have abode in that glory Ioh. 12.24 But in this his glory and glorious perfection abiding and not laying it aside and becomming lower he could not be for mankind that was fallen into sinne and under death a perfect JESUS a perfect Propitiation peace righteousnesse and perfect Lord Saviour and helper of mankinde which he must certainly bee or else he cannot be the author of eternall salvation That he might be perfect then in regard of us it was necessary that he be made flesh in our very nature that so the nature that sinneth might suffer John 1.14 Rom. 8.3 yea in our nature as fallen and so submitted to infirmities and mortallity even to the flesh and blood that he might dye Heb. 2.14 And that hee be in this our nature subjected to infirmities as a publike maâ— and surely in the same obligation with us and so under the Law under which wee were fallen That so our debt may be his and he be found under the guilt of our sinnes Gal. 4.4.5 And being thus found as a surety a servant and under the Law for us that God the Father passe by us and call him to an account for our debt and charge him with our sinnes Isay 53.6.2 Cor. 5.19 And he must own this charge and imputation and confesse also Heb 10.5 9. Psal 40 7.12 And that our sinnes being charged on him and he accepting the charge he also undergoe the sentence and so dyed for our sinnes for without shedding of blood there is no remission of sinnes 1 Pet 2.24 and 3 18. Heb 9 22. And yet that he may be perfect for us it is necessary that he rise from the dead acquit of all our sinne and a victory over our death that as mercy and truth are met and righteousnesse and peace doe kisse in his Death So truth may spring out of the earth in his resurrection for our justification Psal 85.10 11. Rom 4 25. For if Christ be not raised our faith is vain we are yet in our sinnes 1 Cor. 15.17 And now he is so risen yet there is still more to be done by him necessary that he might be a perfect Saviour namely That by the eternall spirit he ascend into the highest Heaven even the holy of holiest and there appeare before God for us and present at the propitiatory or mercy seat and bosome of the Father the vertue of his blood shed He being now risen and so offer to him his own risen and holy body a spotlesse sacrifice a price a ransome for those for whom he dyed that so thereby he may obtain and procure of his Father 1. A right of Lordship over us all 1. That wee may be his by purchase and he have the power and authority over us to dispose of us and judge us 1 Tim. 2.6 Rom. 14.9 2. Eternall redemption of our nature in himself as the publick man and for men and receive eternall life in our nature in the man and for men that he may have it to bestow Heb. 9.12 14. 1 John 5.11 3. The use of meanes and sending forth of his Spirit in that meanes whereby men might be enlightned in some knowledge of his goodnesse and have some participation of his mercyes that they might thereby be admonished and reproved and instructed to repentance and seeking of him and so come in to him for life Psal 68.18 John 1.4 5 9 Act. 14.17 and 17 26 27 30 31. Rom. 2.4 Iohn 1.7 and 20.31 for as wee in our particular persons as individualls could not have partaked of the misery we fell in too in the fall of the first publick man had their been no medium by propogation for encrease to come forth of him so neither could any of mankinde in any of their particular persons partake of that blessed restoration and eternall life obtained and received in the nature of and for mankind in and by the second publick man if there be no Spirituall medium to call and regenerate men that they may come into him But he having gon through and done all first mentioned and now obtained all this latter mentioned he is made perfect and become perfect and so as it is said of him Luke 24.26 46. ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory thus it is writen and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sinns should be preached in his name among all nations so it is said even of God the Father Heb. 2.10 It became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sonns unto glory to make the Captaine of their salvation perfect through sufferings suitable to which it is said of Christ himself Heb 5.8 Though he was a sonne yet learned he Obedience by the things which he suffered as I understand he tooke occasion to shew forth obedience by the things which he suffered and so was made perfect yea perfect in the highest degree of perfection though not while he was suffering yet by and through sufferings not in one thing only suffered but the things which hee suffered his sufferings for had he not had our nature subjected to humane infirmities and that made under the law for us he could not have dyed for us and then truth and mercy could not have mett righteousnesse and peace could not have kissed on our