Iota of it 2. The Truth of God that said Gen. 2.17 Rom. 6.23 In the day thou eatest of that forbidden Tree in dying thou shalt die and the justice of God that had ordered the cursed Death as the wages of sin must be fulfilled and satisfied and will admit of no forgiveness or peace till this Death and Curse be executed and therein justice satisfied and Truth fulfilled And if Adam or his Natural Race suffer it they perish in it and can no more get out of it again Psal 85.10 11. 68.20 to come into any new terms of Grace so that less will not serve than such a suffering in which Mercy and Truth may meet Truth be fulfilled and spring out of the Earth and so Death overcome 3. Death Curse and the Devil that had gotten the Victory over Man Mat. 12.29 Luke 11.21 22 Hos 13.4 and held him Captive as a slave in bondage to sin and under the fear of Death will keep their hold and power over Man till for sin he perish in this first denounced and deserved Death unless by a stronger power they be overcome subdued and captived which Adam and all his Natural Race were not able to do 4. The Wound of Guilt and Curse made by sin in the fall will not be healed the breach will not be made up peace for Mankinde with God will not be made so as a door and passage may be opened for God according to Truth and Justice to be propitious to Man and to extend the Fruits of his Love and mercy to him and for Mankinde to escape perishing in the first Death and to come into God for favour again unless a sin-offering or propitiatory Sacrifice of sufficient value and worth to appease the wrath deserved and satisfie the justice offended and purchase a release of all Mankinde from the sentence of the Law into the dispose of the Offerer be made which fallen Mankinde could never have found out nor could all the Creatures made for the use of Mankinde have been fit or sufficient for such a Sacrifice a Psal 49.7 8. 50.8 13. Mic. 6.6 7. Heb. â—0 1 4. into such a depth of misery and helplesness was Mankinde fallen and so far necessitated to perish And yet is not this all the misery and necessity of perishing that Mankinde fell into by the fall of the first Man but there is more mischief evil still into which Mankinde is fallen that requireth more for his help and recovery than hath in this foresaid in this Chapter been spoken for though God should be so gracious as in Love to Mankinde to finde out and give such a Ransome a propitiatory Sacrifice as in which in respect of the first Transgression all that necessarily flows from it Truth is fulfilled Justice satisfied Law answered the Davil in his first work overthrown and Death so overcome that all shall be raised out of it the Enmity that in the respects beforesaid was in the way between God and Man slain and all that was contrary to Man taken out of the way and Mankinde released from perishing under the first sentence into the dispose of the Ransomer and so Peace being made the door opened through which Love and Mercies flow from God to Mankinde by which Men might come in through the same door into favour and fellowship with God again surely for God that was so highly offended by Man to do all this for Man must needs be confessed unconceiveable and infinitely great and free-love to Mankinde deserving and fitly moving the return in Repentance Faith Love and Obedience in which Men might receive and enjoy such favour and fellowship with him But yet for all this there is such an evil disposition and enmity against the minde of God within Man in the heart of Man diffusing it self throughout all the powers of a Man and ruling the Man that without something by all this done for Man without him there be still farther something supernatural done in him Man of himself though all this be told him neither can nor will come in to God again at this door he hath opened for as may be seen in that said in Chap. 10. 1. The Heart and Natural Disposition and Inclination in Man was so poysoned with drinking in the suggestions of Satan Eccles 7.29 Rom. 8.8 Col. 1.21 Jam. 3.6 Mat. 12.29 2 Cor. 10.4 1 John 4.4 and so filled with high conceits of his knowledge of good and evil that it is filled with an aversness and enmity against God set on fire of Hell or the poyson of the hellish temptation first received from Satan in the heart and it must be a power stronger than the power in Man or Devil that can master and overcome this disposition 2. Satan though in Chains of Darkness Iuk 8.12 1 Pet. 5.8 2 Cor. 4.4 1 Joh. 5.19 yet according to the Limits permitted him for a time goeth about with all his malice and subtilty to keep Men out from the knowledge of the great love and gracious minde of God manifested in the Ransome and Sacrifice found out and given that he may so keep them from Repentance and Faith and so from receiving the Love of the Truth to be saved and so from coming into favour and fellowship with God again Col. 2.14 15 16. and there needs that power that hath overcome and will overcome him to help against this evil that we may come in to God And if God have done this for Mankinde also so as he hath exalted the Sacrificer Isa 42.1 8. 61.1 2 3. John 1.9 Act. 13.46 5.31 32. and filled him with immeasureable fulness of Spirit to send forth to enlighten every one that comes into the World and set him forth a Light and Salvation yea making him a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance and Forgiveness of sins 2 Cor. 5.19 20. Act. 26.18 Joh. 6.44 45. so as Divine Light and Power is extended by him in the means making known and applying the Vertue of this Ransome and Sacrifice to the Minde and Heart of Man that may enlighten Man's Minde and flay the Enmity in his disposition subdue his aversness and reconcile his Heart to God Tit. 3.4 5. affording therein power to overcome the wicked One without which no Man will or can come in to God Oh how abundantly doth the love and pity of God to Manward appear and flow forth to save who is able to comprehend all this great love Yet notwithstanding all this there is something farther needful for Mankinde even such of them thus far called that they may abide in this Grace be preserved from perishing in a second Death and have Eternal Life for though Peace be made for Men and all the sins seen in them flowing from the first Transgression necessarily and chargeable on them by the Law as they fell under it in Adam were charged on the Sacrificer and are by him cleered and done away and Men
the act and freeness of Jesus Christ himself in so offering and that he himself hath done it yea compleatly done it and once for all so as it shall no more be so done by himself nor remains for any other to offer him in any sort to God a Sacrifice for sins nor to add any thing to compleat that offering it being compleated by himself already once for all and as Man he himself alone and by himself though for others did offer this Sacrifice so as there was no Creature either Man or Angel that did or in respect of real acting can in any sense of offering be said to have offered the same with him or to be any part of the offering offered by him but he was both that offering and offerer and no other Man in or with him no not in that sense of which it is said Levi also who received Tythes Heb. 7.9 10. paid Tythes in Abraham for he was yet in the loyns of his Father when Melchizedec met him so as Levi though not in person yet in specie though not with his own hands yet by and in and with his Father in whose loyns he was and from whom he naturally proceeded he did so and in that manner also pay Tythes in Abraham but so can none be said to have offered this offering and Sacrifice by in and with Christ for Jesus Christ had none in his Loyns to come forth of him as Abraham had or as Adam had such a conceit would be very carnal gross and erronious Christ took the Nature of the first Adam and so of all Mankinde that were in the first Adam's Loyns that in that Nature having suffered and overcome Death and being filled with the Holy Ghost he might be and so is a spiritual man to quicken and draw in of the Sons of the natural Man to himself and so make them his spiritual Seed that were not before so by uniting and conforming them to himself by vertue of his Sacrifice offered without which they could never have been his seed so that there was none in Christ to die and rise and offer Sacrifice in him in such a sense as Levi paid Tythes in Abraham nor yet in respect of that sense naturally and actually in specie as we all sinned and fell in the Loyns of our first Father Adam nor was Christ bound to offer this Sacrifice by any pre-engagement upon the account of Mankinde or any of them as being in him or chosen in him or allied to him for his Engagement is free and voluntary and before his own voluntary Engagement to take the nature cause and place of the first publick Man in hand and therein to undertake for all Mankinde to suffer and offer up the acceptable sacrifice he was not engaged to him or any of Mankinde For then his Oblation and sacrifice he offered had not been every way in all respects only of himself and altogether so free as it was in respect of Mankinde and his love to them but by reason of such a pre-engagement some had had some influence upon him and so power to have enjoyned him to take Man's Nature therein to lay down his life yea and by vertue of that pre-engagement and election in him so by vertue of their interest in him to have challenged some right in the very sacrifice it self so far as to have it in some sense counted their offering it together with him but that no such thing could be the dissimilitudes between the first Creation and the new and between the two publick Men do fully and cleerly shew as is before shewn in Part 1. and Chap. 13. and in divers expressions and plain sayings of Scripture Rom. 5.15 But not as the offence so also is the free-gift for if through the offence of one many be dead is not this the same with that before vers 12. By one man sinentred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men in whom or for that all have sinned Adam sinned not alone nor simply as a publick Man so as his sin became no otherwise the sin of all Mankinde but only by meer imputation in an act of severity of vindicative justice he standing in the room of all Mankinde but Adam as the publick Man had also all Mankinde that were naturally to come forth of him in his Loyns and so in that his sinning all Men sinned in their species or kinde though not as then in that act in their individual persons and so all sinned one as well as another all alike without difference and coming forth naturally from him are so in their persons as naturally truly and verily found and beheld as having sinned in him as Levi was to have paid Tythes in Abraham and not only so but the Nature and inclination of Mankinde being polluted in and by that very first sin they come forth polluted and so add more sin of their own Rom. 5.18 and so justly and deservedly the condemnation of the first Man was both by imputation and also naturally the condemnation of all Mankinde or unto all Men and the wages of sin to Adam and to all his posterity is death Rom. 6.23 and that by due and just desert all being made sinners in their own persons in coming forth from him by propagation Rom. 5.19 whence also the word all men vers 12. and 18. is in a double consideration turned into the word many vers 15. and 19. namely to explicate the word all to shew it to be a great number that the evil of the first Man's offence may the more appear in the heynousness of it and also as having more special relation to those that are already come forth in their personal beings naturally from Adam and so came forth under such guilt and defilement of sin and liableness to death which are all Men that have had their personal beings naturally from him and these also are a great number even Many Vers 13 14 19. though there be yet more to come forth from him Yet now though there be a similitude here in respect of the number of persons Vers 18. and the verity of imputation and efficacy between the disobedience of the first publick Man Vers 14. and the obedience and righteousness of the second publick Man yet there is some dissimilitude the first being but a figure of the second and Christ the Truth exceeding all that figures could shew forth and so for Jesus Christ the second publick Man as he was a new gift of God and given to be the Saviour of the world so he also as freely came forth and was made Man under the Law and as freely died and offered up himself a Sacrifice to God for Mankinde the whole kinde without difference and so for all Men to make an Atonement for their sins they are fallen into and this he alone he himself did freely not being engaged to them by vertue of any
the same things he saith He died for us gave himself for us died for our sins it would easily appear That where there is no distinguishing word in the sentence to limit That All Every the World and Us Our We are of like extent and indifferently used the one for the other but occasion to use these places follows only I shall note here some gracious essicacy appearing in this manner of using the words Us Our and We by the Apostles and unfeigned Believers 1. Luk. 18.11 Isa 65.5 Tit. 3.3 Rom. 7.14 24. Act. 14.15 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15. It shews and keeps them humble and low in their own eyes so as they are far from the pride of those that say I am not as other Men stand aloof from me I am holier than thou but knowing they were as ill as any and have the corrupt disposition still in them troubling them they judge of themselves still as Men Men subject to like passions with others yea as the chief of sinners in respect of themselves And so in relation to Men speaking of God's love to Mankinde can readily without making division say Us We Our including themselves with all Men. 2. They have found and do finde such satisfying peace refreshing Rom. 5.6 8. Phil. 3.3 7 8 9 10. 2 Cor. 5.14 and well-pleasedness in Christ as the Saviour of the World and propitiation for the sins of the whole World as he died for the ungodly and gave himself a ransom for all that they prize not nor take up their rest or glorying in any of their own excellencies in which they appear better than others but have their whole rejoycing and well-pleasedness in Christ yea even glad that the same is in him for others to receive which themselves have received and so speaking of him as the Saviour of the World and so of his Death Resurrection Ransom c. to others they can say without separation making in that respect from such as do not yet believe for us for our c. 3. Act. 14.15 Rom. 2.14 15 16. 2 Cor. 5.14 15 18 19 20. Yea this Grace received engageth them as debters to others yea to all Men they having and being Stewards of that Word and Grace which appertains to them that yet believe not to be declared to them that they might believe and this Grace enflameth them with love and desires that they might know and believe and so receive the same and therefore are ready to declare and in declaration of the Gospel to them to couple together with themselves in setting forth what Christ hath done for all Men and so to say Us Our We so graciously and in such heavenly manner have the Apostles in confession of the Truth of that which is true for all Men used the word Us Our We so Paul in his first preaching to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 12.2 who at that time when he first preached to them were carried about unto dumb idols according as they were led 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. sacrificed to and had fellowship with Devils and so were Idolaters many of them Fornicators Adulterers Effeminate Abusers of themselves with Mankinde Thieves Covetous Drunkards Revilers Extortioners 2 Cor. 5. 20 21. yet to these in preaching Christ the propitiation for the sins of the World he coupled himself together with them in shewing for whom Christ hath done this saying 1 Cor. 15.3 I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received 2 Cor. 5.21 how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture he was made sin for us according to that he was delivered for our offences Rom. 4.25 and raised for our justification still declaring the choise benefit received and enjoyed by those that in believing did receive him 1 Cor. 6.11 2 Cor. 5.18 but asserting the Truth thereof in Christ for others that they might believe in which sense Us comprehends all Men and so appears to mean all men Tit. 2.11 14. and yet farther appears 3. By minding and considering some particulars requisite to and included in the Oblation and Sacrifice of Christ that it might be fit for us and all minded to us in saying He gave himself for us Tit. 2.14 as his being made flesh Heb. 2.11 14. Luk. 3.38 Act. 17.26 and so having a Body without which he could not have been a fit Sacrifice for us and in this he took the Nature of Mankinde of Abraham of Adam of all Men in this no difference If any would put a difference in his coming of the Jews Rom. 17.5 15.8 and to them it is answered That was to confirm the promises made to the Gentiles And look to the beginning and we shall finde he came not only of Jacob Isaac Abraham Mat. 1.1 the Fathers of all and every of the Jews but of Noah Lamech Methusalah Enoch Jared Malaleel Cainan Enos Seth Luk. 3.36 37 38. the Fathers of all and every both Jew and Gentile and of Adam the Father of all Men and so hath the Nature of Man which is common to every Man alike created in the first Adam alike also being in the Nature of Mankinde he was made under the Law under which Mankinde was fallen Gal. 4.4 Rom. 3.10 11.19 20. 11.32 Gal. 3.22 2 Cor. 5.14 15 10. Rom. 14 9-12 that so the sins that Law so charged with might be charged on him to redeem them that were under the Law and that is expresly all the World and every mouth all men and being under the Law he died for our sins and that is expresly said to be for all men yea even all those that must appear before his Judgement-feat yea he was set in his publick place and glorified in Man's Nature to be a publick Man to do that wonderful business yet to effect it made a little lower than the Angels in being Man mortal all to this end That by the Grace of God he might taste death for every Heb. 2.6 7 14. which can be no less nor other than every of that Nature in taking which he was for a while made lower than the Angels and that is every Man and being risen for our justification he offered up himself a Sacrifice to God and so gave himself a compleat Ransom to God And this is express to be for all Men where it is assirmed God our Saviour will have all Men to be saved c. and this given as the ground and proof of his will For there is one God 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6 7. and one Mediator between God and Men indefinitely and universally Men yea here is God and Men and no Man excepted but one who is Emmanuel and the Mediator between God and Men even the Man Jesus Christ who gave himself a ransom for all this is that by vertue where of he mediateth and so was first given for those for whom he mediateth Heb. 9.15 his mediation being by the vertue
need but only mention them those of the Tribe of Levi ours of the Tribe of Judah those after the Law of a carnal Commandment ours after the power of endless Life those after the Order of Aaran and without an Oath ours after the Order of Melchizedec and with an Oath those had in themselves inherency of sin and personal sins needing a Sacrifice for themselves ours holy sinless had no sin either personal or inherent needing any Sacrifice for himself those by reason of death had Successors ours liveth and remaineth a High-Priest for ever their Priesthood and Law was changeable our Priest and his Law abideth for ever their Sacrifices and Purifications did but sanctifie and purifie the flesh and made nothing perfect no not the comers thereto though and therefore often iterated but the Sacrifice offered and Purification made at once by our High-Priest was perfect and makes all comers to it perfect purifying the Hearts and Conscience of them These and such-like diffimilitudes are set forth to us in this Epistle to the Hebrews and other places by all which Christ is shewn to excel all that figured and typed him and so in the fulfilling of Truth in every similitude in which the types did figure him he not only answereth but excelleth in the fulness of Truth and so in these of the Priests he was truly Man yea an innocent and perfect Man and though in a supernaturà l way yet of the Race of Mankinde and he was immediately called to this Office by God and he hath had experience of humane weaknesses sorrows and temptations and he laid aside his Glory he had with the Father before the World was till in the Garments of meanness and innocency he had made the Atonement and then was clothed with his former Glory again he once in the end of the World hath made the Atonement with his own Blood and by vertue of his own Blood hath entred into the Heavens and obtained Eternal Redemption These and such-like answering of similitudes so as to have the Truth fulfilled in Christ are generally known and confessed among Believers therefore I forbear to enlarge either for explication or farther proof about them But for this That this holy harmless undefiled and sinless one should have sins that in any true sense should be called his own and also that there should be sins of another sort called the sins and errors of the people that he in one offering up himself in Sacrifice should offer for both I fear this is not so generally known and confessed among Believers and yet the Apostle intimates it strongly Heb. 2.17 with 5.1 2 3. and 9.7 8 9. as is forementioned in that he affirms such fitness for such causes to be in Priests and also that their oft-offering was a signification that the way into the holiest was not yet made manifest while the first Tabernacle stood yea and also that the things done by the High-Priest in offering for himself and the errors of the people c. were figures for the time present and patterns of the things in the Heavens Heb. 9.9 23. 8.3 4 5. with 5.1 2 3. Heb. 7.26 27. and so these offerings also did serve to the example and shadow of heavenly things and not only intimates but also plainly affirms this to be found in Christs offering Heb. 27. having before mentioned the Priests daily offering up Sacrifices first for his own sins and then for the peoples he expresly saith This he did once and proveth that he needed not to do it daily or again being he is such a holy one c. and because he did this once when he offered up himself so that he did give himself a Sacrifice both for some sins called his own and also to take away sins of another sort called the sins or errors of the people and yet Secondly This will more cleerly appear if we minde what sins were counted and called his and in what sense they were so and so called and then what sins are after the Oblation offered or considered as offered called the peoples sins for him by vertue of his Oblation to be taken away both may in Scripture be found 1. If we consider How by the offence of the first Man sin entred into the World and Death by sin and how thereby sin ran over all Mankinde and so all Mankinde fell under the sentence and power of the Law Rom. 5.12 18 19. and so under the guilt and power of death and so as they came forth naturally from Adam they come forth sinners under the Law liable to sin against it and be condemned by it but now other fins than this first and those which flowed necessarily from the original corruption of Nature hereby and so against the Law as Man was fallen under it and other death than the first Death and Curse which this Law as Man was fallen under it did sentence to were none through the fall of the first publick Man fallen under and these were the sins and all the sins of Mankinde in view before the pre-consideration of the Death and Sacrifice of Christ Now Jesus Christ interposing and undertaking for Mankinde Gal. 4.4 did take the nature of Mankinde fallen in its weakness and became for Man 1 Pet. 2.24 Psa 40.12 under the Law and Obligation under which Man was fallen and this by the agreement between the Father and him Isa 53.4 5. 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 and so the whole debt was charged on him so as he in his own body bare our sins to the Tree and by reason of this charge and imputation being so legal by the Law he confess'd and called them his sins and was for them judged and condemned and made a curse by dying and suffering the curse for us which he accepted and having died and overcome death risen just and offered himself an acceptable Sacrifice to God for us he hath in that one Oblation redeemed us from it is not yet said all danger of any or all manner of Curse but the Curse of the Law and made the Atonement and Reconciliation Isa 53. that in this sense it is sure with his stripes we are so healed that these sins so imputed to Christ and by him so suffered for are purged away and can no more be charged on him nor shall they be any more again translated on Mankinde to be so imputed to them as for them or any of them to be judged or condemned for them by and according to this Obligation and Law under which Christ was made and by which he was judged for them And thus in a full and proper and direct sense it is said Heb. 1.3 When he had by himself purged our sins he sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high Eph. 2.15 16 17. having abolished in his flesh the enmity the law of commandments in ordinances for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace through the
bload of his cross and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross having slain the enmity thereby or in himself and came and preached peace Col. 1.20 so the Father's will is having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile c. Again Col. 2.14 it 's said of him Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his cross And so there is no more sins to be imputed to Christ or counted upon his score he hath done all of them away by one Sacrifice and made the peace and caused it to be preached that Men might believe it 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20 21. Rom. 5.11 and in believing be reconciled in their hearts to God and so peace effected in them 2. If we also consider of a Reconciliation and so of a purging away of sins that by vertue of this Heb. 2.17 Eph. 5.26 27. Heb. 9.14 compleated in and by himself with God he as the High-Priest after and by vertue of the Sacrifice offered Atonement and Purgation once made in the holy of holies is still continually making for the people Then we shall also finde that there are sins of another Nature and against another Obligation then that Men fell under in and through the first Adam even such as the Law under which Mankinde was fallen did not charge upon Christ directly and they in the committing are every Man 's own sins that doth them as sins against Mercy and Grace extended through a Mediator who by vertue of the Peace he by his Blood and Sacrifice hath made Joh. 1.4 5 7 8 9 10 11. Prov. 1.23 24-36 Jer. 6.16 17. Rom. 2.4 Jer. 13.27 Joh. 13.10 11. Joh. 1.10 11 29. Heb. 2.17 7.27 9.7 extendeth light and means towards them as not minding the light that shineth forth from the Life that is in him not owning him in all the preservation he giveth nor believing or receiving him by all the choice means he useth and so not turning at his reproofs nor hearkning to his Call and Voice but hardning their hearts against the same and so refusing to be made clean walk on according the lusts and wayes of their own hearts and all these and all of this Nature are called The sins of the world and The sins of the people and The errors of the people And Jesus Christ did on the foresight of what through Man's weakness and Satan's malice would be found in Men make provision for Propitiation Reconciliation and Pardon in respect of those sins also in that one Oblation and Sacrifice of his his Blood and Sufferings being the Blood and Sufferings not only of an innocent and just Man but of that Man that was the Son of God Act. 20.28 Joh. 3.16 Heb. 9.14 in which sense his Blood is called The blood of God and His laying down his life And so Jesus Christ offering himself by the Eternal Spirit a Sacrifice to God the Divine Nature did so sanctifie and dignifie this Sacrifice that it is of infinite value and vertue for taking away all sins and so though in his interposing he did not take those sins upon him as his which before his undertaking were neither in being nor in a possibility of being so to satisfie for and discharge as that they should never be imputed to those for whom he suffered nor they condemned for them as he did for the former sorts of sins yet he did so far bear them and offered himself in Sacrifice to God for them as he might have full power to forgive them and so such fulness of vertue in his Blood and Oblation and Propitiation made thereby as to propitiate and speak Peace in its sprinkling being made known to Men in the evidences of the Fruits thereof 1 Tim. 2.5 Heb. 7.24 25. 8.1 9.15 and for this business he remaineth a continual Mediator between God and Men and an High-Priest ever living to intercede for all that come to God by him and in this work we have to consider that it is done ministerially and spiritually to Men in the former for taking away the former sins and making Peace as he he had to deal with God for Men so he did it by his material Blood shedding and his material Body raised and offered in Sacrifice to God But now as he is a spiritual Man in dealing with Men he doth this business spiritually in Ministration of the Gospel making known the vertue of his Blood and Sacrifice and by his Spirit so sprinkling it on the Hearts of Men to wash and reconcile them to God thereby and so in a daily taking away these following sins and renewing c. and this was also figured in the continual bearing of the sins of the people by the typical High-Priests and Priest â—â—covery of mystâ—â—ous deceits p. 6 7 28. Heb. 9. Discourse of the prâ—câ—ous blood of Christ c. 4. p. 21 22 23. 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20 21. Mar. 2.10 Luk. 5.24 Act. 5.31 32 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. as hath been shewn at large in another Treatise and by their Purifications by sprinkling as hath been shewn at large in another Treatise And this hath Jesus Christ by his Oblation also procured to do himself in Person one while did minister the Word of Reconciliation but now he hath left that to his Servants and the extention of Spirit therein is his own work still and suitable to all this he said The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins And so the Apostles in their Teâ—imony and the Holy Ghost in the same witness That God hath exalted him to give repentance and remission of sins c. In which respect by vertue of his Oblation once offered he so ministring is called The Mediator between God and Man for such an end and The Lamb of God Joh. 1.10 11 19. not only that hath taken away the sins of Mankinde as fallen in A dam but that taketh that is in this present time in a continual act still doing away the sin or sins of the world even Men in worldly fellowship c. and even Believers also are said to come to the Blood of sprinking Heb. 12.24 that not only hath spoken but speaketh c. and he that believeth in Christ according to Gospel-Testimony knoweth both Heb. 10.2 That all sins in view and consideration preceding Christ his undertaking are so taken away by his Oblation to God that he hath no more charge in Conscience for them and also that there is such vertue in that Blood and Sacrifice of his that being believed and received as he makes it known it will take away in such sprinkling all following sins and purge the Conscience from dead works to serve the living God whence he is said to be set forth a Fountain Heb. 9.14 Zach. 13.1 Heb. 10.18 19 21 22 23. 1 Joh.
