to light and set up in them only in and by the Second The First was a mortal Law-life the Second is an everlasting Gospel-Life 2 Tim. 1. 10. Whoever fall short of Christ's Gospel-life as all do that finally refuse to part with their fading Law-life by a holy obedient death of their own Spirit and Nature fall short also of the glory of God never come to see and enjoy the divine glory as Co-heirs with Christ of God This living creating preaching Word and Creature-Wisdom of God is the supream receaver and infallible declarer of the whole counsel of the divine Mind relating to Angels and Men. The words of this living Word will prosper in the thing whereto sent the Eternal Life or Death of the obedient 〈◊〉 or willful rejecters thereof Isa. 55. 11. 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. God effectually makes obedient submitters to and receivers of it Wicked Men and Angels make themselves willful haters final refusers and incorrigible enemies thereof Hos. 13. 9. In this supream Creature-being the original Creature-Book and living Word of God did all things consist or stand up together in a Radical existence before brought forth in their actual subsistencies by Creation In this Book were all our Members written when as yet there was none of them Our substance was not hid from God but seen by him together with all we shall ever come to be or do and all he will do with us to all eternity Psal. 139. 15 16. Seen and known to him were all the works of his hands and all the works of those works Men and Angels towards him before their actual Production or personall Individuation Yea before their said radical Existence There are no Futurities to His infinite Understanding All things past present and to come were ever present to him The Supream Creature-Spirit Word and Wisdom of God is called Man as also are Angels both good and bad The man Gabriel that appeared to Daniel Zachary and Mary Dan. 9. 21. Luk. 1. 19. vers 26 27. was this Creature-Spirit in the Mediator Good Angels also have been frequently represented as and called Men Gen. 18. 2. and other Scriptures Evil Angels also are called Men of sin Sons of Perdition in and with their Luciferian Head 2 Thes. 2. 3. By the communicated Spiritual Light of the Man Christ to Angels and Men can either of them under and with him become true seers of God in his divine and creature-glories so as to be true Preachers and rightly qualified Declarers of his divine and spiritual Things or Truths Such a Seer of God was Solomon the Preacher and Writer of this Book And in the same Light in which a Seer of the things of God was he enabled infallibly to see and declare the Vanity of all first-creation Life and Goodness and the never-fading Glories and excellencies of the Second In the all-penetrating Spirit of true Prophecy did he see the deep things of Gods divinity and the natural and spiritual things of the first and second Creation what each amounted to So could 〈◊〉 with other awakened spiritual Saints infallibly prophesy or foretell what will become of any Men or Angels to Eternity as found rebelliously fixing in their first-creation Life and State of Vanity or obediently surrendring it for the second in Eternal Life or Death In this true spirit of Prophecy did Solomon with his Father David and other Saints find out and set in order many right words words of Truth given from one Shepherd Eccl. 12. 10 11. The spirit of the Lord the rock of Israel spake to and by David His Word saies he was in my tongue 2 Sam. 23. 2 3. Such words only as the Holy Ghost teacheth words of Gods wisdom shew the way of salvation and of scaping damnation Such words only shew those glorious things God hath in everlasting love provided for Saints and the dreadful amazing things he hath in everlasting wrath prepared for incorrigible sinners neither of which can the Eye Ear Heart or Understanding of natural Man or Angel take any right measure or notice of Man and Angel in the utmost wisdom of their own nature are bounded with first-creation vanities for Object of which number its very self is and they therein When view'd in the infallible Light and weighed in the just Ballance of Gods new-creation Sanctuary-Spirit they 'l all be found lighter than vanity t. The Son of David King of Jerusalem So a Type of the Man Christ as Son of the great and originally unchangable Creature-spirit of the Mediator the true King of his New-Jerusalem Saints set up by God on his holy Hill of Zion Psal. 2. 6. John 5. 22. 27. Act. 17. 31 c. Vers. II. Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher Vanity of vanities all is vanity The doubling of the words Vanity of vanities is emphatical more strongly asserting this irrefragable Truth That vain are all things in the first-creation world or natural state of Men and
Angels This say's the Preacher Solomon as turning from his own Wisdom or Understanding and owning the Holy Ghost or New-creature Gospel-spirit of Christ in him the sole dictating Author of this Book Vanity of Vanities in the Hebrew manner of expressing signifies most vain in the superlative degree Man at his best estate and so Angel at his best before the Fall of either were altogether Vanity Psal. 39. 5. and since the Fall are they worse lighter then Vanity it self less then nothing Psal. 62. 9. Isa. 40. 17. Neither of them had at first any durable Life Wisdom 〈◊〉 Glory nothing but what was mortal perishable and vanishing All was but a fading Flower of the first-creation Field or World The utmost growth beauty flourish and fruitfulness of the corruptible seed of God's left-hand planting in them by a first-creation is no more or better And all their best desires births fruits thoughts or actions therein are vanity can never exceed the fading nature and title of the root whence they spring the fleshly Tree of good and evil on which they grow All visible things Glory Riches Power together with the litteral Sun that produces and renders the rest visible are but Vanity of vanities shadows of shadows to wit of the intellectuall 〈◊〉 Sun the first-covenant Spirit with all the inward mystical riches 〈◊〉 wisdom righteousness glories and excellencies produced thereby in the natural first-creation state of Man or Angel at best The most excellent births fruits performances or works of Righteousness brought forth and done but under the impregnating and fructifying influence of the first-covenant Spirit and so of Christ therein as a fleshly Bridegroom to them all these still are but Vanity or vanishing shadows of spiritual heavenly eternal substantial things or truths durable riches everlasting life food and clothing the glory that excells and remains for ever in the New-creation state of Man or Angel All 's but the Life and Image of the earthly in the Spirit of Nature not of the heavenly in the new-creature Spirit of Grace The life wisdom form of godliness righteousness of Man or Angel in their own nature as at first created were real but not true in a Scripture-sense All are but shadows of the everlasting Life power of Godliness wisdom and righteousness of God in the New-creation or Second Covenant Holy flesh cleansed righteous nature and so the common or general Salvation all men are capable since the Fall of being restored into by the Redeemer is but a shadow of true holiness special everlasting salvation in God's holy New-creature spirit of Grace and Truth True godliness the mystery the power of godliness true or everlasting Life Salvation and blessedness the Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God in his New-covenant spirit of Grace none of these true things were possessed by any Angel or Man in the Primitive unstained purity of their 〈◊〉 by the first-creation All these true things of God were represented to them all in the Tree of true Life by way of Object as what God had in reserve to bestow upon them by a new-creation on their obedient surrender and parting with that mortal Life and State they received by the first God calls what he gave them by the first-creation their own their life wisdom righteousness c. What he offers them by a new-creation he calls his own his life wisdom righteousness c. All men that Satan can bring to savour only the natural things of Man or Angel and never at all the spiritual new-creature things of Christ and God Mat. 16. 23. are fixed with him in unchangable enmity to God The New-creature Life and things God calls his own are transcendently superiour to Man's own as the Litteral Heavens are above the Earth The duplication of this Hebrew superlative the double Out-cry or Proclamation here implies the absolute certainty and great importance of the assertion as also that Solomon would have the thing here proclaim'd understood as the sum or compend of this whole Book which he explains by degrees in the various parts thereof What he indistinctly and as in a transport cries out of as Vanity of vanities he begins to lodg and fix his meaning in saying All is vanity And this All yet as somewhat indistinct is after limited within its due bounds yet allowed its full extent and circumference over and over in this first Chapter All things under heaven under the sun all earthly mortal life and goodness received by Man or Angel in their first-creation all below what is heavenly spiritual and everlasting in and by the second are vanity or vanishing perishing things however good in their kind and useful in their place This fixes and compleats this leading Proposition and Foundation of the ensuing Discourse All visible things under the litteral Sun depending on its influence as a concurring second Cause of their Production and Preservation and rendred visible by its light and then all the invisible things of Man and Angel all the Life Wisdom Righteousness Excellencies Glories and all the Desires Thoughts and Operations of their invisible immortal spirits under the mystical first-creation Sun or first-covenant spirit of nature in the Mediator all these things are comprehended under the title Vanity All their counsels studies purposes and contrivances for true happiness within the compass and in the single activity of that natural state or life life and all all is Vanity Vanity is written out upon Tree and Fruit Root and Branch Principle and Operations throughout in that state of both The infallible new-creature spirit of true Prophecy declares this concerning all the goodness life or 〈◊〉 found in the old natural first-creation state of Angel and Man This Spirit in Christ and awakened spiritual Saints can prophesy or certainly fore-tell what will become of any man as finally rejecting or complying with its reproofs of Death on his own spirit of Nature and instructions of Life in God's Spirit of Grace in Eternal Life or Death This New-creature spirit of Life and true Prophesy is below the infinite Divinity but transcendently above all natural first-creation Life and Things in Man or Angel Paul in all the Light Wisdom and Righteousness of his restor'd naturalls Phil. 3. 4 6. Was exceedingly mad against Christ's Gospel Truths and Saints Acts 26. 11. What work then is Man though wise strong and honourable in Christ 1 Cor. 4. 10. as to 〈◊〉 covenant attainments like to make of it at Gospel or shewing the true way of Salvation God knows all the Thoughts of man in his highest wisdom to be 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3. 20. All purely divine things the deep things of God and all spiritual heavenly new-creation things lye clear out of the reach of all single natural understanding of man or angel 1 Cor. 2. 9-14 Their vain wisdom has nothing but Vanity for its immediately discernable Object If we extend this all is Vanity beyond the sphere of natural to divine or spiritual creature-things we blaspheme If we
whom the Lord abhorreth Psal. 10. 3. as they him and his true What profit then can man expect of all his labour under the Sun in but a first-covenant Life and Righteousness Nothing below the Holy Ghost or new-creature constant right steddy Spirit Psal. 51. 10. and principle of everlasting righteousness signifies any thing as to his true salvation When he reckons he has all he has nothing of durable life riches food or clothing but is wretched miserable poor blind and naked The wisdom of self-confident man misses the design and principal intendment of God in the whole Scripture To preach up the righteousness of man in the first-covenant-law is good in its kind But to assert this to be an everlasting Gospel-life or state of true salvation is the highest evil the very doctrine Satan preach'd to Eve Ye shall not dye at all the Life ye have in the first-creation that 's but natural is eternal This is Man's and Satan's accursed other Gospel handed to men with great confidence in the words of their twisted humane and Serpentine wisdom's To establish and warrant men in their own righteousness holy flesh for salvation is the very doctrine of devils 'T is a setting up of Man and Angel in their spirit of Nature against God's Spirit of Grace and Truth All that finally persist in this Doctrine and way in stead of the Saints everlasting rest will 〈◊〉 the Lake of fire and brimstone prepared for the Devil and his Angels Enmity to God and his Gospel-Spirit is inseperable from the restored first-covenant life of the Law in man yea gets strength courage credit and great authority by the comming of the command or fresh setting up that lost life in him by the Redeemer as Paul found Rom. 7. While then men are heaping up riches and reckon they are doing well to themselves there so as to despise the riches of God's goodness they are treasuring up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath Their moth-eaten cankred rusty corruptible Riches mystical as well as litteral will testify against them in God's day for trusting in them in their day on earth against all his faithful warnings to the contrary Jam. 5. 1-3 Vers. IV. One generation passeth away and another generation commeth but the earth abideth for ever Eternity and Immutability are the requisite Adjuncts of that wherein man's true felicity consists He must look for it in things Eternal or never find it And these are not seen by natural understanding 2 Cor. 4. 18. The litteral sense of these words is evident to the common understanding and universal experience of mankind The spiritual is a mystery to the highest wisdom of the most enlightned righteous party of men in but their own single spirit of nature short of spiritual light Man therein esteems and values only the cleans'd 〈◊〉 rich and fruitful mystical House or Land of his own Nature as that which will continue for ever So desires it may be called by his own Name This is the inward thought of the wise rich and full first-covenant Saint in his holy 〈◊〉 the sandy-foundation'd building though he see such holy wise men perish as well as brutish fools in the corrupt life of nature Psal. 49. 10. 11. Man's calling his Lands or outward possessions by his own Name is the litteral shadow of this mystical folly Yet 〈◊〉 posterity approve 〈◊〉 sayings vers 13. steer the same course do the same things and so generation after generation go to the same 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and death where they never see Light vers 19. Through the unsuspected wiles of the old Serpent are new raw stagers 〈◊〉 one after another in the fame 〈◊〉 They reject the voice and instructions of true Wisdom as the greatest folly They say to true Seers see not prophesy not unto us right things They hate the Lord's Prophets as Ahab Micajah embrace Satan's with their smooth words of deceit Isa. 30. 9 10. Thus one generation of visible Saints in holy flesh after another passes away into the same dismal end eternal death as found from first to last a serpentine generation of vipers fixed in enmity to Gods holy spirit They say they are true spiritual Jews but Christ sayes they are of the synagogue of satan Rev. 3. 9. This generation passes away and yet passes not away Mat. 24. 3 4. though alwayes passing How So Why new commers into this world still keep up the old Trade the same spirit Principles and Perswasions all along Satan's reign from the beginning to the ending thereof A fresh supply of new Teachers and Hearers carry on Satan's work to their own eternal ruine t. But the Earth abideth for ever That is Man 's and Angels immortal Spirits in the earthy leaky first-creation make thereof All of them that refuse to have that first-creation building taken down in order to become new Bottles or Vessels by Christ's new-creation workmanship fitted to hold the new-wine or Spirit of his Kingdom do through the immortality of their beings become the subjects of God's unchangable wrath for their unchangable enmity to him by which they have made themselves Vessels of dishonour and everlasting contempt This is such recompence of their error as is meet even the vengeance of Eternal Fire Rom. 1. 27. Jude 7. on mystical more than litteral Sodom Mat. 11. 24. All that yield up all received in the first-creation to be filled and clothed with the everlasting life and righteousness of the second become Vessels of honour glory immortality and eternal Life Vers. V. The Sun also ariseth and the Sun goeth down and hasteth to or panteth aster his place where he arose The litteral Sun that has a causal influence on all the visible parts of this World is vanity 'T is restless in its motion and revolution direct and periodical And this yet is but a shadow of the invisible first-creation Sun the first-covenant-spirit of the Law under which Men and Angels were created and Christ himself in our flesh was made Gal. 4. 4. Under and by the causal influence of this in Christ's Person as a fleshly-bridegroom to first-covenant Saints in holy flesh are all such righteous fruits and works brought forth and done as have bin found in a restored enlightned sort of Professors and People since the fall or in Man and Angels before the Fall This mystical first-creation Sun is yet but a shadow or figure of the seven-fold and seventy times seven-fold brighter spiritual intellectual new-creation Sun of everlasting righteousness the Holy Ghost or new-covenant new-creature spirit in Christ's person of which all new-creatures are born and under the cherishing influence thereof enabled to bring forth fruits unto God in a newness of Life All thus brought under this Law of the spirit of Life are made new Bottles Vessels of honour and eternal Life and no other This is the Sun Mal. 4. 2. Through this most glorious creature-Sun in the Mediator as the 〈◊〉 Chrystaline Medium or transparent Sea of
Glass Rev. 4. 6. does the infinite glory of the divine Sun shine forth for ever with safety in a modifying mixture and allay on blessed Saints and Angels which in its single infinite brightness would overset and consume them Heb. 12. 29. Only the original creature-sun or spirit that 's in personal union with the infinite divinity can behold and enjoy the divine Sun or Spirit in its immediate brightness This supream creature-vail on it is the absolutely necessary means of unvailing it or leting it down with safety to all meer-created beings Angels or Men in their highest spiritual capacities and understandings On this account and in this sense will Christ be a Mediator between God and them to all Eternity The litteral and mystical Sun of the first-creation will set and come to a final period Then will all the flowers of that field litteral or mystical wither fade away and come to nothing as to all the perishing beauty and goodliness thereof But the Word of God the new-creation Gospel-Sun of righteousness will abide for ever upon all the blessed Inhabitants of the true Mount Sion Isa. 40. 6-8 1 Pet. 1. 23-25 On the first sin of Man against God and his Creature-Sun of everlasting Righteousness did Christ with-draw the mysticall first-creation Sun causing it to go down set or disappear to all mankind taking from them what they had and so leaving them in darkness and death dead in trespasses and sins Then as Redeemer does Christ cause this Sun to rise upon them again for the fresh enlightning of every man that comes into the world more or less Joh. 1. 9. with rational first-covenant light against which if they sin it accuses if they obey it it excuses them Rom. 2. 15. This is the Light or Law of rational nature in all men By this Light are men shewed the way for a returning towards the righteous life they were at first created in which is called a making straight in the desert of their barren fallen state a high way for their God Isa. 40. 3. a setting their first-creation House or State in order again But this done and Man growing up into a fruitful flourishing posture herein the ruling intellectual powers and ruled sensual each performing their duty in rightly commanding and obeying still still this very mystical Sun or first-covenant-spirit under the quickning enlivening and fructifying influence whereof all this is done will according to its orderly appointed motions and revolutions with the litteral Sun be withdrawn again go down set and disappear from them Christ as a fleshly-Bridegroom or Husband to them will depart and leave them so as never to shine upon them more there All then that do not timely and obediently surrender and part with all the life fruitfulness and comforts they have found under his influence as the first-covenant Sun of Righteousness in order to receive from him that newness of life in which to be married to him as risen from the dead and bring forth fruits unto God Rom. 7. 1-4 under the influence of his new-covenant-spirit will be found on the setting of the former mystical Sun in a total darkness and death a Night-state in which no man can work righteousness more for ever Vers. VI. The Wind goeth towards the South and turneth about unto the North it whirleth about continually and the wind returneth again according to his circuits Here 's another teaching instructing similitude fetched from the litteral wind Christ in his first and second covenant spirits not unfitly represented by the North and South-wind does powerfully breath and blow upon the spirits of men in the actual distributions of the one and convincing discoveries of the other This mystical wind of Christs twofold creature-spirit is in the workings and motions thereof on men compared to and fitly figured out by litteral winds which manifest themselves in their powerfull effects however unseen in their true cause and nature Christ himself uses this similitude Joh. 3. 8. Vers. VII All the rivers run into the Sea yet the Sea is not full unto the place from whence the rivers come thither they return again The litteral Sea is a figure of mans immortal spirit the fathomless depths of which are such that it is impossible it should ever be filled with all the streames of comfort that can flow into it from all variety of visible or invisible things and excellencies in the whole first-creation World Satan's permitted dominion the sphere and bound of his activity and walk All these things highest lowest and intermediate from the tallest Cedar to the meanest Shrub in the whole lump of this worlds perishing transient vanities are resembled here by gliding rivers Satan has the most glittering excellencies of the first-creation sort in his angelical nature superiour to man's to offer communicate and lay before him to feed upon and delight in He is permitted by God to retain all these in unchangable enmity to him and all his divine Spiritual and Heavenly things in the second Yea also by his sinful transforming skill and power can he gild them over with the neerest resemblance and beautiful appearance of the second so as to deceive if possible the very Elect with his baits and catch them in his snares But the far greater part of mankind feed on husks as his Swine on the lowest part of the dust of this mortal world the gratifying satisfactions of the most brutish lusts of the lowest sort of life in their confounded fallen nature All these things of Man or Angel within the compasse of their first-creation state in distinction from the things of God Delights of the Sons of God in the second are the delights of the Sons of Men. Satan has a vast Herd of Swine amongst men And as for those that are not only enlightned but enlivened quick'ned out of their death in sin into the righteous life of their own nature again he is ready with all sorts of diet suted to the palate of that state And if the single excellencies and dainties suted to their palate in that state will not serve their turn he is ready with his superiour angelical first-creation vanities for them to feed on If these yet will not hold and satisfy them when by Christs spiritual enlightnings convincingly shewed and offered his more excellent new-creation life and things then will he gild over all humane and angelical excellencies and meats with the exactest counterfeit resemblance of the things of God the never perishing meats in the second If this yet will not do he is gone and the true Saint delivered from all his snares All the things of Man or Angel under all Satan's false glosses and glistering appearances of the things of God can never answer or satisfy the vast deep botomless 〈◊〉 of mans immortal spirit The most swelling rivers and full streams of all worldly vanities flowing into it can never fill it Nothing below the Ocean-fulnes of infinite divinity and the rivers of spiritual life flowing there-from and
returning thereunto as in unchangable union therewith can truly satisfy it Vers. VIII All things are full of labour man cannot utter it the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing Man in his natural first-creation state at best in all possible attainments and contentments thereof is but labouring in vanity from first to last and his misery therein not to be conceived or uttered by him Everlasting perplexity and unutterable vexation of spirit will inevitably seize him for ever after all his doating mirth in his fools paradise here if he get not out of this finfull folly and madness The understanding or eye ear and heart of his immortal spirit in the best natural state thereof cannot see hear desire take in or enjoy the divine and eternal spiritual creature-things of God provided in the Mediatour for them that love him which alone can answer all the wants of their immortal spirits not onely to satisfaction but extasy and wonder to all eternity A new spiritual eye ear intellect and palate are absolutely necessary for mans rightly taking in seeing hearing savouring enjoying and delighting in these things of God But how or which way must or can man come by these spiritual senses eye ear palate and understanding By the assimilating regenerating touch of Christ's new-creature heavenly spirit on man's natural and earthly Man obediently submitting to the death-work of Christ's heavenly priestly spirit as himself did in our spotless fleshly nature offering it up in sacrifice to the will of God in the fire thereof Heb. 9. 14. kindling that fire on the earth or earthly state of our nature in himself Luk. 12. 49-51 by this means and way only can any truly please God effectually resist and overcome world and devil scape eternal death or find eternall life in the senses whereof to be satisfied with seeing and filled with hearing He must be content to have his right eye hand and foot plucked out cut off and cast away to part with and lose the best discerning wisdom and light the exactest working righteousnes and walking righteously in his own renewed natural state offended at the cross signified by eye hand and foot in order to be filled with another life springing up from the incorruptible seed thereof as begotten and born of the spirit or ever-living word of God 1 Pet. 1. 23. in which alone he can see hear work righteousness or walk with a right foot according to the gospel of the grace of God so as truly to please God or find true blessedness for himself where his eye ear and heart can take in what will fully answer all the wants or desires of his immortal spirit to eternity Thus only can man come so to delight in the Lord as to have the whole desire of his heart Psal. 37. 4 all the needs of his immortal being eternally over-answered in such enjoyments and things as the natural eye ear or heart of Angel or Man can never see hear desire understand or take any right measure and cognizance of 1 Cor. 2. 9. By submitting to the death of nature at best under the hand of the gospel-high priest of our profession Heb. 3. 1. as himselfe in our nature did can these things be brought to pass The promise of the father will be certainly performed by the son for the quickning us up out of the death of our obediently sacrificed nature into the life of the true Melchisedec or sacrificing High Priest of God So shall we come to have an eye that can be satisfied with seeing and an ear filled with hearing in the fight and enjoyment not only of the Rivers of true Life in the creature-creature-spirit of the Mediator but infinite divine Ocean-fullness of God most high The natural Eye Ear Heart and Understanding have nothing for Object of the desire and thought of Man but a heap of perishing visible or invisible vanities that can never answer the wants of his immortal being All his appetite there is but a belly for meats and meats for a belly that God will destroy both one and t'other 1 Cor. 6. 13. desires and desirables which are all Vanity Man in whatsoever variety of his own nature then is vainly labouring under an impossibility of pleasing God or profiting himself as to true blessedness All he does in his natural state or Body the restored living soul and Image of the earthly is but bodily exercise 1 Cor. 15. 44-49 1 Tim. 4. 8. Man by trusting and establishing himself in his righteous Law-life becomes the unchangable enemy of God and his Gospel-life and Truths Filth of flesh or spirit an enmity to the divine and everlasting righteous creature-spirit of Christ and God fixed in makes Men a litteral or mystical Sodom to which the vengeance of eternal sire is the meet recompence When Man is once come to this pass all his labours are but as the tossings and uncertain tumblings of a raging foaming Sea casting up mire and dirt 〈◊〉 of flesh or spirit Isa. 57. 20. No peace with God no peaceable fruits of righteousness to God in a fixed spirit of enmity to him These can only be found and brought forth in that Gospel spirit of truth which is called Love as unchangably loving and beloved of God the fulfiller of his whole Law Rom. 〈◊〉 10. in every point in the full comprehensive litteral and mystical meaning thereof the fulfiller of all righteousness God's and Man's to God's well-pleasing and Man's Salvation Man establish'd in the most righteous Life of his own nature and so in unchangable enmity to the Righteousness of God in his spirit of Grace is unchangably wicked He walkes but in a vain shew a troublesome dream disquiets himself in vain heaps up Riches and knows not who shall gather them Psal. 39. 6. Christ by the same Cross or spiritual Gospel-Sword and Fire in final wrath will seize gather take and consume all which had they obediently submitted to as offer'd to be brought upon them in Love he would have given them his durable Riches and everlasting Life in the room thereof and so a spiritual Eye that should have bin satisfied with seeing and an Ear that would have bin filled with hearing Without Gospel-exchange-Traffick of Nature for Grace the Life of Man for God's of the Creature for the Creator's who is God blessed for ever we never find true satisfaction In his own nature Man trades only in shadows will never make any thing on 't to purpose That Life and all it feeds on are but vanishing shadows all the visible and invisible goodnesses thereof but fading flowers All that willfully and knowingly spend their days in such vanities will in a moment go down to the grave and all their thoughts perish Job 21. 13. All their beauty will be consumed in the grave from their dwellings Psal. 49. 14. This will men come to by the willful neglect of this timely warning from God that the inmost Eye and Ear of their Immortal Spirit in
the worldly Life of their own Nature can never be satisfied or find any durable good for its portion Unhappy man in all possible variety of his own nature corrupt or righteous foolish or wise wholly eyes doats upon chuses delights in and hunts after perishing vanities which God calls things that are not and turns his back upon all things spiritual and eternal as Chimaerical nothings which God calls the only things that are Vers. IX The thing that hath been is that which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sun There 's no new thing to be found in the first-creation worldly spirit of nature under the mystical Sun or first-covenant spirit nothing of the new-creature spirit of everlasting righteousness no things of God or his kingdom things spiritual heavenly eternal things ever new fresh green and flourishing Man and Angels as soon as made were old that is had no life or goodness but what was subject to mystical gray hairs decayes old age and death These are the several steps by which the mortal life and best things put into or set up in Angel or man come to expire and vanish All vanity All their fading goodness when they flourish therein as a green Bay-tree Psal. 37. 35. 36 carries mortality and vanity written out in its forehead has a day of adversity set over against their utmost prosperity therein The thing that hath bin is that which shall be The sinless Innocent state of man at first is that which shall be generally experienc'd on earth under the reign of Christ again At entrance thereof he will give a restitution of all to their primitive natural purity Act. 3. 21. Some gradual restorations of the first-covenant light or also life man was created in under Law and Gospel and before either were put into written oracles have bin experienced more or less by all men from the redeemers hand the light that lighteth every man that comes into the world What all such light life wisdom righteousness or 〈◊〉 works duties and performances thereof and in amount unto has bin sufficiently experienced This spirit or state is so far at best from being any security to man for salvation that a false confidence and resting therein is his sore and remediless destruction Mic. 2. 10. Men bring forth fruit but to themselves in all this at best are empty vines to God Hos. 10. 1. They never bring forth fruit unto God but in his newness of life as born of living and walking in his spirit of grace All in nature best or worst Root and Branch the fleshly Tree of good and evil with the fruit all 's but a perishing vanity There is nothing new to be done or found therein as the innumerable multitude of mankind have experienced generation after generation For Vers. X. Is there any thing whereof it may be said see this is new it hath bin already of Old time which was before us Satan is ready to suggest and man as ready to believe there is some new thing in the but renewed old nature of man beyond what at first was in it All men are experimental witnesses of Satan's first lie to Eve that the life of nature given in the first-creation was eternal and that they should not Die at all No such thing as Death incident to it But this life renewed and confirmed by the second Adam sayes Satan and Man joynes in it is Eternal But this confirming and warranting man safe in the established life and righteousness of restored nature is Satans doctrine and Man 's accursed other Gospel Christ restores mans lost first-covenant law-life Satan asserts this to be a Gospel state and man agrees to take it so and look no farther for salvation As soon as any are renewed by Christ into some degree of the lost righteous life of nature Satan is at their Elbow with the same lying Suggestion as to Eve this is Eternal Life ye shall not Die at all Paul not without a cause was afraid and Jealous of the Serpents thus beguiling the Corinthians through his subtilty as he did Eve 2 Cor. 11. 2 3. This is his other Gospel in a perfect contrariety to every tittle of Christ's v. 4 another Jesus another spirit and state of life for salvation in direct contradiction to all Paul preached which nor Paul nor any true Gospel-preacher ought to let passe undiscovered and uncontrolled Fixing in nature at best for salvation is union with the Devil in unchangable enmity to God and his new-creature spirit in which ever any could be saved Under Satans reign nature is seldom fully restored in man from filth of flesh And filth of spirit or enmity to God and his spirit of truth is inseperable from the highest restorations of it till the Reign of Christ. Yet under all these disadvantages and shortnesses of primitive purity is it when restored asserted to be better and safer then that for Salvation This Satan most wickedly suggests and Man most foolishly believes to his own destruction as he will find at winding up Thus Satan and his Apostles transformed into the likeness of Christ and his in word and language preach up restored nature a-fresh for a currant Gospel-state of absolute salvation in which men are under an absolute impossibility of ever finding it All the inticing and perswasive words of Satan's and Man 's serpentine and humane wisdom look and run this way Scripture interrogatories are the strongest assertions Is there anything new any newnes of life in mans restored Old nothing of it whatever can be found in this restored state has bin already of Old time before us in the unstained purity of it in Adam who yet was not fence-proof against Satans charming wiles and power T was then perfect in its kind rarely yet so since T was but a corruptible perfection of a loseable goodness And lost it was Most vain mad and unprofitable then is all Man's labour since the fall in seeking for asserting or undertaking to prove eternal spiritual life to be found in fading natural Man now in his best restored naturals is tainted with a treasonable Enmity to God and that spirit in which alone any can be saved Paul in his restored righteous law-life of nature was a fierce enemy to the spirit of grace and all the Gospel-truths or things thereof After the universal experience of man-kind and universal warnings of true wisdom to the contrary to preach up Salvation in the but restored first-covenant righteous life of nature is unexcusable madnes True Wisdome calls out to these simple stragglers and wanderers after Vanity with their backs willfully turned upon him and all his Reproofs of death upon Nature and instructions of Life in his Spirit of Grace How long re simple ones will ye love simplicity delight in scorning my counsel and hate true knowledge Prov. 1. 22. Turn from your own Understanding at my reproof and I 'le pour my
spirit into you by which ye shall rightly understand all my words vers 23. While men ramble after their many things spend all their labour and money for that which is not Bread Satans divers and strange Doctrines they come to be established in their own Nature with his meats to their final destruction in stead of being established with the Grace and Doctrine of Christ for their everlasting 〈◊〉 Heb. 13. 9. All our Old things Life Light Wisdom Righteousness c. must pass away that we may receive Christ's new 2 Cor. 5. 17. Vers. IX There is no remembrance of former things neither shall their be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after All former things excellencies and perfections found in the natural first-creation state before the fall or gradual restorations of the like since are of no account or remembrance with God Nothing short of his Life of everlasting righteousness set up in Man brings him under his approbation-Seal Men must be unmade broken down and pull'd up by the roots as to that Building and Life they were set up in by God himself in their first-creation-make in order to be new Vessels of his newness of Life by a second God planted in Man an incorrupt seed of corruptible Life that in its utmost flourish and fruitfulness amounts but to a fading flower by his left hand in a first-creation He offers to plant and quicken up in him on the obedient death and removal of all this Root and Branch Tree and Fruit an incorruptible seed of an everlasting Life by his right hand in a new-creation of him See both Seeds with a negative on the former in all born of the latter 1 Pet. 1. 23. This only and man therein will be of everlasting account and remembrance with God the other never in time past in innocency or any restorings of it since or time to come by the like restorings of it in following generations under Satans reign or the full perfection of it under Christ's reign which shall come after Vers. XII I the Preacher was King over Israel in Jerusalem What more contemptible than Satan's mercenary Priests and Preachers of Lies What or who more honourable than the Preachers of God's Truth King Solomon and a far greater than he Christ himself the high Priest of God is the Preacher of his Truths and Declarer of his Counsels to Angels and Men. Preaching Christ's Gospel is the best of Callings Satan's the worst of Trades Solomon the Preacher and Writer of this Book was King over litteral Israel in Jerusalem and therein a Type of Christ King over the whole spirituall Israel of God in the New-Jerusalem In the all-discerning Spirit of Prophecy does Solomon reflect upon his former vain thought for finding true happiness or the way towards it in the single wisdom of his own enlightned nature however eminent as follows Vers. XIII And I gave my heart to seek and search out by Wisdom concerning all things that are done under Heaven This sore travel hath God given to the Sons of Man to be exercised therewith Solomon here in the true preaching Spirit of Jesus reflects upon and gives an account of his own mistaking wisdom and thought about blessedness and of his sad experience therein I gave my heart to search out by my own Wisdom wherein I excelled others concerning all things under Heaven The result was he found this sore travel and labour of his natural mind to be what God has given to the sons of men to exercise afflict or humble them by In the new-creature Wisdom of God he finds the vanity of his own and his vain design thought and labour therein He finds that and all the things or works and fruits thereof to be but earthly from beneath below that Life wisdom and things of God he had now the experience of in him under Heaven So he at once confesses declares and corrects his vain thought of reaching knowing and doing all things relating to his true blessedness therein By way of Recantation toward the close of his Life and day in this World he confesses the vanity of his thought and unprofitableness of all his labour therein calling it as by sad experience he had found it a sore travel He declares also God's design in letting even Saints for a season run their course there to humble and Afflict them and so dispose them to a willing surrender of that for a better Life and Wisdom in which alone they may find what they were under an impossibility seeking for Thus God let Job and his three Friends run to the end of their Line in their own Wisdom and Spirit as Disputers of this world till at an absolute puzzle and period none of them being able to unriddle the design and methods of God's Wisdom towards Job under that dispensation of the Cross. Then he opens the mouth of his fore-runing Messenger 〈◊〉 to instruct them all in another Wisdom and Spirit on which they were 〈◊〉 answered no more but left off speaking Job 32. 2. 15. Enmity to God inseperable from the highest restored Life and Wisdom of Man must needs render his utmost labour therein about happiness a sore travel God in greatest love on Man's fall 〈◊〉 the mystical Ground Earth or earthly state of Man's nature and that for Man's sake so as to render that enmity to him contracted by the Fall unextinguishable otherwise then by the perfect death thereof Thorns and Thistles shall it bring forth say's God to Adam Gen. 3. 17. 18. Both the litteral and also mystical earth of Man's Nature in the very restored Life of the Law Image of the earthy and righteousnes of Man fell immediatly under this Curse All in the best works of their Law-life are under this Curse Gal. 3. 10. What Thorns and Thistles was Paul when eminent herein bringing forth in a fierce persecuting enmity against Christ and all his Gospel Truths and Saints Phil. 3. 6. Act. 26. 11. The death of nature then the right way not in but to sin so that sin becomes dead in them not they in it under the Cross and Gospel-sword is undispensably necessary to the ridding man of all evil and capacitating him to receive a Life of everlasting righteousness wherein he will find himself possessed of all good a state wherein 't is as impossible not to please God in every thing as in his own Life at best ever to please him in any thing This comes Man to by obediently complying with God's design in gladly receiving his sentence of Death within him as Paul and so getting rid of his own Law-spirit of bondage enmity and death and all his sore travel and labour therein to no purpose as to his grand concern in exchange for the Gospel-life of Christ and therein glorious liberty of the sons of God an everlasting freedom to good only and from all Evil of sin or punishment for ever Then all our works are wrought in
Sand on the Sea-shore 1 Kings 4. 29. The mystical inward riches of his restored adorned nature rendred him as much above others therein as in outward worldly greatness and visible pompe And he resolved to make the best of all these advantages offered him try what they all amounted to not without a secret hopeful-thought of finding absolute blessedness therein Vers. XVII And I gave my heart to know Wisdom and to know Madness and Folly I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit Here 's that he find's all to amount unto Wisdom Righteousness Wickedness Madness Folly all within the compass of Man's natural state corrupt or righteous vanity and if finally trusted in for blessedness will leave Man to his sore and amazing disappointment in eternal darkness and death unutterable torment and everlasting vexation of spirit as his due portion the meet recompence of his errour from God Solomon found the search after all Earthly vanities all things under Heaven or below what is heavenly a sore travel vers 13. a grievous labour man little the better when he has found them For setting himself to experience what the utmost pleasures to be had in all amounted to as gratifying to all variety of life and desire in him sensuall or intellectual he found all such knowledg and folly in corrupt or righteous nature and all such practice and experience vanity and vexation of spirit He was qualified and furnished to take the largest and deepest draughts as to all delights of the Sons of Men and take them he did and this he found all to be Though he found wisdom acquired or infused nature cultivated advanced and adorned by humane learning in Heathens or made wise strong and honourable in Christ by his restoring the lost righteous first-covenant life thereof better then the folly of dark ignorant uncultivated and unrenewed nature yet he found that all these varieties in nature fall under the same general title vanity and vexation of spirit This is the conclusion he arrives at in the preaching all-searching spirit of infallible truth All Wisdom Folly Light Darkness Righteousness Wickedness in man's natural state which he had taken the liberty to experience as well as know all is vanity This is King Solomon's Proclamation and warning to his fellow-mortals and the true King Solomon's faithfull and timely warning to all man-kind in all generations Prov. 1. 20 c. 8. 1 c. Final disappointment torment and vexation will befall all that finally fall short of true substantial divine and spiritual things in which alone true blessedness can ever befound Vers. XVIII For in much wisdom is much grief and he that encreaseth knowledg increaseth sorrow All increasings with the encreases of man in the fading Life Wisdom Riches Righteousness and Glory of his own nature not of God in the everlasting Life Wisdom Glory and righteousnes things of God are but additions to and multiplications of his sorrow in getting keeping and then loosing all again For all must go first or last by the dispensation of the Cross in love or final wrath upon every Man and Angel Men cannot but have misgiving thoughts from the self-evidencing nature of the perishableness of all they can be there possess'd of that all will be gone again So are all their life time therein subject to bondage in the highest glory and flourish thereof through a fear by death of losing all Heb. 2. 15. Job declares that as safe as he was apt to 〈◊〉 himself to be in the highest righteousness wisdom and glory of his own nature in afirst-covenant-life he had a secret bottom-fear all would fail him The thing I greatly fear'd is come upon me Job 3. 25 26. I find I had nothing of that true safety rest or quiet in the utmost wisdom and glory of my own restored nature that I fondly flatter'd my self into the false perswasion of He found all death-struck by the Cross the very righteous life and mystical riches of his spirit as well as outward concerns of his body His secret fear was the truest thought and faithful 〈◊〉 of him as to what he was to expect at winding up Man's encrease in the wisdom and knowledg of his own nature amounts but to the cleerer sight of the miseries and defects of himself and others therein and all such wisdom shews it self insufficient to correct his own or others errours Young sciolists are apt presently to think they know all but when they have travelled farther in their inquiries come with Socrates to see and confess they know only this that they know nothing with certainty infallibly and so find no rest or satisfaction in all they find Yea and are still more and more vexed and press'd thereby with the foresight of future evils incident to them The wisest man will more and more find himself in the exercise of his own wisdom as to things past present or to come but in a self-tormenting labyrinth and 〈◊〉 maze of vaine self-bewildring imaginations All knowledg and thoughts depending on the temper and fitness of bodily Organs are enfeebled in the old age and at length quite extinguished at the death of the body Then that all that sort of thoughts perish all see Again the higher man's light and knowledg if uncompliant therewith in practice the heavier he knows will the wrath of God be upon him for ever Thus the sad and inevitable result af all Man's encrease in his own wisdom and knowledg is the encrease and aggravation of his sin and sorrow at every turn Lastly the higher man is advanc'd in the life riches wisdom and righteousness of his own spirit the more apt with Paul to be a fierce zelot for that law-life and forwardest opposer of the everlasting Gospel-life of Christ and all the words thereof The Cross seemes a harder dispensation to the righteous Scribe and Phaisee that have much to lose then to Publicans Harlots in the corrupt life of nature who therefore as more easily induced to submit to and own the doctrine thereof enter into the Kingdom of God before them The mysticall rich young man went away very sorrowful when he heard of parting with all he had for eternal life Zaccheus and Mary-Magdalen did not so Final trusting in the corruptible life riches wisdom and righteousness of man render's entering into the kingdom of God absolutely impossible Mar. 10. 24 25. The very Disciples acquainted yet only with first-covenant riches were astonished out of measure at this word saying among themselves who then can be saved vers 26. Encrease in outward riches also and in that wisdom and subtlety by which gotten and for a season kept all such riches pomp and glory therein as figures and shadows of inward are usually found to be but the amusing snares of Satan by which he keep 's men in a total mindlesness of truelife with all the words thereof and leads them blindfold to the chambers of Death in Mirth and Jollity Job 21. 7-13 Thus are
all worldly riches wisdom and glory litteral and mystical by man's wilful madnes made an occasion of his everlasting grief sorrow torment and vexation of spirit Who can utter it what life treasure meats food clothing man should not seek and what he should Christ declar's and commandes nothing that 's liable to moth-eating rust corruption loss or death but heavenly unsubjected to any of these things above all dangers decayes deaths enemies or fears Mat. 6. 19 20. Joh. 6. 27. And by James he shew's what all that take not this counsel will come to at last as found possessed of no other riches litteral or mystical Gold and silver but what will be cankered and the rust thereof witness against them as guilty of inexcusable folly in neglecting all the faithful warnings of Christ against their trusting in such self-evidencing vanities for true hapines Jam. 5. 1-3 What they reckon a heaping up treasure for themselves for the last dayes they 'l find to have bin a treasuring up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath Man's passive obedience to the death and loss of all his life wisdom and riches is the highest point of obedience God requires or he can perform in the right use thereof This makes way for the quickning and springing up of the incorruptible seed principle of a new and everlasting righteous life in which alone t is possible for man to bring forth 〈◊〉 unto God or perform such active obedience as shall be ever pleasing to God and 〈◊〉 to himself This is the counsel and method of Gods wisdom about man's salvation which all that 〈◊〉 reject will inevitably perish If they will follow the words of man's wisdom in perfect contradiction thereunto This will they have of God's hand they must lie down in sorrow CHAP. II. Vers. I. I said in my heart go to now I will prove thee with mirth therefore enjoy pleasure and behold this also is Vanity SOLOMON set his Heart to try what all Mirth Joy and Pleasure in all sorts of first-creation things amounts unto After the utmost Proof thereof he finds and declares this also to be vanity all worldly delight and desire of the same complexion with the desirables delighted in whether visible or invisible delights of bodily life and the corrupt spirit of nature therein or of the rectified intellectual rational powers more properly the delights of the Sons of Men. The other are for beasts brutified men drown'd in the lusts of literal Sodom where sensual Powers usurp dominion over rational using what should be their Masters and Rulers as Slaves to fetch in provisions for them by right or wrong Some are recovered out of this disorder and confusion towards a rectitude of their natural powers where the rational command and sensual obey But to shew the unstable slippery standing of Man here Solomon not onely restored into the right exercise of his naturals but under strong spiritual convictions of true wisdom was caught and miserably entangled in this lowest sort of worldly snares His suppressed sensual powers struggled for and recovered their formerly usurped dominion over his rational and intellectual The signal aggravation of this 〈◊〉 was that he was eminent in the restor'd first-covenant wisdom of his own spirit of nature and spiritual light of the second the self-discoveries and revelations of Gods wisdom in his own spirit of grace as his pleasing request to God and the gratious answer thereunto do evince 1 King 3. 5-14 And again ch 9. 1-9 where the Lord also threaten's him and his people in case of apostacy or turning from following him v. 6. After all this his sensual lusts after strange Women run him a-ground They turn his heart after strang Gods also from the true He not onely tolerated but himself went after the Gods of the Idolatrous borderers Zidon Moab Ammon c. whence he fetched his Wives 1 King 11. 4-8 The Lord takes notice of the aggravation of this folly and madness as after his remarkable appearing to him twice and solemnly commanding the contrary v. 9. 10. On this threaten's to rend the greatest part of his Kingdom from his Son 11-13 T is like his expences about Idols and his Idolatrous Wives occasioned such unreasonable taxes and oppressions as moved the people to capitulate with his Son for redresse of greivances which he refusing they refused him for their King Chap. 12. 'T was an amazing thing a double-portion'd saint and kingly Preacher when old and neer his exit out of this world should be found guilty of such gross enormities as many meer heathens in a long life avoid to their dying day To encrease the wonder under all the violent impetuous hurries of his own disordred spirit the wisdom of God's still remained with him Without this his foolish hurtfull lusts had drowned him in destruction and perdition A seed and principle of true wisdom was his powerful preservative from final apostacy And the want of this will be found no excuse to final apostate's from and haters of it when convincingly shewed and offered it Solomon exercised his brutish lusts for a season not onely in a flat contrariety to this but to the very light of his own reason also The unsubdued natural spirit or mystical Woman in himself carried him forth in lust after the literal who involved him in their gross Idolatries He allowed himself the full experience of all worldly desirables from the higher to the lower parts of the dust of this mortal first-creation worldly vanities He sent forth his heart on this errand to try what satisfaction the whole lump of this world's vanities from the Cedar to the Shrub intellectual delights to Husks among Swine would afford him and set's down at the foot of his account All is vanity In a union of mind with Christ by spiritual light he acknowledges all his ransacking the whole bulk of this world's desireables and roving up and down as thinking to pick up a satisfying food for his immortal Spirit amongst them direct madness So comes he from dear-bought experience to say as follow 's Vers. II. I said of Laughter it is mad and of Mirth what doth it Laughter and Mirth here signify the highest delight and satisfaction can be had in the fullest possession and enjoyment of all worldly desireables relating to the corrupt or righteous life of man in his own nature Solomon therefore in the al-discovering light of the spirit of God reflects upon his former foolish design therein judging his whole course and race there evil because his force or principle was not right but indeed a spirit of enmity to God All his delusive and destructive Joy he found Madness a making large and swift steps under the bewitching influence of the God of this world towards the chambers of death His words pleasing suggestions and gratifying offers to men are smoother then oil yet are drawn swords his method of wounding men to eternal death The spirit of man since the fall is a
fading nature vanity and vexation of spirit as follow 's Vers. XI Then I looked on all the workes that my hands had wrought and on the labour that I had laboured to do and behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit and there was no profit under the Sun Solomon in the infallible light and wisdom of the second looked upon all his works labours and enjoyments in the first-creation World and life and finds all vanity and vexation of spirit of no profit avail or conducibleness at all to true hapines but rather as mistaken and abused signal lets and hindrances thereunto All will come to nothing and therefore finally trusted in and relied upon will leave Man naked and destitute to eternity In all moyling and toyling in his own nature he is found in direct enmity to God and that spirit of grace in which alone he can be saved All life goodness things of this world are not only unprofitable but destructive to man if rested in His inevitable loss of all is legibly written out in the changable nature of all for his own reading The resolute chusing therefore his own fading creature-life and things before above and against the unchangable creature-life of the Creator and everlasting Righteousness and wisdom of God therein with all the ever-new fruits thereof things of God is an unpardonable crime the sin against the holy Ghost or spirit of God and Gospel-life of Christ the great the presumptuous sin unto death exclusive to all benefit of Christs sacrifice all intercession of Christ or true Saints Jo. 5. 16. Heb. 10. 26. So will man be left for ever in the most forlorn condition imaginable unutterable torment and vexation of spirit Vers. XII And I turned my self to behold wisdom and madness and folly for what can the man do that cometh after the King even that which hath been already done Solomon turned from his own fallible to the infallible wisdom of God or light of his spirit in which he saw the perpetual course of madness and folly he had been guilty of under the conduct of his own So saw he the wisdom of God in his new-covenant spirit of grace and folly of man throw-out in his old-covenant spirit of nature Partakers of that creature-holy ghost or spirit that 's in personal union with the divine are brought into unchangable union of mind with the divine When Solomon turned to the exercise of this he turned from his own as he advised others Prov. 3. 5 6. The spirit of God is the creature-wisdom the living Word of God that is God Jo. 1. 1. everlasting righteousness true holiness To keep up the life and way of Man's will wisdom and spirit against God's is destructive Madness and folly For what can he do that comes after the King Solomon King of litteral and also mystical earthly Jerusalem in all the glory wisdom and righteousness of man He reigned as a King there for a season over his sensual powers with the Corinthians in the but restored first-covenant spirit of the Law 1 Cor. 4. 8. He had the start and vantage-ground of all others in his day for finding true hapiness in worldly vanities if any such thing were ever to be found therein What litteral or mystical all visible or invisible Riches and Glories of that sort signified or amount unto he had so full an experience that for any to think or hope to find therein what he could not is madness The King here may also point back to the first or forward to the second Adam in our flesh made under the Law as the first Both first and second Adam in holy flesh life of the Law righteousness of Man were greater then Solomon in the first-creation Principle of life and action and free from enmity to the second The first could not secure his standing in that changable principle The second refused to attempt it but surrendred and let it fall for that principle of unchangable righteousness in which he could as the first ought to have done He would not be a Judg Ruler or King in the former as the professing Jews in that spirit would have had him who crucified him for owning himfelf a King in the latter wherein the Son of God Yet such a King will he shew himself to be to their sorrow whether they will or no. What can men hope for in but some gradual restorings of that life of nature they had in perfection untinctur'd also with filth of spirit or enmity to God and the power of godliness in his spirit of grace which lurk's under the highest restored Righteousness of Man or form of godliness in his spirit of nature Adam in innocency had not eternal life and God took away what he had his fading for his sinfull keeping it up against and refusing to surrender it in exchang for his everlasting life If what was Adam's sin to do be asserted the duty he ought to have done to Wit the keeping what he had and where he was what instructions are we like to have towards the avoiding a sinning after the similitude of his transgression And they that confine the Death of the second Adam to his body denying the surrender and Death of his spirit as to its first-covenant Life of the Law will teach the pittying sparing and keeping up of that as Satan by Peter counselled Christ himself to be the very way of salvation Thus runs the doctrine of Satan's and Man 's other Gospel in a flat contradiction to Christ's in every point Vers. XIII Then I saw that Wisdom excelleth Folly as far as Light excelleth Darkness Wisdom and Folly Light and Darkness character the first and second Covenant or Old and New creation Law and Gospel-principles of life desire thought and action in Men. The excellency of the second admits no comparison with the first The first has no Glory Wisdom Light Righteousness to the second that excell's and remain's for ever 2 Cor. 3. 10 11. The first is marvellous darkness as to all spiritual things of God and grand concerns of man The second marvellous light discovering all things divine spiritual and natural in their distinct goodnesses Ye were darkness in your own spirit of nature corrupt or enlightned now are ye light in the Lord's spirit of grace walk as Children of this light Eph. 5. 8. walk not as fools in your own spirit but as wise vers 15. in the Lord's Man's spirit since the fall in the highest renewals is of Satan's palate savours not sees or receives any things of the spirit of God Mat. 16. 23. 1 Cor. 2. 14. All that finally prefer their darkness to God's light will find everlasting darkness their portion The glorious advantages of the wisdom and light of God's spirit render it most desireable to man Prov. 3. 13 18. and 4. 5 13. True wisdom call's out to all in corrupt or enlightned nature as fools and simple in their main concern Prov. 1. 20-23 and 8. 5. The folly of Man in
corrupt nature is seen of all But enmity to God and the power of Godliness in that spirit of grace wherein alone any can be saved is seen of none in the highest wisdom of restored nature And this is the root of all spiritual Wickednesses Uncleanesses Idolatries and Murders These all lurk under fair shews in holy flesh form of Godliness and righteousness of Man in the restored Image of the earthy All natural excellencies in Man or Angel are but a fading flower All the mystical Gold Silver and Rubies thereof perishing nothings to the new-creation Wisdom and things of God And what then to the infinite divine Wisdom and things of God lesse then nothing Isa. 40. 17. Christ offers his durable Life Riches and Substance his Heavenly treasures for Man's fading Earthly shadows and is refused Mat. 19. 21 22. Wisdom of nature in corrupt or moral Heathen and in first covenant Saints excells the folly contrary thereunto as Light Darkness But this reaches not the intended mystery and truth of this scripture Vers. XIIII The wise Man's Eyes are in his head but the fool walketh in darkness and I my self perceived also that one event happeneth to them all The truly wise sees with the Eyes of Christ his spiritual Lord and Head in his light he sees light Psal. 36. 9. in the spiritual light of Christ the infinite divine Light and Glory Man and all he does in this light this spirit has the praise of God but not at all of men wise righteous Men. Paul was of high account with such when a persecuting first-covenant Saint in his holy flesh of no account with them when a suffering spiritual Saint in God's Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 4. 8-13 2 Cor. 10. 12. He was contented to be a no-body with men when such a one as the Lord commendeth passed not for Man's day or judgment of him The righteousness of Man kept up in enmity to God's is highly esteemed of men but abominable to God And the righteousness of God in the spiritual Saint is highly esteemed of God but abominable to man with all the words thereof Man's Soul established in his own Righteousness loath's God's soul or spirit and God's his Zec. 11. 8. Man's loathing God is the greatest wickedness God's loathing him and dealing with him accordingly the just punishment thereof In the spiritual Eyes of their Head do true Saints fix their eyes on Christ their Lord and Head receive his counsells and obey him amid'st all uncertainties darknesses and miscarriages of their natural Man They walk in his spirit of light fools in their own spirit of darkness Paul when wise in God seemed a fool to men men wise in Christ by his first-covenant communications Christ marred that visage wisdom and image of the earthy in his own person which they trust in for Salvation Paul cast away all they trust in as dung for the spirit and wisdom of God the life and image of the Heavenly No being wise in God without being fools to Men 1 Cor. 3. 18. and 4. 10. Man in the highest Light and Wisdom of his own nature is indeed the Fool tossed up and down by the various Winds of Satan's divers and strang doctrines walking in darkness not knowing whither he goes or what he does who or what he worship's He reckons he is making safe steps toward Salvation when making swift steps to destruction Man that finally trust's in his own Wisdom for directing his steps sides and hold's with the Devil as his Head true Saints with Christ for directing their Steps in his spirit But how does one event happen to them all Wise and Fools This one event is a twofold death incident to both in the twofold mortal Life of their Body and Spirit 'T is appointed to all men good and bad Once to Die Heb. 9. 27. as to both these lives in their natural state By such Death are all first or last cut off from and for ever deprived of all outward or inward litteral or mystical riches and comforts of this World The whole Life of the natural state in the love or wrath of God will be taken from every Man and Angel Mortality and Death is legibly written out upon all in the perishing nature of all they are possessed of however obstinately kept up and trusted in by most The event that happens or falls to the Lot of the obedient surrenderer of his natural Life under the Cross or rebellious refuser so to do which brings him under the same Cross or Gospel-sword in final wrath after the said one event that happens to both and all will be found exceedingly differing even a state of eternal Life or Death God rejects mens false confidences but approves of their distrust and despair in themselves or best things in their own Nature as vers 20. Vers. XV. Then said I in my heart as it happeneth to the fool so it happeneth even to me and why was I then more wise Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity Here is the bottom thought of Solomon's heart in this matter In the Wisdom of God he reflects upon and reviews himself in all his former glory and wisdom of a man and then compares himfelf and any other in like case made wise strong and honourable in Christ by his renewalls of their old natural state and fresh quickening them up into the life thereof out of their fallen state of death in trespasses and sins with the fool and finds one Chance or Lot happen to all that are but such wise men never proceeding farther and the fool even a state of eternal darkness and death The Fool in the lowest sense is what we call a meer Natural destitute in a manner of any use of his rational Powers through indisposition of Body Again a man weak and shallow in his natural Powers and uncultivated by Education Reading and Converse with better Understandings is a Fool to a man of deep Natural Judgement quickness of Mind of a soaring searching Capacity and great Reach advanced also by Learning and Converse This Fool and wise Man may both be found and oft are in the but heathenish spirit of nature and that in the corrupt rebellious state thereof walking contrary to such and to all light and wisdom natural and spiritual The moral righteous Heathen that endeavours to obey such light of nature as Christ a-fresh sets up in every man that comes into the world though of less light and speculative wisdom or capacity then the former is a wiser and better man The first-covenant Saint with his holy flesh wise strong and honourable in Christ though of less speculative wisdom then either is wiser and better then both and then the spiritual new-covenant Believer and Saint that seems a fool to them all as having quitted all Wisdom of man for God's is not only wiser then them all but the only truly wise and they all fools as to the whole of their eternal concerns In general all are fools
and Fire of God's High Priest is our only way of being delivered from all evil of sin or punishment for ever And on such obedience we shall certainly receive the promise of the Father the everlasting creature-life and spirit of the Son which will fill us with all good for ever above wonder Is not here great Gain on all hands to encourage us to bear such loss the spiritual Law of the Cross and ordinances of God's new-creation sanctuary call for as undispensably necessary for our admission or entrance thereinto This exchang-traffique of Law for Gospel Life of Nature for Grace Earthly for Heavenly the natural life of the Creature for the spiritual life of the Creator is the highest and best market man can make of all his first-creation vanities Truth or the Gospel-spirit of truth can never be bought but to Man 's unspeakable advantage never sold or parted with from love to what 's to be parted with for it but to Man 's unspeakable loss Buy the Truth therefore at any rate but Sell it at no rate though all the kingdom's of this World and glory of them all natural humane or Angelical excellencies be bidden for it Paul when eminent in first-covenant holines parted with all as dung for this Truth All that have tried this most gainfull traffique have found it so No active obedience performable in Man 's own nature ever does his work for salvation but passive a right ceasing from that life with all its activity and labours Should a Man live a thousand years twice told in the utmost fruitfulnes of his rectified naturals he will still find Solomon's account true all vanity All that 's but Earthly in Man or Angel all first-creation Life and fruits or works thereof will be burnt up by the fire of the second 2 Pet. 3. 10. Christ's new-creature spirit will try by its al-discovering light all principles and works whether natural or spiritual earthly or Heavenly and then all the former that 's changable and perishable will most certainly perish or be burnt up by the fire of this trying spirit All that obediently submit not to this fiery triall fall inevitably under its everlasting burnings in and upon them in final Wrath. All changable goodnes earthly first-creation Life and Fruits first or last must passe away from obedient Saints and incorrigible sinners in God's Love or Wrath. This fiery triall seem's grievous at present to nature in Saints Heb. 12. 11. Our nature in Christ himself was sorrowfull to death cast out a word for scaping the Death-Cup but he instantly called it back His living Soul of the same kind with the first Adam's was sorely put to 't made exceeding sorrowful under the death-work of his second-Adam's quickning-spirit or gospel-sword and fire upon it Mat. 26. 38 39. Obedient submission to God's present temporary Wrath in this case is the only possible way of deliverance from his Eternal the Wrath to come All willful refusers of the former are sure to meet with the latter Those that with Paul received Gods just sentence of Death within them On their naturals at best have unspeakably the best on 't Those that please themselves a-while in resisting and scaping it fall under it for ever The sufferings and shame brought on the natural man of the Saint are not to be compared with the joy and glory of spiritual life that follows Nor does the present false joy stiffnecked resisters of the Cross or holy Ghost in its demolishing operation upon their naturals please themselves with signify any thing in comparision of the griefs torments and vexation of spirit this crosse will bring upon them in Eternal Death The demolishing-work of the Cross is grievous to nature in Saints at present but in no comparison so grievous as 't wil be to it in rebellious resisters and that for ever True Saints soon find the benefit of their obediently sacrificed nature by a resurrection out of the death of that into the everlasting righteous life of the sacrificing high Priest of their Gospel-profession Melchisedeck So have they eternal life abiding in them the Kingdom of Heaven within them live and walk in Christ's kingdom-spirit the Gospel-principle of everlasting righteousness Thus by submitting to the temporary wrath at present brought upon them in God's everlasting kindness do they scape the wrath to come But what mean's Solomon in saying that all his wise labours in his own restored nature must be left to a man that has not laboured therein Who is this Christ in his originally unchangable creature-spirit of everlasting righteousness and truth Himself surrendred the earthly first-covenant righteous life and labours thereof in our flesh to the flames of his own eternal Heb. 9. 14. everlasting righteous creature spirit in sacrifice to his own divine spirit and God most high The sacrifice he offred the sacrificing Priest that offered it and God to whom offered all are comprehended in the worderful person of the Mediatour as the divine and twofold creature form of God originally spiritual and spiritualiz'd transformed regenerate natural baptized into the death and assimilated in the resurrection life of it to the originally spiritual This divine and twofold creature-being image or form of God in Christ is all called God even the spiritualiz'd man Christ Jo. 1. 1. All are the living Word and Oracle of God's infinite divine mind his Wonderfull Counsellor to Angels and Men. And in all stands he in a distinction for ever from God most high in the single and uncompounded divine essence in which the Father to this divine and creature-Son begotten from eternity as the divine and from everlasting Prov. 8 23 as creature-Son of God Hence is it said the Mediatour is not of one nature but God is one Gal. 3. 20. This sacrificing Priestly Gospel-spirit of Christ reapes or gather's cut 's down burns up and utterly consumes all the life and labours or workings of Angel or Man in their natural first-creation make and life as he served our fleshly nature in his own person By his Cross or Gospel-sword he gathers all for sacrifice to God as his due required Tithes and Offerings the mystical truth of the litteral that never laboured or did any thing in that natural state of life but was originally spiritual This also is vanity sayes Solomon or shewes the insignificancy of man's or angel's labours in their earthly first-creation Life of vanity about salvation All must go life and all or they never can be saved And this is a great evil or grieving consideration to man that his life at best and all done in it are but perishing vanities vanishing shadows of things to come or to be brought a-float in men by a new-creation 'T is also Man's great evil his unpardonable Sin if he rob God or withold his Mystical Tithes and Offrings Mal. 3. 8. the most high and criminal Spiritual sacriledg many first-covenant Professours are guilty of in holy flesh Rom. 2. 22. the best fruits or works
of his own nature life and all from Christ's Gospel-sword or Cross and spiritual Circumcision-Knife and so from being an obedient sacrifice or holocaust to God in all There is also a great evil even direct enmity to God found in all man's first-creation life of vanity the most restored Image of the Earthy and best fruits producible therein This filth of spirit cleaves fast unto all and is inseperable from Man's nature since the first sin of it Christs communicating to and setting up his spiritual life in Saints makes them Lilies that neither toil nor Spin yet grow into a flourishing fruitfulnes No labour or toil of the natural spirit in the case but a rest from all that labour God works all our works in us and we all our works in him Jo. 3. 21. Solomon in all his glory was not Arayed like one of these Mat. 6. 28 29. In all his fading natural excellencies and perfections he had no glory to these beautiful new-creation Lilies that excel Men yield up all their fading natural life and fruits to Christ as the man the spirit of everlasting righteousness or to the Devil the Man of sin and everlasting wickedness If to Christ he offers all up in sacrifice to God If to Satan he sets up and uses all in unchangable enmity to God When the Son of God had this life of vanity about him the life of the Law God spared it not in him nor did he pitty or spare it in himself as the Devil by Peter advised him to do Some that have a mind to be bidding at Salvation and the new-building in the way of the Cross and won't bid up are willing to part with the corrupt life of nature and palpably evil fruits and lusts thereof the refuse and worst of their Cattel but as Saul in letter and mystery spare the choice things the King and best of the Cattel in this Amalekite-spirit of nature keep back part of their earthly possessions with Ananias and Saphira the righteous Earthly life and fruits thereof will come off or fare as they did lose their own self-chosen kingdom life and all 1 Sam. 15. 8 9. and v. 18-23 Acts. 5. 1-10 Vers. XXII For what hath a Man of all his labour and of the vexation of his heart wherein he hath laboured under the Sun Without a surrender of all for that newness of life in which alone he can bring forth fruit unto God and be saved all turns to his eternal loss and disadvantage This question is resolved Vers. XXIII For all his dayes are sorrows and his Travel grief yea his heart taketh not rest in the night This is also vanity If first-covenant life be not first or last surrendred for the second that has bin no active principle or labourer in the way and Wisdom of the first all 's lost For 't is in the new life of the second only can any bring forth fruit unto God or be saved This exchange of first for second finally refused Man will have nothing to reap of all his labours and travels in the first but unexpressible sorrows grief shame and everlasting contempt as having wilfully rendered himself a Vessel of dishonour for ever under wrath He has changed all his goodness the wrong way into unchangable evil and enmity to God for which the unchangable wrath of God will be upon him And this will make that mystical Night of Darkness and Death his heart can take no rest in This come all men's vain labours for rest in the life and activity of their own nature to against all the faithful counsels and timely warnings of God So will all the dayes belonging to their immortal beings even to all eternity be spent in torment and vexation of spirit They have rebelliously walked in the light of their own Fire and Sparks of their own kindling the fruits and births of their own light and wisdom in the life and activity of their own nature and must lie down in Sorrow for their pains All first-creation life of the Law thus unlawfully used in rebellion against God will be found not only vanity but a great and sore evil to them for ever Vers. XXIIII There is nothing better for a man then that he should Eat and Drink and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour This also I saw that it was from the hand of God This eating and drinking as a taking pleasure and joy in man's labour Solomon recommend's as savory advice and a peculiar gift from God cannot be any thing bordering upon brutish sensuality nor yet Men's feeding and gratifying themselves with the best fruits of their labours in a first-covenant Law-life for in both these men lie under the Curse of God Gal. 3. 10. No feeding on perishing meats in a perishing life can be the meaning of the spirit Solomon gave this counsel in but a feeding on never-perishing Meats suited to a never-perishing life as Christ the true Solomon advises with a negative dash on all other life and meats Jo. 6. 27. This only is a true blessing from God puts man under his approbation-seal a Belly and Meats he will not destroy All other he will All other life finally kept up and fed in tends to man's final destruction Right eating and drinking of Christ's living Bread and the kingdom-Wine of his spirit strengthens man in his newness of life to bring forth fruit unto God daily more and more from thirty to sixty sixty to a hundred-fold and from that to a thousand c. endlesly David Solomon and other Saints have seen and proclaimed the vanity of all other Life and Meats with all Man 's delusive destructive joy mistaken pleasures and confidences therein They have recanted and declared the wrong measures they took in their own fallible wisdoms both of themselves and Gods various dealings with them and others in this world Enemies are gratified with more than heart can wish litteral or mystical riches in their own nature will and way after their own hearts while true saints are plagued all their day long in this World and chastned every morning Psal. 73. 4. 14. The natural man of the saint envies frets and is vexed at this worldly prosperity of the wicked but their spiritual in God's Sanctuary-light sees what all will come to and so quiets their wrangling envious natural as an injurious quarreller at Gods dispensations and the methods of his wisdom v. 16-19 Spiritual light extricates them out of that labyrinth and consused maze their own wisdom and thoughts run them into and sets all to rights The blessed end of Saints troubles and dreadful conclusion of wicked Mens prosperity payes for and answers all This seen quiets the Saint and fills him with Joy unspeakable and glorious This we find over and over Psal. 37. 73. 〈◊〉 21. and in plenty of other scriptures Envy not their fools-paradice here that ha's Hell at end on 't All their laughter and merriment is but as the crackling
of Thorns under a pot a short blaze in this mortal World and away After their Resurrection of Damnation they 'l have time enough to pay their sad reckoning under the flamings forth of unquenchable Wrath upon them This will they have from God's hand When Saints clearly see this twofold Issue of their trouble and others prosperity in this world can they envy will they not pity them The afflictions of the one and prosperity of the other are both but a Dream Truth will out at last in the endless end both arrive at and come to in eternal life or death When the Wicked awake out of their dreamish hapines God will despise their Image destroy their life and all their false comforts in the Image of the Earthy Psal. 73. 20. When Saints awake out of their afflictiondream they will be satisfied with Gods Heavenly Image and his new-creature life Psal. 17. 15. One has but an Imaginary hapines the other Imaginary trouble all 's but a vain shew Psal. 39. 6. As Saints more plentifully feed on the Lords never-perishing Meats from his heavenly table they are more strengthned in that newness of life in which they bring forth never-perishing fruits unto God God requires and delights in their eating and drinking abundantly at his Heavenly Table the glorious fruits of his divine and creature-spirit the Tree of Life They can never be too much filled with his spirit Eph. 5. 18. and fruits thereof No rioting or excess at his Table never too much of his Wine The more any feed at his table the more they discover and nauseate Satan's worldly meats and wine Let him gild his perishing vanities with never so near a resemblance of Christs meats ' twon't do They can spie out his Contemptible meats under all the beautiful disguises he puts upon them and reject them See then the mystery and truth of Solomons declaration here There 's nothing better for a man then to eat and drink the good of all his spiritual labours which never are in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. All other labour in mans own nature is in vain as to his grand concern Life Fruits Labours nothing vain in a new-creation state all in the old All 's unchangable in the new all vanishing in the old Tree and Fruit Root and Branch Womb and Births Fruits in the new are Peaceable fruits of Righteousness in a union of mind with God not so in the Old All there is done in a spirit of enmity to God even the best and most righteous works of man By works of Grace in God's new-covenant spirit Abraham was Justified and not by Faith only Jam. 2. 21-24 Such works wrought in God or in the spirit of faith are ingredients into the saint's Justification not any works or deeds of the Law-spirit of nature Rom. 4. 2-6 The true saint does not live war or walk after the flesh but against it in the spirit The ruling principle in man denominates A predominant exercise of the corrupt spirit of nature with the vile affections and brutish lusts thereof denominates Man a Beast The ruling exercise of the enlightened principles of nature declare a man a Legal Christian or at least a moral Heathen The ruling exercise of the Gospel-spirit in man makes a spiritual Saint a Gospel-Christian And now by this opening of these words into the mystical truth of them is not excluded a shadowy litteral sense thereof as countenancing a right and free use of the concerns of bodily Life for the end by God intended in them against the folly of those that from an evil covetousness and vain self-tormenting sollicitude find no heart or power to eat thereof to the best advantage of the Life that 's more then meat and the Body that 's more then Raiment Mat. 6. 25. Vers. XXV For who can eat or who else can hasten hereunto more then I Solomon here declares his Priviledg through the awak'ned Wisdom of God in him of hastening to and feeding at Christ's Heavenly Table on the things of God Who carried forth with a stronger bent of affection to things above Col. 3. 2. then I He found a strength of spiritual appetite carrying him forth to eat and drink abundantly according to Christ's Invitation to his supreamly double-portion'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saints of which number himself seem's to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own mysterious Song Cant. 5. 1. Vers. XXVI For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight Wisdom and Knowledg and Joy But to the sinner he giveth Travel to gather and to heap up that he may give to him that is good before God This also is vanity and vexation of spirit The good man in God's sight is the spiritual Saint in distinction from all others What 's unchangably good only is properly good in God's sight None good insinitely from Eternity but God only 〈◊〉 everlasting to Eternity is the creature-spirit in the Mediator good And to Eternity are all obedient Angels and Saints born of that spirit and brought forth in the everlasting righteous Life thereof good before God No Angel no Man no thing in the first-creation-make or State of Angel or Man is in this sense good however good in their kind and right use yea very good Gen. 1. 31. The natural man of the Saint in the restored first-covenant Life and Image of the earthy is made good in God's sight by submitting to the Plow-work of the Cross Christ's spiritual husbandry upon it pointed so deep as to tear up by the Roots the natural principle of enmity And then by the same hand or spiritual Plow is quick'ned up the before dormant seed of an incorruptible righteous new-creation Life in which Man's nature as made new earth brings forth fruit unto God This is the Earth that by drinking in the spirituall Rain-waters of Life that come oft npon it brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed Christ and God most high Heb. 6. 7. Saints are thus Gods Husbandry and Christ the Mystical Husband-man that does the work He cleanses from filth of flesh the vile fruits and lusts of the corrupt Nature This yet 〈◊〉 not or enables men to bring forth fruit unto God but to themselves only Hos. 10. 1. towards the farther enriching and adorning their own nature They are empty Vines and but fallow Fields yet to God Some-what clear'd are they from the Nettles and Thistles of the corrupt spirit of nature but they bring forth no right Grapes or good fruit unto God unchangably good A seed of enmity remaining in them after all natural cleansings is a Root of bitterness bearing Gall and Wormwood Briars and Thorns in a bloody bitter murderous mind of enmity against God Christ and all his Gospel-Saints and Truths So see we the good man here rendred so by God's unspeakable Gift consisting in true Wisdom Knowledge and Joy joy unspeakable and Glorious in the holy Ghost or spiritual principle of everlasting righteous life desire thought word and
