Christ his true forme according to the holy Scriptures there appears an utter impossibility of finding such kind of grace in him as the men of the world or your most refined Priests in the eyes of the world form unto themselves and such as heare them For take away the body of the Sun from any part of the world or from any horison and the beams and raies of it cease to be in that place and are not found at all to give either heat or light but the place is in death and grosse darknesse Moreover if Christ should bt have a sparke as they call it beame or ray or certain influence of the spirit or divine nature that being shed forth or infused into the humane and not the reallity and essentiality thereof then he were not God as well as man and then no Saviour for salvation is of the Lord z Isdi 12. 2. and there is no other name given whereby men shall be saved but our Lord Iesus Christ a Acts 4 12. But to forme a grace in a Christian otherwise or besides that which is in Christ is to set up another name or authority to be saved by then him alone and that is the Antichrist which hath ever been found conversant amongst those Jewish Pharasaicall builders who alwaies set at naught and refuse the truth and verity of the chiefe corner stone b Psal 118. 22. Acts 4. 11. which notwithstanding the malice of you builders as our Apostle speakes will be the head stone in the building of that house not made after the device and handicraft of man but whose builder is the Lord that will maintain and uphold it for ever c 2 Cor. 5. 1. Heb. 11. 2. Psal 134. 13 14. though you have alwaies laboured to pull down and to demolish Gods building because it hath another foundation then you can approve of by haleing through your doctrine and hipocriticall and selfe-seeking clamours the Saints of God before your Elders Synods and judgement seats for the confession of that rich grace of God and working that great worke of God in curing the lame and impotent at the beautifull Gate of the Temple d Acts 3. 6. by speaking a word in such away as your selves can never find out nor purchase the glory of such a cure unto your selves for Christ you cannot indure to have the credit of it e Phil. 2. 21 and that is the reason why Tobya and Snaballat play their partes and bring out the same spirit unto this day f Nehem. 4. 1 2 3. wee conclude then of this point in opposition to the doctrine of all false and pernicious builders That there is nothing in Christ Jesus that is created which is simply divine nor is there any thing in him that is increate which is simply humane the unity and conjunction therefore of these twain in one is that workmanship of God created in Christ Iesus unto good workes g Eph. 2. 10. or as the word will beare in a good work that is in that good work of God that remaines and abides firme and stable for ever being that one eternall and good grace of God and also that one eternall and good worke of God which twain can stand agree together for ever without confounding but gloriously harmonizing the one with the other so as faith or grace shall ever be made manifest in this good worke and this good worke shall ever appeare in that faith of Gods Elect in whom so ever it is the deniall whereof doth sufficiently declare a man to be vain empty of any thing that is of God for faith without works is dead h Iam. 2. 20. and this one worke in which consists all saith or this one grace in which consists all good workes and opperations of God Hath as many distinct favoures or grace in it as also workes and opperations as there are varieties of workes and distinct favours beauties and splendant glories in that infinite and unsearchable word or mind of God manifested in Christ If this be the created gift or these the created graces which the world intends then let them discribe and delineate the Lord Jesus in whatsoever they speak of or in what respect they hold him forth unto the souls of men that is in what term of relation soever they propound him unto the world let them do it so that the grace proposed may appear to be such as is ever accompanied with this great work creation and making that is with the true spirituall and misticall forming of the Sonne of God i Gal. 4. 19. who is made of a woman made under the Law and so under the curse k Gal. 4. 4. Gal. 3. 13. that so he might exalt our nature in the blessing and glory of a Sonne and man of God l Acts 5. 30. 31. and this is that created gift or those created graces and only worke of God in Jesus Christ which the world denies by teaching gifts and graces of another nature or kind Yea furthermore those that hold and teach a created gift that is of and from the spirit and yet not the spirit neither dare they affirme that it is humane lest the bed prove too short and the covering too narrow m Isai 28. 20. to rest upon and to wrap themselves in therefore they are driven to affirme it is a sparke of divinity a beame or ray of the nature divine but not the divinity it selfe which they say is in the Saints But yet wil affirme by their traditions that the reality of it is in Christ for otherwise in the truth of the thing they know not how it is in him but education in another way would have brought them to have spoken other things especially if preferment had been intailed or annexed thereunto these are so faithfull in their doctrine that they must inevitably hold also and that by that undeniable law rule of contraries according to the way of the first Adam and the second n Rom. 5. 