worketh good glory Rom. 2. 10. There is a glory in the Law Rom. 12. 23. and the Gospel is called glory 2 Cor. 4. 4. And there is a vaine glory Gal. 5. 26. There is a glory of the Saints Ephes 3. 13. and a glory in affliction and then there is a glory of the Church Ephes 5. 21. and there is a glory in their shame Phil. 3. 19. the Saints were the glory of the Apostles 2 Thes 1. 20. There is a glory of the Whoore Revel 18. 7. and there is a glory of the Gentiles Revel 22. 24. for the Gentiles shall bring their glory to the Saints Revel 1. 26. also there is an earthly glory and there is a heavenly glory a glory in Grace and a glory in Glory and that is the glory of all glories CHAP. VIII Of Faith NOw the Text saith The just shall live by his faith and therefore I shall endeavour to speake a word or two of Faith it is that whereby we live in Grace and it is that whereby we are carried on to Glory now there is a faith of the History and there is a faith of the Mystery there is a faith of Miracles and there is a legall faith there is a temporary faith and an Evangelicall faith and the last is most excellent being the faith of the Gospell that carries us on to Salvation and in the next place I shall shew you what faith is Now faith or beleefe is an obedience to or a living in all the commands of the Gospell to Salvation now it doth appeare that faith or beleefe is obedience because unbeleefe is counted rebellion or disobedience for such as beleeve and obey are justified John 3. 36. for he giveth the Holy Ghost to those that obey him Act. 5. 32. And know you not that to whom you yeeld your selves servants to obey his servants yee are to whom you obey whether of sinne unto death or of obedience to life Rom. 6. 16. and ye have purified your soules in obeying the truth 2 Pet. 1. 22. and thus you see faith or obedience justifieth the creature for thereby he is justified and such as are unbeleevers and disobedient are condemned when Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance to those that obey not the Gospel 2 Thess 1. 8. for to those that are disobedient Christ is a stone to stumble at and a rock to be offended at to such as stumble at the Word being disobedient and obey not that whereon they were set 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. that all those might be damned which obey not the truth but obey unrighteousnesse 1 Thess 2. 10. 12. and thus you see that faith or beleefe is obedience and rebellion or unbeleefe is disobedience now the great controversie will be whether it is Christs worke or the Creatures worke to act faith now the greatest part hold that it is Christs worke to act faith and some few hold that it is the Creatures worke to act faith now the greatest part can never be in the best way and therefore I shall side with the lesser part for they say the fault is in the Creature that he doth not beleeve and the greatest Party say it is not the Creatures worke to beleeve it is Christs worke to act faith and so they lay all the unbeleefe upon Christ and therefore I shal prove that it is the Creatures work and not Christs to act faith And first it is the Creatures worke to beleeve because Christ hath done his work for Christs worke was to obey the Commands of his Father and to set forth such a way to the world as they were to stand to and to establish that way for life and death and this was his worke enjoyned him from the Father which he did in setting downe the minde of the Father in all things that were necessary to salvation which he did and sealed the Doctrine of the Father with his blood and did his worke and therefore he saith If you keepe my Commandements yee shall abide in my love as I have kept my Fathers Commandements and abide in his love John 15. 10. Christs worke was to obey the Commands of the Father and our worke is to obey the Commands of the Sonne and therefore it is our worke to beleeve and not Christs 2. That Christ hath done his worke will appeare because Christ is entred into his rest and sure he did not enter before he had done his worke for he said He had finished his course and done all things that the Father commanded him by perfecting the way of Salvation to all the world and giving Commandement unto his Apostles to establish that Gospel to the whole earth and all things as he had commanded them as you may see Mat. 28. Act. 1. 2. and when he had finished his whole worke he ascended to the Father and is entred into his rest Heb. 4. saying To him that over cometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne as I also overcame and am set downe with my Father in his throne Revel 3. 21. and therefore it doth appeare that it is not Christs worke to act faith in the Creature except you will call him in question from his rest which I thinke you dare not 3. If it be Christs worke to act faith in the Creature then the fault will lye in Christ that the Creature doth not beleeve and then the Father may question the Sonne for all the unbeleefe in the world seeing you say it was Christs worke to act faith in the Creature then all the fault will lye upon him for if he had acted faith the Creature should have beleeved and so the Father might call the Son to an account for all the unbeleefe of the Creature and what is this thinke you but to pluck Christ out of his throne and to take him from his rest 4. If it be Christs worke to act faith in the Creature then the Creature hath a good excuse and may say there is no cause wherefore he should be condemned for not beleeving seeing it was not his worke to beleeve but the fault was in Christ who did not act faith in him and therefore he was not to blame because it was not his worke to beleeve but Christs worke and therefore no reason he should be condemned for anothers fault and so you would excuse the Creature and condemne Christ 5. Christ doth not act faith in the Creature because he shall judge the Creature for not beleeving for it were improper that he should be the Judge that were in the fault and condemne the creature for not beleeving when it was never his worke to beleeve and so the creature might reply unto the Judge that he did condemne him falsely to condemne the creature for not beleeving when it was Christs work to act faith and not the creatures and thus you see what sad effects would follow this Tenent that it is Christs worke to act faith in the creature 6. If it be
