all Experience of man and Warnings from God to the contrary is as Unpardonable as the Devils first sin must be the very way of Salvation What-else or less And then as to the second Adam Let his original Creature-nature or Spirit Set up by himself in Personal Union with his divine From Everlasting Prov. 8. 23. be denied and the very Creation in effect or rather in the cause of it is denied For this Living Creature or all comprehensive Creature-nature under the God of Israel Ezek. 10. 20. and in personal Union with him comprehending in it as a Polished shaft in God's Quiver the very man Christ that in the Fulness of time was made flesh was the very immediate hand by which God Made the Worlds By this Creature-Wisdom and word of God which is called God also were all things made Jo. 1. 1-3 and so by the very man Christ as comprehended therein were made both worlds natural and spiritual in a first and second Creation-workmanship of his passing upon them Heb. 1. 2. Col. 1. 13-16 The same WORD also by which all Angels and men were made was the provided means Mouth or Prophet of God to speak forth the whole Counsel of his Divine Mind to them when made and to Mediate between them and Infinite Divinity which without this Interposing Creature-Vail would have been a Consuming fire to them all This Word is also the Executer as well as Declarer to them of the whole Mind and Will of God from first to last on all Angels and Men as Obediently Submitting to the Methods and Terms of his New-Creating Workmanship or Incorrigibly Rebelling against it He is the 〈◊〉 Roll of Woes to the one the Book of Life and Mercy-Seat to the other in which are Treasured and Sealed up all the distinct Measures and Portions of Wrath for the one amongst the distinct Portions and Measures of Grace and Love for the other Deu. 32. 34 35. This Living Book in which all they do towards God and all God will do towards and with them are exactly Recorded and Registred the Living Stone that bear's and know's all on all hands God's Words to them and theirs to him Jos. 24. 26 27. by way of Covenant will be the Infallible Witness for or against them and Irresistible Executor of the Mind and Will of God towards and upon them all in Everlasting Love or Wrath. See then the case of those that deny any Creature-Nature or Spirit in the Mediatour of elder date then his being made Flesh. And then when in that Fleshy State Crucified they that narrow and consine his Crucisixion only to the Violent Death of his Body and Exclude or take no notice of the Death he put his natural Spirit to as to the Spotless but Changable earthy Law-Life thereof by kindling upon it and Offering it up in the Mystical Fire of his Eternal New-Creature Spirit Luk. 12. 49. Heb. 9. 14. What Conformity to his Death will they Preach If the principal thing he Crucified in himself be denied the principal thing that 's to be Crucified in us will be denied And what then Why then the Subduing the Vile Affections of the Corrupt Spirit of Nature must be Reckon'd Conformity to Christs Death whereas he had no such things in him to Crucifie And then Conformity to him in the but gradually restored Righteous First-Covenant Life of the Law Holy Flesh call it what else we will which he Crucified in himself at best must be reckon'd a State of true Salvation the SAINTS EVERLASTING REST. And then the Counter workings of in part restor'd nature and the Corrupt must pass for Flesh Warring against Spirit and Spirit against Flesh 〈◊〉 5. 17. when indeed all 's but Flesh. Paul when Eminent in Holy Flesh was a fierce Fighter against Christ's Gospel-Spirit Here 's your Divinity and Anti-Gospel Teaching in perfect Contradiction to the declared Methods and Words of God's Wisdom for Salvation in every point Some care is taken to Preach down and Subdue the Brutish Lusts of Litteral Sodom in the Corrupt Spirit of Nature but Mystical Sodomy more criminal then Litteral is Preach'd up for Salvation to wit such establishment in Righteousness as is unchangable enmity to God Gross sins in the dark ignorant corrupt Spirit of nature are cried down but all Mystical Uncleanesses Adulteries Idolatries Thefts Murders Sacriledg c. are preach'd up for Salvation A hard saying What is Truth Said Pilate to Christ not waiting the answer Jo. 18. 38. Christ had told him before-hand that he came into this world to Bear witness to the truth V. 37. What truth That ther 's nothing but vanity or vanishing shadow 's in this World the whole first-creation my Kingdom therefore say's he is not of this World or to be managed in my worldly law-spirit of nature Holy flesh where the Jews would fain have had him own himself a King Jo. 6. 15. but as is Implied of the next and to be manag'd in my new-Creation Spirit of truth All things in the first-Creation state of Angels and men are but vanishing shadows of the truth all Substantial durable Eternal things or truths in the second This is the good confession Negative and Affirmative Christ Witnessed before Pontius 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 6. 〈◊〉 as we find Jo. 18. 36 37. the former Expressed the other Implied in the Word Truth Christ Witnessed or Declared in his Infallible Spirit of Truth that there 's nothing of truth or substance in God's sight nothing unchangably good no Eternal good things or Truths but in the New-Creation State and World in and over which he owned himself a King They that will finally and conclusively be Reigning as Kings in the but worldly restored First-Covenant-Life Holy Flesh as 1 Cor. 4. 8. will be found Pseudo-Fift-Monarchists in direct Hostility to the true Reign of Christ and all true Spiritual Saints in his Holy Gospel-Spirit and so in a Flat contradiction to every tittle of his Gospel-Testimony Christ's witnessed good Confession to Pilate my Kingdom is not of this World gives the dash Solomon Proclaim 's on all First-Creation-Life of Man or Angel with all the things and fruits thereof as Vanities or but perishing Shadows of God's durable New-Creation substances things and truths the Everlasting Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God in his Spirit of Grace and Truth with the Blessed Fruits thereof in Men True Love Joy Peace c. to from and with God and all right Fruits brought forth by them therein unto God All these are Everlasting Incorruptible things the Spiritual Tree Root and Branch Fruits Leaves and all Psal 1. 3. In this Spirit of Truth have Men durable Riches Life Food and Cloathing In this Spirit of the Son only can they rightly Worship the Infinite Divine Spirit or Father He must be Worship'd in Spirit and in Truth in a Spirit of Everlasting Righteousness and Truth All Worshippers in any other Spirit Worship they know not what Jo. 4. 22-24 may be the Devil as God
