wisedome and image of God r Gen 1. 27 Gen 2 7 and therefore the cutting off becomes such an estrangment and alianation which must have an extent proportionable unto him that was the alye and ancestour which is of an infinite nature though the Ancestor is no proper cause nor fountain thereof yet such an affinity is broken in which God is a party even as a faithfull husband having an adulterous wife the Contract is wholly broken though hee bee no meanes nor cause of the breach but is altogether against it even so the whole Covenant is broken between God and Man but God is nothing in the furtherance or in any approbation of the breach but his whole will is against it therefore it is that his oath is firme and holy when he saith as I live I desire not the death of him that dies turne yee turne yee from your evill waies for why will you die O house of Israel s Ezek. 33. 11. intimating yea and plainely declaring by Protestation upon Oath that it is their will to die and not his and as hee is nothing in the breach no nor can bee no more then the holy and righteous one can bee a Sinner no more is hee any thing in the continuation of this breach which is the hoarding up and exercise of wrath in all unbeleevers t Rom. 2. 5. for the continuation is extended according to the duration of him from whom the alienation is and therefore must needs be an eternall wrath God himselfe being the Ancestor alienated from from whom man had life breath and being at the first u Gen. 2. 7. and without whom he was not x Acts 17. 28 for of him and through him are all things y Rom. 11. 36. so that God raignes ever the wicked or Heathen in wrath and displeasure in their captivating under sinne and Satan for ever and yet no wrath nor displeasure in him at all but it is meerly in the wicked themselves who most voluntarily and willingly subject themselves therunto without any cause or default in the Son of God at all and thus he exerciseth rule and authority over the wicked who are no part of his kingdome jurisdiction or people unto whom he gives his royall Law and heavenly Edicts z James 2. 8 Psal 147. 19. 20. but are of the kingdome of Satan and under the power and dominion of darknesse subject onely unto that Law of sinne and death a Iohn 8. 44. Luke 22. 53. Rom. 7. 25. utterly estranged from that law of the spirit and life which is by Iesus Christ b Rom. 8. 2. man therefore in this rule and authority is alienated from God his first originall predecessor and ancestour even so farre as eternall death and destruction is from eternall life and salvation and therefore the state of the wicked is truly said to be a bottomlesse pit c Rev. 9. 2. which the Angell that came downe from God or is a messenger taught from the Kingdome of God hath the key thereof in his hand d Rev. 20. 1. or ministerie knowing how to shut it and how to open it to keep out the faithfull so as there they cannot enter e Luke 16. 26. and let in unbelievers so as out of which they cannot escape f Iude 6. ver and we know that there can be nothing without banks or bottome but onely the Lord himselfe and therefore it is not but with respect unto him which the world knowes not of neither will they understand for in this point lies that mystery of the devill and of that first sin and so the mystery of iniquity g 2 Thes 2. 7 which the world hath so many conjectures and divining cups to drink in to come to the knowledge of it and that they might finde it out and yet know not the time of the creation of him whom they say was first in sin nor the manner of it that is whether all fell in one or whether such a multitude were in the same minde in one act or moment of time nor know they the place where they fell whether in heaven being that sinne cannot be admitted there no not for a moment though but in the very conception of it a Psal 5. 4 Isa 53. 9 and to cast him out before could not stand with justice and to say they fell being out of heaven in the garden as Ministers unto man it is all one as to affirme they fell being out of their Creator in whom all things consist not having their being and subsistance in him b Col. 1. 16 17. Acts 17. 28 and if some of the Angells had their being out of him considered in Christ then all had and if once the good Angells had being out of Christ then they ever have their being out of Christ for his mysticall body cannot change c Iam. 1. 16 17 and if they be not in him then is not he the reconciler of all things in heaven and in earth d Col. 1. 20 therefore the world conjectures and gropes in these things namely in this point of the fall of Angells onely in the dark for the Scripture saith the Angells that kept not their first estate or principality as the word is e Iude 6. verse are reserved in chaines of darkness unto the judgement of the great day So that if in case they had principality as the Spirit of God affirmes then was there none above nor before that person or being that first fell no more then there was any ever below or more deep in descention then that person or subsistance that is the first and prime in Resurrection and exaltation and as that nature in the Son of God wherein he had his descention and depth of his humiliation hath no cause of boasting or attributing unto it selfe any thing in that state of life and salvation f 1 Cor. 28 29 so also that nature wherein Satan or that Son of perdition had at the first his principality and domination wherein he was in the beginning that Lucifer son of the morning or day-star g Isa 14. 11 12 13 14 15 a title given unto the Son of God himselfe h Rev. 22. 16 Rev. 2. 28. hath no cause of guilt or staine in the least in that fall of destruction and desolation and therefore the knowledge of the Angells is another thing farre beyond that which our conjecturers or dreamers do dreame of or understand therefore it is that it is said that he hath not put in subjection unto the Angells the world to come whereof we speake or are Ministers i Heb. 2. 5. to prove that the Son of God is not onely an Angell or Messenger of the Covenant k Mal. 3. 1. which notwithstanding he is but also the Lord and giver of the Covenant whom none hath power to question or contradict and if the first fruits of his Ministery and Kingdome be
that if we deny eternity to the humanity we likewise deny that the Deity was in time and so destroy Christ unto our selves the faith of such persons is vaine g 1 Cor. 15 14. Yet is the Deity or the Word in its own nature simply eternall and our nature or the humanity is in it self and of its own nature simply momentany and fading but the unity of them both is Christ whose humanity is eternized in the Word and his divinity is as truly momentized in our nature So as take away the life of humane nature so as the Creature is extinct for a moment and take away the life of the Son of God yea the very life of eternity for he never lived as a Saviour but through death nay as hath been said his death is his life So that take away that nature for a moment wherein his death doth consist and you make a nullity of our Lord Jesus So that the doctrine of Christ and the mortality of the soule are utterly inconsistent they cannot stand together They therefore that hold the mortality of the soule they must of necessity deny the resurrection the appearing and comming of our Lord Jesus it is in this case as our Apostle speakes of the man and the wife the man hath not power of his own body but the wife and the wife hath not power of her owne body but the husband h 1 Cor. 7. 4 Even so it is here God hath not power of that body of excellency grace and vertue that is in himself but hath made it over unto us for mans use and benefit Otherwise we could not live unto him conceive and bring forth fruit acceptable and pleasing unto him being of his owne begetting and of his owne nature as it is in Christ i Iam. 1. 18. 1 Ioh. 5. 1. 18 1 Pet. 1. 3. 2 Pet. 1. 14. Neither have we power of our own body of infirmity and frailty but the Lord hath taken it unto himselfe for his own use otherwise hee could never dye nor could he without it generate beget and multiply himselfe as he doth in Christ k Isa 53. 10. Heb. 2. 10. Rom. 8. 16 17. for he is the first begotten of death l Rov 1. 5. Col. 1. 18. and he can have no death in himselfe but as hee hath it in us So that if wee dissolve this unity and contract for a moment we dissolve that heavenly Marriage that is betweene the Creator and the Creature in Christ m Hosea 2. 16 20. Isa 24. 5. making a nullity of it and so make voyd our salvation n Psal 119. 126. Rom. 4. 140 for if eyther of the parties cease to be so much as for a moment the contract is ended our salvation is voyd for then the Son of God ceaseth to be a Saviour if hee cease to be found in the Creature whom he saves and the Son of sory man ceaseth to be saved if at any time he ceaseth to be found in the CREATOR who is his only and viour o Rom. 8. 33 Rom. 4. 5. Psalm 3. 8. Psalm 68. 19 20. So that those that hold the mortallity of the soule of man which gives him his forme to be a man and no other Creature they do as absolutely and resolutely deny that glorious happy and fruitfull intercourse of life and death that is betweene God and Man in Jesus Christ for that which is the death of the Sonne of God is the life of the Sonne of sorry man and that which is the death of the Sonne of sorry man is the life of the Son of God For the Sonne of GOD is made that in our nature that by nature hath no life of God in it and so becomes dead or is made that which is dead unto the things of God The Son of man is made that in the word which by nature hath no life of man or life of a Creature in it and so becomes dead to the things of Man and of the one and the other doth Christ our Saviour consist and without the one and the other hee is not Christ nor Jesus at all for the mortality of mans soule is nothing else but the death and infirmity of the Sonne of God and the death and infirmity of the Sonne of God is nothing else but the life perfection and immortality of the Sonne of Man and no longer then the word of eternity which admits of no intermission of time can bee held or swallowed up of death p Act. 2. 24. Psal 16. 10. no longer can the soule or nature of man which is nothing but momentany or brittlenesse it selfe lay aside that spirit of life and immortality where by it liveth and endureth for ever q Gal. 2. 20. Rom. 8. 9 10 11. in and by that Word of God r Col. 3. 16. For the sonne of God hath no life as a Saviour but only in and through death nor the sonne of Man hath no death unto sinne and sorrow as saved but in and through that life of the sonne of God which is impossible to cease for a moment and so is that also that once lives thereby and enjoyes it Therefore to preach the cessation of the life of the soule in laying aside for atime the life of the body is no lesse then to preach the cessation of the life of the sonne of GOD for a season that is so long as the soule is deprived of life and immortality But these bruitish barbarous and more then Atheisticall fabulous fantasies we leave unto those left and forsaken spirits who have seired themselves with a hot Iron s 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 Cor. 4. 3 4 Acts. 28. 27 least the force and vertue of the Word of God should take hold of them and appeare upon them But least any should mistake our meaning in this point of the resurrection as though we too much neglected or slighted the resurrection of the body in regard we affirme that the death and resurrection are one act so as the death is the resurrection it selfe which the death and resurrection of the body cannot be We are to understand therefore that where ever the holy Scriptures speak of the resurrection of the Saints the thing principally and chiefly intended is the resurrection of our Lord Jesus together with all his Saints in him and therefore they are said to be set down together with him in heavenly places t Ephes 1. 3. Ephes 2. 6. and that resurrection in the first place the Scripture intends namely his rising from that eternall death which by nature wee are all guilty of and plunged into which is that victory over sinne death hell and the grave which none but the Sonne of God could overcome nor rescue from for hee onely purchaseth that renowne and glory unto himselfe alone which otherwise had never appeared unto the Creature which resurrection from death and hell sinne sorrow and the grave or from Sheoll
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 their fore-warned or forestalled opinion t Mat. 3. 7. Luke 3. 7. that such a dipping or washing should save them from wrath to come as hee performed it being that all that he did was but to shew what a turbulent Jordan and Deluge of wrath the Son of God descended into which was already in their hearts and for no other end but that we might in him ascend into that fountaine and overflowing streame of Gods grace compassion and tender mercy for ever in the vertuous and glorious actions of the Son of God for Johns Ministry and dipping sheweth what Christ hath in our nature and the Ministry of Christ in his coming up or ascending out of the waters with the Spirit of God lighting residing or abiding upon him declares what we are in that divine nature of the Word or Son of God Now these Jewes would be playing the part and presuming to performe the Office of the Son of God who descends downe into the depth of the wrath of his Father hoping thereby to escape wrath even as our first Parents entred into the way of death in hope to escape it and to attaine life thereby and in the meane time neglect contemne and despise that glory of the Son which he in that dipping or descention of his doth so freely tender and offer unto them for it is onely his part to descend and be dipped in the waters of our weaknesse that have by nature no life nor Spirit of God in us at all or into that troubled Jordan of Gods wrath which naturally burneth in every mans soule and it is onely our priviledge to ascend and come out of that wrath and weaknesse in that descending and residing of that life and Dove-like Spirit of God upon us for ever u Mat. 3. 16 the first of these is naturall and incident unto all men to dip to dive to sprinckle and wash with materiall water or to plunge themselves into some infirmity or weaknesse of the flesh as fasting mourning afflicting of themselves or the like hoping thereby to please God for the appeasing of his wrath and so do undertake the Office of the Son of God to undergoe the Crosse in themselves which is the very spirit of Antichrist and in the meane time neglect and contemne the other namely that glorious resurrection of our nature through that residency of the Spirit upon it whereby we are made able to give Satan the foyle in all his temptations even as our Lord did by the power of his might x Mat. 4. 1. 11. Col. 1. 11. Phil. 4. 13. Rev. 2. 26 27. Therefore in all Baptisms and Washings practised in the holy Scripture we must know that there is not any two performed alike all circumstances considered therefore that Church which takes up the way of any particular of them alone and of it selfe cannot practise nor performe the true Baptisme when the whole Administration thereof which the Holy Ghost hath beene pleased to declare the right of it in so many differing waies is not brought in therefore if wee will professe and practise the perfect Baptisme unto which our Apostle leads us when he saith let us goe on unto perfection y Heb. 6. 1. then we must unite and contract them all into one and so shall we finde the Ordinance of Baptisme to bee found faulty in all Churches under heaven unlesse they have learned to center them all in one and if they doe so it will not be found in any but onely in the Son of God whose dipping or washing comprehends them all and so hath in it all spirituall and holy dippings and washings whatsoever therefore if we set up another besides that which is perfected in him we make an Idoll of it and so subject our selves unto wrath z 1 Cor. 10. 1 to 7. for it is in this point of Baptisme as it is in the death of Christ if we professe another death that is spirituall besides that which Christ hath undergone we make an Idoll of it and subject our selves thereby to the undergoing of that eternall death to come by usurping and arrogating unto our selves the death of Christ which he at once for ever perfected a Heb. 7. 27 Heb. 10. 10. for the water of that Baptisme that now is saveth us even as Noah was saved in the Arke by waters b 1 Pet. 3. 20 21. that he perished not with the rest of the world even so doth the Baptisme of Christ which is his Crosse save us and lift us up from perishing in those waters or in that wrath that naturally ingenders breeds and breakes forth in every mans heart both from things below and also from things above as those waters of Noah did c Gal. 4. 24 25. Gen. 7. 11 12. for he appearing in the similitude of sinfull flesh by sin or by becoming sin in us condemned sin in the flesh d Rom. 8. 3. passed sentence upon it that it should never live in us nor have dominion over us any more e Rom. 6. 14 for he made a plaister of our sins to heal us of and save us from our sins for ever and so by death overcame him that had the power of death f Heb. 2. 14. even as the Arke by the waters overcame the waters and yet the same waters stifled and choaked the world so by being made sin Christ overcomes sin and yet the same sin destroyes and condemns the world g Psal 34. 21. For as the waters of Noah lifted up the Arke to heaven out of all danger that otherwise might have befallen it and the very same waters also drowned and destroyed the rest of the world so doth the Baptisme of Christ which is his Crosse save us and lift us up unto God and yet the very same thing which is his Crosse or Death doth also destroy and overthrow the wicked for the Son of God taking our nature into unity with himselfe is that which is properly his Crosse or Death he thereby sustaining our infirmities h Isa 53. 4. and so in one act for ever perfecteth our salvation i Heb. 10. 14 and all those things that Jesus Christ suffered upon the earth in so many acts places and by so many persons and waies is his Crosse Doctrinally and all those things doe set forth and declare what that one intire act of the Son of God is in taking our nature into unity with the Word which act indeed is the proper Baptisme Crosse or Death of Christ that saves us k 1 Pet. 3. 21. and all other Baptismes performed in the holy Scriptures at all times amongst the Saints are onely the teaching and setting forth of that one unto which they all look with an equall and indifferent eye so that if we take up one of them more or lesse then another we wrong both it and all the rest and doe nothing else but make an Idoll of it for if we goe about to
q Heb. 7. 26 and dignity of heaven r Iohn 1. 14 yea the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of God full of grace and truth Å¿ 2 Cor. 7. 10 and this turning and change is also as absolute reall and true and is that change or repentance never to bee repented of yea it is the very oath and covenant that instals into this office and Priesthood which can never bee altered changed or turned from and therefore the forme of this oath is uttered in these words Thou art a Priest for ever Wherein are two things considerable First the manner of installment Thou art a Priest Secondly the continuation or duration of it that is for ever In the first note the peculiarity of the phrase Thou art a Priest which is as peculiar as this the only begotten of the Father t Iohn 1. 14. the first-borne u Rom. 8. 29 the heire of all things x Col. 1. 18. Heb. 1. 2. or the like and therefore can be given unto none but unto the Sonne of God alone Againe note the universality of it also for it hath a like scope and universality in it that such phrases have as these viz. Thou shalt have none other Gods before me Thou shalt not make a graven image Thou shalt not take the name of God in vaine y Exod. 20 3. to 17. and the like which phrase implies every one that will worship God aright so is it here in this phrase Thou art a Priest for it is peculiar and proper onely to Christ alone and can be given to no other no more then the keeping of every Law of God can bee given to any but him alone it is also common and universally to be given to him in whomsoever the faith of the Sonne of God is found without any restriction exception or limitation more then the Commandement hath to take hold of all that will be true worshippers wherein wee may admit of none at all upon paine of prevarication of the Law of God so that the whole office of Priesthood that is not according to the carnall Comamndement but according to the power of an endlesse life * Heb. 7. 16 dependeth solely upon the faith of the Son of God And as none can take this Office upon himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron a Heb. 5. 4. even so none can reject nor put this office from himselfe that hath the faith subsistance or calling of the Sonne of God wherein hee himselfe commerceth or is of the same calling which is b 2 Tim. 1. 9 Heb. 3. 1. ever found in whomsoever Jesus is found as a Saviour therefore the Apostle by an holy and trimme allusion unto David noting thereby our spirituall David in his loynes declares what the proper ground of the Ministery of the Gospell is and how the sonne of man subject to death infirmities and sore troubles as David was comes to make manifest that word of life and minde of the Father of eternity which is onely by faith or subsistance in the word of God whereby that which is temporary makes known the minde and will of Eternity and therefore hee saith as it is written c 2 Cor. 4. 13. He believed and therefore he spake that is as it is translated for so much the word written signifies to translate a thing from one to another that is Eternity is translated and made over unto that which is temporary and that which is temporary is translated and made over unto that which is eternall so as the Son of Man believed or had his being or subsistance in the word of God by vertue whereof hee spake in such sort as being truly temporary and in time yet did he publish and make knowne the minde of eternity unto the world which is before and after all time whereupon our Apostle gathereth and concludeth assuming the same prerogative and priviledge unto himself and the rest of the Apostles or Leaders of Christ in his members we also beleeve speaking in the plurall number and therefore we speake so that the singularity and also plurality that is in the faith of the Son of God is one and the same in whomsoever it is d Iude 3. Eph. 4 5 6. and therefore must necessarily worke into the same office operation dignity and revelation of the same Son of God e Heb. 13. 8. for we must either have the office operation dignity and revellation of that which is in Christ Jesus the Son of God or else we cannot be subjects and injoyers of the Kingdome blessednesse and happinesse of God no more then he could undergo the curse without taking unto himselfe and being possessed of all that evill and misery that naturally is in us in which act of taking our evills he overcomes and destroyes for ever what naturally is in us and in our being possessed of his blessednesse wee deny our selves and live unto whatsoever is in him so that there is one thing overcome in this Priesthood that is our selves and one thing revived and lived unto which is God which must of necessity be effected wherever Christ appears and therefore the Priesthood is the same in every particular that it is in any one that is of the faith of Jesus in whom he makes himselfe manifest and so much for the peculiarity and generality of this office noted in that phrase Thou art a Priest The second is the duration and continuation of it noted in these words a Priest for ever or a sacrificer for ages generations as the words will bear noting in the word the nature of his office that is to sacrifice and slay the flesh in all the lusts and affections thereof f Gal. 5. 24. that so the Spirit may be saved in that day of the Lord Jesus g 1 Cor. 5. 5 namely that that spirituall frame and fabricke of the house of God may bee preserved and maintained not after the lusts of men but according to the good will of God h 1 Pet. 4. 1 2. and this is upon oath to endure for ever or in all ages and generations for this manner of Sacrifice and Priesthood hath ever had the preheminence in the house of God and amongst the Sons of God in whomsoever have been of the race and generation age or pilgrimage of that beloved of the Father in this world through faith in his blood i Psal 24. the whole Psalme and therefore it is that he brings in the orderly course and disposition of it to be according to the order of Melchizedeck noted in these words After the order of Melchizedeck Which words are taken out of the booke of Genesis k Gen. 14. 18 or Generations of the world to declare that the same Priest and Priestood was in the daies of Abraham which our Prophet applies to his owne times prophecying also of the dayes of Jesus Christ living upon the earth in the daies of Herod and Pontius
glory nor could hee have been made manifest by being shaped or made in the lowermost parts of the earth u Psal 139. 15. Ephes 4. 9. nor had hee brought forth those Riches and Treasures of his love onely made manifest in his Saints through death but by this Priestly Sacrifice Even so also this Lordly King stands at the right hand of the Priest who is that poore weakling also who being found in death x 1 Cor. 5. 7 1 Cor. 15. 3 and sacrificed could never raise up himselfe from under such a curse y Gal. 3. 13. Deut. 21. 23 and out of such destruction z Psal 88. 11. Psal 90. 3. Psal 103. 4 but onely through that Spirit and Power life and authority of such a royal and potent King a Psa 47 1. Psa 48. 2. Psa 95. 3. Rev 17. 14 and in the one of these and in the other there is full and sufficiency of supply for the Lord is inriched in that it is made manifest what a glorious use himself can make of such an accursed thing or condition whereby he appears to be God alone which otherwise had lien hid as it doth to all other creatures b 1 Cor 2. 9. 1 Cor 2 14. and man also is inriched in that that in the death and absence of all his own glory and excellencies that are humane and proper to a creature the dignity and power of God becomes his c 2 Cor 4. 6 to 11. and thus is the word Lord interchangeably taken as also the poor one is at whose right hand he stands Now to be at the right hand hath divers significations as first it signifies power dignity and authority d Psa 118 15 16. therefore is the word by the Evangelists and Apostles so varyed as at the right hand of God e Mark 16. 19. Acts 5 31. so also at the right hand of majesty f Heb 1 3. the right hand of the power and the like g Mark 14 62 and sometimes it signifies skil and cunning usually exercised in arts made manifest and brought forth by the right hand as the proper instrument therefore it is said If I forget thee O Jerusalem then let my right hand forget her cunning that is in all musical and artificial administrations in the house of the Sanctuary h Psae 137. 5. Again It sometimes signifies ratification and confirmation of what passeth from one to another and so it is taken when the Lord swears by his right hand i Isa 62. 8. and in that he saith If Jeconiah were as the signet on my right hand yet would I pluck him thence k Jer 22. 24. as if he should say though it be so neer unto me that I pass nothing under seal or perform any thing without it and many the like But these may serve to manifest what is meant by being at the right hand in this place when it is said the Lord at thy right hand that is the Lord as King is the power and authority of the Priest the Lord also as King is the wisdom and skil of the Priest the Lord as King is the ratification and confirmation of the Priest in the rescue and deliverance of him from all humane frailties and infirmities a Rom 1. 1 2 3 4 5. Again translatively the Lord as Priest is the power and authority of the King the Lord as Priest also is the wisdom and skil of the King the Lord as Priest is the ratification and confirmation of the King in sacrificing all human abilities and excellencies that the Princely power and excellency of God only may appear So as that without the one the other is not nor can be known or found according to the way of the faith of Jesus Christ insomuch that whatsoever the King doth in his regal authority he doth it by the Priest that is by that power and authority wisdom and curious device and skil as also by that seal and confirmation that is in that death and suffering of the Son of God b Heb. 2 14 2 Cor. 1. 5. 1 Pet. 1 2. Col. 2. 14 15. Again whatsoever the Priest doth in his office and ministry he doth it by the King that is by the power and authority wisdom curiosity and skil yea and by that seal and confirmation that is in the life and resurrection of that Son of man the Lord Jesus Christ c Rom 8 33. 34 Iohn 11 25 26 1 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 3. 21. So that if the Word of God be opened to set forth the life of Christ it sets it forth in and through his death d Isa 26. 19. Ephes 2. 1 5 1 Pet. 3. 18 19 and also if it be opened to set forth the death of Christ it sets it forth only in his life e Rom. 6 9. 10. 11. Rom. 6. 1 to 8. For the one is not nor can be made known out of the other f Rom. 8. 34. 2 Cor. 13. 4. and they that go about to work any other way concerning the Kingdom and Priesthood of Christ in the Church they can never effect nor perform that work that is here foretold namely to wound or strike through these forenamed and forementioned Kings namely a carnal prosperity and also adversity either of which being taken as the proper Cross or Crown of Christ Jesus become therby meerly Idolatrous and Diabolical The word translated in the future tense shal wound may also be read in the preter hath wounded or in the present tense doth wound to denote an act of continuation We are here then to mind the action performed as a work extending to all times for God is never out of the like operation his work being one even as his will is but one so that whereever he as King and Lord sets forth his Lordship and Principality in his life and resurrection he doth it in and by the death and sacrifice of the Priest that man of his right hand g Psal â—0 17. that is according to the multitudes of the operations and ways of the workings of death hel and sin in the natural heart of man are manifesting and bringing in his sorrow and wretchedness on every side h Gen. 6. 4. Gal. 4. 24. Rom. 2 5. which the Son of God having taken upon himself i Mat. 8. 17. must needs be without number reckoning or account k Psal 40 12. and therefore for weight intolerable l Psal 98 4. Ioh 6 2 being none could stand under them but he who is God himself m Rom. 9 5 Acts 20 28. even such are those supplies fulfilments revivals and operations that are in the life and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ which do fulfil and replenish all and every of those ways and workings of death whatsoever for if all this wretchedness and misery were contracted into one as it was and laid upon that one and only Son of the
