to bring the price of the sale to the distribution of the whole body and he lye against the holy spirit wherein he promised and detained a part and yet say that there is all this is a sin a great breach of the love and truth of Christ as Act. 4.32.36 37. with 5.2 3.8 9. or if one have much good and yet detaine it from one Member that wanteth this his hardnes doth discover to all the brethren that such a churlâ— hath a dead faith and no love of God and to be such an one as is unprofitable to the body of Christ in any kind and therefore such are known by the word of Christ to deny Jesus and the Communion of his Body and so being divided from the naturall and true love of the Body that suffereth they will be scone of the Brethren to fall away of themselves as leaves from a tree The 5. day of the Week I Consider the estate of the Church of Christ in unity universality and free consent that Jesus Christ is the head thereof and is gone before as a husband goeth before his wife by sufferings the place whither he goeth is the Kingdom of Heaven which cannot be entered into but by the death of the flesh 1 Cor. 15.49 50. the doore whereby we follow him is death and hell whereof Christ hath the keyes Rev. 1.18 the power and authority of these keyes is given to every one by mane through Jesus Christ who in love to his Father having power to lay down his life had in himselfe also power or authority to take it again and this Commandement he received of his Father Iohn 10.17 18. Therefore having in himselfe the keyes of the Kingdom of heaven as being Christ the Sonne of the living God he gave them to Peter to whom the Father of Christ gave to know and acknowledge Jesus to be his sonne as Mat. 16.16 to 19. The authority of these keyes is proper to every one that hath the testimony of Jesus by vertue whereof he openeth a doore through death to follow his Mister Jesus into the Kingdom of his Father this doore every one that is constant to death doth open in the eyes of all that see his constancy according as Stephen the first Martyr doth declare even before his death that others might offer violence to enter into it Act 7.55 56. And seeing these keyes are so effectuall towards God in the love of Jesus Christ Therefore Peter by name and so whose-ever is sealed by the same holy spirit of promise hath by vertue of these keyes in Christ authority also towards men before their sufferings that whatsoever he or any one that is apt and able to hold the confession of Jesus to be Christ by authority of the keyes hath also authority to bind or loose according to the Word so as whatsoever such do bind or loose must needes be confirmed in heaven where Christ that giveth the keyes is with his Father Mat. 16.16.10 19. Iohn 20.21 22 23. 1. Men now boast against the Jew that the Law is not of faith and that faith is now come and therefore say they we are no more under the Law but under grace as Gal. 3.12.23.25 with Rom. 6.13 This boasting against the Jew is not carnall but spirituall against God who gave them the Law and this turneth to the shame of all such as so boast and yet do worse things then they did as appeareth by the word faith for the Law while it is holden under the authority of men in the glory of a present and mortall state is of sight which feareth men and not of faith which only feareth and apprehendeth the authority and power of the invisible God by the spirit of Christ so as all that are holden under the feare and authority of men are of faith no more then the Jewes yea it may be under the Law more worse then they as being without the knowledge of the true God and so of necessity without any faith of God for whosoever hath faith believeth that God is present with him and seeth his thoughts and actions and therefore will not dishonour his presence in which hee liveth by counting sin against him though no man seeth whereas the infidell that walketh by sight under the law hath only respect to the feare authority and judgement of Magistrates and therefore when they can sin in secret or without feare of bodily payne or worldly shame they do sin without and feare of God or Conscience of the judgement to come whereby appeareth that all that live by the Law of faith do feare to offend without the feare of men and that are of faith they will in meeknesse and feare shew to infidells what the life of faith is both by word and example that they also may know God The 6. day of the week 1. IT is a misery to have ones body at liberty by the procurement of men and ones minde and conscience in perpetuall prison by ones own Act 2. There is a twofold justification arising from the Law the one of workes under the Leviticall Priesthood the other of faith under the Priesthood of Christ Jesus The former justification is only if sight and by report of men and it was effectuall to justifie the slosh before the King and