being of worth or sufficiency to compasse things so glorious as to bring to God to purchase to himselfe a peculiar people to sanctifie to cleanse to perfect and to make them spotlesse and unblameable all which are cut off and fall to the ground if the Spirit of God which begets faith and sets down the soul in the holinesse and innocency of Christ come not by this giving himselfe And a second thing by way of answer to be minded is what this Spirit is wherein though I am infinitely short in the comprehending of the height thereof and deepnesse of Christs unfadom'd misteries yet I conceive there is severall mistakes as that the Spirit that dwels in beleevers by which they beleeve see and know the mystery of Christ is the person of the Godhead whereas under the word Father sets forth the whole Godhead as John 14.7 8 9 10. where Christ declares that he that hath seen him hath seen the Father and shewes that all his workes of power and words of wisdome and knowledge were wrought in him by the Father and proceeded from none else but from him alone and this he teacheth us more largely when he saith the Son doth nothing of himselfe but what he seeth the Father doe that doth he and the Son knowes not of that day but the Father only though he was not ignorant as he was in union with the Father as he saith I in the Father and he in me yet as the Son begotten and borne knew not Now by the Spirit that hath its indwelling and abode in Regenerate persons is that breathing forth of power from the Essence of the Godhead which begets formes and raiseth dead things to life makes darkness light sometimes called seven spirits by reason of the more abounding and large breathing or working of God and this Spirit that is full of power and life in revealing the true God and him whom he hath sent is also the Spirit of the Son in that God workes not any thing in the new creation but wholly by in and through Iesus Christ and therefore this new Spirit revealeth both the Father and the Son that there is no true knowledge of the one without the other yea indeed if we consider Gods proceeding towards man in the old and first Creation we shall finde he never moved in the least but through and in the Son Let us make man By him were all things made that were made He upholds all through and by the word of his power So that laying Before Abraham was I am stands true concerning the Manhood of Christ all things having their being with God things not manifested to us and so likewise That I was daily his delight Prov. 8. For God ever moved in and through and for the excellency of Christ much more are all his goings forth according to the new Creation so that now the Spirit is thus purchased by Christ that the worth and vertue of the Sacrifice of that spotlesse Lambe did prevaile with God to bring forth all his treasury of grace and all his glorious workes of the new Creation Or thus in that God could in no wise give his spirit of Faith wisdome and revelation but in and through Christ by reason that is could not stand with his infinite holinesse and purity to doe any thing towards vile and sinfull flesh but in that holy thing Iesus and indeed it must needs argue want of the knowledge of God and his name which Christ saith he hath manifested and why he but that in all his testimony declares the Fathers co-working with and in him that conceive that God should give any mercy but wholly in by and through Christ Again whereas it is said these things come from a higher cause then the blood of Christ even the meere good pleasure of God I answer that we have cause then without doubt to judge that God would have given us all things else without him for if he give the greater even the Spirit of faith and wisdome which is the glory of salvation that makes salvation to be salvation heaven to be heaven yea God to be God minding in relation to the soul much more would he have given the lesse even that which is a thing of no force and falls to the ground without any effect without his Spirit so that he would then surely have spared his only yea welbeloved Son from that bitternesse and severity of his unexpressible wrath which made him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Againe If it be possible let this cup passe from me But it was impossible for God could not doe any mercy all the worke of Salvation would be spoiled if he drunke it not Object Likewise where it is obiected that Faith is no more the purchase of Christ then Election Answ I answer Christ was the first begotten of God even the first in the beginning of the Creation so that Election never entred into the breast of God before his Christ suffered so that all his love in Election moved in him so as it is said he chose us in him so that as we have minded he purchased that as well as any thing else Object If Faith be purchased by the blood of Christ then it cannot be the gift of God but Ephes 2.8 it is said to be the gift of God Answ First that Christ himself is the gift of God and therefore whatsoever comes by him must needs be given also shall we therefore say nothing is purchased by him Secondly we shall finde that that which is purchased is also given and said to be given as Ephes 1.14 a possession purchased yet saith