A second Champion OR Companion to Truth Wherein is shewed these Particulars or Tenets 1 Of Miracles 2 The reasons wherefore so few imbrace the Gospell 3 Of the first Covenant and the second Covenant 4 Of the Father and the Son 5 Of Heaven 6 Of Hell 7 Of Glory 8 Of Faith 9 Of the Resurrection and the eternall judgement 10 Of Visible Worship 11 A Postscript By Richard Stookes Preacher of the Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 London Printed for George Whittington at the Blew Anchor in Cornhill 1650. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Courteous Reader TIme is the most precious berbe in the Garden of the World there is nothing more precious and there is nothing more sleighted of vaine man the use of time will save and the abuse of time will judge thee for upon this moment of Time depends thy eternall welfare for we must bee called to an account how we have spent this Time which is allotted to us and then one houres time that is spent for heaven will more comfort us at the day of our death then all the rest of our time which hath been spent for vanity 〈◊〉 wilâ—â—nde at the day of thy death how precious Time â—â— for 〈◊〉 no sooner commest into this world but 〈◊〉 going but againe and so soon as thou livest 〈◊〉 dying and so soon as thou breathest thy breath is a departing thou passest away as a shadow and thy dayes are biâ— as a span long they are but as the rising of a bubble thou no sooner hast a beginning but thou art going to thy end and thy strength is but as the grasse and thy beauty is but as the flower of the field The grasse fadeth and the flower withereth then thy glory is gone for thy living is uncertaine but thy death is certaine for thou art more sure to dye then to live for what is so certaine as death and what is so uncertaine as life for death will bring thee to the grave and thy deeds will bring thee to judgement and as death doth leave thee so shall judgement finde thee and all creatures observe their time but man and yet man is the most noble of creatures for thou hast time and all things attend thee to bring thee to glory if thou dost not bring thy self to misery but if thou dost thou art a mispender of time for there are three enemies that are destructive to thy soules good thy flesh the world and the devill thou carriest thy greatest enemy with thee for thou art a friend to thy flesh and it is an enemy to God For if thou live after the flesh thou shalt dye for the flesh is an enemy to the Spirit thy flesh onely leadeth thee to the earth for the earth is its center for it is for earthly things as for earthly honour and respect of the world and loves to have the prai 〈…〉 men and to have the riches of the flesh or 〈◊〉 world with all the delights of the flesh for we are apt to be more carefull for our fleshly man then for our spirituall man for thy flesh warâ—â—th against the Spirit Alas poore creature why â—â—st thou make so much of so great an enemy how much time dost thou take in cloathing thy flesh what cost dost thou bestow and what care dost thou take to beautifie thy enemy for what care dost thou take to cloathe him and to make him fine delightest in his beauty and how oft dost thou change his habit and how bravely dost thou adorne him how carefull art thou for his dyet and how softly dost thou lay him what delight dost thou take in his company how desirable is he how dost thou dote upon his beauty thou art inamoured with his presence and yet he is thine enemy thou seekest to save him and he seeks to destroy thee thou art willing to please him and spendest much time upon him but bee deceives thee of thy spiritualls he is but a rotten friend for he must come to corruption thou canst not save him nor he cannot save thee for he will leave thee in a sad condition and this is the enemy thou carriest with thee which will at last destroy thee if thou lookest not about thee he will bring thee to ruine before thou art aware to spend thy time for earth and to lose thy time for heaven And yet thou hast two enemies more which are destructive to thy spirituall condition for how doth the devill plot to worke 〈◊〉 in laying a snare in every corner that thou canst hardly escape him and how doth he spread his suares in the world in blinding their eyes with the Honours Riches and pleasures of this life to checke them of their Spirituall comforts and to take them off their precious time from looking after Heaven and therefore consider courteous Reader thy best condition is to study heavenly things let thy time be spent for Heaven for that will profit thee at the last and thou shalt finde a heavenly treasure which will stand thee in stead at the last day so the glory of this life is but for a time but the glory of Heaven endureth for ever For the sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed for if we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him but if we deny him he will also deny us And this hath encouraged me to write at this time desiring to improve that time that he hath given me to my Masters advantage from whom I looke for any reward I have set forth a Booke that is called or intituled Truths Champion or Truths Companion which is liked of some and despised of others and I was desired also to set forth my judgement in some other things which were necessary to Salvation for the knowledge of some and the strengthening of others and also that the truth may be knowne to all men but I know it will passe under many censures for I doe not thinke it will please all men for the world is not so apt tâ— receive truth I looke to be Judged for it I am not â—â—tter then my Master for his Doctrine was despised of the Learned and well may mine but I â—â—â—e thou wilt try me before thou judge me and then if thou judge me thou wilt also judge the Word for what I have done is not to please man for I am ready to passe under all censures for the name of Christ and I count all things but dung in respect of him and of his truth for whom I desire to suffer the losse of all things and count all but as drosse and dung that I may win Christ and be found in him for one smile from God is better then all the smiles of the World and therefore I care not for the judgement of man for I seeke not to please man but God for all the smiles of the world will but bring me to the
Grave but the smiles of God will bring me to Heaven and therefore it is better to dye in the favour of the Lord then in the favour of men for were I a lover of the World I were an enemy to God I desire to leave the honours riches and pleasures of this world for a better I am willing to leave the glory of this life for I looke for a better for I desire to undergoe all the fury of Hell to have a Heaven My time is but short I desire to bid adiew to the world for what is the world but vanitâ— all the honours are but dishonours and all the riches iâ— but poverty all the joy is but sorrow and all the pleasure is but displeasure and had I no better comfort then what is in this life I were in a sad condition for I live in hope of a better resurrection and so I hope dost thou which if thou dost thou wilt like my workes the better and so farewell Richard Stookes A Second CHAMPION to the TRVTH CHAPTER 1. Of working of Miracles ANd first I shall begin to speak of Miracles which so many dote upon in these dayes waiting for visible signes and some great Revelation and to them I shall say as Christ said unto the Scribes and Pharisees that the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation for they looked that Christ should come with abundance of earthly pompe and glory but Christ tells them they were deceived for the Kingdom of God consisted not of outward glory and excellency for saith he the Kingdom of God is within you it is more of substance then of shew more glorious within then without and the Miracles more inward then outward Miracles of a more spiritual nature to appear in the inward man to the beating down of every strong hold and therefore those outward miracles are swallowed up of inward miracles of a more glorious nature the one being a type of the other as the outward man was a type of the inward man and therefore my work shall be in this Chapter to shew you my reasons why I conceive that Miracles in a visible way aâ—e to cease in that age So that this is my meaning that the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles in a visible way were to cease in that age 1. Because Miracles were to testifie of Christs coming in the flesh and therefore when Christ came he came with signes and wonders as his casting out of Devils Mat. 12. 22. and Luke 11. 17. Of his healing the sick and curing them of their Diseases as you may see Mat. 15. 30. In giving sight to the blind and hearing to the death and speech to the dâ—â—â— making the lame to go as raising up the dâ—â—â— and all this he was to do to manifest himself to the World that he was the Christ Isâ—iâ—â— 35. 5. 6. chap. 61. 1. Mat. 11. 5. And thus 〈◊〉 came to be known of John Baptist as you 〈◊〉 see Mat. 11. 4. 5. Together with the 〈◊〉 of the Holy Ghost descending upon him in the likeness of a Dove Luke 3. 22. John 1. 33. And thus he was manifest to John as to all the World doing such works as never man did whereby he might appear to be the Christ to leave all men without excuse as John 15. 24. in doing such works as were never done from the beginning in opening the eyes of the blind John 9. 32. and in shewing such signes wonders which were not before recorded least the world should take up to much time in the searching thereof and in doteing more upon his acts then upon the end of his coming John 20 30. 21. 25. As also further the Apostles were gifted for the same end to manifest Christ to be come in the flesh working miracles both before and after his ascensioâ— that thereby they might manifest to the World that he was the Christ and for that and they were promised by Christ to receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost Luke 24. 49. which was performed in Acts 2. 1. 2. The gifts of the spirit being powred upon them insomuch that they were able to speak infallibly to work Miracles and to speak with new Tongues and to understand all Languages under Heaven 〈◊〉 2. 6. Even for this very end that they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was the Christ both at 〈◊〉 and to the 〈◊〉 paâ—ts of the Earth Act. 1. 