first born which are written in heaven This is the Church to which Jesus Christ is all and in all filling all the Apostle to thisChurch the Prophet Pastor and Teacher preaching to it prophesying in it feeding it and watching over it and teachingit so as all are taught ofGod This is the Church against which the gates of hel cannot prevail having Iesus Christits rock and foundation This is the Church to which all the promises of Spirit life and glory are made to the beleevers and members that are in this Fellowship and of this Church And into this Church all are admitted through the Spirit of Christ and all are discerned members in the same Spirit and tryed by the Spirit And this Church of Christ being thus baptized by Spirit into one body is not to be divided by any outward things which are of this Creation which are visible outward and perishing or by any fellowship and ordinances below the glory of the Spirit which are part of the first Tabernacle nor are the members of this spiritual Church to be divided by any schism or division procured or effected by any principle less or less excellent then the Spirit of God And therefore whatsoever fellowship in pretence of Church-notion or Baptismnotion or Presbyterial-notion shal cast it self into any model of the letter which allows not communion with other beleevers in Spirit in whom the power of the Spirit and of Christ cannot be denyed but to be visible and apparent though not in the practice of some particular ordinance such fellowship wil in the day of the Lord Iesus or clearer revelation of Christ see how they have offended many little ones whom in these outward things they ought to have pleased to edification the law of love and spirit or life being more royal and excellent then any worldly rudiment whatsoever The true Personal Raign of Christ as it is Spiritual The Lord Jesus is entered into his glory having crucified flesh and sits at the right hand of God or in the choycest glory of the Father where he is the Lord that Spirit and the Lord of glory The Lord Iesus must reign til he hath put all his enemies under his feet he fils all administrations of Dominion Iudgement Power and Magistracy in the world which is part of his Kingdom here all judgement and power in heaven and earth being committed unto him yet this is not his spiritual reign though administred by him who is in Spirit The Lord Jesus hath a kingdom inward and spiritual the kingdom of God is within you the kingdom of God is righteousness peace and joy the kingdom of God is in power The Lord Jesus denyed his kingdom to be of this world or to come with observation as lo here or lo there as the glory of the world and the kingdoms of the world is in its appearance The Lord Jesus his coming is as lightning from East to West filling heaven lightning is a glory without figure so shal Christs coming and revelation in Spirit be for as the lightning lighteth from one end of heaven to the other so shal the coming of the Son of man be The Lord Jesus his coming is in Spirit and glory in revelation in his Saints he shal come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that beleeve The Lord Jesus reigns already all things are put in subjection under him death and hel and sin and Antichrist and the wicked only we see not all yet put under him Jesus Christ reigns inSpirit only his reign appears not yet now are we the Sons of God but it doth not appear what we shal be but when he shal appear we shal be like him All the prophesies and promises of glory and a kingdome of Antichrist to be destroyed of the great Battels of the Thrones of the new Ierusalem of him on the white horse the Lord of Lords and King of Kings are most glorious in Spirit and most suitable to Christ in the glory of his Father and for any other figure of Christs reign or kingdom in any fleshly glory political or monarchical kingdom according to any pattern upon earth these conceptions or notions are occasioned by the Allegories and Allusions and Parables the Spirit speaks which they that are weak and carnal as some Disciples and Pharisees were take more in the Letter then in the Spirit Antichrist within us THat Antichristian mystery which seems to be working in so many figures and shapes without in the world and makes up the truth of those Scriptures of the beast and the whore and the false prophet c. flows only from the Antichrist within us or the mystery of iniquity which lies in the flesh or old man or man of sin the Son of perdition as in the root seed or principle and in us you may finde all the delusions and deceivableness of unrighteousness with all the severall figures it appears in in the Revelation and Epistle to the Thessalonians and the Spirit of that Naturall man in us acts all that wickedness in us which in the World comes forth onely in Images more Visible and fleshly and to the destruction of this Antichrist we should look and lay the Axe to the root of the tree carnall wisdome self-righteousness high imaginations fleshly apprehensions of God and Christ changing the truth of God into a lye with all the false testimonies of our own spirits for the Spirit of God the counterfeit sealings and assurances of our carnall hearts the deceiveableness of carnall reason with all other actings of the flesh The Doctrine of Baptisms THe Doctrine of Baptisms is such a doctrine as cleerly and spiritually understood and opened will establish the Spirits of many Christians who are much in the dark in these not distinguishing nor discerning the Baptisms as they are in their own Nature and in Spirit or as the truth is in Jesus The Baptism of Sufferings THe Baptism of Sufferings is that Passion Crucifying and death which the Body or flesh of Christ was to be Baptized or washed in Can ye be Baptized with the Baptism that I am Baptized with The Baptism of Sufferings is that in which the Lord Jesus was to be perfected according to the flesh it behooved him to make the Captain of our Salvation perfect through sufferings The Baptism of Sufferings is that Jordan that stream or flood of Passions which all the Spirituall Israelites were to pass through this was that River of Brimstone which is kindled from the breath of the Lord Jesus himself through the flowings of which he was able to conduct all his and Land them safely upon the shore or land of Promise or on the other side Jordan I have a Baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished This Baptism of sufferings is that in which all the whole
