was given to him the Devil taking advantage of the Creatures mutability for God did not neither was he bound to make the creature immutable spake to the woman by a Serpent even a natural Beast of the earth that eats dust and creeps on her belly Eve would be wise beleeved the Devil ate of the Tree brake the Law and so came to know good and evil shee knew not good and evil before but now she felt the evil and died that is the evil of fear and shame the fruit of sin seized upon them This Tree was a Tree of triall to them of their obedience now sin came and death by sinne Adam was turned out of the Garden sorrow encompassed them the Tree of life a visible Tree pointing out Christ denied them because God would shew the riches of his grace and the glory of his justice had Adam eaten of that Tree of life he and all his posterity had lived for ever but God would not suffer it but would advance justice in the condemnation of some and so keeps him out with a staming Sword that is to say his Law or mighty power Thus do we continually the thing forbidden to us we are not contented with our sphere surely this consideration renders God just in our ruine and 't is only mercy that saves any of us Thus man was plunged in this darknes yet Christ came as a light shining in darknes but the darknes the dark sinfull heart of man comprehended it not but opposed it Christ saith he is the true light the Messia the Son of God that life eternal is in him the Jewes neglected rejected scorned and abused him so do many now by which they adde iniquity to iniquity and are justly Condemned for their sinnes But that I may the more clearly demonstrate the falsity of this assertion consider these following Arguments Those that Christ died for hee offered a Sacrifice for for his death was a Sacrifice for sinne as I have at large proved before Arg. to prove Christ died nor for all men Argument 2 But Christ offered not a sacrifice for all men therefore he died not for all This second proposition is clearly proved if you consider this That all those for whom this Sacrifice was offered are sanctified and perfected by it having through it Remission of sinnes which is evident for by one Offering hath he perfected for ever them that are sanctified and again We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ once for all he bore the sinnes of many and by that Sacrifice he carried them away that God remembers them in a way of judgement no more This will be more manifested if you consider what I shall say in the vertue of Christs death But there are a people that shall never be made perfect nor have sinnes done away this is so evident by it self that it needs no demonstration consult with the 25. Mat. and you may there if you doubt sinde a resolution Having thus handled the Subjects for whom this Sacrifice was To whom this sacrifice was offered offered I am now come to shew you to whom it was offered namely to GOD to an offended displeased and angry Majesty That could not endure Sinne and which threatened death to Sinners GOD saith Fury is not in me How then say you GOD is an angry God Object The same GOD that saith fury is not in me saith also They are Sol. full of the fury of the Lord. So that we must know fury wrath anger is in God by a Law which is the righteous dispensatinn of justice and judgement by his owne Law against the breakers of it And yet fury is not in God that is God in Christ hath so taken away the Cup of trembling and the dregs of his fury that fury is not in him to his Children for GOD in Christ is love full of love GOD in the Law is a recompencer of tribulation and anguish to all that obey not the Gospel of Christ Chap. XI Sheweth the excellent vertue of this Sacrifice appearing by its sweet and comfortable effects and that in four considerations THis Sacrifice is better then all other sacrifices transcends all under the Law comprehends all manner of excellency in it self and the vertue whereof appeares First In that the Lord Jesus by this one Sacrifice interposed between Christ inter-1 posed between God and man God and poor silly sorry man between Gods wrath vengeance and fury and sinfull rebellious man Gods hand of justice was up mans neck upon the block ready for his fatall and finall destruction Even as Abrahams hand was up ready to slay his Sonne But as then the Angel stept in and laid his hand on Abrahams Sword so the Angel of our new Govenant immediately interposed himself and became that Ram in the bush that was ready to dye in our stead and be offered for us that we might be spared so Christ held Gods hand and staved off his wrath as I may so say and now sets forward not onely to respite mans misery for a short time But Secondly He mediates betweene God and man for a reconciliation Christ mediates between God and man man was the offender sentence was given against him to condemnation nothing was wanting to compleate his misery but a full execution and eternity to locke him up fast in wrath and torment Now the Lord Jesus interposes himselfe to make up the breach and therefore is he called The Mediator betweene God and Man the Man Christ Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant He it is not duties not prayers not fasts not the performances of the Creature that makes reconciliation and attonement for the sins of the people Thirdly By this sacrifice he hath given full satisfaction to God Christ hath given satisfaction to God the Father the Father for whatever he could lay to our charge Man as I said before was condemned to dye wrath was threatned he became a debtor to the Law Now the Lord Christ undertakes the payment of his debt he would answer the Law and pay whatever the Law could demand even to the utmost farthing he became the end of the Law for righteousnesse sake he died and became a curse for it is written Cursed be every one that hangeth on a tree that we might be blessed and live for ever Yea further The Lord Jesus that he might be a perfect Saviour bore our sinnes in his owne body on the Crosse and the Father laid on him The iniquities of us all and he was numbred among and judged as the transgressors Which holds forth to me the Father Isaiah 53. 12. speaking if I may so say after this manner to his Son Son wilt thou undertake for this man this sinfull man his sinnes are as searlet his offence is great the punishment is as great thou must take all his sinnes and faults upon thy selfe and stand in his stead and suffer whatever I have threatned upon him thou must
be made sin for him that is to say an offering for his sinne and a sufferer as a sinner Well saith Christ Father thy will be done I will rather beare his sinnes in my owne body I will rather suffer the extremity of thy wrath then those whom I love shall dye and so indeed the Father accepted him the Covenant and contract was made and now Christ who is our scape goat carries all our sinnes in his owne body into the land of forgetfulnesse that God saith I will remember their sinnes no more that is to say as unsatisfied for or in judgement against them and I now can see no sinne in my children that is to say no sinne which I have not received satisfaction Heb. 10. 17. What it is for God not to see nor remember sinne in his children Rom. 8. 33 34. for for otherwise he doth see and remember them See both these namely Christs sacrifice and Gods satisfaction in Pauls triumph Who shall lay any thing to my charge it is God that justifies mee I but might some say God will not justify the wicked not the unrighteous What then Who shall condemn me It is Christ that died for me though I am unrighteous justice is satisfied that I cannot be condemned for Christ hath taken away the curse and stopped the Lawes mouth for he is the true sinne-offering and trespasse-offering typified in the Law Fourthly Christ hath opened the way for the soule to come to God from whom before trembling he ran away and hid himselfe covering his nakednesse with figge leaves not daring to approach the presence of the Lord. The soule till Christ died stood aloofe off had no sight of God but in shadowes types and figures but now the Lord Jesus by his death made way for the soule to come to God the Vaile of the Temple is rent in twaine which is interpreted in the Hebrews to be the opening of the way into the most holy place into which under the Law none but the High Priest might enter and that but under a shadow once a yeare but Christ by his owne bloud hath opened the way that we may with boldnesse have accesse to God Christ the Lords Anointed hath so ordered the matter being partaker of both natures that God and man should meet in him in him God appeares in love mercy and grace in him the Saints meet the Lord in righteousnesse salvation and praise so that he that hid himselfe before hath now no durable joy nor true content but when in the sight of God in the Lord Jesus Oh what a matchlesse mercy is here two at such a distance and enmity should be reconciled