prelaticall shape rather then loose his Rule and credit amongst the sons of men if once prelacy grow out of date he can change himselfe into other shapes if ten hornes be too heavy to be borne he will be content to weare but two like a Lambe rather then none at all Qu. Why is Sathan called a Serpent Answ Because in his first prevailing with the woman he did either make use of the Serpent Gen. 3.1 who was a subtill creature and so comes in the Serpent unto the woman or else secondly transforms himselfe in the shape and forme of the Serpent and so represents himselfe unto the woman and so from hence received the denomination of a Serpent Rev. 12.9 If the first then learn that Satan usually makes use of the wisest and subtilest creatures to bring to passe his will in or by them If the second learn that Satan can transform himselfe into any shape or form to delude and deceive soules A third cause of Mans fall was disobedient acting contrary to the mind of God In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye saith the Lord Adam eateth thereof and dieth disobedience was the cause of mans fall Rom. 5.18 19. Quest What was Adams disobedience Ans Eating the forbidden fruit Gen. 2.15 Qu. What was this fruit Ans The fruit of a Tree in the Garden or Paradice of God Gen. 2.9.16 called the Tree of knowledge of good and evill good if a man did not eate of it evill if he did eate of it A Tree whoso eateth the fruit thereof shall know the difference between good and evill so he indeed knew good by the want of it and evill by the sense and enjoyment of it What mystery might be represented by this pleasant fruit I shall not at present dispute because it is something dark unto me whether sinne which seemes very pleasant unto a carnall eye or the world which much prevailes upon a carnal mind or honor or both All these temptations Satan made use of unto Christ himself and represented them to his eye as a deceiveable fruit if possible he might deceive him And the Tree of Life representing Christ that whosoever eateth and drinketh of him might live for ever Jo. 4.14 Rev. 22.2 SECT III. Mans Misery by reason of his Fall MAns misery by the sinne of Adam was death In dying thou shalt dye or thou shalt dye the death Gen. 2.17 Now under the name of Death the Scriptures comprehend divers things A spirituall death in sin so are all Naturall men dead in trespasses and sins subject to externall miseries and deadly plagues Exod. 10.17 Externall afflictions upon the body so Paul 2 Cor. 1.23 the dissolution of mans externall and naturall life Gen. 35.18 Psal 146.4 The perdition of body and soule for ever All which miseries come in by the sin of Adam As the second Adam was the way letting in all good to mankind so was the first Adam the way or flood-gate letting in all miseries upon soul and body Object Some will object and say But how could Adam lose a spirituall life and so come under a spirituall death seeing he never had a spirituall life in God how could he lose that which he never had Answ Although Adam had never a spirituall life in God yet he had a spirituall subsisting given him of God free from sin and so capable of defilement For the truth is it is the internall part of man that sins the forme or body of man is acted by the guiding of the internall part so that Adam now dies in his spirit he hath neither power wisdome nor will to doe that which is well-pleasing to the Lord he hath not onely lost that wisdome will and power of acting in the first Adam but likewise of beleeving and so of applying that salvation tendered in the second Adam untill he spiritually and powerfully draw up the soul unto himselfe John 6.44 and so makes him not onely partaker of all that compleat righteousnesse wrought for him but likewise fulfils all righteousnesse in him Rom. 8.4 Or else mans misery may be considered under these three heads 1. A condition of death as you have heard In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death that is death internall and death externall and death eternall without a meanes or a remedy preventing it 2. A condition of enmity I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed all unbeleevers which so live remain are in a state of enmity God hath not declared himselfe any other unto them and their nature is still at enmiâ—y with God 3. A condition of insufficiency to help themselves Adam was notable to help himself all that he could doe was to hide himselfe he could not deliver himself out of this condition neither are all the sons and daughters of Adam able to help one soule out of this condition if God help not Therefore this should teach soules made alive by Christ to admire mercy and to cry Grace Grace unto the whole work of God both in them and for them SECT IV. What is the meanes God hath apppointed for the recovery of man out of this condition THe meanes God hath appointed to deliver Man out of this condition is Jesus Christ and therefore promiseth Christ immediatly upon the Fall Gen. 3.15 Herein is Gods love manifested that hee leaves not man in his lost estate but gives forth his son out of his bosome that he might seek and save that which was lost and so deliver us from wrath to com Rom. 5.9 1 Thess 1.10 He is Jesus the Saviour and the alone Saviour of his people from their sins Mat 1.21 Acts 4.12 that is he is the alone way through which the Father brings