THE MARROVV OF CHRISTIANITY OR A spirituall discovery of some Principles of Truth meet to be knowne of all the Saints represented in ten SECTIONS By T. Collier Minister of the Gospell Whereunto is added an Epistle written by M. SALTMARSH Isaiah 32.20 Blessed are ye that sow besides all waters c. Isay 33.16 He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of Rocks bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure verse 17. and thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty c. London Printed by Charles Sumptner for Giles Calvert at the Black spread Eagle neer the West end of Pauls 1650. To the READER Christian Reader FOr to thee alone do I commend this smal Treatise who alone art able to judge of spirituall things for the spirituall man judgeth all things I have here in this Treatise presented unto publike view some principles of truth Although I suppose that some particulars herein may seem somewhat strange at the first sight yet I question not but the same spirit of Truth which is given forth from the Father through the Son to the Sts. will by degrees so gather us up into the mystery of Truth that we shall all speak the same thing from our walking in the same light and acting in the same power I have in this place only three words to mind thee of as a preparative to what thou shalt read in this ensuing Treatise First that the discovery of the first man Adam to be but a humane man a man indued with humane perfections is not a strange but a glorious truth and meet to be known for the knowledge of this one particular leads us to the knowledge of the Creatures nothingnesse the wisdome power righteousnesse c. of the Creature it is all but of the Earth and that it is the proper work of Christ the second man to ruine and destroy in thee all that is of the first Adam even those reliques that remaine that wisdom is turned into folly that strength into weaknesse that righteousnesse and holinesse into meere filthinesse and pollution so that Christ doth not where he comes in mercy restore man to his first condition as it was in Adam but destroyes those principles as we are Christians and so creates a new man in us which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes 4.24 and he that is in Christ is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 All old things are done away behold all things are become new and as is the earthly such are they who are earthly as is the heavenly that is Christ such are they who are heavenly 1 Cor. 15.48 Secondly that the glory of a Christians life is in the knowledge of Christ living in him so the Aposte Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ Neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and Christ in you the hope of glory is the great mystery of the Gospel for the Saints to know Col. 1.27 that is not to live wholly on the eying of what Christ hath done without us for us but likewise to be able to experience the life of that Christ in us being made partaker of the same spirit of the same Anointings c. Thirdly that the knowledge of Antichrist is the knowledge of a mystery I mean a mystery of Iniquity which none can know but those enlightned from above that as the mystery of the Gospel is hid so likewise is the mystery of Iniquity hid from them that perish Lastly and in a word my desire is that what truth thou findest here written thy spirit may be made one in and with the same truth that so both thou and I may have communion and fellowship with the spirit in the same truth and what information and consolation thy spirit findeth from what is truth letting any Creature-weaknesse thou findest passe let God have the glory and so thy poore friend in the unity of truth and fellowship of the 〈…〉 A Table of the principle things contained in this Treatise SECTION 1. OF Adams condition before his fall Page 1 Adams in a condition of humane perfection p. 1. 2. The Jmage of God what in Adam p. 2. 3. 5. Mans best wisdome but the remainder of the first Adam in it many too much glory p. 3. 4. What the Jmage of Adam is not p. 8. SECTION 2. The cause or ground of mans fall First the mutability of his condition p. 8. God not the cause of sin p. 10. The second causr of mars fall p. 11. Satans temptation Why Satan called a Serpent p. 12. The cause of mans fall disobedience p. 13. The tree of knowledge of good and evill why so called p. 13. SECTION 3. Mans misery by reason of his fall p. 14. 15. Mans misery considered under 3 heads p. 16. SECTION 4. What is the means God hath appointed for the recovery of man out of this condition that is Jesus Christ p. 27 The sin and fault is layd upon Christ p. 17. 18 Christ bare the sins of all all are saved and how not saved and the reason why p. 19. 20. 21 Christ not the efficient cause of love but rather an effect of love p. 22. 23. 25 How Christ delivers from wrath p. 13. 24. SECTION 5. How persons come to have benefit by this means that God hath appointed as the way of life which is by Faith p. 26. What Faith is p. 26. 27. How Faith is obtained p. 28. Faith not a condition of the Covenant p. 29. Faith a branch of the Covenant p. 3. Faith an evidence of the Covenant p. 30. The means by which Faith is wrought p. 31. The properties and effects of Faith p. 31. How Faith justifieth p. 32. 