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
of them being in him or he any way so obliged to them as it should deserve or engage him to take their Nature and offer Sacrifice for them or that by vertue of being any ways in him they should be so interested in his Death Sacrifice and Righteousness that it should in any sort be theirs yea or counted theirs and they interested in it before by vertue of the compleating of it in and by himself alone he be interested in them and so by Grace bring them in to have interest in him And I hope it will be granted by all that believe in Christ and I am sure it is in Scripture affirmed That by vertue of his Oblation once offered God hath released and given over all Men to him to be disposed by him and hath released over to him the sentence of the first Judgement and Death Joh. 5.22 27. Rom. 14.8 9 10 12. Joh. 17.1 2 5. 1 Joh. 5.11 by and according to the Law as Mankinde at first fell under it so as God will never so judge them by that Law nor cause them to perish for ever in that Death but hath given them over unto the dispose of Jesus Christ and given him to be their Lord and Judge and hath given him power over all flesh and given for Mankinde eternal Life in Christ in whom in the Nature of Man it is put and he hath exalted him and filled him with Spirit to make it known and dispence it in his way and though it was free and undeserved Grace to give him for Mankinde and freeness of Grace to unite the Body given him in union of person with the Son of God yet all this given him by vertue of his death sufferings and sacrifice may in respect of himself be said to be merited and deserved and so called the wages of that one Righteousness of his in his Oblation offered by himself Isa 53.11 12. Phil. 2.10 11. whence it is said Even therefore I will divide him a portion c. and therefore God hath highly exalted him c. yea as rightly thus called in respect of himself only as Death is called the wages of sin in respect of the first Adam and his posterity but now in respect of Mankinde for whom he offered the Oblation or any of them it cannot be said so that their receiving mercies through this Oblation or any of the benefit of it that either it or the benefit of it interest in it or life through it is merited or deserved by them or the wages of any righteous affections or works of theirs or any wayes due to them and descending upon them by vertue of any fore-being in Christ preceding his Oblation but only it comes to Men by the freeness of the Grace of God that freely gave Christ for them and the freeness of the same Grace in Christ that freely gave himself for them and God's gracious acceptance of the gift and sacrifice of Christ for them and so imputing it to them graciously accepting it for them and them for and through it as if they had died and risen and offered the sacrifice and as any in his discovery of this great Grace are found believing in Christ freely giving to them eternal Life through Christ and for his sake Rom. 6.23 5.15 and so it is said The gift of God is eternal Life he saith not unto Christ but through Jesus Christ our Lord and so Rom. 5.15 Much more the grace of God which comprehends his love in the gift of Christ and the whole preparation made in him for Men before any gift through it is extended and the gift by grace and explicating it have by one Man Jesus Christ hath abounded to many that is in respect of release from perishing in the first Judgement and mercies extended unto all men Joh. 1.4.5.9 Rom. 5.17 vers 18. and in respect of the abundance of Grace and eternal Life to all those that in believing receive the same vers 17. so that all the whole offering of the Oblation by Christ and the benefit procured for Men thereby is by the free Grace of Christ and freely done by him and not by debt or fore-engagement unto any there was none in him for him by vertue thereof to be engaged to or in such a sense joyned with him to die suffer and offer with him but he he only he himself Heb. 7.17 9.14 10.12 offered this Oblation and Sacrifice here treated of Oh infinite and unspeakable free and gracious goodness who would entertain any Doctrine that should gain-say or darken this CHAP. 5. 3. To whom it was that he offered this Oblation or Sacrifice TO whom Jesus Christ gave himself is though not expressed plainly yet cleerly and strongly intimated in Tit. 2.14 in that it is not in this place said to us but for us and to whom should it be offered for us but to him against whom we had sinned even God that gave him forth to that end whence it 's also called the grace of God c. vers 11. a like strong intimation we have 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. That gave himself a Ransom for all Men to God that would have all saved therefore found out the Ransom by vertue whereof with God to whom he offered it he mediateth for men But this is seen cleerly in both the former Points also expresly affirmed Eph. 5.2 Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God Heb. 9.14 And so it is said of Jesus Joh. 13.1 3. 16.28 That he knowing all things knew that he was come from God and went to God and that he came forth from the Father into the world and left the world and departed out of the world unto the Father yea all the former typical Priests did offer their Sacrifices to God though they were on Earth Heb. 7.26 27. 8.3 4. 