Mediator between God and Men 1 Tim. 2.5 Isa 43.1 8 55.4 5 61.1 2 3 1 Joh. 2.1 Heb. 7.25 9.15 19 the chief and Prime Caller of Men to come to God by him and the special Advocate and Intercessor for all that come to God by him and so the chief Priest Prophet and King Heb. 5 7 8 9 10. 3. That by the means he useth Joh. 3.17 1 Tim. 1.15 Isa 53.10 11 55.5 Joh. 12.26 17 24 Psa 68.18 19 20 24 Rom. 2.16 and Spirit he sendeth forth as it is in earnest to all and hath a sufficiency in it that they might be saved so he shall see his Seed many shall thereby run in to him and so come to God by him and shall be blessed in him and inherit with him and they that persist in willing rebelling against him when by the means he useth they might come in to him and will not he shall judge also justly 4. That he shall have the Kingdom in the new Heaven and new Earth 1 Chron. 17.9 14 Psa 2.6 9 72 Dan 7.13 14 27 Luke 1.32 33 and shall sit on the Throne of David raigning in Jerusalem and over all the Nations under the whole Heaven and all his Seed even all that have believed on him and lived to him in the days of his Grace and Patience shall then have the Kingdom and raign with him and all his Enemies shall be destroyed 5. Isa 52.13 14 15 53.10 11 12 That to bring all this about in making it known and extending Divine Power in giâ—â—â—g forth his Knowledge to bring Men in to Christ and so to God by him that they might not perish but become his Seed and have Eternal Life and so he may see his Seed Isa 45.23 24 Phil. 2.10 11 Joh. 12.32 and of the travel of his Soul and be glorified and satisfied according to that promised him and is dayly fufilling and will be openly and manifestly to all when all shall come before him and confess him Lord to the glory of God Mat. 25.31 46 2 Thes 1.8 9 10 and he gives the Kingdom to all those that believed on him in the Day of Grace whom by his Knowledge he justified and then shall be admired in them and be glorified also in his equitable and righteous judgement on them that in the Day of Grace refused to believe on him by the means he used and so shall see the travel of his Soul and the excellency and acceptableness of his sufferings and Sacrifice with God in both Isa 45.22 Ezek 33.11 Prov. 9.12 to the Glory of God his Will and Pleasure all the dayes of his Patience being that by the means he useth Men should turn to him and live yea rather rest that though he will have his Glory on the scorners and not suffer loss to himself and that all this may be by this Knowledge of him and his Divine Power therein and so he have a numerous Seed and Refusers be altogether excuseless He in his Purpose and choice of the Man Christ did therein also purpose and chuse him Exod. 23.21 with 1 Cor. 10.9 Heb. 1.3 Isa 55.4 5. 1 Pet. 1.21 Joh. 14 15 16 17 and according to his purpose hath put his Name in and upon him to declare and make it known in by and through him and for that cause to make him known to cause him to be lifted up and displayed and in that discovery of him to glorifie him that Men might behold him and in beholding believe in him and so come in to him and to God by him and so be of his Seed and have Eternal Life and for understanding this we may briefly view three things in this 1. Exod. 6.2 3 4 What the Name of God is and that by his own Declaration appears to be himself and his memorial Rev. 1.4 Act. 17.24 25 Psa 105.8 9 10 Exod. 3.6 14 15 Exod. 34.6 Psa 145.8 9 Exod. 34.7 Joh 21.14 17 Psal 81.11 12 Mat. 24.37 38 Pro. 1.24 Ezek. 24.13 Joh. 5.40 Deut. 5.9 Psal 109.2 3 4 Ezek 18.2 20 31 32 Prov. 8.30 Psa 89.8 Gen. 17.1 Psal 66.7 Isa 45.21 22 Psal 9.9 10 Jer. 9.24 or the appearance of him in his Titles Word Works and so he is Jehovah he that is that was that is to come that hath his being of himself and giveth being to all things and to his Word The God of Abraham The God of Isaac and The God of Jacob with whom he made the everlasting Covenant This his Name for ever and his Memorial to all Generations and so The Lord The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering abundant in goodness and Truth great in mercy good to all and his tender mercies over all his Works keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means cleer the guilty that is such as refuse and rebel against this mercy and goodness when in the means tendered to them and so will not come into him for Life will none of him and his wayes but visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon their Children and upon the Childrens children unto the third and to the fourth generation explicated Exod. 20.5 upon them that hate me that hate me that am so gracious and merciful and so reward me with evil for good and hatred for love on such and no other but such as so hate him will he execute sore punishment He is the Lord God of Hosts All-sufficient that ruleth by his power for ever a just God a Saviour and there is none besides him that calls all the ends of the Earth to look to him and be saved This and much more abundantly explained in many places of the Holy Scriptue is the Name of God which is so excellent glorious and gracious that they that know his Name will put their trust in him and are allowed therein to rejoyce 2. That this his Name even Himself Joh. 14.9 10 1.18 1 Cor. 10.9 Mat. 3.1 Isa 55.4 Exod. 23.21 Isa 7.14 Mat. 1.23 Isa 9.6 Jer. 23.6 Tit. 2.13 Rom. 9.5 1 Joh. 4.14 and his Memorial he hath put in and upon his Son that is The Man Christ he is The Angel that Israel tempted in the Wilderness the Messenger of the Covenant in whom his Name is and he is and is called so that he and his Name is Emmanuel that is God with us in our Nature and for us Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Jehovah our righteousness the mighty God and our Saviour Jesus Christ God over all blessed for ever The Saviour of the World Joh. 4.42 God's Salvation to the ends of the earth Isa 45.22 Phil. 2.7 10 Col. 1 28 Col. 2.9 10 Joh. 1.4 1 Job 5.10 11 Col. 2.3 Isa 42.1 61.1 2 3 4 2 Cor. 3.18 4.6 Isa 55.4 5 Joh. 4.10 Isa 65.1 2 Cor. 3.3 4 Heb. 1.3 Isa 49.6 Act. 1.3.47
the unchangableness of the state and condition of all such as are once or at any time beloved of God which by the story of the fallen Angels appears to be false and Mr. Owen in part if not wholly Page 33. disclaimeth this conceit yet the consequence not onely he retaineth but many other some avouching it for Scripture in their sayings and some in their Books and writing citing John 13.1 But he that will read that Text may see that that saying John 13 1. or any like it or a word or syllable importing such a sense cannot be there found for it is cleer in the words suited also with other places of Scriptures That the words there in John 13.1 do speak of Jesus Christ not onely nor chiefly as he was God but also and more directly as he was Man q Mat. 26.2 who not onely as God but also and rather as a Prophet spake as he had received of the Father r John 12.50 and that also of his sufferings and departure out of this world s John 16.28 which could not be meant of his Divine Spirit and Presence t Mat. 28.20 And this also is observable That he spake not in this place of himself onely as the Sacrificer and Peace-maker but also and more directly as he was a Minister of the Gospel and Peace-Preacher u Heb. 2.3 Eph. 2.16 17. in whose Ministration declaring the Peace made in and by him God was in him and by him reconciling the World to himself w 2 Cor. 5.19 Heb. 1.1 2. and the persons loved there spoken of were not all that God had from the beginning loved or that he doth now love but onely those that were not onely his own but even then in the World yea his own as then given him of the Father in the Gospel-Call and after the Call chosen by him to be his Apostles Messengers and Ministers x Luk. 6 13. John 6.70 to whom he gave the Words the Father gave him that they might be in his place and stead after his bodily departure to carry on his Ministration and beseech Men to be reconciled to God y 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. Joh. 17.8 Prov. 9.2 3. And the Love spoken of in this place is his Love as a Shepherd and a faithful One using all holy means to keep and preserve and instruct them in the Name of the Father that none of them might be lost but be fitted for their present and after abiding and service for which cause he gave them both instruction and example z Joh. 13.2 18. 17.11 12 13. yea it is express here that Judas was among them a Vers 2 18. and though he was not one of them that in receiving his Words was cleansed b Vers 10 11. John 15.2 nor that said truely though rightly and so not in both respects well and from his Heart in calling him Lord and Master c Vers 13. and so not happy in doing the things counselled by Christ d Vers 14 17. and so no Lover of Christ e Vers 2. John 15.14 yet he was one of Christ's chosen Apostles f Luk. 6.16 one whom Christ loved and prayed for and did good to yea continued his admonitions with loving words to him to the end g Psal 109.4 5. Luk. 22.48 Mat. 26.59 but he dissembled with his Master being Adversary to him for his Love and refusing his warnings and counsels rewarded him evil for good and so and there-through became a Son of perdition and so loâ— himself h John 17.12 Psal 109.4 5. his sin being finished it brought forth death i Jam. 1.15 and he was then no more loved nor prayed for according to that which is said of such Rebellious ones All their wickedness is in Gilgal for there I hated them for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house I will love them no more k Hos 9.15 It is cleer here they were once in his House and loved yet now because of so great wickedness no more loved And so Judas was once loved and prayed for and means used towards him unto the end till he grew to that height of wickedness in rewarding evil for good that against all warnings he persisted to finish his Transgression and then was he hated and cast out of his Office and no more loved but another to be put into his Office l Psal 109.3 4 5 6. Act. 1.16 26. Even as the fallen Angels were once holy and loved but after their wilful aspiring and leaving their place cast down hated and no more loved Yet in all this God is one and of one minde immutable and the change is in and upon the fallen Angels and such as are become like them So that this Text John 