of which is spoken in many places a Deut. 18.18 Psal 16.10 40 6-9 Isa 53. 1-10 Zach. 9.9 Psa 68.18 and so he is already come and hath compleared that Work done in his own Body and can die no more nor will offer any other or more Sacrifice but liveth for ever in that glorious Body once offered in Sacrifice remaining still a continual Mediator and High-Priest by vertue of that Oblation 1 Joh. 4.3 2 Joh. 7. 1 Joh. 42. and he that denieth and confesseth not this and doth not in the belief thereof worship God is led by the Spirit of Antichrist The true Spirit confesseth this And of this coming is spoken in the former two Heads of his Oblation and Mediation by vertue of his Oblation all his stretching forth his power in providential Comings in Mercies and Judgements and in gracious Visitations or spiritual Comings are the effects and fruits of his Oblation and Intercession in his Administration in his bodily Absence But the second and next personal and bodily coming of Christ is in Glory and to take unto him his great Power and Raign and to receive to himself to raign with him all that have believed on him and suffered with him b Col. 3.4 Rev. 11.17 18. And this is the coming again of Christ which is here to be treated of in this Head and this his personal coming in Glory is that which was also spoken of by the Prophets Zachary The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee c Zach. 14 1-5 Malachi The Son of Righteousness shall arise with healing c. d Mal. 4.1 2. Isaiah of the encrease of his Government and Peace no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom c. e Isa 9.7 And upon the first coming of Christ even before he had actually offered his Oblation this was declared in his personal Ministration by himself both to his Disciples saying For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels f Mat. 16.27 and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory g Mat. 24.30 Mar. 13.26 Luk. 21.26 and I will come again and receive you to my self c i Joh. 14.3 And also to his Crucifiers Hereafter ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hard of Power and coming in the clouds of Heaven k Mat. 25.64 Mar. 14.62 Luk. 22.69 And so it was likewise declared by the Angel The Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David and he shall raign over the house of Iacob c. l Luk. 1.32 33. And again upon his Ascension the Angel said This same Iesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven m Act. 1.11 And the same hath been also taught by the Apostles And he shall send Iesus Christ c. n Act. 3.20 21. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout c. o 1 Thes 4.16 Unto them that look for him he shall appear the second time without sin unto Salvation p Heb. 9.28 And this is testified to be the Promise of Christ and the Desire of those led by the Spirit of Christ q Rev. 22.20 Whence all unfeigned Believers are said to wait for his coming r 1 Cor. 1.7 Phil. 3.20 21. 1 Thes 1.10 And the Crown of Righteousness to be given at that day to them that love his appearing s 2 Tim. 4.8 And concerning this his next personal coming there is declared in the Gospel and Testimony of Christ these three things First The manner of his coming Secondly The Ends of his coming Thirdly The Time though not the day and hour of his coming Let us consider what the Scripture saith of each of these and first of the first point The manner of his coming It is expresly said 1. It will be sudden in an hour not known before he come Mat. 24.27 44. Mar. 13.36 1 Thes 5.2 3. Rev. 16.15 1 Cor. 15.52 even to his own and as a snare to all the Inhabitants of the World in a moment in the twinkling of an eye as a flash of lightning 2. It will be visible openly and discernable to every eye yea all the Believers those that are asleep Mat. 24.30 Mar. 13.26 Luk. 21.27 Rev. 1.7 Mat. 24.27 and those that are at that time living on the earth not one before another but them that are asleep being first raised then all at once together shall see him 1 Thess 4.15 yea every eye and all the kindreds of the earth shall see him it will be as visible as the lightning that shines from the East to the West 3. It will be with Power and great Glory 2 Thes 1.7 Zach. 4.5 his mighty Angels and all his Saints meeting and coming together with him And in such a sudden visible and glorious manner will Christ come CHAP. 17. Of the second Point The Ends of the coming of Christ. THe Ends of the next coming of Jesus Christ is for the fulfilling his Word and Promise in doing those things he hath said and that are testified of him to be then done by him which I may comprehend in the naming under these four Heads that is to say 1. To raise the Just that sleep in the Lord and change and make immortal the surviving Believers that have suffered with him 1 Thes 4.14 15 16. this is affirmed as necessarily included in the belief of all that do indeed believe Jesus to have died and rose again if we believe this then this also That even so them also which sleep in Iesus will God bring with him For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord That we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep for the Lord himself shall descend c. And the dead in Christ shall rise first that is before we which live shall see him then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up c. being in the very moment of their raising 1 Cor. 15.52 53. 1 Cor. 15.23 24. changed and for the Resurrection it is said Every man in his own order Christ the first Fruits that was in his personal Resurrection who is now ascended afterwards those that are Christ's at his coming And then speaking of another Time he saith Then the End when or then cometh the End and when is that End when he shall have delivered up c. As it is given out with an Oath That there should be Time no longer Rev. 10.6 7. Rev. 8.2 6 Rev. 11.15 1 Cor. 15.24 25. but in the dayes of the voicē of the seventh Angel which Angel is to found the last Trumpet which beginneth in Christ his beginning to Raign and endeth in Christ
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
Witnesses and remaineth in the Heavens till the time of the restitution of all things this is that Jesus and this Jesus is the Christiand all that the four Evangelists writ Luk. 1.4 John 20.31 Act. 2.36 3.13 16. 4.11 12 c. 17.2 3. 1 Joh. 5 1. Joh. 1.12 13. was to certifie us of this that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that in believing we might have life through his Name And so the Apostles preached that he is the Christ and proved by the Scripture that this very Jesus whom they preached is the Christ he that believeth that this Jesus is the Christ is born of God and he that denieth it is a lyer Antichrist 1 Ioh. 2.22 More of this is shewn part 1. ch 1. 2. Joh. 1.1 Rom. 9.5 Tit. 3.13 Heb. 1. 2 Tim 2.5 Joh. 3.16 17. Isa 53. Joh. 5. Luk. 1 31. Joh. 1.14 Rom. 1 1-4 Mat. 16.16 Joh. 14 14 18. Rom. 5.17 18. 1 Cor. 86. 1 Pet. 3.18 4.1 1 Joh. 3.16 Act. 20.28 Heb. 2.14 What a one he is is also in the Testimony shewn namely that he is God the great God God over all blessed for e-ever that he is Man a true and very Man of the Seed of David c. that he is the Son of God the onely proper and natural Son of God the Son of God by Divine and unconceivable Generation according to the Divine Nature and by a supernatural conception and by the Resurrection from the Dead and by union in person with the Word and wel-pleasedness with the Father according to the humane Nature as he is Man and God-Man the Son of God the Son of Man in one person being one and the onely proper Son of God the Christ one Lord Jesus Christ in respect of the union of two Natures in one person that is one Son of God that which is done by or in either Nature may in respect of person be said of both so though he was put death in the flesh and God cannot die yet God is said to have laid down his Life for us and his Blood called God's own Blood and so though not Man but God could overcome Death yet this Man is said by Death to overcome Death so with respect to each Nature he is diversly spoken of in respect of the Divine Nature Joh. 10.30 even when he was on earth yet the Father and he were one even in Greatness and Power and yet as he was man John 14.28 to suffer and offer Sacrifice the Father was greater than he and having offered the Sacrifice he is exalted above all Principality and Power 1 Pet 3.22 Heb. 8.1 Col. 2.9 and set down on the right Hand of God Angels Powers and Authorities made subject to him and the fulness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily Col. 1. Heb. 1.3 so as all compleatness is in him he is the Brightness of the Glory of God and the express Image of his Person the Image of the invisible God he is one with God Heb. 5. Isa 4.2 Cent. 5.10 God is in him as is said He is God he is one with Mankinde the Nature of Man is in him as is said He is Man a fit able loving and wonderful perfect Saviour Beauty and Glory Comely and Excellent White and Ruddy the Standard-Bearer and chiefest of ten thousand the Saviour of sinners whose Work and Office is to save sinners the Lover of the Righteous whose Office is to preserve the Righteous such a one he is even the Christ 1 Tim. 1.15 Psa 11.7 Rev. 15.3 Heb. 7. Act. 3.22 Isa 42.1 8. 61.1 4. Heb. 4.14 15 16 5.2 7.15 4.12 the King of Saints the King of Kings the Lord of Hosts and Rules the Great High Priest that orders the whole Worship of God by whom Men may approach to God the High Priest over the House of God the great Prophet that revealeth the Father and teacheth the things of God in a word he is full of Spirit full of love and compassion knowing all things and able to do all things such a one he is 3. Whence he is and that is even from Heaven It was the infinite Wisdom and Goodness of God that found out this Ransom 2 Sam. 14.14 Job 33.24 Joh. 3.16 17. 1 Joh. 4.9 10 14. Rom. 5.6 8 10. Tit. 3.4 Joh. 1.1 14. 17.5 16.28 Act. 3. Joh. 1.4 5 9. Act. 14.17 Rom. 2.4 Isa 45.22 it was the infinite Pity and Love of God to Mankinde that moved him to give and send forth this his Son to become Man and by his Death and Sacrifice to be the Saviour of the World He was with God in the bosome of God glorified with God's own self he came forth from the Father and came into the world again he left the world and went to the Father and now there in his glorified boby remaineth in the Heavens and from thence by his Spirit beholding discerning all things he sends forth of the beams of his light and goodness and so the Father through him in Testimonies of his goodness in mercies and means to draw Men to Repentance and looking to him that they may be saved by him and so Righteousness flows down from Heaven l Psal 85.11 but especially and more abundantly in the Ministration of the Gospel in which God sendeth and giveth his Son to open the eyes of the blinde and turn them c. m Act. 3.26 26.18 and is giving to men the bread of life to feed on n Joh. 6.32 Jesus Christ in that Ministration is coming down spiritually from Heaven the bread of God the bread of life giving life that Men may feed on him and live o Joh. 6.27 33 48. and so is God the Father of lights from whom comes every good and perfect gift and giving p Jam. 1.17 and Jesus Christ is the Lord from Heaven heavenly q 1 Cor. 15.47 and so Jesus Christ by his Spirit the wisdom of God in its Teachings and saving Operations doth not first ascend or spring from within out of the wisdom heart and frame in Men the wisdom that so doth ascend is earthy sensual devilish but this wisdom is above and descendeth from above and so is pure c. r Jam. 3.15 17.18 and entreth into the heart and so springeth up into sutable fruits so that Christ and Faith in Christ and the things of Christ are from above from the grace favour and free-gift of God even as his next personal coming will be of Gods sending him from Heaven s Act. 3.20 4. For what remains to be said viz. what he became what he hath done what he is become what he doth and for whom and what he will do for some and who they be and what he will do against others and who they be this being the Subject of this following Discourse in this part of this
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.