9 9 12 14. and offered on Earth yet it was to God in the Heavens and to whom should our great High-Priest offer up his Sacrifice when he entred into Heaven but to God in the Heavens But I suppose this is not only cleer and evident Heb. 2.17 3.2 6. but also acknowleged by all that believe in Jesus Christ both that he offered his Oblation and Sacrifice to God and also that he was faithful in all his business but that I note this for is that it may be minded That Jesus Christ in the business of his Oblation and Sacrifice-offering he had to deal with God and with none but with God and though for fallen Mankinde yet not with them but with God for them True it is in his after-Mediation of which is after to be spoken as he hath to deal for Men so also both with God and with Men but in his Oblation and Sacrifice-offering though it was for Men
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
And exhortation to them vers 6. And admonition to them that none beguile them vers 4.8 either with inticing words or Philosophy and vain deceit or by shews of humility and great knowledge intruding themselves into things they have not seen c. and so happily either pressing them to Law-observances for their perfection or to some humane and self-mortifications or to look for some particular words or some degree and condition in attainments or some secret decree of election that was of their persons before their calling or any thing what ever besides that which is discovered to them in Christ As if there were not enough in him to be received in beleeving on him And so hee warns to beware that we be not removed from him and that hope of the Gospel given us in beleeving on him Col. 1.22 23 24. For he will present us blameless if we continue in the faith c. This is the Apostles doctrine and scope as appears in this and former and following Chapters cleerly so as in all the proofs not a syllable to maintain any true faith of a second kinde nor the cause contended for but much rather that he contendeth against and more need not bee said but only to view his terms about their priviledges in the works of God passed on them which also are needful to be considered CHAP. XXII Of the terms of Gods works passed on beleevers in this Concernment OF these terms understood as is fore-shewn and some so molified as hath been shewn before in Pages 414 435 436. they may be all received As for the term Regenerated it is not used here and hath been considered where it is onely here let that place Mat. 19.28 Ye which have followed me in the Regeneration c. be considered he saith not Ye which are regenerated as speaking of a work done but a doing and it may be taken both for Regeneration and the Ministry of Regeneration in both which they were then following him Now what was the Regeneration of Christ surely he needed none of heart spirit or disposition he was holy in and from conception and knew no sin but he had a weak frail and mortal body of the seed of David Abraham Adam and how was that regenerated but through many sufferings and death in the resurrection from the dead Luke 24.26.45 46 47. Isa 53 8 10 11 Psal 2. Act. 13.33 And so he passâ—â—on through sufferings till he was truly dead and in the resurrection he was begotten there was his regeneration and such as are so raised are his generation or regenerated people whence such promises to be performing in the spirit and soul as through dying with Rom. 6 4 5. 2 Tim. 2 11. Phil. 3.9.10 11 12 13. Joh. 15 16-25 Mat. 10. 24 9-13 and for him we are conformed to his death for we need it in that and in soul and body after we are truly dead in the resurrection of the just and those that follow him so to the death shall then enjoy that promised Mat. 19.28 and such desires of conformity to him in sufferings And as for the ministration of Christ for regeneration of others it was a ministration carried an end through sufferings in which he persevered to the end and so must that ministration of his servants be also and he that perseveres in following him in that to the end shall enjoy also that promised And that regeneration is thus to be understood here for a work not compleatly yet done but in doing both in regeneration and ministration of it is evident by the Spirit in Luke mentioning the same thing so far as they had proceeded in it saith Luke 22.28 29 30. Yee are they which have continued with me in my temptations expressing that as the medium through which regeneration is here attained which minded will help to understand all the terms that are here used The term Accepted I suppose he means it to be the same with Justified because there is no other quotation for it and they may well be alike taken and they are both alike true of all that are indeed beleevers without difference in respect of their persons as such and so sons by faith yet is not this acceptation and Justification answerable in degree to that which shall be in the resurrection of the just when their persons as Sons and all their wayes as becoming Sons will be alike accepted and justified but not altogether so yet yea in this life even beleevers in whom the faith is may be in that respect accepted and justified as Sons and yet some words or act and so a way of theirs rejected and condemned and they in that not accepted or justified but both reproved and corrected No doubt but Moses and Aaron aboad in the faith Numb 