Christ Feare not little flocke it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdome so Heb. 2. Behold I and the children which God gave me are for signes and wonders yet he saith Feed the flocke which Christ hath purchased with his blood Act. 20.28 Object But Christ dyed alike for all therefore Faith is not the purchase of Christ for all have not faith 2. The Gospell is to be preached alike to all 3. Unbeliefe is a great sin and of a high condemning nature Answ First it is impossible but the death of Christ should fully effect all things that were thereby intended for the Manhood that dyed was acted by the Godhead Heb. 9.15 He offered himselfe by the Eternall Spirit the Sonne doth nothing of himselfe the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper his handiworke Isa 53.10 So that the will of God can in no wise be frustrated unlesse there ware a superiour power and then should he indeed cease to be God who is from all Eternity to Everlasting But more To the first That he dyed for all I answer by way of grant That he did die for all even all taken at the largest extent yet not alike for all and that this may appeare considering Christ in his Offices we shall finde they reach to all but in a different manner and nature which
A Short TREATISE DISCOVERING THE prevailing Excellency of the death of Christ with the Father by way of opposition to that DOCTRINE That Christ dyed alike for All. Declaring in whom only the Saints happinesse doth consist by meanes of this their purchased REDEMPTION ALSO THEIR FREEDOME FROM the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of the LAW Written for the satisfaction of some if it may be BY RICHARD MARRYAT And one of the Elders said unto me weep not behold the Lion which is of the Tribe of Juda the roote of David bâ—th obtained to open the Booke and to unloose the Seales thereof Rev. 5.5 And they sang a new Song saying thou art worthy to take the Booke and to unloose the Seales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation Rev. 5.9 But none could learne that Song but the Hundred Forty and Foure Thousand which were bought from the Earth Rev. 14.3 London Printed for William Larnar and are to be sold at his Shop in little Eastcheape 1642. To the Christian Reader JEsus Christ who is the brightnesse of his Fathers glory and the expresse Image and Character of his Person of whose fulnesse all the Saints receive and grace for grace is the only bright and morning Star that brings in all light and understanding in divine mysteries so that where he withholds who shuts and none can open there is nothing but groping in Egyptian darknesse Hence have the great Rabbies and learned Doctors so in all ages stumbled at the stumbling stone even at this Jesus he not unvailing himselfe who is as a sealed fountaine and a hidden vision which neither learned nor unlearned can reade but to whom he opens who opens and none can shut there is the knowledge of good sayings and darke Parables which are as Paradoxes to the world which in wisdome know not him who is God over all blessed for ever Amen So that hence Christian Reader who art thus taught of God and comprehended in the glory of Christ I may duly challenge yea and cannot but expect and be persuaded of thy compassion and brotherly pitty in case I have in any wise miscarryed who am privy to my selfe of exceeding insufficiency in these high affaires of the Son of glory who while on earth was in heaven dwelt in that light that no man ever could or had he all the abilities and prudence of the first Adam which indeed would the more blinde him being that thy proud imaginations are subiected to Jesus Christ knowing that thou hast nothing but what thou hast received and by grace thou art that thou art as for others that have not seene his Glory which is as a consuming fire destroying and devouring the proud thoughts of the flesh I cannot expect that such should be transformed but there will proceede from the spirit of pride and blindnesse swelling words bitternesse evill and malicious reports judging and condemning me as many by reason of this matter in hand have already done but I passe not to be judged by man knowing that there is one that beholds all the children of men and judgeth righteous judgement who notwithstanding their words are and shall be as drawne swords yet will keepe me and all the sonnes of mercy from every evill word and worke unto his everlasting Kingdome Secondly Hence also hast thou cause to take a view of and well weigh and consider this Treatise notwithstanding any insufficiency of the Writer knowing that the Lord commits his treasures into earthen vessels and not knowing but that this testimony may be the Lords who breathes where he listeth and usually manifests himselfe by weake and unlikely instruments that so the excellency may be of himselfe and not of man Thirdly Neither doe I feare that thou wilt charge me with presumption for if he be the onely day-starre there then lies an especiall ingagement on such that are taught by him that they sound forth and declare what they have received which is one principall end of this communicating unto them which are his witnesses his Vials his Trumpets his mouth whereby he utters powers out and