they need no order nor ordinance nor officers of the church they see and know all the truths of Christ therefore by the judgement of Christ they are blind and men shall shortly behold their nakednesse Fourthly Laodicea was neither hot nor cold these last churches are not so cold as National churches but they have not that heat and fire which was in the first churches of Christ therefore Christ will spew them out of his mouth and not take up their name into his lips any more nor love them as his church and spouse but loath them as the filth of the great Whore Now to returne to return to that we said before All the Ordinances in the church became defiled unclean and her forms the flesh of the whore not being salted with fire that is when the sacrifice was no more salted with salt which is of a fiery substance and keeps flesh from tainting When that holy fire was found wanting in the church all her flesh her forms and ordinances did stink and became defiled as those that touched an unclean thing or dead body for the manifestation of the spirit being departed from the church the church must needs be a dead body as those dry bones in Babylon signified the state of the church in the apostacy in spiritual Babylon where the church is not in the unity of the spirit and bond of peace but as those divided sticks in the Prophets hand the one for Judah and his companions the other stick for Joseph and his companions this is the dead divided state of the church in Babylon which is a city not in unity with it self as Jerusalem but divided into three parts so Babylon is and so the churches in Babylon are Presbytery Independant and baptized churches For though in the primitive times there were divisions between brother and brother in the churches yet never was there a division between church and church as at this day All the brethren walked in one church-way worshiping God with one consent one church-order ordinances and officers were all by the same spirit alike in all the churches who in this sense at least kept the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace for as there was one body among all so but one baptism but as the churches are now divided bodies so their baptisms are divers one church baptizeth the whole Nation another church baptized only the children of believers the third baptized only believers themselves Thus we may truly say the whore sits upon many waters many baptisms besides those rivers of living waters those manifold gifts of the spirit are dryed up in the churches much less doth the spirit shew them that pure river of life proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb in the new Jerusalem the churches being destitute both of fire and water having not that holy spirit given to the church of Christ must be but a dead body and he that toucheth them is unclean This the Prophet Haggai hinted at when he asked the Priests that if one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt do touch bread or pottage or wine or oyl or any meat shall it be holy and the Priests answered no. Then said Haggai If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these shall it be unclean and the Priests answered saying It shall be unclean So is this Nation before me saith rhe Lord and so is every work of their hands it is unclean Hagg. 2.12 13 14. Every Saint in the spirit freed from church-forms or not embondaged to partiality can easily interpret that text That though there be Saints by calling in the present church and she bear holy flesh in her skirt that cannot make any thing clean to her or them and if they touch a dead body as the church now is all that they touch therein it is unclean so is this people and so is this Nation before me saith the Lord and so is every work of their hands and every ordinance among them it is unclean If this be true as true it is that the forms of churchfellowship being defiled forms are become the flesh of the whore then must she be utterly burnt with fire yea those ten Kings which have received no kingdom as yet but receive power as kings one hour with the beast who with one mind give their power and strength to the beast who make war with the lamb that is with Christ in us with God in the Saints when the lamb shall overcome them and the power of God in the Saints appear above them then these shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked and burn her flesh with fire If the honourable Parliament would but be pleased God so appearing in them to judge things in the spirit and see how dead and desolate the churches are of the gifts of the spirit how naked they are not adorned with one spiritual gift they would no more dote on the whores flesh though nevee so fair nor on any forms though never so oft reformed but burn her flesh with fire when thus the powerfull appearance of the great God shall be manifested in men and Magistrates the churches shall appear no more This is the second appearance of Christ of God in men in the first appearance of Christ the church appeared yet cloathed with all the gifts of the spirit that is God appeared in power in the midst of Saints but when God shall appear now the second time God dwelling among men which is the new Jerusalem then that church nor those first gifts of the spirit shall appear any more but the spirit even God himself shall minister in his own glory and power nothing but God shall appear in man and man shall appear no more no need of churches or ministers when God shall be our church and the house we live in when God in us shall minister all light unto us Thus in the new Jerusalem there is no Temple no churchstate nor ordinance and the city hath no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it for the glory of God shall lighten it and the lamb is the light thereof Sun and Moon are now the lights of the world these are the ordinances of heaven and have been the ordinary means of conveying light to the earth the sun the light of the day the moon and stars the light of the night so there has been a ministry by day and night in the day of Christ and the first appearing of God there was a ministry of Apostles Prophets Pastors and Teachers as the ordinary means of light to the world and to the church when the church came under the night of Apostacy and while the spirit of Antichrist was come in power darkning the sun and the air there was still a ministry of men as the means of light yet as the moon to the night ever changing in several fosms of Popery Episcopacy Presbytery