same Spirit and Covenant yet there is as much difference between this given and that promised as between a handful or first Fruits of the Corn and the whole fulness of the Harvest which is in this making of the Covenant now treated of in which it appears they shall all be made sinless and righteous perfect in the love of God and one another compleat in all true holiness II. And I will be their God and they shall be my people Jer. 31.33 30.22 32.38 Ezek. 11.20 Exod. 3 4 6 20. Psal 120. And this appears in that which went before in verse 32. and several places to be spoken emphatically to be understood in a higher sense and after a more eminent manner then ever before for he was their God and they his people when they were afflicted in Egypt and in more manifestation when they were in the Wilderness and still more appearingly when they were setled in Canaan and his Worship setled among them and of these remaining while Jeremiah prophesied among them and still more manifestly in special manner Rom. 9.24 25 26. he is our God who believe in Christ and receive of the first Fruits of the Spirit and we his people but here is cleerly more implied to be done after those dayes and here and elsewhere exprest as namely That he will multiply his wonders among them and his favours on them so as he will make himself known to all Nations to be their God Ezek. 36.36 37.28 Isa 60.14 Ezek. 37.26 27. and make them known to all Nations to be his peculiar People when the Heathen shall know That he is the Lord and That he doth sanctifie and build Israel and shall acknowledge them The City of the Lord The Sion of the holy one of Israel yea he will set his Sanctuary in the middest of them for evermere yea he saith My Tabernacle also shall be with them yea I will be their God and they shall be my people And so he hath opened his own meaning And what this Sanctuary and Tabernacle is and from whence it comes and where it shall be he hath told us viz. Jesus Christ The Son of God The Son of Man The Man in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwels bodily he that is in the Father and the Father in him he is the Temple and Sanctuary and no other like the old Temple or new formed Church-Governments under the Gospel in this City for the Lord God Almighty Rev. 21.22 Ezek. 37.22 24 25. 34.23 24 30. and the Lamb are the Temple of it and he the Son of David shall sit on the Throne and be the mighty King and Governour among them and Christ also coming with his Saints those that in Spirit are now in Heaven the Jerusalem that is now above these shall come with their Lord and Master down from Heaven and receiving their Bodies glorified the great City the Holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God having the Glory of God upon her Of which it is said I saw the holy City Rev. 21.2 3. new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying The Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them their God Thus we have it cleerly opened so that these Saints this spiritual Seed Dan. 7.14 27. Ezek. 48.35 See Part 2. chap. 18. shall be Princes among the people and sit upon Thrones with Christ raign with him And all the Kingdoms under the whole heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High and all nations shall serve him and the name of the City shall be from that day The Lord is there Thus will God be with them their God and they shall be his people Thus owned by him III. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them Jer. 31.34 saith the Lord. To know the Lord is both to understand and know That he is Jehovah and that he is infinite in Wisdom Power Goodness c. and to know that is acknowledge Jer. 9 24. Joh. 17.3 love and adore him as the Lord as he doth discover himself such a one in and by his Son Christ and thus to know the Lord every Man except Jesus the Son of God that hath lived or doth live upon this Earth in their several Ages have needed and do need to be taught this knowledge and it is the part of every Man Exod. 18.16 Deut. 4.34 39. 6.11 7.9 Joh 5 27. 11.16 1 Chron. 28.9 according to his understanding and Faith to teach and receive teaching from his Brother saying Know the Lord. But because in respect of some this is confest of all I forbear further proof onely because some conceit established Believers past this need since Christ came I shall consider the place alledged for it which is 1 Joh. 2.20 27. Ye have an unction from the holy One and ye know all things The anoynting which ye have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as that anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is noâ—ly and even as it hath taught you you shall abide in him This place being a sweet needful instructing Truth crosseth nothing here foresaid for the Apostle speaks here of a first fruits of that promised spiritually dispensed Jer. 31.34 Heb. 8.6 10.1 Joh. 5.20 Rom. 8.22 23 24 25. Heb. 11. 13 40. Heb. 11.1 and not of the Harvest as a pears in his former after-Discourse for as he that receiveth Christ receiveth all things with him but still according to his receiving either by spiritual discerning and believing or by open sight and enjoyment so he that knoweth Christ knoweth all things but still according to the manner of his knowing either through a Glass dimly by Faith or else in open view seeing as he is seen Paul confesseth the first to be now in this life but the later 1 Cor. 13.12 1 Joh. 3.1 2. at the time we are speaking of and so this Apostle confesseth the former to be now but the later not to be enjoyed till the time of the visible appearance of Christ And so he saith not Ye need not that any Man teach you saying Know the Lord for that anoynting teacheth you of all things but that he saith is Ye need not that any man teach you 1 Joh. 2.27 but as that anoynting teacheth you of all things c. that is as the Spirit in the Testimony of Christ in that Doctrine of Christ in which he hath helped you to believe in Christ and by that Doctrine teacheth you of all things do ye
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
of them being in him or he any way so obliged to them as it should deserve or engage him to take their Nature and offer Sacrifice for them or that by vertue of being any ways in him they should be so interested in his Death Sacrifice and Righteousness that it should in any sort be theirs yea or counted theirs and they interested in it before by vertue of the compleating of it in and by himself alone he be interested in them and so by Grace bring them in to have interest in him And I hope it will be granted by all that believe in Christ and I am sure it is in Scripture affirmed That by vertue of his Oblation once offered God hath released and given over all Men to him to be disposed by him and hath released over to him the sentence of the first Judgement and Death Joh. 5.22 27. Rom. 14.8 9 10 12. Joh. 17.1 2 5. 1 Joh. 5.11 by and according to the Law as Mankinde at first fell under it so as God will never so judge them by that Law nor cause them to perish for ever in that Death but hath given them over unto the dispose of Jesus Christ and given him to be their Lord and Judge and hath given him power over all flesh and given for Mankinde eternal Life in Christ in whom in the Nature of Man it is put and he hath exalted him and filled him with Spirit to make it known and dispence it in his way and though it was free and undeserved Grace to give him for Mankinde and freeness of Grace to unite the Body given him in union of person with the Son of God yet all this given him by vertue of his death sufferings and sacrifice may in respect of himself be said to be merited and deserved and so called the wages of that one Righteousness of his in his Oblation offered by himself Isa 53.11 12. Phil. 2.10 11. whence it is said Even therefore I will divide him a portion c. and therefore God hath highly exalted him c. yea as rightly thus called in respect of himself only as Death is called the wages of sin in respect of the first Adam and his posterity but now in respect of Mankinde for whom he offered the Oblation or any of them it cannot be said so that their receiving mercies through this Oblation or any of the benefit of it that either it or the benefit of it interest in it or life through it is merited or deserved by them or the wages of any righteous affections or works of theirs or any wayes due to them and descending upon them by vertue of any fore-being in Christ preceding his Oblation but only it comes to Men by the freeness of the Grace of God that freely gave Christ for them and the freeness of the same Grace in Christ that freely gave himself for them and God's gracious acceptance of the gift and sacrifice of Christ for them and so imputing it to them graciously accepting it for them and them for and through it as if they had died and risen and offered the sacrifice and as any in his discovery of this great Grace are found believing in Christ freely giving to them eternal Life through Christ and for his sake Rom. 6.23 5.15 and so it is said The gift of God is eternal Life he saith not unto Christ but through Jesus Christ our Lord and so Rom. 5.15 Much more the grace of God which comprehends his love in the gift of Christ and the whole preparation made in him for Men before any gift through it is extended and the gift by grace and explicating it have by one Man Jesus Christ hath abounded to many that is in respect of release from perishing in the first Judgement and mercies extended unto all men Joh. 1.4.5.9 Rom. 5.17 vers 18. and in respect of the abundance of Grace and eternal Life to all those that in believing receive the same vers 17. so that all the whole offering of the Oblation by Christ and the benefit procured for Men thereby is by the free Grace of Christ and freely done by him and not by debt or fore-engagement unto any there was none in him for him by vertue thereof to be engaged to or in such a sense joyned with him to die suffer and offer with him but he he only he himself Heb. 7.17 9.14 10.12 offered this Oblation and Sacrifice here treated of Oh infinite and unspeakable free and gracious goodness who would entertain any Doctrine that should gain-say or darken this CHAP. 5. 3. To whom it was that he offered this Oblation or Sacrifice TO whom Jesus Christ gave himself is though not expressed plainly yet cleerly and strongly intimated in Tit. 2.14 in that it is not in this place said to us but for us and to whom should it be offered for us but to him against whom we had sinned even God that gave him forth to that end whence it 's also called the grace of God c. vers 11. a like strong intimation we have 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. That gave himself a Ransom for all Men to God that would have all saved therefore found out the Ransom by vertue whereof with God to whom he offered it he mediateth for men But this is seen cleerly in both the former Points also expresly affirmed Eph. 5.2 Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God Heb. 9.14 And so it is said of Jesus Joh. 13.1 3. 16.28 That he knowing all things knew that he was come from God and went to God and that he came forth from the Father into the world and left the world and departed out of the world unto the Father yea all the former typical Priests did offer their Sacrifices to God though they were on Earth Heb. 7.26 27. 8.3 4. 9 9 12 14. and offered on Earth yet it was to God in the Heavens and to whom should our great High-Priest offer up his Sacrifice when he entred into Heaven but to God in the Heavens But I suppose this is not only cleer and evident Heb. 2.17 3.2 6. but also acknowleged by all that believe in Jesus Christ both that he offered his Oblation and Sacrifice to God and also that he was faithful in all his business but that I note this for is that it may be minded That Jesus Christ in the business of his Oblation and Sacrifice-offering he had to deal with God and with none but with God and though for fallen Mankinde yet not with them but with God for them True it is in his after-Mediation of which is after to be spoken as he hath to deal for Men so also both with God and with Men but in his Oblation and Sacrifice-offering though it was for Men