12.9 10. to be a speaking against and blaspheming the Holy Ghost in that evidence he gives of Christ and the power and goodness of God in and through him and so it is a willing persisting in contempt and refusal of this Grace in the Mediator when evidenced by the Holy Ghost and so rising up in opposition against his Testimony and strife till he hath finished his Testimony and strife with them for till then the Mediator is mediating for them with God and striving with them by his good Spirit so as in all their sinnings against him though they grieve and sin against the Holy Spirit yet there is forgiveness with him and so hope while he by his Spirit in means is striving with them yea if that be all the dayes of a Man's Life though to all it will not be so But when a Man hath wilfully despited this Holy Spirit after Light and so long and often that he is wholly taken away and the Man given up to Satan and so become of the Serpentine seed then is there no more forgiveness after because there is no other Sacrifice for him and this he hath utterly renounced and this sin is found in such according to the means and light in the means with which the Holy Spirit had been testifying to them and striving with them as may be seen by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent in which sin Prov. 1 24-31 Jer. 6.16.30 Ezâ—k 24.12 13 14. Heb. 10.29 according to the light and power extended to Men in the means less or more is the most high degree against the Father in contemning and ill requiting his love and graciousness and treading under foot his Son whom he hath sent and been giving to them and the highest degree of sinning against the Mediator the Man Christ in counting as common and prophane that precious Blood and sacrifice of his with which they were bought and so given into his dispose to shew favour to and some in some measure sanctified and the highest degree of sinning against the Holy Spirit in his gracious tenders of Grace to them And it is most properly called The sin against the Holy Ghost because the goodness of God in the first Creation was manifested without a Mediator to Man in innocency and so no need of this sanctifying work while Man was naturally holy and the Goodness of God in the Redemption wrought for Men though manifested in works of mercy through a Mediator yet Men so blinde and weak that they come not in thereby through the Mediator unto God therefore God out of his abundant Grace stretcheth forth his Hand by sending through Christ the Mediator and in his Name the Holy Spirit in the means he useth to enlighten the Mindes and move at the Hearts of Men that they might see believe and so turn and after some of their resistings reneweth his strife with more light and power yea if they yeild not then with some reproofs and chastisements And if after all this they sin against light and willingly persist despiting till they have wholly despited the love of the Father discovered by the Spirit in the Blood of Christ and the Blood and Sacrifice of Christ by which Peace was made for them and by and with which the Spirit hath been working on them and herein despited all the Light and Reproof and gracious Allurements and Bands of Love by the Holy Spirit streamed on them to bring them in to God Heb. 10.29 6.6 and so persisting till given up this proves a third sort and degree of sinning for which there is no sacrifice yea which contemneth the sacrifice in which is help for all sins of both the former sorts yea for all but this casting it off Fourthly and lastly These forementioned two sorts of sins so offered for by Jesus Christ as is said appears by the Scripture-Declaration how and in what manner and for what manner of sins and sinning God doth reprove charge and condemn Men either to Correction Judgements or Eternal Condemnation which since Christ undertaking and his Oblation considered we shall never finde to be for fins simply as fallen in Adam nor yet simply for their natural and necessitated weaknesses and swervings having no remedy afforded them to help much less because Christ died not for them or used no sufficiency of mean toward them by which they might have received help yea the manner of God's proceeding with Men witnesseth That Christ died for them and hath discharged the first debt for them and used means in good will and for good to them whence he saith Gen. 6.3 My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with them And so proceedeth in charging with Sin Reproof and Condemnation Prov. 1 24-31 9.12 Isa 1 2-15 5 4-8 Ezck. 24.13 Icr. 6 16-30 Mat. 23.37 Ioh. 3.19 Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and none regarded ye would none of my counsel ye despised all my reproof ye refuse to hearken ye harden your hearts c. I would and ye would not And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light Which is another manner of Charge and Condemnation and for another manner of sinning putting under another manner of guilt than as Men fell in Adam And these are every way directly Men's own sins for which there is cleansing and pardon to be received in and through Christ till the Grace of his Oblation testified by the Holy Spirit be wholly despited but these things are shewn before and will be more in the after-Discourse only I have been thus large to shew that Christ offered his Oblation both to take away the sins Mankinde was fallen into and to procure authority and fitness to take away the following evils found in Men by offering it to God and for the making that known and taking away the following evils by application of the vertue of his Oblation to Men of which in his Intercession And yet farther to shew for what he gave himself for us it was 3. That by this Sacrifice so offered he might become the Lord of of all Men and Saviour of the World that so he may rightfully dispose of them and use such means to make known his Death and Sacrifice and the Ends and Vertues of the same to them as he being one with his Father in his will and design pleaseth and so to reprove and comfort Rom. 14.9.12 Psa 2.6 7 8 9. or abase and exalt accordingly as he pleaseth and this is express For to this end he died and rose and revived that he might be the Lord both of the dead and the living c. 2 Cor. 5.15 answerable to the promise made to him by the Father on that account and so it is said He died for all that they which lived each in their several ages should not kenceforth from the making this known to them though before they did live
his own Will and so in respect of this wise and heavenly Order in his Counsel for the manner and way of his Purpose taking effect we shall finde different effects and different sorts of Men also on whom it hath different effects that is to say First for the manner and way of his Purpose taking effect on Men for their good it is by discovery of his Love to Mankinde to sinners enemies in discovering his Grace in and through his Son that died for sinners Isa 45.21 22. 55.1 4 6. and in that Discovery in some measure opening their blinde eyes or understanding to see or understand his graciousness and so calling and moving them to behold what he discovereth and hear what he saith assuring them that in beholding him as discovered and as understanding is given them to discern Joh. 25.3 Prov. 1.22 23. Joh. 1.9 5.25.34 and so attending him he will save them and so bring them in to believe and so out of darkness into his marvellous light and this the first proceed for his Purpose to take place for saving Men out of their sinfulness and according to his Purpose he proceeds so far with all Men in some measure at one season or other Secondly When he hath so far proceeded with Men in discovery of his graciousness through Christ and so far opened their eyes or understanding that they begin to discern and he calls or moves them to behold and turn then such as in hearing do hear and in seeing do see and in that motion and strength of his extended in this call do according as by that enabled turn and believe he will save enlive renew and change Isa 45.22 Joh. 5.25 2 Cor. 3.18 Rom. 5.8 10. 1 Pet. 2.6 7. Phil. 3.7 8. Psa 73.23 24 25. Col. 3.11 2 Thes 2.13 14. 1 Pet. 1 2. Eph. 1.11 Rom. 9.11 and farther enlighten and confirm in Faith and Confidence and so enamour them more with Christ and he shall appear and become more precious to their Hearts so as for the well-pleasedness they finde in him they count all things loss for Christ and are willing to be deprived of them to win him he being all in all to them And through the Grace thus believed and the Sanctification of the Spirit he chuseth them into Union and Fellowship with Christ and so to Conformity to him and to Eternal Salvation this being the Order of his work who worketh all things according to the Counsel of his own will we may be sure such was his Counsel for the manner of his purpose taking effect or standing according to the Election of Grace But such Joh. 3.19 20 21 1 Pet. 2.7 8. Mat. 13.11 15. Act. 28.26 27. Luk. 2.34 Isa 8.14 as when this light cometh and Grace therein extended so as light and hearing is given and heart moved do not then in hearing hear and in seeing see but take offence because of some discovery of evil and reproof and condemnation of something by them highly esteemed and dearly beloved which reproof this Light and Grace worketh in its convincements and so do hard en their hearts close their eyes shun the light love darkness rather being unperswadeable and so willingly disobedient and refuse to turn at his reproof these he gives up to blindness and hardness so as the more brightly the gracious minde of God in Christ is discovered the more such stumble and take offence of which we have a notable example Joh. 6.27 28 60 66. Rom. 11.23 Jer. 6.16 17 30. Ezek. 24.13 14. Prov. 1.24 32. Rom. 1.21.23 28. 1 Pet. 2 7 8. John 6. And this being the manner of God's working yea so as if by his chastisements for such follies and his renewed strifes they are not humbled to return but persist in their former willing rebellion he reprobateth them to Eternal Damnation we may be sure such was his Counsel in the Order of his Purpose and so we see two divers and contrary effects of the Purpose made known Thirdly For the different sorts of Men under different considerations that were according to this wise and holy order in the Counsel of God's will the objects on whom the several effects of his purpose made known should take place they appear to be the Sons of Adam he and his natural Race diversly considered and not in one and the same consideration but in respect of the diversity of effects diversly considered either simply as such or else though such yet under another consideration and that either as better then such simply considered or as worse then such onely 1. For his Purpose of finding out a ransome making an Atonement preparing a Sacrifice and accepting it so as to remove the enmity that was in the mid-way 1 Tim. 2.6 2 Cor. 5.14 Rom. 5.6 8. 1 Pet. 3.18 Isa 53.5 6. 1 Cor. 15.3 Gal. 1.4 and opening a door for Mankinde to come in to him the objects or subjects of this Purpose and those for whom it is efficacious with God so as he hath given all into the dispose of the Sacrificer are Adam and all his natural Race as fallen as sinners ungodly enemies to God simply as such and in no better or worse consideration but as such men all men sinful unjust and ungodly men And so for our sins he suffered 2. For his purpose of discovery and making known his Grace and Goodness through Christ in and by means extended and the efficacy thereof for opening the eyes of the blinde and the ears of the deaf and moving at their hearts and so calling them and striving with them affording such help to them that they might turn at his reproof and so believe and live The objects or subjects of this purpose and those on whom these effects so far shall be produced are Adam and all his natural Race even all Mankinde as in sin ignorance and bondage c. yet these in some better consideration then meerly as Adam's sons and fallen in him under the power of the Law and Sin and Death and the Devil namely considered as a Ransom is given 1 Tim. 2.6 7. Psa 68.18 Isa 42.1 2 7 8. 61.1 2 3. 2 Cor. 5.14 15 19 20 21. 1 Tim. 1.15 a Sacrifice offered Peace made and Redemption wrought for them though not yet applied to them nor they knowing or enjoying any of the choice benefits thereof for Jesus Christ by vertue of his Oblation being ascended hath received Spirit in the Man and for Men with Power and Authority to preach the Gospel and extend Gifts even to the Rebellious Psa 96.28 Rom. 5.18 Joh. 6.51 Eccles 9.4 that the Lord God might dwell among them And on this ground they are called and in this respect also they are said To be written in the Book of Life though not yet written among the Righteous And while they remain such and no worse then such there is yet hope for them 3. For his Purpose of Election to Union and Fellowship
it hath relation to them with an especial relation to that which follows namely predestinated and called and justified and glorified such foreknown lovers of God being the subjects of this predestination call c. and this writ for the consolation and support of such And this will cleerly appear in the words and scope of the Apostle and in all other Scripture and so 2. To see what is meant by predestination here I shall note three things 1. Who they are that God hath thus predestinated 2. What that is to which they are predestinated 3. To what end he hath predestinated them to the same In all which together it is cleer The great design of God is the glorifying his Son that his Son may also glorifie him and so Joh. 5.20 22 23 17.1 Col. 1.15 17 18 19 that as in the counsels and so in these works of God he may have the pre-eminence as the first-born first lover of God first elect predestinate c. And so if any would pry into the secret of the counsel of God the most and fullest revelation thereof that is since the ascension of Christ in this matter is this that God chose his own Son Psa 40.6 Luk. 24.26 Isa 42.1 Part 4. ch 3. Isa 50.4 5 6 Phil. 2.7 8 9 Isa 50.7 8 9 Mat. 17.5 and appointed him to suffer and offer sacrifice and through suffering to enter into glory and so he predestinated him the first elect to be both his Servant and Son to do the great business as is foreshewed And in due time God called and sent him forth to this great work and he shrunk not back but most readily obeyed and did it and God did justifie him and hath glorified him in Man's Nature at his right hand And so hath God according to his purpose elected and predestinated him Heb. 8.1 12.2 Rom. 5.18 1 Joh. 4.14 Joh. 1.12 13 14 16 17 18 1 Cor. 1.30 Eph. 2.5 6 Phil. 2.10 11 and called and justified and glorified him and so hath set him forth as the second publick Man by and in whom propitiation is made and provision also for all Men that they might be saved he is the Saviour of the World and such fulness compleatness for acceptance of Believers in him and communicating his Son-like Priviledges to them that all that unfeignedly believe in him he his Priviledges are theirs and so they reckned after him and so in him are they elect predestinate called justified glorified he is the head of the Church the first-born among many Brethren yea he is so chosen and exalted that all shall confess him Lord and he shall judge all even those that have rebelled against him so that no particular or individual person was elect in Christ before the World began much less before him But in that very election of the Man Christ such provision was made that in purpose all this spiritual species or kinde of Men believing in him were foreknown approved elect in Christ but none elect in their particular persons till by grace they believed in Christ and yet in respect of him and his election they may be truely said to be elect in him before the Foundation of the World And this might be understood by the Scripture-Language in contrary things Ezek. 23.1 2 3 4 5 19 as to Israel of old it 's said There were two Women the Daughters of one Mother they committed whoredoms in Egypt in their youth there were their breasts pressed there they bruised the teats of their Virginity their names Aholah the elder that is Samaria and Aholibah her sister that is Jerusalem Aholah plaied the Harlot first and Aholibah afterwards Now in Egypt it was but one Woman all Moses time when they were come out of Egypt it was still one Woman all Joshua's time that led them into Canaan and the time of the Elders that out-lived him it was still one and all the time of the Judges from Othniel to Samuel it was still one and all the Raign of Saul and David and Solomon it was but one Woman still in Rehoboam's time Jeroboam with the ten Tribes made the rent 2 Chron. 15.2 4 and then they became two Women two Churches two Nations two Kingdoms And this Aholah went a whoring a long time first or before the other and afterwards the other sister also yet now being charged with the sin of their whoredoms it is for the time of their beginning of whoredomes not reckoned according to the Branches sinning onely what they did when divided but it is reckoned upon the account of the several Branches for the time of the beginning of their sinning Ezek. 20.8 from the root when in their Mother they went a whoring in Egypt and this is understandable enough yet heerer can we understand how a Man in murthering his Brother or a Saint doth therein approve of Cain's murthering Abel 1 Joh. 3.12 Jude 11 Mat. 23.35 Rom. 5.12 18 19 and so makes himself guilty of Cain's sin in killing his Brother And can we understand a Man by propagation from Adam born a sinner that his sin is as old as from Adam's fall and may not a Believer as easily understand of those by a new Birth come in to the spiritual Man that he that yesterday was brought in to Jesus and so believing in him is through the Sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the Truth united to him and so chosen and approved in him is now in him and reckoned after him the spiritual Man the prime elect and so partaketh of that election that was his and of and in him for all Believers before the World began and so as the grace and righteousness in him even so election c. when we by Faith receive it is become ours and this grace and righteousness and so election which we receive in receiving Christ is for the antientness and the beginning of that grace and righteousness not reckoned according to the time of our receit 2 Pet. 1.20 21 2 Tim. 2.9 10 Joh. 1.12 1 Cor. 1.30 but of the being and compleatness of it in Christ we partaking of no other Sonship Election Righteousness or justification but what is his and was in him for us before we knew him and now knowing him he communicates to us his own Priviledges In which sense he that in his own person was but yesterday chosen out of the world in and into Christ may be truly said to be chosen in Christ before the foundation of the World And this is a full and plain sense not crossing but agreeing with the place the residue of the Scriptures to satisfie those that desire to look into the inmost of the mystery Yet still agreeing with the same the sense is more plainly opened in the words those three things in them propounded considered with this premise That the whole sentence be taken according to its own import of two things performed in it that
the same danger or were there any more individuals come forth to make a some of or had any any other wayes sinned and fallen under sin and death then in this publick Man and what then shall the some be the Male or the Female the Soul or the Body or some part of either Such whimsies are in the dreams of some but sure we are far from them I wish we may use no Expressions to strengthen them But then did not God finde out a Mediator for the first publick Man whole Adam as fallen to take away sin destroy death and the works of the Devil which was already entred into the world and did not this Mediator interpose and undertake in that very moment of the Fall to be a second publick Man to take the Nature the Place the Cause of the first publick Man in hand to work a restauration for him and so for all that were in him and naturally to come forth from him even all Mankinde where then shall we finde the some of them if there were any left out for whom there was no purpose of God for any saving them in and by the Mediation of Christ why do they not perish in that first death denounced why are they not at last judged according to that Law under which they fell in Adam why do they not in dying die so as to have every thing filling them with horror and torment till they perish for ever in the first death in the utmost of it How comes Mercy Patience and Means to lead to Repentance to be extended to them if no ransome hath been given for them God being not onely merciful but righteous in all his wayes if Christ did not die and give himself a ransome for them if he have wrought no Salvation for them and so have none to bestow on them how is he become their Lord Why is the Gospel to be preached to them why are their sins aggravated by the means he useth towards them and how shall they be said to reward him hatred for love and be judged by him according to the Gospel and sentenced unto a second death which if he had not come and used means towards them and they rebelled against him they could never have been or did God first purpose in and through Christ this second death to them that were already under the first death and no Redemption wrought for them and so send Christ into the world to be an Abaddon or Man-Destroyer to condemn so great a part of Mankinde farther then they were condemned in Adam I will proceed no further in this The Gospel and the Purposes of God as by his word and works declared and as set forth in this Treatise tells us another story which takes away all these absurdities brought in by this some and yet neither does he express it of what saving he means whether of that Salvation of the Nature of Man wrought in himself as the publick Man for Men all Men or of that Salvation upon the account of the former extended to Men to save them or of the efficacy of the first in the extention of the second on the same account in Believers and Receivers which is opened in the Gospel and exprest according to it in this Treatise but some Expressions elsewhere used imply to mean it of all so that this term some is not rightly used Yet this is true That he saith God's Purpose of saving was in and by the Mediation of Christ yea his saving in every respect onely this glory to God in Christ that he is the first purposed and first elected and all following Purpose of Salvation is in and by him And so this also That the coming of Jesus Christ and the Salvation wrought by him and Preparation made in him is a Fruit of the Love Will and Purpose of God is true and the extending of this Salvation in any or all the Fruits thereof to Men and the Efficacies thereof in Men are the Fruits of the Mediation of Christ and so of the same Will and Purpose of God in and through the Mediation of Christ this is true also But that this act of his Will whether he mean it of his Purpose of preparing Salvation for Men in Christ or of extending Salvation to Men through the Mediation of Christ or of the Efficacy of this Salvation in Believers for he leaves this in the dark That the Scripture knows it by no other Name then that of Election Adoption or the Purpose of God according to Election or the Purpose of his Will in Jesus Christ is a dark saying and full of confusion and intimately untrue unless he deny it to be called by all these Names and then there is subtilty and room left for evasion in the Expression Let it be considered The Will of God in his Purpose is in it self an act sure one single real act before any accomplishment come forth and if he mean of that it will not reach some of the other terms and if he mean of that act which is outward toward the Creature which is confest the act of his Will and alwayes suitable and according to his Purpose he saith not of which he meaneth but take it for either or for both yet there is confusion in his saying as if there were no distinction between Election and Adoption and the Purpose of God according to Election and the Purpose of his Will in Christ and that all or any of these were and are equally and alike the Name of this Purpose of his Will in his Purpose of saving Men in and by the Mediation of Christ True it is It may and doth bear the Name of the Purpose of his Will in Christ and the Scripture will bear it out to be known by that Name the Eternal Purpose Eph. 3.11 1.9 11. Psal 2.7 2 Tim. 1.9 which he purposed in Christ Jesus which he had purposed in himself the Purpose of him that worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will yea it is called The Decree preached by Christ and to be preached by his Servants yea and for the good Will of God and Grace given us in this Decree it is called His own Purpose and Grace given us in Christ Jesus before the World began And if Mr. Owen had but added his Purpose of electing and adopting in and by Christ and his Purpose that all should take place according to the Election of Grace the Scripture would have borne it out But for Election without distinction to be that Purpose or the Name of that Purpose or that act of his Will that is called his Purpose of saving fallen Mankinde by the Mediation of Christ no one place of Scripture saith it speaking of the Oracles and Works of God in this business Rom. 9.11 saith They were so ordered that the purpose of God according to election might stand Where by standing is meant abiding taking effect and coming to pass to have its
