THE ETERNAL GOSPEL Once more Testified unto and Vindicated Against the Ignorance or Malice of the Bishops and Teachers of the now Church of England This Book proving against their Doctrine That the Holy Ghost is not ceased but is still given to all the Faithful and to some in the same measure as the Apostles and Disciples of Christ had it Also at the occasion of a late Sermon preached at the Visitation of the Bishop of London by the Vicar of West-ham that Miracles and other gifts and works of the Holy Ghost are not ceased in the Church and that the School-Learning helps no man to understand Scripture and the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven nor the knowledge of Nature where by the way the true cause of the so much perplexed and famous Phoenomenon taken for a Weather-glass is by Experiments cleared and demonstrated against the Hypothesis of the New Virtuosi John 5.44 12.43 Luk. 7.35 How can they believe who seek for the honour of one another and love the praise of men more than that which comes from God But wisdom is justified or known of all her Children LONDON Printed for Allen Banks and are to be sold by most Booksellers in London 1681. HAving received this Book from the Author in order to its Printing I do hereby appoint Allen Banks to print the same Witness my Hand HENRY SCARLOT TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS JAMES Duke of YORK Patroni valeant Ecquis proteggere Verum Luci aut optatae fautor adesse potest Qui Lux qui Verum est qui Verum in saecula servat I liber ille tuus nempe Patronus erit THis is not therefore Great Sir to beg your Patronage for this Book nor for my self but rather to direct you to the Light of salvation Luk. 1.17 and to make it shine to you 2 Cor. 4.4 lest you lose here your Earthly and after your Heavenly Kingdom for lack of knowledge Hos 4.6 for though I seem angry with some men for Religion I am so far from hating a man for his Religion that I look upon him as he whom the Son of man came to save Mat. 18.11 a fit object of my love and charity and as a wounded man who needs me that am neither Priest Minister nor Levite for his Friend Luk. 10.30 37. and Physician Mat. 9.12 And therefore I am so much farther from being concern'd against Your Highness for yours with the Epidemical distemper though it wants not a President in Scripture 2 Kings 3.13 14. that Your Highness is one of the powers of this Land whom I am bound to honour and that for the Oath of God Rom. 13.1 2. Eccl. 8.2 and that looking upon you not only as a wounded but as such wounded man who though fallen unhappily into the hands of those Thieves John 10.1 20.21 22. that are stripping Your Highness both of the Triple Earthly Crown you might else enjoy one day and of your chiefest Kingly Heavenly Prerogative the Holy Unction whereby Christ makes all those Kings indeed Prov. 16.32 25.28 that do obey his commands Rev. 1.6 Exod. 19.5 6. may not only recover but be a great instrument to promote Gods Spiritual Kingdom and therefore as such Dan. 12.3 deserve one the first Thrones and Crowns among the twelve Tribes of Israel in Heaven Luk. 13.30 7.43 47. I tender your safety more than that of any man wishing with all my heart that like the Samaritan I might pour Oyl and Wine into your Highness's wounds set you on my Beast bring you to an Inn your Throne and thence to an everlasting Kingdom where may your Highness reign for evermore Amen But how can I do this except you own and believe that you are wounded and sick and how can you believe it except you come to know it and how shall you come to know except one doth shew it you and except you attend to the things that shall be shewed Act. 16.14 Rom. 10.14 15 17. If you will be pleased therefore to peruse this Book it shews you and you may easily gather from it that all men generally Christians as well as Gentiles are by birth bruised and sick Gen. 3.15 Rom. 3.23 1. Cor. 11.7 that the way to recover from the said sickness and bruise and to become whole again as to the Kingdom of God which is in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 being by the said new birth of the Holy Ghost who is then renewed within them Tit. 3.5 all men must to be saved be thus regenerated and receive the Holy Ghost therefore as well and as much as the Primitive Christians and that the said renewing or new birth of the Spirit being a reformation to the same Image of God Adam was created to which doth consist in knowledge Coloss 3.10 as well as in righteousness Ephes 4.24 the Spirit of the Father that doth create us anew to his Image and likeness teaching all things John 14.26 16.13 1 John 2.20 27. 1 Cor. 2.10 as well as he is the power of Christ Luk. 24.49 Act. 1.8 Gods arm revealed to us and the bloud of the Lamb whereby sin is overcome and righteousness fulfilled Rev. 12.11 is inconsistent therefore with a despondent relying on other men for what we are to know to believe and to practise and is not attained to by a change or conversion from Popery for instance to another Religion which knows Christ as much after the flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 worships the Father as little in spirit and truth John 4.24 aâ—â— grieves the Holy Spirit no less than the Popish Church and which under the pretence of Reforming makes a Schism which is a far greater sin than to bear with some few erroneous opinions but by a true conversion from sin to righteousness by knocking and by waiting at the posts of Wisdoms doors Prov. 8.34 Jam. 1.5 by perusing daily and