City for they can neither give this good thing nor hinder the one thing needful nor take away this free gift of God which wil make a man free in troublesom times An Use of sweet comfort Now Christ is the good thing and the one thing needful and the free gift of God and the substance of Religion within a man and by his Spirit he wil be a Wel of living water springing up into everlasting life within the soul and spirit of a man And this wil be meat and drink spiritual which the world knows not of This wil refresh a man in the time of greatest troubles and the world cannot take this sweet food away Psal 27.4 5. Luke 10.42 John 4.10 14 32. And though men of all sorts be striving now for externals in matters of Religion meer circumstances shadows that wil flie away Yet amongst these men there are two sorts of men which may be divided into four sorts of men and these four sorts of men may be all the servants of Christ as those four beasts were which you may read of Rev. 4.6 7 8. And these four sorts of men may be divided into two parts comparatively as Presbyterians and Independents Now if you wil divide the Presbyterians into two parts you shal find them acting like unto those two first beasts which I before spake of And the first beast is like a Lion and the second beast like a Calf and the third beast had a face as a man and the fourth beast was like a flying Eagle Now the first part of the Presbyterians did not they begin to move Lion-like with majesty speed and roughness and did not some of them say as the chief Captain said of Paul Let him be brought into the Castle and be examined by scourging only they wanted power read Acts 22.24 25. The second part of the Presbyterians moves like a Calf that is more slowly more moderately and with less harm Now divide the Independents into two parts and the first of them moves and hath a face like a man that is more rational more temperate more condescending in the worship of God to do as he would be done by Now the second part of the Independents moves like an Eagle that is flying high even unto the third Heaven where Christ is where they see things unutterable and ful of glory and for this they depend only upon God and herein they are not Independents as some cal them But now the Lion-like and the Calf-like and he that had the face like a man begin to raise troubles and jealousies against him that is Eagle-like because say they he flies too high we cannot discern him nor agree with him But shal I now Sect. 2 as a friend give you a reason why you cannot discern him that is like an Eagle it is because you are dul of hearing and are unskilful in the word of righteousnes for ye are as babes for strong meat belongeth to them that are of ful age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil as you may read heb 5.11 12 13 14. And thus our dul-headed Prelatical Clergy for the most part were wont to cal those that were Eagle-like Puritans and now at this time they cal them Roundheads and others there are that cal them Familists and Sectaries Now here are three that are striving in the world and make a great deal of stir about circumstances and things which wil change And the first is the Presbytery and they are striving for preeminence and for a form to sit easie on Now the second is the Independents which would fain have their own way but they shal suffer for it if some had but power Now while these two are striving the third party which is the Episcopal or the Prelatical party or Priests comes in with their long black gowns coats A ministry not coming out from Christ is not Christian but Antichristian that loves not the flock for they cannot feed the flock Mar. 13.21 22 23 1 Joh. 4.1 2 3. John 21.15 16 17. skarfs and girdles with roses at them as though they were singular above all other men and they bring in their easie common Service Book and an old Homily or a Sermon preached over and over and it may be never the better a piece of art which they for the most part study and this art doth consist of Rhetorick that is to be elegant and to speak plausible words though it may be they are but little acquainted with the lively part of divine Theology but only the Theorick they are fine Theoricians that is they can speak much of that which they can practise little or nothing of and with this the most people in this Kingdom are wel pleased Take an Instance Jere. 5.30 31. 4.22 And thus these three are striving for external things meer outsides circumstances fig leaves And thus these three feed upon low mean food but some of them I hope do feed upon true food though like babes weakly But for the most part of these three which I have spoken of they feed upon low earthly food as outside forms with little or no love in them or as it were A ministry that hath Christ in possession witnesseth a good profession of Christ in Faith Verity 1 Tim. 6.11 12 13. with gilded fig leaves and the like But now the Eagle-like or the man that is like the flying Eagle he is about the throne of God and feeds upon Angels food Isai 6.1 2 3. Now such a man doth the work of Angels because he is in the Spirit as John was on the Lords day which day is Jesus Christ Rev. 1.10 13 19. 