is the beginning and end of all things that Alpha and Omega therefore never from off the head of him who rightly runs in this race for he is never void nor destitute of that honour which is peculiar to the Son of the eternal a glory without compare ever accompanied with sufficient courage fortitude and confidence to gain the prize for time to come which is as certainly renewed in the continued act and exercise in the race as it is certainly injoyed in the present time for as the operations of the Spirit of God are in present exercise upon him so he knows that the Spirit of glory and of God shall remain and rest upon him for time to come through his suffering of the loss of the glory of this world which shall be the crown of all his exercise in the things of God unto perpetual aye and therefore he runs not as at uncertainties but upon present possession which gives us assured hope for time to come as it is certain that God is faithful and cannot deny himself So fight I not as one that beateth the air that is I give not my strokes in combate in my contending for the faith of the Son of God as one that woundeth not or as one that findeth not reality of matter for the weapons of my warfare to take place in exercising their force skill and accomplishing their ends upon but I deal with such as I accomplish like atchievments upon in the management of mine affairs in the gospel as David the beloved of God did in that 11. Psalme which is a true commentary upon this my warfare For I am not as one beating or fighting with the aire as with a thing of no substance I doing no real exploit nor it receiving any wound or foil from me but closeth up and healeth it self again as fast as it receiveth the strokes but contrarily I beat down and bring to nought that which hath in it the reality of sin and death which is the wisdome or law of the flesh As certainly as I guard and defend that which hath in it the reality of eternal life and peace namely tbat wisdome or law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus my Lord exercising it self in the one and the other in my soul and that no otherwise but as it shall be my life and peace spirit and power prowess and victorious imployment and conquest forever for the offices exercises and virtues of Christ are all of like honour worth and duration Vers 27. But I beat down my body that is the body of sin and death and it is my body as in the original and materials of it consisting of God and man as truly as Esau and Jacob came both out of loyns of Isack and Rebekkah so doth the body of sin arise of God and man being made one in that way of the body of death and also that mysticall body of life in Christ in the one the properties and heavenly disposition of the Son of God are crucified to the sin and Satan in the Son of perdition and in the other the properties and earthly disposition of man aâ—â— crucified to the life of righteousness and peace in the Son of God Again it is my body as I am considered from the earth and so have naturally in that respect the nature and disposition of all flesh as the gospel is my gospel as in the spirit of God I come down from heaven and so am one with the Son of God being of the same spirit with him who is both the authour and product thereof Again it is my body as I die thereunto dayly as the same Apostle speaks and also it dies nnto me so as it never hath any power over dominion or me or I any community or fellowship with it even as the body of Christ is mine as I rise and live in newness of life unto it and it unto me wherein consists my proper and only converse and fellowsh p. Again it is my body as I acknowledge the misery and wretchedness of all slesh destitute of the wisdome and Spirit of God and so it is gone over all in regard of the aptitude and disposition of all men naturally inclining thereunto and so I can say in that respect O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Even as I can give God thanks as in that body of Christ acknowledging by the spirit thereof my deliverance happy condition and salvation being inabled by the same spirit to bring that body of death into subjection in all things exercising the rule and authority of the Son of God over it so as it can never prevail against me but though the enemy may come against me as a flood yet the Spirit of the Lord lifts up a standerd against him to chase him away so that in my mind that is in the formings fashionings and framings of all things in my spirit I serve the law of God but in my flesh that is as my natural disposition is found in the men of the world out of Christ there it is under sin and death being a servant thereunto forever Now the ground and reason why I thus beat down my body and bring it in subiection and not the body of another is this viz. Lest whilst I preach to others I my self should become a reprobate in these words our Apostle doth elegantly as in a figure as he speaks formerly in this epistle in a like case transferring the state and condition of all false teachers of the word of God unto himself that thereby he may with modesty set them forth and make them appear in truth to be that which indeed they are Lest while I preach to others or as the word is lest while I preach in others the word lest is not brought in here as a doubt or supposition but as a thing of certainty as if he should say he who preacheth in another he is a reprobate or he is reproved rejected or is become a castaway as disallowed of God So that the Apostles argument stands thus he that preacheth in another that which he preacheth not in himself as being matter of the gospel that minister and ministry is as reprobate silver it is disallowed of God and never passeth for currant doctrine in his kingdome So that he which forms sin in such sort as that he inveighs against it and indeavours to beat it down in another and not in himself as being free from a sin of that nature as in or of himself that is a reprobate ministry he beats the aire and doth not beat down that body which is his that ministry therefore that forms sin so as to belong to one state of men and not unto another to be a sin in one age of the world but not in another or to belong to one six or age of man and not unto another that man doth not in all things beat down his own body that
Serpents that can seem to prostrate your selves as an harlot to any form of doctrine for gain and to get your Masters and Maintainers advantage that can distill your diabolical principles through any Lymbeck or form of expressions for upholding of the trade and merchandise of Tyrus whereof read Ezekiel 27. the whole Chapter in which you manifest your selves to be the original and final cause of the destruction and ruine of mankinde by your subtle insinuations and deceitfull interpretations of the word of God Again another term or title given unto them is he cals them the generation of Vipers there is a brood and off-spring of them as proceeding from the Viper a Serpent differing from the former in the bringing forth of its seed being most poysonfull and venemous it is said that some of that kind biting a man that if present and soveraign remedy be not applyed he dyeth within the compasse of three hours these breed not of eggs as â—â—her Serpents do but take their form and life in the belly of the dam and before they be brought forth they eat and gnaw her belly that she dyes in short time after they be brought forth so that they breed not but by the destruction of her in whom they are bred Right so it is with these false interpreters they breed not but in the womb of that Harlot who adulterates the word of God by making the copulations thereof to consist in earthly relations and things and the very breeding and bringing forth of such a brood and generation is the destruction of that state and condition in which they are bred for the divinations and witchcrafts of the Devil do not only bewitch but it is also bewitched it doth not only destroy but it is destroyed therfore saith Christ of this Spirit or Serpent Oh generation of Vipers who hath bewitched you forewarned or forestalled your hearts as to think that baptisms bodily exercises verball expressions and temporary institutions should be armour of proof upon you to escape the wrath to come being it is as truly to come as it hath been from the beginning therefore a temporary act or institution cannot defend nor shelter from it Yea to destroy and to be destroyed to bewitch and to be bewitched are as really in the wicked as to save and to be saved to heal and to be healed are in the Son of God So that whilst men are destroying silly women for witchcraft laden with iniquity it is well if they be not destroying themselves for there are self destroyers which do not appear to all men when the spirit whereby they are held puts them upon defigns to pursue with great eagernesse which becomes often not only the destruction of their souls but their bodies also in fine therof Againe it is said of the poysonful Viper that the poyson thereof retains its vertue after the Serpent is dead which is not found to be in other Serpents So in false Interpreters be they never so dull incapable naturally civil seeming to be dead in regard of doing any hurt let them but be dead unto the spirit and life of the Scriptures they are as poysonfull and deadly in their wayes in the sight of God as such as are most quick lively and active in the sight and judgement of men 2 From which he brings the second point propounded in the Text how should you escape the damnation of Hell In this interrogation he challengeth them if they can find out any way or means of escape any time or place of escape any hopes or expectation of a possibility of escape and so is a strong affirmation that they never can nor shall in like sence Christ interrogates How can you beleeve and receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Iohn 5. 44 that is you can never believe repose trust and confidence in the power of God alone when ye prefer another honour than that which is only of God ye cannot have unity with God when you joy n another glory together with God for he is of such nature that is either all in all or else becomes vain in that party where he is not so in all things this interrogation therefore concludes and strongly affirms by arguing it upon the conscience of the Serpent together with all his off-spring as the brood of a Viper that they can never escape or be released from the damnation of Hell By damnation in this place is meant a just and final Sentence together with the severe execution thereof to an everlasting and utter destruction Mark 3. 29. And by Hell in this place is meant the proper state of the Devil himselfe even as by Heaven the Scriptures intend God himselfe or the Son of God therefore where one Evangelist saith the Kingdom of Heaven another expressing the same thing saith the Kingdome of God Mat. 19. 23. compared with Mark 10. 23. So the Prophet Daniel in the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzars dreames First he cals God by the name of the most high and secondly by the name of Heaven saying Thou shalt know the Heavens rule or thou shalt know the Heaven rules Dan. 4. 25. 26. the phrase plural may be indifferently taken even so in this place by Hell we are to understand the Devil The force of the argument stands thus you have that spirit of the Serpent by which the curse entered upon mankind therefore you are justly called Serpents you are that generation and off spring of the poysonfull Viper or seed of the Serpent you have the nature disposition and operation of the Serpent who brought in the curse and propagates it in the world untill now which is nothing else but the Devil therefore you being the Serpent the Viper the generation the original and off spring of the Devil how can it be possible that you should escape the proper state and condition the condemnation and destruction of him whom you are for the Devil is that false interpreter of the word of God from the beginning for he is a Lyer from the begining Iohn 8. 44. And that lye hath in it all manner of untruth for he aboad not in the Truth yea it is an untruth of an illimited comprehension for it turns the truth of an infinite God into that lye Rom. 1. 25. Therefore must needs contain all manner of unrighteousnesse as the truth of God comprehends all righteousnesse of what nature or distinction so ever and as the one is the proper seat and subject of grace and salvation which is of God Psalm 3. 8. so is the other the onely seat and subject of all wrath and destruction which is of Satan the Dragon that old Serpent the Devil Rev. 20. 2. The 34. Verse is a Reason rendred how this fearfull and desperate estate of these false interpreters is brought about together with a secret insinuation of the state of the Son of God as all Christians or true Prophets are personated in him in which
hindred the Ship will be ready to set sayl about fourteen dayes hence but at present the Master doth not know what to doe their demands being so unjust to force him to carry us and they not to â—ay him for it nor we shall not and yet will not take hiâ— own 〈◊〉 but will have security besides so that hâ— and they are troubled with a burthensome stone the Ark of God doth afflict them send it away they would but yet they are not agreed what to do with it so we shall leave thee to be guided by that wisedome which governs all men and things â—ccording to the counsell of his own vvill and bringeth his purposes to passe by vvhom and in vvhom he pleaseth From the Servanâ—s and Messengers of the Lord vvhom he hath sent and brought by the arm of his power into these parts of the Word for vvhich vve suffer bonds and close imprisonment none suffered to speake or confer vvith us nor scarce to see us being locked up in the inward prison as the Gaoler pretends because vve do not deliver our Ink-horns although he hath taken away three from us already and vvill not suffer us to burn our owne Candles but takes them away from us because vve shall not vvrite in the night though vve are strangers to thee and others in this place yet seen and knowne in the light yet known in the World by these Names From the Common Gaol in Boston this 28 of the seventh 1656. William Brend Thomas Thurston Christop Holder Iohn Copeland Post We and all the rest of friends with us remember their love to thee and if thou hast freedome let us heare from thee Barwick in the Nanhyganset-Bay this prefone Octob 6. 1656. The Superscription To the Strangers suffering imprisonment in Boston for the name of Christ these with trust present in Massachusets Loving Friends WE have thankfully received your late and loving Letters but are informed that since the penning of them the Master of the Ship is ingaged with two of Boston bound with him to set you ashoar in England so that we perceive God hath diverted our desired designe we doubt not but for the best in a further discovery of that spirit so wickedly bent to hinder if it were possible the fruitfull progresse of the grace of the Gospell and it may be the name given unto you we know not upon what ground may come through an unalterable appointment to be the naturall practice of such as so deal with you when the terrours of the Almighty shall take hold of them And we are glad to see the waters move for then we know that spirit stirs which brooded upon them in the beginning and the Angell troubleth them unto healing but it is only of such as first step in after the troubling or moving of them which must be he who first lookes out from the early morning seeing in the first light that ever shined in that day which springs from on high who is endued with strength sufficient to put himself in without help of any other besides himself for there is none but the first begotten of the dead that can participate in this cure yet we know also how to cure the lame and impotent who hath no strength nor abilitie at all in himself to move towards the waters but only waits for help from another and therefore perceives how all come to be cured before him but the of word salvation passing upon him retains its healing and creating vertue from the beginning and is no lesse healthful in the last than in the first for they are one Yea he is not only the root bâ—t the branch or off-spring of David also the secret mystery of God hid from the world from the foundation thereof effectually moves the waters and a mighty worke done doth visibly appear to all men in uttering the word of salvation beyond the reach and capacity of all carnall Jews who are angry thereat seeking to take away the life and light of the Author of it who never appeareth but they find their Sabbath broken their power impaired or one or other of their carnal laws of sin death cries out in them as being violated as by him that coms to torment them before the time so that in the visibility of him who is invisible we rejoyce with Moses and fear not the wrath of the King In that you say that in the spirit of meeknesse and lowlinesse out of much love you came into these parts such a spirit we can thankfully imbrace knowing that it is the Spirit of the Redeemer who is meek in the losse of all humane and worldly helps without the least murmuring or grudging not opening his mouth in the language of the world in any thing whatsoever Also lowly submitting unto the spirit and will of the Father in whom or in whomsoever it appeareth the Spirit of the loving and loyall Spouse never admits of any divorse in that espousall but in all things submits unto and obeys Abraham and cals him And whosoever doth not become as a little child cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven But we know also that he who comes meek and lowly he comes so therein as he saves himself which is the part of a Victor and Conquerour and the prudent and diligent woman or Spouse clothes her Husband and Family with Scarlet her Husband is known in the Gate when he sitteth among the Elders by her industry yea the heart of her Husband doth safely trust in her so as he fears no spoil and whoso becomes as a child is greatest in the Kingdome of Heaven for in the mouths of Babes and Sucklings God hath ordained and founded his strength And in us a Child is born in us a Son is given but the government is upon his shoulder and he is called Wonderfull Counseller the mighty God t e everlasting Father the Prince of Peace so that whereever this lowly and meek Spirit is there is also the Spirit of that Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah and the Lord thereby shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Ierusalem and the Heavens and the Earth shall shake but the Lord is the hope of his people and the strength of the Children of Israel True lowlyness of spirit and the loftiest minde that ever was are never separated for these twain are made one so as never to be separated no more than a child in point of all humane abilities and the antient of daies shall For as we receive the Kingdom of Heaven as a little child so we are never otherwise in the same respect which we know no wisdom humane serpentine or upon principles properto a creature can ever yeeld unto or finde out And therefore we are fooles unto the world being bereaved of all their principles in regard of any exercise of them according to their proper intent in any of our designs Our wisdom consults not upon any of their principles our judgement determines not according
