A Wakening Call, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. The Mystery of Godliness, and Mystery of Iniquity.
TO awaken'd spiritual Saints, it is given to know the Mystery of the Kingdom of God, the Mystery and Power of Godliness: but, to them that are without such spiritual Life and Knowledg, all the spiritual heavenly Creature-things of God, prepar'd for them that love him, are done and spoken in Parables, earthly Figures and Similitudes. So, hearing, they hear, but do not understand; seeing, they see, yet not perceive, or rightly take the mystical Truths, therein and by, signified, Mat. 13. 13, 14. and Mark 4. 11, 12. They desire not to understand them, they are so contrary to their own Wills, and self-Interests. They, rather, like, chuse and approve of Satan's Mystery of Iniquity, and embrace the Doctrine that carries on that, which gratifies their own Wills, both as to self-Interests in this World, and a delusive Hope, therein, for true Blessedness, in the World to come, also. In Conclusion, he that hath not the Life, God has prepar'd and offer'd by a New Creation, which alone is eternal, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have, or thinks to be eternal Life, Luke 8. 18. And so, will he find eternal Death, in a most exquisite Sensibleness of his whole Being, Spirit, Soul and Body, under the unquenchable Wrath of God. This will Men get, by following Satan's delusive Gospel, in his Mystery of Iniquity. Those that shall be Saints, till the spiritual Seed of true Saintship be waken'd up in them, may be, for a time, under the same delusive Power of Satan, with others. Paul, till then, was a fierce, self-confident Enemy to Gospel-Saints and Truths, in the Law-righteousness of Man, under Satan's Mystery of Iniquity, Phil. 3.6. All reading of the Scriptures, or hearing them expounded by Men, in Law-righteousness, however eminent in their own Understandings, will never deliver from being captivated by Satan's Mystery of Iniquity. All Scripture is a Book seal'd, Isa. 29. 11. Let Man, in but his own Understanding search the Scriptures, he will not come to Christ, the living Word and Book of God, for that Life, in which, alone, 'tis possible to understand, receive and own the mystical Truth of all. Such Interpreters, with their self-confident Hearers, should they be at this Work, longer than Methuselah liv'd, they'd still be wholly to seek, as when they began, as to that eternal Life and things of God, in which, 'tis possible to enter into his Kingdom, or scape the Damnation of Hell. Awaken'd Saints, in their new spiritual, infallible, all-discerning Understanding, are enabled to see and declare, not only, the heavenly Creature-life and things of God, therein; but, to pry and search into the deep things of the infinite Divinity, in Christ's Person, (1 Cor. 2. 9, 10.) to understand all things, (v. 15.) the divine and spiritual things of God, and what the natural things of Man, given him in his first Creation, amount unto. The becoming a little Child, as to the Life, Wisdom, Will and Understanding of Man, in order to a receiving the heavenly spiritual eternal Creature-life and Things of God, his Wisdom, his everlasting Righteousness, true Holiness, a new infallible Understanding, for knowing all things, and a new incorruptible Will, for doing all things well, in God's Sight; this, Christ makes absolutely necessary to our ever entrin into his Kingdom, Mat. 18. 3. and Luke 18. 17. Paul, an eminent self-confident Pharisee, in the Law-righteousness of Man, and a fierce Persecutor of Gospel-Saints, was, doubtless, of high esteem with those that in his Law-principle were wise, strong and honourable. But, when a Gospel-Saint, he became as a little Child, a Fool weak, and despicable, in the Judgment of those, who were wise, strong and honourable in restor'd Law-life and First-covenant Attainments from Christ; Phil. 3. 6-11. 1 Cor. 4. 10. When a Gospel-Saint, he renounc'd the Knowledg of Christ himself, after the Flesh; to be married to him in that Spirit, into which risen, out of the Death of our Nature, in himself, 2 Cor. 5. 16. Rom. 7. 4. He had, now, a Life and Things, as far above all, given Angels and Men, in their first Creation, as the Heavens are higher than the Earth. This Life, hid with Christ in God, from Man's highest Understanding; and, all Man regards, given up, in Sacrifice to God, what Esteem could he find, with Men? This has been the Case of true Saints, Prophets and Apostles, and of Christ himself, all along this World, from Abel, to this Day, Matth. 23. 34, 35. While any are confident in Satan's Mystery of Iniquity, preferring the Law-life of the Creature and Righteousness of Man, to the Gospel-life of the Creator and everlasting Righteousness of God, therein, such are the greatest Haters of true Saints, and were the Murderers of Christ himself, when Pilate a Heathen Judg, would have releas'd him, as finding no Fault in him, John 18. 38. & 19. 4, 6. Christ warns his true Followers, to expect the like Usage, from such, Iohn 15. 18-20. & 16. 1, 2. Saints, fix'd in Union of Mind, with God, become the most hateful to all, fix'd in the Law-righteousness of Man, in unchangeable Union with the Devil. In the Form of Godliness and Righteousness of Man, they deny the Power of Godliness and Righteousness of God, as a diabolical Fiction, 2 Tim. 3.5. Such said of Christ himself, he had a Devil, and was mad. Here's the demeanour of any, fix'd in Satan's Mystery of Iniquity, to such as experience and declare the Mystery of Godliness. Hence, are God's true New-Ierusalem-Saints a Contempt, all along this World, under Satan's Reign. But, when Christ shall appear the second time, in his all-powerful, all-discovering Gospel-light, and enter upon his Reign on Earth, they'l be a Praise in the Earth. For this, therefore, all Gospel-Saints and Angels continually pray, and keep not silence, Isa. 62. 6, 7.
