his Disobedience against God and his Holy will revealed in his Testament the Scriptures of Truth suggesting unto the Workers of Wickedness That after Death they shall be hid in the Grave from coming forth from thence to judgment Therefore the Doctors of Antichrist do deny Jesus Christ which dyed at Jerusalem they deny both the Father and the Son they deny the Resurrection of Christ they hate and despise his Ordinances oppose and revile his People they sin and transgress without stay until they dye in Unbelief thinking that there shall be no Resurrection of their Bodies out of the Earth but that the Grave shall be a hiding-place to shelter them from the Judgment of the Great Day But thus saith the Truth There is no Darkness nor Shadow of Death where the workers of Iniquity may hide themselves Job 34. 22. Sect. 16 But Sathan that he might perswade his Servants to go on securely in their Disobedience against God and to yield up themselves wholly to the Counsel of the Prince of Darkness to strengthen them hereunto doth suggest unto them that there is no such things to be expected as those which the Faithfull in all Ages have looked for viz. The coming of Christ to judgment and the end of the World Yet lest a positive denyal of these Glorious Truths should discover from what Spirit that Denial doth proceed he hath taught his Ministers to hide their Designe and to make as if they opposed not the things themselves but only some such manner of accomplishment of them as is not promised They call all such carnal as look and wait for the coming of Christ from Heaven out of them they pronounce Woes upon such as say That Christ is not yet come to judgment and that the World is not yet ended But why is it but because they look for no such thing nor have they assurance of Peace in that day They boast that Christ is come to them neither look they for any other coming That the World is ended with them neither look they for any other end That the Judgment is past with them neither look they for any other Judgment But why is all this but because they do deny that which is indeed the coming of Christ in glory the everlasting inheritance of the Saints the judgment of Christ upon his Enemies and the end of the World when the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the Works that are therein shall be burnt up For as testifieth the Apostle The Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word of God are kept in store reserved unto fire against the Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly See 1 Thess 1. 6 7 8 9 10. men 2 Pet. 3. 7 10. Who seeth not except those whose eyes the God of this World hath blinded that they that now call themselves Preachers of and to the Light within all men are the Scoffers that the Apostle Peter said should come in the last times walking after their own Lusts and saying Where is the Promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. yea the great Prophet the Lord Jesus Christ hath foretold of these Seducers and Deceivers as other the Lords Prophets also have done saying There shall arise False Christs and False Prophets which shall shew great signes and wonders to deceive if it be possible the very Elect But that the Chosen of God may be preserved from the Deceits of this great Antichrist Christ hath foretold with what Lyes the Truth of his coming should by Satan and his Instruments be opposed and hath also so described the manner of his coming that all that believe on his Name may know assuredly as the True Christ from the False so his true coming from a pretended coming which the False Christs and False Prophets shall avouch for the True Christ and his True coming with these words Behold he is in the Desart behold he is in the secret Chamber see here see there Matth. 24. 23 24 25 26. all which the Lord warns his Disciples neither to go after follow or believe and withal gives such a Description of the manner of his coming as is altogether inconsistent with the false Christs and false Prophets Description which intimates That Christs coming which his Saints know shall be glorious and therefore publick shall be and is so private weak and dishonourable that some shall not know that he is come till they shew where he is with their Behold he is in the Desart behold he is in the Secret Chamber see here or see there for saith Christ As the Lightening that lighteneth out of the one part under Heaven shineth to the other part under Heaven so also shall the Son of man be in his day Luke 17. 23. or according to Matthew as the lightening cometh out of the East and shineth even unto the West so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be Matt. 24. 26 27. In which words four things are laied down to vindicate the great and glorious coming of Christ 1. That he will absolutely come as doth the Lightening Who can deny the coming of the Lightening It is as absolute and certain that Christ will come though some do both deny and oppose it but Christ will come certainly and absolutely as is testified by Christ himself and his Apostles in the Scriptures Immediately saith he after the Tribulation of those dayes shall the Sun be darkened and the Moon shall not give her Light and the Starrs shall fall from Heaven and the Powers of the Heaven shall be shaken and then shall appear the signe of the Son of man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the Earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great glory Mat. 24. 