injoying of our Ordinances for want of a Ministery but to hold fast our true possession and inheritance once delivered into the hand of faith in all our captivitie as Israel of old did Believers now have lost the possession of all Administrations Object 10. for there hath been a cessation for these many yeares both of Ministery Church and Ordinances according to the first Rule and institution of Christ and therefore men are to waite upon God for him to restore the same againe in power and not to take up wayes and ordinances of themselves Believers never lost their right to any truth Answ or ordinance of Christ for they by faith doe or ought to possesse all truth once given unto them 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. 2 Cor. 6.10 Jude 3. And if any depart and forsake their own mercies through unbeliefe they are to returne againe to the same by faith and God prohibits none that believe in his Son the use of his Ordinances ordained by him for their comfort and confirmation of their faith but helpes them on to the same by giving his Spirit for their guide his Word for their rule and himselfe for their warrant who commands them to obey him in all truth that he shall make knowne unto them Men are indeed to waite upon the God of truth for him to discover truth But when he hath not onely made it knowne to them but also revealed truth in them and by the power of it made the heart one with it then men take not up truth of themselves but are taken up by truth into the nature of truth and shall stand by the power of it when such as take up truth of themselves and for their own ends shall lay it downe againe to their own destruction Object 11. God ordained a Ministery in the Gospel which ever was in order first namely Apostles Prophets and Evangelists by whom Churches were planted and other Officers ordained for those Churches well-being This Ministery I confesse and own and therefore I say still Answ that men must come from God with truth and with abilitie to deliver the same for the converting of men to the faith Now when God shall assist his Word with power to bring over mens hearts to believe and obey the same such the Scriptures hold out to be true Messengers sent of Christ declared by their worke as it answers to the Rule And this way men were convinced and Churches planted that now stand under the profession of christ And thus came Churches to be planted and other Officers ordained by those that God made the first instruments to bring on the worke in communion with the rest as to direct and assist them in the same Tit. 1.5 Act. 14.23 The Ministery aforesaid to bring men to the faith Object 12. was attended with the power of miracles as raising the dead healing the sicke casting out devills and the like to confirme their testimony to be of God none of which appeares now whereas there is as much need to confirme the truth of God as ever among so much confusion as now is The like miracles are assigned by Christ ever to attend his Ministery Mark 16.17 and confirmed by the Apostle as an Ordinance of God in his Church Jam. 5.14 15. and the first Principles of Christ Heb. 6.1 2. All which are now wanting that should confirme a true Ministery from God to us Answ That the working of miracles did attend the Ministery of Christ at the first and that to confirme the truth then held forth to be of God this I confesse to be true But that the working of those miracles should be so essentiall to the Ministery that there can be no true Ministery of Christ neither in whole nor in part without working of the said miracles that I deny 1. John the Eaptist was a true Minister and sent of God who did no miracle Joh. 10.41 and yet he was more then a Propher Mat. 11.9 And so was Apollos a true Minister of the new Testament who knew onely the Baptisme of John and no more untill that Aquila and Priscilla had further informed him in Gods way but was never knowne to worke any miracle Act. 18.25 26 28. with a Cor. 3.5 And likewise the scattered Disciples that gathered the Church at Antioch Act. 11.19 20 21. All which were true Ministers of Christ and yet not attended with the foresaid power of working miracles in their Administrations It is a Herods hope to see a miracle Luk. 22.8 And a Pharaohs sign Exod. 7.9 2. Miracles can be no true note of Ministery nor Minister sent of Christ because the working of miracles is that by which false Prophets shall deceive the people Mark 13.22 Rev. 16.14 Rev. 19.20 3. The same miracles that confirmed the truth at the first to be of God stand in equall authoritie together with the same truth as witnesses together for God and against all that oppose untill the coming of Christ without adding more miracles to them any more then of truth to what is written Heb. 2.4 Nothing more is now to be expected then the holy Spirit for to open the Scriptures and inable men to unfold the minde of God in the same and the same Spirit working faith in the hearts of the Elect to believe his own testimony of they mystery of the Fathers love in the Sonne through the word without any other miracle So that if Christ inableth men to understand and to open the Word and God opens the heart and the Spirit workes faith here will need no miracle to bring such to believe Lastly As great miracles are done now as ever to cast out Devills out of mens soules to open the eyes spiritually blind to raise the dead from the death of sinne In a word to bring forth a new creature and offer up the same to God These are the substance of all miracles to such as by experience know them and greater then all as Christ saith Joh. 14.12 And for Christs words Mark 16.17 These signes shall follow them that believe c. These signes are there said to follow such as believe and not such as are sent of Christ to preach the Gospel The words are to be taken either literally or mystically If mystically then all those signes are to be taken in a spirituall sense as to cast out devills by converting of foules to God in preaching of Christ as afore said and to speake with new tongues is in reference to the new creature which being of a new nature he speaks with a new tongue so a new language as he never did before 2 Cor. 5.17 according to these Scriptures Zeph. 3.9 Isai 19.18 35.5 6. And to take up Serpents that is in respect of the great worke of the Gospel by which God will alter and change the Serpent-like nature of men unto a Lamb-like temper of spirit Isai 11.6 9. and the sweet peace God will make for his people with
such Joh. 5.23 And for drinking any deadly thing it shall not hurt such as believe that is if they drinke in at any time false doctrine or errour which in it selfe is poyson and deadly but God of his grace will so provide that it shall not hurt them so as to destroy them but he will recover and preserve them by some way or other Mat. 24.24 Jam. 5.19 20. 1 Cor. 10.13 2 Pet. 2.9 But if the words be to be taken literally then consider whether the faith may not be the same with the signes viz. the faith of miracles which men might have and yet perish Mat. 7.22 23. But grant the faith there spoken of to be faith unto salvation spoken of in the verse aforegoing and the words to be taken literally yet Christ there onely shews how the truth of the Gospel should then be confirmed by signes and miracles but doth not meane that in every age or in that age none should be accounted believers but such as could doe such miracles or shew such signes see 1 Cor. 12.28 29 30. As touching James 5.14 15. the direction there given is still to be observed according as God gives in faith into mens hearts to depend upon the promise there made and such observation of that direction in the exercise of faith will surely be accompanied with the promised successe Neither was it any more in the Apostles dayes for even in that age Saints might and did dye as well as in succeeding ages And for Heb. 6.1 2. there is nothing at all of any miracles but onely of laying on of hands All therefore that hath been objected makes nothing to prove the working of miracles a note to declare a true Ministery of Christ either in whole or in part but rather the contrary now in