did will provide that Man in his misery and in enmity to God might not forever lead a wretched and calamitous Life for which cause he drove him out of Paradise from the Tree of Life into his House of Penance as if it were the World and shewed him a way whereby he might agâ—in come out of Death into Paradise to the Tree of â—ternal Life but in the mean time he fenced the Tree of Life with a flying Cherub and glittering Sword lest Adam in his banishment would eat Life for it seemed better to God that Man should dye and so by Death put off this miserable Life and change it to be translated to a better for he knew that Life after this Death cold calamâ—y and banishment would be so much the more wellcome and he the more dear unto God after Victory therefore God who cannot hate the Sons of men ever deals mercifully with them howsoever he handleth them if they would take it in good part and not suspect him to be their Enemy for such indeed is the nature and suspicion of mans heart Now may it not thus be that for a greater Evidence or Testimony that the same thing did likewise happen in the Tree Paradise i. e. Adams heart as there is the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil which is the Seed Speech Council Knowledge Wisdom and Will of the Serpent so there is also the Tree of Life the Seed Speech and Counsel of God or of the Woman and as God and the Devil are even so are these two Seeds or two Trees so contrary the one to the other that one brings Life the other Death and therefore it is impossible that whoso eats of the one should at the same time eat of the other or come unto it as being seperated by a flying Chrub and aâ— glittering Sword Thus do I and also other faithful Writers interpret whinged Sin and obstinate Disobedience which is else-where called in Scripture a seperation or waâ— of partition for whoso eats of the Tree of Knowledge oâ— good and evil that is he that greedily swallows down and devoureth humane and diabolical Wisdom he is already seperated from the Tree of Life that is from the Wisdom Speech and Knowledge of God and neither of these Wisdoms Speeches Wills or Knowledges can endure the other neither can the one come from the other so great is the Gulf between them being as far divided asunder as Heaven and Hell He that eats of the Tree of Life that is of the Word of God he is born of God and cannot dye nor sin for his Fruit doth eat the Eater and translate him into his own Nature that is into Life as elsewhere the Scripture speaketh of eating Christs flâ—sh for indeed it is the same thing to eat Christ and to drink his Blood to live in his Word to believe to know God and the like as likewise it is all one to believe in Adam to live in Adam to dye to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil to obey the Seed and Word of the Serpent and to become Gods therefore he that eats of the deadly Tree and cleaves to the Word and Wisdom of the Serpent being born of Satan and afflicted he lives in flesh and blood and therefore cannot do well or please God as contrary wise the other cannot sin do evil or displease God Therefore he that will have the one must needs part with the other they must of necessity go out of the Wisdom of Adam and the Serpent and from the forbidden Tree that so the Wisdom of the Tree of Life may enter to abide in them Adam and the Wisdom of the flesh must dye in them that Christ may live in them and the Spirit may have the government the Life of the one is the Death of the other and the weakness of one is the strength of the other for no man can serve two Masters and in vain shall men strive to reconcile God and Adam or Christ and the Serpent Light and Darkness the Old Man and the New God and Beliel or the Temple of God and the Temple of Idols CHAP. III. Concerning the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil planted in the heart of Adam that is the Seed Speech and Spirit of the Serpent and that great Idol Anti christ Sin Death and the Devil and the Beast spoken of in Daniel and the Revelations which is the greatest and most ordinary worshipping of Angels WHat is it that men think is the Beast of which Daniel writeth that resisteth and blasphemeth the the most High and killeth the Saints is it not that old Serpent that overthrew Adam and Eve And what is the Tree of knowledge of good and evil what is the shameless King and Anti-Christ of which Daniel writ and Paul to the Thessalonians And what is that many headed Beast which the whole World adoreth which is spoken of in the Revelations And what is Sin what is Death what is the Devil himself but every mans own Will Wisdom Reason Religion Righteousness Skill Delight for which cause Paul calleth it Death itself Enmity against God and Folly before him and the Apostle James calls it Earthly humane Devilish Wisdom because these three are one and the same and that is devilish which is meerly humane and contrary wise Man the Devil Adam and the Serpent are the same and do agree for the Serpent did so instill this Wisdom