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
ought But who is it that will believe the truth hereof for the sons of men is blinded of the right sight and knowledge of the truth and by reason of the love they have to lust sin and selfness they are become enemies of the Cross of Christ and if any have attained to the first dispensation beforesaid they think themselves to have attained all that is necessary and that they need no more and so becometh to settle upon the lees of their own performances and so becometh the resisters of the Holy Ghost Acts 7.51 And if any be brought out of the first Baptism under the first dispensation which containeth in it the Covenant of works and so be made partakers of the second Baptism by which they are brought into and prepared to meet Christ in his first appearance and when they have known the Son of God or God in his distinct property of the Son manifesting himself to their soul by which the soul hath comfort and content and refreshment and deliverance from its former troubles and now it finding the effects of the propitiation of the Son in covering and hiding its sin and in justifying the soul and taking of the power of condemnation from it then doth that soul conclude That all is done and can be pleased with that present condition supposing they have that which never will fail and say in their heart They shall not be removed because the Lord of his goodness hath made their mountain so strong Psal 30. And from these false conclusions many a soul becometh to lose it self and turn back again into the world and into the captivity of the Creature from which it was delivered and so man foolishly concluding That being in the Land of Canaan he shall see the bondage of Egypt no more but while man is but in the enjoyment of the first manifestation of God in the first appearance of his Son he is but a babe and but ignorant of what the minde of God is in that present condition and therefore they are very subject to be content with that present station because it pleaseth them so well supposing that there is none that have attained any further then what they have already attained too when as alas they know not as yet what it is to die with Christ on the Cross nor what the fellowship of his sufferings is nor what the vertual power of his resurrection meaneth And so it is that from the idolizing of that present enjoyment they in a very short time become to be cast out of that enjoyment and yet do they not know that they are so cast out because of the false fiend who hath got again into the house from whence he was gone out and counterfeiteth God through the help of the imagination and so maketh these souls believe That God is their present portion and that they have such a fast hank of him that nothing can be able to separate them when at that very instant of time the heart is in captivity with the Creature I fear that this is the very condition of many now adays who having known God after this manner beforesaid and yet have forsaken him again and turned to the Creature and yet do but little know that they be so far carried away from God as they are But when God in his orderly proceeding goeth on in bringing the soule through all the dangers and difficulties of the creature and Selfe then doth he not suffer the soule to have what it would have nor injoy what it would injoy in that first manifestation of himself in the name of his Son but as the bodily presence of Jesus was to be taken away in his appearing in the second dispensation in the flesh that so he might come againe in the Spirit or ghostly Baptisme by which they should still be led on till they were in the nearest and safest union of the Father and the Son that could be attained to in the body so it is that the ghostly presence in the first manifestation in the Spirit must be taken away that so the spirit may come to a further and more sure partaking of the Divine nature then it could in the first manifestation For as Christs followers could have been pleased to have still injoyed the bodily presence of Christ in the first appearing in the flesh so would a soul be pleased with the first manifestation of Gods appearing in the name of his Son to the spirit But as Christs bodily presence must be taken away that thereby the life of Selfe which lived in the sence and reason of his Disciples under that present injoyment might become destroyed and over-throwne by the coming againe in the power of the Spirit or ghostly Baptism So it is that the first appearance of God in Christ in the first appearance of the soule must be hidden and taken away because of so much life of selfe in the sence and reason and that by a further and more cleare and safe way to manifest himselfe in the soule and that is by the pouring out of the Holy Ghost into it by the vertue of which the soule becometh Baptised into the suffering and death of Christ whereby the life of sence and reason becometh to dye and the spirit brought out of the clawes of Sinne Death Devill and Hell and the power of the Resurrection of Christ becometh to be known and the body of Sin becometh to bee destroyed by the powerfull working and burning of this ghostly Baptisme and this was the very Baptisme the Apostle Paul spake of when he said Know you not so many of us as were Baptised into Christ were Baptised into his death therefore we are buried with him by Baptisme into his death c. For if