is convinced and brought off all things to accept of and confide in Jesus and so brought out of the power of Darkness into the Kingdom of his dear Son and so by his Love believed framed to love him and that this is true Faith indeed none that I know but the deniers of Jesus to be the Christ gainsay yet is this but the farther Efficacies of the same Object of Faith beheld and so one and the same Faith still though in this degree united and made one with the Object so as it was not in the former Degree yet even in this Degree also there are divers Degrees and so some weak Joh. 2.13 14. 2 Thes 1.1 3. Rom. 3.21 22 25 26 27. Act. 6.7 2 Pet. 1.1 some stronger some stablish'd some Babes some young or strong Men some Fathers yea and in every of these Degrees some may be more grown then others and be before others yet all still in one and the same Faith and still also in this one Faith 3. There be divers Acts and Operations of this Faith 1 Thes 2.13 Act. 10.43 Gal. 2.3 5. 2 Tim. 1.7 Joh. 7.38 39. Gal. 5.22 23. Gal. 5.6 Rom. 10.10 Psal â—6 1 10. as to say a receiving Act in which is received the Word or Testimony and therein Remission of sins Justification Sanctification Liberty of access to God the Spirit of Faith Love Power and a sound Minde a springing act raising up prizings of Christ Love of God and Brethren bowels of Mercy c. a streaming Act Faith working through Love and so bringing forth the services of Love in Confession Prayers Praises Works of Mercy and Righteousness yet the Faith it self is still one and the same and so called the same the same Spirit of Faith yea when it produced Miracles 2 Cor. 4.13 Act. 4.10 11 12. the Faith was still the same though the Act extraordinary The belief of the History Rom. 10.8 9. is the belief of the Testimony of Christ which whoso believeth with his heart shall be saved and when through the Grace believed one is brought upon Christ he is justified from all sins past and in that believing receiveth continual justification Rom. 3.25 26 27. Gal. 5.7 Mat. 24.13 and if any depart from the Faith that proves temporary but he that endureth to the end shall be eternally saved the Faith it self being one still and but one Faith III. As Faith is used to express the Object of Faith Heb. 1.1 so it hath been reyealed for the full and cleer Demonstration of it at divers times and by divers parcels and degrees and at last fully and cleerly by Jesus Christ and yet that Object of Faith still one and the same each Revelation agreeing with and opening the former and so still one as hath been shewn in this whole third Part of the Treatise And because there is no Faith by the Holy Spirit called Faith but that which by his Discovery of this Object is drawn towards it in believing that the Believer might so be united to it Therefore the Faith is one yea and this Demonstration to lead us into unity because as it unites Believers in one Foundation to one Head so it makes them of one Heart and Fellowship Eph. 4.4 For there is one Body that is one Mystical Body or Corporation Fellowship and Society though the Members of this Corporation and their Offices be many yet the Corporation and Society in Faith Love and Fellowship of their Priviledges is one and all bear one Name 1 Cor. 12.12 20. Eph. 2.19 22. 1 Joh. 1.3 Cant. 6.9 Gal. 3.16 29. Hos 11.1 Rom. 8.17 Gal. 3.36 Eph. 4.4 1 Joh. 5.6 Joh. 15.26 Eph. 2.17 18. 1 Cor. 12.13 1 Cor. 2.16 Eph. 4.4 sa 45.22 Joh. 3.14 16. 2 Thes 2.14 Eph. 1.18 Eph. 4.5 Rom. 10.6 15. 1 Pet. 1.20 21. 2 Thes 1.10 Joh. 1.12 13. Eph. 4.5 the Name of Christ being called Christians And so there is but one true Church and Sanctuary that is united to Christ and shall be in and with him for ever and by vertue of their Union with Christ they are all in respect of kinde one Seed and one Son though in respect of their several particular Persons Heirs Children and Sons of God by Faith And as there is One Body so there is in it One Spirit even the Spirit of the Father and the Son that beareth forth the Testimony of Christ and enables to believe in Christ and brings to God by Christ and into this Fellowship working the Minde of Christ and so called the Spirit of Faith by whom all he calleth and so all Believers are called in One Hope of their calling The same Grace proclaimed The same looking and believing required and for the same end To be saved and to the same Hope in believing even the obtaining Eternal Life and Glory and so One Lord even the Lord Jesus Christ in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily and so One Faith as one Object so one Manner of believing which is Faith indeed that is produced by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel and closeth with Christ the Object of Faith and so also One Baptism one kinde and end of the gracious Operation of the Holy Spirit in Baptizing into Christ and through his Name by all the Mediums of baptizing 1 Cor. 12.12 13. Rom. 6.3 6. Gal. 3.26 27 28. called also Baptisms into conformity to Christ in his Death that they may partake of the vertue of his Resurrection and so into the Fellowship of his body drinking into one Spirit and so becoming of one minde and that the minne of Christ the Son of God even as also there is 1 Cor. 6.11 Phil. 2.1 2 5. Eph. 4.6 Eph. 1.3 17. 1 Cor. 2.6 Mat. 10.40 Rom. 16.20 25 26. 1 Pet. 5.10 â— Psa 138.8 One God and Father of all who is above all and through al and in them all that are Believers he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and in him and shmes forth his Glory through him that Men might believe and so in and through him he is the Father of all that believe in Christ and above all able to overthrow all their Enemies and Opposers and to perfect all that concerneth them all so as all flows from and leads into Union and this Union of the Spirit bringing into the Union of the acknowledgement of the Son of God is that which the Spirit teacheth and to which all the Degrees and Operations tendeth whence we are exhorted to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace 2 Cor 114. Gal. 1.6 7 8. and so but one Faith which the Gospel calleth Faith and he that would finde out another Faith really true and holy in its kinde must first finde out another true Body that is the Church another Spirit another Jesus to be the Christ another Gospel and another Hope to call to and another God all real true and holy in their
his fulness and our interest in him and enjoyment of him who saith Because he liveth we that believe in him shall live also and it is better and safer for us that it is in his Hands then if it were in ours we may better betrust him then our selves for keeping it And knowing all this revealed in the Revelation of Christ and so testified in the Testimony of Christ and therein the Purposes of God to be declared to be such and according thereto the Promises of God given forth and all the Promises assured by his Covenant and now Christ given us for all so as believing in him he is ours and he being ours all that is his is ours his Father Spirit Promises Covenant Inheritance and we his as is all plentifully shewn and proved before in this Treatise Who then can desire a better firmer and stronger assurance of God being ours and with us to preserve us to the Inheritance I confess I have formerly fancied some more particular and personal thing in which I now see I was mistaken And because I meet with Expressions importing the same in others I owning it as my own former mistake will endeavour to remove it from others in considering one Expression more of Mr. Owen's of whose minde in that also I conceive my self to have been CHAP. 11. An Answer to an Expression seeming to cross this last said about assurance or else to give a better THis I finde in Mr. Owen's writing Pag. 139.2 viz. God being with his People from henceforth even for ever is from his giving in that Promise Psal 125.1 c. into their souls in particular and their receiving it in their Generations according to their appointed times even for ever So far he But this saying suits not with the Gospel setting forth Christ to have come in the flesh and to be given for God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth and for a light to the Gentiles and for a Covenant to the People nor is there any place of Senpture in its own plainness and simplicity either to assert it or countenance it no not that very Text it self Let it be considered as agreeing with others 1. They that trust in Jehovah as Mount Sion is not moved Psal 125.1 2. remaineth for ever or as some read it They that put their trust in the Lord are even as the Mount Sion which may not be removed but standeth fast for ever or as we read it They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever 2. The Mountains round about it and Jehovah is round about his people from this time and for ever or as some read it The Hills stand about Jorusalem even so standeth the Lord round about his people from this time forth for evermore or as we read it As the Mountains are round about Jerusalem so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever All comes to one sense in every reading but neither the Text it self nor any Translation of it doth thus read it That such as from God's giving in these particular words to their Souls and they receiving it they shall be as Mount Sion c. nor any such manner of saying here or elsewhere I will not press that I understand not though some of the Learned render it as the Chaldee Explanation and Exposition to be thus The just which trusteth in the word of the Lord and so Jehovah the divine presence or Majesty of the Lord is round about them I say I will not press this though it be far more agreeing with the Text then the former device being suitable to the same thing spoken by another Prophet Isa 26.3 4. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength But not to press farther the words countenance not at all such a saying as I am answering But 2. Evident it is here That the Lord by this Prophet delivereth the same Doctrine for the comfort of his People Psal 125.1 2. with Hab. 2.3.4 that he did after in discovering the Vision to and by the Prophet Habakkuk The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lye though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry Behold his soul which is listed up is not upright in him but the just shall live by Faith And this is cleared to us by the Apostles to be Rom. 3.22 23 24 25. 4.5 5.1 2 5 6 8 10. Gal. 2.16 That sinners ungodly ones coming in through the Love of God commended in the Death of Christ for sinners to believe in his Blood and therethrough to believe in God to be saved through Christ That God justifieth these through the Blood of Christ and they receive this justification through Faith and so are justified Rom. 1.17 4.22 25. Gal. 2.20 3.11 5.5 6. or just by Faith And these are the just ones of whom Habakkuk speaks And doth not the Apostle farther declare That these just ones do live abide and receive all their strength encrease and safety by Faith in trusting or believing in the Lord and these are the Trusters in God and Livers by Faith of whom both the Prophets speak And to all such Trusters in the Lord that said Psal 125.1 2. is strong Consolation and he should do an evil work that should take them off from this confidence begot in them by the Grace of God in Christ commended through his Blood to sinners by saying Oh you may be deceived and steal this in trusting on the Lord without warrant if these words Psal 1.25.1 2. were not given in in particular to your Souls and you so received them and then it will prove Gravel to you c. But I desire to wrong none I suppose he limiteth it not to these very words But if any such-like be so given in and received as Son be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee or I have blotted out thy transgressions as a cloud for my own Name 's sake or I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee or any such-like But though these be great and special mercies to be spiritually streamed into the heart yet not rightly taken or used if it be for such an end as to take them for Gods making the everlasting Covenant with us in particular as with Abraham for all these but one were spoken to the Church in general and were not the making but the remembring of the Covenant made with Abraham which though made in particular and personally with him and so with Isaac and Jacob and after with David in respect of the Kingdom yet was it not made with them or any one of them for themselves in particular but for them
And exhortation to them vers 6. And admonition to them that none beguile them vers 4.8 either with inticing words or Philosophy and vain deceit or by shews of humility and great knowledge intruding themselves into things they have not seen c. and so happily either pressing them to Law-observances for their perfection or to some humane and self-mortifications or to look for some particular words or some degree and condition in attainments or some secret decree of election that was of their persons before their calling or any thing what ever besides that which is discovered to them in Christ As if there were not enough in him to be received in beleeving on him And so hee warns to beware that we be not removed from him and that hope of the Gospel given us in beleeving on him Col. 1.22 23 24. For he will present us blameless if we continue in the faith c. This is the Apostles doctrine and scope as appears in this and former and following Chapters cleerly so as in all the proofs not a syllable to maintain any true faith of a second kinde nor the cause contended for but much rather that he contendeth against and more need not bee said but only to view his terms about their priviledges in the works of God passed on them which also are needful to be considered CHAP. XXII Of the terms of Gods works passed on beleevers in this Concernment OF these terms understood as is fore-shewn and some so molified as hath been shewn before in Pages 414 435 436. they may be all received As for the term Regenerated it is not used here and hath been considered where it is onely here let that place Mat. 19.28 Ye which have followed me in the Regeneration c. be considered he saith not Ye which are regenerated as speaking of a work done but a doing and it may be taken both for Regeneration and the Ministry of Regeneration in both which they were then following him Now what was the Regeneration of Christ surely he needed none of heart spirit or disposition he was holy in and from conception and knew no sin but he had a weak frail and mortal body of the seed of David Abraham Adam and how was that regenerated but through many sufferings and death in the resurrection from the dead Luke 24.26.45 46 47. Isa 53 8 10 11 Psal 2. Act. 13.33 And so he passâ—â—on through sufferings till he was truly dead and in the resurrection he was begotten there was his regeneration and such as are so raised are his generation or regenerated people whence such promises to be performing in the spirit and soul as through dying with Rom. 6 4 5. 2 Tim. 2 11. Phil. 3.9.10 11 12 13. Joh. 15 16-25 Mat. 10. 24 9-13 and for him we are conformed to his death for we need it in that and in soul and body after we are truly dead in the resurrection of the just and those that follow him so to the death shall then enjoy that promised Mat. 19.28 and such desires of conformity to him in sufferings And as for the ministration of Christ for regeneration of others it was a ministration carried an end through sufferings in which he persevered to the end and so must that ministration of his servants be also and he that perseveres in following him in that to the end shall enjoy also that promised And that regeneration is thus to be understood here for a work not compleatly yet done but in doing both in regeneration and ministration of it is evident by the Spirit in Luke mentioning the same thing so far as they had proceeded in it saith Luke 22.28 29 30. Yee are they which have continued with me in my temptations expressing that as the medium through which regeneration is here attained which minded will help to understand all the terms that are here used The term Accepted I suppose he means it to be the same with Justified because there is no other quotation for it and they may well be alike taken and they are both alike true of all that are indeed beleevers without difference in respect of their persons as such and so sons by faith yet is not this acceptation and Justification answerable in degree to that which shall be in the resurrection of the just when their persons as Sons and all their wayes as becoming Sons will be alike accepted and justified but not altogether so yet yea in this life even beleevers in whom the faith is may be in that respect accepted and justified as Sons and yet some words or act and so a way of theirs rejected and condemned and they in that not accepted or justified but both reproved and corrected No doubt but Moses and Aaron aboad in the faith Numb 20.12 and were accepted as the Saints of the Lord yet their failing in an act of faith and not honouring the power and freeness of Gods mercy before the people was reproved and they corrected for it No doubt but Peter aboad in the faith and love of his Master Maâ— 16.22.23 and was accepted as a true disciple yet not acting rightly in his faith his carnal counsel is rejected as proceeding from some suggestion of Satan to whom Christ as in Mat. 4. saith Depart and Peter sharply reproved 1 Cor. 11.30 32. No question but those corrected with weakness sickness and some with death for so gracious an end were true beleevers and so accepted but their demeanor not suitable to their faith was deeply reproved and chastened And the same I conceive of David Psal 32. though at one time foulely faln yet not utterly departed from the faith and his beleef in God and adoration of him for then what caused that great grief and disquietness of heart nor yet wholly out of favour of God in respect of his person as the Lords servant but in respect of his evil way disallowed 1 King 15.5 reproved and sorely afflicted And this I conceive because David is affirmed not to have turned aside c. all the dayes of his life it is not said save onely in that time in which sure were many other matters but save onely in the matter of Vriah Rom. 3.22 25. 