and feinged goodness into the nature of Adam that the Serpents seed and word was in Adam made a corporal man so that now the same thing may be said of them both and as they are that are born of God and in whom the Word of God is made man or flesh are called Gods and one Spirit with God so all men being sprung of flesh and blood before they be planted into Christ and are born of the Spirit they are justly called Devils and the Devils Children and Off-spring of the Devil whose work they do therefore that which is only humane is evil and that which is devilish is humane And again what is the fall of Adam but the wisdom of the Flesh and the fruit of the forbidden Tree What is that old Dragon that came out of Hell and drew down from Heaven with his Tail a great part of the Stars of Heaven but only the Wisdom of this Tree which extolls it self against God and places his seat with the higest And what else are the Thoughts of the Flesh What is sin what is Arrogance but the Fruits and Wisdom of this Tree And what are the Decrees of Men and the bent of their Reason against God their devices and light Books but the cunning of the Devil from this Tree eaten What is all the Worship of Idols the false Religion of all the wicked Jews Turks Gentiles Mamalucks and all false Christians And what are all the Leagues Conventicles Ceremonies and Covenants but the Apples of this Tree eaten which counterfeiting the Tree
same between man and man or between man or men further then the cause doth concern a body of People which in the cause are included as one Man for as the Body hath many Members them many Members make but one Body even so is it with a Body of People whether in Church or state the many Members of that Church or state make but one compleat Body of People which is very proper to say thee or thou to that Body of People but not proper to say thee or thou to a part of them as they are divided for though it was proper according to Truth to say thee and thou to Jerusalem yet we never find that the Spirit of God did direct any to say you or ye to a single Jew nor thee and thou to more then one except as aforesaid to a Body of People whom the Spirit of God did as many Members includes one Body But then why not you to a single Person which includes all the Members of that Body because when the spirit of God did you or ye to a Body of People it was that all might understand the Lords Cause which was either for or against them Now though the body of a single Person hath many Members yet the Understanding of that body is but one which Understanding comprehends the matter or cause which the other doth relate for when the Spirit of God speaks by the Messengers of his Truth to a Body of People they do not speak to all the Members of the Body of each Man and Woman but to the Body which includes each man and woman a Member of that Body so that it is very improper and inconsistent with Truth for People to plead that when they say you or ye to a single Person they speak as including all the Members of that single Persons Body for which they have no warrant from the Spirit of God nor Example from any that we read of in the holy Scriptures of Truth Mat. 23.37 Luk. 13.34 Isa 43 5. but to keep to the proper true Nature of Speech which God did set forth in the beginning and the same by his People hath been in practice throughout all Ages the hight of Pride is such in many People of this Age that they abhor to receive thee and thou to themselves in which words they themselves render their Prayers to the Lord which doth manifest their Disobedience to Gods holy â—ruth which leads to prâ—â—tise every good Work which doth not appear in them which will not in love receive thee and thou to themselves without esteeming of it as ill breeding then what breeding are such of who render their Prayers to God â—n or by the same words of thee and thou which they â—ccount Ill Breeding in the People of God whose Communication is Yea Yea and Nay Nay and Thee and Thou â—o a single Person and You and Yee to more then one but â—vil Communication corrupts good Manners and it is â—il for People to live in that which is inconfident with â—â—e Truth of God who brings forth his Children with the same Breeding which in dayes past his People did manifest by their upright living in all manner of good Life and holy Conversation which in this day among them account the Scriptures the Rule of Life how contrary are they to the Scriptures in the words and actions of of their Life for among many if not the greatest part of them called Christians in this day who will not in love receive thee and thou from their Parents neither will Parents in love receive thee and thou from their Children nor the Rich from the Poor for according to mens outward Wealth or their place in Authority and outward Power do Peopler spect them in their words and actions as with Hat Hand and Knee you Sir and your Servant Sir and of the like too tedious to mention which are so many and ridiculous that by such Fruits with many