our dayes And againe it is not to the point in hand what power any persons were attended with but to what power or qualified persons Christ hath confined the dispensing of his Ordinances absolutely so that none but onely such must meddle with the administring of them Either let such as condemne our practise hold us out and confine us to an absolute Rule from the mouth of Christ or else cease to oppose us lest they oppose Christ himselfe and his Saints portion and so at his coming be found in stead of feeding to be smiting of the flocke Luk. 12. As of old at the peoples returne out of temporall Babylon in the type was onely the simple call of God without any miracle even so in the antitype the peoples coming out of spirituall Babylon is onely by the simple call of God without any miracle as Rev. 18.4 The Apostles having a Commission to preach unto all Nations Object 13. Mat. 28.19 yet they were afterwards commanded to stay at Jerusalem untill they had received power from God to execute the same Acts 1. Which power they received Acts 2. Which shews that none can preach the Gospel nor are any to attempt the same without the like power of the holy Ghost for if any might then the Apostles who had their Commission but they must stay for power from God and so must men now This is but the same in effect that I have ever said Answ that if any man goes before he hath a Message from God and power to deliver the same such a one goeth of himselfe unsent but one who hath a Message and abilitie to deliver it God assisting the same with power to effect the worke this now is one truly sent as aforesaid But in a word briefly let us a little minde what this power here is which the Apostles were to waite for as Jerusalem this power was the holy Spirit the comforter the Spirit of truth the promise of the Father as the Scriptures manifest Acts 1.4.8 Luk. 24.49 Act. 2.4.33 Joh. 14.16 17.26 Joh. 7.39 The holy Spirit in respect of his sanctifying power and gifts the comforter in respect of his evidence in the mystery of the Fathers love in which sense he was to supply the place of Christ and was not to come untill Christ was ascended Joh. 14.16 17.26 Joh. 16.7 Joh. 7.39 This holy Spirit and comforter was the promise of the Father received of Christ and is given to all that believe through Grace Joh. 7.38 39. Rom. 8.9.11.14 15 16. Gal. 4.6 Being the holy regenerating Spirit of Grace Joh. 3.5 6. Joh. 1.12 13. 1 Joh. 3.9 The comforter that brings the Fathers love through his Sonnes death to a cold heart Joh. 14.16 Rom. 5.5 The witnesse of all our happinesse and the holy Spirit of promise that seals us up in the Fathers love enabling of us to cry Abba Father 1 Joh. 3.24 5.10 Rom. 8.15 16. Eph. 1.13 14. Gal. 4.6 All which is onely one and the same Spirit not many but onely one and no more 1 Cor. 12.4.11 Eph. 4.4 Whose Ministeriall abilides I shall reduce unto two heads 1. Light and knowledge in the mystery of Christ in the Gospel Eph. 3.3 4 5.6 2. Power or abilitie of utterance to preach and teach the same Act. 2.4 Eph. 6.19 Col. 4.3 Let men strive while they will here is the substance of the Ministeriall power of Christ and according to every mans talent and abilitie he is to labour in this worke Mat. 25.14 15. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man none excepted to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7 So that the Message of the holy Spirit is holy and sound doctrine such as tends to bring persons to one unitie of faith and conformitie to the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3. Col. 2.2 Eph. 4. And the Messengers are such as the same Spirit stirres up and enableth to deliver the same as aforesaid Such are as it were the eyes and hands and feet of the holy Spirit to call and guide and to goe before and lead on others And as God in Christ hath received these so he doth others brought to him by their Ministery This was the power or promise of the Father that they were to waite for the Spirit to inable them to lay out Christ dead and risen for a foundation to beare up the spirituall house of God and as Lord and King of that Kingdome preached before to be at hand and now exalted at Gods right hand and advanced to the throne of his Father David and to hold him forth among all Nations as the way to life by faith in his death All which could not be preached untill Christ was ascended and the holy Spirit given that must teach the same And this in briefe was the power the Apostles were to waite at Jerusalem for and so is every man now Though the holy Spirit appeared then more fully and richer in his gifts then now he doth yet for the essentialls of truth both for salvation by believing in Jesus Christ and professing him under those honourable titles assigned him by his Father the holy Spirit doth
now for substance appeare the same in his Ministeriall operations as ever he did formerly Though there be much imperfection and weaknesse in the creature this causeth not truth to cease from being truth Otherwise there can be no salvation for any man which is the next thing to be examined Having discovered the way how to know such as come from God to the worke of the Ministery in Christs new Testament which is by their worke as it answers to the word of God which is the Rule of truth I come now to the third particular namely Whether there be salvation now for man and a way or meanes thereunto approved and appointed of God and if there be then what the same is This being the third inquiry about the Saints enjoying the Ordinances of Christs new Testament I answer directly that to me it is out of question there is salvation now for man and meanes to it appointed by God or else none can be sav'd and so every person in the world must perish But in a word note what I meane by salvation and that is for one to be in such an estate here in Grace that the word of God justifies to be attended with glory hereafter as follows 1. To believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God ordained of the Father to be the Saviour of man 1 Joh. 2.22 Mat. 16.16 Act. 8.37 1 Pet. 1.20 2. And that Christ is come and hath suffered in the flesh dyed and risen againe by the power of God and is exalted to be Lord over all 1 Joh. 4.2 Rom. 10.9 Act. 2.32 33.36 Rom. 14.9 3. And that Christ by one offering hath made a free and open way into the presence of his Fathers love the most holy place for all that believe to have free accesse unto the Father by him Heb. 9.12.24 Heb. 10.19 20. Eph. 2.18 3.12 4. And that by his own bloud he hath washed away all the sinnes of his people and presents them to the Father in his own perfection in whom they are all compleat and perfected for ever Rev. 1.5 Joh. 17.21 22 23. Col. 2.9 10. Heb. 10.10 5. That Christ hath not onely by his bloud redeemed a people from death condemnation and the curse for sinne and so the guilt of sinne but also hath redeemed them from among men and from a vaine conversation and traditions of men to an holy confession of him according to that rule and order instituted by him in his last will and Testament sealed with his bloud Rev. 5.9 10. Rev. 14.1 2 3 4. 