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
himselfe into other shapes if ten horns be too heavy to be born he will be content to wear but two like a Lamb rather then none at all Qu. Why is Satan called a Serpent Answ Because in his first prevailing with that 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 transformes 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 In the first then learne 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 transforme himselfe into any shape or forme 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 ihereof thou shalt dye saith the Lord Adam eateth thereof and dieth disobedience was the cause of mans fall Rom. 5.18.19 Qu. What was Adams disobedience An. Eating the forbidden fruit Gen. 2.15 Qu. What was this fruit Ans The fruit of a Tree in the Garden or Paradise 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 eat of it A Tree who so 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 sence enjoyment of it What mystery might be presented by this pleasant fruit I shall not at present dispute because it is something dark unto me whether sin which seems very pleasant unto a carnal eye or the world which much prevailes upon a carnall mind or honour or both All these temptations Satan made use of unto Christ himselfe 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 drinketh of him might live for ever Io. 4 14. Rev. 22.2 SECTION 6. Mans misery by reason of his fall MAns misery by the sinne of Adam was death In dying thou shalt dy 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 sinnes subject to externall miseries and deadly plagues Exod. 10 17. Externall afflictions upon the body so Paul 2 Cor. 1.5.6 the dissolution of mans externall and naturall ltfe 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 floud-gate letting in all miseries upon foule 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 dyes in his spirit he hath neither power wisdome nor will to do that which is well-pleasing to the Lord he hath not only lost that wisdome will and power of acting in the first Adam but likewise of believing and so of applying that salvation tendered in the second Adam untill he spiritually and powerfully draw up the soule unto himselfe John 6.44 and so makes him not onely partaker of all that compleat righteousnesse wrought for him but likewise sulfils 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 between thy seed and her seed all unbelievers which so live and remaine are in a state of enmity God hath not declared himselfe any other unto them and their nature is still at enmity with God 3. A condition of insufficiency to help themselves Adam was not able to help himselfe and all he could doe was to hide himselfe he could not deliver himselfe out of this condition neither are all the sons and daughters of Adam able to help one soule our of this condition if God help not Therefore this should teach soules made alive by Christ to admire mercy and to cry Grace Grace un to the whole work of God both in them and for them SECT IV. What is the meanes God hath appointed 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 he 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 come Rom. 5.9 1 Thes 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 downe salvation to sinners and through which he drawes up soules to himselfe there is no other way of God down to the soule nor of the soule up to God but through Jesus Iohn 14.6 Quest What must Christ Iesus undertake and performe 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 sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousnes 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 out sins on his owne body on the Crosse Christ took the whole sinne of Adam and the whole world upon himselfe when Adam had sinned and all mankind in him Adam and all must have died Christ takes the sinne upon himselfe and so taking the sinne upon himselfe he withall takes the curse and so undergoes the sentence of death The curse was In the day thou Eat est theroof thou shalt dye the death Christ he dies the death that so he might free man from death and so Christ in bearing the sinne and the
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
condemnation recovers man out of this lost and undone condition Two objections here need to be cleared Object 1. Whether Christ Jesus the Second Adam bare the sins and so the condemnation of all men Answ First it is without question that he took the sinne and fault of the first Adam upon him and so the sinne of the world whose nature was in him and so taking the sin 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 things 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 because all do not believe 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 sinnes 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 believers so that although there be a salvation purchased by Christ tendered unto all yet none are made partakers of this salvation but believers and none can believe savingly but those who are drawne 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 Son as a publick person making satisfaction to the law of transgression that all mankind might be brought under the tender of the Gospell that so upon believing they might be delivered from both the first Covenant and transgression no man being indeed delivered from either but by believing all men remaining in the first Adam and so under the Law of transgression in the spririt unlesse believers Christ having purchased an eternall salvation but keeps it in his owne 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 sinne of the first Adam on Gods part externally all partake of it internally onely believers He is the Saviour of all but espeacially of them that believe And nothing on Gods part hinders the eternall 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 his Sonne and leaving others to believe if they would or could And from hence on the creatures part being thus left only a Christ tendered able to save them if they believe they being left of God having neither will skill nor power to believe perish everlastingly under the rejecting of the Gospell 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 spirituall and eternall part of it remaines still with God in Christ and is handed forth to none but believers and of it remaines that there is no injustice in God to put such a worth in the sufferings of his Sonne 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 well as the rejecting of the second Adam in all those that refuse him seeing his eternal purpose in all was the setting forth of his Son as a 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 contemne their owne peace and so judge themselves unworthy of eternall life Quest Did Christ purchase life and love from the hand of the Father Answ 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 comming forth and suffering of Christ Ioh 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his son Qu. In what sense then may Christ be said to deliver from wrath 1 Thes 1.10 And to purchase his Church with his bloud acts 20.28 Answ 1. He delivers from wrath in a twofold 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 transgression and so all unbelievers in that sense are under wrath and there remaine eternally if not delivered Iohn the 3.2 They are delivered from wrath with relation to their apprehension never any soule comes savingly to Christ but the first makes him sensible of an estate of Wrath and so every believer 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 eats and so should have dyed 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 cause of any thing in God but God out of his love gives forth his Son to effect that work As if a man indebted for