behalfe Heb. 2.14 Psal 85.10 And had he not dyed for our sinns he could not have risen Just on our behalfe and for our Justification and so truth could not have sprung out of the earth that we might participate Rom. 4 25. Psal 85.11 and had he nor so risen for our Iustification he could not have ascended into the Heavens to present the vertue of his blood and offer himself a sacrifice a price and ransom to God for us he had not then had wherewith to prevaile with God to take sinne out of the way with all that was contrary to us that mercy might be shewne and righteousnesse looke downe from Heaven on us Heb. 1.3 Col. 2.14 15. to purchase us into his dispose Rom. 149. To obtain eternall redemption and receive eternall life in our nature for men that he might have it to bestow Heb. 9.12 to procure meanes and spirit to be sent to call and draw us Iohn 16.7 Psal 68.18 nor had he had wherewith by spirit to take sinne out of our conscience and to purge our nature Heb. 9.14 for which cause he had his body given him and hath done the will of the Father Heb. 10.5 10 and so through suffering in our nature for us and in the same nature raised presenting the nature of his sufferings and offering himselfe a sacrifice unto God he is made perfect or become perfect A perfect Saviour Propitiation righteousnesse A Lord able to save and able to destroy and here is our businesse sure distinct and here is a reconciliation and salvation in our nature dispensable
in him God did not set him forth for any thing he was not And then Verse 29. he sets forth the beleevers as the receivers and injoyers of it as for Gal. 3.13 1 Pet. 1.18 they were inconsiderately quoted to this as will after appeare but now where is the force of this saying if some places be understood of a redemption injoyed and other places speaking of a redemption not so injoyed by many must not they so be understood also but to speake not now so much of persons redeemed as of the redemption that is in Christ for men which he affirmeth to be no other yea he faulteth it to say it is any larger then that they for whom it is are partakers of in themselves before God and is not that really and approved of him see his Treatise pag. 3. and 25. He should doe well to tell us what he thinkes of Christ and beleevers is not he yet glorified for them in his body in the Heavens and shall they have no more glory in their bodies then they yet have if yea then sure the redemption is larger in the preparation then in the receit or are not they beleevers who waite for the redemption of their bodies Col. 3.4 Rom. 8.23 And is there indeed no more in Christ but only for those that have it already is there no more to be brought in nothing to be told them to bring them or thinkes hee that the Spirituall birth is before the naturall the Apostle tells us That which is naturall is first and afterwards that which is spirisuall 1 Cor. 15.46 he hath shewed the weaknesse of his opinion and occasioned the strengthning the perswasion of the distinction he opposeth by this saying for the Scripture plainly holdeth forth a two fold redemption or purchaseof mankind by Christ The first of God the second unto God the first as a preparation in himselfe in our nature to be declared as a medium in which hee effects the other which is by his spirit in men and the former in preparation larger then the latter in receit and yet to speake as the truth is the latter is most frequently called redemption in which some are brought out from among others with whom they were in worldly state and fellowship and unto union and fellowship with God in Christ and his people And this latter was that which is tiped out in the redemption of Israel out of Aegypt that shadowed the state of the world and yet in this redemption taken at large appeares a common and speciall salvation whence that caveate Iudg. 5.7 I will therefore put you in remembrance though you once know this how the Lord having saved the people out of the Land of Aegypt afterward destroyed them that beleived not so that thus far the distiction proves sound But to proceed 3. Hee addes to further his opposition page 4 that when mention is made of reconciliation c. for any persons under the Law we must understand it to be spoken 〈◊〉 of such an atonement c. as they were legally partakers of in themselves before God c. For which he coates many places in Lev. Num. Chron. Nehmiah I answer herein he hath shewed more weaknesse then he is aware off for 1. This Law was neither the Covenant made with Abraham Dev. 5.3 nor the Gospell preached to Abraham which as it is now more fully come forth is the subject of our discourse about the extent of it Gen. 12.3 and 16 18. with Gal. 3. to 8. yea this was occasionally contrary to the Gentills and a wall of separation between them and the Jewes Col. 2.14 Eph. 2.14 15. and yet now brought in by him to limmit the