of VVorks for though Man by sinning lost his Righteousness and Strength yet God lost not his Authority nor were all the good things fore-conferred on Adam less worthy or less obliging then before his fall Rom. 5.12 18. 6.23 but did as much oblige him still to love both God and his Neighbour and walk in that love as before yea this Law had that force upon him and in him which before it had not to call and charge and force him to obey and to accuse and condemn him for not obeying yea to charge him with death for his former sin and unless he could suffer and overcome that first denounced death Rom. 3.10 11 19 20. Gal. 3.10 and then fulfil this Law to the utmost he could not come to live with God again This the Law and Covenant of VVorks under which Mankinde fell and under which all Mankinde once was Now God did not make such a Covenant as this with Adam at the first but Man through his willing Transgression fell under it and by God's just Judgement it took hold of Man and he was under it And this is the Law and Covenant under which Mankinde fell in the first Adam and by which they should have been judged and were sentenced to the first death in which if they had come to suffer it according to the Judgement and curse of the Law they could not have overcome it and risen again but must have perished in it for ever But God in his great Love and Pity to Mankinde found out one that was willing and mighty to step in and undertake this Cure even his own Son Jesus Christ the second publick Man of whom now II. VVhat the Covenant made with the second publick Man as he undertook and stood in the place of the first and so of all Mankinde as fallen is not cleerly express in any one place but gatherable in many places of Scripture and here there partly express and to the utmost I can conceive it was in the first place in respect of himself a Covenant of VVorks even that Law and Covenant under which the first publick Man and all Mankinde in him were fallen and that also by which their weakness they were liable to be under for a time and so he was made under the Law Gal. 4.4 to do it and live And upon the account of his fulfilling and satisfying this whole Law for Mankinde then a Covenant of Grace and Glory for himself and all his spiritual Seed and both these may be seen in the former mentioning of the Purposes and Promises of God concerning Christ I shall here onely briefly collect a little thereof 1. Upon the part of the Word the Son of God that he must descend and lay aside his great Glory for a time and abase himself to be made flesh of the Seed of a VVoman of the Seed of David Abraham Adam and in the similitude of sinful flesh a very Man subject to humane infirmities sorrows temptations all except sin and so a very Man in the form of a Servant and then in that very Nature and Person while in his weakness fulfil the Law of Righteteousness in the Love of God and Man and overcome and put to flight the Tempter and then die for 〈◊〉 sins of Mankinde and in that death suffer the Curse of the Law due to Mankinde and through sufferings overcome death and the Devil that had the power of death to terrifie Man withal and so as the publick Man rise just and free from all the sins that were charged on him on the account of Mankinde and so for their Justification from their charges of the Law under which they were fallen And this being done with the Vertue of his own Blood Death and Cross to enter into the Heaven to perfect the Atonement for all the sins Mankinde through the first fall was fallen into and to procure by Vertue of his Blood pardon to bestow on all such as approach to God by him for all their following sins and to purchase eternal Redemption and an Inheritance by that offering himself in sacrifice to God and to declare this Righteousness of God in preaching it and delivering it to certain chosen Witness to open and declare the same to the World 2. Upon the account of the Father That he would send him forth fit him with a Body and be with him and help and assist him in all this c. All which things are before at large shewn and proved in treating of the Oblation of Christ and of the Purpose and Promises of God And this is such a Covenant and such a Work as God never put on the first Adam nor any other but the Son of God Jesus Christ our Lord nor was any other able to undertake it but he and he willingly at the first undertook and the Father accepted his undertaking and so it was then vertuous and in due season the Father sent him forth and he hath come and done and fulfilled all this to the utmost that either Man fallen needed or the Law of VVorks required or his Father appointed and is now with God alive for evermore and the Father hath accepted and approved him taken up his well-pleasedness in him and born Testimony of him as the Scripture plentifully testifieth Now upon the account of this undertaken now done and performed the Covenant of Grace and Glory is also made with him for himself and all his spiritual Seed and confirmed to in and by him 1. Upon the part of the Father that he would glorifie this his Son Joh. 17.1 2 3 5 Joh. 5.22 23 27 28 29. Rom. 14.8 9 11 12. 2.16 even in the Nature of Man with his own self even with the Glory he had with him before the World was That he should be the Lord of all and have all Men into his dispose that they might live to him and the Father will not judge them by that Law he was made under and satisfied for them but he shall have the power over them to extend what ease and freedom and use what means he pleaseth towards them and raise them out of death in his season and judge them all according to his Law the Gospel in the means he hath used towards them and that he will fill him with the immeasurable fulness of the Holy Ghost Isa 41.2 55.5 61.1 2 3 4. 53.10 11. and send him forth in his Name and in the means he useth and in the Ministration of his Servants to draw in People to him and so to beget and multiply to him a spiritual Seed 2. Upon the part of Christ That he will be breathing and operating in the means he useth Isa 42.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 55.5 Psa 22.25 and in the Ministration of the Gospel by his Servants to call Men and enlighten their Mindes and open their Eyes to see and their Ears to hear quickning and moving their Hearts as he
follow them Joh. 14.16 17 26. 16.13 15. Joh. 15.4 11. Gal. 5.5 6. in sending his Spirit to teach lead comfort and guide them as hath been shewn in his Purposes and Promises and on their part that they abide in him and so walk in Faith that worketh by Love waiting through the Spirit for the Righteousness of God in all these Promises by Faith In which living by Faith they shall be daily nourished with the Grace Strength and Goodness of the Divine Nature in Christ and so to walk in Love which will fulfil all the Righteousness the Law requires of them and also on their parts in case by any Forgetfulness or Temptation 1 Joh. 1.7 9. they fail in the exercise of their Faith and Love and so be drawn aside to serve some lusts of the flesh that they then confess their sins and crave pardon and healing in his Name and he for his part engageeth to heal them and so to keep them through Faith unto Salvation ready to be revealed in the last times and for help of their weakness he hath afforded them his Ordinances to attend Mat. 28.20 Joh. 13 14 15 16. 1 Joh. 1.9 1 Ioh. 3.23 1 Ioh. 4.21 Joh. 14.21 Prov. 3 4 6. in which he hath promised to meet with them and bless them all these things are shewn before in the Purposes and Promises The Engagements on Christs part are seen in his Promises of Spirit Healing and the Engagements on Believers parts seen in his command to them affirming such as are his to have his commands in them and these commands they are That Christ in the Name of Wisdom chargeth his Sons to keep in the middest of their Heart And so we may see in these three foresaid points what the New Testament is nor can any thing here required be grievous to any that are in this New Testamental Covenant For 4. Rom. 8.1 2 3 4. There is therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit What Consolation is this for such as through believing the Testimony of Christ are brought from under the bondage of the Law and Old Covenant Rom. 7.1 2 4 6. Gal. 5.16 17 18. Rom. 7.14 17 20. into this New Covenant with Christ to bring forth fruit to God and serve in newness of Spirit though they have flesh in them which lusts against the Spirit and much trouble thereby so as many infirmities be found in them and some failings yet if they allow not the same and so yield not to walk after the flesh make not that their Way and Trade but walk after that is allow like and yield up themselves to live sow to and walk after the Spirit the Law of Grace proceeding from the Testimony of Christ believed in their heart if according to the Light Strength and Motion given into their Hearts from this Spirit they do delight in the Law of God and desire and will to walk in it and so yield themselves to walk their wants and weaknesses which they would not are not charged on them there is no reproof no condemnation from God from Law from Conscience that shall wound them nothing that shall break their peace none to them And this the Apostle delivers positively as very Truth and then sets to his Seal rendering his own experience of the same Truth for he also had his flesh his carnality his Law in the Members rebelling against the Law of his Minde and so both disabling him from doing all that good he would and carrying him as a Captive to the Law of sin which discovered his sinfulness and of Death sentencing him to death the beholding of which caused a cry yet believing on Christ he saw and found deliverance so that this Law discovering sin and sentenced to death had not power to fasten its condemnation on him For saith he the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and of death Rom. 8.2 As if he should have said Though it discover sin in me and sentence death upon me yet it cannot fasten on me to condemn me for I looking to Jesus Christ that hath suffered and made peace for sinners in believing on him The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath made me free Joh. 8.36 c. And this also he builds on the true and sure Foundation that is laid open for all and gives a general Rule saying vers 3. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh Rom. 8.3 the Law given by Moses discovering sin and sentencing to death was in it self good and holy and promised life on performance but could not give it because of the weakness of flesh so as Men could neither satisfie in performance nor yet in suffering the punishment but they would have perished in it but God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh and for sin or because of sin or by making him a Sacrifice for sin condemned sin in the flesh even executed judgement on the flesh or Nature of Mankinde that sinned in the person of his own Son as the publick Man in the room of Mankinde and that to this farther end that the righteousness of the Law the life it promised and could not give us and the righteous affections and love services it required not affording strength to bring them forth might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.4 us that believe in Christ and so are in him having received Remission of sins and Spirit with a new inclination that it might by degrees be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh that is delight not in and approve the Wisdom Righteousness Confidence Affections and Lusts of the flesh which were all condemned and crucified in Christ his being condemned and crucified upon the cross for us so that we make not this flesh our Lord and rule and our way to walk after it but after the Spirit In eyeing and believing in this Blood and Cross of Christ and accepting it Rom. 3.25 4.5 23 24. 5.5 8 10. so believing on him of whom the Spirit testifieth admiring the Grace the Spirit commendeth therethrough and according to the Light and Grace thereby given in the inward Man delighting in this Law of God Law of Grace of Faith of Liberty the Law of the Spirit of life and so taking it as our Rule do will incline and yield to make that our trade to walk therein Jam. 1.25 2.12 Rom. 6.14 1 Joh. 1.7 Rom. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8.1 13. Gal. 5.13 16 18. 6.8 1 Cor. 9.21 we shall receive forgiveness of sins and healing of victory over them and have assistance and encrease of life and so no condemnation Is not this the language of the Spirit in the Apostle to the Romans and to the Galatians and
that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son Ioh. 15.1.11 2 Ioh. 9. yea even of his first work of grace in changing our mindes and reconciling us to God it is said to be In the body of his flesh through death to present us holy and unblameable in his sight If we continue in the saith grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel of which me have heard Col. 1 22â—23 1 Joh. 2.24 Whence also it is said to these If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you yee shall continue in the Father and the Son And so our Saviour saith to his own Disciples that were clean through the word that he had spoken to them Abide in me and 1 in you Joh. 15 47. as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine no more can yee except yee abide in me I am the Vine yee are the branches he that abideth in me that is beleeving and I in him that is my word in him the same bringeth forth much fruit c. Suitable to like sayings of his Spirit and exhortations in other places And so it is expresly said Rom. 11.22 1 Tim. 2.17 1 Pet. 2.3 4 5. Heb. 3.6.14 1 Joh. 3.5 8 9 10. 4.4 5.3 4 5. If we hold fast the confidence and rejoycing of hope firm unto the end We are the house of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end then are we made partakers of Christ and so born of God and his seed remaineth in us and that seed remaining being an influence from Christ and so stronger than the Devil that is in the world we in beleeving on God and so yeelding to it are born of God and so neither sin nor can sin because so born of God but do overcome the world This faith that is born of God being the victory whereby we overcome Rom. 8 2â— Luke 20.36 And this sense is plain and evident and agrees with that mentioned Heb. 6.1 2 4 5 9 10. And yet the compleatness of being born of God is in the resurrection of the just And so none of the quotations countenance two kinds of faith or of obtaining or of habits each true in its kinde As for degrees that is not in question Eph. 2.10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained or prepared that we should walk in them What this is to the purpose to shew what God hath given into and wrought in beleevers that are true and in one sort or kinde of them more than in another kinde true also I see not and suppose that none can shew Eccles 7.29 For when God created us all in the first Adam it was certainly in his Image In uprightness and so with furniture for good works that we might have walked in them But he fell and lost himself and us all and so we became weak of no strength lost and destitute of all furniture for any good works But God hath created mankinde anew again in Jesus Christ the second Publick man the last Adam who having satisfied for sin suffered for it and overcome death and ascended and offered the acceptable sacrifice is in mans nature glorified filled with the immeasurable fulness of the Holy Ghost to send for to the rebellious that they might come in and to furnish and lead all that do come in And he sinneth not nor can he dye any more but is alive for evermore so that in him we are compleat and perfect and this held forth to us that beleeving in him we might partake of his fulness which is a good motive to beleeve on Christ and to continue so beleeving And such as through the knowledge of his grace beleeve in Christ are certainly his workmanship and begun to bee united to Christ and this also unto good works such as God hath prepared in him that we should walk in them and so live to him and this the ground of his following exhortation as to other Churches Rom. 5.18 19 20. with 6.1 2 c. but no assertion of the measure of their attainments And it being confessed that the faith and holiness with the effectual operation of the Spirit in all the powers of the foul changing judgement affection conversation effecting light love joy zeal obedience enabling to do worthily in their generation Is not all this being the work of the Spirit that is in Christ comes from Christ and witnesseth of Christ his workmanship on and in them And are not they his workmanship in Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 5.14 15 And is there not fulness of furniture in Christ Jesus for good works for them And is it not the gracious end of God in making it known that they should live to Christ by walking in them I hope none will deny it All which justifies this faith set forth in Hebrews 6. and gives no countenance for any other kinde CHAP. XVIII Of the third saying in his second Concernment FOr the nature and property of this habit or abiding principle Thus he saith Being a natural genuine fountain of all those spiritual Acts Works and Duties which he is pleased to work in them and by them of his own good pleasure Though this be not the dialect of Scripture yet in a sober understanding it may be taken as agreeing thereto but not countenancing two kindes or a second kinde of true faith And so with some cautions and provisoes I shall take this saying for true and wholly consent thereto that is to say thus 1 That this abiding principle be not understood of a thing peculiar to any kinde of faith divers from another true in its kinde 1 Pet. 1.13 Tit. 3.4 5 6 7. but of the same kinde of faith set forth Heb. 6. faith being proved already to be one and so the same with that Tit. 1.1 2 That by Natural and Genuine be understood that which is Supernatural and Spiritual Isa 61.13 And so apt free willingly and naturally inclined and kindly putting forth 3 That the calling this principle a fountain be not understood as of a thing inclosed in the beleever to himself or any otherwise Psal 36.9 Jer. 2.13 17 13. Zach. 13.1 Rev. 21.6 Hos 14.8 Joh. 15.4 5 6. then as flowing from Christ to and in him that beleeveth in Christ and so in no sort derogating from Christ For he is the fountain of life with God and so from God unto us the fountain of living waters the fountain for clensing and for fruits And from that flowing from him is all that life cleansing and fruitfulness that is in beleevers And separate from him they can do nothing what ever greenness or springs be in any beleeving on him Jer. 2.13 17. 5 6 13. Joh. 15.4 6. yet if they thereby abide not in the faith of him
3.24 4.25 28. Rom. 1.1 2 3 they know also That what the Scripture saith the Holy Ghost saith the same o Gal. 3.8 Heb. 3.7 and what the Holy Ghost hath once said and testified as true in Christ he never altereth that Testimony but breatheth in it still and so where-ever written that remaineth Truth which proves this Objection vain Object 2 You understand not our meaning for we do believe in and magnifie Christ and the Scripture as much as you do but we have Christ and the Scripture within us and we believe that and speak that from inward and experimental Knowledge and the infallible Spirit and that we speak is the Minde of God but you believe in and magnifie a Christ without you and so believe and speak of and from the Scripture that is without you and so the true Sense and Mind of God which is infallible and from Christ and the Scripture within is to you a Parable and all you hold and believe is but fleshly and fallible Answ Here is still the former boasting and self-witnessing and self-exalting though with more discovery of Vanity Blasphemy and Pride or Atheism than the former as will appear to all that know who we mean by Christ and what we mean by Scripture For 1. By Christ in whom we believe we mean not An Imagination or Frame but the second publick Man the spiritual Man who not only out of us but before we in our Persons were and without any Motion or In-being in us did himself take our Nature being conceived by and born of a Woman a Virgin that was of the natural Seed and Lineal Descent of David and Abraham and Adam and so took a personal Body of his own in which he bore our sins on the Tree and was made a Curse and died for us and overcame Death and shook off all Mortality without seeing corruption in that Body in which being buried he rose again and appeared to and conversed with his Disciples and then in their sight departed from them out of this World in that risen Body and so ascended into Heaven and offered himself a sacrifice to God and sate down on his right Hand and in that now glorified Body remaineth in Heaven a great High Priest appearing before God ever-living to intercede for us This is The Christ our Saviour not to come to take flesh nor so coming nor so in us he hath done that already he was to do in his own Body for us and can die no more but is alive for evermore immeasurably filled with Spirit to send forth to us The right knowing of him is the original and right way of knowing all things and right knowing and worshipping of God is in the Confession of him thus to be already come in the flesh 1 John 4.3 and that Spirit that denieth this is the Spirit of Antichrist and he that denieth that This Jesus is The Christ he is Antichrist 1 Joh. 2.22 23. and denieth the Father and the Son And whoever believeth in This Jesus receiveth of his Spirit which imprinteth his Word and frameth his Minde in his Heart enriching him with his Consolations and so by Word Col. 1.25 26 27 and Spirit and Riches of Grace and not in bodily presence is Christ in Believers and in so being in them he is to them the Hope of Glory But whoever believeth not in this Christ without them and receiveth not the Efficacies and Frames within from the excellency of the knowledge of and Belief in him without so as he that is without in bodily presence is within by spiritual presence but come to undervalue him as without them and magnifie something within them All that within is but meer delusion which the ensuing Discourse will further shew so that the voice of this Objection being so strange the sheep will not hear it 2. And as for the Scripture we mean not by Scripture Ink and Paper nor Letters of A B C c. nor Syllables and particular Words nor Writing or Printing or a Book bound up in Leaves or rolled in Parchment But that we mean by Scripture is not the writing but the thing written not barely the words but the thing sounded forth and imported to us in the words And so the Almighty God that is Eternal without Beginning before all Things and without End Omnipotent Omniscient Infinite and Immutable the Creator of all things and his onely Son that was in the Beginning and from Eternity with him by whom he made all things and whom he sent forth made of a Woman and so Man the essential Word and the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son the infallible Spirit that witnesseth the Minde of God This one God Three in One and this Minde made known to Men the Manifestation and making it known is the Instrumental Word of God whether inspired spoken or written And of this God and his Minde it is as so made known that we mean and when it is once by his Command and Inspiration written and put on record for us to make known his Minde to us Prov. 22.20 21 as now it is then is all this called Scripture and so when God had once by his Spirit preached the Gospel to Abraham this being after written by Moses is since called Scripture Now it was not Moses his Writing that did fore-see and preach nor the Book or Letters or Words written therein but the Spirit in that Testimony did fore-see and preach which being Written and left on Record is therefore called Scripture Gal. 3.8 And when the Holy Ghost had in and by David said to the People To day if you will hear my voice harden not your hearts This being once written and left on Record for Generations following Psal 95.7 the Holy Ghost is said where-ever that Scripture is given still to say it And to those to whom no probability that that particular Word was inspired into every of them Heb. 3.7 which was so given to Israel and Joshua Deut. 13.6 8. yet it being after written and left upon Record for his peoples use it 's said to them many Generations after Heb. 13.5 He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee yea that which God spake to Moses in the Bush our Saviour it being written Exod. 3.6 said to the corrupt and erroneous Sadduces Have not you read that which was spoken by God to you saying Mat. 22.31 32 I am the God c. And so the Spirit in the Apostles teacheth us That whatsoever things were written aforetime Rom. 15.4 were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope Surely this written aforetime so long before we were was written without us yea without even those of us to whom that sentence was written and therefore written without in Leaves that they might have recourse to it and learn it and love it and so have it