12.12 John 14.19 though a Saint may be so called also Christ being in every one and every one in Christ so Antichrist appears most visibly in particular Churches or in Saints joyned in that fleshly fellowship where the Spirit of Christ or Manifestation of the Spirit not appearing the Church must now be called Antichrist the Man of sinn the great Whore How the Church came to be thus Apostate and when the Apostacy began I have not time at present to declare this secret depending much on what the mind of the Spirit shall make out in the Saints and what may be learnt by Ecclesiastick History by both it is manifest that the manifestation of the Spirit in manifold gifts given to the Church ceasing with the Apostles was the first beginning of Apostasie the Apostle John lived about one hundred years after Christ and the seven Churches of Asia types of the apostate Churches stood up a little longer but before the two hundred years compleat the wisdom and power of man so prevailed in the Church the inventions and traditions of Men were so many superstitious and childish ceremonies in Churches that of the British in Wales being the first Christian Church in the world long before the Papall Church in Rome I say the Apostasie of those Churches was so visible the pride of their Ministers so vile Spelmanantiq Britanic the power of their Synods in Glamorgan and Monmouth-shire so prevailing over the Gentry and petty Kings of that Country the canons of their Clergy so potent yea the Churches there and then so carnall in all superstitious Ceremonies both Jewish and Heathenish as never was more gross in the midst of Popery afterward How this Apostasie prevailed and became so powerfull History will tell you that Antichrist never came to be great till Kingdoms began to be Christian and Christian Kingdoms because they were Christian would needs appear and act as Churches call Councels and Synods condemn Heresies Judg of the Truth and Mysteries of God by the gifts of Men. When Kingdoms came thus to be Churches then Churches began to be Kingdoms That is the mysterie of Antichrist and Man of sin was then also working when nothing but the Spirit nothing but the wisdom and power of God appeared in the Churches of Christ I say then the Mysterie of Man the Man of Sin did work then the Churches did begin to act as Kingdoms yea the very Apostles aspiring to a Prelacy would needs exercise authority as Kings and Rulers of the Nations Luk. 22.24 and the Elders not only to seek preheminence as Diotrophes but to Lord it over Gods heritage or Clergie for so the Church was called 1 Pet. 5.1 3. though afterward the Elders or Ministers appropriated that name to themselves for they indeed alone would be the Church as the Pope with his conclave Prelates in their Convocation and Presbyters in their classis call themselves the Church yea the Elders of Independent Churches also have all the power and doe Lord it over their Churches though the Churches carry the name But after that when He that did let was taken out of the way 2 Thess 2.7 that is when the Spirits presence and power from on high in manifold gifts then appearing which did let and hinder the wisdom and power of Man to be so prevalent in the Primitive Churches I say when that manifestation of the Spirit that which did then let was removed then the Man of sin was revealed then the wisdom and power of man appeared visibly in the Churches I will not mention now the Papall Churches where the Popes save raigned as Kings and Emperors yea were called Gods Neither will I mind the Episcopall Churches when Prelates domineered as Lords not only Lording it over Gods heritage but as spirituall Lords in the Civil State I pass by also the Presbytery their Sun being set at noon day their Directory of Worship Confession of Faith Classicall Government their large and little Catechism with all those great works being even at an end The Independent Churches are those my spirit hath been most carryed out against these two last years but could not come forth in a publique contest till now they are come to power carryed up in pomp and state and fleshly glory wherby they discover themselves by their delicacies to be indeed the Great whore deceiving a world of men their Forms being more refined and her flesh fairer for they are men of great Gifts and Grace too this being that purple and skarlet and precious stones Rev. 17.4 the golden Cup wherein they carry their abomination and cause the Kings of the Earth men of highest place and choicest parts to drink the wine of her fornication i. e. Their false worship and Forms of Doctrine which are the Fornications or flesh of the Whore I wil not repeat all that I have written but this with God I shall make good to the world that These are no true Churches of Christ not Zion but The whore though they seem and speak as the Spouse yet are they not like the Gospel-Churches neither in Spirit nor Form No Ordinance among them in the letter much lesse in spirit according to the Gospel For indeed the first Gospel-ordinance or that which constituted the Church in a Gospel Order was the baptism of the Spirit this being not the bare presence of the Spirit for so all the saints under the Law had the Spirit but the spirit in a Gospel-sense was not yet come or as it is in the Greek The Spirit was not yet John 7.39 til Jesus was glorified Again the abundance of the spirit was not this baptism of the spirit for the Prophets had thus the spirit of Christ and Christ breathed the holy spirit on his disciples after his Resurrection but the baptism of the spirit was not till after the Ascension 1 Pet. 1.11 Jhon 20.22 Act. 1.5 The Apostles with all the disciples 120 by name were assembled together yet were they not in a Church-state not constituted in the order of a Gospel-church till they were baptised with the holy spirit Act. 1.15 2 47. yea the Apostles themselves who had a call and a commission from Christ to teach all Nations and to baptize beleevers could not go forth to perform either till the baptism of the holy spirit was come upon them Act. 2.38 Therefore the baptised churches are very carnal in crying out to their ignorant disciples Oh you must obey the command of Christ and Christs command is that beleevers should be immediately baptized c. Act. 8.6 38. Act. 9.18 True if there were a Minister who had the manifestation of the spirit as all who baptized had But again the first command of Christ before baptism was this He commanded them that they should not depart out of Jerusalem till they were baptized with the holy spirit not many dayes hence Act. 1.5 If the saints could stay a while and wait for the spirit not