principles of the Law and true Zion-Saints in new-creature spiritual gospel-life God himself will judg and determine this controversie at Christ's second appearing in that very new-creature spirit of life true Saints assert and own the other 〈◊〉 deny detest and hate with all the words thereof In man's day under Satan's reign the hypocritical Sinner in Zion that only 〈◊〉 and passes for the true Saint and Heir of the Kingdom carries it clear universally under the title Orthodox In God's day of judging the other 〈◊〉 before-hand they are sure to carry it So in faith do they patiently wait for his infallible decision The Heavens against which the other confidently and daringly set their mouth Psal. 73. 9 will declare his righteousness for God is judge himself Psal. 50. 6. Christ will undeniably manifest that the everlasting righteousness of God communicable to Man or Angel is found only in his heavenly new-creature Gospel-spirit of grace not in our earthly spirit of nature And this is the very controversie all along this world between the said hypocrites and true heirs The year of recompences for these Controversies of Zion will be the day or season of the Lords vengeance on the whole earthly contending party against the life and image of the heavenly Adam in the true Zion-Saint Isa. 34. 8. and 63. 4. The Lord 's appearing for his true redeemed ones will be ruin to all their obstinate rebellious opposers fix'd in the first-creation with the Devil in unchangable enmity to him and the second Mic. 6. 2. Hos. 4. 1. and 12. 2. Everlasting shame confusion and silencing of the one will be co-temporary with the unspeakable joy of the other on the final decision of this controversy The Enemies of Christ's gospel have yet another frivolous impertinent objection Object 3. Why so many words such large tautological speakings and writings about one and the same thing a pretended Gospel-life in distinction from a righteous Law-life a meer fiction a nullity Can't ye say in a word what you would have that we may be presently rid of any farther trouble with you open your Book where we will all 's one and the same thing In our gospel we have abundance of pretty knacks to entertain us with passages out of Poets and History many pleasant recreative things and variety of opinions which is very delightful We can hear one thing at one place and another thing at another meeting and observe the various wit eloquence and fine language with similitudes and the like by which each illustrates and proves his different judgment and way Answ. But all this while do ye observe how in all this toss and variety of perswasion and words there 's a deep silence as to any thing of Christ's gospel-state of true Spiritual Saint-ship save to oppose contradict or blaspheme it This objection of first-covenant Law-gospellers against the second is in effect what the Athenian Philosophers said of Paul Acts 17. 18. What will 〈◊〉 Babbler say But must we needs have all Christ's gospel in a word that God hath thought fit to use so many about from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelalation This is the mad rash rebellious hasty spirit of man about his Eternal concerns But if it be all in millions of words but one and the same thing why may not one word be enough to declare it say ye so And is not your accursed other Gospel one and the same thing at bottom Sand Vanity a fading flower righteousness of man What need you use any more than one word to declare your accursed Law-gospel in All your rhetorical flashes of wit and eloquence histories and similitudes c What signifie such embellishments of Art in the case Yet about this your one and the same thing Satan's gospel what a world of Books in Libraries Shops and Houses what a world of Preaching in throng'd Auditories And must Christs gospel be crowded into such a strait place such a little narrow corner as to have but one word for it A hard case But indeed Satan would have it have never a word would you so too Ye come too near it Is one word like to do it for Salvation and must so many words be allowed for Damnation Must there be many words and those warily plac'd to secure any little parcel of litteral earthly possessions and our Eternal inheritance be allow'd but one word And this when so many crafty Gamesters Devils and Men fill the world with Words and Books to deceive Open your Bible where ye will and you 'l find the Gospel-life Spirit and Doctrine of Christ most harmoniously and uniformly signified to you under abundance of figures similitudes parables c. as you 'l find if ever you come to know the true mystical reach meaning and significancy thereof All 's about the one thing necessary to Eternal life the gospel-spirit of Christ. Will ye dare to accuse God himself of tautology teach the most High how to speak his own mind will ye call his oft Repetitions of the same thing in the same or various words vain Repetitions and Impertinencies Let men that are at this daring pass against Christ and God most high cry tautology while they will at Christ's true Gospellers words and writings who cares Must Satan's gospel have such a world of Words Books Preachings and Christ's but one word what a hard case is this for the true Sons and Seers of God amongst the deluded sottish sons of Men that 〈◊〉 their own Ruin Are ye so deeply in Love with Damnation O ye sons of Men as to hear such plenty of what leads that way and but one transient word about true Salvation and then deny that word too whiff it away with a breath and a losty cast up nose of Pride The wicked through the pride of his countenance Heb. loftiness of his nose cast up in pride and anger will not seek after God but reject all his words of counsel and instruction God is not in all his thoughts Psal. 10. 4. The gospel-gospel-spirit life truths and things of God his wisdom his righteousness are not at all regarded by him or reckoned worth his consideration Those that think the scaping Eternal Damnation or finding Eternal Salvation a trivial slight impertinent thing let them reckon and think thus if there be no remedy The Jews came round about Christ and say'd to him how long dost thou make us to doubt or keep us in suspense If thou be the Christ tell us plainly in a word I told you says he and ye believ'd not Then they took up stones to stone him as a Blasphemer Joh. 10. 24. 31. 33. Here 's the posture and temper of those ravenous Wolv's that are only for a word and away as to Christ's gospel but as much as you will of Satan's Instead of being humbly inquisitive after Gospel-truths in a readiness to comply with own and obey them for their good all their questions about Salvation to Christ or his