down salvation to sinners and through which he drawes up soules to himselfe there is no other way of God down to the soul nor of the soul up to God but through Jesus Joh. 14.6 Quest What must Christ Jesus undertake and perform before the breach is made up and faln man recovered Answ 1. He must take the sinne and fault upon himselfe Isai 53.6 1 Pet. 2.24 He that knew no sinne was made sinne for us that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Admirable mercy that when man had sinned and lost himselfe Jesus Christ who never knew sin either in act or thought must now take upon him the sinners sin and so be made as it were a lump of sin and this he did willingly of himselfe he bare our sins on his own body on the Crosse Christ took the whole sin of Adam and the whole world upon himself when Adam had sinned and all mankind him Adam and all must have died Christ takes the sin upon himselfe and so taking the sin upon himselfe he withall takes the curse and so undergoes the sentence of death The curse was In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Christ he
life answerable to those moral principles of nature left in man since his fall the substance of which Law was written in the heart of the first Adam and was contained in that Verbal word In the day thou eatest thou shalt dye 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 hee gives forth the righteous Law more at large in the Letter that so his Creatures might have a rule in the letter to walk by and likewise might bee the more sensible of the losse of both that principle and power they had once in Adam given unto them and likewise with it gives though not the same power yet the same promise of external 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 giues a Law that sinne might become out or measure sinful and it was added because or transgression for where no law is there is no transgression For by the Law was the knowledge of sinne and so it was an Administration of death both in the hands of Adam as wel as Moses 1 Cor. 3 6 7. 3 The Law in the Letter was an Image or Character of that spiritual righteousnesse God intended to bring in by Jesus Christ Aas Adam was an Image of that spiritual 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 moral principle of righteousnesse in Adam and a Character likewise of that spiritual righteousnesse that every beleever attaines in Christ the righteousnesse of the Law in the Letter was not that beleevers enjoy in Christ but that righteousnesse Adam injoyed in his state of innocencie It was not the righteousnesse of God but a Character of that righteousnesse holinesse and purity that all beleevers are made partakers of in the spirit It was not that righteousnesse by which God intended to give life and glory eternally but such a righteousnesse which had external promises annexed unto it For if there had been a Law given that could haue given life then righteousnesse had been by the Law Wherefore I coclude that the Law in the Letter was but a character of the spiritual righteousnesse 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 spiit giveth life 2 Cor. 3.6 The Law was given to Adam in th Letter and Moses was he 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. Deut. 18.15 Object It is said Rom. 15.8 that Jesus Christ was the Minister of Circumoision Answ True hee was the Minister of it for the truth of God to confirme 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 bee 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-farre off and likewise included in the promises Therefore hee was the Minister of circumcision for the truth of God to confirme 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. Object Paul applieth 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 righteousnesse of the Gospel was included in the Law There was a literall or externall righteousnesse expressed in the letter to which were externall promises annexed but there was a spirituall and internall righteousnesse included which onely 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 spirituall 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 beleever is made partaker of Note these two words for the more full clearing of it First that there was a 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 callâ— it a fleshly walking If any man had cause of glorying in the flesh I much more And he saith he was alive once without the Law but when the commandement came sin revived and I dyed Rom. 7.9 alive without the Law in the spirit for he was not without the Law in the letter by that it was he judged himselfe to be alive he walked concerning that blamelesse but when the commandement came that is when the spiritual righteousnesse of the law was unfolded which was no lesse than the righteousnesse of God then he saw how short he came of that righteousnesse hee 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 beleevers 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