keeping diligently the precepts of that wisdom contained in the Scriptures in vitam lucem assurgendo our selves For such conversion is to know me saith the Lord Jer. 22.16 9.3 and such knowledge of God is saith Christ John 17.3 life Eternal Verily such knowledge and not an implicite Faith is both Salvation it self and the cause of Temporal and Worldly felicity for when a man meditates daily in the Law of God and observeth to do according to all the words that are written therein he makes his way prosperous and successful in all things Josh 1.8 Deut. 28.1 to 14. and when his ways please the Lord even the worst Enemies he hath are at peace with him Prov. 16.7 But Sir as such knowledge is our summum bonum both in this and the next World so extremum malum est non recognoscere Deum in the said manner for though God for a great while winketh at this ignorance Act. 17.30 yet he will be known at last and felt specially of those that either forget to know or having the means offer'd to know him do neglect them see Judg. 2.10 11 14. And the Egyptians
fall of the Bubbles comes from the greater or lesser descent of the Atmosphere upon and round about them before they take it thus for granted and then likewise shew further how and wherefore it comes to pass that the Air when it is become somewhat heavier than it was before doth not gravitate and press upon the larger Body with so much the greater force by how much the greater Atmospherical Column incumbent upon the same is more encreased in weight than that which is incumbent upon the lesser Body and so instead of causing the Bubbles to rise higher as the Author saith he had the pleasure to see plainly cause them to over-bear their Metalline counterpoize and to fall down much lower than they were before the Airs encrease of gravitation as from the observation of this diligent Author who being told of a Mist sent to see whether the Bubbles were buoyed up by the greater heaviness the Air had then but did not learn that they were it may be conjectured they did and if they did not but kept in the same station it is however enough to invalidate the consequence he draws from his Hydrostatical Law for thereby in moist weather as in misty and foggy the Air being then heavier than before they ought to rise Great improvements may be made of this adds the same Author as First that instead of a Brass or Leaden counterpoize rich men may get one of Gold Secondly that if the same counterpoize be made of Prass or of Lead it will be less subject to rust than Iron Thirdly if this Instrument be placed in a small frame like a square Lanthorn with glass windows about it it will be more free from dust To which accommodations divers others much like them may be saith he suggested and so this Experiment and the like much improved by a consideration of the nature of the thing Which having therefore taken into consideration I humbly suggest that these Experiments being 1. de Bullis amplissimis 2. and ab amplissimo authore BVLLA facta 3. and consider'd in themselves deserve in my opinion the glorious Latine Title of Ter Bullatae that is most magnificent Nugae A rare invention indeed and like to do much service which can neither go alone nor when moved and stirred shew as he doth not deny so much as the Mercurial Weather-glass which is it self but a very imperfect and unuseful invention Thus these Sages on one side and the Vicars and other Church-men on the other side concur and run together blindfold to heap up a deal of Non-sence and confusion and to feed the stupid World with ignorance and untruth And yet which is worse than this whilst they are thus pulling down the Sanctuary of Truth to build their new Babel with they are as famous for it as those were in Ancient times that brought to light and found out many useful inventions and go for great Improvers of all Learning and Knowledge and this Age is look'd upon as the time of restauring all the Arts and Sciences when I dare say it it is the fagg end of all Ages wherein the Reformators being not reformed themselves to Truth and Knowledge and even not to so much as common sence and reason Arts and Learning under them are like to flourish backwards and the World to find backwards the North-west Passage to them by the skill of such seekers as these are who not only lose the things they seek after but the invention others had already made of them and themselves too by bringing themselves in seeking of them into more difficulties than the things admitted of before they took them in hand O fortunatam natam atque Reformatam horum sapientum societate Scholam ubi qui cum majori apparatu delirant Coryphaei censentur And this because no body stands up to contradict them and that they standing in awe and fear of one another for not knowing the Truth they are not made free by it John 8.32 dare not speak out their mind freely with authority Mat. 7.29 but like the Scribes that receive honour of one another yet pretend the publick good with some dependance always upon their fellow Watchmen Propter ignorantiam Anima subjugatur the Soul of ignorant men must despondently submit to fawning and complaisance what a wise man needs not do that they may pass for Learned and so quem admodum scabunt mutua muli pass by each others Errors and admire and applaud the Works of one another that theirs reciprocally may be passed by and go in the World uncontrolled whence as one wave doth follow and is followed it self of another wave and this again of another wave they follow one another and proceed