lick'd Nabâ—ths blood they lick'd his 1 King 21. 19. and Chap. 22. 38. If any Magistrates yet stout it out in their cruel and oppressive courses whereinsoever they deal proudly God will be above them Exod. 18. 11. They are nothing in his hands They are but little in an Angels hands And not much in man's You were but little you know in the hands of men Those whom you have valiantly executed after they had layne a good while in their graves together with those whom you have killed and cut in pieces single were two hard for you when they were alive and together There is a generation amongst us oh how lofty are their eyes Prov. 30. 13. but what have they done The honest party of England are as 't was once said of Germany triumphed over but not conquered Well you have been but little in the hands of men that 's undeniable You are as nothing in the hands of an angel You are accounted as less than nothing to God Esay 40. 17. What may be performed upon you by the invisible strokes of angels you may learn from what is recorded for your instruction 1 Kings 19. One hundred eighty five thousand were slain by an angel in one night in the camp of the Assyrians Some prodigious alarms of their approach to undertake you on the behalf of betrayed abused Saints have of late been given What ever you have heard of in former times as to the exploits of Angels in this kind you will find to have been but type to what God will perform by those angelical hosts in the last dayes when all visible reliefs fail his praying People See O King the honest and justifiable boldness plainness and freedom of speech that Daniel and other Prophets have used to greater Monarch's O thou King saies Daniel to Belshazzar the most high God gave thy Father a Kingdom and glory and honour But when his heart was lifted up and his mind hardned in pride he was deposed from his kingly Throne and they took his glory from him And thou his Son O Belshazzar hast not humbled thine heart though thou knewest all this but hast lifted up thy self against the Lord of heaven and abused his Saints the Vessels of his house and the God in whose hard thy breath is and all thy waves hast thou not glorified Then he interprets MENE MENE TEKEL UPHARSIN God has numbred thy kingdom and finished it c. Dan. 5. 18 28. Daniel was highly honoured by the King for thus dealing with him vers 29. See the commendable stoutness as well as honest boldness of Saints in their conferences and parting-blows with Kings Pharaoh in a fume bid Moses get him gone and take heed to himself for in the day he saw his face again he should die Well saies Moses I le see thy face again no more Who had the worst on 't The King would need Moses help before he the King 's He had sent for him with all speed before time and time in several distresses under the plagues that were upon him and his People Moses needed nothing that he could do but that that would be done whether he would or no Israels deliverance from bondage All these thy servants saies Moses shall come and bow themselves to me saying Get thee out and all the people that follow thee and I will go out And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger Pharaoh was wrckedly and proudly angry and stout in ridding his hands of Moses and Moses was meekly and justly angry and stout in a resolved quitting of Pharaohs company for ever Exod. 10. 28 29. and Chap. 11. 8. The Oracles of God delivered by Moses though accompanied and ratified with miracles were called by that vain King vain or lying words Exod. 5. 9. Those Kings that will do as Pharaoh did refuse all Messages from the Lord delivered to them scoffe at and persecute the messengers must look for Pharaoh's wages and that dispensed to them from such a hand as can tear them in pieces so as none can deliver Kings have usually had a great antipathy to true Prophets and their messages but bin very kind and friendly to false flattering Prophets who speak smooth pleasing things About four hundred false Prophets with one mouth encourage Ahab to go to Ramoth-Gilead a City of Israel and recover it from the Syrian They saw he had a mind to it and they all prophesied success and Victory At Iehoshaphat the king of Iudah's motion Michaiah a true Prophet is called in Ahab had no mind to him I hate him saies he for he does not use to prophesie good concerning me but evil that is did not use to gratify his present humour and lust as the others did He deals truly with Ahab warnes him that if he go he dies for 't and so it fell out The false Prophets no doubt had incouraging rewards Michaiah's recompense is a Prison and the bread and water of affliction But the Kings following the pleasing counsel of the false Prophets was his ruine and the listening to Michaiah had been his safety Who were the Traitors the four hundred false Prophets or the one true The true Prophet and Subject is handled as the Traitor and the false Traitors go currant away with gratuities and favours Why do not Kings consider such instructing paterns It highly concerns them both in point of honour and safety 1 King 22. Nebuchadnezzar sets up a stately piece of Popery an Image of gold thirty yards high The Princes Governours Captaines Judges Treasurers Counsellours Sheriffs all the Rulers of Provinces c. come to the dedication of it A Herald solemnly proclaims That when they hear the sound of the Cornet Flute Organ Harp Sackbut Psaltery Dâ—lcimer and all kinds of Mâ—sick they must all fall down and worship the Image and that those who refuse are to be cast into he midst of a burning fiery furnace The generallity of the Governours and People obey the Decree Shadrach Meshach and Abednego are traduced before the King as Rebels and Hereticks for slighting his Commands not serving his God's nor worshiping the golden Image which he had set up The King in a fury sends for them tells them he will try them once more and if they refuse the second time to the fiery Furnace they go They tell him he need trouble himself no further about trying them they are resolved what to do We are not careful O King say they to answer thee in this matter God will deliver us out of thy hand O King Or if he will not yet be it known to thee O King we will not serve thy Gods nor worship thy golden Image Then his fury is exercised upon them for a while till he sees their executioners fall down dead upon the place while they scape This quite turns his mind and he makes a Decree That if any speak against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego they shall be out in pieces and their houses made a
Synagogues Away with him away with such a fellow from the earth say they it is not fit that he should live Act. 22. .22 We find the Iewish religious party that served Paul thus striking hands with a proâ—ane Interest Act. 17. 5 7. Through envy at the spiritual believers Faith and Testimony they call to their assistance certain Iowa fellows of the baser sort set all the City in an uproar assault the house of Jason dragging him and other brethren before the Rulers of the City and crying These that have turned the World upside down are come hither also and do contrary to the Decrees of Caesar saying there is another King one Iesus This is the charge at all adventures they matter not much for proofes while they can find stones as they served Steven Act. 7. The World is turned upside down indeed But understand how O ye bruitish among the People ye fools when will ye be wise The honest Heathen is soberer than you the legal Christian is soberer than he the spiritual man is the soberest of all and he is reckoned the most disordered He speakes forth the words of greatest truth and soberness The case then is this when the World is in a mad bruitish disordered hurly burly they that attempt to bring righteousness a-floate are accused of turning it up side down Setting all to rights is reckoned the greatest Confusion The Rights of the Kingdom are reckoned the Wrongs of the King and many with whom the true native Rights of an earthly Kingdom will down are ready to startle at and resist the rights of Christs Kingdom in the Spirits and Consciences of men Even they will be ready to say of the Assertors of such Rights that they are no longer fit to live in the World that 's man's judgement The World is no longer worthy of them that 's God's Heb. 11. 38. 'T is plain God and men are of exceeding contrary Judgements concerning the true believer 'T is as plain We must all appear at last before the Iudgement seat of Christ for our final sentence 'T is plain also that we ought to obey God rather than Men Act. 5. 29. And not to be the servants of Men in things pertaining to God 1 Cor. 7. 23. From the cross constitution then which this world is generally found in to all Truth but most of all to the Spiritual and Sublimest sort of Truth it may appear what a hard time a Believer is like to have of it if he stand up for the Cause and Interest of God against the Devil who is called the God of this world 2 Cor. 4. 4. Here is the grand competitor of Christ that struggles for the Soveraignty the great red Dragon Rev. 12. 3. This is he that musters up animates and influences the sons of men to fight against God that he may exalt himself in them above all that is called God 2 Thes. 2. 4. Working in the children of disobedience at his pleasure Ephes. 2. 2. Do you see your General O ye sons of men will ye still fight under his Banner Consider the main Impostures of this self-transformer whereby you are beguiled into his Interest First He seduces your Understanding into this most false perswasision That he is the highest rational Being to whom doth of right belong the Legislative Authority and Supream Magistratical Dominion over the whole earth as God of this World under whose influence and dictates all earthly Thrones and Benches of Judicature ought to proceed in judgement Under this pretended and assumed Title of the highest rational Being he expects to be owned and submitted to as requiring no allegiance or obedience from his Subjects upon any other tearms than as he approves himself to their Consciences to mannage his Government exactly according to the Principles of humane Nature and Rules of right Reason Secondly He assumes and challenges to himself the Authority of the highest Spirit of Truth boasting himself as the infallible Teacher and Guide in matters of Faith and divine Worship in all things pertaining to the good and salvation of Souls Having thus assumed to himself these two grand prerogatives of Christ's Crown as the Supream Head not under but above Christ himself yea in direct contradiction to him in all Causes and over all persons as well Ecclesiastical as Civil 't is obvious to imagine what Titles Christ and his followers are like to have from this Dragon and his First They will boldly and openly assert that that which is indeâ—â— the spirit of Christ in him and his is an irrational Fanatick spirit destructive to all natural Order and good Government in humane Society Secondly That it is a deceitful deluding Spirit destructive to all sound Doctrine divine Institutions Church Order and Rule In these four things this grand Antichrist is the liar that denies Iesus to be the Christ. Under which Generals are comprehended multitudes of Particulars in his skilful methods of delusion needless here to be enumerated He that hath once gained these four points in the generallity of men will easily out-vote and cry down Christ and his for Blasphemers and Disturbers of mankind and accordingly handle them He prevailed even with the learned Religious Jewes to serve Christ thus Yea he attempted to seduce Christ himself to his party to own him for God fall down and worship him Christ refuses He therefore steers another course sets the Jewes upon it to call him Blasphemer and say he hath a Devil This is one step towards the accomplishing of his design when he hath once engaged men to say of Christ and his followers that they are Blaspemers and Devils he that thus makes them liars will make them Murtherers too they will soon cry Crucifie them Crucifie them right or wrong Away with them from the earth it is not fit that they should live Christ hath told us these things before hand Joh. 15. and Chap. 16. 