his Word which with an Emphasis and because of the slowness of Men to believe Psal 119.160 is said to be true and for ever and from the beginning and it is rightly called The Word of the Beginning of Christ and The Beginning of his Word because it is 1. The Discoverer of Jesus Christ as the beginning of the new Creation Luk. 24.26 44 46 47. Col. 1.15 c. and so of those things which he was first to do and hath first done in his own Body in offering his Oblation to God and of the things effected thereby of which he is the beginning and by which he is furnished to compleat and will compleat the new Creation as hath been said 2. This that which was first discovered and preached in Paradise Gen. 3.15 12.3 22.18 Joh. 1.1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9. 1 Joh. 2.1 2 3. before the Covenant made with Abraham yea this also first preached to Abraham before the Covenant made with him and confirmed to him after and was preached by Moses and all the Prophets after of which the Spirit in the Evangelists saith In the beginning was the word c. And that which was from the beginning c. 3. This is by the appointment of Christ the first thing to be made known and preached to any and all people Joh. 3.14 15 16 17. Mar. 1.14 15. 1 Cor. 15.3 4 2 Cor. 5.19 20. Act. 2 3 c. and the first to be believed and received that Men may be saved and even this was so first and constantly preached by the Apostles and by Believers first received 4. The History of these things by one Evangelist called Mat. 1.1 Mar. 1.1 Luk. 1.1 2 3 4. The Book of the Generation of Christ Is by another called expresly The beginning of the Gospel of Christ And by another said To be written that we might know the certainty of those things which were declared concerning Jesus Christ by them which from the beginning of Christ's ministration were eye-Witnesses and Ministers of him Yea a fourth addeth Writ for this end Joh. 20.31 that we might believe that Jesus of whom they wrote That died and rose again and ascended into Heaven and offered up the acceptacle Sacrifice to God and now sitteth at the right hand of God is the Christ the Son of God and that believing we might have life through his Name 5. This Doctrine of the Oblation of Christ Gal. 3 1. Rom. 10.8 9. 4.24 25. Psa 119.130 Joh. 3.16 1 Ioh. 4.9 10. Tit. 3.4 5 6. Rom. 5.8 10. Phil. 3.7 8 9. 1 Joh. 2.20 21 27 28. is the entrance into the full Knowledge of Christ and the Enjoyment of the forming of Christ in the Heart it hath the precedency and first entrance into the Minde Heart of those that are drawn to believe aright and in its coming it gives Light and Understanding even to the simple yea the Love of God to Mankinde is therein made known and seen so as by the Divine Force that is in it it draweth the Heart to God and takes it off from other things and so uniteth and conformeth it to Christ and so affordeth it understanding for knowing all that follows in both the other Branches of the Testimony And for all these Causes and in all these Respects it is rightly called The Word of the Beginning of Christ and The Beginning of his Word And yet there is one Cause more for which it may be so called 6. Because it is the great Oracle of God in the holy of holies whence all the Oracles of God proceed Heb. 5.12 6.1 2. by which also the first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ are framed in the Heart of Believers Jesus Christ by vertue of his Oblation is the Mercy-Seat Propitiatory and Oracle in beholding and minding of whom as he hath made Peace by his Death and Oblation and received Spirit and Power as hath been shewn these Oracles are taught us by it viz. I. Rom. 8.3 Gal. 2.21 Heb. 9.22 10.4.7 Psal 40.7 8. 49.7 8. That all Mankinde was through the first Adam lost and are through his fall and from him sinners in themselves their Nature and Ways vile their Righteousness and Works vain their Desert Death and nothing able to help and deliver them but the Blood Death and Sacrifice of the Son of God II. Joh. 1.14 Rom. 4.25 1 Pet. 2.24 1 Tim 2.6 Heb. 10. 9.14 That this Son of God took Man's Nature and became a perfect and publick Man and in that Body of his did die for our sins and rise for our justification and offered up himself a Sacrifice to God for Men and made Peace and obtained eternal Redemption III. Heb. 10.10 12. 8 1. Mat. 17.5 28.18 Rom. 14.9 That God hath so accepted his Sacrifice that he is well pleased in him and hath set him on his right Hand and released all Mankinde over to him and given all Power and Authority into his Hands and made him Lord of all IV. 1 Joh. 2.2 4.14 Joh. 19. 3.14 15 16 17. That by vertue of his Oblation offered and the Father's acceptance of it he is the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World the Saviour of the World and the Enlightner of every one that cometh into the World so as whoever through that Light extended by him believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life V. Isa 42.1 2. Act. 3.22 23 24. 26.17 18. Joh. 3.6 That it is the good will of God in Christ toward Men and that the means he useth is to that end That they should hearken to his Son and so believe in him and receive life from him and live to him VI. Joh. 5.28 29. Rom. 2.16 14.9 12. 2 Cor. 5.10 That in his time he will raise all Men and judge them according to the Gospel as they have yeilded and obeyed or persisted in Rebellion and Disobedience to the Light in the means he hath extended unto them for that end that they might have repented All these Oracles come forth from the Oblation of Christ known and believed Heb. 5.12 6.1 2 4 5. and these Oracles minded and believed do teach to and frame in the Heart those first Principles of Repentance from dead Works and Faith towards God c. accompanied with those operations of the Holy Ghost's and tastes of the Heavenly Gift c. mentioned Heb. 6. therefore this Doctrine of the Oblation well called The Word of the Beginning of Christ and also this Testimony of the Oblation of christ Secondly is called The Vision of All that which is the choise of all that God hath discovered Isa 29.11 Rom. 1.5 16.26 Jude 3. and his Prophets have seen and declared in which all Men are concerned and which is needful for all Men and to be declared as true to them for the Obedience of Faith whence also
Blessing on it are all to this end and have this tendency that the world might believe in which believing they shall receive forgiveness and life So that this Branch of the Testimony of the Intercession of Christ thus far is together with his Oblation offered good News true Gospel to be preached to the World to all men that they might believe and having fitness and power to draw them that they might believe it being all also true before they believe that they might believe and so true whether they believe it or not CHAP. 13. Of the more special Mediation of Christ or his Mediation as more specially considered THe more special Mediation of Jesus Christ is his Mediation of the New Testament and this also is by vertue of his Oblation once offered and that to this end That Believers may be preserved in peace Heb. 9. enjoy the Promises of the New Testament and be brought to receive the promised Inheritance And in this respect he is and is called Heb. 8.2.6 The Minister of the Sanctuary and true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man and so the Mediator of a better Covenant established upon better Promises Heb. 12.24 Heb 9.14 15. his Blood being sprinkled on those that come to him speaketh peace to them and purgeth their Conscience c. Therefore also his Mediation is of this New Testament that they which are called might receive the promised Inheritance this Mediation being so full and excellent his special Intercession is in it Whence also it is sometime called Advocation for the fulness of his dealing in it in removing all Stops procuring Grants and affording Instructions and Consolation that Believers may enjoy Peace Compare 1 Joh. 5.7 9. with 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Freedom Union and Fellowship with him and the Father and be preserved in and to their Hope So it is said If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous He saith not If any man sin he hath an Advocate as if this were the common priviledge of all men nor saith he only If any of us sin we have an Advocate as if we had no hope to pray for any but Believers but in general If any man sin whoever of us or not of us if a man we have an Advocate one with the Father known to us and believed in by us to go to God by who advocateth for us and he is righteous and will procure us a gracious Answer when we in his Name pray for our selves or for the Church or any of it yea and also when according to his will we pray for others that are yet of the world for he is also the Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world so as by his Oblation having made peace for Mankinde and being now the Mercy-Seat of God and the Propitiation to propitiate and mediating with God for that end whereby he hath propitiated us and brought us in to believe in God and is also become our Advocate Joh. 10.9 14.6 16.23 Eph. 2.18 Heb. 10.18 19 7.17.24 25. that we may approach to God by him both for our selves and for others in which confidence Believers approach through Christ with boldness to the Throne of Grace having this Ground Because he continuing ever remaineth a Priest for ever having an unchangeable Priesthood Heb. 7.25 wherefore he is able to save them to the utmost or evermore that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them from whence I shall briefly observe a few things about this special Mediation or Intercession of Jesus Christ as by other places also I have instruction 1. That here is no denial or exclusion of his Mediation for all Men and Intercession for Transgressors as if those only that approach to God by him were the All the only and the whole number for whom he doth in any sort mediate and intercede He neither saith But them or only them not a word to contradict that affirmed in other places nor doth he here speak of his Mediation and Intercession for men for that to be vouchsafed them whereby they might believe and so approach to God through him but of his Mediation and Intercession for those that do already believe and approach to God by him and so are beheld believing and coming in to God by him who are indeed God's chosen a 1 Pet. 1.2 2.3 4 5. 2 Thes 2.13 and those to whom Christ is the Author of Eternal Salvation b Heb. 5.9 to whom he is to give and hath promised to give Eternal Life c Joh. 6 37-40 17.3 11.25 26. And so Emphatically it is said of them as the choice upon whom his eye is set He ever liveth to make Intercession for them for them directly for them especially 2. That he ever liveth to intercede for them that is to officiate and perform this business in Heaven for them every word is of force 1. He ever liveth as their Great High-Priest Heb. 7.23 24. Rom. 6.9 10. Rev. 1.18 2.8 Psal 120. Joh. 6 37-40 appearing in Heaven for them in their Nature and as their Head Husband elder Brother and Keeper he died once for them and rose and offered the Oblation once but now he is alive for evermore and can die no more but liveth ever so as there can be no let nor ceasing of his business he neither slumbereth nor sleepeth so that none shall or can perish through any defect in his Ministration 2. He ever liveth as the Son of God Joh. 11.42 14.16 Psa 20.3 4. Joh. 17.24 and the Man in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily beloved of the Father and prevalent with him so as the Father denies him nothing his suites are all and always granted so that with him it is but I will and it is done 3. He ever liveth as the living Object of Faith Heb. 12.2 Joh. 5.25 1 Pet. 2.3 4 5. 1 Cor. 15.44 45. Joh. 7.37 38. Joh. 14.19 Rom. 5.10 the Author and Finisher of it that hath Life in himself and giveth Life to others the quickning Spirit that quickneth and enliveneth all that believe on him and because he ever liveth they that believe on him shall live also his ever living is a strong consolation to Believers For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled to God we shall be saved by his lise or ever living to intercede for us and so to quicken and preserve us 3. That he ever liveth to make Intercession for them I might say in a sense Joh. 14.16 17.24 Psal 20. 65.4 Mat. 7.11 Luk. 11.13 to pray the Father for them though not in that submissive manner as when he was on Earth before he had offered the Oblation with tears and cries but as one accepted having
