be deadly enmity betweene the old and the new a contrary and dis-joyned nature in either if once the old man get the victorie againe by any meanes over the new it is to be feared that he will make himselfe sure enough in the condemnation as that he shall never recover himselfe to live by repentance as Heb. 6. 4. to 8. 2. If the flesh should prevaile against the spirit then Goliah doth overcome David and the spirituall and new man in Christ is slaine and who can save it And many absurdities will arise 3. But seeing that which is borne from above after the spirit of Christ is of the spirit and that which is after the flesh is flesh distinctly as are flesh and spirit mortall and immortall distinct the least part of that immortall spirit must needs be stronger then the strongest felsh of the body for it is stronger then all the fleshly power of the world 1 Ioh. 4.2.4 4. Againe the new man after it hath a being in a man is increased dayly in the regeneration but the old man dyeth dayly in his generation therefore that regenerate an which groweth dayly getteth the victory to day is better able to overcome to morrow 2 Cor. 4.16 5. Thus the comparison is made true for David how little or young soever he was well able by the power of his God to kill for ever the man of flesh that had none but mortall defence and that before he came so neer as to encounter with him for he fought for the hope of Israel 6. Againe the comparison of the Sunne shadowed with black clouds in not to this purpose for we grant thus much that they have not alwayes the Sunne-shine but have sometimes heavinesse and temptations in the flesh which being overcome the comforts returne from above but expect man can prove that the light of the Sunne is overcome in its course of the contrary darknesse otherwise then in the order of the day and night it confirmeth that the Sonne of righteousnesse never ceaseth to shine more or lesse and all times sufficiently testifie to the conscience that the Sunne giveth light through the clouds to keep darkenes from the understanding till the day be ended by death 7. And where it is said in conclusion that the birth is not perfected untill the generall day of his resurrection this absolutly denieth the former and the nature of regeneration namely that he is regenerate and a new man for one cannot be a man till he be borne Therefore the new men must needs have a perfect birth before it can be a new man and so before the resurrection For after Beptisme this new man which is now created in body is in his account risen from the dead and living together with Christ Cel. 2.11.12 Rom. 6.3 to 11. All which sheweth the power and truth of the regeneration that where divine nature doth live as doth a renewed minde the flesh of that man must needs be kept that Satan shall not touch that body to overcome the divine nature so as to yeeld the members of that man to the service of sinne unto death 1 Ioh. 5.18 Rom. 13.16.23 By this Doctrine we may distinguish in word and deed and know every one by their fruits for the word and spirit of Christ is the same in operation in all that are adopted Men are not the children of God to day and of the Devill to morrow as they might be under the worldly justifications but all they which are perfect in heart whom the Lord loves are obedient to death and he loves to the end 9. It is manifest that the wedding garment is to love the marriage more then all goods in the world or then ones own life If any be found to presume to come to the weding without this perfect love he be convinced to want it he is condemned of his conscience as guilty and God doth condemne him and execute him by himselfe as he did Ananias and Saphira for they not having this perfect love which was required but a heart to love his money in part was thus executed for he was silent to death Mat. 22.1 to 12. Acts 5.1 c. 10. Among the Christians that are joyned to the Lord Jesus Christ to shew his death there is in love a twofold communion the one lesse and farther off the other great and neere to the Lord The first is communion of goods Act. 4.32 The next is communion of sufferings as in one body and Church of Christ 1 Pet. 4.8.13 16. with I Ioh. 3.16 Now in this brotherhood if any have the good of this world and doe not communicate in love to him that hath need it is impossible that hee can have that love of God to lay down his life blood for his brother that will not lay downe dayly as his common food to sustaine him 1 Ioh. 3.16 17. Therefore it is the judgement of the holy spirit that whosoever is false in the common communion of goods cannot hold the love in the holy communion of the body and blood of the Lord and therefore the holy Spirit doth give us to understand that it is better for the man that doth lye and dissemble in the common communion and more for the glory of God that such an one should dye by the hand of the invisible God in the first offence then that he should live longer to blaspheme and deny the love of the Lord that made him when he should com tobe tryed for his love how he doth hold the communion in the death of Christ as Acts 5.1 to 13. 11. This common communion is naturall and is as food given to one part as to the mouth or distributeth the good and efficacy thereof to all and every of the members of the same body yet it must be left free to the will of the possessor and not in bondage under the seare of carnall compulsion for this is coutrary to the nature and holy spirit of love but if a man see the necessities of the body and sell any thing the money remaines free at his voluntary disposing in love Act. 5.4 Or if a brother have much good in the world he gives as the seeth good in love of the immortall good and life Iames 2.8 12. 1 Ioh. 3.17 with 23. This Commandement to love one another the Lord gave especially to his Disciples and every one is to try his owne heart how this love remaineth in him and the judgment of this Law is left to his spirit so as every Christian that suffereth want is to possesse his soule in patience of poverty sickneâ— or imprisonment toward his brother as towards his neighbour in this respect and not so much as to desire any of his goods but leave his heart to the motion of the God of all mercy and love Notwithstanding on his part it shall be required that detaineth that which is fit As if by the example of others own purpose and promise to sell and
