CHAP. but the Spirit of Christ, which is in his truly begotten followers.

VL.

Aets X.

1-5.

30. The Church, or body of saints, which Christ himself had begotten, which was in his bosom, as he was in the bosom of the Father, was the only salt of the earth-the light of the world-the only house, or temple of the living God on earth, and the only pillar and ground of truth among men therefore it was impossible for any soul to find God or Christ to salvation, in any other place, or through any other medium, than through the Church, or saints, the true members of his body, in which he dwelt.

31. This is clearly proved by the case of Cornelius the centurion, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. But he was not yet saved. And the angel who came to Cornelius, could inform him that his prayers and alms were come up for a memorial before God, and intimate to him that he was not yet saved, and that in order to obtain salvation, he must send for Simon Peter.

32. But why could not the angel administer salvation to him, without being beholden to Peter? The truth is, it was not in his power; that power was committed unto the Church, as hath been shown.

33. Salvation was only in and by Christ, and Christ, from the beginning, had not taken on him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham, and was, and still continued to be manifested in the flesh, and dwelt in his temple or earthly tabernacle, where he promised to dwell.

34. Therefore the most that the angel could do for this devout man, was to inform him where he could find an entrance into the kingdom of heaven, and direct him to that temple, or habitation of God, from which the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, could be communicated.

35. And as Peter was a real member of the body of Christ, who had Christ the Word and power of salvation, and eternal life, dwelling in him, with au thority to transmit the same to others; therefore the 13,14,15. angel said to Cornelius, "Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter, who shall tell

Acts xi.

thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be CHAP. saved.

36. And when Peter came to Cornelius, and those who were with him, and preached unto them that Word, which he had in him, which God had appointed to be the judge of both quick and dead, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as it did on the apostles at the beginning; and they were translated from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan into the kingdom of God's dear Son.

VI.

37. By this circumstance, together with what hath been said, it is verified beyond all contradiction, that unto the angels God hath not subjected the world to Heb.5. come, or the building of his habitation among men. Nor was there any angel, or spirit in heaven or on earth, that could open and administer the true way and power of salvation and eternal life, but that Spirit and power which abode in the Church.

with 20,

38. It was in the Church that Christ was set upon Compare the right hand of the Father, in heavenly places, far Eph. i.3. above all principality and power, and might, and do- 21, 22, 23. minion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come. Here God the Father put all things under his feet, and Christ was given to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

1, 2, 3.

39. And that the Church was the only medium, Acts ix. through which the gospel of salvation and eternal life could be administered to mankind, is also manifest from the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, while on his way to Damascus, breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord.

40. If it be supposed that Saul at that time, in reality, saw Christ Jesus, it is a mistake. Saul was not at that time in a situation to see Christ, for he was sinning against him; and John testifies, He that sin- 1 John. neth hath neither seen him nor known him.

41. Christ is the true light, who coming into the world, enlighteneth every man. But the light that shone upon Saul blinded him: and moreover no man can even call Jesus Lord, and much less see him, but by the Holy Ghost. And Saul neither received his

16.

CHAP. sight, nor the Holy Ghost, until three days after when he received both, through Ananias a member of Christ's body.

VI.

Mat. XXV. 40, 45.

42. But Saul himself relates his seeing a vision, and hearing a voice, saying, Saul, Saul, why perses cutest thou me? Who then was he persecuting? Not that light that struck him blind, nor that voice that reproved him. These he respected as the glory and voice of the Lord, as much as his fathers had respec ted the cloud of glory which covered the mercy seat; but Christ in his real habitation he had not respected, but persecuted him in the true members of his body.

43. He had persecuted Christ in Stephen the martyr, and he had persecuted him in those men and women, whom he had hauled forth and committed to prison. And it was only in the members of Christ, that he, or any other could either love or hate him, bless or curse him, receive or reject him; according to Christ's own words: Verily I say unto you, In ar much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

44. And therefore, as Christ dwelt no where for true salvation to men, but in his living witnesses, the vision could only direct him where to find Christ, and through whom he must receive his instructions, sayActs ix. 6, ing, Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told &17-20. thee, what thou must do.

45. When therefore Saul was obedient to the heayenly vision, and Ananias also followed the instructions which he had received through another vision, and actually laid his hands on Saul, in the very Spirit and power of that Jesus whom he had seen in vision on the way, then Saul received his sight, and was filled with the Holy Ghost and then, and not till then, did he know Christ: and abiding certain days with the disciples, straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

46. It is evident, that, by finding his union to Ananias, a member of the Church, he found his union to Christ, and became, himself, a member of Christ's body, and a joint heir to the promised inheritance. And thus, having Christ in him, he was thereby qualified to preach, among the Gentiles, the same gos

VI.

pel of salvation and eternal life; and to administer CHAP. the same to others which he himself had received, not as of man's wisdom, but as a medium of revelation.

Gal. i. Il,

47. Hence he says to the Galatians, "I certify, orethren, that the gospel which was preached of me, 12 is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Je-.sus Christ."

14.

48. And in the same sense the Galatians received ,him, not as man, but as an angel, even as Christ Je- chap.iv. "When ye Thes. I sus, And to the Thessalonians he says, - received the word of God which ye heard oF US, ye 13, 14. received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God.-For ye became followers of the churches of God, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus."

49. Thus the gospel of salvation, in its Spirit and power, was conveyed from the living witnesses and * members of Christ's body, to those who had it not; and among those who received faith, the younger copied the example of the elder; and by the one undivided Spirit which they received, they became one ¡ in Christ, as Christ and God are one.

50. It was the Word of God, even the mystery, which had been hid from ages, and from generations, that was made manifest unto the saints—which is Christ in you, saith the apostle, the hope of glory The mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this treasure was committed to earthen vessels.

Col. i. 25

27, and

. 2, 3.

2 Cor. iv.

6,7.

51. Then where else could that wisdom or knowledge be found but in that mystery? and where could that mystery be found but in those earthen vessels to whom it was committed? There is no salvation in any other, but in Christ Jesus, as it is written, "For Acts in there is no other name under heaven, given among 12 men whereby we must be saved."

52. And as Christ Jesus was revealed, and made manifest for salvation, in his saints only, and unto them was committed all power to remit and retain sin, and all that pertained to eternal life and godiiness; therefore, without the boundary of the church, true salva

VII.

CHAP. tion was never found, nor separate from it, could one soul ever find deliverance from the reigning power of sin.

19. 20.

66

53. And hence are the words of St. Peter verified; 2 Pet.i. 3." According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath cailed us to glory and 1 John v. virtue." And hence also those of St. John: We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lieth in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. THIS IS THE TRUE GOD, AND ETERNAL LIFE.

Dan. ii.

CHAPTER VII.

The Rise of Antichrist predicted.

T is certain that neither Christ nor the apostles ex

Ipected the continuance of that order and power,

in which the Primitive Church stood; but on every oce sion, spake of the work in which they were engaged, as not only subject to be corrupted, but plain-" ly foretold that it would be supplanted, by a false spirit and power, which would prevail against the truth, and overcome it for a certain limited time.

2. And in this, the spirit of prophecy which was in them, agreed with the predictions of the prophets, who had spoken of the sufferings of Christ, and of a beastly dominion that was to arise, and make war against the saints of the Most High, and overcome and triumph over them for a season, before the ultimate glory of Christ's kingdom should be fully established.

s. The prophet Daniel gives a very plain and stri3-45. king representation of this, in opening Nebuchadnezzar's vision of the image, which represented four oppressive kingdoms or earthly governments, the last of which was to be more universally destructive to the saints than any of the former.