sprung out of the Earth n Psal 85.11 Then he ascended in that very body which died and was raised again and by the Eternal Spirit offered himself a spotless Sacrifice to God and with the Vertue of his own Blood entred the holy of holies and so made peace and obtained Eternal Redemption o Act. 1.9 10 11. Heb. 8.3 4. 10.10 12. 9.12 14. And God also for this hath exalted him p Phil. 2.10 11. and taken up his well-pleasedness in him and set him on his right hand q Mat. 17.5 Heb. 8.1 10.12 and released and given over all Mankinde to him for his dispose and made him Lord of all r Rom. 14.9 Act. 2.34 36. 10.36 and Head of the Church s Col. 1.18 19. and filled him with the immeasurable fulness of the Holy Ghost to preach the Gospel and call sinners and open the eyes of the blinde c. to draw Men to himself that believing on him they might be his Church and he so confer his own Priviledges on them t Isa 42.1 8. 61.1 4. Joh. 1.12 Phil. 2.10 11. Act. 17.30 31. and that he may raise all Men from the first death that he died for them and bring them before him to be judged by him according to the Gospel Rom. 2.16 and 14.9 12. 2 Cor. 5.10 And thus also hath God testified of him and set him forth the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World u 1 John 2.2 for Men to receive Remission of sins through Faith in his Blood and so to bring them in to God w Rom. 3.25 Act. 10.43 26.18 And thus is he perfect in himself the second and last publick Man the Lord from Heaven the spiritual Man the quickning Spirit in whom the Nature of Man is restored and married to the Divine Nature in the person of the Son of God in which is rich Provision of pardon peace wisdom righteousness holiness redemption and eternal life all to be enjoyed in coming in by his call to believe on him x 1 Cor. 15.44 45 46 47. Mat. 22.1 4. Prov. 9.1 6. Col. 2.9 10. 1.28 1 Cor. 1.30 and such a one is the Man Christ God-Man God with us in our Nature for us y Mat. 1.23 glorified with the Father 's own self as the publick Man with the Glory he had with the Father before the World was which for a while he laid aside for our sakes that in his re-assuming it again we believing on him might come to partake of glory with him z Joh. 17.4 5 9. Col. 3.4 And this is an higher business than that Gen. 1.26 27. 2.7 if not as high as that which was unlawfully aspired to by some Angels and the first Man and this is the Christ nor can there be any Election in him or Belief on him but as he is such a one and so to be considered as such a publick Man the new and spiritual Man 3. In the first Creation the first publick Man had all Mankinde in him in his loyns to come naturally by descent from him and so sinned in his sinning according to that account and language Heb. 7.9 10. and so he stood in the room or stead of none and undertook for none but those that were in him and Naturally to descend from him and so Naturally his own and Naturally interessed they in him and he in them and he Naturally obliged to them But in the new Creation the Son of God the Word that was made Flesh and the second publick Man before considered as his work done in his own Body and he in that Body glorified he had none of Mankinde in him none his Friends or Brethren and peculiar Ones in and with him to lay aside such Glory as he had with the Father before the World was to be supernaturally made Flesh as he was and to offer the propitiatory sacrifice as he did no not in him as there must have been according to that language Heb. 7.9 10. if there had been any such in him nor did he interpose to stand in the room and stead and undertake to abase himself and overcome Death and offer the propitiatory Sacrifice for himself or any his peculiar Friends that were in him and loved him but for the first Man and his Natural Race that were not only out of him sinners and enemies to him as he undertook for them but are also found such when he first calleth or beginneth to work on them a Rom. 5.6 8. 1 Pet. 3.18 1 Tim. 1.15 Mat. 9.13 Luk. 5.32 so that his love his undertaking and all his grace and obligations to Men are unspeakable gracious great and free Nor hath he any other to make his seed but such as are first the seed and of the seed of the first Man him 1 Cor. 15.46 49. Jam. 1.18 Eph. 2.4 10. 2 Cor. 5 17. and those that come forth of him and bear his Image are they from among whom and of whom by a spiritual way he brings in to himself and makes them new Creatures 4. In the first Creation 1 Joh 3 5. Phil. 2 6-10 Jer. 50.4 5 6. Joh. 17.4 6 7. Psal 68.18 the first Mans work and business was easie but to dress the Garden order the Creatures and forbear eating of one of the Trees in the Garden and so to keep sin out of the World which yet he did not But in the new Creation the second Man had a great painful and mighty work to do to undergo abasement in shame and suffering to offer an invaluable Sacrifice to take away sin appease wrath make an Atonement overcome Death and the Devil to purchase an Inheritance and receive Spirit in the Man to send forth even to the rebellious that the Lord might dwell among them c. which also he hath faithfully and fully done 5. In the first Creation Gen. 1.1 Psal 33.6 75.3 2 Pet. 3 5-7 10 11 12. Rom. 8. 19 20 21. Rev. 21 1-5 the Heaven and the Earth was made of no pre-existing matter or being onely the Word of the Lord gave the very being thereto but in the new Creation it is of the old Heaven and Earth dissolved melted and overturned and then made new new created to as good and better estate than at the first 6. The old Creation was finished in six dayes Gen. 1. 2.1 2. Exod. 20.11 Isa 65.12 19. 2 Pet. 3 3-15 Rom. 8.19 20 21. each day consisting of evening and morning consisting of twenty four hours and the Rest Sabbath of the Lord on the seventh day But the new Creation is longer before it be finished and brought forth in its full perfection to open view it 's likely as many thousands of yeers as the first was of dayes it being the whole time of the supportation and decaying of the old And such Dissimilitudes is shewn in Scripture to be between the first and now old Creation and
Saints be joyful in glory c. Psal 149.5 6 7 8 9. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth or throat and a two-edged sword in their hand to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishments upon the people to binde their Kings in chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron to execute upon them the judgement written This honour have all his Saints Hallelujah Mal. 4.3 For in that Day they shall tread down the wicked and they shall be as ashes under the soles of their Feet and so in the great straight to give the great Overthrow to the Enemies at the Day of the Lord 's coming it is said Zach. 14.1 2-6 Rev. 19 11-21 2 Pet. 3.5 6 7 8-10 The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee And so the Armies in Heaven follow him to the taking of the Beast and the false Prophet and casting them into the Lake of Eire and slaying the Remnant with the Sword c. when also the Earth with the Works that are therein shall be burn'd up and destroyed as the old World was with Water And this being done the next work is 3. To restore all things so said Peter Act. 3.19 20. When the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you And so as in the beginning of the first Creation the whole business is first set forth in general Gen. 1 chap. and then the things done in the same time more particularly set forth and explicated chap. 2 and 3 So here in the dissolution of the Old and compleating of the New Creation the things done are in general related Rev. 19 and 20 chap. and then more particularly opened Rev. 21.7 5. chap. 21 and 22. And so Iohn saith He saw a new Heaven and a new Earth c. And the Lord saith Behold I make all things new c. And again These words are true and faithful And so the Believers when that great Overthrow is given to the wicked 2 Pet. 3.12 13. do look for a new Heaven and new Earth according to his promise for so when he cuts off the wicked Isa 65.12 15 17. he hath promised to create new Heaven and a new Earth c. And this is assured to be in that Day of the Manifestation of the Sons of God that the Creature even the whole Creation shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Children of God who shall then enjoy the Adoption Rom. 8.19 20 21 22. Heb. 2.5 6. with Psal 8.4 5 6 7 8. Rom. 4.13 Heb. 11.16 Isa 58.12 the Redemption of the Body which they now wait for This the World to come whereof we speak this the World to come of which Abraham shall be an Heir this the Country he and our Fathers waited for and then shall inherit so as Christ in this respect also is the Restorer of paths to dwell in And having thus renewed the Heaven and the Earth the next work which is done in compleating this is cleerly shewn 4. Rev. 11.18 Luk. 14.14 Joh. 14.3 2 Tim. 2.12 Rev. 1.5 5.10 Luk. 22.28 29 30. Mat. 19.28 29. To take unto him his great Power and Raign and so to give rewards to his Servants the Prophets and to the Saints and to them that fear his Name small and great and so to receive to himself all that have formerly believed on him lived to him and suffered with him that they may raign with him yea eat and drink at his Table in his Kingdom and sit on Thrones c. In which Raign and Kingdom of Christ with his Saints when he comes and takes it divers things are considerable as expresly declared and affirmed in the Scripture as about the place of his raigning and the place of his Throne and the extent and manner and prosperity and duration of his Kingdom CHAP. 18. Of the things considerable about the Kingdom of Christ THat mentioned in the Scripture about the Kingdom of Christ is 1. The place of his Kingdom and Raign it shall be upon the Earth the Earth being renewed This is plainly intimated in Heb. 2.5 6 7 8. compared with Psal 8.4 6 7 8 9. and affirmed both of him and his Saints upon the making of the new Heaven and the new Earth I Iohn saw the holy City Rev. 21.1 2. new Ierusalem coming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband Is not this the Spirits of Just Men made perfect receiving their Bodies raised immortal Heb. 12.22 23 24. Gal. 4.26 1 Cor. 15.51 52 53 54. 1 Thes 4.15 16 17. glorious powerful and spiritual and the living Saints in the same moment of their Resurrection changed and made like them and so both together ascending and meeting the Lord in the Air or Heaven and so coming down with him as is foreshewn And that we may rightly understand the meaning of the Vision declared he farther saith Rev. 21.3 4 5 6 7. Zach. 14.9 Psal 72.8 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and so on Yea the Raign of Christ is expresly affirmed That it shall be on Earth and the Raign of the Saints with him that it shall be on Earth also so they confess Thou hast made us unto our God Rev. 5.10 Psal 37.9 10 11. Kings and Priests and we shall raign on the earth And so it is said When the wicked are cut off and shall not be then the meek that wait on the Lord in these dayes of his patience shall inher it the earth and delight themselves in the abundance of peace But this will still more appear in the Points following and so I will proceed to them 2. The place of the Throne it shall be Ierusalem the great and Holy City in the midst of Canaan in which Abraham walked and sojourned as a Stranger though then renewed and enlarged Jer. 3.17 and so it is said At that tune they shall call Ierusalem the Throne of the Lord And all Nations shall be gathered unto it Isa 24.23 to the Name of the Lord to Jerusalem c. The Lord of Hosts shall raign in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem and before his ancients gloriously Isa 33.17 20 21 And again Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty c. Look upon Sion the City of our solemnities Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation a tabernacle that shall not be taken down c. There the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams c. Oh Jerusalem the holy City Isa 52.1 henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean Rev. 21.10 11-27 Isa 2.3 Mic. 4.2 Isa 62.7 Ezck. 38.35 Psal 122.5 Mat. 19.28 according to that Rev.
himself plainly a Mat. 4. 12. Mar. 3. John 3.14 18. and after to those that in seeing did not see and in hearing did not hear but hardened their hearts he therefore spake to them in Parables b Mat. 13.13 And we know in Scripture are many Types Parables and Metaphors which were not clearly and fully opened till Christ entered the Heavens in our Nature and offered the acceptable Sacrifice and sent forth the Holy Ghost c Heb. 9.8 Joh. 7.39 2.22 14.26 And these Parables were all uttered before that Ascension of his and yet he also opened all these Parables to his Disciples d Mat. 13.20 51. Mar. 4.14 34. Luke 8. yea and all that Moses and the Prophets spake concerning himself he opened to them e Luk. 24.27 47 and promised them and according to his promise gave them his holy Spirit to teach them all things he had said to them f John 14.26 Act. 2. having charged them Mat. 10.27 What I tell you in darkness speak ye in the light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye upon the house top And this given as a Reason to them That the Knowledge given them was as a Light set on a Candlestick that it may give Light to all that are in the House that they which enter in may see the Light g Mat. 5.14 15. Luke 8.10 16. And the Apostles have professed to have fulfilled this charge and to have used great plainness of Speech both in Preaching and Writing declaring no Fable nor using any cloak or veil to hide their meaning as is fore-shewed Chap. 1 2. And it were folly in us to be cheated and with-drawn from believing their sayings of the Testimony of Christ to be plain and true according to their own import If any reply The Revelation of Jesus Christ given to his Apostle John is very dark and obscure and that was since the Ascension of Christ I answer Our Unbelief makes many things therein more dark to us than otherwise they would be and yet the Testimony of Christ and the sayings thereof that are needful to be known and believed of all that would have Eternal Life are very plain there also and have their own plain import as in other places none denying and that in which so much obscurity appears to us is in Visions and Prophecies of his providential dealing with his Church and with the Enemies of his Church and so of things to come pass before and till his own coming again of which in Understanding and Belief of the Testimony of Christ and Acquaintance with the Scripture we may understand as much as is needful for us And in the encrease of that Knowledge and as things draw nigh to be fulfilled know more still whence there is Blessing to be met with in reading and hearing that Book Rev. 1.3 and keeping the things written therein But our Discourse being of the plain sayings of the Gospel and Testimony of Christ by which all the other sayings in the Scripture are to be understood and therefore those sayings not obscure and so these Objections of no force against it Object 2 Peter saith That in Paul 's Epistles which were written after Christ his Ascension are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures to their own destruction Therefore many of the sayings of Christ in the Gospel are hard and obscure Answer The Truth of Peter's sayings 2 Pet. 3.16 gives no colour for this objecting inference For Peter 1. He saith not That any sayings in Paul's Epistles are hard to be understood or That the manner of his Writing is hard to be understood but some things in those sayings are hard to be understood Now this is clearly and commonly known that a saying may be plain and clearly understood and yet something in that saying above our knowledge and not easily understood as before it was known to the Eunuch That Christ was come in the flesh and that Jesus was the Christ he in reading Isa 53.7 understood what the saying was and believed it true but there was one thing hard in it to him and that was of whom the Prophet spake without knowledge of which he counted himself not to understand and in knowledge of that one thing all the rest was clear and useful to him Act. 8.30 34 35. And now that is cleared to us and so all sayings yet still in sayings known even some thing known therein to be if it be of a thing to come may be hard to be understood what it is h 1 Joh. 2.2 3. Col. 3.3 4. 2. He saith not That all Paul's Epistles or any one of his Epistles or his sayings or all the things in his sayings or in any of them but onely some things some certain things in them this with a limitation also to these things that is the things of which Peter had been forespeaking in this Chapter about the second coming of Christ the Dissolution and Restauration of all things the new Heaven and the new Earth and God's Patience in waiting so long for Men's Repentance before he bring all this to pass i 2 Pet. 3.3 12 13 14 15. of which things Paul spake to the Hebrews k Heb. 2.5 8. 12.26 27. and often in his other Epistles l Rom. 8.19 23. 1 Cor. 1 6 15. 2 Cor. 5.1.10 Gal 3.19 Eph. 1.14 4.13 Phil. 2.10 11. 3.20 21. Col. 1.20 3 4. â— Thes 3.13 4 14 18. 5 2. 2 Thes 1 7 10. 1 Tim 6.14 15. 2 Tim. 2.12 4.8 Tit. 2.13 And so he speaks not of the beginning of the Gospel of Christ or of things here to be enjoyed but of those things hoped for and of them he saith not The main or all things but Some things are hard to be understood which firms our Belief of the sayings and serves to humble us and quicken up our attention that in Believing we with patience may wait for that time in which we shall know clearly 1 John 3.2 And the more we minde the Testimony the more we shall know now which we could not if the sayings were dark but they are a Light and so affirmed by Peter to be 2 Pet. 1.19 3. He faith not That those sayings or that the hardness of some things in those sayings did lead or cause any to erre much less that they erred in believing them true according to their plain import for had they so done and waited on Christ in that Testimony to teach them they had not erred but in due season should have understood even those things as much as was needful and useful for them to know m Joh. 8.31 32 1 Joh. 2.20 27 28. Prov. 8 9. But those hard things beyond their conception they not liking the plain import of the sayings in which they were and so not believing it to be so having
their own Devices and Opions which they desire to maintain to which the plain import of those sayings were cross they did therefore wrest them by mixing mangling adding to and diminishing from feigning absurdities in the sayings and raising consequences If so and so then so and so and to make all right frame Glosses and Allegories to suit them to their own Desires and Opinions and so hurt themselves and erred the Mystery being opened to them for the obedience of Faith to be believed and so known and not for their Reasoning Querying and Allegorizing by which they have turned from the Faith and so from the Truth to Fables and so allegorized the second coming of Christ the first Resurrection that is of the Just the new Heaven and the new Earth and the raigning of the Saints and the Peace of all Creatures then and after this to Allegorize the very Personal Body of Christ his Death Resurrection Ascension and sitting at the right Hand of God turning all into a Fancy of a thing or frame and Spirit within them which they prefer and magnifie and to such as hearken to them and yet look for a bodily Resurrection they say There is no such Resurrection of the Dead n 1 Cor. 15.12 To such as begin to listen to and magnifie their Allegory they say The Day of the Lord is at hand o 2 Thes 2.2 To such as believe their Attainments they say The Resurrection is with them past already and so overthrow the Faith of some others as themselves have departed from it p 2 Tim. 2.18 And to all this wickedness are they turned not by the sayings of the Gospel or the hardness of the things discovered therein but by their own Desires to maintain some evil Opinion for which they have no plain saying of Scripture but are fain to use their wit to wrest them 4. He saith not That all Men or Gracious Men or unfeigned Believers that are weak do thus wrest the Scripture but them that do thus he marks them out by three Characters 1. They are unlearned 2. They are unstable 3. They wrest also the other Scriptures Minde these Marks I. They are Unlearned that is not spiritually enlightned they have not hearkned to and believed the Testimony of the Gospel and so have not learned the Knowledge of the Truth as it is in Jesus This is the Learning he speaks of which is the Beginning of Wisdom through the Belief of the Testimony of Jesus Christ to have the Faith of God and Love of Saints in the Heart q Joh. 6.44 45. 1 Cor. 2.9 15. Prov. 1.5 7. 9.10 He speaketh not in respect of Humane Learning in skill in Tongues and Arts and the Liberal Sciences and of the Learning of this World Peter himself not being furnished with this Learning r Mat. 11.25 Act. 4.13 yea such Learning as this is counted by God and his Servants Foolishness to discern and finde out the things of Christ s 1 Cor. 1.19 28. 2.1 6 8 14. yea the more of such Learning any Man hath if the former be wanting the fitter and abler he is to Wrest Gloss and Allegorize Scripture-Sayings So that the want of this Learning is not blamed yea mostly such as are wanting in this are the best learned if Believers in the Knowledge Peter speaks of t Psa 8.2 Mat. 11.25 21.16 Luke 10.21 1 Cor. 1.26 27. So that these Wresters are unlearned that is believe not the plain sayings of the Testimony of Christ and so have not laid aside their fleshly Pride and Wisdom to credit the sayings of God and so have not received into their Hearts the Knowledge of the Truth and therein the Love of the Truth to save them u 2 Thes 2.10 12. 2 Tim. 3.7 and so have not the Faith Fear and Love of God in their Hearts and so unlearned II. They are Unstable they do not abide nor are yet setled and resolved to abide in the Belief and Acknowledgement of the Truth as it hath been evidenced to them in the plain sayings of the Gospel which sometime they were almost perswaded to imbrace and profess w Act. 26.28 sometime perswaded to imbrace John 2.24 and 8.31 32. sometime perswaded with Acknowledgement of Grace to profess also x Gal. 4.15 but through divers Lusts a desire to be approved of and hold in with contrary Teachers as with the Teachers of the Truth are inclining to hear inticing words and so ready to be turned aside with every winde of Doctrine y Eph. 4.14 Col. 2.8 And so they are now inclining this way anon that now on now off such unstable ones they are z 2 Tim 3.7 III. They also wrest the other Scriptures to their own destruction they take not the plain sayings of the Gospel as the true and plain Demonstrations of God's Minde nor his speaking by his Spirit in his Apostles as it is indeed the Word of God verily true and without Doubtfulness or Equivocation which if they did it would verily work savingly and effectually in them Rom. 1.16 a 1 Thes 2.13 and save them from erring b 1 Cor. 15.1 4. yea even such as knew not Christ yet erred not in standing to a plain saying of Scripture c Mat. 2.4 5 6. But these taking God's sayings in the Scripture as the sayings of a Man if not as a Barbarian that may have some uncertainty or equivocation in them or at best spoken by a Conjectural Judgement and according to the outward appearance of things they do therefore wrest them and so they can wrest the word World to mean The Elect onely the saying That Christ is the Saviour of the World to be The Saviour of his Elect onely and His purchasing by his ransome given and sanctifying by his blood to be A seeming so to do and his calling such as have denied him such as were bought by him a seeming to be bought and by like reason their denying him and departure from the Faith a seeming to deny or depart or if they do not this then they can turn the whole Gospel into Allegories These are the Men and this is their way set forth by the Apostle to warn us from them So that Peter is in this place so far from importing hardness or obscurity in the plain sayings of Christ in the Gospel that in moving us to Humility and to beware of Pride and Fleshly Wisdom and so of sloth security and conceited fulness he by mentioning some things to be hard to be understood doth stir up our attention to the sayings of the Gospel and encourageth us to look and wait for farther Knowledge And that we may not stumble at any thing appearing hard but know it in due time he instructs and exhorts us to believe stedfastly and stick close to the Testimony of Christ that we may not be drawn aside there-from by any such as these unlearned and unstable ones or
Saints but the Beast and the false Prophet will stand against him also but he comes not then to suffer but to raign and so all the Enemies will be overthrown he coming to the ends aforesaid I have in this but made a homely Comparison of the proceedings with Jews and Gentiles specially Christians how it was with the Jews is plainly declared through the Scriptures how it was with the Gentiles the Christians in the first ages is seen in the Scriptures and for the following ages it is there also propheted and for other knowledge I leave to them that are acquainted with Histories how it is now let such as have understanding judge And I suppose this will come neer to one with the former accounts of those godly learned Men and manifest that first said That the coming of our Lord is nigh at hand the call of the Jews being at the doors the fulness of Gentiles neer come and the personal coming of Christ not long after he shews us daily our lives here cannot be long and he is in his works hastening his coming and all to move us to haste to it and be always ready and waiting for it Behold he cometh CHAP. 20. Some Application of this Branch of the Testimony of Christ concerning his coming again in such manner to such ends c. THe knowledge and mindefulness of this personal coming again of Jesus Christ in such manner and for such ends as is shewn and his coming so fast and nigh-approaching is profitable to warn teach and stir us up first to avoid and resist the evils and keep from the danger of seducing and evil Spirits that labour to with-draw and turn many from the Faith of his coming by their subtil Reasonings and Arguments viz. 1. Those Scoffers that say Where is the promise of his coming for since the Fathers fell asleep 2 Pet. 3 6. all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation Where is this new Heaven and new Earth This Restauration of all things This raigning of Christ and his Saints you say was promised to the Fathers And you have long called these the last dayes and yet no such things appears you are beguiled with some Enthusiasm or Millenary-Opinion you wait for a Fancy one Generation goeth and another cometh all things continue as they were and will so do We in belief of the Testimony of Christ 2 Pet. 3.5.7 may know these Men are willingly ignorant c. we may admire God's Patience to such in forbearing them that they might repent before his coming and his patience towards us that have not done all we might to gain Men in to Repentance that we might renew our Diligence and we know a Day is not in God's account as it is with Men and that there are some things still to be performed that must be done before his coming and the being tried with such Scoffers is one thing in which we see the Truth of his Word that foretold it and the fulfilling of it and the hastening and nighness of his coming to stir us to desire it c. 2. 2 Thes 2.2 Those that go about to shake the minde of Believers by saying the Day of Christ is at hand now presently or within one hour or a day or ten dayes or a month or two months or such a day week or month within this yeer or before a yeer be out and thereto pretend a spiritual Revelation or some word or some thing as out of the writings of the Apostles for though that day be much nigher at hand than when the Apostles gave that warning and though that falling away and the Revelation of the Man of sin be now come to pass yet all there spoken is not yet fulfilled And so we know by the same Rule That all the Horns or ten Kingdoms do not yet hate the Whore and though there is a good beginning and in some places her Flesh eaten yet not by them all nor have they yet burnt her with Fire nor are the Jews yet come into their own Land yea Euphrates is not yet dried up all which must first be So that it is not so at hand as to be this day or week but he is coming apace and hastening in doing these things and our lives short which is enough to move us to be alwayes ready waiting and looking for his coming 3. Those that say The Resurrection is past already The Lord is come to them 2 Tim. 2.18 and they are risen and do raign and Heaven is in them and they are in Heaven enjoying the new Heaven and the new Earth already and are above all Ordinances needing the use of none of them We in belief of the Testimony of Christ do know That when the Lord comes he comes and appears to all at once and so when the Just are raised they are raised all at once and all Saints made immortal at once and go with the Lord to the overthrow of the wicked then enjoy the new Heaven and the new Earth and raign together neither marrying nor giving in marriage 1 Cor. 4.8.2 Thes 4.14 15. Heb. 11.40 nor living in such condition so that whatever they fancy of their being risen and living and raigning in such manner they are deceived for if it were so indeed we should not be left behinde or be as they say we are still in the dark but we should see and raign also with them if they did so in Truth for no one shall prevent another in this or any Saints be perfect without their Fellows 4. Those that put off all the coming of Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 3 â— 2 Pet. 3.18 19. 1 Ioh. 2.22 Prov. 30.13 into a coming in the Spirit and say We must wait indeed for a coming of Christ but it is a coming in the Spirit and That it is but a fleshly Faith to believe in Christ as come in the Flesh but the spiritual believing is to believe in him as come in the Spirit and so enjoying him he is come indeed and then such live above Faith Some such as these are intimated in the Apostles times though the Spirit of Antichrist did but begin then to work But we that believe the Testimony of Jesus Christ do know That Jesus that very Man is The Christ and That his very being come in the Flesh and that he hath done therein and thereby is the Foundation of our Faith and Hope and the way and door of our approach to God and that through which all Mercies are extended yea even the Spirit it self yea this it is which the Holy Ghost whose work it is glorifieth to the Heart and so enables to believe in Christ and unites and frames to him thereby and so to confess him come in the Flesh which none can do but by the Holy Spirit which is Christ his sending Spirit and so coming to them and dwelling in them by Spirit in which he was never absent from