never a true account of Stewardship brought in by any imployd about the things of God Thus much through infinite favour and grace God hath revealed unto us that wheresoever that spirit resides not which first framed the mind of the Son of God according to the eternal wisdom to judge of all things as God judgeth the love of God was never shed abroad in that heart for the spirit of faith works by love and where the love of God is not there is the love of this world which is of that wicked ones and the love of the world is enmity with God and the spirit of envy never makes good construction of the expressions of him it doth repugn therefore where the Spirit of Christ resides not there can never be good construction given of the words of Christ for he hath a name given him that none can read but himself and he is called the word of God therefore all other readers are false interpreters and that is the only in let and progress of sin and death in the world unto this day There be many who arogate a Call to interpret the word of God Some holding themselves set a part from the common affairs of this life in such sort as they are not to intermeddle with any temporary occasions but to have all things brought in unto them that concerns this present life by the labours of and means of others who stand not in that relation neither to God nor men which themselves do being men whose Calling is spiritual and therefore not to be imployed about any carnal things assuming Scripture for that purpose not only from the equity of that Law given concerning Levy but also as the Stand in the room of Christ who is of greater deserts to be maintained then Levy was There is one Scripture looks earnestly upon me concerning this Point which such men make great use of to prove their Apostolical Authority to require Tythes Stipends and Contributions together with the honour of the upermost Seats where they come with respect unto the dignity of their Calling and Office above others of the Saints of God in which regard say they all others are become debtors unto them to contribute both wealth and honour for which they aledge as one special ground for such supply as having divine Authority on their side 1 Cor. Cap. 9. Which form of words they deal with as they do with all other expressions in the word of God using it to mans ends and intents and not according to the mind and intent of the Son of God For that which they go about to prove their Calling by to be spiritual and heavenly is a direct Declaration given out by the Spirit of God to prove their Ministry to be carnal and earthly give me leave therefore as briefly as I can to declare from that Scripture what God seems as by his eye to direct and guide unto Our Apostle in the former Chapter sheweth the difference between Knowledge and Knowledge the one in way of the fall of man from God the other in the way of Resurrection and Ascension to God the one puffeth up as an empty blader filled only with wind above others the other is filled with love to edification which ever prostrates it self to the party known where or in whatsoever he appeareth the one sitting at meat or communicating in the Idols Temple the other refusing to eat carnally so long as the world stands rather then to offend the Brother-hood And having concluded that an Idol or an Idolathite for there is a generation of them is nothing in the world and that there is but one God in truth and verity though many do assume the names and titles of that one God yet an Idolathite is nothing in the world though they so assume and arogate the tearms because the Son of God who is the Maker of all things never contributed any thing unto the form thereof no more then it can be said that the holy Son of God did ever give out any thing to the being of the uncleanness of that unclean spirit namely the Devil which an Idol is concluded to be by the Spirit of God for whatsoever the Son of God gives being unto is a work of Creation but an Idol the Devils is that Abaddon and Apollion that is destruction which is nothing of the work of God in Heaven or in earth and so is nothing in the world Therefore but one God or power of Creation of all things for an Idol is the ruin and destruction of Gods proper creating vertue where it is erected which erection of an Idol is to terminate the scope true and proper intent of any part of Gods word in any thing whatsoever besides Jesus Christ and him crucified besides which our Apostle acknowledgeth he desires to know nothing For all other knowledge besides that or without that is thus explained by our Apostle viz. If any man or any thing see thee that hast knowledge or see thee knowledge or thee that art knowledge for such as mans wisdom or knowledge is such is the man for as it gives man his being above all other creatures so it gives distinctions of men among themselves Sit at meat in the Idols Temple that is continue and abide communicating in the word and worship of God as terminating any part of or thing in the Temple or Pallace in any carnal and fading matter or thing Shall not the conscience or shall not that knowing together in thee for there is a unity in Idols worship as certainly as there is in the worship of the true God in spirit and truth Of the weak that is of such as are sick or dead being without and destitute of that healthful Spirit of grace and life in Christ Be imboldned to eat things sacrificed to Idols that is what ever is in thee or belonging unto that assembly of evil doers shall be encouraged to yeild up it self to the Rule of such knowledge for all things in man are governed by wisdom and a spirit of teaching therefore all things concerning the sons of men make their addresses to the light set up in the mind of man of what nature or mind soever it be to take their form receive commission as also instruction for their progress in execution therefore thou Idolatrous knowledg set up in the Idols Temple art become the Authour of destruction for there was never any destroyed since the world was but by this thy knowledge which puffs up with pride as an empty bladder filled with nothing but with the wind of Satannical delusion where the substantiality of the Son of God never was nor never will be Therefore he saith Through thy Knowledge or through this knowledge for the party and property to know are never separated for man is not man but by ability to know and that with respect to a God to be communicated with and worshipped Shall thy weak brother perish for whom Christ dyed that is thou
in way of humane genealogies O fools and blind shall we think that the genealogy and off-spring of the Son of God ended and was cut off in the Virgin Mary or that it was more carnal and bodily in onr forefathers then it is in our dayes is not the flesh of Christ though never a carnal and fleshly Christ conserved in his off-spring until now shall we think this word hath not eternity in it and is made good in his mystical body whereever any member thereof appears viz. My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed and he that eateth not my flesh and drinketh not my blood hath no life in him or is this speech worn out so as that it comprehends not the whole body viz. My heart and my flesh rejoyces in the living God Is there no more mention to be made of this word My soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth greatly after thee is a land of drought Such as lay these things aside and count it blasphemy to say Christ is compleatly present in his Saints in these dayes in the reallity of whatsoever his body consists of and will but afford him only some certain spirit or rather rayes and influences thereof to be resident in his Saints to this end that the world may not want power to do what they please with their bodies these men are of that spirit of Antichrist which deny the coming of Christ in the flesh as the Spirit of God in his Apostle averreth for if it were salvation to confess Christ come in the flesh as born of the Virgin Mary in such an age of the world only then would that wicked sea and lake of Rome have as much salvation in it as thy people at this day extant who profess and describe him in that respect by so many abominable signs and Images for our Apostle affirms that that spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God But this spirit which confesses Christ upon the same principles that Rome and the rest of the rabble of the world do who read the writings of the Apostles they do not acknowledge the insufficiency of man in that alsufficiency of the Son of God nor that disability of the creature in point of all humane help to be born up and carried out in that strength and desire proper only to the spirit of God In case therefore of the Jews in their strictness about genealogies and pedegrees I am as a Jew in all such matters and it is the only doctrine I teach whereby I find an ear in them to hear but it is to confound and bring to nought all carnal vain genealogies tribes kindreds and families as having respect unto God that the family and race of the Son of God only may take place of them all that so I may gain them all unto him or vanquish and subdue them all under him that the reality of them all may only be found in him as they are of any truth holiness honour or of any acceptation unto or in any respect with God at all and that all other are but vain and endless genealogies as our Apostle calls them Ignorance of this point in that obcaecoâ—n and pro-caxiouse spirit in the ministry of the world is the cause of that carnal conceit that a member of a church ordered composed and cast into a form by men and the children born in the confines of a church so framed are the true seed and off-spring of Christ and that all others are without any visible ensign of the true Religion and worship of God Again ignorance in this point of the true and compleat proceed of Christ whenever he appears really in any particular person or office is the very ground of that diabollical conceit that the Spirit of God operates in man here on the earth for a time and at his death man as a creature returns unto the earth both in regard of soul and body and is dissolved into the elements whereof natural bodies are made and composed and that nothing but simply God as an increated being is saved or returns to his ancient center these two opinions seem to be far distant but are both alike diabolical denying the truth and reallity of the Son of God and are deceivers of mankind causing them to be inamored with and dore upon the wayes of death and destruction in the villification and rejection of that salvation which is by Christ To them that are under the law as under the law that is to such as are under that Ceremonial bond and ingagement of being tied in the wayes of their worships to persons places times and terms of humane relations as necessary parts thereof instituting of churches creating of officers setting up seals signs services of time which in time will vanish away to these I declare my self to be under as strict bonds and ingagements as themselves be so as I move not in heart nor by hand utterance in tongue or gestures and demeanure in carriage But with respect unto this my ingagement which is the bond of the spirit binding me over unto God by freeing me from all ingagements and things whatsoever inferiour to himself in his Son Christ and not the spirit of bondage which ingageth unto the creature as being set in the place of the Creatour which is ever accompanied with trembling and fear because of the conscience of the insufficiency and uncertainty thereof And by taking up these their bonds and transitory ingagements whereabout as servants of sin they spend their time imploy their studies exercise their zeal in binding heavy burdens upon themselves and others seeking rest by the imployment of that unclean spirit but find none busying themselves in picking at the bark rinde husk or shell and never come to taste of the pith marrow or kernell and by opening of these rudiments and declaring what they be in their strictest injunctions which being followed to the uttermost of their intent in what they drive at and lead unto which is no less nor fall they short of an impossibility to please God thereby I do by these things bring out the reallity of the law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord which is the only freedome from this law of sin and death Which law of God hath all its relations operations and respects only in Christ and out of him it neither binds by any bond nor layes it any burden but hath in it in every respect the liberty freedome and authority of the Son of God And by this means I gain the truth and verity of all law bonds and ingagements to have their subsistance and being only in the Son of God being of the same degree power and continuation which himself is and ever will be which is the onely freedome and therefore the Saints of God are not bound unto but transcend and are far above all humane and transitory things from which God hath freed
the hearts of all men so as they may read it in themselves and therefore I obtrude the knowledge thereof upon you without all peradventure namely that they who run in a race run all that is divers are in motion therein as striving after the same thing even so God hath ranked the creatures universally in heaven and in earth that they are in a continued motion through Gods ordination as things pointing at looking towards or directing unto Christ as so many rivers in motion towards the same Gole or more particularly All men that ever lived do or shall upon the face of the earth they aim at and move after that which is more excellent then themselves or any simple creature can ever be and so are in continual exercise and motion to gain a price which hath no less then God considerable therein and hence it was that wicked Pharaoh though he would not acknowledge the God of the Hebrews yet he moved as in a race after a greater thing or power then was in himself and therefore fled to his Magicians as such as had a more eminent power to work by then himself had and when they could ease him of the plagues he seeks to Moses that he would me unto the God of Israel on his behalf so that he is in motion after a prize of more worth then all his present attainments So it was with the king of Babylon he also was set in this race moving toward a greater price when he could not interpret his own dreams he sought to the Southsayers the Chaldeans as having more skill then himself to interpret the same and when they could not attain thereunto they also move towards higher then themselves and told the king that none could expound or interpret such a matter unless the gods should come down and converse in flesh or with flesh so that all men yea the worst of men are in a race wherein they strive after a gole of more worth and greater excellency then yet they have attained and there is no true excellency upon just account to be found but only in the Son of God Jesus Christ and as in a race all men are striving to attain nnto that state of Christ but all cannot win the gole it is one only that gets the prize Note by the way the ignorance and vanity of such men that go about to bring men unto the knowledge of God by telling them stories out of the Scripture not analizing them with something written in their own hearts that by that living letter they may so converse with them as they cannot deny the truth of what is said to be in themselves and by the verity of that be gained to give credit unto the truth of the manner and form of the being and exercise of the Son of God brought forth and declared from that which is formed and written in their hearts for every one in this point of running shall be set in the race indeavouring to win a prize greater then yet they have attained from whence we are to declare who and what it is that only gets the gole for they who run in a race run all But one receiveth the prize that is to say Christ that one Son of God that mystical body in the unity of spirit that one whose feet are made like hinds feet and who is called the hind of the morning he that renews his strength as the eagle who runs and is not weary and walks and is not faint he only attaineth the gole winneth the prize and weareth the crown and he that is not of that one undivided being and imbodied in that one faith once delivered unto the Saints that man shall never attain the gole nor obtain the prize for it is only one that receiveth the same for it is but one wisdome which know the way and rightly valueth the prize it is but one strength which inableth to outstrip and over go all the rest and it is but one breath or wind of the spirit that can possibly hold out from the first unto the last that is from the first goings forth of the Son of God in the early morning or glory of his first appearance unto that late evening or setting of the Sun of all humane excellencies as the last or basest things with respect unto the glory and dignity of the Son of God it is only one therefore that receiveth the prize from which he inforceth this exhortation viz. So run that ye may obtain that is cast aside all carnal seeming excellencies every thing which presseth down as a weight to binder in the race and sin that hangeth so fast on even as the flesh cleaveth unto the bones which we are as unwilling to part with as from our natural life and run with all patience that is in the suffering of the loss of all transient things that you may accomplish and perform with great advantage the race that is set before you Again so run that you may obtain that is so gather up attract and bring all your abillities into one that none can go before you in point of true wisdome to Judge and discern bring only into one so also all true marrow and oyly substance to supple and supply the joints bring it all into one with all agillity power and abillity to continue and persevere state it all in one together with all ease of spirit in breathing livelyhood and courage bring them all into one individual subsistance and being of that mystical body of Christ in which you consist and out of which you consist and out of which you never were are nor shall be and so run as that only one who is indued with able power sufficient to take the gole from all that are not of him and he only to recieve the prize notwithstanding all other runners whatsoever if you cannot by that one spirit reckon and account your selves as that only one and not another you can never attain the gole nor receive the prize but shall fall infinitely short and that with shame and reproach perpetual Vers 25. And every man striveth for the mastery that is you well know that there is no man that playeth a prize or fighteth a combate but he gathereth up all his skill useth the utmost of his abillities taketh his best advantage both for offence and defence neglecting nothing that he may attain his end and therefore abstaineth from all things that might obstruct his strength impair his skill or abate his courage wife child nor friend inticeth his heart to draw it aside or divert it from the present act he leads not himself then with thick clay neither incumbers himself with the cares of this life no wanton dallience then takes place nor doth any sloth seize upon him to hinder his watch for his best oportunity and advantage nor is his life precious unto him in case the conquest be but gotten for other glory oâ— renown he expecteth not These things we
for the bringing forth of such operations yet cannot but confess the time of them is past and at present is only assemblance of it So do false interpreters they pretend the primative of the church and yet know no more how to make this time the first time then they know how to make a Christian in these dayes to be the first begotten of God therefore meer counterfeiters of time 4. Stage players counterfeit places if he draw but a curtain they act as in the Kings pallace when it may be but in a stew or brothel house So do false interpreters draw but out wine and wafer or water and a person without vale or covering and the act as in the pallace of the king of Saints and in the mean time confess that his dwelling is in heaven where themselves never as yet came and thus false interpreters are the stage players of the world who dissemble the being of persons histories times and places and cannot but confess the reality of them is out of being in point of present appearance Whereas the truth of interpretation doth not only comprehend them all extending it self unto them but also gathereth them up into present exercise and that in the reality of their proper being For he that can look back upon the word and work of God he knows how to convey himself thither or else it is a dead letter unto him he also knows how to bring up convey that word and work to take place and give it self a real and present being in himself otherwise it is not become a quickening spirit unto him and the like skill that the spirit of the Scriptures hath to convey it self back to the original and foundation of things it hath also to convey it self forward to the accomplishing and finishing of them not only in after times but also in the time present otherwise it is as the word of man subject to times and seasons and not as the word of God that is ever the same as himself is Therefore it is that Christ saith before Abraham was I am and the prophet Hosea speaking of Jacob conversing with God saith he met him in Bethel and there he spake with us and the Lord hath set up this name as his memorial in Abraham Isaac and Jacob as being in them conveyed unto Moses and all the Saints of God namely I am that I am hath sent thee for if the sender had not been in him that was sent those great works in Egypt had never been effected for the memorizing of the name of God forever Wo therefore unto false and counterfeit interpreters of the law of God which wo doth not only concern such as know themselves to deal deceitfully with the Scriptures for advantage but also such as upon false principles are never so much perswaded that they speak truth whether they deliver it unto others or receive and take it in as upon their own account it skils not the matter is the same and hath the same acceptance and reward intailed The word wo is a voice of cursing as an edict or proclamation given out by Christ as ruler of all things which none can gain say or contradict containing the whole sum in every part and particular of that cursed estate and condition of sin and unrighteousness as brought in and continued among the sons of men by false and hypocritical interpretation of the word of God as being no other but the spirit of the serpent from the beginning who is said to be the dragon that old serpent which is the devil and Satan Revel 20. 