his Church the body and every particular Saint is the members of it and Christ which is the head hath compact and fitly joyned this body together he being the head of it the head is the principall of all for that receives sustenance for the nourishment of the bodie as a tree receiveth nourishment by the roote for the sap is in the root and springs into the body and so infuseth into the branches and causeth them to bring forth fruit I am the vine ye are the branches He that abideth in me I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can doe nothing Joh. 15.5 Christ in all the Saints in the Vine and every particular Saint are the branches and Christ hath the fulnesse of the God-head which is the roote of all and the Church is of the seede Christ is the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Ephes 1.23 He is the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together encreaseth with the encrease of God Col. 2.19 And he hath put all things under his feete And gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his body Ephes 1.22 23. So he supplieth the wants of the Saints with the infusing of the fulnesse of himselfe into them working effectually in them according to the measure that he infuseth in them in his wisedome so though we have but the manifestation of himselfe in a small measure let us not say I am not of the body because I have no more for the body cannot be without the foote but beâ— contented with that thou hast still desiring waiting patiently for more and those that are the weakest members in this spirituall body the Church hath as much honour with God as the highest members and are as glorious Those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary and thoâ—â— members of the body which wee thinke to be lest honourable upon these we bestow more abundant honour and our uncomely parts have more abundant comelinesse for our comely parts have no neede but God hath tempered the body together having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked that there should be no schisme in the body but that the members should have thâ— same care one for another And whether oâ—â— member suffer all the members suffer with 〈◊〉 or one member be honoured all the membâ—â—â— rejoyce with it 1 Cor. 12.22 to the 26. And â—is Church is compared to a building and 〈◊〉 called a spirituall building whose builder and â—â—ker is God Ye are the Lords building and yee â—e built upon the foundation of the Apostles and â—rophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe â—â—er stone In whom all the building fitly fraâ—ed together graweth unto an holy Temple in the 〈◊〉 In whom you also are builded together for 〈◊〉 hobitation of God through the Spirit Eph. 2. â—â— 21 22. The foundation of the Prophets and Apoâ—â—es is Christ and he is the corner-stone Ye also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house 〈◊〉 holy Priest-hood to offer up spirituall sacrifice â—â—ptable to God by Jesus Christ Wherefore it 〈◊〉 contained in the Scripture Behold I lay in â—â—ion a chiefe corner-stone elect and precious and 〈◊〉 that believeth on him shall not be confounded â—sa 28.16 It is he that is the builder and he â—uilâ—s his Church upon himselfe hee is the â—ooke and he faith Vpon this rocke will I build â—y Church This is sure builded Therefore whoâ—â—ver beareth these sayings of mine and doth them â—ill liken him unto a wife man that built his â—â—se upon a rocke And the raine descended and 〈◊〉 â—â—oods came and the winde blew and beate 〈◊〉 that house and it fell not for it was founded â—â—on a rocke Mat. 7.24 25. And he is the corner-stone that joynes the building fast toâ—â—â—ther and this corner-stone holds up the bâ—â—â—ding and in the corner two meete together he gives the Jewes and Gentiles to himself and the Spirit of himself in us is the stone thâ—â— he builds withall through that word of Gâ—â— that was taught by the Prophets and Apostâ—â—â— and this Church and building is the Spousâ—â— Christ a garden enclosed is my sister my Spouse spring shut up a fountaine sealed Cant. 4 1â— There is the nearest relation betwixt Gâ—â—â— and his Church as can be and all his fulneâ—â— of love and all glory and all happinesse for his Spouse but yet it is shut and sealed thâ—â— she cannot see it yet it is shut up in her beleved for her and he will come quickly It shâ—â—â— not be long before he will come and break open this seale to thee that art the Spouseâ— Christ There is none can doe it but he aâ—â— he will shew thee that fulnesse of happiness thâ—â— thou hast in him and how it was thine whâ—â— thou wert an enemie to him and he hath kâ—â— it in store for thee though thou knewest is noâ— O what sweet expressions of love hee utterâ—â— to her that she might know his love hee â—alâ— her my love my dove my faire one Cant. 2 1â— Thou art all faire my Love and there is no spâ—◠〈◊〉 thee And my Dove my undefiled is bu◠〈◊〉 Cant. 6.9 Though some be growne in some measure â—â—gh Saints and some lies low some have â—uch