Others are set down in the Kingdom of righteousness and peace and joy in Christ Jesus As the Apostles and many believers or Saints were in the primitive times For which they magnifyed the Lord for his rich mercy towards them in raising them up and making them sit together in Heavenly places or Heavenly things in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.6 2. Now consider further that these who in earnest seek the Kingdom of God or are already entred into it doe not alwayes make the greatest shew or appearance in the World They are like that Mercant man that having found treasure hid in a Field goeth and hideth it lest he should be robbed thereof and for joy thereof he goeth and selleth all he hath and buyeth that Field He boasteth not of his treasure but carefully purchaseth it So it is with many that are seekers and possessors of the Kingdome of God And therefore are not made so visible in the World though they live in the World Nay many times the World looks upon them as fooles or conceited People not seeing the Heavenly treasure which they pursue or possesse but afterwards shall be made to see it to their amazement Read Wisdom of Solomon chapter the 5th which sheweth how the wicked shall wonder at the strangeness of the Salvation of the righteous beyond all that they looked for Some may be without that in their Books it being in the Apocrypha therefore I shall here give you part of it beginning at the last verse of the 4th chap. to the 10th verse of the 5th where Solomon shews the different end of the righteous and wicked And when they cast up the accouts of their sins they shall come with fear and their own iniquities shall convince them to their face Then shall the rightous man stand in great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted him and made no account of his labours When they see it they shall be troubled with terrible fear and shall be amazed at the strangeness of his Salvation so far beyond all that they looked for And they repenting and groaning for anguish of Spirit shall say within themselves this was he whom we had sometimes in derision and a proverbe of reproach We fools accounted his life madness and his end to be without Honour How is he numbred among the Children of God and his lot is among the Saints Therefore have we erred from the way of Truth and the light of righteousness hath not shined unto us We wearied our selves in the way of wickedness and destruction yea we have gone thorow deserts when there lay no way but as for the way of the Lord we have not known it What hath pride profitted us Or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us All those things are passed away like a shaddow and as a Post that hasteth by c. Hence you may see how little they are taken notice of in the World who are Heirs of the Kingdom of God and how little they are discerned to be what they are And lest you should think that because these words are quoted out of the Apocrypha they have not weight in them hear Paul speaking to the same purpose 1 Cor. 1.26 c. For ye see your calling Brethren how that not many wise men after the Flesh not many mighty not many Noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the World to confound the things that are mighty and base things of the World and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are that no Flesh should glory in his presence Thus the Lord will confound the thoughts of men and make that last which was first and that first which was last and that highly esteemed which was despised and that despised which was highly esteemed And though the Heirs of his Kingdom be scarcely discerned in the World yet will he finde out a numberless Number out of all Nations Kinreds People and Tongues that shall inherit it such as the World takes little notice of they being a People comming out of great tribulation in which they have lived in the World Therefore let non say Where shall we finde such a People as live in the Kingdom of God but let them desire of the Lord that he would open their Eyes to see them whom he ownes and admits into his Kingdom Read Revel the 7th ver 9. to the end The Lord doth put the treasures of his Kingdom into Earthen Vessels which not being beautifull to the outward Eye are therefore overlooked and not seen by the curious Eye As it was said of our Lord and Master there is no beauty in him that we should desire him the same also may be said of his followers But wisdom is justifyed of her Children Look upon the rough and withered or deadlike coat of the Vine specially in Winter and one would think it good for little except to be consumed by the fire So are the branches of the true Vine many times to the outward Eye and therefore not regarded by the World as the strong Oakes and Trees of the forrest are or as the losty Cedars of Libanon which are seen a far off The Lord had reserved to himself 7 thousand who had not worshipped Baal even in the great Apostacy of Israel in Ahabs time whom Elijah the Prophet could not see So in the great Apostacy of Professed Christianity the Lord hath a numberless Number who are sealed who stand before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white Robes and Palmes in their hands glorifying God and â—scribing all Salvation to our God which siteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb. As