Concerning the Seed or inward Principle, whereby life is begotten and maintained in the heart.

THe Lord God, who is full of everlaſting Bowels of compaſſion towards mankind in general, but more eſpecially towards thoſe, in whom he hath begotten a ſence of the want of him, with breathings and deſires after him, hath choſen a Seed or inward Principle of Life to appear in, towards the breaking the bonds of their Captivity, and the bringing them from under the power and miſery of death.

This, many who have been overwhelmed with miſery, and whoſe ſpirits have melted and failed with the want of the ſence of their God, and have felt that life, which was formerly built up in them, broken down and laid waſt, and their communion with God ſwallowed up in the ruines thereof, and their Souls ready utterly to periſh and be devoured by the Enemy every moment; after the cutting off of their hopes, and the ſhutting up of their eyes towards all ways of releif, I ſay, after all this and much more than can be expreſſed, in the tender mercy of the Lord, have they felt this principle revealed in their hearts, and their hearts by degrees through the skill and ſame mercy of the Lord, which revealed the principle (and not from any worthineſs, or faith and obedience of theirs: for that was as freely given and preſerved, as the principle it ſelf was revealed) gathered into the principle, where the Life reigns, and where the ſtrength and Dominion of death is broken in all thoſe, who by the allurings and guidings of the Spirit of the Lord are led thither.

Now the main thing neceſſary towards the Redemption of the Soul is, after the revealing of this principle, and ſome ſence and feeling of it, and the turning of the minde towards it, to wait to be made more and more acquainted with it, that in the ſtirrings, movings and leadings thereof, there be a ready giving up to be gathered into it, and to be guided by it.

For though this principle be all life, yet it is at firſt but as a ſeed, and the appearance of the Lord in it, is but as in a Seed, very little, low, weak; hard to be diſcerned; eaſie to be over-looked and deſpiſed, and ſome greater and m • re undeniable appearance expected. Yet that is not the way, but the Soul muſt become ſubject unto and • owed under this little appearance: and ſo as the Seed gets advantage and grows bigger and larger in thy heart, the appearance of the Lord will be greater and fuller there. But to look for the greater appearance, before the Seed be owned and received in its leſſer appearance (and the Veſſel thereby fitted for the greater appearance) is not the way of God, but the deceit of the Enemy, whereby he would deſtroy the Soul, and cut it off from the Lord for ever; which he certainly will do, if he can keep the ſeed from growing there, and the Soul from joyning with and growing into it.

Therefore watch to feel the ſavour of life in thy heart day by day, and therein to feel leadings, and drawings from the life, ſuitable to thy ſtate: for in this ſavour, and in theſe drawings riſes the true light, vvhich leads into the way of life. And then watch againſt the reaſonings, and diſputations which the Enemy will raiſe in thy minde, who will ſtrive to make thee a Judge over theſe drawings; whereas the Light, which ariſeth in the ſavour and in the drawings, is thy King (though in this low appearance) and not to be judged by thy minde, thoughts and reaſonings, but to judge them all down, and be bowed unto and obeyed by thee. And conſider, in the weight of thy ſpirit, art thou (in thy darkneſs and with thy earthly minde) fit to be a Judge concerning the Light which ariſeth in thee? or rather is not the Light, in its loweſt and weakeſt appearance, appointed and fitted by the Lord to judge thee, and make thee bow down in fear and trembling before it; and thy crown (thou in thy higheſt exaltation) is to be caſt at the loweſt footſtept thereof: And then it will in ſome meaſure, thou lying at the foot thereof and bowing in Spirit before it, enter into thee, and enlighten and quicken thee. But in thy being wiſe about it, or taking upon thee to judge concerning it, it will ſtand at a diſtance from thee, and leave thee in thy darkneſs and Captivity.

Therefore conſider where thou art, and breath unto the Lord to reveal that unto thee, which is proper for thee at preſent, and to bow thy ſpirit under his preſent will and manifeſtation to thee.

