in this way there is life and joy in the Spirit The Believer the true spiritual Circumcision rejoyces in Christ Jesus having no confidence in the flâ—sh nor mastering much how iâ— goes with that So he may win Christ and know him in the power of his Resurrection he is willing also to know him in the fellowship of his Sufferings and in being made conformable unto his death There is no other way to the eternal Crown If we suffer with him who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession 1 Tim. 6. 13. we shall also reign with him if we deny Him and his â—ause before men through fear of them that can but kill the body and have no more that they can do he that can destroy both body and soul in Hell will deâ—â— us before the Angels of God Whatever frightful appearance the present tribulations may have this remains sure Light â—â— sown for the Righteous and gladness for the upright in heart My harvest is at hand the season for me to reap the good fruit of the incorruptible seed of eternal life that hath been sown in me many years ago by the good hand of the Lord. I have so much already of that fruit as makes me set very light by the present tribulations that are but for a moment and are not to be compared with the glory that follows I have sown in tears and am now going to reap in joy where all tears shall be wiped away for ever There shall be no more sorrow crying or hearing the voice of the oppressor I charge you therefore be ye followers of me as I am a follower of Christ. Walk in that Faith ye have seen me to walk in and be not dismayed Observe what I now say to you and the Lord will bless you yea you shall be encouraged and commended by him as a choice pattern of obedience unto others like the sons of Ionadab the son of Rechab who were commended for performing the words of their father that he commanded them and were therein propounded as an imitable pattern to the men of Iudah and inhabitants of Ierusalem who did most perversly refuse to obey the Commands of God himself in the Messages he sent to them by the ministry of the Prophets Encline your ear therefore and hearken unto me now in this parâ—ing Instruction Listen to my command and obey the words I speak to you in the Name of the Lord. I charge you to walk in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and that with all steadiness and constancy as not in the least discouraged by what you see now to befal me and other his servants and followers in this evil day The servant is not greater than the Lord. He went this way and hath warned us that through much persecution and tribulation we must strive to enter into the Kingdom of God Walk then in the Spirit and Faith of Abraham in that immutable frame of spirit that feeds upon that which is incorruptible whereby you will be nourished up into eternal life and carried on through all difficulties and oppositions to the compleat full and certain saving of your souls Be bold confident stedfast and undaunted herein though bryaâ—s and thorns be with you and you dwell among Scorpions Be not afraid of their big words or stout looks though they be a 〈◊〉 house Ezek. 2. not 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of God before their eyes and therefore lifting up themselves 〈…〉 against the Lord of Heaven and practising to destroy the People of the Most High till the Antient of dayes come and set them upon their feet at which time Judgement shall be given to the Saints of the most High and they must possess the Kingdom Who are you then if you live and abide in the Faith of Abraham that you should be afraid of a man that shall die and be made as grâ—â—â— Isa. 51. 12. All the Nations of the World are less than nothing before Him in whom is your help Isa. 40. 17. Stay your selves then upon God in the greatest outward confusions or alterations of Government or Governours that possibly can befall though the Earth be removed and the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea Be of good courage take to you the whole Armour of God fight the Battels of the Lord the good fight of Faith and he will make you more than Conquerors Let these dying words of your Father never be forgotten Be strong in the Faith of Abraham He that now speakâ— to you hath for many years proved and tryed what this amounts unto he sees great cause to recommend it to you upon that Experience he hath had of the support and relief it carries with it in all occurrences as also how bold stedfast and comfortable it renders the possessors thereof against all possible affronts contradictions and oppositions of sinners When you can no longer enjoy the bodily or visible Presence of your Father with you live more in the Faith of your Father that he that is my heavenly Father may discover himself more and more to be yours also as you shew your selves more to be his Children which will highly concern you that through the more plentiful commâ—â—â—â— of his grace and spirit amongst you and in you you may be more strengthened with his might and glorious power in your inward man unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness and be able to stand it out in this evil day This is the last opportunity I am like to have of this kind The Lord set my words home upon your hearts Be glad and rejoyce thus to be minded of your duty and charged by meâ— And what greateâ— cause of rejoycing can your Father have than that his Children walk in the Truth See then that you alwayes keep your Consciences void of offence towards God and towards men Hate and decline every unrighteous way and whatever is contrary to the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. Put one another in mind of these things that your Father thus minds you all of in this his last Charge and Instruction which he leaves with you Provoke one another unto love and good worke Exhort one another so much the more as you see the day approaching Shew forth your Faith in the workings of it by which you may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Those that believe in God will be careful to maintain good works Tit. 3. 8. Consider what manner of persons it concerns you to be in all holy Conversation and godliness seeing that all these thingsâ— that now are and which ye see are very shortly to be dissolved sooner it may be than you can yet believe even the Heavens and Earth that now are the whole outward face of things in Church and State the world throughout 2 Pet. 3.7.11,12 Live then as those that wait for their masters coming for the new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Live in the pure Spirit of this tried Faith of
