Salvation of Life and Love in that Letter though few finde it or the way to it as Christ tells them Again said the good Man this is another part of the Gospel As many as received him John 1.12 to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to those that believed in his name For so 't is written in the Gospel of Saint John saith he as if all were Gosple which is written in the Evangelists whereas Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision Rom. 15.8 or legal Teacher Secondly the Gosple that he taught was but in part that which was proper onely to the Jewish Church Mat. 15.24 not that to be preached to the world Thirdly what Gospel or glad tydings is it to tell the world that none should be saved but the Elect and Believers whereas Christ came to save onely the lost giving a word of life to all men Act. 13.48 47 that they might believe or shutting up all in unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all Rom. 11.32 But the Man thought there was no Gospel but what is written in the Gospel of Matthew Mark Luke and John These men you must know are Ministers of the Gospel these are the Itinerants in Wales who know no further of the Gospel then that or what is written in the Epistles whereas these were not that Gospel which the Apostles preached to the world but proper to the Churches onely to whom those Letters were written Again Christ as I said before being a Minister of the Circumcised or legal Teacher taught the Gospel as 't was also under the Law darkly in types and figures in parables and precepts Mat. 13.35 John 16.25 Again 't was his design then to do so to the Jewish Church to confound them the more Mat. 13.13 14 15. to blind them and harden them that they might not hear any thing but for their owne destruction as I am perswaded the mystery of Christ and of the Gospel is for this cause a sealed book this day to all the Preachers and Pastors of Churches that they might be blinded and stumble and fall together Thirdly as the rejecting of the Jewish Church was a way for the receiving and call of the Nations so the fall of the Churches this day is for the rising of the world Isa 2.3 â— Rev. 14.6 8. to the knowledge of the everlasting Gospel which God alone and not man shall teach that is the Ministry of the Spirit which shortly shall come forth with power and glory in the weakest Saints to raise up the former desolations made by the abomination or Apostacy and to restore the waste Cities or Apostate Churches yea the desolations of many generations Isa 61.3 Rev. 22.17 4. But to turn to our Welsh Teacher before mentioned the man it seems afterward bethought himself and was ashamed of what he said and therefore followed me to my Inn desiring to be friends with me which I ever was and am stil to him and to all men also But see how unconstant and unquiet the poor creature was for because he had then with his Clamors confounded the Auditory and to his power made that which I had spoken in publick to be of no effect or forgoten I promised to speak once more to my honest Country-men there in that place a fortnight after when he coming there again stept up before me to preach in Welsh whom yet I quietly heard all the time till he had ended his Sermon not contradicting him at all though I could in many things and in most Afterward I began to speak to the English for many of the Welsh understood declaring something concerning the glorious appearance of the great God in the last dayes that he would so appear in man that men should be made like him that God would be both a Heaven and a Hell to men that most men should be in a Hell upon earth as that some should have a Heaven here I mean the inhabitants of the new Jerusalem the onely thing I was alwaies upon to my dear Country I also spake of Gods coming forth as Fire in the last times c. but had no sooner finished my discourse but the Gentleman starts up again and begins to contradict and withstand my words the second time to the trouble and tumult of the company who being strange to such open affronts and publique contests in the Church began to forget what they heard before and to rise up on their seats as if they were to see a shew Upon this without answering a word I went out of the place in silence leaving the man to speak what he pleas'd to the people but as I was going out of the Church he turning about and crying after me I answered no more but this word unto him Mr. Davys you will be shortly in the Fire for the fire was that I then had spoken of and so I departed in peace But as I said before let all men judge from that aforesaid whether such men are fit to be Ministers of the Gospel who think the Gospel to be that which is written in the four Evangelists or in the Apostles Epistles whereas the one is but an