tell you the very Devils themselves who were thrown from their first state for sinne 2 Pet. 2. 4. have such a taste of their horrible sins that when they did but suppose that Jesus was come to put an end to their tyrannical dealing with the world and to bring them to judgement for their sinnes to which they know they shall be brought it made them cry out Art thou comâ— to torment us before the time James doth also signifie thus much to us where he saith The Devils also believe and tremble James 2. 19. Which beliefe of theirs is not a believing in Christ to save them for they know he did not take hold on their Nature Heb. 2. but they do beleeve that Christ will come to their everlasting torment and the belief of this doth make these proud Spirits to tremble Again Man at his coming into the world hath this conscience given him which doth convince of sinne John 1. 9. John 8. 9. yet man as he commeth into the world hath not the spirit of Christ in him for that must be received afterward by the preaching of the word which is preached by the Ministers and servants of Jesus Christ. This is Gods usual way to communicate of his spirit into the hearts of his Elect and this is 〈◊〉 in so many words where Peter preaching to a certaine number the Scrpture saith While Peter yet spake these words the holy Ghost oâ— holy Spirit fell on all those that heard the Word And again in Galat. 3. verse 2. 5. compared together Received ye the spirit by the works of the Law saith the Apostle or by the hearing of Faith or the Gospel which is the word of faith preached by us Which Spirit as Christ saith the world cannot receive because it seeth him not nâ—ither knoweth him though his children shall have fellowship with him to the great comfort of their owne souls John 14. 16 17. But now this mercilesse butcherer of men the Devil that he might be sure to make the soule fall short of glory if possible endeavours to perswade the soule that its state is good that it hath the spirit of Christ in it and for a proofe of the same saith he turne thy mind inward and listen within and see if there be not that within thee that doth convince of sin Now the poor soule finding this to be so all on haste if it be willing to professe through ignorance of the Gospel Claps in with these motions of in own conscience which doth command to abstain from this evil and to practice that good which if neglected will accuse and torment for the same neglect of others Rom. 2. 15 both now and hereafter Now the soule seeing that there is something within that convinceth of sinne doth all on a sudden close with that supposing it is the spirit of Christ and so through this mistake is carried away with the teachings and convictions of its owne Conscience being misinformed by the Devil unto the works of the law under which though it work all its dâ—ys and labour with might and maine yet it never will be able to appease the wrath of God nor get from under the curse of the Law nor get from under the guilt of one sinful thought the right way which is to be done by believing what another man hath done by himselfe Heb. 1. 2 3. without us on the crosse without the gates of Jerusalem See for this 1 Pet. 2. 24. Heb. 13. 12. The one saith he bare our sins in his own body on the tree the other saith it was done without the gate And thus the poor soule is most horribly carried away headlong and thrown down violently under the curse of the Law under which it is held all its dayes if God of his meer mercy prevent not and at the end of its life doth fall into the very belly of Hell Again that the Devil might be sure to carry on his design he now begins to counterfeit the work of grace Hence he is very subtil and doth transforme himselfe into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. Now he makes the soule beleeve that he is its friend and that he is a Gospel-Minister and if the soule will but be led by what shall be made known unto it by the light or conscience within it shall not need to fear but it shall do well Now he counterfeits the new Birth perswading them that it is wrought by following the light that they brought into the â—world with them Now he begins also to make them run through difficulties and now like Baals Priests they must lance themselves with knives c. Now they must wear no hatbands now they must live with bread and water now they must give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils which bids them abstaine from marriage and commands them to abstain from meates which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which love and know the truth as in 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. Now they must not speak except their spirit moves them I doe not say the spirit of Christ though when it moves they will speak such sad blasphemies and vent such horrible Doctrines that it makes me wonder to see the patience of God in that he doth not command either the ground to open her mouth and swallow them up or else suffer the Devil to fetch them away alive to the astonishment of the whole world Object But you will say Doth not the Scripture say that it is the spirit of Christ that doth make manifest or convince of sin John 16. 8. Answ. Yes it doth so But for the better understanding of this place I shall lay downe this namely That there are two things spoken of in the Scriptures which doe manifest sin or convince of sin First the Law as saith the Apostle Rom. 3. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in his sight viz. Gods sight For by the Law is the knowledge of sin 2. The Spirit of Christ doth make manifest or reprove of sinne as it is written John 16. 8. 9. And when he the Spirit is come he will reprove the world of sinne of righteousnesse and of judgement of sin because they believe not on me saith the Son of Mary which is Christ. Now the Law doth sometimes by its own power manifest sin without the spirit of Christ as in the case of Judas who was convinced of the sin of marther which made made him cry out I have sinned yet at that time he was so farre from having the spirit of Christ in him that he was most violently possessed of the Devil Luke 22. 3 4. Again Sometimes the spirit of Christ takes the Law and doth effectually convince of sin of righteousnesse and judgment to come Quaer But you will say How should I know whether I am convinced by the Law alone or that the Law is set home effâ—ctually by the
are those in our duâ—es who reject this doctrine that you lay down concerning the Lord Jesus Christ as you lay it down and they are for a Christ within for a cross within for a resurrection and intercession within and they do not hold as you do a Christ without and a resurrection of Christ without and intercession of Christ with uâ— I and they have very much Scripture for that which they say too And therefore what should such as we do that stand tottering and shaking in these distracted and dangerous times for our poor souls are in very much doubt what way to take Ans. Therefore I will speak a few words to you by way of discovery of the falsity of such opinions and a word of direction how you should understand the truth First therefore he that cries up a Christ within in opposition to a Christ without that man instead of having the spirit of Christ in him is possessed with a spirit of delusion for where the spirit of Christ is in truth that spirit causeth the soul to look to the Christ that was born of the Virgin for all justification as it is written Howbeit when he the spirit of truth is come he shall lead you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but what soever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come mark the next verse he saith the son of the Virgin shall take of mine and shall shew unto you Joh. 16. 13 14. he shall take of mine what is that why surely it is he shall take of my Godhead my humanity my birth my righteousness my blood my death my resurrection my ascenâ—ion and intercession my Kingly Priestly and prophetical offices and shall shew you the life merit and value of them And this was it which was revealed to Paul by the holy spirit here spoken of 1 Cor. 15. 1 2. to the 8. Moreover brethren saith he I declare unto you the Gospel which Iâ—p eached unto you which also ye have received and wherein ye stand By which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you unlesse ye have believed in vain But what is this doctrine why I delivered to you first of all that which I also receive â— What was that why How that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures there is his death and resurrection preached And that he was seen of Cephas then of the twelve after that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once of whom the greatest part remain unto this present but some are fallen asleep After that he was seen of James then of all the Apostle And last of all he was seen of me saith Paul as of one born out of due time This is it I say that the spirit of truth doth hold forth to poor sinners a Christ crucified without the gates of Jerusalem Luke 23. 