flesh of Christ is to be Baptized all which flesh is not that onely which Christ appeared in but that of his body or members With the baptism that I am baptized with shall ye be baptized That I may fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church The Baptism of water or of John THe Baptism of water is Johns Ministry unto Christ I indeed Baptize yee with water unto Repentance the Baptism of water was a Legall washing and therefore reckoned amongst things that are Legall The first Tabernacle stood in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnall Ordinances which divers washings are called Baptisms in the Greek The Baptism of Water was therefore in its Ministry administred by Iohn who was a Prophet nearer the more cleer Revelation of Jesus Christ then the rest for a greater Prophet then Iohn hath not risen and therefore this Ministration was administred by him who was a Prophet or one rather upon the account of the Law then the Gospel for he that was least in the Kingdome of God is greater then he The Baptism of Water was not given in Christs Ministery to his Disciples or Apostles who when he sent them out to preach first to the Iews gave them not one word to Baptize the Lord Iesus was Baptized by Iohn the Minister of Water to fulfill righteousness for his the Righteousness of washing which was Legall as Circumcision therefore we are said to be Circumcised with him in Baptism the Baptism of Water was performed by the Disciples and Apostles of Christ in the Name of the Lord Iesus as all other Legall Ordinances were for Circumcision and all was to Christ who was the end of the Law but Iesus Christ himself never Baptized any never was an administrator of it in his own person he Baptized none but his Disciples so as his Disciples Baptized none as his onely Ministration but as from Iohn and as in his Ministration unto the Lord Iesus and as a Ministration which was begun by one who was so eminent a Prophet and so acceptable to Disciples that were weak and Legall The Baptism of Water was more used by those Apostles or Disciples which were Jewish and to the Jews as Peter who had the Apostle-ship of Circumcision and so did Judaize more then by the Apostle who was less a Iew and had not seen Christ in the flesh but in the Spirit and was an Apostle to the Uncircumcision and professed he was not sent to Baptize but to preach the Gospel This Baptism of Water was called a Baptism of Repentance and of Manifestation to Israel because that comming of Christ in the flesh was the first opening of the Mystery of Christ in flesh to those who were under sin and bondage as the Iews and the Gentiles were The Baptism of the holy Ghost or gifts THe Baptism of the holy Ghost or Gifts is that Baptism which is said to be more properly Christs ministration He shall baptize yee with the holy Ghost and with fire The Baptism of the Holy Ghost or Gifts was that Baptism which the Lord Jesus promised his Disciples to fulfill upon them and upon their Ministration Go teach and Baptize all Nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and lo I am with you c. or I Disciple those Nations and Baptize them with the Holy Ghost in your ministration for we all know that Apostles and Disciples could not disciple or baptize any who is Paul or who is Apollos and this Ministration of the Holy Ghost or Gifts was to last that Age for so is the Greek not for ever and ever or to the end of the world as is commonly read but to the Age or during the time or for the fulfilling of that ministration The Baptism of Gifts or the Holy Ghost was administred from Christ in the Disciples ministration be Baptized and ye shall receive the gifts of the holy Ghost for the promise is to you and to your children c. which promise is that of gifts or the holy Ghost which was that thing promised by Iohn upon Christs Ministery he shall Baptize with the holy Ghost and was promised by Jesus Christ himself Ye shall be Baptized with the holy Ghost c. and Paul laid his hands on them and they received the holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost fell on them this was a promise in the Prophets too The Baptism of the Holy Ghost or Gifts and fire was in figure Gifts held forth the flowing of a more spirituall Nature or of the Spirit upon those who were true spirituall Disciples and fire was a sign or figure of the power of the Spirit in the Spirituall Disciples burning up and destroying flesh and the body of sin in them even this first creation upon which it fell for it sate upon each of them in fire signifying by its resting upon their flesh what part was designed to loss and purification The fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is if any mans work be burnt he shall suffer loss but he himself shal be saved yet so as by fire The Baptism of Christ THe Baptism of Christ which is his own proper and Spirituall and onely ministration is that by which all true Christians are Baptized into fellowship with him and oneness with him and so becomes wholly washed in the New creature or New man or Baptized into the very Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost of which that Baptism administred in gifts or the Holy Ghost by the Apostles more visibly was a sign The Baptism of Christ who is the Lord that Spirit the Image of the invisible God the quickning Spirit is that one Baptism spoken on in Ephes. 4. One Lord one faith one Baptism for Jesus Christ administring in himself and his own Spirituall Nature can onely make us thus one with himself and with his own body The Baptism of Christ thus Administred in his own Spirituall Nature upon his is that very Baptism by which we are in the fellowship of his sufferings and of his death as many as are baptized into Christ are Baptized into his death and as many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ so as this Baptism by which we are all Baptized into Christ and put on Christ and his death is spirituall for Christ can not be truely put on nor any thing of his his sufferings death or resurrection but in Spirit and Truth whereby we are truely crucified and dead with him to our selves and the world and alive with him in one spirit the same Spirit that raised up Iesus Christ shall also quicken our mortall bodies The Baptism of Jesus Christ is that whereby we are baptized into his body now