Historical relation or report of Christ in his life and death c. The Epistles are only particular Letters of some special concernment to the Churches not that which the Apostles preached to the world and as Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision in the days of his flesh while he was alive on earth so Christ never preached the Gospel indeed Eph. 2.17 till after he was dead then he came forth in the Spirit preaching peace c. in the Apostles And the Gospel which the Apostles preached to the world 't was not that which they wrote to the Churches nor yet what they read in the Scriptures of the Prophets for to what purpose was this to the Heathens to tell them of Moses and the Psalmes But the Gospel was a Mystery which in the light of God they could manifest to men and make all men see themselves in God that 's in Christ Yet most of the Independent and Baptized preachers of the Gospel know no farther of the Mystery then what is written in the letter of Scripture especially in the Evangelists or Epistles whence they can onely take their Gospel-texts Indeed Christ being a Minister of the Circumcision and preaching the Gospel in part as I said in a legal manner took a text of Scripture out of the Prophets as the Apostles also preaching to the Jewes made use of the Scripture to them Luk. 4.16 Act. 13.27 Act. 15.21 compare But preaching the Gospel to the world they neither mentioned Scripture nor spake from a text Act. 14.17 Act. 17.27 21. for what was Moses and David and the Prophets to those who never heard of such men nor owned their writings though indeed indited by the Spirit of God 2 Pet. 1.21 which Spirit moved those who spake
and he are perfect in one with the Father and as the Beast is the Wisdome of man and the Power of man in the Church that 's the seven Heads and ten Hornes c. so Christ is the Wisdome of God and Power of God which was in the Church and is though not known and is to come for that 's his name God with us Rev. 1.4 8 9 10 13 verses Christ in us the hope of glory which is to come when the mystery of God shall be finished or fully known to men at the sounding of the seventh Trump which is the last Trump the Trump of God when the great Trump shall be blown c. which is the last discovery of God When this great Trump is blown those who were ready to perish in the land of Assyria and the out-cast in the land of Aegypt shall come and worship the Lord in the holy Mount at Jerusalem Isa 27.13 That 's the new Jerusalem which shall come down from God out of Heaven after Babylons fall and freedome of all the Saints from that double bondage now upon their spirits not onely of gathered Churches but of scattered Saints 't is spoken of the one as ready to perish and the other as outcasts in Assyria and Egypt too as I said that 's the twofold captivity we are all carryed away in till the great Trumpet be blown Then the dead bones shall rise out of Babylon Ezek. 37.12 and God will open the graves of his people who shall all come forth out of their forms and flesh when the glory of the Lord shall cover them V. 19. and they live in the Eternal Spirit together then the two sticks also the divided societies of Saints shall become one c. for that 's the third dispensation called the dispensation of the fulness of time when all things both in heaven and earth shall be gathered up into one Ephes 1.10 11. all the Saints of highest appearances and of lowest performances both those of Legal tempers and Gospel attainments shall be gathered up into one into that glory into God himself This Resurrection of the dead Phil. 3.11 12 13.14 2 Pet. 3.13 the Apostle had not attained to though pressing toward it and Peter was waiting for it in the new Heaven and new earth for the old heaven and old earth both Legal and Gospel-dispensation vanish away in God Rom. 21.1 yea there 's no more Sea saith Iohn no more of that dividing and destroying Principle in man for that 's the Sea which has made the Saints not onely to dash one against another but every one to be as an Isle by himself and so indeed it must be in Babylons fall not a man to be found Isai 13.12 but every man flies to his own Land v. 14. to live solitary and alone in his own light Mich. 4.5.10 compared that light which shines in every man and every man in his God but every one that is found shall be thrust through and every one that is joyned with them that 's not in the Hebrew but every one that is joyned in Babylon shall fall by the sword v. 15. There 's no building of Temples in Babylon nor joyning there in Church-fellowship for that will fall and we with it till we retire alone into our selves or the Spirit rather in us and this we must be Zach. 12.12 every man apart by himself every Famlily apart and their wives apart man and