32 33. buried in Josephâ— seâ—ulcher v. 53. risen again the third day Luke 24 6. ascended away from his Disciples in a cloud into heaven as in Act. 1. 9 10 11. And there ever liveth that very man with that very body to make intercession for all that receive him Heb. 7. 24 25. This is I say the doctrine of the spirit of truth whatsoever is the spirit of errour Q. But do not the Scriptures make mention of a Christ within 2 Cor. 13 5. A. Yes And he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8. 9. But he that hath it is led out of himself by it and as I said before it shews the soul what the blessed son of the Virgin Mary hath done and suffered and is a doing for it Therefore hereby know we the spirit of truth from the spirit of errour Every spirit that doth confesse that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God That is that spirit that doth confess that Jesus Christ took flesh upon him and in that flesh did bear our sins 1 Pet. 2. 24. Col. 1. 20 21 22. 1 Pet. 3. 18. 1 Pet. 4. 1. and after he was taken down from the cross and laid in a sepulcher rose again from the dead that very man with that very body wherewith he was crucified That spirit that doth believe and confess this is of God and is the blessed spirit of Christ whereof hâ— spake when he was yet with his Disciples touching his bodily presence for he saith the Son of Mary shall glorifie me for he shall take of Mine and shew it to you Joh. 16. 13 14. I have answered this already in my Epistle to the first treatise Therefore believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God for many false spirits and prophets are gone out into the world therefore have a care how thou receivest the voice that speaks to thee but try whether they are according to the truth of Gods word as it is written To the law and to the testimony if it be not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa. 8. 20. Therefore try a little Doe they flight Gods Christ which is the Son of the virgin that spirit is of the Devil 1 Cor. 12. 3. 2. Doe they say that that blood of his which was shed without the gates of Jerusalem doth not wash away sin yea all sin from him that believes that is a spirit of Antichrist 1 Joh. 1. 7. 3. Doe they say that that man that was crucified without the gates of Jerusalem is not risen again with that verybody wherwith he was crucified out of the Sepulchre Luk. 24. 38 39. That is a Spirit of Antichrist 4. Do they say that that very man that was crucified with that very body is not now in the presence of his father absent from his people touching his bodily presence though present in spirit I say who ever they be that say he is not there they are of the Divel for the proof of this see Acts 5. 30. and 31. and compare it with Heb. 7. 24. 25. The God of our fathers saith the Apostle raised up Jesus But what Jesus Whom ye slew saith he to the Jews Him the very same whom ye slew hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sins And indeed here is my life namely the birth of this man the righteousnesse of this man the blood of this man the death and resurrection of this man the ascension intercession of this man for me and the second comming of this man to judge the world in righteousness Acts 17. 31. I say here is my life if I see this by faith without me through the operation of the spirit within me I am safe I am at peace I am comforted I am encouraged and I know that my comfort peace and encouragement
holiness purity of heart and life Acts 15. 9. purifying their hearts by faith and then the more thou hast of the right faith of Christ and of his things in thy heart the more strong and valiant wilt thou be in spirit to doe any worke private or publick for Jestis Christ like Stephen Acts 6 ver 8. who being full of faith and of the holy spirit was also full of power In this book thou hast also laid down from the Scriptures how Jesus Christ is without the Saints as man and yet dwelleth within them that is somthing of his divine nature or his blessed spirit dwels within them which spirit is somtime called the spirit of Christ. Rom. 8. 9. he that hath not the spirit of Christ c. and sometime called Christ Rom. 8. 10. if Christ be in you c. and also how we may know whether it be Christ and the spirit of Christ within or a false spirit calling it self Christ that is thus if it be indeed Christ within that is the spirit of Christ God-man why then it teaches that man or woman in whom it is to apply and trust in Christ without for Salvation Christ as born of the Virgin Mary as fulfilling the Law without them as dying without the gate of Jerusalem as a sacrifice for sin it teaches them to trust in the man Christ as rising againe out of the grave without them as ascending into and interceding in heaven without for them and as to come from that heaven againe in his flesh to judge the world Thus the man Christ himself saith Joh. 16. 13. When he the spirit of truth is come c. he shall glorifie me v. 14. he shall make you more to prize admire and glorifie me who am both God and man And who shal be absent from you touching my body Then followes For he shall take of mine of my glorious things and shew them to you He shall take my divine and humane Nature my birth my person and offices my obedience death satisfaction my resurrection ascension and intercession and of my second comming in the clouds with my mighty Angels to judgement and shall shew them or cleer them up to you He shall take of my salvation which I have wrought for you in my own person without you And he shall take of my glorie and exaltation in the heavens and shew to you Now to minde this one thing and to be set down in a right understanding of it by the Spirit from the Scriptures will be of great concernment to thee and me for for want of this many professors have split themselves some looking only on what Christ hath done suffered without them resting in an historical traditional and indeed a fancyed faith of it without looking for the Spirit of Jesus Christ to come with power into their hearts without which they cannot rightly know nor rightly believe in Christ the Son of God without them so as to have any share or interest in him Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Others have been depending too much upon somthing they call Christ and the righteousness of Christ within them in opposition to Christ and his righteousnesse without them from which all true saints have their justification and comfort it being received through the operation of the spirit which dwels in them and however these may talk much of Christ within them yet it is manifest that it is not the spirit of Christ but the spirit of the Divel in that it doth not glorifie but sleight and reject the man Christ and his righteousnesse which was wrought without them Reader in this book thou wilt not meet with high-flown aerie notions which some delight in counting them high mysteries but the sound plain common and yet spiritual and and mysterious truths of the Gospel and if thou art a believer thou must needs reckon them so and the more if thou hast not only the faith of them in thy heart but art daily living in the spiritual sence and feeling of them and of thy interest in them Neither doth this Treatise offer to the doubtful controversial things or matters of opinion as some Books chiefly doe which when insisted upon more the weightier things of the gospell have alwayes done more hurt then good but here thou hast things certain and necessary to be believed which thou canst not too much study Therefore pray that thou maiest receive this word which is according to the Scriptures in faith and love not as the word of man but as the word of God without respect of persons and be not offended because Christ holds forth the glorious treasure of the gospel to thee in a poor earthen vessell by one who hath neither the greatness nor the wisdome of this world to commend him to thee for as the Scripture saith Christ who was low and contemptible in the world himself ordinarily chuseth such for himself and for the doing of his work 1 Cor. 1. 26 27 28. Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world c. this man is not chosen out of an earthly but out of the heavenly University the Church of Christ which Church as furnished with the spirit gifts and graces of Christ was in the beginning and still 〈…〉 will be to the end 〈◊〉 the world that out o◠which the word of the Lord and 〈…〉 gospel Ministers 〈◊〉 proceed whether 〈◊〉 or unlearned as to humane learning 1 Cor. 12. 2◠28. And though this man hath not the learning or wisdome of man yet through grace he hath received the teaching of God and the learning of the spirit of Christ which is the thing that makes a man both a Christian and a Minister of the Gospell as Isa. 50. 4. The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned c. compared with Luke 2. 18. where Christ as man saith the spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor c. He hath through grace taken these three heavenly degrees to wit union with Christ the anointing of the spirit and experience of the temptations of Satan which doe more fit a man for that weighty work of preaching the Gospell then all Vniversity Learning and degrees that can be had My end in writing these few lines is not to set up man but having had experience with many other saints of this mans soundnesse in the faith of his godly conversation and his ability to preach the gospel not by humane art but by the spirit of Christ and that with much success in the conversion of sinners when there are so many carnal empty preachers both learned and unlearned I say having had experience of this and judging this Booke may be very profitable to many others as well as to my selfe I thought it my duty upon
Tim. 3. 16. God was manifested in the flesh and 1 Joh. 1. 14. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth And in Heb. 1. 14. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he that is God Heb. 1. 8. also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he must destroy him that had the power of death that is the Divell Now as he was thus true God and true man so he became our redeemer and Saviour Compare the first and second chapters to the Heb. together and you may cleerly see that this is a glorious truth that he who is the first and the last Rev. 1. 17 18. and â— 8. humbled himselfe and made himselfe of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men And was this all No he humbled himself unto death even the death of the crosse Phil. 2. 7 8. compared with Revel 1. 17 18. and Rev. 2. 8. with Gal. 1. 4. Now after this Christ of God true God and true man had wrought out eternal redempâ—ion for us poore miserable sinners Heb. 9. 14. compared with 1 Tim. 1. 15. I say after he had done this he ascended up into heaven and there ever lives to make intercession for us Now this Christ having thus compleatly wrought out our Salvation sends his Disciples abroad to preach the same to poore sinners Acts 2. and 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. 1 Cor. 1. 17. and so many as were ordained to eternal life when they heard the word or the Gospell preached by the Apostles which Gospell was this Christ 1 Cor. 1. 17. compared with ver 23. I say so many as were ordained 〈◊〉 eternal life when they hearâ— the word the Holy Ghost oâ— Spirit of Christ fell upâ—â— them Acts 10. 44. compareâ— with Acts 13. 48. which diâ— lead them into the Redemption and glorious things that the Lord Jesus had laid up and prepared for them Joh. 16. 13. 14 15. 1 Cor. 2. 9. Which Spirit was the earnest of their inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory Eph. 1. 13. 14. This earnest of their inheritance was a glorious encouragment to them that had it to hope for the glory that was revealed at the appearing of Jesus Christ which is the meaning of that place in Col. 1. 27. And that will be seen clearly if we truly compare it with Eph. 1. 13 4. before cited Now this Spirit which sometimes is called the Spirit of Christ 2 Cor. 13. 5. This spirit I say being given to all those that were ordained to eternal life it must neâ—ds follow that those that had not this Spirit but did live and die without it were not ordained to eternal life and so were none of Christs but were reprobates Rom. 8. 9. for the Spirit of Christ is the distinguishing Character betwixt a believer and an unbeliever he that hath it and is led by it is a child of God Rom. â— 14. but he that hath it not is none of Christs So then the Answer that I give to the question is this The Spirit of Christ that is given to believers is the Earnest or hope of that Inheritance that Christ hath already purchased and is now preparing for so many as he hath given or shall give this holy Spirit unto And for the proofe hereof Read Eph. 1. 13 14. In whom saith the Scripture ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gâ—spel of your Salvation 〈◊〉 whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance which inheritance is the eternal redemption that was purchased by Christ for poor sinners Heb. 9. 14. untill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glorie Againe Gal. 5. 5. for ye through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith And Col. 1. 27. the Apostle speaking of this great mystery saith To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this Mysterie among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory which glory was then revealed to the Saints no otherwise then by faith as the Apostle saith We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5. 2. Which hope is begotten by the Spirits shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts ver 5. which hope is not yet seen that is not yet actually enjoyed for we are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it Rom. 8. 24 25. And as I say the cause of believers hope is this Christ or the Spirit of Christ in them the hope of glory And indeed he may well hope for glory to come who hath already an earnest thereof given him of God and that earnest no less than the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Rom. 8. 16 17. But now this Spirit which is the Cause of a believers hope all men have not Jude 19. Eph. 2. 12. Rom. 8. 9. Jo. 14. 16 17. Therefore what a sad doctrine is that which saith follow the light that Christ hath enlightnâ—d every man withall which commeth into the world which light is the Conscience * that convinceth of Sinnes against the Law and that you may see cleerly if you mind that Scripture Jo. 8. 9. which saith that the Pharises which had neither the love of God nor yet his word abiding in them Jo. 5. 38 43. when they had heard Christ speaking thus to them He that is without sin among you c. being convicted by their own Consciences went out one by one beginning at the eldest even to the least But the Divell that he might be sure not to miss of his design labours by all meanes to render the Scriptures also odious and low telling them of the Scriptures within which Christ never taught nor yet his Disciples But they being given up of God to a reprobate minde have given themselves over rather to follow the suggestions of the Divel then the holy Scriptures which God hath commanded us to betake our selves to Isa. 8. 20. compared with Jo. 5. 39. which Scripture is called the sword of the Spirit Eph. 6 17. which weapon our Lord Jesus himselfe held up to overcome the Divell withall Mat. 4. 4 7 10. Luke 4. 4. 8. 12. But this designe as I told you the Divell carries on by pretending to shew them a more excellent way which they may attaine to if they be but wise and follow what is made knowne to them from the light within them But Reader that thou mayest be able to escape the snare of this cunning hunter I shall lay thee downe some few directions which if