and meet in one joying rejoycing praising and delighting each in other Oh here I am forced to stay a while in admiration of that boundlesse love and unfathomable wisedome of our deare Jesus our well-beloved Bridegroome that stript himselfe of his robes and clothed himself with our sinnes that knew no sinne for to bring us into an intimate familiarity and acquaintance with our Maker Oh my soule for this blesse the Lord yea let all that is within mee praise his holy name yea let all that love the salvation of the Lord say Let the Lord be magnified Chap. XII Sheweth what justification and the pardon of sin is which are the effects of Christs death or sacrifice WEE are justified and our sinnes are pardoned through the Our sins pardoned and we justified by the death of Christ sacrifice of the Lord Jesus That we may come to a more cleare understanding of this I desire you would minde that to justify signifies either to make one just who before was unjust or to declare one to be just And againe a man is said to be made just when of a sinner he is washed and cleansed as of a drunkard he is become sober and the like or when he is acquitted of his fault So that though many sins remaine they shall not condemne him In this last sense is a man said according to the Scriptures to be justified or have his sinnes pardoned or be acquitted Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not his sin that is whose sin is forgiven bid or Psalm 32. 2. covered So likewise the declaration of a man to be a just man or justified is two-fold either to his owne soule or to others Now according to the Scriptures it is the acquitall from sinnes that is properly called justification Therefore saith the Apostle As condemnation came upon all so justification upon many justification is there taken for the contrary to condemnation which is the freedome from it Therefore saith the Scripture Wee are justified by his bloud and by the Spirit The Scriptures say we are justified by faith how then say you it is by the Object bloud of Christ Rom. 5. 1. In answer to this there are these two things to be minded Sol. 1. That when men sinned there was something threatned viz eternall wrath and misery which was not then inflicted 2. Mans conscience became guilty and so wrath feare terrour and torment seized on him Now we must consider that the bloud of Christ frees us from both these from the first while we in our owne mindes through wicked workes were enemies From the second viz. That guilt we had contracted through sinne the bloud of Christ saves us through faith therefore is it truly said being justified by faith we have peace with God faith receives what Christ hath done for us and so justifies us in our consciences that we have no more conscience of sinne that is to say guilt for sinne which will appeare the more plainely by this similitude A man hath committed an offence against the Law suppose felony or treason Now the Law saith He that so offendeth shall dye the death The conscience of his fault presently strikes horrour to his Spirit the man is apprehended and imprisoned for it and shut up till the dismall day of execution Now while the poore man can expect nothing but death some freind of his unknowne to him sues for his pardon satisfies the Law and obtaines it by which his freind hath made sure of his life Now is the man truly justified or acquitted from his fault though he knowes it not Well what then His freind coures to him and saith Be of good cheere thy offence is forgiven thee and so gives him his pardon which he gladly accepts and having received it he is now delivered from his bondage the prison opened and the Goalor commanded to set him at liberty and he is as surely freed from the offence as if he had not sinn'd at all Even so it is with a poore soule for when man sinned wrath even eternall misery was threatned and his spirit filled with horrour Now the Lord Christ when the soule was a stranger to him obtained his pardon purchased it with his owne bloud and then the mans eternall happinesse was made sure of and when the Lord
charges the Law upon him whereby the soul begins to fear againe and is ready to qestion whether Christ hath told him so as he did before believe and now he cries out for his pardon that the bond may be taken out of his way that he may be set at liberty through the manifestation of Christs love yea I say farther A man that hath obtained a pardon from his Prience may be attached for the same offence and now may desire in confidence that his surety in whose hands the pardon is to give it him that so he may be set at liberty let me tell you Satan many times assaults the soule and troubles it and then many a soul in faith asks his pardon or the benefit of his pardon that so he may be freed from Satans buffetings and thus in the Scripture it is frequent to aske the thing produceing a benifit for the effects sake as for instance we may desire to eate the flesh of Christ when wee meane the benefit that redounds to us from it so that the sum and substance of what I have said is First That sin is fully satisfied for by Christs death in the sight of God and shal never be charged upon a Saint which pardon is in the hands of Christ for him Secondly that sinne lieth in the conscience til believing and when the soul believes is forgivenesse given to him that is to say published made manifest and declared Thirdly That though he may be freed yet be in trouble or fear againe for according to the measure of his faith such is his assurance and consolation then he may pray for the pardon of sin that is to say the fuller assurance of it and may ask for pardon of sinne as it includes his right to be freed from trouble or wrath for them any more So that I say all sinnes are pardoned in the sense I have already declared past present and to come You say that a Saint after believing may fear againe which if it be true Object why doth the Apostle say we have not received the spirit of bondage againe to fear In Answer to this We must know Paul is not there going about Sol. to tel them that it is impossible for them to fear againe but his intent is there to hold forth the excellency of the Spirit it was not the spirit of bondage engendering to fear that they had received through the Gospel of Jesus but the Spirit of adoption whereby they could cry Abba Father and therefore the same Apostles demanded of the Galathians whether they received the Spirit by the preaching of the Law or by the hearing of faith commanding them to hold fast their liberty and not to be intangled with the yoake of bondage which is the spirit of feare in the Law which the Galathians were subject to not through the preaching of Christ but through the subtilty of deceivers preaching the Law And the truth is so farre as wee be subject to be in bondage to feare so farre wee runne to the Law there is no such thing produced by the Spirit of Christ Jesus To conclude this Chapter I shall lay down three prevailing arguments or Scripture reasons to prove that all sinnes past present and to come in the sense before explained are pardoned 1. If all a believers sinnes be not pardoned at once he may bee Arg. 1 truely in the state of wrath and condemnation after believing But I say believers are not at all truely in the state of wrath or condemnation Therefore all their sinnes are pardoned c. The first proposition is manifest if you do but consider what it is not to have sin pardoned it is to be in the state of wrath or condemnation for he is blessed whose sinnes are Covered or Pardoned The word of the Apostle proves the second saying There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus If all sinnes be not pardoned at once then some are not Covered Arg. 2 Which is evident if we consider that the covering of sin is the pardoning of sin Blessed is the man whose iniquities are covered If sin be alwaies covered it is buried and so incapable of rising up against us and so if not pardoned t is not covered But all their sinnes are alwaies Covered Which appeares in that when Christ died he carried them away in his own body in to a Land of Oblivion that God saith I will remember their sins no more Christ is our propitiation all our sinnes are blotted out rased covered buried nailed to the Crosse that they cannot hurt us If all the sins of a believer be not pardoned at once by the Lord Arg. 3 then may some be laid to his charge Which is evident of it selfe for the pardon is the acquittance or discharge from sin But none can be laid to their charge therefore saith Paul Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Nothing can charge a believer except it bee the Law I meane nothing can justly charge him Now the Law cannot doe it as I will shew you in the next Chapter Therefore I conclude All sinnes are pardoned at once in the sense before named Chap. XIII Sheweth the Vertue of Christs death freeing us from the Law FOr the fuller clearing of this I shall