it but the peace and prosperity of Kingdomes and Magistrates who establish it and the life glory and happiness destruction and death of Kingdomes is wrapped in the Christians life or death they are the parts and Members of Christ the apple of his eye his Jewels his anointed his Prophets his Children As therefore ye look to be prospered by this Spirit of God as ye look for wisdom from this Spirit of God to govern this State as ye look for comfort from this Spirit of God in all your distresses as ye look for gifts from this Spirit of God in all the administrations as ye look for the sweet spirituall breathings and refreshment from this Spirit of God in all the severall changes of this creation love preserve Indulge this Spirit quench not oppose not oppress not this Spirit confine it not to one outward form or fellowship of men which are not that Catholick Church that Apostleship of infallibility and they that are spirituall live in that spirit truth which makes them free indeed and it is below that Spirit of God to Petition liberty of conscience in spirituals from any men or Magistrates in the World because God will make Ierusalem a cup of trembling to all Nations and a stone of astonishment and the spirituall Christians will rather hold forth such things to bear witness to the truth and to desire all to forbear persecution as much for their own sakes who persecute as for theirs who are persecuted And for that just power of Magistracy I acknowledge it a Power Ordained of God for administration of Iustice and righteousness in the societies of men and nations a Minister of God for good a terrour to evill works and that we are to be subjest to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake and for this cause we pay tribute to whom tribute honour to whom honour and all societies of Christians by no pretence of religion or liberty for the worship of God are to resist or disturb the civill administration of this power but as to that consideration all Christians are to suffer according to the will of God all lawfull ways for preservation of States and Kingdomes still excepted and all such Magistracy are to preserve their respective States by all wholesome lawfull cautionary Lawes and Ordinances in Peace so as while liberty or indulgency as to the tender consciences in Religion is spoken on yet no less security of the State no diminution to the just power of Magistracy no less preservation of the Peace of the Kingdom is desired by those that are truly spirituall And though many suffer under the name of Hereticks and Schismaticks before ye for not conforming to the present doctrine and discipline established Right Honourable consider whether this doth not call in question all the very present doctrine and discipline so established for by this very thing of judging all Inconformity to the present worship and form of things to be Heresie by the same all this present form of worship and confession of faith is judged Heresie and Schism to the late former government and doctrine established in the Church of England this present Synod of men being no more that visible Catholike Church and infallible Apostleship then the former were so as the changing the former Articles of the Church of England into a new confession of faith the Episcopacy into Presbytery and so altering both the fundamentals in religion and the discipline is equally new light and Heresie As to the former doctrine and discipline and if it be objected but this present Synod are men of more light and Piety then the former and so they establish more truth and bring in more Reformation if so why is there not more love more peaceableness more self-deniall more power of godliness then there was in the suffering Bishops and the Preaching Lay-Martyrs then who loved Christ in himself and in one another And now Noble Senators since very worthy things have been formerly done by ye unto this Nation let not your Sun set in a cloud nor your light shine upon those that have loved you as the Moon once upon the Water making it of the colour of Blood are ye not come to the Kingdome in Peace Are not the gleanings of Ephraim in the Vintage Did not David say shall any man be put to death this day in Israel The Lord enlighten ye if it be his will more and more in the knowledge of Iesus Christ and of the love of God and of all who have any thing of God in them and let you see those things which concerne your peace in this your day Your Honours humble Servant John Saltmarsh To all true Christians Friends THE only scope of this Book is to minde ye of an higher excellency than meer created things can afford ye of the truth as it is in Jesus or in Spirit And of that unity of Spirit which Christians should live in under their severall forms and attainments and I have not held forth any discovery of truth or of any higher dispensation so as to darken too much other dispensations in which Christians live or to lessen and undervalue their attainments but only to be faithfull in the power of God to his discoveries in my own spirit I desire we may all bear one anothers burdens and consider that God is in all his severall dispensations and measures and Christians are not to hasten out of any till the Lord himself say come up hither and the stronger are to bear the infirmities of the weak I am not against the Law nor repentance nor duties nor ordinances as some would say So as all these flow from their right principle to their right end I am not against the setling of Church-Government Prudentially as now so as all of another way be not persecuted Because I know God hath his people under severall attainments and measures and is to his people in all these in his meer grace and love as formerly to the Bishops and thousands of weak Christians in Queen Elizabeths and Queen Maries dayes of Martyrdom in their forms I am only against any form as it becomes an engine of persecution to all Christians differing from it I am not against the sitting of an Assembly or Synod at Westminster that are so perswaded because that is but to allow such liberty to others consciences as we desire our selves and surely if they would propound such things only as they have received or they are in conscience perswaded of to all the Kingdom and so leave it to the Spirit of God and their ministery to perswade and convince all others and not desire power from others to compell this were but to minister as they had received I have stated some things and truths as they are held in those very grounds the Spirit of God in the Reader may Judge truth without any determination of man I have spoken concerning the libertyof some that are spirituall