1 and 4. that we should not be offended or surprised when they really come upon us If they have done these things to the green tree what will they do to the dry Luke 23. 31. The Servant is not greater than his Lord Joh. 15. 20. If the Master be called Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Matth. 10. 25. Satans followers have the start of Christ's for number they out-vote them clear He ha's four hundred lying Prophets against one true 1 Kings 22. 6. and vers 20 23. I suppose you may discern by this time whether this Sufferer or his Enemies were in the fault that he was reckoned a man of Contention But peradventure this may yet grow clearer by considering his Principles He spake much of Principles What meant he Some Fundamental Truths worded and propounded in a Book as Perkins his Six Principles or the like He meant inward ruling Principles or Springs of Life and operation in men By taking a little freedom in handling this Point I shall give you aim at his Principle in its
her sucking Child as he will have to you in this case Isa. 49. 15. Wait on the Lord then be of good courage and he shall strengthen your hearts wait I say on the Lord Psal. 27. 14. Wait on the Lord and keep his way so shall he exalt you to inherit the Land and verify ye shall be fed The true believing Seed of Abraham shall in the close possess the gates of their enemies The meek shall inherit the Earth and delight themselves in the abundance of Peace But the transgressors shall be destroyed together The end hope and expectation of the wicked shall be cut off Know this for your comfort though the Lord be pleased to take your Father from your head this day you have other wayes and means to learn and be built up in the mind of the Lord in your most holy Faith Never cease to beg of the Lord more abundant communications of his Spirit of Grace till you be strengthened with all might in your inward man that ye may be able to serve God acceptably and resist the Devil effectually and finally Remember it hath been the prayer of a poor worm on your behalf that ye may so pray and be so answered by your heavenly Father that your joy may be full See and consider the gracious design of God towards you in this very dealing of his with you by taking me away from you Is it not that ye may be brought more singly and immediately to rely upon his Influence that he may bring the Blessings of Abraham more plentifully upon you Once more I say be not discouraged Regard 〈◊〉 the reproaches that are fallen on your Father Say or do men what they will Abraham's Faith will find the Blessing Abraham found in whomsoever it is As for me I can truly say with David The Reproaches O Lord of those that have reproached thee are fallen upon me Psal 69. 9. And he will in his due time take off all such unjust Reproaches from himself from me and all his faithful hidden ones and will make himself known by the Judgments that he will execute in the Earth so that it shall be said Verily there is a reward for the Righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in to Earth God seems now to take all our concerns wholly into his own hands You will be deprived of my bodily presence but Abraham's Blessing shall come upon you If you be under Abraham's Covenant all that 's therein promised will be made good to you as well as to him or me The Lord revive and cause to grow up and flourish whatever is of that Faith of Abraham in you that is in your Father and grant it may more and more appear in my Family after I am gone hence and no more seen in my mortal body Certain PASSAGES in a Letter sent from a Friend out of the Country to one that accompanied Sir Henry Vane to the SCAFFOLD My loving and worthy Friend DIdst thou stand fast by my worthy Friend and bear him company Did thy soul suffer with him and rejoyce with him riding in his Chariot of Triumph to the Block to the Ax to the Crown to the Banner to the Bed and Ivory Throne of the Lord God thy Redeemer Didst thou stand by to see all these put upon him in the day of his Espousals in his solemn Nuptials Was he not my Friend most richly trimmed adorn'd deck'd with all manner of fine Linnen curious Embroyderies Did not the Perfume of his Garments give a good smell to all the Room and Company Was he not like the Lord's the Lamb's Bride made altother ready Was not his Head richly crown'd and his Neck like the Tower of David Didst thou see the Chain about his Neck of one Pearl dazling the Beholders Were not his Eyes like the pure Dove 's fixed above upon his Mâ—te single and clear Was not his Breast-plate strong like Steel Did the Arrows the sharp Tryals and cruel Mockings pierce it Did not his Shield cover him like the Targets of Solomon was it not beaten Gold When it was tryed did it yeeld to the Tempter O precious Faith Tell me my Friend how did he weild his glittering flaming Sword Did not it behave it self valiantly conquering and turning every way to preserve the Way of Truth Liberty Righteousness and the Cause of the Lord and his People Was not his whole Armour very rich Was it not all from the Sanctuary for beauty and strength Oh mighty Man of Valour thou Champion for the Lord and his Host when they were defied How hast thou spoyled them The Goliah is trodden under foot The whole Army of the Philistims fly Is He fled Is He gone from amongst men Was not this Earth this Kingdom worthy of Him Wast thou upon the Mount of Olives with him to see how he was lifted up glorified advanced Didst thou see him ascend and Chariots and Heavenly Hosts the Glorious Train accompanying Him to his Chamber to the Palace of the great King whether he is gone we gazing below after him But will he not come again Will not the Lord his Bridegroom bring him when He shall come to reign and his Sâ—ints with Him Make ready then my Friend Gâ—râ— up thy loins Ride through gloriously for the Day is a great Day of Battel And he that overcometh shall sit down with Abraham Isaac Jacob the Prophets the Apostles and our late Friend VANE in the Kingdom of Heaven whither I shall ever long to be prepared to set forward with the first and to meet thee Friend ascending into the Heavenly Place A LETTER from a Person of Quality to a Relation of Sir Henry Vane about a week after the Execution MADAM IF I do later than others give you an account of the share I have in the losse of your generous Kinsman it is because I would not rudely disturb the Motions of so just a Sorrow but I hope that you are assured I have so real a concern in all that relates to you that it was not necessary by an early haste to send you an Information of it I have Madam whilst I own a love to my Country a deep Interest in the Publick Losse which so many worthy Persons lament The World is robbed of an Unparallel'd Example of Vertue and Piety His great Abilities made his Enemies perswade themselves that all the Revolutions in the last Age were wrought by his Influence as if the World were onely moved by his Engine In him they lodged all the dying hopes of his Party There was no Opportunity that he did not improve for the Advantage of his Country And when he was in his last and much deplored Scene he strove to make the People in love with that Freedom they had so lavishly and foolishly thrown away He was great in all his Actions but to me he seemed greatest in his Sufferings when his Enemies seem to fear that He alone should be able to acquaint them with a Change of Fortune In his lowest condition you have seen him the Terrour of a great Prince strengthened by many potent Confederates and Armies you have seen him live in high Estimation and Honour and certainly he dyed with it Men arrive at Honours by several wayes The Martyrs though they wanted the glittering Crowns the Princes of those Ages dispensed have Rich Ones in every Iust man's esteem Vertue though unfortunate shines in spite of all its Enemies nor is it in any Power to deface those lasting Monuments your Friend hath raised of his in every heart that either knew him or held any Intelligence with Fame But Madam I trespass too long upon your patience This is a subject I am apt to dwell on because I can never say enough of it I shall now onely desire you to make use of that Fortitude and Vertue that raised your Friend above the malice and power of his Enemies and do not by an immoderate Sorrow destroy that which was so dear to him your Self but live the lively Representation of his Vertue the exercise of which hath made you alwayes the admiration of Your humble Servant c. The 22d Iune 1662. FINIS Mistakes in Printing PAge 5. line 4. for graze reade grasse P. 7. l. 9. f. obsucre r. obscure P. 8. l. 27. f. two r too P. 12. l. 15. f. others beasts r. other beasts P. 16. l. 7. f. sounded r. founded P. 22. l. 2. f. wilde r. weild P. 23. l. 6. f. to r. too P. 25. l. 31. f. of r. to P. 29. l. 30. f. capacity r. creature-capacity P. 37. l. 24. f. not r. but. P. 50. l. 20. f. Popist r. Popish P. 60. l. 9. f. back-slider r. back-sliders P. 61. l. 36. r. resembled also P. 62. l. 41. f. in r. no. P. 66. l. 5. r. Pentateueh the Tabernacle or P. 68. l. 37. f. triumph r. triumph's P. 70. l. 3. f. which r. with P. 71. l. 6. f. amounts r. amount P. 80. l. 37. r. thorowly knows P. 99. l. 8. f. too r. to There are also several mistakes in the pointing Comma's and other points are wanting in some places redundant in others which obscure the sence but the ingenuous and unprejudiced Reader will easily mend all