spiritual Man 1 Cor. 15.45 49. that they may bear his Image So that all Mankinde are to be first considered as they have their first being in the first publick Man which at first was blessed and happy CHAP. 10. Of the fall and misery of the first Man and all Mankinde in him and so through him Psal 49.12 Man in honour abideth not he is like the beasts that perish Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed on all men for that or in whom all have sinned Scripture declares how this came to pass viz. 1. 1 Jude 6. 2 Pet. 2.4 Joh. 8.44 The Devil or Prince of the fallen Angels who aspiring to be higher left their own place and were cast down he envying the happiness of Man as he abode not in the Truth himself so he thought by Lyes to withdraw Man from it and bring him into the same Perdition with himself he made use of the Serpent the most subtil of all the Beasts of the Field which the Lord God made and by him as his Instrument as he now doth by the most excellent unsanctified wits and seeming holy ones pretending love and good to the Woman as to help her and her husband to a more glorious estate and greater likeness to God than that God made them in So tempting Man to his own aspiring sin he begins with questioning her about the minde of God in his sayings Hath God in saying said or because he said Gen. 3.1 4 4. 2 Cor. 11.3 4 13 14 15. Ye shall not eat of every tree in c Did he so say and intend indeed That ye should not eat at all of that tree may not there be some other meaning in his saying so to draw her from heeding and believing the word or saying of God according to the plain Import of the same and so amusing her thoughts about the sense and then perswade her to a quite contrary sense a trick he hath learn'd seducers to use whence also he is called The great Dragon That old Serpent The Devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole world Rev. 12.9 20.2 2. Man that was so loved and blessed of God and so abundantly furnished with good things and blessedly advanced by him having so plain a word that in minding and believing it he might both have known that other voice to be from a lying Tempter and have put him to flight yet Gen. 2.17 3.2 3 6. Jam. 1.13 14 15. by pondering the strange voice and parleying with the Tempter he neglected the heeding and believing the plain Import of the word given him and so hearkned to and believed the voice of the Tempter and Seducer and being so withdrawn he was inticed and did then look upon the appearing Excellency of the Tree and in looking proceeded to desire it for the conceited knowledge and wisdom pretended to be gotten by it and from desire proceeded to take of it and so handled it and from handling fell to eating of it contrary to the express Charge of his Creator This is the first sin and the beginning of the sinning of man 3. Man stayed not here but did proceed in adding to and compleating this sin to the height and that by hiding themselves from the presence of the Lord a Gen. 3.8 and by intimately blaming his Creator as not having furnished him to come into his presence leaving him naked b Gen. 3.10 Prov. 19.3 and by excusing and hiding his sin when called to account the man putting it off to the woman and intimately to God that gave him the woman the woman putting it off to the Serpent neither confessing faultiness nor asking pardon but leaving it to God's own search c Job 31.33 Gen. 3.3 12 13. so was the first sin finished 4. In this sin thus begun and finished we may discern man's demeanor towards God how evil it was and the exceeding sinfulness of this sin in his forgetfulness unbelief of the good word of God in the plain sayings and import thereof d Gen. 2.16 17. 3.3 a great sin Hosea 4.6 and disesteem of and unthankfulness for the great love of God in his Creation and the many good things bestowed on him e Gen. 1.26 27 28 29. 2.1 16. a great sin Deut. 32.15 2 Tim. 3.2 yea and confederacie with the Devil the Enemy of God and mankinde in hearing believing and obeying his suggestion in the voice of the Serpent f Gen. 3.4 5 6. a great sin 1 Joh. 4.1 5. John 5.43 And yet farther in this sin was Pride Ambition and Robbery in a high degree in conceiting aspiring and assaying to be equal with God which appertained to none but the onely Son of God Phil. 2.6 g Gen. 3.5 a sin of an high Nature Ezek. 28.2 6 9. and disobedience to and rebellion against the plain and express command of the Almighty h Gen. 2.17 3.11 a sin of an high Nature 1 Sam. 15.23 and blasphemy of God in minde tongue and deed in faulting the work and furniture of God about his own Body and assaying by himself to amend it i Gen. 3.7 10. a grievous sin Job 4.17 and unfaithfulness in his publick place both to God that betrusted him and put him in it k Gen. 1.28 2.19 Rom. 5.12 and to those that were to come of him by propagation in whose place he stood and with whom he was betrusted and also to the Creatures given pure and good into his Dominion to rule a great sin Luke 16.12 and herein murther and overthrow both of himself and all his natural posterity both of Soul and Body in dying to die a great murther of many in an high degree l Gen. 2.17 Rom 1.12 18. 1 Cor. 15.21 22. a grievous sin Numb 35 31. and extream vanity and folly in assaying to hide himself and his sin from God to avoid his judgement m Gen 3.8 10 13. a grievous sin Job 31.33 Psal 5.5 To shew how every Precept in ten words was herein gone contrary to and sinned against and all desireable good in the rule of Prayer given us as glorifying God being under his Regiment doing his will resting on him c. was in this transgression cast aside were an easie business and yet this offence so great and manifold doth still appear to be more heynous and sinful if we minde the circumstances in it as against how great glorious and bountiful a God that had made him in his Image furnished him with a world of Creatures exalted him to such a Lordship placed him in a Paradise and vouchsafed intercourse with him This sin was by him in this Paradise committed and against what and how manifold Obligations of Authority Love Benefits Instructions and forewarning given all obliging to Love and Obedience this sin was committed by him that enjoyed the good of them all And against what welfare of himself and
all his Natural Posterity to come of him it was committed And against what Knowledge and inward Natural Principle of Righteousness and with what deliberation and freedom of will when he was no way necessitated thereto he committed this sin and also how he committed this sin by the motion of the Devil in the Serpent in sayings questioning the Truth of and contrary to the plain saying of God and all for a dreaming conceit to get a shadow when he had the substance of good which he let go for it and so for very vanity it self so that we may with marvelling say Oh how vile and abominable the sin of Man how contrary to the nature and will of God! how tempting and provoking his Majesty how unworthy and unbeseeming such a Man as Adam 5. Having thus viewed Man's demeanor and sin in his fall and first offence let us minde also the misery that befel him and all Mankinde in and through him by this one so great and manifold offence and that the Spirit saith plainly was the entrance of sin and death by sin Rom. 5.12 18 6.23 1 Cor. 15.21 22. The very yielding to commit this sin brought forth fruit unto death as is evident For I. In drinking in I Gen. 3.1 13. Eccles 7.29 Rom. 8.6 7. Col. 1.21 and obeying the poysonful word and temptation of the Serpent the Natural Disposition and Inclination of Man was poysoned and polluted with that Hellish and Serpentine Venome and so Man became emptied and stripped of his Uprightness and so of his Comfortable Knowledge of God and love of God and his inward Natural Principle of Righteousness and filled with a Disposition and inclination averse to God and all things pleasing to him and bent and prone to all things displeasing to him and so became an Enemy to God II. It brought Weakness Pain and Mortality on the Body and Grief Shame and Fear of wrath and death on the Soul of Man n Gen. 3. Heb. 2.14 III. It cast man under the commanding and condemning Power of the Law of Works To love the Lord his God with all his Heart Soul Minde and Strength and his Neighbour as himself and to walk in and bring forth the Fruits of that Love he was not under the Power of any such outward Law to direct command move and lead him before for the Law of God was before in his Heart it was his Natural Inclination and Aptitude so to love and walk in it but this by his Fall was lost and gone out of his Heart Rom. 2.15 3.19 5.12 18. Gal. 4.4 yet notwithstanding God lost no part of his Authority his Goodness foreshewn to Man did still as much oblige Man to this Love and walking in it as before and so the Law without took hold of Man and had its efficacy in him to command and so to excuse or accuse but afforded him no help or power of doing it yet justly condemned for every Transgression or short coming of it and that to death and this befell all Mankinde in the first publick Man IV. IV. Rom. 8.20 Deut. 28.16 24 Eccles 1.1 2. Psal 75.3 It occasioned misery and vanity on all the Creatures made for the service and commodity of Man and put under his Dominion and turned that which was for his welfare into a snare so as all turned to be a vexation and curse to him to fill him with horror and madness to his Torment Ruine and Destruction V. V. Numb 21.21 22 24 31. Judg. 11.13 15 21 25. According to the Law of Arms and the right of a Victorer Satan had gotten the Dominion of Mankinde and so Mankinde in the first publick Man fell under the power and slavery of the wicked one the Devil that thus overthrew Man and got the power of Death to terrifie Man withal Rev. 12.9 2 Cor. 11.3 1 John 5.19 Heb. 2.14 VI. VI. Rom. 5.12 18. 6.23 Gal. 3.10 Deut 27 26. It threw man and all mankinde in that publick man unavoidably under the guilt and Dominion of sin and Death even all that first mentioned Death Gen. 2.17 and so into subjection to the Sentence Condemnation and Curse of that Law of Works under which he was fallen and to be judged by the Almighty according to that Law to suffer the utmost of the Curse it did sentence unto for all the breaches of it Lo such the Fall and Misery of Man such the foulness and fruit of this first and Original sin and such the state of the first Man in his fall and of all Mankinde in him and this without difference of any of them that Naturally were in him Rom. 5.12 18 19 6.23 1 Cor. 15.49 and come forth from him neither ever did doth or can any Man by Nature or Naturally come forth from him in any better state but in coming Naturally forth from him to bear his Image so that we may by this see a little of the sin and misery Mankinde at first fell into He that was once righteous now unrighteous he that was once in favour and well-pleasedness with God now under guilt and displeasure he that was happy now miserable yet God the same and Man changed and fallen into misery in respect of himself and all Creatures without Remedy to help of which a word or two to prepare for following Business CHAP. 11. Of the Immutability of God notwithstanding the mutablity fallen Angels and Mankinde NOtwithstanding all this Evil of Man his enmity against God and misery in himself and so his woful change yet was not there in or by it any change in God nor any alteration or failing of his minde or purpose he from Eternity was and now is and to Eternity will be the same for ever a Exod. 3.14 Rev. 1.4 8. 11.17 16.5 Heb. 13.8 Mal. 3.6 Jam. 1.17 1 John 1.5 4.8 without change or shadow of change the Father of Lights yea Goodness and Light it self and there is no Darkness in him He is Love and as for fury and wrath working out to the hatred destruction and torment of any of his Creatures it hath not its first rise from the Being and Nature of God but from such Transgressions against his Goodness by his Creatures as stands cross to his Wisdom Love and Goodness so as even from thence because of such Transgression hatred and wrath floweth from him as a Fruit of his Goodness and Love to his glorious Goodness and well-beloved Son as a just Reward of such Contemners thereof b Psal 21.8 109.4 5. 89.36 Prov. 8.22 23. Psa 119.68 136.10 20. so that fury is not in him c Isa 27.4 but the Fall and Destruction of Transgressors is of themselves deserved and procured by themselves d Hos 13.6 9. Jer. 14 8. And in all this God is of one minde and changeth not he at first made all things good and so Angels and Men righteous and such as he loved
redeemed from the Curse of the Law Rom. 8.25 and this by Divine power so made known that they so far believe that they receive Remission of sins past and so begin to be reconciled to God and receive the Atonement yet through the remaining flesh in them Gal. 5.17 1 Joh. 2.16 1 Pet. 5.8 Jam. 1.14 15. 3.2 Heb. 3.12 13 19. and the customes lusts fashions and allurements and terrors of the World without them and Satan with his manifold Temptations taking advantage both from the Flesh and the World to fasten his Temptations on them they may be overtaken many times and in many things to offend and if not helped and healed sins against Grace are so heynous they will lead to depart from God and cast into danger of perishing in a second Death Which that we may be preserved from it is needful That there be vertue and value enough in the Blood shed and Sacrifice offered and fulness of provision in the Sacrificer and Offerer that by vertue of his Blood once shed 1 Tim. 2.5 6. Heb. 7.27 19.12 14 15. 10.10 12 14. 12.24 1 Joh. 1.7 9. 2.1 2. Luk. 5.24 2 Tim. 4.10 and Sacrifice once offered he in continual mediation for us may freely forgive and take away our following evils and so preserve our peace with God and send forth following grace and supplies of Spirit to recover and heal us and to cause us to abide and grow in grace and so preserve us from every evil work unto his heavenly Kingdom without which we are liable to miscarry but if this be afforded us with both the former then have we a perfect Saviour a perfect Salvation and shall be perfectly recovered And now though Mankinde had highly offended God and stirred up wrath and displeasure and incurred Death and Curse to be justly executed on them being also Enemies to God yet here is better news for them than for the fallen Angels namely That God though angry with and hating their sinfulness yea so as he could have no delight or well-pleasedness in them nor extend loving kindness to them in that condition they were in yet he did not upon Man's fall turn Enemy to Mankinde 2 Sam. 14.14 but loved Mankinde still so far that in his love and wisdom his bowels of compassion yearning on Mankinde he found out a Ransome and mean of Recovery for Mankinde that for all this Transgression they might not be banished from him but might have a way of coming in again to him and this in his Son Jesus Christ our Lord by whom by vertue of what he hath done received and doeth Psa 75.3 Rom. 2.4 the old Creation is preserved for a time and means and mercies extended to Men in that time that Men might repent and come in to him 1 Cor. 15.45 2 Cor. 5.17 Rev. 21.5 and a new Creation compleat in him that all that come in to him may become new Creatures and have by him a new Creation compleated for them And of the dissimilitudes similitudes between this second and new creation and that first creation a word or two before I come plainly to set forth what the Testimony of Christ is CHAP. 13. Of the dissimilitudes and similitudes between the second or new Creation and the first and now old Creation FIrst The Dissimilitudes between the two Creations are these 1. In the first now old Creation the first Man the publick Man Col. 1.15 16 17 18. Rev. 3.14 21.5 Rom. 11.36 was made last of all the Creatures made for him so as nothing was made by or through him but in the second and new Creation the second publick Man is first made and then all things in the new Creation by and through him as well as for him 2. In the first Creation the first publick Man was made of the Dust and God breathed into him the Breath of Life and Man became a living Soul and being made Male and Female was fitted for multiplication of personal beings of his own kinde in a natural way and was in his perfection at the first Luk. 3.23 38. Mat. 1.1 2 c. Rom. 1.3 Mat. 1.23 Luk. 1.31 35. Gal. 4.4 John 1.14 on the very day he was made But in the new Creation the second and last publick Man was in a supernatural way made of the seed of Adam Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob David c. of a Woman a Virgin he being Male only and so fitted with Spirit to bring in spiritually to himself being a Man in union of Person with and so the Son of God Yet was not the Man Christ in his perfection at the first a Luke 2.40 he was first abased and made perfect through sufferings b Heb. 2.10 5.8 9. and after service and sufferings perfected c Luk. 13.32 24.26 46 47. and so as Man he was first made that which before he was not nor as he was the Word and Son of God could ever Naturally or in a Natural way have been but he who was not Naturally Flesh and Man but God the Son of God in a supernatural way had a Body given him and so was made Flesh of the Seed of David according to the Flesh a very Man d Heb. 10.5 Iob. 1.14 Rom. 1.3 1 Tim. 2.5 he being holy and sinless in our Nature could not naturally have been subject to the infirmities of Hunger Thirst Weariness Sadness Pains and Mortality but this was freely for our sakes made so and so in the likeness of sinful Flesh though altogether sinless e Heb. 2.17 4.15 Rom. 8.3 Isa 53 4. he had the holy Law in his heart and was free even the Son of God and could not Naturally have been a Servant under the Law under which Mankinde was fallen but he was made so that being under the same bond with us our debt might be charged on and required of him f Gal. 4.4 Rom. 3.19 Phil. 2.7 8. he being without sin could not Naturally have been sin or a curse but for us was made so g 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 and he being made all this and accepting it all and so performing all in our Nature dying for our sins the Truth of God is fulfilled according to that Gen. 2.17 and the justice of God is satisfied according to that Deut. 27.26 h Gal. 3.10.13 Deut. 21.23 and Mercy and Truth are met and Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other i Psal 85.10 yet if Christ be not risen again we can have no such Forgiveness and Justification as to come into favour with God again k 1 Cor. 15 14 15 17 18. but he is risen from the dead just as the publick Man for our justification l 1 Cor. 15 4. Rom. 4.25 and hath overcome Death and him that had the power of Death and so hath spoiled Principalities and Powers m Heb. 2.14 Col. 2.12 15. 2 Tim. 1.9 so as Truth is
of his suffering and Sacrifice or Ransom offered and so mediating between God and Men evidenceth him to have given himself a Ransom for Men but how many even all Men. And of this the Apostle was ordained a Preacher and professeth in this also to speak the Truth in Christ and not to lye and in teaching this to teach in Truth and Verity And what can be said more or more plainly or with greater earnestness and asseveration to shew That Christ died and gave himself a Ransom for all Men And yet to remove all stumbles and doubts and make it most cleer That he gave himself for all Men we have one word more 4. To consider the Qualisication and Character given us of those Men for whom Christ died and gave himself a Ransom to God and this is express That they were and were so viewed even ungodly unjust sinners and enemies to God and this is intimated here in Tit. 2.14 He gave himself for us it is not said for our desires or requests or deserts no we were fallen sinners without strength enemies in captivity to sin death Satan which is intimated in the next words That he might redeem us c. but in other places it is fully and plainly exprest yea assirmed 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners and in due time Christ died for the ungodly again Rom. 5.6 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ also hath suffered for sins the just for the unjust yea the Believers have not been ashamed to own themselves in this number also of whom saith Paul I am the chief Rom. 5.8 And while we were yet sinners Christ died for us And all have sinned Rom. 3. and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God hath fore-ordained or set forth to be a propitiation 1 Joh. 2.2 even for the sins of the whole World through saith in his blood and that in his setting him forth to declare his righteousness for the remission or passing over of sins that are past through the forbearance of God yea to declare at this time now Christ is so manifested his righteousness that he might be just yea Psa 145.8 9 17. 36.5 9. Rom. 3.3 4 6. Act. 13.39 Rom. 4.5 so known to be in all his merciful Dispensations to men from the beginning of the World and to the end of it and in his judgings of Men and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus And all this given as the Ground Demonstration and Proof of the Truth of that fore-assirmed namely That the righteousness of God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Rom. 3.21 22 23 24 25 26. even the righteousness of God which is now manifested and by saith of Jesus Christ the cleer Doctrine of the Gospel in which he as the Object of Faith is set forth to be received in believing unto all that is as true for them and tendered to them and upon all that believe for there is no difference Till Men believe and receive it or obstinately reject it it is alike for all and to be preached and tendered unto all and to this end that they might receive it in believing here no diffence and in believing it is upon Believers they all and every one receive it and have it and even so in believing they have it there is no difference in this neither for all have sinned c. which brings fully to that understanding of the word Us Tit. 2.14 to signifie us men us sinners and so all Men and so those for whom Christ gave himself an Oblation and Sacrifice and Ransom to God are mankinde all mankinde Adam and all his Race even all men and when the Oblation of Christ as offered to God for men is only spoke of whether it be in terms of Death or Ransom they for whom he died and gave himself are set forth in those general terms Men all Men Sinners Unjust Ungodly c. such phrases in so speaking of his Death and Ransom as to say He died for his Elect or for Believers or for his Church or such as were appointed to believe on him are not in the Scripture nor Scripture-like but the devices of men thinking to be wise and so in an unbelievingness conceive harshness absurdities errors and danger in the terms of the Holy Ghost and presuming to be wiser than their Maker and to direct the Holy Spirit what terms to breath in finde him out those foresaid terms as more true and safe terms to deliver his minde in but it 's plain and enough said in a former Treatise Universality of God's freegrace to Mankinde yet unshaken by all the attempts against it which also are answered by a learned and godly Brother beside the Answer fore-given in all which it appears That Christ is set forth in the Scripture to have died for all and given himself a Ransom for all men CHAP. 7. 5. For what Christ offered this Sacrifice for us Men. THis is in general intimated Tit. 2.11 12 14. but express in other places That it was for our sins not to purchase any Liberty for sinning Gal. 5.13 Psal 45.7 nor for love of our sins for he loveth righteousness and hateth sin and wickedness but because he loved us and saw us necessitated to suffer for our sins and so in a perishing condition and remediless distress by reason of our sins therefore he came and gave himself in our stead to suffer for our sins the curse that was due to us and so to make an Atonement and escape for us which is here cleerly intimated in saying He gave himself for us or in our stead to work redemption for us and purchase for us and that also to this gracious end That he might redeem us from all iniquity which is a farther business to be spoken in the next Point and Chapter but of the former that done and obtained by him for that end and so far for what he gave himself which is not only intimated here Gal. 1.4 1 Cor. 15.3 1 Pet. 3.18 1 Joh. 3.5 Heb. 10.12 Rom. 3.23 6.23 Gal. 3.10 Heb. 9.22 23. Psal 40.6 7 8 49.7 8. Mie 6 7. but in other places fully and plainly express'd as that He gave himself for our sins He died for our sins c. Hath suffered for our sins He was manifested to take away our sins And after he had made one Sacrifice for sins for ever he sate down on the right Hand of God for so it is We have all sinned and come short of the Glory of God and in this no difference And the wages of sin is death and so we all fall short of those righteous affections and services which the Law of Ten Words require and so deserve to suffer the Curse and so without shedding of blood and suffering
