The Life and Death of Sir Henry Vane, Part 5 (1 of 3)

The Life and Death of Sir Henry Vane · Part 5 (1 of 3)

p. 51Concerning Allegories and Allegorizing the Scriptures.

VVHen one thing is said, as Type, Letter, or significant Figure, through which another, farther and more excellent thing is meant, and to be understood, that is an Allegory, which he that expounds p. 52must Allegorize. Whether then there be not as much need of Allegorizing the Scriptures as of understanding them, or whether there be any other possible way of interpreting them, so as to discover the whole counsel of God therein, detect Satans whole mystery of iniquity, and render men wise unto Salvation, shall appear by and by.

There are two sorts of Allegories in Scripture, perfect and mixt. Perfect are purely allusory, when all the expressions are naturally suited to the person or thing first spoken of; but much more accurately, to some more excellent person or thing that is to be understood thereby. An Allegory mixt or but partly allusory, is when some one of the expressions onelyonly are applicable to the type, some inferiour person or thing, and some onelyonly to the antitype, quite over-reaching and leaving behinde them the natural of historical shadow, and pitching singly and expresly on the spiritual and mystical substance, the more excellent person or thing that is to be understood. Of this sort we find many Allegories in Scripture, where Christ is typified and represented by other persons, who when they are spoken of in that capacity and intendment, some of the expressions outpace the shadow, and are not at all applicable, save meerly and singly to the very person of the Messiah. Thus (amongst others) Melchizedeck, (who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings, Chederlaomer and the rest) is said to be without Father, Mother, or descent, having neither beginning of dayes, nor end of Life, but made like unto the Son of God, a Priest for ever, or of the everlasting Order, Heb. 7. 1, 3. This points us back to Psal. 110. 4. and that yet more backward, to Gen. 14. 17. If Sem here were the type, (as many Iewish Rabbins affirm) those expressions, without Father, Mother, Descent, or beginning of dayes, are not at all applicable to him, but singly to Christ himself. Sem was the most righteous Son of Noah, a Teacher of righteousness as Noah was, called therefore properly Melchizedeck, that is, King of righteousness, and King of Salem, that is, Peace, from the place he was chief Governour of, afterwards called Ierusalem, from Iireh and Salem, (the place where Peace shall be seen, as type of the heavenly Ierusalem) occasioned by Abraham's offering Isaac there on Mount Moriah, where David saw the Angel by Araunah's threshing-floor, and Solomon built the Temple, Gen. 22. 14. 2 Sam. 24. 16, 17. 2 Chron. 3. 1. Sem, on the accounts mentioned, might fitly be called, King of righteousness, and King of peace, (Heb. 7. 2.) but much more fitly yet may Christ be so called, in whom all the righteousness of the first Covenant and all the peace that's to be found in the second, kissed each p. 53other in the second, and were the summe of his Ministery, Psal. 85. 10.

But to proceed, shall I ask a bold question? What else can the whole Scripture be, as to the saving truths and doctrine thereof, but an Allegory, in case it be presumed to speak intelligibly to humane understanding?

The main things signified in Scripture are things spiritual and eternal, things not seen, (2 Cor. 4. 18. Heb. 11. 1.) not at all immediately and in themselves discernable to meer humane understanding. The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God: they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2. 14. What then is to be done? Either Christ in his own personal discourses, as also by his Prophets, Apostles and Evangelists, must condescend to gratifie the capacities and understandings of men, by representing spiritual and heavenly things to them, through such natural, earthly Mediums, as are suitable and adaequate objects to humane understanding, or else 'tis as if nothing were said. What is no wayes intelligibly spoken, is as not spoken. Spiritual things in their own naked essence and properties are uncapable of expression by a sound of words. Words, that are the meanes of humane converse, even at their best, and in the original language, are but the proper signifiers of natural things.

Adam by giving Names to the Creatures, Gen. 2. 19, 20. discovered his compleat Philosophical prospect into and knowledge of them in their hidden qualities essences and properties, which the dim fighted reason of fallen man, hath since been a pittiful bungler at. Solomon's Physicks, and his book of Plants and the three sorts of Animals in air, earth, and water, (Birds, Beasts, and Fishes 1 King. 4. 33.) were it yet extant, (as some think it is, in Presbyter Iohn's Library at Amyra) would doub…less appear a great masterpiece in that kind, transcending all the Wisdom and disquisitions of the learned Greeks. Hebrew words were fitted to the things they signified. There was a certain connexion between things and words. All other words, as they come less or more near to the Hebrew, do more or less significantly represent the things meant by them. The more any Language recedes from the Hebrew, the more it is confounded by humane changes and additions, the more obscure and difficult means are the words thereof for conveying the knowledge of things to us. Homer and other Greek Poets and Philosophers set themselves therefore to Etymological learning, by reducing the primitive words in other languages to their Hebrew roots, and then the Derivatives to those Primitives. p. 54This they laboured in, as the most notable means conducible to the knowledge of things. Then Chrysippus, Demetrius, and abundance of others, writ Books of Etymologie. Then the Latins, receiving Learning as well as the Empire from the Greeks, steer the same course, in order to Etymological discipline as the choicest means to lead men into the knowledge of things. Cato, Varro, and other antient and famous Latines writ many Volumns to this purpose. Of later times, on the same account, did Iulius Caesar Scaliger, compose a hundred and ten Books de Originibus. Then Ioseph Scaliger, (Son of Iulius) Lipsius, Casaubon, and many others steered the same course.

But when all comes to all, were we reduced and advanced into the perfect knowledge and exercise of the Original Tongue, what then? All the words thereof at best, are but the adaequate signifiers of natural, first-creation things. All these things and words too, are but the types, letters, shadows, resemblances, rhetorical figures, and significant expressions of spiritual, heavenly, new-creation things. If this be true, what can the main bulk of Scripture be, but an Allegory? Spiritual things expressed and signified by Natural, and the words thereof from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation, and that in the typical histories, & persons, as well as in the sacrifices, ceremonies and parables thereof? What jejune and feeble Interpreters of Scripture then must they needs be that cannot Allegorize it, nor therefore endure that others should?

The whole first Creation, without humane words, is a piece of dumbe but significant Rhetorick, to express the second, and things thereof. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy work, Psal. 19. The invisible things of God from the creation of the World, are so intelligibly represented and expressed to humane understanding, by the things that are made, as to leave men without excuse for neglect of their duty towards God. Rom. 1.20. Raymund, de sabunde, seems to have spoken notably towards the exposition of this creature Book.

As the first whole creation in general, is letter, shadow, and expression of the second, so more particularly, is the first Adam in his primitive natural perfection, type, letter, or figure of the second, and of what he himself was capable to be made and in all probability was made by a new creation in, the second.

Paradise, Canaan, the earthly Ierusalem, Mount Sion, &c. all are Types, Letters and significant Figures of the heavenly. The three stories in Noah's Ark, (Gen. 6. 16.) as also the three distinct places in Moses his Tabernacle and Solomons Temple, the outward Court, the Holy, and then the most Holy Place (or Holy of Holies) as they are p. 55Types of Christ, so of his followers too, as to the three parts of their composition, Body, Soul, and Spirit, 1 Thes. 5. 23. Man is the Tabernacle of God, the Temple of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6. 19. His Body is the outward Court, what's done in that, is exposed to the common view of all. His Soul is the holy place, furnished with the lamps of the spirit, excellent spiritual gifts, (for the raising and enlightening of humane understanding) resembled by the seven lamps that stood over against the twelve shew-bread Cakes, (Exod. 25.) which signified the light of the Law, or ruling power of enlightened humane Understanding, in which the twelve Tribes of Israel were to walk, who were shewed; represented or propounded before God in the Temple, over against the Candlestick, but without the Holy of Holies. Those twelve Cakes (laid on the Table, fresh every week) were therefore called the bread of proposition, and shew-bread. But the Spirit of Man, or rather, the spiritual mind is to be the most holy place, for God himself to dwell in.

This is the new-creature principle of marvellous light and eternal Life, by which the Lamp or Candle of single humane Understanding is put out, swallowed up, and transformed into a better and more excellent, the Light of the Sun. The Lamp of Man's Understanding, till transformed, has nothing to do within the Veil. The New-Ierusalem state of Life is so far from needing Man's intellectual Candle-light, that angelical-star-light, yea the sun-light of Christ's own natural perfection is out-shined there, by the light of his Spiritual form, which is sevenfold brighter. There's no need there of man's Candle, or of the Light of the Sun, or Moon, for the glory of God lightens it, and the Lamb is the light thereof, Rev. 21.23 and 22. 5.