33. Faith produceth peace with God p. 33 Faith puts the soule into the possession of love it fills the soule with joy p. 34. SECTION 6. Wherein the condition of person restored by Christ and their union with God is discovered which is first a freedome from sin p. 35 Second in being one with and in Christ p. 36. Christ and the Christians relations one first Christ a Son so the Saints p. 36. Secondly relation of spirituall union p. 37. In the spirit power wisdom righteousnesse love and glory p. 38. to the 49. Saints Communion with the Father Son and each other p. 50. 51. 52 SECTION 7. Wherein is declared what the Law is what the Gospell with the difference between them both in the Letter and in the Spirit p. 55. First what the Law is in the letter p. 55. 56. 57 Secondly what the Law is in the Spirit p 56. What the Gospell in the Letter is p. 61. 62 What the Gospell in the Spirit is p. 64. The Mystery of the Gospell what p. 65 The life of Faith in the most spirituall 67. 68 The difference between the Law and the Gospell p. 70. 71. The glorious effects of the knowledge of God in Spirits p. 63. SECTION 8. The matter of
shalt die the death Man having yet the principles of that law remaining in him God having by the promised Messiah given a farther being to mankind in the world he gives forth the righteous Law more at large in the letter that so his creatures might have a rule in the Letter to walke by and likewise might be the more sensible of the losse of both that principle and power they had once in Adam given unto them and likewise with it given though not the same power yet the same promise of externall life in the Land God gives them 2. The Law was that by which sin came that is by which sin became sinfull For it is true had not God given a Law yet man would have been acting contrary to the pure mind of God therefore he give a Law that sin might become out of measure sinfull and it was added because of transgression for where no Law is there is no transgression For by the Law was the knowledge of sin and so it was an administration of death both in the hands of Adam as well Moses 1. Cor. 3.6.7 3. The Law in the letter was an Image or Character of that spirituall righteousness God intended to bring in by Jesus Christ as Adam was an Image of that spirituall perfection God intended to make his partakers of in the spirit by Christ So this Law in the letter was a rule answerable to that morall principle of righteousnesse in Adam a Character likewise of that spiritual righteousnes that every believer attains in Christ the righteousnes of the law in the letter was not that believers injoy in Christ but that righteousnesse Adam injoyed in his state of innocency It was not the righteousnes of God but a Character of that righteousnes holyness and purity that all believers are made partakers of in the spirit It was not that righteousness by which God intended to give life and glory eternally but such a righteousness which had externall promises annexed unto it For if there had been a Law given that could have given life then righteousness had been by the Law Wherefore I conclude that the Law in the letter was but a Character of the spirituall righteousness of God which is the life of the Saints and that by which God never intended to justifie any to eternity for the law in the letter killeth not justifieth but the spirit giveth life 2. Cor. 3.6 The law was given to Adam in the letter and Moses was the Minister of the law in the letter but Christ is the Minister of the law in the spirit Therefore Moses saith himselfe A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me him shall you heare in all things Acts 3.22 23 Deyt 18.15 Obj. It is said Rom. 15.8 that Jesus Christ was the Minister of Circumcision Answ True he was the minister of it for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto Abraham he was a Minister of it so as to fulfill the truth held forth in it So the word Minister Diaconos signifies God having promised Christ to come of the seed of Abraham he gives forth circumcision and divers other Ordinances as Types representing him and he is the Minister of all to act and fulfill all and to be the substance of all those Types for the truth of God else God had not been true in his promises neither had salvation been obtained either by the Fathers to whom the promises were made or the Gentiles who were a farr off and likewise included in the promises Therefore he was the Minister of circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises unto the Fathers and likewise that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy Not so much a Minister in the giving forth of it but in the fulfilling of it which gives occasion to the Gentiles to rejoyce and praise the Lord. Obj. Paul applyeth the words of Moses in the Law Deut. 30.12 13 14. Rom. 10 6 7 8. to be the righteousnesse of faith the righteousnesse of faith speaketh on this wise Answ It is true that Christ and the righteousness of the Gospel was included in the Law There was a literall or externall righteousnesse expressed in the letter to which were externall pall promises annexed but there was a spirituall and