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-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
action And hereby is he fitted to enjoy God in whose favourable presence is fulnes of Joy and at whose right hand are pleasure's for evermore Psal. 16. 11. Secondly then who is the Sinner here This sinner is not only nor chiefly the common sinner in the corrupt spirit of nature unfix'd there All are so born Children of Wrath and death serving divers lusts hatefull and hating one another Eph. 2. 3. Tit. 3. 3. All are sinners against the son of man or light and righteous life of the first-covenant law the highest edition and dispensation whereof was found in Christ's person as Son of Man in the earthly law-life of our nature holy flesh If such sins and sinners were not pardonable and the wrath thereby provoked and demerited atoneable by Christ's obedient sacrifice of that spotles law-life and by his powerful intercessions no man could be saved The sinner here then is of a higher rank and deeper die then so The principles of corrupt and righteous nature in a kind of struggle and fight against each other in man too generally mistaken for flesh and spirit are but corrupt and holy flesh which joyn in war against what 's truly called spirit in scripture the spirit of Christ and spiritual mind thereof in Saints Gal. 5. 17. Paul in holy flesh was a fierce persecuter of Gods Holy Spirit and true saints And when a signal Apostle he found that holy flesh a fighter against Gods holy spirit in himself as he abundantly complain's Ro. 7. While man then interprets the words of Gods wisdom by the short-sighted conceptions and words of his own wisdom he shuts up the kingdom of Heaven excludes all the mystery and spiritual truth of scripture out of all his teaching and reputed orthodox divinity All this lies buried in deep silence and inadvertency And would this were all When the spiritual mystery and kingdom-sense of all scripture is offered such humane divines in their lying spirit of 〈◊〉 as to all gospel-Gospel-truths or things of God set themselvs might and main to 〈◊〉 and decry it disswade their hearers from listning to 't as the most detestable blasphemous doctrin in the world The enlight'ned professing righteous Jewish Teachers said on this very account of Christ himself he hath a Devil and is Mad Why hear ye him Joh. 10. 20. Do any of the Scribes or Pharisees believe him None but silly ignorant Women and Fishermen Publicans and Harlots such as know not the Law and are cursed regard his words Here 's the passe Golpel-truths were at amongst the only professing people at that day in the world when Christ himself was the Preacher Such Sinners against the Holy Ghost or gospel-gospel-spirit of truth when rich full and reigning as Kings as needing nothing for Salvation when they want every thing 1 Cor. 4. 8. 10. Rev. 3. 17. Wise Strong and honourable in Christ as to first-covenant attainments and fruitful in the life thereof these are the very sinner or sinners here meant when obstinately fixed there The self-same law-law-spirit or restored principle of righteous life and action in their own nature fixed in under the outward dispensation of the Gospel renders men a-like prejudic'd now against the whole mystery and truth of Gospel the very Christ the very Gospel as they were under the outward dispensation and ceremony of the Law They exclude all the Gospel-sense of all scripture old and new Testament out of all their divinity 〈◊〉 are the divines that shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men not entring themselvs nor suffering others to enter They set up Satan's kingdom of marvellous darkness for Christ's Kingdom of marvellous light They preach up that accursed other Gospel he preached to Eve and is at ever since that man shall not die at all that is that in his own enlightned righteous nature he has eternal Life So Second-covenant newness of Life true Grace Regeneration c. are all frustrated or made void as useless nothings that are all in all for true salvation All new-covenant Titles are given to the old and the very new 〈◊〉 with all its doctrin as madness These that pass thus for Christs only Church and Saints will be found when God is Judg himself the most criminal sinners beyond litteral Sodom even a spiritual Egypt and Babylon In all their conformity to Christ in that Life of our nature he crucified are they in flat opposition to that spiritual he raised it into in which he lives for evermore Rev. 1. 18. These 〈◊〉 painted Sepulchres whited Walls full of enmity to God filth of spirit mystical rottenness and corruption They are Theeves and 〈◊〉 that having shut up the right Door of Entrance into the kingdom by the death of nature at best under the Cross climb up some other way to take it by violence force their entrance in holy flesh their own Wisdom and strength with satan Christ crucified and abolished all that in himself they daringly and presumptuously attempt to enter it with These are Wolves in sheeps Clothing dressing up their visible saint-ship in but holy Flesh with all the words and titles belonging to the invisible saint in God's holy spirit a life yet hid with Christ in God In this disguise are these mystical robbers of Christ and his true saints of all their titles their fiercest and most outragious enemies as Christ warn's his followers Mat. 10. 16-18 Next then what 's meant by God's giving such a sinner travel to gather and to heap up that he may give to him that is good before God 1. First what is it this sinner gathers and heaps up 2. Secondly in what sense is God the giver to him with pain and travel so to do 3. And thirdly how and in what sense is what he so heaps up given to him that is good before God To the first The peculiar treasures of the choicer sort of Kings of the earth mystical Silver and Gold v. 8 and Jam. 5. 2 3. the Laodicean treasures of such first-covenant Kings Rev. 3. 17. 1 Cor. 4. 8. of the earthly Jerusalem-spirit as are totally destitute of the heavenly Men reckon their matters safe as to eternal life and peace with God in a spirit of direct enmity to him To the second As a present punishment for so doing God gives them pain and travel in heaping up such riches How By spiritual light he convincingly shews them the vanity of all that life and treasure and requires all in sacrifice by a holy death to him This besides the far greater punishment that follows under the wrath to come gives present pain amid'st all their self-deluding satisfactions in this upper sort of the delights of the Sons of men The distinct superiour excellency of spiritual life and things of God in the second or new-covenant beyond Man's in the first or old as farr as the heavens are above the earth convincingly set before them in mercy when wilfully sinned against torment 's them For such conviction becomes a self-condemning
Body have we the Shadow of a great Mystical Truth relating to the Spirit living soul or inner Man of Man the life whereof also being Mortal is subject to and therefore figured out by the like changes as are Incident to Bodily Life in the Birth Flourish Decay Death and Resurrection thereof First then to the Figurative Shadow knowable to all and after to the Mystical Truth knowable to few to none aright save such as are of the same Spirit Solomon was when he Writ these Words 1. There' s a set time to all Visible things under the Litteral Heaven and Sun as the Answer and Accomplishment of God's most wise design and purpose concerning them There 's a time alotted for their Appearance and Manifestation and then for their Disappearing and Vanishing again Both these general Dispensations of God to them do Minister Important Instruction to Man The Positive Assertion of this Truth in general v. 1. does Solomon prove by particularizing the Various things Circumstances and Occurrents relating to Man's Bodily part and Life in reference to which the whole Visible Creation in the greater World without Man was set up before hand as requisite for his entertainment Gen. 1. and Ch. 2. 7. and then to the declinings and Death thereof under the Various Dispensations of God to this lower work of his own hand in Man And hereby is signified the like Various Dispensations of God and thence a like Variety of Condition Incident to the Spirit or inner Natural Man as to it s but Mortal First-Covenant-Life put into and 〈◊〉 up in it by Creation Man therein at best was but a Mystical Tree of good and Evil a changable thing a Fading Flower Since the Fall this Fleshy Tree is in a manner only alway's Evil. Man 's fallen nature herein is a Gursed Mystical Earth bringing forth Thorns and Thistles in Filth of Flesh or Spirit Gen. 3. 17 18. His Immortal Spirit in its Unstain'd Mortal First-Covenant Life and State before the Fall with all done or possible to be done in the Activity thereof all Riches Fruits Righteous Works Producible or Performable therein all was Vanity 〈◊〉 but Vanishing Shadows of durable substantial things the Everlasting Righteous New-Creature Life Wisdom 〈◊〉 things of God Man with all his natural First-Created Life and things is in another Sense under Heaven or below the Spiritual Heavenly Life of Christ the New-Creation Sun of Everlasting Righteousness and things of God Nor Man nor Angel in Innocency had any thing of that Life about them or Fruits thereof And in that Life only can any bring forth Fruit unto God They that say Adam should have held fast that Righteous Life he was Possess'd of by Creation kept where he was as Job once through a great mistake said he would hold fast his Restored Righteousness of that sort they that say this what else must they say This. That Man Restor'd by the second Adam to something of the lost Life of the First must hold it fast Establish himself there never part with or let it go again and Heaven is his own this is true Salvation and Eternal Life In their Lying Spirit of Divination do such Teachers warrant their Deluded Hearers safe and truly Blessed here causing them to hope they will confirm their Word Ezek. 13. 6. They follow Heb. walk after their own Spirit of vanity see nothing of God's they are vanity and see nothing but vanity the things of man which they presumptuously call the things of God and so teach Rebellion against the Lord. They establish themselves and others in a life and Righteousness that 's but Vanity a Fading Flower for Salvation And Irrefragably Confident they grow herein All the World wonder and run after them Rev. 13. 3. 1 Jo. 4. 5. Mean while no Man in the but Restor'd Worldly Spirit of Nature the Life Wisdom and Righteousness of man receives Christ Gospel-Testimony given by his Spirit of Truth in himself or followers Jo. 3. 32. That which indeed is the very Unpardonable Sinning after the Similitude of Adam ' s Transgression do Men Preach up as their undispensable Duty for Salvation The holding fast and keeping up what they received by the First-Creation against the everlasting Creature-Life Wisdom Righteousness and things of God cleerly shew'd and offered them by a second was the very Unpardonable Sin that gave the Irrecoverable fall to the Devil and his Angels Their fall evil Change and Punishment lies in this They retain all the Natural Life Glory and Excellencies of their First-Created State as by their wilful Folly and God's Righteous Judgment turn'd into and used in unchangable Enmity to God They kept not their first Estate but left their own Habitation Jude 6. What was that A State of Unstain'd Natural Purity and of changable Obedience in their Wavering Natural Principle to Spiritual Light by which cleerly shew'd and offered an Unchangably Righteous Creature-Life by a New-Creation on the Obedient-Surrender and loss of their Changable The Lord was pleas'd to deal more favourably with Man as of less Natural Capacity and so under lower Spiritual Conviction then Angels and then also as Over-reach'd and Overset by the Superiour Subtilty and Power of the Evil Angel taking from him the Fading Righteous Life Wisdom Excellencies and Corruptible Perfections of his Inferiour Humane Nature not leaving him them to Fight with against himself as he did to the Evil Angels But when this Life with the things thereof is gradually Restor'd by the Redeemer in Men Satan is presently at the same point with them as with Eve 2 Cor. 11. 3. that they shall not die at all they have Eternal Life Though it was not so in the first Adam yet when Restor'd by the Second and Men Confirm'd or Establish'd therein by him it is Indeed this Fixing Establishing Doctrine to and work upon them is Satan's not Christ's For it fixes them in unchangable enmity to Christ's gospel-Gospel-spirit and all his Gospel-things or truths Adam's attempt and design for keeping up the Righteous Life he was Created in and thence Refusing to Surrender and part with it for what was Presented to him in the Tree of Life was his very Sin The Losing or falling from the Righteous life he had was his punishment God took from him What he had his fading righteous Law-Life for Preferring it to his Everlasting New-Covenant Gospel-life The day he ate of the tree of good and evil or pleas'd himself with his own changable righteous life and the 〈◊〉 Meats or Delights thereof in preference to God's more excellent Creature-life and never-perishing meats thereof he died as threatned Gen. 2. 17. that is lost that fading righteous Life and so with all his Posterity became dead in trespasses and sins Now if Establishing our selvs in the restor'd Righteous Law-Life of our Nature Called our own be Asserted our duty and security for salvation then a sinning after the similitude of Adam's Transgression which done thus the second time after
For he can deceive all Men short of the Spirit of Grace and Truth to Worship him as so above and against God himself 2 Thes. 2. 4. Vers. 2. A time to be Born and a time to Die A time to Plant and a time to pluck up that which is Planted Vers. 3. A time to Kill and a time to Heal a time to break down and a time to Build up Vers. 4. A time to Weep and a time to Laugh A time to Mourn and a time to Dance There 's an appointed time for every Man to be Born in a Fleshly Body which is his personal appearance or Manifestation The Body is an Essential Ingredient into the compleat Constitution of every Man which under all Temporary Vicissitudes Alterations and Changes by Decay's Death and Resurrection remain's for ever the distinguishing part of Man from other Created beings in Heaven and Hell Angels are compleated in their personal Constitution without any such thing as Man's Earthly Body or Life The Spirit of Man before it enters the Body or after departed out of it is not the Compleat Person of a Man For Man consists of Spirit Soul and Body as distinct Essential parts of his being which Paul distinctly Pray's may in Saints be Preserved blameless unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes. 5. 23. The whole Spirit of Man Comprehends in its make a Dormant Souly Animalish Life So has a Natural tendency of desire to a Union with its fitly Organized Body in order to bring its Latent Soul or Souly Life into actual Exercise and Operation At the death of the Body this Soul or Souly Life ceases as to exercise lies dormant again in the Spirit as before it's entrance thereinto So till the Resurrection of the whole Man the Spirits even of Just Men made perfect in Spiritual New-Creation Life Act and Converse as pure Intellectual Powers Intuitively after the manner of Angels only Now as there 's a time for the Birth of Man's Body so from the frail materials and constituting Ingredients of it is there an appointed time for its dissolution and so for the Death of the Man by a Seperation of his essential parts This is a truth universally experienc'd and known by all And the like Vicissitudes and Seasons are appointed for other parts of this greater Visible World without Man as well as lesser World the Sum and Abridgment of all within him From the Moment of his Bodily Birth may be Dated the Building Planting Laughing Dancing Rejoycing and Embracing season during the growth and Flourishing State of his Bodily Life When this is at its height Approaches God's appointed Season from the perishing Materials thereof for plucking it up breaking it down and Slaying it This Season is attended with Man's Weeping and Mourning as the Consequents thereof These litteral truths are Experienc'd by Man in the Decay's Gray Hairs Old Age and Death inevitably incident to his body In the declining state thereof is he reduced to a kind of equality with Childhood as debilitated in the exercise of his rational Powers in and by bodily Organs or Instruments Brain Animal spirits c. So if he come to 70 or 80 years his decayed strength affords him little but labour and sorrow Psal. 90. 10. as finding himself to have out-lived the brisk and vigorous exercise of that Reason by which distinguished from brute Beasts In this case 't is man's duty and wisest course to fall in and comply with God's twofold dispensation upon his fleshly body by willingly owning and submitting to the decay's thereof in God's latter demolishing work upon it for pulling it down as well as to be found rejoycing and delighting in his former planting and building up of the same 'T is man's gross folly to struggle and contend for an impossibillity even the keeping up of that which he sees by an inevitable Law of necessity must be laid down He is as sure to die as he was born yea to go strip'd and naked out of the World as he came into it Job 1. 21. God has determined the time for both Death comes as an armed man on man's Body and on all that sort of understanding that 's exercised in and by it There 's no discharg in this War The decay's of it all along from the turning declining point preach the death of it and of that organical Understanding exercised in and by it Come we now to the Mystery of all this All the methods of God's wisdom in his dealings with man's body or bodily life the outward part of his natural man are typical to the like methods and dispensations to his immortal spirit considered in the but mortal first-covenant natural righteous Life thereof planted in it by the first creation A birth life death and buriall are incident to this also as God's appointments to it At the birth of the Body the Spirit or inner natural man is dead as to the mortal first-covenant life of the Law of Works it was at first created in But a fresh birth of or quickning up into this shadowy Life and Image of the Earthy wherein the first Adam was created is offered to all and may be actually received and experienced by all as the common or general salvation if they will The far greater part of mankind refuse to part with the corrupt life of their nature for the righteous And many that receive the righteous as the common salvation Jude 3. from the general Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4. 10. refuse the special or eternal Salvation receivable only by and in a spiritual Faith This cannot be received without the obedient surrender and death of all received twice from Christ's own hand by his first-creation and general-redemption-workmanship Such death according to the declared methods of God's wisdom must undispensably be yielded to and we become as fools and little Children as to all the restored wisdom life and glory of our own Nature as the undispensable way to our receiving the Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God in his Gospel-spirit of Grace and Image of the Heavenly which alone is Eternal The former is but Reformation-Life in restor'd enliven'd naturals This latter a true Regeneration into spirituals by the Birth of such a new Life in us springing up from the quickned incorruptible seed thereof as plants us together in the likeness of Christ's resurrection on our obedient likness to his death Rom. 6. 5. Nor Angel nor Man had any thing of this Life in the Innocency of both by creation but only as objctivetly presented to their understanding in the Mediator As God at first gave Man that that 's natural and call'd his own offering him that which is spiritual God's own So he first restores something of the first-covenant-Light or also Life that 's natural and after that that 's spiritual Paul when eminent in restored naturals holy flesh by knowledg of or conformity to Christ in the flesh or righteous life of the Law quitted such
16. T. Also he hath set the World in their Heart c. When Men 〈◊〉 six or set up for themselves in their worldly nature and Life of the Law and so set up the World in their Hearts as the only Object of their desire and delight then does God Judicially harden and six them there or set the World in their Hearts And then is their highest Wisdom a Black Darkning Vail upon their Hearts disabling them for ever finding out the Work of God from the beginning of it in the first-creation to the Blessed end of it in the second The God of this World fixing Mens hearts in the love of this World that 's Enmity to God blind's their minds that the light of the Glorious Gospel may not shine into them They see not to the end of that which is abolish'd 2 Cor. 3. 13. So set up for Salvation in that Law-Life that 's to be abolish'd that Glory that 's to be done away v. 7. Fleshly 〈◊〉 t s were not able to behold the spiritual Glory of Moses his true face of Spiritual Saint-ship He therefore put a Vail on it that is came forth in the appearance of the Righteousness of Man or the Law to them They that set up in the Light and Life of the Law for Salvation set up in the Vail Such never see to their comfort the true Face inward Beauty and Spiritual Glory of Moses or other Saints nor the true inward Face or spiritual meaning of any Scripture All Spiritual things or truths in Scripture all spiritual Light Life Wisdom Understanding all things of God in his Saints lie quite out of their sight as meer nothings in their day their Judgment They no more skill or ken them than a Beast the Rational Powers and things of a Man 1 Cor. 2. 11. So they absolutely deny all Gospel things and Truths and positively assert there 's no more excellent Creature-Life or things Man is capable of then what were set up in the first-creation-state of Angel and Man What work will such make at Gospel specially if fixed here and so hardned in unchangable Enmity thereto Thus Christ found the Righteous Scribes Pharisees c. in a Murdering Enmity to the truth that is the gospel-Gospel-Spirit and so of their Father the Devil who abode not in that truth or Obedience to the said Gospel-Light in which Created but quitted that his Habitation or first Estate Jo. 8. 44. Jude 6. They that Rebelliously set up this Shadowy World in their Hearts can't receive the Spirit of truth nor words thereof Jo. 14. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 14. They provoke God to give them their desire in Wrath to set up the World in them or them in their worldly law-Law-spirit of Enmity and Death to chuse their Delusions Isai. 66. 4. send them strong delusion that they should believe Stan's Lie and be damn'd because they chose rather to beleeve that than his Spirit of truth 2 Thes. 2. 10-12 So God Christ Themselves and the Devil all concur and center in one point the setting the World in their heart or fixing them in their own worldly spirit but upon very differing accounts Then is their case as desperate as that of the Evil Angels Heb. 10. 26 27. Though yet highly Esteemed of Men as owners yea Ministers of the Gospel are they most abominable to God Mystical Sodomit's the most Criminal Sinners in the whole World By being set or fixed in their worldly Spirit they become wholly Strangers and Enemies to the spirit of the World to come which will be upon them at last in Irresistible Wrath. Vers. XII I know that there is no good in them but for a Man to rejoyce and to do good in his life Solomon at a dear rate had experienc'd that there 's no durable unchangable good to be found in all first-creation Life and most Righteous Actions or things thereof No true Joy or Happiness to be had in this World but by doing what is truly good in God's sight in the Life and Spirit of the next True Godliness or power of 〈◊〉 exerciseable only in the Gospel-spirit of Christ is profitable to all things having the promises of this and the Life to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. that is it comprehend's the promised Spiritual Life of Christ and Comforts thereof in this and the World to come the daily encreasing first Fruits of it here and fulness there Yea also the promises even of this life or worldly things thereof such as 〈◊〉 seek belong to true seekers of the Righteousness of God in 〈◊〉 Kingdom spirit All these shall be added to you say's Christ himself Mat. 6. 31-33 The only right rejoycing in and doing good in its kind with such things of this Life is as receiv'd on the said account and manag'd in the Kingdom-spirit of the World to come Vers. 13. And also that every Man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his Labour it is the gift of God 'T is in the unspeakable gift of God only the spirit of Christ the inmost man of the Saint in the Life hid with Christ in God can feed upon the hidden Manna the divine Glory as vailed by that Spirit of Christ and thereby also unvailed or rendred visible in a sutableness only to 〈◊〉 not natural understanding in Man or Angel The never-perishing Meats and Drinks the Bread and Wine of the Kingdom the divine and creature-glories of God in the Mediator are the things true Saints eat drink feed and live upon enjoy rejoyce and delight in even in the peculiar delights of the Sons of God divine spiritual heavenly substantial things things eternal All this is the comfortable fruit of all their right labours in that Spirit that 's the peculiar gift of God distinct from the natural spirit or state of Life with all the Fruits brought forth by Man's utmost and best labours therein Vers. XIV I know that whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever Nothing can be put to it nor any thing taken from it And God doth it that Men should fear before him Whatever is the immediate Divine Workmanship shall be for ever that is the new-creature Spirit set up by the Divine from everlasting Prov. 8. 23. in personal union with it and also called God that made the worlds Jo. 1. 1-3 Heb. 1. 2. Both Worlds Natural and Spiritual and all in both were comprehended in it and brought forth by it This Fountain creature-Spirit in Christ and Streamings forth of the Living Waters thereof into Saints is of an unchangable nature The Gift thereof to Men or heavenly call of them into The Life thereof is without Repentance Variableness or chang The natural first-covenant principle of life and action set up in Man and Angel by the first-Creation is a Starting Variable Wavering thing Ps. 78. 57. Man breaks that Covenant with God and then God his Promise therein with him Numb 14. 34. Though Men be Children and Spouses to Christ therein Jer. 3. 14.
Madness and Folly and Eat their Flesh as Fire Jam. 5. 1-3 They refuse the kindly kindlings of the Fire of the Spirit or Cross of Christ upon them to eat up their Flesh as Fire eat 's Wood by Consuming it in Sacrifice to God He therefore kindles it in as well as upon them in Final Wrath as a never dying Worm in their Conscience a Fire that never shall be quenched Mark 9. 44. 46. 48. Thus shall Incorrigible Sinners or Fools find that in and about them in which they 'l become Eaters of their own Flesh or fleshly nature without ever such a Consuming it as Annihilation would amount unto the only death they 'l ever seek but never find Vers. VI. Better is a handful with quietness than both the hands full with travel and Vexation of spirit Here 's the opposite state to the mystical Fool. In effect of the same significancy are these words of spiritual counsel from or by Solomon as those of Christ himself Mat. 5. 29 30. 18. 8 9. Mar. 9. 43. 47. The right 〈◊〉 Hand and Foot of Man offend themselves oppose their own true intorest in being offended at the Cross that comes to cut them off and cast them away as dung and loss for a more excellent life and way The best light wisdom or understanding the most righteous practice or walking signified by the right Eye Hand and Foot of Man in his own nature restored by Law-conversion to the first-covenant or first-creation sort of righteous Life Discerning Action and Walking are to be cut off and cast away by the kindly death-work of the Cross or the demolishing crucifying mortifying operation of Christ's heavenly Gospel-spirit upon Man's righteous natural spirit in the said Law-life as Paul found and yielded to Phil. 3. 6 -- 11. He counted and parted with all as loss and dung to win Christ in his spiritual Resurrection-Life So only can any be truly acceptable to God or bring forth fruits unto him in a newness of Life All the former state to be quitted is called in Scripture but oldness of Letter In the best Life thereof Man brings forth fruit but to himself for the enriching and adorning his own deceitful nature not unto God in his gospel-Gospel-spirit of Grace and Truth in which only he can be rightly worshipped to his wel-pleasing acceptation and man's true advantage All others worship they know not what Joh. 4. 22 -- 24. They know not what they do or whither they go The divine spirit of the Father can be rightly worshipped in the Gospel-spirit of his Son only All that finally refuse to part with their natural Law-spirit and Life by a holy death under the spiritual Cross never receive or partake of Christ's Gospel-spirit of Life in which only 't is possible to worship God aright or do any thing well in his sight The natural man by Legal conversion made wise strong and honourable in Christ by his first-covenant communications of Life and Light to him hates Christ's Gospel-spirit with all the crucifying work and Cross-doctrine of death upon nature corrupt or righteous as Paul once did Man hates that which he undispensably needs must submit to and pass thorow or never be saved His restor'd natural right Eye Hand Foot must off and be cast away This Man stumbles and is highly offended at He is ready to reckon such doctrin the damnablest 〈◊〉 heresy madness and blasphemy that ever was broach'd or utter'd by man The enlightned professing Jews reckon'd it so when Christ himself preach'd it Yea his very Disciples stumbled sorely at it and took it heavily Mat. 16. 21 22. Mar. 10. 23 -- 26. John 16. 6. 20. Though he Preached his Resurrection in the same breath with his Death Mat. 17. 23. still they were exceeding sorry This would not do no not so much as allay their grief They knew not clearly what he said or meant by Death or by Resurrection Mar. 9. 31 32. and were afraid to ask him What he Preach'd the Death and loss of in himself and them even of a first-covenant Life they somewhat perceived to their sorrow But as to the more excellent Life and Glory he declar'd was to follow to him and them by way of Resurrection out of the Death of their fading this they understood not and so got little or no relief yet by the bare tydings of it But enough when they came to experience it Act. 2. The Cross is a stumbling block to the righteous first-covenant Law-Jew or Gentile under the outward dispensation of Law and Gospel and before either were written by the Pen-men thereof in the Bible and foolishness to the wise Greek with all his moral Righteousness and obedience to the common Light or Law of rational Nature in Mankind 1 Cor. 1. 23. Both these sorts of Wise and Righteous Men bidding at and fondly pleasing themselves with a hope of true Salvation in their several way 's do stand as with Drawn Swords in the Armour of Man on Satan's side to bid defiance to this seemingly Bug-bear Doctrin of the Cross upon all they are Possess'd of and trust in They decry it as the highest Blasphemy and Folly Imaginable They warn others by no means to regard a word of it in Preaching or Books As for the Brutified Immorral Heathens the far greater party of Mankind walking and allowing themselvs in the Abominations of Litteral Sodom Egypt and Babylon hating all Righteousness God's and Man's too Man 's in Moral Heathenism or legal Christianity they little regard the Doctrin of the Cross on one or ' tother The hopeful Party of Mankind in Moral or Legal first-Covenant Righteousness that have something considerable as they reckon to lose by the Cross these are ready to fight against it as Paul found and told the Philippians even Weeping Phil. 3. 18. But Jews or Gentiles that answer Christ's Heavenly call into the death of their fading earthly State however good in its kind in Obedience to the Cross as the only pass into the Everlasting Life of the Crucifying High-Priest of their Gospel-Profession Heb. 3. 1. they find the said Cross the Power and Wisdom of God to and in them 1. Cor. 1. 24. This they receive in lieu of the form of Godliness and Wisdom of Man as made Wise Strong and Honourable in Christ by First-Covenant Artainments in him and Union with him 1 Cor. 4. 10. Others chuse rather to keep their first-Covenant-State Whole Unmaim'd Unbroken or Uncrucified and so to go with their whole Body or 〈◊〉 their own two Eyes Hands and Feet to Hell then 〈◊〉 and Crucisied in Conformity to the Lamb Slain and his true Saints that suffer with him to Heaven What if one Man had all the single first-Creation Glories Excellencies Riches Wisdom and Power of all Men and Angels and lose his own Soul what 's he the better Where 's his gain Mat. 16. 26. All Man gets by pitying and sparing himself in this case is the loss of all his own fading goodness
Appetite the Belly that 's but for such Meats as will perish with it 1 Cor. 6. 13. They that sate in the Gate spoke against him Was not the great Lord and Master Christ himself thus handled Despised and Rejected of Men even his own People in the first-Covenant for Witnessing and Practicing the Doctrin of the second Isai. 52. 14. and 53. 2 3. Jo. 1. 11. Was not Job the next signal instance for suffering to his Lord thus handled on the self-same account by his first-Covenant Friends when brought under the sharp Disciplin of the Cross in order to the second They vex'd 〈◊〉 broke him in pieces with reiterated frequent and continued 〈◊〉 Words They made themselvs 〈◊〉 to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselvs against him in pleading his Reproach when God was Stripping him by his Cross-work on that State of the fading Glory 〈◊〉 that State and taking that Crown from his Head Job 19. 2-19 which he had long worn and enjoy'd as a first-Covenant Prince or King in the Army Job 29. 25. of that sort of Pseudo-Fift-Monarchist's Thus was Poor Job destroy'd and gone on every side forsaken and abandon'd on all hands by God and Men as to any more or farther Comfort in that state he had king'd it in over his fellow-Mortals His very inward Bosome-Friends abhorr'd him And was not Paul so handled by his Friends presently after his quitting their Law-Principle and House on the Sand for Christ's Gospel-Principle and House on the Rock The next news we hear of him is he signally beyond other Gospel-Saints and Apostles Persecuted by Law-spirited Jews at Damascus Act. 9. 19-25 2 Cor. 11. 32 33. What cleer plain undeniable instances are here Who would think any sober Man whose obstinate will does not bribe off Pervert Obstruct and deafen his understanding could withstand such undeniable demonstration in this case I would For who believ's the report Who takes any spiritual Gospel-Testimony with whatever undeniable Demonstration attended and Ratified No Man in the single Wisdom of humane nature at best when made Wise Strong and Honourable in Christ but there Jo. 3. 32. 1 Cor. 4. 10. The natural Man even in awak'ned Spiritual Saints is ready and apt to wonder at this But retreating to the Sanctuary-Light of their Spiritual Man they see how matters go and the wonderment ceases The Spiritual Man the true Watchman Prophet and Seer of God is a Fool Mad a Snare Hatred it self Where With whom With a first-Covenant People and House of his God Hos. 9. 7 8. Was this alway's so Is it so even now Gal. 4. 29. will it be so to the end of this World and Satan's Reign E'ne cease wondring then at it O Saints of the most High What Wonder at what has bin the constant course and Practice of Humane nature in all mankind corrupt or righteous Popish or Reform'd true Saints themselvs not excepted till unwoman'd by the Cross as to their mutable fickle Womanish Spirit of nature and made actual Partakers of Christ's manly Life in his Gospel-Spirit of Grace springing up from the quick'ned Incorruptible Seed thereof 1 Pet. 1. 23. Be not dismay'd to see the Law-Church of God your Brethren in the first-covenant Children Spouses of Christ as a sleshly Bridegroom in their Holy Flesh turning themselvs into a Synagogue of Satan and serving his designs in persecuting Christ's Gospel-Church in his Holy Spirit sitting and speaking Blasphemies against them Psal. 50. 20 21. Paul when a new-Covenant Gospel-Saint was a Fool weak and despicable to Law-Saints in the renew'd old or first These were still Wise Strong and Honourable in Christ after the flesh as to both Inherent and Imputed Righteousness from him Sanctifying and justifying them according to the Tenour of that changable first-Covenant Life and State True Saints when with Paul Job and others they find all that to be but a fading flower altogether Vanity or a vanishing Shadow however good in its kind and beautiful in its day and season a Glory to be done away away they sling it as Dung for Christ in his Spiritual Resurrection-Life and Gospel-State Paul also advises others to become Fools with him as to the Law-Wisdom of Man in the first-Covenant for the Gospel-Wisdom of God in the second 1 Cor. 3. 18. In short Paul was a Poor Wise Child in Christ's newness of Life or second Covenant that had with the doting first-Covenant Law-spirited Corinthians bin for a season an old Foolish King in the 〈◊〉 of letter his restor'd old first-Creation spirit of nature But with this difference not a fix'd knowing wilful one that would no more be admonish'd For as discover'd therein what he amounted to and convincingly shew'd and offer'd a more excellent life and way immediatly he conferr'd not with Flesh and Blood consulted not with or listned to the reasonings of the first-Covenant Wisdom of Man in himself or others but was Obedient to the Heavenly Vision Trembling and astonish'd he said Lord what wilt thou have me to do Act. 9. 6. Had he after such convincing discovery of his folly and Madness in Persecuting the gospel-Gospel-Spirit and Truths of Christ in his Saints obstinately persisted therein he had bin absolutely unpardonable But he did it ignorantly 1 Tim. 1. 13. For as soon as he knew a better a Gospel-Life and more excellent way of obeying and Worshipping God he instantly yielded to God's terms the death of his Law-principled Persecuting nature as 〈◊〉 for Christ's Gospel-Life He found the Corinthians after all this confident in that State he was in when a Persecutor Full Rich and Reigning as Kings Wise Strong and Honourable in first-Covenant Attainments from Christ himself after the flesh They were brought out of the corrupt into the righteous Life of theirnature and so into some good degree of Conformity to the Life of Christ that first Covenant Life of the Law under which he was Born of a Woman But were in no degree of Conformity to Christ in the obedient death of that state in Sacrifice to God So if they finally refused Paul's Counsel Example and Admonitions for becoming Fools Weak Poor and Despicable there as he had done in following Christ's own example and Counsel they proved themselvs with thousands of others in all Ages and Generations the very Old Foolish doting Kings here meant and Paul with his true Gospel-Disciples and Followers proved themselvs the Poor Wise Children of God in a newness of Life a Wisdom a Glory never to be done away He was content with Christ to have his Visage Marr'd his fading Law-Life and Glory in the restor'd Image of the earthy or first Adam done away as the undispensible means of receiving the Life and Image of the Heavenly or second Adam 1 Cor. 15. 49. Job with other first-Covenant Saints or Holy Men in their own restor'd nature while in the dark and in great measure if not altogether ignorant for a season as to the spiritual Life and Glory that was to follow and fall to his lot was sorely
14. 1 Joh. 4. 4. and 5. 18. Satan's Battels against and seeming Conquests over Saints the few that are saved Christs little flock are performed with a confused noise and Garments rolled in Blood Christ's and Saints victory over them is with burning and fewel of Fire by which the 〈◊〉 of and by the Lord will be the many that perish Isai. 9. 5. and 66. 16. Enemies kill Saint's Body's but they 'l kill their Spirits Souls and Bodies for ever in that Spirit they aimed at to kill but could never touch It will touch them to purpose at last But Who are the Oppressours here What the Oppression Who the Oppressed in the Province of this World Satan's universal Monarchy through a violent perverting of Judgment and Justice Much has been said 〈◊〉 these queries on Vers. 1. of Chap. 4. Evil Angels and Men are the invisible and visible Principalities and Powers that set themselvs to oppress the Saints of the most High the Poor and Needy as to the Treasures of their inward natural Man their Spirit and oft outward also as the Signal Tormenters of such Dwellers upon the Earth or fixed Inhabitants of the Earthy first-Creation State of Nature evill Angels and Men disturbers of the Peace of their Joynt worldly Dominion and tyranical Domination therein For they declare all that worldly Life and Strength they trust in for Happiness to be but a Bubble a Dream a fading Flower insignificant as to true happiness a fix'd confidence therein unchangable enmity to God and certain Damnation to themselvs Can the Rulers of this World visible or invisible bear such Doctrine concerning that State they set up in for Salvation Though Devils more fully know the Truth thereof will men under their strong delusions pleasing themselvs to think their sandy Foundation'd Church-building good and their matters right with God as therein doing him service let the true Saint's contrary spiritual true Gospel-Doctrine passe uncontrol'd or the Preachers and Owners of such Doctrine unpunished Never look for 't And least of all in these last and worst of Times in which the Scripture proclaim 's and warn's this Oppression will rise to a higher pitch than in all former Ages of this World under Satan the Prince and God the Moloch and Baal or King and Lord thereof King of Kings and of all the Children of Pride all proud self-exalters in this World as Christ King of all Spiritual Kings and meek subjected Children of his Kingdom in the next Satan the permitted God and Prince of this when he know's he hath but a short time to Reign his Kingdom drawing near a Period will more outragiously and Subtly then ever lay about him to hinder and prevent the Dawnings and commencing of Christ's Rev. 12. 12. He will then enrage his visible Powers in this World against Saints to the causing such a time of Trouble to them as never was or shall be Mat. 24. 21. As certain Tokens of Satan's expiring Reign and so of the approaching of Christ's the Love and Practice of all sorts of Iniquity litteral and mystical will abound and of all sorts of goodness decline and decay By both these will the Devil most dext'rously serve his designs as to all sorts of Oppression by the violent perverting of Judgment and Justice towards the Poor of Christ's Flock stripp'd of all natural Power or Relief visible or invisible He will use a prophane Party to destroy the common Rights and Properties of men on civil accounts And he will use first-Covenant Law-Brethren as by him turn'd into gospel-wolv's and yet dress'dup by him in Sheeps-cloathing Spiritual appearances to worry and hunt true Spiritual Gospel-Breth'ren in the second to Death But Saints are fore-warn'd of all this as to what they are to expect in the worst of times Mat. 24. 25. Joh. 16. 4. All 's by God's permission and under his over-ruling Power They ought not therefore to marvel or be dismay'd at the matter or will and purpose of God herein which is wholly for their Good Be not dismay'd for he or they that is or that are higher than the highest the Holy Angels do regard see and take notice of all as Standers by and Lookers on til fully impowr'd and comission'd to come forth in the effectual Preaching of the everlasting Gospel to Saints and pouring forth the Vials of Wrath on their Enemies And Christ and God yet unspeakably infinitely higher than the Holy Angels sit as 't were silent but exactly regarding and observing the injurious demeanour of Enemies towards his Saints together with Saints dutiful and quiet demeanour under such Injuries and worst Occurrents The spiritual Gospel-life of Christ in Elect Angels yea and in Saints too render's them as much higher then all evil first-creation Powers Angels or Men as the Heavens then the Earth And though the Good Angels come not forth in their immediately preparatory dispensation to Christ's second comming till peculiarly commission'd for such blessed work in the last and worst of times when enemies are grown most rampant and confident yet mean while even all along this World are they and have they bin sent by Christ as ministring spirits keepers and guardians to blessed Saints on earth heirs of salvation surrounded with enemies on all hands in this scrambling confounded world of cunning Devils and ignorant men ignorant as to all Gospel saving truths abundance of them not knowing or very little thinking what they are doing as even Paul once Act. 26. 9. Luk. 23. 34. Act. 13. 27. They protected Eliah from the king's 3 Captains and their fifties Elisha in Dothan from the Syrian Army and Hezekiah c. from the Assyrian Army before Jerusalem as Isaiah prophesied 2 Kings 19. 20. 35. By the decrees of Christ's spiritual Angelical Watchers over and observers of all men good and bad as Hesiod say's will the great Tree of all oppressing Worldly Monarchies be cut down when ripe for the Sicle Dan. 4. 17. Mat. 13. 39-42 Rev. 14. 19 20. That Devils are not ignorant of Holy Angels Guardianship over Saints appears by Satan's quoting Psal. 91. 11 12 to Christ himself Mat. 4. 6. They keep Saints also as the natural man of Christ himself in flesh from being induced by tempting Devils by the contrary workings of flesh and Blood in themselvs or persecuting-work of enemies without doores to stumble or be finally and unpardonably Offended at and so found offenders of Christ the corner-stone and foundation of the new-creation building on the Rock as coming on flesh and blood or their natural man with mystical fire and a flaming two-edged sword to kill slay and offer it up in sacrifice to God In the close of this world will they poure down the wrath of God gradually on the several parts or branches of Satan's universal Empire or worldly dominion till all be laid in the Dust under Christ's theirs and his Saints feet Rev. 16. Saints waiting in a lively hope for this ought to possess their Souls in faith and
making his Gospel-vanities passe for Christ's durable Gospel-riches everlasting life and never-perishing meats Thus does Satan sport himself with those that sport themselvs with his and their own deceivings By such makes he his utmost batteries against the very elect to deceive their souls or if that won't be to destroy their bodies All that have resolutely taken up with him to feed on dust the perishing meats of the first_creation does he perfectly deafen to the voice of all true Spiritual Charmers Charm they never so Wisely Not a word of Christ's Gospel or any of his never-perishing meats will they any more listen to regard or look after for ever then stones They are fix'd absolute infidels as to all his things truths or doctrins They are the hottest fiercest zealous decriers of all such things or words in the whole World Paul was so for a season when a righteous first-covenant Saint they for ever But to prevent man's self-destroying choice of his own selfish earthly first-creation life or righteous natural-State with the perishing food ragged clothing and fading riches thereof in preference to Christ's durable riches never-perishing meats and pure garments clean linnen or everlasting 〈◊〉 in the second Solomon farther declares Vers. X. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with encrease this is also vanity The mystical silver here that with all possible encrease thereof is vanity as well as the litteral figure import's the heap'd up Laodicean treasur's in the fruitful exercise of a first-covenant righteous life of vanity Man at best therein is lighter then vanity weigh's less is worse then nothing in the balance of Christ's new-creation sanctuary Psal. 39. 5 6. and 62. 9. Isa. 40. 17. He is a flat enemy to God and it to all the heavenly life and treasure thereof Man's inordinate preferring love to and delight in his own righteous nature and riches thereof is an evil concupiscence an evil covetousness destructive to his own mystical house whole nature or person Hab. 2. 9 10 the highest and most criminal idolatry that love of money in the highest sense that 's the root of all evil keeping up a murdering mind of enmity against all doctrine or persons that come to seize and take it away as their unspeakable advantage if obedient to the Cross of Christ therein Man wearies himself tires and sin's himself into eternal death for very vanity v. 13. and Psal. 39. 6. All men seek and contend for in their own nature will and way Paul found in Gospel-light dung and loss Job dust and ashes who both once thought themselvs truly happy there in Gods sight as well as in their own He that loves this mystical silver or fading inward riches of his own nature shall not be satisfied with such silver in the most abundant encreases thereof There 's nothing in it can truly answer the wants of his immortal being or give the least degree of true happiness to him Nothing but new-creature life does this Gal. 6. 15 neither corrupt or righteous Old-Creation life signified by uncircumcision and circumcision which avail not any thing in this case as to eternal life Verse XI When goods encrease they are increas'd that eat them and what good is there to the owners thereof saving the beholding of them with their eyes Here 's the vanity of all perishing treasur's The utmost encrease of Laodicean riches in the most fruitful exercise of a first-creation life or first-covenant principle makes but a heap of perishing vanities when all 's done The right parting with all as dung for Ghrist's heavenly treasure durable riches acquirable only in his Gospel-Spirit or new-covenant-principle of everlasting righteousness is the best and only true improvement of all In this Exchange does Man receive all the fading goodness and riches of his law-life with usury and great gain even in Christ's Gospel-life or Spirit Thus 't is with all thorow-followers of Christ's Counsel Christ receives in this right improvement of his first-creation gifts his own again with usury and man his own also with transcendent advantage in God's own Life Wisdom Righteousness Glory all the everlasting things of God's Spirit of grace for the fading vanities perishing next to nothings in his own Spirit of nature the Life of the Creator or new-creature Spirit of Christ the living WORD and Wisdom of God by which the Worlds were made The final refusal of this chang is man's changing selling or parting with God's gospel-Gospel-Spirit of Truth for Satan's and his own 〈◊〉 his perishing vanity his law-Spirit of nature And this is 〈◊〉 serving worshipping and loving the Creature even himself rather or more yea above and against the Creator who is blessed for ever Can such ill-chusers expect lesse then to be Cursed for ever and perish as their own dung that they prefer before the very Life Righteousness Wisdom and Glory of God that 's never to be done away Paul threw away this mystical dung for the unsearchable divine and spiritual riches of Christ's Glorious person which when he came to be a happy possessour of he became also the most Powerful Gospel-Preacher of Eph. 3. 8. He that loves his own life and the riches or Mammon thereof litteral or mystical in preference to God's hates God's Christ therefore requires the hating our own very life at best in love to God's or declar's we cannot be his disciples Luk. 14. 26. For thus did he Not my will but thine be done Not my words but thine be spoken The word 's of thy Spirit the Holy Ghost that 's in unchangable union of mind with thy infinite divine Spirit and not the dictats of my natural wisdom or understanding the words of my Spirit Job said though righteous he would not know or own his own soul but despise or destroy crucify his very righteous natural self or life as dust and ashes to God's dung and losse Phil. 3. 7 8 for God's with Paul All true Saints think say and do thus first or last What amount all fading riches treasur'd up by man in the activity of faulty or defective first-covenant principle's unto by the most fruitfull exercise of the restor'd righteous life of his own nature therein when not rich towards God in his Spirit of grace the second Covenant Gospel-Principle of life desire thought and action Christ himself does thus resolve his own most pertinent and concerning question by way of instruction and warning to men Thou fool that hast heap'd up vast perishing treasures in thy own enlightned righteous nature and art merry confident and at hearts-ease therein as if happy for many years even for ever as possessed of what will never faile thee this night shall thy soul be taken from thee even this righteous life of thy living soul and then if thou have not the everlasting life of my quickning Spirit and my durable riches therein where art thou and whose shall all those things be which thou hast provided none of
comes to worse than nothing unspeakable misery and confusion without the least relief for ever under unquenchable wrath Man is born in a naked condition of Body and dead in Sin as to his Soul When reviv'd and Cloath'd again by Christ as to some measure of his restor'd lost Life and Righteousness in the first-covenant by keeping up that in enmity to an everlasting Life and Righteousness offer'd him by Christ in the second and so sinning after the similitude of Adam's first transgression he is worse than ever his latter end worse than his beginning a state of unchangable incurable evil sorrow nakedness poverty and death His whole man after all possible revival comsort flourish or fruitfulness in the mortal first-covenant Life of his Spirit or sensual Life of his Body goes destitute of all good or comfort naked out of the World as he came into 't He takes nothing of the fading Glory of his reviv'd Spirit any more than outward riches and comforts relating to his Body away with him at the death of the Body All goes In all points on all accounts he goes as he came stark naked strip'd of all comfort or goodness All fruits and labours of his Spirit and Body go together all vanish They that obediently part with all such fading Life and but things of man in their Spirit before the death of their Body find their own again with usury for ever in the everlasting Life Wisdom Righteousness and things of God in the Gospel-Spirit or Principle of the new and everlasting Covenant This is the unspeakable Gift of God offer'd all on obedient surrender of their fading Life and things in the first-covenant for his everlasting in the second They that refuse this surrender as most do lose all good in both Covenants for ever and fall under the positive inflictions of wrath for ever This for the evill use of all their things and labours in the first against God and the second When charg'd for all before the Judgment-seat of Christ they 'l be found in a silencing self-condemning consciousness as to all charg'd with will have nothing to say When their evil consciences are open'd all their mouths of iniquity will be stopp'd No disputing pleading apologizing but e'ne take their charge and sentence and so lie down for ever in sorrow shame and confusion under the wrath of their most righteous all-seeing Judg. Then will they find nothing of all their evil travel left in their hand The wrath of God will be upon them and the awak'ned spiritual convictions afforded them in mercy on earth will be set up in them for ever in hel as a never-dying ever-gnawing worm Mark 9. 44. 46. 48 to torment them within by the perpetually forc'd sight of their madness and folly on earth against the universal experience of all mankind and all faithfull warnings from God All their fading beauty will be consum'd in that Grave from their dwelling Psal. 49. 14. or that earthly state of their whole persons which they have chosen for their final habitation They have rendred themselvs fit fewel for the wrath of God eternally to flame forth upon When Christ awak's or comes forth in his heavenly he will despise or destroy their earthly Image Psal. 73. 20. or state burn up all the fading Glory perishing Life Riches Fruits and meats thereof or works therein 2 Pet. 3. 10. Their fleshly principle or root with the branch tree with the fruit as Grass at best a fading flower will wither and perish for ever Isai. 40. 6. These things and life then chosen by them when known to be so and Christ's everlasting Life and Things as knowingly and wilfully rejected when convincingly shew'd and fairly offer'd them will cause their unutterable confusion for ever in eternal darkness and death They 'l have nothing but wrath to feed on for ever in a resurrection of damnation Much sorrow and wrath will they have in and with their sickness unexpressible wrath rage and madness within them as the Septuagint render in their languishing incurable sickness or unchangable enmity to God under the final wrath of God This will befall them after all patience of God and favourable offers while 't was called to day with them in this world all which they abus'd and refus'd to their sorer condemnation and punishment So become they most desolate for ever O Jerusalem Jerusalem c. Mat. 23. 37 38. As vessels of dishonour will they be forc'd to eat the fruit of their own way 〈◊〉 be filled with the fruit of their own devices the wrath of God Prov. 1. 31. 'T will be sorely ill with them when that just reward of their hands shall be given them Isai. 3. 11. Had they 〈◊〉 to his Counsel they might have dwelt safely for ever and have been quiet from fear of evil Prov. 1. 33. Their simple turning from his offers and their prosperous flourish in their own nature will and way destroy'd these incorrigible Fools V. 32. Vers. XVIII Behold that which I have seen it is good and comly for one to eat and to drink and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh vnder the Sun all the days of his Life which God giveth him for it is his portion Having in some former Verses finish'd the Character of the incorrigibly wicked as to their dreadfull condition Solomon proceed's here to declare the blessed condition of all that are of a perfectly contrary temper of Spirit to that of unchangable enmity above-said of another Spirit with Caleb and Joshuah who wholly followed the Lord Numb 32. 12. 'T is the Spirit of Faith only the law of the Spirit of Life and true Liberty the gospel-Gospel-Spirit of Truth in which the Lord can be rightly own'd fully follow'd and acceptably worship'd in Spirit and Truth Sure none of these things can ever be done in man's own spirit will and way that at best is enmity to God True Saints bring forth all the fruits of their labours unto God the Father in this Spirit of the Son which makes them free indeed in this newness of Life and Law of true Liberty the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God And they reap the benefit or fruit of all their such labours in the Lord which never are in vain 1 Cor. 15. 58. All labours in our own Spirit of nature uncircumcis'd or circumcis'd that is corrupt or righteous are in vain as to eternal Life Gal. 6. 15. Nothing but the new creature and its actions are conducible or of any tendency towards that There God work 's all our works for us and we all our works in him as co-workers with God in his own Spirit Isai. 26. 12. Joh. 3. 21. Without me or my Gospel-Spirit 〈◊〉 can do nothing in the way towards true Life say's Christ to all Joh. 15. 5. These Gospel-works of the Spirit of Faith in Abraham justified him Jam. 22. 21 not law-works in his own Spirit of nature or principle of the covenant of