8. And thus the Lord granted signes and wonders to be done by the hands of the Apostles to give Testimony to the word of his grace Act 14. â— who did manifest to the world that all the wonders that they wrought were in the name and power of Jesus Acts 4. 10. shewing in their preaching that this was the end for which Miracles were on foote even to testifie of Christ Acts 2. 22. And this was one end for which Miracles were given to hold forth the coming of Christ 2. Miracles were to confirm the Covenant of grace which was to be established as firm as the first for when the first Covenant was given out it was ratified with signes and wonders for all the Mountaine was on fire and there were thunderings and lightnings and voices and so terrible was the sight that it made Moses the man of God tremble So terrible were the signes Heb. 12. 18. 19. 22. And thus you see the first Covenant was ratified with Miracles and so also was the second which is a better Covenant estableished upon better promises Heb. 8. 6. And also more glorious Miracles of a more spiritual nature for the Miracles of the first Covenant were more outward and terrible But the Miracles of the 2. Covenant are more inwardly 〈◊〉 comfortable which did accompany the Appostles in their Ministry confirming the truth by signes and wonders Mark 16. the last Act. 19. 10. 11. And thus did the Lord Jesus Christ himself also confirm the Doctrine of the Gospel with more Miracles then ever any word was before from the beginning of the World so that you may see that the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles wanted not Miracles to confirm it God the Father also bearing witness with signes and wonders and divers gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2. 4. That it might appear the Covenant was the more glorious and more excellent firm and sure being so wonderfully ratified and confirmed with Miracles And thus you see a second Reason wherefore Miracles were on foot even to confirm the truth of the Gospell Now a third reason wherefore Miracles were on foot was this even to confirm the calling and Ministry of the Apostles who were to lay the Foundation both for Doctrine and practise which the World was to follow in after Ages to the end of the World For we are built upon the Foundation of the Prophets Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Eph. 2 20. In being the Authour both of their Doctrine and Practise and therefore you see it was requisite that Miracles should
a typicall Covenant 7. It was a Covenant of bondage and therefore it was typicall for they were bound to observe a multitude of Lawes and Ordinances under that Covenant besides the offering Sacrifices which was a great bondage and therefore it was a typicall Covenant as you may see Gal. 4. 24. 30. 8. It made nothing perfect and therefore it was typicall for the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did in the which hope we draw nigh unto God and so it is disanulled as you may see Heb. 7. 18. 19. and therefore it was a typicall Covenant 9. The first Covenant consisted of Types and shadowes for the Law had a shadow of good things to come and not the very Image of things Heb. 10. 2. and therefore it was a Typicall Covenant 10. The first waketh old and is ready to vanish away Heb. 8. 1. 3 and therefore it was a typicall Covenant 11. There 's a better Covenant comes in place established upon better promises Hebrewes 8. 6. 7. 8. and therefore it was a typicall Covenant 12. The worship was typicall and therfore it was a typicall Covenant for there being a change of the Priesthood there must also be a change of the Law as you may see Hebr. 7. 12. for the first worship was but on foot till a better worship came and then it was to be done away as the tenne words were but a typicall Worship for Thou shalt have none other Gods but me And Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve and that is this thou shalt worship me according to my Covenant and according to the Lawes of that Covenant for if thou dost not worship me according to my Covenant and according to the Lawes thereof thou worshipest another God and dost not worship the Lord thy God for if thou chusest another way of worship then I have prescribed and change thy worship thou also changest thy God and this is the full intent and meaning of the first Covenant an outward acknowledgement of God to all the world in obeying those Lawes and Ordinances prescribed and set forth by him whereby they did acknowledge him to be their God which worship God did accept of till a better came until the time of Reformation as you may see Heb. 9. 10. and then the Father would send the Son the great Minister of God who did administer a better Covenant and better ordinances to the world and when that way was come they were to live no longer to Moses and his teaching but were to live under the teaching of Christ which the Father did confirme when he said This is my beloved Son hear him Mat. 17. 5. but they rejected the teaching of the Son and did not look to the end of that worship which was abolished by Christ as you may see 2 Cor. 3. 13. and so their minds are blinded unto this day living in the shadow when they might have embraced the substance and therefore they missed salvation because they sought it by the first Covenant and not by the second though they were very zealous to worship God according to the first Covenant as you may see Rom. 9. 31. 