Man among a thousand but no Woman among them all No true happiness to Man or Angel in the changeable womanish first-creation life of either What 's not there can the wisest man never find 'T is folly to seek it there The self-evidencing vanity of all first-creation things is such that all and every one say 't is not in me in us no true life wisdom or goodness no manly unchangeable new-creation Wisdom Life or Goodness is to be found in or amongst us all seek while you will 〈◊〉 28. 12 -- 22. The first-creation life of Nature in the first-covenant spirit or Law-principle of action God alway saw defective as to the true blessedness of Man or Angel He had beforehand therefore even from everlasting set up prepared and kept in reserve to bestow a creature-life of everlasting Righteousness in his new-Covenant Gospel-spirit that 's in unchangeable harmony with his infinite Divine Spirit Heb. 8. 6 〈◊〉 The Law makes nothing perfect Heb. 7. 19 no incorruptible Perfection or unchangeable good is to be found in the natural first-creation make or Law-life of Angel or Man The Law never had in it nor therefore could give true Life or everlasting Righteousness to any Gal. 3. 21. 〈◊〉 Is it could no need of Grace Gospel new-Covenant new-Creation Man's and Satan's Gospel says there is 〈◊〉 Life in the first Covenant principle the spirit of the Law or natural first-creation-state ye shall not die at all What need then of a second Never look farther for eternal Life Adam's yielding to this Doctrin slew all his posterity Yet abundance of his posterity when restor'd to some measure of the life they had and lost in and with him are at the very same point Can't the universal sad experience of Mankind as to the dreadful consequents of their first sin nor all examples of like Apostacy since nor all the abundant reiterated Warnings and multiplied Counsels of God or Instructions by the mouth of all his holy Prophets and Apostles or Messengers since the World began yea and by the Son himself prevent men's running into the same error sinning after the similitude of Adam's transgression What then can How currant does renewed old first-creation life pass at this day for new and the words thereof for Gospel How mad were the righteous Jewish Teachers and Professors with Christ for disturbing their peace and dashing their hopes in Satan's Gospel-state Whereas 't is in God's new-creature life and wisdom only on the death and loss of all this we can receive God's eternal good things to have hold and enjoy for ever These are we to eye and look at 2 Cor. 4. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. Not one Woman could Solomon a true spiritual Preacher find in the whole first-creation not one Man or Angel in that changeable womanish state in whom was any such thing as eternal Life or everlasting Righteousness any unchangeable good thing From his certain experience and infallible sight hereof he declares it 's never there to be had But he leaves not the point so On this Negative testimony giving a dash on the whole first-creation state he proceeds to the Affirmative shewing where the one thing necessary unchangeable Goodness is to be found in the second or new-creation Spirit and State signified by the one Man among a thousand The manly Spirit of the second Adam never sinn'd nor can any born of it as living and walking therein 1 Tim. 2. 14. 1 Joh. 3. 9. Gal. 5. 25. This one Man the manly new-creation Spirit Solomon found among the many thousands of blessed Angels and Saints yea in Christ the head and all the members of his mystical body the Church Col. 1. 18. 1 Cor. 12. 13. Eph. 5. 23. Christ and all his true thorow-followers whithersoever he goes and call's them make up the one mystical Man in unchangeable opposition to the Devil and all his Babylonish Party of Angels and Men fix'd in the first-creation womanish state the whole mystical-Whore of Babylon Not one Man nothing of the manly new-creation spirit in all these nor one Woman to be found nothing of the womanish spirit in all the compleated new-creation body of Christ the one mystical Man All these come to be of the same mind and judgment in every thing as one Man There' s no Female in new-creation Life no Male in the first Angel Man and Woman are all but the mystical Woman in the first and when fix'd there unchangeably so and so an unchangeable Adulteress against the man Christ to whom she ought to have been married in the second In a peculiar prerogative-sence Christ himself is the one Man among a thousand even thousands of thousands of his Spiritual Saints and Angels as the fountain of that Life they are all partakers of He never fails to give it in the distinct measures and seasons appointed by his Father to all the Father has given him Joh. 17. 2. All the things of the Man here are eternal of the Woman temporal Eternal Life and Death are set before us in these two Spirits the manly second and the womanish first-Creation Spirit All that hate Christ in the second love and chuse their own eternal Death in the first Prov. 8. 36. Christ the one Man Solomon found among the thousands of his Saints in a headship of pre-eminency over and above them all comprehensively signifies the whole number of elect Angels and Men in whom his one Spirit lives and they in it Here then have we the negative and affirmative Testimony of this Kingly Preacher in this grand concern of Man where eternal Life is to be found and where not Ver. 29. Lo this only have I found that God hath made Man upright but they have sought out many Inventions Here 's a farther account not only of the first-creation state but man's evil use thereof God made him upright pure clean and righteous without spot any filth of slesh or spirit very good Gen. 1. 31. but changeably so So soon did he make himself very evil by rebellion against him that made him very Good This by following his own many evil inventions Having once rebell'd do men set themselves to seek out many inventions to justifie and fortifie themselves in their self-chosen evil way of rebellion against God to their own destruction This destructive trade are they at might and main turning the deaf ear to the spiritual charmer the spirit of Truth in Christ and his followers wholly rejecting all the Counsels of God against their own souls Luk. 7. 30. This is the case of all first-covenant Lawyers in the renew'd righteous life of the Law in their own spirit of Nature in enmity to the newness of life in Christ's Gospel-Spirit of 〈◊〉 and all the words thereof They resolutely and confidently walk in their own invented paths to damnation refusing resisting defying contradicting and blaspheming the only way of God's invention and most wise contrivance for their Salvation God's abundantly declared way from first