or heaven that may be shaken Heb. 12. 26. Yea though they receive withall the baptism of gifts from this spirit of Christ and in that sence be made partakers of the holy Ghost yet they may prove at length to be but briars and thorns to this very spirit of Christ from whom they receive all and to those true believers in whom the very seed of this spirit is springing up as a well of living waters into everlasting life Ioh. 4. 14. The single Baptism of Gifts supernatural Ornaments and the tongue of Men and Angels all this amounts not to the Baptism with the holy Ghost and with fire Mat. 3. 11. The partaking of the holy Ghost in the single baptism of gifts without the very seed of spiritual eternal Life sown in the heart does not â—ar the visage of the natural man does not sacrifice and offer him up but more abundantly adorn beautifie and set him off Those that have the glory of their earthly man but thus higher advanced by supernatural gifts and accomplishments are liable to play the Idolaters against the glory that excels the Life hid with Christ in God and finally refusing the superior dispensation and those that own it return with the dog to the vomit upon the loss of what they have already received Ezek. 16. 1 15. 2 Pet. 2. 20 22. MORE in his MYSTERY holds that the Fall of the Angels came by their refusal of the divine Life and giving themselves wholly up to the animal and that satans kingdom of darkness extends to and comprehends all the inâ—â—rests and advantages of whatever Life excluding onely the Divine The same Author exhibits a new and unanswerable charge against Paganism that by whatever flights of wit the best of them all may seem to wipe off the imputations of Polytheism or Idolatry asserting themselves to be the adorers of one eternal Deity in his various manifestations yet they worshipped God in such appearances onely as related to and concerned but the animal Life 'T is to be feared this charge will reach a great way into Christianity abundance of the professors whereof are followers of Christ onely for loaves such cleansing gifts and ornaments as do but gratifie and advance their earthly first creation state Speak but a word of the cross and fire-baptism of the spirit that 's to come upon all this glory and goodliness of flesh in order to a more excellent birth and knowledge of Christ after the spirit in them you become an enemy presently if you tell them this truth Gal. 4. 16. If matters be well scann'd and weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary abundance of Religion and Professors will be found no currant and well tried Gold Rev. 3. 18. that will pass for the Kingdom of Heaven The Scripture latitude of the animal or natural man is comprehensive of all that is to be found in mans first-creation state and life in distinction from the spiritual new creation man The natural body or animal man is interpreted by the apostle to be of the same reach and significancy as the living soul of the first Adam at best as the spiritual body or man is comprehensive of that new-creature Life and perfection that 's recieved from the indwelling presence of the quickning spirit of the second Adam 1 Cor. 15. 44 46. Those Christians that are brought into communion with God but in the renewed activity of the natural body oâ— living soul of the first Adam taking the renewed old man for the new Restauration for Regeneration are apt to grow so conceited confident therein that they wil not lend an ear to the tydings of any superior dispensation and more excellent way Man in whatever possible refinement and glory of his first-creation state is yet but that natural man in whose mind there is so vast an asymmetry and incongruity to spiritual divine things the New Name the Life hid with Christ in God the Wisdom and Righteousness of God that shines forth in the New Creature that he knows not what to make of them 〈◊〉 are foolishness to him 1 Cor. 2. 14. Nothing less than the very seed of spiritual new-creature Life from Christ will find or make its way through all possible obstructions from within man or from without and prosper into that kingdome of grace and glory that cannot be shaken This will spring up in the soul and declare it self King take the Scepter and ruling power out of the hands of our first-creation spirit and principles and will safely steer our course direct our steps and enable us to work righteousness in the way everlasting Psal. 139. 24. Sensual Life generally rules at first in children When Reason springs up and begins to shew it self that takes or should take the Scepter curbes the insolencies and exorbitancies of the Sensual powers and governs the whole person If there be a seed of grace or spiritual Life sown in him when that springs up into exercise it will take the Scepter out of the hands of humane Reason and Wisdom and govern the whole person in the Divine Spiritual Reason and Wisdom of God The receivers of the spirit of Christ the seed of spiritual wisdom and divine Life are of two sorts either such as receive the single or such as receive the double portion thereof They that receive but the single will thereby be brought into the incorruptible form of the natural man which renders them fit associates for the elect angels to stand about the Throne as friends of the Bridegroom and the Bride They that receive the double portion of the spirit in the sense above expressed are the very Bride her self the Lambs wife that sits down upon the Throne with him in a more exalted state of Glory for ever The Mother of Zebedee's Children desired of Christ That her two sons might sit the one on his right hand and the other on his left in his Kingdom Mat. 20.21 There may seem to be a right and left hand scituation or state of glory for ever in the kingdom of Heaven The double portioned Saints are they that sit on the right hand the single on the left Christ tells her and her sons they know not what they ask if they would have either of these advancements on this side the Cross the grave the fire-baptism the strait gate that excludes flesh and blood all that is corruptible from the Kingdom of God Can ye saies he drink of the Cup I shall drink of and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with They answer We are able The single portion of the Spirit where it is received as a seed of new Life will not fail to perform that transforming fire-baptism in and upon the souls of men that will purifie them not onely from corruption the utmost extent of the inward water-baptisme and circumcision of the heart in the Letter but from corruptibility gradually fetching them up into the glory of the resurrection till their mortality be quite swallowed
beloved Son so 1 Tim. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 2. and 2. 1. They are also called Pastors Mothers and Nurses to both the Seeds or Children of Christ in their kind 1 Thes. 2. 7 and 11. Gal. 4. 19. In another respect every true believer as he becomes the Child so is the Mother of Christ as with pangs and throw's towards the new birth to the loss and at last death of the single activity of his fleshly mind and heart Christ in spirit be formed and brought forth in him by him Then comes the Life of Faith the true reigning New-Ierusalem Principle in which reason has its resurrection the kingdom of heaven within him He ownes Christ in his heavenly headship as his Lord and King expressed Cant. 3. 11. by setting the Crown upon his head owning a willing subjection to the Law of the Spirit of Life in this day of espousal to him which is a day of gladness to Christ good men and angels Luk. 15. 10. The believer is the wise Virgin who becomes at same time the Mother and Spouse of Christ brings forth her own Lord and King in Spirit as the Virgin Mary brought him forth in Flesh. In the very day that Christ is thus brought forth in and by the believer they are espoused together by the new and everlasting Covenant The believer owns Christ as Head Husband and King Upon this Christ rejoyces Angels rejoyce the Believeâ— himself rejoyces with joy unspeakable and full of glory 'T is a solemn thanksgiving day a day of gladness of the heart unto them all Thus in a various sence is Christ Father and Son of the Spiritual believer and the believer the Mother and Child of Christ. Christ is Head Lord King Husband Brother Son Fellow-heir to believers They are Body Subjects Wife Children Members Fellow-heirs to him All these expressions are Allegorical borrowed from natural Relations to signify spiritual Mysteries of love union and converse between Christ and his Church One thing is said and a farther more excellent thing meant The Apostle having spoken of the duties of Husbands and Wives towards one another winds up all into this as his main intendment the spiritual marriage-union between Christ and his Church This saies he is a great mystery or mystically signifies a far greater thing concerning Christ and his Church Ephes. â— 22 23. The Revelation in a manner all along is a description of heavenly things by such earthly Mediums such Allegorical types and expressions as are borrowed out of Moses Pentateuch in the Tabernacle and Temple-worship And of Christ himself t is said that without a parable a similitude an allegory he spake not unto the people Mat. 13. 34. Mark 4. 34. Must not he then that truly expounds those parables allegorize them But how must he do it Parable in the Hebrew is a word that signifies sharpness as proceeding from a sharp wit and needing the like to interpret it That sharp wit must be no less than spiritual discerning and that strong and well exercised too or Scripture Riddles will be too hard for it One or two more of these let us take notice of Sampsons typical Riddle together with the Philistines exposition does yet want an exposition Out of Christ the strong Lion of the tribe of Iudah as the eater or sacrificer of the natural man in himself and us by the fire-baptism comes the choicest meat the sweetest hony-comb of all that that feeds and brings us into a conformity with him in his death and resurrection Christ ha's left his own interpretation of the parable of the Sower and Seed of the Tares and the like upon record in Scripture and yet who understands them how much do men yet need an exposition of those very expositions Paul tells us Hagar and Sarai are an Allegory two Covenants Gal. 4. 24. Then he mystically expounds Ishmael and Isaac into two 〈◊〉 of Christ the true antitypical Father of the faithful in both Covenants He declares moreover that he that 's born of this Father but after the flesh will persecute him that 's born of the same Father after the spirit Even so it is now vers 29. Notwithstanding this Allegorizing exposition given by Paul how little does the self-confident legal Christian hold himself concerned in the character of him that is born after the flesh How verily does he conceit himself to be the other that 's born after the Spirit Hereupon he justâ—es out the spiritual man indeed for a Fanatick wrangler a fool a mad man a blasphemer any thing that he lists to call him Hos. 9. 