nigh unto all that call upon him even to all that call upon him in truth Psa 145. 18. The Saints have communion with Christ 2. The Saints have communion with Christ he being their Head they his Members Christ is the Head of the Church Ephe. 5. 23. We are members of his bodie c. Ephes 5. 30. They have the communion of his body and of his blood 1 Corinth 10. 16. not onely a Sacramentall communion which the wicked may have by receiving the outward Sacrament but a reall although a spirituall communion by faith For Christ doth dwell in their hearts by faith Ephes 3. 17. By faith they eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood Iohn 6. 53 54. with 57. By Christ thorow faith in him they have accesse unto God and acceptance with God Rom. 5. 1 2. By him they have confidence to make known their requests unto God and assurance to obtain of God whatsoever is requisite and needfull for them Ephes 3. 12. Iohn 16. 23. The Saints in heaven have more immediate and full communion with God and with Christ being more immediately and fully joyned unto them 2 Cor. 5. 6 7. Phil. 1. 23. The Saints have communion one with another 3. The Saints have communion one with another as having near relation one to another being Children of one and the same Father and Members of one and the same Bodie and having near conjunction one with another as being indued with one and the same Spirit Gal. 3. 26. and 1 Cor. 12. 27. Ephes 4. 4. and 1 Corinth 12. 13. The Saints have the communion of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 13. 14. the fellowship of the Spirit Phil. 2. 1. they must needs therefore have communion and fellowship one with another As for the Saints in heaven what communion they have one with another the Scripture speaking sparingly we must not be overbold to enquire onely thus much is unquestionable that they have some communion in that kinde rejoycing one in anothers happinesse and glorifying God one for another For Charity never faileth 1 Cor. 13. 8. yea in the Saints in heaven it is made perfect And it rejoyceth not in iniquity but in the truth 1 Cor. 13 6. There being such a distance betwixt the Saints in heaven and the Saints on earth there can be no such communion betwixt them as they of the Church of Rome pretend to wit that the Saints in heaven should pray particularly for the Saints on earth and procure those good things for them that they stand in need of and that the saints on earth should pray unto the Saints in heaven and make them Advocates and Mediatours whereby to prevaile with God For besides that this is most injurious as they practise it unto God and unto Christ we being onely to pray unto God in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ Psalm 50. 15. Matth. 6. 9. Iohn 16. 23. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Besides this I say the Saints in heaven are not acquainted with the particular estate of the Saints on earth Iob 14. 21. And therefore there can be no such communion betwixt them although in respect of that which was said before of charity we cannot but conceive that the Saints in heaven do in generall think on the Saints on earth and wish them the same happinesse which they have obtained And so the Saints on earth blesse God for the Saints in Heaven thinke and speak honourably of them and imitate the vertues that were in them Prov. 10. 7. Luke 1. 48. Heb. 6. 12. and 13. 7. As for the Saints on earth they have communion among themselves so as to consider one another and to provoke unto love and good works Hebr. 10. 24. to teach and admonish one another Col. 3. 16. to comfort one another 1 Thess 4. 18. to pray one for another Iames 5. 15. to succour and releeve one another as every one hath received the gift so to minister the same one to another c. 1 Pet. 4. 10. of forgivenesse of sinnes The forgivenesse of sinnes This benefit is peculiar to the Church The Prophet speaking of Sion saith The people that dwell therein shall have their sinnes forgiven Isai 32. 24. It is a part of the Covenant that God hath made with his people that he will forgive their iniquity c. Ier. 31. 33. The Saints themselves even the best upon earth have need of it If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities Lord who should stand But there is forgivenesse with thee c Psal 130. 34. See Psal 32. 1 2. What sin is and the severall kindes of it Sinne is a transgression of the Law 1 Iohn 3. 4. It is either originall or actuall Originall sin is that which every one brings with him into the world Adam by his fall losing that righteousnesse in which he was created and conveyng sinne and corruption into all that by naturall generation proceed from him Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Iob 14. 4. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me Ps 51. 5. By one man to wit Adam sinne entred into the World that is into all mankinde Rom. 5. 12. Actuall sinne is that which every one makes himself guilty of in his life and conversation All like sheep have gone astray Isa 53 6. Actuall sinne is either a sinne of commission or of omission A sin of commission is when that which is forbidden is committed a sinne of omission is when that which is commanded is omitted There are many other distinctions of sin which it were too tedious and not necessary to rehearse What forgivenesse of sinne is how expressed in Scripture Forgivenesse of sinne is a not imputing of it God was in Christriconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them 2 Cor. 5. 19. It is called a covering of sin Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sinne is covered Psal 32. 1. And a blotting out of sinne According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Psal 51. 1. Other such like expressions also there are whereby forgivenesse of sinnes is set forth in the Scripture To forgive sin belongs only unto God Onely God can forgive sinne As sinne is committed against man as it is an injury done unto him so he may and ought to forgive it Luke 17. 3 4. If thy brother trespasse against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgive him And if be trespasse against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turne again to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him Ministers also may forgive sinnes declaratively so as to preach and publish forgivenesse of sinnes to such as repent and beleeve Whose soever sinnes ye remit they are remitted c. John 20. 23. Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man Christ is preached unto you forgivenesse of sinnes Act. 13. 38.