unto themselves in mortality their â—ight is darknesse their profession of one thing and minding another is hypocrisie and wickednesse before God and the deceit of men their riches is â—heir poverty as Rev. 3.17 their heart and mind is â—s far seperated from God in Christ and from holâ—ing him the head aâ— the Heavens are from the â—arth Therefore such as by their own negligence and default do suffer Satan to inspire them with mortality do more and more seperate from the assurance of immortality and from Christ till they become worldly and mortally minded and then they have only a bare good conceit of themselves in propriety but in any tryall they will fall away to save their soules under the authority of darknes and for the love thereof deny to lose their soules in the profession of Christ yea they will blaspheme that way of Christianity and so become the greatest enemies of the Crosse of Christ when yet with their lips they will give him a Iudas kisse and say hayle master and professe his word with their mouth but their deeds and devises are with his enemies of the power of darknesse to betray him and his Phil. 3.17 18 19. with Luke 22.47 48 53. Sixthly The true Christians in all their sufferings sight not for mortall salvation but they despise such salvation for the Saviour Heb. 11.25 with 12.2 6. Iohn 15.1 c. is shewed the true state of Christianity by the vine If a man cut the vine-tree the better the branches grow Thus the Father cutting the vine Christ in the mortall life he sprang both in the power of his immortall life and thereby the branches bring forth fruites to him that only hath immortality 1 Tim. 6.16 The fruitfull branches that are purged by his husbandry and chastised in love as Heb. 12. do by their sufferings bring forth more fruite to immortality and to the divine nature of God but if the husband man do for some cause neglect to cut or purge the mortall parts it is known that the branches that so run out without chastisement do in time come to be wild that do bring forth bitter fruite as bastards and thereby procure to be cut of from the true vine planted to give fruites unto immortality 7. According to Esa. 29.21 Compared with the prosecution now of Christians I understand how a man is made a sinner against God by a word c. insnared thus the Emperour is exalted for good certain Lawes are set down that if a Christian say thus or thus he shall suffer death their Judgement sits the Christian is â—nquired of and examined that by his own word spoken he may be taken and snared in their law and so executed as a sinner This is direct contempt of God and Christ This is the estate of all spirituall inquisitions of old 8. The doctrine of Christs body and bloâ—d Ioh. 6.53 c. is a hard saying to a carnall minde but to him that knoweth to breake the hardnes thereof it is spirit and life 63. For as the word is made flesh like us as Ioh. 1.14 with Phil. 2.7 to suffer death with us and for us so we are made the word in him to suffer with him and for his testimony and thus we eate his flesh when we apply his flesh to have Communion in the suffering thereof in love and we eate the word when we have it of him and keepe it as Joh. 8.47 51. And thus he is the food of immortality which nourisheth the Devine nature in man to every one to whom he is communicable both in flesh and spirit for the word is now both flesh spirit and life Ioh. 6.54 with 63. Therefore it canot be but that the flesh of man which hath the spirit of Christ must needs be quickned and not se death as a curse because the word is spirituall and cannot be made voide for according to the word he which eateth naturall bread is quickned mortally for the time of a day c. much more shall he live to immortallity and to God that applyeth to himself the body and spirit of Iesus Christ the manifestation of which life of Christ is effectuall to every true member of his body in that such are made of God to some end in the flesh Namely that by the life of the flesh in Christ Iesus which is yet of no being before God they may confound whatsoever hath a being of the world and in the mind or spirit Christ is made unto them from God wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.24 28 30. Whereby it is plaine that every one that in true love of God holdeth community in the flesh and sufferings of Christ hath from God the participation of the same spirit of Christ to every use He is chast as he is chast He is righteous as he is rigteous 1 Ioh. 3.3 7 with 4.2 What such do one earth it is confirmed in heaven c. because the same spirit of Iesus Christ which is in heaven liveth in them and so he speaketh an doth the things on earth by the ministery of such chosen and holy vessels Ioh. 20.22.23 Matt. 18.18.2 Cor. 13.3.5 Act. 9.15.16 9. If one should aske me whether I can know a man in whom Iesus Christ is crucified I answer yea very well by the Word for if his spirit be in him then he walkes so as Jesus Christ walked 1 Iohn 2.6 he hath the same mind to suffer in the flesh Phil. 2.5 1 Pet. 4.1 yea in his mind he is dead and crucified to the world Rom. 6.2 7.4 Gal. 6.14 and his mind is in Heaven so his Conversation is heavenly Col. 3.1.2 Phil. 3.20 The 1. day of the week 1. BEing grieved and carefull least by speaking of mysteries to sinfull and ignorant people the truth of our Lord God should be prophaned the way of truth evill spoken of Therefore I have desired wisdom to give to every one according to their estate and this is proposed unto me according to the word namely to keepe those 3. degrees 1. If any seeke the living Lord this the word saith go sin no more Iohn 8.11 for every transgression of a negative Law is a sin against God and dishonor to our Creator Lev. 4.2 Therefore all that seek peace with God must remove the evil of their thoughts and workes from before his Majesty and they must cease to do evill Esa. 1.16 and thus they are to repent confesse and forsake all former sins either against the word of God or their neighbours Mat. 19.17 18 19. For turne over to 1.2 Then if they have peace with God and are made righteous from doing evill in the world they are to seeke the Ministery of reconciliation that they may be reconciled unto God in the Body and Communion of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ and in this they are to talke upon them the decree Act. 15. to keepe in the love of the body of Christ wherein they shall
