BEfore the beginning there was one only true God, in whom was life, being a Spirit of himself from eternity, not di­stinguishable, as Father, Son, Lord or Cre­ator, tell time began [...]; for he was not a [Page 17]Father before he had a Son, nor a Creator before the Creation was, neither did he declare himself to be a Lord, [...]ill he had made himself, a Lordship, as appears thoughout the first chapter of Ganesis; for the name Lord is not to be seen there, nor till he had made himself a Lordship, Gen. 2.4. &c.

The second was the Word, which did proceed [...] God, and was God; by which word all [...] were created, as appears [...]an. 1.3. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light; v 6. And God said. Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, &c. and it was so, v. 9. And God said, let the waters be gathered together in­to one place, &c. and it was so, v. 11. And God said, let the earth bring forth grass, &c. and it was so, v. 14. And God said, let there be lights, &c. and it was so. v. 20. And God said, let the waters bring forth, &c. and it was so. v. 24. And God said, let the earth bring forth [...]he living Crea­tures, &c. and it was so.

Thus we see this Word was in the begin­ning with God, and it was God, for in it was life, and it did then proceed from God, and created every creature, as appears by those fore-mentioned verses in Gen. Thi­is the very word, which John speakes of, [Page 18] John. 1.1. &c. In the beginning was the [...], and the word was with God, and the Word was God; all thing were made by it, or by him, this is the same word John speaks of also in his first Epistle, first vers. &c. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of Life, This Word of Life, did proceed from God, and by it were [...] all things created, according to Pauls testimony, Coll 1.15, 16. who is the Image of the invisible God, the first born of every Creature, for by him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in the Earth, and he is before all things; this is Jesus Christ, who was the Son of God, before he was the son of man; according to Pauls testimony, Ephe. 3 9. who created all things by Jesus Christ; as also Heb. 1.2. hath in these last dayes spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things; by whom also he made the worlds, (note this last [...], to wit, by whom also he made the worlds) Thus it appears that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, before he was the son of man; he being that Word which did proceed from God, by which Word all things were made, and without [Page 19]it was not any thing made, that was made. Thus Jesus Christ as he was the Word, or Son of God, had a beginning; for he was the first born of every Creature, even the beginning of the creation of God, being that Creating Word which did proceed from God and therefore his name is called the Word of God, Rev. 19.13. And tho' he had a beginning, as he was the Word, yet he had no beginning of days, as he was that eternal life which was from eternity, not being distinguisha­ble, till time began.

And the holy Ghost sent down from heaven, by the father, in the name of the son, is the Third; and these three are but One God; for the Father is a Spirit, the Word is a Spirit, and the holy Ghost is a Spirit; and these three are but one God, one Life, one Spirit; and this Life, this Spirit, or this God, was not a Father before the Son was brought forth, according to what is written Prov. 3.22. &c. And in creating all things, he became a creator; and in making himself a Lord-ship, became a Lord; so that he was the only God, from eternity before he was a father, or before he was the Word, or before be was a Crea­tor, or before he was a Lord, yea, before he was distinguishable; for the word of God was the first born of every Creature, and is the second, being brought forth of God [Page 20]before the Creation was: for by him were all things created both in heaven and in earth, and the Spirit by which we are sancti­fied is the Third, and proceedeth from the Father and from the Son, being of the same nature, the same life, the same spirit, given to us by measure, out of Gods fullness; for in the Father and in the Son, is the fullness of the Spirit, even without measure; so that the Father, Word and Spirit, is but one eternal God; tho' they are three that bear record in heaven, concerning the Word being made flesh, or Jesus Christ taking hold of our nature, and so becoming flesh and blood with us, being conceived in the womb of the virgin by the holy ghost through the over shadowing of the most high; and thus he became man in process of time, that through death he might overcome him who hid the power of death, and bring to light a Resurrection from the Dead, & so deliver those who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage; for Jesus Christ as he was that creating word, was only spirit and life, but not flesh and blood with us, but when the word was made flesh, then Jesus Christ became man; who was before only the Root of David, as he was the word, but now is become his off-spring, and a [...]t Mediator.

[Page 21] And when this creating Word took hold of our nature, and became man, it spake with a mans voice, and said to the Wind and Sea, [...], and it was so, Matt. 8.26. It said to the le [...]er, Be clean, and it was so, v. 3. It said to the deaf, Hear, and it was so. It said to the blind, See, and it was so. It said to Lazarus, who had been four days dead and buried, come [...], and it was so. According to what we read in the first of Genes [...], before the Word was made flesh; for it was the same creating word, that is now made flesh, according to Johns testi­mony, John 1.14 which is now become both God and Man, in union, so that now he is not only the fountain of the water of life, but also is become the Tree of life, and lamb of god which taketh away the sin of the world, so that the fountain of the water of life proceeds from the throne of god, and of this lamb, and waters the garden of god, according to that figure, Gen 2.10. and maketh the branches of the Tree of Life fruitful branches: which Tree grow­eth on either side of the River of the water of life, in the midst of the garden of God.

The Scripture doth plentifully shew, that Jesus Christ was the eternal God, before he was man, and that he took hold of the seed of Abraham and David, and laid down [Page 22] [...] life to redeem us from our vain conver­sation: and as the Apostle John doth set forth Jesus Christ in the beginning of his gospel, and in the beginning of his first Epistle, to be the eternal Word, or God the Creator of all things; so also towards the ends of those Books, he sets forth Jesus Christ in his suffering, to be a Mediator, and our Propitiation, by whom we have not only the Remission of our sins, by the sheding of his blood on the Cross, but also Sanctification from the defilement of sin, by that water that came out of his side on the Cross; John 19, 34, 35, 36. But one of the Souldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water; and he that saw it, bear record, and his [...] is true; and he knoweth that he [...] true, that ye might believe; for these things were done, that the Scripture might be fullfilled, Ab [...]ne of him shall not be broken. We may observe from what the Apostle John here saith in his Gospel, that visible tokens were seen on the Cross of Christ, by this Apostle John, of Christs Mediator­ship, as he was the Son of man, in three things, to wit, by the Blood, and by the Water that came out of his side, and in that a Bone of him was not broken; which three things, did answer to the figure under the [Page 23]law; for it was not the blood of Bulls and Goats that could take away sin, but the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin; Secondly, that living water un­der the law, in which they put the ashes of an heifer, and called it the water o [...] Sepera­tion, and said, it was a purification for sin, was but a figure of the fountain of the water of life, which proceeds from the throne of God, and of this lamb, which the Apostle John [...] on the Cross, out of whose [...] came forth a visible token of it, and this is the water which is for the puritication of sin; and the T [...]ra thing is, altho' he was crucified between two Theives, and the Souldiers had order to brea [...] their legs, came and break the legs of the first and second, yet they broke not the legs of Jesus; that the Scripture might be fullfilled (which said in the figure of him) a bone of him shall not be broken, Exod. 12.46. Num. 9.12. which things were fulfilled in him, who was the substance of those shadows; this Record John gives us in his gospel, of what he saw [...] record of, and telleth us that he knoweth that he saith true, that we may believe.

But it may be objected, that this is but the witness of a man, of what he saw.

To which I answer; The Apostle, John [Page 24]was not un [...]ble of this objection, as will appear in his first Epistle which will be [...]eed­ful to be considered in its place, and to see what further record John can produce to prove the truth of it; In the first Epistle of John, 5.4. saith he, And this is the vic­tory that overcometh the world, even our saith, in the [...] he querieth, Who is he that evercometh the World? (and then an­swereth the question) He that believeth that Jesus in the Son of God: and in the 6. v. he sheweth, that this faith must be in the sa­crifice of his body; for saith he, This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ. Here he alludes from what he hath made record of in his Gospel, of what he saw concerning Jesus Christ, when he was upon the cross, having made his soul an offering for sin, out of whose side John saw the blood and water come forth, not by Water only, saith be, but by Water and Blood, for Jesus Christ was that fountain of living waters, before he partook of flesh and blood with us; and therefore saith John, not by Water only, but by Water and Blood; and saith he, It is the spirit that beareth witness, because the spirit is truth. Now this witness of the spirit of God (to every one that believes that Jesus is the [...] that [...]me by Water and Blood) is [Page 25]greater than the witness of Men, because this Witness is immediate from heaven; and therefore greater than the witness of Jo [...]n, of what he saw concerning Christ on the Cross; and this witness confirmeth the truth, to the believer) of what John bear record of, for the witness of the Spirit of God sent down from heaven, in Christs name, is the Record of the Father, of the Word, and of the Holy-Ghost in Heaven, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Saviour of the World; and these Three are but One God, one Life, and one Spirit in heaven above all; & saith John, there are [...] bear witness in earth, the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood, and these three agree in one, yea, they agree in that wit­ness from [...]aven t [...]t Jes [...] is the Christ; for [...] in his Blood, we have a [...]en­ [...] in ourselves, of the ramis­ [...] of our [...]ns, for where Remission is, there is no more [...] upon the Conscience for sin; here is the witness in earth, a second witness that a believer in Christ [...] he is sprinted [...] evil Conscience by the blood of [...] Christ,) is, his earthly body is washed with pure water, which water was represented by thus visible water [...] saw come forth out of Christs [...], when [...] with the Spear, which [Page 26]water so eleanseth the heart & inward parts of the believer, so that he is not only clean in his own sight, but hath a witness in his earthly body, that he is clean in God's sight, being cleansed with that water which did proceed from the Throne of God, and of that Lamb of God which this Apostle saw on the Cross: This is a second witness in earth: The third Witness in earth, is the Spirit of every believer, with these other witnesses, witnesseth to himself, with Gods Spirit sent down from heaven in Christs name, that he is a child of God; and these three Witnesses agree in one, with that witness from heaven; and they are in union one with the other; and saith the Apostle John in v. 9. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God, which he hath testi­fied of his Son, he that believe then the Son of God, hath the witness in himself.

Here are three things to be taken notice of, in these forementioned words of the Apostle; the first is the witness of men, what it is; and the Second is the witness of God, and what that is; the Third thing is, be affirmeth that every one that believeth hath the witness in himself. As to the first of these three witnesses, is the Apostle John himself, with the rest of the Apostles and [Page 27]Penmen of the books of the new Testament, who have testified that Jesus is the Christ, the Saviour of the world; The second wit­ness to confirm the [...]uth of this witness, is God himself from heaven, which witness is greater then the first, and that which these [...] to is to confirms to the believer, that Jesus is the Christ, the Saviour of the world; Now this witness of God to the believer, is greater then the witness of men; for God sends forth the spirit of his Son from heaven, into the heart of the be­liever, which Spirit it self beareth witness to and with the believers spirit immediately, that he is a child of God, and an heir of eternal Life, through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ; and thus every on that belie­veth hath the witness of God in himself, and can set to his seal, that the Scripture is true concerning Jesus Christ, and his sufferings, by immediate Revelation from heaven.

Heb. 10.5. &c. Wherefore when he co [...]neth into the world, he faith, Sacrifice and Offering then wouldst not, but a Body hast thou prepared nos. Here is three things to be observed, The First is the Voice of the Spi­ [...] of Christ speaking, when he cometh into the World; The Second thing that is to be observed, is, where the voice of the [Page 28]Spirit of Christ saith when he cometh into the World, to wit, sacrifice and and offer­ing thou wouldest not. Here we may observe, is a rejection of the shadows of the offering of the Body of Christ; and the Third thing to be observed, is, that it is a Body that God hath prepared Christ, for to offer for sin, which is the substance of those thadowing Sacrifices, vers. 6, 7. In burnt Offerings and Sacrifices for sin, thou had had no pleasure, then said I, Lo I come in the volumn of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God. Compare these two verses with v. 9. Then said he, lo I come to do thy will, O God; he taketh away the first (faith the Author) that he may establish the second; that is, he taketh away burnt Offerings and Sacrifices for sin, in which God had no plea­sure, that he may establish the second, saith the Apostle; that is, that Christ might do the will of God, by the offering up of his own Body, for this was the will of God, according to what is written in the volumn of the book; and therefore it is said in v. 10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all; and that he came thus to do the will of God. And, Secondly, we may observe, that by the which will we are Sanctified, to [...], through the offering of the body of [Page 29]Jesus Christ; so that our Sanctification from sin, comes by the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ, as appears also in v. 14 for by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Now sanctification is the work of the Spirit, and the purchase of the Spirit or God for us, is with Christs Blood, and therefore it is written, he hath washed us from our sins with his own blood [...] Under the Law the High Priest was ordered to go into the inward Court of the Taber­nacle, or Temple within the vail, called the Holiest of all, once every year, not without Blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people, which was a figure for the time then present till Christ came, and took on him our nature, who was the substance of that figure, being the High Priest over the House of God, which is the true Tabernacle or Temple which God hath pitched, and not man; for the Saints Bodies are the Templ [...]oy God, where Christ, the High Priest, doth his office in; and the inner Court, within the vail, which is called the Holiest of all, where was the Mercy Scat of God, which did represent Christs entring into a body of flesh, or being vailed with our Nature, which body of flesh was the Holiest or [...], which Christ entered into, and offered his own blood for [Page 30] [...] through the eternal Spirit, by which offering he hath purged our Consciences from dead works, to serve the living God; and by this offering of his Body and Blood, [...]e hath purchased for us that heavenly meat and drink; by which food we are Spiritually nourished, and it bears the name of the purchase of it, for the name o [...] it is derived from the offering up of the body & blood of the lord jesus christ, because that was the price of the purchase of it; and there­fore, faith Christ, the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world: whoso eat [...]th my fle [...]h & drink­eth my Blood bath eternal life; thus he said because he purchased it for us with his flesh and blood on the Cross: Thus the name of this heavenly meat and drink, is derived from the purchase of it, according to Davids words, concerning the water of Bethlehem, 1 Chr [...]n. 11.19. My God for bid it me, that I shall do this thing; shall I dr [...]k the blo [...]d of these three men? Thus he calls the water of Bethle­hem the blood of those three men, because they put their lives in jeapardy to procure it for him; Thus it appears that Jesus Christ is both God and Man, and is the one only sacrifice for our sins.

THe first Adam did originally proceed from the earth, for God formed him of the dust of the ground, and breathed in­to his Nostrils the Breath of Life, and he became a living Soul; and likewise out of the ground the Lord God formed every Beast of the Field, and every Foul of the Air, and gave Adam dominion over them, and over all the Earth; and God planted a Garden east ward in Eden; and there he put Adam, whom he had formed; and out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the Tree of Life also in the midst of the Garden; & the Tree of Know­ledge of good and evil. Thus Adam was crowned with glory and honour, having dominion over the works of Gods hands, ha­ving all things put under his feet, and in this he bore the image of God; and thus was he placed in the Garden of pleasure and happiness over all Gods Works, but was subjected under a Law from Gods Throne, the punishment of the breach if it, was a temporal death; with other temporal [Page 32]misery, executed upon himself and upon his Posterity; for by this one Offence Death reigneth over all men, in whom all have [...]nned, and fell with him, who was the head and root; this first sin was not against a spiritual Law, as now transgressions are; for he had not the knowledge of good and evil, for that Tree was a figure of the spi­ritual Law of God; for by the Law comes the knowledg of sin, which was the fruit and effect of that figure; for the name of it opened the mistery it represented; for up­on that Transgression, the eyes of them both were opened, and a divine light shined into them; which was the work of the Law written in their hearts, or the knowledge of good and evil ministred unto them, and unto all their Posterity, successively, that by this knowledge of the Law in every man, the second Adam might judge every man according to their works, at the Re­surrection of the Body, whose Sentence and Judgment will be the second Death; but the sentence and punishment of Adams first fin [...] was a dispossession of Paradice; he be­ing sent forth to till the ground, out of which he was taken, till he should return unto dust again; for this was the sentence and punishment of that sin, and it extended no further then the first death, or death of [Page 33]the Body; for it was a Transgression, by which he lost his birthright and his blessing, even the dispossession of his happy enjoy­ments, with a temporal death; this was the extent of his punishment.

He was not the Son of God by Generation but [...] Creation, and therefore not a pro­per Heir of God: but is a figure of him that was to come after him, Rom. 5.14. for he had only an earthly nature, being only of the earth earthly, but not par [...]aker of the divine nature, no, not while in his innocent state; but he being the first born of flesh and blood, was the head and root of all mankind; so that we all stood and fell in him. Thus by one man, Sin entered into the World, and death by this one mans sin, passed upon all men, in whom all men have sinned, and are under the punishment of that Sentence, to wit, In the Sweat of thy face that thou [...] bread, till thou returnest unto the ground, for out of it wast thou taken, for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return. I say, all men are under the punishment of this Sentence; but it was the purpose of God to take hold of our nature, and to rule over all his works himself; so that the first Adam was made in the Image of God; but was not God, but was subjected under God by a Law, but the second Adam [Page 34]was the Lord from heaven, a quickning Spirit, who created Adam in his own likeness and gave him dominion over the works of his own hands, who afterwards was made flesh, or took hold of our nature, and be­came man, as the Scripture faith, he was in the world, and the world was made by him, but the world knew him not; Neither doth the world know us his Children, be­cause they knew not him; it was he that formed the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, which is in the midst of his garden, for he was that eter­nal Life which was before the world was made, and after became a Tree of Life, in the midst of the Garden of God; he also formed the Tree of Knowledge, that was in the midst of the garden of God, which was a figure of his righteous Law, by which Law comes the knowledge of our duty to God, and the knowledge of our disobedience to God.

Our first Parents while in an innocent state, had not the knowledge of good and evil, which knowledge was the light of the spiritual law of God; for their first sin was a transgression in the figure; but immedi­ately upon that transgression, the eyes of them both were opened; but an opened eye cannot see, without light, for whatso­ever [Page 35]makes any thing manifest to the eye is light; so that the fruit of the Tree, was a light unto Adam, and he hath ministred it unto all his Posteritv; and by this Light, will God judge the World, by that man whom he hath appointed; for when God past that sentence of death upon Adam, he also promised, that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head: This Seed is the Tree of Life, for he is the resurrecti­on and the Life; for as death came upon all men by the first Adam, so will there be a general Resurrection of the Body, and an eternal Judgment by the second Adam; for he that hath the power of death is the Devil; but he that hath the power of the Resurrection is Jesus Christ, who hath taken hold of our nature, and so become flesh and blood with us, and so came under that Curse of the Law, past upon Adam and upon his Posterity for that first sin; for he under-went hunger, weariness, and death it self, all which was the effect and fruit of that first sin, tho'he knew no sin; and thus he came under the Curse of the Law for our sakes, even unto death, but saw no cor­ruption; for God raised him from the dead, and thus he overcame, death it self, which is our last Enemy, and hath brought to light a Resurrection from the dead, so that as [Page 36]death came by the first Adam both tempo­ral and spiritual; so likewise a Resurrecti­on from the dead, comes by the second Adam, both spiritual and temporal.