But as sinne is committed against God as it is a transgression of his Law so authoritatively onely God can forgive sinne I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions c Isai 43. 25. Who can forgive sinnes but God onely Mark 2. 7. The Scribes that spake those words were right in the doctrine onely they were wrong in the application of it Their position was good that onely God can forgive sinne but their supposition was naught that Christ was but a meer man and so their inference was false that Christ did blaspheme in taking upon him so to forgive sinnes as he did Sinne is forgiven onely through Christ As it is God onely who doth forgive sinne so it is onely Christ both God and man the Mediatour betwixt God and man for whose sake sinne is forgiven Christ told his Apostles That repentance and remission of sinnes should he preached in his Name c. Luke 24. 42. Peter told the Jews that him to wit Christ hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sinnes Act. 5. 31. Be it knewn unto you therefore men and Brethren said Paul that through this man is preached unto you forgivenesse of sinnes And by him all that beleeve are justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13 38 39. Christ by his Blood hath satisfied for our sinnes so that thorow him onely we must expect forgivenesse of them Behold the Lamb of God said John Baptist pointing at Christ which taketh away the sinnes of the world John 1. 29. He is the propitiation for our sinnes 1 John 2. 2. Your sinnes are forgiven you for his Names sake 1 John 2. 12. What is required of those who would have forgivenesse of sinnes Now if we would have the forgivenesse of our sinnes there is required of us 1. Repentance Christ ordained that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his Name Luke 24. 47. First repentance and then remission of sinnes No remission of sinnes without repentance So Acts 5. 31. Christ is a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins When they that were pricked in the heart with Peters Sermon said What shall we doe to be saved Peter answered Repent c. Acts 2. 37. 38. So Acts 3. 13. Repent and be converted that your sinnes may be blotted out Now repentance imports sorrow for sin I will acknowledge mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sinne Psal 38. 18. And forsaking of sinne Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and turne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Isai 55. 7. 2. Faith Through this man viz. Christ is preached unto you forgivenesse of sinnes And by him all that beleeve are justified c. Acts 13 38 39. This faith or beleeving is a laying hold on Christ an adhering unto him and a relying on him for the obtaining of mercy and forgivenesse To as many as received him to them he gave power to be the sonnes of God even to them that beleeved on his Name John 1. 12. There to beleeve in Christ is to receive Christ So Christ is said to dwell in our hearts by faith Eph 3. 17. 3. To forgive others Thus Christ hath taught us to pray unto God to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us Matth. 6. 12. And he addes For if yee forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you But if ye forgive not men ther trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trepasses Matth. 6. 14 15. and see Mat. 18 from the 21. Verse to the end of the Chapter Of the resurrection of the body The resurrection of the body There is a spirituall resurrection the rising again of the soule from the death of sinne to the life of grace of which resurrection something was spoken before but this is not all the resurrection that is to be expected as it seems some affirmed saying that the resurrection is past already 2 Tim. 2. 18. But there shall be also a corporall resurrection a rising again of the Body though the soul be separated from it and it be laid in the dust and turned to dust yet the soul shall be re-united to it and it shall be raised up This seems incredible to a meer naturall man the Philosophers at Athens marvelled when they heard Paul speak of it Thou seemest said they unto him to be a setter forth of strange gods because he preached unto them Iesus and the resurrection Asts 17. 18. And Verse 32. When they heard of the resurrection of the dead some mocked others said we will hear thee again of this matter But they that beleeve Gods Word beleeve this that the dead shall rise again I have hope towards God said Paul which they themselves meaning the Jews his adversaries also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust Acts 24. 15. I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day said Martha of Lazarus being dead Iohn 11. 24. The Sadduces a sect among the Jews denyed the resurrection as wee read Mat. 22. 23. and Acts 23. 8. But as Christ said unto them they erred not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Matth. 22. 29. The Power of God shewes that he can raise the dead and the Scriptures shew that he will doe it Why should it seem a tâ—ing incredible unto you that God should raise the dead Asts 26. 8. He that could make all things of nothing can certainly raise up the body although it have passed thorow never so many transmutations And that God will do this the Scriptures clearly testifie unto us See Dan. 12. 2. Joh. 5. 28 29. and 1 Cor. 15. the whole Chapter Reason also grounded upon Scripture doth evince as much For 1. The body having been partner with the soul either in righteousnesse or in sinne it is meet that the body should also be partner with the soul either in the reward or in the punishment We must all receive the things done in the body according to that which we have done whether it be good or evill 2 Corinth 5. 10. As the things were done in the body so the reward must likewise be received in the body 2. For the Saints their resurrection is particularly proved by the resurrection of Christ he being the Head and they his Members For as the Head rose again so must the Members as Christ rose again so must they that belong unto Christ and are his The Scriptures often inferre the resurrection of Christians from Christs resurrection See 1 Cor. 15. 12 13 16 20 21 22 23. and 2 Cor. 4. 14. and 1 Thess 4. 14. What a change there shall be of the body at the resurrection Christ shews saying In