20.12 and were accepted as the Saints of the Lord yet their failing in an act of faith and not honouring the power and freeness of Gods mercy before the people was reproved and they corrected for it No doubt but Peter aboad in the faith and love of his Master Maâ— 16.22.23 and was accepted as a true disciple yet not acting rightly in his faith his carnal counsel is rejected as proceeding from some suggestion of Satan to whom Christ as in Mat. 4. saith Depart and Peter sharply reproved 1 Cor. 11.30 32. No question but those corrected with weakness sickness and some with death for so gracious an end were true beleevers and so accepted but their demeanor not suitable to their faith was deeply reproved and chastened And the same I conceive of David Psal 32. though at one time foulely faln yet not utterly departed from the faith and his beleef in God and adoration of him for then what caused that great grief and disquietness of heart nor yet wholly out of favour of God in respect of his person as the Lords servant but in respect of his evil way disallowed 1 King 15.5 reproved and sorely afflicted And this I conceive because David is affirmed not to have turned aside c. all the dayes of his life it is not said save onely in that time in which sure were many other matters but save onely in the matter of Vriah Rom. 3.22 25. 5.8 3.25 4 5. 10 9 10. c. And the word Accepted thus understood is safe and good for all beleevers and so the word Justified also But for the rest there are quotations to be viewed Rom. 5.1 The Apostle had before discovered what true faith is in respect of the object Christ as having dyed rose c. And the true beleeving begot by the discovery of this object which is therefore called faith first in the beginning bringing to and closing with him namely an hearty beleeving That this Jesus is the Christ and that he dyed for our sins and rose for our justification and is the Lord of all and the propitiation for our sins this is the
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
his Word which with an Emphasis and because of the slowness of Men to believe Psal 119.160 is said to be true and for ever and from the beginning and it is rightly called The Word of the Beginning of Christ and The Beginning of his Word because it is 1. The Discoverer of Jesus Christ as the beginning of the new Creation Luk. 24.26 44 46 47. Col. 1.15 c. and so of those things which he was first to do and hath first done in his own Body in offering his Oblation to God and of the things effected thereby of which he is the beginning and by which he is furnished to compleat and will compleat the new Creation as hath been said 2. This that which was first discovered and preached in Paradise Gen. 3.15 12.3 22.18 Joh. 1.1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9. 1 Joh. 2.1 2 3. before the Covenant made with Abraham yea this also first preached to Abraham before the Covenant made with him and confirmed to him after and was preached by Moses and all the Prophets after of which the Spirit in the Evangelists saith In the beginning was the word c. And that which was from the beginning c. 3. This is by the appointment of Christ the first thing to be made known and preached to any and all people Joh. 3.14 15 16 17. Mar. 1.14 15. 1 Cor. 15.3 4 2 Cor. 5.19 20. Act. 2 3 c. and the first to be believed and received that Men may be saved and even this was so first and constantly preached by the Apostles and by Believers first received 4. The History of these things by one Evangelist called Mat. 1.1 Mar. 1.1 Luk. 1.1 2 3 4. The Book of the Generation of Christ Is by another called expresly The beginning of the Gospel of Christ And by another said To be written that we might know the certainty of those things which were declared concerning Jesus Christ by them which from the beginning of Christ's ministration were eye-Witnesses and Ministers of him Yea a fourth addeth Writ for this end Joh. 20.31 that we might believe that Jesus of whom they wrote That died and rose again and ascended into Heaven and offered up the acceptacle Sacrifice to God and now sitteth at the right hand of God is the Christ the Son of God and that believing we might have life through his Name 5. This Doctrine of the Oblation of Christ Gal. 3 1. Rom. 10.8 9. 4.24 25. Psa 119.130 Joh. 3.16 1 Ioh. 4.9 10. Tit. 3.4 5 6. Rom. 5.8 10. Phil. 3.7 8 9. 1 Joh. 2.20 21 27 28. is the entrance into the full Knowledge of Christ and the Enjoyment of the forming of Christ in the Heart it hath the precedency and first entrance into the Minde Heart of those that are drawn to believe aright and in its coming it gives Light and Understanding even to the simple yea the Love of God to Mankinde is therein made known and seen so as by the Divine Force that is in it it draweth the Heart to God and takes it off from other things and so uniteth and conformeth it to Christ and so affordeth it understanding for knowing all that follows in both the other Branches of the Testimony And for all these Causes and in all these Respects it is rightly called The Word of the Beginning of Christ and The Beginning of his Word And yet there is one Cause more for which it may be so called 6. Because it is the great Oracle of God in the holy of holies whence all the Oracles of God proceed Heb. 5.12 6.1 2. by which also the first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ are framed in the Heart of Believers Jesus Christ by vertue of his Oblation is the Mercy-Seat Propitiatory and Oracle in beholding and minding of whom as he hath made Peace by his Death and Oblation and received Spirit and Power as hath been shewn these Oracles are taught us by it viz. I. Rom. 8.3 Gal. 2.21 Heb. 9.22 10.4.7 Psal 40.7 8. 