In a word, the two Trees in the midst of the garden of God represented the state of the two Adams, and their Posterity; the Tree of Knowledge, represented the ministration of the Law, to the first Adam, and from him, to his posterity, that by it we might understand what state he stood in, even under the Law, by which Law came the Knowledge of Sin; and so death by sin. The Tree of Life represented the state of the second Adam, by whom we have received the Attonement, whereby we have not only the remission of our sins past, but by him we are thorowly reconciled to God, and have the assurance given us of eternal life, and all through free Grace: So that both Ministrations come from the same God; as thus, The Law from a King will never save the life of a Traytor, yet this law gives light to all his Subjects, to teach them their duty, of Subjection to their King; but the Kings Law may be the death of many a Traytor; but the same King, out of his free grace and mercy, may send forth a Pardon by the hand of his Son, under his hand and seal, to save the [...]arytor [Page 37]from the Justice of his Law; but these are two Ministrations from one King, and two contrary acts; the one on purpose to kill the Traytor, the other on purpose to save him alive, and the knowledge o [...] the first, will not make known the second; the first Ministration of the Law, is a Tree of Knowledge and death to the Traytor; the second Ministration is a tree of life to the Traytor; for in the first, nothing is to be seen, but the Cherubims and flami [...] [...] of Gods Justice, to put in [...] the breach of his Law.

The first Adam was not God, but he was man only; and therefore [...] were not one in the [...] were two distinct Natures, the one and [...] divine and [...]iritu [...]. Nature, who was [...] Christ the Creator; the other only [...] and fleshly nature, who was only M [...]n; for the first Adam was only made in the Image of God, but God purposed in him­self, before the world was made, to take our nature, and so become man, and not the nature of Angels, or any other Creature, and to rule over all the w [...]r [...]s of his own hands; and this the first Adam was a [...] of: to wit, of Christs coming in the [...] in that body born of the Virgin Mary And Eve (was a figure of [...], or the new [Page 38] Jerusalem) who was taken out of the side of Adam, being [...] his bone, and flesh of his flesh; and these fleshly union, repre­sents that spiritual union between Christ and his Bride, whose Children are born of her womb, and suck her brest and are dan­dled on her knees, and she is taken out of his side, being bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh; and if she be our Mother, then God is our Father.

And that Garden in Eden doth set forth the happy state of Innocency; for Innocen­cy is a garden of pleasure, tho' upon the Cross with Christ; for there the Cherubims and Flaming Sword cut down the Innocent for our sakes, that we the guilty might escape; for he was numbered with the Transgressors. And thus by him we return into the garden, and take of the Tree of Life, and eat, by which means we come to escape the second death; seeing the Cheru­bims and Flaming Sword hath cut him off, out of the land of the living, so that our body of sin, or old man, is crucified by the crucifying of the Innocent upon the Cross for us.

The first Adams innocent and glorious state was envied by that fallen Angel, who was more Subtil then any beast of the field; and he hath obtained the name of a serpent, [Page 39]because he hath with his poysonous Sting given the first Adam and his Posterity a mortal wound, and is become the God of this world, ruling Lord and king in them, having gotten the power of death over them; but God be thanked, that we have gotten the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord; so that we can now say, O death! where is thy sting? O Grave! where is thy victory?

And the river that went out of Eden to water the garden, represents the River of the Water of Life, as clear as Cristal, which proceeds from the Throne of God, and of the Lamb, and waters the tender plants of Gods garden, and makes them grow and be fruitful.

The Sum of the mater is this; Adam was made in the image of God, and all things put under his feet, and he himself subject­ed under a Law; the punishment of the breach of it was a dispossession of his hap­piness, with a temporal Death that was to follow, and so [...]ring him to the dust again, out of which he was taken; He transgrest, sentence was past upon him, and he turned out of Paradise, and sent forth to till the ground, till the extent of his punishment was ins [...] [...] upon him: Cherubims and [...] sword were set to keep the way of the [...] Life, that he [Page 40]might know of a certainty that he was a Son of death after this his first transgression was committed; the Tree of Knowledge ministred unto him a divine light, the eye of his spirit was opened, that by the light, he might see. Thus the spiritual Law of God was written in his heart, so that he knew what his duty was; in a word, he had the knowledge both of good and evil in himself, he is now beco [...]e his own keeper; God appoints another head, in his stead, who was the promised Seed of the Woman that should be of his seed; and thus the elder was to serve the younger; the younger is the man whom God hath appointed to judge the first Adam, and all his Posterity; by this knowledge of his law, ministred to Adam, by the fruit of the tree of know­ledge: Now if Adam comes to commit a second sin, it must be against this spiri­tual law, written in his heart; the punish­ment of it is the second death; his judge is Jesus Christ; the time of his tr [...]al and judgment, will be, when the execution of his first sin is ended, then shall he rise out of the dust to judgment, and come be­fore his Judgment seat; the judge will be Jesus Christ; the Law which he will judge by, will be the Light in him, or law written [...] his [...], his Accuser will be his own [Page 41]thoughts, the Witnesses will be his own Conscience with himself; the Sentence will be the second Death.

Now on the contrary, Adam after his first sin, was enlightned with a divine light, so that he had the knowledge of his duty in himself, knowing both good and evil, he now following this light, so exactly, as not to transgress against it at any time; so tha [...] his thoughts excuses him before the judg­ment seat of Christ, and his Conscience with himself, bears witness, that he hath not rebelled against this light, then the Judge will say, Come then blessed, &c. for thy reward is of debt, and not of Grace; But there is not a just man upon the earth, that doth good, and sinneth not; for if there were such a one, he stands in no need of a Saviour, for Christ did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

In the next place, let us make enquiry, how shall Adam come to inherit eternal life, in the world to come, having sinned a second time? As to his first sin, there is no escaping the punishment of that, for sentence is al­ready past, but as to his sinning against the light within, his sentence will be after the Resurrection of his body; in that world which is to come. Is there no means or way for him to escape that Sentence which [Page 42] [...] to come? yea verily, there is, tho' his transgressions have been never so many, or never so great, but it must be through faith in the promised seed of the Woman, because Adam himself, had been Lord and King of this World, but now is brought into a state of mortality, by the subtilty of the serpent, who having disthron'd him, and gotten in­to it himself, and is now become the God of this World, ruling in man, and so is become their head; but God having promis­ed that the seed of the Woman, shall bruise his head, which victory Christ obtains thro' his divine power, who had power to lay down his life, and to take it up again; I say, that Adam through faith in this conque­rour, (who also is the judge of the world to come) comes to obtain the Pardon and forgiveness of his sins past, and comes to be made partaker of Christs divine nature, and thus comes to be the Child of God by adoption, and through this faith he comes [...]o be purified in his inner man, and through this faith, he stands, and is kept by the mighty power of God working in him, being lead by a divine power, which he never had before, even by the Spirit of Truth, which is the life of that light, so that now he walketh in the light of life; for tho' the light and life be one in God, yet it [Page 43]was not so in Adam till now the two natures come to be united by faith in the promised seed. Thus Adam comes to have access to the Tree of Life, but it is through the death of his Mediatour; for the Cherubims and flaming Sword turn and execute the Justice of the Law (due to Adam for his sin) upon the innocent, as is writ­ten, for Christ hath also once suffered for fins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. Thus Adam sinned, and Christ suffered for it, being put to death in the flesh, that Adam migh be quickened by the Spirit, and this Spirit, is the fruit of the Tree of Life; thus the sinner comes to reap that which another soweth.

The Remission of our sins, comes through faith in the Blood of Jesus Christ, who hath received the promise of the spirit, and sent it in [...]o our hearts, by which spirit we are sanctified, and by which spirit our Justification from sin, though faith in his blood, is made known to us; for the spirit of life is the effect and fruit of the Tree of Life; and not one drop of the spirit is handed down to us, from the first Adam, nor any manifestation of our salvation by any light that comes that way; for it is [Page 44]by the tree of life that we come to have the light of life, and not by the tree of death, which is the tree of knowledg, or light of the law of God, handed to us from the first Adam; but the Pro [...]lamation of Gods free Grace to Sinners, is when and where, and to whom he is pleased to make it known; for the Election of God stands not in works of this spiritual law, after one transgression committed against it; for then a just judgment will follow, ex­cept God of his own free grace is pleased to forgive the transgression; so that after transgression, the election stands in Gods choice; for if a king will chuse out a Tray­tor from many, and forgive him, this is no wrong to the rest, neither ought their eye to be evil, because the King is good and merciful to his Enemy; for now the election stands in him that call [...]th, for it is now through free grace in Christ; for God never [...]ore-ordained any man to damnation, but his judgment is just, for his transgres­sing of the law, and Gods call to undone sinners, is by his own spirit, in his bride who faith, Come and take of the water of life freely. And this voice is founded to the world, only from the second Adam, which i [...] the voice of his Spirit and Bride. When once a man hath transgressed against [Page 45]this spiritual law in the heart, he is un­der the condemnation of his sin, and then it is nor in his willing or runing that ca [...] save him, but in God that sheweth mercy; for man is in a Covenant with God, to keep his law, or be condemned by it; for when God made that covenant with [...]l, to keep that li [...]tera [...] Law written on stone, which was but a figure, and they brake it by making a Calf, Mose interceeded with God for them, to forgive their sin: The answer of God was, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy. (Gods Election stands only in the divine nature, which is in Christ; for as Jesus Christ came down from heaven, and took hold of our Nature, and became flesh and blood with us, so through faith in him we are made partakers of his divine Nature, and so come to be the Children of God, by being born of the Spirit; and thus we come to have the nature of God united to our nature; and this nature the first Adam had not, while in a state of Innocen­cy; and before a man is thus born, he can­not see the Kingdom of God, nor under­stand the things of God, because he is in the flesh, and not in the Spirit; and thus by being made partaker of the nature of the second Adam, or Tree of Life (who is a [Page 46]quickning spirit in his divine nature) we come to escape the Corruption, that is in the world, through lust; and in this nature God chose us, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy with his own holiness; by which nature we come to bear the Image of his Son, who is the first born among many Brethren, in this nature; for he was the first born of every Creature, and was that promised Seed that should bruise the Ser­pents head, whom Adam was made in the image of; and the seeds or these two Adams are two nations, and two manner of people, and the elder shall serve the younger, the elder being born after the flesh, but the younger by promise; and no man since the fall of Adam, was justified, or freed from his sins, but through faith in this son of promise, which God did from time to time reveal to those whom he of his free Grace did call, and pointed at, as by the Sacrifices of Abel, Noah and Abraham, as also the birth of Esau and Jacob, representing the states of the two Adams, as also in Ishmaet and Isaac, the one being born after the flesh, the other by promise; the prophecy of Enoch and all the Prophets which was the voice of the Spirit and Bride, to guide the faith of Gods Church in him who was to come, and bruise the serpents head.

[Page 47] But the first Adam banded down to us only the light of the Spiritual Law of God, by which law comes the knowledge of sin, and so death by sin, for this law ministreth only death and condemnation to the sinner, convincing, reproving and condemning him for his sin; but it is the second Adam that handeth down to us the Spirit of life, through faith in his blood; and this Spirit is the token and evidence of our justification from sin. It was this Spirit of Christ in Noah, who was a pleacher of righteousness to the old World, till at last the Lord said unto him, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that be also is flesh; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years: Thus the spirit of the Lord in Noah strived to reclaim the old world with long patience, while the light of his righteous law was condemning them, in themselves, till at last the flood came and swept them all away.

Likewise, God gave his good Spirit to the seventy Elders in the Wilderness, to assist Moses in the instruction of his peo­ple, as appears Numb. 11.17, 25, 29. com­pared with Noh. 9.20. Yet they perished in the wilderness, because of unbelief, after Gods long patience had been extended to­wards them, as also Noh. 9.30. Yet many [Page 48]years didst thou forbear them, and testifi­edst against them by thy Spirit in thy Pro­phets; yet would they not give ear, there­fore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the Land.

FOrasmuch as Adam, who was the head and first born of mankind, fell by trans­gression, God was pleased to ordain another head of Adams seed, whom he appointed head of his Church, over all things under God, both in Heaven and in Earth, and hath chosen us in him, from the foundation of the world, and he being a second Adam, and a younger brother, God made known this his purpose to Adam, in his fall, by promis­ing that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head; and from that time forward, God pointed at him by signs an figures, to guide the saith of his Church to him her head, in whom she was chosen from the foundation of the world; and he being a second Adam, and younger Brother, was pointed at by Abel, not Cain; by Isaac, not Ishmael, by Jacob not Esau; David, not Saul, with many other signs and figures, before the Law of Moses was given; whose [Page 49]ministration did wholly and alone point at his glory, hopour and dignity, and all the Prophets Prophesied of him; yea, both Law and Prophets pointed at him, to guide the faith of Gods Church to him, the seed of the Woman, promised by God in the beginning, to bruise the Serpents head; for that glory which is now put upon that seed of the woman, and shall be yet more abundantly seen, he had it with the Father before the world began; that is, it was in the purpose of the father before the world was, so to glorifie him; and when the time was come, that the Church was delivered of this man child, which was to rule in Gods throne, God sent John the Baptist, (for among them that were born of women; there was not a greater Prophet than he, who was filled with the holy ghost from his mothers womb,) to go before his face to proclaim him to his Church and People in Israel, by publishing his glory, honour and dignity, by a new Ministration, directly pointing at his Priest­ly Office, for in his humiliation, he was least in the Kingdom of Heaven, tho' grea­ter than John the Baptist, who came to purge and cleanse his People from their sins; thus he came to be servant unto all. Behold the Lamb of God, (saith John the Bap­tist) that taketh away the sin of the world, yea, the Prophets prophesied of this Messenger, [Page 50]that was to proclaim him to Israel, as is written, Behold I will send my Messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his Temple; for the Law and Pro­phets were untill John the Baptist, point­ing at this promised seed, and since that time the kingdom of God is preached, by a new Ministration, still pointing at him, who was to be head of all things: and Johns Ministry is called the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; Mark 1.1. &c. for his Baptism did preachremission of fins, through faith in Jesus Christ, and did figure out our Salvation through the Spirit that should be given in his name; so that the faith of Gods Church might be rightly guided, and she not be bewildered by wrong imaginations; for thus God guided his Church even from the first promise of him; and therefore John was sent Baptizing with Water, so that by a visible sign, the Church might perceive how Christ should purify them from their sins; and therefore, said John, he shall Baptize you with the holy Ghost, and with fire; he adding fire with the holy ghost, is, that they may conceive aright; for as fire purifies the silver from the cross, or water from uncleanness; or the san that cleanseth the wheat from the chaff; so doth Christ [Page 51]purify us from our fins, which none other can do; and he being the seed of the woman or made of a woman, was made under the law, yea, and past under Johns Ministry also, (for so it became him, for whom are all things, to fulfill [...]ll Righteousness) which was the last Ministry that pointed at his coming; in which Ministration God the Father proclaimed him to be his beloved Son in whom he was well pleased: Thus God himself pointed at him in this Ministration, as also God had before signified unto John, how he should know him, whom he proclai­med to Israel, who was to baptize with the Spirit; for said John, I know him not, but he that sent me to baptize with Water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghost; and I saw and bear record, that this is the Son of God, saith he; for immediately there was a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; and immediately upon this voice from heaven, the Devil driveth him into the wilderness, and there he was in the wilderness forty days tempted of the Devil; yea, he was te [...]ed in all points as we are, sin only ev [...]d.

And after this he [...] and of [Page 52] Judea, and entered into his Office, for the Father loveth the Son, & hath given allthings into his hand, saith John the Baptist; & when he was come into the land of Judea, there he tarried with his disciples, & baptized, John 3.22. & John was at this time baptizing also, v. 23. for John was not yet cast into Prison, v. 24. for his ministry was to continue till Christ was manifested to Israel; so that Jesus and John the Baptist, were both baptizing at one and the same time; Jesus in the Land of Judea, and John in Enon near to Salem; the Disciples of John and the Jews, seeing that another came and baptized besides John v. [...] then there arose a question between some of Johns disciples and the Jews about purifying; and well might this question arise, upon a new ministration; for they knew that Johns Baptism pointed at a puri­fication, whereupon Johns disciples repair to John v. 26. and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold the same bap­tizeth, and all men come to him; and well might they go to John with this question to enquire, for Johns Commission was proper to himself, and not to any of his disciples; for he was a servant, and could not give forth a Commission to another to baptize; and they knew if any other had attempted, by presumption to have taken on themselves [Page 53]his Ministry, it would have been as the offering of strange fire, which the Lord commanded not; for the baptism of John was from heaven, & proper only to himself to baptize, and not another, and all held John as a Prophet in power to that office particularly, and no other person; and therefore this was a Mystery, that neither Johns disciples, nor the Jews, could compre­hend; and therefore Johns disciples repair to him, to inform him in the matter, that another was baptizing in the land of Judea, giving him an account who it was; for Johns Testimony of Christ was, that he that came after him should baptize with the holy-ghost, and with fire, which was the Baptism they expected would have followed Johns Baptism, according to Johns Testimo­ny; but Gods ways are past finding out, till he discovereth them, for Gods pur­pose was to proclaim the name of his belo­ved Son in a higher degree than under Johns Ministry; but when they come to John, he quickly gives them light in the matter; for he was a burning and a shining light, his answer to them is v. 27. a man can re­ceive nothing except it be given him from heaven: thus John soon opens the matter to them, that Christ the Son of God, had his authority from heaven, to impower his [Page 54]disciples to baptize in his name; and fur­ther saith John to them, Ye your selves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but am sent before him, he is the Bride­groom, and hath the Bride; I am his friend, and rejoyce to hear his voice; he must in­crease, but I must decrease; the Father loveth the Son, saith he to them, and hath given all things into his hand. Thus John soon satisfieth his disciples, that Christ was the Son, and had power from heaven given him to impower his Servants to baptize in his name, yea, under this Commission, they did not only baptize, and preach in his name, but did all manner of Cures, and cast out Devils; for the Father glorified the Son, and gave all things into his hand, who had power to send forth his Apostles in his own name, to do all these things, to his glory and honour; and tho' the Apostle John calls this new ministration of Water Baptism, the Baptism of Christ, saying, Jesus Baptized with his disciples, & that he baptized more disciples then John, and that all men came to his Baptism; yet it is to be understood, he did it by his Commission; for saith John at the end of the matter, Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples. So that we may see, God is still guiding the saith of his Church by outward signs, [Page 55]that their faith may be in their head, Christ Jesus, giving honour to him to whom all honour is due, as Son and Heir of all things; and this baptism was still to guide their faith aright to Christ as being already come, and suddainly upon it, under this Ministra­tion, those mighty works did break forth, while John was in Prison; for as soon as John had heard by his disciples, that Christ had given Commission to others, his Mini­stry d [...]reast at once, [...] cast into Prison; for Christ sends forth these in his own name, to Preach and Baptize, and to cure all man­ner of Diseases, to cleanse the Leapers, raise the Dead, and to cast out Devils; and John heard of those mighty works in Prison, and sent two of his disciples to enquire whether they were done by him that was to come after him, whom he had preached, or by some other Prophet; but the Lord returned him a satisfying answer, That it was he. Then suddenly Herod beheaded John in Pri­son, and immediately heard of these mighty works also, and said unto his servant, This is John the Baptist, he is risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him, but Christs same did still increase more and more, according to Johns Testimony, who said, I must decrease, but he must increase; for John did no miracle [Page 56]under his Ministry; but Christs glory is set forth more and more, from one Ministrati­on to another.

