promises yea and amen I will confirme the promises of God by the works of God thus God within the first sixe Evenings and Mornings in the beginning made and created the whole mortality even all the works and creatures and when he had done he looked on the whole and behold all was very good And therefore God adds to his sixe dayes of labour one day or a sanctified holy day of rest from all labour but when man by the temptation of that old Serpent the Devill and Sathan had disobeyed the Commandement of God Then God cursed the whole mortall workes and creatures for mans transgression with giving the Devill power over them all And so thereby became the whole mortall works and creatures corrupted and that made God say That it repented him that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at the heart Because that man by sinne had corrupted and made all that evill in one or two houres by expostulating with and yeelding to the Devill That God himselfe was sixe days making very good and because the Devill had power given him over the whole mortall works and creatures as a just judgement for mortall mans sin therefore during that time of the Devils power the Devill is called the God or chiefe prince of this world the Prince of darkenesse and the Prince that ruleth in the ayre The Devill is not for ever to reign as God of this world Prince of the aire and Prince of the darknesse of this world but shall be curbed at a time by God appointed as the Devill himselfe confesseth saying to Jesus Christ Art thou come to torment us before the time As if the Devill should have said Jesus Christ why dost thou command our power out of mortall man knowing that the time of our power over mortality is not yet to be taken away therefore if thou wilt not suffer us to be in man give us leave to goe into yonder heard of swine And because the Devill is not alwayes to have power over mortality but by the power of Christ is to have his power taken off of mortality by Jesus Christ his comming downe from heaven and to dwell with men on earth for a thousand yeares to deliver the whole mortall works and creatures of God on earth under heaven from the whole Principalities and powers of the Devill for and during that thousand years according to promise doth Peter say to these unbelieving scoffers but Beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years Therfore as the Lord was 6 days making the whole mortality very good and man by his finne did provoke God to curse the same with giving the Devil power over the whole Man must also labour under the power of the Devil with the whole mortality for 6000. years Therfore doth Peter say that in the latter days or towards the end of the 6000. years Near to that coming of Christ there shal be impatient unbelieving scoffers that shall say where is the promise or the fulfilling of the promise of his comming unto whom Peter saith Be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years with man or man cannot accomplish that under six thousand years that God did in six dayes evâ—n his working will And as God did adde a seventh day of holy rest unto his six dayes of labour so man was from the beginning to celebrate every seventh day a holy day of rest from labour in remembrance of the sure promise of Christ his comming to deliver man and the whole mortality as Paul saith the creature shall be delivered from the tyrannical power of the Devill for a thousand years into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God even for that thousand yeares in which John saw a new heaven and a new earth and the holy City new Jerusalem comming down from God out of Heaven with a great voyce out of heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people because the Devill in or during that time shall have nothing to doe with them and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God Therefore faith John Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection because on such the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reigne with him a thousand yeares according to the promise of God to Jesus Christ Sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foote-stoole Even the Devil and all his power and wicked instruments who are the enemies of Jesus Christ and his members and so taking the six dayes of Gods accompt in which hee made the whole mortality and according to Peters accompt sixe thousand years of Mans misery under the power of the Devill by reason of sinne and taking the seventh day of Gods accompt in which he with all the works of his hands rested and kept a holy day unto himselfe and accompt a thousand years deliverance from the power of the Devill sin and death in which God again will with man keep on earth a holy Sabboth or rest then and thereby are the promises of Christ his comming by Peter confirmed by the workes of God under Gods accompt of seven dayes in the beginning but Peter for more certainty of this truth notwithstanding those impatient unbelieving scoffers questioning the same in the behalfe of himselfe