dispensation of God was righteous and yet to give place to the last ministration by Christ from heaven Is not the Law a rule of life to us how then can it be done away Object Sol. If you consider what I have said you may easily be satisfied If you meane by the Law the substance commanded in the Law I say t is and alwaies was for the substantiall matter in the Law written in the heart in the Creation in Tables of stone to the Jewes and in the heart by the spirit in the Gospell which is Love God and thy Neighbour is one and the same But if you meane the Law as given to Moses the Mediator of the Old Covenant to which appertained the wordly Sanctuary c. it neither is nor never was to the Gentiles How can it he said Wee be free from the Curse of the Law where we are Object yet subject to sorrow labour sicknesse and death which are Curses of the Law I answer That Saints are subject to death and sicknesse c. T is Sol. true but not upon the same account as others is as true The nature of all these things are changed the sicknesse of the body redounds to the soules health The labour of the body serves to minde us that our rest is not here Death in the flesh serves to passe us to our rest and blessednesse for Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they shall rest from all their labours and their workes follow them Hence Paul wisely Desired to be dissolved that he might be with Christ Hence he glories in tribulation which if curses to him he could not have done True it is these are curses and poyson to the world but to a Saint they are blessings and medicines well prepared by the skilfull art of our great and charitable Physitian the Lord Jesus But God punishes his people for sinne how then can they say Curses are all Object done away If by punishment you meane an execution of justice upon an offender Sol. in satisfaction of a Law which is properly only and truly punishment I say God punishes not believers at all there is no curse in their habitation no poison in their cup their portion is grace mercy pardon healing and salvation But some say God himselfe saith You of all Nations have I knowne Object therefore will I punish you for your iniquities To that I answer That is a threatning sutable to the dispensation Sol. of the Covenant of workes to that state the Jewes were trained up in but now in the Gospell the language is altered for God now appeares to be love Now if we sinne it is said We have an Advocate But God in the Gospell saith Whom I love I rebuke and chasten Object therefore he punishes his beloved for their sinnes I answer to this First Affirmatively That God doth afflict his Sol. people for sin yea his beloved But Secondly I say Afflictions are to them no curse at all but a loving correction of a loving Father not to satisfy his wrath for he hath seen the travell of his Son and is already satisfied but to manifest his mercy it being for his childrens healing safety and prosperity they rather publish his love then his wrath For whom he loveth he chasteneth and whom be receiveth he scourgeth Therefore saith the spirit to the Saints If you endure chastening you are dealt withall as Sonnes If you are not chastised you are bastards and not sonnes Affliction is for their profit as necessary for them as their meate and drink Before we be afflicted we goe astray Afflictions are a fruit of the Fathers love in Christs death therefore called the dyings or markes of Christ Jesus they are sent to crucify the sinnes in us that crucified him they are as fire to purify not destroy the gold they yeild the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse though for the present they are not joyous to them that are exercised therein If wee suffer with him wee shall also reigne with him And yet we must note that afflictions though many times they be yet are not alwaies sent as a chastisement for some particular sinne but for the shewing forth the power of God as Christ speakes in the case of the blinde man To conclude this of the Law I say we are freed from it as it was a Covenant of works which was a dispensation of God to the Creature by which he never intended life to the Creature but to advance the glory of his his Sonne in shewing them their weaknesse and sinfulnesse But as for the substance of the matter contained in the commands it is I say againe a standing rule to all generations and he or they that walke not according to it it is because they have no light in them To love God and our Neighbour the substance of the Law is our duty as well as any others Chap. XIV Sheweth some other effects of the virtue of Christs death 7. BY the death of Christ the wall of partition betweene Jewes The partition wall is broken downe by the death of Christ and Gentiles is broken downe and all the writings of Ordinances taken out of the way Before it was said In Jerusalem shall they worship but now Neither in this Mountaine nor in Jerusalem That is to say the Father makes no more difference of places there is now neither Jew nor Gentile Barbarian nor Scythian bond nor free Master nor Servant but all are one in Christ Jesus Now neither Circumcision nor Un-Circumcision availeth any thing but a new Creature 8. All types shadowes and figures are now fulfilled Here I Types and shadowes fulfilled by Christs death might be large but I shall onely name some few particulars As First Circumcision held forth Christ to come in the flesh of Abraham of the seed of Israel and obliged to the keeping of the Law now is Christ come and the Circumcision is of the heart Christ hath fulfilled the Law Secondly All sacrifices peace offerings sin offerings trespasse offerings are all ended in the body of Christ He is the Altar The propitiation The true living Temple The habitation of God and the Saints He is the true Manna The true Joshua or Jesus that conducts us into the true Land of Canaan He is the Sampson that by his death destroyes his enemies He is the true David that sits on the Throne for ever He is the true Arke of our salvation He is the true Lamb The Stape Goat The First borne The true Priest Prophet and King He is the the true Rocke out of whcih flow living waters He is the true rest He is the Deliverer of his people He is the true Joseph that was sold into a strange land to provide for us against a day of spirituall famine He is the true watchman and shepheard of his people But of these I must say with our Apostle I cannot now stand to speake particularly 9. He hath by this death purchased for us
acceptation of the word viz a particular and individuall substance or being distinct from another In this sense I say there are not three persons in God for this is to make three Gods but because the Scriptures no where saith there are three persons I hope the word invented by mans wisedome shall not be imposed on any as a snare let us more look to things then words I say according to the Scriptures there are three that beare Record in Heaven the Father viz the infinite being the begetter of the Son and the Son viz the expresse image of God the reflection or likenesse of himselfe which is the word begotten of the Father and the spirit the mutuall kindnesse love and communication of the Father and the Son for God is love all agree in one in one man Christ Jesus the Father is in him the Word is in him for it was made flesh and dwelt among us and the Spirit is in him viz the eternall love of the Father the sweet and heavenly influences thereof it is given to him without measure So that God manifested in the flesh in a way of union is Christ for all that may be knowne or understood or enjoyed of God is in the Lord Jesus Nay further what ever God is to a Saint he is it in Christ Jesus for the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in him bodily that is to say God in his highest manifestation of himselfe in power grace and truth c. For he was full of grace and truth The sum of what I have said or can say in this particular which notwithstanding I must confesse comes infinitely short of the height of its glory is that the conjunction of Father Son and Spirit after a spiritual and wonderfull manner in the man Jesus Christ is the Lords Christ So that God in Christ is God the Father dwelling in and uniting the humane nature after a wonderfull and unspeakable manner to himselfe and therefore is Christ called God and Man and because of this union Christ sometimes speaks as he is man and so dies sometimes as the Word which is God in him and so he raiseth himself from the dead sometimes in a way of union and so he is the Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus Chap. V. Sheweth how God in Christ unvailes himself to the sonnes of men wherein is shewn that Christ is our Priest and the manner of his Consecration and fitnesse for his Office HAving shewed what we are to understand by God in Christ and what the Lords Christ is I am come now to shew that Christ was not anointed for himself only but that he might communicate of his fulnesse to others which appeares in these two considerations First in that Christ was designed by the Father or set apart or â—â—secrated to a glorious work Secondly in that Christ is made fit capable and able effectually to performe whatever worke was imposed on him which his being anointed holds forth to us Of these in order In Christ's designation to a worke there are two things to be observed 1. What the worke is that Christ is consecrated to 2. The manner of his consecration Concerning the worke it selfe it is a three-fold office or ministry viz a Priestly Propheticall and Kingly office wherein all the appearance of the love wisedome or power of God are clearly made manifest I shall speake of these in order Now the Priesthood of Christ is that order or office that Christ What the Priesthood of Christ is hath from his Father in a way of relation to God and Man offering up sacrifices to the Lord. Wherein are two things considerable First The Priest Secondly The Sacrifice be offers For he is not a Priest but in reference to his offering of Sacrifice The Priest is Jesus Christ even the man Christ whom I have already Christ is the Saints highest Priest discovered to be the anointed of the Father even this man that that an unchangable Priesthood who is the Son of God according to the divine nature and humane nature it is he that is our Heb. 9. 11. High Priest But now seeing no man takes this honour to himselfe but he that is called The manner of Christs consecration Heb. 5. 5. of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himselfe to be made an High Priest but he did it that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee The Father anointed him as I have showne more at large before and now shall shew you the manner of his consecration Which was 1. With an oath saith the Psalmist The Lord hath sworne and will not Christ consecrated by an Oath repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck needs must we conclude the matter is of great concernment that is mannaged with so much solemnity That God should with an oath confirme it it hath much weight in it An oath amongst men puts an end of strife and seales up the matter in question Men in all ages as I have said before being convicted in their consciences that God is displeased and must be pacified have had their Priests to accomplish that service Nay the Lord appointed many Priests to offer Sacrifice to himself But now that he might make it appear that none of these were his eternal Priests that he might put all out of doubt and clearly reveal his own mind and the immutability of his counsell sweares by himselfe there being none greater then himselfe to sweare by that he had made established and consecrated the Lord Christ to be the everlasting Priest upon whom he had conferred his everlasting Priesthood The Priests of old were made without an oath but Christ with an oath by him that said unto him Thou art a Priest for ever As if God should have said Son its true there have beene many Priests that I have made but they are dying Priests and their Priesthood is but a shadow or type of thine which I commit to thee for thou art my well-beloved and shalt not dye of thy Priesthood there shall be no end for I have said yea I have sworne it and cannot lye The Priests of old were consecrated by the powring Oyle on their heads and the putting on of the holy garments so our High Priest Christ consecarted by the powring on of oile was set a part for this office by that holy Oyntment even the power and Spirit of the most high by the voice from the most excellent glory that gave this Record of him This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased The Lord Christ ministers in the Sanctuary with the oyle of joy gladnesse and acceptation powred on him with the garments of righteousnesse and salvation Aaron and his Sons had garments yea holy garments for glory and for beauty which garments were most exquisitely made for workmanship Exod. 28. 2. 3. wise-hearted men filled with wisedome by the Lord being onely