What are (in general) all the Sacrifices and Ceremonies in the Old Testament, but significant Types or Expressions of what we are to be or do in the New? The Sacrifices, Beeves, Sheep, and Goats, taught and declared primarily the Sacrifice Christ was to make in his own person; and secondarily also the sacrifices, that all his true followers are to make in their persons; that holy and acceptable sacrifice of our rational Life and powers thereof, at best, under the fire-baptism of God's spirit, required, Rom. 12. 1, 2. that so we may be transformed and grow up into the spiritual powers of eternal Life, hid with Christ in God, (as our true interest and grand concern) without which we cannot be saved.

For persons; Adam, Enoch, Noah, Sem, Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, Ioseph, Moses, Ioshua, Sampson, Samuel, David, Solomon, and many others, were they not Types, Letters, or significant Figures of Christ? p. 56Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Iacob and Esau, were Letters and Types of two Seeds or Births of Christ in Men; one after the flesh for the cleansing them from the corruption of Nature; another after the spirit, which delivers them by degrees from corruptibility, as before from corruption, till mortality be swallowed up of Life.

Do not the Typical signifiers of Spiritual things, in Moses and the Prophets, hold on all along to the very end of the Revelation? What's the New Ierusalem character'd by at the very last, but by the twelve precious stones in the High Priests Pectoral, which also signified the twelve Tribes of Israel? Are any so bruitish as to imagine that those glittering trifles of the East, the Iasper, Saphire, Emrald, Chrysoprase, and the rest, are litterally and really to be found in the heavenly Ierusalem, Rev. 21?

Does not Paul Allegorize the history of Abraham, Sara, Hagar Ishmael and Isaac, as representing Christ, the true Father of the faithful, and as a twofold Husband to a first and second Covenant-Spouse, which bring forth two sorts of Children, one after the flesh, another after the spirit? The former of these Children (arriving onelyonly at the practical and experimental knowledge of, and conformity with Christ in the flesh, or in his fleshly, changable manifestation) persecutes the other, the true Isaac, the spiritual circumcision, that's born of Christ after the Spirit, and brought into a likeness and conformity with him in his unchangable creature state, Gal. 4. 22, 31. Rom. 8. 1. Christ is that twofold Husband, (mentioned, Rom. 7. 1, 2, 3.) married first to a first-Covenant-Spouse; then dies. Unless that first Spouse be content to pass with him under the fire-baptism, drink of his cup, taste of his death, in order to be brought into conformity with him therein, she never meets with him or sees him more, to her comfort. Her Husband is dead, but alive again, and lives for ever more, Rev. 1. 18. The Wife also must die with him, or she cannot come to live with him for evermore, 2 Tim. 2. 11. How die, or to what? To the Law, or in the Ruling power of our own natural, first-creation Spirit, activity and principles, however renewed or adorned, that so we may come to live under grace, the law of the spirit, or spiritual, eternal Life, in the ruling activity and principles of that more excellent spirit we receive from Christ, as a transcript of his heavenly manhood in us, by the new creation. This is that onelyonly, under the Government whereof, Paul dares warrant us safe from sins ever recovering dominion again, Rom. 6. 14. This is that state of Life onelyonly, in which, as married to him that is risen from the dead, we may bring forth fruit unto God, in the newness of the Spirit of our new creation, p. 57not in the oldness of the Letter of our first-creation Spirit, as is signified, Rom. 7. 4, 5, 6.

The cleansed state of our first-creation Spirit, amounts but to the renewed old man, not the new: but to the circumcision of the heart, in the letter of the first-creation, (not by the spirit of the second) whose praise is of Man, not of God, Rom. 2. 29. This makes but the concision, that are of a diminutive, narrow, dogged, snarling nature towards the true spiritual circumcision, or circumcision of the heart in the Spirit, whose praise is not of men, but of God, Phil. 3. 2, 3.

There may be a little dark interval in the passage the first wife of Christ adventures to make through death and the grave, in order (and with full assurance of hope) to meet with him again in the better Life of the Resurrection. But she will soon find her own again with usury; the quitted and resigned activity, and ruling authority of her own corruptible spirit, (which brings her into the true mystical grave and conformity with Christ in his death) in the raised and advanced condition of the same spirit, into harmony with and subjection to Christ, in her superinduced, incorruptible new-creation form and Life. This is the mystical Resurrection the spiritual believer has real fellowship with Christ in, even while yet in the mortal Body. Such fellowship of Christs sufferings, conformity with him in his death, and power of his resurrection, Paul lived in the experience and longed for the full accomplishment of, Phil. 3. 10, 11.

This passage out of the Life of our first-creation spirit and form, into that of the second, being gradual and leisurely, and the tempter laying all his engines of battery against those that are attempting this way, and Christ for a little moment hiding his face, or withdrawing that kind of comfortable presence, he had afforded the soul in his first-marriage-union with her, that after a little while he may with everlasting mercies have compassion upon her, in the second; these things considered, 'tis no wonder she sits for a little season, as a disconsolate, fruitless Widow. But God bids her be of good cheer, for more shall be the Children of the desolate Widow, than of the first married Wife, Esay 54. 1. And Christ gives that long and most solemn exhortation to his Disciples in the 14, 15, 16, and 17 Chapters of Iohn, to this very purpose, to establish and support their hearts in this passage (so dark and dismal to flesh and blood) into the Life and glory of the Resurrection. Upon his fleshly departure and disappearance, as their Bridegroom in that first way, he knew they would have a little mourning season of it, Mat. 9. 15. and therefore sets himself to comfort them before hand with the expectation of what was p. 58to follow. You shall have another Comforter, saies he, meaning himself in the spirit and glory of the Resurrection. I will not leave you comfortless, Orphans and Windows, I will come to you, after a little while, Io…. 14. 16, 18. To the very same purpose is that, Esay 54.7, 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee, or withdrawn my self from thee, as to my fleshly and first kind of manifestation to thee, which looks like wrath, but with great mercies, and everlasting kindness will I gather thee up to my self in my second and more excellent glory, and become thy husband in the new and everlasting Covenant, saith the Lord, thy Redeemer.

Both these Dispensations are on foot still, Christ yet communicates himself to the souls of men in his fleshly way of manifestation, bringing them into conformity with that holy state of his earthly manhood, which makes the legal Christian, first-covenant professor and Wife of Christ, on this side the cross, the grave, the crown. His withdrawing from them as to this appearance and the fruits of it, is of the same import, as his withdrawing from his disciples when he was actually & personally in the flesh. He was then litterally in the flesh in his own person, but he was even then but mystically in the flesh as to the persons of his disciples, as God manifested in their flesh; & so he is in all that thus experimentally know him but after the flesh now. Their so being in Christ Jesus, knowing of him, and walking in him but after the flesh, does not free or secure them from apostacy, (2 Pet. 2.20,22.) or condemnation, (Rom. 8. 1.) but the knowing of him, & walking in him after the spirit, as he is the new Covenant Bridegroom and better Comforter. In this state, they are married to him that is risen: in the other, to him only that was made flesh, & with whom they in that fleshly glory, even from him received, must be crucified. How else can they be brought into conformity with him in his death? It was holy flesh, the natural man in its greatest purity, that was offered up and slain in him. This at the best then, renewed by himself in us, is also to be slain and offered up, under and by the fire-baptism of the new-creature spirit, or spirit of Christ, that performes the new-creation work in man. It must be the holy, reformed, natural state, that must be offered as the true Christian sacrifice, Rom. 12. 1. 2, By this means as we come to be married to Christ in the Resurrection, so we come to be children of the Resurrection, begotten by the force, influence, and benefit of Christ's Resurrection, into a meetness of spirit to be married to him that is risen from the dead, Luke 20. 36. 1 Pet. 1. 3. Such marriage there is even in the Resurrection. Such a state of the resurrection there is while we are yet in this mortal body. The spiritual man, who lives in the spirit, knowe… Christ in spirit, and walks p. 59after the spirit, (Gal. 5. 25. Rom. 8. 1.) is really and actually, though but gradually, in this mystical and best kind of Resurrection, while yet in the earthly body. The new creature, he that lives the life, and in the spirit of the new creation, lives in the Resurrection.

The Resurrection of our Bodies (after the death of them) at last is not to be put in the ballance with the priviledges of this spiritual Resurrection, while we are yet in the earthly body. The spiritual, new-creation Life we are risen into, is eternal Life. But millions of men will find their bodily rising to be but a Resurrection into eternal death, and shame, everlasting punishment and contempt, Dan. 12. 2. Mat. 25. 46.

But let's take a little further view of Christ's first-Covenant Wife and Children, what they may do, and what may become of them? They may play the harlot with that very beauty and comeliness, that very first-creation kind of glory and perfect righteousnes of the Law, that Christ has put upon them, called God's comeliness, and yet their own beauty, because it beautifies and adorns but that selfish state of the first-creation, Ezek. 16. 14, 15. What comes of them for playing the harlot with this, and opposing thereby the more excellent dispensation and glory, that comes from the same Redeemer in his new-creation work? They must be judged by Christ as those that shed blood and break wedlock are judged, as Murtherers, and Adulteresses vers. 38. This they come to.

