come thither they spend every day without any other then mortall profit so they passe away the year and it goes into darknesse without comfort at length they have consumed the length of their Age and then they go into darknesse without so much as worldly good These are shut up in darknesse kept unto the Judgement of the Lord who shall render to them according to their unprofitable and evill workes The Children of light are they which exercise themselves in the Law and light that shineth to mortality eschewing evill and doing good as if they were alwayes with the Father of lights and enlightened to treasure to themselves for the time to come Those go into light continually every day addeth unto their strength and they profit in the true riches which preserve the man of God to an immortall life the day and the year they spend in the light going to immortality and the time filleth up to their comfort and consumeth their evill sorrow and sufferings for the light sake in this world when they have spent their time all their labours go with them they go out of this world as a good Servant to be refreshed and rewarded for his good service their immortall soule is gathered into Paradice and joy way ting yet for the day of Judgement and Redemption of the body when according to their good workes they shall be crowned with unutterable and immortall glory Thus the Children of light do so number their dayes and spend their time as that they may apply their hearts unto wisdom and to receive the honour and glory thereof whereas the Children of this world as a bird that rejoyceth in the bait before the snare turne over and take it so these rejoyce in their temporary pleasures and mortall joyes untill the Judgement of the Lord overtake them in their rioting as a snare out of which they shall not nor cannot escape Luke 21.28.35 2. It is appointed from the beginning as the onely way to immortality from mortality that righteousnesse here should suffer in inseculer conflicts which conflicts whosoever refuse thereby to save their mortall life do loose the immortall life and that justly because they feare man more then the maker of man Mat. 10.28 to 39. 3. As treasure is distributed to the poore by the hands of men so the treasure of the spirit of Christ is communicated to the poore which live in the world by the distribution of the poore to whom it is committed The 3. day of the week I Have seen how the Children of this world study Athisme or to live without God in that whereas the Godly study to retoine God in all their knowledge by doing the worke of the word in all obedience to it as to God Rom 1.28 Jam. 1.22.25 with Iohn 1.1 These of the world on the other side will not have God in all their thoughts but as ungodly do make voide all ungodlinesse and conscience of God above and mind only the feare of men and the love of this present world so as they keepe their Conscience sanctified towards men to shine forth onely from themselves to others though in words they professe to know God and Christ yet all their thoughts and practices do manifestly shew that they do deny to know God as he is in spirit and truth to live in all good Conscience to him as all do that hold the power of the word is it is from the authority of the living God and not from men as it requireth obedience of all without respect of Pope Prelate Emperour King Prince Noble Ignoble Jew Gentile Bond or Free Male or Female 2. The tryall of Christians by torments to death is to discover the man of God that is the hidden man of the heart which in Christ is renewed againe in knowledge righteousnesse and holinesse which as the power and spirit of Christ the word doth shew it solfe more lively in the sufferings of the mortall body for whereas the persecutors are deluded to think that there is no immortall soule in man but that their soules and bodies shall dye together these Christians by their faith in the estate of immortality â—o put a wonderfull difference in that there is in them a mind and spirit to overcome all the paines and torments of their body and to tryumph over all the power and authority of men and mortality which doth evidently shew that in such men the divine nature of Christ in immortality is distinct from the humane nature of mortality as death is distinct from life which spirit and divinity of Christ as it doth sustaine them to suffer death so it shall raise from death every body that is sanctified by its abiding within it 3. The sufferings of Christ do also put difference between those which worship and serve God in spirit and truth and those which worship him in word or outward forme for whereas all men in the world have God without them and the power of God without them yea and the heathen to shew the mouth of mans heart do make Gods to looke upon without thom and do within themselves retaine the wisdom power and authority of their Gods and that without or against the true God and his Law or authority on the other side the Christians only have the living God his word power and authority within them and wheresoever or in what estate soever they be they carry their God within them and their heart is to him as the Arke to hold his Law and their body to containe his glorious essence so far as every one is capable of it and this part or distribution of the spirit of God to every body doth witnesse and testifie to the Conscience together with the invisible and inconceaveable Majesty of the spirit of God above that they are of the seede and Children of the living God in immortality whereby also they may serve God in truth without any legall forme or visible worship in place or company The manifestation of this is first within every one to do according to the diverse effects the reoâ— in so much as if it be so that many do meete together which have the gift of the same spirit the more there are the greater is the presence and power of God that even the place doth shake as the glory of the one invisible Majesty of God inspiring and expiring the severall effects of the essence of Gods spirit 4. I have understanding of the power of God in the word which saith that if thou shalt confesse with thy month the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved for with the heart it is believed unto righteousnes and with the mouth it is confessed unto salvation Rom. 10.9.10 And thus I propose it There are all manner of Torments proposed and threatned to be inflicted upon whomsoever shall confesse the Lord Jesus to be Christ the Judge of all if none dare to confesse with his