followers are calculated and designed only to catch at something from them to accuse and charge them for right or wrong This was Christ's own case all along his Ministry on Earth among the Jewish Professors When brought Prisoner before the chief Priests and Council of the Jews very inquisitive are they for Witness against him to put him to Death but none can they get that will serve their turn Then they seek to pick something out of his own mouth to do their work For this the High-Priest ask's him Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed Tell us in a word Jesus said I am Oh! now we have him here 's enough out of his own mouth to condemn him what need we any further witnesses ye have heard the Blasphemy what think ye Guilty of Death say they as a cursed Jury of Rebels All 's of a batch Judges and Jury against Christ and his Followers They all condemned him as worthy of Death They never examine his Doctrine but cry tell us in a word this or that and lie at catch for an answer and then in another word condemn him for witnessing an infallible truth that 's their next word Then they spit on him buffet mock him and so on to his Crucifixion and Death Mark 14. 61. 65. What may the Servant expect when the Lord was thus handled So Luk. 22. 66-71 The Elders chief-Priests and Scribes lead him into their Council and all of them say to him Art thou the Son of God On his Answer they say What need of further witness For we our selvs have heard of his own mouth He has said enough at the Bar to take away his life though we had nothing else against him before What think ye Think bad enough no doubt all of a mind the whole rout of Wolves and Bears guilty of Death say all Christ asserted himself the Son of God Blasphemy cry they not considering whether true or false But Satan will such own not only for the Son of God but God most high himself He will assert himself to be God and the true new-creation Temple of God 2 〈◊〉 2. 4. in his transform'd appearance thereof and find followers and owners enow even amongst Professors Chief Priests Types of Christ by Office Elders and People of the Jews the only then professing people in the world Christ own'd himself the Son of God by way of Eminency above all other Sons of God begotten and Born of his Spirit Do any such dare to own themselvs Sons or Children of God in his new and everlasting Covenant-Principle his gospel-Gospel-spirit of Grace and Truth Dare they speak the words of that Spirit Words the Holy Ghost teaches and are these words contrary to their's and Satan's accursed other Law-gospel Down they go at a word for Blasphemers Guilty my Lord say the goodly Jurors all of a Pack chuse where you will Professors notion of grace is short They look 〈◊〉 it only as an act of favour from God as it is also and a transcendent gracious one But they consider not or own it as a distinct principle root and spring of life desire thought and action in man from the natural first-covenant or first-creation Law-principle A word to the wise But to undiscerning fools or worse wilful Rebels against conviction what words will serve the turn to recover them out of their folly and madness Here 's the great turning point for Eternal Life or Death Single nature corrupt or righteous fix'd in is certain Damnation Grace Salvation We are saved by Grace or in Grace through Faith or in the incorruptible new-covenant Gospel-Principles of everlasting Righteousness not in or by Nature which at best is but a fading Flower altogether Vanity not of our selvs or any thing performable by us in our own Nature the first-covenant Principle Eph. 2. 8 9. 'T is the gift of God the unspeakable gift of his Spirit of grace in us is Salvation to us Here 's a word to those that are only for a word and away about Christs Gospel-Doctrine for Salvation All ye talk of is but one thing say they 〈◊〉 therefore hear it in one word What need such a do with so many words about it Pray what 's yours and Satan's Gospel all that Man's and Satan's wisdom jointly preach up declare and warrant to be Salvation that indeed will prove eternal Damnation to all final and resolute followers and owners thereof what 's this but one thing as abovesaid That the righteousness of Man or Man in his restor'd righteous life according to the Law blameless is in a state of everlasting Salvation Did not Paul when all this most fiercely persecute Christ and all his Gospel-Saints and Truths And was he not as fiercely persecuted by such as soon as he became a Gospel-Saint What would ye have where must one be to get the least of Truth into your understandings and hearts What but this one thing the Righteousness of Man is the bottom-story of all your innumerable Books and Preachings for Salvation And what do all such gingling words such tinkling Cymbals amount unto A confused uncertain sound And if the Trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the Battel What Battel the Battel of the Lord against the Mighty What Mighty Evil Angelical Principalities and Powers of this World If the righteous Life Armour Strength and Wisdom of Man be asserted fit to undertake them in all such Doctrine is a Lie All these are but as straw and rotten wood Job 41. 27. to the superiour Wisdom and Strength of evil Angels the mystical Leviathan or Goliah and his Philistine Army All such Doctrine from top to bottom in all variety of words and dress by Eloquence Wit Art and Method Reasons Uses Motives c. all is an absolute downright falshood Satan's Synagogue-Lie Rev. 3. 9. his accursed other Gospel the Laodicean Delusion v. 17. The Power of Godliness Life Wisdom Righteousness things of God all comprehended in his one Gospel-Spirit of Grace the unspeakable Gift these are the Gospel-onething necessary to be found in Man for Salvation Form of Godliness Righteousness Life Wisdom things of Man in his restor'd Law-spirit of Nature the first-Covenant Principle these make your one Law-thing you place Salvation in cloathing it only with the Gospel-words and titles of God's one thing to deceive See ye now where we both are with our several one-things And will ye allow God's one-thing and Christ's Gospel but one word and your one thing or Satan's Gospel-principle and state Millions in throng'd auditories and crowd's of numberless Books and Writings Must God's one-thing be decried for Heresie Blasphemy and a diabolical Fiction and the Devil 's and your one-thing be the only orthodox sober Truth or thing Fools when will ye be wise Psal. 94. 8. and look about you as to your most important concern which you yet leave at random and an all-adventures in the hands of your trusty Trojans your blind Leaders of
incident to Men under the wonder-working Power and Grace of God in the King of Saints Hos. 1. 6 10. God requir'd Israel to own him King submit to the Government of his Spirit in Samuel the same Spirit in which Christ is universal King All in that Spirit are his true obedient Subjects Any Person or any People that will not have this spiritual heavenly King reign over them and in them though his earthly Jerusalem Citizens or first-covenant People see how they 'l be handled by him Luk. 19. 14 27. This great universal King lately offer'd to set up his Theocratical Fifth-Monarchy amongst us His earthly-Jerusalem-Citizens in a first-covenant spirit pretended to it as the Corinthian 〈◊〉 in Paul's Gospel-time in a spirit nor Christ nor he could own for a reigning principle 1 Cor. 4. 8. and a huge noise they made of owning the King Jesus in but a knowledg of him after the flesh in a restor'd Law-life the very principle and state the Jews would have 〈◊〉 him King in Joh. 6. 15. Such first-Covenant first-Monarchists Kings or Princes of this World crucified the true King Jesus 1 Cor. 2. 8. They blasphem'd and crucified him for owning a Kingship and Kingdom not of this World in his gospel-Gospel-spirit of Grace and Truth that would have made him a King in that Law-life and spirit they were of and in They cry up their Heathen Cesar for their King rather then such a King Jesus Shall I crucify your King says Pilate We have no King but Cesar say they Joh. 18. 36 37. 19. 12 15. A plain case and our's just He that was for the right King Jesus in his true reigning Spirit must be shuffled out of the World with his great Master as an Enemy both 〈◊〉 Cesar and them 〈◊〉 and a first-covenant People are joyntly for the rooting Christ and his true spiritual Anointed Ones out of the World as not sit to live in it Psal. 2. 1 -- 3. Act. 22. 22. And what got Israel by refusing the King Jesus or Government of God in the said Spirit of true Prophecy grievances enow What help none to remove them God would not as he fore-threatned them when busie about their new choice of Government Ye shall cry because of your King ye have chosen but the Lord will not hear you says Samuel Fair warning See all this 1 Sam. 8. 6 18. The law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus comes to strike down the ruling Power of that spirit in Man that 's but a Law of Sin and of Death and so by setting up his own kingly Rule and Power in him frees him from all evil and bondage Those that willingly submit to this death-blow of Christ on their ruling Law-spirit cast down their Crowns or ruling Power at his Feet and set the Crown on his Head in the day of their new-covenant Espousals to him owning his true Kingly-Spirit for their Ruler Cant. 3. 11. Christ struck down the earthy Law-king in Paul to the Earth and instantly set up his Gospel-spirit King and Ruler in and over him Act. 9. 3 4. The Law-spirit at best in fallen man is but the Amalekite-Ruler the Agag which tho' Saul spared in favour to it in himself as was implied in his unpardonable sin Samuel in the true Kingly Spirit of Jesus hewed in pieces when he said or thought as Man when the corrupt spirit of Nature is subdued and a Righteous Law-spirit set up in ruling authority in him surely the bitterness of Death is past here 's no Cross or Death-work by a Spiritual Gospel-Sword behind to be brought upon this Righteous Law-life 1 Sam 15. 32 33. Spiritual Friends of Christ have the whole counsel and mind of God made known by him to them First-covenant Servants in their Law-spirit of bondage holy flesh form of Godliness Righteousness of Man tho' as busy as may be in reading hearing preaching and obeying the letter of their Lord's Command in the Scripture are wholly strangers to the spiritual design sense or meaning of their Lord in all They know not what he does Joh. 15. 15. or has now done himself with our nature at best in his own Person nor will consider their duty in following him therein by giving it up at best in whatever state in their persons as God's requir'd Sacrifice He that keeps the spiritual Command of Christ believes or obediently submits to the Law of his Cross shall feel hear see or know no evil thing or word against him from Christ at last day when on his Judgment-Seat But he that believeth not quits not his Law-spirit or principle of life and action under the Gospel-Cross or spiritual Sword of Christ for the Gospel-Life of that very Sword or living Word of God will be damn'd Mark 16. 16. t. And a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment The spiritual wise man discerns an appointed time for the right use of a changeable first-Covenant Law-life and then as an antiquated Law-ceremony with the fading things and glory of it to be done away by a holy death as the Judgment and Command of God in Sacrifice to himself This Gospel-Sacrifice of Man at best was figured by the Law-Sacrifices of clean Beasts and Birds Spiritual Saints under the Law obediently gave up this Gospel-Sacrifice to God And all save a spiritual Seed refuse to give it under the Gospel When restor'd Law-life has serv'd its turn in man by his faithful performing Law-service to God therein suppressing the vile affections of the corrupt spirit of Nature 't is to give way to a better guide Christ's Gospel-Spirit or quicken'd up life thereof A Sentence or Judgment of Death upon the restor'd righteous Law-life of man must be submitted to by him with Paul 2 Cor. 1. 9. Law-life and the things thereof the Wisdom Righteousness Beauty Glory Fruits Works Duties Desires Thoughts Words Actions and all manner of performances therein kept up and finally preferr'd to Christ's Gospel-Life and things of God therein is the highest and most criminal Adultery and Murder Ezek. 16. 15 38. There 's an appointed time for Man and Angel too to die Heb. 9. 27. or lose that first-Covenant Law-life which was set up in them by creation The obedient loss of it under the Cross frees man from all guilt contracted by Sins past and all power of sinning any more for ever He thereby ceases from Sin and comes to be justified before God in a newness of life wherein he can never sin 1 Pet. 4. 1. Rom. 6. 7. 1 Joh. 3. 9. A change by the death of Nature of Law-life for Gospel under the working power of the Grace of God brings Men's matters to that blessed pass that no enemies will find any iniquity in them to charge them with nor will God himself Rom. 8. 33 34. Jer. 50. 20. The guilty sinner in the Saint that has committed innumerable 〈◊〉 is dead and gone and a spirit of everlasting Righteousness is become the single and sole principle
AN EXPOSITION OF Ecclesiastes OR The Preacher The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding Job 32. 8. The things of God knoweth no Man but the Spirit of God by which he reveal's them 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. The Spiritual Man discern's all things v. 15. If I pleas'd Men I should not be the Servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. LONDON Printed in the Year 1680. Sold by Samuel Lee at the Feathers in Lombard-Street near Popes-head Alley CHAP. I. Vers. I. The words of the Preacher the Son of David King of Jerusalem THIS Book written by King Solomon about the fourtieth year of his Reign and last of his Life Anno 〈◊〉 3030 is called in Greek Ecclesiastes in Hebrew Choheleth both signifying a caller unto or a gatherer together of Men to declare to them the words of God's Wisdom relating to their everlasting blessedness This is the proper work of the infallible Spirit of Christ in himself and Saints Pro. 1. 20-23 and 8. 1 -9. This living Creature-Word and Wisdom of God is called the Beginning in and by which God created the Heaven and the earth Gen. 1. 1. The purely divine Form of God did by way of emanation or generation not properly creation produce that Supream Creature-form of him in personal Union with it self from everlasting as it self tells us Prov. 8. 22 23. This became his fitted Hand by which to Create the World as also to mediate between meer creaturality in Angels and Men when made and the single infinite Divinity This fountain Creature-Spirit is by Divine Authority called God and asserted to be the immediate Creator of all things John 1. 1 3. Col. 1. 15 16. Yea the Man Christ as the polished Shaft in this hand of God ready to be sent forth in due time is said to be him by whom God made the Worlds Heb. 1 -- 3. Natural and Spiritual by a first and second Creation He gave an Immortality of Being not of Life to Angels and Men by the First but true Life and Immortality are brought to light and set up in them only in and by the Second The First was a mortal Law-life the Second is an everlasting Gospel-Life 2 Tim. 1. 10. Whoever fall short of Christ's Gospel-life as all do that finally refuse to part with their fading Law-life by a holy obedient death of their own Spirit and Nature fall short also of the glory of God never come to see and enjoy the divine glory as Co-heirs with Christ of God This living creating preaching Word and Creature-Wisdom of God is the supream receaver and infallible declarer of the whole counsel of the divine Mind relating to Angels and Men. The words of this living Word will prosper in the thing whereto sent the Eternal Life or Death of the obedient 〈◊〉 or willful rejecters thereof Isa. 55. 11. 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. God effectually makes obedient submitters to and receivers of it Wicked Men and Angels make themselves willful haters final refusers and incorrigible enemies thereof Hos. 13. 9. In this supream Creature-being the original Creature-Book and living Word of God did all things consist or stand up together in a Radical existence before brought forth in their actual subsistencies by Creation In this Book were all our Members written when as yet there was none of them Our substance was not hid from God but seen by him together with all we shall ever come to be or do and all he will do with us to all eternity Psal. 139. 15 16. Seen and known to him were all the works of his hands and all the works of those works Men and Angels towards him before their actual Production or personall Individuation Yea before their said radical Existence There are no Futurities to His infinite Understanding All things past present and to come were ever present to him The Supream Creature-Spirit Word and Wisdom of God is called Man as also are Angels both good and bad The man Gabriel that appeared to Daniel Zachary and Mary Dan. 9. 21. Luk. 1. 19. vers 26 27. was this Creature-Spirit in the Mediator Good Angels also have been frequently represented as and called Men Gen. 18. 2. and other Scriptures Evil Angels also are called Men of sin Sons of Perdition in and with their Luciferian Head 2 Thes. 2. 3. By the communicated Spiritual Light of the Man Christ to Angels and Men can either of them under and with him become true seers of God in his divine and creature-glories so as to be true Preachers and rightly qualified Declarers of his divine and spiritual Things or Truths Such a Seer of God was Solomon the Preacher and Writer of this Book And in the same Light in which a Seer of the things of God was he enabled infallibly to see and declare the Vanity of all first-creation Life and Goodness and the never-fading Glories and excellencies of the Second In the all-penetrating Spirit of true Prophecy did he see the deep things of Gods divinity and the natural and spiritual things of the first and second Creation what each amounted to So could 〈◊〉 with other awakened spiritual Saints infallibly prophesy or foretell what will become of any Men or Angels to Eternity as found rebelliously fixing in their first-creation Life and State of Vanity or obediently surrendring it for the second in Eternal Life or Death In this true spirit of Prophecy did Solomon with his Father David and other Saints find out and set in order many right words words of Truth given from one Shepherd Eccl. 12. 10 11. The spirit of the Lord the rock of Israel spake to and by David His Word saies he was in my tongue 2 Sam. 23. 2 3. Such words only as the Holy Ghost teacheth words of Gods wisdom shew the way of salvation and of scaping damnation Such words only shew those glorious things God hath in everlasting love provided for Saints and the dreadful amazing things he hath in everlasting wrath prepared for incorrigible sinners neither of which can the Eye Ear Heart or Understanding of natural Man or Angel take any right measure or notice of Man and Angel in the utmost wisdom of their own nature are bounded with first-creation vanities for Object of which number its very self is and they therein When view'd in the infallible Light and weighed in the just Ballance of Gods new-creation Sanctuary-Spirit they 'l all be found lighter than vanity t. The Son of David King of Jerusalem So a Type of the Man Christ as Son of the great and originally unchangable Creature-spirit of the Mediator the true King of his New-Jerusalem Saints set up by God on his holy Hill of Zion Psal. 2. 6. John 5. 22. 27. Act. 17. 31 c. Vers. II. Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher Vanity of vanities all is vanity The doubling of the words Vanity of vanities is emphatical more strongly asserting this irrefragable Truth That vain are all things in the first-creation world or natural state of Men and
Angels This say's the Preacher Solomon as turning from his own Wisdom or Understanding and owning the Holy Ghost or New-creature Gospel-spirit of Christ in him the sole dictating Author of this Book Vanity of Vanities in the Hebrew manner of expressing signifies most vain in the superlative degree Man at his best estate and so Angel at his best before the Fall of either were altogether Vanity Psal. 39. 5. and since the Fall are they worse lighter then Vanity it self less then nothing Psal. 62. 9. Isa. 40. 17. Neither of them had at first any durable Life Wisdom 〈◊〉 Glory nothing but what was mortal perishable and vanishing All was but a fading Flower of the first-creation Field or World The utmost growth beauty flourish and fruitfulness of the corruptible seed of God's left-hand planting in them by a first-creation is no more or better And all their best desires births fruits thoughts or actions therein are vanity can never exceed the fading nature and title of the root whence they spring the fleshly Tree of good and evil on which they grow All visible things Glory Riches Power together with the litteral Sun that produces and renders the rest visible are but Vanity of vanities shadows of shadows to wit of the intellectuall 〈◊〉 Sun the first-covenant Spirit with all the inward mystical riches 〈◊〉 wisdom righteousness glories and excellencies produced thereby in the natural first-creation state of Man or Angel at best The most excellent births fruits performances or works of Righteousness brought forth and done but under the impregnating and fructifying influence of the first-covenant Spirit and so of Christ therein as a fleshly Bridegroom to them all these still are but Vanity or vanishing shadows of spiritual heavenly eternal substantial things or truths durable riches everlasting life food and clothing the glory that excells and remains for ever in the New-creation state of Man or Angel All 's but the Life and Image of the earthly in the Spirit of Nature not of the heavenly in the new-creature Spirit of Grace The life wisdom form of godliness righteousness of Man or Angel in their own nature as at first created were real but not true in a Scripture-sense All are but shadows of the everlasting Life power of Godliness wisdom and righteousness of God in the New-creation or Second Covenant Holy flesh cleansed righteous nature and so the common or general Salvation all men are capable since the Fall of being restored into by the Redeemer is but a shadow of true holiness special everlasting salvation in God's holy New-creature spirit of Grace and Truth True godliness the mystery the power of godliness true or everlasting Life Salvation and blessedness the Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God in his New-covenant spirit of Grace none of these true things were possessed by any Angel or Man in the Primitive unstained purity of their 〈◊〉 by the first-creation All these true things of God were represented to them all in the Tree of true Life by way of Object as what God had in reserve to bestow upon them by a new-creation on their obedient surrender and parting with that mortal Life and State they received by the first God calls what he gave them by the first-creation their own their life wisdom righteousness c. What he offers them by a new-creation he calls his own his life wisdom righteousness c. All men that Satan can bring to savour only the natural things of Man or Angel and never at all the spiritual new-creature things of Christ and God Mat. 16. 23. are fixed with him in unchangable enmity to God The New-creature Life and things God calls his own are transcendently superiour to Man's own as the Litteral Heavens are above the Earth The duplication of this Hebrew superlative the double Out-cry or Proclamation here implies the absolute certainty and great importance of the assertion as also that Solomon would have the thing here proclaim'd understood as the sum or compend of this whole Book which he explains by degrees in the various parts thereof What he indistinctly and as in a transport cries out of as Vanity of vanities he begins to lodg and fix his meaning in saying All is vanity And this All yet as somewhat indistinct is after limited within its due bounds yet allowed its full extent and circumference over and over in this first Chapter All things under heaven under the sun all earthly mortal life and goodness received by Man or Angel in their first-creation all below what is heavenly spiritual and everlasting in and by the second are vanity or vanishing perishing things however good in their kind and useful in their place This fixes and compleats this leading Proposition and Foundation of the ensuing Discourse All visible things under the litteral Sun depending on its influence as a concurring second Cause of their Production and Preservation and rendred visible by its light and then all the invisible things of Man and Angel all the Life Wisdom Righteousness Excellencies Glories and all the Desires Thoughts and Operations of their invisible immortal spirits under the mystical first-creation Sun or first-covenant spirit of nature in the Mediator all these things are comprehended under the title Vanity All their counsels studies purposes and contrivances for true happiness within the compass and in the single activity of that natural state or life life and all all is Vanity Vanity is written out upon Tree and Fruit Root and Branch Principle and Operations throughout in that state of both The infallible new-creature spirit of true Prophecy declares this concerning all the goodness life or 〈◊〉 found in the old natural first-creation state of Angel and Man This Spirit in Christ and awakened spiritual Saints can prophesy or certainly fore-tell what will become of any man as finally rejecting or complying with its reproofs of Death on his own spirit of Nature and instructions of Life in God's Spirit of Grace in Eternal Life or Death This New-creature spirit of Life and true Prophesy is below the infinite Divinity but transcendently above all natural first-creation Life and Things in Man or Angel Paul in all the Light Wisdom and Righteousness of his restor'd naturalls Phil. 3. 4 6. Was exceedingly mad against Christ's Gospel Truths and Saints Acts 26. 11. What work then is Man though wise strong and honourable in Christ 1 Cor. 4. 10. as to 〈◊〉 covenant attainments like to make of it at Gospel or shewing the true way of Salvation God knows all the Thoughts of man in his highest wisdom to be 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3. 20. All purely divine things the deep things of God and all spiritual heavenly new-creation things lye clear out of the reach of all single natural understanding of man or angel 1 Cor. 2. 9-14 Their vain wisdom has nothing but Vanity for its immediately discernable Object If we extend this all is Vanity beyond the sphere of natural to divine or spiritual creature-things we blaspheme If we
whom the Lord abhorreth Psal. 10. 3. as they him and his true What profit then can man expect of all his labour under the Sun in but a first-covenant Life and Righteousness Nothing below the Holy Ghost or new-creature constant right steddy Spirit Psal. 51. 10. and principle of everlasting righteousness signifies any thing as to his true salvation When he reckons he has all he has nothing of durable life riches food or clothing but is wretched miserable poor blind and naked The wisdom of self-confident man misses the design and principal intendment of God in the whole Scripture To preach up the righteousness of man in the first-covenant-law is good in its kind But to assert this to be an everlasting Gospel-life or state of true salvation is the highest evil the very doctrine Satan preach'd to Eve Ye shall not dye at all the Life ye have in the first-creation that 's but natural is eternal This is Man's and Satan's accursed other Gospel handed to men with great confidence in the words of their twisted humane and Serpentine wisdom's To establish and warrant men in their own righteousness holy flesh for salvation is the very doctrine of devils 'T is a setting up of Man and Angel in their spirit of Nature against God's Spirit of Grace and Truth All that finally persist in this Doctrine and way in stead of the Saints everlasting rest will 〈◊〉 the Lake of fire and brimstone prepared for the Devil and his Angels Enmity to God and his Gospel-Spirit is inseperable from the restored first-covenant life of the Law in man yea gets strength courage credit and great authority by the comming of the command or fresh setting up that lost life in him by the Redeemer as Paul found Rom. 7. While then men are heaping up riches and reckon they are doing well to themselves there so as to despise the riches of God's goodness they are treasuring up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath Their moth-eaten cankred rusty corruptible Riches mystical as well as litteral will testify against them in God's day for trusting in them in their day on earth against all his faithful warnings to the contrary Jam. 5. 1-3 Vers. IV. One generation passeth away and another generation commeth but the earth abideth for ever Eternity and Immutability are the requisite Adjuncts of that wherein man's true felicity consists He must look for it in things Eternal or never find it And these are not seen by natural understanding 2 Cor. 4. 18. The litteral sense of these words is evident to the common understanding and universal experience of mankind The spiritual is a mystery to the highest wisdom of the most enlightned righteous party of men in but their own single spirit of nature short of spiritual light Man therein esteems and values only the cleans'd 〈◊〉 rich and fruitful mystical House or Land of his own Nature as that which will continue for ever So desires it may be called by his own Name This is the inward thought of the wise rich and full first-covenant Saint in his holy 〈◊〉 the sandy-foundation'd building though he see such holy wise men perish as well as brutish fools in the corrupt life of nature Psal. 49. 10. 11. Man's calling his Lands or outward possessions by his own Name is the litteral shadow of this mystical folly Yet 〈◊〉 posterity approve 〈◊〉 sayings vers 13. steer the same course do the same things and so generation after generation go to the same 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and death where they never see Light vers 19. Through the unsuspected wiles of the old Serpent are new raw stagers 〈◊〉 one after another in the fame 〈◊〉 They reject the voice and instructions of true Wisdom as the greatest folly They say to true Seers see not prophesy not unto us right things They hate the Lord's Prophets as Ahab Micajah embrace Satan's with their smooth words of deceit Isa. 30. 9 10. Thus one generation of visible Saints in holy flesh after another passes away into the same dismal end eternal death as found from first to last a serpentine generation of vipers fixed in enmity to Gods holy spirit They say they are true spiritual Jews but Christ sayes they are of the synagogue of satan Rev. 3. 9. This generation passes away and yet passes not away Mat. 24. 3 4. though alwayes passing How So Why new commers into this world still keep up the old Trade the same spirit Principles and Perswasions all along Satan's reign from the beginning to the ending thereof A fresh supply of new Teachers and Hearers carry on Satan's work to their own eternal ruine t. But the Earth abideth for ever That is Man 's and Angels immortal Spirits in the earthy leaky first-creation make thereof All of them that refuse to have that first-creation building taken down in order to become new Bottles or Vessels by Christ's new-creation workmanship fitted to hold the new-wine or Spirit of his Kingdom do through the immortality of their beings become the subjects of God's unchangable wrath for their unchangable enmity to him by which they have made themselves Vessels of dishonour and everlasting contempt This is such recompence of their error as is meet even the vengeance of Eternal Fire Rom. 1. 27. Jude 7. on mystical more than litteral Sodom Mat. 11. 24. All that yield up all received in the first-creation to be filled and clothed with the everlasting life and righteousness of the second become Vessels of honour glory immortality and eternal Life Vers. V. The Sun also ariseth and the Sun goeth down and hasteth to or panteth aster his place where he arose The litteral Sun that has a causal influence on all the visible parts of this World is vanity 'T is restless in its motion and revolution direct and periodical And this yet is but a shadow of the invisible first-creation Sun the first-covenant-spirit of the Law under which Men and Angels were created and Christ himself in our flesh was made Gal. 4. 4. Under and by the causal influence of this in Christ's Person as a fleshly-bridegroom to first-covenant Saints in holy flesh are all such righteous fruits and works brought forth and done as have bin found in a restored enlightned sort of Professors and People since the fall or in Man and Angels before the Fall This mystical first-creation Sun is yet but a shadow or figure of the seven-fold and seventy times seven-fold brighter spiritual intellectual new-creation Sun of everlasting righteousness the Holy Ghost or new-covenant new-creature spirit in Christ's person of which all new-creatures are born and under the cherishing influence thereof enabled to bring forth fruits unto God in a newness of Life All thus brought under this Law of the spirit of Life are made new Bottles Vessels of honour and eternal Life and no other This is the Sun Mal. 4. 2. Through this most glorious creature-Sun in the Mediator as the 〈◊〉 Chrystaline Medium or transparent Sea of
returning thereunto as in unchangable union therewith can truly satisfy it Vers. VIII All things are full of labour man cannot utter it the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing Man in his natural first-creation state at best in all possible attainments and contentments thereof is but labouring in vanity from first to last and his misery therein not to be conceived or uttered by him Everlasting perplexity and unutterable vexation of spirit will inevitably seize him for ever after all his doating mirth in his fools paradise here if he get not out of this finfull folly and madness The understanding or eye ear and heart of his immortal spirit in the best natural state thereof cannot see hear desire take in or enjoy the divine and eternal spiritual creature-things of God provided in the Mediatour for them that love him which alone can answer all the wants of their immortal spirits not onely to satisfaction but extasy and wonder to all eternity A new spiritual eye ear intellect and palate are absolutely necessary for mans rightly taking in seeing hearing savouring enjoying and delighting in these things of God But how or which way must or can man come by these spiritual senses eye ear palate and understanding By the assimilating regenerating touch of Christ's new-creature heavenly spirit on man's natural and earthly Man obediently submitting to the death-work of Christ's heavenly priestly spirit as himself did in our spotless fleshly nature offering it up in sacrifice to the will of God in the fire thereof Heb. 9. 14. kindling that fire on the earth or earthly state of our nature in himself Luk. 12. 49-51 by this means and way only can any truly please God effectually resist and overcome world and devil scape eternal death or find eternall life in the senses whereof to be satisfied with seeing and filled with hearing He must be content to have his right eye hand and foot plucked out cut off and cast away to part with and lose the best discerning wisdom and light the exactest working righteousnes and walking righteously in his own renewed natural state offended at the cross signified by eye hand and foot in order to be filled with another life springing up from the incorruptible seed thereof as begotten and born of the spirit or ever-living word of God 1 Pet. 1. 23. in which alone he can see hear work righteousness or walk with a right foot according to the gospel of the grace of God so as truly to please God or find true blessedness for himself where his eye ear and heart can take in what will fully answer all the wants or desires of his immortal spirit to eternity Thus only can man come so to delight in the Lord as to have the whole desire of his heart Psal. 37. 4 all the needs of his immortal being eternally over-answered in such enjoyments and things as the natural eye ear or heart of Angel or Man can never see hear desire understand or take any right measure and cognizance of 1 Cor. 2. 9. By submitting to the death of nature at best under the hand of the gospel-high priest of our profession Heb. 3. 1. as himselfe in our nature did can these things be brought to pass The promise of the father will be certainly performed by the son for the quickning us up out of the death of our obediently sacrificed nature into the life of the true Melchisedec or sacrificing High Priest of God So shall we come to have an eye that can be satisfied with seeing and an ear filled with hearing in the fight and enjoyment not only of the Rivers of true Life in the creature-spirit of the Mediator but infinite divine Ocean-fullness of God most high The natural Eye Ear Heart and Understanding have nothing for Object of the desire and thought of Man but a heap of perishing visible or invisible vanities that can never answer the wants of his immortal being All his appetite there is but a belly for meats and meats for a belly that God will destroy both one and t'other 1 Cor. 6. 13. desires and desirables which are all Vanity Man in whatsoever variety of his own nature then is vainly labouring under an impossibility of pleasing God or profiting himself as to true blessedness All he does in his natural state or Body the restored living soul and Image of the earthly is but bodily exercise 1 Cor. 15. 44-49 1 Tim. 4. 8. Man by trusting and establishing himself in his righteous Law-life becomes the unchangable enemy of God and his Gospel-life and Truths Filth of flesh or spirit an enmity to the divine and everlasting righteous creature-spirit of Christ and God fixed in makes Men a litteral or mystical Sodom to which the vengeance of eternal sire is the meet recompence When Man is once come to this pass all his labours are but as the tossings and uncertain tumblings of a raging foaming Sea casting up mire and dirt 〈◊〉 of flesh or spirit Isa. 57. 20. No peace with God no peaceable fruits of righteousness to God in a fixed spirit of enmity to him These can only be found and brought forth in that Gospel spirit of truth which is called Love as unchangably loving and beloved of God the fulfiller of his whole Law Rom. 〈◊〉 10. in every point in the full comprehensive litteral and mystical meaning thereof the fulfiller of all righteousness God's and Man's to God's well-pleasing and Man's Salvation Man establish'd in the most righteous Life of his own nature and so in unchangable enmity to the Righteousness of God in his spirit of Grace is unchangably wicked He walkes but in a vain shew a troublesome dream disquiets himself in vain heaps up Riches and knows not who shall gather them Psal. 39. 6. Christ by the same Cross or spiritual Gospel-Sword and Fire in final wrath will seize gather take and consume all which had they obediently submitted to as offer'd to be brought upon them in Love he would have given them his durable Riches and everlasting Life in the room thereof and so a spiritual Eye that should have bin satisfied with seeing and an Ear that would have bin filled with hearing Without Gospel-exchange-Traffick of Nature for Grace the Life of Man for God's of the Creature for the Creator's who is God blessed for ever we never find true satisfaction In his own nature Man trades only in shadows will never make any thing on 't to purpose That Life and all it feeds on are but vanishing shadows all the visible and invisible goodnesses thereof but fading flowers All that willfully and knowingly spend their days in such vanities will in a moment go down to the grave and all their thoughts perish Job 21. 13. All their beauty will be consumed in the grave from their dwellings Psal. 49. 14. This will men come to by the willful neglect of this timely warning from God that the inmost Eye and Ear of their Immortal Spirit in
the worldly Life of their own Nature can never be satisfied or find any durable good for its portion Unhappy man in all possible variety of his own nature corrupt or righteous foolish or wise wholly eyes doats upon chuses delights in and hunts after perishing vanities which God calls things that are not and turns his back upon all things spiritual and eternal as Chimaerical nothings which God calls the only things that are Vers. IX The thing that hath been is that which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sun There 's no new thing to be found in the first-creation worldly spirit of nature under the mystical Sun or first-covenant spirit nothing of the new-creature spirit of everlasting righteousness no things of God or his kingdom things spiritual heavenly eternal things ever new fresh green and flourishing Man and Angels as soon as made were old that is had no life or goodness but what was subject to mystical gray hairs decayes old age and death These are the several steps by which the mortal life and best things put into or set up in Angel or man come to expire and vanish All vanity All their fading goodness when they flourish therein as a green Bay-tree Psal. 37. 35. 36 carries mortality and vanity written out in its forehead has a day of adversity set over against their utmost prosperity therein The thing that hath bin is that which shall be The sinless Innocent state of man at first is that which shall be generally experienc'd on earth under the reign of Christ again At entrance thereof he will give a restitution of all to their primitive natural purity Act. 3. 21. Some gradual restorations of the first-covenant light or also life man was created in under Law and Gospel and before either were put into written oracles have bin experienced more or less by all men from the redeemers hand the light that lighteth every man that comes into the world What all such light life wisdom righteousness or 〈◊〉 works duties and performances thereof and in amount unto has bin sufficiently experienced This spirit or state is so far at best from being any security to man for salvation that a false confidence and resting therein is his sore and remediless destruction Mic. 2. 10. Men bring forth fruit but to themselves in all this at best are empty vines to God Hos. 10. 1. They never bring forth fruit unto God but in his newness of life as born of living and walking in his spirit of grace All in nature best or worst Root and Branch the fleshly Tree of good and evil with the fruit all 's but a perishing vanity There is nothing new to be done or found therein as the innumerable multitude of mankind have experienced generation after generation For Vers. X. Is there any thing whereof it may be said see this is new it hath bin already of Old time which was before us Satan is ready to suggest and man as ready to believe there is some new thing in the but renewed old nature of man beyond what at first was in it All men are experimental witnesses of Satan's first lie to Eve that the life of nature given in the first-creation was eternal and that they should not Die at all No such thing as Death incident to it But this life renewed and confirmed by the second Adam sayes Satan and Man joynes in it is Eternal But this confirming and warranting man safe in the established life and righteousness of restored nature is Satans doctrine and Man 's accursed other Gospel Christ restores mans lost first-covenant law-life Satan asserts this to be a Gospel state and man agrees to take it so and look no farther for salvation As soon as any are renewed by Christ into some degree of the lost righteous life of nature Satan is at their Elbow with the same lying Suggestion as to Eve this is Eternal Life ye shall not Die at all Paul not without a cause was afraid and Jealous of the Serpents thus beguiling the Corinthians through his subtilty as he did Eve 2 Cor. 11. 2 3. This is his other Gospel in a perfect contrariety to every tittle of Christ's v. 4 another Jesus another spirit and state of life for salvation in direct contradiction to all Paul preached which nor Paul nor any true Gospel-preacher ought to let passe undiscovered and uncontrolled Fixing in nature at best for salvation is union with the Devil in unchangable enmity to God and his new-creature spirit in which ever any could be saved Under Satans reign nature is seldom fully restored in man from filth of flesh And filth of spirit or enmity to God and his spirit of truth is inseperable from the highest restorations of it till the Reign of Christ. Yet under all these disadvantages and shortnesses of primitive purity is it when restored asserted to be better and safer then that for Salvation This Satan most wickedly suggests and Man most foolishly believes to his own destruction as he will find at winding up Thus Satan and his Apostles transformed into the likeness of Christ and his in word and language preach up restored nature a-fresh for a currant Gospel-state of absolute salvation in which men are under an absolute impossibility of ever finding it All the inticing and perswasive words of Satan's and Man 's serpentine and humane wisdom look and run this way Scripture interrogatories are the strongest assertions Is there anything new any newnes of life in mans restored Old nothing of it whatever can be found in this restored state has bin already of Old time before us in the unstained purity of it in Adam who yet was not fence-proof against Satans charming wiles and power T was then perfect in its kind rarely yet so since T was but a corruptible perfection of a loseable goodness And lost it was Most vain mad and unprofitable then is all Man's labour since the fall in seeking for asserting or undertaking to prove eternal spiritual life to be found in fading natural Man now in his best restored naturals is tainted with a treasonable Enmity to God and that spirit in which alone any can be saved Paul in his restored righteous law-life of nature was a fierce enemy to the spirit of grace and all the gospel-Gospel-truths or things thereof After the universal experience of man-kind and universal warnings of true wisdom to the contrary to preach up Salvation in the but restored first-covenant righteous life of nature is unexcusable madnes True Wisdome calls out to these simple stragglers and wanderers after Vanity with their backs willfully turned upon him and all his Reproofs of death upon Nature and instructions of Life in his Spirit of Grace How long re simple ones will ye love simplicity delight in scorning my counsel and hate true knowledge Prov. 1. 22. Turn from your own Understanding at my reproof and I 'le pour my
God Joh. 3. 21. and God works all our works in us and for us We therein are co-workers with God All such works are ever acceptable to him and most easy delightful and profitable to man What all works in man's earthly Life and Nature under Heaven amount unto we find yet farther Vers. 14. I have seen all the works that are done under the Sun and behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit Solomon in the new light and wisdom of God positively concludes the most rectified Principles of nature and man's utmost fruitfulness exactest walking best works designs counsels thoughts and purposes therein to be but vanity in themselves and vexation of spirit to himself The more rich and full Man is in the righteousness wisdom and glory of his own nature the more apt to grow offended at the Cross that comes to seize and set fire on all and hereby the more is God offended at him A confidence in such encreasing riches as are but vanity encreases vexation of spirit every way Vers. 15. That which is crooked cannot be made straight and that which is wanting cannot be numbred Humane nature at best in innocency as liable to wax old decay and die in all the Wisdom Life and Glory of it and as liable to corrupt and be depraved through Man's evil use of all in preference and opposition to what 's more excellent might be called old and crooked But since the fall 't is actually and apparently so A glory it had which was no glory to the glory that excells and remains for ever in new-creation Life The Life Wisdom Righteousnes of man in his first created state was no Life Wisdom Righteousnes in respect of what is given to and set up in him by the second is admitted no comparison looked upon as nothing to it is to be folded up and laid aside as an old garment for it God himself thus handles all the first-creation works of his own hands Isa. 34. 4. 66. 1 2. Heb. 1. 10-12 Man though made perfect and upright at first all the life and goodness he was possessed of was corruptible and changable though not corrupt So not to be compared with the incorruptible unchangable everlasting Life Wisdom Righteousnes and Glory of God set up in and put upon man by a new-creation Man's and Angels attempts and designs for holding fast making straight and establishing themselves in their natural first-creation Life which God hath made crooked 〈◊〉 7. 13. in opposition to his offered straight and incorruptibly perfect new-creation life is peerless madness and inexcusable folly God requires them both and all to part with their own crooked life how ever straight in their Eye for his own absolutly straight and incorruptibly perfect new-creation life which only is straight in his Eye But farther what God made 〈◊〉 to crookednes and in that sense crooked fallen Angels and Man have made actually perverse crooked and tortuous In evil Angels t is made unchangably so in rebellion against God and a justling competition with his unchangably straight new-creation life In fallen man enmity to God and his everlasting righteous creature-life is inseperable from his natural state and life however restored But both that enmity and his life are seperable from him by his obedient death in sacrifice to God on which he receives thepromise of the Father the unchangably straight new-creature life of the Son Evil Angels are continually at it with Men follow them closs with this lying suggestion that their but restored righteous natural state is the straight thing in God's sight as well as theirs which will give them entrance into the kingdom of God Multitudes multitudes all along this World under Satan's reign have drunk in this serpentine venom to their eternal ruin as will appear in the valley of decision Fixure in the life of nature corrupt or righteous renders men litteral or mystical Sodomites both most Crooked perverse and abominable in God's sight and thoughts be what they will in their own Such establishment in the righteousnes of Man as is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God Such an evil concupiscence lust or covetousnes after and delight in the mysticall riches fruits wisdom glory and righteousness of their own nature or house as makes them finally to despise the durable riches wisdom life and glory of God in that spirit of grace which is his house and to refuse the required exchang of all their fading vanities for them is death without mercy Thus do men by an evil covetousnes to their own house consult shame to themselves and get everlasting contempt as vessels of dishonour Hab. 2. 9 10. This did the Pharises who were thus covetous Luk. 16. 14 15. This fixes man in an unchangable bloody mind of enmity to the constant steady right Psa. 51. 10. unchangably straight creature-creature-spirit of everlasting righteousness and truth and to God most high The defects of man or what is wanting to him for eternal Life in his own nature corrupt or righteous from which since the fall filth of flesh or spirit are inseperable cannot be numbred For he wants every thing all things Spiritual Heavenly and Eternall and must part with every thing he has for them Till poor desolate and undone in himself he cannot be rich and strong in God till impoverished even to death in his own spirit not rich in God's but wretched poor blind and naked destitute of and wanting all things for eternal Life Enmity to God and that Spirit of Grace in which alone any can be saved is as inseperable from man in the corrupt or righteous Life of his own spirit of nature as the Ethiopian hiew or Leopards spots from them Jer. 13. 23. Till the said exchang by death be obediently yielded to the terms God's wisdom put 's on man as his part in order to an entrance into his new and everlasting covenant-life on which he will certainly perform his part of that covenant in giving him that life the things man wants for salvation cannot be numbered All the numberless spiritual new-creation things the everlasting creature-Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God with the innumerable fruits to be brought forth by men therein to God and the innumerable fruits of Gods love therein 〈◊〉 man Love Joy Peace c. Gal. 5. 22 23. All these things are wanting that is every thing Vers. XVI I communed with mine own heart saying Lo I am come to great estate and have gotten more wisdom then all they that have bin before me in Jerusalem yea my heart had great experience Heb. seen much of wisdom and knowledg Solomon was eminent in mystical earthly-Jerusalem life and in the Ornaments or excellent best and most spiritual inlightning gifts of the Heavenly In this super-eminent wisdom and understanding the vain thought and pussing up Imagination of his own heart was that he now wanted nothing for the rendring him compleatly happy His wisdom and largeness of heart was as the
Sand on the Sea-shore 1 Kings 4. 29. The mystical inward riches of his restored adorned nature rendred him as much above others therein as in outward worldly greatness and visible pompe And he resolved to make the best of all these advantages offered him try what they all amounted to not without a secret hopeful-thought of finding absolute blessedness therein Vers. XVII And I gave my heart to know Wisdom and to know Madness and Folly I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit Here 's that he find's all to amount unto Wisdom Righteousness Wickedness Madness Folly all within the compass of Man's natural state corrupt or righteous vanity and if finally trusted in for blessedness will leave Man to his sore and amazing disappointment in eternal darkness and death unutterable torment and everlasting vexation of spirit as his due portion the meet recompence of his errour from God Solomon found the search after all Earthly vanities all things under Heaven or below what is heavenly a sore travel vers 13. a grievous labour man little the better when he has found them For setting himself to experience what the utmost pleasures to be had in all amounted to as gratifying to all variety of life and desire in him sensuall or intellectual he found all such knowledg and folly in corrupt or righteous nature and all such practice and experience vanity and vexation of spirit He was qualified and furnished to take the largest and deepest draughts as to all delights of the Sons of Men and take them he did and this he found all to be Though he found wisdom acquired or infused nature cultivated advanced and adorned by humane learning in Heathens or made wise strong and honourable in Christ by his restoring the lost righteous first-covenant life thereof better then the folly of dark ignorant uncultivated and unrenewed nature yet he found that all these varieties in nature fall under the same general title vanity and vexation of spirit This is the conclusion he arrives at in the preaching all-searching spirit of infallible truth All Wisdom Folly Light Darkness Righteousness Wickedness in man's natural state which he had taken the liberty to experience as well as know all is vanity This is King Solomon's Proclamation and warning to his fellow-mortals and the true King Solomon's faithfull and timely warning to all man-kind in all generations Prov. 1. 20 c. 8. 1 c. Final disappointment torment and vexation will befall all that finally fall short of true substantial divine and spiritual things in which alone true blessedness can ever befound Vers. XVIII For in much wisdom is much grief and he that encreaseth knowledg increaseth sorrow All increasings with the encreases of man in the fading Life Wisdom Riches Righteousness and Glory of his own nature not of God in the everlasting Life Wisdom Glory and righteousnes things of God are but additions to and multiplications of his sorrow in getting keeping and then loosing all again For all must go first or last by the dispensation of the Cross in love or final wrath upon every Man and Angel Men cannot but have misgiving thoughts from the self-evidencing nature of the perishableness of all they can be there possess'd of that all will be gone again So are all their life time therein subject to bondage in the highest glory and flourish thereof through a fear by death of losing all Heb. 2. 15. Job declares that as safe as he was apt to 〈◊〉 himself to be in the highest righteousness wisdom and glory of his own nature in afirst-covenant-life he had a secret bottom-fear all would fail him The thing I greatly fear'd is come upon me Job 3. 25 26. I find I had nothing of that true safety rest or quiet in the utmost wisdom and glory of my own restored nature that I fondly flatter'd my self into the false perswasion of He found all death-struck by the Cross the very righteous life and mystical riches of his spirit as well as outward concerns of his body His secret fear was the truest thought and faithful 〈◊〉 of him as to what he was to expect at winding up Man's encrease in the wisdom and knowledg of his own nature amounts but to the cleerer sight of the miseries and defects of himself and others therein and all such wisdom shews it self insufficient to correct his own or others errours Young sciolists are apt presently to think they know all but when they have travelled farther in their inquiries come with Socrates to see and confess they know only this that they know nothing with certainty infallibly and so find no rest or satisfaction in all they find Yea and are still more and more vexed and press'd thereby with the foresight of future evils incident to them The wisest man will more and more find himself in the exercise of his own wisdom as to things past present or to come but in a self-tormenting labyrinth and 〈◊〉 maze of vaine self-bewildring imaginations All knowledg and thoughts depending on the temper and fitness of bodily Organs are enfeebled in the old age and at length quite extinguished at the death of the body Then that all that sort of thoughts perish all see Again the higher man's light and knowledg if uncompliant therewith in practice the heavier he knows will the wrath of God be upon him for ever Thus the sad and inevitable result af all Man's encrease in his own wisdom and knowledg is the encrease and aggravation of his sin and sorrow at every turn Lastly the higher man is advanc'd in the life riches wisdom and righteousness of his own spirit the more apt with Paul to be a fierce zelot for that law-life and forwardest opposer of the everlasting Gospel-life of Christ and all the words thereof The Cross seemes a harder dispensation to the righteous Scribe and Phaisee that have much to lose then to Publicans Harlots in the corrupt life of nature who therefore as more easily induced to submit to and own the doctrine thereof enter into the Kingdom of God before them The mysticall rich young man went away very sorrowful when he heard of parting with all he had for eternal life Zaccheus and Mary-Magdalen did not so Final trusting in the corruptible life riches wisdom and righteousness of man render's entering into the kingdom of God absolutely impossible Mar. 10. 24 25. The very Disciples acquainted yet only with first-covenant riches were astonished out of measure at this word saying among themselves who then can be saved vers 26. Encrease in outward riches also and in that wisdom and subtlety by which gotten and for a season kept all such riches pomp and glory therein as figures and shadows of inward are usually found to be but the amusing snares of Satan by which he keep 's men in a total mindlesness of truelife with all the words thereof and leads them blindfold to the chambers of Death in Mirth and Jollity Job 21. 7-13 Thus are
