is ascended into the heavens after the like unto which consideration David is not ascended but dead and buried And after what consideration is that otherwise than in that body in the humane nature which is now received up into glory even therein and so God hath actually fully and gloriously made that same Jesus whom they crucified both Lord and Christ See Act. 2. 22-36 and 5. 30 31. And the Heavens must receive him till the restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. In the heavens being opened Stephen saw the Son of man standing on the right hand of God signifying his readiness and power to help and stand by his suffering Saints even the same that descended into the lower parts of the earth is ascended up far above all heavens Within the reach of our sight or comprehension of our mind as here below without some supernatural demonstration and strenthning to behold when t is affirmed Stephen saw the heavens opened and the Son of man standing c. Eph. 4. 8-10 Heb. 4. 14. If any shall here think to amuse us with such Questions As are we sure what is meant or signified by the word Heaven when used in this case that is what is meant by that heaven or those heavens into which our Forerunner in our nature is entred and in which he is received untill the restitution of all things whether is meant thereby a place on high in which that one personal body resideth or some state of glory dignity or spirituality into which Christ might pass or ascend For Answer to this We say first let it be remembred That it is distinctly proved That it is Christ after the same consideration of him in which he was laid in the Sepulchre I mean in that body in our nature which they slew the same though not in the same quality but raised a spiritual and glorious body that is ascended and not as this foolish question would in the issue of it lead us to conceive Christ passing out of flesh into spirit or out of that body into an imagination as we may truly call it in the bodies and souls of others This being remembred which also will again appear in our Answer we answer thus That by heaven may sometime bee meant some state or condition of happiness or glory as well as a place we shall not oppose but the Question here being only what is meant or signified by Heaven or the Heavens when Jesus Christ his ascending into them and being there received is spoken of to that we answer Most frequently when so spoken of it signifies directly and only speaks expresly of the place into which hee is gone in that body and where he is received untill the restitution of all things and not of the state of dignity or glory which he there possesseth that is usually signified by another phrase joyned with his ascension into Heaven namely his sitting down on the right hand of God on the right hand of power and of the Throne of Majesty in the Heavens observe That word in the Heavens signifies the place in which he is so dignified The word when so used alwayes especially means it and frequently speaks only expresly of the place c. And what that is we thus far farther answer in which farther Answer we shall more fully demonstrate the truth of what is said 1 The Heavens or that place of glory or heavenly places on high where the most glorious being dwelling and presence of the Essence and Majesty of God is who though in râ—spect of his inspections influences and operations he be every where and in his gracious spiritual presence and manifested nighness in and through his Son dwelling in Son even in the hearts and societies of his people yet in respect of the most glorious presencâ— and dwelling of the Essence of his Majesty he dwelleth in the light into which no man no meer man as from Adam can approach whom no man hath seen at any time nor can see 1 Tim. 6. 16. Joh. 1. 18. The Lords Throne is in Heaven Psal 11. 4. In heaven as opposed to the earth where we are so heaven is exprâ—sly said to be the place of his habitation from whence he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth Psal 33. 13 14. God is in heaven and thou on the earth saith the Preacher Eccles 5. 2. therefore let thy words be few in prayers or speaking to God as considering his Greatness and Majesty so infinitly above thee and his perfect discerning of thy thought afar off which is therein signified for from heaven where is the Throne of his Majesty he perfectly beholdeth all the sons of men His eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men yea the greatness of his glory is signified in its being so far above us and unapproachable by us O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth Thou hast set thy glory above the heavens Whence also our Saviour directs us That in all prayers this be commemorated in our acknowledgement of the Father That he is in heaven likewise examples and instructions are frequent in Scripture to the use of that gesture of lifting up the eyes to heaven in our prayers prayses c. With the Father in the heavens even in that light into which no meer man can approach is that Son of man that is the only begotten Son of God appearing in his most glorious presence in the heavens themselves 1 Joh. 2. 1. Heb. 9. 24. set on the Throne of his Majesty in the heavens not on the earth Heb. 8. 1. 4. with Chap. 7. 26. 2 The heavens as opposed to the earth to that earth where the Disciples were and where while they remained he was parted from them in his being carryed up into heaven and where while they did or we do remain we are personally absent from that person and have not him personally with us as he is in heaven in the time of this our mortality See the Scriptures forecited with that 2 Cor. 5. and Matth. 26. 11. Mark 14. 7. Joh. 12. 8. The highest heavens as opposed to the lower parts of the earth where he was buried Eph. 4. 8-10 The heavens are opposed to the earth where the former high Priests served Heb. 8. 4. 3 The heavens from which at his second appearing he shall descend or come down We look for the Saviour from heaven Phil. 3. 10. Wait for his Son from heaven 1 Thess 1. 10. The Lord himself shall descend from heaven 1 Thess 4. 16. where by heaven cannot be meant his state of dignity and glory but his place only in which he is now received for us and possesseth that glory for in respect of his state of dignity and glory as he is personally glorified in and with it he shall never descend or come lower but keep his station even then when he shall be seen coming in the clouds of heaven yet still sitting on the Right hand of God
That the only true God upholds by his power in those things by all that knows him and his power and I dare trust him and do in obedience to the Lord upon this proffer challenge any Manifestarians so called or the highest notionary Priest or other Priest or Bapist Dipper or Sprinkler with outward water in Lincolnshire or in any part of England Do not call this a temptation nor a boasting for it is not fleshly but if you will try your spirit and God this way try him and whether Spirit and God doth thus uphold without the help of man c. let him be acknowledged to be the Lord That Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 17. and the only true God And that which fails let him be accounted the God of the world that blinds the minds of people which beleeve not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. and 3. and 4. verses And for that Spirit of darkness that puffs them up with vain glory priâ—â— and conceits And if the said Manifestarians c. so called refuse to do according to this which is here written from the Spirit of the Lord let them cease their vain contentions and fleshly boastings and fleshly disputings also of others mens words and let them cease their preaching in their wills whereby they seek their own glory And come down thou that in thy brain-knowledge art exalted and sit in the dust and submit to that of God in thy conscience I command and charge thee in the presence of the Lord as thou wilt answer it before him lest for thy Disobedience and Rebellion the Lord meet thee as a Bear bereaved of her Whelps and tear thee to peeces and none be able to deliver thee out of his hands This way which is before made known will not appear fleshly but clear contrary to the flesh and the fleshly man yet though it do the spiritual man that witnesseth with the Spirits Ministers or the Ministers of Christ and of God did approve themselves in wayes contrary to the world both in much patience and also in afflictions and in necessities and in distresses and in stripes and imprisonments in tumults in labors in watchings and in fastings c. They therein approved themselves as the Ministers of God 2 Cor. 6. 