5.8 3.25 4 5. 10 9 10. c. And the word Accepted thus understood is safe and good for all beleevers and so the word Justified also But for the rest there are quotations to be viewed Rom. 5.1 The Apostle had before discovered what true faith is in respect of the object Christ as having dyed rose c. And the true beleeving begot by the discovery of this object which is therefore called faith first in the beginning bringing to and closing with him namely an hearty beleeving That this Jesus is the Christ and that he dyed for our sins and rose for our justification and is the Lord of all and the propitiation for our sins this is the
first thing in hearty beleeving whereof we shall surely be saved Secondly Rom. 5.8.10 4.23 24 25. In the proceeding of it uniting to and ingrafting into Christ viz. That through the beleef of this fore-said and the immense love power and propitiousness and good will of God commended here-through beleeve in God and so rest on him for preservation in this grace to the enjoyment of the inheritance and so for the eternal life promised Heb. 11.13 which beleeving is formerly described to be a discerning a being perswaded and a hearty operation c. And all so beleeving without difference are justified by faith which word or term is used to shew the way of receiving justification even by faith not to shew that justification is compleated and over and past for justification is still needed by beleevers and in beleeving daily received of them whence also God is said not onely to be the justifier of him that beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly and so to be he that hath justified the beleever Rom. 4.5 But to be the justifier of him that beleeveth and it is God that justifieth Rom. 3.26 8.33 So as it is a continued flowing business for beleevers in all needs to be receiving by faith that is the onely way of receiving and that in which God dispenseth justification Therefore being justified by faith that is by and through Christ by his bloud Rom. 5.1 2 â— 3.25 5.11 John 1.12 Act. 10.43 12.38 39 the object of faith received in and through beleeving on him wee have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord by whom also wee have accesse into this grace wherein wee stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God c. And it should bee an evil work by any strange and lofty expressions to trouble any such beleevers about this faith Rom. 8.32 33-39 Speaketh of that whence the Apostles perswasion was raised and this perswasion not of and for himself alone or some special and peculiar Beleevers with him only But of the whole society and body of Beleevers 1 Joh. 3.1 2. speaketh likewise of the whole society of Beleevers Joh. 1.12 Gal. 3.26 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed on us that wee should bee called the Sonnes of God Therefore the world knoweth us not owneth not us nor our faith and profession because it knew not him owned not God in that discovery of himself in his Son which hee hath set forth in the gospel Beloved now are wee the sons of God that is by faith and it doth not yet appear what wee shall bee that is 1 Cor. 13 12. Rom. 8.23 Col. 3.4 how glorious and happy we shall be we see yet but in part we are but a little like him we have yet but the first fruits of the spirit but when hee shall appear that is in glory wee shall bee like him for wee shall see him as hee is this is that which all true Beleevers do and may look and wait for Ephe. 3.15 Joh. 1.12 Gal. 3.26 speaks of more than beleevers on the earth and shews that all that are beleevers in Christ and those that have lived and died in the faith have had their name of Sonnes from Christ the Sonne and Beleevers now by vertue of their union with him in beleeving and from him now are they called Christians and his house c. And it is confessed in a sense hee puts his Name on them though it bee not here said they are called after the name of God But let it bee considered that here is shown how the Apostle prayed for them Eph. 3 14.-19 as was in Chap. 1 18.-20 And surely for nothing but what was good and needfull for them hee doth not puff them up with thoughts of their attainments Eph. 1.13 because they had beleeved and were sealed with the holy spirit of promise And were quickned together with Christ and were raised together and made to sit together in heavenly places in him Eph. 2.5 6 8 and were saved by grace through faith of the gift of God therefore they had and injoyed these things hee prayed for and it was impossible for them to miscarry though they knew not that they had these things and so wanted only the knowledge in themselves of the assurance of their abiding Nor doth he scare or terrify them as if their faith were not of the right kind and that Christ and his holy spirit were not in them But hee acknowledging their faith right and them faithful in Christ tells them now earnestly and for what hee prayeth for them Phil. 1.9 10 11. Col 1.9 10 11 1 Thes 3.12 13. 5.23 2 Thes 1.11 12 Eph. 3.14 15 that they may abide and grow and be preserved and established in the faith and so found unblameable before him at his comming As hee did the like for the Phillipians and for the Colossians and for the Thessalonians and so likewise for the Hebrews chap. 13.20 And so here to the Ephesians hee lets them know To whom and in whose name he prayed for them even unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named In which are many things encouraging both him and them to pray to God in the name of Christ As the exceeding greatnesse of the power of God that gave and raised Christ Eph. 1.19 22 2.17 18 19 22. Heb. 3.5 6 c. The relation between the Father and the Son and his ingagement to his Son by whom the ways of our approach to have access to God was opened the fellowship corporation and body hee hath received us into and made us of even his own house and family and so his interest in us Eph 1.23 3 14 and ours in him our Lord and the owner of this house And Lastly That in putting his word in their heart and inabling them to beleeve and confesse the same hee hath put his name upon them so farre that hee is pleased to bee called their God and Father and they called his people and the declarers of his name which with the rest gives great consolation seeing hee hath promised to hear his people that are called by his name when they humble themselves and pray and seek his face and pray towards or in the house that is called by his name 2 Chron. 7 12-14 6 20-41 which as the old was a tipe signifies Christ and his people and so to pray in faith in the Name of Christ and in union with and love of the brethren Joh. 16.23 Mar. 11.24 25 Psal 65 1-4 Hee being a God hearing prayers and they blessed whom he chooseth and causeth to approach to him that they may dwell in his house for they shall bee satified And as this is great consolation for Beleevers confident praying so it hath in it also a forcible and great admonition to Beleevers to