learne to know what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God that they may do it as they see the servants that are joyned to his body to do and in this estate they are to walke in the light of those which are perfect members in the body of the sufferings for Christ Jesus Iohn 3.19 21. with Heb. 13.7 8. 3. Now if any are able to hold the word of the new Testament in the enmity against the world then they present their Members as weapons of righteousnesse unto holinesse Rom. 6.19 wherein they are to do the will of God in their own persons and to walk worthy of the mysteries of holinesse which they take unto themselves in the Law of seperation 2 Cor. 6.16.17 2. In the Law of the love of the Creator Isa. 56. 6. Heb. 4.3 4. 3. In the Coeincorporation by Baptisme into the body and death of Christ Rom. 6.3 c. Col. 2. 6 11 13. These degrees are of necessity to be of speed that none may presume to come into the service of the only true God without an evident calling and preparation for so holy a work 2. I conceive the wedding garment to be the true and perfect love of God in Christ thus There are 3 undevidable gifts whereof if one faile all the other cease from Christ viz. 1 Faith 2. Hope and 3 Love 1 Cor. 13.13 1. Faith is the substance of all the invisible promises which we hope for whereby we beleeve that we shall enjoy them as certainly as if we did now enjoy them in sight sence and feeling Heb. 11. 1.2 hope is the meanes whereby we are saved and preserved notwithstanding all morral temptations to wayte in patience for what our faith apprehends but cannot see it with mortall eye Rom. 8.24.25 35.1 Pet. 1.5.1 Cor. 2.9.10 3. Love extends it selfe beyond all for as the exercise and manifestation of it is in the keeping of the Commandements which concerne both our Lord God and our neighbours Marke 12.29.30 31. so this love is stronger then all yea then death and it only is worthy of the wedding feast for hereby all pleasures friends wife yea and life is hated in respect of this calling to the wedding supper and Communion of Christ in immortality whereas all that love other things more then this Communion do justly perish in their false and mortall love and those which presume to come with a heart and a heart that is without this perfect love in the marriage of the sonne of the blessed are all justly cast out for profaining the pure and immortall love with an unclean and mortall lust Mat 22 2 c. with Luke 16. c. to 26. Eph. 5.23 â—o 32.2 Cor. 3.5.4 1. All that live in common or open sins doe live without God in the world and these are unworthy of the love of the righteous for they will be a reproach unto such men wherefore it is of necessity that first all sinners do so know God as not to sin against his presence and word and to have a good report for their conversation in the world before they can be reconciled to God so as to be joyned in common love with the righteous in Christ 3. I understand from Iohn 3.8 That there is a twofold wind or spirit 1. The one is called the common wind spirit or ayre whereby all flesh do breath and live the naturall and mortall life as Wisd. 7.1 with Gen. 7.21.22 23. The unclean or common spirit hath the authority of this ayre and he worketh in all that have their conversation in the lusts of the flesh c. Eph. 2.2.3 2. The other is called the holy wind of spirit whereby such as are begotten from above by the spirit do breath and live the spirituall and immortall life Iohn 3.3.5.8 1 Pet. 1.3.23.1 Cor. 2.15.12.16 This holy wind is the spirit of truth which the Lord Jesus giveth to all that he calleth and chuseth out of the world which worketh in all Children that walke after that holy wind minding the things that are above in Heaven after the life of immortality Iohn 14.17.26 Rom. 8.1.14 Col. 3.1 2. 4. All the world is darke and is laid in wickednesse and for this their sins are condemned and dead in the Law before Christ Jesus came when he came in the flesh he was the light of the world and all that by the discovery of that light hated their evil workes did come unto the light and love to walke in it doing the truth that their workes may be manifested to be done in God but on the other side there were and are another seed that have enmity against the light and the Children of light and these will not come unto the light but hate the light because they love their own evill workes of darknesse this light then is the confirmation of their former condemnation without any remedy Iohn 1.5.9 with 3.11 to 21. with 8.12 24. 5. The work of God for salvation is proposed by the house of God 1 Tim. 3 15. All that sin against the Law of the house are enemies to God Ezeck. 43.7 to 11.12 All that are reconciled in their mindes and will no more sin against God by transgressing the Law of his house do first desire and make peace with any of the servants of God that keepe the house After this admittance they have freedom to converse with the houshold servants and to learne the orders of the house and may see the service and God and behold their faith and godly conversation in love but yet as strangers they are not imployed in any service of God to do as his servants neither may they dare to presume or be admitted thereunto If any do desire to draw near unto the Majesty of the Lord of the house as servant he must be admitted according to the Law of the house in that kind and from that time he must do all the will of God as the other servants do 6. The men of this worldly authority when they have Christ or any of his Christians under their hands in torments do boast against them to save themselves thinking that none can save our of their hands but this is the gate of God whereby the righteous do go unto God in Heavenly peace Mar. 50.30 31. Psal. 118.17.20 The 2. day of the week THere is come into my mind a sight of darknesse and light and how the Children thereof are profitable or unprofitable to themselves how they treasure to themselves hatred and wrath or love and good pleasure from the only true God Thus the darknesse is this world and the auâ—hority of darknes is the tyrannizing authority over the truth The light is the Law of the world to come the authority thereof is Christ in the authority of suffering for well doing The Children of darknes are they which live after the course of this present evill world and the glory authority thereof these go into darknesse continually till they