13.1 is mightily wrested and abused to be pretended to say Whom God loves once he loves for ever no word in the Text saying it and God's dealing with the fallen Angels and with others proclaims the falshood of that saying But of the fallen and reprobate Angels I may leave off to speak farther seeing there was found no remedy for them no Ransome no Saviour none to take their Nature and Cause in Hand so no Gospel to be preached to or by them no Prayers to be put forth for them no Commands to them to repent and believe the Gospel but Christ and Gospel and Prayers and all against them but of Mankinde fallen there is yet some better thing to say of them all after we have considered the depth of his misery in respect of the desperateness and remedilesness of it in respect of Mankinde fallen and all other Creatures CHAP. 12. Of the remedilesness in Man fallen to help himself and what an inconceivable and wonderful business it is that will help him if God discover and give it MAnkinde fallen as is before shewn into so great sin sinfulness and misery and under the powerful sentence and curse of the Law and under the displeasure of the Almighty and become an Enemy to him the door way and passage for God to extend and give forth the fruits of his Love and Mercy to Men and so for Men to return and come into favour with God again was shut and become impassible yea it was beyond the reach understanding of Men or Angels to open yea or finde out the way how such a door and passage might be opened again for Mankinde For 1. The holy and righteous Law under which Man was fallen Deut 27. â—6 Gal. 3.10 still required Obedience to the utmost of all the Righteous Affections and Services it obliged to or else to suffer the curse for the least short coming of its Requirings Psal â—9 7 12. Mat. 5.7 18. which neither Adam nor any of his Natural Race was able to answer in doing nor in suffering to overcome and this Law must not be abolished but fulfilled to every
man of all Nations in all the World where-ever they come and this as a Word of Truth and so to set forth this second publick Man the spiritual Man the Lord the quickning Spirit as he on whom God hath executed the Judgement that was due to Mankinde for their sins as fallen in whom their Nature is restored the Nature of Man being united and married unto God in the Person of his Son and so a great Feast of fatness even the sure mercies of David prepared in him is Mankinde perfect again as in a publick Man having in him forgiveness pardon peace wisdom righteousness eternal Life so verily that in believing in him they may receive it 1 Ioh. 5.10 11 12. 2 Cor. 2.17 3.12 4.2 and be partakers of it and so is he to be set forth without any Cloak or equivocation plainly to every Man appealing to their consciences in the sight of God and that Jesus is so and as such a one to be held forth to all that every one may behold him as he in whom there is healing for them to be received in believing is plain in our Saviour's own personal Testimony a Ioh. 3.14 15. and the Testimony of his Spirit in his Apostles b Rom. 3.24 25 26. 2 Cor. 5. 14 19 21. Col. 1.28 and this to this end that by this Men might be reconciled to God c 2 Cor. 5.20 And this hope given the Servants of Christ in such elevation of Christ that he will confirm their words and manifest their Testimony true so that all Men shall be drawn thereby even by Christ testified unto him d Joh. 12.32 such as in this day of grace believe this Testimony of him it shall be the power of God unto Salvation in them and work effectually in them uniting and conforming them to Christ so as they shall by degrees and in due season enjoy all this revealed blessedness e Mat. 10.40 Rom. 1.16 1 Thes 2.13 2 Pet. 1.1 10. And such as persist in refusing and rebelling against the Light extended shall by the same Spirit that breatheth in the Gospel be at the last day convinced f Joh. 16.7 8 9 10 11. and come before Christ and bow to him and confess him Lord to the glory of God g Phil. 2.10 11. and shall confess the Truth of the Testimony his Servants delivered and them to be the Servants of the Lord which in the dayes of his patience they despised and opposed h Isa 60.14 Rev. 3.9 and all before the final sentence be executed on them for God that frustrateth the tokens of the lyars and maketh diviners mad that turneth wise Men backward and maketh their knowledge foolishness doth and will confirm the Word of his Servants and perform the counsel of his Messengers i Isa 44.25 26. And to both parts of this said he hath given us his Oath That all shall come before him k Isa 45.22 23 24. And thus was the mystery of Christ revealed by himself in his own personal Ministration Part 1. ch 6. in which also as he uttered many Parables so he opened them all to his Disciples to teach them openly and whereas the Disciples did not yet cleerly understand all this Revelation of Christ so taught to them before Christ had suffered and risen from the dead therefore Christ after his Resurrection appeared to them and taught the same again to them and then expounded Moses and the Prophets and in order opened in all the Scriptures unto them the things concerning himself also opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures l Luk. 24.26 27 45 46 47. yet because all was not yet acted by Christ as well as taught by him that was to be in the mystery held forth in their Ministration for Christ his body though then risen was not as then ascended and glorified m Joh. 20.17 and so the fulness of understanding of the whole mystery by the Holy Ghost not yet given n Joh. 7.39 16.7 therefore they were yet to wait for further divine Power even the holy Ghost to be given them to open cleerly this Revelation to them and to help them to witness it which Christ promised them and did perform it after his ascension o Luk. 24.49 Act. 1.4 CHAP. 9. Of the third way of our Saviour's Revelation and manifestation of himself to the first witnesses of his Resurrection OUr Saviour according to his Promise did within a few dayes after his Ascension by vertue and as a fruit of his Ascension and Sacrifice offered and accepted and his Mediation begun he did send and shed forth and pour upon and in them the Holy Ghost in an audible sensible Act. 2.2 3 4 c. and visible shape both resting upon them and supernaturally and inwardly filling them by which Holy Spirit he brought again to their minde and gave them to understand all his fore-Revelation and sayings to them and shewed the things of himself and the Father so leading them into all Truth and making known to them the whole counsel of God in things pertaining to Eternal Life to be taught till his coming again enduing them with power motion and fitness to witness of him and giving them the gift of tongues to speak to every Man in his own Language wherein he was born so abundantly was the Revelation of the mystery of Christ by the Spirit made known to them and yet that we may rightly understand what the Holy Ghost is that was thus given unto them it is good to consider what in Revelation of Christ from the beginning and now by himself is given us to understand and that is that it is something that was never before this so given no not as then while John was baptizing Mar. 1.8 Joh. 7.38 39. Joh. 14.16 16.7 Act. 5.3 4. 1 Ioh. 5.7 Gen. 1.2 Psal 33.6 139.1 11. nor yet while Christ himself was personally ministring here on Earth nor could be given till he left the World in that body of his and went to the Father so that it cannot be meant properly of the essence and being of the Holy Ghost which is one and the same with the Father and the Son the same God by whom the Heaven and the Earth was made and all the Hosts of them for in this respect he fills heaven and Earth and is everywhere present and alwayes was so that in respect of essence he is not said to be sent or proceeding from the Father and Son or descending being ever one in and with both but onely in respect of person or manner of existence in and operation of that one divine essence but it must be meant of some forth-coming of the divine power from the Father by Christ yet in this also it cannot be meant of such forth-coming in breathings and operations as tend to the supportation of the old Creation Joh 26.12 13. Psa 104.29 30. in
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
believing Such plain preaching and for the most part by as plain Instruments is this preaching to be used even such as crosseth and confoundeth the wise and learned of this World but it is the Wisdom and Justice of God that so it should be for God had tried them long enough he had imprinted his Wisdom in the Gospel reported in Paradise and carried on by the Fathers and Elders Instructions and manifested much of himself and his goodness in his works of Creation and Providence See Part 3. ch 1. and given them understanding above the Beasts of the Earth and the Fowls of Heaven and many of them by study became wiser then the ordinary sort of Men yet in all this time by their wisdom they did not learn to know God in the Wisdom of God Well God tried them farther and gave to Israel the Revelation of his Minde in Word and Oracles by Types and Prophesies See Part 3. ch 3. that by these they might come to know the Wisdom of God but in all this time they have not found out the knowledge of God in the Wisdom of God Rom. 1.21 22 28. Joh. 1.4 5 7 9 10 11. Therefore after all this it pleased God in his great mercy to Men to give forth this full and plain Discovery and Revelation of himself in Christ 1 Cor. 1.17 21 23. and in his Wisdom and Justice also to appoint this plain Report and preaching thereof as to the wise of the World seems foolishness as neither magnifies nor needs their wisdom and learning to interpret or finde out the sense yea Psal 8.2 Mat. 11.25 Luk. 2.17 Joh. 21. Act. 2. 4.13 Mat. 2.16 Mr. 6.3 1 Cor. 1.21 23 27. Jer. 5.30 31. Isa 29.14 33.18 1 Cor. 1.19 20 26 27. it 's such as in the plain report wise Men exercising their wisdom it is hidden from them and babes believing understand and it is revealed to them and for the more part such Babes illiterate Shepherds Fishers Mechanicks whom the Men of the World deride are the Preachers of it and this kinde of preaching is a great stumble and offence to the learned and wise of the World and by them counted foolishness and through their teaching which tends to magnifie worldly wisdom and learning and to exalt an outward order of Priests of that sort to rule over the people it becomes an offence to the people also that love to have such to rule over them and the pride of all this glory God will stain and cast shame upon it so that this manner preaching the Gospel becomes a part of the Cross of Christ Mat. 13.55 57. Mar. 6.3 Rom. 15.2 3. 