spouse of Christ the right new-spirited Saint is despised and slighted as a weak foolish contemptible thing no body at Ordinances and righteousness in her way which she experiences to be the way of Christ finding the fruits of his presence in it Thus was it between Paul with others and some of the Corinthian Church Both were married to and interested in Christ but by different Covenants We are fooles saies he for Christ's sake ye are wise in Christ. We are weak ye strong Ye honourable we despised 1 Cor. 4. 10. and 2 Cor. 10. 12. We dare not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with such as commend and compare themselves with one another of the same principles and perswasions and so applaud themselves in one another by their mutual self-deceivings The true spiritual Elder Paul the aged he is in body with this flourishing youthful warm legal-spirited generation The main business he has to say for himself is a Life hid with Christ in God and worshipping God in spirit and truth This they reckon as nothing but discourse fiction foolishness But be it known those that with Paul are weak foolish and despised for Christ are better than such as he there implicitly reproves and taxes with folly that yet he acknowledges were wise strong and honourable in Christ. Such foolish weak despised ones of Christ as Paul was are they that will quite confound the wise the mighty the honourable The things that are not shall bring to nought the things that are and no flesh with all its ornament righteousness and wisdom shall enter into Christ's kingdom or glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1. 27 29. And as the spiritual saint is thus handled by the fleshly so is the spirit or spiritual part in the same saint dealt with by the fleshly Holy flesh the renewed natural mind will be despising the feeblness of the spiritual while weak and low and jusling it out of the Throne as to its interesting it self as the ruling Principle at working righteousness and worshiping God Having thus in Hagar taken notice of the malapert proud insulting carriage of the first-covenant Wife or Spirit in different saints or in the same against the right spirit of the second through confidence in the works of the Law or works performed in the ruling activity of their own renewed mind let us proceed to other branches and observables in the said Allegory before us Abram as a type of Christ delivers up Hagar into Sarai's hand Sarai dealt hardly with her so she should Hagar fled 't was her sin What signified Sarai's hard dealing with her Persecution No the Spirit of Christ the fire-baptism the strait gate that will not suffer flesh and blood to enter into the kingdom of God this it signified Hagar's flight then imports the declining and refusal of all these The legal spirited professor confident in the works of the Law will endure none of these things They are all a sad story a hard saying to him His usual way of waving them if urged and hard put to 't is to call them Blasphemy and the Witnesses thereof Blasphemers and on he goes very secure in his doatage But say or think man what he will this is Christ's way he gives up the fleshly worshipper and the fleshly part in the true spiritual worshipper to the spiritual to be humbled and abased broken and subdued hardly dealt with crucified slain and offered up in sacrifice under the power of the Cross of Christ or fire-baptism of his spirit typified by Sarai There 's no entring into the kingdom but we must pass thorow this fire this tribulation this bruising of the inmost part of the natural man his very spirit and rational powers whatever ever becomes of his outward as to persecution from the world Hagar despised Sarai Ishmael mocked Isaac Gen. 21. 9. this was persecution Usually those that are taken out of the world or worldly first-creation constitution and frame of spirit within them by the fire-baptism do so differ even from the professing part of the world in their very religion or union with God by another Covenant and in their more excellent way of worshipping God in spirit and truth not letter and form that they seldom or never scape the external branch of the cross and baptism of blood through the rage enmity of man against this new-creature marvellous light and life that is springing up in those whom God is transforming into another nature But let men take it how they will the cross the fire-baptism we must come to within us first or last or we cannot be saved The fleshly worshipper either yields to this fiery doctrine ministry and way or resists or flies If He get the magistrates sword on his side as if Hagar could have got Abram to side with her against Sarai then he 'l make the messenger of such tydings fly Sarai must fly or suffer under Hagar Men decry it for heresie blasphemy and persecute him that talkes at such a rate Thus Christ himself was served by the zealous legally religious Iew. 'T was the religious professing party of the Iewes that crucified Christ and would take no answer hear no reason or argument from Pilate the Heathen Magistrate to the contrary But if the sowre Legalist neither will yeild nor can bruiâ—ishsly resist this hard doctrine by outward force or persecution then he takes Hagars course flies it And what then He every where decries this spiritual doctrine of the cross and fire-baptism for heretical dangerous and seductive wishing all to beware how they meddle with such books converse with such persons or listen to such dangerous suggestions While toleration lasted I have experimented this to be the too general frame of spirit amongst professors in this nation who have evidently chosen rather to venture a persecution of their own doctrine and persons than endure this and the assertors thereof Here 's the mystery of Hagars flight The Angel of the Lord advises her to return and submit her self to her Mistris In her all these timerous fugitive envious legal-spirited Christians that are leavened with the leaven of the Pharisees are admonished to entertain better thoughts of the New-Ierusalem Spouse resembled by Sarai and submit themselves to her doctrine and more excellent way to the cross the fire-baptism the spirit of Christ the covenant of grace Sarai This is the doctrine the reproof the correction the instruction on in everlasting righteousness which that History that Allegory is pregnant with Christ with both his Covenant Spouses and Children are allegorically expressed by Husband and Wife Father and Children Head and Members with the like Such expressions are interpretable into mystery by a due considering the duties and offices of such Relations in the letter And as Christ himself so Paul and others are in way of Allegory called Fathers of such as by them are begotten to Christ through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 15. and vers 17. he calls Timothy his