to bring the price of the sale to the distribution of the whole body and he lye against the holy spirit wherein he promised and detained a part and yet say that there is all this is a sin a great breach of the love and truth of Christ as Act. 4.32.36 37. with 5.2 3.8 9. or if one have much good and yet detaine it from one Member that wanteth this his hardnes doth discover to all the brethren that such a churlâ— hath a dead faith and no love of God and to be such an one as is unprofitable to the body of Christ in any kind and therefore such are known by the word of Christ to deny Jesus and the Communion of his Body and so being divided from the naturall and true love of the Body that suffereth they will be scone of the Brethren to fall away of themselves as leaves from a tree The 5. day of the Week I Consider the estate of the Church of Christ in unity universality and free consent that Jesus Christ is the head thereof and is gone before as a husband goeth before his wife by sufferings the place whither he goeth is the Kingdom of Heaven which cannot be entered into but by the death of the flesh 1 Cor. 15.49 50. the doore whereby we follow him is death and hell whereof Christ hath the keyes Rev. 1.18 the power and authority of these keyes is given to every one by mane through Jesus Christ who in love to his Father having power to lay down his life had in himselfe also power or authority to take it again and this Commandement he received of his Father Iohn 10.17 18. Therefore having in himselfe the keyes of the Kingdom of heaven as being Christ the Sonne of the living God he gave them to Peter to whom the Father of Christ gave to know and acknowledge Jesus to be his sonne as Mat. 16.16 to 19. The authority of these keyes is proper to every one that hath the testimony of Jesus by vertue whereof he openeth a doore through death to follow his Mister Jesus into the Kingdom of his Father this doore every one that is constant to death doth open in the eyes of all that see his constancy according as Stephen the first Martyr doth declare even before his death that others might offer violence to enter into it Act 7.55 56. And seeing these keyes are so effectuall towards God in the love of Jesus Christ Therefore Peter by name and so whose-ever is sealed by the same holy spirit of promise hath by vertue of these keyes in Christ authority also towards men before their sufferings that whatsoever he or any one that is apt and able to hold the confession of Jesus to be Christ by authority of the keyes hath also authority to bind or loose according to the Word so as whatsoever such do bind or loose must needes be confirmed in heaven where Christ that giveth the keyes is with his Father Mat. 16.16.10 19. Iohn 20.21 22 23. 1. Men now boast against the Jew that the Law is not of faith and that faith is now come and therefore say they we are no more under the Law but under grace as Gal. 3.12.23.25 with Rom. 6.13 This boasting against the Jew is not carnall but spirituall against God who gave them the Law and this turneth to the shame of all such as so boast and yet do worse things then they did as appeareth by the word faith for the Law while it is holden under the authority of men in the glory of a present and mortall state is of sight which feareth men and not of faith which only feareth and apprehendeth the authority and power of the invisible God by the spirit of Christ so as all that are holden under the feare and authority of men are of faith no more then the Jewes yea it may be under the Law more worse then they as being without the knowledge of the true God and so of necessity without any faith of God for whosoever hath faith believeth that God is present with him and seeth his thoughts and actions and therefore will not dishonour his presence in which hee liveth by counting sin against him though no man seeth whereas the infidell that walketh by sight under the law hath only respect to the feare authority and judgement of Magistrates and therefore when they can sin in secret or without feare of bodily payne or worldly shame they do sin without and feare of God or Conscience of the judgement to come whereby appeareth that all that live by the Law of faith do feare to offend without the feare of men and that are of faith they will in meeknesse and feare shew to infidells what the life of faith is both by word and example that they also may know God The 6. day of the week 1. IT is a misery to have ones body at liberty by the procurement of men and ones minde and conscience in perpetuall prison by ones own Act 2. There is a twofold justification arising from the Law the one of workes under the Leviticall Priesthood the other of faith under the Priesthood of Christ Jesus The former justification is only if sight and by report of men and it was effectuall to justifie the slosh before the King and the authority of the Kingdom according to this justification was Zachary and his wife righteous before God in this life Luke 1.5.6 but this Law made none perfect and pure in Conscience before the spirit of God Heb. 9 8. to 14. Therefore of necessity upon the defect of this first justification ariseth a perfect justification which is of the Kingdom of God Mat. 6.33 This justification is of faith in spirit and truth according to the spirituall Priesthood of Jesus Christ which is effectuall to justifie the heart and spirit of a man so that in conscience of the worke of the spirit whereby the justifications of the Law is fulfilled in us Rom. 8.3.4 we have boldnesse to come to the Throane of the grace of God in the Heavens Heb. 4.14 15 16. which freedom no unclean person or secret sinner can have but only such as being condemned of men have good Consciences towards God so as they can willingly suffer in the mortall blood that so they may come to be present with the Lord for the justification of their spirit 1 Tim 3.15.16 3. In the power of Christianity there is a twofold knowledge at the gate the one of Christ Rev. 3.20 the other of the Christian Mat. 7.8 The gate standeth as an interstitium or interposition between immortality and mortality and it is called the gates of Hell and of death which are the many tribulations through which the Christians must enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14.22 with Rev. 7.14 and they are the diverse torments Heb. 11.25 36.37 and whatsoever authority the Divill and his seed in mortall bodis have from the power of death to sever the mind and