testifies his great affaires and high Acts and he gives in charge when thou art converted strengthen thy brother what ye have seene in secret proclaime on the house top he never lighted a candle to be put under the bushell but still wrought up his servauts into a spirit of Testimony We cannot but speake the things saith the Apostles that we have seene and heard When Jesus Christ ascended on high he gave gifts unto men not that they should be held in unrighteousnesse but for the building up of the Saints and perfecting his body and onely the evill servant that lookes on God as reaping where be sowed not hides his Talent did he know him as the true God sowing and communicating all he would have improved his Talent to the honour of God and this is one prevailing cause with me to make me speake thus openly Another cause also being that false record which some have given concerning my Judgement and this matter following being as they say one and the same with the doctrines of universall Redemption which is the onely and maine thing that is in this matter contended against as I doubt not but any indifferent Reader will easily discerne and soone perceive that such Reporters were too willing to speake perverse things against me men alwayes have and still doe runne upon extreames as in many other things so in this concerning the death of Christ some say that Christ died alike for all others that he died onely for the Elect against these two I have heare to deale both of which doe faile in answering the Scriptures and the minde of God in them we must distinguish concerning the outward Court and the inner the outward is for the Gentiles that is such as are not converted to the faith for we are not to conceive that there is a difference betweene the beleeving Gentle and the beleeving Jewes both being one in Christ Jesus and especially subjects of Grace but the Gentles were once a people out of the Covenant of Grace and rejected in comparison of the Jewes and to a people in such a state in which all are notwithstanding they have the meanes and ministry of grace amonst them till converted to the faith doth the Spirit allude under the expression of Gentiles but yet to them belongs an outward Court through which the passage is into the inner Court or Temple by it being meant the outward dispensation or the letter that speakes to Reason through which God workes accompanying it with his mighty power in raising the soule to faith for saith the Scripture How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard now this being given to the Gentiles here are hatched many errors by such as are the inhabitants thereof as Free Will and Falling away from the state of the peculiar love of God
alludes unto be taken up according to the former onely that his allusion in the second and third Verses cannot be so proper For so long as a man liveth the Law is his Lord that is till he become dead to himselfe and live in another as it was with the Apostle himselfe and is with all beleeving Saints according to that Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I live is by the Faith of the Sonne of God even till this new life be breathed in the Law exerciseth dominion over a man but when hee no longer lives Christ is his life as Col. 3.4 Ioh. 11.25 1 Ioh. 5.12 then the Law cannot have dominion over him for now he is a new creature and walkes in newnesse of life 2 Cor. 5.17 Esay 43.19 Rev. 21.5 and therefore the Law which is the Lord the Husband the Rule the Line for the old Man the Naturall Man the Carnall Man cannot have to doe with him it being not answerable to that new creature that is of such a heavenly divine Spirituall and Evangelicall being and is above the Law as much as heaven is above the earth yea the new Adam above the old 1 Cor. 15.47 48. For as is the heavenly so are they that are heavenly and therefore they cannot have union with the Law or it have dominion over them they being highly advanced above Dominions Principalities and Powers sitting with Christ in heavenly places Ephe. 2.6 Rev. 12.5 and therefore saith the Church Other Lords have had dominion over us but now are they dead unto us and we are called by thy Name So that the force of the Apostles Argument must needs lie here that if it be so that these Romanes are dead to the Law that their old man is crucified Gal. 2.19 that they are ingrafted into the new and true Olive Rom. 11.17 that they are made alive in Christ so as that now he is become their Lord their Husband Psal 45.11 2 Cor. 11.2 3. then the Law cannot exercise authoritie or Lordship over them So that the matter the Apostle here drives at stands good the word being lively taken up but we shall finde this interrupts the Apostles method of expressing himselfe for he in this first verse sets forth the Law as having a dominion belonging to it where it is in force in the next verse that he may illustrate his minde he compares it to the husband who is the party to whom dominion belongs and the wife the party in subiection then to set forth to these beleeving Romanes their feedome from the Law he argues the case thus that if the husband be dead then the wife shee is no longer held under his power but is delivered from the law of the man that