his sake as if Christ procured the love of the Father to them or merited life and salvation for them or as if God would not hear them but for his worthinesse sake words not spoken of in Scripture neither hath his Intercession any such carnal sense For as the Son is none else save the Manifestation of the Father so the Son can do nothing of himself Joh. 4.9.10 but manifest the Fathers love to us and our life in God with him He being but the way to the Father God even the Father being the end and ultimate object of all our Christian knowledge confidence faith yea all that divine worship and honour given to the Son is to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2.10 11. 1 Pet. 1.21 John 1.14 John 17.21 22 23. it tends and ends in God though by Christ and through Christ that is thus We beholding in him the glory of the Father full of grace and truth I say we seeing Christ one with the Father and his flesh full of God God even the Father being perfect in union with him and he the beloved of God living in the Father alone We see by this the same true in our selves for he is the truth and life as well as the way and learning the truth as it is in Jesus Ephes 4.21 the life of God is thus revealed in us also God revealing his Son in us first so we pray in Christs name we pray as the Son to the Father as those who are perfectly one with God the onely beloved and living in the Father alone This is indeed to be with Christ Joh. 17.24 this to behold his glory nor carnally in heaven but here in us in the spirit Indeed the people of God who lived under the Law not knowing the Mystery of God and of Christ nor their union with the Father did worship God as at a distance for the Holy of Holiest they came not neer standing aloof off from that glorious Majesty whose name was great and fearfull therefore they did not yet draw nigh to the throne of grace Hebr. 4.14 16. nor had that accesse with boldnesse as to the Father but begg'd in all their prayers for his name sake for his own sake sometimes for the Lords sake Dan. 9.17.19 but in the Gospel state no saint did ever pray so nor did any Christian prayer end as ours For Christ Jesus sake neither is this speech once named in the new Testament We please our selves much with the often name of Christ though in truth we pray not in his name at all The Apostles had not the name of Christ sometimes in all their prayers Act. 1.24 yet prayed alwayes in his name in him and through him they went to God as having the same fellowship with the Father as the Son and seeing themselves as full in the love of the Father as he Therefore he saith In that day ye shall ask me nothing John 16.23 and yet at that day ye shall ask in my name ver 29. In that day in the day of the spirit when the Son should appear in the Father onely and in them John 14.20 they should not ask of the Son nor pray to Christ any more as they did indeed before but they shall ask the Father in his name onely not as men carnally conceive of Christ praying to the Father for us and so they pray to God for Christs sake nay saith Christ I say not to you that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you Job 16.26 because ye have loved me and have beleeved ihat I came out from God that is Think not that my Father will not hear you but for my sake for the Father himself loveth you freely as he loveth me and so ye love me not for my own sake but as I am the manifestation of the Father as I came forth from God How falsly then is that Scripture as other Scriptures of this kinde translated Ephes 4.32 Forgive one another as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Whereas 't is no other in the Original then thus as God in Christ hath forgiven you For as God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself so God in Christ is All and Christ is all in all in us and we being in him do ask in his name Thirdly the Churches cannot pray in the spirit Eph. 6.18 not having that spirit sutable to a Gospel state as we shewed before at best all their prayers are legall as the prayers of Saints under the Law for though they repeat never so oft the name of Christ they do but take the name of God in vain not knowing God in Christ nor Christ in them nor the spirit of Christ the spirit of the Son which Gospel saints indeed had else they had been none of his Rom. 8.9 But I beleeve many now are the Lords that have but a legal spirit but the spirit of bondage the spirit of a servant not the spirit of a son Gal. 4.1 3. 6. compared much lesse the spirit of the Son Saints now deceive themselves in thinking they have the spirit of adoption the witnesse of the spirit the seal of the spirit the earnest of the spirit Alas how little assurance had saints a while ago what long discourses were learned religious men fain to make and find out what witnesse the witnesse of the Spirit was yea best men were scarce sure of their Salvation at last or must have signs to know the people of God questioning they might be hypocrites whereas no Saint under the Law even in time of desertion did ever doubt of his salvation Psal 22.1 Psal 88.1.15 Iob 13.16 Nor Secondly did they question whether they were the people of God or no Nor Thirdly That they were Hypocrites yet this was usuall with our Gospel-saints not long since and it may be were the better Christians then being sensible of their bondage but now Saints like those Jewes who counting themselves free see their liberty freedom by being in a Church-state Ioh. 8.33 as children of Abraham and people of God therefore for some conformity to the Law or to the Letter of Gospel commands but I beleeve few have that full assurance to the end Heb. 36.14 Col. 1.23 Eph. 1.19.20 few rooted and established in the Gospell none know the exceeding greatnesse of his mighty power which is indeed the Spirit the Spirit of the Sonne the Gospel spirit the Spirit of Liberty Alas How can Christians boast of this that are in Babylon in Bondage under the Spirit of Antichrist Antichrist being in that power in the best Saints who are in a farre differing dispensation from the Gospell state Rom. 12.12 1 Thes 5.16 1 Thes 3.10 But to pray in the spirit was to pray continually to pray without ceasing not twice or thrice a day as wt do but praying night and day which was not on their knees or at a