to last and all along is a death-pass to the spirit of Nature under the cross or death-work of his Spirit of Grace into its own everlasting righteous Life It takes down their natural sandy-foundation'd Building to build them up anew in its rocky-life that 's 〈◊〉 then theirs as the Heavens than the Earth a Life a Glory never to be done away Man is grown to have exceedingly contrary thoughts and ways to God's in reference to Salvation And he will on in his own invented way to destruction rather then in God's to Salvation Hereby have all Men in and with the first and many Angels given many infallible sinful proofs the wrong way of the changeableness of the good and upright state they were 〈◊〉 in The good Angels with their head as the Lamb 〈◊〉 from the foundation of the World proved it the right way by a death of that and resurrection into a life unchangeably good 〈◊〉 the Head look'd and went they look'd and went turned not or looked back as they went When he was lifted up from the Earth or out of the earthy changeable first-creation life of Nature these angelical wheels or chariots were lifted up by him For his spirit was in them Ezek. 1. 12. and v. 19 -21. and Ezek. 10. 11. The spirit of the living creature or spirit of life was in them v. 16 17. They follow'd the Lamb whithersoever he went thro' the death of the first-creation state into the Resurrection-life of the second in which he became the first-born from the dead Col. 1. 18. In the utmost reach of those words Rev. 14. 4. the peculiar Spousal Saints follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes over all the heads of the highest elect Angels sitting on the very Throne with him as his Bride and Wife about which they stand Rev. 7. 11. as friends of the Bridegroom and his choice Bride from among men A sinless power of sinning was in Angel and Man at best The exerting this in sinful Acts was their sin and fault unpardonable in Angels at first pardonable in Men till wilfully committed the second time in their own persons after the similitude of Adam's first sin This amounts to a fix'd preferring the Life Wisdom and Nature of Man to the Life Wisdom and Grace of God the Creature to the Creator The fruit of this their own device and invention will Men find a sowrer Grape then Adam at first ate unchangeable Wrath Prov. 1. 31. Many such do prosper in their own self-chosen way having more then heart can wish in this World They set their mouth against the Heavens or heavenly Spirit of Christ in himself and Saints Psal. 73. 7 9. But what come they to Desolation in a moment they are utterly consum'd with terrors ver 18. 19. They spend their days in wealth or mirth and in a moment go down to their eternal grave Job 21. 13. These fat and strong Cattel in first-Covenant Life Strength and Wisdom thrust with their shoulder and push the diseased with their horns the lean feeble poor and needy Cattel Spiritual Saints whose Natural Man is death-struck by the Cross or Gospel-sword plagu'd and chasten'd continually thereby Ezek. 34. 20 21. Psal. 73. 14. Those the Lord is thus disciplining for Salvation Heb. 12. 6 7. the poor and needy little ones of Christ's flock do the sturdy daring stiff-necked self-confident proud fat full wise strong and honourable 1 Cor. 4. 10. first-Covenant Cattel despise deride shoot all their revengeful Arrows bitter Words against Psal. 50. 20. Their teeth are Speares and Arrows their Tongues sharp Swords against them Psal. 57. 4. Thus are they merrily posting to the Chambers of Death while the impoverish'd needy ones of Christ are passing through much Tribulation into the Kingdom of God Act. 14. 22. The former make swist steps in the broad way to Destruction the latter safe steps in the narrow way under the Cross that narrows and shrinks Nature to death unto Salvation The former set their heads awork to invent what will gratify their own Wills in a known contrariety to God's They fondly and madly please themselves with hopes of Salvation in a state all mankind have experienc'd no such thing was ever to be found in at best in innocency The Righteousness of it then was but a fading Garment Since the fall 〈◊〉 raggs Isa. 64. 6. Think they to enter the Kingdom and sit at the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb in such Garments where all the Guests are cloath'd with everlasting Righteousness See what 's like to become of them 〈◊〉 22. 11 13. Their life is not of the same kind nor their Garments of the same Cloth make or fashion with the true Saint's So will they be thrown out of Christ's Kingdom of Marvelous Light into Satan's accursed Darkness their own proper deserved place with Judas Act. 1. 25. Angel's first sin rendred them unchangeably evil because unpardonably wicked being a full noon-tide daring and most presumptuous Sin against the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 first sin render'd him but changeably evil and if he love that so well as to become unchangeable in it he will sind himself in the same condition with evil Angels even in unchangeable enmity to God Let God then be true and every Man a liar Rom. 3. 4. God made Man upright Man by his own evil choice and invention has spoil'd himself and is the single and only demeritorious cause of his own ruine He seeks out many inventions Errour is manifold Truth one the gospel-Gospel-spirit of Truth one in head and members Men are toss'd to and fro into variety of Opinions and Ways from their various conceptions in their fluid wavering unstable unconstant spirit under the blasts and inspirations of Devils David aware of this pray'd for that right or constant Spirit of God the evil one can't touch Psal. 51. 10. 1 Joh. 5. 18. Yesterday to day and for ever from everlasting to eternity is God's Creature-Spirit of Truth one and the same This 〈◊〉 the one thing with all its things of God awak'ned Spiritual Saints are for and interpret the Scriptures of Truth given by this Spirit of Truth into Man's one thing and things of that thing is his own spirit of nature which by the Conceptions and Words of his own Wisdom he interprets all Scripture into in favour and defence of himself against the cross of Christ and all the spiritual Truths and sence of Scripture the things of God as the very sum and substance of all his humane Divinity And he will not endure this one thing of his should be call'd by its right name a spirit of direct enmity to God and all his Gospel-Truths Consequently as unwilling is he Christ's one thing or Spirit of Truth should be call'd by its right name or any name at all He denies there is any such Holy Ghost or Spirit at all communicable to men John's Disciples and conscientious faithful followers in first-covenant holiness Paul found at Ephesus wholly ignorant of any such thing