49.7 8. That all Mankinde was through the first Adam lost and are through his fall and from him sinners in themselves their Nature and Ways vile their Righteousness and Works vain their Desert Death and nothing able to help and deliver them but the Blood Death and Sacrifice of the Son of God II. Joh. 1.14 Rom. 4.25 1 Pet. 2.24 1 Tim 2.6 Heb. 10. 9.14 That this Son of God took Man's Nature and became a perfect and publick Man and in that Body of his did die for our sins and rise for our justification and offered up himself a Sacrifice to God for Men and made Peace and obtained eternal Redemption III. Heb. 10.10 12. 8 1. Mat. 17.5 28.18 Rom. 14.9 That God hath so accepted his Sacrifice that he is well pleased in him and hath set him on his right Hand and released all Mankinde over to him and given all Power and Authority into his Hands and made him Lord of all IV. 1 Joh. 2.2 4.14 Joh. 19. 3.14 15 16 17. That by vertue of his Oblation offered and the Father's acceptance of it he is the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World the Saviour of the World and the Enlightner of every one that cometh into the World so as whoever through that Light extended by him believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life V. Isa 42.1 2. Act. 3.22 23 24. 26.17 18. Joh. 3.6 That it is the good will of God in Christ toward Men and that the means he useth is to that end That they should hearken to his Son and so believe in him and receive life from him and live to him VI. Joh. 5.28 29. Rom. 2.16 14.9 12. 2 Cor. 5.10 That in his time he will raise all Men and judge them according to the Gospel as they have yeilded and obeyed or persisted in Rebellion and Disobedience to the Light in the means he hath extended unto them for that end that they might have repented All these Oracles come forth from the Oblation of Christ known and believed Heb. 5.12 6.1 2 4 5. and these Oracles minded and believed do teach to and frame in the Heart those first Principles of Repentance from dead Works and Faith towards God c. accompanied with those operations of the Holy Ghost's and tastes of the Heavenly Gift c. mentioned Heb. 6. therefore this Doctrine of the Oblation well called The Word of the Beginning of Christ and also this Testimony of the Oblation of christ Secondly is called The Vision of All that which is the choise of all that God hath discovered Isa 29.11 Rom. 1.5 16.26 Jude 3. and his Prophets have seen and declared in which all Men are concerned and which is needful for all Men and to be declared as true to them for the Obedience of Faith whence also
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
God are Yea and Amen and now he is given and set forth in the Gospel to us for Light Law Covenant Promise and witness of God's Love to us This the Testimony and the in-giving of a particular word an inferiour Testimony and not so usual now yet God tendering us in our infancy vouchsafing such speaking Inspirations to us for good to draw us to look more to his Son to rest on him if we sit down and take up our rest in these speakings short of him we shall turn that which was for our welfare into a snare but of this he hath mercifully forewarned us in making known to us That without his bloodshedding there could have been no Remission for us and without the same in the vertue of it sprinkled upon our hearts there can be no forgiveness received by us and that he himself as he was crucified for our sins and is risen in our Nature just for our justification and is now at the right hand of God appearing in our Nature for us even so he and he only is the object held forth for healing and life the Revealer of the Father's Minde the only Foundation to rest on and Bread of Life to feed on and so herein hath warned us of this and all the former deceits for as Paul to some miscarrying said of himself 1 Cor. 1.13 Was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized in the Name of Paul so it may be said Was any of your Works of righteousness or was your brokenness mortification vivification and performances or was an inspiration to you and receit by you crucified and made a curse for you did any of these die for your sins and rise for your justification and give the ransom and sacrifice for you or were or could you according to the commission of Christ be baptized in the Name of any of these Surely no therefore none of these can be your bottom or foundation to rest on nor the true Bread of life for you to feed on Nor will you say The eternal Purpose of God and his Election was made sin and a curse for you and so crucified dead and buried for you and raised and offered in sacrifice for you and so not the first thing appearing the bottom and foundation to rest on the real Bread of life to feed on but Christ onely who did all this according to Purpose being God's Elect c. and hath not God discovered his love to us and his unwillingness that we should perish and his readiness to receive retain help and save us by giving us these warnings and helping us with such things to awe and terrifie the flesh and to resist all Doctrines and Spirits of Delusion And is there not in the same warnings given 2 Cor. 15.1 2 15. Ezek. 18. 