action And hereby is he fitted to enjoy God in whose favourable presence is fulnes of Joy and at whose right hand are pleasure's for evermore Psal. 16. 11. Secondly then who is the Sinner here This sinner is not only nor chiefly the common sinner in the corrupt spirit of nature unfix'd there All are so born Children of Wrath and death serving divers lusts hatefull and hating one another Eph. 2. 3. Tit. 3. 3. All are sinners against the son of man or light and righteous life of the first-covenant law the highest edition and dispensation whereof was found in Christ's person as Son of Man in the earthly law-life of our nature holy flesh If such sins and sinners were not pardonable and the wrath thereby provoked and demerited atoneable by Christ's obedient sacrifice of that spotles law-life and by his powerful intercessions no man could be saved The sinner here then is of a higher rank and deeper die then so The principles of corrupt and righteous nature in a kind of struggle and fight against each other in man too generally mistaken for flesh and spirit are but corrupt and holy flesh which joyn in war against what 's truly called spirit in scripture the spirit of Christ and spiritual mind thereof in Saints Gal. 5. 17. Paul in holy flesh was a fierce persecuter of Gods Holy Spirit and true saints And when a signal Apostle he found that holy flesh a fighter against Gods holy spirit in himself as he abundantly complain's Ro. 7. While man then interprets the words of Gods wisdom by the short-sighted conceptions and words of his own wisdom he shuts up the kingdom of Heaven excludes all the mystery and spiritual truth of scripture out of all his teaching and reputed orthodox divinity All this lies buried in deep silence and inadvertency And would this were all When the spiritual mystery and kingdom-sense of all scripture is offered such humane divines in their lying spirit of 〈◊〉 as to all Gospel-truths or things of God set themselvs might and main to 〈◊〉 and decry it disswade their hearers from listning to 't as the most detestable blasphemous doctrin in the world The enlight'ned professing righteous Jewish Teachers said on this very account of Christ himself he hath a Devil and is Mad Why hear ye him Joh. 10. 20. Do any of the Scribes or Pharisees believe him None but silly ignorant Women and Fishermen Publicans and Harlots such as know not the Law and are cursed regard his words Here 's the passe Golpel-truths were at amongst the only professing people at that day in the world when Christ himself was the Preacher Such Sinners against the Holy Ghost or gospel-spirit of truth when rich full and reigning as Kings as needing nothing for Salvation when they want every thing 1 Cor. 4. 8. 10. Rev. 3. 17. Wise Strong and honourable in Christ as to first-covenant attainments and fruitful in the life thereof these are the very sinner or sinners here meant when obstinately fixed there The self-same law-spirit or restored principle of righteous life and action in their own nature fixed in under the outward dispensation of the Gospel renders men a-like prejudic'd now against the whole mystery and truth of Gospel the very Christ the very Gospel as they were under the outward dispensation and ceremony of the Law They exclude all the Gospel-sense of all scripture old and new Testament out of all their divinity 〈◊〉 are the divines that shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men not entring themselvs nor suffering others to enter They set up Satan's kingdom of marvellous darkness for Christ's Kingdom of marvellous light They preach up that accursed other Gospel he preached to Eve and is at ever since that man shall not die at all that is that in his own enlightned righteous nature he has eternal Life So Second-covenant newness of Life true Grace Regeneration c. are all frustrated or made void as useless nothings that are all in all for true salvation All new-covenant Titles are given to the old and the very new 〈◊〉 with all its doctrin as madness These that pass thus for Christs only Church and Saints will be found when God is Judg himself the most criminal sinners beyond litteral Sodom even a spiritual Egypt and Babylon In all their conformity to Christ in that Life of our nature he crucified are they in flat opposition to that spiritual he raised it into in which he lives for evermore Rev. 1. 18. These 〈◊〉 painted Sepulchres whited Walls full of enmity to God filth of spirit mystical rottenness and corruption They are Theeves and 〈◊〉 that having shut up the right Door of Entrance into the kingdom by the death of nature at best under the Cross climb up some other way to take it by violence force their entrance in holy flesh their own Wisdom and strength with satan Christ crucified and abolished all that in himself they daringly and presumptuously attempt to enter it with These are Wolves in sheeps Clothing dressing up their visible saint-ship in but holy Flesh with all the words and titles belonging to the invisible saint in God's holy spirit a life yet hid with Christ in God In this disguise are these mystical robbers of Christ and his true saints of all their titles their fiercest and most outragious enemies as Christ warn's his followers Mat. 10. 16-18 Next then what 's meant by God's giving such a sinner travel to gather and to heap up that he may give to him that is good before God 1. First what is it this sinner gathers and heaps up 2. Secondly in what sense is God the giver to him with pain and travel so to do 3. And thirdly how and in what sense is what he so heaps up given to him that is good before God To the first The peculiar treasures of the choicer sort of Kings of the earth mystical Silver and Gold v. 8 and Jam. 5. 2 3. the Laodicean treasures of such first-covenant Kings Rev. 3. 17. 1 Cor. 4. 8. of the earthly Jerusalem-spirit as are totally destitute of the heavenly Men reckon their matters safe as to eternal life and peace with God in a spirit of direct enmity to him To the second As a present punishment for so doing God gives them pain and travel in heaping up such riches How By spiritual light he convincingly shews them the vanity of all that life and treasure and requires all in sacrifice by a holy death to him This besides the far greater punishment that follows under the wrath to come gives present pain amid'st all their self-deluding satisfactions in this upper sort of the delights of the Sons of men The distinct superiour excellency of spiritual life and things of God in the second or new-covenant beyond Man's in the first or old as farr as the heavens are above the earth convincingly set before them in mercy when wilfully sinned against torment 's them For such conviction becomes a self-condemning
Body have we the Shadow of a great Mystical Truth relating to the Spirit living soul or inner Man of Man the life whereof also being Mortal is subject to and therefore figured out by the like changes as are Incident to Bodily Life in the Birth Flourish Decay Death and Resurrection thereof First then to the Figurative Shadow knowable to all and after to the Mystical Truth knowable to few to none aright save such as are of the same Spirit Solomon was when he Writ these Words 1. There' s a set time to all Visible things under the Litteral Heaven and Sun as the Answer and Accomplishment of God's most wise design and purpose concerning them There 's a time alotted for their Appearance and Manifestation and then for their Disappearing and Vanishing again Both these general Dispensations of God to them do Minister Important Instruction to Man The Positive Assertion of this Truth in general v. 1. does Solomon prove by particularizing the Various things Circumstances and Occurrents relating to Man's Bodily part and Life in reference to which the whole Visible Creation in the greater World without Man was set up before hand as requisite for his entertainment Gen. 1. and Ch. 2. 7. and then to the declinings and Death thereof under the Various Dispensations of God to this lower work of his own hand in Man And hereby is signified the like Various Dispensations of God and thence a like Variety of Condition Incident to the Spirit or inner Natural Man as to it s but Mortal First-Covenant-Life put into and 〈◊〉 up in it by Creation Man therein at best was but a Mystical Tree of good and Evil a changable thing a Fading Flower Since the Fall this Fleshy Tree is in a manner only alway's Evil. Man 's fallen nature herein is a Gursed Mystical Earth bringing forth Thorns and Thistles in Filth of Flesh or Spirit Gen. 3. 17 18. His Immortal Spirit in its Unstain'd Mortal First-Covenant Life and State before the Fall with all done or possible to be done in the Activity thereof all Riches Fruits Righteous Works Producible or Performable therein all was Vanity 〈◊〉 but Vanishing Shadows of durable substantial things the Everlasting Righteous New-Creature Life Wisdom 〈◊〉 things of God Man with all his natural First-Created Life and things is in another Sense under Heaven or below the Spiritual Heavenly Life of Christ the New-Creation Sun of Everlasting Righteousness and things of God Nor Man nor Angel in Innocency had any thing of that Life about them or Fruits thereof And in that Life only can any bring forth Fruit unto God They that say Adam should have held fast that Righteous Life he was Possess'd of by Creation kept where he was as Job once through a great mistake said he would hold fast his Restored Righteousness of that sort they that say this what else must they say This. That Man Restor'd by the second Adam to something of the lost Life of the First must hold it fast Establish himself there never part with or let it go again and Heaven is his own this is true Salvation and Eternal Life In their Lying Spirit of Divination do such Teachers warrant their Deluded Hearers safe and truly Blessed here causing them to hope they will confirm their Word Ezek. 13. 6. They follow Heb. walk after their own Spirit of vanity see nothing of God's they are vanity and see nothing but vanity the things of man which they presumptuously call the things of God and so teach Rebellion against the Lord. They establish themselves and others in a life and Righteousness that 's but Vanity a Fading Flower for Salvation And Irrefragably Confident they grow herein All the World wonder and run after them Rev. 13. 3. 1 Jo. 4. 5. Mean while no Man in the but Restor'd Worldly Spirit of Nature the Life Wisdom and Righteousness of man receives Christ Gospel-Testimony given by his Spirit of Truth in himself or followers Jo. 3. 32. That which indeed is the very Unpardonable Sinning after the Similitude of Adam ' s Transgression do Men Preach up as their undispensable Duty for Salvation The holding fast and keeping up what they received by the First-Creation against the everlasting Creature-Life Wisdom Righteousness and things of God cleerly shew'd and offered them by a second was the very Unpardonable Sin that gave the Irrecoverable fall to the Devil and his Angels Their fall evil Change and Punishment lies in this They retain all the Natural Life Glory and Excellencies of their First-Created State as by their wilful Folly and God's Righteous Judgment turn'd into and used in unchangable Enmity to God They kept not their first Estate but left their own Habitation Jude 6. What was that A State of Unstain'd Natural Purity and of changable Obedience in their Wavering Natural Principle to Spiritual Light by which cleerly shew'd and offered an Unchangably Righteous Creature-Life by a New-Creation on the Obedient-Surrender and loss of their Changable The Lord was pleas'd to deal more favourably with Man as of less Natural Capacity and so under lower Spiritual Conviction then Angels and then also as Over-reach'd and Overset by the Superiour Subtilty and Power of the Evil Angel taking from him the Fading Righteous Life Wisdom Excellencies and Corruptible Perfections of his Inferiour Humane Nature not leaving him them to Fight with against himself as he did to the Evil Angels But when this Life with the things thereof is gradually Restor'd by the Redeemer in Men Satan is presently at the same point with them as with Eve 2 Cor. 11. 3. that they shall not die at all they have Eternal Life Though it was not so in the first Adam yet when Restor'd by the Second and Men Confirm'd or Establish'd therein by him it is Indeed this Fixing Establishing Doctrine to and work upon them is Satan's not Christ's For it fixes them in unchangable enmity to Christ's Gospel-spirit and all his Gospel-things or truths Adam's attempt and design for keeping up the Righteous Life he was Created in and thence Refusing to Surrender and part with it for what was Presented to him in the Tree of Life was his very Sin The Losing or falling from the Righteous life he had was his punishment God took from him What he had his fading righteous Law-Life for Preferring it to his Everlasting New-Covenant Gospel-life The day he ate of the tree of good and evil or pleas'd himself with his own changable righteous life and the 〈◊〉 Meats or Delights thereof in preference to God's more excellent Creature-life and never-perishing meats thereof he died as threatned Gen. 2. 17. that is lost that fading righteous Life and so with all his Posterity became dead in trespasses and sins Now if Establishing our selvs in the restor'd Righteous Law-Life of our Nature Called our own be Asserted our duty and security for salvation then a sinning after the similitude of Adam's Transgression which done thus the second time after
For he can deceive all Men short of the Spirit of Grace and Truth to Worship him as so above and against God himself 2 Thes. 2. 4. Vers. 2. A time to be Born and a time to Die A time to Plant and a time to pluck up that which is Planted Vers. 3. A time to Kill and a time to Heal a time to break down and a time to Build up Vers. 4. A time to Weep and a time to Laugh A time to Mourn and a time to Dance There 's an appointed time for every Man to be Born in a Fleshly Body which is his personal appearance or Manifestation The Body is an Essential Ingredient into the compleat Constitution of every Man which under all Temporary Vicissitudes Alterations and Changes by Decay's Death and Resurrection remain's for ever the distinguishing part of Man from other Created beings in Heaven and Hell Angels are compleated in their personal Constitution without any such thing as Man's Earthly Body or Life The Spirit of Man before it enters the Body or after departed out of it is not the Compleat Person of a Man For Man consists of Spirit Soul and Body as distinct Essential parts of his being which Paul distinctly Pray's may in Saints be Preserved blameless unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes. 5. 23. The whole Spirit of Man Comprehends in its make a Dormant Souly Animalish Life So has a Natural tendency of desire to a Union with its fitly Organized Body in order to bring its Latent Soul or Souly Life into actual Exercise and Operation At the death of the Body this Soul or Souly Life ceases as to exercise lies dormant again in the Spirit as before it's entrance thereinto So till the Resurrection of the whole Man the Spirits even of Just Men made perfect in Spiritual New-Creation Life Act and Converse as pure Intellectual Powers Intuitively after the manner of Angels only Now as there 's a time for the Birth of Man's Body so from the frail materials and constituting Ingredients of it is there an appointed time for its dissolution and so for the Death of the Man by a Seperation of his essential parts This is a truth universally experienc'd and known by all And the like Vicissitudes and Seasons are appointed for other parts of this greater Visible World without Man as well as lesser World the Sum and Abridgment of all within him From the Moment of his Bodily Birth may be Dated the Building Planting Laughing Dancing Rejoycing and Embracing season during the growth and Flourishing State of his Bodily Life When this is at its height Approaches God's appointed Season from the perishing Materials thereof for plucking it up breaking it down and Slaying it This Season is attended with Man's Weeping and Mourning as the Consequents thereof These litteral truths are Experienc'd by Man in the Decay's Gray Hairs Old Age and Death inevitably incident to his body In the declining state thereof is he reduced to a kind of equality with Childhood as debilitated in the exercise of his rational Powers in and by bodily Organs or Instruments Brain Animal spirits c. So if he come to 70 or 80 years his decayed strength affords him little but labour and sorrow Psal. 90. 10. as finding himself to have out-lived the brisk and vigorous exercise of that Reason by which distinguished from brute Beasts In this case 't is man's duty and wisest course to fall in and comply with God's twofold dispensation upon his fleshly body by willingly owning and submitting to the decay's thereof in God's latter demolishing work upon it for pulling it down as well as to be found rejoycing and delighting in his former planting and building up of the same 'T is man's gross folly to struggle and contend for an impossibillity even the keeping up of that which he sees by an inevitable Law of necessity must be laid down He is as sure to die as he was born yea to go strip'd and naked out of the World as he came into it Job 1. 21. God has determined the time for both Death comes as an armed man on man's Body and on all that sort of understanding that 's exercised in and by it There 's no discharg in this War The decay's of it all along from the turning declining point preach the death of it and of that organical Understanding exercised in and by it Come we now to the Mystery of all this All the methods of God's wisdom in his dealings with man's body or bodily life the outward part of his natural man are typical to the like methods and dispensations to his immortal spirit considered in the but mortal first-covenant natural righteous Life thereof planted in it by the first creation A birth life death and buriall are incident to this also as God's appointments to it At the birth of the Body the Spirit or inner natural man is dead as to the mortal first-covenant life of the Law of Works it was at first created in But a fresh birth of or quickning up into this shadowy Life and Image of the Earthy wherein the first Adam was created is offered to all and may be actually received and experienced by all as the common or general salvation if they will The far greater part of mankind refuse to part with the corrupt life of their nature for the righteous And many that receive the righteous as the common salvation Jude 3. from the general Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4. 10. refuse the special or eternal Salvation receivable only by and in a spiritual Faith This cannot be received without the obedient surrender and death of all received twice from Christ's own hand by his first-creation and general-redemption-workmanship Such death according to the declared methods of God's wisdom must undispensably be yielded to and we become as fools and little Children as to all the restored wisdom life and glory of our own Nature as the undispensable way to our receiving the Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God in his Gospel-spirit of Grace and Image of the Heavenly which alone is Eternal The former is but Reformation-Life in restor'd enliven'd naturals This latter a true Regeneration into spirituals by the Birth of such a new Life in us springing up from the quickned incorruptible seed thereof as plants us together in the likeness of Christ's resurrection on our obedient likness to his death Rom. 6. 5. Nor Angel nor Man had any thing of this Life in the Innocency of both by creation but only as objctivetly presented to their understanding in the Mediator As God at first gave Man that that 's natural and call'd his own offering him that which is spiritual God's own So he first restores something of the first-covenant-Light or also Life that 's natural and after that that 's spiritual Paul when eminent in restored naturals holy flesh by knowledg of or conformity to Christ in the flesh or righteous life of the Law quitted such
their Eye and Heart upon him with Paul in that Spiritual Life into which 〈◊〉 out of the Death of the former and be Married to him there as their Everlasting Spiritual Lord and Bride-groom Ro. 7. 1-4 While Christ Pipes to Men in First-Covenant Communications as he did by John Baptist's Ministery they are to Dance and Rejoyce When he with-draw's and call's them into the death of that State they are to Mourn else are they Immorigerous and Undutiful Mat. 11. 17. Their Natural Hearts will be filled with Sorrow as the Disciples when as a Fleshly Bride-groom and Comforter he departed from them Mat. 9. 15. Jo. 16. 20-22 Right Obedient Mourners in this case are Blessed and sure to hear of Christ as a better Comforter and Bridegroom in his Spiritual Life The Death of Man as to a Mortal First-Covenant Life is as sure as the Birth of it as the case is with the Birth and Death of the Body And indeed the House of Mourning and Death is better to Man in the tendency of it then the Birth and utmost Flourish of a First-Covenant Life in him For though after Rebuilt in the Restor'd Righteous Life of his own Nature and then pull'd down again he be seemingly in a worse condition and more hopeless then before ever Christ medled with him at all 〈◊〉 yet is this the only way to Christ's House of Everlasting Feasting and Rejoycing Those that refuse this way and Laugh now their 〈◊〉 Joy will end in Everlasting Mourning and Saints Transient Sorrow in everlasting Joy Mat. 5. 4. Luk. 6. 25. Jo. 16. 20. Christ came not to speak Peace but War and Death by his Spiritual Fire and Sword to the earthly Life of Nature at best in himself and followers Luk. 12. 49-51 We must follow the Suffering-Steps of this great Captain of our Salvation or never come where he is True Saints with Paul Glory in the Cross of Christ Conformity to his death and in bearing about them the marks of the dying of the Lord Jesus So the Spiritual Life of risen Jesus comes to be more and more manifested in their Mortal flesh 2 Cor. 4. 10 11. Vers. 6. A time to Get and a time to Lose A time to Keep and a time to cast Away A time to seek after and recover the exercise of our nature in the first-covenant righteous life thereof and to heap up Riches by a fruitfulness therein And then comes a time to lose and cast all away again as dung and loss with Paul for the more excellent Life Christ's unspeakable gift Phil. 3. 6-9 And so is there a time to keep up the exercise of our nature in the restor'd first-covenant righteous Life thereof so long as Christ own 's that to be his Dispensation to us by continuing as a fleshly Bride-groom with us and a time to part with and cast it away again for the second in the same sense with what is meant in the former clause of this Verse Vers. 7. A time to Rent and a time to Sew A time to keep Silence and a time to Speak That which has been Sew'd Heal'd and made up again after the sore breach by the first Sin and so fitted or fitting us in its kind to speak to and instruct the dark ignorant corrupt Spirit of nature in others as a Teacher and Guide of such blind ones all this healed speaking State in the Wisdom of Man made Wise in Christ must in its season be rent broken down and torn in pieces again silenc'd and wholly laid aside to make way for another better Dictatour Ruler and Guide the Infallible Spirit of Truth The final refusal to submit to this chang of Ruler and Guide lodges up first-covenant Saints in unchangable Enmity to God and the spirit of the second under the guilt of the most Criminal Adultery Theft and Sacriledg Ro. 2. 17-22 God speak's once and he speak's twice yet Man perceiveth it not Job 33. 14. God call's Man out of his Death in Sin into the righteous Life of a Man or of the first-covenant Law again Then by the voice of his second-Covenant spirit into the death of the first as his only pass into the Life and Righteousness of God in the second Under pretence of continuing in obedience to his first voice does man Rebell against his second and is found an Enemy to the Spiritual Cross of Christ. He prefer's the oldness of Letter in his Living Soul to Gods newness of Life in his quickning Spirit Man's Laughing Dancing Speaking time is over in his own Wisdom and Righteousness when shew'd the unprofitableness as to true Blessedness of all done or said by him therein The right understanding and obedient Submitting to Christs Various Voices and observing the several seasons of Speaking and Silence is Mans safety and he therein wel-pleasing to God 'T is a high point of true Wisdom for Man to be more ready to hear the voice of the Spirit of Christ in himself or Saints then to speak and so Offer the Sacrifice of Fools in his own Ec. 5. 1. Man in his highest Wisdom is a Fool as to all spiritual things his greatest concerns the unreasonable Man Paul desir'd to be delivered from the Impertinent Trouble and Babbling Loquacity of about Gospel things that he has no discerning in The restor'd Law-principle of Life and Action in Man is but a ceremony to be abolish'd and becomes an antiquated thing with all the Fading Glory of it when to be done away to give room for a spiritual Principle of everlasting Righteonsness as a new Root and Spring of his Desire Thought and Action This refused all Duties perform'd in the Law-spirit are thenceforth but Sacrifices of Fools that do evil What in its appointed Season and day was Obedience in that Law-State becomes then direct Rebellion As Man has Lived therein to God so the Season come is he to die therein to him that both living and dying he may be the Lords Rom. 14. 8. Passive Obedience is the utmost requir'd of Man in his own nature to make way for the true spiritual principle of active Obedience to God's wel-pleasing Vers. VIII A time to Love and a time to Hate a time of War and a time of Peace There 's a time of Love and Peace such as it is to be found in a first-covenant Union with Christ and such obedience as is performable therein But at length Christ speaks War and Death to this state comes to break down demolish and cast away all the stones of this old 〈◊〉 creation building And thus have we seen in these eight Verses God's twofold dispensation to Man's Body and fleshly or natural Spirit in all the fading first-creation Life and Glory thereof The Birth and Death of the Body and so of the natural Understanding as exercised there in and by all this is Typical to the like twofold dispensation of mystical Life and Death to his Spirit as to its first-covenant righteous state under the temporary wrath
16. T. Also he hath set the World in their Heart c. When Men 〈◊〉 six or set up for themselves in their worldly nature and Life of the Law and so set up the World in their Hearts as the only Object of their desire and delight then does God Judicially harden and six them there or set the World in their Hearts And then is their highest Wisdom a Black Darkning Vail upon their Hearts disabling them for ever finding out the Work of God from the beginning of it in the first-creation to the Blessed end of it in the second The God of this World fixing Mens hearts in the love of this World that 's Enmity to God blind's their minds that the light of the Glorious Gospel may not shine into them They see not to the end of that which is abolish'd 2 Cor. 3. 13. So set up for Salvation in that Law-Life that 's to be abolish'd that Glory that 's to be done away v. 7. Fleshly 〈◊〉 t s were not able to behold the spiritual Glory of Moses his true face of Spiritual Saint-ship He therefore put a Vail on it that is came forth in the appearance of the Righteousness of Man or the Law to them They that set up in the Light and Life of the Law for Salvation set up in the Vail Such never see to their comfort the true Face inward Beauty and Spiritual Glory of Moses or other Saints nor the true inward Face or spiritual meaning of any Scripture All Spiritual things or truths in Scripture all spiritual Light Life Wisdom Understanding all things of God in his Saints lie quite out of their sight as meer nothings in their day their Judgment They no more skill or ken them than a Beast the Rational Powers and things of a Man 1 Cor. 2. 11. So they absolutely deny all Gospel things and Truths and positively assert there 's no more excellent Creature-Life or things Man is capable of then what were set up in the first-creation-state of Angel and Man What work will such make at Gospel specially if fixed here and so hardned in unchangable Enmity thereto Thus Christ found the Righteous Scribes Pharisees c. in a Murdering Enmity to the truth that is the Gospel-Spirit and so of their Father the Devil who abode not in that truth or Obedience to the said Gospel-Light in which Created but quitted that his Habitation or first Estate Jo. 8. 44. Jude 6. They that Rebelliously set up this Shadowy World in their Hearts can't receive the Spirit of truth nor words thereof Jo. 14. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 14. They provoke God to give them their desire in Wrath to set up the World in them or them in their worldly Law-spirit of Enmity and Death to chuse their Delusions Isai. 66. 4. send them strong delusion that they should believe Stan's Lie and be damn'd because they chose rather to beleeve that than his Spirit of truth 2 Thes. 2. 10-12 So God Christ Themselves and the Devil all concur and center in one point the setting the World in their heart or fixing them in their own worldly spirit but upon very differing accounts Then is their case as desperate as that of the Evil Angels Heb. 10. 26 27. Though yet highly Esteemed of Men as owners yea Ministers of the Gospel are they most abominable to God Mystical Sodomit's the most Criminal Sinners in the whole World By being set or fixed in their worldly Spirit they become wholly Strangers and Enemies to the spirit of the World to come which will be upon them at last in Irresistible Wrath. Vers. XII I know that there is no good in them but for a Man to rejoyce and to do good in his life Solomon at a dear rate had experienc'd that there 's no durable unchangable good to be found in all first-creation Life and most Righteous Actions or things thereof No true Joy or Happiness to be had in this World but by doing what is truly good in God's sight in the Life and Spirit of the next True Godliness or power of 〈◊〉 exerciseable only in the gospel-Gospel-spirit of Christ is profitable to all things having the promises of this and the Life to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. that is it comprehend's the promised Spiritual Life of Christ and Comforts thereof in this and the World to come the daily encreasing first Fruits of it here and fulness there Yea also the promises even of this life or worldly things thereof such as 〈◊〉 seek belong to true seekers of the Righteousness of God in 〈◊〉 Kingdom spirit All these shall be added to you say's Christ himself Mat. 6. 31-33 The only right rejoycing in and doing good in its kind with such things of this Life is as receiv'd on the said account and manag'd in the Kingdom-spirit of the World to come Vers. 13. And also that every Man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his Labour it is the gift of God 'T is in the unspeakable gift of God only the spirit of Christ the inmost man of the Saint in the Life hid with Christ in God can feed upon the hidden Manna the divine Glory as vailed by that Spirit of Christ and thereby also unvailed or rendred visible in a sutableness only to 〈◊〉 not natural understanding in Man or Angel The never-perishing Meats and Drinks the Bread and Wine of the Kingdom the divine and creature-glories of God in the Mediator are the things true Saints eat drink feed and live upon enjoy rejoyce and delight in even in the peculiar delights of the Sons of God divine spiritual heavenly substantial things things eternal All this is the comfortable fruit of all their right labours in that Spirit that 's the peculiar gift of God distinct from the natural spirit or state of Life with all the Fruits brought forth by Man's utmost and best labours therein Vers. XIV I know that whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever Nothing can be put to it nor any thing taken from it And God doth it that Men should fear before him Whatever is the immediate Divine Workmanship shall be for ever that is the new-creature Spirit set up by the Divine from everlasting Prov. 8. 23. in personal union with it and also called God that made the worlds Jo. 1. 1-3 Heb. 1. 2. Both Worlds Natural and Spiritual and all in both were comprehended in it and brought forth by it This Fountain creature-Spirit in Christ and Streamings forth of the Living Waters thereof into Saints is of an unchangable nature The Gift thereof to Men or heavenly call of them into The Life thereof is without Repentance Variableness or chang The natural first-covenant principle of life and action set up in Man and Angel by the first-Creation is a Starting Variable Wavering thing Ps. 78. 57. Man breaks that Covenant with God and then God his Promise therein with him Numb 14. 34. Though Men be Children and Spouses to Christ therein Jer. 3. 14.
then at best is of no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or everlasting advantage to Man however conceitedly confident he be that it is True happiness is to be found only in New-Creation Life the one and only thing necessary still wanting to man till the Obedient Surrender of all his old things for God's new T. And God requireth that which is past Heb. that which is driven away Chal. and Syr. will seek out him that suffers Persecution God will call all those Men and Angels to an account who have finally chosen a known changeable Life of Vanity for their Rest and Habitation in wilful Rebellion against all his manifold Warnings and convincingly shewed and offered Spiritual Life of everlasting Righteousness They ought to have come trembling before him and lay down all their heap of Vanities with their vain Hopes and false 〈◊〉 therein with themselves as Old Bottles to be made new ones and filled with the Mystical Wine of his Spirit in which there can be no excess nor they ever too confident or bold to appear before him therein Those that in stead of fearing and trembling before him Exalt themselves against him must prepare as well as they can to meet him that can declare all their thoughts Amos 4. 12 13. and find out all their hidden works of Dishonesty and Rebellion So in his method and way of dealing with them will he require an exact account of all done in their natural Body or State of Life He will make a strict Inquisition as to all that 's past in that First-creation State of Vanity in it self and Enmity to himself They 'l be call'd to give an account of every Idle word Mat. 12. 36. Thought and Action therein as all Words Thoughts and Actions in that Life of Vanity turn'd into Enmity will be found All Preachings up of that Life for Eternal Salvation will be found the Idle Vain and Lying Words of Man's Wisdom in direct contradiction to God's To Preach up a Fixure there is to Preach up a State of unchangable Enmity to God for Salvation Let them palliate their Doctrin of Devils with what good Words and fair Speeches they will 't is but their own Righteousness they warrant Salvation in This last Clause in the Hebrew Chalde and Syriac reading God requireth that which is driven away and will seek out him that suffers or has suffer'd Persecution may import the Inquisition God will make for the Innocent Blood of his Saints shed by this confounded World of Enemies and Rebells from Cain downwards Then will there be a sad reckoning for all the strong Bulls of Bashan Ps. 22. 12. Rich Flourishing First-Covenant Cattel that have thrust with Side Shoulder and Horns all the Diseased Lean Impoverish'd little ones of Christ when Christ comes to Judg between the fat Cattel and the lean He will search out his Meek Suffering Sheep in his day that have bin scatter'd in Man's day as Weak Fools and despicable with Paul and the off-scouring of all things by the Fat Rich Wise Strong and Honourable First-Covenant Cattel 1 Cor. 4. 8-13 who have made havock of them in the cloudy and dark day of this World under Satan He will Strengthen and Establish his Sick broken-spirited scatter'd Sheep and destroy the fat and the strong feed them with Judgment but his delivered Sheep in a fat and good Pasture upon the Mystical high Mountains of his Spiritual Israel So shall they be no more a Prey to their Enemies for ever All this we find Ezek. 34. 11-24 This will Christ do for his Saints when the set time to favour Zion is come When the day of the Lord's Vengeance the Year of Recompences for the Controversy of Zion is come wo to all wilfully blind Incorrigible Enemies that have all along this World molested Push'd at and scatt'red them Vers. XVI And moreover I saw under the Sun the place of Judgment that Wickedness was there and the place of Righteousness that Iniquity was there The litteral Sun all along this Book does figuratively signify the utmost light and perfection of Man's day or judgment in his own Wisdom distinct from God's day of Judgment in the infallible Light and Wisdom of his yet sevenfold brighter mystical new-creation Sun his Gospel Spirit of Grace Solomon's seeing in the infallible light of the new-creation Sun the true spirit of Prophecy what he tell 's us of here may take us off from wondring at his observation He saw wickedness and iniquity in the highest evil angelical and humane I 〈◊〉 Dominions Principalities and Powers of this World In the highest respective natural wisdom of such 〈◊〉 Men and Angels are they both found in a direct contrariety to the divine and infallible creature-wisdom and judgment of God contesting with and fighting against both Paul in holy 〈◊〉 an eminency of first-covenant light and life was at the same dangerous work for a season ignorantly He imprison'd Gospel-saints for the life and words of God's Wisdom punish'd them 〈◊〉 in every Synagogue compelled them to blaspheme gave his voice to put them to death and was exceedingly mad against them But Christ on a sudden converts this outragious Persecutour into a signal Preacher of the very Gospel he persecuted Act. 26. 9-19 Gal. 1. 23. One would think such a patern should convince the stoutest self-confident in the utmost flourish of a first-covenant law-life though not convert his obstinate will into obedience to the like Heavenly vision or discovery But in stead of convincing and appeasing the professing Jews with this true narrative of his Gospel-conversion in his speech from the Castle-stairs to them at Jerusalem they grew more exceedingly mad against him cast off their clothes and threw dust into the Air saying away with such a fellow from the earth for 't is not 〈◊〉 he should Live Act. 21. 40. and 22. 1-23 Thus say all of the like sowre legal-spirited leavened temper with the Pharisees concerning all or any true Gospel-Saints and their testimony 〈◊〉 is not fit they should live Who even those God reckon's not the World worthy of Heb. 11. 38. See you the differing contrary Judgment of God and wise righteous men Who will be judg at last God himself The earth man in his earthly wisdom denies but the heavens will declare his righteousness Psal. 50. 6. The sowre legalist character 's Gospel-Saints as the worst of malefactors Christ himself was so handled by them worse then Papists or Mahumetans the filth of the World the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 13. But think ye this will alwayes be so If Satan's reign and Man's day or Judgment may take place for ever it will But run and read the contrary Psal. 50. 20-22 Isai. 66. 5. Mat. 7. 21 23. with abundance of other most harmonious scripturetestmonies in this point Search the scriptures Resign up your selvs to the teachings of that spirit that dictated them Be in earnest about your salvation Let your principal enquiry be after the kingdom-spirit and righteousness
of God Ye never find it else or enter it 〈◊〉 from your own understanding Consult not or conferr with flesh and blood in your selvs or others what ye shall do to be saved That principle will never own one right word towards eternal life T' is a flat enemy to every word of God's Wisdom about it They that despise and wonder at such words will everlastingly perish Acts. 13. 41. Those that gad abroad in a spirit of vanity enmity and death to chang their way from form to form in Religion toss'd and Tumbled up and down by every Wind of Satan's and Man's Doctrin or other Gospel who can help them That that dieth say's God let it die and that that is to be cut off let it be 〈◊〉 off Zec. 11. 9. Litteral and Mystical Sodom do seem to carry all before them in this most Antichristian-day and Perillous Season A Gospel-Testimony is almost universally rejected When Christ himself Preach'd he met with Multitudes of Wilfull Proud Heady Traiterous Contradicting and Blaspheming first-covenant Saints Wise Righteous Holy Men in the form of godliness in the first denying the Power of it in the second-Covenant Spirit the Gospel-Principle This was alway's the case And even so is it now 2 Tim. 3. 1-5 Gal. 4. 29. Who but Professours in Holy Flesh urg'd Christ's Crucifixion when Pilate and his Heathen Party would have freed him They 'd rather a Robber a Murderer any Malefactor should scape then he Wise Righteous Holy Men and a Currupt Dark Profane Grosly Idolatrous Party are in a contesting Scramble But both have had their season to speak Lies at one Table against the Saints of the most High Are we at a loss for an instance The Vizard will flie off The guilty Shedders of Innocent Blood will be unpalliated at last and forc'd to appear in their more then Ethopian hiew that yet lies hid under the form of Godliness God exercises long-suffering towards them and lets them think him such a one as themselvs till he set their Sins in order before their Eyes and so tear them in pieces that none can deliver Psal. 50. 20-22 His long-suffering towards Enemies is with design to compleat and fulfill the Patience or Sufferings of his Saints by their hand for their unspeakable advantage and their Enemies final Destruction A Comfortable Consideration True Saints ought to Comfort themselvs and one another with such right Words and Thoughts In conclusion Christ will appear to their Joy and their Enemies shall be asham'd Isai. 66. 5. Yea lie down in Sorrow and Everlasting Contempt as Vessels of Dishonour Eternity will be a long day to pay their full reckoning in God in the exercise of his infinite Justice and Mercy will bring all to rights give every one their due recompence for Obedience to or Rebellion against him New-covenant Gospel-Saints are more odious to the legal first-covenant professour then is the common sinner of the Gentiles in the corrupt spirit of nature The wisdom of this world in the most enlightned first-covenant Saint Wise strong and Honourable in Christ there is 〈◊〉 to God's and God's in his new-covenant Saints to theirs Was not Paul a fool weak and despicable in Christ's Gospel-spirit to but such wise strong and honourable ones in Christ 1 Cor. 4. 10. Flesh and Spirit or Man's spirit and God's are directly contrary to each other in all their designs desires and thoughts about true Salvation The former fixed in is the carnal mind of enmity to God Rom. 8. 6 7. that will prove eternal death to man The latter becomming the principle of life desire thought and action in Man is eternal life to him and in him The carnal mind of enmity was not found in Man or Angel the day they were created Ezek. 28. 15. Neither of them as they came out of their Creator's hands were found in enmity to God or the life of his spirit of Grace though they had it not till they both sinn'd and fell The voluntary evil rebellious use of their own mind introduced this enmity to God's Changable enmity in man is now inseperable from his life Unless therefore life and all at best be parted with he will become unchangable therein as Devils are and so be found in a state of eternal death No wonder then if in the place of Judgment and Righteousness or in the most enlight'ned Righteous state of the natural spirit in fallen Man and Angel be found by the al-searching spirit of Christ in himself and Saints the deepest and most Criminal Mystical Wickedness and Iniquity hidden works of Darkness rendring them most abominable to God unchangable Enemies to the Saints of the most high and to ths most High himself But what Have Gospel-Saints all truth and First-Covenant Saints none Can any believe this Yet most true Let but the Scripture-sense of truth be duly considered as the Character of the Gospel Spirit and words thereof in distinction from the Law-Spirit of this World in all its variety and words thereof the Wonder at and unbelief of this would cease But does the wise first-Covenant Holy Man receive nothing of a Gospel-Testimony Not one word No man in the Spirit of nature corrupt or righteous rightly receives such Testimony in any point That Spirit is a Spirit of total darkness and Universal Errour an absolute Heretick as to all Gospel-Life and truths This seem's hard What then The Jews were for Moses who but they Christ found they took not the Mystical truth of one word of Moses So told them they were Infidels as to the principal intendment and main scope of all his Writings For says he had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me But if ye believe not his Writings how shall ye believe my Words Jo. 5. 46 47. The Scriptures are own'd as the Words of God by all under the name of Christians but how do they read hear or understand them In the litteral Shadow only or Mystical truth also As teaching and preferring the Righteousness and Wisdom of Man to the dark ignorant State and Vile Affections of the corrupt Spirit of nature only or as also farther declaring the everlasting Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God in his Gospel-Spirit of Grace and Truth For this latter nature at best is to suffer death the right way Viz by the death of the guilty Sinner and so death of Sin in Men whereas by the fall Men became dead in Sin Sin alive in them and they dead now they alive and Sin dead and that for ever This by the death-work of the Cross or Gospel-Spirit on the natural Men in their own confused Spirit of Darkness as to all Gospel-Truths have much variety of thought and Opinion But all as one Man are against every tittle of Gospel-truth words of God's Wisdom which the Holy Ghost teaches Though they all read all the Words of God's Wisdom in the Letter they do not read them in the sense of Christ's Question to the Lawyer or teaching
Legal-Spirited Professour how 〈◊〉 that is understandest thou what 's Written in the Law Luk. 10. 26. Let any come in the true spirit of Prophecy King Princes Priests and People in the once only Professing Nation of the whole World all against him Jer. 1. 18 19. So when Christ Preach'd 〈◊〉 Pharises Sadduces c. with all their differences of Judgment all against all his right Gospel-words to a tittle And so is it now as much shall I say or more then ever Why not the latter if these be the latter and therefore worst of times Solomon having thus declared goes on to acquaint us with his thoughts in the Holy Ghost What the most high will do with all these litterally righteous workers of Mystical Iniquity how he will handle them at last as follow 's Vers. XVII I said in mine Heart God shall Judg the Righteous and the Wicked For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work God will be even with all his Enemies both sorts of Satan's Subjects the righteous and the Wicked In righteousness and truth will Christ Judg and make War upon them both Rev. 19. 11. And have they an arm like God What then will become of them The righteous sort of Sinners will be found most Heretical Enemies to Gospel and so the most loathsome to God of all the very Spiritual Sodom Egypt and Babylon The sixed litteral in the corrupt Spirit of nature will have bad enough on 't in Dooms-day-work and what follow 's Neither of them can escape the Damnation of Hell If Judgment begin at the First-covenant House or People of God that by fixing there in Enmity to the second and so not obeying the 〈◊〉 become no People of God but a Synagogue of Satan where shall gross Sinners appear that are fixed in Enmity to all 〈◊〉 God's and Man's too with Elymas the Sorcerer 1 Pet. 4. 17 18. The Light or Law of nature restor'd in every Man 〈◊〉 Damnation to themselvs as fixed in the vile affections of corrupt 〈◊〉 And the al-searching Light of Christ's Gospel-Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Preaches absolute Damnation to fixed first-Covenant righteous Men who have rend'red any Repentance or Change of their Mind to the better Impossible Heb. 6. 4-6 and 10. 26 27. and 12. 17. This is the case of wilful Sinners against the Holy Ghost or Gospel-Spirit and all its counsels its Reproofs of Death upon their Spirits and Instructions of Life by their being transform'd into and built up in its own Life of everlasting Rightoousness Esau ' s Morsel of Meat for which he sold or parted with the offer'd Birth-right or new-Creation Life and never-perishing Meats of Christ comprehend's all sorts of first-Creation Vanities and Shadows from the highest part of the Dust of this Mortal World all Humane and Angelical Excellencies natural to the lowest the gratifying delights of Brutish Men. The particular Books of all Wicked Men's Consciences shall be open'd by the setting up of Spiritual Conviction-Light in Wrath therein and found to agree with that other general Living Book or Word of God Rev. 20. 12 Christ's Gospel-Spirit and so shall the inward parts of the very righteous Sinners be found very Wickedness unchangable Enmity to God All the most hidden works of darkness in the Mystery of Iniquity shall be Proclaim'd upon the House tops manifested to all Angels and Men good and bad Then shall it be seen there is a Reward for the Righteous and Wicked too because he is a God that Judgeth in the Earth Ps. 58. 11. All sorts of Sins shall then be brought into Judgment and reckon'd for even the most hidden works of Dishonesty Mystical Spiritual Wickednesses the most secret Intents of all Wicked Men and Angels All will be manifested and laid open before that Judg whose Judgment-Seat they 'l be Summon'd and irresistibly forc'd to appear before Heb. 4. 12 13. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Then shall it appear there is a time for every purpose and for every work desire thought and intent of the Heart in the corrupt or enlightn'ed Spirit of nature fix'd in Enmity to God and his Spirit of Grace to be brought into Judgment and laid open before all Vers. XVIII I said in my Heart concerning the Estate of the Sons of Men that God might Manifest them and that they might see that they themselvs are Beasts In this and the four next Verses Solomon Summ's up in a manner all insisted on before in this and the two former Chapters Men made by God rational being's good in their kind have made themselvs Beasts by their Sin and fall In the corrupt spirit of their nature are they Beasts by loss of their changable goodness Created in they Inherit a Brutish Spirit or principle of sensuality Bestial Powers Rebell against and insult over their rational And the predominant Power Denominates This Solomon saw and desires God would manifest to them that they may see what a deplorable condition they have brought themselvs into and clear God as having no hand therein And this yet is but one part of the consideration in which they are like Beasts Man restor'd out of the dismal dark 〈◊〉 Life of his corrupted nature into the clean enlight'ned righteous state thereof as to filth of flesh and taking up there for Salvation is yet but another sort of Mystical Beast yea a worse Beast then before in the unfix'd corrupt state of nature because now fix'd in Enmity His Carnal Mind and Earthly Wisdom thereof that at best is but sensual in Scripture-Language when fix'd in becomes Devilish Jam. 3. 15. This brings Man into the same condition with fallen Angels or Devils in unchangable Harmony with them against Christ and God Man in the highest Honour Wisdom Righteousness and Glory of his own restor'd nature is but as a Beast and altogether Vanity Ps. 39. 5. and 49. 12. 20. From a self-ruining mistake he puts himself under the conduct of a spirit of unchangable Enmity to God Man also in his bodily part is like a Beast Of this a larg account is given v. 19 20. Vers. XIX For that which befalleth the Sons of Men befalleth Beasts even one thing befalleth them as the one dieth so dieth the other yea they have all one breath so that a Man hath no pre-eminence above a Beast for all is vanity Solomon here speaks of the Bodily sensual part of Man consisting of the like corruptible ingredients and feeding on the like perishing Meats with meer Brutes So the same dissolution befalls them All alike in birth life and death Dust both and all and turn to dust again This is positively asserted of Man's Body in distinction from his Spirit Gen. 2. 7. and 3. 19. God breathed into his nostrils the breath of Life Heb. the spirit of Lives one Soul with sundry faculties and operations vegetal sensual and rational Cald. a speaking reasonable Soul different from Beasts So in Man are found all sorts
Rebellion in this matter The aggravated madness of Man lies herein He chuses rather to lay his Ruling rational Powers under the sensual in his own person then Submit to God's terms and way for the bringing them by way of Death and Resurrection into eternal Subjection to the ruling Powers of Spiritual Life and so unchangable Obedience to God most high Man chuses rather to be like a Beast then God He is offered an advance into a kind of Equality with the new-Creature-spirit in Christ by personal Union with it And this in Christ is in a kind of equality with the infinite Divine Spirit by personal Union with that the Man God's fellow Zee 13. 7. True Saints are personally one with this Man as he and the Father are one Jo. 17. 21 22. What Words what Tongue of Men or Angels can express this Folly Man 's chusing the Life of a Beast to his eternal Damnation before all this that would be his eternal Salvation God has made Man Lord of the visible Creation Ps. 8. 5-8 and he alone of all visible Creatur's walks unsutably to his principle in Rebellion against his Creatour Man's Wisdom is capable of receiving Conviction by the right-Gospel-opening of the Word 's of God's But his will may not be trusted for Gospel-Conversion That 's to die by the way It likes not that Every thing would live His understanding can tell his will it must die cease from all its own Activity Life Desire and Motion as the only possible way for the final Salvation of his whole person Man abusing his rational Powers to fetch in gratifying Provisions for his sensual only turn's his earthly nature upside down perverts the whole course and order of it serves what he ought to rule over So makes himself a Beast by the very Verdict of his own Conscience and all mankind When he suffer's the Bestial Powers within him to rule over him 't is Just with God to give the litteral Beast without him Power over him so as to kill him for Rebelling thus against God Deut. 32. 24. Ezek. 14. 15. Man by yielding Obedience to the Law but much more when to Gospel shall be freed from Beasts destructive Dominion over him They shall not devour nor make him afraid Ezek. 34. 28. Solomon had sadly experienc'd the boundless Ramblings of his Bestial Powers after whatever was gratifying to the inordinate Lusts and vile affections thereof But as the Face of Man's Body so of his Spirit is fitted to look upward to a Life a Glory that excell's and so to God most high Man and Angel by Creation had abundantly the ascendant over the Beast But the best things corrupted become the worst The Devil with all the Glory Wisdom Power and Righteousness of the First-Creation turn'd into and us'd in unchangable Enmity to God is in God's sight and thought the most contemptible varlet in the World Solomon in this interrogatory bewail's the wilfull ignorance folly and inadvertency of Man his Brutish unwillingness to take any right notice of his prerogative-difference from the spirit of the beast He is ready even to deny the Immortality of his Spirit They would gladly die like Beasts that live like them If they own their 〈◊〉 they suspect a sad reckoning behind for the abuse of it Man in his natural Creation had and is since the fall capable of recovering the intellectual intuitive inorganical exercise of his mind after the manner of Angels by which immediately to see what organical reason call's hidden essences qualities and properties of things all which still are Vanities and that of the lower order Organical reason discourses or run's from one thing to another from what is seen to prove gather and guessingly conclude something not seen or known before This way of getting the knowledg of things by sensible species taken in by the outward and presented or convey'd by inward natural senses to the understanding was Aristotles low conjectural way of gaining knowledg far short of the Soaring Intuitive Platonist But no Spiritual Eternal things are the Objects of either of these ways of natural understanding in Men. These are wholly out of all their reach Now what a wretched wicked self-denial are they guilty of that neglect all these advantages of their nature to level themselves with Beasts To throw up all rational and Intellectual pleasures and betake themselvs wholly to Bestial Their Practice Inclines them to Judg or at least declare they have no other principles of Life but Bestial Their Immortality is a tormenting consideration to them For this renders them by their own madness fit Subjects and fewel of God's unquenchable Wrath. Man's great fault of all is the wilful refusal of God's convincingly discovered and offered new-Creation Life When this Gospel-Life of Immortality is brought to light in his Immortal being all 's his own For then he is Christ's and Christ is God's 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. one with Christ as he with the Father So comes Man to be an Infallible seer and doer of the whole Will of God for ever Man in his whole natural being Body Soul and Spirit all his essential parts and Powers of natural Operation is to be considered as distinct from a first or second Covenant Spirit or Life by Christ as Creator or Redeemer put into him by which he is found in a shadowy changable righteous State and Earthy Image of God or unchangable Heavenly Creature-Life and Image of him The former is but a fading slower and Man therein at best altogether 〈◊〉 Principles and Operations By Christ's second new-Creating Workman-ship attains he a State of Everlasting Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4. 24. So has he the Kingdom of Heaven within him and 〈◊〉 Life abiding in him He lives and walk's in that Spirit Christ with his Saints will Reign in and Judg the World Vers. XXII Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better then that a Man should rejoyce in his own works for that is his Portion for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him What works deeds or works of the Law wrought in his own Law-Spirit of nature such as Paul excludes from Rom. 4. 2-6 or such as are wrought in Christ's Gospel-Spirit of Grace which James in the same Spirit with Paul own 's as Ingredients into Abraham's Justification before God Jam. 2. 21-24 Own works here which the Holy Ghost by Solomon commands and commends Man's rejoycing in as his Portion from God can't be any thing done in his own nature that since the fall in its highest renewals is found in direct Enmity to God This State of Man with all possible Labours therein is so far from being his happy Portion from God that he lies directly under the Curse and Wrath of God in and with all this which is altogether Vanity But can right Gospel-works which God work 's in Men be called their own works Yes as own'd by God co-workers with him in his spirit living and walking therein He
that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God Jo. 3. 21. Deeds wrought by God in Man and Man in God Thus God Judges of and calls such works the Labours of Man in Christ's Gospel-Life See what is said in this case on Ch. 2. 24. and v. 12 13 of this Chap. Solomon does not here countenance Man's rejoycing in such Labours of his own Spirit as he reckon's vain in themselves and unprofitable to himself Ch. 1. 3. as to any final good to him therein or by Nothing short of the new-Creature-State and Man's Labours therein signify any thing towards eternal Life Gal. 6. 15. Neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision righteous or corrupt nature or any thing done by Man in either can be of any avail or 〈◊〉 thereunto So have we found out these works of Man he is to 〈◊〉 in done in that Life which is his peculiar portion and new-Creation Birth-right gift from God If works wrought in Man's own spirit will and way were meant t' would be a Flat contradiction to the main scope of this whole book which Proclaim 's the absolute Vanity and insignificancy of all first-Creation Life and things at best as to Man's pleasing God or finding true blessedness for himself Such works are meant as Man may ought will cannot but rejoyce in with Joy unspeakable and Glorious Here 's Man 's inward Summum bonum a Life wherein he can do all things after God's own Heart Steddily Infallibly Eternally and so enjoy the transcendently yet higher Summum bonum without him the Divine Glory in Favour and Love shining upon him for ever First-Covenant Divines as well as Evil Angels and Heathen Philosophers place Man's Summum bonum in but first-Creation excellencies whatever other title they give it within the compass of natural Objects and in the activity of their natural State that 's a fading flower altogether Vanity The Spirit of truth by its Penmen acquaints us with other matters for hapiness another Life other excellencies objects and works Man is capable to be found in the possession and exercise of The spiritual Man's Joy and delight meets and center 's in the same works or things with God's True Saints are in a Union with his Divine Spirit in Will Understanding Desire Thought Love and Hatred They love what he loves with a perfect love Hate what and whom he hates with a perfect hatred Ps. 139. 21 22. All Man's Labours are vain in his own Spirit of Vanity Not so in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. Paul rejoyc'd in that Gospel-Life he had by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. and his Labours therein but found his Law-Life and best works therein Dung when touching the Righteousness which is the Law or to be found in that Law-State blameless Philip. 3. 6. Enmity to God Tinctur's Sullies and desiles all that Life and Works at best with filth of Spirit T. For who shall bring him to see what shall be after him If Man Submit not to God's terms for receiving his new-Creation-Life who can bring him to see what shall be after him Either what will become of good or Evil Angels or Men in Eternal Life or Death after their fading Life of Vanity with all the things thereof is over and gone These grand and most concerning futurities things no natural Eye Heart or Understanding can see or imagine on all hands the things provided in Heaven for those that truly fear God or in Hell for incorrigible haters of him lie quite out of the reach of Man or Angel in their natural first-Creation State of Enmity and Vanity Darkness and Death The Spiritual Man in the true Preaching Spirit of Prophecy discern's or judges all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. and can declare Infallibly what all Men and Angels will come to as finally Obedient or Disobedient to God's term's of receiving Eternal Life He knowing the Terrours of the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 11. and what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands or under the final Wrath of the Living God does Might and Main Labour in the Spirit of Christ to warn and caution Men as to the only way of entring into the Joy and escaping the Wrath of the Lord the Wrath to come By refusing so great Salvation as God offers them come they to Eternal Death Want and Vexation of Spirit Prov. 8. 34-36 They 'l want every thing that 's good and have every thing that 's evil in and upon them in Extreamity for ever unchangable Wickedness in them and positive Inflictions of God's Wrath as Punishment upon them without any Interruption or Relief Luk. 16. 24 25. to Eternity They have chosen rather in the declar'd known causes and way thereto to be Vessels of Dishonour and Everlasting Contempt then on God's term's to be made Vessels of Glory Honour Immortality and Eternal Life By Enmity to God's Divine and New-Creature Holy Ghosts or Spirits do they bring siery Indignation on their unpardonably guilty heads Heb. 10. 26 27. Ro. 2. 6-10 These great things that will be found and felt hereafter do evidence the great weight of these Words of Solomon and grand concern of Men to be circumspect in taking the true meaning of them Who but the awak'ned Spiritual Saint can foresee and tell the unutterable Confusions final Refusers of God's Counsel will be found in for ever The Cares and Pleasures of this Life choke Mens understandings as to any right and hearty enquiry after their grand concerns in the next The Noble Bereans did set themselvs to search the Scriptures for the Gospel-Kingdom and Righteousness of God Who does so now Those that in this World seek not the Kingdom and Righteousness of God in the next Mat. 6. 33. will never find it let them flatter themselvs in their Loose Negligent Inadvertent course while they will The most trifling outward Vanities of this World do universally amuse and take up Peoples time and thought so as to detain them in a deep oscitancy and regardlesness as to the unutterable Woes prepar'd in Tophet for Incorrigible sinners or unspeakable Joys in the Kingdom of God for Spiritual Saints Believe not your own Thoughts O ye Sons of Men about Salvation Lean not to your own Understandings Conferr not with Flesh and Blood Regard not the Voice of Strangers the Words of Man's Wisdom about it CHAP. IV. Vers. I. So I returned and considered all the Oppressions that are done under the Sun And behold the tears of such as were oppressed and they had no Comforter And on the side of their Oppressors there was power but they had no Comforter I Returned Heb. was Converted from my fallible wisdom to see the Affairs of Mankind in the infallible wisdom of God particularly to consider duely the manifold Oppressions under the Sun Even himself through his vastly expensive extravagancies had given occasion to his oppressed Subjects to bespeak his soolish Son 〈◊〉 after his Decease on this wise
Thy Father 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 grievous make his heavy Yoke upon us lighter and we will serve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King 12. 4. He takes three days to consider of an Answer to them vers 5. He consults with his Fathers Old Counsellours of State who give him good Advice But he 〈◊〉 their Counsel and consults with his Young Companions vers 6. 7. So His answer was My Father 〈◊〉 your Yoke heavy and I will add to it He chastised you with whips but I will 〈◊〉 you with Scorpions They reply To thy Tents O Israel and let David's House look to itself take their course Vers. 8-16 The 〈◊〉 Son acknowledg'd his wise Father's oppressing them but in stead of relieving threatens to add to their grievances though he saw them upon the turning point with Jeroboam the in head of them whom they make King of ten of the twelve Tribes which never returned to the House of David more This got he to himself and Successors by his madness in following the counsel of his rash young Hectors But if even holy David and his wise Son Solomon eminent in spiritual Saintship and signal Pen-men of the Holy Ghost through some remain's of uncrucified nature demean'd themselvs so in King-ship as to cause many grievances to the Subject what 's to be expected in the utmost degeneracy of Heathen Monarchy from Golden-head Nebuchadnezzar to Iron and Clay though called most Christian God gratified Israel's foolish request 〈◊〉 a corrupt humane Monarchy like the Nations round about them to a Theocracy the Government of God himself 1 Sam. 8. 5 -- 7. Giving them a King in his Anger whom he took away in his Wrath Hosea 13. 11. by the Philistines Sword on Mount Gilboa 1 Sam. 31. And were not the sad Consequents of David's numbering the People seventy thousand mens Lives with the quelling his Son Absolons Rebellion and matter of Uriah c. sore Grievances But in the principal meaning of these words we shall find the Oppressors more and the Oppressed fewer than is commonly considered Till the truth concerning both be brought into publick view 'T is matter of wonder to hear it Solomon in God's found the mistake of his own wisdom so endeavoured to take off others with himself from wondering and also to shew them the Cure of the Evil that through ignorance they wond'red or were amazed and discouraged at If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of Judgment and Justice in a Province marvel not at the matter Heb. Will or Purpose of God in it who can use evil Magistrats as Instruments of his Providence though they be not properly Ministers of his Ordinance but indeed directly contrary a terrour to good works and workers and a countenance and encouragement to evil Rom. 13. 3. for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there be higher than they Eccl. 5. 8. The good Angel is higher than the highest invisible evil angelical Principalities and Powers of this world and Christ and God most high are yet unspeakably infinitely higher than they In this Reason is contained relief enough for the Oppressed in the last and worst of times and Power more than enough to deal with the Oppressors Devils or Men as we shall farther and more clearly see when we come in course to consider Chap. 5. 8. In this Chap. 4. vers 1. and that with divers other passages in this Retractation-Book doth Solomon prepare his spiritual brethren to quit their ignorant natural man's wondring by having recourse to spiritual sanctuary-Light with the Psalmist Psal. 73. 19. The highest wisdom of Man in first-covenant Light and Righteousness secures him not from being a Fool and as a Beast before God in this matter vers 22. And so indeed is he as to all his spiritual eternal concerns all the heavenly things or truths of God and methods of his Wisdom in his dealings with Men with Friends as Foes and Foes as Friends All these things are Uninterpretable Riddles Unintelligible Mysteries not only to largparted and most Cultivated Learned Heathens but to Wise Strong and Honourable in Christ as to first-covenant attainments in him and Union with him These yet are Fools and Beasts to the truly or Spiritually Wise Strong and Honourable in Christ who seem and are reckon'd Fools to them with Paul 1 Cor. 4. 10. God's giving Incorrigible Enemies more in this World within and without then heart can Wish and plaguing his Friends Spiritual Saints every Morning as to all he gratifies the other with puzzles the Prophet's Servant or natural Man even in the Saint himself till Baptiz'd and Advanc'd through a Mystical Death and Resurrection of his Spirit the only true Regeneration Transformation or New-Creation thereof into the Spiritual Light and Sight of the true Seer and Prophet in him The figurative Shadow or Type hereof we find 2 King 6. 15-17 In fallen-nature even when in Measure restor'd from filth of Flesh oft deeplier guilty of filth of Spirit Enmity to God's do all worldly Governours more or less pervert and violate under all specious and plausible pretences of doing Judgment and Justice Those appointed to redress and remove by forming up and contriving a corrupt Interest to themselvs contrary to the Community do oppress and make the Grievances This two general way's by perverting good or making Evil Laws The Throne of Iniquity frames Mischief by a Law And then do they gather together against the Soul of the Righteous and Condemn Innocent Blood Ps. 94. 20 21. The Wicked Compass about the Righteous and then wrong Judgment proceedeth Hab. 1. 4. The Wicked walk on every side when the vilest Men are Exalted Psal. 12. 8. and the worthiest rejected yea cut off as dangerous to the Peace of Tyranny An evil self-interest in Rulers suggest's deceitful Policies call'd Reasons of State ugly unreasonable Reasons for oppressing the helpless in stead of doing them Justice Such Reasons have been remarkably recompene'd sometimes even in this World by God's Righteous Visible Judgments on the guilty Heads of the Wicked Inventers and Contrivers thereof Pharaoh and his Council Judg'd it Reason of State to kill the Male Children of the Hebrews as soon as Born least they should grow too many for them This was paid off with a Vengeance upon them After several other Plagu's their own first-born Sons died for 't Exod. 12. 29. And at last Pharaoh himself c. with a Multitude of Egyptians were over-whelm'd in the Red Sea Jeroboam for a reason of State set up the old Egyptian Idolatrous Worship of Calv's to prevent his Peoples going to Jerusalem to worship at solemn Feasts which he fear'd might endanger a Revolt from him to the House of David 1 King 12. 26-28 This was the very trade Israel had bin soundly punish'd for in the Wilderness What will warn Vain Vile Man All the Israelit ' s were Threatned with Destruction for 't But on Moses his Intercession the Punishment was narrow'd to three Thousand Kill'd by the
Levit's and a Plague on some others of the People Exod. 32. They said v. 4. and Jeroboam said after them in the like case behold thy Gods O Israel which brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt O Madness To the Egyptian God's that could not deliver their own People from them do they ascribe their deliverance from their Egyptian Bondage and Task-Masters So Ahaz Sacrificed to the God's of Damascus which were the ruine of him and all Israel 2 Chron. 28. 22 23. and 2 King 16. 10-13 So also Amaziah set up the Edomit's Gods to be his Gods and sought after them which could not deliver their own People out of his hands 2 Chro. 26. 14 15. and was destroy'd for his pains as threat'ned by the Prophet for not hearkning to his Counsell though against and contrary to the King 's Wicked Idolatrous Council v. 16. 27. And what became of Jeroboam for his Calf-worship erected on a self Interested Reason of State See 1 King 14. 10 11. I le cut of Jeroboam and take away the Remnant of his House as a Man takes away Dung till it be all gone Him that dieth of him in the City shall Dogs Eat and him that dies in the Field shall the Fowls of the Air Eat For the Lord hath spoken it Is not here enough When Christ shall take possession of and actually reign over all the Earth his right always Psal. 2. 8. all Visible and Invisible Principalities and Powers of this World Evil Men and Angels will be laid in the Dust. Nothing but Righteousness of one sort or other Man's or God's in Man will be found in the whole World his Holy Mountain or Kingdom by his Executing that Judgment and Justice in the Earth Jer. 23. 5. always all along his peaceable Righteous Reign that they allway's perverted Saints also that he will bring with him to Reign will do the like in Harmony with their Universal Fift Monarch Dan. 7. 18 -- 27. Jude 14 15. Rev. 5. 10. Solomon in Spiritual Light sees and mean's not only nor chiefly the oppression of the Body in the concerns thereof by Heathen Governments violating the Common Law or Light of rational nature in mankind but the Oppression and Violence exercis'd by first-Covenant Brethren against the second the only true Heirs and Saints of the most high The new Light and Life they are found in under the fructifying Influence and Beamings forth of the Mystical New-Creation Sun of everlasting Righteousness Christ as a Spiritual Bride-groom is Scorn'd Hated contradicted Blasphem'd and they Persecuted and kill'd for 't by none so much as by their envious Brethren in Holy Flesh restor'd Law-Life under the Mystical first-Creation Sun or First-Covenant Spirit wherein Christ has bin a sleshly Law-Bride-groom to them Thus are true Saints the Oppressed peculiarly and most properly here and Chap. 5. 8. meant by Solomon And then shall we find the vast number of Dead Heathens in the corrupt Life or Spirit of nature dead in Trespasses and Sins and the far smaller number of enliven'd first-Covenant Brethren professing Saints in Holy Flesh in all variety of Judgment Form or way in one kind or other Oppressours of the smallest number of all Christ's little Flock the few that are saved true Saints of the most High in God's Holy new-creature-New-Creature-Spirit stripp'd and destitute of all Worldly Power or help All in this World against them No thing No body for them They are Men Wonder'd at Scorn'd Hated by all Men of Contention with the whole Earth The whole Earth or wordly party of Angels and Men fix'd in their earthy natural first-Creation-make and State despiteful Enemies to the Spirit of Grace and all in the second are their Implacable Adversaries in every thing The but first-Covenant Righteous Professour call himself what he will sometimes gets a considerable Share in the Civil Sword or Power and uses it with greatest fierceness against the new-Covenant professing Spiritual Saint who with Christ look's not after the Kingdom of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heavenly managable only in the Spirit of 〈◊〉 not the most enlight'ned righteous Principles or State of nature and not actually commencing till Man's and Satan's be at a Period Such a Kingdom such a King or Kings as Christ and his true Disciples lay claim to or own themselvs of right to be as Sons of God even Heathen Pilate was able to see and Judg carries no clash in it at all with Worldly Ceasars or Magistracies John 18. 36-38 True Saints are not for throwing down all Heathen Magistracies in the corrupt Spirit of nature that they may rule over all in the renew'd worldly spirit thereof They that design and drive at this are the Pseudo-Fift-Monarchists who in all their Zeal and high Pretences for the King Jesus are the highest and fiercest Enemies and Opposers of the very Jesus the very Christ in his very Gospel-reigning Spirit of Grace and Truth They are themselvs the most signal part and Branch at least of that little Horn with the Mouth speaking very great things Dan. 7 8. 11. 20 21. 24 25. Rev. 13. 3. 5 -- 8. 11 -- 17 which they would wholly fix upon and appropriate unto a corrupt and grosly Idolatrous Heathen party in the Fourth Roman Monarchy under the name Christian. These are they with the deadly Wound Healed given by the first Sin that laid all Mankind dead in Trespasses and Sins who with a great mouth speak great things blasphemous words against God and his new-name or Gospel-Spirit the Holy Ghost God's Heavenly Sanctuary or Tabernacle and them that dwell in it even the Saints of the most high that dwell or have their conversation in Heaven Christ's Heavenly Gospel-Spirit of Grace By the false Fift-Monarchist is to be understood not only a party peculiarly and apart from their Fellows at Munster or lately amongst us or in any former Generations and other Countries pretending this way by throwing down all corrupt Worldly Monarchies or Governments to set up themselvs but the whole fixed first Covenant-Spirited Generation and Party of Professours in all times and places found in the same uniform Spirit of unchangable Enmity to the true Spiritual Saint on the one hand and a self-confident Disturbing Traiterous Opposition to corrupt worldly Cesars on the other This troublesome Spirit is charactred by the Apostle in the Jewish Professours that both kill'd the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets and Christ's Apostles And therein please not but indeed highly displease and Provoke God and are contrary to all Men on their right and left hand Spiritual Saints and polluted Heathens For this Wrath came upon those Jews to the uttermost and will upon all in like case 1 Thes. 2. 15 16. These are they that speak great swelling Words of Vanity with their self-exalting Luciferian Master Satan the old great Bloody-minded Red Dragon against the most high himself and all his true Spiritual Saints These are they that said of Christ himself the Supream Preacher and
Prophet or Mouth and Living Word of God he is a Blasphemer a Sabbath-breaker a Glutton a Wine-Bibber a Friend of Publicans and Sinners implying him to be a Hater of an Enemy to Good Holy Righteous Men aud that he has a Devil and is Mad. These are they that Persecute the Spiritual Brotherhood say in their hearts to true Spiritual Prophets and Seers see not Phophesy not unto us right things speak to us smooth things pleasing to nature when righteous things after or according to our own Hearts Prophesy deceits turn aside out of the Path the good old way cause the Holy one of Israel and all his right words of Counsel and Instruction to cease from before us Isai. 30. 9-11 We desire not to hear of him to have any knowledg of his Words or Ways Job 21. 14. and 34. 27. Jer. 44. 16 17. Desperate Resolutions But why should the Servant look to fare better then his Lord amongst them These are they that proudly say to the blind Heathen on the one hand in Scorn and Contempt stand by come not neer me touch me not for I am Holier then thou Isai. 65. 5. And the same do scorn ravenously trample upon and insult over the Spiritual Saint on the other hand as the filth of the World the very off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 8. 13. These are the signal Objects of their Scorn and Hatred they shoot forth their most Malicious Arrows even bitter Words against Psal. 64. 3. As for their left-hand Men the corrupt Heathen they can on occasion call and make use of them as the Professing Jews did even the most Debauch'd and Corrupt amongst them any lew'd Fellows of the baser sort to help carry on their Persecuting-work against Gospel-Saints Act. 17. 5. But seldom shall ye take them calling in them to their assistance against the corrupt Party except unawares or in an exigent And when succesfully help'd and delivered by them rather then bear their Words if they can't otherwise suppress them they 'l e'ne call in their Subdued lewd party again to their assistance in the case So has the true Fift-Monarchy-Saint not allow'd any name or place at all amongst these corrupt and Righteous worldly Scrambles for the Scepter the slip given him on all hands by the whole twofold earthly party Professing and Profane When the former have made use of his assistance against the latter and then find him not to be for their turn in that first-Covenant Principle or Life of the Law the Pseudo-Fift-Monarchy-Spirit Christ would not Reign in Jo. 6. 15. Paul could not Reign in 1 Cor. 4. 8. they call back the latter to their assistance against him deliver him up into their hands as Guilty of Death for what he did in Union with them against them This though what he did was in such extraordinary unusual and never before happening Circumstances the dissolving and parting asunder of the Supream Legislative Powers as might reason have had any hearing or place would fairly have 〈◊〉 to justify him as doing the best that in so difficult a case could be done On the reform'd Parties Victory over the Corrupt and Idolatious in any Nation the Trumpet is presently and confidently blown and makes a ringing Noise as a tinckling Cymbal gives a Confused Uncertain Sound for the King Jesus But in what Spirit In that he 'd never own himself a King in yea directly contrary to that in which he did so in a flat contradiction to that good profession he made before Pontius Pilate concerning his true Kingly Spirit and Reign both Negative and Affirmative the one expressed the other necessarily implied 1 Tim. 6. 13. Jo. 18. 36 37. He bore Witness to the Truth or to and in that new-Creation Spirit of Truth in which alone his Reign is to be There 's nothing but Shadow Letter Figure Type as to any life or Goodness found in the first Creation All truth is found only according to Scripture-Testimony in the second So Pilat's question what is Truth v 38. was answer'd before-hand v. 37. Thus are true Saints the truely poor and needy inwardly in their Spirits as to first-Covenant Life and Laodicean Treasures and oft also outwardly in bodily concerns Shuffled out of all Play on all hands and at length out of the World as not fit to live any longer in it Act. 22. 22. Heathens and a first-Covenant people mean while can joyn Counsels and speak lies at one Table against them Dan. 11. 27. even against those that are the best Subjects of the one and on lawful warrantable grounds the best helpers of the other yea they 'l joyn forces also in one Army against them Thus down goes the true Saint on all hands They have no visible relief All are against them They are men of contention to the whole Earth Jer. 15. 10. or earthly party corrupt and righteous They are poor and needy on all accounts within and without while their combin'd Adversaries Heathens and a professing People Psal. 2. 1. are fat rich full and flourishing in outward or inward litteral or mystical riches or both and joyn hand in hand or hand and heart maliciously against them On the side of both these Oppressors there is Power but they have no comforter God helps them supports them Christ and good Angels are for them But all this Relief is invisible and is not visibly put forth for their deliverance from Persecution and violent bodily Death but makes such 〈◊〉 and Death the method in their wonderful mysterious contrivance to secure them from eternal Death and bring them into eternal Life Here 's comfort for them to purpose in their utmost Tryals And this are they well aware of Enemies of all sorts hate and despise the marr'd Visage of their natural man which they see and they mortally hate their spiritual man hid with Christ in God which they see not but only hear hate and dread the unpleasing words or doctrine of But this yet is not all nor half the worldly power engaged against them which they have to deal and grapple with combate and wrestle against We wrestle not against flesh and blood only or chiefly in our selves or others but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high Places against unchangably wicked spirits Devils comming forth in their counterfeit heavenly spiritual appearances of God Christ and holy Angels a disguise by their permitted sinful transforming arts put upon them whereby to deceive if 〈◊〉 the very Elect. These are more subtile and potent than both their visible inhumane enemies But There are higher than these highest enemies of the Saints of the Most High on their side and then who can be against them and finally prosper or what can any do against them that can 〈◊〉 them yea that shall not be of a direct tendency under God's over-ruling order to their final and everlasting good comfort enough Good Angels excel all Enemies
