a mystery to all naturall men and worthy to be looked into and known of all the sonnes and daughters of Syon 1 Iohn 3.1 2 3. Behold what manner of love is this that we sh uld be called the sonnes of God 2. Relation of Christ and so of the Saints as of sons so of a spirituall union with God not onely a union by way of peace but a union of Spirit thus was the Father and the Son one Iohn 14.10 11 Iohn 10.30 I and the Father are one And thus are all the Saints one in the Father and 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 Wisdome and understanding the spirit of counsell and might the spirit of knowledge and the feare of the Lord. And this was fulfilled when Christ was baptized Matth. 3.16 Iohn 1.22 23. Of this spirit are the Saints made partakers Iohn 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 cannot receive This Spirit of Christ or this spirituall anoynting 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 dwels spiritually in all the Saints Christ is in you except yee bee reprobates Therefore it concernes all who professe themselves to bee Christians to examine themselves It is much to bee feared that there are exceeding many carnall Christians I mean that bear the name of Christians and that in a more than 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 and if Christ be in you you shall be sensible of it Never a soule wherein Christs dwels but is sensible of its own 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 annoyntings and the annoyntings that ye have received shall teach you all things 1 Iohn 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 annointed with the holy spirit and with power Act. 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 he 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 Sainâ—s 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 Sons and Daughters of Syon with relation to affâ—ictions either externall or internall they stand not in their own strength they are not founded upon their own 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 affâ—iction to uphold them to comfort them to carry them through in his bosome If the Saynts were but sensible of this truth that the power of God is for them it is that would exceedingly helpe them against the feare of faâ—ling 2. Consider this might be a warning to the Saints to take heede of acting in their own 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 wisdome the wisdome of God is become the Saints wisdom 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 wi doÌ„e according to his humane nature so that here dwelt in him as you have hâ—aâ—d formerly a humane perfection in this par icular but the second Adam Christ was not onely made partaker of the guifts of wisdome but he was the very wisdome of the Father he was both the power and the wisdome of God he had the spirit of wisdome powred down upon him he dwelt in the Fathers bosome and lived in the knowledge of the whole Councel of God and from hence he never did his own will but the will of the Father and as Christ so all the Saints are made one in this wisdome Christ who is the wisdome of God is made unto us wisdome 1 Cor. 1.30 not onely by way of imputation but by the operation of the same spirit who dwells as truly in every beleever as in Christ and as the wisdome 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 wisdome this wisdome destroyes that wisdome 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 a-working this sets the creature a beleeving that wisdome carried on the creature in its own power this spirituall wisdome sets the creature out of himselfe in the power of God that wisdome carried on the creature to the answering of God in the letter and yet in all comes short this wisdome carries 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 helpe to the knowledge of
all his spiritual Ones after him unto the same perfection into the same glory Object If this be the Gospel in the Spirit to know Christ no more after the flesh and to live in the spirit to look upon Christ as the way in the flesh into the spirit or holyest where he is then what need of faith so much spoken of in the Scripture the just shall live by faith and We are justifiâ—d by faith c. Answ 1. Faith may be acted not only on Christ dying upon the Crosse but in Christ living in the soule that is my beleeving that Christ is spiritually formed in me as wel as that he hath dyed for me that I am justified in the spirit as wel as in the flesh faith hath the same object in the spirit as in the flesh to beleeve that Christ lives spiritually in the soule and that it shal bee 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 wil bee 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 discovery 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 he would be ready to be lifted up above measure Experience teacheth us as much ready to look upon all knowledge and enjoyment beleeve it to be nothing but carnal therefore he brings down Paul that he might exercise faith and live upon grace as well as others My grace is sufficient for thee My strength shall be perfected in thy weaknesse 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 spiirit but when we are absent from the body we are at home in the Lord in the spirit 3. There is a continuall use of Faith and