his wife though nearest and dearest flesh Jer. 31.9 So the Margent there must be separated when the Spirit of Grace and Supplication or favours begins to appear to take us up into glory Then the multitude of the Isles shall rejoyce when the Lord comes to Raign Psal 97.1 the Raign of God and of Christ or the Saints with him being the same with their Resurrection the first Resurrection Isai 60.1 Ezek. 37.25 26. Zach. 14.5 9. For as by the great Trumpet they are gathered one by one Isai 27.12 so this shewes that all the Saints shall be found as so many Isles every one alone by himself made so by the Sea but the Sea shall be no more when the new Heaven and the new Earth comes Rev. 21. then all the people of God shall become one Land one Continent wherein the Lord alone shall live Ezek. 37.21 this is the Land so much spoken of by the Prophets the Land of the living the land of Israel who are promised to be brought to their own Land being now in a strange Land in Babylon but he that scattered Israel will gather him Jer. 31.10 and the Saints who are now scattered in and by their gathered Churches yea all the scattered Saints with them shall be gathered up into God who indeed is he who scatters as well as gathers we do nothing we can do nothing but in him who is All in all In this mystery of the Resurrection all your Questions in the Letter will be answered your doubts satisfied your darkness cleared your Captivity ended for 't is the glorious liberty of the children of God the manifestation of the sons of God Isai 52.8 the appearing of the great God in us when we shall be like him see him as he is know him as we are known see him eye to eye Isai 61.9 10. as he sees us we shall see him see his Face and his Name on our foreheads that is we shall not onely see God Rev. 21.3 Rev. 22.4.18 19. Rom. 8. but men shall see God in us for all that see us shall acknowledge that we are the seed which the Lord hath blessed the blessed seed is Christ the Son of God so all the Saints shall be in the glory of the Father when the Sonne shall be subject 1 Cor. 15.44 and God All in all This is the Adoption and Redemption of the body the Resurrection of the body when the body Rom. 8.23 now natural or soully as the Greek reads it shall be raised spiritual 2 Cor. 15.45 the Eternal Spirit appearing to be all in all This will be in every one of us in particular for we must be gathered one by one and this will be in all the Saints in general who are the body the dead in Babylon the dead body of Christ there But thy dead men shall live together with my body they shall arise c. Isa 26.19 together with is not in the Hebrew which reads Thy dead men shall live my dead body they shall arise c. that is when the Lord God in us all shall slâ—y us all and all flesh to himself our gifts our graces and all shall be slain to God and by him His sword his spirit the fire shall do it we must all dye come downe to the dust lye there as the dry bones not so much as flesh or skin upon us much less strength spirit and life yet we shall live though now dead yea the dead
all the Saints with you to look for this Col. 3.1 that is next and nearest to you to rise not onely from sin as those under the second dispensation were risen but to rise from self as we shall in the third when God shall be all in all that we may all hear him in us speaking with power Arise shake thy self from the dust Isa 52.2 arise and sit down O Jerusalem loose thy self from the bands of thy neck O captive Daughter of Sion Farewell Your William Erbery For Mr. Ambrose Moston Beloved Sir I Wrote unto you once before I received yours last but mine miscarried and 't is no matter for the whole contents thereof concerned outward things as Church-Order Ordinances and Officers which I proved then not to be of the primitive institution with power from on high and appearance of the Spirits presence in gifts Luk. 24.49 Act. 1.4 5. Act. 21.4 33. which was the ordinary constitution of a Gospel-Church First in order that is the manifestation of the Spirit in manifold gifts called the Baptisme of the Spirit this being the pouring forth of all the gifts of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.7 12. 