me shall come to me even such as now will not come to him that they might have life though graciously drawn by the Father as vers 35 36. Them will he bring to be slain for ever before his face because they would not that he should reign over them who is their lawfull Lord and unto whom they were all given that through him they might have been saved But then it follows as another part of the Fathers will concerning him That whosoever seeth the Son and believeth in him or as v. 37. he that cometh to him speaking in the present tense for as the same verse saith All shall come either here or hereafter but he that now in this day of Gods grace and patience cometh in the Fathers drawings which answers the Fathers giving to Christ Joh. 17. 2. or at least is that in which they are made capable subjects of such giving It is the will of the Father concerning Christ that he should give unto such eternal life For God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son the Saviour of it 1 Joh. 4. 14. That whosoever of the world so loved by him and to whom love is so testified in and through the Son doth through this grace beleeve in him implying that all so loved by him do not so answer his love again that they should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. And this is the reason that such prayers for the peculiar blessings of eternal life to be conferred on persons are only to be prayed for for those on the behalf of whom there is also such peculiar matter of Thanksgivings to be made And such and of like nature are those Thanksgivings to be joyned with prayers of the first sort as already mentioned and is to be seen in the Scriptures quoted and although in them there be many things acknowledged and commemorated to Gods glory and for our encouragement to pray those prayers unto him which are peculiar priviledges of the Saints for whom such further things are directly desired as they only are capable of yet for as much as those peculiar mercies acknowledged as well as those desired are in respect of their end and tendency for the good of all men as we see in that example of our Saviour Joh. 17. 18 21 23. and those of like nature Psal 4. 1 2. c. 56. 9-13 116. 16-18 even these Thanksgivings also in a like sense as the prayers of this sort forementioned may be truly said to be made for all men According to that of our Saviour Joh. 11. 41 42. Father I thanke thee that thou hast heard me And I know that thou hearest me alwayes but because of the people that stand by I said it That they may believe that thou hast sent me Therefore his praise is of him in the great Congregation because of Gods furnishing and upholding and hearing him for their good Psal 22. 22 25. And for this cause he will confesse to him among the Gentiles and sing unto his name Again he saith Rejoyce yee Gentiles with his people and laud him all ye Nations Rom. 15. 8 9 10. there also is further to be considered That the bottome matter of all Thanksgivings the foundation and root of all those things for which thanks is to be given to the Father by Jesus Christ That from which all the other springs is nothing else but that which is true in Christ for all men namely Gods so loving the world as not to spare his only begotten Son But to deliver him to death for us all That he by the grace of God should taste of death for every man and give himselfe a ransome for All A Testimony in due time This being true and cordially done and the ends and vertues of this with the Father is the only cause and reason That with him in and through him he gives all things pertaining to life and godlinesse Rom. 8. 32. with 2 Pet. 1. 1 3. So as whosoever believeth in him and so receiveth and closeth with him in the knowledge and faith of what he hath done and is become for all men and the love of God in him to Man-ward doth therein receive and is made capable of further receiving that eternall life in him by faith of it in him for them and with him to be given them and so in a first fruits of spirituall enjoyment Joh. 3. 16. and 1. 12. 1 Joh. 5. 11 12. Rom. 5. 6-11 Therefore this is made the bottome matter of all the Thanksgiving and acknowledgement as being the foundation root and cause of all the rest Col. 1. 14. In whom we have redemption through his bloud even the forgivenesse of sins So Eph. 1. 7. Psal 130. yea this the bottome of the rejoycing song to Eternity Thou wast slain and out of the bowels and vertues of this and of the love of God to Man-ward and that was so to us even when we were dead in sins and trespasses through Christ Jesus it issued And in the discoveries and presentation of this was effected That they were redeemed from among men c. Rev. 5. 9. with 1 Pet. 1. 18. Eph. 2. 4 5 8. Joh. 3. 16. Tit. 3. 4 5. And for this namely That done and perfect in Christ and that cordially to this end That the other might be done in them as 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. 21. And the furniture and faithfulnesse of Christ in the name of the Father for being a testimony to men in due time affording means and therein inlightning reproving teaching according to mens needs and capacity for the bringing them back to God All men have cause to praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull works to the children of men And if they will not yet let the Redeemed of the Lord whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy do it for themselves and them Psal 107. 1 2 8 15 16. c. For he hath broken the Gates of brasse in peeces and cut the Bars of Iron asunder slaine the enmity in himselfe that was between God and mankind that he might reconcile man to God Eph. 2. 16. So that There is great Thanksgiving to be made directly for all men to the glory and praise of God and the incouragement of his people to pray in faith for those good things in their behalf and for the good of them and for good things to be directly bestowed on them according to their needs and capacities that may tend to the furtherance of the great Designe of God for the good of all men And that not onely for the great love of God in the gift of his Son and the redemption wrought in him for them But also for all those mercies and accommodations of the naturall life means leading to repentance and forbearance hitherto extended and his good Spirit accompanying the same inlightning reproving c. And all to bring men to God That they might seek him and live as
sins of the world after the first consideration as necessarily derived and found upon it through the first disobedience which sins were charged upon him and acknowledged as his though made so by way of imputation for he knew no sin Psal 40 12. with 2 Cor. 5. 21. And this he hath perfectly done he hath by himself purged our sin and is set down on the right hand of majesty But this was also a secondary end of the same one offering yea the end of the first end That by vertue of the infinite satisfaction for sin made in his sufferings and the perfect righteousness compleated in his sacrifice he might be impowred in the name and majesty of his Father to take away dayly the sins of the people after the second consideration even as they are now charged upon them and the wrath of God abiding on them because of them namely all sins as wilfully continued in and multiplied against the light and grace of the redemption extended he needs not come down again to suffer or make a new offering for the taking away any sin but ever liveth and continueth in the presence of God presenting the vertues of that one offering and thereby dayly so taketh away the sin of the world as now charged on them even their wilful ignorance and unbelief of the grace of God by Christ and so all other sins as the love of them against light is the occasion of their hardning in wilful ignorance to unbelief of the light that reproves them that comes to save them and so as the continuing under the pollution and power of them is occasioned by such their wilful ignorance and unbelief sins of this nature I say he so taketh away from before the Father by his continual intercession for the transgressors as Isa 53. 12. Luke 13. that judgement is not speedily executed but the for bearance patience and renewed goodness of God yet extended to admonish allure and lead to repentance until any have wholly filled up the measure of their sin giving up themselves to and becoming one with Satan and so fully made themselves vessels of wrath fitted to destruction and to leave or give men up wholly thereto also God is very slow through the continuance and prevailing of Christs mediation for men and for all them that turn in his reprovings through his name believe in him that he should give them forgiveness of sins eternal life and so through his name save them to the utmost he is fully impowred on the same account of the ends and vertues of his one offering seeing he ever liveth with it to make intercession for us Heb. 7. 