that of the most spirituall Christian with relation to the perfection of our eternall injoyments for the Saints do not onely injoy a onenesse 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 and made like unto his glorious body 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 one Incorruption and Mortall shall put on Immortality When this naturall body shall become spirituall then shall be fully injoyed what hath been by faith believed and by hope expected and of this hath the spirituall Christian a taste in the spirituall injoyment of God here although not as then so fully swallowed up in that glory Obj. But it seemes that Christ in the flesh is the way to Justification and glory the way into the holyest which is heaven it selfe where none shall enter till they are changed but Christ who is entred already Heb. 9.24 Answ True Christ is entred into heaven it selfe onely in perfection but beleevers they enter likewise in part viz. when they are got within the veil that is to say the flesh then they see into the spirituall mystery and mansions of glory unconceivable and indeed un-utterable as the Apostle saith and desire to live continually within the veil if it might be while they are here yet they are raysed 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 Spiriâ— 2 Cor. 3.14 So is the Gospel in the flesh a veil to the Gospel in the Spirit a veil through which and within which all the Saints by degrees shall fully enter Qu. What is the difference between the Law and the Gospel Answ The difference is both in the Letter and in the Spirit the Gospel in the Spirit is the substance of that righteousnesse spiritually included in the Law as the Type Image or Character of that spirituall substance the Saynts are partakers of Hence it is often called the Law in the Spirit the Letter killeth the Spirit giveth life and 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 Gospel and this is glorious for the letter of the law required a righteousnesse that was broken death ceiseth on all by that meanes the Gospel 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 Gospel fulfills the Rule Mat. 5.28 The Law requires a righteousnesse The Gospel fulfills that righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 The Law was the administration of death the Gospel the administration of life Qu. Is not the Law in the Letter a Rule to beleevers 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 farre as we are in the flesh I meane in the knowledge of Christ after the flesh but as God writes his Lawes in the heâ—ris 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 himselfe guiding him in the way of holinesse and so that Scripture is made good 1 John 3. The annoyntings 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 Jesus to presse forward after this knowledge and injoyment of God in the Spirit this was Paules resolution who had tasted of the spiritual discoveries of God as deeply as any to presse forward after perfection Phil. 3. Forgetting things that are behinde not alwayes living below The effects of it will prove very glorious 1. It is that by which you shall be able with the more evidence of light and truth to judge 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 Leter 1 Cor. 3.3 whereas there are among you divisions and strife are ye not carnall and walke as men Those divisions and that strife amongst the Saints about things in the Leâ—ter argue that they are exceeding carnall but this knowledge of God in the Spirit will as a mighty Guâ—â—e swallow up all those litterall differences and put an end to all strife both among particular Saints and in the Nations Esa 2.2.3.4 When once the Mountaine of the Lords House which is his Saints comes to be established on the topp of all Mountaines and Hills that is in the spirituall injoyment of God above all carnall and flâ—shly 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 SECTION VIII The matter of the Church what THE Church of Christ may be considered either as more generall or more particular 1. More general 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 general or universal Church the whole body of Saints in the Spirit called the mysticall body of Christ because of their spiritual 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 comâ— to Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels and to the generall assembly or Church of the first borne and written in heaven and to the spirits of just men made pâ—rfect this is the Church that shall be made one in glory he generall assembly of Saints the spiits 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 will 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 Gospel walking in the injoyment of Ordinances taking particular care of each other and building up each other in the faith of this Church we shall reade frequent 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 fellowships amongst Saints is not of God for God is love they who dwell in God dwell in â—ove it is that will increase love and this is the more excellent way and that which in conclusion will swallow up all differences yet one thing is much to be desired that is that there might be a generall union amongst the Saints that those who are spirituall might not be divided in spiritual Communion because of some litterall