Israel Chap. 41. 8 9. Thou Israel my servant Iacob whom I have chosen the seed of Abraham my friend unto whom I have said thou art my servant I have chosen thee and not cast thee away Here the holy seed or divine birth of God's Image that makes the true Israelite by faith is described to be of a nature and quality that is incorruptible securing him in whom it is whether Iacob the chosen servant or the seed of Abraham the chosen friend as well as chosen servant from ever being a castaway Hereby is intimated what it is to be the chosen faithful servant and no more and what it is over and above to be the chosen and intimate friend that is called and admitted to see God face to face a friend speaks with friend Thus of Aaron it is said Exod. 4. 15 16. That Moses should speak to him and put words in his mouth and saies God I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth and will teach you what ye shall do And Aaron shall be thy spokesman unto the People he shall be to thee instead of a mouth and thou shalt be to him in stead of God Consider how interpretable this is of the son of man glorified the great Prophet of all in the person of the blessed Mediator set down on the right hand oâ— the Majesty on high who still reteins the form of a servant or perfection of his natural man in its incorruptible form with which as with a mouth typified by Aaron he comes forth as a head to the holy Angels and Iacob his chosen servant in a suitable way of converse and fruition to their capacity speaking therein to the body of the People whilst at the same time he is in his spiritual manhood exalted to an equality with the eternal WORD as the man God's fellow admitted to a communication with God face to face as fâ—iend speaks with friend In this glory he is more properly the very mouth of God typified by Moses in a capacity andâ— fitness for converse with the Bride the Lambs Wife as head to the general Assembly of the first-born who are a sort of saints of greater dignity and preheminence by whom the manifold Wisdom of God or secret Name his WORD shall be made known to principallities and powers Ephes. 3. 10. The lowest sort of all these heaven-born Saints that have but the single portion of the spirit have not onely by the external influence of Christs heavenly Nature such a change as the legal or first Covenant Saint has from the polluted to the cleansed and reformed state of the natural man which make but a member of the mystical earthly Ierusalem that may become the spiritual Sodom but by the very seed of Christ's heavenly nature sown in them they have an inward real partaking of the divine nature or that new principle of Life which baptizes the natural state into a conformity with and subjection thereunto advancing it thereby for ever into a sublimated incorruptible form It is in his Light onely with whom is the fountain of all Life and perfection that we can see Light Psal. 36.9 In the spiritual new-creature discerning onely of a divine communicated understanding and superinduced form can we see that objective light or unveiled glory of God that renders the true heir everlastingly blessed But even amongst the children of the heavenly kingdom the children of the Resurrection there are some of a first and others of a second Resurrection into a more exalted state of Life and glory Yet all the Vessels of glory great and small will be filled from the Ocean of those unutterable riches of divine Glory that are in Christ which no natural eye can see There will be no want or envying one another there Concerning ORDINANCES HAving already spoken joyntly concerning this Sufferers Principles and Doctrine I come now to mention his way of worshiping God and what his Judgement and Practice was as to Ordinances After that way which men call Heresie did he worship the God of his believing Fathers Abraham and the rest Acts 24. 14. He was for worshipping God in spirit and in Truth such the Father seeks to worship him Joh. 4. 23. He lived walked worshipped prayed spake in the spirit and so as the oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. 11. ministring as of the ability that God gave him that God in all things might be glorified This language and way of Worshipping God that is so despicable to man is that onely which hath the praise of God He kept the true mystical Sabbath not thinking his own thoughts c. Esay 58. 13. He was baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire He did in such sort eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ that he was thereby brought into a conformity with Christ in his death and had eternâ—l Life abiding in him Iohn 6. 54. This is satisfactory to God in this point that that answers his well pleasing What further shall be said shall not be in order to please but instruct convince and stop the mouâ—hes of gainsaying men Tit. 1. 9. He that worships God in the power of the single or double portion of the spirit of Christ does undeniably worship him in spirit and truth The power of godliness comes in with this new creation Spirit All Worship Righteousness Ordinances or whatever performed but in the renâ—wed reformed enlightned gifted adorned state of our first-creation spirit amounts but to the form of godliness that faith that may be shipwrack'd that interest in Christ and that good conscience that may be lost 1 Tim. 1. 19. They that have not the divine nature in the sence above expressed 2 Pet. 1. 4. are blind and cannot see afar off vers 9. they discern not the land of distances the new Ierusalem They may have great illumination excellent gifts and in the confidence of these they say they see what get they by that Therefore their sin remaineth Iohn 9. 41. that is is unpardonable there remaineth no more benefit of Christ's sacrifice to them There remaineth onely at last upon final refusal and resistance of the new-creature life spirit and way of worship nothing but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery inignation which shall devour the adversaries Heb. 10. 27. and Chap. 6. 4 8. Their light their seeing takes away all cloak for their sin Iohn 15. 22 and 24. The warning which the true spiritual watchman gives them if neglected and despised by them does dangerously set forward this work through their miscarriage under it and becomes a savour of death to them Act. 13. 40. 41. but even so a sweet savour to God as prospering in the thing whereto he sends it and accomplishing his pleasure 2 Cor. 2. 16. Esay 55. 11. These keen concisionists that cannot afford a good word for the true circumcision that worship God in the spirit and have no confidence in the flesh or in the knowledge of Christ after the flesh they
up of Life It will make them of the same mind that was in Christ willing so to suffer in the flesh under the power of his spirit as to cease from sin or from that state that can return back into sin again 1 Pet. 4. 1. This incorruptible form atteinable onely by the fire-baptism performed upon the natural man at his best by the single portion of the spirit of Christ is called spiritual and denominates the whole person a spiritual man though yet in the mortal body in distinction from those who have but only the renewal of their first-creation form by the influence and gifts of the same spirit All that these receive is but the goodliness of flesh renewed adorned nature which is decried and blown upon by a second vice a superior dispensation and ministry of the same spirit as a perishing vanity after the first voice has done its work made a straight path for God in the desert by rectifying the rational powers in bewildred man Esay 40. 3 8. Our corruptible tabernacle is to be taken down This mantle this filthy garment this vile body flesh and blood at its best is to be chaned into the likeness of Christs glorious body his heavenly man by the mighty power and transforming operation of that spirit whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3. 21. We must put off the old man at best and put on the new which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Ephes. 4. 22 24. Col. 3. 9 10. That Image of God received by the first-creation and all the wisdom glory and righteousness thereof is but shadow to what is to be received by the new creation 'T is but self-glory self-wisdom self-righteousness and when these are opposed to the wisdom righteousness and glory of God in the new creation they are Idols shadows preferred to substance the Law or ruling Principles of our first creation Life to grace and truth in the second Some few Results or Corollaries of what hath been said in this matter take as followeth 1. The Spirit of God the holy Ghost the divine Nature which the Scriptures do evidently assert and declare to be communicable to men exceeds not in its reach and significancy the natural and spiritual creature capacity in the person of the Mediator whereby individual angels and men are brought into an everlasting union with him in one or both as he is one with the Father Iohn 17. 22. 