25. See how all this is set before us 1 John 2. 1 2. in that ground given us for praying for any mans sin which it doth not appear to us to be so wholly finished as to have occasioned or brought forth death in an utter separation from God The Apostle having before directed them to the same fountain for forgivness and healing of their own sins in the beginning of this chapter he gives them this caution that the end of his thus instructing them to a fountain for their cleansing is Not that they should continue in sin that grace may abound but that they sin not and then proceeds to instruct and direct them to an usefulness of and running to the same fountain for other mens sins If any man sin we believers have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous we have or enjoy him by faith and such usefulness of him as our Advocate appearing especially for us to plead our cause and present our matters according to his wisdom and with the odors of his incense the vertues of his sacrifice and therefore we may present all our needs and matters to and by him because he that is our Advocate is also the propitiation for our sins that having made peace by the blood of his Cross is also the standing propitiation or Mercy-Seat with the Father The sin-offering and so the great and constant mediation for the dayly covering and taking away the iniquities and mixtures that otherwise might hinder our prayers And therefore we may make such use of him as for the presenting our supplications for pardon of any mans sin according to his will declared in the Gospel because he that is the propitiation for our sins is also the propitiation for the sins of the whole world even such as yet lye in wickedness that being the explication of the whole world as opposed to believers by this Apostle 1 John 5. 18 19. The sins for which he here is said to be the propitiation are such or sins after such a consideration as in which we are to pray for pardon of them dayly as we see them in our selves or others which are onely sins after the second consideration that is all or any sins as they are found in us continued in or multiplied against the light or powerful instructions and reproofs of the grace of God that brings salvation to all men and come to redeem or save them from any of their iniquities as Acts 3. 26. Tit. 2. 11. 'T is after this consideration onely that God by Jesus Christ charges sin upon us as our sin and for which his wrath or displeasure abides upon us that when light comes Men love and willingly chuse darkness rather because their deeds are evil All the wrath on the former account being taken away and the sin perfectly covered and purged in Christ now 't is our sins as they are against this grace in so delivering or ransoming us in and by Christ and bringing this Salvation to us for which he is angry and that doth stir up new wrath and displeasure for the removal or taking away of which we are dayly to pray with thanksgiving for the other perfectly done as the ground that this may be done for us See this clear in our types Psal 85. 1 4. As for sin in either guilt or pollution as it passed on us and yet may be considered as in or upon us meerly and necessarily through the first disobedience and the poyson of it so we are not to pray for the pardon of it or that it may be taken away from before the Father and he may not lay it to our charge or to the charge of any man but in all our prayers to acknowledge and give thanks for that as already perfectly done in and by Christ which if it had not we had had neither ground nor door to approach or pray to the Father for any thing and therefore with thanksgiving to God in the name of Christ for this as already done we are to pray that both our eyes and the eyes of others may be opened to see and understand how great things he hath done for us and as this instructeth we are to pray on this ground for pardon and healing of sin as wilfully contracted in us against light c. or either as the
thee for I have given them the words thou gavest me and they have known surely that I came out from thee I pray for them saith he namely that the peculiar blessings of which they through the prevalency of the grace of God are made capable subjects may be conferred on them I pray not namely this Prayer these Petitions and in this manner for the world for whom yet he was sent a Saviour 1 Joh. 4. 14. and that not to condemn them but that through him they might be saved He doth not make this Prayer and in this manner for all for whom he dyed and gave himselfe a ransome nor for any of them until by the prevalency of the grace of God upon them they be given him out of the world and so there is that as a peculiar matter of thanksgiving also to be made for them So Col. 1. 8-12 Since the day saith the Apostle that we heard of your love in the Spirit wee cease not to pray that yee might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spiritual understanding c. Giving thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance which knowing we make our requests for the conferring of such peculiar blessings as therein you are made capable subjects of with joy as Phil. 1. 3 4-9 10. 1 Thes 2. 4 5. This gives us occasion to consider as the ground and reason of it that it was not the end or intention of God in sending his Son into the world the Saviour of the world appointing him by the grace of God to tast Death for every man and exalting him by vertue of his sufferings a Prince and a Saviour nor is it his mind or wil according to which all Prayers are to be made that having done that in and by his Son for them his Son should therefore necessarily give eternal Life to all of them for whom he dyed and is become such a Saviour or to any of them in their particulars while remaining in their Natural state and condition but only to those that through grace according to the discoveries of him vouchsafed beleeve in him 'T is true he was made sin for us that we might bee made the righteousness of God in him not that all for whom he was made sin must necessarily be thereupon made the righteousness of God but that they might be made so in and through him and so those only of all for whom he was made sin that by faith of the opperation of God come in to him are therein and so in him to be made the righteousness of God 2 Cor. 5. 21. our Saviour therefore as the reason of his praying in such manner Joh. 17. namely for such peculiar blessings to be conferred only on such persons as for whom there was such peculiar matter of Thanksgiving to be made as before he first layes down this Doctrin ver 2. That the Father hath given him power over all flesh not only over all Creatures for administation of the Government of God amongst men Mat. 28. 18. but also over all Mankind as a Prince and Saviour for them That he should give eternal Life he saith not to all Flesh or to all Men who are given to him and committed to his dispose and judgement by vertue of his sufferings but to as many as the Father hath given him where the Fathers giving is evidently to be understood in a sense peculiar and distinct from that sense of his giving after which it is said That in giving him power over all flesh or committing the whole dispose and judgement of all men to him as Joh. 5. 22. he hath therein given and delivered over all men even all the ends of the earth and all things into his hands as his proper inheritance by vertue of his sufferings Psal 2. 6. 8. Maâ— 11. 27. Joh. 13. 3. with Phil. 2. 8 9-11 and that also in respect of the first end towards All not to condemn but to save the world of Mankinde and that through him they might be saved and brought back to God The Fathers giving all men to him in this sense and to this end as the first end towards All is evidently signified in the first part of the verse The Father hath given him power over all flesh as is seen by comparing it with other Scriptures therefore seeing he distinguisheth from these some persons that the Father hath given him he must needs mean in a peculiar sense of giving so as all given him and into his dispose by vertue of his suffering for them that through him they might be saved yet are not so given him even a giving by an actual Election or choyse out from the residue of all Flesh into his special charge and protection and so explicated ver 9. with Joh. 15. 19. Given him out of the world of which sometime they were but now are actually chosen out of it redeemed from among men in respect of their condition way fellowship c. through the prevailing force of the grace of God in Christ to Man-ward discerned and believed by them It is the will of the Father concerning Christ and the ends and vertues of his coming down from heaven and now being invested with all power That he should give eternal life to such according to that Joh. 6. 