1 Cor. 14.1 12. for some the Church under the Law had as gifts of prophesying signes miracles raising the dead c. which the present professing Gospel-Churches are far below even that legal dispensation Secondly The Officers of Christ Act. 14.23 1 Tim. 4.14 2 Tim. 1.6 James 5.14 Act. 20.23 were as for number five Eph. 4.11 so the lowest Elder Pastor and Teacher was ordained with a gift of the Spirit given by the laying on of hands by which as they were enabled for their ministerial work so were they to abide and to sit down with their particular flocks for the Apostles onely were to go forth to the world Col. 1.23 25. as the Evangelists were appointed to ordain Eiders in every City Tit. 1.5 Act. 13.1 2 3. and the Prophets to minister unto the Lord in the Churches laying on their hand on such Apostles who were successively sent abroad out of those Churches to preach the Gospel with the holy Spirit sent downe from heaven 1 Pet. 1.12 Eph. 3.4 5. Col. 1.27 28 29. without which the Mystery of Christ could not be manifest to men This was the full ministery of Christ in those five which the world could not want nor the Church be without the want of which leaves both in Babylon or confusion as it has been all along the Apostacie and is now more visible this day to many scattered Saints Thirdly The Ordinances which are in the gathered Churches are far from the primitive institution in matter and form For first a Psalm a Doctrine a Tongue Interpretation Revelation were ordinary 1 Cor. 14.26 because for edifying and therefore Ordinances of the Church of Christ these are not now at all go the edifice is fallen into confusion that 's Babel Secondly the Ordinances which are as the Childish tradition of Childrens Baptisme the breaking of bread which should be the Communion of Christs body cannot be administred because the body is not onely dead Ezek 37.3 16. as the dry bones of Babylon but divided as the two sticks there and how then can there be a communion when there is no union of the body for as there was before in the Gospel-state but one Spirit one baptisme so but one body all believers and Gospel-Saints walked in one Church-way one way of worship doctrine and discipline c. and though there was particular divisions between brother and brother yet not between Church and Church for the body was but one as I said Now the Saints by calling have diverse baptismes and are divided bodies how can there be then breaking of bread or communion of the body 't is but the bread of Mourners Hosea 9.4 read it in the Spirit I will not speak of our Common-prayers and customary carnal singing of Psalmes for though Prayers were publiquely performed in the Jewish Church that Church being national Act. 2.42 yet in the Gospel-Churches being a company of Saints Prayers were proper onely in the Church as fellowship and breaking of bread was only there not with the world or multitude therefore Christ and his Apostles did never pray with their preaching Act. 3.1 12. Act. 4.24 compared These were the things I then enlarged to you in the Letter that was lost and truely I intended not now to speak a word of this when I first put pen to paper there is a providence and the hand of God in it which led mine thus far that you might lay it to heart Indeed Sir these are but outward things there are more inward spiritual and eternal truths I purposed to present to your serious thoughts that is the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven what the Lord has taught me therein I cannot now express only to tell you that I teach nothing now to man but the new Ierusalem in which when the Saints shall be gathered as they shall all be one for there 's but one street in that City so there being no Temple there but the Lord God and the Lamb the divided forms of Church-worship being fallen with Babylon shall appear no more but God will be seen to dwell in his people with that light and love that many Nations shall be joyned to the Lord in them 't is not said joyned to them now for God shall be all in all This I call the third Dispensation differing from Law and Gospel-order yet comprehending both above both for Ierusalem is above and that was above to the highest Apostle will come downe and appear to the least and lowest of Gods people Gal. 4.26 for 't is the mother of us all yea the child shall dye a hundred years old Isa 65.20 Eph. 4.13 for the least child of God shall come to a perfect man to the fulness of the stature of Christ that is shall see himself filled with all the fulness of God as the most perfect man on earth Eph. 4.13 This third dispensation or third discovery of God all the Prophets did write of Rom. 8.18 23. and all the Apostles waited for the glory to be revealed in us the glorious liberty of the sons of God saith Paul 1 John 3.2 the appearing of God even the glorious appearing of the great God in us when we shall be like him and see him as he is saith Iohn the new heaven and the new earth saith Peter 2 Pet. 3.13 all this we wait for say they and Iohn saw it coming down even the new Ierusalem after Babylons fall The fall of Babylon will be by confusion when this comes to the Churches and in the Spirits of the Saints they shall then begin to see what before they were blind unto yea the blind alone shall see for they that see shall be made blind Iohn 3.39 Isa 29.18 But this is the comfort to me
