the Lambe was not to be sodden in water which points out in the Spirituall signification that while man is in his naturall corruption and while lust and love of the world and unstablenesse of spirit being carried to and fro by the power of sinne inward or outward and so cometh to owne Christ in his propitiation by way of an Historicall beleeving this is to prepare the Paschall Lambe to themselves contrary to the command of God and doth boyle the same in water viz. their sin and lusts by the fire of the false faith and thereby their sin as the water taketh the vertue of the Lamb into it selfe and thus the broth is made sweeter to them then the meat boyled in it and from hence it is that sinne is so pleasant to men because they have seasoned it by the vertue of the boyling of the Paschall Lamb in it viz. by the false application of the death of Christ whereby they get to themselves liberty to sinne and by so doing make Christ the author of unrighteousnesse Gal. 2.7 and can freely sinne that grace may abound Rom. 6.1 So as the Lamb was not to be sodden in water it was not to be eaten raw for that was unsuitable to the digestion and would indanger and damnifie the bodies by bringing severall casualties upon it And likewise raw flesh was counted uncleane and so when the plague of Leprosie was upon any so long as any raw flesh was to be seen that person was to be accounted uncleane but when the raw flesh was wholly covered by the Leprosie then that person was to be pronounced whole Lev. 13.12 13. all which holdeth out to us in the signification that those who looke upon Christ in the flesh as he was borne of the Virgin Mary lived in the Body suffered in the Body and rose in the Body and so becometh to be a worshipper of God in any outward forme and goeth no further but to apply themselves in these formes what Christ was in the flesh even this is to eate the Paschall Lambe raw and so bringeth distempers upon the soule whereby it will be in danger of death and these distempers are such as loosen the strength of the reines whereby it becometh to have an issue of blood continually running viz. The thoughts inclinations feares cares loves and desires running continually into the Creature and yet can worship God in a forme and apply Christ in these formes according as he was and what he suffered in the flesh And from hence it is that though they have the Plague of Leprosie upon them viz. hearts full of sin and selfenesse yet doe they not know it but by the Physick got out of these forms they keep downe that Leprosie from their owne beholding thinking to cure the same and by so doing there is some raw flesh still in the soule viz. some good some righteousnesse some good conceit of what is acted in their holy forme out of which there is many good thinkings raised in the minde of the love of God and faith in Christ and sanctification of the Spirit c. all which is but as the raw flesh arising amongst the Leprosie and while that soule hath that raw flesh in it it is but loathly in the eyes of God and is accounted as uncleane and untill man truly know himselfe all over-spread by this plague of Leprosie viz. sin and selfnesse as well in his good actings as in his evill actings he is not in a capacity to be pronounced cleane and the Apostle Paul knew the plague of this Leprosie well enough when he cryed out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c. Rom. 7.24 And for the pronouncing of such cleane as are over-spread with this Leprosie of sin Christ came and to save those that knew themselves invested therein from head to foot inside and outside and that bear the burthen thereof continually Mat. 11.28 And when our Saviour instituted this Type this hee included in the same remembrance Now the manner of the preparation of the Paschall Lambe was to be rosted with Fire Fire having in it these significations viz. wrath anger fury heat consuming terribleness c. and in its better signification it holds out good viz. comfort light and love and zeale and life c. So it is to be understood that Fire in its first significations pointeth out sorrow and suffering and so it is that when the Fire of God or his fury or anger c. is kindled in the soule of man in the condemning property of the light which is in the Conscience and the spirit of man findeth it selfe deprived of the love of God and nothing but the fury of the Lord poured out and that nothing but woe and want appeareth in the soule and sin abounding which is as fuell to the Fire of the anger which he feeleth within himself when this cometh to be truly kindled there is great tribulation in that minde and this fire must all souls be brought into before they be fit for knowing how good Christ is for this was the way that he went himselfe even under the wrathfull displeasure of the Justice of the Father passing through the fire of his indignation and so as the Paschal Lambe was rosted at the fire it kept all the sweetnesse and vertue in it selfe by which it was more pleasant to the taste and truly nourishing so Christ by going through the fire of the anger of God became to bee made pleasant to all those who taste him and none can taste or eate him rightly but such as have their Soules brought into the same fire or sufferings with Christ and so can close with Christ as a suffering Christ and bearing the same indignation with him and owne him in that way and walke with him in that way in the daily denying of selfe and this Christ himselfe left in command to all that would be his Disciples and in this also would he have them to remember him so often as they should eate that Bread and drink that Cup. Likewise the Paschall Lambe was to bee eaten with bitter Herbs which holdeth out the daily sorrowes and sufferings of these Soules who doe taste of the consolations of Christ and as the soure Sauce is used to sweet meat to help the stomack to digest well so that no surfeit cometh by the sweetnesse of the meat so afflictions are the only preservative of the Soule least consolation cause distemper and this the Apostle witnesseth by the prick in the flesh 2 Cor. 12.7 And Christ himselfe maketh this out to his Disciples when he told them of the sorrow they should have in his absence yet he bad them be of good comfort for he would come againe to them Ioh. 14.18 and this he would have them to remember also I could have proceeded further in the explanation of the Paschall Lambe in other particulars but what is said I hope may suffice and bee enough for the matter in hand
speaking only of the time when Christ instituted this Type so I will goe on a little and speake a word of the matter in this Type As for the matter you know it was the elementary things viz. Bread and Wine and the Bread was such as the Passeover was kept with viz. unleavened Bread which was not made by Art or had any mixture of bitternesse or sournesse in it but had all the sweetnesse that the nature of the graine afforded as for Bread it is to be understood in its originall community and properties First for the Originall it is of the vigour and vertuall strength of the earth which doth give and communicate it self into the Grain cast into it whereby the same receiveth life and so is brought out and brought on still to its maturity and fitnesse for the use of man Secondly for its community as the Grain by being cast into the earth and lying in the wombe thereof the earth communicateth its vigour and strength into it so the Bread being cast into the stomack it doth communicate the same vigour received from the earth into the corporality of the fleshly substance of man and so by way of communication the body hath its support from its originall viz. the earth And Thirdly the properties of Bread is to give life and strength and keep away weaknesse and death from the body and this Bread Christ made choyse of to typifie what was the vertue of himselfe and therefore he said by way of Metaphor This is my Body c. Now the Body of Christ typified by Bread was not that corporall Body which was then visible amongst them neither was it that Body that he bad them eate for that corporall Body of Christ it selfe was but a Type and whatsoever he acted or suffered in that Body were al typical having them a in spirituall signification and Christ himselfe witnesseth the truth when he said he would give the Disciples his Flesh to eate which saying was a stumbling block to many that heard him which when he perceived he told them plainly That his Flesh viz. his corporall Body did not profit but it was the Spirit that quickeneth and that the words he spake they were spirit and life Ioh. 6.63 So here is to be understood Christ in the Spirituall substance and not in the Corporal and this Spirituall substance is the Divine Nature which hath in it selfe these things typified by the Bread viz. it s originall from the Father and of the same nature and substance with him oned with him in unity as the Graine is one with the earth and of the same nature and substance not differing in community but they differ in matter and likenesse in the coporality so Christ and the Father are distinct in respect of the matter and likenesse in the corporality viz. the Flesh while he lives in it but did not differ from the Father in union as himselfe faith Ioh. 14.11 which unity consisteth of the originall communion in the eternal substantiality of the being of God and from the eternall substantiall and essentiall being or Divine nature proceedeth these properties held out to us by the Bread viz. to strengthen and give life and to keep weaknesse and death from the soules of those who have the Divine nature in them and such soules by the community and vertue of the same nature become incorporated into the union of the Father and these Souls by the properties of the Divine nature or Spirit brought into the same substance of its originall and receiveth all its vertue and nutriment from the same as the branch doth from the Vine Ioh. 15.1 2 3. and as that Bread had no Leaven mixed in it so the Divine nature hath no mixture in it but what is in it selfe and will not admit of any Leaven viz. any of the Creatures Art Wisdome Righteousnesse c. and this was the Leaven Christ bad his Disciples beware of Matth. 16 6. and the Soules of men becometh to be made partakers of the Divine nature by way of pure beleeving which ariseth out of the operation of Divine nature it selfe and not out of the observation of the Type for that is but Historicall and looketh upon Christ in the Human Nature and this is but the faith of Hypocrites and that will perish Iob 8.13 but the faith which is of the operation of the Divine nature is that which overcometh the world 1 Ioh. and by it the soule liveth and abideth in the Divine nature it selfe and thereof is made partaker and in this respect the Divine nature typified by Christs flesh becometh to be meat indeed Io. 6. and this would Christ have his followers to know and live in and thus would he have them to discerne him and understand his saying and what he meant when he said This is my Body c. and because the Corinthians were blinde in the mysterie therefore the Apostle Paul blamed them much and giveth them a caveat of the unworthy and not right eating of that Bread c. and how that not right eating did indanger them much because they in their eating did not discerne the Lords Body 1 Cor. 11.29 Likewise for the other Elementary matter viz. Wine its originall is from the earth which giveth life and nutriment to the Vine whereby the fruit is brought out to maturity out of which the Wine is produced and the properties of the Wine is Paysicall purifying and refreshing being seasonably taken but on the contrary it is damageable and hurtfull and this fruit of the Vine Christ used in this Type because of the sympathizing properties thereof with the properties of his owne Blood now the Blood of Christ is to be understood in a twofold sence viz. Typicall and Spirituall typicall in the blood of the corporall flesh which was shed or let out upon the Crosse but in this his corporall Blood was no more vertue then was in the corporall flesh and that profiteth nothing being but a Type but that Blood which is saving is spirituall issuing out of the Divine nature of Christ and that is his love and this love is the life of Christ and blood signifieth life as you may see Gen. 9.4 5. and this blood or love of Christ which proceedeth or is shed out of the Divine nature of his spirituall substance hath these properties in it viz. Physicall purifying and refreshing first Physicall for those soules who have had the same issuing out of the Divine nature into them knoweth that they have been recovered of divers Diseases by the same which diseases is the bitter tormentings of the guilty Conscience who keepeth the Soule in great paine under the lashes of Justice and under the shadow of death and under the bondage of the Devill and under the paine of Hell all these being of power to torment while the hand writing of Ordinances is unblotted by the same blood or love of Christ and those soules who are Soule-sick under these stands in need of