the time appointed of the Father And I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal even as unto babes in Christ I have fed you with milk and not with meat And the great and excellent design or mind of God in all these things is only to lead out his people Church or Disciples from age to age from faith to faith from glory to glory from letter to letter from ordinance to ordinance from flesh to flesh and so to Spirit and so to more Spirit and at length into all Spirit when the Sonne shal deliver up the kindom unto the Father and God shal be all in all which last transition or resignation or resolution of all into the kingdom of God is not as some think only when the fulness of times or ages is come but is transacting and finishing in parts and members of the body of Christ and is not one single act point or effusion of glory but a perfecting and fulfilling it in the several members of Jesus Christ till the fulness of the stature of Christ be made up and the Church become the fulness of him that filleth all in all For the day dawns and the day-star arises in the heart shining more and more unto a perfect day and he who is the bright and morning Staris stil shining into the glory of the Sun of righteousness and the light of the Moon shal become as the light of the sun and the light of the Sun as the light of seven dayes till the Lord God himself be the everlasting light and our God our Glory Thus is the Christian or Disciple of Christ passing on upon the severall degrees and measures into the glory of Christ and crucifying each condition as he passes thorough it as all the Disciples have done before the Jews passed out of that of the Tabernacle into the Temple and from thence into the flesh of Christ that Temple destroyed and raised up in three dayes a greater then Solomon being there and from thence into Christ Crucified and so into a ministry of spirit and life And the Disciples all of them had a measure of time and season in each Ministration and God had his when he filled the Tabernacle with a cloud and the Temple with Glory and the flesh of Christ with unction or spirit above his fellows and while God lived in each ministration quickning and glorifying and acting it for himself that presence of God and of Spirit was to the Disciples like the Sun in Summer shining upon them the candle of the Lord shining upon their heads and his secret upon their Tabernacles But when the line of Gods season was run out to its point and extremity that he would no longer stay there nor have his glory inhabit in such or such a ministration then that ministration became but a place of desolation a solitary place for the Satyrs to dwell in and the screech Owle to sing in that is for the Spirit of Apostacy and of Antichrist or iniquity to possesse and act in And for Disciples to stay longer in any ministration then the Lord or the life and Spirit of Christ is in it is as if Lot should tarry in Sodom Israel with the Ark when God was departed the Iews in the Temple when the Vail was rent and the glory gone off to the threshold and from thence too their house being left unto them desolate even that house or ministration where the light of God did formerly dwell As if the Disciples of Christ that went into the Grave should step in and sojourn there where his body had lain and was risen and gone seeking the dead amongst the living The disciples of Christ were a true figure of such who when Christ was dead were embalming the body and would preserve it with spices and ointments when the spirit and life was out of it The Iews were a figure of such who would preserve their Law and the shadows of all their worship when Christ had left them who was the life and substance of all that ministration Peter and the rest were a true image of such who in that sword he wore was a true figure of all such as Christ suffers in a warlike and defensive posture about his flesh or whom he suffers to be so far conformed to the fashion of the world as to guard and preserve those fleshly priviledges of his presence and power amongst them and in that activity of his to rescue and preserve that flesh and body in which so much glory and excellency had appeared and so many miracles were done beyond that point or end of ministration which God even the Father and the Son himself had set was a figure of all such as should stretch out any dispensation or ministration of God farther than the line or spiritual sinew of it wil bear Let the Reader take notice that this following of the Baptist should have been placed next after the Doctrines of Baptism but by reason of the Authors absence it was misplaced The Baptists BAptism of Water being a Legall Ordinance though a more cleer administration of Christ was administred alwaies by persons of more than ordinary gift and spirit for in all Legall administrations which pointed at and shaddowed Christ still they were performed by some properly and specially and extraordinarily enabled for that Office or Ministration and therefore the tribe of Levi was for administration of Ordinances then under the Law and Abraham for circumcision Moses and Aron c. Iohn Baptist the Apostles and the more then ordinary gifted Disciples and Philip and Ananias not is there any extant in all the new Testament who did administer Baptism but they were such as by a power and gift more than ordinary could make demonstration of their calling to the administration of water which was first in that way of doctrine performed by him then whom a greater Prophet hath not risen even by Iohn who Baptized and so Philip and Ananias the one working glorious miracles at Samaria the other having a vision from God to warrant and glorifie his call to that administration upon Paul and so all the Apostles and seventy Disciples were such who went about doing miracles as men excellently gifted for administration and whereas the Scriptures make mention of some Disciples as those with Peter who did not appear to do any thing more then others nor Philip nor Ananias at the time of their administration of water it ought to be sufficient to us that the Scriptures doth set forth Iohn Baptist and the Apostles and Disciples that were more than ordinarily gifted and Philip and Ananias who had sufficient warrant to themselves by such glory upon them for that Office and administration of water upon any and for those other Disciples surely we see and read enough to tell us in those that were so gifted and in them and their gifts there is light enough to shew us