4 5. c. And this way will be contrary to the world for the world never did so neither can the worlds nature indure it now Then it will be miraculous and so a miracle of Grace and the gracious working of the Divine power of God to uphold and furnish therein To this expressed and expresly send me your Answer with speed either to Thomas Killams at Balbie or to Edward Muglinstons at Swanington in Leicesteshire or else cease your boasting lay down your crown of vain-glory and fall under the judgement of the just and bend your necks under the yoke Let that in the conscience me answer and flesh be thou silent hereafter Written from the Spirit of the Lord in and by the servant of the Lord and also witnessed with my hand who am known to the world by the name Richard Farnsworth The latter end of the third month 55 For the chiefest of those called Manifestarians in or about Boston and Lyan These are to be delivered with care The Answer to the Challenge by Tho. Moor. THough I know not any called Manifestarians nor what manner of persons they apply that name too nor take my self at all included in their Challenge by any of those names inserted yet the Paper being sent to me lest they be wise in their own conceit or take occasion from our silence to glory before the weak and for others good I shall give this brief Answer 1 In their expressions to try our Gods whether Spirit and God bee the true one c. They intimately acknowledge that they do not own or worship the same God that I did confess before them which indeed I beleeve though they then endeavoured to hide it from the people 2 I thank God I am not wavering in my thoughts whether That God That Lord That Spirit which I then confessed be the only true and living God for though there be That are called Gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be gods many and lords many yet to us that through his Grace have been helped in any measure truly to know him that is true to behold him and injoy union with him by faith in his Son There is but one God the Father of whom are all things and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him and one Spirit of God proceeding from Father and Son All others are Idols which we are to keep our selves from 1 Cor. 8. 5 6. 1 Joh. 5. 20 21. and not to listen to any spirit that shall move us to inquire after any other God save the Lord Deut. 12. 30. c. and 13. 1 3. Matth. 24. 23 26. Luke 17. 23 24. and Chap. 21. 8. with 1 Joh. 5. 20 21. That is is the true God and eternal life that did appear and was manifested in that one person of God and man which was a man approved of God among them that yet received him not Act. 2. 22. and so the Kingdome of heaven was said to bee among them while he was with them in person and personal Ministration and so also in them in the spiritual influences thereof striving and working in and with them for acceptance the word being made nigh them in the preaching of it Luke 17. 20 21. Rom. 10. 6 8. c. which person in whom only the fulness of the God-head dwels bodily was after to be taken from them personally And then even his Disciples should desire to see one of his dayes namely that of his second Appearing and should not see it until they and we that look for him shall injoy it together Luke 17. 22 23. ult Then shall he swallow up death in victory and wipe away all tears and take away the rebuke of his people In that day it shall he said Lo this is our God and we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation Isa 25. 7 8 9. For who is God save the Lord and who is a Rock save our God 2 Sam. 22. 32. Therefore I shall wholly refuse any Challenge on these termes To try our Gods c. 3 The things they require are contrary to what the Lord requireth of us by which also I know they were not thereto moved of the Lord as they pretend 1 They require me to follow or go with them where they shall bee led for two weeks together c. Whereas wee are only to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes which cannot stand with such an ingagement to follow any other spirit whither he may bee led c. yea we are expresly admonished To mark such as cause divisions contrary to the
the Gospel immediately from that person was that I said though indeed not on such occasion as thou mentionest in they letter but in Answer to thy witness That thou hadst seen Christ as Paul had And also by way of demonstration That Timothy and so all secondary Ministers in the Gospel since had not their demonstration of the person of the Lord nor their furniture in the Gospel in the same manner that those first and great Apostles had who were also the Apostles last in that respect of which Paul was one though born out of due time and the last so immediately called and furnished On this occasion I say was that assertion forementioned And that also that appearance or immediate Demonstration of the person of Christ was such as his bodily eyes were strengthened some little time to behold or see that also at least I supposed and gave my reasons for But that I positively affirmed so much I remember not I suppose you will find in my Answer to your Charges that on the mention of that Charge I neither own nor disown it as charged on me but being then in haste onely desired you again to consider what was propounded as to that This I mention not as doubting whether he did or no though to dispute such a thing with men that have no faith in that person I think is in vain because such men are also unreasonable or absurd 2 Thes 3. 2. They will not regard understand or be swayed by the plain import and force of the words of the Holy Ghost they would as lightly cast off the words themselves and reject all use of them or allusion to them if they did not fear its being disadvantagious to their design among a people where the Scriptures are generally esteemed But to that which I said about this whether laid down by way of position or supposition it matters not this was plain enough to be understood in both my saying and writing That he was on earth when he enjoyed that immediate demonstration was so strengthened to behold that person that glorified body in the Heavens that Just or Holy One Act. 22. 14 with chap. 2. 27-30 31. and to hear the words of his mouth I say that he was on earth then is plain in what I said about it for I brought that Act. 9 3 7 8. as implying that he was strengthened to behold that glorified body in the Heavens even in that light shining round about him above the brightness of the Sun which sight occasioned his falling to the earth And it is clear that then he appeared to him in the way vers 17. And that he had then and probably after such a sight of the Just one as was as to the manner of his seeing equivalent with the manner of hearing vouchsafed him of the words of his mouth see Act. 22. 14. which whether it was not with bodily ears also let the Text be considered Act 9. 7. which saith The men that were with him heard a voyce also they heard a sound of a voyce though the voyce or the distinct words of that sound they understandably heard not Act. 22 9. that discovers what manner of bearing was vouchsafed but saith the Text seeing no man as it even thereby appears Paul dâ—d even that mâ—n Christ Jesus from whom the voyce came before his falling at least And that which makes it more clear is that he saith 1 Cor. 15. 8. Last of all he was seen of me as of oâ—e born out of due time And it is evident he was not the last to whom he was spiritually demonstrated nor born out of due time for that yea to prove himself an Apostle as well as the rest 1 Cor. 9. 1. even one of those immediate Messengers and Ambassadors of the Lord for obedience to the faith among all Nations for his name as Rom. 1. 5. though last of all called and furnished he saith Have I not seen the Lord which must needs bee in another manner of demonstration than onely spiritual for so all beleevers have seen him as Gal. 3. 1 2. in or through the hearing of saith yet all are not Apostles 1 Cor. 12. 29. yea his sight was in such manner of demonstration as other beleevers since have not seen as in my first Answer and might be more fully shewed but I forbear onely this I have mentioned partly to discover the falseness of thy charge in this Letter And that it may appear as in all said it dâ—th That I do and did in all said about it apprehend and fully signifie my appreheâ—sions to be such that Paul was on earth when he had that demonstration of the person of Christ in the Heavens And are you so sensual that you cannot beleeve that God may manifest his Son even in his person visibly to men on earth while yet the same person so demonstrated remains in Heaven Is not he able to give supernatural demonstration of objects and strengâ—h to behold them too And what more is this we have said of Paul as to sight of the person than was vouchsafed to Stephen the first Martyr we read of after Christs A scension with what eyes did he look up sted fastly unto Heaven and was it not with the same that he saw the glory of God and Jesus even the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God See Act 17. 55 56. But why art thou not ashamed to mention my words by peece meaâ— leaving out such a material clause and yet calling it my saying As when thou chargest me with saying That Paul saw Christ after the same manner that the other Apostles did I did indeed in the paper query whether that last of all of me c. 1 Cor. 15. 8. as added to the former Verses do not signifie that he appeared or was demonstrated to him in the same mannen that he had been to the other after his Resurrection and before this But thou well knowest its backed with this caution which is so placed that it cannot go for my saying without it But thou leavest it out knowing it would spoil thy intention and clear me of thy slander as likewise all fore-written about it in that paper will do The Caution is this I stretch not my words in the same manner further than to a personal Appearance or visible Demonstration of his person which surely he might injoy as well as Stephen though he on Earth and the Lord in Heaven But thou wilt not beleeve any thing thou sayest that thou knowest to be a lye however fully implied though in Scripture for there was no other implications mentioned I suppose thou wilt not say whatever thou think that the Scriptures do by any fair and clear implication signifie a lye But to wave that How dost thou know that this is a lie That Paul enjoyed such a visible demonstration of the person of Christ as before for thou speakest to that as well as to the other branch which I