from one new-found non-sensical position to a thousand of that kind concurring all together in raising a whole building of the like materials upon it as I said For what a vast collection might be made out of all their voluminous Writings not only in general of all the absurdities that are contained therein but in particular of those written upon one subject as for instance this pretended Weather-glass Whereas except some few knacks Boyle hath bought of other men I know not and have not though I have enquired learned that any new thing worth the Printing is set forth and contained in their Works or any material Truth is to be found in the great many Writings and Books that go under Boyle's name which he hath not rather defaced than any way made out and illustrated whereof some ingenious men whom I am aquainted with could give instances enough were it worth their while and mine But if while they run on thus blindfold and without controul in these their foolish conceits and vain imaginations Rom. 1.21 22. they did not detain the Truth of God in unrighteousness v. 18. not only in changing into a lye and falshood what is seen and understood v. 20. concerning his invisible power from on high that is his invisible Spirit Luk. 24.49 Act. 1.4 8. and depriving man of what makes him the Image of God and to know more than the beasts Job 35.11 but also in devising new Errors to oppose Truth whenever it breaks out of the holes wherein by the subtilty of the Devil and mans despondency of mind it is kept buried I would still hold my peace and suffer them to go on without check and correction But since though their opinions have been fully refuted they do still as I said out of the pride of their heart and of the lust of their evil prejudiced eye continue to study how to make some sleeveless answer and call the Author himself of Truth who is clearly seen being understood from his working in the Believers the Agent of the Devil pag. 10 and his Doctrine a Doctrine of Devils pag. 11. instead of putting off their Pharisaical eye to acknowledge their Errors to convert and learn to come to the knowledge of the Truth Prov. 28.13 2 Tim. 3.7 I will
them afterwards in the Island of Patmos Rev. 1.1 9. did not dye until he had seen the whole kingdom of Christ even in its full power having seen in the Spirit the holy Jerusalem having the glory of God v. 10. 21.10 11. And upon the same account Verily saith Christ again Mat. 24.34 to all them that follow him Mark 13.37 this generation which lasts no longer than a mans life shall not pass till all these things to wit the coming of Christ in the dark and clouded Souls Luk. 21.27 of the Heaven within us with power and great glory Mat. 24.30 be thorowly fulfilled And Verily you shall not have gone over in your flight to avoid persecution to which men are exposed here only before they dye the Cities of Israel till the Son of man be come And I will not henceforth drink of the fruit of the Vine until the kingdom of God shall come Luk. 22.18 or as saith Mat. 26.29 till I drink it with you new in my Fathers kingdom which he did with some of them Luk. 24.43 both before and after that they were by the Holy Ghost come in the kingdom of God drinking it new together John 7.39 6.57 he himself drinking of it in Gods kingdom all the while I mean as well before as after they were in it as being he that did still accomplish all righteousness overcome all the kingdoms of the World and of the Flesh Mat. 4.8 John 16.33 by dying himself to them and thus remaining himself under the kingdom of God and purchasing by this means and delivering to God the whole power and kingdom 1 Cor. 15.23 24. which he could not do but by drinking of the Holy Ghost and living by the Father of his power from above Then if the kingdom of God is within us like a seed growing into a great Tree and like a little Leven working in us till we come unto the measure of the stature of the perfect man the Son of man Jesus Christ Ephes 4.13 and like a hidden treasure which we must to purchase it sell all we have in the World Mat. 13.44 Luk. 14.33 then is this kingdom of God which is the same thing as the coming of Christ as appears from Mat. 16.28 Mark 9.1 Luk. 9.27 Rom. 14.17 1 Cor. 4.20 conferred together before we are grown unto the measure of that stature even in this very life and before we part with it and with all the things we do enjoy whilst we enjoy it God hath saved us saith Paul whilst he was yet in the flesh 2 Tim. 1.9 and that by renewing or sending the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 and received ye the Spirit saith he to the Galatians 3.2 who therefore had received it before they read his Letter which was sent them in this world and in a word as all the Primitive true believers received the Holy Ghost in this world during this life so must all believers now since they are to receive it even in the same manner as I have fully shewed receive it before they taste of death Every Spirit that confesseth not that Christ comes to us whilst in the flesh being that Spirit of Antichrist gone into the Woâ—ld whereof see 1 John 4.1 3. for truly though flesh and bloud inherits not the kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15.50 because till we have escaped the corruption which is in the World through lust we cannot saith 2 Pet. 1.4 partake of Divinity put on the new man which is created after God Ephes 4.24 and of a divine nature in the flesh we are saved in the flesh is the kingdom of God attained unto although not with all