Death and Curse there could be no remission of any of our sins and that must be better blood than that of Bullocks and Goats or our own personal Blood and yet it must be the blood of a man yet a just and perfect man and one that is more than a man even God-Man therefore God was pleased to send forth his own Son in man's Nature and to lay on him the iniquity of us all And he was delivered for our effences Isa 53.5 6. Rom. 4.25 1 Pet. 2.24 Heb. 2.14 1.3 9.12 14. 10.12 14. Eph. 2.13 and so he his own self bare our sins in his own Body on the Tree and by Death overcame Death and so in and by himself made purgation of or for our sins and by the Eternal Spirit offered up himself for us a spotless Sacrifice to God and obtained Eternal Redemption and sate down on the right Hand of God and thus hath he given himself for our sins and made the Atonement for us Now in this general Answer there are five particulars included as that for which he gave himself a Sacrifice to God and which by that Offering he hath obtained of God for that work that is fully done 1. To satisfie for and take out of the way those sins into which mankinde was fallen and which through the corruption of his Nature he was necessitated to commit against the Law under which he was fallen and so to redeem mankinde from the Curse of the Law and also to overcome that death into which mankinde was fallen and the Devil that had the power of it or which is brought forth to terrifie men with it man being weakned thereby and it being due to be executed on mankinde that so mankinde might not perish in it but be raised out of it and these are the sins which were seen to be in Adam and all his natural Race as so coming forth from him and bearing his Image and this the Death in which mankinde should have perished and so was mankinde beheld before Christ his undertaking for him and these sins and this death Christ undertook not to be an exempter of men wholly from feeling any part of either Isa 53.4 5 6 7. 1 Pet. 2.24 Psal 40.6 7 12. but to be a Redeemer of men from both these and so these sins in a special manner were laid upon him and in respect of the penalty to be suffered and satisfaction to be made they were counted his sins and he bare them in a special manner and confessed them as his own sins 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 and did as under the same bond with us suffer the full punishment due to us for them in which respect he is said to have been made sin for us and to have been made a Curse for us and so vertuous his Blood and Sacrifice Isa 53.5 Gal. 3.13 and so effectual with the Father that by this one Oblation as offered to God this our great wound is healed Heb. 1.3 10 12. Col. 2.14 15. 2 Tim. 1.10 and he hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law and so in and by himself as in and by the publick man our sins are purged the Law satisfied all that was in the way contrary to us is taken out of the way and that for ever and death overcome so that though men be conceived and born in sin and come forth with Natures polluted yet there is redemption wrought and though through ignorance and unbelief the consciences of men may charge them for these sins by this Law and so they may be terrified for these sins by this Law and with the fears of the Curse in this Death while they live this natural Life and know not Christ yet God will not so go to Law with them to judge them by this Law by which Christ was judged for them nor shall they perish in this first Death which Christ hath suffered for them but be raised out of it Rom. 3.24 25. 5.12 18. And this such as do know and believe in Jesus according to the revelation of the Gospel do know and consess as is cleer in that Testimony 2. To make such an abundant and overflowing propitiation by the dignity excellency and vertue of his Blood and Sacrifice that he by vertue thereof might have power and authority to take away from and extend forgiveness to men for those following sins which through their weakness and Satan's new attempts they may be found to commit against that new and gracious Obligation under which they now are to him and to God for the gift of him and so against that Light and those means and spiritual motions extended to them while he continueth his patience towards them and is by Spirit so striving with them These being the sins Joh. 1.4 5 9 10 29. Heb. 2.17 7.27 that will fasten on conscience indeed and bring reproofs and condemnation and correction from God of which dayly pardon and justification is needful to be sought and received through the sprinkling of his Blood and these are called The sins of the people and The sins of the world But because some not well catechized in the word of the beginning of Christ may count this strange I will therefore also shew where I finde it in Scripture plainly first then I finde it in the Types in which though much dissimilitude yet ever so much fitness of similitude that we may know the Truth though but darkly typed to be yet verily fulfilled and cleerly appearing in Jesus Christ and so to instruct us into the knowledge of Christ the Apostle produceth those types as Heb. 4 5. For every High-Priestaken from among men Heb. 4.15 5.1 2 3 4. is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sin Who can have compassion on them that are out of the way for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity Vers 5 6 7 8 9 10. and by reason hereof he ought as for the people so also for himself to offer for sins And no man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as Aaron was so also Christ c. as follows Heb. 9.7 8 12 13 14. And so into the second Tabernacle went the High-Priest alone once every yeer not without blood which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people the holy Ghost thus signifying c. But most plainly Heb. 7.27 speaking of Christ saith Who needed not daily as those High-Priests to offer up sacrifice first for his own sin and then for the peoples for this did he once when he offered up himself Minde the words That which they daily or often did this not a part only but this he did once and at one time namely when he offered up himself and consider what this teacheth us The dissimilitudes are so evident between the typical High-Priests and our High-Priest that I
1.7 9. Eph. 5.25 26 27. even for Believers to wash at and they directed to daily washing in approaching to God by him and he is said to have given himself for them to do this business of washing them with Word and Water till he have made them spotless and in this respect also of the provision made in his Sufferings and Sacrifice for taking away these following evils of those redeemed from the Curse of the Law and bought by him it is said Isa 53.6 5 11 12. All we even we that are healed with his stripes like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath made the iniquity of us all to meet on him c. and so he is a perfect Saviour and a Giver of Salvation to such as believe on him as is demonstrated and affirmed Heb. 2.10 where the Apostle having spoken of his being made perfect through sufferings after mentions his Burthen and Sufferings in the flesh his tears prayers supports and obedience in all and then saith as in another place And being made perfect Phil. 2.7 11. Heb. 5.7 8 9. he became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him Now it 's known he was made perfect as a Saviour in his Oblation-offering and the Father's acceptance of it and exalting and filling him and then he became the Author of eternal Salvation which also cleerly implies some true Salvation which proves not to all the saved Eternal and yet none without Blood but this eternal Salvation he gives unto all them that obey him that is believe on him he saith not to all he died for nor to all whom by vertue of his Death and Ransom he hath redeemed from the Curse of the Law and so bought into his dispose that they shall not perish for ever in the first Death nor to all that he useth means and sends forth Spirit to and so calleth them that they might believe and have eternal Life and so not be hurt of the second Death but to all them that obey him that is hear and believe in his Name which is according to the tenor of the Law by which Christ will judge all Men * Act. 3.22 23. Rom. 2.16 Mar. 16.16 so that all the way both from the Types and the Truth affirmed in Christ answering what was typed it appeareth That Jesus Christ offered himself a Sacrifice to God for sins of two sorts the first such as were not against himself as Mediator but against God as Creator which he took on him so to discharge that the debt became wholly his and he hath fully discharged the same and made full riddance of it before God and will in his time remove it from all Men though many will not now believe it the second sort of sins such as are also against him as Mediator many of which he taketh away and as he hath received power so he useth means that Men on the account of his goodness might believe on him and so not only see their Freedom from those sins which are passed but have these present removed from them also and so be Eternally saved and yet Christ's taking away the first sort of sins and provision to take away the second sort also doth still farther appear Thirdly if we consider the difference our Saviour maketh of sins some greater and more heynous and fearful than others Mat. 12.31 32. Mar. 3.28 29. Luk. 12.10 and yet but one sort excluded forgiveness Verily saith he I say unto you All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men loe he putteth in no condition here at all and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness but is in danger of eternal condemnation And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him loe here no condition neither but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall never be forgiven him neither in this world nor in the world to come Now what can sinning speaking against and blasphemy against the Holy Ghost be but some such manner and degree of sinning as in which the Sacrifice offered and the Offerer of which the Holy Ghost hath born and beareath witness is in such degree contemned as the sin cannot be forgiven without dishonour and wrong to the Sacrifice and Sacrificer and so such a sinning as for pardon of which the Sacrifice was not offered for there can be no sin or blasphemy against either Father or Son or Holy Spirit as they are one God which is not against them all and every of them in one as much offended as either personally considered and so all sin and blasphemy Mankinde fell into through the fall of the first Man and that necessarily spring from Nature so corrupted while no sufficient remedy to avoid it is afforded they are directly sins and blasphemies against God as a Creator and so against the goodness manifested in the Creation and against the Law under which Mankinde was fallen and so though we according to appearance may call these sins against the Father as indeed they are yet they are sins against the Son and Holy Spirit likewise by whom as one and the same God the Creation was effected but these sins were so satisfied for and done away by Christ in his Oblation offered which God hath so accepted that he hath remitted all over to Christ and if not now as to Believers it doth yet in the World to come it shall appear they shall not be judged and condemned for sins in this manner committed But now Jesus Christ having undertaken and offered such a Sacrifice to God as in which he hath purged from before him all these and obtained power to make this Grace known to draw Men to him and to forgive all other following sins found in Men in this his strife which indeed are as before shewn sins against the Mediator here by himself called The Son of Man yet these sinnings against him are in a higher degree than the former against the Father who in love gave and sent forth and testified of his Son the Saviour of the World and against the Holy Spirit of Grace in his Testimonies of him and Operations from and with him but they are more appearingly and directly against the Mediator that took our Nature and died for our sins and offered himself a Sacrifice to God for us and now extendeth means and Spirit to us to turn us to himself yet of these sins against himself he saith All these shall be forgiven unto men as Believers do begin to experiment in this World and shall fully in the World to come yea unless some higher degree than yet mentioned in sinning in a higher manner Men shall not be cast into a second Death at the end of the World to come and what this high degree of sinning is is also express'd Mat. 12.24 Mar. 3 29.30 Luk.
and but once in the yeer and so at once in one day made the Atonement for all Israel and yet for particular defilements they needed daily washings and purifications still else they should have died in their uncleanness notwithstanding the Atonement made for them answerably Jesus Christ by his own Oblation once offered in the end of the World entred into the holy place and made the Atonement for the sins of Mankinde that they were fallen into and obtained eternal Redemption and is the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World and remaineth in the holy of holies a continual Mediator and Interceder that by vertue of his Oblation he may be taking still away the sin of the World and by a spiritual sprinkling of his Blood purifie the Hearts of Believers from their personal and particular sins without receit of which purifications Men may die in their own sins notwithstanding the Atonement that was once made for them and those High-Priests could not remain in the holy of holies so to intercede but came out again so soon as the Atonement was made and so the High-Priest's entrance in the holy of holies once in the yeer was principally the Type of the Atonement made by Christ once in the later end of the World and the Types of his Intercession was in other services of the High-Priest and Priests when the High-Priest was come out of the holy of holies Exod. 28.29 30. with Numb 18 1-4 22 23. with Lov. 1 2 3 4 5 c. when in a continual and daily service they made Intercession for the people by bearing or taking away their iniquities in Ministrations in the Sanctuary for them and burning Incense beside their oft Purifications which did rather type out the Intercession of Christ as is foreshewn and may be read in comparing Heb. 9 7-27 and 10.11 12 18 19. with 7.25 c. and so this Expression agreeth not with the approved Rule pag. 26. 5. There is no real difference between the efficacy of the Death of Christ and that of his Intercession upon the actual accomplishment of it f Pag. 216. Sect. 3. This is a very dark saying and tending to confound things distinct for sure the Oblation is already accomplished his Death over and past and he alive for evermore but the vertue of his Death and so of his Oblation abideth but the efficacy is that here to be minded and its efficacy with God is seen in this that he hath made Christ Jesus the Lord filled him with all fulness of the Holy Ghost given all Power and Authority into his Hands to dispose of all Men to raise the Dead and to judge all All this is given him as the effect of his Death and Oblation and for this he neither doth nor needeth to make Intercession Therefore the making the efficacies of Oblation Offerings and Intercession-making as both one without any real difference in the actual accomplishment is not right Besides the prevalency of his Intercession with God is by vertue of his Oblation-fore-accomplished and with and in the Furniture by it obtained and it alwayes and in all things for all he intercedeth prevaileth with God and so he obtaineth the making known of his Oblation and the Vertues thereof for Men and the Extention of many Means and Mercies and spiritual Operations to them all which are the efficacies of his Intercession with God for Men. But now the efficacies with and in Men are various some receiving and so meeting freely with blessing others refusing and upon that account condemned not that he intercedeth for their Condemnation but for their refusal of Mercies extended by the Intercession of him that had fore-bought them The efficacy of his Oblation is in that they are given into his dispose and he is their Lord and shall be their Judge which they cannot avoid and this obtained before Intercession made The efficacy of his Intercession by vertue of his Oblation is seen in the Patience Forbearance Mercy Means and Spirit extended to Men to bring them in to be his peculiar People and its efficacy in Men is in their believing precious but in their disobedient refusal heavy even tending to just Condemnation the manner of Christ's judging being according to the Mercies and Means he hath extended as Men have received or rejected And besides in those that do receive the Grace extended for his Intercession it is not all one and so prevalent in and with the best of Saints on Earth nor so abundantly efficacious with them as it hath been and is with God such thoughts I hope are far from us and not intended in the Expression but the Expression being Scriptureless Pag. 26. and not agreeing to the Rule I leave it 6. That Christ was sprinkled with his own Blood g Pag. 217. Sect. 3. This a very dark and Scriptureless Expression we read of his Garments to be sprinkled with the Blood of his Enemies when he revengeth the cause of his people Isa 63.3 but for being sprinkled with his own Blood we read not and what sense to devise to make this true in is beyond my understanding for we even all Mankinde in and through our first Father Adam were fallen under the guilt of manifold sins charged upon us by that Law under which we were fallen and these could not be pardoned without satisfaction made by Blood shedding and for this cause the Son of God took our Nature and was made under the Law for us and so that debt was reckoned on his account and he shed his Blood materially and died for our sins and rose for our justification and offered up his own personal Body a Sacrifice for us and so in compleating his Oblation he as it was his debt fully satisfied and as it was ours obtained by that Oblation full pardon for us And this was materially done by him and is not anywhere called The sprinkling of his Blood yea his material Blood if it were or could have litten or been sprinkled materially on any in his Circumcision or scourging or crowning with Thorns or nailing to the Cross or piercing with a Spear yet would it not so have cleansed any from sin any more than the supposed reliques of it profit any now the vertue of it for that being in the vertue of the Oblation offered to God and he being by his own Blood or with the vertue of it entred into the Heavens having offered the Oblation he is a spiritual Man and all he doth to us now he doth spiritually and so not material Blood as shed and yet the vertue of the same Blood that was shed he by making it known in the Gospel spiritually sprinkleth And this was also figured in the Law as is shewn at large in another Treatise And we Discourse of the precious blood of Christ c. 4. p. 22 23. notwithstanding the Atonement made in Christ by his Blood shedding and Oblation and the making it known with the pardon
of all that debt in and by the Gospel and the mâ—ans used towards us have still many following and daily sins and defilements and need this spiritual Application and sprinkling of his Blood for our cleansing and peace and we are found weak in believing and need that spiritual sprinkling of his Blood to confirm our Faith in him for the Promises of the New Testament all which things how he is furnished to help us hath been foreshewed But he is righteous holy harmless in him never was or is or will be any sin and for what cause he should be sprinkled with his own Blood who will fancy Sure I will not believe because it is Scriptureless and agreeth not with the Rule given and consented to pag. 26. As for those Expressions of Christ dying for his Elect seeing that there could be none elect in him but as he is beheld as having died offered his Oblation nor is any of Mankinde reprobated but as thus are beheld rejecting him that offered the Oblation And so though it be true That Christ hath once died and offered the Oblation both for those that now are elect and those that now are reprobated and by vertue of the same Oblation will eternally save the one and justly condemn the other yet he died and offered the Oblation for no Man as elect nor for any Man as reprobated but for all Men as sinners fallen in Adam Therefore that Expression of dying for his elect or dying for the reprobate are neither the one nor the other found in the Holy Scriptures but in the sayings of those that strive to shun or shadow the Light These and such-like Expressions being not in the Scripture may by the Rule be easily avoided And enough is said and plain sayings of Scripture directed to in treating of the Oblation Part 1. ch 7. to fence against all such-like Expressions therefore they are forborn here CHAP. 10. Some Instructions from the Gospel-Testimony of the Oblation of Christ about Christ and the Gospel of Christ FRom that is in Scripture testified concerning the Oblation of Christ what was offered by whom to whom for whom for what and to what End we may perceive learn and know certainly 1. That Jesus Christ is the last Adam the second publick Man 1 Cor. 15.45 46 46.47 Rom. 5.18 Gen. 3.15 Heb. 2.14 2 Tim. 1.10 1 Joh. 5.6 7 8. the spiritual Man the Lord from Heaven the quickning Spirit in whom there is a full Restauration of the Nature of Man and for Mankinde compleated as there was depravation in the first Adam And so that he is the promised Seed that hath by his own Oblation in himself as the publick Man taken away sin overcome Death and destroyed the works of the Devil and is furnished to do and will do the same in others according to the Agreement between the Father and him for Mankinde for the good of Men and the everlasting benefit of all that unfeignedly believe on him Gen. 22.18 Gal. 3.13 14 16. Gen. 7 5 6 7. Is 53.8 9.6 Ioh. 10.58 Rom. 9.7 8. Act. 13.32 33. Is 9 6. Is 49.1 2 3 8. Hos 12.4 Heb. 5.7 9. Mat. 6.6 Joh. 4.42 and so he is that true Seed in which is blessing for all Nations that all believing in him may receive it yea the true spiritual Abraham the everlasting Father the true spiritual Isaac or Son of promise in whom the Seed shall be called the true Israel that hath prevailed with God by whom God speaks with us yea he is the great and true Prophet Act. 22. the great and only true high Priest Heb. 3.1 and 7. the true and spiritual David and King Ezek. 34. and 37.24 Rev. 22.16 Heb. 7.1 In a word he is the Christ the Son of the living God the Saviour of the World yea and so neerly related to us that he is the Son of Adam Abraham David yea the Son of Man our Kinsman that loves us is allied to us and in our Nature who came to save sinners 2. That Jesus Christ in respect of his Oblation Jam. 1.13 1 Cor. 5.17 Rev. 3.14 Rev. 5.1 Col. 1.18 Is 42.1 Rev. 1.18 Tit. 3.5 6. Rev. 1.11 17. 22 5 6 7. compleated is the beginning of the Creation of God the new Creation called Emphatically The Creation of God he is the first-begotten and first-born from the Dead the first elect that was once dead and is now alive for evermore and so he is the Fountain of the proceeding and compleating of the whole new Creation of Regeneration of Adoption Gal. 4.5 of Election 2 Thes 2.13 of Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.21 22 23. yea the Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the end in all these yea so it pleased the Father that he should be the first and that all fulness should dwell in him that in all things he might have the pre-eminence Col. 1.18 19 20. 3. That Jesus Christ in respect of this his Oblation Is 23.16 Heb. 6.1 Is 32.2 1 Pet. 2.3 4 5. 1 Cor. 3.11 Act. 4.11 12. Eph. 2. â—8 Joh. 14.6 10.7 9. compleated is that precious stone so tried in his Power Love and Faithfulness by so great sufferings and proved excellent and prevalent with God and for Men which God hath laid in Sion for a Foundation a Foundation of Repentance and Faith and for Believers to rest and be built upon yea he is the only Foundation and there is no other whereby Men may be saved yea he is nor only the Foundation but the true door and way of all right and true approach to God and of entrance into fellowship with and service of him and his people yea he is the Way the Truth and the Life 4. The Testimony of Christ being comprehended in the Testimony of his Oblation and Mediation and glorious coming again this of his Oblation and its prevalency with God for Men in that he obtained and is become which includeth and assureth though it explicate not his Mediation and second coming it is and is rightly called both The Word of the Beginning of Christ and The Vision of All. First Heb. 6.1 it is called The Word of the Beginning of Christ or as some translate it The Doctrine of the Beginning of Christ of his Incarnation See the eight first Chapters of this par 2. Death Resurrection Ascension Sacrifice offered the Ends and Vertues thereof the Peace he hath made thereby the Overthrow he hath given to Sin Satan Death the Redemption he hath obtained and the fulness of Spirit he hath received even for the Rebellious that the Lord might dwell among them he being the Saviour of the World the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World the Lord of All so as whoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life and he the Judge of All and the Love of God to Manward herein testified This the Word of the Beginning of Christ and the Beginning of