of life and operation in his whole person This when the Death of Nature and Life of Grace are compleated will be found the true Saints case How else should men out of polluted Nature come to be spotless before the Throne of God and chast Virgins to Christ The wise Man duly considering these things and discerning time and judgment rightly uses and obey's every of God's Gists and Dispensations to him in their orderly succession one after another first a restoring the changeable righteous Law-life of Nature and then calling it back again by a holy Death in exchange for a Gospel-life of everlasting Righteousness in his Spirit of Grace When this transcendently better life is convincingly shew'd and offer'd man's chusing his former in preference thereunto tho' good in its kind season and right use turns it into unchangeable evil and renders him guilty of unpardonable folly If Man wilfully sight against the known will of God in any of his Dispensations to him and finally persist therein his misery will be great upon him as Solomon further argues Vers. 6. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment therefore the misery of man is great upon him There 's an appointed time and judgment to all natural things which therefore are not to be rested in Enlightned Heathens and first-Covenant Jews or Christians reckon their various natural attainments an undoubted and impregnable security for their happiness that none can deprive them of But all visible and invisible outward or inward first-creation goodnesses or excellencies have that vanity writ out in the fading nature thereof which necessitat's their being brought to a period as is undeniably clear from the Scriptures of Truth All Man 's disquieting himself in heaping up riches literal or mystical there is but a 〈◊〉 in and pleasing himself with a vain shew Psal. 39. 6. This folly is reproved by Christ himself Mat. 6. 25 -32. and all Men counsell'd by him to seek the Kingdom of God and his 〈◊〉 in his gospel-Gospel-spirit of everlasting Righteousness and Truth If Man submit to God's Judgment of death on his natural state he enters into and is possess'd of the everlasting Righteousness of his kingdom-Kingdom-spirit if not is he found in unchangeable enmity to God and then great will his misery be upon him When men by spiritual light shew'd and offer'd God's excellent heavenly things do turn from that light in hatred to those things and love to their own God harden's blind's and deafen's such self-hardning enemies and refusers of his gracious offers Isa. 6. 9 10. By such just judgment on them come they to have their hearts eyes and understandings perfectly closed up from any regard of God or his offer'd new-creation life and things for ever He sends them strong delusion that they should believe Satan's self-pleasing lie and so go headlong in a delusive satisfaction to the Chambers of Death God gives them their hearts desire as to the fatness riches and flourish of their own nature as the beginning of his unchangeable Dispensation of wrath upon them fitting them thereby for destruction And thenceforth are they under an impossibility of ever finding out God's time and Judgment in this thing or relating to that natural state of vanity they take up in for happiness Vers. 7. For he knoweth not that which shall be for who can tell him when or how it shall be This great misery comes upon Man on his wilful turning from God's declar'd way and means of doing him good God excludes him by oath from true Blessedness swears in his Wrath he shall never enter into his rest Heb. 3. 11. And then is he concluded under an unchangeable curse the grievous nature whereof can't be known till felt or experienc'd The terrible things in final Wrath provided by God for Enemies as well as the things in Love provided for Saints are such as Eye hath not seen Ear heard nor have entred into the Heart of Man 1 Cor. 2. 9. Christ's mystery of Godliness Satans mystery of Iniquity and the differing recompences of the Followers of Christ into the former or being willingly caught by Satan in the latter all these most concerning things to be diligently sought after or most heedfully avoided lie clear out of the reach of Man's Understanding or Wisdom And how then shall he know what Misery shall at last befal him or when how and by what Hand it shall be brought upon him Vers. 8. There is no Man hath Power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit neither hath he Power in the day of Death and there is no discharge in that War neither shall Wickedness deliver those that are given to it Here 's the reason of what is said in the former Verses the great Misery Man brings upon himself by not observing and submitting to Time and Judgment No Man hath Power over his Spirit to secure it from the Wrath and just Judgment of God He that made it challenges all obedience from it which disputed and not performed by Man renders God's Judgment of Wrath on him undeniably just and from this can no Man free himself For he can neither retain the fading Life and Goodness of his own Spirit nor reduce it to nothing nor render it an insensible something It will ever be kept up by its Creatour in an exquisite sensibleness of all evil and perfect deprivation of all the fading good it can ever remember the enjoyment of for the increase and aggravation of its Torment God has given it an immortality of being and 't is not able to bear up in its rebellion against him to secure it self from the Power of evil or that just Punishment he will bring upon it Man has no Power in the day of Death either of his Body or Spirit Neither of these lives that of his body or the fading first-covenant Righteous Life of his Spirit can he secure from Death when God's time is come for giving Judgment and pouring forth his Wrath upon him When God comes in hostility upon him as a provok'd Enemy there 's no discharge from either of these wars he cannot run away get out of the field and so scape the avenging Justice of God nor yet stand or bear up against it but must certainly fall and perish under it There 's an appointed time of Death and Judgment on all fading perishing mortal life of Man's body and spirit his whole natural being and person be he good or bad The good by an obedient surrender of all thereto in a dutiful compliance with the declar'd Methods of God's Wisdom for saving them are rais'd into and receive 〈◊〉 everlasting Gospel-life which is not diminish'd but marvelously enlarg'd and perfected at the death of the Body clear'd from all disturbances and interruptions by any Enemies without or within them as intirely at home with Lord when quite absent or deliver'd from the mortal Body and State They groan therefore after a full deliverance from their whole earthly Tabernacle and mortal Life