Physick and to them Christ becometh a Physician Luke 5.31 by the shedding of his blood or love out of the Divine nature into these Soules by vertue of which they come to be restored to health Secondly His blood issuing out of the Divine Nature becometh purifying and purgeth the soul from that which is the cause of all its diseases and pain viz. sin and selfness for that is the cause of all sorrow and where this love of God or blood of the Divine Nature is shed in the hearts there sin becometh purged out by the power of faith which worketh by love And this faith God useth as an instrument in the purging by love which made the Apostle say that God put no difference between the Gentile and the Jew purifying their hearts by faith Acts 15.9 Now this faith is always accompanied with suffering as in nature purging is some cause of pain but this faith which is grounded in love overcometh the World with all the glory thereof 1 Joh. 5.4 And it beareth up the heart in all afflictions and tribulations making one vertue to arise out of another as tribulation begetteth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in your hearts Rom. 5.4 5. So as the soul is purged from sin both in affection and action so is the conscience purged from its blindness by which it kept the soul in bondage to outward actings and the captivity of weak ordinances which cause the soul to look at Christ in a fleshly way and in its blindness tormented the soul when it would not know Christ so and the truth of this purging the Apostle witnesseth as you may see in Heb 9.14 And whosoever hath this love of God or blood of the Divine Nature shed in their hearts the vertue thereof doth ingraft that soul into Christ in his Divine Nature by the way of pure loving and pure beleeving as the Branch into the Vine and every branch so ingrafted into him and bearing fruit in him he purgeth and maketh it bring out more fruit Joh. 15.2 Thirdly The property of this blood of the Divine Nature is to comfort and revive the soul for whom and in whom it is shed for when the soul hath undergone the bitterness of purging out of sin by way of affliction and have passed through all the sorrows and sufferings of death devil and hell whereby the powers of the soul became much weakned and the heart broken to peeces c. then by the vertual property of this blood the spirit is revived and comforted as may be seen Isai 61.1 2 3 c. And this was that water that Christ spake of to the woman of Samaria John 4.10 And thus his blood becometh drink indeed John 6.55 And who so eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood in this manner live in the Divine Nature of Christ and Christ by the Divine Nature dwelleth in that soul and such a soul shall not see death Iohn 8.51 But whoso eateth or drinketh the Body and Blood of Jesus any other way the same becometh a stumbling block to them and as the effect of Wine is to hurt and breed ill humor and dazel the brain when it is not taken in moderation with wisdom in its vertual properties but when mens lust causeth them to drink the same then do they befool themselves in it for want of wisdom and so thereby they oft become to be made weak and sickly yea and many are brought to death thereby Even so the Blood of Christ being drunk in a wrong sence viz. by way of the Historical faith which looketh upon Christ in the flesh and making applications of what he suffered in the flesh and so taketh the efficacy from the Divine Nature and giveth the same to the humane or corporal nature This Faith or looking upon or eating or drinking of his flesh and blood becometh to work no other work in these souls but onely keepeth lust sin or selfness alive and so by this false faith Christ is made the cloak of sin and the Minister thereof Gal. 2.14 And because the sons of men have neither wills nor wisdom to examine themselves in this very thing therefore much weakness is in their understanding that they cannot know the truth as it is in Jesus and much weakness is in their wills in fighting against sin and therefore that sin being unpurged out it becometh cause of much sickness viz. the soul having an issue of blood because the veins thereof is loosened and so it is carried out to love seek and live in created or things acted and by this means such sickness if not cured bringeth death And this was the very thing that the Apostle Paul would have the people to take heed of when they were to observe this Type 1 Cor. 9.28 c. But for the matters in this Type I will let them pass with these small hints and will proceed and speak a word of the manner of this Type or the Form Christ used therein viz. He took bread and blessed it and brake it c. By which blessing is to be understood sanctifying which holds out the power and vertue of the God-head in it self which vertue and power was in himself and by the same he sanctified himself Ioh. 19.17 by which he blesseth and sanctifieth all who live in him and he in them and in this case he is our sanctification 1 Cor. And likewise he brake the bread breaking being the parting of a thing into peeces whereby many may be partakers of the same which holdeth out the fulness and wholeness of the Divine Nature which doth freely and liberally disperse it self into several particulars that many may be made partakers thereof not that the Divine Nature is or can be parted or divided in itself no more then the Sun in the Firmament which remaineth whole in it self yet all are partakers of the light and heat thereof So the Divine Nature is whole and undividable in it self but by its fulness doth fill so many particular Creatures and herein standeth the division in respect of the corporallity of the Creature and the fulness of the Divine Nature is whole in it self and by its fulness and freeness doth fill all particular souls And this truth Iohn Baptist verifieth where he saith Of his fulness have we all received c. Iohn 1.16 And the fulness of the Divine Nature issuing out of it self into any soul doth draw the same into its own nature whereby the same is made fit to live in the same nature and by the living in it that soul becometh rooted and grounded in the same whereby it is made able to comprehend with all Saints what is the bredth and length height and depth c. And so becometh to be filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3.17 18 c. And when he had shewed the Disciples the freeness of the fulness of the Divine Nature breaking
confirm him in his present condition likewise he shall be made to know how secretly he limitted God to those his Gospel Forms and how he secretly hated and envied all other who had Christ truly manifested in their souls and how he could have persecuted them if occasion had served because such went about to overthrow this foundation And then shall he see how his heart is in love with created things and how farre short his soule is from the true partaking of the love of God though he conceited he had knowne the same formerly and then shall he see the great vaile spread over his heart which keepeth the heart from God and God from the heart and then shall he see sin out of measure sinful and shall have cause to say O Wretched man that I am c. Rom. 7. And so it is that the soule becometh to enter into the operation of the second Baptisme whereunder it suffereth much woe and want in respect of the body of sin it feeleth alive in the inferiour parts of the soule and likewise knowing how the Son of God viz Jesus Christ as yet hath never been truly manifested to the more noble parts thereof and so as yet the soule is but in the Wildernesse in which the voyce of the Cryer is continually crying and calling Prepare prepare the way of the Lord c. and the soule in obedience to that cry doth turne it selfe wholly to seek the love of God to be made knowne to it in the second distinct property viz. the powerfull and lovely and peaceable appearing of Jesus the Son of God and to make his name knowne in the powerfull and mercifull delivering of the soule from under that present evill of it selfe by which it is so carried captive oft times into the prisons of Hell and Death And when the soul is thus brought to understand the Baptism of Iohn then it is that faith beginneth to be purely operative and not before for now faith hath its ground-work laid in the heart and before it was but in the head and from what part it hath its ground so doth it worke and this faith grounded in the heart doth carry out the soule into seeking of the vertue of the Blood of Christ in the Divine nature and so is made willing thereby to wait for the out-pouring or shedding abroad of the same to cleanse and wash away that sin and Self that doth so defile it and likewise this faith doth so clearly carry out the soule from the desire of things created that it standeth in opposition against them when they peirce or present themselves into the soule likewise by the power of this faith man is made to see the emptinesse of all formes and duties the which it hath so much doted on before and likewise it maketh the soule truly know wherein its true life consisteth and nothing is desired in comparison of that which is the true life thereof from whence it cometh to passe that this soul stands at variance with every thing which keepeth it back from the enjoyment of its life And in this manner the Ax is laid to the root of the tree viz. The sharp cutting part or the Law in its inward and spiritual requirings whereby the bole of sin becometh cut down viz. The strength of desire love care or fear of or to any thing below the love and life of the Son of God becometh cut down and cast into the fire viz. into the anger of God by which they become burned and consumed But yet it cannot be truly said that anger is in God whereby he can be made to change or to suffer for anger and love is both the same in the essence of God and that which is love in God the same is anger in us and it is the love of God that maketh us feel his anger by reason of the sin that the love meeteth with in us and so by reason of that love of God in us and that sin it meeteth with in us the suffering is produced which we feel and that suffering is called the anger of God And thus we are rightly to judge of the anger of God But now the soul being brought into this suffering way or plunging condition under the baptism of John or spiritual cutting of the Law wherein the abomination that maketh desolate beginneth to appear then groweth such a soul to sink down into great humility and in patience waiteth for the appearing of the Son of God who must in the manifesting of his Name restore peace and give comfort and deliver the soul out of that great desolation made in it by reason of the great abomination And so it is that when the soul is rightly prepared by the second baptism of John then in his own time and place the name of the Son becometh manifested in that soul and the Lord whom it hath sought doth come into his temple Mal. 3.2 And then it is that the vertue of the name of the Son of God becometh powerful in delivering the soul out of that desolate wilderness from amongst the enemies that it found there and those lusts that led it captive is become captived and the shadow of death is dissipated and the garment of mourning is cast off and the soul cloathed in the garment of praise and then the soul can rejoyce and rightly sing Hallelujah to him that hath done these things for it And thus it is that God in the second appearance in the distinct property becometh to be known in a more sweet and loving and peaceable manner then he was known in the first Name before the Godhead had divided it self as is before said And thus Moses in the first dispensation under the Covenant of works by his baptism reached out the soul to John and John in the second dispensation led out the soul to Christ and so the soul can truly witness the Name of the Father and the Son I would have enlarged more upon the baptism of John but that I have already spoken something thereof in a little Treatise called The Anti-god with his threefold attributes discovered in the out-side religious man and in that you may see something which is needful to be known the which I have omitted here But now I proceed and speak a word of the third Baptism viz. The Baptism of the Holy Ghost and this is that which is more excellent then the other two former because of its time operation and effect of which I shall speak hereafter And this baptism was witnessed by John Baptist himself when he gave testimony of Christ who was to be the Minister of this Baptism and told the people that he that was to come after him c. should baptize them with the Holy Ghost and with fire whose fan is in his hand c. Matth. 3. And what John Baptist did witness herein the same had he received of the Father who sent him both to baptise and bear witness of Christ that