And be content to be little and low, and to receive little and low inſtructions from God, and to walk in the path of brokenneſs and humility before the Lord: for this is his way of fitting for, and advancing into the high and glorious power of his life. And this my Soul is aſſured of, that none ſhall enter into or abide in his Kingdome, but as they become little, poor and naked, and as they are led by the little child of God's begetting, who not at all anſwers the wiſdome of man and his expectations, but ſtill confounds them, and leads on in ſuch a path, as if the eye of man's wiſdome be open, it will ſtill be crying out, it can never bring to life. Yet that which diſputeth not, but beleiveth, at ſeaſons feels a progreſs, and that the growth of life had advantage in the heart by thoſe very things, which at preſent ſeemed to give death the advantage.

Therefore watch againſt thy underſtanding, and all the workings thereof, as ever thou deſireſt life: for it will ſtill betray thee, and either keep thee from the way, or turn thee out of the way, when ever thou hearkeneſt to it. And mark this, That which God ſowes and brings up in thee is a ſenſible plant, not a knowing mind; and thy right judgement is only in the ſenſibleneſs of that Plant, and not in the underſtanding or comprehenſion of thy minde: yea that ſenſible Plant (which thy wiſdome will be very apt to deſpiſe and perk over) muſt batter down and bring to nothing thy underſtanding, and grow up in the ſtead of it, if ever thy Soul be made an habitation for the Life. Therefore ſink into the feeling, and dwell in the feeling, and wait for the ſavour of the Principle of Life, and the touches and drawings of the ſavour, and walk along in it towards the land of Life, parting with all, and leaving behind thee, whatever the ſavoury of life diſreliſheth, and entring into and taking up whatever the ſavour of the Life reliſheth, that thou mayeſt be prepared for the Lord, and for the glorious appearances of his ſpirit in thee.

And as thou art led into this, and becomeſt ſubject to this; ſo thou wilt taſte the Lord, and feel the ſweetneſs of his Ointment, and the peace of his nature, and the joy of the beginnings of his Kingdom in thy heart, and the blotting out of thy iniquities for his own names ſake. For though the Enemy may lay load upon thee, and fill thee as much as he can with his filth, and lay it cloſe to thy charge, inſomuch as thou art not able to acquit thy ſelf at all, but art as ready to charge thy ſelf therewith, as the Enemy is to charge thee: yet the Lord conſidereth the Seed he hath ſown in thee, and the deſire which he hath wrought in thy heart to be joyned thereunto; and he knoweth whence the ſtirring of this mind is, and how weak thou art in this hour of thy darkneſs and Captivity; and the intent of his heart is to deliver thee from all this, and not to condemn thee for it.

But oh take heed of limmitting the Lord to give forth ſo clear a Light, as the natural underſtanding will be judging neceſſary: but be content with the Light which ariſeth in the ſavour, and ſhineth inwardly to thy ſpirit in the drawing, and be ſubject and bowed under the Light of the drawing, though never ſo much againſt the Light of the creaturely underſtanding and the reaſonings thereof.

Clearneſs of Light is a ſtate, which is to be grown up into: but before thou comeſt to this, thy underſtanding muſt be darkened, confounded and brought to nothing; and thou canſt not have ſuch a clearneſs there, while it is confounding. There is indeed a true clearneſs in the Principle of Life (proportionable to its ſtate and growth) even then: but the reaſonings of thy dark m • nde will be continually overclouding and overbearing it (as if it were darkneſs, and not the Light) & will prevail, unleſs thou be kept in the ſavour, and ſuffer not thy underſtanding to judge, but keep it under the judgement of the ſavour. Mark therefore heedfully this which follows,

The firſt work of the Lord is to confound the knowledge and underſtanding of the creature, eſpecially in thoſe, who have been deep in wiſdome and experience of things: for if they were not cloſely purſued with darkneſs and confuſion, they would preſently be gathering a ſtock into the old ſtore-houſe again, and ſo grow wiſe after the fleſh, and never learn the Life of the Spirit. Now in this work of confounding, how can the leadings of God's ſpirit be manifeſt and clear after the fleſh, and to the fleſhly underſtanding? yea, if they were manifeſt after this manner, how were it poſſible to withhold the fleſhly part from drinking them in, and ſo the man would live again, but the Seed not live, which gains its life (and being, and form and perfection) in the man, by the death of the man: even by the man's being hunted, and battered, and broken out of his wiſdome, and knowledge, and reaſoning, and comprehenſion; and becoming as a fool or child, being able to know nothing, nor retain nothing, nor performe nothing, nor keep his ſtanding, but ſtill as he is led, and taught, and created, and preſerved in the power and by the preſence of the Life.

