was punished in the Sodomites c. with the utter destruction of this City and themselves Gen. 19. 24 25. Yea they suffer the vengeance of eternal fire Jude 7. Also the Male Sechemites for the sin committed by Hamors son were all put to the sword Gen. 34. 25 26. Our first Parents sinned against the Eighth Commandment in taking the forbidden fruit and so brought the Curse on themselves and their posterity Gen. 3. 16. Again the punishment due to the breach of this Commandment was by Jacob accounted death Gen. 31. 30 32. and also by Jacobs sons Gen. 44. 9 10. Cain sinning against the Ninth Commandment as in Gen. 4. 9. was therefore cursed to the earth verse the 11. And Abraham though the Friend of God was blamed for false witness by Pharaoh and sent out of Egypt Gen. 12. 18 19 20. and both he and Sarah reproved by Abimelech Gen. 20. 9 10 16. Pharaoh sinned against the Tenth Commandment Gen. 12. 15. and was therefore plagued with great plagues verse 17. Abimelech coveted Abraham's Wife and the Lord threatned death to him and his except he restored her again Gen. 20. 3. Yea though he had not come near her yet for coveting and taking her the Lord fast closed up the Wombs of his house verse 18. I could have spoken more fully to this but that I would not be too tedious but speak what I have to say with as much brevity as I can But before I pass it I will besides this give you an Argument or two more for the further clearing of this that the substance of the Law delivered on Mount Sinai was before that delivered by the Lord to man in the Garden As first Death reigned over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression that is though they did not take the forbidden fruit as Adam did but had the transgression been no other or had their sin been laid to the charge of none but those that did eat of that fruit then those that was born to Adam after he was shut out of the Garden had not had sin in that they did not actually eat of that fruit and so had not been slaves to death But in that Death did reign from Adam to Moses or from the time of his transgression against the first giving of the Law till the time the Law was given on Mount Sinai it is evident that the substance of the Ten Commandments was given to Adam and his Posterity under that Command Eat not of the Tree that is in the midst of the Garden But yet if any shall say that it was because of the sin of their Father that death reigned over them to that I shall answer that although original sin be laid to the charge of his Posterity yet it is also for their sins that they actually committed that they were plagued And again saith the Apostle For where there is no Law there is no transgression Rom. 4. 15. For sin is not imputed where there is no Law Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses saith he Rom. 5. 13 14. But if there had been no Law then there had been no Transgression and so no death to follow after as the wages thereof for death is the wages of sin Rom. 6. 23. and sin is the breach of the Law an actual breach in our particular persons as well as an actual breach in our publick person 1 John 3. 4. Again they are no other sins then those against that Law given on Sinai for the which those sins before mentioned was punished therefore the Law given before by the Lord to Adam and his posterity is the same with that afterwards given on Mount Sinai Again the Conditions of that on Sinai and of that in the Garden are all one the one saying Do this and live the other saying the same Also Judgment denounced against men in both kinds alike therefore this Law it appeareth to be the very same that was given on Mount Sinai Again the Apostle speaketh but of two Covenants to wit Grace and Works under which two Covenants all are some under one and some under the other Now this to Adam is one therefore that on Sinai is one and all one with this and that this is a truth I say I know that the sins against that on Sinai was punished by God for the breach thereof before it was given there so it doth plainly appear to be a truth for it would be unrighteous with God for to punish for that Law that was not broken therefore it was all one with that on Sinai Now the Law given on Sinai was for the more clear discovery of those sins that was before committed against it for though the very substance of the Ten Commandments was given in the Garden before they were received from Sinai yet they lay so darkly in the heart of man that his sins was not so clearly discovered as afterwards they were therefore saith the Apostle The Law was added Gal. 3. 19. or more plainly given on Sinai in Tables of Stone that the offence might abound that is that it might the more clearly be made manifest and appear Rom. 5. 20. Again we have a notable resemblance for this at Sinai even in giving the Law for first the Law was given twice on Sinai to signifie that indeed the substance of it was given before And secondly the first tables that was given on Sinai was broken at the foot of the Mount and the other was preserved whole to signifie that though it was the true Law that was given before with that given on Sinai yet it was not so easie to be read and to be taken notice of in that the stones were not whole but broken and so the Law written thereon somewhat defaced and disfigured But if any object and say though the sins against the one be the sins against the other and so in that they do agree yet it doth not appear that the same is therefore the same Covenant of Works with the other Answ. That which was given to Adam in Paradise you will grant was the Covenant of Works for it runs thus Do thus and live do it not and die nay thou shalt surely die Now there is but one Covenant of Works If therefore I prove that that which was delivered on Mount Sinai is the Covenant of Works then all will be put out of doubt Now that this is so it is evident First Consider the two Covenants are thus called in Scripture the one the administration of death and the other the administration of life the one the Covenant of Works the other of Grace but that delivered on Sinai is called the ministration of death that therefore is the Covenant of Works 2 Cor. 3. For if saith he the ministration of death Written and Ingraven in stones was glorious c. Secondly the Apostle writing to the Galatians doth labour to beat them off from trusting in the Covenant of Works but when he
Scripture Gal. 3. 10. which saith For as many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse mark they that are of the Works of the Law now for to be of the works of the Law it is to be of the works of the righteousness thereof that is to abstain from sins against the Law and to do the commands thereof as near as ever they can for their lives or with all the might they have and therefore I beseech you to consider it for mens being ignorant of this is the cause why so many go on supposing they have a share in Christ because they are reformed and abstain from the sins against the Law who when all comes to all will be damned notwithstanding because they are not brought out from under the Covenant of Works and put under the Covenant of Grace Object But can you in very deed make these things manifestly evident from the Word of God methinks to reason this is very strange that a man should labour to walk up according to the Law of God as much as ever he can and yet that men notwithstanding this should be still under the Curse Pray clear it Answ. Truly this doth seem very strange I do know full well to the natural man to him that is yet in his unbelief because he goeth by beguiled reason but for my part I do know it is so and shall labour also to convince thee of the truth of the same First Then the Law is thus strict and severe that if a man do sin but once against it he I say is gone for ever by the Law living and dying under that Covenant If you would be satisfied as touching the truth of this do but read the third of the Galations at the 10. verse Where it saith Cursed is every one that is not a man shall misss by that Covenant that continueth not in all mark in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them pray mark here is a curse in the first place if all things written in the Book of the Law be not done and that continually too that is without any failing or one slip as I said before Now there is never a one in the world but before they did begin to yield obedience to the least command they in their own persons did sin against it by breaking of it the Apostle methinks is very notable for the clearing of this in that 3 of the Romans and also in the fifth in the one he endeavours