himself in John John was all in the spirit his flesh fell down as dead ver 17. as Isaiah and Daniel were both undone when they saw the Lord in glory appearing in them Isa 6. Dan. 10. But how comes the Lords day to be the first day of the week or the fourth Commandment speaking of the seventh day prove the sanctifying of the first day Who can prove the change of the day by Christ or that the Apostolick Churches kept holy the first day as God sanctified the seventh especially seeing the next succeeding Ages even the primitive Churches of the first 300 yeers kept the seventh day as the Sabbath yea celebrated the Lords day and Sabbath together for a long time for the Apostacie presently succeeded the Apostles departure Ignatius being but about 100 yeers after Christ sheweth the same After the Sabbath day saith he let every one that loveth Christ celebrate the Lords day the Queen of dayes for the Sabbath day was King or chief as one expounds Ignat. Epist ad Magnes The celebrating of the Lords day alone was first instituted by Constantine the Great Hosp cap. 9. pag. 27. anno 300. Afterward it was established by the Laodicean Councel an 364. commanding Christians not to Judaise in keeping the Sabbath but to work on that day and keep holy the Lords day Hosp Orig. Fest cap 9. pa. 27. In all this 't is observed that the Eastern Churches which were the most part of Christendom did celebrate the Sabbath as I said and the Lords day together Socrates cap. 8. lib. 6. and cap. 21. lib. 6. Mr. Brierwood on the Sabbath against Mr. Bifield pag. 77. Perk. 1 vol. on the fourth Commandment But the Romish or Western Churches would not have their Church-Assemblies on the Sabbath as in all other Churches of the world so the Centuries report Cent. 4. c. 6. p. 477. I am the more large in this that Independent Churches may see their Judaisme in their strict observance of an outward Sabbath their simplicity in sanctifying the first day of the week as the Lords day Their ignorance or connivance not cleering those things which are so certain Their conformity with Popish Churches Their carnal complying with the Protestant State Religion Their Laodicean condition thinking they are rich and have need of nothing that they need no Order nor Ordinance nor Officer whereas they are so poor blind and naked that they have no Gospel-Ordinances nor a Day at all but walking in the dark deceive themselves and others The observation of the Lords Day therefore depends much on Popish Churches and the command of Christian Princes to which the Independent Churches are as conformable as ever Prelates were What I conceive of the Sabbath I shall in a few words declare 1. That the fourth Commandment is mystical as wel as moral for there is a mystery in the four first commandments even the mystery of God is there manifest In the first Commandment God the One onely true God even the Father is acknowledged In the second Ephes 4.6 Col. 1.15 Heh 1.3 the same God and Father is known in the Son the expresse or graven image of his substance and no other graven image is to be made of God but the Man Christ In the third God even the Father so known in the Son cannot be acknowledged Ephes 2.18 nor worshiped in spirit and truth but by the Spirit without this whatever men think of God and Christ they take his name in vain The fourth Commandment holds forth mans spiritual rest in God alone so known in the Son by the Spirit And this indeed is the morality of the fourth Commandment the Ceremoniall part thereof being the sanctifying of the seventh day which was so commanded to the Jewish Church not as a law natural to all Nations as other commandments are written in every mans heart but as a positive law to that particular people now not a Sabbath or a seventh day but the Sabbath and the seventh day from the creation is that which the command speaks contrary to all our Protestant Interpreters who teach that the Christian Sabbath or Lords day is grounded on the fourth Commandment Now this Sabbath or the seventh day was meerly ceremonial as 't is called a signe between God and his people the Jewes that I the Lord sanctifie you and that you are a people sanctified and set apart onely for God Therefore that God is all in all to us and in us and that we are to rest in God onely and alone in the true mystery and morality of the Sabbath Prophets and Apostles witnesse The Prophet Isaiah speaking of the Sabbath saith thus Isa 58. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath doing thy pleasure on my holy day and shalt c all the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord c. Observe that the Sabbath indeed is nothing else but the Lord God rested on and rejoyced in by us when we turn away our foot from the Sabbath and turn to God onely else he had said rather If thou turn thy foot to the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy dâ—y but this last is not so read as we do from doing c. as if we were forbidden to do our pleasure on his holy day on the Sabbath Nay we are there commanded to do our pleasure as the words read For the Sabbath should be our delight the holy of the Lord honourable and we shall honour him For he himself is the Sabbath that is so honorable the holy day of the Lord is the Holy One the Lord himself only whom alone we are to honour in all our wayes workes and words for if God be all in all in us t is not our words that are spoken nor our workes that are done but as Christ saith The words that I speake I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he does all the workes yea verily the sonne can do nothing of himself John 14.10 John 8.28 but as my Father hath taught me I speak these things this indeed is the sanctifying the Sabbath not to abstain from worldly thoughts and words and from working on the seventh day of the week but to sanctifie the Lord alone when he onely is our All when we are nothing but he is our Being and our being in Him when we do nothing but the Father dwelling in us doth all our works When we thus find not our own wayes nor speak our own words nor speak words as 't is in the Hebrew Man neither speaks nor does any thing indeed but God does all and is all in us This the Apostle holds forth to be the Rest or sabbath-keeping of the people of God Hebr. 4.9 not as if this were â—o rest to be entred into in this life ver 1. for we which