you read in that 7th of Revel Thou that â—anst not see a People fit for the Kingdom of God canst thou see a People that work â—ighteousness The Apostle tells us that eveâ—yone that doth righteousness is born of God 1 â—oh 2.29 Dost thou see any People dwelling 〈◊〉 a Spirit of love The same Apostle tells â—s that every one that loveth is born of God â— Joh. 4.7 Another Apostle tells us that 〈◊〉 every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him Act. 10.35 The Apostle doth not tell us that every one that can magnify themselves in a form of Religion are accepted but he that worketh righteousness only There is a Pharisaical Eye which can see none righteous but such as are in their own form But God seeth not as man seeth There is also a prophane and hatefull Eye which hates the appearance of righteousness and holiness because it is a chain to their loose prophanes and wickedness these also through the myst of enmity and hatred cannot see the Servants of the living God over whose consciences he rules and so hath a Kingdom there and they in it submitting to his requirings as true Subjects
the Children of God witnessing with their Spirits and administring comfort and Heavenly food to the Soul So also he administers words and matter to Christs little ones when they are called before Rulers and Magistrates for his names sake And Christ Jesus our Lord taught his to depend hereupon and not to perplex themselves with thinking before hand what to say to them Matt. 10.19 20. But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you Hence it is that sometimes Women and unletter'd Persons have been enabled to confound great learned men for the Lord by his Spirit gives a mouth and wisdome which their Adversaries ar◠not able to gainsay nor to resist This is that Spirit which begetteth earnings and longings in our Hearts after the Lord and which helpeth our infirmities when we know not how to utter our minds to the Lord for then he maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered and these groanings being according to the will of God he hears them for he knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 27. There be many Spirits gone forth into the World which are not this Unction but work contrary to it and lead out from Christ into the World therefore the Apostle bids us try the Spirits whether they are of God 1 Joh. 4.2 Well but how shall we try them He tells us how to know them in the next verses following Hereby know ye the Spirit of God Every Spirit that confesseth Jesus Christ come in the Flesh is of God And every Spirit that confesseth not Jesus Christ come in the Flesh is not of God For so the words run more truely according to the Greek then to render them thus Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh c. For this confession is such a confession as owns an interest in him or professes a relation to him by Faith in him and by love and obedience to him The evil Spirits did verbally confesse him Mar. 1.24 and so evil men may verbally confesse him tho they neither truely believe in him nor love nor obey him But this true confession of him hath these things necessarily conjoyned therewith 1. Faith Iohn 3.18 36. For that Spirit that wants that is under condemnation and wrath as this Scripture testifyes 2. Love 1 Cor. 16.24 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha 3. Obedience to him And therefore saith John he that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar and the Truth is not in him So then every Spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ that suffered for our sins i◠Faith and in Love and Obedience to him that Spirit is of God But otherwise evil Spirits may confesse him and Children of the evil one may confesse him Also the Apostle draweth this down to himself and others who were in the pure and living faith and innocent life in whom Christ appeared ver 6. o◠the same Chapter We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us 〈◊〉 that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of error So here you see he places the mark to know Spirits by upon their owning or not owning of Christ himself come in Flesh and of him appearing in others For they that know him not in his Children where he appears but deny his appearance there they are not of his Spirit themselves But then how shall we know his Children from the Children of the Devil The Apostle tells us this is manifest by their works 1 Joh. 3.10 He doth not say its manifest by any particular forme but by their works In this the Children of God are manifest and the Children of the Devil Whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother So then let men pretend what they will if their works be evil they are not of God So that by their works false Spirits and false Prophets are known and by them they shall be judged at the last day Though they shall say we have Prophecyed in thy name yet it shall be said to them Depart from me I know you not ye workers of Iniquity Now these must needs own his comming that Prophecy in his name And that they may doe and yet not own hi◠where he is come and appears i◠Flesh And so they may confesse hi◠comming and yet not confesse himself where he is come As the Iew owned Moses and the Prophets wh◠were come and gone but yet persecuted them