33.1 9 10 11 19. Joh. 15.1 2 15 an intimate and sure Promise That if we according to the light and strength he giveth us avoid these lets and pull-backs he will follow on with more Grace and enable us in believing to mix the Promises with Faith See the Scriptures and so these Warnings are one good Help Another is II. Instruction to the business of mixing the word with Faith Isa 55.2 3 4. that so we may live indeed by Faith and that is by eating that which is good and letting our Soul delight it self in fatness so we shall be verily fed with the sure mercies of David In which Instruction we have three things explained by Christ for our Help 1. That it is good and fatness meat ready prepared nothing of our provision Prov. 9.1 2 3 4 5 6. Mat. 22.1 2 3 4. Luk. 14.17 Isa 55.1 2 3. Joh. 6.27 29 32. that hath any blemish or want in it nor onely a Purpose and Promise of something to be done but a real business and heavenly substance prepared and according to Purpose and Promise fulfilled a Sacrifice that was slain and the blood shed and the Sacrifice offered to God and so Peace made Redemption obtained Spirit received and Promises confirmed by his Blood and so in this bread of life and wine mingled all provided ready and set sorth and all even the worst of sinners called to it and have liberty to come and all comers freely to eat of this good and fatness 2. 1 Cor. 15.1 4. Rom. 4.25 1 Tim. 2.5 6. Col. 1.23 24. Heb. 9.12 14. 10.5 10. Ioh. 6.27 33 35 48 50 51. Joh. 18.37 Mat. 26.28 Heb. 9.15 16 17. Prov. 9.2 5. Joh. 6.51 53 54 55 56 67. That Jesus Christ himself as he was wounded for our transgressions died for our sins and rose for our justification and offered up himself a spotless sacrifice to God for us and so redeemed us from the curse of the Law obtained eternal Redemption and is now alive for ever in our Nature appearing before God for us to present us in that Body of his c. so he is the very bread of life and his flesh is meat indeed And as by his sufferings and blood-shedding he did both witness the Truth and confirm the New Testament of precious Promises and being risen and ascended ever liveth a Mediator of this New Testament by vertue of his blood That the Called may receive c. so his blood is drink indeed and this tender of it wine mingled And this in Christ is the provision given us to feed on all other things beside tendered by any or conceived by us to be sed on for life are in that respect vanity and deceit and unless we do eat of this flesh of Christ and drink of his blood there will be no life in us but in feeding on this we shall live for ever 3. That the manner of our eating that which is good and fatness in feeding on him Joh. 6.27 29 33 51. is not onely in believing him the Saviour sent of God and sealed by God to give eternal life but also that in this believing we believe him the Saviour of the World that gave his flesh for the life of the World and giveth life unto the World and so in exercise of this Faith eat or feed on him by minding and serious confidering believing resting and taking our well-pleasedness and satisfying in him his flesh his body that was broken and died for our sins and is riseh for our justification and offered up a sacrifice to God for us in that he hath done all this for the sins of the World for Mankinde sinners enemies and so hath made an Atonement and redeemed them from the curse of the Law and procured all Mankinde into his dispose Joh. 6.33 1.4 5. Rom. 5.18 Rom. 2.4 Joh. 1.5 8 9. Eccles 9.4 so that by him their lives are prolonged and God will neither now nor hereafter judge them by that Law nor cause them to perish for ever in that death they fell under in that first Adam which judgement and death Christ hath undergone and overcome for them
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
that for which he hath no plain Saying of Scripture nay that which will not agree with but crosseth Gospel-Testimony so that I may truly say if by Truth he mean Gospel as Elihu to Job These are the voyce of his words Job 33.8 And of this Faith and Holiness true in its kinde he takes Mr. Goodwin and others to mean of which when the mixtures darkning it are taken away as not appertaining to it that it appears as it is by it self none need to be ashamed to own it nor can any produce a Faith of another kinde that is better or so good or true in its kinde and prove it so And from this Faith Mr. Owen professeth a Man may fall wherefore you that through Grace believe as is said abide go on live and die in this Faith as Mr. Owen also saith you may and whatsoever any say of it you shall assuredly be eternally saved you have the Testimony of Christ his Oblation Intercession the Purposes Promises and Covenants of God and his Spirit in his Prophets and Apostles assuring you of this But for weakening the excellency of this kinde of Faith besides the mixtures put in he seems to prove his business by Heb. 6.1 2 3 4 5 c. which is all that I can finde produced with any enforcement and that is onely first quoted page 10 but after amplified and prest page 423. chap. 17. I shall therefore in the next place consider that portion of Scripture with and as agreeing with other places speaking of the same things