of the like nature they may with the â—pirit of God bâ— Judged that they are far from a Lâ—â—â—e or the holy Scriptures and the Spirit of God which is their Condemation 〈◊〉 there is matter sufficient conâ—ained in the Scriptures for Peâ—ple to learn the proper Nature of speech and to call thâ— Days Months as there recorded â—or every mans learn 〈◊〉 and not to practice you and ye to a single Person and thâ— or thou to more then one neither to call the Dayes 〈◊〉 Months by that Name which the Heathens and the 〈◊〉 Saxon Pagns have put upon them according as will 〈◊〉 low in their Idolatry when they worship the Sun frâ— which they called the first day of the week Sunday aâ— the second day of the week they worshipped the Mâ— from whence came Monday and the third day of 〈◊〉 week they worshipped the Planet called Tuisko 〈◊〉 which came Tuesday and so following from their I Woden came Wednesday and from their Idol Thor 〈◊〉 Thursday and from their Idol Friga came Friday 〈◊〉 from their Idol Seater came Saturday And the Heathens called Mars the godd of Battel and from thence they called the first Month March and Venus they called the godd of Love and Beauty and from thence they called the second Month Aâ—ril and Maja a Hâ—athen Goddes called Flora and Flowris were called the Goddes of Flowers and unto Maja the Heathen Idolators used to sacrifice from thence was the Third Month called Mâ—y and upon the first day of the same Month they used to keep Floralia i. e. Feasts to the two Goddesses of Flowers viz. Flora and Flowris and Flora was a Strumpet in Rome â—â—at used on the first day of the month to set up a May-Pole before her Door to intice her Lovers from whence came May Poles to be first observed and from the Heathen Goddes Juno is the fourth Month called June and in honour to Jalius Caeser a Roman Emperor is the 〈◊〉 Month called July and the sixth Month took its Name August in honour of Agustus Caesar the Emperor and September October November and December are called from the Latines and Janus a King in Italy was for his Wisdom pictured with two faces whom they honoured as a Godd from this name Janus was the eleventh Month called January and Saturnus Plato Februs were called the Godds of Hell whom the Heathens said had the rule of the evil Spirits there and from Pluto Februs was the Twelfth Month called February Now as to them who have been and yet are accounted Gospel Ministers of Christ how have they neglected the work of God to let People stray from the outward Letter of the holy Scriptures to follow the pâ—actice of Pagans and Heathens as before related whose Fruits are not agreeable with the Truth of God as by holy Record appears and for a Tree to be good that bringeth forth evil Fruit all its days is a thing impossible for men do not use to gather Grapes of Thorns nor Figgs of Thistles and for Tâ—â—chers with
Righteousness of the Law of men they pass among men for Christians not at all considering that no man can be a true Christian but as he is born of the Spirit and through the Spirit to mortifie the deeds of the flesh such are not only Christians in name but in nature also they witness the work of God by Jesus Christ whose Leaven is the seed of the Kingdom the Tree of Life unto which every true Christian cleaveth to know himself purged cleansed and purified regenerated new born and planted into Christ being of one spirit with him to know do omit go forth and work for God when and at what time soever his spirit moveth here the Anointing teacheth them in all things and the Evidence of the spirit gives an infallible assurance of their having the mind of God in Christ and to thêm that have not made some good beginnings in this work however their outside Cup may seem clean as to men yet their minds are in the world and the world in all its wayes is at enmity with God who will shut out every covetous man woman from having any lot or inheritance in the Tree of Life except they turn to God by true Repentance which will manifest it self by holy fruit of the Spirit which bringeth forth no unclean thing in thought word nor work but is altogether obedient and submitting to its own nature to work Righteousness do justly love mercy and in lovvliness of mind and meekness of heart keeps the even path and enters the strair Gate which will not open to any that do not in all things follow the teachings of Gods Word and leadings of his Spirit which begetteâ—h true faith of which is good works viz. to fear God to work Righteousness to do justly love mercy walk humbly and doing no other thing to any whatever than as themselves would be done unto this is the Law and Prophets and what God requires of all men to do otherwise they are not accepted of God by Jesus Christ to enter into his rest So that if any man say he hath faith and trusteth in God to believe in his promise and doth not manifest his faith by holy works which according to the Light of the Gospel so shine that others may gloryfie God by the same that man whomsoever he be is a Lyar and the