that came in their Spirit they owned and confessed Abraham but owned not nor confessed the true seed of Abraham and so were not of Abraham thoug◠they confessed him In like manne◠many now confesse that Christ cam◠in the Flesh but persecute the◠that come in his Spirit that is persecute him in them for so he wil◠charge it upon them Because what done to his little ones is done upo◠this account that he is in them who hath no fellowship with th◠unfruitfull works of darkness in which they are who persecute them For if he were not in them who hath not fellowship with unfruitfull works of darkness they would not hate them but would love them The World loves its own and those of its own Spirit If you were of the World the World would love his own but because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you Joh. 15.19 A little further still for the manifestation of this true Unction or Anointing to distinguish it from other Spirits not only from evil Spirits but even from some operations of the true Spirit Consider that this Holy Unction is an abiding thing keeping the Heart in the fear and love of God making that the maine care of him in whom it is to keep in obedience to the will of God and so in fellowship with God for that 's the Kingdom into which we are translated and whatsoever interposeth between us and that fellowship with God who i◠love that wounds and slayes And we are then like one banished hi◠native Kingdom and like an Exile until we be established in it again and then there 's rest and care and fear lest we grief the Spirit again And thus the promise to the true seed is fulfilled which saith I wil◠put my fear in their Hearts and they shall not depart from me Jer. 32.40 Now other Spirits which give no◠this fellowship in the love of God may doe great things whereby the person may be admired but they doe not keep the heart low watching to doe the will of God Balaam had an eminent Prophecy given him by the Spirit of the Lord which also strove with him to keep
may be refreshing helps to those who in sincerity of Heart and simplicity of conscience do walk therein There is a Baptism indeed and a Supper which are essential to the Kingdom of Christ but those are couched under other things before spoken yet for more plainess I shall here expresse them more particularly Peter tells us of a Baptism that saves us and that must needs be essential 1 Pet. 3.21 The like Figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the Flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This indeed is essential namely the answer of a good conscience towards God which is a Baptism indeed and which is a Fruit of righteousness For they that by an ungodly and wicked life make Shipwrack of Faith they thereby beget in themselves an evil and accusing conscience although they be outwardly Baptized and so it s not that that saves but the answer of a good conscience by the resurrection of Jesus Christ So there is a Supper also which is essential to the Kingdom of Christ which our Lord himself speaks of Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand aâ— the Door and knock if any man hear my voyce and open the Door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me This is a Supper that is essential Here 's joy and consolation in this Supper and sweet communion with the Lord. This was writ to a Church who were Baptized with outward Baptism and had the outward Supper and other Ordinances as we may well presume they had as well as other Churches and especially because they thought themselves rich in such things and increased with goods having need of nothing which blinded their Eyes so that they knew not that they were wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked And so the rest of the Churches of Asia they were all in Church fellowship enjoying the outward Ordinances but that was not enough For they were gathered in thither as into a nursery or Garden to the end they should grow up in grace and bring forth good Fruit unto God So there is a prayer that is essential and hath communion with God viz. When in the Spirit we worship God and when the Spirit maketh intercession in us according to the will of God There is also Preaching or a holding forth of Truth which is essential when the Lord requires it whether it be by a righteous life or by bearing Testimony to the Truth But these things I leave out which the Worldly Spirit may cloath it self with all and under that Cloak live wickedly yea and hate the life and power of Christianity as may be done under a verbal profession of the new Covenant as well as under the Old when the false Prophets and such as adhered to them persecuted the true Prophets And yet though they were Persecutors of the true they brought Oblatious to God and burnt incense to him and kept solemn meetings and fasts and came as a People that delighted to draw near unto the Lord and made many Prayers to him and their Hearts in all this far from him and so may it be now and therefore such things I omit and point at such things as wherein a Soul drawes near to God and is approved of God and in which he comes to some enjoyment of Spiritual blessings and by degrees comes into possession of the Kingdom of God in Christ Jesus The things wherein a man walks with God and follows the Lamb whether into external observances