life of the Son of man according to the life light and wisdome of a creature made one with God cannot admit of any thing into unity with it selfe whose life and excellency is not the same with that which is in it selfe for the nature of man being made one with the Image or Son of God l Gen. 1. 27. Gen. 4. 1 2. cannot propose it selfe unto it selfe in its native excellency below or inferiour unto God for the nature of man being made one with God according to the best perfections and wisdome of a creature wherein he was as truly made as in the wisdome and perfections of God and according to that humane wisdome of his he cannot admit of any thing in himselfe that is in his owne nature to bee lesse then the excellencies of the Creator being he was made in his Image and so he sets himselfe in the place and seat of God for the excellencies of God cannot be in the nature of the creature but the creature must be God which it can never be And therefore by this meanes he makes a nullity of God and so in himself becomes the God of this world m 2 Cor. 4. 4. or that Antichrist n 1 Ioh. 2. 18 22. 1 Iohn 4. 3. 2 Iohn 7. and where he finds his owne nature to fall short of the excellencies and glory of God in wisdome power authority peace and the like being restrained from some particular thee or other in that kind or that one tree in generall so that he cannot eat in that manner that he would then all his wisdome art and skill is put forth to eat or communicate in the things of this life or in the things of that life of man to make himselfe in his owne nature like unto God o Gen. 3. 5. for the wisdome of man can never satisfie it selfe by having its excellency in way of union and not to be in it selfe the very thing it selfe therefore it is in nature that man and wife can never have full satisfaction in the excellencies of each other in way of union or contract unlesse they become the same person or thing that each other is namely in their seed and off-spring for in them they are properly made one flesh and in a child they twaine are made one individuall p Eph. 5. 31 32 33. Hence it is that man not being contented with excellency in way of union that all those conspiracies warres controversies and enmity breake out and are seen in the world among the sons of men for King and Subject have each others perfections in respect of unity but when any excellency appeares in one that the other hath not in himself where the feare of God and the knowledge of the excellency of unity in Christ is not they never rest till they either pull it down or in some way or other transplant and assume it unto themselves so it was in the people towards Moses who was King in Jeshurun q Deut. 33. 4. 5. for they would have leaders of their owne device and making like unto other Nations r Exod. 32. 1 Acts 7. 39. 40 41. to go before them into Canaan so it was in the dayes of Samuel they would have a Saul to rule over them Å¿ 1 Sam. 8. 5 6. 7. and so it is now in the Ministerie betwixt Priest and people as it was in that Corah and his company towards Aaron t Numb 16. 1 2 3. and so it is between man and man of all sorts and degrees though they be one by union being all of one flesh u Acts 17. 26. yet where any excellency appeares in one that another hath not in himselfe that is in his owne personall condition presently enmity appeares if by his industry or eating of one tree or other he cannot attaine it x Gen. 4. 3 4. 5. nothing therefore but the excellency that comes by union can unite truly man and man together in any estate that is when he can count and reckon upon the excellencies of another as his owne but especially this is the way and no other that unites and brings together God and the creature y Iohn 17. 20 21. even so nothing but self-excellency breeds debate and separates man and man in all relations but that nothing else breeds debate and enmity especially between God man which is the root originall fountain of al other debates separations controversies enmity hatred which moves that wicked one in all ages to kill and murder his brother * 1 Iohn 3. 12. not acknowledging that excellency that is in unity to be such as one is the keeper and preservation of another a Gen. 4 9 10. Acts 20. 28. Iohn 2. 2. Rev. 13. 8. the superiour preserves the inferiour for without a superiour an inferiour could not be and the inferiour preserves the superiour for without an inferiour a superiour could not be the nature of man preserves and gives being unto the death of Christ for without the nature of man united unto God a death of an eternall race and vertue could never be the nature of the Sonne of God preserves and gives being unto the life of the sonne of man for without the nature of the Sonne of God being united unto man a life of an eternall race and vertue could never be in man or in a creature c Iohn 17. 3 Rom. 6. 23. 1 Ioh. 5. 11. Titus 3. 7. the death and fall of man therefore according to the wisdome of God is the very way of transmitting of the life and excellencies of God over unto another in whom there is otherwise no such life and dignity d 1 Iohn 5. 11 12. and the exaltation of the sonne of man by and in that life and dignity according to the wisdome of man or of a creature is the way of arrogating that unto himselfe which is proper and peculiar unto God alone in whom there can be no such corruptible momentanie and fading life and dignity as the mind and wisdome of man so valueth and apprizeth of and these two being the grand parents of all the world were both in perfection in man in the first act of his creation and that without any fault defect or imperfection at all nay the work in it selfe was vehemently good e Eccles 7. 29. Gen. 1. 31. But no longer then the wisdome of God can be without manifestation in making of such a wonderfull work in giving glory to the Creator whose word hath made it and given being unto it which must needs be in the very act of the making and being of it no longer can the wisdome of man wherein the weaknesse of man signified in the woman being in the transgression and not the man f 1 Pet. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 14 as also the very subtilty of the Serpent appeareth can be without the manifestation of it selfe in questioning and so denying the nature and
sinne is not but as it is propagated in and by a creature and yet not without respect unto that righteousnesse that is in the Creator consulting with and about it according to the capacity and principles of a creature and not according to the light and revelation wisdome and principles of the Creator even that holy word or minde of the Lord made manifest in the flesh e Gen. 3. 3 4 5. 1 Cor. 2. 11 12. 1 Cor. 2. 4. to 11. 1 Tim. 3. 16 Righteousnesse also is no created thing for it is that blessed and increat being that gives being unto all things and this also propagates begets and generates it selfe in the way of the Sonne of God Jesus Christ our Lord who was made in the similitude of sinfull flesh and by that which is sin in it self condemnes sin in the flesh f Iam. 1. 17 13. 1 Iohn 5. 18 19. Rom. 8. 3 4. yea he was made sin in us that knew no sin in himselfe g 2 Cor. 5. 21. that is he was made that which in it self is nothing but si if by it selfe it intermeddle with the righteousnesse of God and hereby doth righteousnesse generate and propagate it selfe in and with respect unto us for righteousnesse consulting with our infirmities by those principles and according to that wisdome that is in God thereby begets and generates that holy and innocent Son of God h Luke 1. 34 35. Iam 1. 21. Gen. 18 9. to 15. who otherwise could never be made knowne nor manifested unto us but hereby he makes himselfe righteous in time for all creatures are in time who is also from eternity else time and eternity could not be propagated in that one act of our salvation even so also the creature that is in time making it selfe sin by that righteousnesse that is in God makes it selfe an eternall sinner who otherwise could not bring forth sin and death of such a race and in the one and the other there is a filling of the places with dead bodies or a filling up by ruines and these ruines are multiplied both in the one and in the other according to the diversities of glory that appears in the Revelation of the Son of God and hence the extence of his Government and Judgement is brought in in these words He shall wound the heads over many Countreyes or he doth wound the head over or in a great Countrey The word here translated wound signifies to wound to death till blast cause to wither and bring to nought the word head is read either in the singlar or plurall number and signifies the chiefe or principle the life or beginning of a thing as the head or beginning of a Fountaine which is the life of the streames or the top or head of any thing that springs up as also the root of any things that growes in the earth the word great signifies either great in quantity or great in multitude great in quantity comprizing all things in one and so there is one Prince of the power of the ayre i Eph. 2. 2. one God of this world who blinds the eyes of such as believe not k 2. Cor. 4. 4. and great in multitude also an one being transfused into all and so his name is Legion for he is many l Mark 5. 9. Luke 8. 30. and so the word translated Countrey signifies either the whole world or any particular Nation Countrey confine parcell or tract of ground circumscribed and bounded within it selfe our Lord therefore wounds or causeth to wither that head or heads yea root and branch of that great and multiplyed one that is in the world in generall and in every particular of it and here our Prophet alludes unto all those Kings of Canaan situate in that one Nation discomfited and overcome by Josua even as one as also to all the heads of the Nations round about them into whom the very same spirit was diffused by which they became enemies unto Israel for when the most high divided unto the Nations their inheritance when he separated the Sons of Adam he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel m Deut 32. 8. So that in whatsoever the Son of God is honored lifted up and advanced by in the very same thing appeares the dishonor shame and confusion of the Nations even the men of this world For if the inheritance of the Saints in the Sonne of God be made manifest and rightfully distributed and given unto them then doe the Nations and men of this world appeare to be intruders and usurpers in all that ever they do or may possesse in any thing wherein they seem to stand in relation unto or to have any respect unto God therein but for the severall relations betwixt creature and creature the Saints of God doe in no case disregard nor neglect and hence it is that their warfare is spirituall n 2. Cor. 10. 14. onely seeking to advance the Son of God in the Kingdome of God and not to deprive any man of his orderly interest of whatsoever he enjoyes of the things that appertaine unto this life o Psal 115. 16. Mat. 22. 18. to 22. yea the division of tongues in that confusion of languages or in the beginning of the Kingdome of that mighty hunter which is Babell Erech Acad and Calney in the land of Shyner p Gen. 10. 10. is nothing else but the advancement of this Kingdome of our Lord when those cloven or those dividing distributing and fiery tongues sit upon our Apostle and high Priest of our porfession speaking unto every man in his owne language uttering the very same speech that himselfe speaketh in his owne heart q Rom. 10. 6. 7 8. Deut. 30. 11 12 13 14. condescending and coming downe yea taking up the very lip or language which we naturally speake in our selves the reby to open and interpret that one heavenly language and speech of the Father unto the Son in the variety and severall waies wherein it hath infinitely expressed it selfe unto us therefore is the Spirit expressed in that place in the plurall number cloven and fiery tongues and in the singular also and it sate upon every one of them to declare that all of them are of one lip and language as all the earth was before the division r Acts 2. 2 3 4. Gen. 11. 1. yea even that division that was made in Adam at the first s Gen. 3. 12 13. and that every one of them hath all so as to be able to speake to all sorts estates and conditions of men and is made able to preach the Gospell to t Mark 16. 15. or as the word may be read in every creature so that it shall become either a savour of life or else a savour of death unto all and therefore must either finde a voluntary submission unto it selfe in the forsaking of all the waies of
unto thy view and lookes upon thee with an eye that shall judge the secrets of thy heart and duly observe thy rejection or acceptation of it according to the motions of thy mind in all the out-goings and operations thereof and thus much for the occasion of penning and ground of printing of this ensuing Treatise Now for the cautions to be observed in reading of this Treatise First consider of that great mistake in the Ministery of the world in judging of the state and differing condition of mankind in this world teaching the workes of the Law for the righteousnesse of faith and imbracing the workes and operations of men in point of Religion accordingly and so preferre the first-borne after the flesh to be the onely acceptable one in their societies and Churches c. judging of all they receive and rejoyce in even as they thinke of that elder brother after the flesh in that History or rather Parable of the prodigall Å¿ Luk. 15. for they think the elder brother kept himselfe in an excellent condition in comparison of the prodigall whereas the truth is the descention and humiliation as also the ascention and exaltation of Jesus Christ are taught in the prodigall and that pharisaicall righteousnesse of the Justiciaries of this world is set forth unto us in the condition and carriage of that elder brother and the imployments of the Churches in these daies so acceptable unto many according as they have composed themselves in severall formes is nothing else but that honoured field-labour of that first-borne after the flesh which ever ends in murmuring and grudging at the bounty of the Father unto him that hath made himselfe of no reputation to returne in our nature into the wealth and glory of the father t Phil. 6. 7 8 9. which kind of Sonship that ends in the flesh alwaies keeps it selfe at home in its owne righteousnesse and performances through his vain opinionated keeping of the Commandements of the father u Luk. 15. 29. and that by his vilifying and disgracing of others x Luk. 15 30. still being upon the termes of stand by thy selfe I am holier then thou y Esa 65. 2 3 4 5 6. who cannot endure the returne of him who was dead but is alive that was lost but is found z Luk. 15. 24. Revel 1. 18 Rev. 2. 8. Mat. 18. 11. they being alwaies such as anger and fill themselves with wrath * Luk. 15. 28. from that bounty and goodnesse of the Father to him who hath so descended out of the bosome of the Father into that base and servile condition which the rich Citizens and farmers of this world put him unto a Luk. 15 15. for hee made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death b Esa 53 9. and therefore hath bee a portion with the great and divides the spoile with the strong c Esa 53. 12 because he powred out his soule unto death in his returne unto life in the bosome of the Father d Lu. 15. 17 18 19 20. So that the elder brother is angry when he hears of that melody and dancing in the house and habitation of the Father and the Son e Luk. 15. 15. upon that joyfull returne of the Son or happy translation of death into life not being able to behold that rich robe of righteousnesse to be put upon him that hath wasted and consumed that whole patrimony of mans owne righteousnesse which that elder brother ever delights in and depends upon f Luk. 15. 29 30. Mat. 5. 20 and thinks there is no righteousnesse that can exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees g Luk. 15. 9 10 11 12. and therefore will not put on the Lord Jesus Christ h Rom. 13. 14. that righteousnesse which is by faith in the Son of God i Phil. 3. 9. onely is wrath and irefull at them that have it and takes care onely how to make provisions for the flesh k Rom. 13. 14. nor can they indure that upon that hand or Ministery of the Son l Psal 77. 20 there should appeare that Ring or ornament which is of such forme as no end thereof can be found m Luk. 15 22. Rev. 14. 6 and for those shooes put upon his feet which is the preparation of the Gospel of peace n Eph 6 15 namely that courage and fortitude of the Sons of God it is an offence unto all such as wait for superiority in the way of the flesh who are ever offended if smooth and soft words bee not spoken and much crouching and cringing to any thing that seems eminent to the flesh or in the way of mans judgement o Col. 2. 16. 17. 18. and therefore will needs set it up in the worship of their God p Col. 2. 20 21 22 23. Neither can they abide the fat Calfe which is killed the onely refreshing and mirth both of Father and Sonne q Luke 15. 23 24 25. which is killed and crucified concerning the flesh r 1 Pet. 3. 18 So that nothing of the Spirit and livelihood of that is left at all But so full lively and fat of the life spirit and power of God that it gives plenary satisfactioon fulnesse of delight mirth and consolation to all those that once have a true taste and enjoyment thereof s Joh. 1. 16. Eph. 3. 10. Col. 1. 19. Col. 2. 9. Psal 19. 10. Psal 119. 103. Now the Churches of New England with all such as stand upon the like foundation and are in like relation unto the Father as that elder brother was and ever is labouring in the field of their own home-made covenants and performances cannot endure to come into the house where such mirth melody and fulnesse is Nor can they communicate with any who keep such Festivities For it blasphemes or strikes through their Pharisaical keeping of the commandements t Luke 18. 21 Luke 15. 29 pierceing through all the glory and goodlinesse of man u Isa 40. 6. 7. That so the glory and grace of our God may spring up and appeare x Eph. 3. 19. And they can no more leave their own naturall propensity in desiring the glory of a creature to be their excellency and dignity nor desire or incline after the other then the earth can forsake its own naturall and ponderous condition to incline after or lift up it self in such sort as to become one of those glorious lights and heavenly bodies Therefore it is their proper and naturall delight to hold their feast with the leven of maliciousnesse y 2 Cor. 5. scandalizing and crying downe all those that cannot hold that unjust length and bredth together with themselves as persons not onely unworthy of their society in their hewn-out formed moulded and self-polished covenants and ordinances but also doe looke upon them and act in their utmost endeavours towards them as such
C 4. How this Psalm manifests it selfe to be indeed the Oracle of God and cannot be the word of a meere man nor appliable to any earthly state and condition whatsoever p. 5. at D. 5. The manner how the word of God takes our nature into unity with it selfe p. 6. at E 6 Of what continuation and duration the death and humiliation of Iesus Christ is according to the true life spirit vertue intent and meaning of it p. 7. 7. What operation the death and humiliation of Christ hath upon the men of the world p. 9. 8 What the proper enemies of the Priesthood of the Sonne of God are p. 9 9 What the two Cherubims are that cover the Mercy-seat in the true signification of them p. 16. at E 10 What is the onely root and rise of the manifestation and exercise of Gods power in the Church p. 17. F. 11 What are the onely enemies of Christs Kingly Office in the Church and how overcome p. 18. G 12 How men may be said to deny the resurrection authority or Kingly power of Iesus Christ p. 20. at H 13 What those Cherubims placed at the East of Eden in their true intent and meaning are and what their Office is to such as are in the way of sin and of the fall p. 21. at I 14 The time and manner of the Saints assembling together when and what it is according to the authority and operation of Gods call in the Assembly p. 28. at K 15 What the proper Ornaments of the Saints are in the time of their holy assemblies p. 30. at K 16 How John and Jesus are both truly sayd to be fore-runners being so far different in office and quality p. 30. at L 17 The proper Rise Nature and Number of the Oblations and Offerings of the Saints according to the plenteous grace of the Gospel p. 31. at M 18 What the Oath of God is by which our high Priest Iesus Christ was consecrated and installed into his office p. 38. at N 19 How the work of God though in it selfe a creature compirsed in time and place may truly be said to be insinit as God himselfe is infinite and yet there is but one infinite See p. 48. above the letter O. 20 What that Plurality properly is which is comprehended in these words Let us make man in our own Image p. 49. at O 21 What is meant by the Angels not keeping their first estate opened and discovered p. 52. at P. 22 What the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven are or that Key of David that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth explained and discovered p. 56. at Q 23. What the life of man as he excells all other creatures properly is and of what correspondency the life of Christ springing out of death and the death of Antichrist fading or consuming out of life are in way of Antithesis or opposition p. 60. at R 24 What the sound of the last Trumpet is and how the change is made in the twinkling of an eye p. 60. at S 25 Severall verses opened and interpreted out of that first Epistle to the Corinthians the 15. Chapter to declare the nature and certainty of that oath of God whereby our high Priest is installed into his office p. 62. at T 26 What the difference is between the Spirit of God in its interpretation of the Scriptures and that which is truly called a private interpretation p. 70. at V 27 The nature of the fall of Man what it is in eating of the forbidden tree and how both the Tree of life and the Tree of the knowledge both of Good and Evill are sayd to bee in the midst of the Garden and what it is to eate of the one and of the other p. 71. at W 29 What it is to bee under the oath of the Curse and how it is brought to passe to be in force and exercised in man who was made blessed p. 75. at X 29 What is the ground of the translation imputation or reckoning of the sinne of man upon that holy and innocent Sonne of God p. 79. at Y 30 The time of the womans being in the Wildernesse what it is Rev. 12. and how a true forme cannot be given unto the Church of Christ without the knowledge of it p. 80. at Z 31 What it is to fight with Beasts at Ephesus after the manner of Men expounded and opened p. 88 32 How we are to understand that body celestiall and that body terrestriall which the Apostle speakes of and what is the true glory of the one and of the other p. 95. at B 33 What that patern is which Moses saw in the Mount according to the mystery truth and substance of it and of what use and necessity the knowledge of it is unto us in case wee ever intend to goe up to re-edifie the house of God p. 96. at C 34 How wee are to judge of the mortality and immortality of the soule of man and of the truth and verity both of the one and of the other p. 98. 35 That the resurrection spoken of and principallly intended in the Scriptures is spirituall perfected at once in one act through Jesus Christ and yet denies not but confirmes the resurrection of the body out of the grave in due time p. 102. at E 36 That the word of God is to be held and maintained as absolute and glorious in the unity of it as it is in its multiplication as in the whole circumference so also in the center of it p. 108. at F. 37 What the Crosse of Christ is and how men dishonour the Gospel by teaching it to be that which it is not in giving that to be the share and portion of the sonnes of Adam which the Sonne of GOD hath taken as his owne proper share and portion p. 110. 38 How we are to conceive and judge of an Eldership in the Church and House of God in case it bee according to the order of that Pristhood of our Melchisedec p. 113. 39 How we are to understand the Sacrifices or that one Sacrifice or Lamb offered for and in the Church of Christ p. 119. at I Here followeth a Table containing the heads of such poynts as are handled in the second part of this Treatise according to the order of the English Alphabet 40. WHAT the Baptisme or washing of the Church is as it is the Laver of Regeneration and washing away of sinne without which a vanity in all Baptismes p. 10. at K 41 A difference most needfull to bee observed between that which is properly the Crosse of Christ and that which Doctrinally teacheth what it is without the knowledge where of true Baptisme cannot be understood p. 15. at L 42 What agreement there is between the taking up of any one act of Baptisme and making it the ordinance of washing in the Church and to tak up one of the ten words or Commandements and making it to be
any thing of excellency whatsoever For he in no case taketh hold on Angels in way of our redemption Heb. 2. 16. that is on any excellency or dignity for then he could not be the Son of God infinite in glory if any excellency were added unto him But on the seed of Abraham he taketh hold that is of a poore and mean condition one that had not the bredth of a foot in the holy land Acts 7. 5. So that Christ in communicating with our Nature takes unto himselfe onely basenesse ignominy and reproach and can no more receive any jot of glory in us then we can possibly receive any the least stain or blemish by him onely that which man counts his honour and is of highest esteem in his own eyes is that which is truly base and abominable before God Luke 16. 15. and in that doth the humiliation of the Sonne of God consist For the greatest basenesse before God is when man goeth about to make himselfe excellent and honourable by transitory and corruptible things as by offices places gifts riches and relations to this present world who by this meanes preferres and brings in the excellencies of the Creature above and in stead of the glory and dignity of the Creator wherewith man was blessed at the first and through the same vitious desire to exalt the creature vilifies and so falls from his Creator for the dignity and glory of the creature and the glory of God the Creator cannot subsist nor stand together For that which is infinite in it selfe admits not of any other in co-partnership or fellowship with it selfe that is with any other in way of the same kind or respect as if it be glory it is but one glory or the glory of one if it be shame it is but one shame or the shame of one So that of necessity the Sonne of God assuming our nature must burn up waste cause to wither destroy and consume all the glory and goodlinesse of man Isai 40. So that as dust and ashes it falls into the ash-pans of the Altar for ever and by consuming of that to wit all the fat the sweet the firstlings chiefe and livelihood of the creature for ever He brings in that first begotten of the Father yea the Chiefty and Excellency of the Son of God as a Sacrifice perfumatory a sweet Savour and of an eternall acceptation with God so long therefore as this one onely sacrifice findes acceptation with God so long is his humliation and discention before God for if he be exalted in the power and dignity of God as he is the Sunne of man a Joh. 5. 27. so is he also humbled and debased in regard of all excellency of man as he is the Sonne of God b Phil. 26. 7. and so long as the one lasteth so long shall the other for as Gods excellencies shall for ever be exalted and set aloft so shall the arme of flesh which is mans excellency c Jer. 17. 5. 6. for ever be abased and kept under Eze. 30. 21. 22. which is most acceptable and well pleasing unto faith to have this glorious exchange change ratified and confirmed unto and in the Saints for ever that Gods glory may appeare and be made manifest in man d Col. 1. 27. and the things of man may be hid and covered in God e Psal 32. 1. Zep. 2. 3. hence is that interchangeable translative and relative sentence uttered viz. The Lord said unto my Lord or as the word will beare The Lord said in my Lord that is the Kingly Lordship and authority of Christ speakes and uttereth it selfe in the Priestly and the Priestly Lordship authority of Christ speakes and utters it self in the Kingly so that each of them hath prehemenence and is at the right hand of the other for the Kingly Office and dignity speakes not nor acts but in and by the Lordship and authoty of the Priesthood and the priestly office and dignity speaks not nor acts but in and by the Lordship and authority of the Kingdome or of the Kingly office for they are the right hand of each other by which and not otherwise they mutually and interchangeably worke and make themselves manifest to be that which indeed they are and ever will for he lives for ever to make intercession for the Saints f Heb 7. 25. This twofold Lordship and dignity then is the very summe substance and matter of the Gospell even of all that good newes that comes from Heaven as out of a farre Country into our nature in that way of Christ g Pro. 25. 25. And therefore must needs be the whole scope and drift of this Psalme Yea the very life and marrow of all the holy Scriptures so that all the rest of this psalme is wrapped up in this first verse even as the sap and life of the Tree in the root and as the Blossom and fruit in the Bud which Bud hath vertue in it to produce and bring forth thousands and ten thousands of Trees of the same kind which when our Sun of righteousnesse shineth upon it who hath health and vertue in his wings h Mal. 4. drawes out brings forth and causeth it to appeare in such a royall Kingdome and Priesthood as is here made manifest in the rest of the Psalme which is perpetuated and eternized both in the one and in the other for the Kingdom and Priesthood of the Sonne of God are co-existent in there rise â—race and duration yea co-opperate and co-apparant also so that the one is not nor ever can be without the other for as he is King of Salem Prince of peace and so rules in righteousnesse for ever i Heb. 7. 2. Isay 32. 1. that of his Kingdome and Doâ—inion there is no end k Dan. 4. 3. So also as he is Priest of the most high God l Heb. 7. being made not after the carnall commandement but according to the power of an endlesse life abideth a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec m Heb. 7. 16 17 21 24. For this man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood and therefore remaines and abides the same for ever And this is that also that the men of our dayes and unbeleevers in these times as well as in the times that are past cry out against and cannot endure it as a doctrine most pernitious and abominable that the humiliation or death of Christ should be eternall they would not have that word to be made good which saith He was a Lamb slain from the beginning n Rev. 13. 8. nor that he should in his death and Priesthood as well as in any part of his Mediatorship be Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever o Heb. 13. 8. For if his death should appeare unto them so as to dye to the power wisdome riches preferments of this world otherwise they cannot
o Rom. 1. 4. Gal. 3. 13. For it is Gods property work and prerogative Royall to make himselfe honourable by infirmity and it is mans worke onely and all that he can attaine unto to make himselfe honourable by things that are exelent at least in appearance p Acts 12. 21 22 23. or in the corrrupt mindes of those amongst whom he lives p Acts 12. 21 22 23. But so farre as man is from making the Sonne of God or from devising and inventing that great work of salvation to lift him up through infirmitie and purifie him through Corruption q 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. even so farre is he from justification and acquitting before the Throne of God by any thing that is in himselfe and so farre as any strive to make themselves or the Sonne of God honourable by fading things so farre they are from acknowledging that Christ is become life unto us through death which the Saints of God ever acknowledge and confesse themselves to be his death as absolutely as he is their life r Gen. 6. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 5. and as Christ cannot be without the one nor the other no more can they for he cannot become the Sonne of man but must dye to all mans exellencies and glory else his own as he is God were not full and compleate neither can we be made the Sonnes of God but we must rise from all wretchednesse infirmitie or else his death is not full and compleate but he is detained in the grave which is impossible that the Sonne of God should be held of death s Gal. 2. 19. 20. So then so farre as our sinns prevaile over us or the feares doubts terrours and troubles that naturally man is subjected unto make us wretched and miserable breeding perturbations and disquietnesse in our mindes Soe farre doe wee deny that Christ is risen from the dead and ruleth in the heart of his enemies namely that his Athority springs out of nothing else in us but meerly out of our infirmities therefore it is said to be a rod that is sent as in the Text exercised in us or in our nature and not in himself or his own nature as he is God for then it could not bee a sent Rod as is affirmed nor given as in the second Psalme namely that could neither be said to be given that he rules over t Psal 16. 10. Rom. 6. 9. 14. Rom. 8 10 11. if there were not a like interchangable gift when we see our infirmities therefore we behold the resurrection of Christ in them v Psal 2. 8. or else we deny that he hath vanquished and overcome them and so detaine him still in the grave w 2 Cor. 12. 9 10. 2 Cor. 11. 30. not confessing his rule in the midst of his enemirs so also if we perceive the power and glory of this world to come out and muster up it selfe against us wee see his death in it and so it becomes livelesse unto us that acknowledge life to be onely in him x 1 Cor. 15. 12 13 14. and we perceive how he makes that even the Footestoole of his feate and will break and shatter them all to peeces y Col. 3. 3 4. as a potters Vessell and before he shall want executioners every man shall sheath his Sword in his Brothers side z Psal 2. 9. Revel 2. 26 27. not onely in things that concernes this temporary life but in things of a spirituall and of an eternall nature also a Exod. 32. 27. Wherefore whether we look upon our own infirmities or the worlds glory and tyranny Christ in this twofold respect according to the Faith of the Gospel becomes all sufficient unto us to save both from the one and from the other b 1 Cor. 11. 18 19. For these are those Cherubims or Cherubs that are set at the East of Eden with the flame of a Sword shaken turning it selfe to keepe the way of the Tree of Life c Rom. 4. 25 Revel 11. 4 5. Revel 20. 9. namely this Kingly Priest and this Priestly King for Kings are Cverubbs or Cherubions d Gen. 3. 24. And those that place the glory of the Kingdome and Priesthood of Christ in things according to the wayes of men or attainable by man that is in any thing that may proceede out of the wisdome of a Creature they fall from the dignity and glory of the Sonne of God in so doing read diligently for proofe hereof that of the prophet Ezekiel e Ezek. 28. 14 16. and those that finde and place the things of the Kindoms and Priesthood of Jesus Christ in such things as are neither of man nor by man f Ezek. 12. to 20. nor are they found in any but in the Sonne of God himselfe g Gal. 1. 11. 12. They and they onely rise from that base and miserable estate and condition of all mankind unto the glory grace and dignity of the Sonne of God h Ephes 1. 22. 23. therefore these Cherubims are placed at the East of Eden i Ephes 1. 18. to 22. Rom. 8. 16. 17. with the flâ—me of a Sword turned or changed as the word is for the Hebrew word Ceshaph signifies turning or changing or transforming of one thing into another the word also translated glistering or flaming as a fire or Sword alluded unto hath the signification of secret or close conveyance as in secret sleights of jugling whereby men have their Sences so dazled that they cannot perceive nor finde out the k Gen 3. 24. motion or translating of things for these namely the Kingly and Priestly Offices of Christ being the very glory of the Temple and Kingdome of God and the onely and sose entry and in-lets into the Kingdome or that garden of God k Ezek. 31. 8 9 Cant. 5. 1. or way to eat of or communicate in and with that Tree of life are there set forth unto us under the name of Kings or Cherubs Shuttings Man out of the gar den declaring what work and operation they have in the hearts and mindes of the men of this world in that way of the fall and manner of their apostacie from God not giving credit unto the word of God according as he hath expressed himselfe in the Gospel for the not perceiving the way and manner of conveyance of this Kingly and Priestly Offices as it is in Christ according to that glorious translation and mutuall communication betwixt God and man in him they devise invent conjecture and search out all wayes and meanes according to the art and wisdome of man in whatsover the imagination of his own heart after the cunâ—ing slights and devices of Sathan can possibly bring forth unto it selfe l 2 Cor. 11. 3. Col. 2. 14. 2 Pet. 2. 14. 18. 2 Pet. 1. 16. to dignifie and set up both the one and the other unto himselfe And hence ariseth all that Inchantment