deep dark dungeon and miry pit of all sorts of filth of flesh or spirit a litteral or mystical Sodom in the corrupt or righteous life thereof in the dark as to the excellent things God offers and wholly disposed and inclined to close with Satan's offers out of his vast heap of perishing vanities Merriment and Jollity in such a destructive course is madness God therefore calls man into a state of poverty mourning and death as to all this life of vanity and that as the only possible way of his deliverance from all evil Prov. 1. 33. Vers. III. I sought in mine heart to give my self unto wine yet acquainting my heart with Wisdom and to lay hold on Folly till I might see what was that good for the Sons of men which they should do under the Heaven all the dayes of their life Vers. IV. I made me great Works I builded me Houses I planted me Vineyards Vers. V. I made me Gardens and Orchards and I planted Trees in them of all kind of Fruits Vers. VI. I made me Pooles of Water to water therewith the Wood that bringeth forth Trees Vers. VII I got me Servants and Maidens and had Servants born in my House also I had great Possessions of great and smal Cattel above all that were in Jerusalem before me Vers. VIII I gathered me also silver and gold and the peculiar treasure of Kings and of the Provinces I gat me Men-singers and Women-singers and the delights of the sons of men as musical Instruments and that of all sorts Vers. IX So I was great and increased more then all that were before me in Jerusalem also my Wisdom remained with me Vers. X. And whatsoever mine Eyes desired I kept not from them I withheld not my heart from any Joy for my heart rejoyced in all my labour and this was my portion of all my labour Here 's in Letter a larg account of Solomon's most desireable circumstances as to his outward condition in this World He excell'd other Kings in all kind of wealth wisdom greatness and honour 1 Kings 10. 23. Of all worldly contentments he had more then heart could wish And he set his heart to deny no desires thereof but fetcht up the utmost pleasure and satisfaction to himself that all these things could afford him To interpret then Every outward circumstance was figurative to the inward condition and mystical riches of his spirit All import in mystery his beautiful structure in the glory and wisdom of a first-covenant life and the workes of his own hands therein All this Paul counted dung and parted with for the riches wisdom and righteousness of God in his gospel-Gospel-spirit of grace and truth Phil. 3. 6-9 The wisdom inward beauties and excellent natural accomplishments of Solomon's spirit are here represented by stately Houses fruitfull Gardens Orchards c. At length in the awaken'd principle of true wisdom from the Fountain of living Waters he sees and declares the vanity of his broken Cistern or leaky natural Vessel with all the fading Waters buildings plantings and fruitfulnesses thereof All within man and all from without relating to him in this world is but Meats for a belly and a belly for Meats all perishing vanities God will destroy all belly and meats desires and desireables All confidence laughter mirth and joy therein is folly and madness All natural perfections and excellencies in the unstain'd purity of his first-creation state together with the convincing discoveries and revelations of the spiritual perfections and excellencies of the second soon ran out of the leaky natural Vessel of the first Adam He did not long keep the twofold waters of first-covenant Life or second-covenant Light the loss of both soon left him and all his posterity in darkness and death Dead in 〈◊〉 and sins Solomon finds all his natural braveries outward or inward but tottering Houses leaky Vessels all his possessions therein altogether vanity In the infallible light of spiritual wisdom he makes a right judgment of his natural principle and all fruits works or buildings therein typed by the abundant litteral varieties of pompous Houses Plantations c. All is vanity say's he This is the result this his verdict on the review of all after his full trial largest draughts and utmost experience of all possible desireables or satisfactions to be found in nature To particularize farther Men-singers and Women-singers may sitly signify the well-tuned frame and pleasant harmony of Solomons spirit in the orderly comportment and beautiful subjection of the sensual to his rational and intellectual powers figured by great and small Cattel making up but the humane Beast in scripture Language Every man is a Beast by his own knowledg in the utmost wisdom of his own nature earthly sensual so all in Man or Angel is call'd short of spiritual new-creation life having not the spirit Jude 19. so if fixed in devilish by unchangable enmity to that spirit and God most high Jam. 3. 15. The head of fallen Angels in the fading glory of first-creation life rebelliously exalted against the second is the most subtil beast in the first world or field Gen. 3. 1. Solomon gathered Silver and Gold was great and encreased more then all before him in Jerusalem mystical Gold and Silver the peculiar treasure of Kings such Princes of this world Scribes Pharisees c. in the riches flourish and fruitfulness of their own restored nature made wise strong and honourable by and in Christ there as crucified the prince of life in the next the Lord of Glory In sum he exceeded all such mysticall 1 Cor. 4. 8. as well as litteral Kings of the earth for wisdom and for riches inward and outward And his great delight in both and all is figured by Men and Women-singers with musical Instruments of all sorts importing his full injoyment of the utmost delights of the Sons of Men nature in it's most widen'd capacity can take in Whatever his eyes desired he kept not from them nor withheld his heart from any joy He allowed himself a latitude of rambling to take his utmost pleasure in all the litteral and all the mystical riches and fruits of his labours He rejoyced in this portion as the result of all his labour reckoning he had ground so to do The wisdom of God that remained with him in under all this doings was the only preservative in him that kept him from sinking and drowning in this full tide and affluence of all worldly desireables streaming into him He gives proof of the awakened exercise of this wisdom in this recantation-book and of the contrary Judgment thereof to man's at best as to the things wherein his true hapiness lies In the hurry of his busy active natural mind in worldly contrivances and enjoyments this true wisdom in him lay sorely clouded obstructed silenced and neglected But at last up it gets under Christ's powerful influence and pronounces himself and all his former designs works and injoyments in his own
As figure and shadow of his meaning herein 't is with many the whole design of all their Labours and Travels to heap up outward treasures to themselves and leave to their Posterity great Possessions call'd after their own Name as if they had any concern therein when deceased or any relief thereby when with Dives tormented in the flames of God's Wrath. And as to any advantage to Posterity how know they but their Successors will blot out and deface by their unwise and sinful practices what they got by their wise and honest labours though great things of that sort are seldom so gotten Such great things puff up and are oft the ruine of those that come after them This was Solomons own case in his foolish Son Rhehoboam who following the rash dictates of ignorant young 〈◊〉 and rejecting the sage counsel of grave Senators that stood before his Father disobliged the People lost ten parts of his Kingdom at first entrance on his Government and he and his Successors held the rest not without great confusions troubles and desolating Wars with the Kings of Israel their Brethren and from such Nations round about as were common enemies to both Moab Ammon 〈◊〉 Edom Philistines c. 1 King 12. Yet is this but the lowest and least part of Solomon's meaning in these and the following words Vers. XIX And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise Man or a fool Yet shall he have Rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured and wherein I have shew'd my self wise under the Sun This is also vanity Here is a deep mystical Truth The fading Laodicean Riches and great Possessions treasured up in and by the fruitful exercise of my own spirit in the restored first-covenant Life of the Law Who knoweth 〈◊〉 a wise Man or a fool shall get and rule over it Whether the supreamly wise man Christ himself by his Gospel-sicle Sword or Cross as freely and obediently surrendred to him or the Man of sin and Son of Perdition the greatest mystical Fool the Devil Those that give up themselves and all Christ's gifts to them of first-covenant Life Wisdom and Ornaments and second-covenant Light with all their fruits and effects brought forth therein mystical Corn Wine Oil Silver and Gold to Baal or Moloch the Lord or King and god of this World are willing he should reap and gather all and so use all Christ's own gifts to them and all the fruits of their own labours therein against Christ and God himself to their own destruction as qualified thereby to be the most gygantick opposers fighters against God Man walk's in a vain shew disquiets himself in vain heaping up Riches and not knowing who shall gather them Psal. 39. 6. Till Man come to a resolution whose Arms he will cast himself into with his changable Life and Riches Christ's or the Devil's in order to be fix'd in the unchangably good Spirit of the former or evil one of the latter He knows not who shall gather all or what will become of him and all he has gotten One of these will certainly gather all in conclusion All puffed up self-exalters against Christ give themselves and all they have into the hands of that Lucifcrian Head and King over all such children of Pride Job 41. 34. receiving his spirit of unchangable enmity to God for the Principle of their Life Desire Thought and Action All fixed first-covenant Kings are absolutely engag'd in Satan's reign in perfect opposition to Christ and his invisible Saints whose saintship or spiritual Life is hid with Christ in God till Christs second appearing and rendring it visible in himself and them which will be the Manifestation of the Sons of God Christ offers true freedom to all even the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God But multitudes of enlightned holy first-covenant Professors and no better whatever they reckon themselves chuse rather for self-preservation against the Cross to be slaves of the Devil the arrantest slave of all and so to have their eares boared as his servants for ever on their willful refusal of true Liberty This is figured out Ex. 21. 5 6. At last Christ by his Cross and spiritual Gospel-Sword or Sicle will reap down and gather or take from all evil Angels and Men all the Riches and Comforts all the fading Glory and Power they have used against him under Satan's reign and tread them all under foot in his reign From a sober Reflexion upon the whole matter in the Spirit of Truth discovering the vanity of all first-creation Life and things of Man with all his vain Labours and uncertain Riches and then the uncertainty as to who shall gather them to his everlasting damage or greatest gain he looks on all Man's Labours and Possessions in the confounded state of his own Nature corrupt or righteous on all these accounts put together to be but a hateful vanity and vexation of spirit So he farther declares Vers. XX. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the Labour which I took under the Sun So should every one in union of mind with Christ hate his own Life with all his Labours and Fruits brought forth in the but restor'd natural Principle or Spirit of the first-covenant Law of Works for the Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God in the second the new-covenant spirit of the Gospel The former at best was but changably good and since the Fall enmity to God or filth of spirit is inseperable from it direct enmity to that creature-spirit or holy Ghost in the new Life whereof only 't is possible to please God or be saved A heart set to love that Life in which man hates and is hateful to God is a heart fixed in or set to do evil for ever Solomon therefore sets his heart to hate the whole Life and all the best works done in the single activity of his own nature at best under the twofold first-creation Sun litteral and mystical as abovesaid Of this he gives a farther account vers 21 -23. Vers. XXI For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom and in knowledge and in equity Yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion This also is vanity and a great Evil. Solomon gives an account of himself in the Man here described by him travelling in Wisdom Knowledge and Equity that is in the wise and righteous actings of his own restored enlightned nature All this he finds vain and unprofitable yea a great grief and sorrow to him Here 's the sad result of all man's goodnes and fruitfulnes in his own nature All is vanity the 〈◊〉 tree of good and evil and since the fall of evil only filth of spirit at least which is the greater sort of evil with the Fruits the Root with the Branch Principle and Operations Desires Thoughts Counsels Purposes Words Actions all naught The loss of all as obediently surrendred to the sacrificing hand Gospel-cross Sword
and Fire of God's High Priest is our only way of being delivered from all evil of sin or punishment for ever And on such obedience we shall certainly receive the promise of the Father the everlasting creature-life and spirit of the Son which will fill us with all good for ever above wonder Is not here great Gain on all hands to encourage us to bear such loss the spiritual Law of the Cross and ordinances of God's new-creation sanctuary call for as undispensably necessary for our admission or entrance thereinto This exchang-traffique of Law for Gospel Life of Nature for Grace Earthly for Heavenly the natural life of the Creature for the spiritual life of the Creator is the highest and best market man can make of all his first-creation vanities Truth or the gospel-Gospel-spirit of truth can never be bought but to Man 's unspeakable advantage never sold or parted with from love to what 's to be parted with for it but to Man 's unspeakable loss Buy the Truth therefore at any rate but Sell it at no rate though all the kingdom's of this World and glory of them all natural humane or Angelical excellencies be bidden for it Paul when eminent in first-covenant holines parted with all as dung for this Truth All that have tried this most gainfull traffique have found it so No active obedience performable in Man 's own nature ever does his work for salvation but passive a right ceasing from that life with all its activity and labours Should a Man live a thousand years twice told in the utmost fruitfulnes of his rectified naturals he will still find Solomon's account true all vanity All that 's but Earthly in Man or Angel all first-creation Life and fruits or works thereof will be burnt up by the fire of the second 2 Pet. 3. 10. Christ's new-creature spirit will try by its al-discovering light all principles and works whether natural or spiritual earthly or Heavenly and then all the former that 's changable and perishable will most certainly perish or be burnt up by the fire of this trying spirit All that obediently submit not to this fiery triall fall inevitably under its everlasting burnings in and upon them in final Wrath. All changable goodnes earthly first-creation Life and Fruits first or last must passe away from obedient Saints and incorrigible sinners in God's Love or Wrath. This fiery triall seem's grievous at present to nature in Saints Heb. 12. 11. Our nature in Christ himself was sorrowfull to death cast out a word for scaping the Death-Cup but he instantly called it back His living Soul of the same kind with the first Adam's was sorely put to 't made exceeding sorrowful under the death-work of his second-Adam's quickning-spirit or gospel-sword and fire upon it Mat. 26. 38 39. Obedient submission to God's present temporary Wrath in this case is the only possible way of deliverance from his Eternal the Wrath to come All willful refusers of the former are sure to meet with the latter Those that with Paul received Gods just sentence of Death within them On their naturals at best have unspeakably the best on 't Those that please themselves a-while in resisting and scaping it fall under it for ever The sufferings and shame brought on the natural man of the Saint are not to be compared with the joy and glory of spiritual life that follows Nor does the present false joy stiffnecked resisters of the Cross or holy Ghost in its demolishing operation upon their naturals please themselves with signify any thing in comparision of the griefs torments and vexation of spirit this crosse will bring upon them in Eternal Death The demolishing-work of the Cross is grievous to nature in Saints at present but in no comparison so grievous as 't wil be to it in rebellious resisters and that for ever True Saints soon find the benefit of their obediently sacrificed nature by a resurrection out of the death of that into the everlasting righteous life of the sacrificing high Priest of their Gospel-profession Melchisedeck So have they eternal life abiding in them the Kingdom of Heaven within them live and walk in Christ's kingdom-spirit the Gospel-principle of everlasting righteousness Thus by submitting to the temporary wrath at present brought upon them in God's everlasting kindness do they scape the wrath to come But what mean's Solomon in saying that all his wise labours in his own restored nature must be left to a man that has not laboured therein Who is this Christ in his originally unchangable creature-creature-spirit of everlasting righteousness and truth Himself surrendred the earthly first-covenant righteous life and labours thereof in our flesh to the flames of his own eternal Heb. 9. 14. everlasting righteous creature spirit in sacrifice to his own divine spirit and God most high The sacrifice he offred the sacrificing Priest that offered it and God to whom offered all are comprehended in the worderful person of the Mediatour as the divine and twofold creature form of God originally spiritual and spiritualiz'd transformed regenerate natural baptized into the death and assimilated in the resurrection life of it to the originally spiritual This divine and twofold creature-being image or form of God in Christ is all called God even the spiritualiz'd man Christ Jo. 1. 1. All are the living Word and Oracle of God's infinite divine mind his Wonderfull Counsellor to Angels and Men. And in all stands he in a distinction for ever from God most high in the single and uncompounded divine essence in which the Father to this divine and creature-Son begotten from eternity as the divine and from everlasting Prov. 8 23 as creature-Son of God Hence is it said the Mediatour is not of one nature but God is one Gal. 3. 20. This sacrificing Priestly Gospel-spirit of Christ reapes or gather's cut 's down burns up and utterly consumes all the life and labours or workings of Angel or Man in their natural first-creation make and life as he served our fleshly nature in his own person By his Cross or Gospel-sword he gathers all for sacrifice to God as his due required Tithes and Offerings the mystical truth of the litteral that never laboured or did any thing in that natural state of life but was originally spiritual This also is vanity sayes Solomon or shewes the insignificancy of man's or angel's labours in their earthly first-creation Life of vanity about salvation All must go life and all or they never can be saved And this is a great evil or grieving consideration to man that his life at best and all done in it are but perishing vanities vanishing shadows of things to come or to be brought a-float in men by a new-creation 'T is also Man's great evil his unpardonable Sin if he rob God or withold his Mystical Tithes and Offrings Mal. 3. 8. the most high and criminal Spiritual sacriledg many first-covenant Professours are guilty of in holy flesh Rom. 2. 22. the best fruits or works
of Thorns under a pot a short blaze in this mortal World and away After their Resurrection of Damnation they 'l have time enough to pay their sad reckoning under the flamings forth of unquenchable Wrath upon them This will they have from God's hand When Saints clearly see this twofold Issue of their trouble and others prosperity in this world can they envy will they not pity them The afflictions of the one and prosperity of the other are both but a Dream Truth will out at last in the endless end both arrive at and come to in eternal life or death When the Wicked awake out of their dreamish hapines God will despise their Image destroy their life and all their false comforts in the Image of the Earthy Psal. 73. 20. When Saints awake out of their afflictiondream they will be satisfied with Gods Heavenly Image and his new-creature life Psal. 17. 15. One has but an Imaginary hapines the other Imaginary trouble all 's but a vain shew Psal. 39. 6. As Saints more plentifully feed on the Lords never-perishing Meats from his heavenly table they are more strengthned in that newness of life in which they bring forth never-perishing fruits unto God God requires and delights in their eating and drinking abundantly at his Heavenly Table the glorious fruits of his divine and creature-spirit the Tree of Life They can never be too much filled with his spirit Eph. 5. 18. and fruits thereof No rioting or excess at his Table never too much of his Wine The more any feed at his table the more they discover and nauseate Satan's worldly meats and wine Let him gild his perishing vanities with never so near a resemblance of Christs meats ' twon't do They can spie out his Contemptible meats under all the beautiful disguises he puts upon them and reject them See then the mystery and truth of Solomons declaration here There 's nothing better for a man then to eat and drink the good of all his spiritual labours which never are in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. All other labour in mans own nature is in vain as to his grand concern Life Fruits Labours nothing vain in a new-creation state all in the old All 's unchangable in the new all vanishing in the old Tree and Fruit Root and Branch Womb and Births Fruits in the new are Peaceable fruits of Righteousness in a union of mind with God not so in the Old All there is done in a spirit of enmity to God even the best and most righteous works of man By works of Grace in God's new-covenant spirit Abraham was Justified and not by Faith only Jam. 2. 21-24 Such works wrought in God or in the spirit of faith are ingredients into the saint's Justification not any works or deeds of the Law-spirit of nature Rom. 4. 2-6 The true saint does not live war or walk after the flesh but against it in the spirit The ruling principle in man denominates A predominant exercise of the corrupt spirit of nature with the vile affections and brutish lusts thereof denominates Man a Beast The ruling exercise of the enlightened principles of nature declare a man a Legal Christian or at least a moral Heathen The ruling exercise of the gospel-Gospel-spirit in man makes a spiritual Saint a Gospel-Christian And now by this opening of these words into the mystical truth of them is not excluded a shadowy litteral sense thereof as countenancing a right and free use of the concerns of bodily Life for the end by God intended in them against the folly of those that from an evil covetousness and vain self-tormenting sollicitude find no heart or power to eat thereof to the best advantage of the Life that 's more then meat and the Body that 's more then Raiment Mat. 6. 25. Vers. XXV For who can eat or who else can hasten hereunto more then I Solomon here declares his Priviledg through the awak'ned Wisdom of God in him of hastening to and feeding at Christ's Heavenly Table on the things of God Who carried forth with a stronger bent of affection to things above Col. 3. 2. then I He found a strength of spiritual appetite carrying him forth to eat and drink abundantly according to Christ's Invitation to his supreamly double-portion'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saints of which number himself seem's to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own mysterious Song Cant. 5. 1. Vers. XXVI For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight Wisdom and Knowledg and Joy But to the sinner he giveth Travel to gather and to heap up that he may give to him that is good before God This also is vanity and vexation of spirit The good man in God's sight is the spiritual Saint in distinction from all others What 's unchangably good only is properly good in God's sight None good insinitely from Eternity but God only 〈◊〉 everlasting to Eternity is the creature-spirit in the Mediator good And to Eternity are all obedient Angels and Saints born of that spirit and brought forth in the everlasting righteous Life thereof good before God No Angel no Man no thing in the first-creation-make or State of Angel or Man is in this sense good however good in their kind and right use yea very good Gen. 1. 31. The natural man of the Saint in the restored first-covenant Life and Image of the earthy is made good in God's sight by submitting to the Plow-work of the Cross Christ's spiritual husbandry upon it pointed so deep as to tear up by the Roots the natural principle of enmity And then by the same hand or spiritual Plow is quick'ned up the before dormant seed of an incorruptible righteous new-creation Life in which Man's nature as made new earth brings forth fruit unto God This is the Earth that by drinking in the spirituall Rain-waters of Life that come oft npon it brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed Christ and God most high Heb. 6. 7. Saints are thus Gods Husbandry and Christ the Mystical Husband-man that does the work He cleanses from filth of flesh the vile fruits and lusts of the corrupt Nature This yet 〈◊〉 not or enables men to bring forth fruit unto God but to themselves only Hos. 10. 1. towards the farther enriching and adorning their own nature They are empty Vines and but fallow Fields yet to God Some-what clear'd are they from the Nettles and Thistles of the corrupt spirit of nature but they bring forth no right Grapes or good fruit unto God unchangably good A seed of enmity remaining in them after all natural cleansings is a Root of bitterness bearing Gall and Wormwood Briars and Thorns in a bloody bitter murderous mind of enmity against God Christ and all his Gospel-Saints and Truths So see we the good man here rendred so by God's unspeakable Gift consisting in true Wisdom Knowledge and Joy joy unspeakable and Glorious in the holy Ghost or spiritual principle of everlasting righteous life desire thought word and
witnes against them as fixed dwellers on the said mystical Earth or their earthly life when offered Heaven or God's spiritual heavenly life by a new-creation Christ sends his spiritual convictions into them as faithful spies that give a good report of his true land of promise or state of life These sinned against and not hearkned to vex and torment them taking from them such full undisturbed delights and uninterrupted pleasure as they desire to find in their earthly life will and way Gods spiritual conviction-light given in mercy finally rebelled against is in wrath kept up in their consciences as a never dying Worm that will torment them to all eternity witnessing against themselves as unpardonably guilty and for God as most just in his unquenchable wrath upon them Mar. 9. 44. Now this gnawing Worm that will be this sinner's everlasting tormentor in the world to come is a sore allay to his false joy in this Spiritual conviction is as a particular day of Gods Judgment in and upon man before the general comes The accusing voice thereof in him holds him to 't and forces him to see that all the treasure he 's heaping up for the last day's Jam. 5. 3. is indeed no other nor better then a treasuring up wrath for himself against the day of wrath Ro. 2. 5. This is a sowring ingredient in the midst of all the sweet and contentment this unpardonably guilty sinner desires to find in his own selfe-chosen way and self-chusing will He may know and conclude nothing remaines to him of benefit from Christ's sacrifice and intercession and so nothing at all from God but fiery indignation Heb. 10. 26 27. So of the first part of his punishment even at present in this world The second we shall find in considering the third particular To the 3d then By Gods over-ruling hand he shall be made to give all his heaped up treasures to him that is good before God whom he unchangably hates And this will be a tormenting consideration and sore vexation of his spirit his heaped up vanities wil prove unto him which is the concluding word of this Chapter All the sinner in the latter part of this verse labours for and gathers he must give or shal be given whether he will or no to the good man or spiritual saint in the former part In the parable of the talents Mat. 25. 14-30 we find that the evil servant who kept his own single earthly talent or earthly first-covenant life refusing to exchange it for Christ's heavenly is called Wicked and Slothful Servant and his Talent taken from him and given to him that had ten as having made the required Exchang by death to his advantage and great gain All the 〈◊〉 goodness and Comforts in the first Creation-Life and State kept up and held fast by Evil Angels and Men in Rebellion against God shall be finally taken from them and given to or Possessed by Spiritual Saints and Angels as Comprehended in and unspeakably out-done by the New-Creation Life and State where they receive their own and all others own again with Usury ver 27. Thus Christ Interprets his own Parable From him that hath not the durable Riches in New-creation Life shall be 〈◊〉 away all his Fading in the First and given to him that hath true Riches in the second with abundant Increase for ever ver 29. This is of like Significancy with that other faithfull saying and sure word of Prophecy whoever will spare or save his natural earthly Life from the death-work of the Cross shall lose it under the same Cross in final wrath and whosoever will hate and lose his natural and earthly for the sake of and love to Christs spiritual and heavenly the only right use of his single first-creation Life and Talent shall find it with Usury in Christ's heavenly Mat. 16. 25. Never was any thing in the former could make up any degree of true hapines to Man or Angel God convincingly shews and graciously offer 's his life to men waits with much patience and long-suffering for their accepting it on his termes the death of their own nature at best or in what ever variety of condition in Publican and Harlot or Scribe and Pharisee He knocks at the Dore of their hearts warn's counsells instructs reproves them invites entreats beseeches them by his Ambassadours of grace He calls out to them to hear his voice and not harden their hearts against him while the day of his gracious call and offers to them last's At length on their willful Provoking him beyond pardon the great Master of the New-Creation House or Building shuts the door and is gone Luk. 13. 25. Swearing in his Wrath they shall never enter into his Rest Heb. 3. 13. Then they may seek and knock while they will they 'l never find him Prov. 1. 28 nor any place for Repentance or change of their Rebellious Mind and desperate condition for ever Heb. 6. 4-6 Esau's Case Heb. 12. 17. An obedient Exchange by Death of Fading First-Creation Life for the Everlasting Second is unspeakable gain to Man The Rebellious keeping it up in Enmity to the Cross and Second or to the Spirit of God and its Crucifying Death-work upon it in order to set up its own Life in the Room is unspeakable loss to all that so do This Paul told the Self-Confident Professours at Philippi of in the fruitful Flourish of a First-Covenant Righteous Life even weeping Phil. 3. 18. and reproov'd the Corinthians for in like case 1 Cor. 4. 8. 10. as Christ himself when Ascended and Glorified the Laodiceans Rev. 3. 17 18. By the very same hand Cross or Gospel-Spirit of Christ will that Perishing Law-Life with all the Fruitfulness heap'd up Riches and meats thereof be taken from them in Final Wrath whether they will or no. CHAP. III. Vers. I. To every thing there is a Season and a time to every Purpose under the Heaven NExt to no difference from our Translation of this and the Seven following Verses in the Original Hebrew three Eastern Versions Chaldee Syriac and Arabick or the Septuagints Greek Translation In this Scripture to Verse 8th Inclusive have we the Character of Man in his whole Personal Constitution and Make by the First Creation or in whatever Flourish of the restor'd Wisdom and Exercise of a First-Covenant Righteous Life therein In Body Soul and Spirit no Life but Mortal by Creation And the same kind of Life restored in him since is much short of the perfection it was in at First Something of Filth of Flesh hangs about it still and Filth of Spirit that 's worse is inseperable from it since the fall Life and all therefore must go by a Holy Obedient death in Sacrifice to God If 〈◊〉 spared and Rebelliously kept it will be an Unholy life in unchangeable Enmity to God doing despite to his Divine and also to his New-Creature gospel-Gospel-Spirit of Grace and Truth In the Various Litteral Expressions here Relating to the
their Eye and Heart upon him with Paul in that Spiritual Life into which 〈◊〉 out of the Death of the former and be Married to him there as their Everlasting Spiritual Lord and Bride-groom Ro. 7. 1-4 While Christ Pipes to Men in First-Covenant Communications as he did by John Baptist's Ministery they are to Dance and Rejoyce When he with-draw's and call's them into the death of that State they are to Mourn else are they Immorigerous and Undutiful Mat. 11. 17. Their Natural Hearts will be filled with Sorrow as the Disciples when as a Fleshly Bride-groom and Comforter he departed from them Mat. 9. 15. Jo. 16. 20-22 Right Obedient Mourners in this case are Blessed and sure to hear of Christ as a better Comforter and Bridegroom in his Spiritual Life The Death of Man as to a Mortal First-Covenant Life is as sure as the Birth of it as the case is with the Birth and Death of the Body And indeed the House of Mourning and Death is better to Man in the tendency of it then the Birth and utmost Flourish of a First-Covenant Life in him For though after Rebuilt in the Restor'd Righteous Life of his own Nature and then pull'd down again he be seemingly in a worse condition and more hopeless then before ever Christ medled with him at all 〈◊〉 yet is this the only way to Christ's House of Everlasting Feasting and Rejoycing Those that refuse this way and Laugh now their 〈◊〉 Joy will end in Everlasting Mourning and Saints Transient Sorrow in everlasting Joy Mat. 5. 4. Luk. 6. 25. Jo. 16. 20. Christ came not to speak Peace but War and Death by his Spiritual Fire and Sword to the earthly Life of Nature at best in himself and followers Luk. 12. 49-51 We must follow the Suffering-Steps of this great Captain of our Salvation or never come where he is True Saints with Paul Glory in the Cross of Christ Conformity to his death and in bearing about them the marks of the dying of the Lord Jesus So the Spiritual Life of risen Jesus comes to be more and more manifested in their Mortal flesh 2 Cor. 4. 10 11. Vers. 6. A time to Get and a time to Lose A time to Keep and a time to cast Away A time to seek after and recover the exercise of our nature in the first-covenant righteous life thereof and to heap up Riches by a fruitfulness therein And then comes a time to lose and cast all away again as dung and loss with Paul for the more excellent Life Christ's unspeakable gift Phil. 3. 6-9 And so is there a time to keep up the exercise of our nature in the restor'd first-covenant righteous Life thereof so long as Christ own 's that to be his Dispensation to us by continuing as a fleshly Bride-groom with us and a time to part with and cast it away again for the second in the same sense with what is meant in the former clause of this Verse Vers. 7. A time to Rent and a time to Sew A time to keep Silence and a time to Speak That which has been Sew'd Heal'd and made up again after the sore breach by the first Sin and so fitted or fitting us in its kind to speak to and instruct the dark ignorant corrupt Spirit of nature in others as a Teacher and Guide of such blind ones all this healed speaking State in the Wisdom of Man made Wise in Christ must in its season be rent broken down and torn in pieces again silenc'd and wholly laid aside to make way for another better Dictatour Ruler and Guide the Infallible Spirit of Truth The final refusal to submit to this chang of Ruler and Guide lodges up first-covenant Saints in unchangable Enmity to God and the spirit of the second under the guilt of the most Criminal Adultery Theft and Sacriledg Ro. 2. 17-22 God speak's once and he speak's twice yet Man perceiveth it not Job 33. 14. God call's Man out of his Death in Sin into the righteous Life of a Man or of the first-covenant Law again Then by the voice of his second-Covenant spirit into the death of the first as his only pass into the Life and Righteousness of God in the second Under pretence of continuing in obedience to his first voice does man Rebell against his second and is found an Enemy to the Spiritual Cross of Christ. He prefer's the oldness of Letter in his Living Soul to Gods newness of Life in his quickning Spirit Man's Laughing Dancing Speaking time is over in his own Wisdom and Righteousness when shew'd the unprofitableness as to true Blessedness of all done or said by him therein The right understanding and obedient Submitting to Christs Various Voices and observing the several seasons of Speaking and Silence is Mans safety and he therein wel-pleasing to God 'T is a high point of true Wisdom for Man to be more ready to hear the voice of the Spirit of Christ in himself or Saints then to speak and so Offer the Sacrifice of Fools in his own Ec. 5. 1. Man in his highest Wisdom is a Fool as to all spiritual things his greatest concerns the unreasonable Man Paul desir'd to be delivered from the Impertinent Trouble and Babbling Loquacity of about Gospel things that he has no discerning in The restor'd Law-principle of Life and Action in Man is but a ceremony to be abolish'd and becomes an antiquated thing with all the Fading Glory of it when to be done away to give room for a spiritual Principle of everlasting Righteonsness as a new Root and Spring of his Desire Thought and Action This refused all Duties perform'd in the Law-spirit are thenceforth but Sacrifices of Fools that do evil What in its appointed Season and day was Obedience in that Law-State becomes then direct Rebellion As Man has Lived therein to God so the Season come is he to die therein to him that both living and dying he may be the Lords Rom. 14. 8. Passive Obedience is the utmost requir'd of Man in his own nature to make way for the true spiritual principle of active Obedience to God's wel-pleasing Vers. VIII A time to Love and a time to Hate a time of War and a time of Peace There 's a time of Love and Peace such as it is to be found in a first-covenant Union with Christ and such obedience as is performable therein But at length Christ speaks War and Death to this state comes to break down demolish and cast away all the stones of this old 〈◊〉 creation building And thus have we seen in these eight Verses God's twofold dispensation to Man's Body and fleshly or natural Spirit in all the fading first-creation Life and Glory thereof The Birth and Death of the Body and so of the natural Understanding as exercised there in and by all this is Typical to the like twofold dispensation of mystical Life and Death to his Spirit as to its first-covenant righteous state under the temporary wrath
they break with him and then he departs Jer. 31 32. In this sense God Repents Gen. 6. 6. that is changes his dispensation towards Back-sliding Man If Man turn his changable Righteous Life in the first into unchangable Enmity to God and his second-Covenant Life Christ will turn from a changable Husband and Saviour to them in the first into an unchangable Enemy to them in the second Isai. 63. 8. 10. If a Back-sliding people return to him he returns to them and repents of the Evil threat'ned them Exod. 32. 14. Jer. 26. 19. Jonah 3. 10. But he overthrew Sodom c And Repented not of the evil of Punishment Threat'ned because they Repented not of the evil of Sin by them Committed Jer. 20 16. On Man's obedient chang of his sickle Life and freedom of the Sons of Men for the unchangable Life and Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God all this Starting Repenting doings is past on all hands What God does for and in Man by his New-Creation-Workmanship will continue for ever and they in an everlasting Covenant Union with him Establish'd in all things and sure They 'l never depart from him nor he from them to do them good Jer. 32. 40. No breach incident to the new-covenant Jer. 31. 33 34. because manag'd in a Spirit on God's part and Man's too that can never err Sin or miscarry T is infallible Truth and Ever-lasting Righteousness in Christ and his Saints Whatever God yea or Man doth in this Spirit shall be for ever All the Fruits Labours Works produced or done therein are Incorruptible Everlasting will be for ever As the new Root and Tree so are the Fruits and very 〈◊〉 The Incorruptible Gospel-Tree will be known by its fruits in distinction from the Mystical Fleshly Law-Tree and Corruptible Fruits thereof T. Nothing can be put to it nor any thing taken from it God's offring and setting up his new-creature Life with the glory Wisdom and Righteousness thereof in the room of Man's obediently surrendred old is the main design and scope of all Scripture This 〈◊〉 where are Men with all the words of their Foolish Wisdom Setting up Law-Life for Salvation and Calling it a Gospel-State is directly Satan's Gospel-Work his Mystery of Iniquity with its hidden Works of darkness under the Form of Godliness and Righteousness of Man All the Mystical Spiritual sense of Scripture is by such excluded out of all their Teaching Those that thus take away or deny a spiritual Creature-Life in Christ the Whole Living Book and Word of God and so the Character Doctrin and declaration thereof in the Scriptures or Written Oracles of God do take not only some but all the principal intended things Engraven by God himself in the former or by his Holy Inspired Pen-men in the latter And then will God take from them any part of the truly good things in either and Inflict on them all the Plagu's Written in both Rev. 22. 18 19. Sure 't is no small retail-heresy that exclud's all Gospel Truth and the whole Doctrine of Salvation This does Man's Wisdom that 's Foolishness to God's and reckon's all the Word 's of God's and whole Gospel-Doctrin of his Cross upon nature at best Foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 18-25 It shuts up the Kingdom of Heaven excludes all Kingdom-Life and sense of Scripture But though Gospel-undertakers herein not only derogate from and diminish but what in them lies utterly Deny Despise and Destroy all true Gospel-Life and Doctrin in Christ Scriptures and Saints 't is not by all their or Satan's 〈◊〉 Wiles and Skill that any thing can be taken from it or added to it All the Opprobrious Titles of Hereticks Enthusiasts or Phanaticks Blasphemers Mad-men that they bestow on Christ Jo. 10. 20. and true Saints Hos. 9. 7. belong intirely to themselvs This will be undeniably Evidenc'd at Christ's second appearing and final Decision of all Controversies between true Spiritual Zion-Saints and these Hypocritical 〈◊〉 in Zion Isai. 66. 5. and 34. 8. that in the worded-dress of Spiritual Saint-ship and New-Covenant Principles are but a Law-spirited Generation that only personate and would pass for the true Heirs and so labour to 〈◊〉 them out of their right and take their Inheritance from them These are the Ravenous Wolves in the Spiritual Sheeps Clothing that bestow no other Titles on them but Devil and Mad as Inquisitors on Lutherans and so Kill them as not fit to live upon the Earth Act. 22. 22. The determining this Controversy will give an amazing Consternation and Disappointment to Hypocritical Sinners in Zion and unspeakable Joy to the all along this World under Satan's Reign and in Man's day oppressed Sion-Saints Is. 33. 14. This will be when Christ arises or comes forth to Judg Enemies and have Mercy upon Zion Psal. 102. 13. In his new-Creature-Spirit and Life God does whatsoever he will and Enables Saints to do so too even whatsoever he will's as universally Obedient to him in every thing No Man or Angel in single First-Creation-Light or Understanding can discern this Spirit of Life or any of the things thereof and therefore would make nothing of them all Proud Man and Angel will needs have any thing they can't see to be nothing But God hath so order'd his matters as to the final Salvation of Man that Men should fear before him yield to his term's of saving them and not Proudly and Presumptuously exalt themselvs against him in that Life and Wisdom the Death and utter abolition of which according to the declared Methods of his Wisdom is absolutely necessary to their being saved So only can any receive that Life in which infallibly to know and declare the whole Counsel and to do the whole Will of God after his own Heart Solomon having declared this Incorruptibly perfect New-Creature-Life that admits to Chang Addition or Diminution for ever when compleated being above all Death Dangers Enemies or Fears proceed's to shew the Weakness Insufficiency and unprofitableness of all other Life or things First-Creation Vanities compared therewith saying Vers. XV. That which hath been is now and that which is to be hath already been and God requireth that which is past Somewhat like what is said Ch. 1. 9. That which hath bin in former Generations is now a gradually Restor'd First-Covenant Righteous Life And that which is to be set up again in full perfection at Christ's second Comming for the Restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. hath already bin in Primitive Innocency But still still what is this that has been at first and shall be at last in full Perfection and in the gradual Renewals of it all along between A Starting Labile Versatile thing a fading flower altogether Vanity liable not only to such a fall as happen'd to Man at first into changable but also into unchangable Enmity to God and Eternal Death to Man This is a latter end worse then the beginning in Innocency or as Born dead in Trespasses and Sins This Life
of God Ye never find it else or enter it 〈◊〉 from your own understanding Consult not or conferr with flesh and blood in your selvs or others what ye shall do to be saved That principle will never own one right word towards eternal life T' is a flat enemy to every word of God's Wisdom about it They that despise and wonder at such words will everlastingly perish Acts. 13. 41. Those that gad abroad in a spirit of vanity enmity and death to chang their way from form to form in Religion toss'd and Tumbled up and down by every Wind of Satan's and Man's Doctrin or other Gospel who can help them That that dieth say's God let it die and that that is to be cut off let it be 〈◊〉 off Zec. 11. 9. Litteral and Mystical Sodom do seem to carry all before them in this most Antichristian-day and Perillous Season A Gospel-Testimony is almost universally rejected When Christ himself Preach'd he met with Multitudes of Wilfull Proud Heady Traiterous Contradicting and Blaspheming first-covenant Saints Wise Righteous Holy Men in the form of godliness in the first denying the Power of it in the second-Covenant Spirit the Gospel-Principle This was alway's the case And even so is it now 2 Tim. 3. 1-5 Gal. 4. 29. Who but Professours in Holy Flesh urg'd Christ's Crucifixion when Pilate and his Heathen Party would have freed him They 'd rather a Robber a Murderer any Malefactor should scape then he Wise Righteous Holy Men and a Currupt Dark Profane Grosly Idolatrous Party are in a contesting Scramble But both have had their season to speak Lies at one Table against the Saints of the most High Are we at a loss for an instance The Vizard will flie off The guilty Shedders of Innocent Blood will be unpalliated at last and forc'd to appear in their more then Ethopian hiew that yet lies hid under the form of Godliness God exercises long-suffering towards them and lets them think him such a one as themselvs till he set their Sins in order before their Eyes and so tear them in pieces that none can deliver Psal. 50. 20-22 His long-suffering towards Enemies is with design to compleat and fulfill the Patience or Sufferings of his Saints by their hand for their unspeakable advantage and their Enemies final Destruction A Comfortable Consideration True Saints ought to Comfort themselvs and one another with such right Words and Thoughts In conclusion Christ will appear to their Joy and their Enemies shall be asham'd Isai. 66. 5. Yea lie down in Sorrow and Everlasting Contempt as Vessels of Dishonour Eternity will be a long day to pay their full reckoning in God in the exercise of his infinite Justice and Mercy will bring all to rights give every one their due recompence for Obedience to or Rebellion against him New-covenant Gospel-Saints are more odious to the legal first-covenant professour then is the common sinner of the Gentiles in the corrupt spirit of nature The wisdom of this world in the most enlightned first-covenant Saint Wise strong and Honourable in Christ there is 〈◊〉 to God's and God's in his new-covenant Saints to theirs Was not Paul a fool weak and despicable in Christ's Gospel-spirit to but such wise strong and honourable ones in Christ 1 Cor. 4. 10. Flesh and Spirit or Man's spirit and God's are directly contrary to each other in all their designs desires and thoughts about true Salvation The former fixed in is the carnal mind of enmity to God Rom. 8. 6 7. that will prove eternal death to man The latter becomming the principle of life desire thought and action in Man is eternal life to him and in him The carnal mind of enmity was not found in Man or Angel the day they were created Ezek. 28. 15. Neither of them as they came out of their Creator's hands were found in enmity to God or the life of his spirit of Grace though they had it not till they both sinn'd and fell The voluntary evil rebellious use of their own mind introduced this enmity to God's Changable enmity in man is now inseperable from his life Unless therefore life and all at best be parted with he will become unchangable therein as Devils are and so be found in a state of eternal death No wonder then if in the place of Judgment and Righteousness or in the most enlight'ned Righteous state of the natural spirit in fallen Man and Angel be found by the al-searching spirit of Christ in himself and Saints the deepest and most Criminal Mystical Wickedness and Iniquity hidden works of Darkness rendring them most abominable to God unchangable Enemies to the Saints of the most high and to ths most High himself But what Have Gospel-Saints all truth and First-Covenant Saints none Can any believe this Yet most true Let but the Scripture-sense of truth be duly considered as the Character of the Gospel Spirit and words thereof in distinction from the Law-Spirit of this World in all its variety and words thereof the Wonder at and unbelief of this would cease But does the wise first-Covenant Holy Man receive nothing of a Gospel-Testimony Not one word No man in the Spirit of nature corrupt or righteous rightly receives such Testimony in any point That Spirit is a Spirit of total darkness and Universal Errour an absolute Heretick as to all Gospel-Life and truths This seem's hard What then The Jews were for Moses who but they Christ found they took not the Mystical truth of one word of Moses So told them they were Infidels as to the principal intendment and main scope of all his Writings For says he had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me But if ye believe not his Writings how shall ye believe my Words Jo. 5. 46 47. The Scriptures are own'd as the Words of God by all under the name of Christians but how do they read hear or understand them In the litteral Shadow only or Mystical truth also As teaching and preferring the Righteousness and Wisdom of Man to the dark ignorant State and Vile Affections of the corrupt Spirit of nature only or as also farther declaring the everlasting Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God in his gospel-Gospel-Spirit of Grace and Truth For this latter nature at best is to suffer death the right way Viz by the death of the guilty Sinner and so death of Sin in Men whereas by the fall Men became dead in Sin Sin alive in them and they dead now they alive and Sin dead and that for ever This by the death-work of the Cross or gospel-Gospel-Spirit on the natural Men in their own confused Spirit of Darkness as to all Gospel-Truths have much variety of thought and Opinion But all as one Man are against every tittle of gospel-Gospel-truth words of God's Wisdom which the Holy Ghost teaches Though they all read all the Words of God's Wisdom in the Letter they do not read them in the sense of Christ's Question to the Lawyer or teaching
that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God Jo. 3. 21. Deeds wrought by God in Man and Man in God Thus God Judges of and calls such works the Labours of Man in Christ's Gospel-Life See what is said in this case on Ch. 2. 24. and v. 12 13 of this Chap. Solomon does not here countenance Man's rejoycing in such Labours of his own Spirit as he reckon's vain in themselves and unprofitable to himself Ch. 1. 3. as to any final good to him therein or by Nothing short of the new-Creature-State and Man's Labours therein signify any thing towards eternal Life Gal. 6. 15. Neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision righteous or corrupt nature or any thing done by Man in either can be of any avail or 〈◊〉 thereunto So have we found out these works of Man he is to 〈◊〉 in done in that Life which is his peculiar portion and new-Creation Birth-right gift from God If works wrought in Man's own spirit will and way were meant t' would be a Flat contradiction to the main scope of this whole book which Proclaim 's the absolute Vanity and insignificancy of all first-Creation Life and things at best as to Man's pleasing God or finding true blessedness for himself Such works are meant as Man may ought will cannot but rejoyce in with Joy unspeakable and Glorious Here 's Man 's inward Summum bonum a Life wherein he can do all things after God's own Heart Steddily Infallibly Eternally and so enjoy the transcendently yet higher Summum bonum without him the Divine Glory in Favour and Love shining upon him for ever First-Covenant Divines as well as Evil Angels and Heathen Philosophers place Man's Summum bonum in but first-Creation excellencies whatever other title they give it within the compass of natural Objects and in the activity of their natural State that 's a fading flower altogether Vanity The Spirit of truth by its Penmen acquaints us with other matters for hapiness another Life other excellencies objects and works Man is capable to be found in the possession and exercise of The spiritual Man's Joy and delight meets and center 's in the same works or things with God's True Saints are in a Union with his Divine Spirit in Will Understanding Desire Thought Love and Hatred They love what he loves with a perfect love Hate what and whom he hates with a perfect hatred Ps. 139. 21 22. All Man's Labours are vain in his own Spirit of Vanity Not so in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. Paul rejoyc'd in that Gospel-Life he had by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. and his Labours therein but found his Law-Life and best works therein Dung when touching the Righteousness which is the Law or to be found in that Law-State blameless Philip. 3. 6. Enmity to God Tinctur's Sullies and desiles all that Life and Works at best with filth of Spirit T. For who shall bring him to see what shall be after him If Man Submit not to God's terms for receiving his new-Creation-Life who can bring him to see what shall be after him Either what will become of good or Evil Angels or Men in Eternal Life or Death after their fading Life of Vanity with all the things thereof is over and gone These grand and most concerning futurities things no natural Eye Heart or Understanding can see or imagine on all hands the things provided in Heaven for those that truly fear God or in Hell for incorrigible haters of him lie quite out of the reach of Man or Angel in their natural first-Creation State of Enmity and Vanity Darkness and Death The Spiritual Man in the true Preaching Spirit of Prophecy discern's or judges all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. and can declare Infallibly what all Men and Angels will come to as finally Obedient or Disobedient to God's term's of receiving Eternal Life He knowing the Terrours of the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 11. and what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands or under the final Wrath of the Living God does Might and Main Labour in the Spirit of Christ to warn and caution Men as to the only way of entring into the Joy and escaping the Wrath of the Lord the Wrath to come By refusing so great Salvation as God offers them come they to Eternal Death Want and Vexation of Spirit Prov. 8. 34-36 They 'l want every thing that 's good and have every thing that 's evil in and upon them in Extreamity for ever unchangable Wickedness in them and positive Inflictions of God's Wrath as Punishment upon them without any Interruption or Relief Luk. 16. 24 25. to Eternity They have chosen rather in the declar'd known causes and way thereto to be Vessels of Dishonour and Everlasting Contempt then on God's term's to be made Vessels of Glory Honour Immortality and Eternal Life By Enmity to God's Divine and New-Creature Holy Ghosts or Spirits do they bring siery Indignation on their unpardonably guilty heads Heb. 10. 26 27. Ro. 2. 6-10 These great things that will be found and felt hereafter do evidence the great weight of these Words of Solomon and grand concern of Men to be circumspect in taking the true meaning of them Who but the awak'ned Spiritual Saint can foresee and tell the unutterable Confusions final Refusers of God's Counsel will be found in for ever The Cares and Pleasures of this Life choke Mens understandings as to any right and hearty enquiry after their grand concerns in the next The Noble Bereans did set themselvs to search the Scriptures for the Gospel-Kingdom and Righteousness of God Who does so now Those that in this World seek not the Kingdom and Righteousness of God in the next Mat. 6. 33. will never find it let them flatter themselvs in their Loose Negligent Inadvertent course while they will The most trifling outward Vanities of this World do universally amuse and take up Peoples time and thought so as to detain them in a deep oscitancy and regardlesness as to the unutterable Woes prepar'd in Tophet for Incorrigible sinners or unspeakable Joys in the Kingdom of God for Spiritual Saints Believe not your own Thoughts O ye Sons of Men about Salvation Lean not to your own Understandings Conferr not with Flesh and Blood Regard not the Voice of Strangers the Words of Man's Wisdom about it CHAP. IV. Vers. I. So I returned and considered all the Oppressions that are done under the Sun And behold the tears of such as were oppressed and they had no Comforter And on the side of their Oppressors there was power but they had no Comforter I Returned Heb. was Converted from my fallible wisdom to see the Affairs of Mankind in the infallible wisdom of God particularly to consider duely the manifold Oppressions under the Sun Even himself through his vastly expensive extravagancies had given occasion to his oppressed Subjects to bespeak his soolish Son 〈◊〉 after his Decease on this wise
Levit's and a Plague on some others of the People Exod. 32. They said v. 4. and Jeroboam said after them in the like case behold thy Gods O Israel which brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt O Madness To the Egyptian God's that could not deliver their own People from them do they ascribe their deliverance from their Egyptian Bondage and Task-Masters So Ahaz Sacrificed to the God's of Damascus which were the ruine of him and all Israel 2 Chron. 28. 22 23. and 2 King 16. 10-13 So also Amaziah set up the Edomit's Gods to be his Gods and sought after them which could not deliver their own People out of his hands 2 Chro. 26. 14 15. and was destroy'd for his pains as threat'ned by the Prophet for not hearkning to his Counsell though against and contrary to the King 's Wicked Idolatrous Council v. 16. 27. And what became of Jeroboam for his Calf-worship erected on a self Interested Reason of State See 1 King 14. 10 11. I le cut of Jeroboam and take away the Remnant of his House as a Man takes away Dung till it be all gone Him that dieth of him in the City shall Dogs Eat and him that dies in the Field shall the Fowls of the Air Eat For the Lord hath spoken it Is not here enough When Christ shall take possession of and actually reign over all the Earth his right always Psal. 2. 8. all Visible and Invisible Principalities and Powers of this World Evil Men and Angels will be laid in the Dust. Nothing but Righteousness of one sort or other Man's or God's in Man will be found in the whole World his Holy Mountain or Kingdom by his Executing that Judgment and Justice in the Earth Jer. 23. 5. always all along his peaceable Righteous Reign that they allway's perverted Saints also that he will bring with him to Reign will do the like in Harmony with their Universal Fift Monarch Dan. 7. 18 -- 27. Jude 14 15. Rev. 5. 10. Solomon in Spiritual Light sees and mean's not only nor chiefly the oppression of the Body in the concerns thereof by Heathen Governments violating the Common Law or Light of rational nature in mankind but the Oppression and Violence exercis'd by first-Covenant Brethren against the second the only true Heirs and Saints of the most high The new Light and Life they are found in under the fructifying Influence and Beamings forth of the Mystical New-Creation Sun of everlasting Righteousness Christ as a Spiritual Bride-groom is Scorn'd Hated contradicted Blasphem'd and they Persecuted and kill'd for 't by none so much as by their envious Brethren in Holy Flesh restor'd Law-Life under the Mystical first-Creation Sun or First-Covenant Spirit wherein Christ has bin a sleshly Law-Bride-groom to them Thus are true Saints the Oppressed peculiarly and most properly here and Chap. 5. 8. meant by Solomon And then shall we find the vast number of Dead Heathens in the corrupt Life or Spirit of nature dead in Trespasses and Sins and the far smaller number of enliven'd first-Covenant Brethren professing Saints in Holy Flesh in all variety of Judgment Form or way in one kind or other Oppressours of the smallest number of all Christ's little Flock the few that are saved true Saints of the most High in God's Holy New-Creature-Spirit stripp'd and destitute of all Worldly Power or help All in this World against them No thing No body for them They are Men Wonder'd at Scorn'd Hated by all Men of Contention with the whole Earth The whole Earth or wordly party of Angels and Men fix'd in their earthy natural first-Creation-make and State despiteful Enemies to the Spirit of Grace and all in the second are their Implacable Adversaries in every thing The but first-Covenant Righteous Professour call himself what he will sometimes gets a considerable Share in the Civil Sword or Power and uses it with greatest fierceness against the new-Covenant professing Spiritual Saint who with Christ look's not after the Kingdom of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heavenly managable only in the Spirit of 〈◊〉 not the most enlight'ned righteous Principles or State of nature and not actually commencing till Man's and Satan's be at a Period Such a Kingdom such a King or Kings as Christ and his true Disciples lay claim to or own themselvs of right to be as Sons of God even Heathen Pilate was able to see and Judg carries no clash in it at all with Worldly Ceasars or Magistracies John 18. 36-38 True Saints are not for throwing down all Heathen Magistracies in the corrupt Spirit of nature that they may rule over all in the renew'd worldly spirit thereof They that design and drive at this are the Pseudo-Fift-Monarchists who in all their Zeal and high Pretences for the King Jesus are the highest and fiercest Enemies and Opposers of the very Jesus the very Christ in his very Gospel-reigning Spirit of Grace and Truth They are themselvs the most signal part and Branch at least of that little Horn with the Mouth speaking very great things Dan. 7 8. 11. 20 21. 24 25. Rev. 13. 3. 5 -- 8. 11 -- 17 which they would wholly fix upon and appropriate unto a corrupt and grosly Idolatrous Heathen party in the Fourth Roman Monarchy under the name Christian. These are they with the deadly Wound Healed given by the first Sin that laid all Mankind dead in Trespasses and Sins who with a great mouth speak great things blasphemous words against God and his new-name or Gospel-Spirit the Holy Ghost God's Heavenly Sanctuary or Tabernacle and them that dwell in it even the Saints of the most high that dwell or have their conversation in Heaven Christ's Heavenly Gospel-Spirit of Grace By the false Fift-Monarchist is to be understood not only a party peculiarly and apart from their Fellows at Munster or lately amongst us or in any former Generations and other Countries pretending this way by throwing down all corrupt Worldly Monarchies or Governments to set up themselvs but the whole fixed first Covenant-Spirited Generation and Party of Professours in all times and places found in the same uniform Spirit of unchangable Enmity to the true Spiritual Saint on the one hand and a self-confident Disturbing Traiterous Opposition to corrupt worldly Cesars on the other This troublesome Spirit is charactred by the Apostle in the Jewish Professours that both kill'd the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets and Christ's Apostles And therein please not but indeed highly displease and Provoke God and are contrary to all Men on their right and left hand Spiritual Saints and polluted Heathens For this Wrath came upon those Jews to the uttermost and will upon all in like case 1 Thes. 2. 15 16. These are they that speak great swelling Words of Vanity with their self-exalting Luciferian Master Satan the old great Bloody-minded Red Dragon against the most high himself and all his true Spiritual Saints These are they that said of Christ himself the Supream Preacher and