saving knowledge of Gods holy Truth abideth not in him for faith without works is dead and such a faith and hope will fade away and perish And again in whom Faith is not Grace worketh no effect which is altogether through mans own neglect of Obedience to the spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth for the Truth is no other than the Tree of Life which is Christ in whom no mans faith can abide without works of Holiness for where men have a Faith without works of Righteousness their building is founded upon a rotten foundation against which the Gates of Hell do ever prevail that is of their own Lusts they are led and kept in bondage not having any right to the promise which only belongeth to the free born who are redeemed by the power of an endless Life and made heirs of the promised Land and heavenly Jerusalem which is from above and is the Mother of all them that abide in faithfulness to the end Now here every unrighteous and covetous minded man is shut out from entring the Kingdom of Heaven nay though he may be outwardly righteous as was one in Christs day when he said It was easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom Heaven which is for this cause of a coveting desire to which their love is joyned that their love abounds more to delight therein than to part with all to take up the Cross in true love to follow Christ who hath said He that loveth any thing more than me is not worthy of me Now for what end do people think were these things written do they think that God is such another as themselves or that he will be mocked No verily God will not be mocked such as every man soweth of the same he shall reap whether to the flesh or to the spirit the one being life the other death for to be carnally minded is Death but to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace which things ought by all men to be duely considered before Time be no more for as Death leaves so Judgment finds and in the Grave they cannot repent but these things are not regarded nor minded among many therefore is it written The fool hath said in his heart there is no God which though in words he acknowledge God yet the bent of his covetous mind draws the heart from retaining God in its thoughts that such men live without God in the World for by their deeds they manifest the same therefore is it that there is no true saving knowledge of God to them and in this state are all covetous men among whom many are they that have taken upon them the Name of God and Christ whose words they have stollen who through covetousness make it their Trade to gain Money by this is also contrary to the Word of God and not at all according to the example of his holy Ones who coveted no mans Silver nor Gold but freely received the gift of God and as good Stewards of his manifold Grace they freely broke their Bread from House to House with singleness and gladness of heart rejoycing in the Work of the Lord whose Word they divided to every one his portion without Money or Price labouring with their hands for their maintenance that they might not make the Gospel chargeable to any and wo was to him that did not preach the Gospel without reward from men because the promise of him that taketh care for birds of the air and beasts of the field is large in that he taketh the greater for his Servants and Messengers of his Truth who have said That Godliness with content is great gain but alas who is it among men that regard or mind these things is not the love of Money which is the root of all evil that which is most beloved among men And again Covetousness is of Lust such a Devil that contrives and joyns so close and fast to the mind of men that some have lost their lives by sorrow for worldly goods for a covetous mâ—n can meet with no greater sorrow than to part with that in which his love doth most abide for above all other things that which a man doth most love to delight his mind in that is to him his Godd therefore is it that bear outside Christians are so entangled with the things of this Life for where the Treasure is there is the heart also and yet extream righteous as towards the Law of men which often is extream wrong in the sight of God because a covetous man takes the opportunity to enrich himself by
that great â—ork of Redemption by the Son of God and Lord of Sabbath is worthily regarded and attended for the Worship of God in the Spirit and in the Truth having the holy Apostles for Example to follow them as they were Followers of Christ and to mark them which walk otherwayes then sure we are to mark them whose Dress appears more like for Stage-Play than for the true Worship of God on the first Day of the Week for where the heart is there is the Treasures also and out of the heart proceedeth all evil Communications which abundantly appears among People who rather exceed upon the Day of their Worship than at other times when their Minds are exercised in things of Bodily Labour which by their Fruits they are to be judged that they live void of the