7. At last he comes to this downright willful resolution as Esau against Iacob and as the professing religious Iewes against Christ in the very same case Come this is the heir let 's kill him and the inheritance shall be ours They imagine this vain thing even to take the kingdom of Heaven by force from the right owner But if this eager-spirited generation would but give themselves leisure to consider thisâ— the like Scriptures they might see that they that are charactered here by him that 's born after the flesh are a holy seed of Christ that have Covenant interest in him and actual communion with him They are Children of Hagar or the first Covenant One would wonder how they should miss this But they shuffle it oft upon the Iews that were under the ceremonious dispensation of the Law and so rid their hands of it Is there no legal Christian then is there no danger of the leaven of the Pharisees under the outward dispensasation of the Gospel Yes say they but that lies onely at their door who depend upon their own personal operations for their acceptance and communion with God not on the imputed righteousness of the Redeemer I interrogate When Paul describes his Pharisaical state he tells us he was touching that righteousness which is in the Law blameless Could this be unless by the comeliness of God put upon him or perfect righteousness of that kind from Christ imputed to him Ezek. 16. 14. Was he a legal Iew was he any more than a moral Heathen else But if what is above said will not help to rectify this mistake I shall be somewhat hopeless of being instrumental to your relief in this point 'T is sad to see the self-pleasing interpretations of this and the like Scriptures all along the Bible so universal and unscrupled amongst all sorts of Professors an epidemical mistake How to lift them out of the mire of these their own self-bewildring imaginations who knowes but Christ Flesh and the carnal mind that 's enmity to God Rom. 8. 7. must never be of any larger compass or farther significancy with them than corrupt polluted debauched degenerate nature dead in trespasses and sins or at best but the moral heathen with some glimmering revivals and sparklings of rational Light and Life But as for their part they are in Christ they experience actual communion with God and once in Christ for ever
Treason and that post factum too in this case he that did things most rational and justifiable by unrepealed or unrepealable Laws yesterday may be condemned by a Law made post factum and executed too morrow By this meanes Judges may be put into a most unhappy capacity of justifying the wicked and condemning the righteous under colour of Parliamentary authority in both which things they are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 17. 15. Count Gundamore observed it to be no uneasie thing to procure a Parliament that would gratify a self-interested party and abuse the People A corrupt sort of Gentry that have many Tenants and Dependants who to please their Landlords would betray their Country and Religion too could easily procure themselves to be chosen saies he for the County And for Corporations whose Burgesses fill the far greater number of Seats in that House their obligations for some enlargement of their Charters by Royal Grant rendred them compliant in their choice He farther observed That the King as sole Iudge of Chivalry created new Lords that could in voting out number the antient Barons by Tenure who purchased the ratification of the antient fundamental Rights and Liberties of England specified in Magna Charta with their Swords in Henry the Third's time All these things put together he reckoned Prerogative to have such a ruling influence in the election and constitution of English Parliaments that notwithstanding their great same abroad they served for little other use than to empty the Peoples purses Yet as fearing what an English Parliament may come to do in time one chief service he boasts of to his Countrymen was the working a dislike between the King and the Lower House so that saies he the King will never endure a Parliament more by his good will but rather want than receive conditional relief from them Some free minds he said there were amongst the People that laboured to preserve their just Liberties from Soveraign invasion calling out for the due course of their Common Law but other Time servers cryed the Laws down Prerogative up to shelter their own arbitrary domination in preying on the Subject and are hated by the oppressed Commons for their pains All this kind of discouraging practice that tended to enfeeble emasculate and dis-spirit the English Nation he tells the Spanish Council he forwarded to the utmost He further declared how he had under-wrought the admirable Engine Sir Walter Rawleigh and overthrown his Voyage which threatened danger to them that upon his disgraceful return by him caused he had pursued him to Execution had not his Commission for stay in England bin at its period but he had left a sure Agent behind him that saw it done Thus saies he by punishing him for his daring attempt upon us I laboured to quench the Valour of the English Nation that none might be so bold as to venture upon the like again All those English Papists that were of the Spanish Faction thorowly Iesuited were ready saies he to be my bloodhounds to hunt him or any such to death They hate the Prosperity Valour Worth and Wit of their own Nation in respect of our Catholick Cause He also had perswaded King Iames to let his Fleet remain unman'd and unvictualled least his Master should be jealous of some intendments to his prejudice and so break off the Spanish Match Now therefore said he is a fit opportunity to Invade England never the like They might probably have made better work of it at that season than in 88 but that other cross blows prevented them as the apprehending of Barnevelt and the detection of their Catholick design in these parts of Europe towards the reducing all the Kingdomes of the World Protestant Popish Mahumetane or what ever else into subjection to the Spanish King as the natural Head Lord and Soveraign over all by the Popes free donation and appointment on condition that he bring him into the exercise of his Headship in Spirituals as fast as he gets his own in Temporals Thus they pleased themselves in their own Imaginations to divide the World between them but the World will not be so served These things with many other in Gundamores Narrative came to light amongst us by Sir Robert Cotton as 't is said that great Treasurer of learned and pertinent rarities By these observations practises of the politick Spaniard it may appear his Reason pitched on the same conclusion with Solomon Pro. 11. 14. That in the multitude of Counsellours there is safety and that for any State to refer matters too much to the single understanding and will of some one person may expose all to forreign invasion and ruine Can it then appear unreasonable in any State specially when there is no single person in possession to offer such a proposal to free debate amongst the Peoples Trustees whether or no it be convenient to admit a single person to the Legislative or executive power over them The Romans nipp'd Tyranny in the bud executed their Founder and first King Romulus to preserve their Foundations the Laws which he neglected They banished proud Tarquin their seventh and last on the same account Whatever any may think they have to say against those two popular actions there may seem not to be the Jeast colour of reason to alledge against one that had no hand or consent in the execution of the one or expulsion of the other this Sufferers Case to offer such a proposal to the People or Senate Whether some other form of Government might not be more conducible to the publick Interest Such Questions were propounded and debated amongst those old Romanes They did use their just natural Liberty as men in considering what might most make for publick safety the main end for which there are any such things as Governments or Governours at all and concluded upon two yearly Consuls that were limitted by many Senators as they also afterwards by popular Tribun's and sometimes a Dictator till all were swallowed up again into an Emperour The successe was this Their Dominion while under Kings extended about fifteen miles from Rome Under Consuls their territories were enlarged to about fifteen thousand miles compass Under some of their bruitish and Tyrannical Emperors they lost ground again faster than ever they got it The Lacedemonian Ephori and such like popular Superintendents in other Greek Common-wealths that were authorized to curb restrain depose their Kings and something more in case of such exorbitances and misgovernment as deserved it who knows not 'T was ordinary amongst them not onely to change their Governours but Government also If one race of Kings be lawfully deposed they are not wronged by change of Government and who else can be 'T is so natural and fundamental a Right in People to have use such a Liberty that we may do wel to consider whether they have any right to give it out of their hands unless it be lawful to contradict the Law of
has none but that has the righteousness and glory of man really in and upon him and in the credit and flourish of this would personate and pass for that which he is not the true spiritual heir that has the glory and righteousness of God in and upon him and then the next news is he falls to persecuting of him that indeed is the true heir saying to his fellows in spirit and principle Come this is the heir le ts kill him and the inheritance shall be ours A hypocrite is one that personates and would passe for that which he is not If he be stark naught he would pass for that which is good If good and righteous in one kind he would pass for that that is better and more excellent in another Such an hypocritical spirit is a persecuting spirit He that 's born of Christ after the flesh and will go no farther will persecute him that is born of the same Christ after the spirit will hate his Brother slander his own Mothers Son Psal. 50. 20. To this effect did this Sufferer use to Allegorize the two Trees in Eden and other Scriptures in exact analogie and harmony therewith But come we now to consider the method of his sufferings how this meek dove-like harmless person has been handled by the injurious wolvish spirit of this world that has affronted contradicted and blasphemed his principles and doctrine and at length killed his body as a contentious wrangler and a malefactor Christ was so served He went about doing good and suffering ill to the last This eminent disciple and follower of his hath waded through all those injurious reproaches and mis-interpretations men have put upon his most innocent and useful words and actions in that thank-worthy and acceptable imitation of him which Peter represents to us under the similitude of good servants that can suffer patiently for well-doing commiting themselves to him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2. 18 23. He considered him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself and did not faint in his mind but striving against sin and sinners of all sorts by his faithful witnes-bearing resisted unto blood Heb. 12. 