so also the Baptism of the holy Ghost There is a figurative outward Water Baptism and a real or inward In the first sense it is an Institution which doth appoint the outward man to be washed in Water thereby to signifie the proper effect and operation of that washing with Water by the Word which causes a renovation or restauration of man by his repentance from dead workes and return to the service of the living God in amendment of Life By this inward Baptism and real work of the Spirit on the hearts of men they are but cleansed from the filthiness and pollution of their corrupted Nature not regenerated and altered from their first make and constitution that is attended with instability and liableness to apostacy ` There is also a twofold outward Water Baptism mentioned 1. Iohn's Water Baptism which was the onely outward sign that accompanied his Ministry the Ordinance of that time and season to prepare the way for Christ's coming in the flesh and to signify the proper effect which his first appearance as God manifested in flesh was to have upon the hearts and natures of men consisting chiefly in these two particulars Repentance from dead Works and Amendment of Life 2. The second outward Water Baptism was that which Christ himself instituted and committed to his disciples in his Life time as the outward sign that was to accompany their first ministry when he employed them much in the same nature as Iohn was sending them before his face as labourers into the harvest to all places whither he himself afterwards intended to come Both these Administrations had their Known Administrators and were dispensations proper to that season they were ordained in to prepare the minds of People to receive Christ in his first appearance or coming in the flesh and the fruits flowing there-from in amendment of Life The inward or real Water Baptism consisting in the washing of man's nature by the Word unto Repentance and Amendment of Life is capable of being administred three wayes or by a threefold hand 1. By the Ministry Hand or Tongue of Men as by Iohn Baptist through the preaching of the written Word 2. By the Word as spoken by Angels whereby inward abilities and dispositions are wrought in the minds of men in some sort answerable to what is required by the Law of the first Covenant Thus the Law is given by the disposition of Angels 3. By the Word as spoken by the Son himself in his first appearance Heb. 1. 2. which is yet but the preparatory work to the Baptism of the holy Ghost and of Fire The Baptism of the holy Ghost is either a Baptism of Gifts onely or also of Fire 1. The first is that wherewith the earthly man is capable to be Baptized through the pouring out of the Gifts of the holy Ghost 2 The second is that whereby the natural or earthly man is Baptized into conformity with Christ in his death and is made to grow up into the incorruptible form of heavenly manhood Of these four Baptisms The two Water Baptisms have served their season and are gone off the Stage The single Baptism of Gifts or first Baptism of the holy Ghost hath been of late somewhat remarkable amongst us and the Baptism of the holy Ghost and of Fire is hastening upon us as a general dispensation wherein the Vision of God will be so plain that he that runs may read it The declining of the two Water Baptisms deprives not the Saints of these times of the true use of that Ordinance which is kept up in the third and comprehends all that is now useful in the other two in a more heavenly and Spiritual way leading us yet forward to the end they all aim at which is the very thing it self contained in the fourth and last Baptism that of Fire So much in brief of his Judgement as to Baptisms He was for Breaking of Bread in a way of Christian communion and any other useful Observations could he have found them practicable in the Primitive Apostolical purity spirit and way which what hopes he had of in any visible Form allowed by man while the true Church is in the Wilderness cannot be difficult to conjecture Such Meetings as he found to approach nearest to the Apostolical Order as to liberty of Prophesying one by one c. 1 Cor. 14. 31. he most approved and frequented Concerning the SABBATH HE accounted the Iewish Sabbath Ceremonious and Temporary ending upon the coming of the Son of man who was Lord of the Sabbath day Mat. 12. 8. And if he had thought that which is commonly observed in the room thereof to be rather a Magistratical Institution among Christians in imitation of the Iewish then that which hath any clear appointment in the Gospel the Apostle would not have him judged for it One man saies he esteems one day above another another esteemeth every day alike Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind He that regardeth a day regardeth it unto the Lord and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it Rom. 14. 5 6. This I can say he usually took the opportunity of spending more time in exercise and prayer in his family or other Christian Meetings on that day than on any other And will any yet say he was a Sabbath breaker If they do see what company we may find for him under that imputation Iohn 9. 16. The Pharisees said this man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day So Ioh. 5. 16. The Iewes did peâ—secute Iesus and sought to slay him for curing the impotent man at the Poole of Beâ—hesdaâ— and bidding him take up his bed and walk on the Sabbath day Yea with this they joyn another sad charge as they reckon that he had not onely broken the Sabbath but said also that God was his Father therefore they sought the more to kill him vers 18. And John 19. 7. They answer Pilate we have a Law and by our Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God What strange work do the Sons of Men make with the Sons of God with the spirit wisdom righteousness glory and kingdom of God It was the religious professing Iew that Crucified Christ and persecuted Paul where ever he came Pilate the Roman Magistrate would have acquitted Christ and Paul rather appeals to Caesar's Judgement seat than appear before the Iewish Consistory Act. 25. The true spiritual Sabbath is to be continually kept as it is charactered by Esay Chap. 58. 13. consisting in aâ—câ—ssation from the single activity thoughts words and ways of our spirit which is but letter and in the performance of all duty by power of the communicated spirit of the new creation springing up in us which alone is worshipping God in spirit and in truth after his own heart He was for taking all opportunities of assembling our selves together to instruct and exhort one another and so much
Nature the true end of all Government in humane Societies turn their own Reason out of Doors and so turn beasts for their Governours to ride on That the Iews Greeks and Romanes the wisest States in the world have over and over used this Liberty of Changing their Government as they saw occasion and that often with very good success is undeniable Were it unlawful for a State in any case to depose remove Kings what Titles have any Monarchs now upon earth to their Crowns that are descended of those who were elected into the room of such as the people deposed How bruitish then and destructive even to the Interest and Title of the present Kings that hesought to gratify and flatter is Belloy's Assertion That a Family once setled in the Crown though they prove never so wicked vitious and abominable yea though they go about to destroy the Common-wealth must yet be sacred to us and permitted to keep their Seat without any direction restraint or punishment from the Common-wealth but from God onely At this rate all the Carlees in France were Usurpers because Pepin the first of that Race came to the Crown upon the deposition of Childeric the Third and so wiped out the Merovees or Pharamonds Line The like is to be said of the Capevingiens who have now sate in the French Throne almost seven hundred years since the deposition of Charles of Lorain last of Pepins race into whose room Hugh Capet was elected by the People The same thing is to be seen in the Spanish Histories and where not Four Races of Kings have been there since the expulsion of the Romans The first was from the Goths The second from Don Pelago The third from Don Sancho Mayor The last from the House of Austria England has had more changes of this kind that both these neighbour Monarchies together in the same space of about twelve hundred years They all three got loose from the Romane Yoke so long ago This blessed Witness and Assertor of the Fundamental Rights Truths and Liberties of Christs Kingdom as also of the Common-wealth of England and that has sealed his Assertions in both kinds with his blood was not onely well skilled in setting the right bounds to civil and spiritual Power in the outward government of Worldly States but he did yet more clossly distinguish between natural whence civil springs and spiritual Power as to the inward regulation of particular persons You may take a glance into his larger Discourses on this Subject by a short glosse on the two Trees in Eden that of Life and that of the Knowledge of good and evil These two Trees were the first significant Types in and by which man was instructed in this doctrine which rightly divides the word of Truth Christ the living and Scriptures the written Word of God between the natural and spiritual man alotting unto each their proper portion and character One of these Adam might yea ought to have fed upon the Tree of Life the other not By the Devils suggestion to the Woman and hers to him he made a contrary choice He did eat of that he should not to the loss even of that he thought to gratify himself in his temporary Life of righteousness and communion with God and neglected to eat of the other and so of Christ in spirit the Antitype thereof for the feeding and building him up into eternal Life and true blessedness These two Trees were an Allegory of like significancy with Sarai and Hagar Isaac and Ishmael Old and New Testament or Covenant c. One of them signified the first Adam with his living Soul and freedom to good and evil the other the second Adam with his quickning spirit and freedom to good onely which he communicates and builds men up into the life and exercise of in fellowship with himself Adam chose to gratify his primitive natural constitution and freedom to good and evil which together with the things that feed it were typically stated and represented in the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil The new-creature Life and the glorious Liberty of the sons of God together with the things thereof not seen to man in the former capacity things eternal were typically stated and represented to Adams natural discerning in the tree of Life with instruction what was his concern to do or not to do as to that or the other But although these Types were given and expounded also by Christ unto Adam before hand yet was there room left after his fall for the exercise of a distinguishing dispensation of mercy towards him and his posterity from that of severity which was forthwith put in execution against the apostate angels excluding them from any possibility of ever entring into Gods Rest. This argues that the Angels who excel in strength and are higher than man had a clearer understanding in that point as to the requisiteness of a transition for themselves and for men out of the mutable state of life and righteousness received in their first creation into the unchangable Life and everlasting righteousness of the second Their fall therefore was more knowing wilful fatal and irrecoverable upon any tearms whatsoever That which Paul said of himself may be said of Adams first transgression comparatively with the first sin of the Angels that he did it ignorantly and so obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1. 