Man's Wisdom denies true Godliness to be any Mystery, at all, which God's Wisdom declares without Controversy, and beyond all dispute or question, to be a great Mystery, 1 Tim. 3.16. The Scriptures, and Mind of God therein, as to the eternal Concerns of Men, are easy to be understood, says Man: impossible to be understood, says God, by Man's highest Understanding, in the Light, Wisdom, and Righteousness of Man, 1 Cor. 2. 9, 14. Isa. 29. 11. God, here says, what learned Man should say, in his highest Wisdom. 'Tis not in Man, to make one right Step towards eternal Life, in his own best natural Understanding, Reason or Wisdom, Ier. 10. 23. 'Tis, says Man's Wisdom, and warrants final Peace with God, therein (Ezek. 13. 1-10.) where there's no such Peace. Boldly and confidently does Man's lying Spirit of Divination, in Satan's Gospel-Divines, say this, and warrant their Hearers, they'l confirm their Word, v. 6.
Man may know God's infinite Divine Power, by the things that are made in the First-creation: but, sees neither his Divine Nature and things thereof, nor any of his hidden, spiritual, eternal Creature-things, prepar'd to be given, by a new or second Creation, Rom. 1. 20. 1 Cor. 2. 9. All Mankind are capable of, and may receive the common Salvation, as a Fruit of Christ's Death, in our Nature, and convincing Discoveries of his Truth, or Gospel-life, if they will, 1 Tim. 2. 4. But, as to special Salvation, or eternal Gospel-life, this is not of him that willeth, but of God, who will shew such Mercy, to whom he will, Rom. 9. 15, 16. Many, in all possible Attainments in the former, will perish for ever.
Satan attempted to bring Christ himself to be a Member of his Church, or Synagogue, and worship him as God, in his Mystery of Iniquity, Mat. 4. 8, 9. where are we, till infallibly experiencing his Gospel-life, and therein the Mystery of Godliness? All along this World, under God's most wise Permission, Satan and his Gospel-Ministers, transform'd into the Likeness of Christ and his, carry all before them, 2 Cor. 11. 13-15. All, in but their own Spirit and worldly Life, at best, wonder and run after them, (Revel. 13. 3, 4.) worshipping the Dragon, and under and with him, opening their Mouth in Blasphemy against God, and his Creature-name, that's his heavenly Tabernacle, and them that dwell therein, v. 5,6. And it is given to him and his Party amongst Men, to make War with Saints, and overcome them, ver. 7. They are condemn'd as Traitors, discovering his Counsels in the Mystery of Iniquity, and he will cause them, to be so accounted, also, against Heathen Cesars, and others, of his Party, under him. Christ himself was condemn'd and murder'd, on this Pretence, Iohn 19. 12, 15. Saints can discover him, when sitting in the Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God (2 Thess. 2. 4.) to be the worst of all Creatures, the Man of Sin, and Son of Perdition, ver. 3. Will he quietly bear this Discovery? will he not, by his humane Instruments, shew his utmost Rage against them? and, God permits. But be it as it will; the Sum of all true Gospel-teaching, is a declaring the Mystery of Godliness, for the Salvation of Men and preventing their Damnation; and, a discovering Satan's Mystery of Iniquity for the Damnation of Men, and preventing their Salvation. So, only, can Saints, with Paul, become free from the Blood of all Men, (Acts 20. 26. Ezek. 33. 7-9.) as having no Share in that Guilt, by which they bring that Blood upon their own Heads, which will be found to amount unto no less than eternal Death to their whole Beings, Spirit, Soul, and Body, in a Resurrection of Damnation. The experimental Knowers of the Mystery and Power of Godliness, and faithful Discoverers of the Mystery of Iniquity, will have a Resurrection of Life, (John 5. 29.) above all Deaths, temporal or eternal.