is the light of the world that enlightens the world and that he that is a follower of Christ shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life that is life's light that is he shall have that light that is accompanied with life See that in Heb. 7. 17. For he testifieth Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek The Father testifieth of Christ that he is an everlasting Priest to make intercession for us and to take away our sins Who is made not after the Law of a carnal commandment but after the power of an endless life that is unlooseable and indissolvable life The second thing to be enquired into is What the Word's report is 1. It beareth witness of the Father 2. Of it self First It beareth witness of the Father that he sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world it testifieth what it hath seen and heard in the Father and from the Father Joh. 3. 32. The Word testifieth of that good will love and grace which it hath seen and heard to be in the Father towards the worst of sinners the Word beareth witness of the Father by its works that it did that the Father sent him into the world to finish that great work of Redemption and Reconciliation See Joh. 18. 37. To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice Secondly It testifieth of it self See Joh. 8. 14 18. Jesus answered and said unto them Though I bear record of my self yet my record is true for I know whence I came and whither I go I am one that beareth witness of my self that I came from the Father and go to the Father Object But may some say Christ saith in Joh. 5. 3. If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true so that Christ bearing witness of himself is not true Answ. To this I answer If Christ bear witness of himself alone that is without the Father and not as one sent from the Father then indeed his witness is nottrue otherwise it is The third thing to be enquired into is What the holy Ghost's report is The holy Ghost's report see in Heb. 10. 15. Whereof the holy Ghost also is a witness to us of which see in vers. 10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all See likewise vers. 12. This man after he offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstoole See vers 14. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified All which the holy Ghost testifieth And that in Act. 5. 32. For we are his witnesses of these things and so is also the holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him What doth the holy Ghost witness See in vers 30 31. The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins of which the holy Ghost is a witness Now the holy Ghost beareth witness by cloven tongues that Christ is exalted See Act. 2. 3 4 33. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sate upon each of them And they were all filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you now see and hear The fourth thing to be inquired into is How the Father Word and holy Ghost witness They witness immediately that is without means The next thing to be inquired into is How the Father Word and holy Ghost are one They are one in substance in being they are one pure essence and person He doth not say They agree in One but Are One If it be thus Then this may serve to discover what these three Witnesses in Heaven are they are the Father Word and holy Ghost three immediate true and strong Witnesses It is written in the Law that the testimony of two witnesses is true much more the testimony of three What greater testimony can there be in Heaven then the testimony of three the Father bearing testimony of the Son and the Son of the Father and the holy Ghost of both all three witnessing grace and love to our spirits that we are theirs and they ours Job saith Also now behold my witness is in heaven speaking of the Father Son and holy Ghost in unity and my record is on high that is in the high places Job 16. 19. It shall be established for ever as the moon and as a faithful witness in heaven Selah speaking of Davids Throne So Psa. 37. The witnesses in Heaven are such as are faithful Now a faithful witness will not lye Prov. 14. 5 25. If it be so Then desire God to open the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in heaven to you Rev. 15. 5. It is said when the Temple of God was opened in heaven there was seen in the Temple the Arke of his Testament and there were lightnings and voices and thunderings and an earthquake and great hail Rev. 11. 19. Friends when God comes to open his Temple in Heaven then we shall see the Ark of his Testament and lightenings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and great hail fall upon the man of sin in us If it be so Then this may serve to discover what the mystery of the Father Son and holy Ghost or Spirit is That they are three and yet one one and yet three that the Father is one the Son another and the holy Ghost another and yet the same God variously come forth So that Unity brancheth forth it self into Variety and Variety into Unity the Father is not limited to Unity but spreads forth himself into Diversiâ—y If it be so Then this may serve to discover the vanity and blasphemy of those that hold that Christ and the Spirit are meer Creatures and not the most high God For it is cleer from what hath been spoken that they are the most high God in Unity and the Father Son and Spirit differ not but in their several makings forth all are but one eternal wise immortal and invisible Being And the reason why people fall into such gross absurdities is because they are ignorant of this mystery He that sendeth and he that is sent He that gave the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost that was given He that speaketh of himself and he that speaketh not of himself He that teacheth and he that is taught He that gives and he that receiveth He that is the giver and he
THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST in Us With the Mystery of the Father Word and holy Ghost or Spirit OPENED Also the Parable of the rich man's flocks and herds and the poor man's ewe-lamb Explicated Likewise the way that Christ takes to undo a man and take away his life Together with a discovery of the neerness of Christs coming and of those glorious things which are to be fulfilled in these later days Set forth and published by Ed. Hide jun. Rom. 10. 6 7 8 9. 2 Sam. 12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 1 Joh. 5. 7 8. Psal. 87. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Isa. 6. 6 7. Zech. 14. 20 21. Zech. 5. 6 7 8 9. London Printed by Ja. Cottrel for Giles Calvert at the black Spread-Eagle at the West-end of Pauls 1651. To the Reader Christian Reader BEfore I was stirred up to set pen to paper in this following Treatise I found in my spirit such a contrariety to it that I resolved within my self I would write no more But within a little while after I found the Spirit of God to have such violent strong and powerful influence upon me that I could not withstand it but write And besides I had no peace and quietness in my spirit till I had unloadened my spirit and finished this Work for I had this dashed into my spirit Write But no sooner was it dashed in but I went and consulted with flesh and blood and so questioned it whether it was from the Lord or no And after some further clearings of it up by the Lord to my spirit I was forced to lie down under the truth power and authority of it Within a while after there were divers places of Scripture given in unto me with the minde interpretation and meaning thereof which I was to write and which I have in this Discourse inserted Two things therefore I do desire of you in the reading of this Discourse First That you would not pass censure upon it till you have thorowly examined and tried what is written lest you pass sentence upon the Truth and so be found an opposer of it The second is this That you would not judge nor take that for Error that doth not sute with your judgements or apprehensions this is the weakness of many Professors in our age if their judgments and lights cannot comprehend a thing they look upon that thing to be erroneous they measure Truth according to their capacity it is not Truth no further then they can reach it this very thing hath made many to withstand Truth As for example our Priests and others how often have they withstood Truth meerly upon this ground Weigh what is written ponder it in your heart and spirit if you cannot comprehend what is written be silent do not resist it it may be you may have a discoverie of that you never had before haply what is written may meet with some of your hearts and spirits Here are waters to the Ancles to the Knees to the Loyns a River that cannot be passed over a Fountain that will never be dry waters to wade in to swim in living waters waters of life healing waters pure waters waters to drown man in to bury man in do not despise these waters wait on them you know not but that an Angel from heaven may come down and put you into them and involve you in them there is one in this Discourse it may be may meet with you if he doth he will rob you of all your goods wit parts gifts understanding knowledge wisdom power he will quite undo you yea take away your life If you meet with one that doth this do not forget to return praises to him wait it may be you may have that great doubt resolved Christ in you whom you have so much expected from heaven from the deep if you have exalt the Lord not me It may be you may meet with some discoveries of the Father Word and Spirit or Water Blood and Holy Ghost and of their several testimonies if you do praise him that lives for ever and ever not me It may be God may meet with you in a parabolical way and manner as he did David and make you pass sentence upon your self in passing sentence upon another and condemn you out of your own mouth that you have sinned if he doth magnifie the Lord not me It may be Jesus Christ may steal like a theef into your hearts by this Discourse with greater power and glory then ever he hath done heretofore if he doth be sure to return praises unto him not to me It may be God may make mention of Rahab and Babylon to you in this Discourse it may be he may call you to behold Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia tell you that this man was born there if he doth admire the Lord not me It may be you may have a discoverie of that glory that is to be revealed in these latter days and is in this Discourse set down Who would resist and withstand therefore who would not wait seeing there is no safety in resisting but in patiently waiting Then resist rather say Ah Lord there may be Truth in this Discourse though I cannot comprehend it and it is madness in men to withstand and speak evil of that they know not nor are able to comprehend reveal it discover it that I may praise thee then he will discover it to thee Here is no need of the Sun Moon Stars Candle and Temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple thereof and the glory of God did lighten them and the Lamb is the light thereof and there shall be no night there and they need no Candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light I look for some to scoff laugh and jeer at me and that which I have written to slight and scorn me and what is written As I am sure the Priests and others will Do slight scorn laugh and jeer at me and what I have written see what you will get by it in the end see what will be the issue of it And I look for others to finde fault with me and speak evil and reproach me and be angry with me for what I have written Others I look should say that I go backward and forward in what I write and contradict my self I look that others haply should say that I write scatteringly meanly and not learnedly but poorly I care not what they say I weigh it not I desire to speak not in the eloquence of mans wisdom but in the plainness of the Spirit and as for their scoffs jeers laughters evil speakings and reproaches I weigh them not likewise they are my portion I rejoyce in them all if there were as many more of them I shall and do count them my Crown and shall and do not think my self worthy of them I know whom I have believed whose I am not Mens not Sins not Satans but the Lords In the