internall righteousnesse included which only beleevers were made partakers of which was a righteousnesse brought in by Christ and obtained by faith which is the law in the spirit or that spiritual righteousnesse of God that beleevers are made partakers of which is the second thing propounded what the law in the spirit is Secondly the law in the spirit or the spirituall righteousnesse contained in the law as you have already heard is the righteousnesse of God which every believer is made partaker of Note these two words for the more full clearing of it First that there wasa spirituall righteousnesse included mystically in the letter of the Law which none ever saw into but those spiritually enlightned Paul had experience of it Rom. 7.14 For we know that the Law is spirituall but I am carnall The Law in the letter was not spirituall For the same Apostle could say that he walked concerning the righteousnesse of the Law in the letter blamelesse Phil. 3. yet he calls it a fleshly walking If any man had cause of glorifying in the flesh I much more And he saith he was alive ones without the Law but when the Commandment came sin revived and I died Rom. 7.9 alive without the law in the letter by that it was he judged himselfe to be alive he walked concerning that blamelesse but when the Commandment came that is when the spiritual righteousnesse of the Law was unfolded which was no lesse then the righteousnesse of God then he saw how short he came of that righteousnesse he was yet but in the letter in the flesh and not in the spirit Then sin revived I died Secondly that this Law in the spirit is that spirituall righteousnesse of God that believers are made partakers of 1 Cor. 3.6 The letter killeth but the spirit giveth life The letter killeth the letter requireth an exact and perfect obedience which none was able to performe and so the very letter of the law did kill So at first it killed Adam and all his posterity and so it killed the Jewes being given forth in a more large way for it was the administration of death but the spirit giveth life viz. the Lord Jesus the spirit and substance of the law both morall and ceremoniall for the first man was made a living soule to answer a morall righteousnesse the second was made a quickning spirit to give life to those dead in the first Adam And as the Father hath life in himselfe so hath he given to the Son to have life in himselfe and he quickneth whom he will John 5. The Law in the letter killeth the Law in the spirit quickneth Therefore Christ saith I came not
of God in creating of him but the properties of God in some measure imparted to him yet not partaker of the divine nature righteousnesse and freedome from sin was morally in him yet not partaker of that spirituall holinesse that is in God But secondly and more principally in the first Adam who was earthly was the Image of the second who was the Lord from heaven so that all the righteousnesse holinesse wisdom c. of the first Adam was but an Image of the second Adam and that morall and humane perfection in the first and those remaining principles that yet remained in his nature was at the highest and yet it is but an Image as a drawn Character in a peece of timber or stones of the second the spirituall and divine nature which dwelt in Christ bodily and is communicated spiritually unto all the spirituall posterity of the Lord Jesus who in himselfe and in his Saints is the substance of this Image which was the first Adam 3. Adam was in the Image of God in respect of a power he had power given him to stand or fall and in this power he stood til the temptation came the first temptation he fell and this power was but an Image of the power of God in which the second Adam came and of which all the Saints are made partakers they injoy the substance of Adams Image 4. Adam was in the Image of God in respect of eternity he had given him an everlasting being in that morall upright estate had he not degenerated from it as appeares Gen. 2.17 In dying thou shalt dye hence a negative must be necessarily inducted in obeying thou shalt live but this life in Adam was but a Character or Image of that spirituall eternall life soules are made partakers of in the second Adam Iohn 4.14 thus it appeares that Adam was a man in whom all humane perfections wisdom righteousnesse and purity dwelt yet secondly he was in a mutable and changable condition and so quickly fell from his station and perfection in which he was created he sought out many inventions A second thing considerable is what this Image is not 1. It is not that wisdome and understanding which the second Adam was indued with and all beleevers are made partakers of in the dayes of the Gospell Esa 11.12.1 Iohn 2.27 2. It is not that purity and righteousnesse which dwelt in the Lord Jesus the second Adam and so spiritually in all the saints 2. Cor. 5.21 3. Neither was it that power put in the second Adam who is one in God and stands while God stands for he is the Lord from heaven neither that power saints are made partakers of who are one with God in Christ and kept by the same power unto salvation 1. Pet. 1.5 preserved in Christ Iude 1. 