or out of them those I would here comprehend For there may be a following of him out of some things that the evil Spirit may take up as well as into them The Scripture leaves us not without examples and ground hereof The Brâ—â—en Serpent set up by Gods own institution and which was an eminent Type of Christ yet after the use of it was over and the People maâ—e an Idol of it and so went a whoring after the shaddow and forgot the substance and their Hearts were removed far from the Lord that good King Hezechiah who walk't before the Lord with a perfect Heart he caused it to be broken to pieces and put an end to it 2 King 18.4 The Lord did also command circumcision very stricktly so that the Seed of Abraham must needs be circumcised and this called an Ordinance for ever Yet when the fulness of time was come that the substance of all the shaddowes took place in their stead then sayes one Apostle behold I say unto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profite you nothing Gal. 5.2 This was a hard lesson to some and especially to such who were zealous of Gods ordinances yea even to many who believed in Christ Now the Scripture tells us of a falling away from God unto all wickedness and of retaining a form of Godliness still to cover all that and of a mystery of iniquity to be revealed and yet he that shall heed that mystery shall have his seat in the Temple of God that is were Gods Ordinances have their place by right but iniquity working under this profession of these things makes that a mystery which otherwise is open-fast wickedness only it hides it self under a profession and destructive zeal against neglecters of its form Now in this case I say there may be a following of the Lamb even out of those observances of his which once were commanded But I do not urge this except he lead And if he lead and go before them then shall his followers have peace and a secret witness in themselves although they meet with opposition from others Which they are likely to doe in following the Lamb for its him that the evil Spirit persecutes by his Servants in whom he rules And this is a great Testimony that its one great ordinance of Christ for his People to come out of false and corrupted worships after the mystery of iniquity hath abused them because the persecution lyes most thereupon if not altogether The Papists they persecute because People relinquish their form the Episcopal the Presbyterian c. they all do the like Though a man be just and upright in his conversation yet if he draw from their form they hate they revile they persecute at least with the Tongue And why is this But because they follow the Lamb who saith in their Spirits Come out of her my People I'ts he that goes before his true followers and leads them out gently and therefore saith come out And this comming out I say is a great ordinance of Christ in the discovery and dissolution of all corrupted worships And the followers of Christ herein are dignifyed with this Honour that it s said of them these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes But note they are such as truely follow the Lamb in whose mouth is found no guile If they shall turn from corrupted worships and
retain still their corrupted Hearts and so follow the Wolf the Lyon the Bear the Fox and such devouring creatures or the Dog or Sow those dirty creatures their forsakeing this or that form or way of worship will not profite them They are followers of the innocent harmless Lamb not of Beasts of prey or ravenous hurtfull creatures They follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes which seems to imply various removes in the Lambs leading of them or going before them As there was various removes or journings in the Wilderness out of Egypt literal towards the Earthly Canaan so may there be out of Egypt Spiritual to the Heavenly Canaan for things under the Law were Typical shaddowing out something Spiritual Now under that word Lamb is pointed out to us the guide in those journings even the Lamb and his nature as the Pillar of Fire and Cloud was the guide in the Wilderness Therefore i'ts safe keeping to the unhurtfull Lamb and to go where his Nature accompanies That 's the Standart to which his Travelling following Subjects do resort And though some that set forward out of Egypt spiritual turn back in their hearts or murmor and through unbelief faint and fall in the way yet the Lamb holds on his way and followers he hath that go throw with him whithersoever he goes Whether it be out of the Egyptian Societies or into a Wilderness throw the red Sea or to warr against the uncircumcised Philistins who provoke the Lord by their Idolatry and wickedness But not with carnal Weapons but with Spiritual The followers of the Lamb have piercing Weapons and yet not carnal and so hath their Captain of whom it is said Ride on prosperously because of Truth meekness and righteousness and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things terrible things in meekness thine Arrows shall be sharp in the Heart of the Kings Enemies Michael and his Angels and followers finde opposition from the Dragon and his Angels and followers and they both feight The Dragon and his followers with carnal Weapons to stop the way of the Lamb and his followers lest they should invade his Kingdome of darkness