CHAP. XII.
As for that Saying of the ProphetIsaiah, it was a Prophecy of Christ, that he should be anointed to preach Glad-tidings, unto the Meek, and that he was sent to bind up the Broken-hearted, to proclaim Liberty to the Captives, and the opening of the Prisonto them that are bound. This Prophecy was fulfilled when he was upon Earth, as may plainly appear by those Words inLukeaforementioned.
Also the Reader may understand, that these Places of Scripture have no Relation at all to the raising of Spirits without Bodies; nor of Spirits being in Prison, nor delivered out of Prison by the Power of Christ without Bodies.
But the Meaning is this, that the Spirit of the Lord Almighty was upon Christ, and in him, and did anoint him to preach Glad-tidings of Salvation to the Meek in Heart, who did believe in him and trusted in his Words; all such as were broken-hearted, who were led Captive by the Error, Ignorance, and Darkness of the Mind; he came to proclaim Liberty to the Spirit of Man, who was in Captivity; and to open the Prison-door of Mens Hearts.
For this I say, all Mens Spirits by Nature are shut up in the Prison of Spiritual Darkness in the Mind, and are lead Captive by the Ignorance of Truth; so that the Spirit or Soul of Man is shut up a Prisoner in the Body of Man, until the true God and Saviour hath been preached to them, as it was by Christ himself, when on Earth he was anointed to preach Glad-tidings of Salvation; and he anointed his Apostles to preach Glad-tidings of Peace to Men, and to open the Prison, and to deliver the Captive out of Captivity, and to set the Spirits of many that were in a Prison of Darkness in their own Minds go free: This Prophecy was fulfilled at that Time by Christ and his Apostles in their Commission.
But the same Captivity and Prison of Darkness is now upon the Spirits of all Men, as it was at that Time: For this I say, and many People can Witness, that their Spirits have been shut up Prisoners in Spiritual Darkness in their own Bodies, until the true God the Saviour hath been preached unto them by his last Messengers.
For this I declare, that those Words of the ProphetIsaiah, they were spoken with Relation to a Spiritual Liberty, and to a Spiritual Captivity, of the Mind or Spirit of Man, and not to a Natural Captivity. Neither was it meant the opening of the natural Prison Doors, to them that were bound by the Powers of the Nations; but the Doors of Mens Hearts were opened at the preaching of Christ and his Apostles, in that Light, and Life, and Salvation was preached unto them, that whoever Believed that this Jesus is the Christ, the Saviour of the World, should be saved and delivered from the Fear of Eternal Death: So that the Soul of Man that was lead Captive into Prison, and bound in Chains of Darkness, and strong Doors locktfast to keep the Spirit of Men in Prison, by the Works of the Law, and the Expounders of the Law before Christ came, the Spirit of Reason in them did lead the Generality of People their Spirits into Spiritual Captivity, and shut them up in Prison, and tied their Spirits up in the Observation of the Ceremonial Law ofMoses.
Which was as Chains of Darkness: and not only so, but shut the Door of Hope upon them, so that there was no Hope to be saved in them, but by observing the Law aforesaid, whichPaulcallsbeggarly Rudiments,Gal.iii. So that this Spiritual Captivity and being bound in Prison, and the Doors being shut, it was the Spirits of People that were Captives and Prisoners in their own Bodies, kept by the Legal and Ceremonial Righteousness of the Law ofMoses; and when Christ came to preach, and to give Power to his Apostles to preach the Gospel of Truth, both to Jew and Gentile, then was the Door of Hope opened in People's Hearts, and many that were bound in Prison, whose Spirits were led Captive, they were set at Liberty from that Bondage of the Ceremonial Law, wherein they were bound, and brought out of that Prison of Darkness in the Mind, into the glorious Light and Life of Faith, by the preaching of Christ and his Apostles.
Then was this Prophecy ofIsaiahfulfilled in the Apostles Commission; then was Liberty preached to the Spirits of many that were bound and in Prison in their own Minds, the Word of Faith preached unto them, it opened a Door of Hope of Deliverance from the Bondage of the Law as aforesaid, wherewith they were bound; so that by Faith they had in Christ, their Chains fell off their Feet, and Darkness of their Understanding; so that they were at perfect Liberty, and delivered out of Prison, and the Prison-Door of Hope in Christ being opened, all true Believers in Christ were set at Liberty, free from Captivity, and out of that Spiritual Prison of Darkness into the glorious Liberty of the Sons and Daughters of God for ever and ever.
So is it now in this Commission of the Spirit, we the Witnesses of the Spirit have preached Glad-tidings of Salvation, and have opened the Prison-Doors of Mens Hearts, and have let many out of that Spiritual Prison, that were bound to the Righteousness set up by the Imagination of Reason now in these last Days, who were led Captive by their own Traditions, and kept in Prison in their own Bodies for many Years; but by the Declaration of Truth in all our Writings and our Speakings, many People have been delivered out of Captivity and out of Prison, their Spirits have been let looseout of the Chains of Darkness, because the Door of their Hearts hath been opened by the Word of Faith in the true God, which we have preached and written; this many can witness at this Day the Truth of it. So that now that Scripture is fulfilled again these last days; and this is the true Meaning of the ProphetIsaiah, in those Words concerning opening the Prison, and giving Liberty to the Captives that were imprisoned in their own Bodies by the Conceptions of the Imaginations of their own Hearts.
So that there is not the least Colour or Ground from those Words, for the Reason of Man to think that Spirits may be let out of Prison without Bodies, or that the Spirit of Christ did Preach to any Spirit in Prison without his Body.