Spirit of the Lord Jesus upon my Conscience Answ. Unto this I answer First when the Law doth convince by its own power without the help of the spirit of Christ it doth only convince of sins against the Law as of swearing lying stealing murdering adultery covetousness and the like I say it doth only make manifest sins against the Law pronouncing an horrible curse against thee if thou fulfill it not and so leaves thee but it gives thee no strength to fulfill it compleatly and continually which thou must do if thoâ— wilt be saved thereby Now thy own strenth being insufficient for these things having lost it in Adam thou art a breaker of the Law Here the Law finds thee in the Sins and condemns thee for thy sins but gives thee no power to come wholly out of them neither doth it shew thee thy right Saviour to save thee from them which is the son of the Virgin Mary the Man Christ Jesus but commands thee upon paiâ— of eternal dâ—mnation to continue in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them Gal. 3. 10. And therefore if thou hast been convinced of no other Sins but whâ—t are against the Law for all thy convictions and horrour of Conscience thou mayest be but a Naturalâ—man at the best and so undeâ—â—he curse Gal. 3. 10. But perhaps thou wilt say I am not only convinced of my sins against the law I have also some power against my sins so that I do in some considerable measure abstain from those things that are forbidden in the Law This thou mayest have and do as thou thinkest perfectly as those blinde Pharises called Quakers do think that they also do and yet be but a natural man And therefore I pray consider that place in Rom. 2. 14. the Apostle there speaks on this wise concerning the Gentiles obedience to the law For when the Gentiles which have not the law do by Nâ—ture the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts Which work of the law Christ as he is God hath enlightned every one withall that cometh into the world Joh. 1. 19. which as the Quakers say doth convince of Sin yet of no other than sins against the Law and therefore must needs be all one light or law for the law is light Prov. 6. 23. and gives the knowledge of Sin Rom. 3. 20. And therefore as I said before so say I now again If thy convictions are not other then for the sins against the Law though thy obedience be the strictest that ever was wrought by any man except the Lord Jesus the son of Mary thou art at the best but under the Law and so consequently under the Curse and under the wrath of God Gal. 3. 10. Joh. 3. 36. whether thou believest it or not But now the second thing how thou shouldest know whether the Spirit of Christ doth effectually set home the law upon thy Conscience or not And therefore to speak directly to it If the Spirit of the Lord Jesus the Son of God doth set home the Law effectually then the same Spirit of Christ shewes thee more sin then the Sinnes against the Law For first it shews thee That all thy righteousnesse is but as filthy-rags Isa. 64. 6. Thou seest all thy praying meditation hearing reading almes-deeds fasting reformation and whatsoever else thou hast done doest or canst doe being an unbeliever deserves at the hands of God his curse and condemnation and that for ever And therefore thou art so far from trusting to it that in some measure thou even loathest it and art ashamed of it as being a thing abominable both in Gods sight and thine own Thou countest thy own performances when at best and thine own righteousnesse a bed too short to stretch thy selfe upon and a covering 109 narrow to wrap thy selfe in Isa. 28. 20. And these things thou seest not overly or slightly and as at a great distance but realy and seriously and the sense of them sticks close unto thee Secondly it shews thee that thou hast no faith in the man Christ Jesus by nature and that though thou hadst no other sins yet thou art in a perishing state because oâ— unbelief according to that 16. of John v. 9. of Sin because they believe not on me If therefore thou hast been convinced arighâ— by the Spirit thou hast seen that thou hadst no faith in Christ the Sonne of Mary the Sonne of God before conversion It shews thee also that thou canst not believe in thine owne strength though thou wouldst never so willingly yea though thou wouldst give all the world if thou hadst it to believe thou couldst not In the next place It will shew thee that if thou doest not believe in the Man Christ Jesus And that with the faith of the operation of God thou wilt surely perish and that without remedy Also it shews thee that if thou hast not that righteousnesse which the Man Christ Jesus accomplished in his own person for sinners I say if thou be not clo thed with that in stead of thine owne thou art gone for ever and therefore saith Christ speaking of the Spirit when he is come he shall reprove the world of Sir and of righteousness too That is The Spirit shall convince men and women of the sufficiencie of that righteousness that Christ in his humane nature hath fulfilled So that they need not run to the law for righteousness for Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4. Again if the Spirit of Jesus set eth home the Law upon thy conscience thou wilt freely confesse that although the law curseth condemneth thee for thy sins and gives thee no power either to fulfill it or to come out of thy sins yet God is just in giving that law And the Law is â—oly and the Commandment hol and just and good Rom. 7. 12. Lastly it also convinceth of Judgement to come He viz. the Spirit shall reprove the world of Sin of Righteousnesse yea and of Judgement too Then doth the soul see that that very Man that was borne of the Virgin Mary crucified upon the crosse without the gates of Jerusalem shall so come againe even â—hat same Jesus in like manner as he was seen to go up from his Disciples Yea they that are thus convinced by the Spirit of Christ know that God hath appointed a day in which he will Judge the world in righteousnesse by that Man whom he hath ordained which is the Man Christ Jesus for it is he that is ordained of God to be the Judge of quicke and dead Acts 10. 42. And now O man or woman who ever thou art that art savingly convinced by the Spirit of Christ thou hast such an endless desire after the Lord Jesus Christ that thou canst not be satisfied
the body are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 6. but now if the man Christ were ascended into that heaven within them he would neither be absent from them nor they from him but in that he is absent from them touching his bodily presence and they from him touching the same it is evident that that heaven into which he is ascended must needs be without above the clouds 4 Consider that that heaven into which the man Christ is ascended must contain him till the time of restitution of All things as in Acts 3. 21. into which heaven he hath been ascended above sixteen hundred years by computation And I am sure there is not a Saint that doth live in this world half so long before he fall asleep and be gathered to his fathers so that that heaven into which he is scended is not within but must needs be that above the clouds But 5. Consider that he that ascended from his Disciples was a man with flesh and bones not a spirit only for handle me and sâ—e saith he for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have Luke 24. 39 50 51. verses Now let the Adversaries shew by the Scriptures that there is any place in them called heaven that is able to contain a man of some four or five foot long the space of fifteen or sixteen hundred years besides that therefore it must needs be that heaven without which is above the clouds and Stars 6. Consider That heaven into which the Lord Jesus that man is ascended must not contain him alwaâ—es for saith the Apostle 1 Thes. 4. 16. The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of an Archangel So that there is another descending from that heaven into which he is ascended and his descending from that heaven is to this end namely to take his people to himself as it is v. 17. so that it is clear that it is not any heaven within thee into which the Man Christ that was born of the Virgin Mary is ascended but it must needs be that heaven without which is above the clouds 1. If thou consider that the place into which he is ascended even the heaven into which he is entred is the same place where all the the deceased Saints are in their Spirits Therefore saith Paul I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is better Now Paul did not in this place Pâ—il 1. 23. mean the enjoying of Christ only in the spirit for that he enjoyed in a great measure when he spake these words but he speaks of a dying and a being with Christ after this life is ended as is clear if you compare the 20 21 22 23 24. 25 and 26 verse together being absent from him while he was here in the bâ—dy 2 Cor. 5. 6. for whilst at homâ— in the body we are absent from the Lord. So that that heaven into which the Man Christ is ascended is not into his Church on earth but into heaven without above the clouds and the Stars And this David doth propheâ—ie of Psal. 47. 5. where he saith God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet Now Christ as God meerly could not go up being no lesse in one place then in another but as God man or in his humane nature he went up as will clearly appear Epes 4 8 9 10. where he speaketh of his triumâ—h over all the enemies of his people at his resurrection and ascension into heaven above the clouds 8. When Christ doth descend from that heaven into which he is now ascended his Saints and he will meet one another just in the air according to the Scripture 1 Thes. 4. 