had seen Christ That he the said Moor never saw Christ as Paul did That the benefit that Drunkards have by Christ is that they injoy that drink wherewith they are drunk That there is something which is not of God which teacheth the creature to deny sin The Answer to the aforesaid charges sent them the same evening by Thomas Moor. 1. THat God is not manifest in the Creature I never said But that God was not manifested in the flesh in a full and absolute sense in any natural son of Adam in the time of this mortality nor so as he was manifested in that person the onely begotten Son of God that is now received up into glory in the nature of man in that one body 2. To the next Charge that which I said was That Timothy did not receive his word nor so his furniture to his service in the Gospel immediately from the person of Christ as the first Apostles but mediately through their word and by the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit therein and for proof of this I brought that 2 Tim. 1. 14 15. and 2. 1 2. and 1 Tim 4. 14. And so all others for blessing on whose ministration our Savior prayes besides those first Apostles that immediately received their word from him are thus distinguished Joh. 17. 20. Them also which shall beleeve on me through their word 3. That Timothy had not the same Testimony as the Apostles had I said not nor delivered any thing in like expressions nor do I understand by his expressions what he means or would fasten upon me If he mean that he had not the same that they had I disown it if he mean that he received it not in the same manner it is spoken to and Answered before 4. That Paul was strengthened with his bodily eyes to behold the person of Christ after his ascention To this I desire this be considered which I then propounded though it could not be heard Act. 9. 7. 8. And the men which journyed with him stood speechless hearing a voyce but seeing no man and Saul arose from the earth and when his eyes were opened he saw no man Do not the verses together imply That immediately before his falling at least in that light shining about him he did see the glorified Body in the Heavens which might occasion his falling to the Earth even the man Christ Jesus from whom the voyce came whom they saw not at all that were with him though they heard a voyce especially if we compare it with that 1 Cor. 15. 8. where after he had said He was seen of James then of all the Apostles he adds And last of all he was seen of me also as of one born out of due time I desire in the fear of God This may be considered was he born out of due time to enjoy a spiritual appearance or discovery of him or was he the last to whom he so appeared yea is it not plain that he appeared to him last of all in the same manner as he had done to the other before I stretch not my words in the same manner further than to a personal appearance or visible demonstration of his person And do they not say That their eyes had seen that their hands had handled of that word of life in such a sense as Beleevers since had not seen compare 1 Joh. 1. 1 2. with 1 Pet. 1. 8. Joh. 20. 19. Whence Paul to prove himself an Apostle saith Have I not seen the Lord 1 Cor. 9. 1. 5. That Naylor was a false witness in saying that he had seen Christ To this I Answer That Naylor would not suffer me to speak out what I was about to say as to that and other things all will bear me witness yet I suppose I at first said and I am sure did after explicate my saying thus That if he had said he had seen Christ as Paul did in the same manner or I might say also received the word in the same manner immediately from the person of Christ which was the thing reasoned about then he was a false witness For they were the Apostles last in that respect 1 Cor. 4. 9. Paul the last of them to whom he so appeared as before 1 Cor. 15. 8. That he might have seen Christ after another manner of demonstration which in this immediate Revelation was not wanting but more abundant to them also I will not deny yea that he yet in some sense and at this time might through the Spirits demonstration of him in his words for many see and hate as those Joh. 15. 24 6. That I never saw Christ in the same manner that Paul and the rest of the Apostles did with their bodily eyes I own yet not having so seen I desire to love him even that person and to wait for his second appearing as those 1 Pet. 1. 3 7 8. 1 Thes 1. 9 10. 7. That the benefit Drunkards have by Christ iâ— That they enjoy that drink with which they are drunk That that is the benefit I said not â—â—â— one of the benefits And they injoy many more and all to a saving 〈◊〉 and not to abuse them which is the thing that makes them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their condemnation great in abusing such benefits which as then more fully explicated was the answer given to their Queerying What benefits Drunkards had by Christ 8 That every thing that teaches to deny sin is not the true light many false principles and lights teach to deny many sins as that which teaches to establish a righteousness of a mans own yea the wisdom of the flesh teacheth to deny many lusts of the flesh And having thus fully answered I desire him to Answer and Prove 1 That God is manifested in his flesh and how 2 That no wicked man hath any benefit by Christ nor any man till he can witness Christ in him 3 Whether the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles be a dead letter 4 Whether Christ be any thing that beareth our sins in us as the propitiation yea or no Which things if he asserted not let others witness The Answer to one of the fore-mentioned Charges as it was writ and left for them the next day ON review of their Paper next day I find another Charge which truly I slipt over unawares in my answer to it the last night viz. That the Scriptures are the absolute Rule and medium of Faith To this I answer viz. That which I said to this I am sure was with this clause According to which it is begotten and regulated which I suppose they wittingly leave out for it was oft urged on their cavilling at it And for proof and demonstration of the sense of what I affirmed as to that I propounded that Job 7. 38. He that beleeveth on me as the Scripture hath said And that Act. 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him c. I had then spoken
but took it in writing as matter of accusation against me shewing what Generation you are of such as ever sought accusation against the Son of God where hee is manifest to salvation but who are ignorant of his salvation could never bear the confession of his name And when I confessed the flesh of Christ your carnal reason stormed at it like the blind Jews saying How could I have his flesh in me which one of you after confessed too when he saw the letter declared of it so that further than your carnal reason can read in the lâ—tter You will not beleeve what a Generation would you have been had you lived in the times of the Apostles who preached down Circumcision Temple and Sacrifices without such things as the letter said should continue for ever yet they preached them down without and confirmed them within in spirit which is the ground and bottom of all and in which all must end And that the word which became flesh which is ascended they knew to be the Bread of life which they broke and fed on who was their Rule and Mediator But the ground of your Faith is seen and what testimony you bear who say The Scripture is the absolute rule and medium of Faith as thou Thomas Moore didst before the people And when I asked thee if God could not give Faith without it then thou wast forced to deny what thou hadst said But such Doctrine as this thou makest people beleeve who are ignorant and not able to try thy spirit Oh shame with thy preaching If the Scripture be the absolute Rule and medium then Christ is not the absolute Rule unless thou say the Scripture is Christ And thus thou not knowing Christ to rule thee thou settest the letter in his stead for the Rule of Faith But of Abrahams Faith thou are not nor knows it who had an absolute Rule before the Scripture was But this Doctrine excludes all from faith who have not the letter so thou that art a Minister of the Letter preachest another Rule and Faith than ever any of Christs Ministers preached who preached the Word and Faith in the heart of them to whom they preached and Christ in them who is the absolute Rule and ground of Faith and the Law written in their hearts and the Spirit of Truth their rule and guide into all truth and the light in their hearts which gave them the knowledge of God and his glory which never was known by the letter without and Christ saith the Kingdom of God is within you which the Pharisees durst not deny Rom. 10. 