39. 40. It is the will of him that sent him that he might be impowred to accomplish which he first came down from heaven That of all that he hath given him not out of others Joh. 17. 2. 9. but in a general and large sense without distinguishing or opposing them to other things or persons All whatsoever the Father hath given him he should lose nothing but raise it up at the last day Now when he speaks in such a ful sense without limitation or distinguishing from opposing to other things or other senses of giving we can by no means exclude any thing that is in any sense given him according to the Apostles reasoning Heb. 2. 8. with 1 Cor. 15. 27. Now all persons and things being given and delivered to him as we shewed before It s the Fathers will he should lose nothing but in the issue bring all to him Raising it up at the last day The Glory Kingdome Dominion though now men detract much of it from him and by reason of sin the creature is yet subject to the bondage of corruption yet it shall all arrive at him and be shall raise it up at the last day when every knee shall bow of things in heaven and things in earth and every tongue confesse c. And so neither shall he lose any of those persons redeemed by him though many of them lose and bring destruction upon themselves by denying him that bought them yet they shall not be lost to him But he shall raise them up at the last day and bring them to his judgement seat as verse 37. All that the Father giveth
adoption of children but that done in Christ that this might be done was done for all them that were under the Law and who those are see Rom. 3. 19. though under it as a testament all Covenant were only all Israel after the flesh yet under the condemnation penalty and curse of it and so by it declared and concluded were all the world for what the Law saith it saith to them that are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God By one man sinne entred into the world and Death by Sinne for that all have sinned Rom. 5. 12. Compare that with ver 18. As the disobedience of one was unto or upon all in the first publique man to condemnation so the righteousnnesse of one is unto or upon all in the second publique man unto justification of life his one righteousnesse hath so prevailed with the Father that he is justified in the nature and roome of all That one dyed for all is accepted with the Father as if all had dyed 2 Cor. 5. 14. that they might live and to that end live that after this Grace appeares they might not henceforth live to themselves but to him that dyed for them and rose againe 2 Cor. 5. 15. So that in Jesus the second publick Person the whole nature is delivered from the first condemnation and judgement The truth and verity of which is proved in that Rom. 5. 19. from this reason For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners namely in their particular persons and that is so many as ever came to have being from him even from the beginning verse 13 14 which fully shews That that offence was unto or upon the whole nature in him as the publick Man to condemnation before any of the individuals had their particular beings from him seeing there needs no other work or medium on their part but deriving beings from him to make them sinners in their own persons Even so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous even in their particular persons by way of imputation and application of the Righteousnesse of another to them Rom. 3. 22. 4. 3 4. And that is so many as receive that abundance of grace testified in that already done in Christ for men and that gift of righteousnesse by faith verse 17. and so come to have being in him in beleeving on his name That Righteousnesse that is unto All it comes upon All that beleeve even in their particulars which fully shews that one Righteousnesse was unto or upon the whole nature of man as men considered in him the second publick Man to the justification of life while all were out of him seeing there needs no other work or medium on their part no discovery or receite of any peculiar grace or gift of grace for them while sinners and enemies that was not for others nor any thing else is requisite for any one of this nature of man to make them righteous in their particulars but a receiving by faith that true in Christ for and towards them as men and sinners with the rest even that abundance of grace that love of God to Manward Tit. 3. 4. Rom. 5. 6 8. and that gift of righteousnesse The Son of God sent the Saviour of the world Joh. 3. 16. and 4. 14. Therein they are made righteous by the imputation and application of the righteousnes of another to them By him all that beleeve are therein through his name justified from all from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Act. 10. 43. 13. 39. which shews the truth of Justification Righteousnesse perfect in him for them as men and sinners considered that so in beleeving in him without the works of the Law or any other medium it might be received by any of that nature the whole nature is justified and acquit of that first disobedience and so of the guilt or condemnation of that sinfulnes in them as meerly and necessarily derived from it In that he in the common nature and in the room of them all as the second publick man is justified for them In his Resurrection he was taken from the prison and from the judgement Isa 53 8. And this so verily and vertuâ—lly for them all That the Father now judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Son Joh. 5. 22. He doth not go to Law or proceed to Judgement with men according to that Law and Judgement by which without a Saviour they stood as condemned before him under which Christ was made for them Though men still according to his Ordinance passe through the first mortality and death as the fruit of sin yet not as the due and proper wages thereof and therefore shall not perish in that death he having taken out the sting and poyson that would have made it destructrive by his coming and passing through it and so abolished it 2 Tim. 1. 10. nor according to that Judgement The truth of which appears not onely in these serious and full Assertions of it but likewise by divers arguments or reasons used by the Scripture to evince it As First The nature of all present and eternal condemnations in the Scripture They are not because the fathers have eaten sowr grapes and the childrens teeth are thereby necessarily set on edge but every one for his own proper iniquity Ezek. 18. 2-4 no man condemned or abiding under the wrath of God for present or shall be eternally condemned meerly because he was simple or in darknesse or because he was filthy and poluted but because he loved his simplicity when the wisdome of God was oft and long reproving him Prov. 1. 22 23 24. c. When light came they loved darknesse rather Joh. 3. 19. Because in thy filthinesse was lewdnesse or stubbornesse and that thus evidenced and of this nature I have purged thee and thou wast not purged Ezek. 24 13. They hardened their own hearts wilfully when he spake in his Spirit by the hand of the Prophets Therefore came there a great wrath upon them from the Lord Zech. 7. 9. 11 12. And this could not have been the nature of condemnations present or eternall neither had the world been capable of sinning sins of that nature as for which they are now charged and under condemnation if Christ had not done for them the things mentioned in this Text given himself a Ransome for them and become a Mediator and by vertue thereof a Testimony in due time unto them See our Saviour so reasoning Joh. 15. 22. 24. If he had not done that for them which never man did or could do namely redeem his brother or give to God a Ransome for his soul Psal 49. 7. yea if also he had not spoken to them preached by his Spirit to their spirits in the means he used They had not known or been capable of sins after this consideration as now they are charged on them