what he hath done for us what wee shall enjoy by him what we have done against him and what we ought to returne to him I shall draw forth this to thy view in severall particulars As First Christ is a Prophet discovering to us our sinfulnesse and Mans sinfulnesse misery by nature our nakednesse and emptinesse our blindnesse and vanity for 't is he that convinces of sinne Alas Wee see not our wretched estate by sinne till Christ comes to us and shewes us the danger of it Secondly Christ discovers to his people their happinesse by Mans happinesse grace that though their sinnes are great the Fathers love is greater Poore man lies in a dark dungeon till Christ come with his light in a comfortlesse estate till his eternall state in love be ascertained him he it is that reveales to the soule the Gospell or good newes of salvation he comes to the soule and tels him his sinnes are forgiven him By the sight of this love the soule is taught the greatnesse of his sinne and the infinitenesse of his offence the riches of Gods grace is made to shine more clearly for he convinces the world of righteousnesse Thirdly This Prophet teaches the soules all things to be believed All things to be believed even the resurrection of the body and everlasting life yea the Fathers love to him from eternity yea this teaches him what God is and what Christ is and to believe what he reveales and what shall be hereafter for he convinces the world of judgement Lastly Because I must hasten He teaches the soule obedience to Obedience to all the commands of God observe all the commands of Christ the least as well as the greatest visible as well as invisible things to be done in earth as well as to be enjoyed in heaven he teaches how to behave our selves while strangers here as well as what we shall enjoy when we attaine to the City which we now seek which obedience consists in two things 1. Love to God Love to God is that which Christ preaches to every soule whom he loves and in teaching him to love God he teaches him to love God above all and in all and all things for his sake and to deny all things and account them as losse and dung in comparison of his God 2. Love to his Neighbour Love is the fulfilling of the whole Law but more of this as God gives further opportunity I proceed now to speake of the light discovering which is the The light discovering is the Spirit spirit of God in Christ Therefore saith the Lord Jesus When I goe away viz in the flesh I will send you the Spirit and be shall take of mine and shew it to you he will guide you into all truth Therefore saith the Psalmist Oh that thou wouldest send forth thy light and thy truth let them leade mee this Spirit is the Spirit the Comforter Christ saith I am the light and I will teach you And it is said Obj. That he reveales the mysteries of the Father how then say you 't is the Spirit In answer to this I desire you would consider these three Sol. things 1. That we are taught by God and therefore saith the Scripture Yee shall be all taught of God 2. That we are all taught by Christ therefore Christ saith I am the true light 3. We are taught by the Spirit therefore is it said Yee have an unction that teacheth you all things Now these three are not three severall distinct lights but one true light which Christs owne words sweetly hold forth saying All that the Father hath is mine and the Spirit shall take of mine and shew it unto you Which holds forth this truth that the Father teacheth by his Sonne For the fulnesse of the Father dwels in him and the Sonne now teacheth onely by his Spirit therefore the Spirit takes of Christ to give to them that are his children So that it remaines cleare there is but one true light namely the light of the Father and the Sonne made manifest by the Spirit The third thing I propounded is the rule of discovery and that The rule of discovery the Scriptures is the truth of God revealed in the Scriptures The Scriptures doe declare all that was that is and that shall be practised or enjoyed by any To the Law and to the Testimony was a sure guide or rule of old insomuch that if any spake not according to them it was because there was no light in them So likewise is it a sure rule now even the Law and Testimony given by the Lord Jesus the Son of God who hath spoken in the last daies his will to us Now the will of God which is our rule to walke by is the command of God the Law of God Where there is no Law there is nothing but disorder Christ hath given us a standing Law to walk by which is the Scriptures of truth The holy Scriptures which the Apostle affirmes Are able to make the man of God perfect unto salvation through faith in Jesus Many men now adaies are grown so wanton that they may sinne without controule deny the Scriptures to be the words or Law of God But to such soules let me say the Heathens will convince them of Atheisme for when they once come to deny that they deny likewise the worke of God written in the heart by the Creation But how can you prove the Scriptures to be the words of the Lord. Object Sol. Besides the Testimony they beare of themselves which some though carnally and sensually judge to be false I shall propound these few considerations to you First Whatever is written in the heart by nature is found plainly and fully described in the Scriptures By nature man knowes there is a God that this God is to be worshipped and that he ought to live righteously and his conscience flyes in his face being convicted of his sinne against God whereupon he is put upon a way of thinking how he may please God these things through his ignorance are but confusedly in him but looke to the Scriptures all these things are handled plainly and distinctly which is an undeniable argument except to them that are so scared that they can also deny there is a God that the Scriptures are the very words of God that thy heart in nature mindes thee God in his word plainly unfolds to thee Nay further I will appeale to any man and challenge the wisest subtilest most ingenuous man in the world to tell mee what is good or excellent to be followed or avoided which may not be clearly demonstrated from the Scripture Another reason which may serve to silence thy vaine thoughts is this that all men that write of God or the worship of God are forced to make recourse to these Scriptures to decide the controversies among them Doe not the greatest Heretiques seeme to father their blasphemies upon the Scripture which is a good Argument
must speak orderly one after another for God is not the author of confusion but of peace in all the Churches of Christ Thirdly Fasting now true fasting flowes from the apprehension Fasting of some great want whereby the soul is ingaged to give up himself to seek the Lord separating himselfe from his outward imployments from meat and drink so farre as nature will permit that he may wholly without distraction be earnest with the Lord by prayer for the obtaining of his request the true nature of this will appear evident if you consider Acts 13. 2 3. 14. 23. 1 Cor. 7. 5. Fourthly Charity which is more acceptable then hope or faith Charity 1 Cor. 13. 13. this is that virtue without which al other gifts are nothing it is a grace which is rooted in the heart and is a true spirituall love and endeared affection towards his Lord Jesus and all his Saints poor and rich which composeth the Spirit in a right temper subduing covetousnesse trampling under foot vauntings loving another as himself the prayse of which read 1 Cor. 13. 3 4 5 6 7 8. verses It suffereth long is kinde envieth not vaunteth not it self is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinks no evill rejoyceth not in iniquity but in the truth beareth all things c. but I shall only mind it here as it That the outward necessities of the Saints must be relieved shewes it selfe forth in the relief of the Saints outward necessities It is an Ordinance of God to relieve the poor Saints It is the duty of the Church to see that no member in it do want or lack any thing necessary 't is not enought to say be warmed but they must administer to the supply of their wants according to the ability God hath given them 1 Cor. 16. 2. But all Saints are to have all things common so that there must be no difference Object between them as it was in the dayes of the Apostles Mistake not the Scriptures it is no where commanded it is true Sol. there was a time when all things were common yet so that every man had but accoridng to his need Act. 2. 45. 4. 34. 35. And wheras they sold their possessions they then testified their great charity and thus far it is a president for Saints to imitate that if they have possessions and their brethren be in want and they cannot to be relieved without selling their possessions they ought to sell them yet not so as to destroy their naturall relations for he that provideth not for his family is worse then an infidell But this was not their constant practise for afterward they had gatherings as God prospered them 1 Cor. 16. 2. and indeed had that been always commanded to be therepractise wherin could there have been a ground to presse to charity and to reprove for covetousnesse there alwayes hath been and yet wil be a difference among men in this world there was an elect Lady one of reputation though few noble are called who lived accordingly abounding in hospitality yet we are alwayes to mind this that we ought not to have the faith in respect of persons Lastly Breaking of bread now I wil shew you very briefly four Breaking of bread or the Lords supper Christ the author of it things considerable in this First who was the author of it that is the Lord Jesus that said to his disciples doe this in remembrance of me What doth that speech concerne us being spoken only to his disciples before his death It was not a command only to them but to others also therefore saith Paul that which I have received of the Lord Jesus I deliver to you doe you eat thereof 1 Cor. 11. 