2. Where-ever the Seed of eternal Life is sowne by Christ's causing himself to be received in the single or double portion of his Spirit it will mar the visage or wisdom of man it will take him off from his way of working righteousness and worshipping God in the oldness of the letter of the first creation and enable him to perform all in a more excellent and acceptable way in the newness of the spirit of the second Paul in his own person gives us notice of this distinction which he stood in from those youthful flourishing professors that were reigning as Kings at the righteousness of the Law performable in their own spirit 1 Cor. 4. 8. 10. With such he said he durst not compare himself 2 Cor. 10. 12. who pleasing themselves and applauding one another in a way of mutual self-deceivings and commendations are not those whom the Lord commendeth as he rather desired to be vers 18. They have but the inward heart-circumcision in the letter of the first not in the spirit of the second creation whose praise is not of men as is implied Rom. 2. 29. 'T is worth observation that even in the ancient Hieroglyphical divinity of Egypt no service or worship of God was accounted acceptable and well-pleasing but what was performed by some divine power of God himself in them 3. There are two distinct sorts of everlastingly saved men such as receive the single and such as receive the double portion of the spirit Both pass under the fire-baptisme The former are exalted into association with the elect angels and have for the immediate and adaequate object of their fruition and converse God as shining forth to them in the incorruptible form of Christs natural Manhood The latter and more exalted sort of Saints are taken into association with the spiritual manhood in Christs person and have for the immediate and adaequate object of their fruition and converse God as shining forth to them in that highest and most exalted creature form in Christ's person And by and through these who do properly constitute the general assembly and Church of the first-born the spirits of just men and the holy angels even those principalities and powers in heavenly places do as at second hand receive that manifold wisdom of God that shines forth more immediately upon the Church Ephes. 3. 10. 4. The highest sort of these Saints are not Christ or God much less the lower Christ is the head root and parent to both these sorts of glorified men in his twofold creature capacity or manhood natural or spiritual And Christ as he is the purely divine form or image of the invisible God is head to both these creature-headships in his own person and God is the head of Christ considered as in his purely divine form 1 Cor 11. 3. 5. Christ in his creature-capacity is the maker redeemer and heir of all things in both worlds as all things were created by him so for him Col. 1. 16. Heb. 1. 2. and Rom. 11. 36. Of him through him and to him are all things 6. Men that in their first creation were made little lower than the Angels Psal. 8. 5. are in the second or new creation made equal to the elect angels and all those of the double portion are advanced quite over the heads of all the angels into an immediate association with Christ in his most exalted creature-capacity on the Throne of his glory even in that more excellent creature name than the angels have Heb. 1. 4. Behold then the heavenly order in the whole family of God First God himself the head of Christ and that as Christ is the Image of the invisible God very God Secondly Christ himself as thus considered in his capacity purely divine head to his twofold creature-headship the natural and spiritual man in his own person Thirdly Christ in his twofold creatureship as the immediate head to all spiritual and natural men and angels in his heavenly family his members his body mystical Fourthly Behold these also in their two grand distinctions of superiority and subordination spiritual and natural Fifthly There may seem also to be intimated in the Scriptures a gradual difference of capacity in the individuals of either of these two ranks of everlastingly glorified men Dan. 12. 3. and 1 Cor. 15. 41. There is one glory of the Sun another of the Moon and another glory of the Stars and one Star differeth from another Star in glory Variety of intellectual light or discerning is resembled in Scripture
Abraham largely experienced by your Father and by him now recommended unto you Keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement that he may fulfil unto you all the rich and precious promises of the Gospel belonging to Abraham and his believing seed the seed of Promise that are found walking in his wayes Observ. 4. Fourthly and lastly observe That it is a duty incumbent on believing parents to mind their children and houshold of walking in the faith and keeping in the way of the Lord doing that which is just and right So also is it the duty of children to obey such charge and be found so living and walking in the spirit and way of the Lord as they expect the blessings of Gods Covenant with Abraham to be made good unto them But here this Query may be offered How did Abraham walk and 〈◊〉 The answer is In a Family-way 't was Family-worship There were in his time no formed Churches or Societies of a larger kind made up of divers families embodying themselves and walking in communion together That which he was capable to do he did He catechized and instructed his Relations spreading abroad amongst them the savour of the tithes of that Grace which through mercy he was partaker of This was the state of the true Church then as to its outward form If larger visible Societies and collective Bodies or Churches of Saints be now interrupted this Family-way of Religion and Worship may be kept up and so things return to their primitive way again as in the dayes of Abraham To this Ioshua professes he will have recourse when the purity of publick Worship fails Iosh. 24. 15. If saith he it seem evil to you to serve the Lord if you be for other goâ—â— or other wayes of worship than God requires I will quit your publick societies as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Use 1. My word of exhortation then to you is When publick worship is to be had in purity without defiling of your Consciences use and frequent that But if that bedenied or is not to be found frequent private and family worship yea however it be as to the publick let these be kept on foot with all diligence Be found still in the way of the Lord own that where ere you see it and joyn in it as the Lord shall please to open the way for you and give opportunity Whatever you do be not conformed to this world in the spirit way principles affections no nor religion thereof Quit those worshippers that are confident in a spirit and way that is liable to apostacy calling that heresie which is the only true way of worshipping the God of our Fathers Amidst the great variety of Churches and ways of Worship that this world abounds with be not by any means induced or forced to observe and become subject to the ordinances of man in things pertaining unto God Give unto God the things that are Gods Give also unto Caesar the things that are his If he unlawfully require more you may lawfully refuse to obey him let him take his course wherein any 〈◊〉 proudly God will be above them If one Church say Christâ— another Lo there and the trumpet that 's blown in both give but an uncertain sound look up to Christ himself with the Spouse in the Canticles and say O thou whom our souls do love tell us where thou feedest and makest thy flock to rest at noon under the scorching heat of mans persecuting wrath He will discover to you the false Babylonish spirit that lurks in such Churches and Teachers as to the deceiving of themselves and others are but transformed into the likeness of the Apostles and Churches of Christ 2 Cor. 11. And he will by his Spirit if rightly sought to and waited on infallibly direct you to the true shepherds tents those spiritual pastors and assemblies that walk in the footsteps of his ancient flock even in the faith spirit and way of Abraham Isaac Iacob and their families who are now in the kingdom of God and in the way doctrine and spirit of the Evangelists and Apostlcs And as I would have you to quit all false Churches and reject the Babylonish spirit whatever curious dress insinuating appearance or refined form she shines forth in so much more yet would I have you to loath and depart from all manner of prophaness and common debauchery whatever countenance or encouragement it may have round about you in the Land of your nativity Do but keep in the Way live and walk in the Faith and Spirit of Abraham and all is done This your Father hath found joy and comfort in upon very large and plentiful experiences but most remarkably in his Prison-state As troubles and straits from without have encreased upon me I have been more enlarged within The more I have been shut up on earth and from earthly Relations and enjoyments the more have the Heavens opened upon me and let down to me the larger sights and tasts of the glory and enjoyments of the world to come Vse 2. Lastly I charge you as the utmost desire of my soul to God on your behalf be obedient to the Lord walk humbly with him and keep close to him Let your heart be right with him Be stedfast in his Covenant not turning aside like a deceitful Boâ— Be not off and on with him yea and nay but in Christ yea only and then all the Promises of God in Christ to you will be Yea and Amen to the glory of God the Father Then if any of you lack Wisdom or particular direction in any difficult circumstances ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given you But then ask in Faith the stedfast Faith of Abraham nothing wavering for he that wavereth must not think or expect to receive any thing of the Lord Iames 1. 