spirit of the Christian from Christ Heb. 2.14 with Mat. 16.18 through this gate Jesus Christ the head is entered into the Kingdom of Heaven and from death is living in immortality Luke 24.26 Rev. 1.18 Christ therefore being in the state or immortall glory knocketh on the farther side of the gate calleth to his spouse that are in suffering estate of mortall shame to come away to him from mortality to immortality On this hither side of the gate the spouse or Church which are every suffering Christian in the truth do knock when they sigh in their â—â—ibulations being oppressed and grieved desiring that mortality may be swallowed up of life and wishing hartâ—ly that they might be out of mortall bodies be present with the Lord which is best of all 2 Cor. 42.4.6.8 Phil. 1.23 And thus we may understand how earnestly Christ the husband knocks at one side calling the Christian his wife and we may consider how lovingly the wife also knocks at the other side beseeching him to draw her and indue her with power to put off the mortall cloathing whereby she is yet holden in this world from him that so she may overcome all the power principalities and authorities which do keepe them from the full enjoying of love not that Christ can come to his spouse againe into a mortall and cursed estate but that she having the earnest of his spirit may follow him through the straightest gates to his glory in an immortall and blessed estate And as many as are thus gathered unto Christ from mortality are the Church of the first borne written in the Heavens and their spirits are perfected all which at the time of the judgement of Christ shall receive that Kingdom of God which cannot be moved Heb. 12.22 to 28. 4. It grieves me to heare such as think themselves to be spirituall and Christians to boast in a carnall mortall Bondage after the worldly elements of the heathen whereby they are inforced to eat swines flesh as a thing necessary to eternall salvation and to justifie themselves in defiance of God his holy spirit and word whereas in Christ the lawfull meates which were sanctified to an holy Use for sacrifice profited not to purge the Conscience from sin nor to justifie before the holy God of Israell Heb. 9.8 c. These therefore are much deceived and blinded in mortality and reprobate to every good work as Tit. 1.15.16 untill they are by the light of the word enlightened to immortality and by the grace of God the saviour which hath appeared unto all men are by chastisement taught what to deny how to live and for what to waite Tit. 2.7 to 14. 5. From the fulfilling of this word I will have mercy and not sacrifice Mat. 12.7 Hos. 6.7 is shewed what the Lord rejecteth and what he now requireth in Christ If any man bring to God an offering or be envious against a brother or neighbour for Gods sake as he thinketh first he rejecteth the offering for that it is the gain of oppression as if God should say I gave thee life and commanded thee not to defraud or oppresse therefore I will not â—obery for an offering if the goods be lawfully gotten yet God rejecteth him saying I commanded thee to be mercifull and to love thy neighbour and the stranger as thy selfe which thou hast not done this Offering and more then this is by my will due to the poore and so none of thine therefore I will not have neglect of the poore or transgression for an Offering If the Offering be lawfull and free from sin against the poore yet the Lord saith I will not now have thee to offer thy goods in sacrifice but that with them thou extend mercy to all that are in want of thy mercy If a man do thus serve God in his goods yet offend in his person in being hard hearted to his brethren that confesse and desire forgivnesse of the trespasse against him if he yet bind and will not loose the sin the Lord will say unto him except you forgive men their offences Mar 11.25.26 neither will the heavenly Father heare thee to forgive thy sins Mat. 6.14.15 All which sheweth that it is in vaine or a procuring of judgement for any man to go to the Lord by faith in Christ and his heart not perfect in mercy and love to his brother that he seeth with his eyes 1 Iohn 4.20 The first day of the Week 1. THe eare receiveth the word as the mouth eateth meate The bread which the mouth eateth is no bread nor the life which bread sustaineth is no life in respect of the bread of an immortall life therefore the holy spirit calleth mortall man to eat of the true food for to live which is done by hearing to obey the word for thus their soule shall live c. Isai. 55. 〈◊〉 c And thus we eat the bread of God which is come down from Heaven and thus we are communicants in the body and blood of Christ for life when we hear and do the word of God and be made obedient in the fellowship of his sufferings John 6.27.33.35 c. this hearing is the same with believing as John 6.47 c. and this is the immortall eating for not every one that heareth and understandeth the word eateth or believeth to life but he only that so tasteth the word with his eare as that he obey and delight in it from his heart to do the work thereof in spirit and truth and knowledge 2. From the presence of Gods being with us we have faith as Heb. 11.6 with Reu. 1.8 For as we believe his presence to be such in his visitation that in him we live move and have our beings so likewise in his inspiration whereby we are instructed to avoide all wayes of errour heresie and are guided into all truth so also by his being with us in spirituall presence we are kept by his power from all evill of this world and are likewise rewarded with the blessing of his presence because we wait on him to seeke him diligently and to serve him with all our heart in love This his presence requireth faith in his guidance protection and preservation as in the mind so in the body that no evill shall come to us from him whether of the Plague or otherwise as Psal. 91. Those which sin against his presence and have not the love of God in them do lye open to the hand of his destroying Angel but whosoever have good Consciences towards his presence with us love his name if we should now fear the fears of worldly men we dishonour the presence of the living God we bewray our infidelity in his presence which is all sufficient to keepe us that the evill one shall not hurt us or if we are faithfull in his presence that hath all power in his hands so as a sparrow cannot fall without him nor a hayre of our heads perish but hâ—â—â— his