2. And this woful and sinful estate and condition as the proper portion and patrimony of all false interpreters being the only spirit whereby they live in fostring and maintaining the deeds of the flesh is apposed unto that blessed condition of the Son of God the fountain and original of all happiness whose spirit is the true intent and proper scope of the word of God in which alone his life is preserved and maintained forever and therefore he is called the word of God and saith of his proper language the words that I speak are spirit and life therefore without true interpretation of the Scriptures no conservation but a crucification of the Son of God Therefore it is that Christ so often ingeminates and reiterates this word wo as the curse consisting in false interpretation being that and also those which put him to death the persons and the spears being one therefore the Prophet cries out unto God Rebuke the company of spâ—armen or the roor or the crew of the Canes or the wilde beasts of the reed as the word imports Psalm 68. 30. prophecying of those who gave Christ vineger upon a reed in his thirst upon the cross and put a reed in his hand and smote him on the head head with the reed Matth. 27. 29 30 34 48. Psalm 69. â—2 as such as make hollow the word of God emptying it of the proper spirit thereof which thereby becomes as a spunge to draw in sharp bitter and tart things to present unto Christ that is cruel and savage persecutions even unto death therefore the prophet calls them the mighty bulls and calves of the people that is the high priests scribes pharises and elders who falsly expound and apply the word of God to the putting of it to death of whom the prophet largely comments in that two and twentieth Psalme Now to describe a false expositour of the word of God as a general Maxim to hold true undeni bly and universally in the discovery of them in all times places and persons is this They deny the word of God its proper and natural rise and accordingly carry it to an improper and unnatural center First they deny the word of God its proper and natural rise that is they conclude that all things whereinsoever God hath expressed himself do not arise nor have their original in the word of God as considered and consisting in the unity of God and man no nor that any thing in the first act of creating the world could possibly arise out of such a fountain but say they that device of God and man being one was only brought in after man had sinned but in the beginning all things were good yea man himself in a goodness besides short of and out of Christ Whereas the truth is there was never reality of goodness to be found as coming within the account of God but only in that work of God and man being made one in Christ therefore it is that when the man said unto Christ good master taking him for a meer man Christ asks him why callest thou me good there is none good but God not denying himself to be good but that goodness doth not consist in the excellencies of the creature but in the excellencies of the Spirit of God that made all things and what work soever holds nor proportion with the mind of the maker hath not the
into the account nor of any virtue or effect in that great work of deliverance of Israel out of thraldome which being stood upon and urged as any part of the intent of the word of God they become that which in setting up Pharaoh and his Magicians keep Israel in bondage 1. Therefore if men will be instructours whetters and sharpners of people in the historical narrations of the Scriptures in proverbial and parabolical sentences according to humane reason and art drawn out and acquired by schools and mans diligence if they call this speaking or preaching we gainsay it not if so be there be but this plainness and faithfulness adjoyned as to confess that this kind of learning in the highest attainment thereof is but the learning of Egypt of Mizraim and not the learning of the Hebrew Gen. 14. 13. that is of Abraham who is of Heber And that in this learning of Egypt Jacob and his Magicians are pregnant in and conversant about and that this kind of learning must be departed from as being no part of Israels deliverance or else we shall never attain to the deliverance unless it be to pass through the sea as an Ethiopian that Gods judgement may be made manifest in another way of execution by their carkasses falling in the wilderness as the Egyptians passed from one plague that another might take place and so Israel may be said to be brought out of Egypt as the Lord brought the Philistines from Caphtor and the Assyrians from Kir for the manifestation of a more eminent distruction Amose 9 7 8. If men would but confess these things let them preach to the drawing out of that humane bud to the furthest and whet it up unto the sharpest point otherwise they betray the cause of Christ when men say unto these things hail master and kiss them as their only Lord and beloved in so doing they betray the Lord Christ as Judas did by confessing him in a carnal manner and to a carnal end Matthew 26. 49. We conclude then that a humane ministry may be admitted in the world so that it keep it self within its proper confines professing that an Egyptian or Barbarian may attain the same but if it be professed to be instituted according to the faith of Christ then doth it become that Jewish priesthood which ever takes away the life of Christ not admitting him his due administration in the world 2. This bud of humane and depraved nature being broke forth and ripened to the thwarting of the common Society of mankind may be by humane ability curbed and restrained so be it the designe extend not beyond the limits of its proper bounds that is that the parties curbed be such as are as the horse or mule void of true understanding whose mouth must be kept or stopped with a reign or bit lest they come near unto us Psalme 32. 9. which brutish spirit is never found in any who are instructed in the wisdome of God Matth. 10. 16. So likewise the party exercising this authority in doing such an act must know that if there be not wisdome in him accompanied with eternal life Iohn 17. 3. his office goeth no further then that which a gentile a heathen or barbarian may perform and exercise as well as he whatever he may be called or however he may think or esteem of himself yea he is of the same brutish and untamed nature how learned or how costly soever the trappings of the horse may seem to be he is of the same nature which those are that seem to appear without any such costly ornament Therefore the Hebrew phrase used by the Prophet may be read either actively or passively whose mouth must stop or whose mouth must be stopped Psalme 32. 9. signifying unto us that the act may be appliable either to the agent or to the patient a like phrase is used by the Prophet where he saith that thou mayest be justified in thy saying and pure when thou judgest Psalme 51. 6 which speech the Apostle takes up and saith that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged Rom. 3. 4. To Judge then in humane affairs is a thing necessary for the preservation of mankind upon the earth as eating drinking marrying and giving in marryage so that we use them as though we used them not knowing that the fashion of them passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 31. and therefore are no part of office or relation proper to the kingdome of Christ and therefore prove good or bad according to the spirit of him that is exercised therein for men may eat as making their belly their God Phil. 3. 19. and as these did that lusted after Manna and were destroyed whilst the meat was in their mouthes 1 Cor. 10. 31. And men may eat and drink and whatsoever they do to the praise and glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. But when men go on in the exercises and executions of humane and temporary things as being offices and ordinances as the law of God intends and in which it terminates it self as the proper scope or any part of the meaning that is no less then to disthrone the Son of God and set up Pharaoh justifie Herod and take parts with those heathenish and barbarous princes that ever did do or shall lift up themselves against Christ for they have all that principle written in their hearts to terminate the mind and will of God in point of approving or abhorring in temporary and transient things We conclude then that the matters of the kingdome of God are more eminent and so of higher concernment then to stand either in the extention or extenuation of any thing which hath its proper being and only exercise within the bounds and confines of this mortal life therefore it is that Christ saith my kingdome is not of this world John 18. 36. no not in any vocal expression or bodily exercise 1 Tim. 4. 8. but in the execution and intention of that eternall spirit whereby the Son of God offereth up himself unto God Heb. 9. 14. for if the kingdome of God should consist in any thing bounded by this mortal life then would it suffer loss in every Saint in the laying down of the body in the dust by cessation unto all these things which every man holds rather to be the perfecting of it But it stands in the meek and submissive reception of the word of eternity and power as an ingrafted word James 1 21. that is accord ng to the Metaphor the wisdome and will of God in his chosen hath from the beginning so cut the proper branch and topped the heighth of the spirit of man which it by nature otherwise brings forth and thereby submitted it to the reception of an eternal and higher wisdome which ingrafts it self as a science into the stock of mans spirit being a creature made in time through this cutting of it off from its natural growth as from that superfluous
where the seed of God yet is not is of like wisdome and will have like success as if a man should spend his time and study to teach a dog the art of arithmetick Astrology or navigation where the principles thereof never were nor never shall be Such persons who think that their distillations may so insinuate into â—he seed of the serpent as it shall become the seed of the woman may as well conclude that the suggestions of the serpent may so intice and inveigle the seed of the woman as to make it become Satanical and so they think in heart else would never be so fearful of errours that is of any doctrine differing from what they themselves deliver which many of that ministry called papists and others do freely teach and confidently acknowledge namely a falling away from grace which is as great blasphemy as can be spoken against the Son of God for thither it reacheth as though he might fall away from being the Son of God or that a power might countermand the strength of the Father to pluck the Saints out of his hand which Christ affirms nothing can Iohn 10. 28 29. Yet we deny not but that the devil is really cast out of mankind Luke 13. 32. Luke 8. 2. Mark 1. 34 39. but in like sense diameter wise as the Son of God is said not to be left in hell nor the holy one of God suffered to see corruption Psalme 16. 10. Acts 2. 31. which now time permits us not to open And from this indeavour of the world to convert the devil observe the ground of the third wo pronounced by Christ against thefe deceitful interpreters which is laid down in the 15. verse in these words For ye compass sea and land to make one prosalitâ— and when he is made ye make him two fold more the child of hell then your selves wherein observe 1. First their great diligence they compass sea and land 2. To what end that is to make one proselite 3. The event and issue that is when he is made he is two fold more the child of hell then they themselves First for their diligence in compassing sea and land a work suits with Satans profession who saith he walks to and fro as one without any certain rule and so uncertain of the issue of all his designs also making a circumference about them all as things earthly subject to time place the number of a man and by capacity meerly humane Revel 13. â—8 1. By sea and land here we are to understand he deep mistery of iniquity which the Apostle calls the depthes of Satan Revel compassing and making their circles and circumferences therein designing gifts places and offices to particular persons of the same house and kingdome as their only propriety which others are not to come wiâ—hin the compass of in which these hypocrites say Stand by thy self I am holyer thâ—n thou Come not near to me Isa 65. 5 By sea therefore in this place is meant deeps of iniquity as also places remote and far off Moses speaking of the law of God saith it is not hid from thee that thou shouldest say who shall go over the sea for us to fetch it Deut. 36 13. which the Apostle alledging that place applies the command or the word to Christ saying who shall go down into the deep to fetch Christ thence Rom. 10. 7. so that by sea is meant deepness by the verdict of the Spirit of God so also the earth or land is taken for deepness for the word Abyss or Abysses deep or depths is given both to sea and land therefore the Prophet saith in the person of Christ thou which hast shâ—wed me great and sore trouhles shalt quicken me again and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth Psalme 71. 20. So that the depths of death hidden in that letter which kills that Christ is brought out of and risen from are diligently travelled in and compassed and surrounded about by that spirit of Satan in all those offices and institutions of time which passeth away so carefully and highly promoted by the false interpreters of the world whereof not one of them can pass through death with them to accompany them after this present life Psalme 29 12 13 14. 2. Secondly by sea and land are meant places remote and afar off so explained by the Spirit of God Deut. 3. 11 12 13. apposed to things that are neer yea really present and in act Rom. 108. so sea is taken for things afar off or disjoyned from that main continent Psalme 65. 5. Psalme 89 25. By land also is understand places remote and afarâ—off therefore raised the land of forgetfulness Psalme 88. 12. and the Islâ—es shall wait for thy â—aw that is people afar off which the Apostle expounds to be the remote gentiles that shall trust in his name Isa 42. 4 Marth 12. 12. Psalme 106. 27. And it is said that the Lord gathereth his redeemed out of the laâ—â—s from the east and from the west from the north and from the sea Psalme 107. 3. as places most remote and at the greatest distance false interpreters are ever imployed about the things of Christ as the reality of them without which a thing is not of any worth being ever at a distance they only having the figures and the signes in present act but the substance is only present by reaching out an imaginary hand unto the place or time where and when the substance hath been so the death of Christ was only in the dayes of Herod in point of the time and his ascension only in the dayes of those Apostles the time of his glorious appearance in his Sanctuary to be admired in all his Saints it is still driven before them and is yet remote and to come 2 Thess 1. 10. Again for place it is remote where Christ now makes intercession for the Saints a place only where they never yet came by their own acknowledgement Rom. 8. 34. the place of his death resurrection and sitting in judgement places remote beyond the sea or in another land and for men to say that Christ doth these things in the Spirit in his Saints it will not reach to be a covering for them to wrap themselves in Isa 28. 20. For however we know that their is a spiritual death resurrection and ascention and sitting on the right hand of God and that there is a spiritual kingdome priesthood eldership Church and people of God yet we know also that to say these are become such only by having the Spirit of Christ that is to say as he is God and not as being Christ complete his body or any office thereof is to deny the Spirit of Christ to be that which it is which is a denyal of Christ himself and so a most false interpretation of Scripture for the Spirit of Christ never wrought nor appeared in way of salvation but in that way of flesh in that sense which it
is said the word was made flesh or is made flesh and tabernacles in us as the words are and we saw his glory as the glory or as the word is verily the glory of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth Iohn 1. 14. So that he maintains a Spirit of Christ early or late without the complete matter whereof Christ consists that man is ignorant of Christ and interprets the word in the denyal of him being that spirit denies that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh which is not of God but is that spirit of antichrist 1 Iohn 4. 2 3. for to confess Christ Jesus as born of the Virgin Mary only in the dayes of Herod is not confession which the Apostle intends for it that his coming in the flesh in the confession thereof were to speak by the Spirit of God I think then all that ever spoke the Latine tongue would prove speakers by the Spirit of God and then such as they stile Papists would be the most eminent confessours of Jesus which are so cried out against as hereticks for as concerning that act of his doctrinal coming in the flesh who have more images crucifixes Sacraments and Idolatrous monuments then they amongst whom there is no speaking by the holy Spirit of God at all but are such as compass sea and land walking to and fro without certainty and pitching the points of their circumference at such a distance as the coming of Christ in the flesh never admitted of the Jews propounded a time remote wherein he would come the Gentiles a time remote that he was here in the flesh and neither the one nor the other led by that spirit never would nor will acknowledge him his true and real appearance Psalme 2. 1. 6. 2. The second point in the pronouncing of this wo is the end for which they are in this care and travel and that is to make one proselite that is one religion to have all men of the same profession that so the arm of flesh might bear the sway without controul or disturbance this the world hath travelled in from the beginning thinking it can never be glorious and secure till it be effected at the least in great measure so as to be the major vote at the least to this eomes the study of reformation that great toil of preaching after the manner of the doctrine of the pharises that rigour of executions in carnal governments that all may come to be of one mind to make a glorious Church and state to have no gainsayers nor such as shall offend These cannot be content to give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars and unto God the things that are Gods Matth. 22. 21. but they will make Cesar to be God and so convert the devil and cannot rest till light and darkness Christ and Belial be made one 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16. These men are remote from hearing of that voice my graâ—e is sufficient for thee for if they know that the power of God were only made manifest and perfected through the weakness of man that is by an utter cessation of all humane abillities in the matters of God they could not but know also shat the force of man by means of multitude can be no hinderance of the good successe of the Saints though never so few in number in any age of the world for that day of small things in the eyes of carnal contemners and dispisers break forth into those seven eyes of God or seven fold light of the Spirit which are about the throne of God Zachar. 4. 10. Revel 1. 4. together wit that plummet or plumm-line in the hand of our Zorubbabel to give a â—ight form unto all things belonging to the temple in the perfecting thereof then is the time for power to appear in the oxes goad Iudge 3. 31. and strength in the jaw bone of an asse Iudges 15. 15 16. then will terrour arise out of the whistling or the wind in the top of the Mulberry trees 1 Chron. 14 â—4 15. and fear from the appearance of Gidians Barley cake Iudges 7. 13 22. If men knew the manner of the resurrection of Gods power in the Spirit of a Saint how it perfects it self through mans own deficiency they would never be so industrious to make the world become of one religion for fear of a multitude of opposites Not but that the Saints of God may be furnished with abillity to know any art or science as well as any other man and have the practice of it only with this two fold caveat they know all humane and temporary things through the valing of them and the vanishing of them if they know them so as Christ is propagated uâ—to them by the knowing of them as he is the true end of all things Rom. 10. 4. Rom. 11. 36. So to know them is to vale them in point of all glory or excellency appearing in them heing so truly known even as Tamar was valed when Judah knew her in the propagation of Phares Gen. 38. 13. 13 14 15 16 19 20 21. of whom Christ came Matth. 1. 8. so that in knowing her he knew her not the Saints look upon the glory of the world as an inticing harlot nsing it as though they used it not and buy as though they possessed not for the fashion of it passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 31. Therefore in the second place they know the things of the world to the vanishing of them as a leaf tossed with the wind Iob 13. 25. Isa 34. 4. and as the flower of grass when the wind hath passed upon it Isa 4 6 7. even as Tamar was vanished when the kid was sent to receive the robes of honour from her Therefore the Apostle speaking of that glory which seems to be in the administration of the law which he calls the ministry of condemnation saith it hath no glory when the ministration of the spirit appears which he calls the exceeding or excellent glory 2 Cor. 3 9 10. To conclude this point those who see such excellencies to appear in the multitude as to use all their pollicy and industry to bring all into a uniformity they never saw the excellent glory but they are such men of renown as were in the beginning the Giants of the world who to bring forth a mighty and monstrouse generation bring into contract and covenant the posterity of Cain and Seth in the point and matter of increase abroad have been the ruine of the world ever since it existed Gen. 6. chap. the only composers of sea and land to the production of the deluge of Gods displeasure upon the sons of men 3. Therefore the third point is the issue when you have made him he is two fold more the child of hell then you your selves that is when false interpretation of the law hath begotten a spirit of pride and cruelty to execute according to those lying and dissembling dictates which is the bringing forth