1 Pet. 1.18 2.9 Eph. 2.13 22. Gal. 1.4 Tit. 2.14 Lastly This truth believed of us is not onely by the Scriptures presented to us and from thence onely learned by us but also made good upon us and revealed in us by the holy Spirit given unto us who hath given us an understanding to know him that is true Rom. 5.5 1 Joh. 5.20 Which Spirit of truth as he brings light and reveales love so by the power of love he subdues sinne mortifying the flesh and brings up the new creature to God and draws forth the heart in love to man And thus in briefe of salvation that is now for man which is a being in the sweet possession of the Fathers love through Christ by faith unto eternall glory Now the meanes approved and appointed of God for this great worke of salvation is also manifest which in generall is the Ministeriall power and operation of the Spirit of God in what instruments soever he pleaseth to appeare and to use them for that work who is limited to none but commonly doth great things by weake and despised meanes that the crowne and glory might rest on his own head as 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. And yet there is the same meanes now to bring men to God in truth and for substance which hath been formerly 1. For wee have now the holy Scriptures of God which are to us in the place and stead of the personall presence both of Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16.31 and Christ and his Apostles if God please to speake to us by them as he did to his people of old by the other Who being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11.4 2. Wee heaving this blessed word of truth to reade search and studie and Gods blessing being the same to us as to his people formerly he being the same God still and Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 wee may therefore expect and doe enjoy the same effect with them which is to understand the minde of Christ concerning us in the same 3. We have the same Spirit who enables men to preach Christ crucified which though to some a stumbling blocke and to others foolishnesse yet to many appeares to be the power of God by which they are brought to believe in Jesus Christ for eternall life and glory And thus we have the same Gospel the same faith the same Christ and so the same way to salvation as they formerly had and these meanes doth God appoint and approve and blesse for the effecting of this great worke of salvation to us now as well as unto others before us that we together with them may be provoked to praise and magnisie the great Name of so gracious a God that hath done such great things for us to keepe himselfe a Name and witnesse in the earth But some demand of us Quest Whether that the Ordinance of preaching the Gospel be now afoot for to bring men to life according to Christs Commission Mat. 28.19 20. There be some that strive against the Ordinances of God Answ by putting nice distinctions in the word Preaching to beare the simple hearted in hand of some great matter therein to be minded and that in the Originall thinking that every one is not able to deale with them there But if we were minded to cavill wee might demand of them how they know that to be the Originall or the some copie Christ and his Apostles did speak or write But we seriously demand whether we may not as well depend upon that translation in our own tongue by the helpe of the Spirit of God to know the minde of Christ in things absolutely necessary for faith and life as they upon the Originall seeing that their Originall and our translation hold forth the same Gospel of Jesus Christ They make as if none could ever preach the Gospel but only such as had and have the same measure of the gifts of the Spirit that the Apostles themselves had and yet they are at a stand about Philip Act. 8. and confesse that he did preach in the proper signification of the word But for my part I freely grant them thus much that no man can truly preach the Gospel but he that hath the same Spirit of God that the Apostles had And so I come to answer their demand briefly thus 1. As preaching is to deliver a Message received of the Lord as
remembring our dutie to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. Where I desire that the force of this word once may well be weighed I therefore advise and earnestly exhort all them that believe to beware of those doctrines and wayes how faire soever they may seeme to be before they be tryed and what safety soever in these times of trouble they seeme to promise which indeed take men off from obedience to Christ and from acknowledging the authoritie of the Scripture Have no fellowship with what Doctrine which weakens and questions the power and authoritie of Jesus Christ and the perpetuall validitie of his Testament which disarmes his Souldiers disbands his armies and so gives them up into the hand of the enemy which empties mens hearts of faith and deprives the world of the appointed meanes of salvation teaching men to shut up the kingdome of heaven Beware of that doctrine which making voyd the authoritie of the new Testament pulls Christs Scepter out of his hand his crowne from his head and himselfe from his throne Remember that the Saints in their communion and order are the Lords portion the declared object of his love in Christ and the expressed subject of his promises and blessings yea they are Christs relative perfection as a wife is to her husband and the body to the head They are his prevailing armie against Antichrist the Standard-bearer to hold him up before the Nations and so the meanes of the worlds conviction and the conversion of the rest of the elect You therefore that believe in Christ for salvation hold forth the confession of him before men Remember that by him you are made the sons of God and Kings and Priests unto God Joh. 1.12 Revel 5.10 Withhold not your selves then from worshipping God and enjoying the appointed priviledges of sons Feare not but believe for you being Christs all things are yours and have you not then a right to his Ordinances Remember Christs love in giving you his Ordinances to confirme your faith Remember the need that you have of these Ordinances and of that effectuall blessing with which Christ useth to follow the right use of his Ordinances Minde your communion with Christ and so be not slow to have communion with him in his Ordinances Have fellowship with us for truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ But specially mind the command of Christ and that charge of his in Joh. 14.15 If yee love me keepe my Commandements THE PECULIAR INTEREST OF THE ELECT IN CHRIST AND HIS SAVING GRACE I Now come to the second Question viz. How farre the death of Christ extended to the taking away the sin of man whether he dyed for the sins of all men without exception or for the sins of some onely My answer hereunto I lay downe in these three Propositions 1. Christ hath not by his death taken away the sinnes of all men for the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience for their sinnes Ephes 5.6 But this is that which he declares himselfe to have effected by his death That through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Joh. 3.14 15 16. Acts 10.43 And it is given to the Elect and to them onely to believe in Jesus Christ Rom. 8.29 1 Pet. 1.2 2. Christ intended not by his death to save all men from their sinnes but thus to save the Elect onely Joh. 10.15 Ephes 5.25 26 27. Heb. 2.14 Genes 3.15 1 Pet. 2.8 3. Christ hath not presented unto his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of all men but onely for the sinnes of those that doe or shall believe in him which are his Elect onely Rev. 5.9 And if this last Proposition be granted to be true the two former cannot be questioned This therefore I thus confirme 1. Those sinnes for which Christ hath presented a satisfaction to his Fathers justice he hath so fully satissied for that they are not to be suffered for againe Heb. 1.3 Heb. 9.26 Heb. 10.10.14 Revel 1.5 Rom. 5.9 10. Isai 53.5 Levit. 17.11 It must needs be thus 1. Because the satisfaction that Christ hath presented to his Fathers justice is sufficient for the full and finall putting away of all their sins for whom it is presented This cannot be denyed 2. Because Christ dyed as a publique person representing all those for whose sins he presented a satisfaction to his Fathers justice 2 Cor. 5.21 Even as the first Adam fell as a publick person representing all those that fell by him and in him see Rom. 5.14 And as the high Priest went into the Holy place as a publick person representing all Israel Exod. 28.29 30. Heb. 9.24 25. Hence it is that wee are looked upon as smitten in Christ and buried with Christ and revived and raised up in Christ and with Christ and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ see Hos 6.1 2. with 1 Cor. 15.3 4. Colos 2.12 Ephes 2.5 6. Now surely they who were thus represented by Christ when he presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for their sinnes shall not themselves be punished for the same sinnes 3. Because else the satisfaction presented by Christ would fall short of the type of it Levit. 