13. But let man after renewed ad revived look to it for if after all this warning he sin again after the similitude of Adams transgression he becomes a Tree twice dead and will be pluckt up by the roots This second fall of man is as fatal and irrecoverable as the Angels first â— Adam's eating the forbidden fruit imported no less than a pleasing himself in the single Liberty Righteousnessâ— Life and Enjoyments of his first-creation state in preference to what was attainable for him in the second He preferred the creature or glory of man in the first to the glory of God that rests upon men for ever in the new-creation state He preferred the Law of works or the natural power of working righteousness set up in him by the first creation to the Law of Liberty Grace Faith that heavenly power of working righteousness that is set up in man by the new creation which can do all good and no evil so that against such there is no Law Gal. 5. 23. This is the glorious liberty of the sons of God Iam. 1. 25. and 2. 12. To prefer the lesser glory of the first creation the glory of man to the greater glory of the second the glory and righteousness of God is to worship serve and value the glory of the Creature more than that of the Creator who is blessed for ever Rom. 1. 25. They that prefer the lesser glory to the greater the righteousness and glory of man's first-creation to that of the second will prove hypocrites and persecute A hypocrite is not onely he that makes a shew of righteousness and
6. He that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not 1 Iohn 5. 18. That which the Believer hath in common with his Persecutors flesh and blood that cannot enter into the Kingdom of God is all that Divel◠or Men can touch And this no farther no◠till such time as God permits which never is till he hath served his Generation done his Work and it be great gain to him to be stripped of his mantle that he may come fully to experience what he hath been long obscurely guessing at amongst his fellow 〈◊〉 Mortality swallowed up of Life 2 Cor. 5. 4. Spiritual or divine Life and the things 〈…〉 righteousness glory and all concerns thereof have more of essence and so of intelligibility in them than any first creation Life or things They are therefore in themselves more intelligible though less yea not at all understood by man 1 Cor. 2. 14. What 's the matter where lies the fault In man's understanding The objects are too dazling and bright for it over-master over-set it That is not all They are quite out of its reach shut up in an utter invisibility It can receive no notice of them but in a type and if this condiscention be made for the expression of them it decries allegory runs away with the shadow and rejects the substance But if God please to enlighten and raise mans understanding in some hopeful measure towards its first-created capacity will that do it No. There is utterly a fault an inability in it at its best to take the immediate view of these things This seems a hard saying But God himself who pronounced of every thing in the first-creation that it was very good Gen. 1. 31. doth yet comparatively find fault with the very best things in it Heavens Angels Men and that at their best estate 'T is written His Angels he charged with folly Job 4. 18. The Heavens are not clean in his sight Job 15. 15. and Every man at his best estate is altogether Vanity Psal. 39. 5. The first Covenant or first state of Life in man and communion therein with God was faulty comparatively with the new-creature-state of man and the new and everlasting Covenant-communion with God that he forms and sets up the Believer in by true Regeneration Think we what we will if God say so shall we contradict and blaspheme He tells us If the first Covenant had been faultless there had been no place for the second Heb. 8. 7. and Gal. 3. 21. If there had been a Law or a ruling power of Life given and set up in man at first or renewed since that could have given Life or have carried us through for eternal life everlasting righteousness and Life should have been by that Law there would have needed no other by a new creation God will not do any thing that is impertinent or redundant So Rom. 11. 6. If eternal Life be by Grace or by the Law of the Spirit of Life Rom. 8. 2. brought into man by a new creation then it is no more of works proceeding from the utmost activity of the Law or ruling power of natural Life and perfection set up in man at his first creation What shall we say to these things How is man out in his divinity God's thoughts are not as our thoughts nor his ways as our ways they are 〈…〉 8 9. his footsteps are not known To be 〈…〉 unequal He will be Judge Every way of man is right in his own eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts Shall not the Iudge of all the earth do right Can he do wrong God is 〈◊〉 a man that he should lie He giveth not account of any of his matters Job 33. 13. neither is there need for he will not do wickedly or pervin◠Iudgement he will not lay upon man more then right that he should enter into Iudgement with God Job 34. 12. and 23. But the person here character'd as he affected not to be mystical in his person so nor obscure in his language 'T is the fleshly veil on mens understandings as to his matter that makes them carp at his expression and cry obscure obsucre doth he not speak parables Ezek. 20. 49. The mystical reach and significancy of Scripture as exhibiting the peculiar form of new-creature Life under the letter or most significant figures thereof that are to be found in the first-creation by a sound of words lies so remote from the veil'd understandings of men that they make nothing on 't They are willing to be blinded and deceived as to Gods Truth that they may more 〈◊〉 please themselves in their own lie 2 Thes. 2. 10 12. and the 〈◊〉 Serpent the God of this World is as ready and willing to beguile and blind them that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God may not shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 4. In this discouraging posture of the present World did this believing Pilgrim wade through it waiting on the Lord and seeking out such acceptable words for the explicatiug of Divine Oracles as were most exactly calculated and accommodated to the understandings of men so as to unlock insinuate into and gain them by a holy guile into the entertainment thereof upon convincing demonstration of their grand concern therein He did most industriously set himself to bring forth the most inward thoughts of his heart in characters to be seen and read of all as to the Life hid with Christ in God experienced in his person and held forth in the Scriptures of Truth This was his essay in his Retired man's Meditations even to present to our view this mystical life in the most intelligible form language or certain sound of words he could any wayes hit upon which yet how subject they have left him to misconstructions through the ignorance and presumption of his confident undertakers is sad to see in their most groundless calumnies of his Person and gross mistakes of his Doctrine and Principles To obviate such causeless misprisions of him I shall briefly present you with some chief Remarques of his Life He was born a Gentleman My next word is so much too big for that that it may hardly seem decorous to stand so near it He was a chosen Vessel of Christ seperated as Paul from his mothers womb though not actually called till 14. or 15. Years standing in the world 't was longer ere Paul was called during which time such was the complexion and constitution of his Spirit through ignorance of God and his wayes as rendred him acceptable company to those they call good fellows yet at his worst restrained from that lewdness intemperance sometimes leads into which he hath been oft heard to thank God for and so long he found tollerable quarter amongst men Then God did by some signal impressions and awakening dispensations startle him into a view of the danger of his condition On this he en◠his former jolly Company
came presently to a parting blow Yea this change and new steering of his course contracted enmity to him in his fathers house Mat. 10. 36 37. It was also suggested by the Bishops to the then King concerning him That the heir of a considerable family about his Majesty was grown into dislike of the Discipline and Ceremonies of the Church of England and that his Majesty might do well to take some course about him On this the then Bishop of London took him to task who seemed to handle him gently in the Conference but concluded harshly enough against him in the Close In fine seeing himself on â—ll hands in an evil case he resolved for New-England In order to this striking in with some Non-conformists which intended that way his honourable Birth long Hair and other Circumstances of his Person rendred his fellow-travellers jealous of him â—â— a Spye to betray their Liberty rather than any way like to advantage their design But he that they thought at first sight to have too little of Christ for their company did soon after appear to have two much for them For he had not been long in New-England but he ripened into more knowledge and experience of Christ than the Churches there could bear the Testimony of Even New-England could not bear all his words though there were no Kings Court or Kings Chappel Amos 7. 