for to prove that all had transgressed in the first Adam as he stood a common person representing both himself and us in his standing and falling Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore saith he as by one man sin entered into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all men mark that but why for that all have sinned that is for as much as all naturally are guilty of original sin the sin that was committed by us in Adam So this is one cause why none can be justified by their obedience to the Law because they have in their first place broken it in their first parents But secondly In case this should be opposed and rejected by quarrelsome persons though there be no ground for it Paul hath another argument to back his Doctrine saying For we have proved already that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin First As it is written there is none righteous no not one Secondly They are all gone out of the way they are together mark together become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Thirdly Their throat is an open Sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of asps is under their lips Fourthly Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness Fifthly Their feet are swift to shed blood In a word Destruction and misery are in their ways And the way of peace they have not known Now then saith he having proved these things so clearly the conclusion of the whole is this That what thing soever the Law saith in both shewing of sin and cursing for the same it saith All to them that are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 3. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. So that here I say lieth the ground of our not being justified by the Law even because in the first place we have sinned against it for know this for certain that if the Law doth take the least advantage of thee by thy sinning against it all that ever thou shalt afterwards hear from it is nothing but curse curse curse him For not continuing in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them Secondly Thou canst not be saved by the righteous Lavv of God the first Covenant because that together with this thy miserable state by original and actual sins before thou didst follow the Law since thy turning to the Law thou hast committed several sins against the Law In many things vve offend all So that now thy righteousness to the Law being mixed with sometimes the lust of concupiscence forâ—idation coverousness pride heart-risings against God coldness of affection towards him backwardness to good duties speaking idle words having of strife in your hearts and such like I say these things being thus the righteousness of the Law is become do weak through this our flesh Rom. 8. 30 and so notwithstanding all our obedience to the Law we are yet through our weakness under the Curse of the Law for as I said before the Law is so holy so just and so good that it cannot allow that any failing or slip should be done by them that look for life by the same Cursed is every one that continueth not in every thing Gal. 3. 10. and this Paul knew full well which made him throw away all his righteousness But you will say that was his own Ansvver But it was even that which while he calls it his own he also calls it the righteousness of the Law see Phil. 3. 7 8 9 10. and to account it but dung but as dirt on his shoes and that that he might be found in Christ and so he saved by him without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3. 28. But thirdly Set the case the righteousness of the Law which thou hast was pure and perfect without the least flaw or â—auâ—o without the least mixture of the least sinful thought yet this would fall far short of presenting of thee blameless in the sight of God And that I prove by these arguments The first Argument is That that which is not Christ cannot redeem souls from the Curse It cannot compleatly present them before the Lord. Now the Law is not Christ Therefore the Moral Law cannot by all our obedience to it deliver us from the curse that is due to us Act. 4. 12. The second Argument is That that righteousness that is not the
thou must believe that in the days of Tibereas Caesar when Herod was Tetrarch of Galilee and Pontius Pilate Governour of Judea that in those days he was crucified or hanged on a tree between two Thieves which by computation or according to the best account is above sixteen hundred years since Thirdly thou must also believe that when he did hang upon that Cross of Wood on the Mount Calvary that then he did dye there for the sins of those that did dye before he was Crucified also for their sins that were alive at the time of his Crucifying and also that he did by that one death give satisfaction to God for all those that should be born and believe in him after his death even unto the Worlds end I say this thou must believe upon pain of eternal Damnation that by that one death that when he did dye he did put an end to the curse of the Law and Sin and at that time by his death on the Cross and by his Resurrection out of Joseph's Sepulchre he did bring in a sufficient Righteousness to clothe thee withall compleatly For by one offering he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified not that he should often offer himself for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the World but now ONCE in the end of the World hath he appeared to put or do away Sin by the sacrifice of himself Namely when he hanged on the Cross. For it is by the offering up of the Body of this blessed Jesus Christ ONCE for all Indeed other Priests may offer oftentimes Sacrifices and Offerings which can never take away Sins but this Man this Jesus this annointed and appointed sacrifice when he had offered ONE sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God But because thou in thy pursuit after the faith of the Gospel wilt be sure to meet with devils hereticks particular corruptions as unbelief ignorance the spirit works animated on by suggestions false conclusions with damnable doctrines I shall therefore briefly besides what hath been already said speak a word or two more before I leave thee of further advice especially concerning these two things First How thou art to conceive of the Saviour Secondly How thou art to make application of him First For the Saviour thou must look upon him to be very God and very Man not man only nor God only but God and Man in one Person both natures joyned together for the putting of him in a capacity to be a suitable Saviour suitable I say to answer both sides and parties with whom he hath to do in the office of his Mediatorship and being as a Saviour Secondly Thou must not only do this but thou must also consider and believe that even what was done by Jesus Christ it was not done by one nature without the other but thou must consider that both natures both the God-head and the man-hood did gloriously concur and joyn together in the undertaking of the Salvation of our Bodies and Souls not that the God-head undertook any thing without the Man-hood neither did the Man-hood do any thing without the Vertue and Union of the God head and thou must of Necessity do this otherwise thou canst not find any sound ground and footing for thy Soul to rest upon For if thou look upon any of these asunder that is to say the God-head without the Man-hood or the Man-hood without the God-head thou wilt conclude that what was done by the God-head was not done for man being done without the Man-hood or else that that which was done with the Man-hood could not answer Divine Justice in not doing what it did by the Vertue and in Union with the God-head for it was the God-head that gave Vertue and Value to the suffering of the Man-hood and the Man-hood being joyned therewith that giveth us an interest into the heavenly glory and comforts of the God-head What ground can a man have to believe that Christ is his Saviour if he do not believe that he suffered for Sin in his Nature And what ground also can a man have to think that God the Father is satisfied being infinite if he believe not also that he who gave the satisfaction was equal to him who was offended Therefore Beloved when you read of the offering of the Body of the Son of Man for our Sins then Consider that he did it in Union with and by the help of the eternal God-head How much more shalâ— the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works c. And when thou readest of the glorious Works and â—plendour of the God-head in Christ theâ—â— consider that all that was done by the God-head it was done as