repentance This is clear from the Parable If it be so then this may serve to discover the truth of this How that God many times takes such a mystical way of speaking that he makes the poor creature condemn himself pass sentence upon himself in the person of another as he made David It makes me wonder at David's being caught by God and what he said when the Prophet said unto him Thou art the man Friends if you have committed adultery murder fornication or some secret sin or the like God hath a Parabolical way and manner to make you pass sentence upon your selves in passing sentence upon others if he intend good to you There is no hiding of your sins God will finde them out David little thought that he was the man the Prophet spoke to and that he passed sentence upon himself in the person of another God can catch us some way or other if he intend good to our souls he will shew us that we have sinned as he did David some way or other If it be so it speaks the wisdom of God O how wise is our God for our good Though haply we think him not to be so O the depth of the wisdom of God! his ways are past finding out in this thing in convincing of sin in such a parabolical way We many times speak against his wisdom and ways because we do not comprehend them there is no searching of his ways they are past finding out the more we search into them the more we lose our selves in them The fifth doctrine is this That that which convinceth a man of sin is Gods saying unto him Thou art the man This is cleer from the words If it be so Then you that take your fill of sin that commit sin with greediness when God comes to say to you souls You are the men and the women that have sinned against him what will you do then And you that are proud self-conceited high-minded and the like God will finde you out and discover to you that you are the men and women that have sinned against him and wronged your own souls To confirm this Doctrine consider that in Act. 2. 3 6. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Whom they had crucified When God had said unto them that they were those which crucified Christ that they were the men which did it when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts and cryed out What shall we do to be saved And in another place It was ye that denyed Christ in the presence of Pilate that denyed the holy One and just and desired a murderer to be granted unto you it was ye that killed the prince of life whom God raised from the dead Act. 3. 13 14 15. The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sins When they heard that they were cut to the heart and took counsel to slay them Act. 5. 30 31 33. The Apostles saying unto them in the Spirit of Christ that they were those that slew Christ they were the men that did it that cuts them to the heart and makes them take counsel to slay them VVhen God speaks to a soul Thou art the man that hast sinned that hast slain Christ either he will cry out VVhat shall I do to be saved or else he will inrage and take counsel against the people of God The VVord of God is like a two edged sword and will cut one way or other If it be so Then O that God would say to you as he did to David you are the men and women that have killed the poor mans Lamb VVe are ready with the whorish woman to wipe our mouthes and say VVe have not sinned but when God comes to discover sin we shall see we have sinned been proud vaunted and gloried in our selves what we have been done or can do that we have spoken honourable of those that admired us and poor and base and contemptible of those that did not admire us and cry us up CHAP. III. The three Witnesses in heaven with their testimonies and the three Witnesses on earth with their testimonies explicated out of 1 Joh. 5. 7 8. Vers 7. For there are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one IN the fifth verse of this chapter there is a Question propounded with an Answer annexed to it The Question is this Who is he that overcometh the world The answer is this But he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God this is he that came by water and bloud even Jesus Christ not by water onely but by water and blood And it is the Spirit that beareth witness of this The reason is because the Spirit is truth Now these two verses which we are to speak to are a reason of part of the sixth verse There are in the first verse of the words these things to be considered First Who the Witnesses are that bear record in Heaven Secondly What Heaven is in which they bear testimony Thirdly What the Witnesses Records are Fourthly What the Witnesses Oneness is There are in the second verse of the words these things likewise to be considered First What earth is Secondly Who they are that bear witness in earth Thirdly What their testimonies are Fourthly How the Witnesses agree in one The first thing to be considered in the first verse of the words is this Who the Witnesses are that bear record in Heaven They are three great mysteries the Father the Word and the Spirit the hugest mysteries that ever were which no natural eye can finde out all the parts learning and gifts of men are here lost And besides they are of such infinite vastness that they swallow up all other mysteries whatsoever The very marrow of Godliness and Christianity consists and lies hid in the knowledge of these Three it is the right understanding of these Three that makes the soul truly godly All happiness and glory lie involved in these Three the Father Word and holy Ghost Quest But you will ask me What is the Father what is the Son and what is the holy Ghost Answ. The Father is God the Son the same God and the holy Ghost the same God though in a different manner Quest But why is God called the Father why the Son and why the holy Ghost Answ. He is called the Father with respect to two Creations First the Old Creation Secondly the New Creation First he is called the Father with respect to the Old Creation he is the Former Begetter and Framer of the heavens