18 19. 1 Cor. 15. 22. that all men save only the first man that fell have but some beame ray or certain spark of corruption in them and that onely Adam the first man he had the whole body of sinne death and corruption in him so that all other men much lesse any particular of them are not so ingaged unto God for the revelation and manifestation of such an infinite and unspeakable portion of his grace and vertue of that blood of sprinkling as the first man was and by this meanes they deny the plain testimony of the word of God which affirmes that by nature we all a like o Eph. 2. 1 2 3. So that if the first man had sinne both in the root and branch so have wee and if the second Adam had both the root and branch of righteousnesse in him so have wee p Rev. 22. 16. 1 Joh. 4. 17. for what wee are unto God
5. 10. 11. and put our seale unto it that he is come and to communicate in the work of God or eat of the Tree in the midst of the Garden as it is the Tree of the knowledge of good and evill or acknowledgment of pleasing and displeasing as the word signifies is to communicate in it according to the will of the flesh or the wisdome and reasonings of a Creature seene in the minde of the woman and spirit of the Serpent which is to turre the glory of God into shime q Psal 4. 2. Psal 106. 20. the truth of God into a lye r Rom. 1. 25. Concluding that wee are not so yet as God hath said we are in regard of our life in him But if we eate in a pleasing or good way we shall be such as he hath said and also that we are not so bad in respect of death or in being base and vile in our selves as hee hath said But if we eate exercise or communicate in displeasing or bad wayes we shall be s Gen. 3. 3. the one of these hath beere the way of unbeliefe a lye and falling away from God in Christ from the beginning even untill now and the other is the way of faith truth and life uniting us unto God in that way of Jesus Christ even untill now The world hath still something to eate to please or displease God before it enjoy or be possessed either with life or death according to the word and speech of God that is it hath still some Fast to keepe some Sabbath to sanctifie some Sermon to preach or here some Battell to fight some Church to constitute some Officers to raise up or Orders to reforme and re-edifie before it can take God upon his word that we are compleate in Christ t Col. 2. 10. Ephes 5. 27. And if it will eate of none of these yet it must comunicate with time that is yet some more time and reformation will be made yet some more time and the state will alter yet some more time and Jewes and Gentiles will be called yet some more time and Antichrist will be overthrown yet some more time and then Christ will come to raigne upon the Earth for a thousand yeares yet some time must be eaten up either in way of pleasing or displeasing of God and then naturall death will either put us into life or death eternall this hath been the way of the fall and drawing backe of the soule from God unto pardition u Heb. 10. 39. from the beginning to this day in all those in whom God takes no pleasure w Heb. 10. 38. even as the other is the way of Faith comming unto God and being made one with him in all those in whom his soule delighteth x 4 Esa 2. 1. as in his Elect or choice Ones the one hath life and death in it In such sort as they are both considered in the Son of God And therefore the glory of them both is given to him alone z Rom. 8. 33. 34. and in that death is swallowed up in victory a 1 Cor. 15. 54. so as nothing but life and peace appeares b 1 Cor. 15. 57. 1 Iohn 5. 4 5. the other hath life and death in it as considered in the sonne of perdition who will needes have them in himself and therefore must needs expect them in a humane or conjectured way where there is no life nor spirit of God at all but only a living unto the flesh which is nothing else at all but only death c Rom. 8. 13 and as these two trees declare unto us one estate that man is made in and yet issues out into such differing and distant operations So this state of God and Man being made one declares also our first Parents what they are in respect of spirituall and mysticall operations in the world even as the Man and the Woman who were one at the first d Gen. 2. 20 21 22. are the originall and fountaine of all naturall Birthes and Posterities in the world For out of this condition of Man being made in the Image of God judged of embraced and acknowledged according to the spirit and wisdome of God proceeds the Generation and Off-spring of the Sonne of God e Gen. 3. 15. Acts 17. 28. Esa 53. 10. who is God over all blessed for ever Amen * Rom. 9. 