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
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
sins and delivery from death and truth in receit of and enjoyment of true righteousness peace quickning purity heavenly riches came by Jesus Christ even in all times past and so now more fully and cleerly doth so as though he came after John yet he is preserred before him yea he was before him so as now he is come John and all the residue of Believers then and since even we of his fulness have received and Grace for Grace for the Grace of God in Christ by vertue of his Sacrifice which God hath graciously accepted of him for us we receive the Grace of Faith to believe and therein remission of sins and so Grace for Grace yea this and so one to make us meet to receive another and that to make us meet to receive more still and so Grace for Grace plentifully one heaped upon another Tit. 3.3 4 5 6 7. Col. 1.12 13. Joh. 1.15 16 17. Act. 26.18 yea as Moses had a Law of Works to nurture the people towards Grace so we a Doctrine of Grace and Law of Grace to teach and lead people to partake of Grace 4. That this Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God the sin-offering and the true passover which by vertue of his sacrifice mediating taketh or beareth away the sin of the world Job 1.29 36. Col. 2.14 15. Eph. 2.12 13 16 17. Rom. 5.18 that by his own death and sacrifice offered takes and now hath taken sin out of the way removed the contradictions that were in the mid-way between God and the world of Mankinde and made peace that it may be preached to them and that by vertue of his blood and sacrifice Isa 53.12 1 Tim. 2.4 Rom. 2.4 Rom. 3.24 25 26. 1 Joh. 3.2 Gen. 22.18 Act. 10.43 Rom. 4.5 Mat. 3.2 11. hath fulness fitness authority and readiness to take sin out of the consciences and nature of Men and by his Mediation procures forbearance patience and mercies to sinners to lead them to repentance being he and onely he set forth for that end the propitiation for the sins of the world in whom there is blessing for all Nations and that by spiritual application of his Blood he doth so take sin away from all that in believing come to him for it and that he is neer at hand to set up his spiritual Kingdom the fore-runner of his Davidical Kingdom 5. That the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hands Joh. 3.34 35 36. and immeasurably filled him with the Spirit so that whoever believeth in him hath everlasting life and be that believeth not on him the wrath of God abideth on him This Doctrine was John filled with to teach And with this Doctrine he was to throw down the Momtains exalt the Valleys Joh. 14.18 29 33. Mat. 3. Mar. 1. Luk. 3. cry down all Flesh and exalt the Word of the Lord and so to call Men to Repentance and to Faith in Christ and so to newness of life assuring them that Christ would baptize them with the holy Ghost and as a witness of the Truth of this Doctrine and that Christ was at hand and shortly to be manifested to Israel he did baptize with water unto repentance and so discipled all that came to him and refused it not Yet did he not in the beginning of his Ministration point out which of all the Sons of Men was that Man that is the Christ so he shewed not which was the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ till he was especially fitted and directed and commissionated for that also by the direction of the holy Spirit by communication with Jesus Christ himself Joh. 1.33 34. Mat. 3.13 17. Mar. 1.9 10.11 Luk. 3.21 22. and seeing the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting on him and hearing the voice of the Father from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And so was he furnished to know and declare the person of Christ as distinct from all others and who he was And then he did most plainly point out the Man Jesus Joh. 1.29 35 36. 3.30 36. the Son of the Virgin with confession that not himself and so no other Man but that very Man Jesus was the He the Christ the Lamb of God the King of Israel the Bridegroom the Son of God he even this very Jesus he pointed to and affirmed to the be very he and so exhorted his Hearers to behold him even Jesus and to follow him cleave to him and exalt him And in this his Ministration he was greater than all the Prophets that were before him Mat. 11.10 11. though less than any of his Lord's first Witnesses of his Resurrection that were to come after him and although in the exercise of his Ministration he was but for the House of Israel who if they had received him as he came in the Spirit and Power of Elias they would then have received Jesus Christ also and so they might have enjoyed the Gospel of the Kingdom and have continued in their own Land till his coming again to raign and then John Baptist had been all the Elias they should have needed and the coming of Elias mentioned Mal. 4. it would have been needful onely for the ten Tribes of Israel formerly cast off but they refusing came to be cast off also and so its needful for them And in this Ministration Mat. 11.13 14 15. 17.11 12. 23.37 according to this Revelation all the former helps in and under all the former Revelations and Ministrations still remained and all for the good of Men specially the house of Israel CHAP. 7. Of the seventh Revelation and the last that shall be of Christ till his own return and personal and visible appearing THe next Revelation of Jesus Christ and the last that is to be carried an end for usefulness by teaching and use of such outward Ordinances as now even until his personal appearance when all such means shall cease and the eternal Sabbath be Isa 42.1 61.1 2 3 4. Joh. 12.49 50. Heb. 1.1 2. 2.4 and this Revelation was by the Father to the Son even to the Man Jesus Christ his Elect upon whom he hath put his Spirit and by Jesus Christ to his Disciples God by his divine power bearing witness thereto and confirming the same and this Revelation by Jesus Christ was of the same things fore-revealed to and by the Prophets but now more fully and cleerly manifested with the mystery more abundantly opened and this his Revelation was in a threefold manner or by three distinct wayes or means 1. By manifestation of himself and all that appertained to him to do in his first coming by demonstrating the same in the very act visibly c. 2. By his personal and bodily Ministration in a vocal and audible teaching the Gospel and the Testimony of himself in the Prophets and explicating it 3. By pouring on his witnesses and
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
all anointed and called Shepherds to rule order lead teach and minister Jer. 3.15 23.4 5 6. and so suitable to that prophesie by Jeremiah and a spiritual first Fruits of it for here is Jesus Christ the anointed of God into whose Lips Grace is poured the great and mighty King the Prophet and great High-Priest over the House of God the good Shepherd of his Flock sitting in his Body in the Heavens at the right Hand of God till he come again and take to him his great Power and Raign that is also the Anoynter and in sending forth of Spirit hath given gifts unto Men to get him a spiritual Kingdom amongst Men and to order it till he come to take them to raign with him 1 Joh. 2.20 And so he by his Spirit is present with them and anoynteth them and maketh them a spiritual House an holy and royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.5 9. to shew forth his vertues and offer spiritual Sacrifices to God by him suitable to and a spiritual first Fruits of that prophecied by Isaiah and so as he hath put his Word Isa 66.20 and therein laid the Foundation in them so he hath filled and fitted them in his anointing with spiritual gifts to hold forth teach and so lay the same Foundation for others and to convince them of the falseness of all other Foundations and to draw and build them up on this Foundation and to help them to growth and feeding thereon and for direction for walking therein till they come to the fulness of possession Eph. 2.17 22. so richly were these first VVitnesses furnished in the Faith having both the Gospel in such full and clear knowledge and all these spiritual gifts immediately from Jesus Christ himself whose personal body they both saw and heard even after his Resurrection And whereas Paul seemed to be born out of due time for this yet it was vouchsafeth him and he did and was the last that did both hear and see him in his personal Body and receive the Gospel and these spiritual gifts immediately from him 1 Cor. 15.8 9. 9.1 2. Gal. 2.11 12 21. Luk. 16.29 2 Pet. 1.15 3.2 and by that he proves his Apostleship and in this immediateness of receit and commission they have no Successors but do continue with us in all their knowledge and gifts by and in the Gospel recorded by them 3. That the end for which all these gifts were given them was for perfecting the Saints that is Eph. 4.12 all that are prevailingly called by his Grace and so united to him and sanctified by and to him and for his service not limiting this to outward Officers nor engaging it to all them some of them it may be not being such Saints but limiting it to such Saints and enlarging it to all them for perfecting them for the work of the Ministery the Ministery of the Saints of the whole Body whereof no Member is Officeless or useless but each hath some Service or Ministration and fitness for it and spirit of life running therein and so a Ministration for the edifying of the Body of Christ and this such an edification as is for the growth of the Body both in multitude of converts and their growth in Union Fellowship and Conformity every Member in this sense growing by the influence that proceedeth from the Head but yet not immediately into every particular Member nor through some outward Officers onely but as from the Head of the mystical Body so through every living Member making increase to it self in love And so the growth of the Body by that which every joynt supplieth for so gracious an end were these gifts given 4. The time of the continuance of these gifts and that is express Till we all come in the unity of the Faith c. that is Eph. 4.13 till the last Man be called that is to be called before the personal appearance of Christ till we all that is the whole company that is to meet with him and to come and raign with him meet in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge and so the acknowledgement of the Son of God unto a perfect Man Gal. 4.3 7. Jer. 31.34 1 Cor. 13.8 9 10 11 12. 1 Joh. 3.2 a full and compleat Company a fit and suitable Corporation or Body for such an Head the measure of the stature or age of the fulness of Christ which as the knowledge of the Freedom of Sons was by his first coming so this will be at his next coming and appearing in Glory when this manner of Ministration will cease but till then they to continue in this Ministration of the Gospel True it is The Gospel that is the Faith to be taught and received Jude 3. 