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
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
with 1 Iohn 3.2 We are already the Sons of God but it doth not yet appeare what we shall be But this we know when Christ shall appeare we shall be made like unto him and this is enough for us to know And as there is an Onenesse betweene Father Son and Saints so likewise there is a spirituall union betweene the Saints this was Christs prayer who was heard in all things he prayed for that the Saints might be one as he himself was one in and with the Father the union of the Saints is not a carnall union but a spirituall they who are joyned to the Lord are one Spirit Vse 1. To encourage all the Saints to presse forward in the power of the Lord after a farther knowledge and injoyment of this spiritual union with the Lord and with the Saints Truly friends as this was not onely the resolution of the Apostle himselfe Phil. 3. but his prayer for the Ephesians 1.16 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus the Father of glory might give unto them the spirit of wisdome in the Revelation of him that their eyes being inlightned they might know what was the hope of their calling and the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints so is it my desire not onely to presse forward in the power of God after the knowledge of this mystery but that all the Saints might live in the knowledge of it that their hearts might be comforted together being knit together in the spirit of unity and love The effects of the knowledge of this blessed union will prove exceeding glorious 1. It is that will produce a glorious spiritual communion and fellowship with the Father Son Saints union alwaves being that which produceth communion even a civil union with the flesh when once the Lord saith concerning man and woman they are no more twaine but one flesh that produceth fellowship and communion after the flesh so likewise and much more doth a spirituall union produce a spirituall communion and fellowship a fellowship and communion with the Father and the Son in all his administrations in all the wayes and acts of his providence civill or spirituall the spirituall Christian injoyes God in all 1. John 1.3 Our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ Christ and the Saints from their union with each other 1. They dwell together in the spirit they are his house and he dwels in them the Temples of the holy spirit and they dwel in him they who dwell in God dwell in love 2. They eat together in the spirit Eat O friends drinke yea drink abundantly the Lord takes as it were spirituall satisfaction in his Saints and they take spirituall satisfaction in the Lord it is their life to live in the injoyment of him 3. They walke together in the spirit they have their garden and galleries and pleasant delights 4. They talke together and commune with each other in the spirit the Lord he makes forth himself in the spiritual discoveries of his love to his Saints and then they are carried forth to tell him of it to admire him in it and to praise him for it and thus there is many sweet conference and heart-discovery betwene the Lord and a spirituall Christian which makes the soule to revive within it selfe 5. Christ and the Saints lye down together in the spirit and take their fill of love each with other they sleep as it were in the bosome of each other and so they rest themselves in love And this likewise produceth fellowship amongst Saints a fellowship in spiritualls fellowship in temporalls And they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in breaking bread and prayer and breaking bread from house to house being filled with gladness and singleness of heart Act. 2. And they who believed had all things common a community as well as a unity that is so far forth as need is calls for it so in gifts so in all things 1. Cor. 3.22 All is yours Paul Apollo and Cephas And Secondly the knowledge of this spirituall glorious onenesse which the Father produced an exceeding earnest desire in the soule enjoying of it to live more and more in that glory What is the reason Professors content themselves to be so low so carnal in their minds but because they were never acquainted with nor enjoyed higher things but the Apostle who had seen and tasted of that glory forgets all behind and presseth forward if so be that he might obtain the resurrection of the dead Phil. 3. and apprehend that for which he was apprehended that love that grace that God who had apprehended him Certainly that soul who hath once tasted how good how gracious the Lord is in the spirit can never be satisfied with the knowledge of him in the letter 3. the knowledge of the spirituall union with God produceth an acting more in and after the spirit of God How doth the creature set it selfe a works and acts it selfe even in the letter of the Gospel as well as formerly in the letter of the Law for want of knowledg of the union in the spirituall power of the Lord although without Christ that is not being acted by Christ we can do nothing the Creature being unacquainted with that spirituall mysticall union with God acts himself in the things of God 4. The knowledge of this spirituall union with God produceth the killing and crucifying of that earthly part nothing kills and destroyes the flesh but the rowing