he that sits upon the Throne in his Spirit saith behold I make all things all new old things in him as corruptions and lusts do pass away The Ministry that hath been since Antichrist or the mystery of iniquity reigned without or in the worship of God in all Societies of Christians called Churches whether in Presbytery Independency or Baptism is not the same with that first Ministry of the Gospel in pure gifts and is no other then the witnesses in sackcloth THe Lord Jesus ascendedup on high out of flesh into Spirit and gavegifts unto men he gave some Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors some Teachers In this administration of gifts the mystery of Iesus Christ or the Gospel was revealed and carryed on till the time Prophesied on by the Spirit of God wherein the mystery of iniquity should prevail and the falling away should be and the man of sin should be revealed and perillous times should come and this mystery of iniquity did so darken and overcast all this administration of the Gospel in gifts and ordinances or outward administrations as there was a visible Apostacy respectively to those very pure gifts of the Spirit and pure administrations respectively to the first institution and this is no more then the experience of our own age and the times before so far as any History can make apparent doth clearly demonstrate so as that administration of Spirit or Ordinances which hath been in several times since the first pure Gospel-day or time wherein the Spirit did minister in truth and demonstration hath been but in some faint and smal discoveries of the Spirit and Letter as in those of Huss Luther Wickcliff Calvin Peter Martyr and Bede with all the rest of our many Martyrs in the kingdom who were glorious lights respectively to the darkness of that generation yet if compared with the pure glory of the first Gospel-administration in gifts and ordinances were far below and in darkness and weakness to that so as I look upon all Gods ways of the administration of his Gospel to hold some proportion one with another the Tabernacle and Temple and Laws of outward administration were such ways and means God did appear in and so in the Priests and Prophets God at sundry times and in divers manners speaking to our fathers and afterward God took up our very flesh to administer in and so came and spoke to us by his Son and after all these the Lord went out from these after his usage of them and appearance in them and then they were no more an ordinance or way to God as they formerly were nor did ever the Lord enjoyn the restitution or reassuming of them again when the Temple was once rent the vail of it the Lord was no more in it nor in their Priesthood and Sacrifices c. nor when once the Lord Iesus had ended his administration in the flesh upon the Cross did he ever restore it in that very way again or intend it according to that first appearance but in a more glorified state And so in all reformations respectively to these former administrations they never returned back or reassumed the same again after once God had refused it and laid it by When Christ came in the flesh he did not make it his work to settle the Priesthood again but to lead them into the spirituall glory and fulfilling of all those legal dispensations and carry them on into more Gospel-administrations and that which was more excellent and perfect So it is in that first Gospel-administration of gifts and ordinances after Christ ascended there were such pure operations of Spirit as in gifts and some outward institutions and Church-administrations but these were only the Ministration for that age as the Tabernacle was for its age and the Temple Priesthood and Sacrifices for their age and the flesh of Christ for its age or time so as the falling away is no more but the Lord gathering up or taking in the out-goings operations or gifts of his Spirit in such a way of ministration and till this was done there was a withholding of the mystery of iniquity from being revealed therefore saith the Apostle to the Saints Ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time and he who letteth will let till he be taken out of the way and truly that mystery did not work freely nor powerfully till the Lord had removed the glory of his Spirit from the Churches the presence of which did exceedingly prevent and withhold and put an hinderance to the revelation and dominion of that man of sin And the Spirit of God foreseeing God about to leave this ministration of Gospel-glory to the world and bring a night upon all that day and brightness of his Son prophesied of the times to come and to succeed that glory viz in the last dayes perillous times shal come men shal be lovers of themselves covetous proud boasters c despisers of those that are good high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the Power thereof But there were false Prophets among the People even as there shal be false Teachers amongst you who privily shal bring in damnable Heresies c. and many shal follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth shal he evil spoken off and through covetousness shal they make merchandize of you Beloved remember ye thewords which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ how that they told you there should be mockers in the last times these be they Seperating themselveshaving not the Spirit Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist should come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time So as from all these places of the Apostles we may see their Prophesies of the Antichristian times which are the times of the flesh and of the Spirit of iniquity raigning amongst the Saints or in the Christian world the Lord of Glory Iesus Christ in Spirit being all this time crucified in Spirituall Sodome Aegipt or Babylon which is the Kingdom of the Flesh and the Powers of Darkness and this is the State and condition of the Church of Christ or those who are the Spiritual vessells or Golden cups of the Lords Temple and carried away captive and live under the Power of Flesh and of Spirituall wickednesses So as all the time of the raign and Preuailing of this mystery which mystery is in a threefold Principallity or eminency viz. of the beast the false Prophet the devil all which three work as well without unto the world as within in the flesh of every Saint all the time of this raign or prevailing is not a time of any restitution or restauration of the first ministry or gifts or ordinances as was in the Apostles times but is the