that is of both seeing and healing when by the light comming to them they see both him and his Father 2. The truth of that ransoming or redemption from the curse of the Law perfect in Christ for men appears further from the grace of God extended unto men in the mercies and accommodations of the natural life yea in the severest of his chastisements there appears a great abatement or taking off the greatest part of the stroke and that it is not sustained as the full and proper wages of sin but is far less then our iniquities deserve the truth and holiness of God was ingaged that the soul that sins must dye and the death was such as was wholly destructive and no intermission or mixture of any mercy but the soul to have been continually filled with madness and confusion the body with pains and all diseases in the extremity till it had been wholly turned to dust the rain of the land powder and dust we to eat our bread in sorrow and anguish of our hearts all our dayes all curses to follow and overtake us till we perish this was our portion Gen. 3. 17 c. with Deut. 28. 15 c. neither may the truth and holiness of God suffer the least impeachment he cannot in clearing clear the guilty Exod. 34. 7. Therefore in that man is preserved from so much of the destruction and confusion in his minde and of the pains and anguish in his body in this natural life as that he is a capable subject of beholding conversing with and comfortable injoyment of the works of Gods creation and providence that instead of the rain of our land being powder and dust the Lord gives rain from heaven and instead of eating our bread in the sorrow of our heart all our dayes the Lord gives food and gladness instead of thornes thistles that the Lord in any measure gives that which is good and our land yields her increase herein Gods goodness is witnessed so as through a Saviour and leading to repentance all these having in them a testimony of a door opened again to God mercy and truth met redemption wrought in another for us Psal 85. 9 12 13. Acts 14. 17. Rom. 2. 4. upon that account it is that God demeans himself towards men in his government â—ow by Christ as if he did not see their iniquities because he is well pleased for his righteousness sake Isai 42. 19 21. in whom truth is sprung out of the earth c. 3. The truth of this further appears in that all shall be raised from the first death and then be judged according to the Gospel which they could not have been if one had not by the grace of God died for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5. 10 14 15. Acts 17. 30 31. Rom. 2. 16. yea if Christ be not raised for them then can there be no resurrection of them For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. Neither could there be any reason or rule for judging men according to the Gospel for whom there was no truth in the Gospels Declarations propounded to them to be believed if no grace extended by which they might have been saved They must have perished if Christ had not died for them in the first death but there could have been no ransoming out of it and so no second death But to proceed 2. As Jesus Christ by giving himself a ransome hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law and therein saved us from perishing in that first death and misery having in and by himself taken away our sins from before the Father the sin of the world after the first consideration as passing and being found on them simply and necessarily through the first disobedience so he hath therein and by vertue thereof obtained eternal redemption even redemption of the transgressions under the first Testament Heb. 9. 12 15. A perfect restoration of all that was lost by that sin and according to that judgement a restoration of it not into their persons but into himself for them that it might be enjoyed by faith and in the first fruits of the Spirit and the hope of the harvest by any of them in believing in him through his name there it is perfect in him as in a publique person or treasury for us who will never lose it That in coming in to him it might be enjoyned by us In him God hath given us eternal life He of us to whom life is given in Christ that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life And yet it 's given him in Christ as before 1 John 5. 11 12. The sum of our loss and that in which eternal life consisteth is capacity and liberty to the enjoyment of the delightful favour of and fellowship with God in which is life All have sinned and come short of the glory of God unto which they were created in the first publique man Sin makes separation between God and men forasmuch as by it we lost that Image of God in which we were created which was such as in Soul and Body together we were capable subjects of immediate fellowship with our Creator and in also our liberty to such enjoyment we are in our selves and as in relation to the first man justly banished as well as enemies in our mindes and so at a distance strangers to the life of God but Jesus Christ in our nature as the second publique man and for us hath perfectly recovered that Image of God which we lost and in a better maner and that both in Soul and Body so as he is in our nature and as the publique person a capable subject of immediate fellowship with God and hath also liberty he is entertained to such enjoyment that now for us through sufferings he is entered into the actual possession of glory that he may appear effectually in the presence of God for us and that whosoever comes in to him by faith may in him appear perfect and righteous before the Father yea the fulness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily according to that John 17. 4 5. I have finished the work thou gavest me to do on earth and now I come to thee holy Father glorifie me with thine own self with the glory I had with thee before the world was Compared with Col. 1. 14. 15. In him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sinnes Who is the Image of the invisible God c. 'T is true the 15. verse is a description of the excellency of his person In whom we have redemption but it is also clearly a demonstration of the redemption we have in him the Image of God recovered into our nature that through faith in him it may be enjoyed by any of us whose nature he took as aforesaid Seeing whatever Jesus
set and preserved in the world The glory of God in the good of all men p. 11 Motives thereto to be considered by them are 1 Their engagement they are debtors to all men p. 13 2 The love of God in Christ to all men p. 14 3 The many examples of Gods servants before p. 15 4 The recompence of Reward both present and eternal p. 17 2 From the first and general part of the Exhortation as considered in it self and with relation to the occasion fore-shewed This Instruction That in pursuance of that great Designe for the good of all men and that to that purpose Beleevers ministration may be blessed and succesful among them First of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thanks are to be made for all men p. 18 For more distinct opening this 1 Who are the All men for whom Prayers and Thanks-giving are to be made All mankind every of them in an acceptable time p. 19 c. 2 Who those are by whom such Prayers c. are to be made In answer to which That all men every where as natural men considered have an effectual door opened and liberty afforded and are invited to seek the Lord while he may be found and call on him while he is near But that it is especially required of Beleevers who are therefore furnished to it to make Prayers and Thanks-givings for themselves and others even for all men And of them That men as opposed to women pray every where women being not permitted as the mouth of the rest to speak in every place not in publick and mixt Assemblies p 26 c. 3 What those Supplications Prayers and Intercessions are which are to be made for all men That is first shewed according to the signification of the several termes p. 31 And then by ranking them under two general heads 1 The petitioning of good things in the behalf of them all that are not directly for them all or for blessings to be conferred on them all But for them in respect of their end and tendency for the good of all p. 32 And of these first Those prayers for peculiar blessings to be conferred on Beleovers in the World according to their capacity to furnish them for the good of others yea for peculiar National blessings on those Nations on which his name is called And that also for the good of other Nations p. 33 2. Those prayers that are directly against many particular persons and Nations as walking in their evill purposes and wayes viz. for the blasting and confusion of them therein Yet those in respect of their end and tendency are generally for the good of all men yea particularly for the good of all those persons or Nations against whom they are made while yet they are not wholly reprobated p. 36 2 The Intreating Supplicating or making Intercession directly for them or for mercies and good things to be conferred on them according to their needs and capacities p. 40 4 What are those Thanks-givings joyned with Prayers to be made for all men There first t is shewed That all manner of right prayer is joyned with Thanks-giving and then that explicated to be a commemoration and thankful acknowledgement of Gods goodnesse in what he hath already done for the giving us ground and encouragement to ask for those things we want And this such as in which Gods goodnesse and glory is magnified and not our own p. 42 This shewed distinctly in several sorts or occasions of Thanksgivings suitable to several prayers or petitions