up in the spirit Oh! how would the soule many times be content to undergoe any thing so it might be rid of pride and selfe and those fleshly corruptions and why it is the growing up in the spirit that destroyes the flesh the more you live in and after the spirit the lesse after the flesh 5. It is that will help us to know Christ and the Saints the more in and after the sdirit the less after the flesh and so will produce a more spirituall communion amongst al the spirituall Saints of Jesus 6. And lastly it is that will make the thoughts of a change exceeding sweet because the soule lives in expectation of a glorious freedome from sin and sorrow and a full perfection of spirituall and eternall glory therefore it can be contented to be dissolved and to be with Christ whichs best of all where it shal for ever live in the connuall admiration of and glorying in the spirituall enjoyment of God whose worke shall be everlastingly and fully to enjoy and freely to sing praises unto the Lord. SECT VII Wherein it declared what the Law is and what the Gospel is with the difference between them both in the Letter and in the Spirit THE Law in the Letter is a rule of Life answerable to those moral principles of nature left in man since his fall the substance of which Law was written in the heart of the first Adam and was contained in that Verball word In the day thou eatest thou
be acting in something though worse then nothing and so delude themselves in all their actings it causeth them to look to men and not to Christ Secondly it causeth them to blesse themselves in their unity in formes and worships never questioning their Onenesse with Christ in the spirit they are as strangers unto it Hence it is that uniformity in the Letter is so much called for amongst all sorts of People being wholly ignorant of unity in spirit I could instance in divers other particulars as Ministry Guifts Church Ordinances all have somthing like Christ in them but it is all but ths number of a man meerly humane carnall Ministry humane gifts and anointings in stead of the Spirit carnall Church invented Ordinances but I passe it at present SECTION II. What is his Reigne ANtichrists reign is likewise in the spirit and in the Letter Antichrist or the man of sinne is as high in his reigne as confident of his good estate First his reigne in the spirit in the mystery he sheweth himselfe that he is God he perswades soules that he is the Christ his wisdom and his righteousnesse his rules and his ordinances they are of God and they must stand although it hath neither Scripture nor reason I meane in the Spirit for it and thus this mystery of iniquity hath reigned a long time it began to work in the Apostles dayes Secondly the reign of Antichrist in tste Letter he also visibly sheweth himselfe that he is God must be submitted unto under penaltyes fines imprisonments bitter speaking against the Ordinances of Chrst than his Ordinances And thus he reignes with power and likewise with much confidence for she sitteth as QVEEN and saith she shall see no sorrow but her sorrowes will come in one day c. SECT III. The discovery of Antichrist THE Revelation of Antichrist may be considered either first as he openly and publickly reveales himselfe to be the Antichrist by his confidence and powerful acting as the Christ or above Christ of this the Apostle speakes 2 Thes 2.3 2. It may be considered as a mystery of iniquity and so revealed by the spirit of Christ unto his Servants and so the revelation or discovery of Antichrist unto the Saints shall be by the spirit of Christ in the preaching of the Gospel as it is a mystery of iniquity in it selfe so it must be that hidden wisdome in a mystery 1 Cor. 2. that must discover it Now where the Lord worketh for his discovery hee first discovers him to be the Antichrist he helps the soule to find him out And then secondly he discovers the evill the iniquity of him he lets the soule see that it is the greatest and the subtlest adversary that ever it had to deal withall the most dangerous because clothed under so faire and Christ-like a Garb and the hardest to be discovered such an adversary as bears soules in hand that they are going to heaven when they are in the broad and rode-way to ruine like a cunning Hoc as Poc as that jugleth away a mans Estate before he is awarc of it and all the while pretends friendship and thus it is the spirit of God in the Gospell that must discover and reveale Antihrist in the mystery that same spirit who revealed it to the Apostle Paul and the same who revealed both his rising and falling to Iohn in the Revelations those who think to attain the discovery of him by humane industry historicall readings c. are exceeding low in their apprehensions and come short of the discovery of him he may be strongly working in a man while he is discovering of him SECT IV. What shall be the ruine of Antichrist THe consumation of Antichrist shall be by the same means that discovers him the bright goings forth of Jesus Christ in the Gospel for as the Kingdom of Jesus Christ goes up in the spirit for the Kingdome of Heaven is within you c. so the Kingdome of Antichrist must go down this is the meanes fore-told and prescribed by the Apostle who fore-saw him in his rising 2 Thes 2.8 The Lord will consume him with the breath of his mouth destroy him with the