each to raise out Doctrines Uses c. and so declaring the minde of God and Christ according to their own Schollership Wit and Knowledge got from Scriptures and other mens labors Thinkest thou it was such he meaneth of or did intend these words for them if thou do thou art a fool But I will tell thee who he aimed them for viz. Such as himself who had the right knowledge of and lived in the power of what he held out to others and had not his doctrine to fetch out of his study and brain-knowledge gotten from what others had said but he had it from the right Fountain that Fountain living in him and he in it and he was acquainted with that he lived in and could witness the truth thereof truly and as he had heard and seen so did he testifie to others for he had seen the Lord Jesus in Spirit and he had felt his love and lived in that love and from thence he had his freedom both to speak and talk what was freely given him by those whom he had brought to be partakers of the spiritual blessing viz. The shedding abroad of the love of God in their hearts by which love they were more willing to give then he was to receive And these people he spoke these words to were wrought into the same condition as himself witnesseth 1 Cor. 9.2 And therefore knowing that he was one whom the Lord had sent to work his work and that the work was wrought even upon those upon whom this work was fulfilled he thought no great offence to take what they would freely give him and to such whom he had wrought up into the faith and love of the Lord Jesus Christ he sheweth that if he did take any thing of them yet he did not transgress and to shew them how reasonable it was if he did so he brings before them these foresaid metaphors which all of them being rightly weighed was worthy of the reward they hoped for and from thence he draweth this conclusion That it was as lawful for him to take something of them as a Souldier to take the wages he ventureth his life for And as reasonable it was as for the Husband-man to eat of the fruit of his own labor c. And the Law of Reason will allow this Well this may sound something as like thou wouldst have it but minde what is said before and what cometh afterward and then see where thou art for thou art not the man that hath the right to take of any any thing for what thou dost for thy work is not worth a Bodwill per annum for thou art not the man that hath any due at all to a peny for thy work for thy work is but thy own and thou hast learned it as men learn other trades and yet by what thou hast learned from others thou wilt take upon thee to enter upon the work of the Lord and to be a declarer of his will and minde to others whereas thou bearest but false witness of the minde of God for thou hast not seen the Lord Jesus neither ever did he call thee to what thou dost nor ever hath the minde of Christ Jesus been made known unto thee in the Mysterious manifestation of his loving kindness to thy soul neither dost thou live in the life of and love of God and so thou art far enough from knowing what his will is for he doth not own thee in thy work neither will he bless thy work for it is none of his but thy own and so thy own blessing falleth upon it and that is nothing but a false name thou puttest upon it making foolish people believe thou art something even Simon Magus like who deceived the people And thou makest some believe that thou hast converted them to God yea and thou art so perswaded thy self too when alas they are but the same they were in their hearts onely they differ from what they were before in the outward man and because thou hast put out their eyes they give up themselves to be led by thy direction and for so doing thou dost pronounce them blessed but yet poor souls their hearts are not turned to God but live in the world Look back I pray thee at the foresaid Mystery and the fair Garment for they be the very emblems and just pictures of thy self and thy converts for all which thou teachest and what they learn of thee is but to work that Garment and both thou and they pretend what you will of God your work is but your own and the creature may go so far and farther too by the power in them by Creation the common grace added to it and all this you boast of is but the Creatures acting and in this you have but made them twofold more the childe of Satan then they were before Matth. 23.15 And you are the very men that heal the wounds of the people very slightly Jere. 8.11 But take to you and lay it to heart for the saying of our Saviour doth belong onely to you and such as you for he saith If the blinde lead the blinde c. Matth. 15.14 And this is all you bring to pass to deceive the souls of the people And thus you pay them for their hire and this is the work you work for your wages and these are the spiritual things you sow to them whereby you imbolden your selves to take their carnal things and this is the Gospel you preach whereby you get your living and yet you cannot see how you are blinded but runne on in your sin strengthning your selves with the wrong understanding of the words of the Apostle whereas you neither be the man he was neither inwardly nor outwardly neither have you the right calling into these places you are in neither do you work the work he wrought and yet do you most unjustly take an occasion from his Word to take from the people that which belongeth not unto you but being partial in your own cause you take in Scripture what may seem to make for your own gain and what seemeth to be against you that you wave and will not minde it For though the Apostle by right of his calling and rightness of his work might have received something of the Corinthians as due to him as the Souldiers wages yet he kept himself free from receiving any thing of them 1 Cor. 9. Yea his own hands ministered to his necessity as may be seen Acts 20.34 But this you take no notice of because if you should follow his example your Kingdom would fall down and that you have no minde to let fail But in this your doing I assure you That you are the greatest theeves in all the world nay you are both theeves and robbers yea and the greatest cheaters in the world too and I will prove it too For first you take of the people that you have no right to take because it doth not belong to you as is
Fathers to make you what you are and your Fathers god is your god also and his inspirations you obey and that with all your souls and strength for in case you have not a benefice at present that satisfies your hungry desire when there is any appearance of a greater to be gotten O what inspiration doth your god cast into your mindes and then is your desires inlarged and your thoughts set on worke how to answer your god in his inspirations and then you humble your selfe under the mighty hand of your god in which humility you come bending before this great man and that great man and so desireth his helpe and countenance in the matter and by their meanes you come to get your matter brought about to what you would have had it Is not this true I appeale to your selves for witnesse hereof for though you would yet you cannot turne your eyes from it for your owne Conscience will witnesse this for a truth O wretched and most miserable of all men in your doings how dare you say that God hath sent you to speake in his Name or take upon you the name of Christ's Ministers seeing how cleare it is from whence you had your calling and how base you are in your calling but yet you cannot see your selves in your basenesse for your god hath blinded your eyes neither doe you care for having them opened while you make so good a trade of your speaking for that spirit of divination that possesseth you bringeth in you no little gaine by its smooth speaking for many of you sell your speaking at no lesse rate then three or foure pound a Sermon as some call it but let it be what it will I say some of you have so much for speaking one houre and if any of you get but ten or twenty shillings for each Sermon you thinke that hardly well sold yet you all pretend the honour of God and the edifying of the people and the feeding of their soules O fooles for shame hold your tongues and say not so but you declare your sins like Sodome and cannot hide them from God nor from them who have their eyes open And would but the Parliament of England make an Act to take away this hire from you and that you might have nothing from them for your speaking then should you see your selves and all the world might see you for then wee should but heare little of you for your preaching would bee soone at an end and Gods honour and the edifying of his people would quickly cease and then I beleeve you would let a Souldier take the Pulpit for you would not care who came in it then then would it appeare from whom and from whence you had your calling and I thinke that the Parliament would doe God a speciall peice of service in making such an Act and I am perswaded God would mightily blesse them for it for in so doing they should over-throw as great enemies of God and his Truth as ever yet was subdued in England Scotland or Ireland and these enemies are the pride and hypocrisie of these covetous Priests but this is my hope that this Act will once be brought to passe for God will not passe such dealing by though he suffer long for his patience is well nigh tired out Our Saviour saw these men well enough and you whom I have written to are the very same in your generation whom he calleth the hireling who runneth away when he seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep to the wolf John 10.12 Is not this your very practise when any poverty or suffering seemeth to come upon you which you discern by the eyes of your fleshly reason and when you can but know of a place to hide your selves from that apparant danger then away you run and let what as will take the people Dogs Wolves or Devils you care not for you will fend for your selves and you will say God calleth you from them And thus you run from one place to another one while for fear of poverty or some other suffering and sometimes for the maintaining and upholding of your pride And all this is because you are hirelings for the sheep is not yours for you neither were sent by God neither do you work his work in begetting souls to God and as you have not the love of God manifested in you you cannot beget children nor bring them forth into the partaking of the love of God for you have not that immortal seed of God in you to sow in the hearts of others And therefore you are but barren and unfruitful and so your hearers are but empty souls not knowing what the love of God is and therefore there can be no true love between you and them and therefore upon small occasions you will leave them But were they children begotten by you you would lose your life before you would run away from them and you would spend and be spent for them and endure any hardship for and amongst them But you are but Ministers of fortune and those that will give most for your service may have it and as long as you can profit well by the people you will serve them and pretend much love to them and herein you make but a prey of the flock and seem like Lambs and Sheep in your appearance to them when you profit well by them And thus you slily beguile the poor and devour and take from them by your ravening that which many of them might very ill spare and yet have it you will Consider I pray you of the words of our Saviour for you are the self-same he pointeth out where he saith Beware of false-prophets that shall come in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves But by their fruits you shall know them c. Matth. 7.15 16. c. And this very same is fulfilled in you for your fruits do testifie what you are for you have not brought out fruit unto God but unto your selves and you are no more but like to thorns and thistles who tear the wool of sheep and your fruit not worth the gathering The Apostle Paul before his departure had a clear sight of you and of your fore-fathers and told the people That after his departure should grievous wolves arise not sparing the flock Acts 20.29 Is not this true in you in tearing and taking away the poor mans labor and if you have but the tenth part you care not what becomes of the poor mans family at home when oft it hapneth that his children wanteth bread and other necessaries for what you have taken from them to consume upon your pride and lust I can witness to this truth my self and so can many others in England but if we can but have patience a little all will be amended and then shall you no longer reign for your desolation is not far off and I would have you to take notice of it for I warrant you what I say