1 Tim. 6.13 14. 2 Tim. 1.13 2.2 2 Pet. 1.13 14 15. 3.2 Gal. 1.6 7. it was once and but once immediately given unto the Saints in these first VVitnesses but that very same Gospel is mediately continued and so to be received and held forth and no other Gospel nor another immediate giving of that unless to some Jews but that kept and held forth by the Saints till Christ come again even so these spiritual gifts to minister the Gospel with were once given and that was when Christ ascended up in our Nature to Heaven Act. 2. and then he sent them down to his Saints at once and in this immediateness and fulness as then but once but these gifts even all of them as mediately received through belief of the Gospel delivered by them which Gospel whoever unfeignedly believeth is become of them and so of Christ and so of the same seed the seed of them who are the seed of Christ and the seed of Christ his seed and his seed's seed And so this VVord and Gospel given them and the spiritual gifts given them therein and therewith and so put in them shall not depart out of them nor out of their seed Isa 59.20 21. nor out of their seed's seed from henceforth for ever and so will he make good his promise to them of being with them to the end of the VVorld Mat. 28.20 and that to this gracious end That having such a standing and enduring Gospel recorded and in that record revealed and in minding and believing thereof receiving such known spiritual gifts as all lead to exalt Christ and draw to and build on him VVe may no more be as Children tossed to and fro Eph. 4.14 15. and carried about with every winde of Doctrine by the slight of Men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love we may grow up into him in all things which is the Head c. And so much for their blessed Furniture that is of continuance and abideth in the Church believing and professing this Gospel in some good measure throughout all ages But with this they had some other Furniture
sure Isa 4.2 32.1 2. 55.1 7. 2 Cor. 5.14 15 19 20 21. Tit. 3.2 3 4 5. c. as a known thing to relie on and to hold forth to others as that which is alwayes the same and is not impaired by our transgressions but hath enough in it to uphold us with desires and endeavours for such as are turned aside and to allure them if they will hear and minde it to turn in again And what can this be other then Jesus Christ as he is set forth in the Gospel having made peace by his Blood and the love of God to Man-ward commended through him Surely the belief and telling of an eternal Purpose of God to save some certain persons of fallen Mankinde having elected them and to damne all the residue having reprobated them and the most of both sorts unknown and the one sort however for the present it be with them shall be eternally saved the other sort shall never attain any saving Faith and what seeming soever they have it shall be taken away and the Purpose and Election of the one sort to be the Foundation that standeth sure Surely this can produce no such effects to encourage to such diligence in Ministration or to help any by it Seeing if this be true it could be no otherwise with any then it is come to pass yea if this Doctrine be believed and minded for Truth it will naturally of it self produce other Fruits for both Scripture and rightly-ordered-Reason will lead us to conform to the will of God to rest well pleased with it yea pray that it may be done in Earth as in Heaven And why then should any be grieved for such as God in his Will and Purpose hath absolutely excluded life and reprobated to damnation that they pesist in unbelief or if at any time believing depart from the Faith and become reprobate seeing nothing is done but God's will and no remedy to have it any better Psa 58.10 107.40 41. Isa 66.23 24. Rev. 13.14 17. Surely when any through their own fault are in that remediless state of perishing the righteous are said to see it and rejoyce And why should any murmur against God and repine at the fulfilling of his will according to his Purposes or stir to pray or use means to assay to cross or hinder the same 1 Sam. 3.18 2 Sam. 15.25 26. but rather submit with quietness to it as in other cases some have done so that such a thought would have made Timothy quiet and sit still and not to trouble himself with desires prayers and preaching to such an end But the Apostle that had experience what the knowledge and Faith of Jesus Christ Rom. 5.5 8 10. 1 Tim. 1.15 Rom. 1.14 15 16. and God's love appearing through him to Man-ward would effect what a sure fruitful Foundation Christ was how it reconciled him to God how it moved him to count himself a debtor to all Men and to pity them 2 Cor. 5.11 14 15 19 20. Rom. 9.1 2 3. 10.1 2 3 4. 11.4 14. 1 Cor. 9.19 20 and adventure his life to bring in Men to believe yea to desire and endeavour earnestly the return and Salvation of Israel those rejecting and cast-off Brethren whereas had he had in his heart that opinion and thought before mentioned he could not have so done But he had in his heart a better thought even the Testimony of Jesus Christ and that did so lead him and therefore he layes the same before Timothy even so to lead him yea I suppose any unprejuced will in reading Paul's Doctrine and Writings and his scope here to Timothy confess that it was Christ according to the Testimony of Christ that he propounded and laid before Timothy as the Foundation to encourage him and not a hidden and secret Purpose in respect of Particulars 2. This still farther appears by that which the Apostle had in his view and which he suggested to Timothy 1 Tim. 1.19 20. 2 Tim. 2.14 16 23. 2 Pet. 2.18 19. Jude 16. as that which threatned some danger to which he opposeth Nevertheless the foundation c. which is clear to be the blasphemy of those that had made shipwrack of Faith in their words tending to no profit but to the subversion of the Hearers their prophane and vain bablings tending to increase unto more ungodliness their foolish and unlearned questions their great swelling words promising liberty perverting the Gospel and giving out as if Jesus that was born of the Virgin Mary and died and was buried and rose and ascended in that Body into Heaven c. were but a fleshly Christ and the knowledge of and Faith in him as having died for us and being risen and at the right hand of God interceding c. a fleshly and literal knowledge and faith and the looking and waiting for his personal coming again and the Resurrection of the dead Bodies a vain hope keeping to the Letter and under Bondage But their devised allegorical Christ that is dead and risen in them is the true spiritual Christ and the imbracing and believing this being dead to the former confidence in Christ this Christ according to the Spirit is come to them and in them and they are risen Heb. 13.8 1 Pet. 1.24 25. the Resurrection is past c. O lofty O vain Dream How should any that have once believed in and professed Jesus Christ and the Resurrection from the dead be drawn to this Is not Christ alwayes the same The Word of the Lord that endureth for ever Yes surely but these like the fallen Angels were not content with their place Jude 6. Col. 2.18 2 Cor. 11.3 4 13 14 15. Gal. 1.6 7 8. 2 Tim. 2.18 1 Cor. 15.3 4. Isa 40.8 9. 1 Pet. 19.25 Heb. 13.7 8. in the light and knowledge afforded them in the simplicity of Christ as set forth in the Gospel but would be intruding into things not seen and so pervert the Gospel as if they would declare a more spiritual Jesus a more pure Spirit and more heavenly and spiritual Gospel and truer Resurrection then the Letter as they call it of the Gospel doth declare and so they have erred and departed from the Truth which if they had minded and abiden in would have preserved them from such error Nevertheless The Word of the Lord the Lord Jesus Christ as set forth in the Gospel for the Foundation standeth sure abideth and remaineth for ever the same though they boast of such a glorious change from Christ in the Flesh to Christ in the Spirit from Letter to Mystery yet he is the same and had they abode in belief of that Truth they had not so erred VVherefore let none believe or admire their fancies for though they be changed in their thoughts of Christ and the Truth yet he is the same and whoso holdeth to and continueth in his Words he will preserve for though they have erred from the
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
growth and establishment in this Faith not to another faith 3 And were made partakers of the Holy Ghost This as suted to the principle of the Doctrin of Baptisms declares its own meaning to bee not only of those vertues and springs of love joy peace c. Gal. 5.22 effected by the Holy Ghost in the spirit of Beleevers but also together therewith certain spiritual gifts Eph. 4.7 and operations for usefulnesse whereof to every Beleever is given some in some measure And so these in being baptized in to the death of Christ by all the mediums with water word afflictions and spirit extended to them they did also partake of the vertue of his resurrection so as they were also therein indued with such spirituall gifts as whereby they were inabled in exercise of faith and love to speak spiritually in prayer and praises to God and spiritually and profitably in instruction admonition exhortation and consolation to men as appears in comparing the Promise Act. 2.38 39. and 11 15 16 17. and Rom. 6.4 5 6. with the performance to beleevers 1 Cor. 1.4 5 6 7. And not to every one the same usefull gifts or the same measure in the gifts given but to some one to some another to some more to some less Ephe. 4.7.8 12 14 15 16. 1 Cor. 12.2 4 5 6 7 11. 2 Pet. 1.8 2 Tim. 2.21 Rom. 12.3 6 7 8. 1 Pet. 4.10 11. Col. 2.18 1 Tim. 3.6 And so to every one some according to the measure of the gift of Christ in and with which they were fitted to bee fruitfull and in exercise of the same in faith and love according to their measure and the divine vertues in them they should neither bee barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of Christ but Vessels serviceable for their Masters use in the House of God Whence Beleevers are directed in all their speaking and use of spirituall gifts To keep this Rule in going forth according to the proportion of faith given them and the measure of spirituall gifts givenand received by them 1 Cor. 12.7 1 5 6 7. 1 Thes 5.8 He that by any other acquired knowledge or learning presumeth to speak besides or beyond this Rule is like to fall into the condemnation of the Devill that was not content with his place These spirituall gifts being given to profit withall and tending to open and confirm the Testimony of Christ And as of the Romanes ability through these gifts Rom. 15.14 15. so of these Hebrews Hee was perswaded they were also and not like the fallen ones that had deprived themselves thereof but these retainings were capable of that hee indeavoured even to lead them to farther usefulness and fruitfullness They were made partakers of the Holy Ghost 4 Vers 5. And have tasted of the good word of God And this also suited to the Principle of laying on of hands shews its own meaning to be Mat. 7.7 11. Ioh. 16.23 24. that whereas God by his Son had graciously promised to hear their prayers put forth in the name of his Son and to give them his good Spirit and every good thing they should and did so ask of him And this in speciall manner for things of neerest and greatest concernment When two or three of them did assemble together in his name and desired any favour of him Mat. 18.19 20 Hee will bee in the midst of them and it shall bee done in Heaven for them They had tasted that is found sweetness and refreshing in experiments of his truth mercy and goodness in answering their prayers Psal 65.2.4 18.6 7. 