10 13. Then he returns for Old-England Shortly after the leading and preparatory passages to the Long Parliament and the late great publick changes drew on From the beginning of that Parliament he became such a drudge for his Countrey so willing on all accounts both in Person and Estate to spend and be spent in his chargable circumstances and unwearied endeavours for the publick Good and just Liberties of men as men as also for the advance of the Kingdom of Christ in these Nations as I know not any former age or story can parallel His Principles Light and Wisdom were such that he found the bare mention of his utmost aimes amongst his fellow labourers would in all probabillity so expose him to censure from all parties and sizes of understanding as would disable him for doing any thing at all He was therefore for small matters rather than nothing went hand in hand with them step by step their own pace as the light of the times would permit He was for quitting still the more gross disorders in Church and State corruptions in Courts of Judicature Popish and Superstitious formes in Religion and wayes of Worship for what he found more refined and tollerable But he ever refused to fix his soot or take up his rest in any Form Company or Way where he found the main bulke of Professors avowedly owning but such inward Principles of Life and Holiness as to him evidently lay short of the glory righteousness and life hid with Christ in God He was still for pressing towards the mark Phil. 3. 14. He was more for Things than Persons Spirit than Forms This carâ—iage of his all along in New-England and in Old exposed him as a mark for the arrow from almost all sorts of People rendring him a man of contention with the whole earth Yet was he all along a true Son of Peace a most industrious and blessed Peace-maker to the utmost of his power for the reconciling all sorts of Conscientious men whatever variety of Perswasion or Form he found them inâ— to one another and to Christ. He never affected any military employment He was in a litteral sense free from the blood of all men as well as in a spiritual by his faithful performance of the duty of a Watchman not shunning to declare unto all men the whole counsel of God Ezek. 18. and 33. and Acts 20. 27. They that call him a man of contention what would they have said of David He though a man after God's own heart had so abundantly shed blood in his great warrs that it was objected as a reason against him why he should not have the honour of building a house unto the Name of the Lord his God 1 Chron. 22. 7 c. Yea he left order with his son Solomon on his death-bed to take such course with Ioab and Shimei that their hoary heads might be brought down to the grave with blood 1 Kings 2. He was no humoursom conceited maintainer of any perverse or irrational opinions but a most quiet calme composed speaker forth of the words of Truth and soberness at all seasons upon all occasions and in all companies He was full of condescention and forbearance hating nothing more in his very natural temper than brangling and contention He would keep silence even from good though his sorrow was stirred by it and the fire-burned within while he was musing Psal. 39. 1 3. in case that either wicked or but short-sighted good men were before him that he perceived could not bear more spiritual and sublimated Truths Iohn 16. 12. He became all things to all men that he might by all meanes save some 1 Cor. 9. 22. His heart was of a right Scripture latitude stood fair and open for any good but no evil All sorts of conscientious inquirers after Truth found a friendly reception with him yea he was in a constant readiness to perform any warrantable civilities to all men Any thing that was good he owned and cherished in the honest moral Heathen legal Christian or spiritual Believer and so sought opportunity by honest insinuations to catch them with guile and lead them forward into more excellent Truths 2 Cor. 12. 16. But more particularly yet to undertake that general Reproach that was cast upon him to wit That he was a man of Contention from his Youth up where ever he came or had to do in New-England or in Old He was a true Believer that 's enough if ye knew all to set all the World against him He was not of the world and therefore hated by it Iohn 15. 18 19. He was partaker of God's holiness Heb. 12. 10. had eternal Life abiding in him stood possessed of the Wisdom and Words of that Life which the holy Ghost teacheth 1 Cor. 2. 13. and he could not but speak forth the things he had heard and seen Then there 's no dealing for him Rev. 13. 17. Divine Truth seems most frightful and contrary of all other to men puts all men to a gaze renders the witness-bearer thereof like Ieremiah a man of contention with the whole earth He needs no other occasion of controversie the meer and single declaration of this truth will do it Here 's the ground of the quarrel with him for this every one will curse him Ier. 15. 10. This was Paul's case even amongst the professing Churches of Christ converted by his Ministry that were yet but in their own Legal short-sighted-spirit they were ready to have pluck'd out their eyes and have given them to him while gratified by him in the first branch of his Ministry for renewal of
Synagogues Away with him away with such a fellow from the earth say they it is not fit that he should live Act. 22. .22 We find the Iewish religious party that served Paul thus striking hands with a proâ—ane Interest Act. 17. 5 7. Through envy at the spiritual believers Faith and Testimony they call to their assistance certain Iowa fellows of the baser sort set all the City in an uproar assault the house of Jason dragging him and other brethren before the Rulers of the City and crying These that have turned the World upside down are come hither also and do contrary to the Decrees of Caesar saying there is another King one Iesus This is the charge at all adventures they matter not much for proofes while they can find stones as they served Steven Act. 7. The World is turned upside down indeed But understand how O ye bruitish among the People ye fools when will ye be wise The honest Heathen is soberer than you the legal Christian is soberer than he the spiritual man is the soberest of all and he is reckoned the most disordered He speakes forth the words of greatest truth and soberness The case then is this when the World is in a mad bruitish disordered hurly burly they that attempt to bring righteousness a-floate are accused of turning it up side down Setting all to rights is reckoned the greatest Confusion The Rights of the Kingdom are reckoned the Wrongs of the King and many with whom the true native Rights of an earthly Kingdom will down are ready to startle at and resist the rights of Christs Kingdom in the Spirits and Consciences of men Even they will be ready to say of the Assertors of such Rights that they are no longer fit to live in the World that 's man's judgement The World is no longer worthy of them that 's God's Heb. 11. 38. 'T is plain God and men are of exceeding contrary Judgements concerning the true believer 'T is as plain We must all appear at last before the Iudgement seat of Christ for our final sentence 'T is plain also that we ought to obey God rather than Men Act. 5. 29. And not to be the servants of Men in things pertaining to God 1 Cor. 7. 23. From the cross constitution then which this world is generally found in to all Truth but most of all to the Spiritual and Sublimest sort of Truth it may appear what a hard time a Believer is like to have of it if he stand up for the Cause and Interest of God against the Devil who is called the God of this world 2 Cor. 4. 4. Here is the grand competitor of Christ that struggles for the Soveraignty the great red Dragon Rev. 12. 3. This is he that musters up animates and influences the sons of men to fight against God that he may exalt himself in them above all that is called God 2 Thes. 2. 4. Working in the children of disobedience at his pleasure Ephes. 2. 2. Do you see your General O ye sons of men will ye still fight under his Banner Consider the main Impostures of this self-transformer whereby you are beguiled into his Interest First He seduces your Understanding into this most false perswasision That he is the highest rational Being to whom doth of right belong the Legislative Authority and Supream Magistratical Dominion over the whole earth as God of this World under whose influence and dictates all earthly Thrones and Benches of Judicature ought to proceed in judgement Under this pretended and assumed Title of the highest rational Being he expects to be owned and submitted to as requiring no allegiance or obedience from his Subjects upon any other tearms than as he approves himself to their Consciences to mannage his Government exactly according to the Principles of humane Nature and Rules of right Reason Secondly He assumes and challenges to himself the Authority of the highest Spirit of Truth boasting himself as the infallible Teacher and Guide in matters of Faith and divine Worship in all things pertaining to the good and salvation of Souls Having thus assumed to himself these two grand prerogatives of Christ's Crown as the Supream Head not under but above Christ himself yea in direct contradiction to him in all Causes and over all persons as well Ecclesiastical as Civil 't is obvious to imagine what Titles Christ and his followers are like to have from this Dragon and his First They will boldly and openly assert that that which is indeâ—â— the spirit of Christ in him and his is an irrational Fanatick spirit destructive to all natural Order and good Government in humane Society Secondly That it is a deceitful deluding Spirit destructive to all sound Doctrine divine Institutions Church Order and Rule In these four things this grand Antichrist is the liar that denies Iesus to be the Christ. Under which Generals are comprehended multitudes of Particulars in his skilful methods of delusion needless here to be enumerated He that hath once gained these four points in the generallity of men will easily out-vote and cry down Christ and his for Blasphemers and Disturbers of mankind and accordingly handle them He prevailed even with the learned Religious Jewes to serve Christ thus Yea he attempted to seduce Christ himself to his party to own him for God fall down and worship him Christ refuses He therefore steers another course sets the Jewes upon it to call him Blasphemer and say he hath a Devil This is one step towards the accomplishing of his design when he hath once engaged men to say of Christ and his followers that they are Blaspemers and Devils he that thus makes them liars will make them Murtherers too they will soon cry Crucifie them Crucifie them right or wrong Away with them from the earth it is not fit that they should live Christ hath told us these things before hand Joh. 15. and Chap. 16. 1 and 4. that we should not be offended or surprised when they really come upon us If they have done these things to the green tree what will they do to the dry Luke 23. 31. The Servant is not greater than his Lord Joh. 15. 20. If the Master be called Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Matth. 10. 25. Satans followers have the start of Christ's for number they out-vote them clear He ha's four hundred lying Prophets against one true 1 Kings 22. 6. and vers 20 23. I suppose you may discern by this time whether this Sufferer or his Enemies were in the fault that he was reckoned a man of Contention But peradventure this may yet grow clearer by considering his Principles He spake much of Principles What meant he Some Fundamental Truths worded and propounded in a Book as Perkins his Six Principles or the like He meant inward ruling Principles or Springs of Life and operation in men By taking a little freedom in handling this Point I shall give you aim at his Principle in its