its full glory and Prerogatives Ephes 1.14 Now that when the Holy Ghost is sent or comes unto men it is Christ that comes himself it appears from what Paul saith 2 Cor. 3.17 1 Cor. 8.6 that the Lord is that Spirit And to see the days or the coming of the Son of man is to have him revealed compare Mat. 24.27 37. Luk. 17.22 with v. 30. which revelation is by the coming of the Spirit that doth testifie of him John 15.26 16.14 Gal. 1 16. Also to see the kingdom of God coming with power Mark 9.1 Luk. 9.27 that is as Luke saith elsewhere with the power from above Luk. 24.49 Act. 1.8 1 Cor. 4.20 Rom. 14.17 is to see the Son of man himself come in his kingdom Mat. 16.28 And I will pray saith Christ to his disciples John 14.17 the Father and he shall give you Another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth who dwelleth with you now that is whilst I am yet dwelling with you in the flesh and shall be or dwell in you when I am glorified John 7.39 16.7 Ephes 4.8 And I will not leave you comfortless I will come v. 18. and I will come again v. 28. that the other Comforter may dwell with you for ever v. 16. Where Christ saying Another Comforter and I come not to leave you comfortless it appears in the first place that he reckons himself the same with the Comforter or Spirit that was to come And secondly by saying that the other Comforter which was to be and to dwell in them for ever after dwelt with them and they knew him at the time he spake these words he shews that he is himself the same with that Comforter for that it was he only of all them that dwelt with them who was able to comfort them having the fulness of the comforting Spirit in him Coloss 1.19 2.9 John 3.34 and did really comfort or rejoyce them by his presence ch 16.5 6. 14.1 2. But more intelligibly ch 16.22 he declares himself the same with the comforting Spirit ye now saith he have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce your sorrow shall be turned into that joy thereupon v. 20. which no man taketh from you And again v. 16. 14.19 yet a little while saith he and you shall not see me and again a little while and you shall see me because I go to the Father but the World seeth me no more viz. when you see me again or when I make my self manifest to you v. 22. because it cannot receive and see and know the Spirit of Truth v. 17. 1.5 Where note that from that the World sees Christ no more afterwards from his first disappearance at his passion and burial whilst the Apostles see him again and that by reason that he went to the Father it is evident that this was not fulfilled upon his apparitions to them after his resurrection for then he was not as yet ascended to the Father ch 20.17 and the World might see him then as well as the disciples did seeing that he was palpable to Thomas his hands and fingers v. 25. and visible to the eyes of the disciples that were travelling to Emaus Luk. 24.15 even whilst their eyes were as much held from knowing him as those of the World v. 16 25 31. who might therefore see him talk
nonsensical and to no purpose contrived without reason or necessity nay repugnant to the end it was instituted for viz. the breaking of the flesh 1 Cor. 11.26 and the communicating to Christs spiritual body ch 10.16 which is done in becoming spiritual men our selves and a very wicked fool to persecute another because he will not be as great a fool as thy self I say that he who eats of this flesh shall live by it and shall by this flesh and bloud the power of our Christ and from on high Luk. 24.49 Act. 1.8 be quickned and so strengthned that he shall overcome the accuser or Tempter that tempted Eve Rev. 12.11 I mean shall bruise the head of the flesh that creeps and makes our Souls to creep with it Gen. 3.15 like Serpents v. 14. to cleave unto this vile Earth Psal 119.25 and to sink down from God into Hell it self Philip he that hath seen me hath seen the Father also John 14.7 9. for the Son is his express Image and represents him Heb. 1.3 John 1.18 And can therefore the Son of the invisible God who is a Spirit saith he that Son who dwells in the light no man can approach unto 1 Tim. 6.16 in the bosom in the throne of the most infinite God John 1.18 Rev. 3.21 be like unto flesh and bloud and sit there and come therence Rev. 3.20 to make us sit there also in the same bodily shape he lived with in the flesh what and if you shall see the Son of man ascend up saith he John 6.62 where he was before how can you then think he shall have flesh and bloud about him since when he was there before he had neither flesh and bloud nor humane shape and body John 5.37 Deut. 4.12 how can the flesh and bloud I had then about me which is not my flesh and bloud John 8.23 but the seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 which I took upon Earth in the womb of one of his daughters that I might dye therein to deliver you from it v. 14 15. Rom. 8.6 be the true bread from heaven and the meat and drink indeed that makes you live for ever John 6.32 33 38 41 50 54 55 58. Truly if I had still a body of flesh and bloud I could not quicken you and the words that I speak being Spirit v. 63. how can you take them in a carnal sence but if you understood them and knew me saw my glory John 17.24 whereof that in Mat. 17.2 was but a very weak beam that body of flesh and bloud which you so much doat upon would vanish out of your sight Luk. 24.31 Heb. 10.20 2 Cor. 3.14 and then you would understand that I am risen indeed Luk. 24.34 from such body of death Rom. 7.24 and