16 17. for saith he the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first that is they shall come out of their graves and then we which shall be saved alive at that day and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Pray mark here a little and see what heaven the man Christ is ascended into and see if it be not the heaven without above the Sun Moon and Stars When Christ and his Saints do meet the second time together the one ascends and the other descends the one is caught up in the clouds towards heaven the other descends from heaven towards the earth and they must needs meet one another just in the air that is between the heaven and the earth So then the one coming from heaven and the other from the earth and their meeting being in the air which is between heaven and earth is an undeniable demonstration that that heaven into which the man Christ is ascended must needs be that heaven without above the Sun Moon and Stars And thus much touching the Son of Mary his ascending up into the heaven without above the clouds Acts 1. 9 10 11. Acts 3. 21 1 Pet. 3 22 In the next place Now I shall prove the intercession of the man Christ Jesus to be in the heaven that I have been speaking of though some have mocked at it and others have called it jugling whose names here I shall not mâ—ntion only I shall admonish them that they doe not blaspheme the truth and Sonne of God in his intercession I shall quote some of the Scriptures that hold out this truth and so passe on And first of all see Psal. 16. 4. where David prophesying of the intercession of Christ saith their sorrowes shall be multiplyed that husten after another God speaking of the wicked their drink offerings of blood will I not offer nor take up their names into my lips Now compare this with Heb. 8. 4. where he saith If he were on earth he should not be a Priest And Heb. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands meaning the temple which Solomon built which are figures of the true but into heaven it selfe now to appear in the presence of God for us Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them Heb. 7. 25 But you will say is there a man made mention of here Yes for the Scripture saith Ther is one God and one Mediatour between God and men the Man Christ Jesus And in that 8. to the Heb. made mention of before where the Apostle is speaking of Christs priestly office as he is in the heavens compared with other Priests that are on earth he saith v. 3. for every high Priest is ordained to offer gifts and Sacrifices wherefore speaking of Christ it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer For if he were on earth he should not be a Priest seeing there
the Lord give thee grac◠to follow thou shalt escape these wicked delusions And first of all I admonish thee to be very serious touching thine estate and condition and examine thine own heart by the rule of the word of God whether or no thou hast as yet any beginnings of desiring after religion and if thou findest that thou hast lived untill now in ignorance and hast not set thy selfe to remember thy Creator as thou art commanded Eccles. 12. 1. then I beseech thee consider that thou art under the wrath of Almighty God and hast been so ever since thou camest into the world Eph. 2. 1 2. being thou in thy first parents didst transgress against thy Maker Rom. 5. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one that is of Adam ver 14. judgement came upon all men unto condemnation Besides the many sins thou hast committed ever since thou wast born Sins against the Law of God and sinnes against the Gospell of the grace of God Sins against the long suffering and forbearance of God and sins against his judgements Sins of Omission and sins of Commission in thoughts words and actions Consider I say thy condition yea get a very great sense of thy sins that thou hast committed and that thou mayest so doe Beg of God to convince thee by his holy Spirit not only of sins against the Law but also of that damning sin the sin of unbeliefe 2. If thou by grace art but brought into such an estate as to see thy selfe in a lost Condition because of sin without the Lord Jesus then in the next place have a care of resting on any dutie done though it be never so specious I say have a care of making any stay any where on this side the Lord Jesus Christ but above all strive to believe that that very man that was borne of the Virgin Mary did come into the World on purpose to save thee as well as other poore sinners I say thou must not be content till thou art enabled to say He loved me and gave himselfe for me And that thou mayest be sure to attaine to this most precious faith for so it is be much in applying the freest promises to thy own soule yea those that have no conditions annexed to them as these or other like Jer. 3. 3. Jer. 3 Joh. 6. 37. also Jo. 14. 19. Hos. 14. 4. I say labour to apply to thy owne soule in particular the most glorious and freest promises in the book of God And if at any time the divell besets thee by his temptations for so is his wonted manner to doe and so much the more as he sees thee labour to get out of his reach I say when he 〈◊〉 thee with his fierie darts be sure to act faith on the most free promises and have a care that thou doest not enter into any dispute with him but rather resist him by those blessed promises that are laid down in the word of God And withall be sure to meditate upon the blood of the Man Christ Jesus who also is the true God and read those Scriptures that doe most fully and cleerly speak of it as 1 Joh. 1. 7. Eph. 1. 7. Heb. 9. 14 Rom. 3. 25. But if thou say as it is often the speech of poore soules lying under a sence of Sin the apprehensions of wrath due to it I cannot apply the promises to mine own soule and the reason is because my sins are so great and so many Consider and know it for a truth that the more and greater thou seest thy sins to be the more cause hast thou to believe yea thou must therefore believe because thy sinnss are great David made it an encouragement to himselfe or rather the Spirit of the Lord made it his encouragement to crave yea to hope for pardon because he had greatly transgressed Psal. 25. 11. For thy Name sake O Lord saith he pardon mine iniquitie for it is great As if he had said O Lord Thy name wil be more glorified the riches of thy grace wil be more advanced thy Mercy and goodness will more shine and be magnified in pardoning me who am guiltie of great iniquitie than if thou pardonest many others who have not committed such hainous offences And I dare say the reason why thou believest not is not because thy sins are great but because thou doest reason too much with that wicked enemie of mans salvation and givest way too much to the fleshly reasoning of thine own heart For Christ hath said he that commeth unto me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6. 37. And againe Though thy sins be as red as scarlet they shall be as white as snow Jsa 1. 18. And Christ calleth those that labour and are heavy laden to come to him with promise to give them rest Mat. 11. 28. Wherefore thou must not say my sins are too big but thou must say because I am a great sinner yea because I have sinned above many of my companions and am nearer to Hell and eternal damnation than they because of my sins therefore will I crie unto the Lord and say O Lord Pardon my sins for they are great Now that thou mayest not be deceived in a matter of so great concernment have a special care of these three things First have a care of putting off thy trouble of Spirit the wrong way which thou mayest doe three wayes First when thy Conscience flieth in thy face and tells thee of thy sins thou doest put off convictions the wrong way if thou doest stop thy Conscience by promising to reform thy selfe and lead a new life and gettest off thy guilt by so doing For though thou mayest by this meanes still and quiet thy conscience for a time yet thou canst not hereby satisfie and appease the wrath of God Yea saith God to such though thou wash thee with Nitre and take thee much Sope yet thine iniquitie is marked before me Jer. 2. 22. 2. If when thou art under the guilt of thy sins thou puttest off convictions by thy performances or duties and so satisfiest thy Conscience then also thou doest put off thy Convictions the wrong way For God will not be satisfied with any thing lesse then the blood righteousness resurrection and intercession of his own Son Acts. 4. 12. and thou shouldest not satisfie thy self with any less then God would have thee to satisfie thy selfe withall and that is the water of life Jsa 55. 1 2. which water of life thy duties and all thy righteousness is not for it is but menstruous ragges Jsa 64. 6. 3. Have a care that when thou art under conviction thou doest not satisfie thy self with a notion of the free grace of the Gospel My meaning is doe not content thy selfe with any measure of knowledge that thou canst attain unto or bottome thy peace upon it thinking thou art now well enough because thou canst speak much of the grace of God and his love in Christ to
