14.31 and the Love both of God and of Christ to us 1 John 3.16 17. and 4.9 10. able to move our hearts to love him again 1 John 4.19 Yea both his Love to his Disciples John 14. and 15.9 10. as an example and motive to us to love them that are his Disciples and our Brethren John 13.34 35. and 15.12 And his Love to those who were ignorant of him lost and perishing as an example to us to love such and a motive as we our selves were such to love such also with a love of compassion yea such as are strangers from us Eph. 2.11 12 13.19 2 Cor. 8.9 Rom. 5.6 1 Tim. 1.15 1 John 3.16 17. Gal. 6 10. Yea his Love to his Enemies is an Example and Motive to us to love to our capacities our enemies also Rom. 5.10 Mat. 5.44 45. Ephes 5.2 1 Pet. 2.21 Yea in this lifting up this Son of man by his Spirit is also the Presence and Efficacy of his Spirit as a Spirit of love to infuse love into us and frame us to love 2 Tim. 1.7 8. Yea Case 13. Would we be furnished with any Virtue and framed to and directed in any good way Look hither and behold Christ Crucified for us and lifted up there-through for and to us and here we may find Motive Inducement and Spirit to inable and frame the heart thereto Yea in most things if not in all Pattern and Example thereof as to say In Bowels of Mercy behold his mercifulness to us Luke 6.37 and 10.37 In kindness Tit. 3.4 In humbleness of mind Phil. 2.5 6 7. In meekness and lowliness Mat. 11.29 In gentleness 2 Cor. 10.1 In long-suffering 2 Pet. 3.9 and 1 Pet. 2.21 22. In forbearance and forgiveness Col. 3.13.14 In patient putting up of wrongs 1 Pet. 2 21 22 23. In love and obedience to God Phil. 2.8 John 14.31 In submission to Superiours in the World Mat. 17.25 27. Isa 49.7 In giving place to wrath Mat. 12.14 15 16 18 19. Isa 42.2 For mens loving their Wives Ephes 5.25 26 c. And to say no more Case 14. In case of loss of our Friends Brethren Relations Husbands Children c. as we have him for a Pattern of Submission to his Fathers Will in taking out of his hand and drinking the Cup he gave him to propose to our selves and imitate in looking upon him John 18.11 So also looking upon him as lifted up for and before us we shall see cause to be submissive to God therein For was it not more for God to give his Son for us and expose him to such Sufferings and Death then to take away a Son or a Daughter a Wife or a Husband or a Friend from us Seeing also by his Sons death he hath made a way through Death to better injoyments and greater happiness then they could have here in this life and hath given to his Son through his death the Keys of hell and death to bring or keep out from Death as he pleases Yea He is the Resurrection and the Life so as the Dead in him shall Live again Yea they do in their spirits live in his Presence and have a fuller Injoyment of him then we have while here Phil. 1.21.23 Rev. 1.18 19. John 11.25 26. And he is the Lawful and Sovereign Lord of all and so of us and ours a Just Righteous Holy Merciful and Good Lord whose Work is perfect and all his Ways judgment Deut. 32.4 Psal 145.8 9. and therefore doth us no wrong in any thing yea aims at our good and profit in all things Heb. 10.8 9 10. And if we believe that Jesus Christ Died and Rose again so we believe that them who sleep in Jesus God will bring With him for the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the Voice of the Archangel and the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first and then we that are alive and remain shall be caught up together in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so we shall be for ever with the Lord These words minded and these things looked to will be for comfort to us 1 Thes 4.14.17 As also that in the mean time the Lord is nigh at hand to us to help us and this Son of man as a Child born to and for us and a Son given us is also an Everlasting Father the Wonderful the Counsellor the Mighty God the Prince of Peace And he will be a Counsellor a Comforter a Provider for and Protector of us and better to us then many Fathers or Mothers Sons or Daughters Friends or Relations Isa 9.6 Yea in a word 〈◊〉 The looking to him is the way to have our understandings inlightned into all Truth our minds renewed our hearts cleansed comforted healed filled with peace joy hope and every good fruit our Souls saved from all evil of sin both guilt filth snare and punishment and from the pollutions of the World and power of Satan and so from every evil thing and our whole Conversation rightly ordered In a word it s the way to be saved from perishing out of the way and much more from perishing in the end and to have and injoy Eternal life Oh therefore let us in all cases and at all times look to him and wistly behold and view him and to that purpose Oh let us with David make it the one thing desired by us That we may dwell in his house and be always beholding the fair Beauty of the Lord and inquiring in his holy Temple Psal 27.4 Seeing also Motive 3. There is nothing else that we can turn to or look upon that can or will do any of these things for and in us no Law or Doctrine if this be rejected and put away or that is beside or swarveth from this no work