them afterwards in the Island of Patmos Rev. 1.1 9. did not dye until he had seen the whole kingdom of Christ even in its full power having seen in the Spirit the holy Jerusalem having the glory of God v. 10. 21.10 11. And upon the same account Verily saith Christ again Mat. 24.34 to all them that follow him Mark 13.37 this generation which lasts no longer than a mans life shall not pass till all these things to wit the coming of Christ in the dark and clouded Souls Luk. 21.27 of the Heaven within us with power and great glory Mat. 24.30 be thorowly fulfilled And Verily you shall not have gone over in your flight to avoid persecution to which men are exposed here only before they dye the Cities of Israel till the Son of man be come And I will not henceforth drink of the fruit of the Vine until the kingdom of God shall come Luk. 22.18 or as saith Mat. 26.29 till I drink it with you new in my Fathers kingdom which he did with some of them Luk. 24.43 both before and after that they were by the Holy Ghost come in the kingdom of God drinking it new together John 7.39 6.57 he himself drinking of it in Gods kingdom all the while I mean as well before as after they were in it as being he that did still accomplish all righteousness overcome all the kingdoms of the World and of the Flesh Mat. 4.8 John 16.33 by dying himself to them and thus remaining himself under the kingdom of God and purchasing by this means and delivering to God the whole power and kingdom 1 Cor. 15.23 24. which he could not do but by drinking of the Holy Ghost and living by the Father of his power from above Then if the kingdom of God is within us like a seed growing into a great Tree and like a little Leven working in us till we come unto the measure of the stature of the perfect man the Son of man Jesus Christ Ephes 4.13 and like a hidden treasure which we must to purchase it sell all we have in the World Mat. 13.44 Luk. 14.33 then is this kingdom of God which is the same thing as the coming of Christ as appears from Mat. 16.28 Mark 9.1 Luk. 9.27 Rom. 14.17 1 Cor. 4.20 conferred together before we are grown unto the measure of that stature even in this very life and before we part with it and with all the things we do enjoy whilst we enjoy it God hath saved us saith Paul whilst he was yet in the flesh 2 Tim. 1.9 and that by renewing or sending the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 and received ye the Spirit saith he to the Galatians 3.2 who therefore had received it before they read his Letter which was sent them in this world and in a word as all the Primitive true believers received the Holy Ghost in this world during this life so must all believers now since they are to receive it even in the same manner as I have fully shewed receive it before they taste of death Every Spirit that confesseth not that Christ comes to us whilst in the flesh being that Spirit of Antichrist gone into the Woâ—ld whereof see 1 John 4.1 3. for truly though flesh and bloud inherits not the kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15.50 because till we have escaped the corruption which is in the World through lust we cannot saith 2 Pet. 1.4 partake of Divinity put on the new man which is created after God Ephes 4.24 and of a divine nature in the flesh we are saved in the flesh is the kingdom of God attained unto although not with all its full glory and Prerogatives Ephes 1.14 Now that when the Holy Ghost is sent or comes unto men it is Christ that comes himself it appears from what Paul saith 2 Cor. 3.17 1 Cor. 8.6 that the Lord is that Spirit And to see the days or the coming of the Son of man is to have him revealed compare Mat. 24.27 37. Luk. 17.22 with v. 30. which revelation is by the coming of the Spirit that doth testifie of him John 15.26 16.14 Gal. 1 16. Also to see the kingdom of God coming with power Mark 9.1 Luk. 9.27 that is as Luke saith elsewhere with the power from above Luk. 24.49 Act. 1.8 1 Cor. 4.20 Rom. 14.17 is to see the Son of man himself come in his kingdom Mat. 16.28 And I will pray saith Christ to his disciples John 14.17 the Father and he shall give you Another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth who dwelleth with you now that is whilst I am yet dwelling with you in the flesh and shall be or dwell in you when I am glorified John 7.39 16.7 Ephes 4.8 And I will not leave you comfortless I will come v. 18. and I will come again v. 28. that the other Comforter may dwell with you for ever v. 16. Where Christ saying Another Comforter and I come not to leave you comfortless it appears in the first place that he reckons himself the same with the Comforter or Spirit that was to come And secondly by saying that the other Comforter which was to be and to dwell in them for ever after dwelt with them and they knew him at the time he spake these words he shews that he is himself the same with that Comforter for that it was he only of all them that dwelt with them who was able to comfort them having the fulness of the comforting Spirit in him Coloss 1.19 2.9 John 3.34 and did really comfort or rejoyce them by his presence ch 16.5 6. 14.1 2. But more intelligibly ch 16.22 he declares himself the same with the comforting Spirit ye now saith he have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce your sorrow shall be turned into that joy thereupon v. 20. which no man taketh from you And again v. 16. 14.19 yet a little while saith he and you shall not see me and again a little while and you shall see me because I go to the Father but the World seeth me no more viz. when you see me again or when I make my self manifest to you v. 22. because it cannot receive and see and know the Spirit of Truth v. 17. 1.5 Where note that from that the World sees Christ no more afterwards from his first disappearance at his passion and burial whilst the Apostles see him again and that by reason that he went to the Father it is evident that this was not fulfilled upon his apparitions to them after his resurrection for then he was not as yet ascended to the Father ch 20.17 and the World might see him then as well as the disciples did seeing that he was palpable to Thomas his hands and fingers v. 25. and visible to the eyes of the disciples that were travelling to Emaus Luk. 24.15 even whilst their eyes were as much held from knowing him as those of the World v. 16 25 31. who might therefore see him talk