4.6 7 8. Now such a man feeds upon delicate spiritual food in the heaven of God Sect. 3 which heaven is Christ Now such a beleeving man or woman takes no delight in the box except the pearl be therein It is not the beautiful box that such a soul takes delight in but it is the pearl Christ or Christ the pearl that the soul is fixed upon as you may instance in Mary It was not the two glorious Angels sitting in white that gave Mary content but she remains weeping and enquiring for her Lord Christ and when Christ began to speak to her he so spake to her heart that her soul ecchoed again to him and she said Master O Master thou art he whom my soul loveth John 20.11 12 13 14 15 16. Now the only good thing in troublesom times and in the hour of distress and in sad temptations is to have rivers of living Water living comforting water of life which Christ gives Now this water is the Spirit the Spirit of comforts or the gracious comforting Spirit read John 7.37 38 39. Now this sweet water of life is comfortable in sickly times but especially upon the sick bed when a man comes to lie upon his dying pillow then to have this sweet Spirit
thou receivest such food that thou art able to go fourty days in the strength of it to incounter with new troubles again One word more unto thee that seemest to be discontented in thy troubles when they are more then ordinary Thou oughtest to be contented and to rejoyce in them and if they seem too hard for thee so that thou begin to wrastle with them then there will appear thy God An angel from Heaven to strengthen thee and to uphold thee in the hour of thy distress Luke 22.43 Now in the second place I shall confirm what I have said by Scripture Every son of love must have his dross taken away As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Revel 3.19 Now by rebuke and chasten it is not to be understood that every trouble and affliction is so a rebuke from God God is as good as his word not to remember sin because he is satisfied that it is a punishment for sin no for this would be to remember sin again but God hath said He will remember their sins no more Heb. 8.12 Iere. 31.34 Because Christ hath paid a full price for all our sins and he hath crossed the Book and God is fully satisfied Isai 53.11 Now I tell thee O distressed man or woman God having brought a whole train of graces into thy soul he will exercise them for his own honor and for thy good and if there be any rust at any time upon thy graces Christ sits as a refiner of silver and he will purifie thy graces as gold Mal. 3.2 3. Now the end of exercising thy graces is that thou thy self mayest know that thou hast grace and that the world may know that thou hast grace Chastisements are for the exercise of Faith and Graces Now thou having grace art to exercise thy grace in glorying in tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh patience and experience of the sufferings of Christ of which thou must be partaker that thou mayest come to a lively hope through Christ and this hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.3 4 5. Now the miseries Sect. 3 and the calamities and the afflictions that do fall upon a true beleeving man or woman it is not as punishment for sin for that were to lay iniquities afresh upon Christ our surety again Isai 53.6 Mistake me not I do not in the least give any liberty to sin for if patience have its perfect work it makes you perfect and intire wanting nothing but that which doth befal thee in this life it is for the tryal of thy faith and for the exercise of thy graces and if any thing doth befal thee which the world calls sin then comes in the tryal of thy faith and lets thee see the wiles of Satan and the sin that is in thy flesh and then thy faith calls for all thy graces and then thou goest to Jesus Christ the Captain of thy salvation who hath subdued all thy sins who doth subdue all thy sorrows who will subdue all thy griefs Heb. 2.10 11. And thus thy graces are exercised and for this God will be honored before the world because the world shall know that he doth uphold thee with his grace and is with thee in a promise And when thou passest through the waters he will be with thee and when thou goest through the rivers they shall not overflow thee because he is with thee and when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt because he is with thee neither shall the flame kindle upon thee because he is with thee Isai 43.2 Now this man Christ Christ is as a privy Chamber for the soul to retire into to refresh it self God and man he is an hiding place for a poor distressed soul to go into from the wrath and fury of the men of the world and so he is a covering for a poor distempered spirit that is troubled with sin and Satan fears and doubts and as rivers of water in a dry place are sweet and comfortable and pleasant even so is Christ unto a thirsty soul And as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land even so is Jesus Christ unto a poor panting drouping fainting weary spirit Isai 32.2 Now thou poor soul that hast such a very present help in time of need therefore thou needest not fear read Psal 46.1 2. but count it all joy when thou fallest into divers sorts of troubles and temptations knowing this that the trying of thy faith worketh patience And this is a needful grace in this troublesom world read Jam. 1.2 3 4. Now in the third place I shall give thee O poor soul an instance and an example of what I have said I says an experienced Christian am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ and this Iohn said Revel 1.9 And so saith an exercised Christian I brought