beloved Son so 1 Tim. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 2. and 2. 1. They are also called Pastors Mothers and Nurses to both the Seeds or Children of Christ in their kind 1 Thes. 2. 7 and 11. Gal. 4. 19. In another respect every true believer as he becomes the Child so is the Mother of Christ as with pangs and throw's towards the new birth to the loss and at last death of the single activity of his fleshly mind and heart Christ in spirit be formed and brought forth in him by him Then comes the Life of Faith the true reigning New-Ierusalem Principle in which reason has its resurrection the kingdom of heaven within him He ownes Christ in his heavenly headship as his Lord and King expressed Cant. 3. 11. by setting the Crown upon his head owning a willing subjection to the Law of the Spirit of Life in this day of espousal to him which is a day of gladness to Christ good men and angels Luk. 15. 10. The believer is the wise Virgin who becomes at same time the Mother and Spouse of Christ brings forth her own Lord and King in Spirit as the Virgin Mary brought him forth in Flesh. In the very day that Christ is thus brought forth in and by the believer they are espoused together by the new and everlasting Covenant The believer owns Christ as Head Husband and King Upon this Christ rejoyces Angels rejoyce the Believeâ— himself rejoyces with joy unspeakable and full of glory 'T is a solemn thanksgiving day a day of gladness of the heart unto them all Thus in a various sence is Christ Father and Son of the Spiritual believer and the believer the Mother and Child of Christ. Christ is Head Lord King Husband Brother Son Fellow-heir to believers They are Body Subjects Wife Children Members Fellow-heirs to him All these expressions are Allegorical borrowed from natural Relations to signify spiritual Mysteries of love union and converse between Christ and his Church One thing is said and a farther more excellent thing meant The Apostle having spoken of the duties of Husbands and Wives towards one another winds up all into this as his main intendment the spiritual marriage-union between Christ and his Church This saies he is a great mystery or mystically signifies a far greater thing concerning Christ and his Church Ephes. â— 22 23. The Revelation in a manner all along is a description of heavenly things by such earthly Mediums such Allegorical types and expressions as are borrowed out of Moses Pentateuch in the Tabernacle and Temple-worship And of Christ himself t is said that without a parable a similitude an allegory he spake not unto the people Mat. 13. 34. Mark 4. 34. Must not he then that truly expounds those parables allegorize them But how must he do it Parable in the Hebrew is a word that signifies sharpness as proceeding from a sharp wit and needing the like to interpret it That sharp wit must be no less than spiritual discerning and that strong and well exercised too or Scripture Riddles will be too hard for it One or two more of these let us take notice of Sampsons typical Riddle together with the Philistines exposition does yet want an exposition Out of Christ the strong Lion of the tribe of Iudah as the eater or sacrificer of the natural man in himself and us by the fire-baptism comes the choicest meat the sweetest hony-comb of all that that feeds and brings us into a conformity with him in his death and resurrection Christ ha's left his own interpretation of the parable of the Sower and Seed of the Tares and the like upon record in Scripture and yet who understands them how much do men yet need an exposition of those very expositions Paul tells us Hagar and Sarai are an Allegory two Covenants Gal. 4. 24. Then he mystically expounds Ishmael and Isaac into two 〈◊〉 of Christ the true antitypical Father of the faithful in both Covenants He declares moreover that he that 's born of this Father but after the flesh will persecute him that 's born of the same Father after the spirit Even so it is now vers 29. Notwithstanding this Allegorizing exposition given by Paul how little does the self-confident legal Christian hold himself concerned in the character of him that is born after the flesh How verily does he conceit himself to be the other that 's born after the Spirit Hereupon he justâ—es out the spiritual man indeed for a Fanatick wrangler a fool a mad man a blasphemer any thing that he lists to call him Hos. 9. 7. At last he comes to this downright willful resolution as Esau against Iacob and as the professing religious Iewes against Christ in the very same case Come this is the heir let 's kill him and the inheritance shall be ours They imagine this vain thing even to take the kingdom of Heaven by force from the right owner But if this eager-spirited generation would but give themselves leisure to consider thisâ— the like Scriptures they might see that they that are charactered here by him that 's born after the flesh are a holy seed of Christ that have Covenant interest in him and actual communion with him They are Children of Hagar or the first Covenant One would wonder how they should miss this But they shuffle it oft upon the Iews that were under the ceremonious dispensation of the Law and so rid their hands of it Is there no legal Christian then is there no danger of the leaven of the Pharisees under the outward dispensasation of the Gospel Yes say they but that lies onely at their door who depend upon their own personal operations for their acceptance and communion with God not on the imputed righteousness of the Redeemer I interrogate When Paul describes his Pharisaical state he tells us he was touching that righteousness which is in the Law blameless Could this be unless by the comeliness of God put upon him or perfect righteousness of that kind from Christ imputed to him Ezek. 16. 14. Was he a legal Iew was he any more than a moral Heathen else But if what is above said will not help to rectify this mistake I shall be somewhat hopeless of being instrumental to your relief in this point 'T is sad to see the self-pleasing interpretations of this and the like Scriptures all along the Bible so universal and unscrupled amongst all sorts of Professors an epidemical mistake How to lift them out of the mire of these their own self-bewildring imaginations who knowes but Christ Flesh and the carnal mind that 's enmity to God Rom. 8. 7. must never be of any larger compass or farther significancy with them than corrupt polluted debauched degenerate nature dead in trespasses and sins or at best but the moral heathen with some glimmering revivals and sparklings of rational Light and Life But as for their part they are in Christ they experience actual communion with God and once in Christ for ever