Concerning the two Covenants.

WHat is the Covenant of the Law? Doth it not contain and hold forth Eternal Life to man, upon his faith in an obedience to the ſpirit of God?

What is the Covenant of the Goſpel? Doth it not contain the promiſe to the Seed, and Life to man through the Seed, and forgiveneſs of his ſins for the Seed ſake, and the uniting of his heart to and preſerving it in the Seed through the grace, as alſo repentance, faith and obedience from the grace?

Mark then the difference between the two Covenants. The Covenant of the Law is all of works and according to works, yea even the faith that is there found (which is begotten and brought forth in man by vertue of that Covenant) is of the man or of the working Principle. The Covenant of the Goſpel is all of grace; and the very works that are there found, are from the grace, and the Seed beſtowed and conveyed by Promiſe.

Now mark, The Seed (or ſtanding Principle of Life) in both Covenants is the ſame. It is the ſame Chriſt by which Adam ſtood before the fall, and which was the promiſed Seed after the fall. The light of both the Covenants is the ſame, even the eternal Light of the Spirit. The Life and power is the ſame, even the life and power of the Spirit. The end or mark, at which man aims, and towards which he travels in both is the ſame, even the land of reſt and peace in the Spirit of the Father, who begets a living ſoul under both Covenants. But the tearms of the Covenants, and the manner of diſpenſing them are different; and the wombs, whereof the children of each Covenant are born, are different likewiſe, the one being the working Nature (which alſo came from God, and hath its bleſſing from him in its obedience and ſubjection to him) the other the womb of grace, which brings forth the Child of grace in man according to and by vertue of the promiſe; and doth not finde a will in the day of man's choice and liberty, but createth a will in the day of God's powerful appearance in it.

Yet this Seed of promiſe, or this new man begotten by the Seed of Life according to the promiſe, muſt walk through the Law, and travel through all the dark paths of that Covenant, before it come to inherit the promiſed Land; where the rigor of the Law and weakneſs of the fleſh will be throughly felt, and many tranſgreſſions and many ſtripes, yea many Captivities and cuttings off from the life may be felt alſo: yea the Seed of the firſt Covenant may live and flouriſh, and injoy and boaſt much of God, while this Seed is miſerable. But when this womb is viſited with the ſtrength of grace, and free power of Life, and bringeth forth her children therein; and no more is called for from the working part of man, but all brought forth in the free, full and freſh power or Life; then ſhall the Seed of Iſrael after the promiſe, become an everlaſting habitation for, and a perfect joy in the Life.

Therefore diſtinguiſh in ſpirit between the Law and Grace, and the Covenants of each, and the diſpenſations of each, and how they are mixed and intermingled, both towards man and towards the Seed, in the ſeveral diſpenſations in which each are brought forth. For there hath been no perfect Covenant brought forth, either of Works or of Grace (in a way of publick adminiſtration) ſince the fall of Adam. Had there been a perfect Covenant of works, there had been no capacity of ſalvation thereby to fallen man. Had there been a perfect Covenant of grace there had been no poſſibility or capacity of deſtruction: for grace in its perfect going forth, cannot but overcome and ſave the man. But God ordereth both theſe Covenants, both towards the man and towards the Seed, according to the ſtate of the man and the ſtate of the Seed, and according to what (in his eternal wiſdome) he judgeth meet to work upon them thereby.

Man being fallen, and having loſt his ſtrength of Faith and obedience in and to the requirings of Gods Spirit, the viſitation of him is now by grace, and not meerly to call forth what is left in him, but to help him with light and power, and by the influences of the grace and of the power to quicken him towards God. Yet man in the receiving of this, is apt to over-look the grace, and attribute too much to his own ſtrength, thinking himſelf ſomewhat becauſe of the grace and power which hath viſited him, and new refreſhed the ſtrength and nature of his principle in him again. Hereby he is apt to fix his ſtanding on his obedience to the Spirit or appearance of the grace, and ſo in effect builds his life and hopes again on his own principle, or on a new-received power, as held or kept to by him (which he may fall from now, as well as he did at firſt) and not on the free begetting and free preſerving of a principle of life in him.