2 Cor. 4.10 11 12 13. to be taken up by the Preachers and willingly born and through their dying in their bearing this Cross the Life of Christ worketh in them and through their Ministration And this kinde of Preaching is suted to this Revelation of Christ howbeit that this preaching may be rightly carried on this is also to be always joyned with it 4. That those that preach the Gospel Mat. 5.4 16. 1 Cor. 9.16 27. Phil. 1.27 2.16 1 Tim. 6.11 12 Til. 3.14 walk suitable to the Gospel that their Light may shine forth in their Works and conversation enduring through reproachings and sufferings that they so preach and witness that they preach to others even by their conversation And in this manner of preaching is the Gospel to be preached to which also they have certain helps annexed discovered in this Revelation of Christ 5. For their helpfulness in doing good with this preaching they are 1. To use earnest Prayer to God in the Name of Christ Joh. 16.23 29. for Divine Help and Assistance 2. To read minde 2 Tim. 3.14 17. and meditate the Holy Scriptures that are fore-written 3. And as any are brought in to entertain the Gospel Mat. 28.19 20. Act. 16.33 if they have not so been fore-baptized to baptize them and all that are theirs in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost so testifying the Truth of the Gospel they have taught and admitting the Baptized into the Family of Christ to be his Scholars to learn of him And for such as are come to the knowledge and profession of Christ in his Family to break bread 1 Cor. 11 23 24.25 26. and so to eat and drink together according to his institution in remembrance of his death and to shew it forth till he come 4. And for their better profiting in and use of all these helps Mat. 18.15 16 20. 1 Cor. 5. 11.23 31. 14. all Heb. 10.25 to have their assemblings together for fellowship in the Gospel that so they may grow in Faith and Love and in Union and Fellowship with God and Christ and one another and others be still brought in to God by them and stubborn and criminal Offenders shut out of that Fellowship till they repent And this the Preaching 2 Cor. 2.16 3.5 6. and these the helps for carrying on this business but who is sufficient for these things it is therefore good to consider who they be that in this Revelation of Christ God did purpose and in his purpose preapprove and so chuse for this business and how he hath furnished them so chosen which is also in this Revelation made known CHAP. 11. Of those whom God hath appointed and chosen to this business for declaring his Name and shewing forth his praises to this end for Convincement Conversion and Edification WE do finde in the Scripture that these are in some respect of two sorts though in respect of Faith and that ministred Mat. 5.1.13 14 15 16. Joh. 15.1 2 4 8. 17.20 21 22 23. one and so he chose first and primely those that were brought in by his own personal Ministration and the first Trusters in him after his Resurrection to be the Beginners and Layers of the Foundation and Recorders of the Gospel thus revealed and likewise together with them and to be after them all those that should through his Word ministred by these first Witnesses be brought in to believe on him to carry this business an end to the same end till his coming again And this appears cleer in the Scripture for 1. He chose for this business those that were brought in by his own immediate and personal Ministration and received the Gospel immediately from himself Mar. 3.9 13 14 15 16 c. Luk. 6.13 14 c. having seen and heard him personally and so were to be the Trusters in him after his Resurrection he chose them not as they were the Sons of Adam and born of such natural Parents and had of them such Names though they were such and had such Names but as they were his Called and believed on him even so and as such he chose them and so it is said of them he chose to be Apostles they were first
17.16 with 9.12 Now he that hath that is that here through hath an heart and so hath in usefulness doth in hearing hear and in seeing see and minding the Word come to his heart doth understand and so in heart turneth to learn of the Lord he shall be healed and have more abundance and so be enabled to believe that in believing he may understand the mysteries of the Kingdom and be eternally saved But whosoever hath not that is when an eye to see is given him c. and so he hath a voice and an ear to hear it a demonstration and an eye to see yea the word came with motion to his heart and yet though he hath all this he hath not that is he hath not by all this an heart he hath not in usefulness any of this given him he doth not in seeing see c. but for love of some other thing closeth his eyes c. lest by hearing and seeing and heeding that word that moved at his heart he should be turned from that thing he loveth Mat. 13.13 14 15 19 from these shall be taken away even that they have that sight and hearing and inward moving of the Word in their heart which they have shall be taken away yea even therefore and for that cause and so God will blinde and harden them and so Joh. 12.35.40 those that while light was with them Compar Isa 53. 1 6.9 10 with Joh. 12.35 38 â— 39 40 the Gospel plainly declared to them with such power and helps yet did not believe the report in the plain sayings thereof are said to have the purpose of God in so blinding c. according to the prophesie fulfilled on them yea to be so and on that very ground fulfilled on them and then when so fulfilled they could not believe And the Apostle also in Acts 28.27 renders this also even their own dulness of hearing and closing their eyes Isa 6.9 10 with Act. 28.26 27 28 lest they should see c. as the very ground and cause of that judgement of not perceiving fulfilled on them and so of their not believing And the Apostle Peter saith in effect by the Spirit of Christ the same 1 Pet. 2.6 with Act. 26.18 when having mentioned the excellency of the foundation laid in Sion and held forth by Sion to so gracious an end he saith 1 Pet. 2.7 Vnto you therefore which believe that is which having eyes opened to discern do in seeing see and so are perswadable Isa 4 2. 1 Pet. â— 3 4 5 7 Rom. 1.5 16.26 and brought in to believe he is precious he is beauty and glory comliness and excellency alluring and drawing you more and more in believing upon him but to them which be disobedient that is to the Faith preached to them being unperswadable when means is used Eph. 5.6 and such an object demonstrated and sight afforded Act. 4.11 will not in seeing see and so are disobedient even children of disobedience or unperswadableness the stone which the builders the Ecclesiastical pretended Teachers disallowed the same is become the head of the corner By which notwithstanding their disallowance and opposition Mat. 21.42 Psa 118 22 Mat. 21.43 1 Pet. 2.8 Joh. 3.19 Isa 8.23 16. you are brought in and builded on it and united together by it and they that so disallow it rejected and so that also follows And a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to them which stumble at the word which can be no less then when by light discovered do of themselves first stumble being so distinguished from them that upon the discovery sanctifie God in their hearts for this gift of his Son these being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed Luk. 2.34 Isa 8.14 15 16 with Jer. 5.3 4 8.12 Prov. 1.23 24 25-31 Isa 5.3 4 5 Jer. 6.16 30 Ezek. 24.13 Which is very cleer to be that such as when Christ in the Gospel is set forth to them for their fall and rising again in discovery of whom all other Excellencies are cried down and the glory of God's rich Grace in Christ onely exalted they discerning the light what it discovereth do refuse to own their shame in the fall that they may by him onely be raised and so Christ is to them a sign and a rock of offence and they stumble And these and such as these even for this cause were appointed to farther stumbling and so cannot believe yea this is held forth cleerly to us also in many other places of Scripture all speaking in this Language as also in that example forementioned Joh. 6.28 30 41 42 60 66. So that concerning the Purpose of God who shall be helped to believe and who not we have it cleer from Jesus Christ by his Spirit in the Prophets and in the Apostles and in his own personal sayings to be men under such considerations and it becomes us to desire no other knowledge of this And to this also very well agreeth that which is said Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will be hardneth For God hath not left us in the dark nor spoken as a Barbarian to us so as none can know by his revealed will on whom he will have mercy or whom he will harden but hath made known his minde that as he first sheweth mercy on or to all and this that they may repent And therefore discovers the evilness of their hearts and wayes and the emptiness of all their righteousness Rom. 2.4 9.16 Hos 13.9 Job 33.15 16-24 and of all earthy things to help them and that help is onely in and of him that sheweth mercy yea and afflicts them for not turning in to him by his mercy so also he lets us know to whom all this mercy shewn and means used and transgression still found he will yet shew mercy namely to such as by his continued mercies and chastisements for so gracious an end do on sight of his goodness against which they have transgressed fall down in confessing their sinfulness 1 Pet. 5.5 6 Jam. 4.6 Prov. 3.34 Mat. 23.12 Luk. 18.14 Prov. 28.13 14 Deut. 29.19 20 and in belief of the Testimony of his graciousness desire mercy of him he will shew mercy on them he will give Grace to them and lift them up But to such as in his call by the mercies and chastisements which he useth refuse to hearken and behold and so scorn to fall down and humble themselves under his mighty hand but still persist to go on in their own wayes he will not shew mercy on them but harden them and in the continuance of their persisting give them up to a reprobate minde and to Satan as is full and plain in many places of Scripture besides these quoted And thus the Purposes of God concerning Mankinde as revealed in Scripture are verily such as is said and in this written of them in these four