the Power and Iudgment committed to Christ Scripture and the gift of wisdom justice and righteousness are his unction now as the oyl or anointing was his unction under the Old Testament Magistracy for form is not one and the same but divers according to the several polity of Nations and Kingdoms by Kings singly or Kings and States joyntly as in this Kingdom or States singly as in the old notions of Monarchy Aristocracy Democracy and that each Nation is subject according to its polity and form to the respective government and that Scriptures cloath and invest that form in its very first being and constitution and that form receives an Image of God upon it as the first man who as soon as he became such a model of earth or clay became a man and had the glory of God upon him and dominion over the creatures These Powers and Magistratesupon earth are set up for the punishment ofevil doers and for the praise of them that do wel justice and righteousness being that very line or golden reed by which they are measured the very Scales by which Godweighs them where if they be found too light he gives their Kingdoms to another All lawful subjection is to be rendred honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute and subjection to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake Prayers and Supplicationsare to be made for them that we may lead a peaceable and a quiet life in all godliness and honesty Magistracy is set up not only to be an Image of Christ to the world but to administer Peace and Judgment to the world and Societies of men and more principally to his people in the flesh who while they are nursing fathers to them do administer truly and to Christ in his people when Persecutors Christ stil turns their administration though evil in it self into good for his all things working together for good to those that love God The high and glorious design of Christ in Magistracy is to open a way in all their kingdoms and dominions for the Spirit of God to breath in Kings shal be thy fathers c. and walk in in such outward administrations as it pleaseth the Spirit of God to appear in to the Saints who are in flesh and weakness and so far as concerns any outward administration of Christ Iesus Christ becomes a subject in his Saints to the power he hath committed to Magistracy they having power to hinder and further his spiritual design so far as it comes forth in the outward man therefore all power of Magistracy turned against the Spirit of God in this apearance shal and all such Kingdoms and Nations as proceed accordingly viz. to oppose that Kingdom Power and Dominion they receive from Christ against him in his spiritual Kingdom shal be dashed to pieces like a potters vessel Be wise now therefore O ye Kings and be instructed ye Judges of the earth But all such Nations States and Kingdoms as shal administer not only judgment and righteousness in the world but shal bring their glory and honour to Christ and hiâ— Spirit in his People Peace shal be within their walls and prosperity within their Palaces judgment shal flow there like a river and righteousness like a mighty stream The discerning of Spirits THere was such a Maniâ—estation of Spirit given to the people of God in the first Gospel-times as they could in the very unction or anointing of God discern Spirits and try Spirits Ye have an unction and ye know all things the same anointing teacheth ye to another the gift of discerning Spirits In this Manifestation of Spirit were all False-teachers Deceivers Antichrists and Hypocrites judged and discerned I wil come to you saith the Apostle and will know not the words of them that are puffed up but the power This Manifestation of Spirit is that in which Spiritual men are known and revealed to each other and have as ful assurance of each other in Spirit and in Truth as men know men by the voice features complexions statures of the outward man The Manifestation of Spirit may be darkned and clouded in Christians sometimes and hath been in the purest times when the Disciples did not know Simon Magus nor Demas nor Hymenaeus and Philetus nor those that went out from them nor Judas The Manifestation of Spirit hath been much lost and darkned in the Churches for many hundred years since the Antichristian darkness upon them and therefore they have judged Spiritual things in a mist and in much dimness and doubtfulness it hath been neither night nor day For supplement of this Manifestation of Spirit Christians walked by Candle-light and Star-light and set up marks and signs of tryal and demonstration in the letter and outward man so as any hypocrite might appear for a true Christian and therefore most of their way of Manifestation hath been from formal relations and confessions of faith and experiences according to the Law or standard of their own Spirits trying and judging all other measures of grace by their own The experience of Christians who have the Spirit of God in them is very clear concerning the workings and manifestations of the same Spirit in others as in Prayer Preaching Prophesying Conference Conformity to Christ Spiritual conversation so as Christians can in a manner say the Spirit of God is here and here or here I tast and see something of God here is a spiritual savour there is none as in natural things there is such a proportion betwixt the sense and object that the sense knows and discerns its own object as in smelling tasting seeing hearing so in Spirituals and as there is an outward a letter or Scripture Christianity by which men are distinguished as Jew and Gentile as Professors and Prophane as of the visible Church and of the world so there is in the true spiritual Church or Kingdom of God in Truth a more pure spiritual and glorious way of knowing each other according to that true spiritual glory nature and light that each walks in being all children of the day and of the light And this is no more then the fulfilling of that promise then shal ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not but it is in that day when the Lord makes up his jewels which the more glorious revelation of Jesus Christ in the Saints gathering his people into more unity and glory of Spirit All works and fruits of men as they are Christians and spiritual must either be judged and discerned in the same Spirit and measure of light and glory in which they are wrought and from whence they flow or else it is but a meer formal outward pretended false and fleshly way of judging in those that so judg and thus the tree is truly and purely known by its fruits and faith by works The same Faith