frame or device of our own or others no Plaister Medicine or Course we can take will heal us in any thing so as to better our conditions For sure if Moses Law will not do it which was given from God himself the exactest and best that ever was given beside then much less will any humane Laws or Injunctions Impositions Works Ceremonies Practices of our own or others but if we turn from this Object we must needs go after vain things and things that cannot profit us because they are vain And though we may kindle fires to our selves and compass our selves with sparks and walk in the light of our own fire yet we must perish and lie down in sorrow 1 Sam. 12.19 20 21. Isa 50.11 Yea though we set any Precepts or Ordinances of Christ before us to observe and practise yet if we observe and practise them without seeing and looking to him and so believing and depending on him for wisdom Strength and Blessing we shall deceive our selves and do like them that made the Word of the Lord to themselves Precept upon precept Precept upon precept Line upon line Line upon line here a little and
returning to him we may be restored again As also that 2. He might gather us into an unity in him by drawing and gathering us from our selves and from our own natural conditions places or objects of hope and trust and ways of walking into him that we all centring in him and having our hopes trusts and rejoycings in him and walking in him we might be made one among our selves and not be as it were many scattered and dispersed from him so it 's said to have been the good pleasure of God in the dispensation of the fulness of time to gather together in one all things in Christ which are in Heaven and which are in Earth even in him Ephes 1.10 And that He is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the wall of partition between us having abolished the enmity in his flesh to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace Eph. 2.14 15 16. Sathan by drawing us from God had drawn us into divisions after diverse Gods and into diverse ways of Worship or prophaness and into dissentions hatreds and oppositions God is a God of love unity peace and concord and therefore will have all that live under his Government live in peace unity and love agreeing together in one and therefore hath put all his riches of grace and glory into him that all faces might be turned towards him all hearts knit to him and meet in him and so be at one As it 's said Christ died not for that Nation of the Jews only but to gather together into one the children of God that are scattered abroad John 11.51 52. This was of old figured in the Unity of the Temple and Altar in Israel to which all the Tribes out of all quarters were to repair Again that 3. That he might make us an holy People that are to live with him for ever He is a holy God and his design in saving us by his Son is to save us from our sins disobedience filthiness and foolishness and so to make us a wise clean gracious and good people a people redeemed from all iniquity and purified to be a peculiar people for himself zealous of good works Tit. 2.12 13 14. 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Luk. 1.74 75. His design is not that we should still live in our sins which had so far provoked him to anger as to sentence us to Death and to condemn us to Hell It is not possible that he should allow us to live with him in that which is so hateful to him Yea so hateful that his own onely begotten Son might not obtain a release of us from the punishment incurred by it but by his dying and suffering the curse of the Law threatned against us for it no without holiness we may not see God nor live in his sight Now to have given us happiness and life everlasting by Christ without coming to him and so to God who is in him had been to make us happy in sin for what is sin but a distance or going of the Soul from God! And what is living in sin but living at a distance from God in a neglect or disregard of him But now the believing in Christ and so in God by him for he that believeth on him believeth not on him but on him that sent him John 12.46 Is the way to be holy pure good wise excellent for this believing in him hath in it a beholding of his excellencies which are of a conforming efficacy to him 2 Cor. 3.18 Yea herein the Soul is drawn from all polluting defiling objects which spoil besot and bruitifie the Soul and debauch it to live on him and in fellowship with or dependance on him the fountain of all cleanness washing it from all filthiness the fountain of wisdom cleansing it from all foolishness and bruitishness and filling it with heavenly wisdom and understanding the fountain of all power healing it of its weaknesses and infirmities and inabling it to resist temptations to evil and to walk in every good way and perform any service to which he calls it The fountain of all goodness delivering it from all bad and evil dispositions and desires and filling it with the contrary of all nobleness and excellency healing it of all baseness and unworthiness and spiriting it for all noble and truly excellent undertakings and performances In a word in coming to him it