expound the word so as it may be applied to poor silly women whom they can intangle and trap in their talk and so make such the guilty persons and authours of mischief But the Temple and he that dwells therein is one undivided and never was nor shall be separated whatsoever the pharises teach to the contrary which our Apostle elegantly declares saying and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things in the church which is his body the ful ness of him thht filleth all Ephes 1. 22. 23. in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord in whom you are builded together for an habitation of God in the spirit Ephes 2. 21 22. Thirdly Christ useth another argument to evince the truth against these false interpretours which is an explication of the former saying And he that sweareth by heaven sweareth by the throne of God by him that sitteth thereon that is he that is ingaged and bound over as by oath unto heaven he is ingaged to the throne of God that is to the kingly authority of the Son of God Psalme 132 11 12. and to him that sits thereon to sit is to abide and continue or dwell Psalme 1. 1. Psalme 2. 4. in the execution of that authority the word translated seat or to sit signifies also an assize session or assembly for the use and skilful ordering and disposing of all things so the Hebrew word Moshab is taken in Psalme 107. 32. see what follows to the end of the Psalme the throne and him that sits thereon are one entire thing for the unction is upon none but Christ the anointed of God and the exercise of this unction cannot be found extant but in the Son of God alone And whereas he brings in heaven and the throne of God to be one and the same so that he that swears by heaven swears by the throne and him sits thereon it is to explicate his former argument that as by heaven here we are not to terminate our thoughts in these visible heavens or in any thing or place limited according to the bonnds of a creature but according to the throne or authority of the Son of God even so we are not to terminate our thoughts in a Temple or altar in what sence soever they may be taken if their edifice and form were either erected or shall pass away in time which is the doctrine of the pharisaical and false interpretours But true interpretours terminate the subject matter of their doctrine in that state of the Son of God who is the first and the last yea it is he alone who is and was and will be the same Revel 22. 13. Revel 1. 8. out of whom or out of which the heart of man can never enter into rest Hebr. 4. 6 11. And these deceitful prevaricatours of the law in dividing Christ in matter of doctrine they divide themselves from Christ by unbelief And thence is brought in the ground of the denunciation of the fift wo laid down in the 23 24. verses which consists in their tything of mint Annis and Commin and neglecting the weighty matters of the law wherein observe 1. First what they do they tithe mint annis and Commin 2. Their Neglect that is of the weighty matters of the law 3. Wherein these weighty matters do consist that is in judgement mercy and fidelity 4. Wherein their doctrine and practice out to appear that is in doing these weighty things not leaving the inferiour undone 5. A severe charge laid upon them to be blind guides 6. Their gross hypocrisie in straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel 1. For the first they take tithe and they also pay tithe as Matthew and like compared together declare for so the law appoints in tithing or taking the tenth two things are to be considered as the first born are known to be the Lords in that they first open the womb and none can deny but the right of inheritance belongs unto them Yea that first born of God Jesus Christ is known to be the Royal off spring of the most high by opening the womb of eternal life unto us or in us so that none can call into question the blessing of the birth-right being he is descended of God But the tenth as considered in the flock or in the field none can give a reason why the rod should pass upon this rather then upon that Levit. 27. 30 32 33. even so the sons of God as they spring out of the earth and are formed of the slime and dust of the ground Gen. 2. 7. no man can give a reason why the rod or scepter of Jesus Christ should fall into the hand of this man rather then that which God hath left in their sins and given up unto wrath for by nature in that refpect we are the same which they are Ephes 2. 3. 2. Again the word tithe or the tenth comprehends all of that kinde which is presented even as the whole law is comprehended in one of those ten words for so the phrase is Deut. 10. 4. which God spake unto Moses for it is fulfilled in this one word love Gal. 5. 14. Rom. 13. 10. The tenth also is taken for eternity by the verdict of the word of God the tenth generation is expounded to be eternity Deut. 23. 3. by the Spirit of God so that the tenth comprehends all times and all things which nothing but the Son of God can do who only is that all in all Ephes 1. 23. who is an inheritance falling by lot in way of tithe Psalme 16. 5 6. as well as in way of a purchased possession Ephes 1. 14. as really as he is a son by adoption taken out of the house of a stranger as he is man and a natural son the true off-spring of almighty God also as he is begotten of the father of lights Iohn 1. 13 14. Iames 1. 17 18. So that as the Hebrew word Mas is often used for tribute signifies sufficiency or enough and is so translated Deut. 15. 8. because it gives an interest in him that payes it and to all that he hath if occasion be even so the tithe comprehends an alsufficiency or enough of all thiugs whatsoever which is not elsewhere to be found but only in Christ Let earthly tithe-mungers who translate the Gospel into transient things weigh this point well and know they are these deceitful pharises 3. Add further that in tithes the priest is to pay tithe as well as to receive it for he is appointed to pay the tenth of the tenth Nehem. 10. 38. Therefore the Spirit of God saith by Matthew ye pay tithes of mint Annnis and Commin speaking to these hypocritical teachers or expounders of the law But Luke hath it ye tithe as taking tithe the Mint the Rew and all manner of green herbs Luke 11. 42. So that they receive inferiour and base things of the
but that they dissemble the same in point of any present being of them Thus these Hypocrites in expounding of the word of God dissemble the Fall of man as a thing that was and is not the Concepcion Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascencion of Christ as things past and now are not but only in Records and Histories These Stage players do not only pick the purses of their brethren but pick out their eys in beholding vain Idols not knowing the wisdom and power of God that hath appointed his Kingdom in Christ to bee alike present of like glory power peace and plenty and of like noble acts and operacions in all ages of the world where ever and in whomsoever the mystery of God in Christ appears and is made manifest Col. 1. 26. 29. otherwise let us only hear that Christ prayed but never pray in our selves and so in all things that Christ did or sayd for such is their doctrin The third particular noted in the Text is the Ground and Reason of this their wo wherein observe these particulars 1 First their act what they do and that is twofould 1 They build the Tombs of the Prophets 2 They garnish the Sepulchers of the righteous 2 Secondly observe their speech what they say that is If we had been in the dayes of our fathers we would not have partaken with them in the blood of the Prophets wherein observe 1 First they confesse blood or murder to be a capitall sin 2 Secondly that they have washed and reformed themselves and are become better than their fathers 3 Thirdly they translate and remove the cause or act of blood-guiltinesse from themselves unto their fathers 3 In the third place note what they are in point of their condicion or office in these words wherefore ye be witnesses unto your selves that ye are the children of them that killed the Prophets 4 Fourthly observe the extent of the thing witnessed unto in these words Fill yee up then the measure of your fathers The first is their act being twofould and first they are said to build the Tombs of the Prophets Wee have heard before that a Tomb is a Monument or Memoriall of that which is not in present and reall being and by Tomb in this place is meant the Historicall Narracions or Literall Form of the word of God as it utters it selfe in tearms comming within the capacities of the naturall and racionall conjectures of mans heart or words which mans wisdom teacheth 1 Cor. 2. 4. So that these men assume the word of God according to the literall form and verball expressions of the Prophets and therby build and erect monuments of Constituted Churches Offices therein Governments Orders and painted Excellencies in the world beginning and ending in Time not compatible to the Son of God thereby expelling the proper intent and minde of the Spirit which is the soul or life of the Scriptures and so set up a dead karkasse and livelesse memoriall void of the life and spirit of our great and only Prophet Iesus Christ Deut. 18. 15. For there is nothing wherein the heart of man expresseth it selfe by bringing forth som what wherein to employ himselfe for a time in this world being temporary But it is a grave wherein Christ is buried if the angell or messenger of God roul not away the stone or take away the difficulty guard props and defence thereof and sit upon it as an inferiour and subjected thing Mat. 28. 2. making it the footstool of his feet 1 Cor. 15. 24 25. Yea the Ordinance of humane Marriages is a grave to bury Christ in that he appear not in his espousall when the conjugall ty of the word of God is terminated there For it is in that point as it was at that Marriage in Canah of Galilee performed according to the Iewish Rites or the Dictates and naturall Ceremonies of mans heart where Christ came to declare that the proper power of the word of God consists not in such things no more than that water filling up those six water pots according to the purification of the Iewes was like unto that wine which Christ commanded to be drawn out of the same for when his mother taken according to the flesh offered to terminate the businesse of the day wherefore Christ was bid thither in that temporary feast or marriage teling him there wanted wine to have his power and presence to honour that his answer is woman what have I to do with thee my hour is not yet that is my time and authority consists not in these things But when his mother who brought him forth submitted to his will saying unto the servants whatsoever hee commands that do yee then Christ commands those weak and water-like Ordinances of the Iewes or of the sons of men to bee drawn out having the vigour and vertu of new and strong wine to admiracion Iohn 2. 1. declaring thereby that transcendent power and glory that is in the time and presence of Christ in all his Commands and Appointments beyond all the Ordinances and Appointments of the sons of men the naturall Dictates of whose hearts lead them unto such Orders in all temporary Institucions as naturally as in that of Feastivity or Marriage however the hypocriticall Pharises solemnize them with the intent of the word of God The Tomb of the Prophets erected in these things in the departure of the soul and spirit stands upon four pillars which enervate the sift and the sixt Commandements 1 First in point of Superiority 2 Secondly in point of Inferiority 3 Thirdly in Equality which is the sum of the fift Commandement and first with promise Ephes 6. 2 3. 4 The fourth is our demeanour and carriage towards friends and enemies in killing and preserving life which is the sum of the sixt Commandement First in point of Superiority Rule false interpreters cannot finde any visible power upon the Earth but in Fathers according to the extent of the phrase in the Commandement which phrase of Father and Mother include all exercise of Authority Neither can they utter any Glory of Submission and Obedience but as Children are there to be extended that is to all wayes of yeeldings of obedience and these they resolve to be exercised between man and man creature and creature which is no better than a Tomb wherein the great Prophet is buried yea the tru spirit of all the Prophets is thence departed and the mysticall body of the Son of God corrupted by such Doctrin For the truth of relacion in point of Authority and Submission Command and Obedience stands properly according to that reall intent of the word of God in the relacion and respect that is between God and man in the faith and subsistance of Christ Where the Spirit of God is the proper supply of the party in both respects that is in the exercise of obedience as well as in the power of Command and may as truly be found and exercised in one
that inferiour part or place of the sting of sin and curse of God Rev. 9. 10. made manifest in his word 1 Cor. 15 56. Oh Serpents this your false and carnall interpretation hath stopped the ear of man from the beginning that he will not hear the voice of the Son of God though he useth all his skil for the opening of it it is carnall and earthly interpretation in all ages that hath stoped the ear from hearing entertaining and approving the good word of God and by other means was the word of life never hindred from making entrance into the heart of man in any age of the world nor among any people or nation And it is only words of spirit and life Iohn 6. 63. that boar the ear and open it to hear the voice of the Son of God Psalm 40. 6. Iohn 5. 25. that they may live it is that which incorporates into the house and family of God so as never to depart thence for he is tyed thereby unto the door post even by that sound of the word in his soul that he can never depart from it even as the Servant that had served his Master seven years and would have no other freedome but what was found in that house and service was brought to the door post and boared thorow the ear entring into covenant therby to serve him for ever Exo. 21. 6. For there may be a Covenant struck by the ear as well as by the hand Heb. 8. 9. Therefore the Psalmist proclames Oh blessed is that people that know the joyful sound for they shall walk on in the light of thy face Oh Lord in thy name shall they be glad all the day and in thy righteousnesse shall they be exalted Psalm 89. 15. 16. alluding to the sound of the Silver Trumpet at the Wars Assemblies Solemn Feasts Iourneys and over the Sacrifices of Israel Psalm 81. 3. Numb 10. 3. 9. 10. Joel 2. 1. 15. The ear listning to true interpretation binds over to God incorporates into that mystical body of Christ and keeps from ever departing thence any more knowing the shrill sound of the trump of God which is the dictate of the spirit of God it preserves in the Camp for ever 5 Fifthly The Serpent is known by his act that is he crusheth the heel of Christ as the seed of the woman breaketh or crusheth his head so he breaks bruiseth or crusheth the heel or foot-soal of the seed of the woman that is of Christ Gen. 3. 15. For as Christ bruiseth the head of the serpent crusheth or squeezeth out the headship and power of the Devil so that nothing of his wisdom subtilty cruelty hypocrisie and authority appearâ— in the Saints of God in any of their wayes even so doth the Serpent by false interpretation bruise and crush the heel or soot soal of Christ or the print of the soot as the word imports that is whereas the Son of God in the Character letter or historical records of the word written in mans heart hath therein secretly and mystically involved his proper and saving intent which the Saints of God know how to take â—ut as their only and meet help Gen. 2. 18. for the propagation of their kind as they are the workmanship of God in Christ and his off spring Ephes 2. 10. Act. 17. 29. Even as the Lord tooke aâ— rib out of the side of the first man that great and original Character of mankind and made a woman of it Gen. 2. 21. for the multiplication of man upon the face of the earth Gen. 2. 28. So false interpreters they take out the letter and history of the word from the intent and mind of God and by that means bruise and squeeze out the life and spirit of Scripture that not a print of Christs proper footsteps which he hath truly taken therein can appear being they have carnallized them by closing up the flesh instead therof as though the glory power consisted only therein and as though no defect were upon man in the departure of the rib or bone the life and spirit of the word wherein all true power and glory doth consist which they by this means of spoyling the proper print of Christs footstep which he hath set upon all things in heaven and in earth terminating the form thereof in transient things which is the arm of flesh and so with the Serpent are accursed Jerem. 17. 5. Oh Serpents who by the bruising and disfiguring of the prints of Christs footsteps which he hath set upon all things rightly considered to make his way known to the sons of men according to the Spirit in closing up the flesh instead thereof to be the glory have thereby deluded and destroyed the world unto this day Rev. 9. 10. But these men cry out against such as stand for the scope intent life and spirit of the Scriptures which Christ saith his words are Iohn 6. 63 that they turn the Scriptures into an Allegory whilst in the mean time themselves are the only persons that so do for they will have all to consist in the proper allegory metaphor history outward form of parable proverb journeys buildings sacrifices and ceremonies and therefore in the laying down of one form and figure they take up another or else they would lose all their Religion as they must needs do at the time of their death for they have nothing to do when they come to heaven according to their own doctrine which they do hear no not to love God himselfe which they say only continues not understanding the speech of the Apostle concerning faith hope and love 1 Cor. 13. 13. for by their owne doctrine they deny to love God in Heaven as they do now here in this world for now they professe they love him mediately in another but then they will love him immediately in himself These are the allegorizers upon the word of God for they turn all into the proper figure Allegory Metaphor and misse of the truth and substance in all things 6 Sixthly The Serpent is known by his names and they are many whereof one is Pithon coming of the Hebrew word Pethen a Spirit of delusion that followed the Apostle Paul thereby to maintain and uphold the way of its delusion this is a certain effeminate Spirit oâ— divination that for gaine fi nds out a way by subtilty to prostrate it selfe to any forme of doctrine and that which seemes to prevail and be in honour with the most that it takes up with great applauding of the same together with the Publishers thereof Act. 16. 16. 17. And that this Sepent sets upon his own principles which are carnall and diabolicall which principles by that means he covertly and cunningly insinuates into the world by transforming himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 13. for the upholding of the glory power riches and outward prosperity thereof as though the way of Iesus Christ were promoted and propagated therein Oh ye