true fear of God or regard to their Immortal Souls and so are as a People without God in the World who have no true saving Knowledge of God by Jâ—sus Christ they will talk of God and Christ and of the Sabbath without any spiritual sence of his saving Grace by Jesus Christ the Lord of Sabbath who is the everlasting â—abbath of his Peoples Rest where the Righteous cease from their own Works as God did from his Heb. 4.9 10. CHAP. XII Concerning Election and Reprobation agreeing with the Holy Scriptures THis is that which many hold That God from all Eternity hath unchangeably ordained whatsoever comes to pass and That God hath decreed one part of the Angels with Men Women and their Infants for everlasting Damnation Which Doctrine is mostly held by the Presbyterians as by their Confession of Faith cap. 3. which Doctrine I have often considered in the spirit of Meekness and according to my measure of Gods holy Truth by Jesus Christ do I declare as followeth That to know God by Jesus Christ is Life eternal and for that end was the Son of God made manifest that all might come unto God through Faith in Jesus Christ and through Grace by him be saved for God made Man in his own Image and gave him a being in the Garden of Paradise from which state he soon fell which Fall was through Disobedience by eating of the forbidden â—ruit which hath brought Darkness over the Children of Men which are in a state of Bondage to that Seed of the Enemies sowing in their first Parents which more or less comes by Nature in the Children of Men in whom that Seed lusteth which is a doing of that in Obedience to the Temptations of the Souls Enemy which God hath strictly commanded should not be done And for that end that the Children after Adam should know the Will and Mind of their Maker God in all Ages gave unto the Sons and Daughters of Men a gift of his own Spirit of divine Light by which they might see the right way of the Lord and walk therein which is according to his holy Promise as in Gen. 3.15 And I will put Enmity between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Hâ—el in which two Seeds iâ— chiefly contained Election and Reprobation former Seed should bruise the Head of the Serpent and break his Power that is through perfect bedience to Christ the Seed of the Woman and to his Grace which is that gift of divine â—ight that makes manifest all the hidden things of Darkness so that let the Devil appear in what likeness soâ—ver he will yet as Men and Women stand faithful to the manifestation of Gods gift the Enemy's Power comes to beâ—broken So that the Promise of God in the Seed remains only to the faithful for the Promise of God was not to Seeds as of many but as of One and to thy Seed which is Christ Gal. 3.16 for the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was four hundred and thirty Years after cannot disannul that it should make the Promise of none effect for the Law was added because of Transgression till the Seed should come to whom the Promise was made but the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the Promîse by Faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Gal 3.17 18 19 20. Now all not believing in Christ the true Seed doth not include that God ordained them to perish because the Promise of God in the Seed is tendered in Gods own time and way to all the Children of Men otherwise all that perish would not be left without excuse concerning which the Spirit of God hath left it plain to be understood that the Seed of the Kingdom hath been sown in all sorts of Ground and the Reason is rendered by the Spirit of God why it did not bring forth fruit in all sorts of Ground which is because Obedience hath not been yeilded to the Command of God for if God had absolutely decreed mens Damnation his Decree being unrevokable there would be no need for men to strive for Salvation for who could resist such an absolute Decree But blessed be the Name of God and Father of Jesus Christ whose faithful People well know that he is a just God which hath not ordained the Souls of any to perish before they were born but for their Sins and final Impenitence through Disobedience to the â—ift of his Grace which is of the Seed of the Kingdom and hath been sown throughout all Ages in all sorts of ground of what Nature soever and hath been the same in this day among all the Children of Men and if any perish it is of themselves for Light is come into the World and mans Condemnation is of himself because he loves Darkness rather than Light Joh. 3.1 the Reason is because he hates the Light which repreves his evil Deeds in which stare the Seed is appressed and kept as in Bondage by which it can take no roâ—t in the hard rebellious heart and barren sandy ground where Rocks Thornes and Thistles grow and Serpents have their abiding place which destroy and cause the Life of the Seed to depart which iâ— the state of disobedient and rebellious men whose Damnation neither slumbereth nor sleepeth but is of themselves by which they cannot charge the just and holy One of ordaining them to perish By which it is manifest that mans Dimnation is of himself and thaâ— is by yeilding his mind to serve in Unrighteousness when occasions sin that destroys the soul â—y which at appears that they unjustly charge â—od of decreeing men â—o perish which for the begetting of a further belief of unfound Doctrine they have wrested the Apostles words Rom. 9.11 12 13 where is is said The Children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth it was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Also in another place where