learne to know what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God that they may do it as they see the servants that are joyned to his body to do and in this estate they are to walke in the light of those which are perfect members in the body of the sufferings for Christ Jesus Iohn 3.19 21. with Heb. 13.7 8. 3. Now if any are able to hold the word of the new Testament in the enmity against the world then they present their Members as weapons of righteousnesse unto holinesse Rom. 6.19 wherein they are to do the will of God in their own persons and to walk worthy of the mysteries of holinesse which they take unto themselves in the Law of seperation 2 Cor. 6.16.17 2. In the Law of the love of the Creator Isa. 56. 6. Heb. 4.3 4. 3. In the Coeincorporation by Baptisme into the body and death of Christ Rom. 6.3 c. Col. 2. 6 11 13. These degrees are of necessity to be of speed that none may presume to come into the service of the only true God without an evident calling and preparation for so holy a work 2. I conceive the wedding garment to be the true and perfect love of God in Christ thus There are 3 undevidable gifts whereof if one faile all the other cease from Christ viz. 1 Faith 2. Hope and 3 Love 1 Cor. 13.13 1. Faith is the substance of all the invisible promises which we hope for whereby we beleeve that we shall enjoy them as certainly as if we did now enjoy them in sight sence and feeling Heb. 11. 1.2 hope is the meanes whereby we are saved and preserved notwithstanding all morral temptations to wayte in patience for what our faith apprehends but cannot see it with mortall eye Rom. 8.24.25 35.1 Pet. 1.5.1 Cor. 2.9.10 3. Love extends it selfe beyond all for as the exercise and manifestation of it is in the keeping of the Commandements which concerne both our Lord God and our neighbours Marke 12.29.30 31. so this love is stronger then all yea then death and it only is worthy of the wedding feast for hereby all pleasures friends wife yea and life is hated in respect of this calling to the wedding supper and Communion of Christ in immortality whereas all that love other things more then this Communion do justly perish in their false and mortall love and those which presume to come with a heart and a heart that is without this perfect love in the marriage of the sonne of the blessed are all justly cast out for profaining the pure and immortall love with an unclean and mortall lust Mat 22 2 c. with Luke 16. c. to 26. Eph. 5.23 â—o 32.2 Cor. 3.5.4 1. All that live in common or open sins doe live without God in the world and these are unworthy of the love of the righteous for they will be a reproach unto such men wherefore it is of necessity that first all sinners do so know God as not to sin against his presence and word and to have a good report for their conversation in the world before they can be reconciled to God so as to be joyned in common love with the righteous in Christ 3. I understand from Iohn 3.8 That there is a twofold wind or spirit 1. The one is called the common wind spirit or ayre whereby all flesh do breath and live the naturall and mortall life as Wisd. 7.1 with Gen. 7.21.22 23. The unclean or common spirit hath the authority of this ayre and he worketh in all that have their conversation in the lusts of the flesh c. Eph. 2.2.3 2. The other is called the holy wind of spirit whereby such as are begotten from above by the spirit do breath and live the spirituall and immortall life Iohn 3.3.5.8 1 Pet. 1.3.23.1 Cor. 2.15.12.16 This holy wind is the spirit of truth which the Lord Jesus giveth to all that he calleth and chuseth out of the world which worketh in all Children that walke after that holy wind minding the things that are above in Heaven after the life of immortality Iohn 14.17.26 Rom. 8.1.14 Col. 3.1 2. 4. All the world is darke and is laid in wickednesse and for this their sins are condemned and dead in the Law before Christ Jesus came when he came in the flesh he was the light of the world and all that by the discovery of that light hated their evil workes did come unto the light and love to walke in it doing the truth that their workes may be manifested to be done in God but on the other side there were and are another seed that have enmity against the light and the Children of light and these will not come unto the light but hate the light because they love their own evill workes of darknesse this light then is the confirmation of their former condemnation without any remedy Iohn 1.5.9 with 3.11 to 21. with 8.12 24. 5. The work of God for salvation is proposed by the house of God 1 Tim. 3 15. All that sin against the Law of the house are enemies to God Ezeck. 43.7 to 11.12 All that are reconciled in their mindes and will no more sin against God by transgressing the Law of his house do first desire and make peace with any of the servants of God that keepe the house After this admittance they have freedom to converse with the houshold servants and to learne the orders of the house and may see the service and God and behold their faith and godly conversation in love but yet as strangers they are not imployed in any service of God to do as his servants neither may they dare to presume or be admitted thereunto If any do desire to draw near unto the Majesty of the Lord of the house as servant he must be admitted according to the Law of the house in that kind and from that time he must do all the will of God as the other servants do 6. The men of this worldly authority when they have Christ or any of his Christians under their hands in torments do boast against them to save themselves thinking that none can save our of their hands but this is the gate of God whereby the righteous do go unto God in Heavenly peace Mar. 50.30 31. Psal. 118.17.20 The 2. day of the week THere is come into my mind a sight of darknesse and light and how the Children thereof are profitable or unprofitable to themselves how they treasure to themselves hatred and wrath or love and good pleasure from the only true God Thus the darknesse is this world and the auâ—hority of darknes is the tyrannizing authority over the truth The light is the Law of the world to come the authority thereof is Christ in the authority of suffering for well doing The Children of darknes are they which live after the course of this present evill world and the glory authority thereof these go into darknesse continually till they
