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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	beast_n	image_n	worship_v	2,681	5	9.5773	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80146	The marrow of Christianity: or, A spirituall discoverie of some principles of truth, meet to be known of all the saints; represented in ten sections. / By T. Collier, minister of the gospel. Whereunto is added an epistle, written by M. Saltmarsh.	Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691.; Towne, Robert, 1592 or 3-1663. Assertion of grace.	1647 (1647)	Wing C5291; Wing T1978; Thomason E1157_1; Thomason E1157_2; ESTC R208677	55,702	142

of the ruling of his Saints over their enemies for in this Kingdome of Christ shall the enemies of Christ be subjected and shall serve the Saints the Nations that wil not serve thee shall perish and Christ reigning in his Saints over them may be said truly to reigne over them Psal 149.7.8.9 Rev. 2.26.27 Rev. 5.10 Thus the first assertion in part is truth Christ shal reign 1000. yeares that is many Generations but it wil be spiritual and not personal 2. Assertion from thence is that all the Saints from the begining of the world shal be raised and come and reign with Christ Answ For the clearing of the truth in this Scripture which wil answer this assertion consider 1. what is meant by the beheading for the witnesse of Jesus 2. What is meant by not receiving the marke of the beast 3. What is meant by being raised living and raigning with Christ 4. What is meant by the not living of the rest of the dead until the 1000. yeares were finished 1. What is meant by being beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus It is a spiritual beheading such a beheading are all the Saints who shake off Antichrists badge and yoake like to meete withal Christ is said to be the head of the Church and the head of every man that is of every Saint is Christ now when the Lord discovers the evil of Antichristian wayes to his people and they forsake it they durst not receive either the Image name or marke of the beast they shal● presently be beheaded by the beast that is they wil condemn them as those that forsake Christ and cry out on them that they are revolted that they are Sectaries Hypocrites Hereticks c. And thus they behead the Saints spiritually and that for the testimony of Jesus because they cannot but declare the things that they have seene and heard from him which wil overthrow and ruine all things contrary to himselfe in the end 2. What is meant by a receiving of the Image or marke of the beast Answ By the Image of the beast is meant that likenesse that it hath unto the first beast who seemes to receive a deadly wound being compared with Chap. 13.11 to 16. that is this beast seems to make a change he speaks great words his looke is more stout than his fellows he thinks to change times and Lawes yet when all is done it is but the Image of the first beast the exercise of the same power the same wisdome in the things of God the same worship for substance it is all the same in substance and it is but the number of a man all of the flesh it is from below yet such must the worth and the excellency of it be for a time that whosoever wil not receive the Image of the first beast and account it somthing too is likewise to be beheaded and not to be suffered either to buy or sel amongst them and many a Saint is like to be given into his hand and he shal prevaile over them but it shal be but for a time times and the dividing of a time and then the Kingdome shal become the Saints Dan. 7. 2ly The Image is that internal spiritual principle from which the beast acts for none can truly follow the beast but those who have received this Image that is who act from the same principle those are acted who act for and from the man of sin and it is called an Image because it resembles Christ both in the internal as wel as the ex●ernal part yet acts from his own wisdome by its own power according to its own mind to its own end and this in all resembles Christ Now these who refuse this Image in the spirit and cannot be contented with a wisdome like Christ a selfe acting in the roome of Christ a rule short of Christ an end besides Christ from hence casting off this Image is carried on in another track then before they come to be beheaded for Christ because they cannot receive the Image who is the Antichrist in the Spirit and not Christ so that here is not onely the Image of the first beast with relation to patern and power but likewise in relation to holinesse the first wil be for Christ and so the second yet are both but Antichrist 2. What is meant by the marke of the beast in the forehead and in the right hand by the marke in the forehead is meant the visible profession of Antichrist in the external part those that would not visibly professe the wayes of Antichrist or in the right hand that is to act