denouncing the Curse on the Serpent were thus sounded forth in the hearing of Adam and Evah And the knowledge of all this is very profitable for us seeing by it we are taught so cleerly First That the Gospel thus sounded was not by Adam or Evah received by sense or by discerning of any peculiar interest they had in it more than others of Mankinde or any betterness in them more than others but by the Divine Power in the discovery of God's Love to Mankinde without any difference of one from another or preferring one before another they as fallen Ones received it by Faith in which it became theirs and so receiving it by Faith according to the import of the sound and the Light that was in it thence Adam in this sight and receit called his Wives Name Evah because she was the Mother of all living and this might well be in a twofold sense natural of all Adam's Race because there was hope for them and spiritual of all Believers she happily being the first Receiver according to that Where sin abounded there grace abounded much more Secondly That the Sentence and Curse did pass on them after the Promise and Interposure of Christ the new publick Man he having fore-accepted to be in that Nature and under the Law under which they were fallen that so he might come and bear that Sentence and Curse for Mankinde and so take the sting and venome out of it and in due season bring them out and this also was without difference for the good of all Mankinde Thirdly That the promise in the Testimony and sound lies as open and free for all Mankinde and every of them as it did for Adam and Evah that they might believe and in believing be the Seed of Christ and Children of their believing Mother Evah and so have the same hope Fourthly That we may know That as the Gospel for the good of Mankinde was first declared in denouncing the Curse on the Serpent and his Seed so all the Threats and Curses denounced on the Enemies of Christ and his People they are Fruits of God's Love and sure Promises to Believers And this was the first Revelation given of Christ Now also for Evidences and Demonstrations of the Truth and Goodness hereof besides this revealed Testimony of God it is to be seen in his works of Creation and Providence Psal 75.3 Col. 3.17 18. Joh. 1.3 4 5. Heb. 1.2 1 Cor. 8.6 Psal 19 1 2 3 4 5 6. Rom. 1.19 20 21. Act. 14 17. Deut. 4.19 Psa 147.15 16 17.18 Psa 145.8 9 17. Jer. 5.21 24. Heb. 11.6 Rom. 2.4 Rom. 10.18 Col. 1.23 Act. 4.17 for whereas all was lost and so for sin to be so far dissolved as every Creature remaining to have been as a Curse Vexation and ruine to Man that the Heavens and Earth with the Inhabitants are upheld and that Sun Moon Star Earth c. do serve for the good and comfort of Mankinde It is through Jesus Christ and by vertue of his Oblation and Intercession And so now and from thence The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work Day unto day uttereth speech c. And by these works of Creation and Providence God shineth forth and manifesteth to Men his Eternal Power Goodness his Being or Godhead his Wisdom and Love to Mankinde and these he hath divided to all Nations under the whole Heaven to serve them for their good and to such a gracious end and by these he gives hints of a Ransome and Mediator between him and men through whom he that is holy and just is yet so merciful and gracious to sinful and unworthy men even that they might believe him to be and to be merciful and a Rewarder of them that seek him and so repent and come in to him and so far and in such a sense the sound of the Gospel is preached in and by the Creation in the whole Earth and so in and by every Creature under Heaven to all Nations and every Man And these two the rumour of the Gospel as declared in Paradise and the Evidences of his Goodness in the works of Creation were the two Mediums or Books in which the Testimony of Christ hath been held forth from the beginning and is to be read Yet God did even at the first in this provision made in Christ for Men and for instructing them in this Revelation and these Evidences of him he chose in him certain Instruments whom he furnished above others with the Knowledge of the Gospel as so revealed and also with Understanding of his Power Wisdom Justice Mercy and Minde evidenced in his works that they should teach the same to others to convert them to God And these were those who themselves received the Testimony and were by it led to love and worship God and desire the Salvation of men as all the first Fathers Adam Seth c. who all preached to the World the same Gospel though not so fully come forth as we now have it is in respect of the more full and cleer Demonstration of it by the Apostles called a new Commandment 1 Ioh. 2.7 8. 1.1 2 3. and yet in respect of the thing it self the old Commandment being the same that was from the beginning And all those first Fathers from Abel to Abraham are affirmed to have said such things and to live and die in the Faith thereof Heb. 11.2 13 14. yea all these were Preachers in the World Adam Seth Enos Cainan Mahalaleel Jared Enoch Methusala Gen. 5 6. Lamech yea all these at one time sometime before Noah Adam Enoch and Seth being departed before the time of Noah but Enos above half a hundred yeers in Noah's time and Cainan above one hundred Mahalaleel above two hundred Jared above three hundred and a half and Lamech and his Father above five hundred yeers preachers in Noah's time and Methusalah till the yeer before the Flood came and then still Noah and Sem. What all these might do for Gospel-preaching in the first Ages who can say with all that received it of them but preach the same Gospel they did and so Noah preached Enoch prophesied and in Enoch's time Men called on the Name of the Lord so as then began a Profession of his Name in which they were distinct from the careless and prophane Sons of Men. Such Teachers then provided And yet this is not all for God did endue these Teachers with his Spirit and went forth with his Spirit in their Ministration and the means he did use toward them 1 Pet. 3.19 20. Gen. 6.3 so Christ preached by his Spirit in the Ministration of Noah and with his Spirit did strive long with them and that the Ministration and spiritual Motions might take more place he in his Providence wrought much for them and with them in sending about and stirring up his Servants to admonish and exhort them Rom. 2.4 Psal 36.6 7. Ioh
sins and delivery from death and truth in receit of and enjoyment of true righteousness peace quickning purity heavenly riches came by Jesus Christ even in all times past and so now more fully and cleerly doth so as though he came after John yet he is preserred before him yea he was before him so as now he is come John and all the residue of Believers then and since even we of his fulness have received and Grace for Grace for the Grace of God in Christ by vertue of his Sacrifice which God hath graciously accepted of him for us we receive the Grace of Faith to believe and therein remission of sins and so Grace for Grace yea this and so one to make us meet to receive another and that to make us meet to receive more still and so Grace for Grace plentifully one heaped upon another Tit. 3.3 4 5 6 7. Col. 1.12 13. Joh. 1.15 16 17. Act. 26.18 yea as Moses had a Law of Works to nurture the people towards Grace so we a Doctrine of Grace and Law of Grace to teach and lead people to partake of Grace 4. That this Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God the sin-offering and the true passover which by vertue of his sacrifice mediating taketh or beareth away the sin of the world Job 1.29 36. Col. 2.14 15. Eph. 2.12 13 16 17. Rom. 5.18 that by his own death and sacrifice offered takes and now hath taken sin out of the way removed the contradictions that were in the mid-way between God and the world of Mankinde and made peace that it may be preached to them and that by vertue of his blood and sacrifice Isa 53.12 1 Tim. 2.4 Rom. 2.4 Rom. 3.24 25 26. 1 Joh. 3.2 Gen. 22.18 Act. 10.43 Rom. 4.5 Mat. 3.2 11. hath fulness fitness authority and readiness to take sin out of the consciences and nature of Men and by his Mediation procures forbearance patience and mercies to sinners to lead them to repentance being he and onely he set forth for that end the propitiation for the sins of the world in whom there is blessing for all Nations and that by spiritual application of his Blood he doth so take sin away from all that in believing come to him for it and that he is neer at hand to set up his spiritual Kingdom the fore-runner of his Davidical Kingdom 5. That the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hands Joh. 3.34 35 36. and immeasurably filled him with the Spirit so that whoever believeth in him hath everlasting life and be that believeth not on him the wrath of God abideth on him This Doctrine was John filled with to teach And with this Doctrine he was to throw down the Momtains exalt the Valleys Joh. 14.18 29 33. Mat. 3. Mar. 1. Luk. 3. cry down all Flesh and exalt the Word of the Lord and so to call Men to Repentance and to Faith in Christ and so to newness of life assuring them that Christ would baptize them with the holy Ghost and as a witness of the Truth of this Doctrine and that Christ was at hand and shortly to be manifested to Israel he did baptize with water unto repentance and so discipled all that came to him and refused it not Yet did he not in the beginning of his Ministration point out which of all the Sons of Men was that Man that is the Christ so he shewed not which was the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ till he was especially fitted and directed and commissionated for that also by the direction of the holy Spirit by communication with Jesus Christ himself Joh. 1.33 34. Mat. 3.13 17. Mar. 1.9 10.11 Luk. 3.21 22. and seeing the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting on him and hearing the voice of the Father from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And so was he furnished to know and declare the person of Christ as distinct from all others and who he was And then he did most plainly point out the Man Jesus Joh. 1.29 35 36. 3.30 36. the Son of the Virgin with confession that not himself and so no other Man but that very Man Jesus was the He the Christ the Lamb of God the King of Israel the Bridegroom the Son of God he even this very Jesus he pointed to and affirmed to the be very he and so exhorted his Hearers to behold him even Jesus and to follow him cleave to him and exalt him And in this his Ministration he was greater than all the Prophets that were before him Mat. 11.10 11. though less than any of his Lord's first Witnesses of his Resurrection that were to come after him and although in the exercise of his Ministration he was but for the House of Israel who if they had received him as he came in the Spirit and Power of Elias they would then have received Jesus Christ also and so they might have enjoyed the Gospel of the Kingdom and have continued in their own Land till his coming again to raign and then John Baptist had been all the Elias they should have needed and the coming of Elias mentioned Mal. 4. it would have been needful onely for the ten Tribes of Israel formerly cast off but they refusing came to be cast off also and so its needful for them And in this Ministration Mat. 11.13 14 15. 17.11 12. 23.37 according to this Revelation all the former helps in and under all the former Revelations and Ministrations still remained and all for the good of Men specially the house of Israel CHAP. 7. Of the seventh Revelation and the last that shall be of Christ till his own return and personal and visible appearing THe next Revelation of Jesus Christ and the last that is to be carried an end for usefulness by teaching and use of such outward Ordinances as now even until his personal appearance when all such means shall cease and the eternal Sabbath be Isa 42.1 61.1 2 3 4. Joh. 12.49 50. Heb. 1.1 2. 2.4 and this Revelation was by the Father to the Son even to the Man Jesus Christ his Elect upon whom he hath put his Spirit and by Jesus Christ to his Disciples God by his divine power bearing witness thereto and confirming the same and this Revelation by Jesus Christ was of the same things fore-revealed to and by the Prophets but now more fully and cleerly manifested with the mystery more abundantly opened and this his Revelation was in a threefold manner or by three distinct wayes or means 1. By manifestation of himself and all that appertained to him to do in his first coming by demonstrating the same in the very act visibly c. 2. By his personal and bodily Ministration in a vocal and audible teaching the Gospel and the Testimony of himself in the Prophets and explicating it 3. By pouring on his witnesses and
so saith yea all quoted and the rest are against it 2. In this Purpose of glorifying his Son and shewing forth his Glory through him he purposed also to do both in this by creating by him an infinite or numberless company of Angels or heavenly Spirits all holy and good to attend on and minister to this his Son Heb. 1.4 6 7. Psal 104.4 and so to serve and glorifie God in serving and glorifying his Son whom only he had exalted glorified with equality to himself and to endue them with fitness and ability for this service and to free them from any seducing Tempter without them Job 38.7 Psal 9.7 Luk. 20.36 to turn them aside from it and in their rejoycing in him and acknowledge him their supreme Lord rejoycing in his Exaltation and well-pleasedness with their own place and service of him to establish them by his Son as his Sons for ever But if any of them contented not themselves with this their place and service Job 1.6 2.1 Jude 6. See Part 1. chap. 11. but aspired to a likeness and equality with God as was peculiar to his first-begotten Son then to cast them down for ever and reserve them in chains of darkness to the judgement of the great Day All which according to his Purpose he hath done 3. In this Purpose of glorifying his Son and shewing forth his glory through him he also purposed to create by him the Heaven and Earth and a VVorld of Creatures for Mankinde and so to create Man righteous c. for his Glory and the good of Mankinde as hath been shewn 4. See Part 1. chap. 9. In foresight of Man's Fall and Misery thereby he purposed still the shining forth of his Glory through his Son in working by him a Redemption and Restauration for Mankinde and a New Creation for all that by his Glory shined through should believe on him and that he should be the Judge of all See Part 1. ch 12 13. as hath been foreshewn And of the Purpose of God as new last mentioned and the Purposes included in it it is that comes within the compass of this Discourse and of no other for in consideration of this Purpose and Purposes included in it we shall meet with all that is revealed for us to know concerning the Purposes of God about Eternal Salvation for Mankinde or the Eternal Damnation of any of them And yet before we proceed it is needful to observe and minde well a few Cautions to prevent Mistakes CHAP. 2. Of some Cautions to be heeded to prevent Mistakes THat we distinguish between Foreknowledge Caution I. and Purpose or Decree By Foreknowledge I mean not fore-owning or pre-approbation in which sense the word is frequently used in Scripture but knowing before foreseeing or prescience In which sense the word is commonly used among ordinary people and sometime some word also bearing that sense used in Scripture and such foreknowing I mean Reply If any say Nothing could have any being life strength and ability of motion and action for God to foresee if God had not forepurposed and did not according to his purpose give and preserve the same Answer If it be meant of created beings and such life and power of moving and acting as is in Creatures then this is very true but if it be meant of all the demeanor of those beings and their various movings and actings in and with that power of acting and moving which God hath given them then this is not true Doubtless God did foresee how Jerusalem would abuse all that Life Beauty Ezek. 16.2 27. Riches and Ornaments he gave them but he did not will purpose or decree they should so abuse them though he purposed how to deal with them for it yea he expresly sa it They did both chuse such ways and do such abominations as he not onely not commanded them Isa 66.4 Jer. 19.5 32.35 but as came not into his Minde which can be no less then not purposed by him So surely God foresaw when he purposed to make the first Adam and to give him that life and power of moving and acting which he did and that Furniture he furnished him with how he would abuse his power and Furniture and sin against God but God never willed purposed or moved him so to sin Jam. 1.13 much less approved he should so do yea according to his purppose he afforded him sufficient means by heeding which he might have been preserved And farther he would not withstand and hinder him and so onely permitted but decreed not his Fall yet in foreseeing it he purposed to shew forth the Glory of his Goodness more in provision of a fit remedy for restoring of Mankinde of which Purposes we are to treat And indeed he said well that said God is so good that he would never suffer evil to be if he knew not how to work good out of it So that Foresight is one thing and Purpose another Reply If any reply But then God foreseeing these miscarriages did decree to permit the same Answer I answer If this be put in if Men by the means used by him to keep them from sinning would not be so kept back from sinning but notwithstanding all helps to preserve will transgress then I will confess the saying true else not though I finde not the Scripture anywhere calling such permissions decrees nor do such decrees if in such sense they may be so called come within the compass of such purposes as we have before us to treat of And so let this first Caution be heeded That the Purposes of God we are to treat of Caution II. are his Purposes of Eternal Salvation and of Eternal Damnation and not of such Purposes of God concerning Men as being verily fulfilled et even of those persons on whom they are fulfilled some may be Eternally saved and some may be Eternally damned so as the fulfilling of such Purposes neither necessitates the persons on whom they are fulfiled to be Eternally saved nor to be Eternally damned they being fulfilled both on the righteous and the wicked as for some instance 1. As God hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men for to dwell on all the face of the Earth so did he also purpose and in his Purpose determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their Habitation Act. 17.26 27. and this with a gracious end and tendency for their good also in his way yet in this Purpose onely those and all those in all times ages and Nations of the World that fear him should be accepted of him Act. 10.35 so that though purposed and according to purpose some be Kings and Magistrates somâ— Subjects some Rich some Poor and all in a gracious tendency that they might seek and acknowledge the Lord in these condition some of all sorts have been found in every of these conditions seeking and fearing God and so walking
Christ and Christ faithful in performance of the same 2 Tim. 2.11 If we be dead with him he saith not If we were dead for him to die for us or as dead in his dying for us having in his sufferings 2 Cor. 5.14 19 20 21. as in the publick Man suffered the sentence of death in account for all we fell into by Adam that as he is risen we might live to him which is true also of such as yet believe not But he saith Rom. 6.2 11. 7.4 Col. 2.20 Phil. 3.3 7 8. Rom. 6.4 5 8 11 7.4 5 6 Joh. 11.25 26. 2 Tim. 2.12 Rom. 8.17 18. If we be dead with him that is believing in his death in his Blood and in acceptance of that die to our own Wisdom sinful lusts and designs and to all hope in any righteousness of our own and so to all the appearing glory ease pleas and excellency of this World and all by and with him which is to be dead with him in Scripture-Language If we be dead note it he saith not he we shall also live with him receive forgiveness be enlived preserved and raised with and by him yea more still If we in this believing dying and living do suffer with him and so for his and his peoples sakes we shall raign with him at his coming but when such glorious grace is discovered and tendered to us by so gracious a One as hath suffered so much for us and hath gone before us and calleth us to follow him and yet we refuse If we deny him he will deny us This is as plain as all the rest If any say He cannot for this his death will be in vain his call frustrate and his word become of none effect This hath been answered before That his death his word hath its effect and his Purpose shall verily be performed according as he purposed that is for life according to the Election of grace and though these deniers of him bring upon themselves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2.1 Rom. 9.6 8. Isa 65.11 15. Joh. 12.48 Rom. 2.16 Prov. 9.12 Phil. 2.9 10 11. 2 Tim. 2.13 others shall be brought in and the effect of his word shall be seen in those that are born of the promise as was said The Lord shall slay thee and call his Servants by another Name nor shall his death and Ministration of the Gospel be in vain he will have the glory of all in judging them by it according to the Gospel and not he but they alone shall suffer and bear it and will have his glory of being by vertue of his death their Lord and so it follows If we believe not yet he abideth faithful faithful in all his promises and sayings yea in this affirmed and faithful saying and so faithful in and according to the manner of his Purpose he cannot he neither will nor can it suits not with his Nature it is impossible he should deny himself he saith not He cannot deny us though we believe not and deny him for if that were so he must deny himself in his own sayings concerning unbelievers Apostates and Deniers of him and in his faithfulness for bringing forth his Father's and his own Purposes according to his Purpose ordered in his Counsel and breathed forth by his Spirit but he cannot deny himself he will make good his own word and shew himself to be even the same his Spirit hath in the Gospel reported him to be denying none that by his grace in the Day of grace believe in him or having departed do again in his recalling turn to him but denying such as persist in refusing or after coming in in departure and denial of him in which is both warning and comfort and so a great motive to hold them in the Faith that were in it and to return them that were gone astray from it 2 Tim. 2.14 15 16 17 18 19. And therefore he willeth Timothy to put them in remembrance of these things c. and urgeth it because some were departed from the Faith assuring him that notwithstanding all this the Foundation of God standeth sure in which we may see not onely the Purpose of God but the Foundation laid according thereto and the sure standing of it to be such as abides with the Truth of all these foresayings and events yet it is meet to answer that conceited strong Argument against this hereto said which is Mr. Owen's saying thus Though the seed of Christ Pag. 132.3 which he is to see to upon the account of his sufferings for them do sin and trangress yet God hath put all these gracious Obligations upon himself to reduce them by corrections and afflictions but never to proceed to final sentence of utter rejection Isa 53.10 Answ This is nowhere affirmed in Scripture and so propounded as is doubtful what his meaning is if other sayings did not explain it as where he saith Pag. 364. The same sins deserve the same punishment and had not Christ answered for the sins of Believers they could not have escaped punishment And if he had said nor raised from the dead it is as true but that any perish for sin because Christ did not suffer for them is not true nor is God any respecter of persons if the manner of sinning be the same though he also saith Pag. 161. 63.2 The guilt of sin is also taken away from all those for whom Christ died by his death that it shall never be a cause of everlasting separation between God and them which hath been plentifully shewn to be contrary to the Scripture besides the taking sin out of the way by his death is one work 2 Cor. 5.21 Eph. 5.25 26 27. 1 Joh. 1.1 7. and the taking the guilt of sin c. from Men another following work the first done where the later is not done and the first done that by vertue of that by which it was done the later might in his way be done and it is a great perverting of the Scripture to render that done where it saith it is to be done of which enough hath been said but his Expression here being more moderate I will so view it for here he saith not All that Christ died for but his Seed By the Seed of Christ See par 1. ch 13. and par 4. ch 2. is not meant any of the Sons of Adam considered as he was to die and had undertaken it and did die for them for so they were Men fallen Adam's Seed and sinners and enemies to God which the Seed of Christ are nowhere called but they come in upon the account of his Death Resurrection and Sacrifice compleated and Spirit sent forth in the means prevailing with them And this express by the Prophet taught by our Saviour and so the Children of the Promise Isa 53.8 10 11. Joh. 12.23 24. Rom. 9.25 26 8. those that were born of the promise that were not before in that sense