But the Spirit is not yet given forth, which John in his Ministry did point at, neither was it to be given, till Christ should be glorified with a Resurrection from the dead; for tho' the Father did glorifie the Son in Johns Ministry, with that lovely voice from heaven, and in the Apostles Ministry, with mighty signs and wonders, which they did in his name, yet in his Sufferings he was least in the Kingdom of Heaven; for he came nor for to be ministred unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Thus we have gone throw two Ministra­tions of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and both carried on under elementary figures, being signs of Sanctification by Jesus Christ, that the Master may have the glory alone, of the vertue or thing thereby signified, be­cause it is divine, as he is divine, and com­eth down from heaven, and therefore is to set forth his glory alone, who is the Lamb of God, and hath the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth; as John saith, I have need to be Baptized of thee.

After these two Ministrations, the Lord of life and glory was crucified for our sins, [Page 57]as before was said; he did not come to be ministred unto, but to minister, and to give his life a Ransom for many; and after, was raised for our Justification, and sudden­ly upon his Resurrection, gave a new Com­mission to his eleven Apostles, which was to be a standing Rule in his Church, till he should come a second time, as he was the Seed of Adam, Abraham and David, yea, in that body which was born of the Virgin Mary, and after crucified, dead and buried, but did not see corruption, being raised from the dead by the mighty power of God, tho' crucified through weakness, as he was the seed of Adam; yet now liveth by the Power of God, and will appear a second time, without sin unto Salvation; for in his first appearing, he was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that is to say, he was made a sacrifice for our sins, so that through this Sacrifice, we might be made the Righ­teousness of God, but he will appear a second time, without sin unto salvation, that is, he will appear a second time & deliver us from all Sorrow, Pain & Misery whatsoever; yea, from Death it self: & this will be the Sal­vation that he will appear in a second time, & hath settled in his Church stated Ordinan­ces in his last Commission; still to guide the faith of his Church, that they may not be bewildered in their imaginations concern­ing him.

[Page 58] ‘ Matt. 28.18. &c. All authority is given unto me, in heaven and in earth, go ye therefore, and make all the Nations Disciples, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and so I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, Amen.’

This Translation all the latter Transla­tors seem to agree unto, and therefore I mention it. In the first place let us ex­amine, when and where this Order or Com­mission was given unto them; where it was given, is to be seen in the 16 and 17 v. Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a Mountain, where Jesus had appointed them; and when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. In the next place, let us search the time when, in Mat. 26.31, 32. Then said Jesus, all ye shall be offended because of me, this night, &c. but after that I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee: Compare this with the 28 Chap. 7 and 10 v. and they testifie, that very early on the first day of the week, while it was yet dark the Angel of the Lord, and the Lord him­self, sent Mary Magdalen in great haste, to tell his disciples, that they should go [Page 59]into Galilee, there they should see him; which was the place he appointed to meet with them, the night in which he was be­trayed: And in the 16. v. it is said, Then the Eleven disciples went away into Galilee into a Mountain, where Jesus had appoint­ed them. And in the 18. v. it appears that there, and then, he gave them this Com­mission. Thus is appears, that this Com­mission was delivered to them in Galilee, and immediately upon their first sight of him after his Resurrection. In the next place, let us view the Commission, with the Orders and Promise annixt to it; first, They are to go under his Authority; second­ly, they are to disciple the nations; thirdly to baptize them; and, fourthly, to teach them to observe all things which Christ had commanded them to teach; and, fifthly, A promise is joyned to the Com­mission, to wit, that Christ himself will be with them alway, even unto the end of the world. From hence we may observe, that this promise is not made only to them; but to all that should after believe through their word, successively, even to the end of the world. In the next place, we are to consider, here is no account, what it was he did order them to teach the rati­ons to observe, neither have we and ac­count, [Page 60]what baptism this was that they were to baptize with; and those are neces­sary things to know, and by the com­mission it self we cannot know them; And tho' the Lord declared them to the Eleven Apostles in private, yet they were to make them publick to the whole world; and therefore we are to consider, we must come to know them by the Apostles Doc­trine and Practice; for this was the way Christ did then intend to make them known by; the next thing in order to know what they did teach, & with what baptism they did baptize with, is to come to their Ministration under this Commission, seeing that was the way Christ did then purpose to make it known by to the Nations.

I question, Whether they entred upon their Ministry, as soon as they received their Commission? Answer, No, for they received their Commission in Galilee, as be­fore hath been proved; and immediately upon the Resurrection of Christ, but he assembled himself with them forty days after this, and commanded them to wait at Jerusalem for the promise of the Spirit, which John the Baptist fore-told of; saying, Is shall baptize you with the holy Ghost, and with Fire, Acts 1.4, 5. But, saith he, wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith [Page 61]he, ye have heard of me; for John truly baptized with Water, but ye shall be bap­tized with the holy Ghost not many days hence. From hence we may observe, that Christ puts his Apostles in mind of that Promise, which the Father promised by John the Baptist concerning himself how that the Son should have that [...] put upon him, as to baptize with the holy Ghost, and signifies it to his twelve Apostles that the time is now at hand, that John for [...]told of, as in the 8th. v. But ye shall receive power, after the holy Ghost [...] come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. From hence it appears, that the Apostles themselves had need to be baptized by Christ, as well as John the Baptist.

Now while they were waiting at Jerusalem with one accord, in one place, suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty Wind, and it filled all the house, where they were sitting; and there appeared unto them cloven Tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them; and they were all filled with the holy Ghost. This is the Baptism which John fore-told of; now we see they are endued with power from heaven, under a second Com­mission [Page 62]to preach the Gospel to all the world, their first was only to the house of Israel; now in the prosecution of their Ministry, we shall come to see, what was before com­manded to them in secret, in their Com­mission, to [...]it, what they were command­ed to tra [...], and with what Baptism they were to Baptize with under this Com­mission; for here is of all Nations under heave, prepared in a readiness, to hear the Doctrine, and to see with what Baptism they were commissionated to bap­tize with, [...] that they may publish it throughout the whole world, even at the very in [...]im of the time that they are im­powered to enter into their Ministry, under the aforesaid Commission; and Johns Te­stimony is fulfilled concerning Christs Bap­tism, who baptizeth with the holy Ghost and with sire, before the eyes of all Nations under heaven. So that it appears, he that gave the Commission, baptizeth with the holy Ghost and with Fire, according to Johns Testimony; but what Baptism they that were commissionated to baptize, it doth not yet appear what it was with, Acts 2.14, But Peter standing up with the Eleven [Note, it is a mutual voice] and said unto them, Hear these words, Jesus a man ap­proved of God, ye have taken and by wicked [Page 63]hands have crucified, whom God hath raised up where of we all are witnesles, &c. Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart, & said unto Peter, & to the rest of the Apostles, (note this that they enquire of Peter & of the rest of the Apostles, what their duty is, accordingly they give them a particular account, First, To Repent, and Secondly, To be baptized, every one of them, in the name of the Lord, for the Remission of sins; and, Thirdly, The Apostles make an abso­lute promise unto them, that upon these terms they shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost. Here it appears plainly, what Doc­trines they were ordered to preach, and what Baptism they were ordered to Baptize with, under this Commission; for now they have discovered it to all nations under hea­ven at once. First, As to their Doctrine, they preach a crucified Christ to them, and testifie to them, that God hath raised him from the dead; and that they are his wit­nesses of the truth of it; this is their Doc­trine which they go to disciple them into the belief of; and it is such a Doctrine which was never before preacht, which Doctrine did prick them to their hearts, and made them cry out to know what was required of them to do? The Apostles an­swer is, Repent, and, Secondly, be baptised [Page 64]in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the Remis­sion of Sins; and, Thirdly, the promise they the afore-mentioned things being done, they shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost. So that this Baptism which they were to baptize with, in this Commission, was such a Baptism, as they could baptize them with, before they received the holy Ghost; for the gift of the holy Ghost was that Baptism which the Apostles themselves were at this time baptized with, before their eyes, and is proper only to Jesus Christ to baptize with, who hath the Spirit without measure, and who alone can baptize with it. So that it appears, this Baptism which the Apostles were to Baptize with, under this Comission, was to guide their faith, in that doctrine which they taught them, to wit, in Christs death and Resurrection, by which faith they should come to obtain the Remission of their sins, and also come to receive the gift of the holy Ghost from him who alone is able to baptize with the Spirit, and thereby to seal to their Ministry and Apostleship. And we have here a further account that they which gladly received his Word, were baptized, and continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine, and in breaking of Bread, and in Prayer: Thus they taught them, as they were ordered in their Commission; for [Page 65]their order in their Commission, was, To teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, saith Christ; and such as received their word, continued in their Doctrine steadfastly. And among other things, we have here an account, that they taught them the Ordinance of breaking of Bread, which was to be a guide to their Faith, that by the death of Christ, his Church comes to be fed with the Bread of Life from heaven, and is to continue in his Church, to shew forth his death till he comes, who hath purchased by his bitter Death, this living Bread sent down from heaven, to feed and nourish his Church with.

Seeing it was the purpose of our Lord to let all the world know, what Baptism they were commissionated to baptize with in this commission, by their publick Mini­stry, let us therefore go on, and view what baptism they did baptize with, and their Successors, who had their information from the Apostles mouthes; for it was the Pro­mise of Christ, in that Commission, to be with them, and with their Successors, in their Ministration, even unto the end of the world; so that we must be guided by their Doctrine and Practice, which is a standing Rule, which Christ hath set in his Church, even unto the end of the world.

[Page 66] In the 8th Chap. of the Acts, we have an accourt, that Phillip had an immediate Call of God, to the work of the Ministry, who was the Apostles Successor in their day and time, who had information from their Mouthes, what their Orders in that Com­mission was, who followed their foot steps, came to Samarita and there preached the Gospel to them, and both men and women believed, and were baptised. Now when the Apostles which were at Jerusalem, heard that the Samaritans had received the Word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, (these are the two chief of them, which received the orders and directons from Christs own Mouth, from whom Phil­lip had his directions,) who when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might recive the holy Ghost; for as yet, he was fallen upon none of them, on­ly they were baptized into the Name of the Lord Jesus; for so all the latter tran­slators agree to, that it is the same word that is in the Commistion, to wit, into the Name of the Lord Jesus; so likewise, where Paul thanked God, he baptized only Crispus and Gaius of the Corinthians lest (saith he) any should say I had baptized into my own name, using the word into according to the Commission; so that it appears, these which [Page 67] Paul baptized with Water, and these which Phillip baptized before they received the holy Ghost, they both baptized them according to the Commission, to wit, into the Name of the Lord Jesus. Now both these Mini­sters were Successors to the twelve Apostles being afterwards immediately called to preach the Gospel, and received this Ordi­nance of Baptism, by tradition, from the Apostles, who delivered it to the Church by Christs order, to be a settled Ordinance, to guide the faith of the Church in Christs death, for the Remission of her sins, that the Church might not be bewildered in her imaginations, concerning the Remission of her sins, but might know it to be by the death of Christ, which Baptisin pointeth at; as will appear more evidently hereafter

So that by this Baptism, they baptized them into a profession of the Name of Jesus Christ, believing that the Remission of their sins came only and alone by the meritorious Death of Jesus Christ, by whom they are justified; and upon this Faith and Baptism Christ himself, as Saviour, bap­tizeth them with the holy Ghost, by which Baptism he seals his name upon them; for it is he only that hath the Seal of the living God, and so seals us to the day of Re­demption, by his holy Spirit; but not the Apostles, nor any other Minister.

[Page 68] And as I before said, when Peter and John were come down, they prayed for them (whom Phillip had before baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus, that is, into the faith of the Lord Jesus,) that they might recive the holy Ghost; for as yet he was fallen upon none of them, (saith the Scripture,) but only they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesns; then laid they their hands on them, and they received the holy Ghost. Thus was Phillips Ministry and Baptism confirmed by the Apostles, and Christ himself from Heaven, so that their Doctrine and Baptism under that Com­mission, was confirmed to their Successors immediately from Heaven; and so Phillip goes on in his Ministry, by the immediate motion of the Spirit of God, and baptizeth the Eunuch, as is written, they both went down into the water and he baptised him.

And in the 10th of the Acts, we have an account, that the Angel of the Lord appeare [...] unto Cornelius, and bid him send for Peter, for (saith the Angel) he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. Thus we may observe, that the Apostles succes­sors were to be informed of them, what they ought to do; for Christ delivered his Orders to them and directed their successors to receive them from their months; so that [Page 69]what they did and taught, was Gods mouth to us; and the Orders they received, was immediate from Christs mouth. Now when Peter was come to Cornelius, he tells him how they slew Christ and hanged him on a Tree, and how that God raised him from the dead, and that they were his witnesses of these things; and while Peter was thus speaking, the holy Ghost fell on all them that heard him: Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid Water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the holy Ghost as well as we? and he com­manded them to be baptized, in the Name of the Lord. From hence we may observe, That Cornelius was ordered to send for Peter to be informed what he ought to do; Secondly, when Peter was come to him, he preached Christ crucified to him and how God raised him from the dead, & c. And, Thirdly, how that while Peter was speaking, the holy Ghost fell on all them that heard him. Fourthly, Let us take notice of Peters Answer, by way of question, Can any man forbid Water, saith he, that these should not be baptized, which have received the holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord. Here is two things observable; the first is, Peter useth it as an undeniable [Page 70]argument, that these ought to be baptized, seeing they had received the holy Ghost; and, Secondly, he that was sent of God, to teach them what they ought to do, com­mands them with Authority to be baptized in the Name of the Lord, from whom he had his Comission to baptize; and this was immediately upon their entrance into their Office, under their last Commission; for in their first Commission, they were sent to preach and to baptize, only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but not to the Gentiles, as hath been already proved; but under this Commission, they are to preach and to baptize all Nations; and this Cornelius was the first of the Gentiles that Peter was sent to, under this Commission, immediate­ly upon his receiving power to preach and baptize under it, as appears in the first of the Acts, 8. v. But ye shall receive Power, after the holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jer [...] ­salem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the Earth. In the 11th chap. of the Acts, it appears, that the Angel did not only bid Cornelius send for Peter, to be informed by him what he should do, but told him also, that Peter should speak words whereby he and all his house should be saved; which salvation was [Page 71]preached to him through Christ crucified; he readily believes the Doctrine, and God seals his Salvation to him, through this faith in Christs Blood; and Baptism is an Ordinance stated by God, to guide the faith of his Church in Christs Blood alone, for the remission of sins; and when Peter saw that the holy Ghost sealed to Cornelius his salvation, through faith in Christs Blood, said he, Can any man forbid Water? his words implyed, seeing our Authority un­der Christs Commission to preach and to baptize, is seen to be from heaven, and therefore under this Commission, he com­mands them with Authority to baptize.

And as to the Apostle Paul, tho' he was immediately called of God to preach the Gospel, (as all Gods Ministers are,) yet he was the Apostles Successor, and therefore must receive his orders successively; for he comes under the order of their Commission and therefore when the Lord first appeared unto him, Paul said, What shall I do Lord? and the Lord said unto him, arise, and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. Thus he is ordered to receive his Directions from his Predecessors, they must be Christs mouth to him, which is agreeable to the Scriptures handing them [Page 72]down to us, from their mouth; for when Annanias came to him, to inform him what he should do, and had laid his hands on him so that he had received his sight, and was filled with the holy Ghost, why tarriest thou (saith Annania [...]) arise and be baptized, Acts 22.16. compared with Acts 9.17, 18. Thus it appears that baptism is a stated Ordinance in the Church, by Christs Com­mission to his Apostles, and none since called in particular, immediately of God to baptize, tho' they are called of God im­mediately to preach the Gospel; but it is to be practised as an Ordinance delivered to the Church, according to Pauls Testimony, [...] Cor. 11.2. Now I praise you Bretheren, that you remember me in all things, and keep the Ordinances, as I delivered them to you. Thus the Church of Christ, is to be in the practise of the Ordinances of Christ from the information of the Scriptures, as Cornelius and Paul, who were the Apostles [...]uccessors, were to be informed from the mouth of their Predecessours, concerning the Ordinances of Christ, so that Cornelius and his house were commanded to be bapti­zed; but we have no account that Peter was the Person that baptized them, another might do it; so likewise Paul was command­ed to be baptized, but we have no account [Page 73]that Annanias was commanded to do it [...] tho' he was Christs mouth to teach Paul the Ordinance, and to require him to arise and be baptized, as Peter was Christs mouth to Cornelius, and commanded him to be bap­tized; so than they were Christs Mouth to shew them their duty: but some others might baptize them; for Baptism is a figure delivered to the Church, to point at Christs Death and Resurrection, by whom we have obtained remission of sins; and there is no vertue in it self, but it is a necessary figure, of our salvation by Christs Death; so that Paul might well say he was not sent to bap­tize, but to preach the Gospel; for a necessity was laid upon him to do the one, but not the other: but it appears by Pauls words, that they were all baptized; for saith he, was Paul crucified for you? or were ye bap­tized into the the Name of Paul? which speech is directed to every individual person in the Church of Corinth, as much to one as to another, and therefore imports, as Christ was crucified for them all, so they were all baptized into his Name, with thi [...] baptism, which he himself baptized so fe [...] of them with; and he gives the reason, why he thanks God he baptized no more of them, to wit, lest any should say that I had bap­tized into mine own name; and we read [Page 74]frequently of Pauls baptizing in other places, all which shews, that that Institution of baptism, given in that Commission to the Apostles, was attended by the Churches of Christ, and Paul [...] baptizing so few of the Corinthians, and yet his words shewing, that they were all baptised, doth manifest that it was a necessary thing to be done by the hands of others, and not to be omitted, and that it was attended duly by the Churches of Christ.