23 24. Secondly The persons for whom he ordained it and they are Church members the subjects of it The nature of this Ordinance visible beleevers in Church fellowship such as could examine themselves such as could discern the Lords body Thirdly The true nature of this Ordinance which is spirituall holding forth Christs death unto one another for it is not an Ordinance for the world but the Church and likewise it holds forth our union with Christ for the bread we break is the Body of Christ and the Cup is his blood the blood of the Covenant and it manifests our union one with another for we being many are one bread it is a visible seal to us of our interest in the Lord Jesus which is to be performed in knowledge faith discerning Christs Body that is to say seeing Christ to be the true bread and only food of a Saint he that performs it not so doth it not truly some say we are not to doe it till we see our selves above it and live in the cleere apprehensions of light and life being onely to hold forth Christs death to others and not an ordinance wherein we feed on Christ but to me its cleer we are to doe it when we see our selves most barren and empty for then are Ordinances fittest for us so that we by faith see Christ to have all fulnesse in him and by faith meet him in that Ordinance in a way of subjection for it is an Ordinance appointed for our souls refreshing as well as the holding forth his death one to another Lastly The duration or continuance of this Ordinance which The continuance of this Ordinance is till Christ comes doe this in remembrance of me and as often as you doe this saith Paul you shew forth the Lords death till he come But say some we are only to use that till Christ come in the Spirit so that Obj. he being already come in the Spirit we are not any longer to use it The Apostles meaning is not till Christ come in the Spirit but till Christs second comming without sin to salvation when he shall reward both Sol. good and bad for if you observe it Christ was come to Panl and to the Corinths in the Spirit yet they used it and he that truly conformes to that Ordinance must have the Spirit for he must discerne the Lords body that is to say the fulnesse love excellency and virtue of Christ which he cannot do without the Spirit so that for any to say Christs comming in the Spirit puts an end to it he saith more then Christ or the Apostles ever said And if what such men say should be true then this would unavoydably follow that that dispensation which only gives a true being to an Ordinance and without which an Ordinance cannot be rightly imbraced must be that which puts an end to it which is contrary to religion and right reason For I say again the dispensation of Christ in the Spirit is that which only gives a true right to it and inables spiritually to conform to it and receive virtue from Christ in it As for those objections against this which plead it to be a knowing Christ
wherein of the resurrection of the body with an answer to some object against it p. 79 80. Of perfection p. 81. Whether it may be attained in this lise p. 81 82 83. Of Christs Judgement the Law by which he judgeth the Subjects whom he judgeth the sentence that is pronounced p. 83 84. wherein is shewed what Hel is p. 84. Whether the day of judgement be yet p. 85. Chap. 18. p. 86. Of Faith Prayer Feare and reverence Love and Praise of God p. 86 87. Of the true power and manner of worshipping God in the Spirit p. 87 88. Of the Visible Worship of God Chap. 1. p. 83. OF the Gospel that is to be preached to the World p. 89 90. Of the Ministers of this Gospel p. 91. That there are true Ministers of the Gospel in our daies p. 92. marks to know them p. 93. with an answer to severall objections against a visible Ministry in our daies wherein is handled the doctrine of Miracles p. 94 95 96 97. Of the manner how the Gospel must be Preached viz. infallibly in the name of God plainly and fully p. 97 98. The Subjects of which ministry of the Gospel are sinners as sinners p. 98. Chap 2. p. 98. Of Baptism of water of the Holy Ghost and fire of afflictions p. 98 99 100 101. Chap 2. p. 98. That Christ commanded baptism of water to be preached and practised and was performed p. 102. 105 106. That the command of Christ Go teach and Baptize is meant of water baptism p. 102 103 104. Chap. 3. p. 106 Chap. 4. p. 112 That Christ is the Author or Instituter of water Baptism p. 106 107. Of the unity and difference of Johns and Christs Baptisme of water p. 107 108 109. Of the excellent nature end and use of the Baptisme of water p. 109 110 111. Of the Administrator of Baptisme with an answer to severall obj against it p. 112 113 114. Of the true subjects of Baptism p. 114. Whether it be lawfull to Baptize infants p. 115. With an answer to the principall arguments for it p. 117 118 119 120. Chap. 5. Of the true manner of performing this Ordinance which is by dipping p. 120. proved 1. From the signification of the word 2. From the nature of the Ordinance p. 120 121. with an answer to some obj against it p. 121. 122. Of the true principle leading forth to baptize p. 122 123. Of the true power enabling to conform to it and whether a Saint may be said to be ever without power to do his duty p. 123 124 125. Chap. 6. p. 118. Of the continuance of water Baptisme which is till Christ comes again visibly to good and bad proved from severall Scriptures p. 118 119 120 129. Chap. 7. Containeth severall answers to twenty obj against the practise of the Baptisme of water in our dayes wherein those Scriptures which many pretend do speak the downfall of this doctrine are explained and mens mistakes made manifest p. 142. Chap. 8. That beleevers being baptized ought to be added to some particular congregation p. 143 144. What the visible Church of Christ is p. 144 145. with an answer to this Qu. viz. Whither there may not now be a true visible Church without Baptisme of water p. 147 148. Chap. 9. Of the nature of a true church p. 148. T is the city of God Christs body the Lords mountain Gods vineyard Christs garden c. p. 149 150. Of the power of this church in receiving of members p. 151. Of admonishing of members p. 152. what a private and what a publique offence is p. 152. the difference between admonishing reprooving and rebuking what p. 153. few directions to be observed in reprooving p. 135. Of the power of the church in determining controversies about civill and indifferent things p. 153 154. Of their power in casting out of members and what it is to be delivered to Sathan p. 154. and for what causes 155. what a heretick is ibid. the church may receive members when cast out upon repentance p. 155 156. Chap. 10. p. 156. Of the duty of members towards the church p. 156. Of members to the church and of the Church towards its members p. 157. Of the gifts of the Church a word of wisdome of knowledge discerning of Spirits and prophesies p. 158. Of the true power of prophesie and who may prophesie p. 158 159. whither women may speak in the church p. 159 160. how women should improve their gifts 160. the gifts of helps and Government what 161. Chap. 11. 162. Of the Ordinances of the Church viz. Prayer Prayse p. 162. Of singing Psalmes Fasting and charity 163. Whether all Saints are to have all things common p. 164. Of breaking bread of the subjects nature and duration of it p. 164 165. Of the order of the church 165 166. Of the ministry of this church p. 166. Of the churches communion with the Father ib. with each other with other churches in advice in supplying each others wants p. 167. An Alphabeticall Table of the chiefe heads contained in this Booke A. ADministrator of Baptisme who pag. 106. c. Affections of man Christs enemies 75 All the word explained 36 Anger of God what 44 Angels are Christs souldiers 77 Apostles their office 91 Ascension of Christ what and its virtue 60 B BAlaams knowledge what 67 Baptisme of afflictions what 101 Of the Holy Ghost and fire what 100 Of Water 98 c. Its nature 109 110. Its subjects 114. The manner how to be performed 120. It s continuance 126 to 130. Of the difference and unity of Iohns and Christs Baptisme 107 108 109 c. Bloud of Christ what 27 It justifies 46 Breaking bread Vide in Lords Supper C CHrist what he is anointed of God 19 20 23 c. 61 68 69 c. Chastisement for sin what its virtue 57 58 Charity what it is 163 Church of the Gospell what 143 144 Its subjects 144 to 147. It s nature 149 150. It s power 151. It s order and what it is 165 166. It may be without officers in it Ibid. Of its communion 166 167 Circumcision ended in Christs death 58 Is no ground for Infant Baptisme 117 118 119 Civill differences to bee ended by the Church 153 154 Common Whether all things ought to be common 164 Common salvation what 41 Communion of Churches what and wherein 167 Consecration of Christ what and how performed 23 24 Covenant no proofe of Infant Baptism 116 Creation shewes the Godhead 12 to 18 Curse of the law what and how freed from it 53 to 57 D DAy of judgment what and when 84 85 Death of Christ our sacrifice 26 27 28 Deyill conquered by Christs death 59 Discerning of spirits a gift what 158 E ENemies of Christ what 73 74 Evangelists their office 91 F FAther what he is 21 22 Faith what 86. We are justified by it 47 48 Fall of Adam what and how accomplished 43 Fasting what 163 Feare of God
the Soule ascends to the true worship of God And this is two-fold 1. Light Till the Sun of righteousnesse shines into the Soule to It is light discover the minde and will of God the duty and priviledge of his creature the Soule is a darke dungeon a sleepy dead confused habitation but when God comes in the appearance of Himselfe the Soule is enlightened Which light is Light comes from God 1. Sent forth from the Lord 't is a spirituall divine supernaturall light In thy light saith the Psalmist shall wee see light T is not in the light of the World or of the first Creation but a new light to him that he had not knew not nor enjoyed before 2. It is sent into the Soule as the light of the Sunne is conveyed to the naturall eye whereby that discernes naturall objects so is Light dwels in the soule the heavenly light darted into the spirit of a man whereby that man being in this light seeth it and nothing spiritually without it 2. Love love unto God and the truth and light of God though a man may know much even by the true light yet if love be not It is love one with the light that is to say if love and light walke not hand in hand the Soule worships not God aright therefore as we heare the Saints breathing out their desires to the Lord that he would send forth his light and his truth to leade them to compasse his Altar that is to say to worship God So likewise we heare of receiving truth in the love of it If I know any thing and yet love it not I cannot chearefully entertaine or embrace it Love love I say unto the Lord produced by the light and love of God both implanted in the heart become that spirituall principle that carries forth the Soule certainly unto God We are to consider this spirituall principle with its object light God is the true object of the Saints light and love and love are vaine empty a meere fancy without a sutable object The object of true light and spirituall love is that God which is to be worshipped God over all God in all God above all which light discovers what of God is to be knowne by the Saints and wherein the appearances of God are The Light of God reveales this to the Soule that God is Hearken what the eternall Spirit saith in the Scriptures He that comes to That God is God must first believe that God is When the Lord sent Moses to deliver the Children of Israel from Egyptian bondage he bids Moses Goe and say I am hath hath sent you whereby he signifies to them his being that he is distinguishing himselfe from heathenish vanities he is in himselfe and of himselfe Therefore God frequently stiles himselfe by the name of Jehovah whereby he points out to us his being in a most excellent manner Gods being is himselfe from eternity the same without diminution addition or substraction Though the foole saith in his heart there is no God and the voluptuous man makes