8. Hebr. 8. 10 11. Joh. 16. 13. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Luk. 17. 20 21. But thou art more brazened against the truth and wouldest exclude God out of his Kingdom and perswade all thou canst not to look for him within but without lo here lo there But Christ saith Go not forth to such Teachers and thou art found to be one of those he forewarned of and in that work he foretold of which is against him and with the same spirit thou art seen to be an enemy to his Appearance who is the eternal life of his people which is not without the knowledge of God in his Temple for death reigns in the creature where God is not present and this word of Reconciliation thou withstands and all that are led by thee will have cause to curse thee when it is too late and time is spent to no purpose and the day of visitation passed over And from the immediate call which I witness wherewith I am called I do testifie against thy false Doctrine who denies That any have been immediately called since Christ ascended onely those who saw him bodily upon earth and when I instanced Paul thou saidst he saw Christ personally with his bodily eyes when he was called And when I said then must he be come personally again since he ascended then thou saidst Paul was in Heaven and saw him there with bodily eyes when the Scripture saith he was fallen to the earth and saw no man with his bodily eyes being blind three days and such confused stuff thou utteredst forth to uphold thy lyes wherewith thou keepest blind people in Babylon but with the light thou art comprehended thy ground root off-spring and end praised be our Redeemer for ever and in thy paper thou tellest of his seeing Christ after the same manner the other Apostles did Then must it either be bodily upon earth or the other went bodily into Heaven to be called both which are yet unproved by plain Scripture And thy implying is no ground for me to beleeve that which I know is alye and here thou art found preaching another Gospel which no plain Scripture will warrant and all that know God in them sees thee acoursed and thy Antichristian Doctrine who denys the Father and the Son and fellowship with them who hath spoken to his people in all ages and does at this day where the â—ar is circumcised but the serpents seed could never hear him whose ears are open to that wisdom yet canst thou not be content to speak thy own condition but in thy busie mind wouldst exclude others and this is thy work to shut up the Kingdom and deceive the Nations that are without but we are entered and the Elect is witnessed which cannot be deceived and we know him that is in us and we in him onely they who will not own the light such are made to be deceived and over such onely hast thou dominion for a season But thy time is coming to an end that makes thy rage great And thou are forced to utter what testimony thou bearest such as none of Christs ever preached That God is not known in his people Is this thy word of Reconciliation and to what must they be reconciled if not to God And how must they all be taught of God if they must never hear his voyce more but thy Ministry begets not such children nor such sheep thou knows not but opposes who have seen him and heard him such thou callest false witnesses so thou appearest to be a witness to that which thou hast never seen and many such witnesses there are in the Nation who preach up separation instead of reconciliation which pains might be spared amongst them you preach to all having that by nature but that the Devil fears his Kingdom which is onely upholden by ignorance of God in his people whose eyes are blinded but whose eyes are open and have seen him bear witness of him and what we have seen and heard we declare against all false witnesses who have nought but by hear-say from others who have eyes and see not ears and hear not a heart that doth not understand who knows not the spiritual man his eyes and ears and so judge of God to be like themselves as thy companion did say That God had neither eye nor ear nor heart and thus with your carnal imaginations you will judge of
to death for our offences and raised again for our justification In him as so considered God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached to the Gentiles beleeved on in the world and received up into glory And that this Scripture speaks of these great things of the mystery of godliness as done onely in that one person I propounded this consideration for one That the word that is immediately prefixed and especially applicable to the first clause is in the Preterperfectense or in the time past God was not God is he was manifest in the flesh yea the phrase of the last clause renders that as a thing also done and finished in the person spoken of He is received up into glory And surely In that person and in him only this is absolutely true God is in the nature of man even in the flesh in which he descended received up into glory not now receiving or to be received but now already received up into glory set down on the right hand of Majesty on the Throne of glory in the heavens Consider I pray you how suitable to this understanding of the last and first clauses is that which is affirmed of this person Heb. 9. 24 25 26. Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true But into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us nor yet that he should offer himself often as the former high Priests entred into the holy place every year with blood of others hee needeth not daily to offer up sacrifice for this he did once Heb. 7. 27 for then also must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world but now once in the last Ages of the world he hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself even as it s appointed unto men once to dye so Christ was once offered not in many Ages or divers times but once in the last Ages when men were multiplied into many whereas they were but one when the ordinance of death passed on them yet in that one it passed on the whole kind so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many even of all of that kind all men every of the nature he took then when they and their offences were multiplied into many he saith not to bear sins in many for then indeed he must often have suffered But now once he was offered in his own body even that so and then prepared him Chap. 10. 5-10 to bear the sins of many Then was God in Christ condemning sin in the flesh yea then and therein when one dyed not in but for all and rose again Then was God in Christ reconciling the world not imputing their trespasses to them but causing them to meet together on him 2 Cor. 5. 14. 15 19. with Isa 53. 6. Rom. 8. 3. 1 Pet. 2. 24. And raising him and giving him glory as the publick man that by and through him our faith and hope might be in God 1 Pet. 3. 18. and 1. 21. with these and that 1 Tim. 3. 16. compare that Joh. 13. 31 32. See how our Savior there directs us to the person in whom the time and works in which God was so manifested and glorified in the flesh and did straightway after the finishing of these works glorifie it in that person even then faith our Savior when Judas was gone out to betray him when he was presently to finish those works the Father gave him to do on earth yea his soul was already in trouble Joh. 12. 27. now saith he even in that his being made an offering for sin is the Son of Man glorified and the Father is glorified in him If God be glorified in him God shall also glorifie him in himself and shall straightway glorifie him Then and therein was the Son of man glorified in his being appointed and set as the surety in that publick place that by the grace of God he should tast death for every man he was therein said to be crowned with glory and honor above all other persons among Men or Angels for no man could redeem his Brother nor give to God a ransom for his soul the Redemption of the soul is more precious neither was there any other thing or person in Heaven or Earth that was counted worthy but this Holy One Herein was the Son of man glorified And so in Gods supporting him and carrying him through so great sufferings when all our sins met together on him Psal 40. 11 12 16 17. Heb. 5. 7 9. Likewise in Gods giving so glorious a testimony to him at his death Mat. 26. 