appearing is his Tabernacle d Exod. 16. 21. Psal 19. 4 5 6. be cannot participate in these offering either he must be with the first or not at all in the things of this kingdom If there be a Sonship before that by which he becomes is made a Son he caÌ„not receive a childhood in this house nor be kinded or aly'd unto God e Rom. 8 6 17. If there be a righteousnesse before that whereby he is made righteous it is not the righteousnesse of God by faith in Christ Jesus he is yet in his sin f 2 Cor. 5. 21. If there be a Spirit before that by which he is illuminated it is not the Spirit of God received by the hearing of faith g Gal. 3. 2. but a spirit of delusion arising from the works of the Law if there be a Church to be found before that whereof we acknowledge our selves to be members it is not the Church of Christ nor the Assembly of the Sons of the living God But the Synagogue of Sathan and the Congregating of that Sonne of perdition to plot and contrive how to strengthen himselfe against the Sonne of God h Psa 2. 1 2. 3 Rev. 20. 7 8 9. Ier. 5. 7. Making melody unto themselves from the workes of their own hands i Hab. 1. 15. 16. Iob 31. 26 27 28. Triumphing and dancing about a Calfe of their owne device and framing k Exo. 32. 3 4 5 6. 1 Cor. 10. 7. For the Starrs of the Morning that sing together in that one and alone bright Morning Starr Jesus Christ and those Sonnes of God that shout for joy at the laying of that first Corner Stone of this new Creation or Building are not onely of the Off-spring but of that roote of David also who takes his being from the Womb of this early Morning So as eternity becomes time in us and time in us becomes eternity in him l Rev. 22. 16. Iob. 36. 4 5 6 7. Zack 4. 7. Therefore it is that the Poole of Bethesda or house of efusion heavenly washing m Iohn 5. 1 7. never puts forth vertue but only upon him that steppeth first in when the waters are moved So that if ever God open our eyes through the Revelation of Iesus Christ we shall see ourselves first in that Poole of heavenly washing or effusion of his grace through his beloved Son the first in Church fellowship and Communion through that Unity we have in our Head n Ephes 4. 15 16. The first in espousall through that mutuall Contract that is in Christ for we are betrothed in that Righteousnesse that hath the same glory in respect of beginning that it hath in respect of ending For as impossible as it is for it to have an end alike impossibility there is that ever it should have beginning o Hosea 2. 19 20. And that man that cannot acknowledge himself to be eternized through that spirit that is in Christ Iesus proceeding from the Father p Ephes 12. 18 19 20. 21 22. he can never acknowledge the Son of God to be made momentany and subjâ—ct unto death in time through that flesh assumed in the womb of the Uirgin q 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. Iohn 1. 14. For such as the death of the Son of God is such is the true life of a Christian or of the Sonne of man they hold correspondencie in in all Points in way of antithesis or diameter-wise r 1 Pet. 3. 18. to deny the one therefore is to deny the other in the true intent and meaning thereof and in this point the hippocrites of our dayes in their preaching and professing doe nothing else but take up Armes and all their Religion is but a continued Act of striving against their maker s Esa 45 9. If the death of Christ Jesus therefore have an end the life and state of a Christian is come to nought and vanisheth Woe unto the World then for their falsifying of this point For the dew of this early Morning and of this Youth or Youngling is such that if it should not descend and that continually it could never ascend or be exhausted and drawne up into heaven by that Sun of righteousnesse perpetually and if it should be exhausted and drawn up onely it could never descend nor fall upon the things below t Ephes 4. 9 10. But joyntly in the one and in the other the earth is made abundantly fruitfull and serviceable in all the store and plentious varieties thereof u Devt 11 14 15. and the Heavens become glorious and full of Dominion and Lordship in all their severall aspects and opperations thereupon x Hosea 2. 21. 22 Psa 19. 1 to 6. Yea who ever he be that can find a Priesthood receiving power and taking its Dominion before that by vertue of which he himself ministers in the things of God that party so officiated is no Minister of the most high God in the holy things of God and House of the Lord y Heb. 7 16 17. but a Priest of Baal exercised in an Idoles Temple for unto him the people bow and not unto Christ z Rom. 11. 4. For that Congregation cannot be orderly in their owne estimation unlesse they give honour unto him or unto them so officiated a Iohn 5. 44. that can neither uphold nor continue their Office nor their owne lives to minister therein b Heb. 7. 23. nor is the comfort and salvation of all those that depend upon them of any more stabilitie or certainty c Psa 97. 7. Psa 110. 4 5. 6 7 8. Therefore it is that our high Priest onely is consecrated by an Oath d Heb. 7. 28. all other are after or according to the Law of works signified and taught in opposing the Priesthood of Aaron unto the Priesthood of Christ e Heb. 7. 6. By which Law of works salvation cannot be And hence it is that our Prophet saith ver 4. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of MELCHISEDEC Wherein observe for Order sake First the manner of Confirmation it is by Oath the Lord hath sworne Secondly the unchangeable state and course of it in these words and will not repent Thirdly the disposition and Order of it that is in these words after the Order of Melchisedâ—c Fourthly the continuation or duration of it in these words thou art a Priest for ever For the first two things are to be observed in the Oath of God first because God cannot sweare by a greater he swears by Himself for men verrily sweare by the greater g Heb. 6. 13 16. Therefore God must of necessity sweate by Himselfe h Esa 49. 18. because there is nto a greater The Lord hath sworne That is by Himselfe that is to say that he is not nor will be God but with respect unto this Priesthood if his
only by Creation as men think but by Adoption also yea and the Son of God by nature For he is the Sonne of God by nature because the Image of God which is the Wisdom of God and God himself are of the same nature and so is he the Son of God by nature He is also a Son by Adoption or taken out of the house of a stranger for as he is earth and so bears the Image of the earthly g 1 Cor 1. 5. he is a stranger and forreyner from that heavenly glory and excelency that is in God and so is he the Sonne of God by Adoption And he is also a Sonne by Creation and that is the making and framing of these two together in one glorious work which is indeed the New Creature or the Creation of God h Rev. 3. 14. and so is he the Sonne of God by Creation which work is not nor can be truly considered without God himself being brought into it without any interposission of time place action demeanour or comportment of the Creature whatsoever For the interposission of any thing between God and the Creature was the fall and is the sin of man unto this day i Gen. 3. 5. Heb. 10. 39. 39. for as the operation of our hearts work for the interposing of somwhat betwixt our selves and our full satisfaction happines in God through Christ by so much do our hearts work to put somewhat between the happines of the human nature of Christ in the divine so destroy the faith or subsistance of Christ unto our selves For as God said let there be light it was so so did he say of the dust himself let us make man in our own Image it was so But man through that serpenten like subtility in that way of the woma or of that wâ—aker earthen vessel namely the wisdom of a Creature working towards about the things of the Creator which is not admire to spark in the Church k 1 Tim. 2 12 said no but if we ear We shal be turning that truth which God had spoken into a lye l Rom. 1. 25 which sin and fall from his Creatour m Gen. 3. 6. even so God saith that he hath made us heires first borne and Coheares with Christ Kings Priests able to do all things through Christ that strenghtens us n Rom. 8. 16. 17. Rev. 5. 10. Phil. 4. 13. But earthly man saith no but if we do this or that or come to this or that period or point of time if we suffer if we waite if we reform and conform then we shall be so this is that apostate backslyder and faller of from the living God namely of those that draw back unto perdition and not of them that believe to the saving of the soule o Heb. 10. 38. 39. Now the breach of this Oath Bond Covenant Contract or unity that is betwixt God and man in which God is a party must needs be of an infinite nature and therefore that and that onely gives length and latitude to the death and humiliation of Jesus Christ Now whereas we say that God is a party in this bond it is so to be understood as a party in the Oath or Contract but no party in the breach for the breach and forfeiture ariseth onely from man and is his sole and proper worke even as man also is a party or one nature in the keeping of the Oath and Covenant and fulfilling of the whole Law of God p Rom. 8. 3. 4. But the whole and intire work thereof dependeth solely upon God and nothing can be attributed or ascribed unto man at all q 1 Cor. 17 28 29. 1 Cor. 4. 7. So then mans breach of oath and Covenant in his defection and failing from God being of an infinite nature and extent God being a party in the Oath worke or Covenant that and that onely can sufficiently extend the death and humiliation of Jesus Christ to be such as is compatable and agreeable to the Sonne of God Therefore we must either deny the death and humiliation of Jesus Christ to be such as becomes the Sonne of God or else confâ—sse man to be a consociate with united unto and become one with the Sonne of God who can depart from or be deprived of his death no more then he can depart from or be deprived of his life for in that he dyed unto the things of this present world he can never live unto them againe and in that he liveth unto God and the things of God he can never dye unto them againe and these do not onely stand together to make him compleate but are comprised in one and the same for he dyed according to the flesh and never lived unto the lusts of it for a moment and was quickoned in the Spirit and never dyed unto the Father and the things of him no not for a moment r Esa 53. 9. Therefore as the Sonne off-spring or nature of man is exaulted infinitely above a Creature and so made higher then the heavens s 1 Pet. 3. 18. Psal 5. 4. for heavens in their own nature are high or heights but to be made heaven through hell yea the heights in the depthes t Aeb 7. 26. that is to be higher then heaven so also the Sonne of God is made infinitely lower then a Creature for the humiliation of Christ is through death sin the curse of the Law v Psal 16. 10. which is lower then hell it selfe for the corrupting pit may be low and miserable by nature in it selfe but to become low wretched and miserable through height happinesse and blessednesse that is lower then hell it selfe for that is hell inlarged w Psal 34 6. Ephes 4. 9. 10. so as it can never be satisfied nor say I have enough so then the breach of Covenant Contract or Oath in point of Creation by the sin of man is of the same extent with that keeping of Covenant Oath Contract which is through the faith righteousnes of Jesus Christ for this is to be observed that the difference disparrity Antipothy between the first Adam the second stands not in one being nearer to God then the other in point of Creation and incarnation for as God set himselfe at the first or in one intire act of relation to man so he standes for ever else the holy one should change which is a thing impossible x 2 Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 8. 34. Gal. 3. 13. for the first Adam cannot be knowne but with respect unto the second nor can the second be known but with respect unto the first for as the second cannot be known or acknowledged to be a Saviour without respect unto sin from which he saves y Esa 5 14. Prov. 27. 20. no more can the first Adam be knowne or acknowledged but with respect unto that reall righteousnesse Image and blessednesse from which
he falles and by which he destroyeth and overthroweth himselfe z Mal. 3. 6. Iames. 1 17. so that the difference stands in this that the one in the way of the mistery of iniquity and death takes a 2 Cor. 5. 21. Mat. 1. 21. b Ezek. 18. 24. Gen. 2. 17. occasion by righteousnesse to become sin by life to become death by blessing to become a curse the other in the way of the wisdome and mistery of God takes occasion by sin to be righteousnesse by death to become life by the curse to become a blessing or the blessed for ever and as neere as the Elect of God are unto the curse by nature who are the Children of wrath as well as others and the very curse it selfe indeed a Ephes 2. 152 3. 8. in the obstract so neere are the wicked unto the blessing and righteousnesse of God by creation who are thereby the very blessing and righteousnesse of God indeed So that as the Saints of God beholding themselves in the light of Gods wisdome b 2 Cor. 4. 6. 7. can say and that truly we were such by nature c Ephes 2. 3. But we are so by grace in the Sonne of God d 1 Iohn 4. 17. Col. 3. 4. in which ascent and gathering up unto him from that low and forlorne condition is their joy and happinesse for ever e Ephes 5. 8. 9. even so the wicked beholding themselves in the wisdome of man and light of a Creature viewing the things of God f Gen. 3. 5. 6. shall as truly conclude we were such by the grace of God as were made higher then Angels g Heb. 1. 4 5 6. having in Christ obtained a more excellent name then they but now we are thrust downe into Hades that place of the damned by our sin and unbeliefe and this miserable descent shall be their paine and torment eternally thence it is said that the Angels which kept not their first estate or as the word is their principality that is the Messengers that brought such great tydings of God into the world as to have his very mind and Image upon them as man in his creation at the first had kept not their Lordship as having the authority and power of the Lord upon them are reserved in Chaines unto the judgment of the great day h Iude 6. 2 Pet. 2. 4. implying that so long as that great day of Gods power and glory lasteth so long shall their thraldome bondage and sentence of death remaine upon them It remaines therefore in the records of the house of God that Christ was made sinne i 2 Cor. 5. 21. and became a curse k Gal. 3. 13. even as dust was made in the Image of God yea in righteousnesse and holinesse of Truth l Gen. 1. 27. Ephes 4. 24. no more a shaddow or a semblance without the truth and substance of it in the one then is in the other they are both of one and the same realty and certainty and stand in absolute and perpetuall termes of relation in all points diamiterwise or in way of antitheses or opposition m Rom. 5. 17 18 19. note therefore that the Sonne of God is so made a curse and sinne that in the very act of so being or becoming such a one he destroyes sin and the curse and takes them away for ever in that way of faith n Hosea 13. 14. Heb. 2. 14. for evill cannot so journe with him no not for a moment o 1 John 5. 5. Psal 5. 4. neither was guile ever found in his mouth p Esa 53. 9. yet from this glorious act of his springs up an eternall curse in the wicked in that way of unbelief and that sin that shall abide upon them for ever q Psa 58 3. Iob 20. 11. This happy and blessed act of unity between the word of God and our nature being the occasion of it without which it could not be but it is altogether impossible that it should be any no not the lest tittle or jot of cause of it at all for had not the breach been such as the composition or forme of the Covenant or oath is having the height depth length and bredth of him that is God in it sin and death had never else received their forme if we may so call it or rather their formlesse figure and shape r Rev. 9. 2 3. no more then righteousnesse and life could appeare unto perfection and satisfaction s Psa 36. 5. 6. Psa 63. 5. Psa 19 11. 3. yet it is as impossible for a Curse to spring out of blessing or sin out of righteousnesse as the proper Roote and Fountaine thereof as it is for filthy water to issue out of a pure Fountaine t Iam. 3. 11. 12. Mat. 7. 17. 18. for the fraile brittle and momentany nature and condition of the Creature is the proper roote Fonntaine and cause of sin and death but takes occasion thereof from that firm durable unchangeable state of the most high without which it could not be so yet is the Lord cleane pure and undefiled in all the inclinations Motions and operations of the Creature in that kind even as the Saints are free from at tributing unto themselves any jot of that great work of redemption but ascribe it wholly to that wisdome and power of God v 1 Cor. 1. 27. 28. 29. 8. 3. Iob. 30. 11 even as the proper cause of the springing up and growth of a rush is the mire for can a rush grow without mire saith the holy man w Iob. 8. 11. yet is the heate of the Sun the occasion of it without which it groweth not all so also the raine falles downe from heaven it s own weight being the proper cause of its fall But the Sunne is the occasion that it falles from thence for had not it exhausted and drawn it up into the ayre it could never have fallen from thence The sum of all is this the Sonne of God became a curse and yet was and is the blessed of the Father from everlasting to everlasting x Rom. 9. 5. he was made sin and yet never knew sin y Psal 90. 2. but is the Saint or holy one of Israel z 1 Cor. 5. 21. the holy one of God a Psal 71. 22. yea God blessed for ever amen b Luk. 4. 34 even so the dust or slime of the earth yea the very spaune of all budding blossoming fading and dying things vanishing and becoming vaine as the flower of grasse which withereth in a moment c Rom. 9. 5. this was made in the Image holinesse and righteousnesse of God and yet knew no holinesse nor righteousnesse at all no more then the Sonne of God knew sin but in the very act of so being made in the Image of God or earth becoming heaven the wisdome of man transformes unto it selfe holinesse into
particular out of Christ then are we out of that way which he hath founded or appoynted to come unto him either in the theorick or practicall course of Religion or Christianity For as he is the Truth and the Life so is he and he onely the way also f Ioh. 14. 6. into the light knowledge and bosome of the Father the power and authority of this Key or Keyes for if we cannot bring it either to be singular or plurall we know it not and so can neither open nor shut by it in the things of God So that his authority in shutting is to bring eternity into one poynt of time the Almighty and immense power to become that which is weaknesse in it selfe for he became death in us and so subject unto all things as also lesse then any thing g Phil. 2. 7. Isai 52. 14. Isai 53. 8. Psal 22. 6. For of such nature is the Being and subsistance of Christ as to take his Being in that which of it selfe hath no Being for the humane Nature subsists not but in the word such also are his operations and effectuall workings as to raise up his power and authority out of the poore weakling as the Word is truly rendred h Psal 41. 1. Blessed is the man that prudently considereth the poore weakling Such is the time or manner of his life that he prolongs and preserves it in that which in it selfe hath no time nor life at all Hence it is that the Angel proclaiming and publishing this oath of interposition affirmes That time shall be no more i Rev. 10. 6. that is no time of the things of man k Rom. 14. 17. Mat. 22. 29. 30. nor according to the account and reckoning of man but all things shal be of God in that Kingdom according to his judgement and account l 1 Cor. 6. 2. 3. Psal 8. 9. 14. Rom. 2. 1. 2. For as the Son of God hath nothing in account and reckoning in poynt of his death and humiliation but what he hath in us m Heb. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 3. 18. so also the Sonne of Man hath nothing in account reckoning but what is in the divine power and grace of an eternall God n Col. 3. 3. 11. Ephes 1. 23. Rom. 11. 35. 36. No time therefore in the House and Kingdome of God according to the creature which are nothing but vain genealogies so reckoned rested in o 1 Tim. 1. 4. Titus 3. 9. But according to the account of the Creator who accounts of things that are not to bring to nought things that are p 1 Cor. 1. 28. that is things that are not in mans account and esteeme to bring to nought things that are the onely excellent and weighty things in his estimation and judgement according to this account and record We are light in the Lord q Eph. 5. 8. and our life is hid with Christ in God r Col. 3. 3. so that he is our light and our life so also our salvation is in him or he is our salvation s Psal 68. 18 19 30. and it is onely to be reckoned for ever in him and not in the creature Even so is our time also in him and therefore as wee are light life health and salvation in the Lord and not in our selves no more then he was death darknesse sorrow sicknesse destruction and a curse in himselfe t Gal. 3. 13. but soly in us even so also is our time in him and so is man eternized and lives for ever even as certainly as the Sonne of God was made time and subject to death in us which in himself as God he could not be Therefore time in the creatures account is no more in this House and Kingdome or upon that Sea and Land whereupon this Angell standeth of such closure and shutting is this Key of David to bring eternity into one point of time into a moment and twinkling of an eye for such is the nature of the operation and glory of God that it composeth it selfe into that which is as a moment or twinkling of an eye For such is man whose breath is in his Nostrils for hee is not a man according to Gods workmanship but as he sustaines the image of God and lives the life of the Son of God which he cannot preserve himselfe in no not for a momennt of time but it wholly depends upon God to doe it u Psal 39 5 Psal 94. 11. Psal 49 12. Job 7. 6. no more then the Sonne of God can be held of death or be a sinner for a moment of time The shortnesse of mans life therefore is such as is the time he can preserve himself in that life and image wherein he was made which is no longer then the Sonne of God can permit himselfe to be a sinner which is not for a moment for he knew no sinne x 2 Cor 5. 21. The change then of the Sonne of God from sinne unto righteousnesse and the change of the sonne of perdition from righteousnesse unto sinne are of like time and eternity that is in the twinkling of an eye it is done and for eternity it abides and remaines for the Sonne of God is made sinne but changed into righteousnesse in the twinkling of an eye and the sonne of perdition is made righteous but changed into sinne in a moment even in the twinkling of an eye and we know that the time of the twinkling of an eye is such as the eye never loseth its object So is the time of the Sonne of God being made sinne and death that hee never loseth the fight-and being of righteousnesse and life and the time of the sonne of perdition being made righteousnesse is such as hee never loseth the sight and being of that man of sin and death into such a narrow poynt in the power of shutting doth this Key bring that immense and unfadomed power and glory of God into in that way of Christ for of such nature as this opening and shutting are all the actions of the Sonne of God for in him eternity becomes a moment of time for of further extent then a moment of time the life and glory of man cannot be extended and a poynt of time is opened into eternity and into a narower compasse then that none can abridge nor contract the Sonne of God y Isai 9. 6. John 1. 1. 23. Joh. 8. 53. Prov. 8. 22. to 31. So that as they are actions performed in a creature they are momentany transient and passe away in the twinkling of an eye But as they have their rice originall and fountain in the word of God they are of an eternall vertue weight and value and remain and abide for ever So that however he tabernacles in time in our nature yet his time and age abides for ever z Ioh. 1. 14. Heb. 7. 17 21. Heb. 7. 3. Psal 102. 11 12. For in the one consists
s Gal. 2. 20. Col. 3. 3 4. to live after the Spirit For to live to the flesh or to be carnally minded about the things of God is death t Rom. 8. 6. as all men by nature are and in the sound of this first trumpet is the death of Christ compleated in that the wisdome or word of God that makes all things is made that which by nature is such a thing as man is in himself which is altogether vanity u Phil. 2. 7. 8 Psalm 39. 5. Psalm 22. 6. And therefore the sound of the least Trumpet saith the last man Adam was made or is made a quickening Spirit that is that which is least the last or lowest of all things as man by nature is that cannot preserve himselfe as of himselfe in the life of the Spirit or breath of the Almighty for a moment this is made a quickening or a livemaking Spirit yea is made a Spirit that gives life or makes alive others w Psal 39. 5. and in this is the life of the Lord Jesus compleated so that however he sustaine a nature that by nature is subject to that infirmity that no other Creature is or can bee and so is called the last or the least man that is the basest man as the word given for man sometimes signifies base or sorry man as is before noted yet this is made such in the word of God as gives life yea is the very Fountaine of life to others y Psal 36. 9 68 26 Rev. 1. 11. 17. and 2. 8. Mat. 11. 11 thus like unto the key of David is the Trumpet of the campe of God which sounds so shrill to reach from the first unto the last from the greatest to the least in this Host of Israel and yet collects and summons both into one body or being and perfecteth one in and by another that death and life are of like length and latitude for if the Host of Israel have not alwayes the slain before him z Exod. 14. 30 31. Exod. 15. 1. 10 21. he cannot alwayes tryumph as in the only day of victory But if this Key of David bee mistaken in its office or the sellerity of this charge upon the sound of the trumpet not understood in the roote then doe men groape for the doore of Lot a Gen. 19. 11. Gen. 19. 4 10. 9. in going about to open the Scriptures with like corrupt and carnall mindes as the men of Sodome had but find it not but rather climbe up to the window to rob and steale in the house of God b Iohn 9. 10 that is to gaine some glory excellency or profit unto themselves in their exercises and give not unto that one and alone shepheard and Feeder of Israel c Psalm 23. 1 2 3. Gen. 49. 24. the whole glory and praise of all things in the house which of right belongs and appertaines unto him alone d Psal 115. 1. 2 Cor. 4. 7. and also in sounding of the trumpet they cannot avoid to give a false alarum unto the Campe of God e Rev. 1. 11. Reve. 22. 13. if it extend not from the first unto the last from the front even unto the reare of Israel and in each of them bring both into one individuall subsistance or being in such sort that it is more possible to divide the least thing yea a more in the Sun than to separate or divide these twaine the one from the other no more then Christ can be divided in or separated from himself f 1 Cor. 1. 13 2 Tim. 2. 13 Psalm 139. 7. to 13. For he is both the one and the other that alpha and that omega that first and that last g Rev. 22. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 47. Therefore saith our Apostle the first or the chiefest as the word is is of the earth earthie that is becomes the basest in us and so hee unites both in one and the second or the last or lowest as the word will beare which is this Earth is the Lord from Heaven that is is made the chiefe supreame and ruler over all and so in that also unites them in one againe h Ephes 2. 13 14 15 yea observe this that that which is first or chiefe is not spirituall but naturall that is the Son of God as he is God is not made spiritual for so he is in himselfe from everlasting but naturall or that which in it selfe is corruptible by taking our infirmities which are reckoned and accounted onely upon that first and chiefest one or being then afterward as our Apostle saith i 1 Cor. 15. 46. Ephes 3. 7. Ephes 4. 16. or that which followeth and inevitably succeedeth hereupon that which is spirituall that is the spirit and power of God is reckoned upon and becomes one with our nature and so we that are naturall and corruptible in our selves in him are made life spirit and power in all Christian operations k Ephes 2. 1 Col. 2. 13. Phil. 4. 12 13 1 Thes 2. 13. And hence it is that there are celestiall bodies or in the singular number as the word will also beare a celestiall body l 1 Cor. 15. 40. and a body terrestriall yet these two are one there is a celestiall body as our nature is made one with the word of God and there is a terrestriall body as the word was made flesh and tabernacles in us or in our nature m Iohn 1. 14. Yet the glory of the celestiall is one and the glory of the terrestriall is another n 1 Cor. 15. 40. that is the glory of the celestiall is the glory of the resurrection of Christ and the glory of the terrestriall is the glory of the humiliation of Christ and these cannot bee devided for they are one for Christ was ever dead unto sinne never living unto the lust of the flesh and is ever alive unto the spirit and alwayes lives unto the motion and operation thereof o 1 Cor. 15. 35 36 1 Pet. 3. 18 19. Rom. 6. 11. Rev. 1. 18. Rev. 2. 8. So that the life and death of Jesus Christ must in the root and Rice of things of necessity be one intire act as our Apostle concludes them when he declares what that glorious end of this unity is namely That the Sonne of God may live unto the Father through that death that is naturally in us and that we may dye unto our selves through that life that is naturally in the Sonne of God p Rom. 6. 11 Gal. 2. 20. Col. 3. 3 4 by which life power and authority is given unto the Sonne to overcome and destroy all enemies q 1 Cor. 15. 24 25. being hee hath the power and authority of him that puts them under his feet r 1 Cor. 15. 27. and by which death unto the flesh in all the desires thereof he submits unto the Father as he is Man and yeelds over all power and