4.20.26.35 and 5.10 and note Heb. 9.13 14. 4. Because this satisfaction is accepted of the Father for all those for whom it is presented by Christ Isai 53.10 For Christ the beloved Son of the Father presented this satisfaction according to his Fathers will 5. Because it were an unjust and unreasonable thing that God should receive a satisfaction presented to his justice for the sinnes of men and yet punish the same men for the same sinnes And shall not the Judge of all the earth doe right Gen. 18.25 But Reprobates or finall unbelievers shall suffer eternally for all their sinnes as appeares not onely in Eph. 5. 6. but also in Joh. 3.36 Joh. 8.24 Mat. 12.36 Eccles 12.14 Jude 15. Yea for their sins considered as breaches of the Law as appeares in 1 Tim. 1.9 10. Gal. 3.10 Therefore Christ presented not unto his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sins of Reprobates and consequently not for the sins of all men 2. Christ presenting to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for mens sinnes presents this satisfaction as well for all their sinnes as for any of their sinnes as well for their sin of unbeliefe and the fruits thereof as for their sinnes against the Law considered as sinnes against the Law Levit. 16.21 22. Dan. 9.24 Heb. 10.14 1 Joh. 1.7 But even by our adversaries own confession it is a cleare and certaine truth that Christ hath not presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the unbeliefe of Reprobates nor for the fruits of their unbeliefe considered as fruits of their unbeliefe Therefore he hath not presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for any of the sinnes of any Reprobates The answer of
in the use of the Supper to shew the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 Is not then the word of the new Testament concerning the use of the Ordinances of the new Testament now in force Let us take good heed that we doe not diminish from the word of Christ nor make voyd the same Deut. 4.2 Rev. 22.19 Psal 119.126 And so I passe to the ext inquiry which is this Whether the new Testament whereof Christ is the Mediator Qu. 5. be not of equall authoritie with the old Testament whereof Moses was the Mediator to command obedience and holds not forth a rule for the same as the old Testament did This will appeare to be an undeniable truth that the authoritie of the new Testament is equall with if not above the authoritie of the old Testament 1. The instituter and Law-giver of the new Testament is of equall power and authoritie with the instituter of the old being the Sonne of God who is Lord over all Heb. 1. Rom. 10.12 James 2.1 2. The Mediator of the new Testament is higher and of greater authoritie then the Mediator of the old Testament Heb. 3.1 6. 3. The whole state Lawes and Ordinances of the new Testament are of a higher and more heavenly nature then the state and Ordinances of the old Testament Heb. 9.2 Cor. 3. Heb. 12. and given with greater authoritie and therefore the neglect of obedience thereunto is by the holy Spirit laid under the greater punishment Heb. 2.1 4. Heb. 12.25 4. The old Testament was confirmed by the bloud and death of Buls Goats and the like but the new Testament is confirmed by the bloud and death of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God the Lord of life and therefore of greater authoritie then the old Hereby it is manifest that the authoritie of the new Testament is equall with if not above the authoritie of the old Testament to command obedience And touching the rule of the same obedience this is cleare also being of the same nature with the Word or Testament it selfe for that which commands a thing shews also what it commands That command by which a mans wayes shall be tryed judged justified or condemned that is the rule given by God of mans obedience unto him and this is the word of Christ as he is the great Prophet of the new Testament and consequently the Scriptures of the same new Testament Act. 3.22.23 Mat. 28.20 Christ thus commanding obedience with authoritie in the new Testament and holding forth the rule thereof in the same dispenseth neither with things nor time nor persons Act 17.30.31 Heb. 2.1 2 3. Heb. 12.25 The new Testament requires obedience onely of such as are under the same Object 15 The Gospel that declares the authoritie Answ and government of Christ is sent out into all the world and holds up him to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings before all Nations and commands and requires obedience and subjection of all without exception and makes neither age time person gift nor qualification the condition of mans obedience to the Gospel and subjection to his Crowne If all in generall are to obey the Gospel Object 16. then all that come at the outward call are to be admitted to fellowship and communion All that may be judged to come in obedience and faith are to be admitted to fellowship and communion And all ought to come and submit and tender themselves and their service that their Lord and King might receive them who doth not receive any but such as come in faith neither did he otherwise intend in the call but to sever between the good and the bad Matth. 25.6 7.10 11 12. Mat. 13 48. For though many are called yet few are chosen Mat. 20.16 And it is one thing to command subjection and another thing to bid a man immediately and directly to believe he shall be saved By refusing subjection unto Christ men pull upon themselves heavie judgements and dreadfull destruction and this their destruction shall be from the power and just sentence of Christ Mat. 11.23 Mat. 23.34 35.37 38. 1 Cor. 10.5 11. Heb. 3.17 18. Isai 60.12 2 Thes 1.8 9. The Lord Christ hath a Lordly right and power in and over all creatures and though the same doth not yet fully appeare in the effects of it yet in due time it shall Heb. 2.8 with Rev. 11.15.17 In the meane time Christ the Lord demands his right of all men and will judge the disobedient for their disloyaltie to him Jude 15. Luk. 19.27 Yea he requires all both persons states and powers to be under subjection who also shall acknowledge him to be Lord to the glory of God the Father who subdued all things under him Psal 72.8 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 15.24 25. Phil. 2.9 10 11. Thus the holy Scriptures hold forth Christs power and dominion and call for subjection to the same of all persons without exception Psal 2.12 And when Kings and Nations shall acknowledge this and submit themselves thereunto then shall they fit downe in peace one with another and learne to warre no more Isai 2.4 Zech. 9.10 And so shall be delivered from those many heavie miseries and destructions which they suffer one from another for their rejecting and opposing the Scepter of Christ their Lord and King as the Jewes of old did And whereas some conceive that Christs kingly office to rule and command is of no larger extent then his Priestly office to redeeme and to save from sinne and wrath I doe believe that Christ by his kingly power commands and rules over both Angels and Devils and all his enemies for whom he was never a Priest to redeeme them and save them from sinne As David a type of Christ was in some respect King onely of Israel and yet in the exercise of his kingly power for Israels good commanded rules over many heathen Nations and Kingdomes so Christ is indeed in some sense and in some respect King of his own peculiar people only who onely are they that obey him willingly and sincerely and over whom he reignes for their eternall good to make them Kings reigning with him and yet in the exercise of his kingly power for their good he rules with might over all the world and justly punisheth all the disobedience of the whole world And now I come to consider of the last enquiery thus Whether Christ requires not a publick confession of him Qu. 6. by all that believe in him and if he doe then what the same is and the Rule for it Now that Christ requires a publick confession of him by all such as believe in him is so cleare in the Scriptures that I suppose none that believe the Scriptures will deny it Mat. 10.32 33. Joh. 12.42 43. Rom. 10.9 10. 1 Joh. 4.2 3. But for the more full clearing of this truth two things must be minded 1. What we meane by believing in Christ 2. What by confession of Christ