10 3.1-10 and manifesting his gracious presence in the assemblie of his people in performing his promises when they have prayed and in confidence lift up hands to him and sometime in that confidence Act. 21 24-3â— as a testimony of it laid hands on parties prayed for And so have had experience of the graciousness of the Lord in his pity towards them and of his truth in his promises and of his infinite love power and faithfullness in hearing of prayers and so not executing deserved threats but freely performing his promises of good whence called the good Word unto them And how this doth comfort sweeten enlarge and oblige the heart to cleave to God and continually to love and call on him Psal 17.4 and keep to the assemblie of the Saints is fully professed by the Prophet in the whole 116 Psalm and else where And in this was set out the greatness of Solomons sin 1 King â—1 9 That hee departed from following the Lord that had in such evident manner appeared to him twice And this shews the greatness of the sin of those fallen in forsaking the assemblies of the Saints Heb. 10.25 26. and crucifying to themselves him from whom they had tasted so much of his graciousness in performing his promises and hearing the prayers and blessing the assemblies of Beleevers And therein shews the great incouragement and obligation these Hebrews had to continue in their faith Heb. 10.19 20 22 23 24 25. and fellowship and approaching to God and provoking one another to love and good works having had so many experiments of the graciousness of the Lord. His drift being to stir them up more hereto in that hee hath farther to say to them who have tasted of the good Word of God Heb. 6.5 and of the powers of the World to come This Word being in the Plurall Number The powers of the World to come doth sute this sentence to the two last Principles That is the Doctrin of the Resurrection of the dead and of eternall Judgement Both being grounded on the Resurrection of Christ and his comming again and both the Resurrection of the dead which is first and the eternall Judgement which follows that Resurrection appertaining to and to be done not in the time of the World that now is but in the World to come at and after the visible appearing of Jesus Christ so that of the powers in the Doctrin of both these and the spirituall efficacies of both these in that Doctrin beleeved and of the power of the Spirit that in that Doctrin doth in some measure present or shew them to the view of faith and assertain their being really done in the due time of these powers of both these hee speaketh and of the same say they have tasted that is they have discerned savoured relished and experimented the efficaciousness of the Divine Power by which these shall bee effected 1. In their new birth even when they were dead in sins Ephes 1.19 20. 2 4 5 6. Rom. 7.9.24 25. cast by the sentence of the Law when sin accused and all their righteousness failed and dispair of all hope in themselves ceised on them And while they were in so great blindness and death The Power of this grace in the Doctrin of Christ raised from the dead 2 Tim. 1.7 8. Rom. 7.6
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
and occasion him to fall If Christ had not come and preached to the Jews they could not have been charged with such sinning against the light But his being and preaching among them did capacitate them to have beleeved and been saved And their refusal of and opposition against the light did capacitate them to sin to such a degree as to bee charged with so great sinning Even so this blessed inlightening and operation of the Holy Ghost giving such tasts of the heavenly gift c. effecting such repentance and faith and quickening up such living principles in men Doth capacitate men to abide and live and dye in this Faith But their own neglect of so great salvation and so willing blinding their eyes and hardening their hearts and so turning from him that speaks from Heaven did capacitate and occasion the persisters in such transgression Heb. 12.25 Iâ—â— 28 29 30. to fall into this great sin which is even proved to bee so hainous and great a sin by the excellency of the Grace and Faith given them which they so willingly fell from and so the justness of their great punishment evidenced thereby also It should bee very evilly done of any to vilifie the works of God because of the abuses of men Or to excuse the evil of sinning with saying the woman which thou gavest mee c. But enough to shew the weaknesse of these sayings and the righteousness and goodness of the Faith set forth in Heb. 6.1.2 3 4 5. But Mr. Owen indeavours to gather Reasons out of the Text it self to prove the Faith and holiness here set forth though true in its kind yet not to bee of the right and saving kind I shall only view the heads of them and see their force CHAP. XIII Of Mr. Owens Reasons against the Faith and Holiness that is set forth in Heb. 6.4 5. in pag. 424 c. REason 1 Here is no mention of Faith Pag 426.27 or beleeving or in terms equivalent Answ Hath Mr. Owen quoted and used this place as his main place for proving and his only place for opening a Faith and Holiness wrought by the Spirit effecting change and really true in its kind And having served his turn of it now put it to shame and cast it by as a place where is no mention of Faith or beleeving or in Terms equivalent that no other might look there to see what true Faith is And is not mentioning of the Foundation the object of Faith and the Oracles of God the teacher of Faith the effects and Principles of Repentance from dead works Faith towards God Doctrin c And then presently suiting the works of the Spirit to all these mentioning enlightening taste of the heavenly gift partaking of the Holy Ghost taste of the good word of God and of the powers of the World to come are these Terms vers 4 5. no expressions or mention of faith or beleeving or in terms equivalent Did the Apostle think one of these Terms equivalent even Illumination Heb. 10.32 And are not all these Terms vers 4 5. so expressed and suited to those vers 1 2. where Faith also is named no mention nor Terms equivalent to Faith or Beleeving judge Reader Reas 2 Not any thing here spoken of as ascribed to the persons spoken of which is peculiar to Beleevers or that constitutes them to bee such called according to purpose quickened born again or regenerated justified united to Christ sanctified by the Spirit adopted made the Sons of God Bee the usuall expressions of Beleevers Ans It is clear here is as much said of these with ascribing the works to the Holy Ghost and acknowledgement of the receits and tastes spoken of while they are yet in the supposition and not departed as is said of any of the Hebrews to whom this Epistle is written Indeed when any such are fallen away not these things but other things are ascribed to them but it is the faith and spiritual operations once had and still retained by those not departed and not the departure and crucifying Christ again which is only in those fallen away we now speak of And that those things which are peculiar to beleevers is here expresly spoken of is shewed and proved before at large in opening the principles taught by the Oracles and built upon the foundation and the inlightning and operations of the Holy Ghost in and with working up and suited to those principles expresly that I marvel any that know the foundation and Oracles of God and first principles and Scripture language should deny it and much more that he that more than once hath said that upon other inferior and not justifiable accounts they are frequently called Beleevers and Saints But in this he hath said not proved And as for the Catalogue of terms here brought in and affirmed to be the usual expressions of beleevers conceived to bee terms equivalent to faith and beleeving we may as he opposeth them to these in Heb. 6.4.5 consider 1 That some are said to have beleeved of whom I know not where it is also said they had faith Luke 8.13 Joh. 2.23 8.30 31 32 36. for no man is said in Scripture to have faith unless he be obedient to the faith so as he receive the testimony and close with the object and have some usefulness of it as hath been shewn yet many that beleeved yea so beleeved that if they abode they should be saved where beleeving is expresly mentioned yet these terms under consideration not applicable to such But whether these are usually called Beleevers I need not contend for those we treat of are beleevers in a farther sense as hath been shewn 2 Here are some of these terms affirmed to be the usual expressions of Beleevers which as they are set down I cannot finde at all used in the Scripture as the expressions of Beleevers as they are in this life As the term Regenerated as distinct to being born again as here set down I read in Scripture of a Regeneration in which the Apostles followed Christ Mat. 19.28 Tit. 3.5 Eph. 5.26 27. Luke 20.35 36 And of saving by the washing of Regeneration which as it flows from Christ is a continued work still in doing and to be fully compleated in the resurrection of the just But that the beleevers in this life are called The Regenerated I finde not at all much less usually And so for the term Adopted I finde the Adoption or ministration thereof to have pertained to Israel under Moses ministration Rom 9.4 Gal. 41 2 3. Eph. 1.5 though the Tutorage of sons were then as servants And I finde also the first Trusters in Christ predestinated in their ministration to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ And therefore so to have preached Christ come in the flesh That men in beleeving might receive the Adoption of Sons Gal. 4.5.8 23. Rom 8.15 Gal. 4.6 7. and so a first fruits of the Spirit of
untrue sentence clearly appearing so For 1 It is as clear as the day that Chap. 5.11 12. he speaks to the same persons that he wrote unto and had before called Heb. 2 1 2 3 1 6 14 4 1 5 11 12 Holy brethren partakers of the heavenly call and to and of them he saith Yee are dull of hearing for when for the time yee ought to be teachers you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God Can any thing be more plain to shew he meaneth them 2 It is as clear that his saying in Verses 13 14. are the proof that the Apostle gives of the justness and suitableness of his reproof Heb. 5.13 14. in shewing what such weaklings are to whom in their demeanor they became so like which occasioned their dulness and non proficiency being so like them they should have been teachers of 3 It is as clear That those weaklings and babes to whom he compares them are not the persons put in the supposition of being fallen away and in so great danger in height of sinfulness and of impossibility of recovery and soreness of punishment Heb. 6.4 5.6 8 for they had known the foundation oracles and first principles yea been by them drawn upon the foundation and tasted of the heavenly gift yea the sweetness and power of Christ in all the principles So that now after such knowledge and tastes c. willingly for love or desire of any other thing to depart and crucifie all this of Christ to themselves again there was nothing but they had crucified and were crucifying to restore them with and so they could not be restored But for those weaklings and babes they were not yet skilful in these things and so could not sin at so high a rate but might be both profitably and hopefully yet taught over and over which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and if any of them by temptation were fallen from what they began to have yet there was something of Christ in the foundation oracles principles and efficacies of Spirit therein which they had not clearly known and so not crucified to themselves neither were they crucifying Christ to themselves and so there was that