endeavour to make it appeare First from what Law we are freed Secondly In what manner or under what consideration we are freed 1. The Law we are freed from is the Law given to Adam or the Law given on Mount Sinai It is needfull for us to know those two dispensations the one by God to Adam and all the World the other to Moses and the Children of Israel to be one and the same substantiall Law which we may perceive in the Epistle to the Romanes where it is written For when the Gentiles which have not the Law viz. as it was given to Israel by Moses in that dispensation or ministration do by nature that is to say by that original instinct or principle that is in all their hearts by creation the things contained in the Law viz. of Moses these having not the Law viz. given them by Moses are a Law unto themselves that is to say they have it in their hearts Which shew the worke of the Law written in their hearts This appeares yet more evident if we consider the punishment threatned by both was the same therefore is it said verse 15. Their conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another their owne hearts accusing them is a manifest proofe of wrath to be the fruit of sin and condemnation the portion of sinners therefore saith the Apostle By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin this death is explained to be judgement to condemnation If the Law and punishment be the same that of Adam and that of Moses to Object what purpose serves the Law by Moses is it not needlesse I Answer No verily though the substance
was the same yet the Sol. administration was divers The Law of Moses was added because of transgressions the Law entred that the offence might abound that the exceeding sinfulnesse of sin might be disovered that so it might discover the dead sinfull estate they were in that thought themselves alive For by the Law is the knowledge of sin The offence was before but abounded not Man I say was even dead in sin stupid and carelesse till the Law was given on Sinai Then thundered out curses that is to say now God was resolved to make appear the wickednesse of sin but this was only to Israel a chosen people other Nations had not this priviledge for this Law we must understand was not given alone to them for the service of God and the promises were annexed to it they had many types to hold forth their Saviour the Lord Jesus to doe that for them that might answer for what they themselves could not doe and by this were the Gentiles for so the Jews called the rest of the Nations hedged forth this was a partition wall Now Paul was once alive without the Law viz. in his own conceipt but when the Command came sin revived for the Law was given that the offence might abound and Paul died viz. saw his dead condition so that the Commandement which was appointed to life that is to say to drive men to Jesus for the Law was a School-master to Christ even the Law of Commands whippings and lashings as wel as the Law of Ceremonies shadowing forth Christ to us Who is the end of the Law for righteousnesse Hee found was to death to him that is to say through the deceitfulnes of sin slew him as being the executioner against him so that this Law was but the fuller discovery of the other Law for the curse was all one But because the Law is to be considered several waies I shall shew Vnder what consideration we are freed from the law you in what senses we may look upon the Law and in which sense we are freed from it Now we may look upon the Law foure manner of waies First As a covenant of works Doe this and live do it not and thou shalt dye Secondly As given by Moses on Mount Sinai Thirdly As written in the heart in the first Creation Fourthly As written in our hearts in the second Creation by Christ Jesus The two first waies are as two legal coppies the one appearing more plainly to be read then the other this Covenant of Works to Adam If thou doest this thou shalt dye was written in great Letters as I may so say to Israel the wrighting of the Law of loving God and our Neighbour in the heart in the firsâ— creation is faire written by Jesus by the finger of Gods spirit in our heart in the new Creation Jeremiah 31. I will write my Law in your heart saith the Lord. Now if you consider the Law as given by Moses written in Tables of Stone it was to the Jews the ministration of death or a Covenant of workes to which appertained ceremonies and sacrifices In which sense we Gentiles neither have nor ever had any thing to doe with it it was onely so given to the Jewes Therefore it is said We are not come to Mount Sinai that might not be touched but to Mount Sion the grace of God in the Gospell Now if you consider the Law as a Covenant of workes to Adam though we were under it we are freed from it for what curses the Jewes were subject to by the Law as written in Tables of Stone we were as the Law at first was written in our hearts likewise subject to For Abraham had two sonnes the one by a Bond-maid the other by a Free-woman the one from Sinai engendring to bondage the other from Mount Sion one of workes the other of grace We are now freed from the curse of the Law and there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus As by the first Adam sinne entred into the world and death by sinne so by one man Jesus Christ The free gift came of many yee all offences of them he died for to justification of life it is not now said to us to doe this and live but because you live therefore doe this 't is not now said If thou eatest I meane to the Fathers chosen ones thou shalt dye but being dead thou shalt live by Jesus Christ if thou sinnest thou hast an Advocate Jesus Christ the righteous who covers all thy sinnes so that the Gospell brings good newes and hence is it that we heare so much of life eternall and freedome from the curse which makes mee desire thee to looke a little backe to the variety of Gods dispensations till Christ Adam sinned in dying he died Christ was immediately promised wee heare not much though something of the wickednesse of sinne or the greatnesse of punishment nor much of a Redeemer And yet was Adam saved by faith in Christ as well as we and the same way did condemnation seize on the unbelievers then as well as now A little after we have more of Christ in a promise to Abraham and a good land must type forth salvation and Circumcision was given in token that Christ should come of the seed of Abraham and then we heare more of cutting of from the people A while after this the Law was given by Moses then Lightning and thunder streamed from the Mount fire flashed in their faces blacknesse of darknesse tempest and the sound of a trumpet terrified them yea then they heard the voice of words which they were not able to beare therefore they entreated that they might not be spoken to them any more for they could not endure that which was commanded yea it made Moses himselfe exceedingly feare and shake Now it was that which was threatned before roused up it selfe in more terrible appearances Now likewise appeares more of Christs sacrifice Priests and Divine Service were all instituted to hold forth Christ little yet of eternall wrath or life was manifested but in shadowes Cursed be thou in thy basket and store Blessed shalt thou be and eate the fat of the good land Of this nature the cursings and blessings seemed to be then yet the same way of salvation and damnation then as now But the same God that spake before sundry times and divers manners hath in these last daies spoken by his Sonne now life and immortality is brought to light by the Gospell now the Vaile is rent in twaine now are Jewes and Gentiles both in one estate and now soundeth the noise of hell fire eternall wrath the second death and destruction now are we delivered from our enemies that no curse can come nigh all our dwelling places The Law was holy just and good how comes it to be done away Object Sol. I answer God ordained sacrifices they were holy just and good and yet were to give way to that substance the