the authority of the Kingdom according to this justification was Zachary and his wife righteous before God in this life Luke 1.5.6 but this Law made none perfect and pure in Conscience before the spirit of God Heb. 9 8. to 14. Therefore of necessity upon the defect of this first justification ariseth a perfect justification which is of the Kingdom of God Mat. 6.33 This justification is of faith in spirit and truth according to the spirituall Priesthood of Jesus Christ which is effectuall to justifie the heart and spirit of a man so that in conscience of the worke of the spirit whereby the justifications of the Law is fulfilled in us Rom. 8.3.4 we have boldnesse to come to the Throane of the grace of God in the Heavens Heb. 4.14 15 16. which freedom no unclean person or secret sinner can have but only such as being condemned of men have good Consciences towards God so as they can willingly suffer in the mortall blood that so they may come to be present with the Lord for the justification of their spirit 1 Tim 3.15.16 3. In the power of Christianity there is a twofold knowledge at the gate the one of Christ Rev. 3.20 the other of the Christian Mat. 7.8 The gate standeth as an interstitium or interposition between immortality and mortality and it is called the gates of Hell and of death which are the many tribulations through which the Christians must enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14.22 with Rev. 7.14 and they are the diverse torments Heb. 11.25 36.37 and whatsoever authority the Divill and his seed in mortall bodis have from the power of death to sever the mind and
given you my Christ to become flesh that he might be a perfect guide and redeemer of you from the bondage of mortality in this evill world so as the subject may know his duty to his Magistrate the sonne to the Father the servant to his Master it every one do thus walk according to my word in their severall estates and degrees and yet your superiours do take offence as you for not obeying them rather then me I will justifie you in what you do in Conscience of my law fear not their condemnation but learn obedience in the flesh as Christ Jesus my only Sonne hath shewed you and looke unto the throan of my judgement sent which I have appointed and know my righteousnesse in the love of Christ and come unto me from mortality and bondage for by constancy to death you and every one of you shall evercome and be more then Conquerours and you shall condemn then for sin that have condemned you for sinners in hatred of my word and of my Christ which I have given to be a light unto the world whom with you they have killed 2. In the estate of enmity between God and man that repentance which men teach is apostasie from God for when a man yeeldeth obedience to the word as the Servant of God If the authority of man do compell him to repent of this his obedience in any matter wherein the word of God requireth obedience and this man doth repent under the fear of man and blaspheame the service of God as wicked and magnifie the service of man as holy and righteous it is manifest from antiquity that this repentance is the worldly wickeknesse against God for whosoever in oath with them saith destroy the wicked saith in effect to destroy all Christians that live godly in Christ and all the servants of God both great and small because these only are the wicked in the evill worlds account and these that are righteous are their spirituall enemies so as whosoever seeth not this enmity to avoid it as not to have Communion of enmity with the world against Christ is yet guilty of the curse with the seede of the Serpent The fifth day of the week IT is noted that he which preacheth the Crosse of Christ must do it sincerely not scaring the shame and death of the Cross in the Communion of his sufferings but there are those which preach the Cross of Christ in enmity of the Cross in that they go back from Christ crucified to follow their profit or pleasure in this mortall life These also set up a Throan of Judgment in enmity against Christ by authority whereof they keepe men from looking to the Judgement if Christ so as it is of necessity for every man to discern these two Throans of Judgment for if a man fear the Judgment of mortality he is darkened from seeing the Judgment of immortality but if he truly see the Throan of Judgment setled in Heaven he will be enlightenned not to respect the humain Judgment of men on earth The fifth day of the week 1. THe shame and reproach of Christ and his Christians is that they are men without honour in the world and suffer all things as base men Therefore they which follow him in the honour of the world and in power to defend themselves from oppression are not under the shaddow of Christs Cross for these count it a great shame to suffer as a Christian constantly to death 2. It is noted from 1 