the God of Heaven and against the Saints of the most High Practise not thus against them nor think to change the times and the Laws Dan. 7. 25. Will you O Rulers be paid in your own coin You have taken away a famous man in our Israel this day upon some dark REASON of STATE against all the Laws of England and against the common light of Reason in all mankind Will you hear a REASON of STATE that might have moved you to the contraâ—y Though it be too late as to his Life because his blood that you have spilt cannot be gathered up again as the wise woman of Tekoah told David yet it may happily be somewhat preventive to your further proceedings that way against others Remember then what is recorded of Ann de Burg burnt in France 1559. The Death and Constancy of a man so conspicuous made many curious to know what Religion that was for which he had so couragiously endured punishment By that means great numbers of people were baptized into his perswasion Trust me saies one you have gotten nothing by these spectacles Mâ—n return from them more confirm'd in their detestation of you than terrified from any of their purposes towards you Their names will be recorded amongst those who have died out of debt to their countrey by having paid the utmost they owed it Their worth will be remembred Their children and kindred will alwayes be looked upon as descendants from the Liberatours of their Countrey and esteemed accordingly I wish heartily for your own sakes and ours too that this REASON of STATE had come into your mind and had prevailed against any other before you ventured to embrue you hands in the blood of so deserving a subject But proceed no farther to lift up your selves thus against the Lord of heaven for when ye have done all the meek ones of Christ must inherit the earth when the wicked are cut off they shall see it Psal. 37. 34. The Saints of the most High shall take and possesse the kingdom for ever and ever do what any can to hinder them Dan 7. 18. Quarrel not at these things but like noble Boereans search the Scriptures and see whether they be so or no. Do not put far from you the evil day It never was nearer Hinder not Saints assembling together 'T is their duty so to do and that so much the more as they see the day of Christ's heavenly appearance approaching Heb. 10.25 Praying persons praying People that have an interest in God are the main bulwark and security of any Nation Ten righteous praying persons had saved all Sodom and the neighbour cities Gen. 18. 32. The Sodomites vilify and assault Loâ— and he is the onely man that stands betwixt them and the storm of fire and brimstone that was coming upon them God bids him haste away for he cannot do any thing till he be got to some place of security Gen. 19. 9. 22. 'T was a Proverb in Israel Without standings the world could not stand that is without prayers the posture was put for the duty Would you rid your hands and the world of Saints praying Persons and Meetings Then the world will stand no longer and where then will your standing be what should the world stand for when God has no share or portion in it What mean you then O Rulers Are Protestants murder'd and hurried up and down for meeting to worship God and the service of the Devil in the abominable Idolatries of the Mass wink'd at or countenanc'd Nothing hardly of Protestantisme scapes your censure but what 's to be found in the publick Assemblies into which you have returned an insipid frothy Episcopal Ministry whose Divinity amounts not to so much as sound and well managed moral Philosophy Their words have no power to awaken Consciences or authority in Consciences that are already awakened I doubt they aim at no such thing but onely to lull awakened Consciences into a deep sleep againe and those that are so to keep so still 'T is an enlightened knowing People that are the only burdensome stone to them Do you think England can away with such work as this that have flourished of late years in Light and Liberty beyond any Nation round about her Do you imagine that the Mass or a barren Episcopal Ministry with an Organ and a Common-prayer Book will down with a Nation that has such light stirring in it as not only the Presbyterian but in a manner all the variety of Congregational Churches yea the very Fift-Monarchy-men so called will hardly bear Will you pull out all our eyes will you stop our mouths with gags and handkerchiefs because you have no Law or Reason to stop them with Do you think the righteous man has no remedy left him The Lord is in his Temple his Throne is in heaven His eyes behold his eyelids try the children of men The wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth Upon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest Psal. 11. 4 6. God is angry with the wicked every day If he turn not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready He ordeineth his arrows against the persecutors He hath prepared for them the instruments of death Their mischief shall return upon their own heads and their violent dealing shall come down upon their own paâ—es Psal. 7. 9 16. Is not here enough for you If you persist in your way every syllable of this will be accomplished upon you There 's no flying from God's presence or escaping his hand No visible confidencies bulwarks forts armies treasure or whatever else can secure you from men much less from angels and much less yet from God 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God He is the transcendently highest over-ruling Magistrate of all He is the great General of all the armies in heaven or earth Angels stars men and all inferiour creatures His host of angels relieved Elisha against the Syrians The stars in their courses fought against Sisera Judg. 5.20 Yea to shew the contemptible folly of self-exalting man God can so animate an army of frogs locusts lice or flies as to appall the proudest Tyrant and make him buckle and acknowledge that he has sinned against the Lord in abusing his people and desire them to pray for his deliverance as we see over and over in Pharaoh's case Exod. 8. 9. 10. How oft have rich and potent kings bin dragg'd out of all their visible supports taken by force out of their ablest troops and choisest armies and carried up and down to be laughed at by their enemies how many signal instances for this do we find in Iewish Assyrian Persian Greek Romane Turkish and other Histories the English not excepted Queen Iezebel with all her pomp and retinue can't secure her body from being dogs meat Have you killed and also taken possession Remember her Remember Ahaâ— Where dogs