his belly and pleasure his God and although the world makes Satan the Prince of the world their God Yet God onely is viz that unspeakable substance who lives of himselfe what all creatures are they are by God and have their dependance upon God but God himselfe is onely truly Independent If any shall demand of mee what God is Qu. I answer if any seeke the definition of God from the workmanship Sol. of his hands he will be altogether frustrate in his expectation his substance is unspeakable man is but Gods creature man in the most lively glorious quickest and subtilest understanding is ignorant of him But may some be ready to object many Scriptures that speake of knowing iâ— Obj. God yea it is eternall life to know him the only true God Sol. To answer this we must consider to know God is First To know that there is a God or that this God is and so if we know him not we cannot speak of him nor live to him Secondly To know God is to know him after a sort or manner viz. As he hath revealed himself to the Sons of men for the incomprehensible being and invisible Beer hath made himself visible after a sort so that our obedience may not be without knowledge nor our eyes without an object and so if thou art made partaker of the Spirit and so dwellest in the light of God thou mayest see him To be incomprehensible if man poor silly man nay wise understanding man was able to comprehend the infinite One he would God is incomprehensible then be God himself or greater then he for t is onely the greater that is able to comprehend the lesser as soon may the smallest point in the Circumference comprehend the whole as the Creature his Creator Therefore wisely did Empedocles answer one that demanded of him what God was That he was a Sphere whose center was every where and circumference no where whereby is most excellently shadowed the incomprehensiblenesse of God Secondly That he is Immutable the World is possest with God is immutable changes But in him there is no shadow of Change The World growes old as doth a garment But he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever this is the record he gives of himself saying I the Lord I change not Mutability proceeds from corruption or imbecillity but GODS being is most simple and pure there is no composition in him neither is he subjected to time in which all changes are Thirdly He is Eternall GOD is before time time is made by God is eternall God and shall be done away by God according to that in the Revelations Time shall be no more Time is that space in which actions are successively brought about What time is having beginning and ending but God is not included here for it is impossible that he which made it should be comprehended in it he is from Everlasting and shall remain to everlasting this is matter of admiration Arithmetique is nonplussed here enforced to confesse Eternity transcends his skill Fourthly God is invisible No man hath ever seen him or can see him God is invisible therefore the Saints acknowledge him to be the invisible God Col. 1. 15. But say some Moses talked with God face to face and Christ saith Object blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God therefore he is not invisitle To which I answer that God is to be considered either as in his own being or in his operations as he is in himself we see him not Sol. but as his works of love wisdome power c. declare him so wee see him Thou seest some glorious and costly building yet seest not the spirit of that man in whose minde this building was before erected to thy view but seeing it thou concludest well in saying surely the wisdome of man appeares in it eminently
whereby he gives out himselfe to be knowne after a sort for my eternall happinesse and the happinesse of all his people Chap. IV. Sheweth what we are to understand by God in Christ and what Christ is and what the Father Son and Spirit are GOD is in the Creation but dwels in the Lord Jesus Christ is God dwels in the Lord Christ Gods habitation for in him dwels the fulnesse of the God-Head bodily the fulnesse of Grace and Truth In the Creation he is a God over us in Christ a loving Father to us But seeing this is the great Mystery of Godlinesse viz God manifest in the flesh justified 1 Tim. 3. 16. in the spirit seene of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleived on in the world and received up into glory Which mystery is hid from the eyes of the world and mans vaine imagination fancyes such vaine understanding of it I shall endeavour to speake more plainely and particularly of it and shall observe this order 1. To shew what we are to understand by God in Christ 2. How God in Christ unvailes himselfe to the sons of men That we may know what we are to understand by God in Christ these three things are to be considered and that from the word Christ which signifies one Anointed wherein consider 1. The Anointer 2. The Anointed 3. The Ointment it selfe wherewith he his anointed Of these in order 1. The Anointer giver dispenser or pourer forth of the ointment who is the Anointer 't is the Father is the Father God in all over all and above all for whom are all things and by whom are all things t is that infinite that incomprehensible majesty that eternall substance which I have already proved to be incomprehensible The Scriptures abound in this doctrine The spirit of the Lord God is upon me saith Christ he Isa 61. 1. hath anointed me God proclaimes it from heaven saying I have found my servant David which is the Lord Christ with my holy oile I have anointed him Againe singeth the sweet Psalmist of Israel in the Song that his heart endited or bubled or boyled forth concerning the King God thy God hath anointed thee This was prefigured shadowed pointed at and typed forth in the Law by Moses anointing Aaron This is the Fathers worke Secondly The subject Anointed is the humane nature in which The subject Anointed is the humane nature God was manifested for he was manifested in the flesh It was that particular body of Christ that the word dwelt in which was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and therefore saith the Scripture he hath Anointed his holy childe Jesus even Jesus of Nazareth the son of Mary of Acts 4. 27. a Virgin the Son of David the Son of Abraham the Son of Man who is called The man Christ Jesus It was that particular person who was the subject of this anointing Now the humane nature is nothing else but a fleshly body and humane soul united in one which humanity is proper to all men yet so that every man hath the whole humane nature in himself and so was this person this man Christ this humane nature consisting of body and spirit in one person was the Subject of the Anointing Thirdly The Ointment it self remains to be declared which is Theointment is the Spirit that holy Oyle with which our Jesus is Anointed which Ointment hath severall names in Scripture to declare its worth and nature It is the Spirit of God therefore saith Christ The Spirit of the Lord is upon Psal 98. 20. me he hath anointed me With my holy Oyle saith the Lord I have anointed him which is the Oyle of joy and gladnesse the holy Ghost and power Which Oyle is sweetly tipified forth to us by the holy Oyle mentioned by Moses whose composition consists of principall spices Ex. 30. 25. 30. as pure Mirrbe sweet Calamus sweet Cynnamon Cassia and Oyle olive wherein though misteriously yet very excellently is deciphered the very nature of the Sprtit of the Lord Jesus for the nature of that composition is such that it is of singuler vertue being soveraign for the brain comfortable for the heart and wholsome for the liver the three natural fountains and springs of the naturall bodies life purging from evil humors mollifying and softning the body enabling the body to performe its naturall vitall and animall faculties Which is abundantly yea superlatively true of the Spirit that gives to a Saint being wisdome understanding light life power love and increase to a Saint softning the hardest heart moistening and relenting the most flinty spirit purging and scouring away effectually all drossy cholerick passionate idle melancholy earthly and evill humors of sin and corruption fitting and enabling the soule to runne the waies of Gods commands preserving the soule from sins venome and poison keeping it from corruption or putrefaction And wheras none was permitted to make any after the likenesse of that composition It declares and proclaimes aloud the contrariety of the true Spirit to all pretences of it or counterfeitings of it which are the powers signes and lying wonders of the man of sinne which Christ through the brightnesse of his coming will destroy Thus briefly have I handled the three essential things to be considered in the true knowledge of God in Christ Now know this That neither of these three abstracted from the other is the Lords Christ t is the composition or conjunction of these three in one person that makes this Christ therefore is it said The word was with GOD and was GOD and yet was made flesh which leads us to the consideration of the various manifestations of God as they are one in Christ Jesus There are three that beare Record in heaven the Father Sonne and holy Ghost or Spirit and these three are one viz One God and one in the man Jesus Christ These three are not three Gods but one God is made manifest What the Father Son and Spirit are after three manner of wayes that is to say God the Father conceived his word in his owne minde which is his sonne eternally brought up with him his wisedome daily his delight it is his light whereby he knowes himselfe and brings forth every thing by himselfe For by his word that is to say himselfe in a way of activity or doing or wisedome made the worlds the word was in himselfe producing every thing below himselfe and the spirit is the mutuall kindnesse each of other which is actively eternall The spirit is sometimes taken for the power of God susteining all things producing all things sometimes for the influence of the Fathers love shed abroad in the heart and this is the Spirit of God the Comforter in the Gospell so that all these are one agree in one and what may be attributed to the one doth agree to the other So that these three are not three distinct substances or persons in the common and most knowne