Commandements of God 1 Cor. 7.18.19 So if Marriage be exhibited under the worldly authorities it may bring the parties into bondage likewise if lawfull meates be forbidden by the Doctrines of Devills we are to maintain our liberty in Christ in assurance that though we suffer death yet he will raise us again according to his priesthood 1 Tim. 4.1 c. 10. Alwayes with this respect in the Law of liberty that there be no justification of condemnation on one side or other in lawfull meates but to judge indifferently that he which cates is not the better by it neither is he the worse which cates not 1 Cor. 8.8 wherefore in all such indifferent things every man is to have respect to his own Conscience before God and to the present estate and Nation wherein he is either Jew or Gentile that he be without offence but to use his liberty not for any occasion to his own flesh but to the profit of others in such sort that whether any eat or drink or what other indifferent thing soever they do they may do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.23 32.33 31. The second day of the Week I Have observed in Christ how the old man of the flesh doth naturally bring forth the new man begotten in the spirit of truth thus After that the heart hath conceived the immortall seed which is from above so as for joy hereof it estrange 〈◊〉 selfe from mortall vanities by and by the Lords of this mortall flesh will shew their authority and they will labour with all their force and wits to destroy this good conception that they may again rule the heart in this estate the mortall body of a man is as a woman in travell which cryes out not to be eased of the payne but to bring forth the fruit of her wombe and this in Christ is the travell of a Christian he hath conceived the mind of Christ and for this cause is persecuted and suffers all things untill from out of the greatest torments of the heart he is able to deliver or bring forth the spirit of that immortall seede unto Christ whose it is Esa. 26.13 17. 18. Mat. 27.46 with Luke 23.46 Heb 5 7.9.2 Cor. 4.6 amp c. with 5.2.4 5. 2. Further is noted in what respect the Church of Christ a woman and the wife of Christ because from the beginning she hath conceived in her heart the seed of God which is the Word Christ and thus she hath travelled with shadow of Christ till her time was fulfilled that shee should bring forth the spirit and truth of Christ which was when Jesus Christ being made one flesh with the Church she by his divine nature gave up the word law and truth of God perfected into her husbands hands so as the carnall Church is now delivered from that law and labour which was committed and required of her for she hath now in Jesus Christ brought forth the spirit of holynesse to God by the death of the flesh and in the resurrection of of the spirituall man to the immortall life of God her spirituall husband Jesus Christ then which the Church of God having suffered the pain of travell to death being risen from the dead and exalted to glory as Lord and Christ is made the head of his Church in a more neere and familiar manner even as a man that going to take a wife manifesteth the secrets of his hearty love unto her in way of espousals who after his departure returneth againe to her in way of marriage and giveth his owne spirit as Iob. 14.16 17.18 26. Acts 2.33 36. This immortall seed therefore being freely communicated in the love of Christ is gladly received of the Church and of none other which travelleth in subjection to Christ her husband to perfect that birth of the spiritual immortal man of whom she hath conceived immortall and spirituall seed and thus is she become bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh in love which union in Christ is confirmed to every soule of man that in their severall age or nation are so beloved of God in Christ that as an husband he should give of his immortall seed so as every one that conceiveth it in a good heart doth know both the union and her husband unto whom every such heart doth increase that seed of the new and immortall man dayly and in groweth by the obedience and death of the life-blood unto a lively hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead For such is the love of every good heart that she in her proper body will tenderly respect to preserve that word of the living God which shee hath willingly conceived in her minde and heart so as no cares shall choake nor reproches dismay but that her body shall bring forth to her husband that Word which abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.3.4 22 c. 3. This word of God in what body soever it come in the love and communion of sufferings in Christ Jesus is the salvation of the same body to that immortall life in glory with Christ for whereas the persecutors that would adulterate us from our husband their dead shall not live neither shall their ghosts be raised againe notwithstanding our bodies which have dyed to bring forth the spirit of truth shall be raised to immortall truth of our head Christ Esa. 26. 13 18.19 when being sanctified in the truth with him we shall be perfected in one with our Father and our Lord Christ Jesus Iohn 17.19 21. c. 4. It is a wonderfull wisdome to consider in Jesus Christ how the Lord by his mercy doth call the world to judgement for in that he hath sent his Sonne into the world with mercy toward all that shew mercy and in it hee executeth the justice of his Law on none by the Law It is most manifest that all that out of their owne heart do judge and condemne shewing no mercy to sinners doe by their owne justice in the Law procure the Lord to enter into judgement with them for their judgement without mercy And thus we may see how the Law was given by Moses and sinne was required by pesent justice but grace and truth is by Jesus Christ he requireth sinners to sinne no more and they shall not be judged for their sinnes past and every one to shew mercy and they shall find mercy Math. 18.21 to 35. if not but that men will despise the grace of God towards them by judging and condemning their fellow-servants they are inexcusable before God their owne measure shall be measured to them they have denyed to shew mercy therefore mercy shall be denyed to them Rom. 2.1 to 5. Luk. 6.37.38 5. The cause of falling from the love of God is the evill of the heart whereby men dissembled with men for when men retaine the nature of swine and yet will be washed without doubt they will returne to their filthynesse Or dogges by nature will turne to
