cleanse the inward parts of the belly Prov. 20. 30. and be dedicated to him and filled with the fruits of righteousness and this fruit we reap of it in being exercised to the consideration of the grace of God in Christ that while we were yet without strength in due time Christ dyed for the ungodly and having access by faith thereinto Heb. 12. 2 11. Rom. 5. 2 6. Jam. 1. 2 5. Hence afflictions are compared to water because God is hereby washing and cleansing us Psal 66. 12. Isa 27. 3. and to fire because God is hereby proving and purifying and making white that the trial of the faith of believers being much more precious than that of gold which perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found to praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ Isa 31. 9. 48. 10. Zech. 13. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. and so the means by which Jesus Christ doth wash baptize and sanctifie are the holy Ghost in the testimony and fire Mat. 3. 11. Luk. 3. 16. 3. How God and the word of his grace doth give and is able to give them the inheritance To this we say as before is noted that he doth not now fully and gloriously give it to them in this day yea Abraham to whom the promises were made and the rest of the Pâ—triarchs they received not the promises Heb. 11. 13 39. God gave Abraham none inheritance in the actual and glorious injoyment of it and he and Isaac and Jacob heirs together with him of the same promise all died in faith not receiving the promises Act. 7. 5. Heb. 11. 13. and though Peter saith he was a partaker of glory yet he saith of the the glory that shall be revealed it is not so yet 1 Pet. 5. 1. But now 1. Jesus Christ doth give it them in giving himself to them in the word of his grace to whom the promises were originally made Gal. 3. 16. who is the heir of all things now actually in our nature Heb. 1. 2. and whos 's the inheritance is and who is entred to take possession for us Heb. 6. 20. and so in receiving him they are made sons of God by faith in Christ Christ is theirs and they are Christs And if sons then heirs heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ Rom. 8. 17. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things unto him and he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life all things are theirs as Christ is theirs even by faith whether things present or things to come and they are Christ's and if Christ's then are they Abraham's seed and heirs according to promise Joh. 3. 35 36. 1 Cor. 3. 21 23. Gal. 3. 26 29. and so God in giving Christ as raised from the dead in the wâ—rd of his grace makes an everlasting Covenant with believers Isa 55. 3. with Act. 13. 34. And so 2. God doth in and through Christ give it in the word of his grace by promise which was confirmed of God in Christ before the Law and now actually ratified and sealed by the death of the Testator whose blood is the blood of the new Testament and everlasting Covenant and so God gave the inheritance to Abraham by promise and they who are Christ's are heirs according to promise Gal. 3. 18 29. that they might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them Heb. 6. 17. 20. and so as Abraham is said to have received the promise even in the word of it and through faith and patience to inherit the promises even so he gives and they are receiving it and are saved by hope and so by faith and in hope they are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be moved Heb. 12. 28. for he is faithful that promised having confirmed the Covenant by his blood and is alive to see it performed and is the Mediator of it that the called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance Heb. 9. 14. Jam. 1. 12. 2. 5. 3. He is giving unto them an earnest now even the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of the inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession Eph. 1. 13 14. 2. Cor. 1. 22. 5. 5. An earnest is a part of the whole a first fruits and so they receive a first fruits of the spirit Rom. 8. 23. and an earnest is also an assurance and confirmation that they shall have all in due time this spirit he is now giving unto them to make them partakers of the forgiveness of their sins to be a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ and so to indue them with a new spirit judgment and disposition to write his Laws in their hearts and put them in their minds and to fill them with his fruit love joy peace long suffering c. Heb. 10. 14 17. Eph. 1. 17 18. Gal. 5. 16 22 23. and this spirit which is the earnest of the inheritance he is giving unto them and they receive through the word of his grace according to that Received ye the spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith Gal. 3. 1 5. 