with false hopes and confidences here and come what will think they hereafter At length they must leave their false present rest and lie down in everlasting sorrow Who can help Satan's twofold party corrupt and righteous men fixed in nature with him will on in their fools Paradise in their various pathes under Satan's counsel and steerage to the same Tophet Saints ought to do their best in all meekness to recover any out of the snares of the Devil till evidently fix'd in Enmity God's method with men is that none should usually have two Heavens or two Hells All Good is the Saints all Evil the incorrigible sinners in the world to come All Saints tears are put into God's bottle of remembrance to requite all hereafter as Enemies oppressive madnesses shall also be paid off with such recompence of their Errors as is meet the vengeance of Eternal Fire Jude 7. All will come to their rights at last Friends and Foes This very Argument does Paul comfort oppressed Saints with 2 Thes. 1. 4 -- 10. At Christ's second coming will Saints ride in their Triumphal Chariots as more then final Conquerors over the Heads of their Oppressors Devils and Men who have had their turn to ride over their heads Ps. 66. 12. The Lord regards every sigh and groan of his Prisoners appointed to death under worldly Powers Psal. 12. 5. and 69. 33. and 79. 11. 146. 7. He will make his despised oppressed ones a praise in the Earth in the sight of all that have scorn'd and trampled on them Psal. 102. 13. 16. 19. 20. The true Saint pants after final deliverance from all Enemies within him Rom. 7. 24. as well as without All will be 〈◊〉 at last in Answer to their Prayer Psal. 74. 10. and ver 〈◊〉 Saints groan after deliverance from their mortal righteous earthly life of Enmity as well as from that of the Body 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. All in nature within and without them is in a universal confederacy against them What matter If God be for them who can be against them Or who can hurt them Rom. 8. 31. Here 's enough The whole first-creation world lies in wickedness litteral and mystical filth of flesh or spirit 1 Joh. 5. 19. and so in a universal daring affront and contradiction to all words and things of God in the next Jer. 44. 16 17. But God will hear or deliver Saints from the horns of the Unicorns Psal. 22. 21. That is from all oppressive Powers of this World visible and invisible without and within So have we in some small measure the meaning of these words Vers. II. Wherefore I praised the Dead which are already Dead more than the living which are yet alive The weight of these words lies not in the Litteral Sense For no miseries or oppressions incident to bodily Life in this world are comparable to the sad condition of the wicked after death under final wrath The spiritual truth here relates to Saints Saints departed are in a far better condition than those left behind them in the Body that have not fully passed through the twofold inward and outward oppression or suffering-work that 's to be undergon by them Saints departed out of the Body or while in the Body out of the Law-life of their own spirit are those A voyce from Heaven command's John to write as a most certain Truth blessed Blessed are the dead in the Lord Rev. 14. 13. All so dead with Christ will live with him for ever in his Immortal Gospel-life All others will perish in their own corruption or corruptible Law-life and state which they have rebelliously chosen and trusted in for blessedness against the Lord's known commands and warnings to the contrary By keeping up what Paul cast away as dung for Christ's spiritual Life will they perish as their own dung for ever Job 20. 7. A perfect death of the natural Spirit and Principle of Life and Action in man an everlasting cessation and rest from all the desire thought and unprofitable labour thereof and so the honourable burial of it in the mystical grave of Christ is true conformity to his death Christ came not to do his own Will nor speak his own words the Dictat's of his own understanding though spotlessly perfect in our fleshly nature but Crucified and ceas'd from all We must follow his suffering steps through the same fire of his eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. kindled by him on us as on himself Luk. 12. 49. Spiritual Circumcision and fire-Baptism put nature corrupt or righteous to death cut off and burn up all flesh even Holy Flesh Col. 2. 11 12. Man in the restor'd righteous Life of his own nature has nothing but a Body of Sin and Death about him which Paul pray'd for deliverance from Ro. 7. 24. Phil. 3. 6-8 Since the fall filth of Spirit Enmity to God is inseperable from the Life of nature corrupt or righteous Nature in whatever condition and Enmity to God Live or Die breath or expire together Paul when eminent in Holy Flesh breath'd out Enmity Threatnings and Slaughter against God's Holy Gospel-Spirit Saints and Truths Act. 9. 1. From the time this Spirit of Enmity was Death-struck by Christ in his way to Damascus he lived and brought forth Fruits unto God in a newness of Life In the restor'd Life of nature the great Sin of Enmity revives gather's Strength Credit and Authority By the death of it under the Cross that and all other Sins are pluck'd up by the Roots He that is so Slain and dead is freed from all Sin for ever Ro. 6. 7. When Planted together in the likeness of Christ's Death and Resurrection the Old Man is Crucisied the Body of Sin destroy'd v. 5 6. Man's natural Body or whole natural Man at best as a Righteous Living Soul 1 Cor. 15. 44 45. is by the twofold death and Life-work of Christ's quickning Spirit Transformable into the likeness of his Glorious Body or the glorified Body Soul and Spirit of our nature in his person Phil. 3. 21. On such death of nature Man ceases from sin for ever 1 Pet. 4. 1. If Obedient to the Slaughter-work of Christ's Gospel-Spirit on our Lawless or Law-Spirit in corrupt or righteous nature shall we by the second operation of it be quick'ned up into the Life of his Gospel-Spirit All dead with Christ shall after their season of dwelling in Dust arise with his dead Body into a newness of Life and Sing for ever Isai. 26. 19. Paul's argument in this case looks both way's If the Dead rise not Christ is not Risen 1 Cor. 15. 12-19 implying if Christ be Risen the Dead with him shall be Rais'd into that 〈◊〉 of Life our Crucisied nature in him Lives in for evermore Rev. 1. 18. Our nature in Christ is rais'd also into and possess'd of the very Divine Life So the fulness of the very Godhead dwells in him bodily in personal Union with his Manhood This is his peculiar Prerogative
transcendently above the highest Saint for ever But all Saints in new-Creature Life are in Personal Union with that which in him is in Personal Union with the Divine nature and thereby fitted to see and Enjoy the Divine Glory as coheirs with him of God Ro. 8. 17. They are thus one with him Personally as he and the Father are one Jo. 17. 21 22. We must Obediently suffer and die with the Man Christ as to the best and most righteous first-Covenant Law-Life in our restor'd nature or not live with him for ever in his Spiritual Gospel-Creature-Life 2 Tim. 2. 11 12. Such dead ones rest from all their sinful and unprofitable Labours in their own Spirit of Enmity and their righteous works or fruits done and brought forth by them in the Spirit of Grace follow stand by them before the Judgment Seat of Christ and justify them as owned and approved in their whole persons and all such works The changableness before the fall and enmity also since found in Man's whole nature render it not properly that is unchangably good and truly Holy in God's sight as under his Approbation-Seal Yea since the fall is Man at best in his single naturals hateful to and a hater of God and therefore can't be profitable to himself by any thing done therein as to true hapiness Wilful fixure in nature at best is unchangable Union with the Devil in Enmity to God So that which he willingly mistak's for Salvation is Everlasting Damnation to him In stead of the Saints Everlasting Rest he 'l find the Sinner's Everlasting Torment and Vexation of Spirit as the Fruit of all his Vain Labours Solomon therefore Preferr's the dead in and with Christ as to the Life of their own nature corrupt or righteous in the Profane Publican or Righteous 〈◊〉 to any yet alive in their own nature Vers. III. Yea better is he then both they which hath not yet bin who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the Sun Better are the compleatly dead in the Lord then either those Saints that yet live in the Mortal Body and have something of the remaining Uncrucified first-Covenant Life of their own Spirit about them so are yet under the Oppressive Practicings of Devils and Men without and Fleshly Lusts within them Warring against the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. Or those Saints who are yet Unborn The departed Spiritual Saint is better then the Saint yet in the Mortal Body amidst a throng of Enemies without and within surrounded with all sorts of worldly Allurements Disturbances wicked Men and Devils Paul therefore earnestly groan'd after deliverance from his earthly Tabernacle by the dissolution of it that he might be at home with the Lord in his Heavenly House So only comes Mortality to be compleatly swallow'd up of a life that 's above all death or chang 2 Cor. 5. 1-6 And if Saints departed enter into a full peace and rest Isai. 57. 1 2. and so a better condition then that of Saints in the Body more yet are they beyond such as shall be Saints that are yet Unborn who have all the said Miseries and Oppressions without and within wholly behind to pass thorow But the letter of this Scripture seem's to look another way that the yet Unborn may seem better then the actually engag'd in this Mortal World of Miseries and Troubles or then the deceas'd who has pass'd through them and that all sorts of deceased good and bad Men as not having yet seen the Oppressions and evil work that 's done under the Sun This as relating to the Miseries of all in this Mortal World and Life of Vanity only He that 's dead is freed from all these things be he unchangably good or evil for ever after The wicked cease from troubling them and the weary are at rest Prisoners no more hear the voice or feel the hand of the Oppressour Job 3. 17 18. The sense in which the yet Unborn is better then both they that are in or have pass'd thorow and out of the Miseries of this World singly consider'd without what follow 's to wit the Grievances and Oppressions incident to the natural Man of Saints or Sinners may seem to import a never being Born at all a meer nullity Such a nullity by an annihilation-death will all that finally perish ever desire and seek but never find as better than to be tormented for ever in Hell or afflicted with the miseries and Oppressions of a mortal Life on earth In this twofold sense had it bin good for Judas never to have been born or bin at all Mat. 26. 24. And this Job seem's to mean Job 3. 11 12. 16. and 10. 18 19. Vers. IV. Again I consider'd all travel and every right work that for this a Man is envied of his Neighbour This is also vanity and vexation of spirit Fallen Man is so brutishly wicked as to envy and hate every right work and worker in the but restor'd Spirit and Life of his own nature as condemning him for the contrary Some of them have affirm'd God gave not Man Free-will but with intent that he may lawfully walk in the uncontrolled liberty thereof And so is it lawful to hate the righteous Life and Action of their own nature in Legal Christianity or Heathen Morality Hence Speak they evil of all that run not with them into the same excess of riot 1 Pet. 4. 4. While such Brutes please themselves with and promise others such Liberty they are the servants of and will utterly perish in their own corruption 2 Pet. 2. 12. 19. Thus do they render the righteous works of restor'd nature which yet are but vanity vexation of spirit to the workers And hence does Satan puff up such persecuted conscientious workers with a confident opinion that they are Christ's true persecuted Gospel-Saints Thus does he play his game so as to be a Winner every way in both these bussling worldly Combatants corrupt and righteous keeping them all in his differing snares and at his beck to let them both loose as he sees occasion against the spiritual Saint One sort of them hates all that run not with them into litteral uncleanesses with greediness the other all that run not with them into mystical uncleanness The righteous first-covenant-professor is the odious Butt at which a profane party shoot their revengeful Arrows And they are at the same work towards the spiritual Saint Because his way 's are of another fashion from and better then theirs For this very cause Cain kill'd Abel 1 Jo. 3. 12. Cain mystically wicked the fixed Enemy of God in the establish'd righteousness of man a first-covenant Brother murthered his natural Brother as found a Second The right work 〈◊〉 here meant is what 's done in the Spirit of Grace not of Nature that can never deceive be deceived sin erre or miscarry All done and said in this spirit only is pleasing to God hateful to righteous men in restor'd Nature only All in the right
or constant steddy spirit of everlasting Truth and Righteousness and Works thereof David pray'd for Psal. 51. 10. All fix'd in the but starting righteous natural spirit or principle of Life and Action hate with a perfect hatred as they them Psal. 139. 21 22. Righteous first-covenant Brethren are the most fierce persecutors of the second can't afford them a good word sit and speak evil against them Psal. 50. 20 21. Such Crucified Christ. Profane persons hate all such right works as are performable in renew'd naturals But all of both sorts Profane and Professors are against all spiritual Saints Works Things and Truths Many lesser Ruffles may the fix'd first-covenant righteons have with the Profane party but they mortally envy and hate the spiritual Saint with all his right works and words as seventy times seven fold more abominable to them than the profane party with all their brutish vilenesses Away with them 't is not fit they should live say they Masqu'd Papists worse than bare-fac'd or Mahumetans Spiritual Saints with their truly right works are a thousand-fold more envied by sowre leavened Legalists then common sinners of the Gentiles and their generally discernable wrong works This has bin found in all times and places towards all true prophets Christ himself and Saints before and under Law and Gospel Christ came to his own in the first-covenant and they blasphemed and Crucified him for the Gospel-doctrin of the second Never more will the whole World be in an uproar against Christ and his Saints then when he is just at the Door ready to come forth with them to reign over all such enemies What a universal surprize and amazement will this be to them all one and 'tother Heathen and first-covenant people As wondering at both their madnesses against Christ in his first and second coming the Psalmist ask's Psal. 2. 1. Why do the Heathen rage and the People imagine a vain thing What vain thing do they imagine and tumultuously assemble in a Union of their otherwise 〈◊〉 minds to do to cast down Christ God's supreamly anointed one and Saints Christ's anointed ones vers 2 3. A likely Project to thrive in Do either or any of them know what they do The Mystical Kings do in some measure the greater their madness the litterai less the less their folly though they also Rage and Tumultuously Assemble in this case Both are guilty enough to find a conclusion bad enough to them all Let the two earthen Pot-Sherds corrupt and righteous tugg and fight it out with one another That 's a lower trade of Sinning in either But if they peece up and joyntly fight against their maker they are at the highest point of Folly and Madness And then highest wo to both and all Isai. 45. 9. They contend against Almighty and Irresistibly mighty Divine and new-Creation Power Is all this Hubbub and Tumultuous Assembling of Mankind with all their combined Counsels and Forces against the insinite Divine Father and his Divine and Creature-Son like to Prosper They 'd break their Bands and cast away their cords srom them This is the Rebellious Design and Plot. They 'l not be subject to limited or bound up by their Laws or words of command This is their desperate case and Resolution This Universal Conspiracy to be remarkably the case in the last beyond all former times is on the very account here declar'd their incorrigible envy at or Enmity to God's Divine and new creature-Spirit of Grace with all the right words works or fruits thereof in true Saints which offer to lay Bands on all their unruly Wills This they 'l not endure but labour might and main to shake them off and cast them away from them This is that which corrupt and righteous humane with Evil Angelical nature make head against God Christ and Saints about The two-edged Spiritual Sword in all these hands speaks death to nature in them all Therefore they all fight against it But this will in Love or Wrath perform the whole Will and Counsel of God as to the death of nature on every Angel and Man good and bad Isai. 1. 19 20. and 55. 11. 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. Christ in that Spirit wherein any can or ever could be saved is the stumbling-Stone and rock of Offence the only Rock of Defence to Saints to the numerous Troops of innumerable evil Angels and Men that Build on the Sandy fallible Principles of nature for Salvation They utterly defy all the words of the Builders on the Rock that speak nothing but War and Death to them attempting to set Fire on their House Guess who of the Earthy party are like to take this most heavily at Christ's and his Saints hands as offring to take down a beautiful Church-building with pretence to set up a better unchangably glorious That Mystical Temple of his Body or whole natural State that Christ said was to be pull'd down So as not to have one stone of it left upon another and in which he Refus'd at the Jews desire to be their King saying he 'd build it up into another more glorious Temple-State in which he would be a King this was the very ground of the Professing Jews proceeding against him to the death He has built up our nature in himself by way of Resurrection into a new-Creation Temple of the Living God for evermore His Doctrin of the Cross upon them and Practice of it upon our nature in himself did the Professing Jews and their Teachers Priests Scribs Pharises c. call Blasphemy or evil-speaking against the first-Creation Temple and Life of the Law as no State of true Salvation This they reckon'd an Evil Hurtful or false speaking that is Blasphemy And in saying so they Blasphem'd or spoke and did evil and hurtful things Maliciously of and against him and all his Gospel-Truths First-Covenant Brethren hate the very Gospel-Principle and all the Right Works and Words of Christ and Saints therein For which of my good works do ye stone me Said Christ. Not for any good work but for Blasphemy replied the Jews Jo. 10. 32 33. What must Steven or any Servant expect if the Lord were thus handled See Act. 7. 51-60 with the ground Act. 6. 9-14 A first-Covenant People among the Gentiles under Gospel do the same things to their Spiritual Brethren as the Jews under the dispensation of the Law in the self-same Law-Principle and Life the very leaven of the Pharisees But these disturbers of Gods true Israel in both will be cut off Gal. 5. 12. They labour to keep off all true Gospel-Doctrin from all hearing as the most abominable Heresy and Preachers of it not fit to live Act. 22. 22. and 24. 14. Law-circumcision for cutting off Filth of Flesh they prefer to the true Spiritual Gospel-circumcision that cutts of Holy Flesh restor'd righteous nature from which filth of Spirit or Enmity to God's Gospel-Spirit is inseperable For this Murdering-minded Cain's Envy Mortally Hate and kill Spiritual Abels from
first to last This is their evil work in Enmity to God and the Power of Godliness under the form thereof and Righteousness of Man Their envy in this case is called Murder though they be not furnish'd always for the ouvert act on Saints Bodies They Breath out Threatnings and Slaughters against Christ's Spiritual Disciples and so against himself his new name and Life Why Persecutest thou me said he to Paul Here 's the Butt all their Revengful Arrows even bitter Words are Shot 〈◊〉 They are six'd with their Father the Devil in the first-Creation and so in unchangable Enmity to God and the second Jo. 8. 44. They Mortally hate that which is Eternal Life How then should they have it abiding in them 1 Jo. 3. 15. Joseph ' s Brethren Paul and other unawak'ned Spiritual Saints have amongst others said le ts kill these Dreamers so call they the most awak'ned true Prophets and Saints and see what all their Dreams or aery Notions will come to Gen. 37. 19 20. But the guilt of the convinced 〈◊〉 in Christ's Vineyard that saw him and his Saints the true Heirs and said le ts kill them that the Inheritance may be ours is of another hiew All such knowing wilful Sinners against the Holy Ghost or gospel-Gospel-Spirit of true Saintship are unpardonable True Saints are a wonder even in Israel a first-Covenant People of God hatred in that House of God Hos. 9. 7 8. They are a Spectacle of Scorn and Derision in their Marr'd naturals to the World all Angels and Men in the Flourish and Glory of a fix'd worldly Spirit 1 Cor. 4. 8. 13. Such despisers of true Saints Wonder and Perish They will in no wise believe though a Man declare it to them Act. 13. 41. They persist in a wilful Enmity against Spiritual Conviction-Light These Hypocritical Sinners in Zion-light Justling out and killing those they know to be the true Spiritual Heirs when sorely Oppress'd by Heathen-Rulers beyond hope of Visible help will pitch for relief on Christ's appearing for them And his appearing will be a thousand-fold more Amazing and Tormenting to them then all Oppressions they groan under from their Brutish Egyptian Task-Masters His day will be darkness and not light to them the most sad gloomy day that ever befel them Amos 5. 18-20 They 'l be found in unchangable Enmity to the very Spirit and Light of that day The true Saint then we see is called to and required patiently to pass thorow all sorts of Oppression from Devils and from the corrupt and enlight'ned Spirit of nature in other Men and in himself All desires thoughts and motions of his own nature are constant fighters against his Spiritual Mind 1 Pet. 2. 11. and Ro. 7. No treating about Peace They are always for War Ps. 120. 7. Gal. 5. 17. As true Souldiers of Christ therefore are we to fight down and Crucify our Flesh with the Affections and Lusts that War against our Souls On the death of all Enemies within will Saints be compleated in a ResurrectionLife and therein become more then Conquerors of all Enviers of their right works and words But till this all along their Warfare in the Mortal Body their Envious first-Covenant Brethren and Neighbours labour to make their Travel under the pangs of Mystical death to appear a sore vexation of Spirit But the downfal weeping and tears of the natural or Old Man is the ready and only Road to the everlasting Harvest-Joy of the new Ps. 126. 5 6. Saints aware of this ought with Paul to Glory and Rejoyce in nothing save the Cross or Spirit of Christ Gal. 6. 14. Vers. V. The Fool foldeth his Hands together and Eateth his own Flesh. The Fool here is a Man that through wilfull Folly makes no right use of his first-Creation Talent of light or life restor'd by the Redeemer A Character of this Fool have we Prov. 6. 9-11 How long wilt thou sleep O Sluggard Yet a little Sleep a little Slumber a little folding of the hands to Sleep So shall Poverty and want come upon thee as an Armed Man irresistibly And Prov. 24. 30-34 The Field of the Slothful is all grown over with Thorns and Nettles The Stone Wall thereof broken down c. A remiss negligent slothful person failing in his outward call and civil capacity brings these inconveniences upon himself which render him miserable in himself and despicable to others The deep mystical truth of this we find in the Parable of the Talents to wit Christs several distributions to Men in restor'd first-Creation-Life Mat. 25. 14-30 He requires a diligent improvement of all This was answer'd by them that receiv'd the five and the two Talents They doubled them So as good and faithful Servants are bid enter into the Joy of their Lord. But he that received the one Talent hid it in the Earth This is the Fool Solomon meanes His Talent was a Measure of restor'd first-Covenant Light and Life This Light tells him what he should do And this Life furnishes him with Power to do it He is not therein to live to himself but to him that died or put that State to death in himself to purchase and recover that life again for him 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. This is done by our giving it up again in Sacrifice to God as he did the only way to come at that Life above all death which he raised our nature into in himself This way did the five and two-Talented Servants improve their Talents And he that had but one knew he ought so to have done by putting his Mony to the Exchangers Christ Condemn's this wicked and slothful Servant out of his own Mouth that knowing he Reap'd where he Sow'd not and that to receive his own again would not serve his turn ought by Exchang to bring it to him with advantage in Usury as the other two did He knew he had receiv'd it on the same terms with the other two to improve it by a faithful and fruitful exercise of it in its own activity and way for a season living therein to him that died to Purchase it for him and then to cease from that way of improving it as call'd and warn'd to do in order to receive in way of Exchange a Gospel-Principle of Everlasting Righteousness and Fruitfulness to God This Foolish Slothful Servant neglected both duties the improving his restor'd Law-Principle in its own activity and way as also the obedient Exchang of it by death for a Gospel-one Or if he perform'd the former yet neglecting the latter he fall's under the same Condemnation as if he had fail'd in both If he indulg himself and follow his own evil Concupiscence into the enormous Practices of the corrupt Spirit of nature or in preferring the most fruitful righteous exercise of his enlight'ned spirit to the Gospel-spirit of Grace he is gone as unpardonably Criminal By either of these Rebellious ways he comes to the same dreadful conclusion as justly and unanswerably
and the positive Inflictions of final Wrath upon his whole being for ever Sad gains Beware then of Satan's most destructive 〈◊〉 Counsel for sparing righteous first Covenant-self in Enmity to God and his Everlasting Creature-Life and Righteousness offered in the second If Satan could make an Apostle his SpokesMan for this to Christ himself guess at your danger of being Beguiled by the same old subtil Serpent that so Beguiled Eve at first and a World since Take heed of following this Enemie's pleasing Counsel and Example and so of Rejecting Christ's The highest Glories tallest Cedars in the first-Creation-State of Angel or Man are fading flowers perishing vanities Look about you and consider what ye lay hold on or trust in for happiness The same death of nature that qualified the slain Lamb to open the Sealed Book of the Mind and Visions of God can qualify any followers of him to read it when open'd Till they have a spiritual understanding read while they will the main Scope and Intent of the Author God himself is not seen or taken out The Scriptur's that are a Transcript or Copy of that whole Mind and Counsel of God about the Salvation of Angels and Men that 's Engraven in the Gospel-Spirit of Christ the Original Book and Living Word of God are a Book Sealed up from Learned and more from Unlearned Man all destitute of Spiritual Wisdom See else Isai. 29. 11 12. 1 Cor. 2. 14. But after all that can be said still still the Cross is a Stumbling-block and Foolishness and the truly Obedient followers of Christ under it are highly offensive to Moral Heathen or Legal Christian in the flourish and Wisdom of their unbroken naturalls They are what and where they were say or warn the Spiritual Seer what or while he will or can The more will be their sorrow for such destructive Self-Love and Pity They loath God and he them Zec. 11. 8. Who can help them All offended at the Cross of Christ become an offence to Christ. Where are they then who will be found uppermost Have they an arm like God Can they thunder with a voice like him Job 40. 9. If flesh Holy Flesh that can't Inherit the Kingdom 1 Cor. 15. 50. be kept up and that Holy Spirit in which Men can be rejected where will they be On supposal a Man should violently crow'd into the Kingdom in Holy Flesh and sit at Christ's Wedding Supper still what the better Bind him hand and Foot say's Christ and cast him into outer darkness where shall be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth Why Because he has not the Spiritual Wedding Garment of Everlasting Righteousness but of the filthy ragged Righteousness of his own nature kept up and held fast in direct Enmity to and Rebellion against God The Man so handled will be Speechles he 'l see he has nothing to say for himself Mat. 22. 11-13 The hating the fading Life of our own nature that 's at best altogether Vanity is a requisite qualification of all true Disciples Luk. 14. 26. Jo. 12. 25. Loving our own loses us Christ's Eternal Life Hating our own is the only way to get it A fix'd self-Love in corrupt or Righteous nature is Eternal Damnation 'T is unchangable Enmity to God And what think you then Better is one handful with quietness then both hands full with Travel and Vexation of Spirit Better is it to go to Heaven with one Eye Hand or Foot then to Hell by keeping both and all Better go Slain to Heaven then alive to Hell Better die under Christ's Sacrificing hand or Cross then be catch'd alive in Satan's Snare a first-covenant Righteous Life the very Snare by and in which he takes Men at his Will 2 Tim. 2. 26. and so fixes them with himself in Enmity to God and the second Better go Poor Halt Maim'd Crucified to Heaven with Christ then Rich Wise Full Strong and Honourable in the fading natural Glory of a first-Covenant Life turn'd into unchangable enmity to God with the Devil to the lake of fire and brimstone prepared of old for both even all incorrigibly wicked Angels and Men. The Spiritual 〈◊〉 Eye or understanding set up in the 〈◊〉 natural Man of the Saint is that single Chast Dove-like Eye Mat. 6. 22. that fills the 〈◊〉 Body or Man full of Light This is the Eye or 〈◊〉 by which Man understands all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. not that Eye that turns and looks both way 's to good and Evil and that good it regards but fading 'T is Man's unexcusable Folly to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Labour of his own Spirit to his Vexation and Everlasting Destruction rather then quit that for God's and unspeakable everlasting Joy and Blessedness But notwithstanding all the known advantages of quitting all evil with the Life of his own will for all good in the Life of God's Man will on in his own self-chosen way and course come what will Man's one handful in quietness and final Peace with God in his Gospel-Spirit of truth is transcendently better then both his Hands full of such Riches in his own Law-Spirit of nature as are Vanity and will prove Eternal Vexation of Spirit to him Mystical as well as Litteral Riches the Laodicean Treasures of nature in but a first-Covenant Righteous Life are heap'd up with Disquietment kept with Anxiety and fear of loosing from the known self-Evidencing Perishableness thereof So that Men are in continual Bondage all the days of their Life therein through fear of the Death and loss of all Ps. 39. 6. Heb. 2. 15. Out of this Life and Spirit of Bondage are true Saints brought into the Glorious liberty of the Sons of God made truly Rich Wise Strong and 〈◊〉 in his new-Covenant Spirit of Everlasting Life and 〈◊〉 Amidst all Jollity in the first-covenant House of Feasting Men can't but with Job 3. 25. have a Secret bottom-fear of losing all from the Perishing nature of all therein All there is gotten and kept with sore Travel and Vexation and then leaves a Man after all his Labour Sorrow and 〈◊〉 Anxiety and disquietment in Eternal Vexation of Spirit Vers. VII Then I returned and I saw Vanity under the Sun What Vanity This. Vers. VIII There is one alone and there is not a second yea he hath neither Child nor Brother Yet is there no end of all his Labour neither is his Eye satisfied with Riches neither saith he For whom do I Labour and Bereave my Soul of good This is also Vanity yea it is a sore Travel Here 's another Similitude or Comparison to manifest the truth already spoken to In Letter Solomon Character s the Vanity and Folly of the Covetous Man that Toil 's and Labours wholly for the Litteral Wealth of this World when destitute of any Heir Child or Brother to Inherit the same any second to Succeed and enjoy it after him Yet grow's he dayly more and more Solicitous about heaping up and encreasing this lowest sort of
worldly Riches as he draw's neerer his Journey 's end Death The less he needs the more Covetous and Raking is he to heap up such Treasure the more Tenacious and Churlish as to the free parting with any thing to those that want This is familiar to common Observation Thus is Vanity and Folly Written out in all his Foolish Labours Solicitud's Carking Thoughts and Sharking Practices to heap up Wealth in his last day's which render's them his worst his Litteral latter end worse then his beginning or any other part of his Vain Shadowy Life in this World All he Labours for is but Vanity of Vanities Shadows of Shadows Figures of the inward Mystical Laodicean Riches heap'd up in the fruitful exercise of our own nature in a first-covenant righteous Life All 's but Shadow and perishing Vanity one and t'other All that are for either walk in a Spirit of Darkness as to all Gospel things and truths in a vain shew disquieting themselves in vain in direct contradiction to Christ's own Counsel and Irrefragable Arguments for it Mat. 6. 25-34 In every Circumstance of the Litteral Rich Covetous Man does Solomon Represent the Mystical in all the inward Riches Glory Comeliness and Fruitfulness of his restor'd righteous natural Spirit which at best is but a fading flower and he therein altogether Vanity lighter worse then Vanity it self less then nothing All the Rusty Mystical and Litteral worldly Mammon of Unrighteousness heap'd up in a Spirit of Enmity to God will be found by the final Choosers and Possessors thereof with their Moth-eaten Garments or filthy ragged first-Covenant Righteousness to Testify against them for their Folly in trusting thereto for acceptance with him at last day against all his faithful warnings and their own experiences to the contrary Mat. 6. 19 20. Jam. 5. 1-3 The only profitable use of the said twofold 〈◊〉 Mammon according to the command of the giver is the giving all up with themselves to his disposal to do with them and that as seem's good in his sight For then will God and Christ bestow upon them that durable Life and true Riches in which they will ever be own'd by them as Friends of both and they to them Luk. 16. 9. This making themselvs Friends of the Mammon of 〈◊〉 or the Unrighteous Riches is the only way for the gaining of the true Riches in which they 'l find their own again with Usury and be received into Everlasting Habitations even Mansions of Glory in the 〈◊〉 House But of the two the mystical rich man is in a state of deeper vanity and 〈◊〉 travel than the Litteral And he is at the same loss has no Heir or Second Child or Brother He cannot without self-deceiving propound any good end to himself in his distinct higher scene of Vanities beyond the litteral covetous rich man as the issue and result of all his labour and travel therein For his Riches are equally perishable as the others And he has no Heir to inherit them more then the other They are both and all under the same impossibility of ever finding any true content or satisfaction in their Riches They Both fall under the same just Judgement of God for doting upon inordinately labouring for and coveting after such fading Riches by which they are given up to and caused more and more to encrease in their unsatiable desire after and love to them And so are they gradually more and more alienated from God and his durable Life 〈◊〉 Food and Clothing till absolutely fixed in unchangable Enmity to all The whole design and course then of both these sorts of Rich Men who Trade wholly in Vanities is down-right madness Two things are here distinctly to be considered First What 's meant by the unprofitable Labourer and Labour reproved here Secondly What by the said Labourer's being destitute of an heir To the first Man's Immortal Spirit is the Labourer His unprofitable foolish Labour is the whole Desire Thought Word and Action of it in a restor'd first-creation or 〈◊〉 covenant-Life All this Life Action Desire Thought and Things thereof the Tree with the Fruit is but a lump of perishing Vanities Shadows meer Impertinencies and Nullities as to any thing of or conducibleness towards the true blessedness of man's Immortal being For his heart labour tug toil and lay about him while he will do what he can he never arrives at the enjoyment and possession of any good that exceed's the sphere of vanities The fleshly Tree with the Fruit Root with the Branch as to any goodness thereof will be burnt up and vanish away And then will all that trust therein be left in the most destitute helpless condition imaginable to eternity No Creature can secure or deliver them from being torn in pieces by their Creator's wrath Ps. 50. 22. None of their fellow-rebels humane or Angelical Rocks or Mountains Principalities or Powers of this World can shelter or hide them or enable them to stand before him when the great day of his wrath is come Rev. 6. 15-17 Yea those Supream Rocks and Mountainous first-Creation Powers of Darkness the evil Angels proud Man's proud helpers against God shall not themselvs be able to keep upon their feet in their unchangable hostility to him but stoop and lie down for ever with all their children of pride from amongst men under the same final wrath of God Job 9. 13. The whole mystical and litteral Babylon King and Subjects will all go to wrack into eternal Confusion darkness and death under wrath This will be the end all such proud covetous boasting traiterous heady high-minded despisers of Christ's dominion and Government will come to 2 Tim. 3. 2-4 Those that finally resist the Government of God delegated to the Man Christ will receive final damnation Rom. 13. 1 2. 2 Pet. 2. 10. Jude 8. What Man that deserv's to be reckon'd in his wits can think any possible Labours in his own Life of enmity to God and that spirit of Grace in which alone any can be saved can signify any thing towards his true Rest or Blessedness Can he ever be blessed in his deeds of the Law that does all in a spirit of enmity to God and his Gospel-Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does or teaches others in his own wisdom finally persisting there 〈◊〉 not the least aim towards the Saints Everlasting 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 wholly to a fixing them in an unchangable enmity to God and everlasting exclusion from it Such Preachers do shut up the Kingdom of Heaven exclude and detest the Righteousness of God In a perfect contrariety to their Judge's own counsel Mat. 6. 33. Hence will that most righteous Judge who if 〈◊〉 obey'd and 〈◊〉 to would be their Advocate to plead their 〈◊〉 with the Father 1 Joh. 2. 1. intercede against them as his implacable Adversaries They that hear not Moses and the Prophets will not be perswaded though one rose from the dead Luke 16. 31. Be willing and obedient to the spiritual Counsel of Moses
and the Prophets and all 's 〈◊〉 The Jewish Teachers and Professors wilfully miss'd and rejected all the spiritual counsel and sense of their own Prophets whom they highly pretended to obey and follow When Christ the great Master Prophet came to work with them they were found in direct Enmity and contradiction to them and him He finds and unanswerably proves them to be Insidels or Unbelievers as to all the Spiritual Gospel-meaning of Moses and the Prophets Is ye believe not Moses's Writings say's he How shall ye believe my words Joh. 5. 45-47 Both Christ and they appealed to the Law and to the Testimony The whole Controversy lay and still lies in the right understanding it So found he and proved them 〈◊〉 enemies to Moses and himself the true Accomplisher of all the significant Types Shadows Ceremonies Sacrifices Commands Ordinances Statutes Judgments and Institutions that Moses under his Conduct taught and writ Such self-confident Professors when the Visor is taken off are found Infidels as to the Gospel-sense of all Scripture Christ ask'd the Lawyer enquiring after Eternal Life What 's written in the Law How readest thou These are two Questions As to the first about the Letter of the Law this they were presently agreed on But How readest or understandest thou this Law In the first-covenant wisdom of Man or new-covenant wisdom of God Here arises all the Dispute and difference about the reading As to the first Query about the Letter Christ granted he answered right Do this and thou shalt live said he that is have Eternal Life the thing queried Both the Lawyer Luke 10. 25-29 and the young Man in like case Mat. 19. 16-20 willing and ready to justify themselvs reckon'd all this already done by them But indeed nothing For 't is not in the first-Covenant Spirit of the Law but new Covenant Spirit of the Gospel any can answer the true meaning of the Law as Austin said Both Lawyer and Young Man loved themselvs in the fading Law-Life of their own nature not the Lord their God at all in the everlasting Gospel-Life of his spirit of Grace This is Charact'red in its own Oracles by the word or title Love 1 Cor. 13. as unchangably loving and beloved of God So is positively asserted to be the fulfiller of the whole Law Rom. 13. 9 10. on all accounts to all intents and purposes to God's well-pleasing and Man's Salvation in the comprehensive litteral and mystical meaning sense and requirings thereof towards God or Man The terms on which 't is possible according to the methods and appointments of God's Wisdom for any to receive and be possess'd of this Gospel-spirit or principle of Life Desire Thought Word and Action being rejected and the Law-spirit of Nature kept up alive in which 't is impossible to do any of the things required for eternal Life what must such self-confident vain boasters come to In their own Law-spirit at best from which enmity to God is inseparable since the fall in stead of loving the Lord their God with all their heart soul strength and mind and their Neighbour as themselves they 'l be found to hate both God and his new-creature Gospel-spirit the supream mystical Neighbour and Friend of God and Man in personal union with God and offering personal Union with its self unto Man And if unchangably fix'd in their Law-spirit they 'l with the fallen Angels Hate the Lord their God and their said Neighbour with all their heart soul strength and mind All their good words and fair speeches by which they deceive themselvs and simple undiscerning hearers Rom. 16. 18. all their plausible pretences of love to God Christ and his Gospel-Truths by which they palliate their evil matters will not serve their turn This great Mystical Neighbour Christ's Gospel-Spirit called LOVE is the Fountain Creature-Vine-Tree that brings forth right Fruit true Wine cheering to the Hearts of God and Man as in Jothams Parable Judg. 9. 13. Christ in our fleshly nature and fading first-Covenant Law-Life thereof would not leave this right and true steddy constant gospel-Gospel-Spirit Ps. 51. 10. of Everlasting Rightcousness in which alone he is to Reign to go to be Promoted over the Law-Trees Inferiour to that pure and spotlesly perfect Law-Life in himself to wit Scribs Pharises and Professing Jews the Mystical Princes of this World that Crucified their true King for owning himself in his Reigning gospel-Gospel-Spirit of Life and because he would not be their false King in his Law-Spirit and Life as they desired yet would have forc'd him to be Jo. 6. 15. This had spoil'd all For had he so done he had quitted the true reigning spirit for a 〈◊〉 the Gospel for a Law-spirit as they did and Devils have done in unchangable Rebellion against the true King Jesus and God most High He would not thus quit the true Vine-Tree his gospel-Gospel-Spirit the Wine or Fruits whereof are cheering or delightful to God and Man Spiritual Men to be promoted over Men as Mystical first-Covenant Trees in Holy Flesh Trees of good and evil in Enmity and Rebellion against both God and Cesar the Jew's then worldly Soveraign at Rome Yet even they that would have made him such a King Crucified him because he would not be such a King as had bin an Enemy to Cesar and told Pilate himself to his Face if he let him go he was not Cesar's Friend Jo. 19. 12. They Mortally hated him for making or owning himself a King in the Spirit of the World to come that Pilate saw and declared to their Faces was no fault at all against Cesar and for not owning himself a King in that Law-Spirit of this World in which he had bin an Enemy to God and Cesar too Yet in a Tumultuous Vociferation and most Brutish Irrational Out-cry admitting of no distinction the general Word King serv'd their turn to Proclaim him an Enemy to Cesar and to get Cesar's Romane 〈◊〉 Pilate to Crucify him as King of the Jews Whosoever makes himself a King in any sense tell not us of Niceties and Distinctions a King is a King and there 's an end on 't speaks against Cesar. And we have no King but Cesar say these very Jews that would have set up Christ a King against Cesar. 〈◊〉 ye how matters go between Heathen Magistrat's and first-Covenant Brethren against Christ and the second A plain case What unutterable Confusion Blindness and Madness on all hands Pilat's Conscience and his Wive's Dream are against 〈◊〉 with Christ. Yet the Jews Out-cry Crucify him Crucify him carries it without any reason given and Crucified he was And the Spiritual Servant must not look to fare better then his Lord. What evil hath he done Said Pilate Not a word to that question But they cried out the more saying let him be Crucified Mat. 27. 22 23. Stark Madness But To the second Query What 's meant by the said Frivolous Vain Carking Sharking Covetous Unreasonable Unprofitable Labourer's being destitute of an
Heir This. Man's whole Immortal being in a Resurrection of Damnation Jo. 5. 29. will have nothing of good to Inherit This second Child that shall stand up for ever in his stead v. 15. in an Immortality of being which in the true Saint will have everlasting Life Joy and Blessedness even God himself for his Inheritance will for ever be laid down in Sorrow under the Positive Inflictions of Wrath in unutterable Torment and Vexation of Spirit Inheriting Everlasting Darkness and Death So will this Covetous worldling doting wholly upon Vain False Deceitful Worldly Riches Litteral or Mystical and as wholly Neglecting Hating and Rejecting the true find no Heir to Inherit no Child Brother or Second that will have any of that fading good to Relieve or Comfort him for ever Whoever has no second no younger Spiritual Brother in his person no true Heir of Salvation that will help and fetch up his natural elder first-Covenant Law-Brother into his newness of Life Gospel-Life will find himself undone to all Intents and Purposes for ever The Old Man or Elder-Brother left alone by his own choice and Gods Righteous Judgment to shift for himself will find himself in a Resurrection of Damnation and Immortality of his whole being Body Soul and Spirit an Heir only of God's final Wrath a Dismal Inheritance But in the true Saint Holy as God is Holy Pure as Christ is Pure that is unchangably as Partaker of Christ's of God's Everlasting Righteousness and true Holiness is found a younger Spiritual Brother that will fetch up the Elder into the same Everlasting Righteous Life with it self And so will Crown all the Righteous Labours of the natural Elder Brother or Old Man in his Law-Life and nature with a Glory never to be done away in an Immortal Gospel-Life with Christ in God a Life suted to his Immortal being He that spares and saves his Old Law-Life of Enmity to God from the Death of the Cross will lose it in Eternal Death He that obediently delivers it up to a Temporal Death will find it again with Usury in Eternal Life These are of the true and faithful Sayings of Christ's Spiritual Law of Liberty Mat. 16. 25. This is the one thing necessary for the rendring Man truly acceptable to God or profitable to himself a true and right Heir of the Kingdom even the true Second Child or Brother Son and Heir The Old Man or Man in his old natural Spirit Life and State in whatever Variety of Condition found is under an absolute impossibility of ever finding true Rest Food or Satisfaction after which he has bin all along his day in this World Coveting and Labouring In a wilfull blindness Inadvertency and Stupidity he will not allow his own Heart or Understanding any fair Play by reflecting upon himself and considering his own Folly He does not so much as say in his Heart for whom do I Labour and to what end do I bereave my Soul of good And all this under a self-Condemning Light which tell 's me all I am Treasuring up and Labouring about is but a heap of Perishing Vanities From inordinate love to and evil Concupiscence after this shall I turn from hate and so bereave my Soul of that blessed new-Creation-Life convincingly shew'd and offered me by God that would render me everlastingly blessed Unexpressible Madness Shall I chuse and Steal my own Eternal Death Torment Vexation Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth by Stealing from and Robbing God of his Mystical Tith's and Offrings withholding my nature from Sacrifice and Death Shall I with Esau greedily chuse and dote upon my own first-Creation Morsel and lose the new-Creation Birth-right while the true Spiritual Jacob's get and go away with all It highly concerns Man thus to commune with his own Heart and alter his vain Course for so great Salvation as is offer'd him Vers. IX Two are better then one because they have a good reward for their Labour The Birth of new-Creature Life in the true Saint makes with his natural Man the two that are better then one or then the natural Man single and alone however Perfect Wise Strong Honourable and Glorious The natural Man of the Saint is by his Spiritual under and with the fountain-Fountain-Spirit of Life in Christ fetch'd up by way of Death and Resurrection into the everlasting Life of the Spiritual in lieu of its fading natural This compleated the whole person is Spiritual I live yet not I but Christ in me say's Paul Gal. 2. 20. He had the two better then one He and the spirit of Christ. By the death of nature as to its own Law-Life and quickning of it up into Christ's Gospel-Life the Spirit of Christ lives in the whole Saint and he in it as his Ruler Lord and King But Man alone in his own nature however Wise and Righteous will find himself at length not only destitute of but in unchangable Enmity to that spirit of Christ in which alone any can be saved The natural Man in his own Uncrucified Will and self-chosen course therein remain's single and alone to his final ruine The reason why the said two are better then one is because they have a good Reward for their Labour Man fixed in his own Life and way and so in Enmity to God what reward can he expect but final Wrath as the meet Recompence of his Errour On the Obedient death of nature in which 't is impossible to please God in any thing is man rais'd into that Life of Grace in which 't is as impossible not to please him in every thing The Reward of this will be the full enjoyment and cleer Vision of God for ever Vers. X. For if they fall the one will lift up his Fellow but Wo to him that is alone when he falleth For he hath not another to help him up The Gospel-Spirit of Christ in the Saint takes his whole natural Man partly Crucified and partly not into its care and Protection And so the Fountain Gospel-Spirit in Christ himself takes the whole Man of the Saint into its Protection under the covering Shadow and Cherishing Influence of its twofold Cherubin-Wings as also under the joynt regard and care of his Infinite and Almighty Divinity The Saint is deeply concern'd in this case when Christ has committed to him set up in him and intrusted him with his unspeakable Spiritual Gift or Life that unchangable good thing to recommit that and himself back again to Christ for the Nourishing Strengthning and Encouraging it against all the Counterworkings of his Rebellious and in part uncrucified natural Mind or Man which will to its last Gasp without any Interruption fight against God and his Spiritual Till all the Mystical Nervs and Bones thereof be cut asunder and broken all the Life and Strength thereof utterly Extinguish'd and Abolish'd is it a perpetual Warrier against the Spirit of Christ in himself and Saints Paul found this fleshly Foe of his own House this Carnal Mind of Enmity
their own spiritual Mind Ro. 7. 15. 23. Solomon had a larger sad experience of this then Paul But though this one even the natural Spirit of the Saint in its own Life lust will and way oft prevail against him even against his spiritual mind or man two shall withstand him even this rebellious flesh or natural man What two Who are these The Fountain Spirit of Christ in himself and the quick'ned up Seed thereof or Spiritual Man in the Saint The Rebellious natural Spirit Satan's Party in the Saint and he at the back of it to encourage and strengthen it with all variety of Arguments Motives Reasons and Uses against its own Saviour and Salvation shall both fall down together under the prevailing Power of the Spiritual Man Christ's Party in the Saint and he at the back of it making up the blessed two here These will weaken Satan's Party in the Saint and at length quite extinguish all the Life and abolish all the Power thereof laying it in the Dust. Then the whole Man shall be fill'd with and actuated by his Spirit of Life there 's no dealing or medling for Satan with Perfect Conformity to Christ's Death and Resurrection is all compleat's the Saints work and deliverance from all Enemies without and within He that 's thus dead is freed from Sin Ro. 6. 7. Sin or the guilty Sinner the natural Spirit is dead and gone as to its own sinning life of enmity So comes a ceasing from Sin for ever 1 Pet. 4. 1. The same mind in the Saint with Christ for a compleat full suffring in the flesh extinguishes all Sinning self-destroying Power for ever in him And this bring 's the Saint's matters to the self-same passe with Christ's when he said Now come's the Prince of this World and hath nothing in me Jo. 14. 30. Satan would have perswaded Christ himself and that by an Apostle to pity and spare his first-Covenant Law-Life or righteous natural self But he utterly rejected these flattering Judas-Kisses and Smooth words of the Enemy which are drawn Swords to Wound and Kill Men eternally He took not the Enemie's Counsel but clean contrary brought his own Spiritual Sword and Fire upon it Crucified offered it up by a Holy Obedient death in Sacrifice to his Fathers Will. Saints must do likewise They must hate that Life in themselvs he Crucified in himself or cannot be his Disciples But under all plausible appearances of kindness for Self-Preservation and Salvation does Satan animate his Party in Man the Disputer of this World to Dispute and Contend for his own everlasting Destruction against all Christs Gospel-things and truths By Man himself does he carry on his work smoothly and fair for the destroying him for ever Men are generally in their fallen State of nature Children of Wrath dead in Trespasses and Sins hatefull to and hating God and one another So are they half Devils ready as 't were made to Satan's hand by his own hand or first blow upon humane nature in our first Parents They are Enemies of God Lovers and Friends of World and Devil in corrupt or in part righteous nature They are Litteral or Mystical Adulterers and 〈◊〉 Jam. 4. 4. Thus we see Men want no more of being compleat Deuils as Christ asserted Judas to be Jo. 6. 70. then of being fixed and rendred unchangable in Enmity They are born and live as thus forward in the ready Rode and broad way towards their everlasting Destruction And to forward and encourage the restor'd righteous Party in this way there want not for a World of false Christ's and false Apostles in the Counterfeit guise apparel and dress of the true fitted to deceive if possible the very Elect. These evil Angelical Roaring Lions in Christ's Clothing and 〈◊〉 in the Clothing and appearance of Christ's true Apostles and 〈◊〉 will in their Lying Spirit of Divination and false Prophecy warrant this their very way to Salvation Ezek. 13. 6. Here 's Man 's dangerous condition on all hands as to his grand concern In this deplorable State these almost desperate Circumstances all Men are in does Christ the true WISDOM of God publickly warn and cry out aloud to them all to take heed of being taken with this deceitful Doctrin of Men and Devils their false accursed other Gospel and that they listen to his contrary Counsel and Instructions of Life submit to his Reproofs of Death on that Spirit of nature that 's 〈◊〉 and so receive his Spirit of 〈◊〉 that can never Sin or be deceived err or miscarry but 〈◊〉 discern and own all his words of truth Prov. 1. 20-23 See then and consider Oye Sons of Men the different posture ye are in towards your Blessed Saviour and the Abaddon Apollyon Red Dragon and Destroyer Christ comes to Cross and run down fallen nature as to the corrupt Lusts and vile affections of Litteral Sodom This done and nature recovered and set afresh upon its 〈◊〉 in a rectified first-Creation orderly state or mystical house he comes again with Fire and Sword upon this to pull it down and destroy it in order to the new spiritual Building and Life of the Rock Here 's all this unpleasing Cross-work to nature corrupt or righteous which must be submitted to and obediently complied with or no Salvation On the other hand Satan that comes to destroy Men finds them in a ready posture gladly to receive and entertain him and all his words his flattering Kisses and smooth Sayings in his accursed other Gospel all after their own Hearts desire and Palate And if he can but fix them in Enmity they are his own for ever direct Devils Now whom think you like to be most welcome to Man the destroying Saviour or the saving destroyer Christ or the Devil the Angel or Messenger of Gods everlasting Covenant or the Angel of the Bottomless Pit The whole World or earthly party of mankind corrupt or righteous lieth in Wickedness 1 Jo. 5. 19. or in the wicked one the Devil liable to be used by him against God Christ all awak'ned Spiritual Saints and Gospel-Truths as Paul when eminent in the Law-Righteousness of Man was Ready are all save actually awak'n'd Spiritual Saints to embrace his smooth words of Counsell which are drawn Swords to kill them saw they all and to be at his service greedily receiving teaching and Hearing the very doctrin of Devils without the least scruple for Salvation All the World wonder and run after the Beast Rev. 13. 3. His Ministers and Apostles are of the World or worldly earthy nature and Life in the Image of the earthy the Wisdom and Righteousness of Man so teach only such worldly things for Salvation speak of the World and the World all of the like earthy-temper and Spirit hear follow and Embrace their Doctrin Down it goes without any chewing pause doubt or suspition If this Doctrin wear thred-bare and lose its colour he will clothe it with the appearance of Christ's Spiritual true Gospel-Doctrin In
this dress he with his Angels and Apostles come as Spiritual Wickednesses in Heavenly places or likenesses to deceive if possible the very Elect. But all won't do The said two in and with the Saint can pluck off all their Vizor's detect the Mummery of these Wolvs in Sheeps-clothing and wherein they deal proudly and subtilly will be above them every way at every turn The new-Creature-Spirit of Christ in himself and Saints is abundantly too Wise and hard for them all And then the infinite Divine Spirit the supream strength of all the Fountain-Contriver and former of the other makes up the Triple-League or Threefold-Cord which secures the Saint above all words or wonder What think you now of the Saint's Furniture To fight the Battels of the Lord against the mighty evil angelical or humane Principalities and Powers of this World May they not safely say as Elisha to his Servant when besieg'd by the Syrian Army in Dothan 〈◊〉 that be with us are moe than they that be with them 2 King 6. 16. Our Rock our Army our Arms are not as theirs fleshly weak feeble and nothing worth but Spiritual and mighty in and through God invincibly strong and powerful to beat profligate and cast them all down with all their vain imaginary strong holds high Places and self-exalting confidences therein 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. The threefold Cord here not quickly or easily yea utterly impossible ever to be broken may seem to import first the most high Union of divine Father and Son the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Form of God In this Union the Three that are impersonally as 't were One in the divine Essence are distinctly and personally three and One in the infinite and purely divine Form And so are they from Eternity to Eternity ineffably the peculiar Object of their own infinite understanding in a transcendent sublimity above all Creation or Creatures when made The divine form or Son of God is the Three that are One in a personal visibility or discernableuess properly calculated and suited only to him whose understanding is infinite Ps. 147. 5. The second link in this threefold Chain or Cord imported here may be the Union of divine and creature-nature in Christ's person the divine and supream creature-Form or Image of God most high the Infinite divine Father or Essence The third and lowest of the three Cords or Links in this golden Chain is found in the unchangable Union of Christ and Saints in his new-creature-spirit They are personally united with him as he with the Father are one with him as he and the divine Father are one Joh. 17. 21 -- 23. Thus come all things to be the Saint's as he is Christ's and Christ God's 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. This have Saints in their lowest of these three unions By the Second all the fullness of the Godhead dwell's bodily in the Man Christ Col. 2. 9. He is Possess'd of all divine and creature-fullness in absolute perfection These twofold fullnesses make up that unsearchable divine and creature-riches of his person Paul preached Ephes. 3. 8. All creature-nature in Christ all below his infinite divinity is call'd Man Man is a warranted Scripture-Title for all below pure divinity in Christ and in all Angels and Men good and bad Christ thus is the Man or Angel Gabriel that appeared to Daniel and Mary Dan. 9. 21. Luk. 1. 19. 26. Evil Angels are Men of sin with their Father the Devil So are all men that are by them fix'd in enmity with them And Christ with two of his holy Angels were the three Men that did eat of Abram's Calf with butter and milk under a Tree and warn'd him of the near approaching destruction of Sodom Gen. 18. All rational intellectual creature-nature natural or spiritual in Creator or Creatures is comprehended in the Word MAN Saints then by their personal union with the Man Christ as Mystical members of that one Body he is Head to are entitled to all the divine and creature-riches of his most glorious and wonderful person Such riches therefore do all true Gospel-Ministers preach declare and offer under Christ unto Men Ephes. 3. 8. to all Men Jews or Gentiles Heathens or a first-covenant People of God Vers. XIII Better is a poor and a wise Child than an Old and foolish King who will no more be admonished Heb. knoweth not to be admonished This poor wise Child is the true Saint as run down under the Cross from a rich prosperous fruitful state of his natural spirit into poverty and barrenness from the fading beauty visage and glory thereof in the restor'd Life and Image of the Earthy into a weak despicable and in the sight and judgment of the self-confident flourishing first-covenant Saint in holy flesh shameful condition yea in the marr'd visage glory life and wisdom of Man all the other looks upon or trusts in for salvation the very filth of the World and off-scouring of all things All this Paul when a Gospel-Saint rich wise strong and honourable in the Lord even in that spiritual Life which yet lies hid with Christ in God seem'd to the Law-Saint A who but he a non-such was he when an eminent Law-Saint in his own holy flesh or restor'd nature But when a true Gospel-Saint in Christ's Holy Spirit a meer no body or worse with them that still are where and what he was his righteous Brother Pharises and other Professours Once beyond them all at Holiness now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the World the off scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 13. See you what the Judgment of Man's Wisdom at best is about persons or things that belong to God Or will ye never see Take heed of that If any had whereof to Glory and rest on for Salvation in Holy Flesh Paul more when but there Phil. 3. 4. Just Job's case in the eye of his three Friends far Inferiour to what he had been in the Light Wisdom and Righteousness of that Holy flesh-state of restored naturals And thus is it universally with all true Saints when passing under the Cross out of the Holy-flesh Church or House on the Sand into God's Holy-spirited Church upon the Rock from a Law to a Gospel-Principle and State of Life David's familiar Friends and Companions in a first-Covenant House People or Church of God Intoxicated and Drunk with Satan's Charms and Wine there in the first-Covenant so as to despise Christ's Kingdom-Wine in the second on his withdrawing and removal under the Cross upon all that Life Principle Doctrin State and things of Man for Salvation in the second they became his forest Enemies They lifted up the Heel Heb. magnified themselvs above and against him Psal. 41. 9. Am I become your Enemy say's Paul on this very single account because I tell you the truth Preach a Gospel State to you Gal. 4. 16. David though a King became a Song of those Mystical Drunkards Ps. 69. 12. Drunk with Satan's first Creation-Wine that gratified their natural Palate Belly or
Appetite the Belly that 's but for such Meats as will perish with it 1 Cor. 6. 13. They that sate in the Gate spoke against him Was not the great Lord and Master Christ himself thus handled Despised and Rejected of Men even his own People in the first-Covenant for Witnessing and Practicing the Doctrin of the second Isai. 52. 14. and 53. 2 3. Jo. 1. 11. Was not Job the next signal instance for suffering to his Lord thus handled on the self-same account by his first-Covenant Friends when brought under the sharp Disciplin of the Cross in order to the second They vex'd 〈◊〉 broke him in pieces with reiterated frequent and continued 〈◊〉 Words They made themselvs 〈◊〉 to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselvs against him in pleading his Reproach when God was Stripping him by his Cross-work on that State of the fading Glory 〈◊〉 that State and taking that Crown from his Head Job 19. 2-19 which he had long worn and enjoy'd as a first-Covenant Prince or King in the Army Job 29. 25. of that sort of Pseudo-Fift-Monarchist's Thus was Poor Job destroy'd and gone on every side forsaken and abandon'd on all hands by God and Men as to any more or farther Comfort in that state he had king'd it in over his fellow-Mortals His very inward Bosome-Friends abhorr'd him And was not Paul so handled by his Friends presently after his quitting their Law-Principle and House on the Sand for Christ's Gospel-Principle and House on the Rock The next news we hear of him is he signally beyond other Gospel-Saints and Apostles Persecuted by Law-spirited Jews at Damascus Act. 9. 19-25 2 Cor. 11. 32 33. What cleer plain undeniable instances are here Who would think any sober Man whose obstinate will does not bribe off Pervert Obstruct and deafen his understanding could withstand such undeniable demonstration in this case I would For who believ's the report Who takes any spiritual Gospel-Testimony with whatever undeniable Demonstration attended and Ratified No Man in the single Wisdom of humane nature at best when made Wise Strong and Honourable in Christ but there Jo. 3. 32. 1 Cor. 4. 10. The natural Man even in awak'ned Spiritual Saints is ready and apt to wonder at this But retreating to the Sanctuary-Light of their Spiritual Man they see how matters go and the wonderment ceases The Spiritual Man the true Watchman Prophet and Seer of God is a Fool Mad a Snare Hatred it self Where With whom With a first-Covenant People and House of his God Hos. 9. 7 8. Was this alway's so Is it so even now Gal. 4. 29. will it be so to the end of this World and Satan's Reign E'ne cease wondring then at it O Saints of the most High What Wonder at what has bin the constant course and Practice of Humane nature in all mankind corrupt or righteous Popish or Reform'd true Saints themselvs not excepted till unwoman'd by the Cross as to their mutable fickle Womanish Spirit of nature and made actual Partakers of Christ's manly Life in his Gospel-Spirit of Grace springing up from the quick'ned Incorruptible Seed thereof 1 Pet. 1. 23. Be not dismay'd to see the Law-Church of God your Brethren in the first-covenant Children Spouses of Christ as a sleshly Bridegroom in their Holy Flesh turning themselvs into a Synagogue of Satan and serving his designs in persecuting Christ's Gospel-Church in his Holy Spirit sitting and speaking Blasphemies against them Psal. 50. 20 21. Paul when a new-Covenant Gospel-Saint was a Fool weak and despicable to Law-Saints in the renew'd old or first These were still Wise Strong and Honourable in Christ after the flesh as to both Inherent and Imputed Righteousness from him Sanctifying and justifying them according to the Tenour of that changable first-Covenant Life and State True Saints when with Paul Job and others they find all that to be but a fading flower altogether Vanity or a vanishing Shadow however good in its kind and beautiful in its day and season a Glory to be done away away they sling it as Dung for Christ in his Spiritual Resurrection-Life and Gospel-State Paul also advises others to become Fools with him as to the Law-Wisdom of Man in the first-Covenant for the Gospel-Wisdom of God in the second 1 Cor. 3. 18. In short Paul was a Poor Wise Child in Christ's newness of Life or second Covenant that had with the doting first-Covenant Law-spirited Corinthians bin for a season an old Foolish King in the 〈◊〉 of letter his restor'd old first-Creation spirit of nature But with this difference not a fix'd knowing wilful one that would no more be admonish'd For as discover'd therein what he amounted to and convincingly shew'd and offer'd a more excellent life and way immediatly he conferr'd not with Flesh and Blood consulted not with or listned to the reasonings of the first-Covenant Wisdom of Man in himself or others but was Obedient to the Heavenly Vision Trembling and astonish'd he said Lord what wilt thou have me to do Act. 9. 6. Had he after such convincing discovery of his folly and Madness in Persecuting the Gospel-Spirit and Truths of Christ in his Saints obstinately persisted therein he had bin absolutely unpardonable But he did it ignorantly 1 Tim. 1. 13. For as soon as he knew a better a Gospel-Life and more excellent way of obeying and Worshipping God he instantly yielded to God's terms the death of his Law-principled Persecuting nature as 〈◊〉 for Christ's Gospel-Life He found the Corinthians after all this confident in that State he was in when a Persecutor Full Rich and Reigning as Kings Wise Strong and Honourable in first-Covenant Attainments from Christ himself after the flesh They were brought out of the corrupt into the righteous Life of theirnature and so into some good degree of Conformity to the Life of Christ that first Covenant Life of the Law under which he was Born of a Woman But were in no degree of Conformity to Christ in the obedient death of that state in Sacrifice to God So if they finally refused Paul's Counsel Example and Admonitions for becoming Fools Weak Poor and Despicable there as he had done in following Christ's own example and Counsel they proved themselvs with thousands of others in all Ages and Generations the very Old Foolish doting Kings here meant and Paul with his true Gospel-Disciples and Followers proved themselvs the Poor Wise Children of God in a newness of Life a Wisdom a Glory never to be done away He was content with Christ to have his Visage Marr'd his fading Law-Life and Glory in the restor'd Image of the earthy or first Adam done away as the undispensible means of receiving the Life and Image of the Heavenly or second Adam 1 Cor. 15. 49. Job with other first-Covenant Saints or Holy Men in their own restor'd nature while in the dark and in great measure if not altogether ignorant for a season as to the spiritual Life and Glory that was to follow and fall to his lot was sorely
everlasting righteous spiritual Life set up in them to wit the death of their natural state Christ could do nothing of himself or in his fleshly Law-life and state Joh. 5. 30. nothing that his Father sent him about His errand and business was to put it to death Passive obedience to his own Gospel-cross Spiritual-sword or Circumcision-knife was the high duty of his natural spirit and whole Man There 's no other way of coming to do all things well in God's sight which can only be in his Gospel-spirit or principle of everlasting righteousness and active obedience but by the passive obedience and death of our Law-spirit or natural state in which we can do nothing well before God nor ever enter into his Kingdom Christ in his Gospel-spirit the true principle of active obedience to God for ever did and said alwayes what was well-pleasing to to his Father Joh. 8. 29. as found in exact harmony with the very mind and will of his infinite divine spirit He despised the shame and contempt of those that despised his Crucified natural man Heb. 12. 2. And those that do not so he will despise disown reject and be ashamed of when he comes in the Glory of his Father with the holy Angels Mark 8. 38. Christ's Doctrine was not his own but his that sent him Whoever does receive or despise and reject the words of his Gospel-spirit in himself or saints receives or despises the Father that sent him and him that sends them The four Gospels abound with words to this purpose especially John's First and second Covenant-Saints poor wise children in the second and Old doting foolish Kings in the first are in a perfectly cross constitution and thought about salvation absolute sools to one another The Cross on Man's wisdom is reckon'd the starkest arrantest folly and madness imaginable by natural Man and Angel But one broken contrite-spirited crucified Saint is of more esteem with God than millions of unbroken uncrucified Men and Angels in all the excellencies glories wisdom and righteousness of their first-creation humane and angelical natures Isai. 66. 1 2. Man's day or light and Judgment in first-covenant wisdom and God's day of Judgment in the second will be found in flat contradiction to each other in this grand concern of men about Salvation Whose Judgment whose word will stand His or theirs Think well on 't before too late Ther 's no speaking at present to the old self-deafned doting foolish King by the poor wise Child He scorns and rejects with a wry mouth Rhetorical mockings in utmost contempt all his words and warnings His whole Gospel-doctrine of the cross on all the foolish King rest's in for Salvation is rejected as absolute foolishness and madness 1 Cor. 1. 18 -- 23. and 4. 8. 10. Hos. 9. 7 8. These foolish self-confident first-covenant fifth-monarchists that tugge it out somtimes with worldly Caesars for the civil sword as that by which to manage the reign of Christ in this world are but at the same work the Jews desired to have Christ have been at by owning himself a King in his first-covenant law-life and righteousness of man which he refused them in 〈◊〉 6. 15. Refusing to be a King in the fading Law-principle of first-covenant life and operation and asserting his kingdom in the Gospel-spirit of the second they crucified their king Joh. 19. 15. They that would have set up Christ for their King in this world against Caesar say to rid their hands of him we have no King but Caesar in answer to Pilat's question This is the confusion and falshood found in man's shusfling wisdom on all accounts at every turn about and against his own Salvation When God not only by words but deeds in his blasting dispensations witnesses his displeasure against them and all their false confidences not suffering them to prosper in them 〈◊〉 2. 37. still they are at the same point When they find mystical gray hairs decays and old age convincing Harbingers and Messengers of the approaching Death upon them as to all that 〈◊〉 Life and Riches they have trusted in still there they 'l hold and hope for safety When God comes upon them in his beginning Judgments on that State they trust in so as undeniably to evidence to them that as six'd in 't is but the Mystical Land of their Nativity and Border of Wickedness and they therein the People against which and whom he hath Indignation for ever Mal. 1. 4. still they obstinately rest and trust for safety therein Here 's the case of these old foolish Kings that will not be brought to any happy obedient chang of mind by any thing the Lord either say's or does to them They obstinately persist in bringing forth Wild Grapes Gall and Worm-wood from a bitter Root of Enmity in them against God And they will still needs pass for his only Gospel-People and Saints when a downright Synagogue of Satan fix'd in unchangable Enmity and Rebellion against him This do they to their litteral Graves And to carry on the like destructive work on others that they leave behind them as their Counsel-Legacy to them in their dying words they 'l charg their hearers the pretended Gospel-Churches of Christ that they look not after regard or receive any other Gospel then that accursed false one they have Preach'd to them even the same the Old Serpent Preach'd to Eve that Eternal Life is to be found in the Old or first-Creation State of nature and that they shall not die at all and so that all Preaching the Cross and Death upon it is a Blasphemous fiction against the Law and that Holy place or State of Man Thus the Jews accused Stephen Act. 6. 13. The whole Gospel is reckon'd by them Blasphemy against the Law The whole current of Scripture in the Gospel-sense of all run's for the Poor Wise Child But the whole current of their false other Law-Gospel and short sighted Interpretation of all Scripture run's cleerly for the old Foolish King in exact Harmony with the Old Serpent that Bewitches Teachers and Hearers through self-love to the sading Life and Glory of their own nature into a state of unchangable Enmity to God and Death to themselvs with him Oh but say they that which you call Satan's and our accursed other Gospel is the very same you call Christ's You only come forth in an affected singularity of words but say all the same things we do We Preach and own the Cross of Christ. Upon what The corrupt Spirit of fallen nature with the vile affections and lusts thereof But what say you to the Cross on your enlight'ned restor'd righteous nature made Wise Strong and Honourable in Conformity to that Life of the Law or Holy Flesh Christ took as Born of a Virgin Is this the Subject of the Cross of Christ Are ye willing to part with all this in case ye had it to part with To despise your own righteous Law-Life or Living Soul for Christ's Gospel-Spirit
will both come to in Eternal Life or Death Vers. XIV For out of Prison he cometh to Reign Heb. Out of the House of Bond-Men or Bondage he goes forth to Reign Whereas also he that is Born in his Kingdom becometh Poor The true Saint finding the Land of his Nativity a narrow strait'ned place the Life of his own nature in the Image of the earthy at best to be but a State of Enmity Bondage and death come's out of this his own Mystical Countrey and Father Adam's House or natural State by a Holy death to reign in another Spiritual more excellent Life He find's his own Spirit of nature in whatever variety of condition a State of Bondage or House of Bond-Men a Prison a deep dark Dungeon a miery Pit of filth and corruption filth of flesh or spirit litteral or Mystical Sodomy or both out of which by the death thereof he find's it his unspeakable advantage to Ascend come or be brought forth into a larg place in a Life above all death to Reign whereas the old foolish King who will no more be admonish'd hear of the Cross or death-Doctrin of Christ's Gospel-Spirit on the restor'd Law-Life of his own wherein he sets up his Kingdom becometh Poor He is even now in this World by Christ and awak'ned Saints seen to be Miserable Poor Blind and Naked as Happy Rich Cleer-sighted and Well-cloathed as he think 's himself He will find this too true at last in eternal Poverty Darkness Nakedness and Death Here are the exceeding different Conclusions they come to even the old foolish King in the birth of a first-Covenant Life fixing himself there in unchangable Enmity to God and the second the incorrigible first-Creation sinner and the poor wise Child broken and undone as to all the fading Life Riches Wisdom and Glory of his own nature and so becoming a truly reigning new-Creation Saint in the spirit of Grace the reigning Gospel-Principle That restor'd natural State which the old foolish King sets up in as his Palace the House of his Kingdom to reign in the poor wise child find's to be a Prison and hasten's out of it as a Spirit of Bondage and Enmity into the true Palace-Light and Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God whom the Son mak's free indeed Where the Spirit of the Lord becom's the principle of Life and action there is true liberty Man's freedom or freewill at best is but a Liberty in Word Figure Letter Shadow not in deed and in truth No true freedom sure in a Spirit of Bondage and Enmity to God a Spirit that 's in Union with World and Devil as the spirit of nature is in all mankind corrupt or righteous Yea so far as uncrucifi'd even in the awak'ned Spiritual Saint himself Ro. 7. and Gal. 5. 17. That renew'd natural State the old foolish King make's his Palace will prove his everlasting prison and dungeon of darkness and death in which he will be shut up for ever as the evil Angels in their narrow Angelical nature All of them shall be dealt with as unchangable Enemies of God and that Heavenly Sanctuary-Spirit that 's his true resting place and the everlasting habitation of blessed Angels and Saints in Chains of everlasting darkness in which reserv'd to the Judgment of the great day The unpardonable sin of Men and Angels is the self-same even a fix'd Enmity against the Holy Ghost God's gospel-Gospel-spirit or Heavenly Sanctuary convincingly shewed and offered to them all They were all Created perfect in their own natures Humane and Angelical Ezek. 28. 15. and in Obedient Subjection to the Gospel-Spirit in the Light of it But they soon hated that Life turned from the Light that shew'd it them and this was their Apostasy All this from an evil self-love to the fading Life Wisdom and Glory of their own nature which they chose to set up in in a known contrariety to the reveal'd mind of God and unchangable Enmity to his Spirit of Grace the very Gospel-High-Priest of God the true Melchisedec by whose hand they ought all to have given up that selfish life in Sacrifice to God So become they all Mystical Sodomit's guilty of all the highest and most Criminal Mystical Spiritual Wickednesses Uncleanesses and abominable Idolatries God in Faithfulness Favour and Love to his Saints Plagu's and Chasten's this Rebellious Spirit of nature this Carnal mind of Enmity in them while he gives more then Heart can wish to it in-Enemies to their final ruin Heb. 12. 5-8 Psal. 73. 7. 14. God's giving the old doting Kings their Hearts desire and more is a sore and heavy Judgment on them though they take it for a great favour and Token of his Love to them Desolation and an utter consuming of them with Terrors the true Saint certainly foresees to be the eternal issue of all their Temporal flourish and Prosperity v. 18 19. All the old foolish King dotes on the poor wise Child cast's away as Dung So foolish are the old Mystical Kings and also litteral Heathen Kings of this World as to bandy together against the Lord and his anointed as if hopeful to prevail against the infinite Divine Lord and his Anointed King Jesus with his Saints and Followers Their design is to break their Bands a sunder and cast away from them all their Cords of restraint upon them He that sits in Heaven laugh's at all these foolish Kings He will speak to them in his Wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure Ps. 2. 1-5 Have they an arm like God Can they thunder with a Voice like him What madness to think of prevailing in this Rebellious Insurrection and Contest against the Almighty Divine and Irresistibly Mighty New-Creation Power of Christ These old foolish Humane Kings will all fare as their evil Angelical King the King of all such Kings or Rebellious Children of Pride Job 41. 34. They 'l all 〈◊〉 into the same Condemnation with him will all have their Portion in the same Lake of Fire and Brimstone the Tophet prepar'd of old for them all They 'l be all finally stripp'd of all Power of resisting the Will of God and forc'd to suffer the same to be done upon them in 〈◊〉 Wrath. Then with their everlasting Poverty will they have unutterable Shame and Confusion of Face All they refus'd obediently to part with will be forcibly torn from them in final Wrath. All their fading goodness or beauty 〈◊〉 Consume in their eternal Grave from their dwelling their whole Mystical Houses earthly Habitations or persons all the goodness of that natural State they chose for their dwelling Ps. 49. 14. There 's no middle State for ever between the poor wise Child that will be eternally rich in Heaven and the old rich foolish King that will be eternally poor in Hell The poor wise Child believ's and follow 's the Faithful Sayings of Christ's Spiritual Law or Gospel-spirit the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus He is content willing yea glad
have worse on 't then the Litteral Sodomite in filth of flesh His greater advance and 〈◊〉 advantages toward Salvation neglected and abused do highly aggravate his evil of Sin and accordingly will be his evil of punishment for ever After all Exaltation with Capernaum in first-Covenant-Life and second Covenant or Gospel-Light even up to Heaven so as 〈◊〉 to see and then obstinately refuse God's only appointed way of entrance the death of their earthly spirit of nature for the life of his Heavenly Spirit of Grace will all such Mystical Sodomit's be tumbled or thrust down to Hell where it shall be more tolerable for Litteral Sodom then for them Mat. 11. 20-24 Luk. 10. 12-15 Christ himself gives the reasons for this difference in Punishment v. 21. 23. and Luk. 12. 47 48. He that cleerly know's his Master's will and does it not shall be beaten with many Stripes He that does not so cleerly know it shall be beaten with fewer For to whom much is given of him shall be much requir'd as the case is with Men to whom they have committed much of him they will ask or expect the more Man in the dark State of his corrupted nature know's not his Master's will at that rate as the old foolish King in the restor'd Life of the first and light of the second Covenant does By abusing the Life of the first in Rebelliously keeping it up and himself therein against the second when discover'd by its own light to him to be that which cannot be receiv'd by him but on his obedient surrender of the Life of the first does he deserve a sorer Punishment then the common Sinner against the Law Heb. 10. 28 29. For he Sinn 's more immediately and knowingly against the Holy Ghost or Gospel Life of the Son of God in Heaven even the Man Christ as risen from the dead into that Life wherein he lives for evermore The other against the Son of Man on Earth or that Law-Life of nature the highest Edition of the Law which Christ took and was found in as made Flesh and which he Crucified and abolish'd out of our nature in his own person in order to bring it forth again in the new Gospel-Edition of it by a new-Creation in unchangable Harmony with his Originally everlasting righteous spiritual new-Creation Gospel-Life So only can or ever could first-Covenant Law-Life come in him or in us to dwell for ever with new-Covenant Gospel-Life as Brethren in Unity This unchangable Union of the natural and spiritual Man in Christ and true Zion-Saints is pleasant in God's sight and of everlasting advantage to Man Psal. 133. 1. For so and so only by the death of the natural and Resurrection of it into the Life of the Spiritual Man in the Saint and the Spiritual Man in Christ's person come the poor but truly wise Crucified dead Children to live for ever in unchangable Union and Harmony of Mind with the infinite Divine Spirit of God most high Christ enlighten's every Man that cometh into the World Jo. 1. 9. None then are absolutely in the dark stark blind wholly ignorant of his will Even the Gentil's all Heathens have the light or Law of nature within them accusing or excusing their thoughts Words and Actions as found compliant with or contrary thereunto Ro. 2. 15. God's rule given in the Scriptur's of truth in reference to all Men is this If any be unfaithful in and to their little Dimme rational Candle-Light in some degree set up a fresh by the Redeemer in all men If they do allow themselvs in a constant course of Rebelling against the same without any remorse or chang of mind they 'd not be true to higher natural Light in the actual Priviledges of a first-Covenant Life and less yet to the higher Spiritual new-Covenant Gospel-Light if not only offer'd but actually receiv'd by them Luk. 16. 10 11. He that 's unjust in the least is or will be unjust also in much Those that are not faithful in the unrighteous Mammon the fading Light or also Life and inward Riches of their own restor'd Nature which yet is but a Spirit or State of Bondage to them and Enmity to God at best as in Paul before Gospel-Conversion who will commit to their Trust the true Riches Those that do not rightly use any fading Light Wisdom Life Riches in their own Spirit of Nature by such active Obedience as is performable therein and with while that is God's Dispensation to them and then by such passive Obedience in despising surrendring and giving all up as Dung with Paul when God requires it in order to receive his more excellent spiritual heavenly Gospel-Life in a Resurrection-state Phil. 3. 6-10 how should they ever come at or be possessed of the true durable Riches and everlasting Life The only possible undispensable way and means for this in the declar'd Methods of God's Wisdom is the obediently surrend'red natural State as to all the fading Life Glory Wisdom Righteousness and Riches thereof even the Death and Loss of all in Sacrifice to God as Christ himself did when he had taken our fleshly nature in the full Glory and unspotted Purity thereof Eternal Gospel-Life is by the Wisdom of God or Gospel-spirit of Christ freely proclaim'd and offer'd to all men Prov. 1. 20-23 and 8. 1-9 The old foolish Kings the highest and most criminal provoking Sinners that receive and abuse the Life of the first and Light of the second Covenant will fare worst under final Wrath. All others fix'd common Sinners of the Gentil's litteral Sodom will have bad enough on 't under their fewer wrathful Stripes or lesser Torments in Eternal Death But the hottest fiery Indignation and Mystical Flames of Wrath in the lowest Hell will be for ever upon the old foolish Kings Sore amazing Tydings for such self-confident presumptuous Sinners as reckon their Plea good for entrance into the Kingdom of God Yet thus it will be For the mouth of the Lord himself hath spoken it Mat. 7. 21-23 and 11. 23 24. Mar. 6. 11. Luk. 10. 12. All first-Covenant Saints in Holy Flesh that finally refuse the whole new-Covenant Gospel-Testimony the Words of God's Holy Spirit and Life thereof this will most certainly be theircase Easier will it be for Litteral 〈◊〉 Profane Brutisied Sinners in the corrupt Spirit of nature then for them It had bin better for them never to have known the way of everlasting truth and righteousness then after they have known the truth or Gospel-Life of Christ in its own Light and Beamings forth upon them to turn from the Holy 〈◊〉 of God therein and wilfully Rebel against it 2 Pet. 2. 21. Heb. 10. 26 27. Isai. 1. 20. Much sorer Punishment belongs to fix'd Sinners against the Holy Ghost than 〈◊〉 sinners against the Son of Man for ever v. 29. Such recompence of both their errours as is meet will they all receive both Litteral and Mystical Sodom even the Vengeance of Eternal Fire Ro. 1. 27.