We have an account in Acts 19. that Paul found certain disciples, of whom he enqui­red, Whether they had received the holy Ghost, fince they believed? and they an­swered, they had not so much as heard whether there be any holy Ghost; and he said unto them, Into what then were ye baptised? From hence we may observe, that Paul understanding that they were Disciples, he took it for granted that they were bap­tised, which shews is was a general practise in the Church, their answer to Paul is, With Johns Baptism; Pauls reply to them is, That John baptized unto Repentance, to believe on him who was to come after him, that was on Christ, saith he; and when they heard this, they were baptized into the Name of the Lord Jesus; and when Paul had laid his hands on them, the holy Ghost [Page 75]came on them. Here we may observe, that Paul acts by the same Rule as Peter and John did; for when they heard that there was some that believed, and were baptized into the Name of the Lord Jesus, they went and laid their hands on them, and they re­ceived the holy Ghost. And, no doubt but multitudes, that were baptized with Johns baptism, which was to believe on him which was to come after him, were after baptised into the Name of the Lord Jesus; for John was sent before to make ready a people for the Lord, and it is said, that all Judea, and Jerusalem, was baptised of John in the River of Jordan; and after when Jesus came into the Land of Judea, and tarried with his disciples, and baptised, it is said that all men came to him, and that he made and baptized more disciples than John, tho' he himself baptized not; for he did it by his Commission, and it is evident, that these were baptised into the Name of the Lord Jesus with Water by Paul, and that he af­terwards laid his hands on them, and then they received the holy Ghost, Acts 19.5, [...].

And the Apostel Peter, who was one of the eleven, to whom the Orders under that Commission was given, hath left in writing, a plain testimony concerning Water Bap­ [...]ism, 1 Pet. 3.21. The like figure [Page 76]whereunto even Baptism, doth also now save us, not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good Con­science towards God, by the resurrection of of Jesus Christ. Whereas he saith, the like figure, he alludes from the Destruction of the old World, and the Salvation of Noah and his house by Water, which was a figure of the Churches Salvation by Christ, the promised seed to come, who was to be her head, and the Saviour of her Body; Baptism [saith he] is the like figure; so that he speaks of Baptism as it is a figure, deliver­ed to the Chruch, now saveth us [saith he] that is, it is a figure of our salvation by Christ; he speaketh by the figure, as Christ, doth in the like case, when he gave his Disciples the Bread and Wine, which were but figures, saying, This is my Body which is broken for you; and when he gave them the Cup of wine, he said, This is my Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many; yet these were but figures of his Body and Blood, as Baptism is a figure of our Salvation by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, not [saith Peter] the puting away of the filth of the flesh; that is, the figure only washeth the outward man, but we have the answer of a good Conscience by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which Baptism [Page 77]is a figure of; but the washing of the filt [...] of the flesh, is only the work of the figure, and the figure is to point out how we come by this Baptism, which cleanseth us from our sins; for it is not Sufficient for us to know, that it is the Spirit that bap­tizeth us from out sins, but the main thing is to know how we came by the gift of the Spirit; and this knowledge is to be guided by the figure; for Peter telleth us in the 18. v. That Christ was put to death in the flesh, that he might bring us to God; for we come to cease from sin, by his Suffer­ing in the flesh for us, 1 Pet. 4▪1. he also being quickened by the Spirit, and so raised from the dead, by th [...] Resurrection of his, the spirit flows from the head into the body, and cleanse [...] us; and thus we come to have a good Conscience towards God, even by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ; so that our good Conscience comes by our Spiritual Baptism, and our Spiritual Baptism, comes by Christs Death and Resurrection, so that our good Conscience is the answer or eccho but not the voice, but the figure points at the voice, but not at the eccho, and there­fore for any to say, I am baptized with the Spirit, I have no need of the figure, is great ignorance, under a high notion of a conceit­ed knowledg [...], not yet seeing what the figure [Page 78]points at; and it is a naked contradiction of plain Scripture Testimony; for when Paul had received his fight, and was filled with the holy Ghost, saith the Lord Jesus to him by the mouth of Annanias, whom he sent to direct Paul what to do, Why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized. And when the holy Ghost fell upon Cornelius and his house, the Lord Jesus commanded them (by the mouth of Peter, whom he sent to teach them what they ought to do), to be baptiz­ed; and Peter, who was one of the Eleven under that Commission, makes a challenge, by way of question, saying, Can any man forbid Water, that these should not be baptized which have received the holy Ghost as well as we? And so he that the Lord sent to teach them what to do, upon this very reason, of seeing them baptized with the holy Ghost, commands them to be baptized, (and it is evident) with Water.

So that while such as these are judging their Brethren, which wanted the light to read the book of their directions, who only [...]dolize the book, from an excellent name that it hath, but have no light to read it by, and they themselves coming to see morning light appear, have been so transported a [...] the sight of day light, that they have thrown away the book of their Directions, as a [Page 79]useless thing; and tread it under their feet, and have bewildred themselves in day light, and brought themselves into a worse condi­tion than their Bretheren, whom they judged, because they had not morning light to read the book, and will come off with greater shame, for throwing away their Masters Book of direction, & treading it un­der their feet, tho' they had morning light to have read it by, so that it might have been usefull to them, [...]ho' not to the other.

BAptism as it is a figure, it is to guide our faith aright, that thro' our faith in the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we come to dye to sin, and are quickened or raised up together with him, to newness of life; for our body of sin is crucified, dead and buried, through the offering of the Body [...]f Jesus for us, so that we have a sight, sense and feelling in own selves, of what the holy Scriptures bears witness of, concerning Jesus Christ being that one sacrifice for sin, so that we can see to our seal to the truth of the Scripture [...] [Page 80]by the vertuous effects (of the suffering of Jesus Christ) operating in us, through the application of the Spirit, which not only mortifies and kills sin in us; but also in his name it quickens, and raises us up to newness of life; so that the outward figure represents that the death and burial of our body of sin, comes by the death of Christ for our sins: so that his death, burial, and resurrection, with our death to sin, and re­surrection out of a state of sin, into a state of righteousness, is repersented in this outward figure; as also the resurrection of the body, which also comes by Christ, is held forth by this outward figure, and therefore saith the Apostle, Rom. 6.3, 4, 6. ‘Know ye not, that so many of us as w [...]re baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death, therefore we are buried with him, by baptism, into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead, by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life; knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed C [...]l. 2.12. buried with him, in baptism, wherein ye are also risen with him, thro' the faith, of the operation of God; who hath raised him from the dead, [...] Cor. 15.2 [...] Else what shall they do, which are Baptized for [Page 81]the dead if the dead rise not [...] why are they then bapti [...]ed for the dead [...]’ Thus it appears, that the figure should be admini­stred by a burial in the Water, as it is a figure not only of our death to sin, by the death of Christ for our sins, as also a Resurrection to newness of life, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ; but it is a figure also of the death and resurrection of our body, which resurrection comes by the second Adam. And God instructed his Church and People of old, by the like figure, as Noah and his house, being eight persons, were Saved by the like figure, in an Ark or Coffin, being buried in the water, and yet obtained salvation in that figure; for he and his house represented the New Creature, or new man in Christ, but the old World re­presented the Old Man, or body of sin that was to perish, and rise no more, till unto judgment. And also Israel was bap­tized in the cloud, and in the sea, unto Moses; for they went down into the midst of the sea, the waters being a wall on their right hand, and on their left; and thus were they buried in the Cloud and in the Sea, in this baptism unto Moses, which was their salvation, held forth in that figure, for they were a figure of the New man, whose salvation came by the death, burial [Page 82]and resurrection of Jesus Christ their head; but the Egyptians represented the body of sin, which was to rise no more till unto the second judgment, but Israel got the Victory over Death. Baptism is the like figure, which figureth out our salvation by Jesus Christ; our body of sin being dead and bu­ried with him, who suffered for it on the cross, and also, we are raised together with him, to Newness of life; so that we have already gotten a good Conscience towards God, by having a part in the first Resur­rection with Christ, who will be the judge of the second death.

Concerning the Lords Supper.

VVHen God delivered his people out of Egypt, he ordained an Ordi­nance in his Church, called the Lords Pas­sover; which Ordinante did point at Christ, who was the real Lamb of God, figured out by that Ordinance, which was to guide the faith of Gods Church to the promised seed of the Woman, till he should come; which Ordinance continued in the Church, till it was fulfilled in the Kingdom of God; [...] very night, in which Jesus eat [...] he was be­trayed, [Page 83]tho' he freely offered up himself for our sins, that he might redeem us from our vain Conversations; and in the time of his eating that Passover with his Disc [...]ples, he instituted a new Gospel Ordinance to guide the faith of his church in himself, as being already come, as the Apostle Paul saith, 1 Cor. 5.7. for eve [...] Christ our Pas­sover is sacrificed for us, he having thus once appeared by the Sacrifice of himself, to put away sin, hath left an Ordinance with his Church, called the Lords Supper, to be observed by his Church, till he shall appear a second time, without sin unto salvation; for in his first appearance, he was made sin for us, [...] knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. And all the Sacrifices for sin before his com­ing, was to guide the faith of his Church, to this one Sacrifice, which they all pointed at, that the Church of God might believe and know, by these Ordinances before ap­pointed of God, that God had ordained them another head, in the room of Adam, who by his disobedience, brought death and misery upon himself, and upon all hi [...] Posterity, but by the righteous Life, bitter Death, and glorious Resurrection of this second Adam, a Resurrection from Sin, Misery and Death, is brought to light; so [Page 84]that this Lamb of God, is the one and only sacrifice for our sins, as the Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 1.18. for as much as ye know, that ye were not redeemed with corrupti­ble things, as Silver and Gold, from your vain Conversation, but with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish, and without spot, who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, yea, God chose us in him our head, before the foundation of the world, and by his free grace called us in him, that we should be holy, by being made partaker of that holiness, which was with him before the foundation of the world was laid, and therefore the Lamb of God, that was sacri­ficed for us, is worthy to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Honour, and Glory, and Strength, for he was slain for us, and hath purchased for us the true and living bread of life, yea, God the father hath sealed our salvation to us, by the Blood of this Lamb of God. And our Lord Jesus Christ, (at the cessation of that Passover, which was to guide the faith of his Church in him that was to come, till he should come and fulfill that Ordinance in the Kingdom of God, by the sacrifice of himself,) hath settled a New-Testament Ordinance in his Church; to shew forth his [Page 85]death till he shall come a second time in glory; which Ordinance is to shew, that his Church hath the remission of sins by the sheding of his Blood, and to shew and to keep in memory, that the Bread of Life, which is given us, is purchased for us by his bitter death; this is the end of Christs settling this Ordinance in his Church, that his Church may ascribe that glory to him which is due to him, who hath purchased these things for us at so dear a rate; so that this Ordinance is not so much to set forth the gift, as it is to set forth the price that purchased the gift for us; for if a man will give his own life, to save the life of his friend, this is a price of great value, worth the consideration; but Christ hath laid down his life, to redeem ours, while we were his enemies. And therefore for any to say, I have bread from heaven, by which I live, and am daily nourished by it; the outward Bread can but feed my outward man, I have drank of the Spirit of Life, which is the Cup of my Con­solation, by which I shall thirst no more; this makes my heart glad more than a Cup of Wine, which will only refresh the outward man.

To which I Reply; Dost thou glory in this excellent gift of Meat and Drink, which thy soul is [...] with, and not tremble at the consideration of the unvaluable Price [Page 86]that thy friend gave to purchase this hea­venly food for thee, whilst thou wast his Enemy, and therefore thou are come to disregard his Ordinance, which is to put thee in mind of it, which was with no less price then his Body and Blood; so that it is the Body and Blood of thy Friend, which thou dost eat and drink, who gave his own life to redeem thine. And therefore I advise thee to take heed, that whilst thou art so much glorying in the gift, thou come to forget thy obedience to the giver, in looking at his Ordinance of so little value, in comparison of the gift, which he bath purchased for thee, with his Body and Blood, as not to be worth thy while to attend his Ordinance, which is to put thee in mind of the Price which purchased the gift for thee.

What the Lords Supper is to shew forth, and how it is to be administred.

IT was the Apostle Paul that delivered this Ordinance to the Gentile Church, he being called of God to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles; and his call was some time after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and after the giving of the holy Ghost in [Page 87]that plentiful manner to the twelve Apotles, who under that gift of the Spirit, were en­d [...]ed with power from an high, to go forth under their second Commission, to preach the Gospel to all the world, accord­ingly they did, to all nations under heaven. At this time, this Apostle Paul was a Per­secutor of the Church in its flourishing state; for it was said before his Call, Acts 6.7. The Word of the Lord increased, and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jeru­salem greatly; for after the Resurrection & Ascention of our Lord, he sent the Comfor­ter, even the Spirit of truth, to abide with them forever, according to the promise which he had made to them, the night in which was betrayed, John. 14.16. and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you an­other Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, This Comforter is his divine Presence which did appear to them after his bodily presence was with-drawn from them. Now after these things, the Lord Jesus appeared to Paul, with his bodily pre­sence, and of his free grace called him into the faith of himself, which was the last sight of him, before Paul wrote the 1 Cor. 15.8. And this Apostle gives the Corinthians an account, [...] after these things, that he received of the Lord this Ordinance, which [Page 88]he [...]d delivered to them, Cor. 11.23. &c. ‘For I have received of the Lord, that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed, took Bread, and when he had given Thanks, break it, and said, Take, eat, this is my Body which is bro­ken for you; this do in remembrance of me: After the same manner also, he took the Cup when he had supped, saying, This Cup is the New-Testament in my Blood; this do ye as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me; for as often as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, ye do shew the Lords Death till he come.’

From hence we may observe, that this Ordinance was delivered to the Gentile Churches, by the order of Jesus Christ, after he had plentifully manifested unto his Apostles, and their successors, his divine presence, by a clear manifestation of his God-head, [...] their own souls; and the end of it was, to shew forth his death, which was the purchase of the holy Chest for us; for saith the Apostle to them, As often as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, ye do shew the Lords Death till he come; for at this time, when this Ordinance was delivered to them, his bodily presence was withdrawn from his Church and People, [Page 89]but they were in the enjoyment of his di­vine presence; for he did not leave his Church comfortless; for their Comforter was with them, and dwelt in them, and was the object of their Faith and Hope, tho' his bodily Presence was withdrawn from them, for a time; but he hath left this Ordinance with them, to keep in memory the unvaluable Price which he gave to pur­chase this Comforter for them, which Com­forter is the Fruit of the Tree of Life, which we come at by the death of the inno­cent, who was cut down by the Cherubims and flaming Sword of Gods Justice, due to us for our fins, that we might escape the judgment of the second Death; and he hath left this Ordinance with his Church, to keep in memory his Death, which is our life; for his Body and Blood was the pur­chase and Redemption of our Life, from the second death: so that we really eat his flesh, and drink his blood, seeing this spiritual meat and drink (which we live by) was purchased for us with his Body and Blood; and this Ordinance is to keep the purchase of it in our memory: for the pur­chase is abscuted from us, tho' we enjoy that which is purchased; for the ordinance is to shew forth the death of him that is absented, till he come, who was the sacrifice for us, [Page 90]or Lamb of God, who hath washed us from our sins in his own blood; for it was the price of his Blood that hath purchased the holy Spirit for us, by which spirit we are justified, and sanctified; so that the ordi­nance is to guide our faith in that one Sacri­fice, offered for our sins; and therefore when he divided the Bread among them at Supper, he said, This is my Body which is broken for you, this do in remembrance of me: As much as if he should say, This Ordinance is to put you in mind, that by the sacrifice of my body, I have purchased this Bread of Life, which is divided among you. After the same manner he also took the Cup, when he had supped, saying, This Cup is the New-Testament in my Blood, this do as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me: As much as if he should say, This Cup is to put you in mind, that you have obtained the remission of your sins, through the shedding of my Blood; under the Old Testament they of­fered the Blood of Bulls and Goats, to guide the faith of Gods elect to this Blood, of the New-Testament, which is the sub­stance; and our Lord Jesus hath left this Ordinance with his Church to guide her faith in his Blood already shed for us; say­ing, This do in remembrance of me; and saith the Apostle, for as often as ye eat this Bread [Page 91]and drink this Cup, ye do shew the Lords Death till he come; and this coming of the Lord, the Apostle doth not intend to be in his divine Nature, but in our Nature, as he offered himself, for it was the coming of him, who had been dead, that this Ordi­nance directed their faith to look for, a second time; for he exhorts those very per­sons, in the 2 Cor. 13.5. saying to them, Examine your selves, whether you be in the saith, prove your own selves, know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? Here it appeareth, that Christ was with them, and in them at this very time in his divine nature, except such as were reprobates; for it was his divine nature in them, which brought them out of a reprobate state, and made them worthy Communicants; for this self examination was to be in a special manner, before they came to this Table, as appears in the 1 Cor. [...].28. But let a man examin himself, and so let him eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup, Com­pare this with the following vers [...]. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eat­eth and drinketh Damnation to himself, not discrning the Lords Body. Thus is appeareath, that such only who are partake [...]s [...] [Page 92]the Lords Body offered for them; and the purchase of, it is Christs divine Nature, manifested in our Nature, in which nature our Election stands, or our justification and our sanctification stands, in this divine nature, which we are made partakers of, through faith in Christ; and out of this nature we are in a Reprobate state, and unclean in Gods sight; let our conversation be never so blameless in the sight of man, yet out of this nature, we are unclean in Gods sight, and unworthy Communicants, and do but eat and drink our own Damna­tion, not discerning the Lords Body offered for us, and are guilty of his Body and Blood.

As to the Administring of this Ordinance, it was first Ministred by our Lord himself, and after delivered by him to Paul, and by Paul delivered to the Gentile Churches, as appeareth in the 1 Cor. 11. the time attend­ed was at Supper time; they did not only eat Bread, but eat their Bread, with their other meat.

[Page 93] Here followeth some account concerning a dead Faith, which never purifieth the Soul, which faith Hypocrites live and dye in a vain hope.

secondly, concerning a Living Faith, by which faith Gods Elect come to know Jesus Christ to be an acceptable Sacri­fice for their sins, through the Sancti­fication of the Spirit.