their abode and going in and coming out and rage against him yea he knoweth the proud afar off and therefore he is fit to judge all and this is for the comfort of his Servants also yea he knoweth them and their thoughts and their wayes a good Meditation for them but knoweth in this business signifieth more then all this yea more then to say See part 4. ch 7. The Lord knoweth who they be that are his and who are not for the word here importeth special Grace Favour and Protection as hath been shewn The Lord knoweth that is the Lord owneth approveth chuseth delighteth in protecteth leadeth upholdeth manifesteth himself to and vouchsafeth fellowship with and maketh use of them to shew forth his vertues and praises by and so the word is used Psal 1.6 explained God is in the generation of the righteous God loveth the righteous Psal 14.5 146.8 37.17 112.6 5.12 1.6 146.9 37.17 112.10 The Lord upholdeth the righteous The righteous shall be in ever lasting remembrance For thou Lord wilt bless the righteous with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield And this knowing of the righteous is opposed to the perishing of the way of the wicked his turning of the way of the wicked upside down so as the arms of the wicked shall be broken and the desire of the wicked shall perish yea to this understanding of the word knoweth here we are led by Christ and his Apostles yea the learned and godly Writers with one consent so take the word knoweth importing Approbation and Election The Lord knoweth them that are his These words by the connexion with the precedent and following words and the Apostle's scope appear plainly That By Them that are his are not meant all that are his in any sence as all that he hath right in to dispose of yea and to bring about his own ends by and to judge c. for so Psal 24.1 119.91 Joh 12.16 Psal 2.7 9. Rom. 13.9 Act. 10.36 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Phil. 2.9 10 11. Joh. 5.28 29. The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein yea All are his servants The deceived and the deceiver are his yea God hath given to Christ upon the account of his sufferings and sacrifice all Nations of Men yea all Men to be disposed by him and he to be the Lord of them all and they are all obliged to him to live to him and will they nill they they shall all come one day before him and confess him Lord and he shall judge them In which sense all Men are his which though some through unbelief deny and will not acknowledge the Lordship of Christ upon this ground yet will none plead for them that are his to be taken in this sense here and it hath been often proved before That none that live in impenitency and unbelief can be reckoned in the number of those that are here meant by them that are his By Them that are his evidently appeareth here to be meant them that are his peculiar or his in a peculiar manner that is them that in the heavenly Call by the Gospel in discovery of his great Name Joh. 6.44 45. 14.21 23. 17.2 6 7. Rom. 9.24 Heb. 3.1 6. 1 Cor. 1.24 2 Cor. 8 5 Tit. 3.3 7. Rom. 9.8 Gal. 3.29 Rom. 8.28 2 Thes 2.13 2 Pet. 1.2 Hos 2.23 Rom. 9.25 26. 1 Cor. 8.2 3. Gal. 4.8 9. 1 Cor. 6.11 1 Thes 5.4 5. Eph. 2.3 10. that is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world and God's love and propitiousness to Mankinde through him are prevailed with to believe in Christ and so through the Grace believed united to him and so wrought up to love God and yield up themselves to trust in him and live to him and in the abounding of this love believed springing up this Faith and Love in them he returning with more discoveries of Love and so approving delighting in and chusing them These are the Children of the Promise that are Christ his peculiar and Heirs according to Promise The Called according to Purpose that love God and Christ The Elect and chosen through Sanctification of the Spirit c. These are them that his his people in such a sense as before this they were not his people and so both knowing God and rather so known of God as before they were not so now in Christ in the light his Children and peculiar people which before they were not And this understanding of these and no other to be his peculiar people and chosen and elect Generation we are fully and plainly taught as all that will read and minde 1 Pet. 2.2 3 5 9 10. may see without interpretation or gloss and so it 's plain these are those here meant by Them that are his And we have the same from our Saviour's own Mouth who is the Foundation and the first sealed known approved and elect Joh. 14.21 23. 16.27 15.16 19. 17.6 10 16. Joh. 3.14 15 16. 16.24 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him c. And The Father himself hath loved you because ye have loved me c. and these he saith He hath chosen out of the world and they are not of the world And these are the Father's and these are Christ's so that it is plain these are The Them so known and owned of which Paul speaks here to Timothy and if any Man would put any into this number that are not of this Them the Scripture is directly against him So that in this 2 Tim. 2.19 according to Scripture-Language we have set forth intimately the Purpose of God and expresly and distinctly The Foundation of God that is laid according to his purpose Isa 28.16 1 Pet. 2.6 and the Election of those that are prevailed with by Grace to believe in and relie on Christ according to his Purpose also the Foundation is first laid and upon the account of the preciousness of this Foundation the owning and election of those that believe on him they shall not be ashamed I know not what can be more plain and evident and yet that which follows confirms all hitherto said 4. And let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity If any will take this as the flourishing of the Seal whereby it is demonstrated to others I hinder him not nor doth it hinder the scope aimed at yet I rather conceive it distinct for it is not said These Seals but this Seal which mentioned what it is he comes in with an and distinctive though not dis-junctive differenced though not divided both distinctive and copulative neither the Foundation nor the Seal yet an instruction and warning taught by the Foundation Tit. 2.11 12. Pro.
to stumble at Christ And not I onely but many others have cause to bless God that in making Christ known overthrew this Confidence and brought us in to believe in Jesus Christ onely and so delivered us that from snare also But yet some there are Gal. 3.10 13. Tit. 3.4 that heeding the Testimony of Christ in the Gospel see these changes and righteous affections and doings of ones own are very imperfect and too weak to raise such a Conclusion from and not the way in which the Love of God appears to save Men and bring them in to himself and so not to assure Election or trust in for it or for life And that sueâ— Trusters cannot be justified before God but that is onely by the freeness of his Grace discovered to sinners as sinners through the Blood of Christ that died for sinners and so bringing them in to believe in him for Justification yea and Sanctification and all saving Grace through the freeness of his Grace O Grace how freely workest thou O precious Faith thou art now a working But this fable not being yet banished doth secretly suggest All this is true indeed but yet this Death of Christ for sinners as sinners and all this free and rich Grace in and through him is not nor never was intended for all sinners but onely to some of them before the World was the Elect and they onely and no other shall have it And for the reverence so of many holy Men as have affirmed this fable for Truth this Suggestion is received and so in stead of believing what Grace tendereth they are perswaded first to wait for some special and personal Manifestation of their Election from eternity by some supernatural shine and powerful dictate in some speaking to their heart that they are elect sons and so that Christ hath died for them and their sins are forgiven and for want of this many long languish and refuse to believe and to be comforted by the Words of the Gospel and some over-hasty of Consolation snatch at any word that cometh suddenly into their thoughts though left to their own and others Interpretation yet putt up with and boast of them some in this waiting ready to receive any Satanical delusion coming as an Angel of Light and so to be transported with strange dreams and erring fancies yet so merciful is God that to some thus waiting he not laying this their folly to their charge doth for his own Name sake in Christ in some season minde them of his graciousness and love in Christ with some saying or promise in the Gospel put to their heart in which they are drawn through Christ to behold him as a Father and so for the present sweetly comforted and framed yet the Dreams of the old fable not banished Anon after some grow proud of their visits and though foiled with some passions and lusts yet presumptuously confident in their visits They say They cannot by these things miscarry God can as soon cease to be God as cease eternally to save them because of his eternal Purpose corcerning them yet others in minding the great and free love and goodness of God in Christ and their own infirmities are kept more humbly confident in his grace in Christ and stirred up more seriously to acknowledge the failings that appear and to seek in exercise of faith and use of means help preservation and encrease of grace through Christ yet the relicks of the old fable hinders the free stream of their Love to such as are yet in ignorance and their ready declaring Gospel to them and apts them to many lofty Speeches and un-Gospel-like sayings and to judge all