authority to be of him and to rise and spring out of that nature which is of God that so God may be all in all s 1 Cor. 12. 6 Ephes 1. 23 and man silenced from boasting or ascribing any power or authority or any of that great worke unto himself for ever t 1 Cor. 1. 29 30 31. 2 Cor. 10. 17 18 Ier. 9. 23. 24. as he is man nor can he ever desire it no more then he can admit of any the least cessation authority operation and power as he is God u 1 Tim. 1. 17. Isa 52. 7. Rev. 19. 6. Therfore the Apostle presently addes else what should they doe * 1 Cor. 15. 29. or else what should he doe as the word will also bear for such as the root is such are the branches that is such as one is so are many w Therefore the reading may be either singular or plurall that is baptized for or with death x Rom. 11. 16. If that death be not the resurrection how can he at all be baptized for or drenched with or plunged in death y 1 Cor 15. 29 If that death should not be the resurrection from the dead then should the life of the Sonne of God be extinct for some time for now is Christ dead and risen againe a Rom. 8. 33 34. Revel 2. 8. and if these two should not be in one act and point of time there should be some time of ceslation of the life of the Sonne of God which the thought of man may not permit for a moment z Luke 12. 50 Mark 10. 38 39. that he should cease in whom all things are and do consist b Col. 16. 17. So that as the Sonne of God becomes death in Man the Sonne of Man becomes life in God in the very same act and the one and the other is the compleating of Christ c Col. 2. 10. Col. 4. 12. who cannot be the annointed but as he sustaines both natures therefore the death is the resurrection of such scope is that place of the Apostle and of such force the argument there used however the words differ in the translation for more ease in reading therefore he addes and wherefore are we in jeopardy every houre or every moment as the word signifies d 1 Cor. 15. 30. that is why do you think for I appeale to your Conscience wee should give up our selves to all dangers perills losses yea and to death every moment and not evade and wave those things as the men of the world doe if we found not safety strength and stability in them yea if this death were not life it self unto us For by how much the more our jeopardies are doubled and redoubled even so is our life augmented or multiplyed in the severall motions operations and out-goings thereof and this the Apostle confirmes by that great affirmation or asseveration protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Iesus our Lord I dye daily e 1 Cor. 15. 31 which affirmation hath the forme of an oath in declaring that as death hath the resurrection in it or is the resurrection it self even so also the resurrection the dominion or Lordship of Christ hath death in it or is death it self and is in substance this oath of interposition proclaimed in the name of the Lord shewing the same necessity and infallibillity of the unity and one-nesse of the Saints of God in Christ in respect of every particular Saint or sonne in whom the seed of life and immortallity is expressed * 1 Ioh. 5. 18. 1 Iohn 3 9. 1 Iohn 2. 29. Iames 1. 18. as it doth of the unity of that common nature or condition of man with the word of God whereof by nature they are all alike partakers for the Word of God cannot unite it selfe to a part of mans nature or condition whereinto man is plunged no more then our nature in Christ can bee united unto a part of the word or a part of the condition and state of the Sonne of God and not to the whole which indeed were to divide Christ For the humiliation of the Sonne of God is of an infinite extent therefore may not nor can be abridged in point of descension of any misery or wretchednes the nature of man in the utmost extent was ever subjected unto Therefore it is sayd He was heard in that which he feared f Heb. 5. 7. The word in our translation rendred feare signifies such a fear as is to utter despaire which indeed is the very state of the damned therefore his descension was to the lowest and uttermost parts of anguish and misery or else could not his ascension be to the sitting on the right hand of the power g Marke 14. 62. Mat. 26. 64. Heb. 1 3. or to the highest perfection of the glory and majesty of Godh But as in being made sin he for ever destroyed sin i 2 Cor. 5. 21 and brought in an everlasting righteousnesse into our nature k Dan. 9. 24. so in becoming that which was the very condition of the damned l Heb. 5. 7. Psal 16. 10. Psal 116. 3. hee for ever destroyed and brought to nought death and condemnation and established victory prowish and courage in all his Saints everlastingly m 1 Cor. 15. 54. to 58. So then this oath brings in the unity of every particular and distinct Saint or sonne of God n Psal 89. 35 36. Psal 132. 11 12. Iohn 17. 20. 21 22 23. or first borne in the Kingdome of heaven every one in that house or family being a first born in Christ For he is the first born among or in many brethren or as the word will beare in all brethren o Rom. 8. 29. or in every particular brother which in the house of Israel after the flesh can no wayes be admitted but makes a confusion in the whole house and in the mind of every naturall man p Acts 7. 35. Luke 9. 46. 47 48. Mark 11. 27. 28. Mat. 21. 23. Iohn 9. 28. 29 Gen. 19 9. yet in this house of God they are all first bornes heires yea co-heires with Christ q Rom. 8. 17. yet every one distinct and compleat in himselfe though not one divided from another For Paul is not Apollo nor Apollo Cephas nor is any of them Christ no more then in the three witnesses in heaven it cannot be said the Father is the Word or the Word is the holy Ghost yet these three are one nor can it be sayd of the three witnesses on earth r 1 Iohn 5. 7. 8. that the Water is the Blood or the Blood the Spirit yet these three are one for so the word will beare and is in some of our translations as well as agree in one and so it is truly to be understood else we wander from the scope and sense of that place and it is not known unto us But let us
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
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
into the time of death and the time of life the time of descension the time of ascension yea into a time of wrath and a time of reconciliation and peace For there was ever a time of Antichrist for he comes out of the bottomlesse pit n Rev. 9. 23 Rev. 11. 7. Rev. 17. 7. in which condition and state Christ hath no time at all there was ever a time of Christ also who comes out of the bosome of the Father o Mat. 3. 17 Col. 1. 13. 2 Pet. 1. 16 17. Iohn 1. 18. in which state and condition Antichrist hath no time at all therefore a plurality of times yea Christ himselfe never lived unto the flesh and he ever lives unto the spirit which is a two fold time ever never and without the communication of these times the Church of God can have no being Again she is in the wildernesse for half a time or for the division of times as the Prophet Daniel hath it p Dan. 7. 25 whence our Apostle brings it that is in that very point and moment of time of the incarnation or of making the word flesh * Iohn 1. 14. is divided into a time of life and a time of death in such sort as the one is not nor can it be so much as the twinkling of an eye before or after the other no more then God to become Man can be sooner or later then Man becomes the Sonne of God and so is the very moment or point of time divided in such sort that it could never be said Now this is and the other is not yet no not with the quickest eye that ever cast it selfe upon an object Nay this division of time is such a parting halfing or dividing of it that it holds correspondency and proportion both in respect of the time of life as also in the time of death in all points for they stand in direct oppositions and counterpoise each other in as much as the Son of God to dye the death of Man and the Son of Man to live the life of God are of equall extent yea of the same difficulty and ease possibility impossibility the one as the other and so are all other things in this division for these are the two great wings given unto the woman wherewith she takes her flight * Rev. 12. 14. which are not according to nature as in the things trimly alluded unto namely the wings of a Foule in their first institution and ordination if they hold not presize proportion in all respects so that her descension into the wildernesse is her mounting aloft unto Heaven as an Eagle doth and her mounting up to Heaven is her descension into the wildernesse after the prey as an Eagle doth yea her descension is her ascension her ascension is her descension For she appeares in heaven as the Man did first in the Garden from thence the Son flyes in her womb into the wildernesse as an Eagle after the prey to swallow up death in victory the Son being brought forth by her in the Wildernesse in him she is caught up into the Throne of God to rule over the Nations * Rev. 12. 5. and to overcome the Divell and his Angels even as the woman was made in the man at the first Creation Ruler and Lord over all the Workes of Gods hand r Gen. 1. 27 28. We conclude then that the woman is in a solitary waylesse uncomely and uncomfortable condition in the Wildernesse as men conceive so long as the humiliation of the Son of God in our nature and the exaltation of our nature in being united with the word can bee devided and separated and not a jot longer which is impossible to find know understand or apprehend the one without the other in the truth or operation thereof no not for a moment of time onely mens carnall Speculations carry hurry them after meer pictures shaddowes and Idolls that are empty and vaine ſ Ier. 10. 8 9 10. Psalm 97. 7 1 Cor. 8. 4. Psalm 96. 4. 5. Psalm 115. 4 to 8. not knowing the truth certainty and subsistance of that Word of grace given unto us upon such infallible grounds and gladsome tearmes as the Gospel of God brings it and commends it unto us in Those therfore that make a time of the Womans being in the Wildernesse and a time of the destruction of Antichrist A time also of the calling of the Jewes c. before the Church of GOD can attaine its peace beauty power authority excellencie and ornaments in this World They also make a time betweene the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus Christ betweene his living to the spirit and dying in and to the flesh t 1 Pet. 3. 18 2 Cor. 13. 4. and so destroy and make a nullity of Christ unto themselves and to all them that heare such doctrine with approbation for they preach Christ in the enticing words of mans wisdome and naturall conjectures and operations of mens hearts and not Christ the onely wisdome and power of God u 1 Cor. 2. 4 5 6 7. 1 Cor. 1. 17. 2 Pet. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Col. 2. 4. 1 Cor. 1. 24 25. who is seen by no other light but his own and therefore a Name is given unto him that none can know but himself and He is called the Word of God x Rev. 6. 12 13. which according to humane reason and the common custome of mens alleadging of Scriptures in their proofe of Doctrine the wickednest man that lives or the weakest child that can but reade may know it being so plainly manifested as there it is and yet he affirms that none can know it but himselfe which therefore must have more in it then any in the world that is not made one with Christ by Faith and so said to be himselfe can possibly know or see And so it is in all other words of holy Writ what ever the world may think or judge of it Those also that thinke to bring the woman out of the wildernesse by institutions ordinances baptismes eldership confessiōs receptions expulsions rearing up Fabricks reformatory as preparations or rather parts and peece meales of that glory they look for and expect when the time comes of the womans comming out of the wildernesse these kind of people have ever brought the woman out of the wildernesse but it is that woman which John sees in the wildernesse sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast full of names of blasphemy having seven heads and ten hornes arrayed in purple scarlet colour decked with gold pretious stones and pearles having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthinesse of her fornication y Rev. 17. 3 4 5 6. which is the very portraiture of the policies power pompe and excellencies of the Churches or synagogues of this world brought out by the wisdome art authority and endeavours of men to present a
new service or sacrifices to please God and to compose compile and contract the bulke and body of the people together to make strong the arme of flesh z in which the crosse of our Lord is never found nor doth his Kingdome consist in any such things z Ier. 17. 5. and therefore our Apostle protests by the Victory and Lordship hee hath in Christ that he is in a continued act of death unto them all a Ioh. 18. 36 Rom. 14. 17 18. Therefore it is that he addes to his protestation and affirmation if saith he I have fought with Beasts at Ephesus b 1 Cor. 15. 31. meaning such Beasts as bear up that beautified woman c 1 Cor. 15. 32. clothed in purple which he compriseth in the state of that City of Ephesus calling them Beasts in the plurall number that is if I have sought with States Policies d Rev. 17. 3 4 5. Corporations Cities Soldiers Synods Ecclesiasticall Assemblies and Jewish Synedrions yea Captaines and Troopes fighting with the arm of flesh for an earthly and carnal temple and sanctuary which all use their heads and hornes together with those severall Crowns or Authorities that are put upon them for the preservation of that woman brought forth by them and maintained upheld and born upon them * Rev. 17. 9. to 14. if saith he I have fought with such after the manner of men what advantage is it to me if the dead rise not that is if I have done it after the course custome and ordinary way of all flesh or of man that is all mankind it availeth nothing at all unto the resurrection of the dead but meerly to the setting up of the flesh which is a quenching killing or putting to death of the spirit e 1 Thes 5. 19. 1 Cor. 2 8. Heb. 6. 4 5 6. For the manner of humane fighting is this namely in the preservation of its own life to take away and destroy the life of another in the setting up of himself to pull down another in the healing of him self to putrifie another in the strengthening of himself to weaken another in the honouring of himselfe to vilifie and disgrace another For if there were none to be vilified and disgraced there were no place for the grace honour of this present world Such are the fighting combats of men who ever they incumbant but the manner of the warring of the Sonne of God and of all the Saints in him even of that Michael and his Angels that sight against the Dragon and his Angels f Revel 12. 7 which our Apostle according to that worke of faith assumeth unto himselfe Therefore saith if I have fought even as he saith according to my Gospel g Tim. 2. 8. which fight is after the manner of that Marshall and heavenly discipline taught from an high descending from this our High Priest and Captaine of our Salvation h Heb. 2. 10. which is farre otherwise yea contrary unto it standing in flat opposition to that of the world yea it is Christ and Antichrist when matter of and for Religion are ascribed and given thereunto it is Christ in that way of the sword of the Spirit and spirituall combate in his strift to save the Soules of men from a spirituall death and to instate them in a life spirituall and eternall i Iohn 2. 25. Rom. 6. 23. Rom. 5. 21. Mar. 10. 30. Iohn 3. 15. Iohn 6. 54. and it is Antichrist in that way of the Arme of flesh and strength of the reason and understanding of man who ever strives to settle men in a Church way for life and salvation in such wayes institutions and Ordinances as must of necessity leave them at the time of their death at the furthest k Heb. 7. 22 23 24. Col. 2. 20 21 22 23. Prov. 23. 4. 5 Psal 102. 26 Which Bellowes are so infident unto the Priests of our times to blow and they are no lesse diligent and frequent therein then those Paiests were in the time of the Jewes to stirr up and kindle a fire in Herod Pontious Pilate the Souldiers and the rest of the people of the Jewes to put our Lord to death l Mat. 26. 59 Marke 14 55 56. Iohn 11. 46 47 48. Mark 15. 1 2. 3. Luke 23. 1. 2. 23. 24. for the reformation honour and peace of their state m Luke 23. 2 Iohn 11. 48 49 50 51. Acts 24. 5. 6. into which they expect Christ to come according to the flesh or so as to sute their brutish and naturall apprehensions and apitites for such a Christ and Christianity the world hath ever looked for n Mat. 20. 21 22 23. Iohn 4. 11. 12. Iohn 7. 25 26 27. 47. 48. 49. And therefore judge it most meete to rid the world of him in case his doctrine be heavenly and spirituall yea if the words he speakes be spirit and life the proper act order and discipline of the world * Ioh. 6. 36. is to destroy and take away that life or spirit to preserve and maintaine its owne that walkes not in the Spirit but according to the carnall desires and immaginations of the flesh o Rom. 5 6 7 8. Gen. 6. 5. Gal. 5. 17. the fight therefore of the Sonne of God and of all Sonnes in him is on this wise namely in the taking away of his own life to begin and beget life in another p Iohn 10. 11. 15 16 17. Esa 40. 11. Iohn 6 51. in the laying downe and humbling of himselfe to raise and lift up another q 2 Cor. 8. 9. Phil. 2 5. 10 11. in the purifying of himselfe though he knowes no putrifacation r Psal 16. 10. 2 Cor. 5 21. to purifie and heale another for this seede of immortality is sowne in Corruption but it riseth in Incorruption s 1 Cor. 15. 42. in the weaknesse of himselfe to give strength and power to another for that seede of life is sown in weaknesse in us or in our nature but it riseth in power as our nature is raised in it t 1 Cor. 15. 43 yea in the dishonour and villification of himselfe he honoureth and putteth grace upon another for ever for the seede of God is sowne in dishonour but it riseth in glory u 1 Cor. 15. 43. it is sowne in that dishonourable state of silly man but it is raised in the glory and dignity of the Sonne of God who is not nor can be otherwise made manifest or appeare to be what he indeed is unto or in the Creature in any other way but through our infirmity no more then the Excellencies of the Soule of man can appeare to a naturall eye when it is separated from the body and not in union or onenesse with it fighting therefore with unreasonable men or beasts w 1 Cor. 15. 32. for all men have not faith * 2 Thes 3. 2. and then they are as
farr from knowing and walking according to the Law rules or reason as the word given for Law somtimes signifies x Heb. 2. 2. of that Jerusalem that comes downe from heaven or Israel that is of God y Revel 21. 2. Gal. 4. 26. Gal. 6. 16. as a bruit beast is farre of and estranged from the art skill and rules that a man walkes by And the Apostle saith that none knowes the things of a man but the spirit of a man that is no other Creature but his own kind can reach them z 1 Cor. 2. 11. Even so none knowes the things of God but the Spirit of God a 1 Cor. 2. 11. for no unbeliever that is not led by that spirit can possibly reach them no more then a beast can be taught to cast an Account or learne the art of Musick though they have all the outward sences a man hath even as all the outward or visible Characters of the word of God according to the Letter are naturally ingraven in mans spirit b Deut. 30. 11 12 13 14. Rom. 10. 6 7 8. 2 Cor. 3. 6. 7. though he know not the minde and meaning of it no more can any man teach another the things of God for it is his own mighty handiwork alone for the hearing eare and the seeing eye are both alike of the Lord c Heb. 8. 11. Prov. 20. 12. Gal. 1. 12. 1 Thes 4. 9. Ephes 4. 21. 1 Iohn 2. 27. fighting therefore with and opposing these after the manner of the Sonne of God availeth much to the resurrection nay it is the resurrection it selfe that is when we lay downe our own life to preserve the like of another in the world that is when we lay downe all our own livelihood in our selves to preserve the life spirit doctrine power and authority of the Sonne of God amongst and against all that oppose that life spirit power and authority of his in the world Now the laying downe of a mans life for the preservation of the life of the Sonne of God is not properly to lay downe this naturall life as it is a separation of soule and body though it doth not exclude that also in its season for the life of man is properly to live to himselfe as all earthly Creatures by nature do and as all earthly men do d Phil. 2. 21. Phil. 3. 18. 19. that institute and gather Churches ordaine Officers multiply Members study preach pray fast feast baptize and minister in outward and earthly Elements and rudements to binde over the consciences of the people to aford them meanes to maintaine them in riches honour and ease as also the civill Magistrate to defend and protect them in what they speake and do e Exod. 32. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Acts. 7. 39. to 43. Now whilst Moses is in the Mount or rather Christ ascended on high f Psal 68. 18. Ephes 4. 8. and they know not how to fetch protection and defence from him nor do they indeed know what is become of him in regard of the exercise of his royall Offices no more then carnall Israel knew Moses imployment with God in the Mount but if we lay downe our owne life that the life of Jesus may be made manifest and abound in us that so in him we may live to our brethren g in any or in all servises of love h 2 Cor. 8. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 10 2 Cor. 1. 5. 6. then are we dead unto all the things of this present life and cannot hunt or seeke after any mans honour place Office riches preferrment credit reputation or respect whatsoever that another man injoyes in the things of this present life But all our warre is to have these things crucified unto man and man unto these things i Gal. 5 13. Rom. 12. 10. Col. 3. 1 2 3. both in our selves and likewise in others that the life of the Lord Iesus might appeare and exercise it selfe in us all k Col. 2. 20. that is all the hurt we do or may wish to any and the proper end of our combate in this world and this manner of fight at Ephesus and so in any state Corporation or condition in this world doth not exclude but include the laying downe of this naturall life in the separation of soule and body in witnessing the nature end and use of the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified unto us and we unto the world l Gal. 61. 4. Col. 3. 5. It is become as a Crucified thing or Carior that is meane base yea abominable in comparison of the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ even as we are unto it in our spirituall Course of walking and worships in comparison of the workes and livelihood of the flesh which the world not tasting of plentifully in us they count us as men that have nothing but ill savour in us and we are as a crucified thing unto them * Gal. 6. 14. Esa 53. 3. Nor make we any question but a Saint may truly preach in his death for the conviction and confusion of the wicked m Col. 3. 3. 4 Gal. 2. 18. 19. 20. 2 Cor. 4. 10. 11. and also for the great incouragement comfort and instruction of the just n Iohn 10. 15. Ephes 5. 2. 1 Iohn 3. 16. Iohn 15. 12. and let his light shine unto them in that for their glorifying of their Father which is in Heaven o Acts. 7. 54. to 57. as in their workes done in the rest of their life time yea and may as freely comfortably and bouldly through Christ that strengthens them p Phil. 2. 17. 18. make a surrender of themselves unto God in that service to fall a sleepe in it q Mat. 5. 16. Acts 5. 41. 1 Pet. 4. 14. if it be sutable to the death of that witnesse Stephen as in any sermon he hath preached unto the world in any part of his life time for God can ripen his Saints to fall off as the first ripe fruits t Mica 7. 1. Iob. 5. 26. willingly seasonably and fruitfully in that way as well as in any other for it is the testimony that we give unto the world of the truth life spirit and power of God that is our consolation in what way soever he makes good and testifies the same unto the sonnes of men in our selves and in others this dying unto our selves is our resurrection in all things for as the sufferings of Christ abound in ust which is to dye to the flesh even so do his consolations much more abound in us our hope in this is stedfast * 2 Cor. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 1. 7. that as we are partakers of the suffering so also of the consolation u 2 Cor. 1. 5. for the death is the resurrection that which is the sorrow in the eye of all flesh is the consolation in the sight and revelation of the
spirit and of that unfained faith w Ephes 1. 17. 1. Tim. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 1. 5. but those men that know not the word of God in the mistery of it but onely according to the letter x 2 Cor. 3. 6. they cannot know how this can be for the letter is the very way and Caractour of all flesh as it makes use of the favour grace or worke of God according to its own naturall principles and abillities changing it into another thing unto himself then by nature it is or ever can be y Rom. 1 18. 25. Rom. 2. 1 2 3. Rom. 2 17. to 23. and the mistery is the very way and true Caracter of that ingraven forme of the subsistance of the Sonne of God as he makes use of our infirmities to change them into another thing in himselfe then by nature in themselves they are or ever could be z 2 Cor. 5. 21. 1 Crr. 26. to 31. Rom. 3. 5 6 7. 8. And therefore it is that man being meerly naturall can better desire to be transformed into the basest Creature that is on the earth or in the waters under the earth then to be transformed into the Image of the Sonne of God and accordingly desires to transforme the Sonne of God into the likenesse of any Creature foorefooted beast or creeping thing on the earth a Rom. 1. 23. rather then to take him according to that Caractor of the Father and ingraven forme of his subsistance b Heb. 1. 3. Such is mans living unto the flesh and being dead unto the spirit c Rom. 8. 5. 6. so that all that ever he doth in eating and drinking that is in communicating with any Creature it is to preserve his own life for the present and thereby put off death till after time therefore he saith let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dyed that is the conflict and strift of man c Esa 22. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 32. in the whole progresse of his fighting after the manner of men which our Apostle denies to be the manner of his fight for that fight or warrfare that is according to the Sonne of God is that death may have a reall and present being in all things for that is the true resurrection of life and in whatsoever we communicate within the death of the flesh all conduceth unto the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ that howsoever the life is one even as he is one yet is it as variously multiplyed as the death is Therefore our Apostle saith all flesh is not the same flesh but there is one flesh of men another flesh of beasta another of fishes and another of birds e 1 Cor. 15. 39. Esa 31. 3. that is all weaknesse and death is not the same weaknesse for flesh somtimes in Scripture signifies weaknesse so saith the Prophet the Egiptions horses are flesh and not spirit f Gen. 32. 28 Psal 84. 5. Psal 138. 3. that is they are weaknesse and have not the strength of Israel so all weaknesse is not the same weaknesse for there is one weaknesse of the flesh which is indeed flesh in our Apostles acceptation and truth of interpretation in that it is subject unto corruption not able to sustaine it selfe there is another weaknesse in that it is impotent not able to conceive of or to performe the things of God g 1 Cor. 2. 14. Another weaknesse of dishonour because that in it is not the dignity of that blood royall in that Generation and off-spring of the most high h Acts 17. 28 29. Revel 22. 16. Another weaknesse in that it is naturall carnall or sensuall because the very bent end and scope of all the operations of the flesh tend unto that which is earthly momentany and of a fadeing and vanishing nature and condition And so are the wayes and motions of the flesh multiplyed into that vast and illimited gulfe of mans infirmities and imperfections which amount unto that account and reckoning that can never be numbred no more then we can number the severall kindes of grasse graine seede flowers herbes plants and Trees that are upon the face of the Earth Therefore it is said as was noted before that man was made of the dust slime or seede of the earth i Gen. 2. 7. to note unto us that infinit variety and illimited multiplicity of earthly and corruptible fruit that naturally of himselfe he yeelds and brings forth for there is a body terrestriall that is compleate unto which no addition can be made no more then the influence of the heavens add unto the Creation of things on the earth which God made at the first to increase the kindes of them onely the influence of the heavens doth generate and bring them forth So also there is a body celestiall which is absolute and compleate that no addition can be admitted of in it no more then the motion and operation of things here below can either add or deminish those heavenly bodies that are above onely in their changes operations and generations they shew forth and make manifest the severall vertues and powers which are in those heavenly bodies yet each hath his propper and distinct glory for the one is the way and glory of the humiliation of Jesus Christ unto which nothing can be added or deminished and the other is the way and glory of his resurrection and exaltation which admits not of a jot lesse impossibility of any addition or deminution but as the weaknesses and frailties are multiplyed in the one respect so also are the glories and perfections multiplyed in the other respect Therefore it is said there is one Glory of the Sonne another Glory of the Moone another of the Starres yea Starre differeth from Starre in Glory so also is the Resurrection * 1 Cor. 15. 41 42 43. that is according to the various infirmity of the body terrestriall and the infinit and heavenly perfection of that Body celestiall so is the resurrection that is in Jesus Christ The Lord hath wonderfully proportioned those infinit and heavenly excellencies perfections that are in himself unto that world of infirmity and frailty that is in us k Iam. 3. 6. and of the one and the other doth that death and resurrection consist that is by Jesus Christ and that is the pattern and Platforme that Moses saw in the Mount. l Numb 8. 4. Heb. 8. 5. Without the knowledge of which no direction can in the least be given how that Tabernacle of David should be reared rectified us set up though it be the onely errant that Christ had in the world to performe and do that worke m Amos 9. 11. and so it is of them that are Christs at his comming n Acts 15. 16. The worke therefore neglected or unskilfully handled Christ is not come unto us this body therefore graine or seede of Immortality is sowne in Corruption but it riseth in Incorruption