Commandements of God 1 Cor. 7.18.19 So if Marriage be exhibited under the worldly authorities it may bring the parties into bondage likewise if lawfull meates be forbidden by the Doctrines of Devills we are to maintain our liberty in Christ in assurance that though we suffer death yet he will raise us again according to his priesthood 1 Tim. 4.1 c. 10. Alwayes with this respect in the Law of liberty that there be no justification of condemnation on one side or other in lawfull meates but to judge indifferently that he which cates is not the better by it neither is he the worse which cates not 1 Cor. 8.8 wherefore in all such indifferent things every man is to have respect to his own Conscience before God and to the present estate and Nation wherein he is either Jew or Gentile that he be without offence but to use his liberty not for any occasion to his own flesh but to the profit of others in such sort that whether any eat or drink or what other indifferent thing soever they do they may do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.23 32.33 31. The second day of the Week I Have observed in Christ how the old man of the flesh doth naturally bring forth the new man begotten in the spirit of truth thus After that the heart hath conceived the immortall seed which is from above so as for joy hereof it estrange 〈◊〉 selfe from mortall vanities by and by the Lords of this mortall flesh will shew their authority and they will labour with all their force and wits to destroy this good conception that they may again rule the heart in this estate the mortall body of a man is as a woman in travell which cryes out not to be eased of the payne but to bring forth the fruit of her wombe and this in Christ is the travell of a Christian he hath conceived the mind of Christ and for this cause is persecuted and suffers all things untill from out of the greatest torments of the heart he is able to deliver or bring forth the spirit of that immortall seede unto Christ whose it is Esa. 26.13 17. 18. Mat. 27.46 with Luke 23.46 Heb 5 7.9.2 Cor. 4.6 amp c. with 5.2.4 5. 2. Further is noted in what respect the Church of Christ a woman and the wife of Christ because from the beginning she hath conceived in her heart the seed of God which is the Word Christ and thus she hath travelled with shadow of Christ till her time was fulfilled that shee should bring forth the spirit and truth of Christ which was when Jesus Christ being made one flesh with the Church she by his divine nature gave up the word law and truth of God perfected into her husbands hands so as the carnall Church is now delivered from that law and labour which was committed and required of her for she hath now in Jesus Christ brought forth the spirit of holynesse to God by the death of the flesh and in the resurrection of of the spirituall man to the immortall life of God her spirituall husband Jesus Christ then which the Church of God having suffered the pain of travell to death being risen from the dead and exalted to glory as Lord and Christ is made the head of his Church in a more neere and familiar manner even as a man that going to take a wife manifesteth the secrets of his hearty love unto her in way of espousals who after his departure returneth againe to her in way of marriage and giveth his owne spirit as Iob. 14.16 17.18 26. Acts 2.33 36. This immortall seed therefore being freely communicated in the love of Christ is gladly received of the Church and of none other which travelleth in subjection to Christ her husband to perfect that birth of the spiritual immortal man of whom she hath conceived immortall and spirituall seed and thus is she become bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh in love which union in Christ is confirmed to every soule of man that in their severall age or nation are so beloved of God in Christ that as an husband he should give of his immortall seed so as every one that conceiveth it in a good heart doth know both the union and her husband unto whom every such heart doth increase that seed of the new and immortall man dayly and in groweth by the obedience and death of the life-blood unto a lively hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead For such is the love of every good heart that she in her proper body will tenderly respect to preserve that word of the living God which shee hath willingly conceived in her minde and heart so as no cares shall choake nor reproches dismay but that her body shall bring forth to her husband that Word which abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.3.4 22 c. 3. This word of God in what body soever it come in the love and communion of sufferings in Christ Jesus is the salvation of the same body to that immortall life in glory with Christ for whereas the persecutors that would adulterate us from our husband their dead shall not live neither shall their ghosts be raised againe notwithstanding our bodies which have dyed to bring forth the spirit of truth shall be raised to immortall truth of our head Christ Esa. 26. 13 18.19 when being sanctified in the truth with him we shall be perfected in one with our Father and our Lord Christ Jesus Iohn 17.19 21. c. 4. It is a wonderfull wisdome to consider in Jesus Christ how the Lord by his mercy doth call the world to judgement for in that he hath sent his Sonne into the world with mercy toward all that shew mercy and in it hee executeth the justice of his Law on none by the Law It is most manifest that all that out of their owne heart do judge and condemne shewing no mercy to sinners doe by their owne justice in the Law procure the Lord to enter into judgement with them for their judgement without mercy And thus we may see how the Law was given by Moses and sinne was required by pesent justice but grace and truth is by Jesus Christ he requireth sinners to sinne no more and they shall not be judged for their sinnes past and every one to shew mercy and they shall find mercy Math. 18.21 to 35. if not but that men will despise the grace of God towards them by judging and condemning their fellow-servants they are inexcusable before God their owne measure shall be measured to them they have denyed to shew mercy therefore mercy shall be denyed to them Rom. 2.1 to 5. Luk. 6.37.38 5. The cause of falling from the love of God is the evill of the heart whereby men dissembled with men for when men retaine the nature of swine and yet will be washed without doubt they will returne to their filthynesse Or dogges by nature will turne to