5. 7. Christ hath assured you that whatsoever you shall ask in his Name he will do it and the Father will do it Ioh. 14. 13 14. and chap. 15. 16. that is whatsoever ye shall ask in the power and exercise of a living saving Faith or of the heavenly Anointing and new Name of Christ in and upon you it shall be done unto you For whatsoever ye thus ask will be asked by you in the will of God that ye are begotten of Jam. 1. 18. or according to the will of your heavenly Father And this we know that whatsoever we ask according to his will he heareth us 1 John 5. 14 15. Yea though ye be but young and weak in this Faith and in the expression of it if as new-born babes ye do but truly desire the sincere milk of the Word and brokenly stammer and lisp forth such desires to God ye will find acceptance with and answer from him not only according to but abundantly above all that you are able to ask or think No Mother can have so tender a regard to the cry of
came presently to a parting blow Yea this change and new steering of his course contracted enmity to him in his fathers house Mat. 10. 36 37. It was also suggested by the Bishops to the then King concerning him That the heir of a considerable family about his Majesty was grown into dislike of the Discipline and Ceremonies of the Church of England and that his Majesty might do well to take some course about him On this the then Bishop of London took him to task who seemed to handle him gently in the Conference but concluded harshly enough against him in the Close In fine seeing himself on â—ll hands in an evil case he resolved for New-England In order to this striking in with some Non-conformists which intended that way his honourable Birth long Hair and other Circumstances of his Person rendred his fellow-travellers jealous of him â—â— a Spye to betray their Liberty rather than any way like to advantage their design But he that they thought at first sight to have too little of Christ for their company did soon after appear to have two much for them For he had not been long in New-England but he ripened into more knowledge and experience of Christ than the Churches there could bear the Testimony of Even New-England could not bear all his words though there were no Kings Court or Kings Chappel Amos 7. 10 13. Then he returns for Old-England Shortly after the leading and preparatory passages to the Long Parliament and the late great publick changes drew on From the beginning of that Parliament he became such a drudge for his Countrey so willing on all accounts both in Person and Estate to spend and be spent in his chargable circumstances and unwearied endeavours for the publick Good and just Liberties of men as men as also for the advance of the Kingdom of Christ in these Nations as I know not any former age or story can parallel His Principles Light and Wisdom were such that he found the bare mention of his utmost aimes amongst his fellow labourers would in all probabillity so expose him to censure from all parties and sizes of understanding as would disable him for doing any thing at all He was therefore for small matters rather than nothing went hand in hand with them step by step their own pace as the light of the times would permit He was for quitting still the more gross disorders in Church and State corruptions in Courts of Judicature Popish and Superstitious formes in Religion and wayes of Worship for what he found more refined and tollerable But he ever refused to fix his soot or take up his rest in any Form Company or Way where he found the main bulke of Professors avowedly owning but such inward Principles of Life and Holiness as to him evidently lay short of the glory righteousness and life hid with Christ in God He was still for pressing towards the mark Phil. 3. 14. He was more for Things than Persons Spirit than Forms This carâ—iage of his all along in New-England and in Old exposed him as a mark for the arrow from almost all sorts of People rendring him a man of contention with the whole earth Yet was he all along a true Son of Peace a most industrious and blessed Peace-maker to the utmost of his power for the reconciling all sorts of Conscientious men whatever variety of Perswasion or Form he found them inâ— to one another and to Christ. He never affected any military employment He was in a litteral sense free from the blood of all men as well as in a spiritual by his faithful performance of the duty of a Watchman not shunning to declare unto all men the whole counsel of God Ezek. 18. and 33. and Acts 20. 27. They that call him a man of contention what would they have said of David He though a man after God's own heart had so abundantly shed blood in his great warrs that it was objected as a reason against him why he should not have the honour of building a house unto the Name of the Lord his God 1 Chron. 22. 7 c. Yea he left order with his son Solomon on his death-bed to take such course with Ioab and Shimei that their hoary heads might be brought down to the grave with blood 1 Kings 2. He was no humoursom conceited maintainer of any perverse or irrational opinions but a most quiet calme composed speaker forth of the words of Truth and soberness at all seasons upon all occasions and in all companies He was full of condescention and forbearance hating nothing more in his very natural temper than brangling and contention He would keep silence even from good though his sorrow was stirred by it and the fire-burned within while he was musing Psal. 39. 1 3. in case that either wicked or but short-sighted good men were before him that he perceived could not bear more spiritual and sublimated Truths Iohn 16. 12. He became all things to all men that he might by all meanes save some 1 Cor. 9. 22. His heart was of a right Scripture latitude stood fair and open for any good but no evil All sorts of conscientious inquirers after Truth found a friendly reception with him yea he was in a constant readiness to perform any warrantable civilities to all men Any thing that was good he owned and cherished in the honest moral Heathen legal Christian or spiritual Believer and so sought opportunity by honest insinuations to catch them with guile and lead them forward into more excellent Truths 2 Cor. 12. 16. But more particularly yet to undertake that general Reproach that was cast upon him to wit That he was a man of Contention from his Youth up where ever he came or had to do in New-England or in Old He was a true Believer that 's enough if ye knew all to set all the World against him He was not of the world and therefore hated by it Iohn 15. 18 19. He was partaker of God's holiness Heb. 12. 10. had eternal Life abiding in him stood possessed of the Wisdom and Words of that Life which the holy Ghost teacheth 1 Cor. 2. 13. and he could not but speak forth the things he had heard and seen Then there 's no dealing for him Rev. 13. 17. Divine Truth seems most frightful and contrary of all other to men puts all men to a gaze renders the witness-bearer thereof like Ieremiah a man of contention with the whole earth He needs no other occasion of controversie the meer and single declaration of this truth will do it Here 's the ground of the quarrel with him for this every one will curse him Ier. 15. 10. This was Paul's case even amongst the professing Churches of Christ converted by his Ministry that were yet but in their own Legal short-sighted-short-sighted-spirit they were ready to have pluck'd out their eyes and have given them to him while gratified by him in the first branch of his Ministry for renewal of