nothing into this world but sin The Lord gives tryals and takes away troubles as be pleases and that I shall leave in the grave The Lord gives tryals and the Lord takes away troubles Blessed be the name of the Lord saith Job Iob 1.21 Now a Christian that hath been in the mount with God Sect. 4 can tell how to speak good of his name when he comes into a wilderness of troubles as Moses and John did and as Christ doth so doth a true Christian Christ comes and saith The commodities of Christ are his graces and they run forth freely to sinners Buy my white raiment my righteousness to clothe thee that thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with my grace that thou mayest see And thus Christ sets forth his commodities in the market places and in the fairs amongst men and saith I beseech you come and buy my riches my honor my riches will endure for ever I intreat you to take my commodities you shall have them without money and without price and if you take my commodities your soul shall live Revel 3.18 Isai 55.1 2 3 4. Prov. 8.18 19 31. Now Most men complement and dissemble with Jesus Christ the most men and women in the world they come and complement with Christ and his commodities it may be his ordinances and they will come and hear him as Felix did Paul But they have no minde at this time to buy his commodities for they have married a wife and bought a yoke of oxen and they cannot stay now but they will come some convenient season and call for him And thus the most men and women do in a formal customary way go to Church and so come home again and make a little verbal discourse but leave Christ and his members it may be in prison and in misery out of some dislike against them and to shew some a favor as Felix was willing to shew the Iews a pleasure and left Paul bound Acts 24.24 25 27. And thus for all the fair pretences of some men for Christ yet they
which is God to lift up his head that he may look into heaven and see the glory of God and Jesus Christ the right hand of God opening himself to receive his poor weary soul O what a refreshing comfort is this unto a dying man to see the heavens of God in Christ opening A beleeving soul sees it self happy and compleat in God through Iesus Christ and the Son of man God-man standing with the souls of men which he hath made just and perfect and they standing as the right hand of God in Christ as a Queen in gold of Ophir All this you may have an instance of in Steven if you do but read Acts 7.55 56. And so likewise in the whole Church of Christ if you do but read Heb. 12.22 23 24. Psal 45.9 And thus a poor soul is received from misery unto glory even into Abrahams bosom that is into the bosom of Jesus Christ where it takes up its rest as Steven did but while the poor soul doth live in this world it shal find trouble For all that do live the life of God in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution in this world 2 Tim. 3.12 All relations under the Sun variable as the relation to a wife to a family in Church fellowship in professed friends in parents and in children in riches and in outward contentments but in Christ all these are constant and dureable For a mans enemies shal be they of his own houshold Mat. 10.36 Nay in Church fellowship which is like an houshold if they differ in judgment read 1 Pet. 4.16 to 19. If it be so in a mans houshold and in Church fellowship as there is experience between the Presbyterian and the Independent I shal conclude and say as David said It is good for me to draw neer to God and to desire him to plant my confidence and my joy in him alone for in every external condition in this world I shal find trouble But my fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ and spiritually there I shal find good cheer read these Scriptures Psal 73.25 26 28. 1 Iohn 1.3 4. Iohn 16.32 33. Sect. 4 I shal speak now of a precious balsam and a sweet cordial that wil heal all our diseases in this Kingdom that is if the Lord would be pleased to raise a flood of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and cause it to run with a mighty stream into the hearts of the King and the Parliament this would enable them to bear one anothers burthens and so fulfil the Law of Christ that is to restore the poor groaning subjects in the spirit of meekness that they may rejoyce once again Gal. 6.1 2. Now he that ruleth over men must be just mark this ruling in the fear of God read 2 Sam. 23.3 Now my hope is and my desire shal be that God would be pleased through Christ his strong arm to make good that Prophesie in our days which is spoken of in the Prophet Isaiah That Kings may be nursing Fathers and Queens may be nursing mothers in these our days O that we might truly say once out of experience that we are beholding to them as nourishers or for their good nursing Isai 49.23 For this end God did set up Kings at the first as David and Solomon who were types of the spiritual King Jesus and fed their people with wholsom and sweet food that is with a peaceable life as good Magistrates and preserved them in all godliness against those that would harm them and disquiet them Psa 78.70 71 72. But of this we have had but little these many years instance in those domineering Bishops and the high Commission Court which was of long standing and persecuted godliness under the name of Puritans or some other names but I hope it will not be so now