manner of love is this that we should be called the sons of God 2. Relation of Christ and so of the Saints as of sons so of a spiritual union with God not only a union by way of peaee but a union of spirit thus was the Father and the Son one Iohn 14.10.11 Ioh 10.30 I and the Father are one And thus are all the Saints one in the Father the Son and in and with each other in the spirit Iohn 17.21 It was a part of the prayer of Christ who was heard in all things he asked That they also may be one in us Now the union of the Father Sonne and Saints may be considered either as first a union of spirits The Lord powred down of his Spirit abundantly upon the Lord Jesus according to that Glorious prophesie Esay 11.2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of councell and might the spirit of knowledge and the feare of the Lord. And this was fulfilled when Christ was haptized Mat. 3.16 Iohn 1.22.23 Of this spirit are the Saints made partakers Ioh. 14.16.17 I saith Christ will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter and he shall abide with you for ever even the spirit of truth whom the world can not receive This spirit of Christ or this spirituall anointing is that which every son and daughter of God are made partakers of Rom. 8.9 Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Christ dwells spiritually in all the Saints Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Therefore it concerns all who professe themselves to be Christians to examine themselves It is much to be feared that there are exceeding many carnall Christians I meane that beare the name of Christians and that in a more then a common and ordinary way And if Christ be in you Rom. 8.10 the body is dead because of sinne that is the body is a dead and sinfull body and cannot act toward God if Christ be in you you shall be sensible of it Never a soule wherein Christ dwels but is sensible of its owne deadnesse through the dwelling of Christ there Col. 3.8 Ye are dead saith the Apostle and your life is hid with God in Christ but the spirit is life because of righteousnesse that spirit of Jesus that adopteth sons to the Father in him and hath discovered and made the soule partaker of the righteousnesse of God in him lives and acts continually in the spirituall Christian Hence it is the Apostle could say by experience Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ lives in me Thus are the Saints made partakers of the same spirit of life that was in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit of the same anointings and the anointings that ye have received shall teach you all things 1 Ioh. 2.27 2. They that are joyned to the Lord are made partakers of the same power there is a union with the Father in his power the spirit of might was powred upon Jesus Christ and he stood in the power of the Father as he came forth in the wisdome of the Father so he acted by the power of the Father and this power the first Adam never had and as Christ the head was upheld in the Fathers power he was anointed with the holy spirit and with power Acts 10.38 All power in Heaven and Earth was given to him so that he stood in the power and strength of the Almighty and this did not the first Adam if hee had then he had not fallen he is called Esa 9. the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace so that he stands while God stands So likewise this is the condition of all the Saints spiritually made one with God in him the same power upholds them that upheld Christ they are kept by the power of God unto salvation Gods power is become the Saints power A glorious word of comfort for the Sonnes and Daughters of Sion with relation to afflictions either externall or internall they stand not in their owne strength they are not founded upon their owne bottome they are out of themselves the power of God is theirs and they may conclude with comfort that while God stands they shall stand he hath promised to be with his in affliction to uphold them to comfort them to carry them through in his bosome If the Saints were but sensible of this truth that the power of God is for them it is that would exceedingly help them against the feare of falling 2. Consider this might be a warning to the Saints to take heed of acting in their owne power but in all undertakings to see themselves acted by a power above themselves 3. As there is a union of spirits a union of power so there is a union in wisdom the wisdome of God is become the Saints wisdome and that not as in the first Adam he was made partaker of wisdome God imparted wisdome unto him so as to make him a reasonable man humane wisdom according to his humane nature so that here dwelt in him as you have heard formerly a humane perfection in this particular but the second Adam Christ was not only made partaker of the gifts of wisdome but he was the very wisdom of the Father hee was both the power and the wisdome of God he had the spirrit of wisdom powred downe upon him hee dwelt in the Fathers hosome and lived in the knowledge of the whole Councel of GOD and from hence he never did his owne will but the will of the Father and as Christ so all the Saints are made one in this wisdom Christ who is the wisdom of God is made unto us wisdome 1 Cor. 1.30 not only by way of imputation but by the operation of the same spirit who dwels as truly in every believer as in Christ and as the wisdom of the spirit increaseth so the wisdome of the flesh decreaseth that wisdome in the first Adam was a humane wisdome this a spirituall and heavenly wisdom this wisdome destroyes that wisdom that is in the things of God he destroyes the wisdome of the wise and brings to nought the understanding of the prudent that wisdome sets the creature aworking this sets the creature a believing that wisdom carryed on the creature in its owne power this spirituall wisdome sets the creature out of himselfe in the power of God that wisdom carryed on the creature to the answering of God in the Letter and yet in all comes short this wisdome carryes on the soule where it dwells not after the oldnesse of the Letter but after the newnesse of the spirit in a word that wisdome could not help to the knowledge of God in the spirit this doth 1 Cor. 1. After that in the wisdome of God the world viz. in the wisdome of the first Adam by wisdome knew not God but the wisdom