Believers since the beginning of the World though more abundantly present where he is more known as declared since his Ascension into Heaven and this his presence by Spirit in Believers is the whole time of believing and living by Faith and though more abundant in operations at some time than at others yet it is also to help them in their weaknesses and temptations and through sufferings while they are yet mortal But his personal coming which Believers wait for is to free them from weakness temptation sufferings and mortality and it is a personal visible and bodily coming as is foreshewn so as the deceit of these is by it easily seen and avoided 5. Those who though they vary from the former sayings Mat. 24.5 23 24. yet say in effect the same as Lo here is Christ in this or that Form of outward Discipline or such a way of outward performing such an Ordinance to be seen in the strictness severity or some outward appearing excellent thing in it or Lo he is in the wilderness Mar. 13.6 21 22. if you will let go all the hopes begot in you by the Letter of the Gospel concerning Christs dying for sinners c. you shall then see Christ or Lo I am Christ I speak from the infallible Spirit if you receive my saying and Testimony you receive Christ if you refuse my saying you refuse Christ Isa 52.6 1 Joh. 5.19 20. 2.20 27. Of these our Saviour hath forewarn'd us and we that believe the Testimony of Christ do know That he is by his Spirit in his own word the Testifier of his own Grace so as they that believe shall know the same and his personal appearing will be so visible as we shall need no man to tell us where he is or which is he for every eye shall then see him as is said Thus will the knowledge of this Branch of the Testimony of Christ help us against all these and such-like delusions which withdraw from the Faith and disciple to Men and make Schisms and Rents from the true Church Secondly The knowledge belief and minding of the coming of Christ as set forth in this Branch of the Testimony of Christ will help to preserve and keep us from falling into many miscarriages mis-conceptions and mis-expressions of some Brethren and also to afford help to such of them as do prefer the plain sayings of Christ before the Notions of any other Man as to instance some of them 1. Such as deny any appearance of Christ in person on the Earth till the last and final Judgement and sentence when all the wicked shall be cast into the Lake of Fire c. True it is he will be visible on Earth and on his Throne at that time and true it is That all the Just shall enter into everlasting Joy then also And then Christ delivereth up the Kingdom to his Father that God may be All in all but then is no time for destroying all worldly powers and for restoring all things and for bringing the Creation into the Liberty of the Sons of God and for the new Heaven and new Earth to be filled with Inhabitants and for Christ to sit on the Throne of David his Father and for Abraham and his seed to inherit the world and for Christ and his Saints after his coming to rule over the Nations or for the Nations to serve them and bring their Glory and Honour to the City c. In this Life the Saints according to their measure glorifie God through sufferings and in the new Heaven and new Earth God both glorifieth his Saints making them to raign and they glorifie him by raigning but in that last State God only glorifies himself upon them and in them and through them and them with himself And why should any of us so dishonour God as to deny the Truth and true fulfilling of so many plain sayings of Scripture so oft affirmed as hath been shewn and will be more If any say That we stick too much to the Letter of the Scripture in understanding those places It might be answered That in such plain sayings so often affirmed and bound with the Oath of God and his Protestation of the Faithfulness of them it is safer and better to stick close to the Letter or VVords of Scripture as they have been breathed forth by the Holy Spirit than to make Unbelief of the Truth of those plain sayings the Interpreter of their meaning though with never so much humane VVisdom and Learning And it may be also answered That so to understand those sayings is according to the Rule commanded by God and approved by all Believers yea and godly learned as is foreshewn But I farther answer Part 1. ch 7. That we are led by the Scripture thus to understand these things both in that the things spoken of his first coming in which many things had their spiritual sense also yet were all performed according to the plain expression of the Letter as his being born of a Virgin in Bethlem his being called a Nazarite his riding on an Ass his being sold for thirty pence the banding of the Rulers and people against him the scattering of his Disciples his Death Burial Resurrection Ascension his pouring forth the Holy Ghost and sitting on the right hand of God all fulfilled to the utmost of the plain import of the Letter and shall any thing be wanting in the second coming of Christ saith not the Angel This same Iesus shall so come even as ye have seen him go c. And also in that the Apostle speaking of these things shews both a certain measure of fulfilling spiritually now and also a fulfilling according to the utmost of the Letter which is also spiritual but the one is inward in the soul spirit the other outward on the Body also of that inward in Soul and Spirit he saith We that believe have a first fruits he saith not all nor half nor a tenth but a first fruits and that we wait for is not only the whole or harvest of this but the adoption even the redemption of the body when also the whole Creation shall be restored into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God And I might add the Apostles alluding to Psal 8. in Heb. 2. but enough is foresaid for this So that all our Brethren that heed and prize Scripture-Testimony more than Traditions and Opinions of Men will soon yield to believe this 2. Such as believe and look for Christ his raigning in and over the VVorld in his Saints and so would fight and strive to set Christ on his Throne and think all Adversaries to Christ that oppose them in his design to be before his personal appearing These Brethren seem to acknowledge this Truth That Jesus Christ will come and appear personally to raign on Earth and that the Saints that now suffer with him shall raign with him in the Earth and over the Nations and that Christ
as the Chief the King of Righteousness and King of Peace c. And Christ knew all and needed not this Revelation Heb. 7 1-25 Ioh. 1.18 1 Ioh. 2.20 but was one with the Father in revealing and he in and by whom it was revealed he being greater than all the Blesser and Anoynter c. But I shall consider what of the same Testimony of Christ fore-revealed and taught was now more fully revealed to these three Abraham Isaac and Jacob and this was 1. That whereas the Nations were now multiplied and divided and many Men and Families in them all it was hard to know in whose Loyns the promised Seed Christ according to the Flesh was and so out of which Family or Man for there were many even of Sem his Posterity also Christ should come This was now immediately revealed by God himself to Abraham saying In thee shall all Families of the Earth be blessed And In thee explicated to be meant Gen. 12.3 Gen. 22.18 Gen. 26.4 Gen. 28.14 Gal. 3.13 14 16 26 29. In thy Seed and so to Isaac after And again the same in both Expressions to Jacob. And this Seed in the personality of the Man as the Root and Fountain of blessing affirmed to be Christ and in the multiplicity and union in enjoyment of the blessing in him to be all that unfeignedly believe in Christ 2. That in this Seed which is Christ all the Nations Gen. 22.18 26.4 12.3 28.14 yea all the Families of the Earth shall be blessed which can be no less than that there is blessing prepared and given in him for all Nations that in minding of and believing in him they might receive it according to that Isa 45.22 and 49.6 Act. 13.47 1 Joh. 5.11 12. and 2.2 and also That in believing on his Name every of them so believing do receive and shall participate of the blessing according to that Joh. 1.12 and 3.16 and also that there is a time coming in which all the ends of the World shall remember and turn unto the Lord and worship before him and sing unto him according to that Psal 22.27 and 66.4 and 86.9 3. That for multiplying of this spiritual Seed in bringing Men into union with Christ Gen. 13.16 17.6 12 13. Exod. 12.48 Deut. 1.10 11. 10.22 he told Abraham That he would multiply to him a Natural Seed a great Company that should come forth of his Bowels and others by gracious providence or proselyting be put into and made of his Family that so out of much or many People a spiritual Seed may be drawn according to that Act. 18.10 4. That God by his blessing and Spirit in the means he would afford him Gen. 15.5 Rom. 4.13 14 18. Isa 53.8 Rom. 8.16 17. Ioh. 17.21 22. Gen. 12.3 28 15. would multiply to him a spiritual Seed in such number that no Man shall be able to number them and that all this spiritual Seed shall in all their encrease and numerousness be one Seed still yea so spiritually one that Christ and those spiritually united to him are joynt-Heirs and in a measure alike beloved of God with the same Love so that God will bless them that bless this Seed and curse them that curse it either in the Head or Members 5. That whoever of any the Sons of Men do in hearing and believing this preparation of Blessing and Life God hath made for us Gen. 15.5 6. Rom. 4.13 14 16 18 22 23 24 26. Gal. 3.6 7 9 26 29. and given us in Christ so minde it that they are thereby led to believe in him for the Promise of Eternal Life and the Inheritance which is yet to come so walking as strangers on the Earth in that Faith and Hope it shall be imputed to them for Righteousness and so they counted of the spiritual Seed 6. That Abraham Isaac and Jacob with the Man Jesus Christ Gen. 13.15 17. 19.18 26.3 28.13 1 Chron 16.16 17 18. Psa 105.8 9 10 11. Heb. 11.9 Isa 65.17 Gal. 3.8 16. and all his spiritual Seed shall one day enjoy in a heavenly pure peaceable and joyful manner all that very Land much enlarged which Abraham saw and had Liberty to and did walk in the length and breadth of it and sojourned with Isaac and Jacob therein and so the Holy Ghost teacheth us to understand it but then it will be renewed and so a new Heaven and a new Earth And so was Christ revealed and the Gospel preached to Abraham Isaac and Jacob these three Fathers And it was confirmed in Christ to them by a free absolute and everlasting Covenant immediately made with them by God that gave to them an outward Covenant in the Flesh as a sign of the Righteousness of the same Faith for them to testifie with also to others of which remains to be spoken in treating of the Covenants And for the way of making the Gospel thus revealed known to others to draw them in to God it was even all that mentioned in the first Revelation and the farther Teaching of this revealed Explication with the Promises and Covenant made for which God did chuse and approve of these three primely yea first and chiefly Abraham and after and with him Isaac and Jacob who though his Sons yet were with him the Fathers naturally of all Israel and spiritually of the faithful among them and in all Nations following They the first that received and taught and walked in the Faith of the Gospel and Covenant as thus explicately revealed and come forth And they besides the former helps they had in common with all that feared the Lord as forementioned were yet more abundantly furnished 1. By God his immediate speaking to them and making this Everlasting and sure Covenant fore-confirmed in Christ personally with them for themselves and their Seed Whence he is said to make his Covenant with Abraham and to remember his Covenant made with Abraham Isaac Gen. 17.1 8. Psal 105.8 11. 1 Chron. 16.15 16 17 18. Lev. 26.42 Psal 25.14 and Jacob confirmed with an Oath to them for them and their Seed for an Everlasting Covenant to them and their Seed And the Children of Israel willed to remember the Covenant so made with those three And God in promising to do the People god saith He will remember for them his Covenant made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob with the residue of his Seed No mention yet that it was or is though one day in performance it shall be personally made with them but onely the same shewn to them And enabling them as Abraham's Seed to believe his performance for Abraham's sake and no otherwise was this Covenant made with any that is made known to us till it was with David more explicitely in respect of the Kingdom but to these three it was so made and they thereby so abundantly furnished to teach it 2. They were marvelously and supernaturally enlightned in the
Mediator between God and Men 1 Tim. 2.5 Isa 43.1 8 55.4 5 61.1 2 3 1 Joh. 2.1 Heb. 7.25 9.15 19 the chief and Prime Caller of Men to come to God by him and the special Advocate and Intercessor for all that come to God by him and so the chief Priest Prophet and King Heb. 5 7 8 9 10. 3. That by the means he useth Joh. 3.17 1 Tim. 1.15 Isa 53.10 11 55.5 Joh. 12.26 17 24 Psa 68.18 19 20 24 Rom. 2.16 and Spirit he sendeth forth as it is in earnest to all and hath a sufficiency in it that they might be saved so he shall see his Seed many shall thereby run in to him and so come to God by him and shall be blessed in him and inherit with him and they that persist in willing rebelling against him when by the means he useth they might come in to him and will not he shall judge also justly 4. That he shall have the Kingdom in the new Heaven and new Earth 1 Chron. 17.9 14 Psa 2.6 9 72 Dan 7.13 14 27 Luke 1.32 33 and shall sit on the Throne of David raigning in Jerusalem and over all the Nations under the whole Heaven and all his Seed even all that have believed on him and lived to him in the days of his Grace and Patience shall then have the Kingdom and raign with him and all his Enemies shall be destroyed 5. Isa 52.13 14 15 53.10 11 12 That to bring all this about in making it known and extending Divine Power in giâ—â—â—g forth his Knowledge to bring Men in to Christ and so to God by him that they might not perish but become his Seed and have Eternal Life and so he may see his Seed Isa 45.23 24 Phil. 2.10 11 Joh. 12.32 and of the travel of his Soul and be glorified and satisfied according to that promised him and is dayly fufilling and will be openly and manifestly to all when all shall come before him and confess him Lord to the glory of God Mat. 25.31 46 2 Thes 1.8 9 10 and he gives the Kingdom to all those that believed on him in the Day of Grace whom by his Knowledge he justified and then shall be admired in them and be glorified also in his equitable and righteous judgement on them that in the Day of Grace refused to believe on him by the means he used and so shall see the travel of his Soul and the excellency and acceptableness of his sufferings and Sacrifice with God in both Isa 45.22 Ezek 33.11 Prov. 9.12 to the Glory of God his Will and Pleasure all the dayes of his Patience being that by the means he useth Men should turn to him and live yea rather rest that though he will have his Glory on the scorners and not suffer loss to himself and that all this may be by this Knowledge of him and his Divine Power therein and so he have a numerous Seed and Refusers be altogether excuseless He in his Purpose and choice of the Man Christ did therein also purpose and chuse him Exod. 23.21 with 1 Cor. 10.9 Heb. 1.3 Isa 55.4 5. 1 Pet. 1.21 Joh. 14 15 16 17 and according to his purpose hath put his Name in and upon him to declare and make it known in by and through him and for that cause to make him known to cause him to be lifted up and displayed and in that discovery of him to glorifie him that Men might behold him and in beholding believe in him and so come in to him and to God by him and so be of his Seed and have Eternal Life and for understanding this we may briefly view three things in this 1. Exod. 6.2 3 4 What the Name of God is and that by his own Declaration appears to be himself and his memorial Rev. 1.4 Act. 17.24 25 Psa 105.8 9 10 Exod. 3.6 14 15 Exod. 34.6 Psa 145.8 9 Exod. 34.7 Joh 21.14 17 Psal 81.11 12 Mat. 24.37 38 Pro. 1.24 Ezek. 24.13 Joh. 5.40 Deut. 5.9 Psal 109.2 3 4 Ezek 18.2 20 31 32 Prov. 8.30 Psa 89.8 Gen. 17.1 Psal 66.7 Isa 45.21 22 Psal 9.9 10 Jer. 9.24 or the appearance of him in his Titles Word Works and so he is Jehovah he that is that was that is to come that hath his being of himself and giveth being to all things and to his Word The God of Abraham The God of Isaac and The God of Jacob with whom he made the everlasting Covenant This his Name for ever and his Memorial to all Generations and so The Lord The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering abundant in goodness and Truth great in mercy good to all and his tender mercies over all his Works keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means cleer the guilty that is such as refuse and rebel against this mercy and goodness when in the means tendered to them and so will not come into him for Life will none of him and his wayes but visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon their Children and upon the Childrens children unto the third and to the fourth generation explicated Exod. 20.5 upon them that hate me that hate me that am so gracious and merciful and so reward me with evil for good and hatred for love on such and no other but such as so hate him will he execute sore punishment He is the Lord God of Hosts All-sufficient that ruleth by his power for ever a just God a Saviour and there is none besides him that calls all the ends of the Earth to look to him and be saved This and much more abundantly explained in many places of the Holy Scriptue is the Name of God which is so excellent glorious and gracious that they that know his Name will put their trust in him and are allowed therein to rejoyce 2. That this his Name even Himself Joh. 14.9 10 1.18 1 Cor. 10.9 Mat. 3.1 Isa 55.4 Exod. 23.21 Isa 7.14 Mat. 1.23 Isa 9.6 Jer. 23.6 Tit. 2.13 Rom. 9.5 1 Joh. 4.14 and his Memorial he hath put in and upon his Son that is The Man Christ he is The Angel that Israel tempted in the Wilderness the Messenger of the Covenant in whom his Name is and he is and is called so that he and his Name is Emmanuel that is God with us in our Nature and for us Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Jehovah our righteousness the mighty God and our Saviour Jesus Christ God over all blessed for ever The Saviour of the World Joh. 4.42 God's Salvation to the ends of the earth Isa 45.22 Phil. 2.7 10 Col. 1 28 Col. 2.9 10 Joh. 1.4 1 Job 5.10 11 Col. 2.3 Isa 42.1 61.1 2 3 4 2 Cor. 3.18 4.6 Isa 55.4 5 Joh. 4.10 Isa 65.1 2 Cor. 3.3 4 Heb. 1.3 Isa 49.6 Act. 1.3.47
perdition and destruction of ungodly Men yea of all that then will not serve Christ and his people yea all the Saints with him shall have this honor To execute vengeance upon the Heathen to binde their Kings c. as is said 3. Jer. 3.17 18. Ezek. 30.24 37.21 22. Isa 52.8 Jer. 33.7 8 9. Isa 19.24 25. Jer. 48.47 49.6 7. Rom. 11.15 26 27. Psa 126.1 2. Heb. 8.10 11. Jer. 31.31 33 34. 32.38 39 40 41 Ezek. 37.24 28. Yea they shall also be with him and see the natural Seed of Abraham that are at that time found surviving of the whole twelve Tribes of Israel from all the utmost parts of the World come into their own Land yea then will that be fully performed that is promised 2 Sam. 7.10 13. Isa 11.11 16. Jer. 31.8 9. And they shall not onely see this but they shall also see of other Nations come in together with them to worship God as Egypt and Assyria and of Moab and Ammon and Elam yea of all Nations that shall be left living upon the Earth Psal 66.4 and 89.9 O joyful sight what can this be to such as love God less then life from dead and ravishing and satisfying joy and yet this is not all for then also being with the Lord they shall themselves receive of the Lord the full of the Covenant and Testament he in the day of grace was for and to them being the Mediator of that Testament in their behalf the Minister thereof giving in a spiritual first fruits to their Spirits but now openly making it in performance both to Soul and Body and they shall also see it made with the whole house of Israel as it was fore-made for them with their Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob yea in a fuller sense because not to be looked and waited for by Faith then but to be enjoyed in performance both to their Fathers and them so as they shall then all know the Lord and there will be no more any remembrance of their sins by him they shall have no more any hunger thirst pain or any sorrow 4. Then also shall they see Jerusalem that great City Psa 128.5 Isa 33.20 66.13 Jer. 3.17 Isa 9.7 24.23 Luk. 1.32 33 Dan. 7.14 Psa 72.8 9 10 11. 106.5 Isa 65.17 2 Pet. 3.13 Isa 9.6 7. 11.1 9. Psa 72. 75.1 2 3. Heb. 2.8 Psal 8.4 5 9. Rom. 8.21 22. the praise of the Earth the Throne of the Lord a quiet Habitation yea then and there shall they see Jesus Christ in his glorious Body The Son of David The King in his Beauty and Glory sitting upon the Throne of David his Father and ruling before his Ancients gloriously in Jerusalem and over all the Nations and Kingdoms of the Earth under the whole Heavens then shall they see the good of his chosen and rejoyce in the gladness of his Nation and Glory with his Inheritance for then they shall have a new Heaven and new Earth wherein dwells Righteousness the Creation restored to its purity the light of the Sun as the light of seven dayes the Earth bringing forth plentiful encrease and all Creatures at peace among themselves the people among them all righteous and not one suffered to live among all Nations that shall rebel against them all Righteousness and Peace and Prosperity streaming among them through the blessed Restauration by and Government of the Lord Jesus Christ the King 5. The Tabernacle of God Jesus Christ in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily and the holy City Rev. 21.1 5. 1.6 5.10 2 Tim. 2.12 Mat. 19.28 29. Luk. 19.17 19. which are these that have died in the Faith being risen and meeting the Lord in the Air comes down from Heaven in which God then dwelleth with Men having made all things new and now shall these Children of the Resurrection be Kings and Princes and chief Rulers in the Commonwealth of Israel and shall judge or govern the World and rule the Nations and so raign in this flourishing Kingdom with Christ on whom they have believed and with whom they have suffered yea now the Lord Jesus the King of Kings as he hath secured them from any hurt by the second death Rev. 2.11 20.6 3.5.21 2.7 17. 22.14 Mat. 10.41 42. Luk. 14.14 Mat. 29.29 Rev. 7.13 17. 11.18 so he will give unto them to sit with him in white raiment on his Throne and give them a new white Stone with a new Name even of Victory in it and to eat of the hidden Manna and of the Tree of Life yea also Rewards according to all their services and sufferings for his sake yea the Kingdoms under the whole Heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints Dan. 7.27 Rev. 21.24 6. Isa 66.10 23. Psal 72. Their exercise shall be a joyful and continual Sabbath-keeping with the Lord in singing Hallelujahs and new Songs of praise and all Nations shall acknowledge them The beloved and blessed of the Lord Isa 60.3 14. 61.9 1 Joh. 3.2 1 Cor. 13.12 Phil 3.20 Col. 3.4 yea they seeing Christ as he is and as they are seen they shall be like him but how glorious this estate will be is not yet manifested and so beyond our conceptions but onely that we know that we are now Sons and that in a measure we shall be then like him in glory And all these things may be seen more at large before in Part 2. ch 18. III. For the Promises to be performed to them when Christ shall have finished the work of the Davidical Regiment raised and judged all the Serpentine Seed and cast the Devil and his Angels and all the Enemies the wicked into the Lake of Fire and then delivered up the Kingdom to God even the Father the Promises to be then performed I finde no other but an Ascension or encrease of this happiness and glory in God being All in all onely this I finde That the Kingdom shall never end Dan. 7.14 27. Isa 9.7 60.19 20. 61.7 Luk. 18.30 1 Cor. 15.28 Psal 16.11 never pass to another people they shall be ever with the Lord and everlasting joy shall be upon them and they shall be in everlasting life for ever and for ever only the administration of the Government is exalted or ascended higher so as God is All in all in whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose right Hand are pleasures for evermore that this is and that so it shall be is exprest and so most certain and sure but what manner of glory it will be is not yet revealed nor will be till Jesus Christ come and take unto him his great Power and Raign And these be part of the Promises made to Believers to be performed to them 2 Tim. 4.8 after they have finished their course and at the coming of Christ and if Believers do well minde these Promises Rom. 8.18
calleth them that they may turn to him believe and live and that whoever cometh to him in this his Call Joh. 6.35 37 40. he will not cast out but receive them and give them eternal Life and raise them up at the Resurrection of the Just at the last Day 3. Upon the part of the Father again to Christ That he shall sit at his right-Hand till this Ministration be accomplished Psal 110.1 2. Isa 53.10 11. Joh. 3.35 36. 14.21 17.23 and that he will beat down his Foes and Enemies and make them his Foot-stool and he shall see his Seed and the VVork of the Lord shall prosper in his Hands and he will accept and love all his Seed that believe in him and love them even as he loveth him and that though the Devil with all his Serpentine Seed oppose his Ministration and hold out many from coming in to him Psa 2.9 22.27 28. 72. and seek to delude and turn aside such as are coming and raise up Persecution against him in the World yet his Ministration shall be effectual in many and he shall see his Seed and of the travel of his Soul and shal overturn and judge all his Enemies and then all the ends of the Earth shall remember and turn unto the Lord and come and serve and worship him and then he and all his Seed shall have a new Heaven and a new Earth and shall have the Kingdom and be in his presence with everlasting joy for ever and ever as is shewn before in the Testimony of Christ and Purposes and Promises And this is the everlasting Covenant confirmed in Christ for him and all his spiritual Seed Psa 89.19 37. Joh. 6.56 58. Gal. 3.16 17. Rev. 22.16 Mat. 22.43 44. Rev. 1.8 11. 2.8 3.7 14 21.6 7. and stands fast with him for them for evermore This was confirmed in Christ that spiritually was before Abraham before made to Abraham and so before the Covenant made with David for Christ also is the Root and Lord of David and indeed the Covenant made and as made with Christ is the onely original Covenant and that out of which all Covenants are derived that are for the good of Mankinde or Believers yea without this none could have been for the good of fallen Mankinde and the happiness of Believers And for the right understanding of all and every Covenant of God this is first to be understood The differences between the two publick Men the natural and the spiritual The Covenant under which the first fell and under which the second was made and having satisfied upon that account the Covenant both of Grace and Glory made with confirmed in him and so in respect of the business done 1 Cor. 15 21 22 45 46 47 Rom. 5.14 Mr. O. p. 9. the firmness of the Covenant made in viewing the publick Men oppose the second publick Man to the first publick Man and the spiritual Seed come into the second to the natural Seed come forth from the first and so what we have from the one to what we have from the other and not in such business oppose the first Adam to the Saints but to the King of Saints of whom he was a figure But now I will endeavour to say what I finde of Covenants derived from this made with Christ and through him made with Mankinde or with Believers and so to begin next with Mankinde CHAP. 2. Of the Covenant of God made through Christ with Mankinde VVHat that Covenant is That God hath through Christ made with Mankinde was not so cleerly opened in the beginning when first made as since and yet still it is not so cleerly express in any one place of Scripture as to be plainly there read but in searching and comparing divers places together it is to be found and so this we finde 1. Jer. 5.22 24. Job 36.24 33. 37.3 4 24. That the mercies of God extended to Mankinde through Christ the preservation and upholding the Heaven and the Earth and the Creatures in both and ordering all so sweetly by his providence for the good of Men yea the hinting and rumour of a Saviour extended through whom all this mercy is shewn All this doth still and more oblige fallen Mankinde Psal 104. all even all Men to adore and acknowledge this infinite Wisdom Power Mercy and Justice Love and Goodness of God and so to fear love and trust in him with all their Hearts Minde Soul and Strength and to love their Neighbour as themselves and to walk in this fear and love doing whatever the Lord hereby requireth of them and there is no natural Son of Adam Rom. 3.10 11 19. 2.19 that can free himself from being under this Law since the fall of Adam nor yet fulfil it and though God in and by Christ and so Christ doth not set Men free from being under this Law in themselves till his season nor will judge them in justifying or condemning them by it Rom. 2.24 15. 3.19 20 21. 5.20 Act. 14.17 17.26 27 28. yet there is an usefulness of it that is good in his sight and profitable for Men to which his mercy obligeth and that is that by the effects of this Law upon their Hearts requiring and excusing and accusing they see and acknowledge their sinfulness and the vanity of their best doings and so their need of a Saviour and Mercy through him that they may so seek after God and finde Mercy and free-Favour with him and this sense and use of this Law is also a part of his Covenant But to proceed 2. In the rumor of Christ to come at the beginning Gen. 3.15 1 Joh. 3.5 8. Heb. 11.6 Lam. 3.25 26. there was testified the Love Graciousness and Propitiousness of God in providing such a Saviour through whom Remission of sins and Life is to be had so as this engaged to believe him to be gracious a Forgiver of sins and a Giver of Grace and Life to such as seek him 3. Act. 14.17 17.26 27 28. Psa 19.1 6 Rom. 10.18 2.4 Psal 145.8 9 17 18. See Part 3. ch 1. The Mercies of God extended unto Men in his Works of Creation and Providence do witness forth the Truth of that-first rumored namely That there is some Atonement and Propitiation with God and that he that is so true and righteous is therethrough gracious and merciful which witnessing of his Goodness to Men engageth them in acknowledgment of their own short coming and inability to answer that Obligation in which they are naturally bound to love God c. in this acknowledgement to believe his Graciousness and therethrough to believe in him for life and in that Belief as a Testimony of Love and Thanks to him according to Light and Strength given to live to him and wait for his coming By all which considered we may understand That the Covenant of God