therefore let us follow the Apostles Exhortation That prayer be made for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for he or they that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God 1 Tim. 2.1 2. and 2 Sam. 23.3 Courteous Reader Sect. 5 I shal speak a word or two in my own defence and so conclude Now my first word is When I first set my pen to paper it was not with any sinister respect or by-end but it was for the glory of God Neither was it for profit nor the applause of men for that to me is as a vain thing I speak the words of truth and soberness But seeing the customary and the outside Pharisaicalness which most men and women of all sorts use in matters of Religion Ministers as wel as others this I saw and was at a loss within my self but the Lord did teach me to consider of it and then I went to glean as Ruth did into the field of Boaz read Ruth 2.7 8 9. But the field that mine eyes was upon to glean in it was not the field of external Art nor the field of a great Library for that is to learn to speak other mens words which I disclaim But mine eyes were upon that only one field where I gleaned among the sheaves and that field is the Scriptures the only one Book which I had and no more and that is the Bible which is the Word of God Now courteous Reader I have gleaned and am satisfied and I commend that unto you which I have reserved and as Naomi did make use of the barley which Ruth did glean as you may read Ruth 2.18 so I desire that you may be wise to make use of what hath been said for your own good and I shal be glad Sect. 6 Now my second and last word is to the Christ-baptized man or woman for I speak unto thee O man or woman who art inwardly taught by the sweet Spirit of God hast that unction from the holy One which wil teach thee to know all things for that anointing abideth in thee anâ— teacheth thee all truths and thou shalt abide in him or it 1 Iohn 2.20 27. Therefore I speak to thee O man or woman who art baptized with the Spirit of Christ because thou art the best able to discern between wheat and chaff True Christian Reader when I first set pen to paper my heart was inabled to indite of matter concerning the Lord of Lords and I spake of things touching Christ the King and my heart was stirred within me as the water is when it bubbleth up or the water which the fire boyleth And I was made able by the sweet Spirit of God who did blow sweet gales of wind spiritually into my heart Ioh. 3.8 And I was so refreshed by them for they so comforted my heart that my tongue became as the pen of a ready writer The knowledg of the mystery of God in the flesh of Christ the Saints and the givings forth of the Spirit are not got by
14.19 20. Isa 58.3 Titus 3.4 5 6. Deuter. 9.4 5. Isa 64.6 Rev. 19.8 Mat. 7.22 23. Mat 25.11 12. Gal. 2.20 Isa 26.12 Rom. 7.12 13 14 22. Joh. 16.7 8 9. Psa 103. Rom. 5.8 Isa 43.25 Col. 2.13 14 15. Psa 68.13 14. 2 Cor. 4.13 Cant. 1.3 5. Ezek. 16.14 2 Pet. 1.2 3 4. Isa 53.6 10 11. Col. 2.15 2 Cor. 4.10 Phil. 3.18 19 20 21. 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Mat. 6.7 2 Tim. 2.19 Jer. 31.18 Rom. 6.12 Rom. 9.32 Eph. 6.13 14 15 16 17. 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Rev. 19.13 14 15 16 20 21. Heb. 4.12 13. Rom. 2.4 Gen. 39.8 9. 2 Cor. 7.8 9 10 11. 1 Joh. 1.7 Sect. 1 I Shall now crave leave to commend two or three words to the Elders And the first is this Word 1 Take heed to your selves says the Apostle that you be made skilful for your skil if it be right doth extend to all the flock of God Therefore such men must be taught of God or else they will never be good guides nor skilful watchmen for these gifts must be singular in such men and far above ordinary gifts And so likewise such men must be full of the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost must make them overseers and inable them or else they cannot break the bread of Life nor open the Fountain of living Water to hungry and thirsty souls which gape for the sweet consolations that flow forth from Jesus Christ to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood It is to be feared many of our preaching Elders are not so inabled as to preach out of their own experience but speak other mens words and deliver other mens judgments and if it be so with our preaching Elders it is likely to be so with our lay Elders and if so then the Church is like to be poor and will be like a starved childe with a bad nurse Take heed says the Apostle to your selves and see that you make known the good will of God as I have done to all the flock of God and that by the power of the holy Ghost and feed them with the food of the Gospel Acts 20.28 The second word that I shall commend to the Elders is this Word 2 Let the elders that rule well says the Apostle be counted worthy of double honor if they rule according to the Gospel especially they who are made acquainted with the labor of love in the word and doctrine of Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 5.17 These be preaching Elders that are here spoken of which are able in some measure to teach the people for the Elders ought to be able to teach the people and that for three Reasons The first is this It hath been the custom of the Church to send their preaching Elders abroad to gather in souls into the Church and to strengthen them that are gathered in and the Church sent forth Barnabas that he should go as far as Antioch and the Elders were to teach the people and to instruct them in his absence Read Act. 11.20 21 22 23 24. 