it had union and communion with the Man-hood And then thou shalt see that the Devil is overcome by God-man Sin Death Hell the Grave and all overcome by Jesus God-man and then thou shalt find them overcome indeed They must needâ—â—e overcome when God doth overcome them and we have good ground to hope the Victory is ours when in our Nature they are overcome 2. The second thing is how to apply or to make application of this Christ to the Soul And for this there is to be considered the following particulars First that when Jesus Christ did thus appear being born of Mary he was looked upon by the Father as if the sin of the whole World was upon him â—ay further God did look upon him and account him the Sin of Man He hath made him to be Sin for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. That â—â—is God made his Son Jesus Christ our Sin or reckoned him to be not only a Sinner but the very bulk of Sin of the whole World and condemned him so severely as if he had been nothing but Sin For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sent forth his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the flesh That is for our Sins condemned his Son Jesus Christ as if he had indeed and in truth been our very Sin and yet altogether without Sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 8. 3. Therefore as to the taking away of thy Curse thou must reckon him to be made Sin for thee And as to his being thy Justification thou must reckon him to be thy Righteousness for saith the Scripture He that is God hath made HIM to be SIN for us though he knew no Sin that WE might be made the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God in HIM Secondly Consider for whose sakeâ— all this glorious design of the Father and the Son was brought to pass and that you shall find to be for Man for sinful Man 2 Cor. 8. 9. Thirdly The terms on which it is made ours and that you will find to be a free gift meerly arising from the tender-heartedness of God You are justified freely by his
Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood c. Fourthly How men are to reckon it theirs and that is upon the same terms which God doth offer it which is freely as they are worthless and undeserving Creatures as they are without all good and also unable to do any good This I say is the right way of applying the merits of Christ to thy Soul for they are freely given to thee a poor Sinner nor for any thing that is in thee or done by thee but freely as thou art a Sinner and so standest in absolute need thereof And Christian thou art not in this thing to follow thy sense and feeling but the very Word of God The thing that doth do the People of God the greatest injury it is their too little hearkning to what the Gospel saith and their too much giving credit to what the Law Sin the Devil and Conscience saith and upon this very ground to conclude that because there is the certainty of guilt upon the Soul therefore there is also for certain by Sin Damnation to be brought upon the Soul This is now to set the Word of God aside and to give credit to what is sormed by the contrary but thou must give more credit to one syllable of the written Word of the Gospel than thou must give to all the Saints and Angels in Heaven and Earth much more than to the Devil and thy own guilty Conscience Let me give you a Parable There was a certain man that had committed Treason against his King but for as much as the King had Compassion upon him he sent him by the hand of a faithful Messenger a Pardon under his own Hand and Seal but in the Countrey where this poor man dwelt there was also many that sought to trouble him by often putting of him in mind of his Treason and the Law that was to be executed on the Offender Now which way should this man so honour his King but as believing his Hand-writing which was the Pardon certainly he would honour him more by so doing than to regard all the Clamours of his Enemies continually against him Just thus it is here thou having committed Treason against the King of Heaven he through Compassion for Christs sake hath sent thee a Pardon but the Devil the Law and thy Conscience do continually seek to disturb thee by bringing thy Sins afresh into thy remembrance But now wouldest thou honour thy King why then He that believeth the RECORD that God hath given of his Son hath set to his SEAL that God is true And this is the Record that God hath given to US eternal Life and this Life is in his Son 1 Joh. 5. 11 12. And therefore my Brethren seeing God our Father hath sent us damnable Traitors a Pardon from Heaven even all the Promises of the Gospel and also hath sealed to the certainty of it with the heart-blood of his dear Son let us not be daunted though our Enemies with terrible Voices do bring our former life never so often into our Remembrance Object But saith the Soul how if after I have received a Pardon I should commit Treason again What should I do then Answ. Set the case thou hast committed abundance of Treason he hath by him abundance of Pardons Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Sometimes I my self have been in such a straight that I have been almost driven to my Wits ends with a sight and sense of the greatness of my sins but calling to mind that God was God in his Mercy Pitty and Love as well as in his Holiness Justice c. And again considering the ability of the satisfaction that was given to Holiness and Justice to the end there might be way made for Sinners to lay hold of this Mercy I say I considering this when tempted to doubt and despair I have answered in this manner Lord here is one of the greatest Sinners that ever the the ground bare A Sinner against the Law and a Sinner against the Gospel I have sinned against Light and I have sinned against Mercy and now Lord the guilt of them breaks my heart the Devil also he would have me despair telling of me that thou art so far from hearing my Prayers in this my distress that I cannot anger thee worse then to call upon thee for saith he thou art resolved for ever to damn and not to grant me the least of thy favour yet Lord. I would fain have forgiveness And thy word though much may be inferred from it against me yet it saith If I come unto thee thou wilt in no wise cast me out Lord shall I honour thee most by believing thou canst pardon my Sins or by believing thou canst not Shall I honour thee most by believing thou wilt pardon my Sins or by believing thou wilt not Shall I honour the Blood of thy Son also by despairing that the vertue thereof is not sufficient or by believing that it is sufficient to purge me from all my blood-red and crimson Sins surely thou that couldest find so much Mercy as to pardon Manasseh Mary Magdalen the three thousand Murderers persecuting Paul Murderous and Adulterous David and blaspheming Peter thou that offeredst Mercy to Simon Magus a Witch and didst receive the Astrologers and Conjurers in the nineteenth of Acts thou hast Mercy enough for one poor sinner Lord set the case my Sins were bigger than all these and I less deserved Mercy than any of these yet thou hast said in thy word that he that cometh to thee thou wilt in no wise cast out And God hath given comfort to my Soul even to such a Sinner as I am and I tell you there is no way so to honour God and to beat out the Devil as to stick to the truth of Gods Word and the merits of Christs Blood by believing When Abraham believed even against hope and reason he gave Glory to God Rom. 4. And this is our Victory even our Faith Believe and all things are possible to you He that believeth shall be saved He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my Fathers Hands 1. Joh. 5. 4. And if thou dost indeed believe this thou wilt not only confess him as the Quakers do That is that he was born at Bethlehem of Mary suffered on Mount Calvary under Pontius Pilate was Dead and Buried Rose again and Ascended 〈◊〉 For all this they confess and in the midst of their confession they do verily deny that his Death on that Mount Calvary did give satisfaction to God for the Sins of the World and that his Resurrection out of Josephs Sepulchre is the cause of our Justification in the sight