CHAP. 4. Of Hebrews 6.1 HEb 6.1 Therefore leaving the principles of the Doctrine of Christ or the word of the beginning of Christ let us go on unto perfection not laying again the foundation of c. And in this before we proceed are four Questions to be answered for understanding these words Quest 1. What is here meant by the word of the beginning of Christ or the Doctrine of the beginning or the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ or the first Principles of the Oracles of God as chap. 5.12 And the Answer to this may be read at large before written Part 2. Chap. 10. which it were a shame for any that have sometime believed Heb. 5.12 to stand in need to be taught again which they be The Oblation of Christ with the Ends and Vertues of it and those Oracles in it and proceeding from it as there shewn by Scripture to be the Word of the beginning of Christ and first Principles and in this Epistle also divers hints thereof as speaking of Christ saying Chap. 1.3 Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high Chap. 2.3 c. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken or preached by the Lord and was after confirmed to us by them that heard him c. We see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour Chap. 1.1 Chap. 2.9 that he by the Grace of God should taste death for every man every of those of that Nature in which he was made lower then the Angels that in it he might suffer for those of that Nature Forasmuch as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood Chap. 2.14 vers 16. Rom. 9.5 Act. 17.26 Luk. 3.38 Act. 5 3â— 3.47 Heb. 2 14. ch 5.8 9. that is the natural Children of Abraham to whom in this Epistle he writes and of whom Christ came they as others were mortal so as the same in speaking to the Gentiles may besaid of the natural Children of Adam for God made all Nations of Men of one Blood and of Adam also Christ came and so the same in effect said of srael is also said of the Gentiles and so all of one Blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil c. And after though he were a Son yet he learned Obedience by the things which he suffered and being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him which things hinted here are opened in treating of the Oblation of Christ and shewn to be in the word of the beginning of Christ in the place pointed to for answer of this Quest 2. What is meant here by leaving the word of the beginning of Christ And this requireth both a negative and an affirmative Answer and so 1. A negative Answer Not the believing remembrance of it 1 Cor. 11.26 15.1 2 3 4 rom 4.25 5.6 1. 2 Tim. 2.8 2 Pet. 1.12 13. Rom. 1.3 4. 1 Cor. 1.17 18. 2.2 2 Cor. 5.19 20. 2 Tim. 4.7 Iude 3. Heb. 7.25 28 10.19 9.14 15. 10.22 25. 12 2 3. 13.15 16. 9.12 14 15. 12.24 9.14 10.14 22. nor the prizing embracing and believing encouragements instructions and consolations from is and in and through it for so he wills us alwayes to remember it and saith We shall in such believing remembrance of it be saved no nor yet the holding of it forth and contending for the Truth and Goodness of it against all opposers not so to be left but stood to and kept nor is the usefulness of it in all teachings or in any to be left for there is nothing can be rightly known or taught without it yea in this and in all these respects he makes use of it not onely before but after this saying in this Epistle to encourage them in their approaches to God in their confidence in God for the Promises of the New-Testament yea for all their spiritual Sacrifices and holy Walkings both in sufferings and well-doing yea he shews Christ his obtaining eternal Redemption and his Mediation of the New-Testament to be by vertue of his Blood and Sacrifice and his Peace-speaking to the Hearts of his People and his purifying of them also to be by vertue of the same Blood and sacrifice So that it is evident and plain He neither desired nor intended at all or in the least or upon any account to leave the believing minding and prizing of it nor the holding it forth nor the usefulness of it no nor yet simply and wholly to leave it in that sense of which he here speak not in respect of all times or of all persons But 2. Assirmative Answer To leave was at that time and in this business in his present writing to leave or let rest the declaring again what is the Foundation and which be the first Oracles of it and opening the Principles of the same though the same was still needful both for him and for them to teach others yet not for him now in respect of these
his sins and judging himself and so again walking after the Spirit And this affirmed by the Apostle in this Rom 8.12 13. therefore the Apostle saith There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ who walk not after the flesh though flesh be lusting in them but after the Spirit 1 Cor. 11.31 Gal. 5.6 16 18 1 Joh. 1.7 9. Col. 3.1 2 3 4 5. which worketh by love inclining and yeelding to walk in the teachings and motions of the Spirit confessing and disowning the sinfulness that is in them by the lusts of the flesh and by the Spirit with the cross of Christ mortifying the same yeeld as servants to grace to such not withstanding the weakness molestations and failings thereby Gal. 6.16 18 19 24 25 6.8 Eph. 4 20-31 Col. 3 1-6 there is no condemnation This law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus after which they walk will free them from the power of that law of sin and death and so from all charges of sin and death And they shall not be under the Law but under Grace non yet fulfil the lusts of the flesh but of the Spirit shall reap life everlasting And on this ground are they exhorted To mortifie the flesh by the Spirit and to live in and walk after the Spirit And this is the doctrine of the Apostle as may be seen in all his writings And in this Rom. 8. as well as in Chap. 6. 