Iames James 1.5 6. how then are they who pray most the greatest fools both Papists and Protestants then is not the wisest man as a wave of the Sea when the Sea is over the whole earth Isa 4.11 and the best are in the waters Truly we are all sick let us send then to the Elders of the Church and see if they have the prayer of faith to heal us or heal themselves from the stroke of their wound Isa 30.26 Jer. 30.17 Who among all the gathered Churches can hold forth a Gospel-faith to the scattered Saints who of all their Gospel-Ministers can go forth freely to the world Col. 24.15 1 Pet. 1.12 where is the Power from on high or holy Spirit sent downe from heaven for that work Yea where 's the Spirit of Faith in any of their Believers Gospel-believers were all of one heart and one soul because but one body Act. 2.44 Act. 4.32 c. ours are all divided believers then had all things common c. our Churches and Christians are all for self-interests and to seek their own This is not love as I shall shew anon nor faith indeed which works by love All have not faith saith the Apostle in those Gospel-times no man has a Gospel-faith in these times of the Apostacy and being of the Saints in Babylons captivity Yet this is the confusion that hath ever followed the Churches to this day to take up the Apostles words and writings and to apply that to our selves which was possible to those times and proper only to primitive Saints and Churches where that power was which is now wanting to all the world Thus the Baptists now take up the Apostles call and commission which was never given them by Christ much less by the Spirit afterward Again like the Angel of darkness or Devil cutting off part of Gods word they still tell their Proselytes Mat. 3.6 Mat. 28.19 Go teach and Baptize c. whereas 't is written Go Teach all Nations and Baptize c. Thirdly 't was not directed to the Disciples but to the Apostles upon this ground and the Eleven are mentioned by Matthew and Mark Mat. 28.16 Mark 16.14 for every Disciple had not that power from on high to Teach all Nations Fourthly Who can shew unto us that he is sent of God to Baptize seeing none baptized but either the Apostles or such who had a manifestation of the Spirit to confirm their call Act. 8.6 Act. 9.17 as Philip and Ananias Lastly 'T were well if they would not onely chuse their members by a confession of faith but catechise them and themselves first in the doctrine of Faith For the mystery of Faith was more then men imagine and it may be more then Paul wrote to the Romans and Churches of Galatia Rom 4.2 for both it seems had gone so far back to the Law to begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh that the Apostle goes no farther then a Legal Faith Gal. 3.3 for Faith as justifying was no more and Faith on the promise was no higher then their Faith under the Law as is proved in the dispute hereafter Gospel-Faith was wholly exercised in our union with God in Christ and Christ in us which Paul rather points at in himself then teacheth the Church unless what he hints to some spiritual Saints therein Gal. 2.20 who had the anointing in them teaching them all things that they needed not any man should teach them 1 John 2.27 Therefore as Christ never heard any man preach so neither did the Apostles hear one anothers preachings or sit at a Sermon as our Gospel-preachers do This I onely speak by the way at present and another thing that the Apostles never preach'd a common place of the nature of Faith or repentance to bring people to repeat and believe but so preached Christ to all that they might believe and repent Gospel-Faith properly was this in knowing our followship with the Father and the Son in the Spirit to know our union with God in Christ and Christ so in us that we are in one with the Father as He in the same love and life in God with him John 14.19 Iohn 17.1 20 21 22 23. now the mystery of God even the Father and of Christ was not manifest to any under the Law nor to Abraham himself who though he saw the day of Christ yet 't was a far off Joh. 8.56 Heb. 11.13 for so the Fathers saluted the promises whose Faith was on the promise or power of God in performing the same and so it s justified Rom. 4.14 to 21. but the justifying faith of Christians was on Christ dying and raised up verse 24.25 though Abraham in a typical mystery believed on Christ dead and raised in his son sacrificed and slain in purpose verse 17. and raised in a figure Heb. 11.19 But as Christ was a mystery so his death and resurrection was a mystery also that none but the Apostles could manifest it by the Spirit which being not given to any one living the Faith which comes by hearing is no higher then theirs under the Law to justify and to save yea we know by experience the