the guilt observe these things 1 What manner of blood it is or whose blood it is that is righteous blood according to Matthew the blood of all the Prophets according to Luke 2 Observe how it is dealt with that is it is shed and the place where upon the Earth 3 From what time it is shed that is from the foundation of the World 4 Vnto what time that is to the present generation 5 That of them it is required that is of the present generation as Luke records it 6 And lastly that it comes upon them according to Matthew For the first the Spirit of God stiles it righteous blood and it affirms also that it is the blood of all the Prophets from the foundation of the World so that there is the same guilt in taking away the life of any of the Saints or Prophets of God that is of any true Interpreter of the word of God in the present age that ever was in the spilling of any righteous blood in the world from the foundation thereof Christ Iesus himselfe not exempted for there is but one righteous life and death as the word blood signifies both which are ever found in Christ and never elsewhere for in all the operations of life he is the Lord our righteousnesse Ier. 23. 6. by whom we live unto God now I live not I any more but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2. 20. Again there is but one righteous blood in point of death unto sin and Satan therefore Christ once suffered and once offered up himselfe 1 Pet. 3. 18. Heb. 9. 26. Heb. 10. 10. which is not found but in Christ for it is one act which comprehends all the Saints therefore the Apostle saith I now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up the remainder or that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ Col. 1. 24. that is I fulfill in my flesh that off-spring or posterity of the suffering of Christ which are common unto that incorporate body according to the true intent and meannig thereof shall we think our selves to be the off-spring and posterity of Christ and not have the similitude of Christ in all things Was ever such a generation brought forth that bears not the image of the Progenitor if we be implanted into his resurrection we are implanted into his death also Romans 6. 5. if any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is not of his Rom. 8. 9. and so it may be said of all things that are appropriated to Christ as his peculiar interest if any man have not the life of Christ the same is none of his if any man have not the wisdome of Christ the same is none of his and if any man have not the death of Christ that man is none of his we conclude then there is but one righteous life and death in the true posterity and off spring thereof wherefore he that spills the life by living carnally unto the things of the world or he that spils the death by dying carnally unto the things of God that man is guilty of blood in the highest degree for there is but one righteous blood therefore the same guilt and condemnation in the shedding thereof in whom or what age or generation soever Moreover it is but one and the same spirit of that one word of God which hath been falsified and cruelly destroyed by false interpretation from the foundation of the world which is that name of Christ that none can read but himselfe for he is called the word of God Rev. 19. 12. 13. Now if the letter of the word were Christs name or authority then any wicked man might read and know the name of Christ yea the Devill himselfe in his tentations alleged the letter of the Scripture Mat. 4. 6. compared with Psalm 91. 11. 12. who is so far from the knowledge of Christ or from acknowledging him in his vertues to be that which he is But none can know this name of Christ namely the word of God but himselfe therefore wheresoever the truth of the word of God is known there is Christ himselfe he that is guilty therefore of the neglect or rejection of the spirit of the word of God or of that law of the spirit in whomsoever it is that person is guilty of the neglect and rejection of Christ himselfe Luke 10. 16. for none hath or knoweth that name but himself 2 The second point is how they deal with this blood where it is shed that is on the Earth false interpretation lets the blood of Christ who is heavenly out of its proper place as Cain did the blood of Abel which is therefore said to cry from the ground Gen. 4. â—0 it speak but not as in its proper veines and place of its naturall residency and aboad contrary to that blood of sprinkling which is therefore said to sprinkle Heb. 12 24. as having livelyhood and spirit in it to give life and motion to the whole body and therefore speakes better things than that of Abel in as much as life is better than death But the blood being shed on the Earth as Christ affirms here in this place it is that is expounded and applyed carnally as that the death of Christ should consist in the separation of the soul and body of a man living and dying only in such an age or time of the world and not else thus to draw forth the death or the life of Christ is to shed it upon the earth and as blood shed upon the ground is a meanes for the ground to bring forth more abundantly earthly fruits which are naturall to the ground where it is shed but none of those fruits which it brings forth in the body the proper place of its residency even as the blood of a Lamb shed and sucked up by a Woulf ceaseth to have any more the livelyhood and spirit of a Lamb in it but it is now translated and changed by its community with the Woulf as the ptoper agent to work upon into the liâ—e spirit motion and nature of the Woulf so is it in that way of false interpretation for it takes the spirit and life of the word of God out of its proper place that is to say out of that mysticall body of Christ and will not give it its proper place of its aboad For they say that the Saints of God have only some created or creature-like vertue and certain influences of the spirit of Christ but not the same spirit in the reality of it which the Son of God hath They say the Saints of God have a death in them to sin and Satan but not the reality of the death of Christ They teach that the people of God have the righteousnesse of Christ else they could not be just before God but it is not in them nor theirs properly as they are Saints but it is the righteousnesse of another that is nearer to God than themselves and is only imputed to
fulnesse of all subtilty and all mischief the child of the Devill and enemy of all righteousnesse which ceaseth not to pervert the straight wayes of the Lord Acts 13. 10. And without an emptinesse of man in both these respects from the first act of his ordination or creation the full and compleat death of Christ is never known nor doth it appear in the world unto salvation which sets man at an utter distance from God in Cain with respect unto Abel as also it sets man in unity with God in Seth with respect to the same Abel he being set in his stead and the father of Christ Luke 3. 23 -38 And from this twofold vanity the death of the Son of God is forever perfected for in that way of Cain he is dead to al heavenly and spiritual vertue as he is the Son of God and yet God in the exercise of wrath and displeasure is really there and in Seth he is dead to all earthly and carnall things as he is the Son of Sons man and yet man in exercise of goodnesse and love is really there and without respect to these twain the death of Christ is not revealed for it is not part of Christ that suffers for the salvation of man as only in his manhood as the blind Pharisees of the world hold and teach but it is Christ compleat who consists of God and man and in the same respect he is said to dye he never lives therefore it is said that he is dead and is alive as the words may be truly read Rev. 1. 18. Rev. 2. 8. And from this death of the Son of God in this twofold respect there flows a twofold righteousnesse or justice namely of absolution and of condemnation Mat. 25. 34. 41. Psalm 6. 8. And if it were not for this death of Christ thus considered there were no place for the righteousnesse of Faith in the exercise of mercy nor for that of the Scribes and Pharises in that exercise of Gods severity Rom. 11. 22. Rom. 9. 22. 23. but Gods glory were extinct in both respects and therefore he is righteous Abel For if a wicked man could content himself simply with the Creature in his relation to it as the bruit beasts do then were there no severity of God to be exercised in way of the curse for there were no ground nor footing for it But man hath a spirit as it appears in Gain that will inherit acceptation with God as well as his brother though in that way of an earthly and carnall sacrifice whereby it cometh to passe that he kils his brother causelesly nay he kils him because his own works are evill and his brothers good even as all wicked men quench and kill the spirit and life of Christ Iesus in their own hearts by their earthly and carnall thoughts and imagination of that good word and work of God in point of salsalvation 1 Iohn 3. 12. which is the kindling of wrath in our soules for as it was in Cain so it is in all such as wander in the way of Caein Iude 11. For according to the worth and dignity of the person whose life is extinct and taken away which is the spirit and life of the Son of God of such wce and weight is the nature and guilt of his sin for so doing which can never be recovered nor healed and accordingly the weight of justice and Gods severity must of necessity go forth in the exercises of self in his just condemnation and execution thereof And as the spirit of man naturally being made one with God inclineth and seeketh after God whereby to honour and dignifie it selfe with his titles and excellencies without which he cannot make himself Lord of all Gen. 1. 28. which carnally enterprised works such effect So also there is naturally in the Son of God an aptitude and propensity unto man for the revelation and manifestation of himself in all his vertues according to the fulnesse thereof which cannot be but by the crucifying of the flesh in all the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 5. 24. which is a work of no lesse weight than the overcoming of Satan himself which none but the Son of God himself can do Heb. 2. 14. which conquest and vâ—câ—um of the flesh is a work of no lesse worth nor holinesse inferiour unto that which is peculier to the spirit of God and therefore the righteousnesse of absolution and acceptation with God in the bountifuâ—l expression of mercy and goodnesse is ever annexed thereunto and thus is there a righteous Abel or righteous vanity spread throughout the Earth overall mankind there ore the Psalmist saith every man is vanity or as the word is all Aâ—am is vanity taking Adam there as the root of all mankind which are either empty of the things of God as the wicked universally are or else of the lusts of men as the elect of God in that mysticall body of Christ are Gal 5. 24. And it is a certain and undeniable truth as Christ the Son of God is set forth and taught herein that he who is the Creator and Maker of all things emptyeth himself and becomes vain in all things both of flesh and spirit that he thereby may manifest himself to have the glory of all things not only of life but also of death for in that he dies to the things of the Spirit in the wicked he thereby riseth in wrath through the wisdom of the flesh and in that he dies unto the flesh in the Saints he riseth in mercy and peace in the exercises of the spirit whereby he hath the glory of all things which otherwise could never be For as man in Christ hath the righteousnesse and glory of God and yet nothing can be attributed to the things naturall proper to man in that wonderfull work of Gods Creation even so God in Antichrist hath the sin and shame of Satan and yet nothing of that condition can be attributed to any thing naturally proper to God in that wonderfull destruction of the Devill And with respect unto vanity thus distributed it is called the bloods of thy brother in the form plurall Gen. 4. 10. And it speaks guilt and terrour from the ground or earthly heart of Cain that so drinks it in Gen. 4. 11. and it also speaks as a witnesse of acceptation with God by faith in that way of Seth who is that set one unto this day of whom is Christ who yet speaketh Heb. 11. 4 for though Abel be cut off from all succession of mercy in that way of carnall sacrifices in Cain yet hath he a succession of terrour in Cains heart Gen. 4. 13. 14. so also though he have no succession according to the flesh in that acceptable Sacrifice of the firstling of the flock being dead in that respect in the way of Seth yet hath he his succession and language in the witnesse and acceptation of faith unto this day Heb. 11. 4. And according to this
actions do properly spring and grow which spirit works effectually hath done and shall in all the Saints of God who have been are and shall be upon the Earth and accordingly is every Saint of God to reckon and account of himself and his operations and that the manner of his Sonship is such as whereby he inherits all things for thus saith the Lord He that overcometh shall inheriâ— all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son Rev. 21. 7. And he that takes away this prerogative and royalty from any Saint of God he takes it away from the Son of God himself who never took any account of himselfe in any particular whatsoever but as in his Saints yea in that compleat mysticall body therefore doth every man receive according to that which is done in his body 2 Cor. 5. 10. that is to say according to whatsoever is done in the body mysticall whether it be the body of Christ or that body of sin and death whether done according to the mystery of God oâ— that mystery of iniquity woe therefore unto false Interpreters of the word of God in all ages yea if that bounteous sull and plentifull word of God which is not to be limited or infringed in any of iâ—s operations and excellencies of glory but as all being in one in the account of unity and that one compleatly in all in the account of multiplication Cant. 1. 7. Iohn 17. for the word of God knows how to terminate all its own operation excellency and glory in one Saint as well as it knows how to make it self full in one word which is only love Rom. 13. 8. James 2. 8. So also it knows how to terminate the curse in all the mystery and shame thereof in all and every particular that pertaineth thereunto And hence it is that Christ turns his complaint against Ierusalem as the proper Mother who brought forth these false Interpreters which was founded and constituted so long before as being one and the same together with themselves conversant together with them and alike guilty in the same act of that bloodshed which he layes unto the charge of these Scribes and Pharises saying in verse 37. Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent to thee how often would I have gathered thy Children together as the Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings and ye would not Wherein observe for the orderly handling of the words this Method 1 First a vehement acclamation or outery in these words Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem 2 A serious and just charge thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee 3 A patheticall interrogation in these words How often would I have gathered thy Children together 4 A metaphoricall Description of the manner how that is as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings 5 An unnaturall denyall in them and ye would not 1 For the first of these namely his vehement Acclamation in these words Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem wherein observe two things first an Ingemination and doubling of the phrase which notes the certainty of that unalterable state and condition of the City in order to them as it is their mother and originall from whence they spring 2 Secondly it notes the unalterable nature and disposition of these false Interpreters as they are her naturall Children proper off-spring And for the opening of this point we are to consider how Ierusalem is to be understood in this place for as there is a Daughter of Zion who is truly said to be a Virgin Isai 37. 22. in regard she never knew man that is never acknowledged that way of the flesh and carnall commandement as our Apostle speaks henceforth know we no man after the flesh 2 Cor. 5. 16. therefore it is said a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and thou shalt call his name Immanuel Isa 7. 14. In this respect Ierusalem is called Virgin daughter of Zion and is truly said to be a daughter of Ierusalem in like sense as Christ is said to be the son of the Virgin who is also the Author and maker of her In like manner there is a daughter and virgin of Babylon and Egypt that is one that never knew man or acknowledged that way of spirit and life which is in Christ Jesus that law of the spirit exercised in the holy Temple that mysticall body of Christ which he speaks of Iohn 2. 19. which Babylon could never indure but puts the Vessels thereof to profane use and so destroyes it unto themselves Isa 47. 1. in like respect is Israel after the flesh called Virgin daughter of Egypt also who never acknowledged that holy message and ministry of Moses in that great deliverance but set up a Calf in the wildernesse and worshipped the beast Ier. 46. 11. Psalm 106. 19. or the moulten Image Even so there is Ierusalem that is above who is the true Mother of all the free born sons of God that is who is above or more excellent and glorious than all the orders and constitutions of Hagar that is of the bond-woman or law of the flesh whatsoever Gal. 4. 26. and in this respect the City is called Jerusalem which is a word compounded of Iireth Gen. 22. 14. and Salem Gen. 14. 18. that is seeing in peace for the Lord in the offering of Isaac through his escape by the death of the Ram intangled in the brambles and thickets of this world sees that mount in a state of peace and laughter in Isaac for ever Gen. 22. 14. which is truly said to be Ierusalem or Sara Gal. 4. 22. 26. So likewise there is Ierusalem that now is that is which is earthly below and not heavenly and spirituall therefore he saith it answereth unto or reacheth unto Sina as the word will bear alluding to the mountains of Arabia Petâ—ea unto Cadis Bernea of Iury declaring that this earthly Ierusalem signified in Agar is the same with Sina the works of the law and carnall ordinances which only ingendreth unto bondage and intangleth all her Children even as the Ram was caught by the Horns or in the prime of his strength in the arm of flesh to the deliverance of Isaac and his own death and destruction and this Ierusalem is named of Iebus and is so called Iudges 19. 10. 1 Chron. 11. 4. after Iebus the son of Canaan the accursed Gen. 10. 15. 16. Gen. 9. 25. and therefore is said to be under the spirit of bondage in her children and ingendreth only thereunto contrary to Sarah the free woman being only in the place of Mount Sinai and in the state of Agar Ierusalem then brought in in this place according to Christs account is the Mother of these Children namely false Interpreters of the word of God being considered as in her first originall being built ordered and possessed in the reall state of the curse by Iebus the son of Canaan the son of Cham the accursed or