vanities saith the Preacher all is vanity All in the first-creation worldly state of Angel and Man is vanity no life beauty 〈◊〉 glory wisdom 〈◊〉 thoughts belly or meats desires or desirables words works c. but what are perishing vanities Man and Angel too in the highest honour and attainments of their natural make and state are altogether vanity Psal. 39. 5 6. 'T is then inexcusable madness and folly in both to pitch by their final choice for true happiness short of the convincingly shew'd and graciously offer'd new-covenant life of Christ and God Doting on their own glory will render them vessels of dishonour and 〈◊〉 contempt Vers. 9. And moreover because the Preacher was wise he still taught the people Knowledg yea he gave good heed and sought out and set in order many Proverbs 1 King 4. 32. Solomon in the infallible Spirit of Truth declar'd the deep hidden things and Spiritual Truths 〈◊〉 God All Divine and Spiritual things are Mysteries Parables and dark-sayings to the highest natural capacity of Angel or Man 'T is only in the infallible light or spiritual wisdom and understanding of Christ communicated to and set up in Man or Angel by his new-creating-workmanship upon them such Kingdom-things or mysteries can ever be discern'd or judg'd 1 Cor. 2. 10 14 15. To spiritual Saints only is it given to know such things Mat. 13. 11. To them any Men in their own understanding it is not given In the 〈◊〉 creature-spirit of Christ men come to see the fellowship of the 〈◊〉 Ephes. 3. 9. or the mysterious fellowship of Divine and 〈◊〉 nature in Christ's wonderful Person Hereby the most dark 〈◊〉 of God's infinite Divinity becomes known and seen to Saints Christ himself is the supream Preacher Discoverer and Declarer of all And by a portion of his infallible creature-creature-spirit are Saints qualified to receive such visions or sights of God as he exhibits to them and to declare them to others Vers. 10. The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words and that which was written was upright even words of Truth Here 's a farther account of 〈◊〉 same thing by Solomon as a type of Christ the supream Apostle 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 and High-Priest of God the highest and chief 〈◊〉 of the divine mind to Angels and Men. He finds out and 〈◊〉 his true spiritual Disciples and followers with meet 〈◊〉 words ways and means for revealing or opening the mysteries of infinite Divinity which remain seal'd up from all first-creation 〈◊〉 The whole Counsel and all mysteries of the infinite divine Spirit are 〈◊〉 in the Tables of Christ's twofold creature nature root and branch in the heavenly and glorified earthly life thereof so as to be seen and read or understood by all spiritual Angels and Men. All the words of this living creature-word spirit or Book of God are acceptable to God and to obedient Angels and Men. This Book in personal union with the Divinity whose Book it is was shew'd John open'd by the Lamb slain as to changeable first-creation life and rais'd into the second On the opening thereof blessed Angels and Saints fall down and worship the Lamb for opening this Book of acceptable words to God and right words of comfort and Salvation to them Rev. 5. 5 14. By a right reading or understanding of these words of the reveal'd or open'd Book are other Saints with Solomon qualified to preach them This Paul experienc'd by Christ's powerful touching and raising him into a right spiritual understanding of such words in a newness of life and strength with Daniel Act. 9. 6. Dan. 10. 18 19. on which he became a Preacher of his unsearchable Divine and Creature-riches Ephes. 3. 8. in right words acceptable to God and Men as shewing the true way of Sulvation in which only men can be acceptable to God and truly blessed Such words as the new-Wine of the spiritual Vine-tree are 〈◊〉 to God and Man Judges 9. 13. Vers. 11. The words of the Wise are as Goads and as Nails fastned by the Masters of Assemblies which are given from one Shepherd Here are summ'd up the Truths spoken in reference to Christ and Saints as Christ is the great Master of such Assemblies and great Shepherd of his sheep setting up and using others under him in this high service Christ and his wise-hearted right-spirited Ministers under him are the only 〈◊〉 of such Words as will make wise unto 〈◊〉 Such words as goads and nails are fastned by such Masters of Assemblies in the hearts of obedient Hearers that have an incorruptible Seed of the same Wisdom in them The words of Man's or Devil's wisdom Princes of this World that come to nought 1 Cor. 2. 6. signify worse then nothing even that that natural State they have set up in unchangeable enmity to God is eternal Life But the words of God's Wisdom are not yea and nay but only yea and amen 2 Cor. 1. 17 20. Words of infallible Truth and everlasting Life fastned by Christ himself immediately and mediately by other Masters of Assemblies under him Vers. 12. And further by these my Son be admonished of making many Books there is no end and much study is a weariness of the Flesh. What are these many Books without end or to no end and much study or reading that 's weariness to the flesh Both signify the unprofitable labour in Man's Wisdom that can never attain the right knowledg of spiritual Mysteries the glorious Truths or things of the Kingdom of God Yea that Wisdom is the very vail on Man's heart that hinders his sight as to any such things In that wisdom can Man never see beyond no nor to the end of what 's to be abolish'd So sets up in the fading 〈◊〉 Goodness or Glory of that first-Covenant State that 's to be done away and utterly abolish'd out of all Angels and Men 2 Cor. 3. 13. Christ when he had taken this fleshly Vail rent it in himself Heb. 10. 20. By the death of our natural spirit at best can it be so rent in us as to make way for our spiritual sight of 〈◊〉 eternal things things of God Where-ever Moses or the Law yea and whole Scripture is read by such as have this Vail on their Hearts a single uncrucified natural first-Covenant 〈◊〉 they see nothing but letter old Testament or first-Covenant sense of all Scripture nothing of the Spirit new Testament or second Covenant and spiritual meaning in all 2 Cor. 3. 13 15. The enlighten'd fleshly first-Covenant Jews or Lawyers saw nothing of Gospel-mysteries couch'd under Moses's typical Law-writings by which even he they trusted in condemned them as Rejecters of all spiritual Truths or Mysteries by him therein declar'd 〈◊〉 5. 45 47. They saw the literal but did not believe the spiritual sense of and things in Moses's Writings the proper objects of spiritual Faith discerning or understanding They refus'd the way of having such an understanding brought a-float in them the death and loss of