differences about the use of ordinances and the like Oh that the Lord would helpe us to beare with each other in such things why cannot Saints in 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 leade them up to himselfe in the Spirit and what if some injoy God gloriously in the Spirit without these and we finde them spiritual 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 carnal for any Saints to walke 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 practise and use of Ordinances a third sort there are that would submit to Ordinances but want Administrators and this is more carnal than ether of the former because they expect that to be in a creature which is onely in God but here should be a learning 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 is the most carnal 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 spirituall apprehension of the Gospel and the end of Gospel-Ordinances yet it should be the wisdome of those taught from above to own any thing of God where-ever they finde it and although it is true there cannot be a Communion with
prelaticall shape rather then loose his Rule and credit amongst the sons of men if once prelacy grow out of date he can change himselfe into other shapes if ten hornes be too heavy to be borne he will be content to weare but two like a Lambe rather then none at all Qu. Why is Sathan called a Serpent Answ Because in his first prevailing with the woman he did either make use of the Serpent Gen. 3.1 who was a subtill creature and so comes in the Serpent unto the woman or else secondly transforms himselfe in the shape and forme of the Serpent and so represents himselfe unto the woman and so from hence received the denomination of a Serpent Rev. 12.9 If the first then learn that Satan usually makes use of the wisest and subtilest creatures to bring to passe his will in or by them If the second learn that Satan can transform himselfe into any shape or form to delude and deceive soules A third cause of Mans fall was disobedient acting contrary to the mind of God In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye saith the Lord Adam eateth thereof and dieth disobedience was the cause of mans fall Rom. 5.18 19. Quest What was Adams disobedience Ans Eating the forbidden fruit Gen. 2.15 Qu. What was this fruit Ans The fruit of a Tree in the Garden or Paradice of God Gen. 2.9.16 called the Tree of knowledge of good and evill good if a man did not eate of it evill if he did eate of it A Tree whoso eateth the fruit thereof shall know the difference between good and evill so he indeed knew good by the want of it and evill by the sense and enjoyment of it What mystery might be represented by this pleasant fruit I shall not at present dispute because it is something dark unto me whether sinne which seemes very pleasant unto a carnall eye or the world which much prevailes upon a carnal mind or honor or both All these temptations Satan made use of unto Christ himself and represented them to his eye as a deceiveable fruit if possible he might deceive him And the Tree of Life representing Christ that whosoever eateth and drinketh of him might live for ever Jo. 4.14 Rev. 22.2 SECT III. Mans Misery by reason of his Fall MAns misery by the sinne of Adam was death In dying thou shalt dye or thou shalt dye the death Gen. 2.17 Now under the name of Death the Scriptures comprehend divers things A spirituall death in sin so are all Naturall men dead in trespasses and sins subject to externall miseries and deadly plagues Exod. 10.17 Externall afflictions upon the body so Paul 2 Cor. 1.23 the dissolution of mans externall and naturall life Gen. 35.18 Psal 146.4 The perdition of body and soule for ever All which miseries come in by the sin of Adam As the second Adam was the way letting in all good to mankind so was the first Adam the way or flood-gate letting in all miseries upon soul and body Object Some will object and say But how could Adam lose a spirituall life and so come under a spirituall death seeing he never had a spirituall life in God how could he lose that which he never had Answ Although Adam had never a spirituall life in God yet he had a spirituall subsisting given him of God free from sin and so capable of defilement For the truth is it is the internall part of man that sins the forme or body of man is acted by the guiding of the internall part so that Adam now dies in his spirit he hath neither power wisdome nor will to doe that which is well-pleasing to the Lord he hath not onely lost that wisdome will and power of acting in the first Adam but likewise of beleeving and so of applying that salvation tendered in the second Adam untill he spiritually and powerfully draw up the soul unto himselfe John 6.44 and so makes him not onely partaker of all that compleat righteousnesse wrought for him but likewise fulfils all righteousnesse in him Rom. 8.4 Or else mans misery may be considered under these three heads 1. A condition of death as you have heard In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death that is death internall and death externall and death eternall without a meanes or a remedy preventing it 2. A condition of enmity I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed all unbeleevers which so live remain are in a state of enmity God hath