their Fathers and so a performance to these for their Fathers sakes To all which Answers I add this 4. Act. 3.19 20 21. Rom. 8.23 24 25. 1 Cor. 13.12 1 Joh. 3.2 That Faith and Hope is to be exercised by them till all these things be done and that the Lord Jesus do visibly appear and come to them and restore all things and then this Covenant made which once so made in performance they live no longer by Faith and Hope but by Sight and Enjoyment And thus it is every way cleer for the Time when this Covenant is to be so made it is After those dayes II. The Persons with whom this Covenant is to be made Jer. 31.31 33. Ezek. 37.19 20. is also as cleer and express to be all the spiritual Seed that by Ministration have been so made from the beginning of Gospel-preaching till Christ appear personally in Glory and give the new Heaven Iso 13.1 2 3. 19.24 60.1 11. Psal 105.8 11. Hag. 2.23 Dan. 12.2 13. Heb. 11.14 16 29 40. Gal. 3.8 29. 1 Thes 4.14 15 16. Rev. 11.18 and new Earth with them all and with them all together at once not with one or two or some few or now with one or some and after with other but with all the whole spiritual Seed together for the whole House of Israel and the House of Judah it is express And so likewise for the People of other Nations that shall be joyned with them yea Abraham Isaac and Jacob must then receive the performance of this Covenant so made yea Zerubbabel and Daniel must be there to receive their part with many that shall rise out of the dust of the Earth yea all the whole spiritual Seed of Abraham even we that are of the Gentiles yea as the Covenant was first made with Christ and through him a Covenant for Mankinde so all his Seed by Ministration thereof and so Adam Abel Seth Enoch c. In a word None shall prevent another but all that are in the dust and sleep in Jesus shall arise living Saints be changed all together meet the Lord and be and come with him for then is the time in which he will give rewards to his Servants the Prophets and to the Saints and to them that fear his Name both small and great And so this Covenant will be at once made in performance to all the Seed together and indeed this Covenant was never fore made to be received by Faith to any one person for himself alone but to the Fathers for them and their Seed and to them and their spiritual Seed it shall be at once made in performance to them all together These the persons But to this it may be some be replied That then after this Covenant so made there must be no more conversion no encrease of the Seed for then the Covenant must be made again or else it will not be made with all the Seed and if so then not with all at once To this I answer That some whose labors I reverence and esteem and them for their works sake do so conceive That as that Kingdom shall be sinless and sorrowless so it shall be conversionless there shall be no more converted after that Kingdom is set up but the Reason given thereof is not this I am to answer but another namely That all that have part in the first Resurrection even all the Saints that live and raign with Christ shall raign with him a thousand yeers the whole time of his raign as Man till he deliver up the Kingdom to the Father that God may be all in all Whence this Supposition If any should after the beginning and some time of the Kingdom run out be converted they could not raign the full thousand yeers One Answer will serve both these Reasons which is this That it is nowhere said That all the Inhabitants of this new Earth or all the Members of this Commonwealth shall sit upon Thrones and raign nor is it said That all the natural Seed of Abraham that are then living in unbelief and the unbelieving Gentiles with them that shall be converted at and by the personal and visible appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ and all his Saints with him and so made of the Seed that they shall all be Kings and raign with him they come in after the time of those to whom that Promise is And surely for such as never suffered never waited for him but are so suddenly and with so mighty a Hand brought in it may be counted happiness enough to live in such a Commonwealth and be free Denizens therein and enjoy the pleasures of such a Kingdom till they be swallowed up with the unconceivable joy of the Father and Son when God shall be all in all which alone will satisfie all that are received into it and the Promise of raigning is to such as here in this suffering time live and die in the Faith or are found so believing on him at his appearing that they may be changed while the other are raised and so come together with the Lord which the after-conterted do not And so those that are the Children of the Resurrection that are raised or changed in one and the same moment at his coming be all that I and I suppose that any other can finde the Promise of raigning appertain unto And if I should say These are the whole of Abraham's spititual Seed I should not erre whether Men receive it or no for all the spiritual Seed from Abraham's time so called and if I shall add the Seed of Christ the Seed of the Woman from Adam to Abraham though a spiritual Seed yet not immediately so but mediately through a spiritual operation Rom. 4.11 12 16 17 18 23 24. Gal. 3.6 7 8 9 16 26 29. in the Ministration of some means extended as is cleer all the Scripture through and they that are of the Faith and live by Faith and walk in the steps of the Faith of our Father Abraham and so are the Sons of God by Faith these are the Seed the Children of Abraham and his Seed for which cause Abraham had the Gospel to preach and Circumcision to administer as a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith he had to preach That he might be a Father And the Apostles had the Gospel to preach and Baptisme to administer as a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith preached that they might disciple into Abraham's Family Mat. 29.19 20. Rom. 4.11 12. and so Abraham still be a Father of such as believe But now when this time cometh That Christ with all his spiritual Seed do personally appear and the Everlasting Covenant made in performance with them all then all such Ministration ceaseth yea such Ministration as Moses had in earthly Rites and Shadows were shaken and made unprofitable by the Death Sacrifice and Ascension of Christ pouring forth the Holy Ghost though in force till then but
so abide in that and receive the Testimony and teachings of that by all that teach you as that anointing teacheth you But saith he If there come any unto you 2 Joh. 10. 1 Joh. 2.18 26. Gal. 1.7 8 9. and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house nor bid him God-speed And this Counsel on the same ground given in this place to warn against Seducers And so Paul to the same purpose saith Though we or an Angel from heaven preach unto you other or besides that we have preached unto you c. Again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed And John's saying to be thus understood is cleer by comparing two sayings of Paul speaking by the same Spirit * 1 Cor. 15.1 4. 2 Cor. 11.2 3 4. yea in John's own exhortation a 1 Joh. 2.28 and professed end of his writing which was still to teach them as this anoynting teacheth from Chap. 2. to Chap. 5.13 And so Peter and the residue of the Apostles 2 Pet. 1.12 13. 2 Cor. 3.3 1 Thes 5.11 14. Heb. 3.13 1 Thes 4.18 1 Pet. 4.11 Rom. 12.3 were in this manner diligent to teach Believers that knew the Truth and were established in the Truth yea Christ his anoynting is affirmed to be in such Ministration and all Believers exhorted daily to teach and exhort one another yet still according to this anoynting with the words of the Gospel in which the Spirit testifieth of Christ and according to the proportion of Faith as God hath dealt to every Man So that this place is of excellent use in all teachings and receiving of teaching But when that time comes and that is done of which Jeremiah speaks here 1 Cor. 13.12 1 Joh. 3.2.1 Cor. 4.5 Then they shall see Face to Face and know as they are known yea see Jesus as he is then will be open the hidden things of darkness and then not some of the choise onely but all the Seed even from the least of them to the greatest of them shall know the Lord so that Tongues Prophecying and Knowledge by such Mediums as now shall be useless 1 Cor. 13.8 Col. 3.4 1 Joh. 3.2 and such teachings cease then but we shall all know the Lord by an immediate sight of the Lord which will make us to be like him Such so full and so cleer Knowledge to be given then IV. For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more This is cleer to be such a forgiveness Jer. 31.34 as in which all sin is wholly taken away and they presented altogether spotless before him such a degree of Forgiveness Justification and Sanctification and Freedom as no Man attaineth in this Life In which daily Forgiveness is needed 1 Joh. 1.6 7 8 9 10. Eph. 5.25 26 27. Col. 1.22 23. Act. 3.19 1 Cor. 1.8 But this is that spotlesness which Christ by his Blood sprinkling commending his Father's Love there through in Gospelministring by his Mediation sending forth Spirit in his Word to work on the Heart is now about to fit his Seed for and bring them to and it shall be compleated at that very Day of his coming when also that which follows will be performed with it namely That he will remember their sin no more Whatever Forgiveness God extendeth to Men yea though into their Consciences yet while any sorrow shame pain weakness or oppression lieth on them there is some remembrance of sin for how good and gracious ends soever and while any good promised for Soul or Body is withheld there is some remembrance of sin how advantagious soever it be made yea as long as the Bodies of the Saints are in the dust there is some remembrance of sin But here from this time shall be no remembrance of sin their sins shall be remembred no more which includeth and assureth them That God will wipe away then all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death Rev. 21.4 7.15 16 17. Jer. 31.12 Isa 60.17 18 19 20. 11.6 9. Isa 65.17 18 19. Rom. 8.21 22. Isa 9.6 7. 11.4 5. Psal 72. Isa 60 65 66. neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away and so they shall not have any violence injustice or oppression in their Government nor suffer violence from any nor shall there be contention or strife among the Creatures with them any more nor any pollution in the Air or Earth or any thing that grows out of it but the whole Creation the Heaven and Earth made new for them Their Government and Commonwealth shall be altogether peaceable righteous and flourishing the Earth abundantly fruitful and all Nations bringing their Glory to them and they enjoying and filled with all happiness for evermore everlasting joy upon them as is before shewn in the Promises Part 5. Chap. 5. and Part 2. Chap. 10 13. And this the everlasting Covenant which was made in promise to Abraham Isaac Jacob and David and declared by the Prophets and Apostles who shall in that day be also with them when this shall be made in performance to all the spiritual Seed so as they all shall then triumphingly confess As we have heard Psal 48.8 so we have seen in the City of the Lord of Hosts in the City of our God God will establish it for ever and so filled with Rejoycings they breath forth Hallelujahs Nothing more full and plain in Scripture then these things therefore let the Rule and Consent in it be here remembred and this the Hope we are called to by the Gospel and are interested in Par. 1. ch 7. 2 Thes 2.14 Gal. 3.29 in believing in Christ so that Prayer is good for us That God would grant to us the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of Christ that we may see what the Hope of his Calling is which is to all engaged in this Covenant and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints a little in this discovered and what the exceeding greatness of his power c. which will bring all to pass CHAP. 10. Of some usefulness of this Discovery of the Covenants IN what hath been shewn we may see if we search and read the Scriptures pointed unto That the Gospel of God and the Testimony of Christ therein is according to the Covenants of God and the Opener thereof and also That the Testimony of Christ The Purposes of God The Promises of God and The Covenants of God agree in one and the same The Revelations of Christ shew forth the Testimony of Christ which is the Key of Knowledge The Testimony of Christ declareth The Purpose of God from his Purpose The Promises of things purposed and as purposed flow and to assure the Promises the Covenants are suitably made so as in the Testimony of Christ
in the mediums begetting faith examples from vers 8. to 31. of the adding to the medium the written word and prophesies and faith begotten thereby Examples from vers 32.37 and then the most clear and full discovery in and through Christ the Author and finisher of faith Chap. 12.2 And yet all the way but one faith and for the nature and property of this faith he saith It is the substance or ground or representation or confidence of things â—oâ—ed for The evidence argument or proof of things not seen 1 The evidences and testimony given from God 1 Joh. â— 9 Rom. 1.18 19 20 10 21. Joh. 3.19 2 Thess 2.10 Rom. 10.6 8 9 hath in it and brings with it such light power demonstration and evidence of truth and goodness as is fit and able to open the eyes to discern the manifestation and to gain credit and beleeve yea there is more in it to gain beleef then in the testimony of any men to gain beleef to things of men affirmed by them yea if men do not close their eyes harden their heart unrighteously hold and detain and refuse its operations it will draw to beleeve and so save and for that end it comes nigh to the mouth and the heart of man 2 This Testimony evidence 1 Joh. 5.10 1.1 2 3 Rom. 1.16 1 Thes 2.13 Rom. 5 1-5 Phil. 2.1 2 and demonstration of God beleeved and so received hee that beleeveth hath the Testimony and evidence in himself and in or with that Testimony Christ by his divine presence in the vertue of his oblation and in that the Father in his love streaming in the heart and so this word or Testimony beleeved worketh savingly and powerfully in the heart yea it drinks in of the influences of Christ from the right hand of God and carries the heart and spirit in and makes things absent and to come as present in their vertue solace and comfort to the heart they having the word and Testimony of Almighty God his power truth mercy faithfulnesse his son as a witnesse of all This is ground sufficient for all they hope for and evidence enough for them to beleeve and declare to others the truth of those things that are not seen about Creation Redemption the person of the Redeemer and what he hath done doth and will do the resurrection of the dead the new heaven and new earth c. So Faith is not such a thing as hee that hath it is left to build his Faith on mans Testimony and to have a Ministery all his life long to tell him whether his faith bee right or no though Ministery is profitable for his growth and fruitfulnesse but Faith hath its evidence in it self And this the Apostie proves by many demonstrations in such as had it as 1 That God approves and bears witnesse to such Heb. 11.1 2.3 4 5 7 2 That it opens mysteries to them and gives them understanding in things not seen with the eye nor comprehended by reason 3 It stregthens and encourages to approach to God 4 It inables them to walk with God yea to do and suffer great things and to wait with assurance of enjoying a Kingdome in his season yea so evidencing and powerful is Faith When Gods spake in divers manners or by parâ—â—â—â— how much more now hee speaks by and through his Son as set forth in the Gospel And if any desire a Discription of this beleeving Loe it is all expresse in Heb. 11.13 and plain in three words 1 A discerning according to the demonstration of his goodnesse to look to mind encline the ear and so a discerning 2 A perswasion or credit giving not reasoning against but beleeving his testimony as true and good 3 An imbracing it when it s beleeved with all acceptance and delight that is true beleeving and the grace of God so beleeved operateth in the heart and life as followeth in ver 13 14 15 16. But these things are all shown at large before yea so as the object of Faith is so set forth in Scripture that all might beleeve and such assurance given to beleevers as may encourage both to beleeve and persevere beleeving to help the reader whereto I leave him to consider what is writ in the Treatise and desire that what the scripture plainly saith and in the plain sayings of the Gospel affirmeth may in their own plain import and simplicity of asseveration bee received Pag. 26. in 2 Epistle p. 8 yea Mr. Owen consenteth in this also besides all his sayings forementioned saying 〈◊〉 in his Epistle to the learned that which wee account our wisdome and learning may if too rigorously attended bee our Folly when wee think to sharpen the reason of the Scripture wee may straighten the efficacy of the spirit of it It s often times more effectual in its own liberty then when restrained to our methods of arguing and the weapons of it keener in their own soft breathings then when sharpned in the Forge of Aristotle And or of Ramus either There is a way of perswasion and conviction in the Scriptures that is more Divine and sublime than to bee reduced to any rules of Art that men can reach unto God in his word instructs men to make them wise unto salvation Sillogismes are not doubtlesse the only way of making men wise with humane wisdome much lesse divine so far he If hee should or have warved from his own rule hee can not but bee willing in that to bee refused so that with consent wee all say what is written how readest thou Beleeve the scripture And the Lord in mercy make us ready and constant in imbracing the Truth in his sayings as prayeth the unworthiest of all his people Thomas Moor FINIS
to turn aside therefrom so proud to think you know more and better than all these so singular from all other Men in your Opinion and Way know you not it will be an Offence to our learned Men and Teachers and lay a blemish on them and our Fore-fathers as if they were mistaken and did erre Answ We have a plain Answer to all this in the Doctrine of Christ that all Doctrines Sayings Interpretations Glosses Sences Traditions that are not found in the Law and Testimony that have but the Doctrine and Tradition of Men to warrant them how many learned and how ancient soever they be yet they must not be taken because their Words and Sense to be therefore right but must be rectified and brought to the plain sayings of Truth and all not so rectified must be rejected And thus did our Saviour rectifie the commonly received sense of the Law and rejected the false Glosses a Mat. 5.21.22 39. Mar. 10.3 9. and so he hath likewise taught us That it is in vain and makes the Word and Sayings of God of none effect to teach and believe and worship God with and by the Doctrines Traditions and Opinions of Men that are not in the Sayings of God and so not of him but of men how many learned holy or ancient soever they appear b Isa 29.14 Mat. 15.1 9. Mar. 7.1 14. And he hath likewise taught us That every Plant which our Heavenly Father hath not planted must be plucked up and God's own Sayings Believers are to justifie whoever be thereby found a lyer letting such lyers alone not being troubled with fear of offending them because they be blinde leaders of the blinde c Mat. 15.13 14. 11.19 Rom. 3.4 The Jews of old were commended for observing the plain Words and Sayings of the Law though many right holy Men for divers Generations before had not done so exactly according to the plain saying of the Law d Neh. 8.14 15 16 17. yea the Priests and Scribes of the Jews in Herod's time when they answered a Question with a plain saying of Scripture erred not in the Answer given e Mat. 2.5 6. so victorious is the Truth in its own sayings Nor is it Pride or sinful Singularity or just cause of Offence to any to believe the Sayings of God to be true whoever be reproved as a lyer thereby but rather true Humility in laying aside our own Wisdom and desire of Repute with humane Rabbies and it is Obedience to God in justifying him in his Sayings which are never rightly understood but in believing them f 1 Cor. 3.18 19 20. Rom. 3.4 so that he that believeth the plain sayings in the Testimony of Christ to be true will not hearken to or be waved by this Objection Object 2 It is not like yea not possible yea against Reason That Moses should speak of so low a business as the Creation of this visible World with visible Heaven Earth and Creatures or That from one Man and one Woman the World should be so people'd by Noah 's time or That eight Persons with Creatures of all kindes should be preserved a whole yeer in such an Ark as is mentioned when all the World of Mankinde and other Creatures besides should be drowned or That if the World were so drowned that it should be so people'd and inhabited so fully by Abraham 's time or That there should be Three in One God and yet God but One or That God in the Person of his Son should become Man or That that Man should be God and yet die or if as Man he died that that very Body that died should be risen again and ascended into Heaven and remain so long in the Heavens or That by his Death and Righteousness other Men should be saved or That if there be such a thing as Eternal Salvation if God made all Men and Christ died and gave himself a Ransom for All that All should not be Eternally saved or That there should be a Resurrection of all the Bodies that have died since Adam 's time c. Answer These are all such plain Blasphemous and Atheistical Assertions that they are rather to be abhorred and answered with silence and departure than any parleying about such Absurdities and Infidel-like Blasphemies according to the Counsel given us not to answer but depart g Prov. 26.4 14.7 Isa 36.21 yet because many devise Allegories to make them true in an Allegorical Sense thereby to colour their Atheism and Unbelief and pretend a Fancy of higher things though they are vain Fancies and Dreams Prov. 26.5 we may give an Answer beside plain Denial which yet were enough And so it 's answered That however Types and Shadows and Parables might be Allegorized to an Agreement in a spiritual sense with the substance of Truth shadowed and typed Col. 2.17 2 Pet. 1 16. 2.1 2 18. Jude 12. yet the Truth it self is no Type or Shadow no Fable nor can there be any higher Business so as it admits not of Allegorizing and such as fancy Allegories to shew something more high and spiritual their Allegories are vain Dreams Fancies meer Winde and Vanity As for others not so far departed from the Faith that yet not believing the extent of God's own Sayings about his own Works of Creation Redemption and Extention of means that men might partake of Redemption c. who to colour their Unbelief bring in Forrain Senses and limiting Interpretations as if the words of a Man concerning the work of a Man and not the Words of God concerning the Works of God and so where he faith All men every man they gloss it Some of all sorts if he say The world and The whole world they will gloss it The world of the Elect. Whereas in a saying that is of God and his works if general and large and no saying of his contradicting it at any time there can be no limitation let not mortal Man presume to be wiser than his Maker But our Saviour's Answer may serve for all these who tells us That Unbelief and Ignorance of the Scripture and of the Power of God is the cause of all such Errors g Mat. 22.29 Mat. 12.24 and disables to give any right Interpretation Allegorical or Logical Object 3 You have the Scripture but in a Translation and have not sufficient Words to import the full sense of many Words in your Language which the Hebrew and Greek the Original in which the Scriptures were writ do import therefore the sayings are not plain to you that understand not the original Tongues Answer This is a meer gull to deceive the ignorant that their Rabbies might be Lords of their Faith for against this Objection we may finde in the Scripture it self many things viz. 1. That all words are not in every sentence to be taken according to the full extent of the Etymologie of the word as where it is said Our Saviour will
unto God and so sanctifying and chusing them to be his peculiar People and accordingly we may understand the words All Every Many Us were to be of more-general or more special extent though the word World be never used to express the Elect onely but if the Business about which the Sayings are be of Men though as his Instruments the Sense according to the Business may be more large or strait but not so large nor so peculiar as in the Works of God and Christ onely 5. The manner of speaking and propounding whether it be by Propositions of Generals or Specials and whether it be for believing onely or for example also and whether it be General or Particular and Applicative and accordingly we understand the Sayings more or less largely so in the Gospel-Sayings observing whether they be Propositions of Truth that Men might believe or of Example for Men to follow or Propositions General to Men or Special to Believers or Particular and Applicative Sayings we may know the Sense to be more General and Large or more Special and Limited to some Special accordingly 6. The end and scope of a Speech or Saying whether it be to set forth a Person or a Business and if of a Person whether it be to set forth who he is or what he is or whence he is or where he is or if his Business whether what he hath done or what he doth or what he will do and for whom and that whether in General or Special and for what end And accordingly we understand the extent of the Sense and so in Gospel-Sayings we may understand in minding the end and scope of them whether to set forth the Person of Christ or his Business or the Persons of Men and their Business or the Persons of Believers and their Business and if the Person of Christ then whether to shew who he is or what a one he is or whence he is or where he is and if of his Business then whether to shew what he hath done and for whom and for what end or what he doth or what he will do and whether in General for All or in Special for Believers c. accordingly the Sense imported General or Peculiar 7. How Words more hardly understood in some Sayings are explained and shewn to be meant and intended by them that use them in other of their Sayings and how taken and understood by them that are acquainted and conversant with the users of those Sayings and so though the same Word hath divers meanings one in one Saying and another in another Saying in one Saying proper in another figurative yet by this Observation it is easily understood by the Sentence in which it is And the like we may observe about Words in Scripture Sayings that have some obscurity and one meaning in one Saying and another meaning in another Saying yet in like Sayings the meaning of those words is explicated by the Spirit that spake them and hath been understood and recorded by the Holy Prophets and Apostles and may be understood by all that believe their writings in comparing one place with another so that we compare like Sayings or Sayings of like things together as if the Sayings be of God of his Works of Creation Redemption c. and by God said see the sense of the Word as given and explicated in like Sayings and compare not God with Men to make the Sense of a Word used by Men and in Sayings Businesses of Men to be the Limit of the Sense and Force in such Words spoken by God and of his Works And these things observed the Import of Sayings in Scripture will not be so obscure as many pretend And for these things though I might yet I have not quoted Scriptures but leave that to be seen in the following Discourse I know such as pride themselves in their Learning and skill in Tongues Sciences and Arts will push at these simple Observations but they need not for they are not intended for them though even they will run into Absurdities if they neglect and go contrary to them but they are writ for such as are unskilful in that Learning that such as have the use of Understanding may consider that which they read in Scripture and I suppose it will after appear yea and in some Scripture-Commands and Appeals to be even there directed unto For present see f Rom. 7.1 1 Cor. 9.7 8. 11.13 14.19 20. 2 Cor. 4.1 Fourthly The plainness of the Gospel-Testimony of Christ will yet farther appear if we minde in comparing Scriptures the Distinctions mentioned therein of the manifold ends of the Death of Christ one to make Propitiation for sins one to confirm the New Testament and one to shew Love and Obedience to his Father and Love to and Care of his Sheep in witness-bearing to the Truth and therein to give us an Example and likewise minde the different extent in regard of these ends and observing also the Tense and Person and change of Tense and Person used in Scripture-Sayings These four Rules observed I hope the Sayings of the Gospel in the Testimony of Christ will appear plain to all that desire and pray to God for Understanding And yet to make all the more useful to understand the Testimony of Christ Before I set on the discovery of that I will add a few Words more about God's Creation of the first publick Man and that Man's Fall and Misery for remedy whereof the second publick Man came CHAP. 9. Of the Creation of Mankinde in the first Adam 1. IN the beginning God created and made the Heaven and Earth and Sea and a world of Creatures in each of them and all to shew forth his Glory Love and Bounty for the benefit and commodity of Mankinde and all before he made the first Man And so it appeared the first Man had no hand or counsel in the Creation of any of them all being made and surnished for him before he was in being a Gen. 1.1 26. 2.5 7. Psal 104.1 23 24 25. 8.3 9. 2. He created and made Man of the Dust of the Earth and breathed in him the breath of Life and so made him a living Soul yea a Natural Man Male and Female fit for multiplication in a Natural way yea a publick Man so as all Mankinde were in him created and in respect of species or kind all in him as he was b Gen. 1.27 28. 2.18 23 7. 1 Cor. 15.45 47 48. Act. 17.26 3. He made this first publick Man and so all Mankinde in respect of kinde in him in his own Image or Likeness c Gen. 1.26 27. not God but Man d Ezek. 28.2 6 9. Isa 31.3 Gen 1.26 27. nor equal with God for that was the peculiar Priviledge of the Word the Son of God that was with God and God e Prov. 8.22 30 Phil. 2.6 John 1.1 2 3. But Man of the Dust and therein a