by rising from it or being no more in it made the fitter author of your eternal salvation Heb. 5.9 that is more able to help you and fitter to strengthen you John 16.7 both against the said body and him that tempts you by it 2 Cor. 5.1 4 6. by the power I have in rising unto glory obtain'd of an endless life Heb. 2.18 7.16 whereby you may rule over the tumultuous Nations the lusts that war in your flesh and come out of their bondage into the glorious freedom of the Sons of God v. 15. Rev. 2.26 27. which is rising from the dead and entring in the kingdom of God or your Salvation O you house of Israel both Jews and all Christian Sects come on now for the time past ought to have sufficed you open your eyes and at last walk in the light of the Lord Isa 2.5 Ephes 5.8 sit no longer in darkness and in your shadow of death otherwise under the thick umbraculum which your flesh darkneth and deads your Souls with learn to know me in Spirit and in truth according to mine own essence and nature and look no more upon me as your Antecessors John 6.42 and as the Mahometans and even as you your selves have done and do to this hour John 14.7 for the Jews look for nothing but worldly and temporal blessings for their flesh from Christ to wit to live in plenty glory and prosperity in this life under his reign as when Solomon reigned 1 Kings 4.20 21 24 25. taking accordingly what the Prophets say of the Spiritual kingdom of the Messiah literally as Isa 55.10 and therefore they thought of a visible appearance of Gods kingdom in the days of Christ Luk. 17.20 19.11 And the Turks expect to have all fleshly lusts satisfied by the mediation of their Prophet Mahomet when he comes with God say they to save his true Musulmans or them that truly believe in him and to judge the World So that Christians believing that they shall be one day saved with their flesh and bloud 2 Cor. 5.6 that their Salvation was once performed and perfected in the flesh by Christ as man by his becoming a man and by dying in the flesh when by his incarnation and death without ascending and coming in the Spirit there is no body saved John 3.5 13. 16.7 and that the second coming of Christ will be seen of all appear with observation to the eyes of all the World Luk. 17.20 look on him with the same eyes and in the same manner as both the Jews and the Turks have no higher thoughts of his kingdom than the others have know him still as the man of sorrows humiliated not as sitting from the time of his humiliation on the right hand of power and coming with great glory though he tells them so himself Mat. 26.64 Mark 14.62 and concurring thus with them in a temporal worldly and carnal knowledge of him they do not only bring back his Spiritual knowledge and worship introduced by him and the Apostles to the old bodily and ceremonial worship of God in the Jewish Church but even to a creature worship Rom. 1.25 23. and like the Heathen changing the truth of their God into that which he is not the shape or Image of man they set up an Idol made like unto flesh and bloud the fleshly conceits of him in the holy place their heart thus instead of knowing God as a Spirit in Spirit destroying his Spiritual knowledge and establishing a knowledge after the flesh and also per consequent a worship accordingly a down-right idolatry for Lux intelligendi being in mankind the Lex volendi agendi man willeth and acteth but according to his knowledge worships God as he knows him quia ignoti boni nulla cupido lusts for no more than that which he conceives and knows of him to wit a bodily temporal and carnal good and so continues to be such as he was at his birth that is carnally minded and this carnal mind being enmity against his God Rom. 8.7 Jam. 4.4 man in revolting to it or siding with that party which is in war against God he commits adultery that is falshood against God Luk. 16.13 18. with the great whore worldly
thorow a glass 1 Cor. 13.9 10 12. neither came all that they knew to them at the first moment after their new creation or new birth of the Spirit John 3.5 but by degrees for saith Paul 2 Cor. 4.16 their inward man was renewed and perfected day by day the morning and the day-star going before them further and further until it came and stood over where lies the young child or Truth new found Mat. 2.9 so guided their minds from one consequence to another as from the lowermost link through the whole intermediate concatenation unto the higher end of the Chain yet in no great space of time that in following it close by seeking and by knocking for he who will that it should be opened to him must knock Luk. 11.10 and rise early and watch at the posts of wisdoms door Prov. 8.17 34. and traffick with his talent but never keep it laid up they did climb up by degrees into all wisdom and truth came to some knowledge in all the most hidden things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 and so did stand in no need of a sudden immediate impulse and inspiration to declare and speak of them when they saw an occasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will lead you in the way John 16.13 now leading one in the way implys that he walks himself and neither is carried to nor the things which he is led into brought unto him And the Son of God saith 1 John 5.20 hath given us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 note he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the understanding it self but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is novum lumen in mente a discerning