not declared himselfe any other unto them and their nature is still at enmiâ—y with God 3. A condition of insufficiency to help themselves Adam was notable to help himself all that he could doe was to hide himselfe he could not deliver himself out of this condition neither are all the sons and daughters of Adam able to help one soule out of this condition if God help not Therefore this should teach soules made alive by Christ to admire mercy and to cry Grace Grace unto the whole work of God both in them and for them SECT IV. What is the meanes God hath apppointed for the recovery of man out of this condition THe meanes God hath appointed to deliver Man out of this condition is Jesus Christ and therefore promiseth Christ immediatly upon the Fall Gen. 3.15 Herein is Gods love manifested that hee leaves not man in his lost estate but gives forth his son out of his bosome that he might seek and save that which was lost and so deliver us from wrath to com Rom. 5.9 1 Thess 1.10 He is Jesus the Saviour and the alone Saviour of his people from their sins Mat 1.21 Acts 4.12 that is he is the alone way through which the Father brings down salvation to sinners and through which he drawes up soules to himselfe there is no other way of God down to the soul nor of the soul up to God but through Jesus Joh. 14.6 Quest What must Christ Jesus undertake and perform before the breach is made up and faln man recovered Answ 1. He must take the sinne and fault upon himselfe Isai 53.6 1 Pet. 2.24 He that knew no sinne was made sinne for us that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Admirable mercy that when man had sinned and lost himselfe Jesus Christ who never knew sin either in act or thought must now take upon him the sinners sin and so be made as it were a lump of sin and this he did willingly of himselfe he bare our sins on his own body on the Crosse Christ took the whole sin of Adam and the whole world upon himself when Adam had sinned and all mankind him Adam and all must have died Christ takes the sin upon himselfe and so taking the sin upon himselfe he withall takes the curse and so undergoes the sentence of death The curse was In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Christ he
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 wisdome of Christ teacheth the spiritual 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 wisdome of God so they might live in the same wisdome and from a deep sence 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 voyce behind thee saying This is the way walk in â—t when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left 2 This might bee 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 himself 1 Iohn 3.2 3 This might answer that foolish opinion of the world who look upon the most Spirituall Saints as the worst Fooles in the world It is true the wisdome of God is folly with men but if they could looke 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 bee 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 indwellings 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 siâ—ne for us that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Quest How may the Saâ—nts be said to be the righteousnesse f God in Christ Answ Either First in the Letter or secondly in the Spirit 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 sinne for where no law is there is no transgression Now Christ dying upon the Crosse satisfies the Law and likewise upon the sight applicatioÌ„ of him sati fies the troubled Conscience This is the first righteousnesse 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 sonne 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 man transgressing Secondly in the Spirit the Saints are made the righteousnesse of God that is God now as in Christ dwells and acts in his Saints by his Spirit writes his law in their hearts makes them partakers of his own nature and so goes on in fulfilling his own righteousnesse in them For the righteousnesse of the law in the Spirit is fulfilled in us aswell as the law in the letter for us who walke not after the flesh that is after the law in the letter but after the Spirit of Christ who dwells in us and acts according to its own pleasure and so by degrees drawes up the spirits of his people to himself untill at last they are swallowed up in the fulnesse of the righteousnesse of God in the Spirit and bee made wholly and for ever one in the Father with Christ 1 Iohn 1.2 A glorious mysterious truth meet to be known 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 in the sonne 1 John 2.24 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 Matth. 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 Bride-groom 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 enjoyment of it exceeding glorious though the soule seemes to come short of the perfection of that enjoyment in this world yet what it sees and enjoyes with the expectation of perfection in another world fills the soule with joy unspeakable and full of glory and now as the soule dwels 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 wil of the Father it can say with Christ what ever temptation presents it self yet not my will but thy will be done such is the Onenesse betweene the Faâ—her Sonne aâ—d Saints they delight take pleasure in each other 6. There is a union in gâ—ory like wise the Fathers glory is the Sonnes glory and the Sonnes glory is the Saints glory what this glory shall be is unconceivable and unexpressable to go about to expresse it either with tongue or pen would rather darken it than 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 Kingdome but a spirituall 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