enjoyment of God some little and some â—one at all yet they are all his Love his Dove â—is undefiled and faire one They all but only thee is his Spouse hee hath but one love for them all he loves them all alike with an everlasting love and none can keepe them from him she is his Wife I have married thee to my selfe Hosea 2.19 20. I will marrie thee unto 〈◊〉 for ever yea I will marry thee unto me in righteousnesse and in judgement and in mercy and in compassion I will marry thee unto me in faithfulnesse and thou shalt know the Lord. The Lord hath married us unto himself before the foundation of the world for he knew what should come to passe but wee doe not know it for it is shut up in Christ and sealed and in his time he comes and breaks open this seale to us by degrees and opens himselfe to us and sheâ—s us that he is married to us he is our husband Jer. 31.32 and we are his Wife Let us be glad and rejoyce and give glory to him for the matriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her selfe ready Revel 19.7 O what comfort is this to every member of this Church that Christ is thy husband and thou art his wife My well-beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 2.16 There cannot be a nearer relation for hee being our husband aâ—â— things are ours in him whether they be thingâ— present or things to come even all are yours 〈◊〉 you are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3.22 23. And being married to Christ God 〈◊〉 our Father and
saith not to the seedes as speaking of many 〈◊〉 but unto thy seede as of one which is Christ Abraham was a type of God and Isaa◠〈◊〉 type of Christ and the promises are promised to this seed Gen 17.7 8. I will establish my Covenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be God unto thee and to thy seed after thee And I will give thee and thy seede afâ—â—â— thee the Land wherein thou art a stranger evâ—â— all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God And vers 21. of this Chapter he saith My Covenant will I estâ—blish with Isaac And vers 19. And I will establish my Covenant with him an everlasting Covenant â—and with his seed after him All the promises are to Christ and his seâ—â— which is sowne in the Saints for that i◠〈◊〉 with Christ and all the land of Canaan 〈◊〉 promised to him and his seed The land of Câ—naan waâ— a type of heaven so heaven iâ— pâ—â—mised to the seed of Christ with Christ Christ obtained it of his Father for us by his suffering Heb 5.9 And being made perfect he became the author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 8.14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified All that Christ did doe or suffer was for man he was made perfect for them and the children of God hath the whole benefit of it so they are made perfect in Christ Hee is the author of eternall salvation unto all them for they are the seede of Christ not as they are men but as they are Saints CHAP. XII How the seede of Christ is the Church of Christ or the Spouse of Christ CHrist hath purchased of his Father a chosen people to himselfe in his Father he is a common salvation to all but a speciall salvation to them and them he will make known hiâ— love and mind unto by degrees This seed of himselfe in them is the Church of Christ and the Church of Christ is the body of Christ Ephes 1.23 Not as he was man but 〈◊〉 he is God he iâ— a Spirit and the Church which is his body must be spirituall too and sutable to Christ for hee is the head of the Church Ephes 5.23 So the seede of himselfe being sown in all the Saints is the body Eph. 5.23 Christ is the head of the Church and the Saviour of the bodie vers 25 26 27. Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that bee might present is to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and wiihout blemish That seede of Christ in us is perfect and Christ came not to purge sanctifie and wash it but to wash us as we are men and women to purge away our sinnes by his blood and to sanctâ—fie and wash us in our conversation by his Spirit in us We have a neare relation to Christ as he was man for we are members of his bodie of his flâ—sh and of his bones Ephes 5.30 He tooke our nature upon him that he might obtaine all things for us as wee are men and he is the Saviour of our bodies Ephes 5.23 For our bodie is the temple of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 Know yee not that yee are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you If 〈◊〉 man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy For the Temple of God is holy which tâ—â—ple ye are 1 Cor. 3.16 17. For ye are not yoâ— owne ye are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 He hath redeemed us to himselfe that we should serve him in all love hee hath done all things for the glory of himselfe and that we should have the benefit of it and he doth purge his Temple for himselfe to dwell in but as we are men there is no good in us nor no inclination to good we are but poor earthen vessels yet hee himselfe