50 54. And in his Resurrection from the dead This Jesus who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness Rom. 1. 3 4. In these things the Son of man was glorified and â—o the Father glorified in him in the exercise and agreement of all his holy and glorious Attributes his Wisdom Holiness Truth Mercy Goodness Power c. for manssalvation God was manifested in the flesh condemning sin and yet therein preparing Attonement and Propitiation for sinners and straight-way after the finishing of these works in his own body the father who glorified him in himself in his own Power Name and Glory declaring himself satisfied in and for what he delivered him raising him from the dead in which he was justified in the Spirit or according to the Spirit of Holiness did further and fully and perfectly glorifie him in the same body in receiving him up to glory and setting him on his own right hand in the Heavens far above all Principality and Power Might and Dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but in that to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulness of him then distinct from him in his personal body now raised and glorified yet they in that to be done in and upon them are the filling up or compleating of him in the ends and vertues of his cross who as so considered namely in the ends and vertues of his cross filleth all things as Ephes 3. 8 10 but he gave himself for hâ—s Church for all that through his grace to man-ward come in to him That he might wash them with the washing of water by the word that so he might in the issue present it to himself as he now presents it in himself before the Father a glorious Church without spot or wrinckle Eph 5. 25-27 and ch 1. 20 21 22 23. 1 Pot. 3. 22. Phil. 2. 6-11 Joh. 17. 1-5 Col. 2. 9. Read these Scriptures and compare them and see how they explicate and agree with the explication given of that 1 Tim. 3. 16. And after some little Discourse to this purpose demonstrating
have disowned and of them both together signifies thou knowest it is a lye I say how dost thou know it or how shall we know it when thou bringest nothing at all to prove or demonstrate it to be such Is this all the Answer we must look for when thou affirmest any thing or deniest any thing I know I witness it to be True or I know it to be a Lye Indeed these were the strongest Arguments and Demonstrations we had from thee in our meeting to any thing that I know of and with these and such like in the mouths of divers of you together you could be as confident wise and strong in your own conceit as seven men that could render a reason and stop the mouths of others too with these when you had none of the faithful word to do it withall I know it is a lye and I pray how dost thou know dost thou think we will all fall down and worship James Naylor in receiving what he urges upon us onely in his own name I know I witness c. It may be such may do it as will not receive or have rejected the testimony of the other J. N. Jesus of Nazareth that came in his Fathers name Joh. 5. 43. But give us leave to question how thou knowest and because thou dost not tell us I will guess in this thy conscience knows whether I guess right or no I fear thou dost not at all in thy heart beleeve or acknowledge that one person of Christ as personally absent from thee while in this clay Tabernacle that that which we read of that person and the work done in him is sleighted as figures of some other truth to be found in us is evident enough to me as I shall further make appear anon but that which I here look upon as the ground of this thy confident knowledge is something more namely That thou hast in thy heart wholly rejected the faith and acknowledgement of that one person of the Son of God in our nature in one individual personal body even the same that was crucified slain and hung upon a tree that Jesus of Nazareth to be now received up into glory by the Father in the Heavens and there remaining in the most glorious presence of God even in the Heavens as opposed to the Earth where the former high Priests served and where while he is he is personally absent from us while we are in these bodies on earth I suppose thou mayst think there might be such a one as Jesus of Nazareh and that he dyed as is written of him and happily that he rose again but if thy thoughts go so far I doubt they leave him there even that Jesus of the seed of David after the flesh as one that in all done before in him was but a type of some first appearance to be accomplished in us and now as a type or figure vanishing and ceasing from thence so to be So that what we read of his Ascention into Heaven and remaining in the Heavens until the Restitution of all things and of his second personal Appearance is to be understood of some other internal mystery to be accomplished now in us not so plainly expressed in the words which must therefore be slighted as a dead letter I fear I have almost touched upon thy thoughts though we will not boast as thou dost of compreheading and discerning us perfectly in root end and off-spring while yet God knows and all that know us know thou dost not discover us at all nor speak as one at all acquainted with whence we come or whither we go but as he Joh 3. now if thou be so far given over to strong delusions to beleeve such a lie that there is not such personal body in our nature in the Heavens as before thou must needs from thence be confident Paul did not see him for he could not see that which is not But to remove such false ground of such a confidence there is sufficient demonstration and power in his words as left on Record and will be yet to thee in the consideration of them if thou hast not wholly crucified the Son of God to thy self and so thy self to the light and power of his words See I pray thee Luk. 24. 39 40. with vers 51. How our Saviour in the last discovery of himself to his Disciples after his Resurrection and before his Ascention demonstrates himself to hâ—ve a real body and not onely the shape or appearance of one which a spirit without a body may assume by his having real flesh and bones to be felt And that body to be he himself the same that was peirced and nailed to the cross so demonstâ—ated by his hands and his feet â—â— little before to Thomas by his side and hands Joh. 20 27. and at that time of his having so demonstrated himself unto them he led them out as far as to Bethany and be lifted up his hands and blessed them and it came to pass while he blessed them he was parted from them and carryed up into Heaven compare it with Act. 1. 9 10 11. Where having in the verses before repeated the Narration of his shewing himself alive to them after his passion by many infallible proofs and then of his commissionating and blessing them he saith And when he had spoken these words while they beheld that may assure us their sences were not deluded but it was even the same person in the same personal body as before demonstrated by his hands and feet his flesh and bones which their eyes had seen and their hands had haâ—dled even that word of â—â—e in that flesh which he was made now spiritualized or made in the Resurrection a spiritual body yet the same so made Even while they behold he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their fight and while they looked stedfastly towards Heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparel which also said yee men of â—â—lilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as yee have seen him go into heaven Note the wisdome and care of the Holy Ghost here lest being taken out of their sight they or any after should doubt whether that body as then demonstrated vanished or what became of it He adds here that he was taken up from them into heaven even the same Jesus which they had seen and in this his Ascension in their sight in which he was taken up from them vers 9. 11. with Luke 24. 51. He was carried up into heaven yea saith Mark. He was thou received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God Mar. 16. 19 even there in the heavens he is â—et on the right hand of the Throne of Majesty there officiating as a Minister of the true Sanctuary c. Heb. 8. 1. 2. Christ after the same consideration of him