is no Astrology for that you will not believe though never so true But this that I tell you shall undoubtedly come to pass and sooner perhaps then you look for it I will not tell you at present what I believe of you least when it cometh to pass you say I was a witch for I know you will not allow a true speaker the name of Prophet But me thinks I hear some of you object and say In what thou hast said thou hast not spoken truth for there hath many been converted by our Preaching and many godly people have we begotten and the Lord hath given a blessing to our Labors and by this we know we are the Lords Messengers to his people and the true Laborers in his Vineyard O my Friends do not think in what I have said that I have any minde to detract from you what is your due or to wrong any of you in the least For I confess Like may beget like for that is oft a truth in nature and so in you For I do not deny but many of you have a form of godliness and as you are in that form you may beget others also into the same form and so make them like your selves and yet all of you without the power of God and love of God and wisdom of God For if the love of God were shed abroad in your hearts it would turn your hearts into its own image but as yet you have not that love and therefore you have hatred in your hearts both against God and man And from hence it is That you can freely persecute and destroy all that worship not God in your way and this you have no order for nor example either from Christ or any of his followers but you and all your Converts go not a jot further then the Scribes and Pharisees but in that you believe Christ is come in the flesh and have an Historical or Notional Faith of him in your head but the world and selfness lyeth in your hearts and you are as hide-bound to the Gospel-forms as the Scribes and Pharisees were to circumcision and the formes under the Law and as they being hide-bound or heart-bound to these forms so became they to be the enemies of Christ when he appeared in the flesh And the very same are you and all your Converts fast tied in your heart to the Gospel-forms and hereby you are become the enemies of Christ appearing in the spirits of men and so are you become the persecutors of Christ in the Saints and yet in this you think you do God good service and the greatest perfection in your Converts is when they are made exceeding zealous for the honor and glory of God as they say so that whosoever worships God in any other way then theirs then are they sure of persecution by you or them if it be within the compass of your power and this you have in your generation and that faith and love and full assurance of your salvation alwaies is accompanied with pretended zeal for the honor and glory of God and from hence you count all other the enemies of God who have not the same garb that you have And all this great conversion you brag of is nothing else but a conversion from evil to far worse for you have turned some of your Hearers from some outward grosse offences and have brought them into a conformity to duty as you call it and by the refraining the outward grossnesse and closing to and with the outward duties your Conscience beginneth to cease biting so long as you walk obsequiously therein and from hence the foule Feind transformes himselfe into the Angel of Light and secretly wraps himselfe in your actings and by his power when once gotten rightly joyned to Selfe Righteousnesse then hath he power to worke Wonders and can worke like God and give consolation to the Soule and bring it into raptures and ravishments and can bring the Promises to remembrance which is suitable to confirme his workings and from such working he can make the Soule beleeve its regeneration and its calling and election to be made sure and that with a witnesse too in which assurance the Soule will oft rejoyce and shall have many false flashes of Love which the Soule can no way know but it is the feeling of the love of God and if you have brought any Soule thus far as to this full assurance and to be partakers of such feeling you thinke you have brought them farre on in grace and thus farre I know you may bring a Soule by your Ministery and yet this Soule is but two-fold the Childe of Satan more then it was before I will make this plaine unto you for when the Soule before was in the grosse actings then was that person in a more hopefull way for God to bring it to himselfe by his owne way then it is now for then when God would have brought these persons from their sinne in his bringing them either by himselfe or by those whom he would use for that worke then I say there was hope these Soules might have been led in a way whereby they should have escaped the snare of Satan But being that these soules are in the snare they are more in captivity to him then they were before and the reason is because then God had some power in the Consciences of them and oft times condemned them for their outward grossnesse but now they being brought out of these outward sinnes into the obedience of outward formes their Conscience loseth that priviledge and now instead thereof the Feind hath power to feed the Soule as is aforesaid the which he had no power to doe before and in this condition the Soule is well pleased to be and can stand for it selfe stoutly that it is sealed to God and made sure of Salvation and so is become exceeding fool-hardy rejoycing in its fooles paradise and being fed by false consolation and herein that person is once more the childe of Satan then before And secondly whereas before these soules were converted by you they would not persecute or bring any to death for not walking in their waies but now your Converts must seeke the honour of God and so in zeale for his glory they must become persecutors and destroyers of their fellow Creatures because they will not honour God in their way and thus are they become Murderers and yet they doe not know it but the same spirit that ruleth in them must they of necessity bee obedient to and it is proved before that that spirit in them that ruleth is Satan and he it is that setteth them on work For as our Saviour saith He was a murtherer from the beginning and his works will you do Joh. 8.44 And herein are your Converts twofold the children of Satan more then they were before It was not the Publicans and sinners that put Christ to death no no it was the religious zealots under the Law
also how many ways you will object against what I have written to you but I warrant you I have an answer for every one of your objections and I would have answered them all before I had left you but that I know if you will not lay this to heart it had but been follie in me to write any more for if I as I make no doubt but I very wel could have stopped all your mouths in what you could object yet I know your will is so bent in the way that when you had nothing to say you would stone me to death if you durst for you are of the same generation with whom Stephen had to do who was not able to resist his spirit he spake with yet they could stone him to death Acts 7.58 For the truth is that the God of your Fathers whom you worship viz. Self-pride self-praise self-profit self-wisdom self-power self-righteousness c. Self being the first person in the Trinity who by his spirit of wisdom doth so inspire you and in obedience to the same you become always resisters of the Holy Ghost Acts 7.51 But being past hopes of doing good to the generality of you because I know your blindness and hardness of heart at present I will adde no more to what I have said for to you who are sealed up for destruction here is too much but if happily there be some amongst you who are not sealed and setled in blindness having some want and emptiness in their souls and the same lying upon their spirits in making them to finde little but ease comfort or content in any thing they either act or speak and that can finde nothing but wo and sorrow in all they go about either in the world or their forms of Religion I say if there be any such souls amongst you I know they have that within them that will cause them to close with what I here have offered to them and confess that I have said nothing but that which is as true as truth it self And to such souls this I know will be useful for one reproof enters more into a wiseman then a hundred stripes doth into a fool Prov. 17.10 But for all other before-said they are but fools and will not believe and therefore I leave them to be destroyed by their own folly and will return to the poor deluded people under them and give them a friendly advice and shew them how they have been cheated and cousened by these foul Beasts whom the Devil hath most subtilly brought into the Ministery and have reigned by his means so many hundred years whereby the true knowledge of God is worn out from amongst the sons of men and all under a form of faith in Christ and a brain-knowledge of God and performing some duties which they tell you is holy and therein have they strangled your souls and made you believe you were in the ways of God when alas you were but in your own ways and the way of God as yet you never knew Then hearken O ye poor deluded souls who have a desire to know your own deceit and have a willingness in you to know what the way of God is and where this God is and where the way to meet with your God is and see and know that your ways you have lived in and rejoyced in how they are but poor weak beggerly things and so long as you live in them you live but in your self and as long as you live in them you are not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven neither to know the Mysteries of God nor the misery of the sin that is in you and without you know that you shall not know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God As I have shewed you the original of the Ministers from whence they came so I will shew you your Religion and your duties and observations from whence they came and upon what grounds your forms are pitched and what is all that you can reap out of the very best of your forms and how far you may act in your forms and yet have your spirits deprived of the love of God which is the salvation of all souls that are saved and I will shew you from what principles your performances arise and by what power they are performed And first for your Religion I finde it to be nothing else but a feigned fantastick thing raised up by and through the vain conceits of your blinde Ministers who have no grounds for what they affirm but onely false conclusions which they draw from true principles in others and likewise the best grounds they have for any thing contained in the profession it is no more but examples from others who had command to observe such things and know the minde of him who commanded these things and observed these things according to the minde and intent of him who gave them command to observe such things but your Ministers being ignorant of the minde of the Commander observe the same by example not knowing the minde of the Commander and therefore they have given out these things to you and their own minde in them and from them have you observed these things in your Religion But now I will come to some particulars and I wish you to observe well what is delivered unto you by my Pen and the Lord give you hearts to understand the truth I shall deliver to you And first I come to that which is a principal point and part of your Religion viz. The observation of the Sabbath as you call it but that is not a proper name for it except you profess Circumcision and so become one with the Jews for to them was this delivered amongst the other Commandments but instituted at the beginning and when God had given out the rest of the Commandments to Moses he repeateth over this Commandment of keeping the Sabbath and telleth Moses for what end and purpose he had given that charge of keeping it viz. That it should be a sign between him and the people that they might know who sanctified them and whosoever did not refrain from all manner of work upon that day was to be put to death Exod. 31.13 14 c. And this was to be a sign between God and them in all their Generations Now if it were delivered to the Jews as a sign then was there something signified in it and appointed out by it to them I will tell you what it held out to them it held out three things in its signification As for the first it was the righteousness of God by which he sanctified them without any thing in them or by them whatsoever and as they were to cease from all labor whatsoever on pain of death so were they not to look at any thing within themselves whatsoever whereby they should look to be made holy for if they did it was the very death of their souls and God knew it well that they would be looking at something