Sam. 15.22.23 That it is a worshipping of false God to break the Commandement of God for any worldly or carnall respect whatsoever 3. The unclean meates forbidden in the Law note out how abominable the Idoll and false Doctrines of Devills should be unto us to obey them in our soules who so observeth the Law may escape what it discovereth as death 4. It is noted that Christ made an end of the Law when he took revenge and desire of judgement out of mens hearts that they should not now require eye for eye and go to judgement one with another but on the contrary to forgive each other and so to go to God beseeching him to forgive them and thus in all cases to judge themselves and not others for sin 5. It was the wisdom of God that his own Sonne Christ should come in poore state that none might be allured with worldly glory nor terrified with mortall terrours but that who so receive him may be known to follow him in true love more of him then of themselves 6. Evill Shepherds of mens soules keeping the word in their own authority do as if a Shepherd pretending to feede the flock should keepe the sheepe from the pasture and from safe feeding and agree with these for a part and with the wolfe for the skin and yet aske wages for their service The sixth day of the week 1. AS the eye is the light of the mortall so he mind is the light of the immortall man The eye is simple when is clearly seeth by the light of the world the mind is simple when it is clearly enlightenned by the Word and spirit of Christ which is the â—â—ue light to immortality the mind kept under mens authority is as a man blind-folded 2. If it be Church-robbery or sâ—criledge to take vessells and goods consecrated to holy uses what is it to take the holy word it selfe out of the Book which is sealed in the blood of Christ The first day of the week COncerning the workes of the Law Rom. 3.20 I have this understanding that seeing that is certain that none can be justifyed by the works of the law namely by the justifications holden in the ministery mediation and Priesthood leviticall constituted under the fear and authority of men Then we may conclude that all the service under any worldly authorities though it may seeme farre better then that of Rome yet it Will be found only to condemnation and cannot justifie as to purge the Conscience from dead workes to serve the living God for as these were the workes of the Law of God in the worldly holinesse and authority of justification by men so are these of other Common-wealths the workes of their Law constituted in their feigned holinesse and justifications by their own authority And if that of Israel could not cleanse the Conscience surely all Religions of mens devising do make vain man more vain and harden the heart to commit sin in enmity of the word of God The third day of the weeke 1. FRom Ephes. 3.15 is apparant that as a housholder is over his Family so the heavenly Father is over his Family which consisteth of all his Creation both in the Heavens and upon the earth Therefore his good servants are carefull that Christ of whom all this family is named may dwell in our hearts by faith looking to his invisible presence being rooted and grounded in love both towards the Father and his Sonne who is over the Family in
may bee left to the evill of the world and doe now confesse our sinne against Christ and our readinesse to deny the faith of Jesus and doe take our sicknesse weaknesse or danger of infection with the sinne of the world as a chastisement for our profit as 1 Cor. 11.29 30.31.32 and learning obedience under the present hand of our Lord resolving to renew our Covenants in his communion and doe thus with simple hearts pray to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ by the spirit of holynesse in his resurrection all things will worke that we may live to glorifie God our Creator in the love of his Word and may be preserved to obtaine that crowne of life which is in the Martyrdome of Jesus The first day of the VVeeke THere is a corporall idlenesse which is the way of deadly sinne as Ezech. 16.49 And there is a spirituall idlenesse which is the way of apostasie from Christ as 2 Pet. 1.5 to 8. Now the common Professors and such as have the authority and glory of the world know no Idlenesse but bodily idlenesse and when they urge men to labour they compell to bodily labour in a worldly calling for riches or to get the meat that perisheth but how to labour for assurance to make their calling and election sure they are blinde Wherefore seeing corporall labour is but a type or example of true Christian labour in the minde all that so much urge labour in an outward calling and confound the labour in inward calling as a thing inferiour to the type these are deceivers of mens minde and to bee avoided Mark 8.36 The sixth day of the week J Understand by that in Rom. 3.5 