best Preachers when they would raise men to believe pitch them on the promise not on that power from on high or promise of the Father which they that believed on Christ did receive and by which the first Preachers of the Gospel brought men to believe But take faith in the lowest acceptance for justifying Faith was but of a legal temper which the Church of Rome beginning to fall from the Apostle is faine to set before them the faith of Abraham and David c to whom the mystery of Christ and of the Gospel being not yet manifested by the Spirit Rom. 3.13 Rom. 4.3 6. as to the Apostles and primitive Saints that Faith of theirs was but suitable to a legal estate I say take Faith in the lowest acceptance as justifying before God and men as working by love where is it when there is no love among you neither to other Churches or Saints differing from you nor to your own Churces who differ in doctrine as I said before much less love to all Saints The Sword doubled Col. 1.4 Tit. 9.3 2.4 to those scattered ones who cannot come to any of your Church-wayes as for love to all men 't is a thing you look not after though this be a higher degree of love then brotherly kindness or love to the brethren 1 Thes 3.12 2 Pet. 1.7 compared But alas the brotherhood is broken Zach. 11.6 9 14. vers there is not love to the brethren among you not onely love unfeigned but love out of a pure heart fervently is not to be found for the love of the best is but cold God knows not that fervent unfeigned that is without Hypocrisie 1 Pet. 1. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh how far are believers from that love the Apostle
shall live that is as none see God but the blind none hear him but the deaf deaf to man and to self so the dead alone can live Isa 29.18 and they live in death who finde themselves the dead body of the Lord my dead body they shall arise awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust c. in the lowest estate of flesh when the first man Adam is turned to dust when we are nothing we are all in God and God is all in all and in this we may sing together For the third man bears the Image of the heavenly which is the second dispensation typified in the third daies Resurrection of Christ as I shall tell you another time with God I 'll say no more 't is love 't is the Lord that makes the dumb to sing and the tongue of the Stammerer to speak plainly or elegantly as the margine reads it Isa 32.4 Your lines were so to me full of divine elegance of love and delight Eph. 3.17.18.19 truely 't is my love to you likewise and the Lord in me has made me in much haste to stammer this much unto you I am now silent yea dumb the Lord God who rejoyceth over you with singing will sing and speak himself with delight in you There I leave you and all the Saints with you your beloved wife whose I am as I am Yours William Erbery For Mr. Henry Walter Dear Brother I Am bold thus to salute you John 14.20 Gal. 4.26 Joh. 17.21 22. Rom. 8.18 Rev. 21.2 Col. 3.1 2. because we are both in the Father and in Jerusalem that is above which is free and the mother of us all though all the Saints see not nor the glory in which they are already but when the glory shall be revealed in them they shall then see the new Jerusalem coming downe from God out of heaven and him alone dwelling in them that is the state of all the Saints that ever were or shall be their being was and is in God and there they were from the beginning and before the worlds 2 Pet. 3.13 Rev. 10.7 Rev. 21.3 and this we wait for to appear in us all in these last times when the mystery of God shall be finished and fully known when that life and glory which we have with Christ in God though now hid from us shall be revealed in us and upon us also so that not onely we shall see God in us but men shall see and say that surely God is in you of a truth as my letter to Mr. Cradock will tell you at large this is the new Jerusalem and then we see that holy City coming down from God out of Heaven when that which was hid with God as 't were in Heaven shall be manifested to us and in us on earth and our life as I said which was hid with Christ in God shall so visibly or clearly appear in us and to men that it shall be seen a tree of life in the midst of us not onely yeilding fruit every month to our selves to strengthen us but holding forth leaves such an outward appearance of glory in us to men that it shall heal and satisfie them Rev. 22.2 this is that pure river of life clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and out of the Lamb that is in us when all that glory of God in Christ shall be so clearly manifest on us that this river of life which is in us shall run forth and stream abundantly among the sons of men who are as the sea spoken of Ezek. 47.8 