spirit CHAP. V. Vers. I. Keep thy Foot when thou goest to the House of God and be more ready to hear then to give the Sacrifice of Fools For they consider not that they do evil HEre 's the Result and Use of all declar'd in the fore-going Chapters as to the Vanity and vain Labour of Man under the Light of the Mystical first-Creation Sun or Spirit of the Law in and under which Man and Angel were at first Created and Christ Born Gal. 4. 4. Paul draw's the same useful Instruction from the doctrin of the 11 former Chapters to the Roman's Chap. 12. 1. for quitting or giving up the same earthly natural State the same thing with the Foot here when restor'd or made again Holy Flesh the righteous natural Body in Sacrifice to God as our reasonable Service and true free-will Offring even the Offring up of our free-will to good and evil that we may receive his free-will to Good only the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God with which the Son makes free indeed all that are Born of his gospel-Gospel-Spirit of overlasting righteousness and truth First then consider what this Foot is or signifies and secondly what 's the House of God it 's to be kept out of as not fit to enter 1. This Foot 〈◊〉 the whole Man in a first-Covenant Life The Heel Satan is permitted to bruise Gen. 3. 15. is of the same extent and comprehensive significancy And so were the Shoes Moses was Commanded to put from off his Feet where the ground was Holy Exod. 3. 5. This Foot or natural Spirit of Man corrupt or righteous being found in Enmity to God at best as in Paul before his Gospel-Conversion can bear no part in the right Worshipping of God which is wholly to be perform'd in Spirit and Truth Christ's new-Creature Gospel-spirit of everlasting righteousness and truth The infinite Divine Spirit and Father requires all Men and Angels to Worship him in the Son's Gospel-Creature-Spirit of truth How can Man please him in duties of Worship or any other Performances towards him or Man in his own Spirit of Enmity Such Enmity as is no otherwise extinguishable but by 〈◊〉 death of nature being absolutely inseperable from the Life of it at best Christ's Gospel-Spirit of Love in unchangable Union of Mind and Will Desire and Thought with God when it becom's the sole Principle of Life Desire Thought and Action in Man will perfectly and compleatly fulfil all Law perform all duty to God and Man to God's well-pleasing and the Performer's certain and everlasting Salvation Man is not to come in his own Spirit of nature however Wise Strong Rich and Honourable in Christ by his first-Covenant-Communications to him as a fleshly Bride-groom and 〈◊〉 at his earthly Table into the new-Creation Sanctuary of God the everlasting Righteous Fountain Gospel-Spirit of Christ. The Courts of this Sanctuary are too Holy Ground for any thing that 's but changably good as Man and Angels before the fall or also positively evil as nature corrupt or righteous in all Men since the fall to tread on For a Man in a Spirit that 's a Root of Bitterness bearing Gall and Wormwood Briars and Thorns in a continued Enmity to God every Imagination Purpose Desire and Thought thereof being only evil continually the old World's case before the Flood Gen. 6. 5. to appear in the unchangably righteous new-Creation Sanctuary of God what a strang incongruous thing and sight would it be If any fill'd and Clothed by Satan's 〈◊〉 and their own consent or choice with a Spirit of unchangable Enmity to God do as 't were crowd in and appear at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and his Bride in the Kingdom of his Father see what 's like to become of him Mat. 22. 11 12. Friend will the King Jesus say how cam'st thou in hither not having a Wedding Garment And he was Speech-less had nothing to say Then say's the King to his Servants the Holy Angels of his Power that excel in strength all fixed first-Creation Enemies of God and the second bind him Hand and Foot and cast him into outer Darkness where shall be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth to all Eternity Let the fixed first-Creation Sinner and Enemy of God in his form of Godliness Righteousness of Man do what he can get where he will he is gone for ever No Stranger was to come into the Litteral Sanctuary under the Law the Type of this Spiritual Gospel-Sanctuary-Spirit of God in Christ's Person and in his Saints the lively stones of the House upon the Rock that Christ is the living head-corner Stone and Foundation of He spirit 's influences and enliven's all the rest hold's them fitly compacted together and firmly cimented in his one Gospel-spirit of new-Creature-Life that 's a Universal Bond of Love and Peace to and with God Christ and one other for evermore The Foot Heel or Shoe that 's to be kept back laid aside or put off that we may be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace and so walk orderly with a right Foot according to the Gospel of the Grace of God or on a new foot of account in the single-ey'd discerning strength and Power of Christ's Gospel-spirit is that Flesh and Blood which cannot enter into and inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. or tread the Courts of his Heavenly Sanctuary Angels in the purity of their first-Creation-make and changable Life were to cover their Faces as not fit to appear before God to behold or be beheld by him therein And say's God to the Jews when ye come to appear before me who hath requir'd this at your hands to tread my Courts Isai. 1. 12. No right acceptable Worshipping God or doing any thing else but in the Gospel-spirit of Truth that spirit of Love that 's the compleat fulfiller of the whole Law even of all that God requires of us Sure the natural spirit at best that 's a spirit of Enmity to God and a bloody-minded Spirit against his true Saints can do no such thing It 's hands are full of blood It breath'd out Threatnings and Slaughters against the Disciples of the Lord even in Paul who had therein lived according to his light in all good conscience Act. 23. 1. exerciseable in the activity and restor'd Life thereof as a strict circumspect Opposer and Suppressor of the vile Affections and Lusts of his corrupt nature This Foot then is to be cut off cast away laid aside by us as not fit to perform any part in the true Worshipping of God Man is not to come alive into the House of God but be brought into it by the High Priest Christ himself dead as to his own Law-Life and principle of active obedience and quick'ned up into his Gospel-Life and Principle of active obedience wherein alone 't is possible to please God or be saved Passive obedience is the highest service performable in or with Angel's or Man's natural first-Creation Life
or Make. For by this the guilty Sinner the Belial-Party the Enemy of God is slain and all Power of Sinning abolish'd for ever Ro. 6. 7. 1 Pet. 4. 1. The obedient death of the guilty and continually sinning natural Spirit is more pleasing to God and profitable to Man then any Obedience or Duty performable in its kind in the Life and Activity thereof The House of Mourning or Death as to the first-Covenant Principle of Life is better than the House of Feasting in the utmost Flourish Prosperity Wisdom Glory and Fruitfulness thereof or Joy therein The death of the natural State at best from which since the fall Enmity to God is inseperable obediently yielded to must needs be more acceptable to God then the Life thereof or any thing performable therein From Love to God's Mercy or the unspeakable gift of new Creation Life to submit to yea and joyn with God in doing justly or Executing his righteous Judgment and Sentence of Death on our fleshly natural law-state in the awak'ned Life and Power of his Gospel-Spirit in us this is the Sum of all God requir's of us as the terms and condition of our full entring into and striking the new and everlasting Covenant with him Establish'd in all things and sure This doing justly in humbling our guilty natural Man or Spirit the Enemy of God even to the death thereof and living wholly to him in our never-sinning Spiritual Man or his never-sinning Spirit 1 To. 3. 9. is all he requir's of us Mic. 6. 8. Man must quit his own cieled Hag. 1. 4. adorn'd House or natural State to enter into God's Spiritual House or new-Creation Sanctuary His own House or nature is not ought not to be reckon'd his dwelling place or state of true rest for him Men will find all their Labour to keep up that building with the fading glory and riches thereof but a wearying themselvs for very Vanity Hab. 2. 13 a disquieting themselvs in Vain by heaping up Treasur's Ps. 39. 6. for their own destruction in the day of wrath This will Man get by coveting an evil covetousness to his own House or natural State and setting his Nest on high as vainly puffed up in his self-confident fleshly mind and thinking to secure himself from the Power of evil the Wrath of God Hab. 2. 9. He say's in his Heart Who shall bring me down to the Ground Obad. 3. I will saith the Lord v. 4. We must depart out of our own Countrey and Fathers House the Life and State of our own nature at best in but the restor'd Image of the earthy or first Adam form of godliness righteousness of Man a glory a wisdom to be Crucified Defac'd Obliterated and done away a Visage a Beauty to be Marr'd and Spoild in order to enter into God's own Countrey the far Countrey the Man Christ is gone into before us to prepare Places or Mansions of Glory for us Luk. 19. 12. To. 14. 2 3. We must depart from or out of our own House or nature however Ciel'd Adorn'd Swept Cleansed from the filth of flesh and Garnished with Spiritual Light or best enlightning Gifts short of the more excellent Spiritual Life and way 1 Cor. 12. 31. call'd Love 1 Cor. 13. in order to our right and worthy entring or going into God's Spiritual Sanctuary or House to Worship Our own Countrey Father's House Image of the earthy first-Covenant Life of our nature righteousness of Man Spiritual Conviction-Light c. All these make up but the Foot the whole Life and State of nature at best that's to be cut off and cast away as loss and dung to enter in a Resurrection-Life with the Man Christ into his Father's House where are many Mansions And so come we to the second thing here the House Man is to keep his Foot from or out of when he goes into it 2. This House is the Supream original new-creature Spirit of Christ the Living Creature-Book Word or Wisdom of God in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Written out the whole Counsel of his Divine Mind And the Man Christ is the Supream Prophet Mouth and Infallible Declarer thereof to Angels and Men. Christ's whole Creature-nature is the immediate Temple and Sanctuary of his own Divinity set up by his Divine Hand or Workmanship from everlasting in Personal Union with the Divinity Prov. 8. 22 23. This was Typed out by the Litteral Sanctuary under the Law No Strangers no nor 〈◊〉 while unclean might Approach or enter into it The polluted Heathen-Stranger and the unclean 〈◊〉 in Mystery and Truth signify the natural Man corrupt or righteous This is the stranger and Fool here meant that being altogether ignorant of this new-creation Sanctuary of God's own pitching not Man's Heb. 8. 2. is ready with Paul to think he does God service in denying and opposing this his own house and himself the Divine Inhabitant thereof in personal Union with it as also in Persecuting to the death true Saints that own and assert such a House as Partakers of living walking and speaking in the spirit of it The new-Creation Sanctuary-Spirit the Creature-word Wisdom or Hand of God set up from everlasting by God's own very Divine hand was the immediate hand by which the whole old or first-Creation World was made Isai. 66. 1 2. Men Angels c. which therefore are all to be roll'd up and laid aside by God as an old Garment Heb. 1. 10-12 and in Harmony of Mind with him and obedience to him are the life and all the best and most glittering things thereof to be laid aside and parted with by Angel and Man to partake of his Heavenly Sanctuary-Spirit and Live with him in that place of his and their true rest for evermore All the Heavenly Eternal things of his Sanctuary seem Foolish Idle Dreams which Men conspire to kill them for Gen. 37. 19 20. and all right Words concerning them Vain or Lying Words as Pharaoh call'd Moses his Messages from God to the most enlight'ned natural Man who is wholly ignorant and in the dark as to all Divine and Spiritual Creature-things of Christ and God 1 Cor. 2. 14. 'T is a vain imagination when Man thinks to Prie into and View the most Holy things of God's Spiritual Sanctuary in the highest Wisdom and best Light of his but restor'd natural state If he finally persist in such a Presumptuous mistake he will meet with a final Blasting upon him to Eternal Death figured by the fifty Thousand Presumptuous Peepers into the Ark of the Lord who were smitten by him to a Temporal death of their bodies 2 Sam. 6. 19. All the best things in the first-Creation-make and life of Angel and Man are of no neerer kin to God's new-Creation Sanctuary and Holy things thereof then as figures and shadows of them The rational powers and things of man are not more hid from the brute beast then the Spiritual things of-God from the wisest and most rational man 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. 14.
themselves 〈◊〉 or Unbelievers as to every tittle of Christ's Gospel No first-coven 〈◊〉 Saints ought to trust in themselves that selfish fleshly life or natural state however righteous but in God that raises men from the Dead or out of the obedient Death of that into his life and righteousness in the second 2 Cor. 1. 9. They ought with Paul gladly to receive God's Sentence of Death in themselves or on their Spirit in the first that they may be raised into his life in the second And as none are to trust in themselves in the first so are no men there sit to be trusted by Christ or 〈◊〉 Saints being yet but in an unsteddy starting Principle Joh. 2. 23-25 For they know in the alsearching Spiritual light of God what is in man all men in their highest restored Life Light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The best of them is as a brier the most upright 〈◊〉 than a thorn hedge Mic. 7. 4. As found in enmity to God and all his Saints and Truths Paul himself while but there though eminent breathed out slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. What such temporary first-covenant believers came to under Christ's own personal ministry when he came closs upon them with the cross doctrin of the second upon all that we find Joh. 6. 66. A way they go walk no more with him regard not him or his doctrine Let not the true followers of the Lamb whither soever he goes not onely into the Law-life of the first-covenant but through the death of that into the Gospel-life of the second in which he lives for evermore Rev. 1. 18. expect other doings from such false hollow-hearted apostatizing professors who are presently upon the turning point to Satan and drawing back to Perdition when clossly plied and follow'd with the true full doctrin of the Gospel-Cross on the Law-Life of nature at best which they are willingly and therefore easily perswaded by the words of Man's Wisdom is a true Gospel-state of Salvation and Eternal Life Such drawers back and those that go on to the saving of the Soul grow dayly farther and farther asunder more and more strang and contrary to each other in Thoughts Words and Deeds One is Marching on with a swift Foot towards the Chambers of Eternal Death The other 〈◊〉 towards the Kingdom of God Their Bodies meet and touch Elbows still in these dayly encreasing Distances and Elongations of their minds hearts or spirits till they find one another at Length in fixed irreconcileable distances and contrarieties of Mind Will whole course and way towards eternal life or death Apostat's from Gospel Light turn from the hot fiery Doctrin of the Cross when they find it touch nature at best to the quick at the very root bringing a flaming sword upon the very principle into the cool shade of a worldly Church-doctrin where Satan's pleasing-Gospel is preach'd nature specially righteous restor'd nature tickled and gratified with words after its own heart 'T is the language or thought and Desire of all natural Hearts Prophesy to us smooth things Prophesy Deceits Isai. 30. 10. We have heard enough and too much of the right things of God's Seers and true Prophets Their Doctrin is too hot for us We like it not Let them that bring such strang and sad Tydings to our Ears sit and speak to themselvs or stools if they will which indeed may be to neer as much purpose as to any good such regardless hearers of Gospel-words have gotten 'T is a dreadful Season in which 't is rare to find any that are in earnest about Salvation or at all inquisitive after it Who with the noble Bereans search the Scriptures about their eternal concerns Who regard any more then Pagans that Command of Christ for seeking first or chiefly the Kingdom and Righteousness of God Mat. 6. 33. or to lay up Treasure for themselvs in Heaven v. 20. Even the but Shadowy Mystical Laodicean Treasur's heap'd up in an earthly first-Covenant Life are now as 't were under God's Blasting and Professors negligence therein almost in the Dust as Conclamated Wither'd Unregarded things Profanes and a regard of and inquisitiveness after meer bodily concerns and Ornaments steal away the Heart and in a manner all the time of Professors How too generally are they laying about them wholly to fetch in Provisions for the lowest and basest fleshly Life and Lusts of confounded fallen nature common with Brute Beasts But if any yet are conscientious Walkers in first-Covenant Principles and reckon they have whereof to trust in the flesh Holy flesh restor'd righteous cleansed nature Paul more Phil. 3. 4. Christ most But Christ Crucified it in himself and Paul rejoyc'd or gloried to find him Crucifying it in him also Gal. 6. 14. as the only way of delivering him from that Body of Sin and Death he before took to be a state of Eternal Life Rom. 7. 24. 8. 2. The kindly death of nature under the Cross brought upon it in love from God and submitted to by Man in Obedience to God is the only means and way of his deliverance from all evil by the death of the guilty Sinner and of being furnish'd with and Possessed of all good in God's Gospel-spirit of everlasting righteousness that never sin's 1 Jo. 3. 9. All Sabbath-keeping and other Litteral Performances in Man's Spirit of Enmity to God and his true sabbath-Sabbath-Spirit Sanctuary and place of his rest that he delights in when known so to be are with their Persons an Abomination to God and so their Solemn Meeting on his Sabbath that was his own Appointment what 's ours Isai. 1. 13 14. All their Incense and Sacrifices all our Praying Preaching c. in a known Spirit of Enmity to God are Mystical Murder Idolatry Sacriledg the highest and most criminal wickednesses in God's sight Why Hands full of Blood a bloody mind of Persecuting Enmity against his Gospel Saints and Truth 's spoil's all I 'le therefore hide mine Eyes from you and not hear your Prayers Ye are a Mystical most Criminal Sodom and Gomorrha to me v. 10-15 and Isai. 66. 3. Ye do all in your own self-chosen way after your own Heart in your own spirit not mine but in perfect contrariety thereunto None of you hear's and answer's 〈◊〉 Heavenly Call in true Wisdom's Words or Preachings I 'le therefore not hear or answer your Prayers and pretended Callings upon me v. 4. If you 'l not hear my cry to you 〈◊〉 not hear your's to me saith the Lord of Hosts Zec. 7. 13. Is man in Enmity to the whole Mind Counsel true Sabbath and Sanctuary of God like to be a faithful and able Minister of his Gospel-Truths Yet who else is heard or regarded Who but the Woman or private natural spirit that 's Enmity to God and all his right Words of Counsel and Instruction for Eternal Life Be more ready to hear then to give the sacrifice of fools Man in the best wisdom the most righteous life and activity of
his own Spirit offer 's but the sacrifice of fools in God's judgment however highly he esteem the sacrifice or himself for it He does not rightly know what he does what he is whither he goes whom he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ospel things and truths the whole Counsel of God the 〈◊〉 and only way of salvation the methods of God's wisdom in order thereunto all the law's ordinances statut's and judgments of his new creation-sanctuary describ'd in the nine last chapters of Ezekiel all these things lie quite out of his sight How can Man in his own best Wisdom that 's foolishness to God's in his own Spirit that at best is enmity to God's perform do any thing or offer up any sacrifice acceptable to God any but the sacrifice of fools These fools consider not will not consider that they do evil Stiff-necked are they in their own self-confident understandings which are not only blear-ey'd and dimm-sighted but stark blind and wholly ignorant of all Gospel-things and truths yet on they will turning their deaf ear to or setting their mouth against the heavens Ps. 73. 9. all heavenly Gospel-doctrin and instruction They 'l listen to nothing that may induce them to consider the great mischief they are doing to themselvs and others by preaching promising and warranting peace with God in a spirit of direct enmity to him Ezek. 13. 6. 10. and decrying might and main that which is the only way of salvation and the only spirit in which any can be saved with all the words thereof This desperate work are these blind leaders with their self-confident followers at all reck'ning they are doing very pleasing and acceptable service to God Act. 26. 9. Having nothing of Christ's very Gospel-Spirit or doctrin in their Church do they with great indignation and scorn cast all that are wholly for the very Christ and his very Gospel out of their church Isai. 66. 5. Ps. 50. 20 yes and out of the world too when they can as not fit to live any longer in it Act. 22. 22. All this do these Gospel-Wolvs in Sheep's Clothing reckon to be a doing God service Jo. 16. 2. in a blind zeal for him and his law against every word of his Gospel Rom. 10. 2 3 for the first-covenant life of the law in their own restor'd spirit of nature against the second-covenant life of the Gospel in his own spirit of grace So think they do God service when they joyn with the Devil to do despite to the spirit of grace Heb. 10. 29 casting all the words thereof behind their backs and all contempt they can on all such words and all the speakers and right hearers of them as the worst of blasphemies and blasphemers What was Saul's Sin in letter and mystery too is their's in mystery They must be brought to acknowledg with Saul that what the wisdom of God and the words or commands thereof require to be destroy'd their foolish wisdom in the words thereof preaches keeps up and warrants currant for salvation The Spirit of nature in Man recovered and restored by Christ out of the fall into the life wisdom and ruling power thereof over all inferiour sensual brutish power of life and operation in him amounts to no more in mystery and truth then the Amalekite King Agag and best of the cattel The refuse of the cattel the vile affections the disorderly unruly lusts of the corrupt state of nature they have subdued yet not fully but the King and best of the Cattel the rational and sensual powers reduced to good order in the ruling authority of the former and due subjection of the latter these they judg fit to be spared And what are these both king and subjects All but still the Amalekite spirit of nature and Man therein the direct enemy of God and all his Gospel-Saints and truths Was not Paul in and with all these fighting against God when he thought his had bin fighting for him With Saul will all such self-confident justifiers of themselvs be condemn'd out of their own mouth even amid'st their self-justifying plea against the Lord's and his true spiritual Prophet's charge drawn up against them as Samuel's against Saul They 'l be found partial in God's Law The refuse things the vile affections of their polluted nature they are content should be subdued in obedience to it But the choicer things thereof nature at best in the Glory Wisdom and righteousness thereof that all this must go up in sacrifice by a just and holy death to God being an unholy life or state of enmity to God however in a sense holy as cleansed from filth of flesh though convinc'd God's Wisdom requir's this also do they with Saul under a self-condemning light refuse to obey c. and yet stoutly assert with him that they have obeyed the voice of the Lord. All this find we 1 Sam. 15. 18-23 This get men by setting up their own Wisdom and Spirit as judg or interpreter of the Oracles dictat's or words of God's in a known contrariety to the spiritual meaning and intendment of all In their restor'd righteous inlight'ned nature that 's God's required Gospel-sacrifice sigured out by all clean law-sacrifices in the old Testament do they presumptuously with Saul and King 〈◊〉 intrude or thrust themselvs into the priests office 1 Sam. 13. 8-14 2 Chron. 26. 16-21 In their own Foolish Wisdom and Spirit of Enmity to God and all the Words of his Wisdom do they pretend to the Office of Christ's Priestly Gospel-spirit of Infallible Truth and Everlasting Righteousness as the only true declarers of the Will and Words of God that rightly take not his meaning in any of his Words nor ever can understand them This Presumptuous course persisted and fix'd in will render the contagious over-spreading Leprosy the Sin of Enmity to God filth of Spirit that 's no otherwise curable then by the compleat and full death of nature absolutely incurable and mortal as the case was with the Litteral Leprosy on Uzzia's Body to his dying day though said for a season to have done that which was right in the sight of the Lord in his long Reign of two and fifty Yeers 2 King 15. 2 3. The true Priestly gospel-Gospel-Spirit of Christ offer'd up our nature in himself at best in Sacrifice to God When Samuel Reprov'd Saul for Sacrificing his answer was The Philistins were ready to come upon me to Gilgal and I had not made Supplication to the Lord so I forc'd my self and Offer'd a Burnt-Offring These 〈◊〉 Pleas and Apologies of nature go for nothing when thorowly search'd by the Spirit of Christ in his seers Thou hast done foolishly say's Samuel and shalt lose thy Kingdom Life and all for 't by those Philistin's through the fear of whom thou did'st Offer this Sacrifice of Fools And what befel Adam and all his Posterity with King Uzziah for Presumptuously setting or keeping up his Law-State or changable first-Covenant righteous Life of his own nature as therein
the fit Priest to perform all well-pleasing active obedience to God in Preference and Opposition to the Gospel-Spirit presented and offer'd to him in the Tree of Life wherein alone 't is possible to please God and do all things well without any possibility of failer or Miscarriage What came of this willful mistake and Heresy of Adam A Universal Leprosy and contagious Disease of Sin and Enmity to God and death in such Sin upon all mankind Rom. 5. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 22. The very sin by which Adam brought this sore Mystical Leprosy upon the spirit of humane nature in all mankind in the beginning of this World do many Professors in the ending of it reckon had bin his duty even to keep up the righteous life he was created in from death and loss This is directly contrary to God's Command to first and second Adam which the first Rebell'd against and second obey'd Jo. 10. 18. What was offer'd Adam in the Tree of Life Nothing All things the one thing necessary comprehending all things conducible to mans true blessedness Nor Man nor Angel had this Life in their first-Creation-make and State What they both and all had was not Eternal Life but a Mortal Perishing Vanity a fading Flower 'T is Eternal Life say's Satan ye shall not die at all Hold fast your own He had Rebelliously so done in his Angelical nature which turn'd that which was but changably good into unchangable evil a mutably good Angel the work of God's hand into an incorrigibly wicked Devil the work of Satan's own hand which he would also bring all Men and Angels to if possible in a fixed unchangable Enmity to their Maker The setting up ourselves in a righteous first-Covenant Life aganst God and the Spirit of the second is the highest sort of Rebellion as the Sin of Witch-craft such Stubbornes as is indeed the highest and most criminal Idolatry 1 Sam. 15. 23. Paul found the Corinthian and Galatian Professors of the Gospel in danger of this most criminal Witch-craft to wit of being beguiled by the Old Serpent as Eve 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 11. 2 3. and fetch'd back again from Christ's unchangably Holy Gospel-spirit of Life exhibited to convincingly shew'd and offered them in his Ministry to a confident taking up in their own changably Holy Flesh or natural Law-Spirit of Enmity and death for Salvation This after they had begun in the Spirit running well for a season in obedience to Gospel-Light Gal. 3. 1-3 and 5. 7 8. Who hinder'd you or did drive you back that ye should not obey Christ's Gospel-Spirit of Truth Who but the Devil We find in both Old and New Testament-Saul that the confident resting in a first-Covenant-Life for Salvation renders Men mortal haters of all the right words of the second and fierce Persecuters of all that bring such unwelcome Tydings to their Ears as the Doctrin of the Cross seem's to the Wisdom of righteous Man though indeed the only Words or Doctrin whereby any can be saved the Power of God unto Salvation 1 Cor. 1. 18. Saul in the Old Testament or First-Covenant Spirit Persecuted David singly and meerly as found in the new Name and Spirit of the second in which he saw the Lord to be with him 1 Sam. 18. 12. For this very thing was he afraid of him and resolv'd to kill him though his Son in Law So old Testament legal-spirited Saul in the New Testament till he became a Gospel-spirited Paul and preacher of the Gospel was the fiercest opposer of it breathing out threatings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord for it Act. 9. 1. Old Testament Saul's unpardonable presumptuous sin against the Holy Ghost his unchangable murdering mind of enmity against David for its sake was the great transgression David earnestly prayed to be delivered from in his own person Psal. 19. 13. God sets up first that that 's natural and afterward that that 's spiritual in the Saint All that stick fast in the natural state and life of man are against the spiritual state and life of God Those are figured by the Elder these by the younger brother in Cain and Abel 〈◊〉 and Isaac Jacob and Esau. He that 's born after the flesh by the knowledg of Christ after the flesh as a mystical parent and bridegroom to him in a restor'd fruitful first-covenant righteous life persecut's him that 's born of the same Christ after the spirit in the second and so brought forth in or raised up into that life into which Christ himself is risen from the dead Rom. 7. 1-4 Thus was it alway's And so is it now Gal. 4. 29. These two births in Christ the former making men wise strong and honorable in the first covenant the latter wise strong and honorable in the second we find Jo. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 48. 10. The rich full first-covenant Corinthians reigning as Kings there were the former to whom Paul in the latter seem'd a fool weak and despicable But Paul in the latter knew them to be fools weak and despicable in all the Wisdom strength and fading Glory of the former Paul himself had experienc'd both in an eminency had been eminent in holy flesh and therein the eminent'st Ring-leading Persecuter of them that were born of Christ's Holy Gospel-spirit And when Eminent in Christ's Gospel-spirit was he persecuted by those that were fix'd or unfix'd as himself before Gospel-conversion Act. 9. 1. In Holy flesh enemies of the Gospel and Cross of Christ. Even those that will prove true Saints while but in the first-covenant persecute the second and consider not or think they do evil but indeed good and acceptable Service to God Joh. 16. 2. Act. 26. 9. Solomon's advice to them here is that they be more ready to hear the voice of the Spirit of Christ in himself and Saints then to speak in their own to hear the words of the true publick new-creation manly Spirit of Grace in the second Adam and his Spiritual descendants or posterity then to speak in their own private changable womanish Spirit of nature or the first Adam We should be swift to hear the true spiritual shepherd's voice rather then forward or at all to speak in the highest Wisdom of our own Spirit that 's the stranger and indeed the very woman Christ prohibits any speaking at all in his true Gospel-Church Paul on Christ's manly astonishing voice from heaven to him turn'd from his own womanish understanding conferr'd not with flesh and blood nature at best in himself or others Gal. 1. 16. None more prejudic'd against or more unfit to hear Christ's Gospel-Doctrin in the Church on the Rock then the self-confident Speakers and Preachers of Satan's in the House upon the Sand. Satan's false Prophets and Ministers that see Vanity and divine Lies are most unfit of all Men to be so much as Members in the Gospel-Church of Christ the Assembly of his People Ezek. 13. 9. V. II. Be not rash with thy mouth and let
not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few In this farther advice Solomon confirm's and open's his meaning in the former The mouth we are not to be rash with nor suffer our heart to utter any thing before God by is the mystical mouth or tongue of the natural Spirit Comprehensively signifying all its variety of expressing it self in outward action and a sound of words as also the inward agitation of mind in thought and desire The latter is call'd by Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thought or inward word of the mind or spirit of Man within himself the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the outward expression of it to other Men. The Mystical Tongue of the natural spirit in this comprehensive sense of the Word Mouth or Tongue we are not to be rash with nor hasty to utter any thing or word before God by is abundantly more untamable and unreclaimable in its exorbitances then the figurative Litteral Tongue And of this mystical extent and significancy abovesaid is Tongue to be understood Jam. 3. 8. The Tongue can no Man tame it is an unruly evil full of deadly Poison 〈◊〉 kind of Beasts 〈◊〉 Fishes and Serpents or Creeping things in Air Earth and Water have bin tamed by Man But the Tongue his own Spirit in the unruly Life Motion and Various 〈◊〉 of it can no Man tame This is beyond Man's Power or Skill And more so when beside all the Evil and Enmity to God found in its fallen earthly state of nature and fiery Zeal of love to and for the defence of its own Life Will and Way Specially when restor'd and clensed from filth of flesh 't is also set on fire of Hell This may seem to import its being brought by Satan's farther workman-ship into a fix'd state of Flaming Zeal and Love for and to it self with him in unchangable Enmity to God and his Spirit of Grace This full account of the Tongue the same with the Mouth here have we with the Litteral Figure that little Member that boasts great things and with its little fire or heat in the beginning of a contention kindles a great matter encreases into a huge flame and tumult so as frequently to bring two persons or more before in Union into a final seperation and an irreconcileable parting-blow to their dying Hours Thus is the Tongue in Letter and Mystery put together a fire a World of Iniquity defiling the whole Body or Man and setting on fire the course of nature and all this beyond Retrieve or Remedy when it is once set on fire of Hell Any Man then that 's reduced by the Cross of Christ the only effectual and powerful Bit Bridle and Helm for ruling or bringing about his natural spirit more untamable and unreducible to order then any wild Horse Mule Psal. 32. 9. or other Beast more ungovernable then a Ship in a Storm or other dangers into due order peace quietness and right demeanour towards God and Man any or every such Man is a perfect Man not offending in Word but able on all accounts to bridle and order his whole Body or Man All this have we Jam. 3. 2-8 In many things we offend all say's that Apostle that is the natural Spirit in its own will course and way at best worst 〈◊〉 any intermediate condition is a continual Offender without any intermission in principle and all manner of operation or motion desire thought word or action The very Spirit it self is a Root of Bitterness bearing Gall Wormwood Briars and Thorns in Enmity and Rebellion against God Yea in the very awak'ned Spiritual Saint 〈◊〉 perfectly Crucified and Slain Dead and Buried in the mystical Grave of Christ 't is a continual contrary-minded Warrier and Fighter against God and the Saint's own spiritual mind Gal. 5. 17. Rom. 7. 22 23. Thus have we by Solomon Paul and James a sad strang but true description or Character of the temper and condition of the Spirit of Man within the compass of nature or in the Sphere of its own activity corrupt or righteous It 〈◊〉 in wickedness or in the wicked one 1 Jo. 5. 19. Satan has a twofold party in mankind the corrupt Profane Heathen and a mistaking righteous Professing first 〈◊〉 People Both are against Christ's little Flock Spiritual Saints a third party in this World 〈◊〉 in Heaven We find the mention of all three Psal. 2. and Rev. 12. 12. Inhabitants of Earth and Sea a mystical earthly Jerusalem party of Professors in all Ages and a prosane party foaming out their own shame casting up Mire and Dirt as a mystical 〈◊〉 Sea these are all of them against the dwellers in Heaven that have their Conversation 〈◊〉 Heaven affections fix'd on things above Another wonder Of Satan's two parties in the World Professors in first-covenant Holiness as gained by him and made his Synagogue in a fix'd Enmity to the Gospel prove all along his most serviceable Instruments as the righteous Scribes and Pharisees against Christ and his whole Gospel-ministry his choicest Subjects the strongest frontier Garrisons in his whole worldly Dominion or Universal Monarchy before and all along the four Universal Humane Monarchies with the Romane or last whereof his also is to be Perioded They are the signal with-standers of Gospel-Light and of all Christ's true Gospel-Witnesses in all times whose Testimony is Tormenting to all that dwell upon the Earth or take up with confidence in but earthly restor'd natural Principles for Salvation These false Apostles Messengers or Emissaries of Satan that so generally amuse Men with his accursed other Gospel for Christ's true and blessed one are his most useful Engineers to keep off the true Gospel and Preachers thereof in the whole World Why What if Christ's Messengers or Ambassadours should have a hearing Why they are the only dangerous Invaders of Satan's Universal worldly Monarchy discoverers of all the intriqu's wiles and most subtile devices by which he 〈◊〉 on his whole Mystery of Iniquity manages all his affairs for the maintaining his ground against any Encroachments or Dawnings of the Kingdom or Spirit of Christ. So long as he can keep out Christ's Gospel as the most formidable Blasphemy and Heresy in the World and make his Law-Gospel pass currant with the generallity of Professors he reckon's himself well and his matters at a very good pass And if he have thus prevail'd wonderfully all along this World even in the very day of Christ's and his Apostles Ministry what 's to be expected in this latter day the worst of times He has alway's in a manner engaged magistratical Humane Powers as under his influence and steerage on his Gospel's-side to assist against Christ's help first-Covenant Brethren against the second a worldly Church against a heavenly Hypocritical Sinners in Zion against true Spiritual Zion-Saints in their Controversies with them the Orthodox Doctrin of Man's Wisdom on natur's
behalf against the 〈◊〉 and Gospel of Christ as the common enemy of nature in them all Though these two earthen Pot-sherds a corrupt and righteous party do sometimes dash one another in pieces they still find it their joynt interest to piece up again and lay their heads together to consult at one Table against the true Saints of the most high Righteous Law-Saul that siercely fought Satan's Battel against the Lord and his Saints when everlastingly righteous Gospel Paul he became the most dangerous enemy to and disturber of the peace of his worldly Territories or Universal Province in the whole World For then he could discover all his wiles and Cabinet-Counsels as Elisha the King of Syria's And yet the natural spirit with its Mouth Tongue and whole expression inward or outward in thought desire word and deed as to its own remainder of Life in its own activity will and way was still on Satan's side the Belial-party even in Paul the Unbeliever as to Gospel the continually guilty Sinner the Fighter against God and his own true interest Ro. 7. Gal. 5. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 11. But it was weakn'd and batter'd by the Cross he having gladly receiv'd the sentence of death upon it within him and rejoycing to find death-work going on a-main upon it yea joyning with Christ in his spiritual mind to Crucify his fleshly with the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 5. 〈◊〉 This Belial-party in the very Saint 2 Cor. 6. 15. his natural Spirit or fleshly mind not fully Crucified is that Tongue that 's 〈◊〉 to be set on fire by the influence of the Devil and to be kindled or awaken'd up into strong hot fleshly desires and lusts after his perishing Meats or worldly desireables Whence else could Solomon himself after God's answer to his pleasing request for true Wisdom Spiritual and Heavenly have bin fetch'd back and hurried many Years after into such a World of gross Uncleannesses and Idolatries The natural spirit in its own unsubdued motions and way's defiles even Saints themselvs and this is figured by the Tongue a little Member of the Body but an unruly one as used by the unruly Spirit and will of Man 'T is a raging and enraged Expresser and Provoker of unruly Passions in our selvs and others Whatever may be done with the Litteral the Mystical Tongue of Man's Spirit can no Man tame by any Curbing-Bit or Bridle any device or means to be found in the first-Creation World or nature Yea this Tongue waxes more unruly raging mad and blasphemous of all things against all saving Gospel-Truths even in the flourish of Legal-Christianity form of Godliness righteousness of Man or Holy Flesh Act. 26. 11. If no Man nothing in first-Creation nature can curb and tame this Mystical unruly Tongue 't is implied this can be effectually done only by God himself or his appointed all-searching all-powerful Spirit Cross or Spiritual Gospel-Sword and Fire Slaying and Offering up the Life of nature that 's Enmity to God in Sacrifice by Death unto God The obedient death of a Spirit a Life a State of Enmity to God is acceptable to God by Jesus Christ the High-Priest Slayer Offerer up and Presenter thereof unto God most high The Cross of Christ is the Yoke the Bit the Bridle put upon it for like reason as Yokes and Bridles on unruly Beasts to make them obey their Masters and Riders The natural Spirit in the Saint though cleansed and righteous is since the fall found in Enmity to God and Union with World and Devil So Paul sound it Ro. 7. Nature corrupt or righteous World and Devil or the World the Flesh and the Devil are all of a Knot in a united interest against God Christ all Gospel-Saints and Truths This unruly beast in the Saint greatly need 's a taming-bit and bridle to fetch it about and teach it obedience to Christ its divine and Spiritual Lord and Master The demolishing death-work of the cross upon it can only do this Satan was riding this mystical beast the natural or legal Spirit in Paul towards Damascus against the Gospel Christ meets him throw's off that rider for ever and not only for a season as from Balaam strikes down the beast flat to the earth the earthly natural Spirit as well as litteral body of Paul The latter was a figure of the former Christ turn'd about his understanding and heart or will into a full career of opposition to the Devil's design and Kingdom So he presently preach'd the Gospel at Damascus whither he was comming with full purpose and resolution to persecute it Then forthwith the Devil and professing Jews hunted and forc'd him out of the City But let Satan Strike while he will at Paul and do his worst in rage against him whom before he used as a serviceable instrument when Christ is the rider The more deadly wounds he or his instruments do give any thing in Paul that can be wounded and slain the more tame and obedient does it grow to his new rider and true master Christ will render the most malicious practices of all enemies against Paul or any in like case conducible to the bringing him to his own hand which is the Saint's true good and great gain The Wicked Angels or men that are his Sword are used by Christ as whipp's and scourges to tame the unruly tongue natural Spirit or rebellious fleshly mind in the Saint that warr 's against his Spirit in himself and Saints The said wicked are as 't were ridden also or over-ruled by Christ the Saint's new rider Psal. 17. 13 14 used as his Sword and hand to carry on his cross-work on what 's to die in the Saint the said unrulytongue The whole knot of evil angels and men can do nothing to or against his Saints but what 's exactly conducible to their good at every turn in every point All 's on the right wheel still come what will or can under Christ's conduct for the Saint's advantage The due consideration of this will cause Saints to rejoyce with Paul in the greatest tribulations and triumph over all enemies amidst the thickest troop's of them round about them having a fixed eye upon the glory that follows which exeell's and remain's for ever In stead of sinking and growing weary under contradictions and persecutions he said God forbid I should glory or rejoyce in any thing save what 's doing to me by the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ let who will be the instruments for carrying on its demolishing taming work on my unruly fleshly mind and body of death The full taming it is the compleat death of it The more thick speedy and powerfull death-blow's are given to it the better the sooner will the happy work be done and the Saint deliver'd from his Spirit of bondage the perpetually guilty Sinner and so from all evil of sin or punishment The natural Spirit corrupt or righteous is in a union of mind with the Devil till this death-work of
the crosse upon it be finish'd Be not therefore rash with thy mouth tongue language or expression of thy natural Spirit nor let thy carnal mind or fleshly heart that 's in union with the Devil be hasty forward and consident to utter any thing before God Let not that be the Speaker to Men in Preaching or to God in Prayer publick or private It will do Satan's drudgery carry on his designs where or when-ever it is the speaker or actour It will do all in enmity to God to his Spirit of truth and Saint's Let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing or word before God This shew's Solomon mean's by mouth in the first clause the expressing and doing of the will and mind of the natural heart or Spirit that 's in enmity to God The Saint ought to have a jealous eye over it and keep a continual watch against it so as never to do the will or fulfil the lusts thereof but oppose fight against and crucisie them If we live and walk in Christ's Steddy Spirit of everlasting righteousness thus we shall do Gal. 5. 16. and 24 25. All yielding Obedience to or doing the will and lust of the flesh or carnal mind of enmity to God is compliance with the Devil against the Gospel-will of Christ in himself and us and divine will of God The natural Spirit is the home-bred traitour wrap'd up in a confederacy with the Devil in enmity to God the Foe of our own House or in our own persons by which Satan seek's to mischieve and destroy us 'T is our great concern to watch against this foe and keep it out of action till perfectly abolish'd and cut off and then shall we never be troubled with it more The restor'd Spirit of man that has bin as a bosome-friend and guide in the first-covenant house of God leading us out of the corrupt State of our nature and opposing the vile affections and lusts thereof filth of flesh turn's flat against the new guide and leader the Spirit of Christ in himself and us under the conduct whereof only t is possible for us to 〈◊〉 into God's rest This familiar friend and wife that lies in our bosome lifts up the heel and turn's flat against the new governour the Spiritual and sure guide to true bessedness as well as former familiar friends without doors that remain wholly in the first-covenant house establish'd by Satan in the righteousness of man and so in unchangable enmity to God Psal. 41. 9. Trust not thy bosome-friend when indeed turn'd into a bosom-enemy the Foe the worldly disputant the carnal-minded reasoner against and opposer of Christ's Gospel-Spirit in us our new guide Confer not with her Gal. 1. 16 Suffer her not to Speak or open her mouth And keep the door of thy mouth from her Let not the thoughts words prayers of thy Spiritual mind or man that 's to seek study and joyn with Christ to put her to death be offer'd to her in way of conference or treaty For She will be against all to be sure Ther 's no treating with her for peace whose enmity to God is curable only by her Death She is for war as long as one drop of mystical blood or life is left in her She will fight against Spirit to the last gasp Trust her not then Mica 7. 5. I am for peace say's David's Spiritual Man but if I open my mouth to speak of peace to my natural that with all the affections and lusts thereof that fight and war against my own soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. is alway's for war Psal. 120. 7. The carnal mind or natural Spirit is the he that hates peace that peace with God which is no otherwise attainable but by its Death The soul of the Spiritual Saint sojourn's in Mesech dwells in the tents of Kedar with him that hates peace the Foe of its own house till utterly abolish'd dead and gone v. 5 6. If we follow our former old guide in us against the lusts of our corrupted nature when thus turn'd against the new and sure Spiritual guide in us we are so far forth servants of sin and Satan Rom. 6. 16. These two Spirits natural and Spiritual Man's and God's first and second-covenant principles of life desire thought word and action in Man clearly stated and laid before him in their vast differences and irreconcilable contrarieties with the advantages and disadvantages of chusing this or that for the principle of our life and action eternal life or death does not a wrong and most foolish choice render a man undeniably and unexcusably guilty of his own eternal ruine Be not then rash with this mouth of thy Spirit of enmity to God nor hasty in that heart to utter any thing before God For how is it possible to speak right words or things to God or men in a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 to God whose mouth speaks all its words in union with the Devil All that after Spiritual Light and strong conviction as to all these things afforded them do still persist in speaking the words of their hasty forward Spirit of enmity to God in preaching to men or pretended prayer to God are abominable to God in all For as their most aggravated wickedness madness and folly do they deliver themselvs up to the Devil as his sworn bored Slaves and vassals for ever When by way of death and 〈◊〉 Man's natural Spirit is transform'd and baptiz'd into a union with his Spiritual mind or man the Spirit of God in him then as a Seer of God and right obedient Servant to the true Prophet or Spiritual man in him 't is a meek rightly tuned spirit fitted to be a mouth or door of utterance for the things of God to his Spiritual man For God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy words be few God resides or dwells in the all-searching Light of his new-'creation Sanctuary-Spirit that can discover the bottom intent of all hearts Heb. 4. 12 13 that take up with Satan in his first-creation house or state in unchangable enmity to him and the second his heavenly house or Spirit When thou prayest then enter into thy Closet and shut thy Door Mat. 6. 6. exclude thy own Earthly understanding Mind or Will let them have nothing to do in or with thee in thy Prayers keep secret from them what thou pray'st and treatest about with God for thy Salvation For the Life of that is to be the Sacrifice by which to enter into the new and everlasting covenant with God Psal. 50. 5. Keep the Door of thy mouth from this false bosome-Friend and guide She will never consent to her own Death And in all true Saint's preaching to men and Prayer to God is this very thing to be taught and sought This foe is to be excluded out of the cabinet-counsell of Christ and the Saint who joyntly conclude the Death or utter abolition of all the Life and motion thereof If that therefore be
of the Rulers or Pharisees 〈◊〉 on him But this People that knoweth not the Law are Cursed None but a sort of ignorant simple People Women and unlearn'd Fisher-Men So they reckon'd Peter and John Act. 4. 13. follow him or regard his doctrin At this rate did the signally enlight'ned ring-leaders of the then only Professing People of God in the World say of Christ and his Doctrin What will convince Are we blind also Said the Pharisees Jesus said if ye were blind ye should have no Sin or would not be guilty of the unpardonable Sin against Spiritual Light and so the Holy Ghost But ye say we see Therefore your Sin remain's for ever upon you that is is unpardonable Ye wilfully and knowingly Sin against my Gospel-Spirit of truth the Holy Ghost so remain's to you nothing but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation for ever Heb. 10. 26 27. Ye are of your Father the Devil Jo. 8. 44. Ye Serpents ye Generation of 〈◊〉 how can ye escape the Damnation of Hell Mat. 23. 33. This is the language on both hands that passed between Christ and the enlight'ned Professors and Teachers of that day What will warn or induce self-confidents to a suspition of their rotten Principles and Sandy Foundation If any think he has whereof to boast there Paul and other enlight'ned Pharisees of that day more And as confident was Paul all was right with him and he doing God Service in Persecuting the Gospel as any now can be in like case and Principles The case of blind Leaders and their blind followers all of them stark blind or worse wilfully blind as shutting their eyes against and turning away their understandings from Christ's to Satan's Gospel is the same now as then And the punishment of both and all will be the same They 'l all fall into the Ditch the Bottomless Pit the very Spirit of the Devil the unchangable enemy of God They said of Christ he hath a Devil and is Mad when convinc'd of his Doctrin as the truth they had nothing to say against but in a way of railing against a Witness for him and against themselvs in their own Consciences The true followers of Christ in all ages have the same lot and handling are call'd Fools and Mad-men at a venture in despite and scorn by those whose own Consciences flie in their Faces and condemn them for their folly and madness therein These are the Fools whose Voice is known by a multitude of Words Brutified Sinners at this day Litteral Sodom Egypt and Babylon destroy or make void the Law Psal. 119. 126. And then a sort of righteous mystical Sinners Spiritually call'd Sodom Egypt and Babylon such as Crucified Christ Rev. 11. 8. what in them lies destroy the Gospel make void the Grace of God Yet in all this combined interest of Litteral and Mystical Sodom against the Gospel and yet clash amongst themselvs in their practical pro and con as to the Life righteousness and Doctrin of the Law with their multitude of words and many things on all hands remain's a hopefulness that Christ may find his seven Thousands or seventy-times seven thousand amongst us that have not willfully but ignorantly bow'd the knee to Baal or follow'd and own'd the first-Covenant-Doctrin of his Priests and righteousness of Man for the Power of Godliness the grace and righteousness of God in the second Vers. IV. When thou vowest a Vow unto God deferr not to pay it For he hath no pleasure in Fools pay that which thou hast vowed His Father David did Ps. 66. 13 14. as requir'd Deut. 23. 21. 23. The Vow and Engagement of Men in the first-Covenant on God's bringing them out of Egypt Bondage in the corrupt nature death in Trespasses and Sins contracted by the first Sin of Man is faithfully to walk there in suppressing the vile affections and lusts of their degenerate nature and to pay such Worship Service and Obedience as is performable to God therein So do they live unto God in that state for a season This do Men often fail in and so break that Covenant with God after enter'd into it and forfeit all the benefits and advantages thereof For then God breaks with them the promises of it being but conditional Numb 14. 34. Jer. 31. 32. Levit. 26. 15 25. Deut. 29. 30. and 31 Chapters Man in his first Covenant Law-Principle his restor'd enlight'ned spirit of nature is alway's in danger of breaking this Vow Covenant or undertake by contract with God God therefore promises to make another Covenant with them in another Spirit his unspeakable gift to them a steddy right constant Spirit of everlasting righteousness Psal. 51. 10. the Gospel new and everlasting Covenant-Principle of Life Jer. 31. 31. 33. This God engages to do by quick'ning up the incorruptible Seed thereof into Life motion and prevailing activity if they obediently submit to his declared terms in giving up their clensed nature to him in Sacrifice by a holy Death Their polluted nature was no meet sacrifice for him neither is it slain but somewhat disabled only by Law-Conversion and is continually striving to fetch them back to their old Sins with the Dog to the Vomit often prevailing so as to recover its former Dominion over them and ride in Triumph again with its uncontroll'd vile affections and lusts The first-Covenant natural or Law-principle fail'd of its duty in the first Man when at best and more liable sure is it to fail in but some gradual renewals thereof God therefore finds a fault or defect in that first-Covenant-state of Life as to Mans steddy well-pleasing obedience to him or true happiness to himself So offers a second Heb. 8. 6-13 This is the better the new and everlasting Covenant The gospel-Gospel-spirit of God undertakes the performance of all obedience in Men when it becomes the principle of life desire thought and action in them which can never sin err or miscarry deceive or be deceived In this new-Covenant Spirit or Principle God becomes their God and they his people for ever He will never depart from them nor they from him Jer. 32. 38-41 The undispensable condition on man's part for entring into the second covenant with God is the obedient giving up in Sacrifice to him all the fading life and things received from his own hand in the first When convinc'd of this twofold differing covenant-principle with the methods of God's Wisdom and his requirings from them as also with the unspeakable advantages of quitting the first for the second then are they bound to vow the sacrifice of their Life in the former and not to be slack in performing the said vow If we be not slack in that our part for entring into the new or second Covenant with God he will not be slack concerning his promise the promise of the father even the Spirit of the Son will by the Son be set up in our hearts which is the Gospel-principle the Apostles were
shall never enter into his rest in the second And for their unpardonable Sin he will take from them all the fading beauty or goodness he had bestow'd on them in the 〈◊〉 So all 's gone God's first-Covenant-gift set up in unchangable enmity to his convincingly shew'd and graciously offer'd second is the unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost comprehending all the most criminal Sins or Abominations Man can be guilty of mystical spiritual Adultery idolatry Murder c. Ezek. 16. 15. 38. Ro. 2. 21 22. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Gal. 5. 19-21 The proud reigning 〈◊〉 old first Covenant Kings despise all these words to their own destruction But the poor of the Flock Christ's little ones content to be impoverish'd and run down into the barreness and death of their own however 〈◊〉 and enlight'ned nature understand own and obey all such words of the Lord 〈◊〉 11. 11. They are willing to be made Fools weak and despicable with Paul in the 〈◊〉 visage of a first-covenant State Image of the earthy that they may be all glorious within in the Image of the heavenly such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rich strong and honourable in God in the spiritual Gospel-Life 〈◊〉 with Christ in God All that finally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the greatest Fools as to their greatest eternal concerns All that 〈◊〉 boggle and fly off at the Gospel-Tydings of the Cross and Death thereby to be brought upon nature resolving to maintain the sandy Foundation and untemper'd Walls of their earthly worldly first-Covenant Church-building for Salvation are be witch'd by Satan with their glittering Holy Flesh and things of Man and Devil into unchangable enmity to God's Holy Spirit and all the things of Christ and God This work Satan is at with first-covenant Professors in holy 〈◊〉 the self-same as with Eve 2 Cor. 11. 3. And through God's most wise permission has he wonderfully prevailed in all Ages and Generations and not less sure in this last and worst of times to keep men short of the Grace of God yea to fix them with himself in enmity to it and so deprive them of all advantages or benefits of both God's Covenants Many that begin well engage and set their hand to God's Spiritual mystical-Plow the Cross of Christ for running down nature in them toward the commanded Death suffering many things that way their foot in the same Gospel race of suffering with the thorow-pac'd resolv'd Gospel-Saint that follow 's the Lamb slain whithersoever he goes even to the mystical Death and Grave of nature many of these engaged Racers does Satan fetch back again to himself and sixes them with himself in first creation-Life and so in unchangable enmity to God and the second Gal 5. 7 8. and 3. 1-4 When come to the borders of the heavenly Canaan as Israel of the litteral they hate it and turn back to mystical if not also litteral Egypt sixing in the righteous or rolling back to the corrupt Spirit of nature and that as their professed Judgment for Salvation with Ranters After all high Spiritual enlightning partaking of the Light of the holy Ghost and offer'd the Life thereof and so tasting of that heavenly gift the good living word and wisdom of God and Powers of the World to come they Apostatize or fall away beyond all possibility of recovery or renewal of them again unto repentance Heb. 6. 4-6 The high Priest's among the Jews offer'd litteral Sacrifices Christ the true high Priest comes to Preach Death to nature in their very Persons as the true Gospel Sacrifice they ought obediently to give him to offer up in the fire of his Eternal Spirit as he offer'd our nature at best in himself to God most high For this they blasphem'd and crucified him The fix'd Shadowy Law-Priest's and their blind followers abhor the true Gospel-Priest with all his Spiritual Seers and Doctrine Many shuffling devices and inventions Devils Suggest and men find to shift off the Cross of Christ wave all the unpleasing words or doctrine thereof which indeed is the only way to and Door of entrance for any into the Kingdom of God Through a fellowship with their Lord in sorrows sufferings and manifold tribulations of and to their natural man inward and outward do true Saints enter with him into his everlasting joy All others must lie down in everlasting Sorrow eating the fruit of their own way be filled with their own devices under final wrath Had they own'd God's reproofs given by the mouth of true Wisdom his living word to them even the reproofs of Death to their nature and followed his instructions for Life they might have dwelt safely for ever and have been quiet from all fear of evil Prov. 1. 20-33 The Pisgah-Prospect into the new-creation Life or true Land of promise given to their natural understandings by Spiritual irradiations or Light should have invited moved and drawn their wills with cogent arguments to the most delightful embraces thereof on any terms Man convinc'd of the more excellent Gospel-Life and way and setting hand and foot to work in prosecution of it and towards attaining it is actually under the vow of surrendring nature to Death And this is upon record in that living corner-stone the fountain Gospel-Spirit or living creature-Word Wisdom or Book of God in Christ's person This was figur'd by the Stone Josua set up under an Oak by the sanctuary of the Lord that in figure heard the Spiritually enlightne'd Israelâ—â—s vow promise and engagement over and over for the true serving the Lord in his Spirit of truth the principle of the new and everlasting covenant accordingly will witness for or against them as they firmly hold or perfidiously fly off from the said engagement As for me and my house say's Josua we will serve the Lord. So will we answer'd the people again again again and again Jos. 24. 15. 18. 21. 24 yet after all these good words fair promises and engagements a world of them flew off and came to worse then nothing Christ the living Stone sigur'd by that Joshua set up will witness against and deal with all such according to their works and dealings toward him v. 26 27. Man must not dispute or deferr the performance of the said vow but with Paul should be forthwith obedient to the heavenly vision of the mind of God come roundly and readily off with his holocaust or whole burnt-offring of his natural State His eye must not pity nor hand spare any thing in it that God requires to be destroy'd as Saul spar'd Agag and best of the Cattel in letter and mystery whereas Abram spar'd not his very Son Isaac Nature at best Our true father Abraham though tempted to it by Satan and his own apostle Peter spared not the true Isaac our spotless nature in his own person but offer'd it up in the mystical fire of his eternal Spirit of grace unto God accounting with litteral Abram that God was able to raise him or it up again from the
dead into the everlasting righteous life of the true Melchisedec or sacrificing high-Priest of God and of our Gospel-profession Abram was a type of Christ's priestly gospel-Gospel-Spirit Isaac of his natural law-Spirit offer'd up by that Priest in his own person For this obedience God most high blesses the said true Abram Christ himself in and with the figure promising him an innumerable multitude of Spiritual Saints the true seed descendents and posterity of the second Adam Gen. 22. 16-18 The new covenant is a covenant of oath by which the Lord ratifies his mercies to all obedient enterers into it with him for ever by an oath and excludes all rebellious wilfull refusers of the terms of entring into it with an oath also Swearing in his wrath they shall never enter into his rest Heb. 3. 11. 18. And Heb. 6. 13-18 we sind the new-covenant promise to Abram establish'd with an oath and that oath it self made or confirm'd by two immutable things God's infinite divine and his immutably righteous and Glorious new-creature self or Spirit the living word and Eternal Wisdom of God in personal union with infinite divinity The terms of the first covenant on Man's part is to part with the vile affections and lusts of the corrupt Spirit of nature on God's to set up the restor'd righteous life thereof In the second is man to give up the very righteous life to God in sacrifice as a perishing vanity a fading flower which was God's part to give him in the first as the clean sacrifice for entering into the second Thus first God gave Abram an Isaac and then requir'd the offring of him up And so did Abraham by that very thing in mystery enter the second and was justified for ever before God Jam. 2. 21. This gives him and all his Spiritual seed compleat victory over all enemies so as to 〈◊〉 their Gates take away all strength and power from them Gen. 22. 17 18. They will in the 〈◊〉 mighty power of 〈◊〉 new-creation Gospel-Spirit tread all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 law-enemies evil Angels and 〈◊〉 under their 〈◊〉 Nothing is of greater advantage to the Saint then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his vow relating to the new-covenant sor the 〈◊〉 death of nature nothing of more dangerous 〈◊〉 then his deserring or delaying the performance of this vow Nothing gives greater advantage to the Devil against him then 〈◊〉 delay sor extinguishing his part in him the natural State The most 〈◊〉 resiless Implacable enemy that in his mighty power and 〈◊〉 roves up and down as a roaring Lion to devour all he 〈◊〉 light on will not 〈◊〉 to make his utmost advantage of such delay If he sind Saints lingring and loath with Lot to depart out of litteral or Mystical Sodom or both even the whole Life and lust of nature corrupt or 〈◊〉 he will labour might and main to turn their lingrings into a 〈◊〉 and absolute establishment there and so 〈◊〉 their hearts in them to do evil six them with himself there in unchangable enmity to God and Death to themselvs But God is 〈◊〉 to his Saints and lay's hold on them by his Angels as on ling'ring Lot to hasten them out of both the said Sodom's Gen. 19. 15 16. 〈◊〉 great mercy in the Lord and should be the earnest prayer of the Saint to him to hasten the execution of the guilty Sinner the 〈◊〉 party in him and so his deliverance srom all evil in enmity to God or compliance with the Devil 〈◊〉 uses his utmost power and skil to cause a delay in this case God gives his most saithful counsel and instruction to us to hasten the performance To be sure linger while we wil done it must be first or last or we perish for ever The sooner and speedier done the better sor us We should not look on Christ as Satan represents him a hard Master a bloody Husband but a most faithful Creatour and gracious Redeemer What Suggest's Satan to men does Christ come with a sacrificing Knife Fire and Sword speaking War and Death to a righteous Life of his own twice setting up in vou first by creation and then redemption Never believe it With God is no such variableness or shadow of turning He quoted Scripture to Christ himself 〈◊〉 unreasonable say's he to think God should pull down and destroy the Work of his own hands And when he has thus steel'd them with arguments for self-defence and keeping up themselvs in their own native Countrey and Father's House the restor'd life of the first Adam the image of the earthy as a most desireable land or state then fall's he to work the other way to bring a false and evil report on God's Countrey the new-creation land of promise or state of life This is the Far Countrey the man Christ is gone into where he lives for evermore This Far Countrey even a heavenly that God engages as his part in the new Covenant to bring men into on their obedient speedy departure out of their own does Satan bring an evil report upon First say's he you have but a report a hear-say of it you have no certain knowledg or experience of it And then 't is a Land that eateth up the Inhabitants thereof as the spies doing his errand therein said of the litteral Numb 13. 32 your destruction and very death it self is the propounded and declared terms on which only ye can enter into the possession of it So when brought by Christ's Spiritual Light to the very borders of the heavenly Canaan by and with his evil apostles and spies ministers of his Gospel that 's no Gospel are they easily perswaded induced to start aside and fly off as offended at both the promised land or life it self they should enter into and also at the loss oftheir own with all their mystical riches large possessions therein So in stead of speedily performing the commanded and vow'd sacrifice of their old nature in order to enter into and take possession of the said new land of promise they peremptorily and conclusively refuse the terms and consult with Satan and one another about a return back rather into Egypt litteral or mystical corrupt or righteous nature and there fix and establish themselvs in their own nature land or Countrey in unchangable enmity to God's This the rebellious fleshly Israel was at in letter and figure If holy flesh a righteous natural State and strict holy walking therein won't do 't for salvation they 'l not be saved This desperate resolution is a crime of a dangerous destructive complexion of an Ethiopian hiew 'T is the Leopards spot never the spot of Gods Children Spiritual Saints T is the highest folly imaginable If they 'l never obediently come out of their own land the fading life of their own nature they 'l never enter his even the life of his Spirit of Grace If they 'l not suffer and die with Christ in the former they 'l never live and reign with him in the
thereby Vers. VII For in the multitude of Dreams and many Words there are also divers Vanities but fear thou God This concluding Word on this subject is a Character of the first-creation Spirit or State as chosen by men in union of mind with the fallen Angels Solomon calls it many things and businesses a multitude of Dreams as v. 3. a multitude of business whence cometh a Dream The busie boundless wandring gadding Spirit of man cumbers it self as Martha with a heap of first-creation Vanities that can give him no true satisfaction All his conceited happiness therein is but a Dream His many Words and Labours about them are but divers Vanities a variety of glittering nothings things that God says are not perishing vanishing shadows All labour of man in his first creation life of Vanity all his Works Fruits Duties performance to God or Man therein is Vanity All inordinate love to and 〈◊〉 after the outward or inward litteral or mystical Riches and Treasures of that State in the most fruitfull Exercise of a first-covenant Life is but that Love of Mony Paul call's the Root of all 〈◊〉 For from this Love to his own Worldly Life and Riches thereof is man sound in direct enmity to God and his Gospel-Spirit and Riches which alone can make any truly Happy So all he is has or does all his Attainments Works Fruits Riches Possessions rested in will prove a most unhappy destructive Dream out of which when he awakes he will find himself to have bin all along deceived with Imaginary things that have no durable reality in them Christ convincingly shew's men this now and will hereafter convince them he hath so shewed it and fairly warned them thereby of their danger Let him then that Preaches up such a vain State with all the best things of man therein for happiness tell it but as a Dream not considently assert it to be a Gospel-State of Salvation but a Law-Dream Jer. 23. 28. Man's Chaff Dream Vain Glory Shadow Life and Image of the Earthy fix'd in in unchangable enmity to God's Wheat his Word Wisdom Righteousness durable Life Riches Food and Cloathing in the Image of the Heavenly is certain damnation What 's the Chaff to the Wheat the Words of Man's Wisdom in his lying Spirit of divination as to all Gospel things and truths of God into the Room whereof he thrusts the things of Man and says the Lord sayeth Ezek. 13. 6. to the Words of my Wisdom in my Gospel Spirit of Truth What are Man's Law-Dreams to my Gospel-Truths In stead of this dangerous Trade and destructive practice Solomon's advice is Fear thou God This fearing God and keeping his commandments he declar's Eccles. 12. 13. to be the whole Duty of Man the Conclusion and sum of the whole matter in all Books and Words of Right Instruction unto Life Follow after obey and close with the Lord 's own Counsels Teachings Leadings convincing discoveries of his mind and Gracious Offer's of that Gospel-Spirit that 's in unchangable union with his divine Spirit and you 'l ever know and do his whole mind and counsel and Worship him in Spirit and in Truth to his wel-pleasing acceptance and your Salvation His Spirit is that Love that 's the fulfiller of his whole Law Rom. 13. 10. Vers. 8. If thou seest the Oppression of the Poor and violent perverting of Judgment and Justice in a Province marvel not at the matter Heb. will or purpose for he that is higher then the highest regardeth and there be higher than they Her 's encouragement to right Fearers true Believers and beloveds of God that have abandon'd their own first-creation Life of vanity and enmity for his new-creation Spirit of Truth and Love In this are they too hard for all Enemies For the Almighty Divine and irrisistibly mighty new-creation Spirit of Christ and God are on their Side as also the Angels of his Power who in their Spiritual new-covenant Life of everlasting Righteousness and Truth transcendently excell in strength all first-creation Evil Angelical or humane invisible or visible Principalities Powers that are against the Saints of the most high Saints then are sufficiently furnish'd under the great Captain of their Salvation to deal with and be more then Conquerors over all Enemies all worldly Powers of Darkness and Gates of Hell Muster they never so strong Bluster Storm and Look as big as they can Saints Infallibly see and know where they shall have them in conclusion for ever even under their feet as the necks of the five Kings of Canaan were put under the feet of Josua's Captains Jos. 10. 24. Those Kings were a Type of all first-Creation Powers fix'd in Opposition to the second Spiritual Israelites know how to demean themselvs under all Oppressours the great mystical Goliah the Devil with his whole Army of Philistines evil Angels and men They have so learnt Christ in their Spiritual man which no Enemies can touch that they fear not them that can but kill the Body or whole natural man as to a first-covenant first-creation Life of vanity and have no more that they can do They know their great Captain Christ himself turns all Injuries done to their Body or natural man to their great advantage as hastning the Death of what 's to die in them and so compleating their conformity with himself therein the consequent whereof will be a compleating them in his resurrection-Life that 's above all Enemies and Deaths Their Way of ascending into his all-conquering Spiritual Life is the Death of their natural State They overcome by such Death of what can die as found in a state that can never die the certain result and issue of such a Holy obedient Death This way the Captain of our Salvation overcame Heb. 2. 10. And his good and faithfull Souldiers must fight as they have him for an example and not look for a final absolute Conquest any other Way than he obtained it Satan and his Party seem to conquer by killing the natural man or Body of Christ and Saints who finally conquer them all by being so killed They fight with exceedingly differing Weapons Enemies with Weak and Carnal Saints and their Captain-General with Spiritual and Mighty through God for pulling down all their Strong Holds and laying them all in the Dust. Another Riddle Enemies fight against the Spirit of God or Spiritual man in Saints but can hit or touch only their natural which their own Spiritual is fighting against in their own persons So though they have Perfectly contrary designes Christ Saints and all Enemies what'ere they strike at they all hit only flesh and Blood which cannot enter into the Kingdom of God but lets or hinders the Saint's fully entring till it be fully destroyed By suffering Devils and men seemingly to overcome him and his Saints as bringing death on their natural man do Christ and they overcome them all in their Spiritual which is greater then they and which they can never touch V.