brightnes of his coming the preaching of the Gospel and the bright comings forth of Jesus Christ in the spirits of his people shall both consume destroy him As it is not a humane wisdom that shall discover him so neither is it a humane power that must destroy him for all humanity in the things of God whether wisdom or power it is Antichristian Therefore not that which shall destroy Antichrist but that which will uphold him untill he be destroyed the ruine of Antichrist is farther held forth Rev. 14.6 The Angell flyeth through the midst of heaven preaching the everlasting Gospel verse 8. Another Angel followeth saying That Babylon is fallen that great City c. The preaching of the Gospel is the means you see of Antichrists ruine and the Sermon is feare God and give glory to him This Sermon is that will ruine Antichrist both in the letter and in the spirit give glory to God that is let God be all and in all let God be your enjoyment in the spirit see you live upon nothing below him give not glory to Creatures duties actings any thing either of the first Adam or Antichrist give glory to God in the Letter give not glory to man set not up man in the roome of God do not cry the voice of Man and not of God in any of the things of God and this is the Sermon that shall ruine Antichrist See likewise Rev. 1 2.9 The Divel and Satan the mysticall Antichrist was cast forth of Heaven to the earth that is he shall not be suffered any more to delude souls in a heavenly shape the Divell is now turned Christian and he makes warre with the Saints under the name of Christ both in the Spirit as well as in the Letter And hence the great warre is between Christ and Satan in Heaven that is betweene the Heaven of Christ the Heaven of Satan under the name of Christ But now Iohn saith he saw Satan cast out of Heaven that is he shall deceive soules no more in a Heavenly form neither persecute the Saints any more under the name of Christ A glorious work it is coming on a pace for the most part of souls in that part of the world called Christans are ruined in the Divels heaven believe it this is the great work Christ hath to do in these latter dayes the consumation of Antichrists that is first of all Antichrists spirituall delusions by which he hath deceived soules 2. And all Antichrists deluding forms ordinances by which the common sort of people are generally deluded the work of Christ is to powre down vials of wrath upon the head of the Man of sin both in the spirit in the letter look about you therefore all you whose spiritual life consists in
more then he is ever able to pay the Creditor having vowed satisfaction the debtor is cast downe and troubled exceedingly the creditor to satisfie both his own word and the mind of the debtor sends forth his son and fully inables him to pay the debt he brings along the debtor with him payes the debt cancels the bonds and sets him free and thus it was with the Father man had sinned God had said in the day thou sinnest thou shalt dye this debt of death must be discharged the Father that he might be just and yet a justifier and that the conscience of faln man whom he loved might be satisfied he gives or sends forth his Sonne he payes the debt and so satisfies the word of the Father and the conscience of the sinner and so indeed is not essentially the procuring cause of love but rather an effect of love to satifie both the word of the Father and the conscience of the sinner and this was Gods way from eternity through which he intended to manifest hmselfe to his people SECTION V. How persons come to have benefit by this meanes that God hath appointed as the way of life SInners come to have benefit by Jesus Christ by believing Iohn 3.16.36 He that believeth on the Son hath life and he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth in him Faith as an instrument is the meanes appointed of God by which sinners receive and owne Jesus Christ and life by him For clearing this truth three things will be necessary to be considered First what Faith is Secondly how it comes Thirdly the properties and effects of it 1. What it is Faith is the apprehending and applying Christ and so the Father and his everlasting grace in him 1. It is the apprehending of Christ that is the observing and beholding of him as he is in himselfe the seeing of him in his beauty and excellency Esa 33.17 thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty it is to see all that worth to be in him that the soule needes and then 2. To apply him according to the soules present occasion a dying Christ to a dead soule and this Christ commends unto us to be the faith by which Soules come to enjoy salvation Iohn 6.40 this is the will of him that sent me that he that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life note Hee that seeth the Son that is apprehends that worth and excellency that ability the Father hath put in him to save sinners able to save all those to the utmost that come unto God by him and beleeveth on him that is applieth him receiveth him as its alone Saviour and justifier to them he gives power to become the Sons of God Iohn 1.12 even to as many as believe on his name 3. This faith doth not onely apply Christ as given forth of the Father singly and a part from the Father but it applyes that is ownes the Father in the Son and that everlasting love of