A Short TREATISE DISCOVERING THE prevailing Excellency of the death of Christ with the Father by way of opposition to that DOCTRINE That Christ dyed alike for All. Declaring in whom only the Saints happinesse doth consist by meanes of this their purchased REDEMPTION ALSO THEIR FREEDOME FROM the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of the LAW Written for the satisfaction of some if it may be BY RICHARD MARRYAT And one of the Elders said unto me weep not behold the Lion which is of the Tribe of Juda the roote of David bâ—th obtained to open the Booke and to unloose the Seales thereof Rev. 5.5 And they sang a new Song saying thou art worthy to take the Booke and to unloose the Seales thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation Rev. 5.9 But none could learne that Song but the Hundred Forty and Foure Thousand which were bought from the Earth Rev. 14.3 London Printed for William Larnar and are to be sold at his Shop in little Eastcheape 1642. To the Christian Reader JEsus Christ who is the brightnesse of his Fathers glory and the expresse Image and Character of his Person of whose fulnesse all the Saints receive and grace for grace is the only bright and morning Star that brings in all light and understanding in divine mysteries so that where he withholds who shuts and none can open there is nothing but groping in Egyptian darknesse Hence have the great Rabbies and learned Doctors so in all ages stumbled at the stumbling stone even at this Jesus he not unvailing himselfe who is as a sealed fountaine and a hidden vision which neither learned nor unlearned can reade but to whom he opens who opens and none can shut there is the knowledge of good sayings and darke Parables which are as Paradoxes to the world which in wisdome know not him who is God over all blessed for ever Amen So that hence Christian Reader who art thus taught of God and comprehended in the glory of Christ I may duly challenge yea and cannot but expect and be persuaded of thy compassion and brotherly pitty in case I have in any wise miscarryed who am privy to my selfe of exceeding insufficiency in these high affaires of the Son of glory who while on earth was in heaven dwelt in that light that no man ever could or had he all the abilities and prudence of the first Adam which indeed would the more blinde him being that thy proud imaginations are subiected to Jesus Christ knowing that thou hast nothing but what thou hast received and by grace thou art that thou art as for others that have not seene his Glory which is as a consuming fire destroying and devouring the proud thoughts of the flesh I cannot expect that such should be transformed but there will proceede from the spirit of pride and blindnesse swelling words bitternesse evill and malicious reports judging and condemning me as many by reason of this matter in hand have already done but I passe not to be judged by man knowing that there is one that beholds all the children of men and judgeth righteous judgement who notwithstanding their words are and shall be as drawne swords yet will keepe me and all the sonnes of mercy from every evill word and worke unto his everlasting Kingdome Secondly Hence also hast thou cause to take a view of and well weigh and consider this Treatise notwithstanding any insufficiency of the Writer knowing that the Lord commits his treasures into earthen vessels and not knowing but that this testimony may be the Lords who breathes where he listeth and usually manifests himselfe by weake and unlikely instruments that so the excellency may be of himselfe and not of man Thirdly Neither doe I feare that thou wilt charge me with presumption for if he be the onely day-starre there then lies an especiall ingagement on such that are taught by him that they sound forth and declare what they have received which is one principall end of this communicating unto them which are his witnesses his Vials his Trumpets his mouth whereby he utters powers out and testifies his great affaires and high Acts and he gives in charge when thou art converted strengthen thy brother what ye have seene in secret proclaime on the house top he never lighted a candle to be put under the bushell but still wrought up his servauts into a spirit of Testimony We cannot but speake the things saith the Apostles that we have seene and heard When Jesus Christ ascended on high he gave gifts unto men not that they should be held in unrighteousnesse but for the building up of the Saints and perfecting his body and onely the evill servant that lookes on God as reaping where be sowed not hides his Talent did he know him as the true God sowing and communicating all he would have improved his Talent to the honour of God and this is one prevailing cause with me to make me speake thus openly Another cause also being that false record which some have given concerning my Judgement and this matter following being as they say one and the