to be made for several persons which yet are all after some considerations for all men and do all meet in the root of them and spring from one and the same foundation The plentious redemption wrought in Christ for all men and the love of God to manward in and through him p. 46 5 The ground or account upon which Prayers and Thanksgivings are to be made for all men That shewed to be the truth and verity of that which is the bottome-cause and occasion of giving thanks to God in the Name of Christ for all men And that first by a brief opening the following verses to the Text. p 50 And then by propounding these particular Instructions from the consideration of those verses 1 That Jesus Christ by the will and appointment of the Father hath given himself and is accepted a ransome for all men so as therein he hath redeemed them in and by himself from the curse of the Law being made a curse for them and obtained and received into himself for them that in coming in to him any of them might enjoy it a perfect restoration of all their losse yea eternal redemption and life p. 53 2 That he is by vertue thereof become a standing and powerful Mediator between God and men p. 61 3 That by vertue of his Ransome accepted and by means of his mediation continually made for them he is of the Father to them a testimony in due time 1. In affording to all as they come to capacity and need of it opportunity space and means to repentance p. 66 2 In sending forth his good Spirit in the supernatural light and power of it in and with those mercies and means to bring the light and understanding of his goodnesse to the heart and thereby to reprove their evils and turn them to God p. 69 And that in all this God is light and in him is no darknesse at all p. 75 3 From the last and particular part of the Exhortation as considered in it self comparing the second with the first verse and with relation to the occasion and end of the Exhortation foreshewed Thence this Instruction That in pursuance of that great Design for the good of all men and particularly as mainly tending to the furtherance of the same That Believers may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty Prayers and Thanksgivings are to be made as in general for all men so particularly for Kings and for all that are in Authority This opened in these branches 1 That it tends very much to the good of all men That Beleevers lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty among them And in this first branch 1 What it is to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty p. 78 And therein what is godlinesse and how the beleever to be exercised therein p. 79 And what is honesty in the beleever and how he to lead his life therein p. 83 And how these two answer to those two great Commands of the Law Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. and thy Neighbour as thy self and are found in those two great Commands of the Gospel To beleeve on the Name of him whom God hath sent and love one another as he hath given us Commandement p. 87 And then what is that quiet and peaceable life which the grace of God instructs the beleever to lead
or doubting the Psalmist invites all the people to trust in him at all times and with trust or confidence to pour out their hearts before him and that on this account God is a refuge for us Psal 62. 8. suitable to which is that acknowledgement and magnifying the riches of Gods grace thorow the plenteousnesse of the redemption with him Psal 65. 2. O God that hearest prayer to thee shall all flesh come and those invitations and admonitions Psal 65. 1-6 96. 7 8. 100. and that Jam. 1. 5. If any man lack wisdome let him ask it of God who giveth liberally to all men and upbraideth none yea let him aske in faith according as the goodnesse of God manifested moveth and encourageth him and if he bee in darknesse and see no light yet let him look come unto the name of God as declared in his Son Let him come without mony and price and seek unto God for those waters the Lord will hear them the God of Israel will not for sake them but will open rivers in dry places and fountaines in the desarts Isa 41. 17 18. 50. 10. 55. 1 True it is The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord by how much the more he cometh with a wicked minde Prov. 15. 8. 21. 27. 28. 9. But this is not to put a barre against wicked and sinfull men that they should not seek the Lord or call upon him as they are exhorted Isa 55. 6 7. but to instruct and direct them and all others to seek him indeed and with the whole heart not feignedly for even righteous men may offer the sacrifices of the wicked and then shal not be therein heard and it is for their good they are not If I saith David regard iniquity in my heart the Lord wil not heare me Psa 66. 18. Every one that sets up the Idol of his iniquity in his heart and puts the stumbling-block of it before his face sets that in his eye and designe to reserve his owne purpose and makes that the end of his prayer the Lord will set his face against him for they seek not him but themselves Ezek. 14. 3. 7. Isa 58. Zech. 7. 5 6 7. They refuse to heare the Law or receive his instruction or reproofe hide their evil deeds from the light and yet for a pretence seek him and are zealous in multiplying sacrifices as Prov. 28. 9. Zech. 7. 5-7 and on the other hand sinfuland evil men through his goodnesse in mercies or chastisements may be humbled before him and heartily seek help and mercy of him shal be therein accepted as Ahab 1 King 21. 29. This is generally true Every one that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened let that grace of God therefore that bringeth Salvation to all men move encourage and provoke every man to seek the Lord while he may be found c Look unto me and be yee saved all the ends of the earth To the second part of the Proposition and so for more direct answer to the query Who those are by whom especially prayers are to be made for others even for all men of whom it is required and expected they are all those that by faith in Jesus Christ have such enjoyment and usefulnesse of him as their Advocate with the Father If any man sinne we have an Advocate wee that have beleeved is him have through faith such usefulnesse of him with the Father as to present and make out and manage our matters we have through his grace according to his will to present to him for others as wel as for our selves even for any man therefore if any of us that have beleeved on the name of the Son of God for so we have good reason to understand the word any man 1 Joh. 5. 16. from the fore-going Verses where he is speaking of Beleevers seeking and confidence of acceptance and from thence here encourageth them all and so any of them to ask it is not as 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. where any man and the whole world is evidently opposed to us and we as 1 Joh. 5. 19. but here the word Any man is only joyned with or added to us and we in such a case or businesse as in which the same is affirmed concerning the us or we fore-mentioned and in the same manner here only he enlargeth his instruction and exhortation to every particular of them If any man of you that thorow grace beleeve and are therein Spiritualized to discerne other men and things in their right colours see his Brother or any man with whom we live as all men are our Brethren after some considerations sinne a sinne that is not unto death he shall aske and God shal give him life they that through the tasts of his graciousnesse come to him are reconciled to God by Jesus Christ are therein being built on him made a company of Spiritual Priests to offer up Spiritual sacrifices even for others acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 3. Therefore the Lord speaking unto Abimelech concerning Abraham tels him He is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee and thou shalt live Gen. 20. 7. The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Jam. 5. 16. The prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15. 8. T is comely for them to have their hearts desire and prayer to God for all men in an acceptable time and that without ceasing and therefore also especially required and expected of them because they are acquainted with the good will of God concerning men as manifested in Christ shewing them good reason ground and foundation for it from thence moving and constraining them to it Of them to whom much is given shall much be required Let me then say to such Seeing yee are appointed and furnished to such excellent service with God for the good of others and it is of so continual and general concernment Be ye clean yee that beare the vessels of the Lord touch not the uncleane thing suffer the grace of God to separate you more and more from the pollutions intanglements and snares of this world and to instruct and lead you to deny your selves and take heed also of being unequally yoaked Beleevers with unbeleevers such as with whom you cannot have fellowship together in drawing on this maine designe or who being joyned with you may pull you back and tend to the streightning of you 2 Cor. 6 13 14. and that you dwel and walk together and one towards another and towards all according to knowledge as the understanding of the grace of God in Christ as declared in the Gospel instructeth you that so you be not streightened in your owne bowels nor your prayers hindred Isa 52. 10 11. with 2 Cor. 6. 12-16 1 Pet. 3. 7. And further let me adde according to the instructions of the grace of God continue instant in prayer seeing yee are thereunto appointed