course of well-doing without any amazement Sufferings for well-doing patiently born are acceptable with God A quiet rejoycing deportment in sufferings will be to your adversaries an evident token of their Perdition but to you of Salvation and that of God To him that thus overcometh in the Faith and Spirit of Christ the true Abraham he will give to sit with him on his Throne and to inherit all things Let the like Spirit of Faith be in you that was in Abraham and you will never rest till you come into his bosom You will be but pilgrims and strangers here Your eye your heart and expectations will be upon that better Country Such a frame of mind and heart God is so well pleased with that he will not fail to make more rich and full discoveries of himself to you daily for the building and gathering of you up nearer and closer unto himself till he be the whole desire of your soul the only desirable who is altogether lovely Text. I know Abraham sayes God that he will command his Children and houshold c. Obs. 3. Observe hence That it is the duty of every believing Father not only to teach his Children and Family for the keeping them in a good conversation while he is present with them but to leave instructions with them and charge them after him that they may know how to deport themselves both in their inward and outward man when he is gone Thus it was with Abraham He instructed or catechized them as the Original imports laid the foundation for a future growth and progress in the same Faith with him whereby they also might be enabled to communicate it and so lay the like foundation in others and build up one another in the same most holy Faith which charge is also implyed and supposed to have been insisted on and with all earnestness pressed upon them as being unspeakably most carefull and concerned in the propâ—gating of his believing Seed to the worlds end Thus Abraham also as others in like case will have his great personal advantage by the bountiful communicating and instilling the spiritual and heavenly Doctrine of the Gospel into the hearts of as many as he can spreading abroad amongst others the precious savour of that grace of God that he had so plentifully been enriched with and tasted of in his own experiences all-along This heavenly Life and marvellous Light of the Faith of the Son of God is of that nature that the more it is diffused by way of communication unto others the more it encreases in the Dispenser thereof redounding to his advantage as well as theirs that receive it The fruit of his doings Ier. 17. 10. spring up from such foundations of Holiness as by his instruction were ministerially laid The works that naturally flow from that Doctrine follow them after they are gone hence Rev. 14.13 The Church in the Canticles chap. 7. 1. is described by him that best knew her temper to be of this noble princely communicative disposition Freely ye have received freely give sayes Christ and by giving they receive more abundance The fruit of such labours will be reckoned on their account This is a great encouragement for men to abound in the work of the Lord forasmuch as they know that their labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. Let it be your constant care then to multiply such fruits as may abound to both our accounts in pursuance and imitation of that Faith which by word and deed ye have heard and seen in me all the time that God hath pleased to continue me with you It will be both yours and my great gain if you be careful to glorifie your heavenly Father answerably to the many seasonable instructions directed to you in the Word of the Lord by my Ministry This was Abraham's faith way life and practice who being dead yet speaketh to the whole Family of Faith throughout the whole world unto this day While he was present with his Family he taught them in word and deed by what he said in his Ministry and by what he did in all other holy coversation and godliness First by the things he did as a pattern of Faith Holiness and Sobriety in his conversation and then by what he said in giving daily instructions to them to follow his steps walk honestly as in the day in the Spirit worthy of God by the same Rule they observed him to walk For they ought so to walk even as he walked abiding in his words 1 Joh. 2.6 Thus Abraham's Family had his pattern and instruction in the Faith of God's Elect for their direction while he was conversant amongst them Secondly He gave forth command and instructed them in the Name of the Lord that when he their believing Father should be gone from them into a more exalted state of life to them invisible and undiscernable â—â— to any further personal converse with him in his former way they should be as carefull still as ever to walk in the steps of his Faith bringing forth the fruits thereof unto holiness if not more than ever before while he was with them Christ himself the most true and absolute Father of the Faithful took this course a little before his death gave that large and most admirably significant Instruction to his Disciples recorded in the 13 15 16 and 17. Chapters of Iohn to strengthen and establish their hearts in the present Truth they had been taught and were possessed of whatever hatred persecution or cross blows they should meet with from the world as also to beget in them anâ— assured expectation of his Return to them in a more excellent way of converse than ever they yet experienced On this account he told them that how sad and troubled soever they may be through mistake of his departure and of the sharp and bitter way of it it was expedient even for them as well as for himself that he should go away forasmuch as he would then return to them in a more excellent estate a better Comforter a better Counsellor that would tell them more excellent things things they could not yet bear to the fulfilling of their joy Use. Let me then direct unto you a word of Exhortation by the example of Abraham and Christ himself in my present circumstances in the near approach of my dissolution and parting with you Be not disheartned in the way of the Lord be not discouraged in the way I have gone before you in and am yet going drawing near now to the finishing of my course with joy The God of Heaven hath set his seal to it in my heart that it is the very way of Truth the choicest and best way you can go the way that not only will have the most comfortable close by ending in everlasting joy but that hath also the most solid foundation of inward rejâ—ycing all-along attending it even in this world Though there be sorrow and death to the flesh