we have been planted together into the likenesse of his death we shall also be in the likenesse of his resurrection knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin may be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin c. Rom. 6.2 3 4 5 c. And those soules who know God in this worke can witnesse to the truth of the three-fold name of Father Son and Holy Ghost because they know the power and working of God in these three Baptismes under these three names and none else can speak rightly of them because they have but the knowledg thereof by relation though God let out himselfe in this three-fold manner as is before said yet God is but one and the same God and though there bee these three Baptismes yet they all make up but one perfect Baptisme by which the soule is perfectly compleated in one faith Ephes 4.5 whereby the soule becometh led out of all things acted or created and all sufferings or injoyments in any condition below the injoyment of the fellowship of Christ in his Suffering Death and Resurrection and this is the very end and effect of all former out-lettings of God in any of the
nay for I something doubt you have but a false interpretation of the words But canst thou tell what the work of the Lord is before he return the pure Language to any people canst thou tell what is the voice of this pure Language I doubt you cannot But here I will give you a glimpse what they both are if thou have but an eye to see and a heart to understand when the same is somwhat held out to thee First for the work of the Lord before he return to any this pure Language is partly expressed in the foregoing verse of the same Chapter where the Lord saith Therefore wait ye upon me until the day Iarise to the prey for my determination is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdoms to pour upon them mine indignation even all my fierce anger for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie Zeph. 3.8 Hast thou known thy soul brought into such a sad sorrowful condition being voide of all help or comfort from all created and things acted and hast thou known thy soul so set and compassed about with sin and selfness pleasure praise and profit anger envy discontent both with God and man roving of thine imagination thy thoughts inclinations and desires bended down to created things hath the want of the lovely presence of God pressed thy Spirit so sore night and day that both thy sleep in the night departed from thee and thy appointed food by day refused hath thy soul known it self in captivity thus in and with these things and hast thou known thy soul in the lowest Hell under the chains of ghostly death and hast thou here born the indignation of the Lord for thy transgressions and hast thou here waited upon the Lord till he arose to the prey viz. To pluck thy soul out of the foresaid captivity and hast thou seen all these thy ghostly captivers assembled together and the fierce anger of the Lord poured upon them and devoured them all and hast thou known the fire of his jealousie viz. Anger and love mixed together that thereby all created and earthly things was devoured in thee so that all thy adversaries and captivers was captived so that Death and Hell is swallowed in victory and that now thy soul is carried upon the flying Cherubims so that now thou hast not a thought inclination or desire to either profit of the world praise of men pleasing of thy sences or affections with any delight but that as a brand pluckt out of the fire or as gold seven times refined thy soul doth so appear before thy God and then in the clear manifestation of the presence of God thou shalt have this pure language restored to thee viz. Then shall thy soul know how to pronounce Hallelujah rightly then shall thy soul know how to sing the new song expressed in Rev. 13.3 then shalt thou know how to call upon the name of the Lord for then thou shalt know what is his name because the same shall be written in thy forehead viz. In the noble faculty of thy soul even thy pure understanding for then thou shalt know truly that his Name is Wonderful Mighty and Merciful c. and so shalt praise him according to the knowledge of his Name But I will proceed no further in showing the nature of the pure Language nor what is to be done in every soul before it shall have that Language returned for by this glimpse those that have it can testifie the truth hereof and so can express what I mean because they understand my minde by what is already said and then there is enough and to those who know it not nor believe it because they have not known the same I suppose if more had been said it had but been lost labor and so to them this is enough also Neither indeed dare I explain any further for now in these days the cunning comprehending devil is let loose and he hath got into the wit of men and there he sitteth like a God and teacheth men how they shall learn this pure Language and new Song when they hear the same spoken or sung by those who have the same returned to them But yet this cunning devil in the wit of men doth not teach any thing but onely a sound of words for all the Devils in Hell nor all the wit and learning of men nor all the Angels in Heaven can return to man this pure Language nor teach this new Song unto any soul until it be redeemed from the earth and earthly things and till it be cloathed in the white robe and follow the Lamb whether soever he