needful to them to be still taught them for their recovery And it is uncharitable to put weaklings and babes under this danger and impossibility of being renewed A rash and sad saying yea cross to his other rash saying speaking of these beleevers mentioned Heb. 6.4 5. of their high gifts of knowledge faith change of affections and conversation light love c. saith afterward every person under these works formerly mentioned of this light gifts c. be capacitated for the sin against the Holy Ghost And now he saith They are the ignorant weaklings and babes that commit it verifying that Prov. 5.6 and 9.13 4 Neither is there any distinguishing of these wrote to or reproved or of those to whom they are compared nor yet of them put in the supposition but when fallen away and found crucifying of Christ and so blotted out of the book of life from them to whom the promises appertain Chap. 6.9 10-14 For the promise mentioned is that made to Abraham which appertained so as by attending to the promise it might be attained and enjoyed Rom. 3.2 9 4 5 11 21 24. Act. 2.38 39 3.25 26. Rom. 4.11 12 16. Gal. 3.7 8 29. by all or any of his natural seed that were under Circumcision in the time of it or his proselited seed either and so Peter preached to them and so where the Gospel comes to all that beleeve in Christ as interested in them and heirs of them and the Apostle was not here in Heb. 6 9-14 making a distinction between those of them to whom and of whom he wrote except in supposal of any fallen away and found crucifying Christ to whom the promises did belong and to whom not but shewing the hopefulness he had for them all of whom he was perswaded they were not so fallen away as to be found crucifying Christ to themselves and upon that account exhorteth every one of them to persevere in shewing the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end c. The edge of and hope in which exhortation is abated and a mist cast upon it by this wresting the words Reason 6. True beleevers are opposed to those lying under a possibility of falling so far as they are cast under it by the conditional discourse upon sundry accounts Answ In the whole Epistle Heb. 2.1 2 3. Heb. 3.7 12 13 12 25. there is not one word of distinguishing the one from the other but in the neglect of so great salvation in hardning the heart by deceitfulnes of sin in departing from the living God through an unbeleeving heart a turning from him that speaks from heaven c. Nor one put in fear of this more than another nor secured without watchfulness and heed taking one more than another Nor doth the Apostle in Heb. 6.4.6 speak one word of the possibility or impossibility of falling or not falling but only in a supposition of those already fallen from such a height and now crucifying Christ to themselves nor doth he in this speak a word of any possibility of the recovery of one of these more than of another Nor doth he in his warning giving apply it to one more than another but in shewing the greatness of the sin if any should fall from such excellency of grace and the danger and therein the equity of Gods proceeding to warn them all alike which this assertion opposeth without the shew of warrant from any one word but because he saith it is upon sundry accounts I will view them Account 1. Their work and labour of love mentioned vers 9 10. Answ Here is no opposition of one to another for he had yet charged none of them to be so departed but only reproved them and shewed them the danger of such departure and falling away and now also mollifying the harshness of his reproofs He is perswaded better things of them than that they are departed or so fallen or that they will bring forth such briars and thorns Gal. 4.14 15 5 4. Heb. 6.10 11 12. and he gives one reason of it from their work and labour of love not onely that they had shewed for that might be affirmed of some in other places that were fallen from grace but also that they did still continue in And he desires their perseverance to the end that they might receive the promises So that he here also speaks to and of them all without difference making so that a line was imperfectly here taken to make up this account not serving for such a business at all Account 2. Their preservation from the righteousness of God Answ Here is no opposition of one to another Vers 10. but hee speaks
in him the Man Jesus Christ he is therefore likewise called God our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ our hope And so the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God and Saviour of the world as he hath taken the nature of man and dyed for our sins and rose for our justification offered the acceptable sacrifice sitteth at the right hand of God filled with Spirit c. So as who ever beleeveth in him shall receive forgiveness of sins c. This the object of faith and the testimony of Christ in the Gospel holding forth this being that in which he is discovered and discerned in beleeving of which beleeved and received that is the mediate object of faith and Christ thus set forth in and by the Gospel is called The faith even the same faith that Paul did once persecute and after preach And this faith is one and but one But I suppose the controversie is not about this though the evil managing the controversie hath strengthned many in denying this But here the business controverted is about the grace of beleeving Now every beleeving is not faith but that which is begotten by the declaration of the object of faith and in beleeving it closeth with it And so faith is still one as hath been shewn at large Part 3. Chap. 17. and elsewhere And so if answer bee given That by faith is meant such a beleeving as is begotten by the testimony of Christ and closeth with Christ in that testimony then sure the Question is stated in the Answer given but if it be urged it need to be better opened I answer it hath been often shewn how the Scripture doth it in many places plainly and so far to yeeld to all that is right even in tradition of Fathers also It s known what some of them have said and others from them have preached who have said the right beleef is this A beleeving God to Bee and beleeving of God in that which he saith and beleeving in God for all he hath promised This all this nothing less than this is said to bee a right beleef True it is He that beleeveth not God to bee and Jehovah to be that very true God is as an Atheist and hath no true beleef at all But he that beleeveth God to be and Jehovah to bee that very God doth so far beleeve a right yet if he beleeve him not true in his sayings and demonstrations of his goodness he is yet wanting of a right beleef yea his beleeving is not saving without this If he beleeveth both these his beleeving is right and saving and if he abide in it and minde what he beleeveth it will save him so as to bring him to beleeve in God for what he promiseth which when he attaineth he beginneth to bee saved so far as he is a true beleever and hath faith even true faith And as I conceive the Scripture it self also holds forth this in Heb 11.6 For he that cometh to God must beleeve that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Here is the beleef of his being express and the beleef of his sayings in his demonstrated goodness express beleeving in him intimated in coming to him And this to prove faith in Henoch and in his time when though all the goodness of God to man-ward was through a Mediator yet the Mediator and his work was not then so clearly revealed as since Jesus Christ carried our nature into heaven and the fulnes of the God-head dwels in him bodily of which his first witnesses have testified saying We know that the Son of God is come 2 Joh. 5.20 and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life So then we have not another faith or an other manner of beleeving but the same object of faith brought nigher and set forth more cleerly to be in the same manner more firmly beleeved in even God in Christ and so Christ and God in him 1 To beleeve this publick man to be even the second man the Lord from heaven the spiritual man that hath in himself as the publick man suffered for the sins of mankinde that came in by the first publick mans transgression and restored the nature of man and presented it spotless in himself before the Father and the Father hath taken his wel pleasedness and dwelling in him and set him forth the propitiation for the sins of the world the Savior of the world That whoever beleeve in him may have everlasting life And that Jesus is this Christ the Son of the living God 2 To beleeve his sayings by his Spirit in the Gospel all true and good the very sayings of the God of truth in and by him 3 To beleeve in him in Christ Jesus in his blood and so in God in him for all that he hath promised and so for the Kingdome to come this according to the description of the Ancient is Evangelical faith not another kinde but the same more bright and fully appearing and enjoyed all which hath been shewn in first second third and fourth parts of this Treatise yea in the residue also at large And though as at first mentioned it is accepted where this glorious Gospel is not given yet where it is displayed if the first be wanting there is no right Gospel-beleeving but that beleeved with the heart will effect the other two which being in any measure effected such do not onely beleeve truly but are true beleevers and have right faith that is saving and justifying And as for Scripture-stating and explicating the question it is oft shewn already and all agreeing with that here said to set it forth by a definition I will not presume onely the nearest that I finde of that nature I will mention it is in Heb. 1.2 Now faith is the substance ground or confidence of things hoped for the evidence of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen By faith here it is cleer is meant such a beleef of Gods evidenced goodness as is begotten by his own declaration evidence or testimony and closeth with the same in beleeving according to his evidence given And that he speaks of the object of faith evidenced by divine testimony received and closed with in beleeving is evident throughout the whole Epistle of which evidences through mediums in the rumor of that report in Paradise the evidences in works of Creation and Providence were the first and then more fully by word and oracles and then most full and clear by his Son the standing testimony of whom is in the Gospel as now come forth and this is plain Chap. 1.1 2 3 2.1 2 3 4. 12.25 of faith begot by evidences through the first mediums Examples in this 11. Chapter from vers 4. to vers 7. of more fulness added in more clear discovery by word