blood there was no remission Secondly seeing Jesus Christ â—he son of the virgin Mary was and is the Christ of God and that Salvation came in alone by him for there is salvation in no other Acts 4. 12. then how are they deceived that think to obtain salvation by following the Convictions of the Law which they call Christ though falsely when alas let them follow those convictions that do come from the law and conscience set on worke by it I say let them follow all the Convictions that may be hinted in upou their Spirits from thaâ— law they shall never be able to obtaine salvation by their obedience to it for by the law is the kuowledge of sin Rom. 3. 20. And It is not of workes least any man should boast as those fond Hypocrites called Quakers would do And again If righteousness comes by the law then Christ iâ— dead in vaine Gal. 2. 21. Buâ— that no man is justified by the workes of the law it is evident for the just shall live by faith Gal. 3. 10. Which living by faith is to apply the Lord Jesus Christ his benefits as birth righteousnesse death blood resurrection ascension and intercession with the glorious benefits of his second comming to me as mine being given to me and for me and thus much doth the Apostle signiâ—ie saying The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God whe loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2. 20. Againe Seeing Gods Christ which was with him before the world was John 17. ver 5. took upon him flesh and blood from the Virgin Mary who was espoused to Joseph the Carpenâ—er and in that humane nature yielded himself an offering for sin for it was the body of his flesh by which sin was purged Col. 1. 22. I say seeing the son of God as he was in a body of flesh did bring in salvation for sinners and by this meanes as I said before we are saved even by faith in his blood righteousness resurrection c. How are they then deceived who own Christ no otherwise then as he was before the world began who was then without flesh and blood for he took that in time of the virgin Gal. 4. 4. Heb. 2. 14. I say they are wickedly deluded who own him no otherwise but as he was before the world was For in their owning of him thus and no otherwise they do directly deny him to be come in the flesh and are of that Antichristian party which John speaks of Joh. 4. 3. v. Every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the 〈◊〉 is not of God and this is that sprit of Antichrist whereof you have heard that it should come and even now already it is in the world Now because the enemy doth most notably wrest this Scripture as they do others to their own damnation I shall speak something to it and therefore when he saith every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God his meaning is Every spirit that doth not confesse that that Christ that was with the father before the world was did in the appointed time of the father come into the World took on him a body from the virgin and was very man as well as very God and in that body of flesh did do and suffer whatsoever belonged to the sons of men for the breach of the holy law of God and impute his glorious righteousnesse which he fulfilled in that body of his flesh to the soules that shall believe 〈◊〉 what he hath done and is a doing in the same body And that this is the mind of the Spirit of God consider First he himself saith handle me and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have when his disciples had thought he had been but a spirit Luke 24 39 40. Now that in this flesh he died for sins consider secondly that Scripture which saith Who his own selâ— that is the Christ that was born of the Virgin did bear our sins in his own body on the tree See Col. 1. 22. in the body of his flesh saith he to present you holy and unblameable unreproveable in his sight Now that he arose again from the dead with the body of flesh wherewith he was crucified consider that forenamed Scripture Luke 24. 39 40. spoken after his resurrection Now that he went away with the same body from them into heaven consider that it is said And he led them out as farre as Bethany and he lift up his hands blessed them it came to pass while he blessed them he was carried from them carried into heaven Lu. 24. 50 51. This is the meaning of those words therefore Jesus Christ is come into the flesh that is Jesus Christ hath come in the flesh that he took of the Virgin hath brought us who were enthralled to the law the divel and sin to liberty and that by his obedience and death For asmuch then aâ—â—h children were 〈◊〉 of flesh and blood saith the Scripture he Christ also himself took part of 〈◊〉 same Wherefore that though death 〈…〉 desirâ—y him 〈◊〉 had the power of 〈◊〉 that is the devill and deliver them who through feare of death were all their time subject to 〈◊〉 Heb. 3. 14 15. For he was delivered for our offerâ—es and was raised again for our justification Rom 4. 25. For he even that man through the power of the eternal Spirit did offer up himself without spot to God and thereby oâ— by that offering obtained eternall redemption for us Heb. 9 12 14. And therefore I say again and again look to your selves that you receive no Christ except Gods Christ for he is like to be deceived that will believe every thing that calls it selfe a Christ. For mâ—â—y saith he shal â—ome in my name and shall deceiue many Matth. 24. 5. Now having spoken thus much touching the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ I shal according to the assiistance of the Lord Jesus proceed and shall speak somthing of his Godhead Birth Death Resurrection Ascension and Intercession together with his most glorious and personal appearing the second time which will be to raise the dead and bring every work to judgment Eccles. 12. 14. ANd first I shall shew you that he is very God Co-eternal and also Co-equal with his Father 2. That by this Son of Mary which is equal with his Father the world was made 3. That he in the fulnesse of time was made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them them that were or are under the Law that is was borne of a woman And in our nature for he made himselfe of no reputation and took on him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men and in our stead he did fulfill the Law in point of Justification Rom. 10. 4. and was crucified for our
then thou art one of those that will fall in the judgement except thou art born again and made a new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. But secondly thou thinkest that thou hast been born again 't is well if thou hast but least thou shouldst deceive thy poor soul I pray thee consider when did the spirit of the Lord Jesus shew thee that thou hadst no faith in thee by nature and when did the spirit of Christ convince thee of sin because thou didst not believe in him It may be thou hast been convinced of sins against the Law by the Law and thy own conscience as the Pharisees were Joh. 8. 9. and Rom. 3. 20. I but when didst thou see thy self a lost creature for want of faith in the son of Mary if not thou hast not yet been savingly convinced by the spirit of Christ for that when it convinceth effectually of sin it convinceth of unbeliefe though thou hast been never so much convinced of sins against the Law if thou hast not seen thy self under the power and dominion guilt and punishment of â—in because thou didst not believe in Christ thou hast not yet been savingly convinced for that 's one work of the spirit to convince of sin because they believe not on me saith Jesus the Son of Mary who was espoused to Joseph the Carpenter But on the contrary dost thou not say in thy heart thou never hadst thy faith to seek but hast alway believed with as good a faith as any one alive If so then know for certain that thou hast no faith of the operation of God in thee according to Gods ordinary working and if so then know that if the Son of man should come to judge the world at this moment of time that thou with all thy faith thou thinkest thou hast wouldst fall in the judgement 2 Thes. 2. 