mark they that are under the Covenant of Grace are not under the Curse Now there are but two Covenants therefore it must needs be that they that are under the Curse are under the Law seeing those that are under the other Covenant are not under the Curse but under the Blessing So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham but the rest are under the Law Gal. 3. 9. Now I shall proceed to what I do intend to speak unto First I shall shew you what the Covenant of Works or the Law is and when it was first given together with the nature of it Secondly I shall shew you what it is to be under the Law or Covenant of Works and the miserable state of all those that are under it Thirdly I shall shew you who they are that are under this Covenant or Law Fourthly I shall shew you how far a man may go and yet be under this Covenant or Law For the first What this Covenant of Works is and when it was given The Covenant of Works or the Law here spoken of is the Law delivered on Mount Sinai to Moses in two Tables of stone in ten particular branches or heads for this see Gal. 4. The Apostle speaking there of the Law and of some also that through delusions of false Doctrine was brought again as it were under it or at least was leaning that way Verse 21. He saith As for you that desire to be under the Law I will shew you the mystery of Abrahams two Sons which he had by Agar and Sarah these two do signifie the two Covenants the one named Agar signifies Mount Sinai where the Law was delivered to Moses on two Tables of stone Exod. 24. 12. Chap. 34. 1. Deut. 10. 1. Which is that that whosoever is under he is destitute of and altogether without the Grace of Christ in his heart at the present Gal. 5. 3 4. For I testifie again to every man saith he speaking to the same People that Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law namely that given on Mount Sinai Ye are fallen from Grace That is not that any can be justified by the Law but his meaning is all those that seek justification by the Works of the Law they are not such as seek to be under the second Covenant the Covenant of Grace Also the 2 Cor. 3. 7 8. The Apostle speaking again of these two Covenants he saith For if the Ministration of Death or the Law for it is all one written and engraven in stones mark that was glorious how shall not the Ministration of the Spirit or the Covenant of Grace be rather glorious As if he had said 'T is true there was a glory in the Covenant of Works and a very great excellency did appear in it namely in that given in the stones on Sinai yet there is another Covenant the Covenant of Grace that doth exceed it for comfort and glory But secondly Though this Law was delivered to Moses from the hands of Angels in two Tables of Stone on Mount Sinai yet this was not the first appearing of this Law to Man but even this in substance tho possibly not so openly was given to the first Man Adam in the garden of Eden in these words And the Lord God commanded the man saying Of every Tree in the Garden thou mayest freely eat But of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Gen. 2. 16 17. Which Commandment then given to Adam did contain in it a forbidding to do any one of those things that was and is accounted evil although at that time it did not appear so plainly in so many particular heads as it did when it was delivered on Mount Sinai but yet the very same and that I shall prove thus God commanded Adam in Paradise to abstain from all evil against the first Covenant and not from some sins only but if God had not commanded Adam to abstain from the sins spoken against the Ten Commandments he had not commanded to abstain from all but from some therefore it must needs be that he then commanded to abstain from all sins forbidden in the Law given on Mount Sinai Now that God commanded to abstain from all evil or sin against any of the Ten Commandments when he gave Adam the Command in the Garden it is evident in that he did punish the sins that was committed against those Commands that was then delivered on Mount Sinai before they were delivered on Mount Sinai which will appear as followeth The first second and third Commandments were broken by Pharaoh and his men for they had false Gods which the Lord Executed Judgment against as in Exodus 12. 12. and blasphemed their true God Exod. 7. 17. to the end for their Gods could neither deliver themselves nor their people from the hand of God but in the things wherein they dealt proudly he was above them Exod. 18. 11. Again Some judge that the Lord punished the sin against the second Commandment which Jacob was in some measure guilty of in not purging his house from false gods with the defiling of his daughter Dinah Gen. 34. 2. Again We find that Abimelech thought the sin against the third Commandment so great that he required no other security of Abraham against the fear of mischief that might be done to him by Abraham his son and his sons son but only Abraham's Oath Gen. 21. 23. the like we see between Abimelech and Isaac Gen. 31. 53. the like we find in Moses and the Israelites who durst not leave the bones of Joseph in Egypt because of the Oath of the Lord whose Name by so doing would have been abused Exod. 13. 19. And we find the Lord rebuking his People for the breach of the fourth Commandment Exod. 16. 27 28 29. And for the breach of the fifth the Curse came upon Ham Gen. 9. 25 26 27. And Ishmael dishonouring his Father in mocking Isaack was cast out as we read Gen. 21. 9 10. The sons in law of Lot for slighting their Father perish in the overthrow of Sodom Gen. 19. 14 c. The sixth Commandment was broken by Cain and so dreadful a Curse and Punishment came upon him that it made him cry out My Punishment is greater then I can bear Gen. 4. 13. Again when Esau threatned to slay his Brother Rebecca sent him away saying Why should I be deprived of you both in one day hinting unto us that she knew Murther was to be punished with death Gen. 27. 54. Which the Lord himself declared likewise to Noah Gen. 9. 6. Again a notable Example of the Lords Justice in punishing Murther we see in the Egyptians and Pharaoh who drowned the Israelites Children in the River Exod. 1. 22. And they themselves were drowned in the Sea Exod. 14. 27. The sin against the Seventh Commandment
and the Law O! how will God advance his Justice O! how will God advance his Holiness First By shewing men that he in justice cannot will not regard them because they have sinned And secondly In that his holiness will not give way for such unclean wretches to abide in his sight his eyes are so pure Secondly Because God will make it appear that he will be as good as his word to sinners sinners must not look to escape always though they may escape a while yet they shall not go for all ado unpunished no but they shall have their due to a farthing when every threatning and curse shall be accomplished and fulfilled on the head of the transgressor Friend there is never an idle word that thou speakest but God will account with thee for it there is never a lie thou tellest but God will reckon with thee for it nay there shall not pass so much as one passage in all thy life-time but God the righteous God will have it in the trial by his Law if thou die under it in the Judgment-day But you will say But who are those that are thus under the Law Answ. Those that under the Law may be branched out into three ranks of men either first such as are grosly prophane or such as are more refined which may be two ways some in a lower sort and some in a more eminent vvay First Then they are under the Lavv as a Covenant of Works who are open prophane and ungodly vvretches such as delight not only in sin but also make their boast of the same and brag at the thoughts of committing of it now as for such as these are there is a Scripture in the first Epistle of Paul to Timothy the 1 Chap. at the 9. and 10. verses which is a notable one to this purpose The Lavv saith he is not made for a righteous man not as it is a Covenant of Works but for the unrighteous or lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for unholy and prophane for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers for man-slayers for whore-mongers for them that defile themselves with mankind for men-stealers liars look to it liars for perjured persons and in a word if there be any other thing that is not according to sound Doctrine These are one sort of People that are under the Law and so under the curse of the same whose due is to drink up the brim-full Cup of Gods eternal vengeance and therefore I beseech you not to deceive your selves For know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Neither Fornicators nor Idolators nor Adulterers nor Effeminates nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Poor souls you think that you may have your sins your lusts and pleasures and yet you shall do pretty well and be let to go free in the Judgment day but see what God saith of such in that 9. of Deuternomy at the 19. and 20. verses Which shall bless themselves in their