Heb. 11.25 26 27 it will cause all services sufferings for Christ to appear but a little matter to be born yea it will lead to count sufferings for Christ greater riches then all the treasures of this World and strengthen them to endure as seeing him that is visible in which while these Promises are believingly viewed 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. our afflictions will work for us a far more exceeding weight of glory yea should temptation come so fiercely as to dazle the eye Psa 116.3 11. 31.22 23 24 56.4 10 11. or daunt the courage of our believing so as we fainted in the exercise of our Faith yet the minding of these Promises sealed by him that shed his Blood for us would make us cry to him in that fainting and he would hear us and help us comfort and enable us to comfort our selves in his word And will they not then allure and help to perseverance Surely Yes And thus I have briefly hinted the Promises of God through Christ to Mankinde to Mankinde believing to Believers in each condition and to them and Promises to be received after this life which heartily believed it would lead to cleanse from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit 2 Cor. 1.1 5.1 1 Joh. 2.24 25. and to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord it would lead to perseverance and to cause to long and wait for our House from Heaven In all which we see That the Promises of God and the Purposes of God and the Testimony of God concerning Christ are all one and the same Doctrine declare the same thing the same minde of God by diversity of expressions setting forth and closing together in one and the same Truth and so as the knowledge usefulness of and in any one will be found the same of and in each and every one yet I to evidence this will a little go over what hath already been shewn in usefulness of the Testimony of Christ and of the Purposes to shew how we are taught the same in the Promises and how the knowledge of them as hath been set forth is helpful to us in many things CHAP. 6. How this knowledge of the Promises is instructive to us about understanding some Sayings of Scripture 1. THis will help us to understand that saying 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature c. It is evident That in this and the former Verse Rom. 1.1 2 3 4 5. Eph. 1.2 4 5 11. Act. 26.18 Peter was declaring the Furniture given him by God for his Ministration as was Paul's course oft in beginning of his Epistles and both his Furniture and Mission for the same end that Paul had his and so in the former Verse he tells us That the divine Power of Christ Joh. 15.26 27. Act. 1.4.5 Luk. 24.4 Joh. 5.25 11.25 26. and so of God in and through Christ which was the Holy Ghost inspiring them with the Testimony of Christ hath given unto them all things pertaining unto life and godliness To life that is to forgiveness quickning and life and being enlivened to godliness to right worshipping of God and living to him an = d uniting and conforming to him 2 Pet. 1.1 2. and all this he saith the divine Power gave them through the knowledge of him that is in the Testimony of the Righteousness of God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 1 Pet. 1.20 21. 2 Thes 2.14 2 Cor. 5.18 19. which the divine Power shined into their hearts in the face of Jesus Christ who hath saith he called us by glory and vertue or to glory and vertue whereby or by which divine Power and Spirit in the knowledge of Christ according to the Testimony put in our hearts are given to us that is for Ministration and to minister with exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ministred by us and heard and believed by you you might be Partakers of the divine Nature that you in hearing might believe and in believing being convinced and brought out of darkness might receive the light and so believing in Christ have Fellowship with and partake of the divine Nature and so the Promises here appears to be the same with Gospel-Testimony and the several Heads or Branches of Promises forementioned Consider it well 1. For fallen Man the Seed of the first Adam that are under sin and death that they may attain to life and godliness receive forgiveness and be accepted into favour and become of the spiritual Seed c. Needful it is That in that Nature of Man sin be condemned and punished blood shed death and curse suffered and overcome in the same Nature risen just ascended and offered to God a Sacrifice so as Aronement be made Redemption obtained Spirit and Eternal Life received in the Man to send forth that Men might believe Act. 13.31 32 33 38 39. Joh. 1.45 and that whoever believeth on him may receive forgiveness and life And such a Saviour God from the beginning promised to Mankinde and after more explicately to Abraham and by the Prophets and Jesus Christ that died and rose c. is this very Promise fulfilled as God hath now fulfilled this Promise in raising him from the dead Luk. 1.69 70 Joh. 14.6 Eph. 2.17 Rom. 3.25 1 Cor. 3.11 1 Pet. 1.21 25. Joh. 6.48 Isa 42.1 c. and so set him forth in the Gospel and this Jesus so set forth is the Way of approach to God The Propitiation for sins The Foundation The immortal Seed The Bread of Life The Elect of God The First-begotten and First-born Son of God that all that believe in him may through him approach to God receive forgiveness be united to and built on Christ and so become of the same seed born of God a Son of God by vertue of the Death and Resurrection of and union with the Son of God And this fulfilled Promise Joh. 3.14 15. Act. 2. 3.9 26. 13.38 39 and so the Promises under this first Head or Branch of Promises of things done are exceeding great and precious and to be held forth as the Promises of God fulfilled that in believing Men might be begotten by and born of the Word or Promise so that to conceive or suggest to any another Seed an elect Company for whom this Seed should come and die is altogether erronious there is but one blessed Seed in which blessing is and that is the Seed of the Woman of Abraham in which is blessing Gal. 3.16 26. And this Seed was not a People for Christ to die for but it is Christ dead and risen and by his communicative vertue all those that through Grace are brought in to him and united to him as such a Seed to bring Men in therefore to be of this Seed this Promise fulfilled in him is to be preached 1 Cor.
the Truth of the Gospel preached to and Covenant made with Abraham abode still and was more fully preached by the Apostles but that manner of preaching with Baptism and Ordinances delivered by them though heavenly in respect of the former and will be in force till the visible appearing of Jesus Christ but then be shaken when still the Truth of the Gospel and Everlasting Covenant will abide for ever to be enjoyed by sight Now then when all the means appointed for Abraham to be the Father of such a Seed ceaseth and no more brought in by believing but by sight nor living by Faith but by sight such are not in respect of any conversion in Scripture-phrase called Abraham's Seed but I conceive they more properly may be called The Seed or the Children of Christ and of his glorified Saints brought in and living by fight not needeth any Covenant to be farther or again made with such as are brought in by and live in the light of this being brought in to enjoy their part in it in their first conversion And if any conceive they may be called The Seed's Seed or his Seed's Seed and so under that Promise to the Seed of Abraham Isa 59 2â— Deut. 30.5 Isa 65.15 16. Jer. 3.16 17 18. I will multiply thee above thy Fathers I hinder it not however this I know The People of God as well as their worship shall then be called by a new Name so that in this is no let or hinderance to that said That the Covenant shall be made to all the spiritual Seed brought in or become of the Seed from the beginning to the ending of the Ministration of the Gospel Isa 41.20 21. 69 7 8. by it to them all together at once yea it will be a great wonder to great admiration to see a Nation born at once and such an infinite Company of Saints presented to them and yet when the Mountain of the Lord's House is thus exalted and the Lord appears in his Glory and the Children of the Resurrection ruling and flying about when the Spirit and the Bride in the presence of the Bridegroom Rev. 22.17 Isa 2.2 3 5. Micah 4.1 2 3 Isa 66.12 Psal 110.3 when Light and Law so proceed out of Sion the Inhabitants of the Nations hearing will say one to another Come and so go together to the House of the Lord without any other Ministration So that then is promised to be the greatest Conversion and more numerous then ever before though all of them brought in by and living in the performance of the Covenant at once so made with the whole Seed and not made over again but continuing and it is enough for all so converted to be under this blessed Government after their Conversion enjoying the happiness of it Rev. 20.9 15. Mat. 25.46 and so escape that great destruction and second death and have eternal Life when the Serpent and all his Seed are cast into the lake of fire which is the second death And so we see who the persons are III. What that is that is to be done in the manner of making this Covenant is fully and sweetly expressed in this Jer. 31.33 34. affirmed also in other places of Scripture let them be considered CHAP. 9. Of the things to be done in making this Covenant see the Text. I. I Will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Jer. 31.33 Ezek 36.25 26 27. This exprest in other words when having clensed them from all their filth he saith A new heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them Deut. 30.5 6. Of which Moses spake saying And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the Land which thy Fathers possessed and thou shalt possess it and he will do thee good and multiply thee above thy Fathers and the Lord thy God well circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy Seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy Soul that thou maist live And so by Jeremiah again I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever Jer. 32.39 40. all dayes And I will make an ever lasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them from after them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So that in all the places we may see That then all sin and sinning shall be removed and a perfect Righteousness framed in them and strength to walk constantly therein and by this we may note the difference between this and the first Fruits of it given in to Believers by the first coming of Christ given for a Covenant as namely That this now-given is but a first Fruits and earnest of that promised which is the Harvest to be waited for also That this given was Rom 8.23 Eph. 1.14 Rom. 11.11 26. 2 Cor. 3.3 Rev. 21.1 8. Zach. 12.10 and yet is chiefly received by the Gentiles but that promised chiefly by the whole House of Israel the natural Seed of Abraham become the spiritual Seed this given is mediately in the Ministration of his Servants that promised is immediately by his own presence this given many Israelites shall have their return into their own Land that promised at the visible appearance of Chrift Rom. 11. this given is to all Believers though Israel be in dispersion that promised not till Israel dwell in their own Land many of those that receive this given may yet through weakness be puft up for one against another but in receiving that promised is no more pride nor envy of one against another 1 Cor. 4.7 Isa 11.13 Phil. 3.2 13. Zach. 12.8 Mat. 2.4 Act. 20.30 Rev. 2 3. Isa 60.21 Joâ—l 3.17 Zach. 14.21 Rom. 8.17 Isa 60.18 19 21. The best of those that receive this given do not here attain to perfection the least of those that receive that promised are perfect In the Assemblies of those that receive this given were and still are found some among them unsound and some decaying and some falling off but those that receive that promised the people in that whole Assembly be all righteous and no more decaying or falling off Those that receive this given are here still under the Cross and Combatants but those that receive that promised are freed from all Sufferings and Temptation and are Conquerors enjoying the Inheritance This given is received now by one and then by another and by all by degrees but that promised is received at once by all together Israel and Judah and all Believers of all Nations together So though this given be a first Fruits of the
principles receiving And yet after by evill teachers and temptations turned aside and fall into doubtfullness of or denyall of some of the Oracles and decay of that towardness that was in them towards the Principles and so are found fallen away for by farther opening the Doctrin of Christ and from the foundation and Oracles of God opening and pressing for the first Principles to bee received They may bee recovered and their recovery is to bee hopefully sought But they are such as have by the Oracles of God been brought upon the foundation and so had the forementioned Principles framed in them with such enlightenings and tastes as hath been shown 5 Yet they are not such as these through weakness or some violent temptation prevailed with and so overcome Gal. 6.1 1 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 2 3-11 12.19 -21. 2 Theâ—â— 14 15. that they are fallen into some gross sin against some of the ten Commands or some breach of charity in sinning against some branches of the Precept of the Gospel for the recovery of these by the words of grace and reproof and means appointed thereby may bee hopefully sought but they are such as these so far proceâ—ded that are fallen away from Foundation Heb. 10.26 27 28 29 30. Oracles Principles after all that light wilfully contemn and turn from this grace and despite it and this is their sin as before related in Part. 2. chap. 7. pag. 80-81 2 That such as so grievously sin against grace it is impossible to renew them again to repentance It is impossible The Apostle speaketh here of his ministration by preaching or writing for hee gives it as the reason why hee forbears going over again the foundation Oracles and thereby opening and pressing the first Principles because for such as need it and to whom it may bee profitable they to whom hee writes are fitted and may do that but the usefullness hee is pressing to is needfull for them but to such fallen ones all hee hath to say will be of no avail to them therefore hee will proceed and let such alone for it is impossible to renew them again to repentance Wee have nothing to say of the Mediatour to press any thing on them but what they have crucified to themselves and contemn So it is impossible to us to renew them it is out of the bounds of our ministration 1 Tim. 1.20 2 Tim. 2.21 Tit. 3.10 11. wee use either to reject such or deliver them to Satan and not exercise our ministry farther towards them while they are such and so wee would have you to do They are fallen into the hands of God who hath left us nothing in our ministration Heb. 10 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. to shew how God may deal graciously with them through a Mediatour but all wee have to say of the Mediatour whom they have so despitefully used will aggravate their sin and present nothing but terrour to them they are in a fearfull condition and in danger of eternall damnation But the Power of God wee will not limit Mar. 3.29 And all things are possible to him Though hee will do nothing but according to the counsell of his own Will And so in this sense hee saith it is impossible to renew c. which is a terrible sentence 3 The Reason Why it is impossible to renew them again to Repentance is exprest seeing or because They crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Hee that was once willingly crucified and put to an open shame for them and by his Spirit commending his love there through to their hearts hath been glory and beauty to them precious and efficacious in them yet now they turning aside to some vain dreams have hardened their hearts against him and for lying vanities have forsaken him and now are turned adversaries to him and by their own reasonings and lusts and magnifying some other thing do make his blood and sacrifice of no account and efficacy to themselves but crucifie him Heb. 10.26 2 29 30. and cast shame on him to make him despicable to themselves and others And there is no other Sacrifice to help them no mean of any help but in the freeness of Gods love that gave his Son and through that blood and Sacrifice of his made known by his gracious Spirit And all this they have trodden under foot despised despighted And yet that 's not all they are not by any Judgements or warning reclaimed but they go on and continue so doing And so hee saith not only they have fallen away and have crucified but they are even now still so doing they fall away they crucifie c. that is their business And they are so doing it is impossible and therefore impossible to renew them again to Repentance the words are very plain in themselves 4 That this great danger of eternall damnation into which some have fallen is in some cases to bee declared Chap. 2 3 4 6 10. and set before them that are not fallen into it that they may be warned to avoid all those evils by which by degrees Gal. 4. if not avoided they may bee brought to fall into it And so the Apostle sets this danger before the Hebrews to warn them to avoid all that leads to it as hath been shown And so did he to the Galatians And so hee directs them to no other or better faith than here set forth which suppose some were fallen from yet hee would have them abide and bee stedfast and grow in this faith and if any say God cannot so proceed with such as once have such faith though they fall away Hee answers Heb. 6.7 8. For the Earth which drinketh in the Rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth Herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth thorns and bryars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to bee burned The Apostle here setteth forth the holiness and justness of Gods proceedings that as their standing is by faith so they may take heed of presumptuousness as he admonished the Romans Rom. 11.18.23 So here the Hebrews still justifying God as by setting forth the height and grievousness of such sinning being like the sin of the Angels that fell having no cause for it Jude 6. they had happiness enough in their condition in which abiding they might have been established but aspiring after a higher estate they left their habitation c. So suitable thereto is this sinning and in some degree beyond that of our first Father Adam Rom. 5.14 Numb 16. Jude 11. in respect of his own particular which men are not naturally guilty of so great but this is wilfully resembling that of Corah They willingly first forsaking God Isa 1.12 13 14. Iude. that shewed such mercy to them as was better than all they could set eye on So as without cause they
make themselves again as the Dog and as the Sow How great is their sin and how just their Judgement And as for their disposition hee confesseth that was once changed so that the sin here mentioned suits that falling away mentioned in Heb. 6.4.6 without any impeachment to the goodnesse of the Faith such have fallen from 2 Pet. 2.20 1.4 the excellency whereof condemneth their falling 2. But hee saith again though their faith holinesse light love joy zeal obedience bee all true in their kind and many of them do worthily and yet they attain not to the Faith of Gods Elect neither doth Christ live in them nor is the life which they lead by the Faith of the Son of God so hee Marke here that this is not to bee understood of them as before they came to the Faith Nor yet of them as after they are departed from the Faith but of them as and while the Faith is in them and they abide in it And hee eonfesseth their faith really true in its kind Pages 217 218. And it s before proved there is but one kind of Faith that is really true set forth in the Scripture And that very Faith also set forth in Heb. 6.1 2 3 4 5. Nor are wee treating of a worldly or humane faith or a faith begotten by humane strift but of a Faith effected by the Spirit of God and built on Jesus Christ that is the Foundation and the heavenly gift of which they have tasted Mat. 3.17 12 18. Isa 42.1 And is not Jesus Christ the Son of God in whom hee is well pleased And so Gods Elect Doth the Gospel hold forth and call to any other or doth the holy Spirit witness of glorifie and draw to beleeve in any other but Jesus Christ Doth not every good and perfect giving come down from the Father of lights who enlived them and quickened up all these Principles in them if not Christ by his Spirit what is that which was once so precious that the Apostates after departure crucifie to themselves tread under foot c. Is it not Christ the Son of God his blood even the blood of the Covenant and his Spirit even the Spirit of Grace which they so despite Yea if it were not so their sin and danger had not been so great and there would bee more hope of their recovery again It were better for us to forbear such rash assertions and glorifie God in keeping to the expressions of Scripture concerning Faith and the operations of Grace although some bee departed from it as is forenoted I planted thee a hoble Vine Ier 2.21 27 31. and such of you as are fallen from grace yee were called to liberty Gal. 5.2 3.4 Gal. 5. 1. 3 4 5. yea were called into the grace of Christ yee received the spirit of Adoption yee did run well c. So as wee fault the backsliders from such faith to aggravate their sin and fault not the faith to extenuate their sin which is more or less vile according to the excellency or meanness of the faith departed from But Mr. Owen hath yet more sayings to impeach this Faith as 3 In pag. 423. Hee calleth it an inferiour work of the Holy Ghost causing a great alteration or change c. when the persons bee not regenerated or made new Creatures c. It had been good hee had explicated the meaning of his terms for it s already proved the compleating of the work of Regeneration and making new Creatures is in the Resurrection of the just and that the first fruits is in begetting us by his word to beleeve in his Son But that the Holy Ghost operateth more or less in giving the Testimony of Christ working repentance from dead works and faith towards God to work any change or alteration like Regeneration that is not it according to the measure and degrees of his working none that know God and Christ or the Spirit according to Gospell declaration will beleeve that many fain and pretend what they are not that many resist his operations that many are not yet prevailed with to beleeve on him Is true But these are not charged with this forementioned great sin of departing from the Faith but only for disobedience to the Faith and the Servants of God may both use means and wait with patience and hope when God will give these repentance for they are not come to this impossibility of the fallen ones treated of who when fallen from so great grace and operations of the Spirit It will not bee found a true excuse to say there was but some inferiour work of the Spirit vouchsafed us Ier. 2.5.21.31 Isa 5 4.5-7 to work something like regeneration which was not it when God shall say wherin was I wanting what could have been done more c. but yet more is said by Mr. Owen Pag. 4 26 6. 4 Pag. 124. Every person under these works formerly mentioned and partakers of this light gifts and knowledge c. Bee capacitated for the sin against the Holy Ghost Surely to use such an expression by way of derogation from the Truth goodness and gracious ends and tendancy of the works of the Holy Ghost in inlightening men in the knowledge of Christ and bringing in to beleeve in him and thereby working in all the powers and faculties of their soul such change c. as to say as I hope hee will not say men are thereby capacitated to sin against the Holy Ghost is very great presumption and of dangerous consequence without some better explanation For might not some reply and say All manner of sin and Blasphemy shall bee forgiven unto men But the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall never bee forgiven And so it is lesse dangerous to abide in ignorance rudeness and prophaneness and neglect of all Ordinances then by attending them to come to this knowledge of Christ Faith change gifts c. without which wee are out of the danger of so great sinning but in having such faith c. wee are capacitated so to sin which yet would bee a false plea even for those charged with such a sin Mark 3.28.30 who were short of those wee treat of much more for these yet thus much will bee granted If God had not made the Angels holy and set them in so glorious an habitation they could not have sinned so highly in leaving their habitation but the goodness of God in so making and furnishing them did capacitate them to have abiden in which abiding they might have been established And their own wilfull aspiring capacitated and occasioned their falling If God had not made the first publick man righteous hee couldnot have fallen from it as hee did But the Righteousness in which God made him and the furniture wherewith hee endued him did capacitate him to have abiden in his integrity And his forgetting the word of the Lord and listening to Satans temptation did capacitate