and this is the refreshing c. And that it was this is evident vers Act. 10.36 39 40 42 43. Joh. 3 14-17 Luk. 24.45 46 47 48. Joh. 15.4 5 6 7. 16. and the same commanded by him to the first Witnesses of Christ to the same end 2. This also was both appointed and practifed by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in his own personal Ministration yea he affirms plainly That as no Man in any spiritual good so Ministers for bringing any Fruit to God in their Ministration without him they can do nothing 3. This also of Christ having once died Joh. 15.26 27. Act. 5.31 32. and being risen and offered himself a Sacrifice to God for us all and being accepted of God and so displayed in the Gospel ministred is that by and of and with which the Holy Ghost restifying of Christ doth both convince teach and lead c. 1. He thus convinceth of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgement Joh. 16.7 8 9 10 11. 1 Joh. 5.9 10 11. Isa 55.4 Joh. 5 37-40 15.22 Of Sin because they believe not on him that died for their sins and made peace by his blood in whom God hath given us Eternal Life of whom God hath born witness and through him testified his Love that men might believe and in believing have Life Of Righteousness That all compleat Righteousness is in him Heb. 9.7 12 14 10 1-11 12 14. and all other Righteousness of Men vain seeing all other High-Priests entring the holy of holies came forth again still to offer with Blood and Sacrifices again but he having approached to his Father with that one offering it is so accepted that he comes forth no more to suffer and offer himself a Sacrifice propitiatory again but is set at the right hand of God an evident demonstration of Righteousness compleated in and by him and the vanity of all other Righeousness besides Of Iudgement because the Prince of this World is judged already Christ having by death overcome him that had the power of death Meb 2.14 Col. 2.14 15 16. Col. 2.3 16. Mat. 28.18 Joh. 5.27 29. having spoiled Principalities and Powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it So that he is rightful Lord of all and all Judgement is in his hands both for discerning appointing and sentencing To which acknowledgement of all this if Men yield not now Isa 45.21 22 23. Phil. 2.9 10 11. 2 Thes 2.10 in these his gracious convincements they shall at the last day be brought to it by his irresistable Force when they shall be left without excuse and justly condemned because they did not receive his convincements when in acknowledgement they might have been saved 2. He also even thus and by this foresaid teacheth the convinced Believers and so leadeth them into all Truth not by a speaking of himself giving immediate Light Inspirations Motions and Dictates without any Ground or Bottom from the Sacrifice of Christ nor by an Exaltation of his own Shines or Inspiration to bottom the Believers on them or lift them up by them nor doth he take of the things of the Believers as they are Heirs either their Righteousness their Changes their Visits or any thing wherein they are better than others to ground their Faith on nor doth he discover to them any secret purpose counsel or election of God concerning them preceding the Death and Oblation of Christ Joh. 16.13 14 15. 14.26 15.26 27. with Luk 24.46 47. 10.3 7 9. purchasing the same and as the Fountain of the same to them But he speaking not of himself but of what he receives from the Father and the Son from whom he proceeds and in bringing to minde his sayings he taketh of the things of Christ his Death Resurrection Sacrifice-offering Peace mad â—nd the Father's Acceptance and Exaltation of him and so of his Sonship Election Fulness and Priviledges and so glorifying him doth lead Believers into all Truth 3. This also the Apostles and first Witnesses of Christ Act. 2 32-38 3 15-26 10 36-43 13.23 47. 2 Cor. 13 14-21 according to the Command of God and Christ and the Spirits guidance practised in their Ministration preaching this Oblation and by and with it all their Reproofs Exhortations Instructions and Consolations yea they determined in their Ministrations to the People not to know own 1 Cor. 2.1 2. approve or make use of any thing save Jesus Christ and him crucified not any other Doctrine Counsels Works Learning Wisdom of Words or Excellency of Speech among their Hearers whence their whole preaching is called 1 Cor. 1.18 19 20.24 The preaching of the Cross and that said to be the power of God to us which are saved though to unbelievers foolishness and a Stumbling-block such fulness they saw in this Oblation of Christ and such use did they make thereof in all their Ministration 4. This Death and Sacrifice of Christ the Purgation made thereby Mat. 28.19 Mar. 6.15 with Iuk 24.46 47 48. Rom. 4.11 with Col. 2.11 12. Rom. 6 3-8 1 Cor. 12.13 Gal. 3.13 14 27. and the Essicacies thereof is that which Baptism with Water in the Name of the Lord in its way and as an addition to vocal preaching of the Gospel doth preach and witness and into which we also are baptized when and as we are spiritually baptized into Christ 5. This also is that the continual remembrance whereof we are to celebrate and shew forth in our use of the Supper of the Lord till he come again 1 Cor. 11.23 24 25 26. 6. It is this and this only in and by which is opened for us the new and living way for all our approach to God Heb. 10.18 19 20. Joh. 10.7 9. 14.6 Eph. 2.13 18. and into union and fellowship with him and his people and acceptable service of both So that this Doctrine of the Oblation of Christ for us all is that with which the Ministers of the Gospel are to do all their work in their Ministration and so doing and so speaking Prov. 14.7 1 Pet. 4.11 1 Joh. 2.20 21 27 28. 2 Tim. 2.15 they shall speak with the Lip of Knowledge and as the Oracles of God and teach as the anointing Believers have received teacheth and so divide to every one their Portion and answer all the cavilling Objections of the Adversaries that pretend contradictions in the Scripture for in holding forth this Oblation as is shewn they shall cleerly shew how Jesus Christ was before all things and yet as the publick Man after Adam and so how he was both before and after Adam Abraham David and how the Lord and yet the Son of David and how equal to the Father and yet was in the flesh inferiour to the Father how as the great Sacrificer he died and offered himself a Sacrifice and Ransom for all Men and also as the faithful and persecuted Shepherd laid down
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
the Son of God afresh and putting him to an open shame And so when fallen from such a Faith by the Oracles of God fastened on such a foundation and affording such Principles They have trodden under foot the Son of God and have counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified as an unholy thing 10.29 and have done despite unto the Spirit of Grace These are Briars and Thorns and these not repenting but continuing thus crucifying Christ c. even themselves are Briars and Thorns nigh to cursing being rejected and their end to bee burned And this justly and deservedly 2 Sam. 23.6 7. Because of the truths goodness and riches of the Faith taught by such divine Oracles and brought on such a foundation affording such Principles sweet experiences and blessed hope all so watered from Heaven as in which others brought forth meet fruits but they rewarding evil for good have so foulely departed and continue contemning and bring forth Briars and Thorns Psol 109 2-29 till they become Briars and Thorns So that even in this Demonstration of the equity justness and holiness of Gods proceeding The Faith they fell from and that others abiding in are found fruitfull and exhorted to abide appears to bee true and of the right kind And in the fourth and fifth verses Chap. 6.9 10 11 12. the spirituality and livingness of it set forth sutably to the Principles But now I must return to view what is said against this Faith as set forth Heb. 6.4 5. Yea even by him that hath acknowledged the Faith and Holiness for which hee quotes this place really true in its kind wrought by the Spirit effectually working effectually in all the powers of their souls c. So as they become thereby Vessels in the great house of God c. which is in part already answered but I shall view what is farther said CHAP. XII Of some sayings of Mr. Owens against this Faith c. 1 HEE saith of such Beleevers and Saints as here spoken of See the Answer to this Pag. 375.376 Heb. 6.4.5 They are changed as to their use not in their Nature continuing stone and wood still though hewed and turned to the serviceableness of Vessels So his saying But this is to bee heeded that as the saying is without proof So the Question is not what they were before this faith and holiness was wrought in them nor what they are when they are departed from this faith and holiness But what they are in whom this faith and holiness is and they abiding in it and that they are wood and stone in some sense is granted according to that is said The Righteous shall flourish like the Palm Tree Hee shall grow like the Cedar in Lebanon And so they are called Trees of Righteousness Psal 92.12 13. Isa 61.3 4. 1 Pet. 2.3 4 5 9. and those that tasting the graciousness of the Lord come to him as to a living stone are built on him as lively stones c. but this is far from Mr. Owens meaning But if hee allude to that 1 Cor. 3.12 If any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones all which are good sure Wood Hay Stubble all which are combustible yet here is something doubtfull among many viz. whether by these bee meant Doctrins or Persons most probable Doctrins because the builder may bee saved when his labour and opinions is by fire burned But however this comes not up to our business for wee treat not of a faith and holiness builded upon the foundation by the ministry of a man only and a man miscarrying also But of the Faith builded by the enlightening and operation of the unerring Spirit of the Lord which is not mistaken in his building nor are Wood Hay Stubble as distinct from true Saints any where in Scripture called Saints and beleevers nor doth the Spirit of Christ build such on Christ and leave them such And for his other Metaphor 2 Tim. 2 20 21. Though in a great house there are Vessels not only of Gold and of Silver but also of Wood and of earth some to honour and some to dishonour Yet they are all for use And those of the most costly mettal may some of them bee for some dishonourable use for the Master and those of the meanest mettall may some of them bee for honourable use both for the Master and servants But now in the application wee have no Vessels mentioned meet for the Masters use operated by the Spirit to do worthily in their Generations as Mr. Owen confesseth these may and many of them do but such as by the grace received purge themselves from the Apostates and their wayes and so are by grace sanctified and made meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work so that his saying is not countenanced in this place And if any should as I when by tradition I held it have sometime done ground this assertion upon some parabolical and proverbial speeches as those in Prov. 26.11 2 Pet. 2.21 22. Hee knoweth that parables run not on all four and that Proverbs and Metaphors are not to answer that set out by them in every similitude and hee that wrings the Nose too hard causeth blood to follow for in grounding such an assertion on such metaphoricall and proverbiall speeches wee shall plead for wicked men and extenuate their sin and impute some blame to the Almighty For when it is said of them These Iude 10. 2 Pet. 2.12 13 14 15. as naturall bruit beasts made to bee taken and destroyed speak evil of the things they understand not c. If these men had never understood more than the beasts and had alwayes been so brutish and even made to bee destroyed Iob 35.10 11. Prov. 1 24-32 Psal 49.12.20 Mat. 16.26 Prov. 26.11 then had not their sin been so great as it was Nor which befalleth not to the beasts their judgement in eternall damnation so just But God having given them understanding above the beasts and they not heeding to make use of it became as the beasts that perish and so loose their own souls So the Dog that turneth to his vomit was never rid of his doggish ignorance and nature Nor the Sow that being washed walloweth in the mire was never freed from her swinish ignorance and nature And so though their doing so bee filthy and loathsome yet some pity and not so great torment to bee executed on them But for these inlightened in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And having the holy Commandement delivered to them with such Principles effected in them in knowledge of him that forbids holy things to bee given to Dogs and Swine Mat. 7.6 And through the operations of the Spriit in that knowledge to have escaped the pollutions that are in the World through lusts which was that they might have partaken of the divine Nature to bee so foolish as to