and of the earth and of the sea and of every thing in the earth and in the sea that belongs to the Old Creation for it is the proper work of God as he is the Father to Beget and Create Secondly He is called the Father with respect to the New Creation he is the Father as he is the begetter of Christ Psal. 2. 7. and as he is the begetter of souls to himself by the Word of truth in the New Creation James 1. 18. as he is the begetter of us to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 1 Pet. 1. 3. and as he is the begetter of us to himself by the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 15. He is called the Word first with respect to the Old Creation likewise secondly with respect to the New Creation also First He is called the Word with respect to the Old Creation as he is the thing begotten in the heavens and in the earth and in the sea and in every thing in the heavens earth and sea for there is nothing in them but holds forth the power and wisdom of God which is Christ see 1 Cor. 1. 24. For it is the proper work of the Son to be begotten in the Old Creation Secondly He is called the Word with respect to the New Creation as he is the thing begotten in us in the New Creation as he is the life power and hope of glory within us Col. 1. 27. as he is our wisdom justification sanctification redemption and the like For it is the proper work of the Son to be begotten in us He is called the Spirit with respect to two things First as he is a discoverer and revealer of Truth and Glory to us and in us in the Old Creation there is abundance of Truth and Glory to be seen there which we see not nor know every thing of the Old Creation sets forth more or less glory The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work And the devil keeps us from looking after the glory of God that shines forth in the things of the world Now it is the onely work of God as he is the Spirit to discover and reveal that glory and truth that lies hid in every thing in the world Secondly he is the Spirit as he is the revealer and discoverer of truth and glory in the New Creation there is no glory to be seen without the Spirit and there is no knowing of truth and glory but by the Spirit We may seek to finde it out and labour and weary out our spirits and yet not finde it It is not the joyning of every mans Learning together can finde it out Truth indeed will put all learned Rabbies to a non-plus And so for the Glory of God it is unsearchable men cannot finde it out though they joyn all their heads together Where is the wise where is the scribe where is the disputer of this world Tell me what is glory of God and what is Truth You cannot tell me for no man knows the minde of God but God Now it is the onely work of God as he is the Spirit to reveal and make known Truth and Glory to us and in us Again he is called the Spirit as he is the leader of the poor creature into Truth and Glory in the Old Creation Though God as the Spirit discovers Truth and Glory to us in the Old Creation yet Friends we cannot be led into it but by the Spirit though we see never so much Truth and Glory shine forth in the Old Creation yet we cannot enjoy it without the Spirit the Spirit is that which leadeth us into the enjoyment of it which is sweeter then the seeing of it Howbeit when he the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come Joh. 16. 13. Secondly he is the Spirit as he is the guider of poor creatures into Truth and Glory in the New Creation Friends if there be any Truth and Glory that you possess the Spirit guided you into it for we are so ready to go out of the way of Truth and Glory though it be discovered to us that unless we had some one to guide us into Truth and Glory we should miss of the enjoyment of it though we see it The second thing to be spoken to in the first verse of the words is this What heaven is in which the Witnesses bear record Heaven here is the uncompounded and unmixt state of Saints it is such an estate of glory in which Saints shall be as shall not be mixed or compounded with flesh That state which we are now in it is a mixt state of Flesh and Spirit but that state which we shall be in in heaven is a pure state of Spirit and Glory The third thing to be enquired into is What the Witnesses record in heaven is In which we shall consider four things 1. What the Father's report is 2. What the Word's report is 3. What the holy Ghost's report is 4. How they witness For the first what the Father's report is The Father's report is somewhat concerning the Son What is that See in 1 Joh. 5. 9 10 11 12. If we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself and he that believeth not God hath made him a lyer because he believeth not the report that God gave of his Son And this is the report that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life See that in Joh. 5. 32. There is another that beareth witness of me and I know that the witness which he beareth of me is true See verse 37. And the Father himself which hath sent me hath born witness of me But what doth the Father witness of Christ See in Matth. 3. 16 17. And Jesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water and lo the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him And lo a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased That which the Father testifies of Christ is That he is the Messiah the Son of God and that he is well pleased with his Son and so with us in his Son Then that in Joh. 8. 18. The Father that sent me beareth witness of me What is that See vers 12. Then spake Jesus again unto them saying I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life God beareth record of Christ that he
