February 15. 1678. the Mixt, or Twofold State.
The sermon emphasizes the need to resist the earthly, burdensome life and seek the free, powerful nature of Jesus for victory over sin and a life with God.
Jane Lead delves into the Twofold State of the Spirit, expressing a longing for the Heavenly over the Earthly, which is burdensome and temporary. She grapples with the struggle of how to navigate this earthly existence while desiring to be free from its corruptible nature to fully live with God. Drawing inspiration from Paul, she seeks deliverance from the sinful mortal life, anticipating victory through Christ to overcome barriers hindering communion with God. Lead encourages resistance to the temptations of the world, assuring that those who endure the trials of terrestrial life with a focus on the divine will ultimately transcend the limitations of this world and find true freedom in Jesus.
Text
Being upon a deep examination of the Twofold State, in which I found my Spirit, a Passenger far more agreeable to the Heavenly, than to the Earthly, which is now tiresome and burthensome in all its necessary consequences, relating to corporeity, But how to avoid and get off herefrom was my great concern. The rational Mind and Senses being suited in all things, for this mean degree of Life, having to sustain a Body Elementary, for which is required such exercises of the Mind therein, that else would rise more sublimely, than to be careful for a gross corruptible Being, as knowing it must be put off or changed, before the Soul can live with God joyfully or without interruption.
Now what to do, but like Paul I cried out for riddance from a Sin Mortal Life, as the only present redress, in hope Christ our Life, would yet have Victory over that in us, which hath been such a bar to all our Fruitions and enjoyments with God. But while I was in these complaints, this Word came, saying, Those who find themselves grieved and molested by a Terrestrial Life, as made Subject unwillingly hereunto, shall not be chargeable with any of those evil consequences, that the corporeal State hath produced.
But if they still resist, and give no countenance, to any thing which doth spring from that Root, then in time your Spirits through contaction with the divine Body, shall out-wear all of the corruptible property, and so be altogether found in the free powerful Nature of Jesus, for Victory and Dominion over all of this evil World.
Sermon Outline
- The Twofold State
- The Conflict between the Rational Mind and Corporeity
- The Call for Riddance from a Sin Mortal Life
- The Promise of Freedom from Evil Consequences
- No charge for resisting the terrestrial life
- Victory through contaction with the divine Body
Key Quotes
“Those who find themselves grieved and molested by a Terrestrial Life, as made Subject unwillingly hereunto, shall not be chargeable with any of those evil consequences, that the corporeal State hath produced.” — Jane Lead
“But if they still resist, and give no countenance, to any thing which doth spring from that Root, then in time your Spirits through contaction with the divine Body, shall out-wear all of the corruptible property, and so be altogether found in the free powerful Nature of Jesus,” — Jane Lead
Application Points
- We must resist the earthly, burdensome life and seek the free, powerful nature of Jesus.
- Through Christ, we can have victory over sin and enjoy life with God.
- We must give no countenance to anything that springs from the earthly root, but rather seek to out-wear all corruptible property.