and Gospel of immortality for he that receiveth the word of truth withall his heart and full resolution to suffer with Christ the saver thereof this man can never fayle In persecution of the word he hath prepared his heart to suffer and so he continuath constant unto death and he winneth by holding the word the Crown of an immortal life In all other temptations which are in himselfe together with the world he denyeth himself after the honour of this world he hateth his own soule to satisfie it with the lusts thereof he suffereth in the flesh and so ceaseth from sin 1 Pet. 4.1 c. patience maketh his heart soft to give rooting to the word the harder the persecution of men the softer the heart is to nourish the immortall seed and to bring forth the fruit thereof in the perishing and death of the mortall flesh chusing rather to lose his life then lose the word of God patience maketh his heart heard to resist the Devill and all his deceits and temptations he is open hearted faithfull and perfect in love to the Lord by whose word he holdeth the assurance of immortality with him but he is close shut to obey the worldly vanities he hateth to think of their wicked courses in mortality This is the estate of those which are able to endure the try all and to walls perfectly in the love of Christ the more their oppression is from without the greater is their obedience from the heart the more their temptations are the greater is the tryall of their faith which worketh the more patience The more patience they possesse their soules with the more perfect the work of wisdom is untill they be perfect and entire defective in nothing Iam 1.2.3 4 5. Of all sorts of Christians that have heard the word of Christ these only that suffer as Christians in patience of the good word are able to bring forth the fruit thereof unto perfection 2. This is the miserable estate of the men of this age that while they think to fly from death they fall into it for flying from the patience of the word of life they run after their own thoughts to save their life in mortality when they in so doing lay themselves open to all miseries in this world and do even feele the terrours of the second and immortall death while they are yet living and yet are forced to run into it The fifth day of the Week THere is great opposition of Christians in this world all which in may dream I divided into 2. sorts the one terrence humain and baptised under the authority of men to live according to their severall Lawes and Corporations after the power of a mortall life The other Christians are coelestical divine and baptized under the annointing and authority of the only true God to live according to his holy law in their mind looking through the resurrection of Jesus unto that glorious life in immortality 2. Having observed how such as professe themselves preachers of light are darkened in the world by leaving the expresse word and wisdom of Christ to follow mortall vanities I am drawn to discover their folly that they can no more helpe a man to go the way of immortality then a natural blind man can direct a man in the way of a mortall life And therefore being in themselves so blinded with the God of this world it is mischievous madnesse for them to presume to speak what they know not thereby to deceive others or else by their authority of blindnesse to hinder them which being ignorant of their blindnesse do enquire of them the good old way but it is safe for blind men to confesle they are blind that all that erre and have eyes may enquire of others that do see It yet thay will make themselves Preachers of light and immortality they must be discouraged to the false Preachers that instead thereof do indeed preach darknesse and mortality as to deceive others of the wayes of life 3. I understand that the Christians are not Ministers of the letter as 2 Cor. 3.6 because that were to take upon them the carnall authority of the Scribes and Pharisees who are charged with that Mat. 23.2.23 yet to deliver the spirit and truth contained therein The sixth day of the VVeeke I Had a sight of the love of God in man and the sencible understanding thereof was wonderfull In mine eyes Man being by sinne deprived the glory of God wherein Adam wa created is now by the evill spirit become subject to the bodie of the sinnes of the flesh to sow to the flesh and of the flesh to reape mortality And to restraine man from sinne God gave his Law and gave power to condemne accordingly to the chastisement of the flesh and to death Yet the heart of man is naturally so evill that this authority in evill minded mens hands cannot reforme the minde that so man should yet please God in mortality Therefore lest mankind should bee swallowed up in death for the sinnes of the flesh the Sonne of God by whom the world and man was made became flesh that in the love of God he might teach us in the flesh by the mediation and direction of his spirit manifested in the flesh the truth of salvation in suffering death in the resurrection of the flesh and in the full restoring to glory yet flesh and blood is weake and cannot follow him in this hard and strait way Wherefore the Lord of glory condescending to mans weaknesse hath given his holy spirit into the world which being Gods spirit might redeeme men from the earth in the death of Christ who being departed in sight hath sent his owne spirit to teach men and to guid them into all truth how they should learne obedience in the sinnefull flesh how to put off the carnall man of mortality and to put on the spirituall man of immortality how to mortifie the carnall actions of the body to the holy spirit of Christ for to perfect the mystery of suffering in the flesh this word and spirit of Christ Jesus doth give his Christian menwisdom how to suffer under the evill authorities of the world to death and so to passe on in the way of Christ to immortall life And as in the course of nature our minde was catyed wholly to live after the lusts of uncleannessse so being converted to God by the power of this spirit which worketh in our hearts mightily our minde is caryed wholly to live after the will of that holy spirit so that in this way we have no more to doe but to discharge our selves of cares and pleasures of this world and to be delivered from the body of death which is after the old man that we may be presented in the new man to him that is now invisible and that onely hath immortality 2. The word of the holy Scriptures is more perfect then the inspiration without a plaine word therefore who so resisteth the