o 1 Cor. 15. 23. Esa 61. 3. 4. it is sowne in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sowne inweaknesse but it is raised in power it is sowne a naturall body it riseth a spirituall body so that without the unity of two there can be no resurrection for the wheate Corne must dye before it rise to multiplycation so that however bare Graine be sowne it riseth againe with a multiplyed body yea and God gives to every seede it s own body whether it be wheate or any other Graine q 1 Cor. 15. 36 37 38. So that the word of God sowne in our nature if in our mortality it is raised in immortality for these two become one body or subsistance they consist in one even as the seede sowne in the earth and the earth become one body else it cannot grow For as that one graine multiplies it selfe in the earth in so many severall small conveyances in its taking roote so doth the earth multiply it selfe in the eare and full Corne in the eare * Marke 4. 28. else it were impossible that so many should come of one so also if it be sowne in that dishonourable condition of our nature it is raised in glory for dishonour and honour become one body the one is the descention of the divine nature the other is the exaltation of the humane The descension of the divine nature is into our estate and condition q Iohn 1. 14. 1 Tim. 3. 16. which is humane and fraile The exaltation of the humane nature is into the state condition and authority of the word r Phil. 2 8 9 10. Iohn 5. 26 27. Ioh. 17. 2. which is divine and potent and these two become one And as impossible as it is for that pure and honorable Word or Son of the Father to be mortall or dishonorable in himselfe but solely and wholly in us hee is made mortall and dishonourable So also it is impossible that wee should be immortall or glorious in our selves but solely and wholly in that word we are made immortall and glorious So that his becomming mortall and subject to death is our becomming immortall and living for ever or else the seed of life is not sowne in death the Son of GOD hath not suffered and dyed for our sins and his being dishonourable and being debased is our becomming honourable and being exalted or else the Sonne of Man is not exalted and risen again wee are yet in our sins and nakednesse s 1 Cor. 15. 17 Xev. 16. 15. So that Christ his humiliation is not without our exaltation nor is our exaltation without his humiliation for they are one So that if we separate or divide these we make a nullity of Jesus Christ for the Word cannot be lowern it self then naturally it is in it self for then it should cease to be GOD in whom is not so much as a shaddow of change or alteration t Iames 1. 17 So that his humiliation as also his exaltation must both be in us u Rom. 8. 4. 2 Cor. 1. 5. And therefore to deny either of these in our selves is to deny that Christ is dead yea rather that he is risen again from the dead x Rom. 8. 34 For if we deny these things in the nature of any we deny them in the nature of all men y 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. For every man sustains the whole and compleat nature of man Therefore it is that by nature we are all alike z Ephes 2. 1 2 3. And thence it is that as the seed of the Virgin became one with the whole and compleat divine nature and being of the Word even so did the Word become one with the whole nature and disposition state or condition of Mankind without any limitation or restrict on at all a Heb. 2. 9. Rom. 5. 19 20 21. else had not his humiliation beene absolute and perfect such as becomes and is compatible to the Son of an infinite God such is the authority and force of the oath of interposition whereby our High-Priest is installed into his Office and Ministry as so to tye unite God and Man together in such relation that without the one the other is not nor can be expressed or made knowne If this point were understood it would bring to naught that grosse sensuall and more then Heathenish Opinion that we heare is now so audaciously broached in our native Countrey concerning the mortality of mans soule affirming that it dyes with the body and sleepeth or corrupteth together with it in the grave and for the time of the bodies being there ceaseth together with it in all its motions and operation and in that they deny the death and resurrection on of our Lord Iesus Christ and ascribe unto man no higher nor better estate and condition than that of a bruit Beast upon the face of the Earth For Christ did become mortall as the soule of Man become immortal and the one is as possible eyther to be so or to be known to be so as is the other For as the Word cannot be mortall but only in us so we cannot be immortall but only in it So that if the eternall Word the Sonne of God may cease to dye unto the flesh unto which he cannot dye unlesse he continue and abide to be one with it then may the sonne of sorry man cease to live to the spirit which he cannot doe unlesse he cease to be one with it and to affirme the one or the other is to make voyd that unity that is in Christ and to disanull that Covenant and Contract between God and Man and make of none effect that oath of interposition whereby our High Priest is installed into his Office and by vertue whereof he is made a minister of the Sanctuary b Heb. 7. 21 Heb. 8. 1 2. and ever liveth to make intercession for us c Heb. 7. 25. Yea if that eternall word should cease to be that which is in time so much as for a moment which it must doe if the soule dye with the body at such time as the body of Christ lay dead in the grave then must the Sonne of God cease to be Christ And for so long layes aside the sweet savour of his oyntment d Psalm 45. 7 8. Acts 10. 38. Acts 4. 27. 1 Ioh. 2. 27 And so there must be an intermission of his being Jesus a Saviour yea and for so long is swallowed up of Death and then is his death void we are yet in our sinne e Act. 2. 24. 1 Cor. 15. 17 For if the eternall cease to be that which is in time hee cannot be Christ for eternity and time must ever bee in Christ else he ceaseth to be God Man that Emanuel * Isa 7. 14. Mat. 1. 23. and so is not that beginning and ending which is in that Christ of God f Rev. 22. 23 Luke 9. 20. So
* Psalm 16. 10 11. that corrupting pit is in him most absolute and perfect yea it is perfected at once for ever u Heb. 7. 27 Heb. 9. 26. Heb. 10. 10. Psalm 112. 9. in one simple eternall and incomprehensible act which comprehends all those various and infinitely multiplyed perfections wherewith his Church is adorned beautified and lifted up for ever x Psalm 110 3. Rom. 6. to 6. 16. 1 Pet. 4. 10. 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 6 8. 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6. Ephes 4. 7 8. insomuch as the whole glory of the resurrection of the Saints is seated in this resurrection of the Son of God out of Sheoll or Hades that corrupting pit wherein man is by nature drowned and over-whelmed So that the resurrection of the body out of the grave at the last day in the re-uniting of it with the spirit or soule addes nothing at all unto this glorious resurrection of the Son of God which comprehends and involves the resurrection of all the Saints no more then the separation of soule and body and the dissolution of the body in the grave for a season can adde any thing unto that death of the Son of God which includes and comprehends the death of all the Saints unto all sinne and sorrow whatsoever by nature they were lyable unto to hold eyther the one or the other is nothing else but to set up flesh to boast by arrogating unto our selves the priviledges peculiar to the Son of God y Rom. 3. 23 to 28. 1 Cor. 1. 28 29 30 31 Col. 3. 11. in holding that eyther in the rising of our bodies or the dissolution of them should eyther adde or detract to or from that eternall weight of glory and vertue that is in the life and death of the Son of God And yet doth not this fulnesse that is in the resurrection of Christ Jesus hinder the rising of the body in due time out of the grave no more then that plenary deliverance and redemption that is in the death of Christ hinders the body from death and dissolution in the grave See z Heb. 9. 21 Act 2. 29. Psal 86. 48. this more plainly in the matching of contraries as thus the plenary and full curse of God seized upon man in the very day point of time or act of eating that forbidden fruit otherwise the Word of God were not fulfilled in that it saith in the day thou eates thereof thou shalt surely dye a Gen. 2. 17. or as the word is in dying thou shalt dye that is in that one act of death is comprized and comprehended all those innumerable wayes of destruction and corruption that man naturally is subjected unto So that under that one act of death all acts of death are contained otherwise the Curse could not be full and yet that fulnesse of the Curse hinders not but rather is a way for the separation of soule and body and the dissolution of the body in the grave in its time and season but this dissolution and separation addes nothing unto the Curse for then the Curse should not be perfect before and in case the Curse were not perfect before the dissolution of the body then man stood not in need of a perfect blessing in the Saviour untill the time of the separation of his soul body And then it would follow that perfection were not in that promise made of the Messia the seed of the woman shall crush the head of the Serpent b Gen. 3. 15. because man had not a perfect curse or death upon him to be saved and delivered from which is most deragatory unto the nature of the Saviour in that rich and bounteous grace of the Gospel c Rom. 5. 15 20. Rom. 15. 13. 2 Cor. 8. 7. 2 Cir. 9. 8. Nor could Enoch participate in a grace that saved him from a plenary curse whereof all men are alike guilty by nature d Ephes 2. 3. Rom. 3. 10 11 12. Rom. 3. 23. if that the death of the body were any addition unto the Curse or augmentation thereof for hee was translated and never saw death d Ephes 2. 3. Rom. 3. 10 11 12. Rom. 3. 23. and then hee was never saved from a perfect Curse if the death of the body were any part thereof nor can we tell how to free any of the Saints from remaining under the Curse whilest they lye in the grave e Heb. 11. 5. Gen. 5. 24. if the separation of the soule body were any part of it For f Gal. 3. 10. Deut. 27. 26. it is with the Curse as it is with the breach of the Law for cursed is he that con … not in all things written in the Booke of the Law to doe them and he that is guilty of the breach of one is guilty of all g Iam. 2. 10. So he that is under any one part of the Curse is under the whole Curse h Gal. 3. 10. Therefore the separation of soule and body is no part of it for however it is an accursed thing in the eyes of man to hang upon a materiall tree to the separation of soule and body i Deu. 27. 26 Gal. 3. 13. Yet it is a higher thing that makes accursed in the sight of God separating the soule from God and so is he accursed that hangs on a tree or that dependeth or relyeth upon a tree as the word signifies as man did when he laid his whole weight as the word will beare that is his life and his death to be good or to be evill by eating or not eating of that forbidden tree k Gen. 3. 3. 4 5. i as all do unto this day that depend upon and lay the weight of their salvation upon doing or not doing in themselves things that are pleasing or displeasing unto the Almighty and in the mean time neglecting and vilifying that glorious work of God at once for ever perfected in Christ l Heb. 1. 3. Heb. 7. 27. Even as man at the first neglected and vilified that glorious image of God wherein he was created m Gen. 1. 27 depending and relying upon his eating of the tree to attaine thereby to be like unto his Maker * 1 Ioh. 5. 10 11. Gen. 5. 1. Gen. 1. 27. whereas he was already made in his likenesse and image and so denyed that record that God had given unto him concerning his Word and Worke namelp that hee had made him in his own image * 1 Ioh. 5. 10. 11. and thereby denyed the glory of that work of God for as no man ever came unto God but by beleeving the record that God hath given of his Son n Ioh. 1. 12. Act. 13. 39. Heb. 11. 6. namely that we have eternall life and that this life is in his Son * Gal. 4. 29. Heb. 11. 4. Gen. 3. 9 7 8. and he being the way the truth and the life o Ioh. 14. 16 Never
alone death of his without the communication and participation whereof there never was is nor shall be salvation u Rev. 13. 8. Heb. 9. 22. 1 Ioh. 1. 7. for his death is our life his weaknesse is our strength his crosse is our only crown thence it is that we rejoyce in nothing but in our infirmities for when we are weak then are we strong can freely deprecate or earnestly wish it to be far from us to rejoyce in any thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified or is as a dead carrion unto us and we also unto the world x Gal. 6. 14. So that every one that will be a follower of Christ must take up his Crosse Heb. 12. 5 6 7. Job 31. 35 36. 2 Cor. 12. 10 15. 2 Cor. 12. 9. Rom. 8. 35 36 37. * that is must elevate and lift up that particular weaknesse whereunto he sees himself naturally inclined or danger he is or may be lyable unto set it in that height dignity that the Son of God hath brought it unto a Heb. 2. 6 7 8 9. Ephes 4. 8 9 10. who hath taken our weaknesse onely that hee may become our strength * 1 Cor. 1. 25 he hath taken our foolishnesse that he may bee made our wisdome and our sorrow that he may become our joy for ever b Isa 53. 4. Psal 16. 11. Psalm 43. 4. and in that very way of our own emptinesse we are replenished with his fulnesse who filleth all in all c Ioh. 1. 16. Eph. 1. 23. Col. 1. 19. Col. 3. 11. For he endured the crosse and despised the shame that is he sustained or nourished the crosse as the word signifies he nourisheth a death unto the flesh in his Saints for ever and despiseth the shame that is contemned rejected or cast it off for ever in that the life of the spirit takes place through the death of the flesh d Rom. 8. 10 11 12 13 1 Pet. 3. 18. the power of the Creatour in the weaknesse of the Creature and that sits at the right hand of God in such sort as the Father will do nothing without him e Mat. 26. 64 Mat. 2. 18. Ioh. 17. 2. Heb. 1. 2. Ps 118 15 16. Psalm 17. 7. Psal 80. 17. no more then a man will shew him his art power and skill but with his right hand * So that they that teach the Crosse of Christ to be a terrible dreadfull sorrowful uncomfortable an afflicted state condition they utterly mistake the crosse of Christ for it is the peace joy crown diadem glory of the Saints for ever in that that through their infirmities the power of God exerciseth it self appears is made manifest in them they that hold the crosse of Christ otherwise as to consist in such things as are common to all men yea some of them unto the very bruit creatures themselves these offer great indignity to â—hat great grace of the Gospel as when they state it in wars robberies banishments imprisonments poverty sicknesse aches weaknesse of body pains which are innumerable all these things considered as troubles vexations of the creature they are no cros of Christ but only such things as the natural minds of menlead theÌ„ to inslict one upon another the bodies of all men one as wel as another are insident unto f 1 cor 10. 13 Eccles 9. 1 2 3 yet do the Saints of God alone passe through such like wayes of infirmity in this world wherein they communicate in the crosse or in the death of their Lord God exercising them under or leadâ—ng them through such wayes to this very end purpose that therin he may make himself more apparently known g Psal 9 16 Psalm 79. 1 2 3 4 5 Rom. 9. 17. Exod. 9. 15 16 17. either that in themselves they may see more cleerly visibly him that is invisible h Heb. 11. 24 25 26 27. when he makes his power apparent in them i Rom. 6. 17. by supporting sustaining delivering of them k Rom. 4. 15 16. Exod. 14. 30 31. Exod. 15. or else to make it appear to others that God was in them that so suffer though they were not aware of it l Psal 50. 2. Psal 80. 1 2 1 Cor. 14 24 25. Gen. 28 16 17. in the one the other the consolations of God abound m 2 Cor. 1. 5. Psal 94. 17 18 19. Rom. 5. 20. which is the proper crosse of Christ that great grace of the Gospel for without the crown dignity of the creature the crosse and indignity of the Son of God is never made known so that the natural infirmities distempratures of the Creature are no crosse of Christ further then the power authority of God in that blessed heavenly temprature of his own son appears in them n 2 Cor. 7. 8. 9 10 11 2 Cor. 1 2. 8 9 10 11 2 Cor. 6. 3 to 10. there is a further mistake in the crosse of Christ that goes beyond these heathenish bruitish infirmities that men are so apt by nature to centere it in when it is held to consist in troubles of mind terrors of câ—nscience fears tremblings of heart anxiaty bitternesse of spirit doubts scruples sorrowes reasonings questionings and jealâ—usies concerning Gods approbation of us presence with us suretiship to carty us through all covenant oath to make all things good unto us what ever he hath said of his son his disposition compassions not to be infinitly more to us then of any earthly father to his onely begotten one in a word to centere the crosse of Christ in any thought or feare of contradiction or distance between God Man is tocenre it in the terrors tremblings Jealousies and suspitions of Sathan * himself and not in that death and humiliation of Jesus Christ for it was never the worke power nor spirit of God to breed a difference and distance between God Man but the only proper work of that Serpentto begot jealousies and suspitions hereof from the beginning even untill now o Gen. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. in the hearts of earthly minded men for the son of God was as truly made earthly as hee was heavenly at the first and yet without sinne p Gen. 1. 27. compared with Gen. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 49. Luke 3. 38. or any fault or blemish at all to be imputed unto him even as the sonne of Man was made upright heavenly at the first yet can by nature hold no plea for himself before the judgment seate of God of any righteousnesse or holinesse at all that he can any wayes bring before God to answer unto him for the obtaining of the least part of payment or acquittance but is every way a transgressor even from the wombe of that early morning of an eternall and
signifies reason s 1 Ioh 3. 4. so that according to Gods wisdom in the orderly course of things in the production of them it hath not anything at all thereof in it but as the Law or wisdom of God is nothing else but instructive so is sin or the vvisdom of the Serpent nothing else but destructive for aâ—… the vvisdom of God in all the productions of it selfe in Christ expungeth all sin corruption out of our nature so that never guile was found in his mouth but as a I am spoile undefiled t Heb. 2. 2 in so much that however it be but a Creature that is properly saved yet this work of Salvation state condition which the Creature is set in doth infinitely surmount transcend the condition of a Creature for as the wisdom and the worke is properly of God so is the state condition godly and holy and so of an infinite and an eternall value even so it is with the wisdome of the flesh that is not subject to this will and law of God neither indeed can be u Esa 53. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 19. or that wisdome of the Serpent in all its operations and productions of it selfe expungeth all holinesse and righteousnesse yea that compleate law of the spirit and life that is in Christ Iesus w Ro. 8. 7. in every tittle of it out of it selfe leaving it selfe an uncleane spirit having a garment in every one part of it spotted with the flesh x Ro. 8 2 Ecl. 7. 29 Gen. 7. 5 and is become altogether ungodly and defiled so that as Christ was tempted in all things like unto us yet without sin so is Antichrist by his creation as also in that redemption of mankinde in all things made like unto the Sonne of God and yet without righteousnesse yea so free as the sonne of God is from sin y Mat. 12 43. 5. though tempted so free is the Sonne of perdition from righteousnesse though furnished at the first with it being made in it z Lu. 11. 24. Iude 23. Heb. 4 15 Ioh. 14. 30. So that howsoever it is proper to a finite Creature to decline and fall away from God yet that worke of darknes stare condition into which it brings the Creature is of an infinite nature extent because it is an annihilation and destruction of that whole worke and fabrick of which the Sonne of God himselfe is the onely and chiefe corner stone in the building a Gen. 1. 27. Gen. 5. 1. Gen. 2. 7. Ecl. 7. 29 Iob. 38. 6 Psal 118. 22. Esa 28. 16. or in expunging and blotting out of that law of the spirit which holds correspondency with the son of God in all points every breach of which infinite law must needes be of an infinite and eternall giâ—t and in our pretended opening of the Scripture to fall short of this latitude and extent in any particular sin is the proper prevarication Law or play the part of a false Lawyer at the Bar as the word signifies that in pleading his Clients cause neglects the chiefe point in the Law that should principally be brought in and puts it into his Adversaries hand secretly to cast the cause against his Client of such use are they to the soules of their hearers that neglect or fall short of this principall point of the Law in the infinite extent of mans sin for finite and infinite being made one the proper act of sin is the dis-junction and separation of them which is the proper worke of the flesh or naturall reasonings of the minde of a creature a Gen. 3. 1 6 Rom. 7. 9 10 11. betweene it selfe and the Creator so also finite and infinite being dis-joyned and separated by sin namely God and man made one at the first it is the proper work of the Grace and Spirit of God by faith to unite and make these twaine to be one and both these are of the same extent the validitie and substance of the one is not more exalted lifted up and made permanent then the vanitie and emptinesse of the other is vilified and debased becoming corrupted and putrified for ever without the love and distinct knowledge whereof we can neither understand the fall of man nor yet his restauration by Christ of such use and concernment is the knowledge of the multiplication of the offering of the Lamb together with the unity of it without which our speeches and thoughts of the taking away of the sins of the world John 1. 29. are meere blind conjectures and the certaine knowledge and faith thereof we have not yet attained unto b Pro. 19. 2. we are yet dead in our sins c 1 Cor. 15. 17. and doe not participate in the life of the Lord Jesus d 1 Iohn 5. 10 11. unto the first Resurrection e Rev. 20. 6. for till we know how the death of Christ in our nature answereth in all points diametrically unto our life in that Word of God or nature divine we cannot have the comfort of that life of Jesus Christ for mans fall can be of no lesse extent then that Resurrection of the Son of God is therefore as he that prayeth or prophecieth with his head covered dishonoureth his head f 1 Cor. 11. 4. that is if he doe not discover make bare and manifest the extent of that righteousnesse that is by Christ to be no lesse then the righteousnesse of God through faith in him g Rom. 10. 3 4. hee dishonours and shames his head now we know that the head of every man is Christ h 1 Cor. 11. 3. even so also he that hides his sins shall not prosper that is shall not passe through or succeed well as the word signifies i Pro. 28. 13 but that man hides his sin whatever he be that gives it not its proper weight guilt and extent which is not lesse then the death of the Son of God k Rom. 4. 24 25. Isa 53. 4 5 what sin soever it be and if we make it not to be that which it is we hide it and shall never prosper succeed or goe through the difficulty and power thereof for if we hide it it rests upon our selves l Ioh. 9. 41. 2 Cor. 3. 14 and is the death of Christ in us according to the Spirit for we thereby crucifie the Son of God unto our selves m Heb. 6. 6. in the spirit by treading under foot n Heb. 10. 29. that is by vilifying and undervaluing his blood not giving it its due proportion we reckon it upon our selves to our owne destruction for he is thereby dead in us in respect of the Spirit or of that spirituall state and condition of which he consisteth o 2 Cor. 5. 16. Heb. 10. 29. but if we confesse and forsake them p Pro. 28. 13. that is if we preach confesse or professe them according to their extent then we
humiliation also of infinite and illimited shame and infamy and if so then the worst estate and condition or the worst creature and greatest enmity can in no wise bee exempted from being the way of the death of the Son of God so that that ayrie doctrine of the fall of Angells not knowing how it and they namely the fall and the creature is comprised in man is nothing else but meerly vain speculation and carnall and empty conceits and reasoning tending to nothing else but to make void the salvation wrought by the Sonne of God holding mens minds in admiration in things they know not x Col. 2. 18. neither will they understand y Acts 13. 40 41. Hâ—b 1. 5. For in the way of salvation in all the elect and choice ones God â—â—â—selfe is all in all which must presuppose an infinite vacuâ—â—â— and emptinesse in themselves in case that infinite and divine grace be their fulnesse in Christ z Iohn 1. 16. and in the way of the wicked also sin and enmity hath its fulnesse a Gen. 15. 16 which must presuppose a vacnity and emptinesse of that alone and divine grace and Majesty which is infinite and the state of the one is in all points as vast as the other For as the Sonne of God is the Saviour of the world without limitation or restraint even so doth the whole world lie in wickednesse or as the word is is of that wicked one meaning that sonne of perdition without limitation or restraint b 1 Ioh. 5. 19 so that by the Sonne of God the worlds are made in the plurall number the worlds c Heb. 1. 2. so as that world of righteousnesse is made by the Sonne of God d 2 Pet. 3 13 where all things are filled with his blessing and presence e Psal 16. 11. yea all things even death it selfe becomes life unto us in him so that life and peace spring up in all things and the blood of sprinkling utters it selfe in the voice of purity f Heb. 12. 24. and reconciliation of all things g Col. 1. 20 21. Againe the world of death and of sin is also made by the Son of God that is occasionally or accidentally for if he had not come and spoken unto the world it had not had sin but now there is no cloake nor covering for it h John 15. 22 and this is done by his being slaine and expelled the world by the wicked even as Abel was at the beginning i Gen. 4. 8. 1 Iohn 3. 12 and this bloud so spilt by that wicked one and all of his generation k Mat. 23. 34 35 36. speaks from the ground unto this day l Gen. 4. 10. Heb. 11. 4. even from those earthly carnall and cruell reasonings of men who will have the first-borne after the flesh and not of God to reigne which speaks nothing but guilt and horrour m Gen. 4. 14 from such an act done in so neare a fraternity n Gen. 4. 13 and hence ariseth nothing but horrour and feare yea all things even life it selfe which is the Sonne of God becomes death and destruction unto them o Rev. 6. 15 16 17. and here is a world of horrour and feare for the expulsion of the Sonne of God admits not of any bounds no more then his presence doth p Eph. 4. 9 10. Psal 139. 7 to 12. yea that vast distance that is between God and man in that way of Antichrist for ever springs from as neare a unity between God and man in the beginning as that vast distance that is between God and man by sinne and wickednesse comes into unity in that way and onenesse that is between God and man in Jesus Christ q Luk. 3. 38 which if wee see not our sin appeares not neither doth our Saviour appeare and make manifest himselfe unto us unto life and godlinesse r Eph. 2. 13. to 16. Whatever wee professe in words our deeds shall deny him s Titus 1. 16 wee seeking our owne things and not the things that are his t Phil. 2. 21. and out of this fountaine spring those expressions of the Word of Truth that cannot lie saying I have said ye are Gods and the children of the most high u Psal 82. 6 7. which is not spoken onely of Princes and Rulers of this world but of all that wicked race of mankinde that goeth on in the waies of Antichrist therefore he adds but ye shall die as Adam for so the word is that is in seeking to bee excellent you corrupt your selves for ever and in the way yee expect life nothing but death ensues and overtakes you for that word as is not alwaies to be taken comparatively as somwhat like but somtimes in Scripture it signifies verily or the very same thing as in that place in John x Iohn 1. 14 And wee saw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Son of God that is the very same glory of that onely begotten Son of God full of grace and truth so it is here you shall die as Adam that is the very same manner and kind of death that he died therefore he addes that they shall fal like Kings that sought after great things yea made war to take into possession the faire houses of God * Psal 83. 12. like Zeb and Oreb Jabin and Sisara Zeba and Zalmunna the Princes of Midian y Psal 83. 11. so that as it may truly be said of the saved of the Lord yee were dead in sins and trespasses but now ye are alive unto God through Jesus Christ a Rom. 6. 11 so it may as truly be said of the wicked of the world you were alive unto God b Rom. 7. 9. in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth c Eph. 4. 24 but ye are now dead in sins and wickednesse through that spirit of the old Man and Antichrist that spirit of the Prince of the power of the ayre that now workes effectually in the children of disobedience or unbeleefe as the word is d Eph. 2. 2. in that place againe it is said that there shall be false Teachers even denying the Lord that bought them and shall bring upon themselves swift destruction e 2 Pet. 2. 1 which none can open to satisfie the consciences unlesse he enter into the Word by this doore to declare how they can be bought by our Lord Christ and yet be destroyed for it is also said as truly by that Word of truth that some read under foot the blood of the new Covenant whereby they were sanctified and count it an unholy thing So that it is no lesse true and certain that those which are destroyed and prove contemners of the grace of God in the Gospell are sanctified and bought by the bloud of Jesus Christ and yet partake in no salvation nor in any jot of sanctity at all then it
forme and fashion another Baptisme but what is already perfected in Christ we may as well goe about to forme and frame unto our selves another Crosse then that which Christ hath already undergone and that were to arrogate unto our selves the proper and sole work of the Son of God l 1 Cor. 4 7 therefore he saith I must be baptized with a Baptisme and how am I pained or kept in or pressed and gathered together as the word signifies m Luke 12. 50. shewing that all Baptismes are gathered together into that one act of his which is the ending and consummation of them all even as all death is comprized in that one and alone act of death of the Son of God which puts an end unto all death spirituall that tends to the separation of God and man whatever it bee n Hos 13. 14 Rom. 8. 34. so that the proper portion and inheritance of the Saints is nothing else but light and life for all death and darknesse is in Christ done away o Ephes 5. 8 so that we may as well goe about to frame unto our selves another spirituall death that hath not been already undergone and perfected for ever as to frame another Baptisme or Washing that is spirituall that is not yet performed and already perfected so that if ever we communicate in that one onely death of Jesus Christ unto solid and sound satisfaction then shall we also participate in his only and alone Baptisme to our full edification and consolation p Heb. 10. 22 23. which Baptisme is not a putting away of the filth of the flesh q 1 Pet. 3. 21. or as the word may be read the low and base esteeme of the flesh as to be low and base in respect not be such a thing in it selfe as to be low and base in respect of it self but it is the stipulation or answering againe of a good conscience towards God in the Resurrection of Iesus Christ that is there is an answering of all those particulars wherein our naturall infirmity and weaknesse doth divulge and utter it selfe in us there is an answering againe I say unto them all in that Resurrection of Jesus Christ through the testimony of a good conscience that is to say to fill with plenty every thing in want to strengthen and give power to every thing that is weake yea there is in him a salve to heale every sore that is in us a comfort for every sorrow a cover for every part of our nakednesse and glory to make honourable every dishonourable thing such a thing is the Baptisme of the Gospell that by how much the more our infirmities are multiplied as being that which is the death of the Son of God by so much the more is our righteousnesse and peace made manifest in us r 2 Cor. 1. 4 5 6. through his Resurrection which is the life of the Son of God so that as sin hath abounded so also doth grace abound much more and the more we catch at any other Baptisme the more we shew our selves to be carnall and ignorant of this answering againe of a good conscience through that Resurrection of Jesus Christ even as in water face answereth to face If we will professe our selves rightly to understand embrace and practise that Baptisme which is according to the grace of the Gospell that is according to Principles springing out of the Son of God and not according to that shallow and short scantling of the apprehensions and operations of mans heart which all men are apt and ready to bring forth according to the way of their education and training up then must we know through the light of that Spirit s Eph. 1. 17. and Law that can onely make wise the simple t Psal 19. 7 Psal 119. 130 and cause the Idiot so to walke as hee cannot erre u Isa 35. 8. how to extend and multiply this Ordinance of Baptisme and how to abridge and contract all those severall waies of it into one intire act as that of the peoples being baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea x 1 Cor. 10. 1 2. also Johns baptizing in Jordan y Mat. 3. 13 and in Enon or in the cloud or many waters as the word signifies z John 3. 23 his baptisme of Christ the Son of God a Mat. 3. 15 16. his baptizing of the Jewes and Generation of vipers b Mat. 3. 5 6 7. his baptizing of Publicans c Luke 3. 12 and the like so also baptizing with the Holy Ghost and with fire d Luk. 3. 16 the baptizing of repentance and remission of sins e Mark 1. 4 the Baptisme to be administred onely upon beleeving f Act. 8. 36 37. the Baptisme of the Eunuch Philip going downe into the water with him g Acts 8. 38 the Baptisme of the house of Cornelius where no such thing as going downe into the water is practised h Act. 10. 47 the Baptisme of good men such as the said Cornelius was i Acts 10. 22. the Baptisme of wicked men such as Simon Magus was k Acts 8. 13 with many the like severall sorts of Baptisme this we say that Baptisme is not knowne in that extent which God hath given it unto us in unlesse it be truly and in a holy manner extended unto all those severall waies together with all circumstances which the Lord hath commended it unto us in and thereby bring that true laver and fountaine of Baptisme to diffuse it self in a most godly manner into them all as also we must know how every streame of it doth returne and center it selfe in that one onely fountaine and this is the multiplication as also the abbreviation of that Ordinance without which it cannot be fruitfull unto us But in what one particular way soever we practise it it will prove unto us a meere way of man and so a worke of the flesh and of the flesh we shall not reap but onely corruption l Gdl. 6. 8. but if God declare it unto us diffusively and distributively into all the actions of it and also summarily in one onely act then can we finde it in none but Christ alone who onely is that great and waighty Ordinance of Baptisme in the house of God as well as he is that of Priesthood out of which it springs and that of offering up the Lamb and whilest we are ordering this Ordinance of Baptisme or any other to please our selves and others in a way of the Religion of God trimming and adorning our selves with one particular way of it and lay aside all the rest as things either out of date as that of Baptizing unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea m 1 Cor. 10. 2. or else as extraordinary acts as that of baptizing with the Holy Ghost and with fire in the descending of the Spirit upon us to fit us for all offices and