Israel go And this Passover was kept of the Jews for a memorial of what was done and at the very time of the Jews keeping this Passover it was that Jesus instituted this Type which Type holdeth out a more clear beholding of himself to the world then the other Type of the Passover did for that Type of the Jews Passover was but as a shadow whereby to know the substance and a shadow is but a dark representation of a thing and so this dark shadow was to be done away that the Image is a clearer representation of the substance then the shadow and yet both the shadow and the image are but representations of the substance the one more clearer then the other the darker done away and the clearer established And this was one reason why Christ instituted this Type or Image at that time that after he was departed the sons of men might have a more clear sight of him after his appearing in the flesh then they had before for then they lived under the shadow or dark representation but now under the Gospel we have the Image or clearer representation as you may see Heb. 11.1 Likewise at the time of the institution of this Passover God had a marvellous work to do viz. To bring the Israelites out of Egypt from under the bondage of Pharaoh and the Egyptians so at this very time of Christs instituting of this Type God had a wondrous work to do viz. To bring the souls of believers out of the captivity of the Devil Sin Death and Hell for after the death of the Paschal Lamb the first-born of Pharaoh and all Egypt were slain and so their proud hearts were made to stoop So by the death of Christ the first-born of the Devil viz. Sin was destroyed and Death and Hell conquered and so a way was made for all souls to come out of their captivity for sin is the first-born childe of the devil his beloved and his power and strength For this is a truth in nature that the first-born is the strength and power and dignity of the Parents as Jacob saith to Reuben his first-born Gen. 49.3 So sin being the first-born childe of the devil therein consisteth his power and strength and when this is slain then is he overcome and so death being the childe of sin loseth his power for as sin is the first-born of the devil so death is the first-born of sin for death is brought out by sin Jam. 1.15 And as death is the first born of sin so Hell is the first-born of death and alway follows its father Revel So all these first-born were to be destroyed by another first born and that was Jesus the first-born of God a Type of whom we have in the Levitical Law by the first-born of all things which should be called holy to the Lord Numb 3.13 And as this first born Son or Lamb of God overcame the Devil Sin Death and Hell by himself so that they had no power over him so by the same power he overcometh all these for those who are the true followers of him in his life and example obeying his commands and taking up his cross and bearing it to the very death those shall know the power and vertue of his life death and resurrection and shall live with him in the union of the Father and when he instituted this Type he would have them to remember this whensoever they would do the like Likewise as the first-born of Pharaoh and Egypt were slain so on the contrary the poeple of Israel was saved from the power of the destroyer by the efficacy of the blood of the Paschal Lamb where it was sprinkled upon the two side posts and the lintel of the gate viz. The Will the Understanding and the Conscience the Noble Faculties of the soul for as the two posts and the lintel do differ in their property yet in close joyning together they make but one so in their properties they may be distinguished but in unity they are not distinguishable And these three in their distinct properties being sprinkled by the blood of the Lamb the destroyer viz. the justice of God can have no power to enter to destroy any of the Inhabitants contained within the habitation of that minde viz. Faith Hope and Love c. In case that none of the Inhabitants went out of door beyond the sprinkled post and to the very same purpose our Saviour gave command to abide in him Joh. 15 4. for herein is the safety of the soul with all its affections c. And this blood of the Lamb being sprinkled upon the posts as before said is the mark or sign of Gods sanctification or setting that soul apart in the more noble parts until he have executed justice of and upon the world flesh and devil death sin and hell who have their habitation in the inferior parts of the soul viz. the sensuality and the reason and imagination which by their great power have kept the inhabitants of the noble part in bondage But to illustrate a little more the sprinkling of the two side posts and the lintel in their threefold property I will shew you how the Scripture in other places pointeth at them and first for the property of the one post and its sprinkling viz. the Conscience First for its property As the one post of the gate having hinges whereupon the one leaf of the gate is hung so that thereby it hath the glibness to open and shut so the Conscience hath two hinges viz. the outward teachings and the inward dictates of God upon which the one leaf of the gate hangeth viz. the fear of God And the understanding as the other post hath other two hinges on which the other leaf hangeth and these two hinges is true wisdom and right knowledge upon which the other leaf hangeth viz. the pure desire of God and these two leaves being close shut and safely kept together the adversary hath less power to enter But these two posts are not fit for the bearing of the two leaves of the gate until the lintel couple them together So neither the Conscience nor the Understanding can be suitable for carrying the fear and desire of God in their right order until the will with its property yeilding obedience in its ghostly acting bee conjoyned to both and so when all their threefold properties meet in union then are the two leaves of the gate hung in right order Now to come to the sprinkling of the first side post viz. the Conscience As for Conscience before it be sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb it is but the leader of men into error as well as into truth as may be seen in the Apostle who by and through the leading thereof persecuted the Saints And likewise the Scribes and Pharisees that put Christ to death and though man have never so much zeal for God yet his conscience not struck or sprinkled all his works is but sin and dead
out or darting it self into each several soul typified to them by that form of breaking the bread Then he gave the same to them that they might eat it and told them in a mystical sence that it was his body that was broken for them as is partly shewed before And this form in the Type instituted had a sympathizing with and to that Type of his corporal body ready to be sacrificed and rent in peeces upon the cross till its coporal life was taken from it which holdeth out the renting to peeces the body of sin in us and the death of the same upon the cross of self-denial which is holden out by the form and manner of eating eating signifieth brusing or suffering being typified by the bitter herbs in eating the Paschal Lamb For as eating bruiseth and maketh the thing eaten to be fit for digestion whereby the same is turned into the same substance of flesh So afflictions and sufferings maketh us partakers with Christ and of Christ and to drink of the same Cup and to be baptized with him into his death and by the vertue thereof the body of sin becometh destroyed Rom. 6.2 3 4. And this Christ would have them to know when he commanded them to eat that bread that as in eating it they bruised it in peeces so it was that body of sin in them that was the cause why the justice of his Father bruised and brake his corporal Body and to be avenged of that body of sin in them he would make them partakers of the Divine Nature and that was by way of suffering whereby that body of sin should be destroyed And that in these afflictions the pure believing might be raised in the soul that thereby the Divine Nature might be made suitable for digestion and so turned into the nature of the soul and the soul into its nature by vertue of the blood or love of the same nature that so he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified may be one Heb. 2.11 Likewise the manner or form in this Type was further viz. in taking the Cup and giving of thanks and bidding them drink it c. As for giving thanks it is a well-pleasingness in the soul with what God doth or will do with it and a free submitting to the Fathers will wherein his goodness is made manifested whereat and wherein the soul rejoyceth under any affliction and so it was that Christ rejoyced in what was the will of his Father and in obedience to his will he was willing to lay down his life and by this he shewed to his Disciples what he would have them to do when like afflictions should betide them and those who were his followers in whom the Divine Nature was livingly felt and by its vertue had dashed in peeces the body of sin and by the blood of that nature viz Love these souls was incorporated into the same nature these followed the same example and in suffering could be well pleased witness hereof is the Apostle Paul where he saith Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress c. Now in all these things we are more then conquerors c. Rom. 8.34 35 36 c. And further Christ told his Disciples that that Cup was the Blood of the New Testament which was shed for many c. in which typical saying was signified the establishing of the second Covenant promised before of his Father by the Prophet Jeremiah where he saith Behold the day cometh saith the Lord that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Jacob c. And I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people c. Iere. 31.31 32 33 c. Which promise our Saviour came to fulfil and at this time instituted this Type giving out the truth thereof in this his mystical saying and the compleat fulfilling hereof is in the souls of those who be incorporated into the Divine Nature whereby they become to have that law of God viz. The righteousness of God which righteousness is Christ or the Divine Nature stamped upon their hearts by which they know the truth of God in that Covenant and doth set to their seal that God is true Ioh. 3.33 And by the power and vertue of the same they are taught to know the truth and needeth not that any teach them because the same anointing in them teacheth them all things 1 Ioh. 2.27 And thus are these souls made to own God for their God and live in the love and life of him united to him by the vertue of this Covenant and so becoming his people owned by him and wholly set apart for himself in and through the sanctification of himself by his own Spirit But what might be said more upon this particular in the manner of this Type I let pass because somewhat that might be said is somewhat touched before in speaking of the material things in this Type and I would not too much over-load weak understandings with too much speaking of things that be too hard and heavy for them So I proceed to speak a word of the end in this Type for which Christ instituted it which was for this very purpose viz. That now when the time of his departure was at hand and that his bodily presence was to be taken away from the world therefore he would not leave the sons of men without some rememberance of himself and what he had said unto them the which he would have them to take notice of when he was gone and that his suffering should be kept still in minde and though the Type of his own Body should not abide amongst them yet he would leave them another Type instead of that whereby they should still be put in minde of him And this was to be to them as a glimpse of light shining in a dark place until the Sun it self arose and became as a light that shineth more and more until the perfect day and that while the sons of men were in their weakness before they were brought into the pure and perfect knowledge and full enjoyment of himself in the Divine Nature this was left to be as a mark in the way least by forgetfulness men might happily step out of their way in following him to the death of the Crosse and that was the chiesest thing which hee commanded and would have them to remember and Christ left not this Type only but he made to them who were his followers a promise of sending the Spirit to them who when he came should bring all that he had said into their remembrance Jo. 14.26 and this death of Christ in the corporall Flesh was still set before the eyes of those who were his dearest friends and truest followers and it was the thing they still pressed after to see how neare they could come to follow Christ