and all the believing members of Jesus Christ of the promises of God in Christ saith Neverthelesse we according to his that is Gods promise looke for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Unto such saith Peter Beloved seeing that yee looke for such things be diligent that ye may be found in peace without spot blamelesse because they that shall enjoy such things saith Peter Are a chosen generation a royal priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people Being made so by the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ Secondly the comming of Christ is manifested by the glory of God as the Text saith If Christ had not risen from the dead then had Christ dyed in vaine So likewise may it be said if Christ be perfect God as well as perfect man who for man tooke upon him the nature of man by which on earth he was by his perfect obedience to redeeme man from that power of the Devill which the Devill gained over man by mans disobedience it stands with the glory of God for Christ God on earth to triumph over the Devill and all his power on earth as well as to suffer under the Devill and all his power on earth Jesus Christ as he was a mortall man it was a glory to him to suffer for sinners who himselfe sinned not as the Text saith The just suffered for the unjust But if Jesus Christ as he is God should
not triumph over his enemies as a Conquerour his sufferings would be counted in vaine on earth therefore Jesus Christ as he is God for the glory of his God-head by his servant John revealeth to His who shall partake of that glory that shall be on earth when the power of the Devill shall be done away And when new heavens and a new earth and the holy City new Jerusalem from heaven shall appeare then shall Jesus Christ glorifie himselfe as God over the Devill and all his workes and powers as that God by whom all things were created both in heaven and earth equall with the Father as a son and heir of all things and second person in the Trinity in that Trinity which is so unâ—ted in the God-head that cannot be dâ—vided in the persons as the Nycâ—n Creed very wâ—lâ— sets forth And thus is Christs coming to reign on the earth proved by the promises of God the workes of God and the glory of God Quest What manner of glory will that be that Christ will have on earth amongst his Saints and what habitation will hee reside in Answ. It will be a heavenly glory according to that which Christ desired as a sonne from God as a Father saying Father glorifie thy sonne with that glory which he had with thee Jesus Christ amongst men on earth prayed to be glorified amongst men on earth with a heavenly glory that men on earth might see him a glorified God and a conquerour of his enemies as well as they did see him a despised and a suffering man under his enemies therefore and according to this doâ—h John after the prophesie of Isay say I saw a new heaven and a new earth and the holy City new Jerusalem comming downe from God out of heaven with a loud voyce saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them This glory for the fulnesse of it is not revealed nor shall it be manifested unto men untill mens corruptions shall be done away and that shall not be untill the power of the Devill by the power of Christ shall be taken off of mortality according to that of John I saw on Angell come down from heaven and he laid hold on the Devil bound him a thousand yeares that he should deceive the Nations or corrupt mortality no more untill those thousand yeares should be fulfilled or accomplished This heavenly glory is within the apprehension of no corrupted flesh further then the things of the flesh doth behold the brightest glory of mortality is the Sun and John saith that that glory shall passe the glory of the Sunne insomuch that that holy City new Jerusalem shall not need the light of the Sunne neither shall there be any night in it But as in the Land of Egypt there was an exceeding darknesse at noone-day but in the Land of Goshen there was no darknesse so likewise during those thousand years in all the world there shall be night as well as day but in the new and heavenly Jerusalem there shall be no night at all And this is all that God hath revealed concerning the fulnesse of that heavenly glory because corrupted mortality can apprehend no more as Paul saith If our hope were only in this mortall life then we were of all men most miserable to suffer affliction for hope of a better life if wee should misse of it but saith he Yet it doth not or here it doth not appeare what wee shall be but when mortality shall put on immortality and corruption shall be changed into incorruption then it will appear for here wee know but in part but then shall we know as we are known That is wee who know Jesus Christ as a sufferer and rest upon the promises of God by faith in Jesus Christ for a rewarder though now wee here with Christ suffer for the same shall then know God and Jesus Christ in a heavenly glory conqueringly as they knew us here sufferingly Secondly besides