be rich is pierced through with many sorrows for it is written They that will be rich fall into many Temptations and a Snare and many foolish and hurtful Lusts which draw men into perdition for lust to Covetousness is such a subtil Enemy and the Devils snare is so cunningly contrived and so full of fair pretences that let a man be once in love with Money he knows not which way to wind himself out for it doth so bewilder fetter and entangle his mind even to the destruction of his soul and loss of body also yet how vehemently with care and diligence will men vindicate Covetousness because that care and diligence there may be and ought to be but the truth is every covetous man makes care and diligence a cloak for Covetousness whereby he is sheltered against all reproof in which state mans life among his Neighbours is not much desireable neither by the Poor lamented at his Death but rather rejoyce at the dividing of his Idol to whom God hath not given the priviledge of a beggar who hath a Child to inherit his old Apparel And again an Inheritence hastily gotten by covetous men soon wasteth among their Children for all that is gained not agreeable to truth and righteousness it is under the curse for the promise of blessing is only to that which is gained according to Gods Word which is That men should first seek the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof unto which is the promise of adding all other things needful for God that taketh care to provide for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field takâ—th the greater care for them that fear him and work righteousness So that in whomsoever God is not retained in their thoughts words and works cannot be agreeable with his Truth therefore are they of the World the ways of which are Covetousness through which they oppress one another evèn like to the sweeping rain CHAP. VI. Concerning that Life the Nature of it which God requireth of all Men. GOd in the counsel of his own Wisdom and Time hath set before all men the way of Life and the way of Death which Death is the Tree of Knewledge of good and evil that is man 's own will wisdom knowledge reason righteousness and the like of which he ought not to eat because in it is death for it opens their eyes against themselves and that in evrey thing in which to them abideth death Now the Tree of Life is Christ which calleth to all men to feed upon him to eat his Flesh to drink his Blood to do his Will to follow his gift of divine Light to hear and obey his Word to improve his Talant and measure of his Spirit of Truth which leads into all truth which is Bread and Wine indeed without Money without Price the Bread of the Kingdom the Water of Life of which if a man eat and drink he can neither hunger nor thirst for it giveth life to all that hunger and thirst after Righteousness These things are not hid from man unto whom the spirit saith Come take of the Water of Life freely come take the yoâ—e it is easie and the burden is light come take up the Cross and follow him that in all things hath done the Fathers will for the Redemption and Salvation of all them that hear him and obey him to do his will which is meat and drink indeed Here the heavy are made light and the mourner is comforted yea he of a sad Countenance hath his heart made better here the flying Cherub and the glittering Sword turns every way to destroy lay waste and dispossess the strong man of all his goods the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil mans own wisdom will knowledge reason righteousness and the like that all lust may dye and Devils be cast out and that through the work of the spirit which hath the Government to mortifie all the deeds of the flesh that man may be brought to nothing to will nothing do know nothing omit nothing but as God willeth in him doth in him knoweth in him and omiteth in him this man doth rest from his Labour and keepeth the Sabbath holy he cleaves to the Tree of Life he is regenerated new born and brought forth of the immortal Seed he is cleansed and purified through the Baptism of the Spirit he is planted into Christ and is in whole obedience to the rule and goverment of his Spirit both in though word and work his meat and drink is to do the will of God on Earth as it is done in Heaven he willeth nothing but what God willeth in him he doth nothing but what God doth do inhim he omitteth nothing but what God omitteth in him he knoweth