Abraham largely experienced by your Father and by him now recommended unto you Keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement that he may fulfil unto you all the rich and precious promises of the Gospel belonging to Abraham and his believing seed the seed of Promise that are found walking in his wayes Observ. 4. Fourthly and lastly observe That it is a duty incumbent on believing parents to mind their children and houshold of walking in the faith and keeping in the way of the Lord doing that which is just and right So also is it the duty of children to obey such charge and be found so living and walking in the spirit and way of the Lord as they expect the blessings of Gods Covenant with Abraham to be made good unto them But here this Query may be offered How did Abraham walk and 〈◊〉 The answer is In a Family-way 't was Family-worship There were in his time no formed Churches or Societies of a larger kind made up of divers families embodying themselves and walking in communion together That which he was capable to do he did He catechized and instructed his Relations spreading abroad amongst them the savour of the tithes of that Grace which through mercy he was partaker of This was the state of the true Church then as to its outward form If larger visible Societies and collective Bodies or Churches of Saints be now interrupted this Family-way of Religion and Worship may be kept up and so things return to their primitive way again as in the dayes of Abraham To this Ioshua professes he will have recourse when the purity of publick Worship fails Iosh. 24. 15. If saith he it seem evil to you to serve the Lord if you be for other goâ—â— or other wayes of worship than God requires I will quit your publick societies as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Use 1. My word of exhortation then to you is When publick worship is to be had in purity without defiling of your Consciences use and frequent that But if that bedenied or is not to be found frequent private and family worship yea however it be as to the publick let these be kept on foot with all diligence Be found still in the way of the Lord own that where ere you see it and joyn in it as the Lord shall please to open the way for you and give opportunity Whatever you do be not conformed to this world in the spirit way principles affections no nor religion thereof Quit those worshippers that are confident in a spirit and way that is liable to apostacy calling that heresie which is the only true way of worshipping the God of our Fathers Amidst the great variety of Churches and ways of Worship that this world abounds with be not by any means induced or forced to observe and become subject to the ordinances of man in things pertaining unto God Give unto God the things that are Gods Give also unto Caesar the things that are his If he unlawfully require more you may lawfully refuse to obey him let him take his course wherein any 〈◊〉 proudly God will be above them If one Church say Christâ— another Lo there and the trumpet that 's blown in both give but an uncertain sound look up to Christ himself with the Spouse in the Canticles and say O thou whom our souls do love tell us where thou feedest and makest thy flock to rest at noon under the scorching heat of mans persecuting wrath He will discover to you the false Babylonish spirit that lurks in such Churches and Teachers as to the deceiving of themselves and others are but transformed into the likeness of the Apostles and Churches of Christ 2 Cor. 11. And he will by his Spirit if rightly sought to and waited on infallibly direct you to the true shepherds tents those spiritual pastors and assemblies that walk in the footsteps of his ancient flock even in the faith spirit and way of Abraham Isaac Iacob and their families who are now in the kingdom of God and in the way doctrine and spirit of the Evangelists and Apostlcs And as I would have you to quit all false Churches and reject the Babylonish spirit whatever curious dress insinuating appearance or refined form she shines forth in so much more yet would I have you to loath and depart from all manner of prophaness and common debauchery whatever countenance or encouragement it may have round about you in the Land of your nativity Do but keep in the Way live and walk in the Faith and Spirit of Abraham and all is done This your Father hath found joy and comfort in upon very large and plentiful experiences but most remarkably in his Prison-state As troubles and straits from without have encreased upon me I have been more enlarged within The more I have been shut up on earth and from earthly Relations and enjoyments the more have the Heavens opened upon me and let down to me the larger sights and tasts of the glory and enjoyments of the world to come Vse 2. Lastly I charge you as the utmost desire of my soul to God on your behalf be obedient to the Lord walk humbly with him and keep close to him Let your heart be right with him Be stedfast in his Covenant not turning aside like a deceitful Boâ— Be not off and on with him yea and nay but in Christ yea only and then all the Promises of God in Christ to you will be Yea and Amen to the glory of God the Father Then if any of you lack Wisdom or particular direction in any difficult circumstances ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given you But then ask in Faith the stedfast Faith of Abraham nothing wavering for he that wavereth must not think or expect to receive any thing of the Lord Iames 1. 5. 7. Christ hath assured you that whatsoever you shall ask in his Name he will do it and the Father will do it Ioh. 14. 13 14. and chap. 15. 16. that is whatsoever ye shall ask in the power and exercise of a living saving Faith or of the heavenly Anointing and new Name of Christ in and upon you it shall be done unto you For whatsoever ye thus ask will be asked by you in the will of God that ye are begotten of Jam. 1. 18. or according to the will of your heavenly Father And this we know that whatsoever we ask according to his will he heareth us 1 John 5. 14 15. Yea though ye be but young and weak in this Faith and in the expression of it if as new-born babes ye do but truly desire the sincere milk of the Word and brokenly stammer and lisp forth such desires to God ye will find acceptance with and answer from him not only according to but abundantly above all that you are able to ask or think No Mother can have so tender a regard to the cry of