Touching the first By believing in Christ I meane that believing that Jesus is the Christ which John speakes of in 1 Joh. 5.1 That believing with all the heart which Philip spake of in Acts 8.37 That believing with the heart unto righteousnes which Paul speaks of in Rom 10.9 10. Touching the second The confession that Christ requires of men so believing is to confesse him in his Name and Titles that his Father hath honoured him with and set him out by viz. To be a sufficient and onely Saviour and the Mediatour of the new Testament as King Priest and Prophet A Priest to redeeme and purchase his people a Prophet to teach and instruct that people and a King to protect and defend the said people in their obedience to the truth revealed by him as a Prophet and by him as a King commanded to be obeyed And as this is to be knowne and believed of such as expect life by him even so it is to be confessed by a professed subjection to him in the same The Rule of which professed subjection and confession is the instituted order and administration of Christs Testament for no other confession doth he approve of but that which holds him forth to be Jesus Christ the Sonne of God come in the flesh dead and risen againe ascended and exalted at Gods right hand to the throne of his Father David and so to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings And submission to the instituted order and administration of Christs Testament is an ordained confession of this believing in him in a professed subjection to him This confession doth Christ therefore require of such as believe in him and ownes no believing unto salvation in his new Testament once confirmed by his death where this is refused For the benefits of Christ as Mediatour and his administration and the state order and rules of that Testament whereof he is Mediator and the subjects partaking of those benefits goe together in the record of Scripture so that if there be no baptizing into Christ then is there not confession of Christ according to his appointment Mat. 28.19 1 Cor. 12.13 Gal. 3.27 Rom. 6.3 Eph. 4.5 Luk. 7.30 And if not confession of Christ according to his appointment then no faith to salvation by Christ expresly owned Mat. 10.32 33. with 1 Joh. 4.2 3. Joh. 12.42 43. This I speake in reference to the expresse word of God which ought to be every mans rule to trie his way and walke by because by the Word he shall be tryed and judged justified or condemned according as he appeares by the same Joh. 12.48 Rom. 2.16 This makes against the free grace of God Object 17. that saves man without any condition of obedience or respect to any outward externall Ordinance but onely to Christ and believing in him 1. Answ The truth aforesaid no way opposeth Gods free grace in saving man through faith in Christ for it brings nothing in with Christ to save any man but lays out the way that God brings persons into whom he doth save For they come not into that way of profession to be saved but being saved they come to shew their thankfulnesse to God for the same 2. This order of truth discovers and sets out the true nature of Grace in its proper place and use Gods electing and chusing persons to salvation is of his free Grace but whom he so chuseth he chuseth in Christ Eph. 1.4 Therefore to make Christ effentiall to mans salvation is not against grace but for it 3. The gift of Christ and life by him is free grace but neither Christ nor life by him is given without faith Therefore to make believing in Jesus Christ of absolute necessitie to life is not against grace Eph. 2.8 Faith it selfe is the free gift of God and the work of grace in the heart of man yet is there no faith approved by God in his Word without workes James 2. Therefore to put faith to tryall by its workes and to bring both to the light to try and to see if it be indeed that which God of his grace hath given to man for life and the manifestation thereof and to make them both inseparable companions is no way against the free grace of god that saves not man without faith nor approves of faith without works and tryes all workes by his Word 4. The foresaid truth confirmes grace or faith in grace by holding forth from the Scriptures the priviledges that belong unto such as believe through grace and the freedome thereof in grace to faith alone without any other condition at all As the gracious new Covenant it selfe is free which comprehends all that is between God and man in grace and requires nothing but onely faith in Jesus Christ to admit persons into the same which makes them one with all that the said Covenant containes whether state order ordinances administrations administrators things administred or to be administred things past present or to come All is theirs who are in the Covenant of grace that contains all And none are in the way of life held forth in the word of God that are out of this Covenant And all priviledges and benefits comprehended in the said Covenant lie all as free without conditions unto such as believe as the Covenant it selfe For the Covenant in generall comprehends the severall parts in particular and therefore looke what condition any one part lies under the same doth another and so all If one part be free all is free and so indeed it is a free Covenant to such as believe And all the particular branches of this gracious Covenant are so inseparably joyned together that if a man be truly under any one part he is under all if he have Christ he hath all if he have faith he hath all if he have one promise truly he hath all and if he have right to any one ordinance he hath the same right to all So that he that dis-inherits himselfe of any one part dis-inherits himselfe of all For grace in the Covenant and the priviledges therein contained are not divided And when faith finds the treasure shee will have also the field where the treasure is hid Matth. 13.44 Thus joyning of faith in Christ and subjection to Christ inseparably together as the Scriptures doe both being branches of one and the same gracious Covenant doth no way oppose Gods free grace in saving man by faith in Christ If the administrations of the new Testament lie so open and free to all that believe Object 18. without condition or exception then any that believe may administer all Ordinances and so women as well as any other By pretended absurdities and false consequences Answ the truth of God is commonly opposed and obscured by the adversaries thereof yet truth never brings upon it selfe any absurdity But absurdities sometimes seeme to follow through the subtilty of men opposing the truth and sometimes through the ignorance of men
our adversaries here and the principall refuge to which they fly is this Christ say they hath not presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the unbeliefe of any But the falshood of this appeares by the places now alledged as I shall also easily manifest if our adversaries will answer directly whether our unbeliefe be a sin or not I conceive they dare not say it is no sin in as much as it is disobedience against the Gospel and against the command of God in Matth. 