4. Yea when the Lord himself shall descend from heaven he will give unto them the inheritance gloriously which here they have been receiving by faith and hope and in the earnest and first fruits of it they shall then inherit all things and God himself will be with them their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes c. and this he will give unto them not according to their works of righteousness but of grace yea and according to the rule of the word of his grace for God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to the Gospel the word of his grace and so according to that rule he will give eternal life to them that by patient continuance in well-doing have been seeking glory honour and immortality Rom. 2. 7 16. they shall then be judged according to the Law of liberty Jam. 2. 12. and according thereto he that believeth the Gospel and is baptized sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God shall be saved viz. shall obtain that salvatâ—on in Christ Jesus with eternal glory Mark 16. 16. 2 Tim. 2. 10. they shall not then be judged according to the Law of works which is do and live and Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the Law to do them for according thereto no flesh living can be justified in his sight but by the Law of faith the word of his grace in which is declared to us that this is the will of him that sent Jesus Christ that every one that now seeth the Son and believeth in him should have everlastinglife and he will raise him up at the 〈◊〉 day to the glorious injoyment of it and so of that inheritance which
and large dominion than over the works of God's hands here below yea that nothing no person or thing is exempted from being under his Lordship except him who hath put all things under him though this be not so gloriously manifested now as it shall be in due time Thou hast set him over the works of thy hands thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet sor in that he put all in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him Heb. 2. 7 9. Oh great grace toward mankind and especially for the good of those that shall be heirs of salvation Hence that admiration What is man that thou art mindful of him Psal 8. 4. Heb. 2. 6. 1. 14. This is that grace in Christ as to the first branch of the testimony even that he by vertue of his blood hath delivered us in himself from the guilt of our sins which occasioned the first breach and from that so great a death and hath obtained forgiveness of all our sins all grace and truth into himself and a great and glorious Lordship and authority And by vertue of what he hath done and hath received he is become the one and only foundation the living stone and chief corner stone the head of the corner 1 Cor. 3. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 4 6. yea to the disobedient the head of the corner 1 Pet. 2. 7. the Saviour of the world Joh. 4. 42. 1 Joh. 4. 14. the way the truth and the life Joh. 14. 6. the only door â—f approach to God by whom only we may come to the Fâ—ther Ioh. 10. 7 9. the true light the light of the world Ioh. 1. 9. 8. 12. the bread of life and water of life Ioh. 6. 35. the true vine Ioh. 15. 1. he is beauty and glory excellency and comeliness for our escape Isa 4. 2. the Lord and Christ Act. 2. 36. a Prince and Saviour Act. 5. 31. yea in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and in him we are compleat who is the head of all principality and power Col. 2. 9 10. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord who can shew forth all his praise Psal 106. 2 3. his love is that which passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 19. And great cause and good ground have we to pray for our selves and one another that God would strengthen us with might by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith in what he hath done and is become that we being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height even of his grace Eph. 3. 16 18. where the excellency of this love and grace is set forth in like expressions as is the unsearchableness of the Almighty for God is love See Iob 11. 7 9. there we have these several dimensions spoken of though in a contrary order The breadth of this grace is such as that it is broader than the Sea though that be famous for its breadth and therefore called the great and wide Sea Psal 104. 25. yet he hath given to it its decree that the waters should not pass his commandment Prov. 8. 29. there is an end of that but his love is exceeding broad and his commandment his Gospel in which it is declared this is more capacious infinitely exceedingly wide who there-through hath in our nature obtained dominion now and shall exercise it gloriously from Sea to Sea he is that place of broad rivers and streams and shall be so gloriously manifested Isa 33. 21. and they that from the excellency of his loving kindness put their trust under the shadow of his wings shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house and he will make them drink of the river of his pleasures now in a first fruits of the Spirit and hereafter in a full injoyment for with him is the fountain of life Psal 36. 7 9. 46. 4. As to its length it is longer than the earth as to its duration and continuance for it is everlasting Jer. 31. 3. And he hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace 2 Thes 2. 