nothing but what God knoweth in him his only food is of the Tree of Life which is Bread and Wine of Life indeed which he that knoweth nothing of this work wrought in him self he yet is in a miserable and undone estate reposing upon his own knowledge wisdom and reason in which abideth death it self therefore saith the Spirit arise take up the cross to that which is of self and Christ will give thee Life his yoke is ease his burden is light that is to them whom he is of God made Wisdom Righteousness Senctification and Redemption they also renew their strength in the Tree of Life which is the beginning of grace by the work of the Spipit which mortifies the deeds of the flesh that the house may be cleansed of Gods Enemies which destroy means peace with his maker and defile the Temple of God whose Enemies is mans lust and every Devil which hath sprung from the seed of the Serpent sown in man which lusteth to be wise and knowing having its eyes alwayes open against it self which must be destroyed by the Spirit of Truth the strength of the Tree of Life that the man of God may grow from one degree of Grace to another till they become perfect men and women in Christ Jesus in whom there is no condemnation to them to whom Christ of God is made wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemtion they are born of the Spirit and baptized of the Spirit and made free by the Law of the Spirit of Life from the Law of Sin and Death in which work of the Spirit of Life there is nothing of mans own Wisdom Knowledge Will or Reason for the work is wholly wrought of God through faith and obedience to hear believe and obey Gods gift of Grace his Spirit of Truth by Jesus Christ who for his works lake imputeth it to them for Righteousness for faithful Abraham beleived God to trust in his promise but his faith was not without Works of Obedience nor according to his own knowledge wisdom will and reason but in Gods time according to his own knowledge and wisdom through which the work done by Abraham was done in Faith and Obedience to God whose will was done on Earth as it
was done in Heaven therfore is it writen that as the body is dead without the spirit so is also Faith dead without Works that by whomsoever works are not manifested agreeable to Gods holy Truth and example of his holy People in days past they are only Christians in namê and not in nature of that life which God requireth of all men to live and abide in therefore it is that people profit not by what they hear or read because they are spiritually dead having blinded Eyes and deaf Ears with which they can neither see hear nor receive to understand the Spirit of Truth of which a manifestation is given to every man to profit withal and is the gift of his Spirit the Word of Faith to them that will hear to obey the Light of the Spirit of Truth which is the condemnation of the Disobedient who are here and there in this and the other Form of Religion serving God with mouth and lip in their own wisdom wills and with their own words being only called by the Name of Christ without the Nature of his Life which being destitute of no man can be a true Christian yet how contentedly do men live and abide in this and the other form but do not witness the strength of the power of God to redeem from sin and transgression and to make alive to God who is only a God them that through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh and through the Spirit are brought in again by the flying Cherub and glittering Sword of Gods power in and by Christ the Tree of everlasting Life on which as any eats he cannot dye to God but hath an infallible assurance of life in the Son of God without which assurance no man can truly say that he pleaseth God in thought word and deed for it is the anointing which is by the Tree of Life that teacheth all things which leadeth into all Truth the evidence of which Spirit doth assure the Son in whom there is life and the nature of his life dwelleth and abideth in them that by true faith in him and obedience to the word of his Spirit they are made alive unto God and of this nature is Christ in his people and in whom he is not they are Reprobates and in whom he abideth not they are cursed Children abiding under the curse in their own wisdom knowledge will reason righteousness and the like which causeth them to lust more and more after the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil for which cause they rebel against the Spirit of God in themselves and deny his appearance in his People for which cause of Rebellion which is as the sin of Witch-craft the Truth of God abideth not in them therefore are they without God in the world living to their own God of which in the world there are many that delight and sweetly recreate their minds in by living a life of obedience to their own ways of righteousness which only proceeds from lust that gives way for men to live according as their own will and reason directeth them in all they do for God and to one another all which is vnder