glorious effects of the knowledge of God in the Spirits pag. 63. SECTION 8. The Matter of the Church what pag. 75. SECTION 9. The spirituall Kingdome of Christ in his Church in the latter dayes of the Gospel discovered pag. 80. Who are the subjects of Christs Kingdome pag. 81. The externall glory of the Church of Christ in the latter dayes pag. 82. 83. The spirituall glory of the Church pag. 85. The Kingdome of Christ wholly spirituall pag. 90. Objections answered concerning the personal reigne of Christ pag. 93. SECTION 10. Of death resurrection and Judgment pag. 108. 2 Part. A briefe discoverie of Antichrist or the man of sin both in the History and in the Mystery pag. 113. To the Reader PErusing this Treatise I could not but take notice of some pretious truthes in it and commend them abroad Rom. 14.17 Ephes 4.3 1 Cor. The spirituall designe of this Author I finde to be this to set up the Kingdome of God in spirit and to draw believers by that more into spirit and that no difference of outward administrations or Ordinances should divide Christians that are baptised into one spirit which Truth I did much rejoyce to see from his penn and practice and should rejoyce to see the like from all the rest We know he is not a Iew who is one outward Rom. 2. neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh we are the circumcision saith the Apostle Phil. 3. who rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh There are some excellent Truthes hinted in this booke which I intend to speake on as of the two Adams the spirituall Church the spirituall Liberty the spirituall not personall reign of Christ in a little Treatise of my own Ephes 1.17 1 Cor. 2. The Lord fill us with the Spirit of wisdome and Revelation The spirituall man judgeth all things Iohn Saltmarsh THE Marrow of Christianity SECTION 1. Of Adams Condition before his fall THe condition of Adam in his innocercy before his fall war 1. A condition of humane perfection an upright and perfect man this is the conclusion of wisdome Eccles 7.29 Loe this onely have I found that God hath made man upright but they have sought out many inventions Obj. But it is said Gen. 1.27 that God created man in his own Image in the Image of God created he him therefore it seemes that Adam had more in him then perfect humaniâ—y that he was partaker of the divine nature Answ For the clearing of his Scripture two things are to be considered 1. what is meant by the Image of God 2. 2. what is not mean by it 1. what we are to understand by the Image of God in which Adam was creaâ—ed 1. reason wisdome and understanding Adam was made a reasonable wise and understanding man in this particular he was in the Image of God A wise God there is no searching of his understanding Esa 46.28 Adam had the Image of Gods wisdome not the wisdome of God not the thing it selfe it dwelled in God fully it was essentiall in him but imparted to Adam it was and is in God essentially he is wisdome it selfe Adam was but the Image God himselfe the substance That this Image was in man at first appeares first from Scripture Gen. 2.19.20 the Lord brought all the creation to wit sensitive Creatures before Adam that he might give names unto them or to see what he would call them God would now put him to the imploying of that reason and understanding he had given unto him a perfection of reason above all other Creatures 2. It appeares from naturall experience hence it is that there is so much enquiring after a perfection of humane reason so much studying of Arts as Philosophy Logick Rhetorick c. but from these corrupted reliques or principles of reason yet remaining in faine man striving after and hardly being satisfied wiâ—hout the perfection of reason able to give a reason of all things and this your heathen Philosophers have gone far in and this is that may be attained in an high measure and yet be but a reasonable morall man nay were it possible to attaine that perfection that was in Adam yet it would be no more then a morall and humane perfection and this is that which many who beare the name of Christians too much presse after and glory in as if without this wisdome there could be no knowledge of the minde of Christ thus did the Greekes seeke after wisdome 1 Cor. 1.22 the Greekes being the deepest in the knowledge of humane Arts and of the nature and cause of things therefore they would judge of the Gospel according to reason they seeke after naturall wisdome but saith the Apostle we preach Christ to the Greekes foolishnesse so indeed is the Gospel in the ministery of it meer folly to the highest naturall understanding in the world nay it is that which the wisdome of the Gospel destroyes where it comes in power he destroyes the wisdome of the wise and brings to nought the understanding of the prudent 1 Cor. 1.19 and here lies the great mistery of mistake I had almost said of Iniquity we seeke after the knowledge of God in the wisdome of the first Adam how many are there that would confine the knowledge of God unto this wisdome who are not ashamed to say that Philosophy is the mother of Theologie and without this naturall wisdome men must come short in the knowledge of God when the truth is the first Adam was of the earth earthly the second is the Lord from heaven and they who have but the first Adams wisdome are still of the earth earthly the wisdome of the first Adam comes infinitely short of bringing us to the knowledge of God in the spirit but it is by the wisdome of the second Adam who is the Lord from heaven and the wisdome of the father we attaine the knowledge of God in the spirit which wisdome destroyes and brings to nought the wisdome of the first Adam 1 Cor. 1.19 Chap. 2.6.7.8 and 3 Chap. 18.19.20 Note that all unbeâ—ievers and carâ—all professors are in the wisdome of the first Adâ—m all believers spiritually made alive by Jesus being delivered from themselves are in the wisdome of the second Adâ—m the Lord Jesus who is the wisdâ—me of the Father 1 Cor. 1.24 2. Adam was in the Image of God that was in a perfect morall pure and sinlesse condiâ—ion he was made upright innocent without sin but he sought out many inventions Qu. How may a morall purity and righteousnesse be said to be the Image of God Answ 1. God was and is perfectly essentially and spiritually pure Adam was but the Image or Character of this purity as it is possible to draw a compleate Image or Caracter of a living man in peece of stone or timber and we say and speake truly that it is the Image or likenesse of a living man yet it is not a living man nor