as the instrumentall meanes of this spirit working as the principall meanes Rom. 10.14 Iohn 6.63 now it is true God is not limited in his way of working that is he hath not confined himselfe to a verbal preaching although it is true likewise that he ordinarily and usually worketh faith by such meanes but a Gospell-preaching is of necessity in the working of faith that is a spirituall Gospel-discovery of the love of God in Christ and such a preaching may be by the spirit of Christ in reading some word or any other way he pleaseth to work and it may truly be called a Gospell-preaching any spirituall Gospel-discovery to a soule through which it is brought up into Gospell-injoyments may truly be called a spirituall unfolding or preaching of the Gospell hence it is that the preaching of the Letter or a verball preaching is no where called a powerfull and prevailing preaching unlesse the spirit preach it is the spirit that must convince the World of sin Ioh. 16. And our Gospell came not onely in word but in power and in the holy spirit 1 Thes 1.5 It is true God usually worketh by means but it is as true that he can as well work spiritually without meanes if he please and this he hath done much of late I do not question but many who are spiritually inlightned and live in the spirituall injoyments of God have had experience of it Qu. 3. What are the properties and effects of faith An. The properties and effects of Faith are many It justifies the soule from sin Act. 13.39 by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Qu. How may faith be said to justifie Answ 1. Not as the efficient cause of our Justification that is God onely in Christ it is God that justifies who shall condemne But 2. Faith justifies as it receives Christ and applyes him as its justification so that it is said to justifie because it satisfies and quiets the soule in Christ who is its justification Rom. 4.5 He that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnes Note two words 1. He that believeth on him that justifieth that is Christ all that believe are justified by him Acts 13.39 So it is Christ that justifieth faith only ownes that justification held forth in Christ 2. Word His faith is counted for righteousnesse that is either first God never declares a man righteous and just untill he gives him faith to enjoy his righteousnesse in Christ or else secondly his faith is counted or called his righteousnesse because he never till then enjoyed his righteousnesse And so that when I say or the Scripture saith that Faith justifieth that is faith receives and ownes the justification of God in Christ declared and so soule by it lives in the injoyment of justification and freedome from sin The 2. property or effect of faith is union and peace with God Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God ch 15.13 Now the God of hope filyou with joy peace through believing This is one glorious effect that those who once were a farre off should now be made nigh by the blood of Christ and be brought into the injoyment of it by believing The third effect is it puts the soule into the possession of the love of God 1 Ioh. 4.16 We have known believed the love that God hath to us God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him It acts the soule above it selfe and causeth it to dwel in God and so to dwell in his love and this is an exceeding glorious effects and that which in the fourth place fills the soule with joy 1 Pet. 1.8 joy unspeakable and full of glory What can a soule desire more then to dwell continually in the love of God When the soule is satisfied from its union with God and its dwelling in God that all the administrations and makings forth of God is love unto it And thus it dwels in love and from hence is filled with joy it causeth the soule alwayes to dwell at the right hand of God where is joy pleasure for ever more Fifthly in a word to conclude the effect of faith is such as that GOD by it workes up the soule to an internal and external conformity to Christ in some measure with a spirituall and eternal conformity in perfection in another world 1. Iohn 3.1 2 3. Phil. 3.19 where faith shall cease and love and unity be made perfect 1 Cor. 13.13 SECTION VI. Wherein is the condition of persons restored by Christ their union with God discovered THe Restauration of persons by Christ may be considered 1. Either external and generall or else 2. more special and spirituall First externally and generally and that hath a relation to all it is as ye have heard formerly 1. A condition of being in the world 2. A condition of possibility of a spirituall and eternall wel-being in God if God in his Sonne draw up the soule to himselfe Ioh. 6.44 But secondly and that I principally intend is the more speciall and spirituall condition of soules thus drawne up to God in Christ it is not onely a restauration to the condition of the first Adam with relation to a freedome from sin This every believer enjoyes by Christ a freedome a justification from sinne But secondly every soule drawne up out of it selfe to God is brought into the condition of the second Adam which is a condition as far above the first as the Heaven is above the Earth For the first man is above the earth earthly the second man is the Lord from Heaven and as all men have born the Image of the earthly so those who believe beare the Image of the Heavenly and as is the Heavenly such are all they that are heavenly 1 Cor. 15.47 48 49. And wherein in Christ exceeds the first Adam therein believers exceed for they are as he is even in this world 1 Iohn 4.17 Now the condition of Christ and so the Saints exceeds the condition of the first Adam not only in their being upheld by God but principally in these four particulars 1. In their spirituall relations unto God Christ and so all believers are related to the Father as Sons and that not only by creation as the first Adam or naturall generation but first Christ a Sonne by a spirituall proceeding and comming forth from the Father who was eternally one in the Father and so in him all believers are made by the same spirit the adopted sons of God being made partakers of the same divine Nature Adams Son-ship was in the flesh by creation ours in the spirit by regeneration and the spirit of adoption which is indeed a mystery to all naturall men and worthy to be looked into and knowne of all the sonnes and daughters of Syon 1. John 3.1 2 3. Behold what