29 30. For the Lord himself saith Paul shall descend from Heaven with ashout with the voice of the Arch Angel and with the Trump of God c. 1 Thes 4. 15 16. For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10. 37. He saith John that testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen even so come Lord Jesus Revel 22. 20. Thus it is evident that Christ will certainly come But 2. He will come suddainly as the Lightening cometh as the Lightening cometh suddainly and unexpectedly so also will Christ especially to those that oppose and deny his coming as the Scripture witnesseth But of that Day and Hour saith Christ knoweth no man no not the Angels of Heaven but my Father only but as the dayes of Noah were so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be For in the dayes that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entred into the Ark and knew not untill the Floud came and took them all away so shall also
the coming of the Son of Man be Mat. 24. 36 37 38 39. Likewise also as it was in the Dayes of Lot they did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed Luke 17. 28 29 30. For the Day of the Lord saith Paul so cometh as a Thief in the night for when they shall say Peace and safety then suddain Destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a Woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thess 5. 2 3. Behold saith Christ I come as a Thief Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Rev. 16. 15. Thus will the coming of Christ be suddain even to them that wait for his coming but unto the Wicked his coming will be unexpected Yet 3dly He will come visibly as the Lightening which lighteneth out of the one part under Heaven and shineth unto the other part under Heaven c. For as the Lightening is seen with the bodily eyes so shall Jesus Christ be seen in the Day of his coming Then saith Christ shall they see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds with great power and glory Mark 13. 26. And they shall look upon him whom they have pierced and shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son c. Zech. 12. 10. Behold saith John he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him even so Amen But unto them saith the Apostle that look for him shall he appear the second Rev. 17. time without sin unto Salvation Heb. 9. 28. Thus will the coming of Christ be visible But 4. At the time of his coming he will shew himself to all generally and universally as the Lightening doth the Lightening sheweth not it self first unto one and then unto another but at one and the same time it so cometh that it may be seen of all from one part under Heaven even unto the other So at the coming of Christ he will shew himself to all generally and universally men shall not need to say Lo here lo there for Christ shall be seen of all together as is testified in the Scriptures of Truth Then saith Christ shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory Matth. 24. 30. Behold saith Enoch the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude 14. 15. It is saith Paul a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angells in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe c. 2 Thes 1. 6 7 8 9 10. So in the Epistle to the Hebrews speaking of those that in time past obtained a good report through Faith the Apostle saith They received not the Promise God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Hebr. 11. 39 40. And thus is the Coming of Christ vindicated Sect. 17 But these that will not that Christ should raign over them though they perish for their disobedience yet will they persist in it adding unto their sin of denying the coming of Christ to judgment the denial of the end of the World Whereby it doth appear that their conversation is not in Heaven but on the earth they look not at the things that are eternal but at those that are temporal contrary to the practice of the Faithfull in Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 4. 18. yea so fully are their minds bent unto the present things and so absolutely do they fulfil what Peter did foretel that to justifie their Conceit That all things do and shall continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation even as Satan brought Scripture thereby to carry on his temptation against Christ so these his Servants do alledge that Scripture Eccl. 1. 4. One Generation passeth away and another cometh but the Earth abideth for ever to justifie that which was never the intent of it viz. That the Earth shall never be dissolved and so furious are they that when they have been interrupted in their Discourse by a Servant of the Lord they have pronounced Woes upon him as one that puts the Day of the Lord farr from him when it is apparent that it is themselves that put the day of the Lord wherein the Heavens the Earth and the Works that are therein shall be dissolved 2 Pet. 3. 10 11. far from them For it hath been said by one of them That that might never be and this was not spoken in a Corner but in a great Meeting of those which call themselves Preachers up of the Light within c. but alas what reason have they to interpret that Scripture Eccles 1. 