dies the death that so he might free man from death and so Christ in bearing the sinne and the condemnation recovers man out of this lost and undone condition Two objectictions here need to be cleared Object 1. Whether Christ Jesus the second Adam bare the sins and so the condemnation of all men Ans First it is without question that he took the sin and fault of the first Adam upon him and so the sinne of the world of man whose nature was in him and so taking the sinne so the condemnation of the whole upon him else he could not have effected that work for which he came Object If Christ beare the sin and condemnation of all why then are not all saved Answ 1. All are in one sense saved that is with an externall salvation from the present curse and death pronounced and so the whole world have a being by Christ and a redemption a salvation a peace which it enjoyes by him a mercy that they are not sensible of Col. 1.20 Having made peace by the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all thâ—ngs to himselfe whether things in heaven or things on earth c. Note all things are reconciled What things The same that were made by him verse 16. All things partake of this reconciliation and peace Secondly all are not saved with an eternall salvation bâ—cause all doe not beleeve It is true that there was a salvation purchased from the externall part of the present curse for that present sin yet Adams posterity acting other sins draw on other externall judgements but there was likewise by the taking away of the present judgement or death threatned a prevention of the present execution of that eternall death included and so a spirituall and an eternall life by Christ obtained yet so as that none partake of it but beleevers so that although there be a salvation purchased by Christ and tendered unto all yet none are made partakers of this salvation but beleevers and none can beleeve savingly but those who are drawn up to the Father through the Sonne by a power above themselves who were known and beloved of God from everlasting the Father giving forth his Sonnâ— as a publick person making saâ—isâ—action to the Law of Transgression rhat all mankind might bee brought under the tender of the Gospel that so upon beleeving they might be delivered from both the first covenant and transgression no man being indeed delivered from either but by beleeving all men remaining in the first Adam and so under the Law of transgression in the Spirit unlesse beleevâ—rs Christ having purchased an eternall salvation but keeps it in his own hand and dispenseth it in the Spirit to those to whom God gives hearts to receive both him and it so now nothing hinders the salvation of any man with relation to Christ a Saviour or Deliverer from the transgression and sin of the first Adam on Gods part externally all partake of it internally onely believers Hee is the Saviour of all but especially of them that beleeve And nothing on Gods part hinders the eternal salvation of all with relation to the purchase or price paid but only on Gods part his eternall purpose to draw up some into union with himselfe in â—is Son and leaving others to beleeve if they wouâ—d or could And from hence on the crea ures part being thus left onely a Christ tendered able to save them if they beleeve they being left of God having neither wiâ—l skill nor power to beleâ—ve perish everlastingly under the rejecting of the Gospel Object It seemes to be injustice in God to condemne the sin of all upon Christ and yet to condemne it upon the sinner too Answ 1. It was as easie for Christ being thereunto appointed of the Father to make satisfaction to the Law of Transgression for the sins of all as one Such was his excellent worth Secondly the spirituaâ—l and eternall part of it remains still with God in Christ and is handed forth to none but beleevers and so it remaines that there is no injustice in God to put such a worth in the sufferings of his Son that it is able to satisfie the law of transgression for all and able to save all that come to God by him and yet to condemne sinne even the sinne of the first as iwell as the rejecting of the second Adam n all those that refuse him seeing his eternall purpose in all was the setting forth of his Son as a peace-maker that so there might be a visible ground upon which the beloved of God might accept of peace and so come to enjoy that invisible union with the Father in the Spirit which he from eternity intended and likewise that there might be a visible rule of rejecting all who wilfully conâ—emne their own peace and