and destruction And on the other hand the Lamb and his followers they feight with other Weapons even with meekness and the word of Truth to make good their way that they may hold on to follow the Lamb. Thus the Lamb leads on his Army forward out of the World that is out of the Worlds evil wayes and corrupted worships But whether or no he lead into that which is outwardly to be set up as yet I leave to further discovery I mean whether that which is to continue is as yet to be set up that I leave But that there may be pitching of Tents for a Season even in a Journey that 's manifest from the Journeys of the Israelites in the Wilderness who pitched their Tents till the cloud went forward and then there was danger in remaining behinde in their pitched Tents There is a Seed will understand what I say There is one thing yet behinde to be spoken to which tends greatly to the keeping of our mindes and affections alive and in pursuite of an everlasting inheritance and that is Hope Faith believes the love of God And from hence Hope waites for good things not yet seen For we are saved by Hope saith the Apostle but Hope that is seen is not Hope For what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it Rom. 8.24 25. Hope you see is one ingredient tending to eternal life and a principal piece of Spiritual Armor bearing up the head in pursuite of the Kingdom of God against all the Opposition met with in the World Therefore i'ts called the Helmet of Salvation Eph. 6.17 There be divers things to be considered concerning this Hope and the ground of it whereupon our hope is placed that so it may be as an Anchor sure and stedfast to keep us safe in the waves and billowes of the tribulations of this World 1. The first thing is this That there shall be a Resurrection of all for if there be no Resurrection our hope is vain and hath no ground to stand upon and we are of all men most miserable if in this life only we have hope in Christ as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15.19 Therefore for the confirmation of this ground for the sure Anchor of hope and for reviving of your remembrance thereof let us call to minde some passages of the Scripture and the Testimony of Christ and his Holy Apostles concerning this thing And first of all consider the Resurrection of Christ who is said to be the first Fruits in the Harvest 1 Cor. 15.23 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead ver 12. His resurrection necessarily proves our resurrection for he needed not for himself to have taken our nature upon him and to be made like us in all things except sin but it was for our sakes that he took to himself our nature that he might prepare it and bring it back again and that with advantage into the happy union and fellowship of our Maker out of all that death hath involved us in both out of sin and out of the Graves And therefore according to these two deaths there is a twofold resurrection spoken of by Christ Joh. 5. That there is a death in sin is manifest Eph. 2.1 You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins Now of a resurrection out of this death Christ speaks Joh. 5.25 Verely verely I say unto you the hour is comming and now is when the dead shall hear the voyce of the Son of God and they that hear shall live And this is that resurrection that Paul speaks of Col. 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above and in some other places this is called a resurrection But then besides this resurrection out of sin there is a resurrection also out of the Graves when the Sea shall give up its dead that are in it and Death and Hell shall deliver up the dead that are in them and all graves shall be opened and shall render up their dead And of such a resurrection also Christ speaks in the forenamed place Joh. 5.28 29. Marvel not at this saith he that is that men shall â—ow hear the voyce of the Son of God and they that hear shall live for the hour is comming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voyce and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation The first of these resurrections namely out of the death of sin is a marvellous work of God wrought by the voyce of the Son of God in the Heart But Christ Jesus
seemes to make the other resurrection which is to be general out of the graves to be more marvellous Secondly the first of these resurrections is in order to bring men to live the life of righteousness but the second or general resurrection is after â—â—ey have done good to give them their reward The first is only a raising up to life The second is a raising up of some to life and of others to condemnation according as they have done good or evil in their life time For we must know that this is after men have done good or done evill that is at the last day which our Saviour often mentions for the comfort of the righteous who are before hand raised up to life by him Joh. 6.39 40 44 54. And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And this is the will of the Father that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Again No man can come unto me except the Father which sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day Again saith he Who so eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day This is not a raising up out of the death oâ— sin unto