all whose Fish shall be healed by the living waters coming to it verse 9 10. as the fruit of the tree of life before and here mentioned verse 12. is for meat and the leaves thereof for medicine for healing or bruises as the margin reads and Rev. 22.2 for the healing of the Nations T is not the Nations onely or National-Churches but the gathered Churches and scattered Saints also want this healing such breaches and bruises are upon Societies and Spirits that God alone can heal us all and will in that day wherein he shall reveal himself with glory in us Isa 30.26 When that day comes called the day of God when God shall come that is appear in us all then all the Saints shall come with him yea with thee as Zach. 14.5 How can this be that all the Saints shall come with thee surely thus when God shall come or appear in thee all the Saints shall come or appear with thee in God Therefore as Jerusalem of old was a City in unity Psa 132.3 Eph. 4.4 Act. 4.32 or compact in it self and as the Apostolique Churches or spiritual Jerusalem had the unity of the Spirit and bond of peace being one body and so having all one heart and one soul so in the new Jerusalem much more unity peace and love will appear in all the Saints one to another and toward all men Therefore though the City had twelve Gates yet but one street that 's strange Rev. 21.21 yea the Gates of the City were never shut day nor night but always open to receive all that 's stranger yet vers 25. yet so it is Isa 60.11 compared with verse 5. to 10. and as but one street in that City Rev. 22.2 so but one Tree on either side of the River verse 2. that 's as strange how on both sides the River should grow but one Tree True Ezekiel being under the legal dispensation saw many trees but John in the second dispensation seeing the third approaching saw but one Tree on each side the River one River in the street and but one street in the City so all the Saints though many in forms and flesh shall be seen in Spirit one in the Lord yea one Spirit with the Lord himself Oh how many streets are in the great City Babylon how many streets in our Cities below how many Societies how many Churches divided in Spirit and in Form also one from another and in themselves Surely the Saints are in Babylon when their Societies and gathered Churches are become not onely the scattered bones dead but as the two sticks Ezek. 37.2 verse 13. divided and dry too for 't is but sticks not living branches I call the Churches so not the Saints therein for the life of grace is in them though truly it be much hid from others and hid to themselves this day yea dead in many and in most buried with earth and earthly mindedness I 'll say no more My dear Brother let us wait together for the first Resurrection if by any meanes we may attain unto it Rev. 20.6 that the dead in Christ may rise first that the dead and divided Saints may rise out of Babylon Ezek. 37.12 23. that God may bring us out of our Graves of forms and flesh being defiled in both I do not by this deny the general Resurrection that shall be but desire you and
all particulars were written it would nauseate any Scholar or spiritual man Such a one I wisht my Antagonist had been for then he should have understood me or I him therefore I desired Mr. Nichols in a Letter the week before that we should reason together in private among Rational and Religious friends both his and mine But he was resolved to have it in publike either that the simple Welsh people might wonder at his wisdom or that his folly and mine might appear to all And truely I was a fool to accept of a dispute before an illiterate multitude and without a Moderator for many sometimes would be speaking at once But it was agreed upon at last that M. Nichols should be Respondent because I was by Argument to maintain the Truth that I taught which he had rumoured abroad to be Errour and Heresie The things were these First That the new Jerusalem is a state of the Saints in this life This he denied Secondly That the Saints this day have not a Gospel-faith This he affirmed Thirdly That God is in union with mankinde This he was negative too But I was to maintain all three in these following Arguments For the first I had many grounds to build upon and to prove that the new Jerusalem is a state of Saints in this life First because it must be immediately after Babylons fall which is in this lise where Babylon must fall and rise no more Rev. 18.21 Rev. 19. throughout Rev. 20.1 7. Rev. 21.2 3. Secondly New Jerusalem comes down from God out of heaven not goes up to heaven from earth Thirdly there God dwells with men not men with God for 't is a new earth as well as a new heaven Fourthly whole Nations are here to be saved and the Nations saved with their Kings bring their glory