Prophet or Mouth and Living Word of God he is a Blasphemer a Sabbath-breaker a Glutton a Wine-Bibber a Friend of Publicans and Sinners implying him to be a Hater of an Enemy to Good Holy Righteous Men aud that he has a Devil and is Mad. These are they that Persecute the Spiritual Brotherhood say in their hearts to true Spiritual Prophets and Seers see not Phophesy not unto us right things speak to us smooth things pleasing to nature when righteous things after or according to our own Hearts Prophesy deceits turn aside out of the Path the good old way cause the Holy one of Israel and all his right words of Counsel and Instruction to cease from before us Isai. 30. 9-11 We desire not to hear of him to have any knowledg of his Words or Ways Job 21. 14. and 34. 27. Jer. 44. 16 17. Desperate Resolutions But why should the Servant look to fare better then his Lord amongst them These are they that proudly say to the blind Heathen on the one hand in Scorn and Contempt stand by come not neer me touch me not for I am Holier then thou Isai. 65. 5. And the same do scorn ravenously trample upon and insult over the Spiritual Saint on the other hand as the filth of the World the very off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 8. 13. These are the signal Objects of their Scorn and Hatred they shoot forth their most Malicious Arrows even bitter Words against Psal. 64. 3. As for their left-hand Men the corrupt Heathen they can on occasion call and make use of them as the Professing Jews did even the most Debauch'd and Corrupt amongst them any lew'd Fellows of the baser sort to help carry on their Persecuting-work against Gospel-Saints Act. 17. 5. But seldom shall ye take them calling in them to their assistance against the corrupt Party except unawares or in an exigent And when succesfully help'd and delivered by them rather then bear their Words if they can't otherwise suppress them they 'l e'ne call in their Subdued lewd party again to their assistance in the case So has the true Fift-Monarchy-Saint not allow'd any name or place at all amongst these corrupt and Righteous worldly Scrambles for the Scepter the slip given him on all hands by the whole twofold earthly party Professing and Profane When the former have made use of his assistance against the latter and then find him not to be for their turn in that first-Covenant Principle or Life of the Law the Pseudo-Fift-Monarchy-Spirit Christ would not Reign in Jo. 6. 15. Paul could not Reign in 1 Cor. 4. 8. they call back the latter to their assistance against him deliver him up into their hands as Guilty of Death for what he did in Union with them against them This though what he did was in such extraordinary unusual and never before happening Circumstances the dissolving and parting asunder of the Supream Legislative Powers as might reason have had any hearing or place would fairly have 〈◊〉 to justify him as doing the best that in so difficult a case could be done On the reform'd Parties Victory over the Corrupt and Idolatious in any Nation the Trumpet is presently and confidently blown and makes a ringing Noise as a tinckling Cymbal gives a Confused Uncertain Sound for the King Jesus But in what Spirit In that he 'd never own himself a King in yea directly contrary to that in which he did so in a flat contradiction to that good profession he made before Pontius Pilate concerning his true Kingly Spirit and Reign both Negative and Affirmative the one expressed the other necessarily implied 1 Tim. 6. 13. Jo. 18. 36 37. He bore Witness to the Truth or to and in that new-Creation Spirit of Truth in which alone his Reign is to be There 's nothing but Shadow Letter Figure Type as to any life or Goodness found in the first Creation All truth is found only according to Scripture-Testimony in the second So Pilat's question what is Truth v 38. was answer'd before-hand v. 37. Thus are true Saints the truely poor and needy inwardly in their Spirits as to first-Covenant Life and Laodicean Treasures and oft also outwardly in bodily concerns Shuffled out of all Play on all hands and at length out of the World as not fit to live any longer in it Act. 22. 22. Heathens and a first-Covenant people mean while can joyn Counsels and speak lies at one Table against them Dan. 11. 27. even against those that are the best Subjects of the one and on lawful warrantable grounds the best helpers of the other yea they 'l joyn forces also in one Army against them Thus down goes the true Saint on all hands They have no visible relief All are against them They are men of contention to the whole Earth Jer. 15. 10. or earthly party corrupt and righteous They are poor and needy on all accounts within and without while their combin'd Adversaries Heathens and a professing People Psal. 2. 1. are fat rich full and flourishing in outward or inward litteral or mystical riches or both and joyn hand in hand or hand and heart maliciously against them On the side of both these Oppressors there is Power but they have no comforter God helps them supports them Christ and good Angels are for them But all this Relief is invisible and is not visibly put forth for their deliverance from Persecution and violent bodily Death but makes such 〈◊〉 and Death the method in their wonderful mysterious contrivance to secure them from eternal Death and bring them into eternal Life Here 's comfort for them to purpose in their utmost Tryals And this are they well aware of Enemies of all sorts hate and despise the marr'd Visage of their natural man which they see and they mortally hate their spiritual man hid with Christ in God which they see not but only hear hate and dread the unpleasing words or doctrine of But this yet is not all nor half the worldly power engaged against them which they have to deal and grapple with combate and wrestle against We wrestle not against flesh and blood only or chiefly in our selves or others but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high Places against unchangably wicked spirits Devils comming forth in their counterfeit heavenly spiritual appearances of God Christ and holy Angels a disguise by their permitted sinful transforming arts put upon them whereby to deceive if 〈◊〉 the very Elect. These are more subtile and potent than both their visible inhumane enemies But There are higher than these highest enemies of the Saints of the Most High on their side and then who can be against them and finally prosper or what can any do against them that can 〈◊〉 them yea that shall not be of a direct tendency under God's over-ruling order to their final and everlasting good comfort enough Good Angels excel all Enemies
with false hopes and confidences here and come what will think they hereafter At length they must leave their false present rest and lie down in everlasting sorrow Who can help Satan's twofold party corrupt and righteous men fixed in nature with him will on in their fools Paradise in their various pathes under Satan's counsel and steerage to the same Tophet Saints ought to do their best in all meekness to recover any out of the snares of the Devil till evidently fix'd in Enmity God's method with men is that none should usually have two Heavens or two Hells All Good is the Saints all Evil the incorrigible sinners in the world to come All Saints tears are put into God's bottle of remembrance to requite all hereafter as Enemies oppressive madnesses shall also be paid off with such recompence of their Errors as is meet the vengeance of Eternal Fire Jude 7. All will come to their rights at last Friends and Foes This very Argument does Paul comfort oppressed Saints with 2 Thes. 1. 4 -- 10. At Christ's second coming will Saints ride in their Triumphal Chariots as more then final Conquerors over the Heads of their Oppressors Devils and Men who have had their turn to ride over their heads Ps. 66. 12. The Lord regards every sigh and groan of his Prisoners appointed to death under worldly Powers Psal. 12. 5. and 69. 33. and 79. 11. 146. 7. He will make his despised oppressed ones a praise in the Earth in the sight of all that have scorn'd and trampled on them Psal. 102. 13. 16. 19. 20. The true Saint pants after final deliverance from all Enemies within him Rom. 7. 24. as well as without All will be 〈◊〉 at last in Answer to their Prayer Psal. 74. 10. and ver 〈◊〉 Saints groan after deliverance from their mortal righteous earthly life of Enmity as well as from that of the Body 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. All in nature within and without them is in a universal confederacy against them What matter If God be for them who can be against them Or who can hurt them Rom. 8. 31. Here 's enough The whole first-creation world lies in wickedness litteral and mystical filth of flesh or spirit 1 Joh. 5. 19. and so in a universal daring affront and contradiction to all words and things of God in the next Jer. 44. 16 17. But God will hear or deliver Saints from the horns of the Unicorns Psal. 22. 21. That is from all oppressive Powers of this World visible and invisible without and within So have we in some small measure the meaning of these words Vers. II. Wherefore I praised the Dead which are already Dead more than the living which are yet alive The weight of these words lies not in the Litteral Sense For no miseries or oppressions incident to bodily Life in this world are comparable to the sad condition of the wicked after death under final wrath The spiritual truth here relates to Saints Saints departed are in a far better condition than those left behind them in the Body that have not fully passed through the twofold inward and outward oppression or suffering-work that 's to be undergon by them Saints departed out of the Body or while in the Body out of the Law-life of their own spirit are those A voyce from Heaven command's John to write as a most certain Truth blessed Blessed are the dead in the Lord Rev. 14. 13. All so dead with Christ will live with him for ever in his Immortal Gospel-life All others will perish in their own corruption or corruptible Law-life and state which they have rebelliously chosen and trusted in for blessedness against the Lord's known commands and warnings to the contrary By keeping up what Paul cast away as dung for Christ's spiritual Life will they perish as their own dung for ever Job 20. 7. A perfect death of the natural Spirit and Principle of Life and Action in man an everlasting cessation and rest from all the desire thought and unprofitable labour thereof and so the honourable burial of it in the mystical grave of Christ is true conformity to his death Christ came not to do his own Will nor speak his own words the Dictat's of his own understanding though spotlessly perfect in our fleshly nature but Crucified and ceas'd from all We must follow his suffering steps through the same fire of his eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. kindled by him on us as on himself Luk. 12. 49. Spiritual Circumcision and fire-Baptism put nature corrupt or righteous to death cut off and burn up all flesh even Holy Flesh Col. 2. 11 12. Man in the restor'd righteous Life of his own nature has nothing but a Body of Sin and Death about him which Paul pray'd for deliverance from Ro. 7. 24. Phil. 3. 6-8 Since the fall filth of Spirit Enmity to God is inseperable from the Life of nature corrupt or righteous Nature in whatever condition and Enmity to God Live or Die breath or expire together Paul when eminent in Holy Flesh breath'd out Enmity Threatnings and Slaughter against God's Holy gospel-Gospel-Spirit Saints and Truths Act. 9. 1. From the time this Spirit of Enmity was Death-struck by Christ in his way to Damascus he lived and brought forth Fruits unto God in a newness of Life In the restor'd Life of nature the great Sin of Enmity revives gather's Strength Credit and Authority By the death of it under the Cross that and all other Sins are pluck'd up by the Roots He that is so Slain and dead is freed from all Sin for ever Ro. 6. 7. When Planted together in the likeness of Christ's Death and Resurrection the Old Man is Crucisied the Body of Sin destroy'd v. 5 6. Man's natural Body or whole natural Man at best as a Righteous Living Soul 1 Cor. 15. 44 45. is by the twofold death and Life-work of Christ's quickning Spirit Transformable into the likeness of his Glorious Body or the glorified Body Soul and Spirit of our nature in his person Phil. 3. 21. On such death of nature Man ceases from sin for ever 1 Pet. 4. 1. If Obedient to the Slaughter-work of Christ's Gospel-Spirit on our Lawless or Law-Spirit in corrupt or righteous nature shall we by the second operation of it be quick'ned up into the Life of his Gospel-Spirit All dead with Christ shall after their season of dwelling in Dust arise with his dead Body into a newness of Life and Sing for ever Isai. 26. 19. Paul's argument in this case looks both way's If the Dead rise not Christ is not Risen 1 Cor. 15. 12-19 implying if Christ be Risen the Dead with him shall be Rais'd into that 〈◊〉 of Life our Crucisied nature in him Lives in for evermore Rev. 1. 18. Our nature in Christ is rais'd also into and possess'd of the very Divine Life So the fulness of the very Godhead dwells in him bodily in personal Union with his Manhood This is his peculiar Prerogative
or constant steddy spirit of everlasting Truth and Righteousness and Works thereof David pray'd for Psal. 51. 10. All fix'd in the but starting righteous natural spirit or principle of Life and Action hate with a perfect hatred as they them Psal. 139. 21 22. Righteous first-covenant Brethren are the most fierce persecutors of the second can't afford them a good word sit and speak evil against them Psal. 50. 20 21. Such Crucified Christ. Profane persons hate all such right works as are performable in renew'd naturals But all of both sorts Profane and Professors are against all spiritual Saints Works Things and Truths Many lesser Ruffles may the fix'd first-covenant righteons have with the Profane party but they mortally envy and hate the spiritual Saint with all his right works and words as seventy times seven fold more abominable to them than the profane party with all their brutish vilenesses Away with them 't is not fit they should live say they Masqu'd Papists worse than bare-fac'd or Mahumetans Spiritual Saints with their truly right works are a thousand-fold more envied by sowre leavened Legalists then common sinners of the Gentiles and their generally discernable wrong works This has bin found in all times and places towards all true prophets Christ himself and Saints before and under Law and Gospel Christ came to his own in the first-covenant and they blasphemed and Crucified him for the Gospel-doctrin of the second Never more will the whole World be in an uproar against Christ and his Saints then when he is just at the Door ready to come forth with them to reign over all such enemies What a universal surprize and amazement will this be to them all one and 'tother Heathen and first-covenant people As wondering at both their madnesses against Christ in his first and second coming the Psalmist ask's Psal. 2. 1. Why do the Heathen rage and the People imagine a vain thing What vain thing do they imagine and tumultuously assemble in a Union of their otherwise 〈◊〉 minds to do to cast down Christ God's supreamly anointed one and Saints Christ's anointed ones vers 2 3. A likely Project to thrive in Do either or any of them know what they do The Mystical Kings do in some measure the greater their madness the litterai less the less their folly though they also Rage and Tumultuously Assemble in this case Both are guilty enough to find a conclusion bad enough to them all Let the two earthen Pot-Sherds corrupt and righteous tugg and fight it out with one another That 's a lower trade of Sinning in either But if they peece up and joyntly fight against their maker they are at the highest point of Folly and Madness And then highest wo to both and all Isai. 45. 9. They contend against Almighty and Irresistibly mighty Divine and new-Creation Power Is all this Hubbub and Tumultuous Assembling of Mankind with all their combined Counsels and Forces against the insinite Divine Father and his Divine and Creature-Son like to Prosper They 'd break their Bands and cast away their cords srom them This is the Rebellious Design and Plot. They 'l not be subject to limited or bound up by their Laws or words of command This is their desperate case and Resolution This Universal Conspiracy to be remarkably the case in the last beyond all former times is on the very account here declar'd their incorrigible envy at or Enmity to God's Divine and new creature-Spirit of Grace with all the right words works or fruits thereof in true Saints which offer to lay Bands on all their unruly Wills This they 'l not endure but labour might and main to shake them off and cast them away from them This is that which corrupt and righteous humane with Evil Angelical nature make head against God Christ and Saints about The two-edged Spiritual Sword in all these hands speaks death to nature in them all Therefore they all fight against it But this will in Love or Wrath perform the whole Will and Counsel of God as to the death of nature on every Angel and Man good and bad Isai. 1. 19 20. and 55. 11. 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. Christ in that Spirit wherein any can or ever could be saved is the stumbling-Stone and rock of Offence the only Rock of Defence to Saints to the numerous Troops of innumerable evil Angels and Men that Build on the Sandy fallible Principles of nature for Salvation They utterly defy all the words of the Builders on the Rock that speak nothing but War and Death to them attempting to set Fire on their House Guess who of the Earthy party are like to take this most heavily at Christ's and his Saints hands as offring to take down a beautiful Church-building with pretence to set up a better unchangably glorious That Mystical Temple of his Body or whole natural State that Christ said was to be pull'd down So as not to have one stone of it left upon another and in which he Refus'd at the Jews desire to be their King saying he 'd build it up into another more glorious Temple-State in which he would be a King this was the very ground of the Professing Jews proceeding against him to the death He has built up our nature in himself by way of Resurrection into a new-Creation Temple of the Living God for evermore His Doctrin of the Cross upon them and Practice of it upon our nature in himself did the Professing Jews and their Teachers Priests Scribs Pharises c. call Blasphemy or evil-speaking against the first-Creation Temple and Life of the Law as no State of true Salvation This they reckon'd an Evil Hurtful or false speaking that is Blasphemy And in saying so they Blasphem'd or spoke and did evil and hurtful things Maliciously of and against him and all his Gospel-Truths First-Covenant Brethren hate the very Gospel-Principle and all the Right Works and Words of Christ and Saints therein For which of my good works do ye stone me Said Christ. Not for any good work but for Blasphemy replied the Jews Jo. 10. 32 33. What must Steven or any Servant expect if the Lord were thus handled See Act. 7. 51-60 with the ground Act. 6. 9-14 A first-Covenant People among the Gentiles under Gospel do the same things to their Spiritual Brethren as the Jews under the dispensation of the Law in the self-same Law-Principle and Life the very leaven of the Pharisees But these disturbers of Gods true Israel in both will be cut off Gal. 5. 12. They labour to keep off all true Gospel-Doctrin from all hearing as the most abominable Heresy and Preachers of it not fit to live Act. 22. 22. and 24. 14. Law-circumcision for cutting off Filth of Flesh they prefer to the true Spiritual Gospel-circumcision that cutts of Holy Flesh restor'd righteous nature from which filth of Spirit or Enmity to God's Gospel-Spirit is inseperable For this Murdering-minded Cain's Envy Mortally Hate and kill Spiritual Abels from
charg'd with hiding his Talent in the Earth Not using it at all to Suppress and Resist the vile affections of his corrupt Spirit of nature or evilly using it in Preference and Opposition to the spirit of Grace and Everlasting Righteous Life of God brings him to the same point From both or either of these Follies comes his whole person to be a Mystical Field or Vineyard all over-grown with Thorns and Nettles and to have the stone-wall or Fence thereof broken down God puts it to such a fleshly Israel themselvs to judg what they can desire he should do for them that he has not done Isai. 5. 1-7 God spared not his own Son but delivered him up to Death for us all That Son spared not his own natural Life at best but laid it down of himself for us What unpardonable folly then must it be for any to keep up the shat-ter'd Sinning Life of their own Spirit in preference to the everlasting righteous Life of God's But so far are they after all done and said from yielding to the Exchang-Traffick of old for new-Creation Principles that they signally hate and Oppress those that do Christ gathers out the Stones Thorns and Weeds found in Man's Barren Wilderness-State of Polluted fallen nature cleanses him from filth of Flesh the Pollutions of his worldly State and then requires and warns him not to return to his Old Sins therein with the Dog to the Vomit Nor commit new and more dangerous ones under all the righteousness thereof in despite to his Spirit of Grace the only infallible Principle of every truly right work which would secure men from an unpardonable return to their old or being guilty of the said new Sins On returning to their old or committing the said new Sins the stone-Wall is broken down and they become a ruinated heap a Barren Desolate Howling Wilderness a Habitation of Dragons Devils and Wild Beasts or Bestial Lusts worse then before cleans'd and restor'd as now unchangably so 2 Pet. 2. 20-22 By observing what other Sluggards and Apostat's have thus come to ought they with Solomon to receive Instruction and avoid the like evils of Sin and Punishment Christ's restoring them into the righteous cleansed nature of Man does cleer them for a season and in degree from Thorns Nettles and Brambles But they are yet but Fallow Field bring forth no Fruits to God till the Plow of the Cross go so deep as to fetch up that very Life and Tree of good and evil by the Roots to make way for quickning up in them the incorruptible Seed of a new Life in which only they can so do When by following Spiritual Conviction Light for a season they ran well Gal. 5. 7. putting their hand with God's to the Plow of the Cross to carry on such mortifying-work on their renewed Earth or Earthly State by looking back and turning from such Husbandry on themselvs become they Apostat's unfit for the Kingdom of God Such looking back is a Repentance or chang of mind unto death which they can never truly Repent of or chang back again from This turns them into a Mystical Sodom As Bewitch'd with their Holy Flesh a Glory to be done away they Recant fly back from and quit Christ's Holy Spirit Gal. 3. 1-3 Such perswasion comes not of God that call's them forward toward Salvation but of Satan that call's them back again to Destruction Gal. 5. 8. So a Spirit of unchangable Enmity to God becom's the principle of all their Desire Thought Life Word and Action a Root of bitterness against God Christ all Spiritual Saints and Truths This renders their Earth or earthly natural State not only nigh unto Cursing but for ever Accursed without Remedy or Chang. Obedient yielding to the declar'd Methods of God's Wisdom 〈◊〉 Salvation is the only way to prevent all this mischief From a contrary demeanour all the good benefit or comfort of their restor'd natural Talent is taken from them which the right Users and Improvers of Receive again with Usury and great gain in another a new-Creation Life In this sense is the Talent taken from the Wicked Slothful Servant and given to the true Spiritual Sons of God These go into Lise Eternal and the other into outer Darkness where shall be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth Thus Eternal Poverty Wo and Misery comes upon such Sluggards as an Armed Man They lose all the fading good they once had and are for ever excluded from the unchangable goodness once offer'd them This come Sluggards to They fold their Hands together and Eat their own Flesh. In love to their own Flesh or sleshly natural State and Food or things thereof and Hatred to God and his Spirit they chuse it as turn'd into unchangable Enmity to God So become they sit Fewel for his Unquenchable Wrath. God in just Judgment gives them up to Satan's strong Delusion and their own mad and wilful choice So all concurr on one account or other to destroy them for ever All this because they refus'd to submit to such a Temporary Destruction of their Flesh or fleshly nature and life under the kindlings of the same Mystical Fire of the eternal Gospel-Spirit Heb. 9. 14. Christ kindled upon it at best in himself Luk. 12. 49. as their influencing and Meritorious Pattern They pitty spare and save their Fleshly Life of nature in their own will and way after their own Heart as Satan by Peter would have perswaded Christ himself and so lose it and Perish for ever Mat. 16. 21-26 By refusing to have it rightly and most advantageously Destroy'd by the 〈◊〉 of the Cross in Sacrifice to God they do Destroy it and so themselvs for ever They lose their own Soul for ever after all their conceited worldly gain in Rebelliously keeping up their Fading life with the Perishing Food Moth-eaten Clothing or Filthy Raggs their best Righteousnesses are no better Isai. 64. 6. and Canker'd Rusty Riches Mystical Gold and Silver their Laodicean Treasures heap'd up in the Fruitful Exercise of their restor'd nature in a Righteous first-Covenant Life For this most Criminal Sacrilegious robbing God of his Mystical Tithes and Offrings Mal. 3. 8. by keeping up the Life and Activity of nature as the fit Sacrificing Priest that God requires by Passive Obedience to become the Sacrifice to him do they Provoke him to kindle a sire within as well as upon them He will set up his Spiritual-Conviction-Light in their Spirits Hearts and Conscicnces by which they shall everlastingly be kept in the forced sight of what they had bin fairly warn'd about Mat. 6. 19 20. Luk. 12. 33. in their Mortal day and State on Earth that all they trusted in was liable to Moth-eating Cankers Rust and Thievs and so in conclusion would as to all the Goodness and Comfort thereof Vanish and Perish for ever as Dung. This very Corruption Rust and Canker comming upon their Riches all they are or have will be a Witness against them for their
and the positive Inflictions of final Wrath upon his whole being for ever Sad gains Beware then of Satan's most destructive 〈◊〉 Counsel for sparing righteous first Covenant-self in Enmity to God and his Everlasting Creature-Life and Righteousness offered in the second If Satan could make an Apostle his SpokesMan for this to Christ himself guess at your danger of being Beguiled by the same old subtil Serpent that so Beguiled Eve at first and a World since Take heed of following this Enemie's pleasing Counsel and Example and so of Rejecting Christ's The highest Glories tallest Cedars in the first-Creation-State of Angel or Man are fading flowers perishing vanities Look about you and consider what ye lay hold on or trust in for happiness The same death of nature that qualified the slain Lamb to open the Sealed Book of the Mind and Visions of God can qualify any followers of him to read it when open'd Till they have a spiritual understanding read while they will the main Scope and Intent of the Author God himself is not seen or taken out The Scriptur's that are a Transcript or Copy of that whole Mind and Counsel of God about the Salvation of Angels and Men that 's Engraven in the Gospel-Spirit of Christ the Original Book and Living Word of God are a Book Sealed up from Learned and more from Unlearned Man all destitute of Spiritual Wisdom See else Isai. 29. 11 12. 1 Cor. 2. 14. But after all that can be said still still the Cross is a Stumbling-block and Foolishness and the truly Obedient followers of Christ under it are highly offensive to Moral Heathen or Legal Christian in the flourish and Wisdom of their unbroken naturalls They are what and where they were say or warn the Spiritual Seer what or while he will or can The more will be their sorrow for such destructive Self-Love and Pity They loath God and he them Zec. 11. 8. Who can help them All offended at the Cross of Christ become an offence to Christ. Where are they then who will be found uppermost Have they an arm like God Can they thunder with a voice like him Job 40. 9. If flesh Holy Flesh that can't Inherit the Kingdom 1 Cor. 15. 50. be kept up and that Holy Spirit in which Men can be rejected where will they be On supposal a Man should violently crow'd into the Kingdom in Holy Flesh and sit at Christ's Wedding Supper still what the better Bind him hand and Foot say's Christ and cast him into outer darkness where shall be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth Why Because he has not the Spiritual Wedding Garment of Everlasting Righteousness but of the filthy ragged Righteousness of his own nature kept up and held fast in direct Enmity to and Rebellion against God The Man so handled will be Speechles he 'l see he has nothing to say for himself Mat. 22. 11-13 The hating the fading Life of our own nature that 's at best altogether Vanity is a requisite qualification of all true Disciples Luk. 14. 26. Jo. 12. 25. Loving our own loses us Christ's Eternal Life Hating our own is the only way to get it A fix'd self-Love in corrupt or Righteous nature is Eternal Damnation 'T is unchangable Enmity to God And what think you then Better is one handful with quietness then both hands full with Travel and Vexation of Spirit Better is it to go to Heaven with one Eye Hand or Foot then to Hell by keeping both and all Better go Slain to Heaven then alive to Hell Better die under Christ's Sacrificing hand or Cross then be catch'd alive in Satan's Snare a first-covenant Righteous Life the very Snare by and in which he takes Men at his Will 2 Tim. 2. 26. and so fixes them with himself in Enmity to God and the second Better go Poor Halt Maim'd Crucified to Heaven with Christ then Rich Wise Full Strong and Honourable in the fading natural Glory of a first-Covenant Life turn'd into unchangable enmity to God with the Devil to the lake of fire and brimstone prepared of old for both even all incorrigibly wicked Angels and Men. The Spiritual 〈◊〉 Eye or understanding set up in the 〈◊〉 natural Man of the Saint is that single Chast Dove-like Eye Mat. 6. 22. that fills the 〈◊〉 Body or Man full of Light This is the Eye or 〈◊〉 by which Man understands all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. not that Eye that turns and looks both way 's to good and Evil and that good it regards but fading 'T is Man's unexcusable Folly to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Labour of his own Spirit to his Vexation and Everlasting Destruction rather then quit that for God's and unspeakable everlasting Joy and Blessedness But notwithstanding all the known advantages of quitting all evil with the Life of his own will for all good in the Life of God's Man will on in his own self-chosen way and course come what will Man's one handful in quietness and final Peace with God in his gospel-Gospel-Spirit of truth is transcendently better then both his Hands full of such Riches in his own Law-Spirit of nature as are Vanity and will prove Eternal Vexation of Spirit to him Mystical as well as Litteral Riches the Laodicean Treasures of nature in but a first-Covenant Righteous Life are heap'd up with Disquietment kept with Anxiety and fear of loosing from the known self-Evidencing Perishableness thereof So that Men are in continual Bondage all the days of their Life therein through fear of the Death and loss of all Ps. 39. 6. Heb. 2. 15. Out of this Life and Spirit of Bondage are true Saints brought into the Glorious liberty of the Sons of God made truly Rich Wise Strong and 〈◊〉 in his new-Covenant Spirit of Everlasting Life and 〈◊〉 Amidst all Jollity in the first-covenant House of Feasting Men can't but with Job 3. 25. have a Secret bottom-fear of losing all from the Perishing nature of all therein All there is gotten and kept with sore Travel and Vexation and then leaves a Man after all his Labour Sorrow and 〈◊〉 Anxiety and disquietment in Eternal Vexation of Spirit Vers. VII Then I returned and I saw Vanity under the Sun What Vanity This. Vers. VIII There is one alone and there is not a second yea he hath neither Child nor Brother Yet is there no end of all his Labour neither is his Eye satisfied with Riches neither saith he For whom do I Labour and Bereave my Soul of good This is also Vanity yea it is a sore Travel Here 's another Similitude or Comparison to manifest the truth already spoken to In Letter Solomon Character s the Vanity and Folly of the Covetous Man that Toil 's and Labours wholly for the Litteral Wealth of this World when destitute of any Heir Child or Brother to Inherit the same any second to Succeed and enjoy it after him Yet grow's he dayly more and more Solicitous about heaping up and encreasing this lowest sort of
worldly Riches as he draw's neerer his Journey 's end Death The less he needs the more Covetous and Raking is he to heap up such Treasure the more Tenacious and Churlish as to the free parting with any thing to those that want This is familiar to common Observation Thus is Vanity and Folly Written out in all his Foolish Labours Solicitud's Carking Thoughts and Sharking Practices to heap up Wealth in his last day's which render's them his worst his Litteral latter end worse then his beginning or any other part of his Vain Shadowy Life in this World All he Labours for is but Vanity of Vanities Shadows of Shadows Figures of the inward Mystical Laodicean Riches heap'd up in the fruitful exercise of our own nature in a first-covenant righteous Life All 's but Shadow and perishing Vanity one and t'other All that are for either walk in a Spirit of Darkness as to all Gospel things and truths in a vain shew disquieting themselves in vain in direct contradiction to Christ's own Counsel and Irrefragable Arguments for it Mat. 6. 25-34 In every Circumstance of the Litteral Rich Covetous Man does Solomon Represent the Mystical in all the inward Riches Glory Comeliness and Fruitfulness of his restor'd righteous natural Spirit which at best is but a fading flower and he therein altogether Vanity lighter worse then Vanity it self less then nothing All the Rusty Mystical and Litteral worldly Mammon of Unrighteousness heap'd up in a Spirit of Enmity to God will be found by the final Choosers and Possessors thereof with their Moth-eaten Garments or filthy ragged first-Covenant Righteousness to Testify against them for their Folly in trusting thereto for acceptance with him at last day against all his faithful warnings and their own experiences to the contrary Mat. 6. 19 20. Jam. 5. 1-3 The only profitable use of the said twofold 〈◊〉 Mammon according to the command of the giver is the giving all up with themselves to his disposal to do with them and that as seem's good in his sight For then will God and Christ bestow upon them that durable Life and true Riches in which they will ever be own'd by them as Friends of both and they to them Luk. 16. 9. This making themselvs Friends of the Mammon of 〈◊〉 or the Unrighteous Riches is the only way for the gaining of the true Riches in which they 'l find their own again with Usury and be received into Everlasting Habitations even Mansions of Glory in the 〈◊〉 House But of the two the mystical rich man is in a state of deeper vanity and 〈◊〉 travel than the Litteral And he is at the same loss has no Heir or Second Child or Brother He cannot without self-deceiving propound any good end to himself in his distinct higher scene of Vanities beyond the litteral covetous rich man as the issue and result of all his labour and travel therein For his Riches are equally perishable as the others And he has no Heir to inherit them more then the other They are both and all under the same impossibility of ever finding any true content or satisfaction in their Riches They Both fall under the same just Judgement of God for doting upon inordinately labouring for and coveting after such fading Riches by which they are given up to and caused more and more to encrease in their unsatiable desire after and love to them And so are they gradually more and more alienated from God and his durable Life 〈◊〉 Food and Clothing till absolutely fixed in unchangable Enmity to all The whole design and course then of both these sorts of Rich Men who Trade wholly in Vanities is down-right madness Two things are here distinctly to be considered First What 's meant by the unprofitable Labourer and Labour reproved here Secondly What by the said Labourer's being destitute of an heir To the first Man's Immortal Spirit is the Labourer His unprofitable foolish Labour is the whole Desire Thought Word and Action of it in a restor'd first-creation or 〈◊〉 covenant-Life All this Life Action Desire Thought and Things thereof the Tree with the Fruit is but a lump of perishing Vanities Shadows meer Impertinencies and Nullities as to any thing of or conducibleness towards the true blessedness of man's Immortal being For his heart labour tug toil and lay about him while he will do what he can he never arrives at the enjoyment and possession of any good that exceed's the sphere of vanities The fleshly Tree with the Fruit Root with the Branch as to any goodness thereof will be burnt up and vanish away And then will all that trust therein be left in the most destitute helpless condition imaginable to eternity No Creature can secure or deliver them from being torn in pieces by their Creator's wrath Ps. 50. 22. None of their fellow-rebels humane or Angelical Rocks or Mountains Principalities or Powers of this World can shelter or hide them or enable them to stand before him when the great day of his wrath is come Rev. 6. 15-17 Yea those Supream Rocks and Mountainous first-Creation Powers of Darkness the evil Angels proud Man's proud helpers against God shall not themselvs be able to keep upon their feet in their unchangable hostility to him but stoop and lie down for ever with all their children of pride from amongst men under the same final wrath of God Job 9. 13. The whole mystical and litteral Babylon King and Subjects will all go to wrack into eternal Confusion darkness and death under wrath This will be the end all such proud covetous boasting traiterous heady high-minded despisers of Christ's dominion and Government will come to 2 Tim. 3. 2-4 Those that finally resist the Government of God delegated to the Man Christ will receive final damnation Rom. 13. 1 2. 2 Pet. 2. 10. Jude 8. What Man that deserv's to be reckon'd in his wits can think any possible Labours in his own Life of enmity to God and that spirit of Grace in which alone any can be saved can signify any thing towards his true Rest or Blessedness Can he ever be blessed in his deeds of the Law that does all in a spirit of enmity to God and his Gospel-Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does or teaches others in his own wisdom finally persisting there 〈◊〉 not the least aim towards the Saints Everlasting 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 wholly to a fixing them in an unchangable enmity to God and everlasting exclusion from it Such Preachers do shut up the Kingdom of Heaven exclude and detest the Righteousness of God In a perfect contrariety to their Judge's own counsel Mat. 6. 33. Hence will that most righteous Judge who if 〈◊〉 obey'd and 〈◊〉 to would be their Advocate to plead their 〈◊〉 with the Father 1 Joh. 2. 1. intercede against them as his implacable Adversaries They that hear not Moses and the Prophets will not be perswaded though one rose from the dead Luke 16. 31. Be willing and obedient to the spiritual Counsel of Moses
their own spiritual Mind Ro. 7. 15. 23. Solomon had a larger sad experience of this then Paul But though this one even the natural Spirit of the Saint in its own Life lust will and way oft prevail against him even against his spiritual mind or man two shall withstand him even this rebellious flesh or natural man What two Who are these The Fountain Spirit of Christ in himself and the quick'ned up Seed thereof or Spiritual Man in the Saint The Rebellious natural Spirit Satan's Party in the Saint and he at the back of it to encourage and strengthen it with all variety of Arguments Motives Reasons and Uses against its own Saviour and Salvation shall both fall down together under the prevailing Power of the Spiritual Man Christ's Party in the Saint and he at the back of it making up the blessed two here These will weaken Satan's Party in the Saint and at length quite extinguish all the Life and abolish all the Power thereof laying it in the Dust. Then the whole Man shall be fill'd with and actuated by his Spirit of Life there 's no dealing or medling for Satan with Perfect Conformity to Christ's Death and Resurrection is all compleat's the Saints work and deliverance from all Enemies without and within He that 's thus dead is freed from Sin Ro. 6. 7. Sin or the guilty Sinner the natural Spirit is dead and gone as to its own sinning life of enmity So comes a ceasing from Sin for ever 1 Pet. 4. 1. The same mind in the Saint with Christ for a compleat full suffring in the flesh extinguishes all Sinning self-destroying Power for ever in him And this bring 's the Saint's matters to the self-same passe with Christ's when he said Now come's the Prince of this World and hath nothing in me Jo. 14. 30. Satan would have perswaded Christ himself and that by an Apostle to pity and spare his first-Covenant Law-Life or righteous natural self But he utterly rejected these flattering Judas-Kisses and Smooth words of the Enemy which are drawn Swords to Wound and Kill Men eternally He took not the Enemie's Counsel but clean contrary brought his own Spiritual Sword and Fire upon it Crucified offered it up by a Holy Obedient death in Sacrifice to his Fathers Will. Saints must do likewise They must hate that Life in themselvs he Crucified in himself or cannot be his Disciples But under all plausible appearances of kindness for Self-Preservation and Salvation does Satan animate his Party in Man the Disputer of this World to Dispute and Contend for his own everlasting Destruction against all Christs Gospel-things and truths By Man himself does he carry on his work smoothly and fair for the destroying him for ever Men are generally in their fallen State of nature Children of Wrath dead in Trespasses and Sins hatefull to and hating God and one another So are they half Devils ready as 't were made to Satan's hand by his own hand or first blow upon humane nature in our first Parents They are Enemies of God Lovers and Friends of World and Devil in corrupt or in part righteous nature They are Litteral or Mystical Adulterers and 〈◊〉 Jam. 4. 4. Thus we see Men want no more of being compleat Deuils as Christ asserted Judas to be Jo. 6. 70. then of being fixed and rendred unchangable in Enmity They are born and live as thus forward in the ready Rode and broad way towards their everlasting Destruction And to forward and encourage the restor'd righteous Party in this way there want not for a World of false Christ's and false Apostles in the Counterfeit guise apparel and dress of the true fitted to deceive if possible the very Elect. These evil Angelical Roaring Lions in Christ's Clothing and 〈◊〉 in the Clothing and appearance of Christ's true Apostles and 〈◊〉 will in their Lying Spirit of Divination and false Prophecy warrant this their very way to Salvation Ezek. 13. 6. Here 's Man 's dangerous condition on all hands as to his grand concern In this deplorable State these almost desperate Circumstances all Men are in does Christ the true WISDOM of God publickly warn and cry out aloud to them all to take heed of being taken with this deceitful Doctrin of Men and Devils their false accursed other Gospel and that they listen to his contrary Counsel and Instructions of Life submit to his Reproofs of Death on that Spirit of nature that 's 〈◊〉 and so receive his Spirit of 〈◊〉 that can never Sin or be deceived err or miscarry but 〈◊〉 discern and own all his words of truth Prov. 1. 20-23 See then and consider Oye Sons of Men the different posture ye are in towards your Blessed Saviour and the Abaddon Apollyon Red Dragon and Destroyer Christ comes to Cross and run down fallen nature as to the corrupt Lusts and vile affections of Litteral Sodom This done and nature recovered and set afresh upon its 〈◊〉 in a rectified first-Creation orderly state or mystical house he comes again with Fire and Sword upon this to pull it down and destroy it in order to the new spiritual Building and Life of the Rock Here 's all this unpleasing Cross-work to nature corrupt or righteous which must be submitted to and obediently complied with or no Salvation On the other hand Satan that comes to destroy Men finds them in a ready posture gladly to receive and entertain him and all his words his flattering Kisses and smooth Sayings in his accursed other Gospel all after their own Hearts desire and Palate And if he can but fix them in Enmity they are his own for ever direct Devils Now whom think you like to be most welcome to Man the destroying Saviour or the saving destroyer Christ or the Devil the Angel or Messenger of Gods everlasting Covenant or the Angel of the Bottomless Pit The whole World or earthly party of mankind corrupt or righteous lieth in Wickedness 1 Jo. 5. 19. or in the wicked one the Devil liable to be used by him against God Christ all awak'ned Spiritual Saints and Gospel-Truths as Paul when eminent in the Law-Righteousness of Man was Ready are all save actually awak'n'd Spiritual Saints to embrace his smooth words of Counsell which are drawn Swords to kill them saw they all and to be at his service greedily receiving teaching and Hearing the very doctrin of Devils without the least scruple for Salvation All the World wonder and run after the Beast Rev. 13. 3. His Ministers and Apostles are of the World or worldly earthy nature and Life in the Image of the earthy the Wisdom and Righteousness of Man so teach only such worldly things for Salvation speak of the World and the World all of the like earthy-temper and Spirit hear follow and Embrace their Doctrin Down it goes without any chewing pause doubt or suspition If this Doctrin wear thred-bare and lose its colour he will clothe it with the appearance of Christ's Spiritual true Gospel-Doctrin In
will both come to in Eternal Life or Death Vers. XIV For out of Prison he cometh to Reign Heb. Out of the House of Bond-Men or Bondage he goes forth to Reign Whereas also he that is Born in his Kingdom becometh Poor The true Saint finding the Land of his Nativity a narrow strait'ned place the Life of his own nature in the Image of the earthy at best to be but a State of Enmity Bondage and death come's out of this his own Mystical Countrey and Father Adam's House or natural State by a Holy death to reign in another Spiritual more excellent Life He find's his own Spirit of nature in whatever variety of condition a State of Bondage or House of Bond-Men a Prison a deep dark Dungeon a miery Pit of filth and corruption filth of flesh or spirit litteral or Mystical Sodomy or both out of which by the death thereof he find's it his unspeakable advantage to Ascend come or be brought forth into a larg place in a Life above all death to Reign whereas the old foolish King who will no more be admonish'd hear of the Cross or death-Doctrin of Christ's Gospel-Spirit on the restor'd Law-Life of his own wherein he sets up his Kingdom becometh Poor He is even now in this World by Christ and awak'ned Saints seen to be Miserable Poor Blind and Naked as Happy Rich Cleer-sighted and Well-cloathed as he think 's himself He will find this too true at last in eternal Poverty Darkness Nakedness and Death Here are the exceeding different Conclusions they come to even the old foolish King in the birth of a first-Covenant Life fixing himself there in unchangable Enmity to God and the second the incorrigible first-Creation sinner and the poor wise Child broken and undone as to all the fading Life Riches Wisdom and Glory of his own nature and so becoming a truly reigning new-Creation Saint in the spirit of Grace the reigning Gospel-Principle That restor'd natural State which the old foolish King sets up in as his Palace the House of his Kingdom to reign in the poor wise child find's to be a Prison and hasten's out of it as a Spirit of Bondage and Enmity into the true Palace-Light and Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God whom the Son mak's free indeed Where the Spirit of the Lord becom's the principle of Life and action there is true liberty Man's freedom or freewill at best is but a Liberty in Word Figure Letter Shadow not in deed and in truth No true freedom sure in a Spirit of Bondage and Enmity to God a Spirit that 's in Union with World and Devil as the spirit of nature is in all mankind corrupt or righteous Yea so far as uncrucifi'd even in the awak'ned Spiritual Saint himself Ro. 7. and Gal. 5. 17. That renew'd natural State the old foolish King make's his Palace will prove his everlasting prison and dungeon of darkness and death in which he will be shut up for ever as the evil Angels in their narrow Angelical nature All of them shall be dealt with as unchangable Enemies of God and that Heavenly Sanctuary-Spirit that 's his true resting place and the everlasting habitation of blessed Angels and Saints in Chains of everlasting darkness in which reserv'd to the Judgment of the great day The unpardonable sin of Men and Angels is the self-same even a fix'd Enmity against the Holy Ghost God's Gospel-spirit or Heavenly Sanctuary convincingly shewed and offered to them all They were all Created perfect in their own natures Humane and Angelical Ezek. 28. 15. and in Obedient Subjection to the Gospel-Spirit in the Light of it But they soon hated that Life turned from the Light that shew'd it them and this was their Apostasy All this from an evil self-love to the fading Life Wisdom and Glory of their own nature which they chose to set up in in a known contrariety to the reveal'd mind of God and unchangable Enmity to his Spirit of Grace the very Gospel-High-Priest of God the true Melchisedec by whose hand they ought all to have given up that selfish life in Sacrifice to God So become they all Mystical Sodomit's guilty of all the highest and most Criminal Mystical Spiritual Wickednesses Uncleanesses and abominable Idolatries God in Faithfulness Favour and Love to his Saints Plagu's and Chasten's this Rebellious Spirit of nature this Carnal mind of Enmity in them while he gives more then Heart can wish to it in-Enemies to their final ruin Heb. 12. 5-8 Psal. 73. 7. 14. God's giving the old doting Kings their Hearts desire and more is a sore and heavy Judgment on them though they take it for a great favour and Token of his Love to them Desolation and an utter consuming of them with Terrors the true Saint certainly foresees to be the eternal issue of all their Temporal flourish and Prosperity v. 18 19. All the old foolish King dotes on the poor wise Child cast's away as Dung So foolish are the old Mystical Kings and also litteral Heathen Kings of this World as to bandy together against the Lord and his anointed as if hopeful to prevail against the infinite Divine Lord and his Anointed King Jesus with his Saints and Followers Their design is to break their Bands a sunder and cast away from them all their Cords of restraint upon them He that sits in Heaven laugh's at all these foolish Kings He will speak to them in his Wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure Ps. 2. 1-5 Have they an arm like God Can they thunder with a Voice like him What madness to think of prevailing in this Rebellious Insurrection and Contest against the Almighty Divine and Irresistibly Mighty New-Creation Power of Christ These old foolish Humane Kings will all fare as their evil Angelical King the King of all such Kings or Rebellious Children of Pride Job 41. 34. They 'l all 〈◊〉 into the same Condemnation with him will all have their Portion in the same Lake of Fire and Brimstone the Tophet prepar'd of old for them all They 'l be all finally stripp'd of all Power of resisting the Will of God and forc'd to suffer the same to be done upon them in 〈◊〉 Wrath. Then with their everlasting Poverty will they have unutterable Shame and Confusion of Face All they refus'd obediently to part with will be forcibly torn from them in final Wrath. All their fading goodness or beauty 〈◊〉 Consume in their eternal Grave from their dwelling their whole Mystical Houses earthly Habitations or persons all the goodness of that natural State they chose for their dwelling Ps. 49. 14. There 's no middle State for ever between the poor wise Child that will be eternally rich in Heaven and the old rich foolish King that will be eternally poor in Hell The poor wise Child believ's and follow 's the Faithful Sayings of Christ's Spiritual Law or Gospel-spirit the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus He is content willing yea glad
have worse on 't then the Litteral Sodomite in filth of flesh His greater advance and 〈◊〉 advantages toward Salvation neglected and abused do highly aggravate his evil of Sin and accordingly will be his evil of punishment for ever After all Exaltation with Capernaum in first-Covenant-Life and second Covenant or Gospel-Light even up to Heaven so as 〈◊〉 to see and then obstinately refuse God's only appointed way of entrance the death of their earthly spirit of nature for the life of his Heavenly Spirit of Grace will all such Mystical Sodomit's be tumbled or thrust down to Hell where it shall be more tolerable for Litteral Sodom then for them Mat. 11. 20-24 Luk. 10. 12-15 Christ himself gives the reasons for this difference in Punishment v. 21. 23. and Luk. 12. 47 48. He that cleerly know's his Master's will and does it not shall be beaten with many Stripes He that does not so cleerly know it shall be beaten with fewer For to whom much is given of him shall be much requir'd as the case is with Men to whom they have committed much of him they will ask or expect the more Man in the dark State of his corrupted nature know's not his Master's will at that rate as the old foolish King in the restor'd Life of the first and light of the second Covenant does By abusing the Life of the first in Rebelliously keeping it up and himself therein against the second when discover'd by its own light to him to be that which cannot be receiv'd by him but on his obedient surrender of the Life of the first does he deserve a sorer Punishment then the common Sinner against the Law Heb. 10. 28 29. For he Sinn 's more immediately and knowingly against the Holy Ghost or Gospel Life of the Son of God in Heaven even the Man Christ as risen from the dead into that Life wherein he lives for evermore The other against the Son of Man on Earth or that Law-Life of nature the highest Edition of the Law which Christ took and was found in as made Flesh and which he Crucified and abolish'd out of our nature in his own person in order to bring it forth again in the new Gospel-Edition of it by a new-Creation in unchangable Harmony with his Originally everlasting righteous spiritual new-Creation Gospel-Life So only can or ever could first-Covenant Law-Life come in him or in us to dwell for ever with new-Covenant Gospel-Life as Brethren in Unity This unchangable Union of the natural and spiritual Man in Christ and true Zion-Saints is pleasant in God's sight and of everlasting advantage to Man Psal. 133. 1. For so and so only by the death of the natural and Resurrection of it into the Life of the Spiritual Man in the Saint and the Spiritual Man in Christ's person come the poor but truly wise Crucified dead Children to live for ever in unchangable Union and Harmony of Mind with the infinite Divine Spirit of God most high Christ enlighten's every Man that cometh into the World Jo. 1. 9. None then are absolutely in the dark stark blind wholly ignorant of his will Even the Gentil's all Heathens have the light or Law of nature within them accusing or excusing their thoughts Words and Actions as found compliant with or contrary thereunto Ro. 2. 15. God's rule given in the Scriptur's of truth in reference to all Men is this If any be unfaithful in and to their little Dimme rational Candle-Light in some degree set up a fresh by the Redeemer in all men If they do allow themselvs in a constant course of Rebelling against the same without any remorse or chang of mind they 'd not be true to higher natural Light in the actual Priviledges of a first-Covenant Life and less yet to the higher Spiritual new-Covenant Gospel-Light if not only offer'd but actually receiv'd by them Luk. 16. 10 11. He that 's unjust in the least is or will be unjust also in much Those that are not faithful in the unrighteous Mammon the fading Light or also Life and inward Riches of their own restor'd Nature which yet is but a Spirit or State of Bondage to them and Enmity to God at best as in Paul before Gospel-Conversion who will commit to their Trust the true Riches Those that do not rightly use any fading Light Wisdom Life Riches in their own Spirit of Nature by such active Obedience as is performable therein and with while that is God's Dispensation to them and then by such passive Obedience in despising surrendring and giving all up as Dung with Paul when God requires it in order to receive his more excellent spiritual heavenly Gospel-Life in a Resurrection-state Phil. 3. 6-10 how should they ever come at or be possessed of the true durable Riches and everlasting Life The only possible undispensable way and means for this in the declar'd Methods of God's Wisdom is the obediently surrend'red natural State as to all the fading Life Glory Wisdom Righteousness and Riches thereof even the Death and Loss of all in Sacrifice to God as Christ himself did when he had taken our fleshly nature in the full Glory and unspotted Purity thereof Eternal Gospel-Life is by the Wisdom of God or Gospel-spirit of Christ freely proclaim'd and offer'd to all men Prov. 1. 20-23 and 8. 1-9 The old foolish Kings the highest and most criminal provoking Sinners that receive and abuse the Life of the first and Light of the second Covenant will fare worst under final Wrath. All others fix'd common Sinners of the Gentil's litteral Sodom will have bad enough on 't under their fewer wrathful Stripes or lesser Torments in Eternal Death But the hottest fiery Indignation and Mystical Flames of Wrath in the lowest Hell will be for ever upon the old foolish Kings Sore amazing Tydings for such self-confident presumptuous Sinners as reckon their Plea good for entrance into the Kingdom of God Yet thus it will be For the mouth of the Lord himself hath spoken it Mat. 7. 21-23 and 11. 23 24. Mar. 6. 11. Luk. 10. 12. All first-Covenant Saints in Holy Flesh that finally refuse the whole new-Covenant Gospel-Testimony the Words of God's Holy Spirit and Life thereof this will most certainly be theircase Easier will it be for Litteral 〈◊〉 Profane Brutisied Sinners in the corrupt Spirit of nature then for them It had bin better for them never to have known the way of everlasting truth and righteousness then after they have known the truth or Gospel-Life of Christ in its own Light and Beamings forth upon them to turn from the Holy 〈◊〉 of God therein and wilfully Rebel against it 2 Pet. 2. 21. Heb. 10. 26 27. Isai. 1. 20. Much sorer Punishment belongs to fix'd Sinners against the Holy Ghost than 〈◊〉 sinners against the Son of Man for ever v. 29. Such recompence of both their errours as is meet will they all receive both Litteral and Mystical Sodom even the Vengeance of Eternal Fire Ro. 1. 27.