and Gospel of immortality for he that receiveth the word of truth withall his heart and full resolution to suffer with Christ the saver thereof this man can never fayle In persecution of the word he hath prepared his heart to suffer and so he continuath constant unto death and he winneth by holding the word the Crown of an immortal life In all other temptations which are in himselfe together with the world he denyeth himself after the honour of this world he hateth his own soule to satisfie it with the lusts thereof he suffereth in the flesh and so ceaseth from sin 1 Pet. 4.1 c. patience maketh his heart soft to give rooting to the word the harder the persecution of men the softer the heart is to nourish the immortall seed and to bring forth the fruit thereof in the perishing and death of the mortall flesh chusing rather to lose his life then lose the word of God patience maketh his heart heard to resist the Devill and all his deceits and temptations he is open hearted faithfull and perfect in love to the Lord by whose word he holdeth the assurance of immortality with him but he is close shut to obey the worldly vanities he hateth to think of their wicked courses in mortality This is the estate of those which are able to endure the try all and to walls perfectly in the love of Christ the more their oppression is from without the greater is their obedience from the heart the more their temptations are the greater is the tryall of their faith which worketh the more patience The more patience they possesse their soules with the more perfect the work of wisdom is untill they be perfect and entire defective in nothing Iam 1.2.3 4 5. Of all sorts of Christians that have heard the word of Christ these only that suffer as Christians in patience of the good word are able to bring forth the fruit thereof unto perfection 2. This is the miserable estate of the men of this age that while they think to fly from death they fall into it for flying from the patience of the word of life they run after their own thoughts to save their life in mortality when they in so doing lay themselves open to all miseries in this world and do even feele the terrours of the second and immortall death while they are yet living and yet are forced to run into it The fifth day of the Week THere is great opposition of Christians in this world all which in may dream I divided into 2. sorts the one terrence humain and baptised under the authority of men to live according to their severall Lawes and Corporations after the power of a mortall life The other Christians are coelestical divine and baptized under the annointing and authority of the only true God to live according to his holy law in their mind looking through the resurrection of Jesus unto that glorious life in immortality 2. Having observed how such as professe themselves preachers of light are darkened in the world by leaving the expresse word and wisdom of Christ to follow mortall vanities I am drawn to discover their folly that they can no more helpe a man to go the way of immortality then a natural blind man can direct a man in the way of a mortall life And therefore being in themselves so blinded with the God of this world it is mischievous madnesse for them to presume to speak what they know not thereby to deceive others or else by their authority of blindnesse to hinder them which being ignorant of their blindnesse do enquire of them the good old way but it is safe for blind men to confesle they are blind that all that erre and have eyes may enquire of others that do see It yet thay will make themselves Preachers of light and immortality they must be discouraged to the false Preachers that instead thereof do indeed preach darknesse and mortality as to deceive others of the wayes of life 3. I understand that the Christians are not Ministers of the letter as 2 Cor. 3.6 because that were to take upon them the carnall authority of the Scribes and Pharisees who are charged with that Mat. 23.2.23 yet to deliver the spirit and truth contained therein The sixth day of the VVeeke I Had a sight of the love of God in man and the sencible understanding thereof was wonderfull In mine eyes Man being by sinne deprived the glory of God wherein Adam wa created is now by the evill spirit become subject to the bodie of the sinnes of the flesh to sow to the flesh and of the flesh to reape mortality And to restraine man from sinne God gave his Law and gave power to condemne accordingly to the chastisement of the flesh and to death Yet the heart of man is naturally so evill that this authority in evill minded mens hands cannot reforme the minde that so man should yet please God in mortality Therefore lest mankind should bee swallowed up in death for the sinnes of the flesh the Sonne of God by whom the world and man was made became flesh that in the love of God he might teach us in the flesh by the mediation and direction of his spirit manifested in the flesh the truth of salvation in suffering death in the resurrection of the flesh and in the full restoring to glory yet flesh and blood is weake and cannot follow him in this hard and strait way Wherefore the Lord of glory condescending to mans weaknesse hath given his holy spirit into the world which being Gods spirit might redeeme men from the earth in the death of Christ who being departed in sight hath sent his owne spirit to teach men and to guid them into all truth how they should learne obedience in the sinnefull flesh how to put off the carnall man of mortality and to put on the spirituall man of immortality how to mortifie the carnall actions of the body to the holy spirit of Christ for to perfect the mystery of suffering in the flesh this word and spirit of Christ Jesus doth give his Christian menwisdom how to suffer under the evill authorities of the world to death and so to passe on in the way of Christ to immortall life And as in the course of nature our minde was catyed wholly to live after the lusts of uncleannessse so being converted to God by the power of this spirit which worketh in our hearts mightily our minde is caryed wholly to live after the will of that holy spirit so that in this way we have no more to doe but to discharge our selves of cares and pleasures of this world and to be delivered from the body of death which is after the old man that we may be presented in the new man to him that is now invisible and that onely hath immortality 2. The word of the holy Scriptures is more perfect then the inspiration without a plaine word therefore who so resisteth the