17.5 and that whereby so farre as it workes in us we cast upon God the imputation of lying trusting him no more then wee would trust a lyer 1 Joh. 5.10 and our adversaries affirme it to be the onely damning sinne Now if it be a sin the bloud of Jesus Christ doth wash us from it 1 Joh. 1.7 I further demand Is our unbeliefe remitted unto us or not If it be not remitted unto us our case is most miserable If it be remitted unto us it is then done away by the bloud of Christ for without shedding of bloud is no remission Heb. 9.22 Whereas some say that we have already suffered punishment for it in the want of that comfort and joy that faith brings I demand Doth our sin of unbeliefe deserve no other punishment If they say No it shews that they neither know the nature of this sin and its ill deserving neither yet the glorious righteousnesse of God and the declaration thereof in his Word But if they say yea it deserves eternall destruction but for all that it is neither remitted unto us with the rest of our sins as being washed away by the bloud of Christ neither shall we be so punished for it then they will be found to utter manifest contradictions Whereas they plead that our unbeliefe doth not continue but is broken off I answer Indeed it doth not continue in the reigne of it but it is enough that it did once reigne in us and that there is a remainder of unbeliefe still rebelling in us And the same and no more is to be said of the rest of our fins and corruptions also for which notwithstanding wee must have been punished with everlasting descruction if the bloud of Jesus Christ shed for us for the remission of sinnes did not clense us from the same Whereas they object that there could not have been that unbeliefe whereby the Gospel is refused if Christ had not dyed that he might send forth his Gospel and that therefore this unbeliefe could not be looked upon before the death of Christ and the declaration of his Gospel I answer 1. That Christ foreseeing this sin as he did all other sinnes and all the fruits thereof in his Elect did accordingly provide a remedy for the same otherwayes he had not been unto them a perfect and effectuall Saviour 2. That the condemnatory sentence of the Law takes hold on men for this sin also and for all the fruits of it because it binds men to obey every command that God shall give and to believe every word that he shall speake without which obeying and believing no man can have the Lord for his God according to the meaning of the affirmative part of the first Commandement Therefore Christ had not taken us off from the Lawes condemnation if he had not presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for this our sin as well as for our other sinnes 3. The Passeover a type of Christ was not killed for any uncircumcised but onely for the Israelites and those that were joyned unto them Exod. 12. Neither were the Priests to offer sacrifice for any other All this was appointed of God to signifie that when the Messiah through the eternall Spirit should offer himselfe without spot to God he should present unto divine justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of the Israel of God and none other Whereas it is objected that many of the Israelites for whom the Passeover was killed and sacrifices were offered were unbelievers and perished I answer So also the high Priest himselfe might be an unbeliever and perish yet in his Priestly office he was a type of Christ notwithstanding that disparitie So the whole Nation of the Israelites separated from the world to be a peculiar people unto God were a type of Gods chosen Israel 4. When Christ prayed unto his Father that they for whom he laid downe his life might receive the benefit of the same he expresly affirmed that he prayed onely for the Elect and for none other Joh. 17.9 Whereby he sufficiently declared that he did not then present to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sins of any other but onely of these 5. The highest degree of Gods love to man is set forth by his Sonnes being given and giving himselfe to dye for mens sinnes that so he might present to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for their sinnes Joh. 10.11.15 Joh. 15.12 13. Rom. 8.32 1 Joh. 3.16 and 4.9 10. Rom. 5.8 If then we shall say that Christ in his death presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of all men we shall be found to extend the highest and choicest love of God as well to hated Esau as to beloved Jacob as well to the seed of the Serpent as to the seed of Christ which doctrine the Scripture will not endure 6. The whole doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ being delivered unto us in the Scriptures it is a sufficient ground for us not to believe that Christ presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of all men because the Scriptures doe no where declare this to be a truth as through the helpe of God shall be made to appeare by our answers to the objections of our adversaries For the more easie discovery of the weaknesse of which objections I lay downe these ensuing Propositions 1. The word All in Scripture doth many times signifie onely some of all forts as appeares in these places Mat. 4.23 Act. 10.12 Mat. 3.5 6. In Mat. 4.23 it is said that Christ healed every sicknesse and every disease among the people yet the meaning is onely this That he healed every kind of sicknesse and disease see Mark. 6.5 and Joh. 5.3 c. In Acts 10.12 it is said wherein were all foure-footed beasts c. that is All kinds of foure-footed beasts c. In Matth. 3.5 6. it is said There went out to him all Judoaea c. And in Mark 1.5 it is also expresly said that they were all baptized of him c. Yet this was true onely of all orders and degrees of men coming to John from all the parts of Judaea 2. The word All must sometimes be understood with limitation unto the present subject spoken of As in Heb. 12.8 whereof all are partakers not all persons but onely all sons 3. The word All doth sometime signifie onely the greater part as in Philip. 2.21 All seeke their owne c. and in Luk. 6.26 Woe
note also Joh. 6.38 39 40. and Joh. 17.2 Therefore Christ did certainly effect what he was sent for 2. Mind that the salvation here spoken of frees men from all condemnatory judgement This appeares by the antithesis or opposition in this verse 3. So mind that the world is said to be saved in that believers are saved who are part of the world of mankind and were chosen out of the rest of the world to be saved by Christ see also 1 Joh. 4.14 compared with the verses there aforegoing viz. vers 9. 13. of that Chapter Our adversarles not receiving this truth doe sometimes say hat though all the world be not saved eternally because they believe not yet Christ for his part did for them all whatsoever he was to doe for the salvation of aâ—â— But if this were true then all must needs be saved See Jerem. 17.1 For our salvation is fully from Jesus Christ Wee cannot save our selves neither doth the Father worke our salvation or any thing that concernes the same any other wayes then in and by his Sonne Christ If then Christ as a Saviour have done for us whatsoever he is to doe for the salvation of any how can wee misse of salvation It follows herein vers 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed c. The believer is delivered from the condemnation of the Law As for the unbeliever because he believeth not he is left to the sentence of the Law and is already condemned thereby All this is with us It follows in vers 19. And this is the condemnation that is the cause of condemnation as being a grosse evill for which men are to be condemned and a maine cause of that unbeliefe by which men are left to condemnation That light is come into the world c. that is that light being come into the world men loved darknesse rather then light The light come into the world is Jesus Christ held forth in his Gospel And all this opposeth us not but confirmes the truth that we hold Thus at the appearing of the light of truth the objection from this place is vanished away A fourth objection is drawne from 1 Tim. 2.4.6 4. Object From 1 Tim. 2.4.6 answered which to our adversaries seemes to be of speciall strength In the answering or rather proventing whereof we will throughly search that place also beginning at the beginning of that Chapter and weighing every thing diligently that may seeme to have any relation to the present Question 1 Tim. 2.1 I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thankes be made for all men By all men in this place we may not understand all persons or every person without any exception or limitation For under supplications prayers and intercessions are here comprehended all petitions for all good and needfull gifts and blessings for the persons to be prayed for put up unto God with all earnestnesse and fervency in which the Petitioners will and must still continue suing unto God with a holy and humble importunitie for those things that they crave such Petitions cannot be made in faith