heart saying I shall have peace I shall be saved I shall do as well as others in the day when God shall judge the World by Jesus Christ but saith God I will not spare them no but my anger and my jealousie shall smoke against them How far even to the executing all the curses that are written in the Law of God upon them Nay saith God I will be even with them For I will blot out their names from under Heaven And indeed it must of necessity be so because such souls are unbelievers in their sins and under the Law which cannot will not shew any mercy on them for it is not the administration of mercy and life but the administration of death and destruction as you have it 2 Cor. the 3. Chap. the 7 9. verses and all those every one of them that are open prophane and scandalous wretches are under it and have been so ever since they came into the World to this day and they will for certain live and die under the same dispensation and then be damned to all eternity if they be not converted from under that Covenant into and under the Covenant of Grace of which I shall speak in its place and yet for all this how brag and cranck are our poor wantons and wicked ones in this day of forbearance as if God would never have a reckoning with them as if there was no Law to condemn them as if there was no hell fire to put them into but Oh! how will they be deceived when they shall see Christ sitting upon the Judgment-seat having laid aside his priestly and prophetical Office and appearing only as a Judge to the wicked When they shall see all the records of Heaven unfolded and laid open when they shall see each man his name out of the Book of Life and in the Book of the Law when they shall see God in his Majesty Christ in his Majesty the Saints in their Dignity but themselves in their Impurity what will they say then whither will they fliethen where will they leave their glory Isa 10. 3. O sad state Secondly They are under the Law also who do not only so break and disobey the Lavv but follow after the Law as hard as ever they can seeking justification thereby that is though a man should abstain from the sins against the Law and labour to fulfil the Law and give up himself to the Lavv yet if he look no further than the Lavv he is still under the Lavv and for all his obedience to the Lavv the righteous Law of God he shall be destroyed by that Lavv. Friend you must not understand that none but profane persons are under the Law No but you must understand that a man may be turned from a vain loose open prophane Conversation and sinning against the Law to a holy righteous religious life and yet be in the same state under the same Law and as sure to be damned as the other that are more prophane and loose And though you may say this is very strange yet I shall both say it and prove it to be true Read with understanding that Scripture in Romans 9. at the 30 31. verses where the Apostle speaking of the very same thing saith But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness mark that followed after the Law of righteousness they notwithstanding their earnest pursuit or hunting after the Law of righteousness fell short of the Law of righteousness It signifies thus much to us that let a man be never so earnest so servent so restless so serious so ready so apt and willing to follow the Law and the righteousness thereof if he be under that Covenant he is gone he is lost he is deprived of eternal life because he is not under the ministration of life if he die there read also that
Christ alone but with believers also I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and Judah c. 1. Answ. First It cannot be meant that the New Covenant was made with Christ and the House of Israel and Judah as the undertaker thereof for so it was made with Christ alone which is clear in that it was made long before the House of Israel and Judah had a being as I shewed before 2. Answ. But Secondly These words here are spoken first to shew rather the end of the Ceremonies then the beginning or rise or the New Covenant Mind a little The Apostle is labouring to beat the Jews to whom he wrote this Epistle off of the Ceremonies of the Law of the Priests Altar Offerings Temple c. and to bring them to the right understanding of the thing and things that they held forth which was to come and to put an end to those If you do but understand the Epistle to the Hebrews it is a discourse that sheweth that the Son of God being come there is an end put to the Ceremonies for they were to continue so long and no longer It saith the Apostle stood in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation that is until Christ did come But Christ being come an high Priest of good things to come c puts an end to the things and ordinances of the Levitical Priest-hood read the 7 8 9 10. Chapters and you will find this true So then when he saith The days come in which I will make a New Covenant it is rather to be meant a changing of the administration a taking away the type the shadow the Ceremonies from the House of Israel and Judah and revealing by the Birth of Christ and the Death of Christ and the offering of the Body of him whom the shaddows and types did point out to be indeed he whom God the Father had given for a Ransom by Covenant for the souls of the Saints and also to manifest the truth of that Covenant which was made between the Father and the Son before the world began for though the New Covenant was made before the world began and also every one in all ages was saved by the vertue of that Covenant yet that Covenant was never so clearly made manifest as at the coming death and resurrection of Christ and therefore saith the Scripture He hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to the works of righteousness which we have done but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ before the world began there is the Covenant but it was made MANIFEST by the APPEARING of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to LIGHT through the Gospel Therefore I say these words are rather to discover that the time was come to change the dispensation to take away the type and bring in the substance and so manifesting that more clearly which before lay hid in dark sayings and figures And this is usual with God to speak in this manner Again if at any time you do find in the Scripture that the Covenant of Works is spoken of as the first Covenant that was manifested and so before the second Covenant yet you must understand that it was so only as to manifestation that is it was first given to man yet not made before that which was made Christ And indeed it was requisite that it should be given or made known first that thereby there might be a way made for the second by its discovering of sin and the sad state that man was in after the fall by reason of that And again that the other might be made the more welcome to the sons of men And in this did Christ in time most gloriously answer Adam who was the figure of Christ Rom. 5. as well as of other things for as the first Covenant was made with the first Adam so was the second Covenant made with the second for these are and were the two great publick persons or representators of the whole world as to the first and second Covenants and therefore you find God speaking on this wise in Scripture concerning the New Covenant My Covenant shall stand fast with HIM Psal. 89. 28 34 35. My mercy will I keep for HIM for evermore saith God my Covenant shall stand fast with HIM this HIM is Christ if you compare this with Luke 1. 3â— My Covenant will I not break namely that which was made with HIM nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Once have I sworn by my Holiness that I will not lie unto DAVID to whom this was spoken figuratively in the person of Christ for that was Gods usual way to speak of the glorious things of the Gospel in the time of the Law as I said before Secondly The conditions also were concluded on and agreed to be fulfilled by him as it is clear if you understand his saying in the 12. of John at the 27. verse where he foretelleth his death and saith Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I into the world unto this hour as if he had said My business is now not to shrink from my sufferings that are a coming upon me for these are the things that are a great part of the conditions contracted in the Covenant which stands between my Father and I therefore I shall not pray that this might be absolutely removed from me For for this cause came I into the vvorld even this was the very terms of the Covenant By this you may say we are under Grace Now in a Covenant there is these three things to be considered First What it is that is covenanted for Secondly The conditions upon which the persons who are concerned in it do agree Thirdly If the conditions on both sides be not according to the agreement fulfilled then the Covenant standeth not but is made void And this New Covenant in these particulars is very exactly fulfilled and made out in Christ First The thing or things covenanted for was the salvation of man but made good in Christ. The Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost The Son of Man did not come to destroy mens lives but to save them I give my life a ransom for many And this is the will or Covenant of him that sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the day John 6. 39. Secondly As touchsng the conditions agreed on they run thus First On the Mediators side that he should come into the vvorld and then on the Fathers side that he should give him a body This was one of the glorious
