God; and every Spirit that confeffeth not that Jefus
Chrift is come in the flesh, is not of God, &c.

Now this Scripture we may understand two A Twofold

ways.

underftanding of this

i. Of a right Knowledge of Jefus Chrift in his Scripture. own Person.

2. Of a true Receiving of this Christ into us by Faith.

1. Of the right Knowledge of Christ in his own Perfon.

I.

Of a right knowledge

1. That true God.

1. For whereas he faith, Every Spirit that con-ot Chrift. confeffeth that Jefus Chrift is come in the flesh, &c. this gives us to understand that he is true God, and was before he came into the flesh. 2. Whereas he faith, every Spirit that confeffeth 2. That that Chrift is come in the flesh; this gives us to understand that he is true Man, our very Brother, partaker of the fame flesh and blood with us.

true M.n

are united

3. Whereas he faith, every Spirit that confeffeth 3.That both that Jefus Chrift is come in the flesh, &c. this in Him in alfo gives us to underftand, that in Him, one Perlon. true God and true Man are united into One infeparable Perfon.

wherefore.

the world:

ledge of his

4. Whereas he faith, every Spirit that confeffeth 4. The End that Jefus Chrift is come in the flesh, &c. this this excelgives us occafion to confider the End of his lent Perlon Coming; feeing God did not become Man came into in vain, or for fome flight Cause, but that whence flows he might Redeem unto God, all those whom the Knowthe Father had Elected in Him, and fave them offices. perfectly, from the Law, Sin, Death, and Hell: And hence we may rife up to conceive of his Offices, to wit, of his Prieftly, Prophetical, and Kingly Office, and of the InInfinite Vertue and Efficacy of them.

Now he that makes this confeflion of Jefus Chrift, from the revelation of the Father, is

of

2.

Of a right

Chrift.

of God; and he that fpeaks otherwife, is not of God.

2. But Secondly, We may underftand this receiving of Scripture, not only of the true Knowledge of Jesus Chrift, but alfo and efpecially of the true receiving of Him by Faith: Every Spirit (faith he) that confeffeth that Fefus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God; that is, he is of God, that believes and acknowledges that the Son of the living God is come, not only into that Humanity of Chrift that was born of the Virgin, but also, that he is come into us, and dwells in us; according to these Scriptures, That Chrift may dwell in your hearts by faith: And Chrift in you the hope of Glory: And know ye not that Chrift is in you, except you be reprobates, &c. Wherefore the true Prophets do not only acknowledge that Jefus Chrift is come into his own flesh, but also into theirs, which by this means is made His; and that Chrift is in them of a truth, and dwells in them.

For Antichrift himself, and his Ministers, do all acknowledge, that Jefus Chrift is come into that flesh which he did aflume of the Virgin, but they will not confefs that this is true, in Him, and in us They will acknowledge the mystery of God manifefted in the flesh, as to Chrift the Head, but they will deny it, as to the Church his Body; and fo, whilft they feparate the Head from the Body, and the Body from the Head in this mystery, they do folvere Jefum, they diffolve Jefus.

I fay fome hold, that the Eternal Word or Divine Nature came indeed into that flesh which was born of the bleffed Virgin, but they will by no means allow it to come into Ours, through our Union with him by Faith; only they fay, fome created Habits or Gifts of Grace come into us, or in our flesh, but not Chrift himfelf, or the Divine Nature, or Son of the living God. And fo

these

these men fet up thefe Created Gifts and Graces in the Members, instead of Christ Himfef the Head.

And yet these Teachers make a glorious Shew in the flesh; and this is Antichrift, to wit, when men think that these Created Habits of Grace (which they fancy) will renew, comfort, fanctifie, and fave them; and fo do make to themselves of them, a Glorious, but yet a false Christ.

Wherefore let us know, that he that denies Jefus Chrift in the Members, is, though not fo great, yet as true Antichrift, as he that denies Jefus Chrift in the Head: and he that denies Chrift dwelling in our hearts by Faith, to be, and to be alone Wisdom, Righteoufnefs, Sanctification and Redemption to us, as he that denies him to be the Power, Wisdom, and Righteousness of God in Himself.