of Christ teacheth the spirituall knowledge of God 1. Cor. 2.12.14.15.16 Hence it is that those who are taught of God despise the worlds wisdome and are content to be fooles to the world and in the worlds eyes that they may be wise in God Hence it is likewise that so many ignorants in the wise and learned mens account are made partakers of the knowledge of God in the mystery which indeed according to the word of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.27 confounds the wise and learned and mighty things of the world this being a truth that Saints are made one in the wisdome of the Father How should this in the first place incourage them to look up to the Lord for the more full enjoyment of this spirituall wisdome that as they are made one in the wisdom of God so they might live in the same wisdome and from a deep sense of their own folly to look unto the Lord for continuall teachings and leadings forth in the spirit expecting that promise to be fulfilled Thou shalt heare a voice behind thee saying This is the way walke in it when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left 2. This might be a ground of comfort to the Saints in all their walkings with God the wisdome of God is theirs that God with and in whom they are made one is their wisdome and in the conclusion they shall be swallowed up in the perfection of it as Christ himselfe 1 John 3.2 3. This might answer that foolish opinion of they world who look upon the most spirituall Saints as the worst fooles in the world It is true the wisdom of God is folly with men but if the could look with a spirituall eye they should see that those people are the only wise people wise in God and those who live below upon Creatures and things that will not nor cannot satisfie are indeed in Gods account the only fooles and they themselves shall be driven to confesse it one day 4. Christ and the Saints are made one with God in righteousnesse Gods righteousnesse was Christs righteousnesse for the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in him bodily He was filled with the spirituall in-dwellings of God who continually acted him according to the divine pleasure and as the second man was made one in the righteousnesse of the Father so are all the Saints made one in the same righteousnesse he was made sinne for us that wemight be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Quest How may the Saints be said to be the righteousnesse of God in Christ Answ Either First in the Letter there is a righteousnesse presented which is the first thing sinners are made partakers of that is the righteousnesse of a Christ dying upon the Crosse making satisfaction to the letter of the Law and to the conscience troubled by reason of that letter which is indeed the cause of sin for where no law is there is no transgression Now Christ dying upon the Crosse satisfies the Law and likewise upon the sight and application of him satisfies the troubled conscience This is the first righteousnesse of God discovers to the soules of sinners and by faith makes them partakers of it and this is called the righteousnesse of God because God gave forth his Son inabled him to go through and by his suffering to obtaine such a righteousnesse for his people that might both satisfie the Law transgressed and the Conscience of mans transgressing Secondly in the spirit the Saints are made the righteousnesse of God that is God now as in Christ dwells and acts in the Saints by his Spirit writes his Law in their hearts makes them partakers of his owne nature and so goes on in fulfilling his owne righteousnesse in them For the righteousnesse of the Law in the Spirit is fulfilled in us as well as the Law in the Letter for us who walke not alter the flesh that is after the Law in the Letter but after the spirit of Christ who dwels in us and acts according to its own pleasure and so by degrees drawes up the spirits of his people to himselfe untill at last they are swallowed up in the fulnesse of the rigbteousnesse of God in the Spirit and be made wholly and for ever one in the Father with Christ 1 Iohn 1.2 A glorious mysterious truth meet to be knowne of all spirituall Ones this is the top of the Saints glory and their height of spirituall perfection the knowledge and enjoyment of this spirituall Onenesse in the Father and in the sonne 1 Iohn 2.2 4. 5. There is an Onenesse in love and delight between the Father Son and Saints the Fathers love and delight is in his Son and Saints Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased well pleased with his Son and with his Saints in his Son Hence the Lord speaking after the manner of men is said to delight and sing and rejoyce over his people even as the Bridegrome rejoyceth over the Bride Esa 62.5 Zeph. 3.17 to rejoyce even with joy and singing So Likewise it is the delight and joy of the Saints to live in the Fathers love the very thoughts of it is precious and the injoyment of it exceeding glorious though the soule seemes to come short of the perfection of that injoyment in this world yet what it sees and injoyes with the expectation of perfection in another world fills the soule with joy unspeakeable and full of glory and now as the soule dwells in the Fathers love delight and joy so likewise it dwels in the Fathers will and it delights in