intent of the ransome given and purchase made by Christ And 2. The redemption of Israel out of Aegypt was not a tipe of Christ giving himselfe a ransome for all men and purchasing all men as is said 1 Tim. 2.6 Rom. 14.9 But of Gods calling a people out of the world into Gospell and church fellowship and so to God 1 Cor. 10.1 to 12. Jude 1 to 5. so as the instructions those and such-like places afford are such as many sayings in Mr. Garners Booke will not abide namely That though Christs blood hath been and is no more to be shed and Sacrifice once offered and no more to be itterated yet Beleivers stand in need daily to approach to God by him and to lay hands or exercise faith on him and in confession of sinnes to seek renewed sprinckling of his blood for further cleansing which still maintains the distinction he opposeth Heb. 7.25 1 John 1.7 8. 3. Hee himselfe saith of this Covenant of the Law that it is taken away with a perfect powrefull absolute and compleat memoriall page 63. lines 6 7 16. and yet he retaines it for his proofe which yet if it did prove any thing for his purpose I would accept it 4. But to limit the Gospell priviledges to the Jewish legall and to limit the extent of the truth of the Gospell message so the tent of the grace of God in Christ to mankind have it by that measured is in my understanding both a denyall of Christ come in the flesh and also a wrong offered to the mosaiecall Law which was never given to such an end 2 Cor 3. Ephes 2. 1 John 4.3 14 15. 5. Hee is to peremtory in his affirmation for if any man approached to the holy things in his uncleannesse he was to dye and how was he then partaker legally of the atonement See all the places with Num. 19. Besides for their participation their was more required then blood-shedding and offerings even sprinkling by the spirit to make atonement so that his application of Heb. 10. and Rom. 5. thereto is altogether unsound 4. He faulteth also the distinction between blood-shedding and blood sprinckling and me for setting down that the atonement and reconciliation was made with God by blood-shedding which with that I writ before comprehends the sacrifice offered and that it is received and men reconciled to God by blood sprinckling and then he layes down his main ground that must disprove the distinction and the sequell of his Treatise must prove that and this it is page 6. That all the blood which Christ did shed is the blood of sprinckling Behold and mind this wel because it is laid down as his bottome proofe that being proved must prove all the rest about opposing the distinction But note 1. The Treatise I writ doth no where deny that all the blood which Christ did shed is the blood of sprinckling nor can I suppose that either Mr. Den or Mr. Lamb have denied it in any of their writings a worthy businesse to make to appear that none denies and that when proved reproves nothing he laboures to disprove 2. There is in respect of the purpose to which he alledgeth this proposition much darknesse and obscurity what he means by all the blood which Christ did shed
whether only the materiall blood which in shedding issued out of the body of Christ as the blood he did bleed and that came forth of him when he was circumcised Luke 1.21 and when he was in his agony Luke 22.24 and as some suppose when he was Scurged and when he had a crown of Thornes platted on his head Mark 15.15 17. and when they nayled him on the Crosse and crucified him Mat. 27.35 and when after his death his fide was peirced with a speare Luke 19.34 35. whether this be his meaning by all the blood as the words with that he writ before and after it would so seem and whether this shedding be all the sprinckling he beleeveth or not it remaines doubtfull but as I understand as he tooke flesh and blood when he was made in our nature Heb. 2.14 even so all the abasements sorrowes anguishes and torments he suffered in that nature with all the forementioned being compleated or consummated in his death or dying the whole being his laying down his life for us this all this nothing lesse then this I understand by all the blood that Christ did shed 1 John 3.16 Isay 5.3.1 8. and with all his sufferings the compleating of them in dying I count the shedding of his blood though in this businesse bloodsheeding doth imply the Sacrifice offered whose blood was shed Heb. 9.12.22.26 and yet take in all his sufferings with the vertue thereof in his Sacrifice offered still shedding is not sprinckling but shedding and sprinckling are two distinct things tnd so with out shedding of blood and so offering the sacrifice whose blood was shed there is no remission of sinnes because otherwise there can be no blood to be sprinckled Heb. 9.22 23 26. yet even so also without sprinckling of blood and therein applying the vertue of the sacrifice there is no remission of sinnes purgation of