by Iebusie who when David was made King in Hebron he and all Israel went unto Iebusie which is Ierusalem which resisted David saying Thou shale not come in hither 1 Chron. 11. 4. 2 Sam. 5. 6. So also Ierusalem is called Iebusie when the land is divided unto the sons of Israel Ioshuah 15. 8. and by that name falls in the inheritance of Benjamin in whose lot the Temple was built Ioshua 18. 28. which is a Temple destroyed into which Christ never carne and a Temple reedified wherein Christ stands and preacheth Luke 4. 16 -22 of which Moses the man of God prophecies when he saith The Lord shall cover him all the day speaking of Benjamin and between his shoulders that is in the midst of the Coasts of his Land the Lord shall abide and dwell in his Temple Deut. 33. 12. So also when that Levite who sojourned on the side of Mount Ephraim fetched home his Concubine it is said they came over against Iebus which is Ierusalem which is then said to be a City of Strangers and not of the children of Israel Iedg 19. 10. 11. 12. We conclude therefore that Ierusalem is to be understood in a diverse respect according to the mind of the Scripture and that according to a reall state and condition in both for it is to be taken in that order and constitution of blessedness and peace according to that order and place of aboad of our Melchizedeck who hath his Kingdom and Priesthood there Gen 14. 18. for Salem is Ierusalem and so the Chaldees paraphrase reads that place of the Psalmist Psalm 76. 2. Jerusalem is also to be taken as it is constituted ordered or inhabited after the manner and according to the state of the curse as it is built and inhabited by the Iebusites who are of Iebus who is of Canaan who is of Cham the cursed Gen. 10. 15. 16. Gen. â— 25. Ierusalem then in this place together with her children according to Christs true intent is to be taken in the accursed state of the Iebusites Enemies to Israel as it is constituted ordered and inhabited by her proper off-spring of false and counterfeit interpreters even as the sons of men do erect constitute order and possesse the Cities and affairs of this world namely for their glory benefit safety and peace by advancing all honourable thing according to mans account in the disparadgement debasing and abandoning all things of shame discommodity and danger so far as mans wisdome in their constitution can find out with the exercising and executing their laws and edicts accordingly Even so this City and Temple of these accursed Iebusites it erects and possesseth it it self by the advancing and promoting of all things acceptable in the eyes of mans wisdom with contempt and despising of all things which might impair or any way abate the glory and lustre thereof which cannot be maintained but by debasing and despising the Spirit of God whose propertie is to blast and to wither as grasse and as the flower of the field all things set up and consisting in whatsoever that perisheth in the use thereof as all humane institutions do if ever the spirit of the Lord breath upon them they wither and come to nought where such things then are the things chiefly maintained we may safely say that the Spirit of the Lord never breathed there Isaiah 40. 6. which are the only things that false Interpreters promote and erect amongst men in the world It is not without cause therefore that Christ ingeminates upon this word Jerusalem Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem most emphatically declaring thereby that false Interpretation is cruell and accursed both in the Mother and in the Children in the Root and in all the Branches these are accursed in their Fathers who murthered the spirit of the Prophets and their Fathers are accursed in them that do the same things that spirit which is the originall and ground of their interpretation is accursed and cruell and all the fruits that flow therefrom are cruelty and accursed Oh Ierusalem yee carnally constituted and moment any Churches Oh Jerusalem yee carnally instructed Members made great of flesh Ezek. 16. 26. Ezek. 23. 19. 20. Oh Jerusalem the Mother of false Interpreters as she is in bondage with her children by the works of the Law and in all things ingendreth thereunto Now the erecting of the curse in this City is the same with the setting of it up in Canaan the son of Cham and father of Jebus Noah having planted a Vineyard after the Flood which had swept away all Cains posterity from the face of the Earth as such as have not a being in order to the new Heavens and the new Earth wherein dwels righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. 13. yet is the curse conserved in the Ark in that spirit of the unclean Raven as well as the blessing is in that spirit of the Dove for the work of God as well as the word of God hath its operation in way of death as well as in the way of life 2 Cor. 2. 15. 16. for death springs up and revives through the resurrection of Christ in the wicked as really as life springs up and revives through his death in the godly and yet there is no savour of life in the wicked nor any savour of death in the just and this conservation of Cham in the Ark who is of Noah and so of Enoch in the destruction of all Cains posterity in the Flood is to declare that neither the blessing nor the curse is tyed or entailed to any naturall and carnall generation according to mans judgement but God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth Rom. 9. 10-18 But it is said that Noah drinks of the fruit of the Vine unto drunkennesse Gen. 9. 20. 21. we know that the spirit of God alludes there unto naturall drunkennesse in the stupifying of the senses through excesse of strong drink and deny not but that holy man might take liberally of the very fruit of a naturall Vine to the obstruction of the use of naturall reason as it is in the time of sleep but we affirm that God teacheth a higher thing hereby which is Gods proper intent as the Apostle affirms concerning the care of God in not mussing the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corn 1 Cor. 9. 9. 10. God therein takes care for men and not for beasts according to the true scope and intent So God in Noah teacheth what the death of Christ is personated in Noah and not what taking away of mans naturall sense is by strong drink which is common to a beast as well as man so that as out of a deep sleep in Adam a woman is brought forth that is not only the way of mans propagation and preservation on the Earth but also one who through deceit brings in the fall and death so out of this drunkennesse and sleep of Noah there is not only the blessing of Shem and
Iewes and Grecians Christ is the power of God and the wisdome of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. and thence it is that our faith stands not in the wisdome of men or any thing that they can transfuse or instill but in the power of God 1. Cor. 2. 5. which is one and the same in whomsoever it appears 4 Fourthly the Hen hovereth upon her Chickens for their nourishment and increase that they may attain to her stature and ability Even so doth the wisdome God brood upon his saints that they may come unto a perfect man unto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4. 13. Therefore it is said that the Saints increase with the increasinâ—s of God Collos 2. 19. Now wee know that the Holy One dwells not it temples made with hands for the heavens of heavens cannot contain him 2 Chro. 6 18. No more is he subject to increase or diminution therefore perfected at once and for ever in all his demensions and operations whatsoever his increasings are that bountiful flowing forth and issuing out of his Spirit in the variety of his operations and revelations springing from that inexhaustible Fountain in Christ that Store-house and Treasury of them all 5 Fiftly the Hen broods upon her Chickens to save them from harm of storm and tempest or birds of prey which otherwise they are Lyable unto Even so the wisdome of God hovers upon his Saints to save them from danger Isaiah 45. 6. Psal 91. 1. even the cruell stormes and tempestuous gusts of the Devil who goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may devour 1 Peter 5. 8. who though he come in against the Saints as a flood yet shall this spirit and wisdome of the Lord lift up a standard aganst him to chase him away Isay 59. 19. And this is the onely safety of the Saints who otherwise are in continuall danger even as a Sparrow upon the house top Psal 102. 7. who watcheth alone for if shee fall upon the earth there is the Fowlers snare and if she abide upon the rooff of the house she is subjct to birds of pray So are the saints of God if it were not for this wisdom and Word of God rightly interpreted that watcheth over them for it they look down to the inferiour and more grosse things of this life there is a snare hid in every thing to catch us with vain hopes and expectations to be inriched and exalted by them in case we can but heap them up together and make the best of them and if wee look up at the principalities and powers of the world we are ready to be devoured and swallowed up by them if this wisdome move not upon us as the spirit brooded upon the waters in the beginning to preserve them in purity that they corrupt not as we see they are in motion unto this day for that purpose in their ebbings and flowings Nay if we look down to mans sin fall from God and imperction in all things we are ready to bee insnared with doubts and feares and discontentments with our own condition and if we look up unto that happie and blessed estate of man in Christ we are Ready to wax proud arrogant and wanton in the things of God if this wisdom of God do not brood and flutter upon us and watch over us that his power may prevent all inconveniences that otherwise would fall upon us Psal 77. 10. This wisdom and Word of God is our onely strength and help in the true interpretation thereof and without that there is no proper power or help of God at all as is formerly noted therefore it is said thou hast advanced thy Word over all thy Name or upon all thy Name or Authority and power Psalm 138. 2. So it is said that the mercy of the Lord is over all his works Psalm 145. 9. or upon all his works That is there is not a work of God in Heaven or in Earth but there is a stamp and impression of the mercy of God upon it with respect unto the Saints of God yea every work of God is a Monument or Remembrancer of Gods mercy unto them See an epitomee or breviary hereof Psalm 136. 1 -26 where the Spirit of God impresseth the mercy of God upon his works six and twenty severall times Even So the Lord hath magnified his Word upon all his Name or his authority and power that is there is no power and authority of God but that which his Word in the true interpretation thereof invests into it is that and that onely which sets up and maintaines Gods Name and Authority in all things whatsoever and without the true interpretation of the Word of God his Name is not magnificall in the heart of any man likewise there is nothing whereby the power of Satan is advanced in the world but onely the false interpretation of the Word of God neither is there any contention among the sons of men besides that contending for the common salvation by faith once given unto the Saints Jude 3. But it ariseth from a mistake and false interpreting of the Word of God for it is at unity with it self where in whomsoever it is truly acknowledged We Conclude then that it is Word of God which is the wisdome of God that is the proper wing of God under which the Saints are gathered which false interpreters refuse to come under 5 Which is the fift point in order And that is their unnaturall deniall but ye would not Not that the wickednesse and destruction of man depends onely upon the will of a creature simply considered but it depends upon the law of the flesh or the word of a carnall commandment that is the word of God falsly interpreted Neither doth Salvation depend upon the meer will of an Eternall God simply considered but it depends upon the Law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus which is that word or wisdome of God rightly opened and interpreted else doth not Salvation consist only in Christ Iesus who is God and Man as the wisdome of God affirms it doth Acts 4. 11 12. And this is the Stone cast aside by you builders which is become the head of the Corner Neither is there Salvation in any other for among men there is given none other name under heaven whereby we must be saved Mat. 1. 21. 1 This denyall of being gathered into unity by Christ therefore is the voice of a law which wicked men are under in way of Hagar the bond woman which speaks effectually in way of negation to every point expressed in the metaphor taken from the Hen and her Nest or Chickens that is we will not have the Nest to bee one in originall and off-spring that is God and man making one inâ—ire Condition in all and every Saint of God in the point of time place and individuall subsistence for the Spirit of God in the soul of man in every operation of a
Christian is brought into a point of time as really as that act through the Spirit of God hath in it the extension of Eternity but this false interpreters will not be gathered into 2 They will not have Christ so to neglect himself in the world that there is no stamp of the Image and Spirit of God in wicked men as peculiar to his nature nor so â—o neglect himself as he is Man in the just that there is no excellency or glory of man in any reckoning or account in him that so he may in the fulnesse of God and vacancy and vanity of all the things of man make of these twain one new man in himself this false interpreters will not be gathered into Ephes 2. 15 16 3 They will not have the same life and spirit transfused into every Saint of God which is in the Son of God as he hath respect to the Father or not that however which is in the Father himself but some Secondary or mediate influence else it is not a wing for the children and the bond-woman earthly Ierusalem to come under they are all bound by law of humane learning and their School Divinity to keep with all care and study their Secundâ—m Idem which is a principall pillar set up by Satan to underprop the Nest they belong unto Revel 18. 2. 4 They will not have the form and fulnesse of Christ to be compleated at once where ever or in whom it appears but must have it made up gradually by peece-meal hating inconsistent to the increasings of God and impaires that Salvation that is by Christ for there is nothing peculiar to a Christian but Christ salvation Consists in it so that they will not have Salvation to be perfect it is a wing too sound and wholsome for the Scribes of the world to come under 5 They will not have the word and wisdom of God to be a compleat and all sufficient shelter unto a Christian to save and defend him from storms and tempests snares and intanglements arising from below or descending from above without the help of humane learning whereby to know and humane policy to consult contrive and determine as also humane lawes and Lawyers to maintain rights and interests otherwise a Christian cannot safely be Conveyed through this World we have known all these to come out against Christ and the servants of Christ in all ages but we never knew them take parts with the people of God but as God by his wisdome turned them to another intent than their proper sâ—ope and end was but for the word and wisdome of God simply and singly considered that wing false interpreters would never be gathered under for they say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies Iob 21 13 14. Psalm 119. 53. They will not have a Nest of his composure a house of building without hands onely eternall in the heavens they know nor for it is too apparent their Doctrine concerns the things of this life and so properly the state of the bodies of men and for the nature and state of the soul they Know not being void and destitute of the wisdome of God such as have not the spirit Iude 19. and therefore Christ in the words following brings in that affirmation and sentence against them 38. 39. Behold your habitation is left unto you desolate for I say unto you yee shall not see me me henceforth till that ye say blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. In which words observe 1 First a serious affirmation in these words Behold your house is left unto you desolate 2 Secondly a reason thereof rendred in these words for ye shall not see me henceforth untill ye say blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. First observe in the affirmation a note of admiration and wonder that the wisdome of God should speak and expresse it self unto men and they not give Credit thereunto Behold saith he and wonder admire unto astonishment and destruction that the prophecie which hath foretold these things is fulfilled upon you Habba 1. 5. which the Apostle applies to a like act of the wicked Iewes where he saith Behold ye dispisers and wonder and vanish away Acts 13. 41. or perish for the reiection and neglect of the wisdome of God presented unto the world and uttered in Christ is the proper condemnation and destruction of the sons of men therefore the Prophet saith For I will work a work in your daies yee will not beleeve it though it be told unto you Here is then a description of the habitation and abode as the proper brood and nest of all false Interpreters in opposition to that which Christ gathereth his own people into And this devastation here affirmed to be the portion of all false Interpreters is the very same which is prophesied of all Christs Enemies Psalm 69. 26. and is in particular applyed unto Iudas Iscariot that Confessor for hire Acts 1. 20. as his name signifies or man that praiseth the wayes of death as all such do to declare unto us that deceitfull treacherous and perfidious spirit as also that horrid destruction which ever attends the false interpretation of the Word of God which ever bereaved men of all Office and Apostleship of all Vertue and Operation of all holy Ministry and Service yea of all Life Spirit and Power that appertains to the House and Kingdom of God therefore Iudas is said to go to his own place as one estranged from that place and inheritance of the Son of God Acts 1. 25. So that this desolation and depopulation of the habitation of the wicked is the fulfilling of it with death and destruction and with all wickedness and abomination as in Simon Magus who valued the gifts of the Spirit of God according to an earthly estimation which is ever accompanyed with a destructive and perishing condition Acts 8. 20. For it is that unclean spirit which goeth out of the Man or out in a human manner in the things of God walking through dry places barren of the distillations of the Spirit of God seeking rest but hath none to give and therefore never finds it for the Spirit of Christ doth as truly gives rest as receives it But this unclean spirit consulting with it self preacheth a return to his house out of which he came that is he came out of the house of uncleanness and thither he returns for as the holy Spirit of Christ comes or proceeds out of a pure and uncorrupted Fountain as it descends from the Father yet as the spirit of man is in unity therewith there is a real separation and sanctification from uncleanness and all impurity which otherwise man naturally is therefore Christ is truly said to be made in us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemtion 1 Cor. 1. 30. Even so that Spirit of man going out in the matters of God by human wisdom in that respect goeth
Christ utter himself against that spirit of the High Priest and orders of carnal Iew and Ierusalem saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me For the hearing ear and the seeing eye are both alike of the Lord Prov. 20. 12. Paul also felt Christ for the force of the revelation struck him to the ground so as he was astonished at the sight of all the Iewish glory to become earthly and corruptible Paul also tasted how good Christ was therefore he reasoned not or communicated not with flesh and blood for his sustentation and support thinking to have it from other Apostles or any man therefore he went immediatly from Christ to preach having tasted how good he was being that the Son of God was revealed in him Galat. 1. 16. and not out of him as the world imagines And this Tast is to see therefore the Psalmist saith Tast and see how gracious the Lord is Psal 34. 8. Paul also smelt the savour of the good Ointments of Christ or else he had not born his name before Gentiles and before Kings and the children of Israel Act 9. 15. For his name is an ointment poured out therefore the Virgins love him Cant. 1. 〈◊〉 The want of seeing Christ in such respects as these is the cause of desolation in the house or nestling place of all false Interpreters â—uâ— of which they will not be gathered by the voice and tender compassions of Iesus Christ though he visit them with such solliciâ—ations as a hen doth her chickens to gather them under her wing yet they will not come into any such unity and safety Again whereas he saith Ye shall not see me henceforth the word henceforth in this place comprehends the time past as well as the time to come So it is taken by the Prophet Isaiah where he prophesies of the Kingdom of Christ with an allusion unto or under the name of David by which name the Son of God iâ— called Hos 3. 5. Jer. 30. 9. Ezek. 34. 23 24. saying that his government shall have no end but that he shall sit upon the throne and establish it with Iudgement and Iustice from henceforth for ever where he explains the word henceforth to be for ever Is 9. 7. which must comprehend the time past as well as that to come or else it is not ever or for everlasting for there can be no time brought in in which he reigns not who overcomes and triumphs both in life and death Heb 2. 14 15. Rev. 12. 6-10 therefore the word is often doubled for ever and ever Psal 9. 5. Isaiah 3. 8. noting thereby the time past as well as time to come And thus the Prophet Micha understands this phrase where he saith that God will make her that halteth a Remnant and her that was cast far off a mighty Nation and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth even for ever where he expounds henceforth to be for ever which comprehends all time past and to come for the wisdom of God was set up and advanced from the beginning no time can be found when that hath not the rule and supremacie Mich. 4. 7. Prov. 8. 22-30 Therefore there is no end of the Kingdom of Christ if we look back we cannot set our thoughts before it and if we look forward we cannot span it out for of his Kingdom and Government there is no end Isa 9. 