12. 3. Art thou born again then thou seest that thy great sin was want of faith in the Son of Mary Then thou seest that it is he that was sent of God to die for the sins of the world Jâ—h â— 19 Jo. 3. 16 17 18 19. Act 13 38 39. and that thou art compleat in him without any works of the Law Rom. 4. 4. theâ— thou rejoycest in Christ Jesus and puttest no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3. 3. yet thou rejoycest in the flesh and blood of the son of Mary knowing that his flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed Joh. 6. 55. out of which thou wouldst very willingly make thy life all thy daies out of his birth obedience death resurrection ascension and glorious intercession now at the right hand of his father Heb. 7. 24 25. but if thou art wavering in these things know that thou art but a babe at the best and for ought thou knowest God maycut thee off in thy unbelief and cast thee into utter darkness where there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth 4. Art thou born again then thou seest all true peace and joy comes through the blood of the son of Mary and his righteousnesse as in Rom. 7. 24. 1 Cor. 15. 57. there are many poor souls that are taken with raptures of joy and false conceited consolation Joh. 16 20. which doth come from the Divel and their own deceitful hearts but their joy shall be turned into mourning and sorrow of heart Luke 6. 24 25. but thou that art a Christian indeed and not in word onely rejoycest in Christ Jesus the son of Maâ—y yea though now you see him not yet believing you rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. And these two things are the fruits of thy faith and of thy joy 1. The Lord Jesus Christ is very precious unto thee 1 Pet. 2. ver 7. 2. Thou dost purifie thine heart by this faith and the power of the spirit of Christ which thou hast received into thy soul Rom. 8. 13. Acts 15. 9. and 1 Joh. 3. 3. but if thy guilt of sin goes off and convictions go off any other way then by the blood and righteousness of the man Christ Jesus thy guilt goes off not right but wrong and thy latter end will be a very bitter end without faith and repentance for it is his blood through which all true peace comes Col. 1. 20. and there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we should be saved but by the Lord Jesus of Nazareth Acts 4. ver 10 11 12. compared together 5. Art thou borne againe Then thou canst not be quiet till thou doest see God lift up the light of his Countenance upon thee yea thou hast such a desire after the light of Gods countenance that all the glory riches honour pleasure profits c. of this world will not satisfie till thou doest see God to be a reconciled father to thee in the Lord Jesus Christ as it is Psal. 4. 6. Joh. 14. 8. Ps. 35. 3. then thou wilt not be quiet till thou doest hear from the son of Mary which is the Lord of glory 1 Cor 2. 8. such a voice as this Son be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee and My grace is sufficient for thee But if thou canst content thy selfe with any thing below this thou wilt when all comes to all be found but a rotten-hearted professor who wilt have thy portion among the slothfull ones who will fall in the judgement of the son of Man when he comes in flaming fire with his mighty Angels 2 Thes. 1. 8. 6. Art thou borne againe Then thou knowest that God hath given thee thy faith that thou hast in his son then thou art able to say through grace there was a time in which I had no faith there was a time in which I could not believe in the son of God for eternal life But Gâ—d who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved me even when I was dead in sins and unbelief which is the greatest hath quickned me together with Christ by grace I am saved Eph. 2. 4 5. through faith v. 8. 7. Art thou borne againe Then thou knowest that the doctrine of the Son of God the son of Mary is a right doctrine which is this First that the Son of God which was with his Father before the world was Joh. 1. 1. John 17. 5. came into the world in the fulnesse of time and was made in the likenesse of Men Phil. 2. 7. being made of a woman or virgin made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law Gal. 4. 4. And that was done in this wise What the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh that is through our flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that is condemned him in the flesh for the sins of poor sinners For this compare Rom. 8. 3. and 2 Cor. 5. 21. with Gal. 3. 13. and it will appeare
The Lord of that of these servants shall come in a day when they look not for him and in an hour that they are not aware of and shall cut them asunder appoint them their portion with hypocrites and there shall be weeping and gnashin of teeth 5. Then what doth this speak to the Lords own people surely this that they should be in a watchful posture Mark 13. 37. Watch therefore over your own hearts least they should be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkeness and the cares â—f this life and so that day come upon you unawares for as a snare shall it come upon all the dwelleâ—s upon the face of the earth as it is in Luke 21. 34 35 36. 2. Watch over the Devils temptations Oh have a care in the first place least by any meanes as the Serpent beguiled Eie so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ And the rather because at this day he is very busie with his doctrines and his ministers trying all waies if by any means he might deceive you with fair speeches and inticing carriages with a fair shew in the flesh yet denying the Lord and refusing to be justified by the blood of Jesus the son of Mary the son of God Watch I say over the Divel touching doctrines for he labours as much this way as any way for he knows if he can but get you to lay a rotten foundation he is sure of you live as godly in your conceit as you will and therefore it is worth your observation in that 24 of Mâ—â— when Christ is speaking of the signs of his coming he breaks forth with a warning word to his Disciples to beware of false teachers ver 4. the very first words that he answers to a question that his Disciples put to him is this Take heed that no man deceive you Again ver 11. And many false Prophets shall arise and shall deceive many And in ver 24. he saith again for there shall come or arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew signs and wonders in somuch that if it were pâ—ssible they should deceive the very elect 3. Take heed that he doth not deceive you in point of worship that he make you not slight any of the ordinances of God for if he do he will quickly make way for another temptation 4. Take heed that you also have not your lamps to trim when the bridegroom comes if you have you many paradventure be ashamed and blush before him at his coming 1 Jo. 2 last ver Therefore content not your selves with a profession of Christ and no more for the divel may deceive yea doth deceive a professing people many time And if he will deceive a professing generation he must come in this manner first under the name Christ secondly with a fair shew in the flesh of outward holinesse Gal. 6. 12. Thirdly he must come with good words and fair speeches Rom. 16. 18. Now though he come to drunkards swearers whoremongers theives liars murderers and covetous persons in his black colours yet if he will come to deceive a profeâ—sing party he must appear like an Angel of light And the reason why souls are deceived by him in these his appearances is because they are not able to distinguish betwixt the Law and the Gospel the convictionâ— of conscience by the Law only and convictions by the spirit but do though they professe the Lord Jesus give eare to every wind of doctrine and being unstable as Peter saith do fall into the temptations of the Divel in wresâ—ing the Scripture to their own destruction 2. Pet. 3. 16. In a word you that have not yet laid hold on the Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life lay hold upon him upon his righteousnesse blood resurrection ascension intercession and wait for his second coming to judge the world in righteousness Acts 17. 31. And you that have laid hold I say to you lay faster hold on your Lord Jesus Who so hath â—ares to hear let him hear Matth. 13. 43. Now that thou mayst the more clearly understand my faith in the doctrine of Gods dear son I have thought good to hold forth again the doctrine in the former Treatise by way of Question and Answer as followeth Qu. Seeing there are many 〈◊〉 Christs gone out into the world according as was prophesied of in former times Mat. 24. 