1

12.

36.

10.

Thef.3.

in Bondage under the Spirit of Antichrift? Antichrift being in that power in the best Saints, who are in a farre differing difpenfation Rom. 12. from the Gospel-flate; But to pray in the spirit was to pray continually, to pray without ceafing (not twice or thrice a day as we do) 1 Thef. 5. bu praying night and day; which was not on their knees, or at a fet time, or in a forme of words (though Chrift did ufe thus to pray, being a Minister of the Circumcifion, and in the dutyes of his fie living under the Law :) yet I conceive, that the private prayers of Go pel faints, was not in found of voyce, or forme of words, but waiting upon God in Chrift for the fupplyes of the Spirit, and of all: good things promifed, as may appeare, Rom. 8. 25, 26. we know not what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit helpeth our infirmi tyes with groanings which cannot be uttered. We know what to utter, what to pray for in our formall prayers, yea we have the form and pattern of all our petitions framed in our heads before we utter them, we know what to pray for, besides we have our set times, of our hours of prayers our duty-times (as we call it) We pray morning and evening as David and Daniel did ufe to do unPfal.58. derthe Law fure fuch duty times were never heard of in the-ofpel-ti.nes; therefore praying in the Spirit fcarce appeares in these D.18.6, 19. times, much leffe among those who are moft zealous for it.

17.

Fourthly. There is no preaching in all the Churches, no preaching of that they pretend, no Golpel-preaching; for neither the doctrine of free grace, nor difcourfing of Chrift after the flesh, is p. 3. 5. the preaching of the Go pel; the Golpel is a Mystery hid from ages and generations before and under the Law, not manifefted to the fonnes of men, till 'twas to the Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit but the Covenant of Gra e, free-Grace, the forgiveneffe of fin, e: was fully manifefted by Mofes and the Prophets of old.. Againe, Chrift after the flesh is not the Gospel, for the Apostles: 2. Cor. 5 would henceforth know Chrift after the flesh, no more; not Christ 2 Cor. 5. 15. Col. 1. 27. without us, but Chrift in us is the mystery of Chrift, and of the GofMark 1.14 pel allo; yea, though Christ after the file did prefent the Go'pel

in part, preaching peace to the Jewes; the Kingdome of heaven being then at hand, yet the Kingdom was not come, nor the Go pel fully preached till Chrift came againe and preached peace to them that were afarre off, and to them that were nigh, Ephef. 2. 17. this comming of Christ was not in Flefh, for that was crucified before, verfe 16. but he came in fpirit, that is, 'twas Christ in the Apostles that afterward preached, feeing you feek a proof of Christ 2 Cor. 13. Speaking in me faith Paul; he knew Chriit living in him, and him

3.5.

felf

felf crucified with Chrift, all his flesh and the goodlineffe thereof phil.3.3,9 crucified, his righteoufneffe, his gifts and graces as dung in refpect of Chrift in him, that is, God manifefted in his flesh did flay all that Afh to bimielf, that God alone might appeare to live, or Chrift living in him and this is alfo Christ crucified in him; 1 bear in my body the dyings of the Lord Fefus; we fee Paul preached nothing but 2 Cor. 4.10. Phil.3. 11. Chrift in hima, Chrift dying in him, Chrift rifing in him, not as if I had attained to the Refurrection of the dead Indeed the Apostles did mention Chrift after the flesh, but yet so as thereby to manifeft the Mystery of Chrift in fpirit, of Chrift in us, of God in our Flesh: Christ fuffered for fins, the juft for the unjust to bring us to God: So that all the Minifters of the Ghurches come too fhort in these three things which the Minillers of the Gospel had. First they had the manifestation of the fpirit in manifold gifts enabling them to preach 1Tim,1 12 the Gospel purely, and with power, they preach the Gospel by the Pal. 1.12 boly Spirit fent down from heaven, which none of our Ministers have. Secondly, They could clearly manifeft the mystery of the Gospel and preach glad tydings to every creature under Heaven, to every col.1.23. man and woman in the world, prefenting every man in Chrift, and 28. Chrift in every man. Know ye not that Chrift is in you except

ye

Col.

I

Act.17.27.