secure in the Throne will not fail to domineer over the other trees fig-tree vine olive or whatever else as if it were really the best of them all and no man must say to the contrary Yea to such unimaginable degrees of folly and presumption are the souls of men liable to be baffled by the devil and their own hearts as 't is not altogether improbable men of debauched consciences and bruitish conversations may think the superiority and dominion over men of Principles and Conscience was theirs of old and though now and then interrupted will be returned back into their hinds again as their right Man that is called a little World may receive instruction from what is observable to him in the greater for the giving of him aim how much he is concerned to be yeelding up all inferiour Life and operation in him to the sacrificing knife and transforming activity of the divine Nature or heavenly manhood of Christ in order to be reduced into an absolute harmony with subjection thereunto By this change he receives his own again with usury He loses the good holy but corruptible vanishing Life liberty and righteousness of the Sons of men and findes in the room thereof the more excellent most holy incorruptible marvellous light life wisdom righteousness and glorious liberty of the sons of God He findes himself enabled to do all things for the Truth in the power of God's spirit and disabled to do any thing against it in his own disabled to sin against God and wrong his own soul such weakness is his strength such captivity is his glorious liberty Thus Paul was made weak in Christ when others were strong and reigning as Kings in the single activity of their own renewed spirits which they also had from Christ 1 Cor. 4. 8. 10. But his weakness was better than their strength his seeming folly and despicableness better than all their wisdom and glory That the life righteousness glory and freedom of man at his best are but corruptible things all the World are my experimental witnesses say what they will to the contrary They are therefore to be accounted but as dung and loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ after the spirit for the wisdom righteousness and Life â—id with Christ in God the glory that excels Let us turn over and read the book of the visible creation and see what occurrs there conducible to this purpose The elements are content to loose their own single natures essences properties formes and qualities and run together into a quintessential compound distinct from them all The Earth parts with its vigor for the production of vegetables These again do readily surrender their life without resistance to feed the beasts of the field and thereby find their own life again with usury by way of resurrection in subjection to and association with the sensual life of the Beast The beast again looses its life becomes a sacrifice to man finding its own sensual life again with usury by way of resurrection in conjunction with and subjection to the rational life of man This rational life of man being yet but a corruptible first-creation-thing is by all this significant instruction from the very book of the Creature as also from Christ himself and his great Apostle Mat. 16.25 Rom. 12. 1 2. abundantly informed that it is its true interest to be given up in sacrifice to the divine life and find its own again with usury by way of resurrection in the life hid with Christ in God All the former sacrifices deaths and resurrections of inferiour creature-natures to one another and to man as also the subjection of vegetal and sensual powers in man to rational are but typical significations and teaching resemblances of this last and greatest of all beyond which there is no other Those that will not adventure to offer up this holy and reasonable sacrifice their rational Life Rom. 12. 1. in hope of the better resurrection Heb. 11. 35. but chuse to remain in the single glory and soveraign activity of renewed humane nature the great master of the family himself intimates to them that this is but the state of servants that abide not in the house for ever whereas those that are made willing to resign the life and soveraignty of their own nature and principles and become willingly subject to communicated divine life and God therein are the true sons that abide in the house for ever Iohn 8. 35. But between the natural first-creation Life of man and the spiritual or divine Life by the new-creation the great deceiver as transformed into angel of Light when he sees us gazing after this superiour dispensation is ready to present himself to us as Christ in spirit or the holy Ghost and obtrude upon us angelical Nature of the first-creation-frame onely to keep us yet short of the divine In this posture finding men dissatisfied in their natural and legal attainments he makes the same demands that Christ himself makes requires the intire resignation of their wills and understandings unto him so as not to think their own thoughts speak their own words do their own works or find their own pleasure but wait in a passive silence for his dictates and inspirations and speak onely such oracles as his beguiling serpentine wisdom teacheth The condition they are brought into by this imposture is so much the more dangerous by how much the more secure and confident they are under it as cherished and pleased with some delusive raptures of joy from this flourishing deceiver By this means he labours to gain more and more upon them till they resign themselves totally up to the conducting influence of angelical nature This is that voluntary humility and worshiping of Angels Col. 2. 18. The devil attempted to bring the humane nature of Christ himself to his lure in this main point of all even to worship him or become subject to his influence Mat. 4. Luke 4. This last and great deceit of the adversary together with the false mortification of things seen attending it where he prevails is notably charactered page 340 and so on to the 350th page of The Retired man's Meditations All first-creation Nature sensual humane or angelical comparatively with divine spiritual new-creature Life is but shaddow letter or significant figure and resemblance Any of these therefore terminated or rested in whatever it be from the lowest shrub of sensual to the tallest Cedar in the first-creation angelical nature so as that man resolves to sit down under the ruling influence and protection thereof as the highest principle of Life he will ever be induced to own this will appear in conclusion to be down-right idolatry All obedience also to the Commands of God in the Scriptures performed onely in the ruling activity of any first-creation nature in us humane or angelical is but serving of God in the oldness of the letter of the first-creation not in the newness of the Spirit of the second
are hot about the outward circumstances of worship time place and the like Christ reproves them in his answer to the woman of Samaria at Iacobs Well Neither in this Mountain nor at Ierusalem shall ye worship the Father but in spirit and truth Joh. 4. 23. Neither in this Form nor that but excluded out of all Synagogues has the true Church and Spouse of Christ been worshipping God this twelve hundred Years and upwards in her mourning persecuted wilderness-condition out of which she is shortly to appear and speak for her self By this Sufferers reckoning the time times and half a time or three years and a half are very near expired those forty two moneths and one thousand two hundred and sixty days prophetical for years all which do character and point out the same Epocha in Daniel and the Revelation for the Churches abode in the Wilderness from the time of her flight mentioned Rev. 12. 6. She will very shortly be called up out of the wilderness by the name of Shulamite which comes from the same word that Solomon and Salem do signifying Peace This true peaceable Pilgrim and Spouse of Christ that in her Life and Testimony hath been so disgustful to this world out of which she is chosen as to be reputed by all the Inhabitants of the earth a wrangling Heretick a Blasphemer and one that turns the World upside down will shortly come up out af her political grave or exclusion from all authority or allowance in Church and State into the exercise of true Christian Polity in both in association with the holy Angels who with the risen Witnesses will make up the two hosts before whom no opposite power of contradicting man wil be able to bear up See for this Cant. 6. 13. Return return O Shulamite return return that we may look upon thee What will ye see in the Shulamite as it were the company or dance of two Armies Mahanaim relating to Iacobs two hosts of Angels and Men when he was to meet Esau Gen. 32. 1 2. and importing the victory these two obtain over all their enemies as also their dance or triumphant rejoycing after the victory And all this yet amounts but to the preparatory work for the second coming of Christ by plucking up every thing that offends so as at last there may be nothing to hurt in all the holy mountain Mat. 13. 41. Esay 11. 9. But how shall the risen Witnesses handle their enemies when spirited and set upon their feet as a Nation born at once and in one day Esay 66. 8. Rev. 11. 11. 'T is answered fire shall proceed out of their mouth to devour any that would hurt them and in this manner must they be killed that is at the desire of the believing risen witnesses angels that are a flaming fire Psal. 104. 4. will destroy any men that oppose them Fire goes out of the saints mouth that is by prayer to God on which the angels are commissioned to do execution immediately and irresistibly without more ado Thus fire went out of Elias his mouth to devour the two Captains and their fifties Angels were the executioners 2 King 1. 9 12. Those acts of Elias were but Types and shadows of what will be done in the end of the world at the winding up of all dispensations towards the highest even the personal coming forth of Christ with all his New-Ierusalem Armies following him Rev. 19. 14. As to what will be performed by the risen Witnesses relation is had to Elias and to Moses Rev. 11. 6. Where 't is said They shall have power as Elias had to shut heaven that it rain not and to smite the earth with Plagues as often as they will as Moses did in Egypt It may appear what work one Angel can make with whole Armies of men a hundred fourescore and five thousand Assyrians were slain by an angel in one night in the Leagure before Ierusalem 2 King 19. 