or heaven that may be shaken Heb. 12. 26. Yea though they receive withall the baptism of gifts from this spirit of Christ and in that sence be made partakers of the holy Ghost yet they may prove at length to be but briars and thorns to this very spirit of Christ from whom they receive all and to those true believers in whom the very seed of this spirit is springing up as a well of living waters into everlasting life Ioh. 4. 14. The single Baptism of Gifts supernatural Ornaments and the tongue of Men and Angels all this amounts not to the Baptism with the holy Ghost and with fire Mat. 3. 11. The partaking of the holy Ghost in the single baptism of gifts without the very seed of spiritual eternal Life sown in the heart does not â—ar the visage of the natural man does not sacrifice and offer him up but more abundantly adorn beautifie and set him off Those that have the glory of their earthly man but thus higher advanced by supernatural gifts and accomplishments are liable to play the Idolaters against the glory that excels the Life hid with Christ in God and finally refusing the superior dispensation and those that own it return with the dog to the vomit upon the loss of what they have already received Ezek. 16. 1 15. 2 Pet. 2. 20 22. MORE in his MYSTERY holds that the Fall of the Angels came by their refusal of the divine Life and giving themselves wholly up to the animal and that satans kingdom of darkness extends to and comprehends all the inâ—â—rests and advantages of whatever Life excluding onely the Divine The same Author exhibits a new and unanswerable charge against Paganism that by whatever flights of wit the best of them all may seem to wipe off the imputations of Polytheism or Idolatry asserting themselves to be the adorers of one eternal Deity in his various manifestations yet they worshipped God in such appearances onely as related to and concerned but the animal Life 'T is to be feared this charge will reach a great way into Christianity abundance of the professors whereof are followers of Christ onely for loaves such cleansing gifts and ornaments as do but gratifie and advance their earthly first creation state Speak but a word of the cross and fire-baptism of the spirit that 's to come upon all this glory and goodliness of flesh in order to a more excellent birth and knowledge of Christ after the spirit in them you become an enemy presently if you tell them this truth Gal. 4. 16. If matters be well scann'd and weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary abundance of Religion and Professors will be found no currant and well tried Gold Rev. 3. 18. that will pass for the Kingdom of Heaven The Scripture latitude of the animal or natural man is comprehensive of all that is to be found in mans first-creation state and life in distinction from the spiritual new creation man The natural body or animal man is interpreted by the apostle to be of the same reach and significancy as the living soul of the first Adam at best as the spiritual body or man is comprehensive of that new-creature Life and perfection that 's recieved from the indwelling presence of the quickning spirit of the second Adam 1 Cor. 15. 44 46. Those Christians that are brought into communion with God but in the renewed activity of the natural body oâ— living soul of the first Adam taking the renewed old man for the new Restauration for Regeneration are apt to grow so conceited confident therein that they wil not lend an ear to the tydings of any superior dispensation and more excellent way Man in whatever possible refinement and glory of his first-creation state is yet but that natural man in whose mind there is so vast an asymmetry and incongruity to spiritual divine things the New Name the Life hid with Christ in God the Wisdom and Righteousness of God that shines forth in the New Creature that he knows not what to make of them 〈◊〉 are foolishness to him 1 Cor. 2. 14. Nothing less than the very seed of spiritual new-creature Life from Christ will find or make its way through all possible obstructions from within man or from without and prosper into that kingdome of grace and glory that cannot be shaken This will spring up in the soul and declare it self King take the Scepter and ruling power out of the hands of our first-creation spirit and principles and will safely steer our course direct our steps and enable us to work righteousness in the way everlasting Psal. 139. 24. Sensual Life generally rules at first in children When Reason springs up and begins to shew it self that takes or should take the Scepter curbes the insolencies and exorbitancies of the Sensual powers and governs the whole person If there be a seed of grace or spiritual Life sown in him when that springs up into exercise it will take the Scepter out of the hands of humane Reason and Wisdom and govern the whole person in the Divine Spiritual Reason and Wisdom of God The receivers of the spirit of Christ the seed of spiritual wisdom and divine Life are of two sorts either such as receive the single or such as receive the double portion thereof They that receive but the single will thereby be brought into the incorruptible form of the natural man which renders them fit associates for the elect angels to stand about the Throne as friends of the Bridegroom and the Bride They that receive the double portion of the spirit in the sense above expressed are the very Bride her self the Lambs wife that sits down upon the Throne with him in a more exalted state of Glory for ever The Mother of Zebedee's Children desired of Christ That her two sons might sit the one on his right hand and the other on his left in his Kingdom Mat. 20.21 There may seem to be a right and left hand scituation or state of glory for ever in the kingdom of Heaven The double portioned Saints are they that sit on the right hand the single on the left Christ tells her and her sons they know not what they ask if they would have either of these advancements on this side the Cross the grave the fire-baptism the strait gate that excludes flesh and blood all that is corruptible from the Kingdom of God Can ye saies he drink of the Cup I shall drink of and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with They answer We are able The single portion of the Spirit where it is received as a seed of new Life will not fail to perform that transforming fire-baptism in and upon the souls of men that will purifie them not onely from corruption the utmost extent of the inward water-baptisme and circumcision of the heart in the Letter but from corruptibility gradually fetching them up into the glory of the resurrection till their mortality be quite swallowed
are hot about the outward circumstances of worship time place and the like Christ reproves them in his answer to the woman of Samaria at Iacobs Well Neither in this Mountain nor at Ierusalem shall ye worship the Father but in spirit and truth Joh. 4. 23. Neither in this Form nor that but excluded out of all Synagogues has the true Church and Spouse of Christ been worshipping God this twelve hundred Years and upwards in her mourning persecuted wilderness-condition out of which she is shortly to appear and speak for her self By this Sufferers reckoning the time times and half a time or three years and a half are very near expired those forty two moneths and one thousand two hundred and sixty days prophetical for years all which do character and point out the same Epocha in Daniel and the Revelation for the Churches abode in the Wilderness from the time of her flight mentioned Rev. 12. 6. She will very shortly be called up out of the wilderness by the name of Shulamite which comes from the same word that Solomon and Salem do signifying Peace This true peaceable Pilgrim and Spouse of Christ that in her Life and Testimony hath been so disgustful to this world out of which she is chosen as to be reputed by all the Inhabitants of the earth a wrangling Heretick a Blasphemer and one that turns the World upside down will shortly come up out af her political grave or exclusion from all authority or allowance in Church and State into the exercise of true Christian Polity in both in association with the holy Angels who with the risen Witnesses will make up the two hosts before whom no opposite power of contradicting man wil be able to bear up See for this Cant. 6. 13. Return return O Shulamite return return that we may look upon thee What will ye see in the Shulamite as it were the company or dance of two Armies Mahanaim relating to Iacobs two hosts of Angels and Men when he was to meet Esau Gen. 32. 1 2. and importing the victory these two obtain over all their enemies as also their dance or triumphant rejoycing after the victory And all this yet amounts but to the preparatory work for the second coming of Christ by plucking up every thing that offends so as at last there may be nothing to hurt in all the holy mountain Mat. 13. 41. Esay 11. 9. But how shall the risen Witnesses handle their enemies when spirited and set upon their feet as a Nation born at once and in one day Esay 66. 8. Rev. 11. 11. 'T is answered fire shall proceed out of their mouth to devour any that would hurt them and in this manner must they be killed that is at the desire of the believing risen witnesses angels that are a flaming fire Psal. 104. 4. will destroy any men that oppose them Fire goes out of the saints mouth that is by prayer to God on which the angels are commissioned to do execution immediately and irresistibly without more ado Thus fire went out of Elias his mouth to devour the two Captains and their fifties Angels were the executioners 2 King 1. 9 12. Those acts of Elias were but Types and shadows of what will be done in the end of the world at the winding up of all dispensations towards the highest even the personal coming forth of Christ with all his New-Ierusalem Armies following him Rev. 19. 14. As to what will be performed by the risen Witnesses relation is had to Elias and to Moses Rev. 11. 