Not unlike to this, is that Esay 63. 8, and 10. He said, surely they are my People, Children that will not lie, so he was their Saviour. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy spirit: therefore he turned to be their enemy, and fought against them. There are a People, a Wife, Children, Members of Christ after the flesh, that stand liable to forfeit all their priviledges and interest in him, by apostacy, and then Christ becomes their enemy. As he delighted before, to deliver and save them, rejoyced over them to do them good and multiply them; so now he will rejoyce over them to destroy them, bring them to nought, and root them out of the land he gave them, Deut. 28. 63. If the transgression, the apostacy be general, so will the Judgement be too; That which he hath built, he will break down; that which he hath planted he will pluck up, even this whole land, Jer. 45.4.

This was the case between God and those religious Iews, that lived and walked but in the wavering principles of the first-covenant. They would be ever and anon starting aside, like a deceitful Bow. They were not of the right, or new-covenant heart: Their spirit was not stedfast with God; and when they failed of their duty, he let loose one enemy or another still upon them. Then they remembred that God p. 60was their Rock, and the high God their Redeemer. Nevertheless they did but flatter him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongues, for their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his Covenant; or they were not in that new, stedfast Covenant with him, that is established in all things and sure. And God will not be mocked; he knows how to handle them. All this over and over, and much more is to be seen, Psal. 78. 8. 35. 36. 37. and 57. verses, &c.

And Ier. 3. 14. The same People in the same breath, are reckoned both the Children and Wife of Christ, though back-slider; Turn again, O back-sliding Children, saith the Lord, for I am married to you.

The Children that are born but of that changeable seed of the first-creation in Christ, hate and persecute them that are born after the spirit, (or of the incorruptible seed of Christ in spirit, as he is head of the new-creation, in which he becomes, that word or image of God, that lives and abides in them for ever) and then they backslide and lose what they have in the first-covenant, Mat. 13. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 23, 25. Esay 40. 6, 8. These two Seeds, Births, Children, as they are typified by Ishmael and Isaac, Gal. 4. so by Cain and Abel, Esau and Iacob, and other pairs of brothers. Aaron and Moses rather typify the natural and spiritual Saint in the glory of the Resurrection, in the new and everlasting Covenant, as above described. But Cain and Abel, &c. signifie the fleshly, or first-Covenant worshipper, of the one party, and both the spiritual, new-covenant worshippers (whether of the single or double portion) on the other.

Cain and Abel, &c. may be Allegorized into this spiritual significancy and reach, as mystically indigitating and presenting to us the distinction of the fleshly and spiritual Worshipper, the reformed natural, and the transformed, or spiritual man; the first and second Covenant Saint. The elder often turns malignant, envies, hates, persecutes the younger: he after the flesh, him after the spirit. They may with good warrant also be Allegorized into a narrower compass yet, as typifying the natural and spiritual man, flesh and spirit, in the same individual Saint, that is born of Christ after the spirit, and yet not quite rid of flesh, which will be lusting against the spirit in him, that is his sin; as the spirit also will be lusting against that flesh, which is his duty, Gal. 5. 17. Not onelyonly corrupt nature, filthy flesh, but renewed nature, holy Flesh, goodliness of flesh, that that was born of Christ after the flesh, will be envying and lusting against, striving and contesting with that in man, that is born of the same Christ, after the spirit, Iohn 3. 6. What struggle they for? what's the matter, that enlightened reason and the marvellous light of Faith, the renewed p. 61old man and the new, nature and grace can't agree? They have the same Father, Christ; they tumble in the same womb, the soul of man. This is it; they struggle like Iacob and Esau in the same womb, in the same person, for the dominion, the Scepter. The question in debate between them is, who shall be king? The renewed enlightened natural mind (which yet is but flesh, though holy flesh) thinks it self fit to rule and give Law to the whole person; would keep all under the dominion of the Law of the first creation. The spirit of the new creation claims all this as its right, though the latter and younger birth, (as reason also had been to sense) yet the true heir of the crown, and the elder must serve or become subject to this younger. The renewed first-creation spirit and state of life, glory, and freedom in man, finally refusing, resisting and persecuting the more excellent, new creature Life, spirit, and glorious liberty of the sons of God in the second, amounts to no less than the sin unto death, the sin against the Holy Ghost, or Christ in Spirit.

This same mystery is typified, and by no other way but Allegorizing, is to be fetched out of the history of Hagar and Sarai. Hagar has the start of Sarai at fruitfulness, she is first with Child, Sarai is yet barren. But sing O barren, (saies Christ in this sense) that didst not bear, more shall be thy Children, greater thy fruitfulnsss at last. God swore to Abraham upon his offering up Isaac, and not with-holding his onelyonly Son, that blessing he would bless him, and multiply his seed as the stars of Heaven, and as the sand on the Sea-shore; and that in his seed should all the Nations of the earth be blessed, Gen. 22. 16, 18. and Gen. 15. 3, 6. This promise relates to Isaac, not Ishmael; and to Sarai, not Hagar; and to Abraham not Abram. Ab-ram signifies high Father. This was all the name he had while he had but Ishmael onelyonly, (Gen. 16.) but when Isaac, the promised Seed is coming, the syllable Ha, or letter H, (being the first syllable or letter of Hamon, a multitude) is added to Abram and Sarai, so he is called, Abraham (Gen. 17. 5.) she Sarah, v. 15. Abraham by this addition, signifies high Father of a multitude (of nations) and for Sarah, as type of the New-Ierusalem Spouse of Christ, see her numberless Children, her Isaac's, Rev. 7. 4, 9. We find here first, … hundred forty four thousand sealed ones; that are the peculiar Bride and spouse of Christ, resembled by Sarah, and then a numberless multitude, of the lower rank of everlastingly glorified men, that stand about the Throne, Children of the Bride-chamber, and friends of the Bridegroom and the Bride.

But lets review, that Allegory, first in History, then Mystery. Sarai gives her maid Hagar to Abram to be his wife, Gen. 16. 3. Hagar p. 62conceives, and presently the fruitful servant despises her barren mistresse, vers. 4. Sarai complaines of her to Abram. Abram bids her handle her as she pleased. Sarai deales hardly with her, and she flies for't, vers. 5, 6. The Angel of the Lord finds her and advises her to return and submit her self under her Mistresses hands, v. 9 Here's the History. Deny Allegorizing, and there will be no Mystery in it, and then what an insignificant story may this seem? Did not all these things happen for ensamples? were they not written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the World are come? 1 Cor. 10. 11. Is not all Scripture given by inspiration of God, for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness? 2 Tim. 3. 16. What doctrine, reproof, or instruction can we receive to any purpose, from this, and abundance of like Scriptures, if Allegorical interpretation be carped at and exploded, and insipid litteral glosses, owned and adhered unto, as the onelyonly sence, reach, and intendment thereof?

With your leave then, let us try by the Allegorizing engine, our spiritual discerning if we have it, to give birth to the mystical sence and rich significancy which this history carries in the womb of it.

As soon as Hagar saw she had conceived, the next news we hear, is, her Mistress is despised in her eyes. Behold here the proper Character of the first-covenant wife of Christ. She is warm, flourishing, prosperous and fruitful in a way of outward Ordinances, and also in working Righteousness, in the goodliness of Flesh, in a wisdom, glory and comeliness, that Christ himself hath wrought in her, and put upon her. She is wise, strong, and honourable in Christ, and makes no scruple but this will alwayes hold, thinks her mountain so strong that she shall never be moved. On this account, the true new-covenant spouse of Christ, the right new-spirited Saint is despised and slighted, as a weak, foolish, contemptible thing, no body at Ordinances and righteousness in her way, which she experiences to be the way of Christ, finding the fruits of his presence in it. Thus was it between Paul with others, and some of the Corinthian Church. Both were married to, and interested in Christ, but by different Covenants. We are fooles, (saies he) for Christ's sake, ye are wise in Christ. We are weak, ye strong: Ye honourable, we despised, 1 Cor. 4. 10. and 2 Cor. 10. 12. We dare not make our selves of the number, or compare our selves with such as commend and compare themselves with one another of the same principles and perswasions, and so applaud themselves in one another, by their mutual self-deceivings. The true spiritual Elder, Paul the aged, he is in body with this flourishing, p. 63youthful, warm, legal-spirited generation. The main business he has to say for himself, is a Life hid with Christ in God, and worshipping God in spirit and truth. This they reckon as nothing but discourse, fiction, foolishness. But be it known, those that with Paul are weak, foolish, and despised for Christ, are better than such as he there implicitly reproves and taxes with folly, that yet he acknowledges were wise, strong and honourable in Christ. Such foolish, weak, despised ones of Christ, as Paul was, are they that will quite confound the wise, the mighty, the honourable. The things that are not, shall bring to nought the things that are; and no flesh with all its ornament, righteousness, and wisdom, shall enter into Christ's kingdom, or glory in his presence, 1 Cor. 1. 27, 29. And as the spiritual saint is thus handled by the fleshly, so is the spirit or spiritual part in the same saint dealt with by the fleshly. Holy flesh, the renewed natural mind, will be despising the feeblness of the spiritual (while weak and low) and jusling it out of the Throne, as to its interesting it self, as the ruling Principle at working righteousness and worshiping God.