wherein of the resurrection of the body with an answer to some object against it p. 79 80. Of perfection p. 81. Whether it may be attained in this lise p. 81 82 83. Of Christs Judgement the Law by which he judgeth the Subjects whom he judgeth the sentence that is pronounced p. 83 84. wherein is shewed what Hel is p. 84. Whether the day of judgement be yet p. 85. Chap. 18. p. 86. Of Faith Prayer Feare and reverence Love and Praise of God p. 86 87. Of the true power and manner of worshipping God in the Spirit p. 87 88. Of the Visible Worship of God Chap. 1. p. 83. OF the Gospel that is to be preached to the World p. 89 90. Of the Ministers of this Gospel p. 91. That there are true Ministers of the Gospel in our daies p. 92. marks to know them p. 93. with an answer to severall objections against a visible Ministry in our daies wherein is handled the doctrine of Miracles p. 94 95 96 97. Of the manner how the Gospel must be Preached viz. infallibly in the name of God plainly and fully p. 97 98. The Subjects of which ministry of the Gospel are sinners as sinners p. 98. Chap 2. p. 98. Of Baptism of water of the Holy Ghost and fire of afflictions p. 98 99 100 101. Chap 2. p. 98. That Christ commanded baptism of water to be preached and practised and was performed p. 102. 105 106. That the command of Christ Go teach and Baptize is meant of water baptism p. 102 103 104. Chap. 3. p. 106 Chap. 4. p. 112 That Christ is the Author or Instituter of water Baptism p. 106 107. Of the unity and difference of Johns and Christs Baptisme of water p. 107 108 109. Of the excellent nature end and use of the Baptisme of water p. 109 110 111. Of the Administrator of Baptisme with an answer to severall obj against it p. 112 113 114. Of the true subjects of Baptism p. 114. Whether it be lawfull to Baptize infants p. 115. With an answer to the principall arguments for it p. 117 118 119 120. Chap. 5. Of the true manner of performing this Ordinance which is by dipping p. 120. proved 1. From the signification of the word 2. From the nature of the Ordinance p. 120 121. with an answer to some obj against it p. 121. 122. Of the true principle leading forth to baptize p. 122 123. Of the true power enabling to conform to it and whether a Saint may be said to be ever without power to do his duty p. 123 124 125. Chap. 6. p. 118. Of the continuance of water Baptisme which is till Christ comes again visibly to good and bad proved from severall Scriptures p. 118 119 120 129. Chap. 7. Containeth severall answers to twenty obj against the practise of the Baptisme of water in our dayes wherein those Scriptures which many pretend do speak the downfall of this doctrine are explained and mens mistakes made manifest p. 142. Chap. 8. That beleevers being baptized ought to be added to some particular congregation p. 143 144. What the visible Church of Christ is p. 144 145. with an answer to this Qu. viz. Whither there may not now be a true visible Church without Baptisme of water p. 147 148. Chap. 9. Of the nature of a true church p. 148. T is the city of God Christs body the Lords mountain Gods vineyard Christs garden c. p. 149 150. Of the power of this church in receiving of members p. 151. Of admonishing of members p. 152. what a private and what a publique offence is p. 152. the difference between admonishing reprooving and rebuking what p. 153. few directions to be observed in reprooving p. 135. Of the power of the church in determining controversies about civill and indifferent things p. 153 154. Of their power in casting out of members and what it is to be delivered to Sathan p. 154. and for what causes 155. what a heretick is ibid. the church may receive members when cast out upon repentance p. 155 156. Chap. 10. p. 156. Of the duty of members towards the church p. 156. Of members to the church and of the Church towards its members p. 157. Of the gifts of the Church a word of wisdome of knowledge discerning of Spirits and prophesies p. 158. Of the true power of prophesie and who may prophesie p. 158 159. whither women may speak in the church p. 159 160. how women should improve their gifts 160. the gifts of helps and Government what 161. Chap. 11. 162. Of the Ordinances of the Church viz. Prayer Prayse p. 162. Of singing Psalmes Fasting and charity 163. Whether all Saints are to have all things common p. 164. Of breaking bread of the subjects nature and duration of it p. 164 165. Of the order of the church 165 166. Of the ministry of this church p. 166. Of the churches communion with the Father ib. with each other with other churches in advice in supplying each others wants p. 167. An Alphabeticall Table of the chiefe heads contained in this Booke A. ADministrator of Baptisme who pag. 106. c. Affections of man Christs enemies 75 All the word explained 36 Anger of God what 44 Angels are Christs souldiers 77 Apostles their office 91 Ascension of Christ what and its virtue 60 B BAlaams knowledge what 67 Baptisme of afflictions what 101 Of the Holy Ghost and fire what 100 Of Water 98 c. Its nature 109 110. Its subjects 114. The manner how to be performed 120. It s continuance 126 to 130. Of the difference and unity of Iohns and Christs Baptisme 107 108 109 c. Bloud of Christ what 27 It justifies 46 Breaking bread Vide in Lords Supper C CHrist what he is anointed of God 19 20 23 c. 61 68 69 c. Chastisement for sin what its virtue 57 58 Charity what it is 163 Church of the Gospell what 143 144 Its subjects 144 to 147. It s nature 149 150. It s power 151. It s order and what it is 165 166. It may be without officers in it Ibid. Of its communion 166 167 Circumcision ended in Christs death 58 Is no ground for Infant Baptisme 117 118 119 Civill differences to bee ended by the Church 153 154 Common Whether all things ought to be common 164 Common salvation what 41 Communion of Churches what and wherein 167 Consecration of Christ what and how performed 23 24 Covenant no proofe of Infant Baptism 116 Creation shewes the Godhead 12 to 18 Curse of the law what and how freed from it 53 to 57 D DAy of judgment what and when 84 85 Death of Christ our sacrifice 26 27 28 Deyill conquered by Christs death 59 Discerning of spirits a gift what 158 E ENemies of Christ what 73 74 Evangelists their office 91 F FAther what he is 21 22 Faith what 86. We are justified by it 47 48 Fall of Adam what and how accomplished 43 Fasting what 163 Feare of God
appointed to make them Whose composition was of the most beautifull glorious and rich materials gold purple scarlet and fine linnen which excellently type forth the glory of our High Priest who stands before God in rich pure spotlesse bright shining and incorruptible garments being filled covered and cloathed with the glory of God and being adorned with the beauty of the most High for he was and is the expresse image of his Fathers beauty Aaron was appointed to beare the names of the Children of Israel upon the Ephod upon his Shoulder and upon the Breastplate of judgement upon his heart engraven in precious stones which shewes that our High Priest the Lord Jesus administers before the Lord with all his Saints engraven upon his heart in beauty and glory Thus briefly having taken a view of the manner of our Jesus his consecration to his office let us by divine assistance consider The ability to mannage that office the worke being of such an infinite extent requires a person of answerable abilities which we shall easily finde to be in the Lord Jesus if we consider First The dignity of his person Secondly The excellency of his endowments 1. For the first it will appeare if we consider that he is the Sonne of God one begotten of the Father yea the delight of the Lord he is the first borne among many brethren Priests of old were of the first borne among the family so is our Jesus the beginning of the Creation of God the first borne from the dead the onely begotten Son that is to say the Chiefe none begotten to be a Saviour an everlasting Deliverer of his brethren besides himselfe he is Alpha and Omega the first and the last begotten in his Fathers likenesse the expresse image of his Fathers person White and ruddy as saith the Spouse the chiefest among ten thousand or thousand thousands 2. For the excellency of his qualifications consider First His relation to God he was the Son of God and to man he was made flesh he was of such a nature that he stood related so to God and man as he knew how to preserve both the glory of God and the happinesse of the creature that so divine justice might be compleatly satisfied and mercy admirably advanced in the creatures salvation Secondly His interest in God and man he was not onely related to them but had a deepe interest in them both To God he was a Companion therefore God cals him the man his fellow Moses of old was prevalent with God but our Jesus much more Moses as a servant Jesus as a son and heire to Man as a faithfull brother friend yea companion and fellow sufferer he was tempted that he might be able to succour us being tempted Likewise he is the Fathers beloved whom God can deny nothing to the Saints advocate that will lose nothing for want of asking Thirdly His will power love wisedome and delight concurred Christs will power and love concurre in it in fitting him to be such a Priest his love sets all on worke both power and wisedome he is the power of God and the wisedome of God Fourthly He is without spot or blemish the Priests of old He is without spot or blemish Heb. 4. 15. were forced to offer for their owne sinnes daily but our Jesus had no sinne to offer for He was like to us in all things sinne onely excepted There was no guile found in his mouth Yea such an High Priest became Heb. 7. 26. 