this heavenly glory which will in brightnesse passe the glory of the Sunne Christ will be glorified by new created heavens and earth as Peter saith That is by restoring of the firmamentall heavens whereof now the Devill is Prince into that same condition they were by God created in when God saw them to be very good before man had sinned and they therefore corrupted by those evill Inhabitants the Devill and his Angels And by restoring of the earth with all the creatures created of it by God in the beginning within the fix first days and that God when he had looked saw them to be very good to that same condition they were by God ceated in before man had sinned and they therefore and thereby were by the power of the Devill corrupted This restoration after so long a continuance as almost six thousand yeares shall by men be such a strange alteration as though it were rather a creation then an alteration and they who never did see no other but the corrupted heavens and earth to see an uncorrupted heaven and earth will be to them as a new created heaven and earth And none male nor female from Adam and Eve ever saw any but a corrupted heaven and earth because the heavens and the earth were corrupted before they had any issue therefore doth the Text say that God will create new heavens and earth because the sonnes of Adam never saw that very good condition the heavens and the earth were at the first created in and into which they shall be again restored Thirdly God Christ on earth will be glorified by a a holy City a new Jerusalem from God out of heaven which shall in largenesse so farre passe that old Jerusalem builded by the Jewes though it was in Solomons time the greatest City in the whole world as a Citie of twelve thousand furlongs square which is by eight furlongs to a mile fifteen hundred miles square can passe the largenesse of that old Jerusalem and this City shall so far passe the old Jerusalem in glory as precious stones can surpasse in glory ordinary stones wood bricke morter iron steele and brasse in the foundations walls and gates thereof and the pavements of this City shall so far surpasse in glory the pavements of the old Jerusalem as polished gold like transparent glasse doth surpasse pibble stones as John at large expresseth the same And the Temple in this City shall so far surpasse in glory Solomons Temple that was the glory of the old Jerusalem as the glory of God and Jesus Christ doth surpasse the glory of fine gold which was the glory of that Temple as the Text saith The gold beautified the Temple And this holy and great City shall be the refiding place of GOD and Jesus Christ on earth with all the faithfull members of Jesus Christ from Abel to that day Object This relation of John is to signifie and figure out Gods glorious Kingdome to eternity and not
that there shall ever be here on earth any such glorious place or being Answ. That which is impossible with man is possible with God who is able to doe all things And hath any man found God a lyar at any time who is faithfull in all his promises and just in all his wayes But Peter saith That in the latter dayes there shall be seoffers who shall say where is the promise of his comming for all things continue as they were from the beginning and so deny the word of truth But saith Peter We who are written in the booke of life Neverthelesse we according to his promise looke for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse which is Jesus Christ as John saith I heard a great voyce out of heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwel with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God as Solomon saith It is true indeed that God will dwell on the earth And for a sure evidence of the same saith the Text I Jesus have sent mine Angel to testifie unto you these things in the Churches which things Peter questioned not but to his Church said Beloved seeing that ye looke for such things be diligent that ye may be found in peace without spot and blamelesse And to any Church that shall question these things saith Iohn These sayings are faithfull and true for I John saw and heard these things and I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this booke wheresoever it is published that if any man shall adde too or take away from the words of the prophesie of this book God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and also take away his part out of the holy City which City saith the Tâ—x lyeth four-square the length is as the breadth twelve thousand furlongs the squares lye East West North and South The East and West are derived from the antipodes of the rising and setting of the Sunne in the firmament all heavens created on the fourth day The North and the South are derived from the antipodes of the two ends of the worlds Axletree called the North and South pole or the two frozen zones of the earth by reason of the Suns obscurity and distance This City is to be on earth because it lyeth four-square East West North and South It is walled about and so bounded