Having thus in Hagar taken notice of the malapert, proud, insulting carriage of the first-covenant Wife or Spirit, in different saints, or in the same, against the right spirit of the second, through confidence in the works of the Law, (or works performed in the ruling activity of their own renewed mind) let us proceed to other branches and observables in the said Allegory before us. Abram as a type of Christ, delivers up Hagar into Sarai's hand; Sarai dealt hardly with her, so she should. Hagar fled; 'twas her sin: What signified Sarai's hard dealing with her? Persecution? No; the Spirit of Christ, the fire-baptism, the strait gate, that will not suffer flesh and blood to enter into the kingdom of God, this it signified. Hagar's flight then imports the declining and refusal of all these. The legal spirited professor, confident in the works of the Law, will endure none of these things. They are all a sad story, a hard saying to him. His usual way of waving them, (if urged and hard put to't) is to call them Blasphemy, and the Witnesses thereof Blasphemers; and on he goes very secure in his doatage. But say or think man what he will, this is Christ's way, he gives up the fleshly worshipper, and the fleshly part in the true spiritual worshipper, to the spiritual, to be humbled and abased, broken and subdued, hardly dealt with, crucified, slain and offered up in sacrifice, under the power of the Cross of Christ or fire-baptism of his spirit, typified by Sarai. There's no entring into the kingdom, but we must pass thorow this fire, this tribulation, this bruising of the inmost part of the natural man, his very spirit and rational powers, whatever p. 64ever becomes of his outward, as to persecution from the world. Hagar despised Sarai, Ishmael mocked Isaac, (Gen. 21. 9.) this was persecution. Usually, those that are taken out of the world, (or worldly, first-creation constitution and frame of spirit within them, by the fire-baptism) do so differ even from the professing part of the world, in their very religion or union with God by another Covenant, and in their more excellent way of worshipping God, in spirit and truth, not letter and form, that they seldom or never scape the external branch of the cross and baptism of blood, through the rage & enmity of man against this new-creature marvellous light and life, that is springing up in those whom God is transforming into another nature. But let men take it how they will, the cross, the fire-baptism, we must come to, within us, first or last, or we cannot be saved.

The fleshly worshipper either yields to this fiery doctrine, ministry and way, or resists, or flies. If He get the magistrates sword, on his side, (as if Hagar could have got Abram to side with her against Sarai) then he'l make the messenger of such tydings fly. Sarai must fly or suffer under Hagar. Men decry it for heresie, blasphemy, and persecute him that talkes at such a rate. Thus Christ himself was served by the zealous, legally religious Iew. 'Twas the religious, professing party of the Iewes that crucified Christ, and would take no answer, hear no reason or argument from Pilate, the Heathen Magistrate, to the contrary. But if the sowre Legalist neither will yeild, nor can brui…ishsly resist this hard doctrine by outward force or persecution, then he takes Hagars course, flies it. And what then? He every where decries this spiritual doctrine of the cross and fire-baptism, for heretical, dangerous and seductive, wishing all to beware how they meddle with such books, converse with such persons, or listen to such dangerous suggestions. While toleration lasted, I have experimented this to be the too general frame of spirit amongst professors in this nation, who have evidently chosen rather to venture a persecution of their own doctrine and persons, than endure this and the assertors thereof. Here's the mystery of Hagars flight. The Angel of the Lord advises her to return, and submit her self to her Mistris. In her, all these timerous, fugitive, envious, legal-spirited Christians, that are leavened with the leaven of the Pharisees, are admonished to entertain better thoughts of the New-Ierusalem Spouse, resembled by Sarai, and submit themselves to her doctrine and more excellent way; to the cross, the fire-baptism, the spirit of Christ, the covenant of grace, Sarai. This is the doctrine, the reproof, the correction, the instruction p. 65on in everlasting righteousness, which that History, that Allegory is pregnant with.

Christ with both his Covenant Spouses and Children, are allegorically expressed by Husband and Wife, Father and Children, Head and Members, with the like. Such expressions are interpretable into mystery, by a due considering the duties and offices of such Relations in the letter. And as Christ himself, so Paul and others, are (in way of Allegory) called Fathers of such as by them are begotten to Christ, through the Gospel, 1 Cor. 4. 15. and vers. 17. he calls Timothy, his beloved Son; so 1 Tim. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 2. and 2. 1. They are also called Pastors, Mothers, and Nurses to both the Seeds or Children of Christ, in their kind, 1 Thes. 2. 7, and 11. Gal. 4. 19. In another respect, every true believer, as he becomes the Child, so is the Mother of Christ, as with pangs and throw's towards the new birth, (to the loss, and at last, death of the single activity of his fleshly mind and heart) Christ in spirit be formed and brought forth in him, by him.

Then comes the Life of Faith, the true reigning, New-Ierusalem Principle, (in which reason has its resurrection) the kingdom of heaven within him. He ownes Christ in his heavenly headship, as his Lord and King, expressed (Cant. 3. 11.) by setting the Crown upon his head, owning a willing subjection to the Law of the Spirit of Life, in this day of espousal to him, which is a day of gladness to Christ, good men and angels, Luk. 15. 10. The believer is the wise Virgin, who becomes at same time the Mother and Spouse of Christ, brings forth her own Lord and King in Spirit, as the Virgin Mary brought him forth in Flesh. In the very day that Christ is thus brought forth in and by the believer, they are espoused together by the new and everlasting Covenant. The believer owns Christ, as Head, Husband and King. Upon this, Christ rejoyces, Angels rejoyce, the Believe… himself rejoyces, with joy unspeakable and full of glory. 'Tis a solemn thanksgiving day, a day of gladness of the heart unto them all. Thus in a various sence is Christ Father and Son of the Spiritual believer, and the believer the Mother and Child of Christ. Christ is Head, Lord, King, Husband, Brother, Son, Fellow-heir to believers. They are Body, Subjects, Wife, Children, Members, Fellow-heirs to him. All these expressions are Allegorical, borrowed from natural Relations to signify spiritual Mysteries of love, union and converse between Christ and his Church; One thing is said, and a farther, more excellent thing meant. The Apostle having spoken of the duties of Husbands and Wives towards one another, winds up all into this, as his main intendment, the spiritual marriage-union between Christ and his p. 66Church. This (saies he) is a great mystery, or mystically signifies a far greater thing, concerning Christ and his Church, Ephes. …. 22, 23.

The Revelation, in a manner all along, is a description of heavenly things by such earthly Mediums, such Allegorical types, and expressions as are borrowed out of Moses Pentateuch, in the Tabernacle and Temple-worship. And of Christ himself tis said, that without a parable, (a similitude, an allegory) he spake not unto the people, Mat. 13. 34. Mark. 4. 34. Must not he then that truly expounds those parables, allegorize them? But how must he do it? Parable in the Hebrew is a word that signifies sharpness, as proceeding from a sharp wit, and needing the like to interpret it. That sharp wit must be no less than spiritual discerning, and that strong and well exercised too, or Scripture Riddles will be too hard for it. One or two more of these, let us take notice of. Sampsons typical Riddle together with the Philistines exposition, does yet want an exposition. Out of Christ, the strong Lion of the tribe of Iudah, (as the eater, or sacrificer of the natural man in himself and us, by the fire-baptism) comes the choicest meat, the sweetest hony-comb of all; that that feeds and brings us into a conformity with him in his death and resurrection. Christ ha's left his own interpretation of the parable of the Sower and Seed, of the Tares, and the like, upon record in Scripture, and yet who understands them? how much do men yet need an exposition of those very expositions?

Paul tells us Hagar and Sarai are an Allegory, two Covenants, Gal. 4. 24. Then he mystically expounds Ishmael and Isaac into two … of Christ, (the true antitypical Father of the faithful) in both Covenants. He declares moreover, that he that's born of this Father, but after the flesh, will persecute him that's born of the same Father after the spirit: Even so it is now, vers. 29.