4. The Earth abideth for ever so as to infer from it that the Earth shall not be dissolved seeing the terms ever and everlasting have their period sometimes in the Scripture the Levitical Priesthood is called an everlasting Priest-hood yet who sees not that it is long since ended the Covenant of Circumcision in the flesh Gen. 17. 13. was an everlasting Covenant yet to engage Believers See Gal. 3 4 5. Gal. 6. 21 13. Gal. 5. 1 2 3. Col. 2. 10 11. now to the observation thereof is not according to the Gospel freedome but the Legal servitude from which every True Believer is set free by Christ. So although it be said The Earth abideth for ever yet it is not to be understood that it shall never be dissolved seeing the Lord hath said Heb. 12. 26 27. Yet once more I shake not the Earth only but also Heaven and this word Yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain So also Heb. 1. 10 11 12. And thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth and the Heavens are the works of thy hands They shall perish but thou remainest and they all shall wax old as
those that are brought into such an estate and condition by Christ that Christ is formed in them though they be not of the same substance with Christ in respect of his uncreated but onely in respect of his created substance that those objections propounded and such like are fully answered Sect. 8 But if it be objected That believers have also those pretious Promises given them whereby they may be Partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. To this it is answered that although it be so yet the manner of Believers partaking of the Divine Nature is different from that manner of unity of the Divine and Humane Natures in the Person of Christ in several respects First In the Humane Nature of Christ dwells the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Col. 2. 9. But in Believers the Godhead doth not dwell bodily Secondly The Body of Christ who was born of Mary was not Conceived that is formed or fashioned in his Mothers Womb but by and of the Holy Spirit the second Person in the Trinity But the bodies of those that are Believers were not conceived in their Mothers Wombs by any such operation of the Holy Spirit God forbid we should once presume to think so For Thirdly The Virgin Mary conceived the Body of Christ of her Seed or Substance by the operation of the Holy Spirit the second Person in the Trinity without her knowing of man Luke 1. 34. 35. But the Bodies of those men and women that are Believers and Saints by calling were conceived of their Mothers not without their knowing of man and without any such operation of the Holy Spirit Fourthly The Humane Nature of Christs Person never subsisted of it self but alwayes was in Personal Vnity with the Godhead and subsisted by it so that in him the Godhead dwelt bodily but it is not so with others Persons though they are Believers and though their Substance be the same with the Humane Nature of Christ yet it doth not subsist as the Humane Nature of Christs Person doth for all Persons excepting Christ do subsist without the Personal Unity of the Godhead but the Humane Nature of Christs Person did never subsist without the Personal Unity of the Godhead Therefore Fifthly That we may understand how Believers do partake of the Divine Nature it is needful to consider what that Divine Nature is that Believers are said to partake of and after what manner they do partake of it The Divine Nature then of which participation is promised unto believers is their attaining unto an eminent resemblance of that blessed estate and condition wherein the Humane Nature of the Person of Christ now is since his Resurrection from the dead and ascention to his Father as the Apostle Paul teacheth Rom. 8. 29. For saith he Whom God did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first-born among many Brethren for as Believers have born the Image of the earthly so shall they also bear the Image of the Heavenly 1 Cor. 15. 49. That as the Humane Nature of Christ could not be held of death because it was in Personal Unity with the Divine Nature So those that are in Covenant with Christ shall not be held of the first neither shall they enter into the second death not because they are personally united unto the Divine Nature or Godhead as the Humane Nature of Christs Person is but because they as all mankind are of one substance with the Humane Nature of Christ Therefore all shall be brought out of the Grave and such as are also in Covenant with him whose Humane Nature is personally united unto the Godhead shall not enter into the second death for as the Godhead of Christ did quicken that Humane Nature which is in Personal Unity with it so will the same Godhead see Acts 10. 43. Acts 13. 38. Ephes 2. 5. Rev. 3. 14. c. through that Humane Nature quicken also the same Humane Nature in those that are not in Personal Unity with it for the Humane Nature of Christ is so filled with the Divine Nature that of his fulnesse all those that are in Covenant with him do receive and Grace for Grace John 1. 