that by temptation are turned aside to have been but hypocrites before and to put a stop to weak Brethrens consolation that have not had their visits Yet God being gracious to both these sorts doth yet farther correct and teach them notwithstanding the force the old fable hath with them still and keeps their hearts to himself and out of some backslidings doth recal them and heal them his mercies are greater and his waves above Mans as many of us have cause to confess for by his gracious teachings the Gospel often breathing and shining upon their hearts notwithstanding all the miscarriages before said The Testimony of Jesus That he died for all and is the Propitiation for the sins of the whole VVorld That whoever of them believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life and this the Purpose of God is discerned and believed And so the old fable it self departeth and they are more freely and sweetly drawn upon Jesus Christ and have all their rest and joy in him and the freeness of the grace of God in him and to minde Purpose and Election as it is and appears in and through him and so begin to be united to him and in some measure conformed to him loving delightfully their brethren and with compassion those that are yet in ignorance and unbelief and readily holding forth the word of Life as a word of Truth and Verity to them And yet notwithstanding all this though the old fable be gone some of the dregs of it are left remaining secretly moving in them which they in their fancy are rectifying to a new mould as if though secret yet some such Election there is But God hath purposed and according to his Purpose sent Christ the Saviour of the World and he hath purposed and according to his Purpose hath doth and will use means towards all that they might be saved and especially where the Gospel comes yea so far stretching forth his hand in the means with such sufficiency of light and strength that they might indeed repent and believe in which repenting and believing he will surely save them by Christ and if they in such seasons do not repent and believe it is their own fault and they lose their own Souls all which is verily true But then follows If God should do no more but that which is enough and sufficient to bring Men in to believe then would none believe and so none would come into his rest and be eternally saved but some must enter therefore he hath decreed and purposed to overcome some with an almighty and unresistable power and those onely so purposed and so overcome shall be eternally saved This at first blush would seem to set forth God's Mercy to all Mankinde to free him from all the imputation of hardness and cruelty by the former fable laid upon him to abase Man and magnifie the riches and freeness of his Grace to some and the equity of his Justice to others and leaves room to preach the Gospel as Truth to all which the other fable did not yet in Truth well weighed it is found but a meer Artifice of remaining dregs of the former and if long remaining will have its barking bleat and bring forth many of its Fruits and now it may be more marvelled that the former fable gone
things to them till they were fit to be taught what he now writeth and so would he in his Ministration where he met with them but not for fear of these leave off his intended business thus directed to such as were capable to receive profit by it that also one Reason 4. Because if there should be any among them of their Society to whom he directs this Epistle that have not onely known by a ministerial Teaching the Foundation what it is and the Oracles of God in and by it what they are and the first Principles thereof and so hold them all in Opinion but in the Ministration of the Gospel and their understanding these things have been illuminated by the Holy Spirit and so wrought to Repentance from dead works and such Faith towards God as they tasted of the heavenly Gift and so that the Lord is Gracious and in usefulness of the Doctrines of Baptisms with Word Water Afflictions and Spirit were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost in his spiritual Evidences Operations and Gifts and in the Assemblies Prayers and laying on of Hands of his People have tasted of the good Word of God in his faithful performance of his Promises and in the belief of the Resurrection and eternal Judgement have tasted or felt the spiritual efficacies or powers of the World to come all which he believeth to be in these he writes to And if such do fall away he will not say there is any such among them he is better perswaded of them but if any such he saith not if any that are yet ignorant of the first Principles for notwithstanding their declinings they may be hopefully taught them again but if any such as they fall from the Foundation and first Principles and so fall away even as to the Galatians Whosoever of you of you that received the Spirit of Adoption in belief of Christ crucified for you are justified by the Law Gal. 1.6 3.1 4.4 7. 5.2 3. and so Christ become of no effect to you ye are fallen from Grace And so here they that having received all this before mentioned if they fall away it is impossible to renew them again to Repentance c. and so the laying again of the Foundation and opening the Principles to such Chap. 6.4 5 6. will not be of any profit for them therefore the thoughts of such shall not hinder But he will forbear further discourse in this Epistle of those first things and proceed to his intended business and that another Reason and in them all a full Answer of the cause of his present leaving such a discourse Quest 4. What that going on to perfection is he craveth Liberty for and therein exhorteth them to the same Answ That is evident and manifest in all this Epistle to be no other but to instruct them Ch. 5.10 17. 6.19 20. 7.1 25. 8 9.12 28. 10 c. and that they might be instructed farther in the Ends Vertues and Excellencies of the Cross of Christ his Blood and Sacrifice his Oblation declared in the word of the beginning of Christ as declared discovered and shewn forth in the Excellency and Prevalency of his ever-abiding Priesthood after the Order not of Aaron but of Melchizedec and of his Mediation of the New Testament and of his continual Intercession by vertue of his Blood and Sacrifice once offered and all this Mediation and Intercession for his called that come to God by him to fit them for and preserve them to the Inheritance that they may live by Faith in him and look for his coming again and then receive it that by instructing them in the Knowledge and Faith hereof Eph. 1.17 20. 3.14 15 20. 2 Pet. 1.1 2 8. they might be more built on Jesus Christ and grow up into more Union and Fellowship with him and Conformity to him And in these Answers we may be helpt to see his meaning and drift in saying Therefore leaving the word of the beginning of Christ let us go on to perfection CHAP. 5. Of Hebrews 6.1 NOt laying again the Foundation of Repentance and of Faith towards God As if he should say Do not put us to that by such discourse to be still and again laying the Foundation and so to hinder us from building thereon In which manner speaking we may note 1. That the Foundation was forelaid among these The Oblation of Christ taught Heb. 10.32 3.1 6 14. 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3 4. Gal. 1.6 9. 3.1 4.7 c. with the first Oracles thereof and the first Principles opened and pressed and the same heard known and in believing received and the spiritual Efficacies experimented by these Hebrews who were illuminated Holy Brethren Partakers of the heavenly Call as it was with the Corinthians they had not onely heard but received that in which they stood and in retaining should be saved and so the Galatians 2. That the Foundation laid was not the Principles here named as Repentance Ezra 4.10 5.16 Zach. 4.9 c. but the Foundation is that in which are and from which the Oracles come that teach the Principles and on which they are founded it being the Ground Motive Builder and Foundation of them as the Foundation of an House or Temple is not the House or Temple but that on which the House or Temple is builded 3. That the Foundation is that which is first brought forth and laid 1 King 5.17 6.37 38. yea perfectly and-compleatly laid before any other thing be laid or built on it and so nothing laid under it or before it not any thing to be built on before it or besides it but it first and first compleat and then all that House or Temple and every stone to be laid on and builded comes after and is builded on that first-laid Foundation and so the whole House and building being on that Foundation that is sure and firmly laid the Foundation is the Upholder and Bearer of all the whole building that is builded on it This is plain to any â—uk 6 48. 4. That in spirituals of all the Principles here mentioned and of all that farther growth and excellency the Apostle presseth to of all Repentance towards God Faith in God Love to God Walking with God Hope in God of Vocation Sanctification Election of Union and Fellowship together with him of Teaching Baptizing Praying of Perserance and Enjoyment of the Inheritance Jesus Christ as set forth in the Gospel in which he is Evangelized in respect of what from eternity he was 1 Pet. 1.25 Phil. 2.6 10. Rom. 3.25 1 Cor. 1.17 18. 2.1 2. Heb. 7.27 28. 1 Tim. 2.7 1 Joh. 4.14 2 Cor. 5.18 19. Part 4. c. 10. and what he became and what in himself he hath suffered and done and what received in the Nature of Man and for Men and what he is set forth to be for Men him and him crucified with the Vertues and