7. it is for ever and ever As it is said concerning eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil In the day thou eatest thereof dying thou shalt dye as the words are that is if thou look back thou shall appear dead in thine Ancestors and if thou look forward thou art dead in thy Ofspring So in this place ye shall not see me henceforth That is this spirit of false interpretation never saw me to communicate with me in the acknowledging of me as the Son of God in any of the Fathers in timer paâ—t who have truly propagated me on the earth and brought me forth Neither doth it now acknowledge me nor approve of me in this my appearance and converse with you nor shall it hereafter and for ever at any time or in any age acknowledge or communicate with me in any of my true offspring when or in whomsoever I appear concerning any of those offices and excellencies peculiar to the blessed Son of God And hence it is that he addes untill ye say the word untill is here of like signification as when it is used concerning Mical Sauls daughter when she mockd David for Dauncing before the Ark when it was brought out of all private and obscure places subject to transmutation and change to be placed in Zion not to remove thence any more when hee put upon himself the Linnen Ephod exercising the Priests office at the sight whereof Michal despiseth David in her heart and for that canse had no childe after untill the day of her death 2 Sam. 6. 11 -23 That is shee never had child after that act Nay she never conceived nor brought forth fruit according to that act and office of David in his rejoycing and glorying onely in the Ark and strength of the Lord but only in that way of the house of her father Saul who trusted in man and sought onely to be honoured among the people 1 Sam. 15. 30. and so shee had never Childe as of the seed of David whom the Lord chose before the house of her Father And so it is said of the Virgin Mary that Ioseph knew her not till shee had brought forth her first born Mat. 1. 26. That is Ioseph never knew her for the conception and bringing forth of that First Borne of God So Christ saith unto his disciples I will be with you till the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. That is look how I have ever heretofore been with that spirit which teacheth the observation of the fulnesse and perfection of my Word in all things so am I with that spirit in whomsoever it appeares for ever And so is this word till to be taken in this place for all tyme you shall not see me henceforth till you say blessed is hee that cometh in the Name of the Lord that is ye shall never see mee or communicate with me to the investing of you into the office of the true Priesthood which is to blesse in the Name of the Lord Deut. 21. 5. 1 Chron. 23. 13. Numb 6. 22 -27. And to blesse out of the House and Habitation of the Lord in opposition to this house of desolation Psalm 118. 25 26. False interpretation of the word of God therefore upon the affirmation and verity of the Son of God never did nor shall invest into the Office and Priesthood of Iesus Christ It never attained unto the skill to Sacrifice and flay the Beast upon the Altar to Crucifie the World unto it self and it self unto the World accounting that the onely Ioy and Glory to be
delighted in Gallatians 6. 14. It never attains to the offering up unto God the fruits of an Eternall spirit as that which is onely acceptable to God without the institution or addition of any things transient and temporary whatsoever for Christ who is onely acceptable to God so offereth up himself once and for ever in the true operation and continued act of acceptation thereof for the act and acceptation are of like continuance and have the same place of residenccy for where the one is found there is never the absence of the other Hebrewes 9. 14. For Christ is both the one and the other Again false Interpretation can never make God its onely inheritance and portion to live on him onely in the exercise of its Ministery because it terminates the word in carnall things and therefore is bound over to seek some certainty and settlement in the things of this present life and cannot as a pilgrim in point of all transitory things where ever he comes commit himself to God as his onely and allsufficiency as the true Priests and Prophets of God have ever done according to that Royall Ordination and apointment of God Deut. 18. 1 2. Num. 18. 20. 21. who is become their lot and happy inheritance Psal 16. 5 6. even of all true worshippers who are made Kings and Priests unto God Revel 5. 10. Revel 1. 6. False interpretation never invests into the spirit of intercession an office of the Priest which Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites never received nor gave out the spirit of prayer never accompanies false interpretation and it is the Spirit only that helps our infirmities and makes intercession in us or by us otherwise we know not how to pray as we ought Rom. 8. 26. and the spirit of prayer never moves but upon the words of truth Psam 45. 4. for it ever comes to God in the name of Christ or in the power and authority of the Son of God Iohn 14. 13 14. Iohn 16. 23. which onely consists in the true understanding of his Word Isay 11. 4. Revel 2. 16. For all things receive their being form and proper vertue from it Moreover false interpetation never attaines the Priests office to make an Atoment and Reconciliation between God and man to reconcile the Word of God so as to accord and agree with it self in all things and at all times having a like cessity of the utteriug of it self upon the same foundation 1 Cor. 3. 11. in the same termes and form of Words according to the true scope and intent 2 Tim. 1. 13. and of the same attainments in point of the end and issue 2 Tim. 4. 8. Iames 1. 1â— without which there was never peace wrought between the Creator and the Creature nor form given unto the Faith of Christ for the Word of God never came out as from God but in that onenesse of spirit which appears in the man Christ and he that cannot bring the Word of God into an agreement and harmony in it self without neglect of what hath been spoken or want of somewhat which hath not yet appeared he Can never utter the truth as it is in Iesus Ephes 4. 21. and without the Truth as it is in Iesus no peace with God appears for he onely is our peace Ephes 2. 14. And this reconciliation of the Word of God is as strange a thing to a naturall minde as to bring the strict Iew and the profane Gentile to become one and that to the minde of a carnall interpreter takes a man being a Iew or a Confessour according to the letter as far from the Word of God as it is the ground of his beleese as the Apostle Paul that Minister of the Gentiles was taken away from his religion as it consisted of the orders of Ierusalem the minde letters and power of the High Priest and Elders and those breathings out of slaughters against all that called upon the name of the Lord Acts 9. 1 -14 And as it takes a strict Iew that is one outward and according to the letter so far from his religion and so from his God which hee flies unto as his onely help So also it takes the carnall Gentile as far from his religion and God who walkes at large without any tie or bond upon him in the liberall and licencious use of all things as Corneliâ—s was taken far from being a thing common and unclean to become a devout man one that feared God with all his houshold giving much almes and praying unto God yea became Baptized or ingrafted through the Apostle Peters Ministery who was a Minister of the Circumcision into the grounds and true principles of the whole Law of God Acts. 10. To bring therefore the carnall Iew into liberty as from under the Law in all things and the profane Gentile who hath no bond upon him in the use of Gods works buâ— can use them all at his pleasure to become as under the bond of the law of the Spirit in all things This power of God in freeing from the law of the flesh and bringing men under the law of the spirit is in a carnall mans eyes as though religion cast off both the Word of God as also the works of God as though he would not be ruled by the one nor acknowledge any thing to be in the other as though religion sprung from neither of them both neither from word nor work of God but did annihilate both and verily so it doth according to that judgement which a carnall Interpreter passeth upon them according to which he can never reconcile the Word of God and therefore his proper work is to set God and man at variance Adde further that false Interpretation never blesseth nor speaketh well of the King Christ it never attaines unto the Office of Priesthood so as to speak well of the King of Saints therefore he saith ye shall not see me so as to blesse praise or commend him that comes in the Name of Lord it is a definitive sentence given by Christ that the spirit of a false Interpreter will never speak well of the power and authority of the Son of God who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revel 19. 16. Revel 17. 14. that is his Kingdom consists of none but Kings for they all Reign over the things of this life as things put under their feet Psal 8. 6 7 8 9. as really as they are all in subiection unto what soever is of God which no earthly Kingdom can ever attain unto 1 Whosoever comes therefore in the Name of the Lord as having authority to command by vertue of the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus Carnall interpreters ever prefer the commands of men according to the law of the flesh before that Iohn 19. 7. Setting up the glory of the Creature before the glory of the Creatour 2 Whosoever comes in the authority of Gods Wisdome to order and contrive all things according to that
false interpreters ever preferre Carnall policies and speak well of them in the vilification of that wisdom which approves of the Crosse of Christ preferring it as the onely thing to be rejoiced in Gal. 6. 14. 3 Whosoever comes in the certainty of truth as it is in Iesus fals interpreters prefer the certainty of Grammer Rules â—ogicall Reasonings Synods and Councills oâ— men before â—he Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit and power of God 1 Cor. 2 4 5. 4 Whosoever comes in the authority of conquest and victory of the King subiecting all spirits unto the power of God either voluntarily or else by constraint false interpreters ever prefer the Conquest over mens bodies and subjecting their estates before that placing their chief if not only cause of thank fâ—lness in the success of the temporal Sword and therefore can never blesse praise nor speak well of the King Christ or of that Anoynting of the Spirit whose weapons of Warfare are not Carnall but Spirituall yea mighty through God to cast down holds Casting down the imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the Knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ and having ready the vengeance against all disobedience when obedence is full and Compleated which it ever was and is in the Lord Christ 2 Cor. 10. 4 5 6. We conclude therefore considering the premisses that it is a most righteous thing in Christ to pronounce this sentence against the spirit of false interpretation in whomsoever it appeares that it shall never bear that Vrim and Thumâ—im that Light and Perfection so to see the Son of God as to install into the office of the Priest who enters into the Holy of Holies and therefore shall never be authorised to blesse or speak well of such as come or spring up by the power of the Spirit in the Name and authority of the Lord that King of Saints and Holy one of God separated marvellously and exempted by signes of honour from all common and profane use to the exercise of holinesse and manifestation of Gods vertues for ever 1 Pet. 2. 9. whom the Spirit of false interpretation doth ever vilific preferring the Kings of the Nations round about Ierusalem that is above who are appointed onely to profane and common uses before that holy one of God Iohn 19 12 13 14 15. Acts 17. 6 7. therefore let that house be desolate and that spirit of false interpretation let it be for ever ashamed Amen So be it FINIS Certain Copies of Letters which passed betwixt the Penman of this Treatise and certain men newly come out of Old England into New Who when they were arrived at Boston in the Massachusets-Bay the Governour being informed they were such as are called Quakers he sent Officers to fetch them ashoar and being forthwith brought into examination what their business was into these parts they answered To spread the Gospel and to do the worke of the Lord whereupon they were all committed to prison both Men and Women there to remainâ— till the return of the Ship and then to be carried back into England the Master being bound in 500l with others for security with him to set them ashoar in England againe and that upon his own cost and charge lesâ— the purity of the Religion professed in the Churches of New-England should be defiled with Errour Warwick Septemb. 16. 1656. The Superscription To the Strangers and out-casts with respect to carnall Israel now in prison at Boston for the name of Christ these with trust present in Massachusets New-England Christian Friends THE report of your demeanour with some others of the same mind with you formerly put in possession of the place of your present aboad as is reported to us as also the errand you professe you come with into these parts hath much taken my heart so that I cannot with hold my hand from expressing its desires after you which present habitation of yours our selves have had a proof of from like grounds and reasons that have possessed you thereof under which in some measure we still remain in point of banishment under pain of death out of these parts a prohibition from that liberty which â—o Christian ought to be infringed of And though we have a larger room in bodily respects than for present your selves have yet we desire to see the prison doors open before we attempt to go out either by force or stealth or by intrâ—aâ—y which we doubt not but the boâ—s will fly back in the best season both in regard of your selves and us but we apprize more of the appearance of an evident hand of God exalting himself in his own way than we do of our bodily livelyhood for we fear not the face of man for God hath shewed us what all flesh is otherwise we would visit you in the place where you remain though we came unto you on our bare feet or any that professeth the Lord Iesus opposing his authori y against all the powers of darknesse If God have brought you into these parts as instruments to open the excellencies of the Tabernacle wherever the Cloud causeth you to abide no doubt but this your imprisonment shall be an effectual preface to your work to bring the Gain-sayers to nought which my soul waits for not with respect to any particular mans person but with respect unto that universall spirit of wickednesse gone out into the world to deceive and tyrannize and in that respect my soul saith O Lord I have waited for thy salvation the bringing to nought of which spirit is ever made manifest in the blessing of the Tribes for the Scepter of Israel is never erected but in bringing to nought the Crown of pride which Dan or true judgement ever brings to nought by our spirituall Sampson I may not presume to use a word of exhortation unto you being I had rather as having more need to be admonished by you not doubting but you are plentifully enabled to admonish one another let me make bold to say thus much to my self Stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord we are Persons lie here as buried unto the Sons of men in a corner of the Earth grudged at that we have this present burying place But our God may please to send some of his Saints unto us to speak words which the dead hearing them shall live I may not trouble you further at this time ouely if we knew that you had a mind to stay in these parts after your inlargement for we hear you are to be sent back for England and what time the Ship would set Saile or could have hope the Master would deliver you we would endeavonr to have a Vâ—ssell in readinesse when the Ship goeth out of Harbour to take you in and set you where you may enjoy your liberty Iâ— arvell what manner of God your Adversaries trust in who is so fearfull of being infected with errour or how they
to any of their principles our faith depends not upon any of their principles our love embraceth not upon any of their principles our hope expects not upon any of their principles nor doth our power and sufficiencie stand upon any of their principles And therefore as brute beasts are unto them so are they to us in the things of God and we are unto them as men bereaved of their wits for they cannot but discern a certain power of argument in us beyond all brutish cogitations whatsoever yea such as transcends and over-tops what is in themselves for the Wisdom of God though a meek and descended Wisdom yea foolishness in the worlds estimation yet it over-powers and over-tops the highest Cedars standing in the worlds Lebanon and is bottomed and founded upon grounds and undeniable reason and true argument in Gods Wisdom yea argumentation for conviction and confirmation infinitely surpassing and transcending all Logical and artificial argument coming within the compass of human device and learning therefore we conclude that the Wisdom of God though become foolishness unto the world yet doth it contain sufficiencie of power in argument to over-top any Council Synod Synedrion or Assembly composed by humane art and learning And that makes them so fearfull and of such care to guard themselves from the apparition therof For as it is in that way of the devil to propose his temptations from the Letter of the Scriptures thinking to win or subdue Christ thereby So is there sufficiencie of spirit and wisdom in the true interpretation thereof to confound and bring them in the party proposing them to nought And whereas you say There is a thing underneath which cannot be satisfied vvith the divings into the mystery of the Scriptures of truth which phrase as it seems to import cannot be a â—ruth for the mystery of the Gospel is described to be Christ in you the hope of Glory Now this Christ the Son of the Eternal comprehends all things really and eternally good so that there is nothing so low but it is raised up in him nor any thing so high but it is descended in him and so becomes a plain path wheron our God passeth in the wilderness so that dive into him as to lay open this Mystery of the Word of Truth and there is nothing so low underneath nor any thing so high and above that can possibly faile or come short of satisfaction which appertains unto the Saints and Sonnes of God now that hee ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth he that descended is also the same that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things therefore discover the mysterie of the Word and it fills all things to satisfaction for no man hath ascended up to heaven but hee that came down from heaven even the Son of Man which is in heaven So that as you cannot goe above him who is height it self nor below that which is depth it selfe so you cannot hide any thing above or beneath but the mysterie of the Word is the light which finds it out and brings satisfaction therewith for the life the light are one ever in conjunction with Christ from whom nothing is hid Therefore we honour that phrase in the true intent thereof that when you are clouded you vvait and vvhen moved you journey for we know the cloud to be the glory of Israel in the Wilderness that wayless place in point of any of the Nations who cannot take a step therein but onely to the fall of their carkasses yea even of carnal Israel For this cloud is a cloud of witness presenting unto us a record and testimony of the acts and deeds of all the Saints of God Therefore as a pillar remains and abides with us day and night and is a cover in the day not to darken that light and leading of the Angel of his face but to over-shadow us as we are the Virgin of Israel than none of those scorching beams or rayes of that Sun-shine or light of the Nations takes place upon us nor contributes no more to our being than Ioseph that just man according to the law or letter did unto the conception of Mary And in its stay and abode upon our Tabernacle we so wait on God as in exercise in uncovering the Ark of his presence ordering the instruments and glories thereof according to appointment and with Moses turn in unto the Lord without either vale or covering which abides on the heart of carnal Israel when Moses is read unto this day when we with open face behold the glory of the Lord as in a mirrour and are changed into the same image from all that glory of the Ministry of condemnation consisting in the letter unto that exceeding glory of the Spirit wherein we stand with Moses conversing with God face to face as a man talks with his friend And this state and manner of waiting upon God he hath perpetuated in our host wherein according to the prayer of Moses the Lord returns unto the many thousands of Israel for we have the record of them all in this cloud and their order and exercise about the Ark. The Lord hath not left us without the testimony of the motion of the cloud also which he hath in like sort perpetuated unto us and that in the dissipation and scattering of the Nations who are Enemies unto God And we daily find that praier of Moses in use and fulfilling it selfe in us and about us viz. Arise O Lord and let thine enemies be scattered let them also that hate thee fly before thee For we daily have to doe with that people of that spirit amongst whom you now are yea and from the floud unto the worlds end by a spirit of Praier and Prophecie which all the world can never bound nor Herods Stone Seal nor Watch keep in the grave But as it goes before the Disciples into Galilee so it rebukes the Nations and brings the mad people to nought else had you not seen those lye dead before you on the shore in your approach so evidently as now you doe in point of any life or light of Iesus Christ And in this dismal and darksom night which is now upon the world this Cloud is a most firm and stately pillar of fire to give light unto us and according to its motion either by night or by day we advance unto the vanquishing and vexation of the world For the spirit of a Christian knows how to grasp and gripe in the Nations so as to cut off the spirit of Princes and to be a terrour to the Kings of the earth so as Herod and all Israel after the flesh in all their Iewish institutions shall be in trouble A Christian becomes a fool in point of Serpents wisdom in Herods Wisemen and Pharoahs Magicians is a comprehensive thing no less than the proper continent of an omnipotent power who is able to