man being God from all eternity in due time he also was made man When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Son made of a woman Galath 4 4. This woman was called Mary which is the same name with Miriam as it is written in the Old Testament When she conceived and bare Christ she was a pure Virgin Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Sonne and shall call his name Immanuel that is being interpreted God with us Isai 7. 14. It was prophesied of Christ who was conceived and Born of a Virgin Matth. 1. 22 23. It was not by the concurrence of man but by the Power of the Holy Ghost that Christ was conceived in the Wombe of his Mother That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost said the Angel to Ioseph Mat. 1. 20. And so the Angel told the blessed Virgin The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee c. Luke 1. 35. Therefore Christ was holy from his very Birth and Conception alltogether free from that originall pollution which others being conceived and borne after the ordinary course of Nature draw from Adam and bring into the world with them as David confessed of himself Psal 51. 5. That therefore Iob 254. How can man be clean that is born of a woman that I say is meant of such as are borne after the usuall manner by naturall generation it extends not unto Christ whose birth was extraordinary and above nature As the Virgin did corporally conceive bear Christ in her womb so must we spiritually conceive and bear him in our hearts My little Children of whom I travell in birth again untill Christ be formed in you said Paul to the Galatians Gal. 4. 19. And Christ pointing at his Disciples said Behold my mother and my brethren For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother and sister and mother Matth. 12. 49 50. Of Christs Passion or suffering Suffered under Pontius Pilate Christs whole life was a continuall suffering his very Incarnation was a Passion For him who was God blessed for ever to take upon him the nature of man for him who was Lord of all to take upon him the forme of a servant this was a great and wonderfull suffering So whiles hee lived hee was never free from suffering Being newly born he was laid in a Manger there being no room for him in the Inn where he was Luke 2. 7. Eight dayes after his Birth he was circumcised Luke 2. 21. Soon after he was persecuted by Herod and was fain to be carried into Egypt to escape the danger he was in Matth. 2. 13 14 15. Of the rest of Christs life untill hee was about thirty yeares old Luke 3. 23. the Scripture speaks but little it being not so necessary for us to know Yet thus much it tells us plainly of him that he was subject to Joseph and Mary Luke 2. 51. And it intimates unto us that Christ did exercise the Trade that Ioseph his Mothers husband was of For whereas it is said Matth. 13. 55. that some did say of him Is not this the Carpenters son S. Mark relates it Is not this the Carpenter Mark 6. 3. Which implies that as Ioseph his supposed Father was a Carpenter so he also for a while did follow the same Trade After that he came abroad to shew himselfe to the world and to execute the Office for which he was sent how was he opposed by the Scribes and Pharisees and such as could not endure the holinesse of his Life and Doctrine Besides he still lived a mean and despicable kinde of life Though he were rich yet for our sakes he became poor 2 Cor. 8. 9. Even so poor that others did minister to him of their substance Luke 8. 3. And whereas the Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air have nests he had not where to lay his head Luk. 9. 58. Thus was Christ continually suffering all his life long but the things that he suffered at the last at and immediately before his death were such and so great that they peculiarly are called his Passion or Suffering And this is that which is here said Suffered under Pontius Pilate This Pontius Pilate was Governour of Iudea under Tiberius the Romane Emperour to whom the Jews were then subject See Luke 3. 1. Pilate was the Judge that gave sentence upon Christ and condemned him as all the Evangelists record And even forraign Writers as namely Josephus a Jew and Tacitus a heathen testifie that Christ was put to death by Pontius Pilate But the Scripture relates as more fully what Christ suffered to wit how he was buffetted spit upon reviled scourged crowned with Thorns c. so also why he suffered to wit not for any offence that he had done no Pilate himself as the Evangelists shew did divers times declare him to bee innocent but for our sins which he was to beare and to satisfie for He bare our sins in his body on the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. Him that knew no sinne God made sinne for us 2 Corinth 5. 21. Surely he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our Peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed All we like sheep went astray turning every one to his owne course and the Lord laid upon him the iniquities of us all Isai 53. 5 6. Of Christs crucifying Was crucified Here follows now more particularly after what manner Christ suffered He was Crucified that is nailed alive to the Crosse and so did hang untill hee were dead So the History of the Gospel shews and hence the Crosse of Christ is so much spoken of in the Scripture This kinde of punishment was not in use among the Jewes untill they came under the power of the Romans with whom it was frequent It was a punishment both full of pain and also full of ignominie onely such as were of meanest rank and vilest Malefactors were wont to have this punishment inflicted on them why Christ suffered on the Crosse yet as painfull and ignominious as it was Christ was content to suffer it for our sakes Yea it was a cursed kinde of punishment and therefore Christ submitted unto it to free us from the curse which by reason of our sinnes was due unto us Christ saith S. Paul hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Gal 3. 13. And Phil. 2. 8 he exaggerates Christs humiliation by this that he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Of Christs Death Dead The Wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23 Not onely the first death the separation of the soul from the bodie but also the second death the damnation both of soul and body as appears by the