and every particular creature and operation in the Universe within the compasse of seven dayes so also doth the Spirit of God go forth where-ever or in whomsoever it is in the whole and every particular work and operation in the new creature or in that creation of God l Rev. 3. 14 in that seven-fold operation which is given to every particular Saint as well as unto the whole body of the Church for if any man be in Christ he is a new creature m 2 Cor. 5. 17. And as there are multitudes of creatures in heaven and earth whence it is said that every creature groaneth and travelleth in paine n Rom. 8. 22 so also the whole is but one creature and therefore he saith The creature it selfe speaking as of one shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God o Rom. 8. 21 or in the singular number into the glorious liberty of the Sonne of God it is every creature in the plurall number as one creation consists of so many and it is but one as so many creatures make but one work of the creation and if God teach us not this art of multiplication and abbreviation in the word of God and in every Ordinance in the opening of it we can never attaine to that of the Apostle the duty of all skilfull and faithfull Ministers to declare unto the flock of God the whole minde and counsell of God p Acts 20. 27. for if wee preach not whole Christ out of every Scripture we open not the Scripture to run cleare unto the flock but puddle the waters and such as puddle the waters will also push with the horne at the sheepe of Christ q Ezek. 34. 18. to 25. for every word of God that is every Scripture composed into one proper head whether in way of History Prophecie Proverb Parable or the like proposeth whole Christ unto us and so also doth every Ordinance exercise or gift of the Spirit truly understood published or practised in the house of God and if we set forth Jesus Christ we declare the whole counsell of God for he is the mind and will of the Father not in part but wholly and complete in the whole as also in every part for in his incarnation whole Christ is comprised therein as also in his divulging and opening of the minde of the Father whole Christ is composing in that his preaching in his death whole Christ in his resurrection whole Christ in his intercession whole Christ in his Kingly Office whole Christ in his Priestly office whole Christ in his Propheticall Office no lesse then whole Christ in prayer whole Christ in his fasting whole Christ in his temptations whole Christ yea thus it is in every point that concernes Christ and all things in the religion wayes and worship of God have no lesse reference and respect unto Christ that word of life in their ordination consecration publication dispensation exercise and practice of them then all the creatures in heaven and earth have respect unto that word of God in their creation conservation and orderly gubernation unto this day r Psal 33. 6 7 8 9 10. Psal 119. 89 90 91. which made sustaines and upholds them all and as it is in the art of Philosophie that in the full and accurate discussing of any particular creature in its nature operation and office relations and respects we must bring in the whole creation to set it forth to perfection so is it in the things of God there is no particular in that new creature that can be discussed unto edification and comfort but whole Christ is brought in who is the perfection and brightnesse of the Fathers glory s Heb. 1. 3. els is not the mystery of God declared the word of God interpreted nor the kingdome of heaven opened unto believers and the beloved of God So also in the opening of the mystery of iniquity t 2 Thes 2. 7. every point and particular therein skilfully handled by him that hath the key of that bottomlesse pit u Rev. 9. 1 2. is the very in-let of Satan yea the proper power and kingdome of darknesse and compriseth that whole brood and generation of that man of sin and is that way of annullity vastation and emptinesse of the Sonne of God For as certainly as Satan found nothing of himselfe in Christ x Iohn 14. 30. our Saviour so is nothing of Christ found in that Sonne of perdition neither in the whole nor in any particular of him so that in every point his sin is as capitall and of no lesse headship then is the putting to death of the Sonne of God whose life in the least is no wayes found in him thence it is that the proper office of Christ assigned by God is to crush the aead of the Serpent y Gen. 3. 15 so that he never goeth out in his true office of ministerie but he strikes at the very head of Antichrist for there is no sin that reignes in any of the sonnes of men that hath not in it the headship and domination of Antichrist for it is of no lesse guilt and crime then is the putting of the Lord of heaven and of earth unto death z 1 Cor. 2. 8 So that those that strive and contend against sinnes that are not capitall yea the very force and head of Satan in that man of sin they never go forth in that Office and Ministery of the Sonne of God for the seed of the woman is onely assigned by his Father to breake or crush the head of the serpent a Isa 51 9. Psal 74. 14 and at lesse he never strikes then at the ring-leaders to death and destruction yea at such as destroy and crucifie the Sonne of the living God b Heb. 6. 6. and yet notwithstanding it cannot properly be said that Satan foiles or overcomes the Sonne of God but is foiled and overcome himselfe for Michael and his Angells overcome the Dragon and his Angells c Rev. 12. 7 to 11. therefore he is said to bruise the heele of Christ or as the word signifies to crush the print of the foot-sole that is he denies unto himselfe that headship power and authority that is peculiar and proper to the Sonne of God whose Kingdome and power is not of this world d Iohn 18. 36. and in denying that he denies all the grace of the Sonne of God for no man can any more receive or apply that righteousnesse of God in Christ by faith to his justification then he can attribute and apply the power and authority of God unto himselfe for his headship and domination and so he crusheth the print of his foot-sole that is to say he brings to nought that thing that at the first had the very print image and character of the Son of God upon it for his heart confesseth and his words and actions declare
it that the Lordship and dominion of the Son of God is another thing then for the present he is conversant in and about and this negation or deniall of the headship of Christ sets him in direct opposition against Christ seeking by all meanes to exalt himselfe in the power and waies of the flesh which is according to the letter that kills e 2 Cor. 3. 6. written in all mens hearts which is the very print of the foot-sole of Christ declaring the extent and depth of his humiliation the form whereof Satan crusheth and bringeth to nought in himselfe by deminishing of it in himselfe making it of lesse extent then indeed it is and so maketh the headship of Christ of no other use unto himselfe but to give dimension unto his sin which kindleth wrath in himselfe for ever f Rom. 2. 4 5 6. Gal. 4. 24. for he that confesseth himself to be really and indeed that only bottomless gulf of Christ his humiliation cannot but acknowledge Christ to be really and indeed that onely and alone height of his exaltation and therefore it is that Christ crusheth the Serpents head that is extends the flesh unto its height and headship which cannot rest unlesse by eating it may bee like God g Gen. 3. 6. which disposition or condition Christ takes into unity with himselfe in us which is the very depth and state of his humiliation and hereby destroyes it which act is his great victory and exaltation for ever h Acts 8. 33 making it to bee of no other use but meerly to give dimension unto his exaltation and glory for ever that it may appeare unto the creature of what eminency height and dignity it is which otherwise could not appeare But some will say what though things be thus in Jesus Christ which we willingly acknowledge yet what is that to mee for my present comfort and peace how may I know that these things belong to my selfe Let me in love answer in the words of the Apostle in case of the resurrection Thou foole i 1 Cor. 15. 36. canst thou give Christ a true forme and being in mans nature and yet there is but one nature of man which thou hast and art for by nature wee are all alike k Ephes 2. 3 Rom. 3. 10. 11. 12. and yet canst not give him a forme in thy selfe it is impossible so to be So that the forming of Christ without us being in our selves destitute of his life love spirit and power is meerly imaginary historicall traditionall and and that will vanish in time of need and not reall according to the dictate of the spirit in the power of faith through which the Saints are kept unto or in salvation l 1 Pet. 1. 5. for hee hath a name given unto him that none can know but himselfe m Rev. 19. 12. and to affirme that we are able to give Christ a true forme and being out of our selves doctrinally and yet that he is not in our selves operating and working effectually is as much as to affirme we can give Christ a true forme and being without mans nature which the word of God knowes not nor ever did for he is that onely and alone way unto the Father n John 14. 6. yea he had never the relation of a Sonne unto the Father but through death for if ever he had closed with the Father in any other way he had never tasted death for us o Heb. 2. 9. for the Lord our righteousnesse cannot change p Ier. 23. 6. Mal. 3. 6. in any thing then not in his relation unto the Father so that it was ever through death and he never had death but in us which once granted is the very in-let of life unto us for ever Nay to conclude we give Christ a true forme and being as he was framed in our nature in the wombe of the Virgin q Luk. 1. 35 and yet are destitute of his being framed and fashioned in our hearts and conversations r Gal. 4. 19. by faith to our comfort in the edification of others is all one as if a man should affirm himself to be able to frame a place for the safety of a man in a rock impregnable and yet himselfe could not be in safety thereby for Christ is that rocke of ages s Deut. 32. 18. 31. where ever faith gives him his true proportion further to give Christ his true forme without us and yet to bee without the comfort and fruit of his dwelling and being resident in us by his grace and that apparently is as if a man should affirm that the eye is of use and onely sees for it selfe but not for the body in which it is nor is of that use as to be the light of it t Mat. 6. 22 Luke 11. 34 for the eyes sees properly for the body rather then for it selfe for If the eye be single the whole body is light yea the hand sees to work and the foot to walk as apparently as if such a member were the eye it selfe because it is in the body Now Christ is that eye and that fountaine of life and light and in his light onely it is that wee see light u Psal 36. 9 even as in this naturall Sun we cannot see it but by its own light and if we see it so we cannot but see it for and upon our selves so that if we see Christ in any respect in his own light we cannot but see him for our owne consolation even in that respect whatever it may be yea and that in and upon our selves for the eye sees not nor hath that life and sense of sight but as it hath confluence with the body even so our Lord never manifested that life and spirit of his which is the light and revelation of himselfe but as hee hath confluence with that body given unto him or eare bored thorough x Psal 40. 6 Heb. 10. 5. by which he lives through death and becomes light out of darknesse which none but the Sonne of God himselfe can either be or performe and thence it is that darknesse covering the face of the deep in that great morning and early day in the beginning of the world y Gen. 1. 2. Iob 38. 4. to 15. teacheth us what it is for the Spirit of God to brood upon those vast waters of our nature being in our selves no lesse then that deep mystery of iniquity so that as that word of command at the first brought out light even out of that darknesse saying Let there be light and it was so or rather by that oath of interposition which is taught therein even from the beginning which giveth light in our Lord for ever for the word translated let signifies so be it or so it is or shall be or amon or verily it is so having in it the vertue of an oath binding over the creature in the vertue and power of
the word of God to be obedient and subject thereunto for ever even so that spirit that gives life by Jesus Christ broods upon our nature which in it selfe is corruptible and in the depth of death through our fall brooding therein and bringing forth that light of life that is by Iesus Christ z 2 Cor. 4. 6 Ioh. 1. 4 5 wherby we are given to understand how to judge of that unity and of those distinctions that are proper to that new creation of God whereof Christ is the beginning or head a Rev. 3. 14 even as light gives ability to judge rightly of the forme and figure of all things in this present world therefore the Apostle elegantly alludes unto that first worke in the creation of the world in teaching of this doctrine saying God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ b 2 Cor. 4. 6 So that the confluence of darknesse is the very production or propagation of light the Sonne of God becoming that in us which according to our light is nothing but darknesse wee become that in him that is nothing but light therefore the Apostle saith Ye were darknesse or as the word will beare ye are darknesse but ye are made light in the Lord walke therefore as children of light c Ephes 5. 8. Yea this questioning whether Christ be ours or no at present is nothing else but that grand question propounded in the beginning whether we have the image of God making us correspondent unto his will in all things or no but must seek out some tree and fruit to make us wise that we may attaine it yet our Apostle affirmes our Lord Iesus to bee the image of God d Col. 1. 15 and that he was made so in our nature yea in and for us e Col. 3. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 18. therefore the question is the same that ever it was and also the demurres and debates about it and how to attaine it are those proper reasonings of the woman and the serpent even to this day f Gen. 3. 1. 6 2 Cor. 11. 3 as also the issues thereof are the same g Gen. 3. 7 8. Rev. 3. 17 18. and that is always the subject matter of his doctrine the way of his instruction and counsell when the woman the weaker vessell h 1 Pet. 3. 7 yea that wisdome of man and not of God * 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. 13. 2 Cor. 1. 12 holds dispute and discourse in point of religion but when the manchild is brought forth so as the woman holds no dispute with the Serpent no more then a woman can hold dispute with any whether her travell be neare or no but apply her selfe to the present work in the height and greatest pang of her labour i Rev. 12. 2. then that instructing and teaching though shie and subtill serpent k 2 Cor. 11. 3. becomes a fierce bloody red persecuting Dragon l Rev. 12. 3 4. to her and her seed wheresover they go m Rev. 12. 17. and so his doctrine is changed into discipline seeking by that meanes to regulate and make perfect the world see this point for the conclusion of it in the similitude of the operation of the minde of a wife to her husband that is faithfull and true unto him and also of one that hath broken the marriage bond in case wee conceive wee think we conceive and esteeme highly of Christ but question whether his dignity and excellency be ours yea or no for a faithfull wife hearing the praises of her husband and his prowesse and vertues set forth she rejoyceth and it pleaseth her better then if she were commended her selfe because his praises are hers which in her selfe could not possibly be so eminent she being the weaker vessell as also true love ever gives honour unto the party beloved and not to it selfe which shewes that matrimoniall and conjugall tie and bond to be upon her even so it is in the spouse in every particular believing soule when Christ is praised in the Church set forth and commended to be the chiefest of ten thousand n Cant. 5. 10 that onely and alone interpreter that declares unto man his righteousnese o Iob 33. 23 that King of Saints p Deu. 3. 2 Prince of peace q Heb. 7. 2. Bishop of our soules r 1 Pet 2. 25 that joy of the Lord or that joy the Lord as the word is Å¿ Neh. 2. 10 which is our strength that beloved and delighted in of the father t Pro. 8. 30 31. that Lord our righteousnesse u Ier. 23. 6. that captaine and high Priest of our profession x Heb. 3. 1. yea the Lord hosts or armies y Psal 46. 7 11. When these things are given and ascribed unto the Sonne of God alone in the Church and unto none else whatsoever then doth the heart of the Spouse delight it self in him and it is more quickening and reviving to her the if it had been possible these things might have been ascribed and attributed unto her selfe for the very nature of this contract faith or conjugall love is such that if Iohn Baptist be but yet in the wombe of Elizabeth an alliance or consin unto the Virgin hee cannot but spring in the wombe at the voice of the mother of our Lord z Luke 1. 41. 44 speaking in commendation of that Son of God conceived in her womb yea this conjugall love takes not delight but in the praises of the party beloved a Can. 4. Can. 5. 10. 16. so that it is onely the work of the Spouse to set forth the practises of Christ in her owne weaknesse imbecility and submission unto him in all things and it is that part and worke that the Son of God hath taken upon himselfe to give testimony of his owne glory workes and operations of himselfe in her in all the waies wherein hee leads her * Isa 43. 1 2 3. therefore it is that our Lord affirmeth they that honour me I will honour them b 1 Sam. 2. 30. but the hearts of such as have broke the Covenant of God c Pro. 2. 16 17. and the faith of Marriage whatever may be said of her husband it doth her no good unlesse some commendation be given to her selfe or to her harlot thence it is that the titles offices vertues and operations that are in Jesus Christ are nothing unto us according to our owne naturall and carnall thoughts unlesse we can have them of our owne creation forming fashioning pollishing and setting up in our selves and others besides himselfe and when we have adulterated and given that to another which is peculiar unto himselfe alone then we can delight in and make merry with them and never thinke too much of their praises as the spirit of
in some thing and then in all things if I be not the same with you and you with me in all things that concern the grace of the Gospell such is that body which the Saints or Ministers of Christ doe beat downe which gives to every one the same image and forme by nature that it gives to any one namely that body of sin and of death which our Apostle complaines of m Rom. 7. 24. but in so complaining seeth it adorned with the glory and Lordship of Jesus Christ n Rom. 7. 25 for without this body of infirmitie the ornaments of the Son of God could never be put upon us for if we were not sin by nature there could be no appearing of his righteousnesse o 2 Cor. 5. 21. no more then a garment can be worne for ornament without a materiall body yea if we were not folly in our selves p 1 Cor. 3. 18. 19. no way could be for that fulnesse of the manifold wisdome of God to be exercised in us q Eph. 3. 10. if we were not weaknesse no appearance of his power upon us r 2 Cor. 21. 10. if we were not sorrow in our selves the joyes of salvation could not finde place in our hearts it we were not shame by nature his glory and honour could not be lifted up and advanced in us Å¿ Isa 61. 2. if we were not death no place for the life of the Son of God to make it selfe manifest t 2 Cor. 6. 9 10. so that if any deny himselfe any of those infirmities which mans nature is by sin subjected unto he denies unto himselfe likewise that long and beautifull white robe which is put upon all the Saints by Jesus Christ u Rev. 7. 9 10 13 14. and if we deny unto any of the Saints any office excellency or dignity in the house of God that others are sharers of and exercised in then do we also deny unto such that compleat body of infirmities that all by nature are wrapped up in x Eph. 2. 3. which is the very way of putting on all the precious ornaments and exercises of the Lord Jesus y Rom. 13. 14. therefore it is that in the dissolution of this earthly Tabernacle we have a building not made with hands but eternall in or of the heavens z 2 Cor. 5. 1 nor doe we desire to be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality may bee swallowed up of life that is we doe not desire our weaknesses and infirmities to be so anihilated as not to be for then there were no body whereupon the heavenly ornaments are to bee put out we desire to be so clothed upon that nothing but the truth power holinesse life and glory of the Kingdome of heaven may appeare upon us which is the swallowing up devouring or destruction of mortality by life a 2 Cor. 5. 4 of such nature is the ministration that is unrepentant being exercised according the office of our high Priest entred within the vaile yea into very heaven it selfe b Heb. 9. 24 Heb. 6. 20. which is after the order of Melchizedeck and all other waies of Priesthood and Ministration will find a time of repentance and change being onely after the order of Aaron c Heb. 7. 11. making difference in the creature of the dignity and office of the Son of God in the Church and so indeed speakes evill of dignities or deny and vilifie the one dignity that is not found but in the Son of God alone d Iude 8. which is only made manifest and multiplied in our nature e 1 Pet. 1. 1 2. which being lessened or vilified in any one is so in all for his seamlesse coat admits of no division but according to lot or proper and peculiar inheritance goeth whole and entire without the least fraction to whomsoever it fals f Psal 22. 18 John 19. 24. and hence it comes to passe that the Lord can never repent of change or alter this Priesthood and Ministrie because his whole mind and will is fully completed and perfected for ever in his Son in whom or in what point soever this oath office or Ministry appeareth g Mat. 3. 16 17. Iohn 17 18 2 Cor. 3 1 2 3 4 5 6. for the Son holds correspondency with the Father in all things h Ioh. 17. 21 22 23. insomuch that the Father may as well repent or change from being that which he is as to repent of or change this Oath and Ministrie therefore our Saviour saith unto Philip I and my Father are one i Iohn 14. 9 10. which this oath of interposition onely comprizeth who are never without the product and bringing forth of the spirit k 1 Ioh. 5. 7. But to conclude this point when it is said that God repenteth l Gen. 6. 6. we are to understand that he who by nature according to his creation was made in the Image yea was made the Son of God m Lu. 3. 38 insomuch that hee that was the Son of God Child of peace n Luk 10. 6 and Heire and Inheriter of life o Mut. 19. 29 is now changed yea that person that by creation was the Son of God p Luk. 3. 38 is now become the son of perdition q 2 Thes 2. 3 child of wrath r Eph. 2. 3. and inheriter of death Å¿ Rom. 8 6. and thus turning from God yea thus changing from righteousnesse unto sin t Eze. 18. 24. from life to death u Rom. 7. 9. from the image of God unto Satan x Isa 14. 12 13 14. making himselfe the very wickednesse and abomination of all the earth as those were in the days of Noah in whom this point of Gods repenting is taught and declared unto the world which indeed is the wickednesse and destruction of that old world v Gen. 6. 4 5 This repentance of change is really true not onely in change of action but of minde and will also and is in all points ever to be repented of in the way of that sonne of perdition even as it is also really true in that way of faith in the Sonne of God that he was made of no reputation * Phil. 2. 7. a curse a Gal. 3. 13. sin b 2 Cor. 5. 21 death c Ps 22. 15. a man of sorrowes d Isa 53. 3. a scorne e Ps 22. 6. 7 a proverbe f Ps 69. 11. a by-word g Ps 44. 14. a hissing h Lam. 2. 15 16. putting out of the lip a nodding of the head i Psal 22. 7. an abject k Psal 22. 6 a derision and shame of the people l Psal 119. 51. even he is changed or turned from that estate into all the glory m Ioh. 1 14 righteousnesse n 1 Cor. 1. 30 wealth o Col. 2. 3. peace p Eph. 2. 14 honour
an ancient People called Jewes be raised up and revived againe whose parts they are playing as those did to Christ whilest they so eagerly look after them as the Jewes looked after him or els that Christ must come and live and reigne on the earth for a thousand yeares in that person borne of the Virgin Mary so that as they have given him an earthly and humane form so also they are looking for an earthly and carnall kingdom or els they look for the glory onely in that last day of judgment not knowing nor discerning in themselves how the Prince of this world is judged already y Ioh. 14. 30 Out of these distinctions of times and Peoples in the worship of God whilest God respects no place z Ioh. 4. 19. to 24. time a Gal. 4. 9 10 11. nor person b Act. 10. 34 35. and out of these severall formes and prescriptions of the manner of Gods worship the men of the world make it too too manifest what manner of Gods they worship for having carnallized the Sonne of God unto themselves they look after and greatly contend for earthly and carnall formes and administrations in their worship as for change of peoples and times to perfect it and to bring it forth even as though Israel of old should never have looked for familiarity with their God his great wisdome noble acts of power and glory to have appeared and been made manifest amongst them untill such time as there was a literall and historicall calling of the Nations as also the incarnation of the Sonne of God in that wombe of the Virgin Mary which had been all one as to deny their owne salvation untill such times as such things appeared as those did that knew not the presence and power of them c Act. 3. 13 14. 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3 4 5. Psa 78. 29 30 31. and is most evident in all ages that those that stand upon formes persons times and places ever do d 2 Tim. 3. 5. therfore when the Apostle saw that inscription written upon the Altar at Athens he beheld their devotion or as the word is e Act. 17. 22 23. he knew the Gods which they served insomuch that outward rites formes and figures and carnall ordinances described and brought in which may be comprehended within the mind of and practised by a carnall and naturall man ever declare that such ignorantly serve and worship a God whom they know not whom they have carnallized unto themselves in all the waies and manner of his Worship and so are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth f 2 Tim. 3. 5 6 7. but as this order of Priesthood is without begining of daies so is it also without end of life that is as Christ lives being a man yet never lived according to the minde and will of man but according to the will of God so hee also dies being true God but never dies unto the Spirit and Life of God but onely dies unto that which is the proper Spirit and reasoning of that which is meerly carnall and humane in man g 1 Pet. 3. 18. Eph. 2. 15 16. which naturally is mans onely life Christ dies then being the Son of God h Iohn 3. 16 1 Cor. 2. 8. in that he becomes that which is death it selfe having no life of God in it at all i Ephes 2. 1. yet it is as impossible that the life of the Son of God should be extinct for a moment as it is for God to cease to bee who gives being unto all things k Iohn 1. 1 2 3. Acts 17. 27 28. therefore must of necessity be without end of life So Christ lives being a man but as impossible to live after the will of man or desires of the flesh as it is that one onely Son of God should have two subsistences or beings l Deut. 6. 4. Gal. 3. 20. 1 Tim. 2. 5. or that one fountaine should send forth both sweet water and bitter m Iames 3. 11 12. or that the Son of God should admit of such an emptiness in himselfe as that somthing besides himselfe must fill up and replenish so that the death of the Son of God is properly in man but yet accorcording to that interchangeable Covenant mutuall act and intercourse of the operation of faith is translated and transferred unto God otherwise death and sin could never be overcome destroyed and swallowed up n Hos 13. 14 1 Cor. 15. 54 55. The life also of the Son of mortall man is properly in God but according to that forenamed mutual act operation of faith is translated and transferred even unto the Son of sorry man o Col. 3. 3 4 Phil. 3. 20 21. otherwise could righteousness and peace never have gotten victory nor the creature have attained an everlasting life and being with its Creatour p Iohn 4. 14. Rom. 6. 22 23. Iohn 3. 36. Iohn 6. 40. So that as hee never hath beginning in respect of the workes waies and devices of the flesh so also hee never hath end in the operations and Ordinances according to the wisdom of the Spirit in which the mystery of the Gospel appears to be this that the very act of destruction is the very act of restauration by Jesus Christ for the death and destruction of the Son of God according to the flesh in us is our life and restauration in the Spirit through him and this mystery lying hid the very name of the Cross of Christ becomes a feare a terrour a reproach and a stumbling stone unto all the world which comes to pass by that being taught for the Cross of Christ which is nothing else properly but the jealousies suspitions feares and terrours of Satan concluding the Cross to be a hard heavy shameful and uncomfortable thing which is indeed the most glorious act or thing that ever was or shall be done or brought forth by the Son of the eternall God to the glory of the Father for ever therfore the Apostle further describes him to be like the Son of God q Heb. 7. 3. or made like the Son of God or reckoned unto or made to bee the Son of God Now as he is naturally the love and bosome of the Father who is God so he cannot be said to be made or reckoned or accounted unto such a state or thing but in by his cross or taking our nature into unity with himself he is made to be such a one of that which by nature is a son of sorrow a child of death and so through the crosse becomes triumphant over all principalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly r Col. 2. 14 15. which otherwise could never have appeared and so continues a Priest for ever and therefore the Psalmist gives him that regall power and authority that pertaineth and belongeth unto his Kingly Office also laid down