First, As to a dead faith, there may be a be­lief, by the hearing of the ear, which may beget either a terror in the soul, or a comfort; as thus, the ear hearing that there is a terrible God, that will execute the fierce­ness of his wrath against the guilty, and the heart believing the truth of it, it may beget a terror in the guilty; on the con­trary, the report of Gods free and rich Mercy in Jesus Christ to the worst of sinners the heart hoping and believing the truth of it, it may beget a joy and comfort in the worst of sinners; and yet they never come to Repentance, so as to deny themselves, as to break off from their sins, and son never come to partake of that Mercy of God by Jesus Christ, and yet may at times, yea, at every [Page 94]thought of it, rejoyce in hope, while in the land of the living, and yet perrish eternal­ly; and no doubt but this may be the state of a great part of the world, where the re­port of Gods Mercy in Jesus Christ is heard; upon which report they may imbody them­selves into Church fellowship, & idolize God [...] Ordinances, having a very high esteem and partake of them, tho' altogether unworthi­ly; & so continue in a Church fellowship, & in breaking of Bread in Paryer, with the mouth and lips, and with an unclean heart; yea, and all done in as exact a form as possible can be imitated, from the report of the holy Scriptures, and think all they do is duty to God, through their ignorance, by reason of a bad Conversation, and yet when they shall come before his judgment seat, their consciences will testifie against them, that it was all done in hypocrisie: and they shall receive their portion with hypocrites even in the hottest place of hell fire, where they shall ever be tormented, not only for their actual sins, in transgressing the law of God, but chiefly for their hypocrisie; and yet in the time of their doing of those dead works, they thought them to be their duty to God, through their ignorance, by reason of a bad conversation, tho' all the time their [...] them, that they [Page 95]lived in their fins; yet they considered not that the sacrifice of the wicked was an abo­mination to the Lord: This is the very state of Hypocrites, whose portion shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, who consi­dered not in the day of it, that God requi­red of them the fruits of Righteousness, which they did not bring forth, but were dead in their sins & trespasses, and so offer­ed to God only the Prayer of the Wicked, even as the hypocrites did of old, Isa. 1.11, &c. ‘To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me, saith the Lord, when ye come to be seen before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my Courts? The New-Moons and Sab­baths, the calling of Assemblies, I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting; your New Means and your so­lemn Feasts my Soul [...]a [...]e [...]h, they are a trouble unto me, I am weary to bear them; and when you spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you; when you multiply prayers I will not hear.’ And the reason why these thing were [...] on to the Lord, was because they were attend­ed with an unclean heart, [...] 16, 17, 18 [...], and this is the very path that Hypocrites now [...] they will [...] in the Sinagogue, or publick [...] and [Page 96]under a pretence make long prayers, shak­ing their heads, and lifting up their unholy hands, with an unclean heart; these shall receive the greater damnation; for by these hypocritical lying signs and wonders, they would deceive the very elect, if it were possible; These are the generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness: These are they that say, stand by thy self, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou: These are they that make clean the out side of the Cup and Platter, but within are full of extortion, and excess: These are they that have a form of Godlyness, but deny the power thereof: These are they that have been judging and condemning those that have obtained clean inside, through the sanctification of the spirit of truth, and have laid down their lives for the testimony of Jesus Christ, and yet have not medled with the outward figures of the New-Testa­ment [...] These are they which draw near to God with their mouths, and honour him with their lips, but their hearts are far from him. And thus they cover themselves with an out side profession, but not with the spirit of the Lord, adding sin to their sin, even hypocrisie to their transgression: These are they that are a sinoke in Gods [Page 97]nose, a fire that burneth all the day, whom God will recompence into their own bosom, the works of their own hands; for their Faith is a dead Faith, and their Prayers are dead works, and their coming under the outward figure of Baptism is a Lye; for they are not clean from their sins, and their partaking of the Lords Supper, is their eating and drinking their own damnation, being guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord, not discerning his body. These are they which have not on their wedding Gar­ment, who shall be bound hand and foot, and cast into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

BUt when any hear the report that the Scriptures make of Gods Mercy in Jesus Christ, or by hearing it preached, and so to hope in it, as to cry to God with a true heart, yea, with a godly sorrow for sin, God sends forth the Spirit of his Son into them, which Spirit reveals to them his love and pity in Christ Jesus, and gives them a certain knowledge that all their sins past are freely forgiven them, so that there re­mains [Page 98]no longer any fear of Gods wrath; for where remission of sin is, there remains no guilt upon the Conscience, and there­fore there can be no fear of wrath, for this spirit sanctifies the inward parts from the defilement of sin, and not only so, but shews its strength against the power of sin; for this Spirit is Christ in his God-head, and is a spirit of greater power and autho­rity, than the power of sin, that rules [...]n the Children of Disobedience, so that it makes us free from sin, Rom. 6.18, 21. Job. 8.56, and so consequently free from the fear of Gods Wrath, yea, it is the comfor­ter of the soul, for it gives the soul a sight of God, yea, it gives a sight of what the ear before did only hear by the report of the Scriptures, but now the eye seeth the truth of what the Scriptures before made report of, and can say in truth with Job, I have heard of thee with the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye see thee; yea, the mouth can truly say with the Samaritans, We believe not because of thy saying, for we have heard him our selves, and know indeed that this is the very Christ, the Sa­viour of the world; for now the soul hath received the end of its hope; it did ho [...]e to mercy and forgiveness of sin, through the report that the Scripture made of Go [...]s [Page 99]Mercy by Jesus Christ, but now the re­penting Sinner hath fully received the end of his hope, and doth believe by the sight of the eye, that his sins are forgiven him, and that he is fully reconciled to God by Jesus Christ; for this knowledge cannot be only from the report of the the Scripture, or preaching of the Gospel, but must be by the sight of the eye, in seeing that God hath done the work in us; for if our faith be only upon the Scriptures report, or preaching of men, it is only the Hypocrites Faith, who hopes in Gods Promise of Mer­cy, and yet notwithstanding live and dye in their sins; for it is the Spirit of God that gives us that which we hope for, the Scrip­tures do but make a report of Gods Mercy in Jesus Christ, to the penitent sinner, and the penitent sinner believing in that Pro­mise, doth patiently wait under hope for it, by earnest Prayer and Godly Sorrow for sin; upon which patience and hope God sends the spirit of his Son into their hearts, and then they receive the end of their hope; for a man hopes no longer, because he now rejoyceth in that he hath received the end of his hope, even the salvation of his Soul; for the spirit of God it self witnesseth to us with our spirit, that we are the Sons of God; and this is the end of our [...] for [Page 100]can we ho [...]e for that which we have already received; for we having already received the spirit of adoption, by it we come to see that we are the Sons of God; so that our faith is now by the sight of our eye, as is written, Job. 20 8. And he saw and believed; for the state of the sinner is like the leper, that did believe that Christ was able to cleanse him; but when Christ had cleansed him, he obtained the end of his hope, and by the sight of the eye did see and believe that he was cleansed: This is the state of every penitent Sinner; for they receive the spirit of faith, and this faith is a living faith, and doth as much excel the Hypo­crites faith, as the receiving of a thing doth excel the fancy of a thing; for a man can­not give his evidence that a thing is true, by the report of it, tho' he believe it to be true. It was a true report that the Queen of Sheba heard of Solomons glory, but when her eyes came to see the King in his glory, it did far excel the same of what she did hear of him in her own Country; it would rejoyce the hearts of condemned Traytors, only to hear a report that their King was minded to grant a pardon for them, but if it never came forth, their joy perisheth with them: This is the joy of the hypo­crites hope: But when the Kings Hand and [Page 101]Seal comes to the sight of their eyes, O how glad are their hearts! with what boldness can they go into his presence, with thanks­giving and joy! This is the very state of every repenting sinner, they have the par­don of their sins under the Kings Seal, and rejoyce in that their own eyes see it, under the hand and seal of God, written and sealed upon their own hear [...]s, with the Spirit of the living God, 2 Cor. 1.22 who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spi­rit in our hearts. Thus Gods Children have received in earnest from Gods hand, his Spirit in this life to confirm to them their certainty of their everlasting happiness, [...] Job. 5.10. he that believes on the Son of God, [...] the witness in himself; so that the Children of God have not only the Seal of God, and witness of God, but also he hath given them his spirit in earnest, to confirm to them the certainty of the Re­mission of their Sins, and to confirm to them their he [...]-ship of eternal Life; so that their faith is not upon a [...] report but from the fight of their [...] Scripture is the witness of men, of what they were eye witnesses of and we believe their report, as the Queen of Sheba heard of Solomons glory by them (no doubt) that were eye witnesses; but she could not be­lieve [Page 102]that his glory was so great, as the same of it was; but when she took that journey from the uttermost parts of the earth, and came to behold the King, saith she, The one half was not told [...], Thou exceedest the same thereof; so the holy scripture is the report of them that were eye witnesses of the Majesty and glory of Christ, and we believe them to be true, by hear-say, according to what the Apostle Peter saith, Acts 5▪32. And we are his witnesses of these things, and so is also the holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him; This Testimony of the holy Ghost is immediate from God, to every one that doth obey him, and is a greater witness than the Scripture, because it is immediate from the mouth of God; but the Scripture is from a second hand, and not immediate, being the witness of men, of what they saw and heard; but saith the Apostle John 1 Job. 5.9, 10. If we receive the witnes of men, the witness of God is greater; he that believeth on the son of God, hath the witness in himself; So that the faith of Gods elect, is from the sight of their own eyes, and in hearing the Voice of God with their own ears, immedi­ately from his own mouth; and this is the state of Gods faithful Children; for they behold the face of God in his holy Temple, [Page 103]and hear his Voice, according to the testi­mony of the holy Scripture, Hebr. 11.27. By faith Moses forsook Egypt, as seeing him who was invisible, Isa. 6.5. Then said I, Wo is me, for I am undone, for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts, Job 42.5. But now mine eye seeth thee, yea, every one of Gods faithful Children do behold the glory of the Lord, with open face, as in a glass, 2 Cor. 3, 18. for that spirit sent into our hearts is the Lord Jesus in his divine nature, as in the 17. v. for the second Adam is a quickning Spirit, 1 Cor. 15.45. If any man have not this spirit in him, he is none of Christs, Rom. 8.9. nei­ther is he in this faith; for it is the sight of this spirit in us that is the ground of our faith; for it reveals to us our salvation by Christ, so that our faith is from the sight of our own eyes, and from the hearing of Gods Voice with our own ears, who testifieth to us. That Jesus is the Christ, our Anointed Sa­viour, 2 Cor. 4.13. It is this spirit that speaks in us, and teacheth us what Gods will is, 1 Job. 2.27. But the annointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you: This anointing is the Spirit of truth, which all Gods faithful Children are anoin­ted [Page 104]with; for it is the Oyl of gladness which Christ was anointed with above his fellows, for he hath the spirit without mea­sure, because in him dwelleth the fullness of the God-head bodily, that is, he is very God, it is this spirit in us, that is the Righ­teousness of Christ and made ours, for through faith in him we come to receive it; it is this spirit in us which is the very strength of God made perfect in us, against the strength and power of sin; yea, this Spirit is Jesus Christ in his divine Nature dwelling in [...], 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith, prove your own selves, know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be Reprobates? for it is the living creating Word of God, that made all things in the beginning, that gives us strength against the wicked One, 1 Job. 2, 14. I have written unto you Young men, be­cause ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked One, This is that very Word which created all things, and after was made flesh, and is become a great high Priest unto his people, being called of God as was Aaron; And his people know in themselves the truth of the Scriptures Testimony of his being so; But they that are in a dead faith [Page 105]only believe him to be so by the report of the Scriptures, but are not made partakers of the benefit of his Priestly Office, and therefore have no experimental knowledge of the Truth of the Scripture; for he is not their high Priest, tho' they hypocritically profess him to be so, not being partakers of the benefit of his Priestly Office. Now the reason of the difference of these two states is this, tho' the first tidings of the report that Jesus Christ is a High Priest, comes by the Scripture, and they both be­lieve the report by one and the same faith at the first; yet they do not both take the same course, to be benefited in his Priestly Office, for the one doth endeavour to be benefited in his Priestly Office by Repentance and earnest Prayer and Supplication to God, for the pardon of all theis sins, hoping to obtain it, accordingly they do; for upon this Repentance and hope, God confirms to them the truth of the scriptures Report, in taking away the guilt of their sins from off their Consciences; for where remission of sin is, there remains no more guilt upon the Conscience; for God sends the Spirit of his Son into their inward parts, and sancti­fies them and makes them inwardly clean and holy; and thus their historical faith is become a living faith; for now they are [Page 106]come to know the truth of the Scriptures report; so that now their faith is from an inward sight: But the other taketh another course; for they believing the scriptures report, concerning Christs Priestly Office, with a dead faith, or an historical faith, they come to obtain a dead hope of mercy and forgiveness of their sins; and upon this faith and hope, they imbody themselves into an outward Church fellowship, and partake of the Ordinances, and under this dead faith and dead hope, they offer to God abundance of dead Prayers, and all this is done in their sinful state: So that these never come to know the certainty of the truth of the Scriptures report, nor see the state of the other; and so much the exacter they walk according to the letter of the Scripture, (tho' they have no fellowship with the Spirit of God) so much greater is their delusion.

But the other are really freed from the guilt and polution of sin, through Christs Priestly Office, according to the Scriptures testimony, Rom. 6.18. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of Righteousaess. 22. v. being now made free from sin, and become servants to God, for by this one Offering he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified; Heb. 10.14; Thus [Page 107]they came to have real peace with God, and come to see this wonderful and admi­rable change wrought in themsevles, through the Scriptures Report con [...]erning Jesus Christ being a great high Priest, in the house of God, who hath offered such an acceptible Sacrifice to God, by the sheding of his own Blood, that they are assured in themselves of the remission of their sins; for before the remission of their sins, they had the Spirit of fear attended them, be­ing then under the guilt of sin, but now though faith, in the offering of the body of Jesus, they have received the spirit of Adoption, and can truly call God Father, in a full assurance of faith; for the Spirit of Adoption is the object of their faith; for it hath sanctified their inward parts, and cleansed them from all sin so that old things are done [...], and all things are become new, according to what is written, 2 Cor 5.17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a New Creature, old things are past away, behold all thing are become new. This wonderful change hath God wrought in every one that is interested in Christs Priestly Office; for they see this great work wrought in themselves, with their own eyes, for the old things which are now gone away, were the effect and [Page 108]fruit of their body of sins, but now their body of sin is nailed to the Cross of Christ, that is, Christ hath suffered for them on the cross, and this Offering God hath ac­cepted for a full Satisfaction, and hath signified it to them, by freeing them from their sin, and so creating all things a new in them, so that now they are become new Creatures; and all that are under a profession of being Christians, and do not see this change wrought in themselves, they are Hypocrites and Anti-christians, and are not interested in Christs Priestly Office, and do but lye, in saying, Christ is their Priest, for they are none of his Church, but are of the Synagogue of Satan, according to what is written, Rev. 3.9. ‘Behold, I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lye;’ behold, they shall come and wor­ship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. But all that are intrusted in Christs Priestly Office, see this great work of Mortification and Sanctification wrought in themselves, and can say in truth, that Jesus Christ is their Priest, not because the scripture said he is a Priest, for these are eye witnesses of the truth of it, being partakers of the benefit of it, accor­ding to what is written, Gal., 3.1. before [Page 109]whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you; the Apostle speaks in this place of Scripture, of the effect and benefit they saw with their own eyes, and felt in their own bodies, of Christ being crucified for their sins; for Christ was crucified on the Cross long before those Galatians received the Gospel, and they lived in another Country, and not where Christ was crucified, but the benefit and effect of his suffering did so operate and work in them, through faith, so that they were eye witnesses of the truth of it, be­holding it with an invisible eye of faith.

And whereas the High Priest under the first Testament, did his Priestly Office in the temple of God, which temple was made with hands, which things were but sha­dows of heavenly thing; but Jesus Christ is a high Priest of the real Temple of God not made with hands, being tipified by those high priests under the old Testament; so likwise the Saints Bodies, or Church of God, was tipified by that Temple built by Solomon; for that temple was but a figure of the true Temple of God, as ap­peareth by these following scriptures, Acts 7.48. But Solomon built him an house, howbeit the most high dwelleth not in Temples made with hands, as faith the Pro­phet, [Page 110] [...] the Saints Bodies are the true Temple of God, where God dwells, and where Christ doth his Priestly Office in, as saith the Scripture, Heb. 3.1, 2. compared with the 5. and 6. verses. Wherefore, holy Brethere [...], partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and high Priest of our Profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him who appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house, and Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a Ser­vant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after, but Christ as a Son over his own house, whose house are we; as also 1 Tim. 3▪15. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the house of God, which is the Church, 1 Pet. 2.5. Ye also as lively Stones are built up, a spiritual house. Here Peter alludes from those hewen stones which Solomon pr [...]pared to build up, that house, which was a figure, and therefore [...]s;aith Peter, ye are lively stones, built up a spiritual house; agreeing with the Apostle Paul, Eph. 2.21, 22. In whom all the build­ing fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord, in whom we also are builded [...] an habitation of God, through the spirit. This is the real Temple of God, where God dwells, and [...]s [Page 111] [...] be seen in his holy Habitation. This [...] the Temple of the New-Testament, which Testament is written on the fleshly Tables of the hearts of Gods Children, with the spirit of the living God, Rev. 11.19. And the Temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his Temple, the Ark of his Testament; This is the Temple and Ark of the New-Testament, in this Tem­ple God dwe [...]s, and this is the real Ark of Gods strength; for this Temple is the Saints Bodies, where the spirit of God hath its habitation, and where his mercy is extended from his Mercy Seat, and where the Ark of his Testament is to be seen, his Testament being tested on the fleshly tables of the hearts of his children; but the Temple of the Old-Testament was built with hands, and the Testament tested on the two Tables of stone, and the Blood of this Testament was the Blood of Beasts, being all a body of figures, 1 Cor. 6.19. What! know ye [...]ot, that your body is the temple of the holy-ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God? 1 Cor. 3.16, 17. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are [...] [Page 112]Temple of God with [...] for ye are the Temple of the living God, as God hath said. I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and will be their God & they shall be my People. Thus it appears that Gods Church is a holy people, and that their bodies are his temple or habitation to dwell in, where they behold his face, and where Jesus Christ ministered in, in his Priestly Office, for no man [...] God at any time but as the only begotten Son, which [...] the bosom of the Father, [...] brought us to the sight of him, through his [...] having purified our sinfull bodys, and [...] them a fit habitation for God to [...] his holy spirit. Thus those that are [...] indeed come to see the truth of the Scriptures fulfilled in themselves; [...] are come into such a [...] as to [...] with their own eyes, that their body which had been once a body of [...] is [...] and made a holy body, and is become Gods Temple; so that he [...] and they that are sanctified, are [...], as Christ saith, [...]; and this is the union and fellowship, which is between God and his Church [...] Body is Christs Body, [...] Spirit, according to what is written 1 Cor. 6.17. But he that is [...] Lord is one Spirit; yea, as he is, so are we in this world, saith the Apostle John, 1 Joh. 4.17.