life but a raising up again of those that before hand have eternal life And this is spoken for the comfort of all such as also many other comfortable words are left upon record for such which also clearly hold forth this Doctrine of the general resurrection Take this one place for concluding of this particular 1 Thess 4 13. to the end of the Chapter But I would not have you ignorant Brethren concerning them which are a sleep that ye sorrow not as others that have no hope For if we believe that Jesus dyed and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the comming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are a sleep For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Archangel and with the Trumph of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Ayre and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words Here he calls the death of believers a sleep as Christ said of Lazarus he sleepeth when he was dead and it s frequently said in the Old Testament such a one sleept with his Fathers when he was dead Death is but as a sleep out of which men must rise again therefore sorrow not saith the Apostle as others that have no hope For if Jesus dyed and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him And further the Apostle here describes the order of the resurrection The dead in Christ shall rise first and with them such believers or Servants of Christ as are then alive shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Ayre and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Now comfort one another herewith saith the Apostle Here is a stedfast ground for Hope to Anchor upon One thing he expresses in the 1 Cor. 15. which is here passed over concerning them that are alive at that day namely they shall not dye but they shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an Eye for this mortal must put on immortality and the natural body must be made a Spiritual body I have spoken the more of this because although the common notion hereof is retained among People yet the lively sence of these things is to much buryed and out of minde For surely if men did seriously meditate hereof it would have a weighty influence upon their lives and conversations to make them inoffencive in the World Another thing collateral with this is that as there shall be a resurrection of all so there shall be a day of judgment for all when every man shall receive according to the things done in the body whether good or bad It may be some will say this is rather a ground of fear then a ground of hope True it is so to them who take pleasure in iniquity and are strangers to Christ Jesus and to a righteous life But to those that are innocent in the World and believe in Christ and meet with afflictions and tribulations here it is a most comfortable ground of Hope For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory But before we speak more of it see first how certainly it is grounded upon Scripture that there shall be a day of judgment Act. 17.30 31. The times of this ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men every where to repent Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Hence it s plainly held forth that the raising of Christ from the dead is a sure Testimony to all men that God will in an appointed day by him judge the World and that in righteousness For every man shall receive according to his deeds done in the body whether good or evil Again the Apostle Paul tels us of a day of wrath and righteous judgment of God Rom. 2.5 and so forward But thou after thy hardness and impenitent Heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God Who will render to every man according to his deeds to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality to them he will render eternal life But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey unrighteousness to them indignation and wrath Then he goes over with it again ver 9 10. Tribulation and anguish upon every Soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile But glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile Again minde what our Saviour Jesus Christ said to his twelve Disciples when he sent them forth with power to preach or publish the Kingdom of Heaven to be at hand and therefore to call them to repentance and to heal the sick and cast out Devils c. saith he whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words when ye depart out of that House or City
way for this Under the great Apostacy wherein the Whorish Spirit hath raigned the mystery of the glorious Gospel hath been vailed And men have highly pretended Faith in Christ and yet lived in the nature of the Devil murdering and destroying one another and despising one another for a few outward observations and Ceremonies Whereby it is manifest that the Faith of the Gospel hath been vailed among them The Sun hath been darkened in the Firmament through the Clouds of mens imaginations and inventions and traditions upon which they have put the weight of their Religion and so wanting the nature of the true Faith they have persecuted one another for these things For they have been ignorant of their own state and taken themselves to be Churches of Christ when they were but the outward Court which was left out unmeasured and given to the Nations When the