3 4. But be it known that amidst the personal sufferings of Saints 't is not onely lawful but their duty to pray that God would awake to their judgement even to their CAUSE which is his CAUSE that all those may yet come to shout for joy that favour their righteous CAUSE and that the enemy may not rejoyce over them as if he had swallowed them up though they abuse and kill them all the day long 〈◊〉 sheep appointed for the slaughter Psal. 35. 23 27. Some of you saies Christ they shall put to death but not a hair of your head shall perish Luk. 21. 16 18. This worthy Patriot was freely chosen without any seeking of his to serve as Burgess for the Town of Kingston upon Hull in that Parliament which sate doâ—â— November 3. 1640. About thirteen years did he indefatigably labour therein for his Countries relief against manifest Oppressions and publick grievances that were upon it And well nigh ten years more he hath patiently suffered as either a useless or pernicious person because of his destructive constitution to the Peace and Interest of Tyranny During the long Parliament he was usually so engaged for the Publick in the HOUSE and several Committees from early in the morning to very late at night that he had scarce any leisure to eat his bread converse with his nearest Relations or at all to mind his Family affaires Were I indeed furnished with the tongue of the learned the pen of a ready writer I should think it adviseable to let the usefulness successe of his publick Actings all along that Parliament till forcibly dissolved speak for themselves That race of action being run not without much struggling contradiction and mis-reports all the while he comes to his suffering Scene He was for several years rejected persecuted imprisoned by his apostatized friends that had gone to the house of God in company with him who at length to compleat their persecuting work upon him delivered him up to be hunted to death by his professed foes enemies of all righteousness Gods and mans too First his false Friends that had sat in Council with him and who owed in great measure their very Lives and success to him under God they fasted for strife and debate kept a mock fast to draw such as durst give them faithful counsel and warning into a snare Upon their apostacy when brought into distress through forreign disappointments they somewhat Iezebel-like proclaimed a fast publickly declaring their willingness to receive information from any hand as to what was amiss in the Government that might be the ground of God's not going forth with their Armies as he was wont He laid hold on this published offer and as a faithful watchman and able Patriot exhibited his thoughts to them in a Healing Question on which he was shortly after sent for by the Council from the place of his residence at Belleaâ— in Lincolnshire proceeded against as seditious and imprisoned about four moneths at Caris-brough Castle in the Isle or Weight Thus the Iews served Ieremy Jer. 42. and 43. They desired him to enquire the mind of the Lord as to their intended journey for Egypt and solemnly engaged they would obey the message â—â—lling God to witness between them and him He seeks the Lord and after ten dayes receives and faithfully declares the word of the Lord which was That if they went to Egypt the sword they feared at home should meet with them there and if they tarried in their own land they should be preserved They proudly rebelled againâ—â— this word and not onely so but forced Ieremy along with them to Egypt to bear a share in their sufferings though not in their sin as the wise Servant was handled by his foolish Master in Aristophanes and as is frequently the case amongst mortals God the great disposer of all the kingdoms of men gave Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar and his Army as wages for their hard service in pulling down proud Tyre whose Merchants were Princes Esay 23. 8. where every head was made bald and every shoulder peeld with long and excessive labour in a thirteen years siege and filling up a channel of the sea in order to their approaches Ezek. 26. 9. and Chap. 29. 18 20. Thus Nebuchadnezzars sword that the Iews feared in their own Countrey upon the killing of his Deputy Governour Gedaliah meets with them amongst the rest in Egypt the character and ruine whereof we have Ezek. 29. 30. 31. and 32. Chapters as of Tyre Chap. 26. 27. and 28. Thus treacherously was this steddy Witness of the true Liberties of Christs Kingdom and his native Countrey handled by those that for many years had joyned with him in the profession of the same righteous CAUSE against sacrilegious and tyrannical domination in Church or State What was his
significancy of its words to serve their present purpose yea or if they date even beyond all this lay down their meer arbitrary assertions that have not the least hint for them in such a new made Law which will pass with Jurors for a legal ground of taking away ones Life A righteous man in these circumstances has an exceeding hard time on 't Beyond all this yet if a proviso-Foundation for securing an innocent persons Life any voluntary unsought for grant made upon a supposal that all other Foundations of his security should sail him if this also be laid aside and slighted though the word of a King in answer to the Petition of a Parliament amounting in effect to an Act of Parliament where 's the righteous man then gone without remedy But whither from earth to heaven A sad loss to us a great gain to him Sure something will come down from heaven amongst us er'e long for such doings A righteous man in a case so circumstanced which I have thus taken Liberty according to my word to speak a little to in general what can he say in his just defence that his Accusers and Judges will not call Treason and be ready to form up a new Charge against him for if commanded Thus a Iews served Christ and so I pass to the other branch of my reserved liberty the consideration of particulars in the case of the leading Sufferer Ye have heard the blasphemy saies the high Priest he hath spoken blasphemy what further need have we of Witnesses What think ye the Jewry-men never study the point they have their Verdict ready at their fingers ends he is guilty of death Mat. 26. 65 66. Quick work But what was the crime He denied not but that he was the Son of God For Christ or Christians to be in the highest sence what they should be own it this men yea the very high Priests Archbishops that pretend to be the chief watchmen over souls are ready to call Blasphemy If they can but get any the least intimation of such a thing out of them by interrogating they reckon they have enough to take away their Lives They Devilâ— as Christ told these Iews can't endure to hear any own themselves to be the Sons of God What a world is this for Christ and his followers The chief Priests Elders and all the Council sought false Witnesses against Iesus to put 〈◊〉 to death They tamper with many yet for a good while find none â—â—â—uch as are insufficient to do their work either through the invalidity of the matter testified or inconsistency of their testimony for they agreed not To murder him they were resolved all they sought for was a colourable pretext At length come two false witnesses well paid 't is like for their pains which say this fellow said I am able to destroy the Temple of God and build it in three dayes whereas his words were Ioh. 2. 29. destroy ye this Temple his Body so they did and in three dayes I will raise it up so he did But what a feeble testimony was here to go about to take away a man's Life upon in case it were true that he spake these words and that in their sence concerning the material structure of the figurative Temple They lie at catch therefore for some word from his own mouth at the bar to carry on the work Very little 't was he spoke there He lets the false witnesses pass uncontrolled answers not a word though demanded by the high Priest Mat. 26.61 63. Then the high Priest falls to interrogating tries what new matter for a charge he can get out of him by Questions Yea he adjures him to tell them whether he be the Christ the Son of God Christ denies it not Now they reckon they have enough They slight their false witnesses They are now Judges and Witnesses too themselves and that in a matter of far greater consequence blasphemy he makes himself the Son of God say they Then they hurry him away before Pilate the Romane Deputy where the chief Priests and Elders that sat as his Judges in the other Court turn his Accusers vehemently urging and witnessing many things against him before Pilate and he lets all pass answers not a word Yea though minded of it and urged by Pilate to speak for himself not a word could they get of him say or do what they would He 's a Mute It seems their Testimony in Pilates judgement amounted to very little for after all he asks them What evil hath he done Their answer is Let him be crucified Bruits Oh but say they we have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God 'T is a dangerous thing amongst men for Christ or his fellow-heirs to own themselves to be the Sons of God Heirs of the heavenly Kingdom though they give no disturbance or just occasion of offence to any Kings in their worldly Thrones Men will be laying their heads together to frame some miscievous Law against them to call them Blasphemers then put them to death for it They will call that Heresy which is the only right way of worshipping the God of our Fathers then punish them for it What goodly work are Magistrates with some new upstart Lawes like to make on 't at Religion and Worship If there be any that do what they should in either of all others they must be sure to go to wrack But Pilate yet seeks to release Christ. All that is said yet will not do it with him 'T was a custom to deliver some one Prisoner at the Fâ—ast he asks them therefore Shall I deliver Christ or Barabbas Now Barabbas was a robber and a Murtherer They cry out all at once like mad men away with this man and release unto us Barabbas Men will rather favour Murderers and Robbers than Christ and his followers Pilate willing yet to release Iesus Christ had the better on 't of our Prisoner as to the Lord chief Justice that sat upon him speaks once again to them of it But they hold to their old tone cry crucifie him crucifie him He replied yet again Why what evil hath he done I find no cause of death in him But they were instant with loud voices requiring that he might be crucified Pilate sayes to them What Shall I crucify your King The chief Priest answered we have no king but Caesar. And here they take hint for a new charge against him that it will highly concern Pilate to take notice of If thou let this man gâ— say they thou art not Caesars friend Whosoever maketh himself a King speaketh against Caesar. Then Pilate complies with them The voices of the People and the chief Priest prevailed so he passes sentence that it should be as they required 'T is the legally religious party all along that accuse prosecute and deliver up Christ and his followers into the hands of sinners among the Gentiles and so