32. and so they stumbled and fell as you may see ver 33. And thus you see that the worship of the first Covenant was but to coutinue till a better came in place for when Christ came there was a change as you may see in all his teachings and in his declaring that neither at Jerusalem nor in the Mountaine should they worship God that being but an administration of the letter as you may see 2 Cor. 3. 6. but they should worship in the way of the Gospel which is an administration of the Spirit as you may see 2 Corinthians 3. 8. which is a better worship then the former was being a better Covenant established upon better promises And thus I have given you some Reasons wherefore the first Covenant was a typicall Covenant and now I shall shew you how Christ is said to take away a typicall Covenant and that is in these three respects 1. He pacifies the Fathers wrath for the transgressions of the first Covenant And secondly He doth the worke of the first Coenant And thirdly He takes away the first by establishing the second and so I shall begin with the first And first He pacifies the Fathers wrath for the first Covenant was a Covenant of terrour as you may see Exod. 19. For the Law was added because of transgression till the seed should come Gal. 3. 19. and so terrible was the sight thereof that it made Moses quake and tremble to shew that wrath was gone out against sinne Heb. 12. 20. 21. being a Law of sinne and death Rom. 8. 2. Now Christ comes and takes away the enmity and was made a curse for us being the Lamb of God that takes away the sinnes of the World John 1. 29. and so we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held Rom. 7. 6. and hath redeemed us from the curse Gal. 3. 13. and hath broken downe the middle-wall of partition and hath abolished and taken away the Law of enmity Eph. 2. 15. 16. by blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances and all the Jewish worship which was against us and hath spoiled or killed that enmity that was between God and as by reason of sinne and hath made a free passage between God and our souls having conquered all oppositions Col. 2. 15. 16. that thereby we might come with all boldnesse to the throne of grace Heb. 4. 16. and therefore it is that Christ hath taken away the first Covenant because it was a Covenant of bondage and the Ordinances thereof and so he gives us right and freedom to imbrace a Covenant of love and mercy that is more easie and comfortable to us Secondly He hath taken away the first Covenant in doing the work of the first Covenant for the first Covenant did require a perfect work of a perfect man but there was â—one that was able to do a perfect work for the Apostle saith they were all gone astray and were all gone out of the way so that there was none that did good no not one as Rom. 3. 12. So that none were able to do the work of the first Covenant and therefore Christ was to come to do the worke of the first Covenant being a perfect man without spot or blemish and so he was able to do a perfect worke to fulfill the righteousnesse of the first Covenant For the first Covenant exacted a worke of righteousnesse and holinesse which none were able to perform till Christ came who when he came did all that the first Covenant did exact in doing such works as never man did and so fulfilled the whole Law and all the righteousnesse and holinesse thereof and so he is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4. And therefore he
and the glory that should follow 2 Pet. 10. 11. and thus Christ was promised of long before he came unto Adam and Noah as also to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and to Moses unto whoÌ„ the Father revealed the Son saying I will raise them a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and I will put my word into his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I command him Deut. 18. 18. Acts 3. and as he was promised to Moses so also to the Prophets and thus to know him in the promise is life eternall 2. To know him as he was begotteÌ„ by the promise is life eternal for thus saith the Lord thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee for the Son was not born after the flesh but after the promise and mind of God and so the seed of grace was springing from the time of Adam till it came forth being begotten by the word of promise 3. To know him in his conception is life eternall being begotten by the immortall word all the promises compassing the Virgine about and the power of the most high overshadowing her Luke 1. 32. and so begat a holy seed Mal. 2. 15. So that that which was begot was a holy man Luke 1. 15. conceiv'd in the matrix or wombe of God being begot by the word of promise and born of the pure Virgin being conceived of the pure nature of God not borne after the flesh but after the Spirit or promise of God for the first man was of the earth earthly his Kingdom and power earthly and therefore his thoughts and mind earthly but the second is a heavenly man whose thoughts are heavenly being without spot or blemish or any worldly care but all for Heaven both in his thoughts words and deeds and therefore he was called the Lord from Heaven being able to conquer all the fleshly lusts and temptations of the world and therefore might rightly be called a Heavenly man and therein did exceed the first Adam And then again the first Adam was called the Image of God but the second Adam is called the expresse Image of the Fathers person whereby it doth appear that the second Adam is of a more glorious nature the first Adam being of a earthly nature the second Adam being of a spirituall nature the first Adam being set about earthly things and the second Adam being set about spirituall things And thus you see that Christ was begotten a pure man fit for all heavenly employment being of so glorious and pure a nature that he was able to aspire or ascend into Heaven for what should hinder him being every way heavenly and no way earthly in his nature and therefore he was able to walke upon the Sea and not be drowned as you may see Mat. 14. 