Notwithstanding this Allegorizing exposition given by Paul, how little does the self-confident, legal Christian hold himself concerned in the character of him that is born after the flesh? How verily does he conceit himself to be the other, that's born after the Spirit? Hereupon he just…es out the spiritual man indeed, for a Fanatick wrangler, a fool, a mad man, a blasphemer, any thing, that he lists to call him, Hos. 9. 7. At last, he comes to this downright willful resolution, (as Esau against Iacob, and as the professing religious Iewes against Christ, in the very same case) Come, this is the heir, let's kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. They imagine this vain thing, even to take the kingdom of Heaven by force, from the right owner. But if this eager-spirited generation would but give themselves leisure to consider p. 67this… the like Scriptures, they might see, that they that are charactered here by him that's born after the flesh, are a holy seed of Christ, that have Covenant interest in him, and actual communion with him. They are Children of Hagar, or the first Covenant. One would wonder how they should miss this. But they shuffle it oft upon the Iews, that were under the ceremonious dispensation of the Law, and so rid their hands of it. Is there no legal Christian then? is there no danger of the leaven of the Pharisees under the outward dispensasation of the Gospel? Yes, say they, but that lies onelyonly at their door, who depend upon their own personal operations for their acceptance and communion with God, not on the imputed righteousness of the Redeemer. I interrogate, When Paul describes his Pharisaical state, he tells us, he was, touching that righteousness which is in the Law, blameless. Could this be, unless by the comeliness of God put upon him, or perfect righteousness of that kind, from Christ imputed to him? Ezek. 16. 14. Was he a legal Iew? was he any more than a moral Heathen else? But if what is above said will not help to rectify this mistake, I shall be somewhat hopeless of being instrumental to your relief, in this point.

'Tis sad to see the self-pleasing interpretations of this and the like Scriptures, all along the Bible, so universal and unscrupled, amongst all sorts of Professors; an epidemical mistake. How to lift them out of the mire of these their own self-bewildring imaginations, who knowes, but Christ? Flesh, and the carnal mind that's enmity to God, (Rom. 8. 7.) must never be of any larger compass, or farther significancy with them, than corrupt, polluted, debauched, degenerate nature, dead in trespasses and sins; or at best, but the moral heathen, with some glimmering revivals and sparklings of rational Light and Life. But as for their part, they are in Christ, they experience actual communion with God; and once in Christ, for ever in Christ. A company of such false Maxim's I have too often heard in discourse with them, gleaned up from mis-interpreted Scriptures, in which they are so confident and secure, that there's no speaking to them to the contrary. They have not a hearing ear, to listen to the voice of any spiritual charmer, charm he never so wisely. The cunning old serpent rings another bell in their ear, that deafs them to the voice of the true watchman, whose business is to warn these legally righteous Christians as well as the prophane Heathen, of the danger of their condition, Ezek. 18. and Chap. 33. 13, &c. Men that are righteous, and that in Christ, will not dream that this warning concerns them. As they serve that Allegory, (Gal. 4.) so other Scriptures of like import, as Iohn 3. 6. p. 68That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit, is spirit. Flesh here, with them must be nothing but the corrupt nature, the polluted natural condition; by which shift, renewed nature must pass for spirit, and the spiritual man indeed must be excluded out of every Synagogue for an Apostate, a spiritual wanderer from the plain Truths of the Gospel; so they call the greatest Mysteries.

The Gospel and things of it, spiritual things, are utterly unintelligible and undiscernable to the natural understanding, which, of what extent it is, hath bin described. Yet I have oft heard men of very inferior natural capacities, with great confidence assert, That the main Truths of Gospel, are familiar, plain, easie, obvious things to common ununderstanding; I grant, they must be so indeed, if they understand them.

Does not Christ plainly signify, that one sort of branches in him the true Vine, may be cut off, and cast into the fire, Ioh. 15.6. and that after high illumination, and partaking of the Holy Ghost, in the gifts thereof? Heb. 6. 4, 8. Does not the great Apostle preach the same doctrine at large, Rom. 11? We find there, that the natural branches, that had one sort of Bei…g and Life in the good olive tree, (Christ) partaking of the root and fatness thereof, were yet broken off among the Iewes, and sinners from among the Gentiles, renewed in the principles of natural perfection, and put in their room? These among the Gentiles, that have but this kind of engrafture into this good Olive tree, are warned of the same liableness to apostatize and be cut off, as the Iewes were, in vers. 17,21. The natural branches among the Gentiles make but the mystical earthly Ierusalem which may come to be the spiritual Sodom, and Egypt, the very same kind of cross spirited generation as those were, amongst whom as our Lord was crucified long since in his own person, so will he again be crucified signally in his two Witnesses, Revel. 11. 8. at the close of the persecution day.

The main ground for that most false Maxime, Once in Christ and for ever in Christ, (which must, by the way, needs argue that there is no such thing as apostacy) so far as I could ever hear from the deluded assertors of it, is 1 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, all things are become new. The legalist so triumph in this Scripture, that he can hardly tell what ground he stands on. He stands on the sand, and thinks he is on the rock. Let the words be well eyed in our common English translation, and you'l find [be] and [he is] in different Characters, which intimates them to be but the Translators superadditions and gloss. Strip p. 69the Text of these Redundancies, and the words run thus. If any man in Christ a new creature, old things are passed away, (or the old man, flesh and blood at its best, is put off) the ruling activity of first-creation Principles, however renewed, ceases. Some render it thus; If any man be in Christ, let him be a new creature; let him be sure he has that second, more excellent, new-covenant birth and being in Christ, that constitutes and makes him a new creature, and not onelyonly the renewed old creature, the natural or first-creation man. The words to me seem to carry this sence, If any man in Christ be a new creature, all things are become new. This implies a being in Christ, that does not amount to the constitution of the new-creature, but only to an experimental knowing of him after the flesh, not after the spirit, as is also implied, Rom. 8. 1. which secures not from apostacy or condemnation, 2 Pet. 2.20,22.

One Scripture Allegory more I will mention, because 'tis prophetical, and more nearly concerns the present season, than is commonly believed, Cant. 3. 6. Who is this that commeth out of the Wilderness, like pillars of Smoke, perfumed with Myrrhe and Frankincense, with (or above) all the powders of the Merchant? In the Iewish Worship Myrrh typified death and resurrection; Frankincense, Mediation. The Question is put by strangers, enemies, or else by some friends and well-wishers, daughters of the heavenly Ierusalem, (though hitherto somewhat captivated to the formes and wayes of the earthly) who seem to stand gazing and admiring at this new unthought of Church, consisting of the risen Witnesses, (Revel. 11.) when they shake off their mourning guise, put off their sackcloth, and begin to stand upon their feet, in the unresistible power and wisdom of Faith. Pillars of smoke ascend from them through the fire-baptism, whereby they are a sweet savour to God, as perfumed with the Mediation of Christ, and with conformity to him in his death and resurrection. The earthly Ierusalem professors will be amazed at this, their hearts failing them for fear of that which they never would before be induced to regard or own. Then will those expressions in the book called, The Wisdom of Solomon be suitable for the hitherto deluded inhabitants of the Earth, (of all sorts) to take notice of, Chap. 5. 1, 9. Then shall the righteous man stand in great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted him, and made no account of his labours. When they see it, they shall be troubled with terrible fear, and amazed at the strangness of his Salvation, so far beyond all that they looked for. Then they shall repent, and groan for anguish of spirit, and say within themselves, this was he whom we had sometimes in derision. We fools counted his Life madness, and his end to be without honour. How is he numbred among the Children of God, and has his lot among the p. 70Saints? Therefore we have erred from the way of truth. We have wearied our selves in a way of wickedness and destr…ction. What hath pride profited us, or riches which our vaunting brought us? All these things are passed away as a shadow.

I cannot willingly let go this business of Allegories, till I have told you that all mankind, considered as in their first-creation make and constitution, are an Allegory. They and all they have, at best estate, are but type, shadow, figure of the spiritual man, that is of the new-creation frame. Their glory, wisdom, righteousness, are but shadows of his, and to be done away. Their, goodness is but a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away, Hos. 6.4. Their wisdom is comparatively but foolishness, and their lesser shadowy glory of the Law, (or ruling powers of their first-creation state) is to be done away, as no glory, by reason of the glory that excelleth, in the spiritual man, 2 Cor. 3. 10. Every man at his best estate, (renewed, enlightened, gifted man) is altogether vanity. He was so in his first-creation, he is so in his greatest renewal. Nothing below the new-creature, the spiritual man, is exempted from this title, in Scripture. Vanity is of larger extent than sin. Any thing that will vanish, that is corruptible and perishable, is vanity. The whole first-creation is vanity, and was sowne in corruption, that is, was a corruptible, not a corrupt thing. Angels and Men, the choicest flowers in it, have withered and corrupted their way before God, and so lost that life of communion with God, wherein they were created. The natural body, that's interpreted to be the first Adam at best, with his living soul, (1 Cor. 15. 44, 45.) is but the vile body, or inferiour, first-creation state of man, that is to be transformed into the likeness of Christ's glorious body, in the new-creation, Phil. 3. 21.