appointed to make them Whose composition was of the most beautifull glorious and rich materials gold purple scarlet and fine linnen which excellently type forth the glory of our High Priest who stands before God in rich pure spotlesse bright shining and incorruptible garments being filled covered and cloathed with the glory of God and being adorned with the beauty of the most High for he was and is the expresse image of his Fathers beauty Aaron was appointed to beare the names of the Children of Israel upon the Ephod upon his Shoulder and upon the Breastplate of judgement upon his heart engraven in precious stones which shewes that our High Priest the Lord Jesus administers before the Lord with all his Saints engraven upon his heart in beauty and glory Thus briefly having taken a view of the manner of our Jesus his consecration to his office let us by divine assistance consider The ability to mannage that office the worke being of such an infinite extent requires a person of answerable abilities which we shall easily finde to be in the Lord Jesus if we consider First The dignity of his person Secondly The excellency of his endowments 1. For the first it will appeare if we consider that he is the Sonne of God one begotten of the Father yea the delight of the Lord he is the first borne among many brethren Priests of old were of the first borne among the family so is our Jesus the beginning of the Creation of God the first borne from the dead the onely begotten Son that is to say the Chiefe none begotten to be a Saviour an everlasting Deliverer of his brethren besides himselfe he is Alpha and Omega the first and the last begotten in his Fathers likenesse the expresse image of his Fathers person White and ruddy as saith the Spouse the chiefest among ten thousand or thousand thousands 2. For the excellency of his qualifications consider First His relation to God he was the Son of God and to man he was made flesh he was of such a nature that he stood related so to God and man as he knew how to preserve both the glory of God and the happinesse of the creature that so divine justice might be compleatly satisfied and mercy admirably advanced in the creatures salvation Secondly His interest in God and man he was not onely related to them but had a deepe interest in them both To God he was a Companion therefore God cals him the man his fellow Moses of old was prevalent with God but our Jesus much more Moses as a servant Jesus as a son and heire to Man as a faithfull brother friend yea companion and fellow sufferer he was tempted that he might be able to succour us being tempted Likewise he is the Fathers beloved whom God can deny nothing to the Saints advocate that will lose nothing for want of asking Thirdly His will power love wisedome and delight concurred Christs will power and love concurre in it in fitting him to be such a Priest his love sets all on worke both power and wisedome he is the power of God and the wisedome of God Fourthly He is without spot or blemish the Priests of old He is without spot or blemish Heb. 4. 15. were forced to offer for their owne sinnes daily but our Jesus had no sinne to offer for He was like to us in all things sinne onely excepted There was no guile found in his mouth Yea such an High Priest became Heb. 7. 26. 25. us who is holy harmlesse undefiled seperate from sinners made higher then the heavens able to save to the uttermost Lastly Our High Priest was a High Priest of an Incorruptible nature Christ is of an incorruptible nature one that continueth for ever The High Priests under the Law by reason of death continued not but Jesus is a High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck that is to say without Father or Mother he was not of the off-spring of the Priests but of Judah without beginning or end of dayes who ever liveth to intercede for us Thus much briefly to the first viz concerning the Priest himselfe Chap. VII Sheweth what the Sacrifice is Christ offered THE Sacrifice it selfe that is offered is next to be spoken of Christ offereth Sacrifice Heb. 8. 3. for every High Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices Wherefore it is of necessity that this man viz Jesus have somewhat to offer The Scriptures are exceeding full in declaring this Sacrifice That I may a little describe this Sacrifice in the excellency of it I will observe this order 1. To shew you what the Sacrifice is Christ offers 2. How often it was offered 3. The place where it was offered 4. The time when it was offered 5. The true nature of that Sacrifice 6. How our Priest offered up this Sacrifice 7. For whom it was offered 8. To whom it was offered 9. The virtue effects and end of this Sacrifice Of these in order What the Sacrifice is It is Christ himselfe Galat. 1. 4. 2 Ch. 20. 1. Eph. 5. 2. 25. Tit. 2. 14. Heb. 7. 27. 9. 24. 27. First The Sacrifice it selfe is the Lord Jesus Christ When burnt offerings and sacrifices God would not Christ came to do his will This is held forth to us in the Scriptures by severall expressions all centring in one thing namely In this sacrifice as first by giving himselfe as saith our Apostle Who gave himselfe for our sinnes Againe saith Paul Who hath loved us and given himselfe for us an offering and a sacrifice to God The Priests of old offered goats and lambs and the like but our High Priest a better sacrifice even himselfe Secondly By powring out his bloud all things almost under the T is Christs bloud Law were sprinkled and purified with bloud for without bloud there was no remission the patterns of things in the heavens were purged with the bloud of buls and goates but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices namely with the bloud of Christ himselfe The bloud of beasts sprinkled upon the uncleane sanctified to Eph. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. 20. Joh. 19. 34. Heb. 9. 7. Heb. 12. 14. Hebr. 10 19. Hebr. 12. 24. Hebr. 13. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 19. Acts 20. 28. 1 John 5. 6. Rev. 5. 9. Rev. 19. 13. Zach. 9. 11. Heb. 10. 29. 13. 20. the purifying of the flesh but Christ's bloud was the Sacrifice for the purifying of the heavenly things viz the Saints bodies and spirits To this the Scripture gives a large Record In whom we have redemption through his bloud as Paul saith even the bloud of the crosse that bloud that issued forth frow the side of our Jesus whom one of the Souldiers peirced The High Priest under the Law went into the second Tabernacle once every yeare not without bloud which he offered for himselfe and the errours of the people but our Christ entred into the most holy place by his
the application of it is onely to him that beleiveth this and trusteth in it which is the worke of the Spirit to accomplish We are not to preach Christ died for you Thomas or you John but for sinners And thus the Apostles preached and if any one asked what they should doe to be saved their answer was Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved whether thou beest Jew or Gentile Acts 16. 31. But all are commanded to believe the Gospell Object If I should without a further answer grant it yet it followes not that Christ offered up a sacrifice or died for them for that is not Sol. to be preached to any particular man for the Gospell is That there is life in Christ Jesus for whosoever believeth Now I say he that believeth not this Record which God hath given of his Son doth as much as he can to make God a lyar he gives God the lye as we use to say But I shall say this more that the Scripture no where holds forth any command from God to every man to believe Christ died for them Those that believe not are threatned with damnation because they beleive Object not on the Son of God John 3. 1. To that I briefly answer 1. That unbeliefe is the very condemnation of every soule t is Answ not an act but a state in which every man is plunged John 3. 19. For when Adam had sinned by transgressing the Law that cursed and seized on him and all his posterity in him but yet Christ was immediately promised So that notwithstanding his sin all that looked to or believed on that Brazen Serpent should be healed those that did not should perish in their sins this state of unbeliefe seized on the Creature Which is 2. The cause why he trusts not in Christ nor comes to him which is to be understood in this sense in that it hath taken such hold on man that he cannot come forth of it for if he could but believe he should certainly be saved but he cannot therefore he is condemned though this is not the originall or first cause of his destruction for his sinne that he fell into was that that put him into an incapacity of believing according to the purpose of God which indeed is the originall cause why they cannot believe for if God had purposed they should believe neither themselves nor men nor sin nor devils could have hindred it for who hath resisted the will of God For as many as were ordained to eternall life believed You believe not saith Christ because you are are not my sheepe That Rom. 9. Acts 13. 48. John 10. 26. is Because you are not given to me neither have I undertaken for you for if I had you would come unto me for my sheepe know my voice The whole Scriptures proclaime death and damnation to unbelievers and so the light reproves their darknesse adjudges it and condemnes it Therefore it is said He that believes not is condemned already because he hath not beleived or as the word will beare it in that he hath not believed which is thus explained a little after This is the condemnation that light is come into the World and men love darknesse it is the condemnation it self But those to whom the Gospel is preached and refuse it are declared to Object Acts 13. 46. Heb. 2. 3. adjudge themselves unworthy of eternall life and to neglect salvation which if Christ had not dyed for them they could not doe To this I thus briefly Answer Man is truely said to refuse the Sol. Gospel when he rejects it despises it and persecutes it and then declares he himself unworthy of it All men are unworthy of it but the Jewes in the Acts eminently declared them selves to be so Here we may take notice how the Gospel is to be preached to All not for All for when he knew who was unworthy he turnes away from them but he was sent to preach to all not knowing who was made worthy to recieve it by the Lambe that Gods own might be called in he preached it to or among or in the hearing of all and this was lawfull for him so to doe but he applied it to none but upon believing But peradventure some are yet ready to say The Apostle saith Object How shall we escape if wee neglect so great salvation Which they could not do if it was not for them Heb. 2. 3. To this I say thus much All that can be inferred rationally or Sol. spiritually from those words is this That destruction is the portion of them that neglect that is to say minde not or receive not salvation which excellently holds forth this truth that there is no other way of salvation but by giving heed to or imbracing the Gospel which he exhorts them to a sted fastnes in But may some say If Christ died for them they shall be saved as you Object say And if so what need the Apostle minde them not to neglect for if it bee for them you say they Shall have it Therefore his exhortation is vaine To which I Answer That although the Saints Eternal happynesse Sol. depends on the Fathers purpose for their salvation yet the true ground of visible administrations is from the visible profession of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for with the heart man believeth but with Rom. 10. 10. the mouth he confesseth to salvation the Apostle judging according to It is a dangerous thing to fall from profeession of religion their profession thus speaks For though a man cannot fall from the Fathers love yet he may from his profession which when he doth 't is though not an infalilble yet a sad simptome he is in a sad condition nigh to burning having neither part nor lot in the thing professed as saith the Apostle Now because some did profess to be bought by Christ to have received the Lord Jesus to be sactified by the blood of the Covenant and yet by their works denied Him whom they said and Saints so judged judging by their former profession had bought them and sanctified them and made shipwrack of faith and a good conscience that is to say the profession of them the Apostle not knowing by revelation who should stand nor having any rule to judge men should attain to the glory of the end without continuing to the end knowing likewise that the Father hath as well ordained the meanes to attain the end as well as the end it self thus speaks therfore saith the Apostle Wee are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation though we thus speak and desire you to continue to the end Heb. 6. 9. The Scripture saith some may perish for whom Christ died 1. Cor. 8. 11. Object Therefore all he died for shall not be saved which proves de died for all as well them that perish as them that shall be saved To which I Answer by perish is not meant eternall death or Sol.