fore-included and mentioned namely That 5. For all this good purposed for and to Believers he hath so ordered his Purpose in his Counsels Joh. 1.13 Rom. 9.6 7 8 9 10 11 11.4 5 6 that it shall take place for effecting and communicating all this rich free and spiritual Goodness not according to Man's natural or first birth of what Family or Man soever born or by what Name in respect of that birth soever called nor according to the Dignities or Degrees or Estates conferred on Men in this World nor according to the Learning Wisdom or Workings of Men of what sort soever but according to the Election of Grace that is as his free and rich Grace in Christ being discovered gains in to believe and in being heeded and believed doth chuse or elect that is sever from the manners and fellowship of the World and unite and bring into oneness fellowship and conformity with Christ and so with his And this is that assured to Abraham That in his Seed all the Families of the Earth should be blessed so as there is blessing in Christ for all Nations and Families and that blessing truely held forth for all in the Gospel given him to preach as is foreshewed so that any of all the Families of the Earth however bounded or different in their earthy or natural Births Habitations Prerogatives Names or Works may in beholding this Grace of God in Christ as displayed be brought in to believe in Christ and so receive of the blessing that fore-was in him for them and so in views and heeding the Grace seen and believed be by it elected chosen out of the Worlds Fellowship and State into union and Fellowship Conformity with Christ Joh. 1.12 13 3.3 5. 2 Thes 2.13 14. 1 Pet. 1.2 and so to enjoy the Priviledges of the Elect. And so the Children of Ishmael or Esau or any Nations of the VVorld in beholding this Grace in Christ as displayed in the Gospel may come in to believe and therein to the service of Christ that is now come forth of Jacob and abiding in believing that electing Grace be through the belief of it elected And this the Apostle renders as the proof of the Righteousness of God and the Immutability of his Purpose Rom. 9.5 6 11 13 14 24 25 30 31 32 33 10.1 2 3 4 in taking the Gospel from the Children of Jacob that heeded not this electing Grace but strove to attain by their works and giving it in a sort to the Children of Esau the Gentiles that in the Gospel-Call imbraced it and yet affirms this cast-off Israel in returning to view and imbrace the same shall also be again received Rom. 11.23 So that the Purpose of God remains firm That his Purpose of all these good things pertaining to Eternal Life shall stand take place come to pass Rom. 9.11 11.5 6 7 not according to Men's works but according to the Election of grace is that is heeded and takes place and goes on in the Believers as is shewn in the Cautions in the beginning of this Discourse of Purposes and needs not be repeated again And yet because of the stumbling of some by some different Phrases and Terms in which these Purposes and this Election of Grace is set forth I shall a little farther treat of them in another way namely by considering that famous place to which every Dissenter from us in this resorts to ground his Opinion on in this business of the Purposes of God in Rom. 8.28 29 30. let us mind what is there said CHAP. 6. Of Romans 8.28 ANd we know Rom. 8.28 that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to purpose Verse 17 18 The Apostle had before intimated a certainty of the sufferings of those that are the Sons of God by Faith and yet comforting them with the greatness of the Glory to be revealed he also intimately admonisheth them to patience of Hope from the consideration both of the expectation of the Creature now subject to vanity 19 21 22 23 24 25 till that glorious Day of the Manifestation of the Sons of God whose deliverance is earnestly expected and waited for and also of the Adoption that is the Redemption of the Body together with the fulness or harvest of the Spirit then certainly expected and till then to be waited for yea he secretly stirreth them up more abundantly to this patience of Hope by the Grace of God in affording them an enjoyment of the first Fruits of the Spirit and to this also opens the way of their safety and preservation and the certainty of it in that way that is by hope even hope for that not yet seen or enjoyed but onely patiently and confidently waited for and because besides the afflictions befallen them they are yet but weak and though God be a God hearing Prayers 26 27 28 yet they know not how to pray as they ought he comforts them with this That the Spirit they receive in belief of the Gospel helpeth them c. and now against all afflictions oppositions and temptations he gives them this farther great consolation All things work together for good to them that long God God is good and doth good and his tender mercies are over all his works and they work from him for good Psal 1.4.5.8 9 Rom. 2.4 Job 33.13 24 even to lead Men to Repentance and so doth his chastisements likewise But to them that believe not and so love not God Psa 69.21 25 109.2 6 Rom. 11.9 but return him hatred for love those things work not so in them to the same end but that which was their welfare turneth to them into a snare But to them that love God all things work together for good Let this be well heeded That the Apostle doth not say Psal 109.4 5 To all that God hath loved or loveth for some that he hath loved or loves have rewarded him hatred for his love Nor doth he say To all for whom Christ hath died and offered himself a sacrifice for some of these tread him under foot deny him that bought them Heb. 10.29 2 Pet. 2.1 Pro. 1.24 Jer. 6.16 30 Heb. 4.1 2 Mat. 22.16 Nor doth he say to all That by gracious means or Ministration of the Gospel he hath called or calleth for some such rebelliously refuse and many not mixing the VVord with Faith are not yet chosen much less doth he say To a Company under a secret Purpose the greatest number of whom cannot yet be known Nor doth he say That all things work together for good to any because they love God as if that were the deserving cause which is but the way and frame of the Heart in which things so work But he saith To them that love God and mark that he speaks it not as a peculiar thing revealed to and so known by him and some
his beloved People as now they are are counted for the Seed and so let us count as God counteth that is the best and safest for us Now this Seed he saith Christ is to see to upon the account of his sufferings if by see he means a Seed to see to he speaks short for it is upon the account of his suffering Resurrection sacrifice fulness of Spirit and means using and God's glorifying him and bearing witness of him by which in that gracious donation they are in their times drawn in to him Isa 53.10 11. 55 4 5. 1 Pet. 1.20 21. and so made his Seed If by see he mean see to or look to to preserve c. he is in that short too for that is not onely upon the account of all before said but also in an especial manner upon the account of the Father's enabling them in the Testimony of Christ to discern Christ and believe on him and so giving them to him in the heavenly call Joh. 6.40.45 47. 10.27 28 29. 17.2 6 7 8. Heb. 9.15 7.25 causing them to hear and follow him and so on the account of his Mediation of the New Testament for the Called by vertue of his Oblation and for these who only are the Seed of Christ indeed If it were granted to Mr. Owen though in his words they cannot be though they do sin and transgress yet God hath put all these gracious Obligations upon himself to reduce them by corrections and afflictions but never to proceed to final sentence of utter rejection If this I say were granted yet it makes nothing for his other Sayings mentioned here nor against any thing here said in and upon the 2 Tim. 2.8 to the 19 vers for it is before proved Par. 4. ch 5. That many may believe the promise displaied in the Testimony of Christ that are not yet born of thâ—â—romise and so are not of this Seed and yet continuing in that believing shall become to be born of the Promise and so be counted of the Seed but by departing may never come to be of it and so be utterly rejected for whom all this faithful Saying and Warning is needful and profitable both for Teachers to minde them of and for them to heed and minde But let us to the Testimony with his Saying the place most probable it might be wrested from is Psal 89.28 33. consider it both in Type and in Truth and first in Type The Covenant was with David and stood fast with him for him and his Seed so far as he would though chastning his Seed for their Transgression yet not take his Mercy from him as he did from Saul 1 King 1.11 12 13. 15.4 5 that he should have no Son to sit upon his Throne which Covenant is yet firm to David and a first Fruits of the performance related yet what is befallen many of David's Children as well as of Israel and Judah the Word and Works of God declare and shew yet is not his Covenant broken nor his Mercy taken from David But now for the Truth it self which is Christ the Son of David and the choice David Certain it is The Covenant in the full extent of it stands fast with him his Seed will God make to endure for ever and his Throne as the Dayes of Heaven I will not press this here That this is a thing to come the whole Seed and such a manner of Seed is not yet come in and presented before him as shall be when he comes to take to him his great Power and Raign Eph. 5.25 26 27. and sit upon the Throne of David his Father He is now in his Mediation sending forth Spirit in the Testimony of him preparing Believers that they may be such a Seed as in whom the new Birth is compleated But lecting this pass to speak of them onely in whom the new Birth is begun and of them mark what he saith If his Children for sake my Law c. then will I visit c. their iniquity with stripes nevertheless my loving-kindness will not I utterly take from him Minde the words for I will not press the change of the terms nor deny that in what follows his Seed shall indure for ever his Children are meant Rom. 9. â— 8.16 17. 