This viſitation of grace is to all mankinde, there being none upon earth, whom the Lord doth not thus ſeek and viſit with the light of his eternal life, thus adminiſtred through the grace: which ſo far as they fall in with, the Lord doth receive them and beget life in them, engrafting them into the living Vine, and preſerving them according to their abiding in it, and according to their obedience to him in the ſpringings up of the ſap of the Vine in them.

But beſides this common adminiſtration of the grace to all mankinde, God formerly picked out a people after the fleſh of Abraham, and afterwards a people after the ſpirit of Abraham, towards whom in a more peculiar way his grace did adminiſter it ſelf, and whom he dealt with, not as with other Nations, but choſe to love and work up into life and communion with himſelf, by a more eſpecial adminiſtration and viſitation of his love and grace. The one of theſe were that people of the Jews, the other the believing Chriſtians.

With the Jews he remembred the Covenant with Abraham. By vertue of that he loved and choſe them to be his people after the fleſh, (or his outward people) by vertue of that he brought them out of Egypt, led them through the Wilderneſs, brought them into Canaan, giving them an inheritance therein, and delivering them from their Enemies time after time.

Yet he alſo made another Covenant with them (even that of the Law) which was ſuitable to their ſtate, and which their nature deſired, and choſe to walk with God in, but hardly ever kept it, and ſo brought the curſe and miſery due thereby upon their heads, and at laſt were utterly cut off, ſo far and ſo long as the Lord pleaſeth to let the curſe of that Covenant have power over them, untill he ſhall pleaſe again to remember to them his Covenant with Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, and breath life through it into their dry bones.

Now though God did make this Covenant with them, becauſe they were fleſhly, and their preſent ſtate required it; yet he did not diſanul or make void the other to them, all the while their day laſted; but remembred loving-kindneſs and mercy towards them in it, often delivering and redeeming them for his own Names ſake, pointing them alſo to the word in the heart and the gracious adminiſtration thereof: But they were blinded and held captive in the earthly nature and principle, and in the Law thereof, and held their marriage and union with God thereby. And ſo, though this adminiſtration to the Jews (wherein God did ſtrive with them by his Spirit, and ſometimes ſtir life and beget a true ſenſibleneſs in many of them, calling to them for the circumciſion of the heart, and pointing them to the principle of life in the heart, whereby it might be circumciſed) though this advanced them far above the Heathen; yet they through the fleſh and the letter, at laſt fell below the very ſtate of the Heathen, proving greater enemies to and perſecuters of the life than they. And ſo the Lord brake them off from the Olive tree into which they were engraffed, and cut them off from the Covenant which he had made with Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, whereas hitherto (though he had been often provoked by, and ſorely offended with them, yet) he had ſtill loved them for the Fathers ſake.

After them and in their ſtead he choſe the believing Gentiles, engraffing them into the ſtock from whence theſe were broken, letting them into a ſweeter, and fuller, and more ſpiritual and abiding eſtate and influences of the Covenant. For here the life was manifeſted, and the light did ſhine in great beauty and clearneſs, and they were gathered into the true Fold of the Shepherd (beſides that outward ſtate, which was alſo built up by the Lord and preſerved for a ſeaſon among them:) and they ſaw their ſtanding to be by and in the grace, and were eſtabliſhed in the grace, and could feel the good pleaſure calling, the good pleaſure working, the good pleaſure being and doing all in them, and could cry grace, grace to this building and ſay, Not for any works that they had wrought, or for their faith in or, obedience to the light of life, which was made manifeſt; but of his own mercy he ſaved them, who wrought in them both the will and the deed of his own good pleaſure, and preſerved them by his power through faith (which was of his gift and begetting) unto ſalvation.

Yet for all this, there was ſomewhat of the Law or light eternal to be adminiſtred unto them, which was ſuitable to the natural part or firſt principle, through which they were to travel, even until the man or firſt nature was wholly waſted; whereby ſome of them were in danger of falling away wholly, others of coming under chaſtizement and judgement, with which the Lord purſued them, that they might not be utterly condemned with the world. Mark therefore this brief ſum of the matter.