of the children of the bondwoman and of the Christians under the Apostacy or in meer letter and corrupted forms of worship and as the Jew was reckoned before to be the people of meer Ordinances and of the worship of God according to the letter of Scriptures to whom the Oracles of God were committed and to whom pertained c. so the Christians generally who are now the people of the New Testament as to letter and of all the worship according to the scriptures in the letter are that Jew under the new Testament answering to the Jew under the old there being two seeds according to the flesh and according to promise though they by promise or faith are counted for the seed The calling of the Jews is the bringing up the Christians from letter to Spirit and according to this mystery the Jews shal be called and converted dayly and are for in the whole Nations of Christians as of Italy Germany Poland Denmark Spain France Scotland England c. the Lord shal call in many by his own Spirit into himself and shal be revealed in them in power not in form That the Jews who are by nature Jews or according to fleshly generation shal be no otherwise called but as the other Jew of which they are a figure and thus they interpret the call of the Iews and not in any such outward observation as men commonly suppose not remembring that the kingdom of God comes not with observation as to the world and that the day of the Lord shal come as a snare upon all the earth All false worships ways practised in Conscience or in Liberty will be destroyed in Christ's day GOD hath a time before Christ come in Spirit as he had before Christ came in the flesh a time wherein he suffered long and was patient and was revealed to his people though dwelling in much Gentilism Judaism and ignorance and therefore Gods appearance or communion with his people from the time of the falling away or of the man of sin being revealed hath bin in grace and long suffering and hath patiently born his being crucified in spirituall Sodome or Egypt and therefore he hath been with his people under Popery under Episcopacy and is at this day not in approbation of their forme but in his own meer love grace and long-suffering and is at this day accordingly with the people in Independency Presbytery Baptism c. and all other male-administrations The Lord Jesus hath a day and time to be revealed in which is his coming in the Saints when he will judge the World and then shall Antichrist be consumed and the flesh of the whore or Babylon in all her administrations shall be tormented and burnt with fire and not a little one of Babylon shall be spared but dashed against the stones not the purest Idols she hath even Idols of gold and silver with all her merchandise pearls and pretious stones and cynamons and odours and frankincense all things of false worship c. and administration though very sweet and pretious in the judgement of flesh and blood and then shal all the saints Indulgencies cease to all these things under which they are now walking some in Conscience some in Liberty even then when Gods indulgency ceases A discovery of Christ in us SOme say it is no other but habits of grace in us and such a work of sanctification mortification wrought by the graces of the Spirit and this they say is Christ formed in us the image of Christ the conformity to Christ this the Protestant generally Others say Christ in us is when we are made the anointed of God which is the Christ or the whole entire Christ as one spiritual new man And that the image of Christ in us is Christ manifested in our flesh as to sufferings and death whereby the flesh is crucified in the power of God and of the Spirit and the outward man or the Flesh is dying and perishing even day by day and is then dead when the very life of the Flesh is slain and we live no more unto our selves but God or Christ liveth in us it being no more we that live and manifested as in resurrection or in the life of the Spirit wherein we who were dead in sins and trespasses are risen with Christ who is the resurrection and the life I am the resurrection and the life The Fiery Tryall THere is a State and condition of Christians scarce known and it is the fiery Tryall or that power of God put forth upon the administrations that Christians are under and so passing out of them into higher discoveries of God and the fiery tryall is the Spirit of God burning up or destroying such an administration to a Christian as when a Christian passes from a meer legall state into a state lesse legall or more Gospell receiving some more precious and sweet appearances of God in Grace and free promises in this passage there is a Fiery Tryall upon that first Administration that was Legall whereby mans own righteousness is consumed and crucified to a more excellent discovery of God and even in that more Gospel-State of a Christian whereby he enjoyes God in that ministration of graces gifts and Ordinances there will be a fiery Tryall in a Christians passage into more glorious manifestations of God and there will be a burning and torment even in that ministration of his graces and gifts c. And this State is Prophesied of in that Scripture the sun shall be turned into darkness the moon into blood before that great and notable day that is not only the Lord Iesus the Sun as some say wil be as darkness to the world c. but all that which was the glory and light of a Christian and his way of communion with God his Sun and Moon and Stars shal be darkned and become as blood before that notable day or that more excellent revelation of God and that of Peter but the day of the Lord will come c. in the which the heavens shal pass away with a great noise and the elements shal melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up which is not only a Prophecy of the last judgment but of the particular judgment upon former administrations in a Christian which is figured out in the heavens and earth and elements which are those more or less glorious administrations and the fire is that trial by the Spirit of God which as fire burns and destroys This is accordingly figured out in that to the Corinthians The fire shal try every mans work of what sort it is If any mans work shal be burnt he shal suffer loss which work is those several administrations of gold silver pretious stones wood hay stubble which pass under the revelation of the day or glory of Christ or fire of the spirit This is