faculty that we may by consulting judging and examining discern to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in English that we may shews that the said enquiring and discerning faculty is the way and the means which the Holy Ghost brought St. John and the Apostles to know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth by Also it is plain from hence that the gift of the Son of God the Holy Spirit bestowed on the Apostles is first an understanding enlightned and rectified to which they were left even in the midst of their Visions to gather from what they saw what they were to do and teach Act. 16.10 10.15 28. Whereas the ancient Prophets under the Old Testament with whom the true Unction the Comforter or Spirit made no such constant abode as Christ promised it would with those that should keep his words thenceforth or believe in him John 14.16 23. had not the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Light constantly shining in their minds to direct them upon all occurrences but the word of the Lord came to them and his Spirit upon them by intervals God was not yet Emmanuel the Tabernacle of the Lord was yet sometimes taken down Isa 33.20 and his Oracle or his Word the Verbum Domini that is his intellectus voluntas posse actus nam cum omnisciens omnipotens Deus neque consilio neque voce utatur scire velle agere is still but one thing in him to wit his Verbum or Christ who is therefore called the wisdom of the Father by which he knows and willeth and the arm and the power of the Lord John 12.38 41. 1 Cor. 1.24 by which he can acts creates and makes all things Heb. 1.2 and saves all them that believe did not as yet dwell in men John 14.17 1 Cor. 6.19 for they did not receive the promise of the Father Luk. 24.49 Act. 1.4 5 8. till Christ was glorified John 7.37 16.7 Therefore the ancient Seers had not the Oracle in them to consult with at all times like Christians whom God speaks to in these last days by his Son Heb. 1.2 who is the true Mercy-seat or Propitiatorium Rom. 3.25 found between the Cherubims viz. the Angelical Souls which have Heaven within them Luk. 17.21 Phil. 3.20 from whence God gives his Oracles ever since his first coming or appearance in the flesh But the Angel of God Christ Gen. 48.16 18.1 10 13 16 17. Mal. 3.1 made himself known and spake to them 1. in Visions and Dreams Numb 12.6 Gen. 31.11 Dan. 7.1 2. 2. or spake to them by a voice from above the Mercy-seat between the two Cherubims as the Lord did with Moses Exod 25.22 Numb 7.89 9.8 9. whence to the Testimony saith Isaiah 8.20 Numb 17.4 because that it was then hidden under the Mercy-seat in the Ark Exod. 25.16 21. Heb. 9.4 to enquire for counsel at the Lords mouth by Vrim Numb 27.21 Josh 9.14 Isa 30.2 Exod. 28.30 28. 1 Sam. 30.7 8. 3. or the Lord did put his word in their mouth and in their ears Numb 22.38 23.16 1 Sam. 9.15 Jer. 1.9 Ezek. 5.14 Isa 6.7 49.2 not in their understandings as by the new Covenant Jer. 31.33 Heb. 8.7 8 13. 4. or they were as Peter saith 2 Pet. 1.21 transported 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by some sudden rapture of the Spirit upon them Numb 11.26 1 Sam. 10.6 19.20 to 24. 2 Kings 3.15 1 Chron. 12.18 5. or received their Visions falling into Trances like Abraham Gen. 15.12 Balaam Numb 24.4 Ezechiel ch 2.12 8.3 and some others Dan. 10.8 9. And they were called Seers 1 Sam. 9.9 because that for the most part they saw what they were to say and to do represented and described in their Trance Exod. 25.9 Heb. 8.5 thus having their eyes open to see the Visions of the Almighty whilst their body was dead and bereft of sense But the Apostles of Christ being one degree higher understood not by but from their Visions when they had some by means of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what they were to do and speak and fell not into Trances which were accompanied with pain horrour and darkness Gen. 15.12 Dan. 10.8 when they had any Visions but being in the Spirit often of their own accord Revel 1.10 they were in such Extasies caught up into Paradise Rom. 14.17 there to hear and see without weakness anguish and horrour the unspeakable words and Visions they received 2 Cor. 12.4 Whence if according to Christ John 20.29 blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed because intelligere being ipsum credere he that can without seeing understand what other men cannot understand and so believe without they see it is blessed with a better enlightned understanding as hath been shewed already the Apostles were blessed with a greater share of that which gives men understanding and were therefore greater than the said Seers and Prophets And hence comes that John till whom the Law and the Prophets were Luk. 16.16 though the greatest among all them that are born of women was the least saith Christ Mat. 11.11 12 13. among all them that are born of God John 1.13 or the least in the kingdom of God which as it began but from the time John lived Luk. 16.16 so it did not include him for the