goeth and that have the white stone with the new Name which no man knoweth but he that hath it and none can teach this Language but the Lamb slain from the beginning c. But I have digressed too far from the thing intended but yet in my digressing I have a secret aim viz. To pitch something before the eyes of those whom I aim to shoot at afterward that while they be looking at what is set before them I may come the better to hit my mark for my Bow is ready bent and the Arrow of the Almighty is set in it and who cometh first in view I will let it flie at them whether I hit or miss A Spiritual Vision of the Presbytery and all other Forms without God included in it BUt methink I hear a voice speaking as though it were spoken by those who are of the Presbytery order and thus I hear them speak Indeed it is true The Lord had need to shoot out his Arrows at the wicked for they are mightily increased at this time for the poor Church and pure Church of Christ is like to be swallowed up by the power of strange wicked Sectaries who are risen up in these days and the reason is because of an unfaithful Parliament whom we too much trusted to for they have swarved from the trust we committed to them but if we had known how they would have proved we would never have acted so against the King for we little knew then what priviledge we had though our power was not so great as we should have had and which did wholly belong to us we being the onely people of God and had knowledge to govern both Church and State but the Parliament being metamorphised from the shape of Holiness they have given Liberty of Conscience to every one in their Religion and will not execute Justice upon men when they erre from the Faith which we have And this was their blindness and ignorance in adhering too much to that beast set out in the Revelation 13. viz. to Cromwel and a sort of wicked Sectaries under him who by their power have brought the Saints into bondage but if the Parliament had but stood to their first principles of Faith which we profess all these had been surprised for then had our power been strong and
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
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
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
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
is in the Divine nature and the reason is because that the faith according to Christ in the flesh doth not take away lust out of the heart but rather conformeth the heart to lust and lust to the heart and lust is lovely to the heart and the operation of the Divine nature or faith issuing out of and from the Divine nature it killeth lust in the heart and draweth the heart with all its affections into the right center and from hence it is that many in their forms fal short of that which is the true center and becometh enemies of Christ and yet none preach Christ nor pretend Christ more then those but can you who are so compleatly congregated people thinke that you be any such as be the enemies of Christ I doubt you will hardly beleeve it but let me tell you in plaine termes you had best beware lest you be found in the number of such for whosoever are enemies to the Crosse of Christ shall be found enemies to Christ but I feare you doe not rightly understand what the Crosse of Christ is and then how should you be friends to it for I assure you none knoweth the Crosse of Christ but those who be rightly incorporated into the Divine nature and that is not an incorporating in Kirk-fellowship as you call it and while you are bound up in that incorporating I may upon safe grounds conclude that you as yet know not what the Crosse signifieth But it may be that some amongst you would know what I meane by the Crosse of Christ and would heare my opinion of the same for I know this is a time wherein man is addicted to heare new things but yet I have not any new thing to tell you for what I have to say to you is no more but such old tales as hath formerly been told both by Christ and his true follower but when the following of Christ ceased then the old sayings and tales which was formerly told grew out of fashion and new sayings and wise sayings and learned sayings and studied fictions being new became to be in request But to answer what some of you may desire I will bring old sayings to explaine the truth hereof to you and these shall be the saying of the Apostle Paul who oft insisted upon this very subject viz. the Crosse of Christ but this was not the wooden Crosse upon the which the Body of Christ was crucified that was a type indeed of the other Crosse spoken of by the Apostle and in respect of the reference the one had to the other made the Apostle use that Metaphorical speech in sufferings for suffering is this Crosse and by suffering we have fellowship with Christ and beare him company but what suffering is it that maketh man have fellowship with Christ and rightly may bee called the Crosse it is the daily selfe-deniall of our owne hearts with the inclinations thoughts loves and desires which is daily tending and bending downe to the creature in one kinde or other and the creature with its objects arising to meet the affections to carry them after them from the living and abiding in God as he is a Spirit and in Christ as he is in the Divine nature or the union of the Father and in that union of the Father and the Son to keep the heart with its affections