5 or so be it as the word imports or so it shall be having the vertue of this oath of interposission in it that ever concludes vpon tearmes of certainty and present being For according to the judgment or wisdome of God it cannot be otherwise in him So also out of the same composition or condition judged of looked upon and acknowledged according to the wisedome reasoning and conjectures of a Creature which is found also in this composition * Gen. 2. 7. as truly as is the Image and wisdome of God Out of this doth also arise that Man of sinne and Sonne of perdition that Antichrist whom God destroyes with the breath of his mouth and abolisheth with the brightnesse of his comming * 2 Thes 2. 3. 8. and as surely as that wicked Caine and righteous Abel came of the Man and the Woman who were at the first made good yea vehemently good f Gen. 1. 31. So also doe these contrary though both mysticall and spirituall Generations spring out of that composition and wonderful workmanship of God And if we understand not our first Parents according to the bringing forth of these severall and contrary Seedes of Posterities namely the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent * Gen. 3. 15 3. Iude 10 as well as we understand them namely the Man and the Woman to be the first originall of our naturall being wee understand and them to 〈◊〉 fruit nor profit at all but rather like bruit beasts made to be taken and destroyed for ever g 2. Pet. 2. 12. For there is a being under the Oath of the Curse of that Man of sinne h 2 Thes 2. 3. Psal 119. 21. Dewt. 27. 15. as well as a being in or under the Oath of the blessing of that Melchiâ—adeck i Gen. 14. 18 19 20 Heb. 7. 21. under which the resurrection and death are the same act or thing And so it is in the way of sinne and the curse the resurrection or lifting up of the flesh k 2 Pet. 2. 10. Rom. 8 13. Col. 2. 18. is the death of the Spirit the operation and raising of wrath is the cessation and disanulling of peace for ever And this great distance and contrariety comes to passe by that differing light which one and the same thing is beheld and looked upon withall the one sees by the light and revelation of the Spirit * according to that wisdome that is in the Son of God And therefore reasons or argues not nor concludeth upon any thing
did nor shall any come unto the Father but only by him in him therefore is and ever was mans approach and comming neere unto God and without him no unity nor peace with God even so also never did nor shall any decline fall from God but by denying that record testimony that God hath given of his Son denying our life to be in him and seeking it in our selves by our owne Workes for as it was in the beginning even soo it is now * both in point of faith and of the fall for to call in question that Work of God whereby he hath created us in Christ Iesus unto good workes p Ephes 2. 10 or in a good Worke as the word will beare for it is a Work of God not of Man therefore absolute good Now to call this in question as though the Work were not yet perfect adding our indeavours to accomplish and perfect the same this proceeds from that ancient spirit that hath been a lyer from the beginning and aboad not in the truth q Ioh. 8. 44. whose workes his children follow r Ioh. 8. 41 42 44. for all the wayes of administrations practised and with all care diligence and frequencie observed by the Saints of God in the world are not at all to perfect any thing in that great work of God by Jesus Christ but only to declare make manifest the absolute fulnesse and perfection of it which whosoever setteth his seale unto s Ioh. 3. 33. Rom. 3. 4. doth by the grace of God communicate therein unto life eternall t Ioh. 6. 54. Ich. 17. 3. Ioh. 10. 28. 1 Ioh. 5. 11. We conclude therefore that the curse is full and absolute before the separation of soule and body which was in Adam so many hundred yeares after the Curse was perfected or fully upon our nature in him * Gen. 2. 17. Gen. 5. 5. and therefore that the separation of soule and body cannot be any part of it For the Curse is of a more higher and more spirituall nature then is the separation of soule and body being it is a separation of God even from his own work and an eternall emnity between the Creature and the Creator and yet this Curse is a means and way of the separation of the soule and the body of the bodies lying down for a time in the dust But the principall and main thing the Scripture intends when it speaks of death is that spirituall and eternall death * Gen. 2. 17. Rom. 8. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 22 yet not excluding the other namely the separation of soule body unto which it alludes So also is the resurrection that is by Christ of a more spirituall and heavenly nature then the rising of the body out of the grave or re-uniting of soule and body in one againe for it is that wonderfull union and conjunction that is betweene God and Man in Christ who are made one out of such an infinite distance as Man by nature is removed and made remote by sinne corruption from his Creator in that his desertion from him at the first therefore where ever the resurrection is spoken of in the Scripture it chiefly intends this spirituall resurrection that is by Jesus Christ not excluding the Resurrection of the body unto which it alludeth elegantly pointeth at nor do we deny that this spirituall resurrection from sinne sorrow and eternall death by Jesus Christ is the way and meanes of the resurrection of the body out of the grave and re-uniting of the soule unto it the last day But let us remember that the work of our Salvation by Christ is spiritual And therefore take heed how we ascribe any thing of the glory of the resurrection unto the rising again of our bodies out of the grave or to detract or take away from it by the laying down of our bodies in the dust knowing that all that the Lord Jesus hath in us is nothing but death and deformity u Isa 52. 