25. us who is holy harmlesse undefiled seperate from sinners made higher then the heavens able to save to the uttermost Lastly Our High Priest was a High Priest of an Incorruptible nature Christ is of an incorruptible nature one that continueth for ever The High Priests under the Law by reason of death continued not but Jesus is a High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck that is to say without Father or Mother he was not of the off-spring of the Priests but of Judah without beginning or end of dayes who ever liveth to intercede for us Thus much briefly to the first viz concerning the Priest himselfe Chap. VII Sheweth what the Sacrifice is Christ offered THE Sacrifice it selfe that is offered is next to be spoken of Christ offereth Sacrifice Heb. 8. 3. for every High Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices Wherefore it is of necessity that this man viz Jesus have somewhat to offer The Scriptures are exceeding full in declaring this Sacrifice That I may a little describe this Sacrifice in the excellency of it I will observe this order 1. To shew you what the Sacrifice is Christ offers 2. How often it was offered 3. The place where it was offered 4. The time when it was offered 5. The true nature of that Sacrifice 6. How our Priest offered up this Sacrifice 7. For whom it was offered 8. To whom it was offered 9. The virtue effects and end of this Sacrifice Of these in order What the Sacrifice is It is Christ himselfe Galat. 1. 4. 2 Ch. 20. 1. Eph. 5. 2. 25. Tit. 2. 14. Heb. 7. 27. 9. 24. 27. First The Sacrifice it selfe is the Lord Jesus Christ When burnt offerings and sacrifices God would not Christ came to do his will This is held forth to us in the Scriptures by severall expressions all centring in one thing namely In this sacrifice as first by giving himselfe as saith our Apostle Who gave himselfe for our sinnes Againe saith Paul Who hath loved us and given himselfe for us an offering and a sacrifice to God The Priests of old offered goats and lambs and the like but our High Priest a better sacrifice even himselfe Secondly By powring out his bloud all things almost under the T is Christs bloud Law were sprinkled and purified with bloud for without bloud there was no remission the patterns of things in the heavens were purged with the bloud of buls and goates but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices namely with the bloud of Christ himselfe The bloud of beasts sprinkled upon the uncleane sanctified to Eph. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. 20. Joh. 19. 34. Heb. 9. 7. Heb. 12. 14. Hebr. 10 19. Hebr. 12. 24. Hebr. 13. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 19. Acts 20. 28. 1 John 5. 6. Rev. 5. 9. Rev. 19. 13. Zach. 9. 11. Heb. 10. 29. 13. 20. the purifying of the flesh but Christ's bloud was the Sacrifice for the purifying of the heavenly things viz the Saints bodies and spirits To this the Scripture gives a large Record In whom we have redemption through his bloud as Paul saith even the bloud of the crosse that bloud that issued forth frow the side of our Jesus whom one of the Souldiers peirced The High Priest under the Law went into the second Tabernacle once every yeare not without bloud which he offered for himselfe and the errours of the people but our Christ entred into the most holy place by his
thou wouldest not Then said I Lo I come to doe thy Will O GOD. Christ is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the World Who offered up Heb. 7. 28. 11. 19. 1 Pet. 2. 22. 2 Cor. 5. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 22. himself to God without spot for he is that true Lambe without blemish and without spot Herein our Jesus was a Priest transcending the Priests under the Law which had infirmity and the Sacrifices under the Law that were imperfect For the Lord Jesus was pure and spot-lesse yea perfectly pure in whose mouth was found no guile who knew no sinne There was a great necessity he should be such an offering without spot because God was and is a God of pure Eyes that cannot behold Iniquity that is to say tolerate it suffer it to go unpunished Now had Christ been a sinner he could not have taken away sinne This was the reason of the imperfection of the Priests of old which had they been perfect we had had no need of another Priest after the order of Melchisedeck Secondly It is a free Sacrifice Free-will offerings under the Christs death a free sacrifice Law were very acceptable with God Our Jesus offered up his owne body freely no man saith he takes my life from me I lay it down Lo I Heb. 10. 9. come to do thy will O God Thirdly It was as pure and free so a Perfect Sacrifice The Sacrifices Christs death A perfect Sacrifice under the Law were without blemish but not perfect therfore Jesus puts an end to them and offers up himself The offerings in the Law were to be perfect without blemish as touching their bodies they must not be blinde broken nor maimed or the like but this was a perfection shaddowing out the true perfection of the Lord Jesus who wanted nothing who had nothing superfluous but was a perfect Sacrifice there needed no other to compleat it Fourthly It was an Eternall Sacrifice It was offered in time Christs death an eternall Sacrifice but ordain'd before time and the influences of it reached Eternity a vertue sprang from it to al his generation that fell asleep before it was actually offered and now being offered it remaines in as full vertue as ever for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified And so he was a Lambe slaine before the foundation of the Heb. 10. 14. World being the same yesterday and to day and for ever even the same Jesus the same Saviour and deliverer the same High-priest that saved Paul saved Abraham and shall save all that shall be saved Fiftly It was a spiritual Sacrifice In the time of the Law the Christs death a spirituall Sacrifice Priests went alwaies into the first Tabernacle accomplishing the service of God but into the second the High-priest only once every year not without blood which he offered for his errors and the sins of the people Which Tabernacle was a figure in that time Now the Sacrifices and Gifts that were offered in that Tabernacle stood only in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnall ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation Heb. 9. 10. but our High-priest enters into the holyest of holies and there accomplisheth the service of God not with Meats and Drinks and carnall Ordinances or Jewish observations but with his blood offering a spirituall Sacrifice Christ came with reformation doing away that which was carnall that is to say of a fleshly legall not sinfull administration by his spirituall Sacrifice Even the offering up of himselfe in body and spirit The Just for the Vnjust Sixtly and lastly let us view its nature with its accepataion The Christs death an acceptable Sacrifice Sacrifice was offered up to a just and righteous God for an unjust and unrighteous people and the Lord accepted it so that the shadow is of the heavenly thing Even the burnt offerings under the Law was a sweet favour unto God holding forth the excellency of the savour that our better Sacrifice our substantiall offering was to God therefore it 's said Christ gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour He is that sweet perfume that ascends up to GOD in whom the Father is only wel-pleased who hath Isa 53. 11. seen the travell of his Sonnes soul and is satisfied This is a most acceptable sacrifice Chap. X. Manifesteth the true subjects for whom this Sacrifice was offered 7. HAving thus in mercy made manifest the nature of this Sacrifice and for as much as every sacrifice that is offered is for some body let us now enquire of the Persons who are the subjects of this Sacrifice which Christ declares to be his sheep I lay down my life for my Sheep Those Sheep are the Elect of God whom the Lord Joh. 10. 15. hath appointed a place for at his Right hand in the last day therefore saith Christ Other Sheep have I which are not of this fold them also I Ver. 16. must bring in and they shall hear my voice Again saith he I know my Sheep Christ makes it his work to Redeem a company of poor silly sheep from the wooles These sheep are those who are given by God to Christ Thine they were saith Christ that is to say thine by thy choce knowledge decree and purpose Thou gavest them me that is they being in the World a company of poor despised sinfull creatures thou committed'st John 17. 6. them to my charge to rescue them from the paw of the Lion and mouth of the Beare and to keep them in thy name that they may never depart from thee These are they Christ prayed for these only and not for the World that is to say those that were not given to him to bring over by the power of his own Septer to the obedience of the Gospel to the salvation of their souls and therefore you shall finde Christs prayer is not limited to the small number of his faithfull Apostles but hee likewise prayes for all that should believe in him for their sakes he sanctified himself that is to say he set himselfe apart and made it his worke to offer sacrifice and become a Redeemer So much the word sanctify clearly imports These were a certaine number that Christ knew and the Father loved as he loved Christ which in another place are called children as testifies the Spirit saying Forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and bloud he likewise tooke part of the same that he might deliver his children Which children are those that are his peculiar Heb. 2. 14. generation Behold saith Christ I and the children which thou hast given me which children he cals his brethren saying I will declare thy name unto my brethren For this cause is the Lord Jesus called The Captaine of the salvation of many sonnes Because he sanctifieth-himselfe for them for he is a perfect Captaine