15. and was able to passe thorow dores and stone Walls being so pure a man that there was nothing could hinder him from going into any place And thus it is life eternall to know the man Christ in his pure conception as he was a pure nature 4. To know him as he ascended into Heaven is life eternall for being a pure heavenly man he was able to ascend into Heaven for what should hinder him being a pure nature being a heavenly nature it was more naturall to be in Heaven then to be in earth for it is nothing but this sinfull nature that hinders us from Heaven but Christ having no sinne in his nature there was nothing could hinder him from ascending into Heaven Now that Christ did ascend into Heaven Now that Christ did ascend into Heaven doth appear for saith he No man hath ascended up to Heaven at any time but he that came down from Heaven which is the Sonne of man that was in Heaven and so Christ shows you that never any man did ascend to Heaven but himself but the man Christ went up into Heaven for he saith it and I dare not but believe it for his words are Spirit and Truth no man at any time but the man Christ John 3. 13. And I I came down from Heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me John 6. 38. For the Father takes him up into Heaven and revealed his mind and his will to him what he would have him to declare to the world and to manifest the Fathers love to all men if they did imbrace his doctrine and so the Father sent him into the world that he that believed in him should not perish And thâ—â— much doth the Sonne confesse when he saith Lâ—â— I came to do thy will O God And I came down from Heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me And thus to know Christ is life eternall 5. To know him in his life is life eternall what he came to do and what he did First what he came to do and that was to do the will of the Father For thus it is written in the volume of thy book of me to do thy will O God Heb. 10. For the words that I speak are not mine but the words of him that sent me And thus you see the end of Christs comeing to declare the mind of the Father to the world which was a pure heavenly Doctrin all tending to grace and glory his Doctrine being all spirituall and to know him in his life as he was a pure spirituall man for all his thoughts were heavenly and his words and Doctrine heavenly and all his actions heavenly So that it might truly be said he came from Heaven being a man for Heaven and not for earth all his actions tending Heaven-ward being indeed a man for another world Heaven being ready to receive him and the world being weary of him and thus to know Christ iâ— eternall life 6. To know him in his death is eternall life all his life being a life of heavenly trouble 〈◊〉 of heavenly afflictions being in his life a patterne of all heavenly living So that the World had nothing against his person but against his doctrine for their envy against him was not in respect of his person but of his Doctrine for his person might have been free but for his Doctrine for his accuseâ—â— said he is a blasphemer and is worthy to die for he hath said he came from God and that he came from Heaven and that he was the Sonne of God and hath spoke against our Lawes and against Moses and hath said he is greater then Abraham and the Prophets and hath preached blasphemy and therefore he ought and is worthy to die and is not worthy to live and by our Law he ought to be put to death And for these Reasons they sought to destroy him and were never satisfied till they had got him into their hands and so to be revenged on him by smiting of him with their hands and scourging him with whips and rods with their mockings of him and spitting in his face and
Crowning him with Thornes and doing him all the disgrace that they could who was led as a sheep to the slaughter and did stand up to maintain the Doctrine that he delivered 〈◊〉 the mouth of the Father to his death that it might appear to all the word that that he had delivered was truth and for to indicate his doctrine he was ready to lay down his life and was ready to seale the truth with his bloud and as the first Covenant was sealed and confirmed with the bloud 〈◊〉 â—uls and of goats even so he 〈◊〉 willing â—â—d ready to seal and confirme the Covenant of grace and glory with his own bloud and so the bloud of Christ is called the bloud of the Testament Covenant or Will of God â—â—d thus to know the Lord Jesus Christ iâ—â—â—â—rnall life Seventhly it is life eternall to know Christ in his resurrection from death to life so he became the more glorious in that he conqueâ—â—d all his enemies and destroyed those that thought to have destroyed him for he said unto death I will be thy death and he conquered the grave and he said unto the grave give up he overcame sin the world and the devill for he loosed the powers of darknesse and he conquered principalities powers and made a shew of it openly Colos 2. Yea he conquered proud flesh to the terrour of all â—is enemies and thus Jesus Christ rose from death to life and was more famous in his suffering then before in loosing the pains of death Acts 2. 24. for it was impossible that it should be holden of it the Father having before promised That he would not leave his soule in grave nor suffer his holy one to see curruption Psal 16. 