14. Isa 53. 6 7 8 9. and that all our life conformity unto God our Father is only in him x Col. 3. 3 4. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 29. Phil. 3. 10. So that those that ascribe unto the Saints infirmity and weaknesse because of the laying aside these naturall and corruptible bodies for a season or conclude them then to bee more noble and powerfull when the body is raised then before they were in the time of its being in the grave This is but a meere device and subtil invention to magnifie the flesh by ascribing somewhat unto it hereafter which for the present they dare not doe whereby they judge of our Salvation according to the judgment and things of men and not according to the judgment and things of God y Rom. 2. 2. Ioh. 7. 24. Psalm 72. 2. Ioh. 8. 15 16 Ioh. 5. 30. and in this point our Interpreters contradict themselves who affirme that our Sanctification is perfected only at the time of the death of this naturall and corporeall body and that the perfection of Sanctification is Glorification and yet notwithstanding hold that our glorification is not perfect and full till our bodies arise out of the grave this is thorow that great mistake of confounding that naturall death and that spirituall death together not giving to each its proper right and due and so ascribe more unto the resurrection of the body then God hath put upon it for Christ hath nothing in and by us but meerly infirmity and weaknesse and therefore whatsoever is properly ours or of our selves can adde nothing unto our glory for all that wee have of our selves as creatures amounteth to no more but the compleat crosse of the Son of God So that all our glory is in him who never saw corruption z Psalm 16. 10. which great mistake the Lord may seem to correct knowing the operation of mans heart in this point in that we read not in the Scriptures of such whose bodies were raised out of the grave of any wonderful work which afterwards they did or more heavenly word that at any time they spake more then formerly they had done nay our Lord himself appeared alike unto his Disciples after his resurrection as he had done before a Luke 24. 13. to 32. Joh. 20. 19 20 26 27 28. nay to beate down that naturall carnall fond opinion of putting off the day of the Lord b Hag. 1. 2 to 9. Joh. 4. 25. and the good things of his Kingdome till hereafter he denyed to expresse in his humane body after his resurrection that glory which he had manifested unto them in his transfiguration before his death c Mat. 17. 1 2. yea further wee are carefully prudently to consider of this oath of interposition or installment and confirmation of this our high Priest that the Word of God in all points parts of the holy Scripture is to
with respect to our frailties and infirmities Therefore they exercise their Art to fit and furnish men with abilities and to adopt and adorne particular persons with Places and Offices which are proper and peculiar onely to the Sonne of God himselfe For they know not neither will they learn the way of that Common salvation and faith once delivered unto the Saints g Iude 3 v. wherein God exerciseth his grace mutually without any respect of persons at all h Act. 10. 34 For as Christ takes all kind of infirmities in every one alike we being by nature the same that others are i Eph. 2. 3. so doth he dispense his grace to all alike and is the same in all k Ioh. 1. 16. Ephes 1. 23. 4. 6. All the use of this turning and change of things from the Sonne of God to Man is this it serves onely to adorne and set up the creature That flesh may seem to have wherein to glory and whereof to boast l 2 Cor. 5. 12. by Offices and Excellencies given by Man and acquired unto himselfe hereby destroying and disanulling the death of the Lord Jesus as though he had never died unto the things of this present world m Rom. 8. 10. 34. but as though his comming in the flesh had been only to set up the flesh that is to say mans glory rather then to pull it down n Isa 2. 17. and to bring in rather then make an end of all things For whatsoever hee brings in endures for ever o Dan. 9. 24. and it is his glory onely that must appeare in his House Sanctuary p 2 Chro. 5. 14. Great skill in Conjuration must needs be had else the world could never be borne in hand that Christ is crufied in the flesh or to the flesh and quickned in the Spirit q 1 Pet. 3. 18. whilst they make it their daily work to set him up according to the flesh And if the spirituality of his Kingdome appeare in any measure they seek to demolish and overthrow the same for indeed otherwise their earthly carnall Priesthood cannot stand no more then Dagon can stand before the Arke of God r 1 Sam. 5. 