comes to all righteousness purity and goodness and in depending and living on him it derives all excellent clean holy and good virtues qualities and dispositions from him rendring it suitable to God and his holiness Yea and 4. Everlasting or Eternal Life being or standing in the knowledge of God and of him whom he hath sent Jesus Christ and that knowledge being not to be had or attained to but in the Souls coming to Christ and depending on him and his teaching drinking that in He being otherwise in himself unknowable and invisible but as that word from his bosom declares him and that image of his invisible Majesty represents him John 1.18 Mat. 11.27 Col. 1.15 Heb. 1.1.2.3 It s not possible we should have eternal life or not perish or want of it but in believing in and depending on him as making known himself to us and his Father in him Wherefore life eternal being only in him and not injoyable by us but in and with him and the way to unity and holiness which he designes in those that live being only attainable by believing in and living upon him therefore he also calls us to him to behold listen to believe and trust in him as to this end also Christ calls us to himself that in believing on him we might not perish but have eternal life Isa 42.1 45.22 55.1.4 65.1 Psal 2.10 11. Mat. 11.28 29. John 7.37.38 c. Quest But what then is this believing on him that is so necessary to our salvation and living for ever Answ We may partly understand that in what is said of the use and necessity of it yet to speak a little more distinctâ—y of it I shall thus describe it viz. It is the Souls betaking and yeilding up it self to Christ in a persevering attendance to and dependance on him with hearty trust and confidence in him for all grace and blessing arising from an hearty belief of or credit giving to Gods testimony of him effected of God in a serious listening thereto and from the perception of his excellencies declared therein In which description I have endeavoured to take in all those various terms which the holy Ghost useth in the Scriptures to express its Nature by as also to shew its true Principle and spring from which it is produced and by which it is maintained in its proper subject For here 1. That from which it springs or flowes is said to be an hearty belief or credit giving to Gods testimony concerning him and the perception of his excellencies as therein discovered or rather that testimony
Palaces wherewith they have made him glad Psal 45.8 And we find his Spouse clothed and adorned by him and for him too in Ezek. 10 11 12 13. and in Rev. 19.7 8. But of these things I shall not speak more largely III. We have seen the perfections of man Let us a little as we may view also those of the Angels He is also called the Angel of the Covenant Angel is in English a Messenger and therefore so translated in our later Editions of the Bible in Mal. 3.1 The Angel of Gods presence that saved Israel Isa 63.9 And that redeemed Jacob out of all evil and had power of blessing Gen. 48.16 And surely He is the highest and best Messenger or Angel that was ever sent of God being his only Son Nor can we find any excellency in the Angels in which he doth not out-strip them They are said to excel in strength doing Gods commandments Psal 107.20 but they excel not nor equalize him in either They cannot uphold all things by the Word of their Power as He doth Heb. 1.3 Nor could they stand under the weight of our sins as He did 1 Pet. 2.24 Therefore they give him the preheminence and judge him only Worthy to receive the Power Riches Wisdom and Strength Honour Glory and Blessing Rev. 5.12 Nor do they Gods Commandments like or equally to him who obeyed to the death the Death of the Cross laying down his life at his Fathers commandement and delighting to do his will therein so as to bear and take away our sins by the sacrifice of himself Philip. 2.8 Joh. 10.18 Heb. 9.26 and 10.5 6. Psal 40.48 Joh. 14.31 They are also intelligent and understanding spirits great in knowledge and excellent in speech 1 Cor. 13.1 yet far short of him for God hath found folly in them saith Job 4.18 but Christ is the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 knowing his Father whom none else so knows Matth. 11.27 and grace is poured into his lips so as God hath blessed him for ever Psal 45.2 They are also great in power especially such of them as are called Principalities and Powers Eph. 1.20 21. but not equal with Christ to whom all of them are commanded to give worship He hath obtained a far more excellent name by inheritance then they as may be seen Heb. 1.5 6. to the end They are indeed Spirits but ministring Spirits to him He is the Lord that Spirit the quickning Spirit so as none of them are 2 Cor. 3.16 17. 