and is well pleased with the will of the Father it can say with Christ what ever temptation presents it selfe yet not my will but thy will be done such is the Onenesse betweene the Father Sonne and Saints they delight and take pleasure in each other 6. There is a union in glory likewise the Fathers glory is the Sonnes glory and the Sonnes glory is the Saints glory what this glory shall be is unconceiveable and unexpressable to go about to expresse it either with tongue or pen would rather darken it then illustrate it yet a word by the way the perfection of the Saints glory shall be the enjoyment of all things in God who is and shall be their everlasting fulnesse in the spirit Those who dreame of a Kingdome after the flesh or of any externall pleasures in the highest measure discover themselves to have exceeding carnall thoughts of the Saints glory It is true they shall have a Kingdom but a spiritual one so called because injoying all spirituall satisfactions in the fountaine when the body and all the whole internall and externall part of man shall be turned into spirit 1. Cor. 15.44 And our vile body shall be changed made like his glorious body In a word Such is the Saints Glory and shall be in the perfection of it through their union with God in Christ that we must conclude
1 Cor. 2.14 Application To incourage the Saints in the power and spirit of Iesus to presse forward after this knowledge and injoyment of God in the spirit this was Pauls resolution who had tasted of the spirituall discoveries of God as deeply as any to presse discoveries of God as deeply as any to presse forward after perfection Phil. 3. Forgetting things that are behind not alwayes living below The effects of it will prove very glorious 1. It is that by which you shal be able with the more evidence of light truth to judg of things that differ the spirituall man judgeth all things 2. It is that will make the life of a Christian exceeding glorious carrying him through all difficulties with much spirituall joy 3. It is that will put a period to all differences and divisions amongst the Saints Divisions flow from our ignorance and dwelling so much in the letter 1 Cor. 3.3 Whereas there are among you divisions and strife are ye not carnall and walk as men Those divisions and that strife amongst the Saints about things in the letter argue that they are exceeding carnall but this knowledg of God in the Spirit will as a mighty Gulfe swallow up all those little differences and put an end to all strife both among particular Saints and in the Nations Isa 2.2 3 4. When once the mountain of the Lords house which is his Saints come to be established on the top of all Mountaines and Hills that is in the spirituall enjoyment of God above all caruall and fleshy things then shall all warres and divisions have an end and not till then 4. It is that will cause many a glorious Starre to fall from Heaven many who have acted much after the Letter will upon the discoveries of the glory of God in the Spirit fall from that light they seemed to have SECT VIII The matter of the Church what THE Church of Christ may be considered either as more generall or more particular 1. More generall and then it includes the whole body of the Saints in the spirit This of some is called the invisible Church but to speake in the Scripture-language it may be rather called the generall or universal Church the whol body of Saints in the spirit called the mystical body of Christ because of their spirituall union with and in Christ their head This Church or assembly for so the Greek Ecclesia properly signifieth we shall read of Heb. 12.22 23. Ye are come to Mount Sion unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the genearal Assembly or Church of the first born and written in heaven and to the spirits of just men made perfect this is the Church that shall be made one in glory the generall assembly of Saints the spirits of just men and it is that might be desired at present that Saints Communion might flow more from their union in the spirit and not altogether from the union in the letter this is the glorious Church of Christ and the knowledge of it in the spirit wil cause Saints to own each other more in the spirit 2. The Church of Christ may be considered more particular or a particular body or company of Saints in the visible profession of the Gospell walking in the injoyment of Ordinances taking particular care of each other and building up each other in the faith and of this Church we shall read freqent in the new Testament and this Church is likewise called the body of Christ 1 Cor. 12 27. and it is not to be questioned but that this practise is very commendable amongst Saints and the knowledge of God in the Spirit and of Saints in the Spirit will not breake or lessen the fellowship of particular Churches but increase it and make it to be more spirituall for questionles that which tends to the breach of communion and fellowship amongst Saints is not God for God is love and they who dwell in God dwell in love it is that will increase love and this is the more excellent way that which in conclusion wil swallow up all differences yet one thing is much to be desired that is that there might be a generall union amogst the Saints that those who are spirituall might not be divided in the spirituall Communion because of some literall differences about the use of ordinances and the like Oh that the Lord would help us to beare with each other in such things why cannot Saints in the matters of difference beare with each other according to the Apostles rule seeing he that observeth a day observeth it to the Lord and he that observeth not a day observeth it not to the Lord and both give God thankes Obj. But our difference is in matters of Ordinances for the most part which God commands and hath given them to us as priviledges Answ True yet they are such commands and priviledges as God hath given to His servants to lead them up to himselfe in the spiri and what if some injoy God gloriously in the Spirit