labour to lay more sins upon his back Canst thou hear that he suffered the pains the fiery flames of Hell and canst thou find in thy heart to add to his groans by slighting of his sufferings O hard hearted wretch How canst thou deal so unkindly with such a sweet Lord Jesus Quest. But why did Christ offer himself in sacrifice Answ. That thou shouldest not be thrown to the very Devils Quest. But why did he spill his precious blood Answ. That thou mightest enjoy the joys of Heaven Quest. But why did he suffer the pains of Hell Answ. That thou mightest not fry with the devil and damned souls Quest. But could not we have been saved if Christ had not died Answ. No for without shedding of blood there is no remission and besides there was no death that could satisfie Gods justice but his which is evident because there was none in a capacity to dye or that was able to answer an infinite God by his so suffering but he Quest. But why did God let him dye Answ. He standing in the room of sinners and that in their names and natures Gods justice must fall upon him for justice takes vengeance for sin wheresoever it finds it though it be on his dear Son Nay God favoured his Son no more finding our sins upon him then he would have favoured any of us For should we have died so did he Should we have been made a curse so was he Should we have undergone the pains or hell so did he Quest. But did he indeed suffer the torments of hell Answ. Yea and that in such an horrible way too that it is unspeakable Quest. Could he not have suffered without his so suffering would not his dying only of a natural death have served the turn Answ No in no wise The sins for which he suffered called for the torments of hell the condition in which he died did call for the torments of hell for Christ did not dye the death of a Saint but the death of a Sinner of a cursed and damned sinner because he stood in their rooms Gal. 3. 13. the Law to which he was subjected called for the torments of hell the nature of Gods justice could not bate him any thing the death which he was to suffer had not lost its sting all these being put together do irresistibly declare unto us that he as a sacrifice did suffer the torments of hell But Secondly had he not died and suffered the cursed death the Covenant had been made void and his suretiship would have been forfeited and besides this the world damned in the Flames of Hell fire therefore his being a sacrifice was one part of the Covenant for the terms of the Covenant was that he should spill his blood Zech. 9. 10 11. O blessed Jesus O blessed Grace Quest. But why then is his death so slighted by some Answ. Because they are enemies to him either through ignorance or presumption either for want of knowledge or out of malice for surely did they love or believe him they could not chuse but break and bleed at heart to consider and to think of him Zech. 12. 10 11. Thus passing this I shall now speak something to Christs Priestly Office but by the way if any should think that I do here spin my thread too long in distinguishing his Priestly Office from his being a sacrifice they supposing that for Christ to be a Priest and a Sacrifice is all one and the same thing and it may be it is because they have not thought on this so well as they should Namely that as he was a sacrifice he was passive Isa. 53. that is led or had away as a lamb to his sufferings But as a Priest he was active that is he did willingly and freely give up his body to be a sacrifice He hath given his life a ransom for many This consideration being with some weight and clearness on my spirit I was and am caused to lay them down in two particular heads And therefore The second thing that I would speak something to it is this that as there were Priests under the first Covenant so there is a Priest under this belonging to this New Covenant a high Priest the chief Priest as it is clear where it is said We having an high Priest over the House of God Heb. 10. 21. Chap. 3. 1 Chap. 5. 5 10. and Chap. 7. 24 25 26. Chap. 8. 1 4. Now the things that I shall treat upon are these First I shall shew you the Qualifications required of a Priest under the Law Secondly his Office and thirdly how Jesus Christ did according to what was signified by those under the Law I say how he did answer the Types and where he went beyond them For his Qualifications First They must be called thereto of God No man take this honour upon him but he that is called of God as Aaron Heb. 5. 4. Now Aarons being called of God to be a Priest signifies that Jesus Christ is a Priest of Gods appointment such a one that God hath chosen likes of and hath set on work called of God an high Priest c. ver 10. Secondly The Priests under the Law they must be men compleat not deformed Speak unto Aaron saith God to Moses saying Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any bleinish let him not approach to offer the bread of his God for whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish he shall not approach if he be a blind man or a lame man or he that hath a flat nose or any thing superfluous or a man that is broken footed or broken handed or crookt backt or a dwarf or he that hath a blemish in his eye or be scurvy or scabbed or hath his stones broken No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the Priest shall come nigh to offer offerings of the Lord made by fire he hath a blemish he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God Levit. 21. 17 18 19 20 21. What doth all this signifie but that in the first place he must not be lame to signifie he must not go haltingly about the work of our salvation 2. He must not be blind to signifie that he must not go ignorantly to work but he must be quick of understanding in the things of God 3. He must not be scabbed to signifie that the Priest must not be corrupt or filthy in his Office 4. In a word he must be every ways compleat to signifie to us that Jesus Christ was to be and is most compleat and most perfect every way an acceptable high Priest in things pertaining to God in reference to this second Covenant Thirdly The Priests under the Law were not to be hard hearted but pitiful and compassionate willing and ready with abundance of bowels to offer for the people and to make an atonement for them Heb. 5. 1 2. To signifie that Jesus Christ should be a
sin-offering which is for the people and bring his blood within the vail and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat and before the mercy-seat verse 11 12 13 14 15. Now this was for the priest and the people all which doth signifie that Jesus Christ was after his death to go into heaven it self of which this holy place was a figure Heb. 9. and there to carry the sacrifice that he offered upon the Cross into the presence of God for to obtain mercy for the people in a way of justice And in that he is said to take his hands full of sweet incense it signifies that Jesus Christ was to offer up his sacrifice in the presence of his Father in a way of intercession and prayers I might have branched these things out into several particulars but I would be brief I say therefore the office of the Priests was to carry the blood into the holy place and there to present it before the mercy-seat with his heart full of intercessions for the people for whom he was a Priest Luke 1. 8 9 10 11. This is Jesus Christs work now in the kingdom of glory to plead his own blood the nature and vertue of it with a perpetual intercession to the God of mercy on the behalf of us poor miserable sinners Heb. 7. 