to 8 How God in judging the world bringeth wrath upon man for their sinnes If man doth repent and turne to God tho unrighteousnesse and the lye according to which he walked before his conversion doth now commend the righteousnesse and truth of God thuâ— in that he which was unrighteous is not now to be judged according to what he was namely a sinner but the righteousnesse of God is to bee commended in him because that he which was a sinner is now righteous and will doe no evill no not though good may come of it and the lye of him which was once deceived maketh the truth of God abound to his glory thus in that he which was a lyar doth now walke in the truth and convinceth the world of Gune The first day of the Weeke JN this plague I have considered the enmity of God Iam. 4.4 How from the beginning since mankind was devided upon the earth the judgement of God the Creator and the judgement of men are contrary In that evill men sit on earth to judge God in his word and people Rom. 3.4 and on the other side God sitteth invisibly on his thraone judging the men of the world in righteousnesse Psa. 9.1 Chro. 16.14 2 Chron. 6.30 The judgements of men are in sight but the judgements of God are seen of his people by faith and they discerne how God hee killeth men by the plague c. According to the judgement of men Christ and all his people have their tempration under the authorities of men Luk. 22.28 According to the judgement of God the whole world hath its temptation comming from God Rev. 3 10. From whence we may gather in truth that seeing these two judgement seates are so contrary and the people that are separated to put difference so contrary the people of God are so farre from partaking of the judgements of God upon the people of the world as the people of the world are farre from the judgements of men in the sufferings of Christ Notwithstanding if any of the people that are separated to God doe sinne secretly or openly hee judgeth them by plague or other curses and so killeth them like wicked men of the world as Levit 26 25 25-Num 16.11 46. with Rev. 2.21 23. 2. I consider that it proceedeth from the efficacie of the resurrection of Christ to justifie from sinne Rom. 4 25. with 1.4 5.1 19. And all that doe not apprehend the truth of Christ raysed from the dead they are yet in their sinnes 1 Cor. 15.17 All that condemne us for doing the Law in the righteousnesse of Christ doe judge the Law and doe in effect say that the Law is sin as Rom. 7 7. whereas all that doe the Law confirme it to be holy just and good The third day of the week BY observing the power of God present tâ— helpe I have compared salvation from the plague or other such curses by the faith of Jesus to that salvation from the biâ—ing of Serpents when by faith they looked to the Brasen Serpent and to the word of our God for helpe as Num. 21. with Ioh. 8.14.15 That whosoever can by the word within him apply the communion of Christ either in his own body by suffring as a Christian or in true love and mercy with any that so suffer If any such are smitten or infected with the plague and they presently pray in faith to Jesus the King of Israel looking to his power authority and immortality together also to the fellowship of his sufferings here on earth I am perswaded that the plague shall have no more power over their bodies but they shall be preserved to glorifie God in the love of the Church of Christ as they desire but they must be mindfull in every danger presently to looke up to Jesus whom God gave to save the world and they must looke or pray in faith of his name and of his judgement Joh 3.16.17.18 The fourth day of the week I Have considered that they which have the Martyrdome of Christ God truely known to them in their owne sufferings have the communion of the Sonne of God Jesus Christ in whom they are wonderfully inriched in all speech and in all knowledge 1 Cor. 1.5 to 9. with 2.1.2 The fifth day of the week I Have considered the wonderfull price of mans purchase and the reason of our being Gods owne peculiar body in this price given thus Christ having given himselfe for the life of the world and being gloryfied from the sufferings in mortality hath obtained to give his holy spirit to those which follow him in the new birth Ioh. 14.16 26. with Act. 2.33 All therefore that deny themselves in their sinnes and bring their bodies subject to God so as he accepts of their body for a Temple by the gift of his Holy Spirit these are now bought with this price of the holy Spirit which is of God Therefore seeing the spirit which is in the body is one with God in Christ it is manifest that not so much as the body is any mans owne but it is Christs which liveth in it 1 Cor 6.19.20 17. with Gal. 2.20 And thus every man that in the Baptisme of Christ hath received the earnest of his Spirit as 2 Cor. 1.22 5.5 Ephes. 1.14 Is bought