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HE true church is a mystery, and fo is the false also; neither of

Twhich the outward eye of man's understanding is able to difcern, but

he alone who is enlightened and taught of God. Who can fee how the Spirit of God works, changing mens hearts, gathering them into his truth, and building them up into an holy temple in his Son? And who can difcern how the spirit of deceit works with an outward knowledge, doctrine, and form of religion, perfuading or compelling men thereunto, and fo builds up a falfe church? Yea, who can tell when the Spirit of the Lord withdraweth from a church, which was once his, leaving it to the other fpirit to re-enter and poffefs; from which time it becometh a fynagogue of Satan? There was need of the anointing of God's wifdom and Spirit to try Jews and Apostles (for there were fuch, even in the apoftles days, as faid they were fo, but were not); and there is alfo need of the fame wisdom and Spirit to try churches, whether they be indeed the churches of Chrift (in and of his Spirit and power), or only in the name and outward profeffion of the thing, without the nature, Spirit, life, and power thereof.

The apostle Paul (who was the apoftle of the Gentiles, and knew what was likely to be their future state) writing to the Romans, tells them, that the Gentiles were cut out of the olive-tree, which was wild by nature; and were, contrary to nature, ingrafted into the true olive-tree, and fo came to partake of the root and fatnefs thereof. But withal he tells them, that unless they did continue in the faith, and in the goodnefs of God, keeping out of the high-mindedness and conceitedness of their own eftate and condition, in the fear (which makes the heart clean, and preferves it in the cleanness from that which would defile, and cause it to depart from the Lord) they likewife should be cut off, Rom. xi. 17. and 20, &c.

Now it would feriously be confidered, whether the Gentile churches did abide in the faith, and in the goodness and power of the Lord, which gathered them? Or whether they grew high-minded, holding their estate in a

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prefumption (as if the promife was fo to them, that they muft needs be the church for ever) out of the fear, and fo was caft off by God, and cut off (according to the apostle's words) from God's Spirit, and fo have not partook of the root and fatness of the Olive-tree, for many generations? It would also farther be enquired (if it prove thus, upon true search and examination, that they have been cut off); whether they can partake of the root and fatness of the true Olive-tree any more, till he that caft them off, gather and build them up again?

It is true, there have been witneffes against the corrupt state, even a feed who have been perfecuted by it; and these have, in fome measure, partook of the root and fatnefs of the Olive-tree, all this time of the degeneration. But hath the church-state of the Gentiles, which provoked God, and was caft off, and perfecuted the witneffes of the Lamb, his holy feed, who could not but, in his nature and Spirit, testify against their corruption? Have they partook of the root and fatnefs of the Olive-tree, or have they not rather grown up from, and drunk in of, the fap and juice of another stock? The fame apostle speaks of the man of fin, that wicked one, the fon of perdition; who should get into the temple of God, fit there, and fhew himself as God; and yet oppose and exalt himself above all that is truly called God, and that of right ought to be worshipped, 2 Thef. ii. 4. Now when he gets into the temple, doth not he leaven it with his wicked fpirit, making it become wicked, like him that fits and reigns in it, and is the head of it? And not the church or temple, all the while he fits in it, partake of the root and fatnefs of the Olive-tree? (Of Chrift its former vine, of Chrift its former head)? Or doth it not rather fuck in, and partake of, the venom and poifon of this new head? And how long is this new head, this false head of the church, to fit in the temple? Is it not from the very time of his getting in, till Chrift, by the Spirit of his mouth, confume and scatter him; and by the brightness of his appearance and coming utterly destroy him? ver. 8.

This is certain (as certain as ever there was a true church in the days of the apoftles), that after the apostles days there got up a falfe church, which the Spirit of the Lord calls the great whore (indeed the was far bigger, by multitudes of degrees, than ever the true church was). This great whore had a golden cup in her hand, wherewith fhe made the kings and inhabitants of the earth drunk. And fhe fat upon many waters; which waters are peoples, nations, multitudes, and tongues. Did ever the true church do thus ? That was a little flock, gathered out of peoples, nations, multitudes, and tongues, reigning in the Spirit and power of the Lord, over them only who were thus gathered; but never fat upon whole peoples, nations, multitudes, and tongues, as this great whore hath done, Rev. xvii. 1.-15. Now it would be worth the enquiry what this cup is (this golden cup, which appears like gold)? And what this wine is, wherewith fhe made the kings and inhabitants of the earth drunk? Afk her, and fhe will tell you, VOL. II.

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It is the cup of falvation, and her wine the wine of the kingdom, even the doctrine and difcipline of holy mother-church; out of which, and without which, no man can be faved. But ask the Spirit of the Lord (or hear what the Spirit of the Lord faid to the churches concerning it) and he will tell you, it is the wine of fornication, the cup of deftruction, full of abominations, and filthiness of her fornication; and that she shall be so far from faving others, that she shall be destroyed and perish herself; and whoever drinks of her wine fhall perish, unless he vomit it up again, and drink of the pure blood of the Lamb after it. See Rev. xvii. and alfo chap. xviii. and chap. xiv. 9, 10, 11.