little lower than the Angels f Psal 8.5 yet truely in a measure in the Likeness and Image of God which appears in Scripture to be I. For Uprightness in Holiness and Righteousness so as his Heart was naturally inclined to love God with all his Minde Heart Soul and Strength and his Neighbour as himself I Gen. 1.27 Eccles 7.29 Jam. 2.9 Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 II Gen. 1.28 Psal 8.6 7 8. and all his Powers apted freely to walk out therein without compulsion of any outward Law II. Lordship and Dominion over all the Creatures below made for him in the Earth and Sea and Air. III. A Capacity of Immortality III Gen. 2.17 Psal 8.3 8. 49.12 20. Rom 5.12 6.23 and living in his Happiness for ever so as if he acknowledged his supreme Lord liking and continuing in the Condition and Honour he was put in forbearing the eating of the Fruit of one Tree he should not die but live and enjoy his Happiness for ever otherwise he might become as the Beasts that perish 4. He furnished this first publick Man and so all Mankinde in him with sufficient furniture that he might abide in his happy Estate I. I Eccles 7.29 Eph. 4.24 With an inward and natural Principle and Inclination to love God and his Neighbour and Aptitude and Strength in all his Faculties and Powers of Soul and Body to walk out therein so as there was in him no occasion of stumbling or any thing to withdraw or move him to turn aside g 1 Joh. 2.10 nor any thing besides God that he needed to desire or fear to move without him h Gen. 1.31 II. II Gen. 1.28 29 30. Psa 104.1 15 16 24. 8.2.3 9. 19.1 7 With an outward furniture of Creatures in Heaven Earth and Sea shewing forth the Glory Love and Bounty of his Creator all at his service and fitted for all Accommodation for the well-being of his Life to walk cheerfully before God III. III Gen. 2.8 9 10 15 16 19 22. 1.28 3.8 With an easie and pleasant service in a place of delight and pleasure where also he had the freedom and opportunity of meeting with and enjoying intercourse and communion with God IV. IV. Gen. 1.29 2.16 17. With an inward Liberty of will and power to use it in chusing or refusing that so his Obedience might be voluntary and outward Liberty given him freely to eat of every Tree in the Garden but onely one of which one he had the advantage by the forbearance of it to testifie his thankfulness to his Creator and his delight in him and well-pleasedness with his will and works which without this had been wanting to him V. V Gen. 2.16 17. With Instruction of the Nature of that forbidden Tree and what the event and danger would be if he did eat thereof So that in all this the great free and undeserved Love of God to Mankinde doth so appear as may lead to Admiration O what is Man that was made of the dust that thou shouldst be so mindeful of him and set thy Heart on him and so love and bless him i Gen. 1.28 18.27 Job 7.17 Psal 8.4 144.3 Object If it be replied But God might have made this first Adam so and such as he might have been in an absolute necessity of living for ever in immortality and so in an absolute impossibility of falling or changing Answer To this I might return Answer Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him he that reproveth God let him answer it k Job 40.2 But I will endeavour to satisfie I. If God had made Man in himself immutable and so in an absolute impossibility of changing he had not made him a holy Man onely but God also for that is his peculiar to be in and of himself immutable Mal. 3.6 Jam. 1.17 II. God at first and in the beginning of his way exalted his Son that was with him the same God so that it is his peculiar with the Father to be in and of himself immutable l Prov. 8.22 23 Joh. 1.1 2 3. 17.5 Heb. 13.8 nor can any Creature partake of that immutability and blessed immortality but as they have it derivatively from him m Isa 40.8 1 Pet. 1 2 24 25. III. God willed to make Man a little inferior to the Angels n Psal 8.5 as the second Man was for a little while o Heb. 2.7 Now the Angels were not so made that in and of themselves they were in an utter incapacity and impossibility of changing or falling into death yea many of them did so fall p 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. Job 4.18 19. and those that are now established that they cannot fall had that establishment and impossibility of falling derived to them from the Word that is the Son of God whom God had exalted above all in Acknowledgement of whom and well pleasedness with his Exaltation and Dominion they were through him Elect and so his holy Angels q Heb. 1.4 5 6 7 13 14. Prov. 8.22 23. Job 38.3 7. 1 Tim. 5.21 2 Thes 1.7 Mat. 22.30 as most propable the first man in continuance might in the same Acknowledgement have been by the same Word without his taking flesh and dying And such as now believe on him shall be in the Resurrection of the just in which they shall be equal to the Holy Angels r Luke 20.36 And had the first Man been made in and of himself in such an immutability he had been made superior to the Angels Psal 8. but he was made a little inferior to the Angels though superior to all other Creatures and preferred before the Angels in Lordship over the Works of God's hands and his Liberty and furniture for abiding is fore shewn So that the Love of God to Mankinde had its first appearance in and through this first publick Man in the Creation and furniture and blessing of him and what God did to him he did to all Mankinde in him for all Mankinde were in him and so while he abode in his innocency alike righteous in him and alike beloved in him in their species as Men so as none yet in or by him sinners and so none hated none reprobated for all were in him as Men and in no other Man neither was there any other Man in being nor in purpose as Man before him he was the natural Man the first Man in purpose and being as Man and there was no other Man before or with him for Men or any Men as Men to be beheld considered beloved or chosen in The Lord Christ as Man is the second Man the last Adam the spiritual Man in whom is no Man or Men but such as were first in the first and natural Man have their being in him and come forth from him and first bare his Image and after in a supernatural way are spiritually brought into the second and
also might believe and this in Redemption applied to fallen Mankinde hath also in it an opposition in respect of sinfulness to righteousness and so he did not offer the Oblation for himself or for the Holy Angels but for us sinners and unjust and somtime in respect of the nature species or kinde in which fallen Men are opposed to fallen Angels whose nature and cause he took not on him but the nature and cause of Man and so gave himself for us Men and not for the Angels somtime the word is used with a special reference to Mankinde above other Creatures so as the life in him is the light of Men. And in confession of Truth the word Us We and Our is frequently used in Scripture as comprehending all Men yet testifying the Faith of the Confessors so Psal 100.3 It is he that hath made us and not we our selves Psal 100.3 v. 1 3. Psal 33.8 9. Roin 15.10 11 This true of all Men of all the Lands and Nations in all the ends of the Earth and that a good Ground to move them all to come in to believe in him rejoyce in him fear and serve him that so they might become the sheep of his pasture yet the special benefic and the Testimony of Faith is enjoyed breathed forth by the believing Confessors the like Mal. 2.10 Hath not one God created us This true of all Men and the Confession grounded on that very Truth That he is the Creator of all the ends of the Earth Isa 48.28 Act. 17.26 and hath made all Nations of Men of one Blood yet the force of the reproof and exhortation is found only in the believing Confessors of the same so 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish c. where it is evident vers 3. with Rev. 2.21 that Us includes as yet the very scoffers and such as yet were not come to the knowledge of the Truth express vers 9. and grounded on that Truth b Psal 1 45.8 9. and that the word Us is used in the same sense and signifieth all Men in Tit. 2.14 He gave himself for us us men and Believers confess it is evident and manifested divers wayes by the Scriptures namely 1. In the place it self in the beginning of the Profession or Confession Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. vers 11. The Grace of God saving to all Men or bringing salvation to all Men hath appeared c. and giving the Ground both of its appearing and teachings He renders it thus Who gave himself for us and having made no difference what can Us be less than all Men though the believing Confessors are they that receive and enjoy the benefit of its teachings And this will yet farther appear 2. By comparing with it other places of Scripture speaking of like things to the same end Act. 17.26 27. Act. 7.26 31. where having affirmed That God made all Nations of Men of one Blood c. and also shewn his gracious end towards them all in their several Generations and Habitations that they should seek the Lord c. in removing the Objection of impossibility and affording encouragement he saith Though he be not far from every one of us where it 's evident That Us is us Men yea in such a sense as is true from the beginning us Men every one in their Generations Us every one now living in our Generations Us every of us following in all the Generations of Men on Earth where also we may note That this Apostle like the residue of the Apostles as did the Prophets of old when speaking of the love and goodness of God to Mankinde Gen 2.7 23. 1.27 Eccles 7.29 either in the first Creation wherein Man was made in innocency and said to be flesh and bone he speaks of it as that which pertained to all Mankinde in the first Man 2 Cor. 15.50 before the fall and what he speaks of the love and goodness of God extended through a Redeemer Mediator to Mankinde fallen that by the fall became flesh and blood Heb. 2.14 weak and mortal which weakness and mortality the second publick Man for a time partook of that through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death and so what goodness God extends to this fallen Mankinde in making them of and from the first fallen man whose Nature and weakness the second man took making them of the same Blood Psal 75.3 Col. 1.17 Psa 33.6 7 8. Rom. 2.4 of the same Nature and kinde and preserving and extending mercies to them as it is through the second man that is the Redeemer so it is all to one and the same gracious end in the first place that they might seek and finde him and fear him so the Apostle speaks of this as appertaining to all men and so in relation to men both Unbelievers and Believers he saith Every one of us Act. 17.27 28. and then proceedeth in giving some evident and undeniable demonstrations thereof saying For in him or by or through him We live and move Joh. 1.2 3 4. or have our being as vers 25. yea takes advantage from the power and victory of this Truth causing one of their own Poets in his way to confess it saying For we also are his off-spring Joh. 1.4 5 9. Act. 14.17 and however this Light hath formerly shined in Darkness and the Darkness comprehended it not yet God being patient and forbearing till he brought forth the Light more cleerly yet bringing forth the Light more cleerly Act. 17.30 31. he doth now admon̄ish Men all men all Men every where to repentiso that that former Every one of us and We he shews it to mean all Men and all Men every where and then gives this as the ground of the verity and equity of that admonition and a motive to receive it Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath appointed Rom. 14.9 10 11 12. or ordained namely by vertue of his Death and Sacrifice for them to that rule dispose and judgement of them whereof he hath given assurance to all men or offered Faith in giving a sure object for Faith and medium to bring to Faith a witness of the Truth to move to and facilitate Faith to all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead So that all the way here about these things the words Us and We and all men are of like extent and in the largest sense that can be appliable to Men in their several Generations from the beginning of the World to the end thereof and if I should add to this those places in which he saith That Christ died for all tasted death for every Man and gave himself a ransom for all and is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world and compare them with other places where speaking of
his Life for his Sheep even the Sheep of his Ministration and so how he left the World and is not here but in Heaven and yet how he remaineth here and is with and in his people on Earth and many like things by the discovery of Jesus Christ according to his Oblation offered are answered But they that despise this Use of the Oblation in their Ministration and set light by it because it opens so plain and easie a way of Knowledge and takes away that excessive Honour and as some conceive the necessary use of their great Learning and skill in Philosophy in Logick Rhetorick and School-Arts and so would hinder the Admiration of them both for these and also for some fleshly humility and outside appearing severity and holiness which yet they have in the Hearts of the People and thereby hinder their power of ruling over the Consciences and Faith of the people and so stain the pride of all their Glory Isa 28 9 10 11 12 14 16 17. with c. 29.9 12 12 14 15. and therefore they reject to submit to such use of the Oblation of Christ in their Ministration and yet to colour the evil of their refusal they will use all their skill to have here a line and there a line here a precept and there a precept of the Gospel and with such subtilties carry on the business as if the Vision of All were a sealed Book and whatever is there said of Christ his dying for all and being the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World c. that every one might believe and in believing have life and refreshing and so rest yet that is a thing sealed up it is not to be taken plainly according to the import of the words it belongs to some elect Company which unlearned Men cannot know nor the unlearned neither who they be that are of that number till by some of their studied Demonstrations it come to be manifested and to them you must resort for this Knowledge for the work of their Ministery is to help Men to know who be of that number and as for unlearned Men they must be kept humble and not presume to think themselves able to read the Vision or dare to understand it according to the plain import of the words and sayings in the Vision yea such by their great learning do so garnish over the matter that neither their secret end of self-advancing nor their slighting the Foundation and Vision of all may appear to the people yea they conceive to any for they say Who seeth us Who can accuse us Jer. 5.31 8.8 9. But these want true Wisdom and make false and vain preachings and writings and scorning to stoop to his command in directing the People for rest and refreshng to this appointed rest God sets himself against them Isa 28.12 13 14 16 17. to advance what they despise and cast shame on them and they persisting after warning become drunk with conceits and asleep and full of dreams Isa 29.9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Prov. 14.7 19.27 Jer. 23.16 17 28 29 Mat. 15.1 Cor. 1.18 19-24 Rom. 1.16 and so teaching Mens Precepts lead the people to an hypocritical zeal and holiness in worshipping God and God sets himself to blast and punish them and will discover their subtilties that Believers shall know and reprove them and if yet they persist in their way and teaching the documents of Men he warns Believers not to hearken to them but to let them alone and not to regard their dreams assuring us that all devotion and worshipping of God by Mens documents is vain his Word is the Wheat the Rest Chaff his VVord the Hammer that breaketh the Stone the preaching of the Cross the Gospel is the Power of God and that wherein his power goeth forth to save So hath God magnified the word of the Oblation of Christ The second Branch of the Testimony of Christ CHAP. 12. Of the Mediation and Intercession of Christ And first of that general BY the Intercession of Christ I mean also his Mediation but not that part of his Mediation at once made in that one Oblation in his once offering up of himself a Sacrifice to God which is one part and the first part of his Mediation in which the first work and business was compleated but that meant here is his continued Mediation that in which by vertue of his own Oblation once offered and his first work finished he remaineth a Mediator still ever-living mediating and interceding and of this his continual Mediation that is still doing is in this Branch of the Testimony to be considered and it is both general and more special as will appear and so I will treat first of the General The general Mediation and Intercession of Jesus Christ is between God and Men. There is one God 1 Tim. 2.5 6. and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ransom for all Men. In which it is plain That Jesus Christ gave himself a Ransom for all Men not That he is giving but Hath given himself a Ransom for all That work is done and finished and yet this is here also evident That notwithstanding the Ransom given and the Purgation and Atonement made and the Redemption thereby obtained and the Love and Mercy shewn through this Ransom given in means to draw Men to God Men are found sinners still upon another account Rom. 2.4 5. even against the Grace that should lead them to Repentance and so not of one minde with God but averse to him and so need a Mediator but yet God in Christ is yet of one minde in his Love to extend Mercy and therefore hath found out and given this his Son and our Kinsman and Saviour the Ransom-Giver to be the Mediator between him and Men. So then this is also plain Gal. 3.20 That this Mediator is he even the same Jesus Christ that gave himself a Ransom for all Men and That his Mediation is with and by vertue of that Ransom given Now a Mediator is more than a Dayes-man or Arbitrator to lay his Hand on two Parties and variance to bring the one to abate some part of the Debt or Trespass and the other to pay and satisfie some part and so to make Friends and at one Joh 9.33 1 Sam. 2.25 such a one would not be sufficient for us nor can such a one be found But this Mediator is one that by an infinitely-unvaluable Sacrifice hath fully payed the Debt we were first run into he gave himself a Ransom and by the farther provision made in that Sacrifice and the over-abundant and infinite value and worth that was in it by vertue thereof he procures free-forgiveness of following evils on a new score and extention of means and Grace to Men to bring them into Repentance and so Peace and oneness with God so dealing with God for Men in procuring for
his delivering up the Kingdom even to God the Father that God may be All in All and so the Government not Dividical but wholly Divine yet the Kingdom without end So that â—he beginning of this Day is in the entrance or beginning of Christ his coming to Raign and to sit upon the Throne of David his Father and the end of this last and great Day is after the Resurrection and Condemnation of all the wicked when will be the last and utter destruction of Death 26 28. in delivering up the Kingdom to the Father that the Davidâ—cal Regiment may be translated into that which is wholly and altogether Divine And that this Resurrection done by God yet he doing it by the Man Christ as he will in that Day judge all men by him our Saviour Christ himself teacheth speaking of himself as the Son of Man saying Rom. 2.16 Joh. 5.26 27 28. The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good to the resurrection os life and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation Agreeable to which is that Confession of Faith That there shall be a resurrection of the dead Act. 24.15 Isa 26.19 1 Thes 4.14 Luk. 14.14 Joh. 5.24 both of the just and the unjust And the Resurrection of those that are by Faith united to Jesus and dying in the Faith sleep in Jesus is called the Resurrection of the Just in which Rewards are to be given them And though both Resurrection of Just and Unjust shall be in this last and great Day yet this Resurrection of the Just being at Christ his coming in the beginning of that great Day and of those that have believed on Christ and suffered with him in the Dayes of his patience who are to live and raign with him in the Davidical Regiment till the wicked be raised out of Death and judged and cast into the lake of fire which is at the end of this last and great Day and of all Time when also the Kingdom is delivered to the Father The Resurrection of the Just is therefore called The first Resurrection Rev. 20.5 6. which work our Saviour affirms to be the will of our Father that he should do and that he will do shewing the Father's will in general he saith This is the Fathers will c. Joh. 6.39 That of all which he hath given me and that is all men into his dispose by vertue of his Oblation I should lose nothing as is before shewn and will be more after he loseth none if any perversly lose himself yet he is to judge him and therefore it is said but should raise it up again at the last day And then speaking of the Father's special will he saith And this is the will of him that sent me That every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Which he speaks more particularly and emphatically as the first and choice having not proceeded in the other to such-like affirmation for that reason given Joh. 12.47 48. So that this next coming of Christ is first in the beginning of the last Day to raise and cloath with immortality all his Saints which will be done in a moment the same moment he is descending from Heaven that so they meeting him in the Air may come along with him to the next work as is affirmed they shall which next work is also plainly affirmed to be 2. To overthrow all the Powers and Governments of the World that now is that are upon this Earth and so it is said 1 Cor. 15.24 He shall put down all rule and all authority and power The Persons ruling if any of them Saints will be taken into that Company Dan. 7.12 Isa 60.12 and be changed and go with him if not if they at first submit to serve him and his people their lives shall be prolonged though their Dominion be taken away but all the wicked that rebel against him in that Day in which no more space of Repentance given for the the Lord will make a short work on Earth shall be destroyed and burned up Rom. 9.28 Mal. 4.1 Jude 14 15. 2 Pet. 3.7 10. 2 Thes 1.8 9. Isa 9.4 5 6. 11.4 Psa 72.4 both Root and Branch whence it is called The Day of Judgement Destruction and Perdition of ungodly Men which shall be with flaming Fire For this Battel shall not be like the former Battels on the Earth with confused noise and Garments rolled in Blood but with burning and fewel of Fire for he shall smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth and with the Breath of his Lips shall he slay the wicked and break in pieces the Oppressor He hath long left the Government of the Affairs of this World in the Hands of Men Psal 82.1 2 3 4. 2.10 11. whom he called Mighty or Gods and bade them judge righteously that it might be well with them in their account to him and he hath often changed the Governours and manner of Government and waired with patience to see if they would do right but he seeth That though he hath given them warning Psal 75.4 5 6 7. Psal 82.5 yet â— they know not neither will they understand they walk on in darkness all the foundations or Governments of the earth are out of course even moved Isa 59.16 50.2 3. And he saw and there was no man no Government he wondred there was no intercessor therefore his Arm brought salvation to him and his righteousness it sustained him and he dried up the Sea c. And saith to them Ye shall die like men and fall like one of the Princes And then it follows Arise O God Psal 82.7 8. Isa 13.6 7.11 judge the earth for thou shalt inherit all Nations And thus will he come in that Day to destroy sinners out of the Land to punish the World for their evil and the wicked for their iniquity and to cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease and lay low the haughtiness of the terrible yea Isa 13.13 Heb. 12.26 Hag. 2.6 Zach. 13 2-6 Rev. 19.20 1 Cor. 13.8 9-12 Jer. 31.34 2 Thes 1.7 8 Mat. 13.41 so great will this shaking be that he will not only shake the Earth but the Heavens also in that Day not only in destroying the false Prophet and so all Idolatrous Congregations with all their forms of Church-Government but also in causing to cease all the outward Government and Ordinances suitable to the Church of Christ in this frail state at that Day and no till that Day shall all these things be done And though he did the first work himself alone yet in this work for these things he comes not only with his Holy Angels but also with all his Saints joyning with him in this work as is said Let their
any reply That Christ himself as he was the Son of Man and Minister of the Gospel did not as then so know it as to make it known that is it was not as yet given him to reveal This is not denied And if it be farther replied That after his Ascension it was given him to reveal Rev. 1.1 2. and he sent and signified it to his servant John I answer This is true also That then was given him a more full Revelation for opening the things to come contained in the Scriptures Luk. 24.26 27 44 45. than that which he had formerly opened to them in which also the Holy Ghost instructed them Joh. 14.26 15.26 16.13 14 15. Rom. 16.25 26. 1 Joh. 2.27 even about the same things But now indeed he gives to John a more full Revelation visionally with some more particulars explicated as touching the Gentiles of those very things then was before as to the other Apostles by the Spirit in which still it was the Office of the Holy Ghost even by and with the Scriptures forewritten to teach and enable them to teach yea the very hour or day natural or prophetical that is for a year in ordinary account is not so declared or set down that one can certainly know it so as to say and miss not the very hour or day or year in which our Lord will visibly come and not before or after it Whence himself in that Revelation also saith Behold I come as a thief Rev. 16.15 Mat. 24.42 43 45. Mar. 13.35 37. Luk. 21.34 35 36. blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest c. And this also of good usefulness for us that we may be alwayes watchful and prepared waiting and looking for his coming that in his coming we may be found well-doing And yet though the precise hour or day natural or prophetical be not of us fore-known yet this we may certainly know first That it will certainly be and secondly That it is nigh at hand yea many wayes evidenced to be nigh even at the doors And this will cleerly appear if we consider these three things in his coming 1. His coming to particular Men in taking away their natural lives 2. His coming in hastning and bringing forth or ordering those works by his providence that are to be accomplished before his personal and visible appearance 3. His personal and visible appearance it self in that manner and to those ends before-shewn It in every sense and consideration will appear nigh it cannot be far off For 1. When any Man dies and gives up the Ghost it is to that Man and so to every Man in the Day of his natural Death in respect of his eternal welfare or wo Eccl. 9.10 11.3 Joh. 5.28 29. the very same as if Christ did then personally come for in what estate of Faith or Unbelief in peace with God or enmity against him and so as in well-doing or evil-doing a Man is found when he gives up the Ghost in the same shall he be found and appear in the Resurrection of the Dead and so dealt with by Jesus Christ in his personal appearance when at his voice the Dead are raised Eccles 3.21 12.7 Rev. 6.9 Luk. 16.22 2 Cor. 5.8 Phil. 1.23 1 Pet. 3.19 Rom. 14.12 2 Cor. 5.10 Eccles 9.5 6. when any dies the Spirit goes to God that gave it and if dying in Faith or gracious Estate it is put under the Altar or wings of Christ in Heaven sometime called Abraham's bosome now the Altar or presence of Christ but if dying in unbelief or disobedient state the Spirit is put in Prison till the great and final Judgement and in the Resurrection of the Bodies the Spirits shall be united again every one to his own Body and appear before the Judgement-Seat of Christ the Body all the time till then being dead and turned to dust it knoweth nothing is sensible of nothing and so an hour a day a yeer or a thousand yeers is all one to them and not so much or so long as an hour to a living Man so that his coming in this respect is nigh and alwayes hath been to every Man in their several ages for of that day and hour knoweth no Man certainly till it come but long it cannot be so that in this respect it is needful to be alwayes ready 2. By his discernable though not visibly personal appearance in bringing to pass and ordering those things that must be done before his personal and bodily coming and which being all done he will certainly and without tarrying come and by which as they are in doing and come to pass he wills us to take notice That his coming draws nigh and is at the doors Mat. 24 4-30 Mar. 13 5-26 Luk. 21 8-27 and that is such things as these the hearing and seeing wars neer or where we live and hearing the rumours of Wars afar off Famines Pestilences Earth quakes then Persecutions and killing such as believe in Christ and live to him and false Prophets arising and deceiving many then the decay of the love of many that have been believers and betraying their Brethren then some saying Here is Christ or There is Christ and some saying I am Christ And in all this the security or carelesness of the world not minding any coming of his in Judgements or in Person but giving up themselves to follow their worldly affairs and then some strange shakings both of Heaven and Earth of Churches and States and strange Apparitions in Sun and Moon and Stars These things with the Gospel preached over all the world were to come to pass and so did before the end in the destruction of Jerusalem And after that they were all to come to pass and so be done over again before the end of the World in the coming of Christ who when all these things are fully done and come to pass will suddenly come and appear as himself hath foretold us And our Saviour also bids us When we see these things come to pass to know that his coming is nigh even at the doors and warns Believers not to be troubled when they see these things come to pass but to list up their heads for the nigh-drawing of their Redemption And of these things the Apostles in their writings and in the Revelation also gives us warning All which things have in the several Ages since been fulfilling and now apparently to be seen in an high degree almost all and every of them come to pass so that the Day is hastening and nigh at hand that by viewing these things we may take notice of it and so be prepared patiently waiting for his coming Behold he cometh He cometh quickly 3. His personal and visible appearance and coming again Rom. 11.25 with Luk. 3.8 Rev. 2.21 Gen. 15.16 Rev. 14.15 18. spoken of is to be when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in that is when they have had