2 3 4. for Christ were not a Priest if he were on the earth or of any earthly consticution that is after the Order of Aron f Heb. 8. 4. For all such offer gifts according to the Law that present unto God that which shall have end which is accounted by God a carnall Commandment t Col. 2. 21. 22. Heb. 7. 16. For there cannot be a Priesthood Eldership or any Office in the House of God held to be more exelent then all the rest of the Saints are also invested into but it is earthly and carnall and cannot agree with the Kingdome and Preisthood of Christ For to maintaine a greater Dignity and place in one man then in another in the House of God is nothing else but the Law of works and walking according to the carnall Commandment according to which Christ was never made a Preist u Heb. 7. 13 14. 15. 16. 17. but in being Preist he abolisheth it x Heb. 7. 18. For if Christ had detained any office or exelencie what soever in himself y Eph. 1. 23. not conveyed the same unto communicated the same with his brethren our salvation had beene made void and overthrown Eor if Christ detain in himself any excelencie or Office in which the Saints Communicate not with him then must he of necessity detain all and they communicate in none else he cannot be the Son of God and so no Saviour of the world For where any part of his office or exelencie is found there is all or else he were not God nor could he be indeviduall if any part of his excelencie were communicated and not the whole z Iames 1. 5. 17. Iohn 1. 16. Therefore to officiate men in the House of God in such places as others of their professed brethren whom they account off as of Saints are not capable of together with them is earthly and carnall seting up the Leviticall Preisthood of the Law and not that of our Melchisedeck and cannot stand with but utterly overthrows the Preisthood and Kingdome of Jesus Christ For he hath obtained a more exelent Ministry in as much as he is the Mediatour of a better Testament a Heb. 7. 21 22 23 24. Heb. 8. 6 And in that Testament or Covenant do the Saints Minister communicating with their Head in that grace having fellowship with him in his office of Mediatourship as well as in any other grace may aswel be called Mediatours in him As Moses was said to be a Mediatour b Gal. 3. 19. or as Ioshua and the Judges of Israel were called Saviours c Neb. 7. 27. Heb. 4. 8. Oba 21. ver if we do not Idolize the word which is the very ground of all Idoletry in the world even as it is in the Name Jesus to bow at it as yeelding more respect unto that then to an other title given unto him d Phil. 2. 10. So it is in this and other expressions of the word of God For to Mediate is to come between or to be an umpeere or an arbitrator for so much the word imports That is to Judge indifferently without partiallity of the things of two so as to bring them to be one For a Mediatour is not a Mediatour of one but God is one e Gal. 3. 20. that is to Judge rightly of the things of God and of the things of man truly knowing and pertaking of the mind of the one and of the other which the men of this world count blasphemy that the Saints should communicate in such an office Although it be true that without participation and communication herein No prayer can be made unto God that can be fruitfull unto us or acceptable unto him f Rom. 8. 26. 22. Yet doth it blaspeme strick or pierce thorough their way of Mediatourship who judge of all things according to the flesh that is according to the will and naturall understanding of a man that perceives not the things of God g 1 Cor. 2. 14. And so indeed their carnall Testament is confirmed unto them by the death of the Testatour h Heb. 9. 6. 17. For they seting up Christ according to the flesh do thereby put him to death in the Spirit And so are killers and Crucifiers of the Lord of glory unto themselves puting him to an open shame i Heb. 6. 6. in the whole conrse of their Ministry Without which they cannot uphold their places and offices unlesse they maintain the first borne in Cain Esau and in Egypt namely the most exelent things that nature can bring forth preferring them before that vertue and power of the Son of God k Exo. 7. 11 So that even as their Fathers did
as the oracle or word of God in the Courts of the Lords house r Heb. 7. 1. Heb. 13. 10. but onely such as give evidence and beare witnesse in matters that concerne the right ordering Government therof for the honour of their Lord but under the power and upon the certainty of this oath for that which was from the begining which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon our hands have handled of the word of life s 1 Pet. 4. 11 Psal 116. 18. 19. Psal 135. 1 2 3. such things and upon grounds of no lesse certainty are the witnesses of Jesus Christ to speake in the audience of such as waite and attend in the house of the Lord or at the gates of wisdome t 1 Iohn 1. 1 2 3. for no Scripture is of any private interpretation but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost u Psal 123. 