35. But to return from this Contemplaâ—ion of the true New-Ierusalem spirited Church and Spouse of Christ and what she will do when she comes out of the Wilderness consider we a little the general posture of all visible Churches even at this day as this Sufferer hath left it represented to us in writing There are many Churches in the World that make a profession of the Name of Christ under several Forms and Denominations according to the variety of Judgements and Interests of the Rulers Members thereof There is a Church called Catholick or Universal headed by the Pope who pretends to be Christs Vicar There are also National Churches heâ—ded either by a Civil Magistrate as the Church of England or by general Assemblies as the Church of Scotland hath been with other Reformed Churches There are also particular Independant Congregational Churches distinguishing themselves into variety of Sects and diversity of Judgements and Opinions as well about the way and order of the word of matters of worship and the service of God as in what they hold Fundamental in matters of Faith These all make up one Body as to the owning and upholding a Church in some outward visible Form who notwithstanding all their differences and protestings against one another do generally agree together in one mind as to the preferring of the Church in Name Shew and outward Order before what it is in Spirit and Truth as it is the real and living Body of Christ. Hence it is that the true Church indeed the very living real spiritual members of Christ's Body have been for many hundred years a dispersed captivated people under all worldly powers civil or Ecclesiastical and never been suffered to use or enjoy a freedom in their Communion together and the purity of God's Service and Worship but are upon one pretence or other restrained by Humane Lawes and suppressed as Hereticks Schismaticks Fanaticks and such as turn the World upside down while those that have the repute and credit to be the Church or Churches of Christ under some one of the Formes and outward Orders bâ—fore mentioned have the Powers of the World on their side and are contending one with another who shall be uppermost and give the Rule of Conformity in Doctrine Worship and Church Order to all the rest by Compulsion and Persecution But the dayes are now hâ—stening apace wherein the living Members of Christ's Body shall be made manifest in distinction from all those that have the Name to live but are dead Thus in brief you see his Judgement concerning the Church Concerning BAPTISM he writes thus THere are several Baptismes spoken of in the New Testament and the Doctrine concerning them hath been so dark and mysterious that there is little yet extant in the Writings of men concerning the same that carries with it satisfaction There are two general tearms under which all Baptismes mentioned in the New Testament seem to be comprehended that is to say Of Water and of the holy Ghost and Fire Water Baptism is twofold and
so also the Baptism of the holy Ghost There is a figurative outward Water Baptism and a real or inward In the first sense it is an Institution which doth appoint the outward man to be washed in Water thereby to signifie the proper effect and operation of that washing with Water by the Word which causes a renovation or restauration of man by his repentance from dead workes and return to the service of the living God in amendment of Life By this inward Baptism and real work of the Spirit on the hearts of men they are but cleansed from the filthiness and pollution of their corrupted Nature not regenerated and altered from their first make and constitution that is attended with instability and liableness to apostacy ` There is also a twofold outward Water Baptism mentioned 1. Iohn's Water Baptism which was the onely outward sign that accompanied his Ministry the Ordinance of that time and season to prepare the way for Christ's coming in the flesh and to signify the proper effect which his first appearance as God manifested in flesh was to have upon the hearts and natures of men consisting chiefly in these two particulars Repentance from dead Works and Amendment of Life 2. The second outward Water Baptism was that which Christ himself instituted and committed to his disciples in his Life time as the outward sign that was to accompany their first ministry when he employed them much in the same nature as Iohn was sending them before his face as labourers into the harvest to all places whither he himself afterwards intended to come Both these Administrations had their Known Administrators and were dispensations proper to that season they were ordained in to prepare the minds of People to receive Christ in his first appearance or coming in the flesh and the fruits flowing there-from in amendment of Life The inward or real Water Baptism consisting in the washing of man's nature by the Word unto Repentance and Amendment of Life is capable of being administred three wayes or by a threefold hand 1. By the Ministry Hand or Tongue of Men as by Iohn Baptist through the preaching of the written Word 2. By the Word as spoken by Angels whereby inward abilities and dispositions are wrought in the minds of men in some sort answerable to what is required by the Law of the first Covenant Thus the Law is given by the disposition of Angels 3. By the Word as spoken by the Son himself in his first appearance Heb. 1. 2. which is yet but the preparatory work to the Baptism of the holy Ghost and of Fire The Baptism of the holy Ghost is either a Baptism of Gifts onely or also of Fire 1. The first is that wherewith the earthly man is capable to be Baptized through the pouring out of the Gifts of the holy Ghost 2 The second is that whereby the natural or earthly man is Baptized into conformity with Christ in his death and is made to grow up into the incorruptible form of heavenly manhood Of these four Baptisms The two Water Baptisms have served their season and are gone off the Stage The single Baptism of Gifts or first Baptism of the holy Ghost hath been of late somewhat remarkable amongst us and the Baptism of the holy Ghost and of Fire is hastening upon us as a general dispensation wherein the Vision of God will be so plain that he that runs may read it The declining of the two Water Baptisms deprives not the Saints of these times of the true use of that Ordinance which is kept up in the third and comprehends all that is now useful in the other two in a more heavenly and Spiritual way leading us yet forward to the end they all aim at which is the very thing it self contained in the fourth and last Baptism that of Fire So much in brief of his Judgement as to Baptisms He was for Breaking of Bread in a way of Christian communion and any other useful Observations could he have found them practicable in the Primitive Apostolical purity spirit and way which what hopes he had of in any visible Form allowed by man while the true Church is in the Wilderness cannot be difficult to conjecture Such Meetings as he found to approach nearest to the Apostolical Order as to liberty of Prophesying one by one c. 1 Cor. 14. 31. he most approved and frequented Concerning the SABBATH HE accounted the Iewish Sabbath Ceremonious and Temporary ending upon the coming of the Son of man who was Lord of the Sabbath day Mat. 12. 8. And if he had thought that which is commonly observed in the room thereof to be rather a Magistratical Institution among Christians in imitation of the Iewish then that which hath any clear appointment in the Gospel the Apostle would not have him judged for it One man saies he esteems one day above another another esteemeth every day alike Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind He that regardeth a day regardeth it unto the Lord and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it Rom. 14. 5 6. This I can say he usually took the opportunity of spending more time in exercise and prayer in his family or other Christian Meetings on that day than on any other And will any yet say he was a Sabbath breaker If they do see what company we may find for him under that imputation Iohn 9. 16. The Pharisees said this man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day So Ioh. 5. 16. The Iewes did peâ—secute Iesus and sought to slay him for curing the impotent man at the Poole of Beâ—hesdaâ— and bidding him take up his bed and walk on the Sabbath day Yea with this they joyn another sad charge as they reckon that he had not onely broken the Sabbath but said also that God was his Father therefore they sought the more to kill him vers 18. And John 19. 7. They answer Pilate we have a Law and by our Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God What strange work do the Sons of Men make with the Sons of God with the spirit wisdom righteousness glory and kingdom of God It was the religious professing Iew that Crucified Christ and persecuted Paul where ever he came Pilate the Roman Magistrate would have acquitted Christ and Paul rather appeals to Caesar's Judgement seat than appear before the Iewish Consistory Act. 25. The true spiritual Sabbath is to be continually kept as it is charactered by Esay Chap. 58. 13. consisting in aâ—câ—ssation from the single activity thoughts words and ways of our spirit which is but letter and in the performance of all duty by power of the communicated spirit of the new creation springing up in us which alone is worshipping God in spirit and in truth after his own heart He was for taking all opportunities of assembling our selves together to instruct and exhort one another and so much