16. It is wonderful to consider what victory the Humane Nature of Christs Person hath obtained with what dignity he is invested and what gifts he hath to bestow upon all his Brethren now since his ascention to his Father He saith the Apostle hath led Captivity Captive Ephes 4. 8. hath abolished death and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. He is Crowned with Glory and Honour Heb. 2. 9. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. All Power in Heaven and Earth is given unto Him Mat. 28. 18. even that Jesus which was Crucified is now both Lord and Christ Acts 2. 36. He that descended into the lower parts of the Earth is the same also that ascended far above all Heavens that He might fill all things And He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the Unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4. 9 10 11 12 13. The Divine Nature filled the Humane Nature in the Person of Christ that He might pour out of his fulness to the same Humane Nature in the persons of others the Humane Nature of Christs Person did so perticipate of the Divine Nature that his Conception Birth Life Sufferings and Death was Pure and Holy and therefore of infinite worth in the sight of God the Father that so they whose Conception Birth and Life is polluted and unclean and whose death is the wages of their sins might be set free from sin and from death and entituled unto eternal Life for in the flesh of Christ sin was so condemned Rom. 8. 3. that neither unto the guilt of sin dominion of sin nor unto any punishment due for any sin done by him was he lyable it was to set free the persons of others from the Guilt Dominion and Punishment due to them for their sins that he underwent the punishment he that knew no sin being made a curse that so they which have sinned might inherit a blessing Gal. 3. 13. 14. which blessing or rather blessednesse Psalm 1. 1. all those that are in Covenant with Christ and in that Covenant are faithful unto death Rev. 2. 10. do receive of him who through his Divine Power doth give unto them a likeness of estate and condition unto his own now glorified Humane Nature that so they also truly may be said to partake of the Divine Nature See 2 Pet. 1. 2 3 4. Therefore Sixthly and Lastly Believers partaking of
doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not fail So also Isaiah the Prophet testifieth saying And all the Host of Heaven shall be dissolved and the Heavens shall be rolled together as a scrole and all their Host shall fall down as the leaf falleth from the vine and as a falling fig from the fig-tree Isa 34. 4. And as concerning See Rev. 6. 13 14. Propagation men and women shall cease from begetting and bringing forth children for so saith Christ Jesus our Lord Luke 20. 34. the Children of this world saith he marry and are given in marriage but they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that World and the Resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage neither can they die any more for they are equal to the Angel and are the children of God being the children of the Resurrection Luke 20. 36. Therefore they grosly mis-interpret that Scripture Eccles 1. 4. that interpret it so as to infer from it that the earth shall not be dissolved and that there shall alwayes be even to eternity a begetting and bringing forth of Children and continuance of the Earth and the things that are therein for this is not the meaning of it neither is there any Scripture of Truth that teacheth any such thing But that which is the intent and meaning of this Scripture is this taking it with the two former Verses viz. Vanity of vanity saith the Preacher all is vanity What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the Sun c. Now if it be demanded How doth it appear that all is vanity it is answered in this 4th Verse One Generation passeth away and another Generation cometh but the Earth abideth for ever That is to say Mans life is brittle and fading he hath here no continual abode nor long continuance but as is declared Job 14. 1 2. Man that is born of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not But it is not so with the earth for the Earth abideth for ever that is so long as all Generations shall come and go it removeth not as man doth but abideth all the time of one Generations passing away and another Generations coming So that that which is here meant by this Terme ever is a long time or such a time as God hath appointed unto all the Generations of men And as by the Terms Ever and Everlasting concerning Circumcision and the Levitical Priesthood is meant A long time the time of many Generations or such a time as God hath hidden from men according to the signification of the Hebrew root so also it ought to be understood here for God hath revealed to us in his Word of what continuance man as he is a mortal creature is of his time it is not much above threescore or fourscore years but the Earth abideth for time hidden from us for a long time for many Generations We know how long it shall be within a little time ere one Generation passeth away and another cometh But how long it shall be ere the Heavens and Earth shall pass away though we know that they shall pass away yet the time when they shall pass away is hidden from us and the Father hath put this in his own power it is not for us to know these times and seasons Acts 1. 