3.4 5 6 7. read and consider the place and see it is the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man it 's not said Joh. 3.16 his special and peculiar Love to some Elect but the pity and love of God to Man-ward that in its appearing saved us not according to works of righteousness which we have done it neither appeared or saveth by any thing in us or done by us Rom. 3.9 25. 5.6 8 9 10. 2 Cor. 5.20 Eph. 2.16 17. in which we were better than others but according to his mercy that is his Love commended to sinners in his giving Christ to die and make peace for them by his Blood when we were Enemies and causing it to appear to us while we were such and no better than others he saved us that is reconciled our hearts and converted us to himself and this saving by the washing of Regeneration that is the vertue and efficaciousness of the Blood and Oblation of Christ by means of his Mediation made known to us and his Love there-through streaming Rom. 5 1-5 1 Pet. 1.2 2 Thes 2.13 Heb. 9.14 being by the Holy Ghost set home to the Heart and so also by the renewing of the Holy Ghost who in such discovery as is said sprinkleth the Blood of Christ in the Heart and thereby speaketh peace and createth or reneweth a new Disposition or Spirit in the Heart Rom. 3.22 24 25 26 27. 4.5 23 24 25. 5 1-11 Which washing of Repentance and renewing of the Holy Ghost he by vertue of his Oblation once offered and his Intercession continued the Divine Love appearing there-through shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord that we being justified by his Grace now mark the last end in which his coming again is intimated we should be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life 1 Joh. 4.9.10 Thus doth the Love of God to Mankinde appearing through the Oblation of Christ lead to see and enjoy the Ends and Vertues of his Oblation and therein the Benefit of his Mediation and Intercession and therewith and thereby the Hope of the Inheritance and Eternal Life in the coming again of Christ so precious is the word of the beginning of Christ to lead into all that follows to be known of him 2. Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. read the place and minde The Grace of God Tit. 3.4 2 Cor. 3.18 Phil. 3.7 8. which is the same with the kindeness and Love of God to Man-ward saving to all men or bringing Salvation to all Men hath appeared so as in its appearing and saving Operations it teacheth us here is the benefit of his Mediation in extending the Vertues of his Oblation that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world now mark the last looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ And all this large Grace appearing in such saving tendency with such teachings and fitness for prevalency therein grounded and bottomed upon the Word of the beginning of Christ vers 14. Who gave himself for us c. with which I began this Discourse of the Oblation Intercession and coming again of Christ and with the same I for this Part end In all that is said of the Testimony of Christ in every Branch and of all together it appears That this Testimony is a Doctrine according to godliness and hath its natural tendency to godliness effecting it in all cordial Believers of it and also that this Testimony of Jesus is The Spirit of Prophesie The Original of all right Understanding The true and so best Enlightner Teacher School-Master and Director to all right understanding and speaking And ignorance and unbelief of this Testimony or any Branch of it specially the first is the cause of all error and mistakes about Scriptures And by this Testimony minded we may discern what true Faith is what the Object what the Medium discovering what the Believing is and how it worketh But I forbear to proceed farther in those things till I have first minded the degrees of the Revelation of Christ in this Testimony of him and how it was revealed evidenced and so made known and taught by degrees till the whole was cleerly manifested to be so now taught and believed An Explicite Declaration of the Testimony of Christ c. PART III. CHAP. I. Of the first Revelation of Christ and Way of making him known THE first Revelation of Jesus Christ was in Paradise thus Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel In which according to Explication since is observed 1. That the first Promulgation of the Gospel as it was immediate from and by God himself so it was done in the denouncing the Curse on the Serpent and his Seed yea Gen. 3.1.14 15. in some measure on the Serpent that was the Devil's Instrument and its Seed but in full and specially on the Devil the old Serpent with his Angels Rev. 12.9 20.2 8.13 9.12 11 14-18 and those by his Temptations become of him and so his Seed even as the compleating of the Exaltation of Christ and those that are his Seed is declared in the denouncing and bringing in the last and great Wo upon the Inhabiters of the Earth which are the Seed of this old Serpent 2. Gen. 3.16 17. Rom. 5.18 Heb. 9.27 That the Seed of the Woman is also so exprest that it may have a double sense one a more remote sense in which it may be carried to all that come of her by a natural conception before whom in the Promise Hope was set and of and from among whom the two Seeds more directly spoken of are and will be drawn And the other sense proper and nigher and that both principal full Gen. 3.15 Psal 49.7 8. Isa 7.14 Mat. 1.22 23. Luk. 1.30 34 35. Gal. 4.4 Mat. 1.1 Rom. 1.3 Gal. 3.16 1 Joh. 3.5 8. Heb. 2.14 and most cleer and direct and that is the Lord Jesus Christ for he saith It shall bruise thy head It was not thus The Woman nor any of her Seed by natural conception which are every way as much the Seed of Adam the Man as of the Woman of which no Man can redeem his Brother or give to God a Ransome for him But it was He even Jesus that was conceived in the Wombe and born of a Woman and a Virgin in a supernatural way without the help or use of Man which Virgin was of the Seed of Abraham and David to whom also the Promise was explicated and so he was the Seed of David of Abraham of the Woman the promised Seed even he that in due time was manifested to take away sins and destroy the works of the Devil And the Holy Ghost hath given us
denouncing the Curse on the Serpent were thus sounded forth in the hearing of Adam and Evah And the knowledge of all this is very profitable for us seeing by it we are taught so cleerly First That the Gospel thus sounded was not by Adam or Evah received by sense or by discerning of any peculiar interest they had in it more than others of Mankinde or any betterness in them more than others but by the Divine Power in the discovery of God's Love to Mankinde without any difference of one from another or preferring one before another they as fallen Ones received it by Faith in which it became theirs and so receiving it by Faith according to the import of the sound and the Light that was in it thence Adam in this sight and receit called his Wives Name Evah because she was the Mother of all living and this might well be in a twofold sense natural of all Adam's Race because there was hope for them and spiritual of all Believers she happily being the first Receiver according to that Where sin abounded there grace abounded much more Secondly That the Sentence and Curse did pass on them after the Promise and Interposure of Christ the new publick Man he having fore-accepted to be in that Nature and under the Law under which they were fallen that so he might come and bear that Sentence and Curse for Mankinde and so take the sting and venome out of it and in due season bring them out and this also was without difference for the good of all Mankinde Thirdly That the promise in the Testimony and sound lies as open and free for all Mankinde and every of them as it did for Adam and Evah that they might believe and in believing be the Seed of Christ and Children of their believing Mother Evah and so have the same hope Fourthly That we may know That as the Gospel for the good of Mankinde was first declared in denouncing the Curse on the Serpent and his Seed so all the Threats and Curses denounced on the Enemies of Christ and his People they are Fruits of God's Love and sure Promises to Believers And this was the first Revelation given of Christ Now also for Evidences and Demonstrations of the Truth and Goodness hereof besides this revealed Testimony of God it is to be seen in his works of Creation and Providence Psal 75.3 Col. 3.17 18. Joh. 1.3 4 5. Heb. 1.2 1 Cor. 8.6 Psal 19 1 2 3 4 5 6. Rom. 1.19 20 21. Act. 14 17. Deut. 4.19 Psa 147.15 16 17.18 Psa 145.8 9 17. Jer. 5.21 24. Heb. 11.6 Rom. 2.4 Rom. 10.18 Col. 1.23 Act. 4.17 for whereas all was lost and so for sin to be so far dissolved as every Creature remaining to have been as a Curse Vexation and ruine to Man that the Heavens and Earth with the Inhabitants are upheld and that Sun Moon Star Earth c. do serve for the good and comfort of Mankinde It is through Jesus Christ and by vertue of his Oblation and Intercession And so now and from thence The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work Day unto day uttereth speech c. And by these works of Creation and Providence God shineth forth and manifesteth to Men his Eternal Power Goodness his Being or Godhead his Wisdom and Love to Mankinde and these he hath divided to all Nations under the whole Heaven to serve them for their good and to such a gracious end and by these he gives hints of a Ransome and Mediator between him and men through whom he that is holy and just is yet so merciful and gracious to sinful and unworthy men even that they might believe him to be and to be merciful and a Rewarder of them that seek him and so repent and come in to him and so far and in such a sense the sound of the Gospel is preached in and by the Creation in the whole Earth and so in and by every Creature under Heaven to all Nations and every Man And these two the rumour of the Gospel as declared in Paradise and the Evidences of his Goodness in the works of Creation were the two Mediums or Books in which the Testimony of Christ hath been held forth from the beginning and is to be read Yet God did even at the first in this provision made in Christ for Men and for instructing them in this Revelation and these Evidences of him he chose in him certain Instruments whom he furnished above others with the Knowledge of the Gospel as so revealed and also with Understanding of his Power Wisdom Justice Mercy and Minde evidenced in his works that they should teach the same to others to convert them to God And these were those who themselves received the Testimony and were by it led to love and worship God and desire the Salvation of men as all the first Fathers Adam Seth c. who all preached to the World the same Gospel though not so fully come forth as we now have it is in respect of the more full and cleer Demonstration of it by the Apostles called a new Commandment 1 Ioh. 2.7 8. 1.1 2 3. and yet in respect of the thing it self the old Commandment being the same that was from the beginning And all those first Fathers from Abel to Abraham are affirmed to have said such things and to live and die in the Faith thereof Heb. 11.2 13 14. yea all these were Preachers in the World Adam Seth Enos Cainan Mahalaleel Jared Enoch Methusala Gen. 5 6. Lamech yea all these at one time sometime before Noah Adam Enoch and Seth being departed before the time of Noah but Enos above half a hundred yeers in Noah's time and Cainan above one hundred Mahalaleel above two hundred Jared above three hundred and a half and Lamech and his Father above five hundred yeers preachers in Noah's time and Methusalah till the yeer before the Flood came and then still Noah and Sem. What all these might do for Gospel-preaching in the first Ages who can say with all that received it of them but preach the same Gospel they did and so Noah preached Enoch prophesied and in Enoch's time Men called on the Name of the Lord so as then began a Profession of his Name in which they were distinct from the careless and prophane Sons of Men. Such Teachers then provided And yet this is not all for God did endue these Teachers with his Spirit and went forth with his Spirit in their Ministration and the means he did use toward them 1 Pet. 3.19 20. Gen. 6.3 so Christ preached by his Spirit in the Ministration of Noah and with his Spirit did strive long with them and that the Ministration and spiritual Motions might take more place he in his Providence wrought much for them and with them in sending about and stirring up his Servants to admonish and exhort them Rom. 2.4 Psal 36.6 7. Ioh
4.14 Act. 13.47 Isa 42.6 7 8. Luk. 2.31 32. Gal. 3.16 26 29. Rom. 8.23 25. and is thereby become and fitted and ready to do God would in and by the Gospel of him lay him in Sion for a Foundation that by Sion he might be so discovered to others that whoever believeth on him should not be ashamed and so he would cleerly declare and set him forth for his Salvation to the ends of the Earth the Saviour of the world that all the ends of the Earth might look to him and be saved And 1. To give him in making him known to be a Light to the Gentiles even to such as are blinde deaf and so dead and know him not to open their eyes and ears and move in their hearts that they in beholding and believing might come in to him and so receive a spiritual birth and become of Abraham's Seed 2. And for a Covenant to the people that receiving and enjoying him by Faith they might in knowing and enjoying their interest in him know and enjoy their interest in the Everlasting Covenant for the inheritance and Kingdom made with and confirmed in Christ first and in and through him with Abraham Isaac Jacob David for them and all the spiritual Seed who in believing in Christ are interessed in the same and receive a spiritual first-Fruits thereof that they may with assured hope wait for the fulness till another Day when in performance it will be made with them 4. the second coming of Christ in his glorious return when he shall come to raign 1 Thes 4.15 Col. 3.4 and all his Saints with him Zach. 14.9 And so 1. That a little before his coming Elias shall come to the Jews and Israelites Mal. 4.5 6. Mat. 17.11 12. to turn the hearts of the Fathers open the minde of the Prophets to the Children and to turn the hearts of the Children to the Fathers helping them to understand and embrace and so repent and turn and so to prepare the way of the Lord 's glorious coming as John Baptist came in the Spirit and Power of Elias to prepare the way of his first coming in the flesh in meekness and so our Saviour affirmeth both that Elias shall come and is come He that is come spoke of Mal. 3. He that still shall come spoke of Mal. 4. 2. That before the coming of Christ personally Hos 14.1 2 3 4. Zach. 14.1 Dan. 12.3 11 12. the Jews and Israelites even all the twelve Tribes of Israel shall by some instinct or motion or medium used by the Lord be stirred up and gathered to Jerusalem from all ends and quarters of the World to Jerusalem in Canaan and be exercised with great wars and troubles for about forty five yeers before the coming of Christ 3. At his coming he will work wonders as he did in the Land of Egypt and in dividing the red Sea so drying up Euphrates Isa 11.11 12 16. Jer. 31.8 9. Isa 4.9 18 23 Jer. 31 13 15 16. Dan. 12.2 12 13. Heb. 11.35 1 Thes 4.14 18. Ezek. 37. Isa 19.23 24 25. and making way for the Israelites to come over and move the hearts of many to bring them so that all young and old men women with child lame c. even all of the twelve Tribes both Israel and Judah shall come and be joyned in one yea in his visible appearance when he is so come those that sleep in the Lord whose bodies are in the dust shall rise and be with them not onely Abraham and all the Fathers before and since but even the young children slain in Bethlehem and all that sleep in Jesus both Houses of Israel joyned in one never more to be divided and of the Gentiles joyned with them a great Congregation 4. In his coming with all his Saints and being so come Isa 11.4 9.5 60.1 12. Zach. 14.3 16. Isa 65.12 17. Jer. 31.33 34. 32.37 40. Dan. 2.44 7.14 Isa 9.7 24.23 66.5 13. Zach. 12 6. Luk. 1.32 33. he shall slay all the wicked and overthrow the worldly Powers even all that will not serve him and his People with the Rod of his Mouth and the Breath of his Lips which slaughter will not be like other battels where blood is shed on both sides for in this the wicked onely shall be destroyed with burning and fuel of fire which Battel fought Then will he make the Heaven the Earth new for his people to inhabit and make in performance the new and everlasting Covenant with all the People and then shall he receive the Kingdom from the Father and sit upon the Throne of David even in Jerusalem and all Nations shall be gathered to him and serve him and he shall rule over them Isa 2.2 4. Mic. 4.3 4. Dan. 7.14 and the Saints that come with him shall rule under him and with him so as all the Kingdoms under the whole Heavens shall be given also to them Dan. 7.27 Isa 32.1 14.1 2 3. 5. His Government shall be with Justice and Equity full of Glory Isa 9.7 11 60 65.14 20 66.12 c. Peace Plenty c. and all Creatures at peace one with another yea then the everlasting Sabbath kept and continual Halelujahs sung but I must proceed no further unless I should transcribe a great part of all the Prophets which all that have an heart thereto may read It is enough that the Apostle affirms of the first coming of Christ and so of his Ministration Sufferings Death Resurrection Ascension and being contained in the Heavens till the time of the restitution of all things Act. 3.18 19 20 24. and how in the mean time he spiritually sends Jesus Christ in the Gospel-Ministration to bless us in turning every of us from all evil wayes and that he will in his times send forth this Jesus Christ that hath been thus fore-preached to appear visibly and that then the times of restitution and refreshing shall be from his presence and saith That not onely Moses and Samuel but also all the holy Prophets that followed have spoken and fore-told of these dayes Rom. 16.26 Act. 26.22 and so of these things and that the mystery of Christ is by and according to the Scriptures of the Prophets made known for the obedience of Faith to all Nations and that they said no other things but what Moses and the Prophets did say should come so that the Revelation was now exceeding great and cleer and no more nor further Revelation vouchsafed till the performance began and then of no other but the same things in cleerness and mystery opening manifested And as God chose these Prophets 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. 2 Pet. 1.20 Luk. 16.29 and furnished them with his Spirit to make known the Testimony of Christ according to this Revelation so they have left it on record in their writing in which it and so they are still with us in viewing of whose
man of all Nations in all the World where-ever they come and this as a Word of Truth and so to set forth this second publick Man the spiritual Man the Lord the quickning Spirit as he on whom God hath executed the Judgement that was due to Mankinde for their sins as fallen in whom their Nature is restored the Nature of Man being united and married unto God in the Person of his Son and so a great Feast of fatness even the sure mercies of David prepared in him is Mankinde perfect again as in a publick Man having in him forgiveness pardon peace wisdom righteousness eternal Life so verily that in believing in him they may receive it 1 Ioh. 5.10 11 12. 2 Cor. 2.17 3.12 4.2 and be partakers of it and so is he to be set forth without any Cloak or equivocation plainly to every Man appealing to their consciences in the sight of God and that Jesus is so and as such a one to be held forth to all that every one may behold him as he in whom there is healing for them to be received in believing is plain in our Saviour's own personal Testimony a Ioh. 3.14 15. and the Testimony of his Spirit in his Apostles b Rom. 3.24 25 26. 2 Cor. 5. 14 19 21. Col. 1.28 and this to this end that by this Men might be reconciled to God c 2 Cor. 5.20 And this hope given the Servants of Christ in such elevation of Christ that he will confirm their words and manifest their Testimony true so that all Men shall be drawn thereby even by Christ testified unto him d Joh. 12.32 such as in this day of grace believe this Testimony of him it shall be the power of God unto Salvation in them and work effectually in them uniting and conforming them to Christ so as they shall by degrees and in due season enjoy all this revealed blessedness e Mat. 10.40 Rom. 1.16 1 Thes 2.13 2 Pet. 1.1 10. And such as persist in refusing and rebelling against the Light extended shall by the same Spirit that breatheth in the Gospel be at the last day convinced f Joh. 16.7 8 9 10 11. and come before Christ and bow to him and confess him Lord to the glory of God g Phil. 2.10 11. and shall confess the Truth of the Testimony his Servants delivered and them to be the Servants of the Lord which in the dayes of his patience they despised and opposed h Isa 60.14 Rev. 3.9 and all before the final sentence be executed on them for God that frustrateth the tokens of the lyars and maketh diviners mad that turneth wise Men backward and maketh their knowledge foolishness doth and will confirm the Word of his Servants and perform the counsel of his Messengers i Isa 44.25 26. And to both parts of this said he hath given us his Oath That all shall come before him k Isa 45.22 23 24. And thus was the mystery of Christ revealed by himself in his own personal Ministration Part 1. ch 6. in which also as he uttered many Parables so he opened them all to his Disciples to teach them openly and whereas the Disciples did not yet cleerly understand all this Revelation of Christ so taught to them before Christ had suffered and risen from the dead therefore Christ after his Resurrection appeared to them and taught the same again to them and then expounded Moses and the Prophets and in order opened in all the Scriptures unto them the things concerning himself also opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures l Luk. 24.26 27 45 46 47. yet because all was not yet acted by Christ as well as taught by him that was to be in the mystery held forth in their Ministration for Christ his body though then risen was not as then ascended and glorified m Joh. 20.17 and so the fulness of understanding of the whole mystery by the Holy Ghost not yet given n Joh. 7.39 16.7 therefore they were yet to wait for further divine Power even the holy Ghost to be given them to open cleerly this Revelation to them and to help them to witness it which Christ promised them and did perform it after his ascension o Luk. 24.49 Act. 1.4 CHAP. 9. Of the third way of our Saviour's Revelation and manifestation of himself to the first witnesses of his Resurrection OUr Saviour according to his Promise did within a few dayes after his Ascension by vertue and as a fruit of his Ascension and Sacrifice offered and accepted and his Mediation begun he did send and shed forth and pour upon and in them the Holy Ghost in an audible sensible Act. 2.2 3 4 c. and visible shape both resting upon them and supernaturally and inwardly filling them by which Holy Spirit he brought again to their minde and gave them to understand all his fore-Revelation and sayings to them and shewed the things of himself and the Father so leading them into all Truth and making known to them the whole counsel of God in things pertaining to Eternal Life to be taught till his coming again enduing them with power motion and fitness to witness of him and giving them the gift of tongues to speak to every Man in his own Language wherein he was born so abundantly was the Revelation of the mystery of Christ by the Spirit made known to them and yet that we may rightly understand what the Holy Ghost is that was thus given unto them it is good to consider what in Revelation of Christ from the beginning and now by himself is given us to understand and that is that it is something that was never before this so given no not as then while John was baptizing Mar. 1.8 Joh. 7.38 39. Joh. 14.16 16.7 Act. 5.3 4. 1 Ioh. 5.7 Gen. 1.2 Psal 33.6 139.1 11. nor yet while Christ himself was personally ministring here on Earth nor could be given till he left the World in that body of his and went to the Father so that it cannot be meant properly of the essence and being of the Holy Ghost which is one and the same with the Father and the Son the same God by whom the Heaven and the Earth was made and all the Hosts of them for in this respect he fills heaven and Earth and is everywhere present and alwayes was so that in respect of essence he is not said to be sent or proceeding from the Father and Son or descending being ever one in and with both but onely in respect of person or manner of existence in and operation of that one divine essence but it must be meant of some forth-coming of the divine power from the Father by Christ yet in this also it cannot be meant of such forth-coming in breathings and operations as tend to the supportation of the old Creation Joh 26.12 13. Psa 104.29 30. in