of them all in general And wherein had God so freely ingaged himself in his righteousness so as if hee should not preserve men and keep them to eternal life he also should be unrighteous Is not this ingagement first and primely to Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 Are not all the promises in him Yea and in him Amen And is it not in and through Christ to Abraham and all the Spiritual seed Isa 28.16 Rom. 4 12 16 Gal. 3.16 29 Act. 10.43 Rom. 4.5 5.1 Act. 26.13 2 Tim. 1.7 1 Pet. 1.5 Heb. 3.6.14 as many as through grace beleeve in Christ And do not they that beleeve in him freely receive forgiveness of sins justification sanctification and a spirit of faith and love And how is this ingagement to keep beleevers Is it not by his power through faith unto salvation suitable to that ingagement held forth to these Hebrews And they now beleeving the Apostle is comforted concerning them and incourageth them with the righteousness of God So then All the promises of God are Yea and Amen in Christ And sure to them all that beleeve in Christ That their preservation in faith and love is from the freeness of the mercy of God and his righteousness through Christ to continue to them such supplies of grace and spirit that they may persevere in faith and love This I hope is beleeved by us all yea and something more than this namely That as faith worketh through love Gal. 1.6 Mat 10 41 42 Luke 14.14 so every service of love produced by it shall to the beleever be rewarded but then this is without opposition of one beleever to another it is in general alike true to them all But now suppose any after they have known the truth and beleeved and met with such riches and furniture to keep them in and preserve them and have brought forth some fruits of love do after this for some dream or fancy c. turn aside and so fall away from God Is God unrighteous then to forsake them and to blot out all their former services so as not one is remembred on their account Surely not he should not else be righteous Gen. 12.3 2 Chron. 15.2 Ezek. 33.12 13 Joh. 15.1.2 11 according to the tenour of his promise and ingagement to his Son and to men through his Son And in this language speaks the Apostle to these Hebrews Chap. 3 6 14 10 35 38 39 12 25. And that without difference making And I hope none would think the righteousness of God ingaged to the works of men otherwise than in and through Christ to such as live by the faith of Christ so as this line was wrested to a by end to make up this Account and yet will not serve for that purpose Account 3. The immutability of the Counsels of God and his Oath mentioned vers 13-18 Answ Here is no opposition of beleevers under a possibility of falling to beleevers under an impossibility of falling nor is the promise here made to some sort of beleevers opposed to other belevers But to Abraham for himself Gal. 3.6 7 8 13 14. 1 Tim. 2.7 Eph. 3.4 Mat. 22.19 20 Rom. 4.16 and his seed which is Christ and all that through grace beleeve in him And this so that it may be held forth to all men that they may beleeve And to all that do beleeve that abiding in the faith they may be sure of the inheritance And such the counsels and purpose of God as hath been shewn in treating of purposes and promises in which hee is immutable And this the Apostles scope sutable to his exhortation for their diligence and perseverance in faith and love in which so sure consolation but it sutes not at all to the scope of this Account Account 4. Their sure and stedfast Anchor of hope vers 19. Answ Neither is here any difference made between or opposition of one beleever to another but a strong consolation set before all beleevers that have by faith laid hold on Christ who is the seed of Abraham in whom all the promises confirmed with an Oath are Yea and Amen And he having offered up the acceptable sacrifice is now in our nature entred into the heavens appearing there a great high Priest having opened the way for our approach And ever living to intercede for all that come to God by him So as they that by faith do lay hold on him who is our hope and hope fixed in him is as an Anchor surely fixed they by faith and hope enter within the vail cleaving to him that is there for us and so their hope is sure and stedfast which comfort is not for some sort of but for all that are indeed beleevers And so the Apostle enters on his main design to build these beleevers more and more on Christ which evidenceth that to be the right faith and those true beleevers spoken of Heb. 6.1 2 3 4 5. and none of them excepted unless any have so willingly departed that they be found crucifying Christ And as for them they are faulted but the Christ the Spirit the Grace the faith they have departed from and crucifie is not faulted but remaineth the same still in which all abiding are safe So that this place and all Scripture testifie the faith here set forth to be the true justifying and saving faith And Mr. Owen confesseth it wrought by the Spirit and really true in its kinde And that men may abide in it or men may fall away from it And Scripture testifying but one kinde of faith the controversie is ended the cause is yeelded it is not for this faith but some by-opinion to mantain the honour of a party that he contendeth And yet that it seem not so many mixtures were put in here that are no parts of nor ingredients in faith at all To make this appear as not right that so another may be set forth and I shall consider that also CHAP. XIV Of Mr. Owens second kinde of faith as he sets it forth Page 13. 14 Sect. 22. Page 13. Chap. 1. Sect. 22. where he saith 1. THe Saints then or Beleevers of whom alone our Discourse is may be delineated by these few considerable concernments in their Saintship 2. Rom. 8.28 29 Act. 13.48 Eph. 1.4 1 Pet. 1 2 3 4 5. That whereas by Nature they are the children of wrath as well as others and dead in trespasses and sins That faith and holiness which they are in due time invested withall whereby they are made beleevers and Saints and distinguished from all others what ever is an effect and fruit of and flows from Gods eternal purpose concerning their salvation or election Tin 1.1 their faith being as to the manner of its bestowing peculiarly of the operation of God And as to its distinction from every other gift 2 Pet. 1.1 Rom. 8.11 Eph 1.19 20. 2 1-5 6 8 10. Mat. 7.17 12 13 Gal 2 20 1
one man had by high Treason procured on himself and all his posterity the sentence of ejection from all his lands and inheritance and of suffering for ever an ignominious and tormenting death being for ever put under the displeasure wrath and hatred of him against whom the treason was committed and yet the execution deferred till the Traytor have twenty children And in the sentence passed this reserve that the third seventh tenth and fifteenth of that mans children shall be freed from the execution of the sentence and be accepted as sons into favour with the King and enjoy the inheritance though these may be born as sinful and ill-deserving as the rest yet can they not be said to be born or by birth to be the children of the wrath and displeasure of the King even as the other seeing even by their very birth the persons so born were appointed to such freedome favour and happiness as the rest were excluded from before they were born but if none so provided for but all alike before their birth excluded then were they alike the children of wrath or else not This Simily illustrates the Text proveth and Mr. Owen confesseth All are by nature the children of wrath one even as another And so as Adams sons none differenced from others by any such election before their being or by a first birth 2 If by Nature be meant the corrupt disposition with which from our first father we are all naturally infected and so according to the lusts of that disposition what ever means were used towards us more than other yet we according to the course of this world and the motions of Satan walked in fulfilling the wills of the flesh And so were by Nature the children of wrath even as others If we take it thus as surely also we may then it still overthrows the forementioned fancy for to be elect to Son-ship and inheritance and to be well-beloved Isa 42.1 with Mat. 12.18 and under well-pleasedness is one and the same by our Saviours opening the word to be under wrath and under compassion may well stand together but to be under wrath and well-pleasedness stands not together nor are any that are without Christ and out of him Rom. 5.4 1 Cor. 15.45 46 47.48 1 Pet. 2.5 9. 1 Thess 5.3.4 Rom. 9 25 26. chosen or elected in him the natural man is first the spiritual afterward as with the head so with the members who are the elect and chosen is fore-declared and they when elect are not children of wrath even as others nor as themselves sometimes were so that in this saying he hath intimately confessed the truth of their beleef he professedly opposeth 2. He saith That faith and holiness which in due time they are invested withall whereby they are made Beleevers and Saints and distinguished from all others what ever is an effect and fruit of and flows from Gods eternal purpose concerning their salvation and election The faith and holiness of those forementioned 1 Joh. 4.14 Joh. 3.16 17. wants nothing of this Was it not the purpose of God in sending forth his Son the Saviour of the world That the world through him might be saved And was it not in the same purpose of God Act. 26.17 18 3.26 Joh. 3.14 15 16. 15.26 16 14 15 1 Pet. 1.20 21 That his Son having in mans nature dyed for our sins and risen for our justification c. should be preached To turn men from darkness to light that whoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Is not this Jesus He of whom the holy Spirit testifieth and the things of whom he sheweth and so in glorifying him draweth men to beleeve in him And are not those so brought to beleeve in him beleevers indeed and Saints by calling And is not this faith produced by the love of God commended in giving his Son to dye for our sins and fastned on Christ the foundation receiving remission of sins Rom 5.8.10 and spiritual quickning through beleeving on him According to the purpose of God Is there any purpose of God for sending his holy Spirit to witness of Christ to work any other kinde of faith than this of the right kinde or is there any faith in Christ of the Spirits working that is not according to the purpose of God doth he speak of himself or work otherwise than as proceeding from the Father and the Son And are not these beleevers in their coming into Christ distinguished thereby from all that are unbeleevers and of the world what ever And who will say It is questionable whether the holy Spirit thus bringing any to beleeve in Christ be an effect and fruit of and flowing from the grace love and purpose of God concerning their salvation even that in beleeving they might be saved But these things have been often at large cleerlyshewn and proved before nor doth Mr. Owen here say This faith is a fruit of election he knows that with more shew of truth it might be said election is a fruit of this faith but yet that is not a good and right expression neither but the testimony of the holy Ghost is That they were chosen through the sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thess 2.13 14. and the beleef of the Truth to which they were called c. which is already fore-shewn And here yeelded in this saying concerning their salvation or election making these two terms in a sort signifying the same thing and so election a part of the salvation wrought in them and upon them and so the faith the same set out Heb. 6. 3 He saith Their faith being as to the manner of its bestowing peculiarly of the operation of God This agrees well with that set forth Heb. 6.1 2 4 5. It was God sure that in love gave his Son to do that for us in and by which he is the compleat object of faith And Jesus Christ in and through whom God commendeth his love to us is God even one and the same God blessed for ever And the Holy Ghost that proceedeth from the Father and the Son is one and the same God with the Father and the Son and that the Father and the Son is And he discovering and drawing on Christ the foundation and so illuminating and affording tastes of the heavenly gift as the effects repentance from dead works and faith towards God This is certainly both his peculiar operation and the operation of God And to deny this under any surmise of an unknown purpose or election were to derogate from the grace of God even of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost as if their works in this kind were not truly saving and gracious which I hope none wil say so that this faith abideth still right 4. He saith And as to its distinction from every other gift that upon any account what ever is so called in respect of its fountain termed The faith of Gods
his sins and judging himself and so again walking after the Spirit And this affirmed by the Apostle in this Rom 8.12 13. therefore the Apostle saith There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ who walk not after the flesh though flesh be lusting in them but after the Spirit 1 Cor. 11.31 Gal. 5.6 16 18 1 Joh. 1.7 9. Col. 3.1 2 3 4 5. which worketh by love inclining and yeelding to walk in the teachings and motions of the Spirit confessing and disowning the sinfulness that is in them by the lusts of the flesh and by the Spirit with the cross of Christ mortifying the same yeeld as servants to grace to such not withstanding the weakness molestations and failings thereby Gal. 6.16 18 19 24 25 6.8 Eph. 4 20-31 Col. 3 1-6 there is no condemnation This law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus after which they walk will free them from the power of that law of sin and death and so from all charges of sin and death And they shall not be under the Law but under Grace non yet fulfil the lusts of the flesh but of the Spirit shall reap life everlasting And on this ground are they exhorted To mortifie the flesh by the Spirit and to live in and walk after the Spirit And this is the doctrine of the Apostle as may be seen in all his writings And in this Rom. 8. as well as in Chap. 6. 7. by a general Proposition vers 1. by his own experiment vers 2. compared with 7.25 and by Gods preparation for us in Christ vers 3. and by his gracious end of giving life hereby to them which walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit vers 4. and by his following instructions and exhortations to vers 15. So that how far this quotation serves for that it s quoted for I say nothing but let the next quotation clear it 2 Cor. 5.21 Speaks not a word of any beleevers how far they have yet in this life attained much less of one more than another but directly and expresly shews the preparation God hath made for us in his Son by what way and to what end for the way it is suited to the 14 15 19. verses Him that knew no sin he made to be sin for us This is done not now to do nor yet presented to us in dark figures or parables or allegories but plainly declared to be done And that also to a gracious end suited to vers 15.18.20 Even that we might be made the righteousness of God in him He saith not And we are made as of a thing done But that we might be made as of a thing by the former done in Christ to be after done in us and so layeth here the foundation for repentance and faith Gal. 3.13 14 4.4 5. Tit. 2.14 and so reconcilement of the heart to God and walking after the Spirit that men in beleeving might begin to receive the same so that as any by faith are united to Christ and so made in Christ So is Christ made of God to them wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Phil. 3.12 13 14. 1 Joh. 3 2. and not otherwise And so they begin to be made the righteousness of God in him But fully and compleatly so to be will not be till Christ come again And this is given as the ground of the exhortation following Not to receive the grace of God in vain Chap. 6.1 2. Col. 2.10 Speaks not a word of the attainment of beleevers here in this life but of what they are in Christ sure in Christ as in a publick man that died and rose and gave himself a ransome for them All have dyed and are so given over to him 2 Cor. 5.14 Rom. 14.9 5.18 that to and in him they are discharged and made alive from that first sentence curse and death into which through the first Adam they fell And though this be not yet made over to all men by Christ and unbeleevers know it not yet shall none perish by that first sentence in that first death but be raised out of it 1 Joh. 5.10 11 12. Joh. 1.14 16. Col. 1.19 20. Isa 45.22 42 1-7 6.1 4. Col. 1.28 Phil. 3.7 9. 2 Cor. 3.18 Jona 2.8 Mat. 16.26 Yea not only this but God hath given us eternal life in Christ though unbeleevers have it not Yea not onely this but the fulness of grace and truth of wisdome and understanding of divine power and spirit are in him enough to draw any that in hearing behold him to beleeve in him And so the Apostle in preaching endeavoured to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus that so they might see what perfection there is in Christ and that also by Gods gift for them which beleeved and minded would take them off from other things and both draw them into him and conform them by degrees to him although such as heed it not but follow lying vanities forsake their own mercies Joh. â—7 2 3.6 7 8. 6.40 3.16 1.12 13 Rom. 10.10 1. Cor. 3.22 and lose their own souls and so are not so related to him as in which relation he gives to them eternal life and interresseth them so in himself as to interress them in all that is in him and all that is his for this is only given to them that by the heavenly call are given unto him so as they receive his words and beleeve on his name And all that with the heart beleeve unto righteousness are thus related to him and interressed by him Now if we beleeve in him he and all that is his is ours Let us minde what he is even the elect of God the Son of God the Saviour c. And what is his even the Father and Spirit the Promises the Kingdome c. And what is in him Even all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Joh. 1.12.14 16 17. yea in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily so that in him we are compleat and fully furnished Whence also those that in beleeving are united and related to him Do of his fulness receive and grace for grace And what ever may yet be wanting to and in them it is in Christ for them in minding and beleeving in him to be receiving the same so that abiding in the faith of him and walking in him as they have received him in faith and love they shall be rooted in him receive more of his fulness and in due time be compleated by him because the fulness of the God-head dwels in him bodily And they as members and brethren are related to him In whom they are compleat Col. 2.1 2 3 6 9.10 he also being the head of all principality and power that hath the care and charge of all that beleeve in him And this also given as the ground and reason of the Apostles prayer for them vers 2.
in him the Man Jesus Christ he is therefore likewise called God our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ our hope And so the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God and Saviour of the world as he hath taken the nature of man and dyed for our sins and rose for our justification offered the acceptable sacrifice sitteth at the right hand of God filled with Spirit c. So as who ever beleeveth in him shall receive forgiveness of sins c. This the object of faith and the testimony of Christ in the Gospel holding forth this being that in which he is discovered and discerned in beleeving of which beleeved and received that is the mediate object of faith and Christ thus set forth in and by the Gospel is called The faith even the same faith that Paul did once persecute and after preach And this faith is one and but one But I suppose the controversie is not about this though the evil managing the controversie hath strengthned many in denying this But here the business controverted is about the grace of beleeving Now every beleeving is not faith but that which is begotten by the declaration of the object of faith and in beleeving it closeth with it And so faith is still one as hath been shewn at large Part 3. Chap. 17. and elsewhere And so if answer bee given That by faith is meant such a beleeving as is begotten by the testimony of Christ and closeth with Christ in that testimony then sure the Question is stated in the Answer given but if it be urged it need to be better opened I answer it hath been often shewn how the Scripture doth it in many places plainly and so far to yeeld to all that is right even in tradition of Fathers also It s known what some of them have said and others from them have preached who have said the right beleef is this A beleeving God to Bee and beleeving of God in that which he saith and beleeving in God for all he hath promised This all this nothing less than this is said to bee a right beleef True it is He that beleeveth not God to bee and Jehovah to be that very true God is as an Atheist and hath no true beleef at all But he that beleeveth God to be and Jehovah to bee that very God doth so far beleeve a right yet if he beleeve him not true in his sayings and demonstrations of his goodness he is yet wanting of a right beleef yea his beleeving is not saving without this If he beleeveth both these his beleeving is right and saving and if he abide in it and minde what he beleeveth it will save him so as to bring him to beleeve in God for what he promiseth which when he attaineth he beginneth to bee saved so far as he is a true beleever and hath faith even true faith And as I conceive the Scripture it self also holds forth this in Heb 11.6 For he that cometh to God must beleeve that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Here is the beleef of his being express and the beleef of his sayings in his demonstrated goodness express beleeving in him intimated in coming to him And this to prove faith in Henoch and in his time when though all the goodness of God to man-ward was through a Mediator yet the Mediator and his work was not then so clearly revealed as since Jesus Christ carried our nature into heaven and the fulnes of the God-head dwels in him bodily of which his first witnesses have testified saying We know that the Son of God is come 2 Joh. 5.20 and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life So then we have not another faith or an other manner of beleeving but the same object of faith brought nigher and set forth more cleerly to be in the same manner more firmly beleeved in even God in Christ and so Christ and God in him 1 To beleeve this publick man to be even the second man the Lord from heaven the spiritual man that hath in himself as the publick man suffered for the sins of mankinde that came in by the first publick mans transgression and restored the nature of man and presented it spotless in himself before the Father and the Father hath taken his wel pleasedness and dwelling in him and set him forth the propitiation for the sins of the world the Savior of the world That whoever beleeve in him may have everlasting life And that Jesus is this Christ the Son of the living God 2 To beleeve his sayings by his Spirit in the Gospel all true and good the very sayings of the God of truth in and by him 3 To beleeve in him in Christ Jesus in his blood and so in God in him for all that he hath promised and so for the Kingdome to come this according to the description of the Ancient is Evangelical faith not another kinde but the same more bright and fully appearing and enjoyed all which hath been shewn in first second third and fourth parts of this Treatise yea in the residue also at large And though as at first mentioned it is accepted where this glorious Gospel is not given yet where it is displayed if the first be wanting there is no right Gospel-beleeving but that beleeved with the heart will effect the other two which being in any measure effected such do not onely beleeve truly but are true beleevers and have right faith that is saving and justifying And as for Scripture-stating and explicating the question it is oft shewn already and all agreeing with that here said to set it forth by a definition I will not presume onely the nearest that I finde of that nature I will mention it is in Heb. 1.2 Now faith is the substance ground or confidence of things hoped for the evidence of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen By faith here it is cleer is meant such a beleef of Gods evidenced goodness as is begotten by his own declaration evidence or testimony and closeth with the same in beleeving according to his evidence given And that he speaks of the object of faith evidenced by divine testimony received and closed with in beleeving is evident throughout the whole Epistle of which evidences through mediums in the rumor of that report in Paradise the evidences in works of Creation and Providence were the first and then more fully by word and oracles and then most full and clear by his Son the standing testimony of whom is in the Gospel as now come forth and this is plain Chap. 1.1 2 3 2.1 2 3 4. 12.25 of faith begot by evidences through the first mediums Examples in this 11. Chapter from vers 4. to vers 7. of more fulness added in more clear discovery by word