5 23. by the Lord himself And seeing if we be saved we must be saved by a Christ for he that misses of him saith the Scriptures cannot be saved because there is no way to come to the father but by him as it is written Joh. 14. 6. Acts 4. 12. How therefore is the knowledge of the true Christ to be attained unto that we may be saved by him Answ. Indeed to know Christ Gods Christ is as the Scripture saith the one thing necessary Luke 10. 42. without which all other things will avail nothing And therefore I shall according to the Scriptures first tell you what Gods Christ is and secondly how the knowledge of him is attained unto And therefore first Gods Châ—ist is true God and true man That he is true God is manifest by that Scripture in Isaiah 9 6 where it is said to us a child is born to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellour the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace also 1 Joh. 5. 20. And we are in him that is true saith the Apostle even in his son Jesus Christ this is true God and eternal life see Heb. 1. 8. Joh. 1. 12. Rom. 9. 5. Joh. 20. 28. But Secondly that he is 〈◊〉 Man see again Isa. 9. 6. where it is said Vnto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and compare it with Mat. 1. 21. where it is said And she shalt bring forth a Son and thou shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins see John 1. 14. And the word was made flesh 1. Tim. 3. 16. God was manifested in the flesh These two Scriptures are expounded by Heb. 2. 14. where it is said Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise tooke part of the same that is of flesh and blood see Rom. 8. 3. and compare it with Luke 24. 39. where Christ saith Behold my hands and my feet that it is I my selfe handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see â—e have And he doth often call himself by the name of the Son of Man Mat. 24. Mat. 16. 13. to signifie that he is very man as well as very God Qâ— But why was he true God and true man Answ. He was true man because man had offended and Justice required that man should suffer and make satisfaction and so it is written 1 Cor. 1 5. 21. For since by man came death by man
Answ. First from that Scripture in Luke 24. 37 38 39 40. where Christ himselfe after â—he was crucified appeared to his Disciples who having seen him supposed they had seen a Spirit But he said Why are ye troubled and why doe thoughts arise in your hearts behold my hand and my feet that it is I my selfe and doe not think you see a spirit handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have This he spake after he was crucified Luke 23. 33. and buried v. 53. and rose againe from the dead chap. 24. 6 7. Many other Scriptures could I give for the proof hereof as Acts 10. 39 40 41 42. And Acts 13. 28 29 30 31. 1 Thess. 1. 10. only read Acts 2. 29 30 31. where the Apostle proveth the same bringing in the words of the Prophet David for a testimony thereof saying He being a Prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loynes according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his Throne saith he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soul was not left in hell neither his flesh did see corruption Mark it his flesh did see no corruption v. 31. But if he had not risen againe his flesh had seen corruption But he rose again from the dead that very man that very body for his flesh did see no corruption Q. Why did he rise againe from the dead with that very body Answ. 1. Because it was not possible he should be holden of death 2. Because in his humane nature he suffered for sin and if he had not recovered himselfe from that very curse even from under death and all other things that lay on him which he had through the sins of his children subjected himselfe unto he had not overcome sin hell death the law and the devil but had been overcome by them and if so then had not redemption been obtained for sinners for it was at his resurrection from the dead that God said unto him Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee As saith the Apostle And we declare unto you glad tidings how that the promise made unto the Fathers God had fulfilled the same unto us their children in that he hath raised up Jesus again as it is written in the second Psal. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thâ—e Acts 13 30 31 32 33 34 35. And it is this namely the resurrection of that man from the dead that doth give us ground of hope as in 1 Pet. 1. 3. where he saith He hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from 〈◊〉 dead 3. Because God intends to redeem the bodies of his Saints out of their graves in which they have lien many a yeare John 5. 28 29. Rom. 8. 23. 1 Cor. 15. 52. and to possesse them with his own glory and when this comes to passe then shall that Scripture be fulfilled that saith He shall change our viâ—â— body that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body according to the working of his mighty power whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3. 21. And he hath given us assurance thereof in that he hath raised up Jesus our Lord again from the dead Acts 17. 31. Q. But doe you think that these our bodies that we doe carry about with us in this world after that they are dead and buried and rotten shall rise again out of those graves into which they are laid when the Scripture saith flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Answ. Flesh in Scripture is taken more wayes then one as first it is taken for the workes of the law where the Apostle saith Received ye the spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of faith Are ye so foolish having begun in the spirit are ye made perfect by the flesh By flesh here he meanes the Law as is clear if you compare Gal. 3. v. 2. 3. with v. 10 11. 12. Again sometimes flesh is taken for sinnes Rom. 8. 1. 5. And sometimes is is taken for the bodies of the Saints * as subject to distempers to pain sicknesse corruptions to death by reason of sinne * 2 Cor. 4. 11. 2 Cor. 7. 5. Now the Apostle in that place where he saith flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdome of Heaven or of God his meaning is sinful flesh and blood or the sin with any imperfection that is in the bodies of the Saints shall not inherit the Kingdome and that you shall find to be the mind of the holy Ghost if you read with understanding the latter end of the same verse where he saith Neither doth corruption inherit incorruption That is sin or any imperfection of the body shall not inherit eternal life for saith he in ver 53. This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality Mark here I pray you though he saith flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God yet he saith this corruptible must put on incorrution For the Trump shall blow and the dead shall be raised as Christ saith they that are in the graves shall hear his voiâ—e John 5. 28. and shall come forth of their graves incorruptible 1 Cor. 15. 52. and shall all appeare before the judgement-seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 12. 1â— 13. See also that Scripture Phil. 3. 20. 21 where the Apostle saith He waited for Christ the Saviour from Heaven And what shall he doe when he comes Why He shall change our vile body Mark it it must be our vile body that must be changed But if it be changed then how can it be the same Not the same in respect of sinne or bodily infirmities but the very same in respect of substance For saith he it is our vile body that must be changed And it the very same it shall be fashioned like to his glorious body And if you ask how is it possible that this should be done he answers according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3. 21. Q. But do you think this is certain methinks the Scriptures semingly hold forth so much yet I cannot believe it for it is contrary to all reason A. Truly the Scriptures do not only hold forth so much seemingly but they do most really and plainly hold out these things to all those that have received the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ. For it is it and it alone that can reveal these things For no man knows the things of God but the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. Now if thou wouldst know these things thou must first receive the spirit of the son of God without which thou canst not know so much as one of the fundamental truths of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Q. But there