15.2 3 4 22. The second Reason is this The Elders together with the whole Church ought to be able to vindicate the doctrine of the Gospel and to keep it pure in case their preaching Elder should corrupt it Speak to Archippus says the Apostle to the Church of Colossians and bid him take heed to the ministery and look that he speak no more but what he hath received from the Lord and fulfil that with love and diligence Read Colos 4.16 17. The third Reason is this The Church of Christ is a Fountain of Gardens or Plants in an Orchard that bringeth forth pleasant fruits Can. 4.12 13 14. The Church of Jesus Christ is like unto a pleasant University whose Schollars are believing Christians whose School-master is Jesus Christ Ephes 4.20 21. And these Schollars are all taught of God I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go says the Lord and I will guide thee with mine eye Psal 32.8 And again I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit Isai 48.17 Now for this Reason the Elders which are but as stewards to the Church ought to be able to teach the people of the manifold grace of God as the Apostle Peter speaks 1 Pet. 4.10 11. Put the case the preaching Elder should die then you may take if you please the Apostles advice Look ye out among your selves a man full of the holy Ghost and wisdom and chuse such a man Read Acts 6.3 5 6 7 8. This is the Apostles advice for the Church of Christ in its young age had many men in it that were ful of the holy Ghost and of heavenly wisdom and I hope the Church now in its old age hath many more that are made able to teach others If we do not set up a form for Religion and deny through ignorance the power of Religion and so take the shadow for the substance which we shall do if we rest upon those that seem to teach others that which they have not learned themselves Now the third Word 3 is this The Elders which are among you says the Apostle I exhort who also am an Elder feed the flock of God Now the flock of God is full of hungry and thirsty souls and nothing in heaven or earth can satisfie them but onely Jesus Christ I have found him whom my soul loveth says the poor soul that was sick with love to Christ Can. 3.1 2 3 4. Now the poor soul having found Jesus Christ sits down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste says the thirsty soul Can. 2.3 Now the Elders that are not able to feed the flock of God are useless in their place but the Elders that God doth send are able to feed the flock of God and therefore they are of excellent use in their place Now the Elders that are not able to teach the flock of God they apply themselves to do that which is something like unto the Pharisees for they bound an outward profession upon upon mens shoulders as the making clean the outside of the cup and platter and the washing of hands and in the mean time these ignorant Pharisees omited the weightier matters of the Law as Judgment Mercy Faith and Love for Love which comes forth from true Faith I think there is but very little of it in use now in our days if there be What meaneth neighbors vaunting in pride against their neighbors what meaneth those proud scornful looks that one neighbor hath against another if they be not of their mind and dance not after their pipe one side of a street will not hold them if they happen to meet And this is a sad thing to see and yet we tithe Mint Annise and Cummin and such like things as these Matth. 23.4 5 6 7 23 24 25 26 27 28. And so in Matth. 15.1 2 3. And we seem
Doth your baptizing old men or women avail any thing I indeed baptize you onely with water saith Iohn Mat. 3.11 Joh. 1.26 And this you do and mightily lean upon this weak shadow or figure and it is to be feared that many amongst you are like unto those in the Acts where Paul asked them If they had received the holy Ghost and they said unto him we have not so much as heard whether there be any holy Ghost Acts 19.2 3. Are not you carnally minded about the ordinances of God for the most part of you as the Apostle speaks in 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Doth not the most part of you rest in outsides of Religion being but very little acquainted with the truth and power of Religion as it is in the Spirit What difference is there between parishes and you from which you dissent They for the most part rest in a meer outside form of godliness read 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5. and think they were baptized when they were young and if they hear Sermons then they may be admitted to the Sacrament as they think by the Minister or Elders and if there be no more but this it is a meer outside shew and a form that wil not profit and is it not so with many of you that are called Anabaptists If you be but admited by those that say they wil baptize you then you lean much upon this and say now you are within the door but beware for many go in at this door and return out again with litle profit mistake me not I prize the ordinances of God and therefore I speak of the formality that most use in and about them I shal ask one question Are you acquainted experimentally with the Baptism of Jesus Christ upon your spirits even the sprinkling of clean water upon you and this wil purge your corrupt natures Ezek. 36.25 And this water