1. 2. Psal 130. 5 6 7. Prov. 5. 1. Prov. 7. 24. Prov. 8. 33. 34. so that by the same spirit and therefore upon like certainty that the word was spoken from the begining it is also to be interpreted and opened for ever for prophesies of old or prophesies at any time as the word will beare and may be read came not by the will of man for the will of man is a private spirit yea if all the men in the world should consent and agree in one thing it were a private spirit in case they spoke not by the Spirit of God for the spirit of man and so by the Law of nature corrupted the spirit of all men ever aimes at it selfe w 2 Pet. 1. 20. 21. in all its Councells and actions x Phil. 2. 21 Psal 4. 6. and therefore a private spirit though trained up in the greatest schoole the world affords or furnished with the greatest consent of library but the spirit of God ever aimes at and propounds another in all its Councels and consultations therefore it is a publike spirit though in one holy man of God else had the Sonne of God never appeared in our nature if he had not propounded the good of another y Iohn 17. 19. Iohn 10. 1 Rom. 5. 6 to 10. nor could we ever give glory to God in all things if the spirit it selfe helped not our infirmities z Rom. 8. 26. Ephes 5. 18. 19. 20. who onely inables us thereunto and by vertue of that we propound the honour of our Lord and not our selves in all our Councells and wayes a 1 Cor. 10. 31. Col. 3. 17. 1 Cor. 10. 24 and therein have a publick spirit and all other spirits are private self-seekers and not interpreters of the word of God at all b Iohn 2. 16 2 Pet. 2. 3. 2 Cor. 11. 13 2 Cor. 4. 2. Mat. 23. 13 14 15. 2 Cor. 2. 17. But we see upon what termes of certainty the Apostle affirmes this that in the true way of the Gospel life is a continued act of death in that authority and Lordship we have in Christ we dye unto that basenesse and subjection that naturally is in every man whether it appeare in tirannicall rule or dejected slavery all is but the same spirit namely a living unto the lusts of the flesh for there is the same spirit in that which the woman saith in the beginning we must not eate least we dye that there is in that which the Serpent saith if ye eate ye shall be as Gods they both use the word of truth but in a false sence and so turne it into alye unto themselves the one in way of false feare the other in way of false courage and confidence c Gen. 3. 3 4 5. even as Sathan used the words of Truth in tempting of Christ but in a false sence d Mat. 4. 6. as our Saviour well perceived although it consist not in the altering of some phrases in the places alleiged as the world vainly thinks for there is no Scripture uttered that is brought in againe by the spirit of God upon any occasion that is alledged precisely in the same termes phrases or circumstances that it was before But Sathans falsity stands in this that he takes these words ye shall be like unto God in a wrong sence e Gen. 3. 5. or this word to live and the womans falsity stands in this that she takes dying in a wrong sense and so the one and the other become evill and are expressions which are included in the way of the falle and the way of the falle in them for Sathan is a lyer from the beginning and the Father thereof f Ioh. 8. 44. For it is possible to eat of or communicate in that Tree in the midst of the garden and live for ever g Gen. 3. 22. 23. and also to eat of and communicate in that Tree in the midst of the Garden and dye for ever h Gen. 2. 17. yea death and life are in the one and in the other yet in the one life onely appeares and no death at all for they are both said to be in the midst of the Garden i Revel 22. 2 3 4. which must be made good precisely according to the Truth of that unerring rule of Gods circumference and senter not to faile so much as in a tittle in the one or in the other and therefore must teach us one and the same thing which is the true state of mankind represented unto us therein according to that glorious device of Gods workmanship who is the very midst hart spirit or life of all his workes who was made as a Tree of righteousnesse k Gen. 2 9. consisting of roote and branch even as that Sonne of David doth l Psal 1. 3. Esa 61. 3. whom he taught and represented unto us a roote as he is the Image of God m Revel 22 16. Gen. 1. 27. who is the Fountaine of all things and so gives being unto the man as the roote gives being unto the Tree he is also a branch as he is made of the dust of the earth n Gen. 2. 7. and so springs up into the glory of God o 2 Cor. 3. 18. to communicate therefore in this worke or to eat of this Tree according to the mind and wisdome of God is to be dead unto the flesh but alive unto God which is life indeed and abides for ever in them that eat of that Tree of life in the midst of the Paradice of God * Revel 2. 7. that is to conclude the one and the other to be as really present as they are to come and to be in present being and use as they shall for ever be as a living Fountaine still to spring up in us and to us p Iohn 4. 14. which is nothing else but to believe the record that God hath given unto us of his Sonne q 1 Iohn