1 Cor. 15.45 So that in him are all the perfections and more then all the perfections of Creatures Yea CHAP. XXII Secondly That in Christ are all things Answering the Needs of Fallen man all things that pertain both to Life and Godliness AGain he is and in him are all things answering the Needs of his fallen Creatures of Mankind All things pertaining to Life and Godliness and they are given us in the knowledg of him 2 Pet. 1.3 Let us view that in either Branch First All things pertaining to Life he is and are in him for us And that both as 1. Necessary to the Being and Upholding of it not only as by his Death and Sacrifice we are and this Old World for us is upholden so as that we may subsist and Live as it were from Death or the state thereof which we were Obnoxious to under a comfortable Injoyment of a natural Life and Being and have therein opportunities of seeking the Lord Psal 73.3 Acts 17.26 27. But also in reference to a Spiritual life and happy being in and from him And so whereas First It 's necessary to our so Living that we be Begotten from the Dead to live to God he is the Begetter of men thereto the everlasting Father Isa 9.6 Who Begets in his own likenes as Adam did in his but far better Children because Adam Begat none till he was fallen into Sin and Misery whereas Christ Begets as one acquit of sin and raised from Death in and unto Righteousness and Life an holy Seed a blessed off-spring Children of Light and heirs of Life everlasting Yea he is the very Seed of Regeneration as held forth in his Testimony by the holy Spirit the Immortal Seed whereof the Sons of God are Begotten the Word preached in the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. And as he himself is the first Begotten from the Dead so by his Resurrection from the Dead he Begets from Death and quickens to a Lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 with Ephes 2.1 Col. 2.12 John 5.21 25. And this as to the Soul here as he will also by his powerful Voice quicken the Dead in Body to Life again at his Coming being the quickning Spirit John 5.28 29. 1 Cor. 15.45 And in both respects the Resurrection and the Life John 11.25 Yea and he gives Power to others and makes them Instruments to Beget Children to God and to bring them forth for him too as in 1 Cor. 4.15 The Apostle tells the Corinthians he was their Father for in the Gospel he had Begot them yet so as in Christ Jesus there is none can Beget Children to God but in him and his Virtue And as they are the Fruit of the travail of his Soul Isa 53.10 So in and from him others are instrumental Mothers to Travail in Birth with them also Gal. 4.19 2. The Children Born must be Nursed up and he is the prime in Nursing what he Begets and brings forth for he can no more forget them then no nor so much as a Mother her sucking Child Isa 49.14 15. He nourishes them principally though he makes his Servants Instruments of Nursing them up too with the sincere Milk of his Word which he also primarily is as more understandibly discovered to the weak in his heavenly Doctrin 1 Pet. 2.2 Isa 55.13 Heb. 5.13 Yea and he comforts his Children as one whom his Mother comforts Isa 66.13 And surely its by manifesting himself to them that he gives them comfort John 14.16 17 21. And in this Nursing up and causing to live as the living Child must have So 1. He is the Bread and Water of Life John 6.35 and 4.10.14 his Flesh meat indeed and his Blood drink indeed And as the living Child needs clothing So 2. He is the Clothing and Apparrel For he as our Righteousness put on by us in believing on him and his Virtues as adorning us is our Raiment and Ornament too Whence that So many of us as have been Baptised into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 And Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 And he bids us Buy of him white Raiment that our Nakedness may be covered and that our shame may not appear Rev. 3.18 3. It must have harbour and Lodging And he is the Dwelling-place for his Children in all Generations Psal 90.1 Where is sweet Peace Rest and Safety Psal 4.8 and 91.1 He being a house of Stone a strong habitation to defend and save us from our Enemies Psal 31.4
the dust shall how before him every one shall confess and give an account of himself to Him see Isa 45.23 with Rom. 14.10 11 12. and Philip. 2.10 11 and none can keep alive his own Soul Psal 22.27 28 29. Yea all Nations that he hath made shall come and worship before him and shall glorify his Name because He is great and doth wondrous things He as all the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Him bodily is God alone Psal 86.9 10. Yea and all Flesh shall worship him and bless his holy Name for ever and ever Psal 145.21 Isa 66.23 Then shall those Prayers and Prophecies be accomplished that we have in Psal 67.3 4 5 6 7. Let all the People praise thee O God let all the People praise thee O let the Nations be glad and rejoyce or sing for joy for thou shalt judge the People righteously and govern the Nations upon Earth let the People praise thee O God yea let all the People praise thee then shall the Earth yield her increase for then shall all things be restored and made new new Heavens and new Earth in which shall dwell righteousness Isa 65.17 25. 