〈◊〉 3.8 16 26 29. as if Christ his Seed were the term fit to set them forth when compleated and till they come to that they are counted for the Seed the Children of God by Faith and the Seed of Abraham begot by the Gospel given Abraham to minister yet not in their own persons fully actually 〈◊〉 of God till the Resurrection But minde what he saith of these Children now he saith not I will not take my Mercy utterly from any of them but My Covenant shall stand fast with him I will not take my mercy utterly from him c. which can be no less then My love mercy faithfulness and Covenant shall not fail to be in to upon and through him so as I will be propitious and continue loving-kindness to all his Children all that believe in him and love him yea if they go astray I will correct them to reduce them and in receiving correction my mercy and loving kindness in him shall be ever upon and through him to receive them again c. but if they refuse c. yet I will preserve and multiply a seed to him I will not fail him And if we minde it such is our Saviour's complaint for the peoples untowardness Isa 44.4 5 6 10. and rejoycing in God's kindeness according to this Covenant like that in the Type so that here is great mercy and comfort held forth for all Believers and encouragement for backsliders to receive correction and return and a motive to wait for the coming of Christ to sit on the Throne of David when all iniquity will be done away and this Covenant given and performed to all the Seed of Christ And though neither this place nor Isa 53.10 quoted by Mr. Owen bears out his Notion yet I desire the greatest comfort and hope it giveth should be believed to the utmost of believing but not that it should be abused according to fleshly reasoning Rom. 11.20 21 22. or Satanical Temptation to puff up Believers with pride or presumption to say or conceit Though we transgress c. we are God's Sons he cannot cast us off and reject us utterly but he must alter his Purpose break his Covenant c. which he cannot do and so they fall into that foolish confidence Peov. 14.16 The Devil himself may tempt a Man to such confidence yea he did so tempt though he could not fasten his Temptation on the Lord himself If thou be the Son of God if thou be sure of that as if he should say then the Promise belongs to thee and he mentions one as full and free as this or any we read of then cast thy self
through Christ with Mankinde in beginning was and so still is 1. Act. 14.13 14 15 16 17. 17.25 28. Rom. 1.19 20. 2.4 5. Psal 19.1 7. Prov. 1.20 23 24. 8.1 6. Joh. 1.4 5 7 8 9. Isa 45.22 23 That he would extend Mercy use Means and give forth such Testimonies of his Goodness in and through Chrst the promised Seed to all men that they might behold and in beholding repent believe and be saved yea so verily That whoever did not then repent and believe it was because he was then found hardening his own heart and willingly refusing In which God is was and will be found faithful for ever and Refusers left without excuse when Believers saved 2. Iob 37.2 Prov. 3.5 6 32 33. Isa 45.21 22. Iob 35.10 11. Psal 33.8 Psal 14.2 3. Rom. 2.10.22 23. Psa 36.6 7. 100.1 2. 117.1 2. 130.4 That Men should hear his Voice minde and behold his Goodness and so believe him to be Great Righteous and Gracious and so fear him and stand in awe of him and in this belief and awe of him to acknowledg the Righteousness of that Obligation which naturally obligeth them to love the Lord with all their Heart and Soul and Strength and their Neighbour as themselves and to walk in that Love and so their own short coming of it and inability to answer it and their due and just desert of curse thereby and inability of themselves to avoid it and so being abased in themselves and believing his Goodness and Mercy to hope therein and cry to him for it and so believing in him in Testimony of Thanks to yield up themselves according to light and strength given and received to live to him which is the most in this Covenant required 3. That those who by the Testimony of his Goodness do thus believe him to be Psal 107.43 33.15 16 18 19. 36.7 8 9. Lam. 3.25 26. Heb. 11.6 and to be Great and Gracious and from thence abasing themselves do hope in his Mercy and are so found coming to him he will give them Understanding and bless and save them yea even in such believing how weak soever it be if it be according to the Light and Strength in the means given and received And this is all I can finde to have been in the beginning and from the beginning of any Covenant made by God with Mankinde through Christ and under this Covenant in their time ever were still are and will be all Men in their several Ages from the beginning to the end of this World If any reply That here is nothing mentioned of Men that they have engaged themselves to God in for performance of and how can that be called a Covenant where both parties have not engaged I answer Where there is an Engagement between two and the one a publick Man the several Engagements of the Particulars concerned in that publick Man is not necessary to make it a real Covenant And this will be yielded if Reason it self were made Umpire That a Lord of a Mannor may make a Covenant with his eldest Son about the disposal of his Lands Rents Goods and Priviledges to such and such Children Servants and Strangers also that are yet to be born on such and such terms to receive all engaged to them and this a Covenant to stand firm to all effects and they all as they come forth be accordingly engaged and so to receive that given or else be rejected and shall not Faith acknowledge That The Great and Mighty God Psal 24.1 2 5. Mal. 1.6 The Father of Jesus Christ The Lord and Master of us all may make such a Covenant for Men who are his own Creatures and pass it over to his own Son his first-Born and shall not all Men be engaged in it for receit or for rejection were not the denial of this unreasonable But if Understanding and Faith be asked they will soon tell us That both parties have engaged in this Covenant that God made with Christ the second publick Man for Men seeing he interposed for and undertook in the Nature of Man Gal. 4 4. 1 Tim. 2.6 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Deut. 29.14 15. to satisfie the Obligation under which Mankinde was fallen and having so bought them he as their Lord and Representative did in his Father's Engagement to him so engage for them and are they not then all engaged yea have they not all in the publick Man engaged and are by him engaged could Moses the Mediator between God and Israel enter into Covenant those that were far off and yet to be born and shall not the Lord of Moses The Mediator between God and Men do as much for all Men and was that a sin in those 1 Tim. 2.5 2 Sam. 21.1 7 9 14 15 16. that so many Generations after thought themselves not engaged in the Covenant made by Joshua their Leader into Canaan and the Elders of Israel though unadvisedly made and took courage to break it and will it not be a greater sin in any Man to think himself not engaged in this Covenant made by Jesus Christ the publick Man in the behalf of Mankinde surely all that know this Obligation will confess it a gracious Covenant and themselves engaged in it And yet I may say both That all Men are engaged in it by their natural Fathers in that Adam Seth c. yea Cain also did subscribe to iti n their offering of Sacrifice and after Noah also the Father of all Mankinde now living and many have been and are that have personally engaged according to that Testimony Joh. 3.33 he that hath received his Testimony hath set to his Seal That God is true for so those that believed the Graciousness of God in this Obligation and profess themselves That they would so seek and serve him they and their house as Joshua did did therein subscribe to the Goodness and Equity of the Obligation Josh 24.15 and therein engaged themselves and those under their Tuition to the observance of it Ier. 2.20 21. 1 King 2.38 42. And if such willingly turn aside their sin is so much the greater and their Condemnation will also be verified just from their own Mouth But we need not reason it out it is expresly writ That some in the acknowledgment of it did offer Sacrifice did call upon and were called by the Name of the Lord Gen. 4.3 4 26. 6.2 and these with all under their Tuition in that Profession were called The Sons of God Gen. 6.1 till the Profession received in that Tuition were cast off and the residue of Men called Men or the Sons and Daughters of Men. And those that were under this Obligation not onely Subscribers Gen. 4.3 4. 5.3 22. Heb. 11.2 3 4 5 6 Gen. 6.8 9. 1.7 but upright in believing with the Heart and so walked with God they were accepted and approved of God also and called