have believed do enter into rest ver 3. and what is this Rest When do we enter into this Rest when we cease from our own works as God did from his ver 10. Therefore 't is plain that the seventh day or Sabbath of the Lord was a signe or type of the Lord himself being our rest or Sabbath in truth ver 4. Yea as the Rest which Jesus or Joshua gave to the people in the Land of Canaan was another type of this Rest or Sabbath ver 8 So surely the Rest which Jesus Christ in truth did take in the Father in the Fathers dwelling in him and doing all in him was but a type of the same to us that we should be and abide â—n God and God in us all in all as in Him Ioh. 14.10 19 20. Iohn 4.15 But as Churches know not the mystery of Christ of Christ in us of the sonne revealed in us c. for they know not the mystery and morality of the sabbath For how simple is it what they say of the Lords day as if the eight or first day of the week were the morality of the severth or Jewish sabbath as if Christs appearing so oft after his resurrection on the eight day were a proof of his changing the Sabbath to that day as if that day were now to be kept holy when as Peter with the Apostles went out a fishing on that day Joh. 21.1 2 3. his appearing so oft on the eight or the first day of the week was rather to shew that the observation of the seventh was gone as the Aposties also meeting that day was no more For as their assembling in their Synagogues on the Sabbath day was onely to preach unto the Jewes meeting in most multi udes on that day so the Apostles usuall meeting on the first day of the week was meerly for order only to set in order something in the Churches and to performe some Ordinances among them in the Spirit 1 Cor. 16.2 as breaking of bread Act. 20.1 c. But we have preved and shall more abundantly with God that the present Churches are in no Order of the Gospel and have no Gospel Ordinance among them else they might meet that day indeed to break bread as another day of the week to preach a lecture And truly for love and peace sake I can rest and refrain from labour on that day not in conscience but in a civill respect that men might shew some kindnesse to the poor creature that in mercy the beast might have some rest and that labouring servants might have a day to rejoyce in therefore I will not trouble the State in this but intreat them to consider their own liberty and ours not to the flesh but in God alone There is a Scripture though not written in our Bibles but t is in the originall there being indeed no lesse then 15 severall greek Copies of the new Testament I say the originall copy reades thus Luk. 6. next to the 5 verse this followes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exemplur velustissimum in Italia ab amitiâ— collatum Complutens proximum Stephanns Gr. Test at large That is on the same day jesus seing a certaine man working on the Sabbath-day said unto him ô Man if thou didst know indeed what thou dost thou wert happy but if thou knowest not thou art cursed and a transgressor of the Law that is if men knew the liberty of the Gospel and their Christian Liberty in the Sabbath day indeed they were truly blessed but if men do they know not what and wilfully offend they obey neither law nor Gospel but are cursed in both T is plaine by all and has been proved from Scriptures That Church-fellowship the last great Ordinance indeed Act. 2.24 I say that the fellowship of Churches this day is the fornication of the great whore or wine of her fornication Rev. 17.2 Act. 2.13.15 16. verse Eph. 5.18 so as the Baptisme of the Spirit the Spirit poured forth in the manifold gifts was that new wine where with the primitive Church of Christ seemed drunk being filled with the Spirit for the present Church having not this fellowship of the Spirit must needs appear as the whore though seemingly the Spouse having saints in fellowship with them their formes and false worships the wine of her fornication All this was typified by the Whoredomes of Israel whose fornications and false worships are so often published by the Prophets of the Lord the Prophet Hoseas taking a whore to his Wife was a Type of this Hosea 3.1 The Prophet being a principall man and chief member of the Church joyned with a woman and adulteresse shewes forth the adulteryes of the whole Church in all her members and ministery who look after other Gods and love Flagons of wine that is false shews of the spirit But see what a poor whore the Prophet takes unto him I bought her to me for 15 pieces of silver for an homer of Barley and halfe an homer of Barley Exod. 21.32 ver 2. Fifteen pieces of silver was but halfe the price of a slave thus saints embondaged to fleshly formes value themselves at so low a rate that rather then they will be of no Church they will be of any Church or fellowship though never so poor and mean yea feed themselves with Ordinances though comming far short of the spirits presence or purest institution that 's also signifyed by an homer of Barley and halfe an homer of Barley or as t is in the Heb. Halfe of Barley Barley is not the best for bread and halfe an homer is but a pottle at the most a small measure besides the graine is not pure for t is but halfe of barley the other halfe of fetches of cockle or chaffe this is cleer the present Churches are content with the smallest measure of the Spirit how else dare they enter into fellowship before they have the fulnesse or Baptisme of the Spirit nay their Ordinances are not all the best for the Baptisme of the Spirit was the first Gospel Ordinance as Prophecy a Psalme a doctrine a Tongue a Revelation an Interpretation were all for the Edifying of the Church these the Churches have not at all and those Ordinances they have are but halfe of barley there is a mixture much of man halfe is of mans invention of mans tradition Therefore I said unto her thou shalt abide for me many dayes and thou shalt not play the harlot and thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee ver 3. the Prophet here speakeâ— in the person of God to the whorish Church that was so much for man for the traditions and teaching of man and for humane additions to divine institutions or ordinances well saith God thou shalt abide for me many dayes and thou shalt not play the Harlot that is when the Law was to be abolished when the old state of the Legall Church was to vanish and a new