so judge themselves unworthy of eternall life Quest Did Christ purchase life and love from the hand of the Father Ans Nay he did not purchase life and love from the hand of the Father but was a gift flowing forth from the Fathers love The death of Christ was not the cause efficient either of life or love but love in God was the efficient cause of the coming forth and suffering of Christ John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his Sonne Qu. In what sense then may Christ be said to deliver from wraâ—h 1 Thess 1.10 And to purchase his Church with his blood Acts 20.28 Answ 1. He delivers from wrath in a two-fold consideration First from that wrath and justice of God gone forth in a righteous law it being broken wrath is gone forth upon all because God is Truth and so in the letter wrath is gone forth upon all through Adams trnasgression and so all unbelievers in that sense are under wrath and there remain eternally if not delivered John 3. last 2. They are delivered from wrath with relation to their apprehension Never any soul comes savingly to Christ but he first makes him sensible of an estate of wrath and so every beleever may truly say They were once children of wrath that is in an estate of wrath under the Law of Transgression and so are delivered from wrath to come because if God had not from everlasting received them into the number of those written in heaven they must likewise have endured wrath to come Secondly He purchased his Church with his blood and so salvation for them under two considerations 1. He purchased his Church from the Law of Transgression God having said In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye Man eates and so should have died eternally had not God provided such a remedy therefore he gives his Son to purchase Man from that condition 2. He purchaseth His with his blood from wrath and condemnation in their own apprehensions Man being sensible of his lost condition must have something to satisfie his conscience therefore likewise the Father gives Christ and in both these not as the first and moving
all his spiritual Ones after him unto the same perfection into the same glory Object If this be the Gospel in the Spirit to know Christ no more after the flesh and to live in the spirit to look upon Christ as the way in the flesh into the spirit or holyest where he is then what need of faith so much spoken of in the Scripture the just shall live by faith and We are justifiâ—d by faith c. Answ 1. Faith may be acted not only on Christ dying upon the Crosse but in Christ living in the soule that is my beleeving that Christ is spiritually formed in me as wel as that he hath dyed for me that I am justified in the spirit as wel as in the flesh faith hath the same object in the spirit as in the flesh to beleeve that Christ lives spiritually in the soule and that it shal bee swallowed up in the conclusion wholly in the spirit 2 There may be often occasions to make use of faith likewise while we are in this body of flesh although the soule obtaines a good degree of the enjoyment of the spirit from and in God yet there wil bee through the presence of corruption some stirre and trouble and this God in his wisdome permits for ends best known to himselfe The Apostle Paul who lived exceeding highly in the spirit sometimes in the third heaven that is in the highest discovery of God yet he meets with a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him that was some strong lust in the flesh that might cause him to look down again And the reason he renders Lest he should be exalted above measure 2 Cor. 12. For the truth is if God should cause any one to live alwayes in heaven that is above all lusts and corruptions in the highest discovery and enjoyment of God he would be ready to be lifted up above measure Experience teacheth us as much ready to look upon all knowledge and enjoyment beleeve it to be nothing but carnal therefore he brings down Paul that he might exercise faith and live upon grace as well as others My grace is sufficient for thee My strength shall be perfected in thy weaknesse So that notwithstanding this life of a Christian in the spirit yet there will be the use of faith alwayes either in the Spirit or in the Letter sometimes God brings a soule to live upon grace as it was revealed by Christ in the flesh and brought home and enjoyed by the spirit when we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord in the spiirit but when we are absent from the body we are at home in the Lord in the spirit 3. There is a continuall use of Faith and that of the most spirituall Christian with relation to the perfection of our eternall injoyments for the Saints do not onely injoy a onenesse with God here and from hence much spirituall and internall glory but by faith believes and hope expects that perfection of glory hereafter wherein it shall be perfectly made like unto Christ when this vile body shall be changed and made like unto his glorious body which at present so acts it selfe even in the Saints which prevents them even of that perfection of glory which they by faith expect when the change comes when Corruption shall put one Incorruption and Mortall shall put on Immortality When this naturall body shall become spirituall then shall be fully injoyed what hath been by faith believed and by hope expected and of this hath the