not so much as that the Scriptures foretold or meant any thing of it Luk. 24.25 45. John 20.9 until their understandings were opened by Christ breathing the Holy Ghost upon them v. 22. And much less therefore can we who are not only as blind and dull as the Apostles were before their second birth but never conversed with and never were taught of Christ but of such ignorant men as we are understand Christ the Gospel of his kingdom and what the Scripture teacheth better than the Apostles before the eyes of our dark minds or understandings are enlightned as theirs were by the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation for the acknowledgement of Christ Ephes 1.17 18. This is worth observation and because this very thing was denied by Esquire Boyle and some such other learned Scribblers of Divinity I think it not amiss to observe yet further that although the Apostles had seen Christ still the winds and waves cause the Fig-tree to wither and twice multiply the bread yet they were so slow of heart to understand or believe Luk. 24.25 that not only they could not do the least sign in his name but did not believe him able without taking thought or care for the bread that perisheth and for the leaven thereof Mat. 16.11 to preserve them from starving and that he calls them faithless v. 8. Mark 9.19 using these expressions almost on all occasions viz. how is it ye have no faith Mark 4.40 Are ye also like the world so without understanding ch 7 18. Mat. 15.16 perceive ye not yet neither understand Mat. 8.17 how is it that ye do not yet understand v. 21 9.32 and are so sensual and gross that you savour not the things of God but the things of men Mat. 16.23 From whence if they that heard his doctrine out of his own mouth that were constant beholders of his wonders and miracles and were to be what they did become since great and chief men among the true believers could understand no better until they had received the gift of the holy Ghost the things which they saw and heard what reason have we to think that they who are born nay bred at the Universities like the Colt of a wild Ass Job 11.12 do believe and understand the same things better than they when they can no more than they Mark 9.19 do the least Christian virtue and relish the things of God so much as to deny their vile passions in the least Mat. 16.24 and leave upon the account of his promise Mark 10.30 Houses Lands Country Parents and Children for his sake and the Gospels for who among the present Preachers of the English Church doth leave and venture even the uncertain hope he hath of a mean settlement here to go and preach the Gospel not in Turky or in Spain as Tillotson doth object to some that dissent from him but in Carolina Virginia and New-Jersey where they may do it without danger and find more hearers ready prepared for them and willing to allow something for their subsistence than some of those great many who flock from all parts of the Country to London as the best Market-place to make merchandize of their Sermons and Souls of men in Rev. 18.13 Gal. 4.17 do meet with in many years And if for saying these things some of them should say to me as the Lawyers said to Christ Luk. 11.45 thou reproachest us also let them shew me by their deeds Act. 19.18 how much they believe better than the said spectators of Christ his works of wonders John 10.38 that they need not to take thought for what they shall eat or drink and that Christ would be as good as his word if they did but seek first the kingdom of God Mat. 6.31 33. for God is no accepter of persons and of parties and whoever doth those things is no more excusable than they whom my discourse is chiefly intended against Nay let them shew me that Sect which is not as ready as those Beholders of Christ Mark 9.38 to forbid true believers to shew by their acts of Faith that they do truly believe except they follow that is become of one Sect with them and receive from them the same token and name of the Beast Rev. 13.16 17. Therefore this understanding knowledge and belief on Christ being not obtained by the strength of wit and learning nor from the Scriptures alone even when preached by Christ himself to the Apostles but by the help of the light of the holy Spirit of God which is his free gift Mat. 13.11 John 6.65 how say the Vicar and Hales that all Preachers have a great necessity of Learning and that otherwise than out of the Apostles and other holy mens Books the Spirit speaks not to men Now to return to the main subject in hand it appears from the manner of working of the extraordinary Spirit in the Apostles that all Christian believers do feel the same in themselves and that it is no more than what they may pretend to even the Bishops themselves or Vicars being Judges for they say pag. 13. that whenever any man experiences the genuine operation of the ordinary Spirit under the Gospel he finds a vast alteration in the state of his mind his apprehensions of things are far different from their former selves when he was under the command of lust and prejudice he then better sees the nature of things and those several excellencies that are in them he pitches upon objects which are every way more agreeable to the delights as well as necessities of his Soul than the husks he formerly fed upon and pag. 9. they say that its business is to enlighten our dark faculties whereby we may see the beauty and excellency of those divine objects that are proposed to our understandings to strengthen our good purposes for an holy life and to excite our affections to a