The Sum of this matter is this, that the true Spirits or Prophets do acknowledge, not only that Chrift the Son of the Living God is come into that Son of man which was born of the bleffed Virgin, but also that Chrift is come into them, and dwells in them, as in his own true and proper members.

And fo, he that hath Jefus Chrift dwelling in his heart, is a true Prophet, and he that hath not Chrift dwelling in his heart, is a falfe Prophet, though his Knowledge and Religion be never fo high, and glorious, and holy alfo in the opinion of the World. And this is the chief Sign and mark, whereby we may know the true Prophets and true Chriftians, from the falfe Prophets and false Christians.

Object. Now if any fhall fay, But how fhall we Object. know whether a man hath Chrift dwelling in his Heart or no? and fo confequently, whether he be a true or false Prophet?

Anfw.

Answer.

Signs where

Anfo. I Anfwer, you fhall certainly know it, by the truth of the word of Christ in him, and by the truth of the Life of Chrift, in reference to his Office in the Word.

1. First then, the true Prophets are to be dif by the true cerned from the falfe, Prophets are difcern

ed from the

falle.

The true Prophets

fpeak the tru: Word

of God.

Thns did Chr.ft.

And his
Difciples.

By the truth of the word of God in them. For the true Prophets fpeak the true Word of God, even the word of Wisdom, the Word of Righteoufnefs, the Word of Life, the Word of Power, the Word that is able to fave, which is the true Gospel Word. For this is the Covenant that God hath made with Chrift and his feed, faying, Isai. 59. 21. My Spirit which is upon thee; and my word which is in thy mouth, shall never depart out of thy mouth, nor our of the mouth of thy feed, nor out of the mouth of thy feeds feed, from henceforth and for ever.

And this was perfectly fulfilled in Chrift; for that word, which in the beginning was with God, and was God, was made flesh in him, and dwelt in him; and out of that Word Jesus Christ spake all that ever he fpake; his whole Doctrine did flow from that Eternal Word which dwelt in him.

And Chrift communicated to the Disciples the fame Word which he had received, as he faith, John 17. 8. I have given to them the Words that thou gavest me, (that is, the word of Righteousness and Life) and they have received them, and have known furely, that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst fend me; and fo that word, which they themselves received by faith, they also held forth to others, as John faith, 1John 1. 1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have feen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life, declare we unto you.

And

And to this alfo John the Baptist gives Testimony, John 3. 34. Where he faith, He whom God bath fent fpeaketh the words of God; not the words of Men, or Angels, but of God; and this is true, both in Chrift and in his Seed.

The falle

the word of

or other

But now the falfe Prophets speak not the word Prophets of God, for they have it not in their hearts; but speak not what word they have in their hearts, that they God, but fpeak; and fo they speak the words of their own their own, Reason, Wisdom, and Righteousness, or of other Mens word. Mens; but beyond Humane Things they do not go, whether they pretend to high Notions on the one hand, or to found Orthodox Doctrine on the other hand.

Now of this, true Chriftians are to take special notice; because, as the true word of God is the greatest Comodity to the Church that can be, and brings the prefence of Chrift, and all the things of Chrift along with it; fo the word of man is the greatest mischief to the Church that can be; for it brings Antichrift, and his Kingdom, and all his things along with it. And thus doth vain Philofophy, and School-Divinity (which is an unlawful mixing of Philofophy with the outward letter of the word) pervert all things in the Church of carnal and false Chriftians.

2. As the true Prophets fpeak the true word of 2. God, fo alfo they speak it by the true Spirit of They speak it by the God, and not by their own Spirit; and thus did true Spiris Chrift, who faith of himself, The Spirit of the Lord of God. is upon me, for he hath anointed me to preach the Gofpel; and fo he spake the word of God by the Spirit of God.

And Christ commanded his Difciples to stay at Jerusalem till they had received the Spirit, and then to go forth and preach; because he knew they could not preach Gods word aright, without Gods Spirit; and alfo Chrift faith of all the faith

I i

ful,