spirit CHAP. V. Vers. I. Keep thy Foot when thou goest to the House of God and be more ready to hear then to give the Sacrifice of Fools For they consider not that they do evil HEre 's the Result and Use of all declar'd in the fore-going Chapters as to the Vanity and vain Labour of Man under the Light of the Mystical first-Creation Sun or Spirit of the Law in and under which Man and Angel were at first Created and Christ Born Gal. 4. 4. Paul draw's the same useful Instruction from the doctrin of the 11 former Chapters to the Roman's Chap. 12. 1. for quitting or giving up the same earthly natural State the same thing with the Foot here when restor'd or made again Holy Flesh the righteous natural Body in Sacrifice to God as our reasonable Service and true free-will Offring even the Offring up of our free-will to good and evil that we may receive his free-will to Good only the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God with which the Son makes free indeed all that are Born of his gospel-Gospel-Spirit of overlasting righteousness and truth First then consider what this Foot is or signifies and secondly what 's the House of God it 's to be kept out of as not fit to enter 1. This Foot 〈◊〉 the whole Man in a first-Covenant Life The Heel Satan is permitted to bruise Gen. 3. 15. is of the same extent and comprehensive significancy And so were the Shoes Moses was Commanded to put from off his Feet where the ground was Holy Exod. 3. 5. This Foot or natural Spirit of Man corrupt or righteous being found in Enmity to God at best as in Paul before his Gospel-Conversion can bear no part in the right Worshipping of God which is wholly to be perform'd in Spirit and Truth Christ's new-Creature gospel-Gospel-spirit of everlasting righteousness and truth The infinite Divine Spirit and Father requires all Men and Angels to Worship him in the Son's gospel-creature-Gospel-Creature-Spirit of truth How can Man please him in duties of Worship or any other Performances towards him or Man in his own Spirit of Enmity Such Enmity as is no otherwise extinguishable but by 〈◊〉 death of nature being absolutely inseperable from the Life of it at best Christ's Gospel-Spirit of Love in unchangable Union of Mind and Will Desire and Thought with God when it becom's the sole Principle of Life Desire Thought and Action in Man will perfectly and compleatly fulfil all Law perform all duty to God and Man to God's well-pleasing and the Performer's certain and everlasting Salvation Man is not to come in his own Spirit of nature however Wise Strong Rich and Honourable in Christ by his first-Covenant-Communications to him as a fleshly Bride-groom and 〈◊〉 at his earthly Table into the new-Creation Sanctuary of God the everlasting Righteous Fountain Gospel-Spirit of Christ. The Courts of this Sanctuary are too Holy Ground for any thing that 's but changably good as Man and Angels before the fall or also positively evil as nature corrupt or righteous in all Men since the fall to tread on For a Man in a Spirit that 's a Root of Bitterness bearing Gall and Wormwood Briars and Thorns in a continued Enmity to God every Imagination Purpose Desire and Thought thereof being only evil continually the old World's case before the Flood Gen. 6. 5. to appear in the unchangably righteous new-Creation Sanctuary of God what a strang incongruous thing and sight would it be If any fill'd and Clothed by Satan's 〈◊〉 and their own consent or choice with a Spirit of unchangable Enmity to God do as 't were crowd in and appear at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and his Bride in the Kingdom of his Father see what 's like to become of him Mat. 22. 11 12. Friend will the King Jesus say how cam'st thou in hither not having a Wedding Garment And he was Speech-less had nothing to say Then say's the King to his Servants the Holy Angels of his Power that excel in strength all fixed first-Creation Enemies of God and the second bind him Hand and Foot and cast him into outer Darkness where shall be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth to all Eternity Let the fixed first-Creation Sinner and Enemy of God in his form of Godliness Righteousness of Man do what he can get where he will he is gone for ever No Stranger was to come into the Litteral Sanctuary under the Law the Type of this Spiritual Gospel-Sanctuary-Spirit of God in Christ's Person and in his Saints the lively stones of the House upon the Rock that Christ is the living head-corner Stone and Foundation of He spirit 's influences and enliven's all the rest hold's them fitly compacted together and firmly cimented in his one Gospel-spirit of new-Creature-Life that 's a Universal Bond of Love and Peace to and with God Christ and one other for evermore The Foot Heel or Shoe that 's to be kept back laid aside or put off that we may be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace and so walk orderly with a right Foot according to the Gospel of the Grace of God or on a new foot of account in the single-ey'd discerning strength and Power of Christ's Gospel-spirit is that Flesh and Blood which cannot enter into and inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. or tread the Courts of his Heavenly Sanctuary Angels in the purity of their first-Creation-make and changable Life were to cover their Faces as not fit to appear before God to behold or be beheld by him therein And say's God to the Jews when ye come to appear before me who hath requir'd this at your hands to tread my Courts Isai. 1. 12. No right acceptable Worshipping God or doing any thing else but in the gospel-Gospel-spirit of Truth that spirit of Love that 's the compleat fulfiller of the whole Law even of all that God requires of us Sure the natural spirit at best that 's a spirit of Enmity to God and a bloody-minded Spirit against his true Saints can do no such thing It 's hands are full of blood It breath'd out Threatnings and Slaughters against the Disciples of the Lord even in Paul who had therein lived according to his light in all good conscience Act. 23. 1. exerciseable in the activity and restor'd Life thereof as a strict circumspect Opposer and Suppressor of the vile Affections and Lusts of his corrupt nature This Foot then is to be cut off cast away laid aside by us as not fit to perform any part in the true Worshipping of God Man is not to come alive into the House of God but be brought into it by the High Priest Christ himself dead as to his own Law-Life and principle of active obedience and quick'ned up into his Gospel-Life and Principle of active obedience wherein alone 't is possible to please God or be saved Passive obedience is the highest service performable in or with Angel's or Man's natural first-Creation Life
'T is too painful yea 't is impossible for man Save in sanctuary-life and light Ps. 73. 16 17 to discern the spiritual new-Creation things of God's House and less yet the deep things of his very infinite Divinity The truly Spiritual Man Judges or discern's and sees all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. Divine Spiritual and natural The highest first-Covenant-Saint in Holy Flesh Righteousness of Man is a Fool a Stranger an unreasonable Man a Profane Infidel as to all Gospel-Things and Truths Such troublesome self-confidents Paul desir'd to be delivered from 2 Thes. 3. 2. and 2 Tim. 4. 14 15. as most impertinent irreconcileable Babblers and Disputers against all those Gospel-Truths or Sanctuary-things they bid at and pretend to the knowledg of That contradicting Wisdom and very Understanding they use in the dispute is to be abolish'd by the Cross as the Blasphemous Enemy of God and all his Gospel-Truths Thus Paul found it in himself till Christ knock'd down that earthly Wisdom and caused him to turn from that fleshly Mind Understanding or Principle of reasoning in obedience to his heavenly Act. 9. 3-6 Gal. 1. 16. Christ himself in the flesh turn'd away his foot or feet his own fleshly or natural understanding and will the two Feet of the Living Soul on which it walks abroad to View Desire and feed upon worldly Vanities Perishing Meats refusing to think the thoughts do the will or speak the words thereof but the will and words of him that sent him by Crucifying that Will and Understanding utterly Abolishing all the Life Desire Thought and Motion thereof And such death is the only Consecrated Living way into the new-Creation Sanctuary-Life Heb. 9. 12. and 10. 19 20. The natural man even in Christ's person however perfect was a prohibited Stranger amongst the rest that might not enter into his own new-creation Sanctuary House or Temple in the single changable first-covenant law-life in and under which made 'T was impossible even for him as so to enter By Death he ascended into it and set it open to his followers in the like Death of nature Such obedient Death is the only way to eternal life Never was there any other way to it for any Angel or Man That law-life that was but a changable shadow in him and in us must pass by the death of nature in both and all under the cross-work of the Gospel-spirit that the life which is true in him may be true in us also 1 Joh. 2. 8. and 5. 20. In Scripture sense all 's true in the new-creation all shadow in the old True Life Light Wisdom Righteousness is found in the new only All things eternal things of God are there All the Wisdom Life Light Righteousness Glory things of Man or Angel in the old are but shadows of the substantial things of God in the new The changable earthy Image of God and righteous first-covenant Life of the Law Man was at first created and set up in is but shadow of the new-creature life and Image of the heavenly or second Adam All in the former are things of man Life Wisdom Righteousness of Man all in the latter things of God Life Wisdom Righteousness of God A zeal for God's heavenly Spiritual things must eat up our earthly or natural The fire of his heavenly Sanctuary-Spirit must consume our Earthly Life and state eat up all mortal desire and thought root and all By such destruction of our flesh or natural state can we come to be Saved in that Spirit We must put off the old Man the Image of the earthy or can never put on the new and Image of the heavenly The Earthly House and Life of this present tabernacle must be dissolved that we may have that Building of God not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. Think any to enter into that House any otherwise then Christ himself could to go whole and unmaimed into it in that Life or natural state he crucified Gal. 3. 1. Nature in all men is an enemy to God and his sanctuary-Sanctuary-Spirit Paul in righteous nature was in union of mind with the Devil an enemy to the Spirit of Grace to God Christ all Gospel-Saints and truths a stranger to all things divine and Spiritual God the Mediator in his changable Angelical nature from the beginning and humane toward the latter end of this world did cease by a Holy death from all the works of both in the activity of the changable principle of first-covenant Life Angels and Men must do and suffer likewise or never enter into his rest Heb. 4. 4. 10. The mystical Sabbath-Law of the Cross upon the works and and working Spirit of nature is expressed by turning away our foot from the Lord's Sabbath from delighting in our own will and way 〈◊〉 our own Pleasure and speaking our own Words Isai. 58. 13 14. This is the very same Death-doctrine and work of the Cross on the whole natural Spirit at best The Obedient submitting thereto is the keeping our foot from the Lord's house and turning it away from his Sabbath Those that honour God herein he will put everlasting honour upon lifting them up over the heads of all earthly powers humane or angelical called the high places of the earth He will cause them to ride upon these high places that have had their turns to ride over their heads Psal. 66. 12. But those that from a fond love to their own vain life despise the Lord's sanctuary life shal be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2. 30 yea made vessels of dishonour and everlasting contempt The Spiritual Heavenly Original Gospel-Light of Christ's Sabbath or Sanctuary-Spirit is the day the Lord hath made in which Saints will rejoyce and be glad for evermore Psa. 118. 24. This heavenly Sanctuary and Sabbath that 's the Lords doing his own immediate divine Workmanship from everlasting Prov. 8. 22 23. is marvellous in our eyes The earthly Wisdom of man at best despises and wonders at this heavenly creature-wisdom of God The Orthodox humane builders of a first-covenant Church which their Wisdom Judges asserts and warns firm and safe for Salvation reject and refuse the corner-stone of the second and so the whole new-creation building on the rock the true church or house of God Man's wisdom won't believe or receive the words of God's though plainly declared to it Act. 13. 41. Abundance of professing wise first-covenant Saints believe not any such thing as that creature-Wisdom of God in the Mediator from everlasting by which the Worlds were made How can ye believe says Christ to the professing Jews who receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Joh. 5. 44. A mercenary self-seeking trade in the first-covenant exceedingly indisposes and hinders any listning to one right word of the second None so highly Prejudic'd and offended at the least Word of Christ's Gospel in the second as the engaged ministers of Satan's in the first Such Gospel-Teachers are
themselves 〈◊〉 or Unbelievers as to every tittle of Christ's Gospel No first-coven 〈◊〉 Saints ought to trust in themselves that selfish fleshly life or natural state however righteous but in God that raises men from the Dead or out of the obedient Death of that into his life and righteousness in the second 2 Cor. 1. 9. They ought with Paul gladly to receive God's Sentence of Death in themselves or on their Spirit in the first that they may be raised into his life in the second And as none are to trust in themselves in the first so are no men there sit to be trusted by Christ or 〈◊〉 Saints being yet but in an unsteddy starting Principle Joh. 2. 23-25 For they know in the alsearching Spiritual light of God what is in man all men in their highest restored Life Light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The best of them is as a brier the most upright 〈◊〉 than a thorn hedge Mic. 7. 4. As found in enmity to God and all his Saints and Truths Paul himself while but there though eminent breathed out slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. What such temporary first-covenant believers came to under Christ's own personal ministry when he came closs upon them with the cross doctrin of the second upon all that we find Joh. 6. 66. A way they go walk no more with him regard not him or his doctrine Let not the true followers of the Lamb whither soever he goes not onely into the Law-life of the first-covenant but through the death of that into the Gospel-life of the second in which he lives for evermore Rev. 1. 18. expect other doings from such false hollow-hearted apostatizing professors who are presently upon the turning point to Satan and drawing back to Perdition when clossly plied and follow'd with the true full doctrin of the Gospel-Cross on the Law-Life of nature at best which they are willingly and therefore easily perswaded by the words of Man's Wisdom is a true Gospel-state of Salvation and Eternal Life Such drawers back and those that go on to the saving of the Soul grow dayly farther and farther asunder more and more strang and contrary to each other in Thoughts Words and Deeds One is Marching on with a swift Foot towards the Chambers of Eternal Death The other 〈◊〉 towards the Kingdom of God Their Bodies meet and touch Elbows still in these dayly encreasing Distances and Elongations of their minds hearts or spirits till they find one another at Length in fixed irreconcileable distances and contrarieties of Mind Will whole course and way towards eternal life or death Apostat's from Gospel Light turn from the hot fiery Doctrin of the Cross when they find it touch nature at best to the quick at the very root bringing a flaming sword upon the very principle into the cool shade of a worldly Church-doctrin where Satan's pleasing-Gospel is preach'd nature specially righteous restor'd nature tickled and gratified with words after its own heart 'T is the language or thought and Desire of all natural Hearts Prophesy to us smooth things Prophesy Deceits Isai. 30. 10. We have heard enough and too much of the right things of God's Seers and true Prophets Their Doctrin is too hot for us We like it not Let them that bring such strang and sad Tydings to our Ears sit and speak to themselvs or stools if they will which indeed may be to neer as much purpose as to any good such regardless hearers of Gospel-words have gotten 'T is a dreadful Season in which 't is rare to find any that are in earnest about Salvation or at all inquisitive after it Who with the noble Bereans search the Scriptures about their eternal concerns Who regard any more then Pagans that Command of Christ for seeking first or chiefly the Kingdom and Righteousness of God Mat. 6. 33. or to lay up Treasure for themselvs in Heaven v. 20. Even the but Shadowy Mystical Laodicean Treasur's heap'd up in an earthly first-Covenant Life are now as 't were under God's Blasting and Professors negligence therein almost in the Dust as Conclamated Wither'd Unregarded things Profanes and a regard of and inquisitiveness after meer bodily concerns and Ornaments steal away the Heart and in a manner all the time of Professors How too generally are they laying about them wholly to fetch in Provisions for the lowest and basest fleshly Life and Lusts of confounded fallen nature common with Brute Beasts But if any yet are conscientious Walkers in first-Covenant Principles and reckon they have whereof to trust in the flesh Holy flesh restor'd righteous cleansed nature Paul more Phil. 3. 4. Christ most But Christ Crucified it in himself and Paul rejoyc'd or gloried to find him Crucifying it in him also Gal. 6. 14. as the only way of delivering him from that Body of Sin and Death he before took to be a state of Eternal Life Rom. 7. 24. 8. 2. The kindly death of nature under the Cross brought upon it in love from God and submitted to by Man in Obedience to God is the only means and way of his deliverance from all evil by the death of the guilty Sinner and of being furnish'd with and Possessed of all good in God's Gospel-spirit of everlasting righteousness that never sin's 1 Jo. 3. 9. All Sabbath-keeping and other Litteral Performances in Man's Spirit of Enmity to God and his true Sabbath-Spirit Sanctuary and place of his rest that he delights in when known so to be are with their Persons an Abomination to God and so their Solemn Meeting on his Sabbath that was his own Appointment what 's ours Isai. 1. 13 14. All their Incense and Sacrifices all our Praying Preaching c. in a known Spirit of Enmity to God are Mystical Murder Idolatry Sacriledg the highest and most criminal wickednesses in God's sight Why Hands full of Blood a bloody mind of Persecuting Enmity against his Gospel Saints and Truth 's spoil's all I 'le therefore hide mine Eyes from you and not hear your Prayers Ye are a Mystical most Criminal Sodom and Gomorrha to me v. 10-15 and Isai. 66. 3. Ye do all in your own self-chosen way after your own Heart in your own spirit not mine but in perfect contrariety thereunto None of you hear's and answer's 〈◊〉 Heavenly Call in true Wisdom's Words or Preachings I 'le therefore not hear or answer your Prayers and pretended Callings upon me v. 4. If you 'l not hear my cry to you 〈◊〉 not hear your's to me saith the Lord of Hosts Zec. 7. 13. Is man in Enmity to the whole Mind Counsel true Sabbath and Sanctuary of God like to be a faithful and able Minister of his Gospel-Truths Yet who else is heard or regarded Who but the Woman or private natural spirit that 's Enmity to God and all his right Words of Counsel and Instruction for Eternal Life Be more ready to hear then to give the sacrifice of fools Man in the best wisdom the most righteous life and activity of
his own Spirit offer 's but the sacrifice of fools in God's judgment however highly he esteem the sacrifice or himself for it He does not rightly know what he does what he is whither he goes whom he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ospel things and truths the whole Counsel of God the 〈◊〉 and only way of salvation the methods of God's wisdom in order thereunto all the law's ordinances statut's and judgments of his new creation-sanctuary describ'd in the nine last chapters of Ezekiel all these things lie quite out of his sight How can Man in his own best Wisdom that 's foolishness to God's in his own Spirit that at best is enmity to God's perform do any thing or offer up any sacrifice acceptable to God any but the sacrifice of fools These fools consider not will not consider that they do evil Stiff-necked are they in their own self-confident understandings which are not only blear-ey'd and dimm-sighted but stark blind and wholly ignorant of all Gospel-things and truths yet on they will turning their deaf ear to or setting their mouth against the heavens Ps. 73. 9. all heavenly Gospel-doctrin and instruction They 'l listen to nothing that may induce them to consider the great mischief they are doing to themselvs and others by preaching promising and warranting peace with God in a spirit of direct enmity to him Ezek. 13. 6. 10. and decrying might and main that which is the only way of salvation and the only spirit in which any can be saved with all the words thereof This desperate work are these blind leaders with their self-confident followers at all reck'ning they are doing very pleasing and acceptable service to God Act. 26. 9. Having nothing of Christ's very Gospel-Spirit or doctrin in their Church do they with great indignation and scorn cast all that are wholly for the very Christ and his very Gospel out of their church Isai. 66. 5. Ps. 50. 20 yes and out of the world too when they can as not fit to live any longer in it Act. 22. 22. All this do these Gospel-Wolvs in Sheep's Clothing reckon to be a doing God service Jo. 16. 2. in a blind zeal for him and his law against every word of his Gospel Rom. 10. 2 3 for the first-covenant life of the law in their own restor'd spirit of nature against the second-covenant life of the Gospel in his own spirit of grace So think they do God service when they joyn with the Devil to do despite to the spirit of grace Heb. 10. 29 casting all the words thereof behind their backs and all contempt they can on all such words and all the speakers and right hearers of them as the worst of blasphemies and blasphemers What was Saul's Sin in letter and mystery too is their's in mystery They must be brought to acknowledg with Saul that what the wisdom of God and the words or commands thereof require to be destroy'd their foolish wisdom in the words thereof preaches keeps up and warrants currant for salvation The Spirit of nature in Man recovered and restored by Christ out of the fall into the life wisdom and ruling power thereof over all inferiour sensual brutish power of life and operation in him amounts to no more in mystery and truth then the Amalekite King Agag and best of the cattel The refuse of the cattel the vile affections the disorderly unruly lusts of the corrupt state of nature they have subdued yet not fully but the King and best of the Cattel the rational and sensual powers reduced to good order in the ruling authority of the former and due subjection of the latter these they judg fit to be spared And what are these both king and subjects All but still the Amalekite spirit of nature and Man therein the direct enemy of God and all his Gospel-Saints and truths Was not Paul in and with all these fighting against God when he thought his had bin fighting for him With Saul will all such self-confident justifiers of themselvs be condemn'd out of their own mouth even amid'st their self-justifying plea against the Lord's and his true spiritual Prophet's charge drawn up against them as Samuel's against Saul They 'l be found partial in God's Law The refuse things the vile affections of their polluted nature they are content should be subdued in obedience to it But the choicer things thereof nature at best in the Glory Wisdom and righteousness thereof that all this must go up in sacrifice by a just and holy death to God being an unholy life or state of enmity to God however in a sense holy as cleansed from filth of flesh though convinc'd God's Wisdom requir's this also do they with Saul under a self-condemning light refuse to obey c. and yet stoutly assert with him that they have obeyed the voice of the Lord. All this find we 1 Sam. 15. 18-23 This get men by setting up their own Wisdom and Spirit as judg or interpreter of the Oracles dictat's or words of God's in a known contrariety to the spiritual meaning and intendment of all In their restor'd righteous inlight'ned nature that 's God's required Gospel-sacrifice sigured out by all clean law-sacrifices in the old Testament do they presumptuously with Saul and King 〈◊〉 intrude or thrust themselvs into the priests office 1 Sam. 13. 8-14 2 Chron. 26. 16-21 In their own Foolish Wisdom and Spirit of Enmity to God and all the Words of his Wisdom do they pretend to the Office of Christ's Priestly gospel-Gospel-spirit of Infallible Truth and Everlasting Righteousness as the only true declarers of the Will and Words of God that rightly take not his meaning in any of his Words nor ever can understand them This Presumptuous course persisted and fix'd in will render the contagious over-spreading Leprosy the Sin of Enmity to God filth of Spirit that 's no otherwise curable then by the compleat and full death of nature absolutely incurable and mortal as the case was with the Litteral Leprosy on Uzzia's Body to his dying day though said for a season to have done that which was right in the sight of the Lord in his long Reign of two and fifty Yeers 2 King 15. 2 3. The true Priestly Gospel-Spirit of Christ offer'd up our nature in himself at best in Sacrifice to God When Samuel Reprov'd Saul for Sacrificing his answer was The Philistins were ready to come upon me to Gilgal and I had not made Supplication to the Lord so I forc'd my self and Offer'd a Burnt-Offring These 〈◊〉 Pleas and Apologies of nature go for nothing when thorowly search'd by the Spirit of Christ in his seers Thou hast done foolishly say's Samuel and shalt lose thy Kingdom Life and all for 't by those Philistin's through the fear of whom thou did'st Offer this Sacrifice of Fools And what befel Adam and all his Posterity with King Uzziah for Presumptuously setting or keeping up his Law-State or changable first-Covenant righteous Life of his own nature as therein
the fit Priest to perform all well-pleasing active obedience to God in Preference and Opposition to the Gospel-Spirit presented and offer'd to him in the Tree of Life wherein alone 't is possible to please God and do all things well without any possibility of failer or Miscarriage What came of this willful mistake and Heresy of Adam A Universal Leprosy and contagious Disease of Sin and Enmity to God and death in such Sin upon all mankind Rom. 5. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 22. The very sin by which Adam brought this sore Mystical Leprosy upon the spirit of humane nature in all mankind in the beginning of this World do many Professors in the ending of it reckon had bin his duty even to keep up the righteous life he was created in from death and loss This is directly contrary to God's Command to first and second Adam which the first Rebell'd against and second obey'd Jo. 10. 18. What was offer'd Adam in the Tree of Life Nothing All things the one thing necessary comprehending all things conducible to mans true blessedness Nor Man nor Angel had this Life in their first-Creation-make and State What they both and all had was not Eternal Life but a Mortal Perishing Vanity a fading Flower 'T is Eternal Life say's Satan ye shall not die at all Hold fast your own He had Rebelliously so done in his Angelical nature which turn'd that which was but changably good into unchangable evil a mutably good Angel the work of God's hand into an incorrigibly wicked Devil the work of Satan's own hand which he would also bring all Men and Angels to if possible in a fixed unchangable Enmity to their Maker The setting up ourselves in a righteous first-Covenant Life aganst God and the Spirit of the second is the highest sort of Rebellion as the Sin of Witch-craft such Stubbornes as is indeed the highest and most criminal Idolatry 1 Sam. 15. 23. Paul found the Corinthian and Galatian Professors of the Gospel in danger of this most criminal Witch-craft to wit of being beguiled by the Old Serpent as Eve 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 11. 2 3. and fetch'd back again from Christ's unchangably Holy Gospel-spirit of Life exhibited to convincingly shew'd and offered them in his Ministry to a confident taking up in their own changably Holy Flesh or natural Law-Spirit of Enmity and death for Salvation This after they had begun in the Spirit running well for a season in obedience to Gospel-Light Gal. 3. 1-3 and 5. 7 8. Who hinder'd you or did drive you back that ye should not obey Christ's gospel-Gospel-Spirit of Truth Who but the Devil We find in both Old and New Testament-Saul that the confident resting in a first-Covenant-Life for Salvation renders Men mortal haters of all the right words of the second and fierce Persecuters of all that bring such unwelcome Tydings to their Ears as the Doctrin of the Cross seem's to the Wisdom of righteous Man though indeed the only Words or Doctrin whereby any can be saved the Power of God unto Salvation 1 Cor. 1. 18. Saul in the Old Testament or First-Covenant Spirit Persecuted David singly and meerly as found in the new Name and Spirit of the second in which he saw the Lord to be with him 1 Sam. 18. 12. For this very thing was he afraid of him and resolv'd to kill him though his Son in Law So old Testament legal-spirited Saul in the New Testament till he became a Gospel-spirited Paul and preacher of the Gospel was the fiercest opposer of it breathing out threatings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord for it Act. 9. 1. Old Testament Saul's unpardonable presumptuous sin against the Holy Ghost his unchangable murdering mind of enmity against David for its sake was the great transgression David earnestly prayed to be delivered from in his own person Psal. 19. 13. God sets up first that that 's natural and afterward that that 's spiritual in the Saint All that stick fast in the natural state and life of man are against the spiritual state and life of God Those are figured by the Elder these by the younger brother in Cain and Abel 〈◊〉 and Isaac Jacob and Esau. He that 's born after the flesh by the knowledg of Christ after the flesh as a mystical parent and bridegroom to him in a restor'd fruitful first-covenant righteous life persecut's him that 's born of the same Christ after the spirit in the second and so brought forth in or raised up into that life into which Christ himself is risen from the dead Rom. 7. 1-4 Thus was it alway's And so is it now Gal. 4. 29. These two births in Christ the former making men wise strong and honorable in the first covenant the latter wise strong and honorable in the second we find Jo. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 48. 10. The rich full first-covenant Corinthians reigning as Kings there were the former to whom Paul in the latter seem'd a fool weak and despicable But Paul in the latter knew them to be fools weak and despicable in all the Wisdom strength and fading Glory of the former Paul himself had experienc'd both in an eminency had been eminent in holy flesh and therein the eminent'st Ring-leading Persecuter of them that were born of Christ's Holy Gospel-spirit And when Eminent in Christ's Gospel-spirit was he persecuted by those that were fix'd or unfix'd as himself before Gospel-conversion Act. 9. 1. In Holy flesh enemies of the Gospel and Cross of Christ. Even those that will prove true Saints while but in the first-covenant persecute the second and consider not or think they do evil but indeed good and acceptable Service to God Joh. 16. 2. Act. 26. 9. Solomon's advice to them here is that they be more ready to hear the voice of the Spirit of Christ in himself and Saints then to speak in their own to hear the words of the true publick new-creation manly Spirit of Grace in the second Adam and his Spiritual descendants or posterity then to speak in their own private changable womanish Spirit of nature or the first Adam We should be swift to hear the true spiritual shepherd's voice rather then forward or at all to speak in the highest Wisdom of our own Spirit that 's the stranger and indeed the very woman Christ prohibits any speaking at all in his true Gospel-Church Paul on Christ's manly astonishing voice from heaven to him turn'd from his own womanish understanding conferr'd not with flesh and blood nature at best in himself or others Gal. 1. 16. None more prejudic'd against or more unfit to hear Christ's Gospel-Doctrin in the Church on the Rock then the self-confident Speakers and Preachers of Satan's in the House upon the Sand. Satan's false Prophets and Ministers that see Vanity and divine Lies are most unfit of all Men to be so much as Members in the Gospel-Church of Christ the Assembly of his People Ezek. 13. 9. V. II. Be not rash with thy mouth and let
the crosse upon it be finish'd Be not therefore rash with thy mouth tongue language or expression of thy natural Spirit nor let thy carnal mind or fleshly heart that 's in union with the Devil be hasty forward and consident to utter any thing before God Let not that be the Speaker to Men in Preaching or to God in Prayer publick or private It will do Satan's drudgery carry on his designs where or when-ever it is the speaker or actour It will do all in enmity to God to his Spirit of truth and Saint's Let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing or word before God This shew's Solomon mean's by mouth in the first clause the expressing and doing of the will and mind of the natural heart or Spirit that 's in enmity to God The Saint ought to have a jealous eye over it and keep a continual watch against it so as never to do the will or fulfil the lusts thereof but oppose fight against and crucisie them If we live and walk in Christ's Steddy Spirit of everlasting righteousness thus we shall do Gal. 5. 16. and 24 25. All yielding Obedience to or doing the will and lust of the flesh or carnal mind of enmity to God is compliance with the Devil against the Gospel-will of Christ in himself and us and divine will of God The natural Spirit is the home-bred traitour wrap'd up in a confederacy with the Devil in enmity to God the Foe of our own House or in our own persons by which Satan seek's to mischieve and destroy us 'T is our great concern to watch against this foe and keep it out of action till perfectly abolish'd and cut off and then shall we never be troubled with it more The restor'd Spirit of man that has bin as a bosome-friend and guide in the first-covenant house of God leading us out of the corrupt State of our nature and opposing the vile affections and lusts thereof filth of flesh turn's flat against the new guide and leader the Spirit of Christ in himself and us under the conduct whereof only t is possible for us to 〈◊〉 into God's rest This familiar friend and wife that lies in our bosome lifts up the heel and turn's flat against the new governour the Spiritual and sure guide to true bessedness as well as former familiar friends without doors that remain wholly in the first-covenant house establish'd by Satan in the righteousness of man and so in unchangable enmity to God Psal. 41. 9. Trust not thy bosome-friend when indeed turn'd into a bosom-enemy the Foe the worldly disputant the carnal-minded reasoner against and opposer of Christ's Gospel-Spirit in us our new guide Confer not with her Gal. 1. 16 Suffer her not to Speak or open her mouth And keep the door of thy mouth from her Let not the thoughts words prayers of thy Spiritual mind or man that 's to seek study and joyn with Christ to put her to death be offer'd to her in way of conference or treaty For She will be against all to be sure Ther 's no treating with her for peace whose enmity to God is curable only by her Death She is for war as long as one drop of mystical blood or life is left in her She will fight against Spirit to the last gasp Trust her not then Mica 7. 5. I am for peace say's David's Spiritual Man but if I open my mouth to speak of peace to my natural that with all the affections and lusts thereof that fight and war against my own soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. is alway's for war Psal. 120. 7. The carnal mind or natural Spirit is the he that hates peace that peace with God which is no otherwise attainable but by its Death The soul of the Spiritual Saint sojourn's in Mesech dwells in the tents of Kedar with him that hates peace the Foe of its own house till utterly abolish'd dead and gone v. 5 6. If we follow our former old guide in us against the lusts of our corrupted nature when thus turn'd against the new and sure Spiritual guide in us we are so far forth servants of sin and Satan Rom. 6. 16. These two Spirits natural and Spiritual Man's and God's first and second-covenant principles of life desire thought word and action in Man clearly stated and laid before him in their vast differences and irreconcilable contrarieties with the advantages and disadvantages of chusing this or that for the principle of our life and action eternal life or death does not a wrong and most foolish choice render a man undeniably and unexcusably guilty of his own eternal ruine Be not then rash with this mouth of thy Spirit of enmity to God nor hasty in that heart to utter any thing before God For how is it possible to speak right words or things to God or men in a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 to God whose mouth speaks all its words in union with the Devil All that after Spiritual Light and strong conviction as to all these things afforded them do still persist in speaking the words of their hasty forward Spirit of enmity to God in preaching to men or pretended prayer to God are abominable to God in all For as their most aggravated wickedness madness and folly do they deliver themselvs up to the Devil as his sworn bored Slaves and vassals for ever When by way of death and 〈◊〉 Man's natural Spirit is transform'd and baptiz'd into a union with his Spiritual mind or man the Spirit of God in him then as a Seer of God and right obedient Servant to the true Prophet or Spiritual man in him 't is a meek rightly tuned spirit fitted to be a mouth or door of utterance for the things of God to his Spiritual man For God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy words be few God resides or dwells in the all-searching Light of his new-'creation Sanctuary-Spirit that can discover the bottom intent of all hearts Heb. 4. 12 13 that take up with Satan in his first-creation house or state in unchangable enmity to him and the second his heavenly house or Spirit When thou prayest then enter into thy Closet and shut thy Door Mat. 6. 6. exclude thy own Earthly understanding Mind or Will let them have nothing to do in or with thee in thy Prayers keep secret from them what thou pray'st and treatest about with God for thy Salvation For the Life of that is to be the Sacrifice by which to enter into the new and everlasting covenant with God Psal. 50. 5. Keep the Door of thy mouth from this false bosome-Friend and guide She will never consent to her own Death And in all true Saint's preaching to men and Prayer to God is this very thing to be taught and sought This foe is to be excluded out of the cabinet-counsell of Christ and the Saint who joyntly conclude the Death or utter abolition of all the Life and motion thereof If that therefore be
admitted into our Closet of prayer and consulting with Christ about it's own Death so as to have a vote in the case it will pray plead and vote against it alway's and reckon Christ and the Saints Spiritual Man it 's unreasonable enemies It will reckon all the prayers of the Spiritual man against it cursing and all his endeavors in union with Christ to crucify it murder 'T wil cry out to the Devil Oh! Murder murder and call for assistance against its and his enemies All that it will agree to pray for will be but an asking amiss such things as may gratify its own lusts in enmity to God It is the perpetual disputer wrangler and quarreller against the only way of Salvation under the Cross against its own Death which is God's declared undispensable way in the appointed methods of his wisdom for man's Salvation This secret faithfully kept according to Christ's counsel by the Spiritual man of the Saint from his own natural when the sacrificing Death-work on the natural is over and finished Christ will reward him openly Mat. 6. 6. at the manifestation of the Sons of God in the visibility of his before hidden Spiritual Life hidden till Christ's second coming and manifestation in Spirit in himself and Saints The Saint is deeply concern'd to check his own hasty rash forward Spirit as a most dangerous foe in his own house or Person God is in his heavenly Spirit thou in thy earthly therefore let thy words be few indeed none at all If that foe be the speaker or chuser all will go wrong All its prayers will run for and be calculated to its own interest Life and livelihood the belly and meats the desires and desirables that will all be destroy'd and perish It will hate Christ the fountain of Life and chuse its own eternal Death in the causes of it and ready way to it Pro. 8. 36. Vers. III. For a Dream cometh through the multitude of business and a fool's voice is known by a multitude of words Man at best in his own nature is altogether vanity walks in a vain shew Heb. an Image lead's but an Imaginary Life in the Image of the Earthly the law-Law-Spirit of nature shadow of the heavenly the gospel-Gospel-Spirit of Grace and Truth All man's concerns and labours relating to such a Life all his disquietings of himself about it must needs be in vain The very life to which all relate is very vanity In all the noise trouble stir and din man makes about himself herein can he never please God or profit himself as to true blesedness Vain are all his solicitudes in getting heaping up and keeping such litteral or mystical riches of his own nature as will all make themselvs wings and fly way do what he can when all 's done All such riches are but a vanity tossed to and fro by them that love Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a tumbling cast in which men are tossed up and down by providence like balls as the Poet say's never at any certainty Many rich in outward litteral wealth live to see all gone and themselvs run down into poverty And so as to mystical many rich for a season in 〈◊〉 treasures and fruits of a first-covenant righteous Life roll back again with the Dog to the vomit and Sow to the mire of their old sins brutish vilenesses and so come again to be as poor and tattered there as other beggerly brutish sinners of the Genti'l's Yea in a worse condition then they if unfix'd there because now come to their latter end worse then that beginning as born dead in trespasses and sins 2 Pet. 2. 20-22 For but these two sorts of 〈◊〉 deceitful riches especially the mystical do men turn their backs on Christ's true riches heavenly treasures eternal Life with the Young Man in the Gospel not regarding them at all any more then a bruit beast does And this renders man's whole Life and labour in this World from his Cradle to his Grave a very dream In the multitude of his buisiness cumbring himself as Martha with the many things of this World that Satan is called Prince and God of he wholly neglects Maries better choice of the one thing necessary which comprehends all things relating to true blessedness in the World to come The full sum of all man labours but for some little particle of the god of this World offer'd Christ and was refused even all the Kingdoms of this World and Glory of them that is all humane and angelical excellencies sound in the first creation yea and all these by his transforming art gilded over with the nearest resemblance of all the things of God the spiritual Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God in the second What madness is it for Men to trade in seed and wholly dote upon but such perishing vanities or meats Satan is the known permitted Master and dispenser of Mean while all eternal things and concerns are as wholly neglected despised and hated even that spirit of Christ that one thing comprehending all things necessary to salvation This Gospel-spirit of God with all its words the only right do-all and say-all to God's well-pleasing and Man's salvation Man will not reckon worth his thought regard looking after or listening to But on he goes in his dreamish Life of Vanity to try what work he can make on 't there for true happiness under an absolute known impossibility of ever finding it He sondly seeks for it in perishing vanities which God reckon's things that are not and never 〈◊〉 things spiritual heavenly and 〈◊〉 which God call's the only things that are Thus cross and contrary is the judgement are the conceptions and words of Man's wisdom at best to God's Man will own nothing above his fading natural things first-creation vanities but infinite divinity He will not believe there are any middle sort of things of a spiritual everlasting righteous new-creation nature between natural and purely divine things Thus does Man leave no room for his advance in creature-ship above his natural first-creation state of vanity but only a being swallowed up into infinite divinity wholly losing his creaturality by annihilation and so indeed getting just nothing Infinite Divinity will be where 't was and what it was from Eternity to Eternity beyond and above all possibility of addition and all Creatur's Men and Angels where they were before Creation a meer absolute nullity vanished Shadows If there be no other creature-state but what they both and all receiv'd by the first creation what else imaginable can become of them but a reduction of them all into their primitive nothing The towring presumtuous thought of being godded with God is at bottom when well examin'd a being downright nothing'd and no better God will not only confute but destroy all this wisdom of man in which he presumtuously rambles about for happiness in his own will and way against his makers known mind and counsel about him pitching upon his own fading natural creature things
of the Rulers or Pharisees 〈◊〉 on him But this People that knoweth not the Law are Cursed None but a sort of ignorant simple People Women and unlearn'd Fisher-Men So they reckon'd Peter and John Act. 4. 13. follow him or regard his doctrin At this rate did the signally enlight'ned ring-leaders of the then only Professing People of God in the World say of Christ and his Doctrin What will convince Are we blind also Said the Pharisees Jesus said if ye were blind ye should have no Sin or would not be guilty of the unpardonable Sin against Spiritual Light and so the Holy Ghost But ye say we see Therefore your Sin remain's for ever upon you that is is unpardonable Ye wilfully and knowingly Sin against my gospel-Gospel-Spirit of truth the Holy Ghost so remain's to you nothing but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation for ever Heb. 10. 26 27. Ye are of your Father the Devil Jo. 8. 44. Ye Serpents ye Generation of 〈◊〉 how can ye escape the Damnation of Hell Mat. 23. 33. This is the language on both hands that passed between Christ and the enlight'ned Professors and Teachers of that day What will warn or induce self-confidents to a suspition of their rotten Principles and Sandy Foundation If any think he has whereof to boast there Paul and other enlight'ned Pharisees of that day more And as confident was Paul all was right with him and he doing God Service in Persecuting the Gospel as any now can be in like case and Principles The case of blind Leaders and their blind followers all of them stark blind or worse wilfully blind as shutting their eyes against and turning away their understandings from Christ's to Satan's Gospel is the same now as then And the punishment of both and all will be the same They 'l all fall into the Ditch the Bottomless Pit the very Spirit of the Devil the unchangable enemy of God They said of Christ he hath a Devil and is Mad when convinc'd of his Doctrin as the truth they had nothing to say against but in a way of railing against a Witness for him and against themselvs in their own Consciences The true followers of Christ in all ages have the same lot and handling are call'd Fools and Mad-men at a venture in despite and scorn by those whose own Consciences flie in their Faces and condemn them for their folly and madness therein These are the Fools whose Voice is known by a multitude of Words Brutified Sinners at this day Litteral Sodom Egypt and Babylon destroy or make void the Law Psal. 119. 126. And then a sort of righteous mystical Sinners Spiritually call'd Sodom Egypt and Babylon such as Crucified Christ Rev. 11. 8. what in them lies destroy the Gospel make void the Grace of God Yet in all this combined interest of Litteral and Mystical Sodom against the Gospel and yet clash amongst themselvs in their practical pro and con as to the Life righteousness and Doctrin of the Law with their multitude of words and many things on all hands remain's a hopefulness that Christ may find his seven Thousands or seventy-times seven thousand amongst us that have not willfully but ignorantly bow'd the knee to Baal or follow'd and own'd the first-Covenant-Doctrin of his Priests and righteousness of Man for the Power of Godliness the grace and righteousness of God in the second Vers. IV. When thou vowest a Vow unto God deferr not to pay it For he hath no pleasure in Fools pay that which thou hast vowed His Father David did Ps. 66. 13 14. as requir'd Deut. 23. 21. 23. The Vow and Engagement of Men in the first-Covenant on God's bringing them out of Egypt Bondage in the corrupt nature death in Trespasses and Sins contracted by the first Sin of Man is faithfully to walk there in suppressing the vile affections and lusts of their degenerate nature and to pay such Worship Service and Obedience as is performable to God therein So do they live unto God in that state for a season This do Men often fail in and so break that Covenant with God after enter'd into it and forfeit all the benefits and advantages thereof For then God breaks with them the promises of it being but conditional Numb 14. 34. Jer. 31. 32. Levit. 26. 15 25. Deut. 29. 30. and 31 Chapters Man in his first Covenant Law-Principle his restor'd enlight'ned spirit of nature is alway's in danger of breaking this Vow Covenant or undertake by contract with God God therefore promises to make another Covenant with them in another Spirit his unspeakable gift to them a steddy right constant Spirit of everlasting righteousness Psal. 51. 10. the Gospel new and everlasting Covenant-Principle of Life Jer. 31. 31. 33. This God engages to do by quick'ning up the incorruptible Seed thereof into Life motion and prevailing activity if they obediently submit to his declared terms in giving up their clensed nature to him in Sacrifice by a holy Death Their polluted nature was no meet sacrifice for him neither is it slain but somewhat disabled only by Law-Conversion and is continually striving to fetch them back to their old Sins with the Dog to the Vomit often prevailing so as to recover its former Dominion over them and ride in Triumph again with its uncontroll'd vile affections and lusts The first-Covenant natural or Law-principle fail'd of its duty in the first Man when at best and more liable sure is it to fail in but some gradual renewals thereof God therefore finds a fault or defect in that first-Covenant-state of Life as to Mans steddy well-pleasing obedience to him or true happiness to himself So offers a second Heb. 8. 6-13 This is the better the new and everlasting Covenant The Gospel-spirit of God undertakes the performance of all obedience in Men when it becomes the principle of life desire thought and action in them which can never sin err or miscarry deceive or be deceived In this new-Covenant Spirit or Principle God becomes their God and they his people for ever He will never depart from them nor they from him Jer. 32. 38-41 The undispensable condition on man's part for entring into the second covenant with God is the obedient giving up in Sacrifice to him all the fading life and things received from his own hand in the first When convinc'd of this twofold differing covenant-principle with the methods of God's Wisdom and his requirings from them as also with the unspeakable advantages of quitting the first for the second then are they bound to vow the sacrifice of their Life in the former and not to be slack in performing the said vow If we be not slack in that our part for entring into the new or second Covenant with God he will not be slack concerning his promise the promise of the father even the Spirit of the Son will by the Son be set up in our hearts which is the Gospel-principle the Apostles were
shall never enter into his rest in the second And for their unpardonable Sin he will take from them all the fading beauty or goodness he had bestow'd on them in the 〈◊〉 So all 's gone God's first-Covenant-gift set up in unchangable enmity to his convincingly shew'd and graciously offer'd second is the unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost comprehending all the most criminal Sins or Abominations Man can be guilty of mystical spiritual Adultery idolatry Murder c. Ezek. 16. 15. 38. Ro. 2. 21 22. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Gal. 5. 19-21 The proud reigning 〈◊〉 old first Covenant Kings despise all these words to their own destruction But the poor of the Flock Christ's little ones content to be impoverish'd and run down into the barreness and death of their own however 〈◊〉 and enlight'ned nature understand own and obey all such words of the Lord 〈◊〉 11. 11. They are willing to be made Fools weak and despicable with Paul in the 〈◊〉 visage of a first-covenant State Image of the earthy that they may be all glorious within in the Image of the heavenly such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rich strong and honourable in God in the spiritual Gospel-Life 〈◊〉 with Christ in God All that finally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the greatest Fools as to their greatest eternal concerns All that 〈◊〉 boggle and fly off at the Gospel-Tydings of the Cross and Death thereby to be brought upon nature resolving to maintain the sandy Foundation and untemper'd Walls of their earthly worldly first-Covenant Church-building for Salvation are be witch'd by Satan with their glittering Holy Flesh and things of Man and Devil into unchangable enmity to God's Holy Spirit and all the things of Christ and God This work Satan is at with first-covenant Professors in holy 〈◊〉 the self-same as with Eve 2 Cor. 11. 3. And through God's most wise permission has he wonderfully prevailed in all Ages and Generations and not less sure in this last and worst of times to keep men short of the Grace of God yea to fix them with himself in enmity to it and so deprive them of all advantages or benefits of both God's Covenants Many that begin well engage and set their hand to God's Spiritual mystical-Plow the Cross of Christ for running down nature in them toward the commanded Death suffering many things that way their foot in the same Gospel race of suffering with the thorow-pac'd resolv'd Gospel-Saint that follow 's the Lamb slain whithersoever he goes even to the mystical Death and Grave of nature many of these engaged Racers does Satan fetch back again to himself and sixes them with himself in first creation-Life and so in unchangable enmity to God and the second Gal 5. 7 8. and 3. 1-4 When come to the borders of the heavenly Canaan as Israel of the litteral they hate it and turn back to mystical if not also litteral Egypt sixing in the righteous or rolling back to the corrupt Spirit of nature and that as their professed Judgment for Salvation with Ranters After all high Spiritual enlightning partaking of the Light of the holy Ghost and offer'd the Life thereof and so tasting of that heavenly gift the good living word and wisdom of God and Powers of the World to come they Apostatize or fall away beyond all possibility of recovery or renewal of them again unto repentance Heb. 6. 4-6 The high Priest's among the Jews offer'd litteral Sacrifices Christ the true high Priest comes to Preach Death to nature in their very Persons as the true Gospel Sacrifice they ought obediently to give him to offer up in the fire of his Eternal Spirit as he offer'd our nature at best in himself to God most high For this they blasphem'd and crucified him The fix'd Shadowy Law-Priest's and their blind followers abhor the true Gospel-Priest with all his Spiritual Seers and Doctrine Many shuffling devices and inventions Devils Suggest and men find to shift off the Cross of Christ wave all the unpleasing words or doctrine thereof which indeed is the only way to and Door of entrance for any into the Kingdom of God Through a fellowship with their Lord in sorrows sufferings and manifold tribulations of and to their natural man inward and outward do true Saints enter with him into his everlasting joy All others must lie down in everlasting Sorrow eating the fruit of their own way be filled with their own devices under final wrath Had they own'd God's reproofs given by the mouth of true Wisdom his living word to them even the reproofs of Death to their nature and followed his instructions for Life they might have dwelt safely for ever and have been quiet from all fear of evil Prov. 1. 20-33 The Pisgah-Prospect into the new-creation Life or true Land of promise given to their natural understandings by Spiritual irradiations or Light should have invited moved and drawn their wills with cogent arguments to the most delightful embraces thereof on any terms Man convinc'd of the more excellent Gospel-Life and way and setting hand and foot to work in prosecution of it and towards attaining it is actually under the vow of surrendring nature to Death And this is upon record in that living corner-stone the fountain Gospel-Spirit or living creature-Word Wisdom or Book of God in Christ's person This was figur'd by the Stone Josua set up under an Oak by the sanctuary of the Lord that in figure heard the Spiritually enlightne'd Israelâ—â—s vow promise and engagement over and over for the true serving the Lord in his Spirit of truth the principle of the new and everlasting covenant accordingly will witness for or against them as they firmly hold or perfidiously fly off from the said engagement As for me and my house say's Josua we will serve the Lord. So will we answer'd the people again again again and again Jos. 24. 15. 18. 21. 24 yet after all these good words fair promises and engagements a world of them flew off and came to worse then nothing Christ the living Stone sigur'd by that Joshua set up will witness against and deal with all such according to their works and dealings toward him v. 26 27. Man must not dispute or deferr the performance of the said vow but with Paul should be forthwith obedient to the heavenly vision of the mind of God come roundly and readily off with his holocaust or whole burnt-offring of his natural State His eye must not pity nor hand spare any thing in it that God requires to be destroy'd as Saul spar'd Agag and best of the Cattel in letter and mystery whereas Abram spar'd not his very Son Isaac Nature at best Our true father Abraham though tempted to it by Satan and his own apostle Peter spared not the true Isaac our spotless nature in his own person but offer'd it up in the mystical fire of his eternal Spirit of grace unto God accounting with litteral Abram that God was able to raise him or it up again from the
his spirit of unchangable enmity to God then by Christ's new-creation workmanship baptized into his Gospel-spirit of unchangable union with God What 's the meet recompence of such errour The same Tophet punishment lake of mystical fire and brimstone the litteral is but a Shadow of unquenchable wrath fiery indignation the vengeance of eternal fire In this and other variety of language does the Holy Ghost or Spirit of truth in the Scriptur's of truth clothe the joynt everlasting torment and vexation of both For such a covenant with the Devil is a covenant of oath a swearing everlasting allegiance to him and a taking also his oath of supreamacy owning him as the supream ruler and infallible dictatour in Church and State in the room of the holy ghost or Christ in Spirit and God most high himself 2 Thes. 2. 4. And so his bored Servants they are for ever whom they have sworn to obey for ever on all accounts and own for their Supream Paramount-Ruler and guide so as to place themselvs under his protection wing and conduct Rom. 6. 16. They agree to Obey Sin and the Man of Sin Satan the unchangably sinning Spirit of Eternal Darkness and Death Can this be lesse then the sin unto death eternal death They 'l be sure of the portion they have chosen They unchangably hate Christ's Gospel new-Creature Spirit of everlasting righteousness chuse and love a Spirit of unchangable enmity to it and death to themselvs Prov. 8. 36. Can they miss of what they love and have chosen Rebellious Children are they They take counsel not of me saith the Lord but of the Devil They cover with a covering not of my Spirit but the Devil 's for their clothing and protection They are willing to be dress'd up in his furniture and armour to fight against God All this for this very end that they may add sin to sin unchangable enmity to God the unpardonable sin to the pardonable changable state of enmity and death they were born in So come they to a latter end worse than their beginning by their own choice when offer'd a better end then ever nature in its beginning at best before the fall amounted to in the the changable spotless life thereof They are now in a known chosen confederacy with the Devil for ever against God Christ all Gospel-Saints and truths They have greedily drunk down the poyson'd wine of the very Spirit of the old Serpent Their wine is the poison of Dragons the cruel venom of Asps Deut. 32. 33. The poison of Asps is under their lips Rom. 3. 13. They spit venom breath out slaughter against the Saints of the most high They are establish'd by Satan made men fully after his own heart So unchangable irreconcileable implacable enemies of all after God's own heart as Saul to David In these two fixed states after God's or the Devil 's own heart will all men in conclusion be found in heaven or hell everlasting joy or sorrow under the final favour or unquenchable wrath of God Neither say before the Angel 't was an errour This Angel is Christ the supream Apostle or Messenger of God's Covenant the living Creature-word and book of God which is God Jo. 1. 1 So the Septuagint render it neither say before God it was an errour and therefore why should he be angry c. To what porpose is it for any to pretend ignorance as having done all this by a mistake and surprize before this Angel or word of God that 's of an all-penetrating sight so as infallibly to discern and discover the bottom-thoughts and intents of all hearts Heb. 4. 12 13. He will undeniably evidence all this wickedness to have bin wilfully and knowingly done against his cleer declarations of the mind of God to them and most faithfull warnings of them to the contrary and of the unspeakable danger thereof No good words fair speeches plausible pretences whereby they have deceiv'd their fellow-creatur's will signify any thing towards their defence or excuse before this infallible Angel's judgment-seat He will silence and stop every mouth of iniquity and fill all that have thus caused their flesh to sin thereby with everlasting shame and confusion of face Peter in the Holy Ghost or that Spirit of this Angel Christ wherein he will judg the world detected the falshood of Ananias and Saphira and executed God's sentence of death upon them as having suffer'd Satan to fill their hearts their undeniable guilt Act. 5. 1-10 Such Spots are not the Spots of God's Children They are never guilty of unpardonable Sins And then do those guilty of such errours think to get any thing by 〈◊〉 why should God be angry and destroy our works Or Solomon in the Spirit of God asks them why should God be angry at thy voice or mouth that hath agreed with Satan to cause thy flesh or whole man to sin 〈◊〉 and so destroy the Work of thine hands But let this Question be put by whom it will the Works which have been wrought in a Spirit of unchangable enmity to God will be 〈◊〉 If put by the Holy Ghost in Solomon 't is by way of counsel to 〈◊〉 such madness in Men whereby to receive such a Spirit of unchangable enmity into them for the principle of all their Desires Thoughts and Works as will most certainly expose them and all such Works to be burnt up and destroyed for ever They have done all such wicked Works and the leading wicked Work to all the rest in receiving the Devil's Spirit of unchangable enmity for their working Active Principle before the said Angel or under his convincing Spiritual Light and cleer discoveries of himself to them in his Spiritual Life of Truth wherein alone they can be Saved He will at last undeniably convince them that they were convinced and fairly warn'd of all these things before-hand in his gracious exhibitings and offers of himself to them doing all they could desire he should do for preventing such a self-ruining wilfull unpardonable errour All has been done by them against the known commands of his Spiritual law And will they say it was an errour a mistake of meer ignorance And so think to prevail with this Angel to plead for their Pardon Alas Alas He will make them see it most Just for him to intercede against them as his and his Father 's incorrigible wilfull Enemies and to say to his mighty Angels slay these mine Enemies before my face Luke 19. 27. that would not I should Reign over them but the Devil God or this Angel is most Justly angry at their Voice or Mouth by which they have chosen and declared their consent for unchangable union with the Devil rather then with him And he will destroy all the works of their Hands that in such union they have done against him in whatever nearest resemblance of his gospel-Gospel-Spirit and Truths by the transforming Arts and Skill of their Master-Workman purposely to express their utmost Malice against him
thereby Vers. VII For in the multitude of Dreams and many Words there are also divers Vanities but fear thou God This concluding Word on this subject is a Character of the first-creation Spirit or State as chosen by men in union of mind with the fallen Angels Solomon calls it many things and businesses a multitude of Dreams as v. 3. a multitude of business whence cometh a Dream The busie boundless wandring gadding Spirit of man cumbers it self as Martha with a heap of first-creation Vanities that can give him no true satisfaction All his conceited happiness therein is but a Dream His many Words and Labours about them are but divers Vanities a variety of glittering nothings things that God says are not perishing vanishing shadows All labour of man in his first creation life of Vanity all his Works Fruits Duties performance to God or Man therein is Vanity All inordinate love to and 〈◊〉 after the outward or inward litteral or mystical Riches and Treasures of that State in the most fruitfull Exercise of a first-covenant Life is but that Love of Mony Paul call's the Root of all 〈◊〉 For from this Love to his own Worldly Life and Riches thereof is man sound in direct enmity to God and his Gospel-Spirit and Riches which alone can make any truly Happy So all he is has or does all his Attainments Works Fruits Riches Possessions rested in will prove a most unhappy destructive Dream out of which when he awakes he will find himself to have bin all along deceived with Imaginary things that have no durable reality in them Christ convincingly shew's men this now and will hereafter convince them he hath so shewed it and fairly warned them thereby of their danger Let him then that Preaches up such a vain State with all the best things of man therein for happiness tell it but as a Dream not considently assert it to be a Gospel-State of Salvation but a Law-Dream Jer. 23. 28. Man's Chaff Dream Vain Glory Shadow Life and Image of the Earthy fix'd in in unchangable enmity to God's Wheat his Word Wisdom Righteousness durable Life Riches Food and Cloathing in the Image of the Heavenly is certain damnation What 's the Chaff to the Wheat the Words of Man's Wisdom in his lying Spirit of divination as to all Gospel things and truths of God into the Room whereof he thrusts the things of Man and says the Lord sayeth Ezek. 13. 6. to the Words of my Wisdom in my Gospel Spirit of Truth What are Man's Law-Dreams to my Gospel-Truths In stead of this dangerous Trade and destructive practice Solomon's advice is Fear thou God This fearing God and keeping his commandments he declar's Eccles. 12. 13. to be the whole Duty of Man the Conclusion and sum of the whole matter in all Books and Words of Right Instruction unto Life Follow after obey and close with the Lord 's own Counsels Teachings Leadings convincing discoveries of his mind and Gracious Offer's of that gospel-Gospel-Spirit that 's in unchangable union with his divine Spirit and you 'l ever know and do his whole mind and counsel and Worship him in Spirit and in Truth to his wel-pleasing acceptance and your Salvation His Spirit is that Love that 's the fulfiller of his whole Law Rom. 13. 10. Vers. 8. If thou seest the Oppression of the Poor and violent perverting of Judgment and Justice in a Province marvel not at the matter Heb. will or purpose for he that is higher then the highest regardeth and there be higher than they Her 's encouragement to right Fearers true Believers and beloveds of God that have abandon'd their own first-creation Life of vanity and enmity for his new-creation Spirit of Truth and Love In this are they too hard for all Enemies For the Almighty Divine and irrisistibly mighty new-creation Spirit of Christ and God are on their Side as also the Angels of his Power who in their Spiritual new-covenant Life of everlasting Righteousness and Truth transcendently excell in strength all first-creation Evil Angelical or humane invisible or visible Principalities Powers that are against the Saints of the most high Saints then are sufficiently furnish'd under the great Captain of their Salvation to deal with and be more then Conquerors over all Enemies all worldly Powers of Darkness and Gates of Hell Muster they never so strong Bluster Storm and Look as big as they can Saints Infallibly see and know where they shall have them in conclusion for ever even under their feet as the necks of the five Kings of Canaan were put under the feet of Josua's Captains Jos. 10. 24. Those Kings were a Type of all first-Creation Powers fix'd in Opposition to the second Spiritual Israelites know how to demean themselvs under all Oppressours the great mystical Goliah the Devil with his whole Army of Philistines evil Angels and men They have so learnt Christ in their Spiritual man which no Enemies can touch that they fear not them that can but kill the Body or whole natural man as to a first-covenant first-creation Life of vanity and have no more that they can do They know their great Captain Christ himself turns all Injuries done to their Body or natural man to their great advantage as hastning the Death of what 's to die in them and so compleating their conformity with himself therein the consequent whereof will be a compleating them in his resurrection-Life that 's above all Enemies and Deaths Their Way of ascending into his all-conquering Spiritual Life is the Death of their natural State They overcome by such Death of what can die as found in a state that can never die the certain result and issue of such a Holy obedient Death This way the Captain of our Salvation overcame Heb. 2. 10. And his good and faithfull Souldiers must fight as they have him for an example and not look for a final absolute Conquest any other Way than he obtained it Satan and his Party seem to conquer by killing the natural man or Body of Christ and Saints who finally conquer them all by being so killed They fight with exceedingly differing Weapons Enemies with Weak and Carnal Saints and their Captain-General with Spiritual and Mighty through God for pulling down all their Strong Holds and laying them all in the Dust. Another Riddle Enemies fight against the Spirit of God or Spiritual man in Saints but can hit or touch only their natural which their own Spiritual is fighting against in their own persons So though they have Perfectly contrary designes Christ Saints and all Enemies what'ere they strike at they all hit only flesh and Blood which cannot enter into the Kingdom of God but lets or hinders the Saint's fully entring till it be fully destroyed By suffering Devils and men seemingly to overcome him and his Saints as bringing death on their natural man do Christ and they overcome them all in their Spiritual which is greater then they and which they can never touch V.