the more as we see the day approaching Heb. 10. 25. Looking for and hasting unto the comming of that day of God wherein the Heavens will be dissolved and the Elements will melt with fervent heat 2 Pet. 3. 12. He was such a right spirited Latitudinarian as Paul was 1 Cor. 9. 20. became all things to all men that by all means he might save some He was against the exercise of a coercive Magistratical power in Religion and Worship and for the single Rule Power and Authority that Christ himself claimes as his peculiar prerogative in and over the hearts and consciences of all men How grosly inconcinnous must it needs appear even to the common reason of all mankind that such as take upon them to be Magistrates and Rulers whether the People will or no as it often falls out yea or though freely chosen should give the Rule to all others Consciences in point of Religion when they many times have no Religion at all in themselves nor any other Conscience but a dead or feared one hardened in the most brutish vilenesses that the basest of men can be guilty of But if the Magistrate do plausibly pretend to something of Religion what a changâ—ble thing will Religion be at this rate as â—ickle as the Magistrates Judgement at least as his person for the next Ruler may be of another perswasion as this Nation hath experienced off and on between Popery and the Protestant profession in Hen. 8. Ed. 6. and the two Queens Mary and Elizabeth Concerning PREACHING and PRAYER FIrst I ask are all Preaching and Praying amongst those that call themselves Christians Ordinances and Institutions of Christ Then the Popist Mass and Jesuites and Friers Sermons are his Ordinances The Ordinances of Christ are to be distinguished from all counterfeit imitations of them by the spirit and way of performance and by the matter that 's delivered as carrying its own evidence in the Consciences of the hearers to be the very truth of God 1 Cor. 14. 25. 2 Cor. 4. 2. and 5. 11. Satan will be found at last to have had the greatest hand in all such Ordinances Praying Preaching and what ever else that for spirit manner and matter are performed in a way of enmity and contradiction to the true spiritual believer and his more excellent way The usual practise of this Sufferer was to spend an hour or two every evening with his Family or any other that were Providentially there and as much both morning and evening on the first day He was of that truly bounteous princely communicative spirit noted in the Spouse Cant. 7. 1. Rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate 1 Tim. 6. 18. â—to make manifest the savour of the knowledge of Christ that himself had deep and large experience of in every place 2 Cor. 2. 14. His gravity purity and chastness of spirit was very exemplary He held out in the midest of all the late Apostacies and Changes He was stedfast and unmovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord and his labour was not in vainâ— as he well knew 1 Cor. â—5 51. So assiduous was he in continual searching of the Scriptures waiting upon the Lord in Faith and Prayer for more full discoveries of his mind therein that it was faid of him Put him where you will if he may have but a Bible he is well enough as Iansen of whom the Iansenists in France reckoned himself with Austin But what can be said for his Allegorizing the Scriptures Here 's another Branch of this Sufferers Charge from men wherein he shares with the learned Origen The Charge against Allegorists usually runs at this rate That by Allegorizing the Scriptures they carry them quite out of their native significancy and intendment wresting and forcing all to their own purpose and conceit and so frame Divinity Romances what Conclusions and Bodies of discourse they please To this miscarriage men of the most â—oaring curious and searching capacities are reputed most liable Jesuite masked Papist no title is thought bad enough for such men by their ignorant adversaries in their blind zeal We have but fragments of Origen that famous Allegorizer and diligent Searcher of the Scriptures and those translated out of Greek into Latin and handed to us by his enemies so that it may seem dubious when we read the small remains of his thousands of Books whether we read the genuine Issues of his Contemplation or the spurious Interpolations of some other man 'T is agreed on all hands by friends and foes that he was a person of more than ordinary tallness in Understanding and that he did fairly offer at a more pertinent disquisition into the whole bulk of intelligibles Divine or Philosophical than was usual And how was he handled what said they of him That he was a temeratious daring Fanatick quitting the plain truths of Scripture and bewildring himself and followers in diabolical Phantasms being perverted through his great learning on which account he was oft persecuted and dragg'd along the streets Concerning Allegories and Allegorizing the Scriptures VVHen one thing is said as Type Letter or significant Figure through which another farther and more excellent thing is meant and to be understood that is an Allegory which he that expounds must Allegorize Whether then there be not as much need of Allegorizing the Scriptures as of understanding them or whether there be any other possible way of interpreting them so as to discover the whole counsel of God therein detect Satans whole mystery of iniquity and render men wise unto Salvation shall appear by and by There are two sorts of Allegories in Scripture perfect and mixt Perfect are purely allusory when all the expressions are naturally suited to the person or thing first spoken of but much more accurately to some more excellent person or thing that is to be understood thereby An Allegory mixt or but partly allusory is when some one of the expressions onely are applicable to the type some inferiour person or thing and some onely to the antitype quite over-reaching and leaving behinde them the natural of historical shadow and pitching singly and expresly on the spiritual and mystical substance the more excellent person or thing that is to be understood Of this sort we find many Allegories in Scripture where Christ is typified and represented by other persons who when they are spoken of in that capacity and intendment some of the expressions outpace the shadow and are not at all applicable save meerly and singly to the very person of the Messiah Thus amongst others Melchizedeck who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings Chederlaomer and the rest is said to be without Father Mother or descent having neither beginning of dayes nor end of Life but made like unto the Son of God a Priest for ever or of the everlasting Order Heb. 7. 1 3. This points us back to Psal. 110. 4. and that yet more backward to Gen. 14. 17. If
spouse of Christ the right new-spirited Saint is despised and slighted as a weak foolish contemptible thing no body at Ordinances and righteousness in her way which she experiences to be the way of Christ finding the fruits of his presence in it Thus was it between Paul with others and some of the Corinthian Church Both were married to and interested in Christ but by different Covenants We are fooles saies he for Christ's sake ye are wise in Christ. We are weak ye strong Ye honourable we despised 1 Cor. 4. 10. and 2 Cor. 10. 12. We dare not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with such as commend and compare themselves with one another of the same principles and perswasions and so applaud themselves in one another by their mutual self-deceivings The true spiritual Elder Paul the aged he is in body with this flourishing youthful warm legal-spirited generation The main business he has to say for himself is a Life hid with Christ in God and worshipping God in spirit and truth This they reckon as nothing but discourse fiction foolishness But be it known those that with Paul are weak foolish and despised for Christ are better than such as he there implicitly reproves and taxes with folly that yet he acknowledges were wise strong and honourable in Christ. Such foolish weak despised ones of Christ as Paul was are they that will quite confound the wise the mighty the honourable The things that are not shall bring to nought the things that are and no flesh with all its ornament righteousness and wisdom shall enter into Christ's kingdom or glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1. 