the Father to the Soule brought downe through the Son for the Son is but the Fathers way downe to sinners Iohn 14.6 Iohn 12.44 He that believeth on me believeth not on me but on him that sent me that is believeth not alone in Christ but believes and injoyes that everlasting good will and love of the Father to the soule anb so seeth the Father in Christ commending love and so giving forth himselfe to the soule and so is able to see and say that it is indeed God that justifies and that God was in Christ as the way reconciling sinners to himselfe not imputing their sins and now the sinner sees that Christ never acted any thing or brings downe any thing to the soule but what was and is the good will and pleasure of the Father and so faith ownes not only Christ but the Father giving forth the sonne as the price of their redemption Ephes 1.7 Gal. 3.13 and way of their adoption Gal. 4.5 2. How is this Faith obtained Answ It is the free guift of God as Christ who is its object and all other good things for every good and perfect gift comes downe from the Father God in Christ is the Prince and Author of our faith Heb. 12.2 Looking to Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith Eph 2.8 ye are saved freely by grace through faith that not of our selves it is the gift of God faith is the proper and peculiar guift of God no man commeth unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him it is the Father that workes all the Father first loves and then gives his Sonne and then drawes soules up unto himselfe in the Son else they never come No man comes to me unlesse the Father draw him Iohn 6. hence it is that the experienced soule desires to be drawn Cant. 1.2 Phil. 1.29 for unto you it is given in the behalfe of Christ not onely to believe but to suffer that is you who have received this gift of faith must expect to suffer likewise Obj. But is not faith held forth in the Gospel as the condition of the Covenant of grace he that believeth shall be saved Answ 1. Although it seemes in the letter of the Gospel to be held forth as a condition of the Covenant he that believeth shall be saved yet it is in the spirit mystery of the Gospel a condition on Gods part it is true none can be said and say truly himselfe that he is in the Covenant of grace before faith yet this faith is the gift of God as you have heard and if any condition it is on Gods part in the mystery and it is his promise Heb. 8.10 This is the Covenant I will make with them I will write my Lawes in their hearts saith the Lord that is I will take them off themselves and make them partakers of my spirit which shall cause them to own love in God and to live out of themselves in God and shall cause them to act spiritually even as Jesus Christ himselfe acted and so faith may be said indeed to be rather a branch or part of the Covenant of grace then the condition for God in the Covenant promiseth to write his Law and to give faith and all good unto the soule he gives Christ a Covenant and with him he gives all having given us his Son how shall be not with him give us all things 2 Faith is indeed an evidence to the soule that is in the Covenant of grace and made one with God hence it is called Heb. 11.1 The evidence of things not seen that is not seen with a carnall eye the spirit evidenceth it and saith receiveth that evidence and so the soule is satisfied through faiths believing of the word and spirit of God Obj. What is the meanes by which God worketh faith Answ The meanes by which God workes faith is his word and spirit by the preaching of the Gospel
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
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
the Scripture the just shall live by faith and we are justified by faith c. Answ 1. Faith may be acted not onely on Christ dying upon the crosse but in Christ living in the soule that is my believing that Christ is spiritually formed in me as well as that he hath dyed for me that I am justified in the spirit as well as in the flesh faith hath the same object in the spirit as in the flesh to believe that Christ lives spiritually in the soule and that it shall be swallowed up in the conclusion wholly in the spirit 2. There may be often occasions to make use of faith likewise while we are in this body of flesh although the soule obtaines a good degree of the enjoyment of the spirit from and in God yet there will be through the presence of corruption some stirre and trouble and this God in his wisdome permits for ends best known to himselfe The Apostle Paul who lived exceeding highly in the spirit sometimes in the third heaven that is in the highest dicovery of God yet he meets with a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him that was some strong lust in the flesh that might cause him to look down again And the reason he renders lest he should be exalted above measure 2 Cor. 12. For the truth is if God should cause any one to live alwayes in heaven that is above all lusts and corruptions in the highest discovery and enjoyment of God hee would be ready to be lifted up above measure Experience teacheth us as much ready to look upon all knowledg and enjoyment believe it to be nothing but carnall therefore he brings down Paul that he might exercise faith and live upon grace as wel as others My grace is sufficient for thee my strength