Mark 14. 62. If after all this it be replied Can flesh and blood enter into the Kingdome of heaven We answer No Neither can corruption inherit incorruption 1 Cor. 15. 50. which latter clause in that verse as well as what follows We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed shews That by flesh and blood is meant the body in this its mortal state which same body shall bee raised though in another state as it was in the person of Jesus and so though flesh and blood cannot yet the same flesh and bones the blood as the life was in it being poured out and gone the same body in the Resurrection spirituallized and immortalized is entred and set on the Throne and so shall all his in their bodies in which now they suffer when so changed inherit the Kingdome prepared for them with him for ever If any say What weight is there in this acknowledgement that it should be so earnestly contended for or that so much danger should be conceived in the sleighting of it what relation hath it to the ground or foundation of our faith or hope I answer It is that in which all the ground and foundation of our faith and hope was finished or perfected and without which all done before had been nothing for even as if Jesus in the same nature and body in which he suffered had not been raised from the dead and therein taken from the prison as a discharge of our debt in him we had been yet in our sins whatever he had suffered and faith in him had been vain 1 Cor. 15. 17. The same may be and is affirmed concerning the necessity of his ascension and presenting and offering that sacrifice to the Father in that most glorious presence of him from which we stood condemned and being there received and accepted And abiding for ever a high Priest of good things to come after the order of Melchizedeck for if he were on earth hee could not be a Priest after this order to abide for ever Heb. 8. 1 4. For such a High Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners made higher than the heavens who needeth not daily to offer as those Priests c. Heb. 7. 25 26 27. If he could have carried his sacrifice no higher than the former Priests even into heaven it self and there presented it in the most glorious presence of God and if it had not been for the worth value and excellency of it accepted there and so hee with it or he himself accepted and set down as the perfect Sacrifice and Sacrificer he must then have offered again and could never with such offerings have made the commers perfect therefore the infinit perfection of his Sacrifice and Righteousness in the discovery of which all other righteousness is decryed is by the Spirit demonstrated in this That hee is gone to the Father and wee see him no more sent down to suffer or offer for sin Joh. 16. 10. Heb. 10. 1-10 11 12. Yea if he had not ascended on high he could not have been so glorified in our nature as was the end of his suffering and as was needful for us he could not have received in the man and so for men that eternal redemption which he had obtained through sufferings and so that plentious furniture of gifts for men even for the Rebellious that the Lord might dwel among them and that to that purpose he might fill all things with the influences and vertues of his sufferings give the peculiar gifts to the Church Heb. 9. 12 14 15. Ps 68. 18 19 20. Eph. 4. 8. 10 11. He could not have been glorified with the Fathers own self fully and perfectly in our nature and for us even with the glory he had with the Father before the world was If he had not ascended and gone up into heaven and remained there in that body glorified by vertue of sufferings for sin presenting therein the infinite vertue of those sufferings for otherwise the glory of God could never have been brought down amongst or unto men nor men received into it so that he could not have been a High Priest for ever and of good things to come if he were on the earth but now hee is entred into the heavens themselves there to appear in the presence of God for us there to sprinckie the Mercy-seat with the continual presentation of the infinite and abiding vertue of his blood in that body in our nature and person by vertue thereof and to all the ends for which he suffered raysed and glorified in the presence of God where we need the perfect Sacrifice and high Priest to abide for ever and he is both in that one body and in such exaltation perfected and finished In the Name and Anointing of the Father a Prince and a Saviour Act. 5. 30 31. That from thence the goodness of God may come forth in all things and to all men and his presence with his people And therefore also he is able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth with the Father for them God hath given him glory that our faith and hope might be in God by and through him 1 Pet. 1. 21. And truly we could have no ground of hope of the resurrection and glorifying our bodies that they may dwel for ever with the Lord even in that light into which no man can now approach If our Surety and Fore-runner were not for us already entred which thing also was vertually done from the foundation of the world as soon as we had need of him there If our nature in him were not received up into glory even now before the glory of God be or can be fully and gloriously brought down to us as it shall be when there shal be new heavens and new earth we could not be received into his glory with him It was needfull for him to go away to ascend to his Father and ours in and through him that so with him he might prepare everlasting Mansions for us and from thence come again and receive us to himself that we might be with him for ever as well as it was also needful for him so personally to go away into heaven and there to appear in the presence of God for us as the perfect Sacrifice and Mediator that thence in the Name of the Father influences of Grace and Spirit might here be sent forth to us to guide our feet in the way of peace and prepare us for the glory to be revealed Joh. 14. 1 2 3. and 16. 7. with Chap. 20. 17. whence its mentioned as the bottome and ground of the beleevers consolation and incouragement Wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the whole world This is a material branch in that bottome of our consolation and that in which all of
cunningly devised fables but the Apostles were eye witnesses of his Majesty c. And to what they said had also the testimony of the sure word of Prophecy saying nothing but what they said should come to pass 2 Pet. 1. 15 16-19 Act. 26. 22 23. Yea the ministry committed to the Apostles is given as the dispensation of the fulness of times in which God hath gathered together all things that before lay scattered in divers witnesses types and figures into one even in Christ Jesus For God who at sundry times or in many parts and divers manners spake to the Fathers by the Prophets hath now in these last days spoken to us by his Son whom he hath made heir of all things by whom also he made the worlds who being the brightness of his glory c. When he had observe the Text by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high That person and the righteousness accomplished in and by him for us and remaining in that person in the Heavens with the Father shall never be abolished The Heavens and Earth in the state in which now they stand shall wax old as a garment and be folded up yea they shall be changed and renewed But not so this person and the vertue of the works done in his body he is the same and his years fail not or change yea to him as so delivered to death for our offences and raised again for our Justification and now glorified in our nature hath he put in subjection the world to come of which the Apostles have spoken Ephes 1. 10. Hebr. 1. tot 2. 1 5-8 9. That Temple those Sacrifices c. were indeed the figures of the true and therefore iterated because they could not make the commers perfect but that one offering made in that one body then and so prepared for him as before and so the power and glory of God which he thereby and therein invested within our nature this is the Truth it self the end of all types and figures and therefore no more to be iterated because he is able with that one offering and in that name and glory of the Father he is thereby invested with to save to the utmost all that come to God by him yea he is so in Heaven the Savior of all men especially of them that beleeve And therefore neither is there another manner of preaching to be given but his presence promised with that to the end of the world Matth. 281. 8 19 20. Yea that preaching as so given shall be even so confirmed and all the Truth and Glory of God gloriously and fully manifested in that person as there declared in his second and glorious Appearance when he shall frustrate the tokens of the Lyars and make the Diviners mad Isa 44. 25 26 and 8. 11-16-20 2 Thes 1. 6-10-12 For they have declared the thing plainly as it is and fully so that we in coming to this ministration or dispensation of the fulness of times and so to know beleeve and hope in Christ according to it are not come to another Sinai but to Sion to the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem c. even so as by faith in and according to the Gospel as now come forth we receive therein a Kingdom that cannot be moved but shall even so stand for ever and be fully revealed and given to us as herein it is received by faith wherefore let us hold fast grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear untill he receive us to glory with him as he hath said For our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12. 