that so the fellowship of the Father and the Son may daily be the fellowship of our hearts and this is that which ought to be the center of all hearts without which there can be no happinesse in any forme yea this leadeth the heart out of centering in formes and this was that which the Apostle would have those whom he wrote to to injoy and for that end he declared the truth as it was in Jesus that so they might have fellowship with them who were partakers of the truth and hee affirmeth that their fellowship was with the Father and the Sonne 1 Jo. 1.2 3. And where the heart is rightly called and rightly carried on in the way of Christ and those who were his followers they rest not in Formes and Kirk-fellowships for they finde in themselves other matters to goe about and that is to presse after the fellowship of the Father and the Sonne and their longing empty mourning spirit is not nor cannot be content with any thing below that fellowship and out of the great desire hereof the soule is set at varience with all created things or whatsoever may interpose or keep back the Spirit from that which is the object of its desire and when by pure inlightening the pure beleeving is fixed in the will or heart then I beleeve there will be suffering in the daily striving to keep the created object from the heart and the heart from the creature by objects and then shall appeare and be made manifest that which never did appeare before even the great body of sin and selfnesse which of necessity must be destroyed and crucified and made as dead as the Body of Jesus when it hung dead upon the Crosse of wood and this daily withstanding the body of sin in the heart and affections is the Crosse upon which the body of sin must be crucified for this body of sin or this selfnesse in the heart must dye or the soule must dye instead of it and it is not a few daily duties or being incorporated into a congregated way that will destroy it no no for this body of sin and selfnesse is of another nature then so for it will cost man the best blood in him before it be subdued and the Apostle who knew the evill of it and the necessity of having it crucified could not rejoyce in any thing more then in the Crosse of Christ by which hee was crucified to the world and the world to him Gal. 6.14 and by this daily denying of the out-goings of the heart into the creature and the incoming of the creature into the heart man becometh planted into the likenesse of Christs death without which none can be partaker of his resurrection Rom. 4.5 and being baptised into the death of Christ by way of suffering in the selfe deniall the body of sin is destroyed or the old man crucified Rom. 6.6 and the Apostle counted but all things dung and drosse in comparison of knowing Christ in this manner and to be found in him and to know the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering and a conformity to his death if by any meanes he might attaine to the resurrection of the dead Phil. 3.10 11 c. this was the marke he aymed at to which he walked by the rule of the suffering and example of Christ and in obedience to his commande which most was for selfe deniall he pressed hard after him in the way of his suffering that so nothing that was of selfe might live in him yea when he found that selfe got life and food by way of consolation then was
he willing to part with consolation and chose to beare Christ company in the way of suffering and tooke pleasure in so doing 2 Cor. 12.10 But my friends know you what I meane by what is already said doe you know what is the Crosse of Christ and what must dye upon that Crosse I hope you may strongly guesse at both but friends whether are you enemies to this Crosse yea or nay if you be friends of the crosse then are you the friends of Christ and then are you in fellowship with him either in suffering with him or in reigning with him if in suffering with him then doe you obey his commands in taking upon you the Crosse and following him to the death of the Crosse and if it be so that you have communion with him in this way then I know your mindes is rent from or in renting from all created things whatsoever no profit or gaine in the world is desired nay the very thoughts of it is terrible to you and in case it sometimes dare approach to tempt yet are you as quick in resisting and beating downe these thoughts and then the windy praise of men is loathsome to you and little doe you care for any approbation of any whatsoever and then pleasures of the sences and the affections with or in any thing created or acted is not at all regarded losse of friends and increasing of foes is all one thing yea love of friends and hatred of foes is all one rich and poore are all one losse or gaine all one good report and bad report all one duty performed our unperformed all one congregated or uncongregated all one and whatsoever in their name and nature may differ is all one for why God is but one and all and as man is in God by earnest of desire viz. by being oned with Christ by way of suffering the will of man becometh transplanted out of varieties and differing of things into the one and only wil of the Father and this was that which Christ himselfe in the flesh aymed at and was compleated in him even onednesse of will and well-pleasednesse with suffering and if you know the Crosse of Christ and have taken it up then are you his Disciples and then he