upholding and ordering and garnishing the Heaven and Earth and Creatures therein for the good of Mankinde and enduing Men with understanding and skill for Husbandry and disposing the Fruits of the Earth Deut. 28.26 29. Exod. 31.3 35.31 and for curious Arts and Works or for War Physick Laws and Government of a Commonwealth c. though these be all Mercies to lead to Repentance for these were extended before Christ carried the Nature of Man into Heaven no nor yet is meant simply of a discovery of the Minde and Grace of God through Christ Heb. 11.6 Gen. 6.3 Act. 14.17 Rom. 3.2 9.5 Joh. 1.7 29. striving with Men to bring them in to God for this also was from the beginning yea and some brought in to believe thereby from the rumour of the Gospel in Paradise delivered and the works of Creation and Providence and yet more abundantly to Israel in Types Promises and Prophesies and yet more in John Baptist's Ministration yea the Holy Ghost in such means to enlighten and teach hath not onely been alwayes in the Church but some have been wonderfully filled with him he signified in and to the Prophets 1 Pet. 1.11 2 Pet. 1.21 Act. 28.25 Luk. 1.41 46 67. 2.25 26. and they spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost spake by them and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost and Mary and Zacharias and the Holy Ghost was upon old Simeon and revealed Christ to him and the same may be said of divers others so that though no other Spirit be promised yet some farther Discovery and Operation of the Spirit which was not as yet given is evident to be meant here by the giving the Holy Ghost If any think that his coming like a mighty and rushing winde and sitting on them in the likeness of fiery Tongues and giving them to speak with divers Tongues is that which was promised he is not deceived in that for it was included in the promises as to the first Witnesses but it was neither the whole nor the main in the Promise but an over-plus and addition to the main Joh. 7.37 38 39. 17.20 21. Act. 2.39 the promise being that which however with more abundance to them yet in the Testimony given them it appertained to all that through that Testimony believe in Christ and this appears to be such a giving of the Holy Ghost as never was before in 1. A more full and cleer Revelation of Christ 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11. Joh. 5.39 Heb. 1.1 Rom. 16.25 Eph. 3.3 9. and things of Christ that lay hid in the bowels of the Scriptures then ever was before all being in this Testimony opened so far as is to be known till his own personal coming again so as the full of the Holy Ghosts Testimony of Christ is come forth opened which was not so before 2. A more free and cleer manifestation of the Lord Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 Col. 1.25 26 27. Joh. 7.37 38 39. as having compleated the Sacrifice and being filled with Spirit and the Father's Face and Minde appearing in him not through Types and Prophecies but in a cleer Demonstration of him in the Gospel as the Object of Faith and Allurer not with servitude in a Law of Works but with Freedom to believe in him and therein to receive more free and abundant spiritual Operations and spiritual gifts then ever before 3. A larger Freedom for all Gentiles as Jews without difference Eph. 3.3 4 9. Gal. 3.28 Eph. 1.8 9 10. all every or any one in believing the Testimony to receive the gracious Priviledges and in all this he abounded to the first Witnesses in all Wisdom and Prudence making known to them the mystery of his will for the dispensation of these last times 4. That this Testimony of Christ in which all parts of the Testimony fore-given by Inspirations Types Prophecies Joh. 15.26 14.26 16.13 15. Joh. 3.16 Rom. 1.16 2 Cor. 3.6 7 c. Visions Dreams was opened being fully and cleerly given forth by the Holy Ghost witnessing of Christ this Testimony being a birth of the Spirit and the Medium in which the Spirit worketh and his own Testimony it also beareth his Name and he that believing receiveth it receiveth him and shall experiment this Light and Operations And that this is meant by the giving of the Holy Ghost fore-promised now performed by Christ appears both in the Promises and Performance and the Scriptures quoted and also by the Apostles Affirmation that as the Promises of Christ concerning it Psal 68.18 20. Act. 2.33 Eph. 4.8 11. Act. 2.17 18. so the Prophesies of the Prophet concerning his pouring forth his Spirit both for convincing the rebellious and leading Believers into all Truth and also the efficaciousness of the Spirit for making known the Mind of Christ and his Operations for and in Prophesie Vision Dreams had all a fulfilling in this given to them so full a Testimony cleer Revelation with such Divine Illumination and Operation was given to these first Witnesses that by that Testimony Christ and the things of Christ might be made known that Men might believe and so come in to Christ And this the last and fullest Revelation of Christ and no other but the cleer knowledge of this to be looked for till he do personally and visibly come again But now for the way of making this known to the Sons of Men and carrying it an end we have that also shewn us in this Revelation these three wayes given to them In which we have three things to note first The prime Medium or Way of making it known and the chosen Instruments to use that Medium to make it known and also the Furniture wherewith they are furnished to make it known that Men may come to know Christ thus revealed and so be saved reconciled and brought to God by Christ Of which see what the Scripture saith CHAP. 10. Of the prime Medium or Way of making Christ known according to the Revelation of the Mystery to bring Men to God by Christ THis way of making Christ known for so gracious an end so cleerly it is manifest to be preaching this Word Testimony or Gospel as it is now come forth Mar. 1.15 Act. 10.42 2 Tim. 4.2 Tit. 1.3 and such a manner of Preaching as never was before Christ his coming in the Flesh and suffering on the Cross and having been put to death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit and now alive in that Body for evermore and by vertue of his Cross and death by which he made our Peace and by vertue whereof he still mediateth for us and by vertue whereof he worketh in Believers and so will have his Cross and sufferings remembred imbraced and professed till his coming again so 1 Cor. 1.18 20. 2.1 2. as the preaching of him now as it is called the preaching of Christ so it is called also the
preaching of the Cross and so the preaching of Jesus Christ and him crucified and so it must be a preaching suitable thereto and the means to make Christ known according to this Revelation is preaching such a preaching as in which he is lift up as shewn in the eighth Chapter before and in the Scripture we may finde it farther thus set forth that is 1. That it must be preaching Joh. 12.38 Rom. 10.16 1 Pet. 1.12 Joh. 17.6 7. 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3. Act. 13.32 33. 26.27 Rom. 3.25 26. 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3 4 5. Act. 5.42 18.26 28.23 31. 1 Tim. 2.7 Act. 20 21. 2 Cor. 5.10 11 14 19 20. that is in Scripture Language proclaiming and reporting Jesus to be the Christ and therewith the things done by him declaring with manifestation and making plain the things reported and therewith so teaching and expounding the same that the ends vertues and excellencies of Christ and his Cross and the things of Christ with his requirings and promises may appear and be made known and evidencing and testifying the Truth of all so taught by the Scriptures according to the Commandment of God Rom. 1.1 5. 16.25 26. Act. 18.25 28. 17.2 3. 26.22 23. And from Christ the things of God in Christ thus declared taught 2 Tim. 3.16 Tit. 2.15 and testified to perswade Men to Repentance and Faith and so to be reconciled to God and then live to him and to press this with Reproofs Instructions Beseechings and Consolations as need is and in this manner to exalt and tender the Grace of Christ as aforesaid is preaching yea that preaching that according to the minde of God is to be used 2. This preaching must also be with plain and understandable words 2 Col. 2.17 3.12 4.1 2. 2 Pet. 1.15 16. not in dark Parables and Allegories but with such simplicity and plainness that they may appeal to every Man's conscience in the sight of God with all sincerity without any cloak of covetousness craft or guile As for Christ before his Ascension preaching many things in Parables it hath been fore-answered Part 1. ch 6. Mat. 10.27 28. and shewn how he opened all to his Disciples and charged them to teach the same openly and plainly so that the mystery of Christ as opened by Christ is by his Servants to be plainly preached now without fear of Man and so as in plain words so in such language and terms Act. 2.6 8. 1 Cor. 14.6 7 19. Rev. 19.10 1 Cor. 14.3 1 Joh. 3.20 21 27 28. 1 Cor. 1.1 2. Gen. 3.15 1 Joh. 3.5 8. as the Hearers do know and understand so the Holy Spirit given them did at first give them to speak to every Man in his own language and so they used to speak in words understandable to the Hearers They are now taught that the Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophesie the original spring and Leader to all right speaking for Edification in knowing him all things are known and other knowledge and teaching then according to what is taught by the Spirits witnessing of him is not needful The knowledge of the first Report of the Gospel is in knowing him as now testified cleerly understood whereas those that by humane Wisdom think to know that first saying without this help given run into many mistakes yea all that the Fathers had in Visions and Dreams Act. 2.18 19 20 21. is met with in this Testimony of Christ now given by the Spirit yea all that the Heaven and Earth with his Works therein do witness is seen most cleerly in Christ Psal 19.1 6. Rom. 10.18 Isa 42.6 2 Cor. 1.20 Col. 2.17 Heb. 7 8 9 10. Col. 3.11 as set forth in this Testimony and by him made apparent to be more cleerly seen in them yea the Covenant made with Abraham it is to be seen and met with in him and all that was figured by Sacrifices and all other Types the Truth is in him and to be seen and known in him so that now Christ is all and in all and so in this Doctrine and Testimony And therefore he and the things of him are plainly to be preached and that in a known language and understandable words being alike holy and sanctified to declare the Gospel with and so alike fit to express God's Minde to us as is before shewn Part 1. ch 5. and for us to express our Minde to God in praying to him And so the Apostles writing to the Church at Rome Rom. 8.25 Gal. 4.6 where also both Jews and Greeks were shews how the Spirit breatheth in both languages Abba Father and so to another Church and so they spake with all plainness of Speech in things needful to be known for Faith and good Manners and so is the Gospel to be plainly preached in understandable words 3. This preaching of the Gospel now must neither be with the wisdom of words 1 Cor. 1.17 18 19 20. 2.1 2 3 4 5. which the Spirit of Wisdom that is in the Princes of this World for Learning or the Wisdom of Man teacheth or in such manner as to draw applause to the Preacher or to receive that said for his excellency in Learning and arguing in Rhetorical perswasions Nor must this preaching be with Fables and endless Genealogies 1 Tim. 4.7 6.20 Tit. 3.9 Col. 2.8 1 Cor. 1.19 20 17 23. 2.1 4 12. or opposition of Science falsly so called nor with Philosophical Subtilties Reasons and Depths after the Fashion of humanely-learned wise Men nor with Artificial and framed Eloquence and Rhetorical Perswasions according to Man's Art nor yet with pretences of great Light intruding into things they have not seen in the Testimony there being in that no Revelation of it Rom. 12.3 Col. 2.18 Gal. 1.10 1 Thes 2.4 5 6. 1 Cor. 14.6 19 28. and so beyond the measure of Faith given though covered with great pretences and shews of Humility nor by tempering their Doctrine to the humours of Men to please them and get applause from them nor with using quaint words or words of a strange language not understood If a strange Tongue inspired were to be silenced where it was not of the Hearers understood how much more that which is acquired by study 1 Cor. 2.4 5. Rom. 16.26 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Tit. 2.15 1 Pet. 4.11 1 Cor. 3.18 Rom. 1.1 5. all these things are to be avoided in this preaching and the preaching to be with Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit in the Testimony he hath given of Christ in the Scripture and so with all Power and Authority as the very Oracles of God and all this plain-speaking to Men not for Men to exercise their Wisdom to imagine a Riddle and study for a mysterious sense but for the obedience of Faith that Men as Fools in their own wisdom may be wise in credit-giving to this Testimony and so believe and obey in
hath given more abundantly to us Rom. 16.25 26. 2 Pet. 1.3 4. Col. 1.26 27. Eph. 3.5 and revealed the Mystery more fully to us and fitted us to manifest the same in all wisdom and prudence more then ever he did to any of the Sons of Men or any his Servants in former Ages and this to be the meaning is fully cleered in the next words Vers 9. Eph. 1.9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himself Having saith he made known to us the mystery of his will Eph. 3.4 Col. 1.3 1 Tit. 3.9 16. Col. 2.2 Luke 8.10 Mat. 13.11 Mar. 4.11 1 Cor. 4.1 which is called also The Mystery of Christ The Mystery of the Gospel The Mystery of Faith The Mystery of Godliness yea The Mystery of God even of the Father and of Christ in which also the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God all which was given to them to know and these were made Stewards of the Mysteries of God thus made known to them as he saith Having made known to us the mystery of his will Eph. 1.9 according to the good pleasure which he had purposed in himself This of it self clears up to us all God working all things according to the counsel of his will in which is his purpose he having at first so prepared in Christ and ordered for the several Revelations of him and the Miniders with their furniture in the several Ages to carry the same forth he then for these last times purposed this great and cleer Revelation of Christ and the first Trusters in him after his Resurrection to be his chosen Witnesses and to be thus furnished and according to this purpose in himself he hath thus chosen and furnished them to this gracious end in which this sense doth farther appear by that before and following Vers 10. That in the despensation of the fulness of times Eph. 1.10 he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him By fulness of times he gives us to understand is meant the times after that due time was come when Jesus Christ was come and had suffered and compleated that prophesied and typed of him Tit. 1.3 to be done by him in his first coming and so had given his Word to his Disciples to manifest him by preaching and so it is said Gal. 4.4 5. When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons 1 Pet. 1.20 which fulness of times is also called the last times because also there shall be no more changes of the manner of his Dispensation in any other Revelation or Doctrine of Christ 1 Pet. 1.4 5. Rev. 10.6 7. 11.14 19. 2 Tim. 4.8 Eph. 1.23 4.13 Rom. 4 6. Gal. 4.4 1 Pet. 1.4 5. Act. 2.17 Heb. 2.2 1 Pet. 1.20 2 Pet. 1.15 3.2 but in and by this and this to be continued till that visible coming again of his which is the last day and last time in which the whole Mystery of God will be finished that being called that day when will be the fulness of the stature of Christ when all that are to be brought in to him by such means are come in to him and with him and from his first coming which was in due time in the beginning of the fulness of times to his next personal and visible coming which will be at that day that is the last time all between is called the last dayes the last times and here the fulness of times that we may be mindeful of and heed this Dispensation and Gospel thus dispensed by the Apostles that proved all by the Prophets also and to look for no other till Christ come again And the end of this glorious Revelation and glorious Dispensation is Eph. 1.10 That by Christ thus discovered and as discovered in it he might shew forth in Christ and gather together in one Heb. 1.1 2 3. Col. 1.15 Joh. 1.18 Mat. 1 23. Psal 85.10 even in Christ all things which are in Heaven and in Earth even all the parcels of his Minde fore-declared in the heavenly Prophesies or by Dreams and Visions or by earthy Types and Shadows and that was hid 〈◊〉 Christ now to be revealed and made manifest together in him in whom God and Man are one and Truth and Righteousness with Mercy and Peace meet in one in him yea in Temple Altar Propitiatory Oracle Priest Sacrifice Purincation yea Life and Covenant are all in one Heb. 12.22 24. in him yea in him Father Son Spirit are all one yea the worshipped and worshippers meet in one in him yea the Spirits of the Prophets and Apostles and of all just Men made perfect in Heaven and of all unfeigned Believers on Earth meet in one in him yea Col. 2.10 11. Faith Love De res Refreshings all flow from him and run into him and meet in one yea Jew Gentile Bond Free Male Female all one in him and by Faith in him come to enjoy Union and Fellowship in and with him and one another and enjoyment of his blessing and this Union with him the Gospel thus dispensed effecteth where believed 1 Joh. 5.20 And thus to understand this gathering together of all things in Christ to be of these things and this Union we are led by the 3 vers and other Scriptures so that the end of this Dispensation is to let Men see all in Christ and so draw them in to believe in him to place all their Love Faith Desires and Content in him and so to finde all their satisfaction in him and so partake of the Blessing of this Union in him Vers 11. In whom that is Eph. 1.11 in Christ we have obtained an inheritance this he sheweth to be they had it in hope and the Holy Spirit as the earnest till the possession be given and this they had also to preach to others and assure all unfeigned Believers of the same to be theirs in hope yea there was a confirmation of the Truth of all this and of the Blessing of their Ministration in the Ephesians believing on their report Vers 13 14. and being therein sealed though they had not so much light into the Mystery as the Apostles had for which he also prays after for them and explicates the Mystery to them as it was revealed to the Apostles both in the Doctrine and Effects of it in Believers and the Priviledges held forth to all Men that they might believe with experiments in some measure found in all Believers which I leave to be read in the second and third Chapters onely here taking notice of what he affirms concerning all he hath said Vers 11. Eph. 1.11 That to all this they were predestinated
then and now be said to do these signs which those of the first times personally did 2. But this will more appear by the words Mar. 16.17 Shall follow them that believe for as the Signs and Wonders done by Moses and in his Ministration did follow the Israelties that is accommodate them in all after-Ages till the Messiah promised came not in being done over again but in that first Deut. 6.6 7 20 24. with Exod. 12.26 27. they were left upon record together with the Law and Doctrine confirmed by them in which they had those Signs together with the Law and Doctrine to teach their Children and one another And secondly in having and believing Psa 78. all and minding the Law and Doctrine so confirmed they had all those Signs also to minde and believe And thirdly Psa 66.6 Hos 12.4 Jer. 32.19 20 21. Mat. 12.38 39. 16.1 4. in minding and believing the Doctrine confirmed by those Signs they had the same use and benefit of those Signs for farthering their confidence and rejoycing in God in praying to him seeking help of him and resting on him for it in every need as they had in whose personal sight they were done And so did these Signs follow them Mar. 8.11 12. Luk. 11.29 Joh. 2.18 6.30 31. Heb. 12.22 23. and it was an evil and adulterous Generation that did call for the doing them over again even so the Believers being come into the same Society and Congregation with the first Witnesses The Apostle in this very sense takes in all the Believers to the coming of Christ using that word we 1 Cor. 15.51 1 Thes 4.15 And in this sense we all may be said to have those Signs done by the first Witnesses to follow us and to accommodate us in that they are left upon Record for us in the Record of the Gospel that was confirmed by them Luk. 2.1 4. Joh. 20.31 Rom. 15.4 Mar. 16.20 Heb. 2.4 1 Cor. 14.20 21. Isa 28.11 12 13. Luk. 16.31 that therein and thereby we may have the same use for minding and teaching them and being confirmed in the Faith of the Gospel and so for farthering our confidence as they of the first times had yea they are affirmed to be writ for that end and it is a Sign of an evil heart to call for these Signs to be done over again which if it should be granted yet would not such evil hearts believe And as this appears both by the manner of Christ his promising and the words in his promise so it doth also appear 3. By the Apostles setting them down having set down the abiding gifts first second third sort he saith After that 1 Cor. 12.28 miracles then gifts of healing helps in Government diversities or kindes of tongues After God had called Moses and Aaran and spoken by them to the Children of Israel and sent them to speak to Pharaoh he added Signs and Wonders that made the Enemies say This is the finger of God and he fighteth for Israel and causeth Israel to believe his Words and sing his Praise But those Signs were not to be done over again but remembred in all Generations following and so much the Apostle intimates here by the word afterward as an addition and over-plus for a time All that may seem to darken this sense is because helps in Government is named among these Gifts to which answer might be given That the naming them with these doth no more equal them and make them of the like Nature for their Tendency and Temporariness then the naming things indifferent and evil onely in the use by Circumstance in one and the same sentence with things simply and absolutely evil Act. 15.20 doth equal them and make them of like Nature and Tendency at all times And yet this placing helps in Government among the things that come in afterward and in the middest of those temporary Gifts doth instruct us also 1. That these helps in Government Elders and Deacons and such outward Offices were not of the Essence of those spiritual Gifts which Christ ascended up to Heaven to give but such as in the Wisdom of those spirituall Gifts given they might as occasion and need was after appoint or elect and so those came in afterwards as hath been foreshewn 2. That these helps in Government are not of the Essence of the Church nor simply requisite thereto the Church was before them and truely in being before it had them and these came afterward into the Church for outward Order and Ornament as is foreshewn yea it may be to instruct us 3. That as those outward Offices had not their rise immediately in the first pouring forth of the heavenly Gifts but afterward so they shall not have their continuance in the true Church and Sanctuary the real and mystical Body of Christ till his personal coming again as those spiritual Gifts shall though they were of longer continuance then the Miracles and Gifts of Healing and diversites of Tongues for outward acting were a time was fore-seen to come when some of these outward Officers would fall from Heaven from the simplicity of Christ and receiving their Knowledge and Furniture from the Gospel believed even the Testimony of Jesus that is the Spirit of Prophesie and came from Heaven and those spiritual Gifts and Furniture received in belief thereof which came from Heaven and so fall to the Earth in love of the Learning Philosophy Rev. 19.20 Arts and Sciences of the Gentiles and with that interpret and teach using it as the Key of Knowledge and so bring in a smoke covering the Face of the Gospel and Church with Darkness And such Officers getting to be the chief in the outward Court the outward Court would be left unto the Gentiles and then the Man of sin would enter and sit therein and he would be making Apostles Evangelists Pastors and Teachers and none should be counted so but those of his making and calling and if by his usurped Power and feigned Miracles he could not generally perswade Men of this yet he would claim such Authority for ordaining Bishops and Deacons that there should be none acknowledged but of his ordaining yea he and the Officers ordained by him shall bear the Name of the Church and Clergy as if out of Union with them no Salvation and all that will not submit to and acknowledge this Power in him and his Officers shall soon be thrust out of Office and excommunicated out of the outward Court of the Church and then the Holy City the true Church and Sanctuary would be trodden under Foot Rev. 11.1 2 3. 2 Thes 2.4 Joh. 6.2 and clothed with sackcloth in disgrace and persecution yet the Testimony of Jesus and Truth and Verity of all these spiritual Gifts was in and would remain and be in this Sanctuary the true though despised Church and stript of her outward Ornaments and Officers and Power is given to these by
so saith yea all quoted and the rest are against it 2. In this Purpose of glorifying his Son and shewing forth his Glory through him he purposed also to do both in this by creating by him an infinite or numberless company of Angels or heavenly Spirits all holy and good to attend on and minister to this his Son Heb. 1.4 6 7. Psal 104.4 and so to serve and glorifie God in serving and glorifying his Son whom only he had exalted glorified with equality to himself and to endue them with fitness and ability for this service and to free them from any seducing Tempter without them Job 38.7 Psal 9.7 Luk. 20.36 to turn them aside from it and in their rejoycing in him and acknowledge him their supreme Lord rejoycing in his Exaltation and well-pleasedness with their own place and service of him to establish them by his Son as his Sons for ever But if any of them contented not themselves with this their place and service Job 1.6 2.1 Jude 6. See Part 1. chap. 11. but aspired to a likeness and equality with God as was peculiar to his first-begotten Son then to cast them down for ever and reserve them in chains of darkness to the judgement of the great Day All which according to his Purpose he hath done 3. In this Purpose of glorifying his Son and shewing forth his glory through him he also purposed to create by him the Heaven and Earth and a VVorld of Creatures for Mankinde and so to create Man righteous c. for his Glory and the good of Mankinde as hath been shewn 4. See Part 1. chap. 9. In foresight of Man's Fall and Misery thereby he purposed still the shining forth of his Glory through his Son in working by him a Redemption and Restauration for Mankinde and a New Creation for all that by his Glory shined through should believe on him and that he should be the Judge of all See Part 1. ch 12 13. as hath been foreshewn And of the Purpose of God as new last mentioned and the Purposes included in it it is that comes within the compass of this Discourse and of no other for in consideration of this Purpose and Purposes included in it we shall meet with all that is revealed for us to know concerning the Purposes of God about Eternal Salvation for Mankinde or the Eternal Damnation of any of them And yet before we proceed it is needful to observe and minde well a few Cautions to prevent Mistakes CHAP. 2. Of some Cautions to be heeded to prevent Mistakes THat we distinguish between Foreknowledge Caution I. and Purpose or Decree By Foreknowledge I mean not fore-owning or pre-approbation in which sense the word is frequently used in Scripture but knowing before foreseeing or prescience In which sense the word is commonly used among ordinary people and sometime some word also bearing that sense used in Scripture and such foreknowing I mean Reply If any say Nothing could have any being life strength and ability of motion and action for God to foresee if God had not forepurposed and did not according to his purpose give and preserve the same Answer If it be meant of created beings and such life and power of moving and acting as is in Creatures then this is very true but if it be meant of all the demeanor of those beings and their various movings and actings in and with that power of acting and moving which God hath given them then this is not true Doubtless God did foresee how Jerusalem would abuse all that Life Beauty Ezek. 16.2 27. Riches and Ornaments he gave them but he did not will purpose or decree they should so abuse them though he purposed how to deal with them for it yea he expresly sa it They did both chuse such ways and do such abominations as he not onely not commanded them Isa 66.4 Jer. 19.5 32.35 but as came not into his Minde which can be no less then not purposed by him So surely God foresaw when he purposed to make the first Adam and to give him that life and power of moving and acting which he did and that Furniture he furnished him with how he would abuse his power and Furniture and sin against God but God never willed purposed or moved him so to sin Jam. 1.13 much less approved he should so do yea according to his purppose he afforded him sufficient means by heeding which he might have been preserved And farther he would not withstand and hinder him and so onely permitted but decreed not his Fall yet in foreseeing it he purposed to shew forth the Glory of his Goodness more in provision of a fit remedy for restoring of Mankinde of which Purposes we are to treat And indeed he said well that said God is so good that he would never suffer evil to be if he knew not how to work good out of it So that Foresight is one thing and Purpose another Reply If any reply But then God foreseeing these miscarriages did decree to permit the same Answer I answer If this be put in if Men by the means used by him to keep them from sinning would not be so kept back from sinning but notwithstanding all helps to preserve will transgress then I will confess the saying true else not though I finde not the Scripture anywhere calling such permissions decrees nor do such decrees if in such sense they may be so called come within the compass of such purposes as we have before us to treat of And so let this first Caution be heeded That the Purposes of God we are to treat of Caution II. are his Purposes of Eternal Salvation and of Eternal Damnation and not of such Purposes of God concerning Men as being verily fulfilled et even of those persons on whom they are fulfilled some may be Eternally saved and some may be Eternally damned so as the fulfilling of such Purposes neither necessitates the persons on whom they are fulfiled to be Eternally saved nor to be Eternally damned they being fulfilled both on the righteous and the wicked as for some instance 1. As God hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men for to dwell on all the face of the Earth so did he also purpose and in his Purpose determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their Habitation Act. 17.26 27. and this with a gracious end and tendency for their good also in his way yet in this Purpose onely those and all those in all times ages and Nations of the World that fear him should be accepted of him Act. 10.35 so that though purposed and according to purpose some be Kings and Magistrates somâ— Subjects some Rich some Poor and all in a gracious tendency that they might seek and acknowledge the Lord in these condition some of all sorts have been found in every of these conditions seeking and fearing God and so walking