so also the Baptism of the holy Ghost There is a figurative outward Water Baptism and a real or inward In the first sense it is an Institution which doth appoint the outward man to be washed in Water thereby to signifie the proper effect and operation of that washing with Water by the Word which causes a renovation or restauration of man by his repentance from dead workes and return to the service of the living God in amendment of Life By this inward Baptism and real work of the Spirit on the hearts of men they are but cleansed from the filthiness and pollution of their corrupted Nature not regenerated and altered from their first make and constitution that is attended with instability and liableness to apostacy ` There is also a twofold outward Water Baptism mentioned 1. Iohn's Water Baptism which was the onely outward sign that accompanied his Ministry the Ordinance of that time and season to prepare the way for Christ's coming in the flesh and to signify the proper effect which his first appearance as God manifested in flesh was to have upon the hearts and natures of men consisting chiefly in these two particulars Repentance from dead Works and Amendment of Life 2. The second outward Water Baptism was that which Christ himself instituted and committed to his disciples in his Life time as the outward sign that was to accompany their first ministry when he employed them much in the same nature as Iohn was sending them before his face as labourers into the harvest to all places whither he himself afterwards intended to come Both these Administrations had their Known Administrators and were dispensations proper to that season they were ordained in to prepare the minds of People to receive Christ in his first appearance or coming in the flesh and the fruits flowing there-from in amendment of Life The inward or real Water Baptism consisting in the washing of man's nature by the Word unto Repentance and Amendment of Life is capable of being administred three wayes or by a threefold hand 1. By the Ministry Hand or Tongue of Men as by Iohn Baptist through the preaching of the written Word 2. By the Word as spoken by Angels whereby inward abilities and dispositions are wrought in the minds of men in some sort answerable to what is required by the Law of the first Covenant Thus the Law is given by the disposition of Angels 3. By the Word as spoken by the Son himself in his first appearance Heb. 1. 2. which is yet but the preparatory work to the Baptism of the holy Ghost and of Fire The Baptism of the holy Ghost is either a Baptism of Gifts onely or also of Fire 1. The first is that wherewith the earthly man is capable to be Baptized through the pouring out of the Gifts of the holy Ghost 2 The second is that whereby the natural or earthly man is Baptized into conformity with Christ in his death and is made to grow up into the incorruptible form of heavenly manhood Of these four Baptisms The two Water Baptisms have served their season and are gone off the Stage The single Baptism of Gifts or first Baptism of the holy Ghost hath been of late somewhat remarkable amongst us and the Baptism of the holy Ghost and of Fire is hastening upon us as a general dispensation wherein the Vision of God will be so plain that he that runs may read it The declining of the two Water Baptisms deprives not the Saints of these times of the true use of that Ordinance which is kept up in the third and comprehends all that is now useful in the other two in a more heavenly and Spiritual way leading us yet forward to the end they all aim at which is the very thing it self contained in the fourth and last Baptism that of Fire So much in brief of his Judgement as to Baptisms He was for Breaking of Bread in a way of Christian communion and any other useful Observations could he have found them practicable in the Primitive Apostolical purity spirit and way which what hopes he had of in any visible Form allowed by man while the true Church is in the Wilderness cannot be difficult to conjecture Such Meetings as he found to approach nearest to the Apostolical Order as to liberty of Prophesying one by one c. 1 Cor. 14. 31. he most approved and frequented Concerning the SABBATH HE accounted the Iewish Sabbath Ceremonious and Temporary ending upon the coming of the Son of man who was Lord of the Sabbath day Mat. 12. 8. And if he had thought that which is commonly observed in the room thereof to be rather a Magistratical Institution among Christians in imitation of the Iewish then that which hath any clear appointment in the Gospel the Apostle would not have him judged for it One man saies he esteems one day above another another esteemeth every day alike Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind He that regardeth a day regardeth it unto the Lord and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it Rom. 14. 5 6. This I can say he usually took the opportunity of spending more time in exercise and prayer in his family or other Christian Meetings on that day than on any other And will any yet say he was a Sabbath breaker If they do see what company we may find for him under that imputation Iohn 9. 16. The Pharisees said this man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day So Ioh. 5. 16. The Iewes did peâ—secute Iesus and sought to slay him for curing the impotent man at the Poole of Beâ—hesdaâ— and bidding him take up his bed and walk on the Sabbath day Yea with this they joyn another sad charge as they reckon that he had not onely broken the Sabbath but said also that God was his Father therefore they sought the more to kill him vers 18. And John 19. 7. They answer Pilate we have a Law and by our Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God What strange work do the Sons of Men make with the Sons of God with the spirit wisdom righteousness glory and kingdom of God It was the religious professing Iew that Crucified Christ and persecuted Paul where ever he came Pilate the Roman Magistrate would have acquitted Christ and Paul rather appeals to Caesar's Judgement seat than appear before the Iewish Consistory Act. 25. The true spiritual Sabbath is to be continually kept as it is charactered by Esay Chap. 58. 13. consisting in aâ—câ—ssation from the single activity thoughts words and ways of our spirit which is but letter and in the performance of all duty by power of the communicated spirit of the new creation springing up in us which alone is worshipping God in spirit and in truth after his own heart He was for taking all opportunities of assembling our selves together to instruct and exhort one another and so much