was her husband so also the Law being dead which is the husband the Lord over the earthly and naturall man then are such to whom it is become thus dead free from the power or soveraignty thereof therefore in the 6. Ver. of the 7. to the Romanes he saith thus But now wee are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held meaning the Law being dead so also 2 Cor. 3.7.11 and Gal. 4.24 30. verses so Heb. 10.9 where he shewes the taking away the Law which is abolished In respect of ministration towards all that the Gospel the glad tidings the righteousnesse of Faith not the Law the killing letter the righteousnesse of man is to be preached to all people and to all persons and not onely so but to be abolished in respect of its power and dominion over the body and Spouse of Christ so that such as live and move in the Law they are none of his none of the childten of promise they are but Ishmaels sonnes of the bond woman and shall not be heires with the sonnes of the free woman as Gal. 4.30 and Gen. 21.10 and then also the husband being dead to the wife that hee carmot direct injoyne or command her even the wife also is as dead to such a husband as not in any wise to stand under his power and so the case stands betweene the Law and the beleever that it being dead to him he also becomes dead to it that whensoever it speakes it is as the voice of a stranger which he will not heare John 10.5 though it came in never so smooth a language and with words as soft as butter to draw him from his Virgin and upright affection Cant. 1.2 c. and therefore doth the Apostle change his voyce in that manner one while he saith the Law is become dead to the beleever another while that the beleever is dead to it for the mighty power that workes the death of the Law to the man must needs worke the death of the man to it and therefore in the 4. verse the Apostle saith So you are become dead to the Law Then having by cleare and strong consequence shewed their freedome from servitude or bondage he falls upon a discovery how this freedome is brought about which hee saith is by the body of Christ for no other way is there benefit arising to any The first thing I shall minde is that it must needs be by a mighty working of the power and Spirit of God that his death to the Law must be wrought Man as he lies in himselfe spends and layes out his strength and all his endeavours in obedience to the Law working out a right eousnesse to commend himselfe before God and to raise a relation of being a Son and a Servant to him Thus Paul prest after a righteousnesse being under the Law as himselfe testifies Galat. 1.14 Acts 9.1 Phil. 3.6 And was blamelesse concerning the Law had a hot zeale but not according to knowledge till it pleased the Lord to open his eyes and reveale his Son Christ Jesus to him and to shew him the fellowship of the Mystery of his glorious Gospell which no man naturally can ever see or discerne John 3.5 vers 31. 1 Cor. 2.14 This the Jews were so zealous after seeking to establish their own righteousnesse Rom. 10.2 3. And this many sons of Hagar who have high thoughts of their being beleevers and beloved ones in the sight of God doe rise early and lie downe late eating the bread of carefulnesse must present faire Jewels to this Calfe and their Children even the fruit vigor and strength of their Soules to this Molech it is their glory their riches yea their life for take away their righteousnesse then goes all their hope all their comfort therefore skin for skin and all they have will they give for this So that such as bring them the doctrine of the Law they are the soundest Ministers and the wellcommest to them as Christ saith If one come in his owne name him ye will receive but he that shall come forth with the message of the most High even in the Gospell of Jesus Chrift which will in no
wise give the creature the least glory but spoiles him and makes his comelinesse become rottennesse proclaiming the rest of the Lord as Isa 30.15 burning up all their pride and consuming all their honour Mal. 4.1 Declaring their righteousnesse to be the greatest wickednesse such a one unlesse the Lord in grace open the mystery which neither learned nor unlearned can reade or understand Isa 29.11 12. They look upon such a person as a pestilent mischievous person as an imposter and deceiver as an Hereticke yea a Libertine and what not so deare and precious is their own excellency and so fast and strong a league is there between the Law and themselves and therefore did the Scribes and Pharisees so storm and rage against Christ Jesus when he declared that Publicans and Harlots should inherite the Kingdome of heaven before them nothing filled them with malignity so as did the cleare doctrine of the Gospel which did trample down vilifie and count as drosse and dung their righteousnesse and no greater denyall hath the Gospell at any time then from such persons who have the greatest possessions of this nature so that to make men become dead to this their Crowne and glory it must needs be by a supernaturall heavenly and divine power comming into the soule presenting a surpassing glory even the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ the shining forth whereof causeth