and honour to it which cannot be in heaven above as men conceive but 't is a third dispensation differing from Law and Gospel-Order For the first was a nation saved by the Lord. Deut. 33.29 Act. 2.47 Zach. 2.11 In the second believers of all Nations were saved or joyned to the Lord not to a Church but to the Lord not in any particular form of Religion Isa 60.21 but in the power of righteousness The first Argument was thus The Nations of them that are saved walk in the light of the new Jerusalem Rev. 21.24 and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honour to it Ergo the new Jerusalem is a state of the Saints in this life Secondly Jerusalem shall be inhabited Zach. 2.4 as a city without walls for the multitude of men and cattel therein Ergo 'T is in this life M. Nichols Answers to both truely I remember not nor his to most of my Arguments onely to this second his answer was in laughter like Solomon's wise man Eccles 7.6 crying aloud to the people Hawer here 's cattel in heaven whereas my proof was that New Jerusalem in Zechariah was not heaven because cattel are there Yet contrary to Order Mr. Nichols would needs object and what That the new Jerusalem is not this life why Because saith he none shall enter in that defileth or telleth a lye Rev. 21.27 I caught him presently in three before witnesses One was a great untruth for whereas I was saying upon occasion that Zechariah's prophecie was after the Captivity M. Nichols would face me down before the people that his Prophecie was before and Adeodate saith he is of the same judgement with me The next day that I spake Adeodate was brought and read in publike Adeodate in Zach. 1. whose words were quite contrary to that M. Nichols said of him yea the Scripture is clear that Zachary prophesied in the second and fourth yeers of Darius that 's after the Captivity Zech. 1.1 7.1 Ergo said I Mr. Nichols must not enter into the new Jerusalem 'T was his own Argument Isa 65.22 But my third was this In the new Jerusalem men shall build houses plant vineyards labour and live long Ergo New Jerusalem is a state in this life The second thing that I held forth as truth to me was this That none of the people of God this day have a Gospel-faith Which I proved first by an Argument ex enumerat is or ex particularibus c. Neither M. Nichols nor any of the godly Preachers with him nor the people of God this day have a Gospel-Church Ergo None have c. 'T was proved thus Those who live not of the Gospel Isa 2.4 have not a Gospel-faith For the just live by faith But neither M. Nichols nor any of the godly Preachers with him live of the Gospel Ergo. The minor or second Proposition I proved thus Those who live upon Tythes 1 Cor. 9.14 live not of the Gospel But M. Nichols and the rest of the godly Preachers in Wales live upon Tythes Ergo. This was unanswerable therefore to the people of God I proposed a second Argument thus Those that have not received the Spirit which Jesus gave after he was glorified have not a Gospel faith John 7.39 But the Saints this day have not received that Spirit c. Ergo. This I proved First because that Spirit was not before given or as the Greek there reads The Spirit was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly the Spirit which the Apostles had before and afterward breathed on them by Christ risen John 14.17 John 20.22 was not that Spirit which Jesus gave when he was glorified or ascended but the Saints this day have not that Spirit as the Apostles had before much less the Spirit which Jesus gave after he was glorified Ergo. Thirdly the Spirit which Jesus gave after he was glorified was the Baptism of the Spirit which the Apostles themselves had not received before Act. 1.5 till not many days after the Resurrection that is the pouring forth of all the gifts of the Spirit on the Church Act. 2.33 38. which present Churches and purest Christians are far from Ergo Nâ—ne have a Gospel-faith The third Argument was from Joh. 14.12 Those who do not the works which Christ did and greater also then those have not a Gospel-faith But none of the Saints this day by all their faith can do those works and greater also Ergo. The Argument is stronger in Christ who gives a double asseveration to it Verily verily that is not onely assevers but swears as Calvin interprets Joh. 14.12 Secondly those who believed on Christ did greater works then he did in the days of his flesh Act. 9.18 Act. 2.8 41. Act. 4.4 for some gave the Spirit by the laying on of hands 2. Others could speak to every one in his own tongue 3. They converted many thousands at once 4. Could preach the Gospel to every creature under heaven whereas Christ did onely to one Nation Col. 1.23 Mat. 15.24 Mark 6.4 Mark 16.17.18 for his commission was no farther 2. Converted but