24. Now in the intercession of this Jesus which is part of his priestly office there is these things to be considered for our comfort First There is a pleading of the vertue of his blood for them that are already come in that they may be kept from the evils of heresies delusions temptations pleasures profits or any thing of this world which may be too hard for them Father I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world saith Christ but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil John 17. 15. Secondly in case the devil should aspire up into the presence of God to acuse any of the poor Saints and to plead their back-slidings against them as he will do if he can then there is Jesus our Lord Jesus ready in the Court of Heaven at the right hand of God to plead the vertue of his blood not only for the great and general satisfaction that he did give when he was on the Cross but also the vertue that is in it now for the cleansing and fresh purging of his poor Saints under their several temptations and infirmities as saith the Apostle For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more then being reconciled we shall be saved by his life that is by his intercession Rom. 5. 10. Thirdly The maintaining of grace also is by Jesus Christs intercession being the second part of his Priestly Office O! had we not a Jesus at the right hand of God making intercession for us and to convey fresh supplies of Grace unto us through the vertue of his blood being pleaded at Gods right hand how soon would it be with us as it is with those for whom he prays not at all John 17. 9. But the reason why thou standest while others fall the reason why thou goest through the many temptations of the world and shakest them off from thee while others are ensnared and intangled therein it is because thou hast an interceding Jesus I have prayed saith he that thy saith fail not Luke 22. 3 2. Fourthly It is partly by the vertue of Christs intercession that the elect are brought in there is many that are to come to Christ which are not yet brought in to Christ and it is one part of his work to pray for their salvation too Neither pray I for these alone but for all those that shall believe though as yet they do not believe on me but that they may believe through their word John 17. 20. And let me tell thee soul for thy comfort who art a coming in to Christ panting and sighing as if thy heart would break I tell thee soul thou wouldest never have come to Christ if he had not first by the vertue of his blood and intercession sent into thy heart an earnest desire after Christ and let me tell thee also that it is his business to make intercession for thee not only that thou mightest come in but that thou mightest be preserved when thou art come in Compare Heb. 7. 25. with Rom. 8. 33 34 35 c. Fifthly It is by the intercession of Christ that the infirmities of the Saints in their holy duties are forgiven Alas if it was not for the priestly office of Christ Jesus the prayers alms and other duties of the Saints might be rejected because of the sin that is in them but Jesus being our high Priest he is ready to take away the iniquities of our holy things perfuming our prayers with the glory of his own perfections and therefore it is that there is an answer given to the Saints prayers and also acceptance of their holy duties Rev. 8. 3 4. But Christ being come an high Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building Neither by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament or Covenant that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called notwithstanding all their sins might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Heb. 9. 11 12 13 14 15. The third thing now to be spoken to it is to shew where and how Jesus Christ out-went and goes beyond these priests in all their qualifications and offices for the comfort of poor Saints First They that were called to the priest-hood under the Law were but men but he is both God and Man Heb. 7. 28. 3. 2. Their qualifications were in them in a very scanty way but Jesus was every way qualified in an infinite and full way They were consecrated but for a time Heb. 7. 23. but he for ever more ver 24. 4. They were made without an oath ver 20 21. but he with an oath 5. They as servants but he as a Son Heb. 3. 6. 6. Their garments were but such as could be made with hands Ez. 28. but his the very righteousness of God Rom. 3. 22. 7. Their offerings were but the body and blood of beasts and such like Phil. 3. 8. but his offering was his own body and soul Heb.
at another time through temptation they may fear and doubt again insomuch that the soul may be put into a very great fear lest it should return again into the condition it once was in Jer. 32 40. O saith the soul when I think of my former state how miserable it was it makes me tremble and when I think that I may fall into that condition again how sad are the thoughts of it to me I would not be in that condition again for all the world and this fear riseth still higher and higher as the soul is sensible of Satans temptations or of its working of its own corruptions Ha! these filthy lusts these filthy corruptions O that I was rid of them that they were consumed in a moment that I could be quite rid of them they do so disturb my soul dishonour my God so defile my conscience and sometimes so weaken my hands in the way of God and my comforts in the Lord O how glad should I be if I might be stripped of them Rom. 7. 24. Which fear puts the soul upon flying to the Lord by prayer for the covering of his imputed righteousness and for strength against the Devils temptations and its own corruptions that God would give down his holy spirit to strengthen it against the things that do so anoy its soul and so discourage it in its way with a resolution through grace never to be contented while it doth find in it self a triumphing over it by faith in the blood of a Crucified Jesus Secondly The soul that hath been thus killed by the Law to its things it formerly delighted in now O now it cannot be contented with that slender groundless faith and hope that once it contented it self withal No no but now it must be brought into the right saving knowledge of Jesus Christ now it must have him discovered to the soul by the spirit now it cannot be satisfied because such and such do tell it is so No but now it will cry out Lord shew me continually in the light of thy Spirit through thy word that Jesus that was born in the days of Cesar Augustus when Mary a Daughter of Judah went with Joseph to be taxed at Bethelâ—m that he is the very Christ. Lord let me see it in the light of thy spirit and in the operation thereof and let me not be contented without such a faith that is so wrought even by the discovery of his birth crucifying death blood resurrection ascension intercession and second which is his personal coming again that the very faith of it may fill my soul with comfort and holiness and O how afraid the soul is lest it should fall short of this faith and of the hope that is begotten by such discoveries as these are For the soul knoweth that if it hath not this it will not be able to stand neither in death nor judgment and therefore saith the soul Lord whatever other poor souls content themselves withal let me have that which will stand me instead and carry me through a dangerous world that may help me to resist a cunning Devil that may help me to suck true soul satisfying consolation from Jesus Christ through thy promises by the might and power of thy Spirit And now when the poor soul at any time hath any discovery of the love of God through a bleeding dying risen interceding Jesus because it is not willing to be deceived O how wary is it of closing with it for fear it should not be right for fear it should not come from God Saith the soul Cannot the Devil give one such comfort tro Cannot he transform himself thus into an Angel of light So that the soul because it would be upon a sure ground cries out Lord shew me thy salvation and that not once or twice but Lord let me have thy presence continually upon my heart to day and to morrow and every day for the soul when it is rightly brought from under the Covenant of Works and planted into the Covenant of Grace then it cannot be unless it be under some desperate temptation contented without the presence of God teaching comforting stablishing and helping of the soul to grow in the things of the Lord Jesus Christ because it knoweth that if God hath but with-drawn his presence in any way from it as he doth do sometimes for a while that then the Devil will be sure to be near at hand working with his temptations trying all ways to