[Page 113] And, [...], Jesus Christ, is not only a great high Priest, who hath offered an ac­ceptable Sacrifice unto God for us, but is also a great Prophet, to teach his people immediately by his Spirit, and no man can truly call him Lord, but by this Spirit which reveals him so to be, according to Scripture Testimony; for we know that he dwelleth in us by the Spirit which he hath given [...]; and this his spirit is given us, to lead [...] into all truth, for as he is a great Prophet, so he teacheth his Church immediately, according to what is written, Isai. [...], 1 [...]. And all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord. This immediate Teaching which the scrip­ture beareth witness to, that Christ ever taught his Church with, the false Church knoweth nothing of it, for her body is the habitation of sin, she never having obtained any freedom by Christ, from that state, for they are such as Christ speaks of, Job. 5.37, 38, 39. [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] are three [...] observable, from these word [...] o [...] Chri [...]s;ts, by which he di [...]tin­guisheth the talse Church from the true.

[Page 114] The first thing, is, These have neither heard Gods Voice at any time, nor see [...]n his shape, so that such, Professors as these, are wholly alienated from any right know­ledge of God; but all Gods Children have both heard his voice immediately with their own ears, and seen him with their own eyes, as appearesth in the following Chapter, Job. 6.45, 46. It is written in the Prophets, And they shall be all taught of God, every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the father, cometh to me; not that any man hath seen the father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the father. Thus it appeareth plainly, the reason why the one hath a living faith, and the other but a dead faith, because the one hath a faith in God only from the report of the scriptures, but are altogether alienated from any right knowledge or acquaintance with God; but the faith of the other, is from their hearing of Gods voice immedi­ately, with their own ears, being taught by him, and in seeing of him with their own eyes; for their Bodies are his Temple, where they see his face, and here his Voice, for his word abideth in them, saith the scripture, 1 Job. 2.14.

The second thing to be observed, is. That Christ exhort [...] these litteral profes­sors [Page 115]to [...] the scriptures, for [saith Christ] they are they which testifie of me, but ye will not come to me, that ye might have life? From these words of Christ we may observe the difference between these that are in a [...]ead faith, and his church which are in a living faith; for saith Christ, ye will not come to me that ye might have life; so that it appears, these had not life, but were dead in sin, and therefore could not have a living faith, while in this state; for they were wholly alienated from any knowledge of the life of the Son of God; but the scripture testifieth, that he that hath the Son, hath life, and he that hath not the son of God, hath not life; for it is written, in him is life, and the life is the light of men; but these litteral Professors had not this life abiding in them, and therefore were in a state of darkness, but Gods church hath this life in them, and therefore they are the light of the world; for this life is the light of the world, and lighteth every one that cometh into the world, with the light of his law, and every one that be­lieveth in him, with the light of his Gospel; for this life is very God manifested in his children; and the scripture testifieth, That they both see him and hear his voice, [Page 116]1 John. 1.2.3. for the life was manifested and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you, that eternal life which was with the father, and was manifested unto us; that which we have seen, and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the father, and with his son Jesus Christ. Thus Gods Children declae, him whom they have seen with their own eyes, and heard his voice, with their own ears, according to Scripture te­stimony; for saith Christ, They are they which testifie of me; and all those that are in a living faith, have received the scripture testimony, and have gone to Christ for life, by their directions, and have ob­tained is, for the holy scripture is the voice of the spirit and bride, which testi­fie of Christ.

And the Third thing to be observed, from Christ words, to these scriptural Professors who are in a dead faith, which faith they have attained unto, by the report of the Scripture, but never come to know the truth of the report; for saith Christ to them, Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think to have eternal life, and ye will not come to me, that ye might have life; thus they expected to obtain eternal life, [Page 117] [...] which could not give it them, and [...] would not come unto Christ, where they might have had it; for the scriptures are they which testifie of him, [...] them we cannot have eternal life; for they are only our Counsellor, to give us directions which way we shall come to obtain it, and also they contain some signs or aligores, to guide the faith and judgment aright, of those that have already attained salvation by Christ; so that those figures are beneficial only to such, and to no other, being only outward signs of Spiritual be­nefits, which those that have obtained e­ternal life, are partakers of, to keep in their memory, by what means they come to partake of those spiritual benefits; for the holy scriptures are given us by the inspi­ration of God, and are profitable to teach us, and to reprove us, and to instruct us, in the way of righteousness, but they can­not give us life, that come [...] from Christ alone, for when by the scriptures counsel and directions, we are come to Christ he gives us life, by which life we are quickened who were before dead in our sins; and this life which he gives us, is the light of the world, and we are the lamps that contain it; while we retain and keep the life; for this life which we have received, was in [Page 118]the beginning with God, and was God, ac­cording to Johns Testimony, 1 Job. 1.1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon, & our hands have handled of the word of life; for the life was manifested, and we have seen it. Now when we, by the directions of the scripture, are come to Christ, and of him have received this word of life, it comes to be our teacher; for Christ, as be is a great Prophet, teacheth us immediately by this Word of Life, which he hath given us, and the scriptures bear witness to the truth of it, for saith Christ, The scriptures are they that testifie of me: And therefore let us view what they testifie concerning this immediate teaching, wherewith Jesus Christ teacheth his Church with; for the New-Testament is not a writing, which is written with Ink, in a book, but the scrip­tures, is a writing written with Ink in a book; and they are they which testifie of the truth, of this spiritual writing, or im­mediate teaching of God, which these lit­teral of scriptural ministers never saw not understood any thing of it, being unlearned men in this lesson; for it is a peculiar thing sealed up among Christs Desciples, it being [...] I [...] written with Christ own Spirit [Page 119]upon the hearts of his disciples, as the scripture testifieth, 2 Cor. 3.3. compared with the 6. v. For as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with Ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in Tables of Stone, but in fleshly Tables of the heart, who also hath made us able Ministers of the New-Testament or Covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. From this Text of Scripture we may note. That the Apostle Paul tells these Corinthians, That they are the Epistle of Christ mini­stred (saith he) by us, that is by Paul, and some others, who were Ministers of this spiritual Epistle, written by Christ with his own Spirit, not with ink, saith he. Now we know the Bible is written with ink, but this writing is with the spirit of the living God, and it is this Ministration that bring­eth them into a living faith, because this Epistle is written on their hearts with the spirit of the living God, not upon Tables of stone, saith he; for that which was written upon two Tables of stone, was the Old-Testament or Covenant, and the Blood of that Testament or Covenant, was the blood of Beasts; but the Blood of the New-Testament or Covenant was the Blood of Jesus Christ, which was figured out by the Old-Testament, written on stone, and [Page 120]dedicated with the blood of beasts, who also, saith he hath made us able Ministers of [...] New-Testament, that is, of this Epistle [...] Christ [...] written on their hearts with his [...] This is the Epistle of their In­ [...] which is to disciple them in his own doctrine, by his immediate teaching, as he is a great Prophet; and be made Paul with some others, able Ministers of the New-Testament, which was f [...]zured out by letters written on Stone, called the Old-Testament or Covenant, which Paul here testifieth that they were not Ministers of the said letter; for that was the figurative [...] and was abolished, as in the 13. v. [...] Testament writen on stone, and dedicated with the Blood of Beasts, was but a pattern, to figure out the substance, which was to be fulfilled by Christ; and this Epistle of Christs, held forth by the scriptures, never was known or read by any, but his disciples; for the false Church and false Teachers, are ministers only of that which is written with Ink in and Book, but understand nothing of the New-Testament, which the book beareth witness to; for they are ministers of the Letter or Old-Testament, written on two Table of stone, and dedicated with the blood of Beasts, but know nothing of the [Page 121]New-Testament written on the hearts of Christs Disciples, and dedicated with his own blood, which is the substance of these figures, which they are ministers of, which Paul declareth himself not a Minster of Thus the Testimony of Christ, and the Law of the Spirit of Life, is bound up and fast sealed among his Disciples, they have it, and read it among themselves, Isa. 8.16. And thus satans Ministers transform them­selves, as Ministers of Light, in their mid­night darkness, and deceive themselves and the world, with their scriptural or litteral doctrine, H [...]b. 8.8. Behold, the days come (saith the Lord) when I will make a New Cove­nant with the house of Israel, and with the house of J [...], (compare this with the 10, 11, 12, verses) For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after [...]hose days, saith the Lord, I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts, and will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a People; And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord; for all shall know me from the least to the greatest; for I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness & their sins & their in [...]qui­ties will I remember no more. This text of [...]cripture is a repetition that the Apostle makes of the prophet [...] prophecy concerning [Page 122]the New testament, Jer. 31. And the end of the Apostle, in treating upon it, is to shew the abolishing of the Old Covenant written on stone, as appeareth in the last verse, in that he saith, a New Covenant he hath made, the first old, now that which decayeth and waxeth old, is ready to vanish away, saith the Apostle; now that which vanisheth away, is [...], this old Covenant, written on stone, and made with the house of Israel and [...], and dedicated with the blood of [...] and Goats, was but a pattern of heavenly [...], and therefore God, by the Prophet, [...] from the figure, to the substance, for that testament was written on stone, and de­dicated with the blood of beasts, being a figure of the remission of sins; so the New Covenant is written on the hearts of Gods Children, and dedicated with the Blood of Jesus Christ, in which Covenant there is really remission of sins; for God is mer­ciful [...]to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities, he will remember no more. Now as that Covenant was made with Israel and Judah after the flesh, this new Covenant is made with the true Israel of God, with such who are a Israelites in­deed, and with such of Judah, who are Jews inwardly, and are circumcised in their [Page 123]hearts, by the Spirit of God; and all these do know the Lord, from the least of them to the greatest, for God is their God, and they are his People, and are all taught by him; for he hath put his Laws into their mind, and wrote them on their hearts with his own Spirit, so that they are di­vinely inspired, being thus taught by him, so that they have no need to teach very man his neighbour, and every man his bro­ther, for they all know the Lord, being all taught by him, to love one another; for they are divinely inspired with this love, it being ingrafted in their hearts by Gods spirit; for it is the doctrine of Christ, and the fulfilling of the law; and therefore saith Paul, as to brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you, for you your selves are taught of God, to love one an­other, 1 Th [...]s. 4.9. And therefore by this love, they know that they are translated from death unto life; but these litteral Teachers walk in darkness, notwithstanding their dead faith, and cannot assure their own hearts, that they are the children of God, because their names are not written in the book of Life, 1 John. 2.20. &c. But ye have an Unction from the holy one, and knew all things. Thus the, scrip­ture te [...]tifieth to this unction of Gods spirit, [Page 124]by which his children come to know all things needful for them to knew, for this the im­mediate teaching of Jesus Christ by the unction of his spirit; I have not written unto you [...]aith the Apostle, because ye know [...] the truth, but because ye know it, [...] of the truth they had by the [...] of the spirit of truth; and [...] confirm them in it, [...] he, Let that therefore [...] which ye have heard from the beginning for this Apostle had told them what this was, which was from the beginning, in the first sen­tence of this his Epistle, and in the first sentence of his Gospels, for this is the Word of Life, which was from the beginning, that created all things, and after was made flesh, and is in Gods Children, and is their teacher; and in the 26. v. he gives them the reason of his writing to them concern­ing these things, saying, There things have I written unto you, concerning them that seduce you; but in the next words, saith he, But the anointing which ye have received of him, abid [...]th in you, and [...]e need not that any Man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth; and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. From hence we may observe, That Seducers are w [...]nt to endea­vour [Page 125]to seduce Gods Childre [...] from the tea­ching of this unction; by which Christ tea­cheth them; but saith Christ, Search the Scriptures, for they are they which testifie of me. Thus the Scriptures testifie of Jesus Christs divine teaching, and so doth all Gods Ministers likewise and teach accord­ing to it, as the Apostle saith, ye need not that any man teach you, but as this anoint­ing teacheth you. But as Paul was not a Minister of the letter, written on stone; so seducers are Ministers of the letter, writ­ten on Tables of Stone: and as the Apostle John was a Minister of the teaching of thi [...] Unction of the Spirit, and hath left Record behind him in writing, to confirm the truth of it; so Seducers are Ministers of that which is written with Ink in the Book, endeavouring to seduce from this divine teaching, knowing nothing of this doctrine, for they think to have eternal life in the Scriptures, and therefore they imbody themselves into a Church fellowship, and partake of the outward figure of Baptism and the Lords Supper, and live in the practice of formal and dead prayers, [...] are in a state of sin, & death all the time, ha­ving no fellowship with this word of life, neither do they know there is such a thing in the Children of God, by which they [Page 126]are immediately taught; for these false prophets are not of God, but are of the World, and they speak of the work, and the world heareth them, saith the Scripture; for the world can see litteral & visible things, but cannot see nor receive spiritual things, there­fore, said th' Apostle, he that is not of God, heareth not [...]; for he that is not of God, is unlearned in this lesson of the Spirit of God, never having learned it, and therefore cannot understand the things of God, neither can they know them; but those that are thus taught of God, by this teaching they understand the things of God. Thus Jesus Christ teacheth his Children immediately by his spirit, tho' his bodily presence is gone away, yet he hath sent us an advocate or comforter to abide with us forever even the spirit of Truth; and this promise he made to his Disciples the night in which he was betrayed, Job. 14.16, 17. And I will pray the father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it se [...]th him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. Thus it appeareth by the Testimony of the Scripture, that the world seeth not this Teacher, neither knoweth him, but God's Children do know him, for he dwelleth [Page 127]with them, and in them, & is their teacher, as appeareth also in John 13.16. How about when the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of him­self, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, Thus it appeareth by the Testimony of the scripture, that this Spirit is the guide of Gods Children, and speaketh in them, and sheweth them what it heareth from the Father, and from the Son. Thus the Children of God, are immediately taught of God, and know what his Doctrine is, for they hear it with their own ears im­mediately, from his own mouth; for he doth manifest himself unto them, but not unto the World, as appeareth in [...] 14.21, 22. Thus we have the Testimony of the Scriptures, that the Doctrine of Jesus Christ is his immediate teaching, by his Spirit, in his Children. And saith the Ap­postle John, If there come any unto you, and bring not this Doctrine, receive him not [...] your house, neither bid him God speed, 2 Job. 10.

And thirdly, Jesus Christ is not only a great high Priest, & a great Prophet, but he is also a great King, even the Prince of the kings of the earth, according to what is writ­ten, Rev. 19▪16. And he hath on his ve [...]t [...]re, and on his thigh, a Name written, King of Kings, and Lord, of Lords Heb. 1.8. [...] [Page 128]unto the Son he saith, thy Throne, O God, [...] [...]; a Scepter of Righteousness is [...] Kingdom. And he is not only a great King, but also a victorious Conquer [...]ur, as appeareth by Scripture Testimony, Rev 19.13. He was cloathed in [...] Blood, and his name is called the Word o [...] God. Thus he is represented to [...], to set forth his Victorious Acts, even as if his garments were sprinkled and stained with the blood of his Enemies; and he is entitu­led with the Name of his God-head, to wit, his Name is called the Word of God; this is that Word which was made fleth; and this is that Word which Christ told the Jews, they had not abiding in them; this is the man whom God hath appointed to judge the World in Righteousness, Acts 17.31. Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness, by that Man whom he hath Ordained. 1 Tim 6.15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the [...], the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. But his Kingdom is not of this world, as he is the [...]on of man, for he will [...] in the World to come a [...] vi­ [...] the first Adam did over all the works of Gods hands; for he is the only begotten Son of his Father, and therefore is heir of all things; so that the kingdom and heir­ship [Page 129]belongeth to him, by birth, but his kingdom is not of this world, Job. 18.36.