all f Eph. 4. 23 so that no place can be left void in any way of Christ for the works fears and terrors of the Law to take place in g 1 Ioh. 4. 18 which naturally all men presse upon the conscience in the way of their Ministery h Mat. 23. 4 Luk. 11. 46 47. but they may as well testifie of the Son of God that he never became a man of sorrowes nor was ever acquainted with infirmity i Isa 53. 4 5 6. which is no less then to deny the Lord Jesus Christ in his death as to proclaim unto the sons and daughters of men that they ought so to be exercised as to be perplexed with any such things in themselves as being troubles necessary sorrowes and terrors unto them which is also to deny the Lord Christ in that victorious and triumphant way of his resurrection They then that will have the paine trouble losse shame and sorrow of the creature as it is to it self a penalty and takes hold of us unto hurt dammage feare and disquiet to be the crosse of Christ they set themselves in the place of the Son of God k 2 Thes 2 3 4. as sufferers for sin and so usurp the place of our high Priest that only and alone sacrificer yea that only and alone sacrifice and offering made once for all those that come unto him l 1 Heb. 7. 27. Heb. 9. 28. and be they never so poore mean seemingly humble and meek pleading for never so much liberty of conscience and immunity from persecution but yet hold the fores and sorrows of soul and desolate place in the wildernesse not being inhabitants in nor heires of the house of God in present possession to be the exercise of Christianity they do no lesse hereby but sit downe in the very chaire and seat of Antichrist assuming that great work of the suffering of the Son of God unto themselves then the which greater pride and arrogancie cannot be for if a man do arrogate unto himselfe any part or point of trouble and bitternesse of the creature so as to be the cross of Christ then hath the Son of God died in vain for he must either become all sorrow or els none at all so that the whole suffering belongs onely unto the Creator that could not be overcome of death m Act. 2 24 and the whole and full release belongs only unto the creature for nothing else had any need thereof nor could be released but only that which was in feare and bondage in it selfe subject to death n Heb. 2. 14 15. but by that death of the Son of God and in the very same act it is stated in his life and peace for ever o Col. 3. 3. Iohn 16. 33 Eph. 2. 14. and yet we do not denie in this point the sensible or rather sensuall penalties and pinings of the creature which man is subjected unto with the rest of the animall parts of the creation as being subject in this life to some things which other creatures are even as to eat drink sleep procreate and the like so also to have bodily aches sickness sores famine weakness and the like which are troubles and disturbances to one creature as well as to another both of man and beast till it come to death it self of the body which things are naturall or sensuall yet in the Saints of God ordered so by God as he hath use of them to preach and proclaim his praises here in this world p 2 Cor. 11. 23. to 33. 2 Cor. 6. 7. to 10. therefore so prevents them extenuates or brings a quite contrary thing out of them as in the throwing of Daniels friends into the furnace of fire q Dor. 3. 20 to 28. and putting the people of Israel into the red Sea r Exod. 14. 20. to 31. and the like as the seeth good for the safety and incouragement of his people Å¿ Psal 74. 14 or the destruction and hardening of his enemies t Mat. 27. 43. so that these things that properly have relation and passage betwixt creature and creature do accidentally prove the cross of Christ and that so far as they become joy courage and consolation unto the Saints u Gal. 6 14 Iames 1. 2. which in themselves to all flesh is grief anguish and sorrow x Heb. 11. 12. Psal 116. 3 even as the very comforts of this life that the unreasonable creature tasts of as well as man are a trouble unto the wicked and become the terrors of hell when they see themselves foiled overcome and subjected unto sin and death by them y Iam. 5. 2 3 Luke 16. 19 23 24 25. Luke 17. 32 though in themselves simply considered they are naturally no such things z Gen. 1. 31. 1 Tim. 4. 4. so that the Cross of Christ is of a more eminent and transcendent nature then these temporary and fading things can reach unto for that which is of an eternall nature extent and value cannot consist in temporall things although it may be exercise and made known in that which in it self is temporary the proper Cross of Christ then is that in man which is peculiar and proper unto man alone and cannot be found in any other creature whatsoever and makes man to be that which by nature he is which no other creature can be such that is all that emnity and wrath defection from God and rebellion against him which ariseth from the breach of that unity covenant and agreement that was between the Creator and the creature in the first act of its creation for none of the creatures being made in the Image of God but man alone it was not possible that any could make a breach or deprive it selfe of such an Image and being but onely hee and therefore man onely acquires and attracts such an enmity and wrath unto himselfe as no other creature could ever doe but hee alone So that which ariseth properly from a breach that hath in it that which is eternall is the Cross of Christ but man onely hath an enmity and wrath naturally that ariseth from a breach that is eternall therefore none but man can participate in that which is properly the Cross of Christ and he only and alone can do it for in this breach God himself is the party falne from cast off and by adulterating the state and condition of the contract utterly rejected therfore whatever ariseth hence must needs be of an eternall nature because it hath ever respect unto him who is eternal and of such nature is the Cross of Christ in what point or particular soever it is taught unto us or to be considered of by us in which if that Son of eternity had not taken upon himself never could any have extended himselfe therein so as to have been a plenary satisfaction to God or to the conscience of the creature a Act. 20. 28 1 Ioh. 2. 1
Father n Psal 42 7 Heb 7 27 Iohn 3 16. which was indeed his death o Isa 53 5 6 then must it of necessity be such a death as is never vacant of life so that the life spirit and power of God is in the very same act for if it were not so then should the life of the Son of God admit of a cessation for some time which can in no wise be granted no not so much as for a moment p Iames 1 17 Psal 90 1 2 therefore his life and death are both of them compleat in the same act and thus doth the Lord through the death of the Son that man at his right hand bring life to light expelling all the ways of darkness and death whatsoever q Ephes 5 8 Mat 6 22 Psal 97 11 that they cannot fasten themselves nor take hold of that Saint of Israel who is our life and light and by whom our darkness and death is done away r 1 Ioh 5 11 Mal 4 2 Isa 60 1 2 And thus doth our Lord wound or strike through that King or those Kings of the miseries and wretched condition of mankind which through infidelity do prevail and reign over so many in this world having captivated them under themselves Å¿ Isa 61 1 Luk 4 18 which our Lord in all that are his strikes through which word strikes through hath affinity with that translated blaspheme that is to pierce or strike through so as to make liveless and voyd of operation that they cannot take hold operate nor have the least power over him so are the sins and sorrows which man by nature is subject unto slain unto that Saint or holy One of Israel in all that are his even as the blasphemer is said to pierce or strike through the Lord t Levit 24 11 that is makes him liveless and voyd of all operations of his grace in and upon himself and so is no other but a dead man in sins and trespasses signified by his being stoned to death even as the Saints are dead to the sins and miseries of man u Rom 6. 1 2 3 4. but alive to grace peace and righteousness in the blessing or bessedness of the Son of God x Rom 9 5 Psa 115 15. Psa 1 1. Psa 32 1 2. and thereby is that other King or Kings in the plural number pierced blasphemed or struck through by our Lord in that man of his right hand which is the pride prosperity ostentation and arrogancy of the sonnes of men attributing unto themselves that which is the right and due of the Son of God in the house and kingdom of God and that is on this wise our high Priest or Sacrificer makes manifest his death in the slaying and sacrificing of all the fat and the sweet that is in the beauty glory excellency and goodliness of man no otherwise but in the King that son of his right hand namely in that life and resurrection of that Son of man unto whom all power in heaven and in earth is given because he is the Son of man y Iohn 5 27. else could it not be given for as he is God he hath it or is it from everlasting and therefore is he over all God blessed for ever z Rom. 9 5. So that according to that variety of life spirit principality supereminency excellency that is in the Son of man even such is the death shame and dejection of the excellency and glory of man therefore as the excellency and glory of him that is the Son of God must needs be infinite and boundless even so must it necessarily follow that the pride glory and goodliness of man must be in all points and at all times dryed up and altogether expunged that it appear not in this way of life and resurrection of our King Christ Therefore it is said That all flesh is grass and the goodliness of man as the flower of the field the grass is withered and the flower faded because the Spirit of the Lord hath blown or breathed upon it a Isa 40. 6 7. Pet 1. 23 24 So that the death and humiliation of our high Priest in all that are his is curiously wrought out and made manifest no other way but in the life authority and exaltation of the King and according to the curiosity of that Regiment and Government such is that noble death and sacrifice of our high Priest So that the death and life are one and the same acts and must needs be so else had the Son of God injoyed life for a time without death which if once he had done so he had then ever done so for the Lord our righteousness changeth not b Jer 23 6 Mal. 3. 6. and then had he never dyed for our sins we had yet remained in them c 1 Cor 15. 16 17. which far be it from us or as it is translated God forbid d Rom 6 15 that we should ever think and thus doth our Lord strike through pierce or blaspheme the pride prosperity that the earthly excellency and goodliness of man leaving it altogether liveless and voyd of any power to lay hold or to operate upon him who is the Son of God as to move him in the least to speak great things in himself according to the arm of flesh therefore it is that our Saviour repelled all those temptations suggested by that great enemy of our salvation e Luke 4 13. so that none of them could in the least take hold of him in which power and victory we only stand and this is the work of our Lord and high Father Abraham in the slaughter of the Kings together with our good Melchisedech who hath the truth of all and it is a work that is done and is ever in doing for the work of God is ever the same as truly as Christ both was and is and is to come f Exod 3 14. Rev 1 4. and howsoever unto a natural eye and ear it seems to lay waste the house of God of any actions or operations of the Saints at all because it denies man his natural excellencies and abilities of the flesh according to natural and humane wisdom to work by yet it is nothing else but an exchange of the things of man for the things and operations of the Son of God in case we do but know how to put our talent into the bankery or to the exchangers g Mat 25 27. and not do as that unprofitable servant did to hide it in a napkin for the talent given is the mind wisdom or will of the Son of God unto mankind and so is a gift which man by art and natural wisdom finely wraps up even as in a napkin hiding it or keeping it apart by it self in those earthly thoughts and counsels of his own mind and understanding and puts it not into the bankery which is that unity of God and
man in Jesus Christ and so it doth not increase by exchange namely of the things of man translated and made over unto God as also the things of God translated and made over unto man which is that abundant increase and multiplication of those great riches of our Lord that are found in the life and death of Jesus Christ which is all one to do namely to make one to become many by bringing it into the bankery or putting it to the exchangers which are divers and yet it is but one in respect of unity or else it cannot increase even as to bring divers or two five or ten into one bankery or else if they be not made one they cannot multiply and increase so that one talent is made known what it is in all the rest in respect of its grace and riches in multiplication and increase and all the rest are made known in that one in respect of that unity and sume total they all amount unto And unto whomsoever this mystery is not opened they cannot be fruitful nor profitable servants in the house of God So that the operations gifts and offices in the Church unto a seeing eye are no less various fruitful beautiful comely costly and glorious then were of old those hangings imbroideries curtains curious carvings ingravings offices and officers in that Temple and Tabernacle of God in the comely honour of the Sanctuary whenever or wheresoever it appears and also to a hearing ear those edicts expressions and revelations of Jesus Christ are infinitly sweeter and more melodious then was all that musick in those many and sundry sorts of instruments or could be in that material Temple which indeed were nothing but carnal further then truly understood and considered in him otherwise the musick of Nebuchadnezzar h Dan 3 4 5 6 is as good and as harmonious as is the best musick and melody that can be made by backsliding Israel i Ier 3 6 8 Exod 32 6 1 Cor 10 7 yea the things of God broke up in the house temple of God like that box of oyntment or spiknard k Luk 7 37 38 Iohn 12 3 are as pleasant and fragrant to the sent of him that is spiritualas l 1 Cor 2 15 as ever that was of old yea all his garments smel of mirrhe alloes and cashia when he comes in and out of that Ivory pallace m Psal 45 7 8 Can 1 13 yea this great work of God in blaspheming or piercing these Kings is like that mountain of mirrhe and hils of spices where those united and contracted espousals give each other their loves n Can 7 12 which is loves in the plural number so multiplyed that it cannot be numbred so strong as death overcomes not o Can â— 6 so servent as floods drown not so deer and precious as all substance cannot buy it out p Can 1 6 7 but to a natural mind these things cannot be so no more then Christ can be the same to the wicked Jews that he is to his Disciples q Iohn 8 44 Iohn 17 23 24 For our Lord pierceth or blasphemeth the Kings that is leaves without breath and makes liveless all the glorious and acceptable things of man wherein naturally man delights and takes pleasure not permitting the workings glory or operations of any of them to appear or to be of use in his house and sanctuary whether they be his abilities to exercise himself in knowing declaring or practising any thing that concerns either the Cross or the Crown of Christ the mystery whereof no natural man can possibly conceive for the laying down of himself is death unto him therefore that which tends to the setting up of the life spirit power and order of the Son of God seems unto him most vacant and to have no order nor comeliness in it therefore it is that he hides himself as it were from Christ r Esay 53 2 3 looking upon him as a formless thing Å¿ Isa 52 14 for never had any his countenance so marred in the eye of an unregenerate man as Christ had t Isa 52 14 no though he be smitten and afflicted so as to take away all stripes from us yet he esteems him not u Isa 53 3 4 for to have the natural workings and operations of mans mind to be pierced and left liveless he can in no wise endure but our Saviour tells us that he that blasphemes the Son of man that is leaves him voyd or makes him liveless in all his own operations which are all summed up in this to seek himself in all things that man shal be forgiven nay that is forgiveness it self x Mat 12 32. because it cannot be done but by the life and spirit wisdom and power of the Almighty himself therefore our Saviour saith whether is it easier to say thy sins are forgiven or to say rise up and walk y Luk 5 23 shewing that the operations of God in our walking and acting are no less then is his mercy and goodness in pardoning and forgiving our sins they are both of like worth value and grace in the house of God so that where sins remain there pardon is excluded z John 3 36. Exod 34 7. 1 Iohn 5 16. and so also where the operations of our own minds abide in the things of God there also is the power and workings of God excluded therefore it is that he that blasphemes the holy Ghost shal not be forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come a Mat 12 31 32. that is he that pierceth or strikes through that holy and spiritual frame and composition that is in our Lord Jesus leaving it without life and operation in himself his sin remains and abides upon him both in that instant opportunity of his so acting intimated in that phrase in this world or this present world that is in that present time or season nor shal it be forgiven in the world to come b Mat 12 32 that is in the succession and continuation of such operations for ever which do succeed in the hearts of all wicked men and are ever coming on as truly as they are also present Now to speak against this spiritual state of Christ cannot have pardon in it it is not meant of speaking against the Holy ghost as a spirit abstracted from the Son of man but in that Son of man so that to speak of Christ aright is to speak of him spiritually or else we pierce him and strike through the Spirit that is we leave that blessed operation of the Spirit which is all one with pardon of sin liveless unto our selves therefore when sins are forgiven we rise up and walk c Luk 5 23 24 as having both pardon and power bestowed upon and given unto us And here we must note that we speak not of Christ spiritually but in way of piercing when we speak of him as
wisdom with us therein for in his light we see light z Psa 36 9. and seeing by the spirit of the Son we are transformed into the image and glory of the Son for when Christ which is our life appears then do we also appear with him in glory a Col 3 4. Though in our selves we have no life nor glory nor any such thing at all but the wisdom of God makes use of our death baseness and infirmity to raise us up unto the glory and dignity of his only beloved Son in whom we behold our selves having faith or subsistance in him b Col 2 10. Col 4. 12. Eph 1 3. unto life and glory and so are set down in heavenly places together with him c Eph 2 4 5 6 7. even so also there is wrath in man which is not without respect and relation unto God and yet no wrath or displeasure in God at all For Christ Jesus being declared then the discension of the Son of God into our nature is made manifest in which he cannot appear but he becomes the full and compleat glory and dignity of it insomuch that the glory of the creature must needs fall and vanish away which man beholding with a natural eye that is according to that wisdom of a creature which gives him his proper distinction and denomination from all other earthly creatures in the world so as to have the glory of a man upon him which none else had he is as loth to have this blasted and come to nought or to become that which indeed is foolishness with God d Rom 8 6. yea he is by the light of his own understanding so far from it as he is from desiring his own ruine and destruction and we know that every creature naturally desires and endeavours the preservation of it self and hence ariseth an enmity in his heart against that glory and grace that is in the death and resurrection of the Son of God yet the glory of God he coveteth after in himself but would have it spring up and flow out of this wisdom and device that naturally is in the creature which is no less then to covet and seek after that he himself as he is a creature should be God which is the proper seat and state of Antichrist e 2 Thes 2 4. and the more he computes himself with and compares himself unto God by this subtil and sly wisdom of his own the more he must needs find a vast and infinite distance from and difference with his Creatour which ingendreth wrath and horrour in his soul which is the proper place and seat of it and not God who is only goodness and love and by his own wisdom he makes such use of Gods grace and excellencies that they kindle and instant wrath in his soul although in God there is no more wrath nor anger then there is or can be peace and joy in our sins f Psa 32 3 4. Gen 4 6 7. Rom 6 23. which the wisdom of God in like manner makes use of for the exaltation of his Son for ever even so doth man make use of the grace of God through his own wisdom to anger torment and cast down himself for ever g Gen 4 13 14. Rev 1 7. So that if we take away the wisdom of man in what he sets up to himself as outward forms figures ways and degrees of suffering and humiliations to prepare himself for or to give some satisfaction unto God as also the ways and means which his own wisdom deviseth for his exaltation and agreement with God and then you strike through or pierce the Kings that are so potent and puissant in the hearts of men in all the world which indeed ingenders wrath and enmity in the hearts of all them who cleave unto them as to their God and wil not accept of the Cross of Jesus Christ who was taken from prison and from judgment or as the Hebrew word min signifies to as well as from so was he taken to prison and to judgment that is his imprisonment as also his lifting up unto the throne or seat of judgment are one and the same act h Isa 53 8. Acts 8 33. for the act of imprisoning of the word in our nature is the very act of lifting up of our nature into the judgment and authority of the throne therefore he saith and who can declare his age i Isa 53 8. that is no wisdom of man can ever conceive how eternity should become time and how time should become eternity in one and the same act yea he is cut off from the land of the living k Isa ibid. and also stated in an everlasting possession in the same act therefore is his Cross his triumph as it is said he triumphed upon the Cross l Col 2 15. which the wisdom of the creature knows not how to yeeld or consent unto and so dare never commit it self to a way that it knows not but stands in perpetual enmity with it and opposition against it and so doth make it a day of wrath unto himself for that two such contrary things should be in the same act the wisdom and deepest pollicy that is in man can never yeeld unto or find out namely that death should become life and that life should be death the revelation whereof is the day of his wrath or of his nostril as the word signifies alluding unto that act in the Creation of man at the first where it is said that God breathed into his face or nostrils the breath of lives m Gen 2 7. For so the word is plurall to signifie aplurallitie of lives included and comprised in that one act not noly in regard that all men that were to live upon the face of the earth were originally in that man nor only in respect of that plurallitie of lives that are multiplyed in Jesus Christ signified in that But also to declare that there was two different ways of life and generation included in that one act as certainly as there was both a man and a woman included in it the one direct in opposition unto the other that is there is a way life in that act that hath nothing but death in it and that is to live after the flesh which hath nothing but the death of the spirit in it n Rom 8 13. which is simply the way of wrath signified by the Nostrills aluding unto such fierce and angry creatures that manifest the same by snuffings or snorting in the nose for so the word may be translated nostrills there is also in that act an other way of life in death which is nothing but life and that is The dying to the flesh and a living unto the spirit o Rom. 8. 13. 14. which is also signified in that the word may also be translated face as he breathed into his face shewing that sweet agreement and answerable condition
even as in water face p Prov. 27. 19. answereth to face between the creator and the creature so that there is in this one act that which conduceth unto several lives and that the one in direct opposition to the other so that the way of the first Adam and also the way of the second are propounded unto us in this Scripture q 1 Cor. 15. 22. the way of earth and the way of heaven r 1 Cor. 15. 45. and therefore the spirit of God by the Apostle teacheth both from this place saying the first man Adam was made a souly soul that is nothing but mortality and weakness s Gen 2. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 45. 2 Cor. 3. 6. yea such acting as corrupts and destroyes in himself the wisedome and image of God and the second is made alive makeing or quickening Spirit namely such a one as gives spirit and life in himself even unto the dust or slime of the earth t 2 Cor. 2. 15. 16. Mat. 25. 31. 46. so that whensoever the grace countenance or face of God appears in Christ by that publishing of the Gospell in the very same act doth this day of his Nostrills or day of his wrath make it self manifest in the world in the Saints it is the day of peace good news of you and goodness u Luk. 4. 18 19 20. 21. But in the wicked that very same thing is the day of wrath evil tidings horror and anguish x Mat. 8. 29. Luk. 8. 28. Mark 5. 7. So that the Cross of Christ is the only wrath and blasphemy in the eyes of the world y Mat. 26. 65. Acts 6 11 12 13 14 For the Saints are of God and the world is of that wicked one z 1 Iohn 5 19 and both these estates and conditions thus oposite do spring out of that which at the first was made one even as the man and the woman were at the first made one and both of them had but one name a Gen 5 2 namely the wisdome or image of God and the dust or slime of the earth b Gen 2 7 Gen 1 27 which are the two great grand and proper parents of all the world taught in that first man and woman out of whom comes the mistery of God and the mistery of iniquitie but out of one and the same act even as that righteous Abell and that wicked Cain came out of the man and the woman in one and the same act of lawfull copulation and therefore no mention is made of the knowing of his wife betwixt the bringing forth of them both c Gen. 4. 1. 2. and untill we perceive that we are the same unto the sonne of God by nature that Cain was to his so near a Brother Abell that is that we are his proper death who only can dye in us otherwise we can never come to acknowledg our unity with and life in him d Col. 3. 3 4. 1 Ioh 4 17 For the day of the Captivity of Lot or of that inheritance or purchassed possession that falleth unto every one by Lot without any devision of or respect unto any ones person either for his doing of good or evil e Psal 16 5 Col. 3 25 more or less then any other f Rom. 9 10 11 12 13. which our Father Abraham rescueth and redeemeth which day of his rescue and deliverance and the day of his thraldome and Captivitie being made one poynt of time according to the unity and simplicity of that intire and eternall act of the word of God that is the day of Gods wrath and execution of vengeance which is only done in the manifestation and revelation of the Cross of Christ upon which not only the slaughter of his enemies dependeth but also that glorious rule and authority of his exercised and executed both in his house and also in all the world g Psal 59 13 Psal 103 19 Psal 2 18 9 Rev 2 26 27. which is layd down in the latter part at this psalme wherein we are to observe these particulers following 1. First in whom his authority is expressed contained in these words he shall Iudg among or in the heathen 2. Secondly by what this his rule and authority takes place layd down in these words he shall fill the places with dead bodyes 3. Thirdly the extent of this his Government and judgment In these words he shall wound the heads over many Countries 4. Fourthly the way and manner of his repast in his persuits and exercise of authority over his enemys contained in these words he shall drink of the Brook in the way 5. Fiftly the issue event summ or result of all in these words Therefore shall be Lift up his head Breifly of each of these in order and first of that in whom this his rule and authority is exercised and expressed and that is in the heathen The word here translated heathen signifies an Alien namely one that is cut off and far removed from his ansestour by corrupting his ways from the life and course of his first original or predecessour like unto that man whom the Scripture wil not afford a name to begiven unto him h Ruth 4. 1. he that should have bought the parcel of land or possession that was Ebimeleches which he was willing to injoy of it self as all men would inherit the priviledges that came by our Lord Jesus But when he saw he must also have Ruth the Moabitish to raise up seed to his dead Brother which were to be called by his name that so the name of the dead might only abide upon and live in the inheritance i Ruth 4. 4. 5. then he forsakes possession and all and that before and in the judgment of the Elders of Israel k Ruth 4. 6. degenerating and cutting himself off from his true ancestour and so from the lyne and generation of Jesus Christ who was begotten by Boas of Ruth the Moabitish l Mat. 1. 5. even so it is with all the wicked of the world they would consent to have the possessions and priviledges that came by Christ m Mark 10. 17. 23. but when they must be one with the Moabite begotten in an act of incest n Gen. 19 32. to 37. and that all the seed of life and immortality must serve only to memorize the name of Christ yea in and upon all the glory upon which he only is the defence o Isa 4. 5. 6. and may not rais up their own name and glory thereby but only the name of the dead namely of him that dyed for our sins p Rom. 4. 25. 1 Cor 15 3 then do they neglect and reject all both possession and posterity and alianate and cut off themselves from God who is that ancestour and fountain of all mankind and therefore is the first man called the sonne of God q Luk 3 38 who was not made but in the life
such so is the whole lump and Administration of it also l Rom. 10. 15. Rom. 11. 16 for it hath not onely an Angelicall Message or Embassage in it as coming from another m Mal. 3. 1. but it hath also in it a Lordly edict and principality as from the Spirit and Person Royall himselfe n Ioh. 3. 31 32 33 34 35. Heb. 1 Chap. unto all others and of this Argument in that first Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes our Apostle doth wholly insist proving that Christ is not onely an Angell or Messenger of the Covenant but also the Lord and giver of it So that as truly as Christ is a true Lord and giver of that Law of the Spirit o Isa 33. 22 Iam. 4. 12. so is he also a true Messenger or Minister of the Spirit p Luk. 4. 17 18 19. Isa 61. 1 2 3. so that if we will ever measure the Temple House or City of God with the true measuring line or that golden reed appointed and given by the Angell for that purpose so as to give every thing its due proportion then as it is true that if we will give the Man of God his due proportion in the House of the Lord q Rev. 11. 1. Rev. 21. 15. we must not finde it else-where but in that Son of man Jesus Christ r Ioh. 5. 27. Ezek. 2. 1. 3 for further then wee hold proportion with him we are not of God for what we are to God we are in him for he is that patterne revealed onely in the Mount s Ezek. 42. 10. 11. Heb. 8. 5. Exod. 25. 9. even so also if we will describe an Angell of God by the same golden reed we must have them hold proportion with that onely Angell of the Covenant and further then we can declare how they do agree we set forth no Angell or Messenger of God for hee is the true patterne in that also so that if we give the good Angells a nature Ministery and office besides or otherwise then is found in the Angell of the Covenant we wander from the rule we have not the golden reed given unto us nor have we been with Moses in that Mount of God to see nor can we doe according to that patterne there given t Heb. 8. 5. Numb 8. 4. for without the knowledge and faith of this point of the Angells we can never understand and beleeve what it is for Michael and his Angels to fight against the Dragon and his Angels u Rev. 12. 7. nor indeed can the rest of the holy Scriptures be knowne or beleeved by us for indeed the very forming of good Angells and bad and their very appearance and bringing forth is the very root of the holy Scriptures whereof if wee bee darke we erre not knowing our way in any of those severall branches that spring up and are to be found written in the volumne of the the book or Word of God x Psal 40. 7 Heb. 10. 5 6 7. What ever men may think or seem to profess they know of that good Word of God y 2 Kin. 20. 19. Isa 39. 8. we know what we say and the Lord give us understanding in all things * 2 Tim. 2. 7 Again our Lord raigneth and governeth also in the Heathen in that way of his grace and favour which is peculiar unto his people z Psal 47. 8 9. Psal 93. 1. Psal 97. 1. for they also are alienated estranged and cut off from their proper Ancestor even as Ruth was estranged and cut off from her Ancestors the Moabites and became the Mother of our Lord a Psal 83. 8. Mat. 1. 5. Ruth 1. 4. and as it is said of Pharoah's daughter in the person of the whole Church the Spouse of our spirituall Solomon that she was to forget her kindred and her fathers house and so the King delights greatly in her beauty b Psal 45. 10 11. For as it is true that there was of the sons of men that were true and reall Progenitors of that body of Christ who is the Son of God c Rom. 9. 4. 5 and therefore the Psalmist saith in the person of Christ our Fathers trusted in thee and they were delivered d Psal 22. 4 even so there is in man that which is a true Progenitor and Ancestor to the Son of God that gives him his beginning even from the beginning of the world from which time he is said to be a Lamb slain e Rev. 13. 8. not as a transient act but as an act of eternity that reacheth and continueth even untill now without the which Christ is not nor can he take place in the soule of any without it and that is the frailty infirmity and weakness of man which onely gives being or realty unto his death and suffering without which he is not Jesus Christ f 2 Cor. 13. 3. 4. which death he vanquisheth even in the very encounter and is alienated estranged and cut off from being any such thing as death is g Iohn 1. 4 1 Ioh. 1. 2. to 5. even as farre as the life of God is separated from being dead in sins and sorrowes betwixt which there is an infinite distance and disproportion And as the Sonne of God reignes and governes by estranging himselfe from all the desires and inclinations of the flesh h Gal. 5. 24. Iohn 1. 12 13. which by nature the whole lump of mankinde is subjected unto For We have all sinned and are deprived of the glory of God i Rom. 3. 23. in our selves and there is not one that doth good no not one k Rom. 3. 12. so also in the doing of it away triumphing over it mortifying and killing it he turnes it to a use quite contrary to the nature of it raising up righteousnesse from sin love out of enmity yea joy out of sorrow strength out of weaknesse wisdome out of foolishnesse glory out of shame immortality out of mortality and life out of death this is that government rule authority judgement and discerning that our Lord exerciseth amongst all that are his which is that everlasting righteousnesse which he hath brought into the world to be made manifest onely in his holy temple l Dan. 9. 24. which the Lord builds and not man m 1 Cor. 3. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 1 for the Saints by nature being all of that common parent and ancestor the corruption and lust of the flesh n Isa 64. 6 7. they through this grace of God are alienated and estranged there from as farre as the wayes of that holy Spirit are from the lusts and desires thereof o Gal. 5. 17 18 22 23. 1 Pet. 1. 2. and of such subjects and none but such consisteth the Kingdome and regiment of our Lord Christ therefore it is said Ye who were somtimes afarre off are made neere by the blood of Christ p Eph. 2. 13