22 28 29. He that will not hear that Prophet shall be cut off no other message or messenger to be sent or means to be used by God for his help that being rejected nothing remains but vengeance to consume the Adversaries Surely then That Doctrine that preaches down that Jesus of Nazareth and the works done in that his own personal body as for us as they preached down Circumcision Temple Sacrifices as being but a further shadow of some truth or good things yet to come or to be found in some other thing or work in many persons is clearly another and contrary doctrine and tends to overthrow the Doctrine Faith and Hope of our Lord Jesus Christ as declared by the one mouth of his holy Apostles and Prophets since the world began and therefore not to be followed but held as execrable by us neither are we to bid them to house or bid them God speed that bring it after knowledge of them to be such he that so doth is partaker of all their evil deedâ— yea we are to avoid and turn away from such Having therefore clearly and fully to my own satisfaction I speak as in the sight and presence of God discerned thee to be one of those strangers that bring such a strange voyce or doctrine as the sheep are not to listen to Yea so contrary to the true Shepheards voyce as even to the introducing another Jesus another Spirit another Gospel c. as before is shewed and having also according to my weakness now discovered it from what I have under thy hand I shall refuse further to meddle or have to do with thee unless I shall perceive in thee what I much desire if it may be though I have little hope of it viz. some perception of the evil and danger of thy way and thy heart inclined to turn to the Lord from whom thou hast deeply revolted In the perception of which in thee or any other deceived by thee or in such deceits I should surely much rejoyce and have to that end thus endeavored it THO. MOORE A Preface to the Relation of the following Queries and the Answer to them by Thomas Moore MEEting accidentally a little before the meeting at Mr. Wrayâ—s with several papers some directed to my self and some others yet not sent to me but dispersed into the hands of divers which are filled with nothing else but proud boastings of themselves the Indicters of them and of their light or spirit and rayling accusations against others And some directed to Alice Morden and others which are chiefly Queries without laying down in any of them any positive answer or discovery of their judgement unless in the close by reproaching the acknowledgment of one that dyed for all the just for the unjust bearing our sins in his own body to the tree And intimately all the way scoffing at the promise of and waiting for his coming again rendering that and the hope then to be revealed as a thing made or accomplished in men and in this day yet not plainly laying down their principles if they have any as to these things indeed it evidently appears to me they are of no judgement concerning the faith meeting I say with these papers at a place near Cambridge I was desired to give some answer to them The first
for habitations of God He hath given these gifts to men some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers to perfect or furnish the Saints for the work of their Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son God unto a perfect man c. Psal 68. 18. Ephes 4. 7-11 c. 1 Cor. 12. 7. c. And so the Apostle Peter said of that which they spake and others heard that that was of those gifts which Christ had received on the right hand of his Father and did then shed forth Act. 2. 16. 33. Though the gifts be divers yet all given by that one and the self-same Spirit that lifts up and glorifies Christ according to the faithful record 1 Cor. 12. Rom. 12. Yea all those gifts distributed and set in the Church since the first Apostles who also opened the Prophets and were last in respect of that their peculiar Office or work of giving another manner of and fuller revelation of the Gospel than had been given before and that for obedience to the faith among all Nations for his name I say all gifts distributed and given unto beleevers since who through their word beleeve they are for the comparing and opening Scriptures or shewing the things of Jesus Christ to others by and according to them and to what is written and already revealed in them The holy Scriptures especially as now compleated since the dispensation of the fulness of times came forth by the Apostles being able to make wise to salvation though faith which is in Christ Jesus c. And throughly to furnish the beleever to all his service in exercise of those gifts he hath received from God for the profit of others Thirdly We come now to consider how or wherein any may be said to deny the Alone sufficiency of Gods teaching surely that may be seen in the forâ—er considerations 1 That they deny the Alone sufficiency of Gods teaching that either deny the Lord that bought them or acknowledge and confess him not according to the testimony God hath given of him Do not lift him up â—â— magnifie him in his Cross with the ends and vertues thereof as declared in the Apostles Doctrine as the ground and foundation of all Faith and Hope the matter of our song the fountain of all our teaching do not acknowledge that vision of God in Christ to be indeed as now revealed The Vision of all visions and sufficient in the light and power of God in and with it to teach and open all Doctrine and lead into all Truth I say such do therein deny the Alone sufficiency of Gods teaching that being as before the summary matter of his teaching and the way of his teaching all things and leading into all truth 2 They that deny slight or throw by the holy Scriptures either in their authority or clearness certainty agreement truth or sufficiency as not being able to make wise to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus and throughly to furnish the man of God to all his service c. as before without some additional helps of mens learning or art or without the imaginations of their own spirit or some other spirit than what is in and with them to give the meaning and lead to the use of them they that come not up to those sound words as delivered by them that have spoken to us in the name of the Lord in which the righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith as it is written They to whom the pen of the Scribe is in vain for opening and interpreting the mind or meaning of the Holy Ghost what wisdom is in them surely they have therein rejected the word of the Lord while they render that as a dead letter and so vain and empty fallible and uncertain without the addition of their gloss or fancy which they have not seen heard or met with in that word of the truth of the Gospel And therefore not by the Spirit Jerem. 8. 8 9. Col. 2. 18. 3 They also that dispise and slight as fleshly and of man the Instruments and Means of Gods appointing the Posts or Pillars of his setting up for these his teachings to be conveyed and brought near unto us in or by and for us to waite upon him in Prov. 8. 34. 9. 3. Zach. 7. 9-12 2 Tim. 4. 1-5 They despise not man but God who hath also given us of his holy Spirit 1 Thes 4. 2. 8. They are sensual what spirituality soever they pretend not having the Spirit Jude 19. 1 Joh. 2. 18 19. Hebr. 10. 24 25. And of this sort I fear they are that had a hand in the forementioned Queries But hoping some of them may not yet be given up to Delusion and however for the benefit of those that desired it and of others I shall yet adde something farther in Answer to the Queries many of them being answered in this already said 1 Query What and where that New Jerusalem is which John saw â—â—â—â— down from heaven c Rev. 21. Answ 1 It appears not yet come down in or unto you for you profess yet to be travelling with pain and grief of heart and bowels yerning for the miseries others are like in your apprehensions to fall into And that Christ might be formed in them But though such pity pain and grief towards objects in misery or in evill wayes leading to it as you pretend be in truth in the hearts of such as indeed love the Lord Jesus Christ and hold fast his name and grace therein in the time of this mortality yet in that New Jerusalem when come down from heaven there shall be no more crying pain nor tears they shall be all wiped away All former miseries and occasions of weeping shall be forgotten Isa 25. 6 7 8 9. Rev. 21. 4. They shall even rejoyce when they see the smoke of their torment rise up for ever whom before they pitied Rev. 19. 2 3-7 with Chap. 14. 2 3 10 11. 2 But for farther Answer It is not yet come down from God out of heaven unto any It is yet as our life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we appear with him and be like him in glory That it is not yet come down from God out of heaven though beleevers by faith do come unto it in and through the Gospel especially as now come forth Heb. 12. 22. This appears 1 In that it s shewed in the vision then to come when he makes new heavens and new earth and all things new Rev. 21. 1-5 which are things that he will make not hath made Isa 66. 22. And which all beleevers in this corruptible state of the world all the time of their mortality are yet looking and waiting for 2 Pet. 3. 12 13 14. Tit. 2. 12 13. Phil. 3. 21. 1 Thess 1. 10. Isa 25.
