News from the new-Jerusalem sent by letters from severall parts, relating some hints and observations of that citty, all conspiring in a testimony that renders it exceeding glorious.

28. Letter.

Dear friend,

I Received yours of an old date; you are constant in loving, slow in expressing and declaring; in which, though yet you are full; I doe own your love in all, both letter and token, and wish I had to make you a sutable return

Your trouble, is about Ordinances; You want them, and yet cannot use them, you think you want them at least; but it is the annoint∣ing you want, not John, much lesse his water; you have the annointing, and need not that any man teach you, 1 John 2. 21. It abideth in you, it will appear, the box in which it is, will be broken, and perfume the whole honse: The box is your heart, whilest you are looking without: In that condition you are, the Poets Tantalus is your picture and your motto. The Woolf by the ears, you neither dare hold nor let go; stay a while, and your Candle wil be

lighted; The Lord is your light, the annoint∣ing which you have received of him, abideth in you, and the same teacheth you all things.

You say, Why you dare not use Ordinances, because you finde them not in their exactnes, according to the Primitive pattern. Do you think to be perfect in the flesh? I know you doe not: Why then doe you expect exactnes here? All externall things will be matter of doubtfull disputation, 1 Rom. 14. and we shall not come into rest, and out of dispute, till we come into the spirit, where is both unity and rest; till circumcision and uncircumcision be nothing; and the new creature and faith wor∣king by love, all, we shall not be established: He that doth it is God, who hath also annointed us, and sealed us, and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts. 2 Cor. 1. Till we see and acknowledge God not limitted to make out himself by ordinance, if not to be gone out of them, as to any manifestation of life, and pow∣er by them, we cannot be at rest.

God will take us out of all our childish work, before we have made any thing of it; and are these better things then rudiments and elements in our childish state? a bondage that the father is pleased his children (that are heires of all) should be in, till the time ap∣pointed

by him; whilest we are Babes, we have no trouble in them, onely about our un∣worthinesse; as we grow up, doubts grow, and trouble and disputes about them, about their pure institution, and at last we come to look into their worth, and set the signe and the spirit distinct before us; and so come by de∣grees to be crucified to them, and they to us; and are sensible of a bondage, and are making into the liberty of the Spirit.

And whereas you mention, the Primitive pattern, as to these ordinances: There is gran∣ted a pattern to Babes, or those that have to doe with them; for these outward things are the milk, and not the strong meat; and if the Apostles and those anointed with the spi∣rit, then, could have spoken to their converts, other wise then as unto carnall, they would not have spoken earthly things; nor dealt with them in those principles, from whence they are calling them, to make forward to per∣fection, and blame them for their dullnesse, Hebr. 6.

The old administration, was weak, weari∣some, and tyring, and therefore God went out of it, Heb. 10. & so wil he hence, when he hath brought us to see the weaknes & feel wearines; he is calling such into the spirit, Come unto 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

riod to ordinances, gospell as well as legall. Hee will once more shake Heaven and Earth.

And is not hee doing that in you? and till that comes that remaines, surely we are to worship at the doore of the Tabernacle, and then will his remove appeare plainly; which by want of enjoyment in Ordinances is onely suspected, or conjectured. I consent unto you fully, that the want of enjoyments there, are no rule safe enough to walke by.

You say, You have sound communion with God in Ordinances, and without; The last more immediate and the sweetest: To this God cals you by some tastes, and will settle you there in due time, the time appointed of the Father, the time of the acknowledgement of the Son of God in you.

You say, that your thoughts worke about Gods silence in Ordinances, as upon this reason to humble us, as in the Isralites hunger, I con∣sent to you, and so to prepare us for bread from heaven that needs no sowing, threshing, winnowing, nor shall be gathered by Homer, or measure.

You observe with trouble, the declining of some, who leave ordinances, to the deniall of Scripture.

Wonder not that when God cals some to himself in a more immediate enjoyment with∣out ordinances, that the Devill should bee playing his part there, in Jann••••s and Jam∣bres.

Your dislike of the common pleading for or∣dinances, I wonder not at, because it is done in opposition to the spirit, which they onely serve to, and is the life of them, and that tels me that that Heaven is foulding up as a gar∣ment, and hee comming forth that changes it not.

You say, there hath beene a glory in that administration, I grant it, and that it yet is to some, yea many, and they doe well to waite for glory there where they finde it appearing to them; I call off none fr••m ordinances, I judge not those that professe themselves cal∣led off; I know not where abouts I am, sure∣not in vision, but sometimes I hope in dreames, the old mans state, and so under the spirit.

The last thing you mention, is your seruples about Ordinances, which are tor••, as an hedge of thornes set by the Lord in your way; to turn you backe again from those things which we have more or lesse idollized and set up in his place.

I have performed your desire, and you may looke upon me as Lazarus quickened, but bound hand and foot with grave cloaths: what life and liberty I have, it must be to serve the Saints, and therefore account me ever ready to serve you.

August 18. 1649.