without these and we find them spirituall and walking answerable to the spirit of Christ why should my conscience judge another mans Liberty and why should not we hold communion with such in the spirit and in the letter too in those things wherein there is a union but the truth is there is too too much erring at present upon both hands the one judging it too carnall for any Saints to walk in the use of Ordinances which is not a truth at present the other judging it inconsistent with the Gospel and the state of a Christian to live without the practice and use of ordinances a third sort there are that would submit to Ordinances but want Administrators and this is more carnall then either of the former because they expect that to bee in a creature which is only in God but here should be a bearing and forbearing where the Spirit of Christ is A fourth sort there are who put Ordinances upon those not capable of them without any word at all in the letters and this the most carnall work of all and savours much of the earth and of an Old Testament-spirit from whence usually the ground is brought and it were much to be desired that the Lord would be pleased to enlighten their eyes that they might have more spiritual apprehension of the Gospel and the end of Gospel-Ordinances yet it should be the wisdome of the those taught from above to own any thing of God where-ever they find it and although it is true there cannot be a Communion with and in thing a never of God prescribed yet the spirit of love should so temper our spirits as that we should not bite devour on eachother but that as many as are spiritual though differing in some circumstantiall things in the letter yet owne each other in the Spirit imputing those differences to the flesh and this union in the
Thus the first assertion in part is truth Christ shall reigne a thousand yeares that is many Generations but it will be spirituall and not personall 2. Assertion from thence is that all the Saints from the beginning of the world shall be raised and come and reigne with Christ Ans For the clearing of the truth in this Scripture which wil answer this assertion consider 1. what is meant by the behading for the witnesse of Jesus 2. What is meant by not receiving the mark of the beast 3. What is meant by being raised living and reigning with Christ 4. What is meant by the not living of the rest of the dead untill the thousand yeares were finished 1. What is meant by being beheaded for the witness of Jesus It is a spirituall beheading such a beheading as all the Saints who shake off Antichrists badge and yoake like to meet withall 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 evill of Antichristian wayes to his people and they forsake it they durst not receive either the Image name or marke of the beast they shall presently be beheaded by the beast that is they will condemn them as those that forsake Christ and cry out unto them that they are revolted that they are Sectaries Hypocrits Heritickes 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 seen and heard from him which will overthrow and ruine all things contrary to himselfe in the. 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 seemes to make a change he speakes great words his looke is more stout then 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 wisdom 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 will 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 sell amongst them and many a Saint is like to be given into his hand and he shall prevail over them but it shall be but for a time times and the dividing of a time and then the Kingdome shall become the Saints Dan. 7.2 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 principl e 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 internall as well as the externall 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 and end besides Christ from hence casting off this Image is caerrid 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 holiness the first will 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 externall 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 sell Chap. 13.17 to sel that is to preach the Gospel for Antichrist under the notion of preaching the Gospell sells his wares but a time is comeing that none will buy their wares any more 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 sell that is give forth freely what God communicates unto them when others sel or buy that is partake of any spirituall good amongst them if they could prevent it and 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 lived with Christ in the spirit reigning triumphantly over all spirituall enemies selfe sathan world and those Merchants that sell all yea the soules of men too shall be weeping and crying alas alas Rev 18. when the Lord shall make good that word of truth Esa 66.5 Heare the word of the Lord yes that tremble at his word your brethren that hated you that beheaded you that cast you out for my names sake said let the Lord be glorified that is it tends to the Honour of God to behead and to cast out these men but he shall appeare to your joy you shall be raised up with Christ and I will give you a new name but they shall 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 mysticall sense but the Saints that had been beheaded in the litterall sense Ans First it is the use of the spirit or the spirits Language to deliver it selfe in darke and mysticall termes so the Apostle saith in another case 1 Thes 4.5 that we which are alive and remaine till the coming of the Lord c. the Apostle speakes of wee as if he had intended the Thessalonians and Himselfe 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 be all one as if he and the Thessalonians were them and so delivers it in the present tense when he might have said rather to speak after the manner of men then they which shal be alive at his coming c. as in Rev. the word might have run thus and so questionlesse it is to be understood then they that were beheaded