shall be perfected in thy weaknes So that notwithstanding this life of a Christian in the spirit yet there will be the use of faith alwayes either in the spirit or in the Letter sometimes God brings a soule to live upon grace as it was revealed by Christ in the flesh and brought home and enjoyed by the spirit when we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord in the Spirit but when we are absent from the bodie wee are at home in the spirit 3. There is a continuall use of faith that of the most spirituall Christian with relation to the perfection of our eternall enjoyments for the Saints doe not onely enjoy a oneness with God here and from hence much spirituall and internall glory but by faith believes and hope expects that perfection of glory hereafter wherein it shall be perfectly made like unto Christ when this vile body shall be changed made like unto his glorious bodie which at present so acts it selfe even in the Saints which prevents them even of that perfection of glory which they by faith expect when the change comes when corruption shall put on incorruption and mort all shall put on immortality when this naturall bodie shall become spirituall then shall be fully enjoyed what hath been by faith believed by hope expected and of this hath the spirituall christain a tast by the spirituall enjoyment of God here although not as then so fully swallowed up in that glory Obj. But it seems that Christ in the flesh is the way to Justification and glory the way into the holyest which is heaven it self where none shall enter till they are changed but Christ who is entered already Heb. 9.24 Ans True Christ is entered into heaven It selfe only in perfection but believers they enter likewise in part viz. when they are got within the veil that is to say the flesh then they see into the spiritual mystery mansions of glory unconceivable and indeed un-utterable as the Apostle saith and desire to live continually within the veile if it might be while they are here yet they are raised up more and more in the spirit and in the conclusion shall be for ever with Christ within all veiles which was best of all as the law in the Letter was a veil to the Gospel both in Letter and Spirit 2 Cor. 3.14 So is the Gospel in the flesh a veil through which and within which all the Saints by degrees shall fully enter Qu. What is the difference betweene the law and the Gospel A. The difference is both in the Letter in the Spirit the Gospel in the spirit is the substance of that righteousnes spiritually included in the law as the Type Image or character of that spirituall substance the Saints are partaekrs of Hence it is often called the Law in the Spirit the Letter killeth the Spirit giveth life I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Gal. 2.19 that is I through the Law of the Spirit that is the righteousnesse of God in Christ am dead to the Law in the Letter that I might live unto God in the spirit and not to the Law and selfe in the Letter 2. Difference is in the Letter of the Law and so of the Gospell and this is glorious for the Letter of the law requireth a righteousness that was broken death seiseth on all by that meanes the Gospell in the Letter holds forth a righteousnesse in Christ fulfilling the letter of the law so that what righteousnesse is in the law required is obtained by Christ and every beleever is made partaker of it and so the difference is 1. The Law prescribes a Rule the Gospell fulfills the Rule Mat. 5.28 The law requires a righteousnesse the Gospell fulfills that righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 The law was the administration of death the Gospell the administration of life Quest Is not the law in the letter a Rule to believers Answ 1. Not as it was handed forth by Moses from Mount Sinai so it was a killing letter but 2. as it was taken into the hand of Christ and so satisfied and handed forth by Christ being turned into Gospel-Rules it remaines a rule so farr as we are in the flesh I meane in the knowledge of Christ after the flesh but as God writes his Lawes in the hearts of his people and taketh them up in the spirit so shall they live above the law in the letter even of the Gospel yet not without for they have it within them it is in their hearts and so they are a law unto themselves Then the rule in the letter is as a stay in the hand or as a guide in the way helping the soule up to the Spirit and then he walkes not after the flesh but after the spirit having the law of the spirit of life within him guiding him in the way of holinesse and so that Scripture is made good 1. Iohn 3. The anointings which you have received shall teach you all things and ye need not that any man teach you and the spirituall man judgeth all things yet he himselfe is judged of no man
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
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