spirit of Christ manifested in expresse words doth resist all meanes of salvation for Christ came and gave his word to be made so plaine with his life-blood that now no man can more sensibly apprehend the image and nature of God and Christ then by the letter which we by reading doe conceive in our minde so as though a man walke according to all that is written and yet deny one little direction this man resisteth God with open face this one word which hee despiseth to doe it will cut him off from the life of the Christian and for this one thing the peace and protection of Almighty will goe from him so as hee will be in feare night and day and evill may come to him suddenly out of which he cannot escape because the word of God is against him the least part whereof is stronger then that min can quiet or justifie his owne heart against it for it may be concluded that what man soever wilâ— not yeeld obedience to an expresse word will not follow the inspiration of God moving his conscience without an evident Scripture either to do good to others or evill to his flesh for Christs sake 3. It is great hypocrisie for men to preach the honour and glory of the Crosse of Christ when they tkemselves feare or refuse the condemnation of the Crosse in the testimony or martyrdome of Jesus Christ The first day of the Weeke 1 THe Lord Jesus Christ devideth himselfe into three parts Ioh. 14.6 saying I am 1. The way 2. The truth 3. The life that whosoever suffers for any of these doth suffer for Christs sake 1. The way is the devision of the Christians from the glory and authority of the worldly Priesthood to follow him in spirit and truth according to the invisible authority of his Priesthood 2. The Truth is the Law Psal. 119 142. whose perfection as it is spirituall every Christian acknowledgeth and suffeth for it And in this sence it may be said that John Baptist his blood was shed for Christ insomuch as he suffered for the testimony of the truth or spirituall law against turpitude in unlawfull marriage 3. The Life is the immortality after the death and resurrection of the Body If the carnall authority doe by their force withhold this life mortality and enforce to take the Gospel in a mortall state in this case the faith or Jesus Christ is suffered for in the confession of his glory to bee enjoyed in immortality and not in this present life 2. I have meditated how the fear of God-Lord is the beginning of wisdome to the Nations that are not under the Law When by any meanes any of them come to have any thing to doe with the Lord he first requireth them to feare his Name which is to depart from evill pride of minde and every way which is contrary to his Word This feare worketh a knowledge of his invisible and terrible presence that as a man will not sinne against his Law so he will not presume to partake of his service and holy things or any of his Mysteries untill this feare have wrought a reconciliation and peace of Conscience with God in such sort as he so apprehendeth the immortall Lord in his minde that he inclineth to love him and to desire his Law in his heart or minde and to make an everlasting covenant with him in the mysteries of Christ Whosoever of the Nations that hath his heart thus purified by faith willingly to take upon him the yoake and Law of Christ in love is accepted of God as a sonne to partake of the mysteries of his holynesse 3. Whether we ought yeeld to a mans private opinion thus farre as not to offend him in doing what he misliked Offences arise either in respect of the authoritie of God or of man In respect of God the offence doth rise from the world or any of the world when they doe offend any that beleeve in Christ and doe hurt them in contempt of the authority of the Word of God Matth. 18.6.7 Againe offences arise betweene the servante of God when the authority of his Word is denyed by transgressing the law thereof in any thing Offences arise in respect of the authoritie of men when the authority of Jew of Gentile is publikely provoked by trangressing their Commandements or blaspheming their divine worship Act. 19.37 Againe offâ—â—ce is also given by the Christian if he offer any violence or carnall force or use any evill words against a man that is otherwise perswaded then by the word of Christ that walketh after his owne heart neither according to the Law of God nor the course of the Commonwealth In this case as I offend him not by evill word or deeds so I am not bound to doe as he dotâ— that I may nor offend him but let him follow hâ—â— will and I will follow the law of righteousness otherwise in this I may be brought in bondage a private mans conceit I may harden him in errour and partake in his folly And at last 〈◊〉 should be drawne to offend both the authority 〈◊〉 God and man by favouring every one that are â—â—ven up to a reprobate sence The second day of the Week THe justifying of a sinner in the blood of Christ is the act of the spirit of Christ and it hath 2 parts 1. The acquitting of all sins past that the sinner have no feare or conscience of guilt or punishment for them Rom. 3.25 and this is applyed by the merit of his blood 2. The preserving from all sin by the power and spirit of Christ so as the evill one cannot touch him by prevailing against the man whom Christ hath made righteous to move or carry him to do any sin but on the contrary he shewâ—th forth the righteousnesse of God in Christ by the saith of Jesus whereby he communicateth in the sufferings and blood of Christ in his own â—ody The third day of the week JEsus is truly a doore to his suffering Christians on this manner that when they through many tribulations are brought to death then through his presence they enter into life for as it is by fight in a doore whereby men enter into other places so when we come to death there are two doores the great doore openeth to passe into the torment of the second death the straiter doore openeth to passe from death to eternall life and this doore and way is Jesus to all that suffer death in the testimony of his name The fourth day of the week I Cannot but admire the wisdom of the only true God who having put enmyty into the world so as of necessity offences are taken against his holy people to condemn them according to their worldly wisdom and carnall authority hath also given a Law in Christ according to which he will justâ—fie his Children against the condemnation of meâ— as Rom. 8.33 As if our heavenly Father should say I have given you my Law and I have