and occasion him to fall If Christ had not come and preached to the Jews they could not have been charged with such sinning against the light But his being and preaching among them did capacitate them to have beleeved and been saved And their refusal of and opposition against the light did capacitate them to sin to such a degree as to bee charged with so great sinning Even so this blessed inlightening and operation of the Holy Ghost giving such tasts of the heavenly gift c. effecting such repentance and faith and quickening up such living principles in men Doth capacitate men to abide and live and dye in this Faith But their own neglect of so great salvation and so willing blinding their eyes and hardening their hearts and so turning from him that speaks from Heaven did capacitate and occasion the persisters in such transgression Heb. 12.25 Iâ—â— 28 29 30. to fall into this great sin which is even proved to bee so hainous and great a sin by the excellency of the Grace and Faith given them which they so willingly fell from and so the justness of their great punishment evidenced thereby also It should bee very evilly done of any to vilifie the works of God because of the abuses of men Or to excuse the evil of sinning with saying the woman which thou gavest mee c. But enough to shew the weaknesse of these sayings and the righteousness and goodness of the Faith set forth in Heb. 6.1.2 3 4 5. But Mr. Owen indeavours to gather Reasons out of the Text it self to prove the Faith and holiness here set forth though true in its kind yet not to bee of the right and saving kind I shall only view the heads of them and see their force CHAP. XIII Of Mr. Owens Reasons against the Faith and Holiness that is set forth in Heb. 6.4 5. in pag. 424 c. REason 1 Here is no mention of Faith Pag 426.27 or beleeving or in terms equivalent Answ Hath Mr. Owen quoted and used this place as his main place for proving and his only place for opening a Faith and Holiness wrought by the Spirit effecting change and really true in its kind And having served his turn of it now put it to shame and cast it by as a place where is no mention of Faith or beleeving or in Terms equivalent that no other might look there to see what true Faith is And is not mentioning of the Foundation the object of Faith and the Oracles of God the teacher of Faith the effects and Principles of Repentance from dead works Faith towards God Doctrin c And then presently suiting the works of the Spirit to all these mentioning enlightening taste of the heavenly gift partaking of the Holy Ghost taste of the good word of God and of the powers of the World to come are these Terms vers 4 5. no expressions or mention of faith or beleeving or in terms equivalent Did the Apostle think one of these Terms equivalent even Illumination Heb. 10.32 And are not all these Terms vers 4 5. so expressed and suited to those vers 1 2. where Faith also is named no mention nor Terms equivalent to Faith or Beleeving judge Reader Reas 2 Not any thing here spoken of as ascribed to the persons spoken of which is peculiar to Beleevers or that constitutes them to bee such called according to purpose quickened born again or regenerated justified united to Christ sanctified by the Spirit adopted made the Sons of God Bee the usuall expressions of Beleevers Ans It is clear here is as much said of these with ascribing the works to the Holy Ghost and acknowledgement of the receits and tastes spoken of while they are yet in the supposition and not departed as is said of any of the Hebrews to whom this Epistle is written Indeed when any such are fallen away not these things but other things are ascribed to them but it is the faith and spiritual operations once had and still retained by those not departed and not the departure and crucifying Christ again which is only in those fallen away we now speak of And that those things which are peculiar to beleevers is here expresly spoken of is shewed and proved before at large in opening the principles taught by the Oracles and built upon the foundation and the inlightning and operations of the Holy Ghost in and with working up and suited to those principles expresly that I marvel any that know the foundation and Oracles of God and first principles and Scripture language should deny it and much more that he that more than once hath said that upon other inferior and not justifiable accounts they are frequently called Beleevers and Saints But in this he hath said not proved And as for the Catalogue of terms here brought in and affirmed to be the usual expressions of beleevers conceived to bee terms equivalent to faith and beleeving we may as he opposeth them to these in Heb. 6.4.5 consider 1 That some are said to have beleeved of whom I know not where it is also said they had faith Luke 8.13 Joh. 2.23 8.30 31 32 36. for no man is said in Scripture to have faith unless he be obedient to the faith so as he receive the testimony and close with the object and have some usefulness of it as hath been shewn yet many that beleeved yea so beleeved that if they abode they should be saved where beleeving is expresly mentioned yet these terms under consideration not applicable to such But whether these are usually called Beleevers I need not contend for those we treat of are beleevers in a farther sense as hath been shewn 2 Here are some of these terms affirmed to be the usual expressions of Beleevers which as they are set down I cannot finde at all used in the Scripture as the expressions of Beleevers as they are in this life As the term Regenerated as distinct to being born again as here set down I read in Scripture of a Regeneration in which the Apostles followed Christ Mat. 19.28 Tit. 3.5 Eph. 5.26 27. Luke 20.35 36 And of saving by the washing of Regeneration which as it flows from Christ is a continued work still in doing and to be fully compleated in the resurrection of the just But that the beleevers in this life are called The Regenerated I finde not at all much less usually And so for the term Adopted I finde the Adoption or ministration thereof to have pertained to Israel under Moses ministration Rom 9.4 Gal. 41 2 3. Eph. 1.5 though the Tutorage of sons were then as servants And I finde also the first Trusters in Christ predestinated in their ministration to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ And therefore so to have preached Christ come in the flesh That men in beleeving might receive the Adoption of Sons Gal. 4.5.8 23. Rom 8.15 Gal. 4.6 7. and so a first fruits of the Spirit of
submitting to the righteousness of God and so are not in respect of the prevalency of grace discovered the right called ones yet others in minding that grace discovered are prevailed with to let go all thoughts of confidence in their own righteousness c. and to beleeve in Jesus that they may live in him and to him Are not these the called according to purpose And when in beleeving in Christ on this manner through illumination of the Holy Ghost and tastes of the heavenly gift c. Repentance from dead works and faith toward God is effected c. Are not such in some measure called according to purpose Quickned Born again and spiritually regenerated united to Christ justified and sanctified by the Spirit Who that confesseth God to be true will deny this so that these two Reasons are vain Reason 3. The persons intended here be compared to Briars and Thorns Answ The persons intended here as having and so abiding in these principles upon this foundation and so with these inlightnings tastes of the heavenly gift c. Are verily the holy Brethren partakers of the heavenly Call even the very Hebrews to whom he wrote the persons supposed expressed to be such as do not abide and enjoy these things but are departed and fallen from these things and are now crucifying Christ afresh to themselves they bringing forth such Briars and Thorns are become Briars and Thorns which before they were not nor are any that abide in the faith they are fallen from so called and these fallen upon the very account of their crucifying c. are compared to and with their evil fruits called Briars and Thorns this is plain in the Text and so this Reason though once it was mine is very vain and false for its end and unbeseeming understanding men though weaklings may bee gulled with it as I have been Reason 4. Things that accompany salvation be better things than any in the persons mentioned were to bee found vers 9. We are perswaded better things of you c. Answ Here he speaks of things distinct from the persons though in them Now minde Better things Better than which for the Apostle had mentioned divers sorts of things as he had mentioned Jesus Christ the foundation and the Oracles of God from the foundation teaching those principles to build men thereby on Christ Surely the love of God in the gift of his Son The Son of God given The blood of Jesus Christ that confirmed the Covenant The Spirit of the Father and the Son that witnesseth of Christ and calleth to him and breatheth forth these Oracles to teach these principles and build on Christ Sure this Heb. 10.29 or these things are all holy heavenly rich precious invaluable things not onely accompanying but giving and working salvation though some do tread them underfoot c. which is an evil thing So that sure hee means not better things than these But then here is mentioned also the effects of the word and of the holy Spirit in and with the word in the hearts of beleevers as Repentance from dead works and faith towards God c. with Illumination tasting of the heavenly gift c. Phil 2.12 13 14 15 16. Surely these are also precious things not onely accompanying salvation but even parts of the salvation begun in them and working in them effecting those things to be brought forth which are to accompany it though some murmure and harden their hearts Heb 3.7 15.16 1 Thess 5.19 and so are disobedient and quench and despite the Spirit which is an evil thing and sure he meaneth not better things than these But here are two sorts of things more mentioned that is Heb 3.6 14 13 1 2 4 6.8 9 10. first Abiding in their faith confidence and love And so hearkning to his voyce bringing forth the fruits of faith and love as hath been fore-shewn according to the seed sown in the heart and the refreshings by the rain often drunk in and of these he expresseth himself to men vers 9.10 And these be not better things then the salvation wrought in them as by which they bring them forth but better than the other sort which secondly he names by some supposed to bring forth that is a departing from Christ through an evil heart of unbeleef and so falling from all this salvation and efficacies thereof extended and then crucifying the Son of God afresh and putting him to an open shame And notwithstanding the same seed sown and the same rain oft drunk in yet bring forth Briars and Thorns which accompany not salvation of which hee mentioneth no persons among them that he cahrgeth withall but only by a supposition sheweth the danger even to these Hebrews if any should so do Chap. 2.1 2 3 3.7.18 4.1 15.12 6 4 6 8 9. And having so often warned them before and reproved their dulness And now in his supposition set forth before them the hainousness of the sin and danger of such departing and falling away comparing such transgression and transgressors to Briars and Thorns whose end is to be burned he mollifies the harshness of his sentence in respect of them and saith We are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation though we thus speak which plainly shews the better things to be better than Thorns and Briars which tended to damnation and it shews also that his speech in the warning given was directed to them else they needed not to have been mollified with Though we thus speak surely none would fancy the Apostle to warn the Hebrews by speaking at such a rate as this There is a rock of stability on which who ever once beleeveth and so is can no more fall off not sin not Satan not world though at such and such a rate they listen to them and fall into sueh and such a measure of unbeleevingness and sinning yet they cannot fall off And you are upon that Rock c. Hold fast therefore your confidence Take heed lest any of you fall through an evil heart of unbeleef And give us leave to fear lest any of you come short for there is an unstable rock on which not you but some others are built And they that are built on that rock of instablility if they abide they perish if they fall they can no more rise how fond were this But the foundaion here mentioned is stable nor will the holy Spirit build any upon an unstable foundation nor fill the heart with false light or deceivable works What deceitful illusions such conceits may produce I forbear to name though this Reason be fit for them Reason 5. The persons intended by the Apostle were such as had need to be taught again the first principles c. Unskilful in the word of righteousness c. distinguished from them to whom the promises are c. Chap. 6 9 10 14. Answ This is a very harsh sad and
word in them they shall be fruitful and so they shall be good trees and bring forth good fruit For so they shall observe the counsel of our Saviour Mat. 12.33 Make the tree good and his fruit good c. For we can no otherwise make the tree good but in beleeving on him and according to grace given yeelding to the teachings of his Spirit And seeing every good and perfect giving comes from him and that his Spirit is good and his operations and fruits good and that an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit what are all those confessed works of the Spirit and whence flows that faith and holiness really true in its kind upon account whereof men are called Beleevers and Saints What is that change of judgement affection and conversation that light love joy zeal obedience true in its kinde sincere and not hypocritical whence come they to do so worthily in their generation and all acknowledged an effectual work of the Spirit Can there be such rightness even from the Spirit and the tree not good or is there any other trees among beleevers to bring forth good fruit of another nature Surely if we minde the proofs and our Saviours words they shew there is but one kinde of faith to bring forth good fruits and this even it set out Heb. 6 Gal. 2.20 This place doth open that already said The Apostle having spoken of being justified by faith shews how he lived not Gal. 1.6 4.6 7. Gal. 2.13 Rom. 4.4 6 7 9. but Christ lived in him and he by the faith of the Son of God to which he endeavoured to reduce the Galatians whom he testifieth to have received the same faith at the first and so exhorted the Hebrews and shews his manner of obtaining it to be in the same way with others 1 Joh. 3.12 This place hath not one word of two divers kinds of faith or of divers manner of obtaining it nor of any habit of one beleever more than in another Joh. 1.12 but affirms That he that hath the Son that is beleeveth in his name hath life that is in having the Son by faith Joh. 3.36 He hath also that eternal life that is in the Son by faith also which is true of all that by grace beleeve in Christ 2 Cor. 5.17 This is true of all that by faith are in Christ Jesus who as and so far as they are in him are affirmed new creatures as is fore explicated though the fulness and compleatness of it is in the resurrection of the just but no word here of a second kinde of faith or of newness in some true beleevers that is not in other true beleevers the words plain If any man in Christ 1 Thes 5.23 This is not an affirmation of what was yet attained but a prayer for what was desired and hoped for and so not to the purpose for which it was quoted unless to mollifie the expressions of the saying Gal. 5.22.25 This place is a discovery of the fruits of the Spirit that were in the beleeving Galatians that were scarce so far grown as the Hebrews And what was done in beleeving on Christ crucified How the flesh with the wisdome and whole bent of it with the affections and lusts of it were crucified that is made vile condemned and begun to be mortified by the cross of Christ that the body of sin might be destroyed and then an exhortation to walk after the Spirit Gal. 6.14 Rom. 6.6 just as to the Romans Ephesians Collossians and Hebrews And not a word of a peculiar kinde in some beleevers and not in other beleevers that are true in their kinde also 1 Joh 3.9 This place faith not a word of any difference between beleevers some true in one kinde and some in another Nor saith it Some that are born of God Nor saith it He that hath been born of God but having said before Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not And having warned them not to be deceived 1 Joh. 3.6 7 8 9. saith speaking in the present tense He that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous or in his righteousness and as he hath promised And then having given warning against being deceived and going on in sin c. He cometh to mention the abiding in him and doing righteousness Again and hee doth it in a third term comprehending both saying Whesoever is born of God doth not commit sin that is approve and act it See this before â— 414 415. going on so to do And that the word Born of God is first appliable to that sight beleef and acknowledgement of Christ and so that new disposition begot thereby in the heart is clear in this Epistle where this is called That which is born of God 1 Joh. 5.1 2 3 4. Mat. 16 17. Eph. 2.8 Hence both faith and confession are said to be of God and the gift of God and so he that in this revelation and operation of the Spirit in and by the Gospel is prevailed with to beleeve and yeeld up to it and so far become one with it so as he beleeveth Jesus to be the Christ and so beleeving in him confesseth him to be the Lord He also on that account is said to be born of God And so likewise the being prevailed with by this grace To hold fast this confidence 1 Joh. 5.2 Ioh. 1.12 13. Rom. 10. â— 10. and so to abide and go on in the faith of Christ and love of him and one another is the operation of God and hath the same promises to it and so is likewise called a being born of God here in 1 Joh. 4.7 8 3 5-10 And that this is the sense here appears cleerly in that the same thing for the same business expressed here Born of God Heb. 3.1 6 14. is a little before exprest by a perfect continued act Abiding in him 1 Ioh. 3.6 7. and doing righteousness And the same there also affirmed such sin not such are righteous And also this appears to be the sense in that it is opposed to a continued approbation acting of and going on in sin for so the devil committeth sin and sinneth from the beginning without repentance or breaking off his course But who ever is born of God he committeth not sin that is doth not approve and so commits but abideth in and goeth on beleeving in Christ and loving him without repentance of it or breaking off that course And it farther appeareth that born of God is in this place abideth in Christ holding fast confidence in and love of God through Christ because it is said His seed remaineth in him that is the divine influence and Spirit of Christ with divine force and vertue abideth and remaineth in him according to that promise Heb. 3.14 And this the constant language of Christ and the Spirit of Christ Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God He
confidence in Christ and the great love of God in delivering him for us and making him known to us Vers 35 39 that they might confidently rejoyce and glory in the midst of all their sufferings and to help them in these was the Apostle's end and not to lead their thoughts to conceit a certain company of Adam's Sons as such beheld decreed to be eternally saved and the rest to be eternally damned and few of either sort known no word in his writing to such an end yea the puzzelling the thoughts with such a conceit would be cross to his end which was to edifie in Faith Love and Love-services with consolation in sufferings 6. For the way the Apostle takes to accomplish his end Ch. 1.1 2 3 4 5 16. 3.22 25 28. 4.5 24 25. 5 6 11 12 18. 6 7. it is cleer to be That as he had before declared the Foundation and the Medium of coming to and on it and so being united with it and accepted through it and exhorted to suitable walking so here he proceeds to help them to sound consolation in afflictions 1. By shewing who are the true Sons of God V. 14 15 16 28. and Heirs with Christ unfeigned Believers even them that love God and are the Called according to purpose 2. V. 14 15 17 18 29 30 By shewing them the way of God's dealing with all his called Ones whom he approved as his Sons and Lovers of him he ordains them to conformity to the Image of his Son in services and sufferings and in that way to glory and calling them thereto doth justifie and will glorifie so that in all this God is on their side and for their good 3. He also mindes them of the priviledges of the Son of God V. 14 17 18 29 30. the prime elect predestinate called and justified and glorified the way through which he hath gone and will bring them to the enjoyment of his own priviledges through the same way 4. Rom. 4.6 21 22 23. 8.14 18 29 30 31. He mindes them of the examples of those lovers of God that were of the Called according to purpose how they being approved were even thus predestinate and called and justified and glorified and having finished their course so happily are set forth as patterns and examples to instruct and incourage us that we in the same way may following his Call expect the same justification and glorification God being ever the same of one minde 5. Directing them especially and above all to minde Jesus and the greatness of God's love in delivering him up for us all V. 32 33 34 c. and the special and choise communication of his love in making known and so giving his Son to us that believing in him he is surely ours he that died and so satisfied for our sin yea rather is risen and so our Righteousness and filled with Spirit in our Nature ever living to intercede to take away our sins by vertue of his blood and to communicate of his Spirit to us Now God in giving us him will with him and so in and through him certainly give us all things freely and in receiving and abiding in him we shall receive Oh inestimable love who shall separate us from this love c Thus doth he lead them to triumphing confidence without any the least denying or eclipsing the great love of God to Mankinde Tit. 3.4 5 6 7. 2 Tim. 2.9 10 or shutting the door to or darkning the light of life and immortality opened and brought to light by the Gospel or working the weakest Believer with thoughts of secret purposes yea so he holds forth the Love Grace and Minde of God in the whole business as is fit to draw in unbelievers to believe and the weakest Believer to come in believing into that number And so the Purposes of God are one and the same agreeing with the whole Gospel preached by him As for Objections against it they are most answered already in former Sayings and answer of some of Mr. Owens Expressions See part 1. c. 11. and yet to remove that which if let alone may occasion some to stumble I shall consider in this one more Expression of Mr. Owen's CHAP. 8. A Consideration of the Purpose of God as expressed by Mr. Owen pag. 168. GOd's Eternal Purpose of saving some Mr. Owen in and by the Mediation of Christ that Mediation being interposed between the Purpose of God and the accomplishment of the things purposed by the Fruits of the one the Mediator cause of the other This act of his will the Scripture knows by no other Name then that of Election Adoption or the Purpose of God according to Election or the purpose of his will in Christ Jesus Thus far Mr. Owen and I shall desire to acknowledge all the Truth I can finde in his Sayings and by Scripture to remove the rest He saith God's Eternal Purpose of saving some in and by the Mediation of Christ c. Saving some he expresseth not what some or of what kinde the some is if it be meant of his fallen Creatures it 's acknowledged so far true for both Angels and Mankinde was fallen and he purposed no way of saving for the fallen Angels there is no contest about that but if by some be meant some of Mankinde and no way to discriminate them that it may be known who then is there no door to life opened for any man to come in at nor Gospel that can be preached as Truth to and for them while unbelievers to bring them in to believe If any conceit it is some elect Ones that cannot be for it is meant of all them no gainsaying But his Expressions elsewhere shew it to be meant of Mankinde Some of them for as for any elect in Christ before Adam's fall to be fallen in his fall is but a humane device and tradition nothing in the Testimony of Christ for it but all against it or That there are any elect Ones in Christ that according as they are elected are not also begun to be saved and so far holy and beloved is another humane device and tradition without and beside and contrary to the Scripture as hath been plainly shewn So that of necessity by the word some as by other Expressions he would be understood is meant some of all Mankinde fallen but then what some shall we conceive for all Mankinde were once made righteous and so beheld and loved in one publick Man who was both Male and Female so that all Mankinde was alike righteous and alike loved as righteous in this one publick Man then but this first publick Man both Male and Female sinned and so fell under sin and death and all Mankinde in him and must needs have perished in that sin and death they were fallen under if God had not provided a Saviour to interpose Now was not all Mankinde alike fallen alike viewed and alike under