16. and it is by vertue thereof that the earth and all the inhabitants thereof which were dissolved by the sin of man are upheld he bears up the pillars thereof upholds all things by the word of his power Psal 75. 3. Heb. 1. 3. whereby all the inhabitants of the earth are in him redeemed from the curse of the Law and whereby there is peace on earth good will towards men and which extends in the vertue and fruit of it to all the inhabitants of the earth in every age and generation and that to a gracious end Hence all the earth called upon to make a joyful noise to be thankful unto him and bless his name c. Psl 100. to look to him and be saved Isa 45. 21 22. The depth of it is deeper than hell even that wherethrough he hath destroyed Satan in his first work and is fitted and impowered to destroy him in his second and will do it in due time he hath spoiled principalities and powers Destruction and death say we have heard the fame thereof with our ears Job 28. 22. Satan had laid his plot very deep and by his subtlety having beguiâ—ed our first Parents and drawn them into the transgression and so into the desert of curse and death thought to have made them for ever necessarily alike miserable with himself and indeed the condition into which he brought them and they by listening to him brought themselves was such as they could never suffer this death so as to overcome in suffering no man could redeem his brother c. and yet the death must be suffered and overcome or no mercy could be shewn to mankind but now our God and the Father in him the man Christ Jesus hath counterplotted and underuinâ—d him and in what he thought to have dealt proudly he was aâ—ove him in that very destruction in which he though to have destroyed us for ever is he taken and fallen our Jesus hath through death destroyed him that had the power of death even the Devil and hath obtained the victory and his triumphing Song is Oh death where is thy sting Oh hell where is thy victory Death in him is swallowed up into victory and abolished and he hath overcome hell and out-witted Satan in the net which he laid for us and into which we were fallen is he himself taken Oh infinite pity and love to man-ward and through Christ God gives us the victory that we may rejoyce in his salvation and in the name of our God list up the banner 1 Cor. 15. 55 58. Psal 20. 5. 98. 1. 47. The height of it is the height of heaven for there-through and by vertue of what he hath done thereby he being raised from the dead hath offered himself a
deal of cunning craftiness to deceive and beguile others withal her wayes are moveable thou canst not know them Prov. 5. 6. they would be thought many times to commend that which their soul loaths they can sometimes speak of Christ in their words and of Gods grace in him to sinners while yet they only consult to cast him down from his excellency they delight in lyes they bless with their mouth while they curse inwardly Selah Psal 62. 4. they privily deny the Lord that bought them and not openly and in plain words however not at first or until men begin to listen to them and imbrace their strange doctrines 2 Pet. 2. 1. inwardly they are ravening wolves while yet they come unto you in sheeps cloathing Mat. 7. 15. they hide their design so cunningly that they are not easily discovered therein and speak in secret and are like them that peep and mutter as those that are afraid of the light and if one know discern and take notice of them they are in the terrors of the shadow of death and therefore believers are more ready to be insnared with them and it is more difficult so to detect them as to preserve others from them So much the Apostle signifies when he saith Many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping as signifying that the believers were hardly perswaded to believe they were evil workers or as bad as indeed they were because they pretended one thing and intended another and yet notwithstanding their specâ—â—us pâ—etences they were the enemies of the Cross of Christ whose end is destruction a marring of the visage of the Son of man Phil. 3. 18 19. and therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the thâ—ngs we have heard that we may not be as children tâ—ssed to and frâ— and carried about with every wâ—nâ— of doctrine by the sleâ—ght of men and cunning craftness whereby they lye in wait to deceive Eph. 4. 14. For notwithstanding their appearing godliness and great boastings of themselves their alluring doctrines their diligent importunity and cunning craftiness in hiding their design we may by the words of God's lips keep us from the error of the wicked and from every path of the destrâ—yer When wisdom Jesus Christ entreth into thine heart by faith and knowledge the word of his grace is pleasant unto thy soul discretion shall preserve thee understanding shall keep thee to deliver thee from the way of the evil man Prov. 2. 10 12. 4. 