making his Gospel-vanities passe for Christ's durable Gospel-riches everlasting life and never-perishing meats Thus does Satan sport himself with those that sport themselvs with his and their own deceivings By such makes he his utmost batteries against the very elect to deceive their souls or if that won't be to destroy their bodies All that have resolutely taken up with him to feed on dust the perishing meats of the first_creation does he perfectly deafen to the voice of all true Spiritual Charmers Charm they never so Wisely Not a word of Christ's Gospel or any of his never-perishing meats will they any more listen to regard or look after for ever then stones They are fix'd absolute infidels as to all his things truths or doctrins They are the hottest fiercest zealous decriers of all such things or words in the whole World Paul was so for a season when a righteous first-covenant Saint they for ever But to prevent man's self-destroying choice of his own selfish earthly first-creation life or righteous natural-State with the perishing food ragged clothing and fading riches thereof in preference to Christ's durable riches never-perishing meats and pure garments clean linnen or everlasting 〈◊〉 in the second Solomon farther declares Vers. X. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with encrease this is also vanity The mystical silver here that with all possible encrease thereof is vanity as well as the litteral figure import's the heap'd up Laodicean treasur's in the fruitful exercise of a first-covenant righteous life of vanity Man at best therein is lighter then vanity weigh's less is worse then nothing in the balance of Christ's new-creation sanctuary Psal. 39. 5 6. and 62. 9. Isa. 40. 17. He is a flat enemy to God and it to all the heavenly life and treasure thereof Man's inordinate preferring love to and delight in his own righteous nature and riches thereof is an evil concupiscence an evil covetousness destructive to his own mystical house whole nature or person Hab. 2. 9 10 the highest and most criminal idolatry that love of money in the highest sense that 's the root of all evil keeping up a murdering mind of enmity against all doctrine or persons that come to seize and take it away as their unspeakable advantage if obedient to the Cross of Christ therein Man wearies himself tires and sin's himself into eternal death for very vanity v. 13. and Psal. 39. 6. All men seek and contend for in their own nature will and way Paul found in Gospel-light dung and loss Job dust and ashes who both once thought themselvs truly happy there in Gods sight as well as in their own He that loves this mystical silver or fading inward riches of his own nature shall not be satisfied with such silver in the most abundant encreases thereof There 's nothing in it can truly answer the wants of his immortal being or give the least degree of true happiness to him Nothing but new-creature life does this Gal. 6. 15 neither corrupt or righteous Old-Creation life signified by uncircumcision and circumcision which avail not any thing in this case as to eternal life Verse XI When goods encrease they are increas'd that eat them and what good is there to the owners thereof saving the beholding of them with their eyes Here 's the vanity of all perishing treasur's The utmost encrease of Laodicean riches in the most fruitful exercise of a first-creation life or first-covenant principle makes but a heap of perishing vanities when all 's done The right parting with all as dung for Ghrist's heavenly treasure durable riches acquirable only in his Gospel-Spirit or new-covenant-principle of everlasting righteousness is the best and only true improvement of all In this Exchange does Man receive all the fading goodness and riches of his law-life with usury and great gain even in Christ's Gospel-life or Spirit Thus 't is with all thorow-followers of Christ's Counsel Christ receives in this right improvement of his first-creation gifts his own again with usury and man his own also with transcendent advantage in God's own Life Wisdom Righteousness Glory all the everlasting things of God's Spirit of grace for the fading vanities perishing next to nothings in his own Spirit of nature the Life of the Creator or new-creature Spirit of Christ the living WORD and Wisdom of God by which the Worlds were made The final refusal of this chang is man's changing selling or parting with God's Gospel-Spirit of Truth for Satan's and his own 〈◊〉 his perishing vanity his law-Spirit of nature And this is 〈◊〉 serving worshipping and loving the Creature even himself rather or more yea above and against the Creator who is blessed for ever Can such ill-chusers expect lesse then to be Cursed for ever and perish as their own dung that they prefer before the very Life Righteousness Wisdom and Glory of God that 's never to be done away Paul threw away this mystical dung for the unsearchable divine and spiritual riches of Christ's Glorious person which when he came to be a happy possessour of he became also the most Powerful Gospel-Preacher of Eph. 3. 8. He that loves his own life and the riches or Mammon thereof litteral or mystical in preference to God's hates God's Christ therefore requires the hating our own very life at best in love to God's or declar's we cannot be his disciples Luk. 14. 26. For thus did he Not my will but thine be done Not my words but thine be spoken The word 's of thy Spirit the Holy Ghost that 's in unchangable union of mind with thy infinite divine Spirit and not the dictats of my natural wisdom or understanding the words of my Spirit Job said though righteous he would not know or own his own soul but despise or destroy crucify his very righteous natural self or life as dust and ashes to God's dung and losse Phil. 3. 7 8 for God's with Paul All true Saints think say and do thus first or last What amount all fading riches treasur'd up by man in the activity of faulty or defective first-covenant principle's unto by the most fruitfull exercise of the restor'd righteous life of his own nature therein when not rich towards God in his Spirit of grace the second Covenant Gospel-Principle of life desire thought and action Christ himself does thus resolve his own most pertinent and concerning question by way of instruction and warning to men Thou fool that hast heap'd up vast perishing treasures in thy own enlightned righteous nature and art merry confident and at hearts-ease therein as if happy for many years even for ever as possessed of what will never faile thee this night shall thy soul be taken from thee even this righteous life of thy living soul and then if thou have not the everlasting life of my quickning Spirit and my durable riches therein where art thou and whose shall all those things be which thou hast provided none of
thine to be sure for ever 'T is the true Saint only receivs all the good of the first-creation transcendently advanc'd in the second All others that finally refuse the second will be excluded from it for ever and have all in the first taken from them too Where are they then They lose the riches laid up for the ease of their own soul soul and all for ever in conclusion Here 's their Doom Christ therefore denounces wo to such first-covenant rich ones reigning with confidence as Kings there in their own righteous clensed nature as having receiv'd their consolation their penny the Praise and reward of Men in this World They are to have no good in the next Luk. 6. 24. Mat. 6. 2. 5. 16. No entering there for a rich Man rich in the first covenant life of his own nature and confident therein so as to reject the true riches of the second-covenant-life of God in his spirit of grace Mat. 19. 24. As to any thing of the new-creature-life and riches of God are such with the Laodiceans wretched miserable poor blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. They have nothing of that about them Yea they loath mortally hate all such life riches and God most high himself They 'l be needs Reigning as Kings in a Spirit a life Christ would not Reign in when offer'd Joh. 6. 15 Paul could not might not Reign in 1 Cor. 4. 8. Such hate that Gospel-Spirit Christ will Reign in with all his Saints The Rich and Full in First-Covenant Life and Treasur's are confident therein and laugh now under the Applause Reward and Praise of Men as were alway's the False Prophets Luk. 6. 24 26. How blanck will all such self-confident Laodiceans look that now reckon themselvs rich full encreased with goods and needing nothing when forc'd to find themselvs in everlasting Poverty and nakedness needing every thing that 's ought Litteral and mystical rich men possess'd of nothing but perishing vanities must needs fade away in both their wayes as the withering grass and falling flower thereof Jam. 1. 11. God rejects both their false confidences They shall not Prosper in them Jer. 2. 37. Amidst all the mirth and jollity of both are they bid howl and weep for the miseries that shall come upon them Jam. 5. 1. why why because both trust in lying vanities liable to rust canker moth-eating thieves in summe to perish yea infallibly certain so to do from the intrinsick perishableness of the very nature of them v. 2 3. And where are they both then This get they by listning to Satan's Man-pleasing counsel and rejecting Christ's who warns men in this great concern to quit such for his heavenly treasure and life expos'd to none of these sad inconveniences Mat. 6. 19. 20. When men heap up in for and to themselvs the said vain riches perishing goods so that such goods encrease they are encreas'd that eat them The mystical truth of this saying is this The inordinate lusts of man's boundless rambling roving Spirit from the immortality of its being encrease as his riches encrease So he is never the neerer yet towards any full or final satisfaction A bottomless desire an unsatiable appetite growing still bigger and wider encreasing as the heap increases and their sinfull dotage on and love to the heap encreasing with the heap man grow's worse and worse every way as to his case towards God or any satisfaction to himself in all such riches The sinful false appetite of his immortal Spirit after mortal riches is the eye that 's never satisfied with seeing or with riches the ear never 〈◊〉 with hearing Ec. 1. 8. and 4. 8. Men after all the sad experience of man and Angel at first will be trying over and over again generation after generation the self-same evil and unlawfull use of first-creation vanities that at first gave many Angels and all men their fall This notwithstanding all the faithful warnings of the Lord also against this course before and since the fall as to the dreadfull consequents thereof What peerless unparallel'd folly must this needs be Yet this course will men steer this way will they take Former Generations of professors have took this way follow'd such doctrin as has directed and assured them of safety therein and their posterity in the same first-covenant principles now approve their sayings applaud their doctrin and follow their example and so also follow them into that state of eternal darknes and death where they shall never see light Thus goes one generation after another to the generation of their fathers to the same chambers of death with them Psal. 49. 13. 19. They all feed on such things only as perish in the using and will as certainly perish for for so feeding on them And mean while before the final stroke of wrath be upon them to cut them off for ever and put a full period to their false mirth are they under an utter impossibility of ever being satisfyed with the greatest possible encreases and heaps of such perishing vanities For they Add or afford nothing no good to the Owners thereof saving the beholding of them with their Eyes There 's no durable truly satisfying good in them to man's Immortal Spirit The mystical Stomach Thirst Hunger or Appetite and desire thereof can never be satisfyed quenched or answer'd thereby but only cozen'd whil'd off and amus'd with the self-pleasing entertainments of this World in a Fools-Paradise of vanities The encreasing vain desires after such encreasingvain desirables frustrat's and deprives the Possessor still still of any good or benefit by them save the beholding them with his Eyes which are never satisfyed with seeing them So is man in a meer maze and labyrinth of self-tormenting disquietment in getting heaping up keeping and at last inevitably losing all again on which he will be left in a Bed of sorrow in Eternal Darkness Want Nakedness and Death under the inflictions of final Wrath for such madness and folly of which fairly and oft warn'd in his day on Earth All his present joy delight laughter pleasure in seeing his heap of vanities is but delusive and destructive to him All amounts but to an encrease of vanity in desires and desirables and what 's man the better Eccl. 6. 11. Yea how much still the worse worse and worse The true living Bread the Waters of 〈◊〉 the never perishing Meat and Cloathing Christ's gospel-Gospel-Spirit of everlasting righteousness brings with it answer all man's wants and make up a true blessedness to him for ever True Saints encrease with the encreases of God in his never-perishing Life and Riches They are Co-heirs with Christ of God Rom. 8. 17. feeding on and enjoying the very divine Glory shining forth upon them in favour and love for evermore Vers. XII The sleep of a labouring Man is sweet whether he eat little or much but the abundance Arab. covetousness of the Rich will not suffer him to sleep First to the litteral sense Man in his civil
Capacity and lawfull Calling in this World diligently performing his Duty and referring the issue and success of his labours to Providence without any carking solicitud's or murmuring repining thoughts against God when cross'd in his expectations and disappointed of his hopes has rest and quiet to himself therein Such a one however low in outward Riches Solomon preferr's as to outward worldly Happiness before the litteral covetous rich man that from excessive inordinate Love to such Wealth robb's and deprives himself of all right comfort therein His solicitous self-tormenting thoughtfulness for getting and keeping such Wealth and then fear of losing all again all which the other is freed from render him a very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His abundance of Riches fills his Heart with abundance of trouble and disquiet as well as his Coffers with Silver which will not suffer him to rest or sleep Through this vanity under the litteral first-creation Sun Solomon saw such Riches downright hurtfull to the Owners thereof instead of being of any benefit or advantage to them Semblably the inward Riches of man's Spirit under the mystical first-creation Sun the enlightning enlivening fructifying influence of Christ as a fleshly Bride-groom in his first-covenant Spirit Single upon man's nature Laodicean Treasures heaped up and trusted in and to by man for true Happiness produce the same restlesness and disquiet to him Full of solicitud's is he in getting and keeping and of Fears about losing all again as the litteral covetous rich man is Is there not a cause for such Jealousies and Fears All 's but a vain shew in Holy Flesh a first-covenant Spirit of bondage and fear about his known perishing vanities refusing Christ's convincingly shew'd and offer'd durable Riches and true Freedom even the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God in his gospel-Gospel-Spirit or perfect Law of Liberty to good only and that good unchangable That 's Freedom indeed to purpose Heb. 2. 15. 2 Cor. 3. 17. Joh. 8. 32. 36. Jam. 1. 25. and 2. 12. The Truth Christ's Gospel-Spirit of Truth makes us Christ's true freemen though in letter man's Servants 1 Cor. 7. 22. And the Master that 's free in letter if effectually call'd by Christ into his heavenly Life of true freedom is his Servant Christ's new-covenant Law or gospel-Gospel-Spirit of Life by its death-work on our old or first-covenant law-Spirit of Sin Bondage Enmity and Death sets us free from Sin and Death Rom. 8. 2. all vain Trouble Bondage and Fear He that 's so dead is freed from Sin Rom. 6. 7. ceases for ever from it 1 Pet. 4. 1. Vers. XIII There is a sore Evil which I have seen under the Sun namely Riches kept for the Owners thereof to their hurt This with the Verse before and four following joyntly Character the folly and misery of the litteral and mystical covetous rich Man the former as a Type of the latter One of them is fill'd with cares and solicitud's about making provision for his bodily ease the other is as busy about provisions for his Soul's ease Luk. 12. 16-19 Both of them trade but in perishing vanities 'T is but for perishing meats that gratify the evill Lust's the Belly Desire or Appetite of a mortal perishable Life of Body and Soul these two sorts of foolish Labourers Toil and fill their Heads and Hearts with vain self-tormenting cares and solicitud's All 's but to compass and finger the vain Delights of the Sons of men Nothing of the never-perishing Life and Meats of the Son of God delights of the Sons of God are admitted into their regard God is not in all or any of their thoughts Psal. 10. 4. Nothing of God's Christ's new-creature Life is sought after They 'l not come to him for it nor regard it when he comes and offers it to them Ioh. 5. 40. How oft would I have gather'd you together unto me under my divine and Creature-wings in this Life and ye would not Mat. 23. 37. Ye are all for your selves your own Life will have none of me or mine Then take your course ye shall never have mine at all never enter into my rest So will be left to your own desolate house for ever V. 38. The mystical rich man delightfully contemplat's the Beauty Fruitfulness and Riches of his own enlight'ned nature and too oft arrivesat this highest point of Spiritual wickedness as the result of his own wisdom to strike up an everlasting-covenant-union with the Devil He agrees to receive by his transforming Hel-fire-Baptism an advance of his own nature out of a narrower changably evil humane capacity into a wider and unchangably evil angelical This by suffering Satan to fill his Heart with his Spirit of unchangable enmity to God This is the making man's mystical House or Barns greater Luk. 12. 18 the enlarging and heightning his natural capacity by a kind of mystical death through Satan's false cross-work or counterfeit mortification for the death of man's Spirit of nature on his engagement by covenant and satisfying assurance that he will raise and catch him up out of that mystical Grave into his higher wiser stronger more excellent and capacious angelical nature Thus by bargain does he touch man's Spirit with the transforming alterative assimilating touch of his and translate him out of his narrower humane into his larger angelical capacity of the first-creation sort Man rather chooses this heightning and enlargment in his own way and after his own heart in the first-creation state of nature which renders him a man after the Devil 's own Heart in unchangable enmity to God then such destruction of his fleshly nature or whole natural state and life at best as leaves him no hopes of ever finding himself in a single natural first-creation-life more for ever but in a spiritual and heavenly by a new-creation in the new everlasting covenant Gospel-principle God's Spirit of Grace and Truth The assimilating transformingwork of Christ's Spiritual Cross or heavenly fire-baptism upon man would translate him if obediently submitting thereto and compliant therewith into the life of God's sacrificing Gospel high-Priest of our Profession or of that very Spirit and fiery law of liberty Deut. 33. 2. Jam. 1. 25 that puts his Law or lawless Spirit of bondage enmity and Death to Death with engagement by Covenant to raise it into the everlasting Life and Glorious liberty of the Sons of God Satan will Personate this very high Priest of God and God himself 2 Thes. 2. 4. And he will transform his higher Angelical excellencies and capacity into the likeness or neerest possible resemblance of Christ's new-creation Glories This is the top-stone of his mystery of iniquity the strongest delusion by which this most subtle old Serpent Dragon and roaring Lion deceives and devours men when and where God permitt's for his own most wise and holy ends Think what this choice of man under Gospel-conviction-Light to joyn unchangably with the Devil rather than with God deservs In order to secure their
beloved natur's head from the Gospel-Sword and Fire of the Cross or Spirit of Christ do men mount up into superiour first-creation strength subtlety and power to oppose and fortify themselvs against Christ and God that they may be deliver'd from the power of evil even from the wrath of God Hab. 2. 9. This is man's design in his evil covetousness to set his nest on high amongst the evil angelical Rocks and Mountains with a vain hope to fight and make good his ground and standing there against God himself Most daring foolish presumptuous self-destroying wickedness Thus comes the mystical House of man 's swept garnish'd nature but empty of the Gospel-Spirit of Christ that 's greater than Satan after all cleansing from filth of flesh and adorning with Spiritual enlightning excellent Gifts to be re-entred and repossessed by him in a sevenfold more dangerous manner than before he was cast out of his changable corrupt state of nature that is unchangably This is cleans'd righteous man's latter end worse than his beginning in polluted nature dead in trespasses 〈◊〉 sins but recoverable and curable by the redeemer Mat. 12. 43-45 In this desperate and most deplorable condition did Christ find and declare the self-confident righteous Scribs Pharisees and professing Jews who asserted themselvs to be true Children of Abram yea and of God himself as born of God Joh. 8. 39. 41. to be of their Father the Devil as born of him and walking acting and speaking in his very murdering lying Spirit of unchangable enmity to God as the very principle of their life desire thought and action V. 44. Man's Body or natural state given up to be burn'd not in the true Fire of that gospel-Gospel-Spirit that 's called Charity or Love 1 Cor. 13. 3. but in the false Fire of Satan's Spirit of unchangable enmity to God profits him nothing but indeed becom's the highest and utmost imaginable disadvantage to him It renders him a fix'd Temple of the very Spirit of the Devil as the true Saint of God's This abundance of mystical first-creation Riches men singer by advance into evil angelical excellencies superiour to meer humane will not suffer them to sleep being for ever excluded God's Rest the new-creation Spirit of Christ. They must lie down for ever with their Father the Devil and his Angels under wrath in eternal vexation of Spirit But the mystical poor Labourer that sets his hand to the Plow of the Cross to turn up the very Root or natural principle of all mystical first-creation riches or fruits will have sweet sleep rest and peace with God for evermore He cast's away and willingly parts with all the riches as dung that the other cumbers himself with and all desires after them or care and solicitud's about them Who has the better on 't the rich Christ pronounces wo to Luk. 6. 24. or the poor in Spirit whose is the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5. 3. The more speedily the fleshly Tree with all the fruits and riches produced in and by it is dayly dying and withering away under the Cross at the farther distance is the true Saint from the danger the covetous rich naturalist is involv'd and in a perillous tendency towards an unalterable fixure in by not submitting to God's sentence of Death upon nature at best as Paul did 2 Cor. 1. 9. so as to have it speedily executed upon them This exposes men to Satan's fixing or setting their Hearts in them to do evil Ec. 8. 11. in unchangable enmity to God with him So all their heap'd up riches are kept by and for the owners thereof to their own hurt Hurt yes to purpose their eternal ruine He that incorrigibly loves and dotes upon such riches hates Christ and his true life and riches so loves Death Prov. 8. 36. Had the young man listned to Christ and quitted the fading earthly life and riches of his own nature for his heavenly he had found that eternal Life he enquir'd after But quitting Christ's faithfull Command and gracious Offer all for his unspeakable advantage if complied with in case he finally persisted therein what less than eternal Death could befall him Mat. 19. 16-22 Vers. XIV But those riches perish by evil travel Heb. in the evil use or employment of them and he begetteth a Son and there is nothing in his hand Litteral riches got by evil travel and as ill us'd are by the just hand of God oft taken away again Man set's himself to build Castles in the Air or leave house and land to his Posterity called after his own name and all comes to nothing The Son begotten by him and left behind him bring 's his matters to such pass that nothing remain's to him or is left in his hand As for the deceas'd Father he could carry nothing of such riches away with him Psal. 49. 17. Job 21. 13. -21. What a dismal issue is here of all vain travel relating to the outward pelf of this World and the same issue come all the mystical rich man's labours to as has been above evidenc'd abundantly He trades but in a higher sort of perishing vanities with the litteral Both of them as they came naked in Body and Soul into the World so do they march out of it again after a long travel and trading in a scene of perishing shadows as follow 's Vers. XV. As he came forth of his Mothers Womb naked shall he return to go as he came and shall take nothing of his labour which he may carry away in his hand No comfort or benefit for ever will remain to either of the said evill Labourers and Abusers of litteral or mystical perishing worldly riches Psal. 39. 5 6. and 49. 11-20 They carry nothing away to stand them in any stead in a resurrection of damnation for the second Child that shall stand up in an immortal being of Body Soul and Spirit in lieu of their mortal Life of all in this World Eccl. 4. 15. Vers. XVI And this also is a sore evil that in all points as he came so shall he go and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the Wind Man wholly destitute of the Life Riches and Glory of the World to come labour 's in Sin Vanity and Darkness all along his day in this He has nothing but a delusive transient jollity in things that perish in the using Belly and Meats Desires and Desirables all vanity God will destroy one and t'other All 's but a passant wind he labours about And all his false joy lead's directly to eternal sorrow that he 's to lie down in under wrath Vers. XVII All his days also he eateth in darkness and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness In this verse and the two former have we a true description of man's doleful state after the largest possessions litteral or mystical that can fall to his lot in first-creation life He huggs but a wind phantome shadow or self-pleasing Dream All 's nothing and he
works Rom. 4. 2-6 By the works of the Spirit of Grace not nature are we justified and saved Eph. 2. 8 9. One of the works by which Abraham was justifyed was the sacrificing death-work upon his Spirit of nature at best typed by Isaac And Abram therein with Isaac were both of them Types of Christ as the Gospel high-Priest and Sacrifice Works and reward in man's dealing with God on the terms of the first-covenant in his own spirit will and way are of debt in the second both and all on all hands are of Grace works and reward True Saints can say not I live walk speak work but Christ or his gospel-Gospel-Spirit lives and does all in me Gal. 2. 20. 'T is his Spirit of Grace in and by which they are what they are do what they do say what they say 1 Cor. 15. 10. All done in the participated creature-Spirit of the Son exactly answers the very divine mind and will of the Father All 's after his own heart By eating and drinking at Christ's heavenly Table feeding on his never-perishing meats Bread of Life and Wine of his Kingdom his divine and creature Glories do they enjoy the good of all their labours in the Lord. They eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart Act. 2. 46. with joy unspeakable and glorious in unchangable union with God whereas others are feeding at the Serpents Table in a Spirit of darkness death and unchangable enmity to God with him Avast difference There 's a fix'd unpasable Gulf between these two sorts of feeders eaters and drinkers The generation of God's Children born of his Spirit to whom he has given his heavenly riches and power to eat thereof do truly rejoyce in all their labours even while in their mortal Body on earth under the litteral Sun This is their happy Portion and Gift from God as follow 's Vers. XIX Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth and hath given him power to eat thereof and to take his Portion and to rejoyce in his labour This is the Gift of God The obedient Saint chooses not his Portion in his own will and life to his eternal ruine but is content God should choose as well as provide his Portion for him In a dutifull compliance with his Spiritual Law he readily parts with his own fading Life and riches perishing vanities for God's everlasting which is absolute Salvation Others rebelliously and knowingly choose what he obediently parts with as dung for their final portion which lay's them under final wrath Saints quit the best Life and Things of the living Soul of the first 〈◊〉 for the transcendently better Life and Things of the quickning Spirit of the second their earthy Image for his heavenly No other way of bearing the Image of the heavenly but a quitting the Earthy as a glory to be done away for the Glory of the heavenly which excell's and remain's for ever 2 Cor. 3. 10 11. In this 〈◊〉 of Life and all the labours right works and fruits thereof do they eat with unspeakable gladness of heart and this is the Gift of God The reason of this gladness is given Vers. XX. For he shall not much remember the days of his Life because God answereth him in the joy of his heart The day 's of the Saint's Life in his own Spirit of vanity and unprofitableness to himself as also enmity and sin against God shall not be remembred by God So he shall not be call'd to an account for what he has done in them God pardon 's and puts all out of his Book of remembrance on man's delivering up the guilty Sinner the Son of Bichri spiritual King David's Enemy 2 Sam. 20. 21 his own Spirit to Death in order to be quickned up into the Life of the Spirit of mystical King David that can never sin And this done by God the Saint himself shall not much remember so as to be confounded with the review of his innumerable and unutterably aggravated follies and abominations in the Life and Day 's of his vanity All 's pardoned and done away Sins and Sinner never to be remembred more by God Jer. 31. 33 34. Heb. 8. 12. and 10. 16 17. In their newness of Life they delight in God and God in them He answers them therefore in the Joy of their Heart giving them all the desires thereof Psal. 37. 4. Their and his desires meet and center in that one thing necessary to their pleasing him or being saved the new-creation Spirit of Christ his appointed and determin'd unspeakable Gift to them from Eternity CHAP. VI. Vers. I. There is an evil which I have seen under the Sun and it is common among Men Hebr. much upon man What Vers. II. A Man to whom God hath given Riches Wealth and Honour so that he wanteth nothing for his Soul of all that he desireth yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof but a stranger eateth it This is vanity and it is an evil disease IN letter a man furnish'd with all sorts of outward worldly desirables heart can wish from the unlawful use and feeding on them may be said not to eat thereof so as to receive any right comfort in its kind but signal disadvantage thereby Hence are all such his goods left a stranger to feed on being to himself so abused nothing but vanity and an evil disease A right lawful comfortable eating thereof is the gift of God Eccl. 5. 18 19. without this is he in a worse condition than he that wants all he enjoys as by the abuse thereof more deeply guilty Fading things give no true comfort or satisfaction in their kind The gift of God added to them distinct from such things this only can give right comfort and the lawful use of them 'T is a disease or infirmity inseparable from the nature of such things singly of themselvs to give any right comfort or advantage to man Solomon had himself large experience hereof in the abuse of such vanities given him by God in greater abundance then to others he wanted not for any such outward Riches Wealth and Honour 1 King 3. 13. and he did set himself as much or more than any to try what satisfaction he could find therein Whatever his eyes desired he kept not from them He withheld not his heart from any joy Eccl. 2. 10. This trade in vanities he long drove after signal mercy of the highest sort afforded him a principle of true wisdom which remained in him ver 9. unextinguishable under all though sorely interrupted as to exercise by such mad extravagant doings On his return from such sensual delights he declares all vanity in this recanting book All such desires and desirables belly and meats are vanity of vanities shadows of a higher mystical sort of vanities belly and meats that with these lower brutish are all to be destroy'd 1 Cor. 6. 13. And where 's man then The same evil disease in mystery is found commonly among men
under the mystical first-creation Sun the first covenant Spirit as to all their fruits and Laodicean riches heap'd up there as in the litteral Rich man under that Sun that produces the litteral riches and fruits of this Earth we tread upon The influence rain anointings gifts enlightnings and comforting warmth of Christ 〈◊〉 his single distributions of first-covenant light and life as a fleshly Bridegroom and Comforter makes men first-covenant Saints in holy cleans'd flesh or a righteous natural State freed in degree from the pollutions of their sormer polluted worldly nature This makes them 〈◊〉 fruitful rich full flourishing wise strong and honourable there in holy flesh by such knowledg and experience of Christ after the flesh Christ's mystical husbandry and husbandly influence upon them there has these real effects upon them brings them a-fresh into the 〈◊〉 of godliness and real righteousness of man in the image of the earthy or first Adam restored and put upon them as a comeliness and beauty all which yet is but a 〈◊〉 flower a perishing 〈◊〉 as at first in Adam And now also filth of spirit or enmity to God's divine and new-creature Gospel-spirit of grace is inseparable from this restor'd life of holy flesh This disease therefore is curable only by the obedient death and loss of all this again for Christ's spiritual Gospel everlasting righteous new-creation life by which to become one with him there as married to him in that life into which he is risen out of the Death of that Law-life of holy-flesh in his own person Rom. 7. 1-4 These first-covenant Brethren Children and Spouses of Christ in the first-covenant finally refusing the terms of being Married to him in the second which is the death and loss of all their fading vanities come to be Married to the Devil for ever and so of a changable spouse and people become not only no spouse children or people of God but a very Synagogue of Satan 〈◊〉 the mystery and power of Godliness they are finally catch'd and for ever swallowed up in Satan's mystery of 〈◊〉 Such righteous first-covenanters in Law-life thus joyning unchangably with the Devil in an everlasting Marriage-Union with him hated all Christ's spiritual Gospel-Doctrine and Crucified the Lord of Glory put to a temporal Death the very Prince of everlasting life These drive a more dangerous trade with their vanities then the litteral Rich man with his Paul and all spiritual Saints follow Christ's suffering steps out of the Glory and Life to be done away into the Glory that excell's and Life that remain's for ever This is the rendring any man truly blessed And this in great variety of Scripture-language and Figurative Parabolical instruction is signified to men by the voice of the true Shepherd and wisdom of God the words of his heavenly gospel-Gospel-spirit in himself and Saints But man notwithstanding all that can be said pitches his foot resolutely in harmony with Satan for Salvation in the but restor'd earthy first-covenant life of his own nature in his own will and way after his own heart which in fine render's him a man after Satan's own heart They so interpret all Scripture by the words of their own wisdom and in their lying spirit of divination as to warrant this a state of true and everlasting blessedness This Doctrin in all its variety is the Doctrin of Devils and no better the self same the Serpent Preach'd to Eve and prevail'd in Gen. 3. 4. Ezek. 13. 6. So have ye Satan's and his Apostles accursed other Gospel-Ministry in flat contrariety to every word of Christ's If ye follow it ye must take what follow 's for ever the wrath to come be as jocund and confident as ye will now This has been Satan's and Man 's delusive cursed other Gospel that 's no. Gospel from the beginning and will be to the end of this world under all variety of dispensation from God before and under written Law or Gospel the Oracles of God in a sound of words which make up the Scriptures of Truth the holy Bible or Book of God a transcript of the living Oracles of God in the person of Christ the living creature-wisdom word and book of God's whole very Divine mind and counsels about the Salvation of his Creatures Angels and Men and the supream Prophet and declarer thereof Prov. 1. 20-23 and 8. 1-9 Man and Angel must die as to first-creation 〈◊〉 at best that 's but vanity and a fading flower say's 〈◊〉 No such matter says the Devil and say his Gospel-ministries in all their tosses variety of thought and clashing language of their wisdoms Ye shall not die at all No danger or death is incident to you to be suspected or feared by you in your righteous cleans'd natural State Here 's the universal clash and contrariety of Satans lying and Christs true Gospel which will ye choose O simple ones Object 1. The willingly deluded followers of Satan's object against Christ's that 't is but one and the same thing whereas that they call Satan's has great variety Hear you say they or turn your books while we will open them at any leaf we find still one and the same thing insisted on 'T is all one where we open or what we read 〈◊〉 What amounts this objection to That Christ's Gospel-words are in exact harmony thorow-out and Man's and Satan's Babel-gospel has great confusion of Language and contradicting words proceeding from contrary Opinions Thoughts or Apprehensions larded with a world of fine stories similies and perswasive words of man's eloquent wisdom But all uniformly against and contrary to all Christ's 〈◊〉 Gospel to a Tittle This variety tickles the itching Ear 2 Tim. 4. 3. and gratifies that Palate in man which with Satans savour's only the many natural things of Man or Angel in the first creation and not at all the one thing necessary that 's comprehensive of all the things of Christ and God communicable to Men in the second Object 2. We deny say Satan's Gospellers there 's any creature-life or spirit distinct from what God set up men and Angels in by the 〈◊〉 creation above that or between that and the infinite divine life 〈◊〉 spirit And this is that fill's all your Books and is the substance of your pretended-gospel And this higher creature life you call the life of God and the wisdom righteousness and all the things of it the wisdom righteousness and things of God What can you mean by all this save the very 〈◊〉 life the eternal righteousness and wisdom And we hold a swallowing up of creatur's beings and wills at last into the Divine life and will of God Answ. What 's this at bottom but annihilation of Man and Angel and then God is where and what he was from Eternity and nothing of the Creature in any sense or capacity remain's at all Here 's the sum of the controversie between hypocritical Sinners in Zion pretending to right saving Saintship in renew'd naturals first-covenant
principles of the Law and true Zion-Saints in new-creature spiritual gospel-life God himself will judg and determine this controversie at Christ's second appearing in that very new-creature spirit of life true Saints assert and own the other 〈◊〉 deny detest and hate with all the words thereof In man's day under Satan's reign the hypocritical Sinner in Zion that only 〈◊〉 and passes for the true Saint and Heir of the Kingdom carries it clear universally under the title Orthodox In God's day of judging the other 〈◊〉 before-hand they are sure to carry it So in faith do they patiently wait for his infallible decision The Heavens against which the other confidently and daringly set their mouth Psal. 73. 9 will declare his righteousness for God is judge himself Psal. 50. 6. Christ will undeniably manifest that the everlasting righteousness of God communicable to Man or Angel is found only in his heavenly new-creature Gospel-spirit of grace not in our earthly spirit of nature And this is the very controversie all along this world between the said hypocrites and true heirs The year of recompences for these Controversies of Zion will be the day or season of the Lords vengeance on the whole earthly contending party against the life and image of the heavenly Adam in the true Zion-Saint Isa. 34. 8. and 63. 4. The Lord 's appearing for his true redeemed ones will be ruin to all their obstinate rebellious opposers fix'd in the first-creation with the Devil in unchangable enmity to him and the second Mic. 6. 2. Hos. 4. 1. and 12. 2. Everlasting shame confusion and silencing of the one will be co-temporary with the unspeakable joy of the other on the final decision of this controversy The Enemies of Christ's gospel have yet another frivolous impertinent objection Object 3. Why so many words such large tautological speakings and writings about one and the same thing a pretended Gospel-life in distinction from a righteous Law-life a meer fiction a nullity Can't ye say in a word what you would have that we may be presently rid of any farther trouble with you open your Book where we will all 's one and the same thing In our gospel we have abundance of pretty knacks to entertain us with passages out of Poets and History many pleasant recreative things and variety of opinions which is very delightful We can hear one thing at one place and another thing at another meeting and observe the various wit eloquence and fine language with similitudes and the like by which each illustrates and proves his different judgment and way Answ. But all this while do ye observe how in all this toss and variety of perswasion and words there 's a deep silence as to any thing of Christ's gospel-state of true Spiritual Saint-ship save to oppose contradict or blaspheme it This objection of first-covenant Law-gospellers against the second is in effect what the Athenian Philosophers said of Paul Acts 17. 18. What will 〈◊〉 Babbler say But must we needs have all Christ's gospel in a word that God hath thought fit to use so many about from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelalation This is the mad rash rebellious hasty spirit of man about his Eternal concerns But if it be all in millions of words but one and the same thing why may not one word be enough to declare it say ye so And is not your accursed other Gospel one and the same thing at bottom Sand Vanity a fading flower righteousness of man What need you use any more than one word to declare your accursed Law-gospel in All your rhetorical flashes of wit and eloquence histories and similitudes c What signifie such embellishments of Art in the case Yet about this your one and the same thing Satan's gospel what a world of Books in Libraries Shops and Houses what a world of Preaching in throng'd Auditories And must Christs gospel be crowded into such a strait place such a little narrow corner as to have but one word for it A hard case But indeed Satan would have it have never a word would you so too Ye come too near it Is one word like to do it for Salvation and must so many words be allowed for Damnation Must there be many words and those warily plac'd to secure any little parcel of litteral earthly possessions and our Eternal inheritance be allow'd but one word And this when so many crafty Gamesters Devils and Men fill the world with Words and Books to deceive Open your Bible where ye will and you 'l find the Gospel-life Spirit and Doctrine of Christ most harmoniously and uniformly signified to you under abundance of figures similitudes parables c. as you 'l find if ever you come to know the true mystical reach meaning and significancy thereof All 's about the one thing necessary to Eternal life the gospel-gospel-spirit of Christ. Will ye dare to accuse God himself of tautology teach the most High how to speak his own mind will ye call his oft Repetitions of the same thing in the same or various words vain Repetitions and Impertinencies Let men that are at this daring pass against Christ and God most high cry tautology while they will at Christ's true Gospellers words and writings who cares Must Satan's gospel have such a world of Words Books Preachings and Christ's but one word what a hard case is this for the true Sons and Seers of God amongst the deluded sottish sons of Men that 〈◊〉 their own Ruin Are ye so deeply in Love with Damnation O ye sons of Men as to hear such plenty of what leads that way and but one transient word about true Salvation and then deny that word too whiff it away with a breath and a losty cast up nose of Pride The wicked through the pride of his countenance Heb. loftiness of his nose cast up in pride and anger will not seek after God but reject all his words of counsel and instruction God is not in all his thoughts Psal. 10. 4. The gospel-spirit life truths and things of God his wisdom his righteousness are not at all regarded by him or reckoned worth his consideration Those that think the scaping Eternal Damnation or finding Eternal Salvation a trivial slight impertinent thing let them reckon and think thus if there be no remedy The Jews came round about Christ and say'd to him how long dost thou make us to doubt or keep us in suspense If thou be the Christ tell us plainly in a word I told you says he and ye believ'd not Then they took up stones to stone him as a Blasphemer Joh. 10. 24. 31. 33. Here 's the posture and temper of those ravenous Wolv's that are only for a word and away as to Christ's gospel but as much as you will of Satan's Instead of being humbly inquisitive after Gospel-truths in a readiness to comply with own and obey them for their good all their questions about Salvation to Christ or his
such blind followers neither of whom know what they are doing whither a going or whom they worship all in a manner doing they know not what The Objections here made have I oft heard from the unanimous defenders of the Doctrine of Devils who with hearts believe or obey and with their mouths make confession of Satan's Gospel calling it Christ's unto damnation Holy Men a first-Covenant People of God blasphem'd said of Christ he had a Devil and was mad why hear ye him Joh. 1. 11. 10. 20. Do any wise knowing righteous Men believe on him Joh. 7. 48. But to return from this requisit digression A Man restor'd and made by Christ rich 〈◊〉 wise strong honourable fat fruitful and 〈◊〉 in his own nature again in the same kind of life Adam was at first set up in has with the literal rich Man in his case no power to eat thereof so as to receive the comfort that 's to be found in the right use of his fading mystical riches The right using and eating them to true advantage is in the zeal of God's House Psal. 69. 9. the mystical fire of his sanctuary-Sanctuary-Spirit to eat consume devour and burn all up in Sacrifice to God as Christ handled our spotless nature in himself If not eaten thus in and by the true Priestly Spirit of God in an obedient friendly union of mind with the Cross or Spirit of Christ the same Spirit or Gospel-sword will come as a stranger yea a downright enemy and devour eat all up and destroy the Rebel for ever Isa. 1. 19 20. Ps. 69. 9. Joh. 2. 17. The single Spirit of 〈◊〉 in its highest renewals and most righteous restor'd life since the fall is a continual sinner and an enemy of God The Gospel-Spirit of Grace that 's on its death to succeed and become the sole and single principle of life and operation in the Saint never sins The true Saint therein joyns with Christ to destroy the former that he may live for ever with him in the latter Such suffering and dying is God's appointed method for living and reigning with him for evermore 2 Tim. 2. 11 12. A right death of Nature is a ceasing and a being freed from Sin for ever 1 Pet. 4. 1. Rom. 6. 7. They that feed on perishing lying vanities and gratify that fleshly belly or desire and life that 's to be destroy'd will be destroy'd for such rebellious feeding in a forbidden life and way on such forbidden fruits 1 Cor. 6. 13. They gratify but that carnal earthly mind that minds only earthly things first-creation vanities So sin they after the similitude of Adam's first transgression This great Sin Solomon observes to be a vanity and an evil disease common among men Multitudes of first-covenant Professors call themselves what they will will be found guilty of this unpardonable Sin unchangeable enmity to God and his Gospel-spirit at the final determination of Zion-controversies They are strangers and enemies to the Cross of Christ Phil. 3. 18 19 and that as a stranger and enemy to them will eat up or consume and destroy their fading life and goodness in final Wrath. It also eats up all the same kind of fading life riches beauty or glory in Saints themselves in a way of everlasting kindness love and faithfulness for their eternal good Away then will all first-creation life riches and glory go for ever as to any goodness comliness or comfort therein from all Saints or Sinners in love or wrath In wrath will he come upon incorrigible enemies that by chusing their own first-Covenant-life before his second have forfeited the benefit of all his dispensations of Love and Mercy towards them as well as all their large great mystical earthly riches and possessions for ever Vers. 3. If a Man beget an hundred Children and live many years so that the days of his years be many and his soul be not filled with good and also that he have no burial I say that an untimely birth is better than he In Mystery Man in the top-excellency and most abundant fruitfulness of his restor'd Nature though he live long and be fill'd with the utmost joy and comfort all riches fruits and honours there amount unto he is but an old doting sinner against God and his Spirit of Grace all along throughout his whole race or course in this mortal world and state He is an old rich accursed Sinner as to any durable life or riches dead miserable wretched poor blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. He is such a covetous Sinner that however he has blessed himself in his own way or reckoned himself blessed of God as giving him more than heart can wish there though he be an hundred years old live never so long in this fools Paradise he will find himself accursed for ever under the wrath to come after all Isa. 65. 20. The reasons hereof are here given his soul is not filled with good and he hath no 〈◊〉 The truly satisfying new-creation goodness that 's only to be attain'd by an honourable burial in Christ's mystical Grave or through-conformity to his death of Nature is not found with or in him He has nothing of that about him Satan has 〈◊〉 ' d his heart with unchangeable enmity to God and all his durable riches Diotrephes-like loving to have the preeminence do such prate against true Gospel-Saints with malicious words and all the durable Gospel-Riches yea the unsearchable Riches of Christ's Wonderful Divine and Creature-person that they preach Eph. 3. 8. as a meer blasphemous fiction a nullity 'T is but a lump of corruptible vanities they at best are fill'd with They and all this earthly trumpery will be found but the Earth and works thereof that are the 〈◊〉 fewel by the fire of Christ's day to be burnt up 2. Pet. 3. 10. Man's immortal Spirit can never be fill'd with true good but in an immortal Gospel-Life never in a mortal fading Law-Life He must be emptied of the former to be fill'd with the latter This is done by the twofold Death and Life-work of the gospel-Gospel-Spirit of the Cross on his Law-Spirit of Nature slaying his Nature and raising him if passively obedient to the death of that into the life of the sacrificing Gospel High-Priest of our Profession Heb. 3. 1. the active Gospel-Principle of everlasting Obedience to God most high Without this an abortive or untimely birth is better than the said rich and flourishing long-liv'd first-creation sinner This abortive is either a literal that has not known any thing or received any sort of good 〈◊〉 God and so is free from the guilt of neglecting or abusing it or mystical abortive that has never receiv'd the actual birth and life of a First-Covenant State from Christ nor experienc'd a fruitfulness of his own Nature therein and so has not been possess'd of such choicer First-Creation riches to abuse in enmity to the second Vers. 4. For he cometh in with Vanity and departeth in darkness
and his name shall be covered with darkness Man comes into the World with nothing but vanity Sin and darkness about him And if he never attain any other life or riches literal or mystical but what 's Vanity he has a dismal exit or departure out of it into a state of everlasting darkness and death He has no true happiness or satisfaction from first to last All worldly life or possessions relating to his Body Soul or Spirit are Vanity Restor'd righteous first-Covenant life Law-principle and operation Tree and Fruit Root and Branch all 's Vanity In his best and most flourishing day's therein full of and surrounded with nothing but Vanity All will come to nothing as to any good or comfort to him therein for ever And as the second thing here must he then having nothing else to trust to needs depart in darkness and his Name or whole Person come at last to be covered with eternal darkness in a resurrection of Damnation under the irresistible power of the Cross or two-edged flaming Gospel-Sword of Christ coming upon him in final Wrath to devour him for ever Isa. 1. 20. Who-ever Angel or Man submit not to God's Sentence of Death pronounced from the beginning on their first-creation natural state will fall under it in final wrath for rebelling against it This as the just punishment of their inexcusable wilful madness and folly So their Mystical Land earthly Name Life and Possessions they have rebelliously set themselves to keep up rather than exchange all by an obedient Death for God's Heavenly Life new Name and true Land of promise are cover'd and so their whole persons with darkness for ever The condition of an untimely birth is better than any of these abusers of God's first-creation gifts against him and his offer'd second to their eternal ruine The reason of this Assertion is given Vers. 5. Moreover he hath not seen the Sun nor known any thing this hath more rest than the other He that is the untimely Birth v. 3. not the He that comes in with Vanity and departs in darkness v. 4. This latter is the He God has given riches honour and all his Soul could wish v. 2. in its own life will and way and also long life therein v. 3. with abundant fruitfulness figur'd by his hundred Children An abortive or untimely birth is better than he The literal abortive comes not into the exercise of any bodily life in this world He has not seen the literal Sun nor known any thing in or by bodily Organ's and Senses This abortive is a Figure of the Mystical never brought forth in the exercise of a living Soul in a restor'd first-Covenant Rightcous-life under the Law-Spirit of Nature the Mystical first-Creation Sun and less yet under the shining-Light of the new-Creation Sun of everlasting Righteousness The abortive in this chiefly intended Mystical Sence is better than he that receives is for a season possess'd of and abuses all first-Covenant Life and Riches and that under second-Covenant Light against God and the life of the second to his sorer Condemnation and Punishment under the Wrath to come than if he had never receiv'd or known any such things 2 Pet. 2. 21. Spiritual Gospel-Light clearly positively and undeniably shew's man the vanity of all he is possess'd of in his Law-life and God's Command to him for surrender of all by Death in sacrifice to him as the true payment of all mystical Tithes and Offerings In the methods of God's Wisdom this is the undispensable way and pass for any Man or Angel into his new-Creature Gospel-life of immortality 2 Tim. 1. 10. and everlasting Righteousness First-Covenant-Light that springs up with attends and accompanies Law-life in Man discover's the negative towards this viz. that all which Man has there is but a fading flower altogether vanity The very intrinsick nature of all such fading life and things preaches this in every such Man 's own breast Hence have the stoutest and most peremptory self-confidents a secret bondage all their life-time in that State through fear of death Heb. 2. 15. And further even their first-Covenant Law-light points towards Christ for spiritual eternal Life who will not fail to give it to all that rightly come to him for it and submit to his terms of receiving it even the death and loss of all they are possess'd of in the first-Covenant as loss and dung Phil. 3. 6 10. for the everlasting life and durable riches of the second Joh. 5. 40. 6. 54. 10. 28. 17. 2 3. knowingly then to chuse the former hold fast their own in the first in unchangeable enmity to God's own in the second-Covenant is unpardonable madness and folly It provokes God to swear in his Wrath they shall never enter into his Rest. Then must their name their whole persons be covered with everlasting darkness The abortive is free'd from such their guilt of neglecting or abusing all such things receiv'd and possess'd by them He never had them never saw or experienc'd any thing under the literal or mystical Sun of this World or next He is free from condemnation as to any of these accounts If therefore liable to Judgment 't is only according to God's infinite all-searching understanding and infallible sight of the inward mind of his Spirit without the aggravating and additional weight of his own wilful evil thoughts or ouvert actions by which any enmity to God in his Spirit could be manifested So has this untimely birth more rest than the other For having never had the other's advantages he is free from the guilt of abusing them yet not free from all evil or guilt in his sight to whom belong and are certainly known all secret things Deut. 29. 29. in the spirits of Men not brought to veiw by action or so much as imagin'd by them not so much as imagin'd Treason against the King of Saints He saw Jacob and Esau so as to love the one and hate the other before either of them was born or had done good or evil Rom. 9. 11 -- 13. All 's naked and open to him with whom we have to do Heb. 4. 12 13. He sees all Men's thoughts long before they think them or are in being Psal. 139. 1 2. He knew all they 'l do towards him and all he will do with them for ever from eternity All futurities have bin manifest to his Infinite Divine understanding from Eternity and to his all-searching new-Creature understanding from everlasting But they that are never brought into the exercise of bodily or if that not into the exercise of a first-Covenant life such have not had the opportunity of a trial how they 'd demean themselves therein As less guilty then they 'l have more rest or at least less Torment and Wrath for their portion than the other though or in case they also perish for ever For as there are differences in Salvation Glory Joy and Enjoyments so in Damnation -- Shame Sorrow
All these are to be enquir'd into and consider'd of promiscuously and inclusively in one line of discourse The Wise is Man in the restor'd the Fool Man in the degenerate corrupt spirit of Nature All 's but Nature both are possest of corrupt or righteous so all 's vanity Nothing of Grace true Regeneration Gospel-conversion or life in or about the best of them Paul at best in his Law-life of Nature fiercely persecuted this And in his Gospel-life of Grace was as fiercely persecuted by the other The Wise Strong and Honorable in Christ's first-Covenant communications finally opposing the second is a greater sinner and fool than the fool in the corrupt spirit of Nature here and will fall under sorer Condemnation and Wrath hereafter So is he the worst and will have the worst on 't in this World next He is the disputer of this World that 's perfectly unreasonable and untreatable as to the Gospel-things of the next which he can never discern in the Wisdom and Spirit he is of They are foolishness to him 1 Cor. 2. 14. He denies all root and branch the very foundation of all Gospel-Saints and Truth 's the living Corner-Stone the Rock of Ages the fountain Gospel-Spirit He denies there 's any such thing And if the foundations of all the true Saint is has or has to say be destroyd or denied what 's to be done Psal. 11. 3. They deny the Creature-Holy Ghost or Spirit of everlasting Righteousness in Christ and Saints They say there 's no such thing A Spiritual creature-life between Natural and Divine the said wise first-Covenant Saint utterly denies and shuffles out of all his Divinity and teaching What 's then to be done with him or said to him He is the most unreasonable Man in the World to be dealt with about Gospel-affairs however highly he pretends to them being wholly destitute of any spiritual Faith to discern them 2 Thes. 3. 2. 1 Cor. 2. 14. True Saints are not to cast Pearls Gospel-Truths before such Swine Mat. 7. 6. but beware of such Gospel-Wolves in sheeps cloathing Mat 10. 16 17. Can any deny this Law-life Wisdom Glory Honour Power all fading things must be parted with for God's Christ's Gospel-Wisdom Righteousness Glory never to be done away 2 Cor. 3. 10 11. 1 Cor. 3. 18. This is implied 1 Cor. 4. 10. To the self-confident first-Covenant wise all spiritual Gospel-Truths are foolish and the spiritual Saint a fool a mad man Hos. 9. 7 8. Christ's own People in the first reckon'd him mad for the Doctrine of the second Joh. 1. 11. 10. 20. what plainer or more suited to convince All Men corrupt or righteous are fools and enemies to all Spiritual Heavenly Gospel-Things or Truths These things are suited only to spiritual discerning or judgment which they are wholly destitute of 1 Cor. 2. 14. Wise Man walks but in a dream an image a vain shew Psal. 39. 6. dotes only on vanities All Glorious Heavenly Spiritual and Divine things all true Divinity lie clear out of the walk of his narrow limited wisdom that 's bounded only with vanities for object All divine and spiritual things are stark foolishness to such wise-fools Such dying as they live will be left in 〈◊〉 Want Nakedness Misery and Confusion The best things they can amuse and please themselves with are us'd and enjoy'd by them but in a Spirit of Enmity to God What was Paul while but there But besides the truly Gospel-wise in the spirit of Grace and fool in general in the whole spirit of Nature corrupt or righteous there is also in the compass of Nature the wise Man in the restor'd and fool in the corrupt spirit of Nature Also in the corrupt Nature is there a sort of wise Men and fools Some of great natural abilities cultivated by learned education and study others of small natural light or reason of weak and uncultivated minds But all in Nature are fools to the spiritual wise in Grace And even such wise Men may be short in natural parts and learning of either the first-Covenant wise Man or learned enlightened Heathen in their own Sphere of activity a subtilty and deep reach about natural concerns and objects Children of this World in their way may be wiser than true Children of light or the next Luk. 16. 8. But of all sorts of natural wise Men none so much decry the spiritual Man for a fool and mad as the wise strong and honourable in the first-Covenant See else Hos. 9. 7 8. Joh. 10. 20. 1 Cor. 2. 14. 4. 10. 2 Cor. 10. 12. Psal. 50. 20 21. Joh. 16. 2. Act. 26. 9. 1 Cor. 1. 18 -- 28. Which think ye were the fools the learned Council of the Jewish Priests Elders and Professors or Peter and John they term'd ignorant and unlearned Men Act. 4. 13. No wisdom of Man can understand or open their Writings The wisest Men first-Covenant Saints are fools to the Gospel-wise Man whom they reckon the arrantest fool of all If the Wisdom of God be foolishness to them can any wonder those that come with the words of that wisdom should be reckon'd fools by them Paul that had bin a wise Man in Man's day was a fool weak despicable no body with such when a truly Gospel-Wise-Man The true Gospel-preaching of the cross and death on all first-Creation-Life and Wisdom in first Covenant Jew or Gentile and wise learned Greek is an high offence and sore stumbling-block to both in their several states and way To be even with such they both agree to reckon them the veriest fools the Off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 1. 23. and 4. 13. But all that have an incorruptible Seed of true Life in them though while dormant and unknown to themselves they bluster and storm at the Gospel-Believer a-while with Paul they will with him when awaken'd become true friends of the spiritual Brotherhood and helpers of their Faith The wisdom of the natural Man in all variety will be found foolishness at last and the spiritual Man the only wise in the view of all Men and Angels good and bad True Saints will laugh at last at all their scornful mockers that have laugh't a-while at them And all such laughing wise-fools will have time enough to recant their misjudging the truly wise in eternal darkness and death Who 's the fool then they 'l sadly experience after all their priding vaunting hugging and blessing themselves in their vain shew their dream their fools-paradise Nothing of their vain pomp will descend after them Psal. 49. 17. All their short-liv'd merriment and laughter is but as the crackling of thorns under a pot a blaze and away Eccl. 7. 6. Envy them that will None ought Psal. 37. 1 2. Pro. 23. 17. The spirit of Nature can't well or easily be unriddled anatomiz'd and laid open in its deep self-destroying deceits in few words yet will needs have all in a word and rather not that or if that scornfully reject it
with a whiff 'T is deceitful above all things and desperatly wicked who can know or discover it The wisdom of God in himself and Saints this only can search it out and cause it to know it self teach it or bring it to the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 17. 9 10. Nothing in Nature nothing below the all-searching gospel-Gospel-Spirit in Christ and Saints can discover all its Meanders and Wiles anatomize and unriddle it to the full The holy Ghost in and by Peter found out the falshood of Ananias and Saphira and slew them Act. 5. 1 -- 10. The first-Covenant wise Jew or Christian Gentile boasts himself as a fit Teacher and Guide to the common sinner in corrupt Nature little dreaming that himself in 〈◊〉 Nature is guilty of a more criminal sort of mystical 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 against God and his Spirit of Grace Rom. 2. 17 -27. He sits in his majesterial Chair as an instructor of fools insulting over the gross sinner with a touch me not stand by keep off for I am 〈◊〉 than thou This renders the proud Pharisee an abomination to God Isa. 65. 5. To such self-confidents Paul puts divers searching questions which discover him more deeply guilty of mystical sins against the Gospel bearing the same title with the literal Adulteries Thefts Idolatries and Sacriledg he justly reproves in the common sinner against the Law The death and loss of all such boast in is absolutely necessary in the methods of God's Wisdom to Salvation the receiving that Gospel-Spirit of life in which any can be saved Miss this and miss all Come short of the Grace and ye fall short of the Glory of God never enjoy the beatisical vision thereof An exact observer of the letter of the Law may be a most criminal breaker of its spiritual mind or meaning as Paul once The Law-Saint or legal-spirited Christian Believer finds the corrupt Heathen a no-body to him and he is a no-body to the true Gospel-Saint a meer blind Ignoramus as to all-Gospel-truths yea worse a mortal hater of and enemy to all Gospel-Saints as no-bodies to him the worst of Men the 〈◊〉 of the World The circumcis'd cleans'd first-covenant wise Man by opposing the second becomes a greater sinner and worse Man than the uncircumcis'd polluted Heathen If he and the Heathen fix themselves in righteous and corrupt Nature the 〈◊〉 righteous Man will have the worst on 't for ever T will be easier for the literal than mystical Sodomite in Hell Mat. 11. 23 24. But what then hath the wise Man or first-Covenant holy Man more than the fool in corrupt Nature What advantage has he Much every way says Paul in answer to his own question Rom. 3. 1 2. The Law or restor'd life of it rightly us'd is of great benefit to Man in suppressing and keeping under the vile affections of corrupt Nature but if abused against spiritual conviction in a 〈◊〉 enmity to the Gospel 't is render'd by Man worse than nothing and he is thereby rendered worse than the fool or common sinner 〈◊〉 in polluted Nature For he is absolutely excluded God's Rest on his wilfully contracted incurable Leprosy or disease of unchangeable enmity to God the other not so But leaving both their cases what hath the poor that knoweth to walk before the living What has the poor broken-spirited Saint beyond both and all the the said wise and fools that are levell'd at the death of the body and come all to the same sad end a being cover'd with darkness for ever This truly poor in spirit is a blessed Heir of the Kingdom of God The natural Man of the true Saint impoverish'd and run down by the cross as to that wisdom life riches and fading glory the self-exalting first-Covenant Princes of this World keep up in rebellion against God and enmity to the cross is the poor and needy the Scripture so ring's of specially the Psalms And occasionally has this mystical poor bin plentifully spoken of and charactered in this and the like discourses on Job Timothy c. Christ pronounces such poor blessed Mat. 5. 3. the opposit rich or wise cursed Wo to the rich Luk 6. 24. Such mystical rich go merrily without regarding this wo they are under with their whole Soul or unbroken natural spirit to Hell while the true Saint in the broken crucified impoverish'd mourning state thereof is following the slain Lamb to Heaven Blessed are such mourners Mat. 5. 4. Both the wise and fool in the restor'd or corrupt spirit of nature set by and laid aside Solomon ask's in reference to this third Man distinct from both What hath or is the poor c. What has he got in the room of all the lost life wisdom and riches of his own Nature spiritual everlasting Gospel-life and riches This is the case of such as with Paul are content to become fools weak and despicable as to all the first-Covenant rich and wise boast and glory in What this mystical fool and poor has is plain durable riches and life in God What has the opposit wise then no more to speak on than the fool in polluted nature All are fools one and 'tother as to their eternal concerns mind no such things Spiritual and Heavenly These go for nothing with them but are all in all The Spirit of God asks and resolv's his own question negatively and 〈◊〉 Isa. 66. 1 2. God delights not in any thing of the first creation where all is corruptible and altogether vanity even all the life goodness and top-excellencies thereof in Man and Angel But in the second where all the goodness materials and ingredients are incorruptible and unperishable Hence delights he in one poor broken-spirited man in the first in order to his being quicken'd up into the second incomparably beyond all the unbroken glory and excellency of all natural Men or Angels though not found in enmity changeable or unchangeable to that Gospel-Spirit or cross that will break down all fading good in all Angels and Men in Love or 〈◊〉 Wrath. What God delights not in he requires our obedient submitting to his destroying in order to be brought forth in what he does delight in and will delight in for evermore So of the work of his hands by a first-creation come we to be the Sheep of his Pasture in and by a second All first-creation or Covenant-Life Wisdom Righteousness c. are but Law-Ceremonies not Grace or Gospel-Truths meer transient vanities perishing next to nothings When they have serv'd their season away they are to go as dung for Gospel-life Phil. 3. 8. The Poor here as to all Law-life and riches are the only true wise Men that know how to walk before the living even before the living God unto all-pleasing in the living Word Wisdom New-creature gospel-Gospel-Spirit of the Son of God They are taught principled or spirited so as infallibly to know the whole mind and do the whole will of the Father They have obediently quitted and
departed out of their own Countrey and Father's House the mystical Land of their Nativity their natural state and life and are entred into God's new-creation spiritual mystical true Land of promise or state of life the Land of the truly living for evermore So know they how to walk before the living God the living word of God and all the truly living partakers thereof blessed Angels and spiritual Saints in that blessed new land and life They know how to walk with God in some degree towards what Enoch did and to demean themselves as orderly Gospel-spirited walkers before all the blessed inhabitants of that new Land of the living These poor ones little Children Mat. 18. 3. Brethren of Low degree in their own Spirit 〈◊〉 nature demolish'd defac'd and impoverish'd by the cross are the only right sort of true rejoycers because sure of an exaltation into that Gospel-life of Christ wherein they will certainly know to walk before all the said living God Christ blessed Angels and Saints Jam. 1. 9. The fix'd fool or wise in the natural state corrupt or enlighten'd are utterly uncapable of Repentance Pardon or Salvation for ever The door of Grace is fast shut upon them If then Christ had not a secret spiritual Seed of unfix'd ones amongstus whether in the corrupt or enlighten'd spirit of nature where were any true Church of spiritual Saints or so much as a hopefulness of such a thing this dark day on Earth Had not the Lord a very small remnant-Seed of true Saints among us we should be as Sodom and Gomorrha literal or mystical Both both in a wonderful degree however unconsider'd or unperceiv'd by such whose minds the God of this World has wonderfully blinded left the true Gospel-light of Christ should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 4. Vers. 9. Better is the sight of the Eyes than the wandring of the desire Heb walking of the Soul this is also vanity and vexation of Spirit The wandring desire or walking Soul is a fit character of Man's natural spirit exercis'd in a first-Covenant principle of life and action subject to all sorts of uncertainty Man therein lives and walks at all-adventures as the margin renders Lev. 26. 21. 'T is a starting turning Psal. 78. 57. versatile principle in which Man at first was liable to Apostasy and since his Apostasy any Men in that restor'd principle and life are exposed to the same as has bin sufficiently experienc'd by millions 'T is a tossing fluctuating principle unstable as water with Reuben Gen. 49. 4. Man therein is apt to be carried about with divers and strange Doctrin's tossed to and fro with every wind of false deceitful delusive and destructive Doctrine by the sleight and cunning craft of Men Ephes. 4. 14. and Devils Satan and his Gospel-ministries These false Doctrines or the matter of them the Wisdom Righteousness Glory things of Man or Angel in the first Creation asserted to make up an absolute Safety and Salvation to Man do utterly pervert and destroy him for ever They tend wholly to the establishing of Men with Satan's perishing Meats in unchangeable enmity to God This is a most evil wicked thing and state But it is a good thing that the heart be established with Grace or in that Gospel-spirit of Grace that 's in unchangeable union with God not with Satan's perishing but Christ's never-perishing meats Heb. 13. 9. Man's tossing roving rolling spirit wandring in its desire up and down to pick up a satisfaction in Satan's vast heap of first-creation vanities the perishing dust himself feeds on Gen. 3. 14. if permitted by God to make his own final choice brings him at length to be establish'd by such gratifying ensnaring captivating 〈◊〉 or things in unchangeable union with the Devil He feeds on Wind Hos. 12. 1. Ashes Isa. 44. 20. a deceived heart turn's him aside that he can't deliver his soul nor say is there not a lie in my right hand 〈◊〉 divers uncertain Doctrins or things the Spirit of God calls strang meats wind ashes lies Satan by 〈◊〉 has all first-creation vanities at his dispose all the Kingdoms of this World and glory of them as 〈◊〉 up to him to give to whomsoever he will Luk. 4. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which he offer 's all to Christ himself or any thing thereof to others are that he or they take and own him for God and worship him as so v. 7. and 2 Thess. 2. 4. He can gloss over his vanities so as to answer 〈◊〉 palate gratify every extravagant desire of Man's wandring spirit being compleatly skill'd and knowing therein by the over-reaching subtilty of his superiour angelical nature and by his powerful insluence upon Man can he kindle blow up and inflame his desire or lust after his perishing desirables Yet farther if Man by spiritual conviction-light grow jealous and suspicious that his meats are dangerous and shy as to an eating of his dainties he will gild them over with the nearest possible resemblance and counterfeit appearance of Christ's never-perishing meats And so does he fetch many back from Christ that have tasted of his true heavenly meats begun well in his spirit or in obedience to his Gospel-light and ran well for a season Heb. 6. 4 -- 6. 1 Pet. 2. 3. Gal. 3. 1. -- 4. and 5. 7 8. The Devil is ready for Man at every turn can humour him to a hair while at his own choice as to what he will feed and live upon And in presenting his dusty diet in all variety thereof he uses all imaginable self-pleasing and most subtile arguments as to Eve to engage men to feed at his table till establish'd in his spirit of enmity to God and to his never-perishing Meats Hold your own say's he and ye shall be as God's Gen. 3. 5. God offers you a happiness in your eternal and unchangeable subjection to him 〈◊〉 teach you how to become Gods your selves in an absolute uncontroll'd soveraignty of your own wills like the most High as I have made my self Isa. 14. 14. What kind of Gods will he make them Gods or Princes of this World under him in unchangeable enmity to the true God most high He is the God of all such Gods King of all such Kings and Children of pride Job 41. 34. In stead of not dying at all as he flatters them they sink and dy with him once for all irrecoverably eternally While people are gadding abroad to change their way Jer. 2. 36. wandring like Bee's from one fading flower to another in Satan's first-creation field or worldly dominion they look not after God their backs are upon him they bow down to feed with the Serpent on dust their ears are deafned their eyes or minds blinded by him that they will not listen to God's Counsel look after his meats have no palate to savour or relish his things the things of God They are wholly of Satan's palate savour only natural first-creation vanities the things of Man or evil Angels Solomon