2 Pet. 3.13 14. Rev. 21.1 5 6 and God even our God shall give us his blessing God shall bless us and all the ends of the Earth shall praise Him And then what our Lord directs his Disciples and Children to pray for daily shall be fully answered God's Name shall be so hallowed and his Kingdome come that his will shall be done on Earth as it is in Heaven as universally perfectly and perpetually for Sin and Satan and all that are wicked and love iniquity and would not let it go shall be thrust down into the Lake and shall have no place either in Heaven or Earth and those that believe on Christ being saved from perishing therein shall enjoy eternal life The sinners shall be consumed out of the Earth and the wicked shall be no more Bless thou the Lord O my soul praise ye the Lord Psal 104.35 CHAP. XXIX A brief Discovery of the True and False Church their distinct Manners and Priviledges And the Conclusion of the whole Treatise in a Brief Exhortation Use 9 HEre also we may take a brief View of the True Church of God who they be and what their Priviledges Many there be who greatly mistake that as well as their Fathers did mistake the Christ the Son of man the Lord and Head of it many cry up and lift up the Church instead of Christ crying the Church the Church the holy Catholick Church calling men as they think to it when they totally mistake themselves and it doing as those in Isa 48.1 2. who Sware by the Name of the Lord and made mention of the God of Israel but not in Truth nor in Righteousness though they called themselves of the holy City the holy Catholick Church and stayed themselves on the God of Israel the Lord of Hosts is his Name This that men usually magnifie as the Holy Church is but the outward Court that is without the Temple which the Beast and False-prophet the Antichrist or man of Sin sits in and sets up their Image in and which the Angel ordered the holy Man to cast out and not to measure as being prophane and no sufficient mark by which to know who is Holy and Accepted of God it being given unto the Gentiles even to those that are Uncircumcised in heart and life boasting in and knowing themselves by and after their flesh and fleshly Priviledges As their Birth Breeding Riches Learning Places Offices and the like and walking in and after the Flesh performing and rejoycing in a carnal fleshly Worship Religion Zeal Devotion and upon such accounts trampling under foot the holy City which they say they are of but Know Own or Love it not but do hate and Persecute it even the true holy Catholick Church indeed because it hath not nor approves and applauds but reproves and faults such carnal rejoycings and confidences as Adulteries and Treacheries against her Lord even the Lord Jesus That which they cry up in stead of it is the Whore that sits upon the many Waters or multitudes mounted stately upon the Beasts back riding him and upheld by him even by the Imperial power of the World Dressing her self partly with Christs Jewels his Scriptures and Ordinances mingled with and marred by her Adulterous additions her Inventions Orders and Impositions in Doctrine and Worship even the Church or Court of Rome and her Daughters that exercise her or a like power which is so far from being the holy Church that it is indeed a Nest and Cage of all unclean and impure Birds as is too evidently seen in the Lives and Practices of those that are of them too generally from the Pope to the Apparitor every where But leaving that filthy Whore with all her Members drunk with the Blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Jesus the filthy Sink of sin and wickedness both Mother and Daughters we may note here That the true Church is indeed those and all those who through the Lifting up of the Son of man do believe on him obeying and following him and his holy Doctrine All that in their hearts perceiving his Excellency and Goodness do love and cleave to him receive his Commandments and keep them being Ruled and Governed by him and living in dependance on him These as united in and by one Spirit in and with him and so among themselves and one to another in the Faith and Love of him and love of one another for his sake are his holy Church his Body all of them together and Members of him in particular 1 Cor. 12.12 27. Rom. 12.5 And these need not to nor desire to Lift up Preach and commend themselves as the Whore the false Church and her Members do But they make it their business to lift up their Head and Husband the Son of man in whom they think themselves lifted up sufficiently This Church knowing her self to be his Body his Members his Beloved she judgeth that she hath enough in knowing his Worth Height Glory Excellency Power and Authority and that is the thing that She looks after yea looks upon and admires and cannot but talk and boast of to others She desires nothing but his Love and Fellowship to be admitted into the Knowledg of and Acquaintance with him and through him to have Access to and Acceptance with his Father who is through him her Father also and that she may Honour and Serve him and bring forth Children to him Let him have the Glory the Power the Riches the Wisdom the Strength the Honour and Blessing yea though she be Despised Dishonoured Impoverished and made conformable to him in her Use and Intertainment in the World she is well contented therewith for his sake She leans not upon the Power Riches and Authority of Princes and of the Nobles of the Earth though if God perswades any of