the length is as the breadth twelve thousand furlongs which is fifteen hundred miles The text saith in it there shall be no need of the Sun But the Text doth not say that it is not within the compasse of the Sunne therefore on earth For in heaven Gods glorious kingdome habitation and dwelling place is no Sun and where there is no Sunne there can be no East West North nor South therefore this City cannot be meant nor understood to be heaven but is meant and to be understood that such a City shall be on earth Now the reason why these things of the Devils confinement or imprisonment for a thousand yeares and the glorious new Jerusalem with all its glorious accommodations promised are not believed by us Gentiles is this As the Devill by his power in mortality deceived the Jews of the suffering comming of Jesus Christ for mans redemption though promised and prophefied of by the only looking for Jesus Christ a conquerour and King of Kings according to the promises of a conquering Saviour by the Devils deceit esteeesteeming his suffering Redeemers condition to be too mean a condition for the Sonne of God and so therefore did not believe him to be the Son of God but upon the Crosse said unto him If thou be the Son of God come down from the Crosse and then we will believe thee And so the Devill deceived the Iewes from their benefit of Jesus Christ his redeeming condition And so also the Devill by his power in mortality goes about to deceive us Gentiles of Jesus Christ his glorious conquering Princely condition by putting on this mask of infidelity upon us Gantiles notwithstanding all the sure promises of God that for Christ to come downe out of heaven and on earth to dwell in a walled Citie that is bounded is too glorious a condition for man to behold and for the earth to bear and therefore through unbeliefe and the Devils deceit doe scoffingly say where is the promise of his comming Expecting no other comming but his comming to judgement and so doth the Devill goe about to deceive us Gentiles of our benefit of Christ his glorious conquering reigne and condition here on earth in that great and holy City new Jerusalem Noah had three sons Shem Ham and Japhet Noah was drunke Ham jeeres at his Fathers nakednesse and threfore is cursed and deprived of all the precious promises made to Noah and his seed Shem and Japhet were sorry and ashamed to see their Fathers nakednesse and therefore going backward covered their Fathers nakednesse upon whom the promises of God to Noah were confirmed notwithstanding the said confirmation of promises inasmuch as the Devils originall power in and over mortality by Adam is not taken away his deceit ceaseth not for as he did deceive the Jews of Christs suffering comming so he laboureth to deceive us Gentiles of Christ his conquering comming as he doth deceive the Heathen of both who neither have had in the one nor shall have in the other any more benefit then the bruit beasts therefore saith Iohn without this City shal be dogs murtherers whoremongers adulterers lyers into whom the Devil when he shal be let loose for a little season shall again enter into under the name of Gog and Magog to make them more wicked then ever they were before according to that Text Out of whom the Devill is cast and returnes again he carrieth with him seven worse spirits then the former and so the latter end of that man is worse then the beginning because they have no share or part in the booke of life nor in this holy City Quest When will the time of the comming of Christ be to reign on earth for 1000. years Ans. That man that will declare more then God hath revealed must be wiser then God made him for saith the Text If an Angell from heaven teach any other doctrine then what is delivered believe him not and as is also said If they will not believe the Law and the Prophets neither will they believe if one should rise from the dead The precise time God hath concealed therefore no man can declare it But so far as God hath revealed and prefidents of Scripture doe make out so farre may a man suppose thus Man was tempted by the Devill to disobey God whose disobedience God suffered from the creation of Adam to Noah's flood which was 1656. yeares And as God waited with patience on Sathans deceived ones
is acted by lust and lust is an act of sinne for although Adam and Eve were matrimonially lawfull man and wife before they sinned yet did they not get Cain the seede of the Serpent before they had sinned for if they had he could not have been wicked for the Text saith all mn were conceived in sin And this Text may very well be granted because Cain the first man that was conceived was a bloody murthering sinner for if Cain had been righteous then might some have disputed whether Cain had not beene conceived before Adam and Eve had sinned as well as they to be married before they had sinned therefore and thereby is Jesus Christ only and alone known to be the Son of God because he was not conceived by the sinfull and lustfull seed of sinfull man but as the text saith he