conscience and nature and happy safety received and enjoyed Heb. 9.12 13 14 23. and 12.24 And this is clearly shaddowed and typed out it was not enough for the Passeover that the Lamb was of the first yeare and without blemmish and slain and so the blood shed c. unlesse the blood was offered with a branch of Hysop taken and sprnickled on the two side posts and the upper post of the dore and without which no assurance of a sacrifice Exod. 12.6 7 22 23. nor for cleansing and sanctifying Blood-shedding was not enough if it were not also sprinckled Lev. 8.11 30. and 14 7. nor for taking away any uncleannesse it was not enough that the water of purification was made for all Israel unlesse the particulars defiled were sprinckled with it Num. 19.13 18 19. yea this distinction between blood-shedding and blood-sprinckling is in the Law clearly held forth Exod. 29.16 21 Lev. 1.5 and 4.6 7. Num. 8.7 And come to the Gospell â— may be said of all to that what ever right or part Christ hath in them by vertue of his bloodshed and Sacrifice offered to God yet as Christ saith to Peter John 13.8 If he wash them not they have no part with him 3. Thirdly â—as he hath set down his proposition darkly and unprofitably so he hath set it down subtilly and craftily as a man guilty of some known errour in what he would seeme to maintain in that going about to disprove the distinction between blood-shedding and blood-sprinckling he saith all the blood which Christ did shed is the blood of sprinckling which is fit togull the un-wary leaves roome when the distinction proves sound for him notwithstanding his position to say he ment not to fault the distnction though that be his main drift that he might thirdly disprove another distinction if he could As here is a suspition ofcarnality and ignorance in his understanding of the blood of Christ as it is sprinckled may not some Reader conceive that he would have men to thinke that in the Mosayecall Sacrifices the materiall blood even so such and as it was when shed was sprinckled even so the materiall blood of Christ his body such as it was when shed even such and so materially sprinckled a brave motive for the Romish reservation of rellects and because this can no way be demonstrated and evidenced how it should be so and that it so is therefore all the blood-shedding must needs be sprinckling But to come a little neerer him If blood-shedding had been the sprinckling or if it had or could so have been sprinckled upon any what would it have profited them seeing if Christ be not risen wee are yet in our sinnes our faith vaine and preaching vain 1 Cor. 15.14 17 and the Lord Jesus Christ of whom and whose redemption wee treat hath a spirituall body and is a spirituall man the Lord from Heaven heavenly A quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15.40 49. So now as he hath dyed for our sinnes and rose for our justification and offered himselfe with the vertue of his blood and death a sacrifice to God the Father appearing now in Heaven for us Rom. 4.25 1 Cor. 15.3 4. Heb. 9.12 14.24 when we speake of his blood and death as presented before God in the heaven or applyed to or sprinckled on the hearts and consciencs of men on earth wee understand it spiritually his words even when he speakes of these things are spirit and life and so spiritually to bee understood John 6 63. and so though when we speak of his suffering blood shedding and dying we understand it materially as in a mortall body hee suffered in the flesh and shed materiall blood indeed and dyed for our sinnes and was put to death in the flesh yet as he is risen for our justification and hath overcome death and is gon up to Heaven and hath presented the vertue of his blood which is reall and spirituall before his Father in the Heavens and by the spirit by which he rose from the dead offered himselfe a spotlesse sacrifice to God and obtained eternall redemption Heb. 9.12.14 So when wee speake of the sufferings blood and death of Christ as presented in Heaven to God or applyed on earth to men wee understand it spiritually of the worth vertue and prevailing effecacy thereof with God or men and as the High-priest did once a yeare go into the holy of holiest sprinckled blood on the mercy seat c. and so sanctified the tabernacle and made an atonement for all Israel and this that they might be cleansed legally from all their sinnes Levi. 16.14.15 36.34 and yet they had their sacrifices to come to and sprincklings of blood and of the waters of purification for application which if neglected the neglectors were not personally clean but to be cut off or dye in that their legall uncleannesse Num. 19. to 8. And the fault found in those sacrifices as appertaining to conscience is that they did not make the commers thereunto perfect even so we being fallen and God yet mercifull and willing to shew us favour even at his