for him these were denyed to buy or sel Chap. 13.17 to sel that is to preach the Gospel for Antichrist under the notion of preaching the Gospel sels his wares but a time is coming that none wil buy their wares anymore so they deny any who own not the Image name or marke to sell hence they may examine those who preach upon such and such intergatories and if it appear that they deny the Image name or marke they may not sel that is give forth freely what God communicates unto them when others sell or buy that is partake of any spiritual good amongst them if they could prevent it those were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus but they were at last raised and lived with Christ 1000. yeers that is raised up from their low condition taken up into heaven in the sight of their adversaries and lived with Christ in the Spirit reigning triumphantly over all spiritual enemies selfe sathan world and those Merchants that sel all yea the soules of men too shal be weeping and crying alas alas Rev. 18. when the Lord shal make good that word of truth Es● 66.5 heare the word of the Lord ye that tremble at his word your brethren that hated you that beheaded you that cast you out for my name sake said let the Lord be glorified that is it tends to the Honor of God to behead and to cast out these men but he shal appeare to your joy you shal be raised up with Christ and I wil give you a new name but they shal be ashamed Obj. John saith the Saints that had not worshipped the Beast he speakes in the Preterpluperfectence therefore it seemes not to be the Saints raised who at present were beheaded in the mystical sence but the Saints that had been beheaded in the litteral sense Answ First it is the use of the Spirit or the spirits Language to deliver it selfe in darke and mystical termes so the Apostle saith in another case 1 Thes 4.5 that we which are alive and remaine til the coming of the Lord c. the Apostle speakes of we as if he had intended the Thessalonians and himself which was least intended but the Saints who being all one in the spirit and but one mysticall body in Christ while there are any Saints in the world the Apostle makes it to bee all one as if Hee and the

presence and not a personal The major Proposition is evident from Scripture that the spiritual presence of Christ is the most glorious presence This Christ tels his Disciples when he was personally with them Iohn 16.7 Neverthelesse it is expedient that I go away for if I goe not away the Comforter wil not come unto you And therefore Christ tels his Disciples Ioh. 14.26 That if they loved him they would not reason because he said he would goe away because his spiritual presence was the most glorious presence and we see it by experience that the Disciples of Christ were most spiritual and had most spiritual enjoyment of God when Christ was gone from them in person and they enjoyed him in the spirit That the presence of Christ in the latter dayes will be most glorious appeares by all that have been formerly spoken and I think none of light deny it then the conclusion holds true that the presence of Christ with his people in the latter dayes wherein they shal enjoy most light and glory wil be a spiritual presence 2 Argument If Jesus Christ be known of the Saints no more after the flesh but after the spirit then his reigne in the latter dayes of the Gospel wil not be personal but spiritual but hee is no more to be knowne of the Saints after the flesh as you have formerly heard 1 Cor. 5.16 Therefore his presence and so his Kingdome will not bee a fleshly or personal presence and kingdome but a spiritual 3 Arg. Spiritual glory and spiritual enjoyment is that which most of all suites with the majesty and glory of God Ioh. 4.22 23 24. Col. 3.1 1 Cor. 2.9 10 14 The glory of the Saints shall be spiritual and their enjoyment spiritual in the latter dayes spiritual knowledge Esa 11. and spiritual conformity unto Christ Zach. 12.8 and spirituall joy and rejoycing Isa 35 10. Ergo the presence and Kingdome of Christ in and with his Saints will be a spiritual Kingdome and not a personal 4 Arg. Christs Kingdom and presence shal bee with all his people filling them with spiritual glory Isa 25.7 He will take away the veil spread over all Nations v. 9. And they stall say Loe this is the Lord wee have waited for him Christs personal presence can●ot be with all his at once therefore his presence and kingdome wil be spiritual and not personal Objections answered concerning the personal reign of Christ Obj. 1. That Christ was promised to the Jewes to come as a King and they to this day expect him to come a King to deliver them from their captivity Ans 1. It is true hee was promised to come as a King Isa 9.7 and so he came a King although not in outward appearance Matth. 