How too generally and universally are professors (in all variety of form, judgement and way) lodg'd in a kind of invincible conceitedness, that the revival of first-creation principles and life in them, towards a conformity with Adam in innocency, or Christ in the flesh, is the only attainment beyond which they are not concerned to look? All this is but the natural or vile body. Yet how strangly are men captivated to this day, under this embondaging and incorrigible dotage? Every thing that they are, have, see, or desire, while in this case, can be no other than vanity. Their wisdom, glory, righteousness, all are vanity; vanishing things. Men that are vanity, love vanity; ou…ward, visible vanities, that gratify sense; inward vanities that gratify reason. Man's reason is vanity. How oft have we heard and seen mens reason to vanish, before their bodies? All the inmost p. 71thoughts of mans heart, all the more overly imaginations of his fancy, all the reasonings and desires springing from both, are vanity. There is nothing man is or does, till he come within the sphere of the spiritual world, the new creation, but it's vanity. Outward visible Thrones, Crownes, Scepters, great Revenews, and all possible flourishing accommodations of bodily life, amounts but to the more glittering, splendid sort of bruitish vanities, and often fall to the share of beasts, the vilest & most bruitish men. Rational parts, together with their advance and ornament by acquired and infused humane Learning, Arts, Sciences, excellent Gifts, the tongue of Men and Angels, these are far choicer, and more eligible things, than the above mentioned Lordly circumstances of bodily or bruitish Life, and yet these all fall within the compass and sphere of vanities, vanishing things, as sounding brass and tinckling Cymbals. Nothing below the very seed of spiritual, new-creation Life, gets out of the sphere of vanity. Those that have all possible outward and inward gallantry too of the natural man or vile body, are exhibited to us, as to their duration and continuance, under the allegory or parable of a green bay tree. They may be in great power, spreading themselves like a green bay tree, but they soon pass away and are not; we may seek them while we will, their place can no more be …ound.

What a stage of the choicer sort of vanities, (glory, righteousness, wisdom of man, excellent gifts, high illuminations, dexterity of expression, tongues of men and angels) has England been these twenty years? We have seen a praying Ministry, Parliament, Army, going forth in a way of Righteousness, in Covenant with God, and no weapon that was formed against them could prosper. No Army, no Counsel could stand before them. All opposition proved a feeble, infatuated thing. What is all come to? They were not stedfast in the Covenant, they started aside like a deceitful Bow. Their righteousness vanished … a morning cloud, an early dew; and the bodies of the chief Leaders in that Ministry, Parliament, and Army, are in their graves. All is vanished, save a few faithful, chast-spirited men, who for being true to their trust, stedfast in their Covenant and undertake, have been and are daily delivered up …s Lambs for the slaughter, by their apostatized friends. What a Scene of vanities and shadows is this earth at best? how little worth minding? Things seen, things temporal, are the things that are not. Things eternal, things not seen, are the onelyonly things that are. Man thinks quite otherwise. That matters not.

Did we truly know our selves, we might the more easily be perswaded in another sence, not to know our selves. If we knew but the p. 72vanity of our whole first-creation state, & the goodliness thereof, comparatively with what we are capable to be made in the second, we would not know our own souls, no though we were perfect, yet would we despise our life, Iob 9.21. All the wisdom, righteousness, thoughts, reasonings, imaginations and desires thereof, are vanity. Did we thorowly know this, we would be content to resign all; not think our own thoughts, speak our own words, do our own works, find our own pleasures, and so enter into the true mystical Sabbath, and rest of God, in the new creation. If we lose the temporary life and righteousness of our first-creation, we shall find it again with usury in the eternal Life and everlasting righteousness of the second, If not, we shall lose it for ever, in the eternal or second death. If we lose our litteral, shadowy Life and Image of God, received in the first creation, we shall find it again with usury in the mystical substance, spirit and truth of the second. Then, let the letter and figure of Scripture be interpreted into spirit and truth, we shall know what to make of it; not before. Could man be content to be baffled out of himself, allegorized out of his first-creation shadow, into spirit and truth; he would be content Scripture should be so allegorized too, out of its letter and shadow, into spirit and truth.

The true allegorizing interpreter of the Scriptures, does and must expound them into things not seen, things eternal, into a sence, quite out of the reach and discerning of all the sense and reason in mankind. Spiritual things, things eternal, are discernable onelyonly to the eye of faith, the spiritual discerning, the hearing ear. He only that hath this ear, will hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches, Heb. 11. 1. Rev. 2. 29. 1 Cor. 2. 14.

Men then do seem concerned in this point; for the allegorical sence of Scripture, leaves them quite at a loss. If they will not therefore be content to lose their sense and reason, with a full assurance and stedfast perswasion that they shall find them again with usury, in conjunction and harmony with the new-creature Life of saving Faith; let them make their best of them for their defence in this case. Let them produce their strong reasons, let them come forth in the greatest pomp of Argument and Eloquence they can, against allegorizing. Unless they can afford more pertinent interpretations of the …bove mentioned Scriptures and many others, without allegorizing; what they say in this matter is not much to be valued. They will find themselves as far wide from understanding the Scriptures, in any other way, as Iobs three friends were from understanding his case: and my answer to such colourable reasonings, shall be that which Iob p. 73has furnished me with; How forcible are right words? but what doth your arguing reprove? Job. 6. 25.

This yet must be granted; that the devil (who is a most dextrous and skilful imitator of Christ in all his dispensations, by feigned resemblances of truth) will also strike in at this allegorizing way of interpreting the Scriptures. He will labour hereby to the utmost, to confound and bewilder both teachers and hearers, that take and own this course. He will (if possible) run them all a ground in a thousand mistakes, and false conclusions. But he never puts himself to this trouble, till he finds men will be allegorizing; as neither will he make use of the choicest flourishes of his transformed angelical appearance to impose himself on men, as Christ in spirit, till nothing but that will serve their turn. Then he perremptorily commands them (under this disguise of an angel of light) out of their own senses, wills, and understandings, into a pure subjection to his dictating and ruling influence, as the onelyonly superior dispensation and attainment, to what they ever yet experienced. And allegorizing of Scripture in his way, he finds to be a very apposite means to nourish and keep them safe under his wing, in that his highest dispensation, his mystical sabbath, a rest from their labours, under his angelical steerage. These, with all other his inferiour crafts and designs above mentioned, does this perillous Impostor mannage upon the various tempered and differently enlightened inhabitants of the whole world, every moment of time.

But it is one grand piece of his mystery of iniquity, to keep men quite off (if he can) from allegorizing of the Scriptures, and consequently from all the spiritual sence and mystery of them, throughout. He perswades by all means, that men would stick in the letter, as the onelyonly course to hold fast the form of sound words; and that they would quit mystical sence in the Scriptures, and so, the mystery of Godliness in their persons. He would never have them own the Life hid with Christ in God. That's the onelyonly Life he fears. Those that rest in the letter of Scripture and deny the mystery, will easily be induced to rest in the form of godliness, and deny the power thereof; from such turn away, 2 Tim. 3. 5. They cry out against the Allegorist, call him blasphemer, say he has a devil, as the Iews served Christ, and Luther Swenckfeld, in that general answer to his puzzling Letters, The Lord rebuke thee, Satan.

So much for Allegory.

p. 74BY way of Recapitulation then, and as deducible from, or at least in exact consonancy with the divinity part of this Sufferers Doctrine and Character, take these following Conclusions.

1. God in Christ, as Christ is the purely divine form of God, is absolutely unmovable, incommunicable; in a capacity too high for the creation of either world, natural or spiritual.

2. Had God, remaining purely in the divine nature, (without assuming Creature-nature into personal union therewith) produced or created this first world, it must needs have been created in a violent, instantaneous manner, without any progressive motion, as in the six dayes, Gen. 1. And when created, Angels and men, so made, must needs have been everlastingly miserable, unless reduced to their primitive nothing again. For God that is the onelyonly Fountaine of all happiness and satisfaction, had remained in an utter uncommunicableness, and been shut up in absolute invisibility to them, for ever.

3. God therefore in Christ, condescended to cloth himself with a twofold creature-forme, natural and spiritual, through the peculiar operations of the second and third of the three that are one, (1 Ioh. 5.7) in order to capacitate himself for the creation of both worlds, as also for the communication of himself to his creatures, when created.