condemnation for the word perish many times signifies to wound defile or corrupt and so it is there used therfore the Apostle in the next ver interprets the meaning of perishing to bee the wounding the weak conscience or stumbling or offending their weake Brethren Object The Lord Christ wept over Jerusalem and would have gathered it as a hen her chickens But Jerusalem would uot which is an argument that he loved it and died for it Sol. That Christ wept over it and would have gathered it is true but yet that he did not lay down his life a Sacrifice for them that hee did not gather is as true Christs weeping over them shews him to be a man subject to like passions with us sin only excepted he laments their deplorable miserable undone and lost state And whereas he saith How often would I have gathered them c. He there speaks as a visible minister of the Gospel that holds forth the truth to men not knowing their eternal state for if you consider him otherwaies he could not weepe over them for it is said he knew all men and would not commit himselfe to a people that did professe him he knew as he was the wisdome of the Father well enough who should not believe but dye in their sinnes therfore this he did as a man having naturall affections and so it is said when Jesus heard Lazarus was dead he wept which shewed not that Lazarus might have lived longer but his love his natural love to him In this sense Paul wished himselfe accursed for his brethrens sake according to the flesh In this sense I say This and all such other places must be under stood But yet John saith Christ came unto his owne and his owne received Obj. Him not And Object the Parable wherein All are invited c. To both these one Answer may suffice The Jewes were Christs Sol. owne Countrymen the then only visible visible Church of GOD he came of that Stock and for the invitation I say it was to Jews and Gentiles wherein we may say All are invited by the outward visible ministery of the Gospel For many are called but few are chosen Now not the Called but the Chosen are the subjects for whom Christ dyed The Scripture tels us of a Common Salvation And GOD Object is the Saviour of All men especially of them that believe The Salvation is called Common because now it is extended to Sol. Jewes and Gentiles therefore Peter being bidden to go to the Gentiles he accounted them a Common People Salvation he thought must be only of the Jewes but Gods thoughts were otherwise and the wall is broken down And to the other I say God is the Saviour of all men for in him all live and move and have their being but especially that is to say Eternally and Spiritually by Jesus Christ he is the Saviour of them that believe Eternal life is only their portion But it 's said Christ dyed to redeem from the sins of the first Testament Obj. Heb. 9. 15. so that there is no condemnation for them but condemnation is for not believing Christ dyed for them The Sripture objected proves not thet Christ dyed for all neither Sol. saith so but this it holds forth That those transgressions which were under the Law are done away in Christ now we may see if we will not wink at noon-day that all men are not redeemed from the sins under the first testament therefore saith Christ to the Jewes Yee shall die in your sinnes that is in all your sinnes therefore saith he again The wrath of God abideth on them Ghrist tooke not away wrath for the first and brought it again for the second But say they They are condemned for unbeliefe Well let us reason out the case I demand of thee whether unbeliefe be sinne or no If thou say it is I aske thee whether Christ dyed for that or no If he did not then his dying for all other sinnes was of no moment nor concernment if a man should doe never so much to redeem a man from prison and not perform the chiefest part required doe you think the prisoner would be delivered furely no what availeth it for Christ to dye for al my sins if not for my unbeliefe seeing that without any more I speak in thy language may condemn me but it may be thou wilt say he dyed for the unbeliefe of some and the other sinnes of others Vain man thou saiest thou knowest not what thou pleadest Christ dying for them for some sinnes and yet he hath left the chief not dyed for for what purpose is then his death What benefit have they by it They are but pulled from the water and hurled into the fire But if thou sayest Christ dyed for unbeliefe How then can it condemne For all that Christ conquered he triumphed over in his crosse how comes it to return upon him againe Thou wouldest be wise but indeed thou instead of exalting Christ as a free Saviour makes him but half a Saviour if he be not able To save to the utmost woe and alas We were all unbelievers before we believed if Christ make us not to believe what shall we doe The Priests under the Law were as great as he if thy doctrine be true but surely I hope thou by this time seest thy vanity How can this stand with the justice of God to punish men if not for not believing Object Christ dyed for them To answer this I tell thee I now see where thou art gravelled Sol. thou canst not see God to be just in this from hence some conclude All shall be saved others that God is not just if he condemne any and the like But Oh thou foolish man If I should only say that God is pleased to condemne men without giving them any reason Would it bee unreasonable in God Hath hee not made thee from not being he hath given thee being Art thou thine owne or his Nay but O Man Who art thou that repliest against God Shall the Vessell say to the Potter Why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lumpe to make one vessel unto honour and another to dishonour And hath not GOD the same power over thee as the potter hath over his Vessel May he not doe what he please with his owne Who shall set him a Rule to walk by But yet a little to speak to thee that thou mayest understand the way of his justice and how he brings forth his pleasure I bid thee sit downe a while enter into thy conscience take a view of thy pride coveteousnesse lust murmurings worldlines c. And what wilt thou say then Man was made upright but he sought out many inventions God made man planted him in a Garden in the middest of all worldly pleasures for bad him nothing but one Tree in the middle of the Garden told him if he did eat thereof he should dye this Law
of their Authority If the Scriptures were not to be believed above their words why doe they seeke to prove their matter from them Nay which seemes a wonder to me these very bruits for I can give them no fitter name that deny the Scriptures doe often times bring Scripture to prove their deniall of them Sometimes they object to us the seeming Contradictions that are in them telling us the Word of God cannot contradict it selfe and for this they alleadge the Scriptures that say God cannot lye and the like by which doe they not set to their seales that God is true and the Scriptures his word Yet a little further let them set aside the Scriptures and bid them reason of any thing and what will they then say How will they prove what they say Will they prove their assertions from some undeniable principles From whence I pray you fetch they their principles It is either from nature or from grace If from nature that is corrupted Who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane thing Nature teaches not the true Worship of God If from grace Where is this grace made manifest And if it be not manifest who will believe them For the proving of doubtfull things is alwaies by things more known If it be made manifest surely then t is in the Scriptures Well To conclude this Consider that heavenly stile faithfulnesse in reproving as well great and small that sweet unity that is there that majesty and authority that is to be found there and in no writing else that almost all men that have ever seene them stand in admiration of them which are an evident demonstration of the excellency of them But there are many things in the Scripture that seeme incredible as Sampsons staying so many with the Jaw-bone of an Asse and Christs being Object borne of a Virgin and Noahs Arke and many more To whom doe these seeme incredible Dost thou believe there Sol. is a God If thou dost Why shouldest thou thinke it impossible for him to bring to passe these things And if he tels us these things are so why shall we not believe them But it may be though mayst say there are many things that seeme to contradict each other What then Are they not true because thy narrow foolish and shallow heart cannot comprehend it There are many things in nature which thou canst give no reason of Why quarrellest thou not with them also and with that God that made them If thou understandingly didst but reade them I dare say thou wouldst say there is not one thing in the whole Scriptures needlesse nor any Contradictions Some things in them are figures some histories some lawes which all hold forth the majesty soveraignty and excellency of the Lord. I shall for the present say no more of the rule of discovery but this That he that shall deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God is a bruit beast without any bounds yea he is but an Atheist that cannot chuse but deny God himselfe The fourth thing is the manner of discovery The light of God The manner of discovery reveales the mysteries of God And this is 1. Ministerially God discovers himselfe by his Ministers but Ministerially more of this hereafter 2. Plainly The Lord Jesus delights to speake after a familiar Plainly manner to the soule teaching it by wordes easy to be understood Christ spake in Parables how say you then he speakes plainly Object Sol. To that I answer It is true there was a time when Christ spake in Parables but yet it is worth our observing that he used such parables that the very Jewes that heard him knew whom and what he meant by his Parables But further I say likewise that Christ spake afterwards to his Disciples plainly not in parables which the Disciples acknowledged saying So now thou speakest plainly If you looke to the manner of Christs speaking it is most plain making use of the plainest similitudes that could be Thus did the Apostles preach not with entising words of mans wisedome but with plainesse of speech in demonstration of the spirit and power Which when I consider I cannot but wonder at the imposters deceivers and deceived of this generation who come with high swelling words and uncouth language that in truth their words are harder to be understood then their matter who speake as if they desired rather to have their persons wit eloquence and elocution advanced then the Gospell of Jesus He is not now among many wanton Christians thought worthy of hearing that hath not an art of copying some new expressions to paint and indeed adulterate and counterfeit the truth Well I am sure Paul was of another minde that said He had rather speake five words which he understood then ten thousand in an unknowne tongue These men to my understanding doe as if a man minding to shew forth the excellent proportion of a beautifull man should build a faire and beautifull Turret or Scaffold very high and sets the man upon it which indeed Eclipses the beauty of a man and fixes their eyes on the beautifull structure he stands upon They pretend to hold forth Christ but in truth t is their owne words not Christ that is so much doted or admired by these Disciples of whom through their faire words they have made merchandise for Satan Lastly Christ teaches the soule infallibly there is no guile in his mouth his words are not yea and nay but the truth of God the unquestionable truths of God he speakes not at peradventure I thinke this is true I suppose it to be true and the like doubtfull phrases but saith This is the voice of the God of the Lord of him that cannot lye Oh blessed are all that are thus taught of Jesus Christ his words are the sure words of prophecy whereto wee doe well to give heed Lastly A word or two to the subjects to whom this light reveales The subjects to whom this light is discovered the matter I have before showne to be the substance revealed and they are two fold according to the diversity of the matter revealed Now the matter revealed is either the mysteries of the Fathers love to a poore soule which is hidden from the wise men of the world and this the true light discovers onely to the children of the Kingdome Or else 2. The matter revealed is the truth of God barely and nakedly as it is in it selfe without the soules interest in it to whom it is revealed And in this sense Saul was among the Prophets and the Spirit of God was upon Balaam whereby he knew Israel to be blessed though himselfe partook not of that blessing In this sense the spirit gives gifts to the rebellious this is a receiving truth but not in the love of it from which a man may utterly fall away Though a man hath all knowledge yet if he be not a chosen vessell of the Father and have not the