27 29. And as the spiritual saint is thus handled by the fleshly so is the spirit or spiritual part in the same saint dealt with by the fleshly Holy flesh the renewed natural mind will be despising the feeblness of the spiritual while weak and low and jusling it out of the Throne as to its interesting it self as the ruling Principle at working righteousness and worshiping God Having thus in Hagar taken notice of the malapert proud insulting carriage of the first-covenant Wife or Spirit in different saints or in the same against the right spirit of the second through confidence in the works of the Law or works performed in the ruling activity of their own renewed mind let us proceed to other branches and observables in the said Allegory before us Abram as a type of Christ delivers up Hagar into Sarai's hand Sarai dealt hardly with her so she should Hagar fled 't was her sin What signified Sarai's hard dealing with her Persecution No the Spirit of Christ the fire-baptism the strait gate that will not suffer flesh and blood to enter into the kingdom of God this it signified Hagar's flight then imports the declining and refusal of all these The legal spirited professor confident in the works of the Law will endure none of these things They are all a sad story a hard saying to him His usual way of waving them if urged and hard put to 't is to call them Blasphemy and the Witnesses thereof Blasphemers and on he goes very secure in his doatage But say or think man what he will this is Christ's way he gives up the fleshly worshipper and the fleshly part in the true spiritual worshipper to the spiritual to be humbled and abased broken and subdued hardly dealt with crucified slain and offered up in sacrifice under the power of the Cross of Christ or fire-baptism of his spirit typified by Sarai There 's no entring into the kingdom but we must pass thorow this fire this tribulation this bruising of the inmost part of the natural man his very spirit and rational powers whatever ever becomes of his outward as to persecution from the world Hagar despised Sarai Ishmael mocked Isaac Gen. 21. 9. this was persecution Usually those that are taken out of the world or worldly first-creation constitution and frame of spirit within them by the fire-baptism do so differ even from the professing part of the world in their very religion or union with God by another Covenant and in their more excellent way of worshipping God in spirit and truth not letter and form that they seldom or never scape the external branch of the cross and baptism of blood through the rage enmity of man against this new-creature marvellous light and life that is springing up in those whom God is transforming into another nature But let men take it how they will the cross the fire-baptism we must come to within us first or last or we cannot be saved The fleshly worshipper either yields to this fiery doctrine ministry and way or resists or flies If He get the magistrates sword on his side as if Hagar could have got Abram to side with her against Sarai then he 'l make the messenger of such tydings fly Sarai must fly or suffer under Hagar Men decry it for heresie blasphemy and persecute him that talkes at such a rate Thus Christ himself was served by the zealous legally religious Iew. 'T was the religious professing party of the Iewes that crucified Christ and would take no answer hear no reason or argument from Pilate the Heathen Magistrate to the contrary But if the sowre Legalist neither will yeild nor can bruiâ—ishsly resist this hard doctrine by outward force or persecution then he takes Hagars course flies it And what then He every where decries this spiritual doctrine of the cross and fire-baptism for heretical dangerous and seductive wishing all to beware how they meddle with such books converse with such persons or listen to such dangerous suggestions While toleration lasted I have experimented this to be the too general frame of spirit amongst professors in this nation who have evidently chosen rather to venture a persecution of their own doctrine and persons than endure this and the assertors thereof Here 's the mystery of Hagars flight The Angel of the Lord advises her to return and submit her self to her Mistris In her all these timerous fugitive envious legal-spirited Christians that are leavened with the leaven of the Pharisees are admonished to entertain better thoughts of the New-Ierusalem Spouse resembled by Sarai and submit themselves to her doctrine and more excellent way to the cross the fire-baptism the spirit of Christ the covenant of grace Sarai This is the doctrine the reproof the correction the instruction on in everlasting righteousness which that History that Allegory is pregnant with Christ with both his Covenant Spouses and Children are allegorically expressed by Husband and Wife Father and Children Head and Members with the like Such expressions are interpretable into mystery by a due considering the duties and offices of such Relations in the letter And as Christ himself so Paul and others are in way of Allegory called Fathers of such as by them are begotten to Christ through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 15. and vers 17. he calls Timothy his
man that is of the new-creation frame Their glory wisdom righteousness are but shadows of his and to be done away Their goodness is but a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away Hos. 6.4 Their wisdom is comparatively but foolishness and their lesser shadowy glory of the Law or ruling powers of their first-creation state is to be done away as no glory by reason of the glory that excelleth in the spiritual man 2 Cor. 3. 10. Every man at his best estate renewed enlightened gifted man is altogether vanity He was so in his first-creation he is so in his greatest renewal Nothing below the new-creature the spiritual man is exempted from this title in Scripture Vanity is of larger extent than sin Any thing that will vanish that is corruptible and perishable is vanity The whole first-creation is vanity and was sowne in corruption that is was a corruptible not a corrupt thing Angels and Men the choicest flowers in it have withered and corrupted their way before God and so lost that life of communion with God wherein they were created The natural body that 's interpreted to be the first Adam at best with his living soul 1 Cor. 15. 44 45. is but the vile body or inferiour first-creation state of man that is to be transformed into the likeness of Christ's glorious body in the new-creation Phil. 3. 21. How too generally and universally are professors in all variety of form judgement and way lodg'd in a kind of invincible conceitedness that the revival of first-creation principles and life in them towards a conformity with Adam in innocency or Christ in the flesh is the only attainment beyond which they are not concerned to look All this is but the natural or vile body Yet how strangly are men captivated to this day under this embondaging and incorrigible dotage Every thing that they are have see or desire while in this case can be no other than vanity Their wisdom glory righteousness all are vanity vanishing things Men that are vanity love vanity ouâ—ward visible vanities that gratify sense inward vanities that gratify reason Man's reason is vanity How oft have we heard and seen mens reason to vanish before their bodies All the inmost thoughts of mans heart all the more overly imaginations of his fancy all the reasonings and desires springing from both are vanity There is nothing man is or does till he come within the sphere of the spiritual world the new creation but it 's vanity Outward visible Thrones Crownes Scepters great Revenews and all possible flourishing accommodations of bodily life amounts but to the more glittering splendid sort of bruitish vanities and often fall to the share of beasts the vilest most bruitish men Rational parts together with their advance and ornament by acquired and infused humane Learning Arts Sciences excellent Gifts the tongue of Men and Angels these are far choicer and more eligible things than the above mentioned Lordly circumstances of bodily or bruitish Life and yet these all fall within the compass and sphere of vanities vanishing things as sounding brass and tinckling Cymbals Nothing below the very seed of spiritual new-creation Life gets out of the sphere of vanity Those that have all possible outward and inward gallantry too of the natural man or vile body are exhibited to us as to their duration and continuance under the allegory or parable of a green bay tree They may be in great power spreading themselves like a green bay tree but they soon pass away and are not we may seek them while we will their place can no more be â—ound What a stage of the choicer sort of vanities glory righteousness wisdom of man excellent gifts high illuminations dexterity of expression tongues of men and angels has England been these twenty years We have seen a praying Ministry Parliament Army going forth in a way of Righteousness in Covenant with God and no weapon that was formed against them could prosper No Army no Counsel could stand before them All opposition proved a feeble infatuated thing What is all come to They were not stedfast in the Covenant they started aside like a deceitful Bow Their righteousness vanished â—â— a morning cloud an early dew and the bodies of the