1. Man fell under the firſt Covenant. His reſtitution is never to be thereby, but by the ſecond; through which God works up veſſels into a ſtate of life and glory in the adminiſtration of his grace.

2. But in this working up of the veſſel, he ſees neceſſary to make uſe of the other Covenant, according to the capacity that is left in man to anſwer it: and ſo as that capacity wears out, the Covenant of the Law waſteth and paſſeth away by degrees, and the Covenant of grace ſucceeds and fills up the room thereof.

3. There is great danger of falling from the life for ſome, as alſo of chaſtizements and judgements to others, while this capacity remains, even while the earthly nature, ſpirit and principle is not worn out by the entrance, death and reſurrection of the principle of life in the heart.

4. When the firſt principle is wholly dead, and the heart perfectly formed in the life, and all perfectly raiſed and renewed in the life; then there is no danger of falling or fear of chaſtizement; but perfect life, and peace and joy with God in his ſpirit of power and glory for ever more.

5. Though God begin with man in a Covenant of grace, and bring in a Covenant of the Law to man (ſuitable to his preſent ſtate) only in ſubſerviency to the Covenant of grace; and would not have man ſtick there, but cling to him in the grace, and ſeek remiſſion through the grace for his own names ſake: Yet man through the prevalency of the firſt principle in him (and his looking on God through that) is apt to fix on this Covenant, and draw comfort or diſcouragement to himſelf from his own obedience or failings, and not live on the freeneſs of Gods love, and the faithfulneſs of his heart to the ſoul to all conditions, for his Chriſt's ſake.

This hath been the great error of Iſrael (even of Iſrael after the fleſh, and of Iſrael after the Spirit alſo) that while God layes hold on them by his love, promiſe, mercy and grace; yet they lay hold on him by another Covenant, even their obedience to the Laws he gives forth: not knowing, that the obedience to the firſt Covenant muſt be a fruit of the ſecond; and that they are not beloved or accepted for that, but that that flowes into them and is brought forth in them, through the love, and through the free and powerful workings thereof in them. I ſay, This (to wit, their obedience) is not the ground of their acceptance or being loved, ſo far as they are in this Covenant: though as far as the other hath yet an influence, it hath ſome force in this reſpect. But this the eye is to paſſe through, and to be be fixed on the other Covenant, ſtill waiting for the revealing and manifeſting the riches of the mercy thereof, and to feel the waſhing and cleanſing thereof from all the guilt, which under the remainers of the firſt Covenant will be daily contracting, while any thing of the earthly principle and offending part is left ſtanding.

There hath been in this day, a very glorious adminiſtration of life to the ſons of men (after the long foregoing night) wherein both theſe Covenants have been again adminiſtred in Spirit, ſuitable to the ſtate of the perſons, whereto they have been adminiſtred. And becauſe of the neceſſity of faith and obedience in the new Covenant (both to the ſeed and to the man) the man is ſo apt to fix his eye and build his hopes upon them (and not upon the free love of him that works them in him) that he is in danger of falling from and diſhonouring the free grace (which is the hope of Iſrael) and of loſing his ſtate, which is not ſure (how far ſo ever it be advanced in a preſent power and dominion) further than it is built upon and fixed in the grace. And therefore is this given forth, that the life in Iſrael may be ſure and laſting, and that they may grow up perfectly (out of the principle of nature) into the principle of grace, and know the difference between their being united to and living in God, either in the fear, faith or love, ſo far as they can receive or retain them; and God's living in them, and creating continually the fear, faith and love in them, and bringing forth all the fruits thereof in and from himſelf.

For though the Covenants are and have been ſtill the ſame from the beginning, yet the manifeſtations of them have been ſtill greater and greater. And a greater manifeſtation may yet be of the love and life of God (and the ſweet, free nature of his Covenant) than hath hitherto been, or yet is, which Iſrael is to wait for and feel the need of, before it be brought forth. And though all thoſe fore-mentioned (to wit, of fear, faith and love) are pretious ſtates, which God works his Iſrael up to, in and by the Covenant of his grace, according to their ſeveral growths and capacities, yea and according to which the delight and pleaſure of his ſoul is in them: yet the abſolute aſſurance is only in the latter, even where the Creature is ſo gathered into the life of God, that its ſtate depends not at all upon what it ſelf is, or doth, but only upon what God is and will be to is freely of himſelf and for his own names ſake.