2.2 Where is he that is born King of the Jewes we have seen his Star in the East and are come to worship him He was the King of the Jewes when He was born he was a Child and yet a King 2 He is King of all spiritual Jewes for he is not a Jew that is one outwardly but he is a Jew that is one inwardly and Christ reignes spiritually in all his people the Kingdome of Heaven is within you 3 Christ will appear a spiritual glorious King to the Jewes the naturall seed of Abraham in the latter dayes gathering them from among the Heathen to himself in the spirit so will raign in over them in the spirit gloriously Ezek. 37. throughout See vers 24 25. That they shall be gathered in with all the beloved of God by the spiritual working of Christ and not by his personal appearing is cleere from this ground They shal be gathered unto Christ from the beholding of Christ crucified and not from the beholding of his glorious personal appearing Therfore Christ shal come a King in the spirit to his people and not in the flesh see Zach. 12.10 They shall looke upon him whom they have pierced and mourn over him c. The eying of a pierced Christ shal bee the way of bringing in Jew as wel as Gentile Obj. 2. Christ suffered reproach shame in the flesh from his enemies therefore it is likely he shall be glorified in the flesh before his adversaries Answ Christ shal without question bee glorified in the presence of his adversaries and all Nations shal be gathered together before him when he shal appear from heaven in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that know not God and obey not his Gospel but whether Christ shal appeare personally or in any personal forme wil bee a great question but with much spiritual power manifesting himself to the salvation of his people and to the confusiō of al his and his Churches enemies Matth. 5.25 Obj. 3. It is said Rev. 20.4 That those that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God that had not worshipped the Beast nor his Image nor received his marke in their fore-heads and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeares and the rest of the dead lived not again Answ For clearing the mystery of this Scripture it wil bee requisite first to set down the things asserted frō hence 2ly To unfold the mystery intended which will answer the things asserted the things asserted hence are these 1 That Christ shal raign a thousand yeares personally 2 That all the Saints departed from the beginning of the world shal be raised and come and reign with him 3 That the wicked shal not be raised till after the thousand yeares bee finished For answer unto and clearing of the truth 1 I conceive it to be a glorious truth that Christ shal come reign a thousand years along time spiritually in his people but not personally amongst his people that Christ shal reign thus gloriously see not only this Scripture but Rev. 11.15 And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voyces in Heaven saying the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever Thus you see Christ shal have a Kingdom and for the time of it it is said Revel 20. to be 1000. yeares and in Isa 60 to be many Generations I will make thee an eternal excellencie a joy of many Generations Obj. But it s said Rev. 11.15 That the Nations and Kingdomes of the world are become the Nations of Christ and he shall reign for ever therefore it seemes that his kingdome shal be personal Answ The Nations and Kingdomes of the world may be said to be the Nations Kingdomes of Christ in a twofold respect and yet Christ not reign personally this the Scripture clearly holds forth 1 In respect of the abundance shall bee converted unto Christ in all nations that in comparison of what hath been formerly the Nations and Kingdoms shal become the Kingdoms of Christ Esa 66.19.20.60 Chap. from 5. to 12. verse 2. Christ may be said to be the King of Nations in respect

Thessalonians were them so delivers it in the present tense when he might haue said rather to speake after the manner of men then they which shal be alive at his coming c. as in Revel the word might have run thus and so questionlesse it is to be understood then they that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus were raised or lived reigned with Christ as the sence of the former then they that shall bee alive at the comming of the Lord shal not prevent them which are asleep so that the spirit of God might as wel deliver a truth which is in the Present tense in the Preterpluperfect tense as a truth in the Present tense which was in the Future and yet is all to exercise the mind of him that readeth and to let us know there is mystery in the Gospel Secondly very few Saints have been beheaded in the litteral sence those that have dyed for Christ have dyed other deaths not beheaded therefore we cannot understand it in the letter but in the spirit The fourth particular propounded was what was meant in that the rest of the dead were not raised until the 1000. yeares were finished that is none