10 16. On let us hear then the instruction of our fâ—ther which is lâ—t thine heart retain my words keep my commandments and live get wisdom get understandiâ—g to get it not neither decline from the words of my mouth forsake her not and she shall preserve thee love her and she shall keep thee Prov. 4. 1 4 8. In committing our selves then to God and his Gospel we may be preserved from those whole end is destruction For 1. Here is compleatness prepared and discovered to give satisfying to our souls And 2. Direction given whereby we may know so as to beware of those grievous Wolves 1. Here is compleatness prepared and discovered to give satisfying to our souls this to which he commits them is the rest where the weary may find rest and this is the refreshing Isa 28. 12. Jesus Christ as declared in the Gospel is the bread of life and he that cometh to him shall never hunger after other food and he that believeth on him shall never thirst Joh. 6. 35. this God even our God hath done all things well for us and obtained all things into himself that may answer to all our needs supply all our wants and perfect whatsoever doth concern us he having been delivered for our offences and raised again from the dead hath made peace by the blood of his Cross slain the enmity that was between God and mankind broken down the middle wall of partition abolished death destroyed him that had the power of death wrought righteousness compleated salvation obtained eternal redemption received all fulness into himself for us yea he hath all things given unto him that may satisfie us All things are delivered to him of the father Luk. 10. 22. All things are here ready Mat. 22. 4. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand Joh. 3. 35. All things that the Father hath are his Joh. 16. 15. And surely he saith so often All things that we might be assured that all fulness dwelleth in him and we may well reason as the Apostle doth in that he put all things in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him Heb. 2. 8. So may we say in that all things are delivered to him and ready and prepared in him it is manifest that nothing is excepted yea and he gives all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of himself even through the word of knowledge the word of his grace 2 Pet. 1. 2 3. How powerful is this to preserve us from those who come unto us preaching another Jesus whom the Apostles have not preached or another Gospel which the believers have not accepted whosoever drinketh of the water which Christ in the Testimony gives shall never thirst This will preserve such as continue drinking from gadding about to change their way and from an itching ear to hear and heap up to themselves teachers that bring not this doctrine and even make them say with Peter when many of Christ's Disciples because of reproofs met with and not submitted to went back and walked no more with him Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life Joh. 6 60 68. Prov. 8. 34 36. In him namely in Christ as declared in the Testimony are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge And this I say saith the Apostle lest any man should beguile you with inâ—icing words in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and in him ye are compleat who is the head of all principality and power let no man therefore beguile you c. Col. 2. 3 9 18. These things saith the Apostle John have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know ye have eternal life in having the Son and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God This was powerful to preserve them from those that did seduce them 1 Joh. 5. 10 13. with Chap. 2. 25 26. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that according as it is written he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. 30 31. He is the living bread that came down from heaven Joh. 6. 51. The fountain of living waters for washing and cleansing us for cooling our thirst and satisfying us for watering and making us fruitful even like a watered garden
and that he is not raised from the dead in that same body in which he bare our sins on the Tree but call some light spirit or seed in every man the Christ in somedying in others rising c. These deny Jesus to be the Christ and so are Antichrists 1 Joh. 2. 22. and even call him accursed one who hath failed in the work appointed him to do and hath not redeemed us from the curse of the Law for if Christ be not raised from the dead in that same body in which he died for our sins according to the Scriptures and was buried then is our preaching vain saith the Apostle and your faith is also vain ye are yet in your sins 1 Cor. 15. 3 4 12 20. They speak indeed many times of a Christ but they deny or confess not him who is so indeed for he is one who shewed himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs and rose in that same body in which he was crucified though not in the weakness it was sometime in in that body which hath flesh and bones 1 Pet. 2. 24. Joh. 2. 21. Act. 1. 3. Luke 24. 39. and evidenced that it was he himself that was alive after his resurrection by shewing to his Disciples his hands and his feet Luk. 24. 