neck or slaying of a man because they see not God dwelling with men the great God appearing in the least and lowest Saints v. 2. whom yet they hate casting out their brethren for his names sake that is because of God manifest in them but he shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed v. 5. they shall leave their name their name is a curse to my chosen that is the legal Churches shall be left as accursed lying under the curse of the Law But the chosen or elect of God as they are called Esa 65.22 not saved persons for such may be deceived by false Christs that is by false Churches for the Church is Christ in truth such elect or chosen persons I say for whom it is impossible to be deceived by those false Prophets and Apostate Churches not deceived by all the fairest forms and flesh of the Whore these servants of God wait on God only who wait for the appearance of God in them these that wait thus on God shall not be ashamed but God shal appear in them to their joy yea God shal call them by another name not the shamefull name of a Church but the name of Christ yea the name of God shall appear in them they shall feast on God and all the Gods of the earth shall be famished that is all men and members of Churches also men of highest parts and purest graces shall be famished by God by Gods appearance in men for man shall be nothing and God shall be all in all Next to Famin to Judgement of the great Whore shall be fire she shall be utterly burnt with fire There is nothing so formidable and dreadfull to Churches and to all their fleshly forms as fire This fire is the spirit this spirit shall burn up all the flesh and forms and fellowship of churches The fire which first set up the churches in the first appearence of Christ the same fire shall burn down churches at the second appearing of Christ God shall appear with more yower in the Saints So that as God spake to the church of Israel They shall goe from one fire and another fire shall devour them so the christian churches have gone from one fire and another fire shall devour them or as 't is in the Hebrew they shall goe from fire and fire shall devour them 't is the same spirit is the first and second appearing of Christ the churches have gone forth from that fire in the first appearing of Christ the fire that comes forth in the second appearing of God in scattered Saints shall burn and devour all gathered churches only the fire of the last day is greater then before that is the manifestation of the spirit shall be more at last then ever in former ages To cleare up this know that all outward formes and Church-Ordinances at the best are but flesh but these forms defiled are called the flesh of the Whore the defilement of these forms and ordinances came by the loss of that fire and baptism of the spirit which did first constitute the Churches of Christ and kept their Ordinances pure for as Christ in flesh foretold that every one should be salted with fire so it came to pass that afterward the Church was baptized with the holy spirit and with fire The Apostles themselves though they had a call and a Commission before to go forth to all the world to teach and baptize yet they could do neither till they were baptized with the spirit and with fire They had the spirit at first and Christ breathed the holy spirit on them after his resurrection but the baptism of the spirit was not till after the ascension till Jesus was glorified 't is said the spirit was not yet given or as 't is in the Greek the spirit was not yet the spirit was before yea abundance of the spirit in some but the baptism of the spirit was not till afterward till then t is said the spirit was not yet and therefore this was the first command not to baptize or be baptized as baptized Churches cry but to wait for the spirit not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the baptism of the spirit and of fire This was the first Command which these last Churches will not obey 'T is confest they have been in Babylon and called to depart but yet they should not depart in haste or go by flight not fly out of their Country nor hasten into Churches till the Lord should go before them and the God of Israel should gather them up as the Hebrew reads 't was nor man but God that gathered the first Church of Christ the Apostles and primitive Saints were assembled and gathered together in company 120 at first but they were not gathered into Church-fellowship till the baptism of the spirit came upon them Acts 2. no preaching the Gospel nor baptism with water in a Gospel way could be but by the holy spirit sent down from heaven The spirit as I said was in them before and God was in men from the beginning God was manifest in the Saints with power also that 's spirit God powerfully appearing in the Saints and this is in Jerusalem indeed and in this sense the Disciples at first were commanded not to depart from Jerusalem and so the Saints in these last daies are commanded not to depart out of Jerusalem but to abide still in God to stay and wait on God in them till he should come forth in power and spirit till the appearance of the great God should be There was the appearance of Christ then when God did powerfully appear in the Church in manifold gifts there were not only gifts of the spirit but the spirit was so given to the Churches that the spirit did appear visibly among them as first in tongues of fire so still afterward the spirit said to the Churches of Antioch Separate me Barnabas and Saul Again the spirit spake to Philip and to Peter plainly so the spirit spake expresly to Paul many a time likewise to John He that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith the Churches Rev. 1.10.12 Rev. 2. and Rev 3. But the Churches are deaf of that ear they will not hear of the spirit they are sore afraid of fire but this was the baptism of the spirit and of fire which did set up the first Churches of Christ in a Gospel order the manifestation of the spirit in manifold gifts The Church under the Law had some gifts of the spirit manifest among them as the gift of prophesie the gift of healing yea raising the dead with signes and miracles and the Angels moving the waters of Bethesda wherein all diseases were healed at an instant this continued in the Jewish Church to the last this is more then present Churches have having less of the manifestation of the spirit then â—hat under the Law therefore must needs be more in bondage in Babylon not having one gift of the