is pleased to dwell in us by his Spirit For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us 2 Cor. 4.6 7. So it is not our bodies that is the Church for our bodies are not one with God for it is but an earthen vessell for the Spirit of God to dwell in But this Spirit being in all the children of God makes one body Now yee are the bodie of Christ and members in particular 1 Cor. 12.27 For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one bodie being many are one body so also is Christ For by one Spirit are wee all baptized into one body whether wee be Jewes or Gentiles whether wee be bound or free and have been all made to drinke inâ—â— one Spirit For the body is not one member but many If the foote shall say because I am not the hand I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body And if the eare shall say because I 〈◊〉 not the eye I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body If the whole body were an eye where were the hearing If the whole were heâ—ring where were the smelling But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body as it hath pleased him And if they were all one members where were the body But now are they many members yet but one body And the eye caâ—â—â— say to the hand I have no need of thee nor agaiâ— the head to the feet I have no need of you Nâ—â— much more those members of the body which seeâ— to be more feeble are necessary But all thâ—â—â— worketh by one and the selfe same Spirit dâ—viding to every man severally as he will 1 Câ—â— 12.11 to the 22. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift 〈◊〉 Christ Wherefore he saith When hee ascended 〈◊〉 on high he led captivity captive and gave gifâ— unto men He ascended up far above all heavâ—â— that he might fill all things And he gave some â—postles and some Evangelists and some Pastors 〈◊〉 Teachers For the perfecting of the Saints for 〈◊〉 work of the Ministery for the edifying of the boâ—â— of Christ Anâ— growing up into him in all thiâ—â— which is the head even Christ From whom 〈◊〉 whole bodie is fitly joyned together and comâ—â—cted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh encrease of the bodie unto the edifying of it selfe in love Ephes 4.7 8.10 11 12.15 16. Christ is the head and
hither Rev. 4.12 After this I looked and behold a doore was open in heaven and the first voyce which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me which said Come up hither and I will shew thee things that must be hereafter And immediately I was in the Spirit and behold a Throne was set in heaven and one sate on the Throne And being in the Spirit he comes to see it then after hee hath showne himselfe to us he shows us Anti-christ which is called the great Whore because we all commit spirituall fornication with her and here is a carrying us up higher in the Spirit to see her And there came one of the seven Angels which had the seven Vials and talked with me and saying unto me Come hither I will tell thee the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carryeth her I will shew unto thee the judgement of the great Whore Rev. 17.17 And then after he hath shewed us the mysterie of the Whore and her destruction then he shews us the marriage of the Church to Christ in the mysterie in his glory And there came unto me one of the seven Angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues and talked with me saying Come hither I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs wise And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountaine and shewed me that great Citie the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God having the glory of God Rev. 21.9 10 11. So we are carried up higher and hiher into God by the Spirit of God revealing the things of God in us and when the Spirit of God doth shew us God sitting upon his Throne in his glory in such a measure as we are enabled to see him then he shewes us Anti-christ in his glory or the Whore in her glory for it is one and the same as Christ and his Church is Christ being the head and his Church the body so Anti-christ which is the Devill transformed to an Angel of light is the head 2 Cor 11.14 and his seede in us all is the body which is called the Whore and she doth appeare very glorious And the woman was arraied in purple and scarlet-colour and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls Rev. 17.4 like the church of God the Lambs wife and without the Spirit of God doth shew us the difference betwixt her and the Church of God we do not know her from the Church of God for she is in the wildernesse where the Church of God is Rev. 17.3 So he carried me in the Spirit into the wildernesse and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast full of names of blasphemie having seven heads and ten horns By seeing the beast that she sitteth upon which doth beare her up and this beast doth ascend out of the bottomlesse pit Revel 11.7 Wee come to know her from the Church of God And there appeared a great wouder in heaven a