7. by a general Proposition vers 1. by his own experiment vers 2. compared with 7.25 and by Gods preparation for us in Christ vers 3. and by his gracious end of giving life hereby to them which walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit vers 4. and by his following instructions and exhortations to vers 15. So that how far this quotation serves for that it s quoted for I say nothing but let the next quotation clear it 2 Cor. 5.21 Speaks not a word of any beleevers how far they have yet in this life attained much less of one more than another but directly and expresly shews the preparation God hath made for us in his Son by what way and to what end for the way it is suited to the 14 15 19. verses Him that knew no sin he made to be sin for us This is done not now to do nor yet presented to us in dark figures or parables or allegories but plainly declared to be done And that also to a gracious end suited to vers 15.18.20 Even that we might be made the righteousness of God in him He saith not And we are made as of a thing done But that we might be made as of a thing by the former done in Christ to be after done in us and so layeth here the foundation for repentance and faith Gal. 3.13 14 4.4 5. Tit. 2.14 and so reconcilement of the heart to God and walking after the Spirit that men in beleeving might begin to receive the same so that as any by faith are united to Christ and so made in Christ So is Christ made of God to them wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Phil. 3.12 13 14. 1 Joh. 3 2. and not otherwise And so they begin to be made the righteousness of God in him But fully and compleatly so to be will not be till Christ come again And this is given as the ground of the exhortation following Not to receive the grace of God in vain Chap. 6.1 2. Col. 2.10 Speaks not a word of the attainment of beleevers here in this life but of what they are in Christ sure in Christ as in a publick man that died and rose and gave himself a ransome for them All have dyed and are so given over to him 2 Cor. 5.14 Rom. 14.9 5.18 that to and in him they are discharged and made alive from that first sentence curse and death into which through the first Adam they fell And though this be not yet made over to all men by Christ and unbeleevers know it not yet shall none perish by that first sentence in that first death but be raised out of it 1 Joh. 5.10 11 12. Joh. 1.14 16. Col. 1.19 20. Isa 45.22 42 1-7 6.1 4. Col. 1.28 Phil. 3.7 9. 2 Cor. 3.18 Jona 2.8 Mat. 16.26 Yea not only this but God hath given us eternal life in Christ though unbeleevers have it not Yea not onely this but the fulness of grace and truth of wisdome and understanding of divine power and spirit are in him enough to draw any that in hearing behold him to beleeve in him And so the Apostle in preaching endeavoured to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus that so they might see what perfection there is in Christ and that also by Gods gift for them which beleeved and minded would take them off from other things and both draw them into him and conform them by degrees to him although such as heed it not but follow lying vanities forsake their own mercies Joh. â—7 2 3.6 7 8. 6.40 3.16 1.12 13 Rom. 10.10 1. Cor. 3.22 and lose their own souls and so are not so related to him as in which relation he gives to them eternal life and interresseth them so in himself as to interress them in all that is in him and all that is his for this is only given to them that by the heavenly call are given unto him so as they receive his words and beleeve on his name And all that with the heart beleeve unto righteousness are thus related to him and interressed by him Now if we beleeve in him he and all that is his is ours Let us minde what he is even the elect of God the Son of God the Saviour c. And what is his even the Father and Spirit the Promises the Kingdome c. And what is in him Even all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Joh. 1.12.14 16 17. yea in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily so that in him we are compleat and fully furnished Whence also those that in beleeving are united and related to him Do of his fulness receive and grace for grace And what ever may yet be wanting to and in them it is in Christ for them in minding and beleeving in him to be receiving the same so that abiding in the faith of him and walking in him as they have received him in faith and love they shall be rooted in him receive more of his fulness and in due time be compleated by him because the fulness of the God-head dwels in him bodily And they as members and brethren are related to him In whom they are compleat Col. 2.1 2 3 6 9.10 he also being the head of all principality and power that hath the care and charge of all that beleeve in him And this also given as the ground and reason of the Apostles prayer for them vers 2.