4. This twofold creature-nature, as in personal Union with God in Christ, may (by communication of Idioms, and denomination of the whole person from the purely divine nature and form) be called God. God is said (Acts 20. 28.) to have purchased the Church with his own blood. 'Tis a Maxime in School divinity, Whatsoever is in God, is God.

5. This twofold creature-nature of Christ, as transcribed and copied out by him, in the persons of elect angels and men, may be called divine, (specially the superiour and more excellent kind of it) but not God: neither are the persons of angels or men, by being but thus partakers of the divine nature, either Christ or God.

6. That being which angels & men received in their first creation, and that Image of God that was then stamped on them, was in the life, p. 75glory and righteousness of it, but a shadowy, corruptible or changable thing. It was the image of the Mediator, considered as in the changeable state of creatureship, wherein he became the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and again in the …ulness of time; the image of the first Adam, in Christ; that that is to be crucified in us as well as in him; otherwise, how can we be brough… into conformity with him in his death?

7. Angels and the souls of men, as having but this mutable Image of God in them, received in thier first-creation, are mortal, as to the glory and life of their Beings, in communion with God, and in the way of righteousness. The angels that fell, and man when he fell, died the death, as to this Life; that is, lost that Life of communion they had with God, in the righteousness and glory of their first-creation. Thus in the day Adam did eate the forbidden fruit, he died; yet lived in the body, many hundred years after.

8. All mankind fell in Adam, the tree out of which we spring as branches. In him we all died. Christ comes to give a general revival, general redemption, out of this dangerous fall; Rom. 5. 12, 19. and 1 Cor. 15. 22. As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. It shall not be said, our first parents eate the sowre grape, and our teeth are thereby set on edge, but all souls are redeemed and recoverable by Christ (if they stubbornly refuse not) into the life, light and liberty of their understanding and will, the proper principles of their first-creation. The soul then that sin…e…h, (either by willful refusal of this renewal, or the loss of this life again when renewed) it shall die. 'Tis a tree twice dead, dead first in Adam, then after a personal revival, dead again by a wilful sinning after the similitude of Adams transgression, (knowingly refusing the same more excellent life and glory of the new creation, that he did, by preferring the lesser glory of the first, thereunto) and so is pluck'd up by the roots and burned, Iude 12.

9. Angels and the soules of men are immortal as to being, if we mean by immortal, everlasting. Angels will remain a flame of fire, and man will consist of body soul and spirit, all the essentials of their first-creation constitution, for ever. But what then? is this their advantage? would it not be a great gain to them to lose themselves by annihilation, rather than be eternally miserable? They are stripped of all righteousness, glory, comfort, deprived of all communion with God, and in their single, meer naked beings, exposed to everlasting p. 76punishment, in the pouring forth of his fierce wrath and displeasure upon them, Mat. 25.46. Does not Christ say of Iudas, it had been good for him, if he had never been born? Mat. 26. 24. 'Tis not proper to say that wicked men and angels, when under the paines, or in the state of eternal death, (eternal a parte post) are immortal, but everlasting, unless it be proper to say, immortal death.

10. 'Tis observable, that which is said, 1 Cor. 15. 46. First that which is natural, and afterwards that which is spiritual. This holds true of the different creature-capacity and form, in head and members, root and branches, in Christ, angels and me…. The natural creature-form in Christ, as a peculiar product or emanation from the second of the three that bear witness, (capacitating him for the creation of the first world, and to exhibite the Image of the three that are one, to the creatures natural understanding, when made) is to be considered by us in a priority to that spiritual and more exalted creature form, brought forth in Christ, by the peculiar operation of the third in the Trinity, by which the natural form is baptized into its unchangable state of Life and Union with God. By this twofold creature-form in Christ, are the three that are one, everlastingly exhibited to the view and enjoyment of men and angels, in a suitableness to what ever capacity, natural or spiritual. This is the beatifical vision God gives of himself in Christ. Will any here or any where else in this discourse, cry Tautologie? 'Tis answered once for all, the same things are oft said in scripture by several persons; yea by the same, on several occasions, and sometimes scarcely that; as is to be seen in the Psalms, and Proverbs, &c.

11. As tis said of the natural and spiritual form in Christ and his members, first that which is natural, then that which is spiritual, so is it said of them, in another scripture, by way of allegory, in Iacob and Esau, The elder shall serve the younger, Rom. 9. 12. The natural or elder creature-form is to be so handled by the spiritual or younger, as to be through the fire-baptism transformed out of its changable capacity, and captivated into everlasting subjection to and unchangable harmony with the spiritual. This holds true in Christ and his members also. The whole rank and order of angels and men, that are about the Throne, in their incorruptible natural form, are as servants to the Bridegroom and Bride that sit upon it, in the spiritual. The natural form also of Christ and all those peculiar Saints that constitute his heavenly Bride, is subject to the spiritual, in the same persons.

p. 7712. These two creature forms, natural and spiritual, in Christ and his members, are resembled to us by the two olive trees, candlesticks, and two annointed ones, that stand before the Lord of the whole earth. This may appear by comparing Zech. 4. 11, 14. where they are peculiarly applied to Christ, with Revel. 11.4. where the true Saints, that receive this twofold oyl or spiritual anointing with the heavenly name or nature of Christ, (and thereby become the two Witnesses, or Witnesses of his twofold creature-glory and perfection, shining forth in their persons) are also called the two olive-trees and candlesticks, standing before the God of the whole earth.

13. Those that are truly anointed with both or either of these names or formes of Christ, natural or spiritual, by the new and everlasting Covenant, are such onelyonly as can most properly be said to assemble or be gathered together in his Name, that is, in the power and exercise of the new name and nature of Christ, communicated to them, Mat. 18. 20. Such meetings Christ promises to be in the midst of, engages to hear all their prayers, and to grant all things whatsoever they ask, Iohn 14. 13, 14. How can it be otherwise? for whatsoever they ask in that spiritual new-creature name, in the desire of that new Spirit and Life in them, that is born of the will of God, (Jam. 1. 18.) must needs be according to God's will; and (saies the same Apostle, 1 Iohn 5. 14, 15.) If we ask any thing in or according to his will he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know we have the petitions that we desired of him. Meeting in the name of Christ, in the fellowship of the spirit, in the communion of the holy Ghost, (Phil. 2. 1. 2 Cor. 13. 14.) are all the same thing.

14. Christ has excellent gifts to bestow upon the rebellious also, (Psal. 68. 18.) upon a sort of People, that for a while are in Covenant with him, married to him, and made comely, through one sort of comeliness from him, put upon them, Ezek. 16. 14. They are his Children, wholly a right seed, children that will not lie, branches of the true Vine, who are yet liable to be turned into the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine unto him, (Jer. 2. 21.) to rebel against and vex his holy spirit, so that he may turn to be their enemy, Esay 63. 8. 10. This sort of Saints or People of Christ, who may again become no people, (Hos. 1. 9.) make up his first-Covenant Spouse, resembled by Hagar. His Children they are, but they stay in the place, rest in that state of their first-creation Life and Glory with unwise Ephraim, and the foolish Virgins, whence the true Children that have the feed of the new and everlasting Covenant-Life p. 78in them, do break forth, into the wisdom, glory and righteousness of the new-creation, Hos. 13. 13. Those that thus stay in that place or state of Life, that is neither God's nor the creatures true Rest, will at length set themselves to vex and persecute the spirit of Christ in them that quit that place and state for the more excellent way, the true Rest, and so as downright enemies to Christ, will make use of those very natural parts, or spiritual gifts he has bestowed upon them, to decry, vilifie and persecute him in his true spiritual seed. Who are these? Those that are made Eunuchs, as to any ability to bring forth fruit unto Christ in the way of their first-Covenant Life and Principles, being brought to keep his true mystical Sabbath, in the exercise of their new-Covenant, spiritual Life, by which means they come to have a name and place in his house for ever, better than the name and place of those sons and daughters by the first Covenant, an everlasting name that shall not be cut off, or blotted out of the book of Life, as the others may, Esay 56. 4, 5. Revel. 3. 5. Those first-covenant sons and daughters that swel and are puffed up with the towring imaginations and self-exalting thoughts, that by Satans suggestion and their own ready compliance are apt to spring up in them (from a confidence in what they have already received) against the more excellent way, are with Capernaum, exalted unto heaven, in righteousness, Ordinances, excellent Gifts, high Illuminations, and ready utterance, but must be brought down to hell for this mistake and presumption. Yea, 'twill be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon or the very litteral Sodom in the day of Iudgement, than for this mystical, spiritual Sodom, in which the Lord and his true spiritual, heaven-born Saints are still crucified, Mat. 11. 23, 24.