doe all things through Christ who strengthens him for we dare not deny him to be set in heavenly places in Christ yea at the right hand of power and therefore sits at the stearn of the world layes hold on the helm and governs the ship to guide it unto its appointed haven A Christian is stil saying let there be light and it is so he shall ever divide the light from the darknes the waters that are above the firmament from the waters that are below the out-spread firmament In a word he is forever to form all things out of that antient Chaos of God and Man being made one which is a formless confusion unto the highest topped-up pinacles of the wisdome of this world but onely as they beat out a tract unto themselves through the Schools of mens policies and traditions But a Christian knows how to adorn that world whereof Christs Kingdome doth consist with all those glorious ornaments of that new heaven and earth wherein righteousness and peace dwels for ever where sin and sorrow fly away and that out of the antient Chaos that abides for ever and it is his glory and perpetuated work in God as also his rest from all the works of darkness and death to give every thing a right and due form and an effectual nature and name or authority according thereunto placing them in their proper relations and giving them their operations in the propagating and promoting of the glory of God And this is a labour which for ever beseems the honour and dignity of a Son of God who will never be disrobed of his creating virtue as to admit a cessation thereof no more than he can lay aside the glory of his power to preserve order and govern his kingdom And this work or labour hath the rest of God intayled and is never out of conjunction therewith which is a day of rest or cessation from all operations of that evill one yea it is a Sabbath or as the word signifies an Host or Army not bounded by evening and morning for it admits not of any period in the one nor in the other for neither beginning nor end thereof can be found out And this rest and labour are of the same duration and continuance else were a Christian utterly undone but God hath made him Lord in or of this Sabbath for ever whilst the carnal Jew even those amongst whom you are are in bondage under their Sabbath for it Lords it over them which they have set up as a God of time as they have their Gods of creatures and bodily exercises and this they fall down and kneel unto as a God of four and twenty hours continuance Wee know the Word of the Lord hath been amongst them and they have rejected it which makes them so carefull to guard themselves against you having felt the fury thereof as a savour of death unto them If you expect a feed of God among them take heed it prove not of the God of this world that seed of the serpent Some of them may seem to commiserate people in prison or in some want or outward necessity which is the top of their Religion to bee of that compassion which Peter seems to express when he said Master pittie thy self let not this come upon thee not judging rightly but fatanically of the Cross of Christ than the which there is nothing else that a Christian gloryes in and desires as it is that Baptism wherewith he is baptized which in desiring he still desires in the accomplishing of it as really as hee that sits upon the white horse goeth forth conquering and to conquer for if the Fountain of every thing in Christ were not inexhaustible heaven should have an end salvation ceased for there is nothing in Christ wherein salvation doth not consist and that for ever And to preach or profess Christ otherwise falsifies the Gospel and makes the faith of the Son of God of no effect We conclude then that labour and rest harmonize and kiss each other in the Kingdom of God consisting so in one that they shall never be parted without demolishing of that work wherein God himself is one not onely as a maker but is made Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption in that mystical body of Christ which workmanship and Masterpeece of Gods Wisdom and Skil is onely abolished in the men of the world and ever was from the beginning for the wicked are estranged from the womb but in the Saints it never was nor shall be impaired for they are a congregation of the firstlings of God which abide for ever Whereas you please to say Wee are vvandring from mountain to hill in our imaginations seeking rest but knovv not the place thereof Indeed it is true we know not that rest which the world ever seeks after in that way of the unclean spirit which goes out of the man of sin seeking it in barren and dry places which are altogether destitute of the dews of heaven that are the waterings of Zion and of that Riveret which refrâ—sheth the City of God But that rest which the Son of God attains and betakes himself unto in his labour of love in the ending of all carnal operations of soul that rest which yet remains for the people of God as to enter into being daily as really renewed as our Apostle protests he dies daily although it be that which we have entred into from the beginning being of an eternall rise as all things proper to the Son of God are who however it be true that he is a man yet that which makes him to be such a man is of God and not of the creature and that in all things yea death it self in Christ is not the death of a meer creature or a momentany death but it is the eternal death of the Son of God for what Christ is or doth once it abides such for ever and otherwise no truth of the Gospel appears This rest therefore we seek as diligently as the woman sought her lost groat and by sweeping that vast house of God of all uncleannes and superfluous things which cannot be done but by carrying them into their proper place in which place of uncleanness we see what the loss of all the things of God as wealth and glory is which wealth and honour of God we find through our own emptiness of all superfluous things of man which continued and eternal act of loss of the Sonne of God in the world is a perpetual renewed joy in the finding of him in our selves which joy and rest wee wait for to come in our selves everlastingly as really as wee have the present possession thereof and see our selves in it also from everlasting with respect to time past for wee judge not no not of our selves according to mans judgement but according to the account and judgement of God And for our imaginations they are such as we can give a like good and certain account of
them in all particulars and upon as reall and substantiall grounds as we can give for the appearing of the day and succeeding of the night or as we can give the reason why we eat why we drink why we sleep marry and give in marriage without which things man can neither multiply nor tarry upon the face of the Earth and we know the nature of all things that God reveals unto us as well as we know the nature of the fire by putting a finger into it either the things of Satan in that body of sin as we dye unto it and it is dead to us or the things of God in Christ as we live to them and they live in us and such are our imaginations And for our wandring from Mountain to Hill we do professe our selves to be gone from that rigid and mountainous power and pride of Pharaoh under which in a Figure you now are three dayes journey a perfect and perpetuall departure therefrom into that Wildernesse that is waylesse of the tracts of Pharaoh and his Host else we had not come to Sinai or Horeb that hill of God where he calls us up to converse with him in the height of his own Son where we meekly receive that law of the spirit in the laver of the People yea that fiery law that borns up all combustible and corruptible matter in us purifying and trying our faith as silver is tryed in the fire We also are gone from that Mount with the Ark of God and law therein three dayes journey to seek a resting place for the Ark which is a perfect and perpetuall removall from the place of the giving and receiving the law of the flesh the earnall commandement in all the terrours fears effects and operations thereof or else we had never come to Mount Zion the Hill which God doth love and where he will dwell for ever where glorious things are spoken in that City of God for in Iudah is God known his name is great in Israel at Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Zion and there he breaks the Arrowes of the Bow the Shield and the Sword and the Battel Selah Yea there is he more glorious and puissant than the Mountains of prey even than all the Host of Sennacâ—arib which compasse about Ierusalem thinking to make a prey and a booty thereof but it becomes a heavy stone and a cup of trembling beyond all their expectations unto them Whereas you say the meek and lowly Spirit is not of this World but bears vvitnesse against it we freely own it so to be and that you bear vvitnesse also unto the life in the measure given you vvhich is eternall and therefore seems to be immeasurable for he receives not the spirit by measure we do heartily rejoyce in any that God stirs up to testifie to his truth inthat verity of his word and life and light of his Son which is to us as lise from the dead knowing it to be as honourable an office as ever a Saint can attain unto to be that faithful and true witnesse only found in the Son of God who only is an eye and ear witness of all the doings of the father and therfore he only can give true testimony and a just account of them which we count to be as great a Crown and royall diadem unto our selves to hear as to be inabled to speak thereof and therefore can freely suffer our own eclipse for ever so that the splendent brightnesse of that Sun of righteousnesse may break forth and have its proper place seat and course being made marvelous in his Saints even in all that beleeve so as it may be said with admiration suitable to such an Aspect Who is this that looks forth as the morning fair as the Moon cleer as the Sun terrible as an Army with Banners A true witnesse is truly honourable being one who only can give true testimony of the state of all things so as true judgement passeth to give every thing its due without which there is no righteousnesse on the Earth He only can witnesse against the world concerning the nature of their act in crucifying the Lord of glory whom they know not for they that know him never do it and onely they which can witnesse what it is to take away and destroy such a life and to put out such a light they only can witnesse what that light and life is in all such in whom it appears namely what the eternall and everlasting Sonship is which is that which is in time as well as that which is eternall which being gathered into one by that spirit of eternity it is made one state or incorporation wherein all the severall and various relations therein consist of and are become a spiritual and an eternal law which gives unto it self an orderly being and form in all its operations which operations offices are known onely by that name which is writ upon them which is that particular power and authority they carry in them and expresse and this is such as none can read but himself and he is called the Word of God which word is the law of the spirit of life and this life is the light of men and this light gives a true form unto all things which it testifies unto therefore it is said by the Lord unto Iob Hast thou commanded the morning since thy dayes or caused the day-spring to know his place that it might take hold of the ends of the Earth that the wicked may be shaken out of it it is turned as clay to the Seal and they stand as a garment but from the wicked their light is with-holden and the high arm shall be broken So that this true light lights us up to see the Son of God as being of twain made one for in what respect soever he appears there is a true relation considerable in it or else it is not that Son of God the Saviour or salvation of the world for he is of twain made one new man in which is the Vnity as also the fellowship of the Gospell in all things for there is nothing in Christ without its proper relative and without relation the word or law of God is not as in creation the thing made as well as the thing making in knowledge the thing known in love the thing beloved in a Father the respect to a Son in a Husband the respect to a wife which gives to each other their proper being so as if one cease the relative ceaseth also from being such So that if I witnesse to the Son word light life Law or peace of God I must witnesse unto the being of such a thing that such a thing it is as also to the manner of its being how it comes to be such a thing together with its necessary and proper operations which must inevitably accompany such a manner of being with the comprehensions extensions of such operations and motion or
art the proper destruction of mankind and for to save mankind Christ dyed so that all thy weak brethren sick in soul void of that healthful spirit of grace in Christ who were are or ever shall be thou art the proper inlet of destruction unto them all Yea all for whom Christ died or all in whom Christ dyes that is all in whom Christ dies in regard of all the operations of his Spirit he is dead in them and therefore he thus adds when ye sin thus against your brethren ye sin against Christ that is ye are not the Authours of destruction of such as are near creatures but ye are the Authours of the death and destruction of the Son of God in and unto your selves and all that depend on this Knowledge in whom the life of his Spirit hath no being neither takes it place being tendred unto you Whence our Apostle infers If meat offend my brother that is if communicating in the word of God carnally be the destruction of the Brother-hood as that sacrifices offered by Cain carnally was I will not eat flesh while the world stands that I may not offend my brother that is I will not communicate carnally in the word and worship of God unto eternity that so I may not destroy but save that brother-hood kinded and alyed in Christ as if he should say I will vindicate and cleare the state of the Gospel in the word and worship of God so as never carnal or transitory thing was brought in by God to contribute neither in point of being nor of beauty from the first to the last from the original unto the end thereof And from this our Apostle proves himself to be an Apostle or Leader and examplary by another manner of knowledge and Ministry according to that knowledge and wisdome which transcends the knowledge of all the Idolathites in the world opened and manifested unto us in the nineth Chapter Which he first propounds unto us in a four-fold interrogation Vers 1. Am I not an Apostle Wherein is first magnifical challenge given to all false Apostles or Leaders in that way of Idolatry to bring in all their allegations to the contrary and they shall see them all frustrate and of no value except to convince and condemn themselves thereby Secondly A tryumphant interrogation or confirmation hereof unto all the Saints who can bring in their testimony and be as so many witnesses of the truth hereof being led by the same spirit and therefore eye-witnesses of the same thing 2. Am I not free that is am I not freed from all intanglements of national Priviledges natural Geneologies Families Tribes and Ceremonial Injunctions with which Vers 2. If I be not an Apostle to others or in others that is Affirmatively I am not a leader in that way of the Idolathite which sits in the carnal and idolatrous Temple as the Authour of destruction and leader thereunto Yet doubtless I am unto you that is there is no question or scruple to be made of it but the wisdom wherein I express my self is the very Authour of and Leader of you unto salvation which he confirms by argument and divine reasonings For ye are the seal of mine Apostleship that is there is not any thing which passeth out of the Office of mine Apostleship but it is under the very Prints and Characters wherein the word of God hath impressed and formed it self in your proper estate and condition by Christ in this our Lordship and Authority So that a true Minister of Christ hath the witnes of the Saints of God in all ages of the world for the confirmation of the verity and authority of his Ministry which is That great cloud of witness which compasseth every Saint of God causing them to cast away every thing that presseth down and which hangeth so fâ—st on and to run with patience the race that is set before them yea they witness not only to the truth of the Ministry but also to the manner and form of it both which are only and ever found in Christ Who is yesterdy and to day and the same for ever and that is sufficient testimony and dignity to a Minister of the Gospel so as he rests content with whatsoever befalls him or his portion may seem to be in the things of this presnt life whereas such as terminate the word of God in any thing else besides Christ they will indeavour to invest themselves into any place or dignity amongst men which is above that which at present they are in either in way of Kingdom or Priesthood if by any means they can possibly by that aspiring spirit attain unto it for their Law concludes that the highest place among men is the nearest and likest unto God and therefore binds them over to conform themselves unto God by being invested into the highest place and Office they can attain unto Whereas the Saints of God are of the same Office and Dignity under the same Seal and Authority for there is not one of them but witnesseth the same good confession before Pontius Pylate that is they all oppose the power and authority of God against all power and authority of the wicked world which is of that evil one Vers 3. My defence that is my armour weapons fortress or garrison yea my prasidium that is all manner of defence provision and comfort to answer them that examine me or them that weigh me as upon scales namely the false interpreters or apostles for whatsoever such do to my doctrine they do to me for my doctrine and I are one whatsoever the principles of a mans spirit are the man is not another but the same thing so that they who purposly as by law burn mens doctrine published by printing it in a book they do in the truth of the matter burn the Authour it is good to take heed therefore lest the spirit of God was in the inditing of it so when they weigh doctrine by laying one reason against another and one scripture against another as upon scales such Jewish scales fell from the eyes of our apostle when Christ appeared in the ministry of Ananias when he was filled with the holy spirit whereby a true apostle or minister of the gospel propounds him who is all things in every point of doctrine yea all things that really subsist and exsist in the proper work and Creation of God in Christ and if â—o then what can all false apostles and teachers bring in and lay on the scales against it to try the weight of it surely nothing but vanity emptiness and distraction which can never hold weight with that truth and substance of all things comprised in the doctrine and incomprehensible principles of the Son of God My defence then is this that is to say the sequel of this Chapter or of this whole epistle To prove therefore that mine apostleship stands not upon carnal principles as the ministry of all false apostles doth but upon such as