spirit of Christ manifested in expresse words doth resist all meanes of salvation for Christ came and gave his word to be made so plaine with his life-blood that now no man can more sensibly apprehend the image and nature of God and Christ then by the letter which we by reading doe conceive in our minde so as though a man walke according to all that is written and yet deny one little direction this man resisteth God with open face this one word which hee despiseth to doe it will cut him off from the life of the Christian and for this one thing the peace and protection of Almighty will goe from him so as hee will be in feare night and day and evill may come to him suddenly out of which he cannot escape because the word of God is against him the least part whereof is stronger then that min can quiet or justifie his owne heart against it for it may be concluded that what man soever wilâ— not yeeld obedience to an expresse word will not follow the inspiration of God moving his conscience without an evident Scripture either to do good to others or evill to his flesh for Christs sake 3. It is great hypocrisie for men to preach the honour and glory of the Crosse of Christ when they tkemselves feare or refuse the condemnation of the Crosse in the testimony or martyrdome of Jesus Christ The first day of the Weeke 1 THe Lord Jesus Christ devideth himselfe into three parts Ioh. 14.6 saying I am 1. The way 2. The truth 3. The life that whosoever suffers for any of these doth suffer for Christs sake 1. The way is the devision of the Christians from the glory and authority of the worldly Priesthood to follow him in spirit and truth according to the invisible authority of his Priesthood 2. The Truth is the Law Psal. 119 142. whose perfection as it is spirituall every Christian acknowledgeth and suffeth for it And in this sence it may be said that John Baptist his blood was shed for Christ insomuch as he suffered for the testimony of the truth or spirituall law against turpitude in unlawfull marriage 3. The Life is the immortality after the death and resurrection of the Body If the carnall authority doe by their force withhold this life mortality and enforce to take the Gospel in a mortall state in this case the faith or Jesus Christ is suffered for in the confession of his glory to bee enjoyed in immortality and not in this present life 2. I have meditated how the fear of God-Lord is the beginning of wisdome to the Nations that are not under the Law When by any meanes any of them come to have any thing to doe with the Lord he first requireth them to feare his Name which is to depart from evill pride of minde and every way which is contrary to his Word This feare worketh a knowledge of his invisible and terrible presence that as a man will not sinne against his Law so he will not presume to partake of his service and holy things or any of his Mysteries untill this feare have wrought a reconciliation and peace of Conscience with God in such sort as he so apprehendeth the immortall Lord in his minde that he inclineth to love him and to desire his Law in his heart or minde and to make an everlasting covenant with him in the mysteries of Christ Whosoever of the Nations that hath his heart thus purified by faith willingly to take upon him the yoake and Law of Christ in love is accepted of God as a sonne to partake of the mysteries of his holynesse 3. Whether we ought yeeld to a mans private opinion thus farre as not to offend him in doing what he misliked Offences arise either in respect of the authoritie of God or of man In respect of God the offence doth rise from the world or any of the world when they doe offend any that beleeve in Christ and doe hurt them in contempt of the authority of the Word of God Matth. 18.6.7 Againe offences arise betweene the servante of God when the authority of his Word is denyed by transgressing the law thereof in any thing Offences arise in respect of the authoritie of men when the authority of Jew of Gentile is publikely provoked by trangressing their Commandements or blaspheming their divine worship Act. 19.37 Againe offâ—â—ce is also given by the Christian if he offer any violence or carnall force or use any evill words against a man that is otherwise perswaded then by the word of Christ that walketh after his owne heart neither according to the Law of God nor the course of the Commonwealth In this case as I offend him not by evill word or deeds so I am not bound to doe as he dotâ— that I may nor offend him but let him follow hâ—â— will and I will follow the law of righteousness otherwise in this I may be brought in bondage a private mans conceit I may harden him in errour and partake in his folly And at last 〈◊〉 should be drawne to offend both the authority 〈◊〉 God and man by favouring every one that are â—â—ven up to a reprobate sence The second day of the Week THe justifying of a sinner in the blood of Christ is the act of the spirit of Christ and it hath 2 parts 1. The acquitting of all sins past that the sinner have no feare or conscience of guilt or punishment for them Rom. 3.25 and this is applyed by the merit of his blood 2. The preserving from all sin by the power and spirit of Christ so as the evill one cannot touch him by prevailing against the man whom Christ hath made righteous to move or carry him to do any sin but on the contrary he shewâ—th forth the righteousnesse of God in Christ by the saith of Jesus whereby he communicateth in the sufferings and blood of Christ in his own â—ody The third day of the week JEsus is truly a doore to his suffering Christians on this manner that when they through many tribulations are brought to death then through his presence they enter into life for as it is by fight in a doore whereby men enter into other places so when we come to death there are two doores the great doore openeth to passe into the torment of the second death the straiter doore openeth to passe from death to eternall life and this doore and way is Jesus to all that suffer death in the testimony of his name The fourth day of the week I Cannot but admire the wisdom of the only true God who having put enmyty into the world so as of necessity offences are taken against his holy people to condemn them according to their worldly wisdom and carnall authority hath also given a Law in Christ according to which he will justâ—fie his Children against the condemnation of meâ— as Rom. 8.33 As if our heavenly Father should say I have given you my Law and I have