Testimony and Seal was Circumcision which was to be acted upon the Males onely in its beginning to be put on the Father of the Family and Men grown and then on Children of eight dayes old and so to be continued to Generation and Generation on the Male-Children And this Sign and Seal of Circumcision was given to Abraham and he received it to administer even to all his Family however as aforesaid become of his Family even to the Child of eight dayes old as a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which in believing he had received in the Testimony of God concerning the promised Seed the Object and Foundation of Faith and for alluring to Faith and for Faith to rest on and in the Covenant now made with him to confirm encrease and exercise Faith both which as he believed so he had to preach and so to testifie the Truth of that he taught he had as received from God this outward and sensible Sign to testifie seal and confirm the Faith with not Rom 4 10 11 12.13 Gal. 3.7 8 9. That by this outward Sign he should confirm and seal his own believing that he might be a Son which he evidently and knowingly was before nor yet by this outward Sign to confirm the Righteousness and Truth of the Repentance and Faith or believing in those upon whose Flesh the Sign was put but That he might be the Father c. namely by delivering such a Doctrine of Faith and testifying it with such a Sign and Seal received from God as a Seal of the Righteousness of it he might be an Instrument to draw on Men to believe and bring under the means of begetting to the Faith and Profession thereof and so become the Father of them that believe whether of his own circumcised Nation or of any other Nation in which Seal administred by him Gen. 17.9 10 11 13 14. Act. 7.8 Rom. 3.1 2. Ier. 4.4 Deut. 30.2 6. Rom. 2.25 29. 3.30 Iosh 5.9 Exod. 12.48 49. Gen. 17.10 11. Exod. 19.5 6. this also was included That all that received the same upon that account as given him of God to that end on themselves and theirs God by Covenant engaged himself to afford them such means as they attending and yielding up to him therein he would circumcise their hearts to love him and so make them of the spiritual Seed that they might be interested in and wait with assured Faith for the Good assured in the free and everlasting Covenant whence Circumcision is called God's Covenant in their Flesh and said to be much profitable and they exhorted thus to attend and the Promise also so made to them and the circumcised by this Ordinance were distinguished from the Heathen of the World yea and of them when proselyted they were by it them and theirs admitted into the Family of Abraham And all the Circumcised engaged by this Ordinance to attend on the Lord in all the Ordinances he should give untothem So that the Covenant fore-made by God with Mankinde through Christ was not in this Covenant nulled or made void or weakned but included and opened and farther help for the Observance of it afforded to all the Circumcised with greater Encouragement by the Gospel more cleerly taught and the everlasting Covenant held forth to all that were or came to be of this Family of the Circumcision so that the everlasting Covenant made with Abraham by having Circumcision annex'd did neither exclude nor hinder the eternal Salvation of any in any Nation that according to light and means believed and lived to God according to his Covenant made in and through Christ for and with Mankinde Exod. 12.48 onely such as came not in to be circumcised were deprived of those Priviledges of large Light Means Encouragements and Fellowship in Communion therein afforded by the everlasting Covenant to the circumcised Surely this free and everlasting Covenant is a blessed Covenant no Covenant beyond it nor any could be good for us that should in any sort make this void So that we look for no other Covenant but onely for another manner of making this namely in Performance of which after And in the mean season we will enquire about such Covenants-making as are for our fartherance and help in waiting for this And as we read of a three-fold Performance of this Covenant in three several times first In a literal part of it when God did give the Israelites rest in Canann by Joshua Secondly In the spirituall part of it to the Souls of Believers when God sent Jesus Christ into the World and gave him for a Covenant and the Covenant to be fully made according to Spirit and Letter in Performance at Christ his glorious coming so we shall finde a glorious Covenant made with Israel to tutor them till Christ's first coming and a Covenant made with all that believe in Christ as he hath come in the flesh and is given for a Covenant to tutor them till his next coming when the full will be given them Let us take a view of each of these CHAP. 4. Of the Covenant made with Israel in Moses time AFter Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and the Patriarchs together with him in their times had in the Faith of this everlasting Covenant sojourned in the Land of Promise a hundred ninety one yeers the Children of Israel sojourned in Egypt four hundred thirty yeers And after that God in remembrance of this Covenant brought them out of Egypt to lead them into Canaan by Moses Deut. 5.2 3. he made another Covenant with Israel expresly called Another a Covenant God made with them then at that time living and not made with their Fathers that were before them and this called A Covenant also frequently and it had two parts both and each of them called both Law and Covenant I will mention both The first was called The Ten Commands or Ten Words Exod. 34.28 Deut. 4.13 10.4 a holy and righteous Law discovering more cleerly then since Adam's fall was fore-declared all those righteous affections and services which the kindness of God to Man in the works of Creation required and in his great Redemption prepared for Mankinde in Christ and his Providence for preservation of Exod. 20.1 2 3 c. Deut. 5.6 c. Mat. 22.37 38 39. Luk. 7.27 28. Rom. 13.8 9 10. and particular Mercies and Redemptions extended to Men through Christ with his Authority do oblige and binde Men to and so how they ought to love the Lord their God with all their Heart and Minde and Soul and Strength and their Neighbour as themselves in which two Commands the whole Law is summed up and this part of the Covenant as it is called the Covenant so it is called the Law The second was called The Covenant of Levi Numb 25.12 13 Nehem. 13.29 Mal. 2.4 or of the Priesthood where in was more opened then to our first Fathers Adam Seth Noah c. who offered
Devil the Seed of Abraham in whom is blessing for all Nations The Propitiation for the sins of the whole World The Saviour of the World given to open the blinde eyes and bring out the Prisoners out of Prison c. that so the Hearers and Beholders may believe and whoever believeth not perish Joh. 3.16 17. Isa 42.1 6. 61.1 2 3 4. Col. 1.19 2.3 Ioh. 1.9 Act. 13.47 28.17 18. 1 Pet. 1.20 21. Isa 55.2 3 4. Joh. 1.12 but have eternal life yea the Father witnesseth this of him and himself saith He is filled with Spirit for this end and the Holy Ghost testifieth That all fulness is in him and he enlightneth every one that cometh into the World And that is the command of God to his Servants by the Gospel to hold him forth for a Light and Salvation to open the eyes of Men and turn them from darkness to light c. that they may receive c. and God goeth forth in that Testimony witnessing of and glorifying him that Men may believe on him and so receive the Covenant which-he giveth to Believers And this is above all that was before for teaching and drawing 2. That he is given for a Covenant to the People Isa 42.6 49.8 Gen. 3.29 which implieth and expresseth That the Covenant made with the Fathers for the People that is those come in to believe and so of Abraham's Family to whom the Covenant and Promises appertain he is given for it that though they yet wait for the Inheritance yet they have in him the Interest Joh. 14.6 11.25 Act. 13.32 33. Isa 55 2 3 4. Act. 13.34 Ioh. 17.10 1 Cor. 1.30 3.22 23. Heb. 8.1 Col. 2.9 10. Act. 3.26 13 34 37. Act. 3.19 Col. 3.4 1 Joh. 3.2 the Root the Assurance and certain Hope for he is The Way The Truth The Life yea The Resurrection and The Life yea The Promise and so we may say The Covenant for he as risen from the dead is called The sure Mercies of David in giving which the everlasting Covenant is at least spiritually made for he is he in whom the everlasting Covenant is sure and sure to be performed and the making it in performance sure in him so as in giving him to Believers all is in and with him given and believing in him all is so received in enjoying and possessing him by Faith all is enjoyed and possessed in and with him by Faith if Christ be ours all is ours Jesus Christ raised from the dead and glorified in the Nature of Man the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily Believers are compleat in him and God in giving him in the Ministration of the Gospel giveth blessing and the sure Mercies of David and the first fruits of the Spirit and sending him again visibly it is to restore all things and to taign that Believers may raign with him and so have all the fulness of the everlasting Covenant What other Oracle what Temple Sacrifice Priesthood what Knowledge or Gifts what Covenant-making with us what Inspiration or personal giving a Promise to us can be like this to secure us this is the choicest Testimony of God's Love and our Interest in the Covenant to have Christ given for a Covenant and in believing on him as he is set forth in the Gospel the greatest security and assurance is received God that spared not his Son Rom. 2.4 Joh. 1.4 9. but delivered him up to death for all Mankinde will and certainly doth through him extend patience bounty mercy and means to bring Men in to believe on his Son whom he is so giving to them yet such as believe not receive him not and so have him not as so given them and those that through unbelief have not Christ Joh. 3.6 whatever they have through Christ and for his sake yet they have no eternal life no Interest or part in the everlasting Covenant for eternal life and all pertaining to the everlasting Covenant is so in Christ 1 Joh. 5.10 11 12 13. Joh. 1.12 that there is no receiving or enjoyment of it but in receiving or enjoying him which is yet onely by believing in him and in believing in his Name we receive him and he gives these priviledges So then if God that gave his Son for us do so give him to us Rom. 8.32 Ioh. 1.12 as we be helped in believing to receive him he will with him and as he giveth him to us give us all things freely and in receiving Christ he will communicate the same to us according to his order in his first and second coming and of the Dispensation by his first coming and the Hope of that in his second coming is here treated and meant and so his being given for a Covenant to Believers can be no less then to be given for a Witness Isa 53.3 4. Testimony and Seal of God's Mercy Love Righteousness Immutability and Faithfulness to perform to them this everlasting Covenant and to be the He in whom they may discern and see all for them in him Col. 2.3 9 10. Ioh. 14.19 1 Pet. 1.4 Rev. 1.18 Heb. 19.15 10.2 6 10 11. and by him safely kept who by his power will through Faith keep them till he bring them to it and in mean season to be the Mediator of this Covenant that they may receive the promised Inheritance and the Minister of it to be dispensing a first Fruits to them in these waiting Days and this that he that hath our Nature and loves us c. is given us for a Covenant of the people it is a great and strong consolation and there is nothing to be valued with it to give us rest assurance and establishment This the way to receive it in receiving him and to be established in resting and abiding in him which that we may do here is one word more caught us for our safe guidance and tutoridge till we come to the Inheritance 3. In that he is said to be given for a Covenant of the People as he is for a Light to the Gentiles implies That he is given to give a New and Testamental Covenant a new Law for the Nurture and Tuition of those that are the Sons of God by Faith Jon. 1.17 8.35 36. Gal. 4.1 2 3 4 7. Rom. 3.27 Gal. 5.1 5. Iam. 2.12 Rom. 7.25 8.2 3 4. 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8 9. that they may be led and preserved to the Inheritance promised and kept by him for them that given by Moses was to nurture the Sons or People of God but under tutoridge as Servants suitable to the Servant by whom that Law was given but this given by Christ is to nurture the Sons or People of God in freedom as adopted Sons suitable to the Son of God by whom this Law is given That by Moses was a Law of Works this by Christ a Law of Faith that by Moses a Law of Bondage this by Christ