10. being the first fruits of them that sleep and a sure evidence of the resurrection of the dead being raised up by the mighty power of God that as Christ was raised up so also shall we by the same spirit who raised up Jesus who is gloriously ascended up into heaven as a fore-runner for us for he that was made a â—little lower then the Angels is crowned with glory and honour so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confesse him yea those that pierced him being made the Judge both of the quick and the dead to the joy and salvation of his friends and to the destruction of his enemies and thus to know him is eternall life Eightly To know him as he is God is eternall life for when he had done the will of the Father had so gloriously confirmed the Gospell by his suffering and confirmed the truth with his bloud when that heavenly naâ—ure was made subject to anger when 〈◊〉 sweat water and bloud making strong cries and supplications with tears unto him that was able to deliver him and was heard in the thing that he desired and when he said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and when he said Father into thy hands I commit my spirit and so he suffered as a lamb without spot and blemish in fulfilling all the prophesies that the Prophets prophesied of him to fulfill the Scriptures and the mind of the Father when he said O Father not my will but thine be done that he might accomplish all that was written of him to do that thereby he might finish the glorious work of the Gospell and establish an everlasting Covenant sealing and confirming it with his own bloud being the bloud of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 10. 29. chap. 13. 20. and for all those heavenly acts of the Son the Father raises him from the dead For he was raised up by the mighty power of God as the God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree Acts 2. 24. 32. chap. 3 13. 15. chap. 5. 33. 31. And thus you see the Father raises him from the dead in a glorious manner and makes him a God and gives all power into his hands as you may see Mat. 28. 18. and so the Son is God by office being the great and chiefe officer of God in being made heir of all things Heb. 1. 1. 2. and this was prophesied as in the Psal 110. 1. where the Prophet saith The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool Now Davids Lord was Christ and Christs Lord was God as doth appear in Heb. 1. where the Father saith Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son and again When he bringeth his first begotten into the world he saith and let all the Angels worship him And of the Angels he saith who maketh his Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire but of the Son he saith Thy-throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of righteousnesse is the Scepter of thy Kingdom for thou hast loved righteousnes and hated iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oile of gladnesse above thy fellowes and thus the Father hath exalted him above the Gods saying Sit thou on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool Psal 110. 1. For God the Father hath made him the God of all things and so the Father calls him the everlasting Father the Prince of peace and hath put the Government upon him and of his Government there shall be no end for God the Father will perform this Esay 9. 6. 7. The Spirit of God the Father being upon him that he might judge the righteous in mercy and the wicked in judgement Esay 11. 4. And thus the Father hath crowned him with glory and honour for it hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell for he is the fulnesse of the Godhead the Father having made him God of all things both in heaven and earth and now the Son is to rule till he have put all things under his feet Now the last enemy is death for he hath put all things under his feet but the Son shall subdue and conquer death and shall reign till he hath put down all rule and all authority and power and then cometh the end when he shall deliver up the Kingdome to God even the Father and be subject to him that so God the Father may be all in all things 1 Cor. 15. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. And thus you see that God the Father hath given all things to the Son and hath made him a God till the end of all things till all enemies are conquered by the Son and then shall he give up the Kingdome to the Father again and be subject to him that God the Father may be all in all and thus to know Christ is eternall life Now the use that I make of all this is this It sheweth the great exceeding love of the Father to us in revealing his mind and will to a
as darknesse in respect of the great Judge for the Judge himselfe shall be their everlasting Light being indeed the great Court of Heaven more cleare then the Sunne for the light thereof doth darken the light of the Sunne and Moone which makes it appeare that this glorious Judge and this glorious Court of Heaven will not be so soone removed 6. The Bookes are to be opened and every man is to be judged according to those things that are written in those Bookes and there must be a time to open the Bookes and a time to judge and examine every matter and every person particularly according to his deeds whereby it doth appeare that the great Court of Heaven will not be so soone removed 7. The pleading of the Prisoners at the Bar doth make it appeare that the Court shall not be removed for the Prisoners at the Bar of Justice will plead and say Lord in thy name we have Prophesied and cast out Devills and done many