6. Where 't is said They shall have power as Elias had to shut heaven that it rain not and to smite the earth with Plagues as often as they will as Moses did in Egypt It may appear what work one Angel can make with whole Armies of men a hundred fourescore and five thousand Assyrians were slain by an angel in one night in the Leagure before Ierusalem 2 King 19. 35. But to return from this Contemplaâ—ion of the true New-Ierusalem spirited Church and Spouse of Christ and what she will do when she comes out of the Wilderness consider we a little the general posture of all visible Churches even at this day as this Sufferer hath left it represented to us in writing There are many Churches in the World that make a profession of the Name of Christ under several Forms and Denominations according to the variety of Judgements and Interests of the Rulers Members thereof There is a Church called Catholick or Universal headed by the Pope who pretends to be Christs Vicar There are also National Churches heâ—ded either by a Civil Magistrate as the Church of England or by general Assemblies as the Church of Scotland hath been with other Reformed Churches There are also particular Independant Congregational Churches distinguishing themselves into variety of Sects and diversity of Judgements and Opinions as well about the way and order of the word of matters of worship and the service of God as in what they hold Fundamental in matters of Faith These all make up one Body as to the owning and upholding a Church in some outward visible Form who notwithstanding all their differences and protestings against one another do generally agree together in one mind as to the preferring of the Church in Name Shew and outward Order before what it is in Spirit and Truth as it is the real and living Body of Christ. Hence it is that the true Church indeed the very living real spiritual members of Christ's Body have been for many hundred years a dispersed captivated people under all worldly powers civil or Ecclesiastical and never been suffered to use or enjoy a freedom in their Communion together and the purity of God's Service and Worship but are upon one pretence or other restrained by Humane Lawes and suppressed as Hereticks Schismaticks Fanaticks and such as turn the World upside down while those that have the repute and credit to be the Church or Churches of Christ under some one of the Formes and outward Orders bâ—fore mentioned have the Powers of the World on their side and are contending one with another who shall be uppermost and give the Rule of Conformity in Doctrine Worship and Church Order to all the rest by Compulsion and Persecution But the dayes are now hâ—stening apace wherein the living Members of Christ's Body shall be made manifest in distinction from all those that have the Name to live but are dead Thus in brief you see his Judgement concerning the Church Concerning BAPTISM he writes thus THere are several Baptismes spoken of in the New Testament and the Doctrine concerning them hath been so dark and mysterious that there is little yet extant in the Writings of men concerning the same that carries with it satisfaction There are two general tearms under which all Baptismes mentioned in the New Testament seem to be comprehended that is to say Of Water and of the holy Ghost and Fire Water Baptism is twofold and
that they shall find them again with usury in conjunction and harmony with the new-creature Life of saving Faith let them make their best of them for their defence in this case Let them produce their strong reasons let them come forth in the greatest pomp of Argument and Eloquence they can against allegorizing Unless they can afford more pertinent interpretations of the â—bove mentioned Scriptures and many others without allegorizing what they say in this matter is not much to be valued They will find themselves as far wide from understanding the Scriptures in any other way as Iobs three friends were from understanding his case and my answer to such colourable reasonings shall be that which Iob has furnished me with How forcible are right words but what doth your arguing reprove Job 6. 25. This yet must be granted that the devil who is a most dextrous and skilful imitator of Christ in all his dispensations by feigned resemblances of truth will also strike in at this allegorizing way of interpreting the Scriptures He will labour hereby to the utmost to confound and bewilder both teachers and hearers that take and own this course He will if possible run them all a ground in a thousand mistakes and false conclusions But he never puts himself to this trouble till he finds men will be allegorizing as neither will he make use of the choicest flourishes of his transformed angelical appearance to impose himself on men as Christ in spirit till nothing but that will serve their turn Then he perremptorily commands them under this disguise of an angel of light out of their own senses wills and understandings into a pure subjection to his dictating and ruling influence as the onely superior dispensation and attainment to what they ever yet experienced And allegorizing of Scripture in his way he finds to be a very apposite means to nourish and keep them safe under his wing in that his highest dispensation his mystical sabbath a rest from their labours under his angelical steerage These with all other his inferiour crafts and designs above mentioned does this perillous Impostor mannage upon the various tempered and differently enlightened inhabitants of the whole world every moment of time But it is one grand piece of his mystery of iniquity to keep men quite off if he can from allegorizing of the Scriptures and consequently from all the spiritual sence and mystery of them throughout He perswades by all means that men would stick in the letter as the onely course to hold fast the form of sound words and that they would quit mystical sence in the Scriptures and so the mystery of Godliness in their persons He would never have them own the Life hid with Christ in God That 's the onely Life he fears Those that rest in the letter of Scripture and deny the mystery will easily be induced to rest in the form of godliness and deny the power thereof from such turn away 2 Tim. 3. 5. They cry out against the Allegorist call him blasphemer say he has a devil as the Iews served Christ and Luther Swenckfeld in that general answer to his puzzling Letters The Lord rebuke thee Satan So much for Allegory BY way of Recapitulation then and as deducible from or at least in exact consonancy with the divinity part of this Sufferers Doctrine and Character take these following Conclusions 1. God in Christ as Christ is the purely divine form of God is absolutely unmovable incommunicable in a capacity too high for the creation of either world natural or spiritual 2. Had God remaining purely in the divine nature without assuming Creature-nature into personal union therewith produced or created this first world it must needs have been created in a violent instantaneous manner without any progressive motion as in the six dayes Gen. 1. And when created Angels and men so made must needs have been everlastingly miserable unless reduced to their primitive nothing again For God that is the onely Fountaine of all happiness and satisfaction had remained in an utter uncommunicableness and been shut up in absolute invisibility to them for ever 3. God therefore in Christ condescended to cloth himself with a twofold creature-forme natural and spiritual through the peculiar operations of the second and third of the three that are one 1 Ioh. 5.7 in order to capacitate himself for the creation of both worlds as also for the communication of himself to his creatures when created 4. This twofold creature-nature as in personal Union with God in Christ may by communication of Idioms and denomination of the whole person from the purely divine nature and form be called God God is said Acts 20. 28. to have purchased the Church with his own blood 'T is a Maxime in School divinity Whatsoever is in God is God 5. This twofold creature-nature of Christ as transcribed and copied out by him in the persons of elect angels and men may be called divine specially the superiour and more excellent kind of it but not God neither are the persons of angels or men by being but thus partakers of the divine nature either Christ or God 6. That being which angels men received in their first creation and that Image of God that was then stamped on them was in the life glory and righteousness of it but a shadowy corruptible or changable thing It was the image of the Mediator considered as in the changeable state of creatureship wherein he became the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world and again in the â—ulness of time the image of the first Adam in Christ that that is to be crucified in us as well as in him otherwise how can we be broughâ— into conformity with him in his death 7. Angels and the souls of men as having but this mutable Image of God in them received in thier first-creation are mortal as to the glory and life of their Beings in communion with God and in the way of righteousness The angels that fell and man when he fell died the death as to this Life that is lost that Life of communion they had with God in the righteousness and glory of their first-creation Thus in the day Adam did eate the forbidden fruit he died yet lived in the body many hundred years after 8. All mankind fell in Adam the tree out of which we spring as branches In him we all died Christ comes to give a general revival general redemption out of this dangerous fall Rom. 5. 12 19. and 1 Cor. 15. 22. As in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive It shall not be said our first parents eate the sowre grape and our teeth are thereby set on edge but all souls are redeemed and recoverable by Christ if they stubbornly refuse not into the life light and liberty of their understanding and will the proper principles of their first-creation The soul then that sinâ—eâ—h either by willful refusal of this renewal or the loss