offered c. Is the words or sense here only that he once dyed True it is that the offering to dye is and truly may be called an offering but is rarely found that the offering of Christ to God includes but his death only however it is manifest in this chapter that here it signifies more then death yea are simply a ransome or price to purchase of God only even a sacrifice that is both a ransome or price to purchase and a reconciliation atonement or peace made with God for men and such a taking away the sinnes of the world from betweene God and men that mercy may be shewne them and meanes used towards them yea and yet farther that this sacrifice of his might be a remaining and continual thing before the Father that Christ by vertue thereof might mediate in generall for men and so send forth spirit in the meanes that they might be convinced repent and beleeve and in speciall by amediator of the new Testament for beleevers that he by vertue of this his Sacrifice may purge them and they receive the promise of the eternall inheritance and all this is manifest in this whole chapter and the drift and businesse the Apostle was about perpend it dilligently He is here treating chapter 7. and 8. and this 9. about the High priest-hood of Jesus Christ and especially mentions Christ his comming verse 11. Blood shedding verse 22 23. his assention to Heaven verse 20 24. His presentation of the vertue of of his blood and offering himselfe by the eternal spirit to God his Father there v. 12 14 26. His appearing before God with the vertue of his Sacrifice to take away sinne verse 26. having obtained eternall redemption verse 12. his blood sacrifice of force to purge the conscience of all believers on whoÌ„ it 's spinckled ver 13 14. And he for this cause the mediator of the new Testament that c. verse 15 all which in this laeter part of the chapter he is explicating and confirming let it be well minded And yet a little further consider how when where and to whom Christ our great high Priest did offer himselfe a Sacrifice and wee may see Hee did not offer himselfe such a sacrifice on the wooden Crosse that was not the Altar by and on which Christ was born and offered through the foolish Idolatrous Romanists have so esteemed and so prayed Oh holy Altar of the Crosse save us our Saviour himselfe calls such conceivers fooles and teacheth us that the Altar both sanctifieth the gift and is greater then the gift Mat. 23.19 which I hope none will say of the wooden Crosse that it sanctifieth the body of Christ and is greater then the body of Christ but the divine nature was greater then the humane and did sanctifie and dignifie the gift the humane nature or body of Christ and by this divine nature even the eternall spirit which supported him in his sufferings and by which he rose from the dead By that spirit he was born up and offered himself a sacrifice to God Heb. 9.14 He went to the crosse a sinner for us he bore our sins to the tree and was made sinne and a curse for us and dyed for our sins Psal 40 12. 1 Pet. 2.24 2 Cor 5.21 Rom. 4.25 but he was raised for our justification and being risen just and holy he then offered himselfe not spotted with our sinnes on him but a spotlesse Sacrifice without fault or spot to God Hebr. 9.14 This sacrifice was not offered here on earth the other high Priests did offer on earth they could but heare and lift up and wave before the Lord the offering and approach into a worldly Sanctuary But Jesus Christ appeared in the highest Heaven and there presented the vertue of his blood and offered his sacrifice Heb. 8.1.3 〈…〉 â—nd 9.11 12 14. This Sacrince of Christ was offered in the Heaven not to men or Angels but unto God In this businesse or Sacrifice offering he had not to deale with men though for men with God To God he offered the Sacrifice and with God it is accepted and hath prevailed that so there may be an offer and tender and application to men and a prevalency in all receivers chap. 7 8. and 9.12 14 So that all this well minded Mr. Garner is too short and limitting in his affirmation But let us fullfill his request and proceed to mind it a little further Heb. 9.28 So Christ was once offered to beare the sins of c. It is not certain that in this place the word beare the sinnes doth signifie to be counted the sinner and so to accept the imputation of them and beare the punishment due unto them of which is meant Isay 53.2.3 6 7. 