in true Saints can count number discover and sind them all out Yea and they will be the very hand at last by whom in association with the holy Angels the vials of God's 〈◊〉 shall be gradually pour'd forth upon all the guilty heads of such Gospel-Wolves and Lions in Sheeps and Shepherd's clothing or appearances Evil Angels as all comprehended under the name and title of their head and call'd Satan help their 〈◊〉 amongst Men to transform themselves into the likeness of the Apostles of Christ to carry on their anti-Gospel-work This work Paul found them both and all at 2 Cor. 11. 13 -15. ver 2 -4. The end of both Paul could tell will be bad enough even according to their works These two evil humane and Angelical Beasts do joyntly in design make up one and the same antichristian Beast or Man of Sin the mystical Sodom Egypt and Babylon which the Devil as the mystical King Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar is the supream manager and ruler of Spiritual Saints in the wisdom of God 〈◊〉 out this whole body of Mystical Sinners the whole Man of Sin and Son of Perdition number and sum them all up so as to discover they all amount unto no more with all their big looks stout words and vast numbers then the first-creation Beast fix'd in unchangeable enmity to God which they are sure to have under their feet in conclusion at the winding up of this World with Satan's Kingdom and beginning of Christ's on the Earth Jer. 23. 5. Rev. 5. 10. True Saints know they are all together but a man and not God though they set their heart as the heart of God and presumptuously say they are wiser then Daniel Ezek. 28. 2 -8. or the spiritual Saint yea reckon him a no-body a fool a mad man the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 10 13. Yea so stubbornly daring and presuming will they be found as to say under the hands of God Christ and his Saints when 〈◊〉 them that they are God ver 9. But shall be irresistibly forc'd to acknowledge they are all but a man and no God All their pretensions crafts power Luciserian presumptions and confidences will fail them not do their work nor serve their turn The spiritual Saint has a certain steady infallible view of the most dismal and dreadful conclusion all their vain boast and fading Glory will come to after all their huge swelling words of Vanity scornful looks and scoffings at that new Light that discovers and will master them all The three sixes in the number 666 Rev. 13. 18. make up and point out to us the first-creation state with the utmost Glories and Excellencies thereof in Man and Angel as of the six day's works of God's hands God rests only in the new-creation or seventh day's state turning and ceasing from all his first works in the six dayes Psal. 102. 25 -28. Isa. 66. 1 2. Heb. 1. 10 -12. And God the Mediator rested or ceased from his first-creation life and works in angelical and humane nature of the first-creation sort becoming thereby the Lamb slain from the beginning and towards the latter end of this World in the fulness of time Heb. 4. 4. 10. The true Saint finding out the number weight and intrinsick nature of all first-creation excellencies when he has summ'd them all up can write down at the foot of the Account after imprimis Satan item all other evil Angels and Men the total sum the burthen of this Book All 's Vanity and will prove eternal vexation of Spirit to all that trust therein Vanity Yea lighter worse than Vanity it self Psal. 39. 5. 62. 9. Angels that are of higher degree and Men of lower in such fading Glories all are but Vanity And so Men of higher and lower degrees in the literal or mystical Riches Pomp and Glory of this World all Vanity No getting out of the sphere of Vanity within the compass of the first creation No goodness in Man or Angel but what 's a perishing Vanity This hath already so bin named or called by its right name Vanity And it is known that it is Man the Man of sin in Angel and Man fix'd therein and what-ever is to be found in the whole first-creation This is God's divine thought and judgment and the infallible judgment of the new-creature Gospel-Spirit of Christ in himself and Saints in exact harmony with the infinite divine understanding and thought The Spiritual Saint weighing all in the ballance of the new-creation-sanctuary-spirit calculates and finds out the total sum or comprehensive number of all first-creation goodnesses and excellencies represented in all the several parts and distinct Glories thereof and finds all Vanity All therein are found wanting with Belshazzar and too light by this Mene Tekel as having nothing conducible to true blessedness about them or of any avail towards it but indeed as to that new-creation Spirit of everlasting life Glory Wisdom and Righteousness wherein true happiness is to be found wholly destitute of it and unchangeable enemies to it and all its things things of God and by infallible consequence are they wretched miserable poor blind and naked All old perishing first-creation good things 〈◊〉 pass away and will be taken from all Angels and Men good and bad in Love or Wrath for evermore In the room thereof all God's new and everlasting good things are set up in obedient Saints 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. Mat. 19. 21. In incorrigible sinners only the unchangeable Wrath and fiery Indignation of God for ever succeeds in the room thereof If the changeable first-Covenant life set up by God in the first-creation of Angel and Man had not bin found faulty wanting or defective as to the true unchangeable blessedness of either no place or room would have bin sought or found for a second no need of Gospel or a new-Covenant principle the Spirit of Grace Heb. 8. 6 7. They that by 〈◊〉 in the first make void the Grace of God in the second will in conclusion sind all in the first void and of none effect as to the blessedness they have vainly flatter'd and promised themselves therein Changeableness and now enmity the great defects in the first-creation state of Angel or Man can neither be cured nor found out by the single first-creation wisdom and light of either 'T is utterly impossible Nor therefore does God require it of them But he requires of both and all to be beholden to him for his unspeakable new-creation gift and wisdom whereby all may be done For this must they submit to his terms of receiving it the free parting with and giving up their first-creation life of vanity with all the things thereof in sacrifice to him by a holy death under his cross or Gospel-sword First-creation life in Man and Angel was represented to them both by the Tree of that Knowledg or Wisdom that 〈◊〉 up to their own destruction if rested in Life in an absolute sense unchangeable and
everlasting was figur'd by the Tree of life after which they were all to seek as that wherein the Kingdom and Righteousness of God is to be found Mat. 6. 33. By meer natural light in their first-creation-make could neither Angel nor Man in innocency reach the truth of this Mystery But by convincing spiritual light both had the conviction-sight of it in their higher and lower spheres The Angels higher natural capacities fitted them for stronger and clearer conviction-sight thereof which render'd their resusal to submit to the terms of receiving it absolutely unpardonable at first Man 's through mercy was not so But 't was the fault of both to lean to their own fallible understanding rather than follow and obey God's spiritual convictions and commands to them forbidding them so to do The sad consequence of such foolish choice will the fallen Angels experience to eternity And so will as many Men as fix there Man's true concern for preventing all this is to listen to that voice of true Wisdom which declares the vanity of all natural first-creation life and then also another life above and beyond that a life of everlasting Righteousness and Truth This brings with it durable riches and goodness delights of the Sons of God and so takes Man off from his wandring desires and pursuits after first-creation vanities the delights of the Sons of Men where 't is impossible for them ever to find any true rest or satisfaction All such seeking for a happiness tends to everlasting torment and vexation of spirit Solomon's concluding advice then to Man in this verse is not to contend with him that is mightier than he by keeping up his own fading life in a direct known rebellion against God's convincing discoveries of a more excellent That he call's his own and his express command for parting with that he calls our own For Hast thou an arm like God Job 40. 9. contend not with him then For who hath directed his spirit or bin his Counseller Isa. 40. 13. Shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct him he that reproves him must answer it Job 40. 2. This silenc'd Job Once have I spoken yea twice but I 'le proceed no further vers 5. Presume not then to keep up thy own forbidden life to thy known certain eternal Damnation and to refuse so great Salvation as is offer'd in God's own Wo to him that strives with his Maker Isa. 45. 9. Let the potsherds of the Earth Men in their but earthly-Jerusalem or first-Covenant spirit strive contend and dispute with one another as to this or that way of Salvation in their toss'd fluctuating understandings under the various winds and blasts of diabolical Inspirers and Suggesters on the troubled mystical Sea of their weaker humane nature while all of them equally that is wholly miss the only true path of life one and t'other But let them all take heed of striving with their Maker about the way of Salvation proudly exalting the conceptions and words of their foolish wisdom against the plainly and abundantly declar'd word's and methods of his Shall an earthy clay-Man say to God why hast thou made me thus Rom. 9. 20. whv hast thou set me up in a life I may not keep as my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thee and concern to my self Why did'st not give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creature-life thou call'st thy own at first So might I have escap'd the hearing of all the hard sayings of the Cross and the Death-blows thereof upon mine Can any Man hope to prosper in such contest and dispute with his Maker Nay but O Man who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thus repliest 〈◊〉 God Job presently on such 〈◊〉 did silence his own quarrelling spirit that darkn'd the counsels of God's Wisdom with the ignorant words of his own Job 42. 3. What a noise have we heard among toss'd humane earthy understandings pro and con and the same Men off and on therein about Free-will Water-Baptism with many other besides the cinque-points in the 〈◊〉 ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 new Arminian Controversy while all are in a tumult against God's Free-will in his new-creation life and against his Fire-Baptism on their free-will or cleans'd natural state In what unutterable confusion are mortals tugging and sweating against their own Salvation and for their everlasting destruction A deep silence and inadvertency we sind amongst them as to the true life and glorious liberty of the Sons of God in all their Skirmishings and Polemical quarrelling Divinities so call'd They are one and all without controversie for the same righteous first-creation life freewill and delights of the Sons of Men call all by what disguising Names they will and as one Man against the spiritual life glorious liberty and delights of the Sons of God They all unanimously with a full mouth set themselves to hunt and run down the only Gospel-Divinity and Doctrine of true Salvation the very Christ the very Gospel as the most dangerous destructive Doctrine in the whole World To a seed of unawakn'd spiritual Saints engag'd for a season thro' ignorance as Paul once among these wicked Confederate's Devils and Men is it said Say ye not a confederacy in a resolv'd union with them that are fix'd in this Confederacy against God to their eternal ruine Isa. 8. 12. Fix not your foot with them in this desperate quarrel against God As for others they will on in the proud waves of their own understandings under the inspirations and doctrines of Devils swelling up in their words of vanity to the highest pich of presumption against Christ all Gospel-Saints and Truths So will they hasten the wrath of God upon their own guilty Heads The corner-stone of that rocky new-creation building they reject will fall on them at last and grind them to powder dash them all to shivers as a potters vessel On these accounts Solomon continues his advice to Men saying Vers. 11. Seeing there be many things that encrease vanity what is Man the better These many things that with Martha Man cumbers himself about are all variety of things relating to his outward or inner Man in his natural state which he covet's greedily seeks after and feed's upon The whole round of this vast heap of vanities Men march up and down amongst to get Satan walks up and down in to give them as he sees occasion to carry on his interest among them All this is his circuit sphere walk and permitted dominion as God and Prince of this World Job 1. 7. Luk. 4. 6. Joh. 12. 31. He is the master-Prince of all such Mystical humane first-covenant Princes of this World as crucified Christ 1 Cor. 2. 8. for his Doctrine of the World to come as treason against the peace of their joynt worldly dominion and tyranical domineering over and against the Saints of the most high A fix'd self-confident righteous first-Covenant People will unanimously vote true Saints to death as they serv'd Christ himself rather than robbers and murderers By such did the Prince of darkness and death carry
on his murdering work on the Prince of Life and Author of Salvation and at same time procur'd by them a pardon for a convicted murderer Act. 3. 14 15. That Men get by such fighting against the only spirit wherein and by they can be saved is their own everlasting destruction by the same hand they oppose executed upon them And what get they in their own way amongst a heap of delusive vanities nothing save an encrease of vanity and of their sin and guilt for their wilful rebellion therein against all the faithful warnings advice and commands of God's spiritual Law to the contrary for their good So will they find at length that by encreasing their heap of vanities they have bin heaping or treasuring up wrath to themselves against the last day They will be in such sense fill'd with their own devices and reap the sad fruits of their many inventions Prov. 1. 31. Eccles. 7. 29. under wrath and a total disappointment of all their vain opinions and labours about and for rest and happiness Abundantly the worse will they be for all they have bin done or had Vers. 12. For who knoweth what is good for Man in this life all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow For who can tell a Man what shall be after him under the Sun There 's great cause for these two pertinent queries concerning Man For in his natural state at best is he wholly ignorant of both these things viz. What 's best for him to do in this World or what will be after him under the Sun when he is departed out of it What 's truly good for him in order to true Blessedness here or hereafter he knows not But when convincingly shew'd all wherein from what hand on what terms or by what way and means 't is attainable if he refuse so great Salvation as is offer'd in God's Spirit and chuse the life of his own before and against it he spends all his days and labours in and about a shadow and so chuses his own damnation He is possess'd of no good but what will vanish and leave him for ever Psal. 39. 5. 49. 12. when he is stripp'd of all his fading good and finds himself unchangeably evil under unchangeable Wrath he will too late be forc'd to see the Truth here declar'd by way of question that he spent all his days in and all his hours about a shadow But To the second Query These are the sad things that will be after a Man has spent his days here in a shadowy state of Vanity as amus'd and diverted all along his vain life with variety of perishing Vanities under the influence of the God of this World Amidst a flush and confluence of these delusive entertainments he seems little concern'd what shall be after him or what will become of him for ever He obstinately deafens himself to all counsels and instructions about what indeed is eternal life or the way towards it the death of a fading natural one as meer aery notion fiction and enthusiastical delusion He strikes in with the God of this World as willing to be blinded by him against all Gospel-Light and things He desires not to be troubled with such matters but to live in 〈◊〉 perfect inadvertency and unconcernedness as to such good things as can't be lost and as in no danger of losing what he has which most certainly will be lost for ever Man's days in this World are but as a hand-breadth nothing to his endless sorrowful State hereafter Yet all his sollicitude is about his concerns here scarce a thought about his eternal concerns hereafter All duties and performances in a life of vanity do but add to and encrease vanity and what 's he the better as to true happiness or any thing towards it In every respect worse in none better For what he sinfully heaps up against conviction he more and more sinfully delights in As the heap of vanities encreases his evil love to and delight therein encreases So in all his labour he adds iniquity to iniquity on all hands His heap of vanities and his vain love to it encreases all in a known rebellion against God Here 's Man's destructive trade in vanities wilfully neglecting all God's Counsel and durable riches He neither lay's to heart the desperate consequents of his evil choice and dotage on his own perishing life and riches or the unspeakable happiness that would have come after and befallen him had he obediently exchang'd and parted with all for God's everlasting Solomon bewail's this twofold ignorance of unhappy Man as to the everlasting good things that would have fallen to his lot after this life above all conception or thought of his natural heart on a right choice or sorrows and torment for ever on a wrong in a state of everlasting darkness and death This is the unknown or unconsider'd state that will come after all his jollity and deceitful pleasure in his vain life under the Sun CHAP. VII V. 1. A good Name is better then precious Ointment and the day of death then the day of one's birth NOthing is properly good in God's sight but what 's unchangably so Christ would not suffer our nature in the changeable first-covenant life of the Law to be call'd good in his 〈◊〉 person Mat. 19. 17. The good name then here is the new name Rev. 2. 17. which imports and belongs to that newness of life in which only 't is possible to bring forth fruit unto God or be saved Rom. 6. 4. 7. 4. This is here asserted to be better then all the precious Ointment in its kind of first covenant Life Light Wisdom with all variety of Gifts and Abilities therein as also all spiritual enlightning Gifts receiv'd upon that foot or in that Law-state short of the very Gospel-life and more excellent way 1 Cor. 12. 31. call'd Love 1 Cor. 13. To this only belongs the new or unchangeably good name here This is the unspeakably more excellent Gift then the said precious Ointment All first-creation-Life and Goodness being corruptible God that sees all futurities and possibilities knowing it will change or be chang'd and lost calls it Corruption in or with which no man or Angel can enter into or inherit Incorruption the incorruptible Inheritance 1 Pet. 1. 4. the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. That incorruptible new-creation Life is convincingly shew'd and offer'd Men in lieu of their obediently surrendred natural and corruptible in which alone any can enter into and inherit it And this is imported in the new or good name here All old or first-creation life at best in Angel or Man is character'd by 〈◊〉 grass flower of grass Vanity a Dream and they therein said to be altogether Vanity Isa. 40. 6 -8. 1 Pet. 1. 24. Psal. 39. 5. Thus is the corruptible seed of a first-covenant life set up in both by the first-creation or restor'd in Man since lost by the fall which in
its utmost growth flourish and fruitfulness is but a fading flower the mystical natural tree of God's left-hand-planting distinguish'd from the incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. of his right-hand-planting by a new-creation which springs up in spiritual Saints prospers into an everlasting Kingdom-state rendring them mystical Gospel-trees the fruits whereof are incorruptible and the very leaves such as never wither or 〈◊〉 away Psal. 1. 3. This spiritual tree of Life will be known by its fruits in distinction from the natural fleshly tree all the fruits whereof are as the root and tree they grow upon perishing Vanities The new Name or Life of the new-Creature Gospel-spirit or living Word of God set up in man can never be turn'd into a lie Man's old name and fading first-covenant Law-life at best when asserted to be a spiritual Gospel-state of everlasting Life and Salvation is turn'd into a flat lie and falshood and all the things births works fruits and products thereof and in though good in their kind when call'd spiritual and confidently rested in for Salvation are all lies and enmity to God and his Gospel-Spirit of Truth Renew'd nature call'd Grace the renew'd old or natural Man with his first Covenant righteous Life and Name call'd the new-creature the spiritual Saint with the new Covenant-Life and Gospel-Name all these are dangerous destructive lies In sum the good Name and precious Oyntment here are the differing characters of first and second-Covenant Life The former through the said mistake Paul found to be a body a law a state of sin and death Rom. 7. 24. 8. 2. which the new-covenant law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus freed him from by putting his nature therein to death The Spirit of life is the death of death when it puts the law-spirit of Enmity and Death to death in the Saint utterly abolishing all the Anointings or said precious Ointment receiv'd in the natural state and giving all again with usury in the unchangeable life and transcendently more precious anointing of the spiritual Man Man in restor'd first-Covenant Law-life is apt as Paul once to despise and reject all Gospel-Tydings or witness of the second The good Name imports a transcendently higher and better anointing then the precious Oyntment here can signify For then the spiritual there is no better kind of precious ointment receivable by or communicable to Man This true meaning of the Holy Ghost in Solomon as to this former will much conduce to and facilitate the opening of the latter clause of this verse And the day of Death then the day of one's Birth The stress of these words can't lie in the literal sence which cannot hold generally nor mostly true For the literal death of the vast number of wicked men is abundantly worse then the day of their litteral birth and life in this World Man though born dead in Sin is capable of a restauration-birth of a first-Covenant life in his Spirit which puts him under hopeful advantages and possibilities of a new-creation-birth of an everlasting righteous Life These hopes are utterly cut off from all that die in their Sins as all that die in a state of enmity to God and his Spirit of Grace and everlasting Life do This necessitates the allowing a mystical meaning to these Words which is this The death of Man's Spirit as to all natural first-creation life 〈◊〉 or first-Covenant righteous obediently submitted to with certain hope of a Resurrection into the life of Christ's Gospel-Spirit that slay's and offers it up in sacrifice to God as he serv'd our nature at best in his own person is transcendently better then the Birth and utmost flourish thereof in him For now is he much forwarder on his way in the right method and death-pass towards an everlasting righteous new-Covenant life Paul counted the former dung to the latter and suffer'd the loss of all therein for it Phil. 3. 7 8. If Man submit not to the terms and ways of arriving at this new birth for a newness of life he will come to a latter end worse then his beginning in either of his two former Births litteral or mystical of bodily or first-Covenant life eternal death By obediently losing and quitting the former natural or Law-life for a spiritual Gospel-one he comes to a latter end better then any of his beginnings in Adam before the fall or since in his own said twofold personal birth eternal life A rebellious pitying and sparing our own nature in the first-covenant life thereof loses all for ever An obedient giving it up to death and right losing it saves all Matth. 16. 25. The Spirit or inner natural Man when crucified and raised into Christ's spiritual life the death or dissolution of the body is not fear'd but desir'd as by Paul He earnestly long'd and groan'd after the shaking off and being perfectly rid of the dusty mortal perishing earthly life and state of his whole natural Man body and spirit 2 Cor. 5. 1 4. and so to be wholly at home with the Lord ver 6. in the intire single uninterrupted exercise of spiritual life amongst the best company the pure unchangeable Friends of that life blessed Angels and Saints departed In this World the Saint is surrounded with innumerable Enemies thereof very burdensome ill unpleasing company to him In the birth and utmost flourish of a first-covenant Law-life we are still under Satan's power and delusive influence He can deceive us into the same perdition with himself by that very righteous life By inducing Men to over-value and and rest in it and on it for Salvation he brings them into unchangeable Union with himself in Enmity to God When perfectly crucified as to the life of the Law raised into the life of the Gospel we are not under the Law but under Grace Then Sin and Satan have lost their dominion over us for ever We wholly cease and are freed from both and all all enemies and dangers whatsoever Rom. 6. 7 -14. 1 Pet. 4. 1. The birth of a first-Covenant life gives not full victory over Satan the right death of Nature and loss of it does Therefore better on all hands as the only way to free us from death and set us up in eternal life The right full death of Man's Law-spirit of bondage delivers him from all bondage and fear of death for ever which all their first-Covenant life-time Men are continually subject to Heb. 2. 15. Vers. 2. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting for that is the end of all Men and the living will lay it to his heart The house of mourning or state of sorrow to the natural Man under the death-blows of the Gospel-Sword or spiritual cross of Christ is better for him to go into and be in then the house of feasting in the most joyful fruitful life and exercise thereof in a first-Covenant state For therein draws he nearer to a heavenly
own mortal life of Nature 'T is appointed to all once to die Heb. 9. 27. or lose all mortal life or good in Body Soul or spirit Is it short of a wonder that when Saints discover the devices of Satan all his serpentine crafts thorow-out his mystery of iniquity first-covenant professors jovial and frolick in his mystical spiritual Snares and a profane party in his brutish Snares or Fetters of a contemptible strumpet should both and all despise and hate him for his Gospel-news and discoveries of their madness and desperate consequence of finally persisting therein Yet thus it always was and now is more then ever in these latter and worse then all former times 2 Tim. 3. 1. The great peril to true Saints in the power of Godliness is from 〈◊〉 Brethren in the form thereof the life of the Law righteousness of Man Psal. 50. 20. Isa. 66. 5. In them is the highest strain of self-love For they have the most plausible beautiful self to love the mystical visage or clean face of a cleans'd enlightned Spirit The literal Beauty or outward Glory found in a profane party lies but in bodily complexion Skin and glittering outward Circumstances Pomp and Ornament The true Saint that brings tydings in his new Light of a spiritual Life Beauty and Glory demonstrating all these two sorts of mad People are pleasing and sporting themselves with to be but shadows a dream a vain shew kick-shows lighter then Vanity and themselves also Psal. 39. 5 6. 62. 9. spoils all their sport gives a damp to all their delusive pleasure and delight yea vexes and torments them all specially the dwellers upon Earth Rev. 11. 10. inhabitants of the earthly Jerusalem in first-covenant-life holy flesh The brutish inhabitants of the Sea a profane party are more gravel'd with and vex'd at such reproof and condemnation as is reflected upon them by the doctrine and conversation of strict-walking righteous legal-spirited Teachers and Professors They little mind or are able to take any cognizance of the spiritual Gospel-Saint or his doctrine And what need the Law-pretender to Gospel gilding all his Law-things with Gospel-words and appearances fear the Gospel-Saint's Testimony as to true Gospel-things What Why this spoils all their mystical Babylonish sport and trading Ministry with their false Wares It discovers all to be but Pictures or Idols pourtrai'd on the Walls of their house or Church on the Sand and on the mystical whited Sepulchers themselves who personate and would pass currant in such disguise paint and gildings for the true Gospel-Heirs of the Kingdom and so jussle out the true spiritual Heirs as blasphemous wranglers about it and groundless unwarranted pretenders to it Mean while the true Heir's invisible Saintship on which his title and claim to the Kingdom of Heaven depends consist's in a life 〈◊〉 with Christ in God hid under a vail of not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Law-life But when this vail wear's off and grow's daily thinner under the continual batteries and macerating-work of the Saint's spiritual on his natural Man the spiritual begins to shine thro' the vail look out at the windows or holes made in his natural spirit by the Gospel-Sword and Cross and flourish or 〈◊〉 himself thorow the 〈◊〉 thereof So thro' his impoverish'd 〈◊〉 mind or earthly nature comes his spiritual Man to shine forth in a right Gospel-conversation to and with other awakn'd spiritual Saints Cant. 2. 9. in such Gospel-works and fruits by which he 〈◊〉 his Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 16. But in converse with unawakn'd Saints and the generality of the two other sorts of sinners and 〈◊〉 of God and them that the world is full of must they with Moses pull the 〈◊〉 vail again over their spiritual faces lustre and beauty that they may appear to and talk with them in their own guise dress and language They must in this sense become all things to all Men with design to gain some to their spiritual Life and Doctrine yea turn many to the everlasting Righteousness of God by a true Gospel-conversion which Paul wholly wanted when an eminent Law-Saint 1 Cor. 9. 22. They must thus with Paul please all Men in all things 1 〈◊〉 10. 33. How In a serviceableness only to their true interest and the interest of Christ therein by gaining the opportunity to insinuate Gospel-Truths into them and jussle out 〈◊〉 lies As to a soothing Men up into a considence in Man's and Satan's Law-Gospel he say's do I seek to please Men then I should not be the Servant of Christ Gal. 1. 9 10. but indeed an enemy to him and his Gospel as I too long was thro' a confidence in my own Law-life or holy flesh But if no compliance in any sense might be lawfully used by spiritual Saints with otherwise-minded people common sinners or first-Covenant-Professors of Christ all opportunity of gaining them to a Gospel-state would be lost There 's no dealing with them at first dash without some-thing of condescention from a pure spirituality of conversation To grate on them with forc'd spiritual discourse and high mysteries of the Kingdom of God where there 's nothing preparatory towards the reception of such matters or hopefulness to give them any advantage thereby would render the most pertinent things impertinently as well as unsupportably troublesome and tormenting to any earthy fleshly-minded company corrupt or righteous holy or profane Such too generally is the guise dress and temper of in a manner all sorts of People in common conversation at this day that should they see or hear the inmost thoughts of spiritual Saints they 'd not endure their company Self the Anagram of Flesh backward rejecting h that 's no letter holy or unholy Nature professing or profane People are all of a knot in confederacy with World and Devil against the spiritual Saint and all his right words to a tittle about Salvation special 1 Tim. 4. 10. Yet enough has he to bear him up and maintain in him an undaunted spirit and invincible courage against all the despisings and misjudgings of these two sorts of blind dark-spirited confounded haters and rejecters of all Gospel-light and truth They both sit as in Plato's feigned Cave admiring their little glimmering Moon or Candle-light their intellectual rational Lamps in a Night-state or at best and highest but such Day-light as the mystical first-creation Sun or first-covenant Spirit gives and makes out to them In these various states postures accoutrements and enjoyments of Nature sit they both in a readiness to deride and scoff at the true Saint pretending to a yet transcendently higher Day-light under the beamings forth of the New-Creation Sun of infallible everlasting Light Life Righteousness and Wisdom the gospel-new-covenant-Gospel-new-Covenant-Spirit of Grace and Truth Those that are lifted up from amongst their fellow-mortals out of themselves or their own deep dark dungeon-spirit of Nature corrupt or righteous a miery pit of Corruption and 〈◊〉 filth of flesh or spirit enmity to
God and death to it self a Body a Law of Sin and Death as Paul found Rom. 7. 24. 8. 2. into the marvelous Palace or Paradisical Light and glorious Liberty of the Sons of God cannot forbear to go tell their 〈◊〉 how they fare They give them an account or true report of the new-creation Land of Promise or state of Life with the fruits and peculiar enjoyments therein above all other Countries Lands or States as far as the Heavens are above the Earth How is this News resented by these two sorts of Sodomites the Prophane in silth of 〈◊〉 or Legal-spirited Professor in filth of spirit enmity to God and all spiritual Truths that 's brought to both their ears by the Gospel-spirited Saint They all hiss at and deride his pretension to such Sun-light as the most presumtuous conceit and phanatical delusion in the World They sit them still won't budg an inch from their opinionated happiness in Rational Light and Moral Heathenism or first-covenant life also in Legal Christianity just as the case was in Plato's Apologue or fabulous Cave-students in their demeanour towards him that had ventur'd up a rocky Precipice with great difficulty and danger into the open Air and Sun-light on his return and tydings thereof to them What of all this The Saint is not to regard these contradicting Blasphemers misregarding him or his words nor be weary nor faint in his mind or Spirit Heb. 12. 3. They are to look wholly to God Christ blessed Angels and Saints that know and own them for what they know themselves to be What matters it for Man's day or judgment in which nothing of their spiritual life or doctrine is rightly seen felt heard or understood Saints by spiritual senses do all this natural never can do They hear see look upon and handle the Word of life even the original new-creature life in the living Word Wisdom of God Christ's Person 1 〈◊〉 1. 1. And they 〈◊〉 such life also in the derived streams of the living waters thereof in true Saints When their own Spirit is dead in Man's sight and judgement 't is most of all alive in God's Sight in his Spirit of Grace And those that live and spend their Widow-hood on Christ's death and departure from them as a 〈◊〉 first-Covenant Bridegoom in the pleasures of that life he has forsaken them in however alive in Man's sight are dead in God's while they so live 1 Tim. 5. 6. Incorrigible sinners in filth of Flesh or Spirit pass along this mortal World and Life jollily in the broad way to an eternal house of mourning Job 21. 13. Psal. 39. 5 6 11. Psal. 49. 10 -- 20. while true Saints through much tribulation and mourning are passing into an eternal house of feasting Those that will on in their various temporary houses or states of feasting literal or mystical making large and swift steps towards the Chambers of death seem to have much the better on 't in this World Who can help them Who can lift them up out of these drowning self-chosen lustful goatish ways of Vanity that will most certainly set them among the left hand 〈◊〉 Goats at last day Mat. 25. 33. Will ye hear a Wonder Spiritual Saints have the best on 't even in this World as thus They have the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come True Godliness the power of Godliness is profitable to all things The form of it and bodily exercise or the fruitful exercise of Man 's cleans'd natural Spirit therein profits little The truely pure sinless use of worldly enjoyments without any sinful love to or delight in them and spending the strength of all in a serviceableness to the designs and interests of Christ upon and in Men belongs to the true Spiritual Saint only And they have a daily encrease with the encreases of God in the promised life of the World to come So have they the best on 't indeed and in truth even in their mortal day and state on earth All their Tribulations Persecutions and seeming worst things are wholly and exactly calculated for their good by him who cannot miss of accomplishing his design upon them therein and by There are three sorts of Men on the stage of this Earth together in a confused jumble as a mix'd heap in mortal bodies Profane inhabitants of the Sea in the corrupt Spirit of nature of the Earth in the righteous cleans'd earthy state or spirit of nature and dwellers in Heaven or in God's heavenly Spirit of Grace Rev. 12. 12. All People upon Earth are living and walking in the corrupt or changeably righteous Spirit of Nature or in God's unchangeably righteous Spirit of Grace No state in changeable nature is unchangeable or everlasting Salvation but a state of Grace only Eph. 2. 8 9. Not our working Spirit of Nature but God's working all in us and for us by his Gospel-Spirit of Grace will give us entrance into his Kingdom 'T is the unspeakable new-creation gift of God and workmanship of Christ fits any for the Kingdom And 't is then the unspeakable folly and madness of Man to refuse the receiving that Gift on any terms seem they never so hard to his nature Wo to Laughers they shall weep and mourn eternally Blessed are the mourners they shall rejoyce and laugh eternally These were Christ's spiritual sayings and warnings to all when in our flesh And he will be the Judge of all in that Spirit wherein himself is justified for ever in our nature before God most high 1 Tim. 3. 16. An innumerable multitude that have thought it so brave to have their wills in this World will meet with unimaginable amazing surprizing disappointments in the next An irresistible blast an irrecoverable death-blow will they be fore'd to receive on all first-creation delights desires and desirables belly and meats 1 Cor. 6. 13. All these dreadful things the living spiritual Saint lays to heart and as knowing the terrors of the Lord what a fearful thing 't is to fall into the hands of the living God and be torn in pieces without any possibility of deliverance Heb. 10. 31. Psal. 50. 22. endeavours to perswade Men while call'd to day to desist from their jovial march and swift posting it in their several sensual and intellectual paths of delight and present pleasure to their mis-judging nature which do all tend to meet and center in one and the same point a state of everlasting darkness and death under the triumphs of divine Justice and final Wrath. Solomon bewail's the unhappy choice most Men make of the merry self-pleasing-paths to eternal mourning But to allay the compassionating grief of this undeniably true observation he discovers an opposite party of happy People that in a new life and spiritual understanding do lay all these errors follies and madnesses of their fellow-mortals to heart though they can have little or no hearing with them and that find it their unspeakable concern
Christ's new and heavenly his natural for Christ's spiritual creature-life and possessions A conclusive refusal to part with all we have is a final parting-blow between God and Man Paul found Corinthian Professors bewitch'd Galatians and belly-God Philippians dangerously engag'd towards a sixure in this most presumptuous Sin and Error 1 Cor. 4. 8. 2 Cor. 11. 2 3. Gal. 3. 1 -4. Phil. 3. 18 19. And Christ found a first-Covenant party in enmity to the second in most or all the seven Churches Rev. 2. 3. In Laodicea scarce any other and all this under the outward dispensation and ministry of the Gospel owning themselves as Gospel-Professors And what or who else in a manner at this day can we find but such anti-Gospel-Gospellers in all variety of opinion form and way All the highly pretending and conceited Children of the Kingdom in the most sublimated Church-forms or purest Churches in but restor'd first-covenant Law-principles without advance by exchange and Gospel-conversion will be found at a loss and cast or kept out of the Kingdom of Christ as not at all of his new-Covenant Gospel-spirit of Grace and Truth 'T is in the heavenly Wisdom of this only Men can attain the sight and inheritance of the most glorious divine Sun and of the new-creation Sun of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mal. 4. 2. in the Mediator's person which is the greatest gain the highest prosit and advantage Man or Angel can receive or enjoy to all eternity This 〈◊〉 proves ver 12. Vers. 12. For Wisdom is a defence Heb. shadow and mony is a desence but the excellency of knowledg is that Wisdom giveth life to them that have it Here 's a distinguishing character of the first and second covenant spirits Lives Wisdoms with or by the effects riches and priviledges of each The Wisdom and mystical mony or riches of the first are a defence against the rude assaults the unruly brutish motions of the corrupt state of nature and do make up to Man all he thinks he needs for eternal life 1 Cor. 4. 8. Rev. 3. 17. But through the fading nature of all that life and riches and evil use of it in preference and opposition to the durable life and true riches in the gospel-Gospel-spirit of God all 's spoil'd Man's inordinate love to the former is that love of mony that 's the root of all evil against God and to himself evil of sin and punishment It renders all the mammon of unrighteousness as preferr'd to the 〈◊〉 riches of Christ in his infinite divine and everlasting righteous new-creation Life First-creation Life with the riches thereof is to be allow'd its due as good in its kind and lawful use for suppressing the unruly desires thoughts and motions of the corrupt state of Nature Man so using it is faithful to the Light afforded him by Christ in the first Covenant as a fleshly Bridegroom But then farther is he to follow this Bridegroom in the death and loss of all this fading life and riches Wisdom and Mony for what in spiritual conviction-Light is shew'd and offer'd him by Christ as a better Bridegroom and Comforter in the second This second and principal thing done as the passive part of obedience requir'd in the right and lawful use of all in the first Covenant law-state God is well-pleased and Man saved But be Man never so faithful in the active obedience performable in his law-life if he refuse to perform or yield to the requir'd passive obedience all his active turns in conclusion to no account at all Himself is turn'd out of God's house for ever as but that servant in his own law-spirit of bondage that refus'd to become a Son of God in his Gospel-spirit of glorious liberty that makes free indeed Jo. 8. 35 36. The truth the Gospel-spirit of Truth makes Man truly free ver 32. Where or in whomsoever that Spirit is is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. The Gospel-law of the Spirit of life is the perfect law of liberty It renders Man free not to but from all sin and death at last Rom. 8. 2. Jam. 1. 25. Man's spirit of bondage chosen before and against God's spirit of true freedom becom's a house a prison a state of eternal death to him If Man use his law-life aright as to the first end for which restor'd and miss the appointed and declared second all comes to worse then nothing for ever He misses that true Wisdom that gives and is eternal life to them that have it This the Law-life and best Wisdom of Man can never give or be to him Gal. 3. 21. Vers. 13. Consider the work of God for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked Consider well the life and state of Men and Angels as the first-creation Workmanship of God's hand and you 'l find it crooked first comparatively To the second make of them by his new-creating Workmanship all the fading goodness Life Wisdom Glory and Righteousness of the first are as nothing no Glory 2 Cor. 3. 10. If the Glory and other things of Man in the first be not only presumptuously compared with but preferr'd and exalted into a jusling competition with and opposition to the Life Glory Wisdom Righteousness Works Fruits and things of God offer'd them by a new and second Creation this renders all such things worse then nothing Yea if this be finally wilfully and conclusively done the Glory Wisdom Light Life Righteousness all things of Man are turn'd into unspeakable shame utmost folly and highest wickedness to which belong utter Darkness and eternal Death The corruptible seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. of God's left-hand planting in Man's or Angel's natural first-creation-make and state at its utmost growth flourish and fruitfulness amounts but to a fading flower Man in all at best is altogether Vanity This fleshly state of Life was figur'd by the tree of good and evil before the fall Since the fall 't is always evil root and branch tree and fruit silth of 〈◊〉 or spirit are found in all its operations fruits products or performances root and branch When Paul was eminent in the restor'd righteous law-life of Man how fiercely did he persecute the Gospel or new-Creature life of Christ in himself and Saints That was filth of Spirit enmity and despite to the very Gospel spirit of Grace in which any can be saved 't was a sinning against the holy Ghost but ignorantly When done knowingly and so wilfully t is the presumptuous unpardonable Sin unto Death God made Man upright set up in him a first-Covenant-life perfect in its kind but fallible corruptible changeable loseable as all mankind have sadly experienc'd by the first error of humane nature at best in the first Man Now what is corruptible God calls corruption The natural seed of a first-Covenant life cast into Man in his natural first-creation make and fashion of being was sown in corruption dishonour weakness By the obedient death of Man therein 't is rais'd in Incorruption Glory Power a spiritual
〈◊〉 bad his highest all the Kingdoms of this World and Glory of them all first-creation excellencies humane and angelical and that as transform'd into the gilded likeness of the second to purchase the life of Truth out of Christ's own hands How Christ handled him we find Mat. 4. Luk. 4. But he prevails with a World of professors that have put their hand to the Gospel-Plough as brought by Gospel conviction-Light to see their concern in running down Nature at best to look back Luk. 9. 62. to his first-creation offers withdraw their hands from and turn their backs upon Christ and his Kingdom-Spirit with the bewitch'd Galatians Gal. 3. 1 3. 5. 7 8. which alone could secure them from the destruction the over-much righteous or wicked come to That dungy-life Paul quitted which many hold fast unto damnation are we to withdraw our hand from and let go our hold of in order to lay hold on that unchangeably good thing that is eternal Salvation Those that having begun in the Gospel-spirit withdraw their hand from that Gospel-plough or cross upon their cleans'd enlightn'd natural Spirit and return to the love of and self-deceiving 〈◊〉 in their holy flesh or righteous Law-life of their restor'd Nature are in a dangerous way towards final Apostacy and Damnation Paul found the bewitch'd Galatians not so absolutely gone as to 〈◊〉 no room for his Gospel-endeavours and intercessions towards their recovery Gal. 4. 19. But many 〈◊〉 Gospel-convictions owning and following Gospel-Truths for a 〈◊〉 play false and turn final Apostates sell Christ's Gospel-spirit for their holy 〈◊〉 take off their hand and let go their hold 〈◊〉 Christ's Spirit of Truth for Satan's Spirit of lies on his engaging to advance them in their own nature will and way after their own heart Such oft become his most pregnant eminently accomplish'd Instruments to oppose those very Gospel-Truths that for a season they profess'd and own'd They knowingly part with or sell Christ his Gospel Spirit of Truth and his great Salvation therein offer'd them for themselves or their holy flesh restor'd Nature the Devil and Damnation They part with Christ's great Spiritual Gospel-Pearl for their lesser natural after they had agreed to and vow'd the parting with all for that one thing necessary They 'l not stand to their new-covenant bargain not go through as to the cost for a new building the utter demolition of their old They 'l not part with all their old things for Christ's new They like them not so well So hold fast what they have and lose all whereas they that obediently lose all they have find all again with usury in what the others refuse Mat. 16. 25. After all fair warning of this thus they do What help To begin in the Spirit and finally apostatize to a false confidence for Salvation in the flesh fits Men for the hottest Hell the greatest portion of Wrath for evermore This exposes such bidders at the new-building to everlasting derision and contempt Luk. 14. 28 30. When Men have yielded a little to cross-work suffer'd something of the old building to be pull'd down Gal. 3. 4. Stood the shock of some reproach from scorners for it and then are offer'd by Satan not only to be repair'd and made whole again as ever but also to have their old natural first-creation building rais'd higher and made larger and wider by the super-additions of superiour angelical excellencies and brightnesses of the same first-creation sort with their humane they are willing to take this for the right new-building for the Kingdom of God the true Gospel-state When Satan has them at this lock in this snare he lays his confirming paws upon them fixing them in unchangeable enmity to the very Gospel-Life and Spirit in which any can be saved or ever could They are then fully engaged in the sin against the holy Ghost or Gospel-Spirit of Truth beyond retreat leaving no place for repentance Heb. 6. 4 -- 6. 10. 26 27. This get all such Esau's by greedily catching at Satan's first-creation morsel in preference to Christ's offer'd new-creation birth-right Heb. 12. 16 17. They let go Christ's new-creation all things for Satan's glittering gilded first-creation nothings perishing vanities Christ's heavenly for his earthly things dust the old Serpent's diet Gen. 3. 14. This trade many thousands have driven and do drive in this World to their eternal ruine in the next There 's no helping them that will not be help'd Finally to refuse the things of God for the things of Man and Devil deliberately on a fair view of both is unpardonable folly They see how matters go on all hands see what they refuse and for what so their sin remains upon them for ever as Christ told the Pharisees Joh. 9. 40 41. They that refuse to part with their earthly life as dung Phil. 3. 8. for Christ's heavenly will perish as their own dung for ever Job 20. 7. All fading first-creation Vanities are dung to Chrst's heavenly spiritual things things of God offer'd by a new-Creation The best services in their own life on this fatal miscarriage will he spread as dung upon their faces Mal. 2. 3. To withdraw their hand from Christ's offers to comply with and accept Satan's is a drawing back to perdition Heb. 10. 39. This Solomon warns against farther declaring he that fears God shall come forth of them all shall escape out of all sin all evil company and ways every evil path that mystical Sodomites are in ver 16. or literal ver 17. He shall be delivered from the presumptuous unpardonable sin of both and all a sixture in their differing evil ways of death and be finally deliver'd and acquitted as to all his other sins on the death of the guilty sinner the evil-doer in him He shall surmount all sins and sinners come out of all literal or mystical Sodomies and Sodomites in corrupt or righteous Nature and so partake of none of their plagues under final Wrath Rev. 18. 4. 2 Cor. 6. 17. The Saint is highly concern'd to watch and fight against the Belial-party in him flesh or nature corrupt or righteous with the affections and lusts that war against his own Soul Gal. 5. 24. 1 Pet. 2. 11. What Satan backs and 〈◊〉 to gratify support and cherish in Saints are they constantly to fight against oppose cross impoverish and run down to death If they not only live but walk in Christ's Gospel Spirit wherein he will judg the World and they with him thus will they do They 'l judg the World within them their worldly natural Spirit now pass sentence of death upon it in harmony of their spiritual mind with Christ and as workers with him joyn in the speedy carrying on the 〈◊〉 of it lest Satan set or fix their heart in them to do evil Eccl. 8. 11. in unchangeable union with him All that by Christ's Spirit in them mortify the lusts and deeds of their body or natural state will live for ever with
him in his spiritual Rom. 8. 13. The right death of what 's expos'd to all snares deaths and enemies attacks delivers out of and from them all from all snares of Satan on the right and left hand calculated to the self-interest palate and desire of Nature in the corrupt or righteous life and principles thereof in order to lodg all he can in unchangeable enmity to God with himself God warns all sorts of Sinners as to Satan's various snares if therefore caught therein 't is at their own peril Their destruction is singly of themselves by their own choice Ezek. 3. 17 21. Prov. 8. 36. Vers. 19. Wisdom strength'neth the wise more then ten mighty Men which are in the City The Wisdom or living Word of God the Gospel-Spirit of Christ makes all the truly wise partakers thereof Spiritual Saints stronger and wiser too then all that 's found in the first-creation-state of Men and Angels 1 Joh. 4. 4. This new-creature-wisdom of God by which the Worlds were made Gen. 1. 1. Jo. 1. 1 3. Col. 1. 15 -- 19. Heb. 1. 2. Wheresoever it is or in whomsoever admits no comparison of any first-Creation Power Glory or Excellencies with it Prov. 3. 13 19. 2 Cor. 3. 10. The evil Angels with their Luciferian head as the supream invisible Principalities Powers and Rulers of this dark World may fitly be represented by the ten mighty Men in the universal City Province or Dominion thereof The truly wise Saint in the Life Light Strength Power and Armour of God can discover all the devices and vanquish all the power the mystical Goliah and his Philistine Army can come forth against him with True Spiritual Davids in the new name and power of the Lord will be too hard for them all will be more then conquerours over the whole incorporated first-creation City of evil Angels and Men. Their weapons are spiritual and mighty through God to beat down the City and strongest forts thereof about the ears of the rebellious defendants that have fortified themselves against the new Jerusalem City of God The enemy has none but carnal weapons fleshly Wisdom Power Strength and Arms perishing Vanities Saints with spiritual will tumble down all their strong holds and every high thing that exalts it self against God and them They have in a readiness Power to revenge all such disobedience of Man and Angel when their own Gospel-life and obedience is compleated 2 Cor. 10. 4 6. Vers. 20. For there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not This confirm's what is said v. 19. There 's not one man amongst all men in their earthy first-creation life and wisdom at best without sin in God's sight Yea their highest righteousness and wisdom oppos'd to God's are the most criminal wickedness and folly There 's none truly righteous among them all no not one None in their earthly spirit or natural state corrupt or righteous understands or seeks after God in his spiritual new-creation life So are they all unprofitable to themselves as to true blessedness because not one of them does that good in God's sight that 's of any conducibleness or tendency thereunto They rebel against swell with indignation and despite to his offer'd Spirit of Grace wherein alone any can ever please him or be saved Their throat is an open Sepulcher to belch out blasphemies threatnings and slaughter against it or any that own or talk of it in its own words and wisdom 〈◊〉 tongues are deceitful the poison of Asps is under their lips their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness against it their feet are swift to shed the blood of any that declare it From Cain downwards to the end of this World Satan's reign and man's day all 's of a piece one uniform spirit of contradiction to and rebellion against the Spirit of God and all its words Destruction and misery are in their way 's and the way of peace have they not known They have no fear of God before their eyes Yet flatter they themselves as true fearers of God at peace with him and in the very way to Salvation If good words fair speeches and most 〈◊〉 self-pleasing imaginations will do 't they are in a fair way to blessedness while they are serving their own belly gratifying their own lust and desire in direct enmity to God Christ all Gospel-Saints and Truths Rom. 16. 18. They 〈◊〉 peace peace to themselves and others where there 's no peace and say the Lord saith when 't is Satan and their own lying spirit of divination saith so Ezek. 13. 6 -- 10. They have not known or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foot in the way of peace with God but Satan's way of enmity to him And in all this with their leader are they bold confident and fearless behave themselves as Satans Children of pride without fear Rom. 3. 9 -- 18. Job 41. 33 34. There 's not a just man upon Earth in the restor'd righteous life and image of the earthy that sinneth not There 's not a man perfectly free from filth of flesh the vile affections of the corrupt spirit of nature and filth of spirit or enmity to God and his Spirit of Grace is inseparable from the most restor'd righteous life of Nature since the Fall Only by the perfect death of the spirit of Nature under the Cross can this enmity be slain and utterly abolish'd out of any man So there 's a very great mixture of sin in any possible fading good found in or performable by man in his highest renewal Enmity to God lurks under all their fair shews in holy flesh form of Godliness righteousness of man This spoil's all The perpetually sinning life of Nature utterly abolish'd by death and the never-sinning-life of God's Spirit of Grace set up in the room thereof can render any man truly and fully just in God's sight He that 's so dead ceases or is freed from all sin justified before God for ever in a newness of life that 's above all death 1 Pet. 4. 1. Rom. 6. 7. Vers. 21. Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken lest thou hear thy Servant curse thee In letter here 's a prudent walking requir'd by not troubling ones self with regarding or harbouring any revengeful thoughts against others for their injurious words But as the chief intendment is advice here given to the spiritual wise Man as to his deportment towards the natural in his own person made clean wise aud righteous in first-creation principles The spiritual is to take heed to any words or doctrine proceeding from this natural so as to follow the direction or counsel of its fallible wisdom and judgment about things pertaining to God and his own Salvation lest he hear this natural Servant that would fain be dictating and ruling as a Master curse the spiritual Heaven-born Son in him Paul on his Gospel-conversion immediately conferr'd not with flesh and blood Gal. 1. 16. lean'd not to but turn'd from his own understanding
's made after the Supream new-creature image or similitude of God in Christ's Person the image of the Heavenly Adam The restor'd natural man may and ought to bless God for his mercifully restor'd righteous Law-life as effectually call'd out of his corrupt state but when by God's second voice or 〈◊〉 call summon'd to deliver up all that back again for a spiritual and more excellent life he curses rebell's against and 〈◊〉 this Gospel-voice 〈◊〉 heavenly Call all the words and things or truths of God's Gospel-spirit and Wisdom On these various accounts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Cursing for a time out of the same mouth of the Saint But others in their restor'd Nature fixing themselves in enmity to God's Spirit of Grace go on cursing and 〈◊〉 to eternal death With Gospel-Brethren these things ought not so to be nor will always be so When the envious spiteful Curser and Blasphemer the Belial-party the Insidel or unbelieving Rebel in the Saint the natural man or spirit is fully crucisied dead and buried and then rais'd into unchangeable harmony of mind with his spiritual and so with Christ and God most high then all such cursing-work will cease for ever But till all old things with Man's old life of nature are pass'd away from the Saint and all God's new things fully compleated in him has even he need enough of this advice not to heed the Counsels per verse thoughts reasonings cursings or evil-speakings of the natural spirit in himself or others against the whole Gospel-Doctrine of the Cross and only way of Salvation Let it bark and make what noise it will they should regard none of its thoughts lusts words or ways so as sinfully to comply with or follow it but slight turn from and avoid as much as in them lies this troubler opposer and hinderer of their spiritual mind till wholly cut off and taken out of the way Vers. 23. All this have I proved by Wisdom I said I will be wise but it was far from me The Wisdom by which Solomon examin'd found out and proved the truth of all things could be no less then the spiritual new-creature Wisdom of God In this he saw all things divine spiritual and natural in their distinct differing excellencies and perfections So could he call all things by their right names and give their true discriminating characters This is the peculiar priviledg of the spiritual Man's understanding 1 Cor. 2. 10 15. Solomon in this did with his Father David see all natural first-creation things of Man and Angel at last to be altogether vanity Psal. 39. 5 6. The wisdom of Man at best is the wrangling disputer of this World about and against all things of God in the next 'T is the contradicting blasphemer of all such things absolutely denying the very Gospel-spirit life and principle of the next 'T is the wisdom from beneath earthly sensual or natural and if fix'd in devilish Jam. 3. 15. the unchangeable enemy and opposer of God's Wisdom and all the words thereof in true Saints The natural undertaker in such Wisdom to debate matters of Salvation things of God is the untreatable unreasonable man Paul desir'd to be delivered from 2 Thes. 3. 2. A self-confident Man utterly denying the very Gospel-Principle or Spirit of Christ the Saints rocky foundation in defence of his sandy is unreasonably burthensome to the Saint when intruding to discourse Gospel-matters which he knows nothing of Envying strife confusion tumult or unquietness and every mischievous evil thing or work what else can come on 't 〈◊〉 3. 16. 2 Tim. 2. 16 17. Here 's the result of all such discourse and engagement The quarrelling worldly Disputant discourses in choler 〈◊〉 goes away full of Wrath meditating revenge on the spiritual Saint for his cross-doctrine Such Swine ravenous Wolves and poisonous vipers Christ advises Saints not to cast Gospel-Pearls or Truths before But where the wise man suspect's and question 's his fitness in such wisdom to judg of such matters the case is altered He may hopefully be dealt with in such affairs In the latter clause of this verse Solomon speaks of another state and wisdom he had bin eminent in the wisdom of Man distinct from that wherein he had proved all things What he happily at last found in the Spiritual Wisdom of God he had bin successlessly and vainly seeking long before in the wisdom of man tho' taller then his fellows there I said I will be wise but it was far from me True Wisdom was far from me as wise as I thought my self All eternal divine spiritual heavenly most excellent concerning things and truths lay clear out the reach and comprehension of that earthly wisdom as far as the Heavens are above the Earth Vers. 24. That which is far off and exceeding deep who can find it out How should the shallow weak-sighted low earthly wisdom of Man ever find out the exceeding deep high remote divine and creature-things of the wisdom of God that are all spiritual heavenly and from above Gospel-things and Truths mysteries of the Kingdom of God lie in a depth unfathomable at a distance never to be reach'd by the utmost line of natural first-creation understanding They are spiritually 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2. 14. Or by new-creation understanding only Man in his best wisdom bid's at an absolute impossibility Brute beasts in meer sensual life may as well if not better bid at the rational things of Man as of nearer kin to their things all of the first-creation sort natural then the spiritual things of God are to the natural Man and his rational intellectual things And when Man has thus presumptuously pitch'd upon things beyond the reach of his own wisdom he is ready to complain of and dispute against God that he has reserv'd things of highest concern to him out of his sight all spiritual heavenly new-creation things Wisdom Life and all in which found Rom. 10. 6 7. This does Man in stead of yielding to the terms of receiving that wisdom wherein he might reach see or know all things the loss of his own Life and all All spiritual things or truths are hidden seal'd up mysteries from the most soaring searching capacity of man in first-creation wisdom The Scriptures are a Book seal'd as to all the spiritual truths thereof from the highest wisdom of Man Isa. 29. 11. The professing learned Jews yea the very Apostles knew not what to make of Christ's Gospel-words New-covenant doctrine while they were but in old or first-Covenant Wisdom The Bread I give is my flesh says Christ. How can this be say the Jews Joh. 6. 51 52. A hard saying who can hear or understand it say his very Disciples ver 60. So when he spoke of his Sufferings and Resurrection a little while and ye shall not see me viz. as a fleshly Bridegroom again a little while and ye shall see and know me viz. as a spiritual one in my Resurrection-Life Act. 2. 1 4. which was the promise of the
Father Act. 1. 4. What 's this he says say his Disciples We cannot tell what he says or means Joh. 16. 16 -18. Such mysterious things or words do absolutly non-plus Man 's wisdom It knows not what in the world to make of them Hence man thinks or says in his heart Who shall ascend to Heaven to bring down Christ to me in that new-creation Life and Wisdom you talk of that 's above my understanding and out of the reach of my Wisdom Vain Man suspects not his own wisdom as to its sufficiency for the reaching any thing that concerns him and so concludes all the spiritual heavenly Truths and mysteries the Saint speaks of are just nothing So all the spiritual sense of Scripture all Gospel-Truth is rejected to a tittle The death and loss of that first-covenant life wisdom and all the things thereof for the Life Wisdom and things of God in the second is the only way for man to understand all the mysteries of the Kingdom of God the whole counsel of God the methods of his Wisdom and contrivances of his infinite Understanding about the Salvation of his Creatures The death of Man's Law-spirit of nature at best and resurrection into Christ's Gospel-Spirit of Grace is the only way by which he can enter into or so much as see the Kingdom of God and things thereof Joh. 3. 3 5. The loss of a first-covenant Wisdom Life and all the becoming a Fool there with Paul a no-body is the only way to that Wisdom wherein to see and know all things 1 Cor. 3. 18. 4. 10. Solomon then charges himself with that foolish thought many are guilty of who are far inferiour to what he had bin in that natural wisdom wherein he said I will be wise or shall find this Wisdom of mine able to reach and comprehend all things By Spiritual Wisdom that can so do does he discover and judg the former over-weening thought of his natural that never could 'T is in spiritual new-Creation life and wisdom Man or Angel ever could can or will truly see their eternal concerns or be saved Man's wisdom is bounded with first-Creation-vanities perishing shadows only for object Here 's his walk to and fro in the Earth among earthly shadows of heavenly substantial things Vers. 25. I applied mine heart to know and to search and to seek out Wisdom and the reason of things and to know the wickedness of folly even of foolishness and madness Solomon here by way of confirmation to what he had said v. 24. offers his own certain experience of the utter impossibility of reaching and discerning new-creation Life Wisdom and things of God in the single first-creation life and understanding of Man Few if any travel and reach so far in this Wisdom as he had through a super-eminency therein And as to the insufficiency of his own wisdom however great 1 King 4. 29 34. For directing his steps and ordering his conversation aright before God this did sufficiently appear by his falling again under the prevailing lusts and vile affections of the very corrupt spirit of Nature in him He did set his heart to experience the wickedness of Folly even of foolishness and madness in direct opposition to his own wisdom and rational Light He gave up himself to all extravagancies in brutish pleasures And he found such wickedness folly and such foolishness downright madness He walk'd contrary to all Light or Wisdom of Man in Heathen first-Covenant Jew or Christian. He fed with the Prodigal on husks among Satan's Swine the common herd of brutified sinners literal Sodom Egypt and Babylon the lowest part of the dust of this world things below the Serpent's own angelical belly desire appetite or palate affording only such pleasure as is common to brute Beasts At this low rate was Solomon wallowing with the Sow in the mire Yet under all this madness and folly that his own wisdom hinder'd not his falling into lay there an incorruptible Seed of Spiritual Life and Wisdom in him that lifted him up Eccl. 4. 10. out of all his extravagant madnesses It put forth it self thro' Christ's powerfully influencing it lifted up its own head into the exercise of a prevailing authority and ruling power and so his whole man out of the dark Dungeon and deep pit of miery filth and corruption into the marvellous Light and glorious Liberty of the Sons of God yea the topheight of a supreamly double-portion'd spousal Saint Thus did God favour this Jedid-jah or beloved of the Lord as by the Prophet Nathan he named him at his birth this Solomon or Son of Peace as his Father David named him 2 Sam. 12. 24 25. The Lord raised him up from feeding on the lowest dust in Satan's kingdom of darkness and death to feed on the highest never-perishing meats divine and creature glories in his Kingdom of marvelous Light By this most transcendent change from a most polluted Beast in the first creation to the highest rank of Saints in the second was he enabled to give a true account of the single first-creation Spirit of Nature in all the several parts states conditions and dimensions thereof from first to last as having fully experienc'd it in all its wisdom and folly all the pleasures and contentments of it whether in the corrupt or enlightned state thereof As the result of all his Observations and Experiences he declares it in general to be the Woman he describes and character 's Vers. 26. And I find more bitter then death the Woman whose heart is snares and nets and her hands as bands whoso pleaseth God Heb. is good before God shall escape from her but the sinner shall be taken by her The Mystery here lies in the Woman figured out by the amorous inticing practices of the literal Interpretation is properly the discovering the hidden unknown mystical Truth signified in the Scriptures of Truth by literal shadows The Mystery here is the practice and way of the womanish changeable first-creation spirit or natural state in all its variety throughout Satan's whole mystery of iniquity falshood and deceit from the beginning to the end of this World What tumults and confusions the literal Woman is made the occasion of in States Families and all worldly Societies thro' her deluding Arts and Men's foolish dotings on her in the vile womanish spirit of nature on all hands in both Sexes is no news to the common light of Nature in all mankind But God's Words of counsel and instruction signify Mysteries hidden from the best Wisdome of learned Man The literal sense here is obvious to the unlearned To the Mystery then of this Woman Solomon here reflects upon and sum's up his whole Experience in the Life and Wisdom of his natural state after all the sore mistakes he had bin involved in with his fellow-sinners and mortals calling that changeable state in Man and Angel Woman This mystical Woman in both Man and Angel is here consider'd as fix'd in unchangeable enmity to
God and the true Spiritual New-creation Man or Heavenly creature-Life and Image of God in Christ blessed Angels and Saints The ring-leading Head of all thus fix'd is the Devil This Head as representative of the whole party of incorrigible wicked Angels and Men and comprehending them all is the Woman here the mystical Babylonish-strumpet guilty of unpardonable Adulteries and spiritual wickednesses against Christ the true Spiritual Lord and Husband of Angels and Men whom they ought all to obey and be eternally subject to in every thing The very person of the Devil as possess'd of the highest natural glories and excellencies by the first creation was therein the supream first-Covenant Spouse of Christ. But this Spouse soon apostatiz'd and became the grand mystical strange Woman and Adulteress that did from the date of her first sin and fall set herself to draw as many Angels and Men as she could into the same adulterous and murderous mind of enmity against Christ that spiritual Lord and Husband they all ought to submit to his terms of being married to for ever in the new and everlasting Covenant All that rebelliously keep up their own life and beauty in the first against him and the second will be judg'd as mystical Wedlock-breakers Murderers and most criminal Idolaters Ezek. 16. 15 38. The Devil by this practice in the top-excellency of first-creation life has render'd himself a bottomless pit of deceits and all sorts of spiritual wickedness endeavouring and abundantly prevailing through God's permission and Men's wilful folly to corrupt their spirits and fill their hearts with the same unchangeable enmity to Christ and God with himself By the Workmanship of this mystical Woman are Men rendered temples of her unchangeable evil Spirit The mouth of this strange woman is a deep pit he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein This have we from Solomon also Prov. 22. 14. But whoso pleases God shall escape her Thus gives he a true account of the said bottomless pit with the sad condition of all that fall therein and the blessed priviledges of them that escape her All blind leaders with their followers in the first-creation-state excluding Christ and the second tumble together into this deep ditch or bottomless pit of unchangeable wickedness Mat. 15. 14. Luk. 6. 39. The very spirit of the Devil is this ditch or bottomless pit the mother of all mystical Whoredoms and spiritual abominations of the Earth Rev. 17. 5. Or in the earthly natural state lying in wait as a robber for a prey and encreasing the transgressors among Men Prov. 23. 27 28. All that in their renew'd spirit of Nature righteousness of Man or Form of Godliness in the first-Covenant finally deny and reject the Power of Godliness the New-creature-life Wisdom and Righteousness of God in the second are fallen into this bottomless pit of deceits All fix'd first-creation builders on the Sand absolutely reject exclude and deny that Spirit of Grace that 's the corner-stone and rocky foundation of the true Church The Woman here is indeed that strong powerful Man of Sin or Son of Perdition that by his superiour angelical strength and subtilty when faln was too hard for Man at best in innocency By the obedient death only of Man's spirit at best can he receive the life of that new-creation spirit of Christ that 's greater stronger and wiser then he 1 Joh. 4. 4. Then he is an over-match for the Devil able to fight and run down all evil angelical principalities and powers those wicked spirits with all their spiritual wickednesses in high places or counterfeit heavenly appearances Ephes. 6. 10 -13. When strong in the Lord and in the power of his might in the life armour or clothing of God's Spirit of Grace set up in and put upon him then is man able to still the said enemy and avenger Psal. 8. 2. This spirit in man is stronger then the strong man of sin who therefore cannot enter that House or Person it possesses nor spoil his house or goods Mat. 12. 29. Man wise strong and honourable in Christ but by first-covenant communications 1 Cor. 4. 10. Satan is too strong for and can spoil all he has or is All that is in his power Job 1. 12. So let Man want the Spirit stronger than Satan he 'l fall under him and be led captive at his will in and by that very first-covenant life he reckons to be saved in 2 Tim. 2. 26. The wisdom of it cannot discover his snares nor the strength of it withstand his power All 's but as straw and rotten wood to his superiour Angelical Wisdom Strength and Armour Job 41. 27. Flesh and Blood Man at best is so far from being fit to wrestle against evil Angels that they can make all that in Man serviceable to their designs for destroying him as on their side their friend in him In Christ's Spirit of life are Saints only fit to fight down both both Flesh and Blood the natural spirit at best and evil Angels at the back of it to strengthen that Foe of their own house that with them in all its affections and lusts fights and warrs against God and the true interest of their own souls The compleat death of this home-bred Foe but pretending Womanish Friend and Counseller in the Saint's own bosom Mic. 7. 5. is his full deliverance from all Satan's nets and snares For then he finds no part in him that he can tempt or touch please or hurt John 14. 30. When the Saint is crucified as to all worldly desires in him to all worldly desirables without him the God of this World finds nothing in him his Belial-party the enemy of God is extinguish'd and abolish'd The literal Woman by her snares and alluring Arts makes literal the mystical by her's spiritual and more criminal Sodomites T will be easier in the day of Judgment for the former then for the latter Mat. 11. 23 24. The light of Reason in all men may fence against the literal but the best Wisdom and Strength of first-Covenant holy Men is no defence against this mystical Woman's practices upon them Yea she turn's that very Wisdom and Strength with the perishing meats they feed on therein at Christ's earthly table and fruits they bring forth under Christ's Husbandly influence as a fleshly Bridegroom into so many Snares by which she catches them While she keeps them confident in holy flesh or knowledg of Christ after the flesh she renders them wholly regardless of his holy Gospel-spirit and words thereof save to oppose contradict and blaspheme all When Men give up themselves with Christ's first-Covenant gift of life and second-Covenant enlightning gifts and thereby a taste-of his new-Wine Hos. 2. 8. Heb. 6. 4 5. of the the Kingdom to Baal the Devil they become his most Gigantick opposers and strenuous fighters against all Gospel Kingdom-Truths and all that bring such things to their ears When men wilfully deafen themselves to the voice of
by her Nothing but what 's unchangeably good is properly and truly good before God No man then that has not some unchangeable good thing or goodness in him can please God Without a spiritual Faith or new-creature principle of life and action something of the life of the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. distinct from and superiour to the most righteous life of the Sons of Men 't is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Man wise strong and honorable in Christ as a fleshly Bridegroom that has restor'd the old first-creation righteous life of Nature in him and rendered him fruitful there 1 Cor. 4. 10. This is not yet the He that singly as so pleaseth or can please God For then what was Paul that had quitted all the advantages or priviledges that such knowledg of Christ himself after the flesh brings along with it and includes in it 2 Cor. 5. 16. He became a fool weak and despicable there having parted with all that as dung for the knowledg of Christ after the Spirit in his Gospel-life into which risen from the dead Phil. 3. 6 10. Rom. 7. 1 4. Christ requires his Law or first-Covenant Spouses to quit him there as he them die with him there in order to meet him in the life of the second First-Covenant Spouses or Children of Christ live in him but he comes properly to live in them in the second Gal. 2. 20. T is but the Life Wisdom and Righteousness of Man Christ restores and afresh sets up in Men in order to render them his first-Covenant Children and Spouses The Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God a spiritual immortal Gospel-life he sets up in the second in the room of their surrender'd fading mortal Law-life in the first Christ abolish'd death or crucified that Law-life in himself that was subject to death and so brought a Gospel-life and Immortality to light 2 Tim. 1. 10. This is true life in an absolute sence th' other but a shadow In the infallible Light or spiritual Understanding that accompanies and is found in Gospel-life are true Saints enabled to discover all the wiles of the mystical Woman here All the subtile practices and falshoods of evil Angels coming as false Christs and their false Apostles and Prophets Mat. 24. 24. 2 Cor. 11. 13 -- 15. in the dress language and neerest resemblance of the true Christ and his Prophets or Apostles lie open and naked before that understanding in spiritual Saints that judgeth or discerneth all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. That Spirit in which they can discern the deep things of God ver 10. the utmost depths and heigths of Satan can't lie hid from All his nets and snares are seen and all his power of darkness overset and master'd by this Gospel-spirit and marvelous light thereof When the mysterious methods of God's wisdom for Salvation are seen all the depths and methods of delusion Satan can use in the utmost stretch of his Serpentine Wisdom to destroy Men flie open All Satan's Apostles Ministers of his Gospel in whatever variety of doctrine form language or way in the same sandy fallible first-Creation Principles do all center in this point whatever their thought or intent be to run their hearers into the very arms of the Devil as their only security for Salvation If the Devil can impose himself upon them as Christ and God as he can 2 Thes. 2. 4. This must needs be the issue and result of all their teaching 2 Cor. 11. 13 15. Their end will be according to their works All 's earthly and so fewel for the fire of that Wrath that will be kindled on them and all their earthy doctrin life and works at the day of the Lord 's appearing in that Gospel-spirit and life they 'l be found in unchangeable enmity to 2 Pet. 3. 10. No wisdom of Man secures from this Woman here Adam in his unspotted naturals clear from all silth of flesh and spirit too was not fence-proof against the wiles of this Woman The womanish fading changeable first-Creation life in the evil Angel when fallen was too subtile and powerful for man in his inferiour womanish-life of the same kind to deal with before his fall Satan's first lie to Eve passes currant all along this World with multitudes of professors and high pretenders to the Gospel of Christ and Kingdom of God for the very Gospel of Christ to wit that the establish'd righteous life of the first Creation-state of Man is eternal life that man need not will not die at all Literal Sodom Egypt and Babylon are made up of Men sixed in corrupt Nature given up by themselves and therefore also by God to the vile affections enormous lusts and madnesses of that Ro. 1. 26. Mystical Sodom Egypt and Babylon are made up of Evil Angels and enlight'ned first-Covenant Brethren or Professors establish'd or six'd in the 〈◊〉 righteousness of Man and so in unchangeable enmity to the Gospel-righteousness of God These two sorts of Babylonians and Sodomites in these last and worst of times do or will so fill the scene with their super-abounding iniquities literal and mystical as to leave no room for any hearing of Christ's Gospel at all The spiritual Saint by his Gospel-life of that faith that overcomes the World 1 Joh. 5. 4. remains secure amidst this vast heap this innumerable multitude of Babylonians visible and invisible evil Men and Angels under the protecting shadow and comforting influence of Christ's new name that 's the strong Tower into which he runs and is safe Prov. 18. 10. Heb. is set a-loft to wit on that Rock that 's higher then he Psal. 61. 2. But all incorrigible wilful haters and refusers of Christ and his Gospel-truths will every one of them be taken in the snares of the said Woman So it follows Text. But the sinner shall be taken by her He that 's abhorred of the Lord falls into the mouth of this strange Woman whose heart is a deep pit full of snares and nets and her hands bands Who is this sinner the Lord abhors The fixed incorrigible hater and loather of God and his Spirit of Grace call'd God's Soul or Spirit as the spirit of nature Man's Soul Zec. 11. 8. All blind leaders with their followers tumble into this deep ditch or pit Prov. 23. 27. Luk. 6. 39. All whose minds are willingly blinded by the God of this World the Devil lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the supream creature-image of God should shine into or upon them all such embrace Satan's accursed other contrary 〈◊〉 and his spirit of unchangeable enmity to Christ and his They are engaged what in them 〈◊〉 to shut up the Kingdom of Heaven 〈◊〉 off the 〈◊〉 of that Kingdom out of all hearing or reception and to 〈◊〉 open the Kingdom of the Devil asserting that to be the Kingdom of God and his Gospel Christ's So are they with their admirers engaged in 〈◊〉 of the bottomless pit