wil refresh thy parched soul Isa 44.3 And this water wil be as a Wel of Living Water for to comfort thee in all thy straits Joh. 7.37 38 39. He saith John shal baptize you with the holy Ghost meaning Jesus Christ Mark 1.8 Now you that are called Anabaptists and you Presbyterians if you were acquainted with the Baptism of Jesus Christ that would clear up your judgments which I conceive are very dark for God is Love and if you were acquainted with this Baptism it would teach you to love one another read 1 Joh. 3.18 19 20 21 22 23 24. But one of you prays against the other which is not wel One word more to you that are rigid Anabaptists for you make a division in the body of Christ for Christ and his members are one 1 Cor. 12.12 13 14. And those that are one with Jesus Christ you judg not fit to be members or one with you if they be not of your judgment or opinion But we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread 1 Cor. 10.17 And by one Spirit saith the Apostle we are all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 And those that are joyned to the Lord are one spirit with the Lord 1 Cor. 6.17 And wil you slight those or separate your self from those that God hath joyned to himself This is not wel judg not according to externals be not over rigid in censuring Cease to be legal learn to be spiritual and then you wil love one another for salvation doth not depend upon diping or sprinkling or plunging or washing read Gal. 6.15 Sect. 5 One word to you that are moderate Anabaptists Do not the publick professors of this Kingdom both Ministers and people for the most part rest in an outside and a visible form of Religion I know you wil answer Yes I ask is it not so with the most part of those that are of your opinion Do they not rest too much in the form and shadow not being acquainted with Christ crucified who is the power of God and the wisdom of God and the salvation that God gives to men 1 Cor. 1.13 14.23 24. The Baptism of water for profession is nigh at hand and both young and old receive it But the Baptism of the Spirit is far off and few there be that have it but those that have it do not go back again to the shadow because Christ the Sun doth shine who is the Substance Mary Magdalen after she had seen Christ was risen from the grave she did not return back again to look Christ in the grave Joh. 20.11.16 17 18. Now you that lean so much upon the Baptism of water if you have no more that wil profit but little But moderate and Christian friend the Baptism of the Spirit of Christ wil teach us to profit in all conditions It wil teach us to know the world to be passing away and all the glory of it to be but as grass It wil teach us to dye to the world with Christ upon the Cross Gal. 6.14 15. It wil teach us to go down with Christ from the Cross into the Grave and there to see sin the devil the world the grave and the old man conquered and subdued and Jesus Christ triumphing from the Cross to the grave and in the grave and this is the Christians dayly work if they have faith read Col. 2.12 13 14 15. And so this blessed Spirit wil baptize every true Beleever every day more and more into the resurrection of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 Now a true Beleever being raised up from the grave together with Jesus Christ is made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus Eph. 2.5 6. And this is the Baptism that wil profit us and answer all our doubts and fil our hearts ful of the joy of the Lord that is Christ the bridegroom of the soul and the soul standeth to hear the voyce of Christ and greatly rejoyceth in that Jesus Christ is the spiritual Loadstone that draws up the soul to himself in whom the soul centers and finds its rest and in him the soul spiritually injoys all the ordinances and with Jesus Christ comes down again to all external ordinances and becomes weak to the weak that he may gain some and so likewise Iohn Baptist did rejoyce in Christs Ministry for he saw that to be glorious and said Christ should increase and the glory of his Ministry should run up into Christs Ministry He must increase saith John but I must decrease Joh. 3.29 30. Now you that rest so much upon water the Baptism of an outward profession and slight all those that are not of your opinion and you contend much for the time when and the manner how this ordinance of God must be administred Not to young children you say but to men and women of years because a young child cannot make a verbal Confession of Faith it is true indeed but a man or a woman in years may learn by education to make a verbal Confession of