dispensation of God was righteous and yet to give place to the last ministration by Christ from heaven Is not the Law a rule of life to us how then can it be done away Object Sol. If you consider what I have said you may easily be satisfied If you meane by the Law the substance commanded in the Law I say t is and alwaies was for the substantiall matter in the Law written in the heart in the Creation in Tables of stone to the Jewes and in the heart by the spirit in the Gospell which is Love God and thy Neighbour is one and the same But if you meane the Law as given to Moses the Mediator of the Old Covenant to which appertained the wordly Sanctuary c. it neither is nor never was to the Gentiles How can it he said Wee be free from the Curse of the Law where we are Object yet subject to sorrow labour sicknesse and death which are Curses of the Law I answer That Saints are subject to death and sicknesse c. T is Sol. true but not upon the same account as others is as true The nature of all these things are changed the sicknesse of the body redounds to the soules health The labour of the body serves to minde us that our rest is not here Death in the flesh serves to passe us to our rest and blessednesse for Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they shall rest from all their labours and their workes follow them Hence Paul wisely Desired to be dissolved that he might be with Christ Hence he glories in tribulation which if curses to him he could not have done True it is these are curses and poyson to the world but to a Saint they are blessings and medicines well prepared by the skilfull art of our great and charitable Physitian the Lord Jesus But God punishes his people for sinne how then can they say Curses are all Object done away If by punishment you meane an execution of justice upon an offender Sol. in satisfaction of a Law which is properly only and truly punishment I say God punishes not believers at all there is no curse in their habitation no poison in their cup their portion is grace mercy pardon healing and salvation But some say God himselfe saith You of all Nations have I knowne Object therefore will I punish you for your iniquities To that I answer That is a threatning sutable to the dispensation Sol. of the Covenant of workes to that state the Jewes were trained up in but now in the Gospell the language is altered for God now appeares to be love Now if we sinne it is said We have an Advocate But God in the Gospell saith Whom I love I rebuke and chasten Object therefore he punishes his beloved for their sinnes I answer to this First Affirmatively That God doth afflict his Sol. people for sin yea his beloved But Secondly I say Afflictions are to them no curse at all but a loving correction of a loving Father not to satisfy his wrath for he hath seen the travell of his Son and is already satisfied but to manifest his mercy it being for his childrens healing safety and prosperity they rather publish his love then his wrath For whom he loveth he chasteneth and whom be receiveth he scourgeth Therefore saith the spirit to the Saints If you endure chastening you are dealt withall as Sonnes If you are not chastised you are bastards and not sonnes Affliction is for their profit as necessary for them as their meate and drink Before we be afflicted we goe astray Afflictions are a fruit of the Fathers love in Christs death therefore called the dyings or markes of Christ Jesus they are sent to crucify the sinnes in us that crucified him they are as fire to purify not destroy the gold they yeild the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse though for the present they are not joyous to them that are exercised therein If wee suffer with him wee shall also reigne with him And yet we must note that afflictions though many times they be yet are not alwaies sent as a chastisement for some particular sinne but for the shewing forth the power of God as Christ speakes in the case of the blinde man To conclude this of the Law I say we are freed from it as it was a Covenant of works which was a dispensation of God to the Creature by which he never intended life to the Creature but to advance the glory of his his Sonne in shewing them their weaknesse and sinfulnesse But as for the substance of the matter contained in the commands it is I say againe a standing rule to all generations and he or they that walke not according to it it is because they have no light in them To love God and our Neighbour the substance of the Law is our duty as well as any others Chap. XIV Sheweth some other effects of the virtue of Christs death 7. BY the death of Christ the wall of partition betweene Jewes The partition wall is broken downe by the death of Christ and Gentiles is broken downe and all the writings of Ordinances taken out of the way Before it was said In Jerusalem shall they worship but now Neither in this Mountaine nor in Jerusalem That is to say the Father makes no more difference of places there is now neither Jew nor Gentile Barbarian nor Scythian bond nor free Master nor Servant but all are one in Christ Jesus Now neither Circumcision nor Un-Circumcision availeth any thing but a new Creature 8. All types shadowes and figures are now fulfilled Here I Types and shadowes fulfilled by Christs death might be large but I shall onely name some few particulars As First Circumcision held forth Christ to come in the flesh of Abraham of the seed of Israel and obliged to the keeping of the Law now is Christ come and the Circumcision is of the heart Christ hath fulfilled the Law Secondly All sacrifices peace offerings sin offerings trespasse offerings are all ended in the body of Christ He is the Altar The propitiation The true living Temple The habitation of God and the Saints He is the true Manna The true Joshua or Jesus that conducts us into the true Land of Canaan He is the Sampson that by his death destroyes his enemies He is the true David that sits on the Throne for ever He is the true Arke of our salvation He is the true Lamb The Stape Goat The First borne The true Priest Prophet and King He is the the true Rocke out of whcih flow living waters He is the true rest He is the Deliverer of his people He is the true Joseph that was sold into a strange land to provide for us against a day of spirituall famine He is the true watchman and shepheard of his people But of these I must say with our Apostle I cannot now stand to speake particularly 9. He hath by this death purchased for us
Canaan and so circumcision a seal of that it nothing proves children to be baptized for as a fleshly promise was made to carnall persons yet in a sense all holy for Israel was a holy Nation so a spirituall promise is to spirituall christians the true spirituall seed of Isaac of the Lord Jesus But further if this outward Covenant be the ground of circumcision why then were not females circumcised as wel as males except you will deny them to be in the Covenant but if you say the Covenant was a Covenant of outward Ordinances of which circumcision was a signe and those Ordinances were the ground of circumcision then likewise demand I whether that if this Covenant be a ground of circumcision all that are in that Covenant ought not to be circumcised if you say they ought not then that is not a sufficient ground of circumcision but if you say they ought then why are not the females circumcised except you deny them to have a right to the Covenant which I judge you will not doe The truth is there is nothing more evident then this that it was and is the command of God which is the true and sufficient ground to administer any Ordinance upon But further if the Covenant was the ground of it why was Ishmael circumcised who was the child of the Bond-woman who was cast out and why were not believers circumcised who were in the Covenant though not in Abrahams family as Lot Job and others much more might be said of this if that I could now stand to enlarge my selfe But yet some say Circumcision came in the roome of Baptisme and so Object those persons that might be circumcised may also be baptized which proves the Baptisme of Infants In answer to this I say First That the Scripture saith not that Sol. Baptisme came in the roome of Circumcision for that place which men usually urge to prove it viz Coloss 2. 