the unchangableness of the state and condition of all such as are once or at any time beloved of God which by the story of the fallen Angels appears to be false and Mr. Owen in part if not wholly Page 33. disclaimeth this conceit yet the consequence not onely he retaineth but many other some avouching it for Scripture in their sayings and some in their Books and writing citing John 13.1 But he that will read that Text may see that that saying John 13 1. or any like it or a word or syllable importing such a sense cannot be there found for it is cleer in the words suited also with other places of Scriptures That the words there in John 13.1 do speak of Jesus Christ not onely nor chiefly as he was God but also and more directly as he was Man q Mat. 26.2 who not onely as God but also and rather as a Prophet spake as he had received of the Father r John 12.50 and that also of his sufferings and departure out of this world s John 16.28 which could not be meant of his Divine Spirit and Presence t Mat. 28.20 And this also is observable That he spake not in this place of himself onely as the Sacrificer and Peace-maker but also and more directly as he was a Minister of the Gospel and Peace-Preacher u Heb. 2.3 Eph. 2.16 17. in whose Ministration declaring the Peace made in and by him God was in him and by him reconciling the World to himself w 2 Cor. 5.19 Heb. 1.1 2. and the persons loved there spoken of were not all that God had from the beginning loved or that he doth now love but onely those that were not onely his own but even then in the World yea his own as then given him of the Father in the Gospel-Call and after the Call chosen by him to be his Apostles Messengers and Ministers x Luk. 6 13. John 6.70 to whom he gave the Words the Father gave him that they might be in his place and stead after his bodily departure to carry on his Ministration and beseech Men to be reconciled to God y 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. Joh. 17.8 Prov. 9.2 3. And the Love spoken of in this place is his Love as a Shepherd and a faithful One using all holy means to keep and preserve and instruct them in the Name of the Father that none of them might be lost but be fitted for their present and after abiding and service for which cause he gave them both instruction and example z Joh. 13.2 18. 17.11 12 13. yea it is express here that Judas was among them a Vers 2 18. and though he was not one of them that in receiving his Words was cleansed b Vers 10 11. John 15.2 nor that said truely though rightly and so not in both respects well and from his Heart in calling him Lord and Master c Vers 13. and so not happy in doing the things counselled by Christ d Vers 14 17. and so no Lover of Christ e Vers 2. John 15.14 yet he was one of Christ's chosen Apostles f Luk. 6.16 one whom Christ loved and prayed for and did good to yea continued his admonitions with loving words to him to the end g Psal 109.4 5. Luk. 22.48 Mat. 26.59 but he dissembled with his Master being Adversary to him for his Love and refusing his warnings and counsels rewarded him evil for good and so and there-through became a Son of perdition and so loâ— himself h John 17.12 Psal 109.4 5. his sin being finished it brought forth death i Jam. 1.15 and he was then no more loved nor prayed for according to that which is said of such Rebellious ones All their wickedness is in Gilgal for there I hated them for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house I will love them no more k Hos 9.15 It is cleer here they were once in his House and loved yet now because of so great wickedness no more loved And so Judas was once loved and prayed for and means used towards him unto the end till he grew to that height of wickedness in rewarding evil for good that against all warnings he persisted to finish his Transgression and then was he hated and cast out of his Office and no more loved but another to be put into his Office l Psal 109.3 4 5 6. Act. 1.16 26. Even as the fallen Angels were once holy and loved but after their wilful aspiring and leaving their place cast down hated and no more loved Yet in all this God is one and of one minde immutable and the change is in and upon the fallen Angels and such as are become like them So that this Text John 13.1 is mightily wrested and abused to be pretended to say Whom God loves once he loves for ever no word in the Text saying it and God's dealing with the fallen Angels and with others proclaims the falshood of that saying But of the fallen and reprobate Angels I may leave off to speak farther seeing there was found no remedy for them no Ransome no Saviour none to take their Nature and Cause in Hand so no Gospel to be preached to or by them no Prayers to be put forth for them no Commands to them to repent and believe the Gospel but Christ and Gospel and Prayers and all against them but of Mankinde fallen there is yet some better thing to say of them all after we have considered the depth of his misery in respect of the desperateness and remedilesness of it in respect of Mankinde fallen and all other Creatures CHAP. 12. Of the remedilesness in Man fallen to help himself and what an inconceivable and wonderful business it is that will help him if God discover and give it MAnkinde fallen as is before shewn into so great sin sinfulness and misery and under the powerful sentence and curse of the Law and under the displeasure of the Almighty and become an Enemy to him the door way and passage for God to extend and give forth the fruits of his Love and Mercy to Men and so for Men to return and come into favour with God again was shut and become impassible yea it was beyond the reach understanding of Men or Angels to open yea or finde out the way how such a door and passage might be opened again for Mankinde For 1. The holy and righteous Law under which Man was fallen Deut 27. â—6 Gal. 3.10 still required Obedience to the utmost of all the Righteous Affections and Services it obliged to or else to suffer the curse for the least short coming of its Requirings Psal â—9 7 12. Mat. 5.7 18. which neither Adam nor any of his Natural Race was able to answer in doing nor in suffering to overcome and this Law must not be abolished but fulfilled to every