the more as we see the day approaching Heb. 10. 25. Looking for and hasting unto the comming of that day of God wherein the Heavens will be dissolved and the Elements will melt with fervent heat 2 Pet. 3. 12. He was such a right spirited Latitudinarian as Paul was 1 Cor. 9. 20. became all things to all men that by all means he might save some He was against the exercise of a coercive Magistratical power in Religion and Worship and for the single Rule Power and Authority that Christ himself claimes as his peculiar prerogative in and over the hearts and consciences of all men How grosly inconcinnous must it needs appear even to the common reason of all mankind that such as take upon them to be Magistrates and Rulers whether the People will or no as it often falls out yea or though freely chosen should give the Rule to all others Consciences in point of Religion when they many times have no Religion at all in themselves nor any other Conscience but a dead or feared one hardened in the most brutish vilenesses that the basest of men can be guilty of But if the Magistrate do plausibly pretend to something of Religion what a changâ—ble thing will Religion be at this rate as â—ickle as the Magistrates Judgement at least as his person for the next Ruler may be of another perswasion as this Nation hath experienced off and on between Popery and the Protestant profession in Hen. 8. Ed. 6. and the two Queens Mary and Elizabeth Concerning PREACHING and PRAYER FIrst I ask are all Preaching and Praying amongst those that call themselves Christians Ordinances and Institutions of Christ Then the Popist Mass and Jesuites and Friers Sermons are his Ordinances The Ordinances of Christ are to be distinguished from all counterfeit imitations of them by the spirit and way of performance and by the matter that 's delivered as carrying its own evidence in the Consciences of the hearers to be the very truth of God 1 Cor. 14. 25. 2 Cor. 4. 2. and 5. 11. Satan will be found at last to have had the greatest hand in all such Ordinances Praying Preaching and what ever else that for spirit manner and matter are performed in a way of enmity and contradiction to the true spiritual believer and his more excellent way The usual practise of this Sufferer was to spend an hour or two every evening with his Family or any other that were Providentially there and as much both morning and evening on the first day He was of that truly bounteous princely communicative spirit noted in the Spouse Cant. 7. 1. Rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate 1 Tim. 6. 18. â—to make manifest the savour of the knowledge of Christ that himself had deep and large experience of in every place 2 Cor. 2. 14. His gravity purity and chastness of spirit was very exemplary He held out in the midest of all the late Apostacies and Changes He was stedfast and unmovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord and his labour was not in vainâ— as he well knew 1 Cor. â—5 51. So assiduous was he in continual searching of the Scriptures waiting upon the Lord in Faith and Prayer for more full discoveries of his mind therein that it was faid of him Put him where you will if he may have but a Bible he is well enough as Iansen of whom the Iansenists in France reckoned himself with Austin But what can be said for his Allegorizing the Scriptures Here 's another Branch of this Sufferers Charge from men wherein he shares with the learned Origen The Charge against Allegorists usually runs at this rate That by Allegorizing the Scriptures they carry them quite out of their native significancy and intendment wresting and forcing all to their own purpose and conceit and so frame Divinity Romances what Conclusions and Bodies of discourse they please To this miscarriage men of the most â—oaring curious and searching capacities are reputed most liable Jesuite masked Papist no title is thought bad enough for such men by their ignorant adversaries in their blind zeal We have but fragments of Origen that famous Allegorizer and diligent Searcher of the Scriptures and those translated out of Greek into Latin and handed to us by his enemies so that it may seem dubious when we read the small remains of his thousands of Books whether we read the genuine Issues of his Contemplation or the spurious Interpolations of some other man 'T is agreed on all hands by friends and foes that he was a person of more than ordinary tallness in Understanding and that he did fairly offer at a more pertinent disquisition into the whole bulk of intelligibles Divine or Philosophical than was usual And how was he handled what said they of him That he was a temeratious daring Fanatick quitting the plain truths of Scripture and bewildring himself and followers in diabolical Phantasms being perverted through his great learning on which account he was oft persecuted and dragg'd along the streets Concerning Allegories and Allegorizing the Scriptures VVHen one thing is said as Type Letter or significant Figure through which another farther and more excellent thing is meant and to be understood that is an Allegory which he that expounds must Allegorize Whether then there be not as much need of Allegorizing the Scriptures as of understanding them or whether there be any other possible way of interpreting them so as to discover the whole counsel of God therein detect Satans whole mystery of iniquity and render men wise unto Salvation shall appear by and by There are two sorts of Allegories in Scripture perfect and mixt Perfect are purely allusory when all the expressions are naturally suited to the person or thing first spoken of but much more accurately to some more excellent person or thing that is to be understood thereby An Allegory mixt or but partly allusory is when some one of the expressions onely are applicable to the type some inferiour person or thing and some onely to the antitype quite over-reaching and leaving behinde them the natural of historical shadow and pitching singly and expresly on the spiritual and mystical substance the more excellent person or thing that is to be understood Of this sort we find many Allegories in Scripture where Christ is typified and represented by other persons who when they are spoken of in that capacity and intendment some of the expressions outpace the shadow and are not at all applicable save meerly and singly to the very person of the Messiah Thus amongst others Melchizedeck who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings Chederlaomer and the rest is said to be without Father Mother or descent having neither beginning of dayes nor end of Life but made like unto the Son of God a Priest for ever or of the everlasting Order Heb. 7. 1 3. This points us back to Psal. 110. 4. and that yet more backward to Gen. 14. 17. If