for the witness of Jesus were raised or lived and reigned with Christ as the sense of the former then they that shall be alive at the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep so that the spirit of God might as well 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 litterall sence those that have dyed for Christ have dyed other deaths and 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 untill the 1000. yeares were finished that is none that had been bodily dead Saints or wicked good or bad were raised till after the 1000. yeares 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 and disgrace in the world And secondly it shall 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 spirituall One Quest But when shall this Kingdome be Ans 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 shall be when the 7. seales are fully opened c. the 7. Trumpets fully sounded 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 occasions the vials the opening of the seales the unfolding of the mysteries of the Gospell which have been hid Rev. 5.1 2. As light breaks forth the Trumpets sound the servants of Jesus preach forth the mystery of the Gospell in the power and puritie of it occasions the vials of wrath to fall upon the Antichristian estate both in the spirit and in the letter which work is now adoing Wait the Lords time and it will 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 and to lye dead 3 dayes and a halfe and the Woman cloathed with the Sun to be driven into the wildernes for a little space a time times and 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 dwell in the earth to make an Image to the first beast and that none but those who own it shall buy or sell with them the Saints beheaded under the Alter to wait a little time before they be raised up to live with Christ 1000. yeares but it is not long the vision is for an appointed time in the end it will speak and not lye it will come and not tarry the first 1000. is almost past the second and third are coming on apace and all the Nations and Kingdoms in the world will come apace to be the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever their lives shall be prolonged for a season and a time and other Scriptures are alleaged for a personall 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 al 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 shall 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 will 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 be truth that the Kingdome of Christ is a spirituall Kingdome and not of this world this may inform us how farr besides the Gospel in the spirit and truth of it those men are who make the Kingdome of Christ to be meerely politicall and a state-Kingdome who turne the world by a humane power into the Church and Kingdome of Christ as they say and Christ must have a worldly carnall Kingdome no better th n the Kings of the earth enjoy or else he shall have none at all it savours exceedingly of the earth and ere long thither it must returne 2. This could incourage the Saints to pres forward after the knowledge of God in the spirit that as the Kingdom of Christ is spirituall and not of this world so may the Saints Kingdome likewise be in the spirit and so all their enioyments may be spirituall enjoyments this is that will make the soule fat and wel-liking in the Lord I l fithe soule with joy and 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 spirituall SECT X. Of Death Resurrection Iudgement and the state of the Saints after Iudgemene eternally with God FIrst of death It is appointed for all men once to dye Dust we are to dust we must returne and therefore it behoves us to to expect it All the dayes of mine appointed time will I waite til my change come Death is certaine although the time be uncertaine it is that none are in a common aid ordinary way exempted from unlesse those Saints who are alive at the last comming of Christ they shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye 1. Cor. 15.51.52 and so shall be caught up in the spirit to meet the Lord in the ayre 1 Thes 4.17 Secondly of the Resurrection That there shall be a resurrection of the Body at the last day is evident John 5.28 29. John 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 bodies of flesh shall be raised in the same forme in which it dyed others that it shall be spiritual yet question whether it shall be of the same substance therefore it will be necessary to consider two particulars for the clearing of it First by what power we shall be raised Secondly with what bodies 1 By what Power
Answ 1. By the same power by which Jesus Christ was raised which was by the power spirit of God he was declared to be the son of God with power by his resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 Secondly by the same power and spirit the Saints are inlightned selfe which is the same power by which the body of Christ was raised so that when we say we are raised by the resurrection of Christ in the spirit that is by the same power by which Christ was raised therefore the Apostle desireth to know the power of the death resurrection of Christ Phil. 3.10 by the same power and spirit shall our bodies be raised at the last day Rom. 8.11 1 Cor. 15.13 14 15 16. this being a truth that they shall be raised by the same power it may some what direct us to the forme in which they shall be raised which is the second particular that is in a spirituall forme not in a fleshly for as the spirit of Christ raiseth us up in the spirit while we are here so shall it raise up our bodies in the spirit at the last day it is sowne a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body our vile bodies shall be changed and made like his glorieus body he tooke upon