The Second Ground.*

And now follows the second Ground, why the Faithfull* cannot be overcome by Antichrist, and his Prophets; to wit,

And here the Apostle shews, that the true faithful Chri∣stians, are not only of God, but also have God himself dwel∣ling and abiding in them: For they are built up by the Spirit to be the Habitation of God; and God is in Them of a Truth; and that not by created Habits of Grace, as Antichrist and his Prophets have thought and taught; but the true God is in them of a Truth, and He dwells in them, and walks in them, as Himself hath said, and the Tabernacle of God is with Men. Page  50 And now, as the Sun is never without its light and heat, and all its Vertues, and where-ever it goes, all these go along with it, being inseparable from it; so where-ever the Lord God comes, He comes with all his Righteousness, Wisdom, Power, Peace, Joy, and all his infinite and eternal Things; and where God Himself is, there are all the Things of God.

And thus God in his Faithful People, is Greater than He is that is in the World; that is, He is greater than Antichrist, and the Devil his Head. He is greater in his true Word, than They in their pretended Word; greater in his true Spirit, than They in their pretended Spirit; greater in his true Righteous∣ness, than They in their pretended Righteousness; greater in his true Wisdom, and Power, than They in their pretended Wisdom, and Power, &c. Greater is He that is in You, than He that is in the World. Now for certain, the Less is over∣come by the Greater; and seeing God and his Spirit in his Saints, is Greater in Goodness, Righteousness, Wisdom, and all Things, than the Devil is in Antichrist and his Prophets; therefore the Faithful in whom God dwels, and manifests Himself, must needs overcome Antichrist and the false Pro∣phets, in whom the Devil dwels, and manifests himself.

Now hence we may learn several things.

And first, we may learn, That Antichrist can prevail* against any Outward Form of Religion and Godliness,* against any Humane Vertues and Graces, and Works, and Prayers, or any thing that is of Man, or flows from Him, though in never so great appearance of Holiness; as we by sad experience have seen, many Men of great seeming Reli∣gion, famous for Preaching, and Praying, and reputed Pil∣lars in the Church when they have come hither into the Uni∣versity (where Antichrist and his Spirit, have remained in their full strength, notwithstanding the great Consumption which God hath brought on them, by his Word in other parts) how soon have they cased from that sense of the Gospel, which they once seemed to have had; and how suddenly have Page  51 they been intangled and overcome with the Spirit of the Uni∣versity, and of Antichrist, for Worldly Honour and Ad∣vantage sake? and so, the highest and strongest formal Re∣ligion in the Church, Antichrist can soon prevail against.

But Antichrist can never prevail against God in the Saints, nor against the Righteousness, Wisdom, and Power of God in them, all which are contained in his true Presence; nor against the Faith, Hope, and Love of Saints, which are the Works of God in them by his Spirit; against these Antichrist cannot prevail; For greater is He that is in Us, than he that is in the World.

So then, if thou hast any thing in thee that is truly of God, or rather, that is God Himself in thee, That Antichrist can∣not overcome, by all his Arts and Power; but he will easily overcome any thing else. Antichrist cannot prevail against Immanuel, which is God with Us, nor against the Mysterie of Godliness in us, which is, God manefest in the flesh; but eve∣ry other thing, though it seem never so Angelical, he pre∣vails against.

2. We may learn hence, That it is not an easie thing to* overcome Antichrist, and to get the Victory over that Beast,* and his Image, and his Mark, and the Number of his Name, seeing Antichrists coming is after the working of Satan (as the Apostle saith) and through Antichrist the Devil Himself speaks, works, and acts, yet as an Angel of light, in all ly∣ing or false Power, Wisdom, and Righteousness: and this he doth for the Damnation of Men, and to bring Them all, who have no true love to the Truth, to perish with Himself for ever. And his Operation of Error is so mighty and effica∣cious, that it cannot be resisted and overcome by any in all the World, but by those who are born of God, and do partake of his Nature and Presence in them. For the Power, Wis∣dom, and Righteousness of Antichrist and his Prophets, which is so suteable to the Nature of the World, and so glo∣rious in its Eye, cannot possibly be overcome, but by the true Power, Wisdom, and Righteousness of God, in his true Children or Prophets.

Page  523. Hence also let us learn, not to be dismayed at Anti∣chirist,* and his Prophets, who have in all Ages, got such* Reputation, Power, and Glory to Themselves in the World, because of their seeming Learning, Righteousness, and Re∣ligion; seeing Christ in Us, and in all his poor People, is in∣finitely more mighty than They are, and the Devil in them; and nothing can prevail against Us, except first it can prevail against Christ. Wherefore if We in our selves are never so weak, and through our weakness never so fearful and trem∣bling, yet let us not be discouraged, or faint, seeing our might is not in Our selves, but in Christ, who dwels in Us, and who is infinitely greater than He that dwells in the World. He that dwells in Us through Faith, is Greater than he that dwells in Them through Unbelief; and in His strength, let us abide by his Word and Doctrine, even to Suffering and Death, if need be: and in all these Evils we shall overcome Them, by whom we seem to be overcome, as also Christ our Head did.

And thus much for the fourth General thing.