properly to be read as a Declaration of Gods good will love and desire towards men and concerning them as considered in their faln lost and sinfull estate which was such as in which he would have them saved out of it and brought back again to him Such his great compassions slownesse to anger and riches in mercie That he had no pleasure in their destruction but that they should turn and live And therefore desired they should come to the knowledge of the truth of his love and goodnesse towards them that so they might be drawn into love of him and conformity to him that were so full of hatred and antipathy against him And then as a real demonstration of this his love desire for them and declaration of the way and means prepared that this might be for though God loved them and desired their good yet they could have enjoyed no streamings forth or manifestations of it or benefit by it If he had not devised means that his banished might not be expelled as 2 Sam. 14. 14. He further tells us That God is one and unchangeable in all his holy Attributes and therefore in love to man as his creature and the end of his other creation and while he was not yet become wholly one with and of Satan that had tempted and prevailed over him could not yet give him up And so in holinesse and truth and therefore could by no means in clearing clear the guilty or forgive sin without a fulfilling of his truth and satisfying of his Justice And so likewise in infinit wisdome and goodnesse in all and therefore knew how to finde out a way of recovery that mercy and truth might meet together for mans recovery and helpfulnesse in this lost condition as well as to make him of nothing a creature to such excellent glory and hath done it God is light and in him is no darknesse And that appears in this that follows There is one Mediator of God and man and so between God and man Christ Jesus A Mediator is not a Mediator of one But God is one Gal. 3. 20. A Mediator is of and between two parties at a distance and so is ours But whereas the usuall work of Mediators between man and man is to lay his hand on both and prevail with one to abate something and the other to pay or satisfie something so is not ours for God is one He was not turned enemy but loved us when we were enemies so as he sent the Mediator He is one and so infinit and perfect in holinesse and can abate nothing of what his Truth and Justice requires and therefore must have full and perfect satisfaction though we are so weak we can make none The work therefore of our Mediator is to make full satisfaction pay the full price come up to Gods terms and then to bring us up to and inable us to accept of those termes in him made and accepted for us And so in the whole and in each part of his work That with God and that with men It is to reconcile man to God The first in and by himselfe without them The second in their particular persons through him 2 Cor. 5. 19 20 21. And for the accomplishing this He that is the one Mediator of God and man and that he might be a standing Mediator between them Gave himselfe a ransome for all men A Testimony or to be testified in due time That so through him they might come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved For understanding the large ground of praying for All men here set before us consider some of the particular instructions herein presented 1 That Jesus Christ by the will and appointment of the Father hath given himselfe and is accepted A Ransome for All. 2 That he is by vertue hereof become a standing and powerfull Mediator between God and men 3 That by vertue and by means of his Ransome accepted and his Mediation continually made for them he is of the Father to them A Testimony in due time That they might come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved And in all this God is light and in him is no darknesse at all For the first That Jesus Christ by the appointment of the Father hath given himself and is accepted a Ransome for All a price of Redemption so as he hath redeemed and bought them All as hath been shewed already as to the persons for whom now we shall apply our selves to the consideration of the worke herein done for them And so first he hath in and by himselfe redeemed them from the curse of the Law being made a curse for them Gal. 3. 13. Secondly He hath by that his one offering for all perfected through suffering and now presented to the Father obtained and received into himself eternal redemption a full and perfect Recovery and Restoration of all that losse contracted by sinne as charged on them by the first Testament Heb. 9. 12. 15. First Jesus Christ hath in and by himself redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. where that he speaks not of that redeeming the heart and conscience from under the bondage and accusation of sin by the Law which is only wrought in the spirit of the beleever through the discovery of that done in Christ for all men but of that done namely of the redemption wrought in Christ for them before they knew it This is evident in that he saith the Redemption here spoke of was done and finished by his being made a curse for us whereas the other though done by vertue thereof yet is not effected but through the discoveries thereof and in the receit by faith as before yea it is still more evident in that he mentions this as perfectly done that means might be used for the doing the other namely the redeeming men in their particular persons and that that might be wrought or received through faith He hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham the preaching of peace by Jesus Christ Eph. 2. 14. 17. 3. 6. might come on the Gentiles that we namely whoever beleeveth might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith according to that Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son namely the Saviour of the world 1 Joh. 4. 14. that whoever of the world so loved by him through this grace beleeveth in him whom he hath sent should not perish but have everlasting life and so that Gal 3. 13. is opened Gal 4. 4 5 where the query is fully answered who they are encluded under the word us Gal. 3. 13. that he hath redeemed from the curse of the Law God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redeeme them that were under the Law that we there the person is changed namely whoever beleeveth might receive the
and is an accepted ransome for all And that by vertue of this he is become a standing Mediator between God and men appearing in the presence of God for them And by means of both these that he is in the name and majesty of the Father a testimony in due time to them onely here let me adde In all this and this is the summing up of the message God is light and in him is no darkness at all he is perfectly one and the same according to this manifestation of his good will that men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth in and through the Mediator There is not two divided and contrary wills in God one revealed and another secret he is one in his will as well as in his Essence and in all his holy and glorious Attributes and that one will of God is a good perfect and acceptable will for men to know Rom. 12. 2. and revealed that it may be understood Eph. 5. 17. Therefore they shall be beaten that did not know it according to the manifestations given them because though of themselves they could not yet by his grace bringing salvation to all men they might have known it Luke 12. 48. Tit. 2. 11. And though there be many distinct things in that will of God as John 6. 39 40. see the opening of that before in the Explication of the Thanksgivings to be joyned with Prayers made for all men yet no clashings or contradictions for if his Kingdom be divided against it self it cannot stand according to our Saviours Argument And therefore though many things in it not before so revealed as now they are Deut. 29. 29. with Eph. 3. 3 9. By the appearing of Christ who hath brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. and many things not yet so revealed as they shall be at the second appearing of Christ 1 John 3. 