woman cloathed with the Sun and the Moone under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve Stars And she being with child crying travelling in birth and pained to be delived This woman is the Church of God and is said lo be in heaven that is in Christ for hee is the perfect heaven and she is cloathed with Christ which is the Sonne of righteousnesse and all things that are below him is under her feete And she hath a crowne of twelve stars the glory of Christ that did appeare by that Doctrine that was taught by the twelve Apostles of Christ for the Preachers of the Gospel are called stars Rev. 1.20 Shee hath the glory of Christ and is cloached with him and he is with her and in her yet she saw it not hee had not manifested himselfe to her She was as it were with childe with him and in great paine desiring to have him brought forth to her that shee mighe see him as hee is and have the enjoyment of him and no sooner did this woman appear but there appeared another wonder in heaven And behold a great red Dragon having seven heads and tenne bornes and seven crowns upon his head and hee stood before the Woman which was ready to be delivered for to devoure her childe as soone as it was delivered Thus Anti-christ labours to devoure Christ as soon as he is brought forth in us appearing to us like unto Christ And there was warre in heaven Michael and his Angels sought against the Dragon and the Dragon sought and his Angels and prevailed not neither was their places found any more in heaven And the great dragon was cast out that old Serpent called the Devill and Satan which deceives the whole world hee was cast out into the earth and his Angels were cast out with him Here is the Devill made known to us how he is in heavenly places fighting against Christ but Christ hath overcome him and cast him out of his heavenly shape that hee shall not be able to overcome us He is called a red Dragon and a scarlet-coloured beast because hee persecutes and destroyes the Church of God and this Beast is spoken of in many places of the Revelations and the woman that sits upon it is the glory and seeming excellency of Antichrist and she also is cloathed with scarlet-colour which is persecution Though shee be cloathed in the most glorious manner as can be with gold and precious stones and pearls like the glory of Christ yet this is but to deceive us And she hath in her hand a golden cup full of abhominations and filthinesse of her fornication Being shee appeares so glorious to us like unto Christ and the cup that shee giveth us to drinke of appeareth so pure and glorious which maketh us not to question it but thinke that it is the cup of salvation So we drinke of her abhominationr and commit spiritual fornication with her and she sitteth upon all people multitudes and tongues and nations Rev. 17. Shee domineereth over us all and she is carried on swiftly in her abominations upon the backe of the Beast which was full of names of blasphemie which blasphemeth the name of God and ways of God And he hath seven heads perfection of wisdome he knows all the wayes of God and hee transformeth himselfe to the likentsse of them all And hee hath tenne hornes to persecute withall and he makes use of them so farre as God suffereth him and he hath all wayes to decive us in appearing like a Lamb to us having two hornes like a Lamb but speaking like a Dragon Rev. 13.11 and also appearing like Prophets in us Revel 16.13 14. And I saw three uncleane spirits like frogs comming out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet For they are the spirit of Devills working miracles And the Lord doth make the wayes of Anti-christ appeare
eate of it yeâ— shall not surely dye God did not love youâ— and therefore he would not have you eate oâ— it and faith ye shall dye if ye eate of it But believe me I doe tell ye the truth and I speakâ— in love you shall not dye but you shall be as God knowing good and evill And who is it thaâ— would not be in that condition if they could and this is the way to bring them to it and iâ— is an easie way and pleasant to eate of the fruiâ— â—f a tree that is a small matter thou needst â—ot feare that will doe thee no harme Thus â—he Devill first accuseth God to the woman â—o make way for the tempting of her that so â—e might the better prevaile with her with his â—emptations So shee listned to him and beâ—eved him what hee said and did eate of the â—â—uit and did give to her husband and be eate â—â—so Thus they believed the Devill in all things â—nd thought God to be their Enemie and â—o be a lyer in all things Thus they forsook God and made the Devill their God in obeyâ—â—g him and in doing this thing they commit â—â—l manner of sinne and we were in their loins â—nd sinned with them and of all sinnes God â—ost complaines of Idolatry and here was â—is sin in a high degree to forsake God and â—ould not believe him nor obey him but beâ—eved the Devill and obeyed him who was â—ods enemie and the eyes of them both were opeâ—â—d they knew that