was and none but he was conceived by the holy Ghost and horn of the Virgin Mary A virgin because with Child her womb not defiled with sinfull seed of lust The Devill is said to be the God of this world because of his princely power overal the mortal works creatures of God in this world through mans sin gained by the Devils subtle temptation therefore Jesus Christ though the Sonne of God by the love of God to the world must take upon him sinfull flesh that thereby hee might redeeme sinfull man from the sins of the flesh under which work of Redemption Jesus Christ though perfect God as well as perfect man during the time of his mortall flesh which hee did receive from the Virgin must be and was subject to the Principalities and powers of this world even to the Devill himselfe and his wicked instrumentall members saying Give unto Caesar that which is Caesars for my Kingdome is not of this world during the principality of the Devill for God and Belial cannot dwell both together that is God and the Devill cannot be both Kings in one Kingdome at one time because God is light and the Devill is darknesse as the Text saith light and darknesse cannot abide together for either light comprehendeth the darknesse or else the darknesse comprehendeth the light as every night and day maketh it appear unto us But Pilate the Governour said unto Jesus Christ are thou the King of the Iews he denied not saying thou hast said it as if Christ should have said Pilate Wise Solomon saies there is a time for all things under heaven although a sonne in his nonage or infancy by reason hee is under subjection differs not from a servant yet the time will come when it will appeare he is Lord of all things So Pilate though I now by reason of my sufferings at the present in the time of my mortall flesh nonage and infancy of my not being risen from the dead and againe being not yet glorified of my Father in heaven but am here counted as a servant The time will come when it will appeare that I am he that shall be the King of the Jews and King of Kings and Lord of Lords as my Father hath said sit thou at my right hand untill I have made thine enemies thy foote-stool even when all power shall be given me of my Father both in heaven and in earth then Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be right-glad because of the new heavens and the new earth and the holy Citie new Jerusalem which Iohn saw and Isaiah prophesied of comming downe from God out of heaven And because Christ Gods Tabernacle shall be with men and dwell with them on earth and they shall be his people And God himselfe shall be with them and be their God as the Text by the Spirit in Solomon saith from God as a promise to the children of God It is true indeed that God will dwell on the earth as Paul saith of Christ at the present saying who only and none but he hath immortality and dwelleth in that light that none can attaine unto which is in the glorious presence of God Almighty whom never man saw neither can see as the Text saith No man hath seene God at any time neirher can see him while hee is cloathed with sinfull flesh but when the sinfulnesse of the flesh shall be done away then men shall see God and Jesus Christ on earth in such a glory as mortall sinfull flesh cannot behold for the exceeding brightnesse thereof as God himself saith No man can see my face and live that is no man who is corrupted by transgression or sinne can behold the righteous face of God because that transgression is darkenesse from the Devil the Prince of darkenesse whose darkenesse cannot stand before the righteous glory of God Almighty For as the presence of the suns glory doth doe away the darknesse of this world so the presence of Gods glory doth doe away all the spirituall darknesse of the Devill and sinne therefore saith John that an Angel from heaven must first by his power shut and chaine up the Devill and then behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with men and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God That is God shall wholly be their God because the Devill shall wholly with all his power be taken away and confined as close prisoner for a thousand years during which thousand years all the mortal creatures shall be at peace as the Prophet Isa saith The Lyon shall eate grasse like an Oxe and leave devouring because the Devill by whose power in all the mortall creatures all the mortall creatures were set at an evill oddes shall be totally done away for that thousand yeares that he should deceive the Nations no more untill the thousand yeares should be fulfilled Qu. What reason is there grounded upon Scripture that Christ shall come and dwell on earth and reign Kinge of Kings and Lord of Lords a thousand years Answ. First for his promise-sake who hath promised the same in divers Scriptures as Peter saith That in the latter dayes there shall be scoffers that shall say where is the promise of his comming We doe not believe it for all things continue as they were from the beginning These scoffers do not regard what Solomon saith That there is a time for all things under heaven But because such scoffers will not stay Gods time but expect that time sooner then God hath appointed the same and for that they want patience to waite upon God will fall into unbeliefe and say where is the promise of his comming as though hee would never come but unto such saith the same Apostle Beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day As if Peter should say scoffers if through impatience you will not believe the promises of God for Christ his comming who is faithfull in all his promises and who is in all his