2. yet there is nothing in those Revelations we have contrary to those before but more full Declarations and openings of that life that was from the beginning and of the love of God to manward as appearing in the face of Christ 1 John 1. 1 5. Rom. 16. 25 26. with Acts 26. 22. And so neither is there any thing not revealed contrary to that which is already revealed but the truth and goodness of that as revealed shall more fully and brightly be manifested for God is one and there is one Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all men a Testimony in due time These things considered afford plentiful ground to make Prayers and Thanksgivings for all men 1. For the end of all Prayers for them that Gods way may be known upon Earth and his saving health among all Nations that mens eyes might be opened to see it that so they might be turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God c. that they might be saved there is good ground for Prayers to be made with Thanksgivings to this end For first There is certainly and truth in the grace of God to manward as manifested in and through Christ and secondly That is and is to be manifested to all men by one means or other and in due time so as and to that end that it might be known that through him they might be saved God will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth Men not believing this must needs pray such Prayers doubtingly 2. For those particulars of forgiveness or forbearance of sins and renewed patience and goodness to be extended so as may conduce to the great end of all Prayers for them good ground to make our Prayers with Thansgiving and without wrath and doubting for Jesus Christ by vertue of his ransome given for all is the great Mediator between God and them that he may be testified in due time The Apostle wills therefore that men pray everywhere and that therein Supplication Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all men It follows For Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty We shall hence note a third general Instruction which is fully contained in this verse as compared with the former and with the occasion of the exhortation before shewed and in the opening of which we may meet with the understanding and usefulness of what is set before us in this part of the Apostles exhortation and instruction Namely 3. That in pursuance of this great designe for the good of all men and more particularly as mainly tending to the furtherance of the same that believers may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Prayers and Thanksgivings are to be made as in general for all men so particularly for Kings and for all that are in Authority We shall open it in these branches 1. That it tends very much to the good of all men that believers lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty among them 2. That therefore God likes it well and requires it that those whom he sets in Authority or eminent place places of Government should all of them have a special eye at this that his people that worship him and would live quietly in the land that they may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty under their protection and Government 3. We shall consider what those things are in general that will tend to this and which are required of Governours that believers may lead such a life 4. What that is that will especially furnish them to these things and so is especially to be desired for them 1. That it tends very much to the good of all men that believers lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty among them We shall here 1. Consider what it is to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty 2. See how this tends so much to the good of all men to be desired by us 1. For the first what it is to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Note That it is not every or any kinde of leading the life quietly or peaceably that is commendable in the believer and will be profitable unto others but the leading a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty like that Heb. 12. 14. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord holiness and so here godliness and honesty is the main thing to be pursued and in which the believer is alwayes to continue and be exercised and holding fast and exercising himself therein he is to follow peace with all men to study to be quiet as much as is possible to live peaceably with all men Rom. 12. 17 18. He is not to wave swerve nor shrink from his continuance in and exercise
of godliness and honesty to get peace with any or live quietly with them that will be worthily reputed a loving the things of the world and the love and fellowships of or peace with men more then him or the praise of men more then the praise that comes of God alone and will render a man unworthy of him Mat. 10. 32 39. John 12. 42 43. Yet a man living in all godliness and honestly he may lead his life quietly and peaceably with and amongst those that are ungodly turbulent unjust and devising deceitful matters against him and that for Christs sake and the Gospels or at least he may endeavour it as much as is possible by being for peace even while they are for war Psal 35. 13 14 20. and 120. 6 7. and yet not joyne or comport with them in their ungodly principles or wayes nor allow or have fellowship with their unfruitful works of darkness but in a constant holding fast faith and a good conscience exercising himself in godliness and honesty be alwayes fleeing from and avoiding them departing from iniquity according to the teaching of that name and grace of Christ professed by him and so reproving them bearing witness and striving against their sin and that with meekness long-suffering and doctrine and yet with constancy Heb. 12. 3 4. 2 Tim. 2. 19 26. and 4. 1 5. However then this is first to be minded the Saints of God such as through grace believe they are to lead their lives and be continually exercised each according to their capacity in godliness and honesty Godliness is the true or right worshipping of God the honouring or glorifying of him and walking in a right acknowledgement of him in all things and so in service of him according to the teachings of that grace that brings salvation to all men which in that appearance of it by Christ teacheth that denying all ungodliness we should live godly See it explicated by this Apostle 1 Tim. 4. 8 10. Having exhorted Timothy to exercise himself to godliness on this account that it's profitable to all things he proves that thus verse 10. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe where comparing the verses it appears that the trusting in and so the whole worshipping of the living God in and according to that declaration of his name in his Son where he hath revealed himself to be the living God the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe This is godliness or right worshipping of God and so to be exercised herein and hereto was to exercise himself to godliness which he should finde profitable to all things even to his teaching and strengthening in this present day to all his service and suffering And so with this 1 Tim. 4. 7 8 10. agrees that description of a godly person Psal 1. He that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly nor stands in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful he refuseth foolish and unlearned questions and positions of science falsely so called such teachings counsels and documents about the worship and acknowledgement of God or of Christ as in which God in Christ is not honoured according to his word But the great testimony of God concerning him which is the summe of all the matter of the Fathers teaching or learning Joh. 6. 45. Eph. 4. 20 22. and the key of knowledge for opening all things pertaining to the knowledg and worship of God is laid by And so the fear and worship taught by the precepts of men or after the wisdom of this world which is foolishness with God and teaches enmity to the truth and way of worshipping God as it is in Jesus he avoids refuseth and shuns such ungodliness and also flees youthful and fleshly or worldly lusts and exerciseth himself to godliness 1 Tim. 4. 7. and 6. 11. 2 Tim. 2. 22 23. that is as in the Psalm his delight and continual exercise is in the law or doctrine of the Lord the old Commandment preached from the beginning the testimony of God concerning Christ the law of liberty as explicated James 1. 25. he looketh into it and continueth therein his faith his fear his whole worship acknowledgement and service is taught by and according thereto he shall be stable successful and so blessed in his deed and accordingly we have a description of ungodly persons though having a form of godliness yet denying the power the root and life thereof And with it a declaration of the general reason they are so unstable and easily tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine as Psal 1. 