same with the doctrines of universall Redemption which is the onely and maine thing that is in this matter contended against as I doubt not but any indifferent Reader will easily discerne and soone perceive that such Reporters were too willing to speake perverse things against me men alwayes have and still doe runne upon extreames as in many other things so in this concerning the death of Christ some say that Christ died alike for all others that he died onely for the Elect against these two I have heare to deale both of which doe faile in answering the Scriptures and the minde of God in them we must distinguish concerning the outward Court and the inner the outward is for the Gentiles that is such as are not converted to the faith for we are not to conceive that there is a difference betweene the beleeving Gentle and the beleeving Jewes both being one in Christ Jesus and especially subjects of Grace but the Gentles were once a people out of the Covenant of Grace and rejected in comparison of the Jewes and to a people in such a state in which all are notwithstanding they have the meanes and ministry of grace amonst them till converted to the faith doth the Spirit allude under the expression of Gentiles but yet to them belongs an outward Court through which the passage is into the inner Court or Temple by it being meant the outward dispensation or the letter that speakes to Reason through which God workes accompanying it with his mighty power in raising the soule to faith for saith the Scripture How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard now this being given to the Gentiles here are hatched many errors by such as are the inhabitants thereof as Free Will and Falling away from the state of the peculiar love of God
1.14 Where the testimony of the Apostle is this That the beleevers have their redemption by the blood of Christ he saith not they have part of their redemption by this blood but whatsoever may be said to be redemption so that if faith if beleeving and knowing of the mystery of the Gospell be any part of redemption or make redemption to be redemption he declares plainly that this they have by the blood of Christ and so more fully in Rev. 5. Where thus expresly speakes the Spirit Thou hast redeemed us out of every kindred and tongue and nation and herein commends to us that they are a people differenced from and redeemed out of others which cannot be but by faith and fellowship in the mystery of the Gospell and this faith or difference from others is only wrought by the blood of Christ as before is proved therefore is the Spirit that dwelleth in beleevers called the Spirit of the Son God Gal. 4.6 Object But some are said to be bought which deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.1 and therefore all are redeemed the which words cannot stand in relation to the Church for then he should have said denying the Lord that bought you Answ That all men are bonght by Jesus Christ but how Not in respect of the redemption from the guilt of sin and wrath to come but in respect of their enjoying their lives and being for all men have their naturall subsistance by him by him doe all things consist and thus he bought them in that he holds the hands of wrath and justice for a season and therefore these now by the Law of equity ought to honour him for God would have all men to honour the Son as they honour the Father Now for these to deny him trample him under foote by whom they have all the mercies that ever they enjoyed how then shall these escape swift damnation Thus may we see clearly that such as are the proper subjects of wrath to come do receive mercy are cloathed and sed in this life as well yea commonly beyond the Sons of promise who are as clearly differenced from them notwithstanding the poverty of one for a moment and the barne filled with Corne for a night with the other the one sort being out of Christ Jesus are out of the promise the other being in Christ Jesus are under the promise yea all the promises are yea and Amen to them yea they are in Christ Jesus all that are not Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 and therefore freed from condemnation Rom. 8.1 Rom. 8 9 10. yea the knowledge of the mystery of the hidden Gospell 1 Cor. 1.7 which are as a sealed Booke to others is opened to them Rev. 5. Isa 29.11 the which all the wisdome and learning of the flesh cannot in the least measure reach unto Luk. 10.21 1 Cor. 11.19 20 21. but it must be brought into the soule by the revelation and teaching of the Spirit John 16.13 14 15. 1 Cor. 2.11 12 14. 