11 12. proves no such matter for truly if we minde that place the Apostle there shewes how that the circumcision of the flesh made with hands is not that which cleanseth us but t is the circumcision of the heart that is to say the cutting off or destroying those lusts and corruptions that are in the body of the flesh Which is by the Circumcision of Christ If we seriously consider it we shall finde circumcision ended in Christ for he kept the whole Law to which circumcision bound the Jews and fulfilled it for us And whereas the Apostle saith Buried with him in Baptisme wherein also yee are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God He goeth forward to confirme them in this that their compleatnesse was in the death and resurrection of Christ which they held forth in Baptisme I professe seriously I have weighed that Scripture and can finde no other ground to judge it proves Baptisme to come in the place of circumcision then this because Baptisme followes in the next verse which if that were a good argument to prove it we might as well say because in the sixth verse of the said 2. of Coloss it is written As ye have therefore received Christ the Lord so walke ye in him and in the seventh verse Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith c. that to be rooted and built up in Christ comes in the roome and place of walking in Christ and so walking in Christ must cease because we are rooted in Christ which would be strange doctrine I confesse there may be some allusion between baptism and Circumcision but that the one should answer the other in every particular is quite contrary to Scripture or that Circumcision succeeds baptisme I see no proof of it but rather the contrary for I shall shew you cleerly that there is no ground at all to baptize infants now because they were then Circumeesed which I thus prove First I say for Circumcision of infants it was expresly commanded of God but t is not so in the baptism of infants Secondly The male was only to be Circumcised but both male and female beleeving in Christ are to be baptized Thirdly The command for Circumcision was not the institution of baptisme which is evident for that those persons who were circumcised were by another commission commanded to be baptized neither did baptisme put an end to Circumcision for both were in use under John Baptist together againe the subjects of the two ministrations are far different the one a naturall see the other a spirituall seed now we know no other spirituall seed but beleevers visibly professing their faith Though we have not an expresse command to baptize infants yet there is Object a virtuall command in Circumcision To this I answer The conformity to a command must not Sol. outgoe the command now if there be any command in Circumcision it binds only according to the extent of Circumcision which was only to the males and to them at eight days old neither before nor after so that if infants were from thence virtually commanded to be baptized they must be only male infants and those must be baptized on the eight day but surely these virtuall commands are but the streynes of wit to put a faire glosse on a foule matter to prop up a rotten house ready to fall But children were dedicated to the Lord formerly therefore they may be Object baptized By the same argument because the Temple and all the Vessels in Sol. it were dedicated to the Lord they may be baptized Oh that we once would cease to exercise our wit in drawing out institutions according to our owne inventions from meere bottomlesse allusions There are many other Arguments which are produced for infant Baptisme as that of their being holy and of such is the Kingdome of heaven and the root is holy and so are the branches with many other which in truth have no force at all to conclude it either a duty or lawfull to baptize them at best they conclude but probably and not demonstratively which suppositions will not warrant our practise about the administration of such an Ordinance as Baptisme is If thou desirest a further answer to these or the like objections I shall entreate thee to consult seriously first with the Scriptures and then with their writings who shew its vanity from the Scriptures as Master Tombes his works and many others to which for the present I referre thee Chap. V. Sheweth the true manner of performing this Ordinance with the right principle and power that carries a soule forth to the practise of it 9. THE ninth thing I propounded to speake of was the true The manner of the administration of Baptisme is by dipping manner of the administration of this Ordinance which I will dispatch with as much brevity as I can and shew you that the true manner is by dipping or plunging the whole body into the water I shall prove this to be the manner and the onely manner from the
foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the Corner stone Now the Apostles and Prophets are the foundation of the whole building as in their daies so in our daies and now what have we to doe but to build on the same foundation Againe Consider what saith the Scripture Math. 16. 18. And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Now the Church of Christ were a company of Disciples baptized professing the doctrine of the Gospell as I shall shew more clearly afterwards Now against this Church the gates of hell should not prevaile because it was built upon a Rock Many thinke the meaning of that Rock to be Christ others judg it to be Peter but for my part I believe it to be meant of neither excluding the other but of both for Christ is the true foundation For no other foundation can any man lay then that which is already laid even the Lord Jesus Yet I say also Christ is not called a foundation but in reference to his doctrine given to Peter and the Apostles preached by them first who are also said to be the foundation they as instruments in Christs hand Christ as the fountaine and fulnesse that fils all in all so that however behold a Church built That the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it But may some say The gates of hell did prevaile against many Object Churches It is not said the gates of hell shall not prevaile against any Sol. Church in particular but against the Church that is to say the whole body of Christ in all ages And though wee cannot see a Church successively from the Apostles yet I shall prove there hath beene a Church in all ages Ephes 3. 21. Vnto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Amen Behold here a Church in all ages the Churches and so the Ordinances of the Churches were not to abide onely in the Apostles dayes but to the end of the world in all ages But yet to evince this more fully consider that the word preached by the Apostles is the onely word to be preached for faith and obedience in all generations therefore saith Christ Neither pray I for these onely but for them also which shall believe on me also through their word John 17. 20. The word of God preached by them and not their persons is expressed by Christ to be the ground of our faith that believe now to whom and to all that shall believe afterwards his prayer extends Againe saith Paul As we have said before so say I now againe If any man preach any other Gospell unto you then that we have preached and you have received though it be an Angell from heaven let him be accursed Galath 1. 8 9. Therefore is the Gospell called The everlasting Gospell Rev. 14. 6. Now the word that the Apostles preached is that which was given to them by Christ Goe preach the Gospell he that believeth and is baptized this is to be held forth as the word of God To the end of the world The time from Christ to the end of the world is The last daies wherein Christ himselfe hath spoken to us Heb. 1. 2. Who by this dispensation changed the old Priesthood and Law Heb. 7. 12. Now he did not destroy them as evill but changed them for the Priesthood of Aaron he established his own by death for the law of Ceremonies pointing out a Christ to come he established baptisme and breaking of bread to hold forth the establishment of his Priesthood in his death who is already come dead and risen againe Now as long as the Priesthood of Christ remaines so long must the Law remaine for there is no Priesthood without a Law The life of obedience is required till Christ coming therfore saith Christ Yee know not in what houre your Lord shall come therefore watchâ— But lest any should say the exhortation concernes not us Christ saith What I say unto you I say unto all Watch As Paul saith speaking of the judgments of God to Israel Now all these things hapned to them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor. 10 11. So are they for our admonition and the Apostles doctrine our rule therefore he saith to Timothy And the things that thou hast heard of mee among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfull men who shall be able to teach others also 2 Tim. 2. 