him Psal 50.15 But in drawing from example of occasions wrong conclusions and so making set-times suiting to others occasions herein you erre greatly as also to draw conclusion from the example of others expressions who spake according to the sence of the occasion For your formal repetitions this also is but foolishness and fantastick conceit without any ground at all and long may you call upon your God even like the Priest of Baal before he grant what you would have onely this I know you may have granted of God even as you have framed him a person in your fancy and comprehended him in a place so he answereth you again by way of your fancy by suffering the Angel of Light oftimes beguile you in making you believe you have received a great deal of comfort and refreshing in your soules from God when it is no more but the deceiveable spirit working in the imagination and fancy I would have inlarged more upon this principle in your Religion but that I would be at some other thing and what is said of this may give you some sight and glimpse of light that you thereby may darkly see where about you are in this your holy duty of prayer for in case you come to see your selfe in this particular you shall know assuredly that you differ not from the Papists themselves for this your holy duty of prayer as you call it was first instituted according to times and formes amongst them and you from them have borrowed that fashion of prayer and you and they are both one in the substance though you differ in some circumstances in your formes yet both of you worship one and the same God in your hearts But no more of this at present But to proceed I speake a word of another principall ground of your Religion viz. your blinde zeale in being so carried out to heare the Ordinances of God as you call them viz. your blinde Priests who have the lying spirit of errour in them by which they have preached to you and having bewitched you with their Charmes they have made you beleeve lyes instead of truth and from hence it is that you are altogether out of the way of the truth both inwardly and outwardly and yet you have no more knowledge thereof nor no more sence thereof then Witches whom the Devill have cheated with his fantastick delusions so that they finding or indeed conceiting they finde such comfort and content in these delusions so that they cannot be sensible of the danger they be in even so are you cheated by your false Priests and have no knowledge at all of the dangerfull deceit you are in but instead of finding out their deceit you are in love with them for their deceiving but no marvell for they have offered chanting powder to you and you have received the same of them and have eaten it in your morsels and so by the vertue or rather poysonable nature thereof you are made to goe and run starke mad after them and in this mad zeale you have lived and doe live in and in so doing you thinke you doe Gods service and seeke to honour him by attending of his Ordinance O poore blinde cheated soules I pitty you for your great ignorance herein for I was in your condition formerly and I had as great zeale in that way as any of you have or can have and I had the same thought of duty that you have yea and I doted in my madnesse upon these your false Priests and did very much adore them I am sure as much as you can doe and I owned them as the Ordinances Oracles and Ministers of God but when the loving kindnesse of God appeared to me and that he was pleased to make the way of his truth knowne to me then did I see my great folly and madnesse and then was manifested to me the great deceit of the Priests and more and more as God was pleased to owne me and teach me so more and more they were discovered to me and out of my love and pitty toward you as my owne flesh and blood I give you warning of them for they are none of the Ministers of God neither ever sent hee them but they have been brought into their places by other meanes as I have somewhat shewed you before therefore as all the rest of your duties and performances taught you by them is but by their owne wisdomes invention so is this also for this duty of hearing them is that which most of all exalteth them for thereby they have both their praise pride and profit upholden and that causeth them to beat so sore upon that very point and layeth load upon your poore blinded Conscience and by help of the lying spirit that is in them they have wrested all the Scriptures to and for their owne purpose in this particular and so have blinded you of the right sence of many places that painted them out in their right colours and have made use of them and applied them for the upholding of themselves and for the opposing and putting downe of all who had more appearance of God in them then themselves and beside when or where they had or have power they took to them the help of the Sword of Justice to uphold themselves and destroy others who had God more clearly manifested in them then themselves and thus have they become the Man of Sin who exalteth himselfe above God or any that are called by the name of God as you shall see plainly opened afterward but in the interim beware of them and thinke not that you performe any acceptable service to God in going to heare them for by this very act of yours you become transgressours against God and so he giveth you up to be deceived and the way of truth is hid from you But you may object and say In case they be not sent Ministers of God yet you may heare them for Christ bad the people heare the Scribes and Pharisees which sate in Moses Chaire and yet they were such as were against Christ and taught the people to observe the Law and yet themselves observed not what they taught to others It is true Christ bad the people observe and doe whatsoever the Scribes and Pharisees taught them but yet he commanded not the people to heare them but only as you may inferre from the other words but in case he had in plaine words commanded them to heare them that maketh not for your hearing of unsent Ministers in our dayes as I shall plainly prove the same unto you For in these last dayes both the Law of Commandement and the Law of Ceremonies and the observation of Circumcision was all in force untill the death of Christ in the flesh but when he spake these words he was in the flesh and so the observation of the ceremoniall Law and Circumcision was tollerable and to be observed of the people and those Scribes and Pharisees who then sate in Moses
height of his Kingdome will be but I could wish those poore blinded fooles amongst you to turne their eyes inward and looke for the reigning of Christ in them and then I beleeve they shall finde something that will hold them doing that they shall looke no more for Christ without them for the reason why they are so carried out in their fancy is because they found life in the liberty of their forme and so was carried out from the medling with the evill that is in their owne hearts and therefore not knowing the Mysterie of selfnesse in them the Devill hath power to worke in their fancy and make them looke for such things to be fulfilled outwardly as shall in their time and order be fulfilled inwardly and all this happeneth because of the forme of godlinesse without the power of God and as yet they have not received the truth as it is in Jesus neither doe they love the truth nor can love it because they doe not know it and for this cause God sends such very strong delusions 2 Thess 2.8 9. But to let these passe with their fantastick conceits I will speake a word in generall to you as I finde you stated in a form to which you keep as close in your order as doe the Presbyterians yea and as hide-bound to your forme as is the Papists and though your forme be somewhat more regulated then the Presbyterians yet doe you not dissent from their very forme in most things you observe but you shake hands with them with the one of your hands and the other hand you reach out to those of the Anabaptists order and so from the Anabaptists to you and from you to the Presbyterians and so from the Presbyterians to the Prelatians and so from the Prelatians to the Popes the collaterall line is kept whole and you are all tied together with one chaine consisting of so many linkes and all of you stand in one center with your feet and your backs one towards another but as you dance the round you keep the compasse and not step out of it and you all dance after one Pipe and can agree to heare its Musick for that melody pleaseth you all and this Musicioner is the Devill and his Pipe is the World with its various notes of profit pleasure and praises and when this Pipe is sounded you all dance after it as though you were all gone mad and though you all agree in this harmonious dance yet are you all opposite one to another in your manners and breeding and bringing up in the courteous conges you make in the saluting of him you call your God and because of this difference you cannot owne one another though you otherwise center all in one Yet you who are of the order of Independency I must confesse have something amongst you in your formes which I honour and approve of you for it as you are Formalists and that is because you have not as yet tied or constrained any to observe the same way of worship with you but as yet leaveth every one to his owne freedome in way of worship in case hee or they be not open blasphemers so farre all is well And further you are not altogether so hide-bound to the unsent Priests as the Presbyterians be though I know you cannot as yet clearly see what they are and therefore you cannot altogether forsake them and therefore are so far in bondage to them I know likewise you have some amongst you called Ministers who is of somewhat more moderate spirited men then those of the Presbyterian order and that is somewhat more inlightned in the knowledge of the truth according to Christ in the flesh but yet very few I finde amongst them who rightly know the truth as it is in Christ according to the Divine nature yet I must confesse some of them have got a darke notion of the truth in the Divine nature and yet all endeth but in a better regulated forme for as for the proper operation of the truth as it is in Christ I have not as yet seen any great effects either amongst you or your Ministers for the naturall operation of the truth turneth the heart out of centering in formes though never so well regulated neither will the power of the truth suffer the heart to be carried out to the world or any created thing whatsoever but all the feares cares loves and desires of any thing below God is subdued in that soule where the truth hath taken possession in the heart and little comfort or content can that soule have in any thing created or acted where the truth as it is in Jesus is rightly knowne and untill the truth in Jesus viz. in the Divine nature be received and from the receiving thereof the knowledge thereof is attained the heart of men is in bondage either to the creatures viz. the world with the things contained in it or else the works and acting of the creature viz. formes of Religion of some fashion or other and all things created or acted tendeth to bondage and men may be in captivity to either of these or to both and yet know it not but thinke themselves free and the reason is because they never found bondage in their captivity but rather freedome and indeed while man liveth in a forme he knoweth not the bondage of that forme but findeth freedome in the forme yea more freedome then before he tooke the forme upon him for before he tooke the forme upon him his Conscience had power to condemne but now in the forme blinde Conscience is satisfied and so the heart hath more liberty to center in the created things and yet can please conscience with acted things and thus the worship of God is roundly carried on in formes and the world and the worship thereof goes on as roundly in the heart and no bondage at all felt in any of these things no more then the Jewes who boasted of being Abrahams seed and never were in bondage Jo. 8. but the reason why bondage is not felt in things acted and things created is because the truth of God was never truly known amongst you but I confesse you have a zeale but not according to knowledge and you have a knowledge but not according to the truth for that knowledge you have is but according to Christ in the flesh and that is but either relative or artificiall out of which ariseth an Historicall faith and this pointeth at and closeth with Christ as he was in the corporall or humane nature and this you may have and indeed none other can you have while you live in formes and this is not a knowledge in the heart or a faith in the heart but this is altogether in the head and the power of this saith will not close with Christ nor can close with Christ in the Divine nature for that faith in the head according to Christ in the flesh is alwayes an enemy to Christ as he