7. So that Man having a very little time and short continuance and the Earth a long time a time not known to us therefore saith the Preacher What profit hath a man of all his Labours which he taketh under the Sun one Generation passeth away they leave that which they have wrought by their sore labour behinde them another Generation cometh and takes possession of that which the former gathered together so that all is vanity and Mans temporal enjoyments more subject to change than the Earth which abideth a long time a time hidden from us the time of many Generations It is not with Man as it is with the earth for the earth holds its own it yet keepeth its being if we take from it it will have it again as the Wise Man teacheth All the Rivers saith he run into the Sea yet the Sea is not full into the Place from whence the Rivers come thither they return again But it is not so with man who lyeth down and riseth not till the Heavens be no more they shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleep Job 14. 12. Sect. 18 But although it be so that the continuance of the Heavens and the Earrh is long and mans continuance in this mortal state is short yet the day of the Lord will come wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up and although the Adversaries of Christ are as willingly ignorant of the Worlds Creation and preservation as of its dissolution though they do as little remember the Judgment of God upon the old world as they fear his Judgment upon the World that now is Yet as by the Word of God the Heavens were of old so by the same Word are they reserved unto Fire as by the Word of God the Earth had its Creation so by its word shall it have its dissolution as by the Word of God the Flood was brought upon the World of impenitent Sinners that know not God nor obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ be cast into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels For all Nations shall appear before See 2 Pe. 3. 5 6 7. 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9. Mat. 25. 41. the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to what he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5. 10. The Righteous then shall receive Rest the wicked Tribulation and Anguish indignation and Wrath shall be upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile 2 Thes 1. 7. Rom. 2. 7 8 9. and in that day those that now contemn Christ his Truth and the Prosessors thereof that live and dye in unbelief though they are great and mighty in the World now yet then shall they call to the Mountains and Rocks saying Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great Day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Rev. 6. 16 17. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings as saith the Prophet be instructed ye Judges of the Earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Kiss the Son least he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a
the Divine Nature as it is in a different manner from the Union of the Divine and Humane Natures of the Person of Christ so in this life it is but a part 1 Cor. 13. 12. With the mind saith the Apostle I my self serve the Law of God but with my flesh the law of sin Rom. 7. 25. The Renovation the Apostle exhorts to is in the spirit of the mind Ephes 4. 23. The perfection the Apostle declares the Saints now to be come to is to the Spirits of Iust men made perfect Heb. 12. 23. which is but the earnest of that inheritance Believers shall obtain the first fruits of the Spirit Believers though they enjoy this do wait for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of their Bodies See Romans 8. 23 24 25. Sect. 9 For as the Humane Spirit Soul and Body of Christ wherein his Humane Nature Heb. 5. 8 9. doth consist is now perfectly glorified his Body being raised from the Grave and ascended up into Heaven Luke 24. 51. So shall the Spirits Souls and Bodies of all true Believers after the Resurrection of their Bodies from their Graves or change from mortal to immortality be perfectly glorified See 1 Cor. 13. 10. And when they come to this estate and condition then they come to the full enjoyment of the promised Inheritance to which they are of God predestinated that is to say to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first born among many Brethren Rom. 8. 29. And this is that the Apostle prayes for in behalf of the Church of the Thessalonians And the very God of Peace saith he Sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5. 23. Then Believers shall have their compleat participation of the Divine Nature when they having overcome and kept the Works of Christ unto the end are by him brought into likenesse of estate and condition with his own now glorified Humane Nature for when the day of Christs appearing shall dawn then shall the Day-star the Glory of his Humane Nature arise in the Hearts of all that love him 2 Pet. 1. 19. For as Jesus Christ is that bright morning-Star Rev. 22. 16. so he promised to give it unto them that hold fast till he come Rev. 2. 28. And then he whose Humane Nature hath received of the Father Rev. 2. 27. Power Glory and Honour John 17. 1 2. John 8. 