the Curse as it is written Cursed is he that putteth his Trust in man and maketh flesh his Arm. So all men that live in flesh and blood and are obedient to their own wisdom will and reason they are servants to their own lust being in bondage as slaves servants to that and those things which they do as it is written Men are Servants to him to whom they obey and Children of him whose work they do therefore he that will be free from the curse of condemnation must take up the cross and deny himself of all things which are not of God and his Spirit of Truth otherwise he cannot come to the Tree of Life but will fall short of that Crown of Righteousness which is in store for all them that abide faithful to God as by his divine Light he doth lead and teach by the spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth by which men are made fit to enter in at the strait gate of Christâ— Kingdom CHAP. VII Concerning Judgment begun at the House of God and in his House to judge down every appearance of evil THe House of God in general where Judgment first beginneth is his people but Judgment cometh to every Transgressor of his holy Truth and that to judge down every appearance of evil therefore said one in his day Who shall deliver me from this Body of sin death Now the Body of this man was the House of God and Temple of the holy Ghost in which God by his Judgment was at work to judge down cast out and destroy every lust that would evalt it self above the Witness of God that the House of God might be throughly cleansed and only become a house of â—oly Habitation for the Spirit of Truth to abide in for as 〈◊〉 is written The high holy one who inhabits EternÃty dwelleth not in Temples made with hands but taketh up his abode with men of clean hearts contrite spirits that fear him and work righteousness do justly love mercy and walk humbly such bear the image of God and nature of Christ with whom and in whom both Father and Son do take up their abode therefore where men give not up to come under the cross and follow the light and word of Gods Spirit in obedience to his call they resist the holy one crucifie him afresh to themselves such defile the house and temple of God and them will God destroy indeed how many such people with a fair Israel 〈…〉 of Religion are crept into a profession of Gods Truth 〈◊〉 â—hrough deceit have under the like profession entered 〈◊〉 selves as Christians among the People of God but he that caused the Net to be cast into the Sea which brought forth good and bad to the shore the same doth permit the net of profession to gather all sorts of People into the outward name Christian therefore doth Judgment also begin at the House of God which are his people to make a seperation between the precious and the vile not only to purge and cleanse from lusts but also to cut off the stubborn and stiff-necked ones which will not submit to the cross whose Judgment will also reach to the old Age of them that live in disobedience to the Spirit of Truth for Judgment from God hath spread it self to the ends of the Earth and hath begun its work at the house of God If the righteous scarcely are saved where shall the ungodly and sinners appear Judgment is not come to bring peace to any unrighteous person but is gone forth to do the work of God among the People and will both inwardly and outwardly lay waste and destroy all that is not of himself for that which only is of himself shall stand and that which is not of himself shall come to nought and therefore Judgment from God is gone forth to the ends of Earth that all that will be gathered may be preserved and that which will not hear the Spirit of Truth to be obedient thereto the same shall be scattered abroad till Judgment gather it as Fuel for the fire of Gods Wrath which forever burneth against the unrighteousness of wicked and ungodly men and for this very end is judgment at work for God that he may gather a People pure in heart and of uprightness in mind which in all things shall be of one spirit and mind towards him in thought word work therefore let none in this day which make a profession of Gods holy Truth deceive themselves for God will not be mocked such as every man soweth of the same he shall 〈◊〉 reap whether to the flesh or to the Spirit for all that is of the Spirit the spirit giveth evidence in every faithful man and woman that it is of God though the Spirit abideth not in every unrighteous man yet the appearance of it is often to their condemnation and so doth continue 〈◊〉 it hath left striving and the day of Gods Grace be over having sinned out the day of Gods Visitation Let all therefore consider in what state they abide as to God whose promise to the Righteous is That it shall go well with them but it shall go ill with the Wicked Therefore let not these Truths which have been received by the Spirit of Truth find itching Ears among any but as every man turn in his mind to the Spirit of Truth he will witness the truth of these Things â—th 1st Mon. 1694. THO. MAVLE THE END