This is written in love, for preſervation; and not for diſcouragement or deſtruction: but that that which ſtandeth, may feel where to fix. For in the higheſt ſtate that man can be advanced to, yet if any of the creaturely principle be left in him unſubdued, and not yet buried with the Seed into its death, there is ſo far a capacity of falling: and his fall (in caſe the Lord do ſuffer his feet to ſlip) will be the greater, by how much the higher and more exalted he was in the Dominion and preſence of the power, and by how much the more it vvas unexpected by him.

And this my heart hath often ſaid within me, and ſtill ſaith to a weary ſoul, which hath felt the touches of life, and deſireth-everlaſting unity with it; yea to all that deſire to walk with God, and to abide in the power of his life in any diſpenſation; Keep the eye of thy minde to the grace which viſits thee: not ſo much to the light which comes from the grace, as to the grace from which the light comes; and dayly look for help and remiſſion from it, as freely as thou hadſt at firſt. And in all loſſes, and darkneſſes, and •• ſings up of guilt and condemnation, caſt thy ſelf at the foot of it, ſaying in thy heart, if thou hadſt not freely viſited me at firſt, I had not ſet one ſtep in the path of life; and if thou doſt not as freely viſſt me ſtill, and renew life in me dayly of thine own accord, and from the ſame love and goodneſs, I cannot but be lyable to miſcarry. O that I might obey every beam of thy light, and every moving of thy life, but I dare not undertake it, O that thou wouldeſt undertake for me. My righteouſneſs my obedience, my love to thee, my faith in thee is like the morning due, which ſoon paſſeth away, and I cannot finde or come at it again: O raiſe up life from an everlaſting Seed, and gather my heart into it and preſerve me in it, not according to what I am or have done, or yet can be or do; but for thine own names ſake, and in thy love to thy Seed, and to thy creature in and through thy Seed by the Promiſe.

Thus as any grows into the Covenant of grace, through the Covenant of works (which is neceſſary to be diſpenſed in ſome meaſure, till the mans Nature and Principle be wholly worne out by it) they will finde ſure footing there and building upon that, from which the Soul (that cleaveth to it in the vertue and nature that floweth from it) can never be removed. Yea the peace and ſafty of Iſrael in there travels (fixing here) will be greater, and there aſſurance greater, and their falls and the prevailings of the Enemy not ſo dangerous (that being had recourſe to, which never fai • es of healing that ſoul, which lyes at the foot of it and in heart waits its ſeaſon) however they may be hurred and driven about with Tempeſts, through the violence of the Enemy and good pleaſure of him, who ſeeth it fit for the preſent ſtate of the ſoul, to have it thus exerciſed.

The intent of God in the ſalvation of man, is to magnifie the riches of his grace and the freeneſs of his love. And this is effected, as man is broken in his natural principle and power of beleiving and obeying, and a Seed of life freely raiſed up in him, and he freely gathered into it and preſerved in it. And where is the Boaſter here? or where is he, who in this ſtate, can throw a ſtone at another becauſe of his tranſgreſſions? Nay, nay; He that is freely forgiven, and lives meerly and for ever by mercy alone, he is formed and brought forth in the tenderneſs of the bowels which begat and nouriſh him: and he cryeth mightily for the ſpreading of the ſame bowels over other ſinners, waiting for the ſeaſon of their viſitation and gathering into the ſame love, and by the ſame powerful hand, if it may be.

O my God, bring up the power and ſweetneſs of thy life in Iſrael, and ſhew mercy to all Nations. Purge the Earth with thy fan, ſcatter the corruption there of from the hearts of the ſons of men, and make them the Paradice of thy pleaſure: that thou, O living God, mayſt dwel in and ſhine forth from thy Temple, and it may no longer lye waſt, nor the abomination of deſolation defile it, to the diſhoner of thy name, and to the ruine and miſery of thy Creation.