πάση

be reprobate? that is, men void of judgement to di cern your 2 Cor.13.5 fpirituall eftate, and being in Chrift, God being in every man, and every mans being in God, Act, 17, 28. Thirdly, the Minifters of the Gofdel could not onely manifelt the myltery by Scripture, but without fcripture they could make it forth in the works of creati on, from the writings of poets, the mystery of God even the Father and of Chrift: For in him we live move and have our being and we are his off-pring; we, that is man-kinde, for the Poet means that; and the Apostle also, he is not farre from every one of us; yea in every Creature the Apole could manifeit Chritt, therefore the Gospel is faid to be preached in every creature under Heaven, 1.23. The Heavens declare, yea day to day uttereth (peech, Pfal. Tic. 19. 2. c. So the Sun, Moon and Stars, their found is gone throughout all the world, v. 4. That is the found and fpeech of every c.eature; and as the Golpel is called the witneffe of God, 1 Cor. So the rain and fruitfull feafons do fully witneffe God. Thus the Apoftles though to the Jewes they fpake from fcriptures, because the fcriptures were owned by them, yet to the Nations, who deayed all fcriptures of the prophets, and knew no other then the poets, and their own prophane authors, the Apoftle I fay never preached to them out of fcriptures; for to what purpose was it to tell the heathen of Mofes, the prophets 002

and

Att.14.17.

and the palms, or to preach of their finnes (as our New England Minifters co to their Sagamoores very fimply) but as the mytery of the Go pel preached by the Apostles could not be read in Scriptures nor learnt by man at all, buc only as it was Revealed in them by Luk. 4.17. the Spirit, fo they (pake; yea, the Speakings of Chrift out of Scripture was onely as a Minifter of the Circumcifion, First reading a Text out of the Law, &c. as all our Golpel-teachers can do, they cannor preach without a Text out of Scripture, they have not the manifestation of the Spirit; neither can they manifeft the myttery of the Golpel, the mystery of Chrift in us, of God manifested in our Alefh, they cannot present every man in Chrift, and every man living in God, and God the Saviour in all men, &c. thefe glad-tydings there is no Minifter can preach to any people (much leffe to every creature, to all Nations, having no gifts of tongues or interpreta ion) they cannot preach the Gospel to those who deny Scriptures, Job, 4. 12. they cannot convince any man by the light in them, which is no other then Christ in them, nor hold forth Chrift from the appearance of God in the world, from the light of the world that is in them, from inward experiments, from outward providences, from the writings of Poets and prophane Authors; yea, from all the Creation. Therefore 'tis plaine there is no preaching of the Gofpel by any Independent-Church or preacher whatsoever. our Minilters cry, Do we not preach as the Apostles ? did not Paul and Peter hold forth Chrift after flesh? I answer againe, The Apostles indeed did hold forth C rift after the flesh, 1. Becau'e their Miniftery was much in the Letter, having but the first fruits of the Spirit, 2. They preacht much of Chrift after the flesh to the Jewes, proving him to be the Meffias by Scriptures but to the Heathen who knew no Scriptures, nor expected the Meffias thereby, Chrift after the flesh is never named to them by the Apostles, but Chrift only in the Spirit, God in mans flesh which they manifelled, yea God manifelt in the flesh of the Creation, as we said before; for this is Chrift in Spirit alto. 3. Though the Apoftles did preach Chrift after the flesh, yet not as the end, as the adequate or ultimate object of their miniftry, or of mens beleiving; buc Chrill b. ing the only way to the Father, by him men were brought to God, and by him did believe in God, that all the Christian knowledge and faith of men might tend and end in God.

But Ail

1Pct.3.19. 4. The Apoftles were fo much Ministers of the Spirit IPt.1.21. yea, could fo minifter the Spirit to men, that in the man Chritt Jelus they could manifelt God, even the Father in

2 Cor. 3.6. 3.5.

Gal.