1 Joh. 2.27 then this knowledge comes by the blood of Christ who thereby hath prevailed to open the booke Rev. 5.5 and therefore is he faidito give his people an understanding whereby they know him that is true 1 John 5.20 the like is testisied concerning Faith that he is the author thereof Acts 3.16 Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith that Jesus that endured the Crosse as in the same verse the Spirit witnesseth even Jesus to him that was born and so called Mat. 1.21 So that it is not as some would have it that the Godhead only or simply he as God is the Author that is the causer of faith that gives the first being to it but looking to Jesus giving us to understand that as the Godhead is the Author thereof so likewise is the Manhood this so prevailing with the Father in the Sacrifice thereof so as that now he that was borne is set downe in the Fathers Throne as he himselfe saith I over came and sate downe in my Fathers Throne Rev. 3.21 which overcomming is by worth and excellency of his death as Christ saith concerning his Spouse Cant. 6.4 Psal 45.11 and she overcomes him through her beauty Cant. 7.10 and perfect comelinesse which he hath put upon her Ezek. 16.14 so that as the Manhood workes not at all without the Godhead so neither doth the Godhead worke without the Manhood as he himselfe saith The Father workes hitherto and I worke so that as the Father quickneth whom he will so the Son quickeneth whom he will likewise which shews their ioynt-working that whatsoever the Father wills the Son wills and whatsoever the Son wills the Father wills also as in this he manifests I and my Father are one and the Spirit shall take of mine and shew unto you for all that the Father hath is mine even as all the Son hath is the Fathers John 16.15 Iohn 17.10 Now in that all life faith spiritoall knowledge comes by the Son how comes he to be thus highly exalted but by reason of the prevailing excellency of the Sacrifice of himselfe as Phil. 2.6 7 8 9 10. and he hath a purchased possession which consists not in meate and drinke but is a Kingdome full of ioy and peace of the Holy Ghost and shall for ever remaine now the Spirit makes all this appeare to be purchased by Iesus Christ Therefore are beleevers said to be Gods workmanship created in Christ Iesus God moves not the least out of his Son Object That Faith cannot be the purchase of Christ because Faith is by the Spirit of God which is too high to be purchased by the blood of CHRIST and therefore it must proceed from a higher cause even the meere good pleasure of God Answ To which by way of answer 1. To shew what may be understood concerning this word purchase by which I understand no more then according to that in Revel 5.5 where it is said The Lion of the Tribe of Iudah obtained to open the booke which is Christ Jesus it being of singular worth and excellency God so accepting of it the spirit and power of working into the hands of Christ for which end CHRIST gave himselfe as 1 Pet. 3.18 The just for the unjust that bee might bring us to God which cannot be without putting life into us and therefore are we said to be made nigh unto God by the blood of Christ Ephes 2.13 so that in Tit. 2.14 also Ephes 5.26 27. Declaring the ends that Christ had in his eye in giving himselfe to death which were as the recompence of reward and as a means of comfort and refreshing to him that by his death he should bring forth such glorious effects as are there mentioned and therefore these things being denyed to come by this gift of himselfe as effects thereof and as a thing purchased thereby must needs frustrate the end and ayme and desire of Christ and make his death voide as not
will much cleare up the matter of difference And first for his Kingly Office the Scripture witnesseth concerning him that the government of all things is in his hands and that all are subjected under his power if wee should minde this in respect of his Godhead so doubtlesse none will gainsay but these testimonies wherein he saith The Father loves the Son and hath committed all things into his hands Ioh. 3.35 Mat. 28.18 so Heb. 2.8 where he saith That all power is mine both in Heaven and Earth and that all things are put in subjection under his feete Rom. 14.9 Though we see not yet all things subdued this must needs have reference also to his Manhood as is declared Psal 2.8 He hath given him the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession so ver 10. Be wise now therefore ye Kings and Learned kisse the Son lest he be angry yee that judge the earth Why so Why he is King of kings and Lord of lords he hath power in his hands over you all and this shall one day more fully appeare that all power and judgement is in his hands for he shall be Iudge of all Mat. 16.27 Act. 17.31 so that he hath still steered the course of all things though his Church hath been trampled under foot and the adversaries thereof have been drunke with the blood of the Saints for not worshipping the Dragon yet in all these things his will was but fulfilled though as these things were done by the adversaries he was opposed and they wager war against him but now in respect of the vessels of mercy prepared for glory he is a King of another nature and in another manner subjecting them to the Scepter of grace redeeming