4. with Eph. 4. 14. and do so much miscarry in their apprehensions of all things pertaining to the knowledge and worship of God They erre in vision they stumble in judgement Isa 28. 7. and 29. 9. the description of them I say and the general reason of such their erring and instability we have Isa 29. 11. The vision of all was become unto them as the words of a book that is sealed c. and so rendered by them to others and this fundamental blindness it may seem God had now in part given them up unto but it was because they had first wilfully closed their own eyes and made it their own proper wilful iniquity against the light and reproof of grace as Isa 28. 10 11 12 13. with Mat. 13. 13 14 15. The Vision of all is Jesus Christ as declared in the Gospel in whose face now God hath manifested the light of his glory so as he that seeth him seeth him that sent him he that believeth on him believeth on him that sent him John 12. 44 46. 2 Cor. 4. 6. yea he is that true light that in revealing the Father doth manifest all things in their proper colours The Light of the world John 8. 12. and 12. 46. with Eph. 5. 13. That vision spoken of Hab. 2. 2 3. compare Heb. 10. 37. 'T is to us Jesus Christ as now declared in that preaching of the Cross who was before witnessed in the Law and Prophets compare Isa 29. 11 14. with 1 Cor. 1. 18 19. c. This therefore called the Vision of all because it 's the Vision of all Visions the foundation and key of knowledge for the opening of all doctrines the great things of Gods Law Hosea 8. 12. Mat. 23. 13 23. Luke 11. 52. and also because it 's the Vision of for and to all men the light of the world it holds forth tidings of great joy of greatest and most excellent concernment for them all and at all times Luke 1. 10 11 14. Prov. 8. 1 6 7. 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is rendered as a sealed book when the Gospel as preached by the Prophets and Apostles in and according to the import of its own expressions is looked upon and presented as a Riddle or hidden thing in which
truth is not plainly manifested but one thing spoken and another meant or the meaning locked or sealed up from us under other expressions contrary to 2 Cor. 4. 1 4. when the pen of the Scribe especially in those things main and fundamenttal is rendered as vain and too empty to give his sence and meaning and yet men pretend wisdom and that they have the Law of the Lord with them Jer. 8. 8 9. This Vision of all being a sealed book upon this account it 's affirmed of such Their whole fear and worship though they honour him with their lips is taught by mens precepts and therefore not right worshipping The reason of such an Assertion concerning the whole worship meerly on this account is this The summe of the Gospel being hid they are lost or out of the way and cannot have any right understanding or usefulness of the instructions of the word of the Lord as to their worship of him having rejected the summe and fundamentals of it and that in which the fellowship of the Spirit is to be met with for opening the rest They have therein rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdom is in them Jer. 8. 8 9. 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. And this is the reason of their roeling and erring in all things hard to be understood they are unlearned and unstable 2 Pet. 3. 16. that is not having learned Christ aright and so all truth as it is in Jesus that Vision of all or not attending and waiting to learn and have the usefulness of all truth according to their needs and capacities through the knowledge and usefulness of that summe of the Gospel the testimony of God concerning him as Isa 28. 10 11 12 14 16. John 6. 45 46. Eph. 4. 21. They therefore presently pervert those things in the Scriptures hard to be understood and then also to frame their apprehensions in every thing to such pervertings of the Scriptures in things hard they pervert all other Scriptures to their own destruction These are such ungodly ones as yet have a form of godliness but deny the power resist and oppose the truth as it is in Jesus The Father is not rightly honoured or worshipped by them The true Worshippers worship the Father in Spirit and truth John 4. 23. The truth of all types promises and former revelations of God to men in and according to which the Father is to be worshipped is Christ Jesus Phil. 3. 3. The testimony of Jesus as now come forth is to us the Spirit of prophesie through and according to which the Father and Son God in Christ is to be acknowledged believed in and worshipped by us Rev. 19. 10. And thus our Saviour explicates that John 4. 23. according to these two Scriptures compared in John 5. 22 23 24. The Father judgeth no man that is otherwise then as follows but hath committed all judgement to the Son to this end that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father that now in honouring the Son as come forth and glorified in our nature through sufferings they may therein truely acceptably honour or worship the Father And for further opening how and wherein the Son is rightly honoured and so the Father in him he addes He that heareth my word that revelation of the Father that he was delivered to death for our offences raised for our justification as declared in the Gospel giveth and through and according to it beliveeth on him that sent me he hath ever lasting life c. Therefore believers are exhorted to hold fast the believing remembrance of the things heard from the beginning the word of the beginning of Christ and to have recourse thereto as to that Spirit or Unction it being the immediate birth or off-spring of the Spirit it self and so Spirit according to that rule John 3. 6. His name an oynment poured forth Cant. 1. 2. for understanding all things for preserving from every evil word and work for direction and furniture to all service and suffering 1 Cor. 15. 1 4. 2 Tim. 2. 7 8. 1 John 2. 20 24 27. And therein and so they shall be found exercising themselves to godliness Honesty signifies righteousness equity or justice in our demeanour towards all men and that such as in which there is chastity or sincerity to the main design for which we are set in the world purity of heart and cleanness of hands in prosecuting the good of all men working righteousness or walking righteously in all our conversation with and amongst them as Psal 15. and 24. Isa 33. 15. According to the teachings of that grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men and so in like expressions it is joyned with living godly in that Tit. 2. 11 12. and opposed to worldly lusts The grace of God that brings salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us That denying ungodliness and wordly lusts we should live righteously soberly and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the mighty God our Saviour who gave himsef for us to redeem us from all iniquity that he might purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works So 1 Pet. 2. 11 12. it 's opposed to fleshly lusts which being heeded and listened to do hinder the Soul of so living honestly Therefore dearly beloved saith Peter I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts that warre against the Soul having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that in the day of their visitation they may glorifie God Like that Phil. 2. 15 16. Do all things without murmurings and disputings that ye may be blameless harmless the Sons of God in the midst of a crooked generation amongst whom shine ye as lights in the world holding forth the word of life and that both in word and conversation The doing that which is just and equal between man and man and so unto all or that which is so in the sight of men this is certainly here meant by or contained in living honestly as Phil. 2. 16. Rom. 12. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 15. and 3. 16. But this alone is too scant a definition of the living honestly here meant yet all that is signified by it is no more but a walking righteously and doing that which is lawful right but that which is so in the sight of God and according to the teachings of that grace of God that brings salvation to all men goes further then that which is so in the sight of men and they are both together in this living honestly as may be seen in one instance 2 Cor. 8. 20 21. That no man might blame them in the abundance administred by them they did provide things honest not onely in the sight of God but also in the sight of men signifying that they did provide things honest or walk honestly in the sight of God in administring abundantly of whatever God had given them for the good