for all persons without exception in as much as we know that there are many vessells of wrath ordained of old unto condemnation Rom. 9.22 Jude 4. And there is a sin unto death for which we are not to pray 1 Joh. 5.16 Therefore by all men we are here to understand all orders and degrees of men And so the thing to be craved is that God according to his purpose and gracious promises would shew mercy and extend the fruits of his love too all orders and degrees of men that is to all those whom he hath chosen to himselfe out of every nation and kindred and out of every order and degree of men and women in the world This is further confirmed by that specification or exemplification which followes in vers 2. For Kings Though these were before comprehended under all men yet are they here more particularly expressed 1. Lest the Saints should have been discouraged from praying for them by their wickednesse 2. Because God hath given Magistrates to be his own Ministers to us for good Rom. 13.4 And for all that are in authoritie that is to say 1. Magistrates or Governours in those Common-wealths that were not ruled by Kings 2. The severall orders and degrees of inferiour Magistrates That wee may leade a quiet and peaceable life c. Not that this is the onely thing that we are to crave or aime at but because this should in a speciall manner stirre us up to earnest prayer for Magistrates viz. that God hath given them their authoritie to this end that by meanes of this authoritie rightly used we might leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty Vers 3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour viz. That we should thus pray and give thankes for all orders and degrees of men and namely for Kings and for all that are in authoritie And note how the Apostle proves this in the words following in vers 4. Who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth In as much as it is the Apostles scope here to prove that it is acceptable to God not onely that we should pray but also that we should give thankes for all men viz. in that sense in which the words all men are used in vers 1. I therefore conceive that he here speakes of Gods effectuall will And so God willeth not that all persons or every person in the world should be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth as appeares in 1. Pet. 2.8 Jude 4. Isai 6.9 10. Rom. 11.7 8. Here therefore by all men wee must of necessitie understand onely all orders and degrees of men that is some of all orders and degrees viz. those whom God hath chosen to himselfe out of every order and degree among men Thus the great objection from this verse is fully taken off It follows in vers 5. For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Jesus Not one God of Kings and another of subjects one God of Merchants another of husbandmen but one and the same God is the God of all that saveth all that are heires of salvation of what order or degree soever they be And as the same God hath appointed and constituted the severall orders and degrees among men so he hath his Elect whom he will save among all those orders and degrees So also there is not one Mediatour between God and great men and another between God and meane men but the same Christ Jesus is the Mediatour between God and all the Elect of whatsoever order or degree among men they are Vers 6. Who gave himselfe a ransome for all The word All must here be understood as
apprehended by faith This love of Christ to him he declares and commends by Christs dying for him when he himselfe was dead He shews also the end for which Christ so shewed this love unto him viz. That henceforth he might not live unto himselfe but unto Christ who dyed for him And in holding forth all this he extends the same as there was good cause for it to all believers but with any other he medleth not in this place The word All is here used as in Heb. 12.8 for all the sons not all persons for all the Saints Chap. 1.1 not all men for all that are in Christ vers 17. not for all in the world And Christs dying for them all shews that they were all dead in themselves else Christ needed not to have dyed for them It is objected that all men in the world were thus dead in themselves Ans The thing indeed is true but the Apostle had no occasion to take any notice of it or to make any use of it here but onely of this that we who now live through grace were once miserably dead as sufficiently appeares by Christs dying for us to save us from this misery The Apostle hath the like expression in Rom. 3.23 For all have sinned and come Short of the glory of God Though this in it selfe be true of all men without exception yet it is manifest by that which there goes before in vers 22. and that also which follows in vers 24 25 and 26. that the Apostle there speakes onely of all those that doe believe Whereas our adversaries would observe in this saying in 2 Cor. 5.15 that they which live are but a part of those all for whom Christ is there said to have dyed they therein endeavour to observe that which the Apostle neither spake nor meant For by they which live is there meant onely they living Whereas our adversaries would either confirme their objection from the place last answered unto 13. Object From 2 Cor. 5. 19. answered or else trouble us with another from that which follows in vers 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe not imputing their trespasses unto them I thereto thus answer The word world must there be understood as in Rom. 11.12.15 and so not be extended beyond those to whom grace is or shall be given to believe in Jesus Christ For these onely are the blessed ones to whom God imputeth not sin as wee have already seene in Rom. 4.6 7 8. These onely are they that are afterwards spoken of in 2 Cor. 5.21 for whom the Father made Christ to be sinne that they might be made the righteousnesse of God in Christ For God is not frustrated of his end there propounded But the objection which seemeth strongest against us 14. Object From Rom. 5. 8. answered is that which is drawne from Rom. 5. and specially from vers 18. of that Chapter where the Apostle hath these words Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life Therefore I shall now addresse my selfe by the helpe of God to give a plaine answer to this also in words of truth and sobernesse 1. The scope of the Apostle here is to commend the infinite love of God unto his children shewen and extended unto them in Jesus Christ and shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Spirit which is given unto them This will easily appeare to any godly person that shall diligently read from vers 5. of this Chapter to the end and shall consider how every verse depends on that which went immediately before 2. In the latter part of this Chapter Jesus Christ as the second or last Adam as he is called in 1 Cor. 15.45.47 is compared with the first Adam which first Adam is said to be the figure of him that was to come vers 14. For as all that fell did fall in and by the first Adam so all that are raised againe to eternall life are raised againe in and by Jesus Christ Other things wherein the similitude doth either hold or not hold between Adam and Christ I leave the Reader to consider in the Chapter 3. Whereas in vers 17. the Apostle speakes of an abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse which believers receive this is not meant of a greater measure of grace received by some believers then by others but it commends the abundant excellency of that grace and gift of righteousnesse which all believers doe receive whereby they are assured that they shall reigne in life by Jesus Christ Here also consider vers 15. of this chap. and compare this 17th vers therewith 4. All they upon whom the free gift came unto justification of life by the righteousnesse of Christ and all they which shall be made righteous by his obedience as it is in vers 19. shall be saved eternally as also further appeares in vers 9 10. and in vers 21. of this Chapter 5. Those all men on whom judgement came unto condemnation by the offence of Adam and those many that were made sinners by his disobedience