Capacity and lawfull Calling in this World diligently performing his Duty and referring the issue and success of his labours to Providence without any carking solicitud's or murmuring repining thoughts against God when cross'd in his expectations and disappointed of his hopes has rest and quiet to himself therein Such a one however low in outward Riches Solomon preferr's as to outward worldly Happiness before the litteral covetous rich man that from excessive inordinate Love to such Wealth robb's and deprives himself of all right comfort therein His solicitous self-tormenting thoughtfulness for getting and keeping such Wealth and then fear of losing all again all which the other is freed from render him a very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His abundance of Riches fills his Heart with abundance of trouble and disquiet as well as his Coffers with Silver which will not suffer him to rest or sleep Through this vanity under the litteral first-creation Sun Solomon saw such Riches downright hurtfull to the Owners thereof instead of being of any benefit or advantage to them Semblably the inward Riches of man's Spirit under the mystical first-creation Sun the enlightning enlivening fructifying influence of Christ as a fleshly Bride-groom in his first-covenant Spirit Single upon man's nature Laodicean Treasures heaped up and trusted in and to by man for true Happiness produce the same restlesness and disquiet to him Full of solicitud's is he in getting and keeping and of Fears about losing all again as the litteral covetous rich man is Is there not a cause for such Jealousies and Fears All 's but a vain shew in Holy Flesh a first-covenant Spirit of bondage and fear about his known perishing vanities refusing Christ's convincingly shew'd and offer'd durable Riches and true Freedom even the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God in his gospel-Gospel-Spirit or perfect Law of Liberty to good only and that good unchangable That 's Freedom indeed to purpose Heb. 2. 15. 2 Cor. 3. 17. Joh. 8. 32. 36. Jam. 1. 25. and 2. 12. The Truth Christ's gospel-Gospel-Spirit of Truth makes us Christ's true freemen though in letter man's Servants 1 Cor. 7. 22. And the Master that 's free in letter if effectually call'd by Christ into his heavenly Life of true freedom is his Servant Christ's new-covenant Law or Gospel-Spirit of Life by its death-work on our old or first-covenant law-Spirit of Sin Bondage Enmity and Death sets us free from Sin and Death Rom. 8. 2. all vain Trouble Bondage and Fear He that 's so dead is freed from Sin Rom. 6. 7. ceases for ever from it 1 Pet. 4. 1. Vers. XIII There is a sore Evil which I have seen under the Sun namely Riches kept for the Owners thereof to their hurt This with the Verse before and four following joyntly Character the folly and misery of the litteral and mystical covetous rich Man the former as a Type of the latter One of them is fill'd with cares and solicitud's about making provision for his bodily ease the other is as busy about provisions for his Soul's ease Luk. 12. 16-19 Both of them trade but in perishing vanities 'T is but for perishing meats that gratify the evill Lust's the Belly Desire or Appetite of a mortal perishable Life of Body and Soul these two sorts of foolish Labourers Toil and fill their Heads and Hearts with vain self-tormenting cares and solicitud's All 's but to compass and finger the vain Delights of the Sons of men Nothing of the never-perishing Life and Meats of the Son of God delights of the Sons of God are admitted into their regard God is not in all or any of their thoughts Psal. 10. 4. Nothing of God's Christ's new-creature Life is sought after They 'l not come to him for it nor regard it when he comes and offers it to them Ioh. 5. 40. How oft would I have gather'd you together unto me under my divine and Creature-wings in this Life and ye would not Mat. 23. 37. Ye are all for your selves your own Life will have none of me or mine Then take your course ye shall never have mine at all never enter into my rest So will be left to your own desolate house for ever V. 38. The mystical rich man delightfully contemplat's the Beauty Fruitfulness and Riches of his own enlight'ned nature and too oft arrivesat this highest point of Spiritual wickedness as the result of his own wisdom to strike up an everlasting-covenant-union with the Devil He agrees to receive by his transforming Hel-fire-Baptism an advance of his own nature out of a narrower changably evil humane capacity into a wider and unchangably evil angelical This by suffering Satan to fill his Heart with his Spirit of unchangable enmity to God This is the making man's mystical House or Barns greater Luk. 12. 18 the enlarging and heightning his natural capacity by a kind of mystical death through Satan's false cross-work or counterfeit mortification for the death of man's Spirit of nature on his engagement by covenant and satisfying assurance that he will raise and catch him up out of that mystical Grave into his higher wiser stronger more excellent and capacious angelical nature Thus by bargain does he touch man's Spirit with the transforming alterative assimilating touch of his and translate him out of his narrower humane into his larger angelical capacity of the first-creation sort Man rather chooses this heightning and enlargment in his own way and after his own heart in the first-creation state of nature which renders him a man after the Devil 's own Heart in unchangable enmity to God then such destruction of his fleshly nature or whole natural state and life at best as leaves him no hopes of ever finding himself in a single natural first-creation-life more for ever but in a spiritual and heavenly by a new-creation in the new everlasting covenant Gospel-principle God's Spirit of Grace and Truth The assimilating transformingwork of Christ's Spiritual Cross or heavenly fire-baptism upon man would translate him if obediently submitting thereto and compliant therewith into the life of God's sacrificing Gospel high-Priest of our Profession or of that very Spirit and fiery law of liberty Deut. 33. 2. Jam. 1. 25 that puts his Law or lawless Spirit of bondage enmity and Death to Death with engagement by Covenant to raise it into the everlasting Life and Glorious liberty of the Sons of God Satan will Personate this very high Priest of God and God himself 2 Thes. 2. 4. And he will transform his higher Angelical excellencies and capacity into the likeness or neerest possible resemblance of Christ's new-creation Glories This is the top-stone of his mystery of iniquity the strongest delusion by which this most subtle old Serpent Dragon and roaring Lion deceives and devours men when and where God permitt's for his own most wise and holy ends Think what this choice of man under Gospel-conviction-Light to joyn unchangably with the Devil rather than with God deservs In order to secure their
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
and Torment Else how comes self-exalting Capernaum any first-Covenant People exalted or lifted up to Heaven in second-Covenant Light so as to taste and see how good the Lord is in his new-Covenant life 1 Pet. 2. 3. and Heb 6. 4 -- 6. to be tumbled down to the lowest hottest Hell under the most fierce and fiery indignation of God for ever Their greater punishment carries with and in it a character that 's clap'd upon their backs as greater sinners by the abuse of such utmost advantages for their good then those of literal Sodom and Gomorrha Mat. 11. 23. figuring the general rout of all common Sinners of the Gentiles in the corrupt spirit of Nature under what ever outward nominal distinction by the title Mahumetan Pagan or Christian. Names vary not the case one jot where there 's nothing of Christianity in a first or second Covenant a Law or Gospel-life righteousness of Man or God They are enemies of all righteousness with Elymas the Sorcerer Act. 13. 8 -10. Vers. 6. Yea though he live a thousand years twice told yet hath he seen no good do not all go to one place Nothing but Vanity in the largest measures highest degrees and most fruitful exercise of a single first-Covenant or natural first-Creation life with the longest continuance therein is to be found by Man Let him live a thousand years twice told in the largest possessions thereof he sees not or enjoys any true unchangeable good therein from first to last All the goodness thereof comes to the same end and pass with his bodily life and the concerns or good things of that The death of both and all is the same end of all to the longest liv'd Methuselah and to an Infant that dies at an hour old The same period is put to the mortal first-Covenant life of the Spirit as to that of the body If therefore a Man have no other life to trust to beyond both these he will be cover'd with unchangeable darkness in eternal Death the mystical Tophet state or place of Torment for ever prepar'd for all self-confident first-Covenant Kings Princes of this World in the but fading glory of a first-Covenant life Such Princes crucified Christ for his Doctrine of the second They despise and wonder at it and so perish or come to nought with all they chuse and please themselves with 1 Cor. 2. 6. 8. Acts 13. 41. Do not all go to one place All these eminent long-liv'd vanity-mongers go to the same place or state of unchangeable enmity to God and darkness to themselves with those that had shorter continuance in and smaller enjoyments of the said righteous life of vanity in holy flesh or with them that never had any thing at all of it polluted Heathen's fix'd in the vile affections and lusts of literal Sodom All comes to one at last wise first-Covenant Saints and foolish common sinners of the Gentiles Yea their greater and higher advantages wilfully abus'd gain them only a deeper cup or measure of Wrath for ever than those of less attainments and standing therein or of none at all After all their enjoyment of and flourish in a but changable good rejecting God's everlasting as recompence of their most foolish choice to walk in the light of their own fire the warmth light zeal of and for their own enliven'd enlighten'd nature and compassing themselves about with sparks of their own kindling duties fruits works producible or performable therein must they lie down in sorrow darkness and death for ever This will they have from God's hand Isa. 50. 11. Vers. 7. All the labour of Man is for his mouth and yet the appetite Heb. Soul is not fill'd No satisfying answer to all the needs of Man's Immortal spirit in all first-Creation Vanities is ever to be found No literal or mystical riches that are all but perishing Vanities can do 't Let Man lay about him while he will do what he can in the activity of bodily or but first-Covenant righteous life he never finds or gets any such thing as will stop the craving mouth or fill the appetite of either so as to give any thing of true rest or satisfaction to him All Man 's trading in a vain life where Belly and Meats desires and desirables are perishing vanities and to be destroy'd 1 Cor. 6. 13. is with himself altogether vanity Psal. 39. 5. fleshly tree and fruit root and branch mouth appetite and meat Unprofitable is all man's labour then for fetching in Provisions for his flesh even holy flesh righteous cleans'd nature to gratify or fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 14. The very meats of Christ's first-Covenant earthly Table afforded man for a season in that state will with that renew'd holy life and appetite come to nought A Plea therefrom will stand Man in no stead at the last day as having eaten and drunk thereat for entrance into his Kingdom Luk. 13. 24 -- 30. Mat. 7. 21 -- 23. He will not know or own them but hid them depart from him as incorrigible workers of mystical iniquity the highest and most criminal rank of unpardonable sinners Out of Heathen Countries from East West North and South the four winds of Heaven shall an Elect Seed be wakened up signally by the preparatory dispensation of Angels in association with the risen Witnesses from among Men to preach the 〈◊〉 Gospel into the spiritual Kingdom-life of the 〈◊〉 and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God and such high but hypocritical pretenders to it be thrust out Luke 13. 28 29. Mat. 24. 14 31. All this will be preparatory to Christ's second coming Abundance of Christ's Spouses and Children in the 〈◊〉 Covenant become incorrigible Rebels against him and his Spirit of the second and consequently the siercest Persecutors and haters of all his Gospel-Saints and Truths Then he most justly turns from being a Saviour to them as for a season he was in the 〈◊〉 to be their unchangeable enemy and 〈◊〉 against them Isa. 63. 8 10. or pour upon them his unchangeable wrath in and by that very spirit of the second they 〈◊〉 with a perfect 〈◊〉 and it them Zec. 11. 8. Sure the unchangeable wrath of God must needs light and rest for ever on the guilty heads of the unchangeable enemies of God The stated Case for Salvation from the beginning is the surrender of and passing out of all first-creation life and vanities into the second The rebellious keeping up the first against the second loses all and excludes from the second that 's God's and the Saint's true Rest for 〈◊〉 Solomon lamenting the folly of Man in his own vain self-chosen life will and way puts these two following Questions to him Ver. 8. For what hath the Wise more than the Fool What hath the Poor that knoweth to walk before the Living What or who is the Wise the Fool the Poor and his knowledg to walk before the Living what Living who
All these are to be enquir'd into and consider'd of promiscuously and inclusively in one line of discourse The Wise is Man in the restor'd the Fool Man in the degenerate corrupt spirit of Nature All 's but Nature both are possest of corrupt or righteous so all 's vanity Nothing of Grace true Regeneration Gospel-conversion or life in or about the best of them Paul at best in his Law-life of Nature fiercely persecuted this And in his Gospel-life of Grace was as fiercely persecuted by the other The Wise Strong and Honorable in Christ's first-Covenant communications finally opposing the second is a greater sinner and fool than the fool in the corrupt spirit of Nature here and will fall under sorer Condemnation and Wrath hereafter So is he the worst and will have the worst on 't in this World next He is the disputer of this World that 's perfectly unreasonable and untreatable as to the Gospel-things of the next which he can never discern in the Wisdom and Spirit he is of They are foolishness to him 1 Cor. 2. 14. He denies all root and branch the very foundation of all Gospel-Saints and Truth 's the living Corner-Stone the Rock of Ages the fountain Gospel-Spirit He denies there 's any such thing And if the foundations of all the true Saint is has or has to say be destroyd or denied what 's to be done Psal. 11. 3. They deny the Creature-Holy Ghost or Spirit of everlasting Righteousness in Christ and Saints They say there 's no such thing A Spiritual creature-life between Natural and Divine the said wise first-Covenant Saint utterly denies and shuffles out of all his Divinity and teaching What 's then to be done with him or said to him He is the most unreasonable Man in the World to be dealt with about Gospel-affairs however highly he pretends to them being wholly destitute of any spiritual Faith to discern them 2 Thes. 3. 2. 1 Cor. 2. 14. True Saints are not to cast Pearls Gospel-Truths before such Swine Mat. 7. 6. but beware of such Gospel-Wolves in sheeps cloathing Mat 10. 16 17. Can any deny this Law-life Wisdom Glory Honour Power all fading things must be parted with for God's Christ's Gospel-Wisdom Righteousness Glory never to be done away 2 Cor. 3. 10 11. 1 Cor. 3. 18. This is implied 1 Cor. 4. 10. To the self-confident first-Covenant wise all spiritual Gospel-Truths are foolish and the spiritual Saint a fool a mad man Hos. 9. 7 8. Christ's own People in the first reckon'd him mad for the Doctrine of the second Joh. 1. 11. 10. 20. what plainer or more suited to convince All Men corrupt or righteous are fools and enemies to all Spiritual Heavenly Gospel-Things or Truths These things are suited only to spiritual discerning or judgment which they are wholly destitute of 1 Cor. 2. 14. Wise Man walks but in a dream an image a vain shew Psal. 39. 6. dotes only on vanities All Glorious Heavenly Spiritual and Divine things all true Divinity lie clear out of the walk of his narrow limited wisdom that 's bounded only with vanities for object All divine and spiritual things are stark foolishness to such wise-fools Such dying as they live will be left in 〈◊〉 Want Nakedness Misery and Confusion The best things they can amuse and please themselves with are us'd and enjoy'd by them but in a Spirit of Enmity to God What was Paul while but there But besides the truly Gospel-wise in the spirit of Grace and fool in general in the whole spirit of Nature corrupt or righteous there is also in the compass of Nature the wise Man in the restor'd and fool in the corrupt spirit of Nature Also in the corrupt Nature is there a sort of wise Men and fools Some of great natural abilities cultivated by learned education and study others of small natural light or reason of weak and uncultivated minds But all in Nature are fools to the spiritual wise in Grace And even such wise Men may be short in natural parts and learning of either the first-Covenant wise Man or learned enlightened Heathen in their own Sphere of activity a subtilty and deep reach about natural concerns and objects Children of this World in their way may be wiser than true Children of light or the next Luk. 16. 8. But of all sorts of natural wise Men none so much decry the spiritual Man for a fool and mad as the wise strong and honourable in the first-Covenant See else Hos. 9. 7 8. Joh. 10. 20. 1 Cor. 2. 14. 4. 10. 2 Cor. 10. 12. Psal. 50. 20 21. Joh. 16. 2. Act. 26. 9. 1 Cor. 1. 18 -- 28. Which think ye were the fools the learned Council of the Jewish Priests Elders and Professors or Peter and John they term'd ignorant and unlearned Men Act. 4. 13. No wisdom of Man can understand or open their Writings The wisest Men first-Covenant Saints are fools to the Gospel-wise Man whom they reckon the arrantest fool of all If the Wisdom of God be foolishness to them can any wonder those that come with the words of that wisdom should be reckon'd fools by them Paul that had bin a wise Man in Man's day was a fool weak despicable no body with such when a truly Gospel-Wise-Man The true Gospel-preaching of the cross and death on all first-Creation-Life and Wisdom in first Covenant Jew or Gentile and wise learned Greek is an high offence and sore stumbling-block to both in their several states and way To be even with such they both agree to reckon them the veriest fools the Off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 1. 23. and 4. 13. But all that have an incorruptible Seed of true Life in them though while dormant and unknown to themselves they bluster and storm at the Gospel-Believer a-while with Paul they will with him when awaken'd become true friends of the spiritual Brotherhood and helpers of their Faith The wisdom of the natural Man in all variety will be found foolishness at last and the spiritual Man the only wise in the view of all Men and Angels good and bad True Saints will laugh at last at all their scornful mockers that have laugh't a-while at them And all such laughing wise-fools will have time enough to recant their misjudging the truly wise in eternal darkness and death Who 's the fool then they 'l sadly experience after all their priding vaunting hugging and blessing themselves in their vain shew their dream their fools-paradise Nothing of their vain pomp will descend after them Psal. 49. 17. All their short-liv'd merriment and laughter is but as the crackling of thorns under a pot a blaze and away Eccl. 7. 6. Envy them that will None ought Psal. 37. 1 2. Pro. 23. 17. The spirit of Nature can't well or easily be unriddled anatomiz'd and laid open in its deep self-destroying deceits in few words yet will needs have all in a word and rather not that or if that scornfully reject it
its utmost growth flourish and fruitfulness is but a fading flower the mystical natural tree of God's left-hand-planting distinguish'd from the incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. of his right-hand-planting by a new-creation which springs up in spiritual Saints prospers into an everlasting Kingdom-state rendring them mystical Gospel-trees the fruits whereof are incorruptible and the very leaves such as never wither or 〈◊〉 away Psal. 1. 3. This spiritual tree of Life will be known by its fruits in distinction from the natural fleshly tree all the fruits whereof are as the root and tree they grow upon perishing Vanities The new Name or Life of the new-Creature Gospel-spirit or living Word of God set up in man can never be turn'd into a lie Man's old name and fading first-covenant Law-life at best when asserted to be a spiritual Gospel-state of everlasting Life and Salvation is turn'd into a flat lie and falshood and all the things births works fruits and products thereof and in though good in their kind when call'd spiritual and confidently rested in for Salvation are all lies and enmity to God and his gospel-Gospel-Spirit of Truth Renew'd nature call'd Grace the renew'd old or natural Man with his first Covenant righteous Life and Name call'd the new-creature the spiritual Saint with the new Covenant-Life and Gospel-Name all these are dangerous destructive lies In sum the good Name and precious Oyntment here are the differing characters of first and second-Covenant Life The former through the said mistake Paul found to be a body a law a state of sin and death Rom. 7. 24. 8. 2. which the new-covenant law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus freed him from by putting his nature therein to death The Spirit of life is the death of death when it puts the law-spirit of Enmity and Death to death in the Saint utterly abolishing all the Anointings or said precious Ointment receiv'd in the natural state and giving all again with usury in the unchangeable life and transcendently more precious anointing of the spiritual Man Man in restor'd first-Covenant Law-life is apt as Paul once to despise and reject all Gospel-Tydings or witness of the second The good Name imports a transcendently higher and better anointing then the precious Oyntment here can signify For then the spiritual there is no better kind of precious ointment receivable by or communicable to Man This true meaning of the Holy Ghost in Solomon as to this former will much conduce to and facilitate the opening of the latter clause of this verse And the day of Death then the day of one's Birth The stress of these words can't lie in the literal sence which cannot hold generally nor mostly true For the literal death of the vast number of wicked men is abundantly worse then the day of their litteral birth and life in this World Man though born dead in Sin is capable of a restauration-birth of a first-Covenant life in his Spirit which puts him under hopeful advantages and possibilities of a new-creation-birth of an everlasting righteous Life These hopes are utterly cut off from all that die in their Sins as all that die in a state of enmity to God and his Spirit of Grace and everlasting Life do This necessitates the allowing a mystical meaning to these Words which is this The death of Man's Spirit as to all natural first-creation life 〈◊〉 or first-Covenant righteous obediently submitted to with certain hope of a Resurrection into the life of Christ's Gospel-Spirit that slay's and offers it up in sacrifice to God as he serv'd our nature at best in his own person is transcendently better then the Birth and utmost flourish thereof in him For now is he much forwarder on his way in the right method and death-pass towards an everlasting righteous new-Covenant life Paul counted the former dung to the latter and suffer'd the loss of all therein for it Phil. 3. 7 8. If Man submit not to the terms and ways of arriving at this new birth for a newness of life he will come to a latter end worse then his beginning in either of his two former Births litteral or mystical of bodily or first-Covenant life eternal death By obediently losing and quitting the former natural or Law-life for a spiritual Gospel-one he comes to a latter end better then any of his beginnings in Adam before the fall or since in his own said twofold personal birth eternal life A rebellious pitying and sparing our own nature in the first-covenant life thereof loses all for ever An obedient giving it up to death and right losing it saves all Matth. 16. 25. The Spirit or inner natural Man when crucified and raised into Christ's spiritual life the death or dissolution of the body is not fear'd but desir'd as by Paul He earnestly long'd and groan'd after the shaking off and being perfectly rid of the dusty mortal perishing earthly life and state of his whole natural Man body and spirit 2 Cor. 5. 1 4. and so to be wholly at home with the Lord ver 6. in the intire single uninterrupted exercise of spiritual life amongst the best company the pure unchangeable Friends of that life blessed Angels and Saints departed In this World the Saint is surrounded with innumerable Enemies thereof very burdensome ill unpleasing company to him In the birth and utmost flourish of a first-covenant Law-life we are still under Satan's power and delusive influence He can deceive us into the same perdition with himself by that very righteous life By inducing Men to over-value and and rest in it and on it for Salvation he brings them into unchangeable Union with himself in Enmity to God When perfectly crucified as to the life of the Law raised into the life of the Gospel we are not under the Law but under Grace Then Sin and Satan have lost their dominion over us for ever We wholly cease and are freed from both and all all enemies and dangers whatsoever Rom. 6. 7 -14. 1 Pet. 4. 1. The birth of a first-Covenant life gives not full victory over Satan the right death of Nature and loss of it does Therefore better on all hands as the only way to free us from death and set us up in eternal life The right full death of Man's Law-spirit of bondage delivers him from all bondage and fear of death for ever which all their first-Covenant life-time Men are continually subject to Heb. 2. 15. Vers. 2. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting for that is the end of all Men and the living will lay it to his heart The house of mourning or state of sorrow to the natural Man under the death-blows of the Gospel-Sword or spiritual cross of Christ is better for him to go into and be in then the house of feasting in the most joyful fruitful life and exercise thereof in a first-Covenant state For therein draws he nearer to a heavenly
spiritual new-covenant life Our nature in Christ was straitned and sore pain'd under the progressive work of the Cross and pangs of Death thereby caused till accomplished Luk. 12. 50. His living Soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death Mat. 26. 38. as the Sacrifice under the crucifying Work of his own quickning Spirit the Gospel high-Priest and true Melchisedec The first Adam ought to have given up that Sacrifice to God by the same Priestly hand of and in the second True Saints with 〈◊〉 receive the sentence of death within them and find it their great advantage to have it speedily carried on upon them and their ease to have it perfected or accomplish'd The full death thereof kindly submitted to is perfect conformity to Christ's death and their perfect deliverance from all evil all wicked enemies within them and without and from all the danger of ensnaring vanities and tempting objects they are continually surrounded with which are gratifying to their natural life and desire corrupt or righteous while they have any activity thereof left about them So all former natural fruitfulness in a first-Covenant under Christ as a fleshly Bridegroom is turn'd into barrenness in which with Hannah they become a scorn and derision to such as continue fruitful Peninnah's in the first that house of feasting Paul that was an eminent somebody in the first when converted into the Gospel-life of the second was a stark fool a no-body to such some-bodies Phil. 3. 4. 1 Cor. 4. 10. 2 Cor. 10. 12. Rich wise full first-covenanters were the mystical strong Bulls of Bashan that gaped on Christ himself and so on Saints 〈◊〉 him round as ravening and roaring Lions Psal. 22. 12 13. These are the mystical 〈◊〉 cattel that thrust with side and sheulder and push all the weak poor lean wounded diseased 〈◊〉 under the Death-work of the Cross upon their natural man with their horns Ezek. 34. 20 21. Such lean barren diseas'd ones fools and as little Children are God's The fat wise and strong finally persisting there in enmity to the Cross the Devil 's He gets all such fat cattel The poor and lean get the Kingdom of God the rich and fit the Kingdom of the Devil by kinging it in the same Spirit with him against God But besides enemies without the grieved sorrowful natural man of the Saint within adds to the affliction All its whining passions and false reasonings under and against the Cross or Spirit of Christ in him are foes of his own house or in his own person in union with enemies without doors Thus is his tribulation compleated in that house of mourning that 's the ready road to Heaven But amidst all scornful despisings of first-covenant 〈◊〉 Christ as Bridegroom to his spiritual Spouse figur'd in Elkanah loves her transcendently more then any fruitful wife in the first and so is better to her then ten sons any possible fruits brought forth in that state 1 Sam. 1. 1 8. Amidst all bitternesses of the natural the spiritual hidden Man of the heart prays for the full birth of the 〈◊〉 figured by Samuel which when born turns the natural house or state of mourning into a spiritual house or state of everlasting feasting and rejoycing For this see Hannah's song of praise in the true house of feasting on God's having granted the prayer she put up to him in her house or state of mourning and barrenness 1 Sam. 2. 1 10. Christ foretold the sorrow of his Disciples on his departure from them as a fleshly Bridegroom in the first-Covenant till his return to them in the second according to the promise of the Father and of himself too which they were to wait for in that state of mourning to their natural Man Joh. 16. 20 -- 22. Act. 1. 4. Act. 2. 1 4 Christ's such return to them turn'd all their short sorrow into everlasting joy Joh. 16. 16 22 gives a full account of his fore-hand preparing his disciples in this case to look for him as a better Comforter in a new-Covenant Marriage-Union with him as risen from the dead A little while and ye see me no more in the first Again wait a little and ye see me in the second in a life I have in unchangeable Union with the Father They understood not this mystery They knew not what he said or what to make on 't Yea when risen he found two of his disciples in a drooping sad dejected Condition Luk. 24. 17. In a little short temporary wrath he forsook their sinning natural Man in a life of Enmity but with everlasting kindness he soon return'd to them in his never-sinning spiritual-life and set it up in them Isa. 54. 7 8. 'T is but once and for a little season the waters of the Cross figur'd by Noah's flood drown and overwhelm their natural Man extinguish all the life lust desire and thought thereof and then all joy for ever after in Christ's rocky spiritual life figur'd by Noah's Ark a state of everlasting feasting and rejoycing in the Kingdom of the Father v. 9 10. Christ will not leave them long comfortless in a state of Orphanship and Widowhood fatherless and husbandless as to their natural state He will soon be with them again in that Spirit of truth the merry self-confident first-Covenanteer receives not Joh. 14. 16 20. So then the Saints short mourning ends in everlasting feasting and rejoycing the others short rejoycing in eternal sorrow mourning darkness and death Mat. 5. 4. Luk. 6. 25. Who hath begotten me these even these Children or Sons of Peace these spiritual fruits peaceable fruits of righteousness brought forth in a newness of life to God The Faith of the Saint's spiritual Man answer's this question of his amaz'd natural ascribing all to the spiritual Bridegroom and better comforter then himself was in the first-Covenant No way but thro' the house of mourning and death as to all fading first-Covenant life of nature into Christ's spiritual house of everlasting rejoycing where all sorrow and sighing 〈◊〉 away for ever Isa. 35. 10. Psal. 126. 5 6. Rev. 21. 4. and 7. 17. The contrary state to the said mystical house of mourning is Man's flourish in a restor'd first-Covenant righteous life holy flesh and a fruitful living and walking therein as a present Victor and Master over or 〈◊〉 of the vile affections of the corrupt spirit of nature Rectified rational and intellectual powers keep the sensual in some degree of a first-creation rectitude and good order All this yet is vanity a fading flower And this with the fruits and enjoyments of it is all that 's found in the first-covenant house of feasting The final self-consident keeping here in refusal of and opposition to Christ's offer'd spiritual second-covenant life is certain damnation Satan has a seven-fold more dangerous hold of them and abode in them as his absolute temples and habitations for ever even of these mystical swept 〈◊〉 garnish'd houses in first-covenant life and second-covenant light then of
own mortal life of Nature 'T is appointed to all once to die Heb. 9. 27. or lose all mortal life or good in Body Soul or spirit Is it short of a wonder that when Saints discover the devices of Satan all his serpentine crafts thorow-out his mystery of iniquity first-covenant professors jovial and frolick in his mystical spiritual Snares and a profane party in his brutish Snares or Fetters of a contemptible strumpet should both and all despise and hate him for his Gospel-news and discoveries of their madness and desperate consequence of finally persisting therein Yet thus it always was and now is more then ever in these latter and worse then all former times 2 Tim. 3. 1. The great peril to true Saints in the power of Godliness is from 〈◊〉 Brethren in the form thereof the life of the Law righteousness of Man Psal. 50. 20. Isa. 66. 5. In them is the highest strain of self-love For they have the most plausible beautiful self to love the mystical visage or clean face of a cleans'd enlightned Spirit The literal Beauty or outward Glory found in a profane party lies but in bodily complexion Skin and glittering outward Circumstances Pomp and Ornament The true Saint that brings tydings in his new Light of a spiritual Life Beauty and Glory demonstrating all these two sorts of mad People are pleasing and sporting themselves with to be but shadows a dream a vain shew kick-shows lighter then Vanity and themselves also Psal. 39. 5 6. 62. 9. spoils all their sport gives a damp to all their delusive pleasure and delight yea vexes and torments them all specially the dwellers upon Earth Rev. 11. 10. inhabitants of the earthly Jerusalem in first-covenant-life holy flesh The brutish inhabitants of the Sea a profane party are more gravel'd with and vex'd at such reproof and condemnation as is reflected upon them by the doctrine and conversation of strict-walking righteous legal-spirited Teachers and Professors They little mind or are able to take any cognizance of the spiritual Gospel-Saint or his doctrine And what need the Law-pretender to Gospel gilding all his Law-things with Gospel-words and appearances fear the Gospel-Saint's Testimony as to true Gospel-things What Why this spoils all their mystical Babylonish sport and trading Ministry with their false Wares It discovers all to be but Pictures or Idols pourtrai'd on the Walls of their house or Church on the Sand and on the mystical whited Sepulchers themselves who personate and would pass currant in such disguise paint and gildings for the true Gospel-Heirs of the Kingdom and so jussle out the true spiritual Heirs as blasphemous wranglers about it and groundless unwarranted pretenders to it Mean while the true Heir's invisible Saintship on which his title and claim to the Kingdom of Heaven depends consist's in a life 〈◊〉 with Christ in God hid under a vail of not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Law-life But when this vail wear's off and grow's daily thinner under the continual batteries and macerating-work of the Saint's spiritual on his natural Man the spiritual begins to shine thro' the vail look out at the windows or holes made in his natural spirit by the Gospel-Sword and Cross and flourish or 〈◊〉 himself thorow the 〈◊〉 thereof So thro' his impoverish'd 〈◊〉 mind or earthly nature comes his spiritual Man to shine forth in a right Gospel-conversation to and with other awakn'd spiritual Saints Cant. 2. 9. in such Gospel-works and fruits by which he 〈◊〉 his Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 16. But in converse with unawakn'd Saints and the generality of the two other sorts of sinners and 〈◊〉 of God and them that the world is full of must they with Moses pull the 〈◊〉 vail again over their spiritual faces lustre and beauty that they may appear to and talk with them in their own guise dress and language They must in this sense become all things to all Men with design to gain some to their spiritual Life and Doctrine yea turn many to the everlasting Righteousness of God by a true Gospel-conversion which Paul wholly wanted when an eminent Law-Saint 1 Cor. 9. 22. They must thus with Paul please all Men in all things 1 〈◊〉 10. 33. How In a serviceableness only to their true interest and the interest of Christ therein by gaining the opportunity to insinuate Gospel-Truths into them and jussle out 〈◊〉 lies As to a soothing Men up into a considence in Man's and Satan's Law-Gospel he say's do I seek to please Men then I should not be the Servant of Christ Gal. 1. 9 10. but indeed an enemy to him and his Gospel as I too long was thro' a confidence in my own Law-life or holy flesh But if no compliance in any sense might be lawfully used by spiritual Saints with otherwise-minded people common sinners or first-Covenant-Professors of Christ all opportunity of gaining them to a Gospel-state would be lost There 's no dealing with them at first dash without some-thing of condescention from a pure spirituality of conversation To grate on them with forc'd spiritual discourse and high mysteries of the Kingdom of God where there 's nothing preparatory towards the reception of such matters or hopefulness to give them any advantage thereby would render the most pertinent things impertinently as well as unsupportably troublesome and tormenting to any earthy fleshly-minded company corrupt or righteous holy or profane Such too generally is the guise dress and temper of in a manner all sorts of People in common conversation at this day that should they see or hear the inmost thoughts of spiritual Saints they 'd not endure their company Self the Anagram of Flesh backward rejecting h that 's no letter holy or unholy Nature professing or profane People are all of a knot in confederacy with World and Devil against the spiritual Saint and all his right words to a tittle about Salvation special 1 Tim. 4. 10. Yet enough has he to bear him up and maintain in him an undaunted spirit and invincible courage against all the despisings and misjudgings of these two sorts of blind dark-spirited confounded haters and rejecters of all Gospel-light and truth They both sit as in Plato's feigned Cave admiring their little glimmering Moon or Candle-light their intellectual rational Lamps in a Night-state or at best and highest but such Day-light as the mystical first-creation Sun or first-covenant Spirit gives and makes out to them In these various states postures accoutrements and enjoyments of Nature sit they both in a readiness to deride and scoff at the true Saint pretending to a yet transcendently higher Day-light under the beamings forth of the New-Creation Sun of infallible everlasting Light Life Righteousness and Wisdom the gospel-new-covenant-Gospel-new-Covenant-Spirit of Grace and Truth Those that are lifted up from amongst their fellow-mortals out of themselves or their own deep dark dungeon-spirit of Nature corrupt or righteous a miery pit of Corruption and 〈◊〉 filth of flesh or spirit enmity to
God and death to it self a Body a Law of Sin and Death as Paul found Rom. 7. 24. 8. 2. into the marvelous Palace or Paradisical Light and glorious Liberty of the Sons of God cannot forbear to go tell their 〈◊〉 how they fare They give them an account or true report of the new-creation Land of Promise or state of Life with the fruits and peculiar enjoyments therein above all other Countries Lands or States as far as the Heavens are above the Earth How is this News resented by these two sorts of Sodomites the Prophane in silth of 〈◊〉 or Legal-spirited Professor in filth of spirit enmity to God and all spiritual Truths that 's brought to both their ears by the Gospel-spirited Saint They all hiss at and deride his pretension to such Sun-light as the most presumtuous conceit and phanatical delusion in the World They sit them still won't budg an inch from their opinionated happiness in Rational Light and Moral Heathenism or first-covenant life also in Legal Christianity just as the case was in Plato's Apologue or fabulous Cave-students in their demeanour towards him that had ventur'd up a rocky Precipice with great difficulty and danger into the open Air and Sun-light on his return and tydings thereof to them What of all this The Saint is not to regard these contradicting Blasphemers misregarding him or his words nor be weary nor faint in his mind or Spirit Heb. 12. 3. They are to look wholly to God Christ blessed Angels and Saints that know and own them for what they know themselves to be What matters it for Man's day or judgment in which nothing of their spiritual life or doctrine is rightly seen felt heard or understood Saints by spiritual senses do all this natural never can do They hear see look upon and handle the Word of life even the original new-creature life in the living Word Wisdom of God Christ's Person 1 〈◊〉 1. 1. And they 〈◊〉 such life also in the derived streams of the living waters thereof in true Saints When their own Spirit is dead in Man's sight and judgement 't is most of all alive in God's Sight in his Spirit of Grace And those that live and spend their Widow-hood on Christ's death and departure from them as a 〈◊〉 first-Covenant Bridegoom in the pleasures of that life he has forsaken them in however alive in Man's sight are dead in God's while they so live 1 Tim. 5. 6. Incorrigible sinners in filth of Flesh or Spirit pass along this mortal World and Life jollily in the broad way to an eternal house of mourning Job 21. 13. Psal. 39. 5 6 11. Psal. 49. 10 -- 20. while true Saints through much tribulation and mourning are passing into an eternal house of feasting Those that will on in their various temporary houses or states of feasting literal or mystical making large and swift steps towards the Chambers of death seem to have much the better on 't in this World Who can help them Who can lift them up out of these drowning self-chosen lustful goatish ways of Vanity that will most certainly set them among the left hand 〈◊〉 Goats at last day Mat. 25. 33. Will ye hear a Wonder Spiritual Saints have the best on 't even in this World as thus They have the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come True Godliness the power of Godliness is profitable to all things The form of it and bodily exercise or the fruitful exercise of Man 's cleans'd natural Spirit therein profits little The truely pure sinless use of worldly enjoyments without any sinful love to or delight in them and spending the strength of all in a serviceableness to the designs and interests of Christ upon and in Men belongs to the true Spiritual Saint only And they have a daily encrease with the encreases of God in the promised life of the World to come So have they the best on 't indeed and in truth even in their mortal day and state on earth All their Tribulations Persecutions and seeming worst things are wholly and exactly calculated for their good by him who cannot miss of accomplishing his design upon them therein and by There are three sorts of Men on the stage of this Earth together in a confused jumble as a mix'd heap in mortal bodies Profane inhabitants of the Sea in the corrupt Spirit of nature of the Earth in the righteous cleans'd earthy state or spirit of nature and dwellers in Heaven or in God's heavenly Spirit of Grace Rev. 12. 12. All People upon Earth are living and walking in the corrupt or changeably righteous Spirit of Nature or in God's unchangeably righteous Spirit of Grace No state in changeable nature is unchangeable or everlasting Salvation but a state of Grace only Eph. 2. 8 9. Not our working Spirit of Nature but God's working all in us and for us by his Gospel-Spirit of Grace will give us entrance into his Kingdom 'T is the unspeakable new-creation gift of God and workmanship of Christ fits any for the Kingdom And 't is then the unspeakable folly and madness of Man to refuse the receiving that Gift on any terms seem they never so hard to his nature Wo to Laughers they shall weep and mourn eternally Blessed are the mourners they shall rejoyce and laugh eternally These were Christ's spiritual sayings and warnings to all when in our flesh And he will be the Judge of all in that Spirit wherein himself is justified for ever in our nature before God most high 1 Tim. 3. 16. An innumerable multitude that have thought it so brave to have their wills in this World will meet with unimaginable amazing surprizing disappointments in the next An irresistible blast an irrecoverable death-blow will they be fore'd to receive on all first-creation delights desires and desirables belly and meats 1 Cor. 6. 13. All these dreadful things the living spiritual Saint lays to heart and as knowing the terrors of the Lord what a fearful thing 't is to fall into the hands of the living God and be torn in pieces without any possibility of deliverance Heb. 10. 31. Psal. 50. 22. endeavours to perswade Men while call'd to day to desist from their jovial march and swift posting it in their several sensual and intellectual paths of delight and present pleasure to their mis-judging nature which do all tend to meet and center in one and the same point a state of everlasting darkness and death under the triumphs of divine Justice and final Wrath. Solomon bewail's the unhappy choice most Men make of the merry self-pleasing-paths to eternal mourning But to allay the compassionating grief of this undeniably true observation he discovers an opposite party of happy People that in a new life and spiritual understanding do lay all these errors follies and madnesses of their fellow-mortals to heart though they can have little or no hearing with them and that find it their unspeakable concern
Christ's new and heavenly his natural for Christ's spiritual creature-life and possessions A conclusive refusal to part with all we have is a final parting-blow between God and Man Paul found Corinthian Professors bewitch'd Galatians and belly-God Philippians dangerously engag'd towards a sixure in this most presumptuous Sin and Error 1 Cor. 4. 8. 2 Cor. 11. 2 3. Gal. 3. 1 -4. Phil. 3. 18 19. And Christ found a first-Covenant party in enmity to the second in most or all the seven Churches Rev. 2. 3. In Laodicea scarce any other and all this under the outward dispensation and ministry of the Gospel owning themselves as Gospel-Professors And what or who else in a manner at this day can we find but such anti-Gospel-Gospellers in all variety of opinion form and way All the highly pretending and conceited Children of the Kingdom in the most sublimated Church-forms or purest Churches in but restor'd first-covenant Law-principles without advance by exchange and Gospel-conversion will be found at a loss and cast or kept out of the Kingdom of Christ as not at all of his new-Covenant gospel-Gospel-spirit of Grace and Truth 'T is in the heavenly Wisdom of this only Men can attain the sight and inheritance of the most glorious divine Sun and of the new-creation Sun of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mal. 4. 2. in the Mediator's person which is the greatest gain the highest prosit and advantage Man or Angel can receive or enjoy to all eternity This 〈◊〉 proves ver 12. Vers. 12. For Wisdom is a defence Heb. shadow and mony is a desence but the excellency of knowledg is that Wisdom giveth life to them that have it Here 's a distinguishing character of the first and second covenant spirits Lives Wisdoms with or by the effects riches and priviledges of each The Wisdom and mystical mony or riches of the first are a defence against the rude assaults the unruly brutish motions of the corrupt state of nature and do make up to Man all he thinks he needs for eternal life 1 Cor. 4. 8. Rev. 3. 17. But through the fading nature of all that life and riches and evil use of it in preference and opposition to the durable life and true riches in the Gospel-spirit of God all 's spoil'd Man's inordinate love to the former is that love of mony that 's the root of all evil against God and to himself evil of sin and punishment It renders all the mammon of unrighteousness as preferr'd to the 〈◊〉 riches of Christ in his infinite divine and everlasting righteous new-creation Life First-creation Life with the riches thereof is to be allow'd its due as good in its kind and lawful use for suppressing the unruly desires thoughts and motions of the corrupt state of Nature Man so using it is faithful to the Light afforded him by Christ in the first Covenant as a fleshly Bridegroom But then farther is he to follow this Bridegroom in the death and loss of all this fading life and riches Wisdom and Mony for what in spiritual conviction-Light is shew'd and offer'd him by Christ as a better Bridegroom and Comforter in the second This second and principal thing done as the passive part of obedience requir'd in the right and lawful use of all in the first Covenant law-state God is well-pleased and Man saved But be Man never so faithful in the active obedience performable in his law-life if he refuse to perform or yield to the requir'd passive obedience all his active turns in conclusion to no account at all Himself is turn'd out of God's house for ever as but that servant in his own law-law-spirit of bondage that refus'd to become a Son of God in his gospel-Gospel-spirit of glorious liberty that makes free indeed Jo. 8. 35 36. The truth the gospel-Gospel-spirit of Truth makes Man truly free ver 32. Where or in whomsoever that Spirit is is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. The Gospel-law of the Spirit of life is the perfect law of liberty It renders Man free not to but from all sin and death at last Rom. 8. 2. Jam. 1. 25. Man's spirit of bondage chosen before and against God's spirit of true freedom becom's a house a prison a state of eternal death to him If Man use his law-life aright as to the first end for which restor'd and miss the appointed and declared second all comes to worse then nothing for ever He misses that true Wisdom that gives and is eternal life to them that have it This the Law-life and best Wisdom of Man can never give or be to him Gal. 3. 21. Vers. 13. Consider the work of God for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked Consider well the life and state of Men and Angels as the first-creation Workmanship of God's hand and you 'l find it crooked first comparatively To the second make of them by his new-creating Workmanship all the fading goodness Life Wisdom Glory and Righteousness of the first are as nothing no Glory 2 Cor. 3. 10. If the Glory and other things of Man in the first be not only presumptuously compared with but preferr'd and exalted into a jusling competition with and opposition to the Life Glory Wisdom Righteousness Works Fruits and things of God offer'd them by a new and second Creation this renders all such things worse then nothing Yea if this be finally wilfully and conclusively done the Glory Wisdom Light Life Righteousness all things of Man are turn'd into unspeakable shame utmost folly and highest wickedness to which belong utter Darkness and eternal Death The corruptible seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. of God's left-hand planting in Man's or Angel's natural first-creation-make and state at its utmost growth flourish and fruitfulness amounts but to a fading flower Man in all at best is altogether Vanity This fleshly state of Life was figur'd by the tree of good and evil before the fall Since the fall 't is always evil root and branch tree and fruit silth of 〈◊〉 or spirit are found in all its operations fruits products or performances root and branch When Paul was eminent in the restor'd righteous law-life of Man how fiercely did he persecute the Gospel or new-Creature life of Christ in himself and Saints That was filth of Spirit enmity and despite to the very Gospel spirit of Grace in which any can be saved 't was a sinning against the holy Ghost but ignorantly When done knowingly and so wilfully t is the presumptuous unpardonable Sin unto Death God made Man upright set up in him a first-Covenant-life perfect in its kind but fallible corruptible changeable loseable as all mankind have sadly experienc'd by the first error of humane nature at best in the first Man Now what is corruptible God calls corruption The natural seed of a first-Covenant life cast into Man in his natural first-creation make and fashion of being was sown in corruption dishonour weakness By the obedient death of Man therein 't is rais'd in Incorruption Glory Power a spiritual
body or man His whole Body Soul and Spirit is fill'd and clothed with a Spiritual Life Glory and everlasting Righteousness Flesh and blood the comprehensive character of all Man or Angel were possess'd of by the first creation cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption or attain the incorruptible Inheritance 1 Pet. 1. 4. Nor Man nor Angel in innocency had any such thing as eternal Life or everlasting Righteousness actually about them or in them that qualifies any for entrance into the Kingdom of God Man and Angel then set up by God's left-hand as we may say in a first-Creation-state if they knowingly and wilfully set up for themselves there in enmity to God and the second they will be found those lustful Goats that through inordinate love to evil covetousness and lust after their own fading life and things thereof so as to hate and reject God's by a new and second Creation at Christ's left hand sever'd from his obedient spiritual Sheep on his right and forc'd to receive the meet recompence of their error the vengeance of eternal fire Mat. 25. 33 -46. Jude 7. By chusing their corruption or natural state before God's Incorruption or incorruptible spiritual Life will they utterly perish in their own Corruption 2 Pet. 2. 12. The question here then amounts unto this Who can make the natural or first-Creation state of Man straight or unsubjected to change and miscarriage that God in the above-said sence has made crooked liable or subject to both This question imports an utter impossibility of making it straight Eccle. 1. 15. T is therefore peerless folly and madness in Man or Angel to attempt it or to establish themselves in it for happiness There 's no way possible for either to be happy but by the death and loss of all their own there for God's own which they can only arrive at and attain by the death of their spirit of nature and so a resurrection into the life of his spirit of Grace God positively requires both and all of them to part with their crooked changeable first-creation thing or things for his unchangeably straight and incorruptibly perfect new-creation life and things However straight the former appear in Mans day or discerning in the Light and Judgment of his Wisdom in God's t is crooked and so declar'd for Man to take notice of Man ought to consider the whole work of God from first to last beginning to the end his beginning with him in a first creation and ending or finishing Workmanship upon him in and by a second Men ought also to listen to his whole counsel and instruction to his convincing discoveries and revelations of the second and more excellent state they are offer'd by a new Creation and the way of attaining it The death of their crooked state is the undispensable means and way of being exalted into God's straight Their crooked set up in unchangeable enmity to his straight is certain damnation to them They ought to believe God's own report and declaration of their crooked natural state and look after his straight spiritual Life and State in a Spirit that can never sin 1 Joh. 3. 9. They ought not to stick at any cost or loss they can be at for Truth Prov. 23. 23. Luk. 14. 28. or for the life of God's new-creature-new-creature-spirit of Truth and everlasting Righteousness Vers. 14. In the day of Prosperity be joyful but in the day of Adversity consider God also hath set the one over against the other to the end that Man should find nothing after him The good and evil day in the original are here translated the day of Prosperity and Adversity Here 's a two-fold day for Man in God's wise method and appointment set one over against the other which 't is man's duty and concern to take notice of and comply with recoycing in the former and duly considering the yet greater advantages to him in the latter To follow the Lord's counsel in both is his best course The spiritual mystery of these Words is the principal intendment But first in the litteral sence the greatest content joy and satisfaction man can find in the greatest outward Prosperity when surrounded with a confluence of all visible desireables in this World he must come to experience the loss of all first or last which he ought to consider In the perishable nature of all such enjoyments is discernably writ out a day of adversity over against his utmost prosperity therein The perishing nature also of that life and desire in him that 's gratified by such things the belly that 's for such meats does farther preach the same doctrine to him cautioning against the placing his happiness in such slippery uncertain things Death puts a full period to all such desires as are answer'd by such desireables Vanity on all hands proclaims a day of Adversity and darkness set over against the day of such Prosperity Unwarrantable over-value for love to and delight in such worldly things will cause a destructive worldly sorrow to man if he out-live them When run down into a despicable state of misery and want he knows not how to bear it or what to do with himself Life grows a burden Sometimes he makes away himself as weary of it But now as to the mystical principal sense of these words Here 's a most concerning caution to man in the utmost flourish fruitfulness and inward mystical riches of his nature in a first-covenant righteous life where belly and meats desires and desireables root and branch tree and fruits principles and operations are all but a higher sort of perishing vanities sigur'd out by the former All this yet is but a vain shew a dream a fools Paradise a shadow an image only of true durable life and substantial riches in the heavenly creature-image of the second Adam Man at best in all this fading glory and honour of his own nature is altogether vanity Ps. 39. 5 6. The first Adam was made in but the earthly shadowy Image of God the heavenly substantial creature-image of the infinite Divinity is found only in the second Adam and his spiritual descendents by a new birth or second creation A day of adversity then is written out in the perishing nature of all such inward as well as outward prosperity over against the highest prosperity therein All such mystical soul-riches life food clothing glory honour wisdom righteousness all will be gone again most certainly make themselves wings and flee away Prov. 23. 5. While then Man sets his eye or heart on such things which God says are not he is sure to meet with an amazing disappointment By new-creature things things of God which God's Wisdom reckon's the only creature-things that are man's wisdom things that are not will God bring to nought all those things of man which his foolish wisdom reckon's the only creature-things that are 1 Cor. 1. 28. In the day of man's prosperity in the restor'd first-Covenant
righteous life of his own nature under the cherishing impregnating influencings of Christ as a fleshly Bridegroom or Husband rendring him fruitful in such births fruits works of righteousness and duties to God and Man as are producible and performable therein should he be joyful and thankful to God for mercifully restoring to him the proper life food and clothing of his dead desolate nature lost by the fall Ezek. 16. 3 -14. This is the common Salvation or general deliverance all men may receive from Christ's General-Redemption-Purchase This by his putting our nature at best in himself to death as to this very life he offer 's thereby to restore in all men And thereby has he shew'd them the right use of such life when restor'd even to give it up in Sacrifice to God as he did in order to receive from him that spiritual new-creation life in the image of the Heavenly into which he has exalted our nature in his own Person in which he lives and in which we may on like obedience as thorow-followers of his suffering-steps live with him for evermore Rev. 1. 18. A twofold day of adversity and house of mourning then will infallibly succeed a twofold day of prosperity and feasting in all possible outward or inward Riches of this World In the day of the said utmost twofold Prosperity then is it man's important concern to have in his eye thought and due consideration the approaching twofold day of Adversity Such a consideration may keep him from a sinful over-value of and over-rejoycing or trusting in his fading enjoyments and uncertain 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 6. 17. The day of adversity as to all such riches under the Cross and in the house of mourning and death to Nature is the method of God's Wisdom for the bringing him into his house of everlasting feasting and 〈◊〉 with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory So is the day of adversity and mourning a greater Mercy then the restoring him into the utmost prosperity of his nature outward and inward as bringing him nearer to absolute life and special Salvation 1 Tim. 4. 10. then when he first believed Rom. 13. 11. in Christ so as to receive the fresh gift of a first-covenant life from his hand On obedient submitting to the appointed death-pass into the Glory that follows excels and remains for ever does Christ stand ready to perform the promise of the Father Act. 1. 4. in giving Men durable Life Riches never-perishing food and clothing So follows a day of everlasting Prosperity and feasting to them They must suffer and die with Christ as to the fading first-covenant law-life of Nature that they may live and reign with him for ever in the Gospel-life of his Spirit of Grace and Truth 2 Tim. 2. 11 12. God sets all this before Man declares his whole counsel to him with the advantages of his compliance with and disadvantages of his rebellion against him as to absolute Salvation on the one hand or final damnation on the other Isa. 1. 19 20. All this fairly declar'd man may run and read what 's like to become of him for ever as wilfully running after Satan's lie or obediently complying with God's Spirit of Truth God has so clearly stated his true interest and duty in reference to his eternal 〈◊〉 that he will make him consess at last he kept nothing from him that 't was his true advantage to see or know This to the end Man should find nothing after him no concerning Truth that has not bin 〈◊〉 and plainly set before him and so no cause to complain of God as the Septuagint render it For the joy of an everlasting day of Prosperity spiritual feasting and rejoycing set before them ought Men with Christ to despise the shame and sorrow brought upon their natural state by his Cross. Heb. 12. 2. Former Saints and followers of Christ are a great cloud of witnesses for this ver 1. that the sufferings of the natural man in the present time are not to be compared with the Glory that shall be reveal'd to and in the spiritual state of the whole man Body Soul and Spirit Rom. 8. 18. Unchangeable enemies of the Cross from a most foolish unwarrantable love to their own nature will find all their day of Prosperity therein inevitably swallow'd up into an eternal night of darkness and death under the fiery Indignation of God Vers. 15. All things have I seen in the days of my Vanity there is a just Man that perisheth in his Righteousness and there is a wicked Man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness Here 's Solomon's large experience of all things in this first-creation World of Vanities He has seen the end all corruptible perfections and excellencies therein will come to Psal. 119. 96. The just man here may be the moral Heathen that depends on his own personal Righteousness as also the first-covenant Jew or Christian that depends on the perfect Righteousness or Comliness of that sort imputed to or put upon him Ezek. 16. 14. Both these are bidding with some confidence and hopefulness at Salvation in the natural corruptible first-creation or first-covenant Principles of Light Life and Action their own Wills Understandings and Wisdoms under the Law of works that requires such obedience as is performable in the active working power of their enlightned Nature These two sorts of just Men in Heathen-morality or legal-Christianity have nothing brought afloat in or about them but what 's perishable which therefore fix'd in is unchangeable enmity to God This enmity to God's Spirit which is the unpardonable filth of Man's renders all such righteous opposers of the vile affections or filth of Flesh in the corrupt spirit of Nature guilty of the most criminal sort of uncleanness and wickedness So do all such just men perish in and by their Righteousness as abused and set up against the Gospel-Life and everlasting Righteousness of God in his Spirit of Grace The gross profane wicked man in the unbridled unconscionable exercise of the corrupt spirit of Nature contrary to both the said righteous Men oft prolongs his life in a prosperous flourishing outward condition in this World Job 21. 7. And the literally-righteous spiritually-wicked Man typed hereby may prolong his days also in this World Both these fortunate fools are through the mistake of the natural man in the spiritual Saint envied as 〈◊〉 in their differing ways more then heart can wish while his nature is plagu'd and chasten'd daily under the Cross Psal. 73. 2 14. But when his spiritual man recovers and comes to work he sinds himself passing according to the fixed methods of God's Wisdom through a house of mourning and death into eternal life and the other through their desired Prosperity and house of feasting into 〈◊〉 sorrow darkness and death ver 17 20. He owns his natural man to be foolish and ignorant as a Beast as to the making any right judgment in this case ver 22. That brutish fool understands not