8 9. not here injoyed by way of actual possession by any of them But Jesus Christ in that which he hath done and is become for them with the Father as preached in the Gospel to every man being received by faith is even so in them and to them the hope of glory the ground and foundation of the hope of things not yet sensibly injoyed or possessed Col. 1. 27 28. with Rom. 8. 19. 24 25. Heb. 11. 1. yea in a sense the thing hoped for as in respect of his second personal appearance on the earth which shall be in the glory of his Father and with his holy Angels Then and thereby do they look for an accomplishment of those glorious promises of the new heaven and new earth and the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven and of all things restored or made new by him Act. 3. 21 22. Rev. 21. 5. Phil. 3. 21. When he shall also bring all that sleep in Jesus with him 1 Thess 4. 14 16 2 Thess 2 1 2 with Chap. 1 6 7 c. â— Tim. 4. 8. Rev. 20. 4 6. 2 It farther appears that it is not yet come down from heaven in or to any persons because in it there is no death pain or mortality but in and amongst the best of beleevers here even while the Spirit is made alive for righteousness sake delivered from the condemnation and bondage of the Law by the body of Christ in the discovery of it even by the Law Doctrine and power of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and so quickned to a new and living hope and so also in desires and affections through the Resurrection of Christ as Rom. 7. 4. and 8. 2 3 4 1 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Joh. 3.3 yet the body is dead because of sin Rom. 8. 10. yea besides these mortalities there is infirmities and passions of the mind through remainders of the old man yet in their members warring though through Jesus Christ they get victory dayly Rom. 7. 23 24. yea in many things they all offend James 3. 2. 1 Joh. 1. 1. 8 10. And so there is with these mortalities yet upon them which are the fruit of sin and as a remembrance of it there is I say with them particular chastisements and corrections for sin of which they are made partakers as there is found in them sins against light and grace committed needing discovery and purgation 1 Cor. 11. 30 31 32 Heb. 12. 4 5-11 Their bodies are yet vile both their particular personal bodies and their societies also they are not yet made glorious without spot or wrinckle But he shall in that day when Jerusalem comes down from heaven so present them compare Phil. 3. 21. with Eph. 5. 26 27. He is therefore now all this day washing them that he may in the issue so present them with his likeness in the morning of the Resurrection as the issues and vertues of his sufferings Ps 17 ult Rev. 14. 1-5 and 7. 12-17 1 Joh. 3. 1-3 2 Qu. What and where that Sion is Isa 2. Mich. 4. c. Answ The former Answer may serve for Answer to this also Sion and Jerusalem being so neer a kin as they are in those Scriptures mentioned and in Heb. 12. 22. For though as in those Scriptures the Law Doctrine or word of the Lord do now come from thence to the Nations and they that with the heart beleeve or receive that word do by faith come unto it and are made of it in such beleeving yea do so come forth of its waters that its truly said Jerusalem that is above is the mother of them all yet it s still Jerusalem above even to them and not come down as is shewed before Gal. 4 26. Yea farther Though in this day we have a first fruits of the Spirit in performance of those promises yet the fulness and harvest of that and the redemption of the body and things pertaining more properly thereto we wholly wait for and are not yet possessors of the Nations are yet learning war whereas when those promises are accomplished They shall learn war no more neither is the enmity removed out of nor bondage of corruption taken off from the creatures as is promised then to be fully and clearly accomplished compare with those Scriptures Isa 11. Rom. 8. 19-25 Act. 3. 20 21. according to the ends and vertues of Christ having made peace by the blood of his Cross Col. 1. 20. Heb. 2. 5 8. 9. 3 Qu. What and where that Covenant is Jer. 31. 33 34. Heb. 8. 10 11 12 c. Ans 1. In respect of the foundation ground and assurance of it It is Jesus Christ himself as raised from the dead and exalted and glorified in our nature in hâ—s own personal body by and with the vertue of his sufferings the most glorious presence of God in the heavens compare Isa 55. 3 4. with Act. 13. 34. Heb. 4 14 and 8. 1 2-10 2 In respect of the matter of it or promises in it They also are all in him yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. given us through sealed in and the way for coming forth made by his bloud yea so given into him and into him inseparably That they may be given only with him in and through the knowledge of himself and so received by faith in the receiving him by faith and so it s a Covenant made and sure in him with all the seed viz those that come to God by him now I say now made with them in the giving him in the knowledge and faith of him in what he hath done and is become and in the ends and vertues thereof for a Covenant to the people and in some first fruits of the Spirit performed also Rom. 8. 32. 2 Pet. 1. 3 4. Isa 42. 6. and 55. 3 4. But 3 In respect of the performance of it in the harvest or fulness of those spiritual blessings we have in Christ and the redemption of the body c. by Christ it is yet to be waited for even all the time of this mortaliâ—y and till he come as before as may be seen in the Scriptures forecited and also in comparing Hab. 2. 2. 4. with Heb. 10. 35 36 37 38. In the beginning of which Chapter he also mentions the same Covenant as made and sure in Christ to all that come to God by him and to be so made with all the Israel of God yet with reference to it again in this latter end of the Chapter with allusion to that of Habbakkuck he signifies yet a time for the exercise of faith and patience in doing and suffering according to the will of God before the promises in their performance or accompâ—â—hment shall be received that vision of God in which they shall be revealed in the accomplishment being the second and glorious appearance of Jâ—â—â—s Christ in our nature which is yet to be waite for compare the 〈◊〉 Habbakkuck saith The Vision shall surely come