39 40. and his hands and his side namely his hands that were nailed to the Tree and his side that was pierced with a spear and saith to Thâ—mas reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side c. And these things are written that we might believe thaâ— Jesus the son of the Virgin Mary that had that name given unto him on the eighth day when he was ciâ—cumcised and was known by the name of Jesus of Nazareth by friends and enemies is the Christ the â—nointed one of God Joh. 20. 20 25 27 31. with Chap. 19. 34. and in that very body he ascended and offered it up to God according the will of God by the which will of God we are sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus once for all even of that body which the Father prepared for him when he came into the world Heb. 10. 5 10. and hath in heaven a glorious body distinct from his body the Church which while here is vile Phil. 3. 20 21. and is there and from thence namâ—d himself unto Paul Jesus of Nazareth â—ct 2â— 8 and in that body of his flesh as distinct from his body the Church he doth and will present holy unblameable and unreproveble in his â—ight his body the Church even such as continue in the faith grounded and setled and are not moved away from the hope of the Gospel Col. 1. 22 24. and so he in that same body even the man Christ Jesus is the Mediator between God and men 1 Tim. 2. 5. and by this man God shall judge the world in righteousness whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Act. 17. 31. Mat. 16. 27. 19. 28 25. 31. 3. And so they are not of God who deny Jesus Christ to be or confess him not to be the only foundation of our faith and hope but call some purpose or decree of election respecting mens persons in a personal consideration the foundation There is no purpose of God which is the foundation and much less that which many plead for which is no purpose of his and which renders the Cross of Christ and the preaching of it a foolish and undesirable thing As wâ—ll as also they confess nâ—t Christ in their doctrines who direct men to look into themselves originally for some sign and witness of God's lovâ— before they can assure them Christ hath died for them and God loves them and if upon examination they find as they conceit some love to God before they know whether he hath loved them thâ—n they â—â—ll them they are in a good condition Christ hath died for them and God loves them and righteousness is prepared for them and so they have according to such doctrines the beginning of their confidence bottom matter of their faiâ—h in themselves in some frame change alteration love to God before they know God hath loved them which is not love herein not confessing Jesus Christ which is come in the flesh to be the foundation which he only is 1 Cor. 3. 11. 1 Joh. 4 9 10. And so such praise not Jesus Christ who confess him not to be the only High-Priest and Head of the Church but give that honour to another besides him or together with him and confess not the infinite excellency and abiding vertue of his one sacrifice of his own body offered by himself once for all but offer up a propitiatory sacrifice besides for the quick and the dead hereby counting the blood of the Covenant a common thing and like the blood â—f Bulls and Goats and his sacrifice like those offered by the Law which because they could not purge away sin were therefore continually offered Heb. 9. 12 14 25. 7. 27. 10. 1 14. or that confess him nor to be â—he only door of approach to God Joh. 10. 4 5 7 9 12. or the only bread of life Joh. 6. 35 51. or the only Mediator but multiply Mediators to themselves as Saints departed c. 1 Tim. 2. 5. to which we shall add no more now but that which the Apostle saith If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maâ—anatha 1 Cor. 16. 22. 2. But because many say Lord Lord and do make some right acknowledgment of Christ viz. that he was delivered to death and rose again and ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of God c. which is true and yet give not to him the praise due to his name nor lift him up and praise him as he worthily deserves therefore we have another rule of trial given us in 1 Joh. 4. 6. We are of God namely the Apostles in their word and doctrine he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us that is he is not determined by ouâ— word in all his confessions he alwayes heareth not adhereth not to the words which the Apostles have spoken viz those which the Holy Ghost teacheth but rather speaks in the words which mans wisdom teacheth hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error By this word of God's grace we may mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which the believers have learned of Christ by his Apostles so as to avoid them Rom. 16. 17. to this râ—le we are often directed To the Law and to the testimonâ— if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8. 20. If we saith the Apostle or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than what we have preached