repentance from such dead workes as it is written Hee that beleeveth hath ceased from his own workes Heb. brings a man with Elisha from his plough draws out the soul in hungring thirsting after the fatness of Gods house breathing after the person of Christ the fairest of ten thousands even as the Hart panteth after the Rivers of water causeth him then with Paul to count all but drosse dung which was before of so high esteeme Phil. 3.7 and that that was his glory becomes his shame and he seeth it then to be as a menstruous cloth and filthy rags Zach. 3.4 This cannot be effected but by the mighty power of God which raised Christ from the dead as Ephes 1.19 20. Col. 2.12 13. The which power that raised him from the grave can cause things to be that were not and dead things to live so giving eyes to the blind eares to the deafe that they may see and heare those things which the eye of man hath not seene neither the eare of man heard as 1 Cor. 2.9 10. and to this agrees that testimony in Galat. 5.16 If you walke in the Spirit ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh The which amongst the rest are the workes of the Law Phil. 3.3 The Apostle saith We rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh and then manisests what he meanes by the flesh and amongst the rest he brings in vers 6. The righteousnesse of the Law as a fleshly thing or the work of the flesh and therefore in that foresaid place Cal. 5. v. 18. having spoken those foregoing words vers 16. he interprets what he meanes by the flesh for saith he if ye be led by the Spirit you are not under the Law so that to take a man off from the Law or to make him to be dead unto it must needs be by the commings in of the Spirit of God that must exercise power parting relations though never so neare and deare revealing a surpassing more excellent glory and so transforming from glory to glory as 2. Cor. 3. c So that it most plainly appeares in that the Apostle saith You are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ That all his spirituall power is communicated to the sonnes of glory through the Sacrifice of the body of Christ and to this largely answer many places of Scripture with a joynt harmony as Rom. 6.6 Our old man is crucified with Christ whereby the Spirit of God commends to us that in the crucifying of Christ all his body or Spouse was crucified also That in the sacrificing of himselfe there was a prevailing with God that the old Adam might be destroyed in his people that they might live in him he gave himselfe that he might procure to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good worth to be a peculiar people is to bee differenced from the world bearing the Image of Christ being heavenly as is the Lord from heaven neither can any be zealous of good workes tell they know what is the good and acceptable will of God which no naturall man can know now all this Christ gave himselfe for so againe 1 Pet. 1.18 There it is manifested that the redemption from the vain conversation comes by the blood of Christ for the vain conversation cannot be taken away but by the mighty operation of the Spirit of God destroying the body of sin as Rom. 8.13 Even this also is imparted through the blood of Christ so also Heb. 9.15 How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your Conscience from dead workes to serve the living God to purge from dead workes must needs be by the breathing in the Spirit of Life wich produceth living workes from the creature to a living Creator till then all workes are but dead workes though performed with abundant zeale and strength the person himselfe being dead from whom they proceed this also comes by the blood of Christ so perfecting of the faith is through it also communicated Heb. 13.20 21. Yea all that grace which is so full of life and power to the Saints comes by Jesus Christ John 1.17 16.14 verses The which grace of the Lord Jesus Christ the Apostle still in all his Epistles sayes that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ may be with them all 2 Thess 3.17 18. To this end if we consider the nature of Redemption what it commends unto us and then how it is brought about we shall see the same cleared up that all spirituall strength is communicated in by and through Jesus Christ in Isa 35.9 Isa 51.11 Psal 107.2 Rev. 14.3 All which places doe lively set forth that as there is but a number redeemed some being uncleane some ravenous beasts some the earth which are not redeemed so also that all these redeemed either are or shall be able to sing to give thankes to God and to the Lambe that sitteth on the Throne for evermore and only the redeemed shall learne this new song Rev. 14.3 And walk in the way of holinesse which none can doe till made alive in Jesus Christ for a dead thing can doe none of these things as all men by nature being but as a rotten carkasse in respect of spirituall services with which we have to doe and of which only the Lord accounts as 1 Pet. 2.5 John 4.24 2 Cor. 3.17 All the services of naturall men being but fleshly uncleane and dead services though accompanied with never so much zeale but this redemption that is accompanied with this everlasting power comes only by the blood of Christ Ephes 1.7 Col.