understanding of the Fathers love he may as Judas fall away from his profession and goe forth and hang himselfe as he did yea he may be a Cast-away for all that t is not mans knowledge but Gods love that saves a soule Christ many times makes use of men for his owne glory whose names are not written in the Lambs booke of life But it is the portion of the chosen called and faithfull ones of God to be taught savingly knowingly and powerfully through which teaching the wisedome of the world in them and the mysterie of iniquity that before had taken the soule captive are now put to silence and to flight To these his words are as a fire going out of his mouth to the consumption of that drosse that remaines in them whereby they become a pure and refined people Chap. XVII Sheweth what the Kingly office of Christ is and the excellency thereof in ten particulars I Have already shewed you that whatever the Father hath appointed for us to enjoy he sent his Sonne by death to obtaine it and whatever he by death procured as he is a Prophet he makes it manifest according to his manifold wisedome And now I am come to declare that whatever he as a Prophet foretels or reveales for us as a King he powerfully effects for his word returnes not in vaine Which Kingly office is committed to him of the Father What the Kingly office of Christ is for the ruling governing and ordering his Kingdome after a just and glorious manner in which office these severall things are considerable 1. The King himselfe 2. His Kingdome 3. His Lawes 4. His Officers by which he rules 5. His Enemies 6. His Victories 7. His Souldiers 8. His Weapons 9. His Rewards 10. His Judgements 1. The King is the Lord Jesus Christ Emanuel the Prince of Peace Christ is King the Captaine of the Lords hoasts who enjoyeth his Kingdome 1. By inheritance it is his birthright He is the first-borne the By inheritance heire of all things t is he that was borne King of the Jewes he is the eldest Sonne the first begotten Sonne the expresse image of the Father 2. By designation or appointment of the Father the Kings of the Jewes were anointed by the Lord But all the majesty soveraignty By appointment of the Father and authority that was in them was but the shadow or figure of the excellency of our King the anointed of him that said unto him Son thy throne is for ever and ever He is the Lords anointed whom God hath made Lord of all 3. By conquest This Jesus that was borne to all must fight for it before he hath it and so he doth for by death he shew all his By conquest enemies and obtaines a glorious Kingdome Whose fitnesse for the managing of his Kingdome appeares 1. In that he was the first-borne of God the expresse image of his Fathers person A Sonne begotten in his Fathers likenesse Saul the King of the Jewes was taller by the head and shoulders then any of the people I am sure this King is fairer then the children of men who in all things hath the preheminence for beauty and personall excellency Men and Angels fall downe before him he surpasses them all 2. In that all Kingly virtues center in him the confluence of all the excellency of heaven and earth dwell in him his wisdome is matchlesse his power boundlesse his riches inestimable his love unparalled his justice unquestionable his innocency admirable some Kings have onely a name but he hath power too and a more excellent name then they all Some have power but want wisdome or love but all things desirable and virtuous are to be found in him and in him alone 2. His Kingdome bespeakes him altogether worthy and this Christ hath a Kingdome which is over this world is threefold First over this world a civill Kingdom therefore is it said He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and only Ruler of Princes in this Kingdom is his dominion from one end of the earth to the other the subjects whereof are all men as men for whose use are all the Creatures given that they have a right to them a propriety in them and may not by any be defrauded of them which Kingdome is his for He made all things in heaven and earth and in him they consist Coloss 1. Secondly Of Grace Christ hath a Kingdome in the world which Of Grace is not of the world which is called the Kingdome of heaven or the Kingdome of God Now this is a Kingdome or dominion or rule that Christ hath and exerciseth in the heart of a Saint therefore is it said The Kingdome of God is within you and this consists in righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost the Children of which Kingdome Rom. 14. 17. be the Saints bodies and spirits who are called the Kingdome of heaven For the word Kingdome sometimes signifies the Subjects ruled or the rule a King hath in his Subjects Thirdly Of Glory which is called the Kingdome of God into Of Glory which onely an entrance is ministred to us here this we believe by faith and seeke by faith and shall receive at the last day when Christ shall say Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you It was prepared for them before but not actually enjoyed by them till the resurrection of their bodies This is the Kingdome in which God is all in all which is onely the portion or inheritance of those that are written in the Lambs booke of life 3. Christs lawes are very excellent his yoake is easy and his Christs lawes what burden is light Oh how hard a matter was it yea impossible to fulfill Moses his Law but Christ communicates of his fulnesse that we may fulfill the royall law of love which lawes are either First Civil lawes morall lawes lawes of justice and equity betweene man and man whereby every one enjoyes his right without oppression this is a distinct law a distinct region wherein the Lord Jesus the Lord of all administers in a distinct manner as being peculiar to his first Kingdome which is over the bodies of men as men Secondly Spirituall lawes lawes of obedience of life of joy peace and righteousnesse which are lawes that the first Kingdome are ignorant of it is of a more high divine and excellent nature whose subjects are not every particular man and woman in the world as are the subjects of the earthly Kingdome but they are a chosen people out of the world whose lawes are of another nature to be performed by another principle after another manner which the other Kingdome can take no cognisance of being lawes to the thoughts to the soule to the body to the whole man And Lastly is the law of love if I may so call it which endures for ever in the Kingdome of glory wherein Saints enflamed with the fire of divine
the soule acknowledges all he hath to be from the Lord and so lyes low in his owne apprehension that God may be exalted 4. In Love This is that which God commands of us to love In Love and what true love is him to delight in him which love to God is the streaming forth of the affections unto God in which there are these severall ingredients First A true knowledge of God of which before Secondly A setting a high price of God valuing him above all things in the world Thirdly A giving up the soule to God the understanding to know God the will to desire him the affections to embrace him Fourthly The union of his spirit with God the glory of love is union love affects union and is not satisfied with any thing till he is united with it Some say love passes or emits or sends forth the spirit of the lover into the beloved I am sure t is true in divine love which sends forth the spirit into God the perfection of which love is when the soule hath nothing enjoyes nothing but what he hath and enjoyeth from God when he willeth nothing but what God willeth when he can truly say Thy will and not mine be done 5. This worship consists in praise and songs of joy when wee In Praise and what true praise in the spirit is would honour men we set forth there excellency a soule that truly honours God rejoices in him and praises him Now this praise of God is the soules spirituall acknowledging God to be praife-worthy preferring God in his thoughts in all and above all singing in his heart making melody to the Lord. I doe but touch on these things because I shall have occasion What the power of inward worship is on to speake of them as they be the principles or foundation of more visible appearances of the worship of God A word or two of the power of this worship that is spirituall likewise for t is the power of God t is not of the first creation but of the second t is not of generation but of regeneration not of mans will nor of mans activity but of God that sheweth mercy wee are all dead in sinne as void as naturally in the first Adam of power truly to serve God as a dead man is to eate and drinke therefore is Christ the power of God unto us who worketh irresistibly in us What the true manner of inward worship is As the power of divine worship is spirituall so must the manner be the heart must be in a spirituall frame united to God that is to say in a way of relation unto God whereby he becomes a servant a souldier a friend and Son of God it must be performed in faith love feare and reverence all these are faithfull and inseparable companions If a man prayes or praises God he must do it in faith love and feare But to put a period to the first part of this discourse all this service must be performed to God as in Christ he that prayes to God must seeke him as he is to be found in Christ For t is in him in whom onely the Father is well pleased God in Christ is a Saints rest delight fulnesse and glory a Saint by Christ goes to God fals downe before him rejoyces in him and lives sweetly and contentedly in meeknesse and humility yet triumphantly in the presence of the Lord for evermore Here a soule lives with God by faith crying out Holy Holy Holy How long shall it be Come Lord Jesus come quickly Longing for the appearance of the day of God who will render tribulation to every soule that obeyes not the Gospell of God but eternall life to them that are faithfull to the death Thus much concerning the true worship of God as it consists onely in the spirit in the inward man hid from all men or Saints having a sweet entercourse with God after an invisible manner in the spirit THE VISIBLE WORSHIP OF GOD. Chap. I. Sheweth what the Visible Worship of Christ is and a discovery of what the true Gospell to be preached to the world is with the true Messengers or Ministers of the Gospell IN the former part of this Discourse I have held forth the worship that is due unto the Lord as it consists onely in the inward man and am now come to speake of the worship of God as it is visible Now the visible worship of God is the subjection What Visible Worship is 1 Cor. 6. 20. of body and soule to the Lord according to the words of the Apostle saying Glorifie God in your body and spirit which visible worship shall be handled under a two-fold consideration 1. As it consists in the visible administration of the Gospell and commands of the Lord Jesus 2. As it consists in conformity to the Gospell and commands of Christ of both which in order as the Lord shall enable me Concerning the first of these viz the administration of the Gospell and the doctrine thereof it is two-fold either to the world or to Saints but I shall first discourse of it as it is to be administred to the world and herein shall shew First What the Gospell is which is to be preached to sinners Secondly Who are those that are to administer dispence or preach this Gospell Thirdly The manner how they are to dispense this Gospell Fourthly To whom they are to administer or preach this Gosspell 1. The Gospell is glad tydings good and joyfull newes to Jewes What the Gospell is that is to be preached to the world Luke 2. 10 11. Isaiah 40 9. 61 11. and Gentiles to sinners by Jesus Christ Who was born in the City of David and is come in the flesh dead and risen againe therefore saith Paul We preach Christ crucified or fastned or nailed to the Crosse to them that are called Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God Therefore is it called the Ministry of reconciliation the grace of God revealed Salvation is onely in a crucified Jesus eternall life is in him that is the good newes that is to be divulged to poore sinners even Christ dying to make attonement for sinne to open the way to come to God and that Whosoever believes in this Christ shall be saved and be raised up at the last day This the Apostles preached which was glad tydings to the sinfull soule to Publicanes Harlots the worst of sinners good newes to a spirit enslaved in sin good newes to the body the naturall body the resurrection of which Paul preached as good newes by Christ though he was called in question for it this is the onely Gospell the everlasting Gospell promised to Adam shadowed under the law revealed now for grace and immortality are brought to light by Jesus Christ And of this Paul saith Though I Paul or an Angel from Heaven should bring any other Gospell then that I have already preached and yee have received let him