Holy Ghost being given but after that Christ ascended to his Father John dying before was not entirely in God's kingdom Rom. 14.17 and had not the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dwelling in him as appears from his doubting whether Christ was the true Messiah that was to come Luk. 7.19 for they that have it know that 1 John 5.20 and so he was but one and the last of the old Prophets But notwithstanding this great Prerogative which all the Apostles had above them they were but men of the like passions and infirmities with them and with other men Act. 14.15 as appears by Act. 15.39 and by Peter compelling the Gentiles to do those things Gal. 2.14 which he himself condemned Alas per Antithesin to Master Vicar's alas which I have mentioned before out of his 5 th page lumen patiebantur tenebras interdum to wit when they did but slack the hand over the body Mat. 25.13 Rom. 6.6 8.13 23. 1 Cor. 9.27 Jam. 3.2 and had it been but for their extraordinary Spirit and Humane Learning Dionysius and Damaris had no more cleaved to them than those that heard the same things that they heard and yet mocked Act. 17.33 for what is Peter and Paul but the Ministers by whom Dionysius Damaris and the others believed and that how not as Paul's extraordinary Spirit prevailed but as even as God gave to some of them the grace to believe 1 Cor. 3.4 5. Quaere Seeing Damaris is mentioned together with learned Dionysius preferably to the men that believ'd at the same time Act. 17.34 and submitted with him to the School-learned reasons which as it follows from what the Vicar saith pag. 5. Paul was necessitated to make use of at that time to convince Dionysius was not the said Damaris a very learned woman and brought up in the Greek Schools or else was Dionysius become so much a Changeling that Paul had no greater need of Learning to convince him than to convince a woman Luke mentioning with a man of great Learning a woman before any of the rest seems to hint at the latter and Christ saying that we must become like little children to come into his Kingdom Mat. 18.3 and Paul that the wise worldlings must become fools to be wise 1 Cor. 3 18. because not many wise men after the flesh are called 1 Cor. 1.26 and God hides from such wise men his mysteries Mat. 11.25 it is plain that the learned Athenian was become so woman-like that the Bishops must look out elsewhere for another proof of the great necessity of Learning to convince him and for another better confutation of those Sects which they say do revile it Alas had it been but for the pretended supplement of it in the Apostles the Gospel had been nipped in its very budding forth the preaching of the Gospel had convinced no more men than it doth now amongst us the World had continued to be imposed upon like the people of Samaria Act. 8.9 10. and in general all they that heard the Word had mocked Is it wisely done therefore of the Lords Bishops to use or suffer to be used a falshood in a Pulpit with out check and correction as an argument of the great necessity of the thing so falsly supposed viz. School-learning in Preachers to reduce unbelievers to the obedience of Christ especially when Paul asserts flat and plain that he made no use at all of it God having chosen saith he 1 Cor. 1.27 the foolish things of this world to confound the wise whereof you have an instance in me and he preach'd not with wisdom of words the Humane Learning of the Vicar which he calls somewhere else a vain deceit Col. 2.8 lest the Cross of Christ saith he v. 17. should be made of none effect for it is to the Cross that the powers of the World among which Humane Learning and wisdom is not the least are nayled and by the Cross by self-conceited wise men resolving to become fools which is a great cross to them are the proud worldly wiselings with their imaginations and high conceits overcome 2 Cor. 10.5 Col. 2.14 15. Nay it is altogether injurious to the power which worketh effectually in the hearts of all converts Gal. 2.8 to call to help the wisdom of man and the School-learning in the preaching of the Word and therefore the Apostles spoke not with enticing words of mans wisdom v. 4. but planted and watered or preached always with all plainness of speech and simplicity committing the success to him that gives the encrease and trusting to his Spirit not to their own industry the work of man's conversion from sin to righteousness the means and the way to which is all that all Preachers ought to treat of in their Sermons And for all this their plainness weakness and infirmities they seldom preached in vain and they had better success than our Lords with all their great wisdom that comes to nought 1 Cor. 2.6 Also for all their want of Logick and Metaphysick they did not doubt as having saith Paul 1 Cor. 7.40 obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful but that they had the Spirit of God that directed them that what they designed was purposed in that Spirit Act. 19.21 and would have Christians to know that what they spake or wrote as their judgment or sentence was the command of the Lord 1 Cor. 7.25 14.37 And here had I but time enough I could run down the Bishops so very low that they would be glad to make of their Sleeves a Moses vail if they knew what they know not Zeph. 3.5 and were not so confident Prov. 14.16 For the fear of God being not only the beginning and instruction of wisdom Prov. 1.7 15.33 but also wisdom it self Job 28.28 and a whole treasure of it Isa 33.6 is not learning the Greek Tongue Logick and Metaphy sick and such like excluded from the means to get wisdom for what can they contribute and add unto that which yields a whole treasure of wisdom If a man asketh wisdom in faith God will give it him Jam. 1.5 6. God will give him his good gift the wisdom of the Father that is the Spirit of Truth Luk. 11.13 to guide him into all Truth For if any man will do Gods will John 7.17 keep the words of Christ ch 14.23 he and the Father will come to him by the Holy Ghost whereby he shall not only know of the doctrine of Christ but know all things and all Truth both Divine and Natural the word all comprehending omnia scibilia specially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 3.12 or the knowledge of nature as done before our eyes For such an understanding have all they that keep Gods words Psal 111.10 that they come of themselves to know and understand more than all their wisest Teachers Psal 119.99 100 104. and in a word the Scriptures proclaim almost nothing more than that men grow in knowledge as fast and by the same means only