bodies of flesh shall bee raised in the same forme in which it dyed others that it shal be spiritual yet question whether it shall he of the same substance therefore it wil be necessary to consider two particulars for the clearing of it First by what power we shal 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 and spirit of God he was declared to be the sonne of God with power by his resurrection from the dead Rom. 1 4. Secondly by the same power and spirit the Saints are enlightned and raised from the spiritual death of sinne and 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 and 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 shal be raised by the same power it may somwhat direct us to the form in which they shal be raised which is the second particular that is in a spiritual forme not in a fleshly for as the spirit of Christ raiseth us up in the spirit while we are here so shal it raise up our bodies in the spirit at the last day it is sowne a natural body it is raised a spiritual body our vile bodies shal be changed and made like his glorious body he tooke upon him our forme that so we might be brought into his forme for when he shal appeare we shal be made like unto him the substance of our natural body raised in spirit Of Judgment It is appointed to all men once to dy but after this the Judgment when all men shal be called to an account before him to wit the Lord Jesus there to give an accompt for all things done in their bodies whether good or bad Mat. 25. and so God in this way wil acquit his Saints and cleare them before the world although this is not their life neither that in which they appeare Mat. 25.36 to 40 Fourthly of the estate of the Saints after Judgment it is first ever to be with the Lord beholding his glory 1 Thes 4.17 Iohn 17.24 and in his presence wil be fulnesse 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 shal appeare we shal appeare with him in glory all flesh shal be swallowed up in Spirit and our bodies shall be changed and made like his glorious body all things that offend shal be done away and we shal be made eternally one in the Father and in the Sonne in the spirit one in eternity one in injoyment and one in glory this for the Saints is enough to know besides what shal be we do not know it is an height and depth a length and breadth unsearchable Oh the unsearchable riches of Christ what the Saints do injoy what they shal injoy swallowes up the spiritual 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 shall we be able to see and say that his wisdome is unsearchable and his wayes past finding out FINIS A briefe Discovery of Antichrist both in the Mystery and in the Historie By THOMAS COLLIER 1647. For my more cleare proceeding in the discovery or 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 I. What Antichrist or the Man of Sin is ANtichrist or the Man of Sin is to be considered either in the Spirit or in the Letter 1 In the Spirit Antichrist signifies one seemingly for Christ yet in deed is against â—â—m and so is but a Man of sin a son of perdition and this hee will appeare to be both in the Mystery and in the History 1 In the mystery 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 sinne 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 internal part It is a confederacie betweene Sathan the deceitful heart of man transforming himself into an Angel of light nay into the Son of light and while nothing lesse than Christ and Christian wil satisfie he wil be the Christ or at least the Antichrist instead of Christ to deceive soules For this was and is the last the greatest and most deceiving stratagem that ever Sathan made use of to ruiâ—e sâ—uâ—â—s that where he cannot content soules but they must be Christians he can be content with that so he may be the Châ—ist hence he is called the man of sin the Son of perdition that wicked deceiver 2 Thes 2. It is not Sathan acting in a carnal and fifthly forme of the flesh but in the most refined part of the first Adam so he keepe 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 bâ—lieve it doth but the ground must be built upon that first reformation qualification c wisdome is required to walke in Gods wayes and to the knowledge of the miâ—de of God wisdome must and may be obtained provided it be humane the wisdome of the first Adam that is enâ—ugh power of acting must likewise of necessity be obtained a power shall be obtained but it must be a creature-power â—nd a creature-acting under the name and noâ—ion of the power of God that is indeed and intruth condemned though in none owned there must now somtimes be a spiritual minde and that it injoyes likewise in its own apprehension although hardly obtained and indeed the highest pitch of spiritualnesse is but carnal to the spiritual mans injoyment this is a high pitch of spirituall mindednesse where Sathan 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