54. will give unto his Brethren a likenesse of Glory unto that to which his own Humane Nature is now advanced which being once dead is now alive again and lives for evermore and is now fully able to open the doors of death and to set at liberty the Prisoners of Corruption and Mortality as he himself testifieth saying I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the keys of Hell and of Death Rev. 1. 18. Although the second Adam be of the same Substance with the first Yet oh how excellent is the estate and condition of the second Adam now since his Resurrection from the So is the Greek saith the Learned dead The last Adam saith the Apostle was made into a quickening Spirit It is raised a spiritual Body saith he 1 Cor 15. 44 45. And as the first Adam being fallen those that bear his Image bear the Image of the earthly that is Sin Corruption and Mortality so the second Adam being raised those that shall bear his Image shall bear the Image of the Heavenly that is Righteousnesse Incorruptibility and Immortality 1 Cor. 15. 49. 55 56 57. For the first Adam having by sin defaced the Image of God wherein he was created the second Adam repaired it again and by fulfilling the Law under which he was made hath so condemned sin in the flesh that having suffered death for the World of sinners and being also risen again from the dead his own Humane Nature Spirit Soul and Body and also the Spirits Souls and Bodies of all that believe on his Name shall for ever enjoy Life Spirituality and Incorruptibility And when the Church shall come to this estate and condition then shall she resemble her Head Christ Jesus who having first given himself for it to Sanctifie and to cleanse it will then give himself unto it and thereby make it like Glorious with his own Glorified Humane Nature See Ephesians 5. 25 26 27. Rev. 19. 7 8 9. Sect. 10 For thus saith the Truth Christ hath once suffered for sins the Iust for the Vnjust that He might bring us to God who being put to death in or concerning the flesh was quickened again by the Spirit of Holinesse that is to say the Godhead of Christ did quicken the manhead of his Person that so the Manhead in the Person of Christ might by the Power of his Godhead quicken the same Manhead in the persons of others For now even the Manhead of Christ hath though still the same Substance as the first Adam yet the quality and condition of a quickening Spirit for that manhead which being alwayes in Personal Unity with the Godhead and now also raised by it from the dead and exalted to the Glory of the Father hath such Power through the Godhead with which it is in Personal Unity that he can give a likenesse of Glory to the Manhead which is not Personally united to the Godhead for He hath received of the Father such Power over all flesh that He should give eternal Life to as many as are by the Father given unto Him John 17 1 2. For the Father giveth those that believe in Jesus Christ unto Christ that they may receive of his Fulness Ephes 1. 3 4. John 1. 16. Ephes 4. 10 11 12 13. And Christ giveth unto them with Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit the Hope of eternal Life to support them in all their Tribulations which they endure for his Names sake and at the last he will give them eternal Life and the Glorious enjoyment of blessednesse unspeakable Rom. 14. 17 18. Col. 1. 5. 2 Thes 1. 4 5 6. Yea Christ as man in the Substance of Adam in the Created Substance hath taken hold of eternal Life that the Creature man may be assured of enjoying the same by virtue of a title derived from him as he himself testifieth John 6. 27. saying Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting Life which the Son of Man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father Sealed for since by man came death by man came also the Resurrection from the dead saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 21. And God hath given good assurance both of the Resurrection and of the Eternal Life which is promised unto them that believe in that the Man Christ Jesus in the Substance of Adam is risen from the dead and entered into Life and
Glory everlasting Acts 17. 31. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is that sure sign of the Prophet Jonah for the Substance of Adam being raised from the dead in the Person of Christ it gives assurance of a resurrection to the same Substance in the Persons of others and seeing Jesus Christ doth promise to them that believe the Gospel not onely the Resurrection from the Grave but also eternal Life the Creature man hath good assurance of enjoying happinesse by following his Counsel because the created Substance in Christs Person hath taken possession thereof for as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 11. 16 17. The Branches must necessarily be Holy where the Root is Holy and the Lump where the first fruit So that if men and women will be content to break off their sins by repentance that by Faith through grace they may be grafted into Christ they may be well assured to partake of the Root and Fatnesse of him their Olive Tree that is to say enjoy a likeness of Life and Immortality with the Humane nature of Christ which will be communicated to them from the Divine Nature of Christ by or through his Humane Nature as he himself hath promised Rev. 3. 