15. The meer natural state and frame of man, considered either in its first-creation or as renewed since, is a comprehensive Epitome of the first world. All sort of Being and Life that's to be found in the first creation, is summ'd up and put together, in every particular individual man. He has being, with the visible heavens, Sun, Moon, Stars, Elements, and all inanimate compounds; vegetable Life, with Plants and trees; sensual, with beasts; rational, with angels; add spiritual, with Christ in God, by the new-creation, and then he is the compleat Epitome of both worlds, natural and spiritual too. In this sence, man is called a Microcosme, or little World. Angels in their first-creation frame, are not so, nor yet in the second, their new-creation, p. 79or resurrection state. They do not formally contain and comprehend in their very personal beings, all inferiour nature in the first world. But they have that that is the man in man, reason, in a superiority to man himself, as appears by the over-reaching exercise of it in the devil, to the deceiving of man in his Paradisical, primitive, and best estate. Yea 'tis said of Christ himself, as a man in flesh, that he was made lower than the angels, Heb. 2. 7. Angels then, though they do not formally contain all inferiour nature in their personal constitution as man does, yet do they eminently coprehend it all. And they have originally a more quick, active, and vigorous natural understanding, that does more fully pierce and pry into the hidden secrets and mysteries of nature, than man. Their thoughts run to and fro, as a flash of lightning. With one glance of their intellectual eye, they can take notice of all that's to be found in the first-creation. They excel man in strength also, Psal. 103. 20. They have also the start of man, for representing all first-creation glory, as eminently comprehended in their own persons. Thus the devil represented to Christ, in a flourish of his transformed appearance, all the kingdoms of the world and glory of them, all the desirable excellencies of the first creation, Mat. 4. 8. He is called The God of this world. All his flourishes in first creation light and glory, are with designe to dazle and affect mens eyes and hearts with the appearance of transient vanities, so as to keep them from ever looking after the marvellous light and more excellent glory of the second; to keep off the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, that that may not shine upon them, or be taken any notice of by them, 2 Cor. 4. 4. He that is called God of this world, has doubtless a vast, universal understanding and insight into all first-creation nature and things. How else can he make the best of every thing, for the tempting, seducing and ensnaring of men? He made the utmost use of all, to Christ, this way, when he presented him with all the kingdomes and glory of the first-creation. This bait could not catch him. Far lesser catch other men; little parcels of creature-contentments, delights of the sons of men. His Table is spread with all variety of first-creation things, for the entertainment and seduction of man. Here's the dust, this lying old serpent feeds on, (Gen. 3. 14.) and couzens others with, natural things, things seen, glossed over by him, to carry on his work. The generallity of men are satisfied with the crums that fall from this serpents Table, the most inferiour sort of contentments that humour and gratify but their bruitish lusts. They tumble in sensual pleasure, like swine in the mire while that holds, while provisions p. 80come in, to keep that on foot, they reckon all well with them. Horses, asses, and the rest of the bruitish rout of animals, have fully as good a time on't as they, in this world, and in this consideration a better, no akings of heart about a world to come and an irrevocable sentence of condemnation to everlasting and unexpressible punishment. If men do peep out of this bruitish strain of Life, (the prevailing dispensation of the devil in England, at present) through some awakenings of Conscience, and begin to look after a little moral righteousness in their personal operations, the old serpent can apply himself to them, as their Tutor, Influencer, and Instructor herein; has diet at his board, that will fit their palate. Yea, he can accommodate the Legal Christian, with the appearances and exact resemblances of all that he is for. If the Legallist be unsatisfied, and will be looking after Christ in spirit, he puts in with his utmost flourishes and appearances of angelical glory, to satisfie him in that point also. He has before him, all first-creation things, from the lowest part of the dust of the world, bruitish satisfactions, to the highest part of the dust of this world, angelical glory, and he has the utmost imaginable skill and dexterity to use and improve all, for the seduction of men. He puts the most taking, insinuating glosses upon every thing, presents every man with objects suited to his palate, capacity, sight and attainment. Thus does this grand deceiver of all the Nations of the world, practise his witchcrafts and sorceries on the senses and imaginations of men, by present or absent objects, and by his immediate influence labours to kindle and stir up their fleshly affections and desires, to meet with and entertain those trifling vanities he has infatuated and bewitched their imagination to put such a value upon. The Galatians Paul found bewitched with no less a matter than the glory of the Law, the righteousness of man, Gal. 3. Others are bewitched with the glory of angelical nature, higher dust than the glory of man; the generality, with smaller matters, bruitish toyes. The Devil then, that's called the God of this world, (together with his fallen angels) knows exactly what this world amounts to; knows all inferiour nature, humane amongst the rest, through and through. He can tell where to have man, and fit him at every turn. He thorowly knows all the things he is to tempt him with, and he thorowly him that he sets himself to tempt; and so is compleatly accomodated for his seducing work, in all points. And this will be his course, till he be sealed up in the bottomless pit, which will be Synchronal with Christ's coming forth to reign, Rev. 20. p. 81But if once man become a new creature, by receiving either the single or double portion of the spirit, he passes out of the devils hands. This manchild is quite out of his reach, Revel. 12. The spiritual believer, that is partaker of the divine nature, (in the …ence above expressed) is partaker of the wisdom, holiness, and righteousness of God. Then he is wiser than the Devil, if the wisdom of God be superiour to the wisdom of that Serpent. This is a thing one did once spitefully tax this Sufferer with, as boasting that he was wiser than the Devil, because on some occasion that was offered; he replied, He was glad he lived in a spirit the Devil was so little acquainted with. Sure he that lives in the spirit of God, lives in a spirit that is superiour to the devil, and that he is little acquainted with. The lowest degree of wisdom, light, life and glory in the new creation, is above the highest excellencies and glory of any nature or creature in the old. He that has but the single portion of the spirit, and that but in seed, will be too hard for that roaring and devouring Lion, will resist him effectually, and finally, in the stedfast faith of God's elect, 1 Pet. 5. 8, 9. Even babes and suckling in the Life of grace, shall be able to still that enemy and avenger, with all his shews and flourishes in Natures … excellencies, first-creation power or things, Psal. 8. 2.

16. 'Tis observable from the sentence passed upon the Serpent, that the devil and his angels are yet alive. He with Adam and Eve are summoned to appear before Christs Tribunal, to answer what each of them had done in that business of the fall. His sentence runs thus, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattel, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eate all the dayes of thy Life. Angels and men, the highest ranks of Creatures in the first world, are (comparatively with the new-creature state of men and angels in the second world) reckoned but as cattel, the choicer sort of the beasts of the field. Satan with his retinue of fallen angels does yet live. His diet is dust. As God of this world he has all sorts of beings, and excellencies of the first creation before him. This is the dust he feeds on, and feeds others with. This diet he offered to Christ himself, when he was hungry. His trade of seducing mankind, managable by these things, he has been at, well towards six thousand years. 'Tis a Rabbinical observation, that these six thousand years of the worlds labour under this seducing work of the devil, as plunged in that wicked one, were resembled by the six dayes works, in the creation of it, a thousand years being with the Lord as one day. The p. 82seaventh thousand, the Iewish doctors held to be typified by the Sabbath day, in which the world should rest from this bondage under the God of this world. They observed also that the Sabbath is not described as the other six dayes, by an evening and morning, as having no darkness at all in it, that so it might more fitly represent to us the perpetual joyes and light of the New-Ierusalem, or World to come. During the six thousand years of the Worlds miserable thral dom and labour under the Satanical yoke, righteous men are perpetually oppressed from Abel downwards, and there is no judgement for them to be had in this world. But in the seventh thousand year, the seventh day of the world, they will be in their proper Sabbatical state, and nothing shall hurt in all the holy Mountain, or kingdom of Christ. The light, glory and wisdom of the first creation, when men or angels are deteined and held by them, from entring into the more excellent glory of the second, are but as chains of darkness upon them. When Satans time is come to be sealed up in the bottomless pit, at Christs coming forth to reign, this yet does not absolutely and finally strip him of his first-creation flourish, but onelyonly suspends his exercise of it, as to his former deceiving of the nations thereby, till the thousand years be fulfilled, and then he comes forth again for a little season, to deceive the nations, and engage his whole party of angels and men, in order to the giving his final & utmost assault to the New-Ierusalem camp of Christ and all his Saints, the beloved City. So far he will …e permitted to proceed herein, as to besiege it, with a kind of seeming hopefulness to outvie it in a flourish of spirituality and in the state of the resurrection, in order yet to carry the Kingdom and dominion from Christ and all his saints. Then fire comes down from God out of Heaven upon him and his (on the New-Ierusalem's ascending into their utmost glory of the resurrection, and full vision of God for evermore) and then nothing but torment wil be their portion for ever and ever, when perfectly stripped of all first-creation glory, & enjoyments and fixed in the second death, however he cozen men with conceits even to this day, that those torments shall have a period, and all shall be saved. In Rev. 20. we have an account of these particulars.