man of sinne that the mysterie of the Gospel hath been hid as it were from us and sealed up even with leaven seales a perfection of darknesse that none was found worthy to open Humane Arts and Creature-wisdome being set a worke did but so much the more darken it and cast a veil till at last the Lord Jesus begins to open it himselfe and will unseale it by degrees and cause the veil to vanish away to the great glory of his spirituall Ones but to the great terror of all humanists who were left without this spirituall knowledge of Christ See the further confirmation of this truth Isa 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea As ignorance hath as a veil bespread over all Nations so shall the knowledge of the Lord goe forth aboundantly through out all Nations Isa 60.17.19 20. Rev. 21.12 23. Secondly that which shall make for the Churches spirituall glory shall be the injoyment of a full freedome from the guilt of sin that which much troubles many a pretious soule and it was that the Apostle Paul was freed from Rom. 8. We have not received the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father And this is that the Lord hath promised to his people in the latter day Isa 33.24 And the inhabitants shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall he forgive their iniquitie Sin is the cause of spiritual sicknesse This cause shall be taken away for they shall be forgiven their iniquitie i. e they shall live in the knowledge and injoyment of it and from henceforth they shall not say I am sick and the voyce of crying and weeping shall no more be heard in her for the former things are passed away there shall be no more sin nor sorrow but everlasting joy shall be upon her head and sorrow and sighing shall passe away Isa 35.10 A third thing that shall make for the Saints spirituall glory is the knowledge of and injoyment of a spiritual Oneness with God in Christ and each with other although this be a glorious spirituall truth yet it is that the Saints have lived exceeding short in the knowledge of it the knowledge and injoyment of it will be exceeding glorious to the spiritual christian What this union is and wherein it consists I referr it to what hath been said formerly in the glorious condition of persons in the 2. Adam above the first A 4th thing that will make for the Saints spirituall glory is a living above creatures and things in the spirituall injoyment of God whom to injoy is life when all things below shall be nothing when the soule shall be content to suffer the losse of all things that Christ may be all and in all the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streames wherein shall goe no Gally with Oares nor shal gallant Ships pass thereby Isa 33.24 no need of rowing in creatures or things no need of gallant Ships of any thing to carry the soule up unto God of to bring God in Christ down to the soule but the glorious Lord will be all and in all and the spiritual Christian shall live in the injoyment of him verse 23 Then shall the tacklings be forsaken or losed they could not strengthen their Mast they shal not be able who desire it to saile any further or longer in Ordinances duties creatures but the great spoyle shall be devided and the lame take the spoyle the lame contemptable ones they are the people that are like to enjoy this spirituall glory A fifth thing that wil make for the Saints spirituall glory is a spiritual and internall conformity unto God they shall live up in the spirit and walke after the spirit Christ will manifest himselfe spiritually in them the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be seaven-fold as the light of seaven dayes the light of the Moon that is of the Church shall be as the light of the Sun that is Christ the Son of righteousnesse who is both a Son and a sheild and the light of the Sun shall be seaven-fold that is Christ shall appear in the spirit to his conforming them to himselfe in the spirit which will appeare seaven times more glorious then formerly when we knew him after the flesh Zach. 12.8 He that is weake and feeble amongst them shall shall be as David that is Christ David shall be as God even as the Angels of God before him This is the glorious conformity that all the Saints shall have unto Jesus Christ in the spirit and this glorious vnity and conformity unto the Law of righteousnesse is that will appear at the first sight of it very terrible and dreadfull to the sons of men Cant. 9. v. 10. Who is shee that looketh forth as the morning faire as the Moon clears as the Sunne terrible as an Army with Banners such will be the strangenesse of this glorious truth that it will not onely appear terrible and dreadfull to the men of this world but even Christ sets it forth himselfe with a note of admiration not as if it were strange to him but rather to discover her excellent glory and indeed the Church will be worth a looking on and her glory a seeking after of all spirituall ones 4 Particular propounded for the clearing of the truth in hand is that the Kingdom of Christ is wholly spirituall and not of this world that as formerly so in the latter dayes the glory of his Kingdome shall be in the spirit and not in the flesh it will be spirituall and not personal for clearing of it I shall first prove it from testimony of Scripture Secondly By spirituall Arguments grounded upon Scripture Thirdly Answer such Questions and Scripture grounds which seeme to hold it forth 1. By testimony from Scripture it is the word of Christ himselfe My Kingdome is not of this world that is not a fleshly and externall Kingdom over the bodies of men but a spirituall and internall one The Kingdome of Heaven is within you So likewise 1 Cor. 5 16. There is no more knowledge of Christ after the flesh they are too fleshly thoughts for a spirituall Christian Secondly it will appear by spirituall Arguments likewife 1. Argument The spirituall presence of Christ with his Saints is the most glorious presence Christ will be most gloriously present with his people in the latter dayes ergo his presence and so his Kingdome will be a spirituall presence and not a personall The Major Proposition is evident from Scripture that the spiritual presence of Christ is the most glorious presence This Christ tells his Disciples when he was personally with them John 16.7 Nevertheless it expedient that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come unto you And therefore Christ tells his Disciples John