2 Cor. 5.19 21. For so and in that sence he his owne selfe in his owne body bear our sins to the tree or on the tree 1 Pet. 2.24 and so in that respect he is said to have been made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 And this was before his refurection for our justification and so the offering or compleating of the offering mentioned in this chap. which offering is said to be to beare the sinnes of c. In which offering he is not said to be made a curse as he was when he hung upon the tree but a blessing A great high Priest of good things to come of which high Priesthood he treateth chap. 7. and 8. and this 9. chap. and that we may the better understand what bearing is here meant let us looke into the words and chap. consider the tipes here mentioned and the truth as it is found in Jesus First For the sacrifice besides that I have forenoted Vers 12.13 Note further that in the tipes were two Goates one that was slaine for a sin offering and the blood presented in the holy place and sprinkled on the mercy seat to make an attonement The truth of what is shadowed therein is found in Christ that beare our sinnes in his body to the tree and dyed for them and being risen hath presented the vertue of his blood in the holyes of holyes and so obtained eternall redemption and made an atonment for men Levit. 9. and 16. Heb. 9.12 13. 14. But we so sin against this goodnesse that we give God just cause to hold back all the streames of mercy from us by which we â—â—â—ht be instructed and drawne in to partake of this attonement and redemption and so in the tipes there was another Goate prepared not a dead but a live Goat that even after the attonement and reconciliation made in the holy place was to have their sinnes confessed over him yea all their trespasses and he did beare upon him all their iniquities into a land of Separation or not inhabited where no man dwelt to be charged with them Levit. 16.10.20.21 22. And is not the truth of this found in Jesus Christ our Lord that is risen for our justification and now at the right
lesse then salvation through faith in Christ page 119. and mind his after explication saith he No taking away of sinne no Redemption Reconciliation or Atonement wrought for any but by the sprinckling or application of the blood of Christ upon them neither is it any other way of use to us neither doth it any other way speak good for us before God but as it 's sprinckled on our consciences by the power of the Spirit page 194. Neither are any persons redeemed or purchased with the blood of Christ not have they any part in his death and blood shed who have not their consciences sprinckled with the blood of Christ neither doth his blood any other way redeem purchase reconcile or make Atonement c. Surely were it not for the sake of some others I should no otherwise answer these greiveous blasphemies of the death Resurrection and presenting of the vertue of the precious blood of Iesus Christ and his invaluable Sacrifice offered to God his Father then they did Rabshâ—kah with silence Isay 36.21 For he knoweth that in the opposed Treatise it is shown by and according to Scripture that there is none reconciled in heart to God none Redeemed from among men to God no purgation in Conscience but by the spirituall sprinckling and application of the precious blood of Christ and so in the application and receit of that reconciliation propitiation Atonement Redemption purgation and righteousnesse which Iesus Christ hath by and in himselfe wrought with God for men and in whom it is perfect and compleat before any receive the same and though here through many mercies by him be reached unto men to draw to him yet this Atonement c. is received no other way but in receiving him in whom it is and from whom it is never devided as is also shown in that other Treatise of the discourse about the precious blood of Christ And in this Reply also which distinction he hath striven to confound and yet now in his fashion he would seem to acknowledge it but to the greatest dishonour to Christ and in fury to men and to Saints also that ever I saw in any writer that confesseth Jesus that was borne in Bethlehem and of the Virgin Mary to be the Christ which yet I hope in part he doth but here in these affirmations it is evident without any wresting or glosse 1. He hath denyed That Christ by the vertue of his blood and Sacrifice offered to God hath purchased All men of God and received the right of Lord-ship over them thereby and so a power and right of judgeing them by his Gospell and aggravation of their sinnes by his blood shed for them and mercies extended there through to them For he hath peremtorily affirmed that there are no persons purchased with the blood of Christ who have not their coÌ„sciences sprinkled with his blood and that his blood doth not any otherwise purchase then by sprinckling upon the Conscience And so hath plainly denyed the truth of those sayings of the Holy Ghost Ro. 149 12. Phil. 2.9 10 11. Acts 10.36 42. Psalme 2.6.10 2. He hath fully denyed all that preparation and provision of Redemption Reconciliation Atonement righteousnesse life and Spirit which God by vertue of the precious blood and Sacrifice of Christ presented to him hath made in Christ to be preached to men to invite them to come in to him and receive it yea for any but those that are come in and have it already for hee affirmed that there is no taking away of sinne no reconciliation Redemption or Atonement wrought for any but by the sprinckling or application of the blood of Christ upon them which is sure in their in-comming and within them and so hath denyed the truth of these Scriptures Joh. 14 5 9 10 11. 