2. Let those that thinke the commands of the Apostles onely concerne that generation consider this Scripture Yea Baptisme is so farre from being ceased that it is called One of the first principles of Religion Heb. 6. 2. Now surely if you take away that you may as well take away Religion also and how you may wave that without bringing in another Religion with other Principles I understand not But if any say yet all this satisfies not then I shall demand what ground have any to prove its removall out of the way for this is certaine no dispensation given by Christ was ever removed but by the bringing in of some other And Christ hath now given out his lawes and will give out no other but it is high time to hear what is said against it which I shall willingly doe Chap. VII Answereth severall Objections SOme say John baptized with water but Christ with the Holy Ghost and Object fire So that John saith I must decrease but he must encrease from whence they conclude that water Baptisme must decrease and He viz. Christ and his Baptisme of the spirit must encrease Iohn 3. 30. This objection is grounded upon a meere mistake conceiving Sol. the Baptisme of water to be onely Johns and not Christs So that when John saith I must decrease they can understand nothing to be meant but water Baptisme when it is not Johns intention but John shewes his glory his honour and ministry must give way to and be swallowed up in Christ and decreased in this respect that he must dye and cease but Christ encreases by his death through which he gives new institutions I have already shewed the difference and agreement of Christs and Johns Baptisme wherein I have proved the Baptisme of water to be the Baptisme of Christ But Christ saith to the woman of Samaria Woman believe me the houre cometh when you shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Jerusalem worship Object 2 the Father But the houre cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth which is an argument that Baptism of water is no part of the worship of God for that is outward and God will be worshipped in spirit Iohn 4. 22 23. In answer to this I desire you to minde that Christ doth not at Sol. all destroy the Baptisme of water but
takes her off from Jerusalem that Mountaine wherein they worshipped confining themselves to places therefore saith he Neither at Jerusalem nor at this Mountaine Now Christ doth not simply deny the worshipping of God at Jerusalem for we know the Churches worshipped God in their spirits at Jerusalem after Christs death but prophecyes of the abolishing of that legall and ceremoniall worship of the Jewes which was tyed to one place above another and indeed the worship of God under the Old Testament was in comparison of the worship of the Gospell fleshly or carnall not sinfull whereby they were tyed to many sacrifices and weary journies in going up to Jerusalem to worship But now there is great liberty and freedome wherein they professe God in ipirit So that to worship God in spirit and truth is to worship him after a spirituall manner from a spirituall principle in opposition to that legall state wherefore Paul cals himselfe a minister of the spirit and not of the letter Neither doth that place at all deny outward Baptisme for Christ saith The houre is already come when those that worship God worship him in spirit and truth When you will not deny Baptisme of water to be in use neither can a man truly worship God in any ordinance without he worship God in the spirit But Baptisme of water is a fleshly thing an outward thing which cannot be Object 3 admitted into the Kingdome of heaven for the Apostle saith the Kingdome of God is not meat and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Consider I pray thee the Apostle there meddles not with Baptisme Sol. but disswading them from offending one another in meate and drinke for some would eate flesh and some could not He tels them The Kingdome of God is not meate and drinke For those things were not commanded to be eaten or forbidded so that we should sinne if we doe or doe not eate But righteousnesse c. Now righteousnesse is the performance of all the commands of God to which Baptisme of water is a part as Christ saith Suffer me for thus it becometh me to fulfill all righteousnesse Christ did all things commanded and that as one of the commands of God So that this is no Argument at all except you can prove Baptisme of water to be the meate and drinke he there speakes of which can never be made manifest so that for thee to call Baptisme of water a fleshly thing it argues a carnall understanding of the commands of God But Paul cals it a fleshly thing for he saith We are the Circumcision Object which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh So that Paul relinquishes all outward things as Baptism and the like as fleshly worshipping God in the spirit Philip. 3. 3. This Objection is like the first where Paul points not at all at Sol. Baptisme but at his Jewish priviledges which he enumerates verse 5 and 6. Which very things he tels us be they which he meanes by flesh and hath not confidence in them Surely were we able to see how that we are commanded to glorifie God in soule body and spirit we should leave such carnall reasoning and not take Paulâ— arguing against Jewish outward Ceremonies abolished by Christs death as a ground against Baptisme of water which is grounded upon his death But water Baptisme ceased when spirit Baptisme came in and was not to Object continue after that for fire Baptisme devoures water Baptisme Behold into how great mistakes men run when they endeavour Sol. to vanquish the truth it selfe The Scripture expresly tels us Acts 10. That the Apostle Peter seeing Cornelius and those that were with him baptized with the Holy Ghost for the Holy Ghost fell on them as on the Apostles Acts 11. makes use of this as a ground to prove nothing could hinder him from being baptized with water Oh the subtilty of Antichrist who makes wise men even as it were mad to forge their owne reasons endeavouring to make that a ground of destroying water Baptisme which the Apostle used as an argument for the establishment of it But some say The Baptisme of water was onely used in the minority or infancy of the Church therefore when the Church grew higher in the knowledge of God they laid aside these things Therefore is it said in the Hebrewes We must leave the principles of the doctrines of Christ and go on unto perfection of which principles Baptisme is one which we ought now to leave Hebr. 6. 1. c. Whoever thou art that thus arguest against Baptisme by the same Sol. argument thou mayst leave faith toward Christ and the resurrection of the dead That I may clearly shew thee thy mistake of the Scripture consider the Apostle speaks to those who did owne those principles and reproved them not for owning them for Ch. 5. he tels them They had need to have them taught againe But for not encreasing in the knowledge of God Therefore he tels them For their time they had need to have beene teachers of others And so from these principles he drawes their thoughts higher into the mysteries of Christ So that the Apostle saith Leaving them we presse forward that is to say leaving now or at present to speake of them which yee know and owne already we will goe forward to speake of higher things which higher things destroy not the other which is evident if you consider the other to be the principles or beginnings of the doctrine of Christ Now the building destroyes not the foundation these beginnings and the other more perfect things are at perfect unity I but say some The Apostle saith He forgets those things that are behind Object and reached forth to those things that are before So that we must not onely leave them but forget them Phil. 3. 13. To which I answer The word forgetting is not to be taken Sol. for an absolute forgetfulnesse of all things he had before done for this Paul did not but in reference to the glory of perfection hee had in his eye he did as a man in a race running towards the prize he doth as it were forget all things behind him in respect of his continuall motion So in the things of God we ought day by day to presse forward till we come to the marke to the enjoyment of perfection So that there is no good ground for such an Objection for the Apostle James Commends them that are not forgetfull hearers but doers of the word But notwithstanding surely to be baptized is to know Christ after the Object flesh therefore saith Paul Though we have knowne Christ himselfe after the flesh yet henceforth know we no man after the flesh no not Christ himselfe 2 Cor. 5. 16. That we know not Christ after the flesh is true and yet it is as Sol. true that to be baptized is not to know Christ after the flesh this