Now one word, in the love and truth of God, to all that have separated from this church. Have ye feparated fully? Have ye feparated wholly? Have ye feparated from her in nature and spirit? Have ye waited for the building which God alone can rear; for the church which he alone can frame? Or have ye built up another church, in the resemblance and likeness of that ye feparated from? This is a weighty thing: Ye muft answer it to God, and stand by his judgment therein. I befeech you confider it. What will it profit a man, faith Chrift, if he gain the whole world, and lofe his own foul? So fay I in this Cafe: What would it profit you, if ye could make church ftand, and be approved in the fight of the whole world, if the Lord difown and difallow it, and they that are gathered into it perish by it? If it be not of God's building, if it have not his prefence, virtue, Spirit and power in it, it cannot fave. Oh! hear, hear! for the Lord will ftrip BabyÎon, and fill her with dreadful plagues and judgments; and the fhall appear naked as she is, and become the fcorn of every eye, and the reproach of every beholder: and that which hath been reproached, fcorned, hated, and perfecuted by her, the Lord will nonour.

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Now confider, and wait e Lord, to know the extent of Babylon; that ye may not be found by the Spirit of the Lord (nor by his angels, which pour out his plagues upon her) within her limits. For the Great Whore is not Babylon only, or alone; but the is the Mother of harlots, and all her Daughters are harlots alfo; even all that have built up churches, like her (in her fpirit, with her materials) out of the leading, guidance, and power of the Spirit of truth.

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CHURCH.

I. Of the CHURCH in its Firft and Pure State, when it was cloathed with the Sun, had the Moon under its Feet, and was crowned with the Crown of Twelve Stars, travailing to Bringforth, and Brought-forth the Man-Child, which was to Rule all Nations with the Rod of Iron.

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T pleased the Father to fend his Son into the world (in his name, power, and authority), to gather out of the world; and to manifeft his name to the men whom he should gather out of the world. The Jews (for all their great profeffion, and high efteem of themselves) were but a worldly polity, having but worldly, elementary fhadows of the good things to come, and to be fet up in the kingdom of the Meffiah. John preached, That the kingdom was at hand; Chrift faid, It was come: John prepared for it; Chrift brought it. He came in the Spirit, in the life, in the virtue, in the dominion of the Moft High; and he gathered difciples unto him, by the word and power of the Father. And thofe that continued in his word, were his disciples indeed; of his gathering; fuch as the Father had fent the Son out to feek; even the new fort of worshippers, who should worship neither at Samaria, nor Jerufalem; nor with reference to any other outward place; but in Spirit and in truth. They fhould meet together in that name, wherein Chrift had gathered them; and meeting fo, he would be in the midst of them, and they should feel the presence, power, and authority, which belonged to his church.

Now, if any would know what kind of perfons these difciples are, Chrift giveth many defcriptions of them. They are fuch as are born from above, fuch as are changed by the name and power which gathers them. They are Jews inward, circumcifed inwardly; fuch as are baptized with the Holy Ghost, and with fire; fquared ftones, hewn by the Spirit, for the spiritual building; not old, rough, fierce, cruel, implacable, unregenerate, unholy spirits; but meek, gentle, lowly, tender, poor in fpirit, mer

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ciful, peaceable in themfelves, and making peace among men, renewed, and fanctified in fpirit; holy in conversation, fuffering (both from the heathenish, and from the worldly-profeffing fpirit) for that power of truth and righteoufnefs, which they profefs and bear witness to. They are the falt of the earth, having that in them which seasoneth their own hearts, and which hath virtue in it to feafon others. They are the light of the world, having that in them which cafts rays of light, conviction, and demonstration, where-ever they go. They being changed into the leaven of the kingdom, become a leaven, and fo a weight upon iniquity; teftifying againft, yea, bowing down and afflicting that fpirit, as the power of life fprings in them and breaks forth through them.

Now, if the church be thus; if it be a gathering by the power into the power; by Chrift, who came in the name, into the name in which he came; muft not the ministry needs be much more thus? Muft not they be grown in the name, be grown in the power, who are to minifter to those who are gathered into the name, who are gathered into the power? Muft not they be well grown in the Spirit, if they be able ministers of the Spirit? Did not Chrift, when he fent out his difciples to preach in his name, give them of his Spirit and power? And afterwards, when he was to go away, and they to fucceed him, what were they to fucceed him in? Were they not to fucceed him in his Spirit and power? And did not he bid them wait for it, and receive it, before they went forth to preach and set up his kingdom? And was it not by this the church was gathered? And can the church be preferved by any thing beneath this? Yea, falling fhort of this, is it not in a degenerated and fallen eftate?

After that those who had been gathered in the name, had waited as Christ directed them, for the holy Spirit and power, and after it had fallen upon them, then the glory began, then the ministry shined, then the church (or people gathered in the Spirit and power) fhined; then great life was in them all, then great grace and holinefs was upon them all, then faith (which fprings from the Spirit and power) was fresh, then love abounded; then they minded not earthly things, but the kingdom, the life, the glory, which was come upon them in power; then Satan's kingdom fell down like lightening, and they went on (in and with the Spirit which led them) conquering the Jewish profeffors, and the Heathenifh worshippers alfo; none being able to refift the power and Spirit wherein they spake and ministered. Read the fcriptures of the New-Teftament, and wait on God for the opening of the true eye in you; and these things will be manifest and plain to you therein; for the sweetness, freshness, preciousness, and beauty of that ftate, may abundantly be read there, by those whofe eyes the Lord opens. To inftance in fome places.

Peter writes two general epiftles, in one whereof he speaks of their having received like precious faith with them, 2 Peter i. 1. and in the other, that they did rejoice with joy unfpeakable and full of glory, 1 Peter i. 8.

Yea,