spirituall Christian a taste in the spirituall injoyment of God here although not as then so fully swallowed up in that glory Obj. But it seemes that Christ in the flesh is the way to Justification and glory the way into the holyest which is heaven it selfe where none shall enter till they are changed but Christ who is entred already Heb. 9.24 Answ True Christ is entred into heaven it selfe onely in perfection but beleevers they enter likewise in part viz. when they are got within the veil that is to say the flesh then they see into the spirituall mystery and mansions of glory unconceivable and indeed un-utterable as the Apostle saith and desire to live continually within the veil if it might be while they are here yet they are raysed up more and more in the spirit and in the conclusion shall be for ever with Christ within all veiles which was best of all as the Law in the Letter was a veil to the Gospel both in Letter and Spiriâ— 2 Cor. 3.14 So is the Gospel in the flesh a veil to the Gospel in the Spirit a veil through which and within which all the Saints by degrees shall fully enter Qu. What is the difference between the Law and the Gospel Answ The difference is both in the Letter and in the Spirit the Gospel in the Spirit is the substance of that righteousnesse spiritually included in the Law as the Type Image or Character of that spirituall substance the Saynts are partakers of Hence it is often called the Law in the Spirit the Letter killeth the Spirit giveth life and I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Gal. 2.19 that is I through the Law of the Spirit that is the righteousnesse of God in Christ am dead to the Law in the Letter that I might live unto God in the Spirit and not to the Law and selfe in the Letter 2. Difference is in the Letter of the Law and so of the Gospel and this is glorious for the letter of the law required a righteousnesse that was broken death ceiseth on all by that meanes the Gospel in the Letter holds forth a righteousnesse in Christ fulfilling the Letter of the Law so that what righteousnesse is in the Law required is obtained by Christ and every beleever is made partaker of it and so the difference is 1. The Law prescribes a Rule the Gospel fulfills the Rule Mat. 5.28 The Law requires a righteousnesse The Gospel fulfills that righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 The Law was the administration of death the Gospel the administration of life Qu. Is not the Law in the Letter a Rule to beleevers Answ 1. Not as it was handed forth by Moses from Mount Sinai so it was a killing Letter but 2. as it was taken into the hand of Christ and so satisfied and handed forth by Christ being turned into Gospel-Rules it remaines a Rule so farre as we are in the flesh I meane in the knowledge of Christ after the flesh but as God writes his Lawes in the heâ—ris of his people and taketh them up in the spirit so shall they live above the Law in the Letter even of the Gospel yet not without for they have it within them it is in their hearts and so they are a Law unto themselves Then the Rule in the Letter is as a stay in the hand or as a guide in the way helping the soule up to the
bodies of flesh shall bee raised in the same forme in which it dyed others that it shal be spiritual yet question whether it shall he of the same substance therefore it wil be necessary to consider two particulars for the clearing of it First by what power we shal be raised Secondly with what bodies 1. By what power Answ 1. By the same power by which Jesus Christ was raised which was by the power and spirit of God he was declared to be the sonne of God with power by his resurrection from the dead Rom. 1 4. Secondly by the same power and spirit the Saints are enlightned and raised from the spiritual death of sinne and selfe which is the same power by which the body of Christ was raised so that when we say we are raised by the resurrection of Christ in the spirit that is by the same power by which Christ was raised therefore the Apostle desireth to know the power of the death and resurrection of Christ Phil. 3.10 by the same power and Spirit shall our bodies be raised at the last day Rom. 8.11 1 Cor. 15 13 14 15 16. this being a truth that they shal be raised by the same power it may somwhat direct us to the form in which they shal be raised which is the second particular that is in a spiritual forme not in a fleshly for as the spirit of Christ raiseth us up in the spirit while we are here so shal it raise up our bodies in the spirit at the last day it is sowne a natural body it is raised a spiritual body our vile bodies shal be changed and made like his glorious body he tooke upon him our forme that so we might be brought into his forme for when he shal appeare we shal be made like unto him the substance of our natural body raised in spirit Of Judgment It is appointed to all men once to dy but after this the Judgment when all men shal be called to an account before him to wit the Lord Jesus there to give an accompt for all things done in their bodies whether good or bad Mat. 25. and so God in this way wil acquit his Saints and cleare them before the world although this is not their life neither that in which they appeare Mat. 25.36 to 40 Fourthly of the estate of the Saints after Judgment it is first ever to be with the Lord beholding his glory 1 