him our form that so we might be brought into his form for when he shall appear we shall be made like unto him the substance of our naturall body raised in spirit Of judgement it is appointed to all men once to dye but after this the judgement when all men shall be called to an account before him to wit the Lord Jesus there to give an account for all things done in their bodies whether good or bad Mat. 25. and so God in this way will acquit his Saints and clear them before the world although this is not their life neither that in which they appear Mat. 25.36 to 40. Fourthly of the estate of the Saints after Judgement it is first ever to be with the Lord beholding his glory l Thes 4.17 Iohn 17.24 and in his presence will be fullnesse of joy and 2. at his right hand everlastingly to be compleated in the same glory Col. 3.3 when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall appear with him in glory all flesh shall be swallowed up in spirit and our bodyes shall be changed and made like his glorious body all things that offend shall be done away and we shall be made eternally one in the Father and in the Sonne and in the Spirit one in eternity one in injoyment and one in glory this for the Saints is enough to know besides what shall be we do not know it is an height and debth a length and breadth unsearchable Oh the unsearchable riches of Christ what the Saints do injoy what they shall injoy swallowes up the spirituall Christian in the beholding of it hence let us continue searching after an higher measure of the height depth bredth and length of his love which passeth knowledge and there shal we be able to see and say that his wisdome is unsearch able and his wayes past finding on t FINIS A briefe discovery of Antichrist both in the Mystery and in the History By THOMAS COLLIER 1647. For my more cleare proceeding in the discovery of the Man of Sinne five things are considerable 1 What Antichrist or the man of Sin is 2 What his Reigne 3 What shall be his discovery 4 What his ruine 5 When his ruine shall be SECTION 1. What Antichrist or the Man of sin is ANtichrist or the Man of fin is to be considered either in the spirit or in the Letter 1. in the Spirit Antichrist signifies one seemingly for Christ yet indeed is against him and so is but a man of sin a Son of perdition and this he will appear to be both in the Mystery and in the History 1. In the mysterie or spirit and in this he hath taken hold of every man especially in these latter dayes yet t is true much time hath been spent by many to find out this man of sin who he is and for the most part ascribe it to some particular man never looking at the mystery or root of iniquity which is not in the first place a man but a wicked thing in man and this for want of a spirit of discerning we have not seen Antichrist in our selves but have cast him upon others and so misse of the thing or at least most strike at the top boughes and are ignorant of the root Now Antichrist in the mystery or spirituall and internall part It is a confederacie between Sathan and the deceitfull heart of man transforming himselfe into an Angell of light nay into the Sonne of Light and while nothing lesse then Christ and Christian wil satisfie he will be the Christ or at least the Antichrist in stead of Christ to deceive soules For this was and is the last the greatest and most deceiving stratagem that ever Satan made use of to ruin soules that where he cannot content soules but they must be Christians he can be content with that so he may be the Christ hence he is called the man of sin the Son of perdition that wicked deceiver 2 Thes 2. It is not Satan acting in a carnall and filthy form of flesh but in the most refined part of the first Adam so he keeps the creature in the first Adam still he cares not 1. There must be a reformation that it shall injoy provided it be legally in the Letter it must believe or else it cannot be satisfied and believe it doth but the ground must be built upon that first reformation qualification c. wisdom is required to walk in Gods wayes and to the knowledge of the mind of God wisdom must and may be obtained provided it be humane the wisdom of the first Adam that is enough power of acting must likewise of necessity be obtained a power shall be obtained but it must be a creature-power and a creature-acting under the name and notion of the power of God that is indeed and in truth condemned though in name owned there must now sometimes be a spirituall mind and that injoyes likewise in its own apprehension although hardly obtained and indeed the highest pitch of spirituallnesse is but carnall to the spirituall mans injoyment this is a high pitch of spirituall mindednesse where Satan dwells to have selfe thoughts of reformation thoughts to pray more to walke more exactly and to please God better never thoughts of living out of its selfe more and of living in the injoyment of God in the spirit more and spirituall joy it must haue sometimes too why that it shall have likewise but it must arise from inlargement in duties humiliations selfe-actings reformation and all from selfe and thus Satan and the deceitfull heart joynes together to the delusion of many a soule and this is Antichristian in the mysterie the man of sinne spoken of in Scripture that
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