love agreeable c. So that even from this same description of the working of the said ordinary Spirit by Master Vicar which makes it almost the same as that which I have shewed was seen in the Apostles it follows that the same extraordinary Spirit the Apostles had is found in all Believers and that therefore in respect of them that believe in Christ it is but ordinary and so that the distinction of an ordinary and extraordinary Spirit among Believers as not grounded in Scripture is erroneous and false and an old Sophism hammer'd even from the time of 1 John 4.3 in the shop of Antichrist who denies the coming of Christ by the Holy Ghost to us whilst yet in the fiesh binding the strong influence of it in the believers or limiting its power to the measure of his own Spirit which is not so great v. 4. giving out that any but the same he hath is ceased and thus by reducing the mighty Spirit some have to the level of his own mean ordinary Spirit doth to the withstanding of the kingdom of Heaven Act. 11.17 which
lusts and all carnal-mindedness that makes all people of the Earth drink of her fornications Rev. 17.2 18.3 And by tasting like Adam and drinking continually of this Lethean liquour worldly lusts carnal pleasures he at last so forgets and remains ignorant of God that he falls insensibly under the Antichristian abominable kingdom of darkness that makes the Church of Christ on Earth desolate and all the present world to pay the homage is due to the heavenly divine invisible and spiritual power to the earthly Beast Rev. 13.7 8. or to that which makes men like Beasts whose knowledge and thoughts are confined unto what they see the earthly creatures and cannot rise up so high as to know spiritual Beings and their Creator Job 35.10 11. that is spiritual darkness whence proceed the manifold errors which each Sect respects submits and burns incense to and for the which they stand up even against truth it self doing all that they condemn in others that is run mad some more some less palpably after their more or less refined idolatry He that hath ears to hear let him hear and keep himself from all such Image-worship 1 John 5.22 for at this very pass all men stick here stands and falls the faithfulness of the Saints Rev. 13.10 Mat. 19.22 for as I said before cùm ignoti boni nulla nobis cupido quae novimus haec sola cupimus prosequimur iis adhaerentes atque aequiescentes si sint falsa bona à vero bono sumus eo magis remoti Luk. 16.13 12.34 1 John 21.15 My Brethren Jews and Christians the times of ignorance and darkness are over now Act. 14 16. 17.30 Rom. 13.12 The second house of the Lord whereof John 14.2 4.21 23. is higher Ezra 6.3 1 Reg. 6.2 and not so much for a shew Ezra 3.12 as the former And the Body of Moses a type of the Messiah as being Mediator betwixt God and Israel of the former Covenant and in things which were but types of the kingdom of Christ was not found after his death no man knows his sepulchre to this day God buried him Deut. 34.6 in a valley of Moab in the low creeping conceits bastard Christians have of Christ over against Beth-peor the houses of worship where stiff-necked Israel falls to commit whoredom falshood and idolatry Numb 25 1 3 18. to shew the true Israel that they should not commit whoredom and idolatry with the body of the true Mediator Jesus Christ but have far sublimer and higher conceits of his Spiritual and Eternal kingdom than other men have Coloss 3.1 2. But is not Christ become man may some object unto me did not he take upon him our flesh was he not made like unto us his Brethren tempted in all points like we Heb. 2.17 4.15 and even subject to death and the Mediator still between the sinner and God why therefore should we know him no more in his flesh and bloud Because St. Paul teacheth so 2 Cor. 5.16 and God adds he v. 19. was in Christ reconciling the World to himself which words imply that the reconciliation was once made for all mankind and they may receive the use and the benefit of it if they come to God by the past sufferances of Christ as well as if he were yet in the body of this flesh And as it is appointed unto all men to dye once Christ to bear their sins needed to offer himself but once and note well he doth appear the second time without sin unto them that obey hem Heb. 5.9 to perfect their salvation ch 9.27 28. so that having once offered his undefiled body as the Lamb without blemish a ransom for all the World both for them that were before and that shall be after him he needs not take a body often v. 25. and dying no more needs not keep it any more and also since he is now in the Majesty of God and is glorified again with the glory which he had with God before the World was John 17.5 the flesh that is a burthen which mankind doth groan under 2 Cor. 5 4. and made Christ here upon earth uncomely and despised Isa 53.2 3. though supposed to be made since never so glorious yet remaining flesh and bloud cannot consist saith St. Paul 1 Cor 15.50 52. with that glorious infinite and wonderful Majesty Therefore the Children of the resurrection shall saith Christ Luk. 20.36 be equal to the Angels that they may partake of Christs glory and sit in his Throne and what place can an earthly body be but upon Earth Besides it is expedient saith he that I depart John 16.7 for if I depart not the Comforter will not come now how is he gone away from the Earth if he hath still his earthly body with him and how can he go away but by putting that off which confin'd him to a place since he made and fills the world as well as he did after he had appeared unto Abraham Gen. 18.2 16 22. 19.1 compared with 18.15 13 17 33. see ch 14.17 18. Heb. 7.1 3 8. and to some others as to Jacob Gen. 48.16 and the rest And to conclude since he comes invisibly to save man and is God dwelling in man or Emmanuel Mat. 1.23 it follows that he hath put off the flesh which he had once about him for he cannot come or dwell in the Believers with it without being felt and seen FINIS