Thes 4.17 Iohn 17.24 and in his presence wil be fulnesse of joy and 2. at his right hand everlastingly to be compleated in the same glory Col. 3.3 when Christ who is our life shal appeare we shal appeare with him in glory all flesh shal be swallowed up in Spirit and our bodies shall be changed and made like his glorious body all things that offend shal be done away and we shal be made eternally one in the Father and in the Sonne in the spirit one in eternity one in injoyment and one in glory this for the Saints is enough to know besides what shal be we do not know it is an height and depth a length and breadth unsearchable Oh the unsearchable riches of Christ what the Saints do injoy what they shal injoy swallowes up the spiritual Christian in the beholding of it hence let us continue searching after an higher measure of the height depth bredth and length of his love which passeth knowledge and there shall we be able to see and say that his wisdome is unsearchable and his wayes past finding out FINIS A briefe Discovery of Antichrist both in the Mystery and in the Historie By THOMAS COLLIER 1647. For my more cleare proceeding in the discovery or the Man of Sinne five things are considerable 1 What Antichrist or the Man of Sin is 2 What his Reigne 3 What shall be his discovery 4 What his ruine 5 When his ruine shall be SECTION I. What Antichrist or the Man of Sin is ANtichrist or the Man of Sin is to be considered either in the Spirit or in the Letter 1 In the Spirit Antichrist signifies one seemingly for Christ yet in deed is against â—â—m and so is but a Man of sin a son of perdition and this hee will appeare to be both in the Mystery and in the History 1 In the mystery or spirit and in this he hath taken hold of every man especially in these latter dayes yet t is true much time hath been spent by many to find out this Man of sinne who he is and for the most part ascribe it to some particular man never looking at the mystery or root of iniquity which is not in the first place a man but a wicked thing in man and this for want of a spirit of discerning we have not seen Antichrist in our selves but have cast him upon others and so misse of the thing or at least most strike at the top-boughes and are ignorant of the root Now Antichrist in the mystery or spirituall and internal part It is a confederacie betweene Sathan the deceitful heart of man transforming himself into an Angel of light nay into the Son of light and while nothing lesse than Christ and Christian wil satisfie he wil be the Christ or at least the Antichrist instead of Christ to deceive soules For this was and is the last the greatest and most deceiving stratagem that ever Sathan made use of to ruiâ—e sâ—uâ—â—s that where he cannot content soules but they must be Christians he can be content with that so he may be the Châ—ist hence he is called the man of sin the Son of perdition that wicked deceiver 2 Thes 2. It is not Sathan acting in a carnal and fifthly forme of the flesh but in the most refined part of the first Adam so he keepe the creature in the first Adam still he cares not 1. There must be a reformation that it shall injoy provided it be legally in the Letter it must believe or else it cannot be satisfied and bâ—lieve it doth but the ground must be built upon that first reformation qualification c wisdome is required to walke in Gods wayes and to the knowledge of the miâ—de of God wisdome must and may be obtained provided it be humane the wisdome of the first Adam that is enâ—ugh power of acting must likewise of necessity be obtained a power shall be obtained but it must be a creature-power â—nd a creature-acting under the name and noâ—ion of the power of God that is indeed and intruth condemned though in none owned there must now somtimes be a spiritual minde and that it injoyes likewise in its own apprehension although hardly obtained and indeed the highest pitch of spiritualnesse is but carnal to the spiritual mans injoyment this is a high pitch of spirituall mindednesse where Sathan dwells to have selfe thoughts of Reformation thoughts to pray more to walke more exactly and to please God better never thoughts of living out of its selfe more and of living in the injoyment
1 Cor. 15.44 And our vild body shall be changed and 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 wee must conclude with 1 Iohn 3.2 We are already the sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shal be But this we know when Christ shall appeare wee shall bee made like unto him and this is enough for us to know And as there is an Onenesse between Father Son and Saints so likewise there is a spiritual union between the Saints This was Christs prayer who was heard in all things hee prayed for that the Saints might be one as he himself was one in and with the Father the union of the Saints is not a carnal union but a spirituall they who are joyned to the Lord are one spirit Vse 1. To incourage all the Saints to presse forward in the power of the Lord after a farther knowledge and injoyment of this spirituall union with the Lord and with the Saints Truly friends as this was not only the resolution of the Apostle himself Phil. 3. but his prayer for the Ephesians 1.16 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus the Father of glory might give unto them the spirit of wisdome in the Revelation of him that their