in his first creation as he came out of the hands of God had the Law of Nature or the ruling powers of natural Life in full perfection inherent and operative in his own person The same Law of natural or first created Life and perfection is renewed by Christ in men as to kind so as also to be inherent and operative in them in some degree but the deficiencies of inward personal sanctity and of inward and outward operations are made out by the compleat righteousness of the Law as wrought by another person for them and imputed to them for their justification before God upon the tearms of the first Covenant qualifying them for communion with God therein In this sence Paul was according to the Law blameless to wit under this comliness of God put upon him In the other sence as to inherent personal perfection 't is said 1 Iohn 1. 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 19. As to the whole bulk of the written Oracles of God there is frequently given the proper character both of the Law and Gospel Principle or state of Life in the old Testament as well as new but of the latter more eminently and plentifully in the new 20. There were true spirituall Saints both before and under the outward dispensation of the Law Enoch Noah Sem Heber Abraham David and many others and there are sowre narrow Pharisaical legal-spirited Christians under the outward dispensation of the Gospel at this day 21. Even the first Covenant or Legal state of first-creation Life and Principles renewed in men comes to them in the way of Gospel or through the glad tydings of the mighty Redeemer who was promised to Adams under the name of the womans seed that should bruise or break the Serpâ—â—â—s head Gen. 3. 15. This he did by dying through death destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devil Heb. 2. 14. Thus Christ died for all 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. to recover all again out of that dead sleep in trespasses and sins into which they were cast by Adams first transgression and to set them upon their first-creation â—eâ—t again in order to a new trial of their personal demeanour in that great point Adam first miscarried in as to the loosing the Life quiting the righteousness wisdom and lesser glory of their first-creation for that which excelleth in the second the tree of Knowledge that puffeth up for the tree of Life that edifieth Thus was Christ a propitiation not for the sins of his elect onely that of the whole world 1 Ioh. 2. 2. Here 's all the general Redemption the Scripture holds forth 22. If these things be so what signify all the voluminous Controversies of the Pelagian and Antipelagian Arminian and Antiarminian Supralapsarian and Sublapsarian about Free-will general Redempton and the Like What Free-will is it the one pleads for the other denies Only such as Adam was created with the wavering Liberty of the sons of men the object whereof is natural good and evil As for spiritual new-creation things they were in themselves in their own naked essence clear out of sight to Adams discerning at best which was but natural They were onely representable and understandable to him in a riddle through some first-creation shadow the Tree of Life Neither of the above mentioned parties in all their warm digladiations and pickeerings once dream of a distinct superiour state of Life and Liberty that should swallow up all that of the first creation into victory bring it forth again with uâ—ury and great gain by way of resurrection in the glorious Life and Liberty of the sons of God the spiritual eternal Life and Freedom to good onely and not at all to evil But whoever returns not into the exercise of his retified first-creation Principles and Liberty as a general fruit of Christ's death 't is his own voluntary default He sins against God and wrongs his own soul he hates Christ and loves death Prov. 8. 36. He refuâ—es the righteousness and glory of his own humane nature and chuses to be a beast 23. But what lies in man to do towards the superiour and more excellent dispensation and way by which he should be led forward into the glorious Liberty of the â—â—â—s of God and eternal Life 'T is answered He hath power in the right use of his natural freedom not to resist it but upon experience of the insufficiency of the selfish spirit and wavering Principles of his first creation to submit all the Life and glory thereof to the fiâ—e-baptism in order to the being brought forth in a more excellent state that is unchangable 'T is not in man to do any thing towards his new creation as neither did he contribute any thing towards his first make But God makes such proposal and offer of this new-creation work to all mankind as not one man fâ—iles of being made a new creature but it will be most righteously interpreted by God to have befallen him through his own voluntary default in neglecting refusing and resisting that offer Where comes in the difference then A remnant according to the election of grace obtain it the rest are voluntarily blinded and fall short Rom. 11. 5. 7. That saying of Austin is not amiss God will not save any man whether he will or no but he will make that man willing to be saved that he resolves to save He may do what he will with his own Mans first-creation Liberty misused in this great point brings forth this sad truth Thy destruction is of thy self O man And Gods reserving singly to himself the forming up of the new creature and the prerogativeâ— Liberty of effectually and irresistibly disposing of this great favour where when and to whom he pleases brings forth that excellent truth That our salvation is onely and meerly of God as Sir Francis Bacon observes in his Confession of Faith Who then maketh men to differ one from another the new creature from the old Man makes himself to differ from the new creature or spiritual man by his voluntary rejecting and despising this more excellent Life but God alone makes him that is a new creature to differ from the old And this indeed is the proper meaning of difference in such cases To differ is to excel Phil. 1. 10. That ye may approve things that excel or differ So 1 Cor. 15. 41. One star differs from or excels another star in glory Thou wilt say if the case â—e thus Why doth God yet find fault For who hath resisted his will Those that he hath elected and is resolved to save he will effectually and irresistibly make willing to be sayed and they will certainly be saved and no others Nay but O man who art thou that replict against Goâ— Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou 〈…〉 He may make vessels of honour or dishonour as he pleases amongst Iewes or
into an absolute compliance and unchangable harmony with his will Rom. 12.1,2 Crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts Put off the old man These and many other Scriptures of like import do all together and each of them apart compendiously imply the whole duty of man even all that God requires of him which is to humble himself under the cross of Christ and walk for ever with the Lord. So Psal. 50. 23. whoso offereth praise glorifieth me So the Septuagint render it in Greek In the Hebrew 'tis whoso sacrificeth confession which the Caldee renders whoso slayeth his evil or fleshly concupiscence that is the fleshly or natural mind The renewed mind of man is out a labile wavering corruptible thing This is not onely to be confessed but the confession or thing it self that is confessed thus to be is to be sacrificed and offered up to God by a living active faith If not it will resist the spirit of God refuse his new-creation work seek to save its own life keep it self whole and unbroken and fo will evidence it self in conclusion to be that carnal mind that 's enmity to God and works eternal death to man Rom. 8. 6. To come roundly and freely off with the sacrifice of self in the full Scripture latitude thereof by a thorow self-resignation is the great duty of man and the onely true and acceptable offering of praise to God Truly and substantially to praise God amounts to no less than this offering Le ts not please and delude our selves with a noise a found of words shadowes for things substance truth 28. Know then O vain man that without works thy faith is dead Jam. 2. 20. What works the works of an active saving faith the fruits that flow from the proper spring and principle of new-creature Life in man One great work of this faith is to lay hold on the unchangeable and everlasting righteousness of God in Christ's person Another great work of it is to crucify the fleshly mind or principles of humane nature however renewed so as for ever to disable them either for working sin or righteousnesse in the single first-creation activity or Life thereof A third work of it is to enable man to worship God in spirit and truth and to perform all righteous works towards God and men in a more excellent and acceptable way and with more steadiness and certainty than ever the renewed natural mind with all its ornament and furniture could perform such things Without such a faith and the workings of it it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Thus by being disabled to perform one tittle of the Law in the single activity of our corruptible though renewed mind we come so to fulfil the whole Law in the continuing and incorruptible principle of new-creature life that against us there is no Law that has any thing to say Gal. 5. 23. Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we come by this means onely to establish and fullfil the Law Rom. 3. 31. Mat. 5. 17. They that believe in God must be careful to maintain such good works to wit the works of faith Tit. 3. 8. This is the letting our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorifie our father which is in heaven Mat. 5. 16. We shew hereby that God's spirit which is set up in man by the new creation is better at working righteousnesse than mans spirit that was set up in him by the first-creation Any works we do as born of God in the new-creation are better on all accounts than what we can do as made of God in the first whatever work is good in the honest Heathen or legal Christian shall be owned and out-done by the spiritual believer in his more excellent principles and way The highest Principles of Life in man include ratifie and out-do all that righteousness that is performable in the lower In such Principles was this Sufferer a worker of righteousness such a worshipper of God as the Father seeks and approves of such a true Son of peace such a peacemaker as hath bin described but reckoned a man of contention for that very reason He was content with Paul to be a fool for Christ despised for Christ the poor and needy man with David As a true Embassador of Christ and minister of the everlasting Gospel he warned and besought the sons of men to consider their own true interest in becoming not onely almost but altogether such as he was except his bonds His Life was not like other mens nor his Ministry His wayes were of another fashion as they reason Wisd. 2. 15. therefore have I writ his Life after another fashion that mens Lives use to be written treating mostly of the principles and course of his hidden Life amongst the sons of God that the sons of men may the better know and consider what manner of man it was they have betrayed persecuted and slain For this read on from vers 15 to 23 of Wisd. 2. which I quote not as Scripture but as a notable character of mens rational conviction and acknowledgements together with their false reasonings and most perverse deductions therefrom in the present case We are esteemed of him as counterfeits or hypocrites he absteineth from our wayes as filthyness He maketh his bâ—ast that God is his Father Let us see if his words be true If he be the Son of God he will help him and deliver him from his enemies Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture that we may know his weekness and prove his patience Let us condemn him with a shameful death for by his own saying he shall be respected Such things they did imagine and were deceived for their own wickedness hath blinded them As for the mysteries of God they knew them not nor discerned the reward of blameless soules Thus not owning any need of an Apology for having been so large in the exposition of his divine Life Principles and Doctrine save onely this that I have spoken these things rather as an instruction to the living than an Apology for the dead I return to the more publick and overt acts of his humane pilgrimage and conversation amongst men having mentioned the private passages thereof in the beginning Would you know his Title in reference to his countrey He was A Common-Wealths-Man That 's a dangerous Name to the Peace and Interest of Tyranny I have lately met with two new State Paradoxes in Print which speak ruine to all that own that Title 1. That the Common-Wealth is not safe while Common-Wealths-Men are alive 2. That the Lawes are not safe while they are alive that every day call for the aid of the Law These Assertions carry with them such an appearance of contradiction to say no more that I am not so much an OEdipus as to unriddle them The Character of this deceased Statesman with whose Principles those two sayings carry little