perfe&

perfect union with Men, as with Chrift, and fo raise up beleevers from Chrift after the flesh; to Chrift in fpirit,to God in their flesh, as in his, No Minifter of the Churches this day has this miniftry of the Spirit, neither can they manifelt the Mystery of Christ in us; but carry their hearers no higher then Chrift in flesh, and there leave them in the flesh, which profiteth nothing: though God in his Job. 6. 63. free grace and love takes up all his to himfelt, the quickening 'pirit living in them, and revealiug himself to men as he pleases. Yet this we fhall (with God) make good hereafter, when we come to fpeak of Doctrines; that the Churches know not the Doctrine of Chrift, nor yet fo much as Chrift after the flesh for what was the Man Chria Jefus, but God in flesh, the Saviour of men? not the Man, but God in that man was Jefus the Saviour. For as God in Chris was the Reconciler, &c. 2 Cor. 5. 29. lo God in Chrift was the Redeemer of the world :. God in im was the Head and Husband of the Church, God even the Father was all in all in that flesh, brought forth of a Virgin; the hypoftaticall Union, fo called, being not between the perfon of the Son and humane Nature: but the humane Nature united to God even the Father was the perfon of the Son. The preaching of the Gospel was thus to manifeft God in the flesh of men, as in the man Chrift, and men in union with the Father as that Man, that Man-God being in us, becaufe God was in him; for as God was with him, fo God is with us, and 4.10.38, God with us is Chrift, Immanuel. Without this knowledge Ifay, 8. 8, taught of God, men preach not Chrift, but they preach Man, and 10. themselves.

5. A Palm was the mufick of Churches, and the melody of the Gofpel; but the found of the Gospel being not heird, how can we heare a Palme fung in the Churches? Indeed under the Law a Pfalm was in ryme and meerer. Secondly in tune and melody. Thirdly the multitude altogether did fing: but a Go'pel Plame was no fuch thing, and the Churches of Chritt had no fuch order; women were forbid to speak in the Church, mech leffe to fing. A Palmechen was a special gift of the Spirit whereby fome one filled with the Spirit and word of Christ did fpeak the praises of God with exceeding joy, and full of Glory. I fay 'twas a fpeciail gift of the Spirit: how is it brethren? when you come together every one of you bath a Pfalme, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a Revelation, hath an interpretation: let all things be done to edifying, 1 Cor. 14:26. The Apoftle doth not there chide the Corinthians for their dilerder, as (peaking together, but he commends their order

and

and decency, verfe 40. that every one ipake, that is, none spake bar according to the gift of the Spirit which each had; fome had a do Arine, that is, no common truth delivered, but fome speciall and glorious di covery of God, Efa.29. 24. Again a tongue and interpretation were two other ifts of the Spirit, and a Revelation, or the mani'etting of the Truth, that was long hid from the Churches, this was a gift, to was a Pialme, not which every one had, no not all faints, but fome had a Pialme, that is fuch a one who was filled with the spirit and word of Chrift or Gofpe! knowledge, he could fing, that is, speak the prayfes of God with exceeding joy; menthink. they do not fing unleffe they make a noise like a bird, or tune their voyce, but to fing in the Golpel language is no more then to speak, Speaking to your felves in Plaims, hymns and fpiritual fons, making melody in your hearts to the Lord; there was no tune in the voyce but in the heart; no melody to men, but to the Lord God; for to fing was to speak his prayles as is plaine, I Cor. 14, 15, 26. Ephef. 5.20. Col. 3. 17. not that every (peaking or praying God, is finging; but fuch as was with exceeding joy, if any be afflicted let him pray, if any be merry let him fing Palms, let him expreffe his mirth (the joy and melody of his heart) in the prayfes of God, as thofe Rev. 14. 1. who had the Fathers name on their fore-heads; i. c. who had a full difcovery of God in them, were as the voyce of Harpers harping with their Harps, verfe 2. None could fng that fong but themselves, verfe 3. now all can fing Davids Palmes, the Churches fongs; but those who fing the,fong of the Rev. 13.2. Lamb, have not Davids harp, but the Harpes of God, the joy of the Holy Spirit unspeakable and full of Glory.

Fam.5.

Ifay, 19.14

'Tis too long at prefent to fhew how the Churches (as it was faid of the Princes of Egypt) do err in every work of their hand, erring in all their Ordinances, dutyes, dayes of Feafting, feafts of Thankf giving, conforming in all to the National Churches, but especially in fanctifying the Lords Day. There is nothing, they are more dark in then in this: whereas the Lords Day is no more then the Day of the Lord, the Day of God, when God fhall reveal himself co men, and in them clearly, as John faith of himself, Revel. I. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lords day; that is, the manifeftation of God in Flefh: when God did fully reveal himself in John, John was all in the (pirit, his Flefh fell down as dead, verfe 17. as Ifaiah and Daniel were both undone, when they faw the Lord in glory appearing in them, Isay. 6. and Dan. 10. But how comes the Lord day to be the first day of the week; or the fourth Commandment fpeaking of the feventh day, prove the fanctifying of the first day?

Who