where this foundation is Fourthly what the holy mountains are in which the foundation is The first thing to be enquired into is What is meant by foundation here It is meant Christ he is a Saints foundation upon which he builds or is built We are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone It is not any thing that a believer builds upon but Jesus Christ As a wise master-builder saith Paul I laid the foundation Christ for other foundation can no man lay then that is laid Jesus Christ Now if any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble which are false Doctrines and Principles every mans work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall trie every mans work of what sort it is If any mans work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward If any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire 1 Cor. 3. 10 11 12 13 14 15. The second thing to be enquired into is Whose this foundation is It is God's foundation of God's own laying in the mountains Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone a tried stone a sure foundation Isai. 28. 16. And in another place it is said that the foundation of God standeth sure 2 Tim. 2. 19. The third thing to be enquired into is Where this foundation is that is to say in the holy mountains What is meant by the holy mountains See Dan. 9. 16. O Lord according to all thy righteousness I beseech thee let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusulem thy holy mountain because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers Jerusalem and all thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us And that in Joel 3. 17. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion my holy mountain then shall Jerusalem be holy and there shall be no strangers pass thorow her any more So that the holy mountain is the City Jerusalem it 's Zion God hath laid his foundation in Jerusalem in Zion for Zion to build upon The Lord loves the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Jacob There are in this verse these things to be considered First what the gates of Zion are They are those that open into Zion that give an entrance into Zion that let us into Zion It is the property of a gate to let in into some place or other so the gates of Zion are those which give us an admittance into Zion The second thing to be enquired into is what the dwellings of Jacob are They are these They dwelt upon somewhat that was not God they dwelt upon wickedness as those that know not God do see Job 18. from vers. 6 of this Chapter to vers. 21. Yea the light of the wicked shall be put out and the spark of his fire shall not shine the light shall be dark in his tabernacle and his candle shall be put out with him the steps of his strength shall be straightned and his own counsel shall cast him down For he is cast into a net by his own feet and he walketh upon a snare The grin shall take him by the heel and the robber shall prevail against him The snare is laid for him in the ground and a trap for him in the way Terrours shall make him afraid on every side and shall drive him to his feet His strength shall be hungerbitten and destruction shall be ready at his side It shall devour the strength of his skin even the first-born of death shall devour his strength His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernalce and it shall bring him to the king of terrours It shall dwell in his tabernacle because it is none of his brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation His roots shall be dried up beneath and above shall his branch be cut off His remembrance shall perish from the earth and he shall have no name in the street He shall be driven from light into darkness and chased out of the world He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people nor any remaining in his dwellings They that come after him shall be astonied at his day as they that went before were affrighted Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked and this is the place of him that knoweth not God Then that in Psal. 55. 15. Let death seise upon them and let them go down quick into hell for wickedness is in their dwelling and among them Now the Lord loves the gates of Zion the outward part of Zion the entrance of Zion more then Jacob's dwellings he cannot endure dwelling places where wickedness is he cannot endure our dwelling places that which we dwell and live upon besides God Glorious things are spoken of thee O city of God Selah The things that are to be enquired into in this verse are these following First what the city of God is It is that in which God dwells and inhabits and takes up his abode it is Zion Jerusalem it is God's people The second thing to be enquired into is what those glorious things are that are spoken of the city of God See Psal. 45. 13 14 15. The Kings daughter is all glorious within which is the Church of Christ her clothing is of wrought gold She shall be brought to the King Christ Jesus in rayment of needle-work the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee With gladness and rejoycing shall they be brought they shall enter into the Kings palace that is into Christs glory whose garments smell of myrrhe aloes and cassia out of the ivory palaces whereby they have made thee glad vers. 8. Kings daughters were among thy honourable women upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir vers. 9. See that in Isai. 33. 20 21. Look upon Zion the city of our solemnities thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation a tabernacle that shall not be taken down not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken but there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad waters and streams wherein shall go no galley with oars neither shall gallant ships pass thereby See Rev. 21. 1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth This new heaven and earth is a state of righteousness See 2 Pet. 3. 13. Nevertheless we according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness that is such heavens and such an earth as is free from all corruption and sin This new heaven and new earth is spoken of in Isai. 45. 17. For behold I create new heavens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred
dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive 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 1 Thes. 4. 16 17. Quest But may some say You hold the personal reign of Christ Answ. Yes but I do not hold it as many hold it I hold that he shall come personally and reign but yet spiritually with spiritual flesh and blood with a glorified body and what that is I know not Object But shall not he come and reign with that very flesh and body which he had at Ierusalem Answ. No My reason is For thou sowest not that body which shall be that which shall be is changed metamorphosed Object But some will say How are the dead raised and with what body do they come Answ Thou fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body that shall be but bare grain it may chance of wheat or of some other grain but God gives it a body as it hath pleased him and to every seed his own body 1 Cor 15. 35 36 37 31. Selah Secondly he shall come in the clouds See Matth. 26 64. Jesus said unto them Thou hast said Nevertheless I say unto you Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power which is the Father and coming in the clouds of heaven What are these clouds They are clouds of darkness Psal. 97. 2. Clouds and darkness are round about him and he maketh the clouds his chariot Psal. 104. 3. Clouds of darkness are Christ's Chariot in which he will come riding into the world and into the spirits of his people He shall come in this Chariot two manner of ways First he shall come with Power he shall come with power into the world and the spirits of his people they shall feel his power he will come with majestie and as one that hath authority he will beat down the mountains and every thing that lies in opposition to him the lofty looks of men and women shall he humble and the haughtiness of them shall he bow down then every one that is proud lofty and lifted up shall he bring lowe all the tall cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up and all the tall oaks of Bashan and all the high hills and the high towers and fenced walls and the ships of Tarshish and pleasant pictures and the idols shall he utterly overthrow and abolish And they shall go into the holes of the rocks and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and the glory of his majestie when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth and then shall they cast their idols of silver and gold which they have made every one for himself to worship to the moles and to the bats to go into the clefts of the rocks and into the tops of the ragged rocks for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty Secondly he shall come in great Glory that is huge vast glory that shall dazzle the eyes of all people he shall come in such glory as shall scorch the men of the earth he shall come in the brightness of himself which shall astonish all flesh Thirdly he shall come with clouds See Revel. 1. 7. Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and the kinreds of the earth shall wail because of him Even so Amen Clouds of darkness shall usher him in into the world and all shall see him and those that have pierced him shall cry out because of him Fourthly he shall come with his Saints and Angels First he shall come with his Saints My God shall come and all his Saints with him And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints Jude vers. 14. To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ with all his saints 1 Thes. 3. 13. Secondly he shall come with his Angels likewise The chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of angels the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place Psal. 68. 17. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels Matth. 16. 27. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 2 Thess. 1. 7. As clouds and darkness shall usher him in so Saints and Angels shall be his guard to wait upon him in his coming I shall further hold forth the coming of Christ these manner of ways following and then shew you the end of his coming First he shall come in the glory of his Father Secondly he shall come in the glory of Himself Thirdly he shall come in the glory of his Angels First he shall come in the glory of his Father cloathed with his Fathers glory clad with his riches grace and good will filled with his fulness See Mar. 8. 38. Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father Secondly he shall come in his own glory which is God himself Father glorifie me with thine own self which is with the glory I had with thee before the beginning of the world Joh. 17. 5. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was Prov. 8. 22 23. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God Joh. 1. 1. He shall come with the fulness of the Godhead in him Col. 2. 9. he shall come with a fulness of grace and truth Joh. 1. 14. For it pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell Col. 1. 19. With all his fulnhss he shall come Thirdly he shall come in the glory of his Angels cloathed with the Angelical glory But what is the glory of Angels See Heb. 1. 7. And of the angels he saith Who maketh his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire The glory of Angels is that flame of fire that is in them and wherewith they are cloathed which is nothing but their fiery and flame-like appearances The glory of Angels is the strength of Angels Bless the Lord ye his angels that excel in strength or are mighty in strength Psal. 103. 20. The glory of Angels is their holiness See Mat. 25. 31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory The glory of Angels consisteth in this likewise They neither marry nor give in marriage The