plainly and clearly in the letter not so much in spirit as the letter of the New Testament And therefore the Magistracie now having no such special reference to a Church-Politiâ— nor any such Ministery infallibly directive joyned to them cannot proceed so to reform nor compel nor punish 3. The Magistrates under the New Testament are Ministers as to good and evil not as to Truth and Heresie and this good and evil is such good and evil as falls under the Law of their cognizance that is the Law of Nature by which they make Laws and judge the breach of them which Law of Nature or right Reason is the Law or principle for administration of Justice and Righteousnesse in all Societies of Men and Nations And thus the Magistrate bears not the sword in vain But this is not as to Heresie and Schism of which the higher Law is judge viz. the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ not the Law of Nature or this Creation 4. In that Prophecie Kings shall be thy fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers is not in its own Scripture or any other interpreted to be any other thing then the indulgency and favour of States and Kingdoms to the people of God which is far from bearing witnesse to any destructivenesse or persecution of them 5. That Peter smote Ananias and his wife Sapphira with death for lying is onely a witnesse of Gods power and holinesse put forth in an act of Miracle upon the sin of Hypocrisie for convincing unbelievers and confirming believers and is no way exemplary to any Magistrate being a power by miracle or by an extraordinary act and Magistracie in its administration is ordinary and it was in an Apostle not a Magistrate by a spiritual not a carnal weapon 6. Pauls wishing that such were cut off that troubled them holds forth no other cutting off then by Church-censure or Excommunication which was a visible dividing them from that visibly spiritual body the Church called a delivering up to Sathan c. 7. The Church of Thyatira was reproved for suffering Jezebel to teach and to seduce but this is not the Magistracie of Thyatira which was to forbid her teaching by punishment but the Angel or Ministery of that Church as all agree who was rebuked because they or he put not forth that spiritual power they had of Admonition Rejection Excommunication 8. The father and mother of him that begat the false Prophet and was to thrust him thorow that prophesied lyes in the name of the Lord was a Prophesie respectively to the Law of the Jews which was amongst them against false Prophets and had a true Priesthood and infallible Prophets with a special Law to try them by and condemn them And more spiritually was this By the false Prophet is meant the spirit of Antichrist by the father and mother that begat him they who made him a Prophet or begat cried him up into the reputation of a Prophet and then thrusting him thorow for the lyes he prophesied is their spiritual smiting that Antichristian working with the Sword of the Spirit through some new enlightnings from God received or brightnesse of Christs glory which shall stay and kill all appearances deceiveablenes of the man of sin or false Prophet and not suffer him to live 9. That there will be no settlement of Peace Order or Truth in the Church if the Magistrates do not punish for Heresie is upon mistaken false grounds supposing three things which are not First that the Church-politie of the Jews by Magistrate and Priesthood is to be used by Christians which is not it being fulfilled in Christ the true King and Priest and Christians having no such infallible Priesthood to joyn to Magistracie Secondly that Civil power can establish any thing of an higher glory law and principle then it self as all spiritual truths and discoveries of Jesus Christ are Thirdly the mistake of true spiritual settlement peace order and truth which receive all their being propagation and establishment from the Spirit of God and the Scriptures and such spiritual Laws as God hath revealed for ordering the outward man of the Christian by respectively to the Society or fellowship of other Christians called Church-censures c. Christians being under a twofold Politie that of the Kingdome of Christ as Christians that of the Kingdom of this world as men or such as are subject to the Laws of civil Government And likewise supposing all peace and order to be grounded upon Uniformity not upon Unity of spirit and preservation of the civil Peace of the State 10. That States and Kingdoms do to this day practise punishing Heresie by the power of Magistrates and that Councels and Synods do allow it all such practice of what States soever in this kinde doth shew onely what they do not what they ought to do And the kingdoms of the world are prophesied on to give their Kingdoms and strength from themselves to the false Church And for Councels and Synods they are such as have erred in other things and why not in this it being their great Interest to establish themselves c. by the Magistrates power Whatsoever is not of faith is sin So as all who are compelled in things of Worship to do any thing of which they are not perswaded do sin Gospel-sins or sins against an higher law or light then that of Nature and Reason which is the onely sphere for Civil Government to move in is to be judged and punished by a law and light proportionable and more spiritual then any power of Magistracy as the Spirit of God going out in Gospel-Judgement Admonition Rejection Excommunication c. The danger and hazard of Persecution of the members of Christ which is a sin bringing much judgement because judged and punished by such a light and law viz. by Synods and Councels of men who are not infallible in their decrees and judgements of truth and heresie By force and compulsion men who are weak in the faith are made hypocrites in their outward man conforming to the laws of men in fear and bondage All such power of compulsion in States and Kingdoms principled with any light and liberty except Spain France c. shall destroy the true Interests of all such States and Kingdoms oppressing all Societies and fellowships of men as to spiritual things though never so peaceably affected as men and subjects A Mystery OR The Christian following the appearances of God thorow all created things THat which is the pure spiritual comprehensive principle of a Christian is this That all outward administrations whether as to Religion or to natural civil and moral things are onely the visible appearances of God as to the world or in this creation or the clothing of God being such forms and dispensations as God puts on amongst men to appear to them in this is the garment the Son of God was clothed with