spirit to continue their church-Church-state to be of a Gospel-glory wherein was the baptism of the spirit and all the gifts of the spirit were poured forth as rivers of living water on all the Churches of Christ for though every believer had not the baptism of the spirit nor those rivers flowing out of his belly because many believers then being carnal not spiritual had not a Gospel-faith faith in Christ yet every church of Christ was baptized with the spirit and had those manifold gifts manifest among them as the church of Corinth being most carnal yet came behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1.5 6 7. the church was adorned with all the gifts of the spirit and the manifestation of the spirit was given to every one to profit withall the spirit dividing to every one severally as he will 1 Cor. 12 7. to 12. and that his was the Gospel order which God set up in the church is plain v 27 28. now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular and God hath set some in the church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. This was the Ministry of the church and gifts of Christ not extraordinary as men say for that time as if Pastors and Teachers were the onely Ministers to continue in the churches to the last For though Teachers are last named Eph. 4.11 yet Teachers are also mentioned with the first with Apostles and Prophets 1 Cor. 12.28 and if God did set this order this ministry if Christ gave those gifts to the church how could the Church be wanting of those gifts of the spirit or gifts of Christ but by the spirit of Antichrist and Apostacy of the Church whereby the spouse became an harlot and the Christian church the great whore For what Scripture speaks of those gifts as extraordinary the gifts of the spirit were as ordinary for the church as the Ordinances why should Ordinances continue and not the gifts why should baptism and breaking of bread abide more then the baptism of the spirit and all those gifts seeing the spirit was given to abide with them for ever who promised that indulgence and dispensation that though the first churches of Christ were set by God in that order with manifold gifts of the spirit yet the churches afterward might stand in a Gospel order without any one gift manifest among them who made those Apostolike commands Apochrypha desire spiritual gifts be zealous of spiritual gifts that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church Where is a Psalme or a Doctrince or a Tongue or Interpretation or Revelation all being unto edifying and how is the church edifyed or built up now unless unto a Babel what confusion of tongues must needs be when there is no gift of tongue either to translate Scriptures truely or truely to interpret them in the gift of the spirit or to reveal the secrets and spiritual mysteries in them that have been hid from Ages and Generations since the Apostacy and is there not as much need of the spirit and power to restore all things that have been lost as to confirm the Gospel when 't was first published by the Apostles And is not the Ministry of Apostles as necessary now to preach the everlasting Gospel to the world seeing Pastors and Teachers must only attend their particular churches But where are there those Pastors and Teachers and Elders whom Apostles were to appoint and ordain where are the Apostles hands with the laying on of hands of the Presbytery Was it not the Apostles Office in chief to ordain Elders in every church and were not Evangelists designed by them to ordain Elders in every City were not Apostles only to set in order things in the church What church then can be in order without an Apostle were not the Apostles the only speakers who concluded and did all in Synods what can a Christian Synod do without them how can a church excommunicate or cast out but by the spirit of an Apostle who is still said to deliver to Satan In a word what Gospel can be in the world or Government in the church without an Apostle yea what ordinance can be in order without them for the very baptism of water as it was not to be before the baptism of the holy spirit and of fire on the church the doctrine of Christ being not baptism but the doctrine of baptisms so none could baptize but the Apostles or such who had a special commission confirmed with gifts of the spirit as Philip and Ananias For not every one that could preach but he that could teach all Nations was to baptize and that could not be but by the gift of tongues yea none could baptize but with the promise of the gift of the spirit annexed as none could preach the Gospel but by the holy spirit sent down from heaven which the baptized churches have not attained to nor can promise to their dipt believers Next to Baptism the Doctrine or Ordinance of laying on of hands follows whereto as the Apostles hands must be joyned so the gift of the spirit was ever with it without which the laying on of hands is but an empty ceremony as 't is in all the churches only the church of Scotland is more subtile and wise not to use that foolish complement but to ordain without any laying of hands knowing no gift is now given thereby unless it be a good Parsonage as in the English Presbytery but in the primitive there was a gift given by the laying on of the hands of the Eldership with the Apostles on the Elders to be ordained who also received the gift of healing by the laying on of their hands on the sick anoynting them with oyl signifying the spirit which was given indeed as the hands laid on did shew the same thing even the spirit and power from on high given to those who were ordained and approved for the ministry Now where are such administrations or such a ministry where is that manifestation of the spirit in these last Laodicean churches who are just like the church of Laodicea in this first that they are last of all the churches that have been or shall be Secondly that as Laodicea in the Greek imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the judgement of the people or Nations so not only the National churches but the separated ones are now judged by Christ Thirdly as the church of Laodicea thought best of her self being therefore the worst of all the churches the former six churches though some evils and failings were condemned in them yet were commended for some good which was not to be found at all in Laodicea that thought she was rich and had need of nothing whereas she was blind and naked So Presbyterian churches may justly be condemned of much evil and failing yet are to be commended that they pretend still Reformation but the last reformed and most refined churches of the Separation say they are rich and have need of nothing