have the greater sin as Christ told Pilate But Pilate also however he may flatter himself and wash his hand of it he can't wash his heart or render himself guiltless of the blood of that just Man as his Wife being admonished in a dream warned him to keep himself 'T is said both by Romane Historians and Greek Writers of the Olympiads that Pilate was accused by the Iews to the Romane Senate and so continually vexed by the Emperour Cajus Caligula that about the Year 39 being five or six years after the Passion he killed himself with his own hand But what truth had that last charge in it that he made himself a King or had spoken any thing against Caesar These very Iewes themselves would fain have had him owned himself as their temporal King to deliver them from the Romane Yoke so indeed they were the Traytors if any body Pilate himself had been pulled off the bench if that could have bin But Christ would not accept the offer though as the Son of David in a direct line the temporary Soveraignty might seem to be his right He perceived they would take him by force to make him a King and away went he to a mountain himself alone Ioh. 6. 15. And in his answer to their ensnaring question about tribute he quite non-plust and silenced them Give saies he unto Caesar the things that are Caesars Mat. 22. 15 22. Be subject to his jurisdiction in temporals the outward actions and concerns of your bodily life yea though forc'd by the Romane sword to promise allegiance to him Ieremy tutored the Iews to like effect to submit to Nebuchadnezzar â—hough a forreign Prince and Conquerour And God himself espouses Nebuchadnezzars quarrel against Zedekiah calling the engagement he made with Nebuchadnezzar HIS Covenant and HIS Oath and holding himself concerned in point of honour to recompense the breach of it upon Zedekiah's head Ezek. 17. 11 21. Zedekiah signifies the righteousness of Iah or Iehovah This name was given him by Nebuchadnezzar to intimate to him that if he broke Covenant the righteousness of the Lord would not suffer him to scape unpunished Accordingly it came to pass He is taken by the Caldean Souldiers brought to the head Quarters at Riblah a place between Ierusalem and Tyre where Nebuchadnezzar lay to hear the news from both his Leagures before those famous Cities There a Council of War sits on him the sentence is That his sons be slain before his eyes then that his eyes be put out and that he be carried prisoner to Babylon where he died not long after This he got by breach of Covenant 2 King 25. 1 7. Christ advised the Iews to keep their Covenant with Caesar as Ieremy with Nebuchadnezzar he paid him tribute himself Mat. 17. 27. If Caesar will have more than his due if he will invade Gods Prerogative venture out of the proper sphere of worldly Magistracy which relates but to the bodily actions and concerns of this mortal Life 1 Cor. 6.3,4 if he demand those things that peculiarly belong to God that other mens Consciences and Light as to Religion and divine Worship be levelled squared and regulated by his who it may be has none at all then Caesar himself is to blame as a sacrilegious intruder into the proper Rights of Christs Kingdom see be â—o that They are commended of God that conscientiously deny him obedience therein as most justly refusing to become servants of men in things perteining unto God 1. Cor. 7. 23. It was suggested The King could not be safe while VANE was alive Why what would he do No man more disswaded from popular tumults even against this power that God hath permitted to be brought over us then he His demeanour in this point was much like that of Ieremy amongst the Iews who disswaded them from conspiracies with Egypt or insurrections against the King of Babylon But why was not care taken to remove all sinister and prejudicial reports as to this matter from the chief in power I answer why did not Christ answer a word to the Iewes fierce accusations of him before Pilate but let Pilate take it as he would If his actions would not speak for him he was content Was this a crime in Christ Is there not rather an emphasis laid upon this regardlesness of a self-defence while his heart was fixed upon a publick good as a singular ingredient into the excellency of the sufferings of that Captain of our Salvation And shall the same deportment be reckoned culpable in his followers No man could take away Christ's Life from him Were Pilate and the Iews then guiltless in shedding his innocent blood No. Is Christ a felo de se a self murderer because he laid down his Life of his own accord Neither Gods hand and counsel had determined it should be so Act. 4. 27 28. The Iews were most execrable murderers of the Lord of glory for all that and responsible for it Pilate had his share in it too by yeilding up his own reason and conscience either to the violent importunities and most irrational out-cries of the Iews who said away with him away with him let him be crucified or to their most false and slanderous insinuations of Treason charactering him as an enemy to the Crown and dignity of Caesar which they could make no proof of Were all the affronts and injuries that were put upon this truly Christian Common-Wealths-Man who was indeed for what others talked of the Liberty of Men as Men and Christians as Christians well and orderly set together it would be difficult to find a Parallel proceeding for Injustice next that against Christ in all History humane or divine VIOLENCE and WRONG in stead of RIGHTEOUSNES and TRUTH were weighed out to him by those that pâ—â—â—â—nded to hold the Scales of Iustice in their hands Psal. 58. 2. But Iudgement shall return to Righteousness Psal. 94. 15. Righteousness will come at last to have Judgement passed on its side They seem to be parted while wicked men are justified and the righteous condemned This Sufferer did usually discourse of and expect a failer of all visible reliefs to good men when others little dream't of it But has the righteous man no remedy in such a season He would familiarly invite others with himself to cast their thoughts upon what is signified Eccles. 5. 8. amongst many other Scriptures in way of resolution to this Querie If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of Iudgement and Iustice in a Province marvel not or be not dismaied at the matter for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there be higher that they Angels are higher than the highest powers amongst men in the Magistratical Government of this world and God and Christ are higher than they This with many like Scriptures points us upwards to a higher creature Magistracy than man's and yet higher to the original spring and eternal root of all just Magistracy in
The World was no longer worthy of him He is therefore gone from the earth But his Person and righteous Testimony shall be â—ad in everlasting remembrance Psal. 112. 6. His eye was fixed upon a better Countrey the Saints everlasting Rest. There the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest Those that have been made Prisoners and out-casts in this world as the off-scouring of all things shall rest together there They shall no more hear the voice of the oppressor Job 3. 17 18. The present enjoyments and blessedness of this deceased Saint do set him clear out of the reach of his enemies malice or my pen. He steaddily sees and unchangeably enjoyes what Paul before quite rid of his mortal body had but the transient view of in a short rapture when caught up to the third heaven 1 Cor. 12. or into that vision of God in Christ that is exhibited to the double-portioned Saint that sits on the Throne with Christ. 'T is the favourable presence of God in Christ onely that makes heaven to angels or men God's threefold various presence with his Church in and through Christ makes the three heavens That presence that is afforded in the adaequate intelligible form to the highest life and discerning of the double-portioned Saint the Bride the Lambs Wife makes the third heaven That which is given forth in the adaequate intelligible form to the elect Angels and Spirits of just men made perfect as the sutable immediate object of their discerning makes the second heaven That presence of God together with the fruits of it that in Christ is afforded to Saints on earth makes the first They have their conversation in this first heaven Phil. 3.20 or lowest kind of presence and converse of Christ in spirit They do live in the exercise of that spiritual seed and those principles which when fully awakened in the resurrection will render them fit inhabitants of the second and third heavens Paul in the short glance he had of that most excellent glory of God in Christ that is intelligible or discernable to the most exalted sort of Saints tells us he heard unspeakable words or saw unspeakable things which it is not lawful or possible for a man to utter Here then I must take off my hand and leave you to make the best you can of it in silence and wonder Thus have I cast in my small mite towards the vindication of the Person Doctrine and Way of this choice anointed one of the Lord and faithful assertor of his Countries Liberties unto Death from the groundless aspersions causeless hatred misprisions and injuries that have fallen to his share in this world There are two sorts of enemies who in the rage and vain imaginations of their hearts have reproached blasphemed assaulted affronted resisted and persecuted Christ in him They are both deciphered Psal. 2. 1. under the titles of Heathen and People I have a word of two to divide between them and speak to each of them apart My first word is to a People of God who in whatever variety of form perswasion or way have all of them with one consent separated from Rome as justly loathing and nauseating her most gross visible Idolatries and abominations They have also separated from the dry impertinent formality of a meer outward profession of Protestantisme under a superstitious Episcopacy These they have separated from on the left hand it was their duty so to do But they have also separated from or rather cast out the spiritual Believer and true heir of the everlasting Kingdom on the right hand This is their great sin that has brought a prophane heathenish superstitious idolatrous Interest over their heads again and run all a-ground They have demonstrated themselves to be of that spirit that Paul reproved in some of the Corinthian Church that would be reigning as Kings in the but renewed principles of humane nature and righteousness of man 1 Cor. 4. 