lusts and all carnal-mindedness that makes all people of the Earth drink of her fornications Rev. 17.2 18.3 And by tasting like Adam and drinking continually of this Lethean liquour worldly lusts carnal pleasures he at last so forgets and remains ignorant of God that he falls insensibly under the Antichristian abominable kingdom of darkness that makes the Church of Christ on Earth desolate and all the present world to pay the homage is due to the heavenly divine invisible and spiritual power to the earthly Beast Rev. 13.7 8. or to that which makes men like Beasts whose knowledge and thoughts are confined unto what they see the earthly creatures and cannot rise up so high as to know spiritual Beings and their Creator Job 35.10 11. that is spiritual darkness whence proceed the manifold errors which each Sect respects submits and burns incense to and for the which they stand up even against truth it self doing all that they condemn in others that is run mad some more some less palpably after their more or less refined idolatry He that hath ears to hear let him hear and keep himself from all such Image-worship 1 John 5.22 for at this very pass all men stick here stands and falls the faithfulness of the Saints Rev. 13.10 Mat. 19.22 for as I said before cùm ignoti boni nulla nobis cupido quae novimus haec sola cupimus prosequimur iis adhaerentes atque aequiescentes si sint falsa bona à vero bono sumus eo magis remoti Luk. 16.13 12.34 1 John 21.15 My Brethren Jews and Christians the times of ignorance and darkness are over now Act. 14 16. 17.30 Rom. 13.12 The second house of the Lord whereof John 14.2 4.21 23. is higher Ezra 6.3 1 Reg. 6.2 and not so much for a shew Ezra 3.12 as the former And the Body of Moses a type of the Messiah as being Mediator betwixt God and Israel of the former Covenant and in things which were but types of the kingdom of Christ was not found after his death no man knows his sepulchre to this day God buried him Deut. 34.6 in a valley of Moab in the low creeping conceits bastard Christians have of Christ over against Beth-peor the houses of worship where stiff-necked Israel falls to commit whoredom falshood and idolatry Numb 25 1 3 18. to shew the true Israel that they should not commit whoredom and idolatry with the body of the true Mediator Jesus Christ but have far sublimer and higher conceits of his Spiritual and Eternal kingdom than other men have Coloss 3.1 2. But is not Christ become man may some object unto me did not he take upon him our flesh was he not made like unto us his Brethren tempted in all points like we Heb. 2.17 4.15 and even subject to death and the Mediator still between the sinner and God why therefore should we know him no more in his flesh and bloud Because St. Paul teacheth so 2 Cor. 5.16 and God adds he v. 19. was in Christ reconciling the World to himself which words imply that the reconciliation was once made for all mankind and they may receive the use and the benefit of it if they come to God by the past sufferances of Christ as well as if he were yet in the body of this flesh And as it is appointed unto all men to dye once Christ to bear their sins needed to offer himself but once and note well he doth appear the second time without sin unto them that obey hem Heb. 5.9 to perfect their salvation ch 9.27 28. so that having once offered his undefiled body as the Lamb without blemish a ransom for all the World both for them that were before and that shall be after him he needs not take a body often v. 25. and dying no more needs not keep it any more and also since he is now in the Majesty of God and is glorified again with the glory which he had with God before the World was John 17.5 the flesh that is a burthen which mankind doth groan under 2 Cor. 5 4. and made Christ here upon earth uncomely and despised Isa 53.2 3. though supposed to be made since never so glorious yet remaining flesh and bloud cannot consist saith St. Paul 1 Cor 15.50 52. with that glorious infinite and wonderful Majesty Therefore the Children of the resurrection shall saith Christ Luk. 20.36 be equal to the Angels that they may partake of Christs glory and sit in his Throne and what place can an earthly body be but upon Earth Besides it is expedient saith he that I depart John 16.7 for if I depart not the Comforter will not come now how is he gone away from the Earth if he hath still his earthly body with him and how can he go away but by putting that off which confin'd him to a place since he made and fills the world as well as he did after he had appeared unto Abraham Gen. 18.2 16 22. 19.1 compared with 18.15 13 17 33. see ch 14.17 18. Heb. 7.1 3 8. and to some others as to Jacob Gen. 48.16 and the rest And to conclude since he comes invisibly to save man and is God dwelling in man or Emmanuel Mat. 1.23 it follows that he hath put off the flesh which he had once about him for he cannot come or dwell in the Believers with it without being felt and seen FINIS