The World was no longer worthy of him He is therefore gone from the earth But his Person and righteous Testimony shall be â—ad in everlasting remembrance Psal. 112. 6. His eye was fixed upon a better Countrey the Saints everlasting Rest. There the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest Those that have been made Prisoners and out-casts in this world as the off-scouring of all things shall rest together there They shall no more hear the voice of the oppressor Job 3. 17 18. The present enjoyments and blessedness of this deceased Saint do set him clear out of the reach of his enemies malice or my pen. He steaddily sees and unchangeably enjoyes what Paul before quite rid of his mortal body had but the transient view of in a short rapture when caught up to the third heaven 1 Cor. 12. or into that vision of God in Christ that is exhibited to the double-portioned Saint that sits on the Throne with Christ. 'T is the favourable presence of God in Christ onely that makes heaven to angels or men God's threefold various presence with his Church in and through Christ makes the three heavens That presence that is afforded in the adaequate intelligible form to the highest life and discerning of the double-portioned Saint the Bride the Lambs Wife makes the third heaven That which is given forth in the adaequate intelligible form to the elect Angels and Spirits of just men made perfect as the sutable immediate object of their discerning makes the second heaven That presence of God together with the fruits of it that in Christ is afforded to Saints on earth makes the first They have their conversation in this first heaven Phil. 3.20 or lowest kind of presence and converse of Christ in spirit They do live in the exercise of that spiritual seed and those principles which when fully awakened in the resurrection will render them fit inhabitants of the second and third heavens Paul in the short glance he had of that most excellent glory of God in Christ that is intelligible or discernable to the most exalted sort of Saints tells us he heard unspeakable words or saw unspeakable things which it is not lawful or possible for a man to utter Here then I must take off my hand and leave you to make the best you can of it in silence and wonder Thus have I cast in my small mite towards the vindication of the Person Doctrine and Way of this choice anointed one of the Lord and faithful assertor of his Countries Liberties unto Death from the groundless aspersions causeless hatred misprisions and injuries that have fallen to his share in this world There are two sorts of enemies who in the rage and vain imaginations of their hearts have reproached blasphemed assaulted affronted resisted and persecuted Christ in him They are both deciphered Psal. 2. 1. under the titles of Heathen and People I have a word of two to divide between them and speak to each of them apart My first word is to a People of God who in whatever variety of form perswasion or way have all of them with one consent separated from Rome as justly loathing and nauseating her most gross visible Idolatries and abominations They have also separated from the dry impertinent formality of a meer outward profession of Protestantisme under a superstitious Episcopacy These they have separated from on the left hand it was their duty so to do But they have also separated from or rather cast out the spiritual Believer and true heir of the everlasting Kingdom on the right hand This is their great sin that has brought a prophane heathenish superstitious idolatrous Interest over their heads again and run all a-ground They have demonstrated themselves to be of that spirit that Paul reproved in some of the Corinthian Church that would be reigning as Kings in the but renewed principles of humane nature and righteousness of man 1 Cor. 4. 8. When therefore this true heir sounded his trumpet in his RETIRED MEDITATIONS and proclaimed another sort of Saints men of another spirit other principles and a more excellent way of life to be the onely true heirs of the Kingdom and possessed of the true reigning Principle they could not bear it They have chosen rather to give the Scepter back again into any hand then the true heir of the heavenly Kingdom should wield it I mean not a Person onely but a People a People prepared for the Lord. Whoever you be that have thus demeaned your selves and sinned away twenty years Mercies and Deliverancies whatever your Judgment Form or Way be as to this or that particular Doctrine or Ordinance if you yet lodge but in the renewed old Adam state of life or first-creation spirit and principles as you have seen them above-charactered to you it is I direct this word You that are in some good measure and degree inwardly cleansed from the pollutions of this world the corruption of nature give me leave to tell you you may be thus wash'd and baptized by the word of truth into a practical experimental knowledge of Christ after the flesh and conformity with him as he was â—ound in the flesh born of a woman made under the Law for your sanctification Let me tell you further you may be made comely through his comeliness or righteousness of that sort put upon you or imputed to you for your justification You may over and above all this be adorned with many jewels and bracelets excellent gifts and the tongue of men and angels and yet fall short of the glory and righteousness of God in the new and everlasting Covenant and so may prove to be at last but sounding brass or tinkling cymbals Ez. 16. 11 12. 1 Cor. 12. 31. 13. 1. All your sanctified justified beautified and adorned state in which you flourished was but the rectified adorned first-covenant natural man and you took all to be spiritual new-covenant Life and ornament This is one of the saddest mistakes mortal men are subject to and is like to cost them dearest Their disappointment is fatal and irrecoverable Their work is exceeding dangerous in kicking against the pricks persecuting of Christ in the true spiritual believer But their case is noâ—remediless as they may see in Paul till they knowingly and malitiously say Come this is the heir let 's kill him and the inheritance shall be ours There are those from amongst these Legal spirited professors both Pastors and People that have had their share in betraying this just man in blaspheming his Principles and Doctrine in casting reproaches upon him while living and pleasing themselves to think that they are now well rid of him his Doctrine and Way by his Death Deceive not your selves His testimony has received a more signal ratification by his Death then in all his Life He warn'd you of many things In reference to one of his warning-pieces as to the making clean riddance of Antichrist from amongst us I shall ask
in this way there is life and joy in the Spirit The Believer the true spiritual Circumcision rejoyces in Christ Jesus having no confidence in the flâ—sh nor mastering much how iâ— goes with that So he may win Christ and know him in the power of his Resurrection he is willing also to know him in the fellowship of his Sufferings and in being made conformable unto his death There is no other way to the eternal Crown If we suffer with him who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession 1 Tim. 6. 13. we shall also reign with him if we deny Him and his â—ause before men through fear of them that can but kill the body and have no more that they can do he that can destroy both body and soul in Hell will deâ—â— us before the Angels of God Whatever frightful appearance the present tribulations may have this remains sure Light â—â— sown for the Righteous and gladness for the upright in heart My harvest is at hand the season for me to reap the good fruit of the incorruptible seed of eternal life that hath been sown in me many years ago by the good hand of the Lord. I have so much already of that fruit as makes me set very light by the present tribulations that are but for a moment and are not to be compared with the glory that follows I have sown in tears and am now going to reap in joy where all tears shall be wiped away for ever There shall be no more sorrow crying or hearing the voice of the oppressor I charge you therefore be ye followers of me as I am a follower of Christ. Walk in that Faith ye have seen me to walk in and be not dismayed Observe what I now say to you and the Lord will bless you yea you shall be encouraged and commended by him as a choice pattern of obedience unto others like the sons of Ionadab the son of Rechab who were commended for performing the words of their father that he commanded them and were therein propounded as an imitable pattern to the men of Iudah and inhabitants of Ierusalem who did most perversly refuse to obey the Commands of God himself in the Messages he sent to them by the ministry of the Prophets Encline your ear therefore and hearken unto me now in this parâ—ing Instruction Listen to my command and obey the words I speak to you in the Name of the Lord. I charge you to walk in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and that with all steadiness and constancy as not in the least discouraged by what you see now to befal me and other his servants and followers in this evil day The servant is not greater than the Lord. He went this way and hath warned us that through much persecution and tribulation we must strive to enter into the Kingdom of God Walk then in the Spirit and Faith of Abraham in that immutable frame of spirit that feeds upon that which is incorruptible whereby you will be nourished up into eternal life and carried on through all difficulties and oppositions to the compleat full and certain saving of your souls Be bold confident stedfast and undaunted herein though bryaâ—s and thorns be with you and you dwell among Scorpions Be not afraid of their big words or stout looks though they be a 〈◊〉 house Ezek. 2. not 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of God before their eyes and therefore lifting up themselves 〈…〉 against the Lord of Heaven and practising to destroy the People of the Most High till the Antient of dayes come and set them upon their feet at which time Judgement shall be given to the Saints of the most High and they must possess the Kingdom Who are you then if you live and abide in the Faith of Abraham that you should be afraid of a man that shall die and be made as grâ—â—â— Isa. 51. 