and all the spiritual Seed that were to follow of which they were to be Fathers and for that one which was spoken in particular of one particular it was vocally spoken and audibly heard by him to whom spoken and many others that were with him and for their sakes also this Man to whom it was spoken being before this speaking a Son So that all these and the like sayings shew what sure confidence Believers may have in remembring the Covenants made with their Fathers and the spiritual streaming in of such Sayings into their hearts a good relief in their fainting and help to enlarge their use of confidence in God that ever remembreth his Covanant made with the Fathers And this leads to a farther consideration of this Psal 125.1 2. viz. 3. That these words were not directly spoken to and for such as did not trust in the Lord Psal 125.1 2. to beget them to trust in the Lord though such an use may be and come of the hearing and minding them in convincement but they were and are directly spoken to and for such as are already Trusters in the Lord being first begot to trust in the Lord that they might not fear or depart through fainting or go aside in lifting up their Souls to any other strength wisdom righteousness policy or confidence for so he tells them in the same Psalm Such as in any straight or for any pretence turn aside namely Vers 5. from this way of trusting in the Lord unto their crooked wayes the Lord will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity but peace upon Israel opened by the Apostle directing as the rule to wait through the Spirit for the Righteousness of God by Faith c. saith Gal. 5 5 6 6.15 16. As many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy upon the Israel of God And this the same with that in Habakkuk He whose Soul is lifted up is not upright in him but the just shall live by Faith And in this very sense doth the Apostle render that saying to the Hebrews Heb. 10.38 to which the whole 125 Psalm fully agreeth 4. This foresaid saying taketh away the strength of the Apostles consolation given to the believing Hebrews and so to all Believers thereby Heb. 13 5 6. viz. For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake theee so that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not fear c. which Consolation the Apostle gives to the whole Church of the Hebrews to withdraw them from coverousness and firm them in confidence and not from a particular in-giving of these words to their Souls nor is there any likelihood they were so to all every or many of them nor is any such Caution put in But he layes it down as it was given when God was about the first literal fulfilling his Covenant made with Abraham and giving Joshua to be their Captain to encourage them to go on in his way he gives this Promise first to all Israel Deut. 31.6 the whole hurch Be strong and of good courage fear not nor be afraid of them for the Lord thy God he it is that doth go with thee he will not fail thee nor forsake thee And this Promise as a part of the Covenant made with their Fathers given to them Vers 7 8. was together with them again given to Joshua their Captain Now as our Joshua even Jesus that is the Captain and Finisher of our Faith the Fore-runner in whom all the Promises are Yea and Amen Heb. 12.2 Gal. 3.26 29. so it appertains to all that believe in him as his spiritual Seed and Heirs The Seed of Abraham The whole Church spoken of and to as one Thee and every one having right as being of the Seed of Abraham claiming their interest We. So the Apostle directs these believing Hebrews yea it being recorded and written he directs them to take what the Scripture saith as the Holy Ghost speaking to them Heb. 3.7 Gal. 3.7 8 9 29. Rom. 15.3 4 5. yea and so he directs all Believers even of the Gentile affirming them written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope in believing So that though this place I will be with thee c. have no otherwise been inspired to them then as it is written in the Scripture they believing in Christ in whom all the Promises are certain they are Heirs and the Promises pertain to them Rom. 8.17 Gal. 4.6 7. 3.26 29. and they in believing may have the comfort of them and yet for some particular difficult extraordinary business it may sometime be needful and very profitable for leading to farther trusting in the Lord to go through so great a business to have it particularly streamed into the heart of some chief Officer as this was to Joshua after the ministerial giving of it Josh 1.5 from whence I marvel learned Men should take that saying there as for every Saint rather then from its former ministerial giving to the whole Church and after with them to Joshua Deut. 31.6 7 8 And if we take not this saying thus as appertaining to Christ and in him to all Believers but onely to such into whose Souls it is particularly given in What force hath the Apostles Exhortation to these Hebrews and so to all the Church of Believers or who shall be the Thee and the We here spoken to and speaking if those and all those Gal. 3.7 8 9 16 29 Heb. 3.6 14. and onely those mentioned by the Apostle to be they be not they and he expresseth it to Believers in Christ in believing in whom is Mens entrance into Sonship and special favour and interest in promises as is witnessed in the Testimony of Christ and Declaration of the Purposes Promises and Covenants of God and such particular in-givings are great mercies and sweet enlargements and most to babes and at beginnings till Men have learned to live by Faith but to live on sense and particular visits to make them our Foundation to lift up our selves above our Brethren that have them not is a great abuse of them But I will in this proceed no farther nor yet in farther usefulness of all that written knowing such as read and believe what the Scripture affirms will meet with usefulness but onely in considering that which occasioned me to the writing of this Treatise namely Mr. Owen's stating of the Question pretended to be in dispute or controversie between him and Mr. John Goodwin about Perseverance in or falling from Faith or rather the Faith that may and that which cannot be fallen from An Explicite Declaration of the Testimony of Christ c. PART VII CHAP. 1. Of the Question as stated AS for his mentioning the many sorts of holiness and holy Ones and such as seem so and are not about which the contest is not I let pass and look
of the Faith or Holiness treated of III. Legal Repentance if by legal be meant that which is right true sound and according to rule we would not strive about words it might stand but by many expressions used and the scope of the business it 's evident that cannot be the meaning here and therefore 1. If by legal Repentance be meant a Repentance effected by the Law under which Man was fallen discovering sin and sentencing to death for sin affording no hope Gal. 3.13 Rom. 9.31 32 33. 10.2 3. but in answering the righteousness it requireth and so afflicting with despair and terrors of wrath and death at best effecting such a grief as causeth thoughts or returning to regain such a righteousness c. this stands cross to Faith and submission to Christ and so is none of the works of the Spirit in the Testimony of Christ See Part 2. ch 7. but the Fruit of unbelief if not also of an evil Ministration being the exercise of a natural conscience through ignorance of the Oblation of Christ and Peace made thereby and also ignorance of God's proceedings with Men through a Mediator and upon what account he chargeth sin upon Men and will proceed to punish them so that this is rather a fruit of the deceitfulness of sin the work of the Spirit being otherwise 2. If by legal Repentance be meant such efficacies as were in Men under the Law as given by Moses effected in that Ministration keeping still under a Spirit of Bondage suitable to the time before Christ came in the Flesh and offered the Oblation and sate on the right hand of God to mediate Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.1 7. 5.1 â— Tim. 1.7 1 Joh. 4.3 2 Joh. 7. Act. 20.21 Heb. 6.1 and so sent forth the Holy Ghost This would be denial of Christ come in the flesh to attribute such efficacies to the Holy Spirit in the Gospel now yet a Repentance is wrought in the working of the Holy Spirit but it is such as the Gospel teacheth even Repentance towards God and from dead works and not this legal Repentance nor are any under the Gospel-Ministration on the account of such legal Repentance anywhere called Believers or Saints As for that alledged 1 King 21.27 it was an Humiliation occasioned by the report of the terrible Judgements to be executed which God in great Mercy for a time deferred as he took off some Judgements from Pharaoh yet neither of them said to have Repentance Exod. 9.27 nor were called Believers and Saints but wicked Men so we are quit of this IV. Nor can they be brought into this Company of whom Mr. Owen speaks Page 402. Sect. 8. A sort of Men there are in the World who escape the outward pollutions of it and are clean in their own eyes though they are never washed from iniquity who having been under strong convictions by the power of the Law and broken thereby from the course of their sin attending to the word of the Gospel with a temporary Faith do go forth to a Profession of Religion and walking with God so far as to have all the lineaments of true Believers as Mr. Goodwin somewhere speaks drawn in their faces in hearing the word gladly as Herod did receiving it with joy as the stony ground did attending to it with delight as those did Ezek. 33.31 repenting of former sins as Ahab and Judas until they were reckoned among true Believers as Judas and those Joh. 2.23 who yet were never united to Christ So far he But it is plain these were Hypocrites in a proper sense professing to have that they had not to walk with God as they did not Prov. 30.12 13. Mat. 23.25 26 27 28. 