everlasting was figur'd by the Tree of life after which they were all to seek as that wherein the Kingdom and Righteousness of God is to be found Mat. 6. 33. By meer natural light in their first-creation-make could neither Angel nor Man in innocency reach the truth of this Mystery But by convincing spiritual light both had the conviction-sight of it in their higher and lower spheres The Angels higher natural capacities fitted them for stronger and clearer conviction-sight thereof which render'd their resusal to submit to the terms of receiving it absolutely unpardonable at first Man 's through mercy was not so But 't was the fault of both to lean to their own fallible understanding rather than follow and obey God's spiritual convictions and commands to them forbidding them so to do The sad consequence of such foolish choice will the fallen Angels experience to eternity And so will as many Men as fix there Man's true concern for preventing all this is to listen to that voice of true Wisdom which declares the vanity of all natural first-creation life and then also another life above and beyond that a life of everlasting Righteousness and Truth This brings with it durable riches and goodness delights of the Sons of God and so takes Man off from his wandring desires and pursuits after first-creation vanities the delights of the Sons of Men where 't is impossible for them ever to find any true rest or satisfaction All such seeking for a happiness tends to everlasting torment and vexation of spirit Solomon's concluding advice then to Man in this verse is not to contend with him that is mightier than he by keeping up his own fading life in a direct known rebellion against God's convincing discoveries of a more excellent That he call's his own and his express command for parting with that he calls our own For Hast thou an arm like God Job 40. 9. contend not with him then For who hath directed his spirit or bin his Counseller Isa. 40. 13. Shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct him he that reproves him must answer it Job 40. 2. This silenc'd Job Once have I spoken yea twice but I 'le proceed no further vers 5. Presume not then to keep up thy own forbidden life to thy known certain eternal Damnation and to refuse so great Salvation as is offer'd in God's own Wo to him that strives with his Maker Isa. 45. 9. Let the potsherds of the Earth Men in their but earthly-Jerusalem or first-Covenant spirit strive contend and dispute with one another as to this or that way of Salvation in their toss'd fluctuating understandings under the various winds and blasts of diabolical Inspirers and Suggesters on the troubled mystical Sea of their weaker humane nature while all of them equally that is wholly miss the only true path of life one and t'other But let them all take heed of striving with their Maker about the way of Salvation proudly exalting the conceptions and words of their foolish wisdom against the plainly and abundantly declar'd word's and methods of his Shall an earthy clay-Man say to God why hast thou made me thus Rom. 9. 20. whv hast thou set me up in a life I may not keep as my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thee and concern to my self Why did'st not give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creature-life thou call'st thy own at first So might I have escap'd the hearing of all the hard sayings of the Cross and the Death-blows thereof upon mine Can any Man hope to prosper in such contest and dispute with his Maker Nay but O Man who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thus repliest 〈◊〉 God Job presently on such 〈◊〉 did silence his own quarrelling spirit that darkn'd the counsels of God's Wisdom with the ignorant words of his own Job 42. 3. What a noise have we heard among toss'd humane earthy understandings pro and con and the same Men off and on therein about Free-will Water-Baptism with many other besides the cinque-points in the 〈◊〉 ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 new Arminian Controversy while all are in a tumult against God's Free-will in his new-creation life and against his Fire-Baptism on their free-will or cleans'd natural state In what unutterable confusion are mortals tugging and sweating against their own Salvation and for their everlasting destruction A deep silence and inadvertency we sind amongst them as to the true life and glorious liberty of the Sons of God in all their Skirmishings and Polemical quarrelling Divinities so call'd They are one and all without controversie for the same righteous first-creation life freewill and delights of the Sons of Men call all by what disguising Names they will and as one Man against the spiritual life glorious liberty and delights of the Sons of God They all unanimously with a full mouth set themselves to hunt and run down the only Gospel-Divinity and Doctrine of true Salvation the very Christ the very Gospel as the most dangerous destructive Doctrine in the whole World To a seed of unawakn'd spiritual Saints engag'd for a season thro' ignorance as Paul once among these wicked Confederate's Devils and Men is it said Say ye not a confederacy in a resolv'd union with them that are fix'd in this Confederacy against God to their eternal ruine Isa. 8. 12. Fix not your foot with them in this desperate quarrel against God As for others they will on in the proud waves of their own understandings under the inspirations and doctrines of Devils swelling up in their words of vanity to the highest pich of presumption against Christ all Gospel-Saints and Truths So will they hasten the wrath of God upon their own guilty Heads The corner-stone of that rocky new-creation building they reject will fall on them at last and grind them to powder dash them all to shivers as a potters vessel On these accounts Solomon continues his advice to Men saying Vers. 11. Seeing there be many things that encrease vanity what is Man the better These many things that with Martha Man cumbers himself about are all variety of things relating to his outward or inner Man in his natural state which he covet's greedily seeks after and feed's upon The whole round of this vast heap of vanities Men march up and down amongst to get Satan walks up and down in to give them as he sees occasion to carry on his interest among them All this is his circuit sphere walk and permitted dominion as God and Prince of this World Job 1. 7. Luk. 4. 6. Joh. 12. 31. He is the master-Prince of all such Mystical humane first-covenant Princes of this World as crucified Christ 1 Cor. 2. 8. for his Doctrine of the World to come as treason against the peace of their joynt worldly dominion and tyranical domineering over and against the Saints of the most high A fix'd self-confident righteous first-Covenant People will unanimously vote true Saints to death as they serv'd Christ himself rather than robbers and murderers By such did the Prince of darkness and death carry