is an Ordinance of the New Testament of the Lord Jesus it is a part of Gospell spirituall and heavenly obedience whose use and end is First For the visible holding forth the death and resurrection It holds forth Christs death and resurrectiou of the Lord Jesus That Law-giver who hath given us tongues to speake of this mystery hath given us bodies to expresse it for what is our being overwhelmed with water but a lively representation of Christs being in the grave and our ascending out of the water what is it but a fit publication of Christs being raised from the dead Secondly It serves for the exercise of our obedience unto the â— exercises our obedience Lord Jesus If I be a King where is my honour saith Christ Arise why tarryest thou and be baptized is the Law gone forth from our High Priests lips to be faithfully observed of all believers Had we no ground but Gods command it is enough for us hereby may we manifest our obedience God hath not made our bodies in vaine but will be glorified in them For our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost Thirdly It serves for the exercise of our faith in the death of It exercises our faith Christ where we by faith see our selves dipped in the glorious mystery of his death Therefore are we said To be buried with him in Baptisme Some conceive that is onely meant spiritually but I say he speakes of the being baptized into his death by faith even in the visible Ordinance for in that may we by faith see Christ dead and our life hid in his death by faith in his death we see our selves dead to sinne it holds forth our justification by Christ the washing away of our sinnes in his death in his bloud So likewise it serves for the exercise of our faith in the resurrection of Christ for as we have beene baptized in his death so likewise by faith wee see the glory of Christs resurrection for as Christ died and rose from the dead so we who are buried visibly with him in Baptisme shall be raised by him even as certainly as we arise out of the water unto life eternall Fourthly We are likewise by Baptisme planted into the similitude We are planted by it into the likenesse of Christs death and resurrection of his death and resurrection for as Christ died and was surrounded with miseries so in this Ordinance by faith wee see our sufferings to be the dyings of Christ in us and as we suffer with him so are we planted into the likenesse of his resurrection Wee now by this see our selves planted into the similitude of his death whereby we dye to the world to sinne and vanity and likewise see our selves risen with Christ by faith unto the glory of God seeking the things that are above where Christ now fitteth at the right hand of God in the glory of the majesty on high We doe not onely by this hold forth Christs death and resurrection by acting faith in it that we shall receive virtue by it but see our selvs also planted into the same similitude of Christs sufferings and exaltations Fiftly It is a sweet and comfortable assurance of the resurrection It serves for the assurance of the resurrection of the body of our bodies from the grave We are buried with him and shall be raised from the grave by him as sure as our bodies are raised from the water shall our bodies be raised from the grave Sixtly By this they visibly demonstrate themselves to have put By this we visibly put on Christ on Christ Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as have beene baptized into Christ have put on Christ This putting on Christ is by faith by which we are the children of God but the visible demonstration of it is in Baptisme of water and by faith in this outward ordinance have we communion and fellowship with Christ having put him on as a garment to cover our nakednesse as an ornament to adorne our persons as a shield and buckler to secure us we are in this ordinance baptized into Christ under a two-fold consideration 1. In that we are baptized into the love life joy peace mystery and righteousnesse of Christ we by faith in that ordinance may see our selves encompassed about with a love and united to Christ For by one spirit are wee all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12. 13. We visibly demonstrate our selves by Baptisme to be of Christs sheepe as invisibly by the spirit we are dipped plunged or interested into that spirituall body whereof Christ is the head 2. In that by baptisme we visibly give up our names to Christ acknowledging him to be our Lord his will to be our law his law our life by this we acknowledge his soveraignty his excellency by this we resigne up our selves to him wearing his livery whereby he distinguishes his people in a speciall manner from the world Therefore saith Christ Goe teach all Nations baptizing them in or into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost That is to say by Baptisme we are consecrated or set apart unto the Father Son and Spirit and are visibly baptized into the profession of Jesus of the mystery and spirit of Jesus This Paul explaines where hee saith He thankes God he baptized no more of the Corinths lest they should say he baptized them into his name that is lest they should have Idolized him attributed that to him which is proper to God lest they should say they were his Disciples or his members or call themselves by his name Lastly the end of this as all other Ordinances is to glorifie By this wee glorifie God God God will be glorified by thy hands in ministring to thy owne or the Saints necessities by thy foot in carrying thee forth to preach For how beautifull are the feet of him that bringeth glad tydings by thy spirit in believing by thy soule and body in being baptized for we are not our owne but are bought with a price that wee should glorifie God in soule body and spirit Chap. IV. Discourseth of the Administrator and proper subjects of Baptisme IF you call to minde what I have already declared concerning Who are the true administrators of the Ordinance of Baptisme the ministry to the world you will see who are true Administrators but to speake a little more fully of this they are twofold First Such who are immediately stirred up by God to preach the Gospell of Christ those having a power to baptize into or in the name of Christ of this sort were the eleven Disciples Marke ult Philip who preached and baptized Ananias who preached to Paul and baptized him Peter who preached to the Gentiles and baptized them Paul himselfe who preached and baptized divers Acts 16. Secondly Such as are sent forth by the Church of Christ they may preach the Gospell and administer this Ordinance thus was Barnabas sent from Jerusalem
built upon a mistake of their Epistles for they Sol. were not written to persons unbaptized but already baptized So that it was needlesse to urge Baptisme to them Yet we shall finde Paul in the Hebrewes telling them they had need to have the principles of the doctrine of Christ taught them againe of which Baptisme is one But if you looke into the Acts of the Apostles you will there finde Baptisme to be practised as much as any Ordinance for there are the travels of the Apostles and their doctrine to unbelievers registred where you shall finde thousands baptized Now Baptisme is part of the foundation in the house of God which must not be laid againe But yet some are ready further to object against Baptisme of water and say Object nothing enters into or hath a being in the Kingdome of God but that which abides for ever but water must perish therefore it cannot be in the Kingdome of God To which I answer if by the Kingdome of God you mean that Sol. invisible state of the spirit living with the Lord I shall shew you this is a mistake for is is said We are saved by hope which abides not alwaies for the thing hoped for being enjoyed hope ceaseth But if you mean the Visible Kingdome of heaven viz the Church of Christ behold you are much mistaken for tongues and prophesies were in the Church and shall not abide for ever for the Scripture saith Prophesies shall faile 1 Cor. 13. 8. But yet I say though that which is visible shall fade yet that which is represented by it viz the Fathers love in Christ Jesus shall never faile and our obedience shall ever be recorded with the Lord. That which you have said is true proves Saints may be baptized with Object water but yet it is an indifferent thing and so it is no great matter if it be left undone That which is neither commanded nor yet forbidden is left at Sol. a Saints liberty But know the commands of the Lord are not of so indifferent a nature the transgression of them or any of them is sinne Now to say Baptisme is such a thing makes void those Scriptures which command it to be preached and practised as I have proved from Math. 28. Marke the last with other Scriptures He that said to the Disciples Goe preach and baptize likewise saith to believers by the mouth of his Apostles Repent and be baptized So that I say againe whatever believer shall neglect this command sins against the great Lawgiver the Lord Jesus Thus have I endeavoured according to my talent to answer all those objections I have yet met withall of any moment hoping it will now appeare to thee that Baptisme of water is an Ordinance of the Lord Jesus and not to be so carnall as men suppose but a spirituall Ordinance whose author principle leading to it power enabling to performe it and true end of conformity to it are all spirituall which though in a sense viz as it is performed with water may be called externall or outward yet the spirit and life of it is like the Kings Daughter Psalme 45. All glorious within whose cloathing is of wrought gold And surely it is no more outward then charity which I suppose none but some old hard-hearted usurer will deny to have place in the Church of the first-borne and why may not Baptisme be admitted likewise into the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Some say T is a yoake and they say true but it is Christs yoake whose yoake is easy and his burden is light others say if they should submit to it they shall be in bonds and not have that liberty they enjoyed before they say true they shall be bound but to nothing but Christs lawes and be infringed of no liberty that may be truly called Gospell-liberty true it is they are like to be more carefully and narrowly watcht over then formerly that so they may walk more conformable to the true nature of Christs flock whose inheritance is the Kingdome of the Father But this surely to an honest upright heart who feares the Lord will be accounted as his great priviledge and happinesse Chap. VIII Sheweth that believers being baptized ought to be added to the Church and what the true Gospell-Church is THE first thing being made manifest that all believers are to be baptized I come to the second thing I promised to discover to you which The Saints baptized are to be added to the Church was the command of Christ for those that were baptized to be added to to the Church By Church I here understand some particular visible Church which every believer ought to be a member of and adde himselfe to it T is not enough to be baptized which visibly enrights him into any Church but he must be taught to observe all things commanded whereof this is one to joine himselfe to some particular Church or Congregation Therefore is it said Acts 2. 42. They continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayers Marke it they were not onely baptized but walked in the visible fellowship of the Gospell And againe it is said verse 47. And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved And againe Acts 17. 4. it is said Those that believed consorted to Paul and Silas they embodied themselves together and cleaved to the Apostles verse 34. That it is the duty of Saints thus to do I shall manifest by two Reasons 1. From the nature of the Saints they are all one in Christ Jesus they are Christs sheepe the nature of whom is to flocke togegether they are members one of another Now it behooveth the members to be fixed in their owne body they are the souldiers of the Lord who ought to be in continuall order But 2. It appeares from the nature of the doctrine of Christ which points at unity one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one Body whereof Christ is the Head God is one they are one the Gospell is one all which proclaimes it to be their duty to walke together as one in the Church which is Christs body But to make things appeare more plainly I shall shew you what the true Church of Christ is to which every believer being baptized ought to be added It is a company of people called out and separated from the What the true Church of Christ is world by the word of the Gospell to believe in Christ being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus walking together in mutuall agreement in the visible profession of the Gospell of the Lord Jesus Christ their Head and King I am not now treating of the Church of Christ as it is invisible consisting of all Saints in all ages making up one body but of a particular visible society or congregation of people who are that Church I have before described in which description there are these things observable 1. That Christs Church consists of people