8. When therefore this true heir sounded his trumpet in his RETIRED MEDITATIONS and proclaimed another sort of Saints men of another spirit other principles and a more excellent way of life to be the onely true heirs of the Kingdom and possessed of the true reigning Principle they could not bear it They have chosen rather to give the Scepter back again into any hand then the true heir of the heavenly Kingdom should wield it I mean not a Person onely but a People a People prepared for the Lord. Whoever you be that have thus demeaned your selves and sinned away twenty years Mercies and Deliverancies whatever your Judgment Form or Way be as to this or that particular Doctrine or Ordinance if you yet lodge but in the renewed old Adam state of life or first-creation spirit and principles as you have seen them above-charactered to you it is I direct this word You that are in some good measure and degree inwardly cleansed from the pollutions of this world the corruption of nature give me leave to tell you you may be thus wash'd and baptized by the word of truth into a practical experimental knowledge of Christ after the flesh and conformity with him as he was â—ound in the flesh born of a woman made under the Law for your sanctification Let me tell you further you may be made comely through his comeliness or righteousness of that sort put upon you or imputed to you for your justification You may over and above all this be adorned with many jewels and bracelets excellent gifts and the tongue of men and angels and yet fall short of the glory and righteousness of God in the new and everlasting Covenant and so may prove to be at last but sounding brass or tinkling cymbals Ez. 16. 11 12. 1 Cor. 12. 31. 13. 1. All your sanctified justified beautified and adorned state in which you flourished was but the rectified adorned first-covenant natural man and you took all to be spiritual new-covenant Life and ornament This is one of the saddest mistakes mortal men are subject to and is like to cost them dearest Their disappointment is fatal and irrecoverable Their work is exceeding dangerous in kicking against the pricks persecuting of Christ in the true spiritual believer But their case is noâ—remediless as they may see in Paul till they knowingly and malitiously say Come this is the heir let 's kill him and the inheritance shall be ours There are those from amongst these Legal spirited professors both Pastors and People that have had their share in betraying this just man in blaspheming his Principles and Doctrine in casting reproaches upon him while living and pleasing themselves to think that they are now well rid of him his Doctrine and Way by his Death Deceive not your selves His testimony has received a more signal ratification by his Death then in all his Life He warn'd you of many things In reference to one of his warning-pieces as to the making clean riddance of Antichrist from amongst us I shall ask
mention some obscure proposition in the Mathematicks to an unlearned man or at least unversed in his Art He demands a demonstration How do you prove this saies he the other gives an exact demonstration but he through ignorance of the very rudiments and principles of Mathematick learning receives not the demonstration as any satisfactory account of the proposition to him at all He is as far to seek as ever What then where lies the fault In the pretended demonstration he will say He will by no means suspect his capacity The defect lies wholly in his understanding and he laies it all upon the demonstration saies nothing is proved Let a skilful Artist hear the matter he presently grants the demonstration to be as clear as the Sun This may be the case where the subject matter of the discourse is properly within ken to meer natural reason as the suitable and intelligible object thereof How much more difficult is the case with the true spiritual Believer and his Gospel doctrine in case he discourse with one that is confident he wants not for discerning and yet sees nothing at all as he ought to see has no discerning at all of spiritual things or of the spiritual sence reach and significancy of the Scriptures He has no eye at all suited to such matters yet none more confident The true spiritual watchman were as good meet a Bear robb'd of her whelps as talk with such a man about spiritual things He is absolutely unreasonable as to such things that faith only sees Paul prayed to be delivered from such cattel and desired others to pray for him on that account as the most irksome thing in the world Finally brethren pray for us saith he that the word of the Lord may have free course and that we may be delivered from unreasonable men for all men have not Faith 2 Thes. 3. 1 2. He that has not faith or the spiritual discerning is perfectly unreasonable as to spiritual things You were better talk to a tree if he be confident for that will make no noise to trouble you he will Men are still for How do you prove it They never question but they can understand and receive it if rightly evidenced Did not Christ himself speak with evidence as one having authority beyond all the teaching of the Scribes Mat. 7. 29. Yet how was he and his doctrine rejected by the Scribes and generallity of the religious party amongst the Iewes and received only by some poor fishermen and common sinners where was the fault that Christ's doctrine was not received Did not he give the demonstration right how often is it said in Scripture He that has an ear to hear let him hear The grand obstruction to the propagating of the Gospel is the want of the hearing ear Till there be this we speak to deaf men The old serpent has deaf'd and stop'd up their ears that they will not listen to the spiritual charmer charme he never so wisely And what then why then they fall to disputing and cavilling with him How do you prove this and how do you prove that You assert many things but what ground do you shew for all The disputer of this world is set at naught by the Holy Ghost Where is the wise where is the disputer of this World hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world 1 Cor. 1. 20. These disputers are not to be gratified in their way If there be a spiritual discerning spiritual things which carry their own evidence in them need onely to be asserted and prove while you will discourse a whole year together with one in whom is no such discerning he never will own that any thing is proved but holds fast his own conclusions still The way of Christ himself was not to dispute but assert and he that hath an ear to hear saies he let him hear if you will receive it receive it The true believer is to wave those unprofitable janglings by which contentious self-confident men would labour to confound all 1 Tim. 1. The Iewish teachers put this question to Christ himself Art thou the Christ tell us He said unto them if I tell you you will not believe Luk. 22.67 When Christ preach'd how many contradicted and blasphemed was the fault in him Speak who will Paul an Angel from heaven or Christ himself and let the hearing ear be wanting what can be done The very disciples when they were coming down from the Mount where Christ was transfigured before them he lets fall a word about the Resurrection and they are all in a puzzle to think what rising from the dead should mean Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come say they Elias is come saies he and they have done to him what they listed Mark 9.9 13. and Mat. 11.14 speaking of Iohn Baptist. If ye will receive it this is Elias which was for to come The last word of prophesy in the Old Testament pointed at Iohn the immediate preparatory Minister to the publick and general dispensation of the Gospel upon Christ's coming in the flesh Mal. 4. 5 6. If ye will receive it receive it He that hath an ear to hear let him hear that is he that has a spiritual understanding and discerning will take it They did so But what would the disputer of this world have said to him Sir you assert that Iohn Baptist was that Elias but how do you prove it So when the Apostle Iohn saies of false or short-sighted teachers They are of the world therefore the world hears them They They have populous Congregations all the world goes after them and admires this man and the other man But we saies he are of God He that knoweth God heareth us Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error 1 Joh. 4. 5 6. Would not the disputer of this world be out of all patience to hear a man assert at this rate and as he reckons prove nothing Let him be what he will this we see is the way of Christ and his Apostles If there be a spiritual ear this doctrine is received if not will any elaborate discourses or demonstrations ever bring to pass that the natural man shall receive the things of God What will become of that Scripture then 1 Cor. 2.14 Demonstrate while you will if there be not the â—ight reception the hearing ear all 's a case you are where you began The vainâ— jangling disputative way of foolish man is not at all to be gratified in the declaration of the mysteries of the kingdom of God Will you yet cavil and dispute O professors will you yet contradict and blaspheme Lo then I turn to the Gentiles My second Word is to you O Gentiles Be wise O Kings be instructed O ye Iudges of the earth Serve the Lord with fear Psal. 2. 10 11. The Signs and Wonders of God are coming thick upon you While it is yet called to day harden not your hearts against
who revealeth his secrets to his servants the Prophets Amos 3. 7. and them that fear him Psal. 25. 14. for the discovering unto Abraham that exemplary vengeance he then resolved to pour out upon Sodom and the neighbouring Cities for their wickedness Abraham by the offering up of Isaac did certainly perform the choicest highest and most acceptable Sacrifice and Service that is required of God or performable by the Faith of Gods Elect. Nothing was so dear to him as the Will of God and God thought nothing too much to give him He must become a great and mighty Nation yea all the Nations of the Earth must be blessed in him Moreover he will not withhold his secret counsels and resolutions from his friend Abraham If he intend to execute his Judgements in the Earth he will unbosom himself to Abraham before-hand and so afford him the opportunity of trying the utmost that may be done by his intercession on behalf of the Generation amongst whom his lot was cast The servant knows not what his Lord is about to do but the Friend the Son all must be discovered to him The Friend will readily do whatsoever the Lord commands Ioh. 15. 14 15. will follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes Rev. 14. 