Prov. 1.22 23. 9.2 6. Isa 55.2 7. of the Promises of God in the three several Heads or Branches it appears That the Love and Free-Grace of God in all appearing hath enough in it to call and draw in the worst of Men and Unbelievers that hear it Rev. 22.17 Joh. 3.33 Rom. 3.4 1 Joh. 5.10 to repent and believe and to confirm the Faith of Believers and to lead â—em to the assurance of Faith for perseverance Oh that Men would believe God more then Men and not make him a liar to justifie Men and surely the Covenants of God are suitable to the Gospel of God and his Purposes and Promises of which next An Explicite Declaration of the Testimony of Christ c. PART VI. CHAP. I. Of the Covenants of God with the two publick Men. THE Covenants of the Lord are sure and according to his terms of covenanting shall certainly be performed to every Iota but those I am now to consider be such as pertain to life and godliness and so to Salvation And therefore I shall endeavour to set them forth as upon search in and by the Scripture understood according to the Testimony of Christ I finde them either made or promised to be made beginning with those already made and so I shall begin with the two publick Men the first Adam and the second Adam I. What the Covenant made with the first Adam was is not exprest but as it may be gathered by the story and elsewhere in Scripture what such great goodness extended obligeth to and so it cannot be denied but that the Grace of God in the Creation of the Heaven and Earth and a world of Creatures for Man and Man himself in the Image and likeness of God and making him a publick Man and common Father of all Mankinde that were to proceed naturally from him and set him in a place of pleasure and appointed him a service of delight in dressing the Garden making him Lord of all the Creatures below affording him Liberty of Communion with the Creator and a Tree of Life on which eating he might be immortal and live for ever This did oblige him to believe and acknowledge the Word Wisdom Power Truth Love and Goodness of God his Creator and therein to love the Lord his God with all his Minde Heart Soul and Strength and his Neighbour even all Mankinde that was to come of him as himself and so to walk in this belief of God and love of God and his Nieghbour doing whatever God should say unto him from that natural Principle of Righteousness God had implanted in him and though this was to works yet I cannot for all this say God made with him and put him under a Covenant of works to do and live or by doing such things to live not onely because I finde no Record of any such thing imposed by such an Obligation from God on him nor engaged and promised so on the part of Adam but because God in breathing into him the breath of life and making him a living Soul Gen. 2.7 1 Cor. 15.45 Gen. 1.27 Eccles 7.29 Col. 3.10 did so frame him to the likeness of God in Righteousness and Holiness inspiring such a Disposition into his Soul and Aptitude into his Faculties Parts and Members that it was natural to Adam and he freely inclined so to love God and his Neighbour and apted with motion and strength to have walked out in that love yea as natural as for the Sun to give light or the Fire heat or the Earth to bring forth its fruits so as no outward imposed or inforced Law was needed nor was he under the power of any such either to charge or to accuse or excuse If any reply That he was under a Covenant of works because he was set to dress the Garden Gen. 2.8 15. I answer That God put the Man in the Garden to dress it and to keep it is true but That he made that as a Covenant of Works to put Adam under a Covenant of Works it being so easie and delightful it doth no more appear to me then God calling a People out of Darkness and Bondage into Light and Freedom chusing them in and building them on his Son to offer up by him spiritual Sacrifices 1 Pet. 2.5 9. Luk. 1.74 75. and shew forth his praises and serve him in Righteousness and Holiness should be a putting them under a Covenant of Works If it be replied That the Lord commanded the man saying Of every Tree in the Garden eating thou shalt eat or Gen. 2.16 17. thou maist freely eat but of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for c. I answer This implies that Adam knew the Nature of all the Trees and shews the great Liberty that God gave him in his delightful business of dressing the Garden to eat of them all but one and shewed him the danger of eating of that one to keep him from it and therein gave him both the Oportunity and Liberty of exercising the Freedom of his Will in shewing forth his well-pleasedness with and freeness of abiding in the way of his Creator which else he had been in a sort necessitated to and could not have shewn forth that Freedom as now he might And this is not like a Covenant of Works enjoyning Works unless any will have a ceasing from one Work to be the Works to which if any should tempt him he could not plead want fasting Mat. 4.2 hunger all which was on him that overcame to weaken or necessitate him to it and the Truth is 2 Cor. 11.3 See Part 1. ch 9. 10. Had he abode in the belief of the Word of the Lord he had not eaten of it and so fallen So that by all I can finde The first Adam was under a Covenant of Grace Grace obliging and Grace given leading and so at least a gracious Covenant and so was all Mankinde at first in him during his innocency unless one should deny any thing freely from God to be of Grace and free and undeserved Favour but onely forgiveness of sins and that which follows thereupon and so exclude not onely Adam in his innocency but the Holy Angels also from being under Grace or free Favour But Adam in the Female first and then thereby in the Male listened to the Tempter questioning the Truth and meaning of the Import of the plain Saying of the Lord and so let go his Faith or believing of God's Word and so eat and sinned and fell Gen. 3.1 7. Rom. 5.12 18. and so all Mankinde sinned and fell in him and so in this his fall he lost his righteous Disposition and aptitude to love God and his Neigbour the Law of Righteousness was now out of his heart and a contrary Disposition sprung up therein from the poysonous VVord of the Serpent received and so he and all Mankinde in him fell under the Covenant and Law
just or righteons or perfect and upright Men one of the Names writ in the Book of Life among the Righteous and those that were guileful and persisted in their Transgressions of this Covenant after warning and then cast off their Profession were rejected and punished and then called wicked men Gen. 4.5 15. 6.2 4 5. Gen. 7. 1 Pet. 3.20 2 Pet. 2.5 of the wicked One mighty in ungodliness one of the Names of the Seed of the Serpent yea all the Sons of men that stood out and came not to the acknowledgement of God according to this Covenant in the time given them for Repentance were destroyed by a floud of Water when the righteous man and his Family were saved yea God hath magnified his Goodness in and Faithfulness according to this Covenant though no outward Seal of Circumcision or Baptism were added to it that it is affirmed for Truth That God is no Respecter of Persons Act. 10.43 but in every Nation and so may be said in every Age He that that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him so good and gracious this Covenant And no other Covenant concerning eternal Salvation do I finde made with any the Sons of Men till Abraham's time onely I finde a Covenant made with Noah Gen. 9.8 17. That all flesh shall not be destroyed with a flood of Waters any more which tends to the preservation of the Generations of Men till the end of this World when the World shall be destroyed by fire yet because this preservation hath a tendency to repentance and especially because there are many instructions in it for understandnig both this Covenant spoken and also those to be spoken of I have mentioned it For 1. God smelt a savour of rest in a Sacrifice Gen. 8.21 22. before he made this Covenant instructing us That God makes no Covenant for the good of Mankinde but through the rest and well-pleasedness he hath found in his Son Christ that hath offered up the acceptable Sacrifice 2. God hath it first in his Heart Gen. 8.21 22. and so did first Purpose it before he did give the Promise and make the Covenant which instructeth us That all the Promises and Covenants made by God are according to his Purpose and also 3. That God may make a Covenant with Men Gen. 9.11 15. Isa 54.9 10. 65.17 in which nothing is engaged to them to do for the performance as here after the destruction of the World and renewing the face of it and a better in like manner wil be when after the destruction by fire the new Earth c. is given 4. Gen. 6.9 10.12 15. That it is surely a Covenant with all with whom God makes it that are capable of receiving benefit by it though they be not capable of understanding and believing the same as the Fowls and Beasts here were not yea nor Children dying in Infancy 5. Gen. 9.9 17. That it is not alwayes necessary to the being of a Covenant made by God with his Creatures That those with whom it is made should all come and engage for their parts for then this had been no Covenant 6. That some Covenants may be and are made by God with some Gen. 9.11 13 15 16. of things out of the power of Men to perform and so have their whole and sole dependance on God onely for performance and not on any thing to be done by Men less or more 7. That when such free Covenants are made by God of so great things Gen. 8.21 Isa 45.9 Gen. 9.12 13 14 16. he not onely confirms it with an Oath but usually gives some outward sign or token which God beholding is said to remember his Covenant as the Rain-bow here 8. Gen. 9.11 15. 2 Pet. 3.5 6 7. That some Men may by one Covenant be secured from perishing in one death and yet for presumptuous Transgression against such goodness may perish in another as the world of ungodly by fire 9. Gen. 9.8 17. That many may be under a gracious Covenant and secured by it though but once made with their fore-Fathers for them and not made over again to them personally All which Instructions are read in this Covenant compared with Isa 54.9 Psal 36.6 7 8. 2 Pet. 3.6 7. Rev. 21.8 And therefore I noted it and so shall proceed to the next I finde CHAP. 3. Of the Covenant of God made with Abraham WHat that Covenant is which God made with Abraham is plainly and fully exprest Act. 7.5 Gal. 3.8 16. Heb. 6.13 14. Gen. 26.3 4 24 28.13 35.10 11 12. and may of all be read Gen 17.4 8. including that Gen. 12.3 18.18 22.18 the same being testified and confirmed over again to Isaac the Son and Heir of Abraham by Promise and to Jacob his Son the appointed Heir by Oracle and so it is sometime called The Covenant made with Abraham he being the first it was made with for him and his Seed and sometime called The Covenant of the Fathers the Seed not multiplied till from Jacob and so it was made with all these three one after another i Cor. 16.15 16 17.18 Psa 105.8 9 10 11. for them and their Seed they all coming of one and their Seed all one and the Seed of one and so it is expresly said It was made with them and also for them and for their Seed The things in this Covenant may be plainly read in the several places quoted and have been something opened before I shall onely note now a few things about it as it is a Covenant And observe See Part 3. chap. 2. I. Gal. 3.8 16 This is the Covenant of Grace and Glory that was before made by God with Christ and confirmed in Christ for him and all that come to be in him and so of his spiritual Seed and of the benefit whereof they all shall partake but not so 〈…〉 now II. 〈…〉 was so made with Abraham that provision is in it 1. That he may by the Gospel included in it teach his Children and call in and proselyte of all Nations Gen. 18.13 Ron 4.12 13. Gal. 8 16. as the Father of many Nations and the Heir of the World by preaching him in whom is blessing for all Nations Men may be brought to believe and so he may have a spiritual Seed 2. That such as in hearing do believe and so become his Seed Heb. 8.10 may have the Minde and Law of God put in their Heart 3. That these Believers may be multiplied exceedingly Ier. 32.40 Gal. 3.16 29. and yet be one Seed still and have one Heart and one Way 4. That the Heaven and the Earth Heb. 11.9 10 14 16 39 40. Psal 105.8 11. even that wherein Abraham breathed and sojourned may be made new and so fit for such a Seed to inherit and that he and all the spiritual Seed shall inherit together III. That
desire whereof and confidence in God for his gracious Answer they lift up their hands to God g 1 Tim. 2.8 whence Prayer is so named lifting up the hands to God h Psal 141.2 and in Testimony of their desire and confidence in God for his gracious answering they laid on hand on the parties prayed for i Act. 8.17 28.8 Such and in such manner their laying on of hands 2. The Doctrine of laying on of hands it is that Doctrine or teaching of the Gospel of Christ and him crucified in which Believers are directed and encouraged to pray for good things to God with Promises of a gracious hearing that so they may pray and lift up hearts and hands in confidence in God and lay on hands in Testimony thereof And this being one of those Principles that by the Oracles of God were taught to all Believers of the Oblation of Christ it must needs be as common to all Saints as the Faith of the Oblation of Christ and the Oracles proceeding from it known and believed and so it cannot be meant of the act of laying on of hands for giving and receiving the visible Gifts of the Holy Ghost for speaking with other Tongues for such laying on of hands appears to be peculiar to the Apostles and was not common to all the first Witnesses Act. 8.5.15 17 19.6 1 Cor. 14.22 12.29 30. Eph. 4.7 8 13. Eph. 1.17 3.14 17. Col. 3.9 10. 1 Thes 3.12 Eph. 6.19 2 Thes 3.1 2 Tim. 1.6 Act. 6.6 1 Tim. 5.22 Rom. 15.30 31. Act. 13.3 Jam. 5.14 15 16 20. Philip though an Evangelist and had the gift of working Miracles and did many yet for this the Church sent two Apostles Peter and John and so it was an Apostle that laid on hands for this gift another time and not this onely but the gift of Miracles and miraculcus healing though given to more then the Apostles yet not to all Saints even in those first times when Miracles were most needful till Christ had been fully taught and Jesus proved to be he nor are these gifts affirmed to be of like continuation with other spiritual gifts so that that which the Gospel in the Doctrine of laying on of hands teacheth that is of continual use for all Believers is that here meant and that is for venting our desires by Prayer to God in the Name of Christ for his mercy and free-favour through Christ to be given in blessing with encrease of and establishment in the Faith to Believers and for fitting and furnishing such as have the word of Grace in their heart to preach the Gospel and to bless their Ministration and for Believers approbation fitness faithfulness and blessing that are chosen into Church-Offices and for ability faithfulness preservation and blessing for such as are sent and imployed in Message or business for the Church and Church-Affairs and for gracious support and helpfulness in and seasonable deliverance out of any temptation sickness affliction or distress that any Believer is in and such-like as for that anointing with oyle in the Name of the Lord mentioned it appears to be taken in a metaphorical and spiritual sense because oyle and anoynting used of old was a type of the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost Psa 45.7 Isa 61.1 with which Christ was anoynted immeasurably and with which he in the Gospel anointeth Believers which in Scripture is called oyle and anointing and anointing with material oyle is neither commanded nor anywhere in Scripture mentioned to be done much less set forth as an Ordinance since Christ's ascension into Heaven and pouring forth the Holy Ghost in which Truth being come Types and Shadows cease nor is it but once mentioned that I finde while he lived on earth Mar. 6.13 Cant. 1.3 1 Joh. 2.20 27 28. and that was when bodily cures by Miracles were most in use but this is a constant Truth His Name is as an Oyntment poured forth and so those that believe in him are said to have received an unction from him yea an anointing that teacheth and so to anoynt those we pray over with oyle in the Name of the Lord Phil. 1.8 9 10 11. is in Faith and Charity fervently streaming both in Prayers and speaking so to declare that Name in the Vertues of the Blood and Sacrifice of him and the Love of God appearing therein with the reviving Instructions and Consolations it affordeth that the savour of his Oyntments may refresh the heart And this to be the Apostles meaning Jam. 5.16 20. appears in his own after-Explanation So that the Prayer of Faith and of the Faithful is the chief Ordinance meant here with lifting up the hands in confidence to God or also with laying on of hands in Testimony of confidence in God Mat. 7.7 11. Mar. 10.24 Joh. 16.23 24. he being a God hearing Prayers which is the Doctrine of laying on of hands or that which the Gospel teacheth concerning it namely the gracious Minde of God that in all our needs we should by the Prayer of Faith and of the Faithful seek help of him and that he will hear and help us graciously according to his word Psal 64.5 And yet to cleer it 3. This is farther to be noted That in Scripture Language 1 Cor. 11.20 23 24 28. a whole Ordinance in which are many particular Acts is sometime called by the name of one particular Act in it as The Supper of the Lord in which is Blessing Prayer Instruction Praise taking and breaking Bread and distributing Wine eating drinking and comemmorating the Death of Christ Act. 20.7 Act. 2.46 c. is called by the name of one particular Act in it even Breaking Bread When the Disciples came together to break Bread Paul preached c. Yea sometime that one Act is named so as to imply all the Ordinances Believers had in Fellowship among themselves and so the Temple of God Isa 56.7 his House where Sacrifices Offerings and burnt-Offerings and all Temple-worship was rightly used and so there Accepted is even therefore called The House of Prayer And so this Ordinance of Prayer in performance of which is Confession Petition Praise with bowing the knee lifting up the eyes the voyce the hands and sometime laying on of hands as it is sometime called Prayer sometime pouring out the heart c. so it is sometime named by one particular Act in it sometime by one Eph. 3.14 1 King 8.54 Psal 123. Judg. 21.2 2 Chron. 5.17 Act. 4.24 Joh. 7.27 32 33 34. 8.27 sometime by another sometime bowing the knees somtime lifting up the eyes sometime lifting up the voice but most frequently is the Ordinance of Prayer called by that Act in it of lifting up the hands Psal 8.2 When I lift up my hands c. and Psal 63.4 While I live I will lift up my hands in thy Name Yea the whole great suffering and so the Oblation and Sacrifice of Jesus
for some lust go on rebelliously against him finishing sin till it bring forth death 2 Pet. 2. Yea like Cain and Balaam yea reward him evill for good and hatred for love treading under foot and despiting the choicest of all Gods love cost and Jewels as is foreshewn And here hee produceth a plain parrable in which hee sheweth the equity and justness of such proceeding even to reason it self For the Earth on which a man bestows the same labour and cost for tillage seeding dressing and then it receives the same blessing from Heaven in the heat and influences of the Sun and the former and latter Rain falling often upon it and drunk in by it if any of this bee wanting the Earth is not condemned but if it have all this and then bring forth Herbs Corn or other fruit meet for those by whom it is dressed it receiveth blessing from God As men will gather and accept that fruit and bee well pleased with such ground and blesse God for it So God will accept and bless such as according to his grace extended bring forth suitable fruits But that part of the Earth which hath had the same labour cost tillage seed and dressing bestowed upon it and received the same blessing of the Sun and the Rain and drunk it in as the former did else the faultiness will not be charged on the ground and brings forth briars and thorns is rejected c. So here is equall and just proceeding Now all the difficulty here about Beleevers lyeth in this to know what these fruits are which yet would not have been so difficult but that some to maintain an opinion which this plainly overthrows frame cavills against it What say some are not repentance from dead works and faith towards God and all these Principles good fruits To which one might reply with the like and say was not the receiving of the Word with joy the blade sprung up the during for a while the Corn growing up though among thorns good fruit To which would bee answered No for it came not to perfection to bee gathered in at the Harvest which answer is true and may solve the doubt and answer the former query But I may also answer it otherwise That all the Principles here mentioned as taught by the Oracles of God Are as the seed that is sown in the Earth the bearts of men and the operations of the holy Spirit in and suitable to these Principles are as the rayes of the Sun of Righteousness and the Dew and Rain from Heaven to make them fruitfull And the fruits meet for this is something suitable of which anon but now if some of those fruits also to bee named bee granted to bee in the beleevers operating through all aforesaid as surely there are yet in him that falleth away and so is crucifying Christ again to himself c. are such Briars and thorns Ezek. 33.13 as now nothing else is found upon his account All his former Righteousnesse is not remembred Gal. 3.4 all is lost gone and in vain so saith the Spirit Surely there is a better way to charge sin on such Apostates and to glorifie God than to lay the blame on the foundation laid by him and say there was no room on it for them Christ did not dye for them there was no truth in his intention in the Oracles of God sounded forth to them hee had no purpose to save them The Principles they had were not of the right kind Hee hath not been at the same cost nor bestowed the same tillage nor sown in the same seed nor afforded the same Sun and Rain to them as Hee did to the other and so charge God more than them Surely where God expects fruit hee saith what could have been done more c. And hee otherwise clears himself saying Of old time I have broken thy yoke and burst thy bonds Isa 5 3 4 5â— and thou saidst I will not transgresse when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest playing the Harlot Yet I planted thee a noble Vine wholly a right seed how are thou then turned into the degenerate plant of a staange Vine unto mee â—â—r 2.20 21 31. Surely no want in his dealings towards them and this is suitable to that said here as they were our types And so I shall give a plain answer The fruits here meant vers 7. are in this Epistle plainly expressed to bee a diligent heed taking to the grace given Eeb. 2.1 2. 3 7 8 â—5 3 6 14. 10. 35 36. 13.1 11.11 13. 4.16 7.25 10.19 20 22 23 24 25. 13.15 12 13 14. 13.2.16 10.33 34 36. 12 2-12 13.3 10.23 13.23 9.28 13.21 and received and to the voice and teachings thereof so as wee let nothing flip nor harden our hearts against any of its teachings like that 1 Cor. 13 1-4 And with this A carefull and fast holding of the rejoyoing of hope and beginning of confidence firm unto the end like that Col. 1.23 And continuing in brotherly love like that 1 John 4.7 And so using all diligence to walk in faith and love like that Gal. 5.6 And this in approaching to God in the Name of Christ for all promised in the New Testament like that 1 Thes 5.17 18. Phil. 4.6 And in frequenting the assemblies of the Saints continuing our fellowship with them in the Gospel and ordinances of God like that Phil. 1.5 And so in all the fruits of love in com passion following peace with all men and holiness abounding in deeds of mercy and righteousnesse like that Rom. 12 8-13 Col. 3.12 13. with patience and constancie in our selves and sympathizing with others in their afflictions like that Rom. 12.15 And so not ashamed of the word wayes and people of Christ but holding fast the profession thereof like that 2 Tim. 1.8 Phil. 2.14 15 16. And in all so demeaning our selves as they that look and wait for the coming of Christ like that Luk. 12 35-42 And all these and such like fruits are the same exhorted to Col. 2.6 2 Pet. 1. 2 Pet. 1 5-11 Joh. 15.2 3 4-8 Heb. 2.1 3. 3.9 13 15 12 15.16 25. 3.12 16 18. 10.25 And all this fruitfulness is in and by abiding in Christ And on the contrary The Briars and Thorns here meant appear in this Epistle to bee a letting slip the things wee have heard and so a neglect of the great Salvation and so a listening to the deceitfullness of sin and so hardening our hearts against the teachings of the grace of God and allowing in our selves any root of bitterness uncleanness or prophaneness and so turning from him that speaks from Heaven through an unbeleeving heart departing from the living God 6.6 And then neglect of the Ordinances of Christ and forsaking the Assemblies of the Saints and then crucifying to themselves
Joh. 5.12 2 Cor. 5.17 1 Thess 5.23 Gal. 5 22 23 1 Joh. 3.9 Eph. 2.10 1 Pet. 1.22 Phil. 2.13 Joh. 14.1 26 15 22 16 7 8 Rom 8.10 11 1 Cor. 6.19 Ro. 5.3 1 Jo 4.13 2 Tim. 2.14 1 Cor. 6.17 12.12 13 Eph. 4. 1 Joh. 3.14 Eph. 2.2 Rom. 6.11 13 12.8 9 Act 26.18 Eph. 5.8 1 Thes 5 4 Col. 1.13 1 Pet 2 9 Eze. 36.25 Zich 13 1 Isa 4.3.4 Eph 5.11 1 Cor. 6.11 Ro. 1.10 Eph. 2.12.13 14 15. Col. 1.21 Heb. 12.22 Eph. 2 3. Gal. 3.13 Ro. 8.1 2 Cor. 5.21 Col. 2.10 Ro. 5.1 8.32 3 1 Joh. 3.1.2 Eph. 3.15 that upon any account what ever is so called in respect of its fountain termed The faith of Gods Elect. 2. For the manner of their obtaining of this precious Faith it is by Gods giving to them that holy Spirit of his whereby he raised Jesus from the dead to raise them from their death in sin to quicken them unto newness of life endowing them with a new life with a spiritual gracious and supernatural habit spreading it self upon their whole souls making them new creatures throughout in respect of parts investing them with an abiding principle being a natural genuine fountain of all those spiritual acts works and duties which he is pleased to work in them and by them of his own good pleasure 3. That the holy and blessed Spirit which effectually and powerfully works this change in them is bestowed upon them as a fruit of the purchase and intercession of Jesus Christ to dwell in them and abide in them for ever Upon the account of which inhabitation of the Spirit of Christ in them they have union with him i. e. one and the same Spirit dwelling in him the head and them the members 4. By all which as to their actual state and condition they are really changed from death to life and from darkness to light from an universal habit of uncleanness unto holiness and from a state of enmity stubbornness and rebellion c. into a state of love obedience delight c. And as to their relative condition whereas they were children of wrath under the curse and condemning power of the Law They are upon the score of him who was made a curse for them and is made righteousness to them accepted justified adopted and admitted into that family of heaven and earth which is called after the Name of God These alone are they of whom we treat of whose state and condition perseverance is an inseparable adjunct c. So far he For his stating the question about perseverance what that is I do not meddle with it may be consented in of all hands But for the faith and Saintship I shall consider it because he begins and ends his discourse or description of these with setting them forth as those alone of whom the discourse is Also having before confessed not to stand for the former kinde of faith And this he hath set forth is in such dark and unscripture-like language though many be quoted that let but the mixtures put in about the former kinde of faith beleevers and Saints Confessed True in its kinde be removed as being no parts of it as they are not And there is nothing in this description that will stand but what is found in that which will appear in every particular of his mentioned concernments and what is that then contended for let them be considered and the rather because there is but one true kinde of faith and all else false I desire therefore the Concernments may every one be considered according to Scripture and Scripture-language without prejudice CHAP. XV. Of Mr. Owen his first Concernment 1. HE saith these Saints and beleevers Eph. 2.1 2 3. By nature the children of wrath they are as well as others The Text is plain that the Apostle having said of the Gentiles They were dead in trespasses and sins where in times past they walked c. He saith of himself and the Jews That we also had our conversation among the children of disobedience c. And he saith not are but were by nature the children of wrath even as others or as some translate it as also the rest or as some translate it Naturally the children of wrath even as well as others But neither the Text nor any translation puts in that as the Jews conformity with the Gentiles That they were even as they dead in trespasses and sins though that in some sense were true of the unbeleeving Jews Rom. 11.16 Rom. 3 2. 9.4 Psa 147.19 20 John 4 22. Rom. 3.2 9 4 5. Eph 2.11 12. Rom. 3 9-19 yet not in full sense even as the unbeleeving Gentiles before the Gospel was sent to bee preached to them For the Jews were the natural branches Not so the Gentiles The Jews had the Oracles Covenants Promises and service of God committed to them Not so the Gentiles The Jews had the worship of the true God among them and so the hope set before them and therein means more abundantly to come in to him for receiving and enjoying the same by faith which the Gentiles had not Yet these Jews not by faith coming in Eph. 2.13 14 15 16 17 18 3 5 6.9 were no better but disobedient and the children of wrath even as the Gentiles Now by Christ the partition wall is broken down and by the Gospel the same priviledges with greater inlargement and more spiritual and effectual means given to the Gentiles yet notwithstanding whether Jews or Gentiles such as are not by this Gospel and means it affords Rom. 3.9.20 2 25-29 Joh. 3.36 gained to beleeve and so converted and changed in disposition and conversation what ever knowledge or means they have what ever humane righteousness or profession they have yet walking according to the wisdome and will of the flesh or according to the oldness of the letter they in respect of acceptance with God and eternal life are no better than others but under displeasure and wrath and in the same danger even as others The children of wrath and if here be put in dead in trespasses and sins it will stand even as others Now the difficulty lyeth in what sense Nature is taken for which I will not strive Let men take it in what sense by Scripture they will 1. If by Nature be meant the first or natural birth as men come from Adam by propagation and so sinners Rom. 5.12 18 19. and bear his image which is common to all men Then it overthrows the fancy of some a certain number of persons severed from others before they were born to be an elect people to Son-ship and eternal life for if any were so elect as Adams sons from eternity before the world was then were they not born or by birth The children of wrath even as others no there would be a great and wide difference in humane things men will easily discern it If