get the soul into slavery and sin again also the corrupt principle that will be joyning and combining with the wicked one and will be willing to be a Co-partner with him to bring the soul into mischief which puts a soul upon an earnest continual panting after more of the strengthening preserving comforting and teaching presence of God and for strong supplies of faith that it may effectually lay hold on him Thirdly The soul is quickned so that it is not satisfied now without it do indeed and in truth partake of the peace of Gods Elect now it is upon the examination of the reality of its joy and peace Time was indeed that any thing would serve its turn any false conceâ—ts of its state to be good but now all kind of peace will not serve its turn all kind of joy will not be accepted with it now it must joy in God through Jesus Christ now its peace must come through the vertue of the blood of Christ speaking peace to the conscience by taking away both the guilt and the filth of sin by that blood also by shewing the soul its free acceptance with God through Christ he having compleatly fulfilled all the conditions of the first Covenant and freely placed it into the safety of what he hath done and so presents the soul compleat and spotless in the sight of God through his obedience Now I say he hath peace through the blood of his Cross and sees himself reconciled to God by the death of his Son Col. 1. 20 21. or else his comfort will be questioned by him It is not every promise as cometh now upon his heart that will serve his turn no but he must see whether the Babe Jesus be presented to the soul in and through that promise now if the Babe leap in his womb as I may say so say it is because the Lords promise sounds aloud in his heart coming to him big with the love and pardoning grace of God in Jesus Christ I say this is the first and principle joy that the soul hath that is quickened and brought into the Covenant of Grace Fourthly Now the man finds Heavenly sanctification wrought in his soul through the most precious blood of the man whose name is Jesus Christ. Jesus that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the gate Now the soul finds a change in the understanding in the will in the mind in the affections in the judgment and also in the conscience through thâ—
the convincing nature of them and therefore it is called a doing despite unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 29. And so Thirdly In that they do reject the beseechings of the Spirit and all its gentle intreatings of the Soul to tarry still in the same Doctrine Fourthly In that they do reject the very Testimony of the Prophets and Apostles with Christ himself I say their Testimony through the Spirit of the Power Vertue Sufficiency and Prevalency of the Blood Sacrifice Death Resurrection Ascension and Intercession of the man Christ Jesus of which the Scriptures are full both in the Old and New Testament as the Apostle saith For all the Prophets from Samuel with them that follow after have shewed of these days That is in which Christ should be a Sacrifice for Sin Acts 3. 24. compared with Ver. 6. 13 14 15 18 26. Again saith he He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit 1 Thes. 4. 8. That is he rejecteth or despiseth the very Testimony of the Spirit Fifthly It is called the Sin against the Holy Ghost because he that doth reject and disown the Doctrine of Salvation by the man Christ Jesus through believing in him doth despise resist and reject the Wisdom of the Spirit for the Wisdom of Gods Spirit did never more appear than in its finding out a way for Sinners to be reconciled to God by the death of this man and therefore Christ as he is a Sacrifice is called the Wisdom of God And again when it doth reveal the Lord Jesus it is called the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of him Ephes. 1. 17. Object But some may say the slighting or rejecting of the Son of Man Jesus of Nazareth the Son of Mary cannot be the Sin that is unpardonable as is clear from that Scripture in the twelfth of Matthew where he himself saith He that shall speak a Word against the Son of Man it shall be forgiven him but he that shall sin against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this World nor in the World to come Ver. 32. Now by this it is clear that the Sin that is unpardonable is one thing and the sin against the Son of Man another that Sin that is against the Son of Man is pardonable but if that was the Sin against the Holy Ghost it would not be pardonable therefore the Sin against the Son of Man is not the Sin against the Holy Ghost the unpardonable Sin Answ. First I do know full well that there are several Persons that have been pardoned yet have sinned against the Son of Man and that have for a time rejected him as Paul 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. Also the Jews Acts 2. 36 37. But there was an ignorant rejecting of him without the Enlightning and Taste and Feeling of the Power of the things of God made mention of in the sixth of the Hebrews the 3 4 5 6 Verses Secondly There is and hath been a higher manner of sinning against the Son of Man which also hath been and is still pardonable as in the case of Peter who in a violent temptation in a mighty hurry upon a sudden denied him and that after the Revelation of the Spirit of God from Heaven to him that he Jesus was the Son of God Matth. 16. 16 17 18. This also is pardonable if there be a coming up again to repentance O rich Grace O wonderful Grace that God should be so full of Love to his poor Creatures that though they do sin against the Son of God either through ignorance or some sudden violent charge breaking loose from Hell upon them but yet take it for certain that if a Man do slight and reject the Son of God and the Spirit in that manner as I have before hinted that is for a Man after some great measure of the enlightning by the Spirit of God and some Profession of Jesus Christ to be the Saviour and his 〈◊〉 that was shed on the Mount without the Gates of Jerusalem to be the Attonement I say he that shall after this knowingly wilfully and out of malice and despite reject speak against and trample that Doctrine under foot resolving for ever so to do And if he there continue I will pawn my Soul upon it he hath sinned the unpardonable Sin and shall never be forgiven neither in this World nor in the World to come or else those Scriptures that testifie the Truth of this must be scrabled out and must be looked upon for meer Fables which are these following For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which is the Son of Man Matth. 16. 13. and are again intangled therein and overcome which must be by denying this Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. the latter end is worse with them than the beginning 2 Pet. 2. 20. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift And have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come If they shall fall away not only fall but fall away that is finally Heb. 10. 19. it is impossible to renew them again unto Repentance and the Reason is rendred seeing they have crucified to themselves the Son of God which is the Son of Man afresh and put him to an open shame Heb. 6. 4 5 6. Now if you would further know what it is to Crucifie the Son of God afresh it is this For to undervalue and trample under foot the Merits and Vertue of his Blood for Remission of Sins as is clearly manifested in the tenth of the Hebrews 26 27 28 Verses where it 's said For if we Sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sins But a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and the fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries He that despised Moses Law died without Mercy of how much sorer Punishment suppose ye shall be thought worthy that have trodden under foot the Son of God there is the second Crucifying of Christ which the Quakers think to be saved by and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing And then followeth And hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace Verse the twenty ninth All that Paul had to keep him from this Sin it was his ignorance in persecuting the Man and Merits of Jesus Christ Acts 9. But I obtained Mercy saith he because I did it ignorantly 1 Tim. 1. 14. And Peter though he did deny him knowingly yet he did it unwillingly and in a sudden and fearful Temptation and so by the Intercession of Jesus escaped that Danger So I say they that commit this Sin they do it after Light knowingly wilfully and despitefully and in the open view of the whole World reject the Son of