state of a Gospel Church to be instituted the Apostles and Disciples were to waite for the Baptisme of the Spirit before they should sit downe in Church-fellowship or performe any Gospel Ordinances Act. 1.4 Act. 2.47 yet their abiding or waiting then was not many dayes hence But the Church being since fallen away and lying under the Apostacy having lost that Gospel glory and manifestation of the spirit in manifold gifts not appearing The saints are called upon to abide for God many dayes to wait with patience for the second coming of Christ and appearance of the Great God that was the Lord their God and David their King ver 5. For the children of Israel shall abide many dayes 400 yeers saith Junius without a King and without a Prince and without a sacrifice c. that is all the days that men finde themselves in the Apostacie they must abide for God without any Ordinance or sacrifice without any Church-Officer or King Yea but the discoveries of God in the Saints in the later dayes that 's the anoynting shall take off the yoke from off their neck and the burden from off their shoulders that Saints shall be no more embondaged to fleshly forms nor burdened with carnal Ordinances nor yoked to Church-fellowship any more What some Saints scoff at others and others say of themselves that they are above Ordinances I cannot judge nor condemn but for my part I do not profess my self above Ordinances but far below them in mine own feeling though I may be above in the favour and knowledg of God yet as far as I know I am below any Gospel Ordinance having not that manifestation of the spirit that was alwaies with them in the Churches nor that presence and power of the spirit appearing in me as was in them to carry me up from living in Ordinances to live in God alone nor yet that testimony of the spirit to tell me that in the use of Ordinances as they are I may be preserved pure from that uncleanness which sticks upon them through the Apostacy for if every thing in the Church is counted unclean by God which is not wholly according to his word the Independant purest Churches are not clean not being conformed to the first Churches of Christ in any Gospel-Ordinance nor Order but meer forms and confusion in all therefore it is that I am thus a non-conformist still and separate my self from the Churches and their Ordinances as unclean Common prayers and the prayers of Churchs are both alike to me the Prelates weekly Friday-Fasts and the Presbyters monthly Wednesday-Fasts yea the Independant Feastings and daies of thanksgiving are but as the holy daies of Bishops so is their Order Ordination and every Ordinance or work of their hands saith the Prophet it is unclean as we shall shew anon from Haggai 2.14 Truly 't was this that called upon me Depart depart touch no unclean thing For that life and peace which once I found in Ordinances is departed from me and my self dead unto them as I believe many others are though some Saints have still satisfaction and sweetness in them and God seems to accept their prayers yet this is no more then was before when in our ignorance we used common Prayers and mixt Communions c. How sweet and satisfactory was God then unto us though the use of those carnal Ordinances was as unclean as the high places were of old to the people of God God appeared to Solomon in Gibeon though that great high place was never appointed by God for his people to worship in but was contrary to his revealed will yet he appeared to Solomon as well in Gibeon as in the house of the Lord 1 King 9 2. Thus the Lord God and Father of mercies who is free in his grace abundant in goodness and truth being not bound up to means might appear for a time even comfortably to his people even in Gibeon in corruptest forms and fellowship not that he aprroves them but that in his good pleasure he may manifest his everlasting love the more to his people whose life is in their bloud as well as when they are washed and who look as beautifull before God when they are black as when white and ruddy yea the love of God is the same to the Saints however they are 't is not their best performances that please him but he is pleased and rests in his love yea that love may appear more to his people in lowest performances then in highest attainments And surely though God may bear awhile with this singing of Psalmes yet the time is come that he will say Tâ—ke away from me the noise of thy songs Mark it 't is but a noise that their singing makes and 't is the noise of Babel confusion of tongue in all their Psalms but God who hath silenced that Prelatick Pricksong and is now silencing Presbyterian plain-song will also cause the songs of Independant Churches to cease now indeed they have a jolly time of it here Fasts are turned into Feasts their tears into triumphs 't will be quite contrary when their songs shall be turned to lamentation their mirth to mourning their fulness to famin and their forms to fire to be consumed by the Spirit Now these are Babylons last Plagues Death Mourning Famin and Fire which all the people of God abiding in Babylon shall partake of and as death is the spirits absence from all their fellowships So the spirits presence at the second appearing of Christ shall torment their flesh and burn up all their forms as with fire but mourning and famin comes before First mourning when the joy of the holy Spirit unspeakable and full of glory shall not be heard in their habitations but a fleshly carnal joy built upon creaturely and worldly contents and complyances with worldly powers all which falling the Kings and Merchants of the earth shall cry alas alas that is the principal men and Ministers of Churches shall cry and mourn because Babylon the great City is fallen Again Famin shall follow their Feastings and daies of thanksgiving for these are the Whores delicacies Daies of Fasting was a courser fare fit for their times of persecution but now the Churches having rest and rejoycing together the Lord comes and disquiets the inhabitants of Babylon turning their joy into mourning their fatness into famin For this all the Prophets point at even an extream Famin to come upon all the Churches That 's the extremity of Famin when there is such a want of food that men will eat the flesh one of another Both these shall come to pass upon the Churches First they shall be in want of food that is the means of grace as thep call it shall not be any more their meat not give them any sustenance at all indeed they may as the Prophet saith feed on the wind and follow the Eastwind that is the most hurtfull wind for cotn they may as men in a dream think they