2 Cor. 5.10.14.19 Prov. 9.2.6 Mat. 22.1.14 3. Hee hath also denyed the will of the Father that all should honour the Sonne as they honour the Father John 5.23 for he denyeth the Lord Jesus Christ the glory of all the mercies light meanes and spirituall motions he by the vertue of his blood and Sacrifice offered to God hath procured for and extendeth to the Sonnes of men to call invite and move them to repentance and turning in to God for he saith plainly neither is his blood any other way of use to us neither doth it any other way speak good for us before God but as it 's sprinckled upon our consciences by the power of the Spirit And so he hath denyed the truth of that affirmed in John 1.4 11. Psalme 75 3. Col. 1.17 Rom. 2.4 Acts 14.17 and 17 26.31 4. Hee hath also denyed the mediation of Christ between God and men by vertue of his blood and Sacrifice offered to God 1 Tim. 2.5 Isay 53.12 yea and also his speciall Advocation and intercession by vertue of his precious blood and Sacrifice with God for Beleevers 1 John 2.1 Heb. 7 25. In that he saith his blood is no other way to us neither doth it any other way speak good for us before God but as it is sprinckled upon our consciences now in sprinckling on the conscience it speaketh peace and good to us and purgeth within And if it had not spoke good for us and Christ by it had done nothing with God for us what is that which brought it to us or is he of their mind that thinkes their was no dying of Christ for us but his dying in us I hope he is farre from that but I fort eare though here is just cause to say further only he hath denyed one part of that mediation mentioned Heb. 9 15. Thus hath he altogether denyed and raced the Gospell as it is set forth to be preached to unbeleevers as a truth that they might beleeve and in beleeving might receive and for not believing be under sinne for he hath affirmed their is no Redemption no Reconciliation no Atonemen and so no sinne taken out of the way no pardon no life obtained wrought or made with God by Christ or received into the hands of Christ for men to dispence to such as beleeve that it might be preached to them in his name that they might beleeve as Paul did to such as yet beleeved not Acts 13.36 37 38. but this mans sayings give out that of all this there is nothing done with God for any by Christ his Dying Resurrection Ascension offering Sacrifice and mediation by vertue of all with God nothing hath his blood done for any till by spirit it be sprinckled on their conscience nor doth it any thing with God for any by his presentment of it to God nor any other way but by sprinckling upon the conscience and sure that is not till they be made Beleevers so as they come to the blood of sprinckling so that till men be Beleevers and first washed by his blood there is by Mr. Garners doctrine nothing done for them by Christ of any worth to be told them to bring them
Gospell this was not so known before now what was their inheritance what was their body how did they partake of the promise did not the Word Oracles Covenants and services of God belonging to them and to their children Rom. 3.2 9.4 5. Acts 2. was not in their body Israel and the Israel of God the outward and the inward Church had not they heires in hopefulnesse and heires indeed were not their Infants discipled I conceive They that know the Gospell and this mystery well would not deny the Infants of profest Beleevers to be received into the Church by Baptisme with water nor renounce that to take up another And it yet seems strange to me that any of the same saith and Judgement with me in the Gospell should be of the same opinion and practise with him about the Ordinance of Baptisme But I love them in the truth we beleeve not the lesse nor shall shrink from witnessing it because he hath joyned me in his Treatise with them nor like his cause the better And in answering thus farre his whole Treatise is answered and in the Treatise he opposeth particular answers may be found at large which I will not again transcribe Mr. Lambs Reasons abide and are so weakly answered that more then is said need not be said and if it were M. Den or he I question not have or wil do it only this I say by such waies and dealings with the Scripture as he hath gon in if it were received any heresie may be countenanced and all the grounds of Religion denyed and Paganisme or Athisme ushered in give but way under pretence of unvailing Mysteries to deny the sayings of the Scripture to have the sense they import for another