of deceits full of snares and nets as the very Kingdom of God and Salvation to men And they 〈◊〉 others to hope that they will confirm or make good their word Ezek. 13. 6. In a 〈◊〉 spirit of Divination do Devil and Man joyntly declare this and boldly affirm 't is in the Lord's Spirit of Truth they say so They say the Lord saith They see nothing but vanity and preach up nothing but perishing vanities the natural excellencies or fading things of Man or Angel in the first-creation for eternal Life They speak only of the world this world's vanities and the world hears them all the world wonder 's after them 1 Joh. 4. 5. Rev. 13. 3. All in the but earthly spirit of nature corrupt or righteous are for such Preaching or none at all Satan's Apostles or Ministers come forth in great variety of form language and way all making but a universal Babel of confusion running their hearers into the very bosom of the Devil the bottomless-pit of all deceits and falshoods as their only security for Salvation Men are deeply concern'd to take heed who they hear not such strangers to and enemies of Christ's Gospel Jo. 10. 4 5. and then what and how they they hear Mark 4. 24. Luk. 8. 18. that they rightly take the voice or words of the true Shepherd and his Spiritual Apostles or Messengers and obey them Many may hear right Gospel-words and not understand them Mark 4. 12. And then they 'l not follow or obey them but run still after Satan's Law-Gospel Those that distinguish not the Words of God's from those of the Serpent's Man's Wisdom how should they scape the snares of this grand mystical Adulteress If they suffer themselves willingly to be beguil'd into a perswasion that Satan's Gospel and that which true Saints call Christ's are all one they are caught in the snares of the Devil Satan's Apostles say those that pretend to be Christ's differ from them only in an affected singularity and disguise of words not matter While this shuffle will serve the turn Satan's Gospellers find it not needful or convenient to enter the lists for a debating the case with Sion-Saints about a true Gospel-state But if Christ's Gospel come forth in such sharp discriminating language as to evidence its distinction in the whole matter of it from Satan's and Man's then to prevent yet any farther trouble about it they sit in their Majesterial Chair and in general without meddling with any particular in it decry it for the most dangerous destructive blasphemy and falshood that ever was invented or impos'd upon Men worse then Popery or Mahumetanism then the grossest Idolatries or most brutish practices of any Heathens This general vilifying Christ's whole Gospel-doctrine and assertors of it as the vilest of doctrines and men they 〈◊〉 a far easier and safer way then to meddle with any particulars of it Thus far and at this rate only seems the shock of opposition to be given to it and manag'd against it at this day But if matters once grow to that pass that some valuable number of awaken'd Saints and spiritually convinced Men should be the Assertors Followers and Owners of the very Christ the very Gospel so as to give occasion to Satan's Gospel-ministers to say in the same levened sowr spirit of enmity to God with the Pharisees Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing behold the World is gone after them when this comes to pass enemies will go another way to work The Jews when they could not resist or bear up against the wisdom and spirit by which Stephen spake they could and did through the permission of God and instigation of the Devil silence him as they reckon'd with stones But he being dead yet speaketh as Abel and all other such witnessing Saints most injuriously slain for the Testimony of Jesus in the Spirit of true Prophecy The regenerating transforming assimilating touch of the gospel-Gospel-spirit of Christ sixes Man 's versatile changeable Law-spirit in eternal obedience to and harmony with God The degenerating transforming assimilating touch of the spirit of the Devil on Man's fixes it with himself in unchangeable enmity to God as the very principle of his life desire thought word and action By one or other of these unchangeable good or evil spirits comes man to be lodg'd up in a state of eternal life or death a bed of true rest and unspeakable joy Isa. 57. 1 2. or of everlasting sorrow Isa. 50. 11. torment and vexation of Spirit He that 's born of God's unchangeably good Spirit is secure from the transforming touch of the unchangeable evil-one 1 Joh. 5. 18. The touch of spirits is a qualifying alterative touch baptizes Man's changeable spirit into the unchangeable toucher the Spirit of God or of the Devil By the death of their own spirit that Satan can touch and 〈◊〉 into the life of God's Spirit he can 〈◊〉 touch by this way and means and this only are Saints 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 from all the nets and snares of this grand Adulteress the Devil The whole World all that take up in their worldly earthly life of nature run into them A babe a suckling in Christ's Spirit is too hard for 〈◊〉 Psal. 8. 2. Man in the highest restor'd perfections of his own is no body in his hands Job 41. The incorrigible first-creation sinner is taken by her the new-creation Saint who alone pleases God shall escape all her nets snares hands or bands for ever Vers. 27. Behold this have I found saith the Preacher counting one by one to find out the account Solomon in the Sanctuary-balance the al-searching new-Creation Spirit of true prophecy weigh'd one thing after another so as to give a clear and full account of what he was so inquisitive after an everlasting state of Truth and Righteousness He weigh'd and tried all parts of the first Creation the utmost goodness and excellencies found in Man and Angels before their fall or restor'd in Men since and in the total sum of all found the one thing necessary for the true blessedness of any wanting 'T is not in the whole first-Creation Land of the living Job 28. 21. or state of Life No such thing found he in the whole heap of this World's Vanities So arriv'd he at this negative satisfaction that there 's no hope of ever finding true happiness there He resolv'd therefore no longer to squander away his time with others in seeking for the living amongst the dead or true Life and Happiness in a Region of Darkness and of the shadow of Death No such life as will swallow up Death into Victory is to be found there nothing but what Death will swallow up into Victory and triumph over for ever This he declares Vers. 28. Which yet my Soul seeketh but I find not one Man among a thousand have I found but a Woman among all those have I not found No unchangeably good thing could he find in the first-creation What then found he One
Man among a thousand but no Woman among them all No true happiness to Man or Angel in the changeable womanish first-creation life of either What 's not there can the wisest man never find 'T is folly to seek it there The self-evidencing vanity of all first-creation things is such that all and every one say 't is not in me in us no true life wisdom or goodness no manly unchangeable new-creation Wisdom Life or Goodness is to be found in or amongst us all seek while you will 〈◊〉 28. 12 -- 22. The first-creation life of Nature in the first-covenant spirit or Law-principle of action God alway saw defective as to the true blessedness of Man or Angel He had beforehand therefore even from everlasting set up prepared and kept in reserve to bestow a creature-life of everlasting Righteousness in his new-Covenant gospel-Gospel-spirit that 's in unchangeable harmony with his infinite Divine Spirit Heb. 8. 6 〈◊〉 The Law makes nothing perfect Heb. 7. 19 no incorruptible Perfection or unchangeable good is to be found in the natural first-creation make or Law-life of Angel or Man The Law never had in it nor therefore could give true Life or everlasting Righteousness to any Gal. 3. 21. 〈◊〉 Is it could no need of Grace Gospel new-Covenant new-Creation Man's and Satan's Gospel says there is 〈◊〉 Life in the first Covenant principle the spirit of the Law or natural first-creation-state ye shall not die at all What need then of a second Never look farther for eternal Life Adam's yielding to this Doctrin slew all his posterity Yet abundance of his posterity when restor'd to some measure of the life they had and lost in and with him are at the very same point Can't the universal sad experience of Mankind as to the dreadful consequents of their first sin nor all examples of like Apostacy since nor all the abundant reiterated Warnings and multiplied Counsels of God or Instructions by the mouth of all his holy Prophets and Apostles or Messengers since the World began yea and by the Son himself prevent men's running into the same error sinning after the similitude of Adam's transgression What then can How currant does renewed old first-creation life pass at this day for new and the words thereof for Gospel How mad were the righteous Jewish Teachers and Professors with Christ for disturbing their peace and dashing their hopes in Satan's Gospel-state Whereas 't is in God's new-creature life and wisdom only on the death and loss of all this we can receive God's eternal good things to have hold and enjoy for ever These are we to eye and look at 2 Cor. 4. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. Not one Woman could Solomon a true spiritual Preacher find in the whole first-creation not one Man or Angel in that changeable womanish state in whom was any such thing as eternal Life or everlasting Righteousness any unchangeable good thing From his certain experience and infallible sight hereof he declares it 's never there to be had But he leaves not the point so On this Negative testimony giving a dash on the whole first-creation state he proceeds to the Affirmative shewing where the one thing necessary unchangeable Goodness is to be found in the second or new-creation Spirit and State signified by the one Man among a thousand The manly Spirit of the second Adam never sinn'd nor can any born of it as living and walking therein 1 Tim. 2. 14. 1 Joh. 3. 9. Gal. 5. 25. This one Man the manly new-creation Spirit Solomon found among the many thousands of blessed Angels and Saints yea in Christ the head and all the members of his mystical body the Church Col. 1. 18. 1 Cor. 12. 13. Eph. 5. 23. Christ and all his true thorow-followers whithersoever he goes and call's them make up the one mystical Man in unchangeable opposition to the Devil and all his Babylonish Party of Angels and Men fix'd in the first-creation womanish state the whole mystical-Whore of Babylon Not one Man nothing of the manly new-creation spirit in all these nor one Woman to be found nothing of the womanish spirit in all the compleated new-creation body of Christ the one mystical Man All these come to be of the same mind and judgment in every thing as one Man There' s no Female in new-creation Life no Male in the first Angel Man and Woman are all but the mystical Woman in the first and when fix'd there unchangeably so and so an unchangeable Adulteress against the man Christ to whom she ought to have been married in the second In a peculiar prerogative-sence Christ himself is the one Man among a thousand even thousands of thousands of his Spiritual Saints and Angels as the fountain of that Life they are all partakers of He never fails to give it in the distinct measures and seasons appointed by his Father to all the Father has given him Joh. 17. 2. All the things of the Man here are eternal of the Woman temporal Eternal Life and Death are set before us in these two Spirits the manly second and the womanish first-Creation Spirit All that hate Christ in the second love and chuse their own eternal Death in the first Prov. 8. 36. Christ the one Man Solomon found among the thousands of his Saints in a headship of pre-eminency over and above them all comprehensively signifies the whole number of elect Angels and Men in whom his one Spirit lives and they in it Here then have we the negative and affirmative Testimony of this Kingly Preacher in this grand concern of Man where eternal Life is to be found and where not Ver. 29. Lo this only have I found that God hath made Man upright but they have sought out many Inventions Here 's a farther account not only of the first-creation state but man's evil use thereof God made him upright pure clean and righteous without spot any filth of slesh or spirit very good Gen. 1. 31. but changeably so So soon did he make himself very evil by rebellion against him that made him very Good This by following his own many evil inventions Having once rebell'd do men set themselves to seek out many inventions to justifie and fortifie themselves in their self-chosen evil way of rebellion against God to their own destruction This destructive trade are they at might and main turning the deaf ear to the spiritual charmer the spirit of Truth in Christ and his followers wholly rejecting all the Counsels of God against their own souls Luk. 7. 30. This is the case of all first-covenant Lawyers in the renew'd righteous life of the Law in their own spirit of Nature in enmity to the newness of life in Christ's Gospel-Spirit of 〈◊〉 and all the words thereof They resolutely and confidently walk in their own invented paths to damnation refusing resisting defying contradicting and blaspheming the only way of God's invention and most wise contrivance for their Salvation God's abundantly declared way from first
to last and all along is a death-pass to the spirit of Nature under the cross or death-work of his Spirit of Grace into its own everlasting righteous Life It takes down their natural sandy-foundation'd Building to build them up anew in its rocky-life that 's 〈◊〉 then theirs as the Heavens than the Earth a Life a Glory never to be done away Man is grown to have exceedingly contrary thoughts and ways to God's in reference to Salvation And he will on in his own invented way to destruction rather then in God's to Salvation Hereby have all Men in and with the first and many Angels given many infallible sinful proofs the wrong way of the changeableness of the good and upright state they were 〈◊〉 in The good Angels with their head as the Lamb 〈◊〉 from the foundation of the World proved it the right way by a death of that and resurrection into a life unchangeably good 〈◊〉 the Head look'd and went they look'd and went turned not or looked back as they went When he was lifted up from the Earth or out of the earthy changeable first-creation life of Nature these angelical wheels or chariots were lifted up by him For his spirit was in them Ezek. 1. 12. and v. 19 -21. and Ezek. 10. 11. The spirit of the living creature or spirit of life was in them v. 16 17. They follow'd the Lamb whithersoever he went thro' the death of the first-creation state into the Resurrection-life of the second in which he became the first-born from the dead Col. 1. 18. In the utmost reach of those words Rev. 14. 4. the peculiar Spousal Saints follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes over all the heads of the highest elect Angels sitting on the very Throne with him as his Bride and Wife about which they stand Rev. 7. 11. as friends of the Bridegroom and his choice Bride from among men A sinless power of sinning was in Angel and Man at best The exerting this in sinful Acts was their sin and fault unpardonable in Angels at first pardonable in Men till wilfully committed the second time in their own persons after the similitude of Adam's first sin This amounts to a fix'd preferring the Life Wisdom and Nature of Man to the Life Wisdom and Grace of God the Creature to the Creator The fruit of this their own device and invention will Men find a sowrer Grape then Adam at first ate unchangeable Wrath Prov. 1. 31. Many such do prosper in their own self-chosen way having more then heart can wish in this World They set their mouth against the Heavens or heavenly Spirit of Christ in himself and Saints Psal. 73. 7 9. But what come they to Desolation in a moment they are utterly consum'd with terrors ver 18. 19. They spend their days in wealth or mirth and in a moment go down to their eternal grave Job 21. 13. These fat and strong Cattel in first-Covenant Life Strength and Wisdom thrust with their shoulder and push the diseased with their horns the lean feeble poor and needy Cattel Spiritual Saints whose Natural Man is death-struck by the Cross or Gospel-sword plagu'd and chasten'd continually thereby Ezek. 34. 20 21. Psal. 73. 14. Those the Lord is thus disciplining for Salvation Heb. 12. 6 7. the poor and needy little ones of Christ's flock do the sturdy daring stiff-necked self-confident proud fat full wise strong and honourable 1 Cor. 4. 10. first-Covenant Cattel despise deride shoot all their revengeful Arrows bitter Words against Psal. 50. 20. Their teeth are Speares and Arrows their Tongues sharp Swords against them Psal. 57. 4. Thus are they merrily posting to the Chambers of Death while the impoverish'd needy ones of Christ are passing through much Tribulation into the Kingdom of God Act. 14. 22. The former make swist steps in the broad way to Destruction the latter safe steps in the narrow way under the Cross that narrows and shrinks Nature to death unto Salvation The former set their heads awork to invent what will gratify their own Wills in a known contrariety to God's They fondly and madly please themselves with hopes of Salvation in a state all mankind have experienc'd no such thing was ever to be found in at best in innocency The Righteousness of it then was but a fading Garment Since the fall 〈◊〉 raggs Isa. 64. 6. Think they to enter the Kingdom and sit at the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb in such Garments where all the Guests are cloath'd with everlasting Righteousness See what 's like to become of them 〈◊〉 22. 11 13. Their life is not of the same kind nor their Garments of the same Cloth make or fashion with the true Saint's So will they be thrown out of Christ's Kingdom of Marvelous Light into Satan's accursed Darkness their own proper deserved place with Judas Act. 1. 25. Angel's first sin rendred them unchangeably evil because unpardonably wicked being a full noon-tide daring and most presumptuous Sin against the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 first sin render'd him but changeably evil and if he love that so well as to become unchangeable in it he will sind himself in the same condition with evil Angels even in unchangeable enmity to God Let God then be true and every Man a liar Rom. 3. 4. God made Man upright Man by his own evil choice and invention has spoil'd himself and is the single and only demeritorious cause of his own ruine He seeks out many inventions Errour is manifold Truth one the gospel-Gospel-spirit of Truth one in head and members Men are toss'd to and fro into variety of Opinions and Ways from their various conceptions in their fluid wavering unstable unconstant spirit under the blasts and inspirations of Devils David aware of this pray'd for that right or constant Spirit of God the evil one can't touch Psal. 51. 10. 1 Joh. 5. 18. Yesterday to day and for ever from everlasting to eternity is God's Creature-Spirit of Truth one and the same This 〈◊〉 the one thing with all its things of God awak'ned Spiritual Saints are for and interpret the Scriptures of Truth given by this Spirit of Truth into Man's one thing and things of that thing is his own spirit of nature which by the Conceptions and Words of his own Wisdom he interprets all Scripture into in favour and defence of himself against the cross of Christ and all the spiritual Truths and sence of Scripture the things of God as the very sum and substance of all his humane Divinity And he will not endure this one thing of his should be call'd by its right name a spirit of direct enmity to God and all his Gospel-Truths Consequently as unwilling is he Christ's one thing or Spirit of Truth should be call'd by its right name or any name at all He denies there is any such Holy Ghost or Spirit at all communicable to men John's Disciples and conscientious faithful followers in first-covenant holiness Paul found at Ephesus wholly ignorant of any such thing
as this Gospel new-creature Spirit or Holy Ghost Act. 19. 2. Men clap all the titles of Christ's one thing on the back of their one thing that 's a spirit of darkness enmity and death Their but renewed spirit of Nature must needs amount to a state of Grace Regeneration New Creature Heir of the Kingdom of God What then must the very Christ the very Spirit of Grace and Truth be a Blasphemer a Devil Thus did the children of the Devil first-covenant Professors baptiz'd into his spirit of unchangeable enmity to God call the Holy Ghost or Gospel-spirit in Christ himself with all its Words Joh. 1. 11. 8. 44. 10. 20. and Mat. 12. 24 32. This subtil Serpentine trade won't do man's work when God is Judg himself Psal. 50. 6. He will call every thing by its right name Man's Wisdom in Divinity calls every thing by a wrong name all his natural God's spiritual things And what name title or character then God's things must have with him is easie to guess If natural Man or Angel will needs be as Gods in the proudly and presumptuously assum'd soveraignty and uncontroll'd exercise of their own Wills they 'l certainly judg and call the true Spiritual Man a Fool that quits all this as dung with Paul which they ruffle in Hos. 9. 7. 8. 1 Cor. 4. 10. No remedy for this in Man's day or Judgment In God's there will True Saints ought in Faith and Patience to possess their Souls quietly waiting for the decision of all Zion-controversies at Christ's second appearing to their Joy and to the Confusion of all their self-confident proud boasting enemies Isa. 66. 5. Your first-Covenant Brethren that hate you sit and speak against you Psal. 50. 20. Ezek. 33. 30. and cast you out excommunicate you as Blasphemers but I 'le appear says God to your Joy and then they shall be asham'd I 'le excommunicate them out of my Church and lay them under the Anathema Maranatha for ever under my everlasting Curse and Wrath. Let the naturalist then or first-Covenant Brother for a season wear the title of the second and allow him nothing but Blasphemer and Mad-man consider the great Lord and Master Did not he quietly endure the Contradictions and Reproaches of such Righteous first-Covenant Sinners against the second in his own day and turn on Earth among the only professing People in the World All will out at last after all scrambling confounded doings in this dark World and Kingdom of Satan All shame will be laid at the right door and God and his true Saints be glorified All in good time God's time is best Mean while the one uniform truth of God most harmoniously represented all along the Scriptures of Truth in great variety of Similitude Language and Type is in a manner universally rejected even by Professours and their one sandy-foundation'd thing by a lying Spirit of Divination set up in the room thereof which in the highest sence is the abomination that makes desolate Mat. 24. 15. and herein boast they themselves as to that great variety of the many Inventions they stand here charg'd with as their own self-destroying folly and madness The true spiritual Church own only one God and Father of all one Lord one Faith one fire-Baptism one Spiritual Circumcision setting fire upon and cutting off all fleshly life holy and profane in Pharisee and Publican The Church on the sand has many Gods many Lords of their Faith which are many Devils many Men in their differing and various teachings or doctrines all which in the same lying spirit of Divination do tend directly to the Destruction of themselves and hearers Such false Christs and Apostles evil Angels and Men will in these latter times more then ever pass unquestionably for the true as coming in the guise language dress and appearance thereof Has not the true Christ and his great Apostle foretold all this Mat. 24. 5. ver 23 25. 2 Cor. 11. 13 15. In such disguise they 'd deceive if possible the very Elect. The Worldly Church on the Sand boasts of such variety of Invention as amounts to but a glorying in their own shame Such poetical Creation-Preachers are always liars Tit. 1. 12. Under all pretence to Gospel are they the flattest enemies to it They come with methodiz'd discourse in the contrivances and Words of their own Wisdom Doctrine Reasons Uses Motives order'd and placed rank and file in Battel-array with the Armour of Man upon them to fight the Devils Battel against all Spiritual Saints and Gospel-Truths These are your Gospel-Merchants that corrupt or deal deceitfully with the word of God 2 Cor. 2. 17. destroying Souls for dishonest gain Ezek. 22. 27. They labour to make the truly Righteous sad by their reproachful censures and strengthen the wicked in their hidden mystical uncleanesses and abominable Idolatrys Ezek. 13. 22. They interpret Scripture into anti-Gospel-Doctrine and then invent reasons for it uses of it motives and arguments to follow and obey it all to encourage people in their Self-chosen way to the Chambers of death the congregation of the dead or assembly of Giants the Gigantick sighters against God Prov. 21. 16. Gen. 6. 4 5. All their Preaching Reasons and Uses as pretending to shew and lead men into the true Gospel-way of Salvation runs in a strein of direct enmity to all the spiritual reasonings and words of Christ's gospel-Gospel-spirit and so to the whole Counsel of God Paul declar'd Act. 20. 27. The right opening the Scriptur's is an opening the Kingdom of God This does the true publick one gospel-Gospel-spirit of Christ in himself and Saints The private natural womanish changeable spirit of man shuts out all spiritual Kingdom-Truths and in union with Satan open's his kingdom or bottomless pit of deceits and preaches up that first-creation state he has chosen as the only true Salvation When thus resolutely engag'd they disswade all people and frighten them what they can from touching or coming near such doctrin as indeed opens the Kingdom of Heaven as the arrantest Heresy and Blasphemy in the World This is the old Pharisaical trade of hypocritical Sinners in Zion Mat. 23. 13. But true interpretation of Scripture in that Spirit and Wisdom none are able to bear up against Act. 6. 10. will speak for it self in the hearts and consciences of the hearers and be a savour of life or death to the obedient receivers or wilful rejecters thereof The Cryptick Methods and Arts of man's mercenary wisdom are calculated to deceive All their Elocution Mymical gestures and affected tones look this way These humane Artifices are not to be used in uttering the words of God's Wisdom but cleer powerful spiritual demonstration 1 Cor. 2. 4. This was the way of Christ and his inspir'd Pen-Men or Teachers in the words of his Wisdom whether speaking to a multitude or only in answer to particular inquiries Convincing evidence and demonstration in the Wisdom and Power of the Holy 〈◊〉 were they
wisdom of man is nothing in the case The words of God's Wisdom his oracles whether given in Dreams Visions or by his true Prophets are too hard for that interpreter The new-creature wisdom of God in Daniel and the three Children was ten times better than that in all the Magicians or wise men in the Realm Dan. 1. 20. In this could Daniel tell both the oraculous dream of Nebuchadnezzar and the interpretation those wise men neither Dan. 2. The great prophetical Image of worldly Monarchy from that day to the end of this World Man's day and Satan's reign was the matter of the Dream Then the Dream of the great high Tree which more particularly related to Nebuchadnezzar himself was interpreted by Daniel also Dan. 4. 22. And after this in the reign of Belshazzar grandchild to Nebuchadnezzar did the same Daniel interpret the Mene Tekel on the Palace-Wall none of the wise Men of Babylon knew what to make of Dan. 5. 15. and v. 25 28 Daniel as an awakened spiritual Saint knew the interpretation of the thing or word no wisdom of Man could interpret Yet does the but restored righteous first-covenant Saint Wise Strong and Honorable in Christ there figur'd by the wise Men of Babylon Egypt and the King of Tyre presumptuously reckon himself wiser then Daniel or Paul Ezek. 28. 3. 1 Cor. 4. 10. The Queen recommending Daniel to frighted amaz'd King Belshazzar when she saw his thoughts trouble him and Countenance chang'd said there 's a man in thy Kingdom in whom is the Spirit of God an excellent Spirit having the light understanding and wisdom of God in it by which he had knowledge and understanding for interpreting dreams shewing hard sentences and dissolving doubts or untying knots as the Chaldee reads Daniel interprets the Mene Tekel and the execution was speedy For that night was King Belshazzar slain by the Medes and Persians who after two years siege then enter'd the Town by diverting the River Euphrates Dan. 5. 5 -- 31. Here 's the truly 〈◊〉 man His Wisdom consists in and is evidenced by a right interpreting of Parables and dark sayings of important concern in their significancy but too obscure and difficult for man's wisdom at best to deal with or unriddle Neither literal nor mystical Magicians Men or Angels in any first-creation understanding or learning can interpret them Such another as Daniel was Joseph long before Pharaoh had two Oraculous Dreams that by their impression upon his mind signified that they signified some important thing to him and his people but what he could not tell This was left for the true interpreting Spirit in Joseph to declare Nebuchadnezzar knew tho' his Dream was slipp'd from him that 't was an Oracle from God and had a concerning significancy so his spirit was troubled as Pharoah's in like case till they both knew what their Dreams meant Dan. 2. 1. Gen. 41. 8. They were both perfect puzzlers to the wisdom of man None of the wise men in Egypt or Babylon could interpret either of these Kings Dreams Pharoah's doubled Dream in two distinct Sleeps signified the same things seven years Plenty and then seven of Famine The fat and lean Kine coming out of the River Nile signified the same cause of the Plenty and Famine of the Plenty by its wonted overflowings and of the Famine by failing therein The two Kings for the signal benefits they received by the hand of these two choice Saints advanc'd them to great worldly dignities in their several Kingdoms and days The Reason given was because the Spirit of God was in them Gen. 41. 38. Dan. 2. 48. 5. 11. Is this a qualification for preferment with Kings now a-days tho' call'd Christian that these two Heathen Princes preferr'd Joseph and Daniel for Were there true Gospel-Saints in Heathen Cesars houshold Phil. 4. 22. in Paul's time Where are such now in Christian Cesars housholds The Wisdom then or Understanding that judges or 〈◊〉 all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. and so can interpret all words into those things signified by them as God's full intent and meaning in them this renders the happy 〈◊〉 thereof the wise man here meant It makes him a Seer of God one that can read understand and declare the whole Counsel of God about the Salvation of men Such Wisdom as reaches the deep things of God's very Divinity and most excellent spiritual creature-things of Christ and God sure natural the lowest general rank of things in Man and Angel's first-creation-make can't lie hid from The divine and spiritual things of God knoweth no Man or Angel in their single natural make or state but in the Spirit of God the new-Creature Gospel-spirit of Christ becoming the Principle of their Life and discerning by a new-Creation of them 1 Cor. 2. 10 15. Such Wisdom is not found in the first-creation Land of the living or State of Life Visible or invisible natural things first-creation Vanities are the bounding utmost immediately discernable objects of the highest Wisdom in that state No fowls of the Air Angels by their mystical Vultur's Eye or quickest clearest natural sight do so much as reach that place or spiritual state in Christ where true Wisdom and Understanding are found Job 28. 7 12 13 20 21. Spiritual Light darted on the natural Understanding of Man or Angel may convince them both that there are not only Divine but Spiritual new-Creature things which are quite out of the reach of their bare natural Understandings And that 't is in the awak'ned principle of spiritual Life only they can properly and fully see and enjoy such things All then that undertake to handle the written Oracles or Word of God without this only Key or true interpreting Wisdom of God communicated to them in his creature-Creature-Spirit of Grace we may easily judg what work they are like to make on 't or what recompence they 'l have for their pains How Men that handle the written Word of God in a Wisdom and Spirit that 's foolishness and enmity to the living Word Spirit and Wisdom of God will be handled by that living Word at last may easily be guess'd Man in all first-Covenant Life Light Wisdom Righteousness Holiness is but holy flesh wise strong and honourable in Christ yet but the natural Man that can't receive the things of God for they are foolishness to him and Paul or any true Spiritual Saint is reckon'd a fool for owning or asserting any such things 1 Cor. 2. 14. 4. 8 10. They are not the objects of the natural understanding are only spiritually discern'd And he is offended and stumbles at the cross-doctrine of death to his natural state as undispensably necessary to his coming at true Wisdom or spiritual Understanding Such doctrine he reckons folly and madness 1 Cor. 1. 23. Joh. 10. 20. Hos. 9. 7 8. First then negatively where is true Wisdom not to be found not in the first-Creation Land of the living Then affirmatively where is it to be had
In the new-Creation Land of the living or spiritual Gospel-state of life The Wisdom of Man that can't discern spiritual Things or Truths how should it interpret the words of God's Wisdom that means only such things by all first-creation shadows figures and similitudes All Scripture as to the true spiritual intent and meaning of God is a Book seal'd to the highest natural Wisdom of Angel or Man Isa. 29. 11. All divine and spiritual things of God meant in the Scripture are mysteries fast lock'd up from that sort of Understanding in learned or unlearned Man Man then going to work with that which discerns no things of God shuts out all those things that are shut up from him out of his humane Divinity so call'd and so shuts up the Kingdom of Heaven in stead of opening it to his Hearers Let him read study and preach as long as 〈◊〉 lived he comes not one jot nearer the mysteries or Truths of God in the Scriptures then when he lay in his cradle Yea worse he is a direct enemy to all such Truths or Things when declared he hates and detests them as blasphemous Fictions So shutting up the Kingdom of God runs down himself and his blind Followers to the Chambers of death In a lying humane spirit of Divination back'd with Satan's lying evil angelical spirit do Men come forth to declare the Truths of God and say the Lord saith Ezek. 13. 6. God signifies his divine and spiritual things to Men which lie quite out of their natural discerning and reach by such earthly shadows and figures as are discernable to them and they lay hold on those shadows denying all allegorizing or interpreting them into God's Spiritual Heavenly truths or things God's things can be no otherwise spoken to man then in parables or by such things as are discernable to him Mat. 13. 34. The truly wise spiritual Saint only understands the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven or mysterious things of God signified in the Scripture v. 11. To others that stick in the letter all 's a parable a 〈◊〉 And thus do even Saints themselves before the incorruptible Seed or principle of Spiritual Life be actually waken'd up in them And after that also their natural Man so 〈◊〉 as unsubdued and untransform'd into harmony with their spiritual in life and light understands not such Mysteries No Man in his natural state receives Christ's Testimony of spiritual heavenly Truths or things Joh. 3. 31 32. Man's very Wisdom or understanding is the Vail on him the partition-wall between him and all spiritual things The exchange of that by the obedient death of nature for God's unspeakable gift of spiritual Life and Wisdom is his only possible way of coming at any right and full understanding of the Scriptures Man swells and puffs at any thing his understanding can't reach and his Will hates so scoffs at allegorizing the Scriptures or interpreting them into some other farther things then the literal shadow or figure lest something should by so deep dipping into it be turn'd up for Truth that 's above his understanding and not pleasing to his Will In love to his own Wisdom he denies there is any other but God's purely divine no spiritual Creature-Wisdom And if any pretend to that he censures them for Luciferian Presumption He denies that superiour Creature-wisdom Saints are partakers of which is call'd also the Wisdom of God and then most falsely taxes them with pretending to the very infinite divine Wisdom The spiritual Saint only has the seeing Eye hearing Ear and understanding Heart the senses suited to the divine and spiritual things of God All others 〈◊〉 see not and hearing hear not nor understand Mat. 13. 13 -15 From Isa. 6. 9 10. The spiritual wise Man in his new erected intellect and life sees all things divine and twofold creaturely spiritual and natural in their very hidden essences properties and naked evidence The natural wise Man does but conjecture guess at the hidden properties essences and occult qualities as he therefore call's them of the very visible or lower sort of natural things In the Apocryphal Wisdom of Solomon we find words to this purpose Chap. 9. 13 -- 18. What man knows the Counsel of God Or who can think what the Will of the Lord is The thoughts of mortal Men are miserable and our devices uncertain For the corruptible body presseth down the Soul the earthy Tabernacle weigheth down the Mind which museth on many things Hardly guess we aright at things on Earth that are before us but things in Heaven who hath searched out Thy Counsel who hath known except thou give Wisdom and send thy holy Spirit from above For so the ways of Men on Earth are reform'd as taught things pleasing to thee and saved through Wisdom Lo then the vast differences of natural and spiritual Wisdoms or Understandings The divine and spiritual creature-things of Christ and God are clearly discernable to the one and not the lower sort of natural things to the other Spiritual Wisdom that sees all the things of God can interpret all the words of God declare the very divine thought intent and meaning in all They that have this unction from the holy one know all things The said anointing teacheth of all things 1 Joh. 2. 20 27. That new-creature Gospel-spirit of Truth wherewith true Saints are anointed guides them into all Truth and shews them things to come even all that God will do with the obedient submitters to or incorrigible Rebels against the said Spirit for ever in eternal Life or Death This Spirit in the awaken'd-up seed thereof will bring to remembrance words or things past also what their natural Man in the days of their ignorance has receiv'd the report of by the hearing of the 〈◊〉 and give them the clear full sight or understanding of by the seeing of the spiritual Eye or new Intellect Joh 14. 26. Job came to the blessed experience of this by and after the sufferings of his natural Man under the Cross Job 42. 5. All things the Father hath are mine says Christ and this Spirit of mine in you shall shew you all Joh 16. 14 15. all the things of my new-creation Kingdom in the conjunctive Divine and Creature-glories of me the King thereof all which are Mysteries hidden and shut up from all natural first-creation understanding of Man or Angel They can be spoken to that only in Parables figuratively represented to it only by first-creation Shadows and Similitudes in dark sayings till open'd by the spiritual Remembrancer in Men. This is the Interpreter Messenger Apostle or sent-one of God as Elihu calls him that can shew to Man his Uprightness Job 33. 23. Yea make him unchangeably upright in God's sight He was not made so by the first-creation For then could he not have miscarried by his many inventions as 〈◊〉 7. 29. This Spirit makes the Saint wiser then all his first-creation Teachers in the words of Man's Wisdom who will yet pretend to
or crucifying-work upon their natural State They desire no knowledg of him in such ways of saving them Joh. 6. 66. The Devil 's and his Instruments destructive but pleasing Ways and Counsel they like better And then in the darkness of his Spirit and Counsels they think to hide themselves from this King saying no Eye sees them how does God know what they are doing Psal. 73. 11. They are for this call'd brutish Fools Psal. 94. 7 11. Brutish Men and Fools know not this that when the wicked spring as the grass and workers of Iniquity flourish 't is that they shall be destroy'd for ever Psal. 92. 6 7. T. Stand not in an evil thing Persist not in this evil Practice of turning from this King and in this vain thought of securing your selves from his sight and just revenging Power Ye may soon sin your selves out of the reach of his mercy but never get out of the reach of his Wrath. Your endeavour to get speedily out of his sight or out of the hearing of his words will soon bring you under his Wrath that can do what he pleases with you If ye will not have this spiritual King reign over you he will command his Angels to slay you Luk. 19. 14 27. They 'l be a 〈◊〉 fire on all final Resisters of his Gospel-doctrine and Spirit 2 Thes. 1. 7 8. He will rejoyce over all such to destroy them that refuse all his offers of good to them Deut. 28. 63. If they 'l not please him he will please himself in their destruction If they 'l not give the Glory due to him he will take it by executing his just Vengeance on them Actively or passively by what they do or shall suffer will he be glorified of all If man agree not with Christ appearing as an Adversary and quietly deliver up his guilty sinning nature to his Gospel-cross Fire and Sword he will plead against him as justly demeriting final Destruction Mat. 5. 25 26. If his Gospel-sword on Man's Law-spirit be summitted to he will be an Advocate and prevailing Pleader for his final acceptance with God the Judg of all Heb. 12. 23. Let 's deliver up the guilty Rebel this mystical Sheba 2 Sam. 20. 16 -- 22. the natural spirit to his spiritual Sword and all shall be well everlasting Peace will be proclaim'd to us Vers. 4. Where the word of a King is there is power and who may say unto him what dost thou In the word of this glorious universal King is Power to fulfil it on all his Subjects in Love or Wrath whether submitted to or rebell'd against There 's no questioning the reason of his Will or Authority of his Commands He is furnish'd with absolute Soveraignty to accomplish his unchangeably righteous Will on all opposers thereof He is abundantly qualified Isa. 11. 1 -4. to exercise God's soveraign Authority over all Not in the Law-spirit of Nature by the sight of its eyes or hearing of its ears will he judg reprove or punish but in his everlasting righteous and infallible Gospel-spirit of Grace and Truth Man's Law-spirit of restor'd Nature is in effect warranted by man's wisdom to be the Tree of Life and Christ's Gospel-Spirit that indeed is so exploded as an enthusiastical fiction with all the words thereof Where this Gospel takes place that Satan preach'd to Eve and where does it not there 's no hearing for Christ's His Grace and Gospel are made void and the declarers thereof reckon'd meer no-bodies with Paul among rich first-covenant Professors and Teachers 1 Cor. 4. 10. 2 Cor. 10. 12. He will abundantly recompence his meek ones in love and his and their Enemies in wrath 2 Thess. 1. 6 -10. All secret wickednesses will lie naked before his all-penetrating light Heb. 4. 12 13. He will be a swift Witness against Condemner and Punisher of all incorrigible Adversaries When he summon's all' before him Eccl. 12. 14. 2 Cor. 5. 10. 't will be seen and felt that in the word of this King is power He will accomplish all his words for he can do what pleases him Isa. 55. 11. And he will silence and render most frivolous all contradiction or opposition No Man or Angel will have any colour for questioning his proceedings with them He will set up an undeniable Testimony of the equity of his dealings towards them in their own consciences So every mouth of iniquity will be stopp'd For who may say to him what dost thou He will be found unquestionably just in doing what he pleases Vers. 5. Whoso keepeth the Commandment shall feel no evil thing and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment Here 's the comfortable Use and Application of this great Truth a declaration of the unexpressible Blessedness and Safety of those that keep this King's Command Whoso hearkens to him shall dwell safely and be quiet from fear of evil Prov. 1. 33. Those that speak no evil or blasphemous word against him shall hear of no evil or condemning and punishing word from him against them He will set them above the power of all evil dangers or enemies whatsoever Quest. But what 's the Commandment carries so great advantage with it to the Observers thereof Answ. That the keeping whereof imports and implies an universal obedience to this divine and spiritual King First-covenant Servants and People of God that may again become no People yea a downright Synagogue of Satan Rev. 3. 9. Such while knowing well-vers'd or mighty in the letter of Scripture and strict in obedience thereto may be altogether strangers to the spiritual mind of their Master therein Joh. 15. 15. If when convincingly shew'd and offer'd Christ's Gospel-life they finally refuse to part with their Law-life and all they have therein for it they become a Synagogue of Satan and perish for ever Servants in Christ God's house for a season if on the utmost trial they refuse to become Sons by losing their servile Law-life of bondage for the glorious Gospel-life and liberty of the Son of God the King here meant they must turn out and never come in it more Joh. 8. 35 36. Such Children of the Kingdom will be cast out and Publicans and Harlots with Zaccheus and Mary Magdalen common sinners of the Gentiles from all parts lifted over all their heads by true Gospel-conversion and brought to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 8. 11 12. 21. 31. This doctrine or declaration as to common Sinners in the corrupt spirit of nature being effectually caused to receive the Gospel while a professing first-covenant People despise and reject it are disobedient and gain-saying to Paul notes as a holy boldness for God in the Prophet Isaiah Rom. 10. 19 21. Isa. 65. 1 2. A People of God in the first becoming no People again and those that are no People of God in either Covenant made all on a sudden a peculiar People in the second these are the chops and changes of condition
incident to Men under the wonder-working Power and Grace of God in the King of Saints Hos. 1. 6 10. God requir'd Israel to own him King submit to the Government of his Spirit in Samuel the same Spirit in which Christ is universal King All in that Spirit are his true obedient Subjects Any Person or any People that will not have this spiritual heavenly King reign over them and in them though his earthly Jerusalem Citizens or first-covenant People see how they 'l be handled by him Luk. 19. 14 27. This great universal King lately offer'd to set up his Theocratical Fifth-Monarchy amongst us His earthly-Jerusalem-Citizens in a first-covenant spirit pretended to it as the Corinthian 〈◊〉 in Paul's Gospel-time in a spirit nor Christ nor he could own for a reigning principle 1 Cor. 4. 8. and a huge noise they made of owning the King Jesus in but a knowledg of him after the flesh in a restor'd Law-life the very principle and state the Jews would have 〈◊〉 him King in Joh. 6. 15. Such first-Covenant first-Monarchists Kings or Princes of this World crucified the true King Jesus 1 Cor. 2. 8. They blasphem'd and crucified him for owning a Kingship and Kingdom not of this World in his gospel-Gospel-spirit of Grace and Truth that would have made him a King in that Law-life and spirit they were of and in They cry up their Heathen Cesar for their King rather then such a King Jesus Shall I crucify your King says Pilate We have no King but Cesar say they Joh. 18. 36 37. 19. 12 15. A plain case and our's just He that was for the right King Jesus in his true reigning Spirit must be shuffled out of the World with his great Master as an Enemy both 〈◊〉 Cesar and them 〈◊〉 and a first-covenant People are joyntly for the rooting Christ and his true spiritual Anointed Ones out of the World as not sit to live in it Psal. 2. 1 -- 3. Act. 22. 22. And what got Israel by refusing the King Jesus or Government of God in the said Spirit of true Prophecy grievances enow What help none to remove them God would not as he fore-threatned them when busie about their new choice of Government Ye shall cry because of your King ye have chosen but the Lord will not hear you says Samuel Fair warning See all this 1 Sam. 8. 6 18. The law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus comes to strike down the ruling Power of that spirit in Man that 's but a Law of Sin and of Death and so by setting up his own kingly Rule and Power in him frees him from all evil and bondage Those that willingly submit to this death-blow of Christ on their ruling Law-spirit cast down their Crowns or ruling Power at his Feet and set the Crown on his Head in the day of their new-covenant Espousals to him owning his true kingly-Kingly-Spirit for their Ruler Cant. 3. 11. Christ struck down the earthy Law-king in Paul to the Earth and instantly set up his Gospel-spirit King and Ruler in and over him Act. 9. 3 4. The Law-spirit at best in fallen man is but the Amalekite-Ruler the Agag which tho' Saul spared in favour to it in himself as was implied in his unpardonable sin Samuel in the true Kingly Spirit of Jesus hewed in pieces when he said or thought as Man when the corrupt spirit of Nature is subdued and a Righteous Law-spirit set up in ruling authority in him surely the bitterness of Death is past here 's no Cross or Death-work by a Spiritual Gospel-Sword behind to be brought upon this Righteous Law-life 1 Sam 15. 32 33. Spiritual Friends of Christ have the whole counsel and mind of God made known by him to them First-covenant Servants in their Law-spirit of bondage holy flesh form of Godliness Righteousness of Man tho' as busy as may be in reading hearing preaching and obeying the letter of their Lord's Command in the Scripture are wholly strangers to the spiritual design sense or meaning of their Lord in all They know not what he does Joh. 15. 15. or has now done himself with our nature at best in his own Person nor will consider their duty in following him therein by giving it up at best in whatever state in their persons as God's requir'd Sacrifice He that keeps the spiritual Command of Christ believes or obediently submits to the Law of his Cross shall feel hear see or know no evil thing or word against him from Christ at last day when on his Judgment-Seat But he that believeth not quits not his Law-spirit or principle of life and action under the Gospel-Cross or spiritual Sword of Christ for the Gospel-Life of that very Sword or living Word of God will be damn'd Mark 16. 16. t. And a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment The spiritual wise man discerns an appointed time for the right use of a changeable first-Covenant Law-life and then as an antiquated Law-ceremony with the fading things and glory of it to be done away by a holy death as the Judgment and Command of God in Sacrifice to himself This Gospel-Sacrifice of Man at best was figured by the Law-Sacrifices of clean Beasts and Birds Spiritual Saints under the Law obediently gave up this Gospel-Sacrifice to God And all save a spiritual Seed refuse to give it under the Gospel When restor'd Law-life has serv'd its turn in man by his faithful performing Law-service to God therein suppressing the vile affections of the corrupt spirit of Nature 't is to give way to a better guide Christ's Gospel-Spirit or quicken'd up life thereof A Sentence or Judgment of Death upon the restor'd righteous Law-life of man must be submitted to by him with Paul 2 Cor. 1. 9. Law-life and the things thereof the Wisdom Righteousness Beauty Glory Fruits Works Duties Desires Thoughts Words Actions and all manner of performances therein kept up and finally preferr'd to Christ's Gospel-Life and things of God therein is the highest and most criminal Adultery and Murder Ezek. 16. 15 38. There 's an appointed time for Man and Angel too to die Heb. 9. 27. or lose that first-Covenant Law-life which was set up in them by creation The obedient loss of it under the Cross frees man from all guilt contracted by Sins past and all power of sinning any more for ever He thereby ceases from Sin and comes to be justified before God in a newness of life wherein he can never sin 1 Pet. 4. 1. Rom. 6. 7. 1 Joh. 3. 9. A change by the death of Nature of Law-life for Gospel under the working power of the Grace of God brings Men's matters to that blessed pass that no enemies will find any iniquity in them to charge them with nor will God himself Rom. 8. 33 34. Jer. 50. 20. The guilty sinner in the Saint that has committed innumerable 〈◊〉 is dead and gone and a spirit of everlasting Righteousness is become the single and sole principle
fixed under the conduct thereof as not immediately to quit it for a better Guide the Light of Christ's Gospel Spirit Every one that thus fears God and works Righteousness is accepted with God all along under his various dispensations to them as seeing at first where he shall find them and they him at last even in unchangeable harmony of mind with himself and universal obedience to him in all things By following on to know the Lord from light to light dispensation to dispensation come they at length to a firm indissoluble Union with him With such fearers of God Solomon declares it shall be well They are all along accepted with God and in the same certainty for true Blessedness under the first and second as when under the third and last dispensation actually estated in new-creation principles of everlasting Righteousness In God's sight and purpose 't is sure to be well with them that so fear him that fear before him The doubling the words imports the certainty of both their truly fearing him and its being well with them for ever that are found to have the incorruptible Seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. of true Holiness and everlasting Righteousness in them They fear before him or are seen by him true fearers of him when but under the light of Nature or of the Law tho they have but obscure uncertain thoughts of him or themselves as to his purposes towards them or how it shall be with them for ever or in what spirit and life they can be truly blessed And so come we to the second thing here as positively declar'd by Solomon in the Spirit of Christ concerning the incorrigibly wicked that it shall as certainly be ill with them as well with the true fearers of God Vers. 13. But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his days which are as a shadow because he feareth not before God Though the wicked do evil a hundred times and his days be prolonged in this World and that in great outward or inward Prosperity and flourish so that he has more then heart can wish while the true fearer of God is continually plagu'd and chastned under the sharp discipline of the Cross Psal. 73. 1 -24. Yet at winding up of all t is certain it shall be well for ever with the obedient Saint and ill for ever with the incorrigible Sinner By wicked here are not chiefly nor properly meant such as are dead in the corrupt but made alive in some degree in the enlightned state of Nature and so brought actually under God's trial how they 'l demean themselves in following on to know and obey him till they do all in his Gospel-spirit of Truth Under every dispensation are they found in a directly contrary frame of Spirit to the true Saint and Fearer of the Lord. They fail in the main point a ready quitting inferiour dispensations and all their light life and attainments therein for the third and last a Gospel-state of everlasting Righteousness God requires the exchange of all restor'd natural Principles of Light Life or Operation for his spiritual Gospel Principles They are no true Fearers of the Lord from first to last that finally refuse this change of Life Food and Raiment Hence though they do evil a hundred times in their enlight'ned natural state against the highest and greatest spiritual Gospel-light and are permitted and gratified with a long flourish in all worldly Prosperity it will be ill with them at last for ever God's permitting all this signifies the utmost extent of his Patience and their trial after all which they 'l find themselves bound up in the bundle of Death in and with the very spirit of the Devil in unchangeable enmity to God This house or state of everlasting mourning will conclude their most prolonged day of Jollity and Mirth in their Wickedness The said Sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed for ever Isa. 65. 20. Solomon in a holy scorning contradiction to what he had said of the Sinner's prolonging his days ver 12. says here he shall not prolong his days which are as a shadow This implies that the longest day such sinners against the Holy Ghost or Gospel-spirit are permitted to live on Earth will appear but as a transient shadow to the endless day of their Misery and Sufferings in Hell Their permitted larger time and more abundantly multiplied Wickednesses on Earth will increase their Torments for ever in Hell Wo unto them It shall be ill with them for the reward of their Hands shall be given them Isa. 3. 11. But with the Righteous it shall be well for ever for they shall eat the Fruit of their doings ver 10. in all their obedience to and fearing of God under every of his dispensations to them They have brought forth never-perishing fruits unto God in his newness of Life The incorrigible Sinner shall eat the Fruit of his rebellious doings in his oldness of Letter against God's newness of Life and be filled with his own devices or many inventions Prov. 1 31. Eccles. 7. 29. Thus will it fare for ever with the Saint and Sinner according to the several ways they have walk'd in and course they have steer'd in their own Spirit and Will or God's The Sinner shall go into everlasting Punishment and the Righteous into Life Eternal Mat. 25. 46. To these vastly differing ends do their as vastly differing ways lead Though the wicked not only prolong his days on Earth but be in great Power spreading himself like a green Bay-tree he will pass away and never find himself or be found more to his advantage and comfort Psal. 37. 35 36. Hold out as long as he can in his mortal body his end is to be out off and destroy'd for ever v. 38. But the end of the spiritual upright Man is everlasting peace with God v. 37. A brutish fool understands not this that when the workers of iniquity flourish 't is that they shall be destroy'd for ever Psal. 92. 6 7. In new-creation Sanctuary-light the Spiritual Saint understands and unriddles all 1 Cor. 2. 15. He sees the dreadful end of the wicked's utmost flourish and longest day of prosperity and the blessed end of the Saints utmost tribulations in this world Psal. 73. 17 -20. Job 21. 7 -20. Vers. 14. There is a Vanity which is done upon the Earth that there be just Men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the Wicked again there be wicked Men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the Righteous I said that this also is Vanity This accords with Eccles. 9. 1. God's love or hatred to Men can't be known by his outward dispensations to them or dealings with them in this World Who-e'r goes this way to spell out or judg of his Love or Hatred Approbation of them or displeasure towards them will miss their mark and be dangerously deceived For in the wise Methods of God the truely righteous are
Life is the Principle in which Man does all he rejoyces in a 〈◊〉 with the very Divine Mind and obedience to the Divine Will in all things t. For that shall abide with him c. His labour in the Lord or in his Spirit shall not be in vain 1 Cor. 15. 58. All Fruits brought forth therein shall abide with him and speak for his everlasting acceptation with God Rev. 14. 13. Vers. 16. When I applied mine Heart to know Wisdom and to see the business that is done upon the Earth for also there is that neither Day nor Night seeth sleep with his Eyes Solomon from the said Vanity done upon Earth vers 14. or in the earthy state of Saints and Sinners under the differing Dispensations of God to them proceeds to consider thence the business done upon the Earth In spiritual Wisdom he clearly sees what is in Man John 2. v. 25. 1 Cor. 2. 15. even the whole Life Desire Thought and Work of Humane Nature the business it is doing in the 〈◊〉 first-creation make and state thereof all Man's tormoil in 〈◊〉 Vain Shew or shadowy Life in the Image of the earthy which he seems to inform us of in the following Parenthesis for also there is that neither Day nor Night seeth sleep with his Eyes Here 's a character of Man's earthy nature and unprofitable Labours therein Man is in an embondaging continual solicitude to keep what he knows will be gone when all 's done Yet places he his hopes of Blessedness in such a state No Joy Peace or Mirth can he have but what 's meerly delusive and destructive unless extinguish'd by the Cross and so the Man deliver'd He never sees Sleep with his eyes never has any true rest or peace His spirit has an indeleble bottom-thought and sense of the immortality of its being and mortality of its best natural life and all its fruits or possessions therein which will therefore be gone and leave his naked being in the lurch exquisitly sensible under the wrath to come for refusing the Grace offer'd while it was call'd to day Heb. 3. 7 8. So find's he himself under an impossibility of finding true rest therein or scaping unexpressible torment and vexation of spirit for ever be or do what he can in that state True sleep or the Saints everlasting rest can never be found or had in a fading life of vanity and enmity to God and that very Spirit of Grace in which alone it is to be found True rest can man find only in that newness of life that qualifies to see and enjoy the very Divine Glory of God for ever Without this neither day nor night in the enlighten'd righteous nor dark corrupt state of nature or neither in his day upon earth or night of everlasting darkness in Hell can or will he find rest or see sleep Solomon in the infallible Spirit of truth saw and declar'd where true rest is to be found and where not Hence turns he from that natural state of vanity wherein Man is labouring for and seeking what he can never attain or find and applies his heart wholly to that spiritual life and true wisdom wherein he is sure to find this desirable thing a state of sleep or true rest and satisfaction to the intellectual eye and utmost desires of his Immortal spirit Psal. 37. 4. Vers. 17. Then I beheld all the work of God that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the Sun because tho' a man labour to seek it out yea further tho' a wise man think to know it yet shall he not be able to find it Man neither in the dark corrupt nor most wise enlighten'd state of nature can find out the work of God done under the Sun or the end and design of God in all the first-creation works of his hands 'T is Man's wilful errour to think by the utmost labour of his natural mind to understand God's Divine and spiritual creature mind herein He labours under an utter impossibility of finding what he seeks Solomon would lead his fellow-Mortals into that infallible and immortal Gospel-state where they may find and understand all 1 Cor 2. 15. even the deep divine and spiritual things of God the whole Counsel of God the Methods and Contrivances of his infinite Wisdom about his Creature 's true Happiness They that will not rest from the unprofitable Works of their own Spirit under the Law and Work of the Cross will never find rest in God's and will for ever lose all the fading good and comfort they have for a season found and enjoy'd in their own No Man or Angel finally refusing and turning from God's offer'd spiritual Light can ever in their single natural Wisdom at best find out the finishing work of God or end by him put to the first-Creation State in by and for a second Whoever will not surrender and lose their own Wisdom in the first for God's in the second though they think to know and find all out can never do 't nor find true Rest. If Man prefer himself to his Creatour his Life Wisdom Righteousness to God's he will never find out all the work of God by a first and second Creation but grossly mistake and abuse the first and himself therein and never come within sight of the second do what he can Pretend he does to the interpreting the words of God's Wisdom but what work is he like to make on 't All things spiritual heavenly and eternal lie cleer out of his reach He is brutishly absur'd unreasonable and untreatable about such most concerning things Jer. 10. 14. 2 Thes. 3. 2. And what other Wisdom but Man's in the more refined sort of Teachers has bin the Undertaker at interpreting the Words of God's with any sort of publick reception owning and approbation for many hundred years CHAP. IX V. 1. For all this I consider'd in my Heart Heb. gave or set my Heart even to declare all this that the Righteous and the Wise and their works are in the hand of God no Man knoweth either Love or Hatred by all that is before them SOlomon consider'd or set his Heart in the spiritual Wisdom of God wherein a true Preacher and Seer of God to declare his whole Mind and Counsel about Men. He saw the priviledges of the truly Wise and Righteous that their Persons Ways and Works are in the hand of God with whom they find Praise Commendation and a blessed Reward let Men despise them and say or do what they will or can against them Then he declares concerning them and all other Men that no Man knows either Love or Hatred by all that 's before him But who are the Wise and Righteous here And what 's meant by their Works being in the hand of God To the 1st To Spiritual Saints only does this character belong For they only have that Spirit that 's everlastingly righteous and infallibly wise To the 2d Their Persons and Works in that
Spirit are after a peculiar manner in the hand of God or under his peculiar regard care and approbation as obedient to him in all things Yet by any outward dispensations his Love to them or Hatred to his and their implacable Enemies can't be known For the natural Man or State is gratified in Enemies with more then heart can wish and in Saints or Friends under continual Chastisements Crosses and Disappointments In this cryptick Method or mysterious Course of God's dealing with Friends as Foes and Foes as Friends in all discernable appearances to Man's Wisdom will Man judg enemies the only Favorites of God and Friends rejected cast-aways hated by him for ever as Job's enlighten'd Friends did seem to reckon him when under the Cross Job 4. 7 -9. Psal. 73. 7 -14. Heb. 12. 6 -8. Solomon in the Wisdom of God and true Spirit of Prophecy farther declares Vers. 2. All things come alike to all there is one Event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an Oath In God's dispensations to the outward Man of Saints and Sinners all things come alike to all righteous and wicked good and bad clean and unclean So God's Love or Hatred cannot thereby be known God causes his Sun to shine and Rain to fall on the evil and good just and unjust Mat. 5. 45. From the afflicting or gratifying dispensations of God to the whole natural Man is the Wisdom of Man apt to take the measures of God's Anger or Love God affords invisible as well as visible good things of this World to the inner as well as outer natural Man the Spirit as well as Body of the rebellious as also of those who will prove obedient Saints This as one fruit of Christ's Redemption-work Psal. 68. 18. As to a first-covenant Benefit ' of Christ's death the common or general Salvation all Men are capable of may they be made wise strong and honourable in Christ yea by new or second-Covenant Light also shew'd offer'd and brought to tast and see how good and gracious the Lord is in his new-Covenant-life and after all irrecoverably apostatize and perish for ever 1 Cor. 4. 10. Heb. 6. 4 -6. If man finally keep up his restor'd first-creation changeable righteous Life in enmity to God and his second he perishes for ever If he prefer the Knowledg of Christ after the flesh in the restor'd righteous Life of the Law or conformity to him as born of a Woman under the Law to Christ after the Spirit or in his spiritual resurrection-Life he perishes for ever In this evil self-chosen life and way does God in Judgment gratify Men with invisible fading or natural good things beyond all they can wish Psal. 73. 7. The literal wicked in the corrupt and mystically wicked in the resin'd spirit of Nature may be gratified with all worldly desirables outward or inward to their bodies or spirits and perish for ever after all under the Wrath to come All this Solomon understood and declar'd The natural Understanding even in the spiritual Saint can't reach these mysteries of Providence in the promiscuous dispensations of God to good and bad as to all worldly desirables visible or invisible Psal. 73. The truly righteous good and clean 〈◊〉 his natural Life to God as fearing an Oath or the swearing an everlasting Covenant with the Devil in the first-creation state against God and the second So comes his heart in a newness of life to be set in him to do good in God's sight for ever He that swears that Covenant with the Devil is fully set to do Evil for ever Eccl. 8. 11. However undiscern'd the Saint's condition be to his Enemies under the love of God in this life God will at last manifest the difference between them that serve him and those that serve him not but swear everlasting Allegiance to the Devil Mal. 3. 18. whose Servants they are Rom. 6. 16. Vers. 3. This is an evil among all things that are done under the Sun ' that there is one Event unto all yea also the heart of the Sons of Men is full of evil and madness is in their Heart while they live and after that they go to the dead The death of Nature as to the mortal life of Body and Soul is the one Event to all Men. This fatal Period comes nature to in the wise and fool righteous and wicked The spiritual wise Man only is an unspeakeable gainer by all such losses as befals his nature with his fellows Out of the darkness and death brought on his natural state is he raised into the spiritual light and life of God The same darkness and death brought upon others in Wrath for refusing it in Love becomes their dreadful condition and portion for ever under Wrath. This exceedingly differing Event of the said same event the Death of nature in all Men is not consider'd or discern'd by Man's Wisdom Hence Solomon says how dies the wise Man As the Fool there 's no remembrance of the one more then of the other for ever Eccles 2. 16. in Man's day or Judgment The differing event of the Cross in Love or Wrath turning all first-creation Wisdom Light and Life into foolishness darkness and death Man's Wisdom sees not All wisdom beauty or desirableness in nature will perish and be forgotten in all Men for ever On this account as to any thing in nature the truely wise dies as the Fool. For both by death lose all the changeable Life and fading Glory of their own nature But the said wise 〈◊〉 obedient surrender of all receive a more excellent Life and Glory for ever and those that rebelliously keep it lose all for ever under Wrath in everlasting darkness So though the same Event happen to all as to the death of nature the event of that event is exceedingly different eternal life or death Those that do not obediently part with their own first-creation Life and Wisdom for God's in the second seem charact'red here by a heart full of evil and madness while they live and after that they go to the dead Yea they are dead while they live as 〈◊〉 in enmity to God which must needs be eternal death to them The best Works of righteous Nature fix'd in enmity to the Righteousness of God in his Spirit of Grace are but dead Works perform'd in a spirit of Enmity and Death True Repentance from dead Works Heb. 6. 1. imports Law-Conversion from nature dead in Trespasses and Sins Eph. 2. 1. to the righteous life of a Man But this second death of righteous nature by a fixure in enmity is worse then the former and exposes to the second death as the due punishment thereof the vengeance of eternal fire Rev. 20. 14. This is the latter end worse then any beginning which many self-confident
first-covenant righteous wise strong and honourable in Christ come to for refusing to part with all that for Christ in the spirit of the second as risen out of the death of the first Rom. 7. 1 -4. These Sons of Men whose heart is full of evil and madness in this World while they live go after this life to the dead remain for ever in the Congregation of the dead Prov. 21. 16. in eternal darkness and never see Light This come they to with their Predecessours in the same obstinate madness and folly whose false doctrine or sayings they have prais'd own'd and follow'd against God and his Spirit of Truth Psal. 49. 13 19. Vers. 4. For to him that is joyned to all the living there is hope for a living Dog is better then a dead Lion The living Dog that being joyn'd to all the living has hope is the natural man of the spiritual Saint under the Cross rendered a fool weak and despicable as to all first-creation Wisdom Power and Glory with Paul 1 Cor. 4. 10. but is in an unchangeable union with all living for ever in the Spirit of Grace and so rich wise strong and honourable in God Tho' the Saint then in his broken impoverish'd natural man the barren disconsolate state of his desolate crucified 〈◊〉 be counted a Dog the filth of the world the off-scouring of all things by the Rich Full Wise Strong and Honourable in Christ 1 Cor. 4. 8 10 13. as to first-covenant attainments in and from him thro' a new and better life springing up in him however hid from them is he in a better condition then the dead Lion Who is this Man in all the riches wisdom and glory of a restor'd first-Covenant life figur'd by Dives as the crucified Saint's natural man by Lazarus All this Lion-like strength and power of nature fix'd in enmity renders Man but a dead Lion Fix'd enmity to God is everlasting death to Man This will all Lions in the boistrous blustering spirit and unbroken strength of nature find to be their condition as highly as they think of themselves Nothing of true spiritual everlasting life or strength have they about them This dead Lion scorns the living Dog as not seeing him in another spirit joyned to all the truly living Christ and all spiritual Saints and Angels The natural Man as a fleshly mystical Tree in the fruitful exercise of a restor'd first-Covenant righteous life when cut down spoil d and marr'd by the spiritual-Sword or Gospel-Cross Tree and Fruit Leaf Root and Branch yet is there hope thro' the scent of water even of Christ's Spiritual Water of Life that it will sprout up again in another life bud and bring forth boughs like a plant Job 14. 7 8. of God's right-hand planting by a new-creation the fruits and leaves whereof shall never wither or fade Psal. 1. 3. And so is the living Dog living with Christ in God better in himself and therefore in God's infallible sight then the said dead Lion ruffling in all the unbroken life and power of that restor'd natural state that 's crucified in the true Saint Such Lions have but a name to live They are dead Rev. 3. 1. as being the very mystical Law-Widows left by Christ in the first-Covenant and waxing wanton against him in the second chusing rather to be married again in the first to that other Man 1 Tim. 5. 6 11 12. Rom. 7. 3. the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition the Devil This brings Damnation or unchangeable Death upon them Ver. 5. For the Living know that they shall die but the Dead know not any thing neither have they any more a reward for the memory of them is forgotten Living spiritual Saints know their whole natural Man must die in conformity to Christ and the Will of God But the said dead Lion knows nothing has no right knowledge of the mind of God in obedience to his Will as to the appointed Death-pass out of his crucified nature into God's Spirit of Grace He sees not or knows this spiritual life in which risen Angels and Saints are everlastingly blessed The dead Lion in all his flourish being in a state of unchangeable Death will have no more any reward to his comfort only the meet recompence of his error madness and folly eternal darkness and death under which his memory will for ever be forgotten He knows nothing that 's truly good or desireable unchangeably good and he shall have nothing that 's changably or unchangeably good or desireable but only unchangeable evil for his everlasting portion Thro' the impassable Gulf 〈◊〉 between them and blessed Angels and Saints will such see those they unchangeably hate to be the objects of God's unchangeable Love and themselves of his unchangable Wrath. They 'l know nothing but what will aggravate their boundless misery and unexpressible torment for ever On the contrary the truly living know every thing 1 Cor. 2. 15. to the encrease of their unspeakable Joy They know that by the obedient death of nature they shall live for ever in God's spirit of Grace as the method of God's Wisdom whose whole Counsel about Salvation they fully comply with They glory with Paul in the Cross of Christ by which all worldly life and desire in them is crucified to all worldly vanities or desirables without them Gal. 6. 14. And so are they made alive to the World to come and have a new spiritual belly desire or appetite and palate springing up in their newness of life to savour relish desire and feed on things divine spiritual heavenly and eternal things of God only the peculiar delights of the Sons of God The said dead know none of these things in their dead state of unchangeable Union with the Prince of death the Devil wherein they are cast out of God's favourable Remembrance or regard for ever into outer darkness where will be weeping and gnashing of Teeth Vers. 6. Also their Love and their Hatred and their Envy is now perish'd neither have they any more a Portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun Here 's a lively description of the deplorable state of the mystical dead whose Love Hatred and Envy perish All delight and satisfaction in the restor'd fading life and good things of their own nature evilly chosen and rested in by them for happiness shall perish Belly and meats desires and desirables all will be gone And then the Wrath of God will be upon them for ever All the goodly dainties they lusted after will depart from them and never be found more Rev. 18. 8 14. For chusing their perishing things of Man not only in a preference but unchangeable enmity to the things of God in his new-Creation Life fall they under his unchangeable Wrath. So all their false evil destructive Love of any the best things in this World the Righteousness Wisdom and Glory of their own restor'd nature with the Fruits or Works thereof in enmity to