Art thou a Ruler in Israel and knowest not these things viz. The great errour in that which is called the Apostles CREED And the reall truth of JESUS CHRIST his glorious conquering personall reigne on Earth over the Devill Sin and Death for one thousand yeares WITH Mans salvation by the free grace and favour of God and Jesus Christ Laid open by him who heartily desires the manifestation of all the truths of God and of Jesus Christ And the utter extirpation of all the errours of MEN WILLIAM FARMER Gent. That Christ betwixt his buriall and his resurrection did not descend into Hell nor then preach to the damned spirits in PRISON THE Church of England doth allow of and acknowledg 3. Creeds And the now Assembly of Divines have adheringly ratified confirmed and manifested them all that is the Nycen Creed the Apostles Creed and the Athynasian Creed Nothing ought to be counted Apostolicall that is not grounded upon and answerable unto the Apostles Doctrine Our Apostles Creed is That Christ was Crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead There is no Doctrine of the Apostles that Christ betwixt his buriall and his Resurrection descended into Hell therefore it is no Apostolicall Doctrine Whatsoever is not Apostolical ought not to be made Catholical The Nycen Creed which is counted Catholicall sayes that Christ suffered for our salvation descended into Hell rose again the third day from the dead That Christ suffered for our salvation or rather that Christ suffered for our sins was finished when he had received the vineger and said it is finished Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and having said thus he gave up the Ghost or his divine Spirit or God-head departed out of his humane body and then was his full sufferings finished as Christ himselfe saith Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished that the Scripture might be fulfilled as this Nycen Creed saith well Although he be God and man he is not two Christs but one Christ so when his God-head was departed from his man-hood then hee had finished or fulfilled all Scripture as a sufferer because he was a perfect Christ no longer then he was God and man no more then a man that is a dead man is a perfect man for the dead body cannot suffer because it hath no sense so that it was only the humane body of Christ laid in the grave that was in Hell because the grave is the dead bodies Hell and the grave is called hell in divers Scriptures and so is this Nycen Creed to be understood The Athanasian Creed saith That Christ suffered and was buried and the third day rose againe according to the Scriptures and therefore a truth for what the Spirit of God hath revealed that only is truth but the Spirit hath in no Scripture revealed that Christ betwixt his buriall and his resurrection descended into hell as that which is called the Apostles Creed doth affirm therefore it is none of the Apostles Doctrine This Doctrine that Christ betwixt his buriall and his resurrection descended into hell is a hellish Antichristian Romish doctrine derived from their diabolicall errour upon that their mis-interpretation of the Spirit of God from those words of the Apostle Peter where he saith That Christ hath once suffered for sinnes the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the spirit the holy Ghost by which Spirit also he went and preached to the spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient to God when once or at that time that that the long-suffering or forbearance of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was preparing From which Text doe the erroneous Antichristian Doctors of Rome gather and conclude that Christ betwixt his death and Resurrection divinely in his God-head went amongst and preached unto the Infernall damned spirits and to this purpose have inserted those their owne diabolicall words and Doctrine amongst the Apostles doctrine and made the same Catholicall as part of a Church-article to believe the same as faith unto salvation This doctrine interpretation is antichristian because it doth contradict the Doctrine and words of Jesus Christ himselfe who said to the penitent Thiefe upon the crosse To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise To be in Paradise is to be in a place of pleasure this Paradise was Gods kingdome of glory which is Christs kingdome as the Spirit revealed the same to that Thiefe who said Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome The humane bodie of Jesus that same day after he was dead was laid safe in Josephs Tomb or grave which is called hell where there is no pleasure neither can a dead body take any pleasure therefore the humane dead body could not that day be in Paradise and for Christs Divine Spirit or God-head at all to be or that day to be amongst the damned spirits could not then that day be in Paradise because the damned spirits are not in pleasure but excluded from pleasure and reserved in chaines of darknesse unto the great and terrible day of the Lord where no pleasure is Therefore it is an infallible truth that when Jesus Christ said to the Thiefe to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise he spake of his own divine Spirit or God-head and of the thiefe's invisible internall immortall eternall spirit or soule which came from God and not of their mortall bodies which came from the earth and lay in the earth And when he spake of Paradise he did not speak of that earthly Paradise in Eden into which the man was put after his creation but of that heavenly Paradise into which man should be fetched after his redemption by a resurrection in which Paradise as Jesus Christ affirmeth is pleasure for evermore and so are the Romish Doctors and their antichristian diabolicall doctrine with their false interpreation confuted The true meaning of the holy Ghost in Peter by those words of Peter are thus to be interpreted and understood that Peter and all others by God appointed for that purpose into whom the holy Ghost was sent and spake as the Spirit gave them utterance did not speak preach or reveale the will or mind of God to the mortall bodies of men because the mortall bodies of men are to perish and so cannot for ever retaine the word of God which is to endure for ever as Jesus Christ saith Heaven and Earth that is the whole mortality shall passe away but not one jot or tittle of my word shall pass away But the Spirit of God doth direct the word of God to the immortall eternall soules or spirits of men because the souls or spirits of men and the word of God are to endure for ever and so the souls are able to retain the word for ever And every soule of man is an immortall eternall living spirit
saved as the Text saith God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne God did not so love the world for any thing in the world that could or did move God so to love the world but as the Text saith This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased So that God is well pleased with his elected chosen ones in Jesus Christ because Iesus Christ hath trod the wine-presse alone by a sufficient suffering of the wrath of God unto Gods full satisfaction and hath wrought out the perfect work of righteousness by his perfect obedience to all the commandements of God and so is God through his love in Iesus Christ well pleased with his elected ones who receive their salvation according to election from the free grace of Gods love in Iesus Christ Quest If salvation be by the free grace of God and nothing of man Then wherefore doth God command duties and promise rewards Answ. God doth not command duties from man because God doth need any thing that man can doe neither can man do any duty untill or except first God worke in man both the will and the deed to enable him thereby to doe the duty which God commandeth neither doth God promise a reward because man doth deserve the reward for doing of the duty for when man hath done all that he can he is but an unprofitable servant by which Text God is a Master may command what he please and man is but a servant and so doth but his duty in doing what God hath commanded therefore man cannot deserve or merit the promised reward For he that breaketh but one commandement although he could keepe or perform all that is commanded in all the rest but one he is guilty of all And so no man as he is of the seed of Adam according to the lust of the flesh can possibly keep or perform all the commandements of God therefore none of the seed of Adam according to the lust of the flesh can deserve or merit for doing of a duty that reward which is promised for the duty But inasmuch as God hath promised a reward for doing of a duty the reward is a due reward to him that can doe all the duties that God hath commanded and to none else And so no man but Iesus Christ only and alone ever did or could keep performe all the commandements of God therefore none but only Iesus Christ could deserve or merit the reward promised for doing the duty commanded And no man was but Iesus Christ alone of the seed of Adam and not according to the lust of the flesh Therefore in the first place that man in whom God doth worke both the will and the deed to enable him to will and also to doe a duty And in the second place that man whose duty is accepted of God in Jesus Christ In the third place that man may by and for the perfect obedience of Iesus Christ expect the promised reward as Paul saith have respect to the recompence of reward because hee