's made after the Supream new-creature image or similitude of God in Christ's Person the image of the Heavenly Adam The restor'd natural man may and ought to bless God for his mercifully restor'd righteous Law-life as effectually call'd out of his corrupt state but when by God's second voice or 〈◊〉 call summon'd to deliver up all that back again for a spiritual and more excellent life he curses rebell's against and 〈◊〉 this Gospel-voice 〈◊〉 heavenly Call all the words and things or truths of God's Gospel-spirit and Wisdom On these various accounts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Cursing for a time out of the same mouth of the Saint But others in their restor'd Nature fixing themselves in enmity to God's Spirit of Grace go on cursing and 〈◊〉 to eternal death With Gospel-Brethren these things ought not so to be nor will always be so When the envious spiteful Curser and Blasphemer the Belial-party the Insidel or unbelieving Rebel in the Saint the natural man or spirit is fully crucisied dead and buried and then rais'd into unchangeable harmony of mind with his spiritual and so with Christ and God most high then all such cursing-work will cease for ever But till all old things with Man's old life of nature are pass'd away from the Saint and all God's new things fully compleated in him has even he need enough of this advice not to heed the Counsels per verse thoughts reasonings cursings or evil-speakings of the natural spirit in himself or others against the whole Gospel-Doctrine of the Cross and only way of Salvation Let it bark and make what noise it will they should regard none of its thoughts lusts words or ways so as sinfully to comply with or follow it but slight turn from and avoid as much as in them lies this troubler opposer and hinderer of their spiritual mind till wholly cut off and taken out of the way Vers. 23. All this have I proved by Wisdom I said I will be wise but it was far from me The Wisdom by which Solomon examin'd found out and proved the truth of all things could be no less then the spiritual new-creature Wisdom of God In this he saw all things divine spiritual and natural in their distinct differing excellencies and perfections So could he call all things by their right names and give their true discriminating characters This is the peculiar priviledg of the spiritual Man's understanding 1 Cor. 2. 10 15. Solomon in this did with his Father David see all natural first-creation things of Man and Angel at last to be altogether vanity Psal. 39. 5 6. The wisdom of Man at best is the wrangling disputer of this World about and against all things of God in the next 'T is the contradicting blasphemer of all such things absolutely denying the very Gospel-spirit life and principle of the next 'T is the wisdom from beneath earthly sensual or natural and if fix'd in devilish Jam. 3. 15. the unchangeable enemy and opposer of God's Wisdom and all the words thereof in true Saints The natural undertaker in such Wisdom to debate matters of Salvation things of God is the untreatable unreasonable man Paul desir'd to be delivered from 2 Thes. 3. 2. A self-confident Man utterly denying the very Gospel-Principle or Spirit of Christ the Saints rocky foundation in defence of his sandy is unreasonably burthensome to the Saint when intruding to discourse Gospel-matters which he knows nothing of Envying strife confusion tumult or unquietness and every mischievous evil thing or work what else can come on 't 〈◊〉 3. 16. 2 Tim. 2. 16 17. Here 's the result of all such discourse and engagement The quarrelling worldly Disputant discourses in choler 〈◊〉 goes away full of Wrath meditating revenge on the spiritual Saint for his cross-doctrine Such Swine ravenous Wolves and poisonous vipers Christ advises Saints not to cast Gospel-Pearls or Truths before But where the wise man suspect's and question 's his fitness in such wisdom to judg of such matters the case is altered He may hopefully be dealt with in such affairs In the latter clause of this verse Solomon speaks of another state and wisdom he had bin eminent in the wisdom of Man distinct from that wherein he had proved all things What he happily at last found in the Spiritual Wisdom of God he had bin successlessly and vainly seeking long before in the wisdom of man tho' taller then his fellows there I said I will be wise but it was far from me True Wisdom was far from me as wise as I thought my self All eternal divine spiritual heavenly most excellent concerning things and truths lay clear out the reach and comprehension of that earthly wisdom as far as the Heavens are above the Earth Vers. 24. That which is far off and exceeding deep who can find it out How should the shallow weak-sighted low earthly wisdom of Man ever find out the exceeding deep high remote divine and creature-things of the wisdom of God that are all spiritual heavenly and from above Gospel-things and Truths mysteries of the Kingdom of God lie in a depth unfathomable at a distance never to be reach'd by the utmost line of natural first-creation understanding They are spiritually 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2. 14. Or by new-creation understanding only Man in his best wisdom bid's at an absolute impossibility Brute beasts in meer sensual life may as well if not better bid at the rational things of Man as of nearer kin to their things all of the first-creation sort natural then the spiritual things of God are to the natural Man and his rational intellectual things And when Man has thus presumptuously pitch'd upon things beyond the reach of his own wisdom he is ready to complain of and dispute against God that he has reserv'd things of highest concern to him out of his sight all spiritual heavenly new-creation things Wisdom Life and all in which found Rom. 10. 6 7. This does Man in stead of yielding to the terms of receiving that wisdom wherein he might reach see or know all things the loss of his own Life and all All spiritual things or truths are hidden seal'd up mysteries from the most soaring searching capacity of man in first-creation wisdom The Scriptures are a Book seal'd as to all the spiritual truths thereof from the highest wisdom of Man Isa. 29. 11. The professing learned Jews yea the very Apostles knew not what to make of Christ's Gospel-words New-covenant doctrine while they were but in old or first-Covenant Wisdom The Bread I give is my flesh says Christ. How can this be say the Jews Joh. 6. 51 52. A hard saying who can hear or understand it say his very Disciples ver 60. So when he spoke of his Sufferings and Resurrection a little while and ye shall not see me viz. as a fleshly Bridegroom again a little while and ye shall see and know me viz. as a spiritual one in my Resurrection-Life Act. 2. 1 4. which was the promise of the