But my purpose at this time is to treat only upon his Kingly Power, manifested in the hearts of his Children, in this world, that the ten Virgins, to whom I direct this my Epistle to, may examine themselves, whether they are ruled by his Kingly Power, or not; for there is nothing written con­cerning him in the Scripture, but the truth of it is confirmed in us, immediately by his Spirit, if we order our conversation a­right; for as there is virtue seen and felt, that proceeds from his Priestly Office, to purge and cleanse us really from sin, and from his Prophetical Office, to teach us immediately by his Spirit, so likewise there is seen and [...] a mighty Power from his Kingly Office, in [...], and this will appear evidently by scripture Testimony; for if we observe things only from the letter of the Scripture, without any [...] or sensible feeling of vertue [...]wing from Christ, we are under a great [...], being in a carnal dead state; for when the Gala­tions turned back from the [...] of the Spi­rit of Truth, to the works the Law, and so observed commands meekly from the Scripture, the Apostle [...] being bewitched, Gal. 3.1, 2. [...] [Page 130]Galations, who bath bewitched you, &c? re­ceived ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hea [...]ing of Faith? And therefore let us come to self-examination, that we may not be deceived in our selves, what state we stand in; for if Jesus Christ be our King, then we are ruled by his kingly Power, if not, then we are Rebels and Hypocrites, if we make a profession to be that which in reality we are not; for if he be our King, then the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, which proceeds from his kingly Power, hath freed us from the law of sin, which was in our Members, which Law proceeded from Satans kingly Power, and kept us in subjection to him; for if it be not thus with us, he hath not led Captivity Captive, that is, we have not seen him ascend on high, into his kingly Throne in victory, above the kingly power of Satan; for we still remain the Captives of sin, not having obtained any deliverance by Christ; but if we be subjects of his kingdom, then we have a sensible feeling in our selves, of his kingly power ruling in us, as appeareth by his answer to the Pharisees, Luke 7.20, 21. And [...] as demanded of the Pharisees, When the Kingdom of God should come? he a sw [...] them, and said, The Kingdom of God [...] with Observation; neither shall they [Page 131]say, lo here, or lo there; for behold the Kingdom of God is within you. From hence we may observe, that these Pharisees were such as were enquirers of him, when the Kingdom of God should come? his answer to them was, The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation; this answer is Negative, that is, it doth not come by Observation; which answer shews what their imaginati­ons were about it, to wit, that it would come by observation of prescribed Rules of Worship to be observed outwardly, from Christs first and second answer, which are negative Answers; for secondly, saith he, neither shall they say, lo here or there, as much as if he should say, not in this out­ward observation, or in that outward obser­vation, for behold, saith he, the Kingdom of God is within you; as much as if he should say, if ye come to behold the Kingdom of God, it must be in your selves for it is there that Christ rules in his kingly Power by his Spirit, Eph. 3.16. That he would [...] you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might, by his spirit, in the inner man; This strength, is a strength that proceeds from his kingly Power, and is a strength that is stronger than any forcible power of sin, and it is manifested in our inner man; for when it is manifested in [...] [Page 132]it is the very Strength and Power of Righteousness; and it is this apparent manifestation of Christ in us, that is the ground and object of a living faith, vers. 20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding a­bundantly, above all that we ask or think, ac­cording to the Power that worketh in us. This Text doth tell us of the great Power of God, who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think: Now those that profess the Name of Jesus Christ, and yet never felt this Power, are wholly ignorant what it is, so that they cannot set to their Seal that the Scripture is true, when they read these Scriptures; but those that have felt this Power in themselves, they look upon the Scripture with another eye, and can set to their Seal it is true; for the work­ing of this Power in them confirms the truth of its Testimony; for saith Paul, according to the Power that worketh in us, Gal. 1.11. Strengthened with all might, accord­ing to his glorious Power. Thus Gods faithful Children are strengthened by his glorious Power, James 1.21. Wherefore lay apart all [...] and superfl [...]ty of naugh [...]tiness, and receiv [...] with meekness the ingrafted Word, which i [...] able to save your Souls. This Word, which the Apostle speaks of, which is able to save our Souls, is King of Kings, and [Page 133]Lord of Lords; and i [...] [...] once come to be ingrafted into us, it strengtheneth us, with Might in our inner man, for it is the divine nature of Christ, which if we come to be made partaker of it, we shall come to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust; 1 Job. 2.14. I have written unto you Young Men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you; and ye have over­come the wicked one. The Apostle in this place, speaks of a spiritual growth, from Ba [...]es to Young Men who are come to the prime of their strength in Christ, and are able to encounter with the Prince of this World, who is the wicked One. That these Young Men have overcome, and this victo­ry is by the Word of God that abideth in them, so that this great strength, by which these young men overcome the wicked One, is [...] Christs kingly Power manifested in them; for this ingrafted Word, is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged Sword, as appeareth, Rev. 19.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 1 Job. 4.4. Ye are of God, little Children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the World. Here the Apostle speaks to little Children or Babes in Christ; for, saith he ye are of God, and have overcome them; that i [...], th [...]se little Children have over­come [Page 134]the false Prophets, by coming to the sight of the kingly Power of Christ ma­nifested in them; for these false Prophets are Ministers of the Letter, and think to have eternal life by the Scriptures; but these babes in Christ were now come to see that which the false Prophets were ignorant of; and therefore had overcome them; for these false Prophets were not able to over­come these little Children, by their Scrip­tual Doctrine, because greater was he that was in these little Children, than he that is in the World; for he that is in the World, is the Prince of Darkness, who rules in the Children of Disobedience, and trans­forms himself into an Angel of Light in his Ministers; and his Ministers are they who flatter God with their mouth and lips, while their hearts are after their Covetous­ness; and by their hypocritical Prayers in publick Assemblies, yea, and some of them burning up their eyes, and lifting up their unholy hands, and shaking their heads, with an hypocritical Heart, using all these hypocritical gestures in publick Assemblies, in the time of their Prayers, and by these hypocritical and lying signs and wonders, they deceive the world, preaching the let­teral part of the Scripture to them, and some of them setting whole Congregations, [Page 135]to wit, Drunkards, Swearers, Lyars and Coveteous Persons to sing holy mens Psalms, and all this done with an unclean inside; and thus they transform themselves, as the Ministers of Righteousness, by these hypo­critical Prayers and letteral Sermons, which are lying signs and wonders to deceive; for all these things can Satans Ministers act and do; but saith the Apostle John, Little Children, ye have overcome them, for greater is he that is in you, than be that is in the World; for tho' he that is in the World can act all these great signs and wonders, in his Ministers, to deceive the World with, yet greater was he that was in these little Children; for Jesus Christ was in them, as a mighty King, ruling in them [...] Righte­ousness, having vanquished Sin and Satan, and set them at liberty; so that these little Children, [...] to know Christs voice, from the voice of these Strangers; for by his Priestly Office, he hath justified and sanctified them from their sins; this work they saw done in themselves; and by his prophetical Office, he taught them immedi­ately, by his Spirit, so that they hear his voice with their own ears; and by his King­ly Power he manifested himself to be greater than the God of this World, for he had dis-thron'd him and took possession [Page 136]of them himself so that they saw him to be greater than he that is in the world, with their own eyes: And thus they over­come these false Prophets, because greater was he that was in them, than he that is in the world.

For God spake in a certain place of the Seventh day, on this wise, And God did rest in the [...]s;eventh day from all his Works. This certain place is in the second of Gen. [...] v. [...] for when God had finished all his works, in six days, and had made Adam on the sixth day, which was the finishing work, or the last [...] thing he made he then rested from all his works [...] which seventh day had no evening or morning a [...]er [...]b [...]d to it, because neither a natural nor artificial day was intended by it; for it began, when the world and all things in it were perfectly finished; so that it was Gods eternal Sabbath, having no more work to do; and it was no sabbath or rest to Adam, from any labour, for he had done [...]; for Gods seventh day rest began [Page 137]when Adams first day of his being made a living Soul began; and the day of God [...] rest or sabbath, was the day which he blessed and [...]; but this was no sab­bath to Adam, for he had done no work to rest from; neither did God put any la­bour on man or beast, before Adams trans­gression; and that seventh day which God rested from his own work was the day which he blessed and sanctified. And the fourth Commandment only makes a repeti­tion, how God blessed and sanctified this seventh day or Sabbath of his own rest, from the works of Creation; and com­manded a sign to be kept by Israel, of their entring into it by faith; so that it was the seventh day of his own Rest, that he blessed and sanctified, mentioned in the fourth commandment, and not that sign commanded to the Children of Isael in the old Covenant. In the 5th v. saith he, If they shall enter into my rest, Now if we consider, Adam in his first creation entred into Gods seventh day rest, or sabbath; for Gods seventh day rest, and Adams first becoming a living soul, began at one and the self same time, he being Gods finishing work, or the last thing which God made. v. 6 seeing therefore that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first [Page 138]preached, entred not in because of unbelief, seeing therefore that some must enter therein, saith the Apostle; that is, enter into Gods rest or sabbath, and they to whom it was first preached, entred not in because of unbelef; that is, tho' Israel was delivered our of Egypt, and after had the Gospel reached to them, yet they entred not into the land of Canaan, which was a type of God People entring into Gods Rest, and that because of their unbelief; so that i [...] appears, as Adam entred into Gods sab­bath, in his first Creation, and was turned out of it, to labour, because of his Dis­obedience, and Israel could not enter into Canaan, which was the figure of entring into Gods rest again, because of their un­belief; so that it necessarily follows, that a Christian must enter into Gods Sabbath, by faith, for by faith we come to enter into Adams innocent state, for he entred into Gods Sabbath, in his lanocency, and was turned out of it in his Disobedience, to labour. 7th v. Again be limiteth a certain day, saying in David, to day, after so long a time; as it is said, to day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts: Thus saith the Apostle, he limitteth a certain day, that is, God limitteth a certain day, when he saith in David, as is written in the 95. [Page 139] Psalm, To day, after so long a time, that is, after so long a time, that they had been in the possession of Canaan, which was the rest which God sware, after they came out of Egypt, that they should not enter into because of their unbelief; and they all perished in the Wilderness, and their children after them, entred in, and after they had possessed it, from the time, that Joshua possessed them of it, unto Davids time; which was so long a time, God saith to them, by his spirit, in David, To day if ye will near his voice, harden not your hearts; for in saying, to day, he limitteth a day in David, saying, to day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts that is, as your fathers did, that came out or Egypt, and so entred not into my rest, that is, into Canaan; which was a figure of Gods eternal Rest or Sabbath, 8th v. for if Jesus had given them rest, this Jesus was Joshua the Son of Nun, as in the margent, v. 8, who brought them into Canaan, and posses­sed them of that rest, which was a figure of the true and eternal Rest; and the Apostle to prove it to be so, saith, if Jesus had given them rest, that is to say, the true rest intended, then would not he afterward have spoken of another day of rest, after so long a time of their possessing [Page 140]of this rest, for they had been in the posses­sion of it, from the time of Joshua, unto the time of David; and then God spake in David after all this time of their posses­sing this rest, which Joshua possessed them of, saying, in David, as appeareth Psa [...] 94, [...]. v. &c. To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart, a [...] in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness, when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works; forty years long was I gr [...]ed with this generation, and said, it is a people that do err in their hearts, and they have not known my ways, unto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest. Thus David limiteth a day, in saying, To day, if ye will hear his voice; which importeth, if you will not hear his voice to day, you are in the same danger as your fathers were in, of falling short of entring into Gods rest; by this, the Apostle proves, that there remains a rest, or the keeping of a Sabbath, to the People of God, being an illusion from Adams entring into Gods rest, or seventh day sabbath, which after­ward was [for his transgresson] turned out of it, to till the ground, and so to eat his Bread with the Sweat of his face. Thus the Apostle is proving, that by faith in Christ we come to re-enter into Gods [Page 141]rest again, being dispossest of it by our first Parents transgression, And the seventh day rest, from bodily labour, was assign, Exo. [...] ▪12. &c. Ezek. 20.12.20. which sign was to guide the faith of Gods Church to Christ the promised seed to come, who was the Joshua, to bring then into Gods Rest again, which Adam entred into in his first Creation, which was the seventh day, which God blessed and sanctified, spoken of in the fourth Commandment, Exod. 20.11. for in six day as the Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day, wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day [...] hallowed it; so that this blessed and sanctified day was the day before sin entred into the world, even while Adam abode in Gods sabbath, or rest; for the Sanctity is not in the sign, but in the substance, for mans working six days, and resting the seventh, i [...] the sign which God commanded Israel to observe for a sign, that Christ, the promised Seed, should bring his people into Gods seventh day sabbath again; but Gods rest or seventh day sabbath, from his own works, is the substance, which we are to labour to enter into by faith, and not by the work of the law, which was once a sign or shaddow, but is now abolished; and [Page 142]therefore we are forbidden in Col. 12.21, 22. saying, Touch not, taste not, handle not, which all are to perish with the using, after the commandments and doctrines of men: and if we be risen with Christ, to seek those things which are above these rudiments; for the body or the substance is of Christ, Col. 2.16, 17. 9th v. There remains there­fore a rest to the People of God. or the keeping of a Sabbath to the people of God; and this the Apostle asserts, having before proved the truth of it, to wit, That there remains the keeping of a Sabbath to the people of God, tho' Adam by transgression was dispossest of it; yet it remains recover­able again, through faith in Christ. 10. v. For he that is entred into his rest be also hath ceased from his own works as God did from his; whereas the Apostle saith, for be that is entred into his own rest, is an argument drawn from the fore-going verse, to wit, there remains therefore a Rest to the people of God; for if there remains a rest to the people of God, then of necessity every one of them must cease from his own works, as God did from his; for when God entred into his rest, he ceased from his own works, so did Israel in the sign, tested on stone, and called the old Covenant; and so it is with every one that doth the like under [Page 143]the New Covenant which contains the sub­stance, which covenant is dedicated with the blood of Christ, for he that is entred into his rest, he hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his, Rev. 14.13. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord, from hence forth, yea, saith the spirit, that they may rest from their labour, and their works do follow them. But Adam entred into Gods Sabbath, or seventh day rest, in his first Creation, and no into his own rest, be­cause he had done no work, but because of his transgression, he was turned out of it, to eat his bread with the sweat of his face, and then his work and labour began; and that blessed seventh day of Gods rest, became a cursed day of labour to him, and to his posterity, they being seperated from Gods rest, or seventh day sabbath; and our Lord Jesus came under this Curse, for our sakes, to bring us out of this cursed day of labour, into Gods blessed and sanc­tified seventh day Rest; and when Christ had finished his work of Redemption for us, he entred into his rest, having ceased from his own works, as God did from his v. 11. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any manifest after the same ex­ample of Unbelief [...] Whereas the Apostle saith [Page 144] Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, that is, into Gods seventh day Sabbath, where Christ our fore runner, is entred into, to rest with God, in that seventh day Sabbath of eternity, that hath neither even­ing nor morning to it, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief, faith the Apostle; that is, fall short of this eter­nal Rest, as Israel did, in the wilderness, and so entered not into that rest, called Gods rest, because it was a figure of it. v. 12. For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper then any two edged sword. In this 12. v. is to set before us that severe sentence that did proceed from Gods mouth against them, which was the sword of his Justice, to cut them down in the wildernes [...] because of their Unbelief and Disobedience: and thus they fell short, and entered not into his rest, according to what is written, 1 Cor. 10▪11, 12, Now all these things happened unto them, for Ensamples or types, and they are written for our Ad­monition, upon whom the ends of the world are come, wherefore let him that think­eth he standeth, take heed lest he fall, this fall here spoken of, is such a fall as Israels was in the wilderness, for they fell by Gods just Judgments, twenty four thousand sell by the plague at one time; and many [Page 145]of them fell by fiery Serpents, and other judgments. This book written to the H [...] ­brews is chiefly to open the signs and sha [...] ­dows of the Law under the first Testament, written on stone, and dedicated with the blood of bulls and goats; and he begins in the first place upon the Gospel Sabbath, which he exhorts them to labour to enter into, for the sign of it was tested on stone, which was the old Testament, in the read­ing of which Testament, there was a vail on their hearts, so that they could not look stedfastly to that which is abolished.

EVery Man praying or prophecying, having his Head covered, dishonoureth his Head. But every Woman that prayeth or prophecieth, &c.

In the first place, let us examine into the Apostles writing, to see and understand what this Covering is, that he is treating upon; seeing that it is a decent covering for the woman to be covered with, in the presence of God and Man, but an undecent coverning for the man to make use of it, to cover his head with, in the presence of God and man.

[Page 146] And Secondly, To examine into the mat­ter, whether this be not something, which God hath placed in nature, both in the Male and in the Female, and whether the ignorance of the times, hath not taken up some vain custom in the room thereof; and therefore let us turn our eyes from the worlds Custom in the matter, and look upon what the Apostle saith, about it, and he will tell us plainly, before he leaveth the matter, what covering it is he intends, which is to be seen in the 13, 14 and 15 verses, [...]dge in your selves, is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered, doth not even nature it self teach you, that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him, but if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given her for a Covering. From hence we may plainly see, it is a covering placed (by God) in nature, and given only to the Woman to cover her head with, and nature teacheth the woman to make a covering of it, and to cover her head with it; for saith the Apostle, her hair is given her for a covering; but contrary wise, nature teacheth the man, not to make use of his hair, to cover his head with it, as the woman doth, because God hath not given it to him for a covering, is be hath to the woman; and therefore [Page 147]nature it self teacheth the Man, not to wear his hair any longer than is for his comfort; for saith the Apostle in the seventh vers. A Man indeed ought not to cover his head, for as much as he is the image [...] and glory of God; but the Woman is the glory of the Man. So that God hath given this covering to the Woman, in sign of her subjection to him, who is made in the Image of God.

Therefore for the man to make use of his hair for a covering, as the woman doth, dishonoureth himself, who is the head; for as much as he is in the Image and glory of God, but the Woman is made to be a glory to the Man, by her subjection to him; and her subjection to him, is her glory in the sight of God; for she was made for him, and not the Man for her; for this cause (saith the Apostle) in the 10. v. ought the Woman to have power on her head, because of the Angels: for as the Angels are made ministring Spirits before him, in whose image man was made, so is the woman an help, as before him, who is made to be her head & she is to be a glory to him, by her sub­jection, and hath power given her of God to cover her head with her hair, in token of it.

Thus it appeareth, by what the Apostle writeth to this Church, that the man pray­ing to God, and prophecying to m [...]n, with [Page 148]his head being thus covered, dishonoureth his head; when as God hath not given him his hair to cover his head with, as the wo­man doth, and ought to do. And therefore every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered, dishonoureth her head, (for saith the Apostle) her Hair is given her for a Covering.

Thus it appeareth, that it is the hair that the Apostle is treating upon, and that it is a shame for a man to wear long hair, and much more for a man to pray or prophecy with it on his head in the presence of God and his Church, when as it is not given him for a covering, as it is to the Woman, so that it ought not to be on the mans head, as any time, but ought to be on the Womans head at all times, and the Apostle telleth them, saying, We have no such custom, nei­ther the Churches of God, that is, to wear long hair, [...]s appeareth in the 14, 15, 16. verses Doth not even nature it self teach you, that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him; but if a woman have long hair, it is a Glory to her; for her hair is given her for a covering? But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the Churches of God.

But as to any garment of the body, that is decent in Gods sight at one time, is decent [Page 149]at all times; for God hath not ordained is to be an honour to him, in putting off any garment, that is decent to wear before him (for we are at all times in his presence) ex­cept we have an immediate command for it, as Moses and Joshua had, who were com­manded to take off the garment of the feet when they came before God, Exod. 3.5. Josh. 5▪15. But we read, God commanded his Ministers, when they came to Minister in his presence to put a garment on their head, as appears Ez [...]k. 44, 18, 20. They shall have linnen Bonnets upon their heads, &c. nor Suffer their locks to grow long.

GEN. 1.27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created be him, Male and Female created he them. Thus was the Woman created in the Man, as appears in the 5 [...] chap. 2. Male and Female created he them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam i [...] the day when they were created; so that it appears they were crea­ted in one body, and were one flesh and bone, Mal. 2.15. And did not he make one, yet had he the residue of the spirit, and could have created them single, and distinct in two bodies; upon the considera­tion of this, saith the Prophet, to the husband, therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the Wife of his Youth; for the Lord the God of Israel saith, that he hateth putting away; which doth import, for as much as God created the man and woman in one body, so that he made them one in their first creation; and therefore hateth a seperation after they are united and become one flesh, by the union of Marriage. Gen. 2.21, 22, 23. And the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept, and he took one of his [Page 157] Ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the Rib which the Lord God had taken from Man, builded he a Woman; and brought her unto the Man, and Adam said, this is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Thus was Woman taken out of the side of the Man, near his heart, and then brough [...] to him by God, to be joyned to him again, by a Marriage union; and when Adam saw her, he said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh, because she was of him, even taken out of him, and now brought to him again by God, to be joyned to him, and therefore (saith the Lord, in the 24 v.) shall a man leave his Father and Mother, and cleave to his Wife, and they shall be one flesh. Thus hath God joyned them together, shewing that a Man shall leave his Father that begot him, and his Mother that brought him forth, and shall cleave to his Wife; so that God ordaineth a seperation from Father and Mother, but [...] perpetual union between a Man and his Wife; they are to pass their days together by Gods decree, and none can seperate them without high contempt againsts Gods Au­thority, by violating his ordinance of Mar­riage; for God hath thus joyned them to­gether, and hath decreed that a Man shall [Page 158]thus cleave to his Wife, and that she shall be subject to him, and not to another Man, that her Husband shall rule over her; so that the Wife (by this law of God) is bound to her Husband so long as he liveth, Rom. 7.2. 1 Cor. 7.39. And by no means can be loosed from this bond of union and subjecti­on to her husband, without the breach of Wedlock, which in scriptore, the punish­ment is equ [...]lled with the punishment of Murder, Ezek. 16.38. And I will judge thee, as women that break, Wedlock and shed blood, are judged. But may there not be such Marriages, as are not of God, and therefore may lawfully be seperated? yea, there may: but the seperation must be granted only by the Man (upon no other cause than fornication) because God made man in his own Image; so that he is the Image and glory of God, but the Woman is the glory of the Man; for the man was not created for the Woman, but the Woman for the Man, 1 Cor. 11.7, 9. So that God brought the woman and gave her to the man, that he might be her Lord and Go­vernour, Gen. 2.22. Gen. 3.12.16. So that she was given to him, to be a glory to him, as the Church is given to Christ, Job. 10, 29. chap. 17.6. She is his peculiar treasure in this life, for she is given to him by God [Page 159]himself, and is his only peculiar treasure next to his heart, and none can take that from him which God hath given to him, without the greatest unjustice in the World that can be done to a man; for she is not only given to him, but bound to him by the law, so long as he liveth; she is a bound subject to him during his life, being bound to him by God, to be in subjection to him; so that she hath no power to put him a­way, who is her Lord and Master: Judges have no power to take her from him, if they do, it is high contempt against the throne of God; for it represents the mysti­cal union between Christ and his Church; Eph. [...] ▪31, 32. and therefore it is written, What God hath thereofre joyned together, let no man put asunder, Mark 10.9.