dwelleth the love of God in such and in the having of these things doe they not puffe up the Persons that have them above their fellow creatures and so respecteth persons and accounteth much of such as themselves and despise those who be inferiour to them Jam. 2.3 is not this a shame and yet how many doth glory herein Nay how many various pleasures and delights is there that men glory in and yet a shame to be taken up with them How many shamefull gloryings belongeth to those who are the enemies of the Crosse who have their belly for their God but I let them passe and come to the third character viz. Who minde earthly things Its love to that which is the god hath the minde and no marvell if the Belly be the god if the minde be set on earthly things and this is that which will try all soules whether they have God or their belly for their god for though the belly cannot devour all in the worshipping of it yet that which is not offered in sacrifice to it that becomes to be gloried in and for upholding that worship and that glory the minde must of necessity be carried out to meddle about earthly things for it is these that must uphold all the glory and the worship of that god and though the glory and the worship of that god be the best performed by and of those who are rich yet those who are not so great and rich in the things of the world I make no doubt but their wills is as bent to worship that god and to glory after that manner and its possible the will may be acceptable for the deed and where the will is led out in defiring of those things I am sure the minde is set about earthly things for where there is any god but the true God either in possession or in desire the minde will be constantly carried out about that which will please their god and two Gods no man can serve for he will love the one and hate the other Mat. 6.24 and those who would owne the true God for their God was not to have their minds set or carried out to seek any thing below him no not so much as to have a thought of what should be the next day and all that any should look for in this world is no more then needfull food and raiment and this must not be had with either fearing caring or desiring but by way of beleeving and the minde wholly carried out in seeking the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof these are old worne-out sayings of Christ and they being worne out of date with oldnesse they are but little heeded for we have got a new way to the Kingdome of God by which we can carry the world and the body of sin and Selfness and duty and all together and this way is by the false faith framed by the braine knowledge of the learned Priests and seeing they have invented such a fine way how can fooles but love them and thinke themselves happy if they can but get incorporated into their congregations but weigh what is hinted at before and see who are the enemies of the Crosse and I beleeve you shall finde no want of such in your congregations and indeed I doe not marvell that the Crosse hath so many enemies seeing the vertue of it would take away sin and destroy Selfe and men loving Selfe so well they cannot abide to goe to heaven without it and this new-found way leadeth to heaven another way in which Selfe and all goeth together My friends who are of the Independant congregations consider with your selves whether or no you be the enemies of the Crosse or not do not so much pretend Christ and talk of Christ with your tongues and yet be enemies to his Crosse in your hearts I know what I speake and have some grounds for what I say I know where you stand and what is your worship well enough and I have just cause to feare that many in your congregations be more enemies then friends to the Crosse but I am partly perswaded that your ignorance is some cause thereof and the cause of your ignorance is by reason of many of your Ministers for I know you have abundance of them who are of the false-hearted crue who through cunning of their wit have played the Juglers and seeing your order come into request and like to carry the sway in these times and fearing to be losers by such alterations through their cunning have transformed themselves into another shape and so have crept in amongst you and though they seeme to be something yet they are but the same they were before in their heart and I know they have power by the great hand of their God who first made them Ministers to Metamorphize themselves into any likenesse but beware of them for they will keep you still in ignorance and by dissembling deceive you for they are many of them the enemies of the Cross of Christ yea and have wrested the minde of God in the Scriptures contrary to what he aimed it for and have made use of it for their own back ends and have taught the people contrary to the truth and so have kept them in ignorance until this day and by their means the knowledge of the Cross hath ceased these many years and so there hath been the falling away from the knowledge of the truth And this the Apostle Paul saw clearly in his time and told the people that the day of Christ should not come before such a fall 2 Thes 2.3 I would have given you a full description of the ensuing mystery in this Chapter but that I would not be too tedious to you nor too much offensive to the order of Priests for I assure them they are mightily included in it and the true opening of it would vex them all to the very heart and what I have already written to them shall suffice at present but in case I be called to write again I profess whatsoever the Lord shall make known to me on their behalf shall undoubtedly be uttered though at present I have prevailed to forbear And you my Friends who are of the congregated order of what parts soever whether more in knowledge or less in knowledge this I desire of you To aim to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified and presse hard after him who is gone before who left us all an example of suffering and be not beguiled with a pretence of love of Christ and union with Christ before you have born his Cross by which the body of sin in you becometh crucified and that the things created and things acted have lost their power so that your spirits is not in bondage to any of them for I assure you so long as the body of sin and selfness is uncrucified in you you shall not enjoy much of the fellowship of the Father and the Son pretend what you
requirings of the same And in all the time of the dispensation under the Law the whole Deity was named by the name of God or Father but when the fulnesse of time was come that God would appeare in a dispensation more cleare by which the Sonnes of men might the better know him then it was that the God-head in its properties divided it selfe and united it selfe to Flesh and so became the distinction in the God-head but yet the Godhead was the same it was before in the unity and in this new dispensation John Baptist begun the second Baptism in which he bare witnesse to the truth of the distinct property of God the Father viz. Christ or the Son of God and that hee was the Lamb of God which tooke away the sins of the world Jo. 1.29 And as Moses was the Messenger of God sent by him to declare his whole name or the whole God-head in his name unto the people when he would deliver them out of the Aegyptians bondage in the time of the first Baptisme so John the Baptist was his second Messenger sent by him to declare and beare witnesse of the distinct property of God and to shew to the people the name and worke of God in that distinct property viz. Christ the Son of God And as God did appeare more neare to manifest himselfe to men in his Son so the office of Iohn was to bring men out of and from under that darke dispensation under the Mosaicall observations into a more neare conformity and cleare beholding of God in that present dispensation under the Sonne and for this very purpose both the preaching and acting of Iohn tended to which God himselfe gave testimony also in the act of Iohns Baptisme by the appearance of another of his distinct properties viz. the Holy Ghost Mat. 3. and from hence it was that the name of the Sonne was added to the name of the Father and as the whole God-head stood in one name in the former dispensation and in making that name knowne and in giving out Lawes and Ordinances to be observed in that name in which the Covenant of workes was in force that name was terrible insomuch that the people could not abide to heare God speake to them yea Moses himselfe feared that great Majesty and quaked exceedingly Heb. 12.21 But when the God-head had in its property divided it self into the second dispensation into the property of Christ and so the second name of the Sonne being to be declared that name was Love and Peace and God with us Mat. 1.23 or God well pleased and reconciled to us And the Baptisme of Iohn it was called the Baptisme of repentance Acts 13.24 in which is included sorrow and departing or forsaking of something or a dying to something and to close with or to live in another thing and that was a forsaking or dying or departing from the former observations wherein they lived under the first Covenant of workes and to close with and live to the second appearance of God in that present dispensation wherein he would shew himselfe in a more quiet and peaceable manner then he had shewed himselfe in the former And John who made the way for and pointed at Christ as he was in the flesh he likewise bare witnesse of and fore-told what Christ would doe in the spirit viz. Baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire c. Mat. 3.11 and the beginning of this Baptisme was after the death resurrection and ascension of Christ as may be seen in Acts 2.2 3 c. now this third Baptisme was more excellent then the two former and this was the Baptisme of Christ by the out-pouring of the Holy Ghost and the worke and operation of this Baptisme is to burne up consume or destroy all the remainder of what was left by the other two former Baptismes and likewise to comfort and establish and make to live in a more safe and sure union of the thing closed with and from hence the third name is added to the two former and thus the whole God-head in its properties divided it selfe into the three names viz. Father Son and Holy Ghost and in these three names or into these three names was all persons to be Baptised and Christ gave out his command to the very same purpose Mat. 28.19 And as these three-fold Baptismes did accord with the three-fold names in time operation and effect in the outward manifestation in order one following or succeeding another so they held out or typified the inward and spiritual succeeding one another and this inward worke and effect of these three names and Baptismes is that whereby and wherein the life and happinesse of all soules consist in having the same compleatly fulfilled in them And as I have given a little hint of the outward names and Baptisms in their times and dispensations succeeding one another so I proceed to speake a word of that which is the chiefe worke effect and end of all these in their inward or spirituall order of succeeding Therefore observe the Mystery of the first Baptisme or the Baptizing into the first name Father in the first dispensation under the Law as God in his orderly proceeding calleth and manifesteth himselfe to us Now when the Lord God would deliver the children of Israel out of Aegypt from under the bondage of Pharaoh and the Aegyptians and to make his name knowne to the people as the whole Deity stood in the one name so his name was made known to them in a wonderful and terrible manner as is before said So it is with us when God beginneth to draw our soules out of Aegypt and Pharoah and the Aegyptians bondage viz. the outward or grosse actings in which the Devill and our Lusts have kept us in bondage amongst the sonnes of men in their common condition living in the world and this God doth by the manifesting of his great and terrible name in the first worke of the soule whereby the soule becometh roused up and made to stirre and look about it selfe and to consider in what bondage it is by being so grosly carried out into the disobedience of the requirings of the commands of God and from hence it is that God appeareth in the terriblenesse of the condemning property of the soule viz. Conscience and maketh his wonderfull workes aad wrathfull displeasure knowne in the corruptible parts of man which keepeth the spirit in under its captivity and this God doth by the hand of his servant Moses viz. by sending the Law of Commandment out and setting it home to the heart and yet how loath is the Devill who hath his Kingdome in the inferiour parts of the soule to let the spirit of man goe out of his captivity from serving him and his people viz. grosse sins and outward transgressions and from eating of his Onions and Garlick viz. in having complacence in those sins and the love of the fellowship of the men of the world and eating of their