teacheth you to forsake your selves in all things But I somewhat feare that you follow not Christ in this way no not so much as in an outward conformity for I doubt that superfluities of the outward man is not as yet forsaken of you much lesse the body of sinne in the inward man in crucifying for I can beleeve you have learned Christ in another way then in following him by suffering by which the body of sin is to be destroyed for that way you have learned is to beleeve in Christ and apply his suffering and not to follow his suffering yea that is a very cunning easie way for by that way you can close with Christ in what he suffered himselfe and by an Historicall faith can beleeve that what he suffered was for you and by that false faith can apply Christ in the way of propitiation and yet forsake him in the way of imitation and I promise you this is a handsome way if it were a sure way for hereby God and the world Christ and the body of sinne might stand all in one soule and I wish you were not cousened in this very point and I assure you that if you have not followed Christ in the way of the crosse in the daily denying of your selves both inwardly and outwardly by that faith you have gotten whereby you apply Christ in his sufferings you will be beguiled one day for that faith is but that which draweth you into duty and Kirk-fellowship and not into the fellowship of Christ and herein you may prove the enemies both of Christ and his Crosse but let me call to your remembrance another old saying out of date or at leastwise out of request and so but little heeded and yet it shall be one of his who was a follower of Christ in the way of the Crosse and this was Pauls and let us see and judge by it who are the enemies of the Crosse and when he gave out the saying he gave it out with weeping teares for though hee had preached Christ crucified so much and himselfe walked by the same example pressing forward to the price of the high calling viz. by bearing the crosse of Self-deniall and so bearing Christ company having fellowship with him in his suffering by which he was to have the body of sinne and selfnesse destroyed that thereby he might live in the lovely fellowship of the Father and the Son and this he aimed at and wished those who were of the same spirit with him that they should all minde the same thing and walke by the same rule and follow him as hee followed Christ and then in pitty and tender-heartednesse and weeping he tels them of those who were the enemies of the crosse and painteth them out in their right colour and giveth them their portions in the first place setting the effect before the cause vid. destruction and then setteth a three-fold character upon them as the cause of their destruction viz. Whose belly is their god who glory in their shame who minde earthly things Phil. 3.18 19. This is an old saying little heeded but mark it well for here I call it to a new remembrance I hope God is what he was then Christ is now what he was then the Crosse is now what it was then the enemies of the Crosse is such now as was then the effect is such now as was then therefore my friends of the congregated order judge your selves by these three characters whether you be enemies or friends of the crosse yea or nay but it may be you hardly know how to judge your selves by them therefore for your sakes I will explaine them a little that thereby you may the better judge your selves by them but I will be short and not tedious in explaining that you may be the more capable to understand then mark the first character viz. Whose belly is their god c. This may seeme an abrupt saying and they were sore besotted and foolish who made a god of their belly and it seemes such a foolish thing to doe so that few can conceive that they themselves doe any such thing but in case there be any such who doe that foolish act yet every one can excuse himselfe and think it may belong to some other but marke well what shall be said and see which of you can excuse himselfe when the truth of the saying is opened Well what is God he is the chiefe delight and chiefe treasure and those that knoweth him doth chuse him so and he is their chiefe delight and chiefe treasure and so their hearts is with him and all its affections in seeking loving fearing and desiring c. and to witnesse this truth our Saviour said Where your
treasure is there will your hearts be also and the heart can no way be discovered but by its effects viz. inclinations thoughts feares cares loves and desires c. then consider whether God or your bellies be your god or chief treasure and whether you owne and worship more with your hearts and your affections if God be your God and chiefe treasure then your hearts with its affections is in him and with him all the day long and is worshipping him either in prayer or praises and all your thoughts taken up with things of the same nature and things of the world is but a great vexation to your spirits and you looke but upon them but as they serve for your meere necessity and though it be meere necessity in respect of your fraile bodies yet even to have your thoughts drawne out of God if never so little yet this is a detriment and trouble to your spirit because these thoughts doe somewhat pierce between you and your God so that your whole conversation cannot be in Heaven this I know will bee no little trouble to you if God be your God and the Apostle who