this riddle of providence in outward dispensations to friends as 〈◊〉 and foes as friends He sees not this mystery that when the wicked spring as the grass and all the workers of Iniquity flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever Psal. 92. 6 7. They are in their various self-pleasing wicked ways but treasuring up Wrath for themselves against the day of Wrath and posting to eternal death as happy as they both seem to themselves and others to be God's abused patience and long-suffring towards them will be found at winding up a signal aggravation of their sin and punishment Yet mean while God magnifies his mercy towards them in giving them so large a time to take notice of and advantage by his instructing warnings for preventing the wrath to come The mystical-wicked first-covenant Brethren fix'd in enmity to the 〈◊〉 do long live and prosper generation after generation in union of mind with the Devil filling up the measure of their Fathers in the highest and most criminal wickednesses Wolves in Sheep's-clothing are they Serpents a generation of Vipers that have drunk down the old Serpent's poyson of unchangeable enmity to God and 〈◊〉 then can they escape the damnation of Hell Mat. 23. 31 33. They 〈◊〉 and follow their first 〈◊〉 Fathers in former generations as persecuting Zelots against the second and so pass along into the same everlasting darkness after them and never see light Psal. 49. 13 19. To prevent this dangerous fixure in the righteousness of Man in the first covenant against the Gospel-life and new-creature righteousness of God in the second Solomon advises all capable of repentance or change of mind as follows Vers. 16. Be not righteous over-much neither make thy-self over-wise why shouldst thou destroy thy felf Heb. be desolate Man is righteous over-much or long in the first-Covenant when he over-much values it and lay's to great a stress upon it when he trusts rest's in and builds upon the changeable fallible principles thereof for Salvation On this mistake he refuses Christ's heavenly call to him to come up out of the life and image of the earthy into his heavenly out of the perishing life wisdom and righteousness of man in the first-covenant principle into the everlasting Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God in the second An overvalue for and unwarrantable security in the first endangers man's shutting the door of his heart and deafning his ear to Christ against his gracious offer of and invitation into the second So by preferring the Law-righteousness of man to the Gospel-life and righteousness of Christ and God do men destroy themselves bring the desolating final judgments of God upon their guilty heads This get they by being over-much righteous and over-wise as putting a value upon such righteousness and wisdom of their own nature above what is written of it 1 Cor. 4. 6. in God's Oracles of Truth Job while yet much in the dark as to what God was about to do with him said tho' he were perfect yet would he not know his own soul but despise even his righteous life Job 9. 21. The professing Jews blasphem'd and crucified Christ Paul breathed out threatnings and slaughters against the Disciples of the Lord from a fond conceit over-value for and 〈◊〉 in the restor'd life of the first Covenant and the wisdom and righteousness of man therein so as to prefer it to the everlasting Life Wisdom and Righteousness of God in the second This 〈◊〉 when Paul was happily deliver'd from he found his Jewish professing Brethren still in Rom. 10. 1 3. They were ignorant of God's Gospel Righteousness in the second and so zealous for their own Law-righteousness in the first While thus ignorant as he once and so pardonable and curable he earnestly pray'd they might so accept of and receive his Gospel-instructions that they might be saved He had greater love and better desires for them than they yet knew how to have for themselves He compassionatly bemoans and laments over 〈◊〉 on the same account Christ himself did Mat. 23. 37 38. O Jerusalem Jerusalem c. Behold your house is left unto you desolate Here 's the temper of the mystical earthly Jerusalem professor in all times and places under Law or Gospel They have bin all along generation after generation found in a posture of 〈◊〉 towards all right words brought to them in Christ's Gospel-spirit of true 〈◊〉 declaring the death of nature in the first-Covenant undispensably necessary to their sinding eternal life in the second The final refusal of the Lord's Counsel herein will render their first-Covenant house of feasting eternally desolate This twofold errour one the certain consequent of the other even the placing Salvation in the first and finally rejecting the life of God in the second is certain Damnation Man establish'd in his own righteousness as a state of Salvation is the unchangeable enemy of God Christ all spiritual Saints and Gospel 〈◊〉 This unlawful use of the Law or their own Law-life against Christ's everlasting Gospel-life amounts to that love of the World or of themselves in their worldly first-creation Law-life of Nature that 's enmity to God and his gospel-Gospel-spirit of Grace This is spiritual and most criminal adultery Jam. 4. 4. Law-life thus abused is the leaven of the Pharisees a root of bitternesses against the Gospel-life and Truths of Christ with mystically profane Esau Heb. 12. 15 16. Such wilful opposing instead of obedient submitting to God's Righteousness Rom. 10. 3. and Jam. 4. 7. keep 's Men from ever entering into God's Righteousness David the Type and Christ the Truth intercede against such incorrigible enemies Let 〈◊〉 not come into thy righteousness Psal. 69. 27. Let their habitation be desolate ver 25. ' Be not then righteous over-much or over-long by over-much valuing and over long staying in that first-Covenant life place or state whence by the death and loss of all thou art there possess'd of the true spiritual Children of Christ break forth into the new-creature-life of God Hos. 13. 13. Be not over-pleas'd transported and delighted with the fading righteous life of thy own nature so as to be leaven'd and sowr'd into a bitter enmity against that spiritual life of Christ in which alone any can be saved Prefer not thy mortal to Gods immortal righteous life Why shouldst thou destroy thy self or be 〈◊〉 and undone for ever This by turning all the fading Life Righteousness Wisdom Beauty and Glory by Christ himself set up in and put upon thee into a perfect abomination to him and cause of final desolation to thy self Vers. 17. Be not over-much wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldst thou die before thy time Heb. not in thy time Here 's another branch of Solomon's advice to another sort of Men whom he call's wicked living in the vile affections and lusts of the corrupt spirit of nature refusing the Redeemer's purchas'd and offered Deliverance out of that most palpably evil and shameful state of
〈◊〉 bad his highest all the Kingdoms of this World and Glory of them all first-creation excellencies humane and angelical and that as transform'd into the gilded likeness of the second to purchase the life of Truth out of Christ's own hands How Christ handled him we find Mat. 4. Luk. 4. But he prevails with a World of professors that have put their hand to the Gospel-Plough as brought by Gospel conviction-Light to see their concern in running down Nature at best to look back Luk. 9. 62. to his first-creation offers withdraw their hands from and turn their backs upon Christ and his Kingdom-Spirit with the bewitch'd Galatians Gal. 3. 1 3. 5. 7 8. which alone could secure them from the destruction the over-much righteous or wicked come to That dungy-life Paul quitted which many hold fast unto damnation are we to withdraw our hand from and let go our hold of in order to lay hold on that unchangeably good thing that is eternal Salvation Those that having begun in the Gospel-spirit withdraw their hand from that Gospel-plough or cross upon their cleans'd enlightn'd natural Spirit and return to the love of and self-deceiving 〈◊〉 in their holy flesh or righteous Law-life of their restor'd Nature are in a dangerous way towards final Apostacy and Damnation Paul found the bewitch'd Galatians not so absolutely gone as to 〈◊〉 no room for his Gospel-endeavours and intercessions towards their recovery Gal. 4. 19. But many 〈◊〉 Gospel-convictions owning and following Gospel-Truths for a 〈◊〉 play false and turn final Apostates sell Christ's gospel-Gospel-spirit for their holy 〈◊〉 take off their hand and let go their hold 〈◊〉 Christ's Spirit of Truth for Satan's Spirit of lies on his engaging to advance them in their own nature will and way after their own heart Such oft become his most pregnant eminently accomplish'd Instruments to oppose those very Gospel-Truths that for a season they profess'd and own'd They knowingly part with or sell Christ his Gospel Spirit of Truth and his great Salvation therein offer'd them for themselves or their holy flesh restor'd Nature the Devil and Damnation They part with Christ's great Spiritual Gospel-Pearl for their lesser natural after they had agreed to and vow'd the parting with all for that one thing necessary They 'l not stand to their new-covenant bargain not go through as to the cost for a new building the utter demolition of their old They 'l not part with all their old things for Christ's new They like them not so well So hold fast what they have and lose all whereas they that obediently lose all they have find all again with usury in what the others refuse Mat. 16. 25. After all fair warning of this thus they do What help To begin in the Spirit and finally apostatize to a false confidence for Salvation in the flesh fits Men for the hottest Hell the greatest portion of Wrath for evermore This exposes such bidders at the new-building to everlasting derision and contempt Luk. 14. 28 30. When Men have yielded a little to cross-work suffer'd something of the old building to be pull'd down Gal. 3. 4. Stood the shock of some reproach from scorners for it and then are offer'd by Satan not only to be repair'd and made whole again as ever but also to have their old natural first-creation building rais'd higher and made larger and wider by the super-additions of superiour angelical excellencies and brightnesses of the same first-creation sort with their humane they are willing to take this for the right new-building for the Kingdom of God the true Gospel-state When Satan has them at this lock in this snare he lays his confirming paws upon them fixing them in unchangeable enmity to the very Gospel-Life and Spirit in which any can be saved or ever could They are then fully engaged in the sin against the holy Ghost or gospel-Gospel-Spirit of Truth beyond retreat leaving no place for repentance Heb. 6. 4 -- 6. 10. 26 27. This get all such Esau's by greedily catching at Satan's first-creation morsel in preference to Christ's offer'd new-creation birth-right Heb. 12. 16 17. They let go Christ's new-creation all things for Satan's glittering gilded first-creation nothings perishing vanities Christ's heavenly for his earthly things dust the old Serpent's diet Gen. 3. 14. This trade many thousands have driven and do drive in this World to their eternal ruine in the next There 's no helping them that will not be help'd Finally to refuse the things of God for the things of Man and Devil deliberately on a fair view of both is unpardonable folly They see how matters go on all hands see what they refuse and for what so their sin remains upon them for ever as Christ told the Pharisees Joh. 9. 40 41. They that refuse to part with their earthly life as dung Phil. 3. 8. for Christ's heavenly will perish as their own dung for ever Job 20. 7. All fading first-creation Vanities are dung to Chrst's heavenly spiritual things things of God offer'd by a new-Creation The best services in their own life on this fatal miscarriage will he spread as dung upon their faces Mal. 2. 3. To withdraw their hand from Christ's offers to comply with and accept Satan's is a drawing back to perdition Heb. 10. 39. This Solomon warns against farther declaring he that fears God shall come forth of them all shall escape out of all sin all evil company and ways every evil path that mystical Sodomites are in ver 16. or literal ver 17. He shall be delivered from the presumptuous unpardonable sin of both and all a sixture in their differing evil ways of death and be finally deliver'd and acquitted as to all his other sins on the death of the guilty sinner the evil-doer in him He shall surmount all sins and sinners come out of all literal or mystical Sodomies and Sodomites in corrupt or righteous Nature and so partake of none of their plagues under final Wrath Rev. 18. 4. 2 Cor. 6. 17. The Saint is highly concern'd to watch and fight against the Belial-party in him flesh or nature corrupt or righteous with the affections and lusts that war against his own Soul Gal. 5. 24. 1 Pet. 2. 11. What Satan backs and 〈◊〉 to gratify support and cherish in Saints are they constantly to fight against oppose cross impoverish and run down to death If they not only live but walk in Christ's Gospel Spirit wherein he will judg the World and they with him thus will they do They 'l judg the World within them their worldly natural Spirit now pass sentence of death upon it in harmony of their spiritual mind with Christ and as workers with him joyn in the speedy carrying on the 〈◊〉 of it lest Satan set or fix their heart in them to do evil Eccl. 8. 11. in unchangeable union with him All that by Christ's Spirit in them mortify the lusts and deeds of their body or natural state will live for ever with
the true Shepherd the said strange Woman fill's her mouth with the most inticing perswasive words of her serpentine wisdom to furnish them for the serving all her mischievous designs upon themselves and others The words of Man's and Satan's wisdom's joyntly hand forth another pretended Gospel in flat opposition to every word of Christ's clothing all their falshoods with the misapplied letter of his words of truth This Woman's words are smoother than Butter softer then Oil but are drawn Swords wounding Men to eternal death Psal. 55. 21. Many strong Men Wise Strong and honourable in Christ by first-Covenant attainments have bin So slain by her Prov. 7. 26. The palate and temper of humane Nature in general is what Ahab discover'd in hating the one true Prophet Micaiah that counsell'd him contrary to his own will for his good and rewarding the four hundred false ones that gratified his will to his own destruction 1 Kin. 22. The language or thought of all natural hearts God declar's to be this Prophesie not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things prophesie deceits Isa. 30. 10. and Satan finds false Prophets enow in a readiness to gratify them so as to keep true Seers out of all hearing or regard all whose words lie cross to the will palat and desire of humane nature corrupt or righteous in all mankind They preach the Cross and death to it in all as necessary to the Salvation of any This Satan represents as the greatest loss and prejudice imaginable to them indeed their utter ruine He advises them to hold fast their own decrying the pretended advantages of suffering and dying even a living and reigning with Christ as meer delusive fictions All men in their natural principles corrupt or righteous stand ready for receiving Satan's doctrin the doctrine of Devils pleasing to Nature in all variety of condition it can be found in No man in that worldly nature and spirit receives Christ's Gospel-Testimony Joh. 3. 22. 14. 17. This must needs make a vast difference between the numberless flockers after Satan's Gospel and the few or next to no listners after Christ's When Satan has lock'd up men in a double prison the will of their own fixed spirit of bondage and his will upon that in this firm union of these self-embondaging spirits and wills are they invincibly hardned against all the words of God's Wisdom And then the whole counsel of the Devil in his Mystery of Iniquity passes currant with them for the whole Counsel of God in his mystery of Godliness Solomon Paul and other awaken'd spiritual Saints can find out all these depths wiles devices snares and nets of this Woman that they see their fellow mortals even the professing party so generally involv'd entangled and caught in This Woman is more bitter than death her heart being full of snares and nets So subtilly contriv'd and methodiz'd as most certainly to catch all that refuse and so are destitute of the new-creation wisdom of God which alone can enable to number and find out the name and nature of this first-creation Beast Rev. 13. 18 with all her natural perfections disguis'd and gilded over by her whorish paint and transforming skil with counterfeit resemblances of spiritual in order to give the utmost shock of opposition to what is so For this end does she vent her Gospel-lies in hypocrisy or feigned resemblances of Christ's Gospel-Truths 1 Tim. 4. 1 2. Thus accoutred and furnish'd with gilded painted snares and nets from the date of her first sin and fall is she the Captain-General of all her hosts of evil Angels and Men fix'd with her in a spirit of unchangeable darkness and falshood against God and his new-creature-new-creature-spirit of marvellous Light and infallible Truth Under her powerful witchcrafts and alluring charm's fell Man at best And what can he do that comes after the King Adam in the unstain'd purity of all natural perfections and excellencies of humane nature Remember this first battel in which all mankind with the first fell dead at the Serpent's feet dead in trespasses and sins and do so no more Job 41. 8. Never think of undertaking him with success in but the gradually restor'd Righteous Life Wisdom and Armour of Man In the most restor'd righteous natural Man is now found actual enmity to God but changeable pardonable curable by the cross not otherwise If Satan render this unchangeable and unpardonable his work is finish'd Christ comes with Fire and Sword speaks War and Death to Nature at best Satan with flattering kisses and pleasing Words Who is like to be best liked by Man The wounds of the true Friend and Saviour submitted to will be Salvation The kisses and smooth words of the enemy complied with Damnation Prov. 27. 6. Satan finds in man a natural inclination to resist the Cross as his enemy and he leaves no meanes unattempted conducible to the fixing him in such resistance Then is he his own true subject in his kingdom of darkness and God swears in wrath he shall never enter into his Kingdom of Light This Woman will not fail to lay her snares and nets before Saints every step they are making under the cross towards the Kingdom of God while any thing of his natural friend in them is yet about them He was at it with Christ himself again and again while he had any thing of our pure fleshly Nature and changeable life of the Law in him Mat. 4. 16. 22 23. Luk. 4. Man establish'd in his own Righteousness thinks all safe for Salvation when fast lodg'd in the very arms of this grand mystical Adulteress the Devil irrecoverably wrap'd and bound up in the bundle of death caught and held fast in her nets and snares while pleasing himself with hopeful thoughts that his soul is bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord as David's 1 Sam. 25. 29. The perswasive words of Man's and Satan's wisdom are exactly calculated to gratify the desires of humane Nature in order to fix men in enmity to the unpleasing doctrine of the cross upon it and so perfectly deafen them to the voice of the true Shepherd all the words of God's Wisdom in himself and Saints to all spiritual charmers charm they never so wisely Psal. 58. 4 5. Man by willingly giving himself up in obedience to and compliance with Satan's known lie against God's known truth Heb. 10. 26. is abhorred of the Lord and given up by him to such strong delusion as holds him fast in the snares of this bottomless pit the very spirit of the Devil that he be damn'd with him 2 Thes. 2. 10 -12. When men are thus caught in the Snares of this Woman her hands are as bands upon them powerful cords and chains they can never break or get loose from never get out of this deep Dungeon and bottomless pit into which they have plung'd themselves Who so pleaseth or is good before God shall escape her but the Sinner shall be taken
of deceits full of snares and nets as the very Kingdom of God and Salvation to men And they 〈◊〉 others to hope that they will confirm or make good their word Ezek. 13. 6. In a 〈◊〉 spirit of Divination do Devil and Man joyntly declare this and boldly affirm 't is in the Lord's Spirit of Truth they say so They say the Lord saith They see nothing but vanity and preach up nothing but perishing vanities the natural excellencies or fading things of Man or Angel in the first-creation for eternal Life They speak only of the world this world's vanities and the world hears them all the world wonder 's after them 1 Joh. 4. 5. Rev. 13. 3. All in the but earthly spirit of nature corrupt or righteous are for such Preaching or none at all Satan's Apostles or Ministers come forth in great variety of form language and way all making but a universal Babel of confusion running their hearers into the very bosom of the Devil the bottomless-pit of all deceits and falshoods as their only security for Salvation Men are deeply concern'd to take heed who they hear not such strangers to and enemies of Christ's Gospel Jo. 10. 4 5. and then what and how they they hear Mark 4. 24. Luk. 8. 18. that they rightly take the voice or words of the true Shepherd and his Spiritual Apostles or Messengers and obey them Many may hear right Gospel-words and not understand them Mark 4. 12. And then they 'l not follow or obey them but run still after Satan's Law-Gospel Those that distinguish not the Words of God's from those of the Serpent's Man's Wisdom how should they scape the snares of this grand mystical Adulteress If they suffer themselves willingly to be beguil'd into a perswasion that Satan's Gospel and that which true Saints call Christ's are all one they are caught in the snares of the Devil Satan's Apostles say those that pretend to be Christ's differ from them only in an affected singularity and disguise of words not matter While this shuffle will serve the turn Satan's Gospellers find it not needful or convenient to enter the lists for a debating the case with Sion-Saints about a true Gospel-state But if Christ's Gospel come forth in such sharp discriminating language as to evidence its distinction in the whole matter of it from Satan's and Man's then to prevent yet any farther trouble about it they sit in their Majesterial Chair and in general without meddling with any particular in it decry it for the most dangerous destructive blasphemy and falshood that ever was invented or impos'd upon Men worse then Popery or Mahumetanism then the grossest Idolatries or most brutish practices of any Heathens This general vilifying Christ's whole Gospel-doctrine and assertors of it as the vilest of doctrines and men they 〈◊〉 a far easier and safer way then to meddle with any particulars of it Thus far and at this rate only seems the shock of opposition to be given to it and manag'd against it at this day But if matters once grow to that pass that some valuable number of awaken'd Saints and spiritually convinced Men should be the Assertors Followers and Owners of the very Christ the very Gospel so as to give occasion to Satan's Gospel-ministers to say in the same levened sowr spirit of enmity to God with the Pharisees Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing behold the World is gone after them when this comes to pass enemies will go another way to work The Jews when they could not resist or bear up against the wisdom and spirit by which Stephen spake they could and did through the permission of God and instigation of the Devil silence him as they reckon'd with stones But he being dead yet speaketh as Abel and all other such witnessing Saints most injuriously slain for the Testimony of Jesus in the Spirit of true Prophecy The regenerating transforming assimilating touch of the Gospel-spirit of Christ sixes Man 's versatile changeable Law-spirit in eternal obedience to and harmony with God The degenerating transforming assimilating touch of the spirit of the Devil on Man's fixes it with himself in unchangeable enmity to God as the very principle of his life desire thought word and action By one or other of these unchangeable good or evil spirits comes man to be lodg'd up in a state of eternal life or death a bed of true rest and unspeakable joy Isa. 57. 1 2. or of everlasting sorrow Isa. 50. 11. torment and vexation of Spirit He that 's born of God's unchangeably good Spirit is secure from the transforming touch of the unchangeable evil-one 1 Joh. 5. 18. The touch of spirits is a qualifying alterative touch baptizes Man's changeable spirit into the unchangeable toucher the Spirit of God or of the Devil By the death of their own spirit that Satan can touch and 〈◊〉 into the life of God's Spirit he can 〈◊〉 touch by this way and means and this only are Saints 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 from all the nets and snares of this grand Adulteress the Devil The whole World all that take up in their worldly earthly life of nature run into them A babe a suckling in Christ's Spirit is too hard for 〈◊〉 Psal. 8. 2. Man in the highest restor'd perfections of his own is no body in his hands Job 41. The incorrigible first-creation sinner is taken by her the new-creation Saint who alone pleases God shall escape all her nets snares hands or bands for ever Vers. 27. Behold this have I found saith the Preacher counting one by one to find out the account Solomon in the Sanctuary-balance the al-searching new-Creation Spirit of true prophecy weigh'd one thing after another so as to give a clear and full account of what he was so inquisitive after an everlasting state of Truth and Righteousness He weigh'd and tried all parts of the first Creation the utmost goodness and excellencies found in Man and Angels before their fall or restor'd in Men since and in the total sum of all found the one thing necessary for the true blessedness of any wanting 'T is not in the whole first-Creation Land of the living Job 28. 21. or state of Life No such thing found he in the whole heap of this World's Vanities So arriv'd he at this negative satisfaction that there 's no hope of ever finding true happiness there He resolv'd therefore no longer to squander away his time with others in seeking for the living amongst the dead or true Life and Happiness in a Region of Darkness and of the shadow of Death No such life as will swallow up Death into Victory is to be found there nothing but what Death will swallow up into Victory and triumph over for ever This he declares Vers. 28. Which yet my Soul seeketh but I find not one Man among a thousand have I found but a Woman among all those have I not found No unchangeably good thing could he find in the first-creation What then found he One
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-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
as this Gospel new-creature Spirit or Holy Ghost Act. 19. 2. Men clap all the titles of Christ's one thing on the back of their one thing that 's a spirit of darkness enmity and death Their but renewed spirit of Nature must needs amount to a state of Grace Regeneration New Creature Heir of the Kingdom of God What then must the very Christ the very Spirit of Grace and Truth be a Blasphemer a Devil Thus did the children of the Devil first-covenant Professors baptiz'd into his spirit of unchangeable enmity to God call the Holy Ghost or Gospel-spirit in Christ himself with all its Words Joh. 1. 11. 8. 44. 10. 20. and Mat. 12. 24 32. This subtil Serpentine trade won't do man's work when God is Judg himself Psal. 50. 6. He will call every thing by its right name Man's Wisdom in Divinity calls every thing by a wrong name all his natural God's spiritual things And what name title or character then God's things must have with him is easie to guess If natural Man or Angel will needs be as Gods in the proudly and presumptuously assum'd soveraignty and uncontroll'd exercise of their own Wills they 'l certainly judg and call the true Spiritual Man a Fool that quits all this as dung with Paul which they ruffle in Hos. 9. 7. 8. 1 Cor. 4. 10. No remedy for this in Man's day or Judgment In God's there will True Saints ought in Faith and Patience to possess their Souls quietly waiting for the decision of all Zion-controversies at Christ's second appearing to their Joy and to the Confusion of all their self-confident proud boasting enemies Isa. 66. 5. Your first-Covenant Brethren that hate you sit and speak against you Psal. 50. 20. Ezek. 33. 30. and cast you out excommunicate you as Blasphemers but I 'le appear says God to your Joy and then they shall be asham'd I 'le excommunicate them out of my Church and lay them under the Anathema Maranatha for ever under my everlasting Curse and Wrath. Let the naturalist then or first-Covenant Brother for a season wear the title of the second and allow him nothing but Blasphemer and Mad-man consider the great Lord and Master Did not he quietly endure the Contradictions and Reproaches of such Righteous first-Covenant Sinners against the second in his own day and turn on Earth among the only professing People in the World All will out at last after all scrambling confounded doings in this dark World and Kingdom of Satan All shame will be laid at the right door and God and his true Saints be glorified All in good time God's time is best Mean while the one uniform truth of God most harmoniously represented all along the Scriptures of Truth in great variety of Similitude Language and Type is in a manner universally rejected even by Professours and their one sandy-foundation'd thing by a lying Spirit of Divination set up in the room thereof which in the highest sence is the abomination that makes desolate Mat. 24. 15. and herein boast they themselves as to that great variety of the many Inventions they stand here charg'd with as their own self-destroying folly and madness The true spiritual Church own only one God and Father of all one Lord one Faith one fire-Baptism one Spiritual Circumcision setting fire upon and cutting off all fleshly life holy and profane in Pharisee and Publican The Church on the sand has many Gods many Lords of their Faith which are many Devils many Men in their differing and various teachings or doctrines all which in the same lying spirit of Divination do tend directly to the Destruction of themselves and hearers Such false Christs and Apostles evil Angels and Men will in these latter times more then ever pass unquestionably for the true as coming in the guise language dress and appearance thereof Has not the true Christ and his great Apostle foretold all this Mat. 24. 5. ver 23 25. 2 Cor. 11. 13 15. In such disguise they 'd deceive if possible the very Elect. The Worldly Church on the Sand boasts of such variety of Invention as amounts to but a glorying in their own shame Such poetical Creation-Preachers are always liars Tit. 1. 12. Under all pretence to Gospel are they the flattest enemies to it They come with methodiz'd discourse in the contrivances and Words of their own Wisdom Doctrine Reasons Uses Motives order'd and placed rank and file in Battel-array with the Armour of Man upon them to fight the Devils Battel against all Spiritual Saints and Gospel-Truths These are your Gospel-Merchants that corrupt or deal deceitfully with the word of God 2 Cor. 2. 17. destroying Souls for dishonest gain Ezek. 22. 27. They labour to make the truly Righteous sad by their reproachful censures and strengthen the wicked in their hidden mystical uncleanesses and abominable Idolatrys Ezek. 13. 22. They interpret Scripture into anti-Gospel-Doctrine and then invent reasons for it uses of it motives and arguments to follow and obey it all to encourage people in their Self-chosen way to the Chambers of death the congregation of the dead or assembly of Giants the Gigantick sighters against God Prov. 21. 16. Gen. 6. 4 5. All their Preaching Reasons and Uses as pretending to shew and lead men into the true Gospel-way of Salvation runs in a strein of direct enmity to all the spiritual reasonings and words of Christ's Gospel-spirit and so to the whole Counsel of God Paul declar'd Act. 20. 27. The right opening the Scriptur's is an opening the Kingdom of God This does the true publick one Gospel-spirit of Christ in himself and Saints The private natural womanish changeable spirit of man shuts out all spiritual Kingdom-Truths and in union with Satan open's his kingdom or bottomless pit of deceits and preaches up that first-creation state he has chosen as the only true Salvation When thus resolutely engag'd they disswade all people and frighten them what they can from touching or coming near such doctrin as indeed opens the Kingdom of Heaven as the arrantest Heresy and Blasphemy in the World This is the old Pharisaical trade of hypocritical Sinners in Zion Mat. 23. 13. But true interpretation of Scripture in that Spirit and Wisdom none are able to bear up against Act. 6. 10. will speak for it self in the hearts and consciences of the hearers and be a savour of life or death to the obedient receivers or wilful rejecters thereof The Cryptick Methods and Arts of man's mercenary wisdom are calculated to deceive All their Elocution Mymical gestures and affected tones look this way These humane Artifices are not to be used in uttering the words of God's Wisdom but cleer powerful spiritual demonstration 1 Cor. 2. 4. This was the way of Christ and his inspir'd Pen-Men or Teachers in the words of his Wisdom whether speaking to a multitude or only in answer to particular inquiries Convincing evidence and demonstration in the Wisdom and Power of the Holy 〈◊〉 were they
In the new-Creation Land of the living or spiritual Gospel-state of life The Wisdom of Man that can't discern spiritual Things or Truths how should it interpret the words of God's Wisdom that means only such things by all first-creation shadows figures and similitudes All Scripture as to the true spiritual intent and meaning of God is a Book seal'd to the highest natural Wisdom of Angel or Man Isa. 29. 11. All divine and spiritual things of God meant in the Scripture are mysteries fast lock'd up from that sort of Understanding in learned or unlearned Man Man then going to work with that which discerns no things of God shuts out all those things that are shut up from him out of his humane Divinity so call'd and so shuts up the Kingdom of Heaven in stead of opening it to his Hearers Let him read study and preach as long as 〈◊〉 lived he comes not one jot nearer the mysteries or Truths of God in the Scriptures then when he lay in his cradle Yea worse he is a direct enemy to all such Truths or Things when declared he hates and detests them as blasphemous Fictions So shutting up the Kingdom of God runs down himself and his blind Followers to the Chambers of death In a lying humane spirit of Divination back'd with Satan's lying evil angelical spirit do Men come forth to declare the Truths of God and say the Lord saith Ezek. 13. 6. God signifies his divine and spiritual things to Men which lie quite out of their natural discerning and reach by such earthly shadows and figures as are discernable to them and they lay hold on those shadows denying all allegorizing or interpreting them into God's Spiritual Heavenly truths or things God's things can be no otherwise spoken to man then in parables or by such things as are discernable to him Mat. 13. 34. The truly wise spiritual Saint only understands the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven or mysterious things of God signified in the Scripture v. 11. To others that stick in the letter all 's a parable a 〈◊〉 And thus do even Saints themselves before the incorruptible Seed or principle of Spiritual Life be actually waken'd up in them And after that also their natural Man so 〈◊〉 as unsubdued and untransform'd into harmony with their spiritual in life and light understands not such Mysteries No Man in his natural state receives Christ's Testimony of spiritual heavenly Truths or things Joh. 3. 31 32. Man's very Wisdom or understanding is the Vail on him the partition-wall between him and all spiritual things The exchange of that by the obedient death of nature for God's unspeakable gift of spiritual Life and Wisdom is his only possible way of coming at any right and full understanding of the Scriptures Man swells and puffs at any thing his understanding can't reach and his Will hates so scoffs at allegorizing the Scriptures or interpreting them into some other farther things then the literal shadow or figure lest something should by so deep dipping into it be turn'd up for Truth that 's above his understanding and not pleasing to his Will In love to his own Wisdom he denies there is any other but God's purely divine no spiritual Creature-Wisdom And if any pretend to that he censures them for Luciferian Presumption He denies that superiour Creature-wisdom Saints are partakers of which is call'd also the Wisdom of God and then most falsely taxes them with pretending to the very infinite divine Wisdom The spiritual Saint only has the seeing Eye hearing Ear and understanding Heart the senses suited to the divine and spiritual things of God All others 〈◊〉 see not and hearing hear not nor understand Mat. 13. 13 -15 From Isa. 6. 9 10. The spiritual wise Man in his new erected intellect and life sees all things divine and twofold creaturely spiritual and natural in their very hidden essences properties and naked evidence The natural wise Man does but conjecture guess at the hidden properties essences and occult qualities as he therefore call's them of the very visible or lower sort of natural things In the Apocryphal Wisdom of Solomon we find words to this purpose Chap. 9. 13 -- 18. What man knows the Counsel of God Or who can think what the Will of the Lord is The thoughts of mortal Men are miserable and our devices uncertain For the corruptible body presseth down the Soul the earthy Tabernacle weigheth down the Mind which museth on many things Hardly guess we aright at things on Earth that are before us but things in Heaven who hath searched out Thy Counsel who hath known except thou give Wisdom and send thy holy Spirit from above For so the ways of Men on Earth are reform'd as taught things pleasing to thee and saved through Wisdom Lo then the vast differences of natural and spiritual Wisdoms or Understandings The divine and spiritual creature-things of Christ and God are clearly discernable to the one and not the lower sort of natural things to the other Spiritual Wisdom that sees all the things of God can interpret all the words of God declare the very divine thought intent and meaning in all They that have this unction from the holy one know all things The said anointing teacheth of all things 1 Joh. 2. 20 27. That new-creature gospel-Gospel-spirit of Truth wherewith true Saints are anointed guides them into all Truth and shews them things to come even all that God will do with the obedient submitters to or incorrigible Rebels against the said Spirit for ever in eternal Life or Death This Spirit in the awaken'd-up seed thereof will bring to remembrance words or things past also what their natural Man in the days of their ignorance has receiv'd the report of by the hearing of the 〈◊〉 and give them the clear full sight or understanding of by the seeing of the spiritual Eye or new Intellect Joh 14. 26. Job came to the blessed experience of this by and after the sufferings of his natural Man under the Cross Job 42. 5. All things the Father hath are mine says Christ and this Spirit of mine in you shall shew you all Joh 16. 14 15. all the things of my new-creation Kingdom in the conjunctive Divine and Creature-glories of me the King thereof all which are Mysteries hidden and shut up from all natural first-creation understanding of Man or Angel They can be spoken to that only in Parables figuratively represented to it only by first-creation Shadows and Similitudes in dark sayings till open'd by the spiritual Remembrancer in Men. This is the Interpreter Messenger Apostle or sent-one of God as Elihu calls him that can shew to Man his Uprightness Job 33. 23. Yea make him unchangeably upright in God's sight He was not made so by the first-creation For then could he not have miscarried by his many inventions as 〈◊〉 7. 29. This Spirit makes the Saint wiser then all his first-creation Teachers in the words of Man's Wisdom who will yet pretend to
or crucifying-work upon their natural State They desire no knowledg of him in such ways of saving them Joh. 6. 66. The Devil 's and his Instruments destructive but pleasing Ways and Counsel they like better And then in the darkness of his Spirit and Counsels they think to hide themselves from this King saying no Eye sees them how does God know what they are doing Psal. 73. 11. They are for this call'd brutish Fools Psal. 94. 7 11. Brutish Men and Fools know not this that when the wicked spring as the grass and workers of Iniquity flourish 't is that they shall be destroy'd for ever Psal. 92. 6 7. T. Stand not in an evil thing Persist not in this evil Practice of turning from this King and in this vain thought of securing your selves from his sight and just revenging Power Ye may soon sin your selves out of the reach of his mercy but never get out of the reach of his Wrath. Your endeavour to get speedily out of his sight or out of the hearing of his words will soon bring you under his Wrath that can do what he pleases with you If ye will not have this spiritual King reign over you he will command his Angels to slay you Luk. 19. 14 27. They 'l be a 〈◊〉 fire on all final Resisters of his Gospel-doctrine and Spirit 2 Thes. 1. 7 8. He will rejoyce over all such to destroy them that refuse all his offers of good to them Deut. 28. 63. If they 'l not please him he will please himself in their destruction If they 'l not give the Glory due to him he will take it by executing his just Vengeance on them Actively or passively by what they do or shall suffer will he be glorified of all If man agree not with Christ appearing as an Adversary and quietly deliver up his guilty sinning nature to his Gospel-cross Fire and Sword he will plead against him as justly demeriting final Destruction Mat. 5. 25 26. If his Gospel-sword on Man's Law-spirit be summitted to he will be an Advocate and prevailing Pleader for his final acceptance with God the Judg of all Heb. 12. 23. Let 's deliver up the guilty Rebel this mystical Sheba 2 Sam. 20. 16 -- 22. the natural spirit to his spiritual Sword and all shall be well everlasting Peace will be proclaim'd to us Vers. 4. Where the word of a King is there is power and who may say unto him what dost thou In the word of this glorious universal King is Power to fulfil it on all his Subjects in Love or Wrath whether submitted to or rebell'd against There 's no questioning the reason of his Will or Authority of his Commands He is furnish'd with absolute Soveraignty to accomplish his unchangeably righteous Will on all opposers thereof He is abundantly qualified Isa. 11. 1 -4. to exercise God's soveraign Authority over all Not in the law-Law-spirit of Nature by the sight of its eyes or hearing of its ears will he judg reprove or punish but in his everlasting righteous and infallible gospel-Gospel-spirit of Grace and Truth Man's Law-spirit of restor'd Nature is in effect warranted by man's wisdom to be the Tree of Life and Christ's Gospel-Spirit that indeed is so exploded as an enthusiastical fiction with all the words thereof Where this Gospel takes place that Satan preach'd to Eve and where does it not there 's no hearing for Christ's His Grace and Gospel are made void and the declarers thereof reckon'd meer no-bodies with Paul among rich first-covenant Professors and Teachers 1 Cor. 4. 10. 2 Cor. 10. 12. He will abundantly recompence his meek ones in love and his and their Enemies in wrath 2 Thess. 1. 6 -10. All secret wickednesses will lie naked before his all-penetrating light Heb. 4. 12 13. He will be a swift Witness against Condemner and Punisher of all incorrigible Adversaries When he summon's all' before him Eccl. 12. 14. 2 Cor. 5. 10. 't will be seen and felt that in the word of this King is power He will accomplish all his words for he can do what pleases him Isa. 55. 11. And he will silence and render most frivolous all contradiction or opposition No Man or Angel will have any colour for questioning his proceedings with them He will set up an undeniable Testimony of the equity of his dealings towards them in their own consciences So every mouth of iniquity will be stopp'd For who may say to him what dost thou He will be found unquestionably just in doing what he pleases Vers. 5. Whoso keepeth the Commandment shall feel no evil thing and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment Here 's the comfortable Use and Application of this great Truth a declaration of the unexpressible Blessedness and Safety of those that keep this King's Command Whoso hearkens to him shall dwell safely and be quiet from fear of evil Prov. 1. 33. Those that speak no evil or blasphemous word against him shall hear of no evil or condemning and punishing word from him against them He will set them above the power of all evil dangers or enemies whatsoever Quest. But what 's the Commandment carries so great advantage with it to the Observers thereof Answ. That the keeping whereof imports and implies an universal obedience to this divine and spiritual King First-covenant Servants and People of God that may again become no People yea a downright Synagogue of Satan Rev. 3. 9. Such while knowing well-vers'd or mighty in the letter of Scripture and strict in obedience thereto may be altogether strangers to the spiritual mind of their Master therein Joh. 15. 15. If when convincingly shew'd and offer'd Christ's Gospel-life they finally refuse to part with their Law-life and all they have therein for it they become a Synagogue of Satan and perish for ever Servants in Christ God's house for a season if on the utmost trial they refuse to become Sons by losing their servile Law-life of bondage for the glorious Gospel-life and liberty of the Son of God the King here meant they must turn out and never come in it more Joh. 8. 35 36. Such Children of the Kingdom will be cast out and Publicans and Harlots with Zaccheus and Mary Magdalen common sinners of the Gentiles from all parts lifted over all their heads by true Gospel-conversion and brought to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 8. 11 12. 21. 31. This doctrine or declaration as to common Sinners in the corrupt spirit of nature being effectually caused to receive the Gospel while a professing first-covenant People despise and reject it are disobedient and gain-saying to Paul notes as a holy boldness for God in the Prophet Isaiah Rom. 10. 19 21. Isa. 65. 1 2. A People of God in the first becoming no People again and those that are no People of God in either Covenant made all on a sudden a peculiar People in the second these are the chops and changes of condition
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-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
fixed under the conduct thereof as not immediately to quit it for a better Guide the Light of Christ's Gospel Spirit Every one that thus fears God and works Righteousness is accepted with God all along under his various dispensations to them as seeing at first where he shall find them and they him at last even in unchangeable harmony of mind with himself and universal obedience to him in all things By following on to know the Lord from light to light dispensation to dispensation come they at length to a firm indissoluble Union with him With such fearers of God Solomon declares it shall be well They are all along accepted with God and in the same certainty for true Blessedness under the first and second as when under the third and last dispensation actually estated in new-creation principles of everlasting Righteousness In God's sight and purpose 't is sure to be well with them that so fear him that fear before him The doubling the words imports the certainty of both their truly fearing him and its being well with them for ever that are found to have the incorruptible Seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. of true Holiness and everlasting Righteousness in them They fear before him or are seen by him true fearers of him when but under the light of Nature or of the Law tho they have but obscure uncertain thoughts of him or themselves as to his purposes towards them or how it shall be with them for ever or in what spirit and life they can be truly blessed And so come we to the second thing here as positively declar'd by Solomon in the Spirit of Christ concerning the incorrigibly wicked that it shall as certainly be ill with them as well with the true fearers of God Vers. 13. But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his days which are as a shadow because he feareth not before God Though the wicked do evil a hundred times and his days be prolonged in this World and that in great outward or inward Prosperity and flourish so that he has more then heart can wish while the true fearer of God is continually plagu'd and chastned under the sharp discipline of the Cross Psal. 73. 1 -24. Yet at winding up of all t is certain it shall be well for ever with the obedient Saint and ill for ever with the incorrigible Sinner By wicked here are not chiefly nor properly meant such as are dead in the corrupt but made alive in some degree in the enlightned state of Nature and so brought actually under God's trial how they 'l demean themselves in following on to know and obey him till they do all in his gospel-Gospel-spirit of Truth Under every dispensation are they found in a directly contrary frame of Spirit to the true Saint and Fearer of the Lord. They fail in the main point a ready quitting inferiour dispensations and all their light life and attainments therein for the third and last a Gospel-state of everlasting Righteousness God requires the exchange of all restor'd natural Principles of Light Life or Operation for his spiritual Gospel Principles They are no true Fearers of the Lord from first to last that finally refuse this change of Life Food and Raiment Hence though they do evil a hundred times in their enlight'ned natural state against the highest and greatest spiritual Gospel-light and are permitted and gratified with a long flourish in all worldly Prosperity it will be ill with them at last for ever God's permitting all this signifies the utmost extent of his Patience and their trial after all which they 'l find themselves bound up in the bundle of Death in and with the very spirit of the Devil in unchangeable enmity to God This house or state of everlasting mourning will conclude their most prolonged day of Jollity and Mirth in their Wickedness The said Sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed for ever Isa. 65. 20. Solomon in a holy scorning contradiction to what he had said of the Sinner's prolonging his days ver 12. says here he shall not prolong his days which are as a shadow This implies that the longest day such sinners against the Holy Ghost or Gospel-spirit are permitted to live on Earth will appear but as a transient shadow to the endless day of their Misery and Sufferings in Hell Their permitted larger time and more abundantly multiplied Wickednesses on Earth will increase their Torments for ever in Hell Wo unto them It shall be ill with them for the reward of their Hands shall be given them Isa. 3. 11. But with the Righteous it shall be well for ever for they shall eat the Fruit of their doings ver 10. in all their obedience to and fearing of God under every of his dispensations to them They have brought forth never-perishing fruits unto God in his newness of Life The incorrigible Sinner shall eat the Fruit of his rebellious doings in his oldness of Letter against God's newness of Life and be filled with his own devices or many inventions Prov. 1 31. Eccles. 7. 29. Thus will it fare for ever with the Saint and Sinner according to the several ways they have walk'd in and course they have steer'd in their own Spirit and Will or God's The Sinner shall go into everlasting Punishment and the Righteous into Life Eternal Mat. 25. 46. To these vastly differing ends do their as vastly differing ways lead Though the wicked not only prolong his days on Earth but be in great Power spreading himself like a green Bay-tree he will pass away and never find himself or be found more to his advantage and comfort Psal. 37. 35 36. Hold out as long as he can in his mortal body his end is to be out off and destroy'd for ever v. 38. But the end of the spiritual upright Man is everlasting peace with God v. 37. A brutish fool understands not this that when the workers of iniquity flourish 't is that they shall be destroy'd for ever Psal. 92. 6 7. In new-creation Sanctuary-light the Spiritual Saint understands and unriddles all 1 Cor. 2. 15. He sees the dreadful end of the wicked's utmost flourish and longest day of prosperity and the blessed end of the Saints utmost tribulations in this world Psal. 73. 17 -20. Job 21. 7 -20. Vers. 14. There is a Vanity which is done upon the Earth that there be just Men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the Wicked again there be wicked Men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the Righteous I said that this also is Vanity This accords with Eccles. 9. 1. God's love or hatred to Men can't be known by his outward dispensations to them or dealings with them in this World Who-e'r goes this way to spell out or judg of his Love or Hatred Approbation of them or displeasure towards them will miss their mark and be dangerously deceived For in the wise Methods of God the truely righteous are
Life is the Principle in which Man does all he rejoyces in a 〈◊〉 with the very Divine Mind and obedience to the Divine Will in all things t. For that shall abide with him c. His labour in the Lord or in his Spirit shall not be in vain 1 Cor. 15. 58. All Fruits brought forth therein shall abide with him and speak for his everlasting acceptation with God Rev. 14. 13. Vers. 16. When I applied mine Heart to know Wisdom and to see the business that is done upon the Earth for also there is that neither Day nor Night seeth sleep with his Eyes Solomon from the said Vanity done upon Earth vers 14. or in the earthy state of Saints and Sinners under the differing Dispensations of God to them proceeds to consider thence the business done upon the Earth In spiritual Wisdom he clearly sees what is in Man John 2. v. 25. 1 Cor. 2. 15. even the whole Life Desire Thought and Work of Humane Nature the business it is doing in the 〈◊〉 first-creation make and state thereof all Man's tormoil in 〈◊〉 Vain Shew or shadowy Life in the Image of the earthy which he seems to inform us of in the following Parenthesis for also there is that neither Day nor Night seeth sleep with his Eyes Here 's a character of Man's earthy nature and unprofitable Labours therein Man is in an embondaging continual solicitude to keep what he knows will be gone when all 's done Yet places he his hopes of Blessedness in such a state No Joy Peace or Mirth can he have but what 's meerly delusive and destructive unless extinguish'd by the Cross and so the Man deliver'd He never sees Sleep with his eyes never has any true rest or peace His spirit has an indeleble bottom-thought and sense of the immortality of its being and mortality of its best natural life and all its fruits or possessions therein which will therefore be gone and leave his naked being in the lurch exquisitly sensible under the wrath to come for refusing the Grace offer'd while it was call'd to day Heb. 3. 7 8. So find's he himself under an impossibility of finding true rest therein or scaping unexpressible torment and vexation of spirit for ever be or do what he can in that state True sleep or the Saints everlasting rest can never be found or had in a fading life of vanity and enmity to God and that very Spirit of Grace in which alone it is to be found True rest can man find only in that newness of life that qualifies to see and enjoy the very Divine Glory of God for ever Without this neither day nor night in the enlighten'd righteous nor dark corrupt state of nature or neither in his day upon earth or night of everlasting darkness in Hell can or will he find rest or see sleep Solomon in the infallible Spirit of truth saw and declar'd where true rest is to be found and where not Hence turns he from that natural state of vanity wherein Man is labouring for and seeking what he can never attain or find and applies his heart wholly to that spiritual life and true wisdom wherein he is sure to find this desirable thing a state of sleep or true rest and satisfaction to the intellectual eye and utmost desires of his Immortal spirit Psal. 37. 4. Vers. 17. Then I beheld all the work of God that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the Sun because tho' a man labour to seek it out yea further tho' a wise man think to know it yet shall he not be able to find it Man neither in the dark corrupt nor most wise enlighten'd state of nature can find out the work of God done under the Sun or the end and design of God in all the first-creation works of his hands 'T is Man's wilful errour to think by the utmost labour of his natural mind to understand God's Divine and spiritual creature mind herein He labours under an utter impossibility of finding what he seeks Solomon would lead his fellow-Mortals into that infallible and immortal Gospel-state where they may find and understand all 1 Cor 2. 15. even the deep divine and spiritual things of God the whole Counsel of God the Methods and Contrivances of his infinite Wisdom about his Creature 's true Happiness They that will not rest from the unprofitable Works of their own Spirit under the Law and Work of the Cross will never find rest in God's and will for ever lose all the fading good and comfort they have for a season found and enjoy'd in their own No Man or Angel finally refusing and turning from God's offer'd spiritual Light can ever in their single natural Wisdom at best find out the finishing work of God or end by him put to the first-Creation State in by and for a second Whoever will not surrender and lose their own Wisdom in the first for God's in the second though they think to know and find all out can never do 't nor find true Rest. If Man prefer himself to his Creatour his Life Wisdom Righteousness to God's he will never find out all the work of God by a first and second Creation but grossly mistake and abuse the first and himself therein and never come within sight of the second do what he can Pretend he does to the interpreting the words of God's Wisdom but what work is he like to make on 't All things spiritual heavenly and eternal lie cleer out of his reach He is brutishly absur'd unreasonable and untreatable about such most concerning things Jer. 10. 14. 2 Thes. 3. 2. And what other Wisdom but Man's in the more refined sort of Teachers has bin the Undertaker at interpreting the Words of God's with any sort of publick reception owning and approbation for many hundred years CHAP. IX V. 1. For all this I consider'd in my Heart Heb. gave or set my Heart even to declare all this that the Righteous and the Wise and their works are in the hand of God no Man knoweth either Love or Hatred by all that is before them SOlomon consider'd or set his Heart in the spiritual Wisdom of God wherein a true Preacher and Seer of God to declare his whole Mind and Counsel about Men. He saw the priviledges of the truly Wise and Righteous that their Persons Ways and Works are in the hand of God with whom they find Praise Commendation and a blessed Reward let Men despise them and say or do what they will or can against them Then he declares concerning them and all other Men that no Man knows either Love or Hatred by all that 's before him But who are the Wise and Righteous here And what 's meant by their Works being in the hand of God To the 1st To Spiritual Saints only does this character belong For they only have that Spirit that 's everlastingly righteous and infallibly wise To the 2d Their Persons and Works in that