A GUIDE To the GODLY OR The dayly MEDITATIONS of RETURNE HEBDON Gentleman who for his conscience through the tyrany of the Bishops suffered many years imprisonment in the Kings-Bench and their remained till death BEING Very usefull for Instruction of all those that desire to walke in the paths of JESUS CHRIST Left to Mrs. TRASKE who not long since for the same Judgment died in the Gate house and published by a friend of hers Psal. 145.2 Every day will I blesse thee and will prayse thy name for ever IER. 6.16 Inquiring for that good and old Way to Walke in it that they may find rest to their soules Printed in the year 1646. To the Reader LOving Reader I suppose it is desired that somthing should be spoken concerning the Authour of this Booke in what way and with what earnestnesse it pleased God he did attaine to the truth of these Misteries in divine knowledge concerning himselfe he was a Gentlemans Sonne of Fashion in the Town of Holmeshurst in the County of Sussex but he being stirred up and desirous rather to live a retired life with little injoyment of this world that he might injoy more of God desired to leave both Father and Mother and meanes and being afterwards a prisoner for the Commandement of Gods sake by his desiring to rest on the seventh day according to the Commandement which the world calleth Satturday who dyed about 23. years since but he remained about eight years in prison in which time he gave himselfe to continuall study in fasting and prayer and it hath pleased God that he diseased hath left as a pledge to his friends some of his labours Therefore some who having the knowledge of him and of his manner of life while living desire â—o print some of his workes for the good of all whom it shall please God to give power to seeke him in truth inquiring for that good and old way to walke in it that they may find rest to their soules Jerem. 6. verse 16. and if this shall be received it may be incouragement to print more Farewell The 6. day of the week 1. THE Christians that leave all mortall things to follow Christ in Communion of his sufferings are in him the salt of the earth as Luke 14.26.33 34 35. with Mat. 5.12 13. They have salt and savour in themselves when they are enabled to indure the fiery Tryall Marke 90 49.50 with 1 Pet. 4.12 13. and in this constancy they shall both save themselves and all that hear them 1 Tim 4.16 Notwithstanding as salt they spend and consume themselves in sufferings to death that others through them may be acceptable to the spirit of God but if any of those which professe to suffer as Christians be unsavory that is have not strength to continue constantly to death they are worse or lesse profitable then that people which they should season for after they leave their testimony sufferings they are the most contemptible and base before God and man 2. They which shine forth in the Gospel of Christ to immortality as Mat. 5.14.15 with 2 Tim. 1.10 and go unto God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 these are those lights of the world that out of their common estate of mortality do shine and give light to immortality in the power and authority of Christ but if any that professe themselves to be such lights and yet are under the bushell compasse and authority of the worlds authority they are hypocrites for as men will not light a light to put it under darknesse so neither wil the Father of lights give the world such a light as shall be put under the authority of darknesse Col. 1.12.13 3. I have considered from the temptation of our Lord Jesus that the Divell hath but two spirituall temptations beside his carnall authority in men namely first to mortality or secondly to transgression 1. His first temptation is to seeke mortality at his word for being in such a place as where it seemeth there was all stones and no bread he would have moved our lord to save his mortall life by a miracle but our Lord giveth him to understand his mind that he was carefull only to perswade the immortall life and so turnes the temptation upon the tempters pate as if Jesus should say if I should turne these stones into bread so as the Countrey were all bread yet the bread cannot sustaine man but that he must dye for the sinne of Adam therefore is not necessary to seeke the breaâ— of mortality but the bread of Immortality c. Anâ— thus the Divell is resisted when a man suffers nâ—â— his belly to be his God that is when he is nâ—â— drawn in cases of necessity to leave the love of thâ—â— immortall life and in his spirit whole desire dotâ— not seeke the bread of a mortall life this temptatâ—â—â— on our Lord avoided and the Angels afterward ministred unto him Mat. 4. 2. The Divells second temptation is to transgresse the word of God in this kind he tempted 〈◊〉 Lord twise with two severall temptations and 〈◊〉 he had tempted him with 200. they had all tendeâ—â— to this end namely by all meanes to seeke if 〈◊〉 could make him guilty of sin for seeing by the siâ—â— temptation that his mind was wholly to the spirituall and immortall life in the word and that 〈◊〉 could not get him to looke on the tree of good aâ—â— evill he knoweth that there is no other meanes 〈◊〉 cut man ost from the eternall life in God but 〈◊〉 cutting him off from the unity and obedience which is by doing the word that came out of 〈◊〉 mouth of God which thing when he could not 〈◊〉 but still our Lord kept himselfe from transgressiâ—â— any thing that came out of the mouth of God aâ—â— was written he could not be ignorant of the knoâ—ledge of the will and law of God as by transgrâ—â—sing the conscience in transgressing had been dâ—â—led the Divell had no other meanes of temptatiâ—â—and therefore departed from our Lord Mat. 4. Luke 4. 4. I consider also whereupon the assurance of a mans standing constantly consisteth namely in the dayly growth and increase of spiritual graces in the inner man as 2 Pet. 1.8.10 with 2 Cor. 4.15.15 For all that set their mindes with Christ in Heaven on immortality will daily treasure to themselves in Heaven which with more and more draw their hearts from mortall thoughts so as they may lay assured hold in this estate upon eternall life as Mat 6.19 20. with Luke 12.21.31.33.34 with 1 Tim. 6.19 From whence also on the other side we must note that all that after their profession of Christ in truth do fall away are such as begin to be sluggish and idle in their service of God and from that fall to mind earthly things which if they do it is manifest that their light or profession of immortality is darknesse and foolishnesse in seeking to be rich