and there dye and sin must be so destroyed Rom. 6.5 6 7 8 Heb. 2.14 15. Now thou must know O man this Cross of Christ to be within thy heart as wel as to know by hear-say the Cross of Christ which Christ was crucified on nigh unto Jerusalem for thou hast as many enemies in thy heart against Christ spiritually as Christ had enemies in and about Jerusalem Now as I said before we must dye upon this Cross of Christ and be buried with Christ nay we have need of this Cross of Christ every day for it is a Christians glory and joy to have this Cross of Christ for by the power of this Cross we dye to sin we live and arise more purely unto righteousness then ever we did in the first Adam and by the power of this Cross of Christ the world and sin are crucified unto a Christian dayly and a Christian is crucified unto sin and the world and himself dayly and liveth a new creature in the new Creation in Christ and with Christ spiritually and that continually Rom. 6.3 4 5. Gal. 6.14 15. Now if we dye upon this Cross of Christ then Christ takes the soul down into his grave and there he puts off the old man and brings the soul up in a new Creation and this is called a putting off the old man which is corrupt and a being renewed in the Spirit and a putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4.22 23 24. And this is called a translating us into the kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.12 13. And this is called a passing away of old things for all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 And this is called a being changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Corinth 3.18 Now this is a very glorious condition for a Christians comfort Sect. 5 to be made conformable unto the death of Christ for if we be made partakers with Christ in his death then for certain we shal be made partakers with Christ in his resurrection Rom. 6.5 8. 8.11 Phil. 3.9 10. But first we must be crucified and dye with Christ and lose our selves in Christ and be found again in him by the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of God who is the holy Spirit read 1 John 1.3 For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11.36 And now true beleeving man or woman thou that hast walked through the vale of Death and art arrived at the haven of Life which is God in Christ now this God is thy God in all his several appearances he is both thy God and thy Jesus and thy Christ And now beloved Christian God wil dwel with thee nay in thee and thou shalt reign with him Blessed and holy is he that hath his part in this first resurrection And now loving Christian seeing thou art come into this haven of rest here I wil bid you farewel for there shal be no more death to you neither sorrow nor crying neither shal there be any more pain for thy God wil wipe away all tears from thine eyes and the Spirit wil shew thee great things coming out from God and the glory of God shal be thy light which is a light most sweet and clear and there shal be no night with thee nor in thee and thou and the whole Church of God shal be but as one Temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb and there shal be no more confinement neither to places nor persons and the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are a Temple for thee and the whole Church of God to worship in And thou and the whole Church of God are like unto a City that hath no need of the Sun When God comes in his great appearances of glory then you have no need of the dark Moon-lights of men for the glory of God doth lighten you and you are as a City which the Lamb is the light of read Revel 20.4 5 6. Rev. 21 3 4 9 10 11 22 23. Now a Christian Sect. 6 that hath but low and fleshly appearances of God is ready to say as Martha and Mary did Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed Now such have but low comforts because they think God to be in this place and not in that place as Martha and Mary did But a Christian that knows Jesus Christ to be the only wise God knows him to be omnipresent in every place and knows all his wants and hears all his cries and groans and he can say as Christ did Father I know that thou hearest me always John 11.42 Now the Gospelized man and the Christ baptized man he knows the one God who hath made divers appearances at several times in the flesh but now in these last times his appearances in our flesh are in a spiritual way and this most men cannot disgest for it is foolishness to them 1 Cor. 2.13 14. God hath made divers appearances in the flesh as for instance those three Angels which Abraham ran to meet and they did appear to him as men Gen. 18.1 2 3 4. And these Angels do signifie the Trinity as some say and so likewise those two Angels that Lot did meet and converse withal as men Gen. 19.1 2 3 4. And so likewise that same astonishing appearance of God in the fiery furnace with the three children to make good his promise read Dan. 3.24 25 26. Isa 43.2 3. And so likewise now in these last times God who is the Father of all doth appear as a second who is a Son and a Savior of all Isai 43.3 4. And thus God was found in the fashion of a man and was made in the likeness of other men and so he became our Jesus in this office Phil. 2.6 7 8. And as he was second so he was sent of the first in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in thy flesh and to forgive thee thy sin And this is that which the Jews stumbled at for they did not see Jesus Christ as God to forgive sins therefore they crucified the body which God gave unto Jesus Christ Rom. 8.3 4. Heb. 10.5 6 7. And so likewise this is a great mystery for the only one God to manifest himself in our flesh and to become our Christ and our high Priest to offer up himself as a sacrifice without spot unto himself and that through the eternal spirit which spirit is the only blessed God 1 Tim. 3.16 Heb. 9.11 12 13 14. Now God comes in these latter days in his great and most excellent appearances and that is spiritually in all his ordinances What is the water to thee in Baptism if thou find him not baptizing thee with his Spirit What is the bread and wine to thee in the Sacrament if thou see not his Table spred with spiritual graces