Neither can a Man lawfully himself put away his Wife, but only upon a Marriage not made by God; for God puts no harlot upon a man instead of a virgin or chaste woman, to be his covenanted Wife; for it doth signifie the mistical union between Christ and his Church, who is presented to him as a chaste virgin. 2 Cor. 11. [...]. As Eve was to Adam, but if a man take a woman to be his Wife, taking her for a virgin or chaste woman, and when he hath taken her, finds that he is cheated, and that she hath [Page 160]committed fornication, and is defiled, this Marriage is not of God; for he is not the Author of deceit; and therefore it is in the power of her husband to give her a bill of Divorce, except he take her after he hath the knowledge of her defilement; if so, then he may not put her a way all his days; so that nothing is excepted by which a man may put away his Wife, save fornication only; and this doctrine Christ taught to his Disciples in his Sermon upon the mount, limitting a Divorce only upon this one thing; Mat. 5.31, 32. It hath been said; whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of Divorcement, but I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit Adultery, and he that marrieth her that is Divorced, com­miteth Adultery. Here Christ Condemns all manner of seperation, where the Mar­riage is of God, and plainly testifieth, that be that putteth away his wife, causeth her to commit Adultery; and he that marrieth her, committeth Adultery also.

The Lord in his doctrine to his disciples, thus makes void that liberty of Divorce, that Moses gave under the covenant of the law to Israel; after this the Pharisees came also to him, tempting him, Mat. 19.3. &c. [Page 161]and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause [...] His answer to them was, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning, made them Male and Female, and said, for this cause shall a man leave Father and Mo­ther, and cleave to his Wife, and they twain shall be one flesh; therefore they are no more twain, but one flesh; what therefore God hath joyned together, let no man put asunder: Which doctrine they could not deny, upon which they query the reason, Why then Moses commanded them to give a writing of Divorcement, and to put her away? Moses (saith he) because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives; but from the be­ginning it was not so. Thus he stops their Mouths, and confirms the truth of his doctrine, before taught to his disciples; and further saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, com­mitteth Adultery; and whosoever shall marry her that is put away, committeth Adultery; so that i [...] plainly appeareth, that Moses end in giving them that precept, was of two evils to prevent the greater; for the husband through his hard heart, Deut. 24.3. hating her, lived in the sin of [Page 162]murder, 1 John 3.15. and violated the main part of his Marriage Covenant, which is unity and love, and tho' the bill of divorce [...]id wholly violate the Marriage Covenant, yet it was the less evil of the two, to live in the sin of Adultery, than in the sin of murder. And the Apostle confirms the truth of this Doctrine of Christ, against the act of cutting off, 1 Cor. 7.10, 11. And unto the married, I command, yet not I, but the Lord, let not the Wife depart from her husband; but and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband; and let not the husband put away his Wife. Here it plainly appeareth, that the Woman is bound by the law to her hus­band, so long as he fiveth, as in v. 39 so that if she depart from her husband, God requireth her either to remain unmarried, or else to be reconciled to her husband, and (saith he) let not the husband put away his Wife; so that she is limitted to one of these two things, let her departure be upon what account soever; for saith the Apostle, Rom. 7 3. So then if while her husband l [...]veth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an Adulteress; for the husband is the head of the Wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church, Eph. 5 23. So that the Wife is bound to be in subjection to her own [Page 163]husband, as the Church is to Christ, and can with no more lawfulness be joyned to an­other man, (while her husband liveth) than the Church can with lawfulness be joyned to another head besides Christ; for as the Church are the members of Christs body, of his flesh, and of his bones, Eph. 5.30. [...]o is the wife to her husband, Gen. 2.23. And he said, This is now bone of my bones, and fle [...]h of my flesh; so that what God hath joyned together, ought so to continue, till God himself (who joyned them [...]ogether) sepe­rates them.

And if a Man hate his Wife, and gives her a bill of Divorce, and marrys another in her stead he commiteth Adultery against her, Ma [...] 10▪11. and if a mans wife depart from him, and commits Adultery with an­other man, and repent of her evil deed, her husband ought to forgive her, and to be reconciled to [...] as Christ doth forgive his Church; and if he refuse to for­give her, he can obtain no forgiveness from God, Mark 11 25, 26. Mat. [...] 14, 15 Col. [...] ▪13. But if she repent not, and refuse to be reconciled to her husband, tho' he give her a bill of Divorce, and all the judges of the earth confirm the said bill of cuting off, and marry the sa [...] woman to another man, yet she remains in Gods fight, as much [...]n [Page 164]Adultress after all this is done, as she was before the Divorce was given; for no act can make void Gods act, to prevent judg­ment against the breach of Wedlock; there­fore no seperation can be just, that will in any measure prevent Gods sentence against an Adultress; they may be instruments in so doing, to harden the Adultress in her Adultery, so that she may live and dye in her sins, and so perish eternally; for God will by no means clear the guilty; so that there must be a seperation from that unlaw­ful union, otherwise there is no forgiveness with God. But the state of the Man stands otherwise, than the state of the Woman doth; for she can be given but to one man, she can have but one head, and serve but one Master in that state.

But David (who was beloved of the Lord, yea, a man after Gods own heart, save in the matter of Ʋriah) had many lawful Wives, and the Lord gave more into his bosom if he had seen cause to have taken them, as it to be seen 2 Sam. 12.8. yet it would have been unlawful for David to have put away any one of them; for every one of them were bound by the law of God to him, as long as he lived; and tho' his wife Micha, (through her Fathers means) had lived a long time in the act of Adultery [Page 165]yet after he was come to the Kingdom, he sent and demanded his Wife, and took her again, he gave her no bill of Divorce, for that would have been unlawful; and when ten of his Concubine Wives were de­filed by his Son Absalom, he gave them no bills of Divorce, for that would have been unlawful, for if they had been married to other men, by liberty from him, hi [...] king­dom would have been defiled by Adultery, Bills of Divorce would have made way for them to have lived in the Act of Adultery, and therefore he shut them up in Widow­hood, untill the day of their death: So that it appears, when God joyns more wo­men to a man than one, the Marriage is lawful, being made by God, but the Wo­man can be subject but to one Man, she can have but one head to rule over her; so tha [...] it appears, the state of man, and the state of the woman is quite differing; for the man is made in the image and glory of God, and therefore is the head of the Wife, as Christ is the head of the Church, but the woman is the image and glory of the Man, and therefore the man is the Womans head, and is to rule over her, as God or Christ is the Mans head, and is to rule over him; so that there can be no bill of Divorce against the man, to take away his wife upon any [Page 166]account, without high contempt against God; for God is the giver, and the man is the receiver, and therefore hath the domi­nion over the woman, as Christ hath over the Church, so that if a Man may be set free from subjection to the only true God, (who is his only true head,) and be subject to, and serve another God, without being guilty of Idolatry, then may a woman be freed from her first husband, who is her only true head (by God's decree) and became another Mans Wife lawfully, without being guilty of Adultery, but not else; for God hath made the one parallel with the other.

In Scripture, a mans Wife is reckoned up with his other earthly treasure, as appears Exo. 20▪17. Thou shalt not covet thy Neigh­bours House, thou shalt not covet they Neighbours Wife, nor his Man servant, nor his Maid ser­vant, nor his Ox, nor his Ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbours. As also when Moses left directions about the election of a King, he shews the several snares and temptations that a King might be ensnared with, tho' lawful things in themselves, and reckoneth Wives in with other earthly treasures, Deut. 17▪16, 17 But he shall not multiply Hor­ses to himselt, &c. Neither shall be multiply [...], that his heart turn not away; [...] shall be greatly Multiply to himself [Page 167]Silver and Gold. The Danger that lay [...] multiplying Horses, was left the King should trust in his own strength, and so forget the God that always gives the victo­ry, without having regard, either to few or many; the danger that lay in multiply­ing many Wives, was left they should turn away the Kings heart from following after the only true God; and the danger that lay in the multiplying to himself Silver and Gold, was least his heart thereby should be li [...]ted up with his great treasure and riches, and so forget God. Thus we may [...]e lawful things in themselves may not be expedient, for we see also, that Paul appoin­ted both Timothy and Titus (who were to ordain Elders) to chuse out such for Bishops and Deacons as were the Husbands of one Wife; for the care of the Churches lay upon them, and therefore they had need to be free from the cares and cumbrances of more Wives than one.

And thus the Scripture shews, how the state of the Man, and the state of the Wo­man differ, so that both in the books of the Old Testament and New, there was given no liberty for Judges to grant bills of Divorce, to cut off a mans wise from him, neither doth it stand with human reason, but is a meer wo [...] of the Divil, [Page 168]in this night of Apostacy; for by the testi­mony of Moses in the law, and by the testi­mony of Jesus Christ in the Gospel, none but the man was to give the bill of Divorce, under whose power alone God hath subject­ed the Woman, as a figure of his subjecting the Church under the power of Christ alone: Eph. 5.22, 23, 24.

And whereas the name Concubine, is in this our day applied to Harlots, it is an evil thing; for by Scripture account a Concu­bine is as lawful a Wife as a Wife that is a Queen, tho' not so honourable; for the word Concubine is to distinguish from a more honourable Wife, as when Jacob took [...]o Wife, his Wives hand-maids to be his Wives, those were called his Concubines, and yet were his lawful Wives, as appears by the Testimony of the holy ghost in the scripture, Gen. 37▪ [...]. Joseph being seventeen years old was feeding the flock, with his Brethren, and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his Fathers Wives. Here they are called Jacobs Wives by the holy Ghost; And also in Gen. 25.1. Then Abraham took a Wife and her name was K [...]urah; yet this Wife which Abraham took after the death of his first Wife is called a Concubine, in the 6. v. and yet as lawful a Wife as Sarah was, tho' not [Page 169]so honourable; for the word Concubine is to describe her low state, but lawful Wife. I [...] Judges 19. it appears evidently, that a Concubine Wife, is as lawful a Wife, as a Wife that is a Princes, in the first vers, it is said, A certain Levite who took to him a [...]; in the margent it is said, that the original hath it, a Woman, a Concubine, o [...] Wife, a Concubine: In the third v. he is called her Husband, in the 4th and 5th v. it is said, The Damsels Father said to his Son in Law; in the 26 and 27. verses he is called her Lord, which is the highest term that can be put upon a lawful husband, as is written, Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, which is the [...]it [...]e that Christ bears over his Church, Ep. 4▪5. Thus it appears that a Concubine Wife, is as lawful a Wife, as a Wife that is a Queen, although not so honourable. In Solomon [...] S [...]ng, when he sets forth the spouse of Christ, how she excels both high and low, chap. 6▪8▪9. There are three-score Queens, and foure-score Concubines, and Virgins without number, my Dove, my Undefiled is but one, &c. The Daughters saw her and blessed her, Yea, the Queen and Concubines, and they praised her. Judg. 8▪30, 31. It is said of Gideon [...] That he had threescore and ten Sons, for he had many Wives; and his Concubine that [Page 170]was in Shechem, she also bare him a Son called Abimelech, compare this [...]th chap 9.18. and it will appear, that [...]e had taken his Maid-servant to Wife, and that this name Concubin [...] was to distinguish her from his honourable Wives, v. 18. we have risen up against my father this day, and have slain his Sons, threescore and ten Persons, and made Abimelich the Son of his maid­servant King; thus was she his Conc [...]b [...]ne Wife, but not his Harlot, but Jeptha was not the Son of a Wife, but a Harlot, [...]. 11.1, 2. Now Jeptha was a mighty Man of Valour, and he was the Son of an Harlot, and Gilead begat Jeptha, and Gil [...]ads Wife bear him Sons and his Wives Sons grew up, and they thrust out Jeptha, and said unto him, thou [...]halt not inherit in our Fathers house, for thou art the Son of a strange Woman▪ Thus the Scripture makes a distinction, between a Concubine and a Harlot, but test [...]ieth that a Concubine is a lawful Wife; compare the second of Sam. 12.11. with chap. 16.22 T [...] saith the Lord, behold I will rasse up [...] against [...] of thine own house, and I will take thy [...] before thire eyes and give them unto thy neighbour and he shall [...]e with thy Wives in the [...] of this Sun. chap. 16 22. So they spared Ab­salom a tent upon the top of the house, and [Page 171] Absalom went in unto his Fathers Concu­bines, in the sight of all Israel. Here is ap­peareth that God himself calls Davids Con­cubines, his Wives. 1 [...]. 1.32. it is probable that K [...]tu [...]ah was Abrahams Maid­servant, as well as [...], which is the cause she is called his Concubine, when Kings married Wives below their degree, such Wives were called their Concubines.

And for as much as all Women came out of the loyns of one Man, so likewise hath God Ordained, that there [...] be a re­union, by a conjunction in Marriage, for the procreation of Children, and therefore it is written Gen. 1.28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the Earth. And, secondly, God hath ordained, that this re union shall be a solemn Covenant of Mar­riage, and that unseperable, till death it self; that there be no mixture in the Female, for that is confusion, and tendeth not to the procreation of Children; for tho' one Man may beget Children by many Women, for as much as all Women came out of the loyns of one Man, yet the Woman can conceive but by one Man, and therefore ought to have but one head.

And, thirdly, this unseperable union of Marriage, is a remedy against Fornication: [Page 172]for as every Herb and Fruit tree, hath its seed in it self, so hath man also his seed in himself, and doth with all other naturals, naturally yeild the same, it being the very work and decree of God; Man hath no rea­son to expect any divine strength from God against Fornication, but by the lawful use of the Woman 1 Cor. 7.2 To avoid For­nication, let every Man have his own Wife, and let every Woman have her own Hus­band, v. 9. If they cannot contain, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. Mat 19.10, 11. His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his Wife, it is not good to marry; but he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given, seeing this is the very work of God in nature, a Christian hath no grounds to expect any immediate divine strength against it, as against Passion, Pride, Covetousness, Envy, Hatred, Drunkenness and the like, which are not things placed by God in nature, as this is; for they are the seed of sin, sown in the heart by the wicked one, which are to be rooted out and by the spirit of God mortified; but the other is the Seed of Na­ture, which God hath created for the mul­tiplication of Mankind, in the union of a lawful and honourable Marriage.

[Page 173] And fourthly, the Woman was not made only for the Generating work of man but to be as an object of his delight before him, a [...] Companion or help meet for him, that they might each of them delight themselves in one anothers Society, she being given to him by God, to be the object of his greatest Delight, and most choicest treasure in this life; to set forth the unspeakable love, and unspeakable unity between Christ and his Spouse, Gen. 2.18. Prov. 5.18, 19. Eph. 5.32. And to be a help and comfort each to other, in sickness and in health.

And in this state of Marriage, as the Husband represents Christ, ought to walk in his place as a Man of Wisdom, and love his Wife, even as Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, even so ought the Man to love his Wife as himself, and not to be bitter against her, but tender hearted, giving honour to her, as unto the weaker vessel. And as the Wife in this state of Marriage, doth represent the Church of Christ, so ought she to submit her self to her own Husband, as unto the Lord; and as the Church is subject to Christ, so ought the Wife to her own Husband, in every thing, Eph. 5.22. &c. and to see that she reverence him, being adorned with a meel and quiet spirit, which is highly esteemed [Page 174]of God; and they [...] living together in love and unity, their pravers will ascend up before God as sweet Incence offered upon the golden Altar, which is before the throne of God; and let cash one render t [...]at due courtisie which God hath ordained in that state; for the Wife hath not power other own body, but the Husband; and the Husband hath not power of his own body, but the Wife; and therefore ought not to d [...]fr [...]ud one the other, except it be by a mutual consent, while they give them­selves to fasting and prayer, and so come together again, that Satan tempt them not, for their incontinency 1 Cor. 7.4 5 Joel 2.15, 16.

The holy Scriptures prescribes no Cere­monies in Marriage i [...] gives us an account how Boaz gave publick notice of his Mar­riage with Ruth, chap 4.9, 10, 11. And also it gives us an account, that our Lord and his disciples were called to a Marriage, where they drank Wine, Job. 2▪1, 2. &c. which shewes there was publick notice given of it. And when Laban gave his Daughter to Jacob, he gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast, Gen. 29.21, 22. This [...] was practised both by the [...] and [...] volantarity.

The Scripture [...]ews, the Father hath [Page 175]the disposing of his Virgin, and a Widdow the disposing of her self, Exo. 22.17. 1 Cor. 7.39.

I find nothing in the books of the New-Testament, that forbids a beleiver marrying with an unbeleiver, but it shews that Pauls judgment was, that they were sanctified one to another by their Marriage, 1 Cor. 7.14. tho' their Marriage was made in their heathenish state; so that their Children were not begotten in uncleanness, but were steemed holy upon that account.

And whereas the Apostle saith 1 Cor. [...] ▪39. concerning a Widdow, she is at liberty (saith he) to be Married to whom she will, only in the Lord; I understand it hath relation to her steadfast union in the Lord, tho' she Marry with whom she will; but it is very certain, that it is the duty of every Christian to ask counsel of God in so great a concern, and to have the will subject to Gods will in the matter, and in so doing, we may have confidence in directing [...] in our proceed­ing.