sense by other words to be brought in and whether then may one be drawn from one to another till they come to nothing wherefore my desire is that all men would heed the Scripture and take heed to the plain sayings of the Gospell and suffer the Grace of God appearing therein to reprove and take us off from every folly and to inamour our hearts with God and Christ and so carry us to live by faith and walke in love as the Gospell of Christ directeth us And know that Gospell is true and good in all it saith and that of for or to every one Oh far be it that any called Christians should make the Gospell of Christ like the Lottaries of some men in which are more blancks then prizes and where men must cast faith at an adventure and such as declare it sound it before all not knowing to whom it belongs let it light where it will nor as Mr. Garner that sets forth such and so many workes of the Spirit in a man to know Christ dyed for for him and must call on men first to forsake vain confidence and turne from their evill waies and then beleeve and saith no propitiation no life that is perfect in Christ for men til by believing it be in them yet unsayeth again and cryeth down every thing in a man to be as a preparation to beleeve In which he doth well but his doctrine affords no ground of faith without it For upon what ground should any man forsake vain confidences and evill wayes and then beleeve if there be nothing true in Christ for him before he beleeve surely if this be not a sandy or aiery foundation no other can be so But know that the Gospell is good newes for to every one to whom it comes which could not be howglorious soever if not true and true it will be found to all so as if they doe not receive it and suffer it to save them it will be their judge and send them without excuse to condemnation whence even such as refuse the tender are willed to be sure the Kingdome of God was come nigh to them and that the word they refused to suffer to save them shal judge them Luke 10.5.11 John 12.47.50 Thes 2.10.11 12. Wherefore take heed that none of us refuse to receive the love of the truth that wee may be saved but attend and yeeld there-too and be not deceived God will not be mocked nor suffer Mr. Garners Mysterious deceits though approved by Mr. Knowles to keep or withdraw us from beleefe and obedience to the Gospell and sayings of Christ And so I for beare any farther following him in any farther discovery of his errours absurdities and slanders only intreating God for the sake of Christ to give both him and mee and every of us more light and understanding in and hearts more submitted to the truth of God in Christ that so we may rightly speake it and walke in it and so prayeth his friend and the friend of all that love the truth though differences in some circumstances be found in expressions or walkings Thomas Moore A REPLY TO Mr. T.W. HIS pretended Confutation of T. M. THAT there was value and worth enough in Christs death in regard of the sufficiency and excellency of the price for the redeeming all men in the world is granted on all hands saith Mr. T. W. He hath fairely granted if fairely expressed for it is in the expression doubtfull to my understanding in what sense hee takes Christ his Death whether simply for the Act of his Dying as some of his after-sayings page 4. l. 3. last and else-where give occasion to thinke he doth But the Holy Spirit by the Apostle tels us If Christ bee not Risen beleevers are yet in their sins faith vaine preaching the Gospell vaine c. 1 Cor. 15.14.17 or whetherhe meane it of the vertue of his blood Dying or Death as he is risen just and ascended to heaven with the vertue of that his own blood having by the eternall Spirit offered himselfe a spotlesse Sacrifice to God and obtained eternall redemption Heb. 9.12.14 And if he take in all this as I suppose he will exclude no part thereof And though all this be oft encluded in the expression of Christs Death Rom. 5.10 Blood Rev. 1.5 Ransome 1 Tim. 2.6 Sacrifice Heb. 9.26 Yet I suppose in our blessed Saviours acting of these he will allow Distinctions considerable betweene Christ his Dying and Rising and Ascending and offering himselfe a Sacrifice Though our faith without any separation looke at and receive all as one But the questions here to bee answered for right understanding his meaning are first with whom Christ had to deale with God or with men I yet suppose he will confesse that in acting all this hee had to deale with God and that he in all this gave the ransome offered the Sacrifie to God and made the Atonement with God 1 Tim. 2.5.6 Secondly For whom Christ did this and presented his Death and offered his Sacrifice to God and I am loath to conceive otherwise of him but that he will confesse it was for men though he answer in speaking of his dying or laying downe his life pag. 64. l. 30. That redemption