21. saying To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne This is the comfort of Believers in all their Tribulations for the Name of Christ and for the testimony whereof the blessed Marryt Saint Stephen dyed who beholding in Heaven the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God was so filled with consolation and assurance that he said to them which did so fiercely persecute him Behold I see the Heaven opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God and in this confidence he called upon God saying Lord Iesus receive my Spirit and Lord lay not this sin to their charge Acts 7. 55 56. The Glorification of the Created Substance in the Person of Christ was that which comforted Stephen when his enemies cryed out stopped their ears ran upon him with one accord cast him out of the City and stoned him to death as a Blasphemer for he saw the assurance of his own glorification in seeing the Son of Man in Glory though Satan was pleading by his instruments against him on earth yet while Jesus Christ in the Created and noâ— Glorified Substance was pleading for him in Heaven he was not discouraged at death it self but was so well assured of his own happinesse and so well instructed in Christian exercise that calling upon the Lord Jesus to receive his own Spirit he prayed unto him also to forgive the sins of those that murdered him Oh how great is the consolation of the Faithful in Christ Jesus upon the account of the Glory to which the Humane Nature in his Person is now advanced full well may they withstand all the Powers of darkness and say with the Apostle Rom. 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed ye rather that is risen again who is even at the Right Hand of God who also maketh intercession for us See 1 Pet. 3. 21 22. Heb. 1. 3. Heb. 12. 2. Believers having such an Advocate and High Priest of their Profession who is first made like unto his Brethren touched with all their infirmities sin onely excepted and now also made higher than the Heavens that Humane Nature by Personal conjunction with the Divine Nature and by what it hath received from it being become so Spiritual that it may be truly said the lasâ— Adam That is the Created Substance in Christs Person is now made into a quickening Spirit so that it may well be concluded that as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them even so the Son quickeneth whom he will for as the Father hath Life in Himself so hath he given to the Son to have Life in himself and hath given him Authority to execute Judgement also because he is the Son of Man John 5. 21 26 27. And he having suffered by being Tempted and Crucified and being now also made perfect that is to say having broke the Head of the Serpent overcome all his enemies and being in the Humane Nature of his own Person exalted above them he is able to relieve all his Disciples in all their temptations yea to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them And so they that See Heb. 2. 14 15 17 18. Heb. 7. 25 now suffer with Christ shall in due time partake of his Divine Nature that they shall be in like estate and condition with his now Glorified Humane Nature and reign with him in Glory Everlasting 2 Tim. 2. 11 12. Thus it is evident that as the Created Substance in Christs Person is now invested with Glory so the same Substance in those that believe in him shall in due time be advanced to it as those that believe not in him shall be kept far from it Sect. 11 But now if we consider those severe threatnings which by those that call themselves Preachers of and to the Light within c. sometimes are denounced as they say against sin and withal do remember what it is that is the Subject of their blessing viz. not the Creature Man but a supposed Seed or uncreated Substance in man then is it not easie to conclude also what is the subject of their curse viz. not the Creature Man consisting of Spirit Soul and Body but some other thing a contrary Seed and it s likely they will say it is the Devil but let them call it what they will this is evident that it tends much to the imboldening man to God on in his Sin and Rebellion against God and the Gospel of his Grace to suggest unto him that the Devil onely is the Subject of the Wrath of God There cannot be a Doctrine more advantagious to Satan and to the advancement of his Kingdom then such a Doctrine which perswadeth that the Devil onely shall bear the blame and suffer the punishment for all the sins that man doth commit Oh how gredidily will a man that is so perswaded commit all manner of wickednesse but it is not good for any man to trust to the lies of the old Serpent nor to the falshood of any of his instruments for the Word of Christ is directly contrary to the word of Antichrist for the Scriptures of Truth do declare that the Creature Man which obeyeth not the Gospel but liveth and dieth in unbelief shall as being a cursed seed be cast into utter darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 8. 12. Those eyes that have been the windows of vain desire and have not looked up to Heaven to behold the work of God that so they might consider the operation of his hands Psal 28. 5. and turn and repent and believe the Gospel shall