2 Cor. 10 11 12 18. Mat. 7.21 22 23 24. nor are such as these anywhere in Scripture called Believers and Saints but plainly affirmed not washed from their filth of lofty eyes Hypocrites not wise not approved Sayers and not Doers of the will of the Father such as Christ in his Ministration and in the Ministration of his Servants never knew owned or approved by any word of his and though he yet wait with patience on such and use means that they might rightly convert yet if they persist and do not convert he will after when the dayes of his patience is out notwithstanding all their profession say to them Depart from me not ye Saints but yet that work inquity And this he forewarned all his Hearers of that they might truely turn to him neither have these all the Lineaments of true Believers of which Mr. Goodwin speaks nor yet of which the Scripture speaks in their Faces nor will the examples instanced prove them so to have for Herod's hearing John gladly and doing many things c. what Lineament was this when he feared the people and knew John both to be and to be accounted a Prophet and to be just and holy Mar. 6.17 27. Luk. 3.19 20. Ezek. 33.31 32 33. So that he had no just occasion to harm him and yet kept him Prisoner and contrary to his preaching kept to himself his Brother's Wife from him living uncleanly with her and at her motion put John to death nor was he ever reckoned Believer and Saint nor with them And Ezekiel's Hearers are plainly branded with Hypocrifie that heard and would not do their Hearts running after Covetousness and so far from being reckoned among true Believers that a wo is denounced against them As for Ahab's Repentance there is nothing affirmed of it as the Lineament of a true Believer nor was he so reckoned any more then Pharaoh as is foreshewn As for Judas Repentance it was hellish and constrained by torment of Conscience which led him to a vain course Mat. 27.3 4 5. even to the Enemies of Christ to ease his grief nor was that Repentance a Lineament of a true Believer nor was he upon that account or after reckoned among true Believers and yet being a secret Thief before what Believer soever he was before that he comes not within the compass of those set forth in Mr. Owen his stating the Question As for the stony Ground it is a part of a Parable uttered and opened by our Saviour shewing the efficacy of the Word for Fruits rather then for Regeneration for none was good Ground before the receit of the Word but that received and possessing the Heart regenerated and made the Ground good and then kindely fruitful which could not be till then So that the Word in the High-Way if it had abiden would have saved and made it good by degrees but being suffered to be presently stollen out Luk. 8.12 they remained High-way they that suddenly believing were a little touch'd if they had abiden minding that believed and let it sink into their Heart it would have broken the Stone and after that have rooted up the Thorns also Mat. 13.20 21 22 6. Jer. 23.29 30. But by being withdrawn by Tempration
principles receiving And yet after by evill teachers and temptations turned aside and fall into doubtfullness of or denyall of some of the Oracles and decay of that towardness that was in them towards the Principles and so are found fallen away for by farther opening the Doctrin of Christ and from the foundation and Oracles of God opening and pressing for the first Principles to bee received They may bee recovered and their recovery is to bee hopefully sought But they are such as have by the Oracles of God been brought upon the foundation and so had the forementioned Principles framed in them with such enlightenings and tastes as hath been shown 5 Yet they are not such as these through weakness or some violent temptation prevailed with and so overcome Gal. 6.1 1 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 2 3-11 12.19 -21. 2 Theâ—â— 14 15. that they are fallen into some gross sin against some of the ten Commands or some breach of charity in sinning against some branches of the Precept of the Gospel for the recovery of these by the words of grace and reproof and means appointed thereby may bee hopefully sought but they are such as these so far proceâ—ded that are fallen away from Foundation Heb. 10.26 27 28 29 30. Oracles Principles after all that light wilfully contemn and turn from this grace and despite it and this is their sin as before related in Part. 2. chap. 7. pag. 80-81 2 That such as so grievously sin against grace it is impossible to renew them again to repentance It is impossible The Apostle speaketh here of his ministration by preaching or writing for hee gives it as the reason why hee forbears going over again the foundation Oracles and thereby opening and pressing the first Principles because for such as need it and to whom it may bee profitable they to whom hee writes are fitted and may do that but the usefullness hee is pressing to is needfull for them but to such fallen ones all hee hath to say will be of no avail to them therefore hee will proceed and let such alone for it is impossible to renew them again to repentance Wee have nothing to say of the Mediatour to press any thing on them but what they have crucified to themselves and contemn So it is impossible to us to renew them it is out of the bounds of our ministration 1 Tim. 1.20 2 Tim. 2.21 Tit. 3.10 11. wee use either to reject such or deliver them to Satan and not exercise our ministry farther towards them while they are such and so wee would have you to do They are fallen into the hands of God who hath left us nothing in our ministration Heb. 10 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. to shew how God may deal graciously with them through a Mediatour but all wee have to say of the Mediatour whom they have so despitefully used will aggravate their sin and present nothing but terrour to them they are in a fearfull condition and in danger of eternall damnation But the Power of God wee will not limit Mar. 3.29 And all things are possible to him Though hee will do nothing but according to the counsell of his own Will And so in this sense hee saith it is impossible to renew c. which is a terrible sentence 3 The Reason Why it is impossible to renew them again to Repentance is exprest seeing or because They crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Hee that was once willingly crucified and put to an open shame for them and by his Spirit commending his love there through to their hearts hath been glory and beauty to them precious and efficacious in them yet now they turning aside to some vain dreams have hardened their hearts against him and for lying vanities have forsaken him and now are turned adversaries to him and by their own reasonings and lusts and magnifying some other thing do make his blood and sacrifice of no account and efficacy to themselves but crucifie him Heb. 10.26 2 29 30. and cast shame on him to make him despicable to themselves and others And there is no other Sacrifice to help them no mean of any help but in the freeness of Gods love that gave his Son and through that blood and Sacrifice of his made known by his gracious Spirit And all this they have trodden under foot despised despighted And yet that 's not all they are not by any Judgements or warning reclaimed but they go on and continue so doing And so hee saith not only they have fallen away and have crucified but they are even now still so doing they fall away they crucifie c. that is their business And they are so doing it is impossible and therefore impossible to renew them again to Repentance the words are very plain in themselves 4 That this great danger of eternall damnation into which some have fallen is in some cases to bee declared Chap. 2 3 4 6 10. and set before them that are not fallen into it that they may be warned to avoid all those evils by which by degrees Gal. 4. if not avoided they may bee brought to fall into it And so the Apostle sets this danger before the Hebrews to warn them to avoid all that leads to it as hath been shown And so did he to the Galatians And so hee directs them to no other or better faith than here set forth which suppose some were fallen from yet hee would have them abide and bee stedfast and grow in this faith and if any say God cannot so proceed with such as once have such faith though they fall away Hee answers Heb. 6.7 8. For the Earth which drinketh in the Rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth Herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth thorns and bryars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to bee burned The Apostle here setteth forth the holiness and justness of Gods proceedings that as their standing is by faith so they may take heed of presumptuousness as he admonished the Romans Rom. 11.18.23 So here the Hebrews still justifying God as by setting forth the height and grievousness of such sinning being like the sin of the Angels that fell having no cause for it Jude 6. they had happiness enough in their condition in which abiding they might have been established but aspiring after a higher estate they left their habitation c. So suitable thereto is this sinning and in some degree beyond that of our first Father Adam Rom. 5.14 Numb 16. Jude 11. in respect of his own particular which men are not naturally guilty of so great but this is wilfully resembling that of Corah They willingly first forsaking God Isa 1.12 13 14. Iude. that shewed such mercy to them as was better than all they could set eye on So as without cause they