first-covenant righteous wise strong and honourable in Christ come to for refusing to part with all that for Christ in the spirit of the second as risen out of the death of the first Rom. 7. 1 -4. These Sons of Men whose heart is full of evil and madness in this World while they live go after this life to the dead remain for ever in the Congregation of the dead Prov. 21. 16. in eternal darkness and never see Light This come they to with their Predecessours in the same obstinate madness and folly whose false doctrine or sayings they have prais'd own'd and follow'd against God and his Spirit of Truth Psal. 49. 13 19. Vers. 4. For to him that is joyned to all the living there is hope for a living Dog is better then a dead Lion The living Dog that being joyn'd to all the living has hope is the natural man of the spiritual Saint under the Cross rendered a fool weak and despicable as to all first-creation Wisdom Power and Glory with Paul 1 Cor. 4. 10. but is in an unchangeable union with all living for ever in the Spirit of Grace and so rich wise strong and honourable in God Tho' the Saint then in his broken impoverish'd natural man the barren disconsolate state of his desolate crucified 〈◊〉 be counted a Dog the filth of the world the off-scouring of all things by the Rich Full Wise Strong and Honourable in Christ 1 Cor. 4. 8 10 13. as to first-covenant attainments in and from him thro' a new and better life springing up in him however hid from them is he in a better condition then the dead Lion Who is this Man in all the riches wisdom and glory of a restor'd first-Covenant life figur'd by Dives as the crucified Saint's natural man by Lazarus All this Lion-like strength and power of nature fix'd in enmity renders Man but a dead Lion Fix'd enmity to God is everlasting death to Man This will all Lions in the boistrous blustering spirit and unbroken strength of nature find to be their condition as highly as they think of themselves Nothing of true spiritual everlasting life or strength have they about them This dead Lion scorns the living Dog as not seeing him in another spirit joyned to all the truly living Christ and all spiritual Saints and Angels The natural Man as a fleshly mystical Tree in the fruitful exercise of a restor'd first-Covenant righteous life when cut down spoil d and marr'd by the spiritual-Sword or Gospel-Cross Tree and Fruit Leaf Root and Branch yet is there hope thro' the scent of water even of Christ's Spiritual Water of Life that it will sprout up again in another life bud and bring forth boughs like a plant Job 14. 7 8. of God's right-hand planting by a new-creation the fruits and leaves whereof shall never wither or fade Psal. 1. 3. And so is the living Dog living with Christ in God better in himself and therefore in God's infallible sight then the said dead Lion ruffling in all the unbroken life and power of that restor'd natural state that 's crucified in the true Saint Such Lions have but a name to live They are dead Rev. 3. 1. as being the very mystical Law-Widows left by Christ in the first-Covenant and waxing wanton against him in the second chusing rather to be married again in the first to that other Man 1 Tim. 5. 6 11 12. Rom. 7. 3. the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition the Devil This brings Damnation or unchangeable Death upon them Ver. 5. For the Living know that they shall die but the Dead know not any thing neither have they any more a reward for the memory of them is forgotten Living spiritual Saints know their whole natural Man must die in conformity to Christ and the Will of God But the said dead Lion knows nothing has no right knowledge of the mind of God in obedience to his Will as to the appointed Death-pass out of his crucified nature into God's Spirit of Grace He sees not or knows this spiritual life in which risen Angels and Saints are everlastingly blessed The dead Lion in all his flourish being in a state of unchangeable Death will have no more any reward to his comfort only the meet recompence of his error madness and folly eternal darkness and death under which his memory will for ever be forgotten He knows nothing that 's truly good or desireable unchangeably good and he shall have nothing that 's changably or unchangeably good or desireable but only unchangeable evil for his everlasting portion Thro' the impassable Gulf 〈◊〉 between them and blessed Angels and Saints will such see those they unchangeably hate to be the objects of God's unchangeable Love and themselves of his unchangable Wrath. They 'l know nothing but what will aggravate their boundless misery and unexpressible torment for ever On the contrary the truly living know every thing 1 Cor. 2. 15. to the encrease of their unspeakable Joy They know that by the obedient death of nature they shall live for ever in God's spirit of Grace as the method of God's Wisdom whose whole Counsel about Salvation they fully comply with They glory with Paul in the Cross of Christ by which all worldly life and desire in them is crucified to all worldly vanities or desirables without them Gal. 6. 14. And so are they made alive to the World to come and have a new spiritual belly desire or appetite and palate springing up in their newness of life to savour relish desire and feed on things divine spiritual heavenly and eternal things of God only the peculiar delights of the Sons of God The said dead know none of these things in their dead state of unchangeable Union with the Prince of death the Devil wherein they are cast out of God's favourable Remembrance or regard for ever into outer darkness where will be weeping and gnashing of Teeth Vers. 6. Also their Love and their Hatred and their Envy is now perish'd neither have they any more a Portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun Here 's a lively description of the deplorable state of the mystical dead whose Love Hatred and Envy perish All delight and satisfaction in the restor'd fading life and good things of their own nature evilly chosen and rested in by them for happiness shall perish Belly and meats desires and desirables all will be gone And then the Wrath of God will be upon them for ever All the goodly dainties they lusted after will depart from them and never be found more Rev. 18. 8 14. For chusing their perishing things of Man not only in a preference but unchangeable enmity to the things of God in his new-Creation Life fall they under his unchangeable Wrath. So all their false evil destructive Love of any the best things in this World the Righteousness Wisdom and Glory of their own restor'd nature with the Fruits or Works thereof in enmity to
God This is the strange method of God's Wisdom for his despis'd little ones to be found more than Conquerers of all their proud self-exalting despisers and enemies The abolishing the worldly life of Nature out of Christ and his Army is the way to their being all found in that life and power of the World to come in which they overcome all that obstinatly set up in this This way the Man Christ triumph'd over all evil angelical and humane Principalities and Powers the Princes of this World Col. 2. 14 15. 1 Cor. 2. 6. All Men that finally take up in the first-creation are Satan's Subjects all that pass out of that by death into the life of the second are God's The poor wise Man that does all these wonderful things for his little City has infinite divine and infallible creature-wisdom and power in him And what can all the visible and invisible Powers of this World with all their Strength Devices and Bulwarks be before him He was made a poor Man by the death of our nature that he might make many rich in his spirit of Grace on the like obedient death of nature in them 2 Cor. 6. 10. 8. 9. Phil. 2. 6 8. Yet no Man remembers this poor wise Man No man in his own Wisdom receives his Gospel-Testimony Joh. 3. 32. takes his Counsel follows his Example Under the sinking weight of this charge will evil Men and Angels lie for ever They 'l not remember hearken to or follow this poor Man under his Cross into the like poverty and death of nature in them the only way into his everlasting Rest. Vers. 16. Then said I Wisdom is better than strength nevertheless the poor Man's wisdom is despis'd and his words are not heard The everlasting Wisdom of God's New-creation Gospel-Spirit is better then all the fading strength wisdom and power of Man and Angel in the first or old But the voice and words of this Wisdom from the impoverish'd natural man in Christ and his followers is not heard heeded or regarded by those that resolve to set up in that state of Nature for happiness which they preach death to as the only 〈◊〉 way and means for their being truly happy All such reproofs of death on the spirit of Nature and instructions of life in God's Spirit of Grace are despis'd and rejected by the wisdom of Man in first-Covenant Righteousness Even such are found all along this world a disobedient gain-saying People Isa. 65. 2. Rom. 10. 21. See the dismal and blessed consequents of not hearkning or hearkning to this poor wise Man's Counsels reproofs and instructions Prov. 1. 20 -33. Somethere are amongst the vast multitude of self-confident righteous men and also profane who at last are brought to regard this poor wise man's voice and his only the voice of his Spirit in himself and Saints 〈◊〉 still God has a little flock that are content to be made his little ones in Nature that he may make them his great ones and worthies too big and too many for all his and their enemies in his Wisdom and Spirit of Grace All do not finally provoke him Heb. 3. 16. Rom. 11. 1 -5. Christ then and his followers are not without all hearing from Men. For Vers. 17. The words of wise Men are heard in quiet more then the cry of him that ruleth among fools The words of Christ and his awaken'd Spiritual Saints the words of God's Wisdom which the Holy Ghost teaches and utters in both and all will be heard or obey'd by a spiritual Seed of Christ in meek broken-spirited quiet peaceable men Sons of Peace Their meek broken silenc'd natural spirit is of great price with God 1 Pet. 3. 4. as quitting its own vain corruptible life for that which is not corruptible but everlasting They instruct those that oppose them in meekness of Wisdom not returning railing for railing in the wrathful wrangling spirit and earthly wisdom of Nature that 's from beneath waiting with patience if God peradventure will give them Repentance or change of mind from Satan's lie to his gospel-Gospel-Truth 2 Tim. 2. 24 -26. See the different demeanour conversation and fruits of Saints in God's Heavenly Spiritual wisdom communicated to them and of incorrigible sinners in Man's and Satan's earthly devilish wisdom from beneath Jam. 3. 13 -18. Men in their wisdom render'd devilish by fixure in enmity to God's are the loud clamorous boasting self-exalting undertakers at teaching the way of Salvation who by their great cry and confused noise of their 〈◊〉 Cymbals their uncertain-sounding false Trumpet gain a ruling power amongst fools to the final destruction of blind foolish rulers and ruled leaders and followers All fall into the ditch or bottomless pit of deceits and destruction nets snares and death together Eccle. 7. 26. Mat. 15. 14. Such Rulers or Teachers and Leaders as a demonstration of their utmost folly and madness despise are offended at and absolutely reject all the words of God's Wisdom as folly and madness ver 12. Hos. 9. 7 8. 1 Cor. 1. 23. Joh. 10. 20. 7. 45 49. The quiet-spirited Saint in whom this self-confident spirit of enmity to God and all his Words of Counsel is broken down and silenc'd by the Cross listen to the Words of the true Shepherd or Teacher in himself and messengers and follow not but flee from the Stranger 's voice Joh. 10. 4 5. The spiritual Feet or Principles on which Christ's true Messengers or Apostles come to them are beautiful and all their right Words of reproof and instruction most welcome and desireable They esteem hear and obey the words of the truly wise as incomparably beyond all the cry and noise of Rulers among fools that presumptuously undertake an absolute impossibility even to declare the Mysteries of God's Wisdom in that wisdom of Man that 's foolishness to God's and all the words of God's to it Yet is their voice and cry readily heard and follow'd by Fools to the everlasting destruction of both and all Vers. 18. Wisdom is better then Weapons of War but one sinner destroyeth much good True Wisdom or the Spirit of Christ in Man is better then all the Wisdom Srength Power and Armour of Man or Angel in the first creation and yet more when all these are turn'd into and used in enmity to God For so became they the one sinner that from first to last 〈◊〉 against God Christ and Saints who must needs be unspeakably too hard for them All wicked Angels and Men in the finally abused first-creation state or spirit and life of nature make up and are the one sinner or uniform fighter against God in and with their first-creation Strength Armour and weapons of War And thus does this one comprehensive Sinner or perverted first-creation Spirit in all evil Angels and Men destroy much good even all the changeable goodness in that state which had they obediently return'd it back in sacrifice to God they might have receiv'd much good
thereby even the promis'd gift of an everlasting righteous Life and so all their own fading good again with usury The Law or law-life in Man or Angel us'd unlawfully as kept up for Weapons of War in rebellion against Christ's Gospel-life is destroy'd by the said Sinner in evil Angels and Men. They thus destroy and frustrate all the good intended in and by their first-creation State and for ever exclude themselves from the immutable good of the second So destroy they much good even the whole good of the first and second Creation By the lawful use of the first they might have had all the good of both By the unlawful use thereof they spoil and lose all all the good given them in the former and offer'd them in the latter Then as six'd in unchangeable enmity to God they must fall and lie down for ever under the unchangeable Wrath of God as their undeniably just portion CHAP. X. V. 1. Dead Flies Heb. flies of death cause the Ointment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour so doth a little Folly him that is in reputation for Wisdom and Honour THe dead flies or flies of death found in Men since the fall that cause the first-covenant precious Ointment of Christ the great mystical Apothecary or perfumer of Man's filthy loathsome corrupt polluted nature dead in trespasses and sins are a character of the 〈◊〉 to God's divine and creature-spirit which is filth of spirit in Man This enmity as the single product of the first sin is call'd the little folly in eminently restor'd righteous Man that with Job is there in great reputation for Wisdom and Honour Job 29. 7 -10 This little folly a changeable pardonable curable enmity to God in all comparatively with the great folly the incurable unpardonable great transgression or presumptuous sin unto death as thro' Man's wilful madness this changeable is turn'd into a fix'd unchangeable enmity to God in many this little folly what a noise it made in Job against the dispensation of the Cross when under it as we find at large by the reproofs Elihu and Christ himself came upon him with Job 32 to almost the end of that Book Man in the honour he was created in not understanding or duly considering the changeable nature of that honour and slipperiness of his standing in it soon fell and became as the Beasts that perish Psal. 49. 12 20. a brutified meer sensual creature as 't were having forfeited the righteous life of a Man And when restor'd by the redeemer out of that polluted bloody condition into the same kind of changeable first-covenant righteous life of a Man again Ezek. 16. 6. so as to remove and take off the punishment of the first sin the first sin it self is not hereby cured but through this very fresh coming of the command or Christ's setting up his first-covenant Law-life in him again does this sin of Enmity revive also which with and in dead nature lay as dead into an active bold confident daring presumptuous resisting of God and his Gospel-spirit as Paul experienc'd Rom. 7. 9 -11. And had he obstinately persisted in that course when convinced of his duty it had slain him for ever But he yielded to the death of that restor'd 〈◊〉 covenant law-life as the known means of abolishing that 〈◊〉 which reviv'd sprang up with it and is inseparable from it No way then to be rid of that enmity but by being rid of that life under the Cross. And no other way or on no other or lower and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can God's Gospel-life of 〈◊〉 Righteousness be 〈◊〉 by or set up in us He therefore gloried in nothing save the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that by its twofold death and life-operation runs down the 〈◊〉 covenant life and 〈◊〉 up the second crucified all 〈◊〉 life and desire in his spirit to all this World's desirables and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it Gal. 6. 14. and set up a life in him the Palate Belly or 〈◊〉 and Desire whereof wholly and only savour'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desir'd and 〈◊〉 after the things of God things eternal delights of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God He so became alive only to the World to come and that to him a meer Pilgrim and Stranger in and to this to the delights of the Sons of Men things seen temporal 1 Pet. 2. 11. 2 Cor. 4. 18. The dead Fly or little solly here is the same with the little leaven that leavens the whole lump Gal. 5. 9 of mankind which can be purg'd out of any no otherwise then by the death and Sacrifice of Nature at best from which inseparable And then with our sacrific'd spotless Nature in Christ our Pass-over shall we find that the destroying Angel even Christ with the same spiritual-Sword or Gospel-Cross will pass over us as to that use he will make of it in Wrath upon all fix'd incorrigible enemies Angels or Men. This fix'd leaven or Doctrine of the Pharisees in a sowr'd leaven'd spirit of unchangeable enmity in a 〈◊〉 Covenant righteous life against the second Law against Gospel is that Christ warn'd his Disciples to beware of Mat. 16. 6 11 12. For this cause did Christ sanctify our nature by the death thereof in himself that by the like death-sanctification the same fire-Baptism of his heavenly Spirit of Truth on our earthy-spirit of enmity and falshood he might sanctify it in us Joh. 17. 17 19. The enmity or Fly of death becoming unchangeable in Men renders them a most stinking abomination to God for ever Their Soul unchangeably loaths God's Soul or Spirit of Grace and his them Then Christ's fresh first-Covenant Gift that was for a season as salt to dry up the fleshly filth of their polluted nature loses its savour and the whole person becomes a stinking loathsome thing as all-over polluted with a spreading incurable Leprosy or most noisom Disease Vers. 2. A wise Man's heart is at his right hand but a fool's heart at his left Here 's a description of the truly wise and of the greatest fool The heart of the former is at his right hand fix'd and set to follow those right counsels of God in the life activity desire and thought of the incorruptible Seed of God's right-hand-planting in him by a new-creation which will set him at Christ's right hand when fools or lustful Goats in the activity life and desire of the corruptible seed of his left-hand-planting in them by a first-creation in which wholly set upon this worlds vanities will be found at his left-hand and doom'd to eternal punishment Mat. 25. 33 46. Saints give up their fleshly Tree with the fruits or works thereof their left-hand first-Covenant life to the death of the Cross that they may receive that right-hand second Covenant Gospel-life wherein to be wise unto Salvation Others of a perfectly contrary mind fool themselves into eternal damnation Vers. 3. Yea also when he that is a fool walketh by the way his Wisdom Heb. heart faileth him and
he saith to every one that he is a fool Man 's own Wisdom is Folly not able to direct his steps in or so much as into the way everlasting Jer. 10. 23. Trusting therein and to renders him an enemy to true spiritual Wisdom that can do all And this manifests him to every one to be fool God will set up that Light in all that they and all others shall see them Fools as having wilfully chosen that Life and Wisdom they knew would fail them and consequently excluded themselves for ever from that which would have done their Work Thus become they everlasting monuments of their own madness and folly in eternal darkness and death under Wrath. Vers. 4 If the spirit of the Ruler rise up against thee leave not thy place for yielding pacifieth great offences The acknowledg'd literal gives aim at the mystical sence In letter Man ought not to leave his place of subjection to worldly Rulers but acknowledg the ruling Power by God's Providence permitted any to exercise over him however ill us'd This may and ought to be without any sinful compliance with such abused Power Even Saints must suffer as a passive owning that power so ill manag'd they can't actively obey All ought to keep their place of subjection to it so as not to rise up against dispute or deny the Rulers place and office however abus'd Such demeanour is the only safe way to pacify the Ruler's unjust wrath against them t. For yielding pacifieth great offences Yea Devils are not to be denied their invisible evil Angelical Principality and Power permissively given them in and over this World Luk. 4. 5 6. The Devil 's evil place of Rule and Power is not to be denied Even Michael the Arch-Angel Christ himself contending or disputing with the Devil about the body of Moses durst not bring against him a railing Accusation but said the Lord rebuke thee Jud. 9. So Zec. 3. 2. About Joshua another Type of himself The Devil contends or disputes by himself and Apostles for the body of Moses or life of the Law as eternal Life and Salvation according to his first short comprehensive lying Sermon to Eve ye shall not die This is eternal Life ye are already possess'd of by the first Creation A due demeanour towards the very evil Angels is an owning our place of inferiority to them in the life of but humane nature or our natural state at best 'T is acknowledg'd so in Christ himself Heb. 2. 7. The leaving our place of Subjection or Inferiority to evil visible or invisible Powers of this World is a leaving our place of right subjection and obedience to God and a giving advantage to the Devil to make us pay it him And so come we to the mystery here Christ of right is always the chief Magistrate and Supream Ruler over all in his very passive season and Satan's active Reign If his Spirit rise up against the guilty natural spirit of Man if he come with his spiritual Sword and Gospel-fire to slay and sacrifice it to God Obedience ought to be given to him herein by yielding subjection to this Supream Ruler over all as our true interest and safety This is the way to pacify God's provoked Wrath against us even the delivering up that spirit to death that 's found guilty of all sorts of offences against him and this undeniably evidenc'd by the all-discovering light of the two-edged flaming Sword that slays us Heb. 4. 12 13. No absolute reconciliation but by the death of the guilty Sinner in us the foe of our own house We ought to agree with this true Ruler in the way of his Cross the only way to Salvation when his Spirit rises against and he comes in the posture of an Adversary upon his and our enemy in us Mat. 5. 25. Such yielding up the perpetual Offender to death in order to be brought to live under the peaceable Rule of that Spirit of Life and Love that slays our spirit of Enmity and Death pacifies the Wrath of our most righteous Judg and brings this wonder to pass that we who in our own spirits have bin guilty of innumerable and unutterably aggravated follies and madnesses shall have no Iniquity found in us by Friends or Foes The guilty Sinner our natural spirit that always rebell'd in its life has obediently suffer'd death and there 's an end of all Iniquity By this means come we to be fill'd with a spirit of Life that 's in eternal union of mind will desire thought love and hatred with the infinite divine spirit Then let enemies that love nothing but such Iniquities they would charge us with search and accuse us while they will yea and let God that infinitely hates all Iniquity search us to the bottom by the joynt beamings forth of his infinite divine and all-searching infallible new-Creation Sun-lights still still no Iniquity will be found in us when fill'd with his own Spirit of everlasting Righteousness and Truth Vers. 5. There is an evil which I have seen under the Sun as an errour which proceedeth from the ruler Vers. 6. Folly is set in great dignity and the rich sit in low place Here 's just matter of complaint relating to the invisible or visible Magistrates of this World evil Angels or Men. Nothing more familiar to observation in the visible then their encouraging and advancing folly it self or grossly wicked and unworthy persons and thrusting down the rich in true wisdom the truly worthy into low place or no place out of all place yea and out of the World as not fit or worthy to live by reason of his unalterably contrary principle temper and spirit to such wicked Gamsters as resolve to make a prey of the People All discouragements injuries and oppressions imaginable are on this ground exercis'd on the most worthy Patriots whose Consciences permit them not to gratify and serve their corrupt wills interests and unruly lusts These are the things practis'd by wicked visible Rulers in a flat contrariety to their duty Rom. 13. 3 4. The invisible Rulers of this World evil Angels prefer the rich wise-fools in a first-Covenant righteous life as their choicest and most useful subjects before above and against the mystical poor or impoverish'd there in order to become wise rich strong and honourable in God or in a spiritual new-Covenant life hid with Christ in God Christ pronounceth Wo to the former and says Blessed are the latter Luke 6. 20 24. That that 's highly esteemed of Men in the first Covenant is abominable to God Luk. 16. 15. as set up in a fixed enmity to him and the second And the broken contrite impoverish'd natural Spirit of the Saint as to all others trust and glory in seems abominable and contemptible to them the fat full rich wise strong and honourable in the first 1 Cor. 4. 8 10. The rich in the first-Covenant are sigur'd by the Man with a gold Ring and goodly apparel whereas the poor and
who so breaketh an hedg a Serpent shall bite him First-Covenant Life and second-Covenant Light are a twofold hedg of defence to secure Man from all dangers on his right hand and left The restor'd life of the Law is a hedg of defence for a season against the vile affections and lusts of corrupt nature dangers on the left hand Spiritual Light by which Christ in his spiritual Life is shew'd aud offer'd Men as their absolute Salvation is a hedg of defence to secure Men from the most dangerous sinning against that Supream Right-hand Mercy and gracious offer of it from God The first mystical hedg or fence against the workings of corrupt nature kept up in opposition to the second so as finally to turn from and reject the second which would secure from all sin in corrupt or righteous nature filth of flesh or spirit for ever this is Man's wilful breaking down the chief hedg for his security And then Satan the old poysonous Serpent breaks in upon him and bites or mortally wounds him to eternal death This by perswading Men to set up nature with him in an eternal opposition to God and his Grace Vers. 9. Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith and he that cleaveth Wood shall be endangered thereby Stones here are the same with the hedg in the former Verse figuring the new-Creation Spirit and Light thereof This rocky-spirit of Christ in Saints renders them Rocks or living Stones in his spiritual house Mat. 16. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Man's wilful refusing hating and turning from this rocky life shew'd and offer'd him is a removing these stones decrying and what in him lies pulling down this spiritual Temple and persecuting or scattering Christ and spiritual Saints the living Stone and lively Stones thereof This will bring the greatest hurt upon himself For this Stone or Spirit in Christ and Saints will fall upon him in wrath and grind him to powder Mat. 21. 44. t. And he that cleaveth wood shall be endanger'd thereby By cleaving wood is meant a separating the first benefit of the Cross or death of Christ a restor'd first-Covenant life from the second and consequently a setting up the first in unchangeable opposition to the second a Gospel-life of everlasting Righteousness and true Holiness God's Wisdom has found a way by the death of the former to join these two together in the new life of the latter By the obedient death of Nature corrupt or righteous is the changeableness and enmity of the former done away and so is it brought into unchangeable union with the latter and harmony of mind and will with God most high These that God requires a yeilding to his way of putting together as 〈◊〉 in Unity Psal. 133. 1. let no man presume to keep or put asunder as first-covenant Brethren do when they sit and speak against the second in despite to them and that spirit of Grace they are of and in Psal. 50. 20. Ezek. 33. 30 -- 32. Heb. 10. 29. Such cleavers or dividers of Wood the first benefit of the Cross from the second after a clear discovery of the whole design of the Cross to them will not only be endanger'd thereby but bring final destruction upon their own heads Vers. 10. If the Iron be blunt and he do not whet the edg then must he put to more Strength but Wisdom is profitable to direct Man's natural spirit fallen into sin and enmity whether in the corrupt or restor'd righteous Life thereof is the mystical blunt Iron here heavy and dull as to any right understanding of or obedience to the commands of God's spiritual Law 'T is more difficult to yield any obedience thereto then before the fall For now there 's positive enmity in it then not It therefore greatly needs the sharpning work of Christ's spiritual convictions to bring the blunted dull nature thereof so much as to see its unspeakeable concern in listning and submitting to the hard sayings and sharp discipline of his spiritual Law Those that finding themselves weary and heavy laden or overset as to such important concerns come to Christ for his spiritual life and senses for which willing to take up or submit to the death of their natural under his Cross will find all easie and plain both to understand and do Mat. 11. 28 30. His yoke is easie and burthen light Yea such yoke and burthen amounting only to our unchangeable subjection to his will that 's unchangeably subject to the divine is the very glorious liberty of the Sons of God And so also their sufferings in submitting to the yoke and burthen of his Cross on their natural will and spirit will in the prospect and certain sight of such glorious advantages not be reckon'd upon in any comparison therewith Rom. 8. 18. Scripture is a Parable or sharp saying and requires a sharp Wit that is spiritual understanding to discover the mysterious Things Truths or meaning of God's Spirit therein 'T is too painful yea impossible for Man's natural understanding to interpret and rightly understand so much as the providential dispensations of God to friends as foes and foes as friends Psal. 73. 3 -16. Spiritual understanding or Sanctuary-light discover's all v. 17. the voice of all Providences and the dark sayings or parables of all Scripture It can interpret oraculous dreams shew hard sentences dissolve doubts Dan. 5. 12. Take the total sum of its objects It discern's or judges all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. divine and twofold creaturely natural and spiritual the deep things of God's Infinite Divinity v. 10. his whole Counsel about the Salvation of his Creatures Act. 20. 27. and the whole counsel of the Devil for their Damnation the whole mystery of Godliness the whole mystery of Iniquity the mysteries of Christ's Spiritual Kingdom of marvelous light in his Gospel-Spirit the mysteries of Satan's accursed kingdom of marvelous darkness in his Law-Spirit 2 Cor. 2. 11. As God gradually more and more runs down the wisdom or understanding of the natural Man in the Saint into darkness by the demolishing operation of the Spirit of the Cross he raises it up more and more into the new all-discovering light or discerning of his spiritual which James calls his giving more Grace Jam. 4. 6. So the natural man or spiritual Prophets Servant in the Saint comes to see what the Prophet sees as in type 2 King 6. 17. Thus is man's understanding or spirit as more brought by way of Death and Resurrection into union of mind with the spiritual more and more whetted sharpn'd and enabled more clearly to discern the whole mind and do the whole will of God Paul found even Gospel-profelling Jews so dull of hearing or understanding so defective as to the right hearing ear reception or capacity for spiritual mysteries that he 〈◊〉 to have forborn the declaration of many things he otherwise would have said to them Heb. 5. 11. He clearly saw their darkness and incapacity as to spiritual Gospel-matters The most
shall be turn'd into a painful restless comfortless wearisom condition all former pleasures and delights into labour and sorrow Psal. 90. 10. Man's most concerning duty then is to listen to God's way for the receiving his fresh Oyl or holy Anointing that will give an everlasting newness of Life Vigour Strength and Beauty to his whole person wherein to feed upon never-perishing Meats the delights of the Sons of God If the rain of spiritual convictions and beamings-forth of spiritual Light be disobediently rejected and turn'd from after them will the clouds of God's final Wrath come upon Men from the same hand or spirit of Christ that caused the Rain thereof to fall and the Sun to shine upon them while it was to day with them Mat. 5. 45. Heb. 3. 15. Vers. 5. Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high and fears shall be in the way and the Almond-tree shall flourish and the Grashopper shall be a burthen and desire shall fail because Man goeth to his long home and the Mourners go about the Streets Here 's an account of the deplorable condition of the incorrigibly wicked under the Cross in final wrath They shall be afraid of that which is high that is of Christ the high and Almighty King coming forth in the brightness glory and irresistible power of his Divine and Spiritual creature-life to destroy all Rebels against his Kingly Gospel-Spirit In such his appearance will he be everlasting destruction to foes and Salvation to friends 2 Thess. 1. 7 -10. This high Lord the man Christ Jesus will manifest himself in the infinite 〈◊〉 of his Divinity and summon all Men and Angels before him to receive answerable to the things 〈◊〉 by them in obedience to or rebellion against his Gospel-spirit and divine Will in the Body or earthly State in their day on earth What a maze and consternation enemies will be then found in see Rev. 6. 15 17. Self-exalting Men with the mystical Rocks and Mountains they 'l have recourse to the supream evil Powers of this World the Devil and his Angels must both and all proud helpers Job 9. 13. And helped stoop bow and inevitably fall under the great Wrath of this universal Monarch Then will they be fill'd with fears in 〈◊〉 self-chosen way as undeniably discover'd in the evil thereof And then the Almond-tree shall flourish and the Grashopper be a 〈◊〉 The state they have chosen in enmity to God shall be their curse and punishment in the most flourishing life thereof represented by the fruitful Almond-tree and that Grashopper which shall be a 〈◊〉 as a sign and remembrancer of the warm Summer or flourishing season they once enjoy'd in the said natural State All this will encrease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they 'l find all the goodliness thereof faded away and all their desire towards or delight in it 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 because it can 〈◊〉 no longer any comfort or satisfaction to them All objects of desire and delight to the natural life of body or spirit shall by the wrath and curse of God cease and 〈◊〉 them for ever Rev. 18. 14. And then as their sorrowful complaint shall they go to their long home and the Mourners go about the Streets To their eternal home the Tophet Place or State of everlasting torment under wrath must they go where to go mourning and weeping for ever about 〈◊〉 streets of that accursed Babylonish City made up of innumerable Angels and Men unchangeably set to do and be evil in their earthly life of nature as fix'd in unchangeable enmity to God and his heavenly Spirit of Grace Vers. 6. Or ever the silver Cord be loosed or the golden Bowl be broken or the Pitcher be broken at the Fountain or the Wheel broken at the Cistern In these dark mystical Words the said Truth is farther signified The four obscure literal expressions here may fitly signify the dreadful Judgments of God on every part of Man's immortal being figur'd by the dissolved parts and powers of bodily life when once their Trial and his Patience towards them are come to a period Christ's convincing discoveries of himself by spiritual Light in the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Riches Glories and Fulnesses 〈◊〉 his blessed Person were as silver Cords of love by which they should have bin drawn and bound fast to him in 〈◊〉 Spirit or Principle of the new and everlasting Covenant which is called Love 1 Cor. 13. Rom. 13. 8 10. This Love this Gospel 〈◊〉 is the fulfiller of the Law of God in everypoint in every sense of 〈◊〉 literal and mystical in the utmost extent and to all intents and purposes to God's well-pleasing and man's Salvation Out of the golden Bowl of his heavenly creature-spirit Zech. 4. 2. has Christ pour'd forth the holy Oyl of spiritual Light into the mystical Pitcher of Man's natural spirit which abus'd and turn'd from the said Silver Cord is broken spiritual Light withdrawn all sight of Christ and converse with or knowledg of God therein and by cut off So the said Pitcher is broken rendered uncapable of receiving or holding such spiritual Waters or Convictions any more And the Fountain whence they flow'd shall be stopp'd up against them And then the Wheel by which in mercy the said Waters were drawn forth and convey'd to them will be broken at the Cistern and turn'd into a Wheel or dispensation of Wrath to them God having put an end to his dealing with them in a way of Mercy and Trial. By the same hand or Spirit of Christ by which Grace is shew'd and offer'd will God pour forth his Wrath on all wilful obstinate despisers of his Love The same thing seems signified by the Prophets breaking the staff of beauty and the staff of bands as tokens of God's refusing to have any more to do with that rebellious house of Israel that by playing the harlot with their own Beauty Ezek. 16. 15. or doting on their own fading Glory in the restor'd righteous life of the first-Covenant despis'd and rejected Christ as by the light of the second shew'd and offer'd as a spiritual Lord and Husband to them in an everlasting Life and Union signified by Bands Zech. 11. 10 14. On this God refuses to have any more to do with them in either Covenant having set up themselves with the Devil in the first in unchangeable enmity to him and the second Vers. 7. Then shall the dust return to the Earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it See Chap. 3. 20. Dust here 〈◊〉 the mortal earthy life of the natural spirit as well as body of man As depriv'd of all the fading goodness thereof must the immortal beings of incorrigibly wicked 〈◊〉 and Men return to God and stand before him to receive his 〈◊〉 sentence and full execution thereof as subjects of his unquenchable wrath From the deep sense hereof Solomon cries out 〈◊〉 as in the beginning of his Book Chap. 1. 2. Vers. 8. Vanity of
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
their own Hence such enlight'ned Professors with their Teachers and Rulers not knowing Christ nor the voices of Moses and their own Prophets which were read and expounded every Sabbath day became the unhappy fulfillers of them only in contradicting blaspheming and crucifying him for witnessing asserting and declaring the very spiritual Truths and Mysteries of Mose's and the Prophet's Writings concerning himself or his mysterious wonderful all-comprehensive Person Act. 13. 27. What then is such a Man like to arrive at or come to as to the doing himself or other's good in the way of Salvation that understands not one tittle of the saving or spiritual sense of any Scripture What amount all such a Man 's reading study labour preachings writings books or whatever he can say or do thro' his whole life in but that Law-wisdom that 's the very black and thick darkning Vail upon him keeping him under a perfect impossibility of ever finding out any one spiritual Mystery or Truth in all Scripture No man in that foolish-wisdom ever receives the spiritual or Gospel-Testimony of any Scripture Joh. 3. 32. A becoming a Fool as to that Wisdom is undispensably necessary in the methods and contrivements of God's Wisdom to a becoming wise unto Salvation that is spiritually wise in God so as to understand all things 1 Cor. 1. 20. 2. 14 15. 3. 18 19. 4. 10. None of the divine and spiritual Things or Mysteries of God the Father and of Christ the Son Col. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 conceiveth perceiveth receiveth any Man save in spiritual Light or new-creature Understanding for they can only be spiritually discern'd 1 Cor. 2. 11 14. All the mysterious Truths or Things of God engraven in the creature-creature-spirit of Christ the living Word or Book of God or signified in the Transcript or Copy thereof his written Oracles or Scriptures of Truth the holy Bible or Book of God are perfectly shut up from and therefore as perfectly shut out by Man 's wisdom in all his pretended Divinity-preachings and Writings under the disguising title of a Minister of the Gospel Of whose Gospel Christ's A likely matter The dark Law-vail is upon his heart as to all Christ's Gospel-matters No humane improvements of that Wisdom by cultivating Educationarts or means possible signify any thing save a being more confident and strongly arm'd to fight Satan's Battels against Christ's Gospel in defence of that he preach'd at first to Eve How dark and ignorant were the wise and learned Jewish Teachers as to all the things in Christ's Gospel-ministry or teaching which ignorant unlearned Act. 4. 13. Fishermen and Women under the teaching-Influence of Christ by which a spiritual Understanding was waken'd and set up in them cleerly understood Solomon therefore advises Men to cease from the unprofitable Mercenary trading labour of their own Understanding unprofitable save only for the gratifying their worldly Interest by bringing in rewards and honour from Man to them as ever they hope to make any right work on 't at preaching and interpreting the Scriptures They must wait for the Inspirations of the Almighty to give or set up in them a spiritual Understanding Job 32. 8. Otherwise preach and write while they will the 〈◊〉 Scripture as to the whole counsel of God or spiritual saving Sense Truths and Mysteries thereof is a Book seal'd to them Isa. 29. 11. Neither learned nor unlearned ver 12. as to the Wisdom of Man can 〈◊〉 or understand it So all man's Toil and Study in his own tossing rolling fluctuating spirit under the mystical wind or inspiration of the very spirit of the Devil must needs be unprofitable as to his own or others true Blessedness and very wearisom to his flesh or whole man in his but restor'd natural State a fleshly first-covenant Law-life Righteousness and Wisdom He and his blind Followers will meet with final disappointment as to all their self-pleasing hopes and expectations therein After all their confident preaching hearing labouring and walking in their own spirit in the light of the kindled fire or Law-zeal thereof and compassing themselves about with the sparks Works or best Fruits perform'd or produced by them therein will they be all forc'd to lie down for ever in Sorrow under Wrath Isa. 50. 11. He that quit's all that old name and life they trust in and trusts wholly in the new life or name of the Lord is sure to meet with a perfectly contrary issue reward in a state of eternal Blessedness ver 10. Those that find themselves weary and heavy laden in this unprofitable toilsom course in their own Wisdom which is but bodily exercise or exercise of the vile natural body and state of life 1 Tim. 4. 8. Phil. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 15. 44 45. Must and will come to Christ for spiritual Life and Understanding who will make way for the springing up of the incorruptible Seed thereof where it is by renting the fleshly Law-vail and pulling down the earthen Partition-wall between them and him in his spiritual Gospel-life by the demolishing Work of his Cross. So alone can they come to see and enjoy him with all his divine heavenly spiritual Things and Truths as their true Rest and Blessedness for ever Mat. 11. 28 30. Never had Christ's Gospel in primitive Gospel-times at best any national reception or owning and countenance Constantine's owning and embodying it with the Laws of the Empire so as to bring it under the Erastian protection and guardianship of the civil Magistrate was the foundation of Antichristianism 'T is more then sorely and dangerously suspitious that all variety of humane Undertakers at Gospel-preaching that can thereby find a worldly self-interest gratified in accumulated worldly Honours and Riches will at bottom be found Satan's Gospel-ministers and Apostles 2 Cor. 11. 13 15. Mat. 24. 24. And herein the grossest idolatrous pretenders to Christ's Gospel 〈◊〉 best and the more refined still worse and worse yet all get something whereas Paul worth millions of them labour'd with his hands to supply his own and other's wants Act. 20. 34. under the God of this World whose interest they most certainly carry on and serve against Christ and his Gospel in all their clashing varieties think or say what they will Vers. 13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of Man Man ought so to fear God as to be found a right keeper of his Commands This is Man under a double obligation for as the work of God's hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as redeem'd out of the Fall since Yea all imaginable ties and obligations are upon him for performing this result and total sum of all instruction and Duty Fear God and keep his Commandments These Commands joyn'd with the true fear of God were most exactly kept and observ'd by Christ himself even his Father's Commands for his and his followers laying down the fading Law-life of Nature that they may take it up again in
and with the everlasting righteous Gospel-life of his spirit of Grace Joh. 10. 17 18. Joh. 14. 15 21 23. From the true Sonly fear of God and love to his Mercy or unspeakable Gospel-gift of eternal Life must we hate and do judgment or receive and also execute God's righteous Sentence of Death 2 Cor. 1. 9. on our most restor'd Law-state of Nature By such humbling our selves to the death of our Nature at best can we come to walk as Enoch with God in his Spirit of Grace that 's in unchangeable harmony of mind and will with his infinite divine Spirit Mic. 6. 8. How can two Men walk together and how much less God and man except they be agreed This is the concluding sum of all God requir's of us That we obediently keep and do all his Commands in his never-sinning or erring Spirit of everlasting Righteousness and infallible Truth The best works or fruits done or brought forth in our Law-life of enmity to God can never answer his requirings of us Can we love him with all our heart soul mind and strength in a spirit of direct enmity to him Luk. 10. 27. Direct contradiction The Gospel-spirit of Grace call'd Love is the fulfiller of the whole Law mind and will of God Rom. 13. 8 -10. Vers. 14. For God shall bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it in be evil Rom. 2. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 10. The Man Christ will be found able to do all this Heb. 4. 〈◊〉 13. The sad consequents of rejecting the advice given v. 13. will be eternal misery torment and vexation of spirit on the irrecoverable loss of all the fading goodness or comforts of the natural state and an eternal exclusion from the once fairly shew'd and offer'd never-fading goodness and glory of a spiritual eternal life of everlasting righteousness This will be concluded by God's infallible Spirit of Truth whose Authority when Christ appears Judg himself on his Throne shall no longer be questioned or disputed as all along this World in Satan's reign and man's day it has but every tongue shall confess it as of right belonging to the Man Christ Joh. 5. 22 27. Phil. 2. 11. The undeniable truth of his 〈◊〉 Judgment will have a universal acknowledgement from all good and evil Angels and Men. By the irresistible beamings-forth of the light of that Spirit wherein he will judge and pronounce the Sentence of God's infinitely just and righteous mind and will shall the Books of all hearts and consciences be forc'd open or unlock'd so as to make enemies themselves witnesses for him against themselves on their amazing forc'd remembrance of and his setting all their innumerable sins and abominations naked and open in the view of themselves and all others And then will Christ also open his own infallible Book of Records in which he has registred and set down in indeleble characters from first to last according to the divine sight and judgment of God all done by or found in every Angel and Man good or bad Rev. 20. 12 13. The Books of all Men's and Angel's Consciences will be opened and then Christ's own Book the Book of Life out of which all Men shall be judged according to their works Out of and by all these Books will God's Judgement pronounc'd on Men be found clearly and undeniably righteous For the Records in the hearts and consciences of men will be found in exact harmony with what 's written in God's own Book which will lay the evil creaturé under undeniable guilt and just condemnation to the silencing and stopping every blasphemous mouth of iniquity And then also shall the secret hidden spiritual Life of Saints with the well-pleasing right works and fruits thereof unobserv'd and un-own'd yea blasphem'd by enemies be open'd and manifested to all for their eternal justification All secret evils that have lain hid in enemies under all fair shews in holy 〈◊〉 and all 〈◊〉 secret good works of spiritual Saints that have lain hid under the marr'd visage of their crucified natural man shall be brought into publick and general view So will the incorrigibly wicked be sent as justly condemned persons into everlasting punishment and the unchangeably Righteous into Life eternal Mat. 25. 31 -- 46. FINIS ERRATA PAge 102. line 21. for the in read in the. P. 176. l. 1. 〈◊〉 dul r. duly P. 323. l. 16. f. cammon r. common P. 380. l. last f. creation r Cretian Some 〈◊〉 mistakes and in stopping are left to the ingenuous Reader
Rebellion in this matter The aggravated madness of Man lies herein He chuses rather to lay his Ruling rational Powers under the sensual in his own person then Submit to God's terms and way for the bringing them by way of Death and Resurrection into eternal Subjection to the ruling Powers of Spiritual Life and so unchangable Obedience to God most high Man chuses rather to be like a Beast then God He is offered an advance into a kind of Equality with the new-Creature-spirit in Christ by personal Union with it And this in Christ is in a kind of equality with the infinite Divine Spirit by personal Union with that the Man God's fellow Zee 13. 7. True Saints are personally one with this Man as he and the Father are one Jo. 17. 21 22. What Words what Tongue of Men or Angels can express this Folly Man 's chusing the Life of a Beast to his eternal Damnation before all this that would be his eternal Salvation God has made Man Lord of the visible Creation Ps. 8. 5-8 and he alone of all visible Creatur's walks unsutably to his principle in Rebellion against his Creatour Man's Wisdom is capable of receiving Conviction by the right-Gospel-opening of the Word 's of God's But his will may not be trusted for Gospel-Conversion That 's to die by the way It likes not that Every thing would live His understanding can tell his will it must die cease from all its own Activity Life Desire and Motion as the only possible way for the final Salvation of his whole person Man abusing his rational Powers to fetch in gratifying Provisions for his sensual only turn's his earthly nature upside down perverts the whole course and order of it serves what he ought to rule over So makes himself a Beast by the very Verdict of his own Conscience and all mankind When he suffer's the Bestial Powers within him to rule over him 't is Just with God to give the litteral Beast without him Power over him so as to kill him for Rebelling thus against God Deut. 32. 24. Ezek. 14. 15. Man by yielding Obedience to the Law but much more when to Gospel shall be freed from Beasts destructive Dominion over him They shall not devour nor make him afraid Ezek. 34. 28. Solomon had sadly experienc'd the boundless Ramblings of his Bestial Powers after whatever was gratifying to the inordinate Lusts and vile affections thereof But as the Face of Man's Body so of his Spirit is fitted to look upward to a Life a Glory that excell's and so to God most high Man and Angel by Creation had abundantly the ascendant over the Beast But the best things corrupted become the worst The Devil with all the Glory Wisdom Power and Righteousness of the First-Creation turn'd into and us'd in unchangable Enmity to God is in God's sight and thought the most contemptible varlet in the World Solomon in this interrogatory bewail's the wilfull ignorance folly and inadvertency of Man his Brutish unwillingness to take any right notice of his prerogative-difference from the spirit of the beast He is ready even to deny the Immortality of his Spirit They would gladly die like Beasts that live like them If they own their 〈◊〉 they suspect a sad reckoning behind for the abuse of it Man in his natural Creation had and is since the fall capable of recovering the intellectual intuitive inorganical exercise of his mind after the manner of Angels by which immediately to see what organical reason call's hidden essences qualities and properties of things all which still are Vanities and that of the lower order Organical reason discourses or run's from one thing to another from what is seen to prove gather and guessingly conclude something not seen or known before This way of getting the knowledg of things by sensible species taken in by the outward and presented or convey'd by inward natural senses to the understanding was Aristotles low conjectural way of gaining knowledg far short of the Soaring Intuitive Platonist But no Spiritual Eternal things are the Objects of either of these ways of natural understanding in Men. These are wholly out of all their reach Now what a wretched wicked self-denial are they guilty of that neglect all these advantages of their nature to level themselves with Beasts To throw up all rational and Intellectual pleasures and betake themselvs wholly to Bestial Their Practice Inclines them to Judg or at least declare they have no other principles of Life but Bestial Their Immortality is a tormenting consideration to them For this renders them by their own madness fit Subjects and fewel of God's unquenchable Wrath. Man's great fault of all is the wilful refusal of God's convincingly discovered and offered new-Creation Life When this Gospel-Life of Immortality is brought to light in his Immortal being all 's his own For then he is Christ's and Christ is God's 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. one with Christ as he with the Father So comes Man to be an Infallible seer and doer of the whole Will of God for ever Man in his whole natural being Body Soul and Spirit all his essential parts and Powers of natural Operation is to be considered as distinct from a first or second Covenant Spirit or Life by Christ as Creator or Redeemer put into him by which he is found in a shadowy changable righteous State and Earthy Image of God or unchangable Heavenly Creature-Life and Image of him The former is but a fading slower and Man therein at best altogether 〈◊〉 Principles and Operations By Christ's second new-Creating Workman-ship attains he a State of Everlasting Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4. 24. So has he the Kingdom of Heaven within him and 〈◊〉 Life abiding in him He lives and walk's in that Spirit Christ with his Saints will Reign in and Judg the World Vers. XXII Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better then that a Man should rejoyce in his own works for that is his Portion for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him What works deeds or works of the Law wrought in his own Law-Spirit of nature such as Paul excludes from Rom. 4. 2-6 or such as are wrought in Christ's Gospel-Spirit of Grace which James in the same Spirit with Paul own 's as Ingredients into Abraham's Justification before God Jam. 2. 21-24 Own works here which the Holy Ghost by Solomon commands and commends Man's rejoycing in as his Portion from God can't be any thing done in his own nature that since the fall in its highest renewals is found in direct Enmity to God This State of Man with all possible Labours therein is so far from being his happy Portion from God that he lies directly under the Curse and Wrath of God in and with all this which is altogether Vanity But can right Gospel-works which God work 's in Men be called their own works Yes as own'd by God co-workers with him in his spirit living and walking therein He
transcendently above the highest Saint for ever But all Saints in new-Creature Life are in Personal Union with that which in him is in Personal Union with the Divine nature and thereby fitted to see and Enjoy the Divine Glory as coheirs with him of God Ro. 8. 17. They are thus one with him Personally as he and the Father are one Jo. 17. 21 22. We must Obediently suffer and die with the Man Christ as to the best and most righteous first-Covenant Law-Life in our restor'd nature or not live with him for ever in his Spiritual Gospel-Creature-Life 2 Tim. 2. 11 12. Such dead ones rest from all their sinful and unprofitable Labours in their own Spirit of Enmity and their righteous works or fruits done and brought forth by them in the Spirit of Grace follow stand by them before the Judgment Seat of Christ and justify them as owned and approved in their whole persons and all such works The changableness before the fall and enmity also since found in Man's whole nature render it not properly that is unchangably good and truly Holy in God's sight as under his Approbation-Seal Yea since the fall is Man at best in his single naturals hateful to and a hater of God and therefore can't be profitable to himself by any thing done therein as to true hapiness Wilful fixure in nature at best is unchangable Union with the Devil in Enmity to God So that which he willingly mistak's for Salvation is Everlasting Damnation to him In stead of the Saints Everlasting Rest he 'l find the Sinner's Everlasting Torment and Vexation of Spirit as the Fruit of all his Vain Labours Solomon therefore Preferr's the dead in and with Christ as to the Life of their own nature corrupt or righteous in the Profane Publican or Righteous 〈◊〉 to any yet alive in their own nature Vers. III. Yea better is he then both they which hath not yet bin who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the Sun Better are the compleatly dead in the Lord then either those Saints that yet live in the Mortal Body and have something of the remaining Uncrucified first-Covenant Life of their own Spirit about them so are yet under the Oppressive Practicings of Devils and Men without and Fleshly Lusts within them Warring against the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. Or those Saints who are yet Unborn The departed Spiritual Saint is better then the Saint yet in the Mortal Body amidst a throng of Enemies without and within surrounded with all sorts of worldly Allurements Disturbances wicked Men and Devils Paul therefore earnestly groan'd after deliverance from his earthly Tabernacle by the dissolution of it that he might be at home with the Lord in his Heavenly House So only comes Mortality to be compleatly swallow'd up of a life that 's above all death or chang 2 Cor. 5. 1-6 And if Saints departed enter into a full peace and rest Isai. 57. 1 2. and so a better condition then that of Saints in the Body more yet are they beyond such as shall be Saints that are yet Unborn who have all the said Miseries and Oppressions without and within wholly behind to pass thorow But the letter of this Scripture seem's to look another way that the yet Unborn may seem better then the actually engag'd in this Mortal World of Miseries and Troubles or then the deceas'd who has pass'd through them and that all sorts of deceased good and bad Men as not having yet seen the Oppressions and evil work that 's done under the Sun This as relating to the Miseries of all in this Mortal World and Life of Vanity only He that 's dead is freed from all these things be he unchangably good or evil for ever after The wicked cease from troubling them and the weary are at rest Prisoners no more hear the voice or feel the hand of the Oppressour Job 3. 17 18. The sense in which the yet Unborn is better then both they that are in or have pass'd thorow and out of the Miseries of this World singly consider'd without what follow 's to wit the Grievances and Oppressions incident to the natural Man of Saints or Sinners may seem to import a never being Born at all a meer nullity Such a nullity by an annihilation-death will all that finally perish ever desire and seek but never find as better than to be tormented for ever in Hell or afflicted with the miseries and Oppressions of a mortal Life on earth In this twofold sense had it bin good for Judas never to have been born or bin at all Mat. 26. 24. And this Job seem's to mean Job 3. 11 12. 16. and 10. 18 19. Vers. IV. Again I consider'd all travel and every right work that for this a Man is envied of his Neighbour This is also vanity and vexation of spirit Fallen Man is so brutishly wicked as to envy and hate every right work and worker in the but restor'd Spirit and Life of his own nature as condemning him for the contrary Some of them have affirm'd God gave not Man Free-will but with intent that he may lawfully walk in the uncontrolled liberty thereof And so is it lawful to hate the righteous Life and Action of their own nature in Legal Christianity or Heathen Morality Hence Speak they evil of all that run not with them into the same excess of riot 1 Pet. 4. 4. While such Brutes please themselves with and promise others such Liberty they are the servants of and will utterly perish in their own corruption 2 Pet. 2. 12. 19. Thus do they render the righteous works of restor'd nature which yet are but vanity vexation of spirit to the workers And hence does Satan puff up such persecuted conscientious workers with a confident opinion that they are Christ's true persecuted Gospel-Saints Thus does he play his game so as to be a Winner every way in both these bussling worldly Combatants corrupt and righteous keeping them all in his differing snares and at his beck to let them both loose as he sees occasion against the spiritual Saint One sort of them hates all that run not with them into litteral uncleanesses with greediness the other all that run not with them into mystical uncleanness The righteous first-covenant-professor is the odious Butt at which a profane party shoot their revengeful Arrows And they are at the same work towards the spiritual Saint Because his way 's are of another fashion from and better then theirs For this very cause Cain kill'd Abel 1 Jo. 3. 12. Cain mystically wicked the fixed Enemy of God in the establish'd righteousness of man a first-covenant Brother murthered his natural Brother as found a Second The right work 〈◊〉 here meant is what 's done in the Spirit of Grace not of Nature that can never deceive be deceived sin erre or miscarry All done and said in this spirit only is pleasing to God hateful to righteous men in restor'd Nature only All in the right