worshipped God and had chosen him to be the chiefe treasure said that both he and his upright followers had their conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 and those to whom he had preached Christ and his crosse and the rising againe with him lest they should learne the same by comprehension and relative beleeving hee giveth them a caveat in a negative speech to which he added an affirmative command and said If yee be risen with Christ seek those things which are above c. and set your affections on things above c. Col. 3.1 2. and God giveth out his command to love him with the whole heart and Moses in declaring Gods command to the people delivereth the same to them in like manner saying Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule c. and thou shalt cleave to him Deut. 10.20 which intimateth that there would be something that would draw and pull the heart from God for he knew the body of sinne would be stirring and the creature would be creeping into their hearts by which they should be in danger to be pulled from the true God and therefore he bid them cleave to him and the Apostle who had chosen God for his God and knew the subtlety of the body of Sin and selfe he was cautelous of the same and kept manfully to the warfare between the creature and the heart whereby whatsoever sought to interpose between God and his heart that he beat down yea if it were but in a thought or in an imagination as you may see 2 Cor. 10.4 5. and in so doing every thought was brought into the obedience of Christ and this was by bearing the crosse under which hee rejoyced and so became the friend and companion of Christ If you can witnesse to this in your owne spirits and your hearts have chosen God for your God and that your daily exercise be in God and your heart with its affections be thus ordered then God is your God indeed and you are the friends of Christ and his Crosse otherwise take it for granted you are of those whose belly is their god for the belly hath a large signification if I would but touch upon every particular thereof yet I omit the most of what may be said thereof and will only give you a short touch thereof as for the belly it is naturally consuming unsatiable requiring more then is meet for it and most of the Sences is as servants to it and doth usurp upon the affections to serve it also and where it is the god it doth command obedience to its requirings and so the affections in obedience doth invent desire and seeke what may be answerable to and for its requirings and so the affections by the communion they have with the Sences and the command over them doth cause them to help on this worke and through the commanding power of both the other members of the body is carried on to act in that obedience also and thus is the whole man in action about the service of the Belly and so man is made to invent thinke and desire and act about those things which is created for satisfying the Belly from hence it is that the belly being the chief god that all these superfluities is provided for it and so many severall dishes when one of them would serve Nature and for upholding the worship of this god what care feare and desire labour and watching and waiting yea some for the worship and service they owe to this god sacrifice all their whole estate and some for this service will oppresse their fellow creatures and some for this service labour day and night both in body and minde and all little enough to satisfie this hungry god and whatsoever belongeth to the backe hath a relation to the belly and these two agree in one in their requirings as they become god and so to and for their worship through the commanding power of lust put in action all the affections sences and members of the body and soule and so it is that so many foolish fantastick fashions and superfluous habits becometh worne in these dayes so that I much feare this god hath great power and is much worshipped in our time yea more then heretofore And as men have power in their hand viz. the riches of this world they become the greater providers for this gods sacrifices and then they become to have the second character set upon them viz. They glory in their shame is not this to be seen in our dayes amongst most sorts of those we call Professors how they are carried out to worship Back and Belly as is before said but especially amongst those who be rich in the world having such sumptuous and excessive tables and all things suitable for the upholding of the lust of the eye yet doe they not see very many of their fellow creatures like to starve both for meat and cloathing and yet they can look upon them with a light look and very little compassion and the reason is that which they have they must keep for sacrifices for their god and the rest they must keep for themselves to glory in for the very sight of rich superfluities lifteth up the heart and the thoughts thereof doth yeeld them comfort and the having and possessing of these things winneth the praise of such fooles as themselves and in all these they glory and yet all they glory in is but their shame yea and abominable shame too both in the eyes of God and in the eyes of those who are weaned from such things and by the Crosse have crucified these things Is it not a shame to have the creatures of God in abundance and so many like to starve for want and yet the bowels of compassion shut up against them how