4. therefore is the Lord willing to disclose to him whatsoever he is going about to do The Son that abideth in the house for ever is open-handed free and universal in his love and resignation of all he is or hath unto God and God is as free and open-hearted unto him knowing that he will make a right construction and improvement of his discoveries Observe first then That the life of Faith is the most excellent life and that those therefore that live by Faith in the highest operation of it are of highest esteem with God This is apparant in Abraham's case here before us He was a Believer of the highest rank and therefore the choice Friend of God the Father of the Faithful in whom all Nations are to be blessed He is thought â—it for most intimate bosom familiarity and converse with God 'T was a more excellent operation of the Faith that saves and is Eternal life in the Believer which Abraham did experience and walk in in distinction from â—nd-superiority to the elect Angels and an inferiour â—ort of everlastingly â—aved Men that shall stand about the Throne on which Abraham with others of his more sublimated spirit and higher participations of Christ shall sit as the Bride the Lamb's Wife From the singular notice God here takes of Abraham and the peculiar friendliness â—he shews in revealing to him alone of all mankind his present intendment towards Sodom Observe secondly That â—â— it is the 〈◊〉 so is it the great Priviledge and advantage of Believers highly to value and carefully to improve Divine Discoveries Why did God shew this secret to Abraham more than to 〈◊〉 living but because of the singular good use he knew Abraham woâ—â—â— make of it He knew he would instruct and command his Children and Family after him to keep the way of the Lord and to worship him in Spirit and in Truth though a way by men called Heresie God thinks he can never be open enough to a tryed Believer a known Friend Vse 1. How should this encourage us to give up all our Isaacs to him to do with us and all we are or have whatsoever pleases him How willing should this render us to have our Sacrifices fast bound to the horns of the Altar with the threefold cord of God's love to us man's enmity to us and our love to God Whatever we surrender and part with in obedience to the Will of God we are sure to receive again with Usury to die is gain To lose life is the way to find it eternally A Believer draws forth the choicest communicable Excelleâ—cies and bosom-secrets of Christ. God puts a great value upon every motion of his believing Friends Much tribulation they meâ—e with in this Vale of tears many affronts and cruel mockings from contradictious men yea bonds imprisonments and cruel deathâ— But the Lord stands by them to assist and give them peace in the midst of all to make them stedfast and unmovable in the work of the Lord and in their sufferings for such work He raises in them such ravishments of joy through the manifestation of the glory that follows that they chuse rather to be tortured and flain than to accept of deliverance in order to obtain a better resurrection than their deliverance from prisons and death would amount unto They abide stedfastly with God unto a temporary death and he then sets upon their heads the Crown of eternal life Consider was not Christ the great Captain of our Salvation made perfect through sufferings did not he pass this way to the Crown and must not he that will live godly suffeâ— persecution and through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God The Apostle bids us consider Christ who quietly endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest we be wearied and faint in our minds I am now going through the grace of God to resist man unto blood as knowing that I ought to obey God rather than meâ— I am ready to follow the Lord whithersoever he goes and calls me after him Rest assured of this However dismal and sad the Believers work and condition appears to men God will give besides a holy triumph of rejoycing in the way an expected end an end that will answer and over-answer all the desires and expectations of his soul. Whoever is able throughout to mark the perfect man and to behold â—â—e upright in heart will find that the end of that man is peace such peace and so given not as the world giveth but so as no man can take it from him Objection But what peace is this Believers have Is it not their usual lot here to be delivered into the hands of sinners doth not God permit the men of this world the inhabitants of the earth to trample upon and insult over them yea even to ride over their heads Psal. 66. 12. so that they are forced to lay their bodies as the ground and â—â— the sheet to their oppressors that go over them Isa. 51. 23. Doth he not suffer the Devil by wicked men to proceed further against them for the tryal of their Faith than he had commission to proceed against Job for the tryal of his patience even to the touching and taking away their very lives and that with all manner of lying aggravations contring in this to fix the black and infamous character of the greatest malefactors upon them and then cry Crucifie them crucifie them away with such people from the earth it is not fit they should live any longer Act. 22. 22. Answ. To this I answer Thus Christ himself was served and therefore all this notwithstanding they may have peace Yea they have the only true peace which passeth understanding In the midst of all
in this way there is life and joy in the Spirit The Believer the true spiritual Circumcision rejoyces in Christ Jesus having no confidence in the flâ—sh nor mastering much how iâ— goes with that So he may win Christ and know him in the power of his Resurrection he is willing also to know him in the fellowship of his Sufferings and in being made conformable unto his death There is no other way to the eternal Crown If we suffer with him who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good Confession 1 Tim. 6. 13. we shall also reign with him if we deny Him and his â—ause before men through fear of them that can but kill the body and have no more that they can do he that can destroy both body and soul in Hell will deâ—â— us before the Angels of God Whatever frightful appearance the present tribulations may have this remains sure Light â—â— sown for the Righteous and gladness for the upright in heart My harvest is at hand the season for me to reap the good fruit of the incorruptible seed of eternal life that hath been sown in me many years ago by the good hand of the Lord. I have so much already of that fruit as makes me set very light by the present tribulations that are but for a moment and are not to be compared with the glory that follows I have sown in tears and am now going to reap in joy where all tears shall be wiped away for ever There shall be no more sorrow crying or hearing the voice of the oppressor I charge you therefore be ye followers of me as I am a follower of Christ. Walk in that Faith ye have seen me to walk in and be not dismayed Observe what I now say to you and the Lord will bless you yea you shall be encouraged and commended by him as a choice pattern of obedience unto others like the sons of Ionadab the son of Rechab who were commended for performing the words of their father that he commanded them and were therein propounded as an imitable pattern to the men of Iudah and inhabitants of Ierusalem who did most perversly refuse to obey the Commands of God himself in the Messages he sent to them by the ministry of the Prophets Encline your ear therefore and hearken unto me now in this parâ—ing Instruction Listen to my command and obey the words I speak to you in the Name of the Lord. I charge you to walk in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and that with all steadiness and constancy as not in the least discouraged by what you see now to befal me and other his servants and followers in this evil day The servant is not greater than the Lord. He went this way and hath warned us that through much persecution and tribulation we must strive to enter into the Kingdom of God Walk then in the Spirit and Faith of Abraham in that immutable frame of spirit that feeds upon that which is incorruptible whereby you will be nourished up into eternal life and carried on through all difficulties and oppositions to the compleat full and certain saving of your souls Be bold confident stedfast and undaunted herein though bryaâ—s and thorns be with you and you dwell among Scorpions Be not afraid of their big words or stout looks though they be a 〈◊〉 house Ezek. 2. not 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of God before their eyes and therefore lifting up themselves 〈…〉 against the Lord of Heaven and practising to destroy the People of the Most High till the Antient of dayes come and set them upon their feet at which time Judgement shall be given to the Saints of the most High and they must possess the Kingdom Who are you then if you live and abide in the Faith of Abraham that you should be afraid of a man that shall die and be made as grâ—â—â— Isa. 51. 12. All the Nations of the World are less than nothing before Him in whom is your help Isa. 40. 17. Stay your selves then upon God in the greatest outward confusions or alterations of Government or Governours that possibly can befall though the Earth be removed and the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea Be of good courage take to you the whole Armour of God fight the Battels of the Lord the good fight of Faith and he will make you more than Conquerors Let these dying words of your Father never be forgotten Be strong in the Faith of Abraham He that now speakâ— to you hath for many years proved and tryed what this amounts unto he sees great cause to recommend it to you upon that Experience he hath had of the support and relief it carries with it in all occurrences as also how bold stedfast and comfortable it renders the possessors thereof against all possible affronts contradictions and oppositions of sinners When you can no longer enjoy the bodily or visible Presence of your Father with you live more in the Faith of your Father that he that is my heavenly Father may discover himself more and more to be yours also as you shew your selves more to be his Children which will highly concern you that through the more plentiful commâ—â—â—â— of his grace and spirit amongst you and in you you may be more strengthened with his might and glorious power in your inward man unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness and be able to stand it out in this evil day This is the last opportunity I am like to have of this kind The Lord set my words home upon your hearts Be glad and rejoyce thus to be minded of your duty and charged by meâ— And what greateâ— cause of rejoycing can your Father have than that his Children walk in the Truth See then that you alwayes keep your Consciences void of offence towards God and towards men Hate and decline every unrighteous way and whatever is contrary to the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. Put one another in mind of these things that your Father thus minds you all of in this his last Charge and Instruction which he leaves with you Provoke one another unto love and good worke Exhort one another so much the more as you see the day approaching Shew forth your Faith in the workings of it by which you may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Those that believe in God will be careful to maintain good works Tit. 3. 8. Consider what manner of persons it concerns you to be in all holy Conversation and godliness seeing that all these thingsâ— that now are and which ye see are very shortly to be dissolved sooner it may be than you can yet believe even the Heavens and Earth that now are the whole outward face of things in Church and State the world throughout 2 Pet. 3.7.11,12 Live then as those that wait for their masters coming for the new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Live in the pure Spirit of this tried Faith of