that had beene bodily dead Saints or wicked good or bad were raised till after the 1000 years were finished and then you shall see the resurrection of all which is called the second resurrection The first is called a resurrection and the first resurrection because it shall be a resurrection from shame disgrace in the world And secondly it shal be a glorious resurrection in the spirit this first all the Saints have in some measure been partakers of it Thus it appeares that Christ shall have a Kingdome a glorious a spiritual One Quest But when shal this Kingdom be Answ 1. It is already begun in the spirits of Saints the Kingdome of Heaven is within you 2 I beleeve that the time of the 1000 years which is a more glorious estate in the spirit is not yet begun but the beginning of that time shal be when the 7 seales are fully opened and the 7 trumpets fully founded and the 7 vials powred forth they being but effects of each other the opening of the seales occasions the sound of the trumpets the sound of the trumpets occasion the vials the opening of the seales the unfolding of the mysteries of the Gospel which have been hid Rev. 5.1 2. As light breakes forth the trumpets sound the servants of Jesus preach forth the mystery of the Gospel the preaching of the mysteries of the Gospel in the power and puritie of it occasions the vials of wrath to fal upon the Antichristian estate both in the spirit and in the letter which work is now a doing Wait the Lords time and it wil come on apace But first we are yet like to be given into the hands of the little horn who changes times lawes the two witnesses are yet like to be slain to sydead 3 dayes a half and the woman cloathed with the Sun to be driven into the wildernesse for a little space a time times halfe a time the Beast with two hornes like a Lambe hath yet a little time to make use of his power perswading them that dwel in the Earth to make an Image to the first Beast and that none but those who own it shal buy or sel with them the Saints beheaded under the Altar to wait a little time before they be raised up to live with Christ 1000. years but it is not long the vision is for an appointed time in the end it wil speak and not ly it wil come and not tarry The first 1000. is almost past the second and third are coming on apace all the Nations and Kingdomes in the world wil come apace to be the Kingdoms of the Lord of his Christ and he shall reign for ever their lives shal be prolonged for a season a time and other Scriptures are alledged for the personal reign of Christ as the stone cut out of the Mountain without hands Dan. 2. that is the glorious power of Christ by weak meanes subduing all Antichristian enemies without his Saints all Antichristian things by his spirit within them So that in Dan. 7.10 the glorious company of Saints attending on Christ in the spirit which shal be fulfilled at the raising of the two witnesses up into heaven in the sight of their enemies Rev. 5.10 11. This is the first glorious work of the Lord Jesus in and amongst the Saints the Lord reigneth let the Saints rejoyce the Lord reigneth let the world tremble See Zach. 14.5 The Lord our God wil come and all the Saints with him that is Christ will come in the spirit and all the Saints shall appear gloriously in him A word of Application First if this bee truth that the Kingdome of Christ is a spiritual kingdome not of this world this may inform us how far besides the Gospel in the spirit and truth of it those men are who make the Kingdome of Christ to bee meerly political and a state Kingdom who turne the world by a humane power into the Church and Kingdome of Christ as they say Christ must have a worldly carnal Kingdome no better than the Kings of the earth enjoy or else he shal have none at all it savors exceedingly of the earth ere long thither it must return Secondly this should incourage the Saints to presse forward after the knowledge of God in the spirit that as the kingdome of Christ is spiritual and not of this world so may the Saints Kingdom likewise be in the spirit and so all their enjoyments may be spiritual enjoyments this is that will make the soule fat and wel-liking in the Lord fill the soule with joy peace which the world is not acquainted with their eyes never saw it nor their hearts conceived it neither are they like to see it unlesse the Lord make them spiritual SECT X. Of Death Resurrection Judgement and the state of the Saints after judgment eternally with God FIrst of death It is appointed for all men once to dye Dust we are and to dust we must return and therefore it behoves us to expect it All the dayes of mine appointed time wil I waite till my change come Death is certain although the time be uncertain it is that none are in a common and ordinary way exempted from unlesse those Saints who are alive at the last coming of Christ they shal be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye 1 Cor. 15.51 52. and so shall bee caught up in the spirit to meet the Lord in the Ayre 1 Thes 4.17 Secondly of the resurrection That there shal be a resurrection of the body at the last day is evident Iohn 5 28 29. Iohn 11.24 with 1 Cor. 15. throughout Rev. 20.12 13. although this truth is by some denyed and by others too carnally looked upon some thinking that our