looketh not for the promised reward in and for his own but in and for the perfect righteousnesse of Iesus Christ As for example Iesus Christ hath promised a Disciples reward to him that shall give a cup of cold water to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple The duty commanded is but a cup of cold water to be given The party to whom the water is to be given must be a Disciple or child of God that wanteth the same Now he that will or shall expect to receive the reward must not think to receive it for the richnes of the gift neither because he hath done the duty For neither of these nor both these are of a valuable consideration to deserve such a reward because a Disciples reward is eternall life as the Text saith Master we have left all and followed thee and what shall we have Saith Jesus Christ not only you but also whosoever shall leave father mother wife children house or lands for my sake shall receive in this world an hundred fold and in the world to come life everlasting But he that for such a small duty as the giving of a cup of water and for so small a value as a cup of water is of must find out a more valuable consideration why he should receive such a great reward as Everlasting life before he doe receive the same And that must be if it be aright thus Jesus Christ is God unto whom all power was given both in heaven and in earth And thereby was Christ made able to perform whatsoever he should promise both in this world or the world to come And Christ is God in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen as the Text saith who hath found God a lyar at any time Now that man that will or shall expect such a great reward for so small a duty and of so small a value must doe this He must know that God hath wrought that will or good affection in him towards the poore members or little ones of Jesus Christ for to helpe them in their need And he must likewise know that although a cup of water be but of a smal value or esteem where there is enough yet it is the gift of God to him and that he himselfe doth receive the water from God before he can give the water to another and that he doth give the water to a childe of God because hee esteemes him to be a child of God and that the love of Jesus Christ constraineth him to love the members of Iesus Christ And when it is so given then may a man expect that God will accept of the duty in and through Iesus Christ and for his perfect obedience sake who hath merited from God ability from God to perform whatsoever he hath promised And so will make good all his promises If the duty be done in Christ and for Christ his sake and the promised reward expected not because the duty is done nor for the things sake but because Christ who is an able and a faithfull God hath promised the same Therefore man ought to yeeld obedience and to doe the duty commanded and to expect the reward promised for these reasons First because God hath commanded the duty as a Master man ought to yeild obedience because he is a servant Secondly because God and not man himselfe worketh both the will and the deed in man to enable man to doe the duty commanded Thirdly because God who maketh the promise is able and faithfull and will keep Covenant And fourthly Because God in a God of Justice and as the Text saith will come in flaming fire rendring vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ who requireth nothing of man towards his owne salvation but my sonne give me thy heart or believe that thy salvation is by the free grace of God and of Iesus Christ as Iesus Christ said to the Jewes O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings and ye would not That is how often would I have taken you into my protection out of the snares of the world the Devill and the flesh by my Gospel to take you off of the rudiments of the Ceremoniall law and have saved you by my precious blood and perfect obedience and ye would not Therefore thy destruction is of thy selfe O Israel because I offered my selfe unto thee and thou wouldst not receive me as the Text saith He came unto his owne and his owne received him not FINIS Their booke 19 articles oâ— the Church Joh. 19. 30. Lu. 23. 46. Joh. 19. 28 1 Pet. 3. 18 19 20. Lu. 23. 43. Lu. 23. 42. Gen. 2. 〈◊〉 6. 6. Pet. 3. 20. â—et 1. 22. â—… 1. 1 2. Rev. 20. 1 2 3. Gen. 1. Gen. 6. 6. Mat. 27. 66. Isa. 11 7 8 9. Isa. 65. 25. Rev. 19. 16. Rev. 21. 1 2 3. Isa. 65. 17 18 19. Isa. 66. 22. 1 Kings 8. 27. 1 Tim. 6. 15 16. 1 John 4. 12. Isa. 11. 6 7 8 9. 2 Pet. 3 4. 2 Pet. 3. 8. Gen. 6. 6 Rom. 8. 21 12 23. Rev. 21. 1 23. 2. â—ev. 20. 6. 2 Peâ—… 2 Pet. 3. 13. 2 Pet. 3. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Colos. see Nâ—… Creed Rev. 21. 22. 2 Pet. 3. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 13 Rev. 21. 3. â— Kings 8. â—7 Rev. 22. 16. 2 Pet. 3. 14. 2 Rev. 22. 6. â—6 18. â—â—v 21. 16. â—en 3. â—en 5. 3. 〈◊〉 7. 6. Rev. 13. 18. Rom. 8. 19 20 21 22 23. Rom. 8. 29. Eph. 1. 4 5. 11. Predestination Rom. 8. 32. Election Joh. 3. 16. Mat. 10. 42. Mat. 19. 27. 29. 2 Thes. 1. 8.