faith yet they cannot be saved That first mentioned faith flowing from such an election and purpose of God concerning their persons is the faith of Gods elect This I say Paul never taught nor is there any one line in Scripture to affirm it the Spirit of God leads no man so to beleeve or speak it is quite and directly cross to his Testimony as is shewn at large Part. 2. Chap. 9. Page 87 88 89. Part. 4. Chap. 10. 11. So that the faith here commended is the same with that Heb. 6.4 5. And as for Rom. 8.28 how it speaks the same thing and not a word for this reproved fancy is shewn before at large See Part. 4. Chap. 6 7 8. And so likewise is that Act. 13.48 in Part. 5. Chap. 6. Page 317 318. So that Eph. 1 4. is likewise shewn to make nothing for it Part. 3. Chap. 12. Page 221. And that 1 Pet. 1.2 3 4 5. speaks not of an eternal purpose of God concerning some certain persons of Adams sons in a decree to elect and eternally save them but of the manner of the election of such as were already actually elected viz. That it was through the sanctification of the Spirit unto the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus 2 Thess 2.13 exprest elsewhere The beleef of the truth in which that sprinkling is received This election being according to the fore-knowledge or fore-approbation of God who hath fore-appointed and approved this way for electing and choosing such as beleeve his Testimony as is at large shewn on Rom. 8.28 Part. 4. Chap. 6. 7. 8. So that this Concernment hath gained nothing for any other kinde of faith than that he confest at first true in its kinde I would he had not cast it by CHAP. XVI Of his second Concernment 1. HE saith for the manner of their obtaining this precious faith it is by Gods giving to them that holy Spirit c. In this I shall note three things in which it is pretended to be not only peculiar but of another and better kinde than the former true in its kinde 1. Hee saith It is by giving that Holy Spirit of his whereby he raised Jesus from the dead to raise them from their death in sin to quicken them unto newness of life In this first saying we have two things to note in the manner of true beleevers obtaining faith viz. First What God gives unto them and that is that same holy Spirit of his by which hee raised Jesus from the dead And secondly The end for which God gives this holy Spirit to them and that is to raise them from their death in sin to quicken them unto newness of life both which are very true and will by all true beleevers be so confessed yet the asserting it as a peculiar manner of obtaining faith that is of a better kinde than that mentioned Heb. 6.4 5. and another manner of obtaining also and leaving out something needful in this business to be mentioned is blame-worthy For 1 God for calling any to the faith doth not send forth or give any other spirit nor is there any other spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son than that holy Spirit by which he raised Jesus from the dead This Spirit is called his Holy Spirit the Spirit of Christ the Spirit of Grace 1 Pet. 3.19 20. Act 7.51 By this Spirit Christ preached in the ministration of Noah and of the Prophets whence those that resisted his inlightnings and teachings in those ministrations are said to have been disobedient to and have resisted the Holy Ghost And now more abundantly since the sufferings and ascention of Christ he doth in the ministration of the Gospel inlighten call convince c. whence those that shut their eyes and refuse and despise are said to despise God 1 Thes 4.7 8. Heb. 10.29 And they that after they have received the knowledge of the truth do willingly tread under foot the Son of God and count the blood of the Covenant as an unholy thing are said to have done despite to the Spirit of Grace i.e. If it had not been the holy Spirit they had resisted their sin had not been so grievous It is not good to devise pleas for wicked men to extenuate their sin And though there be a Spirit of truth and a spirit of error yet truth is one and the Spirit of truth is one 1 Joh 4 1-6 1 Cor. 12.4.11 2 Cor. 11.4.13.14 15. 1 Cor 12.2 3. though his gifts be divers and the Spirit of truth cometh onely from God and Christ And no other spirit but error is divers and many and the spirit of error is manifold and various and proceedeth not from God but from the Devil Nor can any man attain any true kinde of faith but by the Holy Ghost yea that faith mentioned Heb. 6.1 2 4 5. was attained by the illumination of the Holy Ghost and they were made partakers of the Holy Ghost And to ascribe to the Spirit the working of a faith of Christ dying and by his blood having made peace such as shall cause light love joy and fill the soul with such hope of eternal life as shall ravish the heart of a man and inwardly and outwardly change him And yet that Christ dyed not for that man or that there is no eternal life in him for that man nor truth or reality in Gods intentions to give it him Oh! yee heavens be astonished and let the earth tremble at this that any should say thus of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of truth or that God should have two Spirits one to work this faith which yet cannot be true in any kinde and a better Spirit to work a better kinde of faith His Spirit is one and holy and all his operations to bring any to beleeve like himself true real holy and of the right and saving kinde though many resist and some depart So that this line of truth was in this business not well brought forth seeing it was to oppose another line of truth and to obscure the truth of the holy Spirits operations 2. The object discovered and medium used by the Holy Ghost for bringing any to this faith and effecting this end mentioned is here sleighted and left out That is Christ and him crueified as set forth in the Gospel for sinners to look to and beleeve in For this is certain first That this holy Spirit testifieth of Christ witnesseth of his death resurrection sacrifice exalteth and glorifieth him as the Son of God the Saviour of the world Joh. 15.26 16 7 8-15 Act. 5.31 32. the Prince and Saviour that giveth repentance and remission of sins to Israel and is a light to the Gentiles and Gods salvation to the ends of the earth And that whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3. 2 2. 2.6 9 10 14.16 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 This Jesus and
4 5. is proved nor yet by his quotations Rom. 8.11 is spoken to them whom he had affirmed The called of Jesus Christ Rom. 1.6 7 8 8 9. Beloved of God Called Saints To and of whom he saith Yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Minde he speaketh not of an once or for a time having been in them that was out of question but of an abiding or dwelling as a governor in an house Now if any man have not the Sprit of Christ Mind he saith not hath had so that it s no error to say what ever he had heretofore Rom. 8.10 as to the Galathians ch 3.3 4. 5 7 8. he is none of his And if Christ be in you that is by this abiding of the Spirit or his dwelling in you preserving confidence in Christ c. just as he said to the Hebrews chap. 3.6.14 the body is dead because of sin sin that brought in death which though over come by Christ yet is not removed till his time from off men all must once dye nor will it be wholly removed from beleevers while any sin abideth in them though it rule not in them so as their bodies are yet mortal and so but heavy instruments to be used in spiritual services and must once dye but the Spirit is life because of righteousness Col. 2.12 13. 3.9 10. Eph. 4.21 23 24 Rom. 7.22 24. Rom. 7.22 Gal. 5.16 22 24. Joh. 7.37 38 39. the spirit opposed to the body that is the inward man the new man or Christ-like minde or disposition effected in the heart by the Spirit of Christ quickning them in and through beleeving in Christ to receive forgiveness of them sins and so enlivening c. This is life even a living principle derived from Christ in whom beleeving this principle derived from Christ in whom beleeving this principle is effected and preserved and it is living in faith confidence hope love and joy yea it is life affording living springs and motions And this for righteousness sake Rom. 5.18 that is for Christ his sake who is risen from the dead and hath by one righteousness obtained in himself life for all men and power to raise all men And that such as receive this grace and gift by grace given in and through Christ Grace may reign in them through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ Rom. 5.21 17. and they shall reign in life by Christ And because of the righteousness of God in Christ and the righteousness of Christ in his mediation by vertue of his oblation and in sending forth his Spirit according to his promise to such end The Spirit of the beleever is inlived Rom. 8.23 yea life And so they receive a first fruits of the Spirit in this life and wait for the adoption the redemption of their body to be at the coming of Christ And to comfort not some peculiar among them but all the beleeving Romans with the certainty and the way to enjoy the certainty of all this he saith to them But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead Rom. 8.11 dwell in you He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Minde these words he said before If Christ be in you the body is dead c. But the Spirit is life c. And now he saith again But if the Spirit of him c. dwell in you abide as a governor if so Then he that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit Rom. 6.29 7 4 6. 2 Tim. 2.11 c. that is apt to enlive them to be instruments of righteousness for you to serve with here in newness of life and spirit and raise them up again when dead by his Spirit that dwelleth in you and so by vertue of your union with Christ abiding in this faith of him 1 Thess 4.14 15. and his Spirit quickning your mortal bodies living and dying in this faith He will raise you again in the same union with him in which you slept So that all the way here is no other kinde of faith set forth nor other language of giving Spirit c. used then to the Collossians as also to the Galathians and Hebrews Col. 1.21 22 23. Eph. 1.16.17 as afore-shewn Eph. 2.19 in respect of their knowledge speaks not of what they yet enjoyed but of what the Apostle desired for them and the power of God is as himself one and the same though the manner and degrees of his putting it forth be divers As without a Mediator though by him that now is the Mediator in the first now old Creation It was the same power by which he made the heaven and the earth and man upon it by which also he caused the grass to grow c. but whether with like force put forth I determine not But of this I am sure the infinite greatness of this power is beyond the comprehension of any mortal man Also his power as put forth through a Mediator for upholding and ordering all the old Creation for its time and ruleth for ever by his power It is one and the same power â— Joh. 1.3 Psal 75.3 66.7 by which he upholds the heaven and the earth and preserveth man and beast and ordereth the fowls and flyes and growing of grass c. But whether alike put forth for every of these I determine not But of this I am sure the infinite greatness of this power is not fully known by any mortal man And now for his power as put forth not onely through a Mediator but to unite and conform to him and so to effect and set forward the New Creation that is begun and compleat in himself and to be compleated in and for all his New Creatures in which as in the Resurrection of Christ that dyed for sinners the power of his wisdome mercy truth faithfulness and strengh did most abundantly shine forth so in this work of uniting and conforming to him it is most abundantly dispensed and known and met with And this power thus put forth is ever one and the same power Even that by which he raised Jesus from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and every name that is named not only in this world Eph. 1.20.21 22 23. Eph. 1.19 but also in that which is to come And hath put all things under his feet and given him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his body c. This the power here spoken of But whether this power be in this manner alike put forth at all times to every one to whom it is extended as To convince to draw to beleeve To preserve in the faith To
It is he that heareth us that is the Apostles in the word given by Christ to them and by them delivered and recorded Rom. 1.5 16 26. for the obedience of faith among all Nations He that heareth that is accepteth and receiveth our testimony that will bee set appointed and determined in his judgement faith and way by this word delivered by us as it is indeed the word of God and so accounting God true 2 Thess 1.10 1 Thess 2.13 Rom. 3.4 1 Ioh. 4.6.11 Ioh. 1.12 13 7.37 38 39. Ier 11.6 8. 34-6-10 6.17 who ever bee found a lyar c. And so according to this testimony beleeveth in Christ and loveth his brother He and so all such are born of God And that this obedience of faith is meant by hearing is cleer in such a like use of the word in another business And they that refuse this are said to refuse to hearken So on the other side He that heareth not the word of Christ as delivered by the Apostles that is doth not accept it and receive c. he is not of God not born of God that is for the present time he is not now of God what ever he may be hereafter or hath been heretofore And so the word heareth is used for a present and continued hearing Ier. 34.9 10 15 11.16 Ezek. 18.24 Jer. 34. those that were affirmed to have heard yea so to have heard as to have turned and done right in the sight of God yet these after backsliding are then said not to have hearkned unto God according to that word In the day that he sinneth all his righteousness shall not be mentioned to him So then while he thus heareth he receiveth the word as the word of God and therein Christ and his Spirit that frameth inclineth and inableth him to beleeve in God love God love his brother and so the same minde and spirit that is in Christ is in him 1 Cor. 2.16 Phil. 2.12 5. Col. 3.16 1 Ioh. 3.6.9.23 24. Hence so exhorted To let the word of Christ dwell plentifully in us For such are of God born of God and God dwelleth in them And so vers 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit And so in chap. 3. where abiding in him and being born of him are put one for another And there it is affirmed That he that keepeth his commands in beleeving on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and loving one another dwelleth in him and he in him And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us which needs no further explication to know what Spirit it is and that it is but one Spirit and the same Spirit that is in Christ and in all unfained beleevers And that this Spirit dwelleth both in their society for ever and in every particular soul of them that are found beleevers so long as they abide in the faith he hath wrought and preserveth in them and on that ground are the exhortations given Chap. 3. 4. and of like signification the other quotations 2 Tim. 1.14 1 Cor. 6 17. 12.12 13. Eph. 4.4 There being but one Spirit and I hope for the manner of the spirits being in Beleevers there needs no contention It is not meant simply of the essence or being of the Spirit Psal 1 30.7.13 Ier. 23.23 24. Amos 9.2.3 Heb. 3.1 Mat. 3.45 Iob 37.27 28 31. which is one and the same with the Father and the Son and so filling heaven and earth with his presence yea so with all creatures and so in love and well-pleasedness with the righteous and in wrath with and against the wicked discerning all things so that here is some farther meaning of the Spirit being in beleevers And that is also a farther thing than the forth-putting of his divine force and power upholding and raising up and making operative something in the creature Psal 33 5 11 36.6 104.27 28-30 for so he upholdeth the earth and the heavens and causeth the Sun to shine and the clouds to carry about water and distill their drops and the earth to bring forth fruit and men to live and move He causeth the grass to grow but not to be sensible and knowing he causeth the beasts to live breathe Act. 14.17 17.25 28. Psal 66.7 Eccles 3.14 and move and to be sensible and so to know as far as by sense they may be brought to know but indueth them not with reason or an intelle tual understanding But men besides all the former he also indueth with reason Job 35 10. and understanding above the beasts And all this extended to and for men is an effect of God and so of one and the same Spirit extended to fallen mankinde through a Mediator and so by vertue of the ransome and mediation of Christ and that to gracious ends to lead men to repentance yet all this being but the supportation of the old creation for a time that time and means may be vouchsafed to bring men to repentance and so short of the New Creation It is said still to be in a natural way extended And men thus knowing are but natural and cannot by nature or all the wisdome thus attained perceive 1 Cor. 2.8 14. or receive the things of the Spirit that he witnesseth of Christ But the forth putting of the divine force and power of the holy Spirit in this business is supernatural in the testimony of Christ The New and Spiritual man and for setting forward the New Creation which divine force or power according to the light in the means vouchsafed is at one time or other put forth to all men that come to the use of understanding in their several Ages In which respect also The word of faith Joh. 1.4 5.9 Rom. 10.6 7 8 9. Psal 119.130 1 Joh. 5.20 when preached is nigh to them in their mouth and heart that they might beleeve and confess And such as in beleeving receive the Spirits testimony He by his divine light and power effecteth in them an understanding and heart to know Christ and so to love him and one another for his sake and so to incline to and seek his ends And thus they partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1 4. This supernatural force and divine power working in them to this gracious end is the very Spirit that is in Christ and this his supernatural operation of the minde and disposition of Christ and so of faith love and likeness of design in their heart being born of the Spirit Is Spirit Joh. 3.6 1 Cor. 2.16 2 Cor. 4.13 2 Tim. 1.7 yea the Spirit and minde of Christ in them And called The Spirit of faith and the Spirit of love and power and of a sound minde And so bears the name of the Spirit and supernatural divine power that effected it yea is one with
c. Just as to the Hebrews Heb. 12.22 Shews to how much more glorious ministration and better Covenant stablished on better promises than they in Moses time had and what happy society they were come to yea even to Jesus where they might enjoy the blood of sprinkling shewing thereby as the benefit of hearing so the danger of turning away so warning to heedfulness Secondly he saith And as to their relative condition whereas they were children of wrath under the curse and condemning power of the Law they are upon the score of him who was made 〈◊〉 curse for them and is made righteousness to them accepted justified adopted and admitted into that family of heaven and earth which is called after the Name of God All this in the truth of it in a measure is true of all unfained beleevers even the weakest of them As for Eph. 2.3 Gal. 5.13 it is fore-spoken to and agrees to all beleevers without difference And Gal. 3.13 shews the way of deliverance through Christ Being made a curse for us And how he hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law so as God will not go to judgement with us thereby however unbeleeving hearts are under the fear of that curse and death but he hath given us all over to Christ to be disposed by him and judged by him according to the Gospel yet this was not all the end he had in so redeeming us from the curse of the Law but he had a more abundant gracious end in this his suffering for us namely That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that so we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith He saith not That we Jews and Gentiles all that he hath redeemed from the curse of the Law which is true to all men are in their conscience from under Law and have received the blessing of Abraham and the promise of the Spirit but that he by suffering for us the curse of the Law hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law to this end That we might c. And so upon the account of Christ being made a curse for us Joh. 3.14 15 16 17 18 36. Gal. 3 7-12 16 29. 2 Cor. 15.1 2 3 4. c. The Gospel of this good news is preached to us that wee might beleeve and in beleeving receive the blessing and promise through faith Not else nor otherwise but in beleeving we shall receive And all this is true for and to all men but onely beleevers receive the blessing and Spirit through faith And this is true of all beleevers and abides in them as they abide in the faith to press to which is the drift of this and following Chapters Gal. 4.4 The Apostle here in shewing That God sent forth his Son made of a woman that is in the common nature of mankinde made under the Law that under which all mankinde was fallen to redeem them that were under the Law as all mankinde was that we might receive the adoption of Sons He saith not And then we did Rom. 3 10-19 20. or all so redeemed from the curse of the Law have But that we might that is in beleeving receive c. And so far true to all alike And then vers 6. And because ye are Sons Chap. 3.13 14 that is because ye have beleeved this testimony and so beleeved in the Name of the Son of God God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son that divine force of his Spirit Joh. 1.12 Gal. 3.26 Mar. 14.36 Rom. 8.2.14 15. working child-like confidence and desires moving to approach to him by Christ crying Abba Father And this all true beleevers receive yet this and the rest he affirmeth in no sort to import an impossibility of their miscariage for he was afraid of them but as a motive to reduce them from miscarriages and prevent farther miscarriages that they might abide in and live by faith and though their declining be great and much fallen from grace yet not being quite departed upon the account of Christ beleeved in he affirms the Spirit in them Rom. 8.1 Rom. 3 19-25 5.18 7 1-7.14.24 The Apostle having before laid the foundation forth in the redemption wrought by and in Jesus Christ And also how by faith it is received and how beleeving in Christ we are dead to the Law by the body of Christ that we might be married to him and that in beleeving we are so quickned and married to Christ That we might bring forth fruit to God and serve in newness of Spirit And then shewing in his own example how the old disposition the law in the members Gal. 5.17 doth war against the Spirit and so hinder them that they cannot do all the good as they would and yet he by following the Spirit in minding Jesus Christ and the redemption in him yeelding up with his minde to side with and walk in the Spirit and so in that faith of Jesus in love c. he was delivered and set free from all charges of sin and sentences of death by the Law yea acquit and justified through the blood of Christ beleeved in Rom. 7.24 25. 5 1-5.9 3.25 Rom. 8.1 and so rejoyce in Christ And this he layes down as true in like manner too and of all that unfainedly beleeve in Jesus Christ and the common priviledge of them all Now then or therefore there is now no condemnation that is none by that law of sin and death either from God or from conscience what ever be from ungodly men yet none that can charge their conscience as under the guilt of sin or liableness to curse no such condemnation or reproof its large No condemnation to them which are in Christ who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit he saith not simply to them that are in Christ Jesus Gal. 5.16 17 18 6 8. and there stop and make the period for if any that have received the testimony of Christ so as to beleeve in him as the flesh lusts against the Spirit do side with the flesh and sow to it 1 Joh. 3.4 and not presently own and confess that faultiness and seek pardon and healing in Christ but go on in any thing to serve such fleshly lusts 1 Cor. 11.31 32. Mar. 10.41 45 Mat. 28.3 Eph. 4.29 30. 1 Cor. 6.7 2 Cor. 12.21 Gal. 6.8 1 Joh. 3.20 21 1 Joh. 1.6 7 8 9. he sinneth against grace and not onely the Law will reprove him of sin but God will reprove him and chasten him also yea Christ will reprove him yea the holy Spirit will convince him of faultiness and all faithful men that walk after the Spirit will reprove him yea and his own heart will condemn him 1 Joh 3.20 And if he go on thus he will reap corruption and become more estranged weakned and deaded and cannot have boldness towards God but in returning to Christ confessing
first thing in hearty beleeving whereof we shall surely be saved Secondly Rom. 5.8.10 4.23 24 25. In the proceeding of it uniting to and ingrafting into Christ viz. That through the beleef of this fore-said and the immense love power and propitiousness and good will of God commended here-through beleeve in God and so rest on him for preservation in this grace to the enjoyment of the inheritance and so for the eternal life promised Heb. 11.13 which beleeving is formerly described to be a discerning a being perswaded and a hearty operation c. And all so beleeving without difference are justified by faith which word or term is used to shew the way of receiving justification even by faith not to shew that justification is compleated and over and past for justification is still needed by beleevers and in beleeving daily received of them whence also God is said not onely to be the justifier of him that beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly and so to be he that hath justified the beleever Rom. 4.5 But to be the justifier of him that beleeveth and it is God that justifieth Rom. 3.26 8.33 So as it is a continued flowing business for beleevers in all needs to be receiving by faith that is the onely way of receiving and that in which God dispenseth justification Therefore being justified by faith that is by and through Christ by his bloud Rom. 5.1 2 â— 3.25 5.11 John 1.12 Act. 10.43 12.38 39 the object of faith received in and through beleeving on him wee have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord by whom also wee have accesse into this grace wherein wee stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God c. And it should bee an evil work by any strange and lofty expressions to trouble any such beleevers about this faith Rom. 8.32 33-39 Speaketh of that whence the Apostles perswasion was raised and this perswasion not of and for himself alone or some special and peculiar Beleevers with him only But of the whole society and body of Beleevers 1 Joh. 3.1 2. speaketh likewise of the whole society of Beleevers Joh. 1.12 Gal. 3.26 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed on us that wee should bee called the Sonnes of God Therefore the world knoweth us not owneth not us nor our faith and profession because it knew not him owned not God in that discovery of himself in his Son which hee hath set forth in the gospel Beloved now are wee the sons of God that is by faith and it doth not yet appear what wee shall bee that is 1 Cor. 13 12. Rom. 8.23 Col. 3.4 how glorious and happy we shall be we see yet but in part we are but a little like him we have yet but the first fruits of the spirit but when hee shall appear that is in glory wee shall bee like him for wee shall see him as hee is this is that which all true Beleevers do and may look and wait for Ephe. 3.15 Joh. 1.12 Gal. 3.26 speaks of more than beleevers on the earth and shews that all that are beleevers in Christ and those that have lived and died in the faith have had their name of Sonnes from Christ the Sonne and Beleevers now by vertue of their union with him in beleeving and from him now are they called Christians and his house c. And it is confessed in a sense hee puts his Name on them though it bee not here said they are called after the name of God But let it bee considered that here is shown how the Apostle prayed for them Eph. 3 14.-19 as was in Chap. 1 18.-20 And surely for nothing but what was good and needfull for them hee doth not puff them up with thoughts of their attainments Eph. 1.13 because they had beleeved and were sealed with the holy spirit of promise And were quickned together with Christ and were raised together and made to sit together in heavenly places in him Eph. 2.5 6 8 and were saved by grace through faith of the gift of God therefore they had and injoyed these things hee prayed for and it was impossible for them to miscarry though they knew not that they had these things and so wanted only the knowledge in themselves of the assurance of their abiding Nor doth he scare or terrify them as if their faith were not of the right kind and that Christ and his holy spirit were not in them But hee acknowledging their faith right and them faithful in Christ tells them now earnestly and for what hee prayeth for them Phil. 1.9 10 11. Col 1.9 10 11 1 Thes 3.12 13. 5.23 2 Thes 1.11 12 Eph. 3.14 15 that they may abide and grow and be preserved and established in the faith and so found unblameable before him at his comming As hee did the like for the Phillipians and for the Colossians and for the Thessalonians and so likewise for the Hebrews chap. 13.20 And so here to the Ephesians hee lets them know To whom and in whose name he prayed for them even unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named In which are many things encouraging both him and them to pray to God in the name of Christ As the exceeding greatnesse of the power of God that gave and raised Christ Eph. 1.19 22 2.17 18 19 22. Heb. 3.5 6 c. The relation between the Father and the Son and his ingagement to his Son by whom the ways of our approach to have access to God was opened the fellowship corporation and body hee hath received us into and made us of even his own house and family and so his interest in us Eph 1.23 3 14 and ours in him our Lord and the owner of this house And Lastly That in putting his word in their heart and inabling them to beleeve and confesse the same hee hath put his name upon them so farre that hee is pleased to bee called their God and Father and they called his people and the declarers of his name which with the rest gives great consolation seeing hee hath promised to hear his people that are called by his name when they humble themselves and pray and seek his face and pray towards or in the house that is called by his name 2 Chron. 7 12-14 6 20-41 which as the old was a tipe signifies Christ and his people and so to pray in faith in the Name of Christ and in union with and love of the brethren Joh. 16.23 Mar. 11.24 25 Psal 65 1-4 Hee being a God hearing prayers and they blessed whom he chooseth and causeth to approach to him that they may dwell in his house for they shall bee satified And as this is great consolation for Beleevers confident praying so it hath in it also a forcible and great admonition to Beleevers to