them out of bondage from Sathan leading captivity captive binding the strong man and setting up his Throne in their soules thus is he only King of Saints riding forth upon the word of truth Psal 45.4 brings his Church into obedience to himselfe sitting upon the Throne of David being that one Lord and one Law-giver to his spirituall Subjects upon whose shoulders the government is laid Isa 9. Therefore commands he all his servants as they tender his honour and Soveraignty and their allegiance unto him not to call any man Lord and Master or to be the sertants of men 1. Cor. 7.23 Secondly in respect of his Priestly office we shall finde this of the like extent minding it after this different nature also as first concerning the injoyment of naturall life as before was minded this is one benesit by his death otherwise justice must needs breake forth in a moment on all the children of wickednesse but secondly that he might be the Standard of Salvation to the world and an Ensigne to the Nations lift up as the brazen Serpent in the Wilderdernes to be preached and propounded to all to this end he dyed for all now he could not be thus preached and propounded to all unlesse he had all fulnesse in himselfe and he would not have all fulnesse in himselfe if his death was limited to the elect then his fulnesse could not extend any further but it plainely appeares that he hath a fulnesse which in it selfe is sufficient for more then the elect for else God could not without mockery which be it farre from us once so to imagine tender him in the meanes the meanes being tendred alike to all therefore in this respect he tasted death for every man Heb. 2.9 that he might have all fulnesse in himselfe for all men and thus for all men to wit to be preached to all and that he might invite all men unto him for life thus preparing a feast for some that never tasted thereof Matth 22. having in himselfe all fulnesse of life satisfaction and reconciliation for all sinne and sinners as 1 John 2.2 hee meanes not that hee hath reconciled all persons for that in stead of comforting the failing Christians the which the Apostle indeavors would discomfort for how can this be matter of consolation that not only I but all the world are reconciled being the greatest number which shall be subjects of wrath therfore upon that ground so may I also if the words were to be applyed so but the thing there intended is that he hath all fulnesse of propitiation in himselfe for all sinnes whatsoever and therefore upon this ground may yee and ought the Gospell to be preached unto all people and persons whatsoever according to the command of grace saying whatsoever Citie or House yee enter into say peace be unto it go preach the Gospell to every Creature and in this sence namely concerning the ministery and lifting up of this Standard in the preaching speakes the Apostle when he saith the free gift came upon all men unto Justification of life Rom. 5. and 2.5 he hath committed to us the ministry of reconciliation that is to say God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe in which he opposes the ministry of the Gospell to the ministry of the Law for that was not a ministry of reconciliation but of wrath and vengeance a killing letter strictly iudging sin arraigning the creature whereas the Gospell let sin be never so enormous unto them yea though Harlots the Gospell doth not threaten damnation to such but freely tenders propounds and preacheth righteousnesse and salvation and remission of sins by Jesus Christ and thus Christ takes away the sins of the world and is reconciling the world not remitting their sins not in respect of having freed all from the guilt thereof for if we should so understand imputing then the whole world must needs come under the blessing Psal 32.1 2. which is impossible but in respect of the ministry it stands true for if God should come forth and charge sin upon the creature and threaten it how then could it be a ministry of reconciliation and according to this are we likewise to conceive of that Joh. 3. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever c. That God having provided all fulnesse in his Son hee now gives him as a Standard to the world as the brazen Sepent to be lift up to all preached to all to invite to perswade and to beseech all to come to him where we must distinguish of a two-fold gift of Christ the one according to this which is to the world which is but outward and in the meanes only the other which is that speciall gift of Christ to his people being by an effectuall power exhibited to their soules thereby partaking of his fulnesse but he is not thus given to the world for how shall he not with him give us all things else in mating tht nothing shall bee withheld from those to whom he is thus given Alluding to that tharryed estate wherein he hath freely extended his Son to them and therefore will much more give the dowry even as there is a two