wonderfull workes And when saw we thee in Prison or in sicknesse or hungry or naked or the like whereby it doth appeare that the pleading of Prisoners and the answerings of the Judge doth hold forth a longer time to us then we suppose to sit in judgement 8. If every Person should not be called to account in particular there might be some excuse in the Creature for then they might say I nor I was not judged but the Iudge will not passe over things so lightly for they are matters upon Life and Death 〈◊〉 upon eternall life and death and therefore â—â—oth appeare that the great Iudge will examine every man to the full with every particular thing and with so many Millions of thousands to be judged in particular doth make it appeare that the great Iudge cannot be so soon removed 9. Christ saith that the Apostles shall sit upon twelve Thrones and shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel even such as are revolted from Iesus Christ and have rejected grace and mercy offered them in the Sonne and have shed the blood of the Prophets and Apostles through their wickednesse and therefore it doth appeare that Christ will make his twelve Apostles to sit downe upon twelve Thrones and they shall be the great Iury-men of Christ to give in their verdict for life or death and what they doe shall be approved of by Christ for the Iewes being a most wise and subtill people shall have the more able Iudges to deale with them and who are more fit for that worke then the Apostles who shall be the grand Iudges or the grand Iury to give in their evidences to the chiefe Judge against them and the Judge also consenting to their judgement For whose sinnes they remit they shall be remitted and whose sinnes they retaine they shall be retained And this being so it doth appear that the Court shal not be so soon removed Mat. 19. 28. Luk. 22. 30. 10. The Apostles shall judge the Angels and give judgement against them and when will that be but at the great day for they are reserved in chaines of darknesse untill the great day and then shall they appear before the Grand Jury who shall give their Judgement against them and deliver them to the chiefe Judge who shall passe sentence upon them for ever to be cast into the anger and wrath of the Almighty for this is the great day of judgement which hath been spoken of so long before which will not be ended in a small time 11. It is said that the Saints shall judge the world and that cannot be in a small time seeing there is so many millions of thousands to be judged with the examination of every particular action and yet they will not be idle all the time nor rejourne the Court like idle Judges for it shall be no night all the time of the judgement neither will they stir untill they have accomplished that great workâ— for I conceive there will be as much hastening of the worke as may be even round about the Throne and the twelve Patriarchs judging those before the Flood with the twelve Apostles judging those under the Law and the Ministers of the Gospel judging those under the Gospel for it is said The Saints shal judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2. And al these great things cannot be done in a small time for all the Prisoners pleading at the Bar on the one side the Judges giving sentence on the other side with their examining of all causes doth make it appear that this great Court will not be so soon removed as some think 12. The Scripture doth declare that after the new heavens and earth are made that the Saints shall reign with Christ in abundance of glory which I conceive must be all the time of the judgement for it will not be before the new heavens and earth as the Scripture seems to hold forth but after the new heavens and earth and then will the Lord Jesus come and all the Saints with him and then shall the Saints reigne in glory even all the time of the sitting of the great Judge which I beleeve will be the account of a thousand yeares and about Jerusalem shall be the Throne of their glory and they shall be filled with the fulnesse of delight in all that time and then will the dwelling of God be with men and they shall be the new Jerusalem being cloathed with their house from heaven and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes For there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying nor any paine for all their former troubles being passed away for Jerusalem will be more glorious then ever it was in the world before with her gates and wals most glorious and such a glorious City it will be as never yet was seen the glory of which place will enlighten both heaven and earth and shall darken all the host of heaven being a place for the Saints of the most High where they shall rest all the time of the sitting of the great Judge for this will be a new Jerusalem indeed a place of glory untill the great Judge hath finished his worke upon the earth and in this new Jerusalem of the Saints there shall be no Temple nor any worship injoyned for this will be all their work to offer up praises unto him that shall sit upon the Throne for the Father and the Son are the Temple of this glorious City and this City wil have no need of Sun or Moon for the Father and the Son will be the light thereof and all the Nations which shall be saved shall walk in the light of this City and there shal their glory be for the Gates of this City shal not be shut at all by day for there shal be no night and this wil be a glorious rest for the Saints all the fitting of the great Judge Re. 22. And then shall the Lord roar out of Zion and utter his voyce from Jerusalem