of God in the Spirit more and spiritual joy it must have s●mtimes too why that it shall have likewise but it must arise from inlargement in duties humiliations selfe-actings reformation all from selfe and thus Sathan and the deceitful heart joynes together to the delusion of many a soule and this is Antichrist in the Mystery the man of sin spoken of in Scripture that comes with all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse and wel may he be called a man of sin an Antic●rist a mystery of iniquity for in this shape he deceives soules and they are never sencible of it drawn in and never know it until everlastingly undone and he hath his diversities of formes in this kinde 1. If the name of Christian wil serve and yet live loose and prophane that they shall have and there he wil hold them If there must be a conformity to Christ and a more zealous and conscionable walking to quiet the Conscience it shall 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 wil appear to be but workes of iniquity of sin why because acted by the man of sin 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 wil 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 deceivable man of sin carries on hood-winkt to perdition many and many a soule And now it is more wicked and deceivable than when in its proper place acting after the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.19.20.21 then every one almost is sencible of it Hence it is that Christ saith Mat. 12.45 The uncleane spirit being cast out that is out in its uncleane forme it can no longer be owned he is now content to come in when it is swept and garnished prophanesse and filthynesse is gone and now he 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 than the begining he comes in this refined forme with seven worse spirits than himselfe 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 looke 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 Gospel for herein doth Sathan declare himselfe 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 onely in the spirit invisibly but in the letter more visible he appeares sitting in the seate of God and he may be descryed principally under these 3 heads as sitting in the seate 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 an Antichrist will undertake the businesse and so turns the world into Christians or rather Antichristians and pretend that they do the worke of Christ too when if he did the worke of Christ he would rather keep off all carnal ignorant ones and accept of none until made willing and spiritual by Jesus Christ for Christ doth not onely owne soules when they come but first gives them a will to come and that by a spiritual and not a humane power Hence it comes to passe that there are so many carnal profane ones under the name of Christian because made Christian not by Jesus Christ but by men Oh that the Lord would be please to inlighten the understandings of these men betymes that they might not walke in a way so directly opposite to the Gospel and destructive to their own millions of soules 2. In prescribing rules of worship which is proper onely to Jesus Christ to prescribe rules and to carry through the soule in acting according to these rules 1. To prescribe rules this belongs unto Christ and who ever undertakes it puts themselves in the roome of Christ and is the Antichrist this is to exercise creature-wisdome in the things of Jesus Christ and indeed to sit in the seate of God It is the worke of Christ in the Spirit to helpe 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 wants and 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 external acting not according to Christ but his own minde 3. Antichrist may be discovered as sitting in the seate 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 be 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 mystery lyeth a myste●y of iniquity that is iniquity hid under the name and notion of Christ therefore so much the more to be dreaded To be a Christian is accounted a gallant thing and therfore not only himself but others likewise look upō it to be a matter of much piety to make men Christians and cause them to own Christ Oh! 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 creatures Christians as soone as they are born by sprinkling a little water upon them so in bearing them in hand that they are so ever after but here lyeth a mystery of iniquity one of the soule ruiningst mysteries of iniquity as ever came from Hel Speak England speake all