as it is in vers 19. are all those and onely those that are or shall be from Adam and by Adam in respect of naturall life and being and were accordingly represented by Adam when he fell Thus the man Jesus the Son of the virgin Marie was exempted As he was not by Adam so neither was he represented by him when he fell He was not for his own part and as touching his own person made a sinner by Adams disobedience as we were neither did the judgement so come upon him to condemnation by Adams offence as it came upon us For then he had been under condemnation for his own originall sinne So that even here the words all men are not to be taken in the largest extent without any limitation 6. Accordingly those all men on whom the free gift came unto justification of life by the righteousnesse of Christ and those many which shall be made righteous by the obedience of Christ as it is in vers 19. are all those and onely those that are or shall be from Christ and by Christ in respect of new life and their being new creatures being borne or begotten of him 1 Joh. 2.29 who were accordingly represented by Christ when he dyed and rose againe as I have * Pag. 40. already shewed Thus the seed of the Serpent is excluded And thus even here also through the goodnesse of God the light of truth shines forth and the mist of errour vanisheth before it Some conceive that they shall finde something against us in the saying of Caiaphas recorded in Joh. 1â— 49 50. and in Johns note or observation upon the same in vers 51 52. 15. Object From Joh. 11. 49. c. answered Indeed if Caiaphas had spoken of himselfe we might possibly have
contradicted our doctrine The saying of the Apostle there is this And having made peace through the bloud of his crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven Our answer hereto shall consist of these branches 1. Whereas some of our opposers take all things here in the largest sense comprehending all creatures and so Angells as well as men this is a manifest errour The holy Angels needed no reconciler The Angels that fell are not reconciled neither did Christ take on him the nature of Angels Heb. 2.16 And I believe our opposers will not say that Christ presented to his Fathers justice a satisfaction for the sinnes of Angels 2. It hath been already proved * In Pag. 43. that the word All must sometimes be understood with limitation to the present subject spoken of See another example of it in 1 Cor. 6.12 All things are lawfull c. Where under all things you may not comprehend theft adultery lying c. but onely all meates which had been forbidden to the Jewes in the Law given by Moses as there appeares in the verse following 3. Though the Apostle here seeme to speak of things yet he meanes men and no other things So when he saith in 1 Cor. 1.27 28. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world c. he meaneth onely persons 4. Neither can All things here signifie all men universally and every particular person whatsoever For if every person were reconciled to God by the bloud of Christ then every person must be saved eternally as appeares in Rom. 5.8 9 10. By All things therefore we are here to understand All the members of that body of which Christ is the head vers 18. All those that either already were or afterwards should be such as these Colossians now were to whom this is applyed in the ensuing verses 5. By things in heaven are here meant the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 who being absent from the body are present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.8 There remaines yet an objection from Christs words in Joh. 15.2 which seemes to some to raze a great part of the foundation on which we have built 26. Object From Joh. 15.2 answered It is therefore expedient that the same should be clearely and fully answered The inference that is made is this Unfruitfull persons that perish eternally are or sometime were in Christ Therefore they were in Christ when he suffered Therefore Christ when he suffered made satisfaction to his Fathers justice for their sinnes But let us first consider the words of Christ from which some endevour thus to reason Joh. 15.1 2. I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman every branch in me that beareth not fruit be taketh away c. And that our opposers may not be too confident let them in the meane time mind the cleare saying of Paul in Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus and remember that that which there followes in the latter part of that verse viz. who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit is not an exception from any thing that went before or a restraining of a generall terme to one particular comprehended under it but an explication of that which immediately went before and so a description of those that are manifested to be in Christ Jesus see 2 Cor. 5.17 Here then is held forth the full justification and consequently the eternall salvation of all those whom the Apostle speakes of as persons truly in Christ Jesus As touching that saying of Christ in Joh. 15. let it be considered whether it be not a figurative speech an allegoricall or metaphoricall speech If we speake without any metaphore and understand our words according to their proper and literall sense or signification without any figure then we cannot truly say that Christ is a vine that the Father is an husbandman that disciples are branches The meaning then is onely this That Christ is like a vine or as it were a vine yea the true vine The Father is like an husbandman or as it were an husbandman the disciples are like branches or as it were branches They therefore which utterly reject the use of this word as it were in the opening of this and such like Scriptures doe not rightly divide the Word Disciples are as it were branches of the true vine in a twofold respect 1. In respect of communion with the Church of Christ in the outward worship of God and the use of Christs Ordinances Thus though not all men yet all Church-members are as it were branches of the true vine and so to be looked upon by us till they are or at least ought to be cast out of the Church for their manifest unfruitfulnesse 2. In respect of true communion and union with Christ Thus onely true believers are as it were branches of the true vine and so looked upon by God As touching that in vers 2. If I be not mis-informed it is word for word Every branch in me not bearing fruit Then the meaning may be this Every branch that beareth not fruit in me This implyes onely thus much That there are Church-members who though they be as it were branches of the true vine in that respect that I first mentioned and so to us in Christ in respect of outward profession and communion yet doe not beare fruit in Christ and so doe not shew themselves to be really in Christ but the contrary These the Father taketh away viz casting them out of his Church and punishing them with eternall destruction That they which abide not in Christ were never in him really appeares not onely by that in Rom. 8.1 already alledged but also by these Scriptures among many others Matth. 7.23 Heb. 3.14 1 Joh. 2.27 Ephes 1.3 4. c. Now as touching this conceit that all men either are or were in Christ I would demand of those that so conceive whether all men doe for ever continue in Christ I am confident they will not answer affirmatively as seeing clearly that no such thing can be maintained and that they cannot make such an opinion to agree with this Scripture no not by their owne interpretation of the same I would therefore demand of them in the second place when they which perish doe cease to be in Christ whether in this life or after this life If they will say Not in this life but after this life then must they relinquish this Scripture which speakes of mens abiding or not abiding in Christ in this life see vers 4 5 6 7. Yea they will be found to hold most manifestly contrary to all truth that men may be in Christ all the time of their life here and yet perish eternally If they will say that in this life they cease to be in Christ I would then know when and how If they say that they cease to be