comes with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse and well may be called a man of sinne an Antichrist a mystery of iniquity for in this shape he deceives soules and they are never sensible of it drawn in and never know it until everlastingly undon and he hath his diversities of forms in this kind 1. If the name of Christian will serve and yet live loose and prophane that they shall have and there he will hold them If there must bee a conformity to CHRIST and a more zealous and conscionable walking to quiet the conscience shal have it he will go as neere unto Christ with the soule as may be provided it rest it selfe below and thus Christ saith many shall come under this delusion expecting life from duty and it will apprear to be but workes of iniquity of sin why because acted by the man of sinne acted not from a right principle nor by a right power neither to a right end acting there must be but not Christ acting Hence it is that though he will be a Christian and so talkes much of Christ yet he denyes Christ to be come in the flesh that is in the flesh of his Saints the spirit of Christ acting and working all things in the Saints and they are sensible of it and thus this deceiveable man of sinne carries on hood winkt to perdition many and many a soule And now it is more wicked and deceiveable then when in its proper place acting after the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.19 20.21 then every one almost is sensible of 1. Hence it is that Christ saith Mat. 12.45 The uncleane spirit being cast out that is cut in its unclean form it can no longer be owned he is now content to come in when it is swept garnished prophanesse and filthinesse is gone and now be comes in a more refined forme perhaps legall reformation as the present Pharisees to whom Christ spake or else the name of Christian or the knowledge of Christ after the flesh but Christ saith the latter end of the man thus deceived is seven times worse then the begining he comes in this refined form with seven worse spirits then himself and so makes him seven times more the child of perdition than before Oh then how doth it concern every one bearing the name of Christian to look about themselves if they are not deceived and deluded with this Antichrist under the name of Christ seeing it is the high way of soules ruine now in the dayes of the Gospell for herein doth Sathan declare himself to be the Master of arts in transforming himselfe into the son of light and under the name of Christ and Christian to ruine soules 2. There is Antichrist in the History or in the Letter and this flowes from Antichrist in the Spirit now the soule being possessed with Antichrist he growes up into some forme and now not only in the spirit invisibly but in the letter more visible hee appearee sitting in the seat of God and he may be descryed principally under these three heads as sitting in the seat of Christ and acting those things which properly belong to Christ 1. In making Christians by a humane power it being the proper worke of God in Christ to make Christians Iohn 6.37.44 but now here is Antichrist will undertake the businesse and so turnes the world into Christians or rather Antichristians and pretend that they doe the worke of Christ too when if he did the worke of Christ he would rather keep of all carnall ignorant ones and accept of none untill made willing and spirituall by Jesus Christ for Christ doth not onely own soules when they come but first gives them a will to come and that by a spirituall and not a humane power Hence it comes to pass that there are so many carnall profane ones under the name of Christian because made Christian not by Jesus Christ but by men Oh that the Lord would be pleased to inlighten the understandings of these men betimes that they might not walke in a way so directly opposit to the Gospel and destructive to their own and millions of soules in prescribing rules of worship which is properly onely to Jesus Christ to prescribe rules and 10 carry through the soule in acting according to these rules To prescribe rules this belongs unto Christ whosoever undertakes it puts themselves in the roome of Christ is the Antichrist this is to exercise-creature wisdom in the things of Jesus Christ and indeed to sit in the seat of God it is the worke of Christ in the spirit to help in prayer or any duty we know not what we pray for as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8. It is Christ that helpeth both to see our want formeth by his spirit words within accordingly Therefore those who prescribe formes and rules of worship put themselves in the roome of Christ 2. It belongs to Christ to give in power to act according to those rules but Antichrist gives the command and so carries on an externall acting and not according to Christ but his owne mind 3. Antichrist may be discovered as sitting in the seat of God not onely 1. In making Christians 2. In prescribing rules but 3. In compelling all unto those rules whatever Christ saith that matters not he himselfe will the Christ and must be obeyed let Christ say what he will and all that question his power must be the Antichrist for he exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or that is worshiped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God and in all these particulars there is a mysterie lyeth a mysterie of iniquity that is iniquity hid under the name and notion of Christ therfore so much the more to be dreaded To bea Christian is accounted agallant thing and therefore not himself only but others likewise look upon it to be a matter of much piety to make men Christians and cause them to own Christ On I but here lyes a mystery of iniquity many soules made Christians by a humane power are but Antichristians and so under the name of Christian are likely to be undone for ever if the Lord prevent it not an excellent thing accounted in the world to make creaturs Christians as soone as they are borne by sprinckling a little water upon them and so in bearing them in hand that they are so ever after but here lyeth a mystery of in quity and one of the soule-running mysteries of iniquity as ever came from Hell Speak England speak all Nations called Christian whether almost all people of all sorts devoutly slaine in the spirit under this mystery of iniquity to have formes of worships prescribed that all Priests and People may walk in one forme and way of worship and all compelled unto it is accounted an excellent part of Christianity but here lyeth a mystery of iniquity under it First it brings all sorts of people to