given you my Christ to become flesh that he might be a perfect guide and redeemer of you from the bondage of mortality in this evill world so as the subject may know his duty to his Magistrate the sonne to the Father the servant to his Master it every one do thus walk according to my word in their severall estates and degrees and yet your superiours do take offence as you for not obeying them rather then me I will justifie you in what you do in Conscience of my law fear not their condemnation but learn obedience in the flesh as Christ Jesus my only Sonne hath shewed you and looke unto the throan of my judgement sent which I have appointed and know my righteousnesse in the love of Christ and come unto me from mortality and bondage for by constancy to death you and every one of you shall evercome and be more then Conquerours and you shall condemn then for sin that have condemned you for sinners in hatred of my word and of my Christ which I have given to be a light unto the world whom with you they have killed 2. In the estate of enmity between God and man that repentance which men teach is apostasie from God for when a man yeeldeth obedience to the word as the Servant of God If the authority of man do compell him to repent of this his obedience in any matter wherein the word of God requireth obedience and this man doth repent under the fear of man and blaspheame the service of God as wicked and magnifie the service of man as holy and righteous it is manifest from antiquity that this repentance is the worldly wickeknesse against God for whosoever in oath with them saith destroy the wicked saith in effect to destroy all Christians that live godly in Christ and all the servants of God both great and small because these only are the wicked in the evill worlds account and these that are righteous are their spirituall enemies so as whosoever seeth not this enmity to avoid it as not to have Communion of enmity with the world against Christ is yet guilty of the curse with the seede of the Serpent The fifth day of the week IT is noted that he which preacheth the Crosse of Christ must do it sincerely not scaring the shame and death of the Cross in the Communion of his sufferings but there are those which preach the Cross of Christ in enmity of the Cross in that they go back from Christ crucified to follow their profit or pleasure in this mortall life These also set up a Throan of Judgment in enmity against Christ by authority whereof they keepe men from looking to the Judgement if Christ so as it is of necessity for every man to discern these two Throans of Judgment for if a man fear the Judgment of mortality he is darkened from seeing the Judgment of immortality but if he truly see the Throan of Judgment setled in Heaven he will be enlightenned not to respect the humain Judgment of men on earth The fifth day of the week 1. THe shame and reproach of Christ and his Christians is that they are men without honour in the world and suffer all things as base men Therefore they which follow him in the honour of the world and in power to defend themselves from oppression are not under the shaddow of Christs Cross for these count it a great shame to suffer as a Christian constantly to death 2. It is noted from 1 Sam. 15.22.23 That it is a worshipping of false God to break the Commandement of God for any worldly or carnall respect whatsoever 3. The unclean meates forbidden in the Law note out how abominable the Idoll and false Doctrines of Devills should be unto us to obey them in our soules who so observeth the Law may escape what it discovereth as death 4. It is noted that Christ made an end of the Law when he took revenge and desire of judgement out of mens hearts that they should not now require eye for eye and go to judgement one with another but on the contrary to forgive each other and so to go to God beseeching him to forgive them and thus in all cases to judge themselves and not others for sin 5. It was the wisdom of God that his own Sonne Christ should come in poore state that none might be allured with worldly glory nor terrified with mortall terrours but that who so receive him may be known to follow him in true love more of him then of themselves 6. Evill Shepherds of mens soules keeping the word in their own authority do as if a Shepherd pretending to feede the flock should keepe the sheepe from the pasture and from safe feeding and agree with these for a part and with the wolfe for the skin and yet aske wages for their service The sixth day of the week 1. AS the eye is the light of the mortall so he mind is the light of the immortall man The eye is simple when is clearly seeth by the light of the world the mind is simple when it is clearly enlightenned by the Word and spirit of Christ which is the â—â—ue light to immortality the mind kept under mens authority is as a man blind-folded 2. If it be Church-robbery or sâ—criledge to take vessells and goods consecrated to holy uses what is it to take the holy word it selfe out of the Book which is sealed in the blood of Christ The first day of the week COncerning the workes of the Law Rom. 3.20 I have this understanding that seeing that is certain that none can be justifyed by the works of the law namely by the justifications holden in the ministery mediation and Priesthood leviticall constituted under the fear and authority of men Then we may conclude that all the service under any worldly authorities though it may seeme farre better then that of Rome yet it Will be found only to condemnation and cannot justifie as to purge the Conscience from dead workes to serve the living God for as these were the workes of the Law of God in the worldly holinesse and authority of justification by men so are these of other Common-wealths the workes of their Law constituted in their feigned holinesse and justifications by their own authority And if that of Israel could not cleanse the Conscience surely all Religions of mens devising do make vain man more vain and harden the heart to commit sin in enmity of the word of God The third day of the weeke 1. FRom Ephes. 3.15 is apparant that as a housholder is over his Family so the heavenly Father is over his Family which consisteth of all his Creation both in the Heavens and upon the earth Therefore his good servants are carefull that Christ of whom all this family is named may dwell in our hearts by faith looking to his invisible presence being rooted and grounded in love both towards the Father and his Sonne who is over the Family in