observed and was fixed fast in the enjoyment of the thing signified in and by these things as we may see by David Solomon and Isaiah and Jeremiah and all the other Prophets and all other people in these days but those who became blinded of that which was the mystery of these things by reason of the devil sin and selfness they became to live in the things they observed and knew nothing of God in the mystery and out-letting of himself in his distinct properties and from hence it came to pass that their hearts was carried out to the Creature and yet thought to please God in and by these outward observations and from hence it was that when the heart was turned from God in closing with him in his distinct properties signified in the mystery that the observations of these things became abominable in his sight as you see in Isai 66.3 4 5 c. And so it is with us also when it cometh to pass we being called into the first dispensation of works and duties as we call them wherein we think to please God by walking in our Gospel observations and yet our hearts carried out to the love care and fear seeking and desiring of the Creature then it is that our Gospel-Forms and holy Duties becometh loathsome and abominable in the eyes of God and we are in his sight no more but as the religious Scribes and Pharisees in their first dispensation under the observations of the Law But when the Lord intendeth to bring the souls of his people more near to himself and that he may manifest himself more clearly to them in his distinct property viz. In his Son Jesus or in making the Name of his Son to be known and the power of his Son to appear then doth he change the former dispensation and maketh it void and bringeth in the second dispensation suitable for such a manifestation And so it was that when the fulness of time was come Christ did appear in the flesh and in that out-letting of God in his distinct property viz. His Son it was in another manner then he first manifested himself in making his name known in the beginning of the first dispensation as is shewed before For this second out-letting of himself was in a more milde and peaceable way whereby and wherein he was well pleased in the reconciling of the World to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 And those souls the which he would call more near to himself out of the former dispensation he so provided that they should be fitted and prepared to meet him in the second dispensation And in those days came John the Baptist who was to be the fore-runner before Christ who should prepare the way for him and should make ready a people prepared to meet their God Luke 1.17 And so it was that by him was instituted the second Baptism and his Baptism was called The Baptism of Repentance and his Preaching was to make the people wait for a further manifestation of God then ever they had known formerly and his Office was to lay the Ax to the Root of the Tree c. And he was the voice of the cryer in the Wilderness c. Isa 40.3 And he was the Messenger sent before the face of God in his appearing in his distinct property of the Son Mal. 3.1 And all the Preaching and work of John Baptist was to make a fit way for the manifestation of Christ in the second dispensation wherein he appeared in the flesh And so it was that all that came to be baptised of him was to be repenting persons even such as the Father had wrought into some measure of want and falling short in what they thought to have found in the first dispensation under the Covenant of Works and those that came to his Baptism in the strength of their own conceited righteousness and building up themselves in the opinion of their old priviledges these he would not baptise but gave them a repulse according to their desert Mat. 3.7 But so many as believed his preaching or speakings of the Kingdom of God was brought out of the depending of any thing that they had formerly observed and was made to know that life and peace and salvation was to be had in none of these things but in the second distinct property viz. The Son of God or the Lamb of God who should take away the sins of the world Iohn 1.29 And as many as he baptized was to depart from or dye to all things whatsoever they had closed with or lived in formerly and was to repent and mourn for their former foolishness in thinking to have pleased God by their duties and sacrifices and when the emptiness of these things was made manifest to them by the preaching of Iohn then were they made willing to forsake them and to close with and desire to live to and in the life of the Son of God whom he had held out to them and that they did believe the truth of what he preached they gave testimony thereof by undergoing his baptism in which they were to look for performance of the second Covenant and this baptism the which they under-went in the outward act signified to them suffering or plunging and the great afflictions to come upon them both outwardly in the owning and professing Christ to be the Saviour and inwardly in the daily denying of themselves in keeping their hearts from depending upon any thing acted and likewise in running out into the desire fear care love or seeking of things created c. And these was the fruits to be brought out in those who was under the office and discipline of John whom he had brought into a conformity of waiting for the powerful manifestation of the Name into which he had baptized them The very same work in the Mystery becometh to be fulfilled in us in this present dispensation for when the fulness of time is come that God intendeth to come nearer to the souls of those whom he meaneth to draw to himself and to make the Name of his Son to be known in the powerful manifestation thereof then doth he send out John Baptist to prepare the way for his appearing in their spirits viz. he bringeth the Law home to the heart in the inward part thereof by which the abomination of the heart becometh manifested both in the things acted and things created and truly knoweth how he hath deceived himself in the performing of his holy duties under a Gospel consideration And from hence he shall finde that all these duties performed in great zeal for the honor and glory of God as he conceived was all wrong grounded and likewise he shall see his secret and false conclusions drawn from them and how he found life and peace in them and thought that God would own him in and for these actings and conceived himself the onely man in the favor of God and could make use of all the promises as they were suitable and did
foresaid dispensations and for this very end it was that Christ gave out his command to teach and discipline all Nations and Baptize them in the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Friends I have but given you a dark glimps of these things for the clearer illustrating of them requireth more time then I have allotted to me at present and would containe a greater volume then at present I meane to put out but this which here I have intimated may give you some sight in the whole and I wish that every one of you were so wise as to finde out in your owne heart the whole mysterie hereof and this I have holden out to you that thereby you may partly see what is contained in the type of Baptisme and that it is not the forme or type that bringeth any happinesse to the soule But in case you say you live not in the outward forme of Baptisme but in the power of the Mysterie from whence is it that so little fruits thereof appear amongst you who are of the order of the Brotherhood in outward form of re-baptizing for though you may think you obey the command of Christ in this your act yet being ignorant of the minde of Christ in this command you doe obey him no more then Saul did the command of Samuel 1 Sam. 15.14 for I can as justly say to you as Samuel said to Saul What meaneth the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of these oxen in mine eares For though some amongst you in your Brother-hood can speake of some experiences and say something what God hath done for their soules yet I see the world in the heart of such yea and the love of praise and honour and the livelinesse of affection to created things looke to your owne hearts and you shall finde what I say is true and if it be so take it for granted you know not the minde of Christ in the mystery of Baptism but you content your selves with the forme and if you knew but the mysterie the forme would not be of so great value with you but as all other formes are but empty things so is your forme also and they shall all perish in time and all soules shall be deceived who live in them For nothing shall stand but what is the substance and mysterie of all forms and what soule is not brought out of formes into that which is the mysterie shall perish as doth the formes for in all dispensations and all ordinances in dispensations formerly there hath been a change and the reason why former things instituted was changed was because of sin amongst men who made Idols of those ordinances for the minde and intent of God in all ordinances was to draw the heart of men to himselfe out of the creature and so when God owned these his ordinances and answered men in them then was the hearts of men in too great love with these ordinances and when the heart beginneth to cleave to any ordinance then the heart getteth liberty to run out into the creature and yet man can blesse himselfe and quiet his blinde Conscience with observing the ordinances and so the ordinances becometh Idolized and so abominable in the eyes of God and so it is that these things God ordained to bring man to himselfe by reason of the body of sinne in man they have drawne man further from his God and there is not any formalist in England of what forme soever that contendeth for his forme can excuse himselfe in what is here expressed But here I leave you in your forms and wish that God may so owne you in your formes that you may see a cleare way to depart out of your formes and to come to close with that which is the substance and then you will not fall out with any who are not of the same forme with you neither will you so much contend for your formes for then you shall see how all formes are but empty things and not worth so much dispute and contention which hath been the occasion of the spilling of so much bloud as hath been spilt but let me tell you one thing that no hand shall be guiltlesse of bloud who hath shed any mans bloud for maintaining the uprightnesse of his forme for it will bee found that that hand that hath shed the bloud of any man for opposing his form he slew but his brother that he might sacrifice his bloud to an Idol and this one day will lye heavie upon the heart of those that have done it But what is this I have said who will beleeve it for every one in his forme can bless himselfe in what he hath done and quiet his blinde Conscience by kissing of his Idol but the time is in coming and shall shortly be that all Idols shall cease and all formall worship shall be destroyed for we who are alive are in the last dispensation and under the last types that ever shall be upon the earth and when these types under which we live shall come to be worshipped to the height then changed shall they be and I leave it to you to guesse what thing shal then be established the time shall shortly be even so come Lord Jesus Amen A word to the Free-Gracians FRiends you who pretend the Free-grace of God without the Creatures actings I need not write to you of your idolizing of Forms for I know you are not tied to any Form But my Friends I ask you the question How came you to part with your Forms was it the Free-grace of God indeed that called you out of Forms or was it your subtil-self that cast you out of Forms I much fear the devil hath played the cheater with you and you have not seen wherein he hath deceived you and so you are bereaved both of the Form and Power I know you much pretend all to be of God and that he giveth his grace freely without the act or desert of the Creature I know there is a truth in what you say but yet did ever any of you receive grace But first you were active Creatures and sought grace more then ever you sought any earthly thing If you say you have grace and yet sought not grace it is no less then a marvel to me But in case you say that you sought grace before you received grace why do you so much cry down the Creatures actings do you think to bring any a nearer way to grace then your selves have gone if you do you peradventure shall be deceived and while you by that way go about to draw men to grace it is six to one you keep them from grace I know your preaching and speaking of that subject will beget you many a one to be of the same minde with you for your doctrine soundeth well to the fleshly part of man and soon is it believed and as soon practised for I know not what will hinder the success of it for I know the devil