in the world yet is it alienated estranged and cut off therefrom and hath nothing exercised in it but life light liberty and dominion over all Principalities and Powers of the Prince and God of this world r Eph. 2. 2. 2 Cor. 4. 4. and are nothing at all of such a thing as by nature in themselves they are so that as God is nothing to the wicked but what he is onely in and by them and therefore hee is nothing in them for God is not in all their thoughts s Psal 10. 4 even so the Saints are nothing to God but onely what they are in him which is all things and therefore in the multitude of their thoughts within them they are all his comforts which delights their soules t Psal 94. 19. So that in Gods Rule and Domination in the wicked there is nothing of him but what springeth and cometh of themselves who are nothing of God at all and in Gods rule and domination in the godly there is nothing in them but what is of him who is nothing in himselfe that is in respect of his owne nature that is any thing of them at all this therefore is that great Mystery of the Gospell which hath laine hidden from the world in Ages that are past that God who in his owne nature cannot be more excellent and glorious in one place person or action then in another yet in his wisdome hath so provided in Christ that the place wherein he hath appointed to meet with his people and to speake with them in doth farre excell in glory all other places persons and actions in the world u Exod. 29. 42. Psal 87. 1 2. Exod. 25. 22. Exod. 30. 6. 36. whose goings and comely honor in the Sanctuary are not elsewhere to bee seen or met with x Psal 63. 1 2. Psal 68. 24 25 26. but onely in that place or Sanctuary wherein his honour dwelleth y Psal 26. 8 which onely is sanctified and set apart from the rest of the world z Isa 28. 5. 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. 1 Cor. 6. 19 even as the place of his onely residence and the aparition and manifestation of his presence power and glory a Exod. 9. 6. Levit. 16. 2 Psal 102. 16 so likewise that God who in his owne nature cannot bee absent from or leave destitute of his presence one place or thing more then another yet through his wisdome in Christ hath so provided that the men and operations of this world are altogether vacant void and laid empty and wast of him not injoying the least jot of his presence at all b Psal 10. 4 Mat. 25. 4. Psal 58. 3. which is a Mystery not considered nor looked into it being of the same secrecie and also as conspicuous as Christ himselfe is and of no other ambiguity or certainty the one then is the other unto us c 2 Thes 2. 7 1 Tim. 3. 16 and hence is that other particular in his rule and authority brought in by our Prophet that is by what hee judgeth which is said to be this By filling the places with dead bodies or as some translate it hee shall fill up with ruines The Word translated fill signifies to fulfill or to fill up that is to make a thing full by expending or passing away another for nothing can bee filled with two things to have its fullnesse of each of them but if it bee filled up or made full with any one thing all other things must bee expunged expended and put out or passed away or an end must bee made of them as the word will beare and therefore so much is in the words as perfectly to plead a cause so as to put an end to all hopes of ever impleading to the contrary with any advantage and so doth give life unto him in whose behalf it is impleaded for it comes of a word that signifies to live the word translated dead bodies or ruins destruction losse or misery comes of a word that signifies to fall or to be dead or come into extream decay that is decay even unto the uttermost so that the sense runs thus hee shall fill up with ruines or hee shall perfectly plead to recover with losse or he shall cause to live by death or to rise by the fall or to restore all things by an utter decay of them and in this the Prophet alludes unto that death destruction and way of the fall of man in the beginning without which man had never lived the life of God in Iesus Christ d Ger. 3. 3. Gen. 3. 9 to 19. 2 Cor. 5. 21 nor had hee beene saved and restored from an utter destruction and decay nay without which fall Hee had never beene raised and lifted up unto the glory of the Father e Eph. 4. 9 10. So that wee cannot looke upon the fall with an eye of faith in the wisdome of God but wee must of necessity behold Christ the image and wisdome of the Father in it from which man fell no more then wee can behold the resurrection by faith in the SONNE OF GOD but wee must behold the fall in it from which man is delivered raised up and restored f Isa 26. 19 Isa 60. 1 2. So that however the fall is properly taught in the first man that was yet not without respect unto the death and resurrection of JESUS CHRIST so also the resurrection is properly taught in the Lord JESUS yet not without respect unto that aspiring spirit of man at the first which is his destruction g Gen. 3. 5 6. Psal 82. 6 7. as is declared in those severall temptations wherewith the SONNE OF GOD was assaulted h Mat. 4. 1. to 10. So that in the fall of man the humiliation and life of the SONNE OF GOD is involved so as death is swallowed up of victory and in the exaltation of the Sonne of God that aspiring spirit and life of man is involved whereby man by nature corrupteth and destroyeth himselfe i Gen. 3. 5 6 Hos 13. 9. Now the fall of man is the death and humiliation of the Son of God on this wise the Son of God according to the wisdome of God which he is cannot admit of any thing into unity with himselfe that hath in it selfe any life or excellency besides that which is in the very nature and being of the Son of God therefore he consisting of God and Man must needs take unto himselfe that which is humbled and in it selfe accursed vaine sinfull and made void and empty of that which is all things k 2 Cor. 5. 21. Phil. 2. 7 8. Psal 22. 6 7. which is the very fall and defection of man it selfe otherwise he could not be the righteousnesse resurrection life blessing and fulnesse of it for he must bee all or else not any thing in that which is made one with him as man was at the first even so the exaltation and
Pet. 1. 20. which is a spirit surpassing the spirit of a meere creature for it is the Spirit of God for holy men spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost r 2 Pet. 1. 21 and in such onely it is savour of life unto life s 2 Cor. 2. 16 and such onely are the distributers and dispensers of it as goe forth to preach in and by that Spirit which raised up Jesus from the dead and in which hee was quickned and went and preached also to the spirits that are in prison who were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God abode in the dayes of Noah t 1 Pet. 3. 18 19 20. so that the object of the Ministery of the Gospell in those to whom it is a savour of death unto death u 2 Cor. 2. 16. upon whom it also worketh effectually though not naturally as from it selfe as a proper cause but accidentally or occasionally the true and proper cause of death being in and from themselves x Hos 13. 9 Mat. 15. 11 Mar. 7. 21 22 23. unto whom it becometh such and not in the Gospell so that it doth also discover a spirit in such that is as far below a creature as the spirit of the Saint and holy one of God is above a creature y Mar. 13. 11 Luke 11. 13 that being the spirit of God z 1 Cor. 3. 16 and the other the spirit of Satan a 2 Cor. 4. 4 the one the spirit of Christ b Rom. 8. 9. the other the spirit of Antichrist c Eph. 2. 2. the one the wisdome of God d 1 Iohn 4. 3. 1 Cor. 2. 7. the other the wisdome of the Serpent e 2 Cor. 11. 3. for the wisdome art and skill of man in looking upon and judging of the things of God in its owne light is so subtill and guilefull that it turnes truth into a lie unto it selfe f Rom. 1. 25 righteousnesse into sin g Rom. 7. 8. to 14. and so is not onely a Serpent to beguile it selfe and others h 2 Cor. 11. 3 but also a Dragon to destroy and devoure both it selfe and others i Rev. 12. 3 4. 1 Pet. 5. 8. for it was never the ordination and appointment of God in the way of Christ that man should behold and judge of the matters of God by the light and wisdome of a creature but by the light and wisdome of the Creatour k Isa 64. 4. 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. no more then Iohn was appointed or sent of God to be the light of the world but came onely to beare witnesse of that light l Iohn 1. 6 7 8 9. or then the hand was appointed to see for the body and yet it is of the body m 1 Cor. 12 15 16. or for it selfe by vertue of any thing that is in it selfe but onely by that vertue that is in the eye with which it hath union and by which it perfectly seeth though in it felfe it is not an eye nor hath any light at all but onely by vertue of the confluence of that which is properly in the eye it selfe n Mat. 6. 22. The Son of God thererefore descending into this low estate yea lower then simply to be made a creature for he was made a curse o Gal. 3. 13. which no creature in its creation is p Gen. 1. 31. hereby overcomes and takes away the curse else could it never have been taken away from us no more then we can bee blessed but onely by having unity with him through faith q Heb. 10. 39. Heb. 11. 2. who is blessednesse it selfe r Rom. 9. 5. and in this act of humiliation he saith thou wilt not leave my soule in hell or in Sheol that corrupting pit s Psal 16. 10 neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption but wilt teach me the way of life that is death or this humbled condition could not hold him no not for a moment of time but in that very way or act wherein he becomes subject to be taught as under a tutor or governour t Gal. 4. 1 2 he sees life and is set at the right hand of God where are pleasures for ever more u Psal 16. 11 and so doth he drink of the brook in the way and in that he doth lift up his head or is exalted for ever farre above all principalities and powers and hath a name or authority given unto him in or at the which every knee shall bow x Phil. 2. 9 10. both of things in heaven and in the earth yea and under the earth yea even such as are made lower then properly the earthly or naturall condition of a creature is y Iude 10. verse 2 Pet. 2. 12. and hence it is that our Apostle reason from that eighth Psalm thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet * Psal 8. 6. now in that he saith all things are put under he left nothing or nothing was exempted that was not put under him a Heb. 2. 7 8 so that the exaltation of Christ is that wherewith the Son of man or the humane nature is dignified otherwise it could not be a putting of things under him if in case they were so by nature for all things are under him by nature as he is God b Iohn 1. 1 2 3. Rom. 9. 5. Gen. 1. 1. and therefore in that respect cannot admit of an action of putting them or making them to be so for it is impossible that the Creator should be otherwise in himselfe but above the workes of his hand c Isa 45. 11 12. as our Apostle reasons from Moses and Christ that as he that builds the house is greater and more honourable then that which is built d Heb. 3. 3 4 so is it in this case for nothing can be said to be put under Christ as he is God seeing all things are so without gain saying by nature therefore the exaltation is properly of the humanity and not of the Divinity which indeed is height it selfe e Heb. 7. 26. though it be exalted onely in and by the Divinity even as the humiliation is properly of the divine nature and not of the humane for the humane nature cannot be lower then it is by nature in it selfe being in the fall become a curse f Gal. 3. 13. 2 Cor. 15. 22. but the divine nature is onely humbled and made low in and by the humane nature for in it selfe it can admit of no such thing g Mal. 3. 6. and therefore the humiliation is of an infinite value and extent which makes our Apostle to adde those words and yet we see not all things put under him h Heb. 2. 8. which to a naturall eye or eare seems a plaine contradiction the words are we see not all things or we see not any particular thing whatsoever under
or below him for it being the humiliation of the Son of God it was to the greatest and utmost degree of debasement so that nothing was or could be lower then that condition was which he tooke upon him for if there had then had he fallen short of a perfect and absolute overcoming and vanquishing of sin and death and then had our salvation failed therefore saith our Apostle Christ was made a little lower then the Angells and in suffering of death crowned with glory and honour i Heb. 2. 9. that he by the grace favour or mutuall imbracings of God as the word signifies might in man that is in our nature taste and feel death in all or in every particular part way or kinde of it k Heb. 2. 9. being made so low as nothing can be lower therefore he adds that the Captaine of our salvation is made perfect through sufferings l Heb. 2. 10. Such and so many and great as the glory of his exaltation is in bringing sons to glory answerable to that is his debasement in that condition out of which he fetcheth and taketh them therefore in the way of his humiliation doth he lift up his head and is exalted for ever To this comes that of the Apostle when hee saith then or henceforth the end finishing accomplishment or perfection as the word translated end signifies and denotes unto us when he shall deliver up the Kingdome to God even the father m 1 Cor. 15. 24. or when he hath given up or put into the hands put into trust or yeelded all regallity and Soveraignty to be in and onely belong unto him who is the father of all dignity excellencie and power at which time or in that very act of yeelding or giving all unto God he doth evacuate empty or make void the creature of all rule authority and power in all things whatsoever that concernes the glory and dignity of the Kingdom of God for he must or it is expedient and needfull yea he doth raigne still or n 1 Cor. 15. 25. to the end to put downe all his enemies under his feet this is the very end of his raigne to put all Gods enemies under foot now whatsoever is in man by nature is an adversary yea is in hostility as the word signifies against God therefore the reign of Christ must of necessity bring under or else he were not a perfect victor overcomer and conquerour over all and then could not he obtaine the glory of the Son of God therefore he adds that the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death o 1 Cor. 15. 26. by this word last is meant the basest or the lowest of enemies and it is the lowest and basest in that it destroyes ruinates and utterly spoiles it selfe therefore the word translated destroy signifies unthriftinesse to the undoing and losse of it selfe for the Son of God is made so low by the suffering of death as that the death comes into competition and ingagement with the life of the Son of God and so must of necessity consume waste ruinate and loose it selfe being that the Son of God must live eternally else he were not God and so death is swallowed up in victory p 1 Cor. 15. 54. hence it is that the Psalmist speakes so elegantly thou hast put all things under his feet all sheep and oxen yea and the beast of the field foules of the ayre and fish in the sea that passe through the paths of it q Psal 8. 6 7 8. this is mans Lordship and according to the naturall workings of his mind and understanding hee perceives his dominion as he is a man when hee comes into competiton with the inferiour sensuall and terrene creatures they serving to this end namely to give dimention and to manifest the nobility and excellency of that spirit which the Creator had indued him withall by which he saw that Lordship and dominion which he had over them all being they were all made in subjection unto him and farre under and beneath him therefore could he not finde a fit companion or consociate for himselfe amongst them all r Gen. 2. 20. this man can doe by that naturall and common understanding which he hath implanted in him even as he is a creature and in this death doth not properly consist therefore no speech of death whilst he is said to be conversant in and about these things that is simply to respect the creature in his thoughts words or actions but when this naturall understanding proper unto man simply as he is a creature workes upon and is conversant in and about the things of the Creator then by how much the more hee would be like his Creator which so farre transcends and is above all the creatures in the world by so much is he debased and made under and below all creatures in the world and this is that death which is destroyed s Hos 13. 14 1 Cor. 15. 54 55 56 57. for being a death of that nature when ever wee looke upon it by that light and revelation of the Spirit that comes onely from that Father of lights then is it in this as in that former way of nature so now in this way of grace for this death serves to no other end but to mete out as with a metwand or measuring line t Rev. 11. 1. to give dimension unto that life that is in the Son of God whereby by he sees the height of his Soveraignty dominion and Lordship for ever which without it could never appeare nor bee made manifest in a creature but must of necessity have been hid and lodged in himselfe for ever and then had not his goodnesse appeared u Tit. 2. 11. Psal 39. 19. 19. and if not his goodnesse then not his light x 1 Ioh. 1. 5. and that light which appeares not is darknesse y Mat. 6. 23. and if God should not be light he were no God at all z 1 Ioh. 2. 9 10 11. and thus uncontrouleable and without all controversie doubt or scruple doth God convince our hearts of that breaking forth and revelation of himselfe unto us in the face of Jesus Christ a 2 Cor. 4. 6 and hereby doth death being made so low extinguish put out vanquish and destroy it selfe for ever in that it sets out that life and light which is in that faith of the Sonne of God which otherwise could not appeare to or in the Saints and of such use is that unto the Saints and chosen of God as to lift them up unto life and light of comfort for ever through that wisdome which is in God which is nothing els but the King of terrour to all the men of the world who look upon the things of God with a naturall and carnall eye b Iob. 18. 5. to 21. for Christ by drinking of the brooke in the way is exalted as head governour and ruler over all
which thing the world is not aware of neither will it know and understand and therefore can never give Christ the honour of his death nor confesse the excellency glory fruit profit and comfort of the crosse of our Lord c Gal 6. 14 Iam. 1. 2 3 4. 2 Cor. 12 9 10. Rom. 8. 35 36 37. The exaltation then of the Son of God is the beholding of himselfe from the depth of that low estate of his humiliation which he hath onely in man which gives dimension unto it in its height for ever and the humiliation of the Son of man is the beholding of himselfe in or from the height and dignity which he hath in God and that gives dimension to his low estate out of which he riseth and silenceth the flesh from uttering or conceiving of the least cause of boasting for ever d 1 Cor. 1. 27. to 31. Therefore the Psalmist when he beholds the heavens the worke of the finger of God the moone and the starres which thou hast created e Psal 8. 3. from the consideration of the heavenly bodies and works of God for him or in him thence doth arise his humiliation and abasements therefore he saith what is man or what is it man in way of admiration that thou considerest him or remembrest him f Psal 8. 4. For the word signifies to memorize or begin againe as if he should say dost thou that art so high and glorious yea so full of varieties of excellencies and glory even as the Moone and the Starres are in themselves g 1 Cor. 15. 41. Dost thou remember or take thy beginning in man for as the Son of God is eternall and so without beginning or time as he is God so is he also in time and takes a beginning as he is man and this puts man to silence for ever opening his mouth in any excellencies of the creature in the things of God when once he sees how the Eternall takes a beginning in him h Psal 8. 4. and so as the word will beare memorizeth and eternizeth himselfe in such a fraile and momentany thing as man is even as the heavens are monumentized in the earth without which their vertue glory and operation could never be seene nor made knowne i Hos 2. 21 22. Psal 65. 9. to 13. therefore he adds those words visitest him or makest him the object of thy constant act of sight and aspect even as the Sun looks forth upon the earth for the continuall revivall refreshment fruitfulnesse and glory of it without which it were altogether barren and undone Yea the Apostle adds further He hath put all things under his feet k Heb. 2. 8. Now if all things be put under him it is evident that he is excepted that did subject them and put them under yea he must be such a one that doth subject them who is over all so that all things in that lost estate by mankinde are infinitely below and beneath Christ as he is God and all things as they are in God are infinitely above Christ Jesus as he is man and so sustaines the nature of that lost condition and therefore both the humiliation and exaltation are complete and perfect in him alone For when all things are made subject unto and subdued under him as he is man by another which is God blessed for ever l Rom. 9. 5. that is by another in nature not in subsistence and being Now he that subjects and brings all things under must needs in himselfe be above all things and so above him unto whom they are subjected as he is man and therefore cannot in the least as he is man subject or subdue no more then God himselfe can be brought low or under in respect of himselfe or his owne nature no more can the nature of man subdue the enemies of our salvation by any thing that is in or of himselfe that is in or of his own nature As a creature therefore must needs be subject in himselfe unto him that subdues all things and so the Son himselfe as he is man is subject unto the Father as he is God m 1 Cor. 17 27 28. and yet the submission or subjection of the Son is not but in the Father nor is the authority and rule of the Father but onely in the Son so that the submission and authority are not found elswhere but onely in one and the same subsistance and being and hence it is that God is all in all in every one of the Saints and they onely passive in themselves or in their owne nature n Isa 30. 7. Phil. 2. 13. but powerfull and operative in their Lord or in and through that nature divine for ever even as he is only active in himselfe and his owne nature but became passive in them or in their nature and subject to death which in himselfe could never be and yet is the one and the other reall and true the operation life and resurrection that is in that Word and Son of the Father is as really and truly ours and we worke and live and rise from the dead by it o Col. 2. 13. Rom. 8. 11. Rom. 4. 17. as or weaknesse death and low estate is really his so as he suffered death and descended in and by it and therefore our Apostle affirmes that he that ascends is the same that descends into the lowermost parts of the earth p Ephes 4. 9 and this is the humiliation and exaltation of our Lord made one no lesse absolute and true then that the divine and humane nature are one Christ or one subsistance and Son of God the Saviour of the world and therefore the Apostle saith else what shall they do or as the word may be read what shall he do that is baptized for dead if the dead rise not q 1 Cor. 15 29. or as the meaning is if death be not life the descention the resurrection what shall he doe or how can he be the Son of God for if death be not made life in the very act of it in that way of Christ otherwise the Son could never be baptized with the baptisme of death r Luke 12. 50. if that death were not in that very act transformed into life he could not be the Son of God for he cannot be held of death no not for a moment s Acts 2. 24 for then he were not God therefore doth our spirituall Gideon and all his souldiers in him or with him yea our King Christ as in this Text and all that he hath made Kings to God the Father with him t Rev. 1. 5 6 or in him doe drink of this brook in the way of the humiliation and in that very act is his exaltation yea the lifting up of his head or of their heads for ever in the sight and knowledge of which shall all sing Halalujah u Psal 15 1 6. that is being interpreted praise ye Jah or praise we the Lord. AMEN FINIS
Redeemer doth turne away So that the breaking downe of the partition wall x Eph. 2. 13 14. which separated Jew and Gentile is that abolishing of that enmity in our flesh by Iesus Christ y Eph. 2 15 16 even that Law of carnall Commandements and Ordinances and reconciled both unto God in one body by his Cross z Eph. 2 15 16. making in himselfe of twaine one new man so making peace a Eph. 2. 15 16 between Jew and Gentile that is between that holy one of God and our nature which in it selfe is estranged from and at enmity with him but being one in him we bear the name of Israel even of one that as a Prince prevailes with God b Gen. 32 28. as Jacob beares the name of all iniquity which the Redeemer turnes away yea even at that time when the Apostle is in the declaration of the holiness of the Jew and prophaneness of the Gentile all which amounts unto this sum namely to declare what the Son of God is made in us and what we are made in him for he is made sinne in us as we are made righteousness in him c 2 Cor 5 21 they hold correspondency in all points and being declared accordingly it is the making of two to become one in all things whatsoever yea even the greatest stranger to become the neerest home-born euen the onely begotten of the father and son of his love d Ioh 1 14 Mat 3 17 So that whilest we are looking with stretched-out necks into the peoples of the world expecting some great worke and Reformation to appeare we doe in the mean time neglect and reject those kind offers of mercy and solicitations of our soules which God in that way of Christ offers unto us onely through the knowledge and faith of him the ignorance of whom deprives us of all his comforts and operations e Eph. 4. 18. but we must wander unto looke after the calling of Jewes and coming in of a fulness of Gentiles to the fall of the Pope and Christ his raigne upon the earth as a great Monarch when as all these are in our hearts and in our mouths f Rom. 10. 8. and yet through that unbeleefe which is in us we see them not but are climbing up to seek Christ as though Elia was to come againe g Mark 9. 11. as also descending downe into the deep as though Moses and Jonah were to appeare in like forme to the outward senses againe h Ionaâ—â—… 17. when as God shewes the same workes yet as differing in the manner of them to carnall reason as far as there was difference between Jonah in the Whales belly and the Son of God in the heart of the earth and yet that was the signe of the Prophet Jonah i Mat. 12. 40. and as there was in the peoples coming from Bashan and out of the depth of the Sea with Moses k Psal 68. 22. and the peoples carrying of the Ark out of the house of Obed-Edom up into Jerusalem in Davids dayes which he memorizeth as the same thing being then done againe l Psal 68. 1 2. if they had stood gazing after the same acts to bedone in the view of a natural and carnall eye in the same manner and forme they had before been manifested and made known in or else to acknowledge no divine power or heavenly evidence of the operation of God therein in the present dispensation then had they never acknowledged God aright in his wonderfull workes but had denyed his power and handy-worke amongst them even as the Jewes did in the dayes of our Lord so in like manner if we stand gazing after an old people of the Jewes to bring us truth and the fulnesse of the Gentiles to bring us peace in calling of the Nations so as to settle an earthly and temporary peace and in the meane time neglect the mystery of the one and of the other yea the very truth and substance of them all though secret and hidden from the world in that way of Christ as all our life and light is m Col. 3. 3 4. Iohn 1. 4. to 9. we shall prove such as upon whom the vertue and power of that Son of God doth not appear nor make it selfe manifest but shall be opposers of his gracious and spirituall presence when ever he is truly revealed and opened among us though in the meane time we are puffed up by a fleshly minde n Col. 2. 18. through carnall speculations of things that are past and vaine hopes and expectations of things to come which serve to no other use but meerly to flatter our selves in a loose and licentious liberty bearing our selves and others in hand with such things as shall never in that forme which we propound them unto our selves in nor in that sense which we understand and take them in appeare nor manifest themselves neither unto our selves nor unto others therefore it is that God hath so varied the outward forme of the expressing of himselfe in his Word from first to last till at the length he hath so propounded himself unto us that all the men in the world cannot give the outward forme of it to resemble it in the least but a meer carnall eye can see it is deceit and cannot be the same as in that Booke of the Revelations it doth so evidently appeare or else we had had by the deceivers of this world all the seven Trumpets sounded long ago as also that new Jerusalem erected and set up which now wee fall short of and according to their understanding of the Word of God ever must and so must ever drive it some certaine yeares before them as so long they have done to the deceiving and deluding of so many that are gone downe in the meane time into Hades nor shall these persons or Spectators looking after things at such a distance of time from them attaine their hopes no more then the Jewes did in having Elia appeare againe unto them in that forme or in that sense which they understood the Prophet in so that such waiters and expectors for great things in after times but lay the Saints wast of them at the present they doe ever waite with the same Spirit which the Jewes did and whilst they are looking for other Jews are performing that ancient office of the Jewe themselves and of the Gentiles also o Psal 2. 1 2 3. Acts 4. 23. to 27. who both of them went in that hot pursuit of the hinde of the morning when he appeared p Psal 22. see the title even as so many dogs compassing him to pierce his hands and his feet q Psal 22. 16. So that in this point of Gods Government Dominion and Rule in his Saints which are said here to be the Heathen or the Aliens there is that which in it selfe is death darknesse slavery and subjection unto the least and worst things