they were noked And vers Their eies were opened to see their miseraâ—â—e condition that they had brought themâ—â—lves into Before they eate of it they knew â—othing but good and they were not contenâ—d with this but they would know evill too â—â—d the eating of this forbidden fruit brought â—â—em to know nothing else but evill so now they know good and evill And this aggravated their misery to know what a good condâ—tion then they were in and now what a feaâ—full condition they had brought themselves in to And when the Lord came into the gardeâ— and called to Adam then they ran away anâ— hid themselves after they had sinned thâ— were affraid of God that kept them from thâ— sweete communion of God which beforâ— they eate of that fruit they did enjoy and hâ— was their full happinesse but now they weâ— affraid he should see them and they did whaâ— they could to hide themselves from him bâ— yet he found them out And hee said unto tâ— man hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I coâ—manded thee that thou shouldst not eate And tâ— man said the woman whom thou gavest to 〈◊〉 with me she gave me of the tree and I did eaâ— Gen. 3.11 12. Here the man doth what he can to excuâ—â— himselfe and laid the fault on the woman 〈◊〉 was shee that gave it me and he blames Goâ— for giving the woman to him It was the woâ— man that thou gavest me it was she that gave 〈◊〉 me If thou hadst not given me the womaâ— I had not eaten it for it was through hâ— meanes that I did it if thou hadst not give me her I had not eaten it And the Lord Gâ—â— said unto the woman what is this that thou hâ— done thou dost not know what a miserable condition thou hast brought upon your selves and your posterity for ever For by this thing doing you have lost all your happinesse both spirituall and temporall and procured all manner of spirituall and temporall judgments both here and hereafter For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die And the Woman said the Serpent beguiled me he told me that I should not die but wee should be as God knowing good and evill or else I had not eate it So she excused her selfe and laid the fault on the Serpent And the Lord God said unto the Serpent because thou hast done this thou art cursed and I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele Gen. 3.13 14 15. The Devill hath got an interest in all mankind by their listning to him and believing of him and obeying him they made him their God And man being in this fearefull condition by the Devils getting an interest in him is led by him to doe what hee would have him to doe and there is no remedie to be found by man For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou must dye eternally For the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 The soule that sinnes it shall dye Ezek. 18.4 There could be no way found out by maâ— nor any thing in man that could make satisfâ—ction for those sins that they had committed but God hath found out a way he hath fouâ— out a sufficient ransome to redeeme thee froâ— the wrath of God and the cruelty of the Dâ—vill and sinne and heil which is the Sonneâ— God which was to take flesh upon him anâ— he was to be born of a woman and he was 〈◊〉 make full satisfaction to his Father for all oâ— sins And this is the feede of the woman thâ— would breake the Serpents head Which seedâ— Christ Gal. 3.16 And God was well pleasâ— with man-kind looking upon them in Chriâ—â— what he had undertaken for them and in thâ— fulness of time he was to come and perform iâ— and it was already done in his account Anâ— this the Lord made known to Adam but hâ— had not a cleere knowledge of this but it wâ— typified to him in sacrifices Gen. 4.4 And 〈◊〉 made knowne these things to them in a darâ— way by degrees as was to his glory and theâ— good and so all along the olde Testament 〈◊〉 was typified to them in sacrifices and ordinaâ—ces and ceremonies still in a darke way yâ—â— a more clearer manifestation of him then bâ—fore but all along it speaks of sacrifices anâ— without there wâ—â— nothing to be done Thâ— were to offeâ— Peace-offerings Levit. 3. 〈◊〉 And if his Oblation be a sacrifice of Peace-offering if he offer it of the herd whether it be a male or female he shal offer it without blemish before the Lord And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering and kill it at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Aarons sons the Priests shal sprinkle the blood upon the Altar round about This was their Peace-offering it was to make their peace with God which sacrifice was a type of Christ for he was the true sacrifice that then was to make peace for man-kinde to his Father and his blood was shed to sprinkle our hearts or wash our hands from dead workes to serve the living God Therefore was the sacrifices commanded to put them in remembrance of Christ which was the substance and he which they typified and for every sin almost there was to be sacrifices as in Lev. 4. al along the Chap. there it speaks what must be offered and