Woman the true Church withdrew her self into the Wilderness the Lord in mercy left an outward Court open for the Gentiles or Nations to assemble in for their assemblings are in the outward Court. And he left it unmeasured giving the Gentiles or Nations leave to use their own wisdom in their wayes of assembling and approaching towards his Holy Temple But they mistaking their own institutions for the true Ordinances and Institutions of Christ have in their blinde Zeal for them persecuted one another and also trampled the Holy City under foot among them because she could not walk with them in their humane traditions and mingled inventions which indeed have borne some face of Christs Ordinances but polluted through mens inventions the Nations setting Gods post by mans post as the Scripture speaks And hence in pretence for God they have been destructive one to another and all to the true worshippers and so are plainly discovered to be out of the true Gospel Faith which hath been obscured among them and they involved in darkness and ignorance For had the Nations known their own state that they were but the outward Court left unmeasured then would they have known also that the measures of others in their approaching to worship might be as good as their own or at least wise that it was left at liberty as well as their own Or had the Nations known the power and true nature of Faith they would not have persecuted and destroyed others for differing from them in profession of Religion But it is said when the Son of man comes shall he finde Faith on the Earth Which implyes the great defect thereof and the great Apostacy therefrom upon the Earth As indeed is made manifest by the lives and works of men For if by Faith the Son of God were received they would do the works of God Yea they in whom Christ lives they do the works of Christ And blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he is again reviving of the truth and dispelling the darkness and begetting a People to himself not only to know his Heavenly nature better but also to live therein in their measure And he will yet more and more discover the false Fruitless and destroying Faith of Nominal and National Churches who pretend Faith in Christ and Hope in Christ and yet live in the nature and works of him whom Christ doth cast out and whose works he comes to destroy which kinde of believers or Professors of Christianity cause the gloryous name of our Lord Jesus Christ to be blasphemed that is evil spoken of among them that own him not as namely Turks and Jews and other infidels Therefore the Lord will bring down such Hypocritical Faiths And that shall be the fall of Babylon the great For what was the fall of the Jews Was it not the discovery of their false and Hypocrical profession of his name leaving them therein as in a Snare when he drew out from among them the upright and simple hearted who truely feared him and believed in him So the fall of Babylon that is of all false Faiths which work the works of Satan and hold the seed of Christ in bondage their fall shall be the discovery of their Hypocriticall Faith that shall be the fall thereof and she shall be discovered to be a habitation of Devils False Faiths that bring forth the works of the Devil lying deceit murder persecution pride envy hatred and such like such Faiths are fit receptacles and habitations for the Devil to act his part under and men living in his Spirit and doing his works are rightly caâ—led by his name as Peter was when he did so On the other hand they that live in the Spirit of Christ Jesus in his innocent nature following him they are rightly called the Sons and Daughters of God This was no strange thing in the Apostles dayes when their Faith was a living Faith and gave them fellowship with God though in our dayes since the memory of many some have been Pillored and Stigmatized for blasphemers for professing Sonship with God Which showes what grosse ignorance and darkness hath been over the Spirits of men though highly professing Faith in Christ For if they had known either the Scriptures or the power and Priviledges of a living Faith they durst not have done so Now are we the Sons of God saith John And as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God saith Paul and such having received the Spirit of Adoption draw nigh to God in that Spirit crying Abba Father Yea the Apostle goes higher and is very bold in his expressing of the near relation of the Sons of God with him If Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ if we suffer with him that we may be also glorifyed together Rom. 8. True and living Faith gives this Sonship As many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name So believing on his name is receiving Christ and with him Sonship and Heir-ship And then he being received and his Spirit leading us we are thereby taught to walke as the Sons of God without rebuke in the World And so the lives of the Servants of the Lord being blamelesse are ar lights in the World and preaches righteousness to the World and tend to the glory of God Let your light so shine before men saith Christ that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven To whom be glory and Honour for ever for his unsearchable love manifested to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS