in and by his Gospel declaring and preaching him forth is called the light of life Joh. 8.12 as giving sight also and perception where admitted yea even some that receive or retain it not are said to see and hear and to close their eyes least they see with their eyes and stop their eares least they should hear with them and to harden their hearts least they should understand and be converted c. Matth. 13.15 Acts 28.26 27. and the Apostle Paul in that of Acts 26.18 above cited was sent to give them sight by the Gospel as well as light a power to see what is shewed them that they might flee from the evils and dangers of perishing discovered and follow after the life proposed and so for hearing his voice The hour comes saith our Saviour and now is wherein the dead hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Joh. 5.25 Yea Christ in his word by his divine power and force is giving also 2. Understanding to the heart as is implyed in that even now mentioned passage in Matth. 13.15 and in Act. 28.26 27. as also is implyed in wisdomes call O ye simple understand wisdom and ye fools be ye of an understanding heart as implying that she is in her calls ready at hand in their hearing and consenting to her to give them to be wise and of an understanding heart Prov. 8.4 5. See also Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy words giveth light and it giveth understanding to the simple and Psal 19.7 The testimony of the Lord is sure and makes wise the simple yea and here-through 3. He is turning the heart to the Lord or there is that given forth which tends to and will in the receiver turn and convert the heart to him as it is said The Law of the Lord is perfect even that Doctrine which sets forth the Lord as well as is given forth by him for it is both converting the Soul It hath power virtue and tendency in its instructions and is offering and effecting it though men winking with the eye and stopping the eare least they should see and hear and understand and be converted deprive themselves of the efficacy of that conversive force and are not converted as many whom the goodness of the Lord leads to repentance through their hardness and impenitency are not led by it Rom. 2.4 5. and some whom God was purging he saith were yet not purged Ezek. 24.13 But the eyes that see and the eares that hear be blessed Matth. 13.16 So as they shall see and hear more the mysteries of the Kingdom shall they understand Ver. 17. Thus also Paul who was a chosen Vessel to lift up the Son of Man by carrying his Name among the Gentiles and People was sent as we see in what was before quoted from Act. 26.18 to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God as many were actually and effectually so turned by him 1 Thes 1.9 10. by which it is evident that the power and presence of Christ by his Spirit was in and with his Preaching to that purpose And truly when any are so turned to God in Christ they are then in a state of salvation and are partakers of no small or despicable a portion of that saving from perishing for which Christ is lifted up being now out of the ways of falshood and destruction and in the way to happiness being reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.18 Rom. 5.10 and so in the way of life and righteousness wherein in the further or still lifting up the Son of Man and not otherwise He is yet saving and giving life 1. By powâ—ing out further of his Spirit and making known his words so as to give them to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom the Name of God in Christ his secret and his Covenant Matth. 13.11 Prov. 1.23 Psal 25.12 14. Joh. 17.6 7 8. wherein Christ becomes to the Soul wisdome induing it with a principle of wisdome by his words put into it which wisdome entring into the heart and making knowledge pleasant to the Soul gives it such understanding and discretion as saves and preserves it from the way of the evil man and from the evil or strange Woman yea from every evil way Prov. 2.10 11 12 15 16. Psal 119.104 Yea and there is in it the spring of life and immortality a tree of life to them that find it and makes happy every one that retaineth it Prov. 3.13 18. for she leads and frames the heart to hope and trust in the Lord and believe dependingly upon him as somewhat known and understood in his Name and goodness yea she yet further leads to the riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God the Father and Christ bringing the Soul into his marvelous light 1 Cor. 1.30 Prov. 22 18 19 20. Psal 1.2.3 with Jer. 17.7 8. Eph. 1.13.18 19. Col. 2.2 1 Pet. 2.9 2. By justifying and acquitting from all fore-past trespasses and blotting out all offences and interesting in all the blessings and promises in Christ wherein Christ is made to the believer righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 with Act. 10.43 13.37 38 39. Gal. 3.29 and so the Soul is saved from the state of death and condemnation in which it was still turned into God and is translated into a state of life and brought to be a subject of Christs gracious Kingdom and an Heir of his Glorious Kingdom Joh. 5.24 Col. 1.12 13 14. Tit. 3 6 7. yea and herein He by this his word saves it from fears and droopings giving it peace with God through Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 Heb. 2.15 3. By giving in to the Soul the spirit of holiness washing renewing and making it a new creature in Christ Jesus and changing it into his image and likeness wherein also he saves the spirit of the believer from the bondage of sin and corruption and is bringing it into an Heavenly freedome and liberty to righteousness giving it so to behold the glory of the Lord with open face as in a glass as transformes it by degrees into his image from glory to glory as by his spirit 2 Cor. 3.18 and so the new man is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created it the old man being put off and the spirit of the mind renewed to the putting on the new through the learning of the truth as it is in Jesus Col. 3.10 Eph. 4.21 22 23. and in this Christ is made to the soul sanctification in a sense and in some part redemption 4. By giving it liberty and freedome from the Law and the servitude of it as a Rule of righteousness or justification and as to its ceremonial and typical observations even by the truth as it is in Christ known and received and giving it liberty to God and the priviledg and title of the Children of God which are given in by the Faith of Jesus Christ to
they might none of them ascend upon the Cherubims and sit down upon the Throne of God no it would have been high Arrogance and Luciferian pride and presumption to have assumed that place which was proper and peculiar to God alone The Priests or high Priests under the Law might not fit at all in the Temple but always stood and Ministred Heb. 10.11 much less on that Seat of God Only the Antichrist under the Gospel-times the man of sin presumes to seâ— himself in the Temple of God and likes to be worshipped as if he were God and exalts hâ—mself above all that is called God or that is worshipped He only of all that we read of dares to assume that Power and Place 2 Thes 2.4 A Wickedness the worst of the High-priests under the Law durst not presume to commit for this Place was reserved peculiarly to Christ Gods High-Priest Who having offered one Sacrifice once for all is set down on the Right-hand of God or of Power even on the Throne of Majesty in the highest Heb. 10.12 13. 1.3 8.1 12.2 The Father fully possessing him and putting on him all his own Power and Glory so as he the Father Judgeth no man but hath committed all Judgment to him the Son that all men might honour the Son even as they honour the Father that hath sent him John 5.22 23. So as That he that believeth on the Son believeth not on him but on him that sent him and he that seeth him seeth him that sent him John 12.44 45. And so we have an Object to worship even the same to whom all the Gods or Angels of God are commanded to do honour Worship him all ye Gods Psal 97.7 Heb. 1.6 Him we may Worship without Idolatry against God nay it 's rebellion against God and a refusing to Worship God not to Worship him for God is in him and he is God And therefore 1. We are Baptized into his Name and therein stand ingaged to Believe Depend on and Worship him yea the Father Son and Holy Ghost have but one and the same Name Mat. 28.19 And are one 1 John 5.7 2. The Apostles therefore joyn the Lord Jesus Christ with the Father in saluting the Churches Grace and Peace or Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and to him also together with the Father and the holy Spirit they commend them 2 Cor. 1.2 and 13.14 2 Tim. 1.2 and 4.22 And well they may For First The Father and all his fulness is in him Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me saith he to Philip John 14.9 10. The Wisdom Holiness Grace and Glory yea and all the Power of the Father is in and on him And therefore also Secondly The Works of God are attributed to him As the Father raiseth up the Dead and quickneth whom he will so the Son quickneth whom he will And as the Father hath Life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have Life in himself and he hath given him Authority to execute Judgment also because he is the Son of man John 5.21.26 27. Yea he is the Creator and Maker of all things in Heaven and Earth Visible and Invisible Col. 1.16 And the Upholder of all things by the word of his Power Heb. 1.3 For he is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1.17 Is God the Repairer and Redeemer of his Creature He is so by Christ the great Repairer of the Breaches and Restorer of the Paths to dwell in the Ransome and Redeemer from Sin Death Hell Devil and Destruction 1 Tim. 2.6 Tit. 2.14 Gal. 1.4 and 3.13 and 4.4 5. The Father worketh hitherto in the works of Providence and he worketh also John 5.17 Yea what is said of Jehovah the Lord in that respect in Psal 146 6 10. is applicable to him as was above noted For he feeds the hungry with himself The Bread that he gives being bis flesh which he hath given for the Life of the World As he opened the eyes of the bodily Blind in the days of his flesh so he Preacheth the opening of the eyes to them that are spiritually blind Luke 4 18 19 And the Opening of the Prison to those that are bound raiseth up the bowed in Spirit loveth his Disciples as the Father loveth him John 15 9 Receiveth and Preserveth them that were Strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel and makes them fellow Citizens with the Saints Yea What things the Father doth the same doth the Son likewise John 5.19 Yea Thirdly He is what ever God is He and the Father is one one thing John 10.30 And he hath all that the Father hath For the Father loves the Son and hath given all things into his hands John 16.15 Fourthly The attributes of God are ascribed to him as Eternity He is that Eternal life that was with the Father and is manifested unto us 1 John 1.1 2. And he in the beginning laid the foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the Works of his hands and when they perish yet he endures and his Years fail not nor have an end Immutability for he is the same and alters not yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 1.10 11 12. and 13.7 Omnipotency for he upholds all things by the word of his Power Heb 1.3 The Alpha and the Omega the first and the last he that was and is and is to come the Almighty Rev. 1.8 Omnisciency Now know we that thou knowest all things and needest not that any man ask thee any thing c. John 16.30 He knew all men and needed not that any man should testifie of what is in man for he knew what is in man John 2.24 25. All things are naked and opened unto him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.12 13 Ubiquity or Omnipresence Where two or three are met together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 Yea Is God the Law-giver So is he Isa 42 4. The Isles shall wait for his Law Is God the Judg So is he Judg of Quick and Dead Acts 10.42 Is God the King So is he King of all the Earth Psal 47.2 3. Yea he is All and in all in the New Creature Col. 3.11 Again as for Spirit to Enlighten Quicken and Inable us to Worship acceptably The holy Spirit in the fulness thereof dwells in and rests upon him The Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and of Might the Spirit of Knowledg and of the Fear of the Lord Isa 11.2 And with him and by him he Inlightens Quickens Teaches and so fits for Worshipping God creates a clean Heart renews a right Spirit raises from spiritual death to spiritual life and so to Worship and serve God in the Spirit which Service he makes acceptable and he by that Spirit will raise the Body from the Dead and fashion it into the likeness of his
all sins and trespasses through the virtue of his most precious Blood Acts 3.19 Mat. 25.35 36 46. And thus being preserved and saved by him they shall not perish from the way nor in the end but shall have Eternal Life of which we have nextly to consider CHAP XIV Of the second Branch of the fifth observation what Eternal Life is and how the believer on Christ shall have it Qu. 3 THe third Query to be considered under this Observation is what that Eternal Life is which the believer on the Son of man shall have To which I answer briefly that 1. It 's not this natural life for that with all its enjoyments must and will have an end and its good to mind that and the shortness and hiddenness of the time of it and the hiddenness and oft times suddenness of the coming of death that we may not trust to this life or rest in any of its enjoyments but be moved more diligently to seek after and lay hold of that which is indeed Eternal life concerning which I may add that 2. It 's more and hath more in it then can be now either fully expressed or conceived only some hints of it we have in the Scriptures and according to them we may understand something thereof and so we find that it is variously set forth and spoken of in the Scriptures as sometimes 1. By the causes of it or that from whence it springs and issues and so 1. Jesus Christ himself is called Eternal Life the life of the believer when Christ who is our life shall appear Col. 3.4 I am the Way the Truth and the life Joh. 14.6 The bread of life that he that eats shall live by and shall live for ever Joh. 6 51. The resurrection and the life Joh. 11.25 Yea expresly that Eternal life that was with the Father and was manifested to us 1 Joh. 1.2 And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding heart to 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 1 Joh. 5.19 20. And its true to say That he that believeth on the Son of man shall have him as in Heb. 3.14 Now are we partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our Confidence stedfast to the end we have and shall have him here with us and for us I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Cant. 2.16 6.3 And he saith I will be with thee I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Deut. 31.6 8. Josh 1.5 with Heb. 13.5 And we shall have him for ever with us and be ever with him in the new Heavens and new Earth and new Jerusalem in the world to come Rev. 21.3 4. with 1 Thes 4.16 17. 2. The favour of God in Christ is life In thy favour is life Psal 30.5 And this he shall have that believeth on Christ the Son of man He that finds him who is the wisdom of God finds life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Prov. 8.34 And this is such a life as nothing can happen to the believer on him that can extinguish it or prevail against it I am perswaded neither Life nor Death nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.38 39. That we believing on him should not be failed by him or deprived of his favour to us that 's without all peradventure included in it 3. The knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ is Eternal life This is life Eternal that they may know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ Joh. 17.3 And this they who believe on the Son of man shall have for they shall receive the holy Spirit the Spirit of the Father and of the Son that shall teach them all things so as they shall not in the issue need to say one to another Know the Lord for they shall know him from the least to the greatest as is expresly promised in the Covenant or New Testament whereof Jesus Christ is the Mediator and which he hath undertaken to see performed to them that believe on him and depart not from him See Joh. 7.38 39 14.26 16.13 with Heb. 8.11 2. Sometime for the effect of Christ and of the knowledge and favour of God both as enjoyable here through faith and as enjoyable hereafter in the full fruition when those that see now darkly through a Glass stall see as they are seen and know as they are known 1 Cor. 13.12 And that effect is the living joyful happy state of the Soul and so of the whole man for ever as it is said He shall live for ever and he shall never die Joh. 6.51 58. and 11.25 26. Which is spoken of the Spiritual and Heavenly life or state of the Soul here and hereafter joyful and happy never to have end but especially of the state both of the body soul together hereafter and it includes and contains in it both 1. A continual living in a state of forgiveness and acceptance with God which is a truly joyful and happy state in which the Soul hath cause of real joy and gladness as it is said Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin Psal 32.1 2. Blessed is the man who knows the joyful sound Psal 89.15 And happy is the man who hath the God of Jacob for his help c. Psal 146.5 6. A state in which the Soul is passed from death to life and shall not come into condemnation Joh. 5.24 2. A continual in dwelling of the the Spirit of Life as a Spring of Spiritual Life and motion toward God and for him even the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of life and the operation and efficacy of him in the Soul though not always sensibly felt here as it is said He that drinketh of the water that I shall give him it stall be in him a Spring of living waters springing up in him unto Etetnal life Joh 4.14 So as this Spring shall never fail him that believeth going on and continuing to believe on the Son of man 3. A continual state of safety from all evil so as to its being destructive or hurtful to the Soul or in due time affective and a state of Title to and Interest in yea and injoyment of all that is good in a first-fruits and by Spirit here and fully and actually and for ever hereafter there shall no evil happen to the just Prov. 12.21 All things are the believers 1 Cor 3.21 And all things shall work together for his good Rom. 8.28 Psal 25.10 The Lord God is a Son and a Shield and he will give grace and glory and
Peoples injuries and be sensible of their miseries He that toucheth them toucheth the apple patient bearing Injuries and Evils and going through with his Work so as nothing turned him back Isa 50.5 6. Heb. 12.2 Temperance for the Honours and Preferments Riches and Pleasures of this World could not move him from his course neither when Satan bad for his Service the Kingdoms of the World and their Glory Mat. 4.8 9. Nor when the people would have made him a King John 6.15 Prudence for its fore-testified of him by his Father Behold my Servant shall deal prudently Isa 52.13 And he is the Spring of all these Excellencies to all that listen to and obey his Doctrine giving them to know and understand all things Prov. 28.5 1 John 2.20 27. And to discern the things that differ and approve the things that are excellent Rev. 3.18 Phil. 3.10 11. Makes them to remember him and in him God and his Goodness and what he sees good for them by his Spirit bringing all things to their remembrance John 14.26 Cant. 1.4 Gifts them severally as he pleases with Knowledg Invention and Finding out of Secrets Prov. 1.2 3 4. Renews the Affections to love good and hate evil and in a word through the discoveries of his Glory he changes them into his own Image making them a new man indued with all manly Qualities and Virtues Righteousness Fortitude or Courage in induring Adversities and going on in his ways with all Perseverance Temperance in denying their Lusts and Appetites and living Soberly and Righteously in this present world and prudence in walking wisely yea in all wisdom to all well pleasing 2 Cor. 3.18 Ephes 2.6 and 4.15 16 21 22 23. Col. 1.9 10 11. and 3.10 Tit. 2.11 12. As may be seen in his Worthies who through the Faith of him have loved and wrought Righteousness so as for the sake thereof to suffer and endure all things as may be seen in that Cloud of Witnesses Heb. 11. with 1 Sam. 18.30 Gen. 39 1 2 8 9 21 22 23. Dan. 1.8 9.12.17 and 6.4 5. c. Yea 3. He had not only even in his mortal state too the perfections of the first Man as to matter of Virtue and Integrity of mind but also in that state he managed them far better then the first Adam did For Adam though in a Garden of delight or Paradise free from Infirmities in himself or trouble from without him having the abundance of all Delights or Mercies before his Eyes every one of which might have minded him of Gods Goodness and the good reason he had to love and cleave to him yet merely by the Temptation of a Creature fell from his Obedience at the first on-set Evah by the temptation of the Serpent and Adam by her suggestion But Christ who though in the state before his Incarnation was higher then the first Adam being the Lord in Heaven the Image of the Invisible God and so owned by the Angels as the Lord at his coming into the World before which he also lived with his Father in the height of Glory and Happiness Phil. 2.6 yet now in his Incarnate state had emptied himself of all that for us yet in this State though made in the similitude of sinful Flesh and compassed about with Temptations among Men and Devils though led into a Wilderness where he eat nothing for forty days and forty nights among no pleasant Fruit-trees or Objects of such Content and Delight but among wild Beasts tempted by Satan resisted him all along in manifold assaults and got the Victory over him and kept his Integrity Yea though all his life after he was set upon with diversity of Enemies and Assaults and met with nothing in the world in a manner but Trials and Griefs the worst Rejections Reproaches and Sufferings Yea though tempted both of Men and of Devils and tried to the uttermost by his Father yet held fast his Integrity and was obedient to the Death the Death of the Cross indeed for our sakes though as Innocent in himself as and more perfect in his conforming himself to Gods Will then Adam yet he was not here in the form of the first Adam while Innocent as to his outward man and state He was not so free from Mortality and Infirmity for he was tempted in all points even as we with Hunger Thirst Weariness Grief Torments c. nor had such power in the world over the Creatures as to his visible Form but was in the Form of a Poor-man and a Servant who had not whereon to lay his head Yea he was in all the state of the fallen man made sin and under the Law and bare our Curse in which he shewed forth the exceeding greatness of his Love and Obedience to his Father and Charity to us men Virtues far transcending all that was found in the first Adams acting though made good and upright Yet through Death having satisfied Gods Justice and pacified his Wrath for us overcome Death spoiled Principalities and Powers risen a Conquerour and gone up to the Right-hand of God As he was before much Higher then the first Man being the Lord in Heaven 1 Cor. 15.45.50 So now also he hath restored the Nature of man in himself from under all the Miseries that the first Adams sin occasioned to it and to him in it and hath Exalted it and is Exalted in it to far higher Happiness and so we find in him both as in himself before and as Man now 4. All the perfections of man that he first laid aside in his first appearance for us to suffer in the Flesh Yea all and greater then all Adam had in all the Honour God put upon him and the Provisions he made for him in his Innocent state For as he made himself of exceeding rich through his great charity and grace to us poor that through his poverty we might be made rich so to that end that he might inrich us He is become in the manhood far richer then the first Adam was for the Father loves the Son and hath given all things into his hands Joh. 3.35 So as all that the Father hath is his Joh. 16.15 and he is Lord of all Act. 10.36 He that was in the form of God made himself in the form of a Servant and in the habit of a Man even of an ordinary man for our sake having neither outward form or beauty when we see him that we should desire him nor Authority and Power to command any man but such as voluntarily became his Disciples but now the Sun is not so glorious much less was the body of Adam in his innocency as his body being glorified is Act. 26.13 Philip. 3.21 Nor is there any Authority beside comparable with his Adam indeed had Dominion over Gods works that are visible in Earth and Sea but all Authority both in heaven and earth is now given to him and he doth exercise it over them Adam knew how to call all the names