God This is the strange method of God's Wisdom for his despis'd little ones to be found more than Conquerers of all their proud self-exalting despisers and enemies The abolishing the worldly life of Nature out of Christ and his Army is the way to their being all found in that life and power of the World to come in which they overcome all that obstinatly set up in this This way the Man Christ triumph'd over all evil angelical and humane Principalities and Powers the Princes of this World Col. 2. 14 15. 1 Cor. 2. 6. All Men that finally take up in the first-creation are Satan's Subjects all that pass out of that by death into the life of the second are God's The poor wise Man that does all these wonderful things for his little City has infinite divine and infallible creature-wisdom and power in him And what can all the visible and invisible Powers of this World with all their Strength Devices and Bulwarks be before him He was made a poor Man by the death of our nature that he might make many rich in his spirit of Grace on the like obedient death of nature in them 2 Cor. 6. 10. 8. 9. Phil. 2. 6 8. Yet no Man remembers this poor wise Man No man in his own Wisdom receives his Gospel-Testimony Joh. 3. 32. takes his Counsel follows his Example Under the sinking weight of this charge will evil Men and Angels lie for ever They 'l not remember hearken to or follow this poor Man under his Cross into the like poverty and death of nature in them the only way into his everlasting Rest. Vers. 16. Then said I Wisdom is better than strength nevertheless the poor Man's wisdom is despis'd and his words are not heard The everlasting Wisdom of God's New-creation Gospel-Spirit is better then all the fading strength wisdom and power of Man and Angel in the first or old But the voice and words of this Wisdom from the impoverish'd natural man in Christ and his followers is not heard heeded or regarded by those that resolve to set up in that state of Nature for happiness which they preach death to as the only 〈◊〉 way and means for their being truly happy All such reproofs of death on the spirit of Nature and instructions of life in God's Spirit of Grace are despis'd and rejected by the wisdom of Man in first-Covenant Righteousness Even such are found all along this world a disobedient gain-saying People Isa. 65. 2. Rom. 10. 21. See the dismal and blessed consequents of not hearkning or hearkning to this poor wise Man's Counsels reproofs and instructions Prov. 1. 20 -33. Somethere are amongst the vast multitude of self-confident righteous men and also profane who at last are brought to regard this poor wise man's voice and his only the voice of his Spirit in himself and Saints 〈◊〉 still God has a little flock that are content to be made his little ones in Nature that he may make them his great ones and worthies too big and too many for all his and their enemies in his Wisdom and Spirit of Grace All do not finally provoke him Heb. 3. 16. Rom. 11. 1 -5. Christ then and his followers are not without all hearing from Men. For Vers. 17. The words of wise Men are heard in quiet more then the cry of him that ruleth among fools The words of Christ and his awaken'd Spiritual Saints the words of God's Wisdom which the Holy Ghost teaches and utters in both and all will be heard or obey'd by a spiritual Seed of Christ in meek broken-spirited quiet peaceable men Sons of Peace Their meek broken silenc'd natural spirit is of great price with God 1 Pet. 3. 4. as quitting its own vain corruptible life for that which is not corruptible but everlasting They instruct those that oppose them in meekness of Wisdom not returning railing for railing in the wrathful wrangling spirit and earthly wisdom of Nature that 's from beneath waiting with patience if God peradventure will give them Repentance or change of mind from Satan's lie to his Gospel-Truth 2 Tim. 2. 24 -26. See the different demeanour conversation and fruits of Saints in God's Heavenly Spiritual wisdom communicated to them and of incorrigible sinners in Man's and Satan's earthly devilish wisdom from beneath Jam. 3. 13 -18. Men in their wisdom render'd devilish by fixure in enmity to God's are the loud clamorous boasting self-exalting undertakers at teaching the way of Salvation who by their great cry and confused noise of their 〈◊〉 Cymbals their uncertain-sounding false Trumpet gain a ruling power amongst fools to the final destruction of blind foolish rulers and ruled leaders and followers All fall into the ditch or bottomless pit of deceits and destruction nets snares and death together Eccle. 7. 26. Mat. 15. 14. Such Rulers or Teachers and Leaders as a demonstration of their utmost folly and madness despise are offended at and absolutely reject all the words of God's Wisdom as folly and madness ver 12. Hos. 9. 7 8. 1 Cor. 1. 23. Joh. 10. 20. 7. 45 49. The quiet-spirited Saint in whom this self-confident spirit of enmity to God and all his Words of Counsel is broken down and silenc'd by the Cross listen to the Words of the true Shepherd or Teacher in himself and messengers and follow not but flee from the Stranger 's voice Joh. 10. 4 5. The spiritual Feet or Principles on which Christ's true Messengers or Apostles come to them are beautiful and all their right Words of reproof and instruction most welcome and desireable They esteem hear and obey the words of the truly wise as incomparably beyond all the cry and noise of Rulers among fools that presumptuously undertake an absolute impossibility even to declare the Mysteries of God's Wisdom in that wisdom of Man that 's foolishness to God's and all the words of God's to it Yet is their voice and cry readily heard and follow'd by Fools to the everlasting destruction of both and all Vers. 18. Wisdom is better then Weapons of War but one sinner destroyeth much good True Wisdom or the Spirit of Christ in Man is better then all the Wisdom Srength Power and Armour of Man or Angel in the first creation and yet more when all these are turn'd into and used in enmity to God For so became they the one sinner that from first to last 〈◊〉 against God Christ and Saints who must needs be unspeakably too hard for them All wicked Angels and Men in the finally abused first-creation state or spirit and life of nature make up and are the one sinner or uniform fighter against God in and with their first-creation Strength Armour and weapons of War And thus does this one comprehensive Sinner or perverted first-creation Spirit in all evil Angels and Men destroy much good even all the changeable goodness in that state which had they obediently return'd it back in sacrifice to God they might have receiv'd much good
he saith to every one that he is a fool Man 's own Wisdom is Folly not able to direct his steps in or so much as into the way everlasting Jer. 10. 23. Trusting therein and to renders him an enemy to true spiritual Wisdom that can do all And this manifests him to every one to be fool God will set up that Light in all that they and all others shall see them Fools as having wilfully chosen that Life and Wisdom they knew would fail them and consequently excluded themselves for ever from that which would have done their Work Thus become they everlasting monuments of their own madness and folly in eternal darkness and death under Wrath. Vers. 4 If the spirit of the Ruler rise up against thee leave not thy place for yielding pacifieth great offences The acknowledg'd literal gives aim at the mystical sence In letter Man ought not to leave his place of subjection to worldly Rulers but acknowledg the ruling Power by God's Providence permitted any to exercise over him however ill us'd This may and ought to be without any sinful compliance with such abused Power Even Saints must suffer as a passive owning that power so ill manag'd they can't actively obey All ought to keep their place of subjection to it so as not to rise up against dispute or deny the Rulers place and office however abus'd Such demeanour is the only safe way to pacify the Ruler's unjust wrath against them t. For yielding pacifieth great offences Yea Devils are not to be denied their invisible evil Angelical Principality and Power permissively given them in and over this World Luk. 4. 5 6. The Devil 's evil place of Rule and Power is not to be denied Even Michael the Arch-Angel Christ himself contending or disputing with the Devil about the body of Moses durst not bring against him a railing Accusation but said the Lord rebuke thee Jud. 9. So Zec. 3. 2. About Joshua another Type of himself The Devil contends or disputes by himself and Apostles for the body of Moses or life of the Law as eternal Life and Salvation according to his first short comprehensive lying Sermon to Eve ye shall not die This is eternal Life ye are already possess'd of by the first Creation A due demeanour towards the very evil Angels is an owning our place of inferiority to them in the life of but humane nature or our natural state at best 'T is acknowledg'd so in Christ himself Heb. 2. 7. The leaving our place of Subjection or Inferiority to evil visible or invisible Powers of this World is a leaving our place of right subjection and obedience to God and a giving advantage to the Devil to make us pay it him And so come we to the mystery here Christ of right is always the chief Magistrate and Supream Ruler over all in his very passive season and Satan's active Reign If his Spirit rise up against the guilty natural spirit of Man if he come with his spiritual Sword and Gospel-fire to slay and sacrifice it to God Obedience ought to be given to him herein by yielding subjection to this Supream Ruler over all as our true interest and safety This is the way to pacify God's provoked Wrath against us even the delivering up that spirit to death that 's found guilty of all sorts of offences against him and this undeniably evidenc'd by the all-discovering light of the two-edged flaming Sword that slays us Heb. 4. 12 13. No absolute reconciliation but by the death of the guilty Sinner in us the foe of our own house We ought to agree with this true Ruler in the way of his Cross the only way to Salvation when his Spirit rises against and he comes in the posture of an Adversary upon his and our enemy in us Mat. 5. 25. Such yielding up the perpetual Offender to death in order to be brought to live under the peaceable Rule of that Spirit of Life and Love that slays our spirit of Enmity and Death pacifies the Wrath of our most righteous Judg and brings this wonder to pass that we who in our own spirits have bin guilty of innumerable and unutterably aggravated follies and madnesses shall have no Iniquity found in us by Friends or Foes The guilty Sinner our natural spirit that always rebell'd in its life has obediently suffer'd death and there 's an end of all Iniquity By this means come we to be fill'd with a spirit of Life that 's in eternal union of mind will desire thought love and hatred with the infinite divine spirit Then let enemies that love nothing but such Iniquities they would charge us with search and accuse us while they will yea and let God that infinitely hates all Iniquity search us to the bottom by the joynt beamings forth of his infinite divine and all-searching infallible new-Creation Sun-lights still still no Iniquity will be found in us when fill'd with his own Spirit of everlasting Righteousness and Truth Vers. 5. There is an evil which I have seen under the Sun as an errour which proceedeth from the ruler Vers. 6. Folly is set in great dignity and the rich sit in low place Here 's just matter of complaint relating to the invisible or visible Magistrates of this World evil Angels or Men. Nothing more familiar to observation in the visible then their encouraging and advancing folly it self or grossly wicked and unworthy persons and thrusting down the rich in true wisdom the truly worthy into low place or no place out of all place yea and out of the World as not fit or worthy to live by reason of his unalterably contrary principle temper and spirit to such wicked Gamsters as resolve to make a prey of the People All discouragements injuries and oppressions imaginable are on this ground exercis'd on the most worthy Patriots whose Consciences permit them not to gratify and serve their corrupt wills interests and unruly lusts These are the things practis'd by wicked visible Rulers in a flat contrariety to their duty Rom. 13. 3 4. The invisible Rulers of this World evil Angels prefer the rich wise-fools in a first-Covenant righteous life as their choicest and most useful subjects before above and against the mystical poor or impoverish'd there in order to become wise rich strong and honourable in God or in a spiritual new-Covenant life hid with Christ in God Christ pronounceth Wo to the former and says Blessed are the latter Luke 6. 20 24. That that 's highly esteemed of Men in the first Covenant is abominable to God Luk. 16. 15. as set up in a fixed enmity to him and the second And the broken contrite impoverish'd natural Spirit of the Saint as to all others trust and glory in seems abominable and contemptible to them the fat full rich wise strong and honourable in the first 1 Cor. 4. 8 10. The rich in the first-Covenant are sigur'd by the Man with a gold Ring and goodly apparel whereas the poor and
needy natural man of the Saint causes him as a poor man in vile raiment to be bidden by man to sit here under his footstool importing the very height of contempt towards him while there 's a huge bussle for the giving the other a high place in honour and respect to him or rather to his mystical gay clothing kept on in enmity to the Cross but put off by the Spiritual Saint and refus'd ever to be put on again let men take it how they will Jam. 2. 1 -3. Cant. 5. 3. God requir's the putting off those first-Covenant Ornaments Devils and Men put such a preferring value upon that he may know what to do with us by setting up the life and clothing us with the everlasting Righteousness Beauty Glory and ornaments of the second Exod. 33. 5. Wise Holy first-Covenant righteous Men and God are of a directly contrary judgment in this case Rom. 2. 29. Those God highly esteems and loves they scorn and hate as the filth of the World the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 13. Thus are they found in harmony with the invisible Principalities and Powers of this world the evil Angels They both and all center in this point a resolution in the earthly principle or natural spirit to despise and contend against the impoverish'd natural man of the truly wise rich strong and honourable spiritual Saint They shoot all their malicious revengeful arrows at him So are true Saints by their true Gospel-life Conversation words and way rendred with Jeremy Men of contention with the whole earth or whole earthy party of evil Angels and Men. This evil Solomon saw practis'd under the first-creation Sun or in the first-Covenant spirit the Law-principle of life and action as an errour both visible and invisible Rulers of this world are ioyntly guilty of in using their utmost power for discouraging persecuting and suppressing the truly wise and rich spiritual Saint the only sort of men in this world that God highly esteem's and loves On all these accounts as to the errours of the visible and invisible Rulers of this World he farther says Vers. 7. I have seen Servants upon Horses and Princes walking as Servants upon the Earth The chief sense of these words is that evil Angels are permitted the exercise of a ruling power over this World fulfilling their pleasure both in the corrupt and refin'd spirit and principles of Nature in men Both evil Angels and Men in the said spirit of Bondage are but servants and slaves in God's sight objects of his everlasting contempt and wrath When Christ whose Right it is takes to himself his great Power and reign 's he will take away all their power and tread them under his and his Saints feet for ever But all along this World are these evil Angelical Principalities and Powers in with and by evil visible ones jointly riding over Saints heads Psal. 66. 12. under Christ's overtopping spiritual Power ordering all for the carrying on his designed work of the Cross on the natural spirit of the Saint that 's a spirit of Bondage in them For this reason are the true Princes or spiritual heaven born Sons walking on the Earth in an inferiority and subjection to these slavish servile-spirited Rulers that in their true Princely life they may come to ride over all those Servants heads that have bin their Masters All along this World the said Servants are on Horseback and true Princes a-foot At entrance of the Reign of Christ or beginning of the next such Princes will tread all such Servants for ever under their feet and ride in triumph with their Lord and Master the great Captain of their Salvation over all their heads Col. 2. 15. Heb. 2. 10 14. The very Prince of Life when he had taken our slesh suffer'd death therein under the visible and invisible Princes of this world Act. 3. 15. True Saints following his suffering steps will be found on their mystical white Horses with their Lord at last Rev. 19. 11 -14. Christ refused any ruling Power as a Judge or King in that earthly life of the Law wherein he was to suffer and did in obedience to his Father under the hors'd Princes of this World in the said earthly life and worldly power He walk'd as a Servant on the earth under them and so must Saints in obedience to the will of God and conformity to his example Joh. 10. 17 18. They must lay down their natural wherein they are Servants that they may take up his spiritual life wherein Sons of God and to be Princes on 〈◊〉 Saints are spiritual chast Doves that know not where to set their foot or sind any visible relief or support in this World Gen. 8. 8 9. As kept for their Heavenly Country are they not suffer'd to find any rest short of it They are hunted out of all false rests by their evil Rulers who intend their utter destruction But they find the new Name of the Lord a strong Tower and Ark of safety both from enemies and the flood of God's final Wrath that will overflow the whole first-creation Land of the living all fix'd in their earthly life of enmity to his Heavenly Vers. 8. He that diggeth a Pit shall fall into it and whoso breaketh an Hedg a Serpent shall bite him The pit here is the same blind Leaders with their followers fall into Mat. 15. 14. Psal. 7. 15. Many that are reckon'd to dig deep in Scripture all their interpreting thereof amounts to no more then the digging this dangerous and destructive pit an opening the very bottomless pit of the Devil and asserting it to be the Kingdom of God a teaching unchangeable union with the evil one as God sitting in the Temple of God and shewing himself that he is God And in all their Ministry to this purpose seeing nothing but vanity and lying 〈◊〉 they say The Lord saith and make others hope they 'l confirm the word that they have true peace with God when indeed in unchangable union with the Devil Thus do evil Men giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils cry up a fixure and establishment in the first-creation state of enlighten'd Righteous Nature in unchangeable opposition to God and his new-creation Spirit of Grace They prefer their Law-Spirit to his Gospel-Spirit which renders it the very bottomless pit they fall into under the final Wrath of God a deep ditch of stinking mire and silth for evermore Out of it there is no redemption 'T is very Hell Evil Angels Man's conclusive choice of that state makes it a pit of their own digging David found his own nature a deep mire where there 's no standing crying for deliverance out of it by a lifting him up out of his earthy spirit of nature into God's heavenly Spirit of Grace Psal. 69. 1 -- 3. The death of Nature under the Cross is our only way out of this miry pit of corruption into the life Christ will reign in t. And
corrupt or enlighten'd nature is but a fool and as the Beasts that perish as to all his eternal Concerns Gospel Things or Truths Psal. 49. 12 20. Jer. 10. 23. 1 Cor. 2. 14. All such things are or seem foolishness to him because he is a fool All words or fruits utter'd or brought forth in his own nature at best which he trusts and advises others to trust in are lying vanities perishing transient shadows He walks in a vain shew sees teaches is nothing but vanity altogether vanity Psal. 39. 5 6. Ezek. 13. 6. He neither consider's the fading nature of all he 's possess'd of nor the everlasting Life Righteousness and things of God he wants He hugg's himself as rich and happy when in truth miserable poor blind and naked Such fools were the Laodiceans Rev. 3. 17. and the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4. 8 10. Both these mistake's in embracing and waxing confident in false and in rejecting true riches Christ found the young Man in Mat. 19. 20 -22. Men reckon they want nothing for true blessedness when they want every thing Thus foolish Men's words swallow up themselves or expose themselves and others to be swallow'd up in a spirit of unchangeable darkness and death God will take all such wise fools in their own craftiness as knowing all their thoughts vain 1 Cor. 3. 19 20. They think of trust in relie upon and teach nothing but vanity and this in unchangeable enmity to God and all the reproofs and instructions of true Wisdom Prov. 1. 20 32. They craftily and subtily defend themselves and secure nature's head from his spiritual Cross Gospel-fire and Sword and so swallow up sink and drown themselves and all that follow their words of Counsel into everlasting destruction and perdition Vers. 13. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness and the end of his talk is mischievous madness From first to last he sets up and pleads for a life that 's changeable in it self and enmity to God as true happiness He begins sets out and 〈◊〉 in this folly till fix'd in enmity and so guilty of mischievous madness 〈◊〉 might and main to render others Children of 〈◊〉 with himself Mat. 23. 15. Vers. 14. A Fool also is full of words a Man cannot tell what shall be and what shall be after him who can tell him Abounding in words is a 〈◊〉 of both literal and mystical Fools as highly 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 false 〈◊〉 measures of 〈◊〉 The mystical or wise Fool is in total darkness as to his 〈◊〉 concerns is wholly ignorant of the obedient Saints true 〈◊〉 or life and state 〈◊〉 to be for ever blessed And as ignorant is he as to the 〈◊〉 most deplorable state of himself and followers incorrigible haters of God in eternal Death This unutterable distress confusion and 〈◊〉 that comes after all the mirth and jollity in his self-pleasing thought and foolish way will be an absolute amazing surprize and disappointment to him Who can tell 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall come to 〈◊〉 after his life and race in this world The truly wise spiritual Saint can But he 'l not hear believe or regard his words Vers. 15. The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them because he knoweth not how to go to the City All the labour of 〈◊〉 wise-Fool in the restor'd righteous life and wisdom of man for Salvation is term'd in Scripture but bodily exercise that profiteth little or but for a little time in suppressing the vile affections of corrupt nature but when once knowingly kept up in wilful unchangeable 〈◊〉 to God most highly displeasing to God and not only unprofitable but utterly destructive to man After or by all such 〈◊〉 he 'l find it impossible for him to go or get into the City New 〈◊〉 All such will be found those mystical Dogs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Murderers and Idolaters that have loved and made or 〈◊〉 on Satan's lie from first to last against God's truth Rev. 22. 15. So will they be shut out of the said City for ever and 〈◊〉 their portion in the lake of fire Rev. 21. 8. among damned Angels and Men 2 Thess. 2. 11 12. Mat. 25. 41. Ver. 16. Wo to thee O Land when thy King is a Child and thy Princes eat in the morning In letter a sore punishment to a Nation is a childish Ruler or King unfit for Government as given up to all sorts of evil and misgovernment in his own Person implied by eating in the morning as voluptuous in gratifying his evil sensual appetites or lusts This is Wo to him and the Land under his Government For instead of being a praise and encouragement to good works and workers and a terrour to evil as he ought Rom. 13. 3. he will be found in a directly contrary practice But the mystical and principal sense here is this When the mystical Land or natural State of Man is cleans'd or swept from 〈◊〉 of flesh and Satan rather receiv'd into this cleans'd house Mat. 12. 43 45. then Christ as Ruler and King very great will be the Wo to the said Land For then is Man a slave to the Prince of darkness to do his will in all things This ruling Child or birth of the spirit of the Devil in Man will be found eating in the morning or gratifying his sinful love lust and desire with 〈◊〉 perishing meats and so will be establish'd with him in unchangeable enmity to God which brings him under the unchangeable wrath of God Vers. 17. Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles and thy Princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness In 〈◊〉 where Governours are of a noble meetly qualified temper for Rule in a spirit of Justice and Wisdom the Land or people are happy The mystery or spiritual sense is this Those that are born of the spirit of Christ are of the Heavenly extraction and Pedigree Sons of Nobles as begotten by his Gospel-Ministers Apostles or messengers in which sense Paul calls Timothy his Son in the Gospel-life of Faith 1 Tim. 1. 2. and indeed Sons of the great King himself the only Potentate to whom of right all Rule belongs His one Spirit of everlasting Righteousness and true Wisdom sits them to be steddy doers of the divine Will in all things So under Christ's and their peaceable righteous Government will the whole Land Earth or World be blessed Isa. 32. 1. And the mystical Land Spirit and whole person of every Saint will be blessed under the Government of this Spirit of Christ in himself and themselves Vers. 18. By much slothfulness the building decayeth and thro' idleness of the hands the house droppeth thorow Here 's a reproof of Man's negligence or sloth under spiritual convictions of his interest in having the new-building of him carried on a-main and a discovery of the great danger thereof All favouring or keeping up the old hinders the new and so any happy proficiency progress or advance towards
the Kingdom of God which the new would sit us for If spiritual Light that convinces Man of his great concern to have the new-building the heavenly house life and clothing go on successfully and cheerily be wholly turn'd from despised hated and rejected with all thereby shew'd and offer'd him then the whole design of the new-building is absolutely frustrated tho' some loss as to the old has bin suffer'd and yielded to and there has bin some little running well in following spiritual conviction-light This Apostasy renders all done or suffer'd in obedience to such light for a season vain wholly void and of none effect Gal. 3. 4. 5. 7. But there 's a negligence short of absolute quitting the design'd new building which those that at bottom are true Saints may be found guilty of so as to need a fresh minding them of and laying in them the foundation or first principles towards spiritual knowledge and the new building Such negligence renders them scarce so much as spiritual Babes that otherwise might have been strong grown Men in the Grace and Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ fit to teach others Heb. 5. 11 -- 14. Total Apostasy from the seen and as 't were begun new-building razes the foundation and puts Man under an impossibility of ever obediently looking that way more Heb. 6. 4 -- 6. And then if the old building in Man 's own restor'd nature holy flesh be run down and quitted also as oft it is by a return to his old sins in the corrupt spirit of nature with the Dog to the vomit then does the mystical house of Man's immortal spirit drop thorow and become totally and irreparably ruin'd for ever 2 Pet. 2. 20 -- 22. Vers. 19. A Feast is made for laughter and Wine maketh merry but Money answereth all things The restored righteous life riches fruitfulness and food of Man's natural state is a Feast of Joy and Delight as deliver'd out of the dismal dark dead state of fallen nature But this cheering merry-making Feast and Wine is but for a season and will cease All in it is perishing vanity and the joy in it therefore but as the crackling of thorns under a pot a confused noise a short blaze a flash of heat and light and away goes all But now distinct from this Money answers all things This Money is the true tried Gold the durable Riches of Spiritual Life which supplies all the needs of Man's immortal spirit all that he can want or desire for a Feast of everlasting Rejoycing and true Blessedness Neither his life food or clothing in this state will ever decay or wax old all will be ever new fresh green and flourishing All old things are past away and gone Here 's the Money answer's all Vers. 20. Curse not the King no not in thy thought and curse not the Rich in thy Bed-chamber for a Bird of the Air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter Not denying a literal in the mystical and chief sense the King not to be curs'd so much as in thought is Christ that knows thoughts yea the bottom-principles intents and deepest most hidden secrets of all hearts Heb. 4. 12 13. There 's no hiding the meer imaginings of Treason against this King nor any escaping his justly revenging hand for it He is God's decreed and declar'd universal Monarch of the World Psal. 2. 6 -- 9. A cursing this spiritual King in thought is the universal practice all mankind is found guilty of in their natural spirit of enmity to him corrupt or righteous since the fall of Adam Paul when eminent in the restor'd righteous life of nature was at it in ouvert acts of Treason and Rebellion against this King and his true obedient Subjects Gospel-Saints He breath'd out threatnings and slaughter against them Act. 9. 1. In them he persecuted this great universal King ver 4. Under plausible shews in holy 〈◊〉 form of 〈◊〉 Righteousness of Man good words and fair speeches as if Friends I overs Owners Professors and most dutiful obedient Subjects of this King does 〈◊〉 enmity and thence cursing of this spiritual King lurk and 〈◊〉 it self All obstinate persisters herein will this King force at last to see themselves to have bin all along despisers haters and opposers of him and all his spiritual Counsels and Saints This King is also the mystical rich one whose unchangeable divine and creature-riches Paul preached Eph. 3. 8. that 's not to be curs'd in thy Bed-chamber in the inmost thought of thy heart hid under self-flattering 〈◊〉 of greatest love to his person words and ways His infinite divine and al 〈◊〉 spiritual creature-understanding discovers all And he has under him invisible Watchers 〈◊〉 Observers of all the ways and actions of Men the holy Angels call'd here Birds of the Air who are able to carry a true report of the voice or of all 〈◊〉 words and demeanour towards this unsecarchably rich and glorious King And that which hath Wings shall tell the matter The good Angels from the spiritualty of their nature swist motion and penetrating sight by which eminently sitted for Christ's service are in Scripture charactred as having Wings and being full of eyes within before and behind Ezek. 10. 12. Rev. 4. 6 8. They are hence call'd Fowls of Heaven and Birds of the Air as sitted to live and move in a heavenly region above this humane earthly 〈◊〉 World As Friends and Servantsto Christ and his Saints they communicate their spiritual Visions or sights of Christ to them and their spiritual obedience to him however clouded and blended with the weakness and sinfulness of their natural Man in the whole course way thought and action thereof They also find out and report the hidden enmity and cursing thought of implacable enemies under whatever beautiful disguises of pretended friendship to this rich divine and spiritual King and accordingly tell the whole matter These holy 〈◊〉 Watchers and Observers of Men will at last out down the great Tree of all evil worldly Monarchy and so make way for the active Reign of Christ over all Dan. 4. 13 17. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forth the vials of Wrath on all the invisible and visible powers of this World evil Angels and Men Rev. 16. And even then will they have the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 thereof in the Earth for Satan and his 〈◊〉 earthy party of Rebellious Angels and Men aster Christ's Sabbatical day or thousand years-Reign upon Earth when seven times even the full season of the old Serpent's confinement in the bottomless pit is over to appear and make a new shew of daring opposition as their last attempt in laying Siege to the New-Jerusalem City to fight against Christ and his Followers in the very Resurrection What will becom of Satan and his whole party of innumerable evil Angels and Men on this last rather shew then fight we find Rev. 20. 9. Fire from God out of Heaven devour's them CHAP. XI V.
1. Cast thy Bread upon the Waters for thou shalt find it after many days HEre 's an Admonition to the universal practice of Charity in doing good to all but specially to the houshold of Faith Gal. 6. 10. As having a compassionate fellow-feeling with our fellow-Creatures and Brethren in the same nature by a free-hearted distribution of this World's goods As contriving opportunities for the practice of this duty has God given some a super-abounding over-flow of such things while others are destitute of the very necessaries of Life To a faithful answering his design and our duty herein a Blessing is promised He that hath pity on the Poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he gives will he repay Prov. 19. 17. See also the contrary threat'ned Prov. 21. 13. Whoso stoppeth his Ears at the cry of the Poor he also shall cry himself and not be heard As for the peculiar charity to the houshold of Faith Christ's little ones as his spiritual Disciples this will not miss of the great reward Mat. 10. 42. 25. 34 40. But we should extend our charity also to all which though it seem but as a casting our Bread upon the Waters 't will through God's promised Blessing be found again Deut. 15. 10. Vers. 2. Give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the Earth The practice of the said duty towards others is oft made a seeds-time to ones-self in such an unfore-known time of evil wherein we may be reduc'd to the like want Give and it shall be given you The same measure ye mete with shall it be measur'd to you again Luk. 6. 38. Such retaliation in distress will be comfortable when the said duty has bin well perform'd in prosperity So much of the literal sence of these two Verses In the spiritual or mystical what 's casting Bread upon the Waters Obedience to the Cross the spiritual Law whereof calls for mystical charity even the free giving up of all the Life Riches and fading Glory Wisdom and Strength of our own Spirit so as to become poor and dead with Christ there in order to live and reign with 〈◊〉 in that life he has rais'd our Nature into Here 's the recompence of such Love Obedience and Conformity to Christ a quitting our perishing life meats and riches for his never-perishing Christ himself was made poor in our Nature as to the mortal first-Creation 〈◊〉 and State thereof that thro' his exemplary poverty he might make many all followers of his suffering steps rich in God or in the everlasting righteous life of the second 2 Cor. 8. 9. The kindly suffering of the natural is the mystical seeds-time that will bring in a blessed harvest to the spiritual Man thro' an abounding fruitfulness in a newness of life Psal. 126. 5 6. Gal. 6. 7 8. He that sow's to the flesh builds his Faith hope and expectation for Blessedness on the corruptible life and fruitfulness of his but restor'd earthy natural state will reap corruption and eternal death He that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life everlasting All in spiritual life principle and fruits the mystical Births and Children therein have Holiness to the Lord written in all their fore-heads The spirit of bondage and her Sons all Fruits Births or Works producible or performable in the most restor'd righteous natural state or life of the Law have all of them vanity and vexation to the Worker enmity and rebellion against the Lord writ out upon them All the Children there then are Children of death Except the 〈◊〉 seed of God's left-hand planting by a first-creation die in us 1 Cor. 15. 36 38. 1 Pet. 1. 23 25. as obedient to the husbandry and plough of Christ's spiritual Cross the incorruptible seed of an everlasting righteous life of God's right-hand planting in us has no room or way made for a springing up into its own life activity and fruitfulness under the powerful quickning influence of the same Spirit of Christ that destroys all our earthly life and fruit the mystical 〈◊〉 tree of good and evil root and branch tree and fruit This spiritual Love or Charity is the Saint to shew to Christ as the full and right payment of all mystical tithes and offerings to the true Melchisedec or high-Priest of God in a universal surrender of all changeable good things in his nature for all unchangeable good things in his Spirit of Grace as rais'd out of the death of his slain sacrific'd Nature into the life of the very Priest that slay's him But why should he be thus charitable and obedient to Christ Because he know's not what evil may be or come upon the earth even on all that rebelliously remain in their earthly life under final Wrath in everlasting poverty want and nakedness as to any goodness changeable or unchangeable A being willingly made poor there intitles to the true durable Riches and secures from all want for evermore in eternal life Vers. 3. If the Clouds be full of Rain they empty themselves upon the Earth and if the Tree fall towards the South or toward the North in the place where the Tree falleth there it shall be Man's natural spirit how everfill'd with the fading life riches fruits and products thereof at best must be emptied of and lose all again or never receives an everlasting life with the never-perishing meats fruits riches and clothing thereof Mat. 16. 25. North and South here may signifie the first and second or old and new-creation state Man in the first corrupt or righteous fall's toward the North into a cold barren desolate starveling condition for ever In the second toward the South has everlasting warmth and blessedness under the joynt shinings forth of the Divine and Creature-Sun of 〈◊〉 and everlasting Righteousness As the Tree fall's or Man dies in a six'd enmity to God as establish'd in his own life corrupt or righteous or in a spiritual life of everlasting union with and obedience to God there he shall be in Hell or Heaven Cold comfort in the former none at all under the scorching flames of unquenchable Wrath which will be found to make up to incorrigibly wicked Angels and Men a state of eternal darkness and death Vers. 4. He that observeth the Wind shall not sowe and he that regardeth the Clouds shall not reap The slothful Man that looks upon Winds and Clouds that are nothing but uncertainty it-self in their motions omit's the diligent husbanding his Ground and will not so sow as to reap any true profit or advantage to himself In the mystical sense he that neglect's Christ's voice and convincing discoveries not submitting to the spiritual husbandry of his Cross on his earthy natural state to make way for the springing up of a spiritual Seed and listen's to the stranger's voice the uncertain words or reasonings of Nature in himself or others signified here by Winds and Clouds for sparing that
life the true Shepherd call's for the surrender of by death in Sacrifice he and all that so do will find no harvest of true joy and comfort to be reap'd by them at last Vers. 5. As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the Womb of her that is with Child even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all In explaining his former words Solomon here uses the hidden ways of God in forming the fleshly body of Man and uniting his immortal Spirit with it in the Womb. These common things in the first creation over-setting Man's understanding as to the discerning or giving any certain account of are but typical to the yet far more mysterious and hidden things of Christ's new-creation-workmanship in Saints None know by the utmost improvement and skill of their own understanding how the Body is form'd in the Womb of the literal Mother or how the Spirit that had its radical creation and existence from the beginning in the mystical Womb of the Parent of Spirits comes in its appointed time to be united with its Body in the Womb. And how much shorter must Men come of discerning the yet more undiscernable mysterious works of God who maketh all things in both Creations or Worlds Heb. 1. 2. as forming and setting up his Spiritual Heavenly Eternal things in Man by his new-creation-workmanship The effects of the literal Wind are seen tho' not known whence it comes or whither it goes so are the effects of the new-creating Spirit of Christ in and upon all born of it Joh. 3. 8. As an irresistible Whirlwind it tear's down the earthly building and blow's up by the roots the fleshly tree of a perishing life in Saints andthen by the second new-building-operation of it does it make them new Vessels fill them with new-Wine even it s own Spiritual Kingdom-Life of everlasting Righteousness thro' which they become meet habitations of God Ephes. 2. 22. Now if Man be ignorant of his natural make or how the distinct parts of his being are brought together into a personal union in him by a first-creation much more is he of the abundantly more mysterious way and things of his new-creation birth Vers. 6. In the morning sowe thy Seed and in the evening withhold not thine hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or whether they both shall be a like good Here 's a confirmation of the said spiritual Truth In the morning or under Christ's first and earliest spiritual Convictions and Revelations or Discoveries of himself to thee in his spiritual Life sow thy Seed or readily use all diligence to make way for Christ's speedy influencing and quickning up his own Incorruptible Seed of Spiritual Life in thee Let not thy earthy natural carnal mind be hard'ned against Christ but break and kindly melt away under him that what hinders being removed his spiritual Seed may spring up in thee This done by us is call'd our sowing that spiritual Seed as the works wrought in the quickned up life thereof are called our works in God and God's in us Isa. 26. 12. Joh. 3. 31. works of Grace in the second-Covenant life not of Nature in the first And in the evening withhold not thine hand or natural spirit from sacrifice For this is it hinders the spiritual Seed from springing up towards an hopeful Harvest And so will the evening state of darkness and death to Nature be turn'd into an everlasting morning-light and life in the spirit of Grace For thou knowest not c. Man's receiving spiritual Light by which Christ in his spiritual life is shew'd and offer'd him is call'd a beginning in the Spirit a partaking of the Holy Ghost and tasting of the good living Word of God Gal. 3. 3. Heb. 6. 4 5. Then is he upon his trial for Eternal Life or Death as obedient or disobedient to the said spiritual Light And accordingly will he be evil or good barren or fruitful to God Delivering up the natural spirit to death is the only way to its becoming fruitful to God in a newness of life Rom. 6. 4. 7. 4. So as rais'd into the life of the spiritual Man do both the natural and spiritual become a like good in a life of everlasting Righteousness While Man is doubtful under the darkning demolishing death-work of the Spirit or Cross of Christ on his Nature what will be the issue as Job for some time was whether everlasting blessedness or misery the Light or Voice of the Spirit listen'd to will inform that both will prosper and be a like good both natural and spiritual Man thro' the death and resurrection of the former into the quicken'd up life of the latter So there will be a joynt birth of life springing up in the whole person of the Saint from the quickned spiritual Seed and both crucified and quicken'd earthly But spiritual Light resisted and life rejected Man's earthly state however righteous becomes that cursed mystical Earth whose end is to be burn'd Heb. 6. 7 8. Vers. 7. Truly the Light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun The light of the literal Sun is pleasant to the bodily eye But the days of darkness will be many after Man is cut off by the death of the body from such sight and pleasure The certain foresight of this can't but much allay his present delight In mystery Christ is the Sun or original of all 〈◊〉 creation intellectual light and life By his shining into Man does he render him wise strong and honourable in his own restor'd nature So becomes Man joyful and fruitful therein Yet all this light life and joy therein will pass away also as well as that of the bodily state And the succeeding days of darkness will be many even to all eternity as to those that never submit to the way of coming to experience Christ in an higher and better light and life shew'd and offer'd them The cross of Christ in love or wrath seizes and takes away all fading first-creation light or goodness from every Angel and Man good or bad This Solomon farther declares Vers. 8. But if a Man live many years and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the days of darkness for they shall be many All that cometh is vanity Let a Man live never so long in the light and joy of a first-Covenant state under the mystical first-creation Sun or first-Covenant spirit and communications from Christ or shinings forth upon his Tabernacle there Job 29. 2 -4. he must consider and remember that all this will be gone and everlasting darkness succeed if Christ be not receiv'd in that spiritual life which will scituate him under his beamings forth as a Divine and spiritual new-creation Sun of infinite eternal and everlasting Righteousness Light Brightness and Glory Vers. 9. Rejoyce O young Man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer
thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment Solomon here farther confirms his needful Caution for duly remembring the many days of darkness that will succeed in the room of all fading first-creation light literal or mystical and all delight or rejoycing therein Know that for all this God will bring thee into judgment This word is directed to two sorts of People such as live wholly in the corrupt spirit of nature gratifying only their bodily life lust eye and other senses with the visible objects and comforts of this world represented by the light of the literal Sun After the largest experience hereof he bids them at their peril go on but be sure God will bring them into judgment for all such things And his judgment on them will bring those days of darkness upon them which will be many even eternal darkness and death But the young man here chiefly meant is Man in the youthful flourish of his own restor'd nature and fruitful exercise of it in a first-Covenant life If he refuse to part with all this under the Cross to live and walk with God under the yet more excellent new-creation Spirit of Christ or mystical Sun of everlasting Righteousness eternal darkness and death will come upon him also in conclusion as well as on the other When such provoke God to give them up to their own self-chosen way so that he 'l no longer deal with them in Mercy or wait to be gracious to them but swear in Wrath they shall never enter into his rest they have nothing certain to expect but fiery indignation for ever Heb. 10. 26 27 which will turn all their light life and comforts into unchangeable darkness and death Vers. 10. Therefore remove Sorrow Heb. anger from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh for Child-hood and Youth are vanity To prevent the said sad Judgment Solomon advises Man to remove Sorrow or Anger from his heart under and against the death-work of the Cross upon nature Be not offended or griev'd at this dispensation of God which is the only way in the methods of his Wisdom for Salvation Put away such Sorrow or Anger and be quietly yea gladly with Paul Gal. 16. 14. obedient thereto as the only way to everlasting Joy Joh. 16. 21 22. The pangs of Death to the natural Spirit figur'd by the Woman in travel will vanish on the birth of the spiritual Man-child in it and its quickning up into the new life of the said Child the true manly new-Creation life of Christ and God Our natural man under the Cross ought to put away Sorrow and Anger not reckoning its present sufferings fit to be compar'd with the joy of spiritual life set before us the exceeding weight of Glory that is to follow Thus did Christ himself and Paul reckon Heb. 12. 2. Rom. 8. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 17. All struggling Sorrow and Anger under the Cross makes it more uneasie Obediently submit to Christ herein and his Yoke will be found easie and Burthen light Mat. 11. 28 30. Those that learn of him will be meek lowly and quietly submit to his Cross and Father's Will and Command therein as he did 'T is the rebellious 〈◊〉 mind that 's troubled cries out and is angry and offended at this dispensation as unwilling to submit to this spiritual Law of the Cross is ready to say to Christ for this spiritual as Zipporah to Moses for the literal circumcision a bloody Husband art thou unto me Exod. 4. 25 26. t. For Childhood and Youth are vanity All the time of Man's non-age in first-Creation life at best the mind is carnal or 〈◊〉 which is enmity to God Rom. 8. 7. as found in a contrariety to the spiritual Law and mind of Christ. Hence man's whole work desire thought design and counsels therein are nothing but folly and vanity In the but restor'd first-Covenant righteous life of the Law and utmost youthful Vigour Activity Flourish and Fruitfulness thereof is even the true Saint but as a Servant in Child-hood non-age and minority ignorant of any such life he has the incorruptible seed of in him wherein to be Heir of all Gal. 4. 1. All Job Paul or any Saint has had but in that restor'd Spirit of bondage or of the Law has bin found Vanity and they themselves at best therein altogether vanity Psal. 39. 5. Such Childhood and Youth are vanity it self has nothing but vanity in it It s Life Works Fruits Wisdom Righteousness are nothing but vanishing shadows of the Creature-life Wisdom Righteousness and things of God CHAP. XII V. 1. Remember now thy Creatour in the days of thy Youth while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them HEre 's a farther reason for Man's remembring his Creatour in the youthful season of his bodily life and as figur'd by that the youthful vigor and flourish of his Spirit in the restor'd righteous first-Covenant life thereof Christ is a twofold Creatour of blessed Angels and Saints by a first and second-Creation-workmanship upon them of all other Men Angels and things a single Creatour by a first-Creation-workmanship only The former Eph. 2. 10. Col. 1. 18. the latter 16. As first-born of every Creature ver 15. fountain of all creature-being and life did he comprehend the immortal Spirits of all Angels and Men as radically existing in him v. 17. which are 〈◊〉 forth by him into a personal subsisting at their appointed seasons He that created all things is God God the Mediator in his conjunctive divine and creature-nature Joh. 1. 1 3. Heb. 1. 2. 3. 4. His creature-spirit is the fountain of all other creature-beings and the immediate hand by which brought forth in their distinct subsistencies and visibilities In all does he fulfil the will of the infinite Divinity who said Let there be this that and t'other and accordingly were all things created visible and invisible answering the existing beings given them in the Womb of the Mediator's vast original creature-being And as Angels and Men have their natural beings so that natural first-covenant light and life from Christ which fits them for the right exercise of their beings As perfect natural beings with a perfect natural life breath'd into and set up in their 〈◊〉 were they the product of Christ's 〈◊〉 creation-workmanship upon them They receiv'd their Beings Light and Life from him Saints over and above all this receive from him a spiritual everlasting righteous life and are made spiritual Vessels or sitted receptions thereof by his second or new-Creation-workmanship The fountain of this being and life is also in himself as head of the Church Col. 1. 18. The incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. of this new life was cast into their Spirits from the date of their radical existing in the
vanities saith the Preacher all is vanity All in the first-creation worldly state of Angel and Man is vanity no life beauty 〈◊〉 glory wisdom 〈◊〉 thoughts belly or meats desires or desirables words works c. but what are perishing vanities Man and Angel too in the highest honour and attainments of their natural make and state are altogether vanity Psal. 39. 5 6. 'T is then inexcusable madness and folly in both to pitch by their final choice for true happiness short of the convincingly shew'd and graciously offer'd new-covenant life of Christ and God Doting on their own glory will render them vessels of dishonour and 〈◊〉 contempt Vers. 9. And moreover because the Preacher was wise he still taught the people Knowledg yea he gave good heed and sought out and set in order many Proverbs 1 King 4. 32. Solomon in the infallible Spirit of Truth declar'd the deep hidden things and Spiritual Truths 〈◊〉 God All Divine and Spiritual things are Mysteries Parables and dark-sayings to the highest natural capacity of Angel or Man 'T is only in the infallible light or spiritual wisdom and understanding of Christ communicated to and set up in Man or Angel by his new-creating-workmanship upon them such Kingdom-things or mysteries can ever be discern'd or judg'd 1 Cor. 2. 10 14 15. To spiritual Saints only is it given to know such things Mat. 13. 11. To them any Men in their own understanding it is not given In the 〈◊〉 creature-spirit of Christ men come to see the fellowship of the 〈◊〉 Ephes. 3. 9. or the mysterious fellowship of Divine and 〈◊〉 nature in Christ's wonderful Person Hereby the most dark 〈◊〉 of God's infinite Divinity becomes known and seen to Saints Christ himself is the supream Preacher Discoverer and Declarer of all And by a portion of his infallible creature-spirit are Saints qualified to receive such visions or sights of God as he exhibits to them and to declare them to others Vers. 10. The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words and that which was written was upright even words of Truth Here 's a farther account of 〈◊〉 same thing by Solomon as a type of Christ the supream Apostle 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 and High-Priest of God the highest and chief 〈◊〉 of the divine mind to Angels and Men. He finds out and 〈◊〉 his true spiritual Disciples and followers with meet 〈◊〉 words ways and means for revealing or opening the mysteries of infinite Divinity which remain seal'd up from all first-creation 〈◊〉 The whole Counsel and all mysteries of the infinite divine Spirit are 〈◊〉 in the Tables of Christ's twofold creature nature root and branch in the heavenly and glorified earthly life thereof so as to be seen and read or understood by all spiritual Angels and Men. All the words of this living creature-word spirit or Book of God are acceptable to God and to obedient Angels and Men. This Book in personal union with the Divinity whose Book it is was shew'd John open'd by the Lamb slain as to changeable first-creation life and rais'd into the second On the opening thereof blessed Angels and Saints fall down and worship the Lamb for opening this Book of acceptable words to God and right words of comfort and Salvation to them Rev. 5. 5 14. By a right reading or understanding of these words of the reveal'd or open'd Book are other Saints with Solomon qualified to preach them This Paul experienc'd by Christ's powerful touching and raising him into a right spiritual understanding of such words in a newness of life and strength with Daniel Act. 9. 6. Dan. 10. 18 19. on which he became a Preacher of his unsearchable Divine and Creature-riches Ephes. 3. 8. in right words acceptable to God and Men as shewing the true way of Sulvation in which only men can be acceptable to God and truly blessed Such words as the new-Wine of the spiritual Vine-tree are 〈◊〉 to God and Man Judges 9. 13. Vers. 11. The words of the Wise are as Goads and as Nails fastned by the Masters of Assemblies which are given from one Shepherd Here are summ'd up the Truths spoken in reference to Christ and Saints as Christ is the great Master of such Assemblies and great Shepherd of his sheep setting up and using others under him in this high service Christ and his wise-hearted right-spirited Ministers under him are the only 〈◊〉 of such Words as will make wise unto 〈◊〉 Such words as goads and nails are fastned by such Masters of Assemblies in the hearts of obedient Hearers that have an incorruptible Seed of the same Wisdom in them The words of Man's or Devil's wisdom Princes of this World that come to nought 1 Cor. 2. 6. signify worse then nothing even that that natural State they have set up in unchangeable enmity to God is eternal Life But the words of God's Wisdom are not yea and nay but only yea and amen 2 Cor. 1. 17 20. Words of infallible Truth and everlasting Life fastned by Christ himself immediately and mediately by other Masters of Assemblies under him Vers. 12. And further by these my Son be admonished of making many Books there is no end and much study is a weariness of the Flesh. What are these many Books without end or to no end and much study or reading that 's weariness to the flesh Both signify the unprofitable labour in Man's Wisdom that can never attain the right knowledg of spiritual Mysteries the glorious Truths or things of the Kingdom of God Yea that Wisdom is the very vail on Man's heart that hinders his sight as to any such things In that wisdom can Man never see beyond no nor to the end of what 's to be abolish'd So sets up in the fading 〈◊〉 Goodness or Glory of that first-Covenant State that 's to be done away and utterly abolish'd out of all Angels and Men 2 Cor. 3. 13. Christ when he had taken this fleshly Vail rent it in himself Heb. 10. 20. By the death of our natural spirit at best can it be so rent in us as to make way for our spiritual sight of 〈◊〉 eternal things things of God Where-ever Moses or the Law yea and whole Scripture is read by such as have this Vail on their Hearts a single uncrucified natural first-Covenant 〈◊〉 they see nothing but letter old Testament or first-Covenant sense of all Scripture nothing of the Spirit new Testament or second Covenant and spiritual meaning in all 2 Cor. 3. 13 15. The enlighten'd fleshly first-Covenant Jews or Lawyers saw nothing of Gospel-mysteries couch'd under Moses's typical Law-writings by which even he they trusted in condemned them as Rejecters of all spiritual Truths or Mysteries by him therein declar'd 〈◊〉 5. 45 47. They saw the literal but did not believe the spiritual sense of and things in Moses's Writings the proper objects of spiritual Faith discerning or understanding They refus'd the way of having such an understanding brought a-float in them the death and loss of
deep dark dungeon and miry pit of all sorts of filth of flesh or spirit a litteral or mystical Sodom in the corrupt or righteous life thereof in the dark as to the excellent things God offers and wholly disposed and inclined to close with Satan's offers out of his vast heap of perishing vanities Merriment and Jollity in such a destructive course is madness God therefore calls man into a state of poverty mourning and death as to all this life of vanity and that as the only possible way of his deliverance from all evil Prov. 1. 33. Vers. III. I sought in mine heart to give my self unto wine yet acquainting my heart with Wisdom and to lay hold on Folly till I might see what was that good for the Sons of men which they should do under the Heaven all the dayes of their life Vers. IV. I made me great Works I builded me Houses I planted me Vineyards Vers. V. I made me Gardens and Orchards and I planted Trees in them of all kind of Fruits Vers. VI. I made me Pooles of Water to water therewith the Wood that bringeth forth Trees Vers. VII I got me Servants and Maidens and had Servants born in my House also I had great Possessions of great and smal Cattel above all that were in Jerusalem before me Vers. VIII I gathered me also silver and gold and the peculiar treasure of Kings and of the Provinces I gat me Men-singers and Women-singers and the delights of the sons of men as musical Instruments and that of all sorts Vers. IX So I was great and increased more then all that were before me in Jerusalem also my Wisdom remained with me Vers. X. And whatsoever mine Eyes desired I kept not from them I withheld not my heart from any Joy for my heart rejoyced in all my labour and this was my portion of all my labour Here 's in Letter a larg account of Solomon's most desireable circumstances as to his outward condition in this World He excell'd other Kings in all kind of wealth wisdom greatness and honour 1 Kings 10. 23. Of all worldly contentments he had more then heart could wish And he set his heart to deny no desires thereof but fetcht up the utmost pleasure and satisfaction to himself that all these things could afford him To interpret then Every outward circumstance was figurative to the inward condition and mystical riches of his spirit All import in mystery his beautiful structure in the glory and wisdom of a first-covenant life and the workes of his own hands therein All this Paul counted dung and parted with for the riches wisdom and righteousness of God in his Gospel-spirit of grace and truth Phil. 3. 6-9 The wisdom inward beauties and excellent natural accomplishments of Solomon's spirit are here represented by stately Houses fruitfull Gardens Orchards c. At length in the awaken'd principle of true wisdom from the Fountain of living Waters he sees and declares the vanity of his broken Cistern or leaky natural Vessel with all the fading Waters buildings plantings and fruitfulnesses thereof All within man and all from without relating to him in this world is but Meats for a belly and a belly for Meats all perishing vanities God will destroy all belly and meats desires and desireables All confidence laughter mirth and joy therein is folly and madness All natural perfections and excellencies in the unstain'd purity of his first-creation state together with the convincing discoveries and revelations of the spiritual perfections and excellencies of the second soon ran out of the leaky natural Vessel of the first Adam He did not long keep the twofold waters of first-covenant Life or second-covenant Light the loss of both soon left him and all his posterity in darkness and death Dead in 〈◊〉 and sins Solomon finds all his natural braveries outward or inward but tottering Houses leaky Vessels all his possessions therein altogether vanity In the infallible light of spiritual wisdom he makes a right judgment of his natural principle and all fruits works or buildings therein typed by the abundant litteral varieties of pompous Houses Plantations c. All is vanity say's he This is the result this his verdict on the review of all after his full trial largest draughts and utmost experience of all possible desireables or satisfactions to be found in nature To particularize farther Men-singers and Women-singers may sitly signify the well-tuned frame and pleasant harmony of Solomons spirit in the orderly comportment and beautiful subjection of the sensual to his rational and intellectual powers figured by great and small Cattel making up but the humane Beast in scripture Language Every man is a Beast by his own knowledg in the utmost wisdom of his own nature earthly sensual so all in Man or Angel is call'd short of spiritual new-creation life having not the spirit Jude 19. so if fixed in devilish by unchangable enmity to that spirit and God most high Jam. 3. 15. The head of fallen Angels in the fading glory of first-creation life rebelliously exalted against the second is the most subtil beast in the first world or field Gen. 3. 1. Solomon gathered Silver and Gold was great and encreased more then all before him in Jerusalem mystical Gold and Silver the peculiar treasure of Kings such Princes of this world Scribes Pharisees c. in the riches flourish and fruitfulness of their own restored nature made wise strong and honourable by and in Christ there as crucified the prince of life in the next the Lord of Glory In sum he exceeded all such mysticall 1 Cor. 4. 8. as well as litteral Kings of the earth for wisdom and for riches inward and outward And his great delight in both and all is figured by Men and Women-singers with musical Instruments of all sorts importing his full injoyment of the utmost delights of the Sons of Men nature in it's most widen'd capacity can take in Whatever his eyes desired he kept not from them nor withheld his heart from any joy He allowed himself a latitude of rambling to take his utmost pleasure in all the litteral and all the mystical riches and fruits of his labours He rejoyced in this portion as the result of all his labour reckoning he had ground so to do The wisdom of God that remained with him in under all this doings was the only preservative in him that kept him from sinking and drowning in this full tide and affluence of all worldly desireables streaming into him He gives proof of the awakened exercise of this wisdom in this recantation-book and of the contrary Judgment thereof to man's at best as to the things wherein his true hapiness lies In the hurry of his busy active natural mind in worldly contrivances and enjoyments this true wisdom in him lay sorely clouded obstructed silenced and neglected But at last up it gets under Christ's powerful influence and pronounces himself and all his former designs works and injoyments in his own
Men in the corrupt spirit of nature unfix'd Mat. 12. 43 45. Luk. 11. 24 26. So come such feasters to a latter end in restor'd worse then their 〈◊〉 in corrupt nature a state of unchangeable enmity to God and his Gospel-spirit of Grace Man chuses rather to follow the Devil 's pleasing false counsel through a house of temporary feasting into everlasting mourning then God's true and faithful through a house of 〈◊〉 and death into everlasting rejoycing and life ' t. For that is the end of all Men and the living will lay it to his heart All Men good and bad must come sooner or later for a season or for ever to the house of mourning by the death and loss of all the 〈◊〉 goodness in their natural state or house of feasting That house or state of mourning is the end all men come to on the said differing accounts specified Such an end they must all experience after the most fruitful flourish in their fading Law-life even the death and loss of all Here 's then a character of the natural heart in all Men Their inward thought and design is to establish themselves in their own righteousness when they have it and in the riches and fruitfulness thereof and so to have the mystical Land of their own nature call'd after their own old name in their old first-covenant life or restor'd first-creation state figur'd by Men's calling their outward possessions so relating to bodily life only Psal. 49. 11. Conviction-light of the new-covenant Spirit they 'l receive as an ornament to prank up adorn and advance their nature to puff it more up with spiritual pride not by obedience to and compliance with it to let it fall down and be humbled to the death of that state as they ought So turn they all spiritual inlightning Gifts upon as well as fresh enlivenings of their nature into their disadvantage and sorer condemnation for ever Satan offers to advance them in their own way after their own heart into his superiour angelical perfections and excellencies of the first-creation sort gilding them also by his sinful transforming arts with the appearance of Christ's spiritual new-creation excellencies and then has he them fast in his fools-paradise which they take for the Kingdom of Heaven He wants not for Men-Apostles to carry on this work Moral Heathens are bidding towards Salvation by obedience to first-Covenant light only Temporary Believers by the knowledg of Christ after the flesh are bidding at it in a righteous first-Covenant life under the perfect righteousness of that sort from Christ imputed to them or that comliness put upon them Ezek. 16. 14. The moral Heathen with the Quaker aim's at a perfection in his own perpersonal Life and operations of the same sort Adam at first had not regarding imputed righteousness in either Covenant or at all the everlasting righteous life of the second This is not and so nor God in all or any of his thoughts Psal. 10. 4. The legal-Christian-Believer and Professor tho' advanc'd beyond the highest pretender to Heathen morality yea and furnish'd with spiritual light also is yet but the supernaturally adorn'd natural Man that oft with the 〈◊〉 Galatians retreats from Christ in spirit shew'd and offer'd him to a resting in holy flesh or his own restor'd naturals in a first-Covenant-life for salvation Gal. 3. 1 3. This finally and absolutely done is the unpardonable refusal of and sinning against the Holy Ghost God's holy new-Creature Spirit of everlasting Righteousness The Morally righteous Heathen is not so resolutely fierce against first-Covenant life in the professing legally righteous and Gospel-convinc'd Christian as he is against the second in the true Gospel-believing Christian. Wot ye why First-Covenant life advances nature in its own way above and beyond Heathen Morality But in order to true Gospel or second-Covenant life Christ comes with fire and sword to pull down and destroy the Wisdom of the Greek or Moral Heathen and the first-Covenant righteous life of the Jew or legal Christian. For this is the Preacher of the Cross and work of it a fool foolishness and a stumbling-block to both 1 Cor. 1. 23. Thus comes the spiritual Saint tho' transcendently advanc'd over both their guilty heads as far as the Heavens are above the Earth into the life and Image of the Heavenly that 's out of the sight and reach of both their Wisdoms or Understandings to be judg'd the veriest fool and mad man in the world by them both They are agreed against him to call and reckon him so in their several gradual advances in Naturals The highest rank of Naturalists in 〈◊〉 Covenant life and second-covenant light call'd Christ 〈◊〉 So Joh. 10. 20. for his Gospel-Doctrine 〈◊〉 the Cross on their Pharisaical Law-life and Righteousness leaven'd sowr'd into unchangable enmity to God's Gospel-life and everlasting righteousness Awaken'd Saints and true Prophets have bin so handled by such legal-professors in all Ages Hos. 9. 7 8. Cain a 〈◊〉 Covenant worshipper kill'd his own Brother Abel a second on this very single account Paul himself when a righteous wise first-Covenant Law-Pharisee in holy 〈◊〉 fiercely persecuted the Gospel-spirit in 〈◊〉 Covenant Saints 〈◊〉 he was despis'd as a contemptible 〈◊〉 by such as he had bin when a signal Friend and Preacher of the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 10 -13. But in his transcendently superiour Life Wisdom and Righteousnes of God he pass'd not for Man's day or dark-spirited judgment whose wisdom reach'd not such Spiritual Heavenly Mysteries Things or Truths 1 Cor. 4. 3. He regarded not their disregards mistakes contradictions blasphemies or evil-speakings and most unjust cenfurings of him As elevated by Satan into natural angelical excellencies and tongues or language of Men and Angels intuitive and by a sound of words and all 〈◊〉 things gilded with appearances of spirituality do first-Covenanteers feed at the Serpent's table with such delight as to find extasies and raptur's of false delusive joy in a way after their own hearts and despise the crucisied abas'd natural Man in the Saint as the filth and off-scouring of all things Satan thus all along this World and his Reign by his undiscern'd or wilfully unconsider'd pranks plays his game upon Man so as to carry it clear with abundantly the far greater number of professors high pretenders to Gospel and bidders at Salvation and the Kingdom of God as the only reputed Orthodox or right-thinking heirs thereof But the truly living spiritual Saint lay's all these things to heart as having escap'd out of the dark mistaking spirit of bondage and death others keep in He sees the house of mourning or loss of all fading goodness or life in the natural spirit will be the end of all Men and Angels good and bad Those that obediently surrender and lose it find eternal life others eternal darkness and death True Saints and incorrigible sinners all must come to 't at last even to experience the loss of all good in their
their own Hence such enlight'ned Professors with their Teachers and Rulers not knowing Christ nor the voices of Moses and their own Prophets which were read and expounded every Sabbath day became the unhappy fulfillers of them only in contradicting blaspheming and crucifying him for witnessing asserting and declaring the very spiritual Truths and Mysteries of Mose's and the Prophet's Writings concerning himself or his mysterious wonderful all-comprehensive Person Act. 13. 27. What then is such a Man like to arrive at or come to as to the doing himself or other's good in the way of Salvation that understands not one tittle of the saving or spiritual sense of any Scripture What amount all such a Man 's reading study labour preachings writings books or whatever he can say or do thro' his whole life in but that Law-wisdom that 's the very black and thick darkning Vail upon him keeping him under a perfect impossibility of ever finding out any one spiritual Mystery or Truth in all Scripture No man in that foolish-wisdom ever receives the spiritual or Gospel-Testimony of any Scripture Joh. 3. 32. A becoming a Fool as to that Wisdom is undispensably necessary in the methods and contrivements of God's Wisdom to a becoming wise unto Salvation that is spiritually wise in God so as to understand all things 1 Cor. 1. 20. 2. 14 15. 3. 18 19. 4. 10. None of the divine and spiritual Things or Mysteries of God the Father and of Christ the Son Col. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 conceiveth perceiveth receiveth any Man save in spiritual Light or new-creature Understanding for they can only be spiritually discern'd 1 Cor. 2. 11 14. All the mysterious Truths or Things of God engraven in the creature-spirit of Christ the living Word or Book of God or signified in the Transcript or Copy thereof his written Oracles or Scriptures of Truth the holy Bible or Book of God are perfectly shut up from and therefore as perfectly shut out by Man 's wisdom in all his pretended Divinity-preachings and Writings under the disguising title of a Minister of the Gospel Of whose Gospel Christ's A likely matter The dark Law-vail is upon his heart as to all Christ's Gospel-matters No humane improvements of that Wisdom by cultivating Educationarts or means possible signify any thing save a being more confident and strongly arm'd to fight Satan's Battels against Christ's Gospel in defence of that he preach'd at first to Eve How dark and ignorant were the wise and learned Jewish Teachers as to all the things in Christ's Gospel-ministry or teaching which ignorant unlearned Act. 4. 13. Fishermen and Women under the teaching-Influence of Christ by which a spiritual Understanding was waken'd and set up in them cleerly understood Solomon therefore advises Men to cease from the unprofitable Mercenary trading labour of their own Understanding unprofitable save only for the gratifying their worldly Interest by bringing in rewards and honour from Man to them as ever they hope to make any right work on 't at preaching and interpreting the Scriptures They must wait for the Inspirations of the Almighty to give or set up in them a spiritual Understanding Job 32. 8. Otherwise preach and write while they will the 〈◊〉 Scripture as to the whole counsel of God or spiritual saving Sense Truths and Mysteries thereof is a Book seal'd to them Isa. 29. 11. Neither learned nor unlearned ver 12. as to the Wisdom of Man can 〈◊〉 or understand it So all man's Toil and Study in his own tossing rolling fluctuating spirit under the mystical wind or inspiration of the very spirit of the Devil must needs be unprofitable as to his own or others true Blessedness and very wearisom to his flesh or whole man in his but restor'd natural State a fleshly first-covenant Law-life Righteousness and Wisdom He and his blind Followers will meet with final disappointment as to all their self-pleasing hopes and expectations therein After all their confident preaching hearing labouring and walking in their own spirit in the light of the kindled fire or Law-zeal thereof and compassing themselves about with the sparks Works or best Fruits perform'd or produced by them therein will they be all forc'd to lie down for ever in Sorrow under Wrath Isa. 50. 11. He that quit's all that old name and life they trust in and trusts wholly in the new life or name of the Lord is sure to meet with a perfectly contrary issue reward in a state of eternal Blessedness ver 10. Those that find themselves weary and heavy laden in this unprofitable toilsom course in their own Wisdom which is but bodily exercise or exercise of the vile natural body and state of life 1 Tim. 4. 8. Phil. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 15. 44 45. Must and will come to Christ for spiritual Life and Understanding who will make way for the springing up of the incorruptible Seed thereof where it is by renting the fleshly Law-vail and pulling down the earthen Partition-wall between them and him in his spiritual Gospel-life by the demolishing Work of his Cross. So alone can they come to see and enjoy him with all his divine heavenly spiritual Things and Truths as their true Rest and Blessedness for ever Mat. 11. 28 30. Never had Christ's Gospel in primitive Gospel-times at best any national reception or owning and countenance Constantine's owning and embodying it with the Laws of the Empire so as to bring it under the Erastian protection and guardianship of the civil Magistrate was the foundation of Antichristianism 'T is more then sorely and dangerously suspitious that all variety of humane Undertakers at Gospel-preaching that can thereby find a worldly self-interest gratified in accumulated worldly Honours and Riches will at bottom be found Satan's Gospel-ministers and Apostles 2 Cor. 11. 13 15. Mat. 24. 24. And herein the grossest idolatrous pretenders to Christ's Gospel 〈◊〉 best and the more refined still worse and worse yet all get something whereas Paul worth millions of them labour'd with his hands to supply his own and other's wants Act. 20. 34. under the God of this World whose interest they most certainly carry on and serve against Christ and his Gospel in all their clashing varieties think or say what they will Vers. 13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of Man Man ought so to fear God as to be found a right keeper of his Commands This is Man under a double obligation for as the work of God's hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as redeem'd out of the Fall since Yea all imaginable ties and obligations are upon him for performing this result and total sum of all instruction and Duty Fear God and keep his Commandments These Commands joyn'd with the true fear of God were most exactly kept and observ'd by Christ himself even his Father's Commands for his and his followers laying down the fading Law-life of Nature that they may take it up again in
and with the everlasting righteous Gospel-life of his spirit of Grace Joh. 10. 17 18. Joh. 14. 15 21 23. From the true Sonly fear of God and love to his Mercy or unspeakable Gospel-gift of eternal Life must we hate and do judgment or receive and also execute God's righteous Sentence of Death 2 Cor. 1. 9. on our most restor'd Law-state of Nature By such humbling our selves to the death of our Nature at best can we come to walk as Enoch with God in his Spirit of Grace that 's in unchangeable harmony of mind and will with his infinite divine Spirit Mic. 6. 8. How can two Men walk together and how much less God and man except they be agreed This is the concluding sum of all God requir's of us That we obediently keep and do all his Commands in his never-sinning or erring Spirit of everlasting Righteousness and infallible Truth The best works or fruits done or brought forth in our Law-life of enmity to God can never answer his requirings of us Can we love him with all our heart soul mind and strength in a spirit of direct enmity to him Luk. 10. 27. Direct contradiction The Gospel-spirit of Grace call'd Love is the fulfiller of the whole Law mind and will of God Rom. 13. 8 -10. Vers. 14. For God shall bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it in be evil Rom. 2. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 10. The Man Christ will be found able to do all this Heb. 4. 〈◊〉 13. The sad consequents of rejecting the advice given v. 13. will be eternal misery torment and vexation of spirit on the irrecoverable loss of all the fading goodness or comforts of the natural state and an eternal exclusion from the once fairly shew'd and offer'd never-fading goodness and glory of a spiritual eternal life of everlasting righteousness This will be concluded by God's infallible Spirit of Truth whose Authority when Christ appears Judg himself on his Throne shall no longer be questioned or disputed as all along this World in Satan's reign and man's day it has but every tongue shall confess it as of right belonging to the Man Christ Joh. 5. 22 27. Phil. 2. 11. The undeniable truth of his 〈◊〉 Judgment will have a universal acknowledgement from all good and evil Angels and Men. By the irresistible beamings-forth of the light of that Spirit wherein he will judge and pronounce the Sentence of God's infinitely just and righteous mind and will shall the Books of all hearts and consciences be forc'd open or unlock'd so as to make enemies themselves witnesses for him against themselves on their amazing forc'd remembrance of and his setting all their innumerable sins and abominations naked and open in the view of themselves and all others And then will Christ also open his own infallible Book of Records in which he has registred and set down in indeleble characters from first to last according to the divine sight and judgment of God all done by or found in every Angel and Man good or bad Rev. 20. 12 13. The Books of all Men's and Angel's Consciences will be opened and then Christ's own Book the Book of Life out of which all Men shall be judged according to their works Out of and by all these Books will God's Judgement pronounc'd on Men be found clearly and undeniably righteous For the Records in the hearts and consciences of men will be found in exact harmony with what 's written in God's own Book which will lay the evil creaturé under undeniable guilt and just condemnation to the silencing and stopping every blasphemous mouth of iniquity And then also shall the secret hidden spiritual Life of Saints with the well-pleasing right works and fruits thereof unobserv'd and un-own'd yea blasphem'd by enemies be open'd and manifested to all for their eternal justification All secret evils that have lain hid in enemies under all fair shews in holy 〈◊〉 and all 〈◊〉 secret good works of spiritual Saints that have lain hid under the marr'd visage of their crucified natural man shall be brought into publick and general view So will the incorrigibly wicked be sent as justly condemned persons into everlasting punishment and the unchangeably Righteous into Life eternal Mat. 25. 31 -- 46. FINIS ERRATA PAge 102. line 21. for the in read in the. P. 176. l. 1. 〈◊〉 dul r. duly P. 323. l. 16. f. cammon r. common P. 380. l. last f. creation r Cretian Some 〈◊〉 mistakes and in stopping are left to the ingenuous Reader