4. Neither was his eternity such an eternity in which the saints are inverted a spirituall eternity an eternity in God the Father and in the Son a glorious unconceiveable eternity Col. 3.4 Psal 16 11. 2. As it was a condition of humane profection not of spirituall perfection so it was a condition free from payne and sorrow for he was free from sin so from sorrow his sin brought in sweat and sorrow SECT 2. The cause or ground of mans falling THe cause or ground of mans falling from his first estate may be considered under there particulers 1. The mutability of his condition 2. The temptation of Sathan 3. His disobedient acting contrary to the revealed mind of God First the mutability of his condition he was created of God though upright and perfect yet subject to a change the power being put in his own hand the first opportunity presented him he falls and indeed it could not be otherwise he could not stand of himselfe unlesse he had been God Obj. If the mutability of Adams condition was the first cause of his fall then it seemes that God himselfe was the first cause of sin if God made man at first in that condition that he might fall nay that he could not but fall then God himselfe seemes to be the first cause both of sin and misery Answ It is true that the first cause of all things is in God he was before all things he created all things and all things live and move in him ann by him and he worketh all things after the counsell of his own wil yet 2. Although he be the first cause of all created things yet not of any evil that through degeneration and Sathans temptation flowes from those beings man in his first creation was good but through his degeneration from it he became evil so that the evill was not in God but in man 3. God having made man in such a condition man of himselfe freely voluntarily and rebelliously falling God bringeth about his everlasting purpose in raysing up some in the second Adam to a spirituall and everlasting union with himselfe where they shall be for ever preserved be kept by the power of God from falling and others to wit all unbelievers left in the nature of the first Adam and there he manifesteth his Justice 2. the cause of mans falling was the temptation of Sathan or the Serpent so he is called Gen. 3.1 note first what Sathan is that tempts and overcomes man 1. he is a spirituall enemy to mankinde as appeares not only by his deluding of our first parents but the whole Scripture discovers as much he goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour no sooner was man created of God but he seeks presently to devour him God having given forth Christ as a remedy he presently sets upon him likewise to devoure him if he could and so in him all mankinde for ever Mat. 4. Thus you see Sathan is an adversary to mankind 2. Sathan or the devils or the fallen Angells the Angels that fell seem to be many Iud. 6. the Angells that kept not their first estate are reserved in everlasting Chaines under darknesse unto the Judgment of the great day so there are many devils or spirits as appears by the man possessed by the divell when Christ asked his name he answers my name is Legion for we are many 3. He is a lying deluding Spirit that oft-times transformes himselfe into an Angell of light hence it comes to passe that he so deludes all the Sons and Daughters of disobedience that they look upon all his workes of darknesse with delight and pleasure and oft-times it comes to passe that he so farre transformes himselfe into a son of light that he deludes soules under the name of Christ and when nothing lesse then the name of a Christian will serve he will be the Christ or rather the Antichrist to deceive soules hence it comes to passe when downe-right Papacy will not serve he will turne himselfe into a prelatical shape rather then loose his rule and credit amongst the sons of men if once Prelacy grow out of date he can change
of Christ teacheth the spirituall knowledge of God 1. Cor. 2.12.14.15.16 Hence it is that those who are taught of God despise the worlds wisdome and are content to be fooles to the world and in the worlds eyes that they may be wise in God Hence it is likewise that so many ignorants in the wise and learned mens account are made partakers of the knowledge of God in the mystery which indeed according to the word of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.27 confounds the wise and learned and mighty things of the world this being a truth that Saints are made one in the wisdome of the Father How should this in the first place incourage them to look up to the Lord for the more full enjoyment of this spirituall wisdome that as they are made one in the wisdom of God so they might live in the same wisdome and from a deep sense of their own folly to look unto the Lord for continuall teachings and leadings forth in the spirit expecting that promise to be fulfilled Thou shalt heare a voice behind thee saying This is the way walke in it when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left 2. This might be a ground of comfort to the Saints in all their walkings with God the wisdome of God is theirs that God with and in whom they are made one is their wisdome and in the conclusion they shall be swallowed up in the perfection of it as Christ himselfe 1 John 