my mortality to shew it in my sufferings to death and I put on his immortality upon my mortall mind and in all things have the mind of Christ to guide me in my life and to give me to mind onely the things that are above with him in immortality 2. I am instructed to put difference between the teaching under the law and under the authority of Christ The Law commandeth obedience upon payn of death saying thou shalt not do thus or thus or thou shalt do thus or thus but Christ saith thou shalt love the Lord thy God c. thou shalt love thy neighbour c. so that a man is first taught so truly to know the true God as to love him and when he hath obtained this love then he doth willingly all whatsoever he hath commanded and also he rejoyceth in the Law of Christ which is the bond of perfection The third day of the Week I Consider the reason of doing miracles from the word that whosoever hath the word of God in him to do it and to suffer for it in the spirit of Christ he hath the word with him to effect whatsoever he desireth of the Father in the name of Christ Iohn 15.7.5 The fourth day of the week IN the Common wealth of Israel there is the enmity of the Creator There are the men of the worldly authority that justifie themselves and condemn and persecute the true prophet and the obedient Children of Syon the mother City and God justifieth them against their accusers There is the fear of men and the fear of God in seperation There is the Law of God holden in the worldly authorities and the Law within the faithfull in opposition The worldly men make to themselves a light and walk in it condemning the oppressed as if they being separated from them did walke in darkenesse without light Thus carnall Israel in all things walke by sight in a visible worship of God persecuting and despising all that submit not to their glory whereas the spirituall Israel though they seeme to this world as living in darkenesse and dishonour without the scare of men and without the Law given by Moses yet it is farre otherwise in spirit and truth for God their God is a light unto them they feare God and obey him and they are not without the Law of God but the Law is within them And these onely are the redeemed of God the Lord as Esa. 50.51.1 Cor. 9.20.21 2. In a generall enmity Babel oppresseth â—srael And God hath purged and chosen Jsrael in affliction and hath given his glory unto him and will be glorified in him Esa. 47. 48. 41.9 42.8 with 46.13 49.4 3. Abraham and Sarab are a type of God and Sion the barrennesse of the one is compared to the solitarinesse of the other and the delight and comfort of the one is signified to be fulfilled in the other Esa. 51.1 c. 54 4. If the way of Christ were that his people should so low him in the life of the flesh to immortality then men would perish in their hast but seeing he is gone before in reproach through death to life all that follow him in this way of suffering death in the flesh doe walke soberly and make no haste but goe out so as the Lord Jesus is gone before them Esa. 52.11.12 53. with Luk. 9 22.23 2 Tim. 1.10 The fifth day of the Week AS I understand carnall Adultery and Fornication in the flesh so I apply spirituall Adultery and Fornication in the spirit from Esa. 57.3.5 c. If the worldly authoritieâ— make to themselves gods and doe worship to them they are men that ingender with gods in such a place vers. 5. c. and all that goe with them commit whooredome against God their maker either as Adulterers that have the authority of a man or Adulteâ—â—ssâ—â—s that willingly submit to mortall shame And so further we may conceive that what man or woman soever hath in them the spirit or authority of Idols or other gods if they enforce others to agree to their spirit they are tyrannous over the conscience and are as they which ravish the weaker to their filthy lusts If any of these privately doe allure any to consent to their spirit and to submit to them in prayer and spirituall worship of God these deceivers or any one of them with many or but with one that is allured hath committed the act of spirituall whoredom with the minde of all that are subject Therefore it standeth us upon both to shun all Idol worship in publike and to trie all spirits that wee shall be subject unto in private prayer or submission in conference For by submission in conference with the uncleane spirit Eve and the whole world is deceived and so it is manifest that whosoever humbleth himselfe an anothers desire in prayer is become one spirit with him that prayed and thereby is defiled if he have aâ— common spirit by the word that from what he in his prayer conceived to bee God entred as seed of the uncleane spirit into the heart of all that in unity received the spirit of that prayer a Wherefore it is as necessary to know the God onely one true God and the one spirit of holinesse in Christ Jesus as it is for a maide on wise to know her owne husband from all Adulterers and that they be one spirit with him onely and not weake to any other that waite to deceive and abuse to vanity The sixth day of the week THere are communicants of the body of Christ in shewing his death by suffering death till he come And there are communicants of Devils or serpents in shewing their pride by killing the righteous blood as 1 Cor. 10.16 to 21. â—â— 26. with Math. 23.33 35. All that continue perfect and single hearted in the word of Christ have his word and presence to keepe them from the evill of the world untill they have finished their testimony and have shewed his death Ioh. 17.14 15 c. with Revel. 11.7 But if any communicate outwardly in profession of Christ crucified and discerne not his body killed in the enmity of the world so as to shew themselves a member thereof by manifesting Christs death in their death and their death to be for Christs cause 2 Cor. 4.9.10.11 These comming short of communicating in the spirit of Christ in not discerning the presence of his body both to suffer in the flesh and to sustaine in the spirit may fall into sicknesse weakenesses yea and into death among those which dye of the plague after the condemnation of the world but if in this plague of the world wee discerne our own weakenesses our ignorance of his invisible presence to save or to kill and our readinesse to goe backe from shewing his death by divers worldly or carnall temptations moving us to save our soules from following Christ that dyed by suffering for us for which causes we