eyes being inlightened they might know what was the hope of their calling the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints so is it my desire not only to presse forward in the power of God after the knowledge of this mystery but that all the Saints might live in the knowledge of it that their hearts might bee comforted together being knit together in the spirit of unity and love The effects of the knowledge of this blessed union will prove exceeding glorious 1 It is that will produce a glorious spirituall communion and fellowship with the Father Son and Saints union alwayes being that which produceth communion even a civill union after the flesh when once the Lord saith concerning man and woman they are no more twaine but one flesh that produceth fellowship and communion after the flesh so likewise and much more doth a spirituall union produce a spirituall communion and fellowship a fellowship and communion with the Father and the Son in all his administrations in all the wayes and acts of his providence civill or spirituall the spirituall Christian enjoyes God in all 1 Iohn 1.3 Our fellowship is with the Father his son Jesus Christ Christ and the Saints from their union with each other 1 They dwell together in the spirit they are his house and he dwels in them the Temples of the holy spirit and they dwell in him they who dwell in God dwell in love 2 They enter together in the spirit eate O friends drink yea drink abundantly the Lord takes as it were spirituall satisfaction in his Saints and they take spiritual satisfaction in the Lord it is their life to live in the enjoyment of him 3 They walk together in the spirit they have their garden and galleries and pleasant delights 4 They talk together and commune with each other in the spirit the Lord he makes forth himself in the spiritual discoveries of his love to his Saints thē they are carryed forth to tell him of it to admire him in it and to praise him for it and thus there is many a sweet conference and heart-discovery betweene the Lord and a spirituall Christian which makes the soule to revive within it selfe 5 Christ and the Saints lye down together in the spirit and take their fill of love each with other they sleep as it were in the bosome of each other and so they rest themselves in love And this likewise produceth fellowship amongst Saints a fellowship in spirituals a fellowship in temporals and they continued in the Apostles Doctrine fellowship in breaking bread and prayer breaking bread from house to house being filled with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart Act. 2. and they who beleeved had all things commune a community as well as a unity that is so far forth as need is and cals for it so in guifts so in all things 1 Cor. 3.22 All is yours Paul Apollo Cephas And secondly the knowledge of this spirituall glorious onenesse which the Father produceth an exceeding earnest desire in the soule enjoying of it to live more more in that glory What is the reason Professors content themselues to be so low so carnall in their minds but because they were never acquainted with nor enjoyed higher things but the Apostle who had seen and tasted of that glory forgets all behind and presseth forward if so be that he might obtaine the resurrection of the dead Phil. 3. and apprehend that for which he was apprehended that love that grace that God who had apprehended him Certainly that soule who hath once tasted how good how gracious the Lord is in the spirit can never be satisfied with the knowledge of him in the Letter 3 The knowledge of this spiritual union with God produceth an acting more in and after the spirit of God How doth the creature set it self a-work and acts it self even in the Letter of the Gospel aswel as formerly in the Letter of the Law for want of knowledge of the union in the spiritual power of the Lord although without Christ that is not being acted by Christ we can do nothing the Creature being unacquainted with that spiritual mystical union with God acts himself in the things of God 4 The knowledge of this spiritual union with God produceth the killing crucifying of that earthly part nothing kils and destroyes the flesh but the growing up in the spirit Oh! how would the soule many times be content to undergoe any thing so it might bee rid of pride and selfe and those fleshly corruptions and why it is the growing up in the spirit that destroyes the flesh the more you live in and after the spirit the lesse after the flesh 5 It is that will help us to know Christ and the Saints more in and after the spirit and lesse after the flesh and so wil produce a more spiritual communion amongst all the spiritual Saints of Jesus 6 And lastly it is that wil make the thoughts of a change exceeding sweet because the soule lives in expectation of a glorious freedome from sinne and sorrow and a full perfection of spiritual and eternal glory therefore it can be contented to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all where it shal for ever live in the continual admiration of and glorying in the spiritual enjoyment of God whose work shal bee everlastingly and fully to enjoy and freely to sing prayses unto the Lord. SECTION VII Wherein is declared what the Law is and what the Gospel is with the difference betwee◠them both in the Letter and in the Spirit THE Law in the Letter is a rule of