chief Leaders in that Ministry Parliament and Army are in their graves All is vanished save a few faithful chast-spirited men who for being true to their trust stedfast in their Covenant and undertake have been and are daily delivered up â—s Lambs for the slaughter by their apostatized friends What a Scene of vanities and shadows is this earth at best how little worth minding Things seen things temporal are the things that are not Things eternal things not seen are the onely things that are Man thinks quite otherwise That matters not Did we truly know our selves we might the more easily be perswaded in another sence not to know our selves If we knew but the vanity of our whole first-creation state the goodliness thereof comparatively with what we are capable to be made in the second we would not know our own souls no though we were perfect yet would we despise our life Iob 9.21 All the wisdom righteousness thoughts reasonings imaginations and desires thereof are vanity Did we thorowly know this we would be content to resign all not think our own thoughts speak our own words do our own works find our own pleasures and so enter into the true mystical Sabbath and rest of God in the new creation If we lose the temporary life and righteousness of our first-creation we shall find it again with usury in the eternal Life and everlasting righteousness of the second If not we shall lose it for ever in the eternal or second death If we lose our litteral shadowy Life and Image of God received in the first creation we shall find it again with usury in the mystical substance spirit and truth of the second Then let the letter and figure of Scripture be interpreted into spirit and truth we shall know what to make of it not before Could man be content to be baffled out of himself allegorized out of his first-creation shadow into spirit and truth he would be content Scripture should be so allegorized too out of its letter and shadow into spirit and truth The true allegorizing interpreter of the Scriptures does and must expound them into things not seen things eternal into a sence quite out of the reach and discerning of all the sense and reason in mankind Spiritual things things eternal are discernable onely to the eye of faith the spiritual discerning the hearing ear He only that hath this ear will hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches Heb. 11. 1. Rev. 2. 29. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Men then do seem concerned in this point for the allegorical sence of Scripture leaves them quite at a loss If they will not therefore be content to lose their sense and reason with a full assurance and stedfast perswasion
mention some obscure proposition in the Mathematicks to an unlearned man or at least unversed in his Art He demands a demonstration How do you prove this saies he the other gives an exact demonstration but he through ignorance of the very rudiments and principles of Mathematick learning receives not the demonstration as any satisfactory account of the proposition to him at all He is as far to seek as ever What then where lies the fault In the pretended demonstration he will say He will by no means suspect his capacity The defect lies wholly in his understanding and he laies it all upon the demonstration saies nothing is proved Let a skilful Artist hear the matter he presently grants the demonstration to be as clear as the Sun This may be the case where the subject matter of the discourse is properly within ken to meer natural reason as the suitable and intelligible object thereof How much more difficult is the case with the true spiritual Believer and his Gospel doctrine in case he discourse with one that is confident he wants not for discerning and yet sees nothing at all as he ought to see has no discerning at all of spiritual things or of the spiritual sence reach and significancy of the Scriptures He has no eye at all suited to such matters yet none more confident The true spiritual watchman were as good meet a Bear robb'd of her whelps as talk with such a man about spiritual things He is absolutely unreasonable as to such things that faith only sees Paul prayed to be delivered from such cattel and desired others to pray for him on that account as the most irksome thing in the world Finally brethren pray for us saith he that the word of the Lord may have free course and that we may be delivered from unreasonable men for all men have not Faith 2 Thes. 3. 1 2. He that has not faith or the spiritual discerning is perfectly unreasonable as to spiritual things You were better talk to a tree if he be confident for that will make no noise to trouble you he will Men are still for How do you prove it They never question but they can understand and receive it if rightly evidenced Did not Christ himself speak with evidence as one having authority beyond all the teaching of the Scribes Mat. 7. 29. Yet how was he and his doctrine rejected by the Scribes and generallity of the religious party amongst the Iewes and received only by some poor fishermen and common sinners where was the fault that Christ's doctrine was not received Did not he give the demonstration right how often is it said in Scripture He that has an ear to hear let him hear The grand obstruction to the propagating of the Gospel is the want of the hearing ear Till there be this we speak to deaf men The old serpent has deaf'd and stop'd up their ears that they will not listen to the spiritual charmer charme he never so wisely And what then why then they fall to disputing and cavilling with him How do you prove this and how do you prove that You assert many things but what ground do you shew for all The disputer of this world is set at naught by the Holy Ghost Where is the wise where is the disputer of this World hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world 1 Cor. 1. 20. These disputers are not to be gratified in their way If there be a spiritual discerning spiritual things which carry their own evidence in them need onely to be asserted and prove while you will discourse a whole year together with one in whom is no such discerning he never will own that any thing is proved but holds fast his own conclusions still The way of Christ himself was not to dispute but assert and he that hath an ear to hear saies he let him hear if you will receive it receive it The true believer is to wave those unprofitable janglings by which contentious self-confident men would labour to confound all 1 Tim. 1. The Iewish teachers put this question to Christ himself Art thou the Christ tell us He said unto them if I tell you you will not believe Luk. 22.67 When Christ preach'd how many contradicted and blasphemed was the fault in him Speak who will Paul an Angel from heaven or Christ himself and let the hearing ear be wanting what can be done The very disciples when they were coming down from the Mount where Christ was transfigured before them he lets fall a word about the Resurrection and they are all in a puzzle to think what rising from the dead should mean Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come say they Elias is come saies he and they have done to him what they listed Mark 9.9 13. and Mat. 11.14 speaking of Iohn Baptist. If ye will receive it this is Elias which was for to come The last word of prophesy in the Old Testament pointed at Iohn the immediate preparatory Minister to the publick and general dispensation of the Gospel upon Christ's coming in the flesh Mal. 4. 5 6. If ye will receive it receive it He that hath an ear to hear let him hear that is he that has a spiritual understanding and discerning will take it They did so But what would the disputer of this world have said to him Sir you assert that Iohn Baptist was that Elias but how do you prove it So when the Apostle Iohn saies of false or short-sighted teachers They are of the world therefore the world hears them They They have populous Congregations all the world goes after them and admires this man and the other man But we saies he are of God He that knoweth God heareth us Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error 1 Joh. 4. 5 6. Would not the disputer of this world be out of all patience to hear a man assert at this rate and as he reckons prove nothing Let him be what he will this we see is the way of Christ and his Apostles If there be a spiritual ear this doctrine is received if not will any elaborate discourses or demonstrations ever bring to pass that the natural man shall receive the things of God What will become of that Scripture then 1 Cor. 2.14 Demonstrate while you will if there be not the â—ight reception the hearing ear all 's a case you are where you began The vainâ— jangling disputative way of foolish man is not at all to be gratified in the declaration of the mysteries of the kingdom of God Will you yet cavil and dispute O professors will you yet contradict and blaspheme Lo then I turn to the Gentiles My second Word is to you O Gentiles Be wise O Kings be instructed O ye Iudges of the earth Serve the Lord with fear Psal. 2. 10 11. The Signs and Wonders of God are coming thick upon you While it is yet called to day harden not your hearts against