3.2 3. This might answer that foolish opinion of they world who look upon the most spirituall Saints as the worst fooles in the world It is true the wisdom of God is folly with men but if the could look with a spirituall eye they should see that those people are the only wise people wise in God and those who live below upon Creatures and things that will not nor cannot satisfie are indeed in Gods account the only fooles and they themselves shall be driven to confesse it one day 4. Christ and the Saints are made one with God in righteousnesse Gods righteousnesse was Christs righteousnesse for the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in him bodily He was filled with the spirituall in-dwellings of God who continually acted him according to the divine pleasure and as the second man was made one in the righteousnesse of the Father so are all the Saints made one in the same righteousnesse he was made sinne for us that wemight be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Quest How may the Saints be said to be the righteousnesse of God in Christ Answ Either First in the Letter there is a righteousnesse presented which is the first thing sinners are made partakers of that is the righteousnesse of a Christ dying upon the Crosse making satisfaction to the letter of the Law and to the conscience troubled by reason of that letter which is indeed the cause of sin for where no law is there is no transgression Now Christ dying upon the Crosse satisfies the Law and likewise upon the sight and application of him satisfies the troubled conscience This is the first righteousnesse of God discovers to the soules of sinners and by faith makes them partakers of it and this is called the righteousnesse of God because God gave forth his Son inabled him to go through and by his suffering to obtaine such a righteousnesse for his people that might both satisfie the Law transgressed and the Conscience of mans transgressing Secondly in the spirit the Saints are made the righteousnesse of God that is God now as in Christ dwells and acts in the Saints by his Spirit writes his Law in their hearts makes them partakers of his owne nature and so goes on in fulfilling his owne righteousnesse in them For the righteousnesse of the Law in the Spirit is fulfilled in us as well as the Law in the Letter for us who walke not alter the flesh that is after the Law in the Letter but after the spirit of Christ who dwels in us and acts according to its own pleasure and so by degrees drawes up the spirits of his people to himselfe untill at last they are swallowed up in the fulnesse of the rigbteousnesse of God in the Spirit and be made wholly and for ever one in the Father with Christ 1 Iohn 1.2 A glorious mysterious truth meet to be knowne of all spirituall Ones this is the top of the Saints glory and their height of spirituall perfection the knowledge and enjoyment of this spirituall Onenesse in the Father and in the sonne 1 Iohn 2.2 4. 5. There is an Onenesse in love and delight between the Father Son and Saints the Fathers love and delight is in his Son and Saints Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased well pleased with his Son and with his Saints in his Son Hence the Lord speaking after the manner of men is said to delight and sing and rejoyce over his people even as the Bridegrome rejoyceth over the Bride Esa 62.5 Zeph. 3.17 to rejoyce even with joy and singing So Likewise it is the delight and joy of the Saints to live in the Fathers love the very thoughts of it is precious and the injoyment of it exceeding glorious though the soule seemes to come short of the perfection of that injoyment in this world yet what it sees and injoyes with the expectation of perfection in another world fills the soule with joy unspeakeable and full of glory and now as the soule dwells in the Fathers love delight and joy so likewise it dwels in the Fathers will and it delights in and is well pleased with the will of the Father it can say with Christ what ever temptation presents it selfe yet not my will but thy will be done such is the Onenesse betweene the Father Sonne and Saints they delight and take pleasure in each other 6. There is a union in glory likewise the Fathers glory is the Sonnes glory and the Sonnes glory is the Saints glory what this glory shall be is unconceiveable and unexpressable to go about to expresse it either with tongue or pen would rather darken it then illustrate it yet a word by the way the perfection of the Saints glory shall be the enjoyment of all things in God who is and shall be their everlasting fulnesse in the spirit Those who dreame of a Kingdome after the flesh or of any externall pleasures in the highest measure discover themselves to have exceeding carnall thoughts of the Saints glory It is true they shall have a Kingdom but a spiritual one so called because injoying all spirituall satisfactions in the fountaine when the body and all the whole internall and externall part of man shall be turned into spirit 1. Cor. 15.44 And our vile body shall be changed made like his glorious body In a word Such is the Saints Glory and shall be in the perfection of it through their union with God in Christ that we must conclude