12. All the Nations of the World are less than nothing before Him in whom is your help Isa. 40. 17. Stay your selves then upon God in the greatest outward confusions or alterations of Government or Governours that possibly can befall though the Earth be removed and the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea Be of good courage take to you the whole Armour of God fight the Battels of the Lord the good fight of Faith and he will make you more than Conquerors Let these dying words of your Father never be forgotten Be strong in the Faith of Abraham He that now speakâ— to you hath for many years proved and tryed what this amounts unto he sees great cause to recommend it to you upon that Experience he hath had of the support and relief it carries with it in all occurrences as also how bold stedfast and comfortable it renders the possessors thereof against all possible affronts contradictions and oppositions of sinners When you can no longer enjoy the bodily or visible Presence of your Father with you live more in the Faith of your Father that he that is my heavenly Father may discover himself more and more to be yours also as you shew your selves more to be his Children which will highly concern you that through the more plentiful commâ—â—â—â— of his grace and spirit amongst you and in you you may be more strengthened with his might and glorious power in your inward man unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness and be able to stand it out in this evil day This is the last opportunity I am like to have of this kind The Lord set my words home upon your hearts Be glad and rejoyce thus to be minded of your duty and charged by meâ— And what greateâ— cause of rejoycing can your Father have than that his Children walk in the Truth See then that you alwayes keep your Consciences void of offence towards God and towards men Hate and decline every unrighteous way and whatever is contrary to the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. Put one another in mind of these things that your Father thus minds you all of in this his last Charge and Instruction which he leaves with you Provoke one another unto love and good worke Exhort one another so much the more as you see the day approaching Shew forth your Faith in the workings of it by which you may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Those that believe in God will be careful to maintain good works Tit. 3. 8. Consider what manner of persons it concerns you to be in all holy Conversation and godliness seeing that all these thingsâ— that now are and which ye see are very shortly to be dissolved sooner it may be than you can yet believe even the Heavens and Earth that now are the whole outward face of things in Church and State the world throughout 2 Pet. 3.7.11,12 Live then as those that wait for their masters coming for the new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Live in the pure Spirit of this tried Faith of
Israel Chap. 41. 8 9. Thou Israel my servant Iacob whom I have chosen the seed of Abraham my friend unto whom I have said thou art my servant I have chosen thee and not cast thee away Here the holy seed or divine birth of God's Image that makes the true Israelite by faith is described to be of a nature and quality that is incorruptible securing him in whom it is whether Iacob the chosen servant or the seed of Abraham the chosen friend as well as chosen servant from ever being a castaway Hereby is intimated what it is to be the chosen faithful servant and no more and what it is over and above to be the chosen and intimate friend that is called and admitted to see God face to face a friend speaks with friend Thus of Aaron it is said Exod. 4. 15 16. That Moses should speak to him and put words in his mouth and saies God I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth and will teach you what ye shall do And Aaron shall be thy spokesman unto the People he shall be to thee instead of a mouth and thou shalt be to him in stead of God Consider how interpretable this is of the son of man glorified the great Prophet of all in the person of the blessed Mediator set down on the right hand oâ— the Majesty on high who still reteins the form of a servant or perfection of his natural man in its incorruptible form with which as with a mouth typified by Aaron he comes forth as a head to the holy Angels and Iacob his chosen servant in a suitable way of converse and fruition to their capacity speaking therein to the body of the People whilst at the same time he is in his spiritual manhood exalted to an equality with the eternal WORD as the man God's fellow admitted to a communication with God face to face as fâ—iend speaks with friend In this glory he is more properly the very mouth of God typified by Moses in a capacity andâ— fitness for converse with the Bride the Lambs Wife as head to the general Assembly of the first-born who are a sort of saints of greater dignity and preheminence by whom the manifold Wisdom of God or secret Name his WORD shall be made known to principallities and powers Ephes. 3. 10. The lowest sort of all these heaven-born Saints that have but the single portion of the spirit have not onely by the external influence of Christs heavenly Nature such a change as the legal or first Covenant Saint has from the polluted to the cleansed and reformed state of the natural man which make but a member of the mystical earthly Ierusalem that may become the spiritual Sodom but by the very seed of Christ's heavenly nature sown in them they have an inward real partaking of the divine nature or that new principle of Life which baptizes the natural state into a conformity with and subjection thereunto advancing it thereby for ever into a sublimated incorruptible form It is in his Light onely with whom is the fountain of all Life and perfection that we can see Light Psal. 36.9 In the spiritual new-creature discerning onely of a divine communicated understanding and superinduced form can we see that objective light or unveiled glory of God that renders the true heir everlastingly blessed But even amongst the children of the heavenly kingdom the children of the Resurrection there are some of a first and others of a second Resurrection into a more exalted state of Life and glory Yet all the Vessels of glory great and small will be filled from the Ocean of those unutterable riches of divine Glory that are in Christ which no natural eye can see There will be no want or envying one another there Concerning ORDINANCES HAving already spoken joyntly concerning this Sufferers Principles and Doctrine I come now to mention his way of worshiping God and what his Judgement and Practice was as to Ordinances After that way which men call Heresie did he worship the God of his believing Fathers Abraham and the rest Acts 24. 14. He was for worshipping God in spirit and in Truth such the Father seeks to worship him Joh. 4. 23. He lived walked worshipped prayed spake in the spirit and so as the oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. 11. ministring as of the ability that God gave him that God in all things might be glorified This language and way of Worshipping God that is so despicable to man is that onely which hath the praise of God He kept the true mystical Sabbath not thinking his own thoughts c. Esay 58. 13. He was baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire He did in such sort eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ that he was thereby brought into a conformity with Christ in his death and had eternâ—l Life abiding in him Iohn 6. 54. This is satisfactory to God in this point that that answers his well pleasing What further shall be said shall not be in order to please but instruct convince and stop the mouâ—hes of gainsaying men Tit. 1. 9. He that worships God in the power of the single or double portion of the spirit of Christ does undeniably worship him in spirit and truth The power of godliness comes in with this new creation Spirit All Worship Righteousness Ordinances or whatever performed but in the renâ—wed reformed enlightned gifted adorned state of our first-creation spirit amounts but to the form of godliness that faith that may be shipwrack'd that interest in Christ and that good conscience that may be lost 1 Tim. 1. 19. They that have not the divine nature in the sence above expressed 2 Pet. 1. 4. are blind and cannot see afar off vers 9. they discern not the land of distances the new Ierusalem They may have great illumination excellent gifts and in the confidence of these they say they see what get they by that Therefore their sin remaineth Iohn 9. 41. that is is unpardonable there remaineth no more benefit of Christ's sacrifice to them There remaineth onely at last upon final refusal and resistance of the new-creature life spirit and way of worship nothing but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery inignation which shall devour the adversaries Heb. 10. 27. and Chap. 6. 4 8. Their light their seeing takes away all cloak for their sin Iohn 15